Dray's Return Date, LeBron's Historic Night + a Miles Bridges Interview

fan duel sports book makes it easy. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to The Draymond Green Show. This is our sixteen episode, and we got my little brother, my little spartan dog brother, Miles Bridges on the show. Today. We will talk about his breakout season, him thinking he can dunk on me, uh, which is beyond me. We're also going to talk about Michigan High school basketball and as well as the AUTH circuit and a lot more. I've

known Miles for a very long time. I think I've known Miles since he was maybe in the eighth grade, and you know, just watching him grow his entire journey becoming somebody in the basketball world as a kid from Flint, it's just not that that easy. And I know that because I'm from Saginaw, Michigan and they're one and the same.

And to watch him work, work and become who he's become and being able to provide for his family the way he provides makes me extremely proud because I know what it's like to to start with that dream and not have a clue on how it's going to work out, and to see him living his dream and flourishing it means the world to me. But before we get into uh, the Miles Bridges conversation, let's take you around association as

we love to do. Number One. Lebron's historic night, historical night against my Warriors was brutal to watch, number one, but in the same token, was extremely incredible. I mean, you're talking a guy at thirty seven still being able to produce at that level. And yes, you know, he had fifty six, which was incredible. You know, it's not as if this is just surprising and Lebron had fifty six and we're like, oh my god, like that came

out of nowhere. It didn't come out of nowhere. It's insane that Lebron is still able to produce at the level that he's producing in his nineteen season in the NBA. It's it's funny because we were just we were just in Cabo a couple of weeks ago for All Star break. I walked into Bronze crib and he's like, he's using this stem like electrical current type machine on on his quad.

And I said to him right then, I said, dude, you you just don't stop like like and He's like, man, I gotta do it, gotta gotta get the quality fire. You know, I had to knee issue, so I need to get this quad. And I'm just like you, you you just never stopped like it's always something with you in regards to your body in the game, and and I it's it's mind blowing to me. Obviously I was there. I was rehabbing, so you know, I'm in the weight room every day, and you know he comes down every

day to get this work in. I will say I was up before him early bird gets the worm. No, but obviously my my work, I was away longer as I'm rehabbing to come back from injury, which by the way, I am projecting our targeting my return next Monday. Um, next Monday the fourteenth versus the Wizards. That that is, that is the date that I am targeting. I'm excited as hell. I mean it's been two and a half months, almost two and a half, two months for sure, almost two and a half by the time I play. I've

never missed that much time during season now. I have once had an ankle injury that kept me out for a very long time in high school, but it was the off season. So this is something different for me. So I'm extremely excited to get back out there with my guys, um to try to help write this ship. You know, it's it's been a little haywied these last few weeks, and you know, but we'll figure it out.

I think this rough patch has been great for our team. Uh. You know, people always look at our team and they still think like this is the Warriors that was winning championships,

and the reality is it's not. Um, you know, Clay Thompson's won championship championships, Andre Dallas one championships, Steph Curry's won championships, Cavan Looney and myself that's five of seventeen and so this isn't the same Warriors that won championships before, which is why I'm happy we're going through this patch because now you really have to figure out what it takes to win in this league. Now you really have to dig deep. We're in a rut, so you're gonna

have to claw your way out. You're gonna have to

gut a nasty one out. Probably, that's just normally how it goes, and so um as much as it sucks to go through this, no one ever wants to go through it, I'd much rather this be happening now then get punched in the mouth the first round of the playoffs and scrambling trying to figure out how to respond because so many guys in our locker room have not witnessed or have not played under that type of pressure, have not played in that type of environment, have not

run up against a tough period of tough stretch and had to get through it. You know, this this season for us, it's pretty much been rolling through. And so like I said, you you never feel good about it. You never feel good about losing. You know, we always say, like you much rather get you much rather get learn your lessons from winning. That's that's just always the better way to learn the lessons and saying that it just doesn't normally doesn't go that way. And that's kind of

where we are now. So um, you know, the team will keep fighting and we'll get better and we'll figure it out. I have no doubt in my mind that we'll figure it out. But I am very happy to be returning and um and and able to help right the ship. So that's that's gonna be good for me.

I have a doctor's appointment today. I got my final clearance, so I'm ready to roll now, just you know, getting a little more playing under my belt, a little more five on five, four and four, just kind of trying to get my legs back under me and get my stammina back of my endurance back. So it's going well, and I am looking forward to that day next week, the irony and and Clay Clay going or excuse me, Clay returning the day that my calf locks up and

and I'm dealing with the disc injury. It's crazy to me. I mean I've I've literally looked forward to that day for two years. Um, and you know obviously thought it was nearing, you know, November, and and then obviously the Achilles injury happens, and so or or September. I'm sorry when we were getting ready to kick off camp and then they killer Killes injury happened, and like I couldn't wrap my mind around like all the anticipation. I mean, if you were around the facility at that time, like

everything was about Clay Day. You know Clay that Clay Day is Clay Day, that Clay d is approaching. I mean, I I even think back to, like I'm out there doing my pregame warm up sometime in December and I maybe December ish, and and I can recall Clay he he was shooting at the same time as me, are shooting times overlap, and he's walking off the court and if I'm not mistaken, he's holding up one three walking

off the court, and he had his countdown going. And it was thirteen days until he returned, and at that point they hadn't released yet that he was targeting into the January ninety date, And so we were getting ready to head out on the road trip. Um, I think it was Dallas. No, I'm sorry, it was Denver in Utah. The Denver game end up being canceled which was the game that just happened this week in Denver that no one played in or for US. Uh and no, not

no one. Um, Steph Wiggins, myself, Clay auto porter, Gary Payton a second, like we were missing a lot of guys. Uh, just this game. And Clay's walking off holding up thirteen or like one in the three and I'm looking at him like he's so excited. And as I'm watching him walk off holding that up, I'm thinking to myself, like, these people have no idea these numbers he's holding up.

