ATS REPLAY: Iman Shumpert | ALL THE SMOKE

Mm hmmm, mm hmm.

Welcome back all the smoke, Las Vegas Summer League twenty twenty three, coming to you live from the Blue Wires Studio again here at the Beautiful Wind Hotel Jack. We got another good one. I've been chasing this dude down for many over. You're playing with his buttons, pressing the cough button brought. Yeah, an good, I'm solid. I see y'all's light up.

I'm like minding like no, Welcome to the show, Emon Sheppard. I appreciate it.

What's up life like now for a retired NBA player who is multifaceted in the other.

Things, acting, rapping, all kind of.

Break dancing, on dancing, break up for all the other athletes that ever want to go on that show?

Yeah? Correct, what's life like? What's been going on with you?

I'm I'm chilling. I'm just I guess I'm just working. Like with me, I'm just always taking challenges, you know what I'm saying. So when contractually it didn't make sense, I'm like, well, let me see if I can match whatever that contract is and still like be around my kids. More so, I've just been trying to find outless. That's

I don't know what role I'm in.

I don't know none of this, and I'm like chasing and I'm like, bro, I can't do it, and like deal with my children and my wife and like our lives and schedules. So I'm just like right now just focusing and taking it one day at a time with like whatever come my way. I'm not gonna be like that, you know how. You know how it is as NBA players, though, we get all type of opportunities, and.

I just be like, yeah, I ain't doing that.

I don't care, bro, I feel to go put that thing, you know, And I think now it's just like that that that Jim Carrey movie where he just started saying yes, I'm just like I'm like whatever. But Dancing with the Stars, my mom was like I love that show, all right? Cool, let's try.

You know what I'm saying, Well, since you brought that up, talked to us because you were the was it the only athlete or the first athlete has some guy first NBA guy to go on there and like really? I was like yo, because I didn't even watch the show, and people start talking about you seeing what he minds doing on this show, and I went tune in.

I was like, oh, Bro's really out here working life. Talk to us about that experience and where your your your dancing background came from. I really don't. I don't have a dancing back. I think that's how we won.

I think it was quite obvious when I came on the show, like I have no clue what I'm doing.

You know what I'm saying. You get the point of some wife, she's the one with that.

You know. But what's crazy when people don't understand my wife, Like my wife, I don't know where she does.

The practice part. You don't never see it, you know what I'm saying.

Like she'll say like, oh, I gotta do this, so I got to perform and do this, and I'll be like, well, let's go like rent the studio so you could like you know what I'm saying, and she could just do stuff on the spot. So even with like dancing, like she could pick up the tango and tell me on the phone.

Like you're supposed to be sharp, you're supposed to be.

Like this doing that, but it's like my body won't conform to that without two three weeks of practice. So it was like no point in calling her because she

Wouldn't know what we're doing, but we would have a good time.

If I was anybody on that show, I'll be one, Well, I don't know what I'm doing. Yeah, when I'm having fun, like I'm at the cookout with it, like that's all I tried to lean on, Like what would I do if my auntie them was out here, like and have a good time, saying that's all I could do.

We heard that the perdem bump is a little heavier than what we used to get. They say it's thirty five hundred person of the ar a little bit higher than what we got.

What where's this fun fact? From what you like?

Twelve was like a sixty Yeah, and the twenty one h you interviewed and spoke that you said you were able to save half of your NBA contract money. Where did that financial literacy, and I guess the business of basketball come from early on with you.

I put together a great financial team. Early on, I had I had a financial advisor, I had my accountant, and like my brother's asshole, Like it was just like you. That's why I brought him on the podcast. He just called bullshit. And when we went into it, I remember my brother saying, like, yo, you you got drafted. You had no money, you know what I'm saying. You hosted little events or whatever, and you made money to like be cool and still like be able to like function.

You say, that's hard to do because you have to make sure, like you said, it was your brother, but make sure you have someone that you could really trust with that kind of like you said, I didn't even know who my check was. And I was been speaking in the Rookie Transition program just about understanding the business of the business, you know what I mean, and watching

Players, I would say to think about what you actually need, Like we all like make this mistake, because it's it's the financial freedom that throw you off. It's like you go for whatever. Yeah, you just it's like we never could do none of this stuff. So it's like sometimes you doing it literally just because you have it right. And I guess my advice would be to think smart. When you play in a city you're not from that city. You don't know if you want to marry that city.

Know what I'm saying, And you don't know why.

Like I was playing here, I got a house, then I got traded. I'm over here.

And I got a house and then I.

Got an off season house over here just because it's warm there.

It's like, you can't do.

That, Like I feel like, little by little, you know, it just catch up to you and you're not gonna notice because you playing.

You know what I'm saying.

So if I could advise them to do anything, it's just like one be smart with knowing that every city you play for, that's a temporary thing.

One in Oak Park, Illinois talk about Jeb bringing bro.

I know what it was, but a lot of people don't know.

It's mine is simple though. It's like it's four boys under one house. Like my dad did his best to say. You know what I'm saying, y'all gonna be under this house. Y'all gonna be something. Y'all gonna do something at all times. Like we ain't really have a lot of idle time.

Bro, me and don't move like that.

Like you know what I'm saying, Like you ain't even outside all day like what you own. It's like so it's like I'm just outside all day, nigga, Like that's just what I'm on.

I like to be outside.

I like to work at whatever I'm trying to get accomplished, and I don't like being around nobody that don't want to do that, you know what I'm saying. So it's like I kind of kept myself out of trouble just from like like really playing basketball for real, Like that really kept me out of trouble. Otherwise I'm I'm left. I'm a left kid for sure. But knowing that the game gonna do that for you, Like the game finna keep you so on point because you want to win,

Joe. I like know the city literally, like mAb's known me from.

Like dude used to be coming into my alley hooping like in the morning, Dude there or.

Walk over here.

For sure, with that basketball, you're gonna come over here tripping every day like real talk like him and his buddies. They just got into it with them over there, but they just want to hoop all day, like and we're

Eat on top of the hood of my car. You know what I'm saying.

I should always be able to like hold my daughter's hands and walk around and mys like, should be able to respect it, like I get it.

Yeah, I might want to take a picture, I might wo wop the fand.

But it's like he with his daughter's like you know what I'm saying, Good to see you, dog, Like I always.

Want to stay there. That's what I think about it.

When I grow up Chicago, a lot of legends coming from out of there Illinois for basketball, d Wade and Isaiah Thomas, dead Rose, any of anybody you looked up to when you was coming up up as far as who wise.

Yeah, Isaiah Thomas d Wade was always one of my favorites. D Rose even though like de Rose was just a year ahead of me, Like dude, you know what I'm saying, Like, dude inspired a lot of shit, you know what I'm saying for Chicago, Like it was just he was one of the only ones that it was like, Bro, it's in his DNA. He never gonna shy away from it. He keep it quiet. He don't even say too much, you know what I'm saying, Like it's easy to root

What it is. This was after he had lost it or yeah, okay.

Yeah this is my like later high school years, but this is like when it's coming out.

Everybody talking about it all.

Gonna lost some money or just spent too much or doing and he just kind of had a real conversation with me, like because even when they was talking about him losing it, he still was like this generous guy.

He didn't shy away from it. You still can't talk to him, You're still gonna see him, Like he embraced.

It was crazy Like it was like, and he'll still pay for the dinner for everybody, like they saying he did broke, but it was like dog, he still would come and pay for dinner and would still talk to people's smile, take pictures, and he just kind of like gave me game on it, just like how it feel good and if you want to do that, if you if you champion that in your heart, didn't do that, but think about this on the backside, I didn't, like I didn't get to you got a chance, You're gonna

The environment everybody. I love that.

Straight up, even though even though it'd be like your whole life, you're gonna definitely rival with niggas like.

You they love off the court, straight up, straight up and actually from the same hometown.

I love that. Now we got to get one.

Me and twem been playing back and forth on Instagram for like three years, so to one.

We need you on the show through you played at Georgia Tech three years now.

Our brother damn start of mines the new coach now Georgia beautifratulations. Yeah, any memories and tough matchups from.

Being at g Tech.

Malcolm Delaney, Malcolm Delaney remember him fucking headache.

De text a c a CC Tyrese Rice, remember that name was me off? Where was he at? He played at? Tyre That was Darius Rice's.

You no BC he so was well Tyrese Rice. I'll never forget that. This is my biggest memory of somebody. Like it's not too many people that do stuff in a game that I feel like, like in my mind, I know when they did it, Like I have no response. You feel I'm saying how low key and fucked up and I can't say it, but you just like the first time PAULP.

Pierce did it like.

A barely an in and out and pump fake pump fake pump fake and then shot it dead in my face, I was like.

Like I did everything. There's nothing I could do.

