The Draymond Green Show - Candace Parker

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West Virginia. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. This next guest M I am honored to have. It's actually the first woman on The Draymond Green Show. And initially when we first started, it was like we were getting guests, and I was very strategical about the guests, and then like the way they were lining up, it just became a thing of like the first woman that come on the show, Like it has to be like you know, like you gotta have a resume to come

on the show. Anyway, but the first woman that come on the show, like the resume has to be like insanely stellar, because like we all love first, like you're the first to do something that's the most amazing thing. So I'm gonna go down this list and just bear with me. Two time w NBA Champion, two time MVP A Finals MVP, seven time All Star. My favorite of the list, Defensive Player of the Year in two twenty.

Quite frankly, when everyone was trying to say like she was slowing down, Defensive Player of the Year stopped to talk Rookie of the Year in two thousand and eight, which was years before the Defensive Player of the Year insane seven time a r w NBA First Team, three time r w NBA Second Team, two time NCAA champion, two time AP Female Athlete of the Year two thousand and eight, and two thousan twenty one. So we're going

back and again two twenty. If the Defensive Player of the Year wasn't enough for y'all to stop saying she was slowing down, I'm gonna just go AP Athlete of the Year to two times John Wooden Award winner, two time Olympic gold medalists, and we're just going to leave the high school accolades where they are. This next guest needs no further ado. CP three, Candice Parker, Welcome to the show. Thank you so much. I appreciate you having me man. I'm excited to be a be a part

of your show. Thank you. I appreciate you coming on now. With that being said, who who's the goat? The greatest woman of all time? With this resume? Can see they don't mention your name enough in that conversation for me, and I have a problem with it, So I need to know who's yours. Like we're gonna start this thing

off hot, We're getting right into it. So to be honest with you, I was a big I'm a big era person that I love that and I can I feel like the goat is who you aspire to be like, right like when you're in your driveway and you're trying to be like that person. And I watched a lot of a lot of tape um and my dad was big on Cheryl Miller, and so Cheryl Miller to me, I know a lot of people didn't get to see her play and her career was cut short and there was no w BA for her to really prove um

what could have been. And so I think just somebody at six two that can handle the ball, that was an athletic, Like you didn't see that. She was way before her time. So I think Cheryl Miller to me is is that. I think that's absolutely amazing. M You know when like I knew about Cheryl Miller growing up as a kid. My aunt actually was a standout basketball player. So I knew of all of the women and that Baber's I knew of all the women like growing up

back in the day. And Cheryl Miller, like, I feel like the respect that everyone half for her, it just let you know, like what she meant to women's basketball, and with Sheryl, it wasn't even about women's basketball, what she meant to basketball as a whole. Like, I think that validates that statement, and so I appreciate you for that. I was expecting you to possibly go somewhere else. I feel like you took the media route on me butting out all about it. Let's go, let's go, let's get

into it. You know What's I'm excited about this interview because I know you talk a lot more junk than people may know you talk, and so I'm looking forward to getting someone. If I can get something that out of you, I hope so. But no, let's take it back Chicago. Growing up in Chicago and especially the time that you the era that you grew up in. You grew up during the Michael Jordan era, during the nineties

Bulls era. What was that light growing up in Chicago, coming from a basketball family and being able to have that right there, the expectation for winning from the get go, like the Bulls won six championships, we would We moved to Naperville, Illinois when I was three, so we got there in nineteen eighty nine, and that was right before

the Bulls started winning. So my first memories were sitting down and watching WGN, watching Bulls games and Grant Park where they would do the celebration, and I just remember loving the Bulls like you grew up with the expectation of like, we're winning again this year. That's how it is, and I think it was. It's it's it's not ironic.

I would say that I I fell in love with basketball around their second three peat and around the WBA started and just watching Michael Jordan, and you know, I was a big Round Harber fan, So watching Ron Harbor and bj Armstrong and Luke Longley like that was our team, that was our city's team, And I think it just set the expectation of winning, like from the get though, Like from when I first picked up a ball, it was like you had to win championships with So you're

growing up watching that. In the meantime, you have an older brother who's building a career and he eventually goes on to the NBA. What impact did he have on you and the pressure and being a sister and as as good as you were with all the expectations that you had, but you have a brother that's an NBA player and then you have to live up. Did you feel like you needed to live up to something due to that. I was always in awe of my brothers. They are and were my heroes, and so everything that

they did I was trying to do. And I think for so long I tried to play basketball kind of quietly. I really leaned on soccer and volleyball, like that's what I wanted my identity to be, just because I would go to school and you know, kids would come with my brother's rookie card for me to sign when he got drafted and was playing in Philly, and so the pressure I think was there, and I kind of for a while was resistant to it. But then, like I said,

I picked up the game and I loved it. I fell in love with it, and I started picking my brother's brain about stuff, and I remember him breaking down basketball footwork and out the same as like with the soccer ball, and you know us kind of he was that older brothers, so we didn't have the competition, but there was just this huge shadow that I had to kind of try to recreate. And luckily I'm not a shooter like my brother is a shooter, so I didn't

really spollowing his footsteps. I kind of had my own thing. And then my middle brother was brilliant, like went to Johns Hopkins, went to Washington for undergrad and so to following his footsteps and get to their school and hear their teachers talk about them, it made me want to be great, and it made me want to live up to their legacy. And so I always say, you know, my biggest family memories is just going on a Saturday to the park and just us and that's where we

talk about jump. You know, absolutely, that's where I learned. You know, it's from my brothers. So not only you know my fade away, but also like to be competitive and that takes me too. So I feel like when I grew up surround Sat at the same time you grew up. Like in women's basketball, I've always been a women's basketball fan, especially women's college basketball, growing up, like Shamika holst Claw, like, I felt like you were either Tennessee or you were kind like it was no in between.

