Club 520 Podcast - Club 520 - Greg Oden on being #1 NBA Draft pick, playing with LeBron James, injury misfortunes
Episode Date: May 20, 2024We’re back with Season 2, Episode 68 of Club 520 where Jeff Teague and the guys are joined by Greg Oden to discuss becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Oden talks about his time sp...ent at Ohio State, and then getting drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. The guys discuss how Greg’s career was cut short due to injury, getting to play alongside LeBron James on the Miami Heat, and his current coaching position at Butler. #Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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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.
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.
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, 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.
The Volume.
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Hey, we appreciate y'all rocking with us.
CLUB520 live in Indianapolis.
We at the crib.
We appreciate y'all pulling up to the app. We appreciate y'all rocking with us Club 520 Live in Indianapolis We at the crib We appreciate y'all pulling up
To the amp
We appreciate y'all having us
In over wings
Appreciate y'all with the wonderful spread
Check out all the food vendors
Want to show us over
Shout out to the bartenders
Make sure y'all tip the bartenders
The 520 drink be here
What's in there man?
You got
God damn I done forgot
God damn
Red Bull, Pineapple
That's great advertisement
Consumigos Rep And that's it Hennessy man Goddamn, I done forgot. Goddamn. Red Bull, Pineapple. That's a great advertisement.
Consomigos.
Rep.
And that's it.
Hennessy, man.
Henny.
Shake it, pour it, mix it.
What are y'all doing?
He asked what was in the drink. What are you doing, bro?
Come on, bro.
Shout out to Hennessy.
Come on.
We ain't going to never go corporate.
Fuck it.
We'll be here.
Hey, we appreciate y'all pulling it up, Club 520 Podcast.
I'm the host. My name is DJ Wells. We got a special guest to my left. Legend Fuck it, we'll be here. Hey, we appreciate y'all pulling up. Club 520 Podcast. I'm the host.
My name is DJ Wells.
We got a special guest to my left.
Legend, legend, legend of the city.
Introduce my man's last to my far left.
My dog, Bishop B. Hinn.
Out the pearlies.
How you doing, Nasty?
Cool, Nasty.
Let's get to it, baby.
I see you got your work shoes on.
Every time we go out of town, you don't never wear black forces.
They say you be pump faking.
Nah, we back at it today for the city.
Out the gate to my right
my dog young nacho young t how you what i'm chilling bro i'm happy to be here i'm glad
everybody came rock what does i see all my partners in the crowd so that's cool the force
is weak as though i'm gonna keep it up every week bro come on man or this get on his ass
get rag on your head all right let's go now you are You out of pocket you real comfortable today
You at home
Let me be me
Damn you about to start making me cuss on this motherfucker
DJ introduce the sneaker
So we can go with the show
Alright man we got a legend from the east side of Indianapolis
Number one pick you know what I'm saying
Legend legend legend Mr. Greg
How you doing sir appreciate you pulling up to 520 my boy
I'm good I'm good fellas I'm good, fellas. Appreciate
y'all for having me up here.
Everybody appreciate y'all coming out.
Now, we got to tell the people, we had Udonis Haslam on our podcast.
You know what I'm saying? He said
he knew about Indianapolis because of you. He was scared of the
east side because you had him in Miami
drinking Patrinity.
Yeah, I learned that shit on the west coast.
Damn.
When I was drinking here, I was drinking Terre Haute, Indiana.
Whoa.
I mean, you was drinking meth.
That nigga had a straight cup of Breaking Bad.
That boy was out there moving and shaking pour, wasn't he?
Hey, man.
Those were my people.
When I first moved here, I moved to Terre Haute when When I moved from Buffalo, New York in the fourth grade.
So I grew up there.
I didn't come to Indy until eighth grade.
For sure.
But how did you, like, how would you make Udonis Haslam, you know what I'm saying?
Because that's a strong nigga.
We done met him.
He do a lot of shit in his spare time.
How did you make a nigga like that, like, lead a club off the patronage seat?
That shit is nasty.
Nah, it is. It's simplenity seat. That shit is nasty. Nah, it is.
It's as simple as that.
That shit is nasty.
But it's strong as fuck.
And at that time, I just liked to get fucked up and quit.
So that's what it was.
Yeah, I see your method.
It'll do that to you.
When you start drinking that, though, when you got drafted?
Uh, uh, nah.
Before that?
High school.
High school. I had a? High school, high school
I had a nice getaway in high school
I knew y'all East Siders was crazy, boy
We ain't do none of that out West, do we?
Y'all still partying together right now
I see y'all tonight at All Stars
Shout out to my West Side nigga
But now I got a question
So, growing up I seen you, man
You was in seventh grade.
I seen you at Craig Middle School.
You wasn't the number one pick in seventh grade, I'll tell you that.
I was like, man, this dude is tall.
We seen you playing for Andy here.
You weren't playing as much.
Like when did basketball start picking up for you?
Like when you seen it, like the difference?
Actually, it was the summer after seventh grade.
Okay.
