Mm hmmm, mm hmm. Welcome back all the smoke. Jack.
We get to close out with a good one, real run. Yeah, come on, man, that's dot Man. Uh someone I've got a chance to play it for a long time. Brief teammates, but great career. But to me even better person.
We know. Yeah, man, a good dude.
Welcome to the show, Sean Livingston, appreciate you, thank you. Come on, man, it's been in the making. Last time we tried to get you, what happened. You got scratched in the eye or.
Something and eye infection. Kids happened dirt Yeah, who knows.
Dirty fingers got the eyeball and we had to push it up.
But we're happy to have you here.
Man, Man, three time NBA champs, four time champ overall, because you want to ring as an executive. What's life been like post career for you?
Yeah, man, it's nothing like playing, right, nothing like playing. But you know, I'm man, I'm grateful just for the journey because without playing on all the different teams and meeting, you know, all the players and getting a chance share my story, I had an opportunity to stay around the game, you know, coaching or front office and so I chose the front office life just having a young family, wanted to be there for the kids, watch them grow up.
So you know, it's my third year doing it and so just enjoying being, you know, being around the game.
As you said, third season doing it. This season Golden State obviously started off a little rocky with the Draymond and Pool situation, and you know, through Draymond's podcast, you kind of hear more and more of his thought process through the whole entire thing as someone who has shared the locker room with that core guys. And then now you're in the front office or we're just kind of your thoughts overall on the from the beginning to you know, the second loss, a second round defeat.
I think I was in the camp of, you know, this team, you know, maximized what it had from that standpoint of the energy. I mean, you guys have been in the locker rooms and you guys know what teams have a chance based on how we rock with each other. You know what guys are rocking together, and it usually start at the top with the best players.
It starts there.
You know, coaches gym obviously, but the team, the players, you know, that's what makes everything go. You know, they control what happens on the floor, so uh, they have to be locked in, right, and it starts in the locker room, starts off the court. Really, you know, get a chance to be authentic and be vulnerable and you know, do do things to.
You know where it builds trust.
And I think this year, you know, with the incident Draymond Jordan, right, Uh, some of that trust was lost and uh, a ricochet throughout them the locker room and just with Draymond just you guys know his presence, you know that that's that's his value when when he walks in the room, you feel him immediately, and so you know, just that whole dynamic working through that all throughout the year, getting to the playoffs, you know, saying Okay, now's the time to turn it on.
It's hard to turn to switch on.
If you're one of the best teams ever to do.
It, it's hard to do.
So I think this group, ultimately, you know, we we maxed out. We've lost some veteran pieces too that were I think crucial to that fabric.
So you know, this team pretty much maxed up.
A lot of movement with upcoming contracts, and you know, a good friend of all of ours, brob Myers, deciding what his decision is going to be as someone who is in that office and plans on moving forward. What is kind of your guys' overall view on just you know, resigning key guys or you know, is you know Bob's decision, you know what I mean. Obviously you can't give us too much, but what can you give us on that?
Yeah?
Yeah, I mean it starts with Bob, right, I mean, he he's the architect, and then his value is the relationships.
You know.
I watched the interview you guys had on here and and Bob's just you know, he's great, uh, fantastic communicator, Like he could talk to anybody about anything, and it just levels the playing field. Obviously we have some big names, big stars, you know, those guys hold a lot of weight, you know, but Bob can walk in the room and just really you know, level out the playing field, make everybody feel comfortable, you know, all all three layers, you know, ownership, up, coaching,
coaching staff, players. Uh, he's the guy, you know, and so him and Steph you know, and in my eyes Steve as well, you know, really make that organization, you know, spend. So it starts with him, uh, seeing what he's gonna do, and then you know, obviously they have some decisions to make, uh, you know, a couple of guys, Straymont situations, contract situation. Everybody knows what he means for the Warriors, what he's done,
what he's accomplished. You know it's been said, but you know I got a stamp it as well, Like you don't have one championship without him, you know, I mean.
That's Can you speak to that though, because from the outside looking in and we live in a world now where everyone has a motherfucking opinion, and I say the same thing you do. Speak to his importance on the court, off the court, leadership, just what he brings to that organization as a whole.
Yeah.
Man, it's it's hard to just you know, it's hard to really put in words. You you know, I'm a big energy guy, you know, so you feel the vibes and you know he's a guy that you know, he's cut from similar caughting, you know the same as you guys like you know you see him coming right like you know, he's he's a guy that he is who he is.
He wears his emotions on his sleeve.
I mean, you know, he doesn't mind defending people because he's out to tell the truth and to seek truth, you know, and also his mindset from a standpoint of wanting to maximize his potential, you know, and the potential.
Of everyone around him.
You know, like if he sees that you're not giving one hundred percent effort, he gonna call you out on it. And it don't matter who it is. And you know again that it starts with him with setting the tone. You know, he keeps guys honest, right because he's not gonna let you walk in and just bullshit your way through, right, Like he's gonna call you out and say, man, you you know, we need more, you know, and uh, he he holds.
Himself to that standard. And that's what leaders do.
And so uh he's been the leader, you know for the warriors, you know, throughout that whole run. You know, with him coming into that that light when David Lee got injured, uh, stepping into that spot, you know, he just he wore it on his sleeve and he wasn't, you know, afraid to be front line.
You know.
So I think that's you know, it's the personality is who he is, the mindset, but then also the skill too, like you know, like his IQ is second to none, Like he knows the games, he knows tendencies of the other players, you know what they do well what.
They don't everyone in the league.
I mean it's it's I mean seriously, like guys that you know, I don't even watch him, like yo, how you notice you know it's like he barely play Bro, but he he remembers plays.
It's just, you know, it's it's it's crazy.
It's a beautiful mind. Yes, yes, s Dot. Where did that nickname come from? When someone over here claims he started it.
He definitely shouted out.
I don't know nobody was staying it before me. I probably not being a razor, but I was the one. You say it all the time on TV and everywhere. One made it popular.
He had he had a speakerphone.
I was creating Dot.
He had the mic. Yes, I was, yes, sir, A big fan.
I was a big fan Dot.
What not rookie year? Rookie year?
It was actually uh Corey mcghetty jumped it off back in the day. I had the old rebox. You know, slippers check out of high school. You know Clippers, Yes, sir, Clippers, Clippers and uh the old reebox s Dot Carters jay Z had the you know, the shoe line. So I kept a pair of all whites on like air forces, you know, and it just stuck those No, no, just coming in the locker room, you know, s Dot you know see what you got on.
That's back when the Clippers. That's back when the Clippers really didn't have a locker room.
Yeah, man, we was day Southwest Community.
Yeah, crazy, we're talking about that. Man. What was life like growing up Peoria?
Mike Robinson from Yeah, Yeah, yeah, Mike Robinson, Man, I grew up in a time actually where it was like the Golden Age was a basketball around Illinois, especially Peoria. Like my my o GS was around your age, Mike Robinson, Frank Williams, A J. Goyton played a little you know, a cup of coffee in the league. Uh, but our true o G was Howard Nathan. I was just telling one of the guys. He man, he was like the
guy all the swag. He was like, you know, uh Wesley and New Jack City man, Like everybody wanted to be like him.
You know he was.
He had you know, the hottest girl, the hottest car like, but he was just like man on the court. He was that guy. He was in y'all seen the movie Hoop, Yeah, he was in. He was in that one putting arch what's my guy? He uh he put him out the state tournament he was went to Peoria Manual and uh, he was just a legend.
Man.
So growing up watching him.
