Kevin Durant | EP 14 | Perkins Twitter Beef, Warriors Run, Kyrie & Nets

man early year. Let's jump right into it. Man. Something that I've always kind of been on your side with because I'm one of these similar type people where social media, I think people think because you can access anybody, you could say anything you want to people, and you're someone that, like I don't give a funk my status. I am him. But if you disrespect me, I'm gonna come at you. Tell me your thought process about that platform. I mean it's really simple. It's not like I mean, I like Twitter.

I mean, if I see something on there that I want to respond to, I'm just gonna do it. It's not like a predetermined thing. I just kind of see scroll on it. I liked. I like the platform, and any chance I get to give somebody a piece of my brain, I want to do it. When you hear people say like, well he's Kevin Durant, Why is he this? Why is he that? Like? What is your what's your response to that? I don't even know what that means.

Like you, yeah, like they hold you to a high standard, but they respect all your opinions to be the same way that they would think exactly. It's a problem if if it's if they disagree with exactly. So, you know, everybody, when you get to this level where you're that good at something, so everybody feel like that that they can tell you what's best for you. You know what I mean.

It's like even from the team that I want to go to, to what I said from Twitter, It's just like everybody gotta everybody feel like they know it's best. I appreciate you, you know, but I got this. I'm pretty good at being me. Yeah, I'm cool and I'm pretty good. I'm talking to my fun outa here. You know, sometimes you like fun? Can't you do it? What is the last time I score the bucket? Church League? Team? Fun? Did you like you got cut from the Boys and

Girls Club? Like, stop talking because it's just like, well he should turn the other shoulder. He's bigger, Like no one knows how it feels specially on your love would have everyone attack a move you made. You took your happiness in your own hand. Okay, see, I love you, I appreciate everything happened. I'm gonna go funk with these warriors and instantly you become the villain, you know what I means. So to be able to have the strong enough shoulders, to be able to take all the criticism,

and constantly it's still going on. I see if the slander is ridiculous, you know what I mean? So I mean people and me just being me and responding to stuff and interacting with people. I think the reason why all this ship is still going on. I think that a lot of the media feel like they bullying me.

They want to bully me, and they feel like they found a little crack or creasing in my armor and they want to use that against me somehow, So they continue and just regurgitate the same old story is the same old storylines, and you know, recreate beefs with players that former teammates, and it's just they blew everything out of port, just like I see what you're doing. And and that's the reason why I don't like the media in the first place. Uh, And it's it's just if

the shoe fits. I'm not just grouping everybody in the same thing. But it's just like it's a reason why I don't funk with y'all. But I know what you're trying to do. You know what I'm saying, You're not slick, and you know when I call it out, I guess something that sensitive guy. So now it's funny to say that because we're both on the other side now, so we see it. So I I take I think as

a player, we have a major responsibility. And I call players on it too, because when Parks said that ship, I'm just like, bro like, as former players, you know what this ship is like. So don't let these motherfucker's hype you up and just saying some ship. I mean so, And we actually got into it a little bit of back and forth because I said I said it on Twitter.

He hit me back on this ship and I knew everyone wanted us to argue, so I d m him, like, Bryan, got your number, but let's talk about this, you know what I mean. So, but what I was saying was, it's just like you can give Russ all the props you want, but you ain't got a ship on him in the process, Like I think today, like to show love to one, you have to shoot on somebody else. Exactly what I mean. Russell going back to Oklahoma City

was a great thing. But you knew that You're saying, like I'm going to announce why Russell was the greatest thunder player ever. You knew that was a divisive statement. You knew that people would, Yeah, you knew people would kind of like, oh, that's the shot at KD Like you know that. So my whole thing is like you don't,

like you said, you don't have to do that. You don't have to in order for you to praise russellho gotta ship on me because that's what the fans and that's what that's what they wanted meeting in Oklahoma City. That's what they kind of like made their money off of the last four years. It's shipping on me. So like Perk, you just planning into that at because you want a job and you want something notoriety in your profession. But we were friends before this. We actually we actually

played basketball games before. It's like, I know your family, so why are you trying to use that tactic against one? Of your so called brothers. So that was my whole thing. And then he called me out on Twitter to another fan about us losing in the second round. I'm just like, you're on the same team with me, and like you started and you didn't play well, So like I wouldn't say, well, Perk loss in the second round of myth is not we all did, But don't call out a teammate like

we once a teammates, you always a teammates. So like, nah, I ain't no need na because I know what his whole thing is. I know what it's wrapped around. I know it's bigger and deeper than just what he's saying on Twitter or him you know, trying to prove a point he got, you know, he want to do something

in his life and not get that. But I'm just trying to let people know that I don't really deal with Perk like that, and like when I when I get asked by my stances like that's how I kind of met you through Perk, and I'm like that should have been handled a different way, Like even even if you disagree to how you felt, he could have called you and y'all gott have had a different kind of way.

That's when people ask about it, say, both of my little brothers, I really don't want to get a ball because they was brothers at one point there was potless at one point deeper than yeah, you know what I mean. So like he and I had a chance to talk and we talked out I and gave the mutual respect. But like to me as players that they are able to cross over and they're letting us in this space right now, Like I think what makes us amazing is

our and our authenticity. And none of these other motherfucker's have ever been in the locker room and know what it's like. They these motherfucker's up exactly, So we have a certain responsibility to always g coded. Behind the scenes is different, you know what I mean. I've heard bad experience, I've seen some experiences. I know what my experiences and it just kind of is what is. And the way I look at these is just like if they want to use me up for my game, I'm gonna use

that platform. Like and capitalized. They always got the end the control. That's why it's good to have your own media outlet. What you control your own there. You want to tell your motherfucking story. Come to all the small yeah, come yeah, Jack is like this. Damn yeah, we're out here. Let's get back on track, man, Let's let's talk about where you are right now in your recovery process. Yeah. Man, I'm getting there. Man. It's been I don't even know

how many months has been, but I'm progressing. I'm getting on the court. I'm starting some basketball stuff. Tired of watch you hooping with nuts on them doing the games on the court, doing nothing. But I'm working, man, every single day, I'm working, and you know, I'm getting closer and closer to being um, you know, back to myself as much as I can. You know, it's a tough ass injury. Man. It's frustrating every day just doing a small ship. You know. I'm I just like to you know,

no hose bar, just go hoop. But you gotta prepare, warm up, to warm up, to get ready for the next thing. It's just like for me, somebody who doesn't understand patience when it comes to this ship. It's tough. How's it? How's it? Like? I know you and I know how much you love the game, just you know,

sitting there and being away from the game dog. I know that's driving even crazy more than any It's stressful, man, it is, it is, you know, because I was on a good pace, you know what I was playing with twelve straight years of doing what I was doing. It was like, you know, I felt like, I feel like I hit Hall of Fame status early in my career and I just want to keep addinging to it and then just get a clean break like that. It's definitely

stopped momentum. But you know, as always, you just you just you know, switch your focus a little bit and and redirect your yourself and see what it goes from there. But I learned so much in that in that time, and I can kind of apply to this new phase. So yes, that's what I want to ask you. What have you learned like sitting there and watching your team and where you can plug in and be your best. I just just just playing in so many different positions

with the world. Yeah, I feel like it's like seven the court I played. I played so many different roles with the Warriors, and you know, I feel like, you know, with the Thunder, I was just learning who I was as a player, learning how to figure, I learned how to score the NBA, learning how to just make basic reason the NBA, and then I got to the War.

