This is the baseline discussing the hot button topics of the nb A welcome everybody, you're tuned to the baseline Callie warn't yall discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. It's been a long time. Sorry we left you, and we always have a strong show to bring.
Back, sir.
That's gonna do it anyway, man, So uh listen, it's it's it's great to uh to have an opportunity, especially the dog days this summer, to uh hop on and tap in and make sure everybody is good and as always, man, it's it's always welcoming to uh do this with my brother for another mother a man, mister Warrenshaw repping out of Fort Laydaville, Florida. What's good, mister Shaw. Good for you to uh be in the fold, be it be
tapped in for the for the summer. I know we both want to be tapped out in somewhere else and stuff like that. But you know, NBA grind don't sleep, my friend, it does not.
And we're back here. You know, it's great to kind of get back into the saddle here and talk about some of the things we might have missed kind of post summer League, if you will, and the NBA Draft, so our content continues to arrive. We've got a spavorite special guests coming on here this week. Really excited to talk with that gentleman. But here just kind of be
back into this fold. You kind to do like some of our contemporaries and still stay tapped in, but also get some rush and reprieve ourselves.
Absolutely, man, It's it's great when we give ourselves the opportunity to kind of take a step back and you know, assess not just what the season is is culminated to, but also with what happens in the off season, because it's always just so immediate and fast to even take a you know, to kind of get an overall view.
So you know, this is great because there will be an opportunity of time for us to really kind of chime in give our assessment of whether or not teams you know, and have done what is necessary to improve their roster to take step forward, take a step forward, and then you know, look at the teams that either have stagnated or may essentially be taking a step back, and maybe even look at teams who are completely rolling the dice with some of the moves that they've made.
You know, is the risk worth the reward. So there's so much that we would love to you know, obviously do and we will get into those things. But you know, as always too, man, even the players in the teams many know they need a break right, but that does not mean that the NBA grind doesn't sleep right or doesn't stop. And so we are excited to have someone who is in the throes of being on that grind.
He's going to do a little FaceTime with the Baseline with us a man Jordan Hines really an accomplished basketball player, accomplished collegiate basketball player, accomplished player all together. He's going to be jumping on both with this. We're going to tap in with him, you know, get his perspective, his views of what the summer is going to be like and what the future is going to be like for him. He's a name that you do not want to sleep on because he is definitely in the mist. So a
lot of good stuff happening. As always be to get my man Shaw at the Warrenshaw, you can get at me a game face leader shows Twitter hand at NBA Baseline available on all the major platforms you know where to find us. You can also go to www dot the Baseline NBA dot com to not only check out this episode, but also all of our previous episodes that we've got archived in the home at the Home the home spot. You also know this if you catch us on the YouTube channel, that means we rocking with the
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nineteen Media Group family. So let's get digging into some of the news and noticed that and taking place while we've been on our you know, little hiatus mini hiatus, I guess you could say, and I think the first thing that just jumps out Shaw is, you know a lot of speculation was made about why the Milwaukee Bucks went ahead and just essentially released Damian Lillard, you know, eating you know, most of the money that's owed to him and allowing him the ability to go and sign
with anyone else, uh, without really figuring out you know, where he's going to be and where most people thought his intent is that he's probably going to look to sign, you know, take his time and sign with a contender, right, But he decided to sign with the Portland Trailblazers. And I think there's so many different directions you can go into this, but I wanted to get your perspective from this shaw A person like Damian Lillard, an accomplished player
like Damian Lillard. It isn't as if, you know, he's like in his forties or something like that, and you know he's about to do a swan song like the next person that we're going to be talking about in a moment or so. But with him, why make that move to go back to the Portland Trailblazers, especially with the way that that roster is currently constructed. What's the end game here for a Damian Lillard to do that?
I mean, just the old adage of you know, you say you can't go home again, and he's proven that adage to be wrong. He never really wanted to leave, and he's somebody who has been admittedly while yes, he wants to win a championship, he also understands like or he feels like his career is not incomplete if he doesn't, if that makes sense, like it's something that, yes, all players want to win, but he wants to be a
good dude. He wants to be a good teammate. He wants to be he is going to be Hall of Famer. So all those things are are in place, and now the injury happens and the way that it does. But while he does an unprecedented move in terms of you know, stretching Waven stretching him if you will, and that allows him this opportunity to be the free agent for the first time like truly in his career. And he decided in Chronic and company in Portland, decided them they're gonna
end defenses. And he gets to go home to where he's basically raised his family now for the last some out of years, rehabbed over that time, enjoying a Portland team that is on the rise. Now again, we know this is not a championship level team right now, but Bobs did a really great job last year with this roster, and they made some moves in essence to clear some
way for some younger guys to play. And I think this is going to be in Dames Wolhouse, especially this year of recovery, right, really assess the team and the roster. Give Scoop some leadership, give Shaden Sharp some leadership. You know, even Donovan Klingen, like all the guys at this Portland Trail Builders roster is trying to build around Dame will be there to be that guiding kind of force to go alongside bullets in the locker room. And then the next year he comes back and should be able to
play and play at a reasonably high level. And then I think they'll they'll see where they're at that after that second year, so it allows them again the time to rehab be with his family being a comfortable setting, and be with and men defenses that he didn't really want to have been broken into very very beginning with the beginning anyway, and then we'll see what happens in
year three because he has a no trade clause. I believe it's a player option at the end of that third year, and if he does decide he wants to leave again to go air quote chase the Chase the Ring, well, then Portland's given him that out and he has that opportunity. So it's a nice story in a lot of ways, but it has nothing to do I think, with championships as much as has to do with comfortability for Damian Lillard and a pull Drublozers.
