Corey Brewer on Why His Florida Gators Would Beat Any NCAA Team Since '07 / Is LeBron Recruiting Steph / and Russell Westbrook Indicts the Entire Media

On this episode of.

This League, we have a special interview with former NBA player, two time NCAA champion, and now skills development coach for the New Orleans Pelicans.

How do we say their name? How do we say his name? Corey Corey Brewer.

We also catch up on some quick news, including a flock of birds that almost took down the Utah Jazz Team plane. Russell Westbrook spitting facts about why the media is just absolutely trash. I mean, in some ways it's true, some rulers about Lebron recruiting, Steph H.

Scooby and tackle. Also why or.

Whether the Pelicans are or are not trustworthy? Kind of timely given that we had quarry on. So this story is pretty crazy. Utah Jazz Team plane, flock of birds, collision, birds dead.

Obviously no birds made it out alive.

I don't know so if I needed to highlight that, but blood splattering, bird guts and flames. Marty players said that there were flames. Players were letting their families know this.

Could be the end.

That's so terrifying, fucking terrifying. So this is the backstory. Jazz Team plane took off from Salt Lake City Tuesday, flying to Memphis twenty minutes after takeoff, thank god, twenty minutes after takeoff, by the way, not you know, two hours into the plane ride, because they would have had to turn around and maybe had to make an emergency landing.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Their plane struck a flock of birds, and for ten to fifteen minutes players were sending their regards to their family members. Players said that they saw flames and they ended up flying back to Salt Lake City, and instead of Adam Silver, I'm sure the team must have called the league to say, hey, we almost died here.

But instead of of like, hey take a day. We get it.

We're delaying lots of games due to COVID. We understand there's some trauma here. Probably all of your team, all of your staff must be shaken up. They said, no, no, there's a second plane. We need you to get on it right now. John Morant is waiting. When you think about it like that, you're.

Like, whoa, that's wow. Okay.

So then the Jazz did go to Memphis. They got on that plane except for Donovan. Mitchell was like, no, I'm not getting on that plane. I personally am good on this whole plane business right the second, I am definitely not going I get that. Did you know that Donovan Mitchell's greatest fear on Earth is dying in a plane crash.

I didn't, but that's a rational fear. I don't love flying either, so I a rare instance where I will feel for Donovan.

So Spider said that when he was getting drafted, his biggest fear was taking a plane on a regular basis.

Yeah, I mean I think about it a lot, like I would not want to be on a plane as much as these guys are. And I think flight attendant is the worst job in America.

Hundreds of flights, like you said, thousands of miles. And he said, I take a window seat so I can clearly see everything that's going on. I e Probably saw the flames, definitely saw the birds, knowing for fifteen minutes there is some shit going down in Donovan is just probably face pinned to the window, like, uh, guys, guys, things are happening, turbulence. He talked about his fear of flying before. He said this before the draft.

Can you play the clip enjoying the process, loving it?

I hate flying though, So that's like the big that's the bad part. I'm terrified of flying. Yike's I just pray and just stare out the window. I actually, I'll pay extra to sit in the window seat. That's that's my thing. I'll take the no leg room over the windows set so I can see like where I'm going, see why I'm going down and whatnot. Is cool because like I know why we're going down, but like you know, the terblets kind of freaks me out.

I see why we're going down. Why I stand with Spider, I get it.

No way I get on that second plane. Can you imagine disembarking and.

You see that there's this photo of the plane and there's just blood everywhere, just covered in blood, and you're like it was a rough picture, rough picture, Like I said, no birds survive. And then you're like, okay, ready to go home, relax, lay in bed, and they're like, no, no time to lock down. Dylan Brooks, Fuck you guys,

To Denver to Portland to the Bay.

I'll take one flight to get to the East coast, and I'm taking the trains in the Northeast trips. Like that's what I am doing. I think that they should just start road tripping. So the teammates people were asking like, how do they feel like Donovan Mitchell didn't want to join his team?

Didn't want to join his team? Is he a good player? Is a team player?

Everyone was like, no, we totally get it Donovan, because you know, you know, throughout Donovan's career he's told his friends and his teammates, like what his greatest fear on Earth is?

Every time he probably pours the plane, he's.

Probably got a pocket full of ambient and Xanax and just trying to like make it from point A to point B. Jordan Clarkson, who I love said, I don't I understand fully why don didn't come. All of us were here in limbo. This is something that we've got to push through and get over it. This is just a tough situation. I don't think that's happened many times on a plane ride.

I've talked to.

So many of my friends in the league and they said that's their greatest fear as well.

Yikes.

I do not know how long it's gonna be until Donovan Mitchell gets back on a plane.

I think I have similar feelings to how Donovan Mitchell feels about flying, Like I don't really think about it until I'm like on and we're about to take off, and it's like, oh, like as a numbers guy, like statistically, like I know there's not really one in eleven million, right, but you're still flying through the air in like a tube, so like it isn't It can be uncomfortable for sure, And then to get that close to your worst nightmare coming true, like and then ask to get on a

So it's gonna be interesting to watch whether he goes there's a back to back home stand and then they're gonna end up going. I forget where they go next. We'll see if he gets on that plane. We'll see when he gets on the plane. I promise you there's more to come on this story. I think this is just the beginning.

If you are not familiar with this song, represents it represents one.

Why not, mister Russell Westbrook, we have a developing situation on our hands.

Marty Woo woo.

It is a love I don't know if a love triangle is the right way to put it.

It's a triangle between steven A.

Russell Westbrook, and Russell Westbrook's wife. This is what happened. Stephen A did what steven A always does, which is come at Russ's neck for no reason at all. So Russ had an incredible night.

It was what it was thirty.

Four teen and twenty one.

So three things were happening simultaneously.

One Russ had himself that night right right thirty four fourteen twenty one, good lord, and everybody was just celebrating Russ. He's had a lot of those nights actually, by the way, this season, in fifty games, he is now the franchise leader of triple doubles on the Wizards.

In fifty games. He now leads the franchise.

Ever, I think he was I think he became only the third player to have a thirty point twenty assists night behind it was him magic and someone else I think.

