Club 520 Podcast - Club 520 - Eric Gordon on James Harden Rockets, guarding KAT, joining Embiid, Paul George & 76ers

Episode Date: October 7, 2024

We’re back with Season 2, Episode 108 of Club 520, where Jeff Teague and the guys are joined by Eric Gordon where the guys talk about EG’s illustrious basketball career that dates back his AAU day...s in Indianapolis against Jeff. The guys talk about the James Harden Houston Rockets team, stopping Karl Anthony-Towns in the post, and teaming up with Joel Embiid on the Philadelphia 76ers for the upcoming 2024-25 season. #Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an iHeart Podcast. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man.
Starting point is 00:00:48 We met them at their homes. We met them at the recording studios. Stories matter and it brings a face to it. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
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Starting point is 00:03:39 All right, man, we back. Another wonderful episode of Club 520 Podcast. I'm the host. My name is DJ Wells. Special, special guest to my left, man. We're going to introduce my man's last to my far left. We got my dog, Bishop B. Henn out the Pearleys. How you doing, Nasty? Cool and nasty. Let's get to it, baby. I know. I know. I know. So you know what you really normally be on, but you got the Adidas on for EJ today? Yeah, Adidas athlete. Adidas for Nass. This one for you. And the other time we got them
Starting point is 00:04:07 villain shoes on over there. So I'm going to have to show respect to our guest one time. To my right, my dog, young Nacho, young T.
Starting point is 00:04:12 How you doing, man? I'm chilling, bro. Another 07 graduate in the building. It's about to be a good pod for sure. For sure, man. Like you said,
Starting point is 00:04:19 another 07 class. Listen, man, we got a legend in the building. Indiana legend. Anytime you talk about high school basketball, you better mention his name right here, man. We got a legend in the building. Indiana legend. Anytime you talk about high school basketball, you better mention his name right here, man. We got
Starting point is 00:04:28 EJ Eric Gord, 17-year NBA vet in the building. Appreciate you, big dog, sliding through, man. No doubt, man. It's been a long time coming up. Should have been a long time ago, but it's good that I'm here now. You've been busy getting money, man. We understand. You're still busy getting to it. We understand your schedule. A little bit
Starting point is 00:04:43 different, nine months out of the year. But listen, man, we got to take it back. Y'all origin of basketball playing each other. I'm saying 80 Nappas, Indiana, one of the best places to play basketball. And we always talk about who was called growing up and nobody ever goes against it. Everybody knows since Lissa, you was the coldest, bro.
Starting point is 00:05:00 How was that growing up with those type of expectations, bro? Well, I mean, it was different because I've been, I've been playing as Jeff since, I would say, what would you say, about eight years old or something? Yeah, yeah. In the school gardens. Shout out to the gardens. The funniest thing is, growing up from elementary school and middle school, I was always the shortest kid out there. Like, I was the smallest, I was the shortest.
Starting point is 00:05:24 But I always had, you know, I mean, my game was there, but I was just the shortest person known out there like i was the smallest i was the shortest but uh i always had you know i mean my game was there but i was just the shortest person known out there and then as i reached around you know eighth grade i mean i i was damn near built like a grown man at the age and seventh grade i mean i barely even played because i was growing so much and a lot of motherfuckers thought I was on steroids or whatever, but I did get... I was one of them motherfuckers. I already said that. That was a real question. You on your origin. But EJ, we thought
Starting point is 00:05:54 you was on that shit. You was on that shit. I grew a lot, but then going into high school, I was able to really propel me myself. I ain't trying to throw your folks' address out, but did you always live that close to the JCC?
Starting point is 00:06:12 Majority of my life, yeah. Okay. Yeah, majority. Shout out to the JCC. Yeah, that's a staple. Hoop Sessions in the city. That's a staple. For sure. Your daddy still fucking with it over there?