I grew up in a boys and girls club so uh while my mom worked late nights i was just sitting there hooping and uh seventh grade i dunked the basketball and said why don't i just
do this it's easy yeah and that's when everything started looking up for me so how tall was you then six seven god damn at 12 your mama better have a chance
she had to walk around with my birth certificate when we went to au tournaments but
like fifth grade in the fifth grade i got to like 5 11 and by the end of sixth grade i was 6 6
trash what size shoes you wearing What size shoes
Right now I wear a 19
Nah I mean
Balls that's crazy
I'm talking about
Fifth sixth grade
Probably like 13
What fuckers been in trouble
Yo
13 boy you won't get no jewelry What fuck has been in trouble Yo 13
Boy you won't get no joints
None
Well you had to play the full
I can barely get them joints now
I already know
That's crazy
But like you said
Everything clicked for you
Got a little bit taller
Once you got to high school
Like you honestly have
One of the best
High school basketball careers
Of all time
Like
It pains me to say this.
Shout out to Ellen.
Y'all went crazy.
Shout out to Mike.
Still going crazy right now.
How was that going into that school?
You know what I'm saying?
You clicked up your boy.
Y'all was already nice.
Y'all just dominated all through high school.
He was nice.
He was on the front of, like, Sports Illustrated for kids
when he was in the second and third grade.
So, just playing with Mike, I mean, it was easy.
Like, you know, everybody think that I did something.
I might have did a little bit, but he was the type of point
guard that, you know, put you in your right spots.
He made everybody on the court better.
And, you know, after that blunder our freshman year,
we finally, it finally clicked.
And, yeah, we got three state championships that's
all i gotta say like seeing mike still playing right now what is that like what did that do for
you like me watching him still play i'm like dang boy he's been playing he's been great since we
were in second grade like you said and he's still killing and i'm like it's amazing to see what he
in like year 17 yeah year 17 special man i mean I'm happy for him, man. You know, like, shit, I can barely walk down these stairs without my knee hurting.
Me too, boy.
Just to see some guys out there that's our age, you know,
still going out there and balling, playing at the highest level.
And I want him to win a championship.
You know, he deserves it.
He's been playing good basketball for a long time.
No, that's a fact.
I kind of don't want him to, though.
I kind of like being the only one.
Is that because it's your ex-team?
No, it's like I'm the only one that won.
So, it's like, cool, you know what I'm saying?
I'm hating.
Yeah, you are.
His would be a little bit more meaningful, though.
Why, are they going to have an after party?
No, because he play.
Oh, damn.
It'd be your guy.
That's why I eat his food.
I don't like Don Reed, but anyway.
What's crazy?
How did y'all meet, though?
How did you and Mike meet up?
So, I guess his dad got wind of me when I was living in Terre Haute at the time,
and the speech team pulled up when they were at Riverside.
Yeah.
And they all drove down.
I want to say it was like seven or eight of them.
It was Mike, Curtis White, Reese Cheatham, Devin Williams.
A little shout-out to Devin Williams.
I had to get my hair with the straight backs.
Oh, yeah.
And you, early career. I don't tell nobody about that.
But, you know, they all pulled up with Coach Mike Conley,
and they came, knocked on my door,
seven black kids my age, asked me to speak to me,
asked me if I wanted to play basketball.
And I looked at all them right behind my mom and was like,
it's Saturday, I'm watching cartoons.
Damn.
And they went back in the house.
And then that following week, they got me out to play in the men's league.
You know, the Riverside team used to play in the men's league.
And since then, I want to say that was sixth grade.
Me and Mike Conley played basically every game together from sixth grade
until we got drafted in the league.
That's crazy.
And we're going to talk about y'all going to school, to college together.
But I'll talk about y'all going to school To college together But
Y'all talk about y'all in high school
Because y'all had some battles
On the low
You know what I'm saying
Yeah we never beat them
We never beat them
They always beat us
About five or six points
I remember one time
We played y'all
Might have been my junior year
Think it might have been
Your senior year
We played at LN
I went to the basket
It's the first time
I knew I couldn't
Beat your ass
But I was like
gonna have all my west side homies they in the crowd too i was gonna tell him like we're gonna
be his ass we're gonna figure this out but uh now i went to the basket and you blocked the shot
and you pointed at my temple and said what the are you thinking and ever since then
i wanted to ask you, what the fuck was you thinking?
Honestly, I want to say after, like, after sophomore year, so junior and senior year of high school, I found the energy drink boost.
And I used to drink, like, two or three of them before the game.
And I swear to God, I don't remember nothing.
I don't remember none of that.
So I apologize to my brother.
But I remember, like, there was a couple of games I used to dunk,
and it would be, like, they would call a foul,
and it would just be, like, I was on some shit.
That shit was tough, though.
You was doing your adult thing in high school.
Three energy drinks per game.
That's crazy.
You remember those, what was it, regional days at Hinkle?
You had to get two games, one in the morning, one in the evening. Yeah.
That shit out.
Next thing I know.
We played y'all every morning and lost every time.
Besides freshman year.
Oh, yeah.
Shout out to Courtney and MC Lee.
That hurts me very much.
Yeah, I'm glad they got y'all because nobody else.
Who was your toughest matchup in high school that you can remember?
Josh McRoberts, of course.
Legend.
He was nice.
That's my guy.
But the school was Arlington for us.
Not them Knights.
Look at Bubby.
We got one in the crowd.
Any of them.
