(Ep095) Ian Thomsen: How Losing to Dirk Nowitzki Made LeBron Better, the greatness of Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics, and the Night Michael Jordan Broke the Playoff Record with 63 Points
Everybody loves winners, but sometimes the most compelling stories are born out of losing. That’s one of the things Ian Thomsen learned when he was assigned to cover the losingest team in college football while in Northwestern University’s famed journalism program. He also juggled a job for the Chicago Sun-Tribune and eventually earned a spot on one of the greatest writing rosters of all time with the Boston Globe.
This gave Ian an insider’s view of the heated Celtics-Lakers rivalry that defined NBA basketball in the 80s, and led to a candid, two-hour interview with Michael Jordan when he was coming back from a potential career-ending foot injury. Later stints with Sports Illustrated and The International Herald Tribune saw Ian covering events as diverse as the Rugby World Cup, UEFA Champion’s League, and London Olympics. Throughout all these experiences, Ian’s love of people, ability to unearth previously untold stories, and passion for sports has shone through in every single word he puts on the page.
In this interview, Ian shares:
What it was like to interview Michael Jordan, Pat Riley, and the best Celtics team
How living in London and Paris expanded his perspective on life
Which unexpected stories he most enjoyed writing
How the Heat vs Lakers vs Celtics vs Mavericks rivalry pivoted the NBA for the better
What place longform storytelling has in our attention-limited society
To enjoy more of Ian’s insights, follow him on Twitter and read The Soul of Basketball.
