Welcome back to Unplugged. We got a good one for you guys this week. We got my brother key on Dueling stopping by. Also, the neighborhood hater is back. He said he wants a new name today. I guess we'll have to decide if he gets a new one or not. We'll be discussing a few topics going around, but particularly we're going to touch on the stephen A and Lebron James situation. Recently, everyone's known Lebron has taken exception to
stephen A's disrespect of his son, Bronni James. He walked up to him in the middle of a Knicks game and addressed him. Let's take a look at that. Well, here's one of the things we think that may have upset Lebron that stephen A said, take a look at this clip.
I am pleading with le Bron James as a father.
Stop this.
Stop this.
We all know that Bronni James is in the NBA because of his dad.
So obviously that situation went viral. I think stephen A himself said he wanted to sweep it under the rug, but he woke up the next day with the buzz of social media, his agency, ESPN, everybody wanted to address it and wanted him to address it. So here's the clip of what he said.
That wasn't a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent, That was a father. And I can't sit here and be angry or feel slighted by Lebron James in any way in that regard.
So fast forward, just a couple of days ago, Lebron caught up with this former teammate and buddy Richard Jefferson pregame. Here's what they were talking about. So before I go into my point of view, let's bring the hater in. Welcome you're bringing You're bringing bottles in, Bro, It's not even it's not even happy our nowhere yet you see
what I'm saying, Yeah, Captain, save them. So, Gina, we had a real debate in our in our group chat about this very situation, and some of you guys made good points, but I took it from a father standpoint. I think I'm one of the few individuals who's been a player who obviously has kids in this basketball space and now is in the media. And although I love Steven stephen a is my guy, talked to him often
saluted him for his new hundred million dollar deal. By the way, congratulations, But I don't always agree with what he says. Now, I don't know exactly what was said. I think we think we have a gist of what kind of pissed off Braun. But what was your take on Broun's reaction to what not only Steven A's been saying, but a lot of people have been saying.
Well, let me just first say, I'm not a father. So when you did say that in our chat, it kind of I stepped backed.
A little bit.
I want to respect a little bit.
Yeah, but at the moment, you know, both guys could be right and both guys could be wrong in that situation. Cause Lebron I waited to come and talk to him after the game. Yeah, I guess. Also, what was Steven ain't supposed to do with six eight, two hundred and sixty pounds, Nothing except sit there and stand there, same.
Thing the rest of the NBA will be able to do with it, right, nothing.
I heard the comment that he got mad at Yeah, I would have been mad too if I was Lebron.
I just think it's interesting because again I took it straight as the father when I seen it, it wasn't about Lebron the superstar. And oddly enough, you know, when Steven A kind of addressed it, he said, you know, he was talking to me as a father, and that's how I look at it. And everyone wants to say, well, you know, granted your son's in this space now, he's fair game, and like I said, two things can be true.
He is fair game now. But I think it's it holds a different amount of what's the word I'm looking for it Just when Steven stephen A is at the top of the list now he's the number one black sports media guy in the game, well deserved just signed a huge deal. So I think when he says thing, it carries more weight, you know what I mean, because like I said, he hasn't been the only one that
said it. And let's keep it real. These kind of altercations have happened a lot in the past, probably less during social media because people can kind of go to war of wards. But when I first got in the league, if a writer or someone says some shit you didn't like, the next time you saw him, you were going to address that, and that's happened a lot, so that's something
that's not too uncommon. But I just think my whole stance is lebron has probably been the most scrutinized superstar in the history of sports, period, and I think he knew he what he signed up for. Now on the flip side, the father side understanding Broni's path to the league, some people say he belongs, some people say he doesn't belong by the way he's killing in the G League right now at twenty one, one, five and five. NBA numbers have been very solid, but he's still young, he's
still growing. Never in the history of the NBA has the fiftieth fifth pick ever been this big of a deal ever. But I just think again, when Steve and A says it hits different with some guys, and granted, could he have handled it a different way, And that's what you guys are saying, this is this was this was Braun, you know, wanting everyone to see. And I didn't look at it that way at all. I just thought,
as a father, he's seen the dude. It brought the rage up, and I'm gonna address that shit wright where I'm at. I don't give a fuck where I'm at. I'm at the airport, I'm at the game. I see him in LA Live. I'm gonna address And I think that's how I kind of took the situation. But I think you think at the end of the day, people have to understand man. Like again, Lebron signed up for this at the face of the league. He's worn the cape for a long time and he's been scrutinized heavily.
