S2 Episode 5: No Excuses

bab nah lifeealthing issue. They're only six days away from the NBA Draft and the reality of the moment is starting to sink in, especially given how far Anthony has. I think about it all the time, like, man, it's motherfucker boy. I always knew it when you were yawn, But I didn't think you're gonna focus like I was gonna be a superstar and you was gonna be good. That's Anthony talking while he lives waits at the gym on god Be Road, his home base for the last

five years in a tough Atlanta neighborhood. You don't understands, shouldn't you always had? He was like, you know, I always knew you was gonna be good at sport, but supert and you got on the stand. Should listen, listen, I'm the stands out. You will yawn. You used to be good, bro, and you will. Boys sitting in episode one, we told you about the near impossible odds of any kid becoming an NBA lottery pick and how much more likely it was for Anthony to become a dark statistic instead.

But Uncle Drew had an even more specific reason for why he didn't think Anthony would make it here to the cusp of NBA stardom. So get what if you stop bullshit? No, I need to cut you out. Bro. When you stop bullshit and you buy in, Shaw, you can be here. You're still coming out of bullshit. Get the ball here we go. What that you guys say? I'm bullshit like you like once you buy in like man the man it would buy. You don't own the problem?

Are you bout in? Their argument is about Anthony not practicing hard enough as a kid, and how he wouldn't buy into the work it takes to become great, and that he only tried his hardest during games. Uncle Drew was his youth football coach back then, so he had the clearest look at Anthony's shortcomings in sports. Why they're making me right? Man got the practed late. I got school and man got a prcted late. I got through all the running and then run down here. I said

that the man too small. Phone don't good that point you make me mad? Right, that shouldn't make me mad? Wrong like man don't get it rough? He was could be mad though. I don't know no better you did. You did know better. You knew what you would. You knew better, bro, you knew better because you know what stop I was act like he was. See the mentality head. Anthony avoided the most grueling parts of practice, the intense hitting drills or the extra hill runs or anything that

would push his limits. So, in my opinion, I called a knoa head yeah ahead the skills, just the discipline pot or for the work ethic when we was younger. You know one thing, If you got a kid that's a knockahead in a good way, and you put that discipline in them, you can create a master in a positive way. So how did Anthony go from lacking the discipline and the work ethic he needed to become this laser focused nineteen year old prodigy. Here's uncle Drew and

Anthony still in the weight room. To be honest, basketball stuff. Of course I was get what of course I was banging on the football when I came to the third game. Y'all play somethingbody, I'm like a lot. They ain't really work with him. But once I say you played basketball, yeah you gotta shot. I course I think you'd be dead good. Yeah, what do you think I'll give the superstar? You can tell me, bro. Why does Anthony insist on

hearing that other people doubted him? Does he use it as motivation to gain an edge or is he also stunted that he used to find the odds and it's now being talked about as the number one pick in the NBA. I'm telling, why the hell you think I was so close to y'all? You didn't had a discipline, you didn't had to work, anth you're looking at on the top of the hill. Way, No, your mom can't say, and you know c common you know seven rey hare, Come on, manlazy man. They rolled the ball. I didn't

play and they want to pray what I'm talking? Yeah, I had to let him how to hear somebody feel a you start level red the matt. Let's tell what you gotta do. Run run, you gotta gonna get it. No, no, y'all, no no no no, no, no no no, don't run for real, act like you want to run. You gotta come pushing around and feel like a little baby. And ship get what looking at it? Looking up the hell and ship wanted mama can't say you know what here

we're going? And that he would dodge these extra drills and then try to convince his mommy vet to get him out of practice. I hate it. Let me tell you. I hate free to think called free games so much rain. It's I used to get the practice round six fifteen six on purpose. So I know they've done like no, no, no, no no, no, get dressed super get dressed super slow. But I'm so good now made me do that, SI, So look we get down practice. We gotta run a lot again. I got down. I run a regular ship.

