Paul George | Ep 60 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball

you in the family doing. I'm good. I'm good. I heard you just question. I'm ready. It's time, man, I'm thirty. Wife, you just turned thirty. I mean it was time. We're going into a new phase, new chapter in our lives. So you know, that's that's what I was waiting on. She ain't know I was waiting on that momentum of us turning thirty. But you know, I just I just

realized it um, and it's it's dope. When you get to that maturity level where you you recognize when you do need to grow your ship up and take it to the next level. So we're in a good space. I'm happy to see that meat because me. I've been preaching because I made a lot of mistakes with women, you know what I mean. And I've been preaching, especially young black men, to find him a woman and build with that woman because all the baby mama ship that can end and all the money you can spend that

can ruin your life easily. And we worked too hard, so hard to get to this point. So I commend you on taking that step because I'm preaching that to more young black men. Relations How is uh COVID been treating I mean, you're kind of an isolated person. You like to chill, so probably COVID really hasn't affected. Everyone's stayed healthy. You've been just chilling and working out in your Yeah. I just you know, a game man. I'd be on the game. I chop it up with the homies.

We on you know, party, chats on the game all day. Jack thinks he could play the game too. CLD. I see that. I see that We're gonna have to connect on you. But you know what I mean, I'm a I'm a laid back, chill, low key person. Um, that's just how I been. You know, I ain't really the one to be in the scene and be out, I kicked back, I chill. I got little ones now to to to post up with. So that just be my vibe. Now, what's fatherhood like. It's dope. It's dope, man, especially my

oldest is six. Baby girl just turned three, uh about two weeks ago. Um, so you know, I'm a I'm a girl dad full lou. It's dope to see yourself in you know, a little a little girl version of Um. You know, it's it's it's it's just a different world, man. It's a different joy of different excitement to be able to be in the fatherhood. Uh. You know, I grew

up with two parents. My my my dad was in my my life, my whole life, um, you know, and so it's it's just dope to have to remember those moments you had with your pops and then be able to create moments with your little ones and didn't find the similarities in between it. So, um, you know, it's it's an awesome experience. That's what's up. Um the bubble. How I was someone who from the beginning, just like yo, we're taking and people they make a bunch of money,

they'll be fine. But I was just thinking about the human aspect. We're taking people during a pandemic, during a crazy racial field president fueling fires left and right, but we're putting you guys in the isolated bubble, something that's never been done. How offing the NBA for making sure

you guys were safe first and foremost. But what was the experience, the human side of it outside of playing games and everything, because you were one of the people who actually spoke on the mental aspect, and how tough it was for you at times being in that bubble, isolated from your family in the world. Right, it was hard. I ain't gonna lie. It was hard. Um. You know, up until this point ten years in. You know, you

used to the you know, five star hotels. You used to um, you know, like people would be like, man, you used to living in the hotels. But it's it's just not the same like you used to being able to step out and go get you a nice dinner, you know, when you're on the road. Like so it was just a different environment. And then too because where we stayed we had no no balcony, you know what I mean? Are are we? I think we was only we was the only hotel that didn't have outside balconies.

The other two uh um hotels that the other teams were staying on, they all had outside balcony so they can step out and get fresh air. For us to step out and get fresh air, like you had to like go see Milwaukee. You gotta go see the Lakers, like we all in the same and so I ain't I ain't like I ain't the one to kick it with others, like you're trying to win a championship, you

know what I mean? Like and so for us to step out and and to do that, like you had to see other cats on the campus, and um, it was just hard. Like you face time and your your family at home, you face time and your kids. It just at at some point you start to break and it's like man, what am I doing here? Like this

ain't it right here? Like I understand we're trying to win a championship and that's the focus, but it's just everything got to line up for this to happen, right, and um, you know to to to you know what it is. I give I tip my hats off to the Lakers for being able to accomplish that. Um, but myself I struggle with it. I had a hard time with it. Doctor's gone. T lewis in, Um, you know, me playing for that team and still being close to some people on the on the business side of it.

You know, you hear there was some rumblings in the locker room and stuff was a little rougher than we thought it would be. Um, you guys seem to make it work and put it together as much as you can. What do you guys feel like, obviously with the letdown of last season, what do we eat the store for this upcoming season? Personally from you, but from a team as a whole. For me, you know, because a lot of a lot of people like I don't know. I

work out and I trained hard every summer. Right. This was the first summer I wasn't able to do that because I had this past summer going into last season was the first summer I wasn't able to do that because I had shoulder surgery. So I'm in the whole summer of training. Um, And so when I came back, the team was already you know what I mean, rolling, They already got you know what I mean. We didn't start off. We started off okay, but we didn't start off as well as we wanted to, but I feel

like they already had a little chemistry going. Um. And so when I came into the mix, I'm I missed a whole Like I missed that time in the summer of playing pickup ball, hooping, getting a rhythm, getting the flow, working on my game, the timing right. So when I came back into the league and started playing again, and I just fell off, like I didn't feel like a

part of the team. And then you know, the way I was being used, I felt like I was you know, Doc was trying to play me as like a Ray Allen or like a JJ Red all pinned downs all like I could do it. But that ain't my game, Like you know what I mean. I need some flow, I need some mixes and picking rolls, I need some post ups, just different touches, you know what I mean. Um. And So it was just, you know that last season

was just hard overall. But I think for this year, you know, we everybody's starting off on on a healthy page. We're starting off on the same page. UM. Me and Kauaire gonna get some time together working out. Um. I think everything is just not rushed going into this season. I helt last year everything was kind I think it happened for a reason. I think you're gonna benefit from that because going through the wars, with the wars and the struggles and ups and dimes I went to in

the bubble. Now you're coming out to start agett with a new coach, with a fresh amount of coach, with a guy who probably y'all probably could communicate more with because he's more close to our age and we kind of you know what I'm saying, we come from that same era. But at this I think y'all benefit from those those hard times. Y'all come together more this year because y'all started from scratch being in training camp together. It makes a big difference. Bro. It makes a big

difference for our team going together. And once you'll get that, I think you'll be fine, right, And I just think the understand I mean, you gotta think, for the first time the Clippers were picked to win the championship, when was the last time you ever heard that? A lot of added pressure on that, and then, like you said, not being able to gain that chemistry from the jump, and people can say what they want, chemistry is the

key to championships. What nobody says, the chemistry has got to be there, you know, at least why you're playing, and to not have that was tough, you know, But I was someone who picked you guys. I think I thought you guys were built to beat who we thought was going to be in the West Finals. And I'm sure you felt the same way. How tough was it, you know, going in and having that lead on Denver and then seeing them walk y'all down and walk y'all out pretty much, Yeah, it was. It was tough because,

like you know, we was confident. We felt like, you know, we was. We went up three one, We felt like, you know, we're gonna win the next one we lost, were like, cool, we are three to we're gonna win the next one we lost. But during that, during that whole process, like we we never worked on adjustments, We never worked on what to do differently. We just literally having the same ship happened over and over again. So it was it started to play a trick on you, like, man,

like what's going on? Like you know what I mean, we're talking amongst each other, like the conversation is like we're gonna be all right. The conversation should have been like no, we need to change this. Yeah, we need to switch this up. We need so it we we wasn't like at the end of the day, I don't I don't think we deserved it. We wasn't prepared enough going into it from you know, um just us making adjustment standpoint. We wasn't prepared. We didn't put the work

into it. It was kind of just like, Yo, we got PG, we got quiet, we got little trash like we we're gonna be straight, We're gonna figure it out. All that ship on paper looks good, you know, like and I and I related to like, we didn't practice during this the whole year. Um, And it's that's hard to do when you're putting a fresh new group of guys because the problems you have during games, those ships can get iron out in practice, you know what I mean.

