Club Shay Shay - Karl-Anthony Towns Part 1

Episode Date: October 2, 2024

NBA superstar Karl-Anthony Towns sits down with Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay for an extensive and candid conversation. Karl-Anthony, also known as KAT, starts off by discussing his offseason activities and his claim to be the greatest shooting big man of all time, stating that he’s an even better shooter than Dirk Nowitzki or any other big man in NBA history. He dives into why he didn’t showcase his shooting abilities while playing at Kentucky under Coach John Calipari and talks about how both his and Anthony Davis’ games evolved after making it to the NBA. KAT also touches on the balance between team play at Kentucky and individual NBA aspirations. KAT then reflects on Kentucky’s legendary 38-1 season, expressing the sting of their lone loss. He also delves into the Minnesota Timberwolves’ performance last season, offering an analysis of why they were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks and how the team discovered its strengths by relying on veteran leadership and holding each other accountable. Shannon Sharpe presses KAT on his shooting struggles during that series, asking why he didn’t change his scoring strategy. Then, KAT shares his detailed daily routine to keep himself in peak physical and mental condition as a basketball player. Karl-Anthony addresses criticisms about his work ethic, specifically responding to comments made by Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Draymond Green, who have all questioned his practice regimen. KAT sets the record straight and also discusses his long-standing relationship with Kyrie Irving, tracing their bond back to their early days in New Jersey. He explains how he’s learned from Kyrie over the course of their NBA careers. KAT praises the skill and dominance of the Boston Celtics last season and explains how their championship was a long time coming.KAT spends time talking about his Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Anthony Edwards, highlighting what makes Edwards special as a player and how their connection on the court is so strong. He explains why Anthony Edwards listens to him more than other people and discusses Edwards and other NBA stars' decision not to participate in the NBA Dunk Contest, sharing insights into why stars are now steering away from the event in favor of focusing on the three-point contest. When it comes to Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony gives an honest assessment of what Gobert brings to the Timberwolves and where he falls short. He also dives into Gobert’s rivalry with Draymond Green and reflects on his time playing under Coach Tom Thibodeau, detailing the ups and downs of his coaching philosophy. KAT gets into the infamous rift between him and Jimmy Butler, explaining how the experience helped him grow as both a teammate and a leader. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a professional football player's career ends and the applause fades and the screaming fans move on? I am going to share my journey of how I went from Christianity to now a Hebrew Israelite. For some former NFL players, a new faith provides answers. You mix homesteading with guns in church, voila! You got straight away. He tried to save everybody. Listen to Spiraled on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. MTV's official challenge podcast

is back for another season. That's right, the challenge is about to embark on its monumental 40th season, y'all, and we are coming along for the ride. Woohoo, that would be me, Devyn Simone. And then there's me, Devon Rogers. And we're here to take you behind the scenes of the Challenge 40, Battle of the Eras.

Join us as we break down each episode, interview challengers, and take you behind the scenes of this iconic season. Listen to MTV's official challenge podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up y'all? It's Cam Jordan from the New Orleans Saints here to tell you it's going down. On season two of my podcast, Off the Edge with me, Cam Jordan. Catch new episodes every Wednesday and I'll have the biggest NFL stars join me to give a player's perspective of the biggest storylines,

trends, and did that really just happen moment from around the league. So tap in to Off the Edge with Cam Jordan's podcast, your ultimate playbook for all things football and not football. Listen on the iHeart, radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Who's Carl Anthony Townsgo? Oh man, that man, Braun, different.

That man, Braun Braun is something special. Just straight off the rip, he's the best player I've ever seen. Talent wise. I've been grinding all my life, all my life. Been grinding all my life. Sacrificed, thought so paid the price. Want a slice, got to roll a dice. That's why all my life, I've been grinding all my life. Hello, welcome to another edition of Club CheChe. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club CheChe.