It's just like being innovative at real fast. You know how we play, you know, backdoor cut when presented so fast, you gotta make sure it's there or like we're never playing some of that ship. So just learn on the fly like that and just mixing those two combining those two experiences together and bring them to the nets. You know.

I'm just looking forward to just stepping like you said, just stepping out on the court and seeing how my presence affects my teammates, you know what I mean, and then seeing how they can put me in position to be successful moving forward. Now. And I had a tough injury, your presence as a presence, Yeah, I'm telling I'm anxious to see that dynamic DJ and Kyrie. We're gonna get

chake me back to the finals. Yeah last year. And I say sometimes as athletes, we need to be protected from ourselves because at the end of the day, we got that safe, you know what I mean. So you're on the brink of your third straight title, UM Finals MVP the prior two years. Tell me where your mindset was to come back and try to help your team get over that hup. I mean, as I started getting healthy, you I started, you know, having these pictures in my mind.

I wouldn't be like to come back from down three one. I know for a fact I was gonna get Finals m VP. But seeing you know Steph get that moment. I was looking forward to that or Clay, whoever it was at that time I was looking for. I was just picturing so much in my mind at that point

of just great things happening. If I stepped back on the court and you know, started to turn that way first year started, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know, I could tell I can tell you know, when I went back to the bench to confidence, my teammates had the whole organization, Like I could look down and see, you know, our fans and and E forty everybody just had a sense of like man were back. And I knew if the fans back in the bay was just so excited that I was playing again, And you know,

it's just a life is crazy. You know, you can be on that high so fast and then a matter of seconds to go back down. I'm great for for it is funked up that I had to go through it, but I'm also grateful that I can experience it because down the line, I can be able to speak on how much it helped me as a player in the person. What was it like once you went down, knowing you're down, and then seeing Clay go down, and then the Raptors winning a championship, knowing that should have been your guys,

third and brow. Yeah, it was rough. It was rough because I feel like throughout the season we could have definitely we could have locked in a little bit earlier for the playoffs, and I feel and I feel like and I feel like when we getting down to that moment, it was just like, damn it, you know, having me and play out and not not winning the championship out the planning for so long, just like that's just that's just how the gods work. That's just how the games

work sometimes. And it's just like, throughout the regular season, I really wish that we'd have locked in a little bit more, you know what I mean. It had a little bit more game playing, a little bit more focused going into the season, so that like it didn't have

to end that way, you know what I'm saying. It is like we waited so long just in that moment instead of like each game was important, you know, even in the regular season, even in the first round, and like, we waited for so long just for the finals and it happened that way. It was it was like it made me think about the whole season and as as a whole. That's a gift in the curse, you know what I mean, Because for them it was a five year run. To know that, Bro, we're gonna be playing

until June every year. It's kind of a lot, you know, that's a lot of basketball. And I didn't realize that until, you know, until we started getting into the playoffs and we play Houston and it was just like, Ship, this is the third year of us making this run. It's tough, and so two more years before that. I know mentally, you know, training it's draining, and I got it, but

it was like, Ship, it's right in our hands. It's right there for us to get a three p It hasn't happened in a while, so you know, it's that It's that point where I was like, let's just lock in and do it. Take me back to Oklahoma City up three one, losing the series, Warriors coming back and beating you guys, and then is we're all the brunn of this. I feel like happened. People were mad at you were up to one bounced to your career and your own and your happiness and your only losers didn't

understand that. Ye what you're fucking supposed to because the business when they cut trade, wave whatever, it's the business. But when we do it, it's a problem. You take that to the West coast. Tell me what that transition period like where you were the motherfucking be loved. You were the next coming of who you mean, Like you said, you're your Hall of Fame status earlier you were on the way, so people like me and then Matternight changed it.

It was See the Warriors were so intriguing because I always okay, see we played with I played with a lot of athletes. I didn't play with a lot of skill guys, not like shooters, drip ball handlers. So after a while my game started to grow. I was like, I need to change. This is before the season even started, you know what I mean. It was like, I'm gonna play out my last season as hard as I can, and I'm not telling anybody I want to leave. I'm not packing in. I'm trying to win as much as

we can and trying to end this out right. That was my thinking going in before the year, and obviously I had a few teams, but the Warriors as a team I wanted to play for because you know, the movement they had to pass and they let the league and assist we Scott Bursts, my coach, That's all we talked about is wanted to lead the league and assists and so playing with you know that team, that's what I was thinking about. So when we got to the playoffs,

it's just like, you know, let's see what happens. We got a young team, we'd beat San Antonio and six, like, that's a that's a great win. That's a great win against the team I've been running through people all season, and you know, Russell had to make big shots. I had to make big shots. Andre Robinson came aloud, Dion Way to start to play well. So I'm like, all right, we get some momentum and this cantern was coming on. Then we get to the Warriors. It's just whole different series.

You know, they're gonna sell out to stop me. Me and they're gonna leave Andre anybody, but but I would leave and I'm just like in the house, and he was in the kitchen. He was, it was, he was. He was great for our team in that series because he can guard. But he he knew that he wasn't going to help us shooting threes, and everybody in the world knew that. So and it's easy for the for the teams to guard us when we got guys that not gonna from the three, you know what I'm saying.

So I was tired of playing in that system. I was tired of like having to be the only guy that can makee threes, make jump shots, and consistently make them. So my mind was already thinking about how can I develop my game more so than like the Warriors versus Thunder that robbery, Like even if that was a robber, I didn't give a funk. I just wanted to keep

developing my game. And on top of that, we only played him one time in the playoffs, so I didn't really feel like a genuine, deep hateful the Warriors, you know what I'm saying, Just like they're a new fresh team, they on a rise. I funk with him and I'm gonna play hard against him. I know some of their players. It is with a is it's like San Antonio those years when you was on the team. I didn't like yea, yeah, Memphis and we played them. I didn't like Memphis at all.

Like those are the teams we've seen every year in the playoffs, the Warriors, they were just like another team to me. So me going in and playing for him, it didn't matter if we'd have won or lost the series. I wanted to play there and live in the Bay. The Bay is it's like nothing else. I mean, the fans, the opportunity, the love they shot me. They still love you to death. Man, It's like a different culture. It's not like it don't even feel like you like in California.

The Bay is just like it's like I can't even explain it. It's just like being there I really felt. I really felt like I stamped myself as a as a legend in the Bay. I mean, like you look at I'm not comparing myself to these guys, but guys at one in the Bay like Jay Rice and Joe Montaga historic. Yeah, I went back to back in the Bay is like ship, Come on, man, forever. Yeah, that's forever.

I'm really proud of that. But tell me what it's like when you go there, Because we were there with one culture, and I got a chance to go back and see that culture, and it was insane, just the wanting to be there, that the energy starting at the top of new ownership. You didn't see the old ownership of the new ownership, and just the energy and how those guys all funed with you, funk with each other, and then if the chemistry carried on and off the court,

tell me it's like being involved in that. When I first came to the league, the Warriors were like a lading stock almost, you know what I'm saying, until y'all came around and may and beat the mass. You know what I'm saying. It was just like that team. That team was like, all right, that's what the that's what

Oakland is about, you know what I'm saying. Great, Yeah, that great, that grind with guys that on the basketball court that can play any position, that played like us before us really but you know, four or five small players, you know, switching everything. Shoot, he's just hooping, playing playing real back door, backyard basketball. But like once that team was done. It was like in between and it was just like Warriors, what is it? Yeah? What is it? Then?

