Naturally, we were there to witness it, and we also managed to infiltrate the sea of supporters to ask JYD a couple of questions following the game. Read on for our interview with Jerome Williams, exclusive to HoopsVibe.com.C.Y. Ellis: We haven’t seen much of the Junkyard Dog lately. What brings you out here today?

 

Jerome Williams: Man, Diddy put the call in personally to the dog pound, so I had to come out and represent. He said “The team is undefeated; you need to get at ‘em.” He called out the other beast because he already got “The Beast” on the team. So we came in, rebounded, got a little nasty on the boards. You know, I tried to save the rim, leave a piece for him and his crew ‘cause I don’t want to the games to stop. After I came down off the rim, it was all good, and that’s how we do. Junkyard Dog came out of retirement since April 2005, shut it down at the Kingdome. I’m 1 and 0, baby. I’m undefeated since my retirement.

 

CYE: It’s been a while since we’ve seen you on the NBA hardwood. How do you feel out there? It still looked like you had a little spring in your step.

 

JW: You know, a little spring left. There’s still a little spring in the dog, but I’m a little bit of a TV mogul now with “Make it Hot” airing on MSG on Monday nights. Tune in, ‘cause that’s what the JYD is really up to. When I’m not doing that, I’m changing the world, coming to a school near you. I’ve got a little “Change the World” tour coming out, doing assemblies in New York City public schools and all that with my brother Jonny Williams. We’re about to change the world for the kids; I just want you to get at that.

 

CYE: There are a lot of franchises with deficiencies at the power and small forward positions. Do you think there’s a chance any of these teams will make the call, or are you done for good now?

 

JW: Man, they’ve been calling since I left! The tally is about twenty million that’s been turned down, and you can print that.

CYE: What have been some of the more notable offers?

 

JW: I ain’t throwing no names out there. You gotta call the teams! They know who they are! It ain’t no secret, but I ain’t gonna put ‘em on blast, ‘cause I might have to change my mind one day.

 

CYE: What are your main initiatives now that you’re not in the NBA?

 

JW: My brother and I, we’re doing assemblies for the kids, hitting Harlem, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn. I’m going across the world with the NBA for “Basketball Without Borders”, hitting South Africa, Shanghai - just got back from Puerto Rico. It’s an initiative by the NBA where we go in and do community service in those countries. We’re doing basketball camps for all the top talent across the world, so we’re trying to go over there and change their perspective on life and do what we do because these kids are our future. I appreciate all the support they gave me while I was playing, so I’m here for them now. You see the “JYD” t-shirts out here. You see how they’re rocking ‘em.

 

CYE: There’s still a big contingent of JYD fans, particularly in New York and Toronto. Do you have any messages for the fans who are asking after you?

 

JW: Aw, man, that’s my dog pound. They always know where the dog is. Next week, I will be in Toronto. For the New York City dog pound, I’m in the Kingdome today. It’s going down! You’d better be where it’s at ‘cause the dog pound is barking all day, every day. You can hear ‘em!

 

CYE: Thanks for your time, man.

 

 

The Bucks finally seem to be on their way to freeing up the centre spot for Andrew Bogut, with recent reports suggesting that Jamaal Magloire is on his way to the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

The point has been made elsewhere, but this causes something of a logjam at the five for Portland, who already have Joel Przybilla (just re-upped) and LaMarcus Aldridge (acquired on draft night) on the books. 

 

Does this mean another trade’s on the way? Well, things are going to be a little awkward without one, and with Darius Miles also looking to get out of town, some believe the two will be packaged together in an attempt to lure a big name out to Oregon.

 

Hey, New York fans, how would you like another forward and yet more money on the books? No? Then pick another team because you’re going to have to endure these sorts of moves until the current administration is run out of The Garden. The latest episode in the ongoing saga was opened yesterday when, according to report, New York signed Jared Jeffries to a $30-million offer sheet.

 

Still, you could do worse than Jeffries, who, despite being a small forward, will be the tallest player on the roster behind Jerome James if the deal goes down. I can’t see any room for him in the rotation right now, but with the way the line-up is looking, that’s not really saying much.

 

 

At least they’re looking to use their mid-level exception on him rather than killing their cap (or doing what damage they could to its corpse). Additionally, there’s every chance the Washington Wizards could match the offer, keeping JJ in DC into the next decade. However, certain language in his agent’s statement makes it seem as if he’s as good as gone.

 

 

The non-news of the day is that current Hawk Al Harrington looks set to return to the Indiana Pacers. You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t have much to say, but I used up all my good opinions six months ago when I first heard about this. What’s more, it sounds as if a thousand lawyers, agents and other assorted suits are standing between the rumour and the final signing, meaning that we could be some days from completion.

 

Donnie Walsh, meanwhile, is putting this one on Billy Knight.

Pacers president Donnie Walsh told the Indianapolis Star on Thursday that they are waiting on Knight.