Trying to pigeonhole Tom Epperson into a single category is impossible—and that’s part of what makes his career so compelling. His path as a novelist and screenwriter has been anything but linear, weaving through genres and mediums with equal parts grit and curiosity. He knew early on that writing would be his life’s work, and meeting lifelong friend and collaborator Billy Bob Thornton during boyhood only strengthened that conviction, leading to a six-decade partnership that produced tremendously profound films like One False Move, The Gift, and A Family Thing. Their work has earned significant critical acclaim, including Independent Spirit Award and Saturn Award nominations, and recognition from the Writers Guild of America. As a novelist, Tom’s range is just as impressive, spanning noir, historical fiction, and adventure with titles such as Sailor, Make Believe, Roberto to the Dark Tower Came, the Edgar Award nominated The Kind One, and most recently Baby Hawk—available wherever books are sold. In our conversation, we dived into the origins of his new book, the dangers of group-think, the challenging nature of AI, his first move to Los Angeles, and what it takes to remain grounded in a chaotic world.
Opening Credits: Arana - Jazz at Mladost Club I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; Komiku - Old artefact to destroy the patriarchy hidden somewhere I CC0 1.0. Closing Credits: Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs - Griot and the Family I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.
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Trying to pigeonhole Tom Epperson into a single category is impossible—and that’s part of what makes his career so compelling. His path as a novelist and screenwriter has been anything but linear, weaving through genres and mediums with equal parts grit and curiosity. He knew early on that writing would be his life’s work, and meeting lifelong friend and collaborator Billy Bob Thornton during boyhood only strengthened that conviction, leading to a six-decade partnership that produced tremendously profound films like One False Move, The Gift, and A Family Thing. Their work has earned significant critical acclaim, including Independent Spirit Award and Saturn Award nominations, and recognition from the Writers Guild of America. As a novelist, Tom’s range is just as impressive, spanning noir, historical fiction, and adventure with titles such as Sailor, Make Believe, Roberto to the Dark Tower Came, the Edgar Award nominated The Kind One, and most recently Baby Hawk—available wherever books are sold. In our conversation, we dived into the origins of his new book, the dangers of group-think, the challenging nature of AI, his first move to Los Angeles, and what it takes to remain grounded in a chaotic world.
Opening Credits: Arana - Jazz at Mladost Club I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; Komiku - Old artefact to destroy the patriarchy hidden somewhere I CC0 1.0. Closing Credits: Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs - Griot and the Family I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.
Ep. 53 - Idan Ravin on Winning Time, The Hoops Whisperer and Kevin Hart
How Did They Get There
1 hour 6 minutes 4 seconds
1 year ago
Ep. 53 - Idan Ravin on Winning Time, The Hoops Whisperer and Kevin Hart
Idan Ravin is the elite NBA trainer who has individually worked with over 100 NBA players, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant. When an NBA player realizes a flaw in their game is keeping them from being able to operate at their full potential, they call Idan for assistance. He is known for his unorthodox (no pun intended) training sessions, which tend to prioritize dynamic movement over traditional, stationary drills. Idan’s thumbprint on the league can be seen in so many players, and has affected the culture and style of the league. He describes his notable transition from miserable California attorney to sought-after basketball trainer in The Hoops Whisperer (2015), his best-setting novel, which uses his upbringing and life history to outlay the meticulousness, candid nature and patience which is required to deliver athletic wisdom at the highest level of sport. He is also the author of It Takes Patience and Harmonica, which were both published in 2021. Since then, he has ventured into the world of cinema. He was a producer on the second season of HBO's Winning Time, and has been a creative consultant for sports-inspired national commercials for Nike, Right Guard, Sprite, Samsung, Gatorade, Degree, State Farm, NBA, Wells Fargo, Beats and Door Dash. He has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Degree, Dove Men, Acuvue and HBO to build and execute experiential activations anchored in training and brand messaging, and his unique approach towards training has been featured in several publications including the Wall Street Journal, the New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Men's Health, and the Hollywood Reporter. In our conversation, we discussed his latest transition into film; the parallels between training NBA players and treating psychiatric conditions; spending an Israeli summer with Amar’e Stoudemire; and the 2024 NBA playoffs.
Opening Credits: pretochines - Dark Fall I CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED; Jangwa - Frumento I CC BY 4.0 DEED. Closing Credits: Trans Atlantic Rage - A REALM IN A OPEN INTERPRETATION I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 DEED.
How Did They Get There
Trying to pigeonhole Tom Epperson into a single category is impossible—and that’s part of what makes his career so compelling. His path as a novelist and screenwriter has been anything but linear, weaving through genres and mediums with equal parts grit and curiosity. He knew early on that writing would be his life’s work, and meeting lifelong friend and collaborator Billy Bob Thornton during boyhood only strengthened that conviction, leading to a six-decade partnership that produced tremendously profound films like One False Move, The Gift, and A Family Thing. Their work has earned significant critical acclaim, including Independent Spirit Award and Saturn Award nominations, and recognition from the Writers Guild of America. As a novelist, Tom’s range is just as impressive, spanning noir, historical fiction, and adventure with titles such as Sailor, Make Believe, Roberto to the Dark Tower Came, the Edgar Award nominated The Kind One, and most recently Baby Hawk—available wherever books are sold. In our conversation, we dived into the origins of his new book, the dangers of group-think, the challenging nature of AI, his first move to Los Angeles, and what it takes to remain grounded in a chaotic world.
Opening Credits: Arana - Jazz at Mladost Club I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; Komiku - Old artefact to destroy the patriarchy hidden somewhere I CC0 1.0. Closing Credits: Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs - Griot and the Family I CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.
