You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio.
Thunder up to sixty six wins and Luca and the Lakers steal the headlines last night as he goes for forty five. And it's one of those nights where you're not quite sure emotionally how locked in you can be. If you're Luca, You're going back. Are you sad? Are you angry? Are you excited? The wave of emotions here. In fact, Luca was asked about that last night after the game.
It was a little bit of both, you know, happy and angry. But you know, it's nice to see some familiar faces here. You know, I spent a lot of times with them, Like you said, you know, it was a lot of emotions. When I woke up, I was tired and I didn't sleep much. I'm excited about this game, and you know, I really fichet the fence the way they reacted it to me.
And I thought they were going to give him a standing ovation. I thought they'd cheer him every time he got the ball. It was a home game of sorts for Luke on the road, and the fans made sure that he was welcomed. He felt that way and it's not the same, but it's compartmentalizing. When Brett Farbe's father died and then Farv went out and had that unbelievable Nunday night game, I think against the Raiders, and he just needed to have that escape from what happened with
his father. Well, Luca is not exactly escaping. He's walking right into this. He's walking right into where it started. And then he was not so politely asked to leave. And the fact that the GM Nico Harrison is in the building, fans are chanting fire Nico, and the over under was thirty and a half points for Luca and he blew by that in the first half. He had thirty one and a halftime. But it was great to
see that. And you can't forget about the Lakers are trying to get the number three seats, so you've got to make sure you win the game. Don't get caught up in the emotion of it. Make sure you win the game. But he drops forty five, they win by fifteen, and you know this is what's going to be. I guess ask of Luca the rest of his career being a leader, being mature, because you know Lebron's got how many more years left? Then it's Luca's team. And what you want to see is that maturity that I can
be a leader. We know he can be a great player, it's now what are you going to be? Great players are always adding to their games, whether it's something that is tangible or something that you know, maybe not so much in being a leader, a leader on the court off the court. And yes, do I have I said things about his passion getting caught up in little things. Yes, and maybe that's something that he needs to have. There's certain players that like to have. It's almost like there's
a pebble in your shoe. You're never quite comfortable and jawing with officials, jawing with fans. I hope he grows out of that. He might not, But to be able to put up these kind of numbers and remind us too of just how great he can be in a big moment was pretty impressive last night. All right, seton poll question today eight seven seven three DP show operators sitting by taking your phone calls, and we'll get to those coming up. So what do you have for a pole question?
Here's one from Paul. If you gave Mark Cuban A Mulligan dot dot H. I'm assuming this is Mavericks related and perhaps selling his a big chunk of a team. Do you think he would still do that?
I don't know how much money he made. I don't know. I don't know what he wants to do. So he has a couple of billion now, I think he owned twenty seven percent of the maps. Would he have kept the team and become and not sold it so he doesn't get rid of Luka Dantis?
Yeah, I don't know.
It feels like he wants to divest himself from being an owner. He was the face of the Dallas Mavericks. He was there in his jeans, in his Dallas jersey and T shirt and he's on the bench. Feels like he's got bigger plans like politics, But then you know they're trying to get gambling. They're trying to do a whole like neighborhood there. It feels like with the arena, the basketball team, the new ownership there coming in from Vegas.
But would he if he could do it again? Yeah, I don't know, unless we had him on to be able to be fair to him to ask that. I like, I don't even know if I could wager a guest to say, of course he would, because I don't know. It seems like and we had Tim mcmahonnon who was there for ESPN. He's written a book on Luca and he said there's no way that Marek Cuban would ever have allowed this, and I understand that I agree with that.
But and he didn't have a say in this either, which it's strange, but you know, he owns twenty seven percent of the team, I think, and they didn't run this by him, and this might have been ownership saying, hey, we're the ones in charge here, not our GM, not our coach, not our former owner. We're in charge. We're the ones that have to write a check for three hundred and forty five million dollars, and you know what, we're not comfortable doing that. Cuban man, that's hard to say.
That's a hell of an investment from that guy.
Though he bought the team for like two one hundred and eighty five million dollars something like that, Yeah, and then sold it for like three three point five Yeah.
