Danny Green: From D-League to 3x Champ, Shaq Hazing, Ray Allen’s Shot, LeBron vs. Kawhi

Welcome back all the smoke.

Man.

This was we had to rebook because we were supposed to have this guest when the LA fires hit, similar to Cheryl Miller yesterday, and we had to rebook. But thankfully this brother was free. And he actually has to get out of town today because he's going to go do some college basketball analysts. But man, welcome to the show. Danny gpreciate you, brother, man.

Thank you pretty sure, loved man. Thank you.

One of the barber is a clap for himself too.

Yeah, good for the show.

Clap it up for yourself. One of four players in NBA history win a championship with three different teams, one of the best three and D guys of his era. Twenty seventeen all defense fifteen year pro officially retired last October, transitioning into the media space fatherhood. Like, what's life been like since you hung it up? Bro?

I retired? Yeah? So good? They throwing it around. You could have got you a couple.

Of home Yeah, man, I just I didn't want to be one of those guys. I was just holding up like h and I was like the hardest thing. I think when people were taking to the structure, we used to having a routine. I was kind of home the year prior, just waiting on calls. I was tired of doing that.

It's time for me to just disrespect.

Yeah, and you know a lot of politics of you know, your ten year plus vets. So now your minimum is higher than the next guy's minimum. You know, are you gonna move the needle? And it's like, I'm not about to be sitting around waiting for phone calls. I felt I didn't have much else left to prove to myself. I didn't care about anybody else. But I had the knee injury. I came back in eight months. The knee was good. I hooped in the summer, I worked out, and I was like, I knew I could play if

Absolutely.

You entered the game in twenty ten, you left in twenty twenty four, What would you say, because you saw a huge shift in the game, what would you say is the biggest difference in the game from when you entered to when you left.

I mean, everybody talking about today the three point line, you know, being San Antonio Pop, he used it, but he wasn't a big fan of it. You know, we shot threes, but we didn't shoot a lot of them. It was always inside out. Even in college. I played with Tyler Hansbro. You know, we still played fast at Carolina, but it was always inside out. Now it's it's outside it. You know, guys shooting threes in transition, that's the first look they get. The game was a lot more physical

When you first got to the Spurs, it was a team filled with vets. Uh something I feel like this game is lacking. But current he's Rockets coach imy Udoka, mcdice, Tim Manu. What was it like trying to come in because I think, you know, obviously it's young guys in this league now, so I think their transition into the game is a little different. What was it like going to a team with they had real Hall of Famer, foundational vets, a.

Lot of different emotions. Obviously, these are people I watched when I was a young kid. I watched Timmy in like middle school, high school. The dynamic of it that I said, it was more old school than the competitive nature, not even with other teams and other players you played against, but within the locker room as well. You had to earn those guys respect. Yeah, by coming in and doing

Before we will talk about coach Pop, I want to send him to Love. I know I'm gonna let you talk about him. I've been talking to Tom James and just checking on him. I haven't actually talked to Pop. I've been checking on him because you know, Pop was a big part of my career too. Talk about your experience with Pop and do you want anything you want to say to him? You can send him a message.

I tried to see him.

I went to Santoini for a wedding like in November, but it was still early phases there weren't let a lot of people see him. I'm supposed to go back in a couple of weeks. I'm gonna try to see him again if I can, if they allow. But he was he pretty much made my career in this league. Without him, I don't think I make it.

You know.

I got a second chance with him.

I was cut from Cleveland and then they gave me a shot that I was cut from them again and he brought me back some months later. But he pretty much taught me how to beat a pro me too,

I wouldn't have had the career I had if I wouldn't have got the opportunity to play on that team early in my career. So a lot of people and Pop, I hope you get well, man, We love you NYC raised Long Island. It is true you play the AU game is Lebron.

It's the best I played against Bassie. I didn't get a chance to play against Bron. I watched Broun when he first when he came to New York. I say it was the big It was one of the top gyms and queens that everybody was playing. And that's how one of the places where you earned your name. And I think Bassie brought Braun there and Reno. I think I have I have it on DVD somewhere. Actually, the games, it was a while he had like Jason Fraser, they had a bunch of a bunch of other guy all

You guys beat Lincoln?

Yeah? Did you?

We beat them every time? Are you guys the same year? To cut you off?

He was a year old and Bron was two years older. So that's why I never got a chance to get to play against Broun. They were different. We were private school. I think they're bracing in Brooklyn, but we beat them. We only played them in scrimmages and I think we played them once in a regular game, but Bassie wasn't there. But we beat Lincoln. We were a really good team and I played decently against I'm not that great, but my brother had good games against them.

Your career has been super intertwined with Braun.

You played with him when the Cavs early, You played against him in Miami in the finals twice, and you played with Lake Lebron and won a chip. You ever back and think about, you know, being able to play with arguably Deeve, they just played to play the game.

While I was playing.

I never gave myself a chance to like reminisce because I feel like it's when you get comfortable or satisfied summertimes that happened here and there. I'm like, damn, I really just played in the finals.

You know, I got a chance to.

When I think back, like all the guys that I played with, including Bron, but like Tim, Timmy Kawhi, There's so many guys the list of like that goes on that I've got a chance to watch them and then play with alongside them, and you know see some guys even grow into All stars or even superstars. But yeah, I've been watching Bron and a lot of my friends and family have been fans of his since before a time. And I remember my workouts with Cleveland before I was

Was unreal.

Said Pop did a great job of not letting the moment get get a hold of us too much, especially you know, me and Kui were young and more so focusing on the task at hand, and that's beating Miami, you know, and beating Bron and Dwayne Wade. So not only is a good chance to play against him, do well and afterwards, I'm like, damn, you know, I just played against you know, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh

How easy did Brin make it for you on the court? Like being on the court with him? Does he make the game?

Man?

So there's a couple of guys that got a chance to play with that make the game really easy.

He's definite.

Timmy's one of them, for sure.

He was good.

Tony was Tony was made said in different ways he made it easy to because he so much attention to the paint and shooter I get open looks. Kyle Lowry was one. He kicked the ball ahead. He was good at kicking the ball ahead and finding guys. But Bron said, he draws so much attention his i Q too. He knows where he goes. You know, even if if coach like, yeah, I want Danny to cut here, and he was like, yeah, but I like him over here better. This is where

This is this is his wing.

