A local legend, getting recognition

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P-U-L-S-Z.com. There is no position like that in basketball. Lavelle Moten is the head coach at NC Central. There is no goalie in basketball. Lavelle Moten joins us on the Adam Gold Show. He is now the all-time winningest coach in NC Central history.

252 wins at the school. How does that sound to you? What does it mean to you?

Wow, man. You know, first and foremost, thank you for having me. It's always a joy to be on with you.

Man, to hear you say it, it kind of sunk in, you know, right there a little bit. You know, it's just an honor and a privilege to be mentioned in the same breath. You have the legends, the McLennan's, the Bernard's, Jackson, Floyd Brown's, etc.

And you know, it feels weird individually, honestly, right? We're accepting an individual award in a team sport. It pretty much means I have some really good basketball players, some really good coaches, some really good players that made me look a lot better than I actually had. So, when you started coaching, who was the, was there somebody who coached at an HBCU who was kind of your model? Man, I just tried to do what my former coach Greg Jackson did. You know, I tried to run my practices the way he ran them and obviously put my own spin on it. But you know, my pathway was a little different than most NCAA coaches.

I came from middle school and then high school and then the AAU searches. So, I truly came from the bottom. And it was a gift of the courage. The gift was I could establish my own identity, right?

And it wasn't someone else's voice in my head telling me to do this and do that in a model and pattern things after someone else. I was truly Lavelle Moten because I had no other person I could be. So, I just kept trying to reach out and get mentors, both Greg Jackson and I went and sat in on some practices with Coach K and Walt Williams and you know, then the connection with Mike Tomlin came and I just kind of, you know, took a piece and stole from everyone and then kind of incorporated, you know, my core values and my system and you know, the rest of history.

Lavelle Moten is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show. I was fortunate enough to work in Baltimore for three years and I don't know if this was the heyday of Coppin State, but I got a chance to spend some time with Fang Mitchell and he struck me as just, first of all, an incredible gentleman and we all know the resource deficit that coaches in HBCUs have to deal with. But he struck me as one of the, just one of the best coaches that I had ever been around and I got to watch there, who did they beat? Did they beat Texas in the first round or did they lose to South Carolina in the first round and nearly beat Texas? In the Sweet 16, yeah. In the 32 to go to the Sweet 16.

What did a performance like that, how did that leave a mark on you? You know, it inspired me to say the least because I always knew what HBCUs were capable of doing. You know, again, I went to, I attended North Carolina and I played in that league, right? And so the player of the year and the HBCU player of the year race in 1996 came down to me and Ben Wallace and I was able to get it over Ben.

Now obviously Ben is in the Hall of Fame now. So I knew the potential, I knew the type of players that we had. You know, I was playing the summer leagues when St. Hall was clip married, right? Who went to Shaw University and things of that. So I knew the caliber of players that HBCUs had. I just knew if it was a pickup game and you took the jersey and the name on the front off of the front, like you wouldn't tell who's, who's went to Carolina, who went to NC State, who went to Duke or any of that. So, you know, for fame to go out and do what he did, it just inspired me as a coach as well because I knew I just had to go try to get the same caliber players with the same attitude and mindset and mentality and then you can make and create some history.

It really is about resources. Lavelle Moten is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show because I mean, there have been legendary players. I mean, Earl Monroe, right, is a Winston-Salem State guy. There are legendary players who played at HBCUs. Why is there such, I don't know, why is there such a stigma?

Why do people look down on it as much as they do? You know, I think it's because of the lack of resources, right? You know, we need to get with our respected state school.

I mean, you know, state representation and get the necessary funding, right, to be able to have these exotic practice facilities and campuses worldwide that, you know, some of these guys have such as our contemporaries and peers in North Carolina and NC State and things of that nature. So I think if you look across the board, you'll see that HBCUs have been underfunded, right? And at the end of the game, at the end of the day, this is all a money game, right? The team or the people with the most money will always win or be in position to win. That's just how it is. It's going to be like that in the NFL. If your team is at the bottom of the salary cap list, they're getting their butt kicked, right? Because you got to spend money on players. It's like that in the NBA. If your team is at the bottom of the salary cap list, they're getting their butt kicked.

So it's no different than college basketball. If your team is at the bottom of the salary cap list or the economic list, you know, it's going to be much more difficult and more of a challenge. So I just think we have to get with the elected officials. We have to get with the House of Representatives. We have to get with the governors and, you know, the people, the House of Representatives, the people that make these decisions to pretty much start with the funding of these HBCUs so we can showcase the talent and the necessary pool that we have to be successful.

Lavelle Moten is joining us here on the Adam Gold show. How do how have the like forget about how it has impacted Central because I know it has impacted Central. How do things like the portal and NIL, how have they changed it from from your perspective? And is it ultimately a good thing on what has happened in college sports? Yeah, good idea. Good idea.