You know, obviously Mike and the Bulls was you know whoever every standt Yeah what I'm saying that was the gold standard. But high school basketball, man, it was big in Illinois. You know, the original March madness, you know, and we made our name going up to Chicago and you know really uh, you know, showing our game. So small town probably one hundred thousand people, you know, cornfields on the outside, but you know, not sweet on inside. It was a city. Yeah, it was a city segregated
like most cities. You had a good part up north was a lot of the you know, wealthy folks live in Southside below the hill what we called it. You know, that was where a lot of a lot of poverty was public schools. But man, I'm grateful for it because It gave me humble beginnings, you know, uh, learn how to grind blue collar city.
You know, you really earn what you get. You know, nothing's given.
That was kind of the era that we grew up in, you know, and they really didn't let you off the hook, you know, even if you did have game. Coaches you know, held you accountable. You know, run back on defense, you know what, you pull you out the game like. So I'm grateful for that because it'll you know, it humbled me. You know, it never allowed me to get the big head, even though I had a lot.
Of fanfare in high school.
But I grew up watching you know how it was supposed to be done.
Your parents split at a young age. Where did basketball and then pushed the basketball come from my pops.
It was pops.
He took over custody of me and he raised me, him and my grandpa. And so I grew up in a house household full of men, you know, no women around. So it was just different, you know, uh, not a lot of motion in there.
It was you know, like, yeah, go with your yeah, you know so.
Which helped me because naturally I was more introverted, quiet, you know, you know, cool, just laid back, so it was like, no, come on, let's go like just and that helped, you know, really harden me, just you know, being more competitive on the court, being able to go back at guys, being able to you know, stand up on my own, and you know at school. And it was I was I was grateful for that. And my
dad really showed me the way. I don't know where he got it from, but man, you know, taking me around to camp after camp, you know, uh, it was almost like I mean, he had he had the vision, you know, like, look, that's what we're gonna do. You know, you're gonna go to school and we're gonna go practice. Right, I played baseball, We're gonna go play catch. You know, you want to be great, you want to play, you want to be MJ. Penny Hardaway. You got to put
the work in. Come on, let's go. So I was grateful to have that, you know, that direction, you know what I'm saying, Like, so I empathize for guys who.
Don't have that direction.
Don't judge, you know, don't judge a book by his cover because you don't know what he went through, what he didn't have, the lack of resources, right, usually that's you know, it's what makes you and what builds you. But you know a lot of people break under that.
So I'm grateful to my dad, you know what I'm saying, for forgiving me that I wasn't always grateful, right, you know, like, man, I don't want to do this while I'm doing this, you know, just you know, working too hard, you overwork, You're pushing me, right, And.
What age is that?
Not to cut you off because I'm a dad with teenage boys and try to find that fun line. And what age do you feel like it switched to? Like damn, I have to do this to I want to do this?
Yes? What was that?
Yes?
Man, To be honest with you, Matt, it was probably probably like I did it early.
Then I got burnt out, you know what I'm saying. I got burnt out.
By the time I got in high school, you know, start you know, liking other things. So just life, man, and you know, just running with some of the wrong crowds sometimes, and you know, wanted to do other things other than kind of what got me, you know, the recognition and what got me to people knowing my name
and everything else. The work that I was putting in as a young kid, so I was I was ahead of the game, got burnt out, and then my first two years struggled, went to you know high school struggle, you know, getting kicked out of practice. Uh, just butted heads with the coach. And then just I wanted to quit, so I quit. They talked me to going back on the team, and then sophomore year transferred schools grew three four inches.
And then it was just yeah, it was like, man, I went to the.
Circuit ABCD camp, got invited, you know, went to a I went to so if you AU tournaments before then put On got the invitation of ABCD, and then it was on from there.
Two thousand and four, mister basketball, straight out of high school?
How did that decision come about?
Man, I couldn't top top seven, top five. I told myself, if I'm not top ten, I want.
To go to college.
Because I was probably one hundred and sixty pounds, so well, you know, it looked like twelve years old out here, you know, like many.
Yeah I did that, so I look older.
Just it was you know, like I knew that I needed to mature physically.
I knew I knew that.
Was signed to go to Duke play for coach k get up and down showcase myself. But man, you know, towards my high school season, I'm looking in the crowd, I'm seeing Chris Mullen, I'm seeing John Packson.
Like, man, they I.
Know them, like they I watched them, you know, I watched them play. They Oh they worked for some day the GM with the Bulls and the Warriors. Wow, it's real. So you know, it started getting real. And then did the McDonald's All American Game, did Round Ball Classic, which was Sonny for Carl's Game. Man, it's just the buzz started building up mock drafts and I did one workout.
Went.
I was going to Chicago at the time, working out Tim Grover his gym.
He had a gym called Hoops.
He was rented out and you know, guys would come back and play. And so during this during pre draft around this time, I do one workout. I didn't hire an agent. He put me through the workout. It was thirty scout thirty NBA GMS. Steve Kurr was there. He told me about the story. Like after that, Tim Grover walked up to me, he said, man, and Alanta Hawk said, you're not you're not going past seven.
They take us seven. Said, shit, I gotta I gotta.
Go there because I mean, just the chances of you know, getting hurt, getting injured, which I dealt with, you know my first couple of years in the league.
It's like, you know, it just made too much sense.
Eighteen years old, LA. What was your first impression of LA? You talk about small town?
Yeah, man, my first walk on Vence Beach was crazy. It was like, you know, seeing some of the things I saw out there, it was different.
You see what I'm saying. It was just different.
So you know, but it was actually for me, it was it was just you know, it was kind of cool to see because, like I said, coming from where I'm from, it's very segregated small town vibes, and you know, you get some of those you know, underlying conditions of you know whatever it may be bigotry, racism, things like that. So you know, coming out to coming out to LA and just you know, seeing the vibes. Everybody messed with each other. You know, it was the diversity, you know,
it was like a big melting pot. So my first walk on Venice Beach was cool, just seeing you know, obviously seeing that much water I've never seen before. And then just you know, just seeing the vibes out there. You know, I was kicking it. Yeah, yeah, a lot of vibes, a lot of vibes, all of it, all of it.
It was just but it was in the open hold on this two thousand and four.
Different Any Donald Sterling stories, white party stories, anything, what you got for us.
I wasn't invited to the white parties. Yeah, yeah, you know so, but no, it was it was It was definitely different. It was something different going on there. I just I remember being in the locker room and just you know, him always bringing his friends back there. Weird, right, you know, and one time it is just you know, just man being you know, it's like Mugg's in the locker room, people going back and forth to the shower and you know, like he was just lingering around back there, and you know.
It's watching. Yeah, it was just like, man, it was weird. It was weird.
It was weird, super weird. That's all I was saying. It was weird to me, weird. So I just I didn't know how to take that, you know, nineteen twenty years.
Old, Like what the fuck with all owners and you're watching Dick crazy since all the teams do it.
Man, Yeah it was, it was, Yeah, it was. It was weird a little different.
But talked to us early too.
I mean we laugh and joked, but I was there two years before you got there and then got up out of there. But that team didn't have a practice facility. We practiced south by Southwest US. Definitely the back door open, so people didn't break into your cars, like there was no shower like talk to us about because again you're thinking, NBA, I'm a number four pick in the draft.
This is a it was almost to step down.
Yes, it was a step down. It was a step down to crazy. So I mean, I just I didn't know what to expect. I just expected better know what I'm saying. And it's just you know, our first practice being at again, we was at Southwest Community College and then uh just I remember one of the guys they got their car broken into during practice.
Bro practice, so it was just breaking your car, it was.
It was it was just wild that, you know, we were going through that, and then you know we finished practice.
You know, we're on pretty much like.
One side of the gym, you know, and then Uh, we finished practice. We go in the locker room and here come to the football team in there. You know you kind of I'm like, no, I am and take the shower pill take into the crib like huh. It's just it was. It was, you know, it was rough. It was rough because I think it back. I try to you know, I don't focus on the past and everything else, but just like what what would be of those teams if they had the resources?
