Taylor Rooks | Ep 93 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball

Being a Georgia girl, what is it like? Um? Seeing this Atlanta Hawks team kind of come into their own led by Trey Young. Coach Natick Millon came in during the season completely kind of gave this team a new identity. How's it been one being someone from here but then also someone working in the space to see this Atlanta Hawk team do what they're doing. Yeah, I mean, one thing about our Southern is we like to talk our ship.

So it's been really nice for the Hawks to be good so we can just throw it in everybody's faces, and not just to be good, but to have been the underdogs so often and continue to come out on top. I mean I live in New York, so Knicks fans were all in my ear during that series smacked him six is just like, yeah, there's no way. In feeds back, we go, yeah, it's gonna we're gonna win. No, no, no no, and we came out on top. So it's just been really nice to continue to prove people wrong, so many

young guys continuing to get it done. So it's nice. And I was just telling Sack, I just I just feel like Trey Young is the exact star for Atlanta, like he just fits in the moon. The fans love him. So it's really nice that I'm proud to be a Hawks fan because we haven't really been in this position very often. So it's been nice you speaking to Young, how special is he? And how do you see this series playing playing out with the books? So you know the fan and me is like, we're gonna win. But

I actually do think we're gonna win. I think we might win, and say, but the thing about Trey, So I interviewed Trey two seasons ago, and I distinctly remember we're sitting there in the Hawks locker room and he said it's gone to change, like it won't be like this for long. Because the question I asked him is like you know, y'all have so much talent on this team, but you're young. But how often can being young be

an excuse for losing? And he's like, not long, He's but I promise you it is about to turn around. And you're kind of like good Dre, like I hope you're right, but you don't know. And he was right. I mean, there's so many factors that play into that. I think Nate McMillan is a really big one, but Traders has continued to get smarter. And you know, the teams that do well, it's when their leader they kind of take the identity of that leader. I think the

Hawks have started to do that. So definitely tell us a little bit about your journey as an Atlanta sports fan and the ups and downs and obviously where they are today. Well, you know, my rule is I don't talk about the faccons because they broke my heart Atlanta that I mean, I think about that day. It was so bad. I mean I had already booked my ticket at half time for the Super Bowl parade. I still came to Atlanta. Obviously no parade, but as a Hawks fan,

I just think it's been up and down. We enjoyed the Al Horford years. You know that it was a good time, but there's been nothing that has felt like this. I might get killed for saying this, but I think Trey Young will go down it's like the greatest Hawk of all time. So it's really nice to be living in this moment where I think the culture of basketball in Atlanta is changing. But really I think basketball just in the NBA is changing. This is kind of like

a watershed moment. The fact that there's so many new contenders, new stars were guaranteed to see a star get a ring that has never gotten a ring before. So it's just it's a nice moment and I'm glad that Atlanta is in. That conversation is absolutely what made you become a sports journalist. So yeah, no, I love people, uh and I love sports. I have a sports family. My dad played football, My uncle was a Hall of Fame and for the Cardinals. So it's just I grew up. Yeah,

don't don't just run over that name. He was the greatest. So I miss him every single day. He just taught me so much. But I just grew up around it and it has been such a big part of me. But one thing about me. I only like to do things I'm good at. And I knew I wasn't going to be some great like bastub player a tennis layer, but I knew I could talk. So just growing up, that's what I was doing. I would like set up our family's camcorder in my room and do like fake newscasts.

I'll show you all the videos and it's funny. I was awful, but so then I just started, you know, trying to get better. I went to college, majored in it, and yeah, now I'm doing this. But my joy, my favorite thing is just sitting down and interviewing more than like reporting or hosting in the studio. I like to really have conversations like what we did when we were talking about you know, when you realized you were black,

Like that type of stuff is really important. I think we have to have more in depth conversations and humanize people and show that they're Literally is no difference between this person you're watching on TV dunk in the basketball and you're sitting on the couch. The only difference is that they're good at the sport, like we all are, sad, mad, happy, frustrated, like we all Yeah, we all literally live the exact

same life, we just do different things. And I think that the more media that's out there that shows that, the better I think the world will be in the sport space will be. And what has your been Your evolution and journey in this particular journalism space been like, yeah, good,

definitely ups and downs. Yeah, that's definitely anything. I think sometimes with this it is a bit of an uphill battle, not just being a woman, but being a black woman, always constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself a bit more so that you're more than just you know this girl. Everybody wants to comment about how they look