He wants you where you where you're at, where you're best at, and he gonna find you there too, because he knows he's gonna double. If they don't, he's gonna kill. But he said he made the game very easy. But there also there are times where it's not as easy because there's so much pressure even if you're wide open to execute the play because you're playing with Lebron James. That's more so an outside than it is on the inside because Brian ain't putting the pressure on you.

But all the Lebron fans.

Like, who's this bum? Why is he playing with? You know what I'm saying, So you know, it's a gift and a curse. But he made the game easy, man, And it was a lot of fun learning from him early on, a lot of fun playing against them, and it even better to play with with you know, with him and then Bubble, but winning the championship with him, it was great, man. So I couldn't ask for a better scenario.

What's the aura about him? I think off the court, I got a chance to play with Ai and and him be bigger than life, and Kobe big, bigger than life, and Steph and Katie bigger than life. What is the aura around them? Off the court?

I think social media's kind of ruins that for a lot of bigger guys because I feel like that aura I saw it a lot earlier on, Like when he was in Cleveland, he's a rock star by the time we got to LA, when he was in Miami, I feel like they had so much access to them. They see him all the time on social media, they see him in the clubs or doing parties. You know, people didn't idolize them as much, and they criticized him like the disabled to criticize those those top guys even more because.

Of social social media.

When I first got to Cleveland, though, the way he said, the way he carried himself, you see people go crazy everywhere, and you see fans waiting outside the hotels. You see fans waiting, and I mean, I've seen some fans in College Carolina wait outside, but it's not like this, and the fans you don't expect to see all different types

You're like, what the hell?

Why are these people outside with their kids, you know, at this time of night, because it's the only chance to meet Lebron James.

Or see him. See him now social media see all time, you know.

So yeah, now that are what he carried. It was different my first time really seeing seeing that, and it was special. It was special.

Man two thousand and four ABC D Camp.

I'm gonna say some names and let me know what mind Andre Blach, Andre Bla.

I remember Dre Blatch. He was good man. He was nice especially U not even league, but in high school he was. He was a problem.

He was like a they were trying to say he was like a six ten guard. He was more power forwards, you know, small small forward when he got to the league, but he was he was a killer back in the day and he could do a lot of different things for his hype.

You know, we didn't see a lot of that.

Then it was like Lamar Odam and then a couple other people like from and then after Lamar was you know j Blasch, like, oh he might be the next lamar Odham type thing. But yeah, Dre was nice man. He was good Greg. Greg was a defensive animal. He was a one year younger than me. But he that paint. You were not feeling comfortable going to paint at all. He was just a monster. And they had Deana Speach,

A national championship.

He was one of those.

It was sad to see him not be able to excel at the next level because of injuries, because he.

Was he was a beast man. And I watched him since he was ninth grade.

Eighth ninth grade Mississippi bullet. Monte ellis brother.

This here, this mother right here.

He was. He was special. He was my class. So it was the last class that can go from high school.

To the league.

And I knew he was he was going.

He was averaging his numbers in high school with average forty, athletic, fast as hell, get to the rim. He was like, I guess the new era Latrell's speedwell type, you know, because Latrell was very fast. But you know they said, you make him go up. He can go left with his right hand, no matter, you're not catching him the left side of the court going right. Yeah, not stopping a monte getting to that basket. And he was just athletic as hell. I think he was in the dunk contest.

So Yeah.

Monte was special man, and he was pretty much the reason why I was able to get an opportunity in San Antonio because I was popped through me in. I think Mino was hurt at that time, popped through me in and that he already had like twenty thirty at a half, and I got like two stops in the fourth quarter, and they're like, oh, you know, Danny's a defensive guy.

Now, yeah, fucke.

Yeah, I ran with it. I only got like two.

I mean, he still scored, having like thirty five, but you know I got a couple of good stops on them, a couple possessions. Yeah, doesn't mean I could stop him, but I stopped him with those instances, and it was like, you know what, you know he might be able to help us. So yeah, I got my opportunity playing against Monte, but he was he was killing us, man.

He was a killer best player you played before you got to the NBA.

A lot of people might laugh at this.

I see we're talking about college in Chapel Hill Burrough he was I played with, but I played against Jared Dudley for some reason, bruh, does you And because he's a little olderan me, but every time we played him. He's a Boston College. He used to work bro. He used to kill us. Really, he used to kill.

Us inside outside hit threes.

Yeah, the Braids back then.

Boston College was good. That was one of them.

And obviously JJ T JJ was at Duke running off screens trying to chase him everywhere with the landlord. But there was a couple guys, but Jared dudley Man was one of those guys. It was like I couldn't figure him out. He was just crafty and he knew how to hoop and that's why he lasted a long time league too.

He's smart doing coach you deadly Chapel Hill.

Unfortunately, Pops gets locked up. I'm not necessarily in the picture. What is your mental life? Because you know, as we realize we go through this, everyone gets to a certain level and has the same skill set athletic, but it's that mental with all that going on in your personal life, how was your mental coming into college?

That was That was probably one of the toughest times in my career, that part, and then when I was when I was cut from San Antonio. So my Pops, I say, just raises by himself, but he raised me and my brothers mostly. You know, my mom's left him when me and my brother we were close in age. We're ten and a half months apart, so we were eleven and twelve, and the youngest was two at the time.

We did all sports with him.

When I got to college, the youngest was I guess he was eight at this At this time, I'm eighteen, so yeah, we're ten years apart. Pops gets locked up, get a call, you know, they raided the house that that other he They have him on record with some phone calls with some guys that were doing some things, and it's like, okay and off, you guys know anything about the system. You're locked up until you have your

I came in. I played a decent amount, not a lot.

Next year we had a bigger recruiting class coming, you know, Ty Lost and Wayne Ellington, Brandon Wright, Alex Stevens said, a bunch of other guys. So I went from playing decent amount to not playing at all. Really, Pops gets locked up. I'm thinking about transfer, and I'm thinking about back then, we didn't have the port ord over. The portal's great because you can just transfer and play. You transfer, then you have to sit out a year figure out.