You're gonna bump heads and practice, but you're gonna come out of that practice like better. Okay, I understand this, dude. I know where he's coming from. When it happened during games, it's it's gonna rub a little differently. Be hard to come back from that doing it. It's hard to come back from that, especially in the playoffs. Right right, and you're like, Okay, that's that's what he on, So all right,

I got you. And that's just kind of how the how, how the team, you know what I mean, that's just kind of how we was, how how we went about it after stuff starts, you know, unfolding it and wrapping some sort of islands. That's how it happened on little Dramond and Katie. They didn't win it, and that could have been a big, big part of it, you know what I mean, not being not been on the same page. Talk to us about your upbringing, palm deal um, your mom falls ill stroke as a child. How old were

you at that point? I was. I was nine years old when I happened to my mom. Talked to us about that time and what you were thinking, Man, I didn't, to be honest, I don't know what was going on. I was I was literally outside in the front yard playing hoops um, and then uh, I see an ambulance struck pull up to the house and I'm like, you know, I'm still like, I'm thinking they're just about to pass us, Like they're about to pass my house up, keep going.

They put up and they stopped literally like right in front of the court. So I'm like, yo, what's going on? Then? Um, you know, they rushed in the house, they grabbed my Mom's like, I see my mom's getting carted out on the stretcher. So I'm like, man, what And I'm nice, So I don't know what's going on. It's like to be honest, like my first time seeing an ambulance truck like up close right here. So you know, I'm asking questions. You know, my dad trying to keep everybody calming and collected.

He's like, you know, mom just got a little sick. At this time, they don't know what what happened. Um. So you know they're doing the whole diagnosis to testing and I'm noticing, like all right, it's been like a day now, moms and came back home where she at like and so, um, we get the phone call. You know, she had a stroke, She had two blood cloths. Um. At one point she was pronounced dead. Um. So you know at nine that that shake your whole world up.

I'm like, man, like what what what is like? Please give me answers to what's what's going on? Um? So after that, we go visit my mom. We go see her and it was crazy seeing my mom like as a baby. She couldn't talk, she couldn't like nothing, she couldn't move. She's just looking at us and her eyes is telling us everything. She couldn't communicate. It was like she was a baby, a vegetable. And you know, I like froze up in that moment. And I you know,

I spent just so much time as a family. We just spent so much time just sleeping at the hospital, staying at the hospital. Then uh, you know, this was like months moms was at the hospital. Then they finally allowed her to come home. She still was, you know, hospitalized in the hospital bed inside our home. I used to sleep right by my mom's We put in the living room every night. I'll sleep right there by my moms make sure she was all right. Um, but it

it did a lot for me. It kind of motivated me and and really like lit a fuse to like I knew I always wanted to be a ball player, but that's what like kind of put me on that path to like I don't got a choice, like I would want to, Yeah, I gotta do this, And so it just it motivated me as a kid, um growing up Kobe was a big fan of yours. Um, yeah, my bad just had a moment real quick. Rest in

peace to our brother man. So Kobe was obviously idle of yours any memorable moments obviously growing up you know, kind of on the outskirts of l A, you got to see him and winning his rings. Uh you know someone you modeled your game after. What was What was it about Kobe that drew you to him? It was just as a coach, Um, Like I was actually talking to somebody today about Um, you know I loved him

growing up. My household was was Lakers. Uh you know recipes my grandmother, My grandmother was the biggest Lakers fan, biggest Kobe fan. Um. So it was just always on at the house and I just love like, you know, he he didn't care. Like his approach to the game. Remember quote he said, uh, like good players are supposed to make you look bad, like that's their job. But I'm gonna take that challenge, you know what I mean.

They're supposed to make me look stupid out here. And that always like resonated with me, Like I don't care, like if I get crossed, I get cross if I get dunked, on, I get dunked one, but I'm gonna take that challenge. It's fun no very And I remember I was, I was going it was my senior years. First time I've seen Kobe play. It was my senior year, going to be a freshman in college. Um, I went to Staples to go see t Mac and Kobe square off. Uh. T Mac was was on Kobe's ass. T Mac gave

Kobe everything. I think he finished with like thirty something. I think that Houston won that game. But but really what's stood out was Kobe was guarding t Mac. T Mack wouldn't guard code and that stood out to me. That was one thing that like, I got to see because Tea Mac is my my second favorite player, so I got to see t Mac in his you know, his element. I saw. I saw a t mac um you know, a raish stuff that I wanted to work on.

I got to see t Mac live doing it. But what stood out to me it was like, man, this dude Kobe, like he taking that challenge, He's trying to check him. Uh And from that day on, it was like, Yeah, that's that's my guy. That's my guy. Any memorable stories once you got a chance to get in the league and play against him, or any battles that come to mind when you're thinking, yeah, yeah, A couple, man, a couple.

I remember the first time I got to play him, and we had b Shaw as an assistant and in Indiana, in Andy and like b Shaw talking ship from the bench, Egg and cob on he you know, code, young fellow on you, young fellow on you code. So there's one play we're down on the end right in front of the Lakers bench. Kobe hit me boom, you know, his little shimmy. He gave me an elbow boom. Felt it. I'm this this is my what second year, so I'm like to twenty, I'm light. He gave me an elbow boom.

