Club Shay Shay - Club 520 - DeMar DeRozan on Kobe Bryant relationship, losing to LeBron, getting traded for Kawhi

Episode Date: August 26, 2024

We’re back with Season 2, Episode 95 of Club 520 where Jeff Teague and the guys are joined by DeMar DeRozan, discussing everything that’s gone on in DeMar’s Hall of Fame career so far. The guys discuss playing at USC, getting drafted by the Toronto Raptors, having Kobe Bryant as his role model, playing LeBron James in the NBA Playoff, getting traded for Kawhi Leonard, being a staple in the Drew League Pro-Am, and much more that you won’t want to miss! #Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in all the big guns from NFL media like Colleen Wolf. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Volume. All right, we back.

Another episode of Club 520 Podcast. I'm the host. My name is DJ Wells. Special guest in the building to my left. We're going to introduce my man's last. But to my far left, we got my dog, Bishop B. Henn, out the prayer leaves. How you doing, Nasty?

Cool, Nasty. Let's get to it. Another one. I already know it's about to be episode. My boy got the towel on. Yeah, it's getting a little hot, goddamn it. Look at it, motherfucker. That liquor in me.

It's a little spicy. Hey, to my little, you got the all whites on. I know you watch the show My man's knowing me Keep the all black forces With the white laces Y'all rock them out In Cali, man

With the white laces All black with the white laces That's nasty I'm gonna take care of you, bro Don't worry All black forces with white You just had a good game, too At the West Name

I should've sent him in Yeah, you should've For the Drew Yeah, for the Drew Yo, that's wild He probably won the check, bro Yeah, you got on the perfect outfit That's one of my typical outfits.

They get right there. That is. That's the uniform. That is the uniform. Low key. That is the uniform. I got you. What's the 14?

13. 13. Oh, that's easy. That's light. It's on the way. On the way. We'll get the Eddie after this, P.O. For sure.

To my right, my dog, Young Nacho, Young T. How you doing, man? I'm chilling, bro. I'm so excited. We got an 0-9 draftee in here. You know, we got drafts at the same time. I don't know how he's still playing.

I'm hating, but don't worry about it. No, I'm so proud of you, though, man. We go way back, so I'm geeked to have be a part of this episode. For sure. For sure, man.

Legend in the building. One of the coldest touches basketball. Professional scorer. Six-time All-Star. Future Hall of Famer. We got the man, DeMar DeRozan Legend in the building. One of the coldest touches of basketball. Professional scorer. Six-time all-star. Future Hall of Famer. We got the man, DeMar DeRozan, in the building. Appreciate you sliding on this big dog.

Man, appreciate it. I ain't going to lie. I've been, even my partner, I tell you, like, all the homies be like, man, you got to go on the show. You got to go on the show. You know? So, I'm hyped to be on here, man. To me, I call this, like, the hoops drink chance.

You know what I mean? For sure. I like that. I always check it out. man to me i call this like the the hoops drink chance you know what i mean we always be laughing sending sending everything to the group chat so i'm hyped to be on it for sure for sure man glad to have you man crazy order story and mike put it in the chat we got to start therapy here with the with the with the throwback man they're filthy when p miller found him when percy found him in college right away bro how was that though bro how'd that even come about man bro it was it was the most random moment ever because um at the time i was playing a au team so everybody who with the pmailer ballers we was on another au team before that okay and that was like our last year i think we

had just won like nationals um and was breaking up sponsorship and everything so we was we was all just trying to figure out what we was going to do next. And all of a sudden, you know, we got word, like, Master P wanted to have an AU team. You know, he was going to have tryouts at this high school show up. So in my mind, I'm thinking, like, all right, this is just his team. He not actually going to be there. You know what I mean?

So we all show up to the high school. P walk in. Theno walk in with him damn like all right we gotta practice three man weave four man weave five man weave and we hoop so we doing that so we just thinking it's gonna be a moment just that so he was like you know all right same time next week so it became a consistent thing like oh damn we about to we about to play for p oh shit he coaching too like you know, all right, same time next week. So it became a consistent thing. Like, Oh damn, we about to, we about to play for P. Oh shit. He coaching too.

Like, you know, we, we about to rock out. And all of a sudden before we started playing, he always used to invite us to the house. So we used to go to his house, practice in the backyard,

lifting weights at his house and the gym. Oh, just crazy shit that nobody ever, especially for me at the time, like I'm 14 coming from like Compton. We going to the house. You got a tennis court, pool, weight room, got everything you need.

Then at the same time, we watching them record, make albums. At the time, Rome doing the Romeo show. So it was like, it was a trip at that time knowing like we about to play for this team

and he about to be our coach. Was any other top dogs on your team with you? Yeah, Brandon was on that team. We had a, we had a kid named, B. Jennings? Yeah, B. Jennings was on that team.

Oh, okay. We had, remember Baby Shaq back in the day? Hell yeah. He played on our team. So we had a lot of talent. Okay.

We had a lot of guys and, you know, we just rocked out after that. Nah, that's hard, bro. I had to, that shit was funny as fuck. Like, see, you know, we just rocked out after that. Nah, that's hard, bro. I had to. That shit was funny as fuck. Like, see? Nah, that was.

Like, it was a trip, bro. Trust me. We had our own bus going to games. Nah, that's hard. That's fire. We was, like, on some, like, A and one type shit. Nah, thanks, bro. We pulling up the whole gym, waiting.

Like, it was. You was in the spotlight early, bro. Early, bro. For real. Which was crazy because I met him at ABCD camp. He probably don't even remember. the whole gym waiting like it was it was it was in the spotlight early but early bro which was crazy because i met him at abcd camp he probably don't even remember i was just a young star buddy don't even worry about it i was just trying to make my way i had no scholarship offer so i'm trying to do anything i could do to get a scholarship me and him on the same team at abcd

camp i'm gunning i'm going to be a senior. I'm trying to get some offers. You're younger. I'm having a moment. I'm playing good. I'm shining. I'm doing my thing. I get a couple offers after the first day.

I'm like, yeah. Well, I got like 40. But this is cool. Whatever. So I'm having a good day. The next day, P tapped me on the shoulder. It's Master P. I'm thinking he about to be like, yeah, you nice. i'm like he like hey my man that kid right there can play give him a chance play with

him he told me a play to do he like drive to the middle throw it up he gonna go get it i swear to god i did that i threw it up when we dunked it i ain't get the ball no more. Coach wrote every play. I swear, everything I love. Wrote every play for bro. He was killing. I'm like, damn, who is this dude? And then he played for Pete Miller. I'm like, damn, I don't know nothing.

I'm like, but damn, he cool with Master P. I'm hating it. I'm singing Ice Cream Man shit. I'm hating it. But that's what I knew. I seen him right there. Then to see him when we get drafted, I'm like, yeah, it's what I knew I seen him right there Then to see him When we get drafted

I'm like Yeah it's different Did you play The Pete Millers Yeah I played them You know it's crazy Foot fucked up now

Listen Listen it was a time I was playing them So much right And I don't think I ever talked about this Romeo was trying To go to high school

With me At Compton High Right We was trying to go to high school with me at Compton High, right? We was trying to figure out. I've never told this story, bro. I'm glad it's here. So, Rome was trying to figure out how to go to school with me at Compton High. So, we end up saying, like, we're going to get the whole team, P. Millers. We made them all blue.

Everybody had blue P. Millers. So, Rome was, like, you know, really trying to figure out how you could go to Compton High. So, we meeting with the school. They was like, man, he'll just show up for games. He'll get to work once a week, do the work, all that. So, we end up having, like, a practice. Like, he came to my high school, had a practice. I'm talking about every gang member outside of the gym, everything.

We go hoop. As soon as we come out the gym the principal was like yeah he not gonna be able to come here like he was really trying to go to high school with me

you know what I mean like we was really like about to sponsor the school to wear P. Miller's and everything but it ended up not working out and everything

but that was a crazy it was a crazy time cause especially at that time like you talking about Lil Romeo going to Compton High that shit don't even sound right yeah it would have been too much yeah he's

probably gonna go to the beach somewhere oh my god that's crazy she really liked that though yeah he could hoop he could hoop for like he he definitely you know you know i mean he definitely surprised if it was something you stick with you know know, it all come down to size at the end of the day. Nah, that's right. His little brother nice, though. Yeah, yeah. He the one. He the one.

