Club Shay Shay - Best of LeBron Part 1: LeBron FIRES back at Stephen A. + Bronny James first NBA Bucket!

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson break down the best of LeBron James—his clash with Stephen A. Smith, Bronny’s first NBA points, and whether LeBron needed the Heat years to become the GOAT. 0:00 - LeBron responds to Stephen A. on Pat McAfee show 13:08 - Bronny scores first career points in Cleveland  28:01 - LeBron’s wife broke down film with him? 39:13 - LeBron needed Heat years to be the GOAT? (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hello, it's your favorite sports thunk here. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button to join the fastest growing community on YouTube. Remember, Nightcap doesn't happen without you. So please subscribe or you're gonna make Ocho cry. But back to this LeBron and Pat McAfee. Like you said, Ocho, we're not used to seeing LeBron James sit down for an extended period of time. Normally, like when he's in the finals or he's in the playoff, he would sit down. That's like five, that's like 10 minutes. And it's always basketball related too, huh? It's always basketball related. He's literally talking about other stuff going on in life. He's being vulnerable, letting people in, something he's never, never ever done before.

Players like that of his magnitude, of his status, that allows the world and the public to see what he wants you to, to actually sit down for a change. I guarantee to you, if they were to do the numbers on how many people watch that Pat McAfee show, I bet it's astronomical, crazy, because it's something he's never done.

Right. And, you know, and to see, like you said, to see him, but that just lets you know that he, for me, looking at him, considering that he had ever, ever done anything like this before, the thing about how many people have criticized him, and he's never, ever done it before.

So that lets you know he had gotten to a place that he's like, I've had it up to here. Yeah. And I don't know if he knew, I don't think he knew Stephen A was gonna come to the game, but he had it in his mind. If he ever saw Stephen A, he was gonna step to him. But he got Stephen A number.

He got a text to call him. If there was an issue, you're gonna text to call him. They communicate with each other. Obviously they have some sort of relationship. No, they don't. You don't think so? No. Okay. Well, my bad.

No. But like you said, I mean. Oh, you mean, no, they don't now as opposed to. No, I don't think they've ever had a relationship where they pick up the phone and they talk to each other like that. I don't think they've ever had that type of relationship. Do I think they've been cordial to each other? I remember, I think I saw something on an old clip, maybe with YouTube where Steven and I actually sat down and he interviewed LeBron,

but I don't think they're in a situation where they like pick up the phone, they have each other, they can call each other like that. I don't know if any LeBron is maybe teammates. And it could, I could be wrong. I could be wrong, I could be totally wrong. But I don't know if LeBron has his number or he has LeBron's number LeBron is you know, very very very LeBron rock with who he rock with and I think once you get to this level

If you hadn't if you haven't developed a friend by now LeBron James ain't letting you in his circle, right? It's really that simple. So he got his friends, Rich is his agent, Maverick is his chief of staff, Mav is one of his business partners. I'm trying to think who else he, Chris Paul, he's very close to Chris Paul. I think he's the godfather to run a CP3 that I think is vice versa the same thing with CP.

Right. But other than that, I don't think LeBron has a whole, a whole lot of what we call, I look at those guys, like I look at Bucket, like I look at Bucket and Burns. Right. He ain't got a whole lot of Bucket and Burns in his life. You ain't got a whole lot of, you know, TJ, yo boy, you rock with TJ, Tio, you ain't got a whole lot of, you know, TJ, your boy, you rock with TJ, uh, Tio, you ain't got a whole lot of them. Yeah. And I look at LeBron and I think LeBron is kind of like

that. But, uh, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully everybody's made their point. Yeah. LeBron was upset what he said. Steven, They said what I was trying to say Sometimes things get lost in translation. It is what it is. But at the end of the day, I Think we've got a we've got a lot of juice. I Think both of kind of squeezed that orange. Oh Joe. Yeah And got a lot of juice out of and then LeBron took a aim at Wendy Brian Winnhorst said this guy says He's my best effing friend. These guys are just weird. I Don't know if Wendy's ever say I think Wendy went to the same school. He went to Ocho

I don't think I don't think when I've never heard and I could be wrong guys. Hell I was on I was on Undisputed for seven years. I didn't hear everything Wendy said as a matter of fact, I for seven years. I didn't hear everything Wendy said. As a matter of fact, I didn't watch anything on anywhere. All I watched was the games that were on ESPN. I don't watch any other debate shows. I don't watch any other shows that do what I do and I'm going to be talking about something because I don't want what they say to creep in what I'm going to say. So I don't watch it. So Wendy, Chad, if he said that he was LeBron's best friend, I apologize, but I don't recall. And if I misspeak, I apologize to you guys, but I don't believe Wendy has said that he's LeBron's best friend.