I felt it. Gave me the pump. I go for it, right, pump, go, try to block the ship. He ended up scoring. He run down. He looked at b Shaw. He said, Yo, tell the young feller check checking for feathers. Yo. I'll right here next to you. But you know what I mean, it was it was, you know, after the game, he showed love, you know, he you know, showed me mad love. You know, gave me words of motivation, keep me keep me uh, you know, motivated to keep going. Um. But

that was most memorable. And then the opportunity, you know, I played him his last go around, played him in l A and when he came to Indy. Um, that was you know, moments that of stand out. And I'll never forget getting to play him in Indy his last go around, getting a win on him on his last go around. Um. And then we had an intimate moment. You know, he was going through his whole tour. After the games, he'll come chop it up, you know, me in the locker room with with everybody, and it was

just me and him. Um, he came to the locker room and it was just me and him, just had a moment and UM, it was awesome, man, it was It was dope to share that moment. But year was that for you? Let me see, not it's your six, Yep, it's your six. Um when did you know, like you said, you found out at nine or you told yourself at nine when your mom got sick. But when did that start becoming a reality that you actually had a chance to become an NBA player? I think in uh, in

middle school, Um, I felt I had a chance. Um, just because I knew I was unique. I was in my middle school, I was playing point and I was by far the tallest kid. Um. Everywhere we played, I was the tallest kid and I was playing the point guard. UM. And I knew then like I'm different from what all these kids are and uh, you know, and I just came from me watching Team mag watching cold big guards. They was inspiring me. And that's that's kind of when when I knew, you know, I got a chance at this.

So you end up going to Fresnel State, turning down places like Georgetown, Penn State. What was the overall the factor that just made you decided to go to Fresnel State. It was basically me just being a family first, hid um and my parents were super supportive. They literally went to every game. So it was basically making it easier on them the trip that they can catch me, you know, catch all the games they want to. UM. That's that

was the only factor that came down. UM. At that point, I've probably only been out of state maybe one one or two times, so it was like, man, I would have been uncomfortable being far away from home. It was the closest UM. So It's like, Man, if I can make it here, let's do it. Almost a year to the day your jersey was retired, hung in the Raptors. How they make you feel? It was dope? Man, it

was awesome. A lot of great moments experiences there. Um. You know, I think it was more so what I did in the league than than what I did and Fresno, be honest, I didn't do as much as I wanted to in college. So um, it was just dope though for them to honor it. Um, to be the first person, uh, to be hung up basketball player, to be hung up in the save Mars Center, which is a lot of people don't know. Man, it's like an NBA arena. Um, So it was dope to be get my jersey hung

up in there. So tense picking the draft, You're going to Indiana. Any memorable draft nights stories or leading up to the draft that that's stuck with you, Uh, just the whole the whole process. Um, because you know, I got called to be in New York, um for a draft night, and uh, that was my first time. That was the first time my grandmother got on the plane. It was the first time my dad flew on the plane first time my mom flew on a plane. Um,

and so they flew from Cali to New York. Um, so just the whole experience like it was, it was you know, I'm I'm a small town kid. So for for my parents to experience the stuff we experienced going through that process was you know, it was it was the world to me like that was that was the draft right there. We won at that moment um. So just you know, having new memories was was awesome. Callie

to Indiana, What was that like for you personally? Jack played out there, Jack Nova, Yes, that almost everything off. Shooting ship, ship up and the stands all kind of ship. I love. As far as the organization though, I have to say this, Donnie Washing is my guy because a lot of people tried to bury us and they had out back, you know what I mean. For that side of it, the organization was solid. But the city it's a lot of haters out definitely, It's a lot. It's

a lot. And it was different. Going from Cali to Indie was different. Um, the weather, the people, the city, restaurants like it was. It was just a different experience. Um. It opened me up to a lot of stuff. I'm happy I went to Indie as a rookie UM because it allowed me to really like just lock in as a player work on my game. It was nothing else to do, UM, you know, and and it was just a good like switch up for me to be out there. UM.

That's all I'm gonna say. On Indie, I ain't really you know, vibe with a lot of the front office people after they made the change, UM and Larry kind of stepped off and stepped away from the team. Different management took over. UM. And at that point I understood, like the business business partners you guys, you guys had some sort of a falling out on your exit, right. I remember you said something you would say one day what happened? And I think you might have spoke on it.

But what I did, I didn't hear what happened, Like, what happened? What was the falling out? Well, it was, it was so and I took a lot of heat for it. But it is what it is. UM. So we do Uh. It's a it's a softball game that we do in Indie. UM. It's for you know, the raise awareness for UM cancer UM in Indiana, and so we we do this every every year and a lot of people like Roy used to be the face of it. He got traded away. So then I took it over

um with Robert Mathis. Um. Yeah, so we took it over and I and I joined, you know, part with him to kind of keep that game in that tradition going. Um. So we did that. I got interviewed and they like, you know, PG, do you want to stay here? Like what's your plans? And at that point, that's where like I grew up a Kobe fan. Kobe stayed in l A.

That's all I knew. I want to stay with the organization and drafted me and see what happens there, Like I want to I wanna Indie didn't have a championship that they still don't, but I wanted to be the first one to bring that to him. Um. So you know, I go through the whole press after the event, say I want to stay here, like this is home, this is this is where I want to win. On that Then that night and before we get to that point,

a lot of stuff happened. I had you know that that season, Uh, let me, I'm backtracking, But that season before we got to that, that summer that season. Uh, my name came up in trade talks. So I had, you know, the front office meet me in New Orleans. It was All Star weekend in New Orleans. I had the front office meet me in New Orleans, chop it up with him, Like, my agent come down, like what is these trade talks? Like am I am I? Y'all guy? Or am I not? Like let me know? So they're like, no,

we're not moving you. We're not touching you, like you know, you our future, like you're our centerpiece. Like so they're telling me all the good stuff. Literally, right before trade deadline, my agent get calls again like yo, pgs on like they're saying pgs on the markets teams like asking about them and they're having conversations. So that was like strike two, strike three, you know what I mean. All the other stuff was then moving other pieces around me. That was

like my brothers and just moving them. I'm waking up, you know, getting messages like hey, this person is traded this and I don't have no like it's cool. I ain't. I ain't in the front office. That ain't my job, that stair job, but let me know please, Like so that was like strike ones and twos. And now when I hear my name and trade talks that strike three. Now, I'm like, man, especially after you tell me we could, right, we just had a we just had a lunch about this.

So fast forward to the to the moment where we do this game. I get interview still saying I want to be here, this is my home that night, and and and mind you, I think I said, uh, we had a top three player in the league at this time. Power forward. That was that I was trying to get to come to and he wanted to come. I bring it to the front office. They ain't do They debt at it. Did you ever say who that was? It was a D D ME and a D talk um ad wanted to come to Indy close to Chicago. He

was like, man, it's perfect. Y'all got something going over there, so imagine that. So right, So I bring that to the front office. They debt at it. We can't do a small market, la la lata. I'm like, man, all right. So then that night, go back to after we did the baseball or yeah, the charity game. That night, they called me up like you know, I got we got this player and we're looking at that player and these two players. Is we're not winning with these two guys

that they named. So I called my agent, like, man, what what am I doing here? They don't want to win like they in my it and what I think? Honestly, I don't want to bash the organization because it was wonderful people there, but in my opinion, I think it's an organization that just care to be competitive. They don't care to win. They got pressure from the from the city of Indiana to be competitive and that's where they hang.

