Bts man over the waters. We're out here in Croatia hanging out on the happy boat.
Jack is a little scared.
That's why he has his headphones on and smoke and he's just trying to stay meditated. Man, stay tuned behind the scenes. All the smoke, Croatia by Man. We've had a great day today. We hopped on the boat, sailed to a couple of islands. What are we doing here today? So I understand this is a little club team.
Right, Yeah, this is a local team. Yadrin Kathem from the Losian Islands. I spend my summers playing basketball here. Enjoyed it quite a lot. So a lot of people work here, a lot of kids are very excited to see you guys, and I feel like it's a great opportunity to send an inspirational message and you know, just snap some photos. So I think the kids are gonna love it.
Sounds good.
So my name is Matt Barnes. I played fourteen years in the NBA. I got a chance to play with Kobe Bryant Steph Curry. I won a championship with Steph Curry. Post career, I do media. We have a show called All the smoke on showtime. So, jack you want to tell me a little about yourself.
Steven Jackson played with the San Antonio Spurs, won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs playing NBA fourteen years.
So how old are you guys? How old? What's the age range here? Eleven?
Thirteen? Fourteen? Eight? Okay? Little man? What about you? How old are you girls? I'll be shy. Let's let's go. Let's how old? Thirteen?
Okay? So what is your guys' goal in basketball? Why is everyone here?
Everyone? You guys want to play in the NBA? Huh?
Who's your guys favorite player? Kobe Bryant? What about you guys? No Lebron fans here?
Yeah? Just a coach? You guys have any questions? I hope he's on a Corstal question about it?
What was the feeling when Kobe didn't flinch?
Oh? When I faked the ball?
Kobe? I want I wanted to fight Kobe that day.
I told him too.
Obviously we know how great Kobe was as a player physically, but he was a mental guy. He liked to attack you mentally, so he would do a lot of stuff like lbu and grab you and push you and do a lot of other stuff that the rest would never call. So I was ready to fight Kobe that day. I don't even know how the ball player happened, but we became teammates after that, and really became brothers after that.
How old are you? I'll see you're a baby when that happened. What year was that?
Two thousand and nine? You're yeah, you were two years old when that happened. What about you?
Got a question? How do you how? Seven? Okay? What about you? Seven? Okay?
Nice?
Yep? They don't stink, do they? They smell good? Here you go. I was your height at fifteen. May come on?
Dotas played god Kobe except him.
I always had to guard the best player, so Heavin Durant Lebron. Yes, yes, every single night I had to guard the best player.
So probably one of those guys.
Okay, rusty, Yeah, I play with shot. Get big like this, big, big strong.
Squeeze in, squeeze in. Alright, good luck, guys, good look, good look, good luck. All right.
I'm old.
Ah, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It is my great honor and pleasure to introduce two gentlemen that are known all around the world. Former NBA champions and hosts of All the Smoke podcasts, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, We're here.
To talk about All the Smoke. What was your relationship like with the media, given that you are now a source at the media, I still hate them.
So many people have opinions about what we do, but no experience, so that bothers people who actually have experience.
I think a lot of the media gravitates to who's the biggest start.
I saw the big and it was.
Very clear that they had a unique voice that could fit where no one else was.
The way you are so open on your podcast with your emotions, and you create this space for other men to be so vulnerable. That is the antithesis of what we see in the media of a male athlete.
When you come to Malcolm Studios in Santa Monica, the sunshining, We're right by the beach, we have music playing, we're smoking. It's really a safe space and I can't tell you how many people we've spoken to they'll say, you know, I've never told anyone this, and that's what we kind of know.
Like God, they feel comfortable.
So I want to take you out of all the smoke set one second. So while you were talking, somebody made an abrupt noise up there.
What would happen if that happened to our show? You have to do push ups, so I cannot. You don't know what leave that guy.
I raise your hand, Yes, sir, we're bringing the honest spass. So the push ups are push ups with a with a joint in your mouth.
There you go, There you go, dude, easy for us. Getting tired, seven and finished?
Nah, could you just give a huge amount of applause to Matt Barnes stats Steven A.
Finosa.
This is an incredible appreciation man, magic for us. Yes, sir, appreciation man. It's wonderful. My name is Matt Barnes.
Played fourteen years in the NBA one A Championship with the Golden State Warriors. In twenty seventeen, retired from there and unexpectedly transitioned into media.
I worked for ESPN, fortunate.
Enough to have this show all the Smoke with Showtime and my brother Stephen Jackson, and do a few other things on the media side.
How y'all doing okay? All right? I'm doing good as well.
Steven Jackson played in the NBA fourteen years, won a championship with the Spurs, and just the blessed guy to be in a great position to have a great show and to work with great people.
I'm not special.
I'm just a guy who works hard and appreciates the people around me.
So honor to be here. Thanks for having us.
How our show came about, we were both retired doing media on different media outlets and just getting a really positive response from our fellow teammates that we used to play with in the league and you.
Know, people we were working with.
So one day I approached Jack while we were medicating and told him, Hey, we should do a show together. And he's like, okay, like what show? And I was like, well, let's do a podcast. And he asked me what a podcast was. And I didn't really know at the time what a podcast was. I just knew that we could, you know, we can indulge in consume cannabis while we
talk about sports. And from there we had a chance to run across my guy, Brian Daily, and he had happened to just be a part of something called Showtime Basketball that was just getting started, and I pitched him on the idea.
