Welcome back to Unplugged Jack. Super Bowl is picked. We got the Eagles first, the Chiefs, but the Cowboys with a different direction. Brian Schottenheimer, their offensive coordinator thoughts, it's written all over your face.
The last thing I expected to be a topic today was the higher that we made for the Cowboy.
But you're a Cowboy fan. We're about to celebrate. I have I have no opinion, no opinion like we thought, Dion, might you know entertain that? But I guess not.
I guess yeah.
We talked to the biggest star over there with your thought. You thought though. Anyway, Man, let's shift gears and welcome to the show, our brother friend of the program. Keon Dooley, what's having?
What's up? Soldier?
Ya? Good? Okay?
THISZL what's up? Bred Ie? Everything good?
Man, slow slow motion holding it down over here down south.
You know how we do appreciate your time.
Man.
Excited to start getting you some reps on this side working with the company. But let's get down to it.
Man.
We had a you know, we had a sit down interview. Uh shortly after you were able to touch touch the soil again. And what has been the feedback? I mean, you were open, you were vulnerable, You told your truth, you you lived up to your mistakes. What was the respond back and how is it kind of getting out and talking because I've seen you on a couple of other podcasts since.
Yeah, man, it's been, it's been. It's been a warm reception, you know what I'm saying to a certain degree, to a certain yeah, because I don't listen to the outside noise, right, you know what I mean?
I only love who loved me.
So the naysayers, we need them, We need those impressions, We need their their opinions as well, because you got to always have naysayers, you got to have dowters, you got to have haters, right.
You know what I mean.
I think it was Maino who's said like, if I got a hater, I need more, right because it's like, you know, it's a part.
Of the journey.
But it's been great man. That interview you know, was a great springboard for me. It was cathartic, you know what I'm saying, Like I got to release some things that I might have.
Been help holding in. It was it was authentic.
It was to break that word down from what's that cathartic it's just like a peas. You know what I'm saying, You get a release, like when you give something, you know what I mean, when you put words to things you might be holding on to, you know what I'm saying.
Like, you know, when you kind of you know, you get that.
Release and it's like a carthartic experience where you're just like, Okay, I got that out right because I don't want to dwell in the past.
Right because the future is too bright.
So you know what I mean.
It was a great experience. Man. We gotta think.
Man, I think we got over two million something impressions. Bro, you know what I mean, just from the clips and all the different platforms and things like that. Man, So I really appreciate you guys for aligning me that space to you know, share my journey part of my journey on another.
And I hope you don't mind that we share this like the real life is kind of kicked in, you know. Job opportunities, I mean, you were known as a great teammate, great dude, you've worked in the league since you've been out the league, But now opportunities, you know, you told me, I don't need to say how many doors but doors have been shut, and like, how does that hit you? Because again, you are a good spirited guy that made
a mistake, because owned up to a mistake. But now real life is now real life is real life.
And yeah, yeah, shit is real, you know what I mean.
At the end of the day, Like I always worked around the game, you know what I mean, in the front office with the Celtics, you know, uh, with the players, association with the you know, the Utah Jazz. So I always been around the game. And that's really the life
that I led. That's all I really known. But I've also you know, been able to you know, be a speaker, be a consultant, and you know, do things outside of just the game that allows me to earn that allows me to you know, feel value that you know is in alignment with my purpose and my calling. And so I'm putting it together, you know what I'm saying. Nobody ain't say that shit was gonna be easy. Nobody didn't
say that anyone owes me anything or anything like that. Like, you know, when opportunities don't necessarily like knock at your door, that means you gotta go out of there. You gotta hunt and gather and you gotta put it together. And so like you know, at the end of the day, man, you know, coming on the platform, but you guys gives me an opportunity to express my skill set, kind of reintroduce me back to the culture of the game.
But we gonna be, like Kendrick say, we gonna be all right. You know, we ain't gonna be all right.
We're definitely gonna be all right. But you know how you know what they say.
You know, people that's miserable and people that are having achieved nothing that don't believe in themselves. They have a fan base too, you know. So you know what I'm saying, daughters, they got a fan base too, man. So it's a lot of you have to have people like that because you are still in the small percentage of people who was able to make it to the NBA be successful.
So yes, understand what it takes to grind and to get that back.
So that's one plus that you have, My nigga, that's one thing I know about you.
You you know.
How to hustle and get back, you know what I'm saying, And a lot of I don't. I don't relate to people that never been through nothing, KD. You know what I'm saying, I don't really because I've been through so much of my life and still want to do something. Like I was just saying, my my niece just got murdered last week. So people, people gonna're gonna We're gonna
always go through stuff. But the men we are, the pride we taking being protects and providers, it's gonna all and the faith we have in God is gonna always get us through whatever we're going through.
Bro.
So I know you're gonna be all right.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, it's coming together. Bro. I ain't complaining, you know what I'm saying.
Like I could have complained when I was on the other side of the walls at the end of the day, you know what I mean. Like you know, when you're working, you know, two jobs, you know, in a federal place, and you're getting paid fifty dollars a month, you know what I'm saying, Like that's humbling. Like you know, the things that I'm putting together now are more lucrative, you
know what I mean, more fulfilling. I get to sleep in my bed every night, I get to lay next to my babe, I get to wake my kids up.
You know what I'm saying.
I get a new opportunity every day to grow, right, So it's just a part of the journey. Like I ain't, I ain't. One thing you're not gonna hear me do is complain or anything like that. I'm gonna put my head down on a fucking grind straight like that.
