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What's up, everybody?
Welcome back to the Draymond green Shaw is an honor to have this next guest an NBA champion, And so I've been hiding this hand because I have my twenty twenty two championship, bring on. And the reason I have my twenty twenty two championship, bring on is because the only thing that I have over this guy that I could kind of throw on his faces. I won a championship more recently than he did. However, he was just so kind to throw in my face. He and Jackson.
You know, Jackson's riding a high. He's a Boston Celtics fan. Not sure if he told you that, but he's riding a high as a Celtics fan right now, and so he wants to throw that out in my face.
It's good, Well he can take this.
But also Coach Nurse, who I'm honored to have coach Nurse, NBA champion. He beat me in an NBA final, So I'm gonna just get rid of this because it's embarrassing and kind of ruined my final slave. However, like I said, as an honor to have this next guest, NBA champion, two time D League champion, coach Nick Nurse, what's going on, my friend?
Hey, thanks for having me on, man, I've been looking forward to it. I listen to you and watch you a lot, so it's an honor to be on. So thanks for having me.
Oh man, thank you. I appreciate it. First off, I mean, let's let's just get right into it. I think you know, I've watched some coaches come through the G League and specific through our G League program. You've had Seth Cooper, You've had Aaron Miles come through it.
And move on.
Nick Nick Kerr right now is doing a great job there. Chris Weims on our staff, and I know your journey went through the D League, starting with championships in the D League. Can you talk to me about that process and getting the reps in the D League and then obviously getting your opportunity and becoming a head coach of the Toronto Raptors.
First.
Yeah, so listen, you know I've spent a lot of years.
I spent about twenty years coaching before I got to the NBA.
I was small college.
I went to England of all places, for about ten eleven years, and then finally landed in the D League.
And you know, when anybody.
Ever asked me about getting into coaching, I always say, get head coaching experience as fast as you can, because that is, like you said, the reps of get in front of people showing film, making substitutions, calling timeouts.
You know, that's the real deal.
No matter really, whatever level you're at, you're having to make a lot of decisions.
Absolutely, And just trace him back a little bit.
Can you talk to me about the easiest head coaching job that you had where you was an assistant for four days and cash out on her seventy five grand Talk to me, I'm looking for a gig like that.
By the way, best best job I ever had. So I was coaching at the Iowa Energy in the D League. Guy I played college basketball with at Northern i With Greg McDermott was then the coach at Iowa State. He offered me a job to be his associate head coach. I went up there on a Thursday. I literally got on a plane on Friday and went to Europe to recruit. And on Sunday he called me. I was in London getting ready to go to Greece. He called me said, hey, I'm going to Crayton and he said you want to
come with me to Creighton. And I was like, well, whoa, We're just happened here. We just we just moved up, you know, we just started this job. And I said, let me come home and think about that for a minute. I ended up going thank goodness, you know, all things happened for a reason. I ended up going back to the Iowa Energy after four days at Iowa State, and that was when we won our first first D League championship and then then then we went rolling from there a little bit.
That's that's incredible.
When when you were in the Iowa Energy, I've been trying to trace your path to the Raptors. When you were with the Iowa Energy, were they the affiliate of the Raptors at that time?
Like, what was how did you what was your path to the Raptors?
No, so the path to the so I coached the Iowa Energy.
Then I went to Rio Grande Valley as the head G League coach, which was the Rockets team, and literally.
They just.
They just kind of called me up out of nowhere. I think they'd seen the team play.
We had. We had a couple.
I think we had Glenn Rice Junior who was in the draft. He was one of the first guys in the in the D League that was in the draft and a lot of people were coming to watch him and and it was actually a Brian Colangelo who who saw the team play and just said, let's let's talk to this guy. And then they hired me as an assistant after a little a lot of changeover in Turmoil. It was it was I came in and Dwayne Casey
hired me and all that stuff. But we made it through that little change of management to get the start in Toronto.
What was it like as an assistant coach during those years where you guys were having absolutely incredible seasons in Toronto and then you kind of just run into a bus out on Lebron James and the East Like, what were those years like? Kind of ultimately hoping to get over that hope. Did you I mean hoping to get over that hump? Did you guys like not? I mean, I don't want to say not believe, because I think anytime we're in the locker room you want to believe.
But did you guys really believe that that team could have gotten over the hump?
And like, what was it with that squad?
Yeah? So in general it was awesome.
It was awesome because we kind of I think don't quote me on the exact numbers, but I think the year, the year before we started in Toronto was like a thirty two win season.
So the first year we went to forty eight and got.