or how they dress or whatever. Like there's so much substance that goes into being a journalist, and y'all know, like you cannot fake this, right, you're either good at this and you wouldn't be in the space. But everybody always wants to try to think of some reason why you're there, why you're doing it, which is really a reflection of why they're not doing it, and you know they're just projecting that and I will I will say

that forever. So that's probably you know, the biggest thing is just always having to to prove, to prove yourself. And this isn't even just for women and black women, this is for black people in general. I always say like, if there's a black person in a certain position, I know they're good at the job because you don't have any other choice but to be right, Like, we don't

have the luxury of mediocrity. So whenever I see, you know, a black host, like a black woman doing anything, I'm like, I know you're good, and I know what you had to go through to be in this position and thriving it. So yeah, there's ups and downs, but there's ups and downs but with everything, and you know you're built for the fire. So it is what it is. How did you manimate? Report? So I had a podcast when I was working at station in New York and it just

like started to do really well. And Bleacher saw and it it was like, we think that you can sustain like a show doing this, So went to Bleacher and then started doing it. So I will say this because I think it's important any person who talks about their journey.

Hard work is a major major part of it that any person who has done anything, luck plays a role in and I, yeah, I don't think it's fair to attribute everything that has happened in your life to the fact that you worked hard and you just got done right. Everyone works hard and everyone is talented, but things have to go your way, and situations have to be placed in front of you, and you have to just be ready for those situations and those opportunities, and that's where

the hard work and the skill comes in. So I think everyone who has ever done anything has to talk about the luck that also came and play. So I've worked hard, but I've also been really fortunate to be lucky and have advocates and people that were on my side, and so I'm really thankful. That's what we say. I mean, to win a championship obviously good coach, good team, but so much luck. And we could see in these particular playoffs how stars have been kind of dropping like flies,

you know what I mean. It's like again, it takes so much luck to get there and stay healthy through the duration to actually give yourself a chance to win. And I think that's no different in life. Like you said, you can put it all the preparation, but just not catch a break. Yeah, absolutely, And like that's still you know, that doesn't detract from your skill right because it's like, were you ready when that moment called for you to be ready? A lot of people don't know how to

be ready when they have to be. So I think it's it's just important to know what you're good at. I think more importantly is knowing what you're bad at. A lot of people don't know what they're back or don't want to admit it exactly. So I think being self aware is a bit of a lost art. And more importantly, a lot of people don't just know themselves. So I just kind of encourage everyone to really sit back and get to know you, not what everyone says you are now you think you can be who are

you right now? On the steps you have to take to be that person that you know in your head you know you're meant to be. So all of that plays a role. In all of that's really important. Share your thoughts on the power of social media and sports and in particular NBA Twitter. That's a whole little universe out of my man Josiah Johnson, U C l A. Bruin running the space. But how powerful is social media to today's common athlete? Yeah, it's important. I mean in

so many ways. First off, I can't watch a basketball game without checking Josiah's Twitter, like I need to see the gifts, I need to see the memes. I know who catching the jokes today. It's what are gonna come for everybody? Okay, it does not disagriminate, which is a great part about it. But no, it's nice because when you're watching the games, you feel like you're watching with a family. You know, it's everyone's watching the same thing. Adding in their comments also such a great you know,

dispersal information. I really realized that when I was in the NBA bubble, there was so few of us there that social media is really the only way that fans could see what was happening and could really feel what it was like in that Orlando bubble. So it's important.

There's so many prominent personalities that are different. You know, you have your analytics guys and girls, you have more like the commentary of people, more personalities, more people that are just for the jokes, and it adds to the experience. And I think we all know what makes us feel like we know our favorite athletes more as well. Because they're posting, they're tweeting, we see what they like and what they don't like. So Twitter, I think is really important.

It brings out the best and the worst of people. But it's a it's an important place for sure. What's the wildest thing that's ever been said to you or or you've seen on social media? Oh my gosh, so many, so many. I mean, in general, I'm next to any guy, that's just the guy I'm with. I mean, that's why any I'm like day, I'm busy, right, But so that's always wild. It's like people just don't know how to see a guy and a girl next to each other

because people aren't very mature. So that that's wild. I got some some wild things in the bubble, absolutely, but that's really it. Like I don't really get people being mean as much as I just get people being disrespectful, right, And I think there's a bit of a difference to those two things. But that's that's what I think. But I always say, like, I think everything in life is about volume and how much volume you give something right, how loud or how quiet you want it to be.