A lot of guys like his body is sideways, like I can't like it's either he makes or misses that.

But he shot that too easy, you know what I'm saying?

Like Tyrice Rice did some shit where he would get the ball in the corner, and most people get the ball on the corner with a live dribble, and no matter if it's live dribble or not, something about me playing defense on them intimidated that man took the ball and like put it through his legs, held it back and just kind.

Of stared at me ready type shit, And I was like I was guarding it, and at first I was like moving around.

Then I realized he's not moving, he's not adjusting to anything I'm doing. He's just holding it up. And like my first stab at it, he went. He walked straight to the line. He just dropped the ball, walked to the line, and it bothered me, like like even talking about it right now, it's it's like it's bothering me. And then Malcolm Delaney was another one. He was the first that was James Harden before James.

Hard real game.

Malcolm Delaney knew how to get ten free throws a game and I couldn't understand it. I would shoot like two three free throws a game. I was not trying to flop for a four with try and dunk everything. I'm gonna try and finish everything. I don't want to look soft because my father watching the game, Malcolm Delaney would sit at the free throw line. He had games where he shot fifteen free throws and I was like, damn,

In college, you played one or two? I played one.

I played combo though, Like we had times where they bring movef on, you don'fi in and move on would play point I pushed too. Yeah, and you have like me and Glen Rights Junior running the two and the three, like, well we really didn't, you know, we were just playing wings at that point. But mostly yeah, I played point guard. That's what Paul you would wanted.

Twenty eleven, You get drafted seventeen Kyrie, Why they play?

Yeah?

What was that class? Like? What was that experience with all those guys?

Uh?

Man, we had. I feel like we had a hell of a draft class.

Dog.

I didn't feel to get drafted that ship, know how that is?

Man?

Yeah, I was. That's the first time I ever passed out.

Of my life.

Bro, really passed passed out to that night we had what you had, but you was d yeah just probably just yeah I did.

I was on I couldn't eat. I couldn't eat all day. Nervous. I was nervous. Yeah, like it was crazy, Like my like legs was like moving because you don't strike me as a motherfucker to be getting nervous. Dang, I was sweating like I was tweaking.

And then my whole family came, like they end up inviting me to the draft like the day before type.

Yeah it was last minute we had to climb. I ain't go.

I said, my ship right to the clib and yeah we had. We was at the taco spot. Joe and my whole family came. Everybody came. They said my name do almost passed what I did? End up passing out. But I'm like, because I really was finna go out when he said it, but like I was like registered. And then my mama. I remember my mama hav ingim having me. And when as soon as I felt my mama right here and I heard her year, I just went out for a second.

And my brother was like, nigga, you know you said that wake up to wake up and then you were see me on you It's on YouTube, Joe.

If you look on that, Joe, you'll see my eyes like reregister where I'm at, like, oh ship.

When we got when this comes out, we'll make sure we put that bro.

Like you go see me, I'm in there thing like oh ship, I really we really it's that's it.

That's the end of the role. Like I feel me. We in there.

Like he said it that Nigga had to reread. He was like, em, I said, oh shit, said it shoddy. Then next day I found out New York boomed me. Y'all bogus, y'all bogus. Just hell, they said, they booed me. That's why I played the whole first like a month and a half. Oh, I was mean as hell. New York thought I was like trying to hype the crowd up. I was disrespecting them, like man, I ain't even from him. Fuck y'all, Like I felt a way, But it was like good for me because they was like, hell, yeah,

So yeah, say whatever you woke to us.

They like, long as you do that pick up ninety four, you picking people pocketing Duck.

Curse us out talk about obviously the draft process of being seventeen, but to go to a historical freshise such as the nick.

Man that shit I say that was that was a learning experience for me because it was like I had never dealt with like people really I wasn't like a media person, Like nobody really ever gave a fuck what I had going on, Like nobody was bothering me.

Yeah, Like when I.

Got to the Knicks, like that was the first time I was like, I go out and mys was like, oh e mom was out last night.

I was like what? No, Yeah, I'm like, what the fuck is that? Page six?

What? I'm like, what is that?

Bro?

Like how all my coaches know everything I do every day? Like, but it was like I never dealt with that. I never dealt with the media caring about something other than scoring of basketball, you know what I'm saying.

Like it was a learning experience for me.

And luckily I had Mellow, I had Tyson Chandler, I had Rashid come to next year, Jason Kidd, like Baron Davis. I had all these guys like kind of like guide me through that because they understood, like you don't know yet, but this market, this media, they like, Dog, you don't know, but you play for the Knicks like they know you in the world. You feel mean, like like it's Knicks fans and Argentina right down, like like.

They're gonna cheer for you.

Ain't gonna win ship, They're gonna chip you.

At New York. That wasn't me New York.

That wouldn't mean, that wouldn't mean. We got y'all to the second round. You know, we had some makeups, you know what I mean. Paul George happened. Paul George George, that boy happened. That's another one. I'm like, I ain't never seen a nigga that could move like this with a straight up back.

Right, how can you move? It almost looks stiff but fluid, if that even makes sense.

It's like, Dog, you look like you're finla fall and then you're a jumping wind millet. I'm like, bro, that's insane. You look like you off ballance, like when my back go stiff like that. Yeah, I'm finna put on the break. Y'all played above the rims. I don't know nothing about that. Well, yeah, we better take the elevator for you. Take through steps.

That get off the floor, like get off the floor in the rim, quick in the rim, quickly, fast quick. You mentioned some of the vets. We're gonna talk about them befirst. We want to start with the mayor. Baron bart Oatmeal Davis all legends talk to us about beds because hey, hey, hey, we was fellowshipping before we started the show and Jack was just on some random ship mentioned Bear's name and he mine ran from like one corner to the up corner, just laughing.

That's the expression we like.

To get with b D. Baron Davis is like, you know, it's a it's a change, like he's one of the most I would say he's one of the most well rounded people.

For these eight different people. In ten minutes, my man would give you.

Street etiquette, dinner etiquette.

Like gang bang bang, like life experience.

Don't blend all those conversations into fifteen minutes. And I'd be like dog just every time you come back in the room, you just on the way somebody else and it's like for some reason at some point during the season, like people was laughing, but I was like, it's even funnier because you make it a lot of sense.

He is not acting, though, this is not This is how he really really you like, it's really you, like you really waking up with these ideas and you really want them to come true.

Yes, yeah you did.

No, No, no, I just I never saw somebody like you know how. We'll be sitting down, We'll be.

Like, yeah, man, we should just bad, we should just make our whole movie.

Santy'll really say that, and they're really going it. Five people make a movie, no bake a movie. You might not believe in it. No one care about the movie.

You've seen Domino. I did. Oh, I'm talking about the world they might have s that's his movie, that's his movie. It's a movie. I'm playing Domino.

But he probably started just how you said, let's gonna make this movie, and that's how it happened.

I haven't seen it. I haven't seen it.

So he'll give you all these ideas and they might sound crazy, but I guarantee you two out of that five it's.

A billion dollar project. They're gonna work. They're just sitting in his brain. They're gonna work.

Bro, if you can get the collection of people together that can put it, bring it in going down for sure.

You talked, you told us outside the story of Miami. Please tell that story in Miami when.

You kept getting hard. All right, Okay, So.

We playing Miami and uh this one I'm.

With the Knicks and bad came and we used to.

Play where a lineup where it would be Bed come in, I would be in.

It was like it was a young crew. I just know we was.

It was like we was supposed to play fast and Boom was supposed to come in and really like yeah, like just do whatever you got because we got a small stint where you're gonna get the control to one and then we're finna bring Pablo back to change rotate like we had a system. So it's like, Boom, you get to come in and act a fool. So Boom, he feeded me, I'm getting hit when I'm going to the basket though, you know your dot's putting me on my ass. You know what I'm saying, is they getting

Know what I'm saying.

But it was like they was putting me on the floor. I hit the lor like toward the end of the first half, I'm reaching my head up like telling beer and to grab me, you know what I'm saying, Like Allight g helped me up like I'm cool, like you know, letting him know like I'm cool, Like they found him for my free throat. Oh the man didn't.

He helped me up. He stood over me and saying.

Hey, man, hey, hey, just want to get the floor again.

I'm making heart for y'all in l A and with every every every.

I just got knocked out the air. Helped me up.

He took it tough to everybody around and forgot to help me.

I'm like, dog, I'm sitting on the floor like and I'm looking around. I'm seeing everybody like temperature change. But I didn't get put on the floor. On the rest of the game, I got fouled, but I did not get put on the floor. It was a different type of to l.

I'm saying, he can do that. He's one person that could do that.