In the playoffs, which hadn't been in and I don't know again ten years, maybe eleven, twelve years, and so the buzz was like, oh my god, they're a playoff team. And then we kind of on fifty five maybe one fifty eight, and and like you said, we'd run into everybody was getting was getting chopped down by by Lebron and the calves then, right, So it was super exciting, and then there was always that frustration of how can
we figure out how to beat this guy? And then the last time around, I think we had the home court advantage and we had to higher seed and they hadn't really played that well that year. We thought, we really did think we could we could get over the hump, and it was just like one of those one of those I think Game one, Draymond, it was like we had we had to lay up and it missed and we had a tip in, and like, if we would have just one of those bounce in, we win game one and.
Maybe the whole series.
And that was like a crushing, like last second defeat, and and then that was that was it, and then uh just never could get then. You know how how tough it is to get any his teams?
Absolutely, I mean obviously we played against those guys for four straight years, five straight years fifteen.
Yeah, five straight years.
And it's crazy because I was watching the NBA Finals. I was watching NBA Finals a few days ago with Bron and we were actually sitting there talking about like the different things when you watched the last couple of finals that teams kind of get away with, Like it was tougher to get away with then. And I don't want to sound like one of those old ass dudes
who like in my day, they couldn't. But like I feel like when we were like in the finals against you guys against Lebron, like there was some guys that just couldn't get on the floor. Like if you were just a shooter, right and you couldn't put the ball on the floor, you didn't have size could escape, Like you couldn't.
Get on the floor.
And it's like now all of a sudden, teams aren't capable of necessarily like taking the guy out, you know, like the guys that you knew you had to take out, who's like he's a shooter. We did it to Kyle Korver when they were when he when he was with the Cat. It's like, you take those guys out. Now
you don't see that as much. Do you think that's actually a byproduct of the new NBA bylaws or salary cap where you can't quite build out the teams how you would, Because I've been seeing that and when I look at it, I'm just like, man, like that stuff never would.
Have flew in the NBA Finals even four years ago.
Yeah, I don't know.
I think things change so fast and even even it seems to me they change more rapidly sometimes during the season and everything. I just think that you're always adjusting to the style of play or the physicality that's being allowed or not being allowed. It seems to be, you know, like all over the place at times. So I think, I think, you know, and again, I think some series guys look great, those kind of guys you're talking about, than some series they don't do. And all of a sudden,
you're like, what happened? You know those guys were those guys were playing great last series? You know what happened to them? And and you're right, they think I think scouting different, different schemes, different personnel, some matchups are just bad for certain players.
Right, that is, that is one hundred percent correct.
I think when you when you get further and further into these playoffs, playoff runs, matchups are everything, like I think. I think this year in the playoffs showed that more than ever. Right, Like the Lakers and the Nuggets. Lakers probably could have won the series, like the series easily could have been flipped, but a tough matchup for the Lakers.
Denver moves on to Minnesota, they lose to Minnesota, Whereas the Lakers probably were a better matchup than Minnesota, Right, I think I think we're starting to see that even more now where matchups, who you match.
Up with is more important than ever. Do you feel that way.
I think it's it's really important in the playoffs. And here's the thing, here's the thing I dislike about how I feel today about it's three to ohero, it's three to oh, right, and it feels like it feels like they've all been forty point blows. But that isn't true. I mean, it was a two point game with a minute to go last night. Game two should have been a three point game with a minute to go if we get that layup or circumstances around that layup are
a little different. So like that's where Dallas has gotten everybody too, and then figured out a way to beat them. And all of a sudden it's three oh, and you're like, well it's over now. Nobody's come back from three to zero. But I hope they do. I'm just like you and everybody else. We want to see more games, right, We don't want to.
See over but yet absolutely definitely looking up with love to watch more basketball. And before we get it, get deeper into the basketball talk, because it is an honor to have an NBA head coaching NBA champion on the Draymond Green Show.
Very thankful.
But before we get further to the basketball talk, can you join us celebrate the Grand Open to Carol National Golf and Music. Can you talk to me more about that August fifteen to sixteen.
Can you talk to me more about your God.
I appreciate that. Give me the shout out.
So I'm from a little small town in Iowa, about ten thousand people called Carol Golf Course. I grew up on a little bit as a kid, and it was kind of as at its end and we're just trying to save it. So me and some guys are turning around putting it together. Grand opening coming up in August fifteenth and sixteenth, But mainly it's to raise Mais money for the foundation as well. Draymond I've been once we won that championship, thought I was given an amazing platform
to go out and raise money. Did a bunch in Toronto, and now we're doing some here in Philly, doing some in Iowa, and just trying to pump that money back to kids in the eras of sports, music and literacy. I'm a big pseudo musician. I love music. I'm a music appreciator, that's for sure. And I like helping kids buy them instruments, buy them lessons, get them up on stage, anything we can do in music and in sports and
try to build their self esteem. Got people that wouldn't normally get such good chances.
You know, that's absolutely incredible. I respect that.