I'm just gonna quickly lean on to what you're saying that this doesn't feel like or doesn't have the sense of someone who's chasing a championship. And I will also say this as well too. We are in a different climate now when it comes to athletes and what they're prioritizing for their for what they want to I guess
etch out as their legacy. I'm not going to perceive to act like I know what Damian Lillard is prioritizing, but I will say I think we've almost completely just we're so much caught in the immediate moment of what an athlete is expected to do as a as a
professional is to go out win championship rings. And part of that precedent, that pressure was applied, you know, essentially by a Lebron James, and it then trickled itself down to when you see a person like a Steph Curry and a Kevin Durant and so forth and so on. Damian Lillard was among one of those elite superstar players.
We were hoping would be in that fold because he essentially led the Portland Trailblazers in two different occasions opportunities to actually get to the NBA Finals and fell short, right, And that's still in a pretty oppressive resume to have as part of your legacy. I think when you have a significant injury, depending on where you are and your you know, your age window, I think you reset the
priorities about what matters. And you mentioned the fact that I think him being closer to home, him taking care of his family, I think all of that, and I also think too Shaw, it's also to what you're saying. I want my legacy to be known that I always loved and respected what Portland gave me. They were the ones who took roll the dice on me, and I want to make sure that I do right by them.
And I think we don't often talk about these things because it isn't until after the player retires that he kind of you know, goes in that direction and speaks to those things. And if there is a virtue of a very what's the word animus relationship that severs, you know, what goes on between him and the organization, whatever the case may be, then you got to have these like you know, Kumbaya moments and let's make peace moments and
documentaries of you know, nobody wants that. I think genuinely, Damian Lilla has always had a love for the Portland Trailblazers that I think him doing this sets another layer to understanding a very unique and a very well liked legacy of one of the most respected players of our of this generation. You know, to play the game, and of course you want to see him win a championship, but I even think he's okay with may not win
the championship. But there's so many other things that I think that I've been able to do that will make me feel better about whether or not I do have the opportunity to hoist that trophy. One quick thing before we move on Shaw, And I'm really curious because of what you were saying about him being, you know, kind of a mentor of providing leadership to a guy like Scoot Henderson. You genuinely believe that the Portland Trailblazers still have faith or buy into Scoot Henderson. Do you still
think that he is that guy? Because I could also say too that if Damian Lillard comes back like dalliand something of Damian Lulla of old, what do you do with the guy like a Scoot Henderson. Scoot Henderson is gonna have to, you know, leap frog some pretty significant markers for us to buy into the fact that he
eventually is gonna be that guy. Knowing that the man before you that left that forced them to go get you, you still have not you surp you you know what I'm saying or superseded to that level.
Yeah, I think well from when I heard right and you know, listening to other shows and media that poorly even asked about it, and not that he needed to bless it, but they wanted to let them know that this is a direction that they were handing because many for the same reasons that you might even be alluding to you, right like, hey, is this really our guy? A lot kind of long term andoo listen, listen, why
not right? You bringing back basically your your favorite son here in Portland was somebody who I can learn from. And then Scoot's going to have all the runway, especially this upcoming season, like Dame is not a threat to him, you know, this year at all, and then you again you reassess what what that ends up being after the next year, and then they play together and see what you really have, and then I think Scoot's rookie contract will be up and then they really have an opportunity
to kind of figure things out. I think the timeline works out perfectly for all parties in this group. Gives an opportunity to play prove himself, and then Dame has an opportunity to kind of come back mentrum in the short term, and then they can figure they can play together, and then they get a year to really assess what that is for all parties. I think it's a win win for all parties involved, and I'm excited for what schoo Henderson still has the ability to kind of prove.
We played really well towards the latter part of last year, battles, some injuries, excited around their pland pulling the lineup was a little wonky. Phillips did a great job even managing that they were competitive for that one of those last playing spots. So I think this is going to be something that we don't necessarily worry about in terms of personality clashes and or talent clashing in the long term for the Blazers.
I will say this one thing though, all right, and we don't often talk about it because it's the Portland Trail Blazers and it's it just happens off and on. We'll see whether or not the organization is going to be on top of this. I will say this, Shaw, while it's awesome, the Portland Trail Blazers are getting back
something that he essentially lost. Right, the fear can be if Scoot Henderson does not exude the maturity of handling that situation to wait and needs to be handled, Portland Trailblazer fans and those among in that in that circle are gonna be feeling like that, Oh, I can't wait for Damien to come back, you know what I'm saying. And then that's going to be putting additional pressure on a guy like Scoot Henderson. Again, he's been given this,
this this this long leash, this runway of opportunity. I'm hoping that part of his maturation is recognizing that even as a player, you still can separate yourself, but don't undermine yourself, knowing that part of that narrative you can't you can't avoid it that part of that narrative that's there is that fans are happy that Damien is back in the fold, and at times fans can take it to another level when they see you struggling because they can't separate the greatness of what they had from one
player knowing that he can eventually come back, and not looking at the level of greatness that you have for yourself and what you're expecting to give for the Portland Trailblazers. I just I'm just saying that at times, the organization and even a head coach. I'm not trying to blame people or or you know, go on on on any kind of conspiracy theory theory, but it is there that at times players don't know how to handle that type of pressure when it is applied when you go through
those struggles. So it'll be interesting to see how the Portland Trailblazers support that so that that narrative doesn't get leaked out or get perceived because of the legacy of that as of a Damian Lillard. All right, scheall, let's switch our focus to the the LA Clippers, who I don't know if I'm necessarily surprised by this move by
the Clippers. I am surprised by one of the moves in them getting Bradley Beal, but more not most so surprised about the fact that Chris Paul decided to come back, you know, to the to the to the place, right. I think people probably said to themselves, well, why didn't you go back to the New Orleans Pelicans. It's almost as if my man just like, yeah, he said, I blanked out the first seven eight years of my career. My career really started when I was playing in Lob City, right, like,
you know what I mean. And so it's I think it's great. Obviously, there is also that opportunity because the Clippers are among the early season people to teams to keep a watch for that could upset the Apple card as far as making a run in the Western Conference. What do we make about Chris Paul Bradley Beal now being Los Angeles Clippers for this upcoming season.