Yes, you got to respect so but that was my first side, because Baron's like the nicest guy in the world. Like Baron will give you the clothes off his back. He'll take his shoes off for the kids, hand them the shoes and walk around his socks for the day. I've seen him stop his day and like like some kids too much and like go into the CBS and buy bubbles. And now I'm like, Baron, we got shooting

Doc. Doc, you're not that young, Doc. At one point you were a kid. Doc.

Took five minutes to get you some bubbles. Doc, I would have got you some bubbles because I'm Baron Davis.

Doc.

Yeah, that's how you You'll be like bro So in my mind, that's who I'm. That's who That's who my dog is. Come on, guy, like help me up. That's what I'm thinking, Like, hey, he hit the floor again. I'm making hard for y'all.

In l A, I said, when did you start talking?

Like sounds like every l A movie I watched, like this is.

Every Friday, It's succession brod. I was like I had never seen but it was the transition was crazy because like right after that we get on the bench and he's right back to like that calm, nice guy. Like so Bearon Baron Davis is a legend. If y'all didn't know, man, the chance to sit down with somebody, to have a conversation, you know what they say, what you'd rather do, have a conversation with Jay or Hey, man, if they give you that split with Bearon Davis, take that beer.

You gotta take that dinner with him because you might have to pay, but take that.

But but one thing about the dinner.

Would have know one thing about the dinner.

You're gonna get a bunch of ideas.

Get you gonna get the game, You're gonna get the comedy. You're gonna get the all in one bro talk.

And he's gonna give you some gear of whatever. He he better give.

You shirts towels in the studio. Studio so you can hear the unreleased oatmeal, bro, bar oatmeal is a serious thing.

Get you released oat millet.

While we talking about Baron, talk to us about how how Nick's tape came to came.

To Life's low key it was it was we okay, so we're all on the bus right, And we had so many personalities on that On that next team though, and one we all like kind of knew each other and like started laughing at it and our coaches was laughing at it. We realized that Mike Woodson like, Bro, you got the reins to bullshit, Shortty, like you shouldn't have to deal with Mellow shit, a Bari shit, Jason Kids shit, Rashi shit, my Young shit Jr. Out every night.

This is like an an one mixtape.

G Like we doing shit we ain't even supposed to be doing, like y'all throwing double alley oops.

You know what I'm saying. Like Ello over here doing the ship.

She came in doing he like I'm doing three to the head this year, Like Nigga was just making shit up on the fly. We like, don this ain't even like a real thing like this Mellow got that she she oh yeah, she came so she go in and go and get out because people think Mellow started Mellow, thank you Mello did that, and honor she because she and remember he had like a knee and a back problem, so New York was like thirsty every time she would get in.

So she was like, every time I hit the three, I'm gonna do three to the head.

But when he had the back problem and he couldn't play, she basically became like a coach for us, like he was just that guy in our ear giving us everything. He was talking loud as hell to the rest whatever. He would always be in a warm up, but he knew he wasn't healthy enough to play. So Mellow kind of like took it for him, like yeah, like we own that. And then Ello started doing it like she was doing it, and the kids all knew to do it no matter who hit a three.

But then Ello came down. You know it's Mellow. He came down Potwood in the corner. Everybody was like.

Oh, they like, I'm like, bro, it's Llo, dog, what you finla do shortie? Like the man with the head Ben did it dog? It's gone with the halo, bro, Halo man did it dog? It's over with it. That's gone, that's his now. But Mellow was really doing it because exactly because Ello, that's what Barn's don't be under like Llo was like the coldest leader, cause it was like, dude, I ain't never had dude like.

Embarrass me.

You know what I'm saying, Like I've been around some leaders that all really put you on front line and like you gotta check him.

Hold on, bro, real.

Talk grown man, Shortty like, don't do me like that. Ello never did me like that. Joe and he I ain't never seen him do Nobody on his team like Shorty always took it like I could bring more out of myself and help the team rather than try and tear somebody down. Like even in the media, Dog took so many bullets because he knew like he like, man, don't know what's going He don't know. He finna tell

I'm like, hello, what is you talking about?

Bro? That wasn't your father, you know what I'm saying. What I'm asking him, like what are you doing? And like later on, like once I'm getting older, I'm like, damn, Dad, you really did take it for us.

But the funny party about you saying that, and I love hearing that because he has such a crazy rap because people don't know how he that they consider him a bad team man, if if you hadn't played with him with the way the picture that the picture the media tried to pay but he's this and he's that. And then to hear that that he's one of the dopest leaders because he will take everything on the chest for you.

And I got to and I got to play with Bron, who's another great leader, and to see the difference in them, it's like Bron basically could communicate that Bron can give you the whole Bible on basketball, like I'll sit down with you, give you the whole Bible. Mellow will talk ball with you. But he can't tell you how to be mellow, and he ain't really trying to. He just like, I'm gonna do this because this is my thing that

Both amongst the crazy situation you were in the fun you were having first team all rookie thirty minutes a game, defensive stopper. What was that first taste of the NBA? Like I'm here, I'm having fun, but then I'm also being recognized for it too.

Uh. I was just aggressive man like, like I watched like like even y'all like Jack No, like I told him when I got in the league.

I told her, I say, Shorty, you were killing on my fantasy. I used to dry. I used to make sure I had him, like I know.

Y'all, I know y'all last in the draft, dude, but I got him already.

It's early.

I'm getting this out the way, Like MIBs would be looking at me, like why you just go get Steven Jack don't even you feel me like one of my guys where it was like no, I'm getting JR. Like off the rip, real talk y'all. Finna go get everybody you want to get and you don't. That just mean you don't play the game enough. You'll know what's going on.

Like that's cool.

Like if I got these two, I'm good like and I had my little people I picked, so it was like, man, having having somebody like that when you come to the league, It's like, Bro, I'm like, man, I just want to have dudes like that, like look at me and see me Like I had a moment. Yeah, I had a moment my first game where Ray Allen stopped his shooting routine. Bro, you know me, I'm looking. I'm like, Nigga, that's Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Shorty. First off, Shorty ain't missed. Yeah, like he

Reality. You know what I'm saying. Like he just stop this shoot routine. Bro, I'm on the skout report.

Gotta be I gotta be somebody, so some something, because that.

Nigga just ran over here. He ain't saying nothing at that time. Boston, Yo. Yeah, now, KG, he was violating me the whole game, you know from from was talking natty to me on time.

That's cool, Okay, you made it like real, fucking you made the league real Paul was talking insane to everybody.

For sure. He don't hold back. But I'm gonna tell you something.

No, it's some funny ship.

You know.

The dude who's sitting right there, that's where he gets a lot of attitude and talking and screaming and blocking shots when rebounding.

He get that from him. He was the first person in high school a round the time that was screaming on rebounds, block and get that ship out of KG.

Suck went to play with him, and that's where he got all that ship from.

Ask him, he'll tell you he got. That's him.

That's the big diplomat from jumping McCoy yep to the big burn him.

Him right there, big, I look the big burn off the edible of two being fun.

Heressing babies God, you see it like brethren.

But I love that, like seeing like being a part of that when you're in the league and you get to see something that you've seen on T like everybody see kg tweak out on TV.

But to being a to be in a game. It's different to.

Be in a game and hit him really tweaking and really saying something to like really disturb you.

Like I'm like, bro, you really sick. But it's like you focusing.

I could see that your focus is going up as you talking this to me, and he steady doing that locking in.

I'm like, d that's some disturbing shit you talking like got everybody feel to let this slide. But he just continued.

And then I realized by like the second time we had played against him, maybe the third time, I realized, Oh, he not all the way just talking shit. He allowing his team to understand where he's at. If they in single coverage, one on one, y'all alone, it's all y'all. He ain't on shit lord. He ain't on shit lord. At first, it was just he ain't on shit, Like I feel like you disrespected me while I'm handling the ball. But then I realized he's saying, you would clear it's

I gotta stay solid this whole game.

Like so it was like I learned, Yeah, I learned from shit like that, like coming to there and like seeing y'all, professor, even just like seeing y'all do shit, like you know, when everybody got the scout report that I was gonna strip down and everybody just start han faking or they start doing this and just taking the foul. It was like all that shit meant something to me because I'm like they really haven't a justice, Like they know, they literally know we're playing against him today. Like I

I got it out.

I don't know if they're gonna run a play for him, I don't know if he gonna hit a shot. I definitely got to deal with dude today. I got a boogie with him, you know what I'm saying. I always wanted that. As long as I had that, I felt like I was gonna be successful.

First round of the playoffs twenty twelve touring ACL coming off a great first campaign. You actually returned in six months, which is crazy, but talked about your journey, the mental process and in the grind of being here, having such a good first year, being hurt and then that climb back.

For me, it was tough.

