The Draymond Green Show - Steph Curry

fan duel sports book makes it easy. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to The Draymond Green Show. We are actually live here at Chase Center. We're not live, but we're You're at Chase Center in the Bridge Club, as you can see with the three championship trophies in the bat and I personally wanted this location for this shoot because of today's guests, which I am thrill and excited as hell to have. Um. I've been they They've told me to stop cursing. I'm excited as fuck about having Steph

Curry today. UM, but let me introduce him the right way, because I can't just come on here and act like you know, this is my man's I don't have to do the proper introduction, So that goes to laundry list. Three time NBA champ. Well, let's rewind a little bit because this is actually gonna be a topic. Seventh overall pick in the two thousand nine draft, drafted right after Minnesota picked Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. Note that we'll

talk about that later. Three time NBA Champ, two time MVP, eight time All Star, four time first team All n b A, two times second team All NBA, one time third team All NBA, two time NBA Scoring chap most may threes all time three thousand, one hundred and seventeen threes in counting most threes in the season four and two, it's probably most. And I've had a Micha. Remember, we'll talk about that another time. And then the last one is irrelevant. We're not only able to talk about that. Steph,

what's uping, my brother? Welcome to the show. It's so we're hearing that from you. I appreciate it absolutely. Um, I mean in starters, since since we are discussing that, you're drafted by the with the seventh pick by the Golden State Warriors. Rumor has it that you never wanted to play for the Golden State Warriors. K, can you

help me understand that? Yes? Uh, taking me back. So, like, the draft is always weird, just because you have a plan or you think you know where the best fit is, and especially when you know in a lottery kind of situation, you kind of know who you're kind of saw it against from other there are kind parts of the same position. I always want to go to New York. That was it, Like I was trying to find my way there. Mike D'Antoni was there. Uh, Danil Gallinari are future past but

future at the time, teammate David Lee. Like it was supposed to be like the running gun type Phoenix two point oh offense and I was supposed to be a point guard there and they kind of sold me on that dream. But they had the eighth pick, so I wanted to go there. I didn't work out for a Golden State. I didn't come out here before the draft. I talked to Larry Ry, the then GM in Chicago at the pre draft combound for dinner once, talk Don

Nelson once and that was that was really it. Um I think in Minnesota, like they had the five and six picks. So I was like, all right, if I just get past five and six, cool, I'm gonna be in New York. It's gonna be dope. And everything that I imaged an NBA to be in the fit was gonna be there. And then uh, Larry Riley and Don Nelson had the plan. Seventh pick came around. Uh oh my name. I had like mixed emotions because I know his dream country to draft it don't matter where it is.

But I was like, that was not on my radar. Always that careful what you wished for, and you know, I got a plan. So uh, thirteen years later, I'm still out here here, you know. You know what's what's what's crazy about that is um when I when I was going through the draft process, I'm as you know, I'm a very deep thing. I'd be. I spent my pre draft in the East last so driving to the airport when I'm headed off for a workout, which I

know y'all cast a little lot of reflecting there. I don't don't act like no, I don't say when I got the envelope to go to the green room. Don't not for one second. Thing that wasn't a low key shot. That was definitely a shot. But I'll take that on the chain. Um. But I'm driving back and forth to the to the airport from east Lands and to the Y and I had twenty work ups, so it wasn't like I made this drive twice. I made it drive probably thirteen times. And I'm riding and I'm thinking about

the whole process. And as I'm riding, I'm thinking to myself, like where all the places I would go? And like I've told the story before, I had a promise from Indiana. I had a promise like if I was still there, Memphis would take me, Miami would take me. All these teams that told me if I was still there, they would take me. None of them did. But I'm driving and them thinking to myself, like where am I going to end up? And I kid you not. I thought to myself one day like I don't know where I'm

gonna end up, but I do know. And I literally had this thought, but I do know. I just won't end up in the state of California. And I'm not sure why I had that thought. It wasn't even about the pick number. It wasn't the pick number. It wasn't the Lakers, the Kings, the Warriors, the clip, it wasn't. It was just I don't think I'm going to end up in the state of California. For me, that was a big deal. I had never lived outside of the state of Michigan, so that was a big deal for me.

But I just never thought I would end up here. So to hear that you didn't want to come here, I just can't say that I didn't necessarily want to come here. I didn't have that choice or wherever I was gonna go, I needed to go straight up, But I had no idea that I went end up out here. And like you said, thirteen years later, ten years later, I'm still sitting there for real. And like you grew up in Michigan, North Carolina, like I came to l A once or twice and never been to the Bay

up until my junior or college. I played my last game here at St. Mary's against Patty Mills and um the St. Mary Gaels. That was the first time I ever been here. We stayed at the Walnut Creek Marriott. I used to like live like eight minutes from there. It's so weird just thinking about how where somebody someplace becomes your home just out of out of nowhere, I kind of unexpected and start to, uh to build an

identity out here. So it's pretty dope. What what did you make of Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynning getting drafted right before you? Did you think there was any chance, um, that Minnesota would draft him before you? Uh? No, No, was there any chance that Minnesota would draft you? Didn't. That's what I was thinking. More so, like, because I've done my pre draft workouts with pretty much all the

point guards. At some point Rubio he didn't come over, so I didn't work out with him, but like Johnny Flynn, Tyreek, Uh, Terry Evans, um, ty Lawson through Holiday Uh, Eric Bayner, Uh, I'm missing one. It's gonna kill me, um, Brandon Jennings. So like I've worked out with all of them, and I was like, I I know, you know, from shooting perspective, obviously I got it, but I have a lot to offer, and you know I should be at the top of

that PG list. Um. Obviously James went three, Tyrek went four, and at that point, like, okay, Washington had just traded their pick to d C and Starry Washington trade there picked to Minnesota, so they have five and six. I'm like, it's a good chance, like they're gonna pick me. But but if I get past that, New York had already made that promise Gold State what ain't on the radar, but definitely when they took two point guards, just sitting in the ground, like all right, that's weird, like what's

the plan there? And why am I still sitting here? But obviously only have about eight minutes to think about that and then I was next, So it's just different. Uh. I always laughed too, because there was like this kind this article that came out, but David Conny was the GM at the time, and like, obviously it's revisionist history. Is like my fourth, the fifth year in the league, it's like, oh, why didn't Minnesota pick me over? You know those two guys when they took two point guards?

And the line was like, oh, he knew how much I like golf and Minnesota's two cold, so I wouldn't have been happy there as a basketball player, knowing I couldn't play golf throughout the year. I said, that's a that's a that's a certified reach. We should play the game that Chuck plays on T n T. Where is he not? Because wherever he is now, that's where he belongs. It's not an n b A. Wherever he is now,

that's exactly where he belongs. But so the whole draft process happens, and so far all the listeners out there, what you have to understand is every guy two things here. Every guy in the league has a guy that destroys you every time you play him, and he's not like

one of those guys. And then I think everyone also has like a guy who at some point in your career or another, that guy was in front to you and you look then you we all look at it as like even during that moment, you're looking at it like this dude isn't better than like, I'm not sure

why this guy is playing with me. The world then gets to see that as time plays out, like and there's one guy that was in front of you, how did an incredible college career, not so much NBA career, But there was one guy that was in front of you that you did not play for in front of your rookie year, and you talk to us about who that guy is and how that drove you too want to destroy him and ultimately probably moved to my the NBA. What that's a whole another story. You know exactly who

