Warriors Slumping, Dray's $25k Fine + a Bradley Beal Interview

fan duel sports book makes it easy. What's up, everybody, Welcome back to The Draymond Green Show. This is our episode. That's right. We have as many episodes as lebron Jay has All Stars, which is incredible, especially speaking of what he's been doing as of late, which we'll get into. But before we get into that, we have another all Star guests, which, like I said, we're kind of making a thing of having all Stars and Hall of favers.

I don't know, it's it's pretty great. So I am number one um from myself, from my producer Jackson, we want to say thank you to all the guests that have come on the show. Up until this point, it's been incredible. Um, each episode is special in its on right, You're getting something different from each episode. At least that's what I hope, because I'm getting something different from each episode.

And like I like, I always say, I enjoyed these conversations just as much as I hope our listeners and enjoy the conversations I learned from them. I think it's for me. It's always good to see in someone else's psyche and see what other guys are thinking and how they're thinking. So today we will have a pleasure of having All Star Bradley bill Um coming on today. He's obviously had a stoppage in this season due to injury god coming off of risk surgery, but more importantly, in

my opinion, one of the most underrated guys in the NBA. Like, if you look at Bradley Building, what he's done in his career, if I'm not mistaken, Um, actually I am not mistaken. I am certain he's a three time All Star. If you know anything about basketball, Bradley Bills in his teen year, you think Bradley Bills has way more All Stars appearances than three. And so that's why I said he's one of the most underrated players in my opinion.

If you play against him, you know you're getting a bucket. However, he can give it to you however you want it. Brad Bill, give you that off the dribble, off the catch and shoot off a pin down in the post to the cup. He's giving you that. So I'm excited to have Brad Bill on obviously. Uh, you know, he has a player option coming up this summer, so we'll talk a little free agency. We'll talk what he's seeing and thinking for his future, as we all know that's important.

And I mean, do you see the movement that's going on in the NFL. If the NFL never has movement in their off season ever, like guys getting traded left and right, that it never happens. So that has to be lining us up for a great NBA off season because there was always movement. NBA off season is a thing.

I think this is great for the NFL, by the way, um to have this movement and exciting, like it's the first time that the NFL has gone into the off season and like gave us something to talk about for real, Like you know, you see signs here and there, but it's just not as much movement. And so to see these guys on the mood like this and all the reshuffling going on in that league, I think is incredible.

And so, uh, you know, as we're seeing that, we'll get a chance to hear what Brad Bill is thinking for his offseason coming up, and how he's preparing for free agency, how he's embracing it. We'll get to hear all that good stuff. So but before we get to that, as you know, we gotta go around the association, starting

with the Warriors. Our team, my team three games slump number one, until Jackson told me, I didn't even notice we're in a three game slump because the reality is at this point in the season that I I care less about um whether we win or lose a game, because ultimately this is about preparing yourself and getting ready for the playoffs in the stretch run. So I had no idea we actually had lost three in a row.

And saying that, I think, as you as you may have heard in my press conference after the Orlando Magic game, I think, you know a large part of that is is us getting pumped. And you know I said that, I said that to my teammates, I'm not afraid to say that. And what I didn't say in the reality is is that falls on me. That's my category. That's where I say, Oh, that's where I lead. I have to be better at that. I can't let that happen,

So that falls on me. I know someone asked me last night, like, well, you know, would would that be different as Steph Curry is it was any game And the answer is no, it wouldn't be because that's not Steph Curry's duty. So if I'm if I felt at that currently, no matter who's on the floor, Steph Curry is not coming to make us tougher. That's not what stuff does. That's what not what I'm ever going to allow step to do. That's not steps roll. So that falls on me. Regardless of who on the floor. You

can't be out toughed like you gotta be tough. You gotta meet the level of physicality. And like I said, the playoffs are coming up, so meeting the level of physicality is more important than any more important than anything. Being mentally strong is more important than anything. And I think that's two areas that our team has been lacking

in and we need to pick it back up. We've shown that we can be UM good in those areas, and I think it's it's very important that, you know, heading into mid April, that we get that back, and like I said, that's on me. I'll make sure we get that back. So that's you know, and I think that leads to other things, right, Like that leads to the turnovers, that leads to the misshots, Like that leads to UM going eight minutes and scoring two points or whatever.

It was like that, all of those things our byproduct of just being out tough and another team being more physical than you. So I'll take that on the chain. That's on me. Um. Everybody talked about all Draymond get back. It will change a lot of things that hasn't And the reality is, I know it can change things. It should change things, so I will change things. So that's where I am. As far as our three games something go. Obviously, you know yesterday it was released that I was find

twenty five dollars. At this point, I I really don't care about the fine or whatever. Like I got suspended from Game five of the NBA Finals, Like that was the absolute worst thing you could do to me. The last thing I care and I got fined for that. I'm not sure if I've told you, if I've told this story before, but I got fined for that, getting suspended from game five of the finals. Not mind you,

you're not paid for the playoffs. Just so you guys know, like say, on the average for a guy who's on the max contract on your per game per salary, I mean your per games salary or game chet, let's go roughly two hundred grand. Okay, it could be a little higher, could be a little lower, but just go two hundred grand for for an even number to give you some perspective.

If you win the NBA Finals, I think your bonus is like three grands or something like that, which is a lot of money, get me wrong, But in comparison to playing one game and making two grand, it's not a lot of money because that's seven that's at least six if you sweep the playoffs, that's sixteen extra games. So you do the math, it doesn't add up. I was actually find a game check for missing a game that I actually don't get paid to play it. So I think, if I'm not mistaken, that fine. At the time.

