Welcome back to another episode of Unplugged, brought to you by DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Today I got to my brothers that decided to spend their morning with me. Welcome to the show. Key On Doing and my guy Easy Rider j R. Rider Fellas. What's happening.
I see man? Thanks for having me on, no doubt. What's up?
What's up? O G How you?
Everything good? Everything good good?
The CEO boy got the founder youth thing going?
Yes, sir, no, stay young, stay fresh. Kea. You've been on a uh, you've been doing some media, man, You've been doing some media a lot lately. What's been going on? I've seen you on dwights. I seen you, I think on the ogs. I've seen you kind of been making your white how's that been going?
Man? You know what, I'm just trying to be like you when I grow up. Man.
You know, you guys are setting the tone and lazing so you know, like for me, man, it's like, okay, how do you how do you express yourself right? How do you you know, continue to make yourself relevant? How do you you know, share your gift? You know what I'm saying that you have so for me. Man, it's just been awesome, just you know, breaking bread with old teammates and being able to you know, kind of connect with the fans.
I love it. JR. We're in the midst of March madness, but I know you're in the midst of aau. I saw a little man one MVP of that was that made the Made Hoops or another tournament. But I've seen uh little man has been killing oh.
Man, even working. He's developing nicely.
I see Jamal far both of our sons right on the same day, all the same age. So yeah, it was made who he got MVP they wanted again this year. So he's actually won three Made.
Hoops, threw years in a row, right school.
Years, five years in a row for Arizona, three years in a row for Skyriders Slash ac Unity. So he's been a part of something great here in Arizona. So I'm proud of the kid in his development development, and I think he's won two MVPs out of the three.
So you know that things that come together from hard work, edication.
Man, that's the DNA what you expect. I told the boy, I told my or the same thing. We can give you the blueprint to sign you guys, to apply the pressure in the work to make it happen.
They I love you, respect kids, and they work hard. So they got good things coming to them, and they went all was smoking the big games. I was watching high school, so I've been watching the clips and highlights.
So probably you boys, man, they definitely don't shy away. I don't shy away. Well appreciate that. To the league man. Last night there was a little bit of rumbles, the little rumbling. The t Wolfson Pistons squabbled up Ron Hollins, nineteen year old, one of the youngest players in the league. I don't really think, to be honest with you, it was too much of a foul, Like it was a basic slap your arm foul. But nas Reed took offense to it, and then the Vincenzo stepped in the middle
of it, and then boys got scuffling. Isaiah Stewart started drooling and grabbing and wanted to squeeze the life out of a motherfucker. But I think that was the closest thing we've seen, you know, to a real skirmish.
Who would have thought this little last foul would have turned into a royal rumble, Matt, we gotta run the play back because I don't even think Ron Holland found him that hard. Nas Reid must have got into a shorty before the game or something, because he was pissed the fuck off. No bullshit. That's how my mama used to point at me before she was about to whoop my ass. Bro Where the fuck White.
Dante come from? Dante deeven Chenzo wanted all the smoke. You would have thought.
Ron Holland said something about that boy, mama, real talk. White Dante been waiting to fight. The motherfucker says he got traded from the Nick. We gonna flip the angle, though, because this where shit get unchy. White Dante really hit this man with the g point mush combo. There you go. That's who I was waiting for, Isay Hastort, that big motherfucker. I show up to that La Fitness runs just to fight. At this point, Dante don't put down Ron Hall and now he two on one. I ain't gonna cat pat
bed was right though. Nobody on the Timberwolves got any kind of fucking heart, and they don't call that boy beef stew for no reason. I see Isaiah stort tenched up biting his list. Bro grabbed a handful of me. Even watching too many prison movies, he need to chill out. Shit was looking like that Friday scene when Damon and Money Might. I can't tell if Ron Hall all of it is hurt, angry or embarrassed, but he is crying
real tears. Five players and both had coaches were ejected and it was only the second quarter anything.
All this shit.
Started with that baby ass fount. I love an NBA.
What was your thoughts on that?
Kdi Well, I love it.
I love when it's when when when tempers flare a little bit. You know, I went to the Heat game the other night, man, and it's just no contact, right, It's no like physicality. It's everybody picking roll, shooting threes, you know, freedom of movement. But I like, I like when they knuckle up, squabble up a little bit. I'm glad it didn't really spill too far over into the crowd.
I'm glad no punsches were thrown. But just to see them have a little post and them have a little anger, a little fire, I thought that was awesome.
Jay. That's obviously your former team in the Minnesota Timberwolves. You played in the era where dudes were scrapping any any any any confrontations come to mind from your career that you can recall.
Without a doubt.
First with that, when I was watching it, so it was getting a little chippy in that game, and they were letting them get physical. So yeah, I agree, it was It was just a regular stop across the arm file like nothing, nothing major at all, But I think what was going on with some prior stuff and some tempers were flaring a little prior to that, so they started grabbing jerseys, you know, grabbing jerseys, pulling up around the neck, around you know, the ear area, and it's
spilled over. Bodies start coming, people started tumbling down. Uh, it was getting physical underneath. I want to see that what was going on with nas Nads and Holland down low because they were kind.