What I'm saying, so that first year I got into the league, and then right after that four or five years after that, didn't have our identity and didn't see the new ownership and then the build around Stephan Clay just their personas and this their stories and how their dad's played in the league, and it just it just it just changed from like we got some inner city kids who toughest, hell who who who? Who? Persona fied what Oakland is about too, Like some guys are just

totally different, came up different. It was it's two totally different fields with the game of basketball. Felt like it was the same, you know what I'm saying, It was it's just how we came up. You know, how you came up, How you came up and the struggle and and and Brian didn't get to your position not being

drafted early. Like people felt that, you know, they felt like it was every guy on the team from Monte to was as a bookie on that team as a book There was so many guys like everybody was just like some castles. Yeah, you know, what I'm saying, like they just threw together and then you come with a more structured environment with Stephan Clay and Draymond, they got drafted and groomed. They were just like it was just like nine day off the court, but in their stories.

But once you you looked at the games, I feel like ship we played the same way y'all did, and we got it from you on Basically I just had some amazing motherfucker's. Yeah, y'all have something said. We played. We played the same way. The motherfuckers just made more. We just you know, so what you guys are going, you win. And like I said, understanding and being around

and and and knowing Draymond. When that ship happened in l A, I'm like, yeah, damn Like I understand him because he's where's his heart on the sleeve, always speaks from the coffin most of the time. It's right, you mean, but the ship, he said, was over the motherfucking line. It was so how did that happen? How to run me through that? I mean, it really came out of nowhere. I didn't. I mean, we the play happened. I was

going to grab a rebound. He came and grabbed him, thinking he's gonna just toss the two men run up court and I'm gonna shoot the shot. The whole world thinking that, not just you, everybody thinking come off the pill, my nigger. I thought you would come off the rock right there. Everybody in the world knew he supposed to come off the road. Everybody knew that, and we all figured that that would happen, and then when it didn't, I was kind of shocked. And then I was just like, oh, Drey,

like let me see that. You know what I'm saying, what are you doing? Like what you're doing? And then he turned it over like I'm just so confused at that point because he never ever did nothing like that before, and everybody on the bench was confused too. And then we came back. Then I just heard him screaming, and then I was like, hold up, and he usually screaming when he comes back to the bench, but what is

he saying? Then he started going off, and I'm just like, maybe it's because I was like fucking pissed that he didn't give me the rock, because I didn't say nothing. It was just in my body length. I was just clapping it, just like Clay had Clay was piste. Clay pissed, like, I don't want to us to rock. You know, you can't hit the house in the kitchen either. He us

the rock and letters shoot the bit so man. Then he started coming off the top with all of that stuff, and I'm just thinking, I'm like, Draymond was actually my friend, like somebody I can call and I'm going through anything like yo, bro come through, like bro, let's hang out tonight like and for him to say that type of ship to me, it's just stooped me for a loop.

And it just really I just started isolating myself after that because I didn't feel like, you know, they suspended Draymond and it's just like they had to so it won't look bad to everybody else. And then nobody talked to me about it or really like we never really came to an agreement that we didn't even we didn't even voice O. Nobody hasn't hold because it happened in front of the whole team, and nobody really talked about it.

We just swept under the rug. And to me, it's just like we're a family, were posted like even if he said that we can move past it. Let's all talk about it. Let's just say how we all felt about that moment, because that's a huge moment in this whole dynasty. Like you know what I mean, don't just sweeping under the rug because we want to win. That's the reason why we're not gonna win, you know what I mean. So I was like, let's just all talk about this. It's not that big of a deal, like

just put out on the table. We can move past it. And when that didn't happen, now just like fuck it, let me just hoop worry about myself, and we went on. We'll see that. I think that probably hurt y'all because if you A would have came out and he would have heard more people saying, Bro, you should have passed the ball, Bro, you should have passed the ball, I think he would have came outside of himself and realized, like, you know what made I overreacting? Yeah, he never got

a chance to say that. Yeah, I mean Draymond. We all know what Draymond is. And it's like, it's not it's fine that you can that you want to do that and you want to show your emotions and when when you sleep, that's fine, But when it's over the line sometime, let's just talk about it so next time you can tend to tone it down just a bit. And I feel like we didn't had an opportunity to do so because we were so focused on trying to

just move forward and win. And I get that too, But it's like if we're a family and we're gonna ash it out and then we're gonna move forward to yeah, we we didn't want two chips together bigger, like this is just some ship we can sit down and talk about. Certain words gonna come out to like we brothers and I got into it. I got the fist fights my brothers with certain words. You don't say, you know what

I'm saying. Certain words you they're saying. You know when that line is Well, I think he realized that too. I mean, like I said, I think us know what. We we all know. My think he realized he funked up in. But that's what kind of dude is. But that even makes the point more like, let's motherfucker's sit down have and really talk about this all of us. Me and him sat down and talked about it, and we kind of, you know, I gave him my piece on it. He told me how he felt on it.

But I'm like, it happened in front of the whole team. That's everybody, So everybody got to talk about because everybody fun with each other. It wasn't like he was forcing it. Everybody really fun with each other, you know what I mean. So let's sit down. And then again, everybody was thinking you were passing the bro and they just they just played everybody in the world. I thought you was coming over Rock and you was wrong. Just to met you

was wrong. That's and that's what and that's the whole thing. I think. I think that he had too much pride and the fact that he turned it over and that made him react that way. Yeah, but we know ship turnovers happening on the team. Nobody really cared if we want to lost that game in the first place. It was just like we, I mean, we're in that situation. Let's just go ahead, trying to finish it the right way,

you know. But at the end, they nobody really cared about that win on loss, you know what I'm saying. But this too great coaches, when you don't get a shot at the end of the game like that, they'd be pissed. Greg Papovich, he he'll sit your ads down the whole game if you funk up a play coming out of time, I don't get a shot up at the each Oh yeah, I mean ship that wou'd make anybody piss over game. I think the media kind of saw that as an entry way to kind of start

dividing the The motherfucker's are so good. What can we start doing? What can we start developing to to chink this armor? And I got it like I was only there with y'all for three months, but I always saw to me when I looked like, I was like, this is this some cold ship? Man? The media is cold. Man. You paid attention to these motherfucker's. They're telling you what they're doing right in front of your face, but you can't do nothing because they blamor that ship up and

put a ball on it. It was always to me k D and the Warriors. It was never the Warriors. Kevin Durans a part of that team, and I was looking at it was like, hold up, so d West came the same time I came, But he's a Warrior and I'm not. They no sense. JaVale McGee the same way like he's award like Ian Clark, he was there before me, but he laughed. He didn't win the second championship with us, but he's like and it made no

sense to me. And I'm like, the media is just trying so hard to separate this staying just like, yeah, for what, Like you didn't do that with Lebron and in the Wade and Bought. You didn't do that with those guys. Didn't do that with KG and Paul Pierson. You didn't trying to separate them. It's like, oh, why is it? Why are you trying to separate me from the rest of the team, And you actually are making this your job, your duty to do so is to

push this narrative every day. People call me while for calling it out, but I'm just like, no, I think it's corny. It is what it is. In fact, you speak on and make sure, like you said, the fact, you speak on the bullshit and you see it, you're bad. Yeah exactly. It was just like, I'm exactly this person. But I'm just supposed to Yeah, I'm one of the

greatest players ever to play. I'm just supposed to let it go what you want me to do because you're supposed to be messengers to the fans, and they're looking at y'all. Y'all can easily like brainwash people with you'll bullshit and it's not about you. You immediately got nobody here is about you. It's not about you. It's about you go out of it trying to put your whole style and flare on something that got nothing to do

with you. This game gonna be here before, this game was here before you is gonna be here way outter you. So nobody cares about you. They don't care about me that much. In forty years, fifty years, they're gonna lose that next thing, you know, like get out the win. That's why it's so important now because you think back in the day pre social media, whatever they put out is the truth, and we never had a platform, you know what I mean. So that's why I love it

when you're out here. I didn't like to use the burner fe I would have said, Kevin to grand motherfucker, I'm gonna cush you out. You talk some ship. I'm gonna talk some ship. I'm gonna speak my mind. I'm still gonna do the burner thing. I'm still still on it. Yeah, it's some ship that you just gotta But I'm saying, but I'm saying, bro, I'm saying, if I'm you, like you know, if you come from me, I'm coming back. So certain people, I'm gonna come back on my regular account.