Right?
There was a lot of in.
The direction you know that young guys need when you come in the league. I mean it matters, you know, I don't care who you are, it matters. So uh started out there. Then we upgraded. Actually Mike Dunleavy junior senior came in and he was able to get us over to the Spectrum Health Club.
You go a football team, you know, so we cover.
Man.
It was crazy.
Who were some of the some of your early vets though, because although they were vets, they were young.
Elton Brand, Corey mcgetty, Uh, Bobby Simmons, you know, Chicago guy. I was tight with q Rich. He ended up leaving going to Phoenix. But that was you know, that was kind of like my big homie at the time. And then uh my second year Sam, Sam came in the cat the Tino Mobile.
Chris Brayman, I mean Cayman, Yeah, he did.
He was someone that was scared of water and showers and tooth brushes, but came in had game.
He did. He did. He came in a year before me.
But again, come from the Midwest, you know, country dude, you know, Central Michigan. Uh, it was just you know, he's kind of out of his environment a little bit, you know, and just making it work.
Like I remember this dude, he had a paintball.
Uh, he got a paintball little arena in his basement.
You see what I'm saying of his crib.
Though, Like I'm like, man, what I mean, that's just you know, like he was just kind of backwoods like.
That second season forty seven wins, good young core, first winning season fifteen years, lose to the Suns in the in the first round in seven games. What was your first taste of the playoffs?
Man?
It was addicting.
It was addicting for real, Like, uh, that's what I expected of the NBA, you know when I first got in.
Uh, what surprised me was how.
Normal losing was to guys, you know what I'm saying, because there's so many games and it hit me hard, you know, my first year because I'm like, man, we lost, like I'm I'm coming from winning two state championships. We went in all the time like you know, just that that's I played the game to win, like that was
my mentality. So you know, but obviously you know you got to have amnesia and so but man, that that first trip to the playoffs, I'm like, yes, this is it like this where you know, this where we belong, This where I belong bat Denver that year they had mellow Andre Miller Kenyam Martin talented team. George Carl's team beat them in the first round I think like five games, and.
Then you wasn't on that team. Julina might have.
Been yep six O six yeah, and then lost the lost to Phoenix seven games.
Rajah Bell hit a corner three.
Accident, man, he said accidents what I said, man, And then just you know, we was about to go up three two and uh they beat a stubble overtime game five and ended up closing it out at home game seven. But just the experience if you haven't been there. It's hard to talk about it. It's hard to know how to win, you know, it's hard to know what to do when when it get tight, you know, playing on the road, you know, like what's that like going in
was you against the world? Mentality? Like that's you know, until you actually go through the fire. It's hard to talk about, you know what it's like.
Right, But you're a young player too. Steve Nash is one of your favorite players growing up? Yeah, and you get a chance to see him in the playoffs?
What was that like? Oh?
Yeah, you know what.
Steve Nash was the person who surprised me the most. I knew nothing about him growing up, Like you know, like, uh, my favorite player was Penny you know what I'm saying. Penny Grant Hill, Uh, you know those those were some of my favorite players.
Uh.
My first year I got the the Clippers, we had to play we had to play Phoenix like six or seven times. The first person who surprised me was Joe Johnson. I'm like, who is this and why have I never heard of him?
That's the only person never really couldn't my whole career.
Like why why isn't he not featured, Like, why don't we know who he is? But this was like again his fourth year, he playing his role. But Steve, that was his first MVP year And uh, man, just I'm just like, man, who just this? Why nobody told me this guy was this good shooting you know, three pointers, coming down three on one fast break. Just you know, it's like he was doing a lot of the things that you see Steph doing. You see a lot of guys doing. He was doing that back then.
Uh.
But what attracted me the most is his energy. What you know, how he built everybody up around him and gave them empowered them, you know, like he he slapped high fives with everybody coming and on the court, going off the court, like he kept you engaged, like.
Man, I belong.
You know, you never know, you know when you may need a guy, and you just saw how he was the spirit of that team, you know, like when they was winning going you know, and plus his skill, you know, man shooting left hand, left hand hook shots, and you know, like, man, he shouldn't be this skilled, but he can barely run up and down like you know, he ain't the most athletic guy, right, And so I just respected how he was able to affect the game without you know, taking
all the shots, without hogging all the you know, all the basketballs, and uh, you know, he wasn't necessarily a you know, a killer right on the court like you know, Mike and Kobe they projected at you know what I'm saying, like that fear, but he his was a little bit more internal, you know, it was more kind of uplifting, like, you know, I'm in power, guys, I'm you know, I'm gonna stay positive.
Year three, you go through some through probably the most difficult moment in your career, your knee injury.
You end up missing two years.
Me and you had many conversations about this because you know, I've always wanted to talk to you about it. But for people that don't know, how hard was it in and mentally? What did that do to you? You know, trying to be able to come back from that, man.
Yeah, that's man. That's it man. It's the it is.
It is the mental journey, because it really take a piece of your soul from from fighting the injuries. Uh, you know, like the love of the game. You know, sometimes you know when you could just wake up and hoop, you know, you take it for granted. You know what I'm saying, Like you you just wake up and just go hoop. You know, it could do that all day.
We used to ride around looking for basketball games. So like I loved the game, you know, like study the game, watched all you know, watch y'all come up, and you know, watched a lot of the old heads come up.
You know, kind of was a student of the game.
And then you know, just going through the injury process, it's the mental hurdle of you know, having to fight yourself. You know, have to battle yourself because you're not playing against nobody. You know, I didn't touch the court for about you know, eight months, you know, so.
Talk to us.
Not to cut you off, but what exactly did you tear and how back? Because this was a horrible knee injury.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I dislocated my knee, my my femur tibia, uh toward three of the four of my ligaments, uh toward three out of four of my ligaments and my knee and yeah, man.
Just it was it was a whole day.
They basically compared it to a car crash, so you know that's you know, it's like a skiers you know, like you skin a lot of a lot of skiers have that type of accident dislocations. Uh, but I you know, I was just so skinny man, and you know, one came down the wrong way and it just basically exploded. And so, you know the hardest part was getting through you know, the hospital. That whole situation, you know, is
my my knees, my leg gonna be okay. And of course they was talking about the whole uh you know, amputation and all that. They do that around early because of the you know, blood flow and all that. Once that was good, Okay, I'm out the woods. Now what's the timeline?
All right?
Nobody else has done this? So what's the timeline? You know who's done? You know who can I bounce it off of? What's the blueprint? Doctors don't have nothing. They ain't give me nothing. So how am I supposed to know when I'm actually able to come back? Where am I tracking at right? Where am I head of schedule and my behind schedule? Where you know, where am I at?
All the questions you had needed answered at as a young kid.
The doctors don't even have the answer.
They have it, they they have it. It was like you know about it. They just gave me a year, you know about a year you should you know, that's
kind of give or take. That's the timeline. But it it's just the mental process of again trusting yourself because uh you know, for me, like some guys, you know, they you boring, you know, born with a lot of confidence, born with you know that that that ultimate belief you know, For me, like I got that through working, you know, through putting in the work practice, you know, playing and when I couldn't do that on the court, you know, it's like you got.
To build that back.
You have to build that belief system back in yourself. And it was it was just a struggle man physically not the same person, uh man having to ice your knee.
You know.
I was icing my knee five six times a day when I came back, you know, playing in the G League, you know, icing my knees between halftime, like you know, just trying to get to swelling down. Just all the little things that you know, people that you had an injury before you got to go through. But for me, I just didn't have a blueprint to follow. I'm so young, you know, and I mean just the timing of it all.
I'm like, man, this I'm supposed to be on a whole different wave right now, you know, in my mind. But you know that was my reality. So, uh, the faster that I accepted my reality and put it behind me, you know, the more I could get get to it.
