Chris Copeland [RADIO INTERVIEW]

Chris Copeland, NBA Veteran & Entrepreneur

LASM x TDR: Amazing. So thank you for coming out. We’re so happy to have you.

Chris Copeland: Thank you for having me.

LASM x TDR: If you guys don’t know, now you know, Chris is a former NBA player for the Bucks, the Knicks and the Indiana…

Chris Copeland: Pacers.

LASM x TDR: Well, let me tell you something. It is such an honor to have you on Tricia Love show and to co-host, and to ask you this question. What do you feel is the driving force for what you consider your dream? I guess I should say, what is your dream? What do you feel like your dream is beyond just the court?

Chris Copeland: Beyond the court? Just continuing to surprise people. Where I come from, I was always the last kid to get picked to play and all that type of stuff. Where I come from, it’s, I come from what do you say, in a city? You know what I mean? I’m all that stuff. So to be where I am today is a super blessing. I want to continue to surprise people with being able to be successful in other avenues.

LASM x TDR: Wow, that’s beautiful. Powerful. Definitely. Do you mind telling us where you do come from?

Chris Copeland: I’m from north New Jersey originally, but the high school in Richmond, Virginia, but originally from North New Jersey.

LASM x TDR: Awesome. Beautiful. I remember I heard that when you were four, you were voted to be most likely in the NBA. Tell us about that and how that impacted you and your journey and actually joining the NBA as you got older.

Chris Copeland: I was always following in my brother’s footsteps, so when I was a baby, they pretty much handed me a basketball, you know what I mean? I’ve always been kind of chasing this dream. So it was kind of when I got that push early, I was like, oh, I must be on to something. And it panned out. It took a little longer than expected, but it panned out.

LASM x TDR: Do you like remember that though vividly? Or it was just like a story told to you by your family?

Chris Copeland: I think my mom still has it somewhere. It’s definitely something we had on the cabinets growing up.

LASM x TDR: That’s awesome. Okay. So I want to know, with the challenges that come and be in the NBA, what is it that you’ve learned throughout the years? And what is it that you can share with audiences and being from city to city, moving around when things come against you, when there’s opposition? How do you keep yourself going in such a high pace lifestyle?

Chris Copeland: I’m a man of faith first. So my belief in God is one thing that’s got me through a lot of dark times. I’ve been blessed with a strong family, a strong support system of friends that helped me climb mountains that I didn’t think I could. So in those dark times, I kind of lean on my circle and my faith. Especially my mom’s who’s been the biggest motivator, biggest cheerleader, biggest everything for me.

LASM x TDR: It’s beautiful.

Chris Copeland: And I’m just continuing to try to make her proud as I climb.

LASM x TDR: Hey, congratulations. I love that. Yeah. So, Chris, I hear you talk about your faith a lot and all of us here are people that respect faith. What do you feel or what do you tell yourself in order to continue in striving to succeed? What opposition presents itself to you?

Chris Copeland: So my Mama always told me when I was growing up, find a way or make away. So…

LASM x TDR: There’s no other option.

Chris Copeland: There’s no other options.

LASM x TDR: If there are stair, still them.

Chris Copeland: Exactly. and my mom is always seems like it’s not possible. It’s still possible? So, as a guy, I wasn’t drafted. I didn’t, I didn’t make it straight out of college. I took the road less traveled. That’s just something, it’s one of those mantras that’s put into me young that no matter what it looks like, we were going to figure it out. I just kind of find a way to do that.

LASM x TDR: That’s what I’m telling. Tell us about that journey though. You said that you didn’t do things or like what is that? What did that look like?

Chris Copeland: Typically, especially nowadays they want, the MBA is kind of looking for like the younger guys. So you’ll see guys get drafted at 18, 19. I didn’t make it till I was like 27, 28.

LASM x TDR: Wow. Yeah.

Chris Copeland: I had to go overseas for a few years and kind of climb and figure that out. But that made me appreciate it more, I think.

LASM x TDR: Where did you set foot overseas?

Chris Copeland: Where did I go? The primary countries I played in was Holland, Germany, Spain, and Belgium was my last.

LASM x TDR: At 27?

Chris Copeland: 27.

LASM x TDR: That’s when you touched down in the NBA.

Chris Copeland: I was a 27/28-year-old rookie.

LASM x TDR: I tip my cap because I know at that point in time, it’s very hard to to jump into that at 27. Because at that time you damn near event, you know what I’m saying? And it’s really, really cool and I applaud you and I tip my cap.

Chris Copeland: I appreciate that.

LASM x TDR: Yeah. You didn’t take a no for an answer. That describes you like, I’m going to be in the NBA and I… That’s what I’m talking about.

Chris Copeland: Shout out to moms.

LASM x TDR: Strong moms behind the strong women. Absolutely. Exactly. Wow. That’s amazing. That’s awesome man.

Chris Copeland: Thanks you man.

LASM x TDR: Congratulations. So is there anything on your heart that you want to share with audiences and maybe something you’re passionate about? Any, I believe that you said you were passionate about animals and dogs or anything that you’d like your fans or audiences to know about you that they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to know.

Chris Copeland: Yeah, I’m a big time animal lover, but to use this platform has kind of just, if anybody’s listening to, kind of look at my stories as a motivational tool. I think is dope. I’m not the best public speaker or nothing like that, but just coming on and trying to send my message of, you can figure it out and find a on back away like my mother did. I think that’s something I want to lead the people at.

LASM x TDR: That’s amazing. Don’t give up. I did have a question about the animal portion of what you’re doing. Do you have any type of a foundation or anything that you’re supporting or are you going to be starting one? You got something?

Chris Copeland: Not yet but I have actually have some things that I would like to do in the future but not as something I could bring out at this time.

LASM x TDR: Well we definitely look forward to it about that. Well they should follow you on social media so they can find out when you decide, right? So where can they find you on social media?

Chris Copeland: Optimuscope, like Optimus Prime.

LASM x TDR: I love it.

Chris Copeland: It was a nickname I got overseas and I just took it and ran with it. But I’m a Optimuscope at Twitter or Instagram.

LASM x TDR: Amazing. Thank you. Thank you. Wow. That’s just so up at Trip Digital radio sound art expression. I’m loving everything man because it all starts with a story. And when you have that experience, you can tell a story. So thank you. Thank you for coming through. There’s just something that I just want to enter deck if I can. Every time we had somebody here on Trip Digital. Amen. We always ask them this question. So we got to know, what your superpower?

Chris Copeland: Wow. Resilience.

LASM x TDR: And that’s definitely shows from what you did man, most definitely resilience. I love that. Give him a strong J on that one.

Chris Copeland: That’s a good question. 

LASM x TDR: Awesome. L.A STYLE Trip Digital, collabo thanks for coming out and stay tuned. Yes. Here we go. Trip Digital sound art expression. Take us into something Raven Dave.