Sloane Knows - Spencer Dinwiddie on LeBron & Lakers, guarding James Harden, Anthony Edwards

The volume. Hi, I'm Sloan and I know basketball. Today's guest started as a three star recruit in high school and is now a ten year MBA veteran. His journey from hooping in LA to earning first team All Conference at Colorado and now playing for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, is this story you won't want to miss. So let's get to know Spencer. Get with it. Okay, So Spencer, I'm sixteen, which I'm sure for you those a really

By I mean not to age myself sixteens, like half my life will go.

I guess, uh, you know.

I mean I was with a sophomore junior in high school at that time. I was kind of starting to come to I was a basketball player. I understand I was probably gonna, you know, at least be able to go to Division one. So yeah, I mean, I think there was a lot of maturation in growth that kind of was happening at that time.

And you know, but I was still in a normal high school experience.

It seems like you're traveling the world and living out your dream already.

Yeah, it's it is really cool. So it's sixteen. Obviously you grew up in Woodland Hills, which, for those of you who don't know, is basically a little bit outside of Los Angeles. But at least being in that area, do you have any relationships with any NBA players?

So actually, you know, I grew up in like in the heart of LA like oh Okay, in like south central area. I mean by the time about sixteen, though, I was living in around like View Park, which is close to Cover City. My bus out to.

Tap the Woodland Hills there.

I mean, I went to high school with Larry Drew, ended up, you know, having a couple of stints in the NBA. You ended up crossing paths with a lot of guys just in the high school au circuit anyway. But I wasn't like super heralded, and I didn't have, you know, anybody in my family that was in NBA or anything like that, so I didn't get to kind of get you know, ushered in or gloomed into that, you know situation.

Have you always been a Laker sent? Yeah, so your sixteen year old self would be like this would be crazy.

Oh, no, listen, if you could have told my sixteen year old self that, hey, in your tenthyon NBA, you're gonna play for Lakers and and all that stuff like that, you he would have took whatever consequences came with that. He took both ACL tears, all of THO stuff be here.

Yeah, yeah, well I'll do it.

So I heard that in high school and now, obviously you're really smart. How did you balance being a student and an athlete? And I guess what advice can you give to kids that are trying to balance that student athlete life?

Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I mean I cred my mom a lot. She got PAGY from USC, She's she's brilliant, stressed academics early. I'd like to think I'm fairly in touch, and so school kind of came easy. I was able to, you know, get good grades with effort, but not not too too much effort. I think what I really sacrificed growing up

Yeah, So after high school, what was the thought process with choosing Colorado? I know, you had an offer from Harvard, which is obviously a non traditional path to go down, but I think a lot of people now are starting to sort of try the IVY route and you know, they want to be that first option for How did that go for you?

Basically?

I mean, again, my my academics were pretty solid, So you had some of those prestigious schools on that side looking at me. I got pretty much most of the pact to offer, along with obviously Harvard, But the differentiating factor between most of the PAC.

Twelve Colorado and Harvard was Colin.

Harvard really just stressed like, hey, we love you. It's going to be a centerpiece of you know, our recruiting class. You're going to be the guy that we want. And then it came when it came down of those two schools, I really just had in my mind that I wanted to go to the draft early. You know, at the time, I know I wasn't gonna be one and done. I

Yeah, and what are your thoughts as a Colorado alumni and coach Prime coming and taking over.

It's epic. It's epic.

I went back, caught a couple of games, I got to meet him, talk to him a little bit.

You know, he's he's an inspiring guy. I see how he's termed the program around.

I mean, I'm excited to be a part of it. Like I loved every second going back.

Yeah, super cool. So I guess now we jumped around. We were talking about college, but I want to go back to high school for a little bit. So you were a three star and you were ranked one hundred and twenty eighth nationally in high school, which is not necessarily a common route for a guy who's now been in the NBA for ten years, what advice would you give to high school athletes wh or not top ten, top one hundred recruits, but want to succeed in their sport.