With that being said, we about the halfway point, a little bit past the halfway point of the season. Uh, We're gonna talk about some awards and what we've liked thus far and we haven't liked thus far in the season. First up, big years guys that made jumps most improved category. I mean, there's a bunch of guys out there, but in your mind, KD, who have you seen make the biggest jump this season?
You know what, Matt, It's awesome because there's different kinds of jumps.
Right.
There's jumps that, like you know, role players make that make them more impactful, and then there's there's there's jumps that guys who have superstar potential can make. And so I think Kate Cunningham is somebody you kind of got to start off with statistically, you know what I mean, he's made a big jump in the assist category. But more so than just to assist, it's the presence in
the winning plays that he's made. He's always had good stats, he always could get a bucket and things like that, but now he's doing it more efficiently and it's translating into wins for his team.
Right.
So, Kate is somebody I think, you know who's made a big jump this year, even though statistically with points it hadn't been a big jump.
But assists, yes, I think.
I think uh Dyson Daniels out out in Atlanta.
His impact on the.
Defensive end in particular, which I think is so undervalued.
In our game.
Like he's making winning plays, he's checking the toughest cover every night, and he's doing it you know what I mean, ones through threes pretty much. You know what I mean as far as position and having that defensive flexibil So I think.
He's made a great jump.
We can't discount what Powell has done with the Clippers, right, losing PG, losing losing that kind of bucket, that kind of impactfl generational talent and to increase your scoring by ten points when everybody kind of wrote the Clippers out like, I think Norman has done a fantastic job with that. And so yeah, there's some other guys that you can mention as well, but those three kind of stand out the most, like, you know, kind of from my vantish point.
I like what you said about Kaye his presence. It looks like the game is slowed down for him, and in the fact that he has the pistons in the middle of the pack five or six, if I'm not mistaken, it's a beautiful thing. Because Detroit's been in the toilet for a minute. But they got a lot of young talent, and he looks like he looks like the kind of like lead by example type guy, the guy that just goes out there and does it right and plays the right way every single night. So I definitely like what
Kate is talking about. And then yeah, me Norman Poweb my Brooin. I don't think anyone saw he would show flashes. He went on runs last year when he was averaging no. Above twenty, but to to boost your average by ten. And you know, he and James Hardener are a big reason, right, you know why the clips are still afloat. You know why Kawhi is working through some stuff. So I like those stat who's on your radar.
I'm going, well, I'm going I'm I'm gonna give some props to somebody who I think took a big jump this year, and also a guy who took a big jump now he's in the MVP talk. I'm going the same team though, I'm going from the start with Evan Mobley. I think what the way the way he stepped up and played this year. A lot of people was talking about him last year. They might not pan out Da da da da, he don't have this motor da da da.
This year he's really he's really stepped up and been that second second guy sometimes I mean the third guy, sometimes the second guy over there in Cleveland.
And then I gotta give Donovan Mitchell his props.
He's definitely MVP talk now, the way he's been playing there and the ways got Cleveland playing in the East right now. So I think just those two guys along have made it big step and it's a blessing that they on the set on the same team, having the same good year at the same time.
That's a good car. I like Jalen Johnson over there in Atlanta. I mean again, not a huge number jump, but he's at nineteen ten and five. You know, this young kid is starting to figure out the game. He's long, he's athletic. I got a chance to see him work out because he has the same trainer as the twins, and he goes. I love his motor even in the workout. You know that that says a lot about these young players. So I really like what he's been doing and really
starting to, you know, make a name. Shit, nineteen ten and five, that's you know, those those are serious numbers right there. But Jack, good call on Evan Mobley. You know, we've seen what Donovan Mitchell has been able to do as far as you know, he's been one of the best bucket getters in this league. But the verdict, the jury was out with Evan Mobley. He got his money, and people weren't really sure, Okay did they you know,
did they throw this money away? But I definitely think he stepped up and really starting to come into his own man. So it was our consistent consensus most improved player for this season.
I'm going to have it Mobley, Okay, Yeah, I'm gonna go Norman Norman Powell for me.
Good call, good call.
I'm gonna go. I don't want to go the same as anyone else. I'm gonna go, ok, cutting him for what he's been able to do and where he has his team playing right now. Up next, the most surprising team. There's been teams that, you know, it's the league is so young now, the league is so young when you look at who's leading the you know, the respective conferences, but there's a handful of like some real surprises. So Jack, I'll start with you this time. Who is your surprise team? Uh?
Thus far this year?
I would have to I'm still gonna go with Dallas, considering they have without Luca. They have they been missing Luca all year and they're still been able to hold on and play, you know, to play well and win big games and hang around. You know, when you lose a guy like Luca, you struggle, You really really struggle. When you use the start like that, I think everybody on their team and JKB be they would keep the team together to being somewhat close to the team they were last year.
You know, it's kind of hard without Lucas. I'm going Dallas, man.
I think Dallas is as a team that should be completely at the bottom without their start, but they're still holding on who uh.
Do we know what's wrong with Luca Calf? Okay, yeah, no, I remember the game he went out. I just didn't know. I didn't see what they said. I'm not mad at that pick, Katie, who you got.
It's a few teams that kind of stand out to me.
I think, you know the jump that Detroit was able to have, you know what I mean, it's been tremendous.
JB.
Bickerstaff Man.
You know, his tentacles, JB Man JB always been a soldier, but his tentacles in the what he started in Cleveland, right, you know what I mean? Coach Jackinson is benefiting from that. Right he played, He laid a good foundation down for them, and he was able to translate that over into Detroit. So Detroit has been a surprise. Houston has been a surprise for me. The emy effect, right, I mean, you know,
is known for getting it done. He comes from an incredible pedigree of coaches that he's been under and who and he has a rap sheet of you know, getting things done when he takes over a program.