Whether he deserves it or not is up to the people scrutinizing. But it's different man, when you you you have your kids and your children.
Well, I know one thing, I'm never talking about Brownie respectfully again because.
He might slap the shit out. But he said a few things in this area about Bronnie.
But I was in a dark place. Due okay, okay, you know we were in tenth place, nine tenth place.
It goes.
But Bronie, Man, I want you in the game. Let's be successful. Let's get you in the game. Man, Let's go.
Man. Wha who is this.
To say?
Lebron checking stephen a shook you. Yeah, but I thought you said they can't whoop us, They can't whoop me. Oh no, It's like I thought it was all the smoke, but I wasn't talking. I wasn't talking bad about Bronnie.
Yeah, myg No, I love you, Bronie man. I hope the best for you.
Don't know, It's just a tough situation. And again I think there's a blowover. But I just think people have to take a step back again. I mean, yeah, we get paid a lot of money for you to be able to say whatever you want, but talking about our kids is different, whether our kids are pros or not pros. I would always take offense to it. And people already know how I moved. Some of my my crew asked me earlier what I've done, And you guys already know we're.
All the time.
You already know what kind of time I'm all. So again, love stephen A. Don't always agree with what he says. And again he's not the only person that had his criticized or critique. There's been a lot of noise around Browny and I think bro I sue le BRONI for you know, not really flashing back. He said a few things here and there, but to have the world always talking about you at nineteen twenty years old cannot be easy.
And I think his dad's kind of prepped him for with the mental toughness it's going to take to succeed in this league. But again, man, wish them the best, you know, wish Bronni the best steal. But let's move on to your Lakers. These boys have been looking solid. Eight out of the last ten, what sixteen, sixteen and four in their last twenty night last you.
Guys did have beon doing that stress because me happy as bathing business?
Or come on, last fifteen games they're number one in the league in defense, and Luca's eleven games they're number three, they're thirteen. Overall, these guys are playing with a new energy. Luca has taken a huge load off Lebron. You and Ray particular, who's sitting behind the camera, were real Luca haters.
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Has your opinion changed it all?
Absolutely? But let's be honest. I never hated it on Luca before he put on our uniform, right, but you still hate it though a little bit. If you want to tell him sorry, you can tell him right there in that camera.
Note let's hold tight on okay, Okay, let's get through this.
Next ten days, okay, because ten days is aggressive. Okay, so, but yeah, I was wrong about Luca. He makes us look good. He's giving Lebron a break.
Huge thing for us, right, huge break. I love that Bron can go to the bench now for extended amounts of time. I love that Lebron defers to Luca pretty much the whole entire game until the fourth quarter so he can save his energy. We've seen spurts of Bron in the third and fourth quarters. It looks like it's a few years ago, like where he's taking off on people late in the game. I think this Luca experiment
has been extremely successful up to this point. Obviously, the goal for the Lakers is always to win rings, but I think they've put theirself in a position to possibly come out of the West now and right now. Come out of the West, they got to be healthy. I think they got a little reality check with Boston. I think Boston ran the shit out of them in the first and you saw their legs get a little tired in the second half. Bad news, Bron growing forty how
was he forty one? Forty years old? And a string growing and we're about six weeks from the playoffs? Are what are Laker fans thinking, and what's your level of concern with Bron's injury.
I think we want to step back right now. I mean, it couldn't have happened at a perfect time. Let's see if Luca can hold it down like while Lebron is gone. I mean, you know, you guys were on my ass about talking about Ar being untouchable, but now it's we kept you. Now it's time to step up big now. So am I optimistic about it?
