Mateen Cleaves Talks “Flintstones", 2002 Lakers vs Kings WCF, LeBron’s Rookie Year | ALL THE SMOKE

M mm hmmm.

Mm hmm. All the smoke.

Day two man Pump gall of twenty twenty four. Jack yesterday was dope. Yeah, he was able to sit down with Tim Hardaway, the big old Dominique Wilkins. Then we got a chance to go to the to the what was shit called the reception where we got the fellowship a little bit.

Yeah, we did out there, shine, Yeah, food, grab some dinner after the fan heads whatever they call him ships some ship was dope.

Yeah, that's it.

I ain't never had one of them shits in there either. He got more chickens than I did last night.

They had. I got like four pictures and people taking pictures thinking their tongue got him, like.

The real one over here.

Now they off him, they off him. We buy them.

But man, today we get to start day two off on the right foot.

Man.

I saw I saw broke downstairs in the lobby when I went to go get somebody, so I ain't seen him in a minute. We chopped it up a little bit and I was like, bro, He's like, yeah, man, whatever you need. So one of my really it was a surprise for you.

Yeah, that was a great surprise. Prise. But I really love Man, that's my real brother. And to Douce who we got today.

Man, Man, my class made somebody that a lot of people don't know. He was one of those guys that you know, they always talk about all these basketball players that could have went professional two sports where he was ahead of the head of this time. He was a du All American quarterback, one of the best quarterbacks in our class. And I also won the best basketball players punk guards in our class, you know, along with Kobe

Man, welcome.

That's one of the best I've ever did too, so you know, it was genuine.

Now I want to get to it. Before we get to the class of ninety six.

Before you start, let me say that ship I made it, you know what I mean, this ship be on this ship, I feel like.

I've made he said.

The smoke, you know, like you never left? What were them AU days?

Like, I mean obviously raised in here, me and Raven rocking together since we were fourteen on the AU Circle. That's some of the finest memories of my life. I mean, A you kind of set the foundation for everything. So what was A you like to me about the first time I met And how did y'all start kicking it?

Man?

You know? For me?

Hey, you I love AU from the standpoint You've seen other cats that really could hoop, you know, like even more Internet. Yeah, seem like because you think of you, Michael Jordan, you know what I mean, in your neighborhood. So for me to be able to go and see other cats like damn, you know what I mean, you see cats doing some shit, You're like, whoa, you know what I mean?

This cat's all around that could play, you.

Know for me.

So that's that's what AA you really did for me.

I didn't.

I wasn't on a scene like that, you know what I mean.

I just was in Flint, you know, I was at the parks, you know what I mean, the open runs, somebody backyard. That's just how we was getting down in Flint. So I wasn't really on the national scene far as AAU, but I played little local tournaments. But main mainly shit I was in Flint. We was in Flint getting getting after Yeah.

What do you remember about him when you first met him the Nike camps?

Uh?

Coming to the Nike camps, you know, you got guys with all the big names, you know what I'm saying, And we knew with tem Clees, but they weren't talking about it like that. And at the end of the camp, all they talking about is the team Clees and Baron Davis, you know what I'm saying.

And Uh, that's that's the respect we had. You know.

In my own position, I made a name for myself the same time he was making a name for himself, you know what I'm saying. So that that that's what made that's what makes the memories more memorable because it was the same time.

We both were doing it at the same time. And think about this, you had to get it from the mud had to you know. It wasn't all the highlight films and putting all that stuff out. Man, you had to go get it.

You see that, you had to get it.

Y'all had to go get to it. And they was matching us up, They was making us play each other. It was that way you had to You wasn't dunking nobody, So you had to go see people, you know, So that that was the thing that I loved about it back in the day.

Yeah, class of ninety six arguably one of the greatest classes of all time.

We talked at length.

I mean, were good argument rest in Peace, co argument Bibby. Who else was in that class? We talked to j oh Thomas, Tim Thomas. Yeah, we've got a list of ninety six, probably more we're forgetting.

But what does it mean being in that class?

And like you said, as you're going on the senior kind of seeing all these dudes and the McDonald's back in that time was the top of the mountain. So what was that McDonald's experience like for you?

Oh man, it was it was unreal, Like I said, because I went to Nike, That's how I made my name.

But getting that I remember getting a letter in school, you know.

They come to you, they come to school, they give you a letter and to let you know you made the team, you were selected, you know. I remember getting that and then just with all the great players that was on that list, man, it was it was that shit was crazy, you know what I mean. It was one of the moments man that I just I'll never forget. But going to the you know, the the real ship, really the real Hoopers that that week practice, you know what I mean. And I couldn't like I was a

And we didn't hear nothing about it. We didn't know nothing about it.

