Chris Webber Flips During Interview After Being Asked About Jalen Rose

The beef between former Michigan basketball college teammates Jalen Rose and Chris Webber won’t be coming to an end anytime soon. The two have been on rocky terms since the mid 00’s, but their private beef became public when Jalen produced an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on their Wolverines squad.

Webber was the only member of the five not to participate, and there were public beefs about why Webber didn’t participate. Currently, Webber is scheduled to begin teaching a class on sports, race and culture at Wake Forest.

Webber will bring his real-life experiences to the University’s Documentary Film Program

“I’m excited to bring real-life experience to the program. Sports are my passion and telling stories about sports is my new career,” said Webber. “I’ve been involved with the NBA for nearly 25 years, and I understand firsthand how sports, business, race, gender and economics mesh. Sports storytelling gives us a platform to explore these issues in an academic setting. I’m looking forward to not only sharing my own experiences, but learning from students how sports has had an impact on their own lives.”

During an interview on Doug Gottlieb’s radio show, Gottlieb asked CWebb about Rose, and Chris wasn’t here for it.

Gottlieb: Where are you with Jalen?

Webber: What did you just ask me?
Gottlieb: I said where are you with Jalen, in terms of your relationship?

Webber: Wherever it was.

Gottlieb: (stammering while trying to reiterate the question)

Webber: I mean, Doug, we ain’t talking about that. You ain’t getting that interview. I’m talking about Wake Forest. I don’t talk about him. I talked about him one time on The Dan Patrick show. That was it.

Gottlieb: (tries to explain why he’s asking the question)
Webber: Come on Doug. I just told you respectfully on your show I’m not going to talk about it. I’m talking about being a professor at Wake Forest teaching a class on culture in sports. Now do want want to beat me up because I did not answer you on your show?

Gottlieb: No, Chris, I want to make sure to give you context for why I asked.

Webber: I don’t want to answer the question. So what would you ask me after that? Because I’m going to put this in for my class, as far as how did you handle the media. I’m going to show them right now. I do not want to answer that question. I respectfully ask you not to ask me that again so you can blow your numbers up for your show. I don’t want to talk about that, Doug.

Gottlieb: And what I was trying to tell you was …

Webber: I understand, but you’re trying to still talk about this subject.

Gottlieb: No no no, I’m not. I’m actually not, Chris. I’m actually not. I didn’t know coming in, I didn’t ask to have you on the show with that as the sole purpose, to try and get that out of you, but I wouldn’t be doing my …

Webber: Okay, so as soon as I said no, we can leave that alone.

Gottlieb: But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you, and give you the ability, if you had the desire to do so, to speak on it.

Webber: Thank you for the ability, and I again say I don’t want to talk about it.

Gottlieb: And I’m alright with that. And I’m alright with that. I just want you to know is part of doing this job is you have to ask.

Webber: I don’t know what it’s like to do your job Doug, so thank you for explaining that to me.

Gottlieb: Hey listen, thanks for joining us, I didn’t want to turn it into any sort of back and forth, I just tried to ask a question that you didn’t’ want to answer. But I do respect what you’re doing and I thank you for coming on.

Webber: I hope the students sign up because the class is going to be way more fun than this interview. It’s going to be crazy. Thank you.

Yikes. I think as an NBA analyst, Webber should’ve understand the reason why he was asked the question. Him getting a tad emotional has the same effect as answering the question truthfully. Just say no comment, minus the explanation and theatrics.

You can listen to the interview and hear Webber’s remarks at the 14 minute mark HERE