You didn't one year route for Uka, you didn't, and so I was in Tennessee. Got Shamik holst Claw, Tamika catches like go down the list and then eventually I become a Candice Parker fan. Once you go to Tennessee. Why was it Tennessee for you? And coach Pat Summit over Yukon and Gino Orion was? I feel like, if you're a blue chip you were looking at those two. Well, Pat was different. You know, I think my parents knew earlier than I did that that was the right place

for me. And like I said earlier, my brother went to school to become a doctor. He went to the best school right and for me, I wanted to go to the best school to be. I wanted to play with basketball. I wanted to play basketball professionally, but I also wanted to do more than just play basketball. I wanted to be a good human. I wanted to be a mom. I wanted to, you know, do major in communications.

I wanted to do all those things. And it just seemed like that place and that coach and program would really prepare me for life. And I had a front row seat to what it takes to be a strong woman, for what it takes to demand respect, for what it takes to be able to walk into any room and look people nigh and know you deserve to be there.

And I think it started at my home and then it carried to Tennessee, and so I guess it kind of came down to me telling myself reasons not to go there, like telling myself reasons why I shouldn't go there, like I want to play in front of people, And we sold out and we led the nation and attendance my whole three years that I played at Tennessee. And so to have that following and to have that legacy, and I wanted to be a big fish in a big pond. I didn't want to duck pressure, you know.

I wanted to win a championship and be one of the best and one of the greatest to play for one of the greatest programs. And so I think that competitive element kind of came out in me. Like I said, I I was happy you went to Tennessee. I always grew up a Tennessee fan in past summer, so that was your time. Like with you going to play for a coach like Tom Izzo, and you know what's going to prepare you, Like nothing you face today with it is a surprise because of what you experienced in college.

Like absolutely I forgot you know, no, one hundred percent. Like the toughness that you had to have to play for time iszough, Like the things that I will go through in the NBA. I'm like it's a piece of cake, Like I played for Izzo every day, you know, Like when when you speak a Pat, it speaks so much to me of my experience with Coacheso like I love that man of death. I've heard you speak about Pat

and like I hear every every opportunity you get. Now to this day, you keep her name alive, and I honor that because coaches O for me, like I'll give my right arm for time. Isough, like the things that he's done for me in my life and teaching me, like I didn't know how to work hard, Like what's that?

Like I thought what I was doing was working hard, like teaching me how to work hard, to get in shape, like how to compete, Like one of my main skills in the NBA is competing, Like I don't think people understand that's a skill. Like Tom Zoll really taught me how to like compete at a high level. Now I think some of us in eight right, like you have

to have some of it. But for me with Tom Zoll, like the reasons you're like, I was gonna go to Kentucky Tubby Smith left and I and I, but I always wanted to go to Michigan State, and I didn't really have an offer, And then when I d committed, I had to offer and I went right away because I loved what Zo still for and I knew the man he would help me grow into, and I knew it was so much more than about basketball. And That's what I've watched LA underestimate the value of life lessons

in college. You know, like the ball eventually is going to stop bouncing. It doesn't matter how great you are, it doesn't matter. The ball is gonna stop bouncing. And you need skills to be a good parent, to be a good partner, to be all of these things, to be able to work in an environment, to learn how to have a motor and to work hard. I mean, you are constantly reinventing yourself. I mean even watching you now, to be honest with you, I'm not blowing smoke like

you don't have to do this. You don't have to, but you're setting yourself up for the next. And I think a lot of athletes kind of ride this wave and they don't prepare for the next, which is good. You know, sometimes you focus on what you have. But the greatest advice I got was from Michael Strahan who on Mondays after they play on Sundays with get in his car and drive into a radio show after games. You know. And so it's like that movie. That mindset

and that work ethic. It comes from people showing you you know how to do it and what it takes, and like like you said, and doing this. I think one of the best compliments. So I got about this show last year. When I first started doing it was Colin call Her, who owns the network, like he was shocked at how hard I worked. He's like, yo, I don't understand, Like why do you work this hard? But like that's all I know, Like I wouldn't be who I am today, and so anything I do, I feel

like that's just how you have to do it. Like, but but there's a stereotype with athletes that it doesn't carry over into other things. And I hope that this generation breaks that stereotype because as athletes, we are given tools, we work for, tools that helps us excel at other things. Fact. And I think just now the world is kind of starting to see that in that we are literally given the blueprint of what it is to work in a team, to work hard, to fight for an actual like goal

that's actually a trophy. And you know when you win something or whatever, and that's what you're working for in the workforce, whatever, you're working towards your goals. So I just you know, seeing you do that and to see you you set yourself up for in another another amazing career, I mean, it is it is inspiring so yeah, man, keep it up. I appreciate that. I actually want to get into that. But before I get into that, I want to So you leave college, you go to the NBA,

and you have your daughter. You had your daughter in college? No no, no, no no. Second, I left college in May and I had I was pregnant with her. I got pregnant with her in August, so I had I

had just left. Were you scared shitless? Like, because you just spoke about being a mother and like how you wanted to be a mother, the arguably the best player of a generation and you're about to have a kid at the time, like nowadays this accepted, like at that time not really accepted, more frowned up on than anything, and no one really voices in support, like were you terrified? I feel as though I always wanted to be a young mom always, like I always envisioned like having a kid.

I don't know what it was like. I felt like it was just like I was put on earth to be a mom, Like I just always envisioned having the family and having you know, having a little you and you know, being able to look at that person to grow up and whatever. So when it happened, yes, I was because it was not planned. But it was one of those things where I kind of just I didn't

see what everybody else saw. And I think that that's my gift and my curse is that when something happens, I look at it as an opportunity, where, Okay, when am I going to get back? How am I going to work forwards it getting back? What day? So the day I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I circled on the calendar when I wanted to come back, like what game I was going to play? And the schedule hadn't come out yet, but I circled the day

that I was going to play. And from that point on, you know, I would be only elliptical and I would be on me, you know, shooting. I couldn't jump, but I was shooting and I was getting back, and you know, people are looking at me like why are you are you doing all this? So I think the biggest thing for me was the balance, Like my mom was at everything.