But actually if they knew it to countdown to his return, like he's been counting down days and he's been making sure every day you walk in the facility, you know where his countdown is. And so he's walking off and holding that up. I'm just sitting there laughing because I'm watching these people go crazy, like our fans are going nuts. He you know, he just finished shooting. And I'm like, but they really don't have a clue or why he's holding up those numbers. And that was exciting for me.

And so the build up, the build up, and you know, then we scrimmaged the day before and like I told you before, I was humming, like buzzing, playing well. And the reality is what I have not said is leading up to that. Maybe like with a few games before, I ended up sitting out the New Orleans game and that Dallas game when we played in Dallas, I think it was I Ain't worry four for fifth somewhere around that time. Um, I couldn't move that game, like I'm

just out there and I couldn't move. I'm like, man, I'm I'm just hurting. And so the next day in New Orleans, I didn't play, and which I was projected to play, and then I did it, and so come to find out I had already been a few games before that. I was in the tunnel rolling out like my glue because my glue was tightening up, like just randomly with tighten up. And so before I go back in the game, I'm like rolling on the lacrosse ball because it can get too deeper muscles than a phone

roller can. So I'm rolling on the cross ball and then it loosen up a little bit and I'd go back in the game. And those end up being symptoms of the injury that I had. But like I think back to all of that built up and like feeling bad those couple of days, and then practicing the day before Clay returned and feeling great and like, oh man, it's time. Like and then that even and I'm sitting at home and my calflock up, and then the whole

snowball effects starts to happen. But I said all of that to say, I have been waiting for this moment I get I have the opportunity to get back out there and play with my brothers again. And you know, there were times where I was doubting whether like I mean not doubting, but like you know, we we we none of us like to hear the surgery where it come up, but that was a possibility, and so and

you know, and Dr T has been incredible. Dr Walkers in l A, who I saw it consulted with as well, like neither one of them thought I need a surgery. So it's great to put that the rest. But there was a point where I mean, even three weeks ago, like you, I still wasn't short that I was out of the woods. You know, I'm feeling better, symptoms are gone, but you can just never be so sure. And so

now that it's it's almost here. Man, to how the opportunity, like I'm excited to take the floor with all my guys, all my brothers, but to how the opportunity to go out there and take the floor again with Steph and Clay, guys who always say and Andre as well. I'm not sure if when Andrea will be back, but guys who we always say like we started to build this thing from the bottom, like when the Warriors were to laughing stock of the NBA. We started to build this thing

from the bottom. And now to be taking the floor with those guys again, Man, I can't tell you all how excited I am. And you know I always say that this is my time of year right now, like I I historically have performed better in the playoffs, and so fourteen, I'll have fourteen games to get my rhythm back and to get in a swinger things and try to get my endurance back in my and my stamina, which at this point you just go for what you know and regardless of what it is, I'm gonna make

it work. Like that's the competitor, that's the fight in me. And so man, it's time and I cannot fucking wait to take the floor with my brothers again, I cannot wait. And in speaking of returning from injury, we also know Kevin Durant just returned from injury, and boy did they run up into a monster the other day. My goodness, Jason Tatum fifty four points the one move where he threw it out between Kyrie and somebody if I think

maybe Bruce Brown, it's like and then split up. I don't even I can't even um, I can't even walk you through the move. How I want to walk you through it because it was so unorthodox and so incredible. So if you have not seen that clip of Jayson Tatum split in those two guys, whatever the hell he did, Uh, it was one of the most insane moves. And you know, to see Jayson Tatum um going up against the Brooklyn Nets, up against Kevin Durant and go for fifty four insane.

I already know and understand how good Jayson Tatum is, and saying that, uh, and spending a ton of time with him in the Olympics, you quickly realize how young he is and he's I mean, he's been playing at a very high level since he came into the league. And so when you have guys like that, you tend to forget how young they are. And then you you spend a ton of time around Jayson Tatum and like some of the questions he asked, and you realize, like, yo,

I he's still a baby. And you know, we've started we were We've built the relationship, which I am extremely thankful for. I don't take any relationship for granted. I am a relationships person. I build relationships. I cherish relationships. Uh They're very important for me. So I am very thankful for the relationship that we've built. But to see him put the team on his back after the way

the Celtics were struggling to start the season. You heard all the talks about needing to break Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown up. And and I commend Jason because he came out right away and said, no, me, me and Jason, I mean me and Jalen, we're not a problem, Like we can play well together and we're gonna figure it out. And they are figuring it out. And it's been beautiful to see, extremely happy to see such a young man take on this of a situation and and in doing

that has produced like no other. And his team is now I think eleven games above five hundred maybe in the fourth and fifth season in the East and continuing the climb. So it's a beautiful thing to see. That was an incredible game. It was also great to see Kevin back on the floor. I mean this Kevin is. I think everyone already know how incredible I think Kevin is. But you know, he used to be like a walk in twenty five dude to walk in thirty piece now, I mean he come out of injury. I think his

first game he had thirty one, second game thirty seven. Um, I mean, just just for a guy to miss what seven weeks of time and then come back out and doing that like it's nothing. It's the most insane thing. Uh. The Nets are having some problems at their own. They're on some losing they've been in the midst of a losing streak or a couple of different ones, and so they need to write their ship as well. And and you know, I'm looking forward to seeing how they handle it.