Starting point is 00:06:20 Oh, yeah, yeah. He's still over there. There you go. Shout out to Pops, man. Yeah, for sure. Love seeing Pops out man especially what y'all doing with the program
Starting point is 00:06:26 with the kids man I love seeing him at the tournaments man he be holding it down for real nah facts EJ was the first dude when we was little
Starting point is 00:06:33 I seen him hit a left hand layup nah besides Reese you know Reese was left handed but Eric went to the basket and he switched to the left I think he's like
Starting point is 00:06:40 third grade second third grade my pops was like now that's a player you know how my pops is like now that's a player you know how my pops is he always go big somebody else so i was i was at home pissed trying to shoot a left head left still can't shoot one to the stack fuck it it's cool though he went ah see he called did your pop start you off with the fundamentals first though he for for sure did that
Starting point is 00:07:00 was the number one thing and uh shooting was number one handles was second and uh i mean he made it he kept it very simple for me i mean he was hard on me like he was hard on me because to be honest he really made me hate everybody i played against when i was in high school so let me tell you so i'll put it like this i knew he was gonna play pike first game and you know fuck him on that monday on that monday my dad would be like hey jeff jeff he gonna be ready to go what the hell you gonna do i mean you already know he's got the handles you know he's got a jump shot i mean what you gonna do because half the time you might guard him you might not but what you gonna bring to the table and he did that every week just passed me on and passed me on like in chicago he twan more you know what are you gonna do against him like he made me really hate
Starting point is 00:07:51 every one of y'all before the week that nigga wouldn't even talk to us man i'm like what's up boy you good i'm like damn well fuck you he just kill you after a while like this is what if i say shit to him man i don't know what the I'm like, damn, well, fuck you. He didn't want to say nothing. He didn't want to say nothing. He just killed you after a while. I was like, well, this is what a fuck. I ain't saying shit to him, man. I don't know what the fuck wrong with him.
Starting point is 00:08:10 He a robot. Yeah. So your dad put that killer instinct in you, baby? For sure. I mean, for sure. He never, he didn't believe in bad games. He didn't believe. He said, you just figure out a way.
Starting point is 00:08:20 You know, he always wanted me to score and always wanted me to win. But I'm telling you, when we was going against in a big game, whoever their best player was, he just wanted me to go after him. That's definitely part of the story.
Starting point is 00:08:39 I was going against a lot of good players. We talk about all the time. Michael Conley, Greg Oden, Josh McRover. The list goes on for real. Of course, Mike and them. Did you ever play? Walter was
Starting point is 00:08:56 hyped back then. We even played against Gordon Hayward and Emma Brownsburg. We were traveling everywhere. You played ballroom, too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He started laughing.
Starting point is 00:09:14 Hold on, man. I did play. That switch was crazy. I don't send a pick on me so hard, nigga. To the ground. This nigga power dribbling up the corner, shit, fools me.
Starting point is 00:09:34 That shit was funny as fuck. Before we get to the high school stuff, though, you was probably one of the best AU teams ever, man. We talk about it all the time. How was that, like, playing in that experience with experience with that crazy ass team did y'all know y'all was that good at the time no we knew that was we knew that uh you talk about speech and he absolutely yeah no we we knew that we were that good because we we were body and we weren't trying
Starting point is 00:09:57 to be like most people most kids out there trying to score 30 40 50, 50 points. I mean, the average, I would say the highest score of that game probably would have had 18, 16, and everybody shared the ball. And we won every game. Like every game when we were all healthy, we won every game. But I think in three summers, we only lost probably two, three games. Yeah. I was whooping shit. You ever remember one of your toughest matchups back then?
Starting point is 00:10:27 Because was you on there when they played Lou... When y'all played Lou Will? Lou Williams was a major problem. I'd never seen too many guys like him in high school.
Starting point is 00:10:37 Yeah. I mean... I remember that during a game with Chyna, Georgia Stars, and White. He had an NBA game in high school.
Starting point is 00:10:43 Like, he played like how he is, but a match way more athletic. And Lou Will would dunk on an NBA game in high school. Like, he played like how he is, but imagine, way more athletic. And Lou Will would dunk on you in high school too. Like, there was,
Starting point is 00:10:50 he was. Nah, Lou was a pro. Yeah, he was amazing. Shout out to my dog, Lou. Shout out to Lou.
Starting point is 00:10:56 Yeah. Like, when he was doing NBA, I mean, he, in high school, I mean, it was just,
Starting point is 00:11:02 with more athleticism. But that's what I tell people about you. Like, when you got to the league and shit, everybody was like, man, I'm school, I mean, he was just with more athleticism. But that's what I tell people about you. Like, when you got to the league and shit, everybody was like, man, I'm like, man, y'all should have seen how athletic he was in high school. I'm like, that motherfucker dunked on the free throw line, all type of crazy shit. Like, and people know you as a shooter. I'm like, he was shooting like that, but that motherfucker used to dunk on everybody. Oh, yeah. No, I did early on in my career before i had
Starting point is 00:11:25 those injuries during my time in new orleans but yeah i would no i know i remember tommy we know he was on species but you know you know what I'm saying He finished our A.D. career With a different team And Tommy That was the reason He got dunked on I was They crossed me In half court
Starting point is 00:11:49 He did Fucker He said Tommy And I remember That game too Cause I felt like There was some calls
Starting point is 00:11:57 Getting missed And We were pissed off Yeah y'all were up And we were pissed off And then And that shit No I. That's it. No, I just.
