HoopsHype.com Rumors

Well, now I'm thinking about one particular coach with more rings than fingers in his hands: Phil Jackson. James Goldstein: I've always resented a little bit the credit that he's gotten for the same reason. He always had so much talent and he was never willing to accept a head coaching job unless the team had the talent to win a championship. So I don't think he was ever really tested. HoopsHype

Phil Jackson, Coaching, James Goldstein 

You wrote in GQ that Andrew Bynum was the only Laker player that didn't talk to you. What do you think about his future? JG: Well, he acts in a very immature way with some of the things he's done. I'm horrified the way he acted against the Mavs when he was ejected. I was shocked that he would go bowling on a bad knee and at the same time I think he's a terrific talent. I've watched him shoot three-pointers in practice and make 90 percent of them for example. I can't say anything about his medical condition but if he can rehabilitate his knees he'll still be one of the top centers in the NBA. Whether that happens I have no idea. HoopsHype

Andrew Bynum, James Goldstein 

Lil Wayne was a no-show for Thursday night's game 2. But fallout from his negative comments continued to reverberate around the arena and the country. NBA super fan Jimmy Goldstein, who sat two seats away from the rapper Tuesday night, said he was shocked by Lil Wayne's harsh judgment of the arena and city. “I couldn't believe that,” Goldstein said shortly before the start of Thursday night's Game 2. “I get such great treatment (here). Better than any other arena.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Lil Wayne, James Goldstein 

Goldstein estimates he has been to "well over" 2,000 NBA games in his life. Del Harris knows Goldstein from a coaching career that included stints with the Bucks and the Lakers. "You just see him everywhere, always dressed in his eclectic style," Harris said. "Without ever talking to him, you don't take him seriously. And then when you talk to him and get to know him, you find out he's a successful guy and a guy that just loves basketball." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

James Goldstein 

James Goldstein: Certain players I'm closer to than others. Tony Parker and I have been good friends. We run into each other in France and we always have a little chat before the games. He opened a nightclub in San Antonio now that he wants to take me to after the games, that kind of thing. GQ.com

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, James Goldstein 

There's been much written about Jimmy, but it's still rare to hear from the man himself. So GQ asked him to check in with us periodically during this year's playoffs and tell us about his experiences. This is his first dispatch. As told to Myles Brown: I fly coach. It's bad enough that I spend a couple thousand dollars a night on playoff tickets by trying to get the best available, so I usually try to save on travel expenses as much as I can. Sometimes people come up to me and say, 'Are you a rock star?' or that kind of thing. More often people will come up to me and recognize me from the games and say 'What game are you going to tonight?" GQ.com

James Goldstein 

I have friends on every team and every team thinks I'm there to root for them. I try to put on a neutral stance as much as possible when I go to the games, with the exception of the Lakers games. The Lakers players are all aware that I root for the other team. With the exception of Kobe, they seem to take it pretty well. Every now and then Kobe surprises me by walking up to me shaking hands and giving me a nice smile. But for the most part, he ignores me. He doesn't look at me and even went to the extent of telling Pau Gasol not to say hello to me. He's never explained why. GQ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, James Goldstein 

Pau and I were very good friends before he got traded to the Lakers. After he became a Laker, he's standing at the baseline during the Lakers warm ups and he would never say hello. Finally, during the All Star Weekend a couple years ago, when I ran into him and he wasn't putting on his 'Laker face' so to speak, he gave me a big hug and apologized for not being friendly to me at the games, but told me that it was because Kobe asked him not to be friendly to me. GQ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, James Goldstein 

The only other Laker who doesn't communicate with me or even give me a nod of recognition is Andrew Bynum, who I've never spoken one word to since he became a Laker seven years ago. All the other players are very nice to me. I have a terrific relationship with Ron Artest/Metta World Peace. He comes up to me at halftime of every game and has a little chat. During the NBA Finals in Boston, the Lakers had their own private dining room. He insisted that I go into the dining room with him, even though I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea. So he couldn't care less that I don't root for the Lakers. GQ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Andrew Bynum, Metta World Peace, James Goldstein