I think because he's covered LeBron for so long, and I think they went to the same school, St. Vincent, St. Mary, he says, I think he said, I might probably know him better than anyone else. But I don't get why, I mean, he would say that about Wendy. Man, you never know. I think, like I said, LeBron is probably, LeBron is fed up. He's on, I'm not saying he's on the way out the door, but he's on the tail end of everything. And now he's opening up a little bit more, doing things out of character that he normally

wouldn't do, which is giving the people what they want. Letting us in, giving us a glimpse of what's inside the world and mind of LeBron King James. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. I hope he does more of it. I hope other athletes do more of it. You know what? I wish LeBron,

I wish LeBron was like Jeff Teague. Have you ever sat and listened to him tell stories? Yeah. LeBron, it would be an honor for him to take a page out of Jeff Teague's book and be that bone open and open and just give it to stories. I would love that. Yeah. LeBron talked about his relationship with MJ while he still has immense respect for Jordan. The pair don't talk much these days. I think that would change when he retires from NBA,

saying Jordan intense competitive spirit is why the two don't talk much now. We all know MJ, even if you don't know him personally, he's one of the most ruthless competitors there is. And until I'm done and he doesn't have to look at me run up and down that court wearing the 23, every time my name is mentioned, it's mentioned with his. He's like, I don't want to F and talk to you. Do you agree, Ocho? I mean, that's dope.

That's dope. That's the competitor nature in MJ. I think it's understandable, especially when it comes to him. I think he's not closed off, but MJ and Kobe are alike in a sense. MJ and Kobe are alike in a sense. I think their relationship will be much better and a lot closer once LeBron is done playing. Yeah. They go play golf together, smoke cigars, have a little wine, whatever it is that they do. But right now, while LeBron is actively playing, I don't think him and MJ just outside of playing

the game of basketball and being successful businessmen, there's not much for them to talk about right now. The only friend I know Jordan got is Oak. I mean, Oak is this guy. Now I've been around Jordan a little bit and he is ultra, ultra competitive. First thing I mean, I want, Hey, you want to play cards? No, I don't want to play cards because you know, Jordan game, you got to come there with at least 100 grand, 200 grand in cash. Oh yeah, he don't play.

He do not play. Yeah, I was like, no. I said, bro, you're not fit to have me living on the streets. I love my house. It ain't yours, but I ain't trying to keep up with you. No, no, I don't play no $5,000, no $50,000 a hand. Hell nah. Woo.

No, bro. Bro, guess what? As long as they make shoes with that logo, you got money coming in. dollars a hand, hell nah. Woo. No, bro, bro, guess what? As long as they make shoes with that logo, you got money coming in. I ain't in the NFL no more. I ain't got no more money coming in. You know, I was 35 then,

I can draw my picture to 62. So I got five, another five years before I could get that on show before I take a pill of it. Hell nah, I ain't gambling with you. As a matter of fact, I'm mad you asked me that. You know damn well I ain't got no money. No, I'm gonna let you and Oak,

cause I think they play guts. It's kind of like bourree. You ever play bourree? No sir, no sir. Or in between, but hell nah. He also, LeBron talked about Yanis on PMAG. Or in between, but nah, hell nah. He also, LeBron talked about Yanis on PMAG. You trying to tell me Yanis wouldn't be able to play in the NBA games in the seventies.

Yanis would have had 250 points in a game in the seventies. But let me ask you, see you transporting Yanis today back then. Do y'all really know what they did? Did y'all see those fights? How many people got to go down the lane? See the stuff that they called, they called foul now, that wasn't no foul. There was nobody getting suspended for slapping the ish out of somebody. There was no, I mean, there was no, I mean, what did Carl Malone put 44 stitches in Isaiah Head?

You still think you want to come down the lane? Do y'all remember the finals in 84? With Larry Burke, who was that? Kevin McHale snatched Kurt Ramsey inside the sky? Yeah, yeah. And it wasn't a flagrant, it wasn't nothing? If nobody was suspended, you can't take the modern play because, Ocho, you talk about technology

and you talk about the modernization. Yes, if you transport Yannis today and put him back then looking nice. Yes. What player couldn't? What player, if I take you today, you know what you know in the technology that you've been able to develop

and put you back in the 70s Man, oh Joe will kill it. Yes. Yeah Yeah, I'm modernization that's unfair. Yeah, I think from it just like it's unfair One more thing or Joe just like it's unfair to say oh man, the Jordan play today. He averaged 50 Let's have ideas let's leave everybody in the era in which they played in. Yannis plays in the two 2010s and 2020s. LeBron has been in the 2000s, the 2010s and now the 2020s. Let's leave everybody that because it's unfair. Yeah, it's unfair. Look, I get it. It is a conversation. But come on, because we're robbed. We're not we're not being fair to the guys that played in that era. That

was great. Right. Because it's almost like if you talk about these guys, like you're trying to minimize them. And I get mad at the old guys for trying to minimize the current players. Guys, you were great. Nobody's trying to rob you of that. You were great. These guys are great. The guys in the 60s that were great. The guys in the 70s were great. Guys in the 80s. But it's unfair, Ocho. Yeah. I mean, listen, I understand what LeBron was saying. Obviously he is exaggerated a little bit,

but if you look at the players from back then, I know just being honest, from a technical standpoint, from a physical standpoint, I know what they did in between the lane and being physical and slapping and punching and all that. But you're thinking about Giannis and Giannis today, it, oh my goodness, the athletic ability. It's called technology, Ocho.