So those teams are surprising.
But who would have thought that Cleveland would be at the top, you know what I'm saying in the Eastern Conference. So to me, Cleveland is the biggest surprise. Though they were a good team. Know, they got a lot of talent over there. They've really put it together and they've you know, they've got the most wins in the East right now. So I think Cleveland to me has been the biggest surprise.
Yeah.
No, Cleveland has definitely been impressive and it's starting to come together because they've showed flashes at times during the regular season last year and then you know, hitting some roadblocks in the playoffs, but making those jumps. I like the Pistons, you know, last year they only won fourteen games. They're at twenty three games, you know at the midway point. And again a huge part to do with Cad, you know, and that young crew out there, and obviously you know
coach jb that you mentioned. But I'm gonna go with the Rockets man second in the West, you know, with an extremely young team. I mean, you know, Van Fleet is kind of your og, but Jayden Green is one of my you know, favorite players to watch. Sengngoon is a beast over there. They got one of the one of the twins. Yeah, twins are nasty over there. And yeah, you know what they also have is they have a lot of assets too, you know, if there's a way
that they can maneuver. Although they're sitting too with the West, you know, I still think there's some teams come playoff times they're going to have trouble with. But they have a lot of young assets too, So you know, watch them as we approach the trade deadline. Who's the head coach over there? Oh yeah, it slipped my mind. You know, he was a he was a gritty player, you know, he was someone play in the league with us. He
was always a dog, you know what I mean. So he's been able to have that same mentality, you know, going through some bumps over there in Boston and be able to reland his feet and establish himself as one of the best young minds in this game. So I'm taking Houston, Jack, you got who'd you got? Jack? Dallas? And then Katie, you got Cleveland.
Yeah, I don't forget. You may come from under that San Antonio tree coach.
Yeah, yeah, he mentioned that definitely. The pedigree disappointing teams, Teams with higher expectations this year that we thought, you know, we're gonna definitely do more and possibly even contend in their respective conferences. KD. Who jumps out to you or who are a few teams to jump out to you as just a big disappointment this year.
Yeah, I mean, look, you know, you can't predict injuries and things like that.
I thought New Orleans would take a jump, you know what I mean.
But you know, Zion's lack of you know, availability has kind of like slowed their growth.
And things like that.
You know, I thought they had some momentum. But to me, you gotta look at the sixers, you know what I mean, and kind of the roster that they've assembled. You know, when you look at that roster across the board, you know you got solid backups and role players, guys who can plug in, but guys who might not be able to keep you at the upper echelon if they have.
To, like you know, produce, really carry the load, really carry the load.
So I know injuries have plagued them and things like that, but I have to say, you know, I think Philly has been the most disappointing team.
Record ride wise in my opinion thus far.
I got two teams where I'm totally disappointed equally. Yeah, one team made the trade and thought they're gonna get better, and the other team just felt like they had all the pieces already. It's Minnesota and the Lakers. These teams. Both of these teams are depressing.
Man.
You expected Minnesota to take a big lead, you know, even though with the year they had now they felt like they made the trade that made them better and they didn't got worse. And the Lakers, you know, you got a forty y'all that's still playing at the top of his game, but and y'all, y'all were lying on him and ad to continue to get y'all to where y'all say y'all gonna be, and it never happens, And then when it doesn't happen, you try to blame it on them supporting cast.
They need to start that.
It's the same old rhythm moroe with the Lakers from the last couple of years, bro, and it just got too depressed.
Yeah, the Lakers didn't have much move in this offseason. Although they're sitting at fifth in the West. You know, I don't think anyone's gonna say that they have a chance to really win a championship, but they didn't have very much movement. And to your point, Jack, you know, it's still the big one person. I think he's made a nice jump this year though, too is Austin Reeves. He's really playing good basketball. He's making big plays, he's handling the ball down the stretch for them and getting
them in their sets or getting his own. So I really like what he's been able to do. Katie. I'm rolling with you man Sixers. You know Embiid. I think Embiid set the tone early, you know what I mean, And for this team too. If he's your guy and he has franchise obviously one of the greatest players all time type talent, but I think his mentality is fucked up. Bro, his mind is his His mind isn't where it needs to be, and the grind isn't where it needs to be.
For that, it doesn't match the talent, the god given talent. The grind doesn't match it. I don't think that the mindset matches it. And if your star player is on some you know, hey, I'm late every time I'm not playing, I don't really know what's going on type shit. And then obviously, you know, picking up PG. You know, my brother PG, and he got that big deal there, and
he struggled at times trying to find his rhythm. But they do have two good young players over there, and in MAXI obviously, who has a chance to be an All Star this year. And then Jared McCain. I think he before he got hurt, he was definitely on pace to be the Rookie of the Year this season. So they got, you know, some good young pieces. All that shit start with Matt. Not to cut you off, PG
is averaging. His stats are the exact same as Tobias Harris stats when he was Yes, I saw that, like seventeen points right seven And it's nuts, you know, because he's better than that. But you know, he got to be able to find his rhythm, his.
Role dropping my ball. Rico crazy out, jam.
Man, we're about to have both eyes closing in a second. He already got that Forest Whitaker eyes.
Yeah, it's been tough for them, Matt.
And you know, like so many guys like get momentum, you know, from the Olympics, right, you know what I mean, and they can like kind of you know, translate that.
Into the season.