Yeah, Mercy. Mercy, he going to be the one. He going to Houston next year, but he definitely going to be the one. Yeah, yeah. He the one. And what's so crazy is people forget, like, P made it to the G League type shit. Yeah.

He made it to the G League. But he used to hoot with us every day. Like, he would come in, hoot, play for real. Damn near about to fight you. Everything. Like, he playing, like, bully ball, shooting threes. Like, he used to hoot with us all the time. That's tight, bro.

Damn, that's fire. That's hard. It's a cold moment that you got to embrace early, bro. Especially, like, the pic they got. Yeah. Yeah. Where they got do-rags and big tees. That's a firehouse album cover.

Look like Soulja Boy That's your order Listen But that was That was at a video shoot bro That's even harder You know what I mean We used to

I ain't gonna lie Listen No bullshit I used to miss school To go to a video shoot Whoever had a video If he had a video I would miss school

Oh that's even That's the hardest shit And be at the video shoot all day Cause we heard you This is just a sidebar. We heard you rap. Yeah, shout out to Dane. Dane played that shit?

Nah. He just told us. He told you. He told us some origin. He said, you definitely got bars. That's all he was going to say. So it might have started

from there. So it's all you. I bet. But show, man. But like, crazy basketball origin, man. Going crazy in high school Was it a no brainer

You was going to USC man Um Yeah Cause I didn't want to leave home It was crazy I took a visit I took a couple visits I went to North Carolina

Um Florida State Cal Um And somewhere else I took like Unofficials But when I went to Florida State

At this time That's when all the hurricanes And shit was going on So I'm out there I took like unofficials. But when I went to Florida State at this time, that's when all the hurricanes and shit was going on. So I'm out there. I'm like, man, ain't no way in hell I'm leaving home. Like I can't, I can't, you know what I mean? If this shit happened, I'm terrified. So once I seen that happen, I was like, man, I'm staying home regardless. Then I started looking at it on some real shit.

I started looking at it like, man, if I go to the NBA, it's a good chance. I'm not going to play home. So let me get, let me enjoy playing home one last time and shit, I'll do that and get my ass sent to Canada.

Like, you know what I mean? Like, I didn't think I'd go that far, but you know what I mean? But I wanted to stay home for the most part just for the simple fact

that like, I wanted to be home one last time. For sure. I mean, you went to USC, it was crazy. You almost went to USC.

I did. Did you? I never knew that. The year before,j mayo went and uh when i went on my visit oj happened to be there they forgot i was on the visit so yeah you know how that goes it was just like oh yeah t come on okay we get you too my pops was like yeah that ain't the place for you but nah it was fun i ain't gonna lie keep it real it's a beautiful scenery it's a nice us season it's a nice campus man they have it set up for you when you went yeah but i i wasn't tripping on nothing because i was home yeah you know i mean like i didn't even trip on whatever it was you could show me because at the end of the day i was home i was in my comfort already so i wasn't even tripping on what you could show me I'm looking at it like Let me do this six

Seven months And I'm gone anyway Ah okay So you already had A projection in your mind Yeah I was out I was gone Before I started

That's hard Yeah Respectfully You was like the number Three player in the country So Yeah so I was Yeah you was on that list

Yeah I was I was gone Who was you battling With in high school Cause I was a year older So I'm not even sure Who was the battle Yeah so

Our class was crazy Because we had Tyreek Okay Tyreek was the man Brandon was the man Drew Holiday was the man Um

So we We had a solid class Of like From that wing position Of dudes that was dogs You know what I mean So That's three

That's in Cali right there Right there Right there You know what I mean So just in our state alone like it was it was it was it was a lot going on just from that competitive standpoint so um i mean we had we had plenty other dudes like scotty hobson oh yeah i know yeah yeah we we had we had a lot of dudes man that that that had a chance that you know either injuries or whatever it may be but at the time high school it was it was it was a dog fight yeah i thought scotty was going to the

league yeah me too me too bro oh damn and for us we always big up indiana especially naptown hoops because we had a lot of kills the time but like we look at it now you talk about them areas y'all y'all had the real ones that 060708 07, 08 class, nothing but all pros in the city. Yeah, think about the year before it was James Harden. It was like— Russell. Russ. Like, we had, like, some dogs.

We had a couple years where it was like— It was— You look at it, it's— Come on, you can't deny it. Like, out of California, even just Southern California at the time, it was crazy. Did you ever come across them, though, like in high school? Yeah. How'd that shit work?

I played against Drew. I've been playing against Drew ever since I was 11, 12 years old. He was the first person I ever played with. How I learned the word ambidextrous, I learned it from Drew Holiday. Because somebody was like, man, he could use both hands. Like, how he play now is how he played when he was 11 years old. Damn. Skilled, smart, crafty, defensive.

Like, defensively, all over the floor, he was the same exact way. He cold. That's crazy, bro. He cold. Cold. So, it's like all those guys played against him since we was 11, 12 years old, for sure. Man, he cold. Clay.

Clay. Clay was my high school class, 08. So, you know, we had some dogs. Yeah, facts. For sure. Did your thing one year at USC. How was it playing in college? I mean, you know what I'm saying?

I know it's a little bit of a different pace, especially from high school and AAU. How was that playing in college? And how was it playing at the crib in college? I ain't going to lie. My first two months of college, I struggled because it was like, you know, you go from being a star, being able to do whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want to where it's like now you got to learn the structure of discipline from another level

of, you know, coach telling you to run an offense for 25 seconds before somebody shoot. You know what I mean? Like, so it was a struggle my first two months. But after that, once I got it and it started clicking for me, it was simple. It was easy. Started killing. It was cool just to have the family there. You know, shit, I would play in a game and 20 minutes after a game,

I'm right back in Compton. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it was that every day for me. And you play with my dog, Taj. Taj. Taj. Taj, my dog, man. Taj really, like, he helped me through that whole.

Even before we played a game, I remember Taj came to my dorm room and just, you know, embraced me. You know what I mean? That's the OG, man. That's a real one. My dog. He a real one for sure. Facts.

He told us you was a dog. He was like, man, I had OJ the year before. Then I had DeMar came. He was like, man, I just played with some dogs, bro. Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, yeah, for sure you did. Ty's my dog, man. That's a good dude, man.

For sure. Man, I got to ask you a question on how true this is. You played a part in USC getting their own P.E. Kobe's? P.E. Cobies? Yes. Yes. And it more so came from the relationship I had with Kobe. I think, you know, when I was like 15, 16.

You remember when they used to have like Steve Nash camp? Yep, for sure. Kobe camp, Paul Pierce camp. Yeah. Amari, I think it was Amari camp. Amari had a camp. Yeah. So it just started from you know my relationship

with Kobe I think it's a picture that started going around I was at Kobe Kobe was talking to me I was sitting like front row Clay was in the picture

we was like 15 16 years old and you know ever since then like me and Kobe had just like a bond one me being from LA and the connection

kind of just grew from there me wearing the shoes and you know I think when the Kobe ones came out, he gave me a pair. That's hard. And I started just rocking them from there. Like Kobe tools. Then you go back to, you know, Google me in high school, my senior year.

I had, I was the first ones with, with the Nike ID Kobe's. Damn. Every colorway. It was to a point, like all through high school, people would tell you like, I had so many Kobe's after every game

I would throw them in the crowd. Ah, he clowned. You know what I'm saying? That's why he clowned. So it was like, he out of pocket. You out of pocket. In high school, that's fire.

In high school. It's hard as fuck. I'm hating. You know what I mean? So it was like, you know, it started from there. Then, you know,

when it got to SC, at the time, I think the Kobe 4's was, it was the Kobe know it started from there Then you know When he got the SC At the time I think The Kobe Fords was It was the Kobe Fords Was out and You know It just ran Ran away with it

From there But you don't tie your shoes though Never have Like how you That's when I know He a trench baby Listen He hoop

Without his shoes tied bro He tie his Fords shoes That's how I play Just like this That's how I play My shoes What's the thing But the thing This is how I play. Just like this. That's how I play. What does it say? But the thing.

But the thing. You know why, though? Why? Like, I plan a new shoot every game. Okay. So, you know how, like, most guys got to break their shoe in and everything. So, I like the tight fit. So, I got to put on a new shoot every game.

So, I don't need the time. And it all started. I'll never forget. I got some it all started, I'll never forget, I got some Jordan 9s when I was like 11 years old. I got, I had some Jordan 9s.