Yeah? I am.
I like the pieces this team has had. I mean, I think Connect is playing with the chip on his shoulder since he almost got traded. Obviously, Ar has been playing great the last few games, but overall has had a great season. Someone who's really stepped his game up as Jackson Hayes oh Man, I think he's turned into a young Tyson Chandler Ish the constant lob threat. I mean, he's he's eaten and they need that. And I think
they missed him in Boston definitely. But I think overall, man eight and two in the last ten, sixteen and four, I think we got to give j J some.
Credit man Coach of the Year candidate and talk to him.
I saw I saw Bubbs at the sc UCLA game, and we went back and talked at halftime, and I just asked him what it was like. I was like, you know, it's just like I see if you knew gray hairs, He's just like, you know, I love this shit. I love this I love our team. I love what we have. He thinks they have something special. And you were a little skeptical.
Of him at the beginning too, right, Absolutely, I mean the dude came off the little league circuit.
He came off coaching the Lakers like no one's ever done that.
Yes, but obviously I took for granted his knowledge about basketball. You know, I was wrong and he got us looking great? And was I right again? Because I think at the very beginning I said, JJ is going to be great at this.
I just wanted to know it. It's hard for you to admit when you're wrong, and I'm right, I tell you, And it happened to.
Happy here you guys, good lord. Word is you don't want you don't like your name the hater? Yeah, because I'm a lover man. Okay, you know what I'm saying, What would you like your name to be?
Because you've made a mark in the social media world with the name and your presence, like give me, give me.
I am in l A l A.
You step around the city with me and see all the love that I get out here. Man, So come on now, okay, you're who you are because anyway, don't get me started.
Here we go.
Yeah, I get the love with you.
Man.
I got the green light off you out here, so.
Green out here, green light was on me.
Just say thank you next time.
Man. So what do you so you want your name to I'm gonna have to talk to the team. LA's finance is what you want to go?
Yeah, that's what they called me.
Anyway, who I've never I've known you for half my life and I've never heard no one say that.
Here we go.
Everyone has ever said I want me smiling and happy. Yeah, they don't have.
To be saying yeah, well LA's finest.
Man.
We appreciate you.
Absolutely, Happy birthday to man started next week. Absolutely.
I want to welcome back back in my guy Kean Dueling. Yes, Sir KD. The Warriors have found something since picking up Jimmy Butler. Ten and two since he's joined the team, fourth best defense, seven best offense. During that stretch, Butler and Curry. What has been your assessment of this trade since it's gone down.
Man, the Warriors come out and play real.
We need the glass bottles.
They've been killing it. It's fun to see, you know, Steph get that extra boost, right because like he's one of those players that, like, you know, once, once he's gone, you know what I mean, the game is gonna miss him. So to see him playing on this level, to see Jimmy, you know, coming and putting his imprint on the team. And they're gonna get healthier when they get Kaminga back, They're gonna get healthier, They're gonna have a different element.
They're gonna be a very very dangerous team. Man in the postseason.
Well, I think, I mean, similar to what Luca has been able to do for Lebron, Jimmy is someone that can carry the Warriors over a stretch of time to allow Steph to steal some more minutes on the bench, you know, since losing Clay and losing Jordan Poole and then you know kd All kind of Steph sidekicks that were able to carry the team at times. Jimmy gives them that and then also that tenacity on defense and in Playoff Steph and Playoff Jimmy, Playoff Draymond is something
I'm definitely looking forward to. You know, what's interesting to me about this is obviously OKAC sits at the top of the West, young hungry team and have been, you know, record wise, one of the best teams in lead the entire year.
But they're young.
When I look at the Western Conference, I look at the Lakers, I look at Denver, and I look at Golden State or all teams with experience with veterans that could very well represent I mean, this could be the year that okay See runs through the Western Conference and
represents the West in the finals. This can also be the year that okay See stumbles in the second round and one of these older, veteran, more experienced teams takes this one last run at the Western Conference before Oklahoma City really takes over.