I had one line in a play and my mom was there, and so for me, I think it was more so not the pregnancy to get back, like I just assumed my body is going to be able to do what I wanted to do. But it was it was the balance of being an athlete and chasing after my goals and my dreams and having a child. And where is the gray line of sacrificing for her where it's not fair versus sacrificing what you want to do and your goals and your life. And I will say

I might have been a better basketball player. I might be looked at in a different light had I not had her right, or had I not been injured or whatever. But there is no amount of anything that I would give up for that, like the fact that she's been able to be a part of my career to see me like we've grown up together. We've lived in China and Russia and Turkey and gone all over the world.

We're going to Japan in a couple of weeks, and I just feel as though, like that it was my purpose, And you know, I think it it opened my eyes to the way that the perceives mothers, and you know, I mean, it's interesting. And I will say the NBA has changed the stigma a bit, like you walking in with your son for the tunnel. Whether you know it or not, it makes a difference because guess what, in the media, they're asking me where my kids are when

I'm on a road trip. You know, they're not asking you. They're not asking stuff. They're not asking Lebron, like who's taking care of the kids while you're gone. So the stigma that dads don't have to have that responsibility has been there constantly, you know, And so I think, just you know, I know, I kind of digressed a little bit, but I think having my daughter has completely set up who I am and what I'm about. And I I

have a life outside of basketball. I have outside of basketball, And I think for a while I was tunnel vision and I lived and died by it. And I think as a competitor it's good, and as a human it's not. And so my daughter gives me that like she loves me, know my if I scored twenty five points or possible three points, yeah, So I think, you know, it was a growing up moment for me for sure. And y'all immediately go to Los Angeles of all cities to like have to deal with all of the stuff that come

with that. Now, how is that adjustment with a small baby and moving to Los Angeles expected? To be great, Like, all right, you just had this kid, and you still expected to be great. And I don't think people may realize it now, But again we have to remember this is years ago that the Los Angeles, like plans for the Los Angeles sparked right after Lisa Leslie. That's a big thing, and so now you're expected to carry that with a little baby. What was that experience? Like, I

only know one way. You know, I'm gonna try to be the greatest basketball player I can and I'm going to try to be the greatest mom I can't. And sometimes I screwed up it, both of them, you know. But I will say this, I think I don't feel like I feel pressured from the outside because the expectations that I put on myself are way greater than what anybody could think or want or have of me. And so I didn't feel the pressure. I think more so

I felt the frustration of not winning right away. I felt the anger of feeling like, you know, you're kind of in mud a little bit in terms of your talent level and what you're doing. And I mean, I had a baby, and then I was injured, and then there were these expectations to win, and sometimes maybe the team wasn't built in the way that I kind of saw,

you know, what would be beneficial to us. We had a bunch of heartbreaks and last shots and but you know, all in all, I think I was just trying to focus on doing all I could to get that championship. And I didn't envision. Like when I came into league, it was like, how many rings do you want to win?

I was like six, like Mike, And then as you go through it, you realize how fucking hard it is when a champions how hard and people look at it like it's just so easy and it's not, And so dealing with the pressures was nothing because I wanted to I wanted to win. I didn't care. I just wanted to win. And so I think just that was what kept me up at night. It wasn't what people were saying about me or anything like that. It was just

the fact that I wanted to win a championship. I feel like I feel like guys like the more that I've won, and like you just said, how hard it this, Yeah, I feel like I have um a softer spot for guys that has for instance, Damian Lillard, Yeah, like James Harden. You think of these guys who's had these incredible careers and haven't won a championship, And like I used to talk a lot of I used to always and like I still will, like Charles Barkley, like never won a championship, shuck,

Like I still I'm still gonna talk about him. But there's also another side of me that's like, like James Harden, does James Harden win a championship if he don't run up against us every year in the conference finals? Like I mean, Arlone would have won a championship or championship, wasn't or Donny Wilkins talk about all these guys, but but then, but then these guys end up be discredited, like for what they've done in their careers because they

didn't win a championship. But actually, only you and I and obviously other champion knows how hard it really is and all of the things that has to go right in order for that. You gotta be right, You have to be healthy at the right time, you gotta be clicking at the right time. You gotta get a little lucky. Like but people underestimate and undervalue the luck because you know, I'm a Golden Stay fan like Labla's favorite teams. No

I am. I've told you this absolutely, Like if you look back on if everything would have gone perfect, right, y'all could have six or seven championships absolutely right now, if everything would have went wrong, maybe only have one or two. Like we look at these plays as and I've always said this, we allow individual plays to determine somebody's entire career. Like, really, if Houston Rockets wouldn't have missed twenty seven straight to waste and it's put y'all

defense is great? What's not on things with wide open? Like wide open? Or what if Karl Malone would have put the ball up like this and Jordan would have come, wouldn't have come baseline and knocked it out us in Like, there's so many elements of stuff, So I believe that there's so many, so much luck, but I also think you make your lucky and like to watch y'all know because there's a there's a champions mentality of knowing when that play is like knowing when you have to make

a play that's true. You know, you can only know that when you've won m you cannot you you can try to know it. You can try to seal it, but up until you win, you're guessing. You're guessing when when it's time, Like is it time now? Okay, no, is it time? You know what I mean? Like watching you guys and watching y'all last year, like it really was you whin it was time? So I think there's luck, but I also think, you know, there's that mentality in

that we're not. So do you think like, actually, as of late Dame has been really outspoken about about it, do you think the flak that guys catch or or not even necessarily the flat but essentially how guys are dropped down the rankings because of not winning championship, do

you think that's justified? I think in the past NBA yes, the modern NBA probably not, because I think there's so much switching teams and going places that then you're going to have to start not validating championships as well, because do you remember when the Lakers did it? It was like Carmelone went to the Lakers and yeah, and they went to the Lakers and it was just kind of like like if they win a championship this year, they

haven't won one before. And I think this is what I'm facing now, Like there's so many people that are calling me a KD and you know, you just switching teams, and I'm like, listen at me. I've won championships. Whatever however you want it, I'll give it to you. We want it a hard, hard, hard way. I've gone back home and won a championship. And now I'm deciding that, you know what, I don't want to play forty minutes.