Yeah, on my recruiting visit at Michigan. We got in the car. Actually that Maurice Taylor, Uh yeah, he was driving. He had the old Ford Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer, you know back then, and uh, it was me and him tractor trailer. Lewis Bullock. Yeah, rest please Maude Louis Bullock. Yeah, yeah, we all was in the in the car and coming back from hanging out on the recruiting visit. Yeah, in the car and then rolled over on the highway. Yeah, I was remember that was like that was a big deal. Yeah,

Yeah, So fast forward.

You end up really hurting yourself but not really knowing it. So you try to push through for the McDonald's game.

Yep, yep, Yeah, playing the McDonald's game, and god bless went for Warden Man Detroit, that's my dog.

And he was he was like, let's listen, you know, and practice like let's get it.

And I'm like, dog, I can't, you know what I mean. I'm like I can't. I'm like, yep. It was my back and I was getting Yeah, I was getting paid through the front of my legs. So I thought it was like a growing pull or something like that. But the problem was by nerves. That's why I was feeling in the front. But yeah, I couldn't do nothing. But my whole dang was I got to get the Saturday. I just want to be on TV, you know what I mean.

Back then there was CBS Saturday Morning.

I'm like, I just want to be on TV. That's it. I scored. I ain't even scoring that game, but I just ran up. And if you if you go back and look at the ship, I couldn't move.

I was, but I just.

Wanted to be on TV. Yeah, I wasn't missing that moment.

What do you remember about Code?

Different? Different? Like I seen the first hand, Like I'll be seeing a lot of these interviews stuff. I got a chance to see a first hand. And you gotta think we was all Americans, so we were some bad boys. He was, Yeah, he was different, and how he approached. It was different, was totally he was a pro back then. He was locked in like we was. We was hooping and we had fun and all that. But you know we a venture off and getting ship sometimes too. Yeah,

Yeah, teenager man, cold blooded.

Yeah.

And he's talking about you know, he talking about well, Winple was talking about, you know, let's let's practice hard, like we had that same situation. We're supposed to be just walking through and Kobe caught the bomb ripping.

Swung his middle hard boom like, no, let's pregnice, let's practice it supposed to be a walk through.

He didn't give an he didn't give a goddamn Nigga's time.

To go.

Flint, Michigan. A lot of y'all came out of there. What's that scene like?

Now? Man?

It's uh. If you remember a few years ago we had the water incident, you know what I mean, and people acting like the water good, it still ain't good. They still trying to figure it out and get it together. But sh Flint is flint, Flint what it is, man, it's it's it's grinding, you know what I mean. You get up out of there, you're good.

But let the crazy part too, because I've been down there that don't give back water a couple of times.

Yeah, you appreciate that too.

That soon as you get in Flint, the first thing you say is a big water a big water tower.

That's the first thing you see.

When you get to that. That where Jackie Moon had his team out.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah Flint.

Yeah.

Man, it's the same old ship.

It's grindy.

What is it about that that turns out so many professional athletes?

Though?

It's grimy, but it's I mean, it produces greatness.

I think it's like Clarissa Shills from Flint, that's my.

I just reconnected with her the other day on the show.

Corissa grew up like boys. Yeah that way yeah around your age, younger than me.

Super cool.

Yeah, she's real. We used to hoop at Bursting. She used to box. They had a ring downstairs and box. She used to box down there. But she we used to Man, she's a boxer, fight dudes, you know. Growing up. But Flint, it's just that's a that's the mentality, you know what I mean. If you think a lot of us was born off our parents worked at general mode, all right.

A real one, A real one, yeah because yeah yeah.

Yeah yeah, top authority, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah all that.

But it's like it's a mentality, like it's just how you cut, you know what I mean, It's like every other hood. But we just we we wired that we're so driven, you know, you're so driven to get up out of there. And back when I was coming up, you know, they they took care of the athletes, you know what I mean, the cast that was in the streets, you know what I mean, they kind of tried to steer you away from that. That's one thing we got to get back now. I think they kind of dragging

And that's what it was. And the shit just got real.

You know, when he was hooping on the courtse in the backyard, wherever it was, it was, it was it was really competitive starting at a young age, elementary, you know, we had like it was very competitive.

What cool question about the water?

Like what why is it so difficult to get The issue was all bro man, because they don't care.

That's yeah, that's real.

Yeah they don't care.

Man.