Yeah, good business man he's had. His resume is spotty in some of the decisions that he's made, but this is a now. He was all in on Luca to begin with, and that's why they traded for him. But some other moves that he's made haven't gone so elegantly.
Yes, seton, Yeah, I think that was an interesting point from yesterday we were talking about that. I mean, he had a ton of bad moves during his tenure too, just maybe not quite this bad well though, I mean some of them were really terrible.
Yes, yes, yeah, Pauli.
Mark Cuban made an estimated three point five billion off the sale. He still retains a twenty seven percent stake. Dallas Morning News had an article last week where Mark said he expected to continue to run basketball when he sold the mask, but the NBA would not let that be put in the contract. That's where the mulligan comes in. He could have gotten the money and maybe still run basketball,
but they wouldn't allow it. I wonder if that was his image, Like you said, that was a big part of his image.
Well, I think if he could have maintained control over the basketball operations, still made his money ensure he would want that. That's what he did want. But now they've taken away his baby, and then somebody else is raising it, and all of a sudden you make this move one of the biggest moves in NBA history. And there have been times when you know, guys have been moved. You know he saw this, lou Al Sindor when he was traded,
Wilt when he was traded. So we've had these moments here, but that's still it's still shocking when you trade somebody who is that young. What other poll questions do we have.
Let's see what else we've got here. We've got two from the too dub. How closely do you follow the first round of the Masters? Okay, follow it a little bit, Yeah, a little bit. See who gets out hot.
Well, the odds are and if you look history shows that you've got to be around the top fifteen. That you don't see too many come from behind wins, at least some of the analysts that talked about that after the first day. Look in the top fifteen, you'll probably find your winner in the top fifteen the odds to win. Scotty Scheffler, then it's Rory McElroy. Then you go to John Rahm, Colin Moore, Kawa, Xander Schoffley, Bryson, de Shambeau and Ludwig Oberg. But this is all about Rory because
he's played well this year. He needs the masters for the career Grand Slam. Scheffler hasn't played great, but he's the odds on favorite. And then you got John Rahm. Can you dial it up? You know, can you dial up that tension that you need to play Augusta? You know that feeling when you're playing Augusta as opposed to playing on the Live Tour where you're listening to music and you're wearing shorts and really not playing for anything.
Now you're playing for everything. But this is an opportunity for John Ram and Bryson de Shamba. Those are the two favorites from the Live tour, along with Colin Moorekowa, who a lot of people like. He played great this year. But weather condition should be great today and I think there's rain in the forecast. At some point. There was another story that I saw and I don't know if
it's a thing or not, and that is TJ. Watt had a social media post and he posted an image of himself giving the peace sign from his Instagram story, no caption, and then all of a sudden fans are wondering, does he want to be traded? I don't know if that's a piece out sign, But you know, he's entering the final year of a four year deal, he's thirty years of age. He's probably looking at Max Crosby and Miles Garrett's deals and maybe he's looking to cash in.
I guess that's what I can read into this. Once again, I don't know if it's a thing or not. Here you are the Steelers, you're waiting for Aaron Rodgers. You're gonna I think shoudoor Sanders today. And now you have your best defensive player, your best player who just gives a peace sign. Should we read anything into that? As we head towards the draft, a couple of defensive players getting bigger deals than his. Does he want a new deal now? Is that what he's saying? Or is he
saying peace out? I want to be out of here, which would surprise me because he's the face of the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. Yeah, it's possible.
He's a huge point break fan and he's asking for two utah, oh give me two?
Okay, all right, I didn't factor that in.
Might be that might be the poll question, what else could TJ.
Watt be signaling here?
If not I want to trade?
Okay, thirty years of age, but tied straighthand for the most saxon a single season twenty two and a half. I mean it's the final year of his contract, so you should be able to cash in one more time here, Yeah, pony.
Yes, one more year in his contract. This year TJ. Watt will make just under thirty million dollars.
Okay, but I could see.
Wanting a yeah, obvious, wanting a contract now because entering thirty two, you're not going to get the monster contract.
I don't think even if even if the production is there. Okay, so is he asking out do you trade TJ.