They had on um They just want to be a team that can compete and their chance of winning it they're gonna have to do it in the draft building. That's gonna take forever. So I called my agent, like, man, get me out of here, like they don't want to win. I'm wasting time here. I came off of surgery, Larry trying to give me to play BEFOD coming back like it was just a bunch of stuff. I just I threw the towel in and um man, I just asked to get out of there. And that's how that hall

all that kind of transport. After getting drafted, getting to the NBA, what was your welcome to the NBA moment. Welcome, my, my, my, my real welcome to the NBA moment was the first time I've seen Boston play and they had Rondo, Ray, Paul p KG and shot and all them casts on the floor at the same time. That was that was like, legit, my first welcome to the NBA moment right there, he said,

this is like the monster. It was like I'm watching from the bench, like wow, like you know what I mean, people were watching these dudes, idolizing these dudes, and now I'm I'm that close. I was in a suit and ship, but in my mind, I'm like, I'm that close to get in there. Uh So it was just a dope. It was a dope moment to see it and to be able to witness that you didn't experience immediate success.

How did that keep you focused and grinding, being all the way away from home and then not really being able to get off right at the beginning? How did you stay locked in? Uh? It was you know what I hated the dude? It was our coach, Jim O'Brien. Hated Jim O'Brien. Yeah, uh, yeah, exactly exactly. But you know what, the one lesson it made me better. Um, he was the reason I stayed locked in. He would like, and I get it, head coach, they don't want to

talk to the too directly to the star players. But it'd be a little shit like we'll watch film and I'll be in at that game and he'll point out ship that He'll call my name out, like you skinny prick, like you see, this is what you gotta do. And I'm like, I'm in a suit, you know what I mean, Like what did you coming at me for? But I'm a rookie song like, man, i gotta take it, you know what I mean. I gotta take it on the chin.

And he would just do little stuff and practice, He'll call me names film, he'll call me out, and like I said, it'd be stuff that I ain't had no parts of. He kept me locked in like alright, I'm I'm gonna show your ass. Yeah. So every practice I used to be on that like the vanscuse be like man, real like chill out, exact exactly every we was on them every practice. It was a scout team. So we had to mimic the Lebrons, we had to mimic the d ways. We was on a who was some of

your events on that team? I had cool MANU Grange and James Posey, t j Uh, Jeff Foster, Um, don't leave. But you know how good Danny Grange would have been if he didn't get hurt. I tell people this all the time I played with and Grange was a bucket man. Grange was a bucket. He could do it with the best at all, get to the money at all. He just knew how to score. He you know, it was no skill work, but he knew how to play. He

knew how to get a bucket. Uh. And I learned a lot from Danny, you know what I mean, just sitting back and observing. He's solid, too strong, you know, just a good all around dude. UM. So you know I have some good vests to be around Big Roy. Roy took me on this wing early, some cool people to be around you. Uh. You hit, you hit. You ran into Miami's Big three right when Indiana started to

experienced some success in the playoffs. In two thousand and twelve, you guys lost in the second round and then thirteen and fourteen Eastern Conference finals in games one year, six games another What year was the year you dunked on Chris Anderson. That was that was my first year. That was you gave them the most problems when you you gave you was the nuisance to my Yeah, yeah, it was, man, it was just you know, it was an opportunity, and um,

we was the underdogs. Nobody expected nothing from US. Coach Vogel. Shout out coach Vogel. He gave me really the keys to just go. And I wasn't scared battle. It was like we they had the pressure on them, you know what I mean. We Uh, we had a culture where we played hard and that that translates like playing hard was was was a skill, you know what I mean. And we had that. Um, so we wasn't gonna back

down regardless of who we played. You know, I just wished I was more experienced when that time came around. Like looking at it now, you know, I wasn't where I needed to be from maturity level. Um take that challenge, But I knew I wasn't scared for the moment. First and foremost, that's the most important. Who were up Some of your favorite teammates in Indiana, oh Man, mante mate cool cool Man country is hell to two times. Oh

We'll tell you one time, just quick story. We got and what year was at the Was that the week re least season year year I got there, We got the last game of the season, but I think it was. Yeah, it was the last record game. We got a tattoo. We got him tattooed with my tattoo arts. You got the same little cross on his arm. This mo Funer came back next summer with more had no tattoos. He had more than all of us next year back like

one summer. Boy took a lot of people none when we got there, zero none zero still took bathe two times like that. That's my guy. Yeah, it's but monte g Hill, uh roy uh Lance the West craziest. I played with Crazy Hill. But you know, like people don't understand. It's like he wanted motherfucker's you. You love to play with, hate to play again. I played with We got so we got traded for so me and Doc got into it. And that's how it was the first trade of the

trade deadline. Like I got traded at twelve o two at it because I was about the whoop Docks asked. So I got traded for Lance that season and then we ended up playing together because they traded for Jeff Green from Memphis to go to UH to the Clippers, and they traded Lance to me. So that was my first time playing with Lance. Just real misunderstood, like great hill, a great heart, great intentions, burnt out a little bit, but just like really wanted to win. I really fun

with Lance, say, first team all burnt. He's somebody that that that he definitely gotta get because because he is misunderstood a lot of people understand. He one of the most down the earth like cool dudes. Man, like take pictures with anybody, show love to anybody, just on the court. Like you understand his his his upbringing. His mindset was just to kill on the court. So he's gonna do whatever it takes. But off the court man one of the most laid back, coolest dudes, as funny as hell. Yeah,

I got story. I've had it for like three or four months that they have some stories and videos and baggage. Um August first, two thousand four teens walk us through the moment leading up to man something I dam shed a tear four seeing yeah, so uh you know it was. It was just crazy because the whole like I felt good that morning. Everything was was solid, everything felt normal. Then we're going through the shoot around. I'm hitting like

this is before the scrimmage. So you know, we're shooting around, I'm hitting everything falling. I feel good the ball like you you knowing you in that moment where the ball you just feel connected with the rock, feel like that in high school, go ahead. So I just felt like, you know what I mean, I'm about to destroy. And then I'm coming off of that the second time playing Miami, and I felt that much closer, like I was in

a good place. I felt like I was ready that next year to take over UM and be able to upset and and go at Brown real for real, for real. So I felt good in coump Usa camp. I felt good, and that shoot around game comes around exact opposite. I could make a shot, uh Like I just I just everything that I felt in that shoot around, like it completely was gone. I couldn't buy a bucket. So now I'm like, all right, I gotta do something to to just leave an in print. That's how I play, like,

I gotta leave a print on the game. So and it's a scrimmage, I could have just let James, go take the bucket. In my mind though, I ain't making no shots, like I gotta do something and make it back in this game. So I see James, he get the breakaway. Oh, get on the horse, try to go catch him, try to go get it, end up missing. I think I filed him. Then I hit the stanching and I didn't nothing. I didn't feel nothing at that moment.