I want to do everything. I don't want to. I don't I'm cool winning near my family, picking me off the court, playing for an adult organization, an adult practice facility, with stuff that I've never had in my career. Call me what you want, but don't at me with that. And so I think we have different ways of validating and not validating player, because do I think Charles Barkley

is a freaking beast? His yes, like Chuck couldn't fall absolutely and he played during an era that was playing against I mean so, but I think now it's a little bit because so many guys are changing teams. So it's like, what is Dame gonna do? Because you are kind of wasting a little bit of years. And I get it, like you want to stay loyal and there's a lot of people that want to start and finish in the same place, and I think that that's admirable.

But you also have to look at the big scheme of things if you care about where you are on the list. So so, so are you saying Katie coming to the Warriors and you're going to the to the Aces are two totally different things. I think it's two totally different things. I've won two championships. You're saying, so you're saying, so you're saying what you did is more lebron than than Katie, essentially Becauselebrian went back home championships. I'll be honest, Yes, um, I think lebrond to the

Lakers for yes, career wise, but also business wise. Yeah, he's talking about wanting to be a billionaire. Well, guess what. I want to be a female Magic Johnson. I want to be a businesswoman and I want to take female sports and female athletes and have them looked at differently in tech, in investment, in just business in general. And so for me, I think it was family, it was business, and it was basketball, and it's like and I think that that was the main party Gremont. I have not

had a locker in my entire career. I've been in the w BA for sixteen years, and I have not had a locker where it has my name on it and I can leave my ship and then come back and know my ship gonna be there. I have not had that. Really, that's my own that you walk into, and this is your own area, nobody else. There's no

old people walking through. There's so And it's not to say this is a bad thing, but I'm saying, like I fought so hard to like bring the wb A along that I've never had a practice facility where I can just go get shots up at night. We've always shared a practice, yes, And so my thing is is

I deserve that, right, Absolutely, I deserve that. I've worked my ass off and have been a part of growing the w BA. And so for im, I don't want to find I don't want to I want my last couple of years my last If this is it, I want this to be something that I look back on and I'm like, man, like I had that, you know, like I've seen progress. This is where we started, and this is where we're aving in looking to get more

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one eight gambler dot net West Virginia. You're now teammate. Kelsey Plum recently went on a podcast and everyone's been out spoken about the Flying Private, which I want to ask you about. But also she recently went on a podcast and she was discussing revenue sharing or the revenue and she said, I don't I'm not asking for equal pay in the NBA. And I can appreciate this, Kelsey, because I actually said some things very similar to some

things that I'm starting here these days. A couple of years ago, and I called a lot of flat for saying what I was saying, and I was just like, wow, that's interesting. But I'm starting to hear more of those things, so I can appreciate what Kelsey said, which was, I'm not asking for equal pay as the NBA players, I'm

asking for equal revenue sharing as the NBA players. What is is you're feeling on that as far as like getting the equal revenue share you and your business acumen and what you know about business and numbers, what's your take on the revenue sharing situation. I'm on the Draymond

Green podcast, so I can't hold back here. So here's the thing, and I'm in agreement, and I heard what you said, and I'm in agreement with the fact that in a lot of areas that WBA tries to do things like the NBA right in their business plan except that honest right. So I guess to me, I was big on if I'm being I feel as though we should not have a cat. I don't think we should have a CAT. And I also think maybe to get to that point, maybe we have to deunionize. Maybe we

can't have the same set up as the NBA. And I say that in the NBA is made of stars, right, And this is no knock because I think, if I'm an employee, or if I'm a coach, or if I'm a trainer, I'm trying to go and do what's best for me and my family. And if somebody wants to pay me all this money to come do something, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna take I'm gonna try to work out ways to carve out things where I can

be successful. Right. But what's happening now is as a league, a lot of times we're setting ourselves up to look like a charity. And I say that in a sense of we're paying our coaches more than our star players. We're paying our gm more than our star players. And so then what does that say about the product? Right, Like they're not coming to see Steve Kerr all plays. They come in to see y'all you know, great, he has an amazing blueprint, but you can't have him make

more than your star player. And so I think from and there's no league, no successful league there that is in the United States or even abroad, that pays their coaches more than they play their they pay their star players. So I think we're already set up not in the best lady. I also say this, you know, I think that the way you have the product on display says a lot about the product, right, So even the pricing of the app is like you're telling me it's like

fourteen ninety nine or twenty what is that saying? Like? So I just think that all in all, even the jerseys, Right, I went to Chicago and it's like, get to Chicago, everybody's excited about can't find my jersey, can't get my jersey, can't buy my jersey, there's no production of my jersey. Right when the championship, people still can't find my jersey in an entire season. So I just think sometimes we

set ourselves up not to be successful. And you know, there's a lot of things that have grown in the w BA, right, but there's also a lot of things that need to change from a business standpoint, and I think that, you know, we ourselves have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and ownership does as well. You know, like you talk about in the NBA, can't have millionaires, you gotta have billionaires, right, Absolutely, not properly invest in stuff to see where it's going to really end up.