They couldn't be the right.
It was Arlington, man.
I want to say it was like it might have been junior or sophomore year.
Junior year?
Okay, so we played.
He got one win.
He called it out.
Get your ass on.
We played them.
How long did we celebrate?
We played them in the second round of sectionals.
It was either the second.
Yeah, your friend's name.
If it was three.
Yeah.
That was the state championship.
No, it wasn't. No, it wasn't. Yes, it was. No, it wasn't. That's what y'all talking about. It was either the second. Yeah. That was the state championship. No, it wasn't.
No, it wasn't, nigga.
Yes, it was.
No, it wasn't.
What y'all talking about?
It was number one versus number two.
No, that was a sectional game.
Hold on, nigga.
Nah, that was the state championship.
He's saying they were the best teams.
Oh, okay.
I got you.
Yes, that was the state championship.
We would have beat Arlington as though.
Y'all would have.
Yeah, we would have dogged them.
They weren't smart enough.
I ain't going to do that to my niggas. Chill out. I'm on my phone. You're right. I'm on my phone. Y'all was've Yeah we would've Dogged them They weren't smart enough I ain't gonna do that
To my niggas
Chill out
I'm on my phone
You right
I'm on my phone
Y'all was a better team
Shout out to B
Shout out to Buck
But you had
They was cheating for you though
When y'all played them
In that sectional game
You had like 18-19 blocks bro
You was go tended
Like a motherfucker
You said niggas go
And I'm glad you're here
So I can tell you
About yourself
And your cheating ass coach
And y'all paid
Them motherfucking refs
So shout out to my niggas
At Arlington
Cause y'all was really
Supposed to lose
That motherfucker
But we can keep on
With this
He just with the IPS bro
Just some IPS shit
You feel me
His school don't exist
No more
We still won though
So he can talk about
The shit he want to
We still won
That's when I knew
Basketball was rigged
I'm like man I hope this nigga tears ACL
God damn
I was on that back then
Hold on so you mean I got you to blame
For all my shit
Nah that's the motherfucking power drinks
That Lamar Odom pregame crazy
That was a crazy game
I ain't gonna compare him to Lamar Odom pregame, crazy. That was a crazy game. Nah, Lamar Odom did something different.
I ain't going to compare him to Lamar Odom.
Yeah, don't do that.
Don't do that.
They be trying to do that in front of my daughter.
They be like, Lamar Odom.
My wife be like, hell no.
Don't do me like that.
Nah, I had to get that off my chest.
Nigga, I was saving that.
Nah, you was.
Yeah, I was shitting.
R.P.
It's the IPS school system. Nah, for sure. Nah, but I was saving it. Yeah, you was. Yeah, I was shitting. Our peer-to-IPF school system.
Nah, for sure.
Nah, but I will say in high school, that was probably our best game
because they would get us during the regular season,
and then we would beat y'all in sectionals, you know.
Respect.
Respect.
Even though you only beat us like once.
Oh, you guys, they living on that.
Bruh, I get texts every month.
Our team was the best team in the world.
He over there.
His name Bubby.
Shout out to Bubby.
They was number one, though.
They healthy.
They was.
They was.
But you went crazy in high school.
You know what I'm saying?
How was that decision to go to Ohio State?
And I wonder what that decision would be now with NIL.
Well, the decision would have been the same.
But I would have been getting paid just as much as quarterback at this time.
Yeah.
I mean, NIL is crazy.
And I think I was talking to Jeff earlier about that.
Just the type of talent that's getting the 500,000s, the millions.
Sometimes you be like, well, damn, what would we have got?
Like, when's somebody gonna
sue so we can get our shit back shit i can't wait look you would have got five million off top man
you was the best player in the nation you was a generational talent like it wasn't too many people
walking around like you you was jumping 40 you had a 40 foot inch vertical whatever it was 40
inch vertical foot pulse you got 40 inch vertical
like you was going crazy like nobody in the world was like you at that time you would have got five
million dollars easy that's on the low end i want an easy bro i would have took it five mil after
taxes i mean you already got that anyway when you went to a house that we ain't gonna talk about i
know the truth oh but hold on hold on hold on i do gotta tell this story because this hit a nerve
i remember one time i was in the locker room and I was talking to Brandon Roy and LaMarcus,
and I was like, yeah, man, I ain't get paid.
All I got was Pell Grant at Ohio State.
Shout out to Coach Mata.
He do everything the right way.
But I was able to get Pell Grant, so that's my little thousand every couple of weeks.
Man, these fools laughed in my face.
Like, belly laughed hard when I said I didn't get paid in school.
I would have laughed at you, too.
Oh, man.
I know the markets got paid.
How much you got?
Shout out to weight.
Oh, when I had that freshman year?
Oh, my mama was straight.
You only got a thousand at Ohio State?
I just got Pell Grant, man.
Man.
Get paid.
Get out of pocket.
You got to talk to Evan Turner.
Oh, no.
So I remember the story.
Ran into this little runner back in the day.
It was like Asians trying to get guys.
And one night, gave me $100.
Anything, you know, I'll take care of you.
The next day, Jim Jackson comes and talks to the Ohio State basketball team.
He's talked to us for 30 minutes and ends on the, you know,
if you do everything the right way for Ohio State,
the Buckeye faithful will love you for life.