Starting point is 00:12:07 That's when I say, yeah, he the best player in the country. It was between you and Beez. Because Beez did us bad. And then we was beating y'all. Then you went off for like 35 in the second half. I'm like, this motherfucker here is crazy, man. Damn. And everybody like, he was supposed to play with y'all.
Starting point is 00:12:22 I said, yeah, man. What the fuck? I'm like, how you just go lead a year? I come. What the fuck? Nah, y'all was cold. Yeah, it was crazy. Like you said, man, shout out to the class.
Starting point is 00:12:31 All seven. C.D. Rogers retiring. Yo, former AAU back. How's that? You know what I'm saying? Like that experience. Like, because you went from that great ass beast team to like y'all going crazy. That was different.
Starting point is 00:12:41 Yeah, for sure. Because throughout high school, man, I wouldn't say we were enemies, but we always played against one another. And then we played against each other in a regular high school game. And then we was like, you know, I didn't like Indiana Elite at the time. And then I was like, you know what, let's just draw in forces. And they were like, for sure, let's just make that happen. And, I mean a that team was
Starting point is 00:13:06 fun man but we only had six seven players yeah they did y'all didn't need nobody else they ain't had no real big man i mean tim was a big man but he was like six four he was six four and could do everything yeah around man he was well like yeah he was a dog for sure was you already um committed to illinois before you went to main streets yeah i was committed during my time at main streets okay okay yeah i remember that being we always do like a little moment of silence for certain shit i mean me and d-roll who were supposed to go to the same college. That was the plan.
Starting point is 00:13:47 It was either Illinois, maybe IU, maybe Memphis. And, you know, we heard a lot of things in Illinois, what was going on there, this and that. But my heart was always in Indiana. I always wanted to play at IU. But, you know, it all worked out at the end. I went to IU. He went to Memphis.
Starting point is 00:14:08 But I thought we were both going to go to IU at one point. That's crazy. It's crazy. They tried to put us in a three-guard line. I remember Coach Sampson called me. And he was like, I'm getting you. I'm getting Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon. I said, why the fuck you think I'm going there?
Starting point is 00:14:23 I was like, you can hang this call up. You think I'm going to sell the bitch? Yeah, alright. Wake Forest, here I come. I was like, no way. He called me. I was like, Eric going to Illinois. He was like, not on my fucking watch. He literally said that.
Starting point is 00:14:42 Shout out to the realest. He won't be going there on my watch. I promise you that T I promise you y'all not getting out of Indiana I said man I'm not going
Starting point is 00:14:50 I told my dad I'm not going there so IU was automatic number one like out the gate yeah I did I mean yeah I always loved
Starting point is 00:15:00 IU growing up but okay and because I know I wasn't going to go far. I wanted my parents and I wanted my family to go to every game. Okay.
Starting point is 00:15:09 So that was the main thing. Yeah. For sure. I mean, before we get to the college stuff, we got to talk about one of the most historic high school basketball games of all time. You know what I'm saying? What you did to the Jordan kids at North Central, bro,
Starting point is 00:15:20 was very disrespectful, but still one of the best things ever. But please recap that because, like you said, you to say these games hating everybody pops with the battery on your back because what you did to them bro that looked personal before you start i just want to say big shout out to uh marcus jordan if marcus would have had what he had this summer then they might have won you know i didn't know anything about loyola academy but you know first thing that kind of my mind you know at chicago school you know i thought you know but then when we when i watched them on film and i was like
Starting point is 00:15:58 you know everything's evolved around the j kids. Like they're the best players on the team and, and their team was small. And I was like, okay, every time when I get the ball, if, if I don't have a catch and shoot, I'm going down,
Starting point is 00:16:14 I'm taking it to the rack like every time, or I'm going to at least try to dunk. But the main thing where I really wanted was to do one of Jordan's dunks in, in game. Disrespectful, bro. It's me, baby. He did. He rocked. He's so disrespectful. really wanted was to do one of jordan's dunks in in game he disrespectful bro espn baby he did he rocked he's so disrespectful with jordan in the crowd what was that a 50 piece what you have on i think it was close boy i don't know the exact number i was watching that shit crying laughing bro then they had the eric gordon jerseys I was like oh they wild
Starting point is 00:16:45 Eric Gordon was inside yeah I was like they wild I was like this is dope though it made me feel good being from Indianapolis
Starting point is 00:16:53 though hell yeah like you said like you look at them teams it was like okay y'all come from Chicago but what I deal with on a daily basis
Starting point is 00:17:00 is people who's going D1 or to the NBA like y'all like yeah yeah for sure like almost everybody on whoever went to the NBA. Like, y'all light. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Like, almost everybody on, whoever went to the school in these conferences, one player went to the NBA.