You got an opportunity to work on things. Guys didn't have modern medicine. They didn't have technology. Think about when you ruptured Achilles. You were done. You tore a knee. You were done. You had that big ass bulky knee brace,

that big done joy on. It's different now. We got modern medicine. We know how to eat. We know how to train. We have personal trainers and physio. Those guys in the 60s and 70s and 80s didn't have the money to have all of this stuff.

Right. But Brian, when you making $50 million in basketball and another 75, $80 million off the court, you can have a chef that prepares every meal to your court. You can have a chef that prepares every meal to your specifications. You can have a physio, you can have a Mike Macias as LeBron, as excuse me, as Jordan had Tim Grover. Tim and I, Tim and I, we still, we text a lot now.

But it's different. It's not fair that you try to compare this era to that era or that era to this era? You're right. You're right. 25 years, 25 players. Before training camp kickstarts a new NFL season, NFL Daily is going to look back. It is a special six-episode series where myself, Greg Rosenthal, and some of the top NFL minds like Kevin Harlan, Mina Kimes, and

Bill Barnwell make the case for each player. We're taking a look back, giving you NFL Daley's top 25 players of the last 25 years. So who made the list? You know Tom Brady's on it. Where's Patrick Mahomes? Mahomes is into the end zone! Touchdown Kansas City! He's on it. How about Lamar Jackson? Jackson takes it himself. Look at him dart back and forth. Oh, he broke his ankles and he's got a touchdown. He is Houdini. You are gonna have to listen to find out,

listen to NFL Daily's top 25 players of the last 25 years starting on June 30th on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Cavaliers blow out the Lakers 1-30-4 to 1-10 as Ronnie James scored his first NBA point and his dad watches from the bench. Jared Allen scored 20 points, had 17 rebounds. Evan Mobley had 25 points and Donovan Mitchell had 24 points. The Lakers were led by LeBron James who played only 29 minutes because the game got out of hand. Anthony Davis continued his great play

having 22 points and 13 rebounds. The Lakers were unable to cut the Cleveland lead after falling behind by 23 in the first half. In the final minutes, Bronny grew up in the Indus Arena. He made a 14-foot jumper with two minutes and three seconds to play for his first NBA points. He's only a little over 40,000 from catching his dad switch. When you watch this game and considering how well the Lakers had played, uh, even though they lost the other night, I think it was last night. I think last night they lost, uh, by four to a Phoenix, but they won the previous

three, when you look at them, the first three games last night they lost by four to Phoenix, but they won the previous three. When you look at them, the first three games, last night and tonight, what didn't you like about what you saw from the Lakers? I mean, for me, it's a lot about ball movement. You know, for one, I mean, Braun is what, 40? About to be 41. He about to be 40.

Yeah. He about to be 40. 84. He about to be 40, 84. So no, he'll be 40 on December 30th. Yeah, yeah. So for me, it's like at the end of the day, like seeing him lead the charge is concerning and it's alarming because obviously, you know, you need a extra guy.

You need an extra guy or two to be doing it at his age is incredible. But at the same time, he shouldn't have to be carrying the load like that. And for me, what's alarming that that is when you look at the guys who've been working out all season long, all off season long, been in the gym is like, this is the time, especially earlier on in the season. This is the time where you, you know, you start displaying. So further on down the line, down the road, middle of the year, end of the year, they like, okay, we can trust this guy. This is where he's been, you know, this is where he's been excellent for me. Being in those situations, I don't see that from their role players, the guys they brought back. Like, where are you getting better at? Like, what part of your game were you evolving to where, okay, we was lacking this part last year.

I'm going to be a knockdown shooter. I'm going to be a lockdown defender. I'm going to be somebody who's getting in the pick and roll and, you know, make plays. I don't see that from this team so far. So that for me, that's the most alarming part about it, but it is still early. Yeah, I'm watching them into the turnovers. When you look at it, AD had the most shot. He had 19, he was nine of 17.

Rui was four of six. LeBron was nine of 13. D-Lo was two of seven, and Austin Reed was two of six. Now, that's two of six and two of seven is not great percentage, but they only got six shots. Swish, they only got seven shots. Ad only had 19 because you had 20 turnovers. So now you don't even give yourself an opportunity to get into an offense.