I never told this story either. Had some Jordan 9s and I got them for like Christmas and some shit. So, I wanted to wear them in a game. So,

my mom and dad was like, man, these, your school shoes, this for school. I'm like, nah, I want to look clean in a game. So, it's like, all right,, your school shoes, this for school. I'm like, nah,

I want to look clean in a game. So it's like, all right, you messing up, messing up, that's on you. So I never wanted to tie my shoe to put a crease in them.

Never. So I was like, man, I'm just playing these motherfuckers like I'm just walking around. So it started from that moment of me never tying my shoe. I was like 11 years old

because I didn't want to fuck up my Jordan 9. Nah, you just hoop with it. And I just hoop. Imagine a motherfucker giving you 35, 35 40 and he ain't tired bro with elite footwork that's the crazy part you got some of the best feats in basketball history and your shoes ain't that's crazy it's so crazy because it's been so many games i'll be in a corner in front of the visitor bench you will you will hear niggas say this nigga's shoes ain't tight like you would hear like i was niggas i said he disrespectful as fuck all the time bro i'm about to i'll never

forget in san antonio yeah you was in san antonio this is when i first noticed it like you probably been like you said you've been doing it forever but i first noticed it because i was like i'm gonna ask tomorrow for his jersey i was like super proud if I might ask some nigga for their jersey. But I was like, man, he 0-9. I'm a fan. I'm going to ask for his jersey. And I looked down. I was like, I'm going to ask for some Kobe's, too.

I said, this nigga ain't got his shoe tied. I said, oh, man, he not about to play tonight. This nigga proceeds to get, like, 35. And he never laced his shirt. I said, man, I told the people on the bench, I'm like, we, you know, he just gave you 35. He ain laced his shoes. I said, man, I told the people on the bench, I'm like, Wig, you know he just gave you 35. He ain't tie his shoes. And he durable, though. Yeah, he always play. Yeah, you always play.

You tie your shoes like you do construction. And still, angles ain't worth a quarter. I don't know what. Look at me. I tie my shoes all the way up. My shit was tied To the brim Your license was

Flopping down on the ground I played Knee surgery right now That's crazy I was doing this shit All wrong Man that's the trick Don't lace your shoes

Don't lace your shoes man It ain't for everybody I be seeing some niggas Hurt their ankle And they tie I don't roll, bro. Man, that's the trick. Don't lace your shoes. Don't lace your shoes, man. I don't. It ain't for everybody. I be seeing some niggas hurt their ankle and they tie their shoe up all tight. Like, I never. Yeah. Them niggas lame, D.R. Don't worry about it.

Can't relate. But that's crazy. Like you said, man, you kill USC, then you get drafted, and then you go to Canada. Like, you didn't want to go to Florida because that was too far. You go to a whole nother country. Yeah. go to canada like you didn't want to go to florida because that was too far you go to a whole another country yeah um i think i needed it though because i was so stuck on being home and scared to leave home that i i needed that to kind of get me in the element of you know a lot

of my ways i i follow now is from me going to canada my first year being by myself nobody able to come none of my cousins nobody had a passport nobody even knew what a fucking passport was like I didn't get a passport until two days before I got drafted like so let alone my family got one so I'm up there just by myself and all I could do was just focus on who you know I mean like I didn't have no distractions I didn't have to worry about people in and out so it was it was it was beneficial for me it was and i had great vets too at the time you know i mean like jared jack helped me out a lot um that was my that was my that was my road dog like he was first person introduced me to a lot of

ways on how to dress winter time with the eat you know me all that you know so it gave me a chance just to lock in so um i was i was definitely grateful for that because i you know me all that you know so it gave me a chance just to lock in so um i was i was definitely grateful for that because i you know if i went anywhere else who knows what would have happened thanks damn i didn't even think about that yeah your first winter boy it was different oh no it was different because winter hit i just remember getting off the plane one time it's snowing i got chucks on ah he out of know what I mean? By the time I get in the car, my whole ankle froze. You know what I mean?

Like, I'm like, I didn't know what to wear, how to wear, when to wear. You know what I mean? Like, so, everything was like a new learning experience

for me that I needed. You know what I mean? Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week,

you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps, and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes. We'll talk every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone, so I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media. That's Patrick Claibon, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now.

This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast at NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends.

And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You got to play one of the gods. Cal Lowry. Yeah, that was a couple years later. Yeah. Yeah, that's Cal. Like, I talk to Cal every fucking day, all day.

He called me early. Cal... When Cal came to Toronto, it was interesting because I didn't have a relationship with him at all. Like, we played for a whole year together and I never even said a word to him.

Damn. We didn't talk. Damn, he worse than me and Pete. Damn, you Jeff T. Yeah, I remember you. it was like literally no word i'm talking about coming practice it wasn't no like dap up with none of that shit like wow like it wasn't it wasn't nothing like he he he was the type that i was still stuck in the mindset having like a confident mentality like man who who's this nigga like what do you he you know he

he philly you know i mean he coming in with his aggressive manner doing whatever it is he doing Compton mentality Like man Who is this nigga Like What he You know He Philly You know what I mean He coming in with His aggressive manner Doing whatever it is He doing Getting on Like

Man who He too good for niggas Like I ain't talking to him But one thing Like I noticed over time Was like He really put in the work

And cared about You know the craft You know what I mean It was like No funny games When it was all It was all strictly business And like that next year I respected that more than anything that it made me want to be like

closer to him you know i mean because he'll ride and die for you on that court yeah you know that's how that's how the respect came and shit next day yeah like next day you know like like that that became my road dog like you know i mean to where To where like We had shit to a T in the game To where Like He would know like I come out Beginning of the game

I'm like yo I'm going for a first quarter I'm getting to it He's like I bet I get the second half Like we played off each other So much like that Cause we was

You know From the friendship And understanding Like we just wanted to win That bad And what's so crazy is Like y'all historically Like built a franchise up there Like you know You had Vincent T-Mech up there but which I did

in the Raptors jerseys up there studying the test of time yeah for sure and that's one thing I definitely like you know hold my hat to because it's like you know we we you know when I first got there nobody gave a shit about it about it you know I mean people would come to Toronto knowing they was getting the win like that was automatic i might have a time every time like every time like it was a thing like bro like it was it was it was it was a thing like i remember we used to play either saturday or sundays we used to have early games on the weekend like a 12 o'clock 12 30 game and we were so bad we used to be like man we could get whoever we playing because we know they went out the night before damn

you know what I mean that's how bad that's where we had to start from and fight our way out of that so you know I definitely pride myself

on just you know changing and shifting the culture to have like a you know winning mentality there for sure yeah y'all start smacking shit boy

yeah I remember that group I used to want to be on that y'all team so bad. It was you, Amir. Y'all had like this cool ass team.

Like, y'all was fresh as fuck. Y'all was, I remember one game y'all had on Jordan Sixes. I'm like, shit, I want to play on this team. They look like they young. We smacked y'all.

We beat the hell out of them. But I was like, they look cool as hell. I was like, they having a good time, man. I was like, damn, I want to play on this team. And then to see y'all go from that to all of a sudden, like, oh, shit, we about to go to Toronto. We got to play this nigga. Kyle Lowry about to be taking charges.

We got to send a double for Deebo, bro. You know, he get to this mid-range. He's about to get crazy. So, to see y'all take it from there to like I'm having fun looking at y'all like y'all had fun to they real contenders it's crazy

for sure what year did the city really get lit though so where you know Drake and everybody pulling up to the games I mean Drake will always

come but he was you gotta think about early on that's when he just started to blow up too you know what I mean so I think when it really started taking off was that first year we went to the playoffs.

We played Brooklyn. I think that was like 2013, 2014. We ended up starting having the Jurassic Park outside. That was hard. All the fans standing outside. They started this whole rebranding outside in. And we just took care of everything on the floor. So I want to say around 13, 14 when it really, really took off.

And you could tell like they had that one, like the logo on the floor. There was like 3D. Yeah, yeah. I had the camo jerseys and shit. Like I was getting aggy. They really started to change and rebrand everything. You know what I mean? Team wise

and brand wise and you know, we kind of took off with it and you know, obviously like when Drake got behind it and you know, everything kind of

just fell in line, honestly. You know, with the winning. You know, winning always saw everything. But you know,

I think we just started to gain everybody's respect because at that time when we played Brooklyn in playoffs, that's when they had Joe Johnson,

Paul, KG, Darren Williams that's when they had Joe Johnson, Paul, KG, Darren Williams. Like, they had a squad. Wow, sir. We took them to seven games. That was my first playoff series

in most of the team. Like, we was young. So, to take them to seven and lose by, shit, one point, you know, that gave us the swagger

we needed. For sure. That was some good years, boy. Nah, they was, I ain't gonna lie, they was tough to play, bro For sure. That was some good years, boy. I ain't going to lie. That was tough to play, bro. Y'all was cold. Man, it was so crazy because that next year, that's when them niggas was nice. I think we was the only ones beating y'all.

