What up, y'all? All the Smoke is hitting the road. Will be in New York October seventh and in Philly October ninth. Make sure you guys come and kick it with us. We'll have Larry Johnson and some friends in New York and then we'll have a million dollars worth of game and Paul, George and Philly go to All the Smoke Productions dot com slash tour. Use promo code training at checkout for a buy one, get one free promo offer. Offer won't last long. We'll see y'all there.
Welcome back All the Smoke, one half of All the Smoke. My brother Jack love you. Sitting in the dentist chair right now. He had to get some teeth pooled before he said his mouth started to smelling like dump drug juice. So wish out this episode out to you, bro. I'm excited, man, this is I've been trying to track this person down for a long time. Played against him for many years, never really talked, just competed against each other, and I
always liked how hard he played. But then just kind of started to see him live his life through social medium, Like I knew how fucked with this dude, so long time overdue. Glad to finally sit down with you. Welcome to the show, Joe, Kim Noah Man, thank you, bro, Thanks for having me. Yes, no doubt, I'm glad we were able to make this work. Man, Let's get to it. Unfortunately, the world lost a giant this week. Did Kimba Matumbo rest in peace and in love to his family. Your
dad and him had the same agent. You've known him for a long time. Mentor on and off the court. Tough love kind of gave you the blueprint to your post career, if you would say so. Speak to obviously how instrumental he was in your life and just you know what he meant.
To you did Kemba's somebody who meant a lot to a lot of people. So I want to choose my words like wisely, what a special you know in the basketball community, it's tough, but just all around the world. Just the patience that he had for people is what resonates the most. I remember going to Georgetown camp as a kid and getting to see him like early on in his NBA career and just always gave everybody the time of day. And you know, his whole thing was just about never forget where you're from.
You know.
I think that's something that resonates for people all around, you know, just the guys from Kenshasa. He started playing basketball at eighteen years old.
Crazy.
He got to Georgetown University to be to be a medical student, a doctor. Coach Thompson sees him on campus, He's like, yo, you need to get your big ass in the gym. And you know what, and it was just what an honor to be around that guy. Got to spend a lot of time with him afterwards, you know, with the bal just being able to invest in a basketball league, with the NBA on the continent, just to be around him. Just what a special guy, you know. And I'll never forget the kember always.
You know.
I used to call that's my you know, it's you know, and I would come in just you know, t shirts, sweatpants like and he was like, if you if you around me, if you around me, just don't be dressing like that. You need to you know, this is this is business now tighten up. So that that's the energy that the Kembit, the Kemba had And it wasn't just basketball, It's like all around the world just people. Just really he deserved that love that he gets.
Rest in peace. Yeah, definitely. Obviously more news hit. About a week and a half ago, one of your brothers decided to call it a career. Derrick Rose one of the most special athletes, uh, we've ever seen in this game. He put fear in the hearts of the best of the best in our league. Bro and you and you were right there with it. You got Chicago one year before him. He was your rook How did your guys
relationship start? And I know it turned into a real brotherhood because I think I saw you officiated his his his way. We'll get to that, but tell me how all of it started.
It was just a real blessing to be around Pooh. You know what do you call him?
Pooh Pooh?
Yeah? Okay, you know it's you know, as special as they come in terms of, you know, a real introvert at heart, somebody who could score thirty on you. But it just was scared of the postgame interview. He just didn't want he didn't want no part of the media. You know. He just was always true to himself. And you know, somebody who had an unbelievable talent, but just stayed real throughout and I think, you know, I wouldn't
even you know, when you're a second year player. He came in the year after before, I wouldn't call him my you know what I'm saying. He didn't have to, you know, give out all the gear.
And he didn't have to do nothing of the difference he was.
He was that nice. You know, he was that nice. He didn't have to just come into you at the hotel. You have no rookie duties, you know, other people exactly. I think our relationship grew, you know, obviously you want to win a championship so bad, but our relationship really
grew smoking herb after he got hurt, you know. So he got hurt, and I think that you know, he was at the height of his thing, just you know, signed a huge deal with the Bulls, sign a huge deal with a Didas, but you know, had to sit out that year, and I think it was a real lonely time for him. Obviously. You know, I want to give a big shout out to his friends, his brothers, who you know, he keeps the same people from the beginning,
you know, real tight circle. But yeah, our relationship really grew on the road, you know, putting putting that towel under the in the in the bathroom.
Come on, man, now you're talking real ship, and these people don't know, Like bro smoking weed was a real job if you were smoking in the league, because it was just you get in trouble. So we had to get the towels. We had some people like to turn the shower on and get too fucking hot in there. But I always had the candles the intents. I bread up the plugging glades too, so my.
Ship was smelling nice. You were organized.
Come on, man, I'm a sophisticated smoker, but it was a real job. And then on top of that, we're taking these drinks to try to flush our systems. Like what was that? I mean, I love, no one's ever really opened up on the show like that to really let me know we can go there. So let's let's motherfucking go there.
Brow this is this is all the smoke, right, this is all the smoke, So let's.
Go let's talk. So I mean you were saying putting the towels under the door and just fellowshipping.
Yes, So you know that's that was some real bonding times. You know when the guys would come in, I'm the best, and I think our relationship really grew off that, you know. You know, it's it's weird that, you know, it was the height of his of his thing, and how how lonely you can be, and you know, you're around your teammates more than you're around your family, and you know, but you know, even though we weren't really supposed to
smoke or anything like that, it was so important. It was so important to just be able to just detach. You know, this is this is big business is supposed to exactly, So to be able to share that and like really get to know each other. I mean it wasn't nothing fancy. We're in the bathroom talking shit, smoking a blunt, you know. So you know, I really cherished those times, and I think that our brotherhood really grew off that. And he was also somebody who always had my back.
You know.
There was probably times where the bulls are like, oh, we could probably get some better for Jokim, and he was probably like, you know, I know, Pool was like, nah, that's that's my guy. And I think similar, you know. And when Pool was one of the most beloved figures and when he got hurt. You know, I think a lot of people turn their backs on him in his
own city. So to be able to be able to support him through that, and I'm not I don't pretend to be the only person who was, but who was out there on the court with him and who had to deal with that, I cherished that time. I think it just all those tough times also made our relationships stronger. And then you know, being able to mediate his officiate his wedding.
That's dope, bro. I've seen that ship. I'm like, yeah, look at this, this is incredible. Where was it that? Where were you guys at?
I was out here Beverly Hills Hotel.
Okay, that was some fly ship, bro, It was fly.
But I'll tell you what, that was the most uncomfortable ship I ever had.
Nervous.
I was nervous as hell, like a wedding.
Did you smoke one first?
I smoke one after I had I had to come right, you know, I'm trying to you know, first time doing it. It was my first time doing it, probably my last time.
You know, this is it's a big business.
You know, when when when Elena, you know, Mama Rose and they were like, okay, you wanna you're doing this. We need you for the don't fuck it up right. You know, this is a big moment for my guys, So I wanted to be right. You might. I didn't even smoke one before.
Man, I waited till I should maybe just hit it two or three times. I got this ship. So what was he? I mean, I've got a chance, not as long as you did, but I got a chance to play with Covid, And I think there was a misconception on just who he was as a person off the court or even in the locker room. Covid with someone you could talk shit too. He's gonna talk back to you, he's gonna rap, he's gonna He's just a cool, down
to earth duke. We've never really got a chance to see that side of d Is he like that or is he just kind of always cool?