Yeah, because the Norman palletrade was curious and then some people like, we just don't want to pay him. But then you can get Bradley Bill. Yes, even at this advanced age, so to speak. But what is basically a minimum deal. It's just so interesting. You know, the return on investment that people see, right, Bradley buil a number
that he was in Phoenix, not of value. Bradley Bill at that number for the Clippers five and a half million absolute value because his percentages were still pretty good last year, you know, when he was able to stay on the court, which is obviously the key statement and that's the whole thing I think for the Clippers team, and as it is every year, can they all stay
on the court. So Chris Paul coming back, you know, gives them somebody, another ball handler, somebody who doesn't necessarily need to log thirty five forty minutes a night with James Harden. Kind of int there, but then that allows Harden to get some rest. And now they don't lose play creation if Paul's on the floor. And Paul played all eighty two games with the Spurs last year, especially even at his age. You know, that's an amazing situation. So the Clippers are one of the more differently in
air quote improved teams. In the off season. They remember the added Brook Lopez, added John Collins. Now you bring in Bradley Bill and Chris Paul. A lot of veteran presence on this roster. A lot of old guyshunt this roster, so they really are going to have to do their best in sence to try to stay healthy throughout the course with the regular season and get a decent seed where they can hopefully have home court. But I think the additions of Chris Paul and Bradley Bill specifically makes
sense for where they are. Yes, it's a lot of star power, it's a lot of name power, it's a lot of potential Hall of famers here and you know in La Land. But I understand where where they're trying to go with it. And now we've got to see if Lawrence, Frank and tylu have what it takes in essence to really build a championship contender on that Lelly Clippers.
I just considered these interesting moves. I am. I'm probably higher on the Chris Paul move because the Los Angeles Clippers have for the longest time really needed a secondary ball creator because they just never had it. After you know, James Harden, I will say though, that what makes this play interesting is that we could probably get rid of the notion that the idea is is that they want Brian Bradley Beal to operate like kind of like as
a point guard space. I I don't know why there has this been a struggle to really find his niche outside of his injuries. With this this this idea that you know, if let's say you're running a three guard rotation, that you know, the assumption is like he can operate in a point guard space. I think he was in a unique space when he played next to John Wall. I think John Wall allowed that, and especially with a different style of of pace of play, it allowed that
to get away with doing that. But he's never to me been a dedicated ball handler kind of guy. If you're gonna have that ball exclusively in the hands of James Harden or Chris Paul, I think you make Bradley Beal a better player. The question is, can Bradley Beal stay on the floor long enough to allow the level of greatness for guys like James Harden and Chris Paul to help accentuate what he could actually give you. We'll see whether or not that place and that's part of that.
You know, quote unquote low risk, low reward to you. I consider it high risk because again, he's playing for a team that is in the spotlight. Los Angeles Clippers are a high visible type of team, and I would have probably figured he would have gone back to a place that would have had low visibility to allow him to kind of really help bolster a team, you know, boost numbers, but not really be part of the focal point, you know.
But again maybe I mean he's better. Remember he's not, he's not. He's slotted down now in terms of even the pecking order. Even with Duran and Booker, he was a third guy, and I think in this situation he's the third guy is shift you will, and that's a distant third behind what Kawhi and James Harden are providing.
So like it allows him to still to be able to be a productive player, but not necessarily have to be sought after as like, hey, you absolutely have to produce because of all the other additions they mad as well too. Think about even Chris Paul playing along with John Collins. John Collins is a very productive basketball player, especially as a lob threat. Here now you still have Derek Jones, like you still they still have Boganovitch as well.
So this Clippers team is not struggling in terms of roster and talent, and while I understand where you're intimating to when it comes to beel but his impact is more superfluous. I think in this way, I wouldn't say luxuries, but I mean it's superfluous because he can still secondary create, he can still some of those things, do some of those things without the spotlight. Oh well, we need Bradly Bible to give us assist and give us times or we need rather be able to shoot forty percent from three.
He can have an average season and still be very impactful because of the other star, assuming everybody says I agree.
But let's also let's also, you know, highlight the fact that he is He's a scorer, right, and he's gonna shoot the basketball, and therefore, where those opportunities are going to come into play in floor spacing, he's gonna be one of those primary guys to get that basketball. You
get what I'm saying. So that's the only reason why I'm just highlighting the fact that if it was something like he's coming in to kind of help support Again, if Kawhi stays healthy, James Harden's been pretty healthy for the most part, so him I don't necessarily worry about. But if Kawhi stays healthy, Lopez stays healthy, Collins stays healthy, I agree with you, right, like all of those guys, they will be more go to guys and that will
allow Bille to kind of come underneath the radar. But again, you know that could be me in the fact that I always would have loved to have seen Bradley Beal not be put in such a precarious circumstances situation, and maybe Tyron lu and Lawrence and the way that this roster is constructed will finally allow for that to happen.