Man, I had to go back and get that man that $100, man.
I did.
I really did.
I did not take any money while I was at the Ohio State
University. You a damn fool.
I might give a fuck about that
$100. Fuck Jim Jackson.
Well, back then, man.
Nigga was getting $1,000 every six
months. You needed that honey
money. That's actually
what I lived off of before the draft.
Yeah.
But no, man you. But now,
man,
at that time,
you know,
you couldn't get none
in Ohio State,
you know,
with the Maurice Claret stuff.
It was just,
everything was on.
So,
you just had to do stuff
the right way.
You right.
Maurice fucked it up,
y'all.
For sure.
And that year you was there,
you know what I'm saying,
y'all went crazy.
In particular,
you went crazy
and you had to play
without your dominant hand.
That's like one of the most amazing feats in basketball that don't get spoken
enough, that you dominated college basketball with your offhand.
Respect, bro.
I appreciate that.
Nah, that was crazy.
Nah, you was killing, bro.
Like, nah, it's amazing that you were shooting free throws with your left hand
at seven foot.
You know, big guys struggle at the free throw line.
And for you to be able to switch hands to do that, that was crazy.
It wasn't that crazy to me.
I just went up there and was like, don't air ball this mother.
Damn.
67% maybe.
Shit, that's with the off hand, though.
That's crazy.
That's crazy.
That's good, though.
How was that matchup against Florida, though, in that championship game?
Who was y'all toughest?
Who was the toughest matchup, you think?
Was it Al Horford or Corey Brewer?
Joakim Noah, too, was on that squad.
It was Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, Torian Green, Chris Richards,
Maurice Spates, and then somebody else, I want to say that got drafted
Or played on the NBA team
But shit
Y'all had a whip too
Nah y'all had a whip too
It was you, Daquan, Mike
Ron Lewis
What was 33's name?
I forgot his name
The shooter that y'all had
Nah outside of Daquan who else was on the team?
Ron Lewis.
Ron Lewis, yeah.
Ron Lewis, who hit the shot against Xavier.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Othello Hunter.
Othello.
Matt Tuller.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, y'all was in Atlanta together.
Yeah, I played with O in Atlanta.
Yes, sir.
O played a long time, man.
O, geez, we was seeing him, man.
Big fan of O, man.
Yeah.
Crazy as hell. Crazy.
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Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th.
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I'm Clayton English.
I'm Greg Lott.
And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast.
Yes, sir. We are back.
In a big way.
In a very big way.
Real people, real perspectives.
This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man.
We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner.
It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves.
Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne.
We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is.
Benny the Butcher.
Brent Smith from Shinedown.
We got B-Real from Cypress Hill.
NHL enforcer Riley Cote.
Marine Corvette.
MMA fighter Liz Karamush.
What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things.
Stories matter, and it brings a face to them.
It makes it real. It really 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.
And to hear episodes one week early
and ad-free with exclusive content,
subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.
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
is that they feel seen. Get a front row seat to where media, marketing, technology, entertainment,
and sports collide. And hear how leaders like Anjali are carving out space and shaking things up a bit in the most crowded of markets.
Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Without the ball, it's just a court. Without the spirit, it's only a game.
So together with the fans, we bring our best.
Hennessy is excited to celebrate the intersection of basketball with art, music, and fashion.
Each of these elements of culture represent the ways that players, fans, and supporters
all pay homage to the game, both on and off the court.
Hennessy and Mitchell and Ness came together for the ultimate drop.
To show they share love for basketball and the culture.
Look, man, Hennessy and Mitchell and Ness got together
to do a limited collab for both of them
to share how they love the game of basketball.
Hennessy's had a long partnership with the NBA,
so has Mitchell and Ness.
It's only right.
The collection will be available in retail and online stores
and also available in the Hennessy Arena.
Tours are making stops in San Fran March 9th, Dallas March 17th,
and Atlanta March 30th.
Club 520 will be in attendance doing what we do best,
also having a drink at Hennessy.
Come have your favorite Hennessy cocktail with your guys, man.
And for your next pregame, let's share a twist
on your favorite classic, a Hennessy margarita.
Squeeze a fresh lime
in a spice of agave.
Topped off with ice
in a salted rim.
Mix it, shake it, pour it,
and enjoy the spirit
of the league.
Hennessy without your spirit
is just a game.
Please, this is only
for the 20-plus and up group.
Drink responsibly.
And so obviously,
y'all went crazy,
came up short in the national championship,
but you ended up being the number one pick that summer.
How was that summer for you going from Ohio State
to being the number one pick?
Like, obviously, it was always Hollywood cool,
Ohio is talented, but to be official the number one pick,
like, how was that process for you?
It was a whirlwind of shit,
just going through the draft process and everything you got to do
especially knowing you could be one or two um just always doing interviews just going here and there
never really getting the time to yourself to sit down but i remember uh at draft like right you
know after we got called i remember running to joe kim He was like, Gio, we going to turn up in the city. Where are we going?
And motherfuckers in Portland was like, yeah, you got an hour to say bye to your family.
We got a jet.
We got a whole parade set up for you the next day.
So I will say I missed out on my turn up night with all the draftees in New York.