For me, it was like a hundred and fifty six thousand dollars or something like that. Um, And so to be find was like the worst thing that you can do to me, you've already done. Like, so I really don't give a damn, especially when I can go home at night and sleep and know that ultimately I got a tech for saying come on and walking the other ways saying come on, and then I I received a second technical for saying come on. All right, you know

that was terrible. No profanity, no, none of that. But then it's put out there, Oh, Draymond had a uh, a profanity laced um thing with the official and he's fine twenty dollars. But let's talk about the two technical files that I use absolutely no profanity, two receive. So I don't know, I don't understand. I don't really get off into it. I really don't appeal technical files anymore, UM or none of the fines or anything, because you're appealing to the same person that gave you fine like

you're you're appealing to them. So you're not gonna listen to the interview a second time or watch the thing a second time and be like, oh, you know what, I'm gonna change that like that. That don't make sense to me. It's it's actually one of the most backwards processes that I can even think of. I mean, you think, you know, if you go to court and you get a judgment from the judge and then you appeal that, you don't go back to the same judge and ask

that judge again. Hey, um, I think you want to change your mind on what you already to side it like, you just don't do that. So I've never understood that process. Because I don't understand the process, I just don't bother to waste my time anymore. Um, it is what it is, Like it comes with the territory, Like I told them, probably not. It's one thousand percent not the first time that I've been fine, um as I think at this point now, I've probably been fined over north of a

million dollars in my career, somewhere close. Um, It's definitely not the first time I've been fine, and I'm almost certain it won't be the last. So it is what it is. UM. I me, I'm not changing that for anybody. I'm always gonna be me. You take it to leave it. It's gotten me this far. It'll get me much further, so not tripping on that. And we got to talk about one of the goats, my big brother, Lebron James, passing Carled Malone on the school Our List for number

two our time, absolutely insane. You know why it's so insane because no one even considers Lebron James the score. That's what I think is extremely impressive is this guy isn't even considered a score yet He's sitting that number two all time, and it's only a matter of time before he passed Kareem. Absolutely insane. And then he followed that up going back to Cleveland thirty eight, twelve and eleven and oh my god, kay Love. By the way,

we got a high k Love on the show. Um one of these days, but oh my god, kay Love. Jesus Christ, I think I think Brian owed you some good wine for the album, my brother. As there's no way come on out, Brian, There's absolutely no way. Like like, Brian, you had enough reaction time to realize like, oh man, that's kay uh, Like I'm I'm not about to do that. Not put your foot in his stomach and climb him and get the extra booths and look at the rim

and throw it in there. And then what I will say is if it was me, kayleb I would have turned around and looked at you and like, oh type of ship. At least Brian looked at crowd. But like I tweeted or I put on Instagram story or something like thirty eight, twelve and eleven power Dump, like we knew, we knew this was happening. Like, it's no surprise that Lebron goes back to Cleveland, puts on that show, the

Lakers get a win. That was no surprise if you if you, if you saw that Lebron was going to Cleveland and that surprised you, shame on you because it did not surprise me at all. I mean, Cleveland is having a good year. Shout out to uh the Draymond Green Show alumnus Darius Garland. They are having an incredible year. Absolutely love what they're doing. But as Lebron going back

to Cleveland, like we all know how that goes. So I mean that that that really just captain an incredible week for Bron, you know, and what and what he's been able to accomplish. Man, I mean, I take my hat off to that brother, asked as someone who's had battles with him, who has played in finals against him, and and really understand, Um, you know his process and what he does, and how hard it is to beat him, and how incredible he is, my brother. I take my

hat off to you, man. I mean, it's still baffles me that as much love as you get, still don't get the love that you deserve. And I guess that's a part of it, they say, But as a brother, but even more importantly than a brother in this situation, as a competitor, as um, someone who's going up against you now for the last ten years. Hats off to you, Bro, and nobody else ain't gonna give your flowers, my man.

I give you all flowers in the world because you deserve them, Bro, from what you've done for the game of basketball, for the African American community, for us as basketball players, and the freedom that you've taken hits for and helping everyone else get to where we are today. I take my hat off to you. Bro. The chosen

one had that tattoo. I don't know since high school that I know, like to actually come into the NBA with all of that height and like not not only like like you didn't live up to the hype, you know what I'm saying, Like most people don't live up to the height. And to come into the NBA as the most hyped basketball player of all time and to exceed the hight, to exceed what they thought you were gonna do, and they thought you would be one of

the best to exceed that is absolutely incredible. And the way you exceeded as as as incredible as it is as a as a basketball player that you are, you've exceeded that. In business, you've exceeded that, um and like I said, changing the way we operate in this business. Uh, you you've achieved that by by your entire team, your entire family, y'all, like our entire family all winning at

the highest level. Like you've achieved so much, bro, And like I said, as as a friend, as a brother, as a competitor, I take my hat off to you, Bro. They ain't never been done like you, and I don't know if in my lifetime it will ever be done in so to be able to witness that, it's been incredible, bro. And saying that still trying to kick your ass, but no doubt, man, Congrats to Lebron second all time, probably in fifty more games or so, fifty or seventy games

or so, he will be first all time. And I can't wait to see that, and I hope Steve Kerr, I'm throwing this out there right now. Lebron James is passing all time scoring record, and we have a game. I'm going to Lebron's game and witness history. So that's what we're doing, Coach Kerr. So if if Lebron or not, when Lebron passes Kareem gets the number one all time, does that make him to go to what you gotta

do to be to go? You know, you know every everyone talks about when Lebron passes Kareem, does that make him to go? I don't think him becoming the number one score makes him anymore of the goat than he already is. I think what what I don't like to get into is like, oh, is Lebron the goat over Michael Jordan? No, Lebron is a go and Michael Jordan's a go and they're both incredible and they never played against each other, So how can we ever settle that?