And I think we're at a fork in the world right now, and I think people that choose the right way, like women's sports is going to be here, whether it's people filling a quota, whether it's television where they're streaming. But I guarantee like the visibility element. Why did it take so long for the Women's National Championship game to be on ABC? Why are two of the hottest teams competing and good to each other on Super Bowl Sunday?

Like that? But Draymon, if we would have went Game five in our series and the WBA playoffs, we would have went up against Baseball the playoffs for baseball, do you know what I mean? So there's certain things strategically that I understand you kind of have to take what you're given, but also there has to be a line in the sand at some point where you know, we start having a better blueprint for what we're trying to accomplish,

you know. And I could go on and on about marketing as well, because for so long when I came into the league, we were marketing to numble heads that we're in their mom's basement talking about how women can't play basketball. Why are we talking to them like, let's love it and let's love and embrace our our supporters in our crowd and the people that really like women's basketball. So I mean, why I say, because I'm gonna go

on this rent forever. But you know, I always suggested, I'm like everybody similar to how you all go over season play, right, everybody should go play. We could go sell out TVA if I'm playing a home game at Thompson Bowling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. Let's go play in Orlando, Florida when they have their big AAU event. You know, I just feel like, let's go to Portland when they have their event and we're able to take a w NBA team who are future stars in the grassroots program.

Let's play there and then guess why all those girls will go home with their parents and maybe buy season tickets where their phone. I just think that there's been so many ups and downs and we're still here, and we're still here for a reason. So yeah, absolutely I agree, and I think like the marketing because I'm a strong believer in that. When I went on my little rent, that's really one of the things I was talking about.

It's like, how is it that? Because and I want to get into this, which I said in that rant, Let's focus our argument to who we should be talking to, who can tell these stories? Because the fact that like people's people would immediately say, Candis Parker from Chicago. And if you ask Candice Parker where she's from, number one,

you're gonna say Naperville. Now that story should be told like that would be the equivalent of saying, now it's a little different, but it would be the equivalent of saying Lebron's from Cleveland and not telling the story of him being from Akron. Let you tell like, I'm from Naperville. Now that's Chicago, right, Like you still Chicago through and through, got the pride, grew up in it, all of that.

But you're still gonna put on Naperville because that's going to get It's going to do way more for Naperville than if you just say Chicago, because of Chicago is a maze city. Right. Okay, So now who's telling these stories? Who's telling that Diana Tarassi's from the Ie right, Like why why does no one know these things? Because there are people out here that are in positionous to tell these stories that can help grow these games. I actually

went ironically, it's women's empowerment. I went on this rent. There are women's empowerment, but I feel like there needs to be more of that. And if we can do that, now you start to grow the pot which is now you start to grow. If you grow in the revenue, you start to grow the dollars that goes to the athletes. I feel like we like, what needs to happen is need to go at those people. And that's just that's

just my opinion. I don't know how you feel about that, but okay, I really feel like, why the NBA's greatest one because you guys are the most talented in the entire world at your craft, right, So you have to be good to what you just said in terms of telling stories and people being able to own who they are and tell their version of things, and you're encouraged to be you. Now, there was an era in NBA where it wasn't where they were like, Okay, you can't

be this, you can't be that. We've had that in the domain day. Okay, then you move into this era where they're like social media. Wow, people fall in love with these players for different reasons. And you're not wearing a mask and you're not wearing a hat, and they're able to see you, and you're able to have the tunnel fits and be who you are and walk in with your son and people fall in love with that. Right.

And I just feel like to some extent that we're in we're back into seventies and eighties when doctor Bust took a chance on investing in a product that nobody wanted and the players were pretty talented, right, players could ball and it was cool, but it was bigger than the game. It was the experience. It was the Laker girls, it was the club. It was feeling like you're a heart of something. It was getting stars to come and sit courtside and make it cool and beef, you know,

fashionable in all these things. And I think the w BA needs to capitalize on that. The WBA needs to capitalize on that blueprint of being able to make it more than just the game of basketball. Because listening y'all play, I watched y'all play a hell of a lot of basketball, and get guess what, there's some games where it's not the best, but it's still the experience of it all.

And I think having Adam Silver, love him, hate him, whatever, I feel like he listens to both star in the way that you all do the All Star game now, in the amount of time you have off after the All Star in not having a dress code, doing things like that, and that has grown the game. It doesn't have anything to do with rules. I mean, stupid take foule rule. I guess it is an adjustment to shooter, but it doesn't it has to do with the stuff outside of the game. I would like the wh that

capitalize on that. No, And I think your example of doctor Bus is incredible because if you look at it back during those times when he made that investment and and took that chance, they were losing money at that time, and so I think everyone's argument is always going to be but you're losing money. But if you get an owner. And I've been out spoken about Mark Davis before with the Raiders, and I'll give credit where credit is due. I'm always just give my opinion and tell the truth

is not really biased, it is what it is. I think what Mark Davis has done and is doing with the Aces, like I have the utmost respect for it because he's investing. He's investing into the product. And so I mean, let's face it, in any business that you start, you lose money to start it. That's any business, what you do, it doesn't matter any business. Yes, you're going to lose money at the inception. It's nowhere around it.