Just says how how we're going to handle it, because we're kind of in the same space. Maybe not as far as like public issues or whatnot, but as far as records I mean, our record is better, but as far as like currently what you're doing right now, we're kind of in the same space. So I'm I'm I'm as a basketball fan, I'm looking forward to seeing how how they come out of it as well as I'm

looking forward to seeing how we come out of it. Man, I am extremely honored and excited to have his next guest, a guy who I is a little brother, not who I call is a little brother of mine. Um who Man I've known since who probably this eighth or ninth grade year. Um. And obviously I'm from Saginaw, Michigan. He's from Flint, Michigan. You know, we we kind of wanted the same that Flint Sagon all connection, but we also

the routes run a little deeper. H Michigan State. Spartan played two seasons at Michigan State, was a Freshman of the Year at Michigan State, was All American his second year at Michigan State, and more importly, was then moved on to be the twelfth pick in the NBA Draft. Was originally drafted by the Clippers, but was traded um on draft night to the Charlotte Hornets, where he is now making a huge impact, having an all Star worthy season.

I think should have been an all Star but you know, only going to continue to get better so that to happen. But I want to welcome none other than the than the absolutely incredible Miles Bridges. What's up, my brother? Nothing much, man, I thank you for coming on this. As you know,

this is exciting for me. Just I enjoyed doing this, um, not only to shirt this with the fans, but I also get something out of these conversations, and especially when I have opportunities to chop it up with with guys who I have personal relationships with and obviously you know how that how that runs deep for us. UM. But uh and getting started, UM, you know you're having a great season, but we all know that you are in a restricted free agent Uh, I mean I'm sorry, a

restricted free agent coming up this year. How are you feeling about that process? Are you excited about it? Are you nervous about it? I mean I'm excited. You know, it's definitely always exciting for for somebody to go through that. I'm especially the position that I don't put it in UM. But for me right now, I'm really just worried about the season, though, we can feel out of the top eight. So I'm trying to get us to the playoffs and

that's the main goal right now. And speaking of falling out of the top eight last year, Uh, you guys were in the play in game as well, and you you ultimately lost to Indiana. We were in the playing game as well and lost. UM. How did you feel about the whole playing scenario? Did you think it was great for the league? Did you not like it? How do you feel about it? I mean for for us, I mean it's good because we have a chance to

get in if we're not in. UM, But I feel like if if I was in the top six, I don't know, the top seven times, don't you like it? It's funny? Go ahead, go ahead. Yeah, for fire position is good, but for for the ones that made it to the seven and eight un like that. It's funny because we were actually a victim of that last year where I think we were the eight. No, we were the seventh seed, and we were the seventh seed. We lost that first game to Memphis and then we lost

the second one to the Lakers. UM, and I feel like I got I got the seating off a little bit because then we played at the Lakers, so maybe we were we were the eight, the Lakers were seven. We lost to Memphis, and then we lost to the Lakers in the l A And I think for me, Um, I can't lie. I actually enjoyed the plan in the game, in part due to you know, I had missed the playoffs for a year and so then having our tunity

to kind of feel that intensity a little bit. I enjoyed the actual game, but in saying that, where we were sitting in the a C. It was kind of a bit frustrating because we lost the Memphis, who we had just beat three days before that. Man, yeah, I understand that. That's why I said she if I was in the seventh or hey, I'll be bad. Sure? Absolutely. But Um, last year LaMelo Ball joined you guys team, and I think we all know how incredible of a player that he is. Um, what's been most exciting for

you about playing with LaMelo? Uh? Just the excitement that he brings to the game and you never know what he's gonna do. You know, you might think you're growing up for a regular lobby go between the legs and throw it up, or Um, just him getting hot at any moment. He's very very stricty. If he he sees one though go in. He's excited. He's exciting the whole game. So like, I love playing with him, a great pass and great facilitated, great teammate. Um, I love being around

him as a person. So I'm happy that we get that, we get little absolutely And I think when from what I see his energy seems to be contagious, like you guys go out there, it reminds me a lot of uh, a lot of stuff in a different way, like Mellows more flashy and in life overall, not just on the basketball court, but he's more flashy, he's you know, he's just kind of more culturally into different things that stuff weren't. But when I say remind me of Steph, I mean

the looseness. Like Steph is super loose, super chill, super casual, and he played a game of basketball that way, and in turn, our entire organization en up following that, Like you come around and it's loose, you know, you walk into a practice guy storing basketball all over the place, and I think I see some of that from you guys. Do you feel that way or my awful little bit. Oh yeah, I mean right on the Monday. You know,

as soon as he got here, the culture change. Um. He's always had a lot of fans until was like with thirteen fourteen, So he's he's always had that swag to him and all that, and he brought that to us. UM. You know that's how we've been playing. UM. Our practice has been different. Our our energy within the crowd during the games is different. You could tell whenever he steps on the court that they just love him. UM, and he feeds off that. So I feel like that helps

us out too. He does a great job of keeping everybody energy. Like you said, hiss his energies tags. Um. Yeah, he's been a great distance that you guys have a You guys have a lot of a young talent Um and yourself, Kelly, who I had the opportunity to be a teammate with last year that I really enjoyed, Uh, Terry Rocher. But then you also have a couple of veteran guys UM and Gordon and my Mason. I'm sorry,

how is how is that? X? I know, coming into this season like we had, we were kind of in that same position where we have a mixture of some experienced guys and then also a bunch of young guys as well. And I wasn't sure, and you can check