How am I going to play in the NBA.

It was my dad, who I got very few phone calls with, you know, and other people around me. That was a good foundation, like, nah, like you should fight it out. You belong there. You've always been a kid to figure it out. So continue to do what you do, be who you are, get your workouts in at night, and eventually your time will come. So I stuck with it and it panned out.

You know.

My junior year, I came back. I was one of the best six men in the country. I played more, but I still I didn't start to my senior year. He finally came home my senior year. He's able to see some of my last games. But yeah, during that time, it was rough, man, you know, with the family, girlfriend's situations not going right, playing time not going right. You know, coaching means you're not on the same page. And I'm

You got to figure out.

You learn how to pay bills, how to help things, you know, find jobs to he'p send some money back home. And back then we weren't making in college, you weren't making any money. Really, it's whatever pelgrant you got.

You try to know. I was caddying.

I was working at Waikovia, which is a bank. Back then, I did some internships just to try to save a couple bucks.

I think you said something that's interesting in it. It doesn't happen too often these days of kind of sitting there and fighting through it. I think today, I mean you mentioned and I feel it across the board. I mean kids run at the first sign of adversity, quit and go high school, college, portal, going to school with

A lot of kids don't understand that there is a very small percentage of people that become superstar players. And if you can't adapt and adjust, it's just because you don't get your way. That's role players are the ones that are able to adapt an adjusting and stick him because they figured out, you know, if I don't get the ball, man, I got to figure out how to be in the corner. I have to figure out how to be here or

You know.

So all players make the league go, stars move it, but the role players make it go. Recruiting class heavy. I want to talk a little bit about Tyler Hansbrough because obviously one of the most decorated college players. He was nice, yeah, you know, solid in the league, but it was different some people.

It was a little physical, yeah, tough too, wow, but the way he played it was a little unorthodox. The hook shot. I think people didn't believe in it at first, even in high school. He said he was a bull, but they were like, I don't know if he's gonna make it because he that hook shot, and that hook shot worked forever.

What was he like as a person early on?

Very quiet, you know, introverted. He was very you know, to himself. He was intense when it came to the weight room and on the court. You know, he didn't he was one of those guys make friends a lot. You know, everybody was an enemy socially. It took him a while to come out of a shell. So like now seeing him do like call some of the games to Carolina is like impressive them see him do a podcast, it's like he's actually talking out of people and let people in because he was not one of those guys.

Have you back.

Talk to me about Ty Lawson. He was tough man. I got a chance to play with them towards the end of my career. But just so small, but so motherfucking good and cool at ship. And I hope he no girl, but you always had females.

I was.

I kept stable women.

It started in college probably, it definitely started call but Ty was that dude, Dennis the menace. He was always has some ship, franking people fucking around, you know.

But he liked to be everywhere.

He was into the life, you know, he liked being outside some but on the court, he's somehow always made it happen.

It didn't matter you get.

On the court, no matter what he was doing the night before, he'd get out there and perform. And he was doing something the night before fastest, fast as hell. Yeah, but he was one of those guys that made the game easier and we developed a bond.

It didn't happen till my junior year. We actually got better on.

The court, you know, because early on he came in with Wayne, so he was always looking for Wayne it's like your talk, we get a couple of looks, you know what I'm saying.

So I got a chance to.

It might have been the light scan bro crazy.

So I got a chance to set bond with Tie through different situations. But yeah, ty was a character man. He liked to have fun, but he was a hooper and he was one of the best point girls that I got a chance to play with and in college. You know, he's the reason why we were so good. Tyler was good to but he was a reason why he put us over the edge to win that title. Speaking to national to what was that like hard to do it?

I mean, just the history behind North Carolina and what it meant to put that uniform one. And you guys are one of the teams that got to raise a banner.

Just to be accepted to go to school.

There was a big deal for me because I watched you know, Vince and Stack and all those guys when I was a kid.

Obviously, Mike she you know, this is the way that uniformed the.

Pride that they you know, carried themselves with for me to carry, you know, try to do.

The same, to beat the dukes.

And have the rivalries and make those guys proud to see them in the stands weren't at the final four. Said it's a real moment man and said to college, I feel like I want to say that's hard to say. It's a lot harder, but I think it's hard to win a national Like it's really really hard to win national title because it takes a lot of luck. It's one game elimination, you know, the NBA. You still still have to be healthy.

You can beat it.

You have to be really good and healthy and beat a team four times, and it is very tough. It's probably the hardest thing. But college, I feel like it's a lot of lottery ticket type of you know, situation going on your way, a lot of things. You have a one bad night. You gotta win your losses. You got to make sure somehow you come out with the win because you're not gonna play great every night. You know, it's a Thursday, Saturday or Friday Sunday. It was unbelievable

One thing I know that helped me at UCLA was the summer runs we had up in the men's gym.

That was big, man.

You guys had some legendary runs back in your day. We did see talked to us.

About us, and I wanted to get back to that because it hasn't been the same really while. And Shaman Shaman was a big key to that. Shaman Williams, he introduced you know obviously when we when we came in, it was me Tyler, you know, Marcus Bob like our class. We came in right after they won. So Marvin Williams, Sean McCants, Raymond Felt and Sewn May, they all they all had was just leaving, but they were still on campus.

And he was a bucket forty four. He gave Ray forty Where's ray at?

He gave?

He gave Ray a forty piece.

He did, Ray, he could, but it wasn't on me. Why it ain't never on you?

Bro, Gilbert gave him a forty piece.

Forty damn.

A forty piece, guys and Colline Ray, you was getting to flayed Rotessery Ray.

That's your new name, ro Ray Ray is right.

So we were both the forty six pick to the Calves.

Oh eight years apart.

Yeah, your rookie year obviously with Bron Shack as a vet, and I'm sure you got some fucked up locker room stories with Shaq, but what was the what was that like? I mean, obviously Carolina championship history and you're coming in and getting drafted to Cleveland where Bron is god. But then also you see the end of an amazing one of the most dominant players of all time in Shack. And the one thing I know for sure, he kept

And all that. Man.

Listen, we had another rookie they drafted, but they send them back overseas.