I'm talking about, who you're talking about. He see Law I'm about to say law so, but he's like, there's a thing between college basketball and the league, like we all know, like you said, it's it's just fit. Timing is just opportunity, is matchups, that's all that type of stuff. My second in the league, like a C. Law was, uh, the point guard was in practice? Is going against him? Like he was nice and he had his like such

a unique game. I can never really figure out. Um. But I was trying to come into my own as a player, and you know, he was getting autaments, he was closing out fourth quarters. And I always say, like the league is funny just because confidence is everything, opportunities everything, and what you do when you get that opportunity can dictate you know, your future. And um, and it's also

about patients, that's the fact. And that's sometimes hard to really go through that process and you don't ever want to hear when you're right in the middle of it. But I went through my second year like I was getting benched in the fourth quarter, A C Law was playing key smart with our coach, and like, honestly, I learned a lot, but it was tough build to swallow. Um,

but it also motivated me and drove me. And then when I did get that opportunity be like, I am that guy that can compete at the highest level in this league and close out games, can be a dude you can trust in those moments and all that type of stuff. Uh yeah, A C is definitely the name that kind of embodies that moment for good at for worse, And that's part of the process. Like you said, it's

not disrespecting him. It's just like that dude that was in front of you in terms of your opportunity and um. And to his credit, he was a great vet in terms that he was helping me throughout that process, but he knew like I was kind of in my place. So it's kind of like a little bit of sweet only a matter of time. And by the way he answered that probably as nice as he can go for

y'all stuff. So us you know, it's fine, but so you go through it also smartly with I'm gonna let you live and I'm not going to hit you with the David conline for not playing stuff. I'm gonna let you live because we gotta love up for you. Smart. We're gonna let you live and we won't hit you with that. So you didn't go through that, and that's your first couple of years. You also dealt with quite a few ankle injuries. Walk me through that process and and how what I mean. I remember when I first

got here, the narrative was the ankles. Does the Warriors offer you an extension? Do they not? I remember my first time ever meeting you was you're on the court, and the entire front office staff, the entire ownership group, everybody's sitting there watching you do individual workout as if he was about to get drafted in a couple of days. I couldn't believe it, but they're literally debating on this

workout whether they're going to give you an extension. Not walk me through that process of going through the ankle injuries, having to bounce back from that, not knowing what's next, if they're going to resign you if not. Just walk me through that process. I never play with injuries my entire basketball career from middle school, high school, college, Like uh, I had a pretty clean track record on that front.

So even my rookie year. I played seven or eighty games in my rookie year and played like a lot of men especial last three or four months, and never

had real nagging injuries, especially my ankles. So when it started to happen my second year, like, it's frustrating because I mean, obviously in pain, you rehab in and out the line up, and then it just kept happening, and then it just kept happening, and then it was like, oh, I don't even have to step on nobody's foot or being I could just be changing direction on the court and running transition to join the flip. So it was scary because I didn't have any control of the situation.

It's it was like I no matter how much I prepared my body for like how I knew how to prepare my body at the time, nothing was working. But I also knew like I was getting better on the court when I had an opportunity to play, and all I wanted to do was give myself a chance to prove myself. And you have to be available and healthy to be able to do that. So that last I said. For two years, like off and on, I had two surgeries, um, extensive rehabs, missed like thirty games during my third year,

the lockout year. And to your point, like your future is kind of hanging in the balance of your health because, uh, you've got surgeries on your resume. Nobody like that. Uh, you've got chronic like injuries that aren't really freak accidents. Is like I could be just doing normal basketball moves and my ankle will flip. Then you got the mental exhaustion of like just going through that process over and over and over again. So um, Thankfully, I think I

was so just focused on getting healthy. I didn't really put too much pressure on myself on like what the implications of, uh, the injuries really could mean in the long term, which I think helped me to stay motivated and the real because you know, like anytime you go through rehab, the mind, you know, the body sponsor to mind. If you can't stay positive and you can't stay motivated and you start to get in your feelings and all that,

like it's a miss a lonely, miserable feeling. And thankfully, like I was either young, naive or whatever, I just couldn't stay out of I didn't have anything else to worry about but just get healthy and let everything kind of take care of herself. UM. And you know, thankfully, after the second surgery, started to get a little bit more progress, started learning about my body a lot more. I started learning what it took to you know, play at this level of preparation that you needed to to

to do that. And then UM signed the most favorable contract in possibly NBA history in terms of everything that it allowed us to do. UM, you know those next four years. So, uh, it was a blessing and and uh in disguise if you will, um that uh um forever, I guess grateful and thankful for well, before we talk about the car, because that's definitely something that I would

love to talk about. Rumor has it, I'm not sure if if you've ever confirmed this, or if anyone ever is confirmed it, but rumor has it that we trade the Warriors. That can't say weak because I was not here yet, but the Warriors trade for Andrew Bogan, and they trade Monte Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks. Andrew Bogan comes back. Rumor has it that the trade initially was for you to go to Milwaukee, Um, and Monte Ellis to still be here, Bogan coming in the Milwaukee doctors

who probably should be fired. I'm on this whole notion of accountability. Everybody want to hold us accountable. I'm holding everybody accountable. You you did it, Milwaukee doctor. I hope he's still not the same doctor there. Um, but Milwaukee doctors they didn't approve your ankles, said your ankles would be no good, and so they stopped the trade. And then ultimately mind take is traded. Do you know that

to be one true? And at that time were you expecting to be traded or was when that news finally came out? Was that news to you? The doctor part like, I can't put a name to it, but I know that was a part of the conversation because it all happened at once. For me, I know exactly where we were. We were in Sacramento. Um, there's a lockout. Years is right at to trade theirline. We get to the arena and walk in the locker room. First. I was on

the first bus. Monte usually comes on the second bus. Um. We were kind of we're outside the playoffs seating, but we were trying to make a little push like we were like tenth, like maybe four or five six games out of it, but we thought we had enough time to you know, make a run and get in the locker room. It's kind of a different energy, you know, around trade their lines always like that, but this was different. It was like, it's a little quite in here, like

what's going on. Mark Jackson's a coach of the tom uh this first year. Get in the locker room and I'm getting tape, getting ready to play in the game. And you see across the ticker on in the on the TV in the locker room like breaking news, NBA trade Warriors trade Monte Ellis, f a u Tho and somebody else for Andrew Bogan. And that's how we found out. We were on the locker like you what, what, what what's going on? Somante shows up. He just got off

the phone with his agents. Agent just called him, and this is maybe an hour and a half for the game, two hours for the game, So then you know he's kind of like emotional, but you know, kind of resolutely like this is happening, like forget y'all, like not not not the team, but forget the organization. In terms of like he he was the true ultimate warrior, like he was a fan favorite deservedly, so we believe the last

one from the lead. We believe Team I had grown into a veteran you know, presidents and leader um in that respect. So it's a tough, tough blow for like all of the nation and wasn't really see well. So, uh, that's how it went down. Everybody kind of said that goodbyes and left, and then Coach Jackson pulled me out

at the locker room. He's like, yo, I said, I let you know, like they wanted you in the trade, but for whatever reason, like that's part of the doctor that didn't go down like that because I kind of stepped into and said, I'm gonna give you the keys. I felt like, I really believe in you. We just gotta get you healthy and that's what the rest of the season is gonna be about. So you know his line, don't make me a liar, don't make me a liar um.

And so that that was when it was like the trade happened and like, oh, by the way, that could have been you type vibe all at the same time. Um, crazy crazy day. I'll never forget that that moment um because it definitely set the tone for what you know the next chapter is about to be about. Actually, before we go into the forty four million dollar deal, UM speak on Mark Jackson a little bit. One thing I always say two people, and I would love to get

your perspective. I don't think people like it's just not something that we talk about UM, but I felt like Mark Jackson um coach Jackson to be UM. But I feel like one thing that he was great at is he gave like he breathed confidence in guys, Like he's just spewing confidence in the guys, And I think that was huge in our growth and and who we eventually became.

It's the confidence that he gave guys, I know, people like I was actually watching earlier today the clip when when he said I got the best shooting backcourt history. He sounds crazy. I thought he was crazy and out of his mind. Everybody in the world thought he was crazy and out of his mind. But he said, I got the best shooting backcourt and basket ball history. What did what did coach Jackson do for you in your career and helping you understand like, no, you are one

of them, dude, what what was that for you? Because I know for me, like he breathed confidence in to me and made me felt like I belonged in this lead.