And today we're at Spotlight LA. The guy that's stopping by for a conversation and a drink today is one of the most skilled big man to ever touch a basketball. He's arguably the best shooting big man of all time. First in league history to have 10 made threes, 10 made twos, and 10 made free throws in the same game. He's the only center in NBA history to win the three-point contest and the skills challenge. He's a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time all-NBA member, the number one overall draft pick in 2016.

2016 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year, 2014 Gatorade National Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American, Kentucky alum, and he's the winner of the prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Award. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, superstar of the prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Award. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen,

superstar of the unicorn, Kat. Oh, appreciate you, man. Appreciate you, bro, how you been? Man, I've been good, life's been treating me well. How's the summer? Man, it's good. Got to travel, get more culture, see some new faces,

God is good, man. You know what, Kat, I ain't gonna lie, you know what, we got a little toast. Since you Dominican at all, you know, I know you've been known to put that in your tie. We ain't gonna do that that much, because you know, just a little something. I'm with it.

That's my own cognac. For real? Yeah, we're gonna send you home with a bottle. Chez by La Portier, you know. Come on, where the camera at? Yeah, fire. Fire. To all the success, everything that camera at? Yo, fire. Fire. To all the success, everything that you've accomplished

and will continue to accomplish. Thank you for coming back, Clash. Appreciate you. Ooh. That thing smooth, ain't it? That's good. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Okay, I see what you talking about, huh?

Yeah, that's what's going down. Okay, I appreciate that you're talking about, huh? Yeah, that's what's going down. Okay, I appreciate that. You called distinct. You said, I'm the greatest shooting big man of all time. People are like, well, hold on. Did Dirk not play in the NBA? Nah, Dirk was definitely the best. When you said that, you knew that you was gonna catch

some criticism, but does that just mean that, no, I just got confidence in myself. I'm securing what I've been able to do and how I shoot the basketball. That's why I said what I said. Nah, absolutely. I mean, come on, you a pro. What were you supposed to say? Yeah, you a pro. You know how it is. You got to have ultimate confidence in yourself. If no one got confidence in you, as long as you got it, you solid. Right.

So I just know, when I was speaking, I spoke from the heart. I know the hours I put in, I know the work I put into my game and I know what the stats say. So I just wanted to kind of set in stone what I feel about myself and how I feel what I could do in this league. And I'm just going to continue to prove it every single year. I'm going to let the people choose, but like they, I know people talked about Dirk. Dirk set the table for me.

So I'm just super appreciative of him. Without him, I wouldn't be able to do what I do. I'm looking at the stats. In three-point percentage, you're about 40%, 39.8. In the regular season, Dirk is 38%. Towns has two. You shot a higher percentage from the field in the regular season, higher percentage from the free throw.

In his prime, Carl Anthony Towns today, Dirk in his prime, do you believe you could beat him in a three point competition? I think I could beat anybody. But I also know that without him, I wouldn't even be able to sit in this chair saying that. So it's kind of like weird to say that because I just know without him, I wouldn't even have the idea,

the ideology that I could shoot threes at a high rate and a high clip like that. I think that with my shooting ability, I could do anything I say I can with shooting. But you know, I think we're all, especially me, chasing what Dirk got, and that's a ring. As long as I can get that ring, you know. And an MVP. Man, he was a beast. I remember sitting in Jersey just watching him. Like, man, like, if I could just be a little, just half of the shooter he is, I see myself doing really good things. And I, you know, when you're young in Jersey, especially somewhere that hasn't made any NBA players like that except their character shout out to Skadaway, right? Um

You just hoping to just be able to play college basketball You know shooting like that as long as you can shoot like that just to get a D1 scholarship You know, that's you've made it right, you know, so you've got two sixty-point games three fifty-point games You know, so. You've got two 60 point games, three 50 point games, 14 40 point games and over 130 point games. And you said, you know, be able to shoot the basketball. I got that, for real?

Yeah, you did all that. Damn. I didn't know, I'ma be honest, and I don't even know if you knew. In college, we didn't see you shoot the ball like you shoot it now. When did you know you could shoot the basketball? Damn, Kat.

Before college. You could always shoot like this? Always shoot it now. When did you know you could shoot the basketball? Damn, Cat. Before college. You could always shoot like that? Always shoot like that. What the hell happened in Kentucky? Man, don't get me started. No, I'm getting you started. Nah, you know when I went to Kentucky, Cal knew I could shoot the ball like that. He knew I was a great shooter in Jersey. I was shooting a bunch of threes, making a bunch. And when we had the

UK Pro Day, I don't know if anyone remembers that, but when we had the UK Pro Day, I remember we had the shooting drill and I think I broke Kyle Singler's record for shooting on camera, on TV. So everyone knew I could shoot, but there was things I had to work on on my game if I wanted to get to the next level, be able to play some of the greats I've ever played this game, like LeBron James and company. For me to do that, I would have to amplify my game. I would have to fix my weaknesses. I would have to be a better post player. I would have to work on my body more. I would have to have all levels of scoring. So when I got to the NBA, I was truly prepared for what comes being an NBA player and wanting to be a great NBA player. So I just

calcified something that I needed to work on. I worked on it tremendously hard, got the job done, found myself in a great position to be in Minnesota and you know that the ability to score at three levels has helped me tremendously in my career. I'm looking at you, I look at you and the way you played in college. I'm looking at Anthony Davis, another guy that was mainly a block shot, block shot, rebound the basketball. And then all of a sudden he comes out and he can average, you know, he can add one year you have what 27, 28 and 11.

What is it that is it scoring easier in the NBA than it is in college? I think it's just different games. I think it's just different games. I think that when you see what AD had to do in Kentucky to win a national championship and the talent that was around to Michael Kidd Gilchrist, another Jersey native, I think that he was asked to do a different job that was needed to win a national championship. And he sure as hell did.

Anyone, I believe he won national player of the year as well. Yes, he did. So he did what was needed for his team. And I think both of us did the same thing when we went to Kentucky. We have to learn how to sacrifice at the highest level. You know, we're all guys trying to- Everybody's a five star. Yeah, but also everyone wants to feed their family.

They know they come into Kentucky to get to the next level, to get to the NBA, to get that NBA money to be able to take care of the family. You mean to tell me you ain't going to Kentucky to be an accountant or a lawyer or a doctor? Hey, I want to be a kinesiologist. And they had the best kinesiologist program I've seen in the country.

So, mix that in with the basketball, of course. I was going to be able to do something special if I went there. And shout out to my mom, you know, she was the one who was really about, I really like that school for you and you know, I feel we both know mama knows best. So, I just kind of went with her and she was right. When you go to a school and you know some of the guys that was at Kentucky, you played with them in McDonald's All America, you played against them

growing up in AAU, you saw them. You said that look, everybody wants to go to the next level. Everybody feels that they can score 15, 20 points a game and all of a sudden be the number one overall draft pick or be a lottery pick. Kat, how do you blend like, okay, yeah, I wanna showcase my talent, I wanna win a national championship,

but in the same breath, I need X amount of shots, I need X amount of touches in order to do all the things that I wanna do while still being a team player. You know, when we were at Kentucky, we never even thought about all that. Really? Like not at all. Like it was all about getting the win.

We didn't think about nothing else but that. It kind of mimics a little bit Olympic basketball. Okay. When you own a national team, it's not even about who gets the credit as long as we win. Together, we win, and we win for our program, we win for our fans and our college. We never thought about that. I know I have, I could definitely think of one game for sure, but there's been games where I think I scored two points

against North Carolina on CBS. Man, that's a, you can't, you can't score two points. Two points, blocked one by like 20. We all went home super happy. So, you know, there's things, when we were in college, that's what made that team so, so great, was the ability for all of us as five star recruits, like you said, future NBA picks, to be able to sacrifice for one goal. That was just to win at all costs. It don't

matter what it is, we leave with this win. And I think the record show for itself, we won 38 straight, found ourselves in the 39th. We didn't get the job done, but I think we gave college basketball fans, SEC Network and everybody a lot of fun, a lot of joy and in all that winning I found myself playing some of my favorite times of playing basketball in my career. How difficult was it? You're 38 and 0, you got a chance to be 39 and 0, possibly 40 and 0, probably no one's going to win more than 40 games because they don't really schedule that many games and you lose that game and you believe I think in your heart of hearts

I think you guys believe you guys were the more talented team. Yeah, and that was a game that you guys should have won Have that game haunted you that one of the guys sticks? Yes. Oh, we gotta let you Okay, man, I was Yeah, that game still hurt I still haven't watched it really I can't even let you finish. Okay, man, I was. Yeah, I gave him still hurt. I still haven't watched it. Really? I can't. It's it's one of those like, there's painful memories I think we both have as playing as professionals. And I even say and in college as well. Those that that game probably hurt the

most. And that's something that stuck with me and it was something crazy because it was tough for us, let alone losing the game and having to look at each other in the locker room. And one thing Cal always told us was, you know, you'll never have a group of talent in a locker room ever again like this. And we'll never see each other again, because we know a lot of us were going to go possibly to the NBA. And you know, what really hurt us the most was, like I said, not only just seeing each other and understanding this may be the last time we ever play with each other or be able to have this opportunity. But when you have to go home from the arena and see your families and in the lobby, it hurt, that hurt, you know, because we do this for our families and for us to come in front of our families and not be able to give them the moment that they deserve for allowing us and supporting us and giving us the opportunity to even be at Kentucky to play the game of basketball, feeding us all those times, you know, not having us work, but allowing us to go

work on our crap and our game And not being able to bring that trophy home for them I think that will really really hurt when you go back and assess that game and you look at your play in that game Even though you haven't watched it. I'm sure you replayed it in your head What do you think cat could have done differently that could have swung the outcome in your guys's favor? have done differently that could have swung the outcome in your guys's favor. The one play I still get mad about today and they had to change the rule in college basketball after that game was the shot clock not being able to review it. I believe Nigel still had the ball in his hand and the shot clock went off but we still let the ball go and count it as a bucket when it

was clear as day it was a shot clock violation. So they changed that rule for the betterment of the next generation, but obviously, every rule- That didn't help you. Yeah, every rule change always has to affect one person before it becomes enacted. And that was me. Last year, I mean, you had a great season.

I mean, you made the All-Star team. Y'all beat, Book KD, swept them, beat through the reigning defending champs and Denver Nuggets, the MVP and Yoke and the Denver Nuggets after coming from behind. Then you played the Mavs. Have home court, that's what you wanted. You wanted home court and you got it.

What happened? They played really good basketball and we we didn't play our best. And pretty simple as that. I mean, give credit where credit's due. They came in with a great game plan. Their guys showed up when they needed to hit big shots, especially. You know, it's one of those unfortunate things. You know, we we we played two amazing teams, amazing, amazing teams, super teams.

And like you said, defending champion who has the MVP getting his trophy. They had you guys down 20 in game seven. Yes. You're on the road. Really 21. OK, because it was 19 going into halftime. They came out and scored and went up to 21. Right. You're on the road. You're in a hostile environment. They have the MVP, three-time MVP in four years. They're the reigning NBA champs.

When you're on the road in a hostile environment, how do you guys stay together to say, you know what, guys? We still have a chance to win this game. What was said in the locker room at halftime, and then what was said coming out of the locker room? You know for us it was Finchi, I mean coach of the year candidate right there in our eyes he's the coach of the year in NBA but for him to come in there with that kind of poise, he established poise in the locker room. He let us know that we've been in situations like this before and

found ourselves winning the game. We know the talent, we know the work we've been in situations like this before and found ourselves winning the game. We know the talent, we know the work we've put in, just time to leave it all on the court, especially for this half. And us as players, before Finchi even got in there, we were just talking about just staying to the game, you know, like not letting go of the rope at any point, playing the game out.