I think anytime, especially as a music fan, I too love music, appreciate music, and I think anytime you get the opportunity to combine those two it's always great. Like they're so synonymous. They live, you know, music and sport. It's one in the same. I always say, every musician want to be a basketball player. Every basketball player want to be a rapper or musician, And that's just kind of the way to cookie crumbles, you know.
I was about ready to ask you that.
I was wondering if you go through that too, Like a lot of musician friends and they all want to talk. I'm trying to stop them from asking me basketball questions, and it just keeps on coming. It's really funny.
Absolutely, it's like the interest right is through the roof. You know, this is always good. No, I think that's great and for you all out there check that out. I actually would love to check it out, but I'll be in France at that time. But I would love to make a donation if I could. For all of you out there, if you can make a donation, continue to push this forward. And also we got to get Drew Yoder out there, who's our head trainer. Always get
his guy crap coach. He's from Iowa and he always give me crap because I'm from sacking Off, Michigan, and so we got to get him back there.
Let's do it, man's let's do it all. Anybody's welcome, especially anybody he can. He play golf a little bit.
He actually can.
And you know another thing which I absolutely love about, and he walks around the facility of talking shit to everybody.
He does so absolutely that.
Translates to the golf course too. We all know that, right, yea.
That's a fact.
That is a fat But moving forward, you guys start the off season and all of a sudden, you know, going to twenty eighteen twenty nineteen season, get opportunity to get Kawhi Leonard.
How big was that? What was that like? Coaching him?
Obviously didn't get to coach him for sure, as long as you would have.
But what was it like getting.
Kawhi him coming in and kind of taking the franchise up a level?
Yeah, I mean, I mean, you know Kawhi, first of all, he's awesome. I loved his just competitiveness, his drive, his smart everything. But but you know what he did, probably more than anything Graymond was he just kind of rose the level of everything, right.
He just he got He just.
Everybody played a little bit better, everybody believed a little bit more, all those kind of things with his presence, and he was awesome to coach.
I think that.
My most fascinating things with him were, you know, when I'd be in the fourth quarter and things and I'd be like, you know, like nine minutes us to go, and I'd be like, let's go. You got to get back in there, and he'd be like, I'm not quite ready yet. I'd I'd be like, well, we better hustle because there may not be may not be anything to wait for. But you know, he knew he did about the six minute mark, six and a half, he'd go
back in, but he knew and he just dominated. He just made every play at both ends, every tough rebound, like he really knew what he kind of had in.
The tank and what he could provide.
And I kind of I just admired that about him because he really would go make, you know, plays at both ends that were just you know, that's that's what I love, guys making plays at both ends. And they were just huge plays.
You know, absolutely, absolutely, I think it's incredible. Obviously we were on the wrong side of it. I must say I was absolutely shocked. And you know, I know he's an LA guy or San Diego, Southern Californian guy, wanted to.
Get back closer to home.
But that may be the only player in the NBA that can win a championship with a team probably get offered the entire country of Canada and leave and go back to the Clippers.
I can't, can you.
I can't think of any other guy in the NBA that would turn that down.
I can't think of it ever happening either. I'm not totally totally shocked Draymond because the very first meeting I had with him, like he got traded to Toronto, I'm not sure he was like, well, what happened here? How'd I end up here?
And I'm meeting with him, and it was super cool.
We were kind of going through some stuff on the board and and just getting to you know, listen to him feel about I like this or move here, these kind of things, and it was a great conversation, and he kind of said to me, listen, all right, all right, I'm gonna I'm gonna play to win. I'm gonna play. You know, I'm wanna play to win. I'm gonna play to win at all. And they said, he said, I'm gonna do it for one year. After that, he goes, I'm not sure what's gonna happen, right, but for one year,
i'm gonna play. I'm gonna play one hundred percent. I'm gonna play to win the title. And I was kind of like, that's a pretty good deal. Let's let's start with that, right. So I wasn't totally shocked, but I thought after we'd kind of done it all and did you know, all that stuff like you just said kind of rolled out, I was sure hoping he was gonna
stay because that was a really really good team. It really was, you know, in the end, it was a really really well put together team and really had great chemistry. As you know you've been a part of them, and those things are.
Special, one thousand percent special.
I think, I think for me and watching that team come to like even when I when I look back on that team, and I know a lot of people said like, oh, it's a.
Wild Enard just carrying these guys to the championship.
And when I look back on that team, obviously Fred van Vliet was not an All.
Star yet became an All Star there.
Pascal Siakam hadn't really become an All Star yet became a two time All Star.
I'm not mistaken.
I think Pascal made first team All NBA at one point this year, a second team I mean throughout those years, Kyle Laurie, Danny Green, Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Like I feel like those are the championship teams that I remember, right, Like you go down to listen.