He understood but didn't know what would happen.
I didn't know what would happened, but we made a partnership and man three and a half years later, we won several awards and we're I guess worldwide recognized now because we're out here in Croatia pushing two episodes. Yeah, coming up on our two hundredth episodes soon. So it's just been again, it's been an amazing experience getting a chance to interview some of the most famous athletes and entertainers in the world. It's been three and a half
years since we've been working nearly two hundred shows. What do you feel oparates our shows from other shows?
Just us being authentic.
I think when we started our show, we didn't create our show have a blueprint of somebody else show to see what our show can be. Like everything that we start, everything that we have with our show is organic, from the name, from the way we dress, from the way we do our interviews, from the way we talk, you know, from the relationships we have with our guests. And I think that's what's different. You know, our fans support us
in that organic way, right. So a lot of people that have shows they don't have the relationships with people all across the board like we have in with us. We wi emotion on our studies, so anytime somebody come on our show, they're willing to tell their stories and get some things off their chests because we live our lives that way.
So it works for us.
Yeah, and I also think too, you know, we've been fortunate enough to create a situation where people feel comfortable talking to us. You know, a lot of time in media is particularly when you're athletes, you really don't give your all because you're not really sure of the motive of the person on the other side of the microphone
or the camera. But we've been able, like Jack said, because we are so transparent about who we've had the ability to have some of the biggest names in the world, from Kobe Bryant to Will Smith to Steph Curry to Snoop Dogg, really open up and just kind of tell
us stuff they've never told anyone before. So I think that's another reason why our show has been successful and continues to gain steam, is because we're talking to some of the most famous people in the world, and they're telling us stuff that they normally don't tell anybody, So
we couldn't do anything without our fans. And you know, although some of you may know us, may not know us, we appreciate everyone who's even looking at us right now because we're out here sitting and you might not even understand what we're saying, but we just appreciate you being here, appreciate you supporting us. Jack, We've had a number of amazing guests. Do any guests come to mind as some of your favorite shows we've done so far?
I mean, of course, to Kobe, Kobe probably his last interview, somebody who we all looked up to, somebody I grew up with and admired his passion, his drive, his dedication to be great.
I think the episode is one of our whole type. But also the.
Will Smith, just the timing of it, everything that he had going on and willing to come talk to us first. I think that's had a lot to me. So those two episodes, for sure.
My episodes, obviously Kobe being Kobe's last interview, and obviously our history with nearly fighting and then becoming teammates. It was great to sit down and have a conversation with him, and like I said earlier, for him to open up
and share stuff that he normally doesn't share. You know, he had this persona being the Mamba and obviously a tremendous basketball player, but we had the ability to somehow crack that wall and we got to learn about Kobe the father, and the businessman and the husband and just all the other stuff he was into. So that was definitely my favorite interview.
So since All the Smoke started, a lot of athletes, a lot of people come along, started podcasts, and a lot of people doing a great job with their podcast. And it's a lot of people, it's too many the name, but we've helped do something big here at Showtime and helped their Showtime Basketball. How does it feel, Matt to to have a hand in what's built here at Showtime?
How does this different different from the previous jobs you had.
It's been great, you know, obviously you know thanking Steven has Feroza and Brian Daily for taking a chance on us. I mean we were talking with Stephen just the other day and the first time we were doing atteries, He's like, oh shit, I don't know if this is gonna work. So, you know, from that day to kind of again being an award winning podcast. It's been great and really to me be the trust that Showtime has had in us to continue to allow us to have help, you know,
help them build out this sector of their company. Bringing on the likes of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and DeMarcus Cousins and Rachel Nichols and Jamal Crawford and just all the people that you know, we're in our circle that we were able to help kind of make the transition a little smooth for them coming over.
And you know, I'll put you know.
The names I just mentioned against any names of you know, any other network across the board when it comes to basketball, because I really feel like we have the best crew of people H when it comes to that.
So again, it's been it's been.
Dope having our show and really just learning the business and helping H build out Showtime Basketball.
Like I said, a podcasts that somebody starting a new podcast every day, Like there's so many podcasts, how very few are authentic and so much has changed in the media space.
What do you think is next to change?
I mean, obviously we sat in the standard with doing.
A podcast in Croatia. Yeah, so I mean, what you think is next in the podcast space?
I think, I mean, I don't know what's next, but I know that we want to continue to just elevate, continue to have quality content, continue to be real and authentic, and and and be personable with our fans and and and and and people that you know, look at what we do.
Continue to set the bar, you know what I mean.
I think again we've set a standard in this space that a lot of people have, you know, not necessarily copy, but just have come up and told us like, hey, you know, we started our show because of what you did.
So to continue to inspire.
But still try to stay on top, still try to you know, be the best we can be and continue to grow with the supportive team we have, doing more live shows, traveling to different countries, continuing to have interesting guests that share interesting stories with us. Is I think the key of our success and how the space will continue to evolve, because we will continue to evolve.
So a lot of y'all don't know this is the next question is a question I would really ask him in real life, like because with our show, like we've always been great teammates and with our show, like the negotiations, the meetings, the way the show's going to go, how it's going to be. Ran I put all that in his hands, So I give him a lot of credit for that, for the way to show. The success we've had, I give a lot of credit to him. And this is a question I would ask him in real life,
what is this store for all the smoke? As we close our season four and head towards season five and the four.
I don't really ask him that.