Of down low.
Yeah yeah, so up top I couldn't you know, I couldn't see down load. But up top I seen they Pushtico to like the second row and looked like, you know, so it was on, but.
I'm glad they didn't throw any punches.
So I had to run it back three, four or five times just to see what was going on and something like that. Usually it's it's somebody getting fired on, you know what I mean, somebody, But I think they were mindful about ejections and spinsions and stuff like that and got it under control. I was laughing at you. Uh rudy long ass arm breached from out of nowhere, somebody behind that.
But it was on. Man.
He still got PTSD from Draymond. Still.
Yeah, you got Stewart looking like old school Michael Cage with the damn shoulders and uh, Michael a curl Stewart got Yeah, they got his shoulders. So with all the smoke, man, you know what I mean? So I kind of like a real played in every era for sure.
Yeah, he's always into blood.
He ain't been right up.
He ready.
That's when he wanted to He wanted to bite Lebron's head off. What was that motherfucker was charging through the whole team when that happened. Do any fights during your era come to mind, whether you were in him or you you witnessed where they were throwing him.
That was something like me and me and Walt Williams. We snatched up Pat Garrity and somebody else, and I think it was Barry Berries on the green. I need him in the head on the grounds he was talking in the paper before, you know what I mean, So you know I need him in the head. I gotta UFC need him writing this temple, you know what I mean. Uh, but uh Na, we used to have real, real, real fights, and it was real grown ass men that I know.
You know. I remember playing against.
The Knicks where they had Mason hopfully ewing, uh, Bonner, I'm going to the rack. I've done through somebody and they told me, yeah, next time you go in the rack, you end up on your back.
So I went right to the rack and they knocked you down.
And I just remember saying, next, motherfucker found me a song in this motherfucker and said, shut the fuck up and.
Shoot your motherfucker. Frizos, I said.
Grown ass man with hair on the chest, you know, so you better pick your battles. I remember putting big pins at the end of both uh both goals because were growing ass men, so just throwing them, just chunking them with them.
Yeah.
They was six seven six a known for fighting, but nah, man, I mean there was it was a few scraps from my air where they you know, the big boys would clear shit out, you know what I mean, they would clear it out for sure.
My question, my question, did you shut the fuck up and shoot your free throws and you keep talking?
Well, I mumbled something, well, oh, but my mid range is a full effect after that, because they weren't playing, man, they weren't playing back in the days. Coming to the rack, you couldn't be scared. You still had to do your ship. But I had to let them know I had me and ran Yon just gonna beat me up. But I mumbled, some ship for slapping people.
Yeah, slapping the ship cement hands.
Not only would you fight on the court, but those guys will pull up to the locker room. Those guys would remember that last encounter and check you when you saw them. And so you had to conduct yourself in a way because it was accountability to the tenth back in them days.
No, it wasn't no sliding. They catch you at the bus.
Alva Robinson pulled up the Strickland house back in the day. I mean, I don't want to go too deep, but it was. It was a lot of stories out here with dudes. Were they pull up, they talking about pull up these days, they pull up to your house, wait on you like, what's getting it in?
Buck them cameras, right, no cameras. We don't need no cameras for this smoke. I like that Devincenzo, you know, obviously had nases back and it brings me to think some white boys making some noise these days, you know, Reeves and Chet and Devincenzo. And then you think of
the history of the league. Offally, Larry Legend, Danny Ainge was scrappy, my dog, Steve Blake was always ready to throw them, you know, Christian Leytoner, Kevin McHale, Ben laid Beer was always ready to throw them, Chris Anderson, bird Man. If you had to pick one white boy to go down the alley with you in league history and throw hands with anybody, who would it be. I'm gonna start with you, KD.
I'm gonna probably go with Bill Lambier, you know what I'm saying, because Bill executed all his punches, you know, during those times, he'll yoke you out if you go to the whole site, right, He definitely with precision, and he just didn't give a fuck at the end of the day. So Bill Lambert is the guy. You know what I mean, I want down that dark alley with me.
I like that. What about you j R?
Well, Larry Bird surprised me. I looked at some old footage.
He was with the ship, right, but he was ready to throw.
Yeah, he was ready. He was with the ship. Uh. Bill Lambert was a big.
Man, so he kind of you know, he lumbered his body around and and he was ready. But for me, I think it goes to like Joker, that's that's when it's gonna Jo.
Throw you off, right. I seen him live in the game Big Go Do.
And when he did that to one of them twins, and they ain't never said nothing like I don't even think he ever played in the game again.
After that, I'm like, well damn he got some Wars Twins.
But I was like, man, you ain't just gonna get pushed on the ground and I do nothing, lay down man.
You know.
