Grant Long 3namez Sports interview on Pistons and Cade Cunningham

The Grant Long 3namez Sports interview brought the Detroit Pistons broadcaster and 15-year NBA veteran together with the host to discuss why he would judge Detroit’s next season by its playoff run rather than its win total. Long also named Alex English as a difficult scorer to guard, explained what Cade Cunningham can improve and recalled the encouragement that shaped how he treats young players.

What did Grant Long say about Alex English, NBA travel and officiating?

Grant Long named Alex English as an overlooked opponent whose scoring was exceptionally hard to stop. Away from the court, he recalled the welcome he received in Vancouver and his reliable order at The Cheesecake Factory; on today’s game, he argued that officials should enforce carrying and traveling rather than change the rules.

Alex English’s 49-point game

English was smooth and could reach his spots without overpowering a defender, Long said. He remembered English scoring 49 points against him early in his career, despite Long’s feeling that he had defended well. To Long, that performance helps explain why English deserves to come up more often in discussions of great players.

The Cheesecake Factory and Vancouver

Long’s favorite restaurant from his NBA travels is The Cheesecake Factory, whether in Beverly Hills or Phoenix, Arizona. He usually orders chicken and mashed potatoes. The food appeals to him, but he said the dependable service is what brings him back.

In Vancouver, it was the people who stayed with him. Long recalled warm treatment not just around the team but at barbershops, restaurants and elsewhere in the city. He joked about how often it rained and described eventually leaving his umbrella behind. He also remembered a flight that took off from the water as his first and only experience of that kind. Asked what he would sing before a Detroit crowd at Little Caesars Arena, he chose “Don't Stop Believing” or something by Bob Seger.

Why Long wants carries called

Long’s objection to modern basketball is not that it needs a new rule. He wants officials to call carries and travels already covered by the rules. As a defender, he learned to crowd a player once that player put a hand under the ball and could no longer dribble. If the player is allowed to start dribbling again, Long argued, the defender loses the advantage of having followed the rule. He also believes younger players copy moves they see NBA players get away with.

How does Grant Long view the Detroit Pistons season and Jalen Duren?

Grant Long said the mood at Detroit Pistons media day was positive and that Jalen Duren’s teammates remained behind him during contract discussions. Long expects a tougher Eastern Conference, but he would consider a deeper playoff run more meaningful than matching the 60-win season discussed in the interview.

Jalen Duren and the business of a contract

Long drew on his own experience of a contract situation to distinguish a player’s relationship with teammates from negotiations with management. He said Duren was still part of the group; the question, in Long’s view, was how Duren would handle any frustration with management once the matter was resolved. Long also called Duren a valuable piece for Detroit, even as he noted how many big men now shoot three-pointers.

A different route through the East

Looking ahead, Long pointed to stronger competition in the East and changes to Detroit’s roster. He expects the Pistons’ defense to require a more collective effort and greater ground coverage rather than relying on the kind of rim protection he associated with Isaiah Stewart. He believes Detroit can succeed, though it may do so differently.

For Long, wins alone would not settle whether the season worked. He said he would take 50, 52 or 55 wins if they came with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Discussing how an offense creates shots, he also pointed to Franz Wagner and Duncan Robinson as players who grew into more prominent shooting roles.

What did Grant Long say about John Collins, Cade Cunningham and Detroit’s rotation?

Grant Long expects John Collins to have the clearest opportunity among Detroit’s additions because he sees an immediate frontcourt role for him. Long said Cade Cunningham’s biggest improvement would be reducing turnovers, while coach J.B. Bickerstaff faces the separate challenge of finding meaningful minutes for a deep group of rotation players.

John Collins’s fit with Cunningham

Long described Collins as a three-point option, a lob target and a defender who can handle more than one frontcourt position. In a pick-and-roll with Cunningham, Collins could pressure the defense by rolling toward the basket. His ability to switch defensive coverages could also give Bickerstaff more choices when setting up the team.

Cunningham’s decisions and the bench

Long sees Cunningham’s size and low-post play as ways for Detroit to change its attack. Cunningham can shoot over a smaller defender or use his handle against a taller one, Long said. He praised Cunningham’s shooting, passing and leadership, but called turnovers possessions the team cannot afford to lose.

As for minutes, Long identified Kevin Huerter as a shooter and playmaker and said Dennis Jenkins and Ron Holland would need opportunities to contribute. He expected Detroit’s first-round pick to spend substantial time with the Motor City Cruise, while Jenkins could run the point when Cunningham plays elsewhere on the floor. Long also defended Javante Green’s ability: limited stretches, he said, make it difficult for a player outside the regular rotation to build momentum.

What did Grant Long say about Philadelphia and veteran leadership?

Grant Long framed Philadelphia’s challenge as making room for younger players to keep developing if a ball-dominant veteran such as LeBron James were part of the mix he discussed. He wanted that veteran to bring experience without controlling every possession, and he treated roster fit as more important than simply assembling recognizable names.

Long spoke about Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe’s development and discussed Jalen Brown within that proposed mix. His concern was that players who need the ball must still have chances to grow. A veteran’s knowledge and championship experience could help, he argued, without requiring that veteran to direct everything on the floor.

When the host raised the influence James has had over team-building, Long pushed back by asking whether an executive would accept those decisions in exchange for a championship. He did not turn the discussion into a prediction about where Philadelphia would finish.

What NBA moments shaped Grant Long’s approach to younger players?

Grant Long called reaching the NBA and staying there for 15 years his proudest career achievement. He remembers teammates, coaches and conversations more readily than individual games, and he now makes a point of encouraging younger players because Dominique Wilkins once did that for him after a painful rookie mistake.

The Atlanta playoff confrontation

Long also addressed a playoff confrontation with the Atlanta Hawks. He said the game had grown chippy as fouls went uncalled, and he lost control after Wayne Ferrell pointed in his face following an and-one play. Long acknowledged choking Ferrell. He recalled commissioner David Stern explaining that the fine and suspension reflected how much worse the incident could have become.

Dominique Wilkins’s words in Miami

Asked about his proudest moment, Long gave a simpler answer than a particular performance: making the league and remaining there. Long put the distinction between statistics and relationships this way:

I don't remember games. I remember people.

One person he remembers is Wilkins. During Long’s rookie season in Miami, Doc Rivers stole the ball from him as he drove toward the basket with a chance to win. Wilkins, who had never spoken to Long before, put an arm around him afterward and offered encouragement. Long said the moment showed him the value of telling a young player to keep going. In his broadcasting role, he tries to pass that support on, including when a player is struggling.

Among the veterans who helped him early were Rory Sparrow, Scott Hastings, Pearl Washington and Billy Thompson. Long said the expansion-era Miami team had many young players learning how to navigate the NBA, making the guidance of those veterans valuable.

How did Grant Long develop at Eastern Michigan University?

Grant Long described his Eastern Michigan University career as a steady progression, not a sudden senior-year breakthrough. He began with limited freshman minutes alongside established players, earned more time by working hard and took on a larger offensive role after Ben Braun became head coach.

Long credited Jim Boyce, who recruited him, and Milton Barnes with seeing enough in him to put him on the floor. At first, he concentrated on fitting in with players including Fred Cofield. He said his approach was to outwork people, an attribute he believes resonated with Braun as his responsibilities grew.

By Long’s account, his scoring rose from around seven points to 11 and then to 23 in his senior season. He credited the coaching opportunity and teammates willing to trust him with a bigger role. Long also said he called Eastern Michigan’s new head coach hours after the appointment to offer his support.