Dave’s Joint: Moving the Culture Forward
When I started this All Things Hoops journey I was told one thing. And that was “If you see Dave Cordova at a game then you can be 100% certain that you are in the right place”. Dave, the founder and engine behind Dave’s Joint, is a very special talent who is very well known throughout the national grassroots basketball scene. His website is dedicated to the journeys of rising stars in the Basketball world, and he has managed to interview and write about some pretty notable players thus far. He’s interviewed the likes of NBA rookies Marvin Bagley III, Michael Porter Jr. and Mo Bamba to name a few and countless others on their way to successful collegiate and professional basketball careers.
Dave Cordova doing what he does best. Here he is interviewing Miles Rawls of the Goodman League in Washington DC.
At 6 foot 9 Inches tall, I always ask Dave why didn’t he feel the need to grab a basketball and play himself. After all, I’ve always dreamed of being that tall so that I could take my game to the pro ranks. But for some, the journey towards success takes different routes. For Dave, a career in Sports Journalism is what he set his radar on and he is well on his way to fulfilling that goal. A recent graduate of St. Francis University, Dave majored in Business Management and kept himself busy by volunteering as the Men’s Basketball team manager. He’s always been a student of the game and studied religiously. His knack for the game led him to starting own website where he would have the opportunity to interview some of the most prominent basketball players currently on the scene.
If you’re at an event and happen to see Dave at that event then you’re in the right place to see some quality basketball. Photo @Daves_JointOfficial
I got a chance to sit down with Dave and pick his brain about his brand, some of the notable players he’s had the opportunity to interview and some of the pitfalls of working in sports journalism. He was grateful enough to give us a peek into his world and even gave the next generation of sports journalists some advice.
AllThingsHoops: Dave! Thanks for lending us a few minutes to answer a couple of questions. We’re for the culture and it was only a matter of time before I could interview you and share your brand with my readers.
Dave’s Joint: No problem Cal, thanks for this opportunity. I enjoy what you’re doing and have been a fan of your brand since day 1.
AllThingsHoops: Let’s get right into it! When did you start Dave’s Joint and what was the inspiration behind starting it?
Dave’s Joint: I started Dave’s Joint in 2015 and what actually inspired me was a basketball website called HardwoodInsiders.com. They are a company based out of Washington DC and the person who actually gave me my first shot in journalism was a Guy by the name of Paul Johnson. Paul is actually now a scout of the OKC Thunder. I was on their page one day and I saw all these media credentials from various basketball events they had attended and wanted to get some of my own. I got in touch with Paul and the rest was history. As far as writing goes, I’ve always liked to write. Even in Middle School I can remember writing a fictional story about a baseball player who played for NY Yankees minor league affiliate Trenton Thunder. I always knew I had a talent in writing
AllThingsHoops: Where did your love of the game of basketball come from?
Dave’s Joint: when I was younger my first love was actually baseball. That was one of the sports that was accessible to be as a youth but as I started to get taller I got more and more interested in basketball. In terms of watching basketball I loved watching games at the Conrad McRae Tournament in Brooklyn. But the first tournament that I can say that I was a regular at was the TriState Classic. It was a nice walk from where I lived and always was a good basketball atmosphere. That’s where I first developed my love for Streetball.
Dave’s Joint chronicles the basketball journeys of well known players as well as hidden gems. Here he is at an Adidas event in NYC getting an exclusive. Photo Ke Visions.
AllThingsHoops: You’re a tall guy, was there a point where you rather had played instead of of writing?
Dave’s Joint: Yeah, I’m a tall guy so naturally I tried my hand at playing. I was a decent player. I wasn’t going to score 30 points but I was more of a defender and rebound kind of player. After trying out for the team at SUNY Delhi (Upstate NY) and getting cut I knew that playing wasn’t where I was most gifted. So my playing career came to an end. In the end I think that gravitating to Journalism actually benefited me more so I was content with my decision. I get to see a different side of the game and have reached heights with my writing that I’m truly proud of. A lot of people get lost with respects on what to do next once their playing days are over. They have put all their eggs in one basket and can’t handle not being on the court. Playing basketball is the only thing they have identified with and once they stop playing they have nothing else to fall back on.