But that parade in Portland and being the number one pick and seeing everything in that city,
what could have been was definitely an experience I will never forget.
I'm so thankful for it because it changed my life.
For sure.
And obviously that Portland team, obviously when you playing,
you know what I'm saying, despite the injuries,
y'all had some really talented people on that team.
Y'all definitely like one of the one of the teams.
How was it to play with like a LaMarcus, Aldridge,
and to have a Brandon Roy in your squad?
Because y'all all was super talented.
Yes, we was just super young, and I rarely got to play with them.
We only played like 76 games, I read, together.
Damn near. It might have been 72, for real.
Yeah.
But those dudes were so talented.
You know, Brandon Roy always walking in. What up,
Greg Oden? He never just called me Greg. He always had to say my full name. That's my guy,
LaMarcus, man. Just one of the most unstoppable games. Say that you're going to stop me going to
this hook or I'm going to do this turnaround J. He was just so smooth. And, you know, I really
wish I was healthy enough to be able to help build what Portland had, man.
We had some guys coming in, the Steve Blakes, the Andre Millers, Gerald Wallace.
You know, it was.
Hey, hello, OGs.
No, we did get a lot of OGs.
But that was necessary back then, though.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Playing with Marcus Canby, Joe Prisbilla.
Damn, that's some names right there.
Hey, man.
Dude, I learned a lot.
I just wish I was out on the floor.
I seen an interview with Brandon Roy.
He was talking about how when you first got there, you was just dominating.
And he was like, it was so impressive to see you.
He was like, I knew I was going to win two or three championships with him.
He was so good.
And it just took me back to, like, you in high school and seeing you in AAU.
I'm like, bro, he was so dominant.
So I knew what he was talking about.
You was the man.
Like, everybody around here know you.
We know how dominant you were.
So the injuries suck.
It's part of the game.
But, yeah, you definitely was one of them dominant guys for sure.
I appreciate that.
You was on the cover of College Hoops.
Like, I know College Hoops coming back this year.
Niggas is geeked about that. But you was on the cover of one Hoops Like I know College Hoops Coming back this year Niggas is geeked about that But you was on the cover
Of one of the best
Basketball games ever
How was that?
And did you get paid for that?
I
Did I get paid for that?
No I think I took the honor
Man I wish I was your agent
In fucking college
I had no agent in college man
Oh man
Man tap me in.
NIO kids, I got y'all.
I mean, you know, just being able to look back at it.
I mean, I think it was the last, maybe one of the second to last, like, college, you know, putting college players on, you know.
So, it was nice.
Have you gone back and see what we look like in them games?
No.
Somebody randomly, like, Instagram me with them. I was bad hanging up. Have you gone back and see what we look like in them games? No. The graphics is crazy.
Somebody randomly, like, Instagram me with them.
I was bad, boy.
Nah, homie did a reel of all your graphics from, like, college to 2K.
Weak.
Them first 2K graphics is crazy.
And they had a mohawk.
I'm sick of this shit, bro.
Wow.
What made you? I know we interviewing Greg
What made your lame ass get a mohawk
Bitch you was up
Why you get the mohawk
Corny ass nigga
Y'all laughing at this shit
I was living in Atlanta bro
And he got a dot
I ain't get that shit dot
I was real nigga I ain't get a dot. I didn't get that shit dot, nigga.
I was real, nigga. I didn't get a dot.
But I did ask for a design on the side.
Hell no.
Obviously, y'all played each other in high school.
How was that?
Did y'all catch any games each other in the pros?
Yeah, I got to play against Greg.
Every time he walked up to me like how
the hell you get to atlanta i'm in portland he would say it to me every single time i seen him
i'm like shit i can't get in the game fuck me in atlanta how i'm gonna get in like i used to hate
i ain't gonna lie it was you and al horford man and after that was in the sierra video i was hating every time i've seen y'all niggas i was
like i was hating too i'm worried about playing i'm worried about partying i'm injured man i got
free time on my hair goodies was a nice video spectacular back in the day how was that though
watching brennan roy who because he got stopped His career got stopped with injuries too
We talked about him before on the show
I think Joe Johnson was better personally
But
Brandon Roy was a dog for sure
I mean they both really good
But Brandon it was just so natural to him
That's why out there in Portland
They gave him the nickname the natural man
He would just do things that you just
Nobody was even thinking of.
You know, he's just – I mean, a lot of guys from that Seattle area got game like that.
They can just score, man.
They're just bucket getters.
Right.
And just such a good dude.
You know, I wish he could have played a little longer as well, man.
For sure.
So talented, man.
And he carried, you know, the teams we did have.
It wasn't a long time. Yeah. But, you know, he was – he just did conservative, man, and he carried, you know, the teams we did have. It wasn't a long time.
Yeah.
But, you know, he was – he just did things, man.
Sometimes I find myself going back and watching Brandon Roy's top ten plays on YouTube.
Hey, man, that boy was cold.
Nah, he was cold.
Definitely cold.
He was right behind Kobe if he didn't get hurt.
Nah, he was like that.
Nah, I love Brandon Roy's game.
You putting him right behind Kobe is crazy. Pause. I mean, but he was like – Yeah, that's pause. Yeah, he – like that. Nah, I love Brennan Roy game. You putting him right behind Kobe is crazy.
