Although we never saw Randy Livingston play in Australia during his career he has been a huge proponent in developing Australian basketball talent for the past 5 years.
Randy is the only high school player to be ranked #1 player for two years running besides LeBron James.
Randy was a star at Louisiana State University before being drafted into the NBA by the Houston Rockets, where he teamed with the big three of Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley.
Randy played 11 seasons in the NBA before finishing his playing career with a quick stint in the D-League (where he won a league MVP) and Turkey.
Since then he has settled down in Tasmania and created LivOnBasketball, a program which provides basketball development camps and tours on one hand while providing NBA teams scouting reports of upcoming Australian and New Zealand talent on the other, Randy has started to make a mark on the Oceania basketball scene.
We spoke to Randy from his home in Tasmania about his program, the differences in the US and Australian basketball systems and how aspiring basketball players become professional basketballer players. throughout that time also.
Randy has worked with Australia’s NBA stars Dante Exum, Ben Simmons and Thon Maker as well as upcoming talents such as Isaac Humphries, William McDowell-White and Harry Froling. It’s rare to have someone with such a knowledge of both the Australian and American basketball systems that we took the time to ask him the difference between the two types and which one he feels is generating the best talent.
We’re also sure to chat with him about his NBA playing career which included stops at Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Golden State, Seattle, New Orleans, LA Clippers, Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls.
Highlights of the podcast includes;
What it was like being on the court with Olajuwon, Barkley and Drexler.
What upcoming Australian’s he feels will be the next big thing
Thoughts on Adelaide picking up High School star Terrance Ferguson and what ripple effects that could have for Australia and the US.
How he feels the Boomers will fare in Rio (it’s rare we get a non-Australian perspective on that).
How close Tasmania came to having an NBL team last year.
and much more
There’s plenty of stories of what he faced as an NBA rookie, thoughts on the game today and we even discuss gun violence… it’s a great episode.
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