FanHouse ChuckDaly

Since retiring from the NBA in 2000, John Salley has seemingly reinvented himself. From appearing in major motion pictures to co-hosting talk shows, "Spider" Salley is one of a few former athletes who has been able to make a living in Hollywood once his playing days were over.

Next week, Salley will star in NBC's 'I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!'. The reality show, which features 10 celebrities living in a Costa Rican jungle, premieres on Monday, June 1. Viewers will be able to vote for their favorite celebrity, a list which include former WWE diva Torrie Wilson and actor Stephen Baldwin, until only one remains at the end of the month.

FanHouse spoke to Salley about preparing for life in the jungle and the lack of toughness being allowed in this year's NBA playoffs. The full interview is below.

TEQUESTA, Fla. -- This looked like a Bad Boys reunion.

The NBA came from around the country Wednesday to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Chuck Daly, but nothing was more impressive than his collection of pallbearers.

It was the nucleus of his two championship teams in Detroit, the ones that transformed him from just another coaching lifer into a Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist revered by all.

Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer were at his side. The Bad Boy Pistons and their leader one final time.

"I think when you go through the things we did together, there is a bond that never breaks,'' said Laimbeer. "This was a sad time, but a time to celebrate who he was, and what he did, and how loved he was.''

Former Pistons coach Chuck Daly died on Saturday morning. He was 78. You probably know that the National Basketball Coaches' Association was dedicating this year's NBA playoffs to Daly, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February. As a show of support, coaches are wearing a "CD" lapel pin during the postseason. Surely, you've seen them.

Daly had stints with four NBA teams -- Cleveland, Detroit, New Jersey and Orlando -- but he's most remembered for guiding the Pistons' to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 and leading the Dream Team to a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics.

When I think of Daly, however, I don't think of those "Bad Boys" Pistons teams or the ridiculously talented pro players he coached in Barcelona. No, I think of Chuck Daly every time I hear the argument that college coaches cannot succeed at the NBA level.

---

---

Incredibly sad news out of Florida this morning, as legendary coach Chuck Daly has died at age 78. Two months ago, word came that Daly, who won two championships with the Pistons and an Olympic gold medal with the original Dream Team before entering the Hall of Fame, was suffering from late-stage pancreatic cancer.

To show solidarity for Daly, beloved in the NBA coaching fraternity, coaches have been wearing "CD" pins throughout the playoffs. The coaches association also created the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in his honor. As cutthroat as the NBA can be -- especially for coaches, where there are only 30 openings and about 100 men who think they deserve one -- it's amazing how universally beloved and respected Daly has become.

---

---

Take a look at that picture. What do you see? I mean, aside from Doc Rivers' look of abject terror while being subjected to the Derrick Rose Experience. See that thing on his lapel? If you look closely (don't squint, there's a bigger picture after the jump), you'll see it's a pin with the initials "C.D."

The National Basketball Coaches' Association announced last week that they were dedicating the 2009 playoffs to Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer last month, and they're honoring him by wearing a lapel pin featuring his initials. For a coach known for his sartorial elegance (his players nicknamed him "Daddy Rich" for his fine suits), it's only fitting that he's being honored with a fashion accessory.