This boom boom boom boom, Like what was it like coaching that team?
I think, if I'm not mistaken, I think you guys had was Garrett Temple on your bench at that point?
No, we had normal we had no norma pow.
Yeah we had o g was was got hurt right before the playoffs, so he was on that team. Uh that was yeah, you're right, I mean, what.
Was it like coaching him?
It was awesome. I mean, I think we knew we had a chance from day one. You know, you go to training camp and you're looking around, You're going, holy shit, this is like we're good man like they were really good like and kind of the cool thing about it was we didn't really nobody else really was talking too much about us, you know what I mean, like kind of stayed under the radar, and and it wasn't like
even when the playoffs started. I think I went back, I went back one time and looked, and I think I think one out of like sixteen reporters picked the Raptors, you know, like nobody was talking about us. So and the unique thing that I that I thought, and you've probably been through this, maybe not, but I just couldn't believe how much better we got from playoff game number one, you know, and against Orlando in the first round to two months later by the time, by the time you know,
we saw you guys. I just can't believe we just kept improving, improving, improving, And that's that's also really special and really fun to be a part of absolutely.
You know, obviously our teams before were a little different, maybe twenty fifteen, but we kind of got good earlier in that year. But twenty twenty two, I know exactly what you're talking about because that year, I'll kid you not,
I'll be honest. So twenty twenty two is the first year of Miami Grand Prix F one Formula one and my friend and his family they owned the race and so they has laid it out all my friends was going and I think it was maybe May fifth, which, obviously, as you know, is like right at the end of the first round of the playoff, and he's like, are you coming to F one? Are you coming F one? I'm like, yeah, we fucking suck, Like I'll be there.
We're losing the first round for sure, That's what I thought of, like the team we had, and I'm like, yeah.
We're losing the first round. I one like leave me locked in, I'll be there.
And we start to we we played the first game of the playoffs and I called him after the game and he actually he had text me and he's like, you're full of shit, like you guys are great, and I'm like, yeah, we actually just looked better than I thought we did. But like, hold off, I'll still be there for f one, right, And we start playing and were going through and we got better, better, better and better.
Then we get to Dallas Mavericks in the conference finals and it's like we didn't even feel like they had a chance.
It's like like, oh, this this is money.
And then we get to the finals and like you guys, everybody thought we'd lose to the Celtics. We weren't big enough. The Celtics were way too big. They were younger, they were more athletic, they were all of these things. However, and where you guys were different. They had guys that knew how like they had I mean, they didn't have guys that knew how, And we had guys that knew how. Were you guys different than twenty nineteens. Kawhi knew how? Danny Green knew how?
Right like you.
When you have those guys that know how, like do you feel out as a coach like, it makes a big difference. I felt like that was the ash for us in that finals against the Celtics. In the year where we got better and better and better. Like you just explained, I.
Think I think a big part of that, don't. I don't think guys that haven't gone through it have any understanding. Ay, absolutely, how long it is, this full on and it is like and then and then I don't think they understand a lot of the intensity of it. Like like, man, when we were playing you guys, I can't tell you how many times I'd be like, God, damn, these guys are fucking fast, like and they just fucking keep on run, you know, like, and they don't ever get tired.
And and I kept telling my team they're.
Fast, but you run, you be fast too, You keep running fast too, right, So so again just the the you can't get tired, man, you can't.
You can't succumb to the two month grind or the or how physical.
It is or the pressure of it all. Like you just got to keep staying locked in and keep man. It's it's that's the thing. I think the guys that have been through it can impart on everybody else and help them get through some of that.
One hundred percent. That's crazy because I was in the I was in the meeting yesterday and I was talking to someone and he was just speaking about like, man, get to the NBA Finals and if you lose, like those guys just look so crushed. And I was telling him, I said, you know, you get into the NBA Finals and lose it, and I've done twice. It's actually the worst thing in the world. Because you play two extra months of basketball and you have absolutely nothing to show
for it. You're expected to like you have the same summer that the champions have, but they get to party and get a pass and get a little longer to get in shape because you know they're coming off championship, whereas if you lose in the finals, no one remembers.
Everybody like, oh, you.
Should come into the next season and tip top shape, all these things, Like it's a totally different mindset. But what I was telling him is, I said, as much as you are, as much.
As you are.
Like disappointed and hurt that you lost, what really happens is you go through the NBA Finals to your point, and by the time you get to the end of it, your mind doesn't allow you to process how tired you are. Your mind doesn't allow you to process the exhaustion. But the moment, it's just like everything's just wiped out of you, like it is a grind like no other. To your point, I don't think anyone really understands that.
Yeah, the biggest difference is this though, right like when you went your phone rings a lot. When you're don't, the phone stops ringing, that the whole the whole pace of everything comes to.