If you are someone out there that can start a business and not lose money at the start, contact me. I got some money for you to start a business. But you're going to lose money. And so everyone's argument is always but you're losing money. So how can you ask for this? And what you're saying is be willing to invest the money and know that it will be a loss ultimately to grow the product where it can go. And so you may need new owners. That may be

an issue. And that's a seam much transition into the elephant of the room. The hot topic of the latest offseason has been chartering. And you know what my question my answer to that, yes, do I want to charter? Yeah, But similar to the person that has five dollars in his pocket but has a Lamborghini that he got to fill up and do all this stuff, I don't want

the I don't want the Lamborghini. I want more money, and so I think before that happens, players have to make more money because the product is going to be seen as better and more and exclusive the more money the players make. I mean to be honest, Like somebody walks in, you can be nobody if you want. A billionaire walks in the party, he don't get in. A billionaires don't fit into the party. So I just feel like I think that that is yes, I do want

to charter. I think would make the grand great whatever. Let's talk about dollars and cents first, you know absolutely and one thing that you just spoke of and I want to get your take on this. I feel you spoke on on the how the w NBA is aligned. Do you think and I want to specifically ask this question because it'll take me somewhere else and you'll get what I'm going in a second, But do you think aligning the WNBA right next to the NBA is it?

Is it ultimately beneficial because for instance, um, you know one guys to come to the games and support right, Like I understand the support thing, but is that actually what's going to help drive the product, which is a

great product but gets overshadowed. Gamel, Can I ask you because we talk about verbiage a lot in usage of races, right, Like we always talk about the way people use to describe even somebody that's like Blacken as a shooter, the verbiage people used to describe that person is way different.

Or when you're comparing players and I was trying to find a comparison like Greedy did right, and I was like immediately going race and it's like, no, what he Let's compare him to who he plays like, not race, like you know. And I think the burbage that we use for women a lot is support. Like when I go to your games, I'm not I don't type in my caption, I'm supporting the Warriors, right, I don't say that. I say I just pulled up to the Warriors game.

It's dope, like my daughter, we're staying portside whatever. And it's like constantly the w NBA uses support in their caption. So I don't think aligning the w BA with a league one that is the NBA two that has been in existence for seventy six years, it's just not a good comparison. To begin with. And so while we do

lean on other ballers, it's other basketball players. I don't think we need to like have that because I think comparison would I say the comparison comparison is the thief of all joy because you're not gonna get joined on the this if we're constantly comparing our All Star game. Our signature shoes are Brando basketball are Brando basketball, and points everybody wants to talk about we are low scoring? Will we play? We play forty minutes? Y'all play forty eight? No, Like,

let's okay, so let's get into this, you know. And so then all of a sudden we're sitting there comparing like, okay, well how many once you think you scored? You played forty eight minutes around It's just it's not a good It's not going to end up well for us. And so I think it would be better to just differential

differentiate ourselves from the NBA. Yes, for a while we needed all of this, but I think it would be better we have to some extent, like there's not many as teams that are affiliated with the NBA, but those teams usually are doing better, so you know what I mean. So it's just I don't know it. You know, it's like it's beneficial urt one. So I'll be one hundred percent honest with you because why not. Like I'm always

gonna be honest. And I am a big fan of women's basketball because I feel like I who being someone that appreciates fundamentals. If you want to see some fundamentals, you go watch women's basketball. And I don't say that in a negative way because you want to. You not want to see some fundamentals, go watch the NBA. Ain't no fundamentals involved. Like I mean, the great teams, you got fundamentals, but a lot of these teams suck and

they don't have fundamentals. And I always say I like to when I want to watch good basketball, I'm gonna go watch me some women's basketball because you're gonna see good basketball. And for me, that's what I appreciate. That's how I play the game. I like to play the game the right way. I actually stopped watching the w NBA over this whole support thing because I felt like it took away from me the reason that I was watching it. I was watching it because I enjoyed the game.

I was watching it because like, there are certain players that I enjoy watching yourself, Chelsea dt Asia, like there are certain players that I want to see play as a fan of basketball suit like, and there's Brianna, Like, there's some players. But once it became all about like, oh, man, like you need to go support a w NBA game, I'm like and when I when I went, I'm just like, but this ain't really wild. Wanted to be here, Like I want to be here because I want to watch

this game and it's a good game. And then also I have some friends in the w NBA, and I will go support a friend because guess what, I'll go support a friend in the play. So if I'm coming, like and I'm specifically coming to like I'm coming to the game to support CP. I may not be interested in that basketball game, but I'm going to come support

a friend. That's a totally different thing than me sitting at the game on the NBA's instagram Draymond Green here to support the Las Vegas Aces or Draymond Green here to support the w NBA game. I started pulling the wave because with the support, then I felt like also came backlash and what I meant by backlash is this. I felt like when things happen a lot of times w NBA players, we have been like the ones being

attacked about it. Okay, and I'm gonna I'm gonna fill in, sorry interrup, but I'm immediately I have a lot of NBA friends I do, and I immediately heard when Aerial Powers went at it when he signed on. And here's the thing, I think, to some extent, people are so quick to react and be defensive. So I have two takes on that. One. I know the deal twelve right, I know the deal twenty three? Like I know the deal. You call zero man at zero like y'all say that

y'all by your number. I don't. I don't call Steph Steff. I call it a thirty up exactly, okay, Right, So I get that part where people feel attacked because they don't know the lingo of what's being said. I also get the other side where you are so tired of having to defend yourself against dudes that can't carry half of what you do every day and say they have all this game and come in and they shot is broker?

