This story was very spur of the moment. I got a last-minute media advisory from the Celtics saying that Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace would be taking part in an afterschool program skit.
From covering a number of these kind of events, I’ve learned they can either make for a good story that’s easy to turn around or they can be bland. I figured the chance to catch two of the Celtics stars showing their thespian sides had potential.
To be fair, a large part of any story’s success lies with the ability of the writer to make it interesting. I realized this story had a shot when I came up with the question that would lend itself to my lede: “Obviously, Ray Allen has some acting experience. (The Celtics guard co-starred with Denzel Washington in “He Got Game.”) Did you ask him for any tips?”
It got a laugh out of Pierce and set the a great tone for the interview – and ultimately, the story.