It's a lot of inner city people. They're blacks, whites, you know whatever, that they don't care. That's the problem, man. So they trying to trying to get it right, but that whole infrastructure messed up.

All for people that don't understand. Let me explain this to you.

Imagine going to somebody house and they have probably forty five palace of water stacked up in the house, and you bring walking around giving water and they want that water that you're giving because they got to take a bath, they got to cook, they got to do everything with that water. Because the water that's coming out the boss is so poisoned that if you put it on your skin, your shit and start peeling.

That's how bad it is. So just imagine living like.

Up in the top dogs the powers to be, and they knew what they was doing. They just didn't care about the people. So that's that's the sad part. But Flint resilient, you know what I mean. Everybody stands strong, like Clarissa came right up out of that thing. She doing her thing, and all the other athletes. Man, I mean, if you you look back, I mean Andre Rising. People forget how great he was. That's ride On Rise and

You know, he from Flint. Jeff grere here, oh g he played.

You know, so you got Roy Marble he ended up pass away, but we got tons of pros. Mark Ingram his daddy was a bad boy, you know what I mean. He won a championship with the eighty five Giants. Then little Mark he went to Alabama. But it's just you got tons of people, man, Draymond, Draymond sagging off. We're right next to each other. You can say that the Street j Rich, all them boys in baby Charles Rogers he died, but them all all right, Lamar Woody, you can go on and on about them boys too, but

Yep.

Yeah.

Do a sport athlete, quarterback? What was your style like you would throw a runner. Both, yeah, both, Yeah. I could throw it.

Yeah, you know, back then we ran a lot of options too, but I could throw it. You know, it wasn't a typical just run all the time an athlete. I can throw it.

It's something about football though, because I played football too, and yeah, yeah, yeah.

But to think about when you go through a couple of times that you go.

To the stadium, you see eighty five thousand or one hundred thousand. I mean, I love basketball, glad I chose basketball, but there's not that I get chills thinking about just them being in them stadiums and you almost committed to actually play high major college football.

Yeah, that's my only regretting life that I never got a chance to play.

Football one year. Yeah.

And I and to be honest, I was gonna My freshman year was so so it was like ten points of five, So it was all right. But you know, coming in as a McDonald's, you know, it's a lot of hype, but people didn't know I went through the back issues and all that stuff. So me and Coachizo met with Nick, he was the football coach at Michigan State. I was going to play football if I didn't have a great sophomore season. I was gonna play football that

The exact same thing. You see after my sophomore year.

My sophomore year, I went out there, Bob Toledo caming down that team. I went out there and did springball, ran routes for the first time in lest year.

Was dope. And then they started talking.

All this change of dorms, not captain, won't start on the basketball. I'm just like, God damn, just because I want to play a little football. So but that was one thing too. I mean, to this day, I'm just like, what if I would have just gave it for a year and saw what it would have happened, So it would have been dope. Draymond told is a great story

Oh Man back then, I was my top schools was like Syracuse, Cincinnati, you have Huggins, he recruited Dogs you know what I mean. He went after all the dogs. Back then, Georgia Tech, they was pumping out point guards. You know, you look at the history of Georgia Tech point guards they had. You go back from Mark Price to uh a A, Travis Best and Steph k and I would have been like right behind him. Who else was it? Michigan Uh, Louisville, Florida State was another big one,

When I say every day, Man, he recruited.

Me high because back then they ain't had nothing, you know, so Draymond recruiting was a little different.

You know, he could be a straight shooter with him. With me, he was damn they're big.

And to be honest, you know, because the people don't realize, like I took a chance on Michigan State. Michigan State was is the prominent program that is they It wasn't They ain't had like no top players there. Michigan had six or seven McDonald's All American on the roster. Michigan State didn't like Coachizo didn't make the tournament before I got there. He was in this second year when I committed, So Michigan State wasn't what it was.

And what was it like building that team out though, with Charlie and Mo And this is back when you were in college for it, you know, at least three years sometimes four. Yeah, what was it like kind of just going along that path because I say all the time like that was some of the best funniest times of my life.

Bro, Yeah, no doubt about it. I would never change it for the world. You know. Antonio Smith, people forget about him. He was the first one to go Big Tom. We played together at Michigan State. He went and then Mopete went. I came in, the Charlie came. And the reason I loved them my brothers, you know what I'm saying. And it was special on how we did it because we got it from the mud, like we wouldn't knowing that Michigan State wasn't shit, you know what I mean.

They're nervous.