So it will give a little bit more oxygen to the type of talent Bradley Beal is rather than always what's off the court, like the contract situation and the constant injuries and all this other kind of stuff in an other in a very interesting division that he is obviously playing in, because it's not like he left and went to go play in the Eastern Conference and went to go play in the in the Northwest Divisions, southbat Division. He's still in the Pacific, so he's still sitting with
the Warriors, the Lakers, you know, and the likes. So it's not like that has gone away, and it'll just be interesting to see what kind of productivity can actually give us. All right, seall Finally, one last thing that we wanted to get into. The Los Angeles Lakers made a play and they brought in Marcus Smart, our guy. You know what I'm saying, the bulldog. He is now a Los Angeles Laker. I don't know how he can
how he feels about it. Clearly he feels happy about it because you know the Lakers are gonna need him. I'm not I feel good because, you know, I think he was lost in space, you know, being a Washington wizard. Albeit, I thought that there could have been an opportunity for him there if they had an idea or had a
clue what they were doing. But clearly the Los Angeles Lakers they needed to to kind of really fill up that depth, and they also needed a a a guy who can be a defensive bulldog kind of helps show that way. What do we make about the Marcus Smart move going to the Lakers.
It says a lot about Marcus Smart. You know, two years here, being injured for the most part in that Memphis thing, and then goes to Washington and you know, plays x amount of games, doesn't really have much of an impact in neither one of those situations. But Lucan knows what it is, and Lucan knows he needs help on the defensive side of the for especially when he's
out there on the floor. So if you're recruited by Luca, and you're Marcus Smart at this stage of career, you're going to answer that call, even if it means going to what is air Quot considered a rival team from the team that you played for previously in Boston. So I think it's a nice fit for for the for the Lakers. You know, he's not exactly Dring Finney Smith, you know, at this stage of his career, but he
can also provide a leadership. He's been through many, many, many about although he doesn't have a championship ring per se, he knows what it is to compete at certain those levels. And I think, alongside Lebron obviously with Luca into as well, this Lakers team has done a decent job this offseason. Again, I want to go so far say that they're championship level. We'll see how it all plays, and I'm not going
to get into it. All look looks so great and he's Skinny Luca and all the things that we're all get excited about in the off season because we have nothing else to talk about. But the move itself makes a lot of sense, especially at the price that they haven't at. And you know, it doesn't doesn't usually happen the other way around, where other Lakers, like longtime Lakers, end up joining Boston. It just seems to happen that long time Celtics ultimately end up playing with the Lakers
at some point. So interesting conversation to be had. But I'm happy for Marcus Smart and the Lakers, and.
I'm happy for Marcus as well too. I think that he is a much needed player and he needs to be on a team where what he brings to the table can be can be appreciated and valued. So somewhere along the lines, you know what that might look like with how jj Reddick, you know, you know, wants to deploy and utilize the roster great, but you know, he's always proven to be a Swiss army knife, right him
to play point guard. He plays the point guard you need him, you know, to to basically d up front court players, you know, go int He does that, And I think that that was something that was so really lacking for you know, just not just a role roster perspective,
for the Lakers, just in general. I think that was too much of what was expected from Lebron James, and I think you need that secondary player to be that kind of person and again alleviate the pressure off of Luca who a lot of what his attributes usually lead to or lend to itself to, is more to the offensive side of the basketball. So if you have that for multiple players from a defensive side of things, that takes the pressure off like you were alluding to with
regards to Lucas. So I appreciate the fact that if the Lakers are really going to utilize Marcus Smart, he has so much opportunity in space to really help them in so many different ways and really help bolster up that backcourt, which obviously was a source spot despite the offensive productivity that they had in that second half of the season. Definitely can utilize that for their roster. Your tune to the Baseline Allie Warrenshaw discussing the hot button
topics of the NBA. Coming up, We're gonna do a little face time with the Baseline with our special guest Jordan Hines. He's gonna be on board with us. We're gonna wrap with him for a few minutes, So don't go anywhere. You're tuned to the baseline. Cali Warrenshaw. Time now to do a little FaceTime with the baseline. Cali Warrenshaw the Baseline NBA podcast and on board with us to do a little face time with the baseline man.
We are so excited. He is twenty twenty four to twenty five c I Double A Player of the Year. He's a leading scorer in the CI Double A, an All Conference selection. His accolades is just you know, impressive to say the least Atlantic Region Player of the Year, HBCU Division two Player of the Year, and HBC you All Star. Also responsible for hitting the game winning layup
if you caught him. This year, he's been on the grind in the Miami Pro League, and he also just recently played in the TBT Tournament part of the Du Bois Dream Our Man. Jordan Hines joining us here on the baseline. Jordan, thanks for hopping on board with us this week.
Brother, Thank God for having me.
Jordan Man, listen, I'm listening off all of these accolades and stuff, which clearly means that you've been putting in this work for twenty twenty four to twenty five. So talk about what this year has been like for you. You know, is basically it for a lot of people, Man, this is this is an impressive list, an impressive list of saying to ourselves like, yo, man, I cannot wait to see him competing playing basketball in any way, shape or level, just because that tells us that this is
this is this is for real for you. So talk about what this year has been like for you, everything that you've accomplished.
This year was really a crazy year. It still doesn't really feel real knowing that it was just my last year of college basketball. I really just wanted to go out with a bank and really just had the best year possible. And I feel like I really accomplished that. It's just really been a lot of accolades. I feel like I really haven't been able to really just sit back and really enjoy it because I felt like the
accomplishments were just coming one after another. But I was saying, I feel like once I received one, another one was coming in, so I couldn't really just enjoy the other one. But it was definitely just a blessing. I feel like it was a lot of hard work and I just give all my glory to God.
