In today’s episode, we sat down with author, sportswriter, and Esports GM, Lang Whitaker. Lang currently works for the Memphis Grizzlies as the General Manager of Grizz Gaming, and as a contributor to Grind City Media. Additionally, Lang works as a contributor to GQ Magazine. He broke into the industry with SLAM magazine in the early 2000s and later worked for NBA Digital, where he wrote for NBA.com, appeared on NBA TV, and co-hosted the award-winning Hang Time Podcast.  In this episode we discuss:Growing up in Atlanta and having a love for Atlanta sportsMoving to New York and working for SLAM Magazine Becoming GM of Grizz Gaming with the Memphis Grizzlies From 2000-2012, Whitaker worked for SLAM magazine, first as an online editor, then executive editor, and finally as editor-at-large. In 2012, he co-hosted the inaugural NBA Social Media Awards with Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal. Since 2010, Whitaker has been a contributor to GQ. Lang has also written for many other publications, including The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and Esquire. In March 2011, Whitaker published his memoir, “In The Time Of Bobby Cox: The Atlanta Braves, Their Manager, My Couch, Two Decades and Me.” Connect with Beau Estes:  Twitter Connect with Lang Whitaker: langwhitaker.com | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode, we sat down with long time NBA coach Alvin Gentry. Coach Gentry has spent over 30 years as a coach in the NBA and was most recently the Head Coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.  Growing up in Shelby, North Carolina, Coach Gentry had plenty of stories about cutting his teeth on the court with his cousin and former NBA star David Thompson.In this episode we discuss:What the job of an NBA Head Coach entailsCoach Gentry’s path to the top of his sport A “WOW” moment with Zion WilliamsIn 1989, Gentry began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs under Larry Brown, where he coached for three seasons. He then moved to Detroit following the 1994–95 season where he served as an assistant for two and a half seasons before being named head coach late in the 1997–98 season. Coach Gentry took over the head job for the Clippers from 2000-2003.  Later, he became an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns for six years, serving under head coaches Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter; and was named Suns' head coach for the 2009-2010 season. In 2013 he returned to the Clippers organization, taking the title of associate head coach, making him Doc Rivers' lead assistant.After one season with the Clippers, Gentry signed a three-year contract as associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors. In 2015, he signed with the Pelicans, prior to the start of the NBA Finals, but was to remain with Golden State until the series was completed; Gentry won his first NBA Championship with the Warriors that year.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Alvin Gentry: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

This episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is a conversation between host Sergio Millas and NBATV's Beau Estes.  You may recognize Beau from the NBA Top 10 or from his earlier appearance on the show.  In this episode, Beau turns the table on Sergio, as we get to learn more about our host and the Vice President of Digital Media at HallPass Media. Sergio has been working at HallPass Media for 15 years and has over 10 years of experience in digital marketing. He is a creative leader with a wide array of professional marketing experience working with marquee brands in numerous industries. These include sports, entertainment, real estate, education, and beauty. In this episode we discuss:Habits and mentorsSergio’s career pathHow to get better each and every daySergio is an alumni at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of business, and earned his MBA in marketing. Sergio’s specialties consist of B2B and B2C Strategic Marketing and Positioning, Brand Development, Traffic Generation, Sales Funnel Optimization, Community Engagement, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, Cross Channel Monetization, Product Marketing, Demand Generation/Lead generation, and Strategic Partnership/Business Development. Connect with Beau Estes: | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Host Beau Estes is joined by surgeon Dr. Sami Daye, Head of Sports Science for the Toronto Raptors Alex McKechnie, and Founder of Hoop Science IO Ken Berger. Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion recorded live on the SBC Web Show.On the show, the panel discussed preparing for the NBA restart, medical concerns for the "Bubble," and getting fans back to events.Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds!To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Ken Berger: Hoop Science iO | TwitterConnect with Beau Estes: Twitter

Host Beau Estes is joined by Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach, Former WNBA #1 Overall Pick and Duke Athletics Hall of Fame Member Lindsay Harding, UNLV Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois, and Assistant GM of the Capital City Go-Go (Washington Wizards NBA G-League Affiliate Team) Amber Nichols. Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion recorded live on the SBC Web Show.On the show, the panel discussed their professional journeys in the sports industry, what employers can do to make leadership opportunities more competitively available to women, as well as progress that has already been made and how much further we need to go.Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds!To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Lindsay Harding: LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramConnect with Desiree Reed-Francois: LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Amber Nichols: LinkedIn | InstagramConnect with Beau Estes: Twitter

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by General Manager of Sports Business Classroom Larry Coon and NBA Analyst/former Atlanta Hawks GM Wes Wilcox for a very special announcement!Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds! To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Larry Coon: Twitter

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Life Sports Media & Entertainment Founder & CEO Todd Ramasar as well as Bleacher Report NBA Senior Writer and Fox Sports Analyst Ric Buchner!Our guests discussed the human element of returning to play and what the players feelings and concerns are.  They talked about how the shortened seasons will effect various parties financially.  Todd and Ric also put themselves in the shoes of one of the 8 teams and players that did not get invited to Orlando to break down how they might be feeling right now.  And finally they gave their advice to aspiring sports business professionals about what kind of technologies they learn to better position themselves for a job in the future.If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Todd Ramasar: Life SME | Twitter | LinkedIn | InstagramConnect with Ric Buchner: Twitter | LinkedIn

Today’s guest is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), Jennifer Todd. TBT is a 5v5, winner take all tournament, with a grand prize of $2,000,000. In her role of Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships she manages the process of building and activating all sponsors and marketing relationships across TBT.In this episode we discuss:Jenn’s fascinating career pathHow traveling to 35 countries has expanded her world viewHow she became the co-founder of TBT Prior to her time at TBT, Jennifer attended Brown University and received a degree in biology, however she quickly realized that working in the sports industry was her dream, and returned to school and earned her MBA. Since then she has worked as a strategy consultant, a group director at Octagon Worldwide, and a general manager at Super Soccer Stars. Jennifer co-founded TBT in 2011, and held the title Senior Vice President, Sponsorship and Events. Since then TBT has turned into a successful property, and in 2018 Jennifer moved into management of strategic partnerships, as well as PR, marketing, and development of social assets nationally and across eight different regional markets while continuing to guide the general event operations and logistics.Connect with Jenn Todd: LinkedIn | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Washington Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard and New Orleans Pelican's Play-by-Play Announcer and Sirius XM NBA Radio Host Joel Meyers.Our guests discussed running a basketball team in a quarantine, takeaways from other professional leagues, the possible new December start date for NBA seasons to come, and how to position yourself for a job in the new landscape of sports.If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Tommy Sheppard: LinkedInConnect with Joel Meyers: Twitter | LinkedIn

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. This time the topic is the future of sports coverage and broadcasting once the NBA returns.SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Lead NBA Writer for Bleacher Report Howard Beck and NBATV Host Matt Winer.Our guests discussed the changes to covering the NBA moving forward, what the restriction of access into locker rooms will mean for storytelling, and they gave their predictions for how they think this season will play out. If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Howard Beck:  Twitter | Bleacher ReportConnect with Matt Winer: Twitter