So I'm like, go line them up first, get him going, and now when we play him in the tournament, we're gonna be ready to roll. Cats ain't in awe Like when we played Vince Carter my sophomore year. Cats there they want the actual autograph before the game, you know what I mean. They wasn't used to none of that.

Yeah, so they was like almost fanboy.

But after we started lying them, you know, them tough games up early in the season, that changed everything.

But so it seemed like you and Isa were kind of growing on the same traject You were going as a player and he was kind of growing as a coach. I want to forget it and put it, you know, getting this team on the map. What is it about him that made him different than made y'all clip?

He a real one, He real like he really rock with you.

Like a lot of these coaches they use you to you know, and then they gone to the next one. Now he really really really rock with you, you know what I mean, you know to this day and you know he care about you. You know what I'm saying that's what separated him from all even being recruited. You know, I'm like, damn, this dude so like he care, you know what I mean. And that's how we connected because

I was working on Fox on showing Fox Matt and during the episode, I can't remember, I can't remember who it was it was. I think it was Nick Uh, Nick right, I was on his show and uh, somebody Chris Carter.

They're real cool.

Yeah yeah, And during the episode, he said, I got a message from you from coach is Me talking about how much he loved my takes. Uh, he hoped I can see you to get more work because he liked me, liked me being a straight shooter. That made me and I'm like them. I ain't never met coaches all my life, you know what I'm saying. But I just wanted to

Guys, yea, yeah, I've seen him at a piece gym, so you know, I spoke to him for a second.

Dude.

In nineteen ninety eight. Yeah, y'all lost in North Carolina bench quartering.

How was that? Just losing to in the sweet sixteen?

It was It was a good experience, you know what I mean. They was out called they I thought they was going the pros they had on that team. Man, you had when your mom was a pro. Yeah, jumping people don't know this rock when of the best.

Jamison once again belongs in the Hall of Fame twenty twenty, twenty thousand points to twenty thousand rebounds.

I think, so he belongs in the Hall of Fame. It was the big they.

Had, the big African uh and John Yeah mc targe was it mc tar Yeah, he was at Michigan then transferred there. Yeah, career to not be getting Yeah, Coda Winley. It was called that's ninety six.

He looked that. Tell you our class is ridiculous though.

But not these.

But that was a hell of experience, you know what I mean.

Get there and see it, and I remember we lost, and I was like kind of frustrated and uh, coaches, I'll never forget this. You came in the locker room like.

What's wrong with you?

I'm like, man, you know, we ain't sure we should have played better, blah blah blah.

And he was like, you, how can.

You get mad at some of them players when you walk by their door room the whole summer before that working on your game and take nobody with you. We had that conversation one time. It was older than that. It was up after that. It was a nine catch in the gym and not just me. Now I'm grabbing

That little buck kicking yeah ninety nine, losing the Duke Brand Trading Langdon.

Team I thought was gonna win it all. I thought the Duke was the best team made back to the final FLI though they was Yeah, so so yeah, we grew from that, got to the final four that following year. That's something I pride myself. Yeah, my team's got better. That's a big adjustment. Yeah, big adjustment.

Better every year adjustment myself on that.

But we playing they were so man, It's like you scouting was like damn. They were so good. William Aby Lottery pretty much, Corey mcghetty, Shane Battier, Eldon Brand like Trading Langey. They had a squad. I don't know how they didn't win it. I know, Ripping them got down on them that next game.

Ripping them had some pros too, they did.

And some dog and some dog yeah yeah, yeah, that boy was on there was on he was on there gang.

He had a gang and and and a wet curl. Did you make rookie game?

Ye played? The rookie game?

Was I remember?

How was it?

Steve francecon Baron Dave was.

Doing like that, yeah, both, you know, throwing it around him.

Yeah, but it was a bad game for him because he had because Steve Frants.

Came out, Baron Davis came in like it was a bad game. That was tough, but he was it was specifically bad for him bringing that game. That ship was funny, man, because I think back I there, that was still buzz from the night before, you know what I mean. We went crazy. We had the whole floor, We talked.

About the story, the open door party, the open door floor.

We was doing it. And then we had money money.

That was about twenty thousand. Yeah, we was acting up nose right across the street.

I couldn't walk.

Across the street. We learned no ship, no ship.

I ain't gonna lie go in there and wash my face a half time, like to try to come back.

Like we graduated high school same yeah, Niga end up in the rookie Game same year.

That was fastic. That was that was I'll never forget it.

Man, didn't blessed for Yeah, for sure, two thousand, y'all beat Mike Miller and Donna's am.

I mean they was they was on one that floor.

I think they went back to back after that, right yeah, after that, Yeah.