But like the older you get and depending on where your body is, man, sometimes that that that that long grind didn't give your covery time that you needed in the off season, especially like after the playoffs, Winn and b was still struggling with injuries, some freaking injuries.
I'm just you know, wearing tear.
But like they got to get a hold on, you know, his body because the franchise is in his.
Hands, you know.
And he just started playing basketball to late too, like we stopped playing at a young age, you know what I'm saying.
So he just started playing basketball in late two.
Yeah, yeah, I remember luke My Bote, luke My Butta used to have him, you know, in Milwaukee with them and things like that. I ain't both of them are from Cameroon, if I'm not mistaken, And so like you know, he developed you know, that talent over time, you know what I mean.
And it's a tremendous talent.
Gil talks about like, you know, the mindset that you have to have when you're young to be that guy. Right, It's hard to develop that mindset to be that guy at all times.
It's grueling, you know what I'm saying. It's not easy.
To do, and so hopefully he could just get healthy enough because when we all know, when he's healthy, you know what I mean, chick's most impossible.
He could be the best player in the world when he's healthy. And to his defense, somebody, how hard can he really work in the off season? You know what I mean? Too hard? Are you going to get hurt? You know, in the off season trying to get yourself. So, like you said, I think he made a great point. They got to get it. He got to get ahold of his body because he needs He's gonna need that thing.
The biggest apology of this season. A lot of people have been written off, whether it be players and coaches, and two guys come to mind with me, one being Russell Westbrook and the way he's just been appreciated and showing the respect he deserves and the love he deserves in Denver and him and Jokich, you know, to be able to be teammates that have what had two triple doubles in the same game this season. Looks like he's having fun, he's smiling, he's talking shit. The crowd loves him.
I mean, his numbers aren't jumping off the page. I mean he's thirteen, six and five, but we know in any given night he could be your leading scorer, you know, at thirty or forty and throw out triple doubles still and really being able to get along with Yokic. And
I say second man is James Harden. I love with him and obviously we spoke Norman Pealing the last Awards ceremony, but with you know, nothing short of amazing, you know when we've talked a lot about you know, him kind of forcing his way out of situations and not coming in in shape and then it and no, but he's back at the crib and he's really hooping and he has his team in the thick of it. I think five or six in the West, maybe in sixth place,
right behind the Lakers. But twenty two, eight and six, he's someone that could still give you, you know, a ton of those big breakout nights. So those two former Oklahoma City thunder La natives, I really think that everybody owes both them an apology. Jack, who you think who you got for me? Personal?
Because I know I was one person killing him after the playoffs he had last year against Dallis.
I'm going cat cat Man, you know in Minnesota.
In Minnesota, you know, he was shooting all those threes in the playoffs and everybody wanted him to be inside like man, Cat done.
You know what I'm saying.
Even Minnesota felt like that and they got him out there and some of New York not look at it. In New York, you gotta breath like I feel like, yeah, big Bode got the balling man, So I got that. I gotta go with Cat. He always been silid with me too, but a lot of pologies need to be head this way as well.
Yeah, Jack, Yeah, absolutely right, absolutely right. And I forgot about him, and it was interesting to me because I thought he's someone that would do well on the big stage. And as we mentioned, you know, Minnesota made this trade thinking they were better than themselves, and Cat obviously took offense to that. And you know he's at twenty five and fourteen at the Garden. Every night he's putting on at the Garden, and you know he's loving it and
playing great basketball. Jack, I love that call. Man, shout out Cat and what he's been doing.
This year for sure for me. Jason Tatum, Okay, you know.
Like JT is twenty seven, I think nine or ten boards a game, five and a half assists, and then on the defensive end, Boston is one of the best defensive teams in the game, and they switched pretty much one through five. So at some point, you know what I mean, you got to defend. He's rebounding, he's defending, he's playing championship ball. He's doing it amongst all the noise, right Like, he gets a lot of.
Criticism, Hey, you not criticism, he just gets a lot of hate. I mean there's podcasts out here that are just saying, you know, and it's my whole boy, it was it Brandon Jinger with Sean mc kantz, one of them two from gils Arena. Just I think it was bag. I think it was bro like he just be taking strays for no reason. And obviously he's coming out. You know, keep in mind he's playing with a chip on the show. You saw he'd even fuck with Coach Kurkr the other day.
He's definitely see Coach Kurr Lingery's man, I'm off you. You didn't play me at all. But you know the discrepancy where everyone wants him and Jayden Brown the butt he has, but I'm glad that you know their chemistry is great. But I like that call too, Katie. I don't necessarily listen to the Jason Tatum slander because I'm a real basketball mind and I know how good he is. Like the rest of like we know, we don't listen to that,
Like Jason Tatum, cut that shit out, bro. He's top five in the world, so good for sure, class, but not least. I mean, some people have this a runaway, some people have it a two man race. You can throw one more in there if you'd like this season's MVP. Let me just run through. Let me run through some stuff because right said the same shit earlier. Let's start with Yanni's top five in points, rebounds, in double doubles thirty one, twelve, and six, and they're currently fourth in
the East after the start they had. Jokic has better numbers than his previous MVP numbers, top three in points, rebound and assist thirty, thirteen and ten. The Nuggets have the fourth offense in the league and currently sit at fourth in the West. And if it's unanimous, if it's a no brainer, I think you guys could talk about that boy. SGA at thirty two points, five, rebound, six assists, thunder, number one in the league, top six offense and defense.
And they're doing it with someone who came out and to me was could have had the breakout. You're the most improved player of the year. And Chet, the way Chet was playing this year before he got his back or lower back injury, he was playing some special basketball. So Stack, I'm with you. Uh, this year's MVP will be.