Christian Yang.

He's probably lucky following you with Shack Yeah, Shaq was a he apologized to this day. I accept it, but he was a There was a lot of shit, you know, he had me pledging and ship like that.

But it was cool.

Man.

So I think your first year in the league is just like a let me say, a culture shock.

But you just start.

It's like a starstruck moment, you know, seeing and even if you don't plays they seeing him up close, you know, playing against Kevin Durant, playing playing with Lebron and practicing him dunk for the first time, like oh shit, you know he really jumps, you know, forty five inches in there. You know, Shaq is just a big ass human, you know, and he's light on his feet, like how he's seven seven to two, three hundred something pound. He could move

You know it.

It was a full you know it. It was a good lot of good moments. Even the bad ones were ones that I appreciated a lot. But I learned so much. Man. I was a sponge just trying to get everything from everybody had more Williams. They had Boobie Gibson, Anthony Parker, Jim Moon, you know, varish out big z. I learned something from each and every one of them. And Brown was a big clown. He's a big character back then too.

I want to hear about Shaq being a big kid. Hold up my bade, ringing ro Tess Ray. He violated again, Yes, ringing Rotisse Ray is your name? Come on Ray.

Raise?

So we have that like if any if ringing, they got twenty five cush ups, so spoke.

Ring again, ringing rot Ray.

For the rest, we will have to have somebody validate.

Closest to it, whatever went off, whoever closest to it.

Ringing push push ups, cush ups, So you got to do in and out while you're smoking the joint.

He hit the mouse. So I want to hear.

I want to hear a little bit before we get out of these. The Cleveland early days of like some shock shits, give me a thing or two that Shack did. You're just like, god damn Shack.

Yeah, it was a lot.

It was like so I had to get the donuts by myself, and at the time in Ohio there was only one Krispy Kreme and it was like forty minutes outside of Cleveland and somewhere in Ohio. You have to drive forty minutes back and you have to be to arena before everybody else, about two and a half hours beforehand up. Waking up six in the morning to get donuts was crazy. If you don't have his donuts, I will say they kick the balls in the stands. But Shack said he had me pledge him and I had

Man?

You know, run around, but what do you trying to wrestle? Like yo, get light on his feet. You don't never know who he's coming. He was run around tackling the shack but as nigga, no.

Get away from me.

Man.

Shi has a lot of pledging going on.

Ship your journey, obviously being drafted and then being cut and and kind of finding your way what what what kept you going during those times? Or uncertainty was only natural to creep in your mind.

Yeah, so my foundation was great was my pops mostly and my friends of him, and then also seeing my you know, former colleagues. You said, my college team is seeing them who like I'm like, I know, I played with these guys, but against a lot of these guys, you know, and playing and practice against brownose guys like I feel like I belong and you know, sometimes just the opportunity, I'm not sure if I'm gonna make it, but I'm gonna keep trying. I was overseas for a

Same when I got cut. I went to the G League.

I was with Phil Handy actually because me and Phil first interaction was in Reno and before and after practice, I would get shot up working my game with him, did some sprinting condition. Once I get this call up, I'm not coming, I'm I'm not trying to come back. So I took advantage man of every time slot we had on the court wherever I was to get extra working but yeah, my foundation was the ones like they

That's a wash out point for a lot of people. I was similar, you know, like playing and not playing at all and then nearly cut and getting invited to a training camp less minute and making the team. But it's just like I think, like go back to our earlier shit, sitting through Carolina and me sitting through the bullshit at UCLA and taking it out what it takes to be here and you deserve to be here. But naturally, doubt will creep in your mind, but it was dope that you were able to keep that.

Got to earn it. You turn with your time, you got to earn it. And if you're not playing this for a reason, like, no matter where you go, you have to fight. I was talking to a lot of of young college kids in Chapel Hill, like a lot of them because there's more money out there the portals, and they're like, oh, they're not happy with the playing time. We're not happy with whatever is there account And I'm like,

Yep, So coach, let's go back to Sanity Town to y'all we was teammates briefly.

Yeah, was that the year that they got you out of there? And brought teammates.

First. First, we lost in the Western Conference Finals.

I had Jack.

So Jack came at the end of the year that year, and then he came through for like a year. So you came end of the year and he came.

You came. Let him?

Well, I came into thirteen.

Okay.

In the thirteen we lose in the Western Conference finals. Yeah, okay, come back in fourteen and right before the playoffs, pop cup, Pop cut me for Trace McGrady, yes and so, and they ain't play Tracy.

You came game twelve, twelve. Twe twelve thirteen, went to the finals. We lost the Western con Finals in twelve okay, so yes, so twelve you came and then they let you go thirteen.

Thirteen before we got there.

Okay, Yeah, and you'll one in thirteen, right we lost.

In thir thirteen. Yeah, best team I was supposed to be on.

Max was with us. It was his first time.

I would have got out of the first rebound in game six. I would have got the rebound was Dann Ray Damn Show wouldn't have got it if anybody would it, I mean he would have got the shot off.

For none of that. He wouldn't have been involved because you know.

I take that ship personals him.

But look, I would have got that got that.

It's hard to watch right here.

We played a lot together. Though we played a lot together. When I did play, we did, and I would I would have been Bars. I would have been Bars. Yeah, I would have been Bars.

Going to switch or somebody. We didn't switch right here, so this is why Chris got the rebound. I would have been Bars. There was no switch here. But my question is when I switch everything.

Barsh is one of the best players, the most played.

Very good, but we went smaller because they were trying to get a three, so they wanted to switch everything. So we had timmy off the floor.

Five would have got that rebound. I'm telling you we wasn't switching that.

Mind you.

We did miss two free throws and the play the possession before bron hit a three.

The possession before you.

Weren't there, but that play was played over over over and over the following your film room, because that's where my mistake was the most because the year before you were there with us. Yeah, maybe you can give me you can test this. We were contesting, and if we tested, they take.

Off oh they changed that on you though, huh right.

After this year take off?

This year take off because we weren't getting to be found with Tim down, there was getting off.