Really well, Jordan, we had you on or I had you on Dope interviews, you know, a little over a year ago. I guess I was the beginning part of the junior year, and you know, just to kind of see how you've been able to take success that you had there and then continue that success into what was your your final year at Bluefield and now on the grind here, you know, trying to get into that pro aspect.
What's the biggest thing that you've learned, I guess since leaving college, if you will, right and getting all those awards and now kind of on the grind to trying to establish yourself to continue your journey as a pro basketball player, Like kind of like what are the things that you learn, you know, playing at those basically between the college level and now trying to get into the pro level.
I would just say, right now, I feel like my college career is pretty much behind me. I'm kind of done with that. I'm really starting over. I'm starting all over. I'm right back at the bottom. I'm really just trying to work my way up. So all my accolades and college those are all cool. I got all the trophies,
I got all the memories, but that's behind me. I'm really just looking to just start a new journey and really just starting up from the bottom, really just grinding all my way to the top end, trying to get those accolades just on the professional level.
So speaking of that, Jordan, you know this summer, right, you had an opportunity you participate in Miami Pro League, You had an opportunity to work out and play with the Memphis Grizzlies, and then also you competed in in the TBT, which listen by by all accounts, that is a great opportunity to be spotlighted, to be on national TV because that was you know, facilitated by Fox Sports. They were covering the TBT tournament and things of that nature.
When you say, you know, all my college accolades are behind me, it's you know, now it's like I'm starting from the bottom. What is it that you initially have seen already as far as competing now that you're playing next to professional athletes all centered in whatever that you know, whatever that realm is, whether it's the TBT, the Pro League of the Memphis Grizzlies. What is the one thing
that's already stood out to you? Being in that and being in that circle with those guys that are grinding just like you, to actually get an opportunity to play professional basketball.
It's really just been a great experience. I feel like I'm kind of just getting a kickstart before my rookie season. I've just been around a great I've been around just a bunch of great people. Just been able to just be a sponge, just kind of just soak up a lot of game, just learn a bunch of things, just like just taking care of your body. It's a lot of long seasons in college you play around like thirty
to thirty five games. Professionally, you could be playing anywhere from fifty to eighty so sometimes one hundred games a season, so really just taking care of your body, just always just being a professional on the court off the court, So just learning just different things. I feel like it's just been a great opportunity.
So Jordan, I'm going to tap in because you know, as we spoke about on dop Vivendi's last time, I know you from Wow right, basically knowing your whole life, and even so, your dad was texting me when you're at Miami pro it sex with me this great picture. I think it's like Mike Beasley, Michael Beasley trying to d you up right. I know you've played really well
that night or whatever the case may be. But what's it like going against some people that you saw literally like like somebody like that, Like I knew you were a kid, and now you're sharing the same court with some of those guys. And you know, I kind of have a follow up to that too, but I kind of want to stop there. You know, you're not in a space where you can truly be awestruck, but appreciating
the moment. I think it's something that you know, all players, they kind of have that coming that come to Jesus moment, so to speak, because it was like for you to kind of see guys like Beasley and some other professionals that you might have seen growing up. Now you're sharing the same court with them.
I mean, definitely just sharing the same court with just some of the people that you've just watched, I mean, your whole life. I feel like it's crazy, But I mean, at the end of the day, I feel like, now this is my job and they're uh, so I can really just be to start struck out there. I feel like, I mean, we're just going against each other, We're really competing. At the end of the day, I feel like we're
both doing the same thing. So, but it's definitely it's definitely a blessing just to be able to share the court with just some people that I always just looked up to and always watch.
Yeah, and let me follow up real quick say oh sorry, you know because in that same vein I I know what you've been through, right, and even I think when you're talking about in high school, some people like with
talk stuff to you. So you come in now with all these accolades after this, you know, this great senior year in had you had to deal with some of those same pressures and some of that same kind of like you know, jump talking at you like hey boy, just because you were the CIA, don't play of the year. That don't mean nothing here, Like you know, how are you handling some of that or have you met have you been met primarily with love, you know, in the situations you've been with.
I would say it's been a lot of love really. I mean, I feel like it's basketball. There's a lot of trash stock on both sides coming from everywhere. So I mean that doesn't really get to anybody because I feel like now, at the end of the day, everybody's professional, and everybody has accolades. Everybody was good in college, everybody was the best player on their college team.
So it really doesn't even matter anymore.
Jordan Hines joining us here on the baseline, doing a little FaceTime with the baseline. So Jordan, I want to I want to dig into your preparation real quick, right, And I don't want you to let off any you know what I'm saying, any secrets or anything like that. We ain't gonna try to put you on the spot like that, but I do want to tap into what is your preparation, Like you're going into a scenario, for example, like in the pro league. What what what kind of
goals are you trying to set for yourself. I know that usually athletes will say, you know, I just want to play to the best my abilities, you know, and things that nature. But I know that you, as a professional athlete, you have specific goals like, hey, you know, I want to be really efficient from shooting the three or you know, I definitely, you know, want to elevate you know, my my my interior game, like you know what I'm saying, my you know, or you know, scoring
in the pain, whatever the case may be. What's your preparation like for you when you're getting ready to go out there to compete.
I would just say I feel like I was always labeled as a score and I kind of just feel like that my defense was just kind of overlooked. So really just showing that I could really defend at a high level, really just guard really.
Like the one through the three.
Really just showcase that because I feel like professionally everybody could score the ball.
Everybody's talented.
So just doing all the little things, uh pick I try really just pick up full court. Really just get my teammates of all, show them I could pass, run the one. Just do things like that because I feel like everybody could score the ball, and everybody knows I score the ball.