I feel like, looking back on it, when I blew my wheel, I ain't really know it was gonna be a uh a situation that could like change my position. Like when I got hurt, I'm like, boom, I'm finna come back and was gonna put that ball right back in my hand.

We right back at the PG. We finished, you know what I'm saying.

But it was like when that happened, we signed Raymond Felton, pop up Pricky Oni j kidd over there, it was like shitty Mark just played him at combo and then it was like, next thing, I knew I was guarding the three. Then they're like, man, you could guard a four because everybody was a step off four, So they like, man, he guarding four us. Then I was like he three and D, Like what the fuck is that? Indeed, like three and what.

Nigga, what the fuck is you talking about. I'm like, bro, don't play that much.

D ain't much that much defense in the world to call me a three and D guy, Like, I damn near like took it like that.

But when I look back on it, I'm like that acl thing.

Like literally in the league, everything is opportunity and situation. You know what I'm saying, It's just timing, like for us to win, that's what I had to conform to. And I feel like, uh yeah, going through going through that, like when I when I look back, I just wish like.

I would have.

I don't know, kept kept training as if I was point guard. I feel like I like allowed them to like yeah, like after after a couple of years, like I didn't want to dribble, no more like dribble like who the want to off screens now?

Yeah?

Yeah, my body was like used to it now, and I was like it was weird for me because I'm like this.

Ain't natural, but I'm now accustomed to. Yeah, I'm like in a habit.

Like after eight dribbles, nigga, I feel like I'm doing too much. It's like, bro, I just took a couple of dribbles, Like really, you're supposed to keep alive dribbled the whole time if you re guard, Like I used to be like that, and my whole mindset changed. So I feel like maybe just I don't know, I almost was too obedient, like I should have recognized, like, bro, you've had five coaches in five years, Like do your thing that got you here.

But I was like.

Every coach, I'm like trying to be the best player. Yeah, I want to be coachable. I want you to like me. I don't want you to feel like I got here and I'm disrespecting that NBA logo Like I'm like, no,

It helped for the championship.

Shit like if I didn't blow my knee out, I'd have been a totally different ball game on that championship team, Like I would have totally. I was totally more sick in the head when I.

Was the rookie.

Yeah you know what I'm saying, Like I totally was not coachable at the end of a game, like I would have felt like in my heart, like, no, this is my turn, mellow. I had the moments, so I'm like mellow, I'm gonna give you this, bitch boy. I really want to shoot this really really bad, but I'm gonna give you this. I'm gonna give it to you

When I say this name, it is somebody who who is my real brother. We talked to a lot. I talked to a lot.

You know.

He constantly give me my problems on how the beginning when he come into the career, his career. I showed him how to move and do these things. When I say his name, just give me the first thing that you think they'll come to your mind, Jared Smith.

That's like dog like I ain't never had like nobody like you know, I might be.

Like, hey, what's up, twin?

Like yeah, like if I had to like have an NBA twin up bro, Like dude never turned down a one on one Like I got into it with him, Like it's to the point like we had such a close like bond period as far as like they want to hoop, like and they want to hoop, they want to play fast, we want to get up and down,

I came in and y'all was on some old ship with me. I wanted the older nigga to do what I wanted to do, like so he.

Kind of like was helping me out with that part of it, like I know what you want to do, Like you're young, you want to you still want to.

Come here, right, you feel me?

Like that was always swish And then like as I watched, because you know, I watched him have to deal with like people saying all this like negative shit on his name, it was like this, I don't know, it's like a black cloud that everybody was like, dude, it's like a bad person or some shit like damn, there was so much excuse me, so much in New York that I was like, I started a little like feeding into it a little bit, like, Damn, this dude.

Really I need to tell my dog to like tighten up.

But I'm like, nah, because when I'm going to pick him up, bro, he you know what I'm saying, Like he got his kids, don't like talk about when he got his little kids with him, He got all of them with him. Then he got his nephews with him too, like, and they going shopping and getting skateboards and doing all this all day, and him and his father and his mother they all having that. I'm like, bro, they got

They percentage and love it for you and make it and say thank you. Nerve to say good past be like Nigga, Like.

If y'all go, I want y'all to go. Look at where Cleve we played in the garden. Me and Jayon came back.

We was in Cleveland.

I threw this man oop Joe because he went back door.

I see it here talking about break past tape. What that over last? Push it out. I ain't gonna lie.

The past made him be great heat.

It was an awful path. You'd have been pissed off, Like you know, I don't jump like that with the windows stands with me.

It laid it up and looked at me like come on man, I was gonna go up and get that way, but I ain't jumping for that. Like that's what I felt like when I threw the past, Like damn, that was so terrible.

Yeah, he finish grabb it and just happened.

He sayd I say, bro, you're gonna say good pass for that. I hugged him laughing like that was awful past, Like it was awful.

It was sick.

But like I always look up playing with Swiss because Swiss was like the dude that, Like I said, it was like twin shit, like like that double Alley we was, we be thinking the same shit, Like we really be thinking the same shit, Like he like, shit, if you say that shit like shit, if I'm in with you, tape, just throw it to the other end. You get what I'm saying, Like, if you saving the ball, don't even like try and find me, just throw.

It to the other Endlo, I'm headed down at home.

Yeah, And the first time he realized, like this little nigga, remember that's I feel like that's what he did randomly one game. Oh you remember that I told you to do that. I took that shit and launched that shit.

JR.

Ran and grabbed everybody in New York, Like how did they know? I'm like that nigga told me to throw it. I ain't had nothing going on. I had no way to see what was I said, I'm just gonna throw it to see if he go get that shit.

And he went and got it.

Like, don't make you make a mistake, Like if you got somebody like that or like somebody on the post.

You'll know you did this to me before Stack.

But Sack Stack had a pitch post and he was asking for the ball.

Hey, they got the switch on on me.

He asked for the for the ball on pinch post and uh, I'm like, you know, I'm crowning. He like fuck him, just like that, like funck him.

I don't get what he like said fuck him, and they threw him the ball out something.

Most disrespectful ship. So the most disrespectful ship I ever dealt with. But that's the type of ship. Yeah, real talk you. Definitely it was crazy go like he was looking the ball when he got it, throw nothing, just jabbed old man game.

He looked at me like, bro, we.

Not doing I'm not doing this with you. He just kept shabbing me until my stance got lower. He knew I was gonna get thirsty, like you.

Know, one of them dudes get damn low as soon as you put it on the floors. Yeah, I ain't got time. Hand was ready, so it wasn't like that. I'm two dribbles man already jabbed. He just got me out before I knew it. All My knees is completely.

I'm so low to the ground wait, waiting on the drip. Just old school around, comfortable to go.

Around after the fuck you was crazy everybody play with sup.

We always burn out and then after New York nights, so you know how that is shot around at ten Nigga, don't get in the hotel the eight, bro, you know how they go. I mean what we did speaking on chemistry heading into the Championship in the Run Championsip Run twenty sixteen.

A young team, but a team that was able to come.

Together and do something great. How wasn't being around Kyrie and the rest of those guys, man, that ship was I ain't gone.

That was That was a good time, man, And I think that we were so dysfunctional as a team. Bro. We had to win some shit. Like I'll be telling people all the time, like one of the one of the things I seen with like the Grizzlies, Right, you can say what you want, they need dealing Brooks. I said that, yep, Like you need that one guy that's he a little off, don't I said?

Steve Kurs said it.

Draymond Green, you need him. Matt Barnes, you need him. You need him on our test. You got to have a guy like that on your team. That's somebody that this the other side be looking like. You know what, let's lead that taking time bomb alone. But we need to back off. Dude, let him rock.

Here, gonna die for you out there, real talk, real talk, and he gonna change the momentum of the game.

You see what I'm saying. Like like when I look at our twenty sixteen team, when me and Swish got there, I felt like I had never been traded before one. I have never been a part of that. But when I got there, me and Swish kind of looked at each other after the first couple of practices we did to get.

Y'all traded for not to cut you off, you remember, no, because it was a three way. I was so blue g y. I don't know it was.

We probably got traded for an eighth grader, get traded for a sixth grader. Man, uh, But I just remember looking at Swish and being like, Bro, they needed us here, Like we just changed the whole dynamic of this team. Like it's aggressive now, they talking shit, like we just

It's supposed to be lit over here. Y'all supposed to be having fun.

And I felt like they were still figuring it, but they was like putting too much pressure on themselves.

And me and Swiss just kind of came.

Over there like free free, yeah, Like we was just like it's lit, bro.

We were just in New York. We was on a losing streak. I'm hurt.

We was in the you know what I'm saying, Like we was going through a rough time and then we got traded.

Not able to fix that situation. Like we came over there to the cast.

We was like this new energy, like it was a bounce happening, like and we got Mazi.

We went and got Mazi and he came over.