If you can test go so to play before this, Bron, he missed took one missed it. I can test the first one. I'm trickling out toward half because my natural habit was to start leaning to take off. They get another rebound and kick it back to Bron here to I think went off the off the backboard with the bink shot. He kept rewinding that ship. Where the are you going?

Where the gonna do that?

He took that right out. There was no more leaking out that.

It was no more.

But you know, the older, the older Tim got, they probably start taking it out because at one point it don't make.

No sense to going in the key, Tim getting all that ship everything.

Bro.

Yeah he was Timmy was great. I can test the first one. I'm leaning to our half and I'm ready to be like all right rebound we would have been out, but it was like, oh.

He goes off the glass.

The second rebound, three ball, bron. It's hard to watch.

But said that film session the following year, because pop always does every following year. He watches the previous and we had the same group together for a long time. He watched the last series, the last game.

I probably watched that just as much as you do.

He was rewinding and rewinding my seven bars.

And but the craziest part is this part here five seconds they stopped the clock. They stopped, they called, they stopped, They took the ball to boards in we're trying to go. So Pop was going ape ship look at him.

Yeah, yeah, what's Joey Carford doing point shaving.

Yeah, it took them because we're trying to get and go. They celebrating. We could have get we go, get a layup or a basket. At this point, Tony's like, get it out. Tony would have been gone five seconds. What we're gonna get a look.

Now they get a chance to review it.

Now they get a chance to see if it's a two or three. They get a time out.

Joey every I was with the Spurs. I made it to at least the Western Conference finals.

At least what we were spoiled, bro at least we were spoiled. I was like, damn.

And then after that we ain't been back. We hadn't been after fourteen. With the first round against Golds, I think Kui hurt the ankle. We had a couple of clippers. CP got the game. We get Yeah, that's the old Stations Wise Championship. It was a couple of times. We never have been back to the Western count finals, like damn. So when I got back in Toronto, I was like, you know, I'm enjoying this. We ain't been back here in a minute, and to realize how how hard it was to get back there.

So yeah, Wow.

We had LaMarcus All just on the show last year and he kind of detailed low key kind of the falling out between Pop and Kawhi. Uh did you see that up close and personal? And what was kind of.

Your take when I was there? So I know he saw it.

I saw some of what was happening. I never till his dad. I never asked QUI me and him what happened. I've heard from other people of things that have happened. I can see give you my like mathematics of what happened. I think his uncle. His uncle had a lot of what to do what was going on off the clues, a lot of influence with it. And I think once his uncle saw some distasteful things in his mind, it was like, all right, this is we're not doing this.

And I think his uncle kind of and rightfully.

So only three people I'm saying, you know what I'm saying, rightfully, so he should have been treated like a superstar. But Tommy, that Pop was spoiled. They never had to treat Tommy like that because Timmy never never needed he never cared to be that. But I think, you know, Kawhi had the injury, Tony said some things in the media, and then Pop said some things to the media. I think, you know, Uncle Dennis was like, no, it's not because

We had a great year and.

That's why I got traded. Though it was getting too close when I was that time. I was there, but also coming to my house bugging out because we only get.

I remember, I remember this very vividly.

But like, you know, Stack not gonna he's not gonna just let people talk to him, sir, He's not gonna just let people practices, just go the way to suppose this game, Like you know, we're gonna talk ship.

And that's all the playing time I was getting at.

The time, and you know what I'm saying.

So it was practice.

So you know we're in practice, and uh, you know in the system they were like things doing so worry. We're gonna run this play though, and you know you're supposed to not cheated or whatever. And Stack's like, no, what if they do this? And you're like, well, they're not gonna do that. He goes, you know, so basically Jack was talking back like, Noah, we're not doing everything your well, you know, we're gonna do it this way or sometimes it may happen this way.

How to how you gonna know what the happening. I didn't see stack.

He's not like he's not lying, he is not lying. We had I had a great practice.

He wasn't ship and he was going at Kuhi back and forth, and it was like, yo.

Go under, who's who's the little point going?

Was young? I'm young. I don't know what's wrong or right?

No, no, no, the point god.

And you know I was I was talking to him crazy about swinging the ball.

You know what I'm saying. I was like, swing the fucking ball, you know I was. I was into it. I had a great practice.

And him his normal intense self into the game talks but that's how he plays.

How he hooped me on the court. Competitive So he.

Was doing that to all others in US and and they telling him, yo, you do it this way to do that, and he's like, we might not do it that way.

You know I'm hooping, let me, let me do it, but this is what you don't know.

And I was like, what I've told what I've heard anyways, but I was just like, then I ain't see Stack.

After that, I was like, then what happened. I'm like, yeah, we need him.

Bro.

Mac I was like, all right, Matt cool.

Bro.

I'm like, damn. We had Stack Stack for a year.

I went in the locker room after practice. Tim was in there. You know, Tim love when all of us do. It was our biggest cheerleader. By the time he'd say something to me, go in the locker room. Soon as I'm going to take my shoes up, Pop on you in the film room.

I know this can't be Principal's office.

This is the first thing he tell me, Bro, He say, look at this.

He finds the worst play that I've ever made that season, just that play and showed.

It in the game.

It was about eight games ago. It wasn't even recent.

Pop Pop is very good at the chest play.

He's super petty.

He gonna he gonna cuss you out for this game, whatever game it is, so that you're ready for two games from now, you might be playing Sacramon. The Kings said that the time they weren't good. It was like, all I know, we're playing Atlanta or whoever it is as good. I need you more locked in for this game. So I'm gonna cuss you out, put you in the dog house, so you mad. If you play better, Mad, I know you'll come out ready focused for this game.

T Mack was already on the way there.

First off, I didn't know that.

Oh yeah, Max was in the air like he had already checked in to the rescue.

No, he was the playing took off already. He was on the way to San Antonio.

And one thing about Pop like like he said, the smartest person, not one of the smartest people.

I know.

He know my reaction before he even asked me something. It was basically and he knew I was gonna fall for it because you know, you know my passion. He brought me in there, showed me that. He was like, you know what, Jack, you haven't been playing well. The guys that I'm going to play, you know, I want them to have confidence going in. You was talking to

Guys and damn well, just Jack ain't gonna Jack.