And humans will have a billion really nice comments about us, but we'll see one that's mean, and for whatever reason, we turn up the mean one louder than we turn up the nice ones. So just trying to program myself to say, like, it's the nice one that you need to give the most volume too, and that that has certainly helped me as well, because why does this one matter? In this ocean of goodness? Right? Sounds good? It's hard

to do, though, very hard to be very hard. You can comments to find the two negative ones and be like, why what what they even? Yeah? And from the truth? Yeah, and they're probably following you too, which is the crazy point why you follow? Like it's if you're not trying to see on this, you can leave. You know, how important is it to highlight females in the sports across the board, whether we're playing, coaching, broadcasting, front office. Obviously the anniversary the w n b A shout out those

those amazing women. But how important for someone like you and who women trying to follow in young girl trying to fall on your footsteps. It's the representation. Yeah, it's really important, you know, really just giving you know, as much attention as one as you give to the other. And that's something I know everyone is really trying to get better at, including myself. Like I bought these. You can see it's like a NBA next list, But I was like, I need to give the w n B

A and you know you have to. You have to really try and support both if what you're preaching is women's empowerment and supporting women across the board. I'm a season ticket holder for the Liberty. I don't really get to go to games, but it's important to give them your money, um, and you know, give them your time as well when you can. But women, I think it's not just that, you know, we add things to the space. It's I think we're a very necessary part of sports.

You know, our ideas, the athletes, how great they are. It has to be talked about, you know, as included in, as opposed to in addition to and I think sometimes all of us we talk about it like it's a very nice addition. And the way that I think we talk about female athletes definitely, the way we talk about women's basketball just has to change so that we're putting it on the same playing field as means and so I encourage everyone to do that. And then female journalists

we definitely need in the space more. I love how many black women are in the space now. Growing up, there was like one growing by at Pam Oliver and then eventually I had my dear friend carry you have, Jamal. But if I had never seen someone like Pam, I don't think I would have thought I could have done what I wanted to do. So it's just important to always have that that vision there um and mentorship. I

believe in each one teach one. I try to talk to anyoneman who wants to get into the space, because you need to know there's people in your corner and people that have been there before. So women like y'all can do and I know it gets hard, but it can definitely happen. And it's on the men too, right to try and change this kind of climate and culture. Yeah, like it's important. It's a it's an effort for every single person. But I do believe there's been so many

changes um in the right direction. So that makes me feel really good. What is it like becoming a role model for the next generation that they want to break into the industry, Yeah, it's nice. I went to North Carolina and t with Chris Paul. We were doing some stulf with HBCUs and bringing like a Harvard professor. They had to teach them to class and at the end, you know, everyone's going up to Chris wants to take

a picture at Chris. But then there was like a line for me and this this there was really nice. I was like, this is so sweet. There was a really really sweet girl, her name is Jade, and she had at a shirt that said like Rooks Champion, Golden Boudet Taylor, like all the black female journalists on a shirt, and she was like, I'm selling me. Is that people are buying them. I would have never thought that the

impact would be like that. The black women see it and they're like, I can be this because she did this. And I always say one thing I really like is I think I'm a black woman that looks black right, Like I got my hair, I got a big nose, I got high cheek, phones on brown skin. Like I think people look at me and they see themselves, you know, more than they might feel like there's this like an unattainable look, something they think they might not ever be.

That's really really important to me. I never want to feel unattainable to my own people. And that comes not just in the way I look, but I think the way I talk, and the fact that I want to be friends with anyone who wants to be here, and you know, I want to carry myself with grace and elegance and class and intelligence because I don't want women to feel like they have to throw one of those

things away to do what they want to do. And I understand and why you see things where you feel like you might have to do that, and that's a whole another conversation. But just because it feels like the popular thing might not be the right thing for you, it doesn't mean you've got to decide to do the wrong thing. So that's really what I want. I want women to know, especially Black women, because they're always going to try to look for something to say you did this,

you shouldn't be here. It's important to be smart and know that, like your power is in you and you're not going to get that from anywhere else or by trying to be something else. It's really nice. I enjoy it. Piggyback and off of that, what is the message you try to drive home to the youth that are trying to come up in this space? Mm hmmm. A couple of things I'd say and It sounds cliche, but you

have to just be who you are. I think that when you're starting, you think that you have to play the role of a journalist, and when you're doing that, you're not really unlocking your true power and the thing that makes you differ front, which is what you're going to bring to sports media. You know, like, don't act like what you think you should act like. Just act like you, so be you is number one. Don't limit yourself.