A little boy from Canada. Man.
Yes, yes, sir, listen. Not not even just the way it's playing. Did he played his players like his attitude, That's what I think with Like y'all, nobody can't fuck with me on off the court.
I'm the five motherfucker. I'm gonna come give you thirty. I ain't.
I ain't hanging with none of y'all.
Y'all don't see me out with none of these motherfuckers talking to him and dropped my bars on my Instagram like his whole his whole demean I fuck with. But the way he's playing on the court, man, I just think he's just showing he he's shown last year. He feel like he deserved it, you know what I'm saying. He always been in that talks. But this year he's made.
He's you know, he came in, he came in this season thinking like you know what, I'm gonna separate myself from everybody and force y'all to where it ain't no, it ain't no competition. It's it's a shoe wind that I'm m VP of this season. I think he definitely deserves it.
Rarely are you as cold off the court as you are on the court, But that motherfucker s g A is cold off the court too. He's got a lot of isms to his to his to who he is and what he stands for. KD who you got, yep.
So I'm gonna piggyback off of stat Jack. You know, I think SGA it's his time. I thought last year could have been his time as well. I think, you know, like when we were playing, they diversified who was the MVPs because there were certain guys who could really win the.
MVP every year every year, right.
And sometimes they go by winns, sometimes they go by statistics.
I think they moved the gold post for certain people.
You know, you know Russ Russ was triple doubling for years, right.
They did it with me with Steve Nash.
You know, you know, I just think that, like you know, it's good for the game for SGA to kind of get that that under his resume, right, especially as the league gets older and you have new emerging stars. I think, you know what I mean, this helped sell the game. You know, though he played ball at Kentucky. You know he's from Canada, right, so it is still that international
though it's North American and international international. Nevertheless, So I think SGA, with the success that they've had as a team and just statistically analytically and the winning plays that he makes, especially in the crunch time, I think SGA, you know, deserves to get that m v P this year.
If he stays on his track.
Let Trump tell it, Ken is gonna be the fifty first state. So over here, I agree. I think this is our first unanimous. I think SGA is the pick, but not only for everything that you guys have mentioned what he's done, but the way Presty has this fucking team set up, you know what I mean, They're gonna
have some tough decisions to make. I don't think they can pay everybody, but the collateral they have the stop the picks they have and all the stuff they have coming down the pipeline, and then the young team they have. You know what I mean with that Williams boy, you know obviously Chet what's his name? The lou Dort has turned himself into someone you remember when he started bro he couldn't even hit the rim on three point like
they were boring. He's turned himself into an elite three point shooter and one of the best defenders in the game. And I think one thing we can all appreciate as former players. They all fuck with each other heavy. The dog pound fucks me and that shit means something you can win without. You know, you can have beefs, but those teams that I mean, we've all been on teams that when everybody fucks with each other just makes that shit so much better. Man, the journey is that much sweeter.
So I definitely think it's unanimous. It's Vegas picks, It's DraftKings picks for MVP. Real quickly, before we get out of here, I'll be remissed it out mentioning our brother Kobe Bryant Man five years since him and Gigi and those others lost their life on that plane. I can't believe how fast it's gone by. KD. Give me your best Kobe Bryant memory.
You know what I don't. It's hard to have one out. You know. I was at his last game where he went off.
You know, I remember meeting them, you know, fifteen sixteen years out in Vegas. I did the round Ball Classic like I you know, but for me, like the personal part of Kobe, Like you know, when we play the Lakers, Kobe's like a k.
Detail your family.
I'm gonna come out and say hello, We're gonna take pictures for any of your.
Family or anybody that Like.
It was those little intimate moments where he took time, you know, to just kind of check in with me, to say hello, to just kind of you know what I'm saying, show an extra little bit of love. We both with Rob Polinka at the time and uh Man Cole Just for me, Man, not only was he an inspiration and a motivation, he just was a.
Man of respect.
Especially like as he grew in his personality, he made you feel like you were the only person in the room when he would have a conversation with you. So I would just say those moments after the game when he would take pictures with my family, my friends and things like that.
I wish I would have got more pictures with.
Him, you know what I mean, had a new thing with I know now, but yeah, it was just those those little intimate moments where he took time out for my family.
Jack has been five years, man, five years. You know what comes to mind when you think about coch.
Uh not only you know the episode, I mean, you know, we hold that deal to our heart.
You know his last interview. I think that means a lot.
But I'm I'm gonna say kind of similar to what KD said doing Kobe's farewell tour. He came in played here in Atlanta, and I was able to bring my son, Steve Jor to the game, and like like.
Kat said, this was his farewell to it.
So you know, the hall is filled with people, you know what I'm saying, everybody in there. But I mean he saw me, you know, Class ninety six beend on each other forever, and uh, he saw my son, bro He pulled my son to the side. Not only did he spend time or something, but it was about thirty minutes Matt, you know, the the bus waiting on him.
Man, they got aligned. But just that, like he said, just that the person he was.
To spend that time with my son, my sonill never forget it, because I know I won't ever forget it, you know what I'm saying. But but but just for him to spend that thirty minutes knowing all these people waiting on him and knowing how much that meant to me and my son, that I just you know, I miss him more.
I missed more as a person in the basketball player.
Absolutely absolutely man rest in peace to our brother man and sending love creativity to the family.
K appreciate Matt.
Matt, same question to you, because you know you know him just as well as anybody.
