Dave’s Front Office

On the new "Dave's Front Office," Golden State Warriors President Rick Welts pays a visit to Dave Wohl. Rick is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame even though he never made a bucket or coached a game. Rick's NBA story began almost 50 years ago when he became a ball boy for the Seattle Sonics. He has been a pioneer in the marketing of the sport, conceiving the idea for NBA All Star Weekend back in 1984 and doing so much more to grow the sport around the world. In 2011 when he came out as gay in a New York Times article, he became the first major sports figure to do so. Over the years, he has been an inspiration to millions for his courage as well as for his skills as an executive and his kindness as a human being. In this conversation with Dave Wohl, Rick reflects on his journey and also on his plans for the future, which will hopefully include the return of NBA basketball to his beloved Seattle.

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Racism is nothing new. In fact, previous generations of African Americans faced much more overt racism than we see today. Hall of Famers George Raveling & Wayne Embry have the receipts and they'll tell their stories. Both came of age in the 1950's and reached the pinnacle of success in the 1970's & '80's. Their success in not only overcoming discrimination, but rising to the very top of their respective professions provides a timeless lesson for all of us. At 23:30 is this story: George provided security for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 and he shares a story from that day that few if any people have ever heard. Wayne also shares the amazing story of his former teammates Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman, who took the concept of "brotherhood" and caring to an incredibly high level.

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George Raveling is a Hall of Fame basketball coach and Wayne Embry is a Hall of Fame player and executive. Both have been pioneers in breaking down racial barriers and rising to the highest levels of the coaching, executive, and business ranks. Both men are in their 80's and have seen it all, including being excluded from opportunities and even denied accommodations at team hotels and restaurants. George and Wayne recall vivid details from their struggles but teach all of us lessons about restraint, class, and the wisdom to reject bitterness and always try and make things better.

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Doc Rivers and Dave Wohl have been friends and colleagues for decades. Dave was an assistant coach during Doc's first coaching job in Orlando, they won the 2008 NBA Championship together in Boston, and had great years with the Clippers when Doc was coach and Dave was general manager. In this revealing and intimate discussion, Doc shares his thoughts on how racism has shaped his own life, his feelings about where society is headed, lessons he learned from his father who was a policeman, why it's harder to be non-violent than violent, and what Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons can do to lead the 76ers to a championship. All this and so much more on Dave's Front Office.

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Last week in Part One of his conversation with Dave Wohl, Hall of Famer Jerry West discussed the current state of basketball, competition, and our society. He expressed his admiration for LeBron James and praised his former team, the Lakers. In this week's Part Two, Jerry looks back at his own career and some of his friends and contemporaries like Elgin Baylor, the late Tommy Heinsohn, and the great Muhammad Ali, his teammate in the 1960 Olympics. His story about Tommy & the Celtics is especially poignant and funny. And his admiration for Elgin is off the charts. This story alone is worth your time. Jerry also discusses what his worth might have been if players of his era had free agency opportunities. He also shares his feelings about Giannis staying in Milwaukee. Fans of Jerry West should not miss this conversation.

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