my interviews from the beginning of the season. I wasn't sure how that will work because and I said it in my interview, I said, historically, we've never seen that work or where you try to mix a group of young guys with some old guys who who timeline are different. And it's it's been working for us, and and it's worked for y'all to some degree. To um, how do you feel about that mix and how it makes the magic of your team happen? Oh, I mean it's great for me. You know, Like my first season, I was

in there with the straight veits. You know, we had Kimba Walker, Nick Betune, Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams, all those guys, um, and we were good. But you know, it's just it's hard just being a young guy coming in. Um. You know, they got they got wives, they got all that type of stuff. You know, you don't really you don't really

get to hang out with him like that. My second year is more so all young guys and then brit in experience, we're getting we're getting blown out by twenty every game with no bed to tell us what's going on. So for us to have a mixture now, um, I feel like it's great for us. You know, we have Gordon. We have Gordon. Whenever things get out of out of hand, he has he calms us down. Um. And then when it's time to go up and down the floor, you

can rely on young guys. So I feel like it's good for make sure in the locker room, um, and outside the locker room. To me, and you know, when I watch your team, to me, it feels like you are the vocal leader and it all, it feels like you've made a concerted effort to step your leadership up. And I think I see guys following that. Where do you feel you are in your leadership UM skills and and just in your leadership journey? And how much further do you need to go? Uh? I say, because I'm

the longest team morning right now. Um. So I feel like last season I tried to take initiative and become like a vocal leader, helped the younger guys out. I mean, I'm saying younger guys like I'm not in my forefeit season but like just helping the under guys out the rookies, UM,

and keeping everybody's head straight. You know, I feel like everybody on the team likes you, UM and they listened to me, So you know, I kind of got it from you, what you what you did with the Warriors, you know, just keeping everybody straight, being that guy that that that leads and not afraid to get on anybody at any time. So I feel like I tried to be like you with that type of stuff, and I'm getting better at it too. I can also do a better job. You know, Charris came in, He's done a

great job of that. UM. But you know, I feel like I'm a leaders team. That's That's that's great to hear. How is it having um the owner of the of the team that you played for being Michael Jordan's Like, are you guys able to lean on Mike for advice for um, just for different different questions that you may have or is it or is he not that connected with the team? Oh no, he's connected. You know, I

got I got MJ's number. I text him whenever, you know, we hit a rough patch and see what he would do in a situation or I text him by the game and he takes right back, like like as soon as I take five minutes, he takes right back. It's crazy. Um yeah, I mean before all started, but he came in and ripped our eyes by Orlando, so he's very in tune with us. And it's just nice to having having the goat just being there for you at all times, being connected and just being able to rely on him

and have resources like that. So I mean, it's good for me. And speaking of of All Star break, um, I have I have a question that I need to know for myself, especially coming on the hills of you talking about I'm the guy you're going to dunk on, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. But first of all,

what what was spark you to say that? Because now, I mean not that I wasn't already expecting you to try dunk on me because you've tried it before, but like now, I'm I'm too all my toes for now, Like, what was spark you to say that? My house? Because every time I try to dunk on you, you found

me or or something that ship out of here. You've never blocks always put the flower every time time, so so so so with this clip, We're gonna We're gonna pull the clip of me blocking your shot, and we're gonna post this when when we promote this episode of the podcast, it's going to be a clip of me blocking your shot. Since you said I've never blocked your shot to no, no, no, we're talking about the block I ain't I see because one thing I didn't say

I never follow you. I also didn't say I wouldn't follow you to stop you from dunking on me. I said, you not go on to dunk on me. So I really don't care about the file house. So i'mna catch you. I'm gonna catch you one day. Watch you know what happened. But and and speaking of that, which is not happening.

But in speaking of All Star Break, I have a question, um, especially coming off the hills of probably one of the worst, if not the worst dunk contest we've ever seen in the NBA, why why is it that you don't participate in the dunk contest? I mean, I participated my my rookie year, but you didn't win it. I didn't win it at all, so I didn't did terrible. I don't know. I mean, it's just For me, I don't know, all start break. For me, it is like me getting the

break away from basketball, you know. And I this year, I played the most minutes in the NBA UM, so I feel like my legs definitely to break. You know. I know the fans, they they want to see the best ducktors in the league go at it like myself, John Moran, Um, Zion Ampson when he's healthy, UM, Anthony Edwards. But they gotta look at it like like it's an All Star break. You know, if I woult to make the All Star Game, I'll probably I probably would have

did duck contest. But during that time, I'm trying to rest my legs and get ready for the second half season because it's it's a huge run for us, trying to make the playoffs. I think fans don't get that. But at the same time, it's definitely entertainment. It's definitely entertaining. So you know, I'm gonna think about it. I'm gonna

think about it. I think you make a great point there that most people don't realize even when you are an All Star UM that weekend or I mean, they've they've extended the break now with kudos to commit our commissioner Adam Silver uh extending the break because I remember when I first came in the league, right when you would play your last game Thursday, you then get on in the airplane after that Thursday night game, fly to whatever city you're going to and like have media and

if and and if you played your last game on Wednesday, you had to fly Wednesday night and be there Thursday morning for media, and then you're there to a Sunday night. And at that point games you used to start back up on Tuesday. And you see like now you had games starting back up on Thursday and Friday, you had teams finishing on like Wednesday, and so I think that was, uh, that's a huge improvement for us. But most fans don't realize.