It's it's the balance of like as a player, like people who say they don't hear read anything, they lying like you hear everything that happen that people like media analysts, coaches, other players like it's a small fraternity and group and the family and this NBA and then also within these organizations, so you hear everything about you and it's just a matter of like that awareness mixed with like you said, your confidence and who you are, your identity, um and

then obviously what you go and do out on the floor.

To have somebody that's a decision maker that's you know in that head coaching position that goes out of his way to either defend, hype up uh like brethe life into like you say to your players, like that meant so much, especially as the first time head coach, because he was going on these you know, on these limbs that like I said, some people thought he was like out of his mind, you know, you know, just kind of just a ride or die with no kind of thought.

Like he he was very strategic and intentional about everything that he said, and that meant so much to as young as a young team trying to just find an edge and find an identity. And it was contagious man, like you know, he would come into every pregame, locker, pregame, uh you know, speech and give us a like like a sermon almost and it would be it would just be like something like you want to run through the wall or laugh or feel some type of emotion and we go out and hoop um. And he was so

consistent in that front. So at that time in our in my career and our career as a team and in the journey that we were trying to you know, come into, he was perfect for that because he was an extreme motivator, uh you know, an ultimate defender. He would hype you up and he's pretty confidence in you. And that's how we went out and played um. And I think to his his credit sometimes you can think

about how everything ended after that third year. He almost would use different motivations that weren't even real, like you kind of have to manifest something that almost like the Kobe mentality or like MJ back in the day, like I might make something up in terms of there's you know, some enemy that doesn't even exist, but I'm gonna make sure everybody's on the same page against whatever that is. Um, this is how he rolled, and it was it was. It was great for us in terms of, you know,

giving us that edge. Has it been shocking for you that he hasn't been able to I understand the drama around when he left because it was the front office coach disagreement. And he would probably admit that there are a couple of interviews he did right after he left that he probably didn't need to do. He spoke his mind and he spoke his truth, but he probably you know, I don't say regret, but you think about like, you know,

doing a different way on the back end. But when you talk about like somebody that knows the game, somebody knows how to relate to players, somebody that as an ultimate competitor and play at the highest level. UH, play with amazing great play for some great coaches and with other amazing you know players throughout his career. Like all that wrapped into one person and just his vantage points an analysts and all that. Like, I'm extremely surprised. I

know his name floats up a lot. He definitely he deserves another opportunity. Whoever want to take our opinion, Uh, definitely surprised, and hopefully it won't I won't remain too long, I think when when I'm when I'm looking around the NBA, I hope he gets an opportunity that he does not have to build a team the way he had to build up. But but the reality is there's ten to fifteen team is a year in that same position that I that he's proven right here that he can handle

that job for sure. Now, if you want to say, oh, well, he hadn't coached superstars, because when he coached es, you weren't a superstar yet, Clay wasn't a superstar, you know, like we none of us had grown into who who we became. So if you want to say, all right, well he hasn't proven any coach superstars, well, what he has proven is at least that he can do that. And so that that part has been a bit shocking to me, I must say, um, and I hope to see you know, his obviously his name in the name

just came up in the Lakers job. And I hope to see him get an opportunity because I think he did an incredible job. Everyone has their differences. I don't think any head coach or general manager or ownership group is on the on the same page at all times. I don't believe that. And after being in this league for ten years, I can almost say that's for certain.

I mean, and if you have one that's always on page at the same time I'm always on the same page, then they're an outline their unicorn, because it just doesn't happen. This is a very um like it's a dynamic situation.

I mean, the things changed so fascinous leg and the fact that we can you're always are gonna have to recalibrate and reassess and and like you said, find some middle ground even almost because there are something you know, especially when you have a lot of cooks in the kitchen, like I mean, what the leggers are going through and what's coming out now. I it's crazy, just evolutions and all this stuff, and it's is what we do and

what everybody is. Not easy, no, for for sure. And I think, like you said some interviews that the baby want to take back now. But I also think he caught uh some things that came his way. That we're a little unfair and Hare's one up steph Curry ruined the game about football when he said that everybody was on there. It's like, Wow, did he really come out and go as stuff like better he better? He got fired?

Now he coming out. Absolutely, you look at the game of basketball today, I understand exactly what he was talking about. You watching the elementary school play, you watch the NBA, I know exactly what he was talking about. But at that time I think that also fueled the narrative of him being better. Right if few of the narrative, Oh man, it wasn't all working there and look now he's shooting that step And it was actually more of a compliment

than anything he said. To let the dust set on and figure out exactly what the context that he had been in gyms with with his sons. They were hoop and he was watching middle school games every week and he's like, yo, what is literally watching this dude and thinking they can skip a bunch of steps and be like him. So it's hard to get that in on the broadcast especially. That was one of the worst things that next year when he got after he got let

go and coach curves and we're on a run. They put like every game, sure, every game he was on. I mean, that's another story that no, it's not. Y'all are really making him look like like he can't he can't even speak the way you want to speak. Four instance, and Steph Curry ruined the game in basketball, and everybody's just polling on everything he said the moment he criticized anything the Warriors is doing. Like any analysts, that's they're they're gonna go at both teams. That's what you do

as an analyst. You're going to pick the game apart. And he'd say something about us, and it's I mean, it's it's the it's the headline of the game. And so I think that was that was rough. But you know, and getting back to the to the forty four million dollar deal. You signed the four forty four and I think what most people don't understand is it's at that time that was the going rate you signed that deal to. Lawson signed that deal, and give or take two three

four million dollars each way the market. Rosen signed the same deal, Drew Holiday signed the same deal. I think I should, I think, I said Ty Lawson already Brandon Jenny signed the same like everyone was kind of signing that same deal. Now a year later, it was the worst deal in pro sports history. One year later it was the absolute worst deal and professional sports on your

behalf on the Warrior's behalf the best deal. But how did you go through that knowing you're making eleven million dollars a year you probably should be, you should be making twenty five million dollars a year. But in the same token, if you don't sign a forty four million dollar deal, Um, the Warriors have to decide on whether they're going to keep me your clay. Um, the Warriors are never able to sign andre Um and then, in hindsight fast forward a couple more years later, also not

able to sign Katie as well. So how were you a well to go through that and see the bigger picture? You know, I'm gonna ultimately make my money, But right now, I mean there was a time where I think, yeah, there was a time where I was making more money than you on it like you were the fil for six highest paid player on our team. It's it's all intentional.

There's it sounds so freaking cheesy and cliche because I'm talking about it right now, but like this is exactly how I thought, and it's like I talked to my wife about it. Right before I signed. I was flying in the Phoenix the day before opening opening night, which by the way, is probably one of the worst games.

Signed after Signory too, We're on the road to open up in Phoenix and uh at Tom Larry Riley h Bob was there, um my agent, and they're like, I'm trying to figure out come into a deal, and like it was that one thing I had to just tell myself, like one, let's let's look, let's keep perspective here, like forty four million dollars or four years more money in my pops ever made in the league, because I've been around and leave for sixteen years watching my dad play,

Like I know how league, that how far the league has grown grown from when he played, and like that's good money, support my family and got a lot of security. I just want to be healthy. Like let's just focus on that, not what you're leaving on the table, what you could have made, and then don't count anybody else's money. Like at the end of the day when you sign, like that's your decision. You're gonna rock with it you

hopefully have a lot more years to play this game. Um, And I tried to set that foundation from my mindset right then and there and never like negotiate with myself afterwards, never like second guests, never come back to that moment like oh I should have could have would it? Because that's not how life works. So I had to be really intentional about it. I hate like that's it sounds so simple and and fairy tale because it did work out.