I remember I'm on the ground though, and I tried to get up and I'm like wait, hold up, and then I it was crazy because if everything happened in slow mode, I can hear the crowd, like like I can hear the gas. I'm looking like as I'm trying to stand, I noticed I can't stand, so I I like just look back, can see like my surroundings. I see phones and ship coming out. Like I'm like wait, So I look at my leg and by the time I look at my leg, you know, shout out the trainer.

I forget. I forget. Yeah, he came through the towel on it and he like he as I'm trying to get up, he like hold my chest down, like yo, just relax, You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. So then that's when the panic hit, and still I didn't feel it, like just so much adrenaline was going. Yeah, my body and shocked. So I just that's why I'm like, I'm laying there and I'm I'm like this, I'm not

really understand what's going on. So I see my mom's come down, I see my pops come down, and you know, they're like, you're gonna be okay, son, You're gonna be okay, son. And the part where it started to hurt, when the stretcher came and they had to move my leg and pick it up to put it on, that's when I was like, oh, but I'm still in shocks. So it's like I feel it, but I don't feel it. M Then they carted me off, you know, I go into

the ambulance. My mom goes inside with me, you know, and the whole time she's still like, you're gonna be stronger for me. She will be okay from this um, you know. And it man, it was it was what's that next hours? Like, did you go immediately into surgery right under? Yeah? I think I was like within the hour I was, I was in surgery. Yeah, as soon as I got to the hospital, they took me in right away. If you wait, the swelling won't let you yep. Um. So they was like, you know, it's best that we

just take care of this. We handled it right away. As soon as I got to the hospital, I was literally they you know, gave me the stuff to to knock me out. I went right under. I woke up, um, and you know, I just was like sore, I was hurting um, but was uplifting was though, just everybody reaching out. It was so many phone calls, I had so many text messages, tweets, d n It was just it was just a bunch of of and so that's that's kind of what what kept me cool through that moment. Being

said a lot about you though, Bro. You know what I'm saying, Like it's it's certain it's especially niggas. Niggas go through ship that don't even be that dramatic and

give up. You know what I'm saying. You had this could have been a career ending injury like you could have you could have shut it down going through all that for the world to see during the USA Games like that was big boring, Like as basketball players, like he said, I felt it and he cried because like, Dog, that's that's the last thing we wanted to see see, the last thing we want to see somebody we love watching play basketball. And then then again, he's one of

our brothers, you know what I'm saying. So that's the last thing we want to see. But I command you both from fighting back and being better than you was before that happened. Dog, I salute you for that, doctors, because we always tore down when that happened. And I took a lot from from from your page because I don't know if you remember, uh, Josh Corbille and Cary. Yeah, so as a rookie, they was like they used to rave about you because they're like, man, we had Jack.

Jack will get hurt and he would practice through it. He would play through it like he never complained, He never set out so that that that was like, Okay, yeah, that's what I gotta do to I'm gonna carry that towards you know what I mean. Um, So I command you for for inspired me to just you know, push on. That's why it's like now at this moment when I see cats like and I've been taking a lot of heat through playoffs, performances and all that. I've been injured.

I get hurt, but I'm gonna play through it, you know what I mean. And it's just funny like certain situations cast some hurt. They're sitting out and it's like, all right, I'm gonna play through that. My motherfucking bones coming through my leg exactly. Un less something is broke, they won't tell a lot of people don't get that though. I don't get it right what you just said. You know you really felt like coming off the second loss of Miami, it was time for you to take that

big step. How what was your mental thought process knowing that you're the best player you've ever been in your life, playing the best you've ever played, and then to have an injury in the scrimmage game, what was that mental process to kind of digest that and and be that driving force for you to get back and try to

be where you were before? You know what? The only thing like the I was I had my faith that I was gonna put the work in and I was gonna come back better, And like that part, I wasn't worried about the only thing that hurt in that moment was the window that was closed because you could just see it. You know, the life was taken out of us. When I showed back up to Andy, you could just see it on d West face. You can say Roy face, g Hill face like like that windows closed to make

you a power forward, right yeah? And that yeah, that following year, Larry, and I'm like, bro, I don't even know if I can hoop a small forward again, like you're gonna play uh thirty pounds forty pounds like guard cast that got weight advantage on the side, advantage on me. And you know it that that bothered me like as well coming into a new season where I'm with a

new team now really got traded away. The West was gone, Uh g Hill was gone, like it was a new crossing that he trying to make me play another position with um. So you know that that bothered me going into that season. What was your journey like to actually get back on the court. And it talked to us how tough rehab was, how if you ever doubted or any anything crept in your mind, like ship, am I

gonna be who I was before it? I had? You know, through injuries like that, You're gonna have your good days and then you're gonna have your bad days. Um. I had. I had some bad days where I used to just be like, man, like what what why are we doing this? My ship? My ship broke, like just let it hill and we could do this rehab ship later, Like just let it hell first. Um. But thank god them trainers, was like they knew what they were doing. Um. They knew that in order for that bone the hill, it

had to take some contact, that had to take some pressure. Um. And so I just followed the plan. But I was definitely I definitely had some dark days where I was just support system. Was important, was every time? Was everything? No, I needed people in my corner to push me through it because it's the first injury I ever had, so I just didn't know how to deal with it. It was a space that I was unfamiliar with. So having a new normal injury either bro at all, Yeah at all.

So having people in my corner was they was the one that got me through it. I had a minor meniscus tear in two thousand ten, and I just know, speaking from my experience, the hardest thing to do coming back was trusting my knee, even though it was healed, even though the doctor said it's good, it didn't hurt. Did you have that process of really trusting your leg once she was back, like taking off on my leg or coming down for a rebound like that ship would

scare the ship out of me. The fact absolutely, And what people don't know is so I broke it in August. I was back practicing with the team. In January, I didn't play. I didn't debut playing until April, though, so and in April I still looked like I was playing off one leg. But I was practicing like full on contact with the team in like January February. Um, and so you know I was literally out there like dragging

this motherfucker. But you know, I'm listening to the trainers that like, you know, you have to you know, trusted to trusted, you have to put pressure on it. You have to like learn these movements again. UM. So it's easy to say when you didn't just exactly exactly. And that's when I was having moments like, man, they tripping like you know what I mean, they tripping like they see I'm not I'm playing off one leg, like they're

gonna I'm gonna mess around and mess this. Um. But you know, it helped in the long run going into the next season because I knew what I could do. I knew what I was capable of. I had games under my feet, um playing that that season, So when I went into the next season, I knew what I needed to work on to be a hundred percent again. But yeah, like people don't understand, like I played in April, but I was back with contact and practicing in January

six months after. Yeah, six months right after I was back in in practice rotations. So your time is up in Indiana. Um, off to Okay, see what was that two year experience? Like uh teaming up with rust did Mello Mellow Mello came the first year? What was that? Okay, see experience? Like you know what it was? It was it was a special bond um that that was created with Russ m I saw y'all on and off the

I mean off the court a lot. Yeah we're just talking about before we saw y'all at the fourth of July thing and noble with your with your families and everything like y'all really created it was. It was a genuine bond like and and you know Russ is another person that's like people like misunderstand. That's why we love y'all. We thought, is there anything about rusted with knowing him as well as you do, why he's misunderstood. I kind of just think he doesn't give it me. He's comfortable.