Laughing?
But he's always kind of reserved.
I mean, I think he's somebody who he he waits until you know, he needs to be comfortable, Okay, you know he's ah, he's a real introvert at heart, you know, so quiet. But I remember a rookie year like Brandon Jennings scored fifty five. So guys in the on the on the plane of talking about, yo, Brandon James got fifty five, he might get Rookie of the Year, and
Poo's not saying shit. And like two years later, you know, we're having one of those smoke sessions and he's like, yo, I remember when guys were talking about Brandon Jennings getting the getting the Rookie of the year. I'm not gonna lie. That's that put that fire in there. And he didn't say a word the whole time, Right, that's the kind of guy he is. Like even my when I ended
up retiring with the Bulls. You know, the Bulls were they brought in the guys, but they were giving me like that cheap the cheap liquor at the for the party. You know who put the money down right away for me. You know he but he'll do shit like that, but just not say nothing. You know, he doesn't want credit for anything, but just you know, class sag. I think you know what he represented for that city. Every time we you know, we laced them up. We felt like
we had a chance. And you know there's something different about free agency, and you know, coming in and again your first checks together and I mean, I'm going all over the place. But Rookie year, rookie year, and he gets the Rookie of the Year. He got all his homies with him. We go out to the club. They don't let him in. They can't let him in the club because he's too young. Too young. He is the most famous person in the city, right, you know. So
it's just like moments memories like that. That with the MVP MVP Ye're like m VP year, MVP year was I mean, you know, hope is a is a really powerful emotion, you know, and like when you play with talent like that and you feel like you can win any game, it's a special feeling. You know, you train that much harder. And that's what he represented, not just for us, but for the whole city, you know, And
you know, it was it was Miami. It was Lebron to the heat and we really felt like, you know, we were the squad that could get them, you know, especially when we had that guy on our side. So it was just having Pool on our side before he got hurt was just it was superpower, superpower. You know. It was like almostly he had the turbo button and nobody else had the turbo button cheat.
Is there one game that stands out or a play that stands out where you're just like God? I mean you got to see it in practice and the game every single day. Then you got to vibe with him off the court, like, is there one time you're just like God?
Damn?
Or it maybe several times? Wore he said that.
I mean it was it was every night. I mean, the thing, the thing that was crazy. Just like you said, though, I saw a lot of the top guys show fear around him because they wanted to be friends with him, They wanted to be cool with him, and he didn't want none of that. You know. He was like, Okay, these are my colors. I'm not trying to be friends with none of you guys. None of you guys. He's like,
these are my teammates and that's it. But I saw I saw a lot of the top guys who are dominating the game who came they didn't want no problems with that guy, No problem. I think there shout out.
Got the hoop with Obama before We're just coming off the Kamala sit down, tremendous honor. How was it hooping with Obama?
Before we even talk about Obama. Just I want to give you guys your flowers because that's a beautiful thing. And you know, we're talking about stories about when we couldn't even smoke as players. Now you know, the biggest sports podcast right now, all the smoke. You know, you guys are really moving the culture forward. And you know you can talk about HERB and you're over here, you know, doing interviews with the next president of the United States.
You know, it just shows how far we've come as a culture, especially when it comes to this HERB stuff. So you know, big shout out to you guys for what you guys are doing and and just the piff the thing is just it's so important. Like you're playing in front of twenty thousan twenty five thousand games over at ten o'clock, Like what you expect me to go to sleep at eleven?
But they don't understand the schedule. I mean, you think about it. I mean back to backs. You're in Portland one night and you got a you know, a back to back in San Antonio. You get to San Antonio at one, you get to the room at two, Like it's I mean, everyone has their vice. I just I didn't judge nobody on their advice, but mind just happened to be smoking. I know, if I smoked some, I'm gonna go to sleep, you know what I mean. So it's just like it was crazy how hard they made
it for that to happen. But I remember when I retired in seventeen, myself and Al Harrington like we wanted to kind of make it our goal to keep putting it in their ear. We would fly out to New York and talk to the MVPA, we would talk to the NBA and just kind of just keep it on their minds until they both got doctors and they said the PA's doctor came back with the positive sides of it, and the NBA doctor still kind of had the was on the other side of No, it's still bad, and
they had to come meet to the middle. And then you know, obviously the bubble, you know, when the world stopped for COVID and they brought the bubble back, and I'm just thinking in my head, I'm like, bro, if they test these dudes before they come back in the bubble, there's eighty percent of the dudes are going to be not playing. So you know, I think the NBA kind of knew what they were dealing with. Let it slide, and then from here on out, you know, they haven't smoked.
But like I said, I started smoking at fourteen, bro, and it just I knew I had a wild childhood. So it calmed me down, help me sleep, help me focus. But that's what I used instead of I wasn't someone who was going to take pills. I socially drink, but like we was something that was always just that's what I needed, and I was able to like be I guess,
a functional smoker, someone who smoked for the game. I'll smoke before the game, go play the game, and then smoke when I get done, you know what I mean. And it was just kind of it. It saved me. Although I had some I veered off the plane a couple of times and got into some shit, Like I can only imagine how much more shit it would have been if I didn't have the weed at least kind of somewhat calm down, help me down.
Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't even call it a vice at that point. Is you know something that a tool that can just help us just relax, you know, and in this madness, so shout out to you guys from making that possible.
And I shout out to you for being the first person that really kind of was really telling me because I've had some other motherfuckers that I smoked a lot of we with during during the years, and they didn't want to really, so I ain't gonna push it, but I appreciate you opening.
And we were smoking spice and all this garbage for that.
Spice was horrible. What was that like, ten eleven, twelve? What was that back around twenty ten? Is was it? At the time? It was nasty words.
Nasty shout out to Brad Miller bringing that nasty ass spice, shout out to the big duck bringing that nasty Indiana spice. It was over the locker room.
Spice was bad. I see, I had a bad Internet. It wasn't me, but I've seen some bad shit happen on that. But anyway, Yeah, but we're past it. We don't have to worry about it no more. Man, I'm showing you the bags of our repertoire before you came and shot. We're gonna celebrate once we get downe. But again, let's talk, you know, let's talk Obama. You got a chance too. Yeah, what was his game like and what kind of person is he?
I thought it was just it was special, man. You know, you get to play ball. I think it was his fiftieth birthday, you know, president of the United States, and I got to bring my mother and got to you know, it was a big year.
How did it happen? You got they called you.
Up to I got that email. It was a different it was a different kind of email, a different it was very presidential. I'm like, mom, Mom was at that. My mom checked this out. It said plus one. My mom was like, I'm coming, I'm coming. But it was really special just you're around the top guys and you have that moment, you get to have a real moment with the President of the United States, like as a human.
You know, the guys like comes. He represents America, but he also you know, represents the Islands of Hawaii, represents Africa. You know, he's also in this deal with the with the NBA Africa. So it was a pretty surreal moment just to be able to you know, all the guys from his cabinet. They're off from Chicago, so you know, we're at the height of our thing. Top one of the top teams in the league. Obviously, poo just got MVP.
And who went over there with you from your team.
Just me and Pooh. But they also made it clear like don't you know I remember he was he was talking about my jump shot a lot, and it was like the guys were just like laughing a little bit too hard.