Watt? And uh? Once again, I don't know if it's a thing or not, but it felt like people were making it into a thing. And granted, it's the Steelers and you don't know what they're doing. You don't know, you know, are they going to draft a quarterback at twenty one? Is Roger's going to go there? And now you have this. If you're Mike Tomlin, you're like, come on, I need something positive to happen here. Yeah, Paul, maybe he put up two fingers. Last year we had two quarterbacks.
Right now we basically have zero. I'm going deep dive, okay, okay, yeah, but you know it's all about timing that Miles Garrett was up and Max Crosby was up and they got bigger deals. Okay, if you're TJ. Watt, just play this year and then sign your contract extension. Yes, Tom, Let's give.
Aaron Rodgers two more days or two more weeks at deciding what he's doing, and then we've got to move on because this is getting embarrassing.
I see what you're doing. Okay, yeah, I don't know if there's something there or not, but it just felt like it's the NFL. It's the Steelers heading into the draft. Aaron Rodgers should or Sanders going to be there today. Wait a minute, what's TJ watsaying? Just put up a peace sign. Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's something.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to listen live.
Hey Steve Covino and I'm rich David, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on.
In the world.
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss.
And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right.
So check us out. We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say, I'd.
Say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planetar.
Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.
Joe Varden covering the NBA for the Athletic He was at the Lakers MAVs game last night, joining us from Dallas. How would you describe the atmosphere Joe, Well.
I've been to a few reunion games, including Klay Thompson's as a member of the Mavericks at Golden State this year, and I've never seen anything like this. There really wasn't a boo to be heard, and the Lakers always get booed on the road, but every time that Luca had the ball, there was a roar. Every time he scored,
it was louder now. At the same time, there was an incredible sense of negativity and frustration and anger in the form of when either team was at the foul line, fans are channing fire Nico for general manager Nico Harrison, who made this trade. So yeah, I mean, you know,
Lebron's talking about this afterwards. I mean, if you think about all the reunion games that he's been a part of and how emotional they were for different reasons, he was saying that it was a cool moment that he'll remember for the rest of his life.
What kind of message do you think Luca wanted to send last night?
You know, I think that Luca is an introspective, sensitive young man and I mean that in the best way, and I don't think he was looking to send a message. I think he was hoping to get through it. And you know, he even said postgame that when he's he's sitting there alone on the bench, you know, they've already announced the other four Lakers starters, and he's sitting there by himself, and there's twenty thousand people on top of him,
all kind of looking at him. And yes, they are looking at the video tribute that was playing before his name was called, but I really felt like it was one. It was like the you know, a case of a singular man in the arena and he's sitting there and he's become he's overcome with emotion and he has to
wipe his face before he can even get up. And as he walks through the Lakers after his name is called, I mean, mark Eith Morris has to like grab him and like lebron hugged him the way he'd hugged Bronni after a tough high school game or something like.
It was.
It was really incredible to see the genuine emotion that's coming out of everybody. So you know, Luca has all that and then he goes out and scores fourteen in the first quarter, and I think he felt a rhythm and a familiarity with the arena. I think the retribution and the payback probably comes in the future years, you know, when he's now through this part. And that's assuming that Nico and Jason Kidd and those guys are there in the building, you know, in future years for those games.
But I think that's when Luca will be over the emotional part and he does have a vindictive side for sure. I think that's a great observation on your part, But I just think he was ready to use that part of himself.
Yet.
Was Nico Harrison made available to the media.
No, No, tho, those days are largely over. You know, guys make trades all the time, and you know, maybe they don't even speak, you know, very short press conferences when coaches are fired a week before the playoffs. So that's a long way to say. No, he didn't address it yesterday. He was in the building, standing there in the tunnel listening to that.
You know.
I also want to bring up this point, if it's okay about all of this. You know, there was another superstar last night who had a reunion game, and that's Anthony Davis. He's a ten time All Star, however many gold medals, NBA Champion in any other case, last night is about him and playing the Lakers and playing Lebron. But of course he's over because of the whole Lucas situation.