But if I'm trying to do my thing, it's like I got the burners feel out there. I just stepped up that one time I slipped though, So talk to me about when you When did you know that your time and going the state was up? I mean I knew. I knew just about halfway pointing through the year. I mean I just I could feel that, I could feel like, you know, it's a separation between the two. It feel like everybody was just waiting on me to make a decision on free agency, even you know, from the coaches

to my teammates to the media. It's like everything throughout the KD like what you're gonna do. It's like January and I'm like, you know, I'm just trying to hoop. That's all I want to do is play basketball every day. I came in every single day and kept my head down. I didn't say much. I wasn't too excited about much. So my coaches and my teammates thought something was wrong with me, but I was just like, I'm really focused on the end goal, which was the win the third

championship a row. And my methods may not like be welcoming to other people, but it's just how I do things, you know what I'm saying, how I approached the game. And but for the most part, I really enjoyed my time there. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about the game of basketball, a lot about teamwork and camaraderie that I didn't know. I learned about coaching. I learned about we've been in a new arena. I

learned about the business side of the game. Like having dinners with Rick Wolkes was like fucking phenomenal to me. Like me and Bob were like this, We still like this to this day, The respect that I got for Steph and Clay, Like We're gonna be one day and be fucking playing golf with stuff at some point in my life talking about these three years that like that that run that we had in debate, Like I'm not the one that like how to grudge or be mad or just or not even talk about what we did.

It's gonna always be on the topic of conversation. Everything that I learned and go to the state is always gonna be at the top of my mind when I'm talking basketball. Don't matter if I play there or not. I just happened to want to play for another team. It just is what it is. We did you ever

consider anywhere else? Uh? Not really? I looked at other places, like the Clippers, and I mean I took a peek at the Knicks, you know, like just because you know, just to do my due diligence, but like, I really wanted to play for the Black and White. I like the brand. I like Brooklyn was a new, up and coming city that needed some new flare, uh you know, new basketball injection because being in Oklahoma City, I know

that was like having a new franchise around. So I'm like, uh, you know, I was excited about hopefully doing something like that again in Brooklyn, you know, with the new team playing with Kyrie Irvan who's from Jersey and got that

tied with the Jersey side of things. So I'm like, we could bring its Like it's like we gotta we had a solid thing going, you know what I'm saying, and you know, Sean Marx, who was a young GM up and coming young team that had some experience a little bit in the playoffs, it just kind of all worked out. And and having a couple of trainers and you know how that goes coaches that I worked with and okay, see worked with you know, throughout my time

in the league. They just all, you know, felt like they migrated to the nets and you know, yeah, it just it just felt like it was perfect. Talk about how it came about to become a Kyrie and then to have DJ join you, how did that? How was that orchestrating? However, conversations with Kyrie for the last two years, you know, not even about playing together, but just yeah, just brothers. And you know, we didn't plan on playing together.

We played each other and couple my second year with the Warriors, and we had a mutual friend and we had some wine together and we just bonded on just life in general and and basketball in general. And that's just form. And over time his situation he didn't like what his situation was at and me either, and go to State and then's just like, hey man, that's just to see how this will work. Let's try it out.

And DJ wanted to play with us to be you know, he wanted to know I just played be that center forward that can kind of hold it down and you know, play for something, really play for a team that's going somewhere and not just keep moving around and bouncing around the league. So we knew would be a vital piece for is going forward, not even just as a star, but you know, you know, so it just worked out.

Talk about your relationship with Kyrie, Like as far as what you think you guys will be on the court, I mean, you have people don't understand how important chemistry is. So, like you said, you're developing that real friendship already. So then when you go like Jack was my brother so on the court, I'm gonna run through a motherfucker off for So you just know what you have off the court, imagine what it's going to be like on the court. Yeah. Man,

that's the thing. I mean, we both want to challenge each other. You know, we don't agree on everything. You know, I'm not supposed to. Yeah, exactly. You know how brothers ares like when I see him out there, I feel like he could be doing more. I'm gonna let him know when he feels like now, I can't. You don't know what I what I see and feel out there. I understand that too. But my thing with Kyrie is

I'm just gonna let him be who he is. He's a pure artist of the game, and he's proving himself on the biggest stage and in my opinion, made the biggest shot of all time. So for somebody like that, I can't tell him what to do, you know, I'm just gonna kind of work with him and see how we can come together and make this thing work for the whole group. But he's somebody that can control and take over a game. Incredible that he's just about anybody

who's ever played. So a lot of people want to talk about who he is at his mentality, but if you just watch him on the basketball court, you can't deny it makes you feel what you're watching play now, knowing that you're growing as a player, growing in your mentality, your approach. When you hear him say that off the wall ship, even though what some of what he said is true to me, I think you take that to management.

But when you put it to the media and you let the media start cracking and doing what the media does. What were your thoughts on that being an older player seeing that now? But you know him, no, like you know him so you know exactly what. He from a good place, you know what I mean. You have to be in that type of ship. Exactly what he's saying. It's not malicious. But I hadn't been around to him.

I didn't. There was some bullshit ass motherfucker's on my team, you know what I'm saying, And sometimes they don't understand what the coach saying. So sometimes you gotta either be little him in the media or just attacked him personally, you know what I'm saying, if you want to win, or just be sorry that the I just think I just think Kyrie just I mean, I didn't care. I don't think anybody on our team did. I mean, yeah, I don't think. I don't think anybody cared like man

like because everybody see what who Kyrie is. That's a challenge to me. Yeah, like yeah, anything, yeah, if anything, I'm sure they looked at it that way. But we know Kyrie. So every day when he comes in like he doesn't he doesn't look too He's not a dick in the locker room, like he's just he's a solid as teammate. He's not doing too much, he's not He's

doing just enough as a teammate. So with him saying that, just like he cared about what this group is going, That's how I looked at it, and our teammates, you know, all everybody on the team, we just just kept it pushing because we know what the media is about. We know people just don't like Kyrie as a person. So whatever he said, it's gonna be blown up and it's gonna look like he's being a bad teammate because that's

his his rap. We get it. We know. It's not like it's not like you're saying something that that's new, like Kyrie is a shitty teammate. Of course you're gonna say that, But I don't we don't see that. I don't see that. Nobody's never heard one of his teammates say that. One never. It's just his methods and how he talks to the media is different than different the

rest of the guys in the league. And you can't, like I said that, media got such a huge platform that they can pretty much brainwash people to think and Kyrie is a horrible person because they don't like how he talks to them. Like I said, it ain't about y'all. What's the vibe in the relationship. Like with the young the Vert, then with the Harris all good young talent to do you guys got Yeah, I'm just think of

the group a little bird. We call him Vert. But man, we at this point, these guys understand what what is, what's coming right, what the expectations are for us as a group. We're having a championship mentality. You know, I'm not saying we're guaranteeing no chip, but we're gonna get there easy. But we know when we step on that court, are you know, uh, we gotta come with that DNA.