And in being an All Star or participating in All Star Weekend, you you end up not getting a break. And especially when you're an All Star and you are the last event, which is the All Star Game, you don't get out of there like I didn't. I didn't leave Cleveland this weekend and I didn't play. I didn't leave Cleveland til three am with Monday morning, and so it's not much of a break, and I think I think that's that a very great thing that we have now.

And we always talk about like you younger guys, as the younger the league gets, the more spoiled you guys get. Y'all gets this this long break now that that we never got. Yeah, but I didn't get that break, you know, I didn't dunk contest. Um, I probably had like wood two days, two days and you got right back to it. So yeah, it was tough. I think, Um, I think the NBA can do a better job in making the

dunk contests enticing. Like I'm not sure exactly what the what the bonus is currently, it's maybe fifty or a hundred thousand dollars or somewhere in between. That I think if the NBA made made it more enticing, Um, you get more guys in it, like all the guys that you just name. Uh, if it's a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar bonus or I remember when Blake Blake Griffin jumped over the key and then he had that

key a sponsorship for the next six years. I think if the league can incorporate something where where they um where they maybe use one of their partners that they already have a deal with, like hey, you're you're you're gonna have a Kia deal or you're gonna have this deal or that deal, um, Mercedes deal, whoever the league our partners with, if they can include in that an endorsement deal for the guy who wins, a much bigger bonus for the guy who wins, would that be more

enticing for you as someone who should be in the dunk contest or could be and shouldn't could win ith Yeah, jumping over Mercedes for Mercedes deal. Yes, I would definitely do that or for any type of endorsements, but really we're just doing it for what you said, a hundred thousand dollars. Yeah, but this is more stuff like that though, like endorsements, um uh. That guy's definitely get into it. And I think they need to change the format back

to like being timed on the dunks. You know they had because on it you can hear Man just watching guys and miss dunks over and over and over again. So it's good. I think the NBA is gonna fix it, especially this year was kind of a wake up call for them on the dunk contest. Um. But it will get fixed. Michael Levine, you heard it here. First, you need to bump your bonus up, my man, you need to get these guys an endorsement deal for winning the

dunk contest. We gotta do something, Michael, because what I do know is I don't think the answer is to get rid of the dunk contest. Like you were so many people saying get rid of the dunk contest. I don't think that's the answer. No, that's that's that's definitely not it. That's definitely not it. A little more interesting,

that's all. Absolutely. Speaking of awards, um, there's a lot of guys for most Simpool Player, yourself being one of Jordan Pool is a guy who mentioned a lot of my teammate John Moran, Darius Garland, uh Dejont Murray, which are also too uh so that there's there's three of the top five clush clients. By the way, but where do you feel like you you rank as far as as those guys go. And let me just throw this

out here. I don't think John Moran is in the in the most Improved player category as yes, huh, I think he's an MDP conversation. That's it, Like that's the only conversation he's in. He's not in the most improved player of conversation like last year Gyris points a game. Now, yes, he's up to twenty eight points a game. Yes, that is a huge improvement, but if you know anything about basketball, you're not shocked by that by that improvement. And so I I personally don't think he he should be in

that conversation. But nonetheless, where do you feel like you rank amongst those guys as far as most improved player goes. I mean, at the beginning of the season, for sure, I thought it was first. Um my numbers went down a little bit, um so and and plus Darius and made the All Star Game. So I probably say I'm third right now. Um, we forgot to mention the guy Anthony Anthony signs too. He's been having a great season. Um. But yeah, for me to be honest, I'm probably like

like third right now. We've still got twenty more games. I'm gonna staying kill mode. Um, continue to try to win. I feel like the more the more that I win, Um, the more I have a chance to it to to win m P doesn't That's really not my goal. My goal as the playoffs, but I think the m I P P race is going to be very tight. You know, there's a lot of guys that improved their game during the summer. UM, so we'll see no no doubt. And

I think, um, well, I'll ask you this question. Do you think with twenty games left that there are still something you can do to change that? Or do you think coming down to stretch in the NBA with twenty games left, most races are already decided. Mm hmmm, You're right about that. Most most races are decided. Um, But like I said, safety going like crazy wind Street getting to the playoffs. Um, I'm still killing in that situation. Yeah,

sure now, and I agree with you. I think most of the times when you get when you get to the point of the season where we are now, most of those awards kind of be already decided. I actually think this year all of them are actually still off. For graphs like, I don't think um anyone has solidified themselves as the m v P. I think we know the front runners for m v P and for me and no particular artist, that's John Damar and Joel for me. UM, I think Joker also has to be in that conversation

as well. That's for me personally, but I think amongst those guys, they're still a race. I think if you look at Defensive Player of the Year, obviously, if I didn't get hurt, I was running away with that. And you know, I was running away with it because no one still has solidified themselves and I had solidified myself at game thirty, and so I feel like I was running away with that. Even every dog has his day, sun shines on the dog ass every now and then,

you can't do nothing about that, you know. So you did. And it's crazy too about that, because I was actually piste off about that Game winner because I got you to go to the shop at the exact shot I wanted you to go to. You drive middal And and the angle that I had you on. Obviously, I know you like to get back to your right hand, but the angle I had you on, if the rim is here, you almost shot it from like here. So I was

a little frustrated about that. But I'll tell y'all what funny story mouse myself, Jared Brent Forbes, Denzel Valentine, Travis Walden, Aaron Henry um Am I missing anyone cash is we're all in a group chat from our Spartan Dog Sparting ground week group chat, and uh, the moment Myles gave me, I went to the group chat like, hey, y'all, Moles just gave me because I already one thing, listen, the one thing I didn't want to happen. Two things I

didn't want to happen. I didn't want one of those guys to come post in the show like, oh man, Myles games, Myles game Draymond. And then I also, and more importantly, I didn't want Miles to come in the chat like, yeah, I just gained Draymond. So I went right away soon as I got through my locker, like, man, y'all, never believe Miles just games. I wouldn't. I was gonna let you do it. I wanted to do it. I was not gonna do it. You're smart, because then I

would have put them blocks in the group chats. But but I want to ask you some a couple of questions, just going back to high school. You played your freshman year at Flint Southwestern, and then after that you transferred and you went to Huntington Prep. What what was your reasoning for for leaving FLYNT and going to hunting To Prep. Uh, there's a lot of distractions. You know, most of most of my friends in the streets at the time, and