Like it's all subjective? And I hate that in sports, Like, No, no one's running around talking about well, Google is a better company than Apple, or Apple is a better company to Amazon. No, we all just appreciate those companies for what they bring to this world. But yet we get in sports and we're getting basketball, and they've gotta be Lebron James against Michael Jordan. Has to go to who's the best. They're both incredible, they're both great, they're both goats.

So to get into this whole thing of like is he above this guy or not? No, they both go to their own right and I appreciate and respect those guys for that, and I don't really want to get off into who's better or who's not. They both are incredible in different rors. I think you can appreciate uh particular things about both of their journey and they're different from each other. You know, you can appreciate how Lebron has been able to do this for nine team seasons.

This man is leading the NBA and scoring in his nineteen season. You can appreciate my mj taking off a year and a half or two or whatever it was and coming back and running off three more championships. That's incredible. And so when you when talking about the Golden which one is, like, Man, that's bullshit. Like, I respect both of those guys. I appreciate both of those guys, and at some point I hope this world of basketball catch up and appreciate that as well. Man, this is becoming

a show. You almost you gotta be like doing your thing to come on this show. Man. I'm honored to welcome this next guest. UH three time All Star Freshman of the Year at the University of Florida, All SECS first Team, All Freshman First Team, UH National Gatorade Player of the Year in two thousand eleven in high school. But this guy went on to be the number three draft pick in my drive class. Matter of fact, which I must tell him. I'm still piste off about everybody

who got drafted before me. I'm still upset at and he is one of them. Nonetheless, he is one of the guys that did validate that he was supposed to be before me, and I'm cool with that. I can live with that. But if some guys on there that shouldn't have been before me, this is not one of those guys, you know, So I am honored to welcome this next guest. Three time All Star Brad Bill, what's up, my brother, Dre. It's a pleasure. Is a pleasure, my brother.

How you feeling. I'm feeling great, man. I appreciate you coming on. We you know, we we've been having this streak of All Stars and Hall of Famers and you know, like real guys. So I'm I think I'm starting to get to the point now where like, man, if you ain't got no accolades, I don't know if you could come on the show. I got Brad Bill on the show,

were doing it. You know. It's funny you you was mentioned in my accolades and all that, but in the draft class, and one thing I always admire about you is that you keep that chip on your should about every it was drafting ahead of you, and it's way steeper than everybody else in our draft class. Bro. I'm trying to you already know that I appreciate that. Bro. No, honestly, honestly, I still I still think back to that draft class and like, I'll keep it all the way g with you.

I go through it all the time, and I'm like, no, these guys ain't before me. Like there's a there's a few guys in this draft class who I'm like, all like, no problem, it's you, it's dame, it's a d But then you get much deeper than that, and I ain't going much than that, you know, you know, those three guys I can respect. I respect the work put in, I respect the resumes. You know what I'm saying, guys

really doing it. And but it was a lot of guys in that draft who I didn't think they should have been before me that night, and I for damn sure don't think they should be before me. Now listen, So you're showing it every night, so I ain't listen. We already know how they work, you know, absolutely, I appreciate it, bro No, But first off, how are you feeling? Obviously you had the risk injury. How how is your

recovery going with that? So it's been good. I had risk surgery literally on a deadline day, So February tenth, I had risk surgery. Um, it's been four weeks since then. I just got my cash changed out. I got another six weeks in this cast, so it's gonna be ten weeks total. I'll be in the cast, get the screws out hopefully around April. Twenty minute April um. And then after that I'm good to go on back rehabbing hopefully another month after that, just getting the strength back in

the hand. Um. And then I would say about May June, I should be I should be back to to myself. So it's been good. There's been no setbacks, no problems, you know, it's just getting used to being around, walking around doing everything with the cast. Luckily, was my shooting hands something good. Absolutely, And and speaking of that, obviously, you know, most guys like I've never hit free agency, uh, and to be quite honest with you, I've I've never

on it too, um, you know. But for most guys, you know, you get injured during the contract year and you don't know what the hell is going to happen. Obviously, your situation is different. We all know who Brad Bill is, we all know what Brad Bill is bringing to a team, and there will be twenty nine other teams knocking at your door. If you're one team that if your team that your own didn't want you to due to injury,

that's not quite the case for you. But in saying that, I think even for my you know, for myself, I can speak from my own, um, from my own personal self. When you go through an injury, like you know, anybody, I still have doubts to like, man, are they still gonna want me? Like did you have any of that once going through the injury or or the whole time where you're just like, no, I'm all right, Like I know what I bring and I'll be fine. No. I never had that mindset. You know. We always know that

you always keep in the back of your mind. And it's a business. You know, teams are going to operate the way that they fit best. Um. But we always had constant communication between in the front office and not

so like it was never no no bs. It was nothing you know under the table, nothing that I didn't know about or you know, something that all you know, we're not gonna we're not going to hold our extension that we have now on the table, you know, because you got injured, like the extension still on the table right now. And then you know, they never said anything about moving me at the deadline either. So the constant

communication was there. That's what I respected. Um. But like you said, not everybody gets to be in that position, you know, So I'm definitely you know to put the work in and and be fortunate enough to be in a position I mean now to kind of have a little bit more control in that absolutely, And you know, speaking of of the extension and free agency talk, obviously you have a player option going into next season, which is always the best. I actually got my first player

option on this deal. I didn't have one on last deal. I really didn't even know as a possibility last time. But I got a player option on this deal, which is always the best. I think, you know, it's it's it's protection for the player. If if you're having a ship season, then you opt in. If you're having a great season and you gotta market, you opt out. And so I think that's a great position to be in. But obviously there's been a lot of talk around you