Right, exactly, Yeah, so that happened, and then steven A, like steven A always does, has to comment on it. Right, And because Russell Westbrook appreciation segments, as you might know from our social clips, don't exactly move the needle, he decided, yes, that's good, but I'm gonna actually use this opportunity to slander Russ and discredit and diminish Russ. And why he hasn't wont to ring because all he is is a professional stat getter. He's this, he's that like, not a

Russell Westbrook went off last night.

We all know that a trip will double thirty five points fourteen boys twenty one.

It says fourteen to twenty six shoot from the floor four six from three point rates.

And he did it all without Bradley Bailey uniform. And he is about the amazing part about Westbrook's game last night.

I don't give a damn how about any of it.

Because the Wizards just are not very good. They're not going anywhere.

You're seventeen to twenty eight in the Eastick Conference. From crying out loud.

They're not going anywhere.

And this is far from the first time Russell Westbrook has played on a team that is falling short.

He's had talent along his entire career.

James Harden, Paul George, James Harden again, Victor all.

The Depot, Bradley Belly, where's the chip.

To show for it?

Okay, that's enough?

Oh my lord, Okay, I mean I'm yeah, I guess like cool, like fine. So then Nina I believe her name is Westbrook, Russell Westbrook's wife takes that opportunity to say, I've had a.

Fuck enough of Steven a going out my husband. Please stop. Can you give a suggest to what she said?

Yes, so she sent out? Uh so, how tiring is it to be minding your own business and have notifications pop up on your phone about people being negative and hating on your family? Yeah, there are several things wrong with what Stephen A. Smith says here, and she went on to say Russell is the happiest he's ever been. Not having a championship does not quote hurt him a lot. Uh, you know nothing about him. If you did, you know

And then meanwhile, the NCAA tournament is going on, right and you've got kids missing free throws, and these kids are getting death threats. You've got commentators saying all kinds of wild things.

Perfect storm.

In one instance, Russ is bawling out while the NCAA tournament is going on. And I think Steve and I has been talking about Russ since he was at UCLA. By the way, so Russ, I think has this timing could not have been worse or better. Where he wanted it to directly respond not only to what stephn A had to say, but also about the media as a whole, and really wanted to illuminate how what we say in the media can affect that person's life and their brand.

Here's what Russ had to say.

You know, I watched these college games, and I'll watch these kids and these announcers. Man, they get on the TV and just say anything about a kid. They don't even know him. They don't know his family, they don't know where he's from, they don't know what he's been through, they don't know his struggles, they don't know his pain. They don't know anything about the kid. But one thing said on TV can determine how you perceive this kid on TV, which will allow him not to be able

I'm happy.

I was a champion once I made it to the NBA, Like I grew up in the streets. I'm a champion. Nobody can I don't have to be an NBA champion. I know many people that got NBA champions that's miserable, have done nothing for their community, have done nothing for you, just.

Spitting facts the people.

On the recent episode of Brian Windhorse's pod, Mark Spears was talking about how he asked Alan Iverson. Why Alan Iverson is not in the media, why he's not on the jump. Alan Irison said, my entire career, the media did everything that they could to lift me up, just to break me and pull me down. I don't want to say negative things about other players, and if I'm in the media, I have to. And I think that's true. Yeah, the media always has had.

Trouble balancing that. I have trouble balancing that.

Yeah, I mean it's a line you have to walk, for sure.

Speaking your opinion without bringing someone down and damaging their reputation. And you see that there are players who are great Kadi, Kyrie, Harden, Russ all happened to have played with one another at certain points in times. These players are distrustful and prickly to the media for a reason. Kyrie is a cancer. He's considered a cancer that is stuck around with him. You hate personally hate Kyrie for his zodiac stuff that he does in his sage burn he beats to his.

Own drum and more of the abandoning his team in the middle of the season multiple times.

More to do with that Kevin Durant and him going to the Warriors, and that has changed his narrative. You've got James Harden and him being selfish, and Russ has been painted with being selfish. These players have been painted in a way that they're teammates.

Like we talk about with Corey Brewer, who will be on later.

On in the show, that these things aren't necessarily true, but the media says what they say, and then it's just like a dead carcass, you just drag it around for the whole rest of your career. And it's interesting because the business of commentating is that stephen A, no matter what stephen A said like that was interesting as hell to listen to right the way he said it.

I don't give it.

Damn. I'm the first to admitted I don't love what he says, but I love.

That the drama we are paid to entertain. And there is nothing less entertaining than saying, Russell Westbrook's very good at basketball. You know, I think the world kind of already knows that there always needs to be a why, There always needs to be some level of context that things need to get put into.

Right, So Russell Westbrook does X.

On a random Tuesday, What does that actually mean for US viewers? Does that mean that he's closer to getting what this whole thing is. For the whole reason that they play these games, the whole reason, let me back up, the whole reason we say that they're playing these games is to win a championship. The whole reason that the NBA holds these games is to go and.

Search for a championship. The reason that Russell Westbrook plays basketball may not be just to win a championship.

It may be, like Harden said, he talked about this when he went to the Rockets, is to make generational wealth so that they can help feed their families and take care of their community for generations to come, regardless of whether they win a ring or not. We though, want to say.

Like, what is it about Russell Westbrook? He has all these stats? Is he a leader? Is he not a leader?

What is he thinking when he gets out on the court and he makes these decisions.

Did you see him shrug off that journalist Marty? Is he like that to his teammates?

Like we just make all these things up because we have to find something for someone to want to listen to. Yeah, on a day today, basis right? And also like, how does this connect to the future? What does that mean about the past? What does this mean in terms of his legacy around all of his contemporaries in history. That's the formula past future, historical legacy.

What can we make sense of this one performance and make it into something greater?

Right?

And that's why Stephen A says what he says. This is why I say what I say, Like, you take one incident and then you extrapolate it forward. I just did it. Is Donovan Mitchell ever going to fly a plane again? That's like what I said, Right, How many times can I say Russell Westbrook is really fucking good at basketball?

But then it's like, oh, well, can he lead? Can he get a championship? Can he do this? Can he do that?

Nobody wants to know, Like, hey, Russell Westbrook donated two point five million dollars.