Pause.
I mean, but he was like.
Yeah, that's pause.
Yeah, he.
That's crazy.
Chill out, bro.
That was crazy.
That was crazy, bro.
Let's move on.
You're doing a lot.
Okay, my bad.
You're doing a lot today.
Okay.
Let me chill.
Hey, you may not have got to Atlanta, but you definitely got to play in Miami.
I did.
It was one year, LeBron's last year, and I learned a lot basketball-wise and off-the-court-wise
just with being with all those Hall of Famers and great players for a long time.
And then basketball-wise, man, I've never seen basketball at that level. I mean, basically,
you were seeing guys playing at the top of their game. And we talk about Hall of Famers playing at the top of their game.
And I will say to me, LeBron James is the best player to play the game.
Even though I love Jordan, I love Shaq, and I think Will Chamberlain is the man.
But watching Bron do it, like out there, like watching him get 63 points in the game
and I'm getting four points playing 16 minutes
tired as hell game over he's dancing around and I'm about to die my leg about to fall off
off of 16 minutes like the man just had crazy energy man and I'm that that year in Miami was
good and I didn't go out that much because I knew I didn't want to get in trouble.
So I told myself I could have one cheap meal and I can't go to South Beach.
Oh, damn you.
Until the end of the season.
Oh, you was locked in.
Oh, yeah.
Couldn't have been me.
Boy was outside, ain't he?
Boobie trap.
Live on Sunday.
You better know it.
They would have hung my jersey up for real for you
no bro that's mike don't do that man don't try to add my name so what's up with your charities
now what charities you working with now so the first one um right now coaching at butler a big
charity is called a kid again um it's throughout the country but but basically, A Kid Again, they provide adventures for families that have kids dealing with life-threatening illnesses.
So basically, something for the whole family just to get their mind off of being in the hospital and dealing with whatever illness that is.
So A Kid Again is a great organization right here in the city.
The Colts mess with it.
The Pacers mess with it.
Butler messes with it.
So if you all want to check that out,
or if you have people who are dealing with life-threatening illnesses
and just need something, need a community, you guys should look them up.
That's dope, bro.
What made you get into coaching?
Honestly, I just kind of fell into it just trying to be around basketball. You know,
my career, it was basically taken away from me with all the injuries. So just trying to be around
the game, went back to Ohio State to get my bachelor's degree and, you know, just was going
to practices every day. And then I just figured, you know, I got a lot to offer some of these young kids.
I know the game.
I got experience in life and the ups and downs of being a pro.
Play college at the highest level.
So it's something that I kind of just pursued.
You talk about coaching.
Could you have ever seen him being a high school coach?
Knowing him as long as you know him?
I think so. I think so.
I think so.
Because these kids need it these days, man.
Honestly, you need somebody like him that's going to go out there
and is going to show them and probably cross them over
and cuss them out at the same time
because they really do not listen these days.
You need somebody that's proven an NBA champion
that can go out there and tell them
what they need to do to get to that level.
I'm going to go ahead and give him and his props
as the NBA champion he is.
Appreciate that.
I think they took my ring back though.
Yeah, they took my ring back.
The Bucks fans beat up me.
Hey,
yeah, I did. They don't fuck with you.
He said he still got to deal with parents, bro, at the college level.
I would imagine.
I mean, there's a lot of money being thrown around now.
So, you know, if you don't feel like your son in the best situation,
they're probably going to complain a little bit.
You know what I mean?
But it's a tough environment right now.
You think that hurt the game, G?
I don't.
What?
You talking about NIL?
Yeah, NIL.
No, because the players should have been getting paid a long time ago.
I just think it needs to have a cap on it.
Because right now it's kind of the have and have nots.
You know, the big schools can just – you can throw $500,000 at a player
that's going to be your 12th man out of Kansas
when this kid can be your best player
and the most you can give him is $200,000 at a small school.
Gotcha.
So it's just, you know, and then the transfer portal is going to add to that
because you got all these good kids going and sitting the bench at a big school
and then they're going to transfer and they're going to go somewhere else,
maybe a smaller school that didn't recruit them then they're going to transfer and they're going to go somewhere else maybe a smaller school that didn't recruit them they're going to dominate so now another big
school comes in saying you can be the man so now they transfer again and then another thing that's
happening is these kids ain't finishing out they spring they spring term so now they dropping out
of school early and then trying to catch up so a a lot of them are not going to finish their degree. Got you. And another thing, they don't get any financial education.
Like, all these kids at a young age are getting all this money,
and nobody is really telling them what to do.
You know, a lot of these kids are paying agents 20%.
Lee.
I mean, like in the NBA, like in the NBA, you're only paying like 3%, 3%, 4%.
And a lot of these kids, or even the parents or even the families
from where these kids are coming from don't even know.
So it's going to be a lot.
So in the long run, I think it is going to hurt the game
until we get some cap on it.
Now, I remember you came to talk to us in the NBA.
You came to Minnesota.
I was in Minnesota, and you came up and told us about your experience
when it came to financial stuff.
And you doing that and sharing that kind of info with the kids, man, it's big.
Because right now it is an environment where everybody is just getting a lot of money,
buying scat packs and all type of stuff.
