Pete Babcock is a man deeply woven into the fabric of NBA history. Pete shares the innovative path he took to break into the league, starting as a volunteer scout and rising through the ranks as a regional scout, assistant coach, director of player personnel, VP of basketball operations, general manager, team president, and even minority owner.
We explore Pete’s passion for Black history and humanitarian work, and reflect on a remarkable 42-year career that culminated in an NBA championship ring in 2016. This conversation serves as the perfect introduction to Pete’s forthcoming biography, Courts of Justice: A Life in Basketball and Activism. You can preorder the book now at PeteBabcock.com.
In our chat, Pete offers a behind-the-scenes look at the art of scouting and drafting, and the complexities of navigating trades - including the high-profile deal that sent franchise favorite Dominique Wilkins from the Atlanta Hawks to the L.A. Clippers. We cover Pete’s tenure with several NBA franchises - including the New Orleans Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, San Diego Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and Cleveland Cavaliers - discussing his roles and impact at each stop.
Along the way, we talk about a wide range of players he worked with or observed closely, including Paul Westphal, Alvan Adams, Tom Chambers, Terry Cummings, Fat Lever, Christian Laettner, Dikembe Mutombo, Steve Smith, Isaiah Rider, and many more. Pete will return in a future episode to take us deeper into the making of his book.
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