I'm like, dog, it's like we our defense went up.

We started getting hungry on defense.

You know the media is they would always do shit with Kyle, like, you know, they want to know if kay Gon have a thumbs up for a thumbs down to day. I don't know why they do Kyle like that where they just act like my man just a space cadet or something. But Kyle was running around there getting forty you know what I'm saying, Bron coming out there.

Like he ain't gonna let.

His uh his bike overhill had dust on it and is He's still gonna ride his faux wheeler and his dirt bike and he's still gonna drive his pusch. Like it's like, Bro, you real life, use every weapon on your roster, like whether people know that's why you got him or not, Like he gonna use it.

He gonna make sure that he do that.

And being a part of that team and seeing like a Kevin Love have an issue, first of all, being on other teams, you would never think Kevin Love would ever have an issue with like, you know what I'm saying, just a rough stint where it's like I'm like, bro, I'm so used to seeing you do forty and twenty. I didn't even know you had like modes where it's like, yeah, you all for you Just feeling like not as confident because you don't create your own shot all the time

I want to play point, you know what I'm saying.

Like we getting into it in practice, overdo it and in practice like I remember.

Getting into it and broad practice.

Now we end up fit to fight down that shit was so fun, bro, Like their practice was so.

Lit because it's a unit. Yeah, we was like what we like, man, fuck the first team, Bro.

That's what even we try to explain, not to cut you off when we used to really practice. Second units used to be the lie of the first units in this league.

First you to try to chill. Not today, not today. And I'm blaming everything on Bruh. I was blaming bro Bro Joe he left. Yeah, he begambled. I'm saying everything I'm saying getting anybody in trouble. But I want I want practice to be live like that. And by the time.

Playoffs hit, like t Lou was having to chill on practice with us, like hey, y'all, yeah, y'all too, like y'all be too hype for that five minute scrimmage, Like y'all doing too much.

But it was like that ship made us so like together.

Then that three one shit happened and everybody was just talking like y'all are finna go home, y'all. But we sat on that on that on that bus going back, and Broun was like, no, we're gonna win Game five. They gonna say woo woo, They're gonna do that. We're gonna come back here. We're gonna get game six, right, and then they finish get scared because we no longer like he like, we actually in the best position. We have no pressure on us. We're supposed to lose. He's like,

To sit out that one game.

Were like, oh, y'all, y'all they like that without Shorty, y'all need Shorty to talk for y'all. Once we figured that out, because Draymond is a people don't understand, like, that's a big hole if you you know what I'm saying, if you're playing with that all year, somebody that just talks brings that type of energy and then you play without them, it just adjusts, you know what I'm saying. What you got going on it Justice jumped in front of a lot of stuff, all real talk, and we

You know, they funny as hell. They gonna have a good time.

But they are always, always, always finna preach professionalism class and like they made sure I did stuff like even if I was like being fun, like they would run off. Hey man, you missed that kid. That kid just put his hand out. Always hit the kids hands. I don't give fuck. I don't give a fuck how much we lose. You not that mad, you know what I'm saying. We

Yeah, me too. I look at this like.

This team did.

What he said? You get so lucky.

The step back right, wouldn't it?

Was it the truth? In the huddle he told you lu give me the ball? Or was that just urban legend?

He told you he would give them ball like this was early in the fourth. He was frying, he was, That's what I'm saying. He was early in the fourth. He said he wanted the ball because uh Bron Bron wanted a Uh he wanted a three to one screen. Bron was he like, yeah, he the biggest Like matchup, Nick, Bron will play chess with you. It be stone cold to crowd, be quiet. He'd be at the top. No, no, make him him like him like no, he gonna play like no, he gonna play today he'd be like whoa buddy,

You scared a buddy, So we just failed him.

If if Steph came and guarded me, if they tried to do a triple switch whatever they tried to do, I say, bro, if I go down here and I set this screen and Steph switch off and try and go on me while I'm in the corner, I'm gonna bring my screen up too, and now you got a double screen.

But you, Finnah have to guard Kyrie.

And once we knew that at the end of that, like I mean, if you watch film, you knew Kyrie he gonna get to that right wing and he gonna punish you. But if you watch film, you know that. I just don't feel like they watched enough of it because dude wasn't Dude was trying to he Kobe.

In his mind, didn't.

Hundred Play said that was one of the biggest regrets of his career was switching that screen. I think Clay came out and said, that's the biggest one of the biggest regrets of my career was switching that screen.

Clay in his mind, he like, I know exactly what it was.

Clay, Gary Payton, whoever was on that wing was getting cook on.

This show, the show.

But I'm saying, like, I know that, I know that that that energy that Clay talking about where it's like I knew good and well, I know what this is, I know what's about to happen.

And now I got to watch it on TV.

Yeah, like now I gotta sit here and act like yeah, like my one of my biggest regrets. And Steph, I'm sure you would have been the light skinned man either way.

He was gonna be the light skinned man. You know what I'm saying.

You was that was destined for you. But I feel like when you came to the Garden and I let Raymond Felton's pride getting away and he had fifty let me tell.

You why I'm not I feel you because Raymond Felton was on my team. Jamier Nelson had twenty points in the first quarter. The first three games of the first round of the playoffs on him.

So I get it.

I get it when I tell you my dog, But I get Raymond, that's my dog too, That's what I said. I Raymond said, schump No, Like he was like, bro, light Like stop. I'm like, gee, come on, ge like, come on. Because I switched off to him, I immediately poked the ball away. Let's get to this dude, Joe like, stop letting dude do this. But he really be doing this to us, Like, stop.

Letting to do this. He really be doing it real because I've seen it coming coming. I'm like, the confidence is changing. Gee.

He going back to Davidson on us. Bro, Nah, his jersey ain't read. Bro, don't let him do that, you feel me. I'm like, he doing the ship that We was like, you can't do that in the league. He started doing it.

I'm not.

Yeah, you going too fast, shooting that jumping Now, that's too much.

You ain't even holding it up no more. You ain't.

You ain't either, Yeah, falling this ship. No, Bro, Now he talking to the crowd, he pointing that fans. I'm like, Steph, don't even do that.

I think it was us my bad. He a New York My bad if I was a part of that because Shorty I did not.

I could have ran up to Raymond like a g you're guarding whatever the fuck else, but I'm now guarding Steph ninety four feet. But I had just got back from injury. So they was like shunping you, overgassing yourself.

He's gonna do you. That's how they were saying. You on a minute restriction, he's gonna do you. Let rain and handle willing to reblow this wheel. Just yes.

I really felt like in my heart like we are birth in an animal. Bro.

I really think of that moment.

I'm like, Bro, I think we ignited that confidence that came because after that game, Bro, he got very disrespectful. He got disrespectful shit twelve thirteen, twenty twelve thirteen, Yep, that's it. I had just got back, Bro. I had to wear a sleeve on my knee. I never I had a black sleeve on my knee. Bro. I'm like, Shorty ass was really dragging us. And I'm like, Shorty, y'all acting like this right, I was coming to I never forget being in a huddle.

Ron better, what is he right now?

Yeah?

My dog my bad. But yeah, I like call my nigga ro I just like you Moran. We don't call him meta. B better start rubbing my shoulders, like calm down.

If he telling you to calm down, he like, be cool?

What's it? No, it couldn't have been meta though, cause Meda came the next who KT Kurt Thomas came, grabbed my shoulders. Say hey, that sounds different. He say, a man, calm down, calm down. But I'm like, I'm like, man, what the fuck this nigga? Caugh like three.

I'm like, bro, this is he putting bullets in us? Bro Like what y'all mean? It's not cool? Foul um hit him. I'm like, bro, what y'all talking about? He ain't got no bruises on nothing. Hit him?

Hit him? Like what are you talking about? Bro? Take a foul he coming off the screen. Hit him.

I'm like, bro, y'all want me to do it? But I'm like asking coach. They like, man, somebody get wild Man, but he liked he like, come get wild Man over here.

Calm down, man, that man on the They like talking to me like.

It's before we knew that the man had fifty and the Garden was cheering for him.

I say they cheering for him.

I was sick. Bro, light skinned man. I just want you to know, bro, light skinning my day. Do you know the light skinning man, the light skinning man, the light skin Do you know the light skinning.

Man that lives on jewelry Lane.

Oh?

Bro, that light skinned man that got after that, it was real. Yeah, it was run away with it.

After that he started shooting from forty other than start turning around when he's show him like you Gilbert Arenas, now you Gilbert Jesus Christ agent zero pieces.

Man Nix will do it.

That's you standing everybody in confidence. He standing going trust man. I was about to say something, what's the.

Best version of Bron? Best version?

Yeah?

Yeah, you play with him, you've seen him a couple of times. Yeah, what's the best version you've seen?