So yeah, Jordan, I think one of the things you know about your game that I've seen specifically is that that ability to defend. I think you were steals leader. I think you know, in that first season or whatever, the case would be or how to volume of model steals, but that's not like the measure of a true good
defender like you pick up right. But also, I think an underrated part of the game is kind of like that secondary play creation, right, because you do pass the ball if you look for others that you're not, you know, overly selfish even though you've had to be the man in certain situations. So what advice are you getting from others, you know when it comes to that in terms of like how to make your hay and to make your
way as a professional. Is it saying, hey, lock in on that defense, showcase those other parts of your game, or is that something that you're just kind of doing because you feel like it's been underrated.
Really just all the feedback that I've received is pretty much so my obviously, I feel like every basketball players go is to play in the NBA. When you get to the NBA, I mean you're going to be on teams with rates Kevin Durantz, Lebron James, Stephen curryes, I mean scores. So I mean you really just have to play your role and at the end of the day, I mean you might only get three shots in a game.
If that so, I mean, what other things are you going to do to impact the game?
So I feel like that's just been the biggest things and really just trying to just showcase those abilities that I have.
What are the things that you that you look to when you're competing?
Right?
Like I know that that there's some athletes they are strictly honed in on focusing on playing the game of basketball at a high level, and they don't pick up on the IQ aspects of the game of basketball, don't realize that they're standing next to very valuable resources, assistant head coaches, other athletes, players, and things of that nature.
Do you see yourself as someone as a basketball lifer, like you see yourself ten to fifteen years from now, Whether or not you're playing the game of basketball professionally in some capacity, the game of basketball will be a part of your ethos, Like you see yourself maybe even coaching, you see yourself, you know, maybe out there behind the scenes. Is that something that you visually see for yourself, regardless of whatever it is and everything that you're doing for
that is lending itself to that aspect of it? Like, are you still absorbing and picking up those things that are making like, Wow, this is why I love the game of basketball, because I'm getting to see not just little glimpses of it, but I'm seeing everything that goes along with it.
No, almost definitely.
I definitely whenever the ball stops bouncing, I definitely see myself still around just sports in general, even if it's coaching. When I was in college, I was shadowing our announcer, so that's kind of what I was looking to get into.
I have my own show at school called Big Blue Spotlight where I just interviewed athletes and kind of just try to just give because I know my school was a small school, so really just trying to just show a division show that we have great Division two athletes and really just give them the spotlight that they might not necessarily get all the time.
Oh that's awesome, man, I love that. I love that. I mean, and I especially and I don't have bus. This is like the first time he ever speaking with you. I know Shaw has growing up with your dad, and I actually know your dad as well too, But I love up here in New Jersey. What I was so
impressed by is you accomplish these at it. You know, saying at an HBCU right under the HBCU, you have reinvigorated the conversation of why HBCU is important because of not just what you did on the basketball court, but just what you're highlighting too, is that you're also doing things off the basketball court as well to to highlight
those things. And I just want to give you your flowers for that, man, because we often are so focused in our own personal passions and goals that sometimes to your point, we don't stop and see how much of an impact it actually has outside of the game itself. But it's having an impact. Nah, thank you, I appreciate that.
Joined before I let your ride out, man, just so kind of like what's next over the course of the summer again, you know, Cal alluded to come to some of the major things you were kind of already accomplished, you know, but as you look get into this here, training camp is kind of open. Obviously euro Basket's about to start here in a couple of weeks. There's gonna
be opportunities to you know, join training camps. Kind of like just kind of like, what do you have kind of in your calendar in your schedule here for the next couple of weeks and months as we head towards hope will hopefully be an NBA season For the.
Next couple of months or the next couple of weeks, I'm really just trying to decide if I want to go overseas. I know for the G League, I'm trying to go that route. My agent was just telling me that there's gonna be a couple of camps and stuff like that opening up in September, so probably just do that, just try to make a squad. If not, then just go overseas. So that's pretty much just my next steps, just staying ready, just being prepared for any opportunity.
Is there an overseas country that is of most interest or you just you just want to it don't even matter, but is there somewhere?
I mean, I might have.
A couple offers on the table, but really my main thing right now, I'm trying to stay stateside and stay in the and do the G League thing. But if not, it's still just a great opportunity to be able to play basketball, and that'd be my job, just to be able to have a job and do what I love.
So I can't complain.
Well, Jordan, if There's one thing we definitely want to see is we want to definitely see you hooping it up on the G League if if, if, if at all possible, but if not, we'll be streaming you. Whichever country which is gonna is definitely gonna is gonna have you out there on the basketball court will definitely increase their odds to hopefully hoisting up any kind of title whatsoever. Jordan Hines, Man, you are one of one and we certainly appreciate you hopping off board with this this week.
Man.
For all of our listeners, man, if you want to catch up with him, he is on the Insta so you can catch him at Jay Hines Underscore and uh, you know, Jordan man, you know, chime in with us, let us know what's what the deal is man, and stuff like that. Let us let us know where you're at. We're gonna, we know, we're gonna be following you and our listeners are gonna be doing the same as well too.
Brother. Nah, definitely we're gonna be in touch. I appreciate y'all for having.