Every play has to be championship mentality. Every movement that we make, every scout report that we go over has to be looked at it as as if there's a championship mentality. It's a process, and we know how tough that is every single day. So I think everybody on our team is getting used to that. And at the same time, we're struggling sometimes and we have our ups and downs. But I think all these young dudes getting

some great experience. I don't want calling all these all all my teammates are getting a great experience, and and no one is liked to have two guys that can that. They're just waiting, you know, especially me, you know, coming and not playing like they know that. Once I get out on the court, things are going. Yeah. People are gonna be started putting that be in that right positions. We're gonna start to figure out what the team looks like.

So I think everybody just patient. I'm getting out of patience. But I'm being paid too. I can't wait to see you DJ and Carrie together, how that dynamic? I I just think, you know, I've always any time I see it, I think the plate of a certain play with a pick and roll with you and DJ and he rolling you coming out of the corner. How can you stop? That's how Bread and Knight an That's how Bread and Knight died the same time. And Knight died. You see that now that we're talking about that. So I was

the dude in the corner. So just imagine this. I was in the corner. So Brandon Knight came off me to try to stop. And if you see me, I'm in the bottom left corner. I jumped up and down, cover my face, and I take off running like I'm not gonna be witnessing. It's murder, bro. These cops are not about the question about what this motherfucker just did that. That man, it was the sickest ever. Yeah, that has

to be ever. I mean, bron got Jackson Terry and that was sucked up to show the blaze here first, but he gaptized. Yeah, they both Brandon knife. His legs was in the air after that was like DJ came out of nowhere. He's a freak fucking athlete, bro. So I mean you know, I mean super strung. He's a perfect like you said, plug and play dude. He's gonna play his role. He talks on defense, ultimate teammate, funny good dude, thinks he's a black hippie like he fits

in perfect. So I'm excited to see. Like you said, we gotta be patient. You know, coming next year, it's gonna be a blast year. Tell me what it's like you you know you're at East Coast, dude. Tell me what it's like to be in a big city now in New York and living in business and just the energy that is around this city as as definitely big as rats. I don't I know you've seen one of them. Man,

what it's definitely different. I like being here. I actually love it because it's it's it's so much going on and it's just so fast paced. You know, coming from California the least years and in Oklahoma and everybody in California's high exactly. It just feel like it's NonStop. MG. Here. I like getting up and going outside the seeing so many people moving around and get into some way, you know what I mean. So it's dope being here. What

have you been doing? I mean, you've got a lot of goddamn off time now, Like, what are you doing off the court outside of rehabing your ass off? Making some dope ass shoes. Man, that's brother, that's really what I need. You know, we're gonna saying that second. Be fair. I've just been I mean, I hang out with friends just you know, it's like living a living the city life. I guess you know you what you're doing around the corner. I'm pulling up to go grab some of the eagle.

You have a drink, go to the bar, Like it's just the city life. I guess you know. I've just been ran into any bad celebrity chicks out here. Yeah, no, no ship, I need to come out. You need to. We need to stroll around a little bit. I'm with k D' nobody I can get not give her a k D? What do you think think about the you know, the piste off Knicks fans and you didn't Everyone thought like, imagine Katie going to the Knicks and this is and this, But you took the other round, everybody, you know what

I mean, you took the other route. So what do you think about the fans are just like, that's the media hyping that ship up. Man. I never came out and said anything about me wanting to play for the Knicks. Ever, I was paid advertising. Ever they to say that we know how to go now me I never said. And then when we came here last year, they had the billboards up and somebody asked me about it, and I wasn't too excited about it because I didn't like I

didn't like it, you know what I'm saying. It wasn't I got something against the Knicks. I just didn't like all that attention when I was playing for another team. So like I never really was big on that New York thing. It was just everybody else, you know, the media and the fans and obviously the New York Knicks fans, and you know, they wanted a superstar to come play for them finally. But I never promised anybody I was playing for the Knicks. It was just all these stories

that people like to read. So if they piste off, this is just you shouldn't be piste off at me. Just the people that you know ship that you're reading, those people who wrote that ship, they hyped you up. It's easy. It's easy to be mad. Let's let's go back to the beginning of your career with you, Russ and James. That mers Oh fucking believable. Tell me what that was like when y'all first kind of finally came together and started clicking. I mean we didn't get enough time.

I mean, who knows, who knows who could have been? Didn't author you guys play together three years long enough to ruin my second ring? Oh yeah, because y're supposed to get that one that was supposed to be the first Miami we got. We got up to old y'all and something click and Rush's starts James, James two, James, the one on the road because Man Runs already had us.

We had a cook those rooms down to open. James came along after that, and then we started switching all y'all ship, taking y'all all y'all ship then, and Tony Parker wanted to save the damn fun the whole ship off as usual. Tony Parker had twenty and ten in the first half in game six, how many turnovers he had,

and then after that he was done. He was trying to get the m v P. And then that's when you didn't miss a shot in game six, and then couldn't get the pay after that, couldn't get the rockers, could get the rock and just what I remember, not only was I was getting the rock, he was killing and Mom's was over there in my ear, the hold him killing kill, the talk bad to me, your Motherfuck. We lost that game. That had been tough, beating you

all at home. Game seven, that's what we was trying to least get to a game seven, US up seventeen in the first half. I'm like, oh, ship, we might not get to the finals. We're sucking around. But when we I mean that team. We were so young and dynamic, and we right when we hit our like we're starting to get to her peek with Trey James. So we didn't really get a chance to see how how good we've the guy, because that next year we was hungry.

We was hungry to get back to that chip. Like we didn't care about nothing else but getting back to

that chip. And that's in preseason like we were. You know, in the first few training camp practices, you could tell it was a different energy and then boom, all it took with you not to sign one of them, big man, y'all could have kept James, you know all it took for us to just sign them, just kept everybody and just give his motherfucking money because you knew he was gonna at least news, at least get back, at least at least making a robbery with the heat, you know

what I'm saying. And then after and then when they have fizzled out, then right, it was your time. What's your relationship like with these guys now? You know, I mean, they wanted to make us so much. You and rest didn't get along. James is going you laugh, Russ is like, what's the relationship like with you guys though, because I'm sure it's different than what everyone thinks. Russ just separately. Oh man, it's cool. I mean it's it's not like it used to be like when we were you know,

talked everything. I mean, it's more professionals, and these dudes got their own lives, they got family, they got kids. Well Russ got kids. Don't know about James. Maybe a couple might. Yeah, but you know, everybody living their separate lives. Man. You know you didn't with really three lives. Three stars in the league, you know, their own brands. These guys are traveling all summer and yeah, m vps. So it's

like we're gonna a guard separate ways. But there's always respect because we you know, it was like when we all didn't had this notoriety, we didn't have this type of you know, accolades in the game. We was around each other when it was we really had nothing in it as NBA players, we had to start from scratch. So it's it's fun seeing seeing how how big we all made, us made this thing, you know what I'm saying, Because we envisioned that as youngsters, and and that's what

I was about to say that. I said, one thing y'all do have in common is y'all all know what it takes to be great. You know what I'm saying. I think that's one thing to always keep y'all with respect. When you think about three courting and they all went on them to be m v P, like that's it's crazy, you know what I mean? When they all started, you know what I mean, like what if? What if? Yeah? They just met saying Swiss, switch damn right switch again. Yeah,

I mean you're getting switched onto three. Of the best thing is with James though and Russ. They would eventually had to figure out how James could be a starter because we struggled when James started for US. I remember when we played job one time and um James started RUSS. James and me were one, two and three, and it just didn't work, you know what I'm saying. It was better when James had the command of the second unit.