But every night that he's in the arena and he listens to his home crowd chant fire Nico, he knows it's not directed at him, but he also knows that the trade that brought him to town is why these fans want him gone. And as a player of his caliber, to just feel how upset everyone is. Essentially that he's in the building, that's tough on him. And I think you could see that wearing on him last night too.
If you gave Mark Cuban a mulligan, does he sell the majority of his interest ownership stake in this? And because I think he still wanted to run the basketball portion of this and maintain twenty seven percent. But if you ask him, what do you think he would say?
That's a tough question, Dan, just because like, even you don't move in that kind of money. But I I don't I don't understand what billions means and so yeah, I mean, I I think that he he achieved the financial goal that he had set out to achieve, and and obviously he wanted some kind of freedom in that in that way, uh in shape. But but yeah, like if if, if he has to decide between that and then you know, retaining control of this franchise that he
built really and built it into what it was. Yeah, I mean I see the point. I I I think I'm gonna say he still does it because there there was a reason why he made the sale. And you have to know, you know, even if when you when listen when when the New York Times bought the Athletic for for a year plus two years that the two founders were still around and and advising and doing this and that. But eventually, you know, ownership takes over and there's a new plan. And that's that's how it is
with any big sale like that. So I think Mark had to know it, and you have to be able to live with those consequences, including the trading of the franchise player that you that you maneuvered to get and nurture.
Talking to Joe Varden, he covers the NBA for the Athletic, He was at the game last night in Dallas. How threatening are the Lakers?
Yeah, I like them because you're you're talking about Lebron somehow playing at a A plus level, one of the best players in the league. Lucas certainly is one of the best players in the league. And they play so well together, like I kind of knew they would, and I actually I think there is some writing somewhere that backs that up. So this isn't hindsight. They're playing great and then you know, you trade away Anthony Davis, so
you say they got smaller. But also like Jared Vanderbilt is finally healthy and he's super long, and Ruy Hashimura is is healthy and he's super long. So you're playing those two and Lebron is playing a traditional four, uh sometimes a small five. You know, Jackson Hayes has been okay, and then you have Austin Reeves who is really blossomed into the scorer and the playmaker or that they need.
So you know, we always talk about experience, and that is the one bugaboo that's that that Oklahoma City has. They've only won one playoff series, you know, for as great as they've been the last two regular seasons and if experience matters, you obviously have Lebron. We don't need to go over his credentials.
And then you have the.
Key representative for the Western Conference in last year's finals and Lucas. So yeah, I mean they're I mean that they're a tough out for sure.
How threatening are the Warriors?
I mean, I hate to be a prisoner of the moment, but last night's stunk. You know, they've been tremendous since they acquired Jimmy. The trade did exactly what the organization wanted to do. It gave Steph some breathing room, It injected some life in there. And now you're talking about them like, you know, flashing their finals and championship credentials. And then they go and they lose to San Antonio last night on a buzzer beater. And now if the
playoffs were today, they wouldn't be in them. They'd have to play their way in via the play in. So I you know, when when Boston got to the finals with e May a couple of years ago, at in February, they were in seventh place and they they rocketed up. So so I don't want to say that that isn't possible, But I'm always going to pump the brakes on a team that's been between sixth place and eighth or ninth for most of the year.
Who's your MVP?
My MVP is Shay Gilgess, Alexander, and I understand the year that Nicola is having. You could certainly make the case arguably that statistically he's better this year than he has been in years where he's won it. Shay is the best player on the best team and has certainly
built his case in any number of ways. And then, on top of that, in a year where ownership decides that this that the performance of the team is so objectionable that you have to fire the coach a week before the season's over, the MVP is not on your team.
But I think most analysts will say the best player on the planet is Nicola Jokic.
Yeah, I would say that, And I mean, I don't know how many times I voted. This is my eleventh season doing this on on this kind of stage, so I've had a lot of votes. I admit that I, along with most of my colleague struggle is to what the what valuable means? Are we talking about the best player. Are we talking about the team? Who is who are the player who's the most important?
You know?