I think the best version I saw Bron was you remember the year that uh they lost to when Dirk won. Yeah, that next year, that next year they came back when him and d Wade vowed to not shoot, not settle for threes, and they played that whole first season and they wasn't shooting no threes. They was just attacking. It was vicious. I was like, bro, what the fuck are we supposed to do with that? I was looking at the league like going downhill too when I get there?

How am I gonna What am I gonna do about that? Like? What is that? Nigga? Like they're running fast, they big as ship.

I'm like d Wade and Brun literally passing it back and forth and just downhill, downhill, down game. Yeah, I'm like, y'all not gonna shoot. They was pumped, faking every three no matter how wide open it was, and attacking. I feel like that was the scariest Broun to deal with. He was so focused, Like you remember that clip when they did they I think they did the the.

Oop, they did the oop they dunked it.

You would have me watch this clip like ten times before the game they called a ooh dunky Ron d Wade and Chris Bosh did the fastest sprint like right next to each other, like it was like to get back on defense.

I was like, Nigga, that's the scariest shit I've ever seen.

In my life, those three right there going on a breakaway, banging that bitch after like passing it back and forth, and then sprinting back to where you can't throw an outlet. I was like, well what I was, I'll be remembering shit like that because it's like, bro, like you feel me like Bron being able to do that and say, you know what, I'm not gonna shoot a three now,

I can still pass it really really good. If I don't feel like, if I catch a rhythm, I'm here five or six threes on you, we'll talk real talk, you know what I'm saying.

And I figured out this free throw thing for the most part, For the most part, my nigga, My nigga is still once the while that he do ship.

I'll just be eyeballs out. He funny though, Bro, Yeah, how did it happens? Shutty?

Funny though, Bro, it'd be funny bro, like IQ unbelievable, She lou.

He's our next guest actually today. Talk to him as a as A as A coach players coach.

Yeah what was he? Like?

It was cool being with because Lou, like you said, a players coach is way easier like to deal with. He's been there, like Mike Woodson one of my favorite coaches, because what he every wances in while black let me get give me the ball and then he'll show you what he talking about. She Lou is another one that I don't even think he would realize that he would

Lou, Like this is Tyrone Lou like.

The same you know what I'm saying, Like I get it here, my coach, because this is totally Tyrone Lulai. I totally used to watch this guy play basketball, so I'm already a fan. So it's like it's easier to learn from that than seeing him within a suit, you know what I'm saying, and then like seeing his his his ability to say I'm gonna make an adjustment or I'm not going to make an adjustment, but I recognize adjustment needs to be made, you know what I'm saying.

Great in game adjustment coach.

Yes, Yes, Like he will look at the other side and be like, hmm, I see what y'all doing.

Hey, y'all time out?

Trust me on this stack jack point point And everybody had that moment like he playing point. But it's like, whatever you see, let's just try it because dog just time out and he ain't going just unless he sees something like that. And I think he built a great relationship with everybody on the team to trust him in those in those moments, and then he earned more trust from us by like in certain moments even like like he would be like on some ship where he'd be like, yeah.

I ain't got nothing for y'all.

I called that because y'all need to y'all need to catch y'all breath and get y'all bearings together.

But I don't have a play for y'all. Figure it out.

Go play ball.

Can y'all remember that we're playing ball now? All right? Cool?

Go play ball? And it's like that's all we needed It's like, now we don't have a play to think about. We're not trying to just hoop play the motion for out one end and just who we know how to play. We know actions, keep keep people in actions, keep changing the sides of the floor, and we would get in the groove. So it was like, I think Tyleru is like one of the you know what I'm saying, one of those coaches that you get around and you you appreciate even more afterwards because it's like.

Damn, bro, he not like that. Yeah, I realized that, and.

I dealt with like five different styles. So it was like, like the fish fish is a different ball. He don't want you overly like feeling like that. Like he likes a structure. He was in that triangle formation I'm saying, and then he had to stick to that principal because that's what he was introducing.

But it was like that was a structure.

And though I figured it out, I'm like, bro, everybody had a different Bob. That's why I was like, man, I wish I would have just had one coach.

People don't realize of what you don't realize. Because the Mark was talking to the Marcus Marcus had like seven coaches.

In eight years. It's great, you know what I mean, Just when I figured this out, this motherfucker so.

And the next motherfucker don't they don't. They don't see you as the other thing. They be like, no, I like you like this.

Touch a little more on Kyrie and just him as a player, him as a person. And they heard you guys used to have some epic one on one games. Oh man, you just signed a new five year shoot deal too.

Yeah, yeah, yeah god one. One of my one of my better friends of the.

Me and Kyle sat down next to each other during the mvp A meeting because I had like one version of Kyrie in my head, like you what to do jerors Like, I just I don't know. I damn there to the point where I knew I thought I knew how he would sound like, I damn near felt like I know what he sounds like. It's gonna be more like preppy and like he's gonna sound like he wearing a polo shirt.

Like That's how I felt, and like I sat down with.

Him, I was like, oh dude, it is super like regular and chill like and he's like totally here to have fun, like he's a young guy, like want to have fun. And we talked for a while during the meeting and then, uh, David West had this uh that moment during that mvp A meeting when he stood up and was slamming his hands fist saying, when are we gonna talk about group economics?

Y'all?

Remember that, y'all wouldn't y'all would.

Make never been to one meeting because don't even.

Shut out a yeah almost, but yeah, we was in the meetings that he's standing up talking about group economics. And back then I had no I had no clue what he was talking about, you know what I'm saying.

And you know now, you know you.

Fast forward and think about it now and think about all the stuff that Kyrie's doing all the stuff I'm doing and all the things we're all doing on separate planes. And now if we can stick to the plan and remember to come back together and put our money together to do certain stuff to keep the power with us, that's the group economics that David West was talking about.

You know what I'm saying. So he sparked a light. You feel me.

But when when I think of Kyrie, I think of stuff like that. Like people all the time got this thing where they like want to put Kyrie in this category of like I don't know, I don't know why they like. I think he might handle the ball so well that people want something to laugh.

At him about type shit.

Anytime you think for yourself, it's gonna be a problem some people because more people are followers than leaders.

So you know what I mean.

And that's the thing that people don't understand. It's not rocket science. Kyrie is the leader. He thinks for hisself. You know, he sees outside the box. And when you like that, a lot of people are followers. They don't say they'll never understand somebody thinking for himself and going outside the box and trying to lead.

That's what he always deals with.

Real talk because they be like, they'll do that, and I'll be like, bro, y'all, what y'all don't get to see is like him explain to you that he grew up playing on a rim that was missing pieces on the backboard. So that's how he learned those weird angles to twist the ball off of because his backboard missing piece is missing. That's crazy. So picture going up to the to the rim this way and you have no backboard to finish now if somebody's on your arm.

So he learned how to look forward spinning to where it.

Could hit the left side and go in on the right like, because he don't have a backboard to put it on the other side.

So that's what you have.

I'm like, dog, that's insane. And then I watched him before the warm ups and every day we all do all our ship and everybody shit looks similar. Kyrie has this thing where he starts and he just sort of doing weird finishes, but it's every day. It's like, now you get into a game and you trust him, trust everything he got going on because he do that every day. That's how That's how I trusted mellowa wonder why I trusted Mellow to shoot all. I used to be mad too.

I was doing my thing, you know.

I had a couple of steals, a lot of deflections. I was like cutting his moves off because I studied them. Like I felt good about my situation, like my whole time situation.

This is all an in game thought too, Like so far, so far played this good about my situation.

I'm like, but like you know when you first get to lead and you got like a different like geek to you, dog like. I was like, wait till I get to talk to my brother about how I guarded this nigga, Like I told him I could. I could do it, Like I could guard Kobe, I could guard mic I could do it. I got this well. We walked out to the third quarters and I'm walking and Cole right there and I think I was getting like maybe I was fixing my sock or something, but I

But y'all know what I'm talking about. You seen it. I looked that man in the eyes and realized, like he don't see me. Something is different. Yeah, he just clocked out. She's like, he's not. I'm not.

It don't matter what I'm doing out here, Like I'm just a cone, you know what I'm saying, Like, and my teammates are cones. He was going through, he went through the double, split it. This was blue me, Gee, picture you cut.

A move off.

He shot, faked it, showed it, split the double, threw that bitch off the glass, and then kicked it to the corner and pol Gasol hit a jump shot.

Bro, And I was I remember being in the game.

Like like, gee, he did I Did I piss him?

I'm like, did I do something? Like? This is my fault? Like then Tony looking at me, he like my like.