Like don't get it sucked up. I was like, yo, like all right.
So he got the ball and I remember like I ran like I was closed out on him, like I'm not letting you shoot. You're not getting nothing. He just needed to feel that a little bit. So that was my That was my moment on the basketball court.
I think some people think sh it's sweet, you know, until you get up out like you guys are a lot bigger than you look on TV or faster strong. You're like, yeah, no, I don't care if you're the president, bro, you're not gonna be talking shit off camera. Before we started, I mentioned that I just had a son a month ago and you're expecting, and I just saw the way you lit up fatherhood to you. You have a boy on the way, you said.
I got my son on the way. Two more months, two more months.
You already have two daughters.
I got one daughter, I got one son, you know, seven and five. I got Alex who's sixteen as well, from from my wife. But shout out to Lais. You know, she got two more months left.
It's it's no joke, you know.
You know, usually you know, you're on the road playing ball. So okay, I'm retired now, so I have a little more time to be here. Whatever it takes. If I got to be the Uber driver, I'm the Uber driver. If I got to take out the garbage, I'm taking out the garbage. You know, whatever it takes. But you know, I really hope, I really hope that this. You know, my girl six's one, so I really hope that we might she might have a Wemby and she might have a Wemby in there, you know, So I hope. I
just hope that he loves hoop. My question was really to you because I see your twins are killing it. Yeah, so it was just more how did you kind of get them to play ball?
It was a journey, you know. The twins started being able to move around with me maybe my last four or five years, so they got to be you know, Coobe was Uncle Cole. As soon as he met them, he started giving them shoes. So he was around that. He was around CP Blake and Lop City. He was around that Golden State Warriors team I finished with KDS, Steph and and that whole crew. So they always liked it. But they were kids, so they love video games. So they could shoot the ball and knew the game, but
they didn't want to work on their games. So I wasn't in my homeboy G you know, you have talks about this like I'm not gonna they don't want to do. I'm not gonna push them. It's not gonna they have to love it more than I love it. So I kind of just let him slide by until they kind of started seeing I coached started coaching them when they're about eight when I retired, and they went from the best player to kind of the middle of the pack, and I'd just be like, you guys, see like yeah, okay,
and so sometimes we shoot. And then their tenth birthday, I took him to go see Code for a surprise birthday and he trained them, and I kind of think that lit the fire. Then about twelve and a half thirteen, they're like, all right, Dad, We're ready. So they're fifteen now, bro, And just when I tell you, like, it's just the most joy in my life when I just see them continuing to get better and they love doing it like
their doll. They work out constantly now, so they fell in love with the with the journey, you know what I mean. So it's just been fun. So I definitely hope you get that appreciate you get to get to get that ride and see what it's like.
It's dope, man, because I'm seeing a lot of the guys kids are one of them getting really good. So is it the access of having the top trainers around, you know, the inspiration of having like, you know, the superstar players coming and say what's up? You know, there's so many. I'm a third generation athlete. My grandfather Will as a soccer player on a professional level in France
and Team Sedon champion. You know, Pops is the man, last French guy to win the French Open, win a Grand Slam, only African to ever even be a top ten player, you know, So the journey, his journey was always interesting and I was blessed to see his work at THIC, you know, even though it was a different sport. You know, Pops would make me run before school. That was that was his thing, Like all right, you're gonna do something that's different because you know, I'm playing basketball,
I'm from New York. You know, it's like all right, after a certain amount of time, it's like all right, silver spoon, this silver spoon that like yo, okay, like you guys got me fucked up, Like I gotta work at THIC. I'm gonna work hard. You're gonna see real work.
I don't want to When did that kick in? Because that was my when I'm thinking, like I grew up on food stamps, holy shoes live you know, let family live with us. We live with family life. Twins grew up behind gates private school and have twenty pair of shoes, you know, like when did so? My my always concerned is like how am I going to make sure they understand first and pemos, it's not how everyone lives, but how am I get that dog in that fight in them?
So I just had to keep being creative and find ways and they have it now. But when did that light turn off for you to be like now, fuck that this? Like you said, shit ain't sweet.
It's funny. I think that me and Pooh's relationship came off that question because he was interested in that for his Oh really, so he was always interested like how how did you become? How you are? You know, having with your background, with your background, it's an interesting thing. But I'll say this, seeing the way that he trained, being able to see his training habits, but also like
going back to Africa. You know, every year we went back, and it gave me perspective like, Okay, you are really blessed, and let's not forget, like okay, you let you get to live in America, like simple things hot water, you know, air conditioning, you know, wood floor, indoor courts, you know, high school's playing against you. It's like, yo, we have everything. So going back to Africa, there's none of those things,
you know. So going back to Cameroon was definitely the biggest blessing my dad ever gave me because it gave me that perspective. And you know, before every game, that's where my mind went. It was just like my roots. Even though I never lived there, I got it. I got to feel it enough as a kid where I was like, okay, this is where I'm from. I'm never going to forget who I am and where I'm from. I think it just gave me my strength to just
you know, push myself that much harder. And and also, like you know, people, people talk a lot of shit in New York. So for me, it was like, all right, I gotta let them know you're gonna respect me as a teammate because of how hard I go, and I felt like I had to. I showed that every single time.
I still loved that. I love that. We were going to to touch on the b AL a little bit later, but since you spoke about, you know, what going back to Africa meant to you and getting to your roots, how did the b AL come about it? And for those who don't know what the b AL, can you briefly explain what that is? So?
The BA is the Basketball Africa League. It's it's a partnership with the NBA. It's the NBA league in Africa. You know, since retirement, this has been the biggest blessing of my life. You invested in it, right, I'm an investor. I'm an investor with Louel dang as well. Obama's an investor, and the Kemba was an investor in it, and you know, just got to be around. First of all, the NBA
is not going to let this fail. So just to be around that kind of high level energy, that high level that business, To be around the business like that, I think was really special. And you know, I just remember being at the height of my basketball career and I would go back to Cameroon and they would be like, so, so what do we do. That's a really tough question
for somebody. I don't care if you're an All Star or at the height of your thing, Like, how are you supposed to answer a whole basketball ecosystem for a country? That was really tough. So when I had the opportunity, I built a court and I'm gonna do. Gallo Fall, who is the president of BAAL but who was a scout for the Dallas Mavericks at the time. We were always very close and he ended up coming to talk to the kids on my court in twenty ten. I
don't really remember his words. I just remember that the opportunity was it was somewhere along the lines that the opportunities were going to be different in the future, and I just remember him talking and I'm you know, we see guys come and talk to the kids all the time, but I remember just being in tears and just the power of his words and just the way he spoke about it and just like him getting on a plane like it's complicated. You just from seneg got to Cameroon.