I think it comes and goes. There was a year where we voted for us because he averaged a triple double. There were years where Lebron didn't get it when he was obviously the best player in the league. So I think it's probably gonna go that way. I don't think it'll be unanimous. Nicole is a tremendous player, but I
just I think there. I think when you consider where the Nuggets are right now and the everything they're going through, and then where the thunder are and why, I think I think that's that's the that's the decider for me.
And I wonder about this with Joker moving forward, who's going to be the coach and what's going to be the philosophy. He's thirty years of age, He's got a couple of years left on this deal. But and we had somebody on yesterday who said that he thinks he's a loyal He's like Dirk Novinsky, like he's loyal to the franchise. But I wonder, can you see a scenario where Joker says, hey, I want out?
Well, I mean the way the last several years have gone in the league. The short answer is, of course, did a little reporting on this last night, not talking to Nicola. He would be a hard guy to get to get a hold up on the phone. But people who you know, who are around that team and and sort of trade in the in the business of knowing these things, suggests that that Nicola is not looking to get out, and that isn't reacting to the firing of the only coach he's played for as a kind of
a how dare you think? You know, I think that there was some frustration on his part too about the direction of the team, And so yeah, I do view Nicolea as a player who does or could anyway stay in Denver for his entire career. I mean, I think if if they get into a situation where it's clear that they are going to regress and be in the lottery for a while, I mean, that's not something anybody wants to do. But you know, he Nicolea is very set in his life and what matters to him. You know,
he enjoys going back to Serbia in the summers. You know, not that Denver is a tiny market or whatever you want to say about it like it's not. But we could also easily say Nicole is not like lusting for New York or LA or Miami or anything like that. So I you know, I've always said that Lebron will end his career in Los Angeles, and I'm going to be in the boat of Nicole is not looking to push his way out of Denver in the near future.
Great stuff, Thank you, Joe. Great to talk to you again.
Great to see you. Thanks Dan.
That's Joe Varden, who covers the NBA for The Athletic.
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio WAP.
Dwight Howard He'll be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame coming up in September. Former NBA champ, three time Defensive Player of the Year, five time All NBA First Team Dwight, how are you doing?
Man and bless man?
I'm so happy and thankful to be back on your show again. He ever did it show in a while. I think the last time I did it so I was actually Orlando. I was driving in my car. He was like, hey, he turned down music a little bit so we can hear you.
What was your reaction when you got the call for the Hall of Fame?
Man, I cried so hard.
It was just like the first day as soon as he got as I got the call, seeing the name the Nation Basketball Hall of Fame calling my phone, you know, seeing that and then hearing them actually say you have made it in to one out of four hundred and fifty six people who have been in the.
Hall of Fame for basketball.
I just every memory of basketball that started, my youngest memory, shooting on my first basketball go watching my magic justin tapes, and then just the tears start flowing, and man, there's just this an incredible journey with a lot of ups and downs, but to make it to basketball heaven is for me.
It's everything.
What would you be like, what kind of player if you were coming into the NBA now, given the way the NBA.
Is, Oh, man, what kind of player would I be? Well?
I feel like my time in Orlando I was very unstoppable with office and then the sound that I played. I believe that if I was playing now, I would still be a dominant player, top five center.
I believe in the league if I was playing right now.
Yeah, the game has changed so much with the perimeter. And I knew you grew up idolizing magic, but maybe you would have geared your game to be more perimeter based. I mean, we got seven footers playing on the perimeter all that.
Look, that's true.
Actually, when I started playing basketball, I didn't play center. I didn't play center actually until I got to the NBA. Uh So, when I got to the NBA, that's when my positions hanged. Then back then, there were no stretch fards, there were no stress no stress fives.
It was only dirt and the whiskey.
And the next person close to him that was shooting that much was Sem Duncan, and he was shooting more so off the glass shots and free.
Throw line and air shots.
And I remember the last conversation I had with Kobe before we joined team. Uh it was what he wanted me to work on, was those free throw line and then jump shots and stuff like that. But today's game, well today's game, and when I was coming up in the game, that shot was taken out. Uh So, now I would be a perimeter bass player, and that'll be a lot of fun. I'd get to show people my other skills and the skills that I've had growing up, and I go back to just being.