I mean, I think being realistic with your game. I think you know, for me, I grew gradually. I wasn't very athletic, so I had to gain a lot of skills and versatility. I think as I was able to get taller, stronger, and more athletic, that's kind of my game blossom. So that's why I was kind of a late bloomer in that standpoint in terms of high school. But yeah, I mean, the more you can be realistic with your craft, work hard every day, aboually develop a routine, but just never be.

Too big for any role. Yeah, I think that's how you last ten years in the league.

I've been everywhere from a first option to literally the fifteenth option. Guy doesn't dress and it is about to get cut, so you know, and each role one through fifteen has its own challenges that you have.

To prepare for.

I love that also, So I know in your class of those all those you know, one hundred and twenty seven recruits above me, there was Michael Carter, Williams, Anthony Davis, et cetera. Growing up in the AU circuit, Can you tell us a story about playing a guy like that?

I mean, my best AU story is probably when we won the Adida Super sixty four going into my senior year. Yeah, I mean we played like Memphis Elite and the other guys that were big time at the time. You know, we were kind of an unholded secondary pump and run team from California.

Was able to win.

I know, now it's like all eybl on Nike circuit and stuff, But back then the Adida circuit, like it was like, what was it, Dida's big time Super sixty four. Then there's one in LMU that I can't remember the name of. We're like the big time terms at the team. So it was the equivalent of like when eybl type of thing.

What are your thoughts on the way that sort of AU basketball has evolved into this now like crazy thing on social media and everyone knows these kids before they even make it anywhere really close to it.

I mean, I think in terms of exposure, it's dope, right, Like you want everybody to be able to expand their brand or get their money, capitalize on name and likeness

Yeah, you know what I mean.

And that was just it, like you just you went out there, you tried to win the game you want or lost, whatever it was, you try to learn get better.

Like it was kind of a simple formula.

We didn't have as much outside noise, and we weren't giving guys breakaway ducks like yeah, you know, just so they could get their you know, mixtape off or whatever like so, so to me, that's something that i'd love to see change for sure.

Yeah. And I think on that note, something interesting is like it's like guys are playing for themselves on their teams exactly, you know, because they want to shine, not their team. But it's a team small.

Yeah, yeah, I don't be wrong.

There's always gonna be an element of that, right, Like like in the NBA now everywhere you go, like everybody wants to do well, you know what I'm saying, But you have to understand your role and try to be a star in that as well for the collective's success, because you know, rising tide raises off ships, you know, And like I said, there's been times where I've averaged twenty in the league and a sixteen point a game or a sixteen point game might be considered bad.

And obviously we lose, and you know, I have to be better.

Whereas like you know, I've been again the six seventh eight guy, whatever you come in, you get sixteen points, you probably played really well, you're super efficient, you help your team win. It's the same number, but different context, and so guys gotta understand that.

Yeah, So I liked hearing about you at sixteen. Again, that was so long ago, I know, almost not your life ago. I feel like I really got to know you as a sixteen year old. I don't know if we would be friends. I feel like maybe about Yeah, okay, now I want to know about you now. So, Spencer, what was your eye made it moment. I made it moment the head scratcher quite literally.

Yeah, no, that that's tough. I mean I haven't really dwelled in uh and some of the accomplishments. I mean, I probably.

Go back to maybe my game winners against Detroit, which probably came in my fourth year in the NBA, maybe just because of everything that had gone on. You know, my first year is not playing it all pretty much getting cut you know, and deallely signed to Brooklyn all sort of stuff, and then you know, to come back play the Pistons.

Now I had to be my fourth year. I think it was my third year because I signed late.

That year, but yeah, probably my fourth year and having the game winners one in the in Little Caesars and and you know, a couple of big shots in Barclays as well, probably was what I really felt like, you know, actually, let.

Me take that back, let me take that back.

Yes, those were big time os where I felt like solidified in the NBA. But probably the one game that I can remember in Detroit that I remember being like I belong was against the Wizards. Ironically, John Wall well, just a podcast within something like that, you know, at the time it was one of the best point guards in the league and kind of.

