PHILADELPHIA – Hall of Famer Jerry Colangelo, the Philadelphia 76ers' new chairman of basketball operations, joined SportsRadio 94 WIP's "Angelo Cataldi and The Morning Team" Tuesday morning to discuss his new role within the organization.
On taking a new job at this stage of his career:
"I didn't need to do anything. I'm pretty set. I've been blessed with a lot of success in a career. I do a what I want to do [and] what I enjoy doing. That is staying active. I'm healthy. I have a passion for the game, and I've stayed in the game as chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield and as chairman of USA Basketball. That's been a good fix for me. And yet I've stayed close to the NBA and Adam Silver.
Ownership of various teams in the NBA have called me for advice and opinions. I'm happy to do that, but when I got this call it was different. Ultimately it gets down to this: I've been a competitor all my life. I like challenges. When people have said to me, 'you can't do this,' I usually respond by saying, 'I can, I will and I think I'll show you how.'"
On perception that NBA wanted Colangelo to get involved:
"I don't know what role the NBA had specifically in conversations with ownership. I will tell you that Adam Silver is a hands-on guy. I'm sure he consulted with all the owners. That's the way David Stern was over the years.
Since Adam has taken over, I've been asked to speak to various people in the league about maybe some things they should consider doing, etc. I think Adam has always wanted me back in the league. I was a lifer in the NBA. I've cheered the Board of Governors in terms of owners. I cheered the Competition Committee. I've cheered every committee there was and always put the league first over the team. . . . About 15 years ago, I thought our game was in trouble and I went to Stern and said, 'if I get turned off, we got an issue because you know I love the game.' We had changed rules and I put a committee together that include Jack Ramsey, by way of example. . . .
The ownership has to make a decision as to what they want to do and they did. Josh called me and said, 'Look, we need your help. We respect you. You've done it all in sports and your success could really be helpful to us.' That's how it started. It just took about a week for us to agree to agree."
On a franchise spending three seasons not trying to win:
"I think whenever there is a plan in place in terms of how they want to become, not just competitive but get to the upper echelon, there's going to be pain involved.
I think you have to look at a franchise like Oklahoma City, who struggled for three years and ended up drafting Kevin Durant, [Russell] Westbrook, and then [James] Harden back to back to back. They actually got three stars. What does that translate to? Probably about 10 years of success with three of the outstanding players in the league. That works for them. It's a roll of the dice. The stars have to be aligned. You have to get the right players and then they have to come together.
[The Sixers] have a strategy here. That's the way it's been. I'm here to take a look at all of it, voice my opinions and collaboratively do what's necessary to kind of keep the peace if you will, but try to get Philadelphia back to something they deserve. It's a great basketball town in terms of tradition, of great history and I would certainly love to see that be repeated."
On lack of communication within the organization in the past:
"From day one since I've been involved in sports, I've always been transparent. I've always had an open-door policy. I don't have to answer every question, but . . . I believe in communication.
Some people can do that. It's a strength for some. It happens to be one of mine. . . . Sam [Hinkie] is a very bright guy. Very intelligent [and] very analytical. His philosophy is to do it the way he has been doing it. I'm not saying who's right and who's wrong. It's just different."
On how influential his voice is in making final decisions:
"I think I've been brought here to have a big voice in the room. We're going to do this on a collaborative basis.
One way you can look at it is to think of it this way: You have ownership who makes the final, final call because they write the check. . . . You have a young guy in which we described in Sam Hinkie. Then you have me, who's had a lot of experience to have done all of this a few times. So, you now have another voice.
I've always been independent, even when as a young guy when I took over the [Phoenix] Suns after leaving the [Chicago] Bulls startup when I was 25. I've always had autonomy. I always made all the decisions, and I didn't have a collaborative circumstance to deal with. I lived and died with my own decisions.
And so, this is a little bit different for me, but you should know, I will speak my piece. When I believe in something, it will be heard."
On relationship with NBA stars who have played for Team USA and free agent recruitment:
"I spent four-and-a-half decades in the NBA, which could be a brutal kind of a business, because you see a lot of people come and go. But, I did it all on a handshake. My word was my bond.
Not only have agents trusted me over the years, the same is true with the players. I've always had a relationship because I played, I scouted, I coached, I managed, I owned. I was the first guy who came up through the whole system to end up doing that.
It's about respect. Therefore, when you have access to the people you're talking about, the elite players, all of that goes with it. I would think that's a benefit."
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is a contributor to Sixerdelphia.com.
