The Washington Informer: Sports

Time-Out with Antawn Jamison
By John E De Freitas
W I Sports Writer
Thursday, September 22, 2005

Friendship Public Charter School on Minnesota Avenue NE was the stop for Washington Wizards Forward Antawn Jamison to host the first of his series of three Time-Out Roundtable discussions with students in the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan community.

Joining Jamison was NBC 4 Sports Director George Michael, who acted as the moderator for the event.

Taking part in the discussion were 50 students, who discussed topics ranging from academics andsports, steroids, stereotypes, peer groups, leadership and decisionmaking.

Jamison was questioned about his humble beginning as a student athlete at Providence Day High School
in Charlotte, N.C. to his rise as the recipient of the prestigious John R.W. Wooden Award after a distinguished
career at the University of North Carolina and to his status as an All-Star player for the Wizards.

The event took place on the basketball court of the school. Principal Brian Beck had little trouble identifying
Michael, the Emmy Awardwinning host of the nationally syndicated George Michael Sports Machine, and Jamison the 2004 NBA All-Star player. Beck encouraged the students to find out as much as possible from the two visitors. Wizards Communications Director Zack Bolno introduced Michael and Jamison on behalf of the Wizards.

Jamison said. “My wife watches soap operas, but I watch basketball all day. Being on the East Coast, I'm up
late watching West Coast games, I have friends around the league, and I always watch the team that we are
about to play a couple of time before we play them. I love sports in general, and I love the game of basketball.” Devin Wallace asked Michael how he became the best sports announcer on T V. “I did not start on television. I worked as a disc jockey, then as a promoter for “The Supremes”, then I said to myself, ‘this is not for me I love sports and I want to be on TV’.

It took me 25 years to get where I am now,” Michael said. “It was full of disappointments.” Michael used the opportunity to tell the students how to handle disappoints in life, how to overcome fear and how to motivate one’s self -how to fall and pick yourself up and how to motivate yourself to become only the best. Chris Grayson, asked Jamison, “Why do you play basketball?” “Since I was a kid I loved basketball.

While growing up I was always on a court playing with friends,” Jamison said. “When I reached junior high, being tall and skinny, I was always scoring. Then, from doing well in high school, I was offered a scholarship to go to college. Basketball became my life. I think about basketball all day. It was not easy. After I got drafted, I played for seven different coaches in seven years. This coming season will be the first time I will be playing for the same coach for two years.” Jamison stressed the difficulties he had with injuries, with fans that did
not like him, with the other disappointments in life and most of all he wanted to prove to the people who
believed he could not become successful that they were wrong.

At the end of the one hour of discussion between students and the guests, Jamison offered all the students
tickets to the 2005 Wizards’ season opener. He also signed one of his basketball shoes presenting one
to a boy and the other to a girl. The Wizards also presents students with gifts from the organization.

Michael, known for his funny jokes on television, told the students what a great opportunity they were about to experience being able to ask the best Wizards forward any question they wanted answered. Michael said, “While other players are away using the summer to play overseas. Jamison made the right decision to rest his knee and give back something to the community, which made him the star he is today.” Sean Roeser asked Jamison, “What do you watch on TV?” “I have a NBA League Pass, and I’m watching games constantly,”