But once when they started doing at ship, I'm like, man, all right, right doing that? I get what to do? You're looking on let's look at looking doing My time is star eight teen, my MoMA, I'm like, you're ready to do? Well? What and a your team. You know what I'm doing talking to him? You do stand right on here with j like, oh, I don't know. Counting my mom to save him didn't always work out his

planet though, my mom, she's pushing everybody. This is Anthony's older brother Anthony three years is elder and better known as Bubba to those closest. One time, I think Aunt was having a bad day in football game. It was a football game. He was kind of playing a little sluggish, and like halftime, she pulled him over and talked to him like my mom was very aggressive. I can say that. So you didn't want to play around with my mom, But my mom didn't want to play around with us.

So even to just hear her voice, it's like motivating to any one of us, any one of my siblings. If you hear her voice, you're gonna want to do whatever you're doing ten times harder. So she was a support and the motive that we actually I used to drive ourselves to do what we want to do. As far as force see anything in life, she was out rock for real man, So yeah, that would be the main force for me. Uncle Drew again, Miss Mama. She

babied him as far as that's my son. But when it came to a pet in the sports, she didn't play that. It wasn't no baby that, it was none of that. We we had the green light too. If we want to run a the time, we're gonna run aft the time. She wasn't solve at all. She didn't miss no games. She did she had to do to get him, give him a pregnant. She was allowed as once you know, everybody knew was mother wall. She had the jerkor's on some type of pair that everybody know.

You know, there's my baby, there was my boy. If anybody on the sideline started talking trade, she's gonna talk trash back. She was a diehard. She had a lot of son. Uncle Drew and Anthony's mom both knew he needed to be pushed, and since Anthony's mother and grandmother primarily raised the kids on their own, it often fell on Uncle Drew to get on his star running backs case. Here they are in the weight room, still debate what happened back then you knew, you knew what you were doing.

Doesn't mean they need practice though, so much better. They just blow on and then how you come by that practice? Great bullshit? How you On some level, Anthony was also right. He didn't need to practice at that age. He was that much better than everyone else. Who y'all depended on in the game beside we had a good team. Who y'all depending on days and the hole? Yea looks like you to come out of that bullshit? Who y'all depending on during game time? If it rain ain't working, tone

ain't working? Who y'all giving the ball? To remember that game you played in the snow? What comes? Time to do? And I'm rare where airplane? What I do to the house to the house, to the house, to the house, to the house, to get that ForSight game? And I'm gonna get you by a time you remember the Reliving those touchdowns proves his point. What kind of kid scores eight touchdowns in a game without practicing hard? The differences. Uncle Drew wasn't worried about Anthony's success as a nine

year old football player. He wanted to instill the discipline and work ethic for when Aunt got older and other kids physical abilities caught up, especially before it became too late. So you done got understanding. But their starts down you bought in. I don't buy an hold. You bought in being good. You bought in and got I want to get better. I want this is what I want to be. You bought into it and I wanted to be best. But you want work a line in him? No, I was,

I'm sorry, before I start picking up. Maybe take hard, we'll maybe take great, maybe take greater down right, working on the focus and work ethic emerged in ninth grade, when Anthony's entire life changed forever. We'll be right back. Here's justin Holland again. I was a recreation coordinator, so I worked at the rec center and and pretty much

a low income neighborhood. The rec center he's talking about it is the gym at god to Be Road in South Atlanta, the one that's played such an important role in Anthony's story. I have a passion for just kids and in the youth, especially the kids that grew up in our communities, and they really need guided, structure and somebody just to be there for him, even if it's just for some advice, even if it's just even it's hell, if even if it's just a hood. You know, kids

need those types of people around them. When I met him, um he had just lost his mom and his grandma within six months of each other. Anthony's grandmother, Shirley, was someone he described as their family backbone. He once said she would help pay the bills, keep the lights on where they didn't have the money, that she would always

come through in their time of need. Grandma Shirley had been battling cancer for years when her daughter, Anthony's mom, Yvette, lost her own fight with the disease only a few months later, surely passed two shortly after that. Justin first met Anthony, that was even a part of the introduction of my buddy, Heir who brought him to me. He was just kind of like this kid, like he just needs somebody good in his life. And I know you're

a good person. I know you have him on the basketball court, and like I said, he's special, just not