So it made me think, like, nobody want to see the Joker in this era. But you go back to the seventies, man, it was a lot of dudes. They was They were scrappy. I just can't think of their names. But it was a lot of white boys that was with the ship.
But I say jokers, and you know, his brothers aren't too far behind. His brothers look like they tear heads off with their own hands. Dudes, his monsters.
Owners the daddy right, and he was he was mafia.
We go to New York, we go to La we go to Chicago, the Russians will come out with them trench coats, big whoa, and they go party and go kick it. I'm like, oh, that's mafia. I could just look at him and see so yeah, jokers, brothers. You can see if something too bad go on, they gonna run on the court and they gonna get down with their brothers. So I think that's in the back of every brother.
No question, no question. Transitioning into high school hoops, the McDonald's All American Game is Tuesday, obviously one of the biggest games, and there's a lot of local talent, you know kids that you should My nephew Elijah Reene going to sc AJ Dabansta going to BYU allegedly got ten million Togo, Darren Peterson going to Kansas, multimillion dollar deal, the boozer twins, Braydon Berry's is that his name? I really like that kid Jr. Being a coach in the
space in keyon coming up through the AU space. How have you liked this new influx of I'm not only saying former pros kids, but just this new generation of these young kids are really really different. They got a whole lot of game. They got a large bag, versatile, long play both sides of the ball. I like this twenty twenty five class has a lot of talent in it.
Man, Listen, I think American basketball is in a good place from a talent perspective. I think the training techniques and kind of the rhythm of the way we're developing
our players it's still there. I think you know, they're eating better, they have access to strength and conditioning, they have trainers, their social media savvy, their media savvy, and when you have a second generation player, there's a little bit of an advantage that you have because you got to watch your parents kind of go through that situation and deal with different situations. So I'm excited to see what these guys can can develop into.
And I'm rooting and I'm cheering for everybody.
It's just like baseball. I was hearing Barry Bonds talk you might've been talking to you guys. Man, it's just I forget. I've seen him recently. He was The players hit all the time. I mean they're always hitting, taking VP. I mean they're working on the skill. They're working on the craft in comparison to basketball.
Same thing. They're in the gym.
You have all these trainers, You have access to the gym, you have access to better eating, you have access to the generations decades before you watching them, watching the Jordan, the Lebrons. You know, all these new players can watch the guys before them and add to their bag and add to their media bag. I can add to their their brand and their business. So when it comes to training and playing, these dudes are so skilled, it's so good.
It's just ridiculous, you know. I mean I look back at you know me, Penny, and you know we used to go at it because it came out at the same time and different guys that I look at the actual game and we could play.
We can get down.
But these guys got four or five six combos with the ball, you know what I mean.
You know.
From d you know the perimeter guys the six seven, six, say sixty nine, they play like dude, six', five you know WHAT i, mean six.
Four the guards is the point guard sixty five. Sixty seven.
You know so the game has expanding so much and they are. So good there are so much better. THAN us i will give. Them that the way they approach it is a. LITTLE different i think we were a hard NOS and i think we were, TO me a lot of us that were good were just as good as any. Player today, but overall, in general they're they're better. Than US and i think the old guys got.
A skilled and got to.
Realize that stop stop hating on them. Young boys the boys can get.
Down, man yeah it super.
Skilled that the ONLY thing i would say some of, them lack and this is not all, of them is just the ability to play off. THE ball i think all these kids are accustomed to being the man which they are and having the ball in. Their hand but each level they, go up you know that they have to be able to understand how to play off. The
BALL and i think that's Where the european. Game thrives and that's why you see the growth Of the european game IN the nba and the Influx of european players IN the nba because these guys know how to play. Team basketball we're great, individually SKILLED but i think we LACK the iq, To, understand okay if the ball is not in, my hands HOW can i still be effective on the. Offensive end, so hopefully, you know we can close that gap and and and and continue just to
be good all. Around, players katie is there someone that comes to mind in high school that surprised you or or busted? Your ass in?
High school it wasn't, a surprise But Like, baron davis like in, high school was off, the.
CHARTS like bed could.
Do everything he was kind of like one of the originals of, the hybrids not necessarily like a one to, two combo right that could. Do everything SO, like bd JUST watching bd playing AGAINST. B d he was a GUY who i tried to mimic my, game after, You, know, So Yeah baron davis was.
That boy what about You? J r you Just, Mentioned penny like anybody else come? To mind during your high school run it was just, like damn they, Got.
It okay so, for me.
It Was The east coast boys for me, coming UP because, I mean i'm from like an era where it was au. Was serious it was, you know it was. A riverside gacho's the BOYS, from dc the Boys. From philly so, YOU know i went back home after playing against those Guys, in Vegas in arizona And like Eastern CLASSIC high stu, class, like man let me Do Some. New york they they Different In. New jersey they're really. Really Different, mash burn we.
Were juniors mashburn was. A Sophomore. Jamal masburn you know he got M v p Of a nike camp when it was, invite, only uh and he was. A junior we were going to our. Senior years he's going to our his junior our. Senior years he was going to his. Junior year and he was just incredible. To Me so mashburn was one of those guys. For Me jamal mashburn, was, like yeah he's he's he's, way different.
Way. Different yeah so, to me it Was The east. Coast guy On The.
West coast there was two guys that THAT that i wouldn't, say surprise but you know when we were, coming up we didn't know who who was until we. Played him like there was. No INTERNET so I Remember, DION glover i think With the Atlanta.
At celtics he was.
He was Uh. In, atlanta, yeah yeah he.
Was tough and then we We caught tracy mcgrady's coming. OUT party i think we were going to. Be sophomores and it Was when tracy was can are you play on that team?
Or no he Was, on yeah.
Yeah team we caught forty five From. T mac i want to say this is the summer he put himself on the map where he went from like unranked to the number one player in. This CLASS but i hadn't seen nothing Like t mac at, six' nine his ability to do everything you SAW. In the nba motherfucker was doing that shit. In HIGH School so t, mac was? LIKE Whoa like t mac made, me, think like OKAY well maybe i might need to, go play, football because no nothing like this motherfucker. Too Right here so mack.
WAS cold man.
I loved, Because you know. VINCE was STARTING i think t mac was coming. Off the bench So They, HAD Doug christy T. Mack and vince that was like MY matchups who i. Was playing against And when t mac came, IN the game, i, was like damn He Long like scottie PIPPIN crossing over ai and jumping. Out the gym, YOU know what, i mean also people asked me in the summer. MY personal, OPINION i said t mac might be the. Best player underrated that's gonna. That's gonna shine
IN the second i was thinking the SAME Thing. About t max he was no.
Joke and Somebody matt, at adida's camp he literally wind milled on somebody and, all the COACHES all, the nba scouts they lost their professionalism for.
A little bit it was running that professionalism like It, was.
The rutgers, right, but yeah man my life WAS better because i got an opportunity to play on that floora Flash.
Team with matt you've seen.
It in close but you got. To think too people Don't realize t mackett took him a couple of years, to get going YOU know, what i mean to really get off the bench and really kind. Of establish itself he was kind of Buried somewhat in toronto, a little, bit and, finally you know once he finally got his
chance and. He took off Same thing. With jermaine O'Neill jermaine O'Neill was another high school guy that was kind of struggling his first, year or, two you Know along with cob and then once those guys, got their chance they. Never looked back but that was that was a talent and a. REAL talented time.
I look at it LIKE this because I played With jermaine in portland his. First two years i'm gonna say three before, they traded him before he got, out of. There maybe two So He, Had Rashi wallace Brian grant Or, Beata Sa. Bonas cliff, robinson you know he had a lot of people there and he's, just be pissed like give. Me a.
Chance you know there was Times.
In practice rashid had to Tie Up them air force ones a little tighter and come.
Out of, Sweats you know rashid rarely came.
Out of sweats when they came, out of sweats it, was, A problem right so he came out, of, swets like, ah you think here, a YOUNG boy, here i, come you know and they would. Go at it he caught. A Big head.
So kobe and team back in.
The same way they kind of they had to wait a, couple of, Years you Know kobe behind Eddie and Behind Vince.
AND doug christy i believe so once they, got their chance they.
Never.
Looked.
Back True Absolutely Man mark cuban is is speaking a little bit about obviously what happened with the Sale, of the mavericks how he fully expected to still, run basketball, OPERATIONS setting quote i fully expected. To RUN basketball the nba wouldn't let me put. In the contract they. TOOK it out i thought. IT was stick i thought they woul stick to their word because they didn't know the
first thing about. Running a team someone obviously, changed their, mind you know when this whole and again when we talk, about this shit this shit is definitely not A Dish to anthony davis because he's A first Bout, hall of famer one of the most talented power forwards. We've ever seen but on, The flip side luca is, a GENERATIONAL talent AND i think i was a firm believer that
this Decision was. ABOVE nico's Head i think nico was, the FALL guy but i definitely think it was ownership And it was DeMont, and these, guys you know hearing rumors or maybe the Way that that luca had moved and not wanting to commit that kind of, money to them especially after the whole casino shit Fell, through in dallas and then they wanted to try to move The, team to vegas and, That FELL through so i think
they were. In their feelings and what's kind of really bothered me About this is DeMont continues to kind of go on his little tourd talking but continuing To, bad Mouth luca like luca ever did anything to. His lame ass so what are your guys' thoughts When you hear mark kind. OF come, out I mean obviously mark has to take some of the blame because he is the one that chose to sell the team to this group
knowing what. They Were about but mark has always been one of, my FAVORITE owners and i was REALLY surprise when i heard that one that the, sale went through and Then two that mark was kind of pushed out of any kind of real decision making with. That ball club ke, star.
With you it's pretty much normal like if you sell a corporation or. Something like THAT, sometimes, at ceo right you might stay on for a year to make that transition or to, help you know YOU know, what i mean just make that transition smooth for the, next you know ownership group. That's, coming through obviously he, had the pedigree he, had the passion he, had the community and he was Able to get luca on Board right and luca lost.
Out.
A lot man luca is missing out On that super max, with this trade so he really. Financially got hurt now he'll benefit From, being around lebron being in, a bigger market but he might not ever be able to make up that Kind of. Super MAX money So i. THINK luca loses i don't like what They're. DOING in dallas
i think they need more people around who. Understand the game they got to make sure they assemble, the right team and they got to like capture the Essence of what, Cuban created there Like he put dallas, on the map like he was, on the sideline he was, on the bench he would pick you up when when you would come for, a draft workout and so to have somebody who was that involved in that passionate and then have somebody come in who's like really a bottom line type
person and doesn't necessarily understand the culture of, THE basketball, culture i, think you know they're they're gonna have, a difficult, time you, know retaining talent getting people to come in if they don't get.
THE right, PIECES i mean i think they have a. Win now situation obviously they caught, the Injury bug but dallas has a very talented team as we. Speak Right now obviously ad went down and, he's Back now but
kyrie's down. For the season but they have. A nice roster, but you know, we all know as long as we spend, the league winning starts, at The top and i'll give a fuck how good your roster is if your, Ownership ain't shit and they've been showing the thing shit and the basketball guys have not favored any decisions they've, made of late so. That'll, be interesting jerald what's your. Take on this it's a triple.
Down effect run it starts. From the top i'll go right into. A personal thing Like even WITH portland when, i was there we Went To The. Western conference finals we were the youngest TEAM. IN the NBA i think I was a vet at, like twenty six, twenty seven eight and.
They traded, away they traded.
They traded right They, brought in pippin They Brought, in steve smith they got. Rid of me they felt like they wanted to vet there and they got to the same Spot We Got. Western conference finals they got PUT Up by la we got Put Up. BY san antonio i just felt like we had. A young nucleus you should have let us rock and should have let us row for two three years and then, figured you know we would. Have figured it we would have figured it Out because san antonio was they, Were beating us we
Were Beating. San antonio la it, was, Like me uh, i'm Sorry us the Lakers. And san antonio we would all beat each other and it. Was very competitive we could all, beat each other so you never know what was. Going to happen going stick it. To the point as far as with the. Mav same Thing you got lukal who's. A generational talent so, WHEN that happen i THOUGHT it was i think, it was real but then. It was official.
They traded him and not, to Be funny but i've NEVER seen the nba trade away a super mega white star.
In that capacity he's. A generational talent they try. To, KEEP you now i ain't trying. To Sound.
Funny i'm california all flavors, of my, Life, You, Know, White, mexican black filipino you know. ALL of that i have best friends that. Are all flavors but in the. NBA's predominantly black so when.
You get a, great white player they're gonna.
Treat him great they're gonna make sure, he's in, good you know standings.
With the media they're.
Gonna propel him So someone like luca who's never, been in trouble who's never had any problems outside, Of, the game like what are they doing that guy gonna give you thirty thirty five? Forty at night YOU know? What, i mean like what are they doing In him? And KYRIE rocking so i. Didn't UNDERSTAND it then i started, hearing the, rumors the casinos the promises.
And the fallout so this.
Is all business this is all people at the Top ruining what mark built because he was, a player's, owner you know, he you, know you know he was an owner. That loved players players love to. Play for him he changed the whole thought process. Of the mass he got them all new stuff from the from the locker room to the. To the stadium so his energy was great and. He was, hyped he, clapped you know he was involved.
On THE sideline so i just never understood what. Was GOING on then i started to, read into it and he's twenty, seven percent owners twenty five percent owners still and you, still still yeah like like like you. Were saying privacy usually they transfer, over new ownership have someone running this is, how it goes and then want so comfortable they let him go and they put him still
put them on payroll until and he's. Still minority orders so it seems like you wouldn't want him to teach the next people coming in or keep him for a minute and keep or teach the next.
People coming in.
How this goes and but to break up the team because of personal things and get rid of the Generational talent and luca that set them, back to me although they are a really good, team Right now but. Kyrie went down so sometimes that energy, and that karma that carma will get right.
Back at you it seems it seems, like they, dismantled you know twenty plus Years of what cuban was able to, do and, build you know being able to, get a championship but kind of set a foundation and and And and make dallas a destination for free agents and and
and him being known as one of. The best owners it kind of REMINDS me of i Played for the lakers in The Last year phil, jackson WAS there and I Remember feeling jim bust didn't get along And all and this is when the team Had Went To JIM buss and i tell you the next the next year, We came back jim wiped Any Resemblance of phil jackson out of, the locker room, the practice facility just Anything that resembled. Phil was gone and it was just like he was trying to set, his own tone and and
and and that. Definitely didn't work but this also comes on the heels, of You know the celtics being sold for a record six point one billion and Their, owner with GROSSPEC will remain ceo and governed through the twenty. Twenty, eighth season, yeah you know could have been, a similar situation but not, Because. You know, dumont You know this dallas ownership wanted to take control right, off the bat not knowing shit. About THE game but i think this
transition We're seeing in boston is how it. Should be done in The same way. Katie just, spoke, you know normally they keep you on for a couple of years and you show, them the way the lay of the land, and the ropes and then as as soon as they, get you know you make a. Decision after that, so, you know, hopefully you know for, The player's sake dallas can get. Back on, track you know This. SALE for boston I don't think boston will skip a beat because
everything kind of. Staying in place so we shall see college hoops the men's. Final four set, first of all want to shout Out our lady bruins going to the final four for the first time. IN the history i was impressed with. The Game Yesterday man lauren bett's got, two early fouls two fouls in, the first quarter and the team went on like a twelve. To two run THIS is an lsu team that beat Us in the sweet,
sixteen last year and. It really showed it SURPRISED me because I haven't seen ucla Really Work without lauren bets. On the court she's normally a fixture in their. Go to player but. They, Handled Themselves keithy Rice Hakez and ia gardener was shooting the shit out the, ball and, really you know, allowed you know this team to get Going. Without without bets what's to me, fair as well because you know that you know she's going to be on the court for most of, the time now but it
allowed the other people to kind of. Get Their flow so i'm really. Excited, about that unfortunately We all saw juju go down with the torn a cl Last Week. Aas mississippi state nine months, possibly a recovery although you know medicine is a lot. Quicker these days we could, see her back, but you know, OBVIOUSLY her talent i think everyone was LOOKING forward to ucla, and you Know, not overlooking ukon but we're LOOKING forward to ucla and usc matching up in. The final four, BUT you know
i want to send prayers to her and on. A speedy recovery i know the she'll come back mentally and physically stronger than, She's ever been katie with A player, of juju's magnitude and to go down, in the tournament obviously we know her physical attribute to eventure, to come back but how tough is that mentally to go down on this stage at this time.
Or, HER career, yeah i mean anytime, you, get injured man there's a mental laps that you have right because, you have, to you know get your mind right for the. Physical therapy part you have to be patient. With your body and she's so talented and so much better than damn that everybody she's.
Gonna play against it's a.
Frustrating RECOVERY process but i think one OF the things i like, about her though she just doesn't rely. On her athleticism, she's extremely skilled she, plays with power she has a, lot of agility she has A, high basketball iq she. Has unlimited confidence she can, shoot the ball she can get, to the cup she. Can DO everything so i think at some point she'll be. Back to herself but it's a it's a long, road to. Recovery, long road.
Jared did you ever face any major injuries in the league or?
WERE you lucky, I, WAS lucky, yeah, i, mean, hips. KNEES ankles nothing i broke a. Finger or two but even, To This Minute i'm. I'M i'm mobile i can? You MOVE laterally WHEN i when i, trained the Kids AND obviously, i'm, au, FIFTEEN sixteen seventeen, yba all that, so you know. They test me they played me in ones TO five and i ain't. BEEN beat, yet i mean can?
You can you? STILL can you.
I ain't a, lot of that but that, footwork's still there that, shot, Still there, right But, no with juju that that really really, hurt, To see right that really really really hurt me to see her go down because she was, in a rhythm right and, and she's.
Young and so i've.
Never been hurt i've never even more than even spring the ankle as far as. My LOWER extremities SO i just i don't know what that feels like to go to rehab, and you know to go. Through an injury, i've seen it of course, on my TEAM but nowadays i can say medicine technology, is super advanced and nine months is, a long, time you know for her to have, to come back so hopefully it's. More LIKE six but i felt bad FOR her because i, met her before and she's a. Good young lady, she works Hard and like,
katie was saying like, she's super. Skilled super. Good she's different she's a generational. Talent as, well, to me yeah she's just on. The woman's SIDE and her iq, was really there and she's starting to play better. Off the ball what you mentioned mad about some, of this generation they don't play as well. Off The ball so i've been watching her off the ball play and move them without it and. Stuff like that, so you know just really really, hurt to, see you know her go down and kind.
Of know that, she was hurt, she was, Injured you know so it's just it's just. Really Really tough but I'VE been lucky i don't have to go.
Through, THOSE things yeah i think one thing, that, you know again medicine is different now acls used to be. A real scare now, they're very common so we know she'll. Come BACK healthy and i Read something WHERE paige had i Don't know if, Page reached out beckers had reached out and, they had spoke Because we know PAGE toward her acl and had to miss a whole year and, now she's back averaging over twenty A game and page will most likely be the number one pick in the.
W this year so it's good she's got some people to LEAN on because i feel like the hardest thing it's never REALLY the, physic i mean the grind of physically getting yourself, back is tough but it's that mental monster that people don't. Really talk about and once, you're physically, healthy you know how do you mentally trust that knee and being able to move, without, You, know hesitation, so you know sending a lot of love and Prayers. Out to juju get well soon and we'll definitely. Be missing
you but the women bracket, as a whole it. Has BEEN tough but i also want to shout the. MEN'S side out i think the men's side has been slacking the. Past FOR years but i do have to, say this tournament as, far as viewership has been crazy on, the men's side and the competition, has been.
Very very.
Good you know obviously there's a lot of complaining about the portal and the nil and all, this OTHER shit but i think at the end, of, the day man the quality of play has really stepped up. On both sides And you remember march used to be the funnest time for basketball fans because it was high level on men's side and very high level on. The WOMEN'S side and i, definitely think, that you know. We're back there
we're back there. On both, sides you know both sides are, playing really well and it's just Been fun to i've really, been kicked up burning and just watching, games, all DAY man and. I love, it you know very, very competitive games and you're finding a.
Lot.
Of talent, Man so okay So we Got duke Versus houston And florida versus auburn the second time in a long time since all four number one. Seeds have Advanced. There's no cinderella it's all big Dogs. This year jr before we get. To the championship who do you got coming out and representing In the Championship.
Florida and auburn that's a rematch from. Earlier This year obviously.
Florida got him florida gonna be tough to. Beat RIGHT now but i just think The big from auburn is gonna slow, the.
Game down go.
At THEIR pace And i got auburn coming out of that in the Revenge.
GAME beating Florida i Got.
Houston, over duke ooh grown ass men OUTKAY.
D n u they gonna make It. Difficult for duke duke is playing really really.
Good RIGHT now But i think houston and the coach, never won one be coaching for. THIRTY plus years i think, it's his, time his energy his carmer to go ahead and get to, that final game the championship game where. Anything CAN happen but i think They, Get past Cooper. Flag AND duke So i GOT houston And. I, Got auburn.
Oh i'm not.
Mad at that THE one thing i, will say is you know there's a lot of this talk about high school kids. Can't do this high school kids. Didn't do that duke, has Three freshmen if, i'm not mistaken, in the mix and there are integral parts. Of THIS team so i don't believe this high school kids. CAN'T help you i think. IT'S. Bull shit kd who you got coming out of? The, Final four.
Yeah so my my pixel a little bit DIFFERENT. From the Og in The houston, AND duke matchup i like that matchup. STYLES make fights i think The way that houston And The coach calvin, sampson coach team the way that they play in the toughness and the ferocity that they play with in, the Defensive intensity they're they're. A TOUGH style but I just think duke has about six proles, on THAT team and i think from, a talent standpoint
they're just, Too too talented. They're Too connected coach shire has done a great job of, just you know getting the most out, of THOSE guys and i always go.
With talent in.
SITUATIONS like This I think cooper flag is by far the most talented player, In College basketball so i'm Gonna go. With duke There i'm, a florida Boy Even though billy donovan didn't recruit. ME down there I like what walter What's His Name, walter clayton junior and the performance he's been having during the tournament has, been you know he's a combo guard who can get, to the cup who can.
Shoot the three but, guys like that what's unique about them is that he's not afraid, of the moment like all, the big possessions like he, wanted the ball he made he he he, made the play whether it, was you know, making the threes making, the right, passes you know doing.
The little Things and.
So i'm Gonna. GO with florida i Think they beat album. TWICE this year i could be, wrong ABOUT that but i think for sure it was two times that. They beat him they're familiar, with ONE another and I Love what bruce pearl is. Doing down there they got a nice squad Down. There In album but i'm Gonna go With florida and duke.
In, The.
Finals so jr who do you have win? In the national who do you have Win In? The. National championship jr i'm going.
With a shocker i'm going. With the underdog I'm, Going, To.
Houston okay houston something about them, AND they. Feisty I understand and duke's playing the best. Basketball right. Now IN college so i, agree WITH. YOU j, d i mean they are playing the best. Basketball Right now but I'm going with houston and On a sleeper WITH the women's.
Ucla might go get one man because they that big girl inside.
Is no joke and if you, come double them she got three shooters that can. Bang them out and then they. Got a playmaker two playmakers, get their names two girls that can get to the rack. And make plays, and, it's proven man you cannot guard her, one on one so they might sleep. Somebody up there, and you know shout. Out the page getting forty plus coming off. The knee injury i'm glad She's there for. Juju Right now but i'm, proud of, her watching, her you know move and shake after,
the knee injuries. Crushing knee, INJURIES but YEAH i think ucla might might, might sleep, them you know and win.
ONE this year I really DO.
Houston, IN. Ucla okay kd who you, got men's side? Didn't?
Women's side yep so on, The men's side i'm Gonna. GO with Duke i think john will be cutting the nets. Down this year on, The women's side i'm Gonna Go with South Carolina coach don Staley Down. IN south carolina i, just think that like, they Have, McDonald's all americans they've. BEEN there before i think she's pretty much one of, the top two maybe three coaches maybe in the history. OF women's basketball i think. She's that good, she's got charisma, she's,
got spirit spirit. She's got Energy She's, just. Don staley right we grew. Up WATCHING her So I like SOUTH carolina And. I like, duke, No shame, man no.
Shame shame man it ain't no shame taking it cause we. Could DEFINITELY bet So, I got duke And obviously this yukon matchup is going, to Be tough but i'm gonna believe in OUR women and i Think They'll see south carolina. In The championship so i'm. Taking all fades whoever wants to let me know real quick before we get out of.
This college segment cooper flag projected number one pick in the draft this YEAR on, the nba side on, the men's side do you guys compare him to any recent picks or anyone that you can think of in the past as far as a comp to his versatility and his intensity and once he brings to the, game.
To me he's more like a hybrid between, the skill play the skill set Of Like, a jason tatum and then the motor and the quick Second Jumps. Like, Sean marrion right he's got like this energy and his skill set that you just really don't see a. Lot of times talented skill players don't, have that motor don't. Have that passion they can't, impact the, game you know on, the defensive side on, the rebounding side on the, shot
blocking side on, the antique side all. Those different THINGS and so i think he's like a hybrid of those two.
Particular all stars i'm not.
Mad at that, What About. You jase flag.
I've seen him i've seen him in person, about three. TIMES four times i like. HIM a lot i like. Him a. Lot you know THE first time, I seen him I like. What i saw THE fourth time, I seen him, I, was like wow he Got another little he got a couple of little levels that he goes to, when the game when the smoke is on and the.
Game IS on so i like.
Him a lot he's a generational.
Talent for SURE at first i was thinking he would be a situational, player coming in like it has to be the right situation has to be, the right team has to be. The right fit but the more that, He keeps, going, i'm like well, wherever he goes he's gonna. Make a difference he's gonna. Make a splash and he's. A big boy he's, a big kid, you know so and he's he's. Developed his range he's. Developed his range he's stepping out there shooting that thing a. Little BIT
more so i think the sky's the. Limit for him and that's that's another guy, who's super, athletic got motor and he plays, without, the ball gentlemen he can play.
Without THE ball so i think he'll make a very very good. Pro for sure him And aj.
And cooper my favorite two thing. About as talented they have. A fucking motor and the motor used to be non negotiable. In our days now having a motor is, a skill set. Which is crazy but both those. Stars have motors they lock in. On both sides we Saw we saw cooper take his hard, knocks this, year you know, making you know making mistakes and turning the ball over. And CRUNCH time but i think all that helped him continue to develop. And understand ship this is. What it takes they're gonna
win and. Lose WITH me so i definitely am a Big fan of COOPER and then aj coming. Down the pipeline he'll probably spend A. Year at byu he's someone. WHO'S six' nine i got to see a Play A lot at. Peach jam last year locks in on both ends and has all Those same intangibles that cooper has as far, as, energy, and athleticism, hustle dunks, plays defense mid range, get to the, basket shoot the ball not.
Afraid of the moment so these next two number one picks coming down the pipeline are going to be really special before we, GET out of here. J are also excited, maybe a little premature but we're working on, some, stuff with you man. DOC or, SUBSCRIPTED series i mean i think your, journey HAS been incredible and i told you since that since we reconnected, like five, years ago like bro we got to get your story. On the big screen so that. Is in the Works i'm. Excited to.
That's, awesome.
THAT is awesome Man i tell everybody, Man that you know. Mad is my dog. He's a solid dude he's been.
Solid at day one he's been wanting to see this story out there since, we chopped it up burned a few and he learned with some of the. Details backstory of you you're, such a good, man a good dude.
And THANKS the opportunity and i know there ain't no story.
Out there like this once, they get to it from the, beginning to the, middle to the end the redemption as well as some gangster shit that it's. A, Lot of shit hey, california's.
Real gangster shoo. Some real, Gangster shit ooh yeah i'm excited to help you bring the man bring. This story to life but thank both you guys, for, hanging Out today man and i'll. See you guys soon before we, GET out of here i want to thank a, Special Fan shout Out, Alex. Peevey from richmond virginia alex took time to reach out to our page after getting through two terminal cancer. Diagnosis since twenty seventeen it's been an
up and down journey for. Him and his family obviously cancer is near and dear to my heart losing my mom in, two THOUSAND and eight so i know how, devastating this is man and he just wanted to reach out and thank us for being something that helps him get through his days and as someone who you know again has cancer near and, dear to my heart but just knowing that we do make a. Difference, in people's lives man we want to send you, A, lot of
love alex to you and your family and we'll. Be praying for you and when, you beat this SHIT come out to la and hang out with.
Us.
For, A, day man also alex make sure you send us your family size and address so, we can send you guys some. All the smoke merch. But that's a wrap you can catch Us On all the smoke Productions YouTube. And the DraftKings network. See y'all next week good.
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