You don't even give yourself an opportunity to knock down shots, to get into the pick and roll or to, you know what I'm saying? To run the dribble drive, to drop a dribble handoff. So when you turn the ball over, you give them easy buckets on the other end. And so now they shoot 58% from the floor, they shoot 42% from the three. Well, if you allow a team to shoot 58% from the floor, Swish, you know this, you allow a team to shoot 42% from the three, you losing that game. You're gonna get smoked. You're probably gonna lose it by a lot.

Yeah, I was about to say you're gonna get smoked. You ain't gonna lose. You're gonna get, it's gonna be embarrassing. Y'all know who it is. It's your favorite. I've teamed up with Whatnot. This Friday, November 1st at 7 p.m. Pacific, I'm joining the Cool Kicks gang here in Las Vegas. I'm auctioning off 300 pairs of sneakers

from my personal collection. And it's going to a very worthy cause, the Savannah State Scholarship Fund. I'm gonna start a scholarship fund because I thought it was appropriate for me to give back. I wanna donate to my school that's done so much for me. So this Friday, November 1st at 7 p.m. Pacific, what not an hour, teaming up, we're gonna have an auction,

300 pairs of sneakers, my personal collection. Some of these sneaker guys, I ain't even know I had, but you get the benefit from it. Your favorite on. Out. Well, for me, it's like, you know, obviously a guy like Austin Reeves, some nights you're gonna have off nights

and stuff like that, but you gotta figure out a way for him to get more than six to eight shots. Like if he's gonna be that one of those, the third guy to Brian the 80, he's gotta figure out a way to get eight more, uh, at least 10 to 12 shots. DeAngelo Russell, 10 to 12 shots. I mean, 24 minutes, five assists at the point guard with the players that you plan with, no disrespect to D-Lo, but I'm gonna need more out of that. And on the top of that, you're not my primary defender on the ball.

So you gotta give me something. So for me, it's a lot of that. And on top of that, when I sit here and look at it, they had 37 assists to their 21. You ain't gonna win many games like that. You know what, I got a question. You talk about some of the players that need to take more shots.

How do you know when it's okay to take those shots? Do you have the green light from the head coach? Do you have the green light from the head coach? Do you have the green light from the other players to override passing the ball and B, have the willingness to shoot? How much he make? How long? D-Lo make about, D-Lo make about what, about 17 to 21?

Off the rim, make about 15? Don't ask me nothing about shots. What you talking about shots? Just let it go? So you can shoot that wheel based on your salary? A hundred percent. Hey, what they gonna say? Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

What they gonna say? Well, when they ain't throw you the ball, you was by yourself or just man on man, what you was looking, hey bro, ain't no man over the top. Ain't nobody over the top. Hey, give me the ball. This is the prime time. So for me, when I look at it, honestly,

like when I look at guys like D-Lo, Reeves, and you going in that third, fourth option. Rui. I mean, Rui for sure, I think Rui's a lot, he's underrated for me, because what he does is disguised by how good LeBron is. Because when you look at his size, he can guard all positions, he can shoot the ball,

he can put the ball on the floor, create a play, he can defend, obviously rebound. Like he's in a tough situation because he's playing with a guy like LeBron. So that's the same thing with like, kind of like Jeff Green fell in that era with us when he was with Cleveland. He's in the same similar situation.

So, they're gonna cater to Le a Cleveland, he's in the same similar situation. So Bron is gonna, they're gonna cater to Bron when he's on the floor. So it doesn't really do him justice when they play them together. Yeah. You know, AD and LeBron is gonna get the low bulk of the shots. You know that now, let's, what are you guys are feeling it? We saw early in the season, Oster Reaves feeling it.

So he's gonna get 15 to 18 shots. D-Lo, he gets hot one night. Okay, now that might creep up to 20 shots in a given night. But you know, LeBron and AD are gonna get the bulk of the shots. But I think a lot of this had to do with because they were getting blowed out switch, they only played 28, 24, 29, 31 minutes. It's hard to get those kinds of shots. And that's fine, that small amount of time. Now, if they play their normal minutes, maybe they can get up a few more shots.

But when you turn the ball over, everybody's shots are coming down because you don't even get an opportunity to put the ball up because you've turned it over. And as you mentioned, they had 37 assists. So that's telling me great ball movement. It's also telling me y'all turn the ball over. They get some cheap assists off of that.

No, a hundred percent. And you look at the rebounds 37 and 36, the Lakers actually win the rebound game. Yeah. And they still get smoked. So for me, it's, it's obviously it's the turnovers, it's turnovers for sure. Cause I was a big fan of it, especially in transition.