Look up to. I think that was like my first twenty point game or something. I would say that was cool. I like tiped dunk my own missing that game and stuff.

It was.

It was kind of cool. Yeah.

I saw the John Whole podcast. He said, you're gonna sleep for a year after retired, Like, I are.

You being for rip? Do you think, yeah, you're.

Like a man caven like Hibernate y?

Ok, yeah, No, like like you said, I mean, think about it.

I climbed from what one twenty eight my high school class to even get to the spots and things and now tend your career, and you know, that's that's been an odyssey of itself. You know where things have happened that haven't necessarily been the greatest, and you know, now.

Yeah, when it's all done, ye, I'm gonna take it a nice little siesta.

So obviously, the free agency process is something that you're very familiar with, and people in and around the league are very familiar with. But US fans we have so much to say about it and sort of don't really know what actually goes into it. When you are looking at teams and talking to them. What are green flags that you look for?

Green flags? I think, you know obviously when they have a specific plan for you, you know, and then you look around the roster, it doesn't seem to be like conflicting messages.

Yeah, you know.

Sometimes and this hasn't necessarily happened to me because I was mostly in free agency.

Just like one major times, yeah, U nles' say.

They have three centers on the roster and then they promise you know, another saying that they're going to start or something like that.

It's like that makes sense, you know, So you know, some of that goes on.

I think obviously, you know, you definitely want the financial component to be whatever you want it to be in terms of market value. Then you gotta look at like living areas, uh, you know, is it is it conducive to whatever lifestyle you enjoy?

Your vocabulary is like insane. I'm like half these words and you're saying, like I have not learned with those people. What does that mean?

It just it just blends well okay, okay, you know, for example, let's.

Say you wanted to party like I think Miami's probably yeah, okay, oh, Miami's yes.

But yeah, I think, uh, it's just a multitude effective.

So I want saw a story where Shaq said he had signed the team mid season and he like broke the record for the amount of money I don't know, spent in Walmart in one day or something because he just moved to the city. So he like bought like TVs, like food, refrigerators, et cetera in the first forty eight hours that you signed with the Lakers. What went into that whole process?

Oh, I just I mean I just got it jet and came home. I didn't break any Walmart rules. I mean, obviously I already had this house. Yeah, I'm from here, so you know when I signed, I mean I should have a house and does too. But both of those

Cool. So you're playing the Calves on Saturday, walk us through your preparation process for that game, or I guess any game, whatever.

Tim would have been.

Yeah, I mean I think that one's a little bit interesting because that's a new game. So you know, I probably have to get there eight or nine in the morning, so you know, I'll be up relatively early.

Yeah, it'll probably just be smooth before that game. Nothing too crazy.

What's your smoothie order?

No, I can't if I give, if I can recipe, yeah, if I get a secret recipe, I gotta kill you. That's that's the way it works. That's the secret sauce. That's what like that's that's that's beef and fruit or how.

Every city you drink the same smoothie.

Roughly, Wow, roughly, I have a couple of staples in this mooth and then sometimes you know, you switch it up, okay, Yeah, and then also sometimes certain cities have uh more health food obsually like sea laws, et cetera, and some don't.

So the situation is giving like Plankdin from SpongeBob where they like steal this secret thing for the okay, you.

Can't do that track pat formula, it stays, uh, it stays locked up in the center.

On the topic of food, what is your post game cheat meal?

Cheat meal?

Yeah, cheat meal is like when you're like, because you know, you're an athlete, right, like you have to be really healthy. But like, let's say you just like have a really good game whatever and you go home, you're like, oh, I need to go Chick fil a like that type thing.

Oh no, I don't even bullshit like that.

Oh so you never have this.

Basically, So like nine percent of the time I eat steak and fruit, like that's my entire diet basically, But how.

Do you cook your seak medium?

With that being said, though, my cheap thing to do is peach cobbler. I love peach trousers.