And that money can last them and give them a really good head start on life.
But I don't think they see it yet because everybody thinks they're going to the NBA.
So you saying that is big.
Yeah.
I've been working with
this company, Educore,
for about four years now
and just teaching financial literacy
to athletes and entertainers.
We're moving to the college, but we're
also still doing professional athletes
and entertainers.
It's definitely a lot. It's definitely
needed.
When I go and talk, I had a lot of horror stories.
So I kind of come in as, you know, an ex-athlete that can kind of tell these guys to, you know,
basically be better with their money.
Don't do what I did.
And I'll just say I like to tell this one story.
It was like, you know, when you was young, you was getting your checks.
You knew it was coming.
It was being direct deposited.
And all I knew was that my money was on my card and I could get whatever I wanted off my debit card at any time.
And it was going to be there next month.
Well, shit, I'm in the club one day and that motherfucking credit card didn't work.
And it was like 1.30 in the morning.
And it was to the point where I wasn't as engaged with my financial people.
So I didn't even engaged with my financial people. So I
didn't even know who to call. Like if I was going to call the back of the car, I wouldn't
even know my own security number to even verify myself because I just had people handling
that for me. So the biggest thing we like to say in the financial literacy is as the
person who's making the money, be as engaged. Know where your money's coming from and where
it's going. Know who the people are that's handling your money because you don't want to be stuck in the
club like me emailing the financial guy in california and it's two in the morning you know
you hit you back no oh that's tough that happened to me at louis vuitton one time
i was in there trying to purchase some for For P I don't want to say P
So I was trying to purchase something for P
Trick or root
Trick or reed
Why did he give me sweet meat
And my card declined
My card declined
I was in Atlanta
I was at the store called Jeffries
My card declined
I leave
Cause I'm embarrassed
I go to the bank
I go get like 20,000
I got it
Don't play with me
I'm buying stuff all you want that stupid
but that happened to me too now kids need them stories though bro especially like you said the
transfer reporter the nil so crazy is that they can have these agreements for money but they don't
have to fulfill them because there's nothing back in those situations like bigger companies you can
do that but it's so many horror stories of kids that then transfer places promises money but they perform
but they were supposed to perform and they ain't get that bread but you can't sue nobody for that
shit and i think that's the most important thing going forward is to way to protect these kids
growing up now yes a lot of money thrown in their face but none of this shit is actually like
solidified yet so y'all having a company is saving a lot of people. Yeah, and another thing
on that is, well, if you're
going to come in and say, I need my money guaranteed,
then we're going to come in and say, well, then I
need 15 points a game.
That's going to start messing with it
again.
That's tough.
Get rid of the NIL,
though, bro. Oh, I don't know about that.
You tripping. You're rid of it, bro. Nah, I need to get paid. Get paid. I'm sayingIL though, bro. Oh, I don't know about that. You tripping. You tripping. Get rid of it, bro.
Nah, I need to get paid.
Get paid. I'm saying, though, like you said,
well, I'm not going to say get rid of it, but put a cap
on it like you said, though, bro, because
a lot of these kids don't be worth that
what they getting, for real. That's hate.
That's my hate. No, get paid, but I'm
saying, though, bro, a lot of kids
be cold at a small school, and
like you said, a dude could be the 12th
man on kansas getting 500 bands i ain't counting nobody's bread i'm just saying like spread the
money so it's not as sienna can't compete with dude you know what i'm saying with the nil so
that's why it's tough for sure if i get if i'm if i know i ain't going to the league i'm getting
the biggest bag i can't out the the gate. I go ride a bitch.
Respect, bro. We can move on.
I don't want to get into my spiel.
Now go ahead.
You a hog.
You can do it.
Nah, we good.
For sure.
All right, Greg, I got to ask you, what's the best team you ever been on?
The Miami Heat team.
Oh, is that easy?
2013, 2014.
I mean, we made it to the NBA Finals.
Not going to lie. I think you out of pocket saying Brown better? 2013, 2014. I mean, we made it to the NBA Finals. Not going to lie.
I think you out of pocket saying Bron better than Jordan, though.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
Nah.
I grew up with Jordan.
I'm saying the person I've literally seen with my own eyes do it.
So, that's when I go, Bron is my goat because i've actually seen it now i grew up on jordan i
love jordan i think he's the greatest thing like everybody else like i would tell my daughter
michael jordan but for me personally it's lebron because i've seen him do stuff that
like i ain't think it's possible nah lebron cole he didn't he he probably is. He like 1A. And Michael Jordan, like, not in the system.
Like, he by himself.
Because, like, MJ, everybody wanted to be MJ.
Not everybody want to be Brian.
Like, not everybody want to be Brian, bro.
Like, we still, look, you look in the crowd right now,
there's Jordans everywhere.
Like, everybody wear Jordans.
Everybody still want to be Jordans.
I got Jordans on.
I don't know what the fuck you got on.
But everybody still.
Boy, he's showing his ass today.
My fault.
Boy, he's showing his ass.
I got you, brother.
Go ahead.
He the ice and door and basket door.
I didn't even see the brand.
He even labeled up in the video.
Look at the real.
Look at that 360 deal, man.