and your situation. I actually respect what Washington has done and not making you a part of trade talks and and and um telling you that they're not shopping you at all, because the reality is that's a risk for a team to take with you are the player option, and you can possibly walk for nothing. Now, we hear the rumors all the time we're here. Just yesterday or two days ago, we heard that the heat once you're really bad. What's been your mindset about going into this

next free agency? I mean, if if you decide to opt out, because you you haven't been in this position either exactly. So it's just like you like, I'm just I'm kind of embracing everything, right, So, like I'm not upset about the rumors. I'm not upset about you know,

teams warning me like that's that's a good thing. We we we put in the work and you know, we're wanted by a lot of people, not just where we're at, you know what I'm saying, And I think that just speaks volumes to the type of players who we are and you know what we're able to do onto the floor, you know, on and off the floor, and the impact we can have. And so for me, I just embrace it all. Like I know, it's it's a lot of noise.

I know it can be distracting at times, but I always had a bunch of O G s and a lot of people who I've had a lot of teammates. This is my tenth year, rev had a lot of teammates in and out, you know, so they're telling me, you know what it's like at other places, you know, compared to where I am, you know, so I kind of get that field and I get a little bit of their entriest. But you know, just like I know, it's nothing better than you know, grinding it out and

kind of doing it on your own, you know. And I also love and respect the fact that Washington, like you said, it hasn't been shopping me. They're not saying, oh, you know, we're out listening to what teams are like as soon as they call their hanging on the phone, right, So like I respect that part of you know, um And and it's kind of funny, like I've I've never been a free agent. It's kind of reminded me of college recruiting. Like I hear every single game somebody's recruiting me.

Somebody's like tagging on me, like whether it's a another player, whether it may be a coach or whoever it may be, like some you know, somebody's chitchat, be what you want to do to something, what you're doing the summer. So it's been I embrace it, bro like I don't shot from it. Like I love the fact I have constant communication from Washington, so I know what's going on. There's no there's no gimmicks, right. We know which pathwords going down,

and we're making the moves to do that. And it's a matter of if I'm comfortable, like I've never been in a position to where Okay, I hold all the chips, I can really make any decision I want m And I think that's incredible to you know, to be in that position, Like you said that everyone isn't afforded that opportunity. Most guys in this league never experienced that feeling, you know, and have that opportunity to kind of control their own destiny.

But I know you've gone on record a million times. Um. You know, even when we we've several times, you've always spoke about like, yeah, I want to stay in Washington is home for me. They drafted me. But my question to you is with with Washington, never with Washington? Never, UM,

really attracting big free agents. You know, we're now in the tenth year of our career and and it was actually one of the things that I went through with our management last year and just constant conversations we were having about like hey, you got you have me Stephan Clay Um, who's been here, I mean ten years for me Levin, for Clay, thirteen for Steff. You have Andre

who left for a couple of years. You have Looney that's really been here, you know, through the through the run that we had, what and and then and so we're kind of in this position and where like, yo, we got we have two first round draft picks, right, and so with the two first round draft picks that we had, Um, I'm like, what are we doing because and and I actually said it publicly earlier this year, like the mixture of young guys and old guys or

I don't think we're old, but you know, experienced guys, it's never worked, So so what are we doing? And they're like, no, I think we got the right mixing. It can work. And I'm like, I don't know if this can work. Like we've never seen this work. This has always been a disaster. Now you know, it's it's been working for us. But how do you view that, Like, Um, as far as you're in your tenth year, do you see a certain type of guys that whol need to

bring it around you? Because I mean building through the draft like y'all been, y'all been on the fringe of the playoffs, and I know you want to compete, and so building through the draft it may not necessarily fit

your timeline. So how are you viewing that? Are you looking around like, yo, we need to bring these guys in in order to compete, or are you okay with that building through the draft process that you all kind of been stuck in a little bit, right, And that's that's kind of where we've been, right We've always been a team that's kind of been right in the middle of the pack, right in the limbo, right where either a few like either a player away or a few

possessions away from being a top four seed or you know, a bottom eight t you know. So that's kind of always been our downfall. And then you look at it is like then when you're drafting and that you're drafting from you know, mid late lottery, you know, so those are guys who are more or less developing versus guys that you're expecting to come in and really make a

drafted impact right away. You know. On top of that, another frustrating thing is, like you said, we have never probably in the history, being able to attract free agents, right you see, is a great market dcs A sport Town, DC is an awesome city like d C should be

desired I think by a lot of teams. But I think it's it's us shooting ourselves in the footwell when you don't necessarily win, when you don't necessarily always have uh positive light coming out of your locker room, because we've had history of negativity all that bs coming out of the locker room, so that plays a factor. Um So it's just when you have all, like all the little things that don't add up to being you know, an elite team like teams would expect, then you you're

not necessarily going to get those creators right. So that's where we have to explore the trade markets. We've got to explore the draft class, and I know a lot of our moves have to be may via trade. Like we got to explore some of the options that we ended up drafting. Guys that we ended up picking up. Sometimes we can't give them extensions because we gotta move on and try to get something else, you know. So that's kind of been our position. Do I love it?