I think it's number two. When I first started, I'm like, Okay, I can just be in the studio and talk about the news of the day. That was what I thought. But the more I did this, and like I can do a bunch of things and I don't just have to talk about football. I can talk about basketball. I can also go and hose the celebrity basketball game. Like I can go into all these different spaces and still thrive. But you create the box and you stay in the box.

You've got to really be the space that you take up as opposed to just being in this in this you know, this tiny space for yourself. So those are

those are the two things I would say. And also listen, um, so many people will send me like their resume reels with types of interviews that they did, and you go into that interview and you're not listening to the person because you're so focused on just like asking whatever is next, And so you missed a good follow up, You missed the real conver station because you're like, Okay, I just

gotta get my ship off, you know. So listening to people you know with the with the intent to understand and not just to reply, I think as a lost kind of art um and interviewing and journalism. So those are probably the three. There's so many more, but I think that's what's most important. You touched on this earlier. How important is that sisterhood for you women in that space? Halve Carry has been on the program, Jamal has been on the program to people who are doing really well.

You mentioned Pam all over before. But how important is that to being able to have some big sisters to lean on and teach you to rope, similar to have an e vet in the league, Like when we first came in the league. I was just gonna say that it's the exact same as having a vet. You need somebody to tell you do this. But girl stopped doing this,

you know. And that's one thing I love so much about Carrie is I mean I've had carry comedy and be like we gotta stop, you know what I mean, Like and we will have these real conversations about what's going on, and you know, what is the right thing and the wrong thing. Like I love Carrie for I know I can always call her and ask her advice, and it goes beyond just work, Like we talk about life. Right. She has gotten me through breakups, you know what I mean.

Like she is just she's great and the only people that will really understand what it is like to be a black woman to media or other black women in media. So you need that relatability and that true sisterhood somebody that they can really guide you. So, you know, shout out to Carrie and Maria and Roz and Jamal and I mean even people like Bamani Jones. Like it's important to have those that understand that you can just bounce ideas off of and and just keep you right. That's

what the Vets do. They keep you right. Quick hitters. First thing that comes to mind, I ask you these top five Atlanta athletes of all time? Oh okay, Michael Vick. That's my number one. Easy. I'm gonna say Julio even though he broke my heart and left. I know, I gotta say Trey Young. The got to say Dominique Wilkins. You bet not missed this last one. I'm missing a big one, right, yes you are. Let me think the Falcons to the Hawks? What sport? Two sports? But these

are just my favorites right at the best. Okay, she might be a little too young to to really catch what he was one. I know you're talking about I'm trying to think. Yeah. I mean, I'm thinking about the people that I have an emotional tie so that I grew up watching Thick m I don't know where you gotta say Roddy White. Oh my god, Dean Sanders is my phone background, and I know Dean gonna see this. I love Diane. I wasn't thinking about it, Okay by time I got you know, I love Yeah, I love

Dion and he knows it too. I mean I talked about Diane all the time, every every time there's NFL draft. I posted NFL Draft it was like the most iconic with the curl and everything. Thank you for saying that, because he would be like dang, No, yeah, you gotta put Dan in there. I was trying to more. I was thinking, is they're like a U G A guy I'm forgetting about. But I'll go with those sound track to Your Life give me three songs in rotation. Oh

my goodness, that is such a tough one. Who This is gonna sound weird, but I heard it so much in high school. Nuck if you buck? That was like that was it? Someone where you're from? Without saying where you When I think of high school, I think of that song, right, So I say, nugg if you buck. Lauren Hale is my absolutely favorite singer. So I go X factor a song. Yeah, I go X Factor by Lauren Hill, and I'm gonna go no wait, I'm gonna get rid of X Faction. I'm gonna do prototype Outcast

what about Cast? Love that song? And I don't know, I feel like my generation like you have to feel like a Drake song in there. Mm hmmm. I think I will go. I'll do a new one. I'll do laugh now car later. Yeah, sorry too. I probably should have put Amigo a dream interview male and female female Serena Williams. Male was Barack Obama, but I got that um male. I will say this is a weird answer, but I want to interview this person because no one

has interviewed him Kauai. One it's really sat down with Kauai, and I just feel like that's missing. Like one day he has to do a real in depth, like hour long talk. So I would love to to really talk to her. I played with him, we had some some nights in my carib some talk, so I know, I know when it does happen, it's gonna be that one because I've been talking to his cousin for like two years.

