J.R. Smith | Ep. 130 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball

fifty episodes in and decided to come back around? But Jack, since you uh executive produced this play talking about who our guest is and what he's doing with us now well from being first guest on All the Smoke, you know, our war winning first guests. Um, now my brother has has ventured off, you know, he went back to school and he's taken found another past for us, second love, which is golf. And it was only right for me

to like, Okay, this is our brother. Who else has been a trend set in the golf world bringing it to the HBU, bringing light to the HBU and to young black man to golf other than my brother JEREDD. Smith. We can get the inside from him at least one the months to check it would bring him into the family. I thought it was a great idea and I brought it to Brian and Gerald and Jerald was down with it. So we helped love to have him back and happen

to having back and welcome him to the family. My brother, Gerald Smith, appreciatelcome to the show. Welcome to the Showtime Basketball Family. Yes, sir, Yes, sir, welcome my brother. Well, let's get to it, man, what is college life like for someone of yourself who experienced, you know, straight out of high school to the NBA, a decorated NBA career,

someone who was kind of ahead of their time. Will touch on that a little bit later, but now you've kind of not really humbled yourself, but just kind of taking a step back to get your education and you found your second passion, which is golf. So what has it been like for you these past year or so? Man, It's been, Uh, it's been a learning experience all around, you know, from competitive standpoint, from something were so used to doing and being athletic, and you know, it's being

in that competitive environment. I'm always at the beginning, I'm in the learning processes of Uh, from school standpoint, I was never really that, you know, the kid to be academically you know there for school, having you know, growing up with disabilities and whatnot, and uh, it was for me, it was always about being at school, being in the hallways, messed with the girls, keeping with the homies, you know fact you know being that for me, I used to

never you know, cut school because cool is like the place to be. That's what all the homies was. That, That's what all the able was. It's just never. It was just never the fact that I was in class. But now, you know, looking at it from a different perspective, going back as a thirty six year old man, um,

it gives you. It gives you a totally different respect for you know, the people who were able to consistently be there, uh mentally as well as physically, to perform at those levels and still be able to you know, do the schoolwork or whatnot. I truly commended them, was commended you know, the players that I play with and watching other kids around campus and how they go about

their business and whatnot. It's, uh, it's inspired for me so the whole you know, academic side, I felt ex side, it's been just a learning experience and uh I really appreciate you know, I learned so much from a younger generation about how they think, what they you know, how

they look at the world. And uh, I think we don't do that enough for a lot of older you know, as we get older, we just think we know everything because we've been through so many different experiences and we, uh, you know, accumulate everybody's experiences at the same everybody feels a certain way the same, you know, And it's not like that for a lot of people today, especially for younger generations, with technology and the way sensitivity is wrong.

But then whether it be sports or just you know, pure humanity, learning about mental health and all these different issues that we didn't know about before, and uh, it really gives you an insight and uh it really blows your mind when you sit back and listen to him. So you're in the middle of your second semester in North Carolina, A and T. How did going back to college happen? You know? I mean, I think you speak for me and Jack two, like we wasn't really going

to school for school, you know what I mean. But now you're literally going back to all of you're getting a chance to play golf, which will touch on, but how did going back to school actually come about? So one of our one of our peers we played against for for a long time Hall of Fame and Reyal.

We went on a golf trip and by didn't need to want his golf weekends and and d R and you know that our golf schedule was predicated around his class schedule or his class requirements or and even then he would still get up at six in the morning and read and do uh and do essays and papers. And one day we were in in between the breaks and I didn't realize that at the time what he was doing. And I kept seeing him going at his computer. I was like, all right, what're you doing, bro? Like

why you keep going to the computer? Like left? He was, you know, he's like got work to do. He would always say, I got worked, I got work to do. And then he went in depth about going back to school and getting his masters, and I was like, you're

getting your masters? He was like yeah. And he he really enlightened me on, you know, self preservation and and continuously to to grow as a person and try to better yourself persistently and challenge yourself, not only athletically what you can do, which we been known to do against other people, and just competitive environments, but challenge yourself against

your appears academically as well. And when he started, you know, started making so much sense to me, or continuously to grow continuously the better because you've got a long life live outside of sports in general, and you really inspired me. He really took me on the roller coaster of emotions of you know, where I was, where I've been to, where I planned to go, where I wanted to be as a person, and uh, it really it really hit

home for me. So he was the person who really inspired me to go to school, and uh, he just changed my home mentality on who I am as a person and and the person that I can live up to, opposing what everybody else's experiences of me has been. Because you know, like we all know, people judge you off

that hour hour and a half. They get to see you just performer, which you're really good at, not express yourself to to the magnitude to understanding who you really are, opposed the perceptions of everybody else talking about you and just talking trying to not only talk about the game, but talking about your personality, talking about who you are, the type of person you are, and you never really get an opportunity to to come back and you know, express who you are until now when we have these

platforms like this. And I think that's why I think it's really important, because somebody's sitting here telling you hours and hours and hours what type of person this person is, what type of uh, what his personality is? All of this just because of the judgmental part of the hour and a half that you do see me performing and what I'm actually good at, you know, and again we

don't give that opportunity to express ourselves in that way. So, um, it's been an amazing experience, you know, uh, getting no ray and really continuously it's almost like, uh, his energy is almost like a drug. I trying to calm, you know, text him every day and just to hear the almost like you know how old people say the good word and you go the word of the day. Yeah, yeah, like he it's unbelieved, it's not stop. So I really appreciate that. From your first semester, correct me if I'm wrong.

You lived on campus, right, yeah, tell us what that was like. Someone who again made plenty of money, big houses, used to certain things, and you took yourself back to a place where college students live and I know when I was in college, I was broke as fuck. So what was it like being being back on campus and kind of being in that college environment. Lived on campus. I wasn't right around hot the airbnb right around the corner, but it was I was on campus. But as gonna say,

but it was it was. It was fun because you know, against seeing seeing the younger generation and how they react to me. And at the same time, I still freshman. A lot of these a lot of these you know, many women, juniors and seniors and upper classmen and whatnot, and um, you know, the first day I'm looking for buildings and when I got you know what, I'm showing me around and I want to take pictures and taking me to the bookstore and not it was it was

dope man. Going to the homecoming football games, the Step show. Uh. It really gave me, you know, a really great feeling and inspired feeling because I never said, I've never been in that many IVE never been around that many black people. And they'd be like, you know, a supportive you know, love care, you know, without being on fights and nothing

breaking out, you know what I mean. It was real love, real genuine people you know, it's been I met I went to homecoming and I met women who crossed in their lives together as Greek sisters and and been doing this since sixty four and continues to come to homecoming every single year like they play space. They got their partners did they do it every year and you know

they got the other, you know. And it's funny because it's other women from different sororities who do the same thing, and when they see each other not because even though they know the one is the delta, one is at a k a one is do whatever whatever, they all show love to one another. You know, it's no, it's no, oh you listen, you that or you know, it's none of that. It's like, oh, hey, Harold, what's up? What's

going to a house? Such a sense, it's it's like it's so much bigger than that, you know what I'm saying, And it's it's a it's a it's an amazing feeling because again, when you coming from the situations we come from, the societies that we come from, it's not always ain't always like that. We all know that, and uh, but to to have that and people to embrace me, to be a part of that. It's uh, it was amazing and my our shooting is doc I'm shooting a documentary

about it, and and that you're gonna see this. This woman, she's really expressed that her love for a and t you know, she's like, oh, she heard about me coming to school whatever whatever, and everybody was talking about how it would be great for the school, whatever, whatever, whatever, and she was like, no, the school would be great

for him. You know what I'm saying, Like the love and impact that we have as as Aggies and and the foundation we built and the way we carry ourselves, and like, you know, she really made it a point for me to understand, like, whatever you do from going here on out, you're always gonna be remembered as an acting And um, that really hit home for me because it was like a place from an acceptance, you know, Uh, somebody who who was trying to let some let me

know that the foundation that she was a part of and she helped build and so many people before her and after you know, you're part of that now. So all of that comes with the responsibility of taking care of all of us when you look at it and just about you once again and Uh. For me, that's that's very important compared to Okay, you want the NBA Championship, you got all kinds of NBA accolades. What is getting

a four point old mess up? To man? That's like for me, I mean again, I've always had the talent to do pretty much any and everything. So even like you know, people I've played on you know, on teams with them, tell you probably you know more than anybody, you can see me doing something like this, going into another field and doing and being um, you know, someone successful at it or not as uh, it's not being as hard as you know, compared to everybody else, because

I've been naturally good at you know, athletically everything. But for the four point oh and that that that's like, uh, I tell anybody you know, I wouldn't change my championships in it, but I get my six man for for sure because I never expected now for for for real. Because for me, like you know, getting four point out. When I used to walk around school, I see the kids getting four point dollars, it was just like and I know me, I was just not even on that level.

Over here trying to read a page and the words scattered in my head looking at math alphabet. Now it's it lost me. So school is definitely not my thing. But now as you know, as you mature, you understand what your goals are and why you do certain things and what you're doing it for. It gives you a more perspective and better insight. When I was in school back in the day, I just wanted to go to the gym. I just wanted to get out of there and go talk to the homies or whatever. I had

so many other things going on. Now that I'm making a priority and I know why I'm doing it, Like man, my like my daughters be sending to me. They they tested and we'll be sending it back and forth and can't like literally competing with my kids. You know what I'm saying. And it's like it's great because I can see how engaged my kids are now when I here to uh, you know, when their mothers go to the meetings and stuff, they tell them that they see the change in my in my in my even in my kids.

Because I can be an inspiration and a level I'd be more of a level plan for they can relate to me now opposed to me just being their dad or being a professional basketball player that somebody everybody else treats so holy or Gali or think of whatever. You know what I'm saying, having that much more of a uh a perspective of somebody than just a random person,

you know, walking down the streets. So when they hear me talk about school, and I can understand and relate the problems that they go through at times, and you know, um and and just being so schooling so time consuming. I can relate to them and they can relate to me. So it gives us more of, you know, other things to talk about opposed just just being that adult parent. Yeah. That that that that goes into my next quest saying, no, how was it being his father and a student at

the same time. Man, It's it's fun, bro, Like real talk, Like, um, I gotta it's crazy, real talk. I gotta intro the algebra and trigge. Right, this is my first math class and twenty years bro, why is my thirteen year old daughter learning the same stuff? Fraction? Bro? I got a tutor, So I had to get a tutor for this class, right, And it just so happened my daughter needed a tutor. So the guy that I had the guy, that's my tutor. Now he's my daughter's tutor. So he's like, yeah, I was.

You know what's funny. I was like, well, he's like, I was just doing this with your daughter yesterday because my daughter's class mondays Tuesdays. I was like, like, you even tell me that, But it's fun know because I did to go again, I could have those conversations, but he maybe what you think of this for me? Like how did you how did you work out with this? And she'll well go back and forth and the in that dialogue for her, I could see her light up. I can see it like, oh wow, like we really

like you know what I'm saying. And that's I think that's the part for me. Man, That's that's the best part about it, because again I could continuously inspire my kids, and uh obviously want inspire many kids as possible, but it definitely it always hits home and you know you can inspire your kids. You see your kids with that lightly face. I mean math is different though. I mean obviously the twins or thirteen other in seventh grade two, but I stopped knowing how to do their ship in

like third or fourth grade. I'm like there's no remains no more. How do y'all divide? Like? There's math is way different from within when we was in school. For sure, I didn't. I didn't know it then, damn shot don't know it now you just know how to count that ship up. That ship as bad as your track playing playing. Uh fortunate enough to play Division one golf. Now where did your passion and love for golf first starting? Starting

to Houston age time? Uh, Charlotte Lewis another NBA brothers we uh he had his first foundation event was a golf event. So I go out there, Me, Steve Francis, all these dudes, who John Lucas, We all go out there. I ain't at the time. I ain't play golf. So he's just riding around on the carts, pulling up on groups, you know, speaking kissing sound like Jack said, but smothly, you know. And uh, again, I ain't play golf. So

I was talking ship. Everybody hitting the ball and it was some people hooking it left right, all that stop right. So we're barely hitting the ball and I pull up on Moses and the low group rescipiece and uh, big Moses. He out there is like man don't feel like you're

talking all this ship come in this book. So you know me, I gotta I gotta ultimately respect for Hall of Famous, like I don't you know when they asked me to tell me to do so, I don't care if it's got get water like I got you, like ship, you earned that. I'm sure I was. I felt like a rookie around them, and uh so he's like, young fella, come into the ball. I'm like, man, Ship, I'm talking to all this. I don't even not do this ship, but I know I don't athletic enough there and I

see somebody do it, I can do it. So he showed me how to hold the club. I'm watching the first dude go he hit in the woods. I watched a second dude, tho he hit it in the woods. Third dude could barely hit. Big Moses put it out there like two fifty. So I get up there. I'm like, all right that I know what I'm doing. And I had the bitch three on it. They always got a fairway and I first swim. So I though the club to Big Moses, like man, this ship is easy. Man,

y'all asked like talking ship. After the car right, I'll put off whatever, thinking I would smooth like then like ship, what's up? Right? Pull back up with this group like an hour and a half later, because we you know, I was riding through the whole course or whatever, talking to people and whatnot. Yeah, I put back on the group. Man, you can't do it again. You can't do it again through the club. You just want to see it twice. But I could barely hit the ball, bro, I could

barely hit the ball. I was hooked. After that, I was like, nah, I tried next one, next one I hit. That's what started going left, going right, doing everything everybody else was doing. I said, oh no, oh no, I gotta get this ship. After that, I've been up. You recently got a chance to play thirty six with m J. First of all, how did that happen? And then how did the day go? Man? So one of my um, one of my guys is uh you know black men name So. He from Jersey. He's an amazing painter. Actually,

um he got a lot of dolt pieces. Um. But he he ended up hooking me up with a guy named David Storch out of his from Chicago. Just moved down here to North Paul Beach and him and MJ is real tight. It went back, you know, back in the Chicago days right close, and uh, I ended up playing and we played thirty six with Mike and it was like, I don't know, it was it was it

was everything that you thought was gonna be. But like to him actually being around Mike and he talking ship like that ship was like damn, like he really be going in and he went to tell you he was talking ship. He didn't talk ship, bro. And he nice though, he is he nice, nice, nice, nice, he nice. His short game is like one of the pros. He not. I'm watching this, I'm watching ship he doing. I'm like, hey, yo, like make like making ship like I'm like, oh my god,

and I'm lucky, lucky for me. We kept up bed light, you know what I'm saying. So the people he bet it went in our group, they like these these like

some some boorey pots. Yo. If I not from no golf bro, nuh uh nah saint that we sure though, But it was dope man, because she's like again like I don't know, I just seen a global Mike man, like he you see him what he and his element was being competitive and everything, and he you know, it's just like and I thought about when I first seen him, I thought about the h I thought about something I said, like, you know, he really got on Jordan, Like what else

he's going in like it like it's as well, Bro, that's dope. I mean, obviously getting a chance to play with him is amazing. Is there anyone else on your bucket list you are you would like to play around with? Yeah, I gotta get it in with Tiger Man for sure. Of course. That's that's that's the goal right there, that's the if I can you know what I mean, pick

his brain on the sport. Obviously it's little well, I would to say, obviously to the golf world, but to me he's obviously rist ever, and you know, to learn from being able to learn from him from uh, I'm not really sure that he identifies itself as I know he's before it was like Galazia or something like that.

But to get a perspective of the that um racism and in the game of golf as well as you know, picking his picking his brain about the actual sport and how to get better, um um, it would be a great you know, four hours I feel like, obviously he's again he's the greatest at way he's done, and he's overcame so many different barriers within the game. So it'd be great to pick his brain. The mental aspect of golf. I mean me, someone who just played this past weekend,

UH is a motherfucker. How do you compare that mental uh to basketball? Um? I'm still working that out. Actually, man, It's like it's tough because like you can't you can't try harder, you know what I'm saying, Like any other sport, you gotta you can try harder. You can take you can play better defense, you grab a rebound, you could be scrapped if your shot ain't working, if you ain't finding the offensively know what I'm saying, and go off. The more you pressed the wars golf out. You know

what I'm saying. It's called fate and you don't. It's a mental you know, a mental game because every one is a lot like basketball, where you know, the only thing that's the same as really a set up. Really, Um, you get the ball, you can get a shot the ball, blow your feet above your feet, wind blowing ten miles an hour, twenty miles an hour, left right, you'd be uphill downhill. However, you know what I'm saying. In the basketball,

we got you know, many four by fifty. You got the same spots that we can play in every night consistently. You know, the only thing that really changes the rings um sometimes it's a low colder in there, but not by much out there. Everything comes into play, so you and you gotta remember that, you know, mentally to stand in so many different elements that come into play with every shot and m you know, sometimes they say too

much information isn't good for you. But if I know you know the hoop, if I know you shoot at this position, I'm trying to run you off that spot. But in golf, you're trying to get it to a certain spot as many times as you, Kennedy, because you know that's where you that's what you're good at, you know what I'm saying. And as an individual sport, it's hard because there's nobody else to rely on but yourself. So you gotta make it happen. And uh, it's just

a mental challenge every every every round for me. I mean it's not it hasn't been, you know, It's just I haven't been consistent enough to be able to just bridge through the game. But even you know, even the pros, you know, they go out there and shoot sixty four sixty five, They're gonna walk in the clubhouse and said they should have set two and sixty three. It's just the game, obviously, you and Jack, you know, going straight

to the league. I was someone who went to college and the majority of the time we don't have I say ninety eight percent of time, people like us, we don't have no money coming into college, you know what I mean. So that you got a booster off the rip like Daddy Day, I've ever see what I'm talking about. You know, he's seeing his jersey everywhere being sold at the store, but he ain't got money to get no food,

you know what I mean. So I think this n IL thing is is a long time overdue, and I'm glad to see that the college athletes are are are definitely benefiting. What I think is even dope, though, is you're sharing the sugar, you know, I mean, like the ship is coming your way and you're opening doors up for your teammates, which is a beautiful thing. Yeah, yeah, that's the goal. Man continuously um sharing it with with with my like mind to people and as well as

to trying to build generational love for more black than minorities. Um, it's it's it's a tough it's a tough battle. But for something like this, you know, it should have it should have been because there's those difference from anybody else over seas being a professional and getting paid and all of that, and they're coming over here and being a top five pick and stop nothing, you know what I'm saying. So it's just it's just another avenue to keep us

in the dark and uh, people to get rich. Uh. Obviously not to mention the type of money you're making, but is it good money? Like if you're a regular college student right now, is it? Is it or the deals? Like, damn, it's some good bread for a college student. Yeah, for sure. M sure it's a little bit more for me because um, just because I got so many followers and outreach when you do the analytics of it. Um, but it's uh,

it's that. Yeah, it's good. I would say it's really good money for you know, somebody who's in college to be able to take care of what they need to take care of, live live, you know, and within moderation um. The probably some of the professors and whatnot wouldn't like it because they'd been making more than them and maybe somebody so. But from that's the point, that's what makes it. That's what makes it tough because we are already it's we already behind the a bot because we overvalue what

we do. You know what I'm saying, The overvalue sports, and we have our value this uh entertainment so much as and we deem it so much more important as academics and some who's actually teaching your kids. You get somebody who's teaching your kids thirty as a as an accumulation over a year, thirty thousand dollars and more kids

spend more time with your kids than you do. But you will spend a hundred thousand dollars on floor seats or around whatever, around the arena, Like that's ridiculous, Like we'll go buy jerseys and the papilia and everything else. But you rather, you know what I'm saying, you really think about it. That's that's what we value. And it's

just this is that where it's at ain't gonna change either. Nope. Wow, So knowing everything you know now this is just a hypothetical, and knowing that you would still have a long NBA career, would you do college? Um, if you had a chance to, if you were a senior in high school, would you dump straight to the league again or would you around the college for a couple of years? First, you know, I don't strike to leave. Yeah, I was about to say, yeah,

ain't no way, ain't no way. I wouldn't because honestly, like if you really think about it, like jack and go to school right now, Bro, he go to school and play whatever sport he wanted. But but basketball, you gotta go ability. You could do it literally whatever you wanted to do and bring that talent and then bring that notoriety to HBCU. Well, I was low key. I gotta I can't say the name, but I kind of gotta offer the coach to coach at HBCUE be like

uh be like ice cube on higher learning in the dorm. Still, well, I just took a job at Jackson State. Uh my will my way? And yeah, I didn't know what you do because I thought you had. I thought it was saying before you have to have a degree, that's what you know? Yeah, you know his ways right, you know around that, Yeah, sir, yeah, man, I um, I wish I was physically fit enough to go back to school and play a sport like football, play football in shape football?

Okay we would you be offensive alignment, I'll be I'll be you know, I'll be a red zone receiver or a safety. Okay, I'm not. I keep going back and forth with it. I'll still at that size and wait, but it's about that time you gotta make a decision. I don't think I'm gonna do it. Oh you thought about going back and play football, Yeah, that'd be crazy. You didn't play baseball growing up? Swish. Yeah, I played baseball football as Yeah, I think I think baseball would

be dope. I ain't hit nothing, not any Yeah, that's once you see that Hunter mouth out fastball coming at your head or hit your d changes your whole life for sure. Recently made a splash the Jackson State flipping a number one recruit, Travis Travis Hunter from Florida State to j S. You do you see more athletes doing that? I mean, we've we've seen a couple of since Travis, But do you see more in other sports as well

as football? Um? Yeah, I think so the more you know UM basketball coaches and former professional NBA guys um started coming back and coaching HBCUs, I think you'll see a lot more. One thing I really have you you know for opinion, because he went to Memphis. You know, he's bringing so many young kids into into his system.

He's got a great system, and he's got um, he got uh you know Mary brown Man Brown Yeah, like and she you know what I'm saying, Mike Miller, You've got real you got real guys lead guys in those positions. And I would like to see that more, you know again at the HBCUs and and to running that and and really building powerhouses within our own school systems. You know, because at the end of the day, for the education

that ain't gonna be the same. They'll never be the same that you can get from hbcun A, p W I. I really don't care. Nobody says it's not gonna be. It's just a difference. Um. And on top of that coaching and that experience, you know what I'm saying, you got you were seeing that letter from the greatest, like you think talk about the kid's going to Florida State, going to Jackson State. He's he's plays the position of the greatest person who ever played that position. M So

why wouldn't he go there? Said like who can teach them better? Who when you still look at the football the young recruits and stuff like, why wouldn't they go play for the Hall of Fame. I was talking to every a couple of weeks ago, and uh, you know, he was getting into the job, trying to get in a position at Miami. I was just sitting there like, they they need five safety that was better than everybe

three maybe two. You can't. You can't. And you sit here and look at the kids that that go into the schools and stuff like that, why wouldn't they want to play for the one of the greatest players ever at the after you don't think you know what he's talking about? Politics? Usual, Hey, last time we spoke, it was literally right before you signed the uh with the Lakers. You guys went into the bubble, won a championship, run us back through that whole situation of you actually being signed,

going to the Lakers, and then that run through the bubble. Man. So I was, you know, I was out there working out a thing like almost like slaving myself to hope some came through, and uh, most the bubble situation happened and they opened up those roster spots. Um, they really you know, offered me a position just in case the situation, in case something happened, in case somebody go down or whatever.

And I knew that going into it, and they really wanted me in that, you know, more of a veteran leadership road, and uh I was you know, I wasn't a person that was too hung on my pride or what not. And I definitely wanted to play and I wanted to be a back and part of the league in the situation to where again, you know, you're around with you're accustomed to and what you love so much.

So you know, I easily jumped at it. And uh they brought it to you going right and rank going into the bubble like a week or two and uh, passing out of COVID ship that should be nuts. Uh, but it was dope, man, being around the guys again. Um, a little bit too much being in that bubble like that. But man, I ain't gonna lie. Bro when you start when you're with somebody every day for like three months, and it ain't your lady. It's like it's it's it's not just one dude, It ain't two dudes. It's a

three hundred dudes. Mm hmm. You know what I'm saying. Then you've got people regulating where you can't go, where you can't go, you go. You gotta stand on this side. You gotta do this, Like, bro, you don't start this. I don't start Google. I don't operate that deal with rules and regulations like the So you continuously tell me you can't go over here and you can't go over there.

You gotta do this. You gotta do that, like, bro, just think that not at thirty four or thirty five question since it's uh, pretty much legal now in the NBA, was you know to mention no names? Was it what? What? What was a tree in the air in the bubble? Oh yeah, it reusally blowing it down? Okay, but yeah I knew it. That's the abundating But you know it's you don't That's the only thing. Know. That was the only way you could really um, you could really function

in that joke. So it was for that that was more like I was gonna let you say it first. I was gonna just say we was on FaceTime when you were telling us, and he was on FaceTime. He was rolling up and telling us how many where he was when he was in the bubble We I was gonna for real, he was in the chat. I was

every night. Bro tell us on the other side like it was wow, but it was it was cool because I'm glad it happened because it finally broke that barry in that stigment that you can't play and all of this it was drug, it was this and that. And when you go to the bubble basketball, some of the dudes like Gring and some of the dudes playing it

was like practice games kind of situation. So someone really can't play that well for the thirty thousand, But at the same time, you've seen some of the best level of basketball you've seen me to dude still doing what they was doing, like kicking, killing, cool though, you know what I'm saying, so like stop making it seem like it's so you know what I'm saying, Like it's just like it's an alcohol or something like you you know you ain't out that drink drunk, just getting sixty like

that that shouldn't happen, you know what I'm saying. But when you you can be at peace with your mind, your body is or so, and you can go out there and just hoop like that's all you want. What was the locker room like when y'all saw Milwalker said there wasn't there was not They weren't gonna play. Everybody was really confused, you know what I'm saying, Like, well, like we didn't. For one, we didn't really know who

started the thing. And then you know, when when one of them one started, you know which I respect, somebody else came up behind him like now I ain't gonna let you do that by yourself, and then the whole team you started to do it. So when you start, when I thought of it in that perspective, I thought it was dumpe um for the locker room. Again, everybody was confused, like what's going on? Why is this happening? Why is that happening? Why are we choosing now to

say this? And at a third a lot of since was raised, And for me, it's like, you know, fortunately it did happen because it brought so much more awareness to me and how things actually work within the industries and all of that. So, um, it was those meetings was crazy, bro, because it's like we stopped everybody again. It's like it's almost like Kent. You know what I'm saying. You got counselors, which is coaches, You've got all the players. You put you in this big gas ball room and

then we all you know, somebody talk. This coach talk, this player talk, that player talk. Just you know what I'm saying, And it was it was funny to hear different perspectives and how people really think of the game. You know what I'm saying, Like, it's just that much more bigger than somebody's lives or what we've been you know, fighting and overcovering before, even when we was allowed to

play in the NBA. You know what I'm saying, Like, it's different, like like when you really take it back to something bigger than the game, when people don't realize it's like, oh, not as bigger than the games. They're like, no, there's a lot of ship as bigger than the game. You know what I'm saying. Like, at the end of

the day, it's a game. Um, I love it. I love the game a hundred percent, but I'm not going to sacrifice and compromise who I am for the game, you know what I'm saying like that, just at some point you gotta have you known integrity with there, who you are, what you're staying for, because I know I

stand for something way more than the game. Like you know, when I look at so many quote when people don't want to get quote into quote unquote politics, you've got to because I think the data politics affects your family and how how to ship, move or how to work right, you know what I'm saying. So as you look at it from different perspectives. Again, I didn't have that, but I wouldn't have had that mindset in eighteen nineteen one

years old, and I'm saying I was more. I was obviously way more into me and whatever I had going on and hooping and other than actually looking at it from a broader perspective of how should gonna affect my generational uh A legacy with my kids and my grandkids and ship like that, because I want you know, there's so many people before us that it made sacrifices like Jim Brown and all these dude A Lead and all

these dudes. You know what I'm saying, Like that like to to sit here and just just so we could continuously make a dollars like spitting in their face, bro, because it's like the ship that they went through and

Jackie Robinson and all of that. You know what I'm saying, Like when you really getting down to the meat potatoes, like the Negro leagues and how people how we was treated coming into their league and didn't be able to dominate the league and take over their league and be the pioneers today league to have the greatest of all time at every position, all that, when you think about all of that and still not be you know what I mean, accepted or wanted or you know what I'm saying, like,

that's that's to me. That's where I take it to a different level of on my doom and I just aiding the betting to this because I don't if that's the case, I could be easily removed. And that's why I really don't even make no cause about it normal, you know what I'm saying. I don't even I haven't picked up a ball and nine months because my passionate love is into what I'm doing. But also it's just like it's so much it makes you not want to

do it normal. You know what I'm saying, Like, I don't want to I want to keep uh aiding in the direction of something that ain't It ain't changing nothing, you know what I'm saying, Like, it ain't. Okay, we wear patches and all this other stuff on the jersey email, but one we don't know where that money going to quote unquote all the spind money and everything else that they it goes to charity? What charity? Who? Like all of this ship? Like if you can't, yeah, who benefit

from this? Because if that's right, if that's the case, if you find me a million dollars in a million dollars to my to my community. You know what I'm saying. So there's a million hollars that you community said that community. Don't just sit here and saying, oh, we're just taking this and we're gonna do the charity. Who charity? What charity? Last last people we knew who was in charging ship like that was in jail. So what's up? Yeah, I'm

saying that ship. I literally just had this conversation the other day because I got to find them at six hundred thousand, Jack, you got five millions. I'm not sure how much you gotta fine jar, But to me, first of all, we should be able to pick where our money is going, like don't let it go to a pot where you say it's going to charity, and like you said, who's charity? What charity? What color are the people? Who is it really helping? You know what I mean?

You're gonna take our money from us, we should definitely have a say in who it goes to help. Well, and didn't that help? And also and also we donating and we should maybe to write it all oh good call I need it, talk to me. I need it because they're doing it every time like I looked at

it like you. And it's a difference because given it being around in the Gulf space and you're really learning how people work on the business left, like you're with somebody for four and a half hours, like out there you can, for one, you know who really is that at some point like you ain't just y'all talking to anything else, so that you're really getting to understanding of who you're dealing with and what they what they got

going on? You taking a step further, get the NFO continuously talk to him whatever whatever, and they really give you the ins and outs of their business and how they maneuver and all of that. Bro, it's a dirty game with so many different levels. It's just that we've played it only on this superior level at this for so long. This is the only way we sit. But it's so many different levels to the grimy ship that

go on. Bro, it's it's it's it's crazy. Like. That's why I try to continuously inspired the youth and try to give them ways of you know what I'm saying, not the ways we thought, more of the grouping up and like, you know, more group economics, like because honestly, that's the only way it's gonna work when you're going

to an HBCU. It's like for me to look at these kids and them, alright, cool, you're an architect, you the developer, you the interior decorator, you the root for you the landscape, and y'all got everybody y'all need right here. Y'all got everything you need right here at seventy voo bookoo vo. Hey, go do that. Y'all create one business, all of y'all get a percentage of the company, and then y'all create a multiple businesses and then you do, you can work with other kids and other hbc use.

You know what I'm saying, like this is so many different ways of networking and trying to connectivity within the school system and hbc use. It's it's it's dope. And I'm just trying to continuously give these kids and advice because they always think they need a celebrity or some super big hit to know, you just need selling to you like mind appears they want to do the same thing that's interested in. Y'all can make a killing just

that fast. You get along with you get the tip thouars and you go to dolls, you go twenty thousan or whatever. Alright, cool, you know what, I know, the celebrity here gonna think it's great out there? Are you going to invest two hundred thousands? You know, up and running? You move it, you populate. That's that's the way it's

gotta go. I'm saying. I staid of just looking at it from such a long shot around you get you know, I try to continuously give business proposals and stuff like that in different in different rounds, because you gotta have that different outlook on again in another podcast out there, I talked about the you know, the euro centric mindset. It's always about me, It's always about me. We learned

we're embedded into that. You know what I'm saying. We gotta get more back to that Afro central mindset where's more about community, it's more about tribe. It was like, alright, cool, hopefully remember pool you and yeah, like we gotta we gotta get back to that because we don't and you can't win. You can't. You can't be behind the eight go so far with which where we are to be able to think just one or two people gonna do it, five people gonna do it. We've got a couple of billionaires. Yeah,

we've got five or six billionaires. It's a highness of them, you know what I'm saying, Like we expect. And we got one owner in professional sports, one majority owner of professional sports. Like come on. Recently, Jamal Crawford retired after twenty years, a little bitter sweet for him. He wanted to touch twenty. Are you at peace with the way your NBA career ended? Um? First of all, shouting to Jamal, man, that was that's my dog right there, man, that's just

a true hooping bro. All respects to jamal Man. Um me no, because it's like, UM, I just I feel like I just tell who you know what I'm saying, Like that's the only thing about me that I feel like. Don't let me, let me hoop, let me excuse, let me rock into the wheels follow you know what I'm saying. If I feel like I can't do it no more? All right, cool? I don't just the way it went down, just it was it was seeming fishy and funny to me. Us another backstory we're talking about later, but it just

didn't sit well with me. UM. But I'm happy with you know, I had a long career, sixteen years. When I look at it, UM, so many people who haven't had the opportunity who touched me just couldn't stick or you know, played two or three years, four years. You know, I'm fortunate in so many different ways for wanting to be successful in win championships. UM, to be again be

around UH ship a decade and a half for us. UM, that's that's a tough thing to do, especially when you're dealing with you know the greatest, you know, the great UM. I was talking to somebody UM the other day and it's like, man, you played sixteen years. I'm like, yeah, He's like, who's who's like an older person to these

young kids? Were really remember that you played against something like Brola for these for this generation, I played against Reggie Like that was That's that's tough for me, you know what I'm saying. Like I played against Reggie Miller bro like a hold like his last year was my first year. So like walking in to walk into a thirty ask whoming by Reggie like that was tough, Like

for somebody I was there. I was there, Yeah, like that she was to walk into a game, I see you know what I mean, jackl mad Beady like that, she was like hey thing to me. So I don't want to regrets on it, because I really lived it how I wanted to live it, you know what I'm saying that. And I'm fortunate for a lot of the experiences in the friendships that I'm grown. Um, obviously some of them isn't always what's gonna be and you know all of that, but the ones who sticked it all

stick and I'm fortunate for that. Unfortunately, it's talking a lot of grime ship about the business and how people look at you and perceive you and in perception and how you know, it's about ratings and whatever else, because people really sell a soul just for a dollar and really really see that on the on the real broader skill. So for for that it's like it's unfortunately because you can't find the genuineness sometimes but at the end of the day, that's their own games. So you're trying to

try not to focus on that. Facts. Um, I don't know if you have time to kind of sit back and look, but just kind of understanding how influential and almost before your time you wore too you were to the way the game is played today. You know, two times six Man of the Year. Um, you know, the way you shot the ball, the way you shot your threes, the way you celebrated, I mean rock and Supreme arm bands and tattoos, your celebrations. That's really all the NBA

is about these days. How do you look back on it and and did you face any backlash just kind of being you obviously I know they answer this question while you were doing it. Yeah, for sure. I think the game since my style, you know, um, shooting, you know, especially from just a plane standpoint, um, shooting the ball,

attacking the room and stuff like that, uh, spacing the floor. Um, it's it's it's fun to see because I like to see, you know, the game being put in a more of a position to where you can see, um, you know, the young guys taking care taking their talents to the next level, especially to my late John, Like John is one of my favorite players to watch when I do watch the games. Um, so you know, and being able

to express yourself is everything within the game. I feel like I feel like I was a little ahead of my time and how I was expressing myself and though what I was doing them. But at the end of the day, it was just I do feel like it was taking for granted and in the sense you know what I'm saying, Like it was just looked at and deemed as something so terrible, you know what I'm saying.

Like for like when you think about the fune like I gott I'll take it back to the fines and ship like you think about that like they used to. Really they suspended me five games for a week, bro, they really they suspended me for that. Now you just smoke whatever, Oh yeah, you're good. Whatever, No test or nothing ain't even about that, so you don't want to

get none of that back. Bro. So now it's okay, you know, you know what I'm saying, like you pulling me, showing up, pulling up for three talking ship somebody face they can you atte like? So now that ship is okay? Like that should losing good like people going in the next day talking cash it about you any then you lose money and contracts and about y'all want to get none of that back? All right? All that sneaking and geeing we was doing. Yeah, like that's what I'm saying.

I love I love way you do this, so listen. But when I was doing that, oh, he's just that's a bad guy. He's he's he's a very selfish teammate. He's like it's about him. But I was because I'm celebrating, all right, that's what look right, I'm having fun kicking the g ass. When they would do the exact same thing to me if I was on the other end, but it would be it would be cool. Then alright, cool, let's let's say that what's up with your Lakers? Man?

What's just what what's your piano? Lakers? What do you think Broun gonna do. Man, I don't know. Man, Honestly, it's it's tough because not for real, like think I think it's tough because you know, for him, he in a position to where he got a lot of great pieces around him, like he like you really look at the people around them in the on that team. He got great players, He got the White he got one of the best rum protectors ever. You know, I'm saying, you got, you know, a d who can be he

can be healthy. He cannot be healthy, but he's when he's healthy, he's he's he one of the best players in the league. He got Russell's been knowing the average triple double at the drop of a hat like that ain't even a question. Uh what what's the young boy that you got? Trevor Reason one of the greatest six men and contributors to come off the bench that we've seen consistently. Yeah. Uh, Avery Bradley amazing on ball defender Taylor Hunt. Tucker is one of the best young young

kids in the game. Second third year player who six with your six, seven him to the ball, attack the room. It's funny because because I don't think it's I think it's a lot of uh pointing the finger, and the Lakers as are in the spotlight in the situation to where they always gonna be front page news no matter

who's on the team. And then when you add one of the greatest too ever played on that on to that team and you win the championship with that team two years prior, there's a lot of expectations or whatever. It's just just Lakers in general. But when you add the pieces and the names that you have on that team, um, it's I mean, it's it's gonna be tough. It's gonna be a media your friends, you know what I'm saying.

Then when you play the name game, when they blamed Russ or this person from missing shots and that person for mring shots, and then nobody really takes um I'm not saying ownership or hold us up, but nobody's like defending one another, you know what I'm saying. It's like when you see it or when you see it on TV, it's like they're going that Russ and then you know that Ron talking about something I'm different and then you

barely see vogeo. Um, so it's like you're not really getting the It's funny because the media can make a thing like we can make it to the media like oh, this is the brotherhood and all of that, but then the media could come in and then in the town in the twine between the brotherhood and everything, I said, nobody would you won't take up you know what I'm saying. So I was like, yeah, that's my teammate and that's my brother. Not calling you my brother, bro. I'm must

stick up for you, Bro. I fight for you in the streets, and I'll fight for you on the court like you ain't know. It ain't no iffens and buts about it with me. You mean, I go, I'll go at the coach and stand up for you whatever. Like that's just that's just how I roved, you know what I'm saying. But I understand that's the politics as usually well. And you can't do everything is a certain kind of way.

So you gotta you make you worry about yourself. I'm not a person who's just worried about myself in these situations. I'm a Teammker's my man, like I ain't no, we were rocking like, so pick and choose just what you gotta do. You want to trade me over. You're gonna trade it over there. I ain't cool back at the end of the day, that school being my man. So this ain't got to do it. Your team and this team,

and I ain't worried about that. You got them win the championship this year and if you don't, who do you have won the championship? Now I can say at the win of the chip this year, Um, I'll tell you one thing, it will be a hard out though seven games series they're making in that in that spot, it's gonna be a tough out, you know. He said, you like watching John morad earlier? What other players are you like watching besides beside John morat Um, I like

I like watching job. I like watching the league mon man. He's so gifted, bro, he wont He reminds me a lot like he could shoot the three absolutely and bounced. Bro, he got boosters. I even like. I just like it when Charlotte are the time. I told him all the time, like you really like you got a kid. Just don't even worry about the post. Just who um he's one of my fanst you off, not to cut you off. He reminded me of just a smaller version of you when I first seen him, Just like, Yo, this kid

is nice. Yeah he got game, Bro, he got her name, um Degen Murray. Bro. I'm so happy for him. Man. That kids. I've been telling people about him for a minute and all star, all star man, and you know what, you know what I like about it. Though young, he develops his game, he continues to go to the gym that works on his game. You know what I'm saying. People were talking about how this shot for a minute. He was tended a little bit, but who wouldn't be

playing for pop when you're a rookie. You know what I'm saying. He's going off and you're making mistakes whatever, but he still consistent with it. You've been working at his game. He always in the gym and ain't just nothing. Bro shout out to you know my man, I tea because he's a Seattle boy and that's a young boy. So U where he got he dope? Man? I love his energy to man, he's really good for um. Yeah, he's solid m v P he Man. I've been saying

this for years. Man, somebody gonna get his man his problems. Bro. That boy in Dallas, Man, he is nice people doing it with nothing like I know what this respect. I hate to say it like that, but he don't be having like and he being dog fights gets done like slow bowl like he he's speeding up for nobody. It ain't super flashy. He's getting it done. You know what

I'm saying. I would like to see if if burn could win it, and so many other players to win it on on booty teams corners quote, so to say he got a heat, Bro, he carry his team consistently, if he more than anybody. If he don't play his team was work for sure. You go robbing league and so many other players been in and out teams are still able to get dubs or whatever heat home play. They've done quick hitters. Coming down to the end um

three artists on rotation. When you hit the links, not normally, just when you're on that golf course, it might be a little different mindset. Bro, I listened to country music on the golf course. Really, I'm not sorry country music, bro. You know it's funny. I just started really getting into it heavy. Like I always had to respect the love for country music, just like I never really took the time to actually figure out artists and all that. So

my little brother said me this playlist. Yeah, I'll tell you I've been bumping this jow like like religion, bro, Like it's crazy like you hear it like yo switch, you don't get the hell out of I'll be They talked ship though, too, so I went. I went to high school with all white Jason. I would hear a lot of you know, they talk big ship if you

listen to what they're really saying the country. But if you're talking to same ship, were talking just just just their version of it minus the killing talking big that should be give me my swing, bro. It's like what I'm saying. I'll be listening to rap music and shot out there on the golf course and I'll be speeding it up. I'll be going too fast. I'll be five and and all of that ship you wanted to have a little ship, I was a country music. I'll be chilling with lax. I ain't in the I ain't in

the rush. I'm just what I'm saying, taking my time and join the elements of the game. Being outside and all that you really take. I'm taking to them or I receive it more um while I listen to you know, R and B and rap man just put me in that element to where I just so you used to want to party on the chill on the front. You're saying, in honor of Jamal Crawford retiring, who are your top three six men of all time? Don't be afraid to

put yourself on that list. Uh, Lou will go, Um, jamalv go and I gotta go go to nobl M. Funniest thing that happened to you recently, the funniest thing that happened to me recently. Uh yeah, So look right, so I'm so I'm here right in Florida, and uh I played golf with this uh come to my boys down and Avantur so they give me this uh this titleless putter. It's a secle tea Scotti camera putter and uh one of the rare putters or whatever if you

in the golf situation, you know. Um, so long story short, I'm like, you know what I'm going Book of Flight and then my girl, we're leaving. We're leaving out the next day. All of this ship, right said I was so hyped about I just said talking out A buffet flew from here to have a layover somewhere, had a top on another Johane to go to l A, get to l A, drive to San Diego. I'm looking to

see what time, what time they closed or whatever? They closed the whole They're closed on Sundays and Mondays and flew out. I was supposed to fly right back. I didn't even check what time it was, Bro, I ain't checked what day it was. I ain't checked with days they closed and not and flew all over that John they closed. Attention Bro, that world brow you mentioned you got a chance to play with m J Tigers. The one person you'd want to play with outside of those two.

If you can have a one on one golf tournament with any one in the history, what would it be? They gotta be a PGA prom know anybody, anybody King j oh that's good, he once shout out, swing man. Bro. Stuck on the island. You stuck on the island, switched with three shows and movies. You you got in Rotation, yellow Stone, Sons of Anarchy and uh Fresh Prince Sons of Anarka to come back. I Bro getting ready. Oh yeah,

I'm ready for that. I'm definitely ready for that. Movies, He got games, uh back events and transforms best Kobe story on or off the court. Man, So off the court, I'm in I'm in Philips in New York playing with the New Lakers. Is you know our stay in town or whatever. But there's playing I think it's playing Brooklyn. Then it's playing us and m I'm out with my trainer. He done at the time, and we're chilling in the back and somebody doing. One of the waiters or does

the manager come up? He's like, yo, man, uh Kobe here, I go, oh word like that, that's what's up. Like I ain't never seen code out whatever. I always seen at the arena, never seen him out at the gym, never seen him out. And uh he was like yeah he see. Uh he said he wants to talk to you. So I always got like summer. I was like soup said, They're like all right, fool. I was check him on our way out. So then the trainer at the time he peeking out, He's going crazy like dude, you want

to go over there now? Like you want to go over there now? Like you're gonna go over there now. I'm like, man, that this been ship and uh so he fished food whatever walking out and uh, he stood up, give me, give me a hug, started chopping up for a second, like just standing and talking and checking out

the families whatever whatever. He's like, you're about to leave, and I was like, yeah, it make comes to down a real quick come so down was like alright cool, and he really liked, you know, screwed me on how intelligent he was, like just about so many different things, like like the way they would come back. He ordered something in uh in Italian and like going back. I was like, like he was like holding court, he gotta Nike, he got I think it was a robbed rob right there.

Nico was right there and like he like, you know, talking ship to them like you know, and you especially like somebody at Nike like like Nico was and talking about the ideas that he expressed, the ship that that Nike took and didn't give him the credit for and all of that ship like he like grilling him or whatever.

Excute and Uh, to see him in that element, I was like, you know, here a real one, Like I wasn't expect like you know, I was expecting the code to be like more you know, if you've seen him out here in the cut, just him or maybe one other person's training or something, and that's it I'm saying. I'm like, oh, like he's speaking, he's talking that ship. I'm like, okay, he gave me his number, told me you hit him up. We got it, you know, I mean you want to wrap whatever whatever can work out.

I'm like, all right, cool. I thought it was bullshit on the workout ship, right, So I ain't never hit him up on the workout shot. I just talked about moves and situations and games because I knew he was watching. And uh, I really got a totally different perspective of code, you know what I'm saying, because you were all again different perceptions what you hear, and so many other people say you really get one or one or catch him in a different environment and light, and like you get

you receive it a different, totally different space. So had that moment where him was like, it's special. So I always remember he was definitely one of us. That's funny, Like he said, you never know how you think he would be until you're around him. Be like, oh, let's dude as regularly smart as motherfucker. But big ship to anybody. Everybody Coal is a fan. Man, rest in peace to the homie Jack finishing up. You know what quick question is last? We hit you with it the first time

you came on the show. If you didn't have anyone on All the Smoke, who would it be? I would to see Tiger on here? Man? Yes, yes, yes, you know. But Jr. Man, we appreciate you. Continue to be great. Love, You're gonna be checking in. Yeah, the family again. Man, definitely welcome to the family. Good luck with school. Second semester, got golf season coming up. Me and Jack don't come out there with you. Uh Yeah. Excited to have you

as a part of the family. Man, So continue to uh Man, be a great student, golfer, role model, father, and man. We're gonna catch up with you. Bro. You already know, Man, I'm only our forty Man's wait, let me know. You know I'm gonna you know, I'm gonna pull up. That's a wrap special edition of All the Smoke with our brother and now correspondent for Showtime Basketball, Jr. Smith Man. You can catch this on Showtime Basketball YouTube and the I Heart platform Black Effects. We'll see y'all

next week. Page. This is All a Smoke, a production of the Black Effect, and Our Heart Radio in partnership with Showtime