Me absolutely your tuned to the baseline. Calie Warrenshaw and our special guests, Jordan Hines doing a little FaceTime with the baseline Don't Go Anywhere. We're back Cali Warrenshaw Baseline NBA podcast. Awesome, awesome conversation with our man Jordan hin Shaw. You know, I know a lot of people when they do when they do these podcasts or you know, they do these shows and things of that nature, the first inclination is probably to find, you know, a high profile athlete,
you know, someone that's already playing in the NBA. And I don't think we take enough time in general. I'm just saying, in general, we don't take enough time to really talk to the to the athletes that are aspiring to play at that level and really get an understanding of what the grind is like for them and what the expectation are. You know, it's usually like being highlighted in like these little you know, documentaries, where there's this
level of dramatization. We don't get the uncut, unfiltered perspective of things. Now obviously, you know, we're not going to sit here and you know, try to draw out you know, any any anything per se to to make a player
or an organization or anybody like that look bad. But again to your point, I appreciate the fact that you know, you're giving him a platform, or you're giving an athlete like Jordan Hines a platform for him to speak his perspective, because I think people do need to appreciate what these players actually go through to position themselves for the opportunities to even be considered to play professional, whether it's the
NBA or anything of that. Like, you just just because you were great here in college doesn't mean you just get to walk out and go anywhere you please in other countries, Like there is a process even there too, And dare I say there are politics involved, you know
what I mean? So I just you know, again, it's just great to have those opportunities, And I'm glad Jordan was on board to kind of really speak to it, because again, you would think that based off of his resume, he should easily be like right now coming off of us us talking about what's going on with him and what he did in the summer League, or saying like, oh, you know, he's he's he's going to basically be a part of some sort of a roster spot for professional
NBA team, And that just doesn't always happen as quickly and as instantly as I think we think it should be.
Yeah, there's beauty in the struggle, and I think being able to tell the story of that beauty is important for us here on the baseline and as a part of being the nineteen media group ethos, if you will. But Jordan is somebody who was a special individual. And it's interesting because he's saying it himself. Right, everybody's good. Everybody has thatc collages. Everybody was the best player, you know, on the proverbial team. And so that doesn't make you special,
you know, in certain in certain those environments. But what does make you special is recognizing that and having the work ethic andis to try to get to the next level. Say hey, you're a great scorer, Well he said, I'm going to focus on my defense.
Right.
No one talks about that, and nobody talks about a secondary playmaking. So that's why I think somewhere like him is poised for success at the professional level. And whether that's the NBA or overseas, He's going to be playing basketball somewhere and I'm confident of that. And there are there's stories like his all over you know, the United States and all over the world. Ironically. I don't know
if you caught ironically. We just spoke about Luke a little bit earlier, but Luca and Steve Nash and some others they're basically doing like a study, you know, euro European players and what it means when you're playing at this age and trying to get to the next level versus American players. And then you can even study that certain players lose, they get burnt out because they're no
longer playing for the joy of the game. They're playing to try to just do you know what I mean, because there are all this all this pressure on them to make it at X y Z level. So it's it's it's you know, I mean, it's kind of a it's a dual sided coin in it because you still want people to enjoy the game, but it doesn't mean
that's all that there has to be to it. So I really liked your question about, like, well, basketball be a part of your life, whether or not you know you're getting to dribble the basketball yourself, or do you go behind the scenes in some capacity. And he was prepared for that answer, and many people are not prepared for that. They're not thinking about what will happen if
I don't make it. But either way, Jordan's still young enough where he has an upper trajectory in this game, and we're going to be really excited to see what he does get to his goal here at playing professor.
Yeah, and I think and I appreciate you acknowledging that part of it, because under no circumstances, was I like trying to, you know, make it sound like he wasn't going to be successful. I actually and I know that. But I think sometimes people think that when you're asking that question, it's to kind of elicit this idea, are
you thinking just beyond the game of basketball. I was also more curious about how much of this game are you getting an opportunity to absorb because to your point and what he said earlier, he's like, I haven't even had a chance to really soak in the accomplishment. And you know what, great players often are going to have
that kind of a response. I don't have time for me to really appreciate what I did when I when I, you know, finish my senior year, junior or whatever year of basketball, and all of these things that you're telling me I did, I accomplished and achieved it. You know, maybe ten years from now this might be great, or somebody might remind me from the alumni staff or whatever. But I can't think about that. I gotta be thinking
about the next thing. And that, I think is what impresses me a lot about what Jordan Hines is speaking to And then the other thing I wanted to highlight this shaw before we you know what I'm saying before we chime out and everything. What I really appreciate about what he was saying too, is he understands that this game is not just about what the talent reflects. It's also about what you absorb. It's about the IQ level.
We are in that stage of the game, the culture of basketball where your basketball IQ has to be at the highest level. And if you're not showing that, they are not working with you.
Man.
It's not that they don't think that you're talented. It's that they don't know what to do with that talent and ain't got the time in order to figure that part of it out. It's gonna be up to you to do that. And that's the reason why, you know, we often talk about this regarding teams like the Golden
State Warriors, and teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder. You know, we didn't get to this point about talking about SGA without saying to ourselves, there's something of else to his game that is making him the great player that he is, and it's the ability to process. It's the ability to utilize that IQ. It's why we talk about the Steph Currys. It's why we talk about the Klay Thompson's. It's why Kevin Durant is now the player that he is is
right and will always be. It's not just because he was able to put that ball in the basket of his efficiency. It's that he knows that when he is efficient, he is literally one of the best players in the game of basketball has ever seen to do it with, so to do it with so few and get so much out of it. Right, there are just so many aspects of how you can have an impact to the
game of basket ball. And while numbers and analytics are great, we throw them out there, we use it to accentuate and build up the dollar bills for some of these players. We also understand and recognize as well too, that they are advancing the way that we think about the game, the way that we see the game the way that technology is influencing how the game is and I can see that and in a guy like Jordan Hines, he's
understanding that part of the process. So even if he is not going to be a professional basketball player, so to speak, he will professionally have an influence on how the game of basketball is going to be looked at and viewed. And I think that can be applauded as well too.
I mean, yeah, everybody has a story, and everybody's going to contribute to this game.
You know.
I'll even from my lens.