But I do give myself credit that that was the perspective that I made sure I had and didn't want to let anything distract me from what you know could have been or what I left the table with other situation that could have been out there. And thankfully, you know, like you said, you listed a five things that were kind of consequences of that, and I was still taking care of I was still good, So that meant a lot in that moment. Did signing the forty four million

dollar deal. What's like you said, it's a lot of money, But then ultimately you realize, like, I'm not even making half of what I should. Did that play any role until you ultimately leaving Nike and saying I'm gonna go sign with armor. That is a great question, and yes, that's actually fantastic. Nobody has ever really put that two

and two together. It was an opportunity two. I guess there's always that that that theme in the league when somebody's coming up with a contract extension or free agency or whatever, like you'll do you bet on yourself? Like what does that you had on yourself? What does that mean? Right? Everybody's you know, like a Newlands and the Well type situation. You know, you have somebody like DeAndre Eton right now, you've got guys that had good money on the table.

How it works out, We'll see, right with that piece, like knowing I had, you know, four years on the court and got to survey the free shoe free agency situation and just see where I was at on that side of the UH and that part of my career like building something from scratch, taking a chance to UM put my fingerprint on a brand UM from from the ground up, and and and and have a company that

was going to kind of invest behind me. That was a huge opportunity and it was kind of going against the grain a little bit in terms of at that time the stable that the Nike had Uh. You know, everybody can talk about all they do with the best and that's now that's you know, you know, a matter

of opinion. But the fact that I got to go and you know, getting the signature shoe, game, build a brand, build inspiring storytell around things that are important to me, Like we're now eight what nine years you know from that, and I got this freaking logo on my hat and we have hopefully is something that will continue to be part of the legacy for years and years and years and years to come. That was me better than myself, um, and it was it was a fun It's been a

fun process from day one. And uh, I don't know if I'd have made that decision had you know, things gone differitely um with the contracts though, And speaking of decisions that you've made, Um, you you win unanimous m VP, which hadn't been done in the history. You didn't take that unanimous and you spent off and you start an entire couple of different sectors of business that you go into under the under the name unanimous. One is your

production company. Another started to fund Um talk to talk to me about building that production company because it's actually it's actually a phase that I'm in right now, UM, in my life and you know, just not necessarily building a production company, but you know the podcast, um t NT deal, um pone phone sessions and so and moving into that direction. How has that been for you? Because the time that it takes doing all of this stuff.

Rous you ain't warm me about this all the time that it takes in building this, But how has that gone? Um y'all signed the first Look deal with Sony UM, how has that gone on that side for you? The things that you've learned and how that transition into that side of the business, It's been. It's been a whirlwind.

And you just said, like it's it's about making sure you can prioritize, like what keeps lights on what makes all this as possible obviously as basketball and I don't know what kind of feedback you've gotten, but that that has never ever changed, like whatever you see as doing outside of court, Like we know how to make sure we keep balance. And it's not not saying it's easy, but you always uh prioritize and make sure one you know who you're doing with and your people in your team,

because that's the most important piece. Sometimes you get that right. Sometimes you get that wrong. The quicker you can realize when you get it wrong and and uh and make the necessary changes. That's important. And that's a hard thing to do in our position too, because you do um, you know, I gotta a delegate and make sure people are positioned for success. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to you. And some people like

that responsibility. Some people don't. But I found that it's been amazing to try stuff Like it's been amazing to just experiment, you know, you know, try your skill set at different things, get into uh, you know, projects that move you, uh, like you talk about with my media company with Unanimous like we found pillars within faith, family, and sports that we want to continue to tell amazing

stories to a bunch of different mediums. Um. But making sure that it is authentic to to who I am, my personality, things that are important to me, um, and then allowing my team to push me a little bit into different areas that I didn't even know where possibilities and so um that's gonna be a long journey that will continue to uh, you know, to assess our goals and and measure of how we're doing and keep building and scaling up. But um, I think it obviously it

comes down to the team. That's something that is a comparison to basketball and off the court that are so important. Who you who you rock with, and who you do that business with and who you trust too to be a part of that fold is the key to everything. Um. And this has allowed me to you know, create some

amazing relationships. It's amazing opportunities, set some amazing you know, amazingly talented people up for success and uh uh and do it with things that are you know, authentic to me speaking of authentic to you and setting people up for success. Um. You have Holy Moli, which is very authentic to you for those that don't know it, to golf and golf and checked all the stuff um that I know. I've had the honor of going on once,

which was great. But I think one thing that that that you've done that I really enjoy to keep tapped on, um because I feel like I would have been there I hadn't been around when I was coming up. Is that your underrated tour, um, and how you essentially channeled who you were or I mean you're not yeah who you were because you're not underrated anymore, but who you were coming up and said, Okay, just like me, there's a million other kids outside that doesn't get those looks,

that doesn't get to go to the good camps. And if they go to a camp, they get a reversible UM jersey that says a number on it, and then they go home. It's not it's not a good thing. They don't look good. They don't they're not treated well. It's just like, oh, we're giving you an opportunity to go play basketball. You've changed that narrative and you've put together essentially an All American camp for underrated kids. Can you talk to me um more about the Underrated Camp?

And also like, is there anything else that's going to come with the Underrated Camp? Like are y'all gonna continue to grow that? What's the plans with like us? It was an amazing set up because that's exactly what the goal of the Underrated Tour was. At a jump, I

started my under arm All American Camp. So he's inviting the top thirty high school guys to the first two and then we got they spand uh to the most talented girls in high school sports and like the fourth year I was sitting on one of our little sessions and I was looking around, mind you like, I don't know what these high school dudes are eating these days, that they all like six m to twenty m. Like, first, I'm probably the smallest one in here. Two damn sure.

You know I wouldn't have been invited to this camp. What everybody to my own camp? So I thought, like, this is an amazing experience to give them a piece of uh, my skill set and my understanding of basketball and hopefully pass something back down to them. But what about the three star recruit that was to star recruit for a while, like three star recruit that I was in high school, that, like you said, looking for an opportunity, looking to get on a platform to um, you know,

showcase who they are and their abilities. Um and obviously in the pursuit of a college scholarship. So we started Underrated Tour. Rackington has been and he was part of it. They propped it up year one and we've gone to four different reasons around the country. Um, it's it's free. It's an open invite to three star uh, you know, recruits who a lot of game of basketball. I want

to come out and work hard and compete. And but we're giving them the opportunity and and like you said, the first class experience, like it's not just you know, let's just bring it to a gym and roll the balls out like trying to put them in the right gear,

make them look look fresh. UM, give them more of an understanding of what it takes to be a college athlete in terms of you know, you know, being eligible academically different uh classes and understands for their parents to know what recruiting is like how to go through that process. And then obviously the on court uh your skills and uh and it ectertise that I can provide through the programming that we do. So take four reasons. We take

the top you know, uh talent from each region. We bring them out to the national Championship stop out here in the base. They get to come out here. We just had a couple of weeks ago. UM, we had a tournament, so each region plays against each other and then we have a champion and and we have the most underrated girl and boy in the country, and we celebrate that. We help them tell their stories, um, in terms of where they are, where they're trying to go

and how they're gonna get there, um. And so it's been an amazing successful far. We're in year three, going to continue to expand that out um and continue to reach as many kids as possible, and hopefully we've created over thirty scholarships through this through this, uh this tour

in basketball on the boys and girls side. So it's pretty it's amazing to like point, this is something that exists in a bunch of different youth sports um And obviously for me, basketball and golf for the first two that I wanted to touch and so uh soon this

summer will be the first underrated golf tour UM. And the cool part about it is, like golf is such a we called an elitist kind of history and sport, but there's an understanding of opportunity that the game can provide, not just as in pursuit of playing professionally and making money, but the world of golf and the business of golf and even just the different connections and indoors that golf opens.

We need more representation, we need more equity, access and opportunity to the game, and so golf is the vehicle to reach these kids and hopefully we have some p J professionals and that's the that's the goal to get more representation on all these different you know, professional tours.