Yeah, I just think it's the human side that you guys mentioned. You know that to the twins, it was uncle Kobe, you know what I mean. He literally from the time they got there four years old, got every shoe release to them boys, and then once they started playing, their whole team got every single shoe and literally a week before he passed, he's like they got his last
shoe that he puts out. And then you know, love Vanessa, you know, for since Vanessa's been carried it on since so these motherfuckers got you take care of me card
than everybody, you know what I mean. So just the love and the way we were able to see that the human side of him, you know, him coming to the twins are eight years old and he come in two hours early to watch them play at eight o'clock in the morning, and they don't play, you know, him and Gig don't play till ten or eleven, So it's just the other shit jack.
You know.
Obviously we know how great he was on the court, but being able to know the true who he was, you know, outside of the MAMPA is something I'll always you know, Cherish kt Man, we appreciate your time. We will definitely have you back. I love what you're doing, man, and you know what we're praying for you. And you know you always got a home over here at all the smoke bro.
Appreciate it. Appreciate it, man, Matt. I love to just give a quick shout out to my.
Boy Chris Bernard, who just passed man for the next you know.
It's work for the Players Tribune. Had an immense impact impact on my life. And uh man, we've been working on this documentary you know since before I went in and you know, like I got to make sure I bring that to a close, you know, and honor his memory.
And things like that.
So I just want to take the time, you know, Rest in peace, my boy, Chris Binard. Thank you for all that you've done for me and a lot of other players across the board.
Kat one of the real good dudes in the league. One of the real good dudes and crazy enough. When we did our interview with you in Miami, we you know, I was like, bro, let me get his number. I talked to see being in minute. You know what I mean in the fact, like you just never know, never know, brother man. Rest in peace to Chris Bernard, KD. We'll talk to you soon, bro.
Okay, camp, I.
Want to welcome the newest member to the All the Smoke Fight family, one half of the dynamic duo Ring Champs. I want to welcome right now. Oh man, you and Jack were just talking about this. This has been a long time coming, you know, you guys have been cooking this up and and and you're finally here. You'll be doing a weekly show sure called Ring Champs. And what can our fans in the Fight space expect from you guys?
Well, first off, thank you for having one half of Rock. For some reason, he has an old show and old typing skills, so he couldn't get on, so I have to take the lead on this. First off, thank you guys for accepting us with open arms. You know, me and Stack we build a g reporting a friendship.
Over the years.
He's a huge fight fan and I don't know, seven eight months ago he said we got something big coming I want you to be a part of and you know, I stayed in his DM and texted him too, but I had to be patient. You know, we've been with the Zone for seven years now, also call fights on overtime. We were on Serious XM, so we've been in a boxing space over a decade and it's great to you know,
work with these big networks and travel the world. But we've always had a dream to partner up with a platform that saw us also as partners and have ownership in our brand as well. And there's no better platform than all of Smoke now. And I'll just say to you, guys, I'm not blowing smoke. You and Stack, you guys inspired me in this space. You revolutionize podcasting like you guys are the pioneers pretty much in tapping into a sport but also bringing the culture side of it that didn't
really exist in boxing. So something in that Barack and our pride ourselves and being that bridge from the casual fan to the hardcore fan.
Bro I want, I want to say welcome to the family as well. I know we've been talking about it a while and you talk. You know, you gave us our props as far as you know where we are in the podcast base and what we built with the
production company. But I want to give you a pop too, because you're a big reason why I'm a big fan, why I'm a big fan of boxing, why I start educating myself for boxing A lot A lot of times we watch the sport and we hear a lot of people talk, but it's not people that we can relate to.
You know what I'm saying. We we we talk the same lingo.
You know, we understand that the same words and the same phrases to get people to understand the real inside of boxing and being a and being a fan. In order to understand it, you have to have somebody you can correlate with, you can relate with so uh and and that and that's what y'all do for me. Bro, you and y'all and other people shout out the show biz too.
Uh.
I'll watch all y'all because y'all been in the game longer than me. But I got this. This is the this is the one of This is the main question.
I have for you.
How do y'all feel about Benefitez and uh morell fight coming up?
Before you answer? You know, always late never, I mean better late than never. Welcome to the show.
Is he officially here?
Yeah?
Someone says you had the jack in the back, the jack and the box WiFi. They found out and came and had they called the tow truck because you was in the parking lot of Jack in the box trying.
To step the wi fi.
Well, listen, why do you think I'm in the room now? I need this deal so I can step.
Oh man, let's get it now. But welcome, obviously the other half Barrock ring Champs. What you missed? Uh, welcome to the family, my brother. We appreciate you, guys. Man, we're just singing your guys' praises. But Jack, go ahead, Yeah, what do you guys think about the upcoming fight?
I'll say this you know, David Morrell.
I've always been a fan, even though he doesn't have a lot of fights, and you know, the mainstream fans might not know who he is, but he's a real threat to David Benavidez. He's one of the guys that I was saying when people were saying Canell needs to fight Benavitez.
Benavidez, I said, hold.
Up, there's another guy that's his size in that division. You know that that I like to see him mix it up with first. Now, don't get me wrong, Yes, Cuban fighter salth Paul, super scaled, he can hit hard. I like Benavitez. I think obviously we all know he's a phenomenal fighter, you know, stack you spend some time with him.
Hell of a guy, hell of a talent.
But I think this fight is gonna be a lot more interesting than most people think in terms of the shot that Morell has on Benavidez.
Yeah.
Absolutely, I think the whole Benevide's whole career, he's always been the bigger guy, you know, and then he steps up to one seventy five for vos Dick. That fight didn't go didn't look like all the other fights he had. When he's knocking people out, he's hurting him, he's punishing them. So this is gonna be that test. Morell is his size, he's big. He moved up to one seventy five. They both coming off fights where they didn't look too spectacular.
But outside of that, these guys are good fights. Morell just for the guy named hot Rod, he he's a he's a problem, you know what I mean. He moves too much, he's hurky, jerky. He's hard to look good with guys like that. So I think he's better than what he looked at night. I think Morell is a serious problem. If Benavidez could beat Morell, he's the goods.
It's a lot to talk about weight draining right now. You know, it's all in the air by Budd and Canelo fighting. We've seen we talked about Earth and I'm like, if you are that type, that one of the top fighters, and you have the opportunity to throw away drank, await a rehydration clause in, then I think you I think you should do it at certain times. Because I gave him an example. Ryan Garcia came into the Devin Handy fight not worrying about the money, not worrying about the belt.
He just wanted to knock him out and win the fight, So that's why he didn't care about the way or not.
He wanted to come in.
Bigger on purpose.
Do y'all think that the rehydration clause should be implemented by guys? We have the power to implement it.
That's a great points as a team.
And whether you're the lawyer, the advisor, the manager, your job is to create the best situation for your fighter, right, So if the opposite team is willing to accept those clauses, then power to you and your team to give you a bit, you know.
An advantage. This sport is brutal, no question about it, and the fans might might not like it.
But if you're on the other side of that and you feel like this is gonna put your fighter at risk where he won't be healthy, he won't be one hundred percent, then don't accept the clause.
But if you accept it, you got to live with that. And I agree with you for stack.
I'm gonna say, I understand your point, but I come from like I remember one time I was having a fight in the street and I threw a kick.
Now I'm a martial artist, you know what I'm saying.
I threw a kick and I was like thirteen years old, and everybody was.
Like, oh man, you cheat him, bro. You know what I'm saying.
It was like, you cheating, bro, I can't do I can't win what you mean?
You know what I mean? Like, I'm like, what, I kicked his head?
Fot.
It was like ya, yo, No, I'm from that cloth where the streets they talk.
The streets be talking, and they be like, nah, you can't do none of that stuff. So if you want to submit your legacy and you got a rehydration clause, it ain't gonna go right over the fans.
Man.
So I really don't like this.
I ain't at that I feel that.
I just think the problem in the sport is that fighters want to be they want to be as big as possible in a certain weight class, which is why back in the day they used to weigh in the same day early in the day.
This way you don't have it. You don't have an.
Opportunity in too much room to be as as dry as possible in the weigh and then on fighting out you want to gain twenty five pounds and have a serious advantage against your opponents.
So I don't know. I don't agree with Barakos.
So at the same time, then you fighting your weight class and go down. I'm not too mad at Tank when Tank do it, because Tank.
Is so small. Yeah, I mean, and he's fighting these big guys. But at the end of the day, then don't fight these big guys then.
So do we have So does this fight happen with Canelo and Bud?
It looks like yes.
I think when Turkey get involved.
That all his excellency wants that fight. Bud wants to fight. Canelo is just in London with those guys, So it looks like it's gonna happen. We don't know if it's gonna happen in May or September, but to my understanding and my sources, the fight will happen.
I got two more questions. I got two more questions footing figure roll too.
Oh man, See, that's that's a good one. Once you see the guy who already won, you kind of.
Got going with and waight this the heavier fight this time.
Yeah, And that means is they probably both more comfortable, especially figure Road. I would say, especially figure Road because he seems like a bigger guy, you know, But I think skills pay the bills, so I guess I'd go with Folk.
Yeah, I'm with a rock on that. I think. I think Fulton is a talented fighter.
Plus he got a chip on his shoulder right now, see that, right?
He mad?
He ain't I interview? Yeah, he say no more cool boy, y'all. I'm back to school though.
Okay, yeah, I wear school. I like him. I'm going with him for sure.
Okay, Tank, we gotta talk about Tank coming up?
Okay, Look, Tank is obviously he's a heavy favorite in this fight for a reason.
You know what I'm saying. Tank is one of the best fighters in the world, no question about it.
Uh.
Skill Wise, he's in the top five, maybe been top three in the sport.
He's that explosive, right.
Uh.
But he's yet to have that.
Mark Key Marquis victory outside of when he won a title out eight years old against but Drasa.
I'm not saying Tank can't beat the big names. I'm saying he.
Hasn't been in there with him yet, right, And no disrespect to a Lamont wrote you who obviously is a credible an opponent. Well, yeah he does, he does. I just don't think he's quick enough to deal with somebody explosive as Tank, and I think Tank is just too talented, So I gotta go with Tank. You know, I thought you were asked me about Tank and chicor or something to fight down the line.
Hopefully we get to that.
Hopefully we get to that. How do we get to that? Yeah, I don't want to we'll get to that.
That.
I appreciate that.
I feel like Roach is a is a good opponent, But when you look at track records, he already took a loss to somebody like Jamel Herry. And then you look at Tank, Tank is like he barely had close fights.
He had a close.
Fight with with with one fighter and that was Pitt Bull, only because he hurt his hand in the tenth round, you know.
So it's like it's kind of hard to go against Tank.
He's so explosive, he's so talented, and at the end of the day, Tank is one of the very very few in boxing, probably in the history of boxing, that you don't really have the great names on your resume, but we still see that you're great. That don't happen much. Maybe it happened to Aero Spence early. Certain guys that happened too early, but hardly ever. And Tank is that guy who just seems like he's very well.