Then how these people and you feel you go through TSA and you got to you gotta do this, five foot five come up to you talking crazy. So I see the defensive element it was directed in the wrong direction. But I also get tired as a w BA player of appreciating whatever whatever we get right. There's a number of times where I'm sure you jumped on somebody where there's been a different perspective right where you feel attacked and so you kind of lash out and like, you know,

go at them. So I see in women's basketball all the time that occurring where you feel like, oh, what was that supposed you know, But also guys that are trying to do the right thing or are being steered in this support part of the game. And I couldn't agree more that I think for a long time we wasted time and dollars in marketing on trying to get the support from people that really didn't understand the beginning

of basketball or didn't understand the WA at all. And so I mean, I value criticism in our game because I think there's with the more money, there's going to be more people that put time to get better. Let's just be honest, Like you saw people into eighties and nineties that were fat and out of shape coming to training camp that did nothing but rebound and run down the court. Could they have made their free those more or hit jump shots? Yeah, probably if they'd have worked

on it. I guess why it ain't life changing money? What am I gonna still get in the gym for? I think we're going to see better product with the women's game because more people are gonna get in the gym, or people are going to try to get better at their cry. It drives me nuts. People that take the ship for granted. It drives me nuts. People that don't put their effort and energy into it. It drives me absolutely nuts. And so I guess from two ways, Like

I I see what needs to be done. I see that women of support, but I also am competitive as hell and you know so I know I digress again, But I just think women sometimes we feel like it's a lose lose, you know absolutely, So in saying that, I think one thing you're saying, which I totally agree with, is your fan isn't gonna be the fan who likes somebody high flying, like no, your fan is going to

be the fan that understands and appreciates basketball. Now, what I will say is this we are starting to see and you know, first girl dunking games and all of that, first woman dunking games, all of that. But like we are starting to see women be more and more athletic, and I think that goes into like the training that we're all that we're all getting now and all of

those different things. But I said, I had to say this so when people say, and I know the answer to this, but these are for the listeners who don't know that. So when people say, lord a real, because if y'all was dunking more, then it'll be more entertaining and more people will come to the game and they will come support and it'll be more exciting. So lord

a real, we should just talk to you. Just put on bikinis too, then, huh some of us, Um, I disagree, And I'm actually you know, people call me on this too. I mean, it would be beneficial for me to play with the same size ball. Y'all have two My hands suck at fitting on the small ball. Like, I'm a big believer in let's all play with the same ball. Now we can have a different color and make it ours, But I'm a big belief they're playing with the same ball.

M I mean, listen, Jerymont, like, we gotta at some point you gotta kind of fight the battles you can fight. And it was I think the nineties was the last time that somebody out finally outlawed the half court. Like for a long time, women weren't like even allowed to run full court because they were they thought it was just too exhausting. We weren't running in marathons. We weren't allowed. I mean, we just got allowed to be athletes. And so I think it's just like one of those things

where it's like can we have time? Can we can we have time where we don't have to fight for stuff and we can do what we do in ball and gain skill and all this stuff. And it's like we're trying to change all these elements of stuff. There's different styles of basketball. Some people don't like overseas basketball, but guess what, there's a whole crowd of people that do. Some people don't like the NBA and they like college.

I personally cannot watch college until into a tournament, but there are some people that absolutely are fans of the NBA. That's me. There's some people that grow up and watch women's basketball and our fans of women's basketball, like, let's let our crowd be what it is. We don't have to go around changing everything. I think that's been the issue. It's been We've tried to change so much, like it can't be gay, it can't be a mom, can't be

all these things. Like we've been told you can't be all these things for so long, and so I think we were so far away from our identity is who we are and the communities, like some of the strong, powerful people that come from the NBA are a result of them being able to be themselves. Absolutely. I mean I am a product of that exactly, myself this whole time, exactly.

And there were players in the NBA that haven't always been able to do that, be that or have fought those battles to be able to help players in the future be who they are. And that's why your league is successful. Like we keep talking about the rules of the game, and it's like Draymon, I go and I watch the NBA all the time. I work at NBA TV, NBA on TNT all the time. There are games that are painful to watch. I agree, right, nobody's out there,

everybody's out there running around whatever. Guess what, it's the swag, it's the tunnel walk, it's the rival, it's all these sayings. So like, stop trying to change rules within the game, Like, let's really focus on what the product is and what it can be. I think it's coming. I think dunking is going to become more prevalent um in the women's game, But it will never be the identity of the women's game, nor does it need to be. I don't think nor

does it need to be. By the way, Duncan is then the identity of the NBA today three pointing and earlier on we spoke about um setting up things for after basketball, and you are well until your next thing. Not only have you set it up, but you're well into it. You're thriving at it. UM. Number one, congratulations. It's crazy that we're saying this in twenty twenty three, but but to be the first woman on the All Star broadcast, UM absolutely amazing. You know, as a basketball fan, well,

all Star weekend means to us. So I just want to say congratulations to you on that number one. Secondly, what's what's TV been for you? Like, I know for me? UM for me, if I'm being honest, doing TV and podcasts and stuff actually helped me recapture my love of basketball because it allowed me to get back to speaking about the game and it's purity and to kind of get away from the business of it all and just speak about and just appreciate the game. What is going

on TV? What has that been for you? Well, first, as a dream, because I think it's the second best job. I think playing is the best job ever, and I think talking about basketball I do that anyway. I'm a basketball junkie. I go home, it's always on television. We can watch a whole game, and I'm gonna watch the round up a Sports Center of NBA game time, whatever comes next, I'm gonna watch it, even though I just watched the whole game and probably gonna watch it again.

Like that's just I am a junkie for NBA basketball. I'm a junkie for just sports in general, football, like you go down the line. So I think television for me was that ability to stay connected to the game. And I feel like I've had the upbringing of being around a table with brothers and us arguing without Google, Like we couldn't google the stuff that we were arguing. We just argued and we had points and things like that.