But golf will also be the vehicle to give these kids an understanding of skill development, business acumen, UM, an understanding of whatever passion that you have in this world, like it's possible for you to get into these uh, into these right industries and and and do it where you're you're prepared and equipped to become you know, our future leader. And that's the goal. So uh coming soon. It's can be a lot more ware we talked about

with that tour. But to be able to have that uh impact on these kids who basketball and golf UM and special to me because there that's what I love. That's amazing. UM excuse my ignorance, but how in the hell do you find a three star golf? So pretty much anybody who's the a minority and golf, you're already three stars in general, because there's so many different barriers

to UM pursuing golf at the highest level. But the three star in golf is more the equity in terms of reaching the same amount of boys as girls that we do UM and each of the different tour stops that we have the the access in terms of breaking down those barriers, whether it's costs related, whether it's transportation related, whether it's equipment related, uh, coaching like all of those things that are in part of you know, skill development

within golf. And then the opportunity is like again using golf as the vehicle to introduce these kids too future you know success um in a lot of different areas. So that's where the three stars are in golf. UM. But like I said, getting representation within the game across the board, that's that's first and foremost. And moving back to basketball, I know everyone's going to be watching this. How are you feeling? How's your health? Um? I'll probably

get food and access question how is your health? Like? UM, are you expecting to be ready for Game one? Are you not expecting to be ready for game I also need to know this for my personal sanity as well. So how are you feeling as far as you know being ready to play this weekend? The goal has always been game one? UM. And this is a weird injury

because it's such a slow healing. Like you know, I've had a bunch of different injuries over time, But like sometimes like every day you feel like dramatically better and you you you like, oh, I got a little pepper my step. I can keep I can do this. I can do this. This one. I feel like I felt like the same for two weeks, but I could do

a little bit more and a little bit more. But it's all like just dealing with the pain that comes with you know, the injury that I had in my foot so and you know the uh, the wear and tear that comes with with an injury like that. But the goal has always been game one. The goal still remains game one. Very optimistic that it will be a game one and uh whatever that means. Like I said, I just want to be available. And we know what time of year it is. We we ain't been in

the playoffs for two years. It is kind of weird to think about that. I'm so freaking juice because I know how much I love that environment. The first time in this building, which would be interesting, So I don't want to miss none of it. So that's the goal, um, and I would it would be hard pressed, you know, for anything to kind of keep me out of that. But we'll see. It's definitely exciting. I mean, you haven't if you weren't with the team on this last trip.

But I've probably cussed off seven people just leading up to this. Man, I'm just aunty and excited. I think. I mean, obviously for me, what was his first seven years of my career? Yeah, the first seven years and not making a playoffs and then spent two years outside of the playoffs, Like what the hell? Like? Yeah, yeah, welcome to my world. For the first three years was the reason for you made the playoffs? Because y'all you

and clay Man. Yeah, it's first two years. I already had the car on on the back of the truck headed back to North Carolina. I had a tea time, I had my sevent teams this vacation. I had my car on the truck two years ago in two thousand and twenty, ready to go everywhere. And then I mean, the one off season I do all right, we missed the playoffs, which I was not happy about. Then the one off season I do get. And then the next off season I get. The NBA season even though we

don't make it, it runs into July. We made the playoffs, playing to June twenties. They made the playoffs. Man stuck at home or had a month to go do his thing and get it, get your mind right back and then turn right back around like and I mean, for me, we finished in twenty if I had to be in Vegas July fourth, US which then spanned from July four to August eight, training camp start miss September. You just can't get away from the games, at least some of

the playoffs. This time I take out. But speaking of playoffs, Lakers had a rough year. Um, as we all go, I was surprised there. But Lebron says the other day, last week or something whenever, it was, that he has one guy in the NBA right now that a current NBA player that he wants to play with. That player

happens to be you. Um, and I know I saw the other day where you said you laughed about it and he was like, I'm good, but like take me deeper into that number one when you're you're on that level. But like Lebron is up there in the goat conversation, so for him to like for him to come out and say it like no, I want to play with Steph Kurt regardless of how the world may feel about that or how anyone may feel in my appear that is like, that's that's one. Number one, that's one of

the ultimate signs of respect. That has to feel good. But then number two like, don't give me the laugh, I'm good, Like take me deeper into what you were really thinking when you first heard that. But so what

you just said is definitely uh. And like we talked about all the time with with Brian, especially knowing our history and the finals runs and all that and playing against him, there is no denying like his greatness in terms of what he can do on the court, and like sometimes you're even when you're playing against him, you're in awe because it's like the way he can control the tempo of the game, the way he can dominate scoring, passing, you know, just just overall just presence is i Q Like,

oh that stuff that we all talked about it. And then you have to appreciate your competition if you want to beat him, because there's got to be that you know, let's coach, we call it the appropriate fears. But like you said, in terms of like him picking out one player that he was one beside the son that he wanted to play with, and my name comes up. It is definitely it's surreal because I I would never be

so far removed from this time. Like I was in Detroit playing in the sweet sixth team game and this dude was maybe his fourth or fifth year in the league, and he's coming to my game, like supporting and cheering and doing all stuff, even at the place he was at in his career as uh, you know, the future superstar and like he said, hall of Famer, potentially greatest of all time. Like the fact that we're thirteen years removed and he's saying that, it's still crazy. I had

only how people knew this. He gave me a jersey when I was in high school. I was in college Davidson, and I still have it on the wall and my parents. I was back in Charlotte and he wrote it like to the King of Basketball and uh in North Carolina uh and signed and all that. So like I would never be too far removed from like where I came from in terms of this this journey. Uh. So that's dope,

And that's that's that's the surreal part. The other quick part is like, Okay, if you take a fantasy draft and you're like building a team out and you got what bron can do and the way I can shoot the ball, Like obviously there's like a curiosity like what would that look like? But also there's a realist realism of like that's why I said I'm good right now. It's just you can never let your mind go from what you know. Is is your situation with is uh

your moment, your time? And who I've been rocking with from from day one. So that's my best that's my best answer it because it's it's fantasy is wild, but there's a respect and appreciation. There's a surrealness because of where I came from and how we first interacted back when I was in college. Um, but if this is two K, that'd be pretty lethal. I appreciate that answer though, because the reality is one thing that pitches y'all um in this entire realm of NBA players, of which is,

let's face it dominated by African America. It's how they tried to pick us against each other. You know, it's like everything him against him compared like how is he compared to this guy? They just did that to Uh. That's I was walking up here and somebody I was on TV and one of the talking head shows, and it was just like who has more pressure, Kyrie or Katie? What? Right now they walk into last minutes on TV, Like we talked about that before the playing game even started.

I think it's ridiculous how they try to like and so when Lebron comes out and say like I want to play with Steph Curry, and the reality is all the talking heads and all of these people they they want to try to find a way to make that controversy. And that's that's not a contra versual statement at all. That is saying I admire someone with my knowledge of the game, because Lebron has some of the highest knowledge

when it comes to basketball. With my knowledge of the game and me understand what wins in this league, I want to play with him because if I can take my skills set and partner my skills set with this guy's skill set, I think it will be unstoppable. But it goes way further than that when when it comes to us. You know, it doesn't go way further than that when when when you're dealing in all other realms of business, but when it comes to us, it goes

way further than No. Actually, from a basketball standpoint, that makes all the sense in the world. He would almost be dumb not to say it in your mind if you gave him a clear, clean slates like like number one pick in the NBA draft fantasy whatever, Like, yeah, you said what you bring to the table. Who would compliment that? Mmm? Hello, Right makes a great point though, So I mean, and I've kind of been going on this thing lately, like just the disrespect amongst us and

how like I actually spoke about it. Uh. Actually I need to get your thoughts on this too before you have out. People always compare errors to right and they always say we're more buddy, buddy, then there is a past because they ain't no fights on the court, like we all work out with each other. You got business crossover friendships like all that stuff off the court, and

they always something like that, that's ruining the game. No pun intendis sorry, Mark, Uh, that's ruining the competition on the court in terms like we all have you know these backgrounds outside of that, do you do you abscribe to that? Like this like our era is less competitive because we're friend more friendly. I think we're just way

smarter than the errors before us. Um, if you look at that from month the way the game is like, if you look at the past Arab basketball, they was beating each other like there all right, don't get me wrong, guys were skilled and all due respect to the guys that came before, but they were out there literally outside of fighting, like playing the game of basketball. They were beating each other. There wasn't like much skill to that.