Okay, but that still follows with like the fruit thing.

You know, like.

I guess I meant like raw fruit basically, like oh not like or or smooth.

Well, okay, this question now has changed a little because you seem pretty picky. But what is your favorite restaurant in.

LA I don't have one of my favorite restaurant in New York, which I was just there's Coke co Ote Korean.

It's like the only mission to Star Korean steakhouse in the country. Fire Wow.

Have we tried to try the Kogi truck?

Do you know?

It's like this like Korean truck in La and it's like Korean barbecue and it's like in Venice like on ABACINNI like, oh, literally the best food I've ever had it sincetat.

Oh yeah, if you like Korean barbecue.

And which NBA fandom is the craziest to play.

Against to me, probably the Knicks, just because I had like beef with them for so long because like when I was in Brooklyn the first time, they were ass.

So I used to troll them all the time because.

You got to remember, like in terms of prestige and franchise, like of course the Nets and a little brother to the Knicks, but we was really whooping the ass, you feel me, So they would talk crazy and it's like, yo, y'all haven't been good for a long time. So then when I got back the tables, that kind of turned and they were giving me hell.

Yeah yeah, I mean you didn't Spike ever get into it?

No, No, me and Spike never got into it. I don't think Spike was invested enough at the time because like.

They they weren't.

Yeah yeah, Like I don't have like thirty point games in the Guard and stuff like walk off dunks, and ship like, yeah they weren't.

Yeah they suck In the next five years. Who do you think is going to be the stace of the league and why?

I hope it's Anthony Edwards because man, that boy good. He's nice and he's got a he's.

Got his personality. It's just like, yeah, he's.

He's funny, but he's got like a streak to him where he wants to take on the challenge.

Yeah.

I think a lot of guys, don't you know. I think a lot of guys they'll play offense. So I played the offense date like Anthony Edwards game of line wants to stop the best guy.

Like, yeah, it's some of that old school throwback Kobe type type.

Stuff or what you know, the rumors about MJ being his dad? I did.

So.

You played on five different teams in your career with some pretty incredible teammates. Can you give us your starting five of your best ever teammates? Oh?

Man, uh.

Luca for shows in there at the one. Uh Bron is definitely my four.

KDS, my three a DS, my five. I didn't really play with James.

You feel me like we on the same team, But I didn't really play with him, So I mean I would probably have to go Kyrie.

At the two.

No, Jalen Brunson love.

Over over Kyrie's at two.

Yeah yeah, Like probably as a one, I.

Might be able to give j B to nine I think, you know, but as a two, like I don't understand Kyrie at the at the two is it's tough. Like if Kyrie was like six seven, it'd be a it'd be a different style of conversation through in Dallas.

Obviously, Jayn Brunson wasn't the same player that he is now in New York. But could you I know you only played with him for a year, but could you guys see that like he had something like cooking in him like he was going to be a star star.

I don't know if I don't know if I'm gonna go with star, but like you definitely saw it. I mean when we when he got those Lucas style possessions when we were in the first round against Utah, like we were beating Utah without Luca.

You know what I'm saying.

Some of that is like that was running through him.

Yeah.

Yeah, like you know in that series, obviously you could see like Okay, this guy could really like run a team.

He could score at a big time level. I think he had forty in one of the games. So you just knew like some of that.

Obviously, it's also Dallas offense because like, man, they they make it easy on the guard over there.

Well just to let that, but yeah, no JB. JB's cold. JB's super cold.

Okay, So during your NBA career all ten years, was been the hardest player you've had to.

Guard, probably prime James Harden s Houston James Harden. Yeah, that's yeah, because he was like.

I hope many seasons to understand what I'm saying, but he was like fact quick, like.

No, I'm telling you, really strong as hell, but he's like he was really quick.

So all that like like lawyer to sleep, lawyer to sleep, tweet and tween tween twins and they'd hit that sharp cross and if he shifts you, he gets you on you know what I'm saying, on his hip, You're not you're not getting around him.