He definitely gotthing he ran out. Yeah, yeah, he don't. And I love that outside looking at Russ is just comfortable with him who he is. He don't care what you think. He don't care what you say. Nothing's gonna phase him. Like you know what I mean, I know who I am. And when you get to that point, your mother, Yeah, and when I step on this court, I might not beat you, but I'm gonna be the hardest playing motherfucker on this court every night if you

like me a night every night telling you. And that's what I love. Honestly. It's the reason why I had the best season of my career playing with him, because you know, I can play with somebody that I don't care like people say, oh, he can't do it, he can't do that. I can play with the motherfucker that's gonna leave it on the floor every night. I pushes me, It challenges me to play hard every night. I love

that about him. He didn't care what people said. Um, you know, he never got tired, Like his energy level was crazy. I used to just be admired by it, like literally being a game, like wow, this he did this, like he could do that. Like I used to just admire that ship. So you know, I'm I'm a forever being a rust corner, Russ's man brother for life. It seems like it's what you needed though, coming out of

coming out of Indiana. It seems like you needed that motherfucker that was gonna be a battery not only for you but for the team. He said it was your best career. It was a season of your career because at that point I felt like I was like I felt good about who who I was as a player, Like I feel like I was here, but to see somebody else it was it was dope to be like, Okay, we're going to showed me how to get to here.

His energy, like his his effort, his work, his work ethic, like he showed me a different part um that you know. I looked at it and I was like, Okay, that's there's room for improvement for me. So we've only heard, we don't really know, but we heard that Kauai wasn't going to the Clippers unless you came with him. Is there anything I knew that ahead? I can show you takes messages, I knew. Yeah, but we weren't on the show. We weren't doing the show then, yeah we were. We

wasn't talking. We wasn't. We didn't know, We didn't, we did not. We did not get to the point where we was on called Kauai and we did never got to that point. No, we didn't. We never got to because I was on TV when I said that about that cool though, Yeah, that's family. But why the fun hasn't been on the show yet? That's a good question. He don't be on nobody show. He don't know. I

don't know. I don't even know. Y'all could get talk to us about that experience though, you know, being in Okay, see, being comfortable where you're at, really fucking with rust and then an opportunity to come back home. Yeah. Man, the whole the whole way how it came about was just crazy how everything lined up. Um, and I'm gonna be careful, is I don't want to you know? Okay? See was awesome partners that made it did happen. So I don't want to, you know, throw anything out there that's gonna

put them. And you know, Sam Presty was just that my guy, one of the best CM ANDTIO partners to work with. Um so oh man. After that season, UM and quiet, them just wanted I text him like, Yo, congrats bro, like you know what I mean? Yeah, showing love, like because we talked about playing with each other a while back. UM, So I'm you know what I mean, I'm just like, you know, congrats bro, like you know, good ship, you did your thing, like you know, let

them know, you know that it was love on this end. Um. And I'm at dinner and so he hit me. He called me. Now He's like, oh yo, good looking bro, good looks. So he liked, what you're gonna do? I'm like, What'm I mean? Okay, see I'm on the contract. I just re up, Like what you mean. He's like, no, what you're gonna do? So I guess some stuff leaked some some some you know stuff was getting out there that you know, trades was possible, and you know somebody

was looking to get moved. Um, and so he liked, you know, what you're gonna do? So now my eyebrows go up, Like I called my agent like man kaway saying this and now like what what's what's what's going down? So my agent do his you know, due diligence. He chopping it up with okay, see come back to actually that the stories I was being said what was true. So I'm like, okay, well about you before you even Yeah, So I'm like that if he know, like it's out there, it's time for me to go like if this is

what's going on. So that's basically like to wrap it all up. That's kind of how it how it happened. And I went to Vegas. Man in was on the clock on an hourly clock, like, Yo, what's what's they're saying on that sign? They're saying this on my side Like so we were just hip to hip with with what was going on. Um everybody my side, his side, working together um to where ultimately, man, they we was

able to pull it off. We made it happen. Were there any rumors or truth to the rumors that you also had a chance to go to the Lakers and you decided not to or was that just rumors? Now it was it was I had an opportunity. Um, I had an opportunity because you know, it's my free agency, and I stayed in Okay Seed because Mellow came aboard, and you know, being a loyal a real one. Yeah, I'm like, man, I will sign a bone, I will sign the extension for Russ are for Mellow to come

to okay See. So that's how I gave up my free agent opportunities and locked in with okay See because that was the only way to get Mellow for them to trade for Mellow. So I'm like cool, like you know, and and I still thought it could have worked. We only was wanting together one year. Like, So that's how I was locked in. Um, I was supposed to, you know, take my free agency, be able to listen to everybody at that moment, I was looking to go to l A, but you know, it was just like, you know what,

I messed with Russ. I want to see this all the way through. Fine, Like, I'll signed then extension to get Mellow here. Yeah, let's see what we can build. I was just you know, it just sucked that it was short lived. We only got to play one How was it playing with him though? Too? Because we've been big advocates for Mellan and we thought he got the raw end of the stick to and he finally got he got a chance to redeem itself and show his

worth improve a lot of people wrong. But you were playing with two guys that were really very similar from the aspect of being misunderstood as players. But when you talk to their counterparts of former teammates, they all loved them. Mellow is a real one. And I got to spend time with Mellow with team Essay. So that's where our relationship really, you know, our bomb you know came. Uh, Mellow was a real one. Like what people don't understand,

Mellow sacrificed. Mellow wasn't the issue Mellow because what happened was me and Russ got traded there and literally Billy had you know all of this, There is no excuse, but Billy had a plan for me and Russ. Then literally like right at the last minute is when we got Mellow. So now like Billy like like I don't know how to incorporate incorporated, y'all. Was my two guys like Mellow just gonna have to find this way like and so I give I tipped my hat for Melo