Not necessarily because you know, you always want some type of stability. You want you need to have your core, you know, once you have your core established, you can find you know, guys that you can plug into your system and just take off and run. You know. So it's a little bit of both. You know, we're we're still finding that core. Um, we have a mix of a few vets. Like we just picked up We're think it's in the trade. We got rid of some some guys and we add a KP and you know, we

got some we got some size. But now we need to like you said, we need to ask some experience. We gotta have some some guys who who've been in those awards before to propel us. You know, when he's play off time, they know what they expect. Absolutely no, I think I think that's very important. And that's kind of you know, that's kind of the space we've been in in the last couple of months where I went out. You have Clay coming back from injury. So he's Clay

has been out for two and a half years. The one thing I tried to stress to him before coming back, like, YO, just be aware, like and don't be shocked by once you come back, the league is totally different. Like I even told him, I said, I know one of the things you're going to struggle with is everybody nowadays shoot threes and and I know you Clay, like you're gonna look at some guys and you're gonna be like, yeah,

are you serious. And it's in the league now. It's not like, you know, some guys just catching the spotting up. It's like it's legitimately, like, uh, John Smith will walk walk into a three now. And I was trying to tell him, like, it's a totally different lead from when you left. Make sure that you're aware of that and

you're ready to adjust. And so I said all of that to say, we've kind of been in this space now of lacking experience due to the injuries, and so you've got guys with experience going out and now there's there's the rest of our squad who don't have quite as much experience. And so we've been working through that. And I love the way guy has been working through it, like putting their head down and just trying to figure

it out. But it's it's a tough thing when you've got guys that don't have much experience to lean on. It's a tough task and it's a totally different transition of the game, Like when we got drafted, we had two bigs playing. Remember it was too big two back to the backs biggs playing right now you might have

you better hope you have one legit big on the floor. Absolutely, and and to see that transition like I had, I had a mecha opra for and then as my big right then that transitions to parts in their name, right, and so now I have those two bigs dot me transition to these stretched forwards and all that. That's when the evolution of you came in, and you really you

change the game in that fashion. You change the game in the fashion as a right, you change the game stre the floor being able to not clog up the pain, create driving lengths for the guards like that. Evolution of the game transitions so quickly, and then you know it's a copycat lead. Everybody wants to copycat, which y'all did. And it's so funny because I know that y'all laugh at it and look at like dang, like everybody's trying it. But you don't have the person there to do it right.

You don't. You don't have the person to do it right. You ain't get you don't have none of this, And it's just to see that transition of how we came in to where we are now. And that's just a testament to what you said earlier, like the older guys that's now being more mature, being older vets like and seeing the treastion of younger guys coming into it's just a totally different, totally different game and totally different expectations.

It's crazy, It's insane. I had to have a conversation with our team a couple of weeks ago, and I was just telling them like I like, don't go like making sure guys don't get caught up in and thinking like, yo, I'm a vet, you know, like years of service don't make you a vet, Like like it's kind of one of those things that like when you you know, when you know, you know what. I was telling them, like,

I really, I'm in my tenth year. I really just became a fact this year, right, Yeah, like you know what I'm And two years ago, I felt like I was thrust it into it once everybody Steph was hurt, Clay was out, Katie left, Andre was gone, Sean was gone, and it went from like I always say, it went from the little brother who would sometimes get mad and Sean Andrea be like already stopped, that's enough, Like like that's enough to like all of a sudden, I'm the

older guy. That's like I'm supposed to tell somebody that's enough now. And I've always led, but leading and being a vettest too totally different things. And I struggled with it mightily. The game this season we won fifteen games. Everybody's out there, everybody's out there out in the world talking about all Dramond's playing bad, he's not scoring the basketball. Meanwhile, I'm going into every game trying to figure out how do I leave these young guys right, not even thinking

about anything else. And so I understood how hard it was, and like now this year, I finally feel like I'm making a transition and understanding it. But it's a weird transition to go from the young guys to know you're

the elder statesmen showing everybody. This is a great point because everybody loves to assume that your best player, of the best score is the leader and and the vet of the team, and that's not always the case, right, And a lot of us we take on that that leadership role because we naturally have that leadership, the leadership qualities, right, But when it comes to being a vet, like, that's a lot of stuff even outside of hoops, right, teaching the about the game, teaching them how you know to

be on time, what to do, teaching them about the financial game. Like, it's it's just so much that you have to pump into and kind of mentor that you

become a whole man to your teammates. And the biggest thing I never understood is the impact of like the little things, right, just going like I'll walk through the locker room and if I don't speak to a young guy, he may think I'm piste off out like and just not understanding the power and that just the that you have in speaking to one of your young fellas, right, just the power that you have, the impact that that goes, and it's just it's just so much bigger than just

the game. Right. The game is it's easy for us, like we can we can do that all day, we can lead you all day, tell you what to do all day. But everything outside of that and being a man within the game, you know, understanding the reason is the aspect of it. Understand the coaches playing time, if you are you're not, Like, that's a whole whole different ball game. I think for us, one of the things that we have to understand is the guys who are

coming in the league now. So we're in your ten, so you figure even next year, let's go, next year's drift class will be in your eleven. If you think the eleven years ago, for a nineteen year old coming into the league, they were eight years old. So the thing that we have to understand now is like these kids, these these young guys literally grew up watching us play.

And so there's also that shock factor walking in like yo, like I'm I'm sitting in the locker room, I am sitting next to Brad Bill Man, I watched this dude growing up like Steph Curry. Like you come in the locker room and you're next to Steph Curry. For some of these young guys, it's like, and we don't take that into account because you are Brad Bill, because that is Steph Curry, and we don't take into account. Like when I came into the league, I saw Kobe, I

would star struck. I saw grand Hill, them two guys I was star struck by. I would star struck you're now that getting You're you're now that guy. You're now Kobe and grand Hill and these young kids are like the young Draymond that's sitting there watching Kobe hole whole pregame workout light Like that's where we at now, and it's a crazy thing to try to wrap your mind around.