And then obviously we all know about the step back. Yeah, he got the leg hitting the whole nine. It's four point play.

And you know when you go back five years or so, when he was doing all that sweep through stuff.

They was conned every time.

Yeah, he gets like yeah, like now they don't really give it to him and say skinny er. I mean he wasn't ever skinny for real, but you know, like he would do that. He didn't hit in the game with twenty free throws fifteen threes, yeah, you know, taking.

Obviously not not made because that'd be insane. Yeah, you know, so like, how are you gonna stop that shot? P file Like he's gonna make eighteen out of twenty free throws. He's already in a rhythm. If he makes seven out the you know, twenty or seven out to fifteen threes, he's already damn at forty points. Yeah, it's crazy, I hear you.

So now, obviously you're Lebron's teammate. What is one behind the scenes thing that he's done. It's really like show you like he's just that great.

I think it's just a routine. Every day he's locked in, ready to go. He's always getting his work in. He's just he's militant about it, more so than anybody I've ever seen in my in my career, and obviously I've been around a plethora of great players, but he just seems to be the most like diligent.

Yeah, like every single day.

Okay, Spender. So you know, like in a high school yearbook where there's superlatives like who's most likely to be president, who's most likely to you know, be famous? Whatever? Me and you were going to do some Lakers team superlatives. Okay, so are you ready? Okay?

Who is the most stripped Vanda?

That's obvious? Okay? Who is the best playlist?

Playlist?

Or like on the team bus, who's getting off?

I think a d might get the US really does.

I wouldn't touch it that, Okay? Who is the best golf game?

Are ye?

Who is the best crib? And it can't be Lebron or yourself?

Not ad got the best crib? Like Delo did that?

Backyard podcast says says, like the White House different definitely mine.

I mean I think it's cool.

I like this house. There's such good lighting.

I did it for the lighting.

But you know that's always how I think. Like I'm I'm a taktok mindset, you know, Like especially when I walked in, I was like okay, and I already like started taking selfies on the couch Yeah, who is the team dad?

Team dad? Since I've been around, probably gave Vincent.

Really okay, yeah, not Bron, Like I feel like as like the old Like I know, he's like okay whatever, I know he yeah.

Bro kind of goofy like he he can, yeah, jump through generations and like I think that's one of his best gifts too, Like he's very smart, but he knows how to like bond with a twenty year old is the same as your bond with a forty year old, like speak the language that he needs to speak to communicate his message.

It's it's actually pretty amazing.

Yeah, it's so cool. Okay. Lastly for the supperlatives. Okay, this is a multiple park questions. So is there a Lakers team group chat? Who texts on it the most? And what is it called?

Oh? Yeah, now there is. It's like, I don't forget. It's forced. I mean it's on my phone force four forty dollars or some I don't know.

It is not exciting. I was really I really wanted.

To eat something.

Yeah, I don't know what it is. Who texted the most? I don't know who gets ignored the most? Is ruly nobody? I want to have what we gotta.

Say houses English in texting.

Oh he texts me. He text English perfectly, it's just when he speaks sometimes.

Yeah, do you text on it a lot?

I just got it.

Yeah. So it's like, yeah, the new guy. Yeah, they have to they had to add you. Everyone had to get the notifications. But the chat like that. Okay. Lastly, so this podcast is called Sloan Nose. Okay, so this next segment is called Sloan Knows Your Game but to you. So I'm gonna ask you trivia about yourself, Spencer, And I feel like you're a competitive guy and you may think that you're gonna be really good at this, but no one is good at it, like really no one.

Uh? I think it was three point four?

Actually, is three point two? Really? Over one? Okay? In your first ever college game, Colorado beat Fort Lewis by how many points?

I'm pretty sure it was up by like a million in the game, but maybe won by fourteen.

Okay, I'm gonna give you one more guess because the a million was closer than the fourteen.

Yeah, thirty two?