It was a couple of years, was it for them?

Came Mike Miller got one for sure though, Yeah, mc miller got him one. Yeah, So y'all, I'm talking to you right. It was Horford and uh yes he did Miller.

Win a championship.

No, was in the same draft, but Mike, he was dog. That was hard for your Kams and Brewer and Brewer.

Yeah, yeah, that start the team was went went crazy. They were nice. Used to make that that was called. It was like they had.

I was just they just had they had Mike Miller. You Dona's has Matt Bonner was on that team. Donee hard?

You did want a collage championship. You didn't win a college championship, Bro.

He didn't know you di didn't. He always put me in the head like every time I see he had twenty eight on us though he was killing us.

Yeah.

Harvey was a fucking animal dog he was.

He was a first niggayah rebounding energy.

Today, first rolls, Joe Willis type.

He was first Joe type.

Yeah. So they had a squadty too.

But we what that feel like, though, I mean, this is you finally got it. Like you said, every year y'all got better and you reached the pinnacle your last year.

Ah. Man, I'll take you right before the game, man, I was tripping like it's on it's own and your senior year, my senior year, yup.

And the toughest thing about that National Championship game is.

It's so late. So you waiting around like, yeah, you want to play, like and you the game.

At like nine o'clock and you're like, damn, I just want to.

Get out here. But like playing in that game, Florida was good, but they was They was younger.

You know.

We had we just battle test and we had been there. We were so locked in. We wasn't losing. We was not losing to them, you know, we were so dial Then the game plan was right, everything was was on point. Tom Cream was our assistant, so he always had us on point where everybody Scott was unreal. So we was always prepared, but were so locked in. And then at that point, I mean, at that point it was like shit, let's get it, you know what I mean. It's it's

I ain't worried about that. So playing them, that was our style.

We wanted to get up and down and with more Pete you know, Charlie Bell, the athletes we had, We had Mike Chappelle that transferred though from.

Duke Ja Rich was a baby.

That's my baby. That's a little bro. We had them guns on them wings. And for me, I was just picked, you know what I mean. That was easy money for me. But but that was the hell of a feeling.

Man.

I never forget watching that that tying roll off that clock, and it's like, damn, you know I did it, you know, because I grew up watching the Final Fours every year, watching you know, one shining moment and you dream about that moment, man, and that I was tripping on.

Kind of like the football shit because in the play in front of eighty five.

Yeah, yeah, different triple rays.

You at the don't yeah.

Watching everybody's watching flor even when you're watching it on TV.

You hit the rims. Yeah, they got the mics up on the rim.

That that ship changed my life even to this day. Man, there's people that can't tell you what NBA team I play for. And I'm okay with that, you know what I mean. I ain't got the problem with that. That that changed my life that I'm still going out. Man, I'm that's it'll be our twenty fifth year reunion coming up this year, and I'm still out. People like Michigan State, you know what I mean, They just that that changed

That, right, I know, I know you and and let me get this.

I know you and I know Magic, and you know people can put their own interpretations on stuff. Explain this picture to me, though, Spring the picture to me, it looks crazy, looks crazy, It looks crazy.

It looks crazy, it looks crazy.

You want to tell you, I'm saying it looks crazy.

I know.

That's why. That's why I live with I know you and I know magic.

My boy, this looks crazy.

You know what that.

Was crazy? It looks crazy, but I know I know what it is. We know about ship right there. Man, Yeah, that's that's that guy. That's that dude.

That's that dude telling me you him, I'm proud of you.

Yeah, yes, sir, you did sir, dude.

Ain't nobody did this as I done it?

Yeah, sir, yes, yeah, he can't. Nobody else make him feel better in that moment. But yeah, that's it. And he told me in that picture, you don't even realize what you just did. He said you, he said it's gonna get better the older you get.

It's gonna get better every year. And that was and he ain't lying.

Every time I watch it Definal Fours or I still get chill ups because they come back to me.

But he was telling me like, yeah, I'm proud of you.

You know what I mean. And you you will see every year as you get older, you're gonna appreciate this more and more.

Did you win state championships?

Oh yeah, Jack town winner.

Yeah that's what I do. Yeah, football, but basketball would won the state championship.

Yeah, so yeah.

I was almost with Sacramento.

Get there, go get okay.

Yeah, I pride myself on winning.

Yes, sir, got that right.

What was your introduction to the NBA, like in the two thousands, have to buy the Pistons ended up with the Kings. Yeah, controversial loss in the West Coast. To talk about all that controversial when you cheated.

Yeah, I want to know what it's like to get I'm just I want to know what it's like to get drafted.