A screeching halt.
Right, That's what at least quite interesting. After a season that you don't win, it is, things get quite really quick, right, But yeah, I think it's And you're like, I couldn't believe it was over, and I swear to god, I just got home and I was back in this you know, like, man, that was like two weeks, you know, three weeks later you're back in.
Getting ready for next season, you know.
And I know you were just trying to recover, recover like crazy if you're a player, right, get your body right and just just try to heal up.
Right, absolutely, because you come out of those things beat up. It's crazy. Coach, I got to ask you, who's the great raptor of all time? Kyle Lowry? I agree, I agree.
It's unbelievable what Kyle was able to do going to Toronto, kind of finding his foot, and I think what Kyle got to Toronto and like you're seven or eight or something like that, had never been an All star, finds his footing. Can you talk to me about love low by the way, as you know, had the opportunity to win a go medal with him.
Appreciate that, by the way, thank you for that.
Absolutely, Like, can you talk to me about just what Kyle Lowry brought to the Raptors organization?
Yeah, listen, I think I got there right at that kind of start of that he was. He was just kind of a part time starter. This would have been twenty thirteen, I think, so a while ago. Man, I don't know, he just he just his competitive fire. He's one of those guys, you know, I throw him in.
I throw him in the same bucket as you that that they just can't help themselves when it's time to compete, Like there's no way they're not competing at something like something's gonna turn on and it's gonna happen.
It's just so deeply ingrained in him.
I think he brought that I never seen I mean again, the comparisons to right, Like I never seen a guy like in a flurry of four minutes like do so much, you know, like bang bang a shot, you know, come down to get charge, come down, you know, knock somebody overlay it in come steal one.
Like it's just like this whirlwind of winning, you know, like a whirl wind of winning in like ninety seconds or something, right, and I just, uh, you just can't help but love.
That's like, you know, I people who you know, he's number one who who you've ever seen play the hardest in your life? And for me, it's it's him, you know, like that I've coached, right, So that's it. He brought that I think he brought once he started, you know, uh, getting better, progressing, the team started winning, the success just kept expanding.
On all that and and just kept riding that wave. And I think he continues to do it.
I mean I think six six All Stars and two gold medals, and that's unbelievable I think for him, right, And it's just he continues to.
Just do a lot of it.
I mean he's like six foot tall, right, he does it all with a lot of heart and toughness.
Absolutely, and let's not forget NBA Champions. That's that's a big one.
Yeah, Man, Metal six All Stars, NBA champion.
Yeah, kidding absolutely, And speaking to Kyle L coach, I got asked you you've changed something, and speaking of that NBA Finals round, I think you changed something in the NBA with a move that you made during that NBA Finals It's like something we didn't normally see an NBA game games, And I just got to ask the question because I need to know who I need to be upset at, because it absolutely crushes.
You guys decided to go boxing one on us.
Obviously Katie was out, and you guys go boxing one on Steph and it through the entire rhythm of our offense off And I just want to know whose fucking call was that, because no one does boxing one in the NBA, and out of nowhere you come with a boxing one in the NBA Finals.
Whose call was that?
Well, like all that.
Stuff, Draymond, since we were just talking about Kyle, I'm gonna I'm gonna pull him into this, Like listen, I coached in a lot of funky places, right, I coached coaching Brighton, England, Ostanton, Belgium, Birmingham, England, you know you name it, uh the moy and Iowa e't at Oklahoma McCallen, Texas. And sometimes when you're in some of these places, you're just like, you know, this guy's all this is this.
We got a let's just box one. So it isn't long. I hadn't used it before. But in saying that, I kind of grabbed Kyle.
And I drew up the I said, you're gonna go here, and I put fred on, I'm going boxing one. I'm put friend nose to nose on Draymond ninety four feet and and you're going.
To be in the top of the two two zone. And he goes, let's do it. So he kind of he kind of he kind of gave me the and he took it to the time out and said, we're doing this, man, watch this, you know. So you know how that goes.
You need to buy in from the from the guys and uh so fifty to fifty being Kyle, maybe I don't know.
That's great, man.
I'm telling you, when we saw that bot, it's like you could have hit a shot like no one was accustomed to it. I think people have gotten a little more accustomed to it now, Like I know, we have things now to attack the boxing one, which I mean, you kind of gotta have something to attack the box and one after it cost you a championship, like the nightmare of seeing it boxing.
One now you're using it now, we most definitely use it.
Now I cast you a championship, you better start using it like I just like I believe. And it's like we forgot how to shoot, we forgot how to dribble, we forgot how to pass. It was unbelievable the timing of it. And I don't know to make that call. I don't think you get enough credit for it to make that call. And quite frankly, most people that'll be talking about basketball don't have a probably don't even remember you did that because they don't have a fucking clue.