Yeah, it's you know, obviously we're coming to the end of the season four. I can't believe we have four seasons. The fact that we're here in Croatia is amazing. We had a great interview today with how do you what's a miss Misko?
Yeah, Yokich's agent.
We're gonna interview our guy Domo in a second coming up on our two hundred episode. I hope that that is, you know, a big episode and we'll be able to provide a you know, kind of a big splash with our two hundred episode. So really, you know the goal is to finish strong season four and come out swinging on season five. So I'm sure we'll add to a few things here and there, but right now, just The goal is to continue to create great content and keep surprising people.
It means a lot to be able to come in and do a show here in great We set a lot of standards in the podcast space. We was the first to do a lot of things, and we take pride in that because we wasn't the big name NBA players, We wasn't the guys all on all the commercials. So for us to be here doing something that hasn't been done and setting the standard for podcasts, I think it's wonderful. And we thank you guys for accepting us, because we could have been a lot of places and could.
Have had nobody out here. So to have y'all here support.
And and like you said, even if y'all don't understand, just understand where all the smoke is. And to be out and support the conference and support Dowmo, I think it's a beautiful experience for us. But thank you for being here so mad. The question is to you, how important is it for us to build up to bring our brand out here and do a show like that here in Croati. Well, I think it's very important.
I mean, everybody you know you want to be big and you want to succeed, but you don't only want to succeed in you know, your space, you want to exceed internationally. And obviously this is an opportunity to come, you know, across the globe and you know, kind of show our talents and show what we can do in this space. So I think it's huge to be able to fly over the water and have the opportunity. So again we want to thank everyone who made that possible.
It's great. It won't be our last time here. We've loved every second we've been here on Lochine and then having a chance to come here and meet the people and eat the food and see the whistling stars and the beautiful sunsets.
I mean, it's just been you know, it's been great.
Plus I get to get away from my six kids, So any excuse I can get away from my six kids, I'm always going to do that. But yeah, no, it's been great coming across the water and we look forward.
To continuing to do that.
Before we bring up our next guest, we wanted to take a chance to see if anybody, and don't be afraid, has any kind of questions for us, You can ask about our career, about our show about anything. So if you do have a question, raise your hand and we'll bring a mic man around and we'll answer your question to the best of our ability. So anybody, anybody, we got a mic.
There we go.
It's someone that works invest with media and produces content for our best of fans. I want to thank you a lot for basically giving us conflct stories from your careers or from the guests that were on All the Smoke. I think you did a lot for the culture and the culture or basketball that has really, you know, a reason in the last few years, and I think you two are basically the pioneers of that. So thanks a
lot for that. And to give you one basketball question maybe as you were both a part of the two thousand and seven Bible Warriors that was one of my favorite teams ever. Do you maybe see a comparison with the Miami Heat that are now in the finals both eight seats.
Yeah, they made it to the finals.
You made it deep into the second round, but I kind of see similarity in the character those Both teams are really tough, full of tough players like yourself, Baron.
Davis and all the rest of the guys.
If you can maybe tell me if you see any resemblance in those two runs.
That's a good question. Miami has been incredible, and you're right. You know, that Golden State team, I had a bunch of talented should I say misfits. You know, I had my issues, He had some issues. Other guys had some issues, and we all brought our issues together and became an issue for the rest of the NBA. That's really where you know, Stack and I, although we had known each other from playing against each other, that's what we became teammates,
and then we became brothers. And that team was special, a bunch of guys that were ready to go to war every single game, and you know, went out there and played as hard as we can and you know, made NBA history by beating you know, Dirk that year, Dirk was the MVP of the league. I think their team had won like sixty seven games, and we went
out there and shocked the NBA, shock the world. The first eight seed to beat the number one seed in a seven game series that had been done in a five game series, was first time ever to be done in the seven game series.
So to compare that.
To Miami, although we were really good. We didn't we just didn't do what they did. You know, they've been incredible with you know, seven or eight undrafted players, some of their best players being hurt. But one thing we can compare to is the heart that Jimmy Butler has and that's how all of us play.
We all had that type.
Of heart and fire and passion. We're willing to do anything to help our team win. Really take your hat off to Miami. I'm happy for a lot of those young guys that are hopefully getting big deals off this run they've made.
And thank you for the flowers. Appreciate it. You know, we definitely feel like we were the creators of the space, you know, as far as being athletes. But hear that from somebody way out here in Croatia and to help that support it means a lot to us.
So the reason why our success has been so good for people like you, So thank you for sure.
Any other here one question first, Okay, I followed you from the first episodes, from the Jump and everything else. For me, your favorite episode when you will bring Rachel Nichols after the Bable and give you give her the platform to say what was happening with her and I think that this is why you have this platform to give them opportunity to say something, because you're the only one to give her a chance to get her side out. Not only that, so this is probably my favorite episode
because of that. And estion for you is about what do you think about this recent coaches changes, because everyone if someone win a championship one worst season, they are out. And now Frank Wogel from five minutes ago is in the phoenix.
What do you think about this?
Fests it's a full circle moment with Rachel. We all right with Rachel that if we was ever put in a position to help her out in any way, it was mandatory that we did that. She started both of us at ESPN with the jumping other things. I've even still behind Rachel through everything. So to have her to be able to bring her up and put that position to work with us, it was only right.
It was on the right bus to do.