Good idea. Poorly executed. I'm always going to be an advocate for a student athlete because that was me.

I got my break and, you know, that's how I came across. However, I think the decision was rushed and now it became the Wild Wild West. So I don't think this is amateur basketball anymore.

I really think it's semi-pose, right? I think it's just turned into the developmental league and whenever you leave anything with money, it now becomes a business whether you like it or not. And so college basketball has become a business and that takes away from the spirit. The spirit of college basketball was always the passion, the emotion, the fan base being connected to the players, the players being connected to the fan base on senior night. You get a chance to honor and recognize someone who's been in that program for three or four years. He's crying, you crying because you're thankful for his hard work and dedication.

He's thankful for your support. Like those days are gone. That ain't happening anymore, right?

So now it's turned into the Wild Wild West. You're winning players. Whenever money is leading, the more than values go out the window, right? So there's no more integrity on either part. So coaches and players can't trust each other. Players can't trust coaches. Coaches can't trust AAU coaches. AAU coaches don't trust players. Like it's all, everyone is fighting to get their hand in the money bag, right?

And so that's what makes it difficult. And that's why you see a lot of these coaches who were once icons and legends that they're leaving the game now because they're like, nah, this is too much. This ain't what I signed up for, right? And so you wonder, when do we get back to normalcy? When do we get back where we're developing and teaching these young men life lessons to go out into this world and be successful and productive citizens, right? When do we teach them how to, how to stick around and not run? You know, the essence of manhood is to respond to the adversity that's presented your way. That's what life is about, right? So if you continue to run and you continue to run, well, like, who are you when you 30 years old? We failed you.

Like so many people make these decisions and try to, try to, try to justify these decisions by having NBA basketball players as their, as their final product. Cash prizes every day ads up when you play at pulse casino. Puls.com over 700 casino style games and counting and no terrible lounge singer promise.

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Chumba casino.com. That's a one percentile. I don't care what room you make a change in the NCAA. They're still not going to be Lebron James. They're not going to be Kevin Durant. They're not going to be Yanis. They're still not going to be joking if they are.

God bless them. But they still are going to be the 1% as they go that way. So we have to focus and shift our concern to the 99% because I don't care how many schools you go to, how many times you try to get paid from this coach and that coach and who you blame on your way out the door. It still takes what it takes to get to the next level. You've got to be damn good.

You've got to be really, really driven and you've got to be passionate and you've got to do something better than 99% of the world. And if you can't do that, then you're going to have to go out here and be a productive citizen in this world. And to be a productive citizen, you've got to have the principles of manhood that can get you through life. Right.

So you can be a better husband, a better father, a better advocate in your community, a better a better parent, a better head of household, all of those things, because the skill set transfers over. So I think we're selling these kids miserably in that regard because everybody's talking about the money. And nobody should keep your moral values and integrity in place because you and I both know all money is good money. Absolutely. Absolutely. But it all depends on how much of it. I'm just kidding.

Not really. I'm not telling the 1920 kids to turn down significant amounts. But again, when you're talking about these six biggest deals, that's less than probably one or two percent of these student athletes receiving that. No question. So now people are making bad decisions on the front end to just go chase the bag, go chase ten thousand dollars.

You and I both know ten thousand dollars after taxes with a kid is going to be sixty five hundred dollars in the way they spend money now and buy things at Christmas. That's gone. Right. So why not stay in a program where you can develop and get that money on the back end? Because now you've got some stats and some bullet points to present. And so you can further your opportunities in a professional environment after basketball because you went somewhere and you performed. Because at the end of the day, it's a result. So are you in the business? Wherever you go, you must perform.

It's automatic. It's an investment in yourself is what is what you're getting to. Would collective bargaining because at some point and I think at some point soon, the courts are going to declare athletes employees of the universities. Would collective bargaining because just because you become you get employee status doesn't mean you have to get physically paid by the university.

You can strike whatever deal is is there between the two parties. Would collective bargaining be a positive for college athletics? I think with anything, you know, any idea, I think it's going to be pros and cons to it. I'm all for student athletes getting what they need to get as long as the pros outweigh the cons. Right. Right. In this position, you know, I think collective bargaining, I think that's a great option. Right.

You know, I think all of this and honestly, Adam, I just think all of this was done as a rush to judgment by the NCAA because they didn't want to pay players. Right. 100 percent. Right. That's all it is. And if you notice, every time they get a lot of heat on, look, y'all should pay us.

They put another banana in the tailpipe and distract you. Right. So now we distracted with the NIH. We distracted with, you know, a collective.