So I think once I got on television, especially for Turner, where it's encouraged for you to have your point of view, for you to share your point of view, for you to debate, for you to argue, and I'm doing it with people that I've looked up to and grown up watching, and so I think it was just one of those surreal moments where I get to do this, you know. And I'm not telling myself that just to say it either. I'm not saying like, hey, I get to do this,

and I'm telling myself to you know, push through days. No, I get to be on television, have a platform and share my opinion and talk about a game that I love and get paid to do it. So I just think it's a unique position because I'm able to play and still commentate on the game, and so I think

it's made me a better basketball player. But it's also made me a better commentator because I know the commentators I don't care for, you know what I mean, Like, I know I know the commentators that rub me the wrong way when you make it like extremely personal or you would attack me or you you know, degrade or demean what I've tried to accomplish, what I'm doing, or my intention, or you don't know something and you try

to act like you know the whole story. And so I think it's made me a better person, like as a basketball player, but also as a commentator in the way that I'm able to critique individuals and stuff like that. No, I can appreciate that because I know in me doing this, one of my biggest fears was like to not be

the guys that I hate here and talk. And you can very easily fall into that if you're not careful, because it's accepted like and like yeah and and and it'll is in some cases it'll get you a boost. But I never wanted to be that guy. So I can appreciate that. But um, you know, we both have we have the honor of being teammates Turner Sports. UM want someone who recently just left, but Tara August, who um kind of gave me an opportunity to come in

this and who I'm very appreciative. Can you speak to me about ar August And quite frankly, you've had the opportunity to work with her more than I have. But

can you speak to me about Tara. Tara August is one of those people that is so talented, so personal, and we talk about how Ernie Johnson has set the culture at Turner from the talent standpoint of that everybody's going to come in, be respectful, have fun, uplift and empower others, like you talk about that, and that's Tara on the business side, like in terms of relationships and just caring, like there's nobody that cares more than she does.

And it's the little things, you know, Like I think she has done so much in her career, but she still wants to empower and uplift others, you know. And even though she's not a part of Turner anymore, we still talk obviously, and I know she's gonna like take over the world. Like that's just that's just how it is. And I always look at people because I think the way that you demand and command respect is directly related to the way that you give it. And I think

that Tara gives respect. I mean, and she she has a way of like not, can I say this, She has a way of not She's done so much, she has so many things that she's accomplished. She's so great at what she does, but she doesn't want people to like know that, you know, and she doesn't want her lead with that. And I also see eye to eye with her as well, because she's always in a room full of men. Yeah, you know, absolutely, And and I think he carries herself the same way regardless. And I

really admire people like that. So Terre's dope. She's the best human. Yes, she's super dope. I'm very appreciative her, like I said, and just giving me the opportunity encounter seeing it, like, yo, you should be doing this. And and she's brutally honest, which I can always appreciate because as you know, you get to a space of word you run into like the issue of like finding people

that will be honest with you. And I can always appreciate her for one opportunity into like, no matter what, she's going to be brutally honest and obviously great at what she does. Like you know, when every everyone will always see Ernie Kenny, Chuck, shot yourself, Jamal out of myself at times, they see that, they don't see terror behind the scenes, making all of that goal of that work. The battles that she have to fight for that to be what it is. And because of that, that's what

I'm saying about for sure. So I can definitely appreciate her, and I've taken enough of your time. But before we get out of here, how much longer do I get appreciate your game and what you're doing. See, I came in the league and I've been able to do what I do, and quite frankly, you did way more and all of that everybody talk about, like the point for

a position. You've been doing that since I can remember watching you play basketball, and like the brain, the smarts, rebounding, blocking shots, like shooting the three, leading the break rush, setting up the offense, like you're someone that I watched, and like, how much longer do I get to enjoy you playing? Well, here's the thing I always said, it's going to be in the off season that I know, you know, I think when I can't prepare and train the way that I know that I should, I'm not

gonna cheat the game. And I've said that from the get go. I will not cheat the game. I will not be one of those players where you like cannas like that's not gonna happen. So I will say it is coming to that point. I'm also not a big like go to half court and get at every guy. I'm not gonna do that. But I don't know. And I will say there's way more basketball behind me than in front of me, and it's coming. But I'm learning to enjoy the process that much more, you know. I mean,

I'm enjoying the daily grind that much more. So it's Leila ready for you to be done. That's a really good question. She was all for this Vegas move because baby girls followed me everywhere in the world. Right. She starts high school next year. Pretty damn good volleyball player, to be honest, don't tell her. I said that she decided to do volleyball. She could do it, and it's time for me to choose her. If I'm still playing,

it's still got to be about her now. You know, she's following me around long enough, and so, like I said, I think it would be great to be able to be at home and be one hundred percent present for her and my son, you know. And so I'm not going to be the one that's forty something plan. It's just start working to be honest with you. Drem on, like maybe I'll be forty something plan making thirty year forty million dollars, but I ain't will be forty something

plan liken what we make. So I'll tell you what I only I mean. Obviously we are fortunate enough to make it more. But I got four more left in me. I've fifteen has always been my magic number. And it's like the closer I get to fifteen, I can agree with what you're saying. The more I inspired I get to get to fifteen, like and um and like I want to get to fifteen, and God willing I can get to fifteen. And after year fifteen, they're like, yo,

so about this next deal? And I can say thank you, but no thank you, like because my kids, you know, like my kids like I want to go to Australia, I want to go to Dubai. I can't go to Australia and Dubai because when the whin it's the season to go there, we're in season. Like there are and those are small examples, but like, there's just so many things that I want to do that a basketball schedule not allow you to do. So I feel you like I feel you like CP. Thank you so much. I

appreciate you. Appreciate I gotta I gotta cut you in bones at some points, wine and some bones. We can do that for sure. I'm always looking for somebody to beat up on on the bones. Oh, I cannot wait. Y'all heard it here first. I'm telling you you um before we get out of here. You're a Michael Jordan fan. Yeah, I'm him at Dominoes, just so you know. So there's your warning him Michael Jeffrey Jordans. Oh, jeff Michael Jeffrey Jordan's Chicago Bulls number twenty three. Him at Dominoes, like

him at basketball. I am him at Dominoes. So that's your warning. Are you him in the eighties, Because you could beat him in the eighties, you're not gonna win. M H two three peaks. I am him as you're warning. Thank you so much. See, if you are appreciate you appreciate you