Yeah, y'all would beat us. I remember getting to the playoffs. I remember because that next year, I'll never forget. Them niggas was nice. And I think we would beat them, at least three out of four times. So I remember going to the playoffs. We played the Wizards. And we was like, we're going to beat the Wizards.

We want to play Atlanta because we match up well with them. We beat them, blah, blah, blah. But we ended up getting swept by the Wizards. That's when y'all played them. But, yeah, we was – like, them niggas was nice, but we knew we could beat them. Like, that was our mindset. Before we played a playoff game, we was like, all right,

we got the Wizards first. Let's line up so we can play Atlanta second round. We get into the conference finals. I remember I had made a defense for y'all. I was like, we going to trap him on everything. We going to make – we knew Kyle could shoot. We knew Kyle could score. But we was like, T. Ross, the rest of them, they going to have to fucking hoop.

Yeah, yeah. But we already knew we was going to beat whoever we was playing the first round. I don't even know who we played. In fact, we played Brooklyn. And we swept them. Yeah, yeah. And we like – we going to play Toronto. I didn't think John was going to beat them. I honestly didn't play Toronto. I didn't think John and them was going to beat them.

I honestly didn't. Listen, I didn't either. We got swept. I did not think that. That was crazy they swept y'all, bro. We got our ass beat. That is crazy. Yeah, I didn't.

That's crazy. We marked Toronto on that game. We was like, we going to play Toronto. We did the same shit. Yeah, but we had, the thing that was fucked up is that we knew if we played in Toronto, like I knew like, all right, we play in Toronto, they might get us one of them games because Toronto was tough to play at that time. And the way my life was set up.

A lot of times. Okay, Uncle Luke. Toronto was one of my favorite cities. That was number two after Miami, so I was like, I know I ain't going to be shit one of them guys, but Dennis might play that game he might come to play but

but then when they got swept DC wasn't my shit I mean DC was cool but it was I could focus in DC a little bit

I couldn't focus in Toronto I was in a game a lot of them yeah yeah that was one of my weaker cities yeah for sure

and what's so crazy is both of y'all had Poppin' teams at the time But the problem was There was this person in the east That was just A hard person to get around At that time

At that time bro I mean I know JT said it Plenty of times I said it plenty of times But yeah That motherfucker was Impossible to beat

That's just what it was You know what I mean Like it just It just You know Shit It was It was no other way around it you don't think y'all could have had one more piece and could have got it done i'll be honest i'll be honest like no yeah bro bro was just like at that time like i it's

unbelievable i always i have arguments with people because it's like they asked me what brine was the best and it's like that Miami brown and that second Cleveland brown that's my first answer every time when he first went back to Cleveland

that nigga was different bro it was it was bro it was he controlled everything from top to bottom come on man like it was

when you stepped on that floor it was like it was it was tough bro like you gotta he wanted the greats for a reason you know listen man i've never won a playoff game against him we know i've been in four series with this man i got swept four times it's crazy i got a couple wins up that's it

one time we was up 30 i swear i was up 30 i was playing for we was up 30. I was playing for the Pacers. The only way I played for the Pacers. We up 30, game three. I'm like, I finally beat this dude, bro. He walking in halftime said, we good. We good,

y'all. Everybody keep their head up. They were down eight in the third quarter. I looked at them, I said, it's over. I said, they're going to beat us,

bro. I'm doing everything in my power to lock palm. Shoot the ball, ball man Take us home I just want one win I knew he wasn't gonna beat him But damn

I just wanted one Speaking about LeBron Being tough Who was one of your Tough matchups One on one Outside of him Of course

Outside of LeBron Like just one on one Yeah He had that Two guard Woof Yeah Killer

I mean D-Wade But I think somebody That was like Really really tough That I like I couldn't like Like I had to go

Head to head With was Joe Joe Johnson Woof Joe Johnson Like I remember My first playoff series

was versus Joe and I got like every bit of ISO Joe especially at the time I'm young and you know

shit part of part of the way I play now is because of Joe of how how slow he play

and using his body getting to the getting to a spot getting to the bucket you know what I mean like damn I can see that now yeah you feel me like a lot of like a lot of that shit play and using his body, getting to a spot, getting to the bucket, you know what I mean? I can see that now. A lot of that shit,

how I play now, I get from fucking Joe. All that methodic, dribbling, getting to a spot, bodying, all that. I got that shit from Joe because I'll never forget my first playoff game. I went home that... It was an early game. I went home that evening And I was I was in pain

It felt like I got jumped By ten niggas Damn Just like Banging with them The whole game You know what I mean Because that's how

Physically he was And just getting to a spot So Joe was always tough Like Joe Joe definitely was tough for me Did you always have that

Middie in your game Was that always Your go to The middie Because you Damn near the best middie To me game? Was that always your go-to, the middie? Because you, damn near the best middie to me since Rip Hamilton. You know,

it's crazy. My rookie year, Alex English was my, one of the assistant coaches. Legend. For sure. For people who don't know who.

Coldest jerseys ever, too. Number two. Oh, yeah. For sure. Nuggets, baby. For sure. So,

this a little like, No, June. This a little like, you know, fun fact. Like many people don't know. I used to always like sit and listen to Alex talk. And, you know, you look him up. He was top 50 greatest of all time. And he used to show me how he used to score at the elbow all the time by just one dribble pull up

shooting over him one dribble right one dribble left whatever it may be i'm shooting over these like and i was so amazed by how simple he kept the game and was able just to get in buckets and that always stuck with me and he was just always once you master this and get great at these positions on the floor where no matter what shot you shoot knowing that nobody could block it you're gonna become unstoppable and that shit always stuck with me and i always paid attention to that it's like man whatever i do i gotta make sure i get i gotta get this anything within the three i gotta get that shit together that's how i looked at it and that shit is one that shit is bucket every time every time you shoot that shit bro i'm like that's good you start faking

everything he's still gonna hit that shit is amazing bro because what's so amazing about it is they try to take that shot out the game yeah so i was about to say and like for you to still like master that shot like bro it was a year like it was a year where like they came to me and said you have to shoot more threes like you gotta do this and this and it was like i'm like why like i really but like it was a year when i was a straight dickhead when it came to that i'm like why like nobody can stop me doing this why you want me to stop doing this you know what i mean i hate it like when when that analytics shit started coming in the game it used to make me so mad because

not just for myself even early on in my career i used to look at it like yo what you telling people that what you telling these youngins that's coming up that need to learn the fundamentals of the game you know what i mean but it's it out, not outside in, how the game is played. Like, understand. Yes. You feel me? Coach T. Yeah, so it's like, that's my, like, philosophy to where it's like,

yo, it's bigger than just me, how I view the game, to where it's like, I want people to understand, like, this is the art of basketball. This is the art of what the game was built on. Like everybody can't be a Steph Curry. And that's fine. Steph is Steph for a reason. Everybody can't be Clay.

Everybody can't. But everybody can master spots when it comes to this game and build off that. Everybody not going to be shooting 30, 35 footers every time down. You do it the best though, bro. Averaging them. They're a dub, over a dub over a dub all midis that's crazy bro yeah we don't shoot threes though He don't shoot threes In cold though Cause your shit is

Unstoppable bro Unstoppable I don't wanna talk about Shooting threes I seen him beat the Pacers A couple years ago Off of nice ass three Oh yeah

But I'm saying he got it Nah yeah But I never wanted to Like abuse it Like I seen Jordan Say some shit A long time ago It's like I never wanted to abuse it. I've seen Jordan say some shit a long time ago. I never wanted to get comfortable with the three because it'd take my aggressiveness in the mid-range and get into the basket away.