on the court. And I think I tell him this all the time as well, because I think if I was dealt the same cards that he was dealt, I no doubt in my mind, I wouldn't be in a position that he's in right now, like I would be a statistic because it's so easy to be a statistic and losing you know, losing losing his mom and grandma so young, and and his brothers and sister being so young and just kind of being left to figure it out. You know, that's something that that's really hard, and I

just kind of wanted to present myself as stability. If you need anything for me, I'm always here for you,

regardless of what it is. And like I said, I like, I'll always be your stability with whether you need it or not, and being that like that mentor and just being available to give insight and information to throughout life, just for life, because you know, life is just so much more than basketball, because one thing I understand, like the basketball eventually stops bouncing, and it's who you become

after that. Justin entered Anthony's life at a critical moment when he was just an eighth grade kid fourteen years old, facing the loss of the two most important people in his life, both to cancer, both within six months. Here's Anthony's older brother, Anthony, about the relationship with his mom and grandmother. My grandmother, she's she's very caring, so she doesn't like the yellow line. So she was more up

the calm motivator. That's what I would call her. Become motivated, laid back motivating like like she would she would like give you a speech or something like, put you to the side and talk to you. Very loving person though. And then there was his mom basically, and my mom was like best friends. We all best friends with my mom, and she was always a person that picked us stuff when we needed a shoulder, lean on the shoulder, the

crowd on anything like that. She basically supported us throughout anything we wanted to do or we believe that we could do so. And those were two queens right there. His mom and grandmother pushed and pulled and carried the entire family through life. The impact of their loss goes beyond saying goodbye to the two people Anthony loved most. His whole life was upended since they were also his caretakers. Suddenly Anthony and his simple things were on their own.

Here's justin again. They've always kind of been a close knit family and they're still to this day. They're still really close. But like I said, at the time that I met him and his mom and grandma passed, they were they all were young, like they were. I think his older brother Antoine may have been with his older brother, his older brother was one, so so they all were

so young. So I think just as a community, as a whole, I think everybody kind of came together and just helped everybody out and kept everybody focusing and definitely kept and kept them even closer. Anthony internalized everything he was thinking or feeling. He could only watch as his former reality collapsed around him. Here again, his uncle Drew. He never not one time, not one time at all, even if they had the funeral, we were sitting in the church and stuff all now, I was sitting to

my scene. He came walking in with his siblings. He helped them together. He didn't, he didn't, you know, he didn't break down. If he were, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. Everybody deal with different but he held it together even that day when you know, thirteen fourteen years old. You know, I always to ask myself like that they came the past of the mother. I just kind of sat back and out like, well,

asked myself, who's really gonna step up right now? Who's really gonna do what they gotta do for their kids. Despite having his own family and kids to raise, Uncle Drew felt an obligation to get involved. I think it's his mother had some more respect from him, just knowing that I was deaf for the best centers of him. She would text me sometimes she would send me a long test man's just saying, you know, thank you coach

Ruth for doing this. Blod they didn blod to that, and that right there, just that was all the validation I needed to step up, do what I had to do. So I'm gonna make it happen. You need you need this in your pocket, you need shoot, you need a TV. It was nothing. It was just like I said, I don't know why I could have got through. I had a treat like you want to mind, I had to that. I don't know why I could do it. You fucking get your sheep. I'm coming to get your clothes. You

come and stay with me. He didn't, He didn't push back at all. You know he needed that. I'm gonna give his face because I know how to deal with. I ain't gonna be his face. I ain't gonna be I ain't even to play that role like I'm your daddy. I'm just a person to respect you, to respect me. It just it's just tough love. And then I'm doing what I gotta do. I told your mom'nna do what

I gotta do, point blank. Anthony split time between his siblings and uncle Drew, sometimes staying for long stretches at his old coach's house. I think, down inside, I kind of feel like it was my dude to do what I had to do to beat the phone, because you gotta have somebody. You gotta have somebody else. They don't want them for you. Just Janine Low, you know, I want to see the kid be great. I won't see him make it like I said it won those secret.