Starting point is 00:17:11 Yeah. Somebody went. Which is crazy. Crazy. We was trying to tell Norris. Norris was just on. You know, shout out to Norris. But Indiana was just different in them times, bro.
Starting point is 00:17:20 Them games. It was crazy. And when you didn't have to leave the city, like, we just talking about the Mick. We didn't even go to the region where you had, like said each one robbie hummel scott martin's like all like everywhere in the state it was killers at and it was crazy like for me i went to jl so i was at pike in north central half a day to see the reception that like y'all got because y'all was cold obviously you was that nigga and it was just like we ain't had that much school spirit yeah
Starting point is 00:17:40 at north central yeah oh niggas had the air gordon t they had he had merch boy if it was back there bro you would have been a millionaire north central oh yeah no north central i loved my time there i mean some of the best days of my life was there so what the fuck pipe you can change it now coach there was no air t no 44 merch how you get that merch the 44 merch is crazy I ain't had dog we ain't had none of that
Starting point is 00:18:10 I don't even think we had a pep rally we didn't even have a real stew section for real we ain't gonna let y'all do podcast y'all been talking crazy though
Starting point is 00:18:16 y'all been talking crazy we talk shit let's talk about that that senior year matchup beginning of the year it was always a common thing tradition
Starting point is 00:18:24 Pike play North Central first game of the year y'all senior year you know what I of the year, it was always a common thing, tradition, Pike played North Central first game of the year. Y'all senior years, you know what I'm saying? You was going away, you going to IU. That's another legendary high school game, man.
Starting point is 00:18:32 How was that from your side? He talked about how he walked into it and was like, what would your mind say going into that? I was always underrated, so I knew he was the number one player
Starting point is 00:18:39 almost in the country. I was like 100 or something, so I was just trying to let people know I could hoop. I was just trying to go out there and have a good show but we used to beat them all the time before so i knew he was like yeah it's my time to beat they ass like i was like he's gonna come in here on some shit i ain't really got reinforcements like i used to have you know we used to be loaded so i'm like it's just me and my guy, Phil. Kyle ain't never played varsity. Fuck it, I'm about to shoot this motherfucker.
Starting point is 00:19:08 So we was having back and forth. And at the end of the game, he did what he had to do. You killed, though, bro. Moves like 30 to 33 point wide, something like that. Yeah, no, you did get it going. And I just knew, like, he would always be up there. Like, he's always going to have a good game. Like, I knew a lot of those things. And because if he does well, Pike does well.
Starting point is 00:19:35 You know, even though they got other guys that can do some things. Because I still had Cordell Pasley and Kyle and Phil. You had big Dennis Dennis Yeah Dennis Y'all had big Otto though bro Mm-hmm
Starting point is 00:19:50 Otto was a motherfucking problem Back in the day And then y'all had Gant coached there now Yeah We didn't know him Can't forget He came a senior
Starting point is 00:19:59 I didn't even know he could hoop He came out hooping I'm like What the fuck is this little dude Yeah Cause we just We just game planning for you and your brother and Ida. That was it.
Starting point is 00:20:09 We was like, everybody else, fuck them. We got to stop them. This little dude came out there hooping. I was like, damn. But, no, it was a good game. For sure. Classic game, for sure. Like you said, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:20:21 You go to IU. I had a hell of a, you had a hell of a freshman year, man. I had a solid-ass squad. How was that step, like, playing at that level? Because, you know what I'm saying, you go to IU. I had a hell of a – you had a hell of a freshman year, man. I had a solid-ass squad. How was that step, like, playing at that level? Because, you know what I'm saying, playing at St. Louis Hall was different. No, it was different. No, we had it rocking. And we just went through so much adversity throughout that whole, you know,
Starting point is 00:20:37 freshman year because we were talented as hell. I mean, every practice, you know, to every game, I mean, you play against good teams. And, I mean, we just had a whip, you know, to every game. I mean, you play against good teams. And, I mean, we just had a whip, you know, DJ White. Yes, sir. You had Jordan Crawford coming off the bench. You had Armand. Armand Bassett, yes, sir.