People who hate the transition three, early threes. I'm taking an early good look opposed to me swinging around the horn and we turn this joint over and now I've got to turn into the track star going on the other end. I'm gonna put this up. I feel like I got a better percentage of making this

opposed to us turning the ball over and then we got to get a stop on the other side. What about in a situation like this, Wish, where guys are trying early on trying to say, I'm so unselfish and and you overpass the ball, and you end up turning it over like you said. You're like, okay, I got a good look in transition. I'm gonna let it rip, as opposed to,

oh, hot potato, hot potato. Next thing you know, the ball's going out of bounds. You're like, come on, man, go ahead and take that shot. Yeah, it's tough when you come in a situation. Like when I first got to Cleveland, we used to run into that a lot because we got Kyrie at the point, Mia the two, we got Bron, K Love,

and obviously Tristan setting the screens of Rose and Mazzy, but you look around the horn, it's like, we got like, listen, I got a good shot, but he got a great shot. So let me kick it to him. And guys just operating so fast, you want to be unselfish, but at the same time, it's like, if I don't take this shot, then he's not going to be open where we need it to him. And you know, guys just operating so fast, you want to be unselfish, but at the same time, it's like, if I don't take this shot,

then he's not going to be open where we needed to be open. So for me, a lot of those times is like, I want to be unselfish, but at the same time, I got to be selfish for the team because it's going to help us out in the long run. So if you watch Bronnie grow up, spent a lot of years with LeBron in Cleveland, Swish, you watched Bronnie grow up, spent a lot of years with LeBron in Cleveland

and see Bronnie go from a seven, eight, nine year old to now here he is in the NBA. What do you think this moment means for LeBron? Oh man, I mean, I can only imagine. Like to be able to, I just had my first son, he's seven weeks. So for me, thinking about it. Appreciate you, appreciate y'all man.

Well, you know we saw that, right? I mean, I'm sure you did. We gonna leave that Swish, we gonna leave that alone, but I'm just saying, I just want you to know we saw that. Hey man, hey, you know what? I heard you, I ain't see you, but I heard you. Okay, there you go, good Swish, it's too soon. Swish, you know what? I heard you. I ain't see you, but I heard you. Okay, there you go. Good switch, it's too soon.

Switch it. You know what? As a matter of fact, we're about on the same timeline. It's about seven weeks. So you know what? That's why I left the headline so quick because you pushed me out. You like, get your ass out of these headlines.

Hey, I got the 72 hour rule, dog. It's over. Straight up. Yeah, but you were saying this moment for LeBron and even the city of Cleveland to see LeBron come back and bring Junior with him. Yeah, man. I mean, honestly, Bronnie is such a,

you know, you hear about so many different kids and so many different situations who are like, you know, their parents are stars and they arrogant and they cocky and they feel like they just, you know, the world is supposed to be their oyster. And Bronnie is the complete opposite, man. It's like, it's a very humbling feeling to see him in a situation he's in.

And he's very, he's very, he's very grateful for the opportunity, you know, to live out your dreams as a kid. That's one of the very, very rare, you know, few things that fortunately us three have been able to do, but like to actually live it out and to have you, a pops there with you to show you, to really show you the ropes.

It's very, it's inspiring, man. Like I really look at it and think of like, this is something I would definitely want to give my kid one day. If I can give them the keys to, if you can get the keys to the Chevy to your son, like what's different than giving them the keys to the business or giving them the keys to the game? Like just, and just letting them take it for, you know,

what they want it to be. Regardless of the shoes that we feel, because obviously, Bron is Bron, and goes down as the goat and everything else, and comparison's gonna be there or whatever, but to actually be able to live out your dream is something that very few people get to do. So I just hope he's in a place

to where he can actually absorb it and be happy and be satisfied with it. And Jay, I don't think people understand how dope this situation is, this scenario as a father, as a father myself, and I'm just imagining being able to play long enough in NFL, which is hypothetically it's damn near impossible, and to be able to play long enough for your son to join you, just that feeling and knowing all the work,

you know, Bronnie and Bron have put in over the years and how it's paid off. Not only is it paid off, but now he has the opportunity to share the court and the sport in which they love and have grown up playing all their life and then to share it on the same team. And that is dope in itself. And I really can't really put it into words.

How awesome it is. A lot of people have been critical of it. Obviously saying, you know, the whole favoritism and he only got, he's only there because of his father. Well, hell, goddamn yeah. Well, shit. You're supposed to take advantage of those opportunities when you have, you know, the cache and you have the power that LeBron does, to be able to bring your son on with you

and allow him to live out a dream, you know, to play at the highest level. To me, it's unreal. It's unreal and it's dope. It's motivating, it's inspiring. And I just wish, I wish I could have done something like that. Obviously I can't, so I'm going to live vicariously to them. And that's pretty much it, man.

That's really, really dope, man. Man, that's so dope. You ain't gonna see that in football. You ain't gonna see that in football, J.R. let somebody have a kid while they in high school. No, for real. And they can play him. I mean, I got a couple homies like that.