That's a big blessing, bro, because I even just say their games now, like I'm out and I'll be sitting on the bench and I'll see it killed my jersey and it's like I never I never would I never would have dreamt like ever, right And just to see that like that is so that's amazing right now, that's just motivation to just keep going, keep going, keep going. But facts, it is nothing like being in the position we in like we we are. We have the best

job in the world. We're not asked to do a lot mm hmm, and and we do it at a high level. Bro, Like this is is nothing like it. It's nothing like it. No, for sure, I gotta ask you this question. Um. More so for the fans that don't quite understand, um, when guys stay with because you're starting to get to the point now where media is such a big thing where you're starting to get to the point now where some guys are now criticizing Heights

for actually staying with their team. See, you had this kind of shift of like guys leader team in the media dragged them through the mud. You actually just face some of it this past year where you stay with the team now and and and people are criticizing you before the fort the Irish fan that doesn't know like for and for Brad Bill to stay with the Washington Wizards, he can sign a five year And I'm only saying this. I don't call nobody pockets, but I'm only saying this

because it's public information. But for Brad Bill to stay with the Washington Wizards, he can sign a five year, two hundred and forty two million dollar deal this summer. For if Brad Bill was to leave and go to another team, he can sign a four year, one hundred and seventy nine million dollar deal. Well, why is that? Because you have bird rights and the team that you've been with for two or three years, two years, I

think you can EARLYI ber two or three years. They're on your bird rights and they can pay you more. They can give you that extra year on a deal, the percentage increase on your last year salary goes up, and so that that seventy nine through one, that's sixty three million dollar difference. That has to matter. Where does that matter for you in your process? Like, I know you've made a bunch of money, You're gonna make a

bunch more money. What are you eight? Yes, sir, So even if you sign a five, you're your thirty three. You got another four your deal. Like, so the money people say, the money isn't it thing? But sixty three million dollars and sixty three million dollars, I don't care how much money you to make. You know, it's it's It's really tough because, like you said, you do get criticized for for what for what you do right, for standing in your situation and and doing what you feel

its best. Right. And if you took a survey, right, and you ask any anybody random personal street if they were signing this deal, everybody in their mama is gonna say, yes, I'm signing They're signing the deal. Right. But like around me too, Like I'm also not in the same position as those people. I have money, right, I've made a

lot of money in my career. Um, and I'm blessed and fortunate to make even more right and so, but I have for the first time, like you said, if I have the opportunity to be in control of what I would like to do. And it's like you said, it's a business end of today. I have to have their understanding with Washington that we are in the pursuits of winning, right, that is, that is my destination and goal.

The money is awesome, yes, Granted, when we grew up playing Dred, we played the game to make a lot of money. We played the game to take care of our family like that. Getn't twisted like we all that is still in the back of our it we that is priority number one, taking care of yourself. Mak you sould as you get every dollar as you possibly can make and that you feel comfortable with doing. But there also comes with when you make that money. Do you want to win ball games? Do you want to be

able to play for sex? Right? I want to play meaningful games, right. I want to be playing in late June. That's what I want, m Right. And I think people don't understand that, yeah, And it's and I think people don't understand that I want to do that here, Like like what And in my mind set, it's like, Okay, why can't I do it here? There's a lot of other teams that are out here doing all right, Milwaukee, you wouldn't have said that about them six years ago,

five years ago, three years ago. Right even Memphis. Now Memphis is making noise, Phoenix, same thing. Like, teams are doing it. Teams are doing it, teams that were we're talking first round picks, I mean number one picks. Like it's it's possible for teams to do it. It's possible to go on those runs. And not all those teams have two, three, four all stars. That's a fact. They developed their guys, right they they're putting in, they're putting in,

they're putting the pieces together. Like so it's a possibility, and it's I mean, shoot me if you want. But that's my mindset, Like I have that mindset. I want to do it here. But for sure, there also comes a point, Dre that you also know that it becomes a business, and if you feel like the stars aren't aligned with that, then everybody's gonna do it's best for them, regardless of what the money is. And You've earned that right to do it there or do it else where

if that's what you decide. And I think you know, and speaking of you know, like you said the survey, and everybody will take that money. The thing people don't understand this when you're getting your ass kicked every day, and like you don't get me wrong, making the money is great, But when you get your ass kicked every day and you're making that money, you don't feel good

about yourself. Like no one, no one leaves the game unless you found a complete loser, because there are losers that get paid in this League's another problem because if you need the game laughing, then you don't give a damn about the game. Oh you don't give just collected checking, You just collect his chicken, just moves about his day. Mm hmm. So you and a loser, you're in a lose lose situation. Like two thousand and twenty was one of the worst years. I mean two thousand nineteen, two

thousand twenty seasons. I was miserable, like at that point in time up until like now it's more. But at that point in time, I was making the most money I had ever made in my life, and I was as miserable as I had ever been, getting our ass kicked every day, like walking into the gym, like we're losing today. Oh man, you're going you walk in the gym and like you're playing like a trash team, and like, oh we we can win this one today. But you get that feeling maybe three games out of the year.

But I don't think people, I don't think people really understand how the effect that losing has on you. Like it's not just about the money, yeah has it has a drastic effect on you, bro. And maybe it's my competitive spirit you want to change that? And maybe I need to follow my head to maybe wake up when I don't know, but for sure we definitely have like that's just a competitive spirit to just want to pursue that,

like everybody wants to win. That's the goal. That is the goal, and only one team get to do it. And that's where I think my confusion sometimes in my own head gets called into why I don't just jump

the gun right? Everybody goes through that though. For sure, for sure it is I love being in a position, I mean because I have the advice for my peers and then I have the competitive spirit of me as well, just like wanting to compete against all y'all right, I have desires to He'll play with everybody for sure, you know that, like it is, that would be remarkable. Like the USA team that was one of the most fun experiences ever just being around so many elague guys sacrificing too.