Starting point is 00:20:52 And you had Jamarcus Ellis-Tone. Jamarcus Ellis. Rest in peace. Rest in peace for him. Yes, sir. And we had, you know, Lance Stim. I mean, we just had a lot of guys. You know, I can name the whole team easily,
Starting point is 00:21:05 but we just, we did have a squad. And, uh, uh, I just hate it. I would love to see how far we could have went if they didn't fire Samson. That's,
Starting point is 00:21:14 that was the thing. Yep. That's crazy. Would you, um, I mean, obviously we didn't think it was going back, but like that play out,
Starting point is 00:21:20 like you said, how like heavy was that moment? Cause you was killing it, but you can see everybody like stopped at a halt when that shit came out so like dealing with that in university different than deal with that in high school because you know that's administrative stuff but you on campus you got to see it hear it and now like y'all going through that like like you said the issues you was going through you know say internally with the team going through the tournament you like all right now i gotta look focused now you like shit i love college but
Starting point is 00:21:41 i know i'm about to go to the leagues now got to kind of think about me more than the team. But how was that mental process? Well, it was a lot mentally because, I mean, fuck, as soon as Samson got fired, the next day at practice, I see four motherfuckers in the gym. And it was just weird because I wanted to win. I still wanted to win, but it was just such everybody was distraught because, you know, I i mean that team was just so talented and we were so into with that coach i mean with samson and uh i mean it just kind of broke us apart but
Starting point is 00:22:13 me mentally i mean i still had to i mean i still had to do what i had to do as far as trying to get to the league i mean sir i even fractured my wrist uh during uh during practice one day i mean we go to the doctor doctor said oh man you fracture your wrist you're gonna you're gonna be out for a little while and after that doctor's department my dad said fuck that he's taping that shit up and we still playing i'll take it and and we had to play i'll never forget we play had to play against wisconsin like two days later with a fractured wrist so damn yeah I went through a lot of
Starting point is 00:22:46 that location my boy yeah locked in my pops down there Joe Jackson I thought Mr. T was my pops was Joe Jackson
Starting point is 00:22:54 I think it said in the article I know you know what's crazy they went to the league shout out to my the blueprint for sure you shouldn't have to worry about when you buy your tickets to your next big event They went to the league. Shout out to Bucs. The blueprint. For sure.
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Starting point is 00:26:04 I'm Michael Kassin, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on good company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi, for a conversation that's anything but ordinary. We dive into the competitive world of streaming, how she's turning so-called niche into mainstream gold, connecting audiences with stories that truly make them feel seen. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. It's this idea that there are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience
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Starting point is 00:27:17 You know what I'm saying? Did you, you know, obviously, you know, projected lottery, you go through a tumultuous situation to IU, now you're going to the league. How was that? No, I mean, getting drafted was, I mean, that was a great experience. And my rookie year, I mean, that was. My boy went to LA.
Starting point is 00:27:32 Yeah, that was. Hell of a city to get drafted to. Yeah, that was a unique experience. Because that was actually the first time, I mean, my first 10 to 12 games, I mean, i'm over here averaging five minutes a game and we were losing and i was like like what are we doing here you know so uh you saw their kids got it good today i mean you could be these young kids now the guys that get drafted i mean they get the keys handed to them from day one yeah because i think everybody
Starting point is 00:28:02 in my draft only d rose was the only one that started and everybody else had to work their way to to starting and figuring out their way throughout they throughout that year that's great once they gave you the keys though they was up oh yeah yeah no yeah you started up tonight easy doing what he do best what what was that changing point though like what game you remember what game or what happened between you and the coaching staff like what like all right give eric the ball now god damn it i mean there was i mean there was a lot i got into it i remember i got in trouble a little bit with the team and yeah um but things just turned out for me because you know a lot of
Starting point is 00:28:43 guys were injured i think baron davis was injured and all that and then uh then i got to start a lot of guys got injured so i got my start i'll never forget it against new orleans against cp3 and uh next thing you know we won like three four games in a row even though we still went like 20 and 62 i was trying, we was still getting our ass beat, but that's kind of solidified in, you know, my career. And I,
Starting point is 00:29:08 you know, I did well and I started to find my way and be myself. That's why I figured that helped your confidence out a lot in the NBA. Like,
Starting point is 00:29:15 damn, I'm averaging 20 in the league. We losing, I want to win, but shit, I'm killing. Getting my shit off. I remember how strong
Starting point is 00:29:22 this motherfucker was when he came back after his rookie season. He was working out with Chris. We was over there at Best Choice. He called me up there. I was getting ready for the draft. I came up there and I looked. I said, what the fuck?