I was still trying to play basketball. Um, so just me getting away from distraction is getting away from the city. UM and just focused on having my main focus on basketball and going to Huntington, West Virginia. It wasn't nothing else, literally nothing else out there but to focus on but basketball. So m I mean, my mom was crazy because my mom, she didn't want me at all. Really, yes, she did it. She didn't want to go. She wanted to stay off

four years because I'm a baby. Yeah, I'm a younger child. She didn't want me to go, But I kind of made the decision. UM and Jeff Gray, he helped me make that decision to um, just to just to get away. Um and I was probably the best decision I've ever made. And see where I'm at, I don't. Yeah, you know, that's that's one thing that I am marked I admire about you. Um since coming up, you seemed to me, I mean even when they came to not going in

the NBA, driving, going back to school. Then once it came to going in the NBA Draft, then once it was time to pick an Asian, you to me, um it it feels like you're a young man that always has made your own decisions, and that's not that's not always comment for young men, young African American men, especially

not young African American athletes. You know, you have the AU coach I was just putting on my Instagram earlier about kJ who you know, um, just the AU coaches, you have, leeches, you have all of these people who get involved in the decision making process. And that's something that I've always admired about you and I wanted to share that with you. Um. But just going back to to Michigan High school basketball, I think the m h s a A is a fucking joke. Terrible. I hate it.

And that's why everybody's when you see the top of cruise leaving, it's terrible. It's and they still haven't figured that out. And for those of you that don't know, I'll share a little bit of history with you. UM. If you are Miles Bridges, who's a who's a top fifteen, top ten player in the country, who go who gets invited to Nike Camp, who gets invited to all of these different things. UM. It used to be the Elite twenty four. When you came out, it was a Nike

game in the Bahamas, UM that you into. But you have all of these things that you know, you have the sneaker companies with the grassroots programs, and they have all of these things for for the top players. And if you're if you're a player in the state of Michigan, you you can't go to most of those things. You UM, if you're if you're out of camp and you make the All Star Game, you're not allowed to play in

the state of Michigan. UM. In the state of Michigan, you're not allowed to travel I think seventy five miles seventy five and ninety miles outside of where you play. So for instance, for me and Sagging all, the firstest we could travel to play was Toledo, Ohio. And you have all of these tournaments where you where where the world was first introduced to Miles Bridges. Was him playing

in the Dicks Sporting Good Classic? Was him playing in you know, all of these big time games on national television. In the state of Michigan, you're not allowed to go to any of those or your or you forfeit your season. And I and I think it's so ridiculous. So now you start going down the list and all of the top players leave the state of Michigan. I can't believe

that the rule hasn't been changed. And and I also think coaches, oh um and the coaches at the other schools down the way need to push more for that because the reality is, and I think you can probably attest to this is do you don't you think it ultimately cost them recruits when you end up letting a guy lead to state and go somewhere else to high school? Do you think that ultimately end up causing them recruits? Yeah,

I mean that's almost went to Kentucky. Um, when I went to West Virginia because um, it was like what two hours away to ours a way, so they were coming to literally every practice, every game. UM, and Michigan State they're coming, they're coming, but they couldn't come as much as it is Kentucky. But uh, but yeah, I don't know, I don't know. I don't know why they haven't changed the rule yet. You still don't have a

shot clock. It's ridiculous, Like I said, the national, the national the national schedule is what is what put me on. You know, I was playing against the top players every every game, Jason Tatums, Josh Jackson's at the time, the Harry Giles, those guys. I was playing against those guys and Michigan Wood I was playing against I don't know who getting thirty easy. Absolutely, they definitely need to change that, especially with the All Star games because I I didn't

even know about the Allstar Game. You couldn't playing that. Yeah, well, in part do you left the state so early that by the time you were making them All Star games you could play in them. Yeah. So, like I said, like you said that, they're losing the cruise because of that, um. Michigan State, the other school um. And they just gotta fix that because they're not giving kids out of Michigan a chance to to showcase their talent um and stayed in the public school or a private school there and

put off for the State of Michigan. Like like you used to be, like you had it, you had uma, you had second, all it. Second, what's your school called you? Trojans Man, I ain't going to know damn r to here, all right? And you went to Northwestern. Cool, no big deal. I want to bet against them. I'm gonna beat against him. So I'm good. Northwestern was still a school when you was in high school. Yeah it was. It was for sure. That's crazy, that's funny. But and a couple more questions

and I'll let you go. But when it comes to a U basketball do you do you want an AU basketball team? Would you rather just support the family? What? What's your view on AU basketball? In the way this day? Uh? I mean right now, I feel like he was mess me. You know, the kids, they really it's different nowadays. It's a it's a different generation. You know, kids play for the highlights. Um. They don't play the win and play the game the right way. So I so bought me

UM separate. You can. You can find some good basketball in the Yale UM. But I honestly I'm trying to I'm in the works of starting my own program, putting in the E. Y B. L. Myles Bridges Elague UM soon UM for for the State of Michigan. The first of the first person to hear about this. So but but when I get that team, I definitely want to teach them how to play the game. The right way. Um, go back to oh Au style. When you're playing to win.