To build a school. It's like, this is the basketball show.

I came here to learn about what's happening around the league, not all of these things that he's doing to impact. And that's unfair, but that's I think the way that it is. Our brains are wired to do this, and this is the business that we are in, and this is a symbiotic relationship by the way, if it's not for Stephen a promoting the league, getting people excited to watch and hate watch Russell Westbrook on a day to day basis, Russell Westbrook doesn't make two hundred and five

Heap a little praise.

You can celebrate that.

You can celebrate that. That's fucking crazy to be able to do that in a game. Damian Lillard had ten assists in a quarter the other night, and I was like, immediately thought to myself, this man might have forty assists if you extra can you imagine? That's the reason though, I think that you find one players extremely distrustful. What are you gonna do with this interview? What are you gonna do with this time with me? How are you

Tribune, Sue Bird has a new media company.

There are players who are now saying JJ there and we'll talk about him a little later in the show, and that say, you know what, I'm just gonna take control of how I'm perceived. I'm gonna take control of not only how I am perceived, but how my crew is perceived. We're gonna put our own content on our own timeline how we want.

The world to see us.

We don't want the media to be the only ones responsible how we're seen.

I think that's fucking dope. I like that.

We also still need people like steven A to stir up the pot a little bit and.

Give them stuff to talk about on their podcast, and.

Give them stuff to talk about on their podcast, and also give people a reason to watch Russell Westbrook.

Yeah.

So it's an ugly.

Business, and like I said, I don't think it's going anyway anytime soon, especially with social media and Twitter specifically, it might actually get worse this week. This is the kind of news I need, Marty in my life, the news.

That's just so far from happening.

I think it's almost impossible, but still very very fun to think about.

Huh.

There has been a long running rivalry.

Somehow like some type of connection where like when Steph succeeds, everyone talks about Braun, and when Bron succeeds, everyone talks about it's Steph. There's a comparison that happens between them and their MVPs, and I don't know what it is, really, but it exists, and it's almost has been pulling them apart right from one another. Lebron has said some things

Yeah, discrediting one another.

I mean, you play in four finals against each other, It's there's there's gonna be some feelings.

Yeah, absolutely.

But to see Lebron James take Steph Curry on his All Star team and to watch them play together, the joy that they had with one another, I immediately thought to myself, Marty, what would it be? What would a team look like with Braun and with Steph? Could they be the duo the like a duo that they don't need another All Star? Could they win a title together? That's immediately where my mind went. Is that where your mind went?

Uh?

Yeah, yeah, right, Like, you think to yourself, what could that be? Remember when Kyrie and Kad were on the court during All Star Game last year together, everybody's like or two years ago, everybody's like, oh yeah, what are they saying?

Do they want to go and play again? And they did, didn't they?

So now the news is bubbling up. Brian Winhorse the Lebron James follower of sorts. He made his living following Lebron James around when he was like sixteen years old and now he's the guy. He had a podcast come out, same podcast with Mark Spear and Nick Fredell, and he said there was some possibility that Lebron James is recruiting Steph Curry. Here is what he had to say.

Lebron thinks there's some doubt. Otherwise he wouldn't be doing this because I know he feels a certain way about Steph because I watched it.

Yep, what do you mean.

You think Lebron thinks he may leave?

Lebron started recruiting with the All Star Yeah, he said, I know he feels a certain kind of way about Steph.

When he says that, he means a negative way about Steph.

Keep going.

He's not going to leave.

He's not not right now, He's not gonna leave everybody.

So fine, he gets a lot of time to I'm just I'm just saying step is eligible for contracts.

Hasn't signed it yet.

Just happened.

Just to be clear, Steph, step is eligible for contract extension this summer, has it signed. Lebron started recruiting him a All Star.

Yeah, but he might be playing for somebody else and once the next contract.

Now, listen, man, I'm not I'm just saying.

I'm just stating im.

With the Lakers, he might to New York. The point, The point is well taken.

You're going, yes, Please tell me more about this, Please tell me more about how there's a possibility we could see Steph Curry and Lebron James in the same jersey together.

Oh my god, of course, Mark Speer, of course, Nick Fodell are gonna poop poo this. They cover the fucking Golden State Warriors on a night to night basis. Do you think they in their mind could ever conceive of in a situation where Steph Curry spurns the Golden State Warriors and bounces Absolutely not. No, Yes, I think that there's probably point zero zero zero zero zero one percent chance that that happens. But all I want to do

I mean, they'd win a lot of basketball games. I wouldn't love it. I don't know. I just I'd rather see them play against each other. I am a little old fashioned that I wouldn't love it. But the product would be something dep tremendous, something truly to be he.

Just imagine one these two guys enjoy the game physically out out there for the world to see. Right, Remember when Steph Curry did his little shimmy shimmy and he kind of squatted pretendity pooped on the court. Oh yeah, and Braun doing the things that Broun does when.

He's like feeling it.

Them two together, hyping each other up would be insufferable. For one second of all, they would be shitting on the rest of the league.

Braun playing the point, Steph coming off ball. Just that duo.

Just imagine it for a second, Steph running around doing Steph things and Lebron no look passing, Steph cutting to the lane.

Oh my lord.

The ratings, Marty, the ratings NBA wet dream in terms of ratings on Tuesday night on a Wednesday, any time, I would watch every even on the East Coast.

I would watch every single Laker game.

Yeah. I don't know what the record for national TV games, but they would break it.

They would break it. I mean every single game would be nationally televized.

I think, why do you think it would be like if in terms of like who wins the trade?

Ad for Steph straight up?

Ooh uh? I mean eighty's younger. Uh, but Steph's gonna be able to do what he does for a long time. I don't know. That's actually very interesting. I would I don't know, they already won with AD, so I would say, let's let's just keep rolling with this.

Imagine Steph Curry signs a MAX deal with the Warriors two years from now. He's like, this is not you guys like big men way too much. Who wins the trade? It's a d and Clay Wiseman, Draymond. I don't know who else is there at the time. They'll have Minnesota's pick if it's not number four or if it's not three year below, and Steph's like, you know what, I'm out I think like both teams get better, you do, I mean get better for me in my mind?