But to make that call in the NBA Finals, go boxing one man that took some bass, And I took my hat to you, by the way, used to wear your nick nurse hat. I'm happy to see you. It's your seventy six or hat because when you were your nick nurse hat. I just used to try to find shit to piss me off. And I'm like that coach got on the hat that says his name, like, let me just find.
Something to piss me off, You ain't the only one that got bad.
I just want to let you make it feel better.
All that stuff from that Nick Nurse had went to the foundation, so the money was the money was channeled in a good place.
All right, funny man, love it switching gears. You now have the opportunity to coach.
One of the best players, best big man in our league, best best players overall. Just what's it been like now on the other side of it where a I would also love to know if you throw the shot in his face that that Kawhi hit. But what's it been like to coach Joel and bed as opposed to being on the other side.
Of Well, both those guys, both him and Tyresee Draymond were I thought coaching against him was extremely difficult. And Joel, Joel has been on the end of some of that stuff we just talked about, like we used to throw. We had so many coverages for him and schemes for
him because we just didn't have any art him. So but you're not just gonna say, well, we can't art him like we can somehow with four or five guys, figure out how to stop them and see if we can live with the rest, but there they were both great going against them. Now that I've been here, they're even better.
I'm I'm, I'm.
I thought they were really really great when I was coaching against him, and I still think they're really really great. Uh, Joelle was having the season of his life until until he got that injury. He was he was really playing great and better and all that stuff, and uh, he's awesome.
Absolutely, and speaking at him speaking at an injury brings me to my next question, what do you I agree Joel was playing absolutely incredible, But my question is what do you think of the sixty five game rule, Because, for instance, Joel in the midst of having the best season of his career MVP season right off coming off an MVP season, and the sixty five rule game sixty five game rule doesn't even allow him to qualify to compete for the m v P. I just wanted to
know what's your thoughts on that rule. Do you agree with it?
Do you like? What's your thoughts on it?
I think it's it's it's in place to not let somebody play like half the season and still win one of the major words, right, I think that's why it's in place. I don't think that would ever happen anyway.
I don't know.
You you probably know more of the financial ramifications of it, because I know some of that stuff ties into max contracts, all NBA team certainly does, et cetera. But I think it's on people's minds, right, and I think it's hard. What do you What are you trying to accomplish?
Right?
Are you? Is it super important for you to to win one of those awards? I mean, I don't know. I want to Coach of the Year award and I certainly would much rather have a champion, But it's still pretty cool to have that Coach of the Year award. Man.
I ain't gonna lie right, you know what I mean?
Like I had to coach, If I had to coach eighty of eighty two games, you know, I'd probably find a way to do it or whatever, you know, so I could be in line for that if I was lucky enough.
I don't know, I don't I don't know if I love it or not. It's there for now.
Let's see how it goes.
Yeah, I think, I mean, I personally, I think it sucks. I get it. I get the intentions of it.
Uh, but I think, just like anything else, the unintended consequences of it.
I think is wrong.
You know you got you got a guy like I remember Joel getting hurt. He got hurt against us actually, and I also remember the games leading up to that, like we didn't know if he was going to play, like like what was like because he had missed a couple of games leading up to it. It didn't play in Denver, and we didn't know if he was going to play. But I also remember that he was creeping up on his game limit, and so it's like, oh,
let's get out there to boom me gets hurt. And my thing is, like you just said, what are we trying to accomplish? Right? Like we can all say like, oh, like you shouldn't chase, you shouldn't chase individual wars, But the individual wars is what gets you in the Hall of Fame, Like the individual wars is what gets you the max contrasts. Like you said, the individual awars is what gets you the sneaker deal.
So you can't just.
Say, oh, you shouldn't be chasing after that. You should only be chasing that championship. We all want the championship, right, Like I think that's that's the goal, but I'm not sure. Like the goal is to not have people low managing to not have people sitting out games that they could be, but like there is a reality of you play about only eighty two games, you do get hurt sometimes and to have to.
Rush, like rush back out there.
Tyrese Halliburton earlier this year, I thought he rushed back trying to get and he was not the same Tyrese Halliburton for the rest of the season. And so I don't know, man, I disagree. And that also, it's hard to add a rule like sixty five games to the All NBA Teams, All Defense Teams of MVP awards when that hasn't been the rule all this time, and you
got people who've won awards that didn't meet that. So are you going back into history books and saying, oh, but this award really didn't meet it?
Are we snatching that out?
You know?
Yeah? Man, that's yeah. That's always tough, man, in the history part of the game, when when you change those things and looking back at had all that stuff. I think I think Draymond it is like been such tough. I would say, it seems like there's been way too many bodies missing too many games. Not just superstars superstars, the ones everybody notices, but the amount of times I would say, in the last three or four years that we've had like six seven guys out, Like, yes, that's.