Starting point is 00:29:36 I was like, nah, dog. Chris was like, you got to get bigger, man. I'm like, shit. This never looked like the rock. What the fuck am I going to do with that? He was like like the rock what the fuck I'm gonna do with that he like well that's what the cards
Starting point is 00:29:47 look like man damn nah I ain't gonna make it G nah man you sound like B.H. when Gordon came back after his freshman year I swear to God
Starting point is 00:29:57 Gordon Hayward I love you you know you my one of my guys he was on that shit don't do that ain't nobody telling me different my boy just retired so we can speak that my boy had that vein in his neck
Starting point is 00:30:10 i was coming back too swole gordon came out the campus big i said damn skinny his whole life yeah so he got to the damn near what the league or is like his last year of butler last year his last year butler because i remember like i was on campus at the time and i was all right but when he came in there a lot that that's a pro but even when he came back that first year from the jazz i'm like damn like you get a growth spurt at 22 did that slow you down though getting bigger or did that you feel like that helps you no it it helped me because my game was all about contact every time i get in a basket i, I was looking for it.
Starting point is 00:30:46 Yeah. So, you know, because I believe in every time I look for contact, I don't even really have to be – sometimes I don't have to feel like I have to be explosive getting to the rim. Okay. Yeah, using the signs, using the invent tricks, learning how to score professionally. It's crazy.
Starting point is 00:31:00 I never really put two and two together. Now you was on the Donald Sterling clip. That is crazy. That is crazy. No wonder why there was a lot of issues. Now you was on the Donald Sterling clip. That is crazy. That is great. That's no wonder why there was a lot of issues. Did you go to the white party? I am. Three years.
Starting point is 00:31:11 Three years of it. The white nigga shit of the Raptors. The white party is crazy. They said, yeah, white party on the show. I just wanted to see if it was true. That's crazy. That's crazy. That's crazy. That is crazy.
Starting point is 00:31:28 But like you said, one of your best games against New Orleans, you didn't know you was auditioning, you know what I'm saying? You go to LA. My boy had to leave sunny LA for New Orleans. Man, how was that transition? Your first taste of basketball business? Man, I'm not going to lie. I was pissed.
Starting point is 00:31:43 I was pissed. Because during that time, people forget. I was supposed to sign a max deal with LA right then and there. And then that's when we had the lockout. Yeah, yeah. And once we got back from there, I mean, they were promising, like, you're going to be here for five years, this and that. Mm-hmm.
Starting point is 00:32:03 Because the trade was done. I mean, it was supposed to be, I think, Bledsoe, Kamen, and Al Farouk. And then we thought that then once they backed out of it, I guess David Sturm might have probably went to the gym and they just threw me in there and the rest was history. And I was a little bit confused and i was younger too so and then when i got to new orleans like i wanted to do well but i had already got injured i was already injured and you know people down there they just thought i just didn't
Starting point is 00:32:35 give a damn or anything while i was down there but but uh but hey a couple years ago when i got to new orleans we went to the playoffs and I don't know what people be getting mad for down there that's a lot to ask for down there
Starting point is 00:32:49 be grateful New Orleans is a cool city though it is it is a cool city but nah going from LA
Starting point is 00:32:57 to New Orleans is like me going from Atlanta nevermind I still live here I still live here nah it is though
Starting point is 00:33:12 it's like Atlanta to back home is crazy it's like it's a different total I mean being from here
Starting point is 00:33:19 made it a little easier but the way of life is way different for sure I gotta ask you done played a couple dope cities.
Starting point is 00:33:25 What's your favorite city you played in so far? I would say Houston and LA. Okay. Houston is a fire city. Yeah, Houston and LA top two.
Starting point is 00:33:35 Hey, you was a part of one of Dakota's runs in basketball in Houston. Like, you know what I'm saying? How was that,
Starting point is 00:33:40 you know what I'm saying? Contending every year in the West, and y'all had to go against one of the best teams ever, man. Yeah, man, that was definitely the most fun team I've been on, and, you know what I'm saying, contending every year in the West, and y'all had to go against one of the best teams ever, man. Yeah, man, that was definitely the most fun team I've been on. And, you know, we were together all the time.