That's pretty much your hometown team.

Yeah, it's not that was that was that was cool? Yeah, to get drafted by the Pistons. You know, I'm a bad boy thing. Grew up and Myron you know, Isaiah Thomas and the bad Boys and all them. I was lucky to grew up where I grew up at to watch the Fab five, you know, see them, and to see Isaiah Thomas, and I just thought like, damn, that's just how you play basket.

Yeah, that is how you do it. So I was blessed.

And then to get drafted by the Pistons was it was crazy, you know what I mean, that's a that's a dream come true to get drafted in the league regardless, but Pistons my hometown team. That was That was that was that was crazy. I don't even got the words to explain on what that was.

Draft party was like, it was crazy, you know, I know Mo mo p had a draft party together.

Yeah, the round favorite.

Yeah yeah, let's as being won our.

Favorite human beings. That's my baby. Yeah yeah, yeah, we had a draft party together. And see mo p P had a lot of girls too, so we brought him. Yeah did you know he was but no, we had it.

We had it.

We had a good time. Flint showed up, man, Flint, Flint rock with us, you know what I mean. We kept a one hundred you know what I mean. We we Flint to the course. So they always showed up and supported us. So that was that was that was big time. Yeah, that was something special. And and and getting there and playing my rookie year. That was That was That was cool too.

Who was on the team at that time.

Stack Stacked to the raft, Stacked to the rag, bad boy. Stack led the league and scoring that year. Yeah, U G. Hill had just up.

I tell him all the time, I G.

Hill, you stay, I'm I'm in the league for a long time. I got stack House right here here once. Yeah, I'm in the league. I'm topped in the citison of the league. If I'm you know the way I played, you know what I mean, my style I was. But he had just left, and Stack was the man we had. Mike Curry was O O G. Yeah, O G. Mike Curry.

Yeah, Chucky Atkins, that's my dog.

Yeah yeah, Jerome Williams was on that team.

But yeah, Dana Burrows old school, yeah yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

We didn't have a good year at all. But like you said, I think earlier. You know, I got to end up getting traded that summer, and that was eye opening because I learned it's a business real quick. Yeah, and Joe Dumars I thought, was my man, you know what I mean, But it's business, you know what I mean.

You think when it's all the way to Sacramento too.

Oh man, that.

Was and it ain't really fit my style, you know what I mean.

I'm like, damn man, you send me to sack. That ain't my style.

They already had just traded for Mike and Bobby Jackson, so they had the pgs on point to beyond.

They was already locked in the bigs with the playmakers on that team.

Yeah, for sure. And one thing I do respect about Sacramento. I always remember their front office was they was honest. You know, they was like, hey, we got Mike Bibby, we got Bobby. We love the way they play. They fits our style better. Uh, We're gonna go with them. You know, you come in compete every day and we'll see what happens. But they was real, so at least I knew my role. So what I did was my whole folkus. Okay, well, how do I impact this team? How do I ain't gonna come in here and just

But because you leave by example, you just play hard. Yeah, it was real.

We competed the.

Second team used to get that ass though.

Yeah, I wanted to because we wanted to play.

So when was that? So that was that young Paysia young Hto.

Was starting.

Will Yeah, Bobby yeah.

Second, we used to be a Scott Pollard yeah, Scotty p. Yeah, we used to be added.

So that Laker team.

Uh So I don't mean to make it about me, but I'm a UC at the time, so I'm fighting for I'm obviously he grew up a huge Laker fan, but obviously be in a sack. I grew on that team, and I used to play with y'all in the summertime with Webb and all them dudes and workout. So I'm over here battling Laker fans and wanting the Kings to win. But and then we got a member of the Lakers, one of the Lakers, he was on the team at that time.

Someone to hold the computer back there? What was that?

What was that playoff series in particularly that battle with them? Like from Kobe getting sick, to the referees, to a lot of shit going on, and and the Kings all bullshit disciples. Probably the best team in the league that year, with all due respect, and he back that time, my man, let it go.

Yeah.

But you know who was referee in game six, Scot the famous Yeah he was Donah wow, he was refe game six.

That's what I was talking about.

The series was when they started really investigating him.

What would it look like for a Sacramento Kings team or the Lakers to win the championship? Yeah, it's always it's always the business.

It's always a business market.

But let's talk about that was what was that? What was that series? Like?

Man, it was that was the whole season was crazy because it was if you remember, that's when Doug Christy and Rick five got into a fight in the preseason, preseason.

Yeah, that's why I was in pres a real game.