You know, if you win, you get offers, get you get all the highlights, you know, ball his life and all that that they're gonna be there. Um. So yeah, hopefully, hopefully I can change change the game when I when I get in there, right out for a kind of mess about how far out is that? Like when when should we expect Miles Bridges elite to hit the hit the scene? Um, if not? If not, this a season and next I'm gonna start off with the fi TU first, okay,

and then then go from there. One thing I will say to you is make sure you have the right people running the program. I tried to get into that that Au business, and I was in it for a year, and it's it's like, if if you don't have the right people running your program, it's done before it even

gets started. So just make sure you have the right people running the program, doing it for the right reason and not to take advantage of these kids like guys tried to do myself, like guys tried to do you, because that what it ends up turning into is something something that you did from the contents of your heart, and something that you did because you simply wanted to help, it ends up turning into a negative, you know, And so I would say, make sure you have um the

right people running a program. A funny story about this, Actually, uh Mouse is getting ready to come out in the NBA Drive obviously Michigan State Spartan. I flew we were. We were playing in Oklahoma City. Miles last game was in Tulsa against Kansas. I'll never forget it against Kansas, Josh Jackson, those guys. And I told Miles after the game, I said, man, great year, you had great two years.

I'll see you next year in our league. And He's like, uh, I don't know, Yeah, man, I really like school, but uh whatever. And so I'm like, yeah, whatever, I'll see you in our league next year. Fast forward about within the next week, I get a call. I get a X from Miss Cynthia Bridges and she said to me, Hey, Draymond, Hey, Draymond. I am so thankful for everything, all the guidance that you've given Miles and being there for him when it comes to his decision of whether he's going to the

NBA or not. You can stay out of it and I said, huh. I said, well, with all due respect, miss Bridges, I told Miles I'll see him in the league with me next year. So whoever is contacting you and telling you that I'm telling Miles to go back to school, they're lying to you. She then proceeded to say, well, they told me you telling Miles to go back to school and get a cut so you can get a cut. I said, well, Miss Bridges, well there's there's a couple

of things wrong with that statement. Number one is I would have to be telling Miles to leave Eve in order to get a cut from anything, but you're actually telling me I told him to stay. Also, Miss Bridges, I'm actually pretty rich. Like I'm gonna pretty well for myself. I don't really need to cut from from Miles and like what Miles gonna do. But just so you know, the cut would actually come from getting Miles to sign

with an Asia. And I don't know, do you do you recall what I said to you when you asked me about my agent and who I was with. Do you do you recall what I said to you? Uh? No, But I know for sure that you that you told me that to go to leave told me that for sure. I told Miles, I said, I'm I'm with b J Armstrong and b J has been He's been good for me. We have a great relationship. But if I wasn't with b J, I'd be with Rich Paul, who you ultimately

ended up signing with. Which leads me to what different or what have you gotten from Clutch that has helped propel you in this league? Because I know there are a lot of agents in the business. I think there are other great agents in the business. I'm not saying it's not, but I know Clutch has given me something that I never got from someone else. What is it that they've given you that you you don't think it

is normal or it's common in our league? Um, you know, being being being a teenager, being a twenty year old being thrown into into this lifestyle. Um, it's tough. It's tough for everybody. And I feel like Rich has a great job of just making sure that you're you're on your PS and Q seven like basketball, um, with girls, with the party and all that type of stuff. Like he always tried to give you some type of advice, UM, to make sure that you that you're that you're doing

the right things. And I feel like other agencies don't reach out to the guys like like Richard, Richard Brandon or Fair or all those people will do UM, but but Clutch does a great job of doing that and and it's like a brotherhood, and it kind of reminds me of Michigan State UM just like the events they we haven't UM putting guys in group chats and making

sure you're talking to the main guys. As soon as I got in the Clutch, me and Brown protecting is giving me advice about anything, so nobody's off limits and Clutch like it's no bigger and they treat everybody the same. So I feel like that's what it is about Clutch for me. But what about you? You know, I think

all I agree with all of those things. I think also one of the one of the most beautiful things UM to me is how they teach you and try to prepare you for life, how they try, how how rich Uh and Fair and the entire team, how they're trying to give you things that most people don't give to young African American men. UM know. When when I was looking to buy a house, rich walked several homes with me, Like, I mean, at one house that I

thought we were gonna buy, I call Rich Hayes. When I had walked the house and I call Rich and I was so excited, and I'm like, man, I found the house is the one And Rich walked in the house. And when he walked in, he's like and he just literally walking through the house pointing stuff like m M. And then we walked all the way back through the house and everything he pointed to and said, uh. He told me why. He was saying, like, look, this stone

doesn't match. Uh. You go in the backyard, there's four different stones back here. It's just like they pieced this together. He's like, um, he said, he said, they're going to get a sucker about his house. And I'm not gonna let you be that sucker, you know. And and and it's things it's things like that. It's it's him teaching young African American men about the art business, because you buy a twenty uh piece of art and in three years that piece of art can be worth a million

dollars like it could be. And so I one of the things that I really appreciate about Clutch is are those things and and just helping guys adjust to life. You know, we get thrown into this fire, into this world that none of us has ever been privy to because we're all poor black kids from the inner city,