I mean, you got to think about it. Tom Brady played 23 seasons. His son is probably a sophomore, junior in high school. Yeah. So he would have had to have that kid at 15, 16. So therefore by the time he's 32, Tom got another 11 years. So by the time now all of a sudden

that's a realistic possibility. Now, you know, there might be somebody at the plot like I'm going to drop this one right here, you know, because that's what it's gonna take coach. Oh, you can't I mean LeBron had a kid at 20 That kid at 20 even if you have a kid at 20 in the NBA in the NFL bro What's the likelihood you play at another 20 seasons? Not good, unless you're a quarterback

and you really, really, really, really, really damn good. And not your son, because the difference is, NFL players don't have the kind of leverage that an NBA player has. Especially a superstar like LeBron, because the positions are so valuable. So it's gonna, like I said, I think Gordie Howe, I think he might have played with his sons back in the, you know, but the likelihood of you seeing that in the NFL,

Art A-76 Gill, did LeBron's wife really break down being with him? 25 years, 25 players. Before training camp kickstarts a new NFL season, NFL Daily is going to look back. It is a special six episode series where myself, Greg Rosenthal, and some of the top NFL minds like Kevin Harlan, Mina Kimes, and Bill Barnwell make the case for each player.

We're taking a look back, giving you NFL Daily's top 25 players of the last 25 years. So who made the list? You know, Tom Brady's on it. Where's Patrick Mahomes? Mahomes is under the end zone! Touchdown! Kansas City! He's on it. How about Lamar Jackson? Jackson takes it himself.

Look at him dart back and forth. Oh, he broke his ankles and he's got a touchdown. He is Houdini. You are going to have to listen to find out, listen to NFL Daly's top 25 players of the last 25 years, starting on June 30th on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, no, that's the truth. Listen, that's a true story, man.

When I went over LeBron's house, I don't know if you heard, I think Richie Paul was on JJ's podcast when he was talking about this big gambling game we did. Yeah. Like when we were doing the playoffs, LeBron wasn't gambling. He was with him in Savannah, was watching film, breaking down tape on us. And you know, I'm like looking like, oh, well, that shit ain't gonna work. Because I don't like that play. Right. But the fact that that's what they were doing at a young age, because I went to coach like, man, hey, that's like a machine we're about to play against. We were better than them. He was smarter than us. Wow. But he was better prepared at an early age.

No one, I didn't, he outsmarted us in that series. He was just smarter than all of us. We took his gift for granted. We knew the athleticism. We didn't know he was tactical. Are you, Gail, you know, look, chosen one on the cover of Sports Illustrated we know the three straight the championships in high school is he more or exactly what you thought he

would be way more right I mean I didn't I didn't I didn't think that, I remember my dad said, hey, you better get ready this summer. There's a kid coming in by the name LeBron James. He's like a hurricane. Nobody cared about no high school kid coming in. And then the first time I seen him, I was like, all right, okay. The athleticism was different.

And then just, you know, being on the East coast playing against him, I can just see it clicking faster and faster. So he had to guard me his first years where I was giving him that business, but you can see it. Like, oh man, by the time he's 20, oh, we're gonna be in trouble.

And this part I didn't calculate, but watching him break down film and then watching him, I was like, oh, okay, he's gonna be something to reckon with. But I just, you didn't see, you didn't see that he was gonna take care of himself and be exactly what he is today. You did. If someone said they lying, they're lying to you.

For him to be able to do what he does, because he missed a lot of the Bronies and Bryce and Zuri, he missed a lot of that, because he needs to get his rest. He needs to train. He needs to have the physio and to make sure everything, and he's at the gym getting up those shots. How important is it to have someone in your life that understands you like Savannah understands Braun

and not say, I need some help with these kids. I've been here all day with these kids. Now it's your turn now. Oh, no, no, no. That's exactly what the other 99.9% of us get. I've been here all day with the kids here. Right, so the fact that they've been there from the beginning. The whole team, it's the same group from day one.

They all knew the objective. And that objective, be better, if it was beat better than Michael Jordan, they all did they part. Right. So when we when we look and say what has he sacrificed and we look at brawny and the family, he sacrificed being with his kids right now. I mean, it's 20 years 21 21 21 years. So that means he didn't get to really be hands on with Bronnie. I was Bronnie's first trainer. Hey, what you think? What you look like? Hey, you know, I'm nervous for him, you know, you know what I mean? Because he's not there to really instill what he can into him. Right? It's been from a distance. That's what he sacrificed. Right, so the fact that, you know,

Savannah has really gotten these boys to where they are just shows you what type of stability he's had this whole time. Especially because she's made it abundantly clear. She said like, some people want to start a business and some people want to do this. She says, all I wanted to be was a wife and raise a family. So that means she gave up anything

that she could possibly want to be outside of being a wife and raising a family to sacrifice because she knew what he wanted. I mean, think about somebody giving up them. You know, that's like a mother and a father sacrificing for their child. But she sacrificed maybe what she wanted or what she could have achieved.