Yeah, that was a preseason.

Guy, the s Yeah, yeah, that had to in some beef before the game though.

It was before it was just the years of playing each other. Yeah, yeah, light skin ship, Yeah.

Douglas with the ship was with it.

But the cool ass dudes though I.

Don't like super good, super good dude. But yeah, they were they it got real. So it started I think even the year before that. But man, it was it was on site. Whenever we seen them. It was I remember Mike uh Bibby Hell one time we was going to the to the bus and he was kind of hanging out in the arena before he went to the bus.

He was like, they out there like oh, because you know, I was with it, you know what I mean, I was, I was.

They dont get down.

So Mike like they out there, I'm like, it's like shack boys.

They waved by the bus. That's wrong, you know what I mean, Like whatever, go down, go down with you shouldn't get on this bus. So but it was like that, you know, it was major. You know, they was calling us the queens. They had little ship, but they were scared of us. I don't care what they said. They know because the way we played it was, I mean, you got to go to state now. We was kind of like that back, you know, our style of playing ball. Bigger t Well was so good. He made everybody around.

Talk about how good because I mean, obviously the homie friend of the program. We're doing some work with him, but I don't think he gets the love.

Before Webb's knee injury.

Cold Well was so good. He made everybody around him better. I'm talking about passing and he posted hit, make plays off the bounce. Well was so good, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, all day.

He definitely one of the best passing big man easy easy.

He made us out of all them great players on that team, Man Web made everybody better.

He did.

He was the dude. And that's why our team was so close because Well was. He was the man. He's so cool. He took care of everybody, made sure everybody was was in you know. But Well was so good. And then you have Lottie Body, O G. Doug Christy, Bobby Mike, everybody on that team.

Dog was so.

Good and really good at what they did. But playing the Lakers, you're talking about dog fights, you know what I mean. Every possession counted, every possession we had them, Man, we had them. I ain't want them just trying to blame the rest. But we we got screwed. We did, man, we we we got screwed.

Number eight wasn't taken off on y'all.

He was he.

Was Yeah, him and and to see and Doug Christy had d yeah, yeah, defense, But.

Kobe was different and Doug made earned everything he.

Got defense because he had the security. Bro, he was up there studying. Yeahs, Like, bro, what's wrong with you?

Because you know, because you know if Doug's one of the guys he closed.

Up here when he coming here.

Yeah, he was one of the first dues. Was showing me how he timed dribbles, you know what I mean, because I'm like, damn, man, he's taking the ball from these cats that that could play. Like, man, how is you taking the ball from these dudes who really can play?

You know?

And uh, he was timing they dribbles. But like them battles was crazy. But our team, I'm stand on that we was the best team.

Man.

Yeah we got ribbed.

I'm a stand on that people can have their opinion whatever that I feel like we got robbed. He was the best team. Man.

What are your memories from Lebron's rookie year?

Different? Like I gave a nickname Heaven Sent, Like God said, you you know what I mean?

You don't get that good?

Yeah? Early right out the gate a team coming out of high school. I ain't nobody thinking. I was like, nah, man, he can't be that good. He's gonna be good in the league. But I ship, man, I'm in practice this boy. I'm like, whoa. He was the real deal and I'm talking as a baby. He was.

He knew it, he knew he had a great feel for it.

Athletic get where he wanted to get, you know what I mean. He he was different. That's why I used to call it heaven sent. Like God just said, you though the deal.

Athletically sixty and changed. Yeah, the first time I ever got come. Yeah, I was behind.

Yeah he was.

I was like, he's a kid to sixty the whole ship. That's gonna be a problem.

Like running like a deer too.

It's like it's like you this is a king thing. Now I wash it too, Like he's gonna be good. Yeah. When I started, the pressure.

Was like yeah, that's what I'm saying.

I say it's heaven sent, like said, man, he got to still he was playing. I think it's Dallas. Michael Finley tried to chase him down, like he looked back and like he was at like the topic. He just one step took off boom. I was like, he just run the other way like he was having said. Except that's what it is right there, God said you you can't. You can't practice and get that good.

Yeah you got to that.

Yeah, yeah you can't. You can't do it, Lebron. Yeah, I'm blessed, you know, to be able to say I played with him. You know, that's when when I'm speaking to people and doing nothing, I know, I throw that name.

Out, play with Yeah, post basketball business.

If you're trying to win, you're trying to win. Tell the motherfuckers.

Yes, sir, so you do some work with Matt and his group, But what what is what is business of basketball mean to you now that you're done? And what if you don't mind sharing doing some of the stuff you're doing?