Who right, everybody's good, every is really good. I want to be I'm speaking of the trust and believe I would love to be in around environment, around Katie dray Steph and going hard winning games that what who wouldn't Yeah, absolutely, who wouldn't. But it's also just as fun to compete against that team as well. When it's so many elite guys you competed like that's what that brings the best

out of you. That's that's true. That's true. Question, And you've you've played with both of these guys and switching gears just a little bit. Um. I think in my opinion, there's not somebody challenging that. But in my opinion, you play with two of arguably the most athletic point guards that ever come through the NBA. Like I said, there's somebody in Memphis challenging that now, and no disrespect to d Roles as well. We all know d Roles was

also in that category as well. But we we got this young dude in Memphis challenging all of that right now. And he won't all that smoke. He ain't ducking no wreck. He carrying this guys. I got a lot of respect for for for joh but and playing with those and

playing with those two guys. And there's two separate questions. Um. One is a lot of people try to make it out to be you and John hated each other, which I didn't, which I didn't really appreciate because we are men, and if somebody hate each other, there's no need for me to hide it from y'all. I ain't got nothing to do with y'all. So I didn't like that people try to create that narrative. But where where where did you stand as far as like the team moving on

from John? Because like y'all were arguably the best backcourt in the league for years. I mean y'all to Stephen Clay, Um James and CP. Like you know, it's it's been some backcourts in this league, and I thought y'all too arguably one of the best. Um, how did that affect you, like I was the biggest trade. I mean that you've gone through in your career as far as someone around

you being traded. How did that affect you? It was tough, bro, because John is a brother, Like still to this day, like I picked up the phone called John if I need him here here right, and it's it's the same vice versa. And like you said, we both hated that there was a picture painted that we didn't like each other and we didn't like playing with each other, and us being young guys at the time, like we didn't that we weren't mature enough to just have a conversation.

We were kind of readingto it, right, and so it's just kind of like a silent like damn, you feel like that now? He can't like that. Until eventually was like all right now, boom yo, bro, how are you feeling? Just how you feel now? This is how you're feeling. So once we had that conversation, it was just okay, that's dead, right, it's just noise to kind of get us rad or to get us off our track, right.

I loved playing with John. Like John, I say to this day is the best pass where I played with He's probably the fastest guy I've played with with the ball, and his ability, his athleticism, his ability to be able to pass while I'm running so fast, to the corner of being able to find guys like Night and Day right, And the toughest part when we moved on from him

was he was injured. Right. The toughest part was there was some stuff that went on in the summer that front office didn't necessarily a bye bye, and they just they were like, Okay, we got it, We're done, right, We're done. And so it kind of it was out of my hands because I was coming to camp thinking, you know, John is ready to go right boom, next day he's gone, And so that was very tough and emotional because he never came back from the injury and

we never got a chance for us to play. When John first one down, that was the first chance for me to really blossom into like who I feel like I've grown into today, right in the modern game, right, I've become more of a ball handler, putting the ball on the floor, shooting off the dribble, more of something coming off pin downs, catch and shoot like I did

my first five years. Solutely granted, it's Unfortunately John went down, but it gave me a chance to play point, to run more balls, screams, high picking rolls, to be able to facilitate the understand how defense is guard and how to manipulate him how to score easier. And he ended up missing. I think he got hurt like December and missed the rest of that year, then missed the whole year the next year, and I had I literally had a year to myself to operate and and just kind

of learned, right, And I went through double teams. When John first went down, I got double team. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to handle it.

And so literally the next year I had a whole year to adjustin Boom score thirty a game, right, and it was just like Okay, I get it, like I understand it, Like I mean now I'm evolved, right, And so that summer I'm like, Boom, I've changed, Like I'm way better than what I was when we were younger, playing Boston in sixteen seventeen and lost in the second round. Way better player than that, right, And I knew John was was pretty much climbing into his problem right around

this time. So I'm well, I'm like, well, I'm a new, newly tuned up player waiting on this athletic, freaking nature to come back, like, let's give it one more shot, Let's give one shot. But we never I would say that was one thing that if I can go back, I wish we could have had. But we moved on and we moved into Russ right. So it was a situation to where, yes, I was frustrated, you know, my brother's gone, but I understood who we were gaining right.

I understood who Russ was, and this is an m v P. We're getting right, and there's no disrespect to John. Russ has won m VP. Russ is. Do you know how rust played Russ is? He is boss to the wall every single night. He is going hard every single night. And for me, I've learned a lot from that because every single night, we don't always want to bring it, we don't always right. We retired some nights, we banged

up a lot of nights. We you know, whatever the case may be, we're dealing with something, you know, mentally, family, whatever the case may be. I've literally seen this dude lace him up and play as hard as he possibly could every single night, bro, and he pushed me, come on all I kept hearing all years, come on, be keep going, be keep going, be keep going. And I never understood that drive. I'm like, how does he do this?

How does he do this? But being in the fire, with him, being around him on the day to day, seeing how he prepared. He up at six in the morning, work done on his body, going in late doing the same thing, like, I'm like, okay, that's why, m so for sure. I also want to ask a follow up question on Russ, like you said, the way he played hard, the way he gets ready on a nightly basis for all of these years. I have the most respect for um. That motor that he has as a skill, and I

don't think people give that skill enough credit. But having a motor as a skill. Two things. Number one is there's this notion of the way Russ plays to the outside world that Russ is a bad teammate. What I've heard is from everybody who's playing with him is he's one of the best teammates they've ever had. Can you talk about Russ as a teammate? And then how do you feel about all the slander that he's getting this year? As if he not fucking Russell Westbrook that ship picked

me off. I gonna lie bro it really, it really frustrates me because especially being a guy that played with him now like the disrespect guy that she gotta stop, Bro, got to stop, because we acting like this man is not a Hall of Fame first battot, first battle. First of all, let's let's like the way he plays may not be your cup of tea. Facts, it may not be facts. And that's okay. Russ ain't gonna shoot a million three's he's not, nor should he, nor should he.