and you're just expected to figure it out. And most agents don't take that, like most agents don't give a damn will house you buy like most most agents don't care whether you go buy a chain or you go buy art, like most agents won't do that. And so that's what what I'm very appreciative of about clutching and something that I think separates them from the bunch. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. But but last question before we get out of here, man, very simple one. I

just want to hear how your children are doing. How old are they or like I? And and secondly, how did it becoming a father change you as a basketball player and as a young man. Uh well I have to you already know, but I have two children, you know. A A Smiles bridges um Ela Marie Bridges um Asis as three birthday October twenty six. Ala, she's she's too. She just turned to she turned to February. Um And I feel like they changed my gang. Don't bang you heard you got me a vice. But but yeah, I

had my son. Um, what a month a month before the season started or no, it was a month after the season started. It was a month after the season started in October. Um. It just changed my life for the better. You know. Before I came into the NBA, I really not anything to play for. You know, it's my mom my mom, but she was good. I got her house and all that, but I really didn't have nothing to play for it. Um, and I feel like my kids were born, I had something to play for

it and it's definitely a good responsibility. Gives me a good motivation, um to go out there and do what I do. And the best thing about my kids is I never changed to them. You know, I got the worst game in the world. Come back, I'm still dad. You know. That's the best feeling every man. Just just coming back to my kids being loved by them, um and and me giving them love. It's there's no it's it's unconditional love. And you can't explain it really. So

I'm happy to be a dad. I'm a dad first always. UM. So yeah, absolutely, man, I think the one thing it gives you, it just puts everything into a perspective. You know, before kids, you have a bad game, you go home, you think about that game until you play another game. You have kids, you go home back gag daddy, what's up? What's going on? Like it's like nothing ever happened. So

I definitely understand it. Man. I am extremely proud of the father that you have become, that you're growing into and and and and more importantly, I think we all can get better, uh that you will continue to grow into. I think it's a beautiful thing man. And and I also obviously having kids young, I also have an appreciation

for them being able to see your career. You know, like and you know your kids, your kids are going to come into money that that they will never they would have never understood how the money was made as you act had kids older. And so I think it's incredible. Man. As a big brother, I'm super proud of you. Keep going. I appreciate you coming on the show. My brother and will link soon and we're definitely doing Sparking Ground week again.

But I actually have one more question before I let you go, a lit that I'm sorry about that, but recently Darius basically just came out and said he's the best rapper in the n B A. I've never heard a dB song, so I can't say he's not. But I do know two rappers in the NBA that I absolutely respect, and that's Damian Lillard and you and I. And where do you rate yourself? Y'all My too, y'all

man too. Maybe you know someone else who's better. I don't know, But where do you rate yourself or ranky yourself? As as far as rappers in the NBA, I mean, of course, I'm I'm writing myself number one. Um, you know, I don't one day to try to getting the rap beef me. He don't want to smoke dollars. I want that smoke dollars. He saw what you did this shot. He don't want to smoke. But but I definitely think I'm number one. You know, damn gotta great songs, very lyrical.

I heard debates of debates. I'm messing with me, your dame, you know. And it's the great thing is you heard my first, my first ever rap song I ever made when I was in Michigan, when I took my official Michigan state I played I played it for you because I don't start this over started over here. I was good at the time, so it's crazy. But yeah, I say myself, dang debates. He all right, but Anthony Everards he's pretty good too, rap. Yeah, I gotta get him

to him. He's pretty good. Okay, yeah, okay, all right, I'll tell you what. I'll let you go. Since I feel like you've changed your whole rap style since I last heard that song like it's I think you're rap style now it's more like the it's like the Detroit like UM, like there's a sound and everyone there. There's a sound to it, and I think if people hear it and they know that type of music, they'll understand it. But nonetheless, brother, I appreciate you, man. Thank you for

coming on the Draymond Greeny Show. Bro. I appreciate getting the playoffs, man, because that's gonna make that bad bigger. Believe that. I appreciate you. I love you too, Bro, Thank you man. That was incredible, Um being able to share with you guys some of my story and his journey and you know, the growth that he's had to have over the course of his career. I was also excited to hear like no I talked to m j and like I can text him all the time, Like that's a big deal. I don't care who you are,

what you say. When you can just text Michael Jordan's that's not like some small thing. That's a very big deal. And just to know that Mike is is that hands on with the team and and those guys, like you know, we all have someone in basketball that we can turn to. When you can turn to Michael Jordan's right, that's incredible

and intimidating, extremely intimidating. But you know, I think it's amazing for them to be able to call them Mike, and I'm looking forward to continuing to see their team grow. Obviously very young. Miles is still very young, LaMelo is very young, and they're building around those guys. So it's beautiful to see. Um. I hope you all got to know Miles a little bit better than you knew him before.

Extremely hard worker, really push the time in and I think most another thing that was important for me to hear is just about Miles as a father. I've seen it, and you know when when you have children, it just it stimulates a different type of growth and and also at a different different speed and and and so it's beautiful to see him taking on that responsibility and really

raising his children the right way. I know, for me, that is the most important thing in my life is raising my children and doing that with love and compassion. And so a young guy like that to have, for him to have two kids, still thriving in his career, thriving as a father, as a as a young African American man from the inner city. Uh, you know, I cherish that and appreciate that way more than the high flying dunk and and the Harness crazy absolutely insane announcer.

I mean, he brings the most insane energy. I absolutely love it. But I take that way more to the heart as far as him as a father than the high flying dunks. That will always mean more to me. So kudos to Miles, appreciate them coming on the show. I hope you all enjoyed. Until next week, it's a rout Draymond greenshow piece,