I don't know I would kind of. I don't love Ad Wiseman playing together.

I don't love that guys ship Wiseman the fuck out. I don't know, man, it just is so enticing to me. I thought about it.

For a long time after that All Star Game because Bron was just like hyping stuff up.

Shoot from half court, Steph, shoot from half court.

Can you imagine all the shit he would get Steph to do on a night to night basis, just like pumping up like his fucking hype man got Lebron James the hype man, Steph Curry the hypeman. Oh my god, I know the Embers are just gonna keep keep burning until Steph signs that contract.

Though, I know that.

Could you hear how giddy Windhorse was when he was delivering that news.

Yeah he had a little uh yeah, you could hear it in his voice. For sure.

That is the duo we all except for you, Marty.

Want to see there's a little Laker cleanup though to do. Also, following the Drummond to La news, did you hear this Dennis Shrewder first of all, Dennis fucking Shrewder offered twenty one million dollars per year and did not say yes please, He said no thanks, he said no thank you.

Who the fuck is Dennis Shrewder think he is?

I don't know.

I don't know.

That's a that's a shitload of money, and that's certainly I mean it's yeah, that was that was very bizarre.

Think he's Kyle Dennis Shruter thinks he's Kyle Lowry.

He thinks he should.

Twenty four twenty five million dollars.

I don't know. I mean, you can't go too much further up from that until you get to the max. He's not a max player, So he's.

Not a max player.

Like if you look at guys who are making in that twenty four twenty five million dollar range. Shit, I thought Dennis Shruder was in the Alonzo range and he got offered he gets paid the Lonzo range right now. Yeah, and he says no to twenty one million dollars.

I don't know what's going on.

It seems like he's got them over the barrel because there's a lot of news saying like, oh, Lakers think that Truder's the future. The point guards. They need to lock him up. They're offering him an extension now they want it to get done. Blah blah blah.

Like, is Dennis Shrewder better than we think he is?

Maybe they're thinking the CAP's gonna go up? Maybe, I mean, but like that's, uh, that's pretty big gamble. So eighty four million dollar gamble after a pandemic. Yeah, I don't know.

They're already paying Brahm the max, are paying a d the max. You give Shrewd to that money, what.

Are they doing twenty Like, imagine a team offers him twenty four twenty eight million. At some point you got to figure out, Like, he's too expensive, man, he's too expensive. Also other news, the Lakers have a plethora of centers. I know that Andre Drummond went down with a toe toenail injury.

I know that sounds funny, but I'm sure it hurts a lot.

They they heard a lot toenail injury has sidelined him. But they have Montrez Harald, They've got Andre Drummond, and they've got Mark Gasol, and then they have a d who likes to play for but he probably will play five in the playoffs when he comes back, so it sounds like one too many centers they've asked him. They asked Frank Vogel whether they were going to waive or buy out Mark Gasol, and he said, we have not talked about that. But he did not say no. He

I mean, I don't know, he would get swooped up. I would imagine that there's got to be a guy a team that can use a backup big like that. So I don't know if you release him, then you risk like Phoenix or some one like.

Yeah, I think that's exactly right. I think you got a player who's definitely washed, but skilled, great locker room guy.

We know that, And what like are we doing here?

Genie Bus has the money, Just pay the luxury tax, just pay out it out. Let Lebron have another good locker room guy and keep other contending teams from getting a big man that they might need in the heart of the city.

There's no love in the heart of the NBA.

It sounds like, ain't no love in the heart of the big easy.

No, no new news coming out, Marty.

Yikes, we've been hearing about guys so happy with their new teams.

Vouch.

It's happy in Chicago, Fournier Hornier for Fournier In Boston. Forty players traded, most of them happy to be in a new situation. One player not happy about how the trade went down. A man with a man's a platform, a man who is a shooting specialist with his own podcast, took to the streets to air out the New Orleans Pelicans and their business about how they handled him all fucking season.

Did you hear any of this?

Yeah no, I watched it.

Yeah, okay. So here's here's the deal.

On the last episode of The Old Men in the three podcasts, JJ Reddick went ham about how he felt like the Pelicans fucked him over and lied to his face. Here is the timeline. He made a trade request in November. As you remember, late start. December twenty second was when the season started, so.

He asked for the trade.

Yep. Still the off season, he asked for trade.

He saw the writing on the wall with Van Gundy that he was not going to get enough touches, and he was like, Yo, David Griffin and the GM Langdon who's also a fell dookie, he said, Yo, I don't want my family to leave Brooklyn. I don't really want to leave Brooklyn either because of the pandemic. I don't want to move them and deal with this. And they're they're settled, they're sheltering in place.

If you will.

And Griffin said to JJ, like, just come down for a month, like if you like it, like you're good. If you still want out, I give you my word. We will get you to a situation that you like. And Reddick was like, he obviously did not honor his word because I told him I wanted to be in any city that on my off day I could take a train or a bus to see my family.

I don't need to be in Brooklyn.

I know that that's unfair, but just trade me anywhere, DC, Philly, Nix, anywhere that I can drive to see my family in an off day.

Yeah.

So he was like, I look at the buyout situation not as like, Oh, I'm gonna go get bought and go to Brooklyn. I just want to be able to see my family and be in driving distance. He then explained why he was so fucking pissed in detail. He said, why this is crazy?

Why should any player trust this organization at all?

I don't think you're gonna get honesty from that front office objectively speaking, and that's not an opinion. I just don't think you're going to get that. And here's where it gets really real.

I don't think what happened with me is necessarily an isolated incident.

I think front offices around the league operate in their best interest and I get that.

I understand that, truthfully, I do.

I think I was a little naive though, thinking I was in year fifteen, attempting to do things the right way throughout my career. But in terms of this front office, yeah, it's not something where I would expect the agents who worked on this with me to ever trust that front office again. And he ended up in Dallas where he did not, which is, by the way, in driving distance of Brooklyn. Unless you're Damnard Mitchell.

He said he was.

Jarred by the trade and told Mark Cubanot In any other year, I would be so thrilled to be here, but I.

Need to see my family.