See you see this ship? Like this man is spinning. I'm like, bro, he had a pivot. He had to pivot. I'm like, and then he stepped through on it. I'm like, but I'm like that's legal. But I'm like, you know what I'm saying. You a guard and you just did that the pinch post. I'm like, bro, what is he on right now? And I'm looking around and minds just looking like it's regular, mellow, just jogging down.

I'm like, nigga, this ain't re looking at me like something.

It's cool, just just keeping I'm like, bro, he's not supposed to be He's.

Not supposed to be able to do none of that.

Bro, Like he shot fake shot, fake burying it from twenty eight feet and he just was I just remember looking in his eyes, like, bro, he not, he don't see me, you know what I'm saying, Like it's weird to like look somebody in the eye, like you feel like you look somebody in the eyes, Like, bro, you gonna know me now? Like, yeah, you gonna know me now? Like well, I could I could feel what's going on. I remember looking at him like, yo, you think I'm nothing?

Felt about that whole Kobe ordeal. Bro.

My favorite picture, uh well, one of my favorite pictures ever from being in the league is that picture of Kobe in a triple threat and I'm down in the position I'm like face to face with this nigga, and I'm trying to get a reaction and you could literally see his eyes glazed over because he's just counting. Whoever's like, you gotta cleanse. No, you gotta cleanse. And I'm gonna have to deal with him at therim. You gotta cleanse. Tho.

I'm gonna tell you a quick story.

So we was on the way to Spain one time when I was playing with him and it was no one else was up every everyone had their families. He was over there and he had his headphones on and he had his light on, and I thought he was over there rapping. So I'm over there. I'm just on the team. I'm gonna go over there talk shit, fuck with him. Dude had like thirty or forty little courts

Get It's like some computer shot around. How you even draw that many courts?

Why are you drawing courts?

Bro with you?

Oh so he has drawing courts on the play man. But that's I remember that though, Like he will look you in your eye. I got a whole picture what that man is looking me in the eye and you could tell he cannot you can't see me, can't see me?

Translistening a little bit music and basketball both you guys, some have off the court passions and music. We just had a crazy cipher the other day at the NBA NBA post up, shout out the team for that. You bones highlands uh and and and Zoe Stack said he should have been there because he would have gone down. But where's your passing for music come from?

Uh? I can't draw? So this is the asshold show.

That's my that's literally why I start playing with words because I couldn't draw like my mama could draw. My my brother could really draw like they can draw, like like beautiful paintings like my brother like without the education of art, could naturally just do stuff like my cousins could do stuff. My granddad was an artist. So it's like I was so like blue, like why can't I draw? Like I sucked? I can't draw, yeah, like together, so I start paying pictures with words.

That was my thing, Like I can't.

I could tell you exactly, I could tell you how something look. I could describe some ship that really don't look that good.

But after I say, you man, I'm gonna pull up. That's the same way.

Yeah, but everything I say is really there is just it don't look as nice as it sounded.

And I realized I could do that with words.

So I'm like, all right, I'm gonna rock with that because I ain't got a shout drawing shit, I ain't gonna lie.

So I commend you, bro, because you know, it's a lot of us that love music and that that take time to do it. But a lot of people don't put their music out because they're not as confident and they sold programmed to hear what people saying, are you just doing it because you do this? Because you know what I'm saying. I love the fact and I got to give you a posercs. Love the fact that you stuck with it and you actually put your music out, bro, because a lot of athletes like me that do it.

We need guys like y'all to keep putting musical talk. But I meaned y'all to put like y'all be having niggas on game too. When it's like you drop, we talk about it all the time. I'm like, he he liked he dropping it, like he dropping it like lou Will.

He's gonna drop it with visuals, you know what I'm saying. So I'm like, he got the ship with me coming out. I'm like, bro, y'all as is really doing. They got the.

Guys in the video and a thing like really shit if we was gonna tip to him, he was nervous.

Ship. He just pulled the week. He good. Were good like waiting on that bar oatmeal that bar.

Oh, they get you a bowl man. Everybody got songs, get a bowl man.

This bar overal come out real boom got so we got some songs rap to it is.

That is half the battle, though, It's just being able to put the music out and being able to put it out consistently enough to where your fan base and your audience can actually support you because they know music is coming and this ain't gonna be like every once in a while, like oh, an NBA player made a song like nah, it gotta be like yo, he releasing ship like and we could walk with him.

There's a story happening. You know what I'm saying.

It's gonna be some people that's gonna jam your shit, that's gonna really fuck with it.

Give me your four NBA rapper, Mount Rushmore current present, past current president, the same thing pastor present.

It was for them, right yep, low key, It's gonna be me, Dame.

Stack and Lou because I feel like and the and the one. I'm gonna if I take myself out, I'm gonna put Myles Bridges. But to me, everybody that put their ship out get a response one and then put ship out where people don't have to Like if you could put a song out and people jammy and they don't have to explain that.

You who, Yeah, that's that's different you're right, bro, you know what I'm.

Saying, Like Dame when Dame went on.

That Una sway yep mas Like, don't get wrong.

People that knew he who, Yeah, they gonna be like man nba nigga just went crazy. But there was real life people just saying like, who's that rapper?

Right period? Who's that rapper? That rapper? Dude, It's like, you don't.

Know, that's Damian Lillard, Damien, that's Damian Lillard. That's not Dame Dollar, that's Damian Lillard. Put fifty in your ass, That's that's him.

Who are some of the people you looked at inspirational.

Wise for music?

M hmmm uh Andre three K you got a lot of him in your flow too.

Yeah, he's a He taught me voice inflection.

Him and Silo When I listen to them, they're very big on diiction and how they how they delivering certain words. Like I always liked how Andre could take us a word that it's like that word is not pronounced like that, but that was cool as fuck and it made it rhyme the next thing. So it's cool now I could say that word like that and people know what is you know what I'm saying. I always felt like if

I don't want the new shit. I don't want you change or nothing, and he don't do that.

So I always felt like them too, and like the influence of like a c LO and like a fifty cent really fifty cent m Andem where they I feel like they started to like sing how j Coby like singing but not singing, Like it's like, ah, I know I can't sing, but we gonna sing it like this guys because they like they like the first ones to tap into the fact that we can't sing.

And the crowd knows it and.

They ask can't sing, so they gonna they can actually sing along with my bad singing.

We all gonna sound crazy terrible together.

So it's like it's like the jay Z but man, it's like we all love to do that because we all can't sing, you know what I'm saying. So it's like when they figured that out, I just took. I take little stuff like that. I always take what can I do that? That made me appreciate that music, And I felt like the more voice inflections, the more times are artists.

Can make you.

Say someone feels like you in that world with them, The more you could do that, the better it is for the music. So them like like my grabs, I never really grabbed artists for other reason, like you got a good story and then you do something that's like intriguing, and I feel like I have to go to you for that, then I'm gonna stick with you as hard like I'm ana fuck with you.

Big five ain't been on the podcast, yep, but go ahead.

Man the ability real quick before we get to that, the ability to balance fatherhood with a public relationship, with a wife who's an entertainer, with you who are multifaceted, former professional athlete, how do you juggle and manage all.

That well's east of him? I'm gonna answer that question, fuckers.

She a real one I've been knowing since since the since of be the center of the concert.

Everybody trying to higher.

Let her get She'll see me way over the bro, That's just how she is.

She too real.

So when you got a real one on each side, everybody, you ain't got no choice down since is the realest down.

It's a uh you know what's crazy?

That shit really be hard to balance, Like we really don't be like he said, like she just a real nigga about it. Like sometimes that shit is all bad, bro. Sometimes it feel like sometimes it's just our schedules don't work. I might not see this lady for a month, you know what I'm saying, Like sometimes it maybe three months. If she got a movie, I got a movie or a show to do whatever. It's just the shit be hard.

You know what I'm saying.

Like you once you live life for long enough, it's like you know at some point this shit gonna make a left and go awful with you. But like, like even with basketball, like I've never seen nothing in basketball be good unless I went through this life. It's like, no commitment that we have in life is good the whole time. No, you're gonna get a dump. They're gonna dump ship on you. Can you now stand in front of everybody with Dodo on you and be like, Yep, we're finna try again.

I'm finna do it again. Wipe this sh off. I got another idea. I'm definitely finna take a bath. I'm gonna get it from in between my neck.

Like we gotta get the ship off us, but you gotta continue to march. And it's like I feel like we that's that's the only way, Like you gotta just give yourself grace and knowing.

Like I got room, I gotta grow. She got room, she gotta grow.

It's time that we might not be on the same but it's like, as long as we got the same mission, then we locked in. You see what I'm saying, what's that ship? If you locked in, ain't no switching up. Bro, got it gotta feel like that though you feel I'm saying like, if you feel like your other side of slide on, you'll be sick.

You know what I'm saying. I got an opportunity.

I don't know if I was the first guest to one of your first guests podcast a monks Men, Bro that.