A kid again.
How tough was Kobe on you?
I would say he was that tough on me? What? What like? People would assume because I was a hard worker, you know, it wasn't. I wasn't somebody that he had to worry.
About getting in the gym, working hard in the games and stuff like that. I just think we just at the time, we was in two different places in life and we didn't see how to eye.
We didn't give each other a chance to see how to But are you living?
You learn if I gave you a mulligan on getting out of Orlando, would you have still left Orlando and gone to the Lakers? Uh?
My intentions was not to go to the Lakers after Orlando. I now do it what I know now. Leaving Orlando taught me many lessons in life that I needed, and I feel like if I would have stayed in Orlando, maybe I wouldn't have learned those same lessons.
And it's just how you look at it, you know.
I hate the fact that I did have to leave Orlando, that was my first home. But I believe that everything happens I was exactly supposed to happen.
And I can't question fate.
The only thing I'm glad about is that it led me to the Hall of Fame.
Most physical player you ever played against?
Was who? Most physical player of it?
From Minnesota? You father was the strongest player that I could say. I played this really okay, the most out more than anybody else.
What was your welcome to the NBA moment?
Welcome to the NBA moment? Oh, Kobe Bryant duncan on me.
Well, you're not alone in that category there, Dwight.
Well, that was It was a funny one because I remember actually Brian Grant, he actually after that play he said, welcome to the league. I'm telling And I couldn't wait to dunk on him back or block his side or something. So we played against him in Atlanta Hawks. I took it personally to just try to destroy him.
Did Kobe say anything to you when he dunked on you?
Uh? He just said in an interview that he baptized me and he woke me up in actuality he did. That was so embarrassed, and I was like, I gotta block everybody's dunk.
I put it.
Everybody to the ground, and I'm gonna go get me a defensive Player of the Year.
So it did wake me up. He baptized.
He had forty one in that game.
Jesus Spice, we must have had the thirty eight thirty eight, thirty nine.
Mescribe who is the best player you faced?
The best player that our face?
Ooh we.
Best player that our face? Oh my goodness?
Uh skill wise or do you mean like overall overall?
Just best player? Like that guy is he's different?
Oh? Man? Uh? Well, obviously covid Kobe.
Did a shot in the finals and I'll never forget the shot. He was driving to the basket and he went up and I put my hands up to try to block the shot, and he took the ball between my arms and then brought it back, came back up and then shot the shock.
It was. It was incredible.
After that moment, I was like this, that's the coldest player that ever played me.
You think you and Shaq will ever be friends?
Yes? We Actually I saw him in Orlando.
Actually after I was inducted into the Hall of Fame. I was out at a restaurant eating with my family and my friends, and the owner said that Shaq was actually at the restaurant, and I said, I'm going to go talk to him, and everybody was like what I said, Yes, I'm gonna.
Go talk to him.
I got up, went over to where he was at, shook his hand. After we have a minute the loan and we had a real good conversation and I was very happy about it. We express some things, and yeah, the next time you see both of us together, we'll talk about the stuff that we had a sit down about. But it was a really good talk and I'm glad that the universe everything worked out perfectly for us to be in Orlando at the same place at the same time.
I'm a conversation.
But when did it go south or sideways between you two?
I have no clue. I really believe that it was outside noise and people. He say, she says stuff like that, and then now I make both of us irritated. So when I hear something on TV that he says, I'm pissed off about it and I'm responded to him and vice versa. And to be honest, I'm just just like, man, we're too old for this. You know, we have children, we have people who look up to us, and you know, we both need a lot to a lot of people in this world. We both does some amazing things, and
you know we don't need this. I don't. I don't like it. I grew up watching Sack. I respect him as a player and a man in a businessman that he is. When his father passed away years back, it's one of the first people to reach out because I knew how much that, you.
Know, losing his father. You know, it was hurting him. Man.
I really as a as a young man, you know, looking up to smiling.
Like you know, shagers, like my big brother. So we just had to miss some seton.