Russ is. Russ is going to play winning basketball. Russ is going to go get rebounds. Russ is gonna make assist, Russ is going to take advantage of matchups he feels like he can't. That's Russ mm hmm. And he's gonna play a hunter moles power. He's gonna play hard. Absolutely. If that's not your cup of tea, don't watch him. He's been working his whole career. You're gonna change him in a year fourteen exactly, exactly A fan of it six years ago, eight years ago. Acts he played the

same brand of basketball. He plays the same way with every every situation he's been in, he's played the same way. When Houston went to the Conference finals, he played the same way. Was there's no difference, that is, how are you going to change him? That's who he is? Absolutely I agree. I haven't, like, I haven't gotten with the slander. I don't. I can't understand it for the life of me. And it's people saying it that like, you have no

business slandering Russell Westbrook. Come on, man, like you got former players that weren't that good Slander and west west Brook And I just don't understand it. But you know, I could talk about this all all day. I could talk to you all day, but I got one last question for you, and that is and he's having such an amazing year, especially as the last couple of months. But I think it's well documented and well known your relationship with JT. Jayson Tatum for those of y'all that

don't know who j T is. Um, I've had the opportunity over the course of the summer and over course the last couple of years, but really over this summer to really get to know him. And it was big for me because you you see this guy who is like young and and yeah, he's now been doing it at this level since for five years now, since he came in four or five years since he came into the league. And you can get it twisted and like, oh,

he's one of us, you know what I'm saying. And We're at the Olympics and I'm just sitting there talking to him, and then some of the questions he would ask him, like, Yo, this dude is a baby. Man Like he like, this dude is a baby. But you think you don't think that because he's so good and he's on the level that we are on All Stars produced and like, and you're just like or ship in some cases ahead of the level you know, like and you're just like, man, you tend to think like, no,

he just wanted us. But the realities, he's a baby and I've got an opportunity to know him. I've got an opportunity to build a relationship with him, and it's one that I cherished. I cherished relationships. But and I'm so excited the way he's playing because him and jay Len Brown went through a lot of especially this last year and a half, a lot of stuff like you and John went through it like, Oh, they can't work together.

It's that you got these people trying to create termoil against him and they figuring it out and it makes me happy. But I just want to really get your thoughts on on on JT the season he's having, and where do you see him going um in his career, Like what's that next step for him to take? Man, it's created a lot of people don't know what people do know. We grew up together, so we're both from St. Louis, We're both in the same high school. Moms know each

other like whole nine. And I would always tell Jason when he was younger, You're gonna be a million times better than me, a million like and to see it happening as fast as it is, it's really crazy, Like it's it's very crazy, right. And to see the success he has, like you said, like I forget that he's as young as he is, absolutely crazy. He's been around me forever, right, I've I've known jasonce he was in diapers, I've known him forever. And to see him now he

got he got more. I'm barely growing my beard, right, you don't even connect. You got a full beer, like and to see him, to see him, to see him growing to this, this young man. Bro, he's the next face of the league. And I told him that that is your goal. Mm hmm. Like he has a he has a great support system. We've got a lot of people that push him around him and then uplift him mom being number one. But I always tell him that

you are the face of his lead. Bro, you have that opportunity to be the face of this lead, Like, don't shy away from no endorsement, don't shy away from no no, no money throwing your way whatever the league want to say, they do do mm hmm. This is your lead, bro, Like you already planned at this elite level. You need to be getting your name into these MVP talks every year, like because you have that ability, Like that's that's his projection, that is his projection, Like that's

his projection. I agree, I agree. It's funny, which I wish you could have gone with us and you know, and we'll get out of here. But even on the team, like obviously you know on our team with the USA team, Katie was the guy, like but you can see like next up, it's him, And there were games where ka lived to him like, hey, man, come on now like you you gotta take it now, and clockwork boom boom boom. I'm just like, Yo, this dude got it man. But it's it's so great to see Bro. I gotta run

of this game. I appreciate you coming on the show Man. It means a lot. Michael Lavine asked me all the day, like, how are you getting guys on the show Man? Yeah, my brother. I appreciate you. Brother. Get healthy, Bro, and I hope to see you soon. My dog actually will be there in a couple of days, so no doubt. Alright, love Bro, bro Man. Thank you to Brad. Appreciate Brad coming on the show, um sharing his outlook on his injury, his views on free agency, his thoughts on John Wall

on Russell Westbrook. There's not many guys that can say they played with those two point guards, caliber point guards, all star level, m VP level, extremely athletic point guards and talk about the differences in between them. I thought

that was super dope. I appreciated that. One of my hopes from that interview is that everyone took away what they needed to take away about Russell Westbrook and how the work that he puts in and what he gives to this game and the slander coming from like the reality is if Russell Westbrook is not the player that he once was but he was up until year fourteen, I think that is fucking amazing. Man. And we get into all this TV stuff and and like destroying this man.

You got fans coming to the game calling that man Westbrook. Like if you and Russell Westbrook had a shooting competition, he takes your life savings. But you come to the game because you see something at such a high level and you come to the game and call this man Westbro. He he'd literally take your life savings if you got into a shooting contest for him. So I really appreciated that that part of the interview. I hope everyone else did as well. Um, until next week. It's been real.

Make sure you guys like review and subscribe to the podcast, and also subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel so you can catch all the content. Make share with your friends. We want to keep bringing y'all good vibes, good news, good conversation. That's what we're all about here. So until next week. I love piece of hair grease. I'm out, very pleasant, pleasant,