Melo was one hunt at the whole time. He let me and Russ run the show. Um. His only thing was like, cool, it's the team, Like I can be used more though, Like don't just have to be a spot up player. Play y'all can play through me sometimes too, which we understood. We agreed, like we could play through Mellow a little bit more. That's that wasn't the plan that you know, they want to go forward. Um, So we just we really just missed out on an opportunity

of us three being able to play together. So you're in l A, what's your first thoughts? You have an opportunity to come home and literally come home and play. It was you know again, it it just came down to family, Like, uh, because my parents would travel everywhere. My mom, you know, with her disability, it was tough on her go for warm cities to cold cities. Um. And so honestly, it was the first thing I thought of, like, man, moms get to watch every game. Yeah, they get to

come to every home game. They don't gotta leave no more. Um. Then it was like, man, I don't gotta miss thanksgivings. That's small. That's that human ship that people for we think we're changing Thanksgiving the family day. Yeah, yeah, no more thanksgetting family damnly day. I got to spend family Day with folks, um. And I mean they would, they would come, they would, they would mix it up because I got sisters and stuff, so it'd be ha are

for everybody to travel. So sometimes they would come down for Thanksgiving sometimes or for Family Day. Sometimes they wouldn't. So you know, it was just you know, knock and enjoy holidays with my folks. My kids enjoy holidays with our whole family. Um. So it was it was honestly bigger than basketball. Every athlete dreams are playing in their

home state. You know what I'm saying everybody. I wish the Rockets would have signed me for a year or something like that, so I know the feelings be able to come back and say, you're playing your home stately three weeks. It's a good thing. That ain't happening. It was a great thing. It wouldn't work. So but you're coming in. So you're coming. But you're coming back home

off off a shoulder surgery. Like you said, you're at a rhythm because I've seen you in the summer and your fucking monster something not to be able to have that come back without that summer under your belt. But then also the pandemic hits and that stops, you know, because to me, the whole thing, I was saying that they gotta hit there. They're gonna hit a rhythm, you know post All Star March April, when normal teams hit their rhythm, especially new teams, and you guys didn't have this.

You guys get three months off with the new team and then get thrown in the bubble. I know that was a big that fun you guys up to me and my point. I still believe in you guys, but I was just like, when are they going to get their chemistry and their timing? And you kept saying it. I kept saying that, man's like, if they don't get their chemut I was still riding for y'all. I still gotta do some coushups after the show, so I'm gonna do them. But you know that that was my whole thing.

I'll saynds like they need to get their chemistry in their rhythm down and this, like I said, you're not coming in healthy from the beginning. And then the pandemic hitting was going to be an issue for you guys. Yeah, So what was crazy is we ended before the pandemic hit. We play ended this season like playing well. It was we just got Reggie, we just got Marcus. Like we was coming together, We was figuring it out. We was learning how to play with everybody. Now everybody was healthy.

Pat was healthy, now, uh Kauai was healthy. I was healthier. Uh. Like we had a complete team, and then the pandemic hit. Um and you know, at that point, it was like man like, we didn't know what we was gonna get out of the team. At that point, we wasn't connected, We wasn't around each other. We we kept we got a group chat that we was, you know, messaging, making sure everybody was staying on this stuff. But it just

wasn't the same. Um. And then, like I said, when we got into the bubble, our our energy like it we we wasn't practicing how we should have been practicing, and we wasn't working like we should have been working. And you can feel it. You can feel it. You can feel it. And our crutch was we got this, we got that person, we got we got that paper. That paper got good, look good on the benches side, like we we had that as a crutch, and that's at the end of the day, that's what we just

kept leaning on, leaning on. That's what we was putting a band aid on everything. Um, and it just you know, it don't work out like that. I tell everyone coming up. I mean, I was fortunate enough to play at u C. L A and play for the Lakers and Clippers, but playing in l A is so much more than basketball. Uh. Now you're and you guys are in a situation for the first time in the history of the team favorites on winning a championship. So what was that outside media pressure?

Like one kind of a two tier question? And then the social media part of it as well, because you took, like you said earlier, you took a lot of heat for the way you played at times and just constant ship talking to to the point where I can see your energy through the TV and I hit you up like, bro, you good, like what's going on? And you kind of told me where you're at mentally. But how much of

a toll did that take on you? Well? It was different because you know what I mean, in the arena, you it's it's a certain like regardless of how you feel going into that game. When you see fifteen thousand, eighteen thousand people, whatever you was feeling, you're gonna be all right. You it's in you there. It's it's intensity there when you're going into the bubble. And mind you, you're seeing these cats at the hotels, you're seeing them on your walks to this place, that place, some a

you like. And then you get to the bubble. It's quiet. You can hear you can hear Doc screaming. You can hear it like and then that's that's like I caught myself after every play looking at the bench. I don't ever do that, but because I can hear everything going on every bucket, I'm looking over yeah right right. So so it just I just noticed little things that just wasn't like it didn't it didn't feel right like I couldn't. I didn't have that fire that I usually have going

into matchups. Like going into the games, I knew I wanted to destroy cats, but it was just because of the environment, like like this is what you want right here. It wasn't like playoff times at all. It didn't feel like playoff time at all. And that's why you had like role players having the best games of their lives. There was no pressure. There's no pressure, so it just and for the star players is all the pressure. Um.

So it just it was different. It was complete one eighty like of of hoops that you usually normal, like that's usually normal to you. She was just different. And like I said, I just I couldn't adjust to it. I couldn't find my way. And and then it ship just started dinning on me. It's like I'm thinking about it going into the games, like damn, how can I trick myself into like creating the environment. And I just

started being in my head now at this point. Yeah, and then so we ain't got ship else to do but be on the phone, be on social media. So I'm I'm seeing everything now and it's like that I'm thinking about that ship going into games, like all right, I gotta find it. I gotta find it now I'm going I'm getting deeper and deeper into my head. So I just like when I when you hit me, I was like, man, big bro, I can't like I'm struggling, like I don't know how to get out of this um.

And it was just it was just tough. It was a different experience for me. You know, when you hear you're to the point now where you're you're possibly hear in trade rumors about yourself again, much more experienced, obviously confident in your ability. But does it still trickle back

in your head the way it trickled in Indiana? No, because now I understand, like it's the business part of it, like whatever, it could be some truth to it, or it could just be rumors because of somebody wants to touch on me playing in the bubble and they want to touch on and have fun with that. But at the end of the day, it's it's it's like it could be some truth to it. Like I understand, like this ship is a business. I can be traded like, so it don't bother me now, it is what it is. Um,

I just you know, I just keep it going. I'm still a big believer in still riding for y'all. But for everyone who was doubting you and talking ship, that's your solo camera right there. What can they expect next season from? I'm ready, I'm coming back. I'm gonna translated after the advantage. This is like I'm back with my trainer. I'm back with my trainer that I had my m VP season. I'm back with him. I get a summer to train to work on my game again going into

a season. Um Un, I'm locked in, like as locked in as you can be. I'm motivated. I listened to Kobe on a daily basis. I just pull up Motivational Kobe and maybe like fifteen eight minutes long, but I'm I just I put that on when I'm working out. That's like I don't listen to a soundtrack. I put that Kobe motivational speech it on and I just listened to him talk while I'm lifting, while I'm on the court. And that's where I'm at right now. So I'm back.