You know what I mean? It's easy to fall a victim. Especially with me. I try to practice perfection when I go out there and play in a sense of like I'm not gonna shoot bad shots and I'm I'm like I I have a goal in my head to always shoot above 50 percent no matter what you know I mean like I never want to be a 40 percent shooter like I really try to master my spot so when when in game it becomes it becomes natural to me nah you you can tell that you like love your craft though like i was the one i ain't gonna lie i played around with my craft like i had a good time like shit i'm a hoop i just loop naturally that's what we do in indiana it wasn't like hey go to the gym it's like shit i

just naturally can hoop like i could tell like when i even like i watch you on youtube with dribble too much i i watch that i'm like yeah i wish i would have like yeah i ain't training with nobody i train with my niggas i be here trying to rebound real quick like hold on i ain't never been a rebounder last thing you want the first stretch for it? I was, nigga. I did my own rebound. They used to rebound for George Hill. He used to rebound for George Hill. Let's start.

We got company. He used to move with George Hill in high school, man. George Hill averaged 38. He averaged 5. Don't let the size fool you, nigga. I was built like this, too. This is about DR, man. Man, this dude crazy. Man, but one of my favorite parts about your game is, like,

obviously you go crazy in the league, but to see you go back home and play in the Drew every summer and, like, really get to it. Like, y'all really be battling them up. Also, congrats, by the way. You know what I'm saying? I whole fans like us like we love basketball to see you hoop in the summer like for y'all to really pull up there and really go crazy that shit is fire man yeah you know it's crazy for me bro it's it's like it's a sentimental thing because you know um

my dad used to take me to Drew League when I was young, even before I started playing, to where I just remember one day he picked me up. I mean, we left the house one day. He was like, man, bring your basketball shit. He took me to Drew League. I was 14, 15 years old. He said, go out there and play. Grown-ass man.

I'm like, what? I guess my dad told everybody, all the grown men, don't take it easy on me. Go out there, give them the work. And I had to compete, but it gave me a mental edge when I go out there and play with them, when I go play people my age. It's lights out. Nah, fuck that. These motherfuckers can't fuck with me.

I'm playing against grown men that, they kids sitting on the sideline. You know what I mean? man that that they kids sitting on the sideline you know what i mean so it was always something that was like made me feel good because it gave me like an internal confidence that i could do this then it's in a hood too like all the hood motherfuckers coming out here all the old heads and they and they respecting you and taking you in so me getting in a position of being somebody that people look up to like it's like mandatory for me to do it because it's like you never know that one kid that's sitting here i could be his hope just to want to make it out you know i mean it's motherfuckers in here who

probably never even been to the stable center you know i mean been able to see a basketball game like they can come out here for free and watch me play. Like, it's something I take serious too. You know what I mean? I remember, I remember, I brought one of my old teammates. I think it was Jared Jack.

I think I brought him playing the Drew League one time with me years ago. In the middle of the game, I think we was about to get in, I'm about to get in a fight with somebody and all this.

And Jack leaned over and said, man, why you taking this shit so serious? And to me, it's like, yo, this shit is serious to me. You know what I mean serious? Yeah. And to me, it's like, yo,

this shit is serious to me. You know what I mean? Like, it's like a, it's like my rep on the line for here. Like, I don't play around with this.

So, like, that's why when you see me playing and like, I take, I take that shit serious. Nah, I see you.

You get active. That's why I ain't never play. Yeah, like, I take, it's, it's, it's heavy,

bro. For real, like, even, even out of the day, like, I'm hooping out of the day it's like you know niggas on that team talking shit and it's like you know i don't look at it like nigga you know who the fuck i am like yeah talk your shit but i'm gonna show you why i come here all the time you know for sure and man it's crazy because like y'all don't have some moments in there but one I don't think It spoke on enough I think it was maybe Last year before that Bro you and Brian Yeah On the NBA app bro Yeah

We all watched the Kobe We all watched But to see that happen And the progression To the drill For y'all to have that moment That's hard It inspires people

Outside like Everybody looked at like We can't wait to see that Yeah and that It was crazy Like even shout out To Brian doing that You know he

He definitely a real one For that because, you know, he hit me. It was the middle of the night, probably like, it was like a week before I had played in it and Brian had hit me. He was like, man, what's up? When you playing in Drew again? I'm like, next week. I'm like, fuck it. Come fuck with me. He said, all right, man, I'm going to come fuck with you.

So I'm thinking like, all right, he probably forget it. He got busy. It was like a night before the following week it's like what time the game blah blah blah alright bet I'm pulling up

and I think I had tweeted um like Debo and like the crown or whatever pulled up and just to see how like electrified the city was

bro just to see like little like my thing I'm big on looking in the crowd and seeing like kids reactions you know what I mean? Seeing those like they just seen a ghost.

Like to me, that's the shit that make it feel like, yo, this shit is always bigger than basketball because these kids carrying this shit forever. You know what I mean? Like they're going to remember this moment. And for bro to do that, that shit was like That shit was amazing You know what I mean Especially like You know shit 20 years in

Years Four years How big it is To come out there In the hood And hoop And the game was Cracking too

Like it was Like they took us down To the wire Like they was out there Talking shit All that So man that shit was Probably You know my second Favorite Favorite to the wire like they was out there talking shit all that so man that shit was probably

you know my second favorite favorite favorite moment outside of when Kobe played yeah Kobe

Kobe always gonna be my number one whenever but what when Brian did that shit man that shit that was some real shit man let me ask you this then

cause I remember I said that I said something out of pocket about Kobe. Oh, no, not because he a Kobe fan. I said,

what'd I say? James Harden was, you remember? You said James Harden was better. Oh, I said James Harden scored a little better than Kobe.

Was I out of pocket? No, like, James Harden scored that motherfucker though. I've, I've told somebody this multiple times

the run James had it's crazy come on bro the run James had was fucking like that ain't even a video game

that shit was crazy bro that shit was like some fucking like Space Jam shit yeah yeah you know what I mean because like

if you didn't watch the game you just knew when you checked the box score It was gonna be Something fucking crazy 38 40

40 45 15 assists 10 rebounds Like That run he had bro That shit was Fucking incredible

And high He did The shit Looked like it was With no effort That's what I was saying You see what I'm saying So I

I got What you was coming from, from that standpoint. And I think people react. People is just so sensitive when it comes to, like, certain shit. You really just sit and think, bro, that run James had, bro, was the most incredible shit, like, I know I ever seen. That shit was crazy, bro. It was crazy. He would just literally come down court. Bop, bop, bop.

Side step three. Bop, bop, bop. Hezzy. It was, like, come on. Like, it was incredible. And don't forget, nigga, they was winning 50 games a year. In the West. In the West.

And it's crazy who he was going against, bro. He had to go against that prime warrior situation. And was still going crazy still going bro that's the only thing i said but i got killed for that but i think kobe is phenomenal like it's nothing like i know to love you and respect you have for kofi but i just at that moment i'm like what i had to play against james bro that but that shit was different yeah bro that's the thing like it just like listen like you said kobe is my goat all that everything but it's like what's real is real the shit james was doing i don't think we'll ever see that oh you won't oh we we nah we won't have a scene and they try to they try to erase it with with luca and obviously we know luca cole he liked that but i'm

like nah bro james had to do that against teams in the west when it was i mean them teams in the rockets weren't that great no it was a lot of james harden and everybody else just kind of standing in the corners of these threes yeah that man was on a mission with him and cc when i see when i see somebody guards him and stand behind him stand behind his hands behind their back i said i don't know what the fuck is going on right here this is bad basketball but he that special where you can't even niggas they know what to do yeah like you gotta go i don't i'm trying something totally different yeah i'm just standing behind you that's crazy speaking on cover did you pull some of your feet work from him yeah yeah i definitely got a lot of that came through through conversations with him.

Just breaking down like he was a big soccer fan. So he used to always, you know, incorporate how soccer players move, how to use their footwork to get leverage, quickness. And he always used to tell me to watch, you know, certain players like, you know, Hake hakeem obviously the way he moved but also like the smaller guards like uh like a fucking like andre miller for example you know i mean legend not the fastest not can't jump the highest didn't have but he knew how to maneuver in small places to be able to get a shot off or get to the bucking and everything so i used i used to start i started paying attention to like a lot of of the random players in a sense that you know probably don't have the big notoriety as everybody else you know i mean and and took a lot of stuff from them um

another person who helped me with my footwork shit was like sam casale you know i mean when i when i was 15 like used to be around Sam and Sam always used to preach to me about certain ways how to shoot the turnaround, how to get your feet leveraged a certain type of way, you know what I mean?