We distracted with something else. And then when this went down, the focus will go back on NCAA and they'll give you another distraction. You said I'm saying at the end of the day, they're a nonprofit organization that that's worth multi buildings. So they've got enough money in the pot to go around and pay these kids equally. And that's how it is. Right. And so it can be for the men and women fast for the revenue and non-revenue side. That's more than a billion dollars for your bill.

Your collective bargaining agreement should come from the NCAA. Right. Yeah. And put that in serious. And my thing would be, you know, dealing with the inflation.

If a kid goes to a school, give them two thousand the first year, the next year is worth 20, the next year is worth 30, next year is worth 50 or whatever it may be. Right. So they can figure it out. They're smart enough to figure out everything else. They were smart enough to figure out how to negotiate a multi-billion dollar deal over 30 years.

We'll be smart enough to give it up and delegate this economic value that y'all are getting off the back to these kids. All right. Final thing for Lavelle Moten. And you know how I feel about you.

You are a legend. I can't wait to, you know, just look down. I wish I could see down the road your future governor of the state of North Carolina, whether you like it or not.

Don't laugh. I'm going to drag you into this. Yesterday, we lost actually Sunday, we lost Eric Montras. And you guys played at a similar time. And while I don't know if you ran if how much of a relationship you had with Eric, everybody who encountered Eric says the same thing, that he was, I mean, the most kind human being they had ever met. So just your thoughts on Eric and his passing way too young at 52.

Truly a gentle giant. You know, I first met I first met Eric when I was in high school. A lot of people don't know this, but my first cousin is Donald Williams. He was he was MVP of the 1993 Final Four. So on his visits and, you know, his freshman year, I was still in high school. So I would always go up there and see him and we would play pickup in the summer.

And, you know, we competed in the summers. And then when I on Franklin Street and got something to eat and over the years, he's just become, you know, someone that was a true gentle giant. And, you know, when I first heard that he was ill, I just like, wow, he's going to get through this.

And then, you know, I opened up social media yesterday and I saw the devastating news. Truly, truly, truly such a remarkable guy. He was one of the first guys that left the state of Indiana to come play basketball in North Carolina, which was taboo. Right.

I think Sean may eventually follow his footsteps. Right. But I think they were Indiana guys and they left the state of Indiana to go play in North Carolina, which was taboo. So he was trailblazing and a pioneer within itself. He was a champion both on and off the floor and just a quality young man. And, you know, I know Dean Smith is smiling because of, you know, he was a reflection of Dean Smith. I don't know if you ever met Dean Smith, but he was the most loving, kind hearted individual ever. Right. And so it was almost like.

Biggie was just like a seven foot version of Dean Smith. Right. So you always had a smile, always had a word for you.

And my heart and my condolences and my prayers go out to him and his family and the University of North Carolina athletics and their basketball department. Lavelle Moten, you're the best. I appreciate your time. Congratulations on the on the first. And I'll congratulate you when when all the election returns are in, whenever that time is, time is there. And I'll be your I'll be your campaign. I'll run your campaign for you.

Look, man, we won't make it because once they do the background check and see the trouble I caused at 10 years old, they'd be like, no, I'll be eliminated. I'll talk to you very soon. Congratulations again. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Merry Christmas, man.

You the best. Thanks for having me. You got Lavelle Moten here on the Adam Gold show. Yeah, I knew that there was a connection to Eric. So I wanted to. Yeah, it's funny. What did he say about when he found out like when when he found out that Eric was sick, like he's big and strong.

He'll get through it. And that's what I thought. I was actually reading my text to Eric because I never friends or anything like that. But, you know, we had a professional relationship. And when I saw the news, I send him a, you know, go get him tiger type of text. And I was just reading it and getting more sad because we make an assumption that because today the. The odds of beating cancer have gone up so much that we forget sometimes that the odds are not.

Yeah, I mean, it's not pleasant. A hundred percent. No. And that happened fast. It was. We got the diagnosis, the word of, I think, in March and when Carolina season ended and then.

Yeah, they were. This is December. So it was six months, seven months. I don't know. I don't know how many months, eight months.

Not sure. But yes, too young. Fifty two years old. By the way, Lavelle Moten is one of the great people that you'll ever meet. He's from my neck of the woods, too.

Three, three, six. Well, yeah, I mean, he came from. Boston, born in Boston, moved down here, ultimately was raised in Southeast Raleigh, and I had the privilege, the absolute privilege of being there when they dedicated the park there for to him. It was wasn't this past summer.

It was the summer previous. And you the the outpouring of of love from his community to him, just something that you should all get a chance to see. Something like that is one of the most influential people in the triangle. Well, it's great when good people get their flowers when they're still here to receive them. I love Lavelle Moten. Where the LSE dot com.