There were guys that were skilled. But if you look around the NBA now, there's no one in the NBA that can't the three point shot. Now, whether they shoot a bunch of them, but there's no one in the NBA today that can't hit the three point shot. When you look at the level of the skill that we have today, it's totally different from from the league when it was, or from what the league used to be. But I also say, you know, we're smarter than them.

We like you look at all the things we're doing from a business perspective off the court, saying none of them didn't do business, but way more now actually taking advantags been doing these things. My question to you, um, I made a statement about three weeks ago that if Lebron is breaking the scoring record next year to the game, I'm going to see Lebron break scoring. Now I want to ask you as a teammate, and I have not

asked left this at all. We again, we have not discussed it at all, so y'all can get the same answer I get. I actually didn't think anything of it. I didn't think anything of it until We're in Memphis last week on the day of that game, and Bob called me earlier in the day and we're just talking and he's like, hey, so help me understand when you say something like that, or when you say that in particular, right, do you just not care what people think? Do you

not care what your teammates think? Like um? And he like laid out all these other things that it possibly could be. And I said, Bob, I'm sorry, but if people in the world are dumb enough to believe that I'm going to miss my job to go watch someone else do there and feed their family, and this is how I feed my family, which means if I missed my job to go watch them, fetus found, I could possibly lose how I feed mine. If someone's that dumb vibe to think, wow, he's actually gonna miss his game.

If someone's that dumb, that's not my fault, Like that's not my problem. I want to know what you think when you when you see me make that stake of one. I knew if that situation happened next year, there's no way in hell you would walk to me, Clay and Andre coach Kerr and be like, yo, I'm doing this so as that's why I ain't. I didn't hit you about it. I knew there was. It was a way of expressing how amazing that accomplishment and feed was in

your respect for Brian. Two. I understand one piece of what Bob is saying in terms of if it's somebody within your family that might be in your family is all different contexts, and the family of our teams, somebody is gonna be They're gonna have to directly answer to that for whatever reason, Like there's a certain level of respect of hey, you know what I meant by that or whatever, like no we can that could be a

quick conversation. Cool, but it's also an unfortunate piece of lumping it into every other sound bite that comes on it right now, like which be the polarized and we all know who you are, and like that piece I know that will never change because that's who you are. But it's also like, if if there was ever it's it highlights if there's ever any little insecurity or a question of where your loyalty lies, which okay, if if you're going at that point, then you got to hold

another conversation to have. UM, and if like, cool, we're gonna have that conversation. But that's the one thing I get, is like, if it's somebody within your family that you know, and whatever you say, even if you still mean what you say, and you're not gonna step off of it, and you kind of I don't regret how it came out. If they're I have to answer to it, Yeah, you have to take another step to you know, say you're a part. But I didn't hit you because I knew

there's no way. In Hill game sixty seven. Next year, Brian is twenty seven points away. It might be two games because he might shoot the pull a Dennis robbing right quick. I'm gonna see y'all. That's that's good to know. Man. A couple more questions up before I let you go. A couple more basketball questions, um, and then I also want to ask you a couple questions. Well, that's that's important to me, expect as a father, as a husband. I wanted them guys that I've looked at since I

came into this league and how you handle yourself. So we'll get to that, But a couple more basketball questions. Um, So coming into this season, you know, we come in and it's kind of like this mix of old guys, if you will, and young guys. And and I made a I made a comment earlier in the year, and I said, we've never seen this work. Um where you're

trying to mix the past. We're not the past, because we're still do all in our prompt but past success, the group that you've had success with, and future of who you think you can have successful and trying to combine those two. We historically we had never seen that work. And I said that in the press conference. Now what takes the cake is me saying historically we've never seen that work. But no one doesn't acknowledge is the part of me saying that's the challenge for us as leaders

of this team. That's the challenge for us. That's the challenge that you embrace, and you want to be the group that can make that work. No One talks about that work. They only talked about the first part. But um, and now we've played eight two games and you've seen how it all come together. Um, what are your thoughts on, uh, this current team and what needs to happen for this team? Obviously we know health, Um, you know we gotta stay healthy.

I've been out played, missed the first half the season. I missed essentially half of the season right in the middle, and then you've missed the last few weeks. So obviously help. But what has to happen as far as like our young guys coming along, who do you think is going to be that X factor? What has to happen for us to ultimately do what we set out to do?

And that's when the championship. I mean, this year has been it's been interesting, is we we laughed about a little bit like nobody expected us to start off the season the way we do because of the questions coming into the year about the two different timelines, UM, not knowing what you know? Otto and Belly is vetminimum guys and Andre is you know, you know where he was in his career, Like what how they with mesh with

us and all that? You know, essentially the team that started off hot, and the way we started off this season was off the the way we ended last year, you know, mixed with a little bit more veteran presence and two young guys that um have so much potential but don't have a defined role or a consistent opportunity. So we've gone through all of that, and like you said, injuries and Clay coming back and you know, JP is ascension and all that. So what it needs to happen

is health, like you said, but we keep doing. We're doing in terms of understanding how we play and then defensively, obviously that is gonna take the cake. And it's amazing to have you back, you know, feeling good and healthy to help lead that charge. But we know how to playoffs. The rotation is tight. But you with that tight rotation, you have those three to four guys, and it's gonna be j K mood, you know, d Ly one even

Gp a little bit. It was guys depending on matchups, depending on how the series go, you have to be prepared and ready and locked into what you're gonna be asked to do. And that could be five minutes, that could be a thirty minute run. That can be starting one game, come off the bench one game. Like the flexibility and that because we have so many pieces to go to. Like some teams they have eight guys, They're gonna play eight guys the whole the whole run and

that's it. We're not that team. UM. So if we we play like you know, our our rotation, we play at the highest level of do what we need to do, and we have you know, our guys ready to step into those roles. Um. You know on a moment's notice, that's gonna give us our best chance because we know it's gonna be tough. We know how hard it is to win the championship and how many things have to

go your way. But we can take on that challenge of what you said starting the season, like doing something that hasn't been done historically, and then we'll do it what comes next, you know, when it comes, because that's the nature of the NBA. But I like the fact that we have the ability to throw a bunch of different guys out there um, and us that you know they can provide and provide value and do do what

they need to do out there, um. And no brighter stage of the playoffs to show that because this is just a different energy. And when you look back, like certain guys that have helped us win a series or a championship, some of the names will be you know, will hop off the page in terms of uh, some unexpected guys that came into a role and did what

they needed to do. Um. And speaking of a championship, if you if you could trade the two thousand and seventeen and eighteen championship to complete the seventy three win championship, would you trade those two championships to complete the seventy three mm? Hm, so I get the resume rights I have, we'd have two chips and damn their perfect season. You see. I didn't want to stand you see, I'm blam blacked out as soon as I had to even acknowledge it. Sixty Uh oh man, I don't I don't even not

answer that question. I would say no, But I think for the rest of our life, I'll still be able to just laugh at sixteen. Which is fine, It's fine. It's always gonna be that just awkward, like acknowledgement of an amazing regular season and then in the finals run. But yeah, I say no, but glad I'm glad. I don't take myself too seriously because that was hard. You don't have your Steph Curry in your life. Get your Steph Curry because if you said yes, this interview was over,

my heart was broken. Get your Steph Curry because he mean yes, get your step No. I think honestly that essentially, that essentially puts you in the place. Uh, undoubtedly the best team ever. Um if if we were to complete it now cool to be in a conversation. To be quite frank with you, I still think we had best team ever. Although we didn't finish it and win the championship, I still think that was the best team ever until two thousand seventeen. I was about to say where are we?