You know, Yeah, I.
Played high school. I wasn't good enough to play college, right, so, oh, but I love basketball, So I went from high school and all right, well, maybe I want to work in basketball. Maybe I'll be an agent. Oh, I don't even I don't only like being an agent. I want kiss peoples, ass all the live. All right, cool, Maybe I'll work for a team. Got to work, got to do an internship for a professional franchise. Awesome, realize this is really kind of hard work, right, So maybe do I want
to write? Well, no, I'm not writing now on podcasting and you see the steps right, well, all, all I'm still connected to the game, and I think that can definitely be the case for anybody who wants to be connected with the game and whatever capacity that is, whether you want to be a player, whether you want to be a coach, whether you want to work behind the scenes and scout or whatever, or announce or podcast like, there's ways to be connected to basketball and have a
contributing impact in that in that in the in the in that influence as well too. So one way another, Jordan Hines is going to be successful as well so many others that'll come after him that just love the game. If he loved the game, you'll find a way to contribute to it.
One absolutely, Man, this has been a great show. Shaw, nice little kind of you know, pick me up, little wake me up before we start kind of ramping up a little bit later on, you know, as we get closer to trains.
That you're going to do the way and wake me up before we go back.
I'm doing a little something something before we send off. I I you know, I know we didn't kind of talk about this, Shaw, but you know, I just want to highlight, you know, a couple of significant people that we've we've lost you know recently that I feel like I have had some kind of influence on you know, our generation and you know where we are, and probably even has an influence on why we even do what
we do. So if people obviously been paying attention, you know, recent passing of Malcolm Jamal Warner, we also lost Ozzy Osbourne, leasing of Blast Sabbath, and we also lost Terry bulla a k a. Hulk Hogan, And I want to I want to say this because I don't want to spend a whole lot of time on you know, acknowledging just
levels of greatness. I the reason why I brought this upshaw is because they were a part of our generation, and I think for us, it's we want to make sure that you know, we we give that respective shout outs because they were they were connected to the things that we often were fascinated by growing up as a kid, you know, pro wrestling, and obviously that influence has allowed the ability for nineteen Media group to have gimmick infringement.
Well I'm sure they have had their opportunity to speak about that as well too, but it's connected, right, A guy like Malcolm Jamal Warner brought an iconic character, an individual who we ourselves as black men, were able to identify what we saw from what he brought onto the camera.
Right.
He's probably only a few years older than us, so we grew up with him and to see him expand his horizons to be the creative person that he is in so many different facets and still be relevant to this day gives us confidence that we can continue to keep doing what we've been doing and want to do it because we love doing it. And a guy like Ozzy Osbourne, hey Man, even though I grew up in hip hop, I also grew up listening to other kinds of music as well too. Black Savage was part of
that fabric as well. I was rocking out to Poison and led Zeppelin, Clearwater Credence because I loved music and I will always love music. So his influence as far as what he gave us for our generation is just unmatched. All of them, you know, all of them in some way, shape or form, and it's complicated as in the perceptions of what we are, of what we feel about some of these people off what they did off the camera, off the off the air, whatever the case may be.
We can have you can have those debates. We can have those debates, but what cannot be debated is what they meant for our generation and what they brought to us because they gave us the ability to dream, to see that there are certain things that were tangible that can be real for us, and it's allowed us to continue to keep doing those things even in this day
and age. And I just want to give my flowers to the families for those that have passed away recently, and especially for our own within our own family as well too. I just want to say thank you for allowing them to be the people they are, because they allow us to be the people that we.
Yeah, I'd be remiss if I try to. I can't top that, right. I don't want to travel over a thing you just indicated, because I think it's all expertly said. I'll just close with you. Knows you talk about, you know, internal loss. You know I lost my uncle recently and you know, been kind of quiet as a result. And my uncle Patrick was somebody who was definitely an influence
on me personally. Right while he wasn't a superhero and celebrity, you know that everyone is going to know, uh, he impacted me my family, a lot of my friends in a really really positive way when things were kind of right, and so I just wanted to, you know, give him his flowers as well too on this platform, you know, when paying my respects, you know, to somebody who really helped grow me, really helped raise me, showed me a lot,
and showed my friends a lot. Like when I've been thinking about him, it's just been like, man, we laughed, we laughed, we've we've laughed and laughed so more and played cards and we ate food and we talked a lot of shit. And it was just he was he was a personality into that of himself and so and while again not on the level of you know, some of those who you've mentioned, that's not really what this is about. It was a celebrity to us and a
celebrity to me specifically. It really helped me come the person that I am in a way that I haven't always always been able to recognize and put my finger on. But he's the reason why I'm not as shy as I probably want to be. And because he was not shy, and he kind of forced me to kind of come out of my comfort zones and you know, you with this podcast forces me to how to come out of our comfort zone. And here we are, twelve thirteen years later,
still doing the baseline. So shout out to Uncle Patrick Man, we love you, we miss you, we know you're in a better place. And again shout out to Malcolm Jamal Hulk Hogan and Ozzy Osbourne as well too. And for anybody who's lost somebody you know recently or even in the past, we understand and we sympathize and we wish you absolutely well.
Said listen, I'm glad you spoke to that, Shaw, because that's exactly how it should be topped off. So yeah, man, listen for everybody here tuning in, you know again, we appreciate you every day. If we don't say that enough, we're going to keep saying it until we think that you know, you know, but we appreciate everybody who's been following us, who's been following what we've been doing for the baseline. Calie Warrenshaw, we appreciate you guys.
Again.
You know, I'm saying it, was it ten times already last two weeks. We appreciate you, guys, know we do, and we will catch up with you next time.