Starting point is 00:33:52 You know, it was easy to win. Like, it was very easy to win. We just hooped. Our coach, I mean, he was a big part of it. Dan Antony was a big part of it. Antony LeVoy's cook. I mean, he let us be us. We followed, you know, his scheme. But at the end of the day part of it i mean he let us be us we followed you know his
Starting point is 00:34:05 scheme but at the end of the day you know he just let us be us and he made it fun you know his experience made it fun but uh but yeah i mean like we had a hell of a team james was i mean being around him working with him every every day i'm special player but we had a lot of other guys that i mean it was no y'all had a squad no we did have squad for years y'all had a squad bro what was that like like embracing that six man road like coming from being a starter and then going to being like a six man and then like embracing the road and then like really really flourishing in it though yeah because during my time in new orleans you know i was like i'm gonna go to after i left
Starting point is 00:34:47 there i was like i'm gonna go to a team where i just want to win and i'll figure out the rest like i'm just gonna figure it out i'm not gonna be injured i'm gonna figure out ways and i could be injured and just go out there and play and uh i didn't care what if i started or not but as soon as i got there i was like they gave me uh you know a formula to to what I needed to do you know they didn't care if I ever practiced they was like we just want you to be healthy to nice love and uh you know great training staff good you know medical staff and everything and uh but after that I was I I just embraced it I think I was like I don't care I'm gonna win six men in a year.
Starting point is 00:35:25 I want to, you know, knocking out, knock down a lot of threes during Dan Tony's play. Cause you know how that, that it was difficult to guard. And that was perfect for the way you play basketball. Like,
Starting point is 00:35:35 Oh no, like just layups and threes. It's like one of the best shooters ever. Of course he can do that. Yeah. Yeah. See everybody. The funny thing is everybody wants to talk about doing that,
Starting point is 00:35:44 but you got to still be able to, you know, move the ball. You know, if you don't have a clear-cut layup or whatnot, then somebody else has to be open. So, it was good basketball. Y'all was tough to play. We played y'all in the playoffs. That's like that. Sweet.
Starting point is 00:36:04 Get us out of there. Y'all got one game didn't you minnesota oh yeah i cooked that game you're right that's great hey listen no so i know we can't talk about James Harden too much in this podcast. Y'all be getting away. But we're not going to let that legacy die down. You saw it firsthand. Like, James Harden was really killing it. Everybody tried to act like that did not happen.
Starting point is 00:36:32 It's weird. That he wasn't killing it. Yeah, they tried to downplay that now. Like, it was just okay because of the Luka stuff. I'm like, no, James Harden was really destroying shit. If y'all didn't run into the Warriors, it's a different conversation. And even some of the stuff that happened with like... CP don't pull his hamstring.
Starting point is 00:36:46 Y'all win that series. For sure. Yeah, no, I truly believe if CP didn't get injured, we would've won that year. I really do. I think so. Won the championship.
Starting point is 00:36:54 Yeah, they had him beat. For sure. I would... Y'all was up, what? 3-2? 3-2. Yup. Yup.
Starting point is 00:37:03 You know, did they get in Cleveland? I respect the respect the they was gonna beat whoever was in the east I don't know they were scoring too much it had to be Cleveland
Starting point is 00:37:10 it was it had to be whoever was in the east that might have been tough that would have been a hell of a series that would have been a hell of a series
Starting point is 00:37:16 that's what had me held on but yeah y'all was definitely supposed to come out the west that year who was the best player
Starting point is 00:37:20 you played with in your career so far in 17 years best teammate nah best player then you can do best teammate the best player you've played with in your career so far in 17 years? Best teammate? Nah, best player. Then you can do best teammate. Best player.
Starting point is 00:37:30 That I ever played against. Played with. Played with. Throw you on the bus right now. I love it. That's a tough one, boy. You been around some killers, bro. You can ask some shit. That's why I'm asking you.
Starting point is 00:37:43 And what's crazy is now you're about to play with another goat coming this season this year yeah guy mvp joel yeah uh he played a lot kd was a special one and james was a special one because i mean i play with ad ad was yeah bro young ad he was a man young ad he was when he was coming into his own yeah yeah KD I'll let you come back to him it's a tough one you better that's crazy
Starting point is 00:38:10 I forgot about the Phoenix squad yeah yeah KD Cole one of the best still going to it crazy man that's a tough question for him
Starting point is 00:38:19 yeah yeah we gotta ask people wanna know you know what I'm saying let's talk about now you know what I'm saying new season coming up got you where you at right now you in Philly with it know. You know what I'm saying? Let's talk about now, man. You know what I'm saying? New season coming up.