NBA coaches, nobody is safe. I mean, you win a championship and don't perform, you're out. Budenholzer loses and he won a championship two or three years ago and he's out. All these coaches changing spots, and I think it's now. It's because the players make so much money. When we first came to the NBA, the coaches were in control.
The players are in control hands down now. And if you don't get along with your star player, you don't produce, and you have as that the organization feels like you should win with no matter how good you are.
You know, you get you get.
Fired, you can they maybe great Papa Bitch is someone he played for and coach Spolster over in Miami. You don't really get ten yards anymore. You know, those guys are both plassed past ten years at their team. But that's a rarity not only in our sport, but across the board. The easiest person to blame is always going
to be the coach. Now that's not saying some coaches don't deserve it, because some coaches suck playing and simple, you know, but sometimes it's just easier instead of picking out the players who need to be better.
At times, let's just blame the coach.
It's a cutthroat business, but you know, they're paid well, just as the players are paid well.
And I guess it just kind of comes with the territory. Another question.
Yeah, so, first of all, You've been in the NBA for a long time, You've been part of championship teams, You've played for with a lot of real big stars and other role players and teammates.
You've had a lot of experience.
So from your experience, from your point of view, whether you think it's the biggest misconception, I think something that people don't know about being an NBA play a part of your life that maybe people don't know about. It seems very different to them, because I think people very.
Often approach it very like I have a simplistic view of it.
It's just training, You go through games, and that's you have a few interviews.
So what's the biggest probably misconception.
The second part is about the podcast to do a brilliant job. I think, if you speak for everybody in crature, we're very proud right be here, and we're very proud and thankful to Damian who is somewhere here. I think they're for bringing you guys over here. Your process of preparing the podcast, how much did it change from the beginning. In the beginning, I think that was more relaxed and more medication wise oriented. Now I think maybe you have
a more professional approach. I don't know if that's the right showays work out. What's the difference there, We'll get it.
The first part. What was the first part? What was the first part of your question?
Yeah, what's the biggest misconception was something athletes?
Yeah, well, I mean it's just light period, Like, if your life's not right at home, you're not gonna have good games. You're not gonna be able to perform. That's what people don't understand. But athletes are human beings. So if they come to a game and have an off night, don't think it's just because they haven't been practicing on
their game. They can be spending weeks in the gym practicing to make that one shot to make that one fan happy, but they can have something go wrong at home or on their way to the game that can throw off their whole day.
So athletes are humans.
You're we're expected to be able to take more and much and more is expected from us because of how much we get paid and stuff like that.
But athletes are human.
So when you see them have bad games, don't think it's as an athlete that doesn't care about the game but doesn't care about winning.
They're human, just like everybody else. Yeah, I think that's probably right.
There is the biggest misconception because we go through the same thing everyone else goes through. We lose parents, we lose family members, we go through divorces, we get in trouble and it's blown up. So there's so much that goes into being able to focus on our job, you know what I mean. Because we are paid good money, people sometimes think that we're superhuman nothing affects us, when
it's quite the opposite. You know, it's really hard to have the world always talking about you, whether it's good or bad. So that part is tough. And I think another misconception is I think sometimes fans think because guys may play on the bench or don't play that much, they can't play. Like that's the furthest thing from the truth. Like the glass guy on the bench is better than ninety five percent of the world.
You know, you just happen to.
Be either in a situation where you're not getting the opportunity to play or just the guys in front of you or that much better. But it doesn't make them, he said, other coaches a hater. It doesn't make them any less. And then to your second question. Yeah, we've just grown. You know, we've grown from the beginning. Like I said, when Brian said, hey, let's do it, we didn't know what we were doing, to be honest with you, Like, we didn't know what a podcast was, what was going on.
We just tried to come out and talk and have a good time. And obviously, you know, just like when we played, we can watch film and kind of see how shows win and where we can improve on and may, hey, maybe we should we shouldn't smoke that much this time because hey, you know, we both were forgetting questions or falling asleep.
And now I'm going to sleep. Yeah.
Yeah, So you know, obviously we've grown and and and I think it's been great because we started seeing our work everywhere, like ESPN would be taking clips of our shows, and other shows would be taking clips of our shows and our and our edits with we had a great we have a great edit team over at Malcolm. Our
edits would go viral, you know what I mean. And I think that's maybe when we started taking it a little bit more seriously because we're just like, oh, they're really listening, like they're Because we didn't know if it was gonna people were gonna listen where people gonna like us, Like Jack said, weren't stars, we were role players.
So we didn't know how we were going to be received.
We just knew we had to be real and and once we kind of started realizing that, man, our voice is literally traveling around the world, that's when we started realizing like, Okay, hey, you know we can do something specialist space and make good money while we're doing it. So it's definitely been a learning and we continue to learn in this space.
Good question question over here. Yes, so you're in the whole land?
Yes, yes, like in the one Bogdanovic more a little bit here, you've got Dragic down south to the east, a little bit, you got Mooti pitch east, you got your pitch back in the day of a lot of debats the progression of players from Europe and this area from when you started playing ball, he sort of the impression that NBA players had was there a stigma on foreign players?
And has that changed?
Obviously now we have to put your tea time WBD when you first started playing to now, have you seen a difference in sort of the image with the impression that NBA players have towards European players.
Is it more respect now than when you guys started? Way more?