Learn from him or learn from fucking Coutinho Mowgli how to get your shot, you know what I mean? So, it's certain players that I took so much from

and, like, incorporated, but Cole was the one that put the like, the notion in it to, you know, you master this. Like basically,

he always used to tell me, learn how to play in a phone booth. You know what I mean? If you could be, if you know how to master how to create shots from a phone booth,

you're good. You know what I mean? So he used to talk a lot in fucking codes. He used to take some time to figure out. But when I figured it out and that light bulb would off i know i had something yeah they don't get spoke on enough how good your footwork is bro so i had to ask and that's the fire part when you hear players like you or your caliber speaking like you when you hear people

like yeah it's cool to know the players it's cold but like no but you always speak on the players like okay everybody might not speak on his name, but I learned something from this player. That's pivotal to my game. That's like Tony Parker. His footwork was phenomenal. It's crazy. It's crazy.

But it's like my whole- On and off the court. No, no. It's just on the court. It's on the court. Shout out to TP. Yeah. I learned from all the motherfuckers, man.

I really became like a student of the game and just watched motherfuckers. Rather if it was a slow motherfucker, fast motherfucker, quick. And just try to take shit from them and try to incorporate it, you know, into my game. You're one of the best scorers. Like, you, like, when we talk about phone booth scorers, like, you, Mello, and those guys, Kobe. Yeah. Like, y'all can get y'all shot off at any point like i always always say that like that's why i said when we was gonna play he's gonna send doubles

but it was like it don't matter where you at on the floor i know you can get a shot off right like that's what you know with you it's never a shot clock violation right right like with me i used to get shot clock you i'm like he ain't getting no shot clock by like she know how to get shot clocked by a lot of people. You, I'm like, he ain't getting no shot clocked by a lot of people. She know how to get a shot off. That's, like, tough to do. That's what I think about you, James. Same thing with Melo, Kobe, KD. Y'all lead scorers. Like, when I hear people talking about one of the lead scorers in the league,

your name should be talked about a lot more. Yeah, I appreciate that because, you know, it's definitely one thing, like, you know, that, you know, that definitely one thing like you know that you know that get overlooked for whatever reason you know what I mean I heard somebody on a podcast

say some shit I wasn't a scorer and all this and it's just like you know it's like come on how many points you got it's only probably

I think 30 people in the history of basketball who got more points than me so it's like come on man that's average over a dozen

you're the first to balance to me you know what I mean so it's like you know it's one of those things like when it come to it like you just check check the facts on it you know what i mean when it come to that and that's the craziest thing to say about you though no yeah i was you put that motherfucker up here yeah that's what i'm come on you know what it is and that's the crazy shit to say about brown like brown not really a score bro he got the most buckets ever how you gonna say that nigga scorer Bro he got the most buckets ever

How you gonna say That nigga not a scorer He got the most buckets ever Bro Even that People who say that Just Show me how stupid they are

You know what I mean Like come on man Nah you get buckets bro That's You got buckets Your whole career though It ain't like It's just

Yeah it ain't like It's nothing new Yeah you always got buckets That's the shit that throws me off Like y'all Like it's something new Nah you always got buckets. That's the shit that throws me off. Like, it's something new. Nah, you always got buckets. It's kind of funny when I,

because when I heard somebody say it on the podcast, I was like, huh? Like, come on. Like, if you were to say, yo, he don't pass, like, he don't get assists like that, I'm like, all right. Yeah, I'm like, all right. Yeah, he ain't top.

That's Kyle Johnson. When you go look at the stats It's like How bro You know how many people Play in this league And he topped He topped in the leagues

Like what are you talking about It didn't even Like I couldn't even Like comment on it I just thought it was like It was beyond funny to me Like it's just like I guess anybody

With a microphone Can say whatever Whatever they want these days That was crazy For sure Wake up with football Every morning I guess anybody with a microphone can say whatever they want these days. That was crazy. He's definitely a bucket. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal.

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doesn't want that listen now on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast i gotta ask how was that transition um going from toronto to san antonio man it was it was tough because obviously everybody know like i wanted to be there i wanted i wanted to stay there everything i i you know shit you know that was that was home so you know getting traded, you know, that was, that was home. So, you know, getting traded, um, the way it went down, you know, that part hurt more than anything. Then, you know, when I finally calmed down and realized like, shit, I'm going to San Antonio. Then what they say about city born, blah, blah, blah.

It's like, yo, I'm playing for pop. Yes, sir. Like fucking coach pop. Like, you know what I mean? And, and what's crazy when i got traded i didn't talk to nobody for like fucking two weeks i wouldn't answer my phone i was mad as shit like i'm i'm like i was in my feelings i was like man i was i was man i was hurt i ain't gonna lie but pop had called me out the blue and just was like, look, we didn't trade you. We traded for you.

And when I let that sink in, I'm like, God damn, he got a fucking point. Like, all right. And just to be underneath Pop, to hear the game from him, the way he just took me in and accepted me, more than just a basketball player. Like, to help with the transition. Like, I cherished that shit forever, man, because it was something I needed in my career at the time because I'm looking at the game one way my whole time. And, you know, my nine years in Toronto, I'm thinking just, you know,

just go out there, shoot the ball 30 times, try to get a win. If I don't – if I shoot bad, at least I tried. With Pop, it was more so like, how can you make everybody else around you better? And with that, make it easier on myself. So Pop always used to tell me, give me three and a half quarters of playing this way. The rest is you.

And with that, it made the game more fun because now i'm getting everybody involved making it easier doing this but when it was time to win it was like go win again you know what i mean and it gave me a different outlook on just how to incorporate use the game use your teammates get everybody involved and find the rhythm of the game that way like my first my first shoot around with Pop, I remember he said,

man, DeMar, you the point guard. I ain't never played point guard a day in my career and it's like, he telling me

I'm the point guard but I think that whole week I think I averaged like, like damn near 13, 14 assists. You know what I mean? But he'd do shit like that to challenge you,

to show you that you can do it. You know what I mean? And that was something I definitely needed. For sure. You hear a lot of good reviews from players about Coach Pop. And it's so dope to see now, like, he got Wimby. Yeah.

It's like, we know he's going to be for sure anyway, but he got Pop. Like, he's the next superstar for sure. For sure. He definitely going to learn. I mean, you see it now. Even just how he was playing in the Olympics. Like, the way he played in the championship games. Killing. You gonna learn I mean you see it now even just how he was playing in the Olympics like the way he played in the championship game

killing you know what I mean like he's still a kid bro but I guarantee you he was on the phone with Pop that night at this you know what I mean

Pop giving him some type of you know insight and knowledge on how to carry that now watch how he be this year boy it's about to get spooky

and you guys see Pete down there oh my god he's about to be a monster bro got cp down there oh my god spooky bro monster bro yeah they building a monster down there that shit looked like a video game nah bro like i've never like i'm we played them this year i swear i had a drive to the lane he i'm on one side of the key he on the other side i stopped for the layup and pulled it back out that's he was on the other side I stopped for the layup and pulled it back out that's he was on the other side of the key he wasn't even like but I just knew he had the recovery length to be able to fucking block whatever I throw up that's crazy I'm talking about you you just look him in the eye bro you

gonna know like he he he he gonna be one of the ones for sure oh yeah we never seen nothing like him nah hell nah we ain't like KD when I seen KD I was I've never seen Nothing like him Nah hell nah We ain't Like KD When I seen KD I was like I've never seen Nothing like him 7 foot Can do all that stuff

He 4 or 5 inches taller Than KD That shit's crazy With a handle Yeah That shit's crazy Obviously you a student

In the game Who are some of the Young players In the league That you You know what I'm saying Take a notice Or take a liking to

That's a hell of a question Because I think, you know, like, how young are you talking? No, whatever, whatever's young for you,

I mean, you're a guy. Like, John now, let's do John. Okay, like, look at them.

Those guys, I think, they're going to carry this league to, you know, where it needs to be. You know what I mean? When you look at the John,

the Lucas, it's, all those guys, they like, beyond special, man. Like, you know, I'd be glad when, you know i mean when you look at the job the lucas it's all those guys they they like beyond special man like you know i'll be glad i'll be glad when you know job get back healthy he get back on the floor because you know the game is that much more exciting when those when those players is healthy you know i mean like you know i hate that he wasn't out there to do you know to be a part of you know all this like it's it's amazing to see just being a fan of all these guys that come in the league.

You see them as kids one year, and the next year, they hold swag change. You see it. You know what I mean? They carrying their own aura. My favorite players is obviously Ja, Luka. I don't know, JT. Is Jason still a fucking? Ant Edwards.

