Coming up Wednesday
Does Collins coming out change the pro athlete game?
Wade Davis, a former NFL player who came out last year, and Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor on how NBA player Jason Collins coming out could change the way pro sports views sexual orientation.
Golden State Warriors president: Collins is paving way for others, coming out will take dialogue 'a real step forward'
Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts on Jason Collins' coming out and what it could mean for pro basketball.
'Magic' Johnson on launching ASPiRE, a TV network focused on positive achievements in African-American community
Earvin "Magic" Johnson isn't just a Hall of Fame basketball legend. He is also a successful businessman who has developed an empire of movie theaters, fitness centers, and has a stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Now he's going to become a media mogul.
Johnson is launching a new television network today called ASPiRE, and it highlights the positive achievements of the African-American community. The programming will feature movies, music, comedy shows aimed at an audience that may be yearning for family friendly content.
"Magic" talks with Soledad on "Starting Point" about the new network.
Magic also shares some wisdom for Anthony Davis, the anticipated #1 NBA draft pick this year. See what he has to say in the clip below.
The NBA's 19-yr-old star? A humble Anthony Davis talks about the pressure of being the presumed #1 draft pick this year
NBA fans are gearing up for the NBA draft this Thursday, and there is one player and one team who seem destined for each other. The New Orleans Hornets scored the first-round draft pick, and they're expected to go with 19-year-old Anthony Davis.
He's the star power forward for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four this season. Anthony is going to find out on Thursday if he becomes the new face of the Hornets franchise.
Davis talks with Soledad on "Starting Point" this morning. He explains how despite the enormous pressure on him, he's trying to 'down play everything.'
"Trying to take it a day at a time," Davis says of the hype surrounding his talent. "There's a lot of pressure, but I think I can handle it."
From basketball to fatherhood: Allan Houston Former New York Knicks superstar Allan Houston on lessons he's learned on what it takes to be a good dad
From NBA player to Olympic gold medalist to New York Knicks assistant general manager, Allan Houston is sharing the strong entrepreneurial spirit his parents raised him on with those who are less fortunate.
Houston, founder of The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, knows it's important for kids to have the influence of a good father. Drawing from his experience as a father of seven children and from his own father's influence on his success, he recognizes that men sometimes need to learn how to be invested in their children's growth.
"There are a lot of great men doing great things in the area of fatherhood and around city and country," Houston tells Soledad on "Staring Point." "One of the issues we've been blessed with is the engagement. A lot of these programs aren't - men aren't engaged with their kids."
Houston started the Legacy Foundation to promote fatherhood and strengthen the ties between fathers and their kids. To celebrate such progress, the foundation throws a BBQ for the mentors and mentees in the program. "Aside from learning fundamentals of basketball, we wanted to bring fathers and mentors for kids who didn't have fathers to bond and connect. We want to encourage men in general that this fatherhood issue is huge," Houston says.
PREVIEW: NY Knicks asst. general manager Allan Houston talks with Soledad about the importance of fatherhood
EDITOR'S NOTE: This interview is scheduled to air on Friday, June 15th at 7am Eastern.
Father's Day is this Sunday, and Allan Houston is working hard to promote the importance of a father's relationship with his kids.
The former New York Knicks superstar, one of the all-time leading scorers in Knicks history, is also a father to seven children. He was also named "Father of the Year" in 2007 by the National Fatherhood Initiative. It's so important to him that his non-profit, the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, works to promote the importance of fatherhood.
In this preview clip of his interview with Soledad O'Brien, Houston explains how his father was his inspiration for starting his foundation.
"I was watching him," Houston says. "I was watching how he dealt with my mother, I was watching how he dealt with scrutiny, I was watching his work ethic. By the time I got to the NBA, not only did I listen to those words but I actually saw his example. Halfway through my career, we said this is something we have to share."
Houston adds, "We would hear often about our relationship, and how in an African-American community, having a strong male figure is rare. I didn't want to buy into that. I wanted other people to understand this shouldn't be an anomaly. This should be the standard."
Watch the full interview this Friday, June 15th at 7amET on "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien."
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