Man, you know what, I'm blessed. I'm blessed. Man. You know I've been able to do broadcasts and got the music a little bit. I did some things there. But man, my real blessing is now, like man, this he's a real one. He is a real one. Like if you a player in the NBA, you want to get to the Phoenix Sun the time. Yes, that's my little brother. Yeah, man, he was in our championship team. That's my little brother man, and he had always been talking to me about getting

You know.

So here, yeah, a real one. So I'm working in the mortgage entustry now and we're killing it. We're killing the game.

Man.

We got a good thing going. I'm talking about from Matt to all of our senior executives, to all of our team members.

It's like we got over eight thousand people at.

Our company and we family. It's like everybody like we we do it like the hoop. You know what I'm saying, Like this your brother, this is your sister, Like we because of you. Yeah, that's how we're doing it. Yeah, that's the culture that we got there.

But to think about that, I mean, obviously to be a great college athlete, win a championship, to make the NBA, and then post career to pay to be you, like I want you to rub off on my multi possibly billion dollar company.

Like what does that feel like?

Man? It's a great feeling, you know what I mean.

And it's it's you know, how to win that life?

Yeah, you want to win that you're trying to win, but your mind right, keep your grind time, you know, that's how we get into it. I'm blessed to be able to do the same thing I I'm just doing leader up of America now, being the leader. That's what he brought me in and it's all It start with him though, because he's so humble. He set the stage because he's such a humble dude and a hard working guy,

He's such a he's such.

A real one man, and everybody loved him like we all run through a brick wallfort like I said, with the coaches or effect, like you know, he cared about you.

That's how all eight thousand our employees feel like.

There he there in the building, sitting at lunch with people know every day and the everybody name in the building.

He's like that, you know what I mean.

So he that that environment that we got there is something that we took from sports, you know what I mean in Michigan State, and now we got to building over eight thousand people and everybody, everybody rock with you. I always tell people, you know what I mean. At Michigan State, he I mean it was pros. You had myself, Charlie Bell, mo p J. Rich, you know what I mean. So Matt was undersized. He could at a mid major, he would have been he would have played. Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Yeah.

Owners can't no owner, No, they ain't even coastal.

Yeah, none of them.

But Matt, Yeah, no man can play.

He got gag.

Listen man, we appreciate your time. Moving on to quick hitters.

The first thing to come to mind, let us know that fill in the blank, Mateen Cleves wouldn't be here without.

Great parents. I say, great man, Yeah, they my mother and daddy instilled the self confidence in me a dog. Yeah, I say, yeah, my parents.

Man. Shut One thing you wish you were better at?

Hm hmm. One thing I wish I was better at. Damn. That's what you know, your little arrogant you know what I mean?

Yeah?

Yeah, let me think, let me think I've done that, done, this, was great at this.

Yeah.

And I'm joking when I say that one thing I wish I was better at? Uh, yeah I would. I would say, yeah, mortgage. Learning more than mortgage. I'm learning now getting better out of Yeah. That that that's on the way. Childhood crush. Oh dang, my wife's gonna see this too, So I got to be careful. Childhood, child childhood, childhood man, you know, man, Janet Jackson, Janet, I'm.

Gonna just said, Janey not too long ago. One album you listened to with no skips?

Oh man, you gotta go pop the world pop?

Yeah, Yes, what's your guilty pleasure?

Mm hmm.

Guilty pleasure that you could share.

Right, they can't get it pleasure.

Dang man, make you think I would probably man, just keep it like I mean ships, sweets man eating Yeah, I love.

Sweets mane hear you. I'm on to get better.

It sucks if you can have if you can see one guest on our show, who would it be?

But you have to help us get your answer on the show Man.

One guess ship. Trying to have everybody y'all here, man, there's been a lot.

Of people we said, some names that we haven't him.

Yeah, Man, Jordan gotta come on this show man.

You can call them and tell Michael Jordan. It's gotta be something.

You know that somebody I know that you already have magic see weeby'll.

Have well rich Man, yeahs in your circle.

Yeah you can make it so happen.

Oh for sure. Yeah, y'all got to get Matt coaches.

Yeah. Oh yeah, Matt for sure. We love as well.

Yeah, y'all got to get both of them.

Appreciate you, yeah, man, love.

Thank you.

You're getting to it, Yes, sir man, that's a wrap. My team cleaves Man one of just the good dudes in the game.

My brother tell them one time. They they what if you're trying to win? Tap in right there.

That's a wrap just on all the smoke productions in the DraftKings Network.

Man, we'll see y'all next week.