I agree one hundred percent. I agree with you. You know, like styles make fights. I think nobody is really afraid of OKC. I think people would.
That's and that's not even disrespectful, you mean, that's just many me and you talking because we know experience is what wins in the playoffs.
I would rather avoid Joker at all costs, right, you know, just because he presents such a mismatch. He's a matchup problem on both ends. And he's just he's just he's unbelievable. And like I said, styles make fights, so I would I agree nobody's ducking Okay, see.
Smoke Kawhi hit the game winner on Sunday Hard and drop fifty in this past week, the Clippers winners of their last three. Kawiss played twenty one games this season. He's playing a lot of minutes right now, KD. He's at twenty two six and three forty six percent from the field. What has kind of been your outlook on the Clippers? I mean, James's resurgence, Kawhi is rounding into shape. Is he playing too many minutes? I don't know, but
this team is looking very solid. Not something we mentioned, but again, another team with a lot of experienced guys that have won championships before. One of the best coaches in the league. Thoughts on those two guys in particular, though, Kawhi and James and the way they've really been able to kind of get their games back in shape.
This is the time of year where you see those teams rev up like leading into the playoffs, right combine missing Why missing time one is he's got degenitive issues. It's not that they're load managing and things like that. He's got real issues that he's gonna have to deal with long after basketball ends. But you got t lou championship pedigree. He gets the most out of his guys. Norman Powell got an opportunity to be highlighted this year. So now as he goes back to the third option,
you have an extra weapon. They have size, they have versatility, they have the pedigree, and they're another team who's very very dangerous.
Agreed, very dangerous. It's funny how these older teams have kind of been playing under the radar the entire season, and now you know, the as players, we know, season really really gets going after All Star and now you're seeing these older teams round in to form right at the perfect time. So it's gonna be fun. I'm definitely looking forward to these these Western Conference plays and playoffs. Sure, so you know, do do old habits die hard with
the Clippers? You know Kawhi win healthy in the playoffs. I mean he's got what finals, two finals, MVPs right, two finals MVPs and two championships, but he hasn't necessarily been able to get there and be healthy. Harden has a you know, a history of kind of struggling in the playoffs. If Kawhi is healthy, are these guys able to kind of shake off these old habits and really be able to make a run come playoff time.
I think they can make a run. Long they don't run up against Denver. I think Denver is a mismatch.
So avoid Denver at all costs in the Western.
At least in the first round, right, because you can hit a rhythm, you can hit a stride, you can kind of get things going, and then you have days to recover in the playoffs, right, so you can you know, you can recover and and kind of you know, change the game play and things like that. But it's yet to be seen. I think James is matured as a player. I think he's still playing at an extremely high level. I think he's he's so much more unselfish. Though he
passed the ball and you know, made assists. I think he makes winning plays now, in particular on the defensive end. I saw possession the other day where he got like five deflections in one possession, and that's just something we haven't seen. So I think these guys understand the height of the moment. I think they're hungry, and I think they believe that in a seven game series we can be in or compete with anyone.
Switching gears to some women college basketball shout out to the Bruins. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Big Ten champions. Obviously sc kind of had their number this season, and you say it was able to get them when it counts. Hopefully we'll get a chance to see them in the tournament face each other. But Juju Juju has been absolutely incredible. Shout out to her. Big Ten Player of the Year, probably will win National Player of the Year. She passes Kaitlyn Clark for the most points through two seasons any
women's college basketball player in the history. She's number two in scoring right now, behind Hidalgo. I think at Notre Dame, is it's safe to say that the Juju Watkins effects is here. I just saw this morning she signed with United Airlines. I think she is just absolutely killing it on all fronts, on and off the court. But what's up with this Juju effect? We got something really coming down the pipeline.
Huh juju effect is real, brother.
You know, she brings the style and grace to the game outside of just her play and her skill set on the court. She glows, man, you know, from a ponytail to her swagger to her smile. Like all the things that she brings, you know, off the court, she brings them just as good on the court. She's unbelievable. She's a three level score. She can dribble, she can shoot,
she can pass. I was so impressed. I saw her working with I think it was piel Handy this summer, and she had her right hand wrapped up and I saw her getting all that left hand work in right. And so when you see her now, last year she was right hand dominant. She went right quite a bit, but now she's got all these different counters going left and she's just unbelievable.
Man.
She's so good for women's basketball. I think her timing is perfect.
Man. She's special, very special, And I'm gonna jump out there right now. People may get mad. I think if she continues on this trajectory, she has a chance to be the greatest women's player ever. And that's sayed a lot because a lot of great women have come before her, particularly Cheryl Miller, who drops this Thursday, and all the Smokeman she.
Checked out to see it.
But there's been a lot of amazing women. Obviously Kaylyn Clark is taking the world by storm. But ju You is different. I've seen her in person. She's a big, solid frame and she's still nineteen. Like she's not one of these whole back, double hole backs, red shirt like this is. She's the real age, she's supposed to be,
in the real grade. She's supposed to be. But just the way she plays, and I don't want to disrespect her game by saying she plays like a man, because she's the best, one of the best women in the game, but she plays like a man. Bro likes her rhythm, the way she gets to her spots, the way she goes downhill and gets these and like it. Is so impressed.
I was sitting in courtside with my whole boy, Tracy Mills, who's her cousin at UCLA when they beat us before we went to the Big Ten tournament, and just seeing that up close, it's absolutely incredible. Man, So the sky is the limit. I'm happy for her and her family and her team. I'm obviously happy for the Bruins that were Big ten champs, and hopefully we get a chance to collide with them one more time in the NCAA's
men's tournaments. Right around the corner, which means, what programs do you feel have the best shot in the final four? Half to a mint, I haven't followed the men's as much as I've actually followed the women's this year, but any men's team stick out to you that that really has a chance to make make a good run.
I'm gonna say this, next to the next, to the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference, in the euro League, the SEC is the best league in basketball outside of those things. I think they have so many teams. I think they're like eight to ten deep in that conference where they can be beat on any given night. Obviously, Duke having Cooper Flag is a favorite. They've had an incredible year. There's some sleepers in there. Penny Penny Hardaway's Memphis Memphis Tigers are a sleeper to me.
Penny is doing a.
Really good job down there, and I think that program is gonna continue to grow. I think they just got about twenty five million dollars in NIL money from FedEx and so I'm expecting big things from Penny on that down there in Memphis. But if I had to make a choice, I'm gonna go with the best player I think. I think Duke. They're well coached, they're balanced, they have the pedigree. I don't think Cooper will get an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
Again. I think he's just a one and done.
He's out of here. Huh.
He's man.
You gotta he gotta, he gotta make it happen in my opinion, and so I still think Duke is the favorite to win it all. But those SEC teams are gonna be very dangerous, especially the ones that are seated a little bit lower.
Ken, I want to ask you real quick, and this is kind of even off script. The age of college basketball players these days. A new rule that JUCO doesn't count against you. You can do two years of JUCO and coming as a freshman. Still, we're seeing Auburn who just got knocked off this weekend by Alabama. Great game, they came down the wire. Obama got him. But that Auburn team, like their average age is older than the
Oklahoma City Thunder. They got a twenty six year old on the team, twenty five year olds, some twenty four year olds. It's it's just so much different from when we played, you know what I mean, Like one, we didn't do the whole backs and you you red shirted if you were really hurt, like I think the portal and this is not a knock on the kids at all because they're just utilizing the system. I think this
obviously is an NC double a problem. But I commented on something a few weeks back where Rick Patino said, like, we're not even recruiting high school kids this off season. They kind of pissed. That kind of pissed me off because I mean, when we were coming up was for kids turning into men. Now it's for pretty much grown ass men that probably aren't going to go to the league, you know what I mean. If you think you're and
I'm saying it's all the respect. If you're twenty five to twenty six playing college sports, unless you're a quarterback, you're probably not going to go to the next level. And I just kind of feel like you're taking up space for young kids with you know, that are supposed to have this type of opportunity. So what are your thoughts on just kind of the way the NCUBA has these kids allowed to play. You got twenty six year olds playing against eighteen year old and young people. So well,
that's how it is the league. But this is not the league.
This is college.
Yeah, so what are your thoughts on that.
My thoughts are, Matt, if you let these guys come out early, right, and they go undrafted, let them come back to school, right, so they're still young enough where they can still grow, cope, debate, get developed, make some money through n I LS and things like that. What happens is when guys leave for the draft and they don't get drafted, you know what I mean, Like you you lose a whole demographic of young players that you
could potentially welcome back into the system. And so I think there's a loophole for the older guys in the late bloomers, you know. And not to minimize what they're doing, they're showing stick tuitiveness.
Most guys aren't going to play in the NBA. Come on, come on now, three.
And fourth syllable words, I see it.
But most guys are not going to play in the league anyway, and so to be able to you know, have that college experience, come out with a degree, you know,
extend you know, your adolescent years a little bit. I don't necessarily have a problem with it because it's not stopping our top talent from being one and done, are going to the ote, are going overseas to play and coming back to the league, and so I think it leaves some room for the college game to, you know, still have some competition, have some competitiveness, but it's a little bit more difficult for the younger guys because their
bodies aren't as developed. In the college game, you can still bump and all that as well.
So Okay, I like that's interesting because I don't agree, Like I'm not on the I'm on the side of I feel like this is for colleges, for these young kids that are coming in that are eighteen nineteen to try to develop, to see if they do have a chance to man, dang, that.
Was not eighteen when he came to UCLA.
He was nineteen. But that's an overseas kid. That's a little different, you know what I mean. But I feel no, I'm definitely not mad because, like you said, most kids, unfortunately aren't going to go that's just the nature of the game. Plus nil is so crazy right now. So these kids are still getting a lot of bread during these opportunities. So, like I said, I don't fault the kids at all, like take advantage of the system that's provided.
But I just think the NCAA, you know, like most times it's awesome shit right now that I think they need to fix that, Katie before we get you out of here. Steph Curry being named assistant GM at Davidson, I think boje Ha just kind of started a trend now, you know, Masterpiece over New Orleans. Now Steph just signed over. The assistant is Davidson. What are your thoughts on big name, whether it be players or personalities becoming gms of colleges.
I love it. I love it when your gift makes schome for you.
And you know, too often, man, you know, we get put in boxes right and like you don't have to do this, or that you can do this, and that he's setting himself up.
For a post career.
It's it's his school that he went to, so he's an alumni, he's got a vested interest in that. And who better than Steph right to represent your program Steph is not only just a great basketball player, but he's a great human being. He's a great ambassador for the game. He understands business. I mean, he's just really cracked the code and get it all out. So I love to see us getting these opportunities, bringing in Pete to New Orleans, like he put New Orleans on the map to a
certain degree. And Pee, you remember p used to come up at U c l A and who.
Yeah, Pee, he used to try to fight me.
We can talk.
Did that ball touch saying he was gonna shoot it?
You know, every other time. Couldn't tell him nothing.
But it's great to see that man because he has the business acumen, the resume, and the passion and the love for the game. Obviously his kids play college ball. They little Romeo always had a love for the game.
So it's good to see. It's good to see our guys, you know, taking their place in the game.
Absolutely. Man shout out to Steph, master P and woj Man. I love the presidents they're said, and looking forward to more guys getting the opportunity to do the same. And women love to see some women getting those roles too, So Katie Man, thanks for your time. We'll definitely tap back in soon.
Man.
Enjoy your week.
Man, Thank you Bro. Always appreciate y'all having Well.
That's a rap for this week on Unplugged. Thank you for joining us. You can catch this on all the Smoke Productions YouTube and the Draft Kings Network. Don'll help a good.
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