Starting point is 00:38:25 Got you. Where you at right now? You in Philly with it? You know what I'm saying? How did you come about that situation? You know what I'm saying? Well, I wanted to get a chance to win, and I thought Philly because I'm familiar with their front office, Daryl Morey and all them, and then I look at their team and i'm like man maxi he's really
Starting point is 00:38:46 evolved and be you know maybe a player you know you look at kelly uber and and now they have caleb martin and then you got pg that just in the mix with all of that and i'm like and you know me to to fit in you know to be knocked down shots and shooting you know create you know as those guys are creating so i was like man we can really have some a shot at something facts i'm sure you know that's a little crazy shit i don't know if y'all gonna be the pacers but you know i'm saying i feel like i'm gonna pretend to eat you hey why you ain't ever come home bro am i we here why you ain't come fuck with the Pacers, man? Man, I don't think there's really ever been a real shot and chance thing. You said you wanted to win.
Starting point is 00:39:31 I like that. That was a good answer. EJ, but I'm going to answer it for you. You didn't want to come to the play with Tua. But it was crazy. He'll fit this team perfectly. I mean, you and Philly, you fit that team perfect, too. But the way you shoot the ball
Starting point is 00:39:46 But people always Forget that you're A really good defender Yeah Like this nigga Is strong as shit I'm telling y'all Like you can't
Starting point is 00:39:53 Him and Chris Paul And Eric Bledsoe Only guards you can't post I used to watch people Try to post them Oh yeah and Drew But it was like I'm like this nigga
Starting point is 00:40:02 Is strong as shit Like I watch people I watch him guard cat cat was trying to post him you got a lot of smut on cat name I know I love cat but what he trying to post y'all yeah he couldn't post him he said we switched he couldn't post him I swear he being modest. Your two guards shouldn't be switching your five comfortably. That's nuts. They were strong, man.
Starting point is 00:40:27 Him and PJ. James strong as shit. They had a strong ass team. That's a good thing to highlight though because people don't talk about how good of a defender you are.
Starting point is 00:40:34 They focus in on you shooting though. But I think the six ain't sending because you're here. I just think y'all got a good chance to move forward though.
Starting point is 00:40:42 They do. This year. Y'all got a way better team than y'all had over the recent years, man. Yeah don't worry the patience ain't shit that's just that's fucked up that's not we good money you know what hey you just know what time it is they got they gonna make the playoffs for sure the playoff play in no i don't know y'all know how i'm rocking no we don't know what team are you supporting today
Starting point is 00:41:06 we know the Hawks they gonna be here you know how we rock the Hawks Trey on his demon time now I talked to him the other day he back
Starting point is 00:41:14 so he on that oh man that's what that sound like they about to get yeah buddy free Trey Young they about to treat them 11 journeys
Starting point is 00:41:23 like them Julius Randles oh shit nah he's he's top heavy now bro yeah that yeah he's top heavy Free trail. They about to treat them 11 journeys like them Julius Rattles journeys. He's top heavy now, bro. He's top heavy now. We under the radar. It's cool. Y'all for sure under. We under. Put that on the chalkboard, coach. Mind you, EJ said
Starting point is 00:41:41 he going out in Atlanta. He might act like Kawhi Leonard When they play the Hawks Drip clip DLP Cut off T Straight up Y'all crazy
Starting point is 00:41:54 Oh man, listen I know you got a hard out EJ, we appreciate you sliding on this big dog Man, listen Legend in the city I love it every time we talk about basketball Especially when it comes to high school basketball It's always praise for you, man We've been excited for this episode This is one for the city I love it every time we talk about basketball especially when it comes to high school basketball it's always praise for you man
Starting point is 00:42:06 we've been excited for this episode this is one for the city y'all had classic battles man we appreciate you sliding on you man good luck this year you know what I'm saying
Starting point is 00:42:13 except for when you pay the paces good luck this year man we appreciate y'all rocking with us like share subscribe all that good shit we'll be back next time
Starting point is 00:42:19 club 520 the volume I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time. Have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no.
Starting point is 00:42:39 This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English.
Starting point is 00:42:56 I'm Greg Glod. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios.
Starting point is 00:43:13 Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michael Kasson, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on good company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode,
Starting point is 00:43:36 I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi. We dive into the competitive world of streaming. What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. There are so many stories out there. And if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Sarah Spain, host of Good Game with Sarah Spain, and the co-author of the new book Runs in the Family, an incredible true story of football, fatherhood, and belonging, written with and about Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Dylan McCullough. It's the story of a football coach and father of four who sees his life forever changed by the unsealing of his adoption records.
Starting point is 00:44:28 And it's got a twist you won't believe. Based on the viral ESPN story I did a few years ago, this book will blow your mind and bring you to tears. Buy Runs in the Family, wherever books are sold. This is an iHeart Podcast.

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