So you know what, baby, I got them. You go, hey, you need, I got this. I'm in the carpool lane. I'm gonna pick them up. I'm gonna be there. When they look up in the stands, they're going to see one of us, it's probably going to be me. Cause I want you to be the best that you absolutely can possibly be.

Now it gets to a point Savannah. What do I absolutely have to be there for? Brian's first game, considering what he went through this summer, the cardiac arrest, we don't know if he, if and when he'll ever play again. Bronte's first game considering what he went through this summer the cardiac arrest We don't know if he if and when he'll ever play again Or I can't miss that under no circumstances. Mm-hmm All-star game game one. I can't miss I cannot miss that Because I don't know you don't get an opportunity to do the first again, to see your oldest play his first collegiate game.

So now you understand, because remember Ocho, you know this, there's a great sacrifice, to be the greater the person, the greater the sacrifices that they've made. And there is no balance for greatness. Anybody tell you there is the line go ask Vanessa go go ask Juanita Jordan Jordan's first wife go ask the greats I'm talking about the I'm talking about you know look there's there's a lot of good players that great, but I'm talking about this pyramid. Ask them.

Ask them. It's the one thing that I think as men, especially athletes, when we look at, you know, LeBron James and the Kobe's, Chris Paul, that woman that understands them to a T, right? That is the other half of them. It's an envy. You started looking around at the girls you chose and like, man, what was I looking at? You know what I mean? It's like, what was I looking at? What was I chasing? Because what I was chasing wasn't it. This is what I wanted. Like my career would have been better if I had that.

Yeah. Right. Like, you know, to me, like if I had some guidance, some understanding, right, Alfred, not a Robin. I don't need someone out there trying to be a hero with me. Alfred. Hey, everything is prepared for you to go be great. Right.

You come back hurt, I'll refix you. Go on out there and save it again. That's what we looking for. And I think that's what we, when we sit here chasing, we're chasing, looking for that. And we don't know what it looks like, but when we do get it, we like, oh shit, hey, hey, what's happening?

How you doing? How you doing? I love you. Cookie and Magic. Now, I don't know, hey, how many women you think would have rolled out, given the same circumstances, Ocho? Shit. Shit.

Shit. Shit. They. Shit. Shit. They say it take a special one. Yeah. Go on back out there with them old thing that you were laying that you were laying. Yeah.

Take a special one. Take a special one. Look at Peyton Manning. Look at Peyton Manning. Now you know, Ocho, you know firsthand how much Peyton time he put in film study. Yeah. Brady, until she's like, you know what, damn it,

man, you've been promising me for the last seven, eight years that you would go hang it up. Yeah, man, you ain't gonna stop. And I just can't do it anymore. She went as long as she could. Now, obviously, there are things, you know, hey. But again, she had her own career. You gotta realize she got more money than he does. Now maybe she's like, well, a lot of some of the things

I did stop, I did sacrifice for you, for the, you know, to start a family, to raise the family. But Peyton, Peyton's a, boom. She like nah, but hey, have a laugh. It's tough. Man, Brady, man, Brady, Goddamnit, C. Man, Brady's selfish, man. That's that white privilege right there.

Yeah, you gotta be selfish to be great. All the broke girls are undated. You telling me someone makes more than me and I'm not gonna stop, I'm done. Take my, have them. What are you talking about? Oh, oh, excuse me. Gil, you suffered the same thing that I suffered

because I didn't want the girl that wanted me. I wanted the girl. And so when you choose somebody, choose the girl that wants you, not the girl you want. Oh, no, fact. Because the girl that you want ain't gonna be the one. Yeah, no, that's fact.

You have to live and learn. And when you, man, you don't know any better. You're not even thinking. At that point in time, you're like, man, I should've married this one. I should've married this one in my college, and then that didn't work out. Or somebody, because we all say this, I'm gonna married this, well, I should have married this in my college, and then that didn't work out, or somebody,

because we all say this, I'm gonna get somebody that knew me without having anything. I had this old raggedy car, I didn't have no indoor plumbing, and they know what it's like to sacrifice and be there for me. Then if that doesn't work out, Gil,

then where do we go? Because the one that we thought, this message. work I give them, where do we go? Because the one that we thought, you know, it's like, oh Joe, it's like, well, you know, if the high school or the college sweetheart doesn't work, well damn, even if you're the seventh rounder, if you're on an NFL team, you in the NFL, it ain't like you know what I'm on an NFL team you in the NFL it ain't like you don't say hey You're an NFL. It's not like you know, well, you know you work around the building

You actually in the league. So whether you are seventh round pick or a first round pick Hey Are you not sure I play for the Broncos? Now it's a whole it's a whole different story. Too late now, Ocho. Yeah. Oh, you know what, Ocho? I wanted to get this,

and I know you've probably heard of it by now. I wanted to respond to some of the criticism, and I normally don't respond to the criticism because I don't care anyway. And there've been a lot of guys, there've been a lot of people taking shots at me personally but we know why. They see Unc and Ocho,

they see the success that we're having. They see Club Shay-Shay, the success that I'm having doing that. They see the success that I'm having on ESPN. So sometimes the only success someone can have is that they take a bite out of you. That's their success is about biting you. And I'm cool with that.