Yeah, I thought it was. You were both in Orlando, both had Superman nickname. You end up following in his footsteps to the Lakers. So it's maybe he was thinking you were following in his footsteps, trying to be like Shaq, and for some reason he had a problem with that. That's all I how I viewed it.
Yeah, well I wouldn't.
So my thing is this, also, if someone is trying to follow in my foot steps, that means to me that first that's an honor, that's a humbling and that means that I've done such a great job with my life and my career that somebody wants to follow in those footsteps. So I don't see anything wrong with that. No, now, I did not do that. It's just everything seemed to pan out like it was a mirror image of Shaq's
life and career. We're both tall, we're both funny, we're both comedians, like to have fun, dance, we both tunked the ball a lot. With both dominant centers. I understand that we both say we're superman, So I get it. If I am following his footsteps, I should.
I would love that. You know, Shack has saved a way for so many big men.
He's done an amazing job, So you know that's amazing to follow in the footsteps were one of the greatest, most dominant big men to ever play.
Who's gonna present you at the Hall of Fame?
Ah?
Well, I would love Kevin Gardinett h Keem, Elijah One, and Shaquille O'Neill to walk me in. If it's not Shaquille, if he can't do it, Mark Jackson.
Wait, have you reached out to these guys? Are you reaching out to them now?
Yes?
Yes, I have to reach back out to Mark Jackson. Mark Jackson's story about him. I met him in high school at the Top one hundred camp and I asked him could he meet me every morning at around six point thirty to work out before a camp started.
And he thought I was playing around and I wasn't going to show up.
I told him I was serious about being the number one pick and the best player in the Nations.
I was there every morning. He was there every morning.
That helped me get better, and I remember that they really helped shape the mold before the NBA. So you know, I would love for him to, you know, walk me in, but I don't. I said, I think it's players who have made it into the Hall of Fame.
Okay, yeah, I mean it sounds like you got a posse there, not just one person, Dwight so Shack, Kevin Garnett, Cheam, Elijah Well, you got to pick one. I don't know. Can you have three?
I think you can have two?
Okay.
My favorite player all time is what Chamberins, So if he could do it, I would love what Chaman would be there.
That's my favorite player.
Uh So, yeah, well that's not gonna happen. So I think it would be awesome. I mean, if Will Chamberlain walks you in, hey, that'll be a pretty great moment. He's been dead for a long time. Dwight, I think sha Shack walking you in would be awesome. That would be pretty special to see you two walk in together. Hopefully you would.
It would it would be very special, not only because of all the noise that overall years. People would love that. But one thing we both say is people would love to see us fight, and we're not fighting, we don't need to fight. But the moment that people would really love to see is I think that moment right there, and it shows that we have mature in a lot of different ways. We're able to squash whatever beef people
to say we're having. And you know, he's inducted me into that level, that that space that he's always pushed me at every single time he's been uh, you know the shows that T and T stuff like that.
So just to see him do that, I think it'd be really awesome.
And this I'm gonna script this for you. You and Shoq walk in and then you open up your jackets and you got Superman T shirts.
On Ah, that would be hilarious.
All right, we just got to get Shock on board.
You know.
That's it. We we get we got a little bit of time. You got a couple of I think we got some time.
I will start working on sending us a more message and see if.
The work well. More importantly, congratulations on all of this, and thanks for joining.
Us, Thanks for having me man. I don't know if you know I'll be joining the Big Three this year. Play some Big.
Three basketball with ice Cube and if you have any players that's interested in playing. And I have my whole professional league in Asia. It's called the Asian Tournament. We're having a draft April eleventh and April twelve this month coming up. We have twelve teams in our league and we want to expand it and get more guys in America and the States opportunities to play in a national ball.
Get an awesome job for me my career, and I can do an amazing job of the guys I love to give him that opportunity.
Can cbe play anymore? I mean, he messed around and got a triple double Dwight, which I don't know if he really did. Dwight, he kept his own stats in a pickup game.
You are, let me fet so good?
Can Cube still? Can Cube play?
He can still play?
That's why he had it the four point four point shot. Oh man, uh, good luck with all of this, and again, rats and thanks for joining.
Us, thanks for having man. I have an awesome day.
That's Dwight Howard going to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.