I treat him just like one of my own. I had to get on his ass, I had to beat up phone if I had to do what I had to do out there, so I would feel like I was just I was just acent the whole, and he kind of knew that too. That relationship and their dynamic is still the same in many ways even now, because they continue lifting in the weight room and get into another heated back and forth. I think he wants you

to be like I'll bringing my own water. Drew has just called out Anthony, or getting in his ass as he calls it. They're arguing over water. Specifically that Anthony doesn't want to drink it. But that isn't what it's really about at all, the way married couples fight about dinner when they actually are upset about something else entirely. I say, and man, I'll mail listen to are you this is said you got some water? I said not,

you got get away and water. Just give me the I think he wants to be sooth the initiative to bring you a whole water? What I don't get away? People say you got one? No, if you ask a lot, don't you just give it to him? I'm never got water got the water? Like I got a protein drink? I don't want to ask some or you got a water water? Let's but I haven't had an action. He just give it to you? Are you ask so you don't? You don't get abou You see what I'm saying. I'm

drew back the water. You just give me the water and Drew you have protein? Drew know you just give me pronching to drink. He goes for water I got like if I bring if if I bring you a dollar, dollar about you you're gonna say you better dollar? You know what I'm saying. I don't know any but you gotta get to get with exactly. And I got whatever you need me exactly. Come on the only time on bro so always about lookout, look out, look out. Hey listen, listen.

He helped you know, You're not like I told you before, anybody in this big only bigger wather. He don't even know you. Don't ad me, but it is a outside of him. Don't ad nothing, no no opinion on go what's that body with the employ It ain't talking the important and this is what they're really fighting about. Drew feeling like Anthony isn't relying on him enough, not asking for help with the most important issues, especially as Anthony's

whole life is about to change. Absolutely, I'm talking about civil life, growing up, being a manas didn't that mean nothing? Hey? What what? What? What? What I came here said about my paper is sent to the po box giving yours about it. I ain't tell what I'm about. You don't listen. You gotta keep out everybody I'm telling I said, I said, I said, I said, I said from now I went up to myself. Now, everything that I do, I'm gonna get it, said to my po bay, I'm sort. You

don't know what's coming, We'll be right back. What's coming in ten days is somewhere between six and eight million dollars a year, along with fame an immense pressure because in ten days, Anthony will become a top pick in the NBA. He'll be moving to his new city and starting his new professional life with his new team. His entire reality will be turned upside down once again, hopefully this time for the better. But Uncle Drew still sees a teenage kid who needs his help, who doesn't know

how to avoid the pitfalls that likely await him. He still needs those same people that were there for him before he got his circle. Now he put it together. You know who they all for the love, and you know who they all for the for the fame and all that. So I'm just gonna continue to bust to day. They're not gonna change with me because I won't run from the boy for him to be successful. So uh, I feel like it was my duty to do all

I had to do to to beat their phone. Just makes you links to see no matter what he did in life basketball, even if you want to go, we're gonna go to the military. If you want to just be a regular person working nine of five. I just feel like I had to beat the phone. I just tell the MoMA, no matter what, I'm gonna make sure you get you know what I mean. I make a problem, I'll do what I gotta do them or to get him now. And like I said, he never knew this.

Uncle Drew made a vow twe that that he would be there, that he'd help Anthony the young football start with his pads or rides to practice or with a place to sleep over, and a promise that years later he'd still be in the weight room trying to warn Anthony the teenage basketball start about the dangers of money and fame lurking around the corner. Of course he knew

it now, but that's why it went so hard. I'm just saying, in the pain that he went through, he never broke He never, you know, he never he never made an excuse. Never. Man, I lost my mama, I lost my grandmama. Why me? Why this is why? This? Never? Never? No, No, he just locked in. Once they passed, he took that that discipline and just put he put their they head into it. And you see what you put everything you head into it. Anthonis work, ethic and determination changed after

that life defining loss. He found the discipline because, like Uncle Drew, he made a promise he was no longer just playing a game or just playing for Anthony, coming from somebody who's you know, lots of parents, especially your mom. It's just things you have to focus on outside of you know, yourself, another Anthony's coaches and a trusted friend, Rob Allen. You're gonna be hurt, but you have to know that those people that they looked out for you and they want to see you do great. So the