But I was asked, and I think the question was, is that LeBron said he would be still the same player. Absolutely. Had he never played in Miami. Absolutely. And two things can be true. I believe LeBron James would have still been the all time leading scorer.

I still believe LeBron James would have scored 30,000 points, had 10,000 rebounds, 10,000 assists. I still believe he would have been a first team all NBA player. I still believe he would have been a multi-time all-star player. But the pushback that I'm gonna give, I do not believe he's LeBron James

that we know without that stand in Miami. Because without that, because prior to him going there, he had zero championships, but two MVPs. He goes to Miami, he gets two titles and two more MVPs. So now he's four and two. There's only a handful of people. Now you got to go. There's only three people before LeBron did it. Wilt got four. Jordan has five. Russell has five. And I think Kareem has six. So there's four people. So now LeBron is an exclusive company

So now people got like hold on wait a minute and he had him at the age of 28 so now He goes back to Cleveland. He gets another title Four and three he goes to LA. He gets another title now. He's four and four He goes to LA. He gets another title. Now he's four and four. So now he's an elite company. He's one of two men to win multiple MVPs two locations.

Kareem, three and three. Three in Milwaukee, three in LA. He's one of two men to win multiple MVP, finals MVPs at different locations. Kawhi, San Antonio, Toronto, uh, Kareem, Milwaukee, LA, LeBron James. So could you still be the same player? Yes, but not the player we know.

Because without that, because whether you see, here's the thing, Ocho, you can't say, and everybody keeps saying, he could go anywhere and win those titles. Yeah. Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant went to Golden State, stayed three years, won two titles, finals MVP both years,

got hurt the third year, even though advanced, they lost. He went to Brooklyn for four years. How many more times, how many more championships he won? Whoa, can I ask you a question? Let me stop you right there. We talk about LeBron James. Okay. We talk about the greatest play,

we talk about the greatest player on the planet that will change the dynamic of any team he's on. So in his 20s, in his early, in his late, late, late 20s, you could say 28, he could have went anywhere. He could have went to any team. Why did he go to Miami then? Why did he go to Miami then? The way he told him to come home. No, no, no, no, no, but you said he could have gone anywhere

I mean he could have gone anywhere. He felt that was the best chance for him to win. Am I correct? Obviously he wanted to pair himself. He wanted to pair himself with Bosch and Wade I mean because he but see Ocho you see this is what this one see you can you can you say? Remember he won with Cleveland right? Yes. Who did he have on the team with him? But here's the thing what what knowledge did he take back that he had acquired from Miami back to Cleveland? How to win. How? So where did he learn that? In Miami. Okay then so without that state in Miami, is he the same? Do we view him the same?

Without those four MVP, without those two other MVPs, because here's the thing, Ocho, this is what we gotta look. If he doesn't get those two MVPs, regular season, and those two final MVPs, how do you put him in front of Kareem? Kareem has six regular season MVPs, two finals MVPs, five titles. How do you put him in front of Jordan, who's six and six? How do you put him in front of Tim Duncan,

who has five titles, three finals MVP, two regular season MVPs? How do you put him in front of Magic? Magic has three regular season MVPs, five finals, three finals MVPs. How do you put him in there if he doesn't have that Miami stint on his resume? You're underestimating how great LeBron is. I think if he didn't go to Miami, if he chose to go somewhere else, regardless of where it would have been, I think the outcome would have been the same. No, that's not what he said. Even he said it. If you read LeBron James tweet, this is what LeBron said. You damn right I would still be.

I'm chosen. Ain't nothing changing. Maybe less rings, but dominant from start to finish. Even he said it. He said maybe less rings, but common sense of the eye test will tell you, wherever LeBron goes, that team come hell or high water

is probably going to be in the finals or in contention to be in it. Who are the 25 greatest football players Come hell or high water is probably going to be in the finals or in contention to be in it. Who are the 25 greatest football players to grace the gridiron since the year 2000, introducing NFL Daly's top 25 players of the last 25 years? Join me, Greg Rosenthal and an all-star cast of media personalities including Mina Keim, Steve Weisch, Kevin Harlan, and more for a look at football's best since the turn of the century. Listen to NFL Daily's top 25 players of the

last 25 years starting on June 30th on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast.