Jalen Rose has enjoyed a pretty awesome career. A member of Michigan’s legendary Fab 5 squad, a 13 year NBA career, the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2000 and now the head man in charge of his Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in his native Detroit, Michigan, Rose is showing the world why he’s a pretty big deal.

Ever since he hung up his kicks for good in 2007, Rose has made a very smooth transition into the broadcasting field. His charismatic, down-to-earth humor and love for the game has landed him in front of the camera for big time productions such as becoming an host for NBA Countdown on ESPN, and a co-hosting gig for Jalen & Jacoby ESPN radio show.

Recently, Rose chatted with CBS Radio’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on the Scoop B Radio Podcast about his life and who has inspired him.

Rose credits many in his tight knit family that served as positive role models. Those folks include his mother who raised him alone while working at Chrysler for 20 years and his grandfather  who owned a grocery store in Bainbridge, Georgia.

“He was my first illustration of cool,” Rose said of his grandfather. “He was always well dressed, wearing a pea-coat, wearing nice hats and he was an entrepreneur at a time when our country was a lot different as it related to what we could do as people of color.”

The 13th pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1994 NBA Draft, Rose has been in the national spotlight since his high school days at Detroit Southwestern High School where he played alongside future NBA stars Voshon Lenard and Howard Eisley. On the podcast he discusses the high regard that he holds for  Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, both of whom coached Rose during his days as an Indiana Pacer and why he’s able to get along with just about everybody.

“I am that kind of guy that when I walk into a room I speak to everybody,” Rose said. “How you doing? What’s going on? Hugs and kisses and dap whether I’m at the barbershop, on the airplane, that’s just something that I’ve adopted.”