Where we going there? Because until two of the team and then I think that team took over the readiest team ever. So I think we still accomplished it. The best team ever, but not quite. You know, people take numbers and they want to put the numbers there and say, oh, where the bulls had seventy? Like exactly we were the best team ever. I don't I don't care what no one said. I can't see anyone beating that two thousand seventeen team, not even our first fifteen sixteen. I can't

see anyone beating that two thousand seventeen team. They say in the medical feel that I concur hands down the best team ever. But before we get out of here, um, I've always asked you questions just about marriage, UM, about kids, how your parents, how you are in your marriage, um. Because You've always been a great example for me to watch,

and I'm appreciative of that. Like I think you know, people don't realize you we spend I spend more time with you than you spend with your wife, Like you spend more time with me than I spend with my wife and my kids. Like that's just the nature and what we do. Like we spend a ton of time together for half for half the year we're on the road, we're all together. And then even when we're not on the road, we've been here since nine am less like you still spend and spend a ton of time together.

But I've been able to watch you for ten years now, um, and your growth and parenting, your growth as a husband, and just how you continue to grow. And I have such a strong appreciation for that now and saying that the rest of America has also been able to watch your marriage and your growth and you and Aisha are almost like y'all, y'all are the golden stand there than like the couple of goals and like that everyone really

look at and say, man, like we want that. Do you do y'all feel that pressure in your marriage or are y'all just so grounded in your marriage that like what anyone says from the outside really don't matter, or do you feel that pressure in your marriage to kind of uphold what the world see y'all as? Like the world see y'all as the ideal couple that made it work since a young age and still making it work.

That like on your trajectory to greatness comes her trajectory to greatness, and like she's doing great things and like sweet July Um was the cover was the face of cover girl, like all the things that she's doing. Um, she has her I should cook, wearing and stores and just to see both of y'all like sin, it's been incredible. Do y'all feel that pressure from the outside world to

be that gold that they all want to be? And then it's it's both for sure, um, but I say of that because we never like acknowledge any type of title like that or like pressure or um put any merit on like that as a goal, right, but we also understand the influence inspiration that it can provide and that's what people need. You can't sell yourself for that, like in terms of how you live your day to day life. And uh, there's got to be a balance

to it. But the best part about it, and I can honestly say that is because it's built on such a solid foundation that we are just living our lives and doing it together and sharing every up and every down. You know, the growth that has come individually and stuff that we never in a millionaires could imagine, like uh, that we be doing and you know together and in our in our individual careers on top of you know, raising three amazing kids. Like the foundation was so strong,

um because none of this was around. And I'm truly appreciative of that, Um that I do have somebody that

I can share all of this with. And who knows how I'm thinking before before I'm even thinking that I can you know, understand some of the pressures that she's going through as a quote unquote basketball wife, which we know it's not just the thing, it's it's something that is thrown at you know them unnecessarily every single day of either comparisons or standards that they have to uphold every day, or just the constant noise around like what's

happening in our world is always having to impact them or they have to answer to it or whatever the class you even think about, like stuff that's going on this year, and like terms of fan interaction, like it's hard for them to come to game sometimes, like keeping it real, like we're going to playoff games on the road and there's always you know, people yelling at them because they think that's gonna affect us and all this

other stuff. And like, I have such an appreciation for her growing into that role too, because it's loud at times, and it's there's a lot of you know, opportunity for distraction and stress and um and whatnot. But our foundation is key, the fact that we can share that with

the world the proper ways. Um, trying to be as authentic and real about the things that we're experiencing and hopefully you know, give a good light on what marriages because there's so much fear around what that is, and and and obviously you you want to uh to honor you know, that establishment as much as possible in the e comipment that we made. So it's it's it's a

little bit of everything. But the fact that I get to be her big supporter and biggest supporter and see what she's been able to create on her own and um, and know what work she's put into it and the stuff behind the scenes that nobody gets to see. Like that stuff is so dope to me and so rewarding because um, you know, she deserves everything she's got. And uh, I'm proud of her for that. I was a little more like me in a sense of shells throw it up before you know it's out there, like it just

it just blew out. One thing I admire is and and I guess it's just who you are because you know, as a brother in my life, you've been the same way. Like I said, she's like me in the sense that it will just come out. And as a brother in my life, no matter where I've went wrong, um, no matter you know, if I've said some wrong things before,

You've always supported me. And one thing I admire about you in your relationship, but you in particular is even at times where she may have said the wrong thing, Um, your support for her and saying that and and and standing in front of it. It's like, uh, you stood in front of her as if she was right and it don't matter. I am my heard that. But that's

that's for you. That can get a little dicey too, because you have a brand and you have all the things that you've built, but you stood in front of her no matter what that situation, like what the situation has been. Is that just like that's just what it is. That's the way it's gonna be. Like is there a conversation to be had? Like how does that? How do

you go about that? I think that's powerful because a lot of it is, uh the fact that, like you just said, I know you're gonna mess up at times, and obviously I've done the exact same thing, and I can defend myself. But when it comes to like the unnecessary just focus and heat on somebody, that is like take a take a second and walk in her shoes, for you know, I'm not saying. And she were all blessed and we all you know, have amazing things going

on in our life. But like my sister always said, everybody's mountain is their mountain, and there are certain things that you will never know she's going through in terms of, you know, all the different hats she has to wear, and you know the responsibilities and the expectations of a woman and all of those arenas and what they go

through on a daily basis. Like I have an appreciation for all of that, so I know she would hold me down in those situations in the same way it goes, you know, the other way, and that is my job as her husband, and so I take that, take that seriously.

And the biggest pieces, like it's such a long journeyman, Like there's gonna be so much stuff that you know that happens, and if you, like I said, if you have a strong foundation of how you're gonna get through that stuff like um, at the end of the day, Like there's so much confidence in that because I know, I know who she is, I know what she's about,

and never second guess that. So it makes it a little bit easier in times where there is conflict and there is uh what you ever want to call a drama, necessary drama, because that's that's what it is. For sure.

I think I have an appreciation for that because for the longest time I would see you operate that way and I didn't understand it, in part due to because I didn't have that for myself, like you know, um once once being in a relationship with Hayzell, I learned so much about being in the relationship and and support for a woman and the hats that they actually were before that I can't say I understood that, like I

didn't understand all the hats. I didn't understand, um, the things that you know, she's doing for our kids and like holding our house together, and like all the different hats that a woman where I can't say that I understood that. If you want me to be honest with you, I thought, like, like I gotta go out here and play every day. Your life is very simple until you really connect with someone and like you sharing that pain, you feel that hurt, you see the struggles. It gave

me a totally different appreciation for it. I don't know if you remember this, but I asked you a question on the plane before and I said, if there's one luxury in the world, And this is long before my understanding, it's probably six seven years ago. I asked you this. I said, if there's one luxury in the world that you can have and you can have it for the rest of your life, or that you could just have

one luxury, what would that luxury be? And I asked you, I asked, Clay, maybe delete I know mine was a private plane. Like a private plane, that's one that's the ultimate luxury to me. And I'll never forget your answer. I was so disappointed and your answer. I look back on that answer now and I want a hundred percent understand because what your answer was, it isn't like it it has a bearing on your life. It has a

bearing on you being you know. One of the things that you told me, it's like me I used to date and like like we have a relationship totally several of the kids that we really involved, like that we really commit to because we know if we're committed to that relationship, the kids they'll be fine and they'll automatically benefit from that. And I understand that now. But when I asked you that question, it was so disappointing. You said that, Nanny, I'm like, all the luxuries in the world.

Stress that all the luxuries in the world, you can have nanny. I didn't understand it. I do understand it now though, but I didn't understand it then. And that was like, I mean, I thought she was so imagine like the refact you talked about the stuff that they then my wife does to be a presence in a you know, care give her and take of our kids, and just the amount of that. They might not even feel like it's worked, but I feel like you leave me at home with the kids, God, something's gonna break.