I'm back motivated, I'm as healthy as I've been in a long time, and I'm in position to do it. So I'm on motherfucker's asses. And I translated He didn't. He just used one convert at the end at all. Oh, okay, give me your ship then minus set back for the major comeback. Okay, you beat you shout out snoop uh on a lot of note big time gamer, you Xbox PS five and do you have a plug for either? I'm right, yeah, yeah, yeah, I kid what you need. Yes,

I'm all ps shout out to PlayStation's shoutstation. So we got the shoes. Yeah, yeah, we got to collab. We can work on that. But I'm on a game heavy. I'm on the game now. This dude is dope. People don't know. I mean, I hit him up. Man. Maybe it was like two or three years ago, and this dude has just been sending shoes to the Twins team like they go crazy when that a p box the world somewhere. Man, you know what I mean? For you to take time and I hit you on bro, the

shooting decides this good. It's just I really appreciate that because I know how much it means to the boys. I mean, I told them how they're interviewing today and they wanted to skip a little fucking online school and come hang out. I was like, no, we do some ship in there, you see. I tell him. He said, yeah, all right, man, we're coming down the stretch Man. Toughest

player that you've had to guard to date. Toughest player, uh Man, Katie and Mellow Katie and Mellows top of my list of the toughest guys I matched up with people don't understand. I'd say Mellow too. I think Paul Pierce gets left out sometime. But Mellow was someone when he was on his ship that there wasn't a hole in his game. And you knew he didn't want to pass that bit. And when he got it, you better be ready to guard. I knew, you knew you had to.

Everything had rest, you had to, like after games, you got a ice down. Yeah, because I caught him. I caught him the first time when he was in Denver, and then when he got traded. Yeah, and so he was bully ball, miss it, go get it, missy, go get it like and you know I was, I was. He He had me on weight, so he was as strong as him. He was the toughest cover I have got to match up with. And then Katie, man, it's nothing you can do that. I don't even know what

he can do. We just hope he missed. Remember with that Golden State team that was a Katie's rookie year in Seattle. Remember, we just tried to bully and but we both said when we did a good job of bullying him too. But we just like this motherfucker's gonna man. Yeah, so long and he was so agile. Favorite NBA game he played in favorite NBA game probably, Uh, probably we played Miami. I think it was like game five or game five ye in Indye. Um we was like down.

There was up three one, Um, we was down. I think going into the second half I had I started to to you know, I had a steady game. Um, but I finished the game with thirty six. But I had like twenty one in the fourth and uh it was elimination and you know it just they couldn't do nothing with me one straight and I was just in my bad Ye off the bounce. What's the fast food place you could have it your way? Is that Burger King? Yeah? That's probably my most memoral soundtrack to your life for

what you started at to where you're at. Now, give me three songs. It would be in rotation to summarize your life, my life. I probably started off with some old school Sam Cooke change gonna you got me right there? Uh, then he'll probably switch to uh to some Drake started from the bottom. They were here and we're looking for you the boy. We're looking for your boys. I say that, I say to close it out, man, it's got to be something, nil Man. It's got to be something Neil. Yeah,

man's gonna be upset if you didn't. Can't be from the West Coast. It's gotta be something, nilp Man, just because where I'm at, my headspace, my growth. Um, I don't stuck in the ground grind stuck in the ground, grind yea all my life. Yeah, that's how to close out Top five video games of all time, of all time. I know one. You're gonna say two ks in there, shout out to k K madness in there. Um, let's see, I'm a shooter. So Call of Duty is in there. Yeah,

of course, mark uh double O seven that's early that's Nintendo. Yes, sir, in five, come on with it, Come on with it now. It's two years too. I'm upset that you missed that I missed. Yeah, I'm thinking what did I miss? I don't know, I don't know what I mean Techmobile and double dribble, double dribble, double doubt words, double dribble ma that was I mean, the whole Nintendo had That's that was my error. Techno Bowl I wasn't. I was a little too young. I started playing the Maddens like the

early early Maddens, But damn double dribble. I'm mad I missed that. Yeah, I was gonna throw like fight night and there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't get me started. I had five dinner guests that are alive. This is our favorite question, favorite question five. Top five dinner guests m J for show. Which one both okay, Mike Jackson and my Joy Okay, okay, Um, Will Smith, Nice, Um, Kobe h and my fifth. I can't. I never got a chance to meet him, so I gotta throw Brock in there. Everybody,

everybody got out. That's nice. Five. Okay, who do you want to see on all the Smoke? But before you answer, yeah, we're gonna rely on you to help us get this person on the show. Okay, who I want to see? Oh? Man, I think I think, man, you're gonna get a a ship a ton of great content. Man. And we talked about him. You gotta get Lance on here. Yes, y'all, we got to it. I'm with that. I'm that we recorded song. He'll wrap, he'll do what they don't know

what they can do it all. I'm gonna heart to jokes. Gotta y'all got something to comment? What you cant Lance with both ladies men, and I'm gonna bring it back U. I appreciate that though. I'm gonna bring it back a segment though that we haven't done. Jack. We're gonna bring back here banging segment. This motherfucker got pss uh two k's Nike. What you need, what you need. You see why the begging segment has kind of died down. I've just been DM in Motherfucker's. Yeah. I gotta wait for

the camel camera mother with me. That then we're good. Yeah. You know, it's always loved, man, It's always love, always loved. Last question, when it's all said and done, what do you want your legacy in the NBA to be? You know what, it's championships like that's that's that's what everybody wants. Um at the end of the day, man, I just

you know, I want people to understand. Man, I came from nothing, and you know, being in Palm I don't know if I mean you've been in l A. I don't know if you've been down to Palm Dell driven through it on the way to Vegas and I was like, it ain't nothing in Palmdale. Um. So I'm a kid

that came from nothing, man, and I'm living out my dreams. Um. What inspired me and what I want to be my name to be left on is this kid came and he brought everything he had, UM on both sides, on both sides of the refreshing to see to us, and I just I want that because it is a lost start, like kids don't look at it the same way, um, and I want that to be something that that resonates with kids going forward, like it's okay and you know,

shout out the Lake code. He is the reason why I played the game the way I play it, and I want that to be what kids look at. It's cool, Like don't worry about like getting dunked on part of the game. It's part of the game. It's gonna happen. Like take that challenge though, like live up to the moment. You know what I mean, because at the end of the day, I don't got no regrets. I got to play against the best I've seen the best. You are

one of the best. Appreciate it, but it's there's no shame ever and whatever you leave on that floor, it's all that needs to be said, you know what I mean. And that's just what I want my name to be. You know, if nothing else is respectable, make that respectable. And he isn't man. His word reached that to him. It was doing the game. Needed a jersey. I got the jersey faed X two days later, So I appreciate you. Bro. Signed.

That's to wrap another episode. Thank our guests, Paul George catch us on Showtime Basketball YouTube in the I Heart platform Black Effects. Ever, next week we could keep naming a whole bunch of sponsors. Hey, we got some more sponsors. I mean we got some more money. You see y'all next week. This is all a smoke, A production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio in partnership with Showtime