AllThingsHoops: What is the most challenging part of being a journalist?
Dave’s Joint: There are multiple challenges that are faced in being a journalist. The main thing would probably be trying to get the opportunity to interview certain players. Secondly, marketing your brand is a huge obstacle. The world is a huge place so getting the word out about what you’re doing can be very challenging. If people don’t know you, they’re not going to pay attention to your brand. The more people see you at events and getting your face out there the greater the possibility of people supporting you and seeing what your brand is all about.
If you see Dave Cordova at a game then you can be 100% certain that you are in the right place
AllThingsHoops: Who are some of the more notable players that you have had the chance to interview and write articles about?
Dave’s Joint: WOW! There’s a long list but in terms of the more notable players I’ll say Penny Hardaway, who played in the NBA and now coaches at the University of Memphis. Kenny Anderson, Anthony Morrow (who was actually my very first NBA player interviewed thanks to Chris Williams), Kyle Anderson, Chris McCullough, Josh Jackson, Dennis Smith Jr., Collin Sexton, Kevin Knox, Mo Bamba, Marvin Bagley III, Lonnie Walker, Michael Porter Jr, Omari Spellman, Jalen Brunson, Tony Carr, Hamidou Diallo, Trevon Duval and a host of others who weren’t drafted… but the list is too long to recall by memory.
AllThingsHoops: Do you write articles about every player you interview?
Dave’s Joint: Not necessarily… but I do target those players who really stand out to me and they’re not always the marquee names or players from the big time school. But I’ll still chronicle them. Players like Larry Moreno who now attends St. Francis College, Tyson Etienne and Tykei Greene (Manhattan College), players out of LuHi… Guys like that I consider hidden gems. I like writing about articles on players who aren’t getting national attention. Aside from players, I also write about tournaments like the Kenner League, the UBA tournament in Washington Heights (NYC), The Gallery League, and a few others.
Dave and none other than Allen Iverson at the Iverson Roundball Classic in PA. Photo @Daves_JointOfficial
AllThingsHoops: What are some of your all time favorite articles that you’ve written?
Dave’s Joint: One of my favorites would definitely be an article on the Unsigned Hype Showcase in Brooklyn. For those who don’t know this showcase was a platform for kids who didn’t have scholarships to play and earn them. That was actually one of the first articles that I wrote and it got me some attention. Another one was Anthony Morrow, like I said, he was the first NBA player that I interviewed… so that meant a lot to me. It happened on a day when he came to The Dunlevy Milbank Center in NY to speak to kids about how he made it to the league after being an undrafted player and basically an underdog. The article that really stood out was the one on Juwaun “Wauny” Daniels. He’s currently a college player who attends Odessa College in Texas. His story is very unique because about two years ago he was one of 20 people who got arrested by NYPD and indicted for gang assault. Long story short he spent some time locked up and even spent his 18th birthday behind bars. When he got out of prison he vowed to change his life and has been on the right track ever since. 3.5 gpa, led his team to the JUCO Nationals in Kansas and now thriving at Odessa College.
AllThingsHoops: Lastly, what kind of advice would you give to someone who wants to break into this field.
Dave’s Joint: Be persistent. Be relentless. Nothing in life is just going to come easy. If you have a passion for this kind of work go for it! It’s a great field to be in, you meet new people everyday and can blaze your own trail. If you put in the work the results will follow. Thank you for showcasing me on your platform and will definitely see you around soon.
AllThingsHoops: We at All Things Hoops salute you Dave and wish you nothing but continued success. Everybody go follow his IG page @Daves_JointOfficial and visit his site at www.DavesJoint.net.
***Cover Photo Credit: Shayz Dayz