What's got to get that's what's got to get done better.
Yeah, I agree, I agree on how you six that, but we.
Need to we need to get get healthier in general, I think.
Absolutely.
And a couple couple more questions, I want to take too much of your time, but kind of kind of just staying.
Along this topic.
Do you think there's some truth to uh, you know, the eighty two game season, but the game being way faster now, right, Like you're probably getting up and down the court now double the amount of times that that teams were called it twenty years ago, like, and that making a difference. What's your thoughts on the eighty two game season, Like should maybe that'd be shortened a bit with the speed of the game, Like when talking about
player health, player safety and all these things. Obviously we want to see Joe Ellen beat on the court, Like I didn't buy tickets to the seventy six ers to see Joell and be hurt because he was forced to play a game and not necessarily forced. But come on, he's trying to win back to back MVPs. Do you think there could be a possible adjustment in the eighty two game season.
I think I would be in favor of that.
Mom.
I don't know how again, how it all works outistically, monetarily, all that kind of stuff, but I certainly agree with your point. Like, here's what I would say, is you go back and say, oh, man, back in the early nineties, these guys all played eighty two games, and but but it was like they dribble down, they throw it the block, and two guys stand on and you know they there was a lot of standing around. The peace was not anywhere near what it is now. Everybody kind of can
do everything now, right, everybody has to guard everybody. Everybody's got a guard on the perimeter, everybody's got a guard to three.
There's a lot more transition.
So I think the activity level and the and the just in general, like if the pace is twice as fast, it means we're doing twice as much probably right, so that the chances for injury and all this stuff should be twice as great.
As well. Right, yeah, I agree.
You know then sometimes and I get it right, Like everyone say, oh, you play less games, that's less money. There's ways around that, Like there's just like there's ways around anything else. We got the smartest people in the world working in the NBA. We got the best attorneys
in the NBA office. Like, there's ways for people to put their heads together and figure out how you keep the money the same but maybe less than the games a little bit, because the reality is I think a few less games it was a much better product.
Like a few less games you're talking about, you take.
Off five or six games, that pulls back three back to backs for a team, right like, and you start pulling back all of those things when you're looking at risk injury and all of that.
I think that can make a big difference.
So I don't know, but in switching gears a little bit, Adam Silver said yesterday that he doesn't know if the NBA is in a place where we'll ever see a competitive All Star game anymore. And I just kind of wanted to know your thoughts on that. Do you think the All Star Game should kind of go away, maybe mix it in, like do some other things what's your thoughts on that or should players be like, you know what, it's an honor and I need to get that out there.
Take it serious.
When you being a coach and sitting on one side of it, you want your players to return healthy.
How do you look at the All Star Game?
I have really fond memories of the All Star Game very bound. First of all, the twenty twenty one I was lucky enough to be the coach of in Chicago, and I think it was the first elam.
Ending one they did.
Yes remember that or not, but that when that last like fifteen minutes of basketball, it was like.
It was Kyle Pascal and uh and they had Lebron A d. Westbrook, James Hart.
I mean, it was.
It was unbelievable.
We had Joel and Giannis, oh man, it was and they were really playing.
I don't know how we can recreate that, but I'll.
Never forget that fifteen minutes of basketball. But ever since then, it has been a little rough. It's hard to watch. I don't know, you know, the NFL one's kind of gone away. Yeah, your league baseball, they still put a little a little bit of incentive on there for the playoffs. They tie it to the home team and the World Series and stuff like that. I don't know. There's just a lot of thought process going on there.
I agree with one hundred percent. And you know, I kind of sat in like toy with the idea, like do you go away with it? It's such a historical thing and like, I don't know, man, I just don't know. It's so bad. Like I actually was there this past yere. Yeah, it's one of the worst games I've ever seen, and I've seen like some little league games, Like it's one
of the worst basketball games I've ever seen. I couldn't believe it, like I know, And there was an emphasis on it right like like everyone was talking about it. There was an emphasis. I know, Commissioner Adam met with the team. I heard Larry Bird met with the teams. Like everybody's coming in and talking about it. It's just like, oh, like nope, left hand shots shots. I don't know what you're doing.
It always starts and you're like, okay, let's see if they're gonna play or not in it last about three possessions and somebody makes a full court pass and its bank off the backboard and yes.
Not just before we get out of here. You you with two All Stars Joel MAXI. I love Tyrese Maxie's game. It's been incredibly fun to see his growth. And I think what most people don't know about Max he is as good of a player as he is, he's probably times better person. Just the vibe he brings to the team. And I've never been on a team with him, but I can see it, like the vibe he brings to a room, like he just brings great energy all the time.