Got my ship and walked by it. Then as I was walking I seen Tim on the training table. He was like, I'm like, man, I how let you later now? I just walked up out of there. That was the end of I And by four hours later you see on the news Tracey McGrady is and San Antonio practice uniform shooting jumpers.

I'm like, Nigga, Pop knew exactly what he was doing, but I don't.

I don't hold I don't hold any grudge to Pop or nobody because Popped there a live for me. But that was my sign and retire. That was my sign of retire. After that, Yeah, I was.

It was. It was one of those moments.

I was just like, damn Like, even though it said he wasn't playing a lot, playing something, we needed Jack just that because he was. He gave us that chip and even you just never know in a moment he in the game, he'll hit some threes for us, or even give a hard foul.

I'm like, he gonna foul.

It's gonna change the tempt that it's gonna change the whole pace of the game or this person's trajectory of the game.

Whoever has a nice small ball lineup. Bro.

We had a crew and it was like some some games were like we knew somebody's hot. Jack would come in and man, I lock him. He was getting one hard foul. It's like, all right, it's a different game for him. I know we're gonna be all right, so Jack and all right, Jack, go hit him real quick.

Yeah.

I used to call it nasty Jack, Bring the nasty. Yeah, bring the nasty.

I was like, we need Jack ship.

But we got Mac and I was like, you know, it's another instance. I was like, damn, I got I get a chance to play with Tea Mac. I never got watched him growing up. He was great too. We didn't practice. He showed that he had some signs of We didn't really play much either, but he got there. He was also in the finals telling us what we need to do. And he was one of the guys that was, you know, in Tony's here, like Tony, you need.

To That was his chance to get a chip too, and.

He was telling Tony like these guys they play in the paint is what Miami does. Kick it out, you know. But it wasn't. I'm not gonna blame anybody in particular. We all we lost together. It was tough. Game seven was tough.

I ain't gonna do that when you misscoping shots. They was blaming you. Yeah, we lost to okay See, and that West Conference found there was Tony fault because he wouldn't kick the rock. Everybody was on five. I was six seven for seven. Everybody was on five. He would not kick that bitch until he got tripped. Team tell you all, that's what happened.

We went up too. Oh, we went up too. Oh we lost four in a row.

Danny said, these are the thusts of Stephen Jesse Jackson.

Yeah, I'm just saying. I said form I was there. I said, I love I played with it. I'm not distant Tony, but just that series I seen, I'm actually I seen Tony.

There were some times where you know what I mean, there was some things missed, but it was like, you know, a couple guys miss certain things.

I seen Tony grow Jack was hot. One series.

We was.

We was hooping that series. Okay See was good too, though we couldn't stop him. Once they got Serge got the Serge went out the first. I think he was hurt the first two games, came back four straight.

You got it.

It was James eleven or some ship like that. It was James to James come on the bench, the bench going crazy. It was hard and you got Katie Russ three different They was crazy though. It was a tough team. He couldn't stop them.

But yeah, you know, said Mac was he was talking to everybody he was on it. But so it'll be.

Nice to have to have Jack as well in that finals run. And they had other people on that team that was good. I feel like on that team yet was there. Fisher was on that team. But Sir Serge played a big role in They had some pieces.

Man.

Every year they had pieces they brought in, and they brought in Reggie Jackson. Another year they brought in Dion Waiters. And they always brought in some good pieces. Somehow made it work.

Twenty nineteen, you're in the trade with Kawhi from San Antonio. Obviously he has a huge chip on his shoulder. In the playoffs that year, he had thirty points, nine rebounds, forcedst and nearly shot forty fifty to ninety splits. One of the biggest game winners in the history of the playoffs.

And the biggest game, winn What was that?

What was that? Kawhi like, can you tell? Can you tell? There was a shift in his mentality from san Antonio to I.

Feel like he's always stayed.

It's him, He's always just been him, just him.

But to see him emerge because I was there before he even because he was just a defensive guy. Because I was there when we had George George Hill was They loved him and I'm like, damn, they trading George for this kid, like he he must be special. But I didn't see it at first. He had he had the stature, he carried himself a certain way. But they was like, he's gonna be the next Bruce Bon and that's what they like, You're gonna be defense. He got the long arms, big hands. We didn't see him as

Drake's relationship and involvement went the team out there.

It was cool man.

He had locker, they had the boy on the Boy Man.

The album was dope. You know, I fuck, you know, I like the new album.

Always been great, you know, lyrically, musically, off the court, showed a lot of love. He's always been cool, you know. He came to the game with the Ovio jerseys we had that year. I wish we had the black ones. We had the white and gold. It was cool. He wasn't around as much during the season more towards the end of the season and more playoffs. But I think he played a big factor in that Milwaukee series Janni's

I mean, at one point you didn't have to fuck with him. He missed that ship.

Anyway, fans with fans were on this. Our fans were good too, and they had him. You know, at that free throw line, he's taking fifteen seconds to shoot him.

What was that like though, because I mean in they was packed, but then y'all have motherfucking a couple million people outside while on the jumbo tron. Yeah, what was that like?

Vibe and I never got a chance to experience until after and then the parade was crazy. But I said, you see, like I said, in Santonio had a great fan base. But you see all of the country come out of Canada for the Raptors. You know, they have their own obviously it's a different country. They have their own channels and their own shows and on Netflix, and they only watched Raptors because it's only.

One team in the whole country.

So they're all watching tune in and they're all showing up, they're all supporting us, and then arena, that arena got loud as hell, especially when Ronads are shooting them.

Then free throws.

You know Nico, You know Nico, Nico, Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They all all of them good people's man, they always show a lot of love. All Ovo boys, man, they hell a cool yeah yeah, shout out to them, sir.

From the Rappers to the Lake.

Just for the bubble season, Lebron Rondo a d Dwight Caruso crazy, Jes Swish was on that switch.

Yeah, Eswecily too, and we had Dion had way to come later j McGee.

Yeah, how was that? We was rolling? Man, It was one of those So I had a lot of fun. One of the most fun seasons on the court with Toronto. A lot of vets too, one of the most fun seasons off the court with l A before Covid hit.

Yeah.

On the court it was fun too, but it was tough. It was a tough job for Frank. We had too many guys. Head, you know what I'm saying, Like I'm gonna play. We got cools, we got you know, said k C. P. Avery Bradley Swish Switch Swish came later.

We had Couz.

Early on, we had Marcus he was rehaving but adye Javel Dwight coming off the bench.

You know.

We had couls playing the four. We end up getting Markkeith Morris at later on, but Bron Rondo. We had all these defensive guys and guys that can hoop too, So it was like we were going in ten twelve minutes. It's hard to strug. Early on I was playing like twenty eight minutes. Then it was like, you know, I'll play the first six minutes, sit the next twelve, and then finished the half. It's hard to get a rhythm, you know, and then finishing the game, it'd be just different guys.

And the bubble ab didn't come.

Avery he didn't come, So it made a little KCP transition a little bit better and I guess the minutes a little bit better for everybody. But we had too much talent, man, But it was a lot of fun.

You know.

We was enjoying the group man random play. Everywhere where we went, we did something dinner, go out, kick it. Even in Utah, like we was having a We had a blast man. We had cous with us, Troy Damas with us for a second, so we got rid of I think he left went to Denver and then cousin left and that's when we picked up Jr. And Dion speak to what it's like to be a Laker though, because it's different America's team. I don't remember where when I signed. I think I was in a random ass city.

It's like like the Cowboys. So like, you sign the.

Lakers, minus winning, but like just America's Yeah, not as a winning yeah, sorry, Jack, the championships more than more than more than Dallas. Think about that close.

Winning as a late Cowboy's not winning, but said, become a fan base, America's team.

Man.

Everywhere he went, everybody's you know, thanks for signing with the Lakers. I'm in the middle of somewhere. It shouldn't be in the Lakers fans. I'm like, it's kind of crazy. So you get the love right away. As soon as I signed, everybody's excited.

Man.

So it was, and it said, lights are different thing. And I think a lot of people you see experience that, even even Luca Russ. It takes some time to adjust to those lights.

I got a question, how do you celebrate like in the bubble, because, like I I.

Got it was tough.

Man, I got an in depth look of what went on in the boat from jail. He called me every morning and we smoked one every morning on face.

All them hallways.

Man, this is right when and they just allowed bro The whole hotel resort smoked like trees.

Burned down Christmas Tree was.

It was crazy, burned out every day like there it's section eight over here, like the crazing down the hallway Brono was. That was a little bit cleaner, but it was still you know, but yeah, them always was crazy. So the in the bubble trying to celebrate stuff. They'd finally let the family's in like two months after we got there, they closed down on the restaurant. So we had a little food and get together and party. But it's nothing like Yeah, even when we stopped I think

Yeah, what Broun and Luca want a chip together?

No, I don't think so. I don't think so. I think I think they're explosive offensively. I think they lack a lot defensively. Yes, And as great as bron is, he always proves me wrong every year that he had averages thirty somehow, I don't know how much many years he has left longer. And I think it's just really hard to have to win a championship when your best player is forty years old and he's really good no matter what you but he's forty years old and you can't ask him to do on both.

Ends of the floor. Yeah, and same with Luca.

When they carry offensively, they used to not having to do as much defensively. The guy that can help clean or cover up their messes is gone, and it's hard to find another guy to replace that protection or another They could find another lob threat, but I think ultimately Luca replaces Broun for when he's done. So now they could build around Luca, So long term is good. I don't think they can win now.

Next year. I don't know what they're gonna do with Next year.

Brown's gonna be forty one, so I just can't see he gets so average thirty twenty something. But I just don't see them winning a championship with that formula right now.

You played two seasons in Philly, just I don't know going on there.

Like they get Paul tough Man, it's a tough set. That's one of the toughest fan bases in the world.

I want to say, they don't play, not playing well? Stuff going on with and be what's going on there? You had a little inside two years.

Yeah, And I was there recently too. I mean you was there with Ben too, right, I was, And I actually signed back because of Ben. I like, I like playing with Ben. I had my career high and three point attempts playing with Ben. I was getting six a game.

He's a hell of a player man when he was is it mental for him one percent?

I think also some physical as later on, But those years when we were there is more mental, and toward the end of that it was more mental.

I think physically his back.

You were on the team when he passed up the layup for the jumper.

Yeah, I had Uh. I was out that game because I strained Ye. I was there. I strained my calf. That series, we were up to one. I strained my calf in Game three. They won that game, and then we were up Game four by like eighteen. We were up eighteen to twenty six. The next two games we were up twenty and lost both of them and was down three to two forced a game seven. Game seven was when been passed the ball up, and I think a lot of people were concerned, like something's going on.

So there was a lot going on that.

Morning for him and with him, and we weren't sure if he was gonna play, and that might have messed with him throughout the game. But I think he didn't want to shoot free throws. We were like, yo, take the free throw shooting.

We don't care.

Man, were getting the attempts they have to. They're gonna file out, you know, foule some people out. We're gonna be in a bonus. Joe gets to freelance, other guys will get to the free throw line. But yeah, when he he had to dunk and pass it up to Matist, Matis got fouling. But that play in real time, everybody in the building was like, what what the fuck is going on? And then I was just like did that just happen? Like did he just do that? And a lot of

For for how good was indeed when he was healthy.

Unbelievable, especially when from a skill set standpoint, from a scoring standpoint, he was still figuring out how to pass out of like the double team situation, and you know Doc was trying to help him with like where the looks were. But he knew how to get to the free line. He could shoot jumpers, you know, to euro step. You know he could. He can win you a playoff

You think MB wouldn't be dealing with all these injuries.

It'd he played basketball early and not so late because they say he started mad late.

No, I think there's other reasons. They're trying to figure it out. They're saying different training, different rehab, different physical therapy. You know, his weight fluctuates sometimes. I think when that happens with people, especially when you have that size. Yeah, you're that size big man are. So that's one thing I fear for Wemby. You know, seven footers ain't supposed to last that long. You know what I'm saying. If we get ten years out of them, that's a great career.

Tendons.