You have to go through other countries and he ended up coming for us. And as soon as this opportunity came, you know, he called me and he was like, Yo, do you want to be an investor in in this league? I was I didn't even I didn't even ask what year was that? Uh, this was four years ago, so right after the Yeah, so you had to be a
retired player. And you know, there's been the most amazing journey just being able to travel all these countries in Africa and you know, rest in peace to Cambi just being around him and seeing how how much joy he had and just you know as a trailblazer and all the work that he had to do to be able to you know, his with his voice like saying like you know, like squatch, in ten years, this is going to be a unicorn, this is going to be a ten X. Don't worry joke, don't worry, you know, just
the pride that he had and being able to build it. Like just it's a business that's in investing in people in Africa, investing in the people. You know, so many people think about Africa as just it's like, you know, the chembis from Congo. This is like the most exploited land in the world. People go there for the minerals and bounce you know, it's it's really real. So to be able to be a part of something where you're
actually pouring back in the people. Like when you talk to these kids out there and you talk to them, it's not like how it's not like talking to the kids out here. You know, these kids have no attention spans out here. You talk to them for five minutes high at school, but their eyes open hungry. You build a court. I build a court in Cameroon this summer. We had six hundred kids go through that court. You might have one hundred and fifty kids on one court
at a time. You throw a bounce pass, you gotta wait for forty people. You gotta wait forty kids before you can throw another pass. And I mean that's what that's what they're up against right and just to see the the fight in these kids. Man, it just it makes me go back every time. And now that we have the NBA platform, like, I really feel like the sky's the limits.
No one has planning the flag as far as professional sports in Africa, right, Like soccer is probably the biggest, most watched. But this is an opportunity. I mean one point three if there's four times bigger than the United States. So if this catches fire, I think the King might have been underselling the ten X, you know. I mean, this can be a monster if it, you know, continues to go to the right direction.
Thank you man. You know that's that's the goal. You know, these are the fastest growing youth populations in the world. You know, the numbers don't lie. If they get if they get their courts and the education and everything that comes with what we know about the game, the sky's the limit. And I'm really proud to be a part of that.
What do you think the game looks like if it continues to your vision, your team's vision, that the league's vision. Where do you feed the like in ten fifteen years?
The next step is definitely pushing the grassroots. We need we need. We need more African stars, you know. But when you look at Joel and b and what he's doing, Joel started playing basketball at sixteen, seventeen years old. Like, imagine if you lower the hoops out there where the
kids can go out there and do their thing. Imagine if there's investment in coaching and they start getting there's enough courts where oh you're getting individual workouts now too, or oh, the guys want to make trick, want to do trips to Africa and you know, teach a couple of coaches for a month. You know, That's really what I'm trying to push because I think I feel like a lot of the guys want to do it, and now we have a platform where you know, you can learn the continent is so special.
Let's take all the smoke out there next summer and do a camp and everything and turn it out.
That would be so dope.
Let's do that, make that happen. I'll smuggle the piff, my guy. What about some of the other giants in Africa before the history?
Yeah, common, yeah, what are your thoughts on the history? I think that's a great question. You know, first of all, I'm sure I really want to touch on what Lou did, because what Lou did this summer was was so special, you know, just being able to well, I want to give him his flowers because it also connects with like Minute Bull, they're from the same area. But just just okay, the guy gets to represent South Sudan is the youngest country in the world. It's got Soudan got its independence
I think fifteen years ago. Sudan is also where Manu Bull's from minud Bowl was giving his checks to buy weapons to so that the people in the villa could protect themselves from from a genocide. Like I'm just getting goosebumps like that. I mean, it's like we're talking about all this stuff and it's just like this is the pioneers of Africa, Like this is what we're talking about. You know, this is a whole other level of of human rights. And you know, so that's that's loose, that's
loose people, you know. And then for him to be able to you know, you hear the stories of Manewball and how much people loved him and appreciated him, his sons in the league, like but you know that was his his fight was weapons to protect his people and and now to be able to see, you know what the next general, the next couple of generations later to have a Luel Dang who build courts in his country and be able to represent his country on the biggest stage play against the US, make it a real game
where they are competing their asses off. That was not for just for Southsidan. That was for the whole continent. Because now these young kids are looking at guys that look like they like Yo, that guy looks like me, to believe it, and you know you're talking about the inspiration for your kids. You know, that's what Luel's being
able to provide for a whole continent. So like what Luell did this summer in the Olympics, like you just got to give him his flowers because you know, as a as a obviously he was my teammate, but for everybody, I just always wanted to give him. He deserves his flowers the work he put in. Shout out Royal Ivy. You know they brought in their high school coach who ended up coaching on the national team. It's just like
real visionary shit. You know, it's not just oh, I have an idea, like I'm smoking one, Like have an idea. It's like, all right, I'm getting on a fifteen hour flight. I'm comfortable as hell. I made a lot of money playing here. But you know what, I'm going back. I'm doing what I gotta do because I have a vision. And and you get to see it. You got you get to see the product where they're playing against the US and it's a war out there. I mean, now you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, it's a battle. It's a battle. That's dope. So when you hear and this is not even I mean, obviously Gilbert is an evil genius, my guy, but burnt out when you but you hear when you hear like kind of the jokes about what they were saying they got baskets and you know, in the fact they shoot on peach baskets and dirt no shoes. Is that ha ha? Or is that like knowing the grind? Is that fucked up to you?
I think it was an important moment because there is a lot of ha ha going on.
You know.
It's like, look, I grew up. I'm blessed. I grew up in Paris, I grew up in New York City. I got to travel in Africa. So for me, it was never because you know these are this is my people too, like my mom's Swedish. I come from a lot of different places. But the reality is, yeah, there is a disconnect between black people in the inner city out here and Africa. And I think that that was a great lesson to be able to connect some of
the dots. And you're like, look, you guys are pioneers and what you guys are doing, Like you know, your podcast is called all the Smoke. You had the president, the future president do your thing last a couple of days ago, like ten years ago. You couldn't even think about no shit like this. So we're on the same shit, like, you know, our thing is trying to bridge the gap, like we're trying to bridge bridge it. You know what, who brought his high school kids and he was like, yo,
let's go to Senegal, Let's go to Africa. He got all the kids passports. You know he did that with his own money. It wasn't you know, he did that with his own money because he wanted to bring the kids. It was right after my wedding. It was the most powerful trip I've ever done. You know, you got kids who don't leave their blocks, don't leave their their neighborhood to be able to get that perspective and go into
Africa and realize what you have. You know, it was a basketball trip, so the kids meet through basketball in a culture exchange. But the Tripbute was so much bigger than just basketball. It was life changing. You go to the slave castles, you know, you get to connect, you get to have new friends, You get to see where these guys, where these kids are playing. You're playing in one hundred and ten degree weather. Perspective, Man, yo, you
got to indoor gym. You got to indoor gym. You get to get go play in front of your little girlfriend, your all your family. Like, don't take that shit for granted. Every African that comes across the pond because he's a tall, you know, raw goofy, like he can't really play that well, you know, but you know whatever, we take him because he can block shots. Like he's leaving. There's a lot of sacrifice. There's a lot of huge sacrifice that goes
into that. So it's like understanding where people are coming from and like leaving your culture, leaving your people to come and try to live out your dreams. So that's what we're trying to do. When we're building the infrastructures and all this stuff in Africa, it's like you don't have to leave, you can you get you can play in front of your family.
You know, obviously it's continuing to grow, but are there resources that are that are needed or is everything kind of planted and it now just has to grow.
I think it's just chipping away every day, you know. I think that the I think that there's a huge value in just like the people on this side like yo, this at some point, like we can say whatever you want, that's the roots, that's the origins, that's that's home. Like you know, I know that that might sound weird to some people, but you know what, it's the truth. So to be able to connect with your roots, I think it's something that you know, both sides can definitely learn
from and take in. You know, because you get to go you get to go to Africa, you get to see the roots and where you know what it looked like it's at one point. And you can also teach basketball, you know. I think that's the next step is like bringing in guys who can teach the game and the more we do that, that's when we get the diamonds in the dirt.