I might lose one of them at the house. They might be hungry. Uh, I don't know what. Like, it's just a whole lot of stuff. But like that definitely is a reflection of just appreciation for what it takes to be you know, amazing wife and a mother and an entrepreneur and all that type of stuff. And the other piece to that appreciation is, I know how hard you know, we work to do what we do and what it takes to be successful. It's something you pour

everything you have into it. Yeah, I feel like there's a kind of common theme of like women in general, you know, I have to work twice as hard the same opportunity and that's like just common and you know, we can talk about pay equity and all that all that stuff, but we can also like even think about a lot of accomplishments when wifes have been marginalized because of my success. So think about it, I worked twice as hard to get, you know, acknowledgement of success and

I'm into my business. But all of that is and then I would get half the praise for it because it's the cold because you have money, it's because you can afford multipleities. It's because you know your your husband is the superstar in the NBA that it's easy. You've got all the opportunity in the world. Like I never appreciated that vibe because I don't get all from praise like that. But you also haven't appreciated like what you put in is not gonna necessarily come back, you know,

with the same energy. And once that clicked, like all the other stuff made much so much more sense in terms of the day to day on just finding peace and happiness at the end of the day, and so um every other wife in the world I got so much respect for. But what you do, uh, and we wouldn't be who we are without them, I agree. Trying to get some brownie points on the Draymond Green showed today. I got a date in two hours, and it better be good. As I'm playing this, I get the advanced

guy can get the raw. We're sending this right away. But speaking, I mean two more questions. I didn't know you had a date, but last one about Aisha, and then just one for you. As as guys, especially in our position, UM, like Hazel's an actress, She's constantly doing auditions. I'm constantly reading I know you remember this because I used you used to be in the same field. I'm reading these like these scripts. I'm reading the script slides they call them. I'm reading the slides and trying to

record her because as you, COVID sent everything home. So I'm the cameraman, I'm the reader, I'm all of these things. I'm not likeing Man doing all of these things. And I have a huge appreciation for her and her grind and what she puts into it. Um, but that's not

always the case, And especially in our profession. A lot of guys have egos, and a lot of guys are super super and secure and what we do and I iss just leveled up on a totally different level over the last two three years or so and everything that she's doing. How was that for you? Accepting that growth?

Because it changes the dynamic, Like it changes you could come home from a ten day road trip and she going for ten days, and then now she come back from her ten day tripping all her business that she's handling, and then you're leaving for four days. How has that been for you? And adjusting to what she's been able to do, all the things that she has her hands and and the businesses that she's started and are running.

And I you know, like cover Girl isn't a business that she started then be in the face of that that comes with a requirement? How how is that for you? And to accept that this is who she's becoming. And I support that one because it totally changes the dynamic that you were used to for years. You gotta that's where we came. I mean it's not a genius term, but like we literally have to thrive in chaos a little bit because it is. Uh, you got all these plans for what the year gonna look like and how

we're gonna balance it out. Okay, we're gonna match up road trips and work, Uh crazy work schedules and that, you know, when I have a homestand we're all at home and we have some normalcy and family dinners and all that, and then you get like three or four weeks into the season, you're like, uh, we ain't getting this right. But to your point, like it's a celebration of what she's doing, is understanding that we're trying to do everything at the same time, like we're trying to

raise her family. I'm in the height of my career. She's you know, a serial entrepreneur and has a a lot of uh you know success like scaling these businesses up and what it requires to do that. Um, you kind of have to continue to reprioritize like again, like you said, like dating each other and having as much quality time as you can. You know, the kids are definitely you know, a priority. Um and work, like all those things kind of shuffle at the same time, and UM,

it's it's difficult. I want to sit here and try to sugarcoat and say like we got everything perfect. But at the end of the day, the one thing I'll make a joke, the one thing that has done is like I kind of looking forward to like what is the tirement look like? What is that? What does that actually look like? We're getting out months of my year back and uh, you know you're gonna work trip cool, I'll be here and I ain't got kids. I mean it might look different when you get back, but I

don't worry. I hold it that. But we have an amazing village around this that helps UM, and you know that it's extremely crucial to supporting us and what we do. But there is an understanding that you know, these could be the busiest and most chaotic times of our lives, but the most rewarding in terms of UM, you know, life experiences and when even what we get to share with our kids, UM along the way, So UM, at

the end of the day, were always tired. Though your last answer honestly leads me to my last question, which was what does retirement and life after basketball look like for Steph Curry? And it's two part questions, Um, does will we get the opportunity to see stuff on the p g A tour or at least pursue because I like the word pursue, pursue because like we're professional basketball players, so no disrespect to all the PGA golfers, Like I know what it takes to to be what what you

all have become and what you're doing. I don't know what it takes to be a golfer, but to be a professional and so no disrespect, but I know your love for golf. I know your relationship with the tour, with the guys on the tour. Um, will we one days have the opportunity to see Steph Curry pursue playing on the tour. There are a couple of templates that are certain other professional athletes from other sports have taken and to dabble into professional golf. Uh like John Smoltz,

Tony Romo, um, Marty Fish who was uh amazing tennis player. Uh. All of those guys have found ways to find competitive golf, test their skills. Um getting grain too, some of the kind of tempole events. So I encountered a year that kind of scratch that itch, if you will. So I'm gonna learn from that when when it's all said done, I don't know if that's the scary part is like if you told me that I know what it takes to be a basketball player at this level and the grind, right,

I'm not afraid of that grind. But I'm also afraid of that grind because with the grind starts and I commit to it, I'm not gonna stop. So I have to I gotta find some clarity on that question because it would be interesting to see how far I could go. But I'm also afraid of what it what that means, because my work ethic is something I hang my hat on, and you can take that and apply to something else.

My one. I just hyped up my relationship with my wife and success in peace and happiness, and I might ruin I might ruin all of that by saying, hey, baby, I'm yeah, you know whatever, seventeen eighteen years in the league, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go try golf. Now, let's just watch Frinds and peat this whole last eighteen years. I don't know what that's gonna look like, but those guys are figured out a way to have some fun, keep it competitive, but not go all the way into

the deep end. To see my brother. I appreciate it. I mean, I think like people always ask me. Obviously you know I can't go off, but people always ask me, um am I going to coach? But I am not gonna be a GM when I'm down playing, and I tell everybody, no, hell no, Like, the last thing I want to be on when I'm done playing it's a basketball schedule. I've been on a basketball schedule my entire life. The last thing I want to do is retire and

then be back on the basketball schedule. So I totally understand my brother, I totally understand, and from myself Producer Jackson, Uh, Jackson has been sucking blowing my phone up all week about this episode. How are you thinking work? We had two calls about this episode and making and trying to make it as perfect as possible, and honestly, um, it's really a uh, you know, just a non to to you and everything that you've done. Um, who you are these trophies, your m v P trophies that sit right

next to those trophies, that's just in your own personal case. Um, who you are as a person, a steward of the game of basketball, um, and an example for black men. And how like, no, we can be successful in marriage and like yeah there is a divorce rating, Like we can be successful and as as the head of a family, because that is skewed, and like we don't get to see that all the time, and so I think, you know, when when speaking of a couple goals, it's incredible to

see to African Americans do what y'all are doing. And so I appreciate that, man, I appreciate it, and I want to say things, UM, for everything that you've done and been to in my life. Um, for the success that we've had. You know, there's always this notion of like Draymond can't do can't do it without Steph, or he can't do it without Clay. And I'll be one hard person, honest, I can't on the flip side Clay and Steph. Clay can't do it without Stephan, Draymond and

Steph can't do it without Clay and Draymond. And I think, for for me, what we've built, it's not that I can't go on and do something else. It's not that you wouldn't be successful in playing with someone Else's not that Clay couldn't go to the Lakers tomorrow and be Clay time. It's not that it's just not as beautiful as what we've been able to do together. And so fuck everybody everybody who say I can't or he can't

or Clay can't. You're right, you win. We can't. We can't do it all each other, but we're damn good doing it together. That's it from this episode of drem Green Show. Thank you, my brother. It's a rat. We are