But like, I don't be tun in like I just more so I'm so interested in him as a human period right Like and now it's like anytime he does anything, we just think it's the best thing ever. He laughed. We're like, oh my god, that's quiet, like and he says something. I want to hear him really really say something. I kept on thinking in the bubble i'd have like a moment to talk to him, but he really is just like reserved. He would he'd go eat and go

back and then talk to nobody. So one day I'd like to interview Kauai for he did reach out with some all the smoke gifts, so I signed it to himself. Five best games You've ever been to? Oh, that's a good one. I've been in some good games. A lot of the ones. I think about our college though Big Ten championship when Ohio SA b Wisconsin and then they went on to win the college football playoffs first year. That's like my number one game. When Illinois b Indiana

when Indiana was number one. It was like Victor Ladipo's team loved Brandon Paul. They did that old Phoenix Sun play before Phoenix Suns did. Honestly, like all the games in the bubble, that game Jazz Nuggets. Yeah, but I mean that last one Mitchell was on the floor. I mean that game was so good when I think Luca was playing the Clippers and that dagger. Yep, that was a great game. And so we were doing the Twitter show, so I was in the building, but not at the

actual games. I could here. But when the Rafters beat the Celtics on that O Gana nob shot, that was a crazy game. I ran over there to see the end. So those are those the five I'd say, like bubble basketball was some of the most exciting basketball for me and just really my favorite journalistic thing I've ever done. So those are those the five. I mean, we didn't really touch on that, but we'll take a break from our quicker talk on that. That bubble experience. How was

that for you as a journalist. How was it for you being isolated, why the world was going crazy, and how was it being able to see, like you said, some of the best basketball you've ever seen. Yeah, I mean it was definitely like a mix of emotions at different times. You know, you get there for seven days, you can't leave the room, so you're lonely, you're side, you're like, dang, like I want to like go out and you know, be out and about people that have

already finished their quarantine. Then you know, we're also in there when Jacob Blake happens. That's why I thought it was really important that there were so many black media members there because the players really wanted to discuss us it and they wanted to feel comfortable discussing it. You know, we were there when they were all in that big ballroom having to talk about whether they were going to leave the bubble or not, and it was important there

are people there that understood and knew that. The question shouldn't all have been like are you all going to play? The question should be like are you okay? Right? Like what is it like for you seeing this? How are you doing? Mentally? Was really really important. But I think I will not ever do anything I liked more than that experience. If tomorrow they were like, go to the bubble, would you have to be there? I was there for two months. I would have been there a little longer,

but I left early for my uncle Lew's funeral. Yes, absolutely, rest in peace. So it was. It was great. It was like summer camp. And one thing I don't think it's talked about enough about the bubble. I know there were guys there that loved it so much because you almost had no responsibility, Like you got to escape from whatever your life was outside, just just for a bit. And I think people eatd that that refresher. All you

had to do was worried about basketball. I think the cool thing was to say how much you didn't like the bubble. But they liked that bubble. If anyone, I always say it, but they they enjoy being that bubble. You could play a game, you got to go drink at the ball, you go to the pool. It was a really nice time and I think I did some of my most important work when I was top three

celebrity basketball players. Okay, this is easy Cevo, Chris Brown, little Dirk Like they're actually good, right, I mean, you know it's good for someone that's not a Yeah. Last question, who do you want to see on All the Smoke? And before you answer us, you have to help us get your answer on the show. Mmm, who would I like to see on Hon the Smoke? Not Ka because I want no J Cole. I'd love to see J Cole and All the Smoke because that would be really nice.

And I feel like y'all can get J Cole. Yeah, keep me talking and he wants to talk hoops. I love to get on here. Well, Taylor Rooks, thank you very much. Thank you for having me giving us some of your time. I am an avid All of Smoke watcher, so when I was asked to come on, I said, tell me when, tell me where, let me get cute.

I'm there. You did that, Thank you, thank you. And before we end, I do want to say shout out to you guys, because you guys have done something that is really hard to do in media, which is create an environment like people come on here. They know they can be themselves, they can talk freely there with their peers. If they have anything they want to get off their chest in a way that will work, they come here. So just shout out to y'all from making a transition

that people underestimate how difficult it is to make. So I I love this show. I love what you guys meant sports and a culture. So thank you for having appreciate it. Well, that's a wrap, Taylor Rooks. You can catch us on Showtime Basketball, YouTube and the I Heart platform Black Effects. We'll see you all next week. A piece of eight down Bound. This is all a smoke, a production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio in partnership with Showtime