So eventually we had to figure out if we James would become a starter, if he was gonna stand at Janogli Road, which was way too small for him, right yeah, way more time out on the court and way more you know, way more controller ship. So who knows how that work, you know what I mean, But it worked out perfectly and perfectly individually for us. All that's what it's about. If you take a look in your career, man, you've played with some of the greatest point guards ever.

Russ Steph, you're gonna play with Kyrie. Talk about that, James, James, I mean, league guards is just something always gravitated stars, even as a kid. You know, my best friend on the team was the point guards every stop. You know, I'm from middle school to high school. You know, me and Taiwana loss in with like this, you know what I'm saying, roommates everywhere. You know, me and DJ Augustine

still brothers to this day. So always like as a score, you know, somebody that's gonna get you that pill, like we home me from day one. So I always always enjoyed League Guards and I always felt like I wanted to play like them, you know, I wanted to seven. Yeah, I wanted to be able to go through the lane

like rusting. And you know I took stuff from him, Steph obviously, the way how quickly shoes three and his handling him get to the cup as a little guy like I admire all of that ship about point guards more so than anybody else on the floor, because they gotta be leaders. They gotta defend the hardest position. They gotta make sure everybody getting their shots. So like, I just had major respect for guards. Tell me who was some of the best teammates you ever played with? Course,

now we only got three months fund up. Thing about not the part about it is, So I go to Golden State, I'm in the boogie ship and they trade boogie. I think we're gonna make the playoffs, play the Warriors, probably gets smacked, but we're putting Sacrament back on the map. They trade boogie. I'm like, I can't do what I'm old. I gotta I gotta make a move. So I'm talking to Draymond every single day. I'm talking to Clay Steph. They're talking to Bob. We want to but we might

need another point guard. So it's back and forth, you know what I mean. And then all of a sudden, I'm working around working out with my kids and we go to KFC and Steve hits me like, man, we just lost we lost Kevin tonight. Uh, we we need you, you know. So I come in. They plugged me in, but you made fun of me of the Step ship when I you know, I slipt, but I come in. I played my first game. We're rolling his first game back, like I almost break my ankle, and I'm pretty much done.

So we never got the chance to play together on the floor. And that had been a nice, nice calm because we and then you Draymond step and Clay and y'all wouldn't have to teach him. He used to, Yeah, that's the selfish. We felt like him and were like I would say, we're interchangeable. It's like ship, it's two different dynamics. We can get andre that can kind of be the athletic fly make the passes and and also switch everything. And then Matt was like more still rebound,

get your tip bounds and hit the three. And I felt like, funk, We're really about to sweeping all of this ship. And then I got hurt. Then you hurt, and I never, like I tell people one time, my missle was when I get suspended, like I'm going into the playoffs, I got a chance to win a ring. Finally, I know my career is coming. You know, I'm on my back nine and Katie's back, So I'm juice. I come out here my first two threes, and I then

I go up and I land on someone's ankle. Bro, when I tell you my ankle exploded, you ran back to the locker rounds like damn. I tried my hardest too. I was smoking so much weed, hoping that best ship would make my ship go down ice and it rehab, like I gotta get back out there for these dudes, and I could just never get healthy. And then once I'm feeling somewhat okay, these motherfucker's are eight and no

already you know what I mean. Like, and I'm smart enough to know, like you don't disrupt that flung and who you are. So I'm just over here running, getting ready in case something happened, staying in shape, being the vet, talking to Clay, talking the dudes when they need to talk, lean on me, whatever, And I just had to, you know, take it as a fan. So that's almost why, Like I when I tell people like that ship was given, I don't really count it, you know what I mean?

Like that ship was a freebe I said, I had the best motherfucking seats, and I watched these boys but that was the best part. They was hanging every I mean, they was happening shootouts with this dude in the Western Conference finals, you know what I mean, And hanging with Steph and claying on the plane in the hotel. And you can't replace that ship. That ship was a real family. She was dope. Man was like, it's different. Eric Howser, come on, you knew back when he is the greatest

dude ever all time. He's the reason why the Warriors are the Warriors in my opinion, just like that process of the thing together. Man, Like he makes sure everybody straight, your family straight. Like that's what that ship is about. His name in Jersey. Come on, I got to get a street somewhere. That's how big man. But back to um, Sorry I interrupted you, but best teammates I hadn't had so many, man, fu I mean, no coin cookie boy.

My brother definitely so happy for him. But you know, you ship man, that whole war is my my thunder teams that any team that you have a run with, Yeah, especially if you go past you go to second round, like not just the first round run, you go to

second round. We only made it the first but you couldn't tell us after the first round, man, but that was the second round though, that if you lose that first round, just like if you got to three weeks out of this summer, you funk with everybody on that team, especially if you go to a chip run like you've been like he was on, Like, you funk with everybody

on that mom, So just ship just about everybody. It's like only a couple of people that I just was like, didn't care too much about, but like I always respected them. Good ship. I don't want it was a good I like that talk to me about because you're someone you and your man Rich shout out Rich riches back here. You guys know rich the other side of the game, Like you are really taking advantage of business, and I

think that might have started. I mean, obviously you guys have a great team, but you know that's one of the main reasons you know, the Bay Area is what it is. That and then what you're doing in film and everything. That mean, that's tired of mother's talking about me. I'm asking for him. I got tired of motherucking saying about me. So I created my own ship, board room, etc. And other ship just so I can create County County coming out and County all that to tell you what's

really going on. So y'all can stop making up ship definitely. I mean that's really what it is that we own. That's something that I could really you know, do what I'm done playing, like you know, tell stories how we wanted to tell them, give people our perspective on ship. There's so many platforms out down days, and you know, you want to figure out ways to separate yourself and make cool content. And we came up with the boardroom, we got PG County Docks. We're doing shows for Apple.

I mean, I can go down the line on ship that we want to do and that we did, but like you know, but the course that we've refurbished and the communities that we help, I think that's really what it's about for us, alongside of obviously the cool content that we do, platforms that we created, just the impact that we have in these communities that I play in and that I lived in around these times. It's probably

the most impactful thing that we can do. That that training camp you had behind the walls and working with them guys hoop. So that's it don't get no deeper than that. When you come from that, and you know, we got so many people behind the walls that I never get that experience. That's the Warriors did are good. They do a great job with that. You know they go to same quit every every uh start of every season looking at Georgy and it's not shining the right

way on that. Yeah, so I went with them that one time and then we did the dock on it. We did the dock on from f s one um called Q Ball in Saint Quinn and that ship don't man, you know how the game just bring anybody together. So just speak on that more so than anything was though, so shot out many guys back in the jail to need that could have been in the there's no question PG County you're doing with showtime, right, so we got to shout out County dot coming so shameless plug and

trying to get that money. But actually Morgan woton passes, you know, talk about that, man, that's that's tough. You know, the basketball communities and forget the best. The community in general has so much love and respect for Morgan Wootton and what he's done for so many young young black men in that area, not just black men, but just men in general, and you know, helping him get to college and just turn their lives around through the game

of basketball. He impacted so many generations of people, you know, and to hear about him passing, uh, it was definitely tough, you know because, like I said, that's all I knew about. That's where all the players coming up wanted to play for was Morgan Wooten and go to the mathod. So his legacy is gonna live forever through his players, through his memories, through his family, and he's part of the

basketball community and huge part of the community forever. I'm sure Hall of Famer you've invested in some dope tech communities coin Base, uh Master and Dynamics you have. You know, a lot of different stuff going on where the hunger for tech coming. You're just always seeing it. You know, let's start from getting the newest video games, to get the newest gadgets, to get into the cell phone, you know,

just progressing over time. You know, our life is basically run off of these things, and you know, so to get an up close and personal look on how this stuff is created and the work in the time that it takes to create these things, I think that was interesting, and moving to the Bay Area kind of gave me a real in depth look on what this really is about.