It's been great to see his growth. What do you guys have to do in order to take that next step? I know Joe hasn't been out of the second round in his career. Like, what do you guys got to do to get over that hum and take that next step?
Well, first of all, you one hundred percent right about Tyrese. He like he makes every room he goes into better. I still think he's got a ceiling that hasn't been hit yet. I think he's gotta He doesn't understand how good he's gonna be yet. I think I can't wait to see him keep growing and Listen, I think that as you know, man, we need we got a whole
bunch of roster response. We got a whole bunch of money to spend, and we gotta we gotta piece it together around those two guys, Like who compliments him, who's got some toughness, who's got some winning spirit, who's got some winning experience, you know, who's not afraid, who can accept some roles? You know, all that kind of stuff that you need to build a team. But we're certainly trying.
I believe in my front office and Darryl and Elton and ownership and all that stuff, and I certainly believe in those two players absolutely.
And I think, you know, I think we're also starting to see that shift in the NBA of where you remember back in the day where you had a great point guard or great guard, a great one or two, and you had a great big man and y'all got that right, Like, and I'm starting to see the NBA shift back. You know, we kind of went through the
small ball phase. Everybody was trying to copy your style of play, right, And I think we're starting to see the league flip back now to size and great guard, great big and you guys have those foundational pieces already, so feeling just filling the pieces in I think you know it's obviously important. But my last question before we get out of here coach as a Coach of the Year candidate or now, excuse me, a Coach of the Year winner in yourself, I just want to know what
do you make the voting process for these awards? You won Coach of the Year, I've won a Defensive Player of the Year myself, But the voting process for a guy like Eric Sposcher who's never won an NBA Coach of the Year award, Like, what do you make of the voting process when it comes to the Coach of the Year, m VP, Defensive Player of Year?
What do you make of the whole voting process.
I just I just always want to make sure that these people that are voting are watching the games right, they really are investing the time and and I think drama. You know who the good journalists are and good good people in the media that are really knee deep into it. I mean, there's a lot of games to watch, those people have a lot of work to do and all that kind of stuff.
That's that's all.
I just think that's what I would say about anything like like you talk about being on the show as a champion, Like you got to make sure when when you're talking about stuff after the game that you've you've studied and you've actually watched it, you're not just kind of, hey, what's going on and taking somebody else's opinion and twisting it in your own little flavor and all that stuff. That's it.
Absolutely No, I think it's great.
I think I think the one complaint that I would have about it is like, to your point, it's hard to get a hundred, like to think that all hundred of these people are watching.
All of these games right now if you dedicate it.
And by the way, maybe it flips every year, because it's so like there should be some laws in place of like, hey, we need to have proof, like maybe you're sending in notes after the game or something like we need to have proof that you've been watching these games. And so maybe it's like a twenty five person committee where you know, you're voting on the awards and they got that strenuous job this year, and then someone else take on another twenty five take on that strenuous job next year.
But I think like there's no way, come on, there's no way.
A lot of these journalists that are on the East coast are watching us play on the West coast when when our game start at seven thirty pm and it's ten thirty and they're watching the game the whole way through.
I would say this, I do. I do have some of the people that are on there. I do have some of them reach out to me and call me.
And they always, you know, they'll tell me you're talking about defensive all defensive team or something, and I'll always say, well, give me, give me what you're talking you know who you're comparing with who first, you know, like, and they do do a good job of like, here's where I got it right now?
What do you think? And then I'll say, man, no way, yes, way, you're right, you know whatever.
So I think that's doing some homework and doing some research, asking asking some some coaches or or assistant coaches, guys that are watching the film every day, right that can give them some positive feedback and hopefully they take.
It one hundred percent. Coach Man, I can't thank you enough. You'll upset you kicked our ass. You make the call of the NBA Finals and go box and one and stifi our offense. Nonetheless, I am absolutely honored and appreciate you. Appreciator of you coming on the show. It's an honor to have you on. Good luck with your journey with the seventy six is. I know you'll do great things.
And then also I want to connect with you about the golf Carol National since help get some donations out and like I said to all of y'all out there, get your donations and coaches doing a great thing music, sports literacy for children. Don't have to spend his time doing that yet he is, and we know we do better for our kids, our world become a better place. So check that out it get your donations in. But coach Man, I thank you so much.
Hey, Draymond, appreciate it man, And it's honored to be on the show. But it's even more of an honor to compete against your great teams and against you some times. I know, I know we have a couple right down once in a while, me and you, but we're both competitors.
Right absolutely, and that and that is what happens.
Don't kicks, don't kick my butt, man, I'm not I'm not going you know you want to jaw at me.
I'm y'all back just but we're good right right.
There, baby, I would never cross that line.
Coach, be good man, take care of have a great summer.
Thank you, coach, you too.
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