On this episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Alex Kennedy is joined by Rob Perez (AKA @WorldWideWob), who is the Senior NBA Producer for The Action Network. Perez has developed a unique style of covering the NBA – focusing on players’ pettiness, social-media sleuthing and recording highlights – and he has a cult following. Perez talks about how he reached this point, the new doors opening for him and more. Time-stamps are below.

:30: Alex and Rob discuss how there’s crazy drama seemingly everyday in the NBA and that’s why this league is so fun to cover.

2:10: Since Rob’s last appearance on The HoopsHype Podcast, he was a guest on several ESPN shows, hired by The Action Network, Jeanie Buss‘ date to the NBA Awards and much more. Rob talks about all of these new opportunities and his unique way of covering “the NBA Twitter beat.”

10:00: Rob talks about his set-up to record clips and watch every NBA game, which he calls his “command center.”

11:20: Rob has been criticized for recording highlights from his phone and posting them on Twitter rather than posting it as an high-definition video. But he has several reasons why he posts highlights this way and he explains them.

21:45: Rob shares the origins of his @WorldWideWob persona – from the name “Wob” to the Adam Silver avatars to the inside jokes.

28:20: Rob has a cult following and he often gets recognized in public. He talks about these encounters and how they usually go down.

30:10: Which does Rob prefer: the offseason when he’s tracking player movement or the season when there are actual games being played?

32:15: Not only do Rob’s followers consume his content, they participate in his sleuthing. Over the summer, Rob figured out which flight LeBron James was on and when it was landing in L.A. His followers drove to the airport to take pictures of LeBron’s arrival. He discusses what that’s like to have followers at his beck and call, and when he started noticing that happening.

38:25: Rob talks about his work at The Action Network and what kind of content he’s producing for them.

44:20: Not only is Rob great on social media, he’s very good at interviewing players. He discusses some of his interviews he’s done and which players he had the best chemistry with.

48:30: What is Rob’s favorite NBA game he ever attended in person?

49:35: A listener asked: If you could see any two NBA players get into the boxing ring and fight, who would it be and why?

51:25: A listener asked: If Rob had to compare his basketball game to a current NBA player, who would it be? Alex also asks Rob: Which NBA player is he most like personality-wise?

53:00: Alex and Rob talk about how some NBA players are so sensitive when it comes to social media.

57:30: Who is the player that Rob would least like to run into on the street? Who does he feel would confront him because of his past jokes or criticism?

59:45: Alex and Rob discuss how various events and players throughout NBA history would be viewed differently if social media and camera phones were always around.

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