Also, he's not a big he's not a big lifter. I think because he's he feels he's already strong, so he feels like he don't have to lift that much. I feel like if he actually lifted, but it's a lot, he probably really ridiculous, like security strong. But I think it would help some of the I think would help some of the tendons and some of the bones. But I don't know, you know, like us, we go back to old school practice. We felt like it helps him like as less injured when we practice. Maybe if they

Quick hitters. First thing to come to mind. Let us know toughest non All star you've guarded in your career.

There's a couple of them, man, I want to say Jamal Crawford for sure of one of them.

Swisch is one of them too. And there's random guys.

Man said that there was just chasing Clay like players like Evan Fournier and JJ. Like those guys random random day Tuesday in Orlando. You gotta chase Evan fourgny, you know, But JJ was tough to chase. There was a couple of guys that were tough, man, But I'll probably have to give it up to the six men Lou Will. Those guys were killers, man, and a lot of those guys deserve to be All Stars. But when they came off that bench and you had to guard JR, Jamal.

Or Lou those three are alone right there. All they come in to do is.

With buckets, like you gotta guard him every possession and get possessions off.

MJ, Kobe, Bron Rankle on the spot.

My goat is MJ. I think Bron has the greatest career of all time. Yes, so I'm gonna go one and two MJ and then Bron. And it's tough to put cold three because but as I think, I appreciate him more when he stopped playing toward the end of his career. I think, you know, as young kid, always

Keep doing it.

I'm gonna shoot sixty percent doing it. Letna get their freuth line. Cole probably the most skilled out of those three.

What's what's somebody to the difference between Mike and Craigdreg Hodges.

We had Craig Hodges. He said the difference is hands because he said Kobe would go shoot two free throws for everything Mike was making for and one's so Mike's hands was so much bigger, so Kobe would have to do it with two hands up. Michael moved that bitch on one hand and finish it. And it made.

A lot of.

A lot of sense, bro because quiet big you don't have to jump us how to get to that rim. And also you think you're in a safe space, would dribble like, oh, I'm comfortable if you get this.

If you put it in, if you get down in your real triple threat, then big ass hands will come across everything and take everything everything like they.

Can reach a position where you think it's comfortable, safe space. He's taking the ball man. So yeah, Mike, I think I think he's probably the reason why they do the hand testing.

I think one album you could listen to with no skips.

We were talking about that. I talk a lot my friends about this all the time. There's I would say a lot of Drake the Weekend. I'm a big fan of but I'm more of a jay Z guy, and you know, New York rappers. So I was about to say New York game. We was talking about one of the best albums that we heard of. It's fifties. Fifties album You're.

Richard try in the first one that it was hard classes.

And it's like you you don't realize how good it was. So you play it back when you're older, like, yeah, everything, you can appreciate it. You can appreciate it. Yes, every So you're like, damn every one of these hits, like every single one of them.

That's that sound.

But I'm a big R and B guy.

Now, okay, I like the younger. You know, it depends on the move. If I'm working out, I'm a dude. But I'm more of an R and B you know, laid back, chill, R.

And B all day.

Yeah.

I got a couple of neigs Gotta Die in, a couple of my songs, Guilty.

Pleasure for Me, Sweets. I've tried to cut back over the year.

Hey let me tell you one thing, bro, it's different now we're not running.

Team real quick.

I used to play so and I chucked step on the scale, and I'm like, damn, how the hell wear is it? You know, like, I don't think I'm out of shape. I make sure I'm in shape enough to wear a suit because you know, yeah, but uh, I stepped on the scales like two thirty, and I'm like, I played at like two twelve. Two fifteen gets on you quick, and I retired two months later. I was already two twenty five. I'm like, damn, ten to fifteen

You know, my sign was just funny, you said, because I still have to fit suits.

Bro.

I was at the ESPN desk sometime with my my but my done because I'm not. I was like, man, I got to get back into childhood crush roasting.

Oh man, there's a lot of them, you know, I used to I was a kid, you know, the j Low's trying to think.

Who else comes to mind?

Like some of the singers, like randomly you say a Shawn Tea or something like that.

Not Lathan was one of them, but like there was one that was consistent. I used to watch.

I watch a lot of shows, TV shows, and one of my favorites I watched a lot of Seinfeld, but Friends was like Jenniferiston was, it was tough.

She was one of them.

Rachel Green was.

Who is the best leader you ever played with?

Danny Timmy?

Now I have a question though, Was he a leader by example, a vocal everything both?

I just don't think people seeing they don't. You don't see the vocal as much because they know him as to be quiet. But he's not as quiet as you think. In the locker room, he speaks. He lets you in them timeouts, he's letting you know what's going on. But he's encouraging. Like I've had great players, like said, I love playing with James and Joelle, but you could tell they're not. They don't know how to talk to certain

Of like a coach.

That's what the coach does, right, managing egos and how to figure out how to talk to this player, how to get through this guy.

So Timmy was was.

That and he knew how to get through to everybody to where it was, you know, encouraging at the same time and being the leader.

So Bron, Bron's a close second.

But yeah, Timmy, tim was the only only superstar I played with that was standing. Was the biggest cheerleader on the sideline.

He didn't care to be a superstar.

He won in the game like I played with like you know, Jermaine o'nill, and I ain't saying they didn't. But tim was up every play. I'm talking about every play, cheering on the team bro every play. That's the only and the caliber play was all the other caliber players. You really didn't see that from God said.

Fifteen time All Star, fifteen time first Team All NBA, fifteen time First Team All Defense. He's the only one ever to do that. It's wald nuts.

I've seen get Crafty, quadriple double games, six I've never seen it.

Yeah, he do something.

You look at the boxer like, damn, Timmy had thirty and what fifteen, he's thirty eight, Like he was doing it. And he said, Danny, well, we appreciate your time. Making was one of those whom is man, These were my best. I'm not with Puma anymore right now. I'm telling you got some shit over it. But uh, yeah, man, we got some gifts for you.

We got our coffee table book merch.

Yeah, I appreciate you.

Appreciate you now, but thank you again. Congratulations on your career. Good luck, you know, with with that fatherhood and all the blessings.

That phrase space.

Yeah, and in the media space say flight today and man, that's your wrap, Danny Green. You can catch some other Spoke productions YouTube and the Draft Kings Network. See y'all next week. M