Ant. That's one of my favorites. Funny story. Where you at when you from Compton? Listen, I fuck with Ant. I don't know him personally like that. But the times I done played, I remember I played against Ant this year. And like the dog he got in him. I remember jump ball.

He's still right next to me. He guarded me. I'm like, yo, like he take on all these fucking challenges and I respect that from a youngin'

like this. You know what I mean? Like you see the dog in him and obviously you see it with the Olympic team and what he gonna be come next season

is gonna, like that shit. I know what playing in the Olympics do for a player like that shit takes you to a whole another level mentally

physically emotionally like you feel like you that especially being around those other 11 guys so like those like definitely

ain't one of my favorite so I think those guys gonna carry the lead to where it needs to be for sure I mean you know what I'm saying?

Obviously, you know, a new situation this summer. Congrats on that as well. Appreciate it. You playing with another young dog as well. I don't know if he's too young.

We still, D-Fox. Yeah. I mean, that was part of the reason, you know, even making, making that decision.

D-Fox in my career, man. He too damn fast. Listen, fast as shit. Fast as shit. Like, he put me on the bench man See

That's the first time I said You know I think I'm gonna Come off the bench man They don't come against It's a little It's not the same speed man I was like Yeah I think I'm gonna

Come off the bench I remember I was like Yeah Minnesota I think you can probably Start Tyus Jones Nah yeah I think that situation You know Ius Jones. Nah, yeah. I think that situation, you know, it came out of nowhere after, you know,

the season was over and once free agency hit. You know, I know it was a bunch of other options. But, you know, when I just sat back and, like, realized, like, you know, what the team needed, what they had, what they was fighting for, and how bad they want to win, know it just fit the mold that you know I want to be a part of and you know just being able to play with those guys

you know I'm looking forward to it you know Monk Murray you know Sabo it's a lot of

it's a lot of those guys that's special you know and I really want to be a part of that I feel like you know I definitely could help

when did your game start transitioning because to me y'all could be wrong but I feel like I definitely could help. When did your game start transitioning? Because to me, y'all could be wrong, but I feel like when you first came to the league, nigga, you was a hot flyer. Yeah, I was, yeah, yeah. And then you turned it. I'm not saying you dumbed your game down,

but you brought it to like, shit, I'm going to just shoot these middies. And what year did that like? I'm about to stop dunking on niggas because I ain't trying to be like Jeff Teague and my knees be all fucked up. I want to keep going years and years, you know what I mean?

What's crazy, 2013. No shame, bro. They fucked up, man. Because he trying to dunk on everybody, you know what I'm saying? Nah, Jeff had hops.

On my life. Like a motherfucker, bro. Nah, 100%. That's what I'm saying, but he didn't want to stop. He didn't know to stop he didn't he was a jabberwocky through his whole career um what's crazy that's a great question 2013 um i had tore my groin um i like off the bone

it was like six six seven seven games in a season. I just trying to turn the corner with the ball slip toward my whole groin. And like, I was so worried because I'm like, man, we finally getting good. I think the year before I had made all star. So I'm like,

man, fuck, I'm trying to, I don't, I didn't want to be a one time all star type of nigga. You know what I'm saying? So I'm like to I don't I didn't want to be a one-time all-star type of nigga This is about the aria This is about the aria Come on man

Tell your story bro My bad JT My bad My bad bro My bad I didn't even think about it bro Listen That was funny See, I didn't even think about it, bro. I didn't even think about it. Listen, listen.

That was funny as hell. That's a good one. I didn't want to be a one-time all-star at the time. Respect. I was so thirsty. Like, I was so mad at getting hurt to where it was like six, seven game of the season. So, when I tore my groin, I'm thinking, they talking about surgery and all that shit.

So I'm like, man, hell no. I ain't trying to miss the season, all that shit. So I'm doing whatever I possibly can to see how fast I can get back. So I end up doing like the PRP shit, you know, rehab. I think I missed 22 games. So I kind of rushed myself back thinking like, fuck it. I can still make All-Star. We still was winning.

Let me get back out here and start killing. So when I started back playing, I wasn't right for that next probably like two years. Nobody knew. I never said nothing. So that made me scared to jump, run fast. And that's when I started paying attention to niggas like fucking Joe Johnson yeah fucking um I remember

I remember during that time I sat there I watched those two years of Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards I said

oh shit that one tapped in I swear to God I watched Jordan every game Jordan played in a Wizards jersey I'm like yo they said both his knees

was fucked up he couldn't move blah blah blah so I'm I'm watching him from the standpoint of like how is he doing what he doing he's still averaging 20 plus still getting 40 but he he he not used he not athletic no more he not the old Jordan so I watched so much of him so when I came back and started playing i try to play more that way to where i started to kind of like master playing that way and by the time i got more healthy my athletic ability and all that was in case of emergency so you listening yes he was watching niggas jump off the ropes and wcw. He watching the real field. I want to enjoy my life.

I like wrestling and shit. He watching MJ. I don't know. I thought MJ was done. He looking at it a whole different way. I'm done with the night. I'm looking like Jordan Cook. He looking at the footwork is that a bitch what the fuck man

what the fuck man I'm sorry y'all man what the fuck that's why hey y'all crazy nah but I wanted to talk about cause I always bro I'm a fan bro

for real so I watched everybody talk so highly of you like Kobe White and those young guys Dale and Terry talk about how

much of a leader you was in Chicago and it's like damn to hear them speak about you like that like bro took us under his wing

he taught us the ropes and then see like Kobe White you know had an up and downs first and then you get there and all of a sudden you see him start growing and becoming basically to me he's gonna be one another star i see i see him being an all-star this year no question um for me bro it got to a point to when i started realizing like you know i'm i'm getting older especially when motherfuckers started calling me old head and OG and shit you know what I mean that's when I started like I was dodging that shit for

for a long time like niggas calling me OG old head like until like I just finally like accepted it in a sense to where it's like yo I really fuck with these young dudes bro because it's like I really want I really want to see everybody be successful and win you know what I mean like think about it's like i really want i really want to see everybody be successful and win you

know i mean like think about it bro like sometimes i have moments where i just sit up here and be like i'm from compton i damn near made 300 million dollars from playing basketball you know i mean like like they're like that shit I'm gonna fucking Wake back up Wake this motherfucker up Let me down It's like When I have those moments And think about it It's like

How much Of everything I learned The fails The success And everything That I could give To these young guys That probably don't know it

You know what I mean The good The bad On and off the court And I really I really put my all Into give to these young guys that probably don't know it you know what i mean the good the bad on and off the court and i really i really put my all into all my teammates that i play with all these young dudes because you know i remember being so blind when i was young not knowing you know shit i remember i was a motherfucker going to hotel room order fucking chicken tenders and wings and call it a night to where it's like even even now it's

like i take all these young dudes to go eat at these restaurants so they can see and understand something different it ain't just hotel food that that you can eat you know i mean like i try to like expose them to so much more that the world have to offer don't just be stuck in this one place and you know once you free up a motherfucking mind to that aspect it helps them with the confidence to help them with the preparation especially with me it's like all these all these young niggas everybody i play with see me after a game if we on the road first thing i do i get on the phone with my kids i'm talking to my kids hearing about my kids they doing this i'm showing them the responsibilities i still take take care of on a daily basis and still be the first one on the bus still be the first one in

the meeting first one in the gym doing all this and it's like any any logical person who sees that will understand like damn that's that's think about it bro i'm going in year 16, bro. It's crazy. Like, still doing it to this level. Like, you got to be consistent. So, I try to give the game to all these youngins as best as I can, bro. Nah, you. Every single day. You're doing a hell of a job, bro. To see, I'm just, I'm watching them.

As players grow, and it's like, and they giving you that credit. It's like, damn, bro figured it out. But then to see your game, though. Yeah. Like, to see you when we first came in the league to where you are now, It's like, damn, bro figured it out. But then to see your game, though. Yeah. Like to see you when we first came in the league to where you are now, you're like, yeah, he put in the work. Yeah. And that time, and like you said, 300 million.

Yeah. It pay off, bro. That work. And to see, I know what you're going to do in sack with that same group, with them young guys who, they got a great team. You're going to do the same thing. Yeah. I see them having Another great year

And making some noise In the west for sure It was crazy More years in the league bro Like For sure You 16 But we can see you playing

Another 5, 6 years At a crazy level Like That's the dope part about it And everything that we learn I think the best part That we get to meet people And you see the difference

Of people who pour into Their teammates And pour into And showing people more Outside of that Those are the ones you see That get the respect. They get the careers and others.