Favorite places in Africa to travel, favorite cities or favorite thing to do out there when when outside of basketball.
My favorite thing to do when I go to Africa, I really enjoy going to Yong Day because that's where where Yo Day and Cameroon. So Yong Day is for me, is my great grandfather's land. It's where my great grandfather is buried. It's where my grandfather is buried. It's where I'll be buried. It's where my father will be buried. It's where my grandmother build a school, all on the same land where I build my basketball court. So when
I go back, these are my childhood memories. We're also an hour drive away from from the beach and KB, you know it's Clay. Actually, Klay Thompson did a camp shout out to Slay Thomas this summer. Right this past summer, he came to Cameroon. He put in some work with the Clay real quick.
I don't want to. I want you to finish. Did you guys, you and really know each other?
Not really?
He's how fucking cool is he's?
I mean, I don't know him that well, but we connected on some reggae.
You guys, he's he's a vibe dude.
He's a vibe dude. I can tell you he's a Yeah.
Shout out, Clay, shout out. How was that? I think?
You know, I wasn't there. I wasn't there when he came. But try to set him up. My dad has a little boat out there. I saw he was doing work with the kids. So I was like, Yo, take the clay, take the boat. He took tom boat out. He took the boat out, but I heard the waves were crazy. So they went out and they were like, now we out bring back out here. That was cool. Rwanda. Kigali is a very special place. You know. Kali is a place. I mean, it's just it's great because there's just so
much interesting things to learn, you know. You know, we do a lot of going to Kigali. I went there with the ba l for the first time just to see how clean and organize the country is. It is just like everything they tell you about Africa. It's the complete opposite. You know, this is the most organized country.
Everybody got health care, education, I mean, it's just next level and you know, all you hear about when you think of Rwanda as a genocide that happened there is and but what their reconciliation story and the way they were able to bounce back from from that kind of pain. You know, I think there's a lesson there that, you know, we can really learn from on this side. You know, just how do we how do we come together after
so much pain? You know, So, I mean, this is the kind of the lessons and what we can learn from from Africa is it's it's hard to put in the words, but I'm just blessed to be with this platform. I'm able to travel all around and not just go where my where my family's from. But there's just so much to see. You know. You you go up to the you go up in the north, it's Morocco, it's Algeria, you go you go to the you got the Pyramids,
and then you go to South Africa. It's like the music is crazy, you know, it's the Zulu warrior energy. It's like, oh you give me, like damn. This ship kind of reminds me of New York, Like it's just the tough and like you'll go to the club and you'll be like the's going on. Man, This is crazy out here. So it's just Africa special, man, that's what's up. I love it.
Gainesville, Florida. I heard that place as special. You were there in a in a in a heavy time and we will get to the back to back championships. But Tebow, Cam Newton, Aaron hernandez uh what was that dot called on Netflix about the football team Swamp Kings. I mean you were you you were in the swamp. Talk to us about your experience at Florida. Obviously the back to back championships, but just life in that ecosystem because there was a lot of professional athletes the time you were there.
No, Gainesville, that time was as special as it come. You know, it's your first time leaving home, being away from your family, and you know we had there was all those guys that you mentioned where we all lived in the same dorm in the same place. You know. The stories are like where do I start? Where do
I start? But I actually watched the documentary not long ago, and there was a moment in that documentary where one of the kids got caught smoking a joint and they kicked him off the team and he went home and he got killed and urban Meyer touched on it and he was like, you know what, I have to live with that as the leader of this shit. I have to live with that knowing that I kicked off a kid and this happened. So he was like, never again,
will that happen to any of my kids. I will never kick one of my if I recruit them, they're staying with me. And I think that it gave them a bond that you know, it allowed them to go all the way and win a championship. It's deep, you know we were able to obviously, you know my roommate was Al Horford and Corey Brewer and Toryren Green, Lee Humphrey, see Rich Walter Hodge, like these guys are still some
of my closest friends today. And it was so we win the championship after sophomore year, and this is my first time where people were like, yo, you could be a top pick. You know, it's time for you to go. It's time for you to go to the NBA. And I love those guys so much and I love what we had so much that we ended up going back to school another.
Year because you al who else could have left all through you guys.
And we ended up staying another year because you know, you can't. Chemistry is just something you can't. You can't deny. You can't deny when when you're open, you're getting the ball. You know, your guys tendencies just you just love hooping with the guys so much and the brotherhood just becomes it's like second nature, you know. And I'm really proud of that that, you know it was. It was not about the money, and we showed it. You know a lot of people say, oh, it's not about the money, no,
but you know what, let's run it back. There was no nil shit. We were paying money, We were paying the Lloyd's of London the insurance to stay. You know, that's what those years meant to us. You know, you can there was real sacrifice in it, and I think you know you can't. Those years were as special as they come.
Obviously, you know, back to back champs and in the bonds. But you know, we went to school right over the hill in Westwood at U c. L A. And although I had a ton of fun playing basketball, I probably had more fun not playing basketball. What were those Knights like? Any stories you could share? I don't want to get nobody in trouble. I mean we mentioned some heavy names. You ever see t b out there smoking the joint? What's happening? Like, would you see out there that you can speak on?
It was wild? T Bow was not wild at all. No, he was. It's what made him him though. You know he was probably like on Fridays, he was probably reading his Bible and he was serious. He was We had a class together. He was always doing the extra credit. You know. I was like, yo, like you're a square bro, like extra credit. But you know, but like talk about
like his competitive spirit. You couldn't You couldn't deny that, you know, especially Okay, you're going to school in the South, you know, that was a real that was crazy to me. It's like, you know, you're going down University Avenue and that's like the main main road on campus and you got the black kids on one side and you got the white kids on one side party and it's just like nobody mixed. And that to me that it was just like we were able because of the sports thing
to crossover. It bridged a little bit more, you know, And that's the power of sports and what we do on the platform that we have is like you win, it becomes so much bigger than rich, poor, black, white, all that stuff. You know, you're able to do something that's bigger than bigger than you, bigger than you.
Before we started, you told us about uh, you got arrested out there though, because you had a little dube.
In your pocket. That's right.
This is after your first year in Chicago.
So it's my brook after my rookie year. You know, I'm feeling myself. I'm I'm feeling myself. I'm like, I'm going back to school, you know, I have it back to school, and I'm in the club, having a good time. I'm smoking in the club, and I got a little doobie left in my pocket, and I guess somebody saw because as soon as I got out there, as soon
as I got out the club, I got arrested. I mean that was a pretty tough moment because you know, you you turn on the TV, then you see your name on the ticker arrested for we you know, we actually just it was the day before we found out we got the number one pick. So it was like there was such a high around the bulls we had the number one pick, and then it's like, I fuck it up with getting arrested with a fucking half a joint in my pocket, and it was it was, it
was tough. And then I realized. I was like, yo, the cops were just like they were rough in me. They were tough too, And I was like, whoa what? Like I just went back to back championships and you guys are arresting me over half a joint? Like, what the fuck is going on? And I found out later that after our second championship somebody who was drinking, driving drunk and a cop got killed. Oh really, so they
were the cops were high alert, high alert. They were pissed, and they made they made an example out of me, you know what. And I got in the program, and you know, that was my introduction to the program. You know, shout out Dirk, Cliff, out Cliff. You know.