It's not even close from when I was in the league to now. You know, you had a few guys come over that could play that that would gain your respect. Now you got nbig teams starting their organizations with guys from over here. So it's not it's not it's night and day. But it's great for the game of basketball because the game is growing, you know, do they want the game to be global. It's putting a lot of pressure on guys in the state. They need to work
on their game. Now kids from other countries are growing up and being just as talented as them.
So, but it also shows how hard you guys are working.
You know, it shows how basketball is growing here, and I say it's you guys taking it. A lot of guys in the United States are getting opportunities and really not even working hard to get them. You know a lot of guys know people, I just got that one Instagram post, but I know it's ten times harder to get from over here to over there and to be MVP like Yoki. So it's harder for you guys and you get way more credit than they got. You know, when we first came in the league, it's night and day.
They got a chance to meet someone who played against the Dream Team in ninety two, and I think that was kind of obviously showing what we had. But I think after that that was a wake of call to the rest of the world because after that, it seems like every time after that, European players and international players.
Were getting better and better and better.
And to keep it real with you, the NBA is ran by European players now or international players. You look at the last three or four MVPs or all international players, all young players that are all.
Probably gonna win it again.
So to Jack's point, I think it's great because I think you guys are making us get better, Like we have to step our games up now because we know that there's thousands of kids that are growing up here, if not many of the kids that are growing up you know internationally, they want to want to get in that spot.
And for people who.
Don't know, in the history of the NBA, there's been less than five thousand players, less than five thousand players, So everybody in the world wants to play in the NBA and each season there's only about four hundred to four hundred and fifty players in that league and a lot of it is European influx. Now, European players are coming over and they're taking jobs because like Jack said,
American players aren't taking it seriously. So that's why just random, but that's why the people are making such a big deal about what John Moran is doing because he's a young American player that's supposed to kind of carry the torch once Lebron and Steph and KD leave. He's supposed to be one of those American players that American can hang their hat on. So that's why it's such a big deal back where we're at of what he's doing because again, like I just said, European players are running
the league, you know what I mean. Mean, so you know, America does have pride and they want to do uh, they do want to be represented. But to answer your original question, the yeah, the respect has gone way up because it's it's it's definitely been earned and it's just and again I credit you guys for making the guys back at home better.
Question Q Hi Jack, I love the show. Thank you. What the COVID episode like eight times. So yeah, every time I get a goosebumps, So nice jump. My question is pretty silly. Want to look, what did you guys last of one on one? And who won?
Have we ever played one on one? I've ever played? Yeah, No, I think we've had one on one. Who can smoke the most? But I don't think we've ever played one on one?
Maybe it depends.
I don't really smoke that much anymore, so I'd say he would probably win now. But back when we were both in our heyday, we were pretty impressive. We just smoke until we passed out.
It was even back in the day. Yeah, when we first started hanging out. You know. The one thing about Jack.
Jack and I became really close all the shirt the story. I lost my mom to cancer in two thousand and seven, So she was diagnosed November first and died November twenty six, twenty seventh, So within twenty six days she died.
And this is right after we've had that.
We believe Run with the Beaten Dallas is the very next season, and Jack and I became super close because he was the one that always came to check on me, whether he'd bring me food or he would just come over and talk to me and smoke, and we just kind of smoked our pains away, you know. But before even before that, like we had a unique team where and I'm sorry for talking about smoking if there's any kids here, but this is just really how we moved.
We would go from practice and go to jack Spot and watch game film and just smoke and talk about the game like we wanted it that bad. And you know, I think you can kind of tell what that team we made a historical run. But cannabis has always kind
of been a part of our journey together. And I'm just happy now that the NBA and leagues across I can't say the world, but you know, leagues across the United States have kind of woken up and under standing, you know, the importance of cannabis and how it can be beneficial from everyone from children to our grandparents. So no one on one, but we've we've had a smoke off, and I'd probably say back on our heyday it was tied, but now he would win, and if we played.
One on one, the game would never end because we both knew using all our files and probably like the file, yeah, we probably end up fighting, so the game.
Yeah, now we want to welcome to the stage.
Welcome to the stage.
Man, one of the most gracious hosts I've ever met. So when I got a chance to play against uh in the NBA, and then through Steven Espinoza ran into him in Las Vegas and got a chance to reconnect and hang out a little bit, and and next thing I know, we're coming to Croatia. I'm like to do what to talk about basketball? They're like, yeah, bring your wives. I'm like, sign me up. So welcome to the show. Damian, I don't I don't want to mispronounce your last name, Rudish.
Thank you very much for obviously having us out here and you know, the Sunset Media Festival. You know, when you started explaining to me, I thought it was incredible. I've been in your ear since I've been here that we got to bring to the United States and I want to help you do that. Can you tell the people how that got started in your mission behind it.
Appreciate you guys having me, really hoping you enjoyed this week in Croatia, and I'm very proud that we have you here, and you know, very happy that you guys are taking your game internationally as well. So the whole idea behind the Sunset Sports Media Festival came from Petradovich, you know, the VP of CBS Sports, and he said, I want us to do a sports business festival in Croatia that everyone wants to come to. You know, like a lot of these are just boring. They bore you
with pds, with powerpoints. You know, it's a corporate event. We want to do something funky, something all, something that's very you know, people are going to have fomo if they don't come here. You know, we want to have all the biggest stars, all the biggest experts in the sports media industry and sports business. Have them come here, enjoy you know, the beautiful sea, the beautiful coast, you know, enjoy the networking opportunities we can provide and just you know, keep the festival growing.
Yeah, it's been great, from the food to the people to the views.
We've definitely enjoyed it.
Born in Croustia, when did you find basketball And was there anyone as you were growing up who you kind of look to in the space as you know, admiration or someone you looked up to or wanted to be like, yeah, well.
I started playing because my older brother, you know, younger brother does, but the older brother, you know, he follows what the older brother does.
Right.
So my brother is even is seven years older than me, and he had Jordan posters all over the wall.
So it was done pretty much after that.
You know, obviously be in the Croatian Tony kok Cutch and Drashen Petro, which are.
The first guys that come to mind.
My first idols and guys that are already watching, especially Tony Kook Clutch try to you know, follow their footsteps and dream big. And that's how it started. I picked up the game in basketballhen I was seven and never looked back.
I got a crazy story. I literally DM Tony Kuk coach last night. Never had the opportunity to meet him. A huge fan of him, and he responded and I asked if he was here because I was like, hey, you know, we'll try to fly you out here and talk. It's like no, Unfortunately I just left for Chicago. But my son is a huge fan of your show. I'm like, well, it's only right you got to come on the show. So hopefully we'll get Tony.
So yeah, I hope so he would be an incredible guests and definitely one of the greatest creation basketball players in history for sure.
Agreed.
Agreed, you recalled, you know, one of the greatest wing players to ever come out here.
You out of here.
You played internationally from two thousand and two to twenty fourteen.
When you finally made the jump to the NBA. What was that like?
You played, You've been playing professionally here for you know, ten plus years, you finally make the jump to I think what every boy that puts the ball in his hand is the dream of being in the NBA.
What was that like for you?
It was very weird, to be honest, because I didn't make the NBA till very late.
You know.
I got to the NBA when I was twenty eight, so I was undrafted. I went and applied for the draft when I was twenty two, and no one picked me. So I was just kind of crushed and went back overseas and I was like, all right, I'll just build my career and see.
What I can do.
And then when I was twenty eight, you know, I played well obviously in the ACB and a team called the kais that I Spanish league is really fantastic.
So I was fortunate enough to.
Do well over there, and all of a sudden, my agent said there was interest from MBA. So I was like, that's fantastic, but I really won't believe it until it happens. But it was good. He kept, you know, saying there's interest. I said, I don't want to go there and try out, you know, I don't want to get dream crushed again. I'm having a good career here in Europe, made a
good name for myself. And then in the end I really showed, you know, fantastic interest, and Larry Bird started asking around, and I was like, Okay, if Larry Bird is asking around, this might be something serious there. And we set up one workout and actually a crazy story I got to share with you guys. You know, how you work out for a team. It was normally like three or four guys. It's like three on three or
two and two. So I'm expecting like other people to be there, right, So I'm getting ready for the workout and I'm walking in the gym and the practice cility and there's no one there, believe, and there's thirty execs on the bleachers.
Larry Bird is sitting in the chair and like.
Fifteen members of the coaching staff and Frank on the court, and I'm by myself and I'm thinking, like.
All right, just do or die. So let's see what we can do. That's dope, that's dope. It worked out well. What was your welcome to the NBA moment?
I remember like it was yesterday, to be honest, man, we all had one, and mine was in practice, I would say like five days in and Donald Sloan dunked at me so hard. It was on fast break, and I couldn't believe it. I was like, there's no way he's dunking on me like that, and he just smashed it. The whole team started laughing and we stopped practice. I was I didn't know what to do with myself. I was like, all right, I just got to take it. And that was it. That was my five days in.
That was my welcome to the NBA moment. And then after that, actually one of the first games we played.
Yeah, like to add on to the story.
Like there's no bumps in the NBA like that, you know, like the fifteen guy and the roster is really gonna, you know, kick your ass if it happens. So you know, there was a lot of guys there that I wasn't familiar with when I got there. You know, so we're playing the Bulls and Doug McDermott drops thirteen on me in like four minutes and TODJ. Gibson Jokim Norse said in the screams, I'm fighting for my life and they did. They said, so he's just shooting the balls going in.
I'm like, this can't be happening like a lot like this, So, you know, coach pulled me out the game.
I was like, all right, you know, that's welcome to d NA. You gotta wake up.
Unfortunately, Paul George suffered a brotal leg Andrew when you was there, what was the vibe of the team and what could have been if he wouldn't have got hurt.
That was very unfortunate, man. I mean, in some way it worked out for me because I got the minutes. You know, it was my rookie year and I had a chance of playing, which is something that rarely happens. So, you know, thanks to coach Vogel, he found me in a roster spot, I mean a rotation spot actually, so I played, you know, as part of the second unit, and I had my role. I had my shots at you know, the set players that we ran for me, but obviously not having Paul George there, you know, really
on all their chances for anything. And you got to think they're coming off of you know, Eastern Conference Finals, they're, you know, one of the hottest teams in the league. And he suffers a leg injury and I'm like, I mean, you know, God knows what's going to happen.
With us now.
And we actually had a chance of making the playoffs in the last game of the season, the last game of the regular season, were playing Memphis away and if we beat him, we go to the playoffs. And Marcasol has like forty twenty ten and eight. Ooh, I mean it felt like it, you know, it was really so it just went home. And that was, you know, a disastrous season. I wouldn't call it disasters, it was you know, I wish we would have made the playoffs. And then after that I got traded.
What was your favorite moment playing in the NBA, Like you have a moment where you scored, you know on Somebody, I done Somebody was one of your favorite moments?
And I actually had two. One was hitting the game winner against Orlando. When to play for the Pacers, and I scored sixteen points in the last quarter and we were down and we kind of lost seven games in a row and the team was doing really bad, and I missed my first couple of shots, and Coach Fogel just you know, kept me in a game. He kept me in the game, and I really, honestly, I couldn't
believe it. I was like, all right, I mean there must be something there, like obviously, you know, I can't get any worse than this, And shots started dropping.
Hand got hot. You already know what that feels like.
So you know, it was the last quarter, and ended up hitting a game winner off of George Hill pass, and then the whole team greet him in the locker room. You know, everyone's sharing and so happy for me. It was a real celebration. It felt like we won the title because it was, you know, a terminal season. And
then the second moment was guarding Kobe. You know, it was surreal, just sure right, He's like a spider, you know, making his net around you, and it was it was surreal, you know, just had him on the switch a couple of times and it was like, all right, let's go.
So that was really fantastic. You mentioned Dov camera.
You had a story about KG when you played with Minnesota in twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen.
There's a lot of kids. Which ones we can say and which ones we can but you know, playing with him was definitely one of the highlights of my career.
Man.
You know, Kevin Garnett is one of the most special people I've ever been around. You guys are fortunate enough to be around him often, and you know, what I can say about him is just what I remember is the passion and the energy and the storytelling, Like he was really big on sharing his experience and you know, passing along to the future generations. So you got to think, like, we're finishing practice at two pm, right and I'm thinking I'm.
Gonna be home for lunch at three and four point thirty.
I'm in the locker room listening to the stories and there's fourteen of us. Ricky Rubio is there, Tayshaun Frantz is there, Andre Miller is there. People are not going home because KG is out there, bullhead, all sweaty, all upset because someone said that I don't know someone is better than Jordan and no, you know people say it just to provoke him, because you know he says it when you know anybody says anybody's better than that. Experience
was surreal, man. So it's very fortunate to be able to live.
That's tell me your thoughts on the growth that we touched on and we had our Q and A, but just of international players in the league. You know, obviously Giannis an MVP and a champion, Luca's rain, Luca's on the way, we have Victor the first pick in the draft, just so much great talent. What are your thoughts in how proud of you are the growth of the international players in the mark they've been able to make in the league.
I couldn't be more proud, to be honest, especially coming from Croatian, from this region that you know, yielded so many NBA players that made a big impact history and now even more with Luka and Jokichen. You know, some of my best friends that I and friendships I made along the way in the NBA Nicolauch obviously you know who was an All Star and them and Abiellies that won the championship with the Golden State Warriors, Riky Rubio, a lot of you know, great people and you know,
fantastic players. But the league has changed so much, right, I mean now, even when I was there, it was almost one thirty international and now you have the first pick in the draft and it's crazy. I couldn't be more proud. Like I said, I feel like it's really good for the league, especially, you know, taking.
The NBA brand all around the world.
The game, it grows, the game you already know, so looking forward to seeing how it's going to develop in the future.
Even more so the transition from professional sports, not just basketball, but when it's over for an athlete, sometimes there's slip ups, habits, people go broke. How are you able to successfully transition from your playing career to business?
It wasn't easy, man, I'm not gonna lie. You already know you've all been through it. So those first couple of months when the phone stops ringing and you know, you got to find a reason we get out of the house. It's like, all right, am I.
Going to work out?
Am I going to go get some coffee or this and that. But to be honest, I try to use the most of my time and just relax and do the things I never did, win skiing, when you know,
had all the lunches, all the night life enjoyed. And then after a while, after like nine months, it was like all right, now what so, you know, I enrolled into business school and through that had a great fortune of meeting you know, Pete Radovich and my incredible partners, who said, you know, helped set this festival up, and you know, through that we just kind of kept the ball rolling and kick started this project and it's been
going fantastic. And I have to say this a real moment because Pete and I spoke about this, you know, leading up to the show one year ago, when we were wrapping up the first edition of the conference, we said, you know what if we bring Stephen Jackson Ben Barnes here, and you know, thanks to Stephen Espinoza and Janina, two of the most beautiful people, you know, some of the most beautiful people I know and dear friends, we've been
able to make it happen. And we had a vision like, hey, you know, we're we have guys set up and his sunset and the backdrop, and one year later, here we are and I couldn't be more happier. So, you know, thank you guys for thinking of us. We appreciate that.
Quick hitters. Now, just first thing to come to mind.
Let us know what you think top five most impactful international players of all time in your opinion?
Oh, impactful, impactful best? Yeah, you know.
Obviously you know Drajan Petrovich one of the guys that comes to mind first. Him and Vladi Divas probably were the trailblazer that set the pace for the you know, europe players in the nineties. The bonus bonus people forget about, especially now with Jokis throwing all these crazy passes. You know, the bonus was was doing that first Tony Kukos incredible and then you had that generation you know, Parker, Yousoul and Vitski.
So Dirk, you got to.
Put the Dirk there, right, international guys Obviously, if you got to pick one guy the greatest international player ever, I was still picked Dirk still, you know, but right.
Now, does anyone have a chance in your opinion to surpass I think so, you know, we've seen crazier things happen.