So basically, he was promised after a month he'd be able to go where he wanted to go, and he just never got there.

Interestingly enough, did a little research JJ Reddick's agent. It's the same agent that represents Zion Williamson.

I'm not saying that there's tea coming along the bend down the bend, but I don't think it was a coincidence that he made it so stark that I don't think my agents will ever trust this office again.

Man.

That just goes to show you, maybe don't fuck over a fifteen year old veteran with a megaphone of a podcast.

He's been interviewing everyone.

Oh yeah, he interviewed on the other.

Day, this person not. You don't think there's.

Always an in between period where you're not quite recording, but you're not quite not talking about the thing. I'm thinking maybe during those times he's going to sewer New Orleans if he has the opportunity, like, fuck ne Orleans, by the way, fuck New Orleans. They ask him. It's really gonna be interesting to see how this is gonna affect the Pels going forward.

Do you think that it makes any difference.

For them moving forward? I mean, lucky for them, they've got four to five years to mend that relationship with Zion because he's stuck there until then. H But this is very bizarre and I don't really even get it, Like why why would Griffin give him his word if they had no interest in doing that, Because you could just say, like, no, you're making twelve million dollars and you're in year fifteen and you're having the worst year of your career. No, Like, I can't make a decision

Me neither. Up next is an interview with Corey Brewer.

Corey Brewer today on this league, we have a very special guest. Two time NC double A champion, probably on one of the best most dominant NC double A teams of all time. I would say, h fourteen year vet responsible for killing the Clippers title hopes. Now it skills development coach with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Corey Brewer, thank you for joining us, Welcome to the show.

Thanks for having me.

Do you remember me?

Are you looking so familiar? And I'm like, I know, why do I know?

So?

Marty, I'm gonna tell you this story about how me and Corey first met. I was working for USA Today at the time, and I was just a little baby in the media space. I was just trying to do my thing, just trying to make moves and like be unique and be different, right And USA Today is one of those places where it's like you kind of have to try to drive news, but I was not about that.

And and Corey was with Covey.

They were both in the LA offices of USA Today. He was with Robert Covington, another one of my favorite players, and I was doing I think we were doing an interview.

But I was doing some push a push up challenge. Does any of this ringing a bell?

Yes?

So, so we do this whole thing, and somehow it comes up.

This is so stupid. So it comes up.

I tell Corey and Covey I have hops and these guys. These guys are like, I don't think you can touch that exit sign on the ceiling, and I'm like, yes, I can.

I'm certain that I can. And Corey's like.

I don't think that you can, and for whatever reason me as me that I am.

I'm like, well, I'm gonna show you that.

I I know that you guys can dunk, but I really want to show you my vert like.

So I asked Cory, I say, can I take a running start? He's like, yeah, sure. At this point, I'm pretty certain he does not think.

Which is making me more aggressively wanting to touch this exit sign. So I run and I slap because you know, I don't know if I'm gonna like barely touch it with my fingers or what I needed to touch it, and I ended up touching it in the middle of the hand.

The exit sign falls down, boom, crash, hits me in the face.

I fall.

Because it had.

And it did not go at all the way that I plan.

And Corey's PR person was a woman she was pumped that I ended up doing it. Everybody was a little concerned whether I was going to touch it because there was a lot of build up and lead up to this, so I didn't know if you would remember that. But how crazy when you when this happened, Corey, were you thinking to yourself, like, what the fuck am I it's happening.

I was like, she really just broke the exercise.

Like I think now back to it, and it's like this five to five journalist is really trying to show her hops to me, like.

Ball is life. Man.

I honestly don't even know why I did it. I just I don't even know why I was trying to flex like that. It was just the all time Trista move. I mean, it sounds like you had the hops though I did have the hops, had to had to show I was also an athlete.

Like I said before, you.

Were on one of the most dominant NC double A teams in at least my memory, right, you would you would say that that's that.

Back to back. I went to Oregon, so that was a that Elite eight hurt.

Oh yeah, we had to all the way.

I had to take us out along the way.

I think you guys had upwards of ten pro players on that roster.

Oh man, we had at least fixed.

For sure, and that's some international pros.

Yeah, we had some guys to play overseas. Yeah, we had a lot of guys to play pro basketballs.

That's wild.

Six NBA guys, four international players.

It was one and done. Super popular then too.

But you guys decided to come back and take me through that decision, why you guys decided to do it and how you came to that kind of conclusion.

It was a thing that me, Jo Kim, Al and Twining Green, we all came together. So our freshman year we were roommates and we just instantly became like best friends. Like all four of us, we were always together. We did everything together. We were always in the gym, playing one on one, playing two on two. We just loved to play basketball. We also just like we loved each other, like we had a blast together, and it was just one of those things like it was just chemistry instantly.

Us a chance.

We were ranked like seventy fifth the beginning of the year. So but we still believe in ourselves. So we started off seventeen and old. We had a little hiccup, but then we we end up winning the championship. So you know, everybody's expecting us to go to the draft for sure. You know, after you win the championship, you know our stock was high. It's like really hot. We're all gonna be a lot of your picks. That's what they were saying.

Joe Kim was probably gonna be the first pick.

Definitely number one. Griani doesn't go number one if we come out in a show number one.

But it was one of those things where you know where you're having so much fun, it's like you don't want it to end. We really didn't want it to end, like we were having that much fun. Like it was like just everything was perfect, Like we love the game, we see each other every day, we're winning, like we're at the University of Water, like amazing campus football teams winning Like every.

Day is a great day you wake up.

So so after we wanted we all went home to like see our families and we were trying to make a decision. And you know me personally, I went home and my dad was like, you don't have to go to the NBA about It's not about the money. It's not about us. Like we're we're fine. Like my parents were older, so my parents were in their sixties at the time. They were like, We've lived our whole life. This is all about your life. It's about what makes

You're didn't. So when I.

Got back, I was kind of like leanings like I wanted to come back, and then I feel like Al was kind of LENINGX was going and Joe was more like, yo, if we're if we're coming back, we're all coming back.

One of us come back. We're all coming back. So after talking, we kind of decided like, man, we're having.

Too much fun. We can only do this one time, Like, let's do it again, Let's let's go one more time. Let's let's let's see if we can went back to back, and we finally made the decision like let's do it. We're coming back to school, and it's a great decision.

That's dope.

How do you think you guys, you guys were all roommates. How do you think that changes the on court chemistry?

Oh, it definitely It helps a lot when you're with somebody every day.

You live with guys. Me and Al have a bunch of the same.

Classes, Like we were just always together, so you kind of like you really know those guys. You know their tendencies, you know what bothers them, you know what makes them happy. It's just one of those things. So you just get to really learn their personalities. I feel like that's the biggest thing. Really knew each other's personality. So when we got on the court, you kind of you know how to push your guy's buttons to get him to play harder, to get him to do something.

Next year, Hey, y'all, did that big like announcement in the arena when you decided to come back to three of y'all? What was that like? Cause you gotta you had to have gone into that situation knowing I'm never going to own a room quite like this ever again.

In my life.

So what was the build up to that?

I mean, it was amazing.

It was so many people there, like he has to be like, the whole Old Dome was like packed.

It was like a game against Kentucky or something. It was packed. So everybody was just happy their height. We just won.

We had the trophy there, like everybody wants to know, like what are they gonna do? Like you said, we got the whole room all eyes on us, and you know we said we were coming back. Everybody just goes crazy. It's like a moment you're never gonna forget.

Yeah, and then t bet Swagger Jackie a couple of years later.

Okay, you know we did it first, just kings on campus just like a victory tour, like a float and entire next year to go back to back. When you watch March Madness, now, if it was me, I would be comparing my team to every March Madness run that there is, right, Like I wonder how our team would stack up against this national title team?

Do you do that?

Oh?

For sure?

If you're watching the games, you're like, who's gonna win it all? Like could they could they beat us? Like no, there's no way they could beat us, Like just thinking them back, just looking at all the teams, like over the years, I've been doing it for years, like always come.

To the conclusion like they couldn't beat us.

You don't think since since seven any national champion would have beaten you guys.

No way, I guess I's been some really good teams, don't get me wrong, Like even if the Kentucky team with Anthony Davis was really good, Like, but it's just like there's no team that could beat us because we had everything. We had all five positions, Like I don't really look at a team like has all five positions. And definitely there's no two bigs, like two bigs together that was better than our two boats.

That's facts. You believe that, Marty. Do you think that's true.

That no team since then?

Uh?

Yeah, I mean I can't really think of when. This Gonzaga team this year is fuck it. They can ball, so I don't know if they may.

I don't know, though.

Man, they're not built like I wouldn't put put them up against them at all.

No, we're not built like that.

There's I mean, it's Gonzaga, sure, sure, I mean enough set about Gonzaga, like no shot to the Pacific Northwest where I'm from. But like those Florida boys and a bunch of friends that are living together, I mean, you guys were hard rocks.

Joe kiem Noo is a fucking hard rock.

Oh for sure. Nobody's playing harder than that's for sure.

Yeah, him swimm doing his swimming thing when he runs.

You said that Georgetown and Jeff with Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert were Florida's biggest test, right.

We were just year.

They gave us the biggest problem because they slowed the game down. We like to play fast and we were getting up shot shooting a lot of threes. They slowed it down and they gave us some trouble and it came down to us making some place at the end.

But Jeff is playing great and Roy was. That's a big dude.

Yeah, we were just talking about last episode kind of the death of the rebounder and how guys like Roy Hibbert you just basically woke up and all of a sudden, Roy Hibbert was no longer a playable a playable piece. Right. The traditional center has sort of been devalued as somebody who's in the role that you're in.

Now.

Do you think that there's room for a traditional center in this league with the modern NBA or no?

Oh, for sure.

It's just some certain situations, certain teams you can play guys, but a lot of teams are the way they're building their teams. It's all about shooting and spreading the floor in a lot of space. But like, if you build your team, you got a big that can really play, He's gonna play. But it's not like it's not like the past years, like just because he's seven foot you're not guaranteed playing in the NBA anymore.

Yeah, at one point in time, it was like all you have to do is be born tall.

Oh for sure, if you were seven foot you can revalue, would definitely going to in the NBA.

I still can. I still contend if I was seven feet tall, I could have had Spencer Hawes' career. No, no, no, no, it's a it's it's a testament to my belief in myself.

Not Spencer.

Marty also thinks he's an athlete. Sure you don't see Marty right now, but he also believes that he's He's as.

Sure seven foot though you got a chance to do.

I feel the same way.

If I was seven foot tall, I would have been doing something too. I'm still playing, no doubt you.

Uh, you've played with a lot of great players, Russ being one. And okay, see did you see what uh he recently said about Steven A.

Oh yeah, I seen some of the stuff he said, some stuff about how the media portrays you.

So what do you what do you think about that?

It's true some guys get bad reps, Like it can be one thing somebody says in the media and it follows them around their whole career, and that may not be anything. That person may not be like that at all. So it is understandable. So and for a guy like Russ, he really does a lot in the community. He's a great teammate. Also, I played with him, so I know personally one of my favorite teammates. So he's all about winning. He's gonna every night, he gives it as all like

Yeah, he's one of those players who's may be one of the few that still goes full max eighty two games.

For sure, he's gonna play with load management.

He's gonna give you one hundred percent of every single possession. What do you think the biggest difference is between how he's been painted and how he actually is with his team.

I just feel like sometimes people they think he's selfish or he's not really about the team, which is totally off. Still, yeah, he's a great teammate. He's all about the team, and he really wants to win.

I remember Stephen Adam said that he and Russ would like fight over rebounds sometimes get a rebound. There's a balance between happiness and chips.

Definitely, it has to be a balance, you know. Now with everything's going on in the world, there's a lot of different things going on. So guys that are doing doing what they can in the community, and it's really it's really a good thing. Like they're doing their best, they're doing anything they can.

Do to help.

So for you to judge a guy to talk about championships, everybody wants to win a championship.

Guys are not not.

Trying to win championships. You know, sometimes it happens for guys, sometimes it doesn't. But these guys are doing a lot of special things off the court, So you got to you gotta show them some respect and trump some love for all the things they're doing.

Yeah, and it's a team game too, so like you can't just put every time that Russ didn't win a chip on Russ.

Of course, not like sometimes the teams have better teams and you know it's a lot of great players then win championships.

You were just in the league, you were in the bubble, So like, what what led to the Pelicans being that first uh, that first job that you saw?

Yeah? For sure, I like, I'm sorry, I play. I can still play, for sure.

Sure.

Yeah.

If it wasn't for COVID, I definitely probably would still be trying to play. But with everything happening with COVID and I just had a baby, I like kind of wanted some stability and not have to worry about like trying to get into protocols or trying to find a job, trying to go here, trying to like be away from

Yeah, I was. Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that too, Like, how does it feel like you just having so many guys that you played with and against you know, still playing and you're on the bench. Is that a little weird or like, how how does that dynamic work?

It's I want to say it's weird. They still treat me like I'm.

Gonna play right right, But they listen to them because they know, like like if I say something I'm not saying just to be talking, like I'm only gonna say something about if I know it's right, if I did it before, like I know I did it, so I know it can be done.

So if I tell you like it needs to be like this, they listen. So I play. It's a little easier for me.

Yeah, you played on that young Laker team with it was Randall, Lonzo, Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, b I, KCP, Kuzma, Larry Nance Junior. Do you think if those guys developed into who they are now, which is obviously like especially for you in your field, you know that each situation develops guys differently, but just hypothetically speaking, how good do you think that Lakers squad is? If they all fully baking the oven in la.

I think they would have ended up being pretty good, being really good actually, because you know, if you get a group and they stay together, and all those guys work extremely hard. I think a lot of times people don't see the work these guys put in.

And all those guys they were putting in a lot of work.

So it's just in situations when you have a bunch of young guys, teams want a team like in.

The market like LA.

They want to win right away though, so it's they're not going to just develop you when they can get a guy like Lebron. So argue with what the Lakers did, Like they did it right. They had a lot of good young talent and they turned it into Lebron James and Anthony Davis. So the Lakers did a great job as a franchise and these young guys, they kept working their butts off and that's why they're in a good situations there right now.

Yeah, I'm really interested in how the offense has changed. I know that you weren't there obviously last year, but you guys are doing a lot of interesting things using the using Zion the way that you're using him, Lonzo's being used in a different way obviously, like Zion being this primary playmaker. It's interesting because Warriors are using Draymond like that a little bit too, and you've got Braun

You have a talent of like William you're gonna give the ball. You're gonna so.

I'm not gonna say situation. Know what's going on in the NBA. This is a Zion Williamson things for us, Like this guy is really good and he's really good with the ball in his hands, so we're gonna get him the ball and let him be Zion Williamson. And that's why we've been really good. And he has a lot of teammates like Linzo and beyond they want him to be so they're able to here, you go, big fella, we're gonna we're gonna help you and do what we do.

You do what you do.

It's interesting because b I and and Lonzo were both stars and their own right when they were doing their thing. To be able to defer to to Zion when Zion's younger and and want him to be great, that's special, definitely special.

That's why I think these guys are gonna be This is gonna be a really good future. And you got two superstars. I was All Star last YEARNS All Star this year. And then you have a guy like Zoe who's really good. He doesn't get enough credit for how good he is, and he's only getting better because he's twenty three years old. All these guys are young and they're only gonna get better. So they just got to stick together.

I got banged on on Twitter because I said I'd rather have Lonzo as my point guard over Ben.

Simmons, and I was fair.

I said that people, So I give I give Lonzo a lot of credit.

Way he's shooting the ball.

I tell you what, I tell you what.

Hey, can we teach I on another move other than that spin to the left?

And man, they can't stop.

I know, I know, it's so funny to me whatever I talk about. I'm like, he kind of does the same thing a lot, and no one seems to be able to do anything.

Isn't that your joby? He's like you look up and you're like, oh, he's not not for two? Like what every night? Like they can't stop? So just keep doing that move.

Literally all go over there too.

You can see them trying to shade left and try to stop and it's like you just he's just too strong.

Yeah, he's too strong once he gets to the way he wants to get to. And it's the touch. He has an amazing touch to be so big and just like it just falls in.

Yeah, it's not like it's not like some of these other guys that hit the ball hard off the backboard and just hope it goes in off the angle you know, is soft touch.

No, it's funny.

It's it's it's interesting to watch his development and he's not one of those guys. I'd love to see Zion give the like you're too little. He never does that. He never like just is like, you know, never does any flexing. You know me as somebody who wants to hit the exit sign like if I was if I was him, I would be running the scoreboard up when uh. I remember when you were drafted. Me and Marty were talking about this when we found out that we were going to talk to you about how David Stern said

Like Corey Brewer.

I think someone shouted it out in the crowd and then he was like, oh yeah, Corey Brewer, I don't know. It always stuck with me. I was wondering if you ever heard that.

I've never heard that. When I was like, go back and watch it.

Like, first of all, I didn't think I was going to Minnesota, so I was shot, and I was.

Kind of like, Minnesota, Yes, that's everyone who ever gets drafted in Minnesota.

I really thought I was going. I thought I was going to pick later.

So when I when I went, I was like, Okay, I'm just happy to.

Be drafted, like dream come true. But he and no one was sitting right next to name.

Did you feel any pressure being that first draft pick after KG left for Boston.

See that's the thing. KG hadn't left for Boston yet when I got drafted.

Oh yeah, it was that in between zone.

Yeah, it was like two weeks after, three weeks after I got drafted. So they probably never could use any of my interviews when I got drafted, because all I talked about was.

Oh man, I can't wait to wait to get to Minnesota. I used to love growing up. I get that it ain't OKG.

So it's like, okay, That's what happened when Sexton was drafted too, because he was like kept talking about Lebron and Lebron left two weeks later.

And the craziest thing for me is we end up making the trade and we brought in a bunch of young guys, and we brought in Al Jefferson and they gave him a big contract. So it was like, Oh, we're going to go to Al Jefferson, like we're gonna play, We're gonna go into our big man. So that was the craziest adjustment for me in the NBA was I go from playing fast moving all the time to standing in the corner and throwing it in the post every possession.

I'm I'm lucky I made it. As long as I'm made, that could have been end of me.

You uh.

I've always had relationships with friends where when they have a little bit of beef, I have beef with that person too. That's like kind of how I am as a friend. I know Joe Keem has had his uh, his tussles with KG. When KG came back to Minnesota and you were on that team, did you give him like an elbow on Joe Keane's behalf in practice.

I don't think their beef is this series when he came back, but definitely I would take up for my guy if I could.

It's like this one's for Noah, look for my guys.

No doubt, no doubt.

You talked about Zach Lavine being one of the most underrated players. Uh, and he's now having that breakout season. What do you think was about his game gave you that feeling.

I had exactly when he was early when he was a rookie.

Yeah, I used to go back to the night and work out and he would be in there just working on his game. And he always is always working hard, and I could tell like, this kid's gonna be really good. And just the last few years he was getting better and better, and I'm like, oh man, he's getting comfortable, he's about to he's gonna.

Have a breakout year.

And I just felt like this year with coach Donovan, my guy, coach Donovan going over there, he was gonna another level and.

Hey, he proved me right.

What's the difference between college coach Donovan and pro coach Donovan because you played for both not too much.

Actually, you know, in college he's a little more intense because you treat guys a little different when they're you know, when you're in college, a little different. But he's always been a players coach, So that's why I kind of knew he would be a really good NBA coach because he was a players coach and he always puts his players into addition to see like, it's not about his system, it's about the guys he has and the way they play.

Yeah, a lot of guys.

I think a lot of coaches try to keep their system the same, regardless of the personalities and the personnel that they have. I think one of the greatest examples of that is happening right now with Steve Kerr. Like Steve Kerr wants to run things the way he wants to run them, no.

Matter who's there, he's gonna do it his way. I mean, that's just facts.

But uh, did he did he call you the drunken dribbler while you were playing for him in OKC like he did when you were in Florida.

Nah, that's funny. I got the drinking dribbling in college. But it's funny because they say I dribbled drunk, but I never lose the ball. So like I'm the best drunk driver ever, Joe, because they'll be like, yo, you can't dribble at all, but nobody ever takes it.

He never lose. How is that possible.

It's just it's just a little bit sloppy looking.

That's awesy. I've been clubing my whole life, so it just looks fun.

I'm going to call a little bit of cap on that. I know, you were balling way too hard to not go into practice hungovers.

Sometimes this way we had a lot of fun and college go back and win it again.

I mean, yeah, and if it's working, just keep you know, if it's not broke, don't fix it.

You know.

I was mentioning your name to a Clipper fan who's a barista down the corner for me, and we talk about basketball a lot, and I was like, oh, yeah, I'm talking to Corey Brewer later and he's like, Corey Brewer, he ruined our one chance at a title. As a Clipper fan, it was the year before the Warriors were really really good. It was what twenty fifteen, right, I think it was twenty fifteen, and.

The Rockets were down.

It was it was Clippers were up three to one, on the rockets, and then Corey Brewer came loose. I think someone else came loose to Josh Smith. Yeah, Josh Smith and Blake Griffin had some like crazy layup and then all of a sudden, Corey Brewer and Josh Smith like took fire. I think you had nineteen points in game six and ten rebounds something crazy?

Uh in the fourth quarter?

Yeah.

What what do you.

Remember about that series with the Clippers? And do you think that that was their one chance that you guys stole?

We I remember they were really good and nobody gave us a chance. They thought, you know, they're of three to one. It was over, and I remember being down twenty. In my mind, I'm like, all right, we're down twenty. We just got to make a run. And I remember getting a layout, then getting another layup and making the three and hafter that I was like, oh, it's on, I can't miss, and then Josh got hot.

It was just a lot of fun.

We talked a little bit about Zoe.

I would be remiss to not ask about the fact that he is on and expiring a lot of chatter about whether he wants to stay in New Orleans.

He just I think.

Went on the record yesterday say, I do want to stay. I think he's playing some of his best basketball. I think him being off ball and being a shooter and playing defense versus being the playmaker. Now that Zion's being the playmaker makes him an even bigger valuable like asset for the for the team.

Do you think he.

Has played himself into a large role, like do you do you see him sticking around after this year?

Oh?

Sure, I play You're gonna figure around because he likes the Simmons and he likes it here. He loves New Orleans. Well, he wants to be here, so I thought you'll be here.

I think New Orleans is an underrated city.

It's a We talked about it being tough to build a brand in New Orleans because it's a football city. But I love it there from a music and food perspective. It's one of my favorite places in the country.

Oh yeah, it's a great city. But if you're winning, it doesn't matter what mark you and we just got to win, right. Yeah.

No, as long as you're really good, you can make a mark. You can make a Yeah, you can make that for yourself wherever you go. And yeah, I love New Orleans too.

I would.

I went to l s U from there, great great place.

Go Ducks.

Both you teams, y'all got us. Y'all got us when you were there. It's fine. The John Brady are y'all ended the John Brady era. Actually, I think I think that was his last game in the tournament.

Corey, Corey, thank you so much for coming on the show. It's been a blast. I'm so glad that you remember me and my gigantic hops.

Tell your friends that there is a barstool employee with tremendous hops, like if she was a foot taller, she'd be in the w N b ah.

Thanks so much. Do you have anything else, Marty? Are we gucci?

Uh No, I think we're good. Just wanted to let you know we might be at the game in Brooklyn at some point, so my uh might come say.

Hey, Yeah, we'll come say hi if we do. Actually, don't don't be shady though we do. Don't be like, oh I don't remember you, I don't know you get the push up challenge on. Thanks so much for coming on. That's all the time that we have for.

This league podcast. Please subscribe, Please rate, please.

Review, Please unsubscribe and resubscribe.

Tell your friends do the same fucking thing.

We need our numbers up makes a huge, huge difference for us. Do not forget to follow us on Twitter, ig and TikTok and on YouTube at this League and Trista Underscore Crik.

Thank you so much for listening.

We have a phenomenal show coming up Monday. We've got a special guest which we will let you know on Monday.

I don't want to see I don't want to tell you who it is.