Oh okay, thirty five, thirty five, that's like I have a point. So okay, you're at point five. I guess In your sophomore season in Colorado, how many games did you start?

That's got old?

Yeah, but how many games was that? Oh?

Shit?

The college season is usually if you're good, you go like twenty three and ten thirty three?

Yes, hey, look at.

That one point five points? Great? Okay. In your first NBA season with the Pistons, what was your season high in minutes?

My first shit, my first season should have had the twenty point game. So this is no. I know, I know I'm saying. So that means I at least hit thirty minutes. Uh So I'm gonna go with no, no, no, I'm gonna go twenty eight.

Oh, so goes twenty nine that Lake Hassidy. That's sweet. Credit, that's pretty good. That was good. I gotta and I could see like this and they were yell okay, So like two points. I feel like that's like basically where we're at in twenty nineteen to twenty twenty. You average the most points in your career with the nets. How many points did do you average per game? But I want to be like exact to the decimal, like my math teacher would be, like, you have to wrap, you know, or else it.

Does not count. I know roughly what it was, but I'm gonna go twenty point six.

Spetzer, Okay, yes that is Rex.

I always say twenty one, so I remember it was open twenty point.

Five, which I guess technically if you were to round up, it would be twenty one, you know, because we're both so smart. So we're doing so we're like three points. Well, that's that's much better than most people I've been doing. I mean, even though you didn't go to Harvard, you have a Harvard brains.

Wow, that's that's score. I remember now sixty hundred.

Yes, I saw that. There was an article written in the Harvard Crimson about how you out of fourteen hundred and can you actually tutor me? I'm doing my suffering now I need some tutoring.

Fun fact, I took that my freshman year high school and took it again.

Oh my gosh.

That's why.

That's why I didn't take the twenty four hundred and one, because like by my junior year, they said if I took it again and then I have to do that one.

I was like, yeah, I'll just live at that score.

No, okay, how many threes?

Oh?

Sorry this season? How many threes did you average per game? Or how many threes have you averaged per game?

Uh? Taken or made?

No? Made two? Well to the decimal.

Fucking one point eight?

Yes, oh my gosh. Yeah, it's the best well nos trivia of all time.

Wow.

Okay, this well, we'll see you a good memory. I think you can get this. You were drafted thirty eighth in the twenty fourteen NBA draft. Who was drafted thirty seventh and who was drafted thirty nine.

Thirty seven was Deandrew Dames.

Yes, do you know where you went to college? Uh?

You can't. Yes, he went to my eigh Oh.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

Okay, thirty nine was that.

I can get me?

Yes?

Can can you tell me where I went to college?

Yes?

There we go. Okay, two point six out of one, two, three, four, five, six six not Hey, hey, hey, okay, this is crazy. It's crazy. This is your last question. Okay, what was your free throw percentage your rookie year?

It was high as yes, it was high as point it was like.

Coult it take not but it was like ninety one or ninety two or but to the decimal ninety one point two.

Okay, there's this has to be a cheat code. Yes, that's crazy. Oh my god, this is a slow nose left right here. Listen, this is Spencer knows. This is crazy. Now, Spencer for the last question, who do you want to nominate to be the next slow nose?

Yes?

To beat me or just to do it?

To do it, and then maybe if you want to be strategic about this, you pick someone that wouldn't beat you. You know what I mean?

Oh, if I want to pick somebody that ain't gonna be baby, I nominate Luca Doches.

Okay, I mean that is the good nomination. Luca. Don Did you heard it right? Here people, spencered in withity Luca. We're about to take that phone call right out for this episode.

And if I want to nominate somebody that possibly could beat me, Lebron James.

Oh what a great nomination. That's so Look, we have actually never heard of that guy. I don't think I can have him on. He's not like big enough as a guest.

I think he's not really there.

Yeah no, but you're you're the Thanks guys, like, thanks for listening. You can get links to my socials and see behind the scenes fun from Spencer and I in the show notes, or just search at Sloan Notes on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Remember that's Sloan with an E.

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