Before we get you guys out of here, you guys recently sat down with Jake Paul. Let's take a look at that clip.
There was four conversations happening at a time with different opponents. It was you know, Tommy, Mike Tyson, and so can.
We hear the other two?
Please?
I don't know, come on, give us something, Come on, but did you see what was that?
You serious?
Only?
And I talked to them both if it was going to be a straight up, true real fight, right, you would really fight your brother in a real that was that was a moment.
Well this is a a little bit, but it's because that was because I was screaming.
No.
But I'm okay with fighting my brother because I wouldn't have to be the one that uh.
Dealt with losing.
So if no, seriously so like emotionally, if that would scar him, then he shouldn't do it. But if he's gonna sign up, I don't have to be the one to lose. And Bro it's like it's me and Mike hug after me and Anderson Silva like bro, But you would say.
It's different sport if you used to beat you up when you was a kid.
Probably, which also plays in there.
So you guys got a chance to sit down and and talk to Jake, and so the fight with his brother was it was a real possibility.
Huh yeah, yeah, which was surprising to me because coming from being an amateur fighting myself till I was seventy five fights, my brother and I were one year apart, and I would never ever fight my brother. You know, he's smaller than me.
I used to I used to spar with him, Don't get me wrong. I sparred with him, but never would fight him. So, uh, that was odd. But they have a different type of relatelationship, you know what I mean.
I don't know if that fight would have done the same amount of numbers like that Mike Tyson did. But you know, I've always been in support of Jake because he's a guy that didn't really have to go into
this space as sport, as a brutal sport. He's taking risks just like everybody else's steps in that ring and training just as hard as a professional fighters, so I no longer well I've never called him a YouTube I call him a professional fighter that just so happened to start late in his career, and it's taking a sport serious. So I'm not one of those guys that those any shade as well. I like what he's doing. I respect what he's doing. I definitely wouldn't support him fighting his brother.
I look at it like I got five brothers. I would never lay a hand on any one of my brothers. Well for twenty ms, they might jump me, they might jump me. I gotta fight on five, you know what I mean? Like, so, I feel what you're saying. I understand you and Shmi. You know, you guys grew up in Gleasies gym together. Y'all not fighting. Y'all love each other.
But if it was twenty ms behind that ticket, I think y'all would fight, y'all at each other, be like, yo, let's do this for our family, you know what I mean? And I think that was at one time that was Jake Paul's end Gold like we so big, Logan's big, I'm big.
Yeah, yeah, but you told my guys, But you told my guys that are getting money around brother.
You told my guys that are getting me and my brother are broke. So maybe that said.
Somebody to consider that these dudes already been getting money.
But when you get money, you just want money. You know, I buy a million dollar house now.
No doubt. Would you guys fight any of your brothers, I don't know. I'm not sure if you guys have siblings.
But I lost both of my brothers. Man, I wouldn't I wouldn't fight neither one of them.
We never had a fight.
We had arguments, a little wrestling around the house growing up, but throwing punches, nah.
Wen. We held our animosity for other people.
You know what I mean? Yeah, I held smoke for others smoking a fan. But you guys can catch that full episode. Jake Paul and Nikkeisa dropped Wednesday on All the Smoke Fight YouTube. Man, welcome to the family again. Congrats on you guys success. We're excited to have you guys experience and knowledge under the umbrella and we can't wait to see you guys.
Man, I appreciate it. I just want to thank thank you guys too for accepting us. Thanks to Brian Daily and even Dre being a part of the team and all of the staff at atf Man, I'm excited to be a part of the family and looking forward to us all working together.
Brock. Now that you're official, Man, I'm gonna make sure we get your WiFi package out there.
Oh Man, that's that's all I need.
It's over once I get all right, man, And we appreciate you guys. Man, we'll talk soon.
I see you have to fight, bro absolutely, So that's a wrap.
We appreciate you, guys. Make sure you check out Unplugged on all the Smoke Productions YouTube and the DraftKings Network. Recently, our brother andre Ward sat down with David Benavidez. Take a look at the clip.
How do you envision this fight playing out February first, This.
Is gonna be the best fight of my career so far, the best performance, because you know, you know, when you get to them, you get them camps where sometimes stuff ain't good, But then you get the camps where physically, emotionally, mentally you're getting your.
Rounds in, you're getting the runs in.
You've been training for like three and a half months and everything is just flowing good. And even when you when you vision stuff in your head, it's looking amazing.
So for me this fight, I'm gonna go in there.
I'm gonna put on a great performance and I'm definitely gonna I'm going in there to try to knock David Morale, which if if I get it or not, I don't know, but I'm definitely gonna beat David Morrol.
But I'm gonna be in there trying to hurt him every single round.
You think he's gonna bang with you, or you think he's gonna try to move and be.
He's gonna be.
He's definitely gonna try to I think he's gonna move around. First he's in a he's in a box, and then I might, you know, entice him to a firefight, you know. But if it's for me to hunt him down, me to cut the distance, me to counter while he's trying to counter me, I'm one hundred percent ready for everything.
You take care of your business February first. You got better be a B ball rematch. Are your sights are set on the winner?
Right?
That's why you have to like in the lighthavelay division, Right, Yeah, who would you rather fight?
I sparred before I spared him a lot of times, so I know him. I know him personally, I know him more as a style. But I feel like both those men I had to be at one hundred and ten percent because both of them, you know, they're they're the top, there's elite, they're the Oloper echelon fighters.
So I don't know I'd beat both of.
Them, but but you definitely want I.
Want either one of them. Yeah,