And we just started building relationships and then went from them and attaching ourselves to the two companies that are really authentic to what I do as well and what we do at thirty five Ventures. So it's just been and that being playing for the Warriors, winning basketball games and having those people in our games. It's pretty easy,

crazy to build those relationships. Nupplug, talk to me about your your brother Rich, that the partnership and love you guys have for each other, but also the friendship and and what he has meant to to your off the court movement and success. Man meant a lot, you know.

So when I went over to I had three agents, two agents before the time I was with Pelinka and uh Aaron Goodwin, two great agents over time, and I just wanted to change and I went over the Rock Nation and Rich was the first guy to greet me and kind of take over what I was doing. And we just build that relationship over time, and we had conversations over time about what it would looked like if

we started something together and we just did it. You just Win did it, and you know with the blessing and the from everybody that we worked with before, and you know, having that kind of like that teaching from with Rich had at Rock Nation and learning the business and learning just lifestyle and general entertainment, business, sports, loving sports,

all intersting just how they all interstact. That somebody that was so well versed in everything world rounded and everything I wanted to be a part of what I did. So it was just it made sense of the time. What does the advancement and in mental health and this era um that players are more susceptible to talking about it mean to you. I feel like every player wants to give a deeper perspective on what they go through as as just men in general, and especially in this

life with this profession. And there's a lot of mental hurdles and obstacles that you gotta run through in order for you to reach your highest peak as an individual. So whether it's the great times or whether it's like the low points in your life, I feel just hearing that perspective, it's only gonna help others. And yeah, they had a curse to talk about it in front of people. Is is a It's something I enjoy seeing for my peers.

And the judgment is no judgment from anybody is really open dope dialogue when it comes to it, and I think it's a perfect time for it. What does it do to your psyche or your mental approach when you hear people talk crazy to you, disrespectful, negative? Like? What does that do I mean to be who you are? Like we talked about earlier, people think you just turn your back, you choose not to which I respect or what does it due to you when you just always here?

Because people don't really know you, They know the player, and that's what they don't like, to be able to separate the player in the person. What does it mean to you as the person when if they knew you, they would really funk with you. But they don't. They know the players and they want to hate on you. It just all depends an environment. You know. If I'm out on the street, nobody's ever walked up to me

in disrespect, nothing like that. Everybody coming up and calling me a bit in my face or saying anything disrespect you to anybody on with because I don't give off that in you. You know what I'm saying I don't come off as if I'm bigger in life or you know, you owe me anything, So I don't get that in person. But on the internet it's different. You know, you're gonna get all types of sh on the internet, and that

is what it is. It's fun. Everybody uses that that that that place to kind of get off that anger that they always had, you know, and I wish they would never sing in person. So it's like, I get what you're using it for. But at games, when fans heck with me and talk about me and called me all types of names and tell me I got the worst hair and the lead that ship powers me up. It makes me feel like I'm the best player in the world because you come here to talk to me.

I always obviously made you feel away. There's only a reason. There's only a reason. So you know, it just powers me up to another level. It charges me up. I like it. I enjoy it. I actually encourage it. I got some uh, I got some talking about your hair. I got some man's growing products for some dope ship. That d D whoever did Joe back? Yeah, always bullshit, he all the way lines. I'm telling you that Lebron

gonna make the transformation. What's he gonna do is he gonna think it's kind of too late because he already got the back nine in the backyard, So that's already there. How can you cover that? So he just just just come home and go bad with it. I'm just saying I think eventually, I think the eventually dudes gonna go bad. I think that's the best bet. I think I'll be fucked up if I had to go because the world has seen the head push. You know what I'm saying.

The world has seen the head band pushed their line back the whole and converted the whole part coming back. Yeah, you wasn't glue down together that night. He make it work. You make it work though, Yeah, definitely, you gotta keep the head band the way the head band is too head like, you know, I mean it's too tough on Yeah, that ship is tough. He make that thing work. He definitely make it work. You got That's that's that's broad.

That's the cage. Actually, when you hear people talk about because to me, at one point, playing against you, playing with you, it wasn't taken away from Lebron's greatness and his tracker, what he's accomplished, art his creeling when he continue to accomplish. At the current time, you were the best player in the world. Did you ever feel that way? I felt unstoppable. For short. I felt unstoppable because I don't really look at it as like I'm better than anybody.

I ain't trying to look at it that way, but that everybody brings something unique and different to the table, and the circumstances and situations is different. Like you know, you never know, you never know how dudes, how good dudes it be in certain situations. So I know I got a lot of talent, and I know I can do everything on the court, and I knew I can play any role at an efficient and elite level. Whatever

that puts me, that's whatever it is. I'm sure any coach in any GM would love my talents when the so like whatever that wherever that puts me? Man, you know what I mean. So that's how I looked at it. If that had been me to make that three in Cleveland, the finals, to win the championship, your mama, everybody, every long, what made that a big shot? Like that, I'm the best in the world. This is why I would have

told everybody like I would have lost it. Man. I felt like I felt to feel some of that inside. I felt that. I felt I felt that like that that shot gonna always be there to remember. They're always gonna remember that, and if they don't, I'm sure everybody in the Bay Area is. And that's good enough for me. But you hit the same shot when you came back in the finals, that ship the top of the kid that saint walk up through. Oh yeah, that next season's

cooking tubes. I ain't walk up through cooking. I was scared though, because I was in Hawaii watching. I remember one time you got foul, but you took someone off the drup and like, no, can't you just stay out on the feet on line and just shoot these motherfucking eyeballs out for the rest of you talked about this last finals. Yeah, and when you took someone fould you then then they stopped, and I just like, that's how you know, man, she get into that zone for you.

It's hard to used to doing something. Yeah, I can't, Like I can't. You gotta go out, gotta go hunting. Yeah, I got the guy too, And I was like I felt good and have to go a hunting. You need some rest right now? It looks good as okay. I know he's like the first three that with it, and the whole thing is like, I like having those moments where people are gonna always be like, damn, those eleven minutes thought, those twelve minutes something. I like having that

little feeling, man, because that's what the game about. Top five artists, come on. I mean, I'm just gonna say, Drake is creeping up to be the greatest. Yeah, you can't fight. That's that's That's the only thing I'll say. Is there anyone else in the category? Jay Z is gonna be hard to It's it's always hard to compete against jay Z. He didn't he didn't opened up so many lanes and doors for everybody music ship. But when I listened to music and listen to Drake is just

hard to toan not what he got to say. We can talk about music like I feel like Wayne is a goat when we're talking about the lane and he created for these dudes. Is the only reason why a lot of these plut these rappers is in the game. Young thugs, same way, future, the same way, hold the same way, like Drake. I feel like they all on that same doors, open doors for everybody they feel. I feel like they unlocked so many different genres within hip hop.