Was one of the highest rating, one of the highest rate.

Of episodes of My Dog. So the trips that I won't say.

If you heard me, it's still if you heard me, they still it's still.

Dripple. We're gonna give you a lot of dribble on our podcast.

Can I do the first to smoke on that while in Okay, I don't even where you're at now, I can't speak on that.

No, no, no, you know what. We're gonna work on it for next next week.

You got to making exceptions for us like they do Snoop. Now, I'm the basketball versus of Snoop.

They got something making exceptions for five.

Don't be saying that.

Yeah, No, I'm coming in the door sparked up. I'm smelling like it, feeling like it, looking like it. If still can That's what I'll be saying. They It's like, I'm like, bro, I've seen Snoop like up anywhere period.

I'm like, bro, it's no way that that man is allowed to do that because we know his name is Snoop Dog.

Like, I'm like, it could be done.

Yeah today put it associated.

Yeah, I'm there with it. The rest of a couple of times the pack you up, but.

Talk to us about your podcast Amongst Men. The idea came from and obviously you co host that with your brother.

Yeah, Imano Munk's Men kind of happened because uh, you know, i I've done you know, pretty cool in the podcast, like just I think as an athlete, we don't get to open up a lot, and I was early on I opened up a couple of times on camera and people gravitated toward it. So that demand led to them saying they wanted me to do a podcast.

I originally didn't feel comfortable in.

Saying like, uh, yeah, I'm gonna sit down with somebody, like, uh, what's the buddy? They used to add that show where he usually talking crazy to people with like crazy wild hair, howis Stern?

I used to be like thinking like I don't want to be.

How it's thuned. I don't think I can hold down a talk show that long.

And Corner one, yeah, you can't hold no corner show down ship.

But it was just like I don't think I could sit down like how you see it, Like I won't talk to people sometimes. I just like I think that because we have a job where sometimes you have to be an entertainer, so to speak. Like the moment I get to shut that down, I totally love to go back to being a kid, and yeah, I don't have to talk to y'all. It's like I don't exist today like before I was just tall, y'all didn't bother me, So I go back to that in my mind.

Love, that's my happy place.

But I think that hold on, I just forgot what I was all the podcast, bro'all.

That you just went to his happy place real quick.

When I when I got the chance to do the podcast, it was like, you know, I usually turn myself off as far as like not letting people know all the way my mental but I was like, the only way for me to have like a clean cut way to give it to y'all real would be to have it with my brother because it's like when you with your brothers, like when you with your father and y'all have a couple of drinks and y'all cookouts. You know what I'm saying,

This conversation period about life memories, all kind of shit without cameras.

You sit down with them and you just start talking and it's like it's like you grow up. It's like growing up in two hours, you know what I'm saying. That's what I felt like. And I was like, bro, if I could get originally, we was gonna try and like reveal my old kitchen.

For your self, you feel me like we was trying to do that.

Well.

I was like, well, let's build my old kitchen.

I need like the thing come down with the little TV that we had a thing like that, Like I love key wanted to put like the cat little box back there, like really fuck it up, like make you feel like how it used to be, because it's like some of these conversations that you like driving past somebody and putting them on my hip, Like bro, that was like a long conversation in the kitchen, you know what I'm saying, Like my dad really telling me how to get past people and then put them on the hip

I didn't think that through.

I'm like, who would want to come talk to I thought fans would just want to see me and my brother argue about basketball. They truth like I was gonna like preview games that was gonna come and we was gonna put up predictions and like talk shit to each other really, but that would probably turn it in a fight.

So I'm glad we didn't do that.

But as we start doing it with Uninterrupted, that shit has been growing.

Bro. We on the second season.

We just wrapped the second season up, about to head into a third season. But we talked fatherhood, we talk basketball, we talk life. You know what I'm saying. You've come on there, like when you came did your episode, Like some of the jewels that you drop for players that are looking to build outside of just.

Being a player.

There's so many of us that really take that identity as like what you said, Jack, when they give you the man you were supposed to hoop, It's like, Bro, you think that man ain't supposed to learn how to use his money than anything else what you're supposed to be hooping. So you think that he just go to get money in there, he's just gonna keep it in the bank forever, like and never spend it.

You don't think he want to have a excuse me, have a restaurant.

He couldn't have been a kid in one of the restaurants and thought that the money from basketball could get him a restaurant. It's not okay, But everybody be cool with getting their job, and as soon as they get their job, they set up ten other businesses and they do it great for themselves and all this other shit. It's like, bro, y'all all go do it. But it's like y'all mad at us for wanting to play basketball. Y'all could have hooped too, motherfucker go hoop shit. Y'all

Shump got through it. I could do it. If go through what I could do it.

They feel like that, like bro, I listened to them for an hour and I could hear like their guard is down, like they're not vula. It's not Yeah, this

How do you monetize this?

It's like constantly learning, constantly bringing you new Yeah, so it's like to continue to be able to do that after playing ball and for people to even give a fuck about what we want to talk about. And you know, the stories that that we got, it's like to share them. It's like what we're gonna do, take them to the grave. I can't wait to tell y'all some of this basketball. You know what I'm saying.

Mind a monkst men.

You can find that at Uninterrupted Platforms Season three coming soon. All right, we don't quick hitters, man. We appreciate your time today. So first thing to come to mind, let us know what album?

One album? Excuse me on repeat? What would it be?

College drop God has drop offs?

I missed that person five dinner guests dead or alive?

Five dinner Guess that's that's that's better alive? All right? I got one that all right, we're just gonna do it. I'm not even gonna explain it. I'll just put it. Yeah, alright, So at dinner, Mike, uh and I say Mike, because when I first came in the league, Mike explained to me like that it was okay to eat the red meat. But the day before a game because somebody told me, like, why you eating steak associates and he was like, yeah,

We get it.

We respected as well because I had posted that, like there was two ladies that I just had posted all over my wall. Uh, well, my wife already gonna be there. So we're hosting the other five guars. So two more the Obamas.

Oh you say dead a lot though too. Damn damn you could have to.

I'll give you two more, Okay, cool the Obamas, and then I really want uh Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali at the table too, just because like I feel like it'll make the conversation so raw to see Mike and Muhammad Ali like start whatever.

Competitive.

Yeah, like I just want to let them go off, and just like I just like the dynamic of that situation would be crazy.

And then me and Tiana Bird asked, like you feel me like we do?

We do all the prestige, We probably cut in between that and like made it a little you know, more relatable.

In that thing.

So it's like, I just feel like that would be a beautiful conversation that that stems from that, you know what I'm saying in some ways.

But man, that's a great question. Dinner guest Bron m J Kobe Rankam, Mike Bron.

You can't go wrong either way. I mean, that's tpping. That's on the island. Three shows of movies in rotation.

Shots next Friday, class Halm Nights Nice. I like, I like your picks, Oh Bro, I gonna watch that all day though I seen shot To so many times though with the quirky, quirky sound.

By the way, every time I watched Shot that, I find a new part me too.

Why am I just not noticing that that boy cut off that shirt and had his stomach bear. I never I was like, bro, this man real life cut his shirt like that and they kept playing that quirky music the whole movie.

Oh my god, I love that movie.

Great movie. Up the shot the great movie.

Top three best dressed players present day, present day or in the past, all time or present day.

Ay, I kind of started the fashion So yeah, Sean and Jordan Clarks honorable mention Swaggy be nice.

Love that about corner boys and ship.

Corner Boys for life swagger You know what it is. We had our quarterboys conversation boy Quarterboys.

For life adult. You can see one person on our show, who would it be?

But you have to help us get your answer on the show.

Somebody like that, you know, everybody, people in your household or people you play with.

Yeah, besides the wife. Besides the wife coming on here. She definitely needed. I was to say, we need, we need tea here.

Yeah, we definitely because we need to get our women take He said.

That's easy though, Okay, that's easy. Yeah, she's gonna have to come on here. She just released a sneaker too.

You got you got one. Make sure you pass that message. You passed it. You know that passed that message.

This is gone like just had to was clean. But yeah, you definitely need her on her She got plenty to promote.

But I say your other dream yes, uh.

Oh, work for.

Benz Van ben Van.

We bumped into help and I can't even I can't even.

Help you with that because that got his number. You got him out here. Let him know. I'm looking for him too. I'm looking for him too.

Oh bro, I'm looking for you.

He said. Yeah, buddy, the high hand, the high hand. It's sort of funny seal.

Yeah, if you.

Get him, Yeah, we're gonna get him for both of us. Man, I need it.

Man, that's a wrap mind Shepherd all the smoke, Blue Wire Studios, Win Las Vegas, Nevada, NBA Summer League.

Man, we appreciate you. I appreciate you.

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