How long did it take you to feel like yourself again once you got on the court? Man, That's the people to understand is that that you could talk to the mental side. But it's really that mental side of trusting that need again.
Yeah, trusting it. That's right, That's absolutely right.
It was probably about man, probably I say about five years.
Five years, can you imagine that?
So, I mean that's that's about the time we was Charlotte Milwaukee. I mean when I got with Jack and Charlotte, that was the first time that I played all the way through the season, you know, like without any complications to my need.
I missed a few games, but you still was.
On top of it every day with that Still he was on top of it.
Had to had to.
I mean, it was it wasn't like it was mandatory because if I didn't do it, you know, it was like just the the regression that I was going to have was just you know, again not being able to play, not being able to get up and down the court, and I was barely able to maintain like I was a fringe NBA player at that point, trying to call my way back in the league and stay on the roster and you know, show a team that you know I can contribute and in a certain type of way.
Where before that, you know, it was here go the ball, I'm saying, run the team, brace to sleeve to nothing.
That's right, you know what I'm saying. That's how I Gradually I was right there with him.
That's right.
And then the first you know, having to wear the brace. I mean that was like a whole leg on top of my legs. So just you know, again just having to adjust. You got to adjust your mindset. You got to humble yourself, you know. Uh that was That's the hardest part of it. And then you got to persevere. You know, like the biggest thing you know at the time was just like, man, can't feel sorry yourself at the end of the days. It is what it is.
You got to bounce back and once you get between them lines, nobody else is feeling sorry for you.
Bro.
You got they coming for that, get him he he.
Here go to weeks like, yeah, we're gonna run every play at him. So uh So for me, it was just like, you know, I didn't want to use that as a crutch, as an excuse. Everybody knew what happened the story, but you know, at the end of the day, it was just about, you know, get in where you fit in.
How good did it feel for you to be there for Clay? He went through a tough injury stretch and to have you there for him to that's right. Experience is the best teacher.
He mentioned you on his recovery process and and words you were giving him.
Man, that's a great question, Jack, because man, Clay actually, uh, when we played in Oakland, it's my neighbor. I'm talking about four houses down. We called it the fry House, you know, so he was, uh, you know, like he was right right next door. So I used to get him a ride after after the games. This when he's out, he's in the boot and uh, you know he's out the whole year, but uh, you know it's killing him, it's killing him. You know, the team's up and down
that year. I think we had just missed Uh, missed the playoffs, lost in the you know, playing Yeah, and uh, man, it was just killing him because you know, he's an ultimate competitor. I mean, Clay might be one of the most competitive guys for real, and people say that, but like you know, when you play with a guy like how he take you know, how how he take his his role, how he take the game? Do he take it serious? You know, how's a losing affect him? You
know when he played bad? How so you see all that and you know what cut you know what it means to him. But for me to be able to share my experience with him what I went through at a young age. H Clay being from l A his dad, you know, obviously with the Lakers. I mean he grew up watching people out here, you know. Uh, and I played for the Clippers, so he knew kind of my story.
So I could kind of speak truth to light, you know, and he knew that it wasn't just coming from a place where I just want a lecture, you know, or just tell him, Oh, it's gonna be all right, man, you know, like no, some days it's not all right. You know it's not. But just know it's coming from a good place. It's coming from a place where you're competitive and you want to you want to be out there because you know what you can contribute.
Uh.
And man, he was coming off of twenty nineteen where that was probably his best year.
That was one of his best years, Like you know that finals, I mean, really carrying the load.
KD went down, So.
You know, he had a lot, a lot of expectation of himself and it was it was it was a struggle for him. But I'm proud of the way that he bounced back because even coming back, you know, people kind of you know, he's not the same Clay and he's not you know, it's like, you know.
It's it's hard to deal with as a player.
You know when people talk about you and you know how much you know that you put into you know, your craft and the game, you know what it means to you. It feel like they slandering you. You know, like, man, put some respect on my name, right, right. But you know, at the end of the day, like for him to you know, it's about how you respond, right, And I mean you see what he's been able to do this year. You know, it's it's up and down, like everybody, But
you know, it's like man Clay will be there. To me, he's been one of the guys that's gonna be there when you need him, you know what I'm saying. Even and if you know, if he does have a bad game, like he gonna leave it on the line right right, Like he's not just gonna disappear.
He's gonna leave all the bullets on the court. They may not go in, but the whole clip. Yeah, that's what you want through from especially for when your.
Best scores right twenty twenty fourteen, you play with ten different teams.
We played together in Charlotte. I always tell people all.
The time, if you want to ask how good I was, ask Baron Davis, ask Jamal Crawford, ask Sean Lives because they are three people that always was in my ear when I played with them, to let me know how good I was. But how difficult wasn't for you that time? Knowing that you already had a rough start. You know what I'm saying, You deserve to play. You was trying to figure out I was just being bounced around, getting waved four times.
I've been through it, But what was your ministate going through?
Yeah?
Like I said, I was on the outside looking in. I was trying to really cement myself back in the league. So I was bouncing around a lot of teams at the time. And I think then, y'all just the Charlotte just went to the playoffs.
Year before, Yes, ye, Orlando, right then they swept.
That's right, that's right.
So just coming off that year, it was a lot of expectations Charlotte, like, man, we you know, we're coming that That was the vibe, that was the energy, you know, and it started kind of when you got there, right like, uh, just giving him that confidence and that swag.
Uh.
Jerald Wallace at the time was an All star, you know, So I mean it was just a lot of buzz. So for me, Raymond Felton has just left to New York and so kind of the starting job was kind of up in the air. And I remember I was still going through, you know, my struggles with my physically, you know, my knee injury, just kind of swelling and all that, so just not being able to be myself. But it was just like man, go you know, like go after it. And then uh we got Larry Brown. That was he loved you.
That was. That was so he was.
One of the guys that helped bring me there, and he was that was an experience, you know, going through it with him because man, just you know, I was a new guy and I'm like, man, this team just went to the playoffs last year, right, and then we started out you know rough.
It was rough, and I was like this how it was because he was Larry Brown knew that here on his way out.
Okay, yeah, he was on his way out, right, was on his way in.
That's right, that's right.
And then midway through the season, we had a coaching change. Paul Silas came in and.
The whole different crew.
That's right, that's right, that's right. It was.
It was like a lineup change, just five in, five out.
Substitutions, and it was it was.
It was wild, but we kind of found our footing, you know, we uh picked up you know, picked up some steam and I just you know, like I just always you know, that's why, man, at the end of the day, for me, like I always tell people you my top one of my top three teammates, because it's like, man, the battery that you put in that team's back, right, Like you see it from that standpoint of it's like when certain people like you know, Draymond has some of
that energy. It's like when you you come in, you you know, you feel that person in the gym, right, and it's one thing to talk it, but it's another to show it up and back it up.
And I think you know, you.
Could see, you know, with the players that was there, you know, guys DJ, Augustine and some of the other players, like they move with a different swag, you know, like especially when you was on the court, right, and so it was just keeping you on the court, you know, facts right, And uh.
That was the hardest thing. Yeah, yes, job in itself.
That's how you know.
You know, I remember a timeh MJ came in and he practiced with us.
Yeah remember that story, and uh served.
Us, yeah, man, And I was on his team actually, and it was just like wow, because I was you know, I was on the were the bench team, and they was the starterst was going there and they going back and forth and you know, Mike cussing him out, Jack cussing him, Mike, I'm like cussing him damn.
You know, it's just you know, it was new to me.
Again, but uh, what the teams though, again just just the confidence, right, It's like we're not backing down from anybody. We we belong and to me, I think as a as a player, that's the journey that I talked about when you first get into the NBA.
It's like you got to establish yourself.
You got to like make your way because, uh, it's not given. You know, it's it's not given. I mean, I think certain certain players get opportunities maybe that you know, may or may not deserve it, but you know, for the most part, like when it comes down to winning, especially at the highest level, I mean, the best player is going to play and it's usually the players that earned that. So you got to have that ultimate confidence at all times, especially if you want to win at the highest level.
Fourteen, you laying with the Warriors. How did that happen?
Oh Man, Bob Myers, Jerry West, Steve Kerr. You know, they they sought me out. Twenty fourteen. Had a good year with Brooklyn, played with them. You know, that's probably my best year after post injury. Played like about seventy games, so I was healthy, played in the playoffs, and then we got to the second Yeah, got to the second round loss of the Heat, which they lost the Spurs that year, and then man, the Warriors was right there.
You know, like they was going back and forth with the Clippers.
You know, like like y'all was kind of big bro at the time, and you know, y'all y'all had to experience more established players than guys, but they was next.
They was kind of next up.
They had, you know, a young nucleus, you know, and at the time, it was just you know, for me, what it came down to, it was like, I just want to be in a competitive environment. You know, I had been on a lot of losing teams trying to make it back in the NBA, and I'm grateful for that opportunity because that gave me the platform and a chance to play. But man, it's rough. It's rough, you know, losing losing like that. You know, you know, as a player, I always wanted to win. So I just wanted to
be in a competitive environment. They had just went to the playoffs in the first round, so you know, I knew they kind of had that experience and was looking to get over the hump, and man, I wanted to be a part of that.
You guys, first year sixty seven and fifteen steph one MVP. Was that the first time you first unanimous MVP in league history? Like you said, you were just looking to be competitive. Did you know that motherfucker is gonna be that good?
Yeah, I was gonna be that good.
No, no, no way. I mean he was already he was climbing, he was descending like he was. There was no doubt about it. Like the two playoffs that he had obviously a year before they played, y'all, they got to the second round, and so he was able to kind of show, you know, like man, it's like he's on his way. But I mean to say that we all knew he was going to be at this level. You know, I don't think anybody expected that. No, none of us expected to win a championship our first year.
That wasn't the mentality. It's like, let's get to the playoffs and you know, let's make our mark. That was kind of the mindset.
But I I just.
Remember that year. You know, I start out hurt again. I broke my toe, so I was out like the first all training camp. Came back the beginning of the season, and these dudes they rolling, I'm talking about you know they get off fifteen and two, sixteen and two. I'm like, damn, I ain't never went sixteen and two before, Like you know,
this is this team actually all right? And so but I was wasn't contributing like I knew I could contribute, you know, like I was coming off a career year in Brooklyn, and I'm very I'm playing like you know, real backup minutes, you know, ten twelve minutes a game, you know, coming in for a breather type. So I'm like, man, you know I want to play more like I got to. And so I started, you know, getting myself into shape,
you know, started healing up. Then by January started playing better, and I mean by that time, we got the best.
Record in the league.
Draymond is starting lineup, you know, like he kind of you know, he doing his thing.
Splash bros.
Is you know, they taken off and you know Steph's got all this MVP chatter, and it's like, damn, like we could we we might have a chance to win this thing. You know, like you know, you've been on teams where you know you hit them stretches in the regular season, like yo, we rolling right now, and we ain't just rolling, rolling.
Over, rolling over people.
Yeah, and so like we you know, we might be one of the best teams out here, and we think we had that.
Bob Myers went on record saying, here, pre share the championship the most for you. When you think about your journey, jumping straight out of high school, franchise player, that's what That's what the Clippers envisioned you in. You know, terrible injury, bounce around. You're looking for a role and you weren't even a role player. You're just looking for a role
to play. You land on this team, find your footing, you know, midway through the season, and you get a chance to you know, feel that confetti come down in that champagne spray on you. Like, what was did the journey flash? Were you in the moment? What were you first thinking?
Man I was in the moment, But the first thing I thought, I'm like, man I deserve this.
Yeah right, yeah, yeah, Like that's.
That's how it felt like I deserve it, you know, like all the man it is, you know, it's the journey.
It's all the bs you got to go.
Through and listen to people talk about, you know, stuff they don't know. He ain't that he can't do that, he can't do this, can't do that. So you know, it's again for me, like I felt validated in that way.
I think we all did. You know obviously.
That that twenty fifteen that Calves team, they ask some injuries, you know, but at the end of the day, you play who was in front of you, right, you know, And so that's that's how we felt about it. And you know, man like when we lift that trophy up,
you know, it was worth it. It was worth all the grind, it was worth all the work, the hustle, bouncing, all them different teams, all the rehab, you know, all the coaches that you know I didn't like, played for it, did the right thing right, said the right thing, didn't you know, burn no bridges like all, you know, just trying to trying to make the right decisions throughout all the way through. Then you get to that finish line, you're like, yep, this this is it. This, this, this
is it. This is good.
We had Clay on the show earlier in the season. He said the three greatest shots in NBA history are Michael Jordan's turnaround, Kareem Skyhook, and Sean Livins didn't mid range? Bro, what's the secret to your mid range shots?
On the internet? Man?
And jump eight feet off the ground shooting the mid range?
Man?
Where did you get that from? Because you would never So this is what you think about. I mean this, this team is not necessarily your style. Looks like like they launched threes and run up and down and that wasn't necessarily your game no more. But you've created such an important niche on this team. But where did that that mid range they used to post them up? I was there, I seen it. It was that was used to post them up. My bapple got yous on that team.
Yeah, man, that's all I said.
Though I forgot you was on the team.
I forgot I was on the team.
He can't let me Joe go.
He got to kill hisself.
Jump Yeah, reverse man. Probably that was always my game. I was never a range shooter. Uh, you know, even coming in the league, that was kind of my achilles hell working on the jump shot stress, you know, being able to stretch the court. You know, it was starting to expand to that, you know, through my injury. And then once once my injury came, it was like, man, how am I going to be effective on the court.
And it was like, you know, focus on your strengths and at the end of the day, things that you're not good at just you know, like, man, just stay away from those or lead, you know. So I was basically you know, staying in my sweet spots and and finding a way to affect the game being a threat on the court. How can I be a threat on the court? And for me, it was making defenses pay, you know, because I wasn't on the top of the scouting report, you know, I was you know, that was
you know, that was the main guys. But it's how shacks say to others, you know, like that's you know, that's what ends up you know, winning playoff games and championships and things that nature, because you need those guys. You know, when you you out there that that low get heavy. You know, you're trying trying to score thirty forty you know, seven game series.
So I knew that I could create, you know, a lane.
And then also my basketball mind, I always had a you know, a knack for the game, just i Q knowing you know, where the ball is supposed to go, right, who should get the touches? You know, and then when we played, it was the big man, right, so you know you had to play inside out, but just man, just being a thread on the court. And then when I got to Golden State, man, they was they was launching threes, you know. Uh, and I'm stubborn, you know what I'm saying. So I'm like, man, I'm you know,
I'm sticking with what I do. You know, like I'm rocking how I rock and uh, you know, we're gonna find a way. And I'm smart enough to figure this out to be on the court with him, you know, stay out the way. But you know, also they're gonna you know, defense not gonna guard me. I'm gonna make him pay. Right at the end of the day, I'm gonna tell you to death. You know what I'm saying, your ball to death.
Man. You know it worked.
It worked, especially because of the personnel that I had, and that that's for me. That's that's what I know I needed. You know, I play always played well with a Foo spacing next to me, a shooting big, So that's that's why it worked out.
How was it being on the seventy three and nineteen man, boy.
That was some of the best basketball that in the year KD got there. It was some of the best basketball I probably ever played, you know, just from a sense of like being in sync, Like we were so in sync. And when I say we was in sync, like it was just scary.
Man.
It was like we knew where each other was gonna be on the court, right, guys have roles. We was you know, it was all kind of you know, it was it was kind of defined, especially because we won a championship. And then I think also too, coming off the first championship, there was a lot of chatter about, you know, like we didn't earn it because of the injuries and the whole nine. So there was like a chip on our shoulder a little bit like prove it all right, Like yeah, like we got to go out
and you know, go out and show us now. So I think we carried that into the season, you know, and Draymond is his first time, you know, now he's really locked in as a starter. He just signed a new deal, and uh, we had a lot of guys. We we rock with each other, and the personalities in the locker room. You know, Uh, if it would have been three or four Draymonds, maybe not. You know what I'm saying like, I mean that matters, you know too,
I think that matters. And so we we had enough guys around him, the right Vets, you know, to let him, you know, be himself. Also Stephan Clay, you know, to like we wasn't hating on them, right like the Vets. We you know, we everybody wanted to see each other shine. And I think that was the difference maker when you got guys that are willing to fight for the next guy because it's like, I'm I'm rocking with you, bro. We you know, we're gonna we're gonna play hard for
each other, especially when it hit the fan. That's when you really see, you know, if the team is you know, really together or not. And that team was together. We just we didn't get it done. So you know, that's that's that's what people gonna remember for show.
Y'all got y'all getting Lebron in the finals. Take me back to the moments to Kyrie shot.
Man, I felt like that ball hung in the air so long. I'm like, man, it's better not drive, it better not going, It's better damn it went in. But what crazy part about it is like he hit that shot, But I mean all of us still believe we were still gonna win that game because you know, Steph still had a chance to you know, to uh knock a shot in. But it just the thought of us losing that series just did not cross our mind.
And so it was just h it was shocked, man.
And I think they don't get enough credit to, you know, just especially Kyrie, like for what he was able.
To do in that series, you know what I'm saying.
I mean, you know, I tell people like Clay he you know, for a long time there he was one of the best two guards, you know, two players in the league right on the ball and then back on the other end. But I mean that was one of the only matchups I really seen somebody probably get the best of them, you know what I'm saying, Like, uh, for three straight games and it was just like this dude is.
They was still contesting too. He was just about hitting right there, and it's like it's better.
Oh, but it's like you don't want to say that because it's like, no, we got to find a way. He's just happening, you know, they will was just crazy. So uh, that was obviously, you know, a low point for the Dubs. At that time because everything we went through to get that record too, Like we went after that record knowing that probably you know, it was a lot of slippers towards the end of the year, like we was a team who knew how to win, you know.
So like especially we start off for like twenty four and oh so like we would get into three quarters we bs and you know, and the fourth quarter. You know what I'm saying, it's like we knew how to win, like and then a lot of teams if you don't, like I said, if you don't go through that fire and start trusting each other, believe you know, a team's gonna crack, like they gonna fold, you know.
So when did that conversation first start coming.
Up that we can get that record towards Probably around All Star.
Right after All Star, you know, let's go get it, let's go get it.
We went on the East Coast swing, and I remember I think we were in Orlando. We had just beat Miami and you know, going through Miami, you know, and yeah, man, it's just you know, so we got.
Yeah, so we and.
Then we got Orlando the next night and then.
So we just you know, we boo boo.
Out there on the court, and uh, Steph, Man, he just you know, he go into a thing and he just really he will us together, like he win that game pretty much. You know, I ain't gonna say buy himself, but by himself. Like and then I'm like, man, this dude, he's on he's on one right now. Like you know, I'm like, man, we you know, Steve had to talk with us.
He's like, look, I was on the team.
You know that team record.
He was like, there was plenty of nights that we we probably shouldn't have won some of those games, but Mike was you know that good. And uh he was like, man, you guys have a real shot with the pieces that are in play right now, with how they're you know, how they're orbiting and you know working, It's like, you guys have a real shot to go get this. Do you want to He asked us, do you want to
go for this record? We all looked around like yeah, you know, and Draymond obviously first one, like man, I want to go for it, you know, and then you know, Steph, and it was just all of us.
We wanted to be a part of history.
Man.
It was just it was an opportunity that you know, you don't get and I'm like, man, why are we playing? We all here to win, but now like let's make our mark out here. And you know, we had a couple you know, Uncle Andre I call him, you know, Uh, he just you know, he didn't want to necessarily go for it at the time because he saw the slippage and he like, man, we if we do all this and we don't win, it don't mean you don't mean nothing.
So you know, like he he was in our ear, you know, because he was kind of like the wise man. Uh but man, we just we saw the you know, we we saw it in the distance. It was like, man, we got a chance to go get this. Let's go do it. And uh, we did have some slippage, you know, like trying to win some of those games, like just not building the right habits in exactly because you want to be rolling on all cylinders when you get into
the playoffs. You know what I'm saying, Like you don't want to just have to flip that switch because that's may not like, man, it ain't working.
Yeah, So you.
Know that it was I'm grateful we went after I'm thankful in hindsight looking back and we got it. But of course you know, give me that ring, that ring.
Help is on the way. Help, It's on the motherfucking.
Way, signed KD. The next that's something I know, y'all was like, yeah, wait till we get back the eye ass again.
I remember where I was at. I'm in the barber Sea and back in Puorre. I'm it coming. Look at the phone. What what man, listen, we got KD. We just got you, hear me. Like it was just it was in shock. Like I said, I wasn't on that that that trip to the Hamptons, but at the end of the day, it was like, man, it was just it was shocking to me to see that, like like, man, it's my like one of the best players in the world and what we just went through and he about
to come, Like man, it's it's it's it's over. We about the we about the wreck shop, and we was coming off, you know, losing, so we already was we already was hungry, you know, and we had that chip you know, on our shoulder, and we had something to prove.
So now with him coming in the fold, it was just like all right, let's go it's it was kind of like Us against the world mentality because we knew, right it was like it's gonna be a lot of you know, front runners out there talking, you know, talking trash.
But you know, it is what it is.
It is what it is.
Before we get into that, that team and the run you guys went on, what was it like, what was the fandom like with that team, like off the court, going into different cities, just moving around.
What was that like with the Beatles?
It was, man, it was nuts. It started the year before when we was on the record. Uh, and it was Steph Stephan was you know, the main one that was just like yeah, man, it was like, you know, Michael Jackson out here like y'all got to go home, you know.
Uh.
But you know, just I remember documenting, you know, how many people were outside at the bus when we were going to the game A couple of those times, like it really looked like you know, the Dream Team when
they was you know over there overseas. It was that many people following and building, you know, and the Warriors already had you know a fan base in the Bay loyal and lawyer and I mean that kind of started, you know, y'all era, you know, like they love the Warriors, you better not say nothing, you know, like.
For real, especially with that clanse your life.
Yeah, so it was, uh, you know, the fan base, it was you know, you start winning, you start you know, building up some fans and you know, but I think what we appreciated was, you know, there's a lot of loyal fans that's been there since day one, you know, and and in the Bay Area that's been there when they couldn't give away them.
Tickets, you know, so we we appreciated them fans.
So Kevin Durant comes in, one of the best players in the world. You continue to speak on how your guys' team was like this, and you think to add a superstar to a team like that, there would be some hiccups or some growing pains. But it outside, looking in, it looked pretty seamless. It may not have been, but it looked pretty seamless. Once you guys started rolling talk to us just about seeing nights.
No, I was never there.
So when you would see Clay, Stephen and k be out there just clicking, like what is that like?
Man, it was like basketball and Nirvana for real. It was just and it was. It was a seamless fit. All the puzzles, all the piece to the puzzles fit. You know, like you got to you know a point guard who was you know, could play off the ball right and he wasn't selfish. He would get off of it, you know, like you bring it up. Uh, you know you got Clay who was a sniper out there, didn't need it, you know.
Uh.
And then KD.
Man Man, people don't know how much this man is a student of the game, like just his work ethic. Like we talk about it, Me and Drake talk about it. It's like what kids need to do, is they need to like don't even watch practice, Watch after practice, watch after practice. How he go through his routine Like it's that. It's like, man, it's just you know, it's so you know, it's like a tactician man, Like he's just you know,
surgical with his movements. Uh, you know, with the footwork, balance with the balance, with the form, you know, like
and it means something to him. You know you can tell like he's studying, he watching taping home you know, like that man is you know, like he he lived the hoop for real, and so you know, watching him put the work in it was crazy because it's like, man, it's really a seven foot guard out here, you know, with these handles, dribbling like this, shooting like this, Like man, he shouldn't be able to do this and move this way beat his tall but uh, it fit because again,
he was he was bought into from a standpoint of just wanting to win and play good basketball. Like that's you go back and look like that's always what he talked about, like I just want to play good basketball, like make the right plays. And I think that's something that we were building as an organization, as a as a team franchise.
Like a standard, yeah, a standard of like.
Man, just make the right play. You know what I'm saying, Like you ain't gonta be the home run. It may be a time for that, and we'll get there when that happened, but let's build these habits because you never know, you know, you never know when you need you might need this person and you need them to do you know, do the right thing. And and so you know, that's what he bought into when he got to the Warriors. But then it was also times where it was like, oh, man, go.
Go to your thing, like please.
Oh yeah, hold my drink, I got you.
That was the one thing I used to tell people to dot was was seeing him and Steph after practice, because like you said, it was a seven foot version and then there's a six to two version doing the exact same balance thing. And there was no lucky shots because they worked on all these backboard angles. Level of the backboard balance ship was unbelievable.
And when they would work out to most of the time they work out separate gods to have their own courts. Klay got his own course, Steph kd Andre and then sometimes they'll work out and got Steve Kerb or Steve Nashrica. Oh my goodness. It was like a movie. It was a movie because it was like, man, it was like watching there's a video game. Man, they wasn't missing, but just again the footwork, you know, the technique, shooting off left leg, shooting off the right leg, glass you know,
just man. And it was form, you know, it was form. It was fundamentals, you know, And that to me is like what I think the youth, you know, that's what you need to see and watch watch they footwork, Watch how you line is his feet up before you even catch the ball you ready to shoot, you know, and they were just so methodical with the way they went about it and consistent. That was the biggest work, the consistency of doing it time after time at the time.
And we all professional athletes and so we worked put a lot of time in our game.
We take our craft serious.
But I mean, man, them dudes, man like it was. It was literally like routines every day every day to.
Watch, yeah and speak think about it. I mean, you coming from where you came from where once you guys were done when your rookie year the court and you go in the locker room, like when you go on that Golden State, Like you said, everyone has their court, the young players on the far end running, but all the main guys have their own basket. And every single day they shot every day, every single day, bro.
Every day, every day.
And it was it was you know, like sometimes man, Steph was just like we you know, we'll catch ourselves watching, you know, as players, because you know it's like, man, this dude, you know, like he'll shoot all these crazy, crazy ass shots in the game, you know, and they going, you know, and so but you see what he's working on, right and it's like, oh, this isn't extraordinary, you know what I'm saying, It's just the ordinary work that he's putting in time at the time, at the time to
get to that place. And then also I say another thing, like his touch is unbelievable, you know, and Katie has that you know, soft touch, but his touch like you know, man to be able to shoot shoot them shots all the way up in the air like that, and you know, like he him and Joker to me like you know, they.
Got some of the best. Yeah, they touched different.
So sixteen and one get you another championship going to the next season. Uh, and you guys are able to capture three championships in four seasons. Where's your mind at at this point into the eighteen season?
Man?
Well man, it was just you know, it's like all right, we went went back to back. You know, it was just like, you know, we got a chance. Let's let's let's keep winning. Let's keep doing it, you know. Uh that was twenty eighteen and then Boogie signed, and then Boogie signed and it was just like, oh man, they about to give us Boogie like you know, like, man, this is is about to get real unfair because you know, he we never had a scoring big like you know, like that that had game on.
The block, post work, shoot three.
Dime, you handle that thing like man, bugs cold, you know, like for real and uh and so he came in that year, you know, and he was working his way back from injury and uh, you know, I just remember another one just he you know, bug was misunderstood man, just you know, like having a chance to come into our organization and prove his word, prove himself. You know,
he was determined to do that. And so like I built up a lot of respect for him in that journey because he was going through the rehab process, getting himself back and trying to prove the people he you know what he could do.
That's the first winning, real environment he's been in since college.
Ain't that crazy? And that matters for young players.
So where you go, you know, like being able to have an environment where you know, they they preach about doing the right things, you know, and about what is your preparation, what's your approach to the game, because it matters because it's like, you know, we all talented, you know, and especially coming into the league, you was the man wherever you was at in college, high school, whatever, you know, hey,
you wherever. So the mentality is like, you know, you made it, but it's like you really got to prove yourself again, like I was saying, But it's it's you know, it's the preparation that goes into that. And so with bug Man, like twenty nineteen, he just you know, you know, he had a pretty good year solid. We were up and down, had a lot of injuries that year. I ended up losing to Toronto and the finals. KD obviously went down, Clay went down, We shot all our bullets.
We were just we was on fumes.
But that was like, man, I was five straight years of going to the finals.
So it was just like, man, it was you know, we was we was we.
Was burning out, you know, like mentally, emotionally, you know, kind of getting desensitized about the game and about the moment. You know, we're supposed to be really in it and enjoying it, and I think, I don't I don't want to say we were taking it for granted, but it was just the standpoint it's like, oh, we did it, you know, and so we can do it again. And it's not that it was the norm for y'all exactly exactly that one game KD came back the game he got hurt.
I know, everybody was like, the first couple of shots, oh that's over.
He hit the first couple of threes, like, oh he back yards over. They've been to blow him out. Then he went down.
Man, Listen, we were so hyped when he came back though. We was I'm talking about before he even got out there. We you know, doing the whole pregame. You know, he did his dance and when I tell you, the whole dance, we was watching the feed making sure it's like, make sure he goodn He hit that dance so hard it was like, oh yeah, we about to do it.
And then he went down.
Man, it was just it was it was tough to watch because knowing that, you know, he put it on the line right, knowing that he was about to be a free agent, and uh, you know, man, listen, at the time, you know, like we knew. I think, you know, I knew personally like I was on my last leg, but I felt like I knew that, you know, he had a calling to be somewhere else and he wanted to test the Water Free Agency and find his own lane.
So you know that was that was tough to see because again, like you know, he didn't have to do that. He could have just you know, he could have just played the cut and say, you know, I'm injured. But he, you know, he put it, put it on the line for us, and uh, you know, obviously we're grateful.
Wish it wouldn't turn.
Out that way, right, but uh, you know, man, I mean, he he gave it all.
He gave it all to us, though he gave it all to him.
That's seventeen team, one of the greatest teams of all.
Time, definitely, I mean, just that much of talent, that much talent, Like you know, you it's hard to stop everybody, you know what I'm saying, Like it's hard to compare errors now, Like I grew up on the Bulls, so that's always going to be a cream Dela Creme for me, you know, Mike and Scottie. But man, all the weapons and then they fit, like I said, the pieces of the puzzle fit, like you don't have people stepping on each other's toes, and especially you know towards the end
of that run. You know, obviously the media get involved and you know, like a yeah, trying to find the cracks. You know, they trying to trying to break us up, and you know it's it's the Warriors and KD. You know, it's Katie and the Warriors, and so all that dissension and stuff start, you know, playing in the locker room
and stuff. But I mean, like, man, when you talk about I seen him locked in, Like when we all locked in and all together and he bought in and we bought in, It's like, you know, it's another level. It was another level. It's another level of basketball. So I vote yes, Yeah, you're tied in twenty nineteen. Did you do you ever get a chance to sit back and say, I wonder for your career was.