Obviously, that title was so tough, and that's what makes his position there, you know, even even more established. But I think we're going to see some stuff in the future. Man, these young guys coming up, they're ready to do some crazy stuff. And obviously, you know, things that Luka, Doncics and Yolks have been doing have been surreal, so you know they're up there. It's just a matter of if they're going to win the title. You know, it increases their eyes obviously, you know how that goes.
Got to win. We locked Dirk up.
I don't think we can lock yok at y'all lukaup No, Yeah, we locked Yrk Cup twice.
It was a team ever, m J Lebron Kobe rank them? MJ Kobe Lebron? Just how I got now? Tell us why?
Because I think often Kobe is one, and obviously he's gone and rest in peace, but I think for some reason people always want to jump him and automatically compare Lebron and MJ.
Why is Kobe number two? To you?
Honestly, it goes back to the titles, right they're I mean, you know you're gonna put Jordan first, obviously, but I really have a problem with Kobe being overlooked. I mean, Lebron James is, you know, probably going to be the greatest score in history of basketball for many years to come. So no doubt that the numbers are going to be on their side. You can talk about the fear factor all you want. You know, there's a lot of narrative now with guys saying like, oh, guys feared Kobe, Guys
fear Jordan. They don't feel Lebron. I don't really necessarily think that's true. You know, I've seen him first handed. Yes, it makes me definitely scar so I can only yeah, I can only speak for my experience.
But we had this discussion. You know, we might as well put it out there.
You know, I'm ready to argue with Kobe, even more talented player than Jordan, you know, so if they're ready for that. I don't know if they're ready for that discussion. But it always goes back to MJ. It always goes back to the rings. And definitely fine with that obviously, you know guy I idolized growing up.
So a good discussion to have, though, right, Absolutely great discussion.
If you can rewatch any player in their prime and you can sit courtside for that game, which game would it be?
Oh, in their Prime.
It would have to be one the Kobe games, one of the Kobe Games, or maybe one of the MJ games.
Huh maybe like MJ Final.
Games Game six is some of those those are crazy man, Kobe getting eighty one, Kobe getting eighty one.
I mean there's so many it's picking truth, right, A lot of buckets.
So yeah, if you stuck on the island, what three shows or movies?
It would be in rotation wire number one? Nice I put wire number one. I'm gonna go with Seinfeld number two. Nice, I love Seinfeld. Number three would be let me think you got me there? I mean I love breaking bad sopranos like you one is good. Yeah if you agree with that, Yeah, I love one of them.
Yeah.
If you can post one message on a billboard for not only your country to see, but the world to see, what would your message?
It could be a word, or it could be a slogan. What would one message you'd want to send to the world. Be nice to each other, nice to one another.
Man, just spread joy, spread positive energy, being pathic, and you know, I think the world needs it now more than ever. I feel like positive energy and love it just transmits and it always comes back. So I mean, that's the first thing that comes to mind. If you could.
See one person on our show, who would it be? But you have to help us get your answer on the show.
And you know a lot of people too, So I'm ready for this answer.
Man, Dirk, Dirk, Dirk, Jordan.
You got Jordan's Now are you gonna call Jordan? We know people that know people, Steve, and we already got work.
So you know, we got you guys here, So I don't you know, we dream big, We dream big, and I'll dream big with you guys. So what were you guys want? I'm a big fan of the show anyway, so you know, really hoping.
For all the best best dumb man we wanted to think we're early. He has to say somebody, Okay, who is the person person to get on the show? Yes, you know who you got to get on the show, Bill Burr.
Bill Bird is a comedian. Bill Burr is hilarious. It's hilarious, dude.
So I feel like you too, I mean two of you and Bill Bird, Like, let me know if that's a good idea.
Knows Bill Burr, no one would expect him on our show, but it would be classic, say.
That yes, Domo again, we wanted to thank you and and really thank your country.
You guys have woken us with open arms.
People have been great, the food has been great, It's been beautiful.
Some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
Someone told me that Alfred Hitchcock stayed in a hotel down there and wrote a handwritten letter and left it on the nightstand and said Croatias have the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
Absolutely, And as you can see, I mean he wasn't lying. It was every day, hundreds and hundreds of people they gathered here and they just stare at this beautiful sun. And we're so happy to be living in this beautiful country. And I couldn't be more proud that we showed it to you.
Guys. I'm moving to.
We want to thank you Pete Stephen, everyone behind the scenes that we didn't get a chance to meet to say thank you for having us. Thank you guys thus for showing up tonight, and we look forward to the rest of the conference.
Man, We appreciate you. Thank you guys for being here as much love, Thank you, thanks so appreciate it. Thank you guys, appreciate it.
Man, we just wrapped our panel at the Sunset Sports Media Festival. Man, We've had a great time in Croatia.
Jack, what's your thought? Beautiful place? Man? I enjoyed the great food.
It's the place that I definitely want to come back and visit.
Might even buy a house here.
Can you tell the fans while you chose to take a minivan instead of hopping in this private plane with us in the island hop Yeah one.
As y'all know, I work hard to live good and to ride good. The plane was entirely too small for five. I got claustrophovic, so I'd rather drive. And then the good thing about the drive, the scenery was a beautiful scenery and I blew it down the whole way.
So you would rather take five hours on the dri I've been twenty minutes on the flight.
Just to smoke and be comfortable. I sure will.
And you heard it first year Man, We've got a great time to create. Your shout out to our man, Domo and everybody who made this trip, pot the showtime bosses.
You guys know who you are. Malca.
Man, we're in a fucking Croatia for a podcast, Man, Level up,