It's kind of more said, just like, all right, that kind of fall by the wayside. So it all makes sense, man. It all makes sense. For me,

like, bro, I always told myself like, fuck the media. Fuck with people. Opinion. They got to say after games and all this, I always took the heart.

Like, yo, if my, my peers respect me. Yeah. That's all that matters. You feel me? Like, that's the only thing that matters. As long as I always took to heart, yo, if my peers respect me, that's all that matters. You feel me? Like,

that's the only thing that matters. As long as I can walk in the gym and motherfuckers know, like, man, like, I fuck with DRD, man,

he gonna compete or you gotta bring it. that's what matters to me the most. You got that for sure. Yeah. Off basketball a little bit, man, I wanna ask you about Kendrick,

Ron, man. What you thinking about the He came back He put the city back I mean The head man I know Drake your guy but

Yeah but I think You know even That my guy but I think for me Being on the inside It's never like It's not a surprise for me Right

Like it's It's like like i see bro or talk to bro like it's it's it's a normal thing you know so it's like when you know a person and it's like he he probably somewhere sitting in a room with sage lit right now not not knowing what the fuck is going on on the outside world of things. You know what I mean? Because he just, he in tune or whatever it is. He like,

he living his life. You know what I mean? So, like, as a fan, you know, you hyped to see it. But from my standpoint,

you know, like, I know bro, that's bro. So, it's like, when you see him, it's kind of like,

you know, you see JT go, who, in a big three, and it's like, you're really not surprised. You know he's doing it. You know what I mean? A hundred percent. So it's really not a surprise if you go see him fucking going out there killing motherfuckers in a big three. It's like.

Did y'all know he was going to be a star or had a feeling before? Because of course y'all heard yeah because he always was like different in the in ahead of his time and and kind of like was a a visionary okay with how he approached and looked looked at things you know i mean and he always had that in and a lot of times i think as as just like a man you see the growth and the failures that he he took and had to accept and grow from not just fuck it just being about the the rap of it, you know, personally. You know what I mean? You see the growth in an individual and, you know,

like we all know he nice when it comes to, you know, rapping, but, you know, you've seen the growth from it. And, you know, he put it in his art. You know what I mean? I know a lot of people, you know, want to hear more from him and all that, but to him it's like, you know, he putting his life, he putting his life out there for us to understand. And sometimes niggas got to go through shit to be able to put, you know, our life out there and speak about some shit.

So to me, it's just like, you know, it's cool to see him out there, but it's more so like cool just to see him, you know, in a healed space mentally, you know in in in a in a healed space mentally you know what I mean is that first album in your top five

the first one what's the one the kid mad city the kid mad city yeah yeah that was hard good

but that even that is like that's such a storyline of of you know what I mean yeah you inside like so you understand

more than we do but it's like that album like the breakdown of it it's like that that album, like, the breakdown of it, it's like. That shit is a last word, bro. Because he walked the same street, shit. Yeah. So it's like, I envision this shit, like, when I hear it, like, I know exactly, like,

certain shit he even say where it's like, I may get it more than everybody else, you know what I mean? But it's like, it's definitely in my, definitely in my top five. What was that like, though, at that concert? Like. Yeah. Like, you, all y'all my, definitely in my top five. What was that like though at that concert? Like, yeah. Like you, all y'all on stage, y'all vibing the whole Cali together. I mean, it was one of those things. I know people get so caught up in looking at the whole beef part of it and everything.

It's bigger than that though. It's so much bigger than that because like, it's a lot of those dudes i know had problems with another dude this hood didn't get along with this hood or or it was it was some type of tension or friction or you haven't seen these sets of people around this sets of people in in x amount of time and for it to be a moment to be able to share be shared in la in the form to bring out all the artists from like you know from home to do that with no problem no issues everybody get in there with no arguments no fights no scuffles leave there everybody get home it was like it was just a different type of fucking like appreciation for one another. You know what I mean?

I know it's so easy to get caught up in the whole beef part of it and all that. But for us, it's just like it's bigger than that. You know what I mean? Because if music could bring us together, it just show you how powerful we are as people. Yeah. If we just put all the fucking egos and all that sensitive shit to the side. Like, we really could come together and do something special. You know what I mean?

That was a moment, too, man. Like, not even in hip hop. We was watching that shit. Like, we was. It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard for Drake to do that, bro. Ain't too many light-skinned niggas that can go crazy in the city like that of Toronto, bro. But that ain't nothing for DeMar to speak of. Even that.

Like, how great and like I know it's so easy when people get caught up in the size and all that but it's like Drake still

the amazing shit that Drake done did over what the last 15 years he's undervalued none can ever take that away you see what I'm saying like I know like I said it's always easy when it I look at it from be a racist. Nah, bro. He's on the Bible, bro. Come on, nothing could ever take that away.

You see what I'm saying? Ever. Like, I know, like I said, it's always easy when it, I look at it from, be honest with you, I look at all this shit, like, I really come from,

like, the hood. I come from, like, niggas losing their life over some dumb shit, over dice games. Like, I done had an uncle get killed by, that was a blood

that got killed by a crip. Another uncle that was a crip That got killed by a blood And like And it fucked up my whole like Childhood upbringing To where it's like Y'all letting

Songs divide and create And make people so sensitive To where it's like To me it's like Come on man Like we It's like watching a fucking Action packed movie Nobody really dying You know what I mean? It's true to me it's like come on man like we we it's like watching a fucking action-packed movie

nobody really dying you know i mean it's true to me i hated how it started because they just two totally different artists to me i didn't i get drake can really rap i just it's just kendrick like you said really come from yeah kind of more respected, but it's like, I think you can't just never discredit Drake. Drake is like, he's fucking Drake. I'm a Drake fan. I'm just saying. You was in the city when Drake really became a star. Yeah, I seen it from the beginning to where is it now?

Making a star. I don't think it will ever be another Drake that's just that's just what it is you know

and ain't nobody ever fought against that many people bro Drake him Kendrick him too at the end of the day it just comes down

to it being that like both of them the big dogs at what they do like why can't that be respected everybody got spar one day.

Listen, in my neighborhood, the two toughest niggas had to get down. One got to lose. That don't make them less than the other one. It's just be more respected because ain't nobody else going to get down with one of them niggas.

That's true. That's my view. Everybody who don't come from the streets or understand the street part of it may notas that's true that's just so that's that's my view everybody who don't come from the streets or understand the street part of it may not look at it like that and may get in their feelings

or be sensitive about certain shit but me I look at all this shit like bro ain't nobody hurt this shit is this is

it was good watching fucking the matrix yeah see I told y'all about LeBron and Bronny this the matrix bro here we go man let's get up before we get The Matrix. Yeah. See, I told you about LeBron and Bronny. This is the Matrix, bro.

Here we go. Man, let's get up out here before we get killed. Nah, that's hard. I think it's dope as shit, right? What you think about seeing Bron? I got the utmost respect for Bron. But to be able to see his son in the league with him playing on the same team. You know how the league works.

Yeah. It's going to be a moment where Bronny and Bron in the game at the same time. He's starting. I didn't say he's starting, but it's going to be a moment. I told everybody it's going to be a highlight

where little Bronny is going to throw Bron alive and the shit is going to go crazy. That shit is going to be everywhere. You know it's going to happen though, right? For sure. That's what I'm saying. I'm hoping I'm watching the game.

Me too. I ain't going to lie. I'm going to record this this you don't want it to be against the king's up no no no but it's definitely a moment like come on bro like damn where everybody none of us never seen no shit like that iconic bro so for it to be an opportunity for that to happen shit if i had a son i don't want like if my son if my son now if my my son i mean fucking two years old so oh you cooked but if i had a my son was in that position i will i will want the same thing for sure oh yeah bro they do nothing we gotta start having kids at 14 now we ain't pushing that but if you try to do the bronze, you got to start early. That's from Hooper Dave Gray.

Pete Miller Elite. What a good full circle moment, man. We about to get the fuck up out of here, man. Big Dog, we appreciate you sliding on us, man. Best of luck this season. We definitely going to be watching the Kings. Be here and tell the people they can grab some merch at. ShopClub520.com, baby.

We out of here. Peace. You know what it is, Club 520. The Volume. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee

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