Shout out to my nigga, the real. I don't. But I up in the theater. Look at Darrell. Look at that 360 deal, man. Shout out to my nigga Darrell.
I don't, but I think on the court, though, it's kind of hard to be like LeBron James.
That's what he's saying.
You don't train your kid to be like a LeBron because he's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of talent.
He's saying influential-wise, Jordan is more impactful.
I would say that.
More relatable.
You know what I mean?
As a big man, I got to ask you, how you feel about Jokic running the NBA right now?
I'm proud of it.
Jokic is – me and Jeff was talking.
He got that game that he's going to play if he wanted to for 25 years
and can still dominate as long as he can move, man.
His IQ of the game and just the things he can do with his body
and lack of athleticism is just amazing.
And I think a lot of these kids coming up need to take notice of the skill
and just the IQ of the game to be that type of dominant player,
not just being athletic is going to get you there.
For sure.
All right, before we get out of here,
obviously I know who you're taking in that Temple Wolves Nuggets,
but who you got tomorrow game, seven Pacers-Knicks?
I got Pacers.
My nigga.
Jokes.
Jokes.
My nigga.
Knicks in seven, bro.
I got Jalen Brunson.
Well, I've been saying I think
the Knicks are the better team,
technically. You're not supposed to say
that on the microphone, Greg.
I am
all in on the Pacers right now, man.
I like the Pacers.
Playing at the Garden game
seven. Right now, I think the Knicks is
just too banged up for me to see them.
But that crowd going to be crazy.
You know how the atmosphere is.
A lot of people shrinking them kind of environments.
It's going to be New York, game seven.
All of them in New York, and that's – thank you.
I know they did some yesterday.
They went to some bar or some.
Yeah.
It's over with, bro.
Yeah, it's over.
You know my motto.
Miles Turner, Tina Turner, Brittany Turner.
Nixon 7, bro.
No, I don't know that.
Nixon 7.
Is OG back?
Nah, don't matter.
Damn.
Pacers in 7.
I heard you talk about Madison Square Garden.
I got to ask, what's one of the most craziest environments you played a basketball game in?
Michigan State, man.
Michigan State.
We went out and we was warming up before the game, and it got quiet.
Greg, how was World War II?
Damn.
I'm 19 at the time.
I was like, hold on, man.
You look 30.
I ain't talking about how you look.
Hey,
so nobody said
nothing on my team
and I respect them for it,
but when we went in the back,
them motherfuckers was like,
hey,
did y'all hear
what the fuck
they said about Greg?
I ain't gonna lie.
I used to be like,
yo,
y'all gotta get
his birth certificate,
bro.
Bro,
damn,
they were one of
the Africans,
bro.
Yeah,
you said Greg's
a real Pascal?
He called him an African.
He's crazy.
He's racist.
No, to my face, it's crazy.
That's crazy.
Oh, man, my fault.
I'm wilding my butt.
Disrespectful.
No, I look at it like this.
They told me when I was 16, I looked 35.
When I was 21, I looked 35. When I was 21 I looked 35.
I'm 36
right now.
Hopefully when I'm 50
I look 45.
You got braids so I can't do
them no more. Shout out to you.
What old nigga that you don't
know ain't have his braids before he cut them off?
I'm just
in my little space right here.
Oh, okay. You're going to cut them hoes off.
Hey.
Them crazy. The real last dance.
Hey. You know what?
F*** y'all.
It's crazy.
Hey, I'm going to start heating the guests up.
That's our dog.
We at home.
Hey, Jeff, you got to bring back the pike braids.
Boy, this shit barely hanging on.
Hey, this is a shout out to you.
He at him?
The real idiot.
My shit's like Nipsey, bro.
Don't do that.
Oh, Nipsey.
You two have a lot.
I ain't talking.
No, I got the Devin Williams hang time.
I told you.
That's what they get before they put their soul in there.
Who got the soul in here?
You ask questions.
We out here.
Mike, do they want questions?
Mike, we can't hear you.
We don't know sign language.
Come on, Freaky Mike.
Don't ask him.
Three questions.
Anybody?
I'm going for a caramel shirt on. Freaky Mike. Don't ask him. Three questions. Anybody? That one for a caramel shirt on.
Sorry, Mike.
Mike got every khaki version of Nike.
It got matching socks.
Where the fuck you get the caramel blanket?
The guy got no socks on?
Oh, I thought you had no socks on.
I'm about to hurt your ass.
Anybody got questions?
Questions?
Questions?
Anybody got questions?
No, bet.
Damn, Mike. Shout out to Fre? No, bet. Rapper.
Damn, Mike.
Shout out to Freaky Mike, man. You ain't give him a chance to raise a hand.
Oh, I'm just playing.
It's all good.
Hey, we appreciate y'all, man.
Y'all been a great crowd.
Gio, appreciate you pulling up, my boy.
For sure, bro.
Strip about to get the party back rocking.
You know what I'm saying?
We got food over here.
The bar is back open.
Food vendor's back open.
Enjoy yourselves.
Have a good time.
Turn this bitch up.
We appreciate y'all rocking with us.
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.
This is 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.
I'm Greg Lott.
And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast.
Yes, sir.
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.
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 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.
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.
This is an iHeart Podcast.