I did that year I took off?
I did?
It was tough.
It was tough because you know, basketball was like the only thing that you know, I.
Knew since the cradle. So it was like a death.
Right like you know, it's like a death in that way, like morning the game, you know, And I was talking to you about it, you know when we was we was playing just mulling, you know, seeing the handwriting on the wall and you know, trying to get tips on you know what to do, not having you know, having a lot more time on your hands and all that. But it's I'm I'm grateful man, Like I'm working on the book, you know, gotta tell the story, you know, if not meeting who what's the title? I got to
work on that you need? But let's roll up after this. He'll give you a couple of title this. Yeah, I know you got some some cooking for me. But yeah, yeah, definitely, it was. It was. It was a good journey. I'm grateful for it, and I wouldn't I wouldn't change the thing.
Quick hitters first thing to come to mind. Let us know, bron Cole, m J rank.
Them favorite or just best? What we're talking a little bit of both? Oh man, m J. Cole, Bron.
I mean maybe it's an era thing, but you know, like that's that's that's where I'm not. That's where I'm at the greatest. You know, Mike, what he did? What do your coin push? You know, watched it? Felt it uh cold, you know, the greatest player I ever guarded, uh, you know, on the court and bron Wood he's accomplished.
So yeah, Robert always sat there yesterday and so it was the same thing.
Yeah really, yeah.
That's how I go up. But they kill me for saying that, though damn I was. It was just they killed me for saying.
That because you They killed me saying that you got any good cold stories, cold stories.
I remember when I came in the league. He was grilling me.
You know, young fella, you love the game, you know, like he was really trying to find out, you know, if I was in it.
For the lifestyle or if I was a hooper.
You know, And I think, uh, I think he felt that I was, you know, a real hooper. You know, I kept you know, I was quiet. Yeah, yeah, I love it, but it's my rookie year, so uh but I just remember guarding them at the time. That's when I was able to get on the court and make my name on the defensive end. And uh man, just the just the counters that he had that man like this dude, man, he shot a fade away with the
left on me. Like how disreselectful is that? You know, like just just that he tried it, you know what I'm saying. But in a game and game just at the court, like you just you're gonna try this front all these people getting my dad out here, like, uh, you know, he he was. He it was the mentality of the mindset. And of course people talk that mama mentality, but like unless you really play with him and know, like you know, how he really was, you know, like
it's best to really lead that in the past. What I'm saying, like, that's just my personal opinion, you know what Bob said. Bob said, some people shouldn't even speak on that's just my personal opinion. Man, Like just being in LA and hearing the stories and like I didn't ever play with him, and I didn't know him, weren't friends, you know, but it's just like, man, you know, like the amount of work that he put in to the game, to his craft was maniacal, you know what I'm saying.
It was like maniacal, Like you got to make a decision like what you what's really important to you, you know, like some guys, you know, family, lifestyle, whatever the case, you know, whatever, money, financial, Like it really was hoop for him and everything else came, you know, so like he was he was really living that life. And I had to question myself, like do I really love the game? Like I should be working out like like that you know anc maniacal. It was maniacal. What does that mean?
It was like it was a maniac. It was a maniac you know what I'm saying.
Like you know, I asked, no doubt I'm a moniacal. Yeah, yeah, I'm diabolical, diabolical.
But cold man. He was.
Like he was again, he was regret Like I said, he was the best player I guarded, just because.
Of the countermoves that he had.
Uh you know, you take one thing away, he has something else and he would will his team, you know, like you The moment was never too big and he was just a killer.
One album on repeat that you listen to Blueprint, that's that for real.
Five dinner guess better live, five dinner guests, uh dead or live?
Yeah, pop Tupot.
H Obama met him, but just to sit and have dinner with him.
Jay Z Martin Malcolm, I can't go wrong.
It's gonna be nice.
Top five five mid rain shooters ever, don't be bad for neither.
There you go. You know I know that.
I know it's gonna be in the many uh top five? All right?
Sam Cassell, mm hmm, you gotta put MJ in there because you know m j cole Thress three, I'm putting Katie in there for show, and uh man, let me let me think about somebody from mid range mid range mid range, mid range, mid range, I mean from this era. I think you you know, you say Tomorrow tomar Derosen. If I'm going kind of the older era, a player that I watch, what's my guy from Detroit? Yes, yes, yes, rip rip ripton around.
That was kind of like how.
The fingernails.
I ain't guard him as much as you did, so yeah.
Yeah, best player in the world right now, best.
Player in the world right now.
Oh man, I'm biased, you know, so I always I always always say Steph. But if i'm you know, best player in the world.
Outside of your former team, yeah, outside of your teammate.
Right right right?
Oh man, total package, total package. I mean, it's it's got to be. It's hard not to say bron you know, he's he's older now, so I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say, yok, you go, I'm gonna says you got to And it's always for me. It's about like I want to give it to the you know, the ball handlers, the guards, you know, the forwards, the ones who's kind of doing that.
But I mean he's.
Doing all all of like he's he is, you know, the son that makes everything else, you know, he you know, makes everything else work. And uh uh that dude man, he you know, he just carve you up. Like that's why everybody, that's why they play the way they do because of him and his personality. Like we relate with that, you know, with stuff being kind of the second way, like you know that that humble personality.
To where he he he boosts.
You up, he empower you and uh you know you you cut, he gonna throw you the rock.
Who would you like to see on all the smoke? But I was waiting, getting ready to answer, but you have to help us get your answer on the show. I'm just too cold with this question. I used to fumble with this question like a mom brother too.
I ain't never seen Mucker compliment itself so much.
That's hard. That's hard. Break you and pat yourself on the back.
Let me let me let me give you thanks.
Bro.
You know what I'm saying. I'm cool.
I'm cool with the checks you mean getting miss You ain't got to pat me on the back.
Y'all haven't had a lot of people on the show though, man, like y'all got a lot of.
The verse too. Is the verse, you know?
So I don't know y'all, y'all reaches, it's it's it's getting up there. Who hasn't been on that? Maybe? Yeah, the owners on any owners of the teams. I think it would be good to have one of the owners on one.
You know, what kind of did we have a former Mike Ruby.
Okay, okay, yeah he was dope though. Yeah he different, yeah, different.
He wanted us right now, he wanted to right.
Yeah.
I think one of the owners just to give people some perspective, like, you know, like behind the scenes, you know, like tell us really know what's what's going on, you know.
You know I had to pick somebody from, I would say Donnie Walsh. That would be somebody, you know what I'm saying, Cause he got some stories. He's been around a long time. He worked with the Right the Pacers, yep, yeah, he was around a broad time, so he I think Donna Wahs would be good for us too.
But Sean, man, we appreciate you. Your journey has been incredible, real quick. Yeah, something you can throw on around, something you can throw on around, there.
Yeah you guys, Yeah, I know that. I appreciate you that story. You can get it, you can be fly, just like showing as that you know.
Your journey, your perseverance, and then again getting a chance to know you obviously as a person that's been great. Like again, you know, a great player, but a better person than that's saying a lot. So man, we appreciate you, your grind, your drive and you know now you're in the front office, man, so we expect nothing but greatness. So best of lock Brof.
You ever want to know how cold I will just go ask him, yes sir, or just ask him because he gonna.
Talk.
You know what I'm saying, man, But that's the wrap.
Sean Livingston, show Time Basketball YouTube and the iHeart Platform Black Effects.
We'll see y'all next week.