It was like explained to explain people to the if you don't know what the NBA a drug program is, I don't even like to call a drug weed program. What is it? What you gotta do?
Well, you just get pissed tested all the time, and you got a guy just looking at your dick and like making sure that the watchers it's the worst. It's the worst. It doesn't get worse than that, like honestly, like that's one thing.
I don't wish that on any man, to be a drug test got person. The way they stare at you like it's almost like they enjoyed it. It was weird. It was weird energy brom trying to say it was so weird. And I did that bitch a lot.
Bro.
I was in there two times with it fail and I admitted I told on myself two times, like I got my and got my ship because we have to carry the drink around. Oh so you snitch on yourself, yeah, twice, but they got me out, so you know, you only get three strikes. Already had two, so I'm just like, fuck, but I made They were the homies, Cliff and Dirk Fellas.
I'm coming home, I'm coming home.
You know, you got to have the drink. So we got we go to gen C and ask like, hey, what, you know what, what's the best way to flush weed? I was just up front with them, and you know me at the time of playing for the Lakers and some of the biggest teams are like, what the fuck, but what's the best what's that I'm about to get drug tested by the league. What's the best drink? And it was never on the shelves. There was always something
let me always underneath the cabinet by the register. And I used to buy them ships by like the Costco boat. But it was like a real job smoking because we had to, you know, I had to sometimes I have to do cardio after the game or steam room and eat clean and just always sweat that ship out you and then always have your drink.
That's that's you know. Those that just brought me back. I'm getting like, I'm just like I'm sweating and stuff. It was just it was it was fucking stressful.
Imagine just being able to smoke freely now.
Shout out to the guys.
Man, shout out to the guys.
They living there, They let you, guys are living a good life.
I heard there was a room or somewhere and not to cut you off. In Brooklyn, there was there was like a smoking bus. I don't know if anyone can confirm that in the in the comments if you ever see this, but I heard, and I'm just like, I can't imagine there was a smoking bus.
Shout out to the guys smoking good. Just know it was tough that that high hit different when you know that drug test come at any moment, man, So shout out to you guys. You guys are living a good life. It was a lot more stress stressful ten years ago.
Yeah, hell yeah. Ricky in Chicago, who are your vets? Ninth pick by the Chicago Bulls?
My my vets. I had Ben Wallace, OG, I had O G. Ben Wallace who used to wear a headband on his arm.
That's how big his arms were.
But that had been on his arm that we had. Shout out. Then later on shout out to shout out to Brad Miller.
That's we had it for all Star.
I know, I know you guys are cool, and I want to give give Duck his flowers because you know, I wasn't a post up player. I didn't you know, I was an energy guy. But Duck, you know, Duck was the type of guy who would come out the game and put a dip in his mouth. You know, like there's levels to this. This ship a dip in your mouth during the game and still get buckets.
Hey, Brad had gang too. I don't think people give him enough credit. Brad had gang.
A lot of games. Yeah, and you know it was for me. It was just I'll never forget it was after practice. I had a shitty practice. I didn't really have a real role. I wasn't getting minutes like that. He got his big dip in his mouth. I don't understand half the shit he's saying. He's at the top of the KINI He's like, Joe King, listen, you're never going to be a post player. Doug, what are you doing down there? He's like, just come up here, get the ball at the elbow, dribble hand off if they
if they overplay, throw the back door pass. He's like, it's going to open up your game. Just trust me. That changed my life.
That became that became your game.
It changed. It changed my life. You know, people like, okay, you're retiring now. People forget that. People have that, They forget yo. I had seasons where I had five dimes a game, like, you know, I don't want to toot my own horn. That's a lot of.
Fucking dimes, especially for a center.
Thank you. And that all came from just a OG. You know, it didn't come from a coach. It came from a OG being there and taking the time with a young player and and really giving me, teaching me game. So I want to give my og Brad Miller Flower v Rad.
Yeah, we had him in an All Star in Indiana. It's my god, we smoked a lot of week I'm sure you smoked a lot of weed together. Year two, first playoffs since nine. You played the defending champs, the Boston Celtics, Crazy game seven series, most overtime, most overtimes ever in the playoff series, rookie d Rose against Rondo Gordon KG was injured, but he was still talking shit from the side. Yeah, what was that talk to me about that? That series and that energy around it.
Honestly, that series changed my whole career. You know, you think that what you think you're doing something with the regular season and it's a long season. Guys are talking about money, and guys are talking about what's next. When the playoffs hit, there's none of that ship like, it's back to competition. That's ros's form to be able to be in that position of being able to play against the defending champs who had a crazy Game one. I played well Game one. It just it's it's set the tone.
What Ben Gordon did that series. Shout out Ben Gordon like, oh the ray Allen, Ben Gordon going at it. It was me and me and Kendrick Perkins talking mad, mad shit. You know, that series set the tone. I was like, I was like okay. After that, I was like, I'm in weight room every day in the summer. You know, I'm not playing around anymore. I want this feeling. I
want to win a championship. And you know this. That's why when I see the young guys when they make the playoffs, I know that's a good thing because they're going into it takes. They're going into that that off season.
Like oh yeah, a different point of view.
It's a different perspective. Yeah. So yeah, that that series was That series changed changed the whole career.
That's dope. When you look back on those Bulls teams, you guys were at the top of the East a lot of times, but there was that dude over there in Cleveland and then Miami.
Yeah, that guy.
You said some funny shit, then you say some shit like who wants to No one's ever talked about going on vacation in Cleveland. Do you regret anything that you said about Cleveland?
You like it.
You think Cleveland's cool.
I mean I never heard anybody say I'm going to Cleveland on vacation.
Hm, what's so good about Cleveland?
I was pissed.
Well, oh shit talked to us about some of those battles.
The toughest thing about that one was that was after I think game one game Yeah, that was after game one. So you say that about Cleveland, you still got to play in Cleveland the next day, so you can't imagine how real. And you got Shock in there, you gotta I was, you know, I'm going ahead to head with Shack. Thank god it was older Shack. When you when you're playing for a championship, you got you gotta go through
the best. And Lebron James was the best. And sometimes during you know, you could see how my heart was in it a two thousand percent, like there was no faking, and Lebron was so talented and so good. Sometimes I felt like it was you know, he would get he would start dance, and it was just like it, it's me off, you know what I'm saying, Like I'm trying to win. It never happened. I'm still processing, you know, you know, like yeah, we're competitors. Man, at the end
of the day, this is the business of competition. And you know, people still talk to me about the Cleveland thing and they think it's funny. But I think there was a lot of hurt. But it was real hurt, Like you know what, like, yeah, you beat us, you know, so it's like fuck you and your whole city. You know, Like that's basically what it was. And it look, I'm saying that in the most respectful way. Like I'm saying in the most respectful way. You got to give the
guys flowers. The guys all time great, greatest I've ever played against. I'm always going to shout out Michael Jordan, but you know, you get to play with your son this year. You know, I get got to give Brin his flowers. Absolutely respect to him. That's what's up.
I heard you got a good story about Stack talking crazy to the rest.
Oh man, you're gonna like this one. It was I think it was my second year in the league, and it was early and you know, we're at the free throw line. The game was done. Bulls win free throws the end of the game, and Catfish Tony Brothers. But I called him Catfish because he looked like a cat fish. Simple he started talking it with like a pit bull.
We'll go ahead.
Anyway, his whole career we called him catfish, so shout out to Catfish. But he started him and Stack start like talking ship. But you know, Tony liked to talk. He used to like to talk shit. But he'll still give you a tech type type of guy. But Stack was just I guess he got Stack on a bad day and normal one and Stack went in talking about how much more money he had that it was just like he violated him so crazy. I was like, oh my god, I never saw a ref get violated the
way that Stack did Catfish. So if Stack, I just want you to know, at that moment right there, it was shocking. This is twenty years ago. I'm still shocked about what you did. You didn't have to do like that.
Oh shit, he said the way he did Catfish. Oh shit, current NBA Nicks, you got your old coach TIBs over there. They just made the trade for Julius Randall and Karl Anthony town. Steven Chando was in that trade as well. Thoughts on the Knicks and and and TIBs and with what should what should we expect for them this year.
I mean, I think they're up there. You know, obviously when the Knicks are good, it's a whole other thing. You know. It's like, probably my biggest regret is just not being able to get a chance in the Garden in the you know, nothing better. So but I'm from New York, so I see the energy around and how excited people are about their team. You know, it's tough to see Julius Randa leaf because he was a real dog out there. I just love what the energy that he brought, the way he played.
And he was one of kind of the first All Star to come to New York in a minute, you know what I mean. Sure, So yeah, definitely shout out to Julius.
Shout out to Julius, and then just just Jalen Brunson. Though. It's like the stability, the stability that he brought to not just the organization but to the whole city. It was like calm everybody, calmed down. It I got this. We're going to play at my pace like nobody's gonna rush me. And I think, you know, you go to the Garden now and it's just like, you know, they're playing at his pace and Tricky Ricky has shout out to his pops, you know who was you know, one
of the assistant coaches with Tims with the Bulls. He was my guy. And just to see him and just see the pride that he gets to watch his son play on the biggest stage. I mean, he's walking around there. He's walking around there like his shit don't stink.
Hard to tell me. It's hard to tell him right now, I already know already shout out to the Brunson's nothing but love for them, and you know they got a real shot to win the chip this year. Your tenure with the Knicks didn't go as great as you planned. And I heard when you went back for the first time a few years ago, you're a little nervous. But how was what happened on your way out of New York And how was it going back for the first time.
Well, you know, last time I got to be a part of the organization. The last time I was with the Knicks, I got in a fight with the coach with horna scheck, you know, argument or hands, argument close, got close, Yeah, I mean it got really close.
And Doc Rivers almost had one of those you know, it's.
Not a good feeling to be in that position because you know, you just don't know if you're ever going to get to play. You know, you had the height of your you know. I mean, look, I wasn't but could still throw it all away. But you see, like this could be over. You know, I had to come back from you could you fight a coach like you might not come back. It's just the reality of the thing. And it was a really tough moment. And you know, I didn't get to play, and I didn't know how
it was. You know, I could if I could just like even go to the garden and just enjoy a game, you know, I don't want to take away from from the guys or and it was just it was a real blessing to be able to go there. You know, I've been going there since I was a kid, right, so I grew up in Knicks fan and they showed love. Though they showed love. It was nice, man, It was nice to be back in there. Yeah, shout out to the Knicks.
How when you were there in your tenure, you know, obviously I think the front office has kind of cleaned up and they're definitely on the right track. Now, how dysfunctional you were coming from a solid situation in Chicago. How dysfunctional was the front office at the time, and just kind of the moves and the coaching situations. How was that while you were there?
You know, I wouldn't even blame it on the coaches. I think it was just everybody. I actually loved the guys. We had a great team of like great group of guys. We just we just weren't good, you know, so plain and simple. Uh, it was that it was injuries. Uh, it was. I wouldn't even only put it on the front I wouldn't put it on the front office. It was just you know, when you're playing, when you play New York and things are good, New York is the microscope.
When it's good, it's great. But when you're on that microscope and you sucked, it's nasty out there. So I got to live that. It's unfortunate, but that's what happened.
That's part of life. You said you wanted to be a little bit of Lottie in a little bit of the Kimbe. That's kind of from a defensive standpoint, great Lotti from ahead of the curve where the game kind of is now where bigger players are making plays with the ball. As we mentioned earlier, you had a couple
of season where you're at five assists. What was it like kind of being one of those guys that you know, we're in the in the in the transition of big is being able to pass the ball and make plays instead of just being on the block.
Well, it's also having a coach that believes in you. You know, as crazy as as Tibbs was, you have to understand, like the year that he came to Chicago's was his first year as a head coach, so it was his first time really.
Getting coming off the bench from Boston.
Coming off the championship run in Boston, and he was the defensive guy, so now he had he had the keys. It was my contract year. So TIB's whole thing was, you know, if you want this contract, you know you got it. You're not going anywhere this summer. You're working out with me. So if you know there's not a lot of head coaches that work out there, guys, Tibbs was that guy. He was working you out, he was making sure you're doing runs. Was it too much? Absolutely?
Was he wildent? Yes? He was. But you know what one thing about Tibbs is it was going to be organized and you were going to come prepare it. And you know what, when the game, when shit gets real, that's all you want from your coach. And you look, when who got hurt is when I really had an opportunity to have the ball in my hands and be able to make plays. And Tibbs gave me that opportunity.
Twenty fourteen Defensive Player of the Year, Your man Matumbo actually presents you with the award? What is that mean to you?
It was? It was bittersweet because I lost my mentor, I lost my childhood coach a couple of days before. So I was just I was mourning. I didn't you know, it was tough to be able to block that one up that was like a father figure to me. And the Kembe came in. I had no idea that he was going to present me with the award, and it just it just gave me a little bit of peace
of mind in that in that tough moment. And like I said, man, the Kembe had the biggest heart, you know, and he touched on He touched on a lot of people, a lot of people around the world are giving him his flowers and condolences to his family, but we really lost a giant among giants. And for him to be the person who gave me my award, you know, at the height of my thing, Like, you know, I couldn't be more proud to have him be that guy special moment to share with them special moments.
Foundation in Chicago curbing gun violence. Talk to us a little bit about that and what that is.
So, you know, I just having played in Chicago for ten years, those were the best moments of my career, and you know, I always wanted to do something in the community and give back. I think that I was
raised that way. You know, my father was that way, and you know I started a foundation with my mother where we started a basketball league called One City shout out to Kobe Williams, who you know works for Cure of Violence, and brought in all these guys from around the city, different groups, and we have twenty eight violence prevention groups playing basketball against each other on Saturdays, sages sixteen to twenty five. Okay, so we have the guys
we were able. After my career, I went to go see the governor and you know, I told him like, look, I've been I've been investing a lot of my own money, you know, through my sponsors and all this in your city. You know, can you can you help me build this league? So he gave me some money, and you know we're able to pay our participants. We use the basketball and the money as the hook to bring him in the gym.
And you know, these are guys who might be going going at it in the streets, but now you've got to see each other every Saturday. We got the worst workshops going. We got uh job education, certain jobs. So it's like it's moving step by step and I'm really proud of the league that we're building. We got four hundred participants and you know, we just want to keep growing.
So he said something about t A getting involved.