main thing for you is continuing that legacy. So each and every day when I do something or I help, I helped somebody, or or I'm doing something, I'm thinking of my mom because I know how she was. She was a giver and help her. So I think Aunt knows that as well. That his grandmother and his mama and his mother, you know, they were people that liked to help other people and they always wanted him to keep going. And so you just had to focus on

something bigger than yourself. It became something much bigger than only Anthony Edwards. That tragic passing of his mother and grandmother also changed the lives of those around him. Justin Holland. Again, no one everything that he that he's you know, been through and goes through, he always had a smile on his face, like regardless of what was going on. I don't think I've ever really seen him like upset or

angry and not with a smile on his face. And anybody that's dealt with, you know, the level of trauma to that kid has gone through book, and I always found a reason to smile and find and find the brightness in any situation. You know, anything I'm going through, I go. I ever go through his minor and I always keep that with me. And I feel like he channeled a lot of his frustrations into the game of basketball.

And I know a lot of his passion and will definitely comes from you know, his mom and grandma, No doubt about him. He definitely plays for them, but he gives it all. And that maybe a reason why I learned a lot from him to that's uncle Drew, just seeing how he dealt with it too. I kind of learned a lot from him. If he can maintain, if he can hold it, he can keep a composure and continue to live his life and duty gotta do. Nobody

really should make no excuses either, you know. So that's why I always when he needed me to do something, he needed me to, you know, come through the form. I never made no excuses. I don't I don't care what I had going on. I could have been out of town. I could have been out kicking it in the streets if he called me, if you had to text me out with dead form. So I just always feel like I had to be the asan whole phone no matter what, because, like I said, he never made

no excuse. He never wanted about to feel sorry for me, never would come and crown about his shoulder and say why me, why me? Why? He never he was just different like that. He just he just never he never used there for an excuse. He was there for motivation, you know So I really really really respect him for that.

He just I could have made, you know, lose my mom, my mom, and my grandma at the age of four, and I'm telling that I think it just it just puts him to another level, really just push into another loan and just put them to another love After they never really talked about what happened, not to Uncle Drew or with Justin or any of those closest to him, not even to his siblings. After the funerals, one of the only things he said was, I'm going to make

them proud. I feel like any person, any human being, has been through what I've been through at the age of fourteen, fourteen fifteen, If if you can get through that and just you know, cope with yourself, shouldn't nobody or anything be able to, you know, make you mad. I can't nothing change my smile. You can't do nothing to me to make my smile go away. My MoMA and grandma they're always happy. So I made sure I'm

always happy. Yeah, I ain't never seen that when they wasn't happy, Like even when they was here, they was always happy. So I just made sure I'm always got a smile on my face. To represent him as a devastated kid, he kept all the hurt and pain inside, using it as a few will to excel on the court. Now he makes the choice to carry with him all the happiness his mother and grandmother have inspired. And you can take my basketball career way, oh everything, fame, everything,

but you can't take my happiness away. So I feel like that's the only thing they left me here with you next Undrafted, you guys have anything specifically looking for I can tricker inventory level if you are nah, not not checked, Yeah, trying to complete an outfit. I think the attention to detail for to reason is exceptional. But as soon as I step on the court with these guys that are in the NBA or in whatever position they are, I feel perfectly fine. I feel like this

is where I belong. Let's talk about some things that people don't talk about. Let's talk about the manipulation, because you're actually are attempting to take their job. But it is time to think, sue l a start the new journey man. This kid, it is a superstar person. And when you got that, times is work at the time, and the skill set times is man. It's dangerous. Brom Drafted is a production of tree Fort Media, Clutch Sports Group,

and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Garner, Lisa Ammerman, Eric s a Lot, Sean to Tone l Ki, and me Keegan Michael Key. The series is produced and written by Eric Winer. Jared Brom is our coordinating producer. Trey McCain is our associate producer. Tom Monahan is our senior audio engineer. Mixed and edited by Steven Johnson, additional production help from Tim Shower, June Rosen, and Hailey Mandelberg. For transcripts of the show and more information on Drafted,

go to tree Fort dot fm. For more podcasts. For my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.