It's not just one thing now, Like I feel like it's all different types of hip hop, different lanes that they opened up, and so many other kids got these opportunities now and to change their lives off of it. So it's like it's hard for me to name a few artists, but like you like NB A young Boy, Yeah, yeah, yes, sir, Yes, sir, yeah, sir. I mean Kodak Black, he Da black Is he wanted

the ones for me. Gonna like they one of those ones where I can listen to all day every day and really really respect them, like they o gs in the game, like them dudes young, but they really they get it, you know what I'm saying. The baby like you hard. If you can have one like song that you walk out to, what would that be up all time? Damn, Damn, that's tough. What's your rocky music? What's your rocky thing?

That's tom I'm gonna have to go. It's got to be jay Z. It's gonna have to be it's gonna have to be public service announcement, jay Z, it's gonna it's gonna have to be away. Fuck, that's tough. That's tough. I'm gonna go with public service announcement. Then what would your Yeah some pop ship, Yeah, anything, pop, pop, hardcore, hardcore. Yeah.

To me, he is because I think he had he had a song for every mood that we naturally go through, whether you're black, white, male, female, Like there's love, there's anger, there's happiness, there's kill, there's all the emotions we go through. That motherfucker had a hit for all of them, you know. I meaning to be so young and so far ahead of his time as far as vision, you know what I mean, and seeing what the world can be. But then and in similar ways, like he's speaking his mind

against the bullshit he's seen. Yeah, you know what I mean. And so to me, he had like black protest music on top of like he was raised, Yeah, street ship, like love, you know what I mean? Like you know, to me, that's why he's my go to. Um. You've been name dropped, Jake, excuse me, Drake, j Cole, jay Z to name a Q. What was your favorite song your name was dropped in? Probably that Western Road Flows

that Drake shout out the Katie, we related. We get the same attention, like, and that was back then before I was getting even as much attention as that would. That was okay see right yeah, like when I was just you was doing something together, right, Yeah, man, we gotta get back in. But I've seen the joint. You drop a little snippet, you drop you That was hard that Drake was. That's probably the best one. He was

really really flowing on that on that record. But you know, any time any rapper, any artists can think about me why they're going through the process. I appreciate just how you word played that. That's how you really know you kind of made it. Though he crossed over to the entertainment side. When people you know, putting your name in wraps and then and they art, that is amazing. I

appreciate it. So if you could have played in another era of basketball, seventies, eighties, nineties, what wouldn't be And why we want to see m J in his hey day, Like you want to get looked at by m J? Yeah, sure, come in because he wouldn't at that time he is, he wouldn't have played against a We got my length right, you know what I'm saying that actually shoot as well and get to score, you know what I'm saying that. So I felt like that had been a fun matchup

and it had been tough to fucking MJ. Was he the greatest man and just to be on the court and just soak up that greatness and compete against that, that had been like some imagine Katie was Shaun camp and Gary Payton would have been a tough for the boys. That would have been a rain. That had been a time. That would have been a rain. Katie on that team, that would have been a rain. So that's when I

started looking at myself a little different. Now. I was like, hold up, so if I could, I could start on that team for the Sonics, like I start on a couple of teams back in the nineties, and I feel like my game is trying can translate, you know, through errors. So you know that's how I start, you know, look at myself a little different after that. That's big. If you could pick four other legends to hoo put you at the park you're in, who are you other? Four

shock m J code, I'm gonna tell anybody else. And the camera man one of the camera. I don't show him to that part where you're gonna be. Ain't nobody else showing up? Mm hmm my fifth my fifth guyld be probably probably t MAC part team mat. I say we just played. I just say we played two on twos and then hadd another guy maybe three on threes.

But that team couldn't play against nobody that best player you've ever played with and played with some motherfucker's You ain't playing with Kyrie yet, So in the conversation, he can't be I ain't playing. Yeah, you ain't played with him yet. It's a tie between Steph and Russ. It's got to be two killers, two completely different game changes. Yeah, because Russ I never feared. I never ever feared that

he was gonna he was gonna lose the matchup. I never coming to the game was like, OHRS, just can't handle this guy tonight, you know what I'm saying. That's one thing I never worried about. And it's like, as a leader of a team, you worry about so much ship coming into a game, It's like, it's all dre' gonna be able to knock down the shot tonight. It's gonna be aggresive. We're gonna shoot with confidence, is surge gonna shoot what come because they're gonna be into it.

They're gonna make sure they're locking in on their matchup so much to the point you forget about yourself sometimes. And one thing I didn't ever have to worry about was rest and having that comfort and having that type of like, uh, just knowing I can have that ease coming into the game from the point guard. Yeah, it

was just like made my life easier. And I felt the same way with Still, you know what I'm saying, because like I know for a fact that no point guard want to guard him because he ain't gonna stop moving. So that's gonna take a little bit of energy from him. And he's gonna play with that dog where it's like he trying to destroy you when he was scoring, you know what I'm saying. And our game plan was to get him open at all times, and he's not gonna stop And so I can rely when you can rely

on people and damn I and play to go. Put Clay in there with them to the Clay got the dog like authentically authentic dog like nose role. I'm gon knocked down this trade ball and get to the cup here and there, but I'm locking up the playing and like those three is a tie between those three and my favorites, because yeah, they made my life weigh easier mentally. So last question, Jack and I are people who use cannabis during our career and really try to advocate for

it now. We feel like if it's used correctly, it could be very beneficial for athletes in today's game. Um, I know you feel similar with that You've invested in the cannabis company. Tell me what you think about the nature of cannabis and how professional sports can implement it into bettering their athletes and recovery. Well, I just think it should be taken off the bad substance lists and if you know, you don't have to implemented in anything.

It's it's one of those plants that if it's an acquired taste, like if you love it, you love it. If you don't, you're not even gonna pick it up. So it shouldn't even be a discussion nowadays. It's just like marijuana is marijuana. It's not harmful to anybody. It's only it only can help and enhance and and do good things. You know, I feel like it shouldn't even be a huge topic around it anymore, Like is it great? It's it good for you? Can it help? Is it bad?

But when everybody on my team drinks coffee every day, you know, and taking caffeine every day, or guy's got to have wine after games, we have a little drink here and there, it's like marijuana should be in that tone, like why are we even talking about it? It shouldn't even be a conversation now. So hopefully we can get past that and the stigma around it and know that it's done nothing but make people have a good make people have a good time, make people hungry, and make

people just come together. That plant brings us all together. Great job, great job getting people out of jail for marijuana. That can be that's the next step, and we just keep going on. But it's a plant that's put here for a reason and it's all bring us together. Man, hopefully it happens, especially the NBA KD. We appreciate you, my brother, Thank you for taking some time. Shoes. Oh no, we gotta get back a lot. Oh we're not done yet, real quick, be quiet on his page. Here we go.

So this is a special segment Katie. We like to call Jack some motherfucking beggars, but it's working out well. Jack. What do you need from KD Shoes? The shoes which once all of you? Boy, I've been posting them. You've got some new kicks out, but this my son. You know you something, my son some last ones. I appreciate that he brought them to my attention. You got his new ones out, So just what happened? I follow your boy. It's a lot of colors going on, even got inspired

up a pair. I'm on all of them and my son need him. It's the biggest thing. And I'm just gonna tell Rich because he's behind the camera. My my twinter au team needs a new shipment of Katie's. Rich appreciate you appreciate we need those. Maybe a couple colors because we're nice as fun by the way, won elite nice Yet we just want the MLK tournament a couple of weeks ago. Man, we're gonna, yeah, we're doing it. But anyway, man, k D, we appreciate you. Jack needs

some shoes. What kind of what's side? What's side? Four teens? Man? That's a rap? Episode fourteen. You can Catch us on Showtime Basketball YouTube or all platforms streaming podcast, take Over All the Smoke. You Bet you M four two