Shout out to TA. He's our commissioner, commissioner one city. Don't get it twisted. We got Tony Allen. And when Tony talks to the kids, man, it just hits difference because he's he grew up in that. So to have Tony involved and it just shows a lot about who he is too. You know, it's not this is not Joe Keem's thing. This is this is our thing. He's the commissioner. We make decisions together. We want to get one in Memphis asap. And you know, I couldn't be
more proud. You know, obviously, like we met through, you know, we built, we build our relationship through because we were going at it in that Boston series and to be able to like work together now so dope, you know. So shout out to Tony Allen, the commissioner of One City.
To Yay, to yay. I'm gonna tell you some power forwards. Give me a couple of words on each of them.
Dirk Nowitzky too easy. It's too easy. It's too easy for him. You know. I saw him last year. I have a funny. He was like he couldn't he could barely wh he couldn't walk. He's like, man, I'm like, what's wrong?
Bro?
He goes, man, I should have never played that last That last year fucked me up. And he was like it was twenty and I was like, damn. He's like, how many years did you play? I was like, yeah, I played thirteen, but it was really twelve. And he's like the way you played basketball and the way I played basketball, it's different sport. Yeah, different sport.
He was special.
Kevin Garnett KG dog Dog talked a lot of shit, but I think that just the intensity of the game was always better when he was when he was on the court.
Tim Duncan.
The big, fun fundamentals, quiet but competitive as hell too. You could just tell he's just somebody who just he wasn't drinking after the game, he wasn't partying, he wasn't you know, smoking mad doobies. That you could just tell he was just he was somebody. It was probably easy for him to go to sleep at eleven after the game. You know.
That's what I think was one of those special ones.
He was one of those.
Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis just just all around talent. I mean he really has the full, full, full game. You know, handles shot, you know he can he can win just with his defense, but he can also get buckets. I mean, he can really do it all.
Give me five guys. You think you've seen that had an unorthodox jumper.
New Bull had a weird jumper. The Ken Bay wasn't. It wasn't the prettiest. Give me some Sewn Marion, Sean Marion. Shout out to Sean Marion, but I mean he got it done though.
You know Reggie Miller wasn't pretty.
Oh Reggie's pretty enough, Like we're not gonna, we can't, we can't put him in like the ugliest jumpers not come on.
Michael kid Gil Chris.
It was crazy. That was crazy. That was crazy, Ken Karen Martin and he was nice, was wet and three. We're not saying yeah, but you know what, there was something about like having an ugly jumper that was so demoralized if it goes when it goes in and you look at the bench on the other team and they're like, oh, like fuck.
You shoot him down. Ship that's best food spot in New York.
I'm a big Chinese food guy.
Okay, give us a spot. We West, we West, we West, uh Downtown.
Downtown we West? Come on, you can't we West top? What big general child chicken guy.
One album you could listen to front to back with no skips.
Illmatic, Illmatic, and then give Bob his flowers to survive. We Catch a Fire, all the Bob albums you don't even have to skip.
You plus five for a good dinner in a smoke session, dead or alive.
Five people We're gonna start with Bob. You know the gong, thinking of the gong, you know, for sure give give Bob Marley. Uh, he's number one, for sure, number two. I would put Pack in there. I'd love to hear his stories. I'm sure he would have a lot to say with all his bullshit that's going on right now.
Talk to him.
This African revolutionary, he was the president of Brekin Fesso told my son Cara, putting him up, yeah, I would put him two more. I would put Madiba Nelson Mandela up there. I would love to hear what he has to.
Say, especially with a little tree in him.
That would be crazy. And then King Selassie not familiar, king of kings, you know, write that name down, King King Selassie I ethiop the king of king. When Marcus Garvey said that somebody will come in from the east, the king will rise from the east. This is what the all the rosters know, you know. And then Marcus Garvey did the prophecy, he said the prophecy, and then we got Selassie. He's the only Ethiopia is the only country that never got that never got conquered. Ethiopia. He's
the king of the King of Kings, King Selassie. Yeah, that's my five.
That's dope. Have you ever pop smoke? If you're a smoke with j Pops.
He's not a smoker. Unfortunately. He's a big dream. He's a drink guy. He's a drink guy. But yeah, I mean, you know he he all he fought for it. So Pops was like fighting for the guys who was getting in trouble, especially in France. It just wasn't his thing. I'm like, Dad, you don't even smoke, Like, why are you always talking about weed on TV and stuff? But he always he was for the people. He was for us. So shout out to Pops man.
Last question. One guess on all the smoke, but you got to help us get on. And there's only been outside of you. There's been one other person I've been chasing and he's your homie. And I'm not asking even big just put it in here, just like man, I fuck. I went through his career, he got a bunch of weight, we smoked and then he got me off the seattle.
He's a cool dude. You should go fuck with him that you don't even have to say who it is. I'm gonna do my best. Comes to la a lot, but he's definitely yeah, you know he's I will say this being around him was one of the biggest blessings of my career. As great as he was as a Hooper, he's an even better Humanston And you know, big shout
out to Pool. You deserve all your flowers, and you know, the next step in your career, the next step in your life is going to be even bigger because there's so much more than just a Hooper.
Hell of a run, bro. Yeah, man, that's a wrap. Man. I appreciate your time. It was really a pleasure, Bro, to get a chance to get to know you on a deeper level. Man here, but like we said, we got our official coffee table books. I want to give you this.
Oh man, that's what's up man.
We also got some merk from my guy Ray.
We got you.
Okay, so this is some of New York. So I'm gonna show off your merk. So it's just some of this is some hats you give away or rock and then we're going to New York next week. Okay, the official New York hat. New York wants all the smoke. Yeah, got you all the hell yeah with it.
This is the best one right here, this ship right here, Look at this man.
We got your Chicago tour shirt. He's in you all the O. You think he's in New York. I don't means this. Come on, man, come on man, what we got oh ship? New York wants all the smoke?
Yeah?
Yeah, so we got you laced with some gear, a couple of different colors and sizes. Oh more, bro, here you go you guys lights bro.
Oh man, come shining. Bro. We can't we can't leave you over. This is like the book is amazing, but the lighters, bro, like come on, like yo, tell yeahre appreciate your respect, bro.
Thank you man. That's the rack New York seven board because you and l D member kill Larry.
John Drin.
Let's go ask where we should go and y'all flooded it. Man, So we appreciate the love.
It's like that, y'all coming out and showing us love.
We appreciate y'all were calling on all our fans for this one. Jack, This is special man. Over five years of working two hundred episodes.
Releasing October eighth, is the All the Smoke Coffee table book been working hard on it. We're super excited. We used guys to see it. But October eighth, we're releasing our.
First All the Smoke Coffee table Book.
Three hundred pages, have never before seen pictures, untold stories, and highlights of our five year journey with All the Smoke.
But before it releases, you can get yours on pre sale now.
Just go to our ig bio, our searching Amazon All the Smoke Book, and we might have some surprises in the book for you, so.
You don't have to wait till October eighth to get yours pre order. Years now, so we can run up on that best sellers list. Man, we need you guys to help. Man, we ain't asked too many favors, were asking it for a favor now, Man, Perfect Holiday Book, Birthday Book, Coffee table Book, Dennis Book, Jim Book. Put that book anywhere. Man, it's versus Till All the Smoke Coffee Table Book. So go get your book now. It's available on Amazon or in the link in our bio