We never felt we were down that much. And now that I look back at the game, I say, wow, we really, you really were down a lot. We really were down a lot of points. So, but it just speaks to our locker room, people like Kyle Anderson, Mike Conley, all the guys in our locker room who just continue to motivate us, continue to support,

continue to establish confidence in everyone. It was one of those magical moments where you feel so connected and all the times in Abu Dhabi in the preseason we were talking about our camaraderie, the fact that we were unified, the fact that we felt connected, the fact that we knew in games when it got to when it got really difficult and things weren't looking going our way that we would lean into the fact that we felt like brothers, you know, looking, going our way, that we would lean into the fact that we felt like brothers, you know, we felt like a family and that we would find out,

find ourselves getting out of a situation together. That, that third quarter, fourth quarter was special. And all the way down to our sixth man of the year, an NBA, Nasri came to play. Everyone just did so much in that game to help us win. It was a total team effort to get that game done. You mentioned that you guys go into the locker room before Coach Finch comes in, obviously he's probably

talking to the assistants about coming up with strategy in the second half. There weren't any cusses, man, what the hell are we doing? Come on, man, what the hell are you doing, man? You need to play better, you need to do this. There was none of that going on? Just poise. I feel like a lot of times Finch lets us talk the game out and you know we hold each other

accountable. That's what made our team so great was the ability like college teammates to hold each other accountable. And we all understood what would need to be done. In a way we needed to play a perfect second half. And we went out there and found a way to get it done. And I think that's not only a testament to the guys in the locker room, but our coaching staff

and still in confidence, keeping us poised, understanding when things got too high, keep us even killed. And when things got low and things were looking really bad, we stayed solid, stayed disciplined. Cat, your shot wasn't falling. No. You shot 37% from the floor, shot 24% from the three in the Western Conference Finals,

shot 12.5% in five games, the worst percentage from deep in NBA playoff history. I said, I don't know if you heard, but I said, Cat, your shot ain't falling, bro. Get your big old butt down. You can post, I've seen you give some of the best defenders, not shooting the three, with your back to the basket, drop step saying, you can't guard me,

you can't guard me, you can't guard me. I don't give a damn about you being on the all NBA defensive team. I don't care about you being a defensive player of the year. I've seen you do it. And then I'm watching you play the Mavericks, a lot of times against smaller guys like Cat, come on Cat, tell me what's going on.

I'm sure the coaches are telling you that. I'm sure probably Ann has told you that, probably some of your closest friends, Cat bro, you need to get down on the block. What's going on in Cat's mind? Obviously you gotta process a lot Cat. There's a lot going on because you know, every game matters.

There ain't no, oh we'll get them in two days. No for sure. Absolutely. What's going on in Kat's head? For me just trying to execute. I know we put me in great spots. I got good looks. Just wasn't falling. And I talked about it after one game. You know how I knew the work I was putting in. So it's something when I go home I'm disappointed. I want to win the game, but I understand, you know, I'm getting good looks and I just got to continue to shoot them. So, you know, for me, it's just taking what the defense was giving me. I was obviously getting some good looks at three, just wasn't making them.

You know, obviously we all could look back and say we would love me back in the post, more in the Dallas action. We call it free throw line action, getting Yes. Taking a day. You did that and you, you got the ball and you weren't waiting that game that y'all won. You went where you got about, bam. I said, okay, that's the cat. Yeah. Jumping, jumping real high. Yes. Yeah. Yes. You know, just, I think we all could look back at it and wish we did a little things differently sometimes too. Um. But you know, we're turning up the heat on the newest episode of All the Smoke. Vice president and Democratic

presidential nominee Kamala Harris pulls up to the show to discuss her historic presidential run. Most people have ambition, they have aspirations, they have dreams, and they are willing to work hard. And if we give people the opportunity to actually meet those goals, they jump for it every time. Matt and Stack will be diving deep into the journey that brought her here, her vision for the future, and the real stories behind the headlines. Make sure you check out All the Smoke

with Vice President Kamala Harris, out now. Listen today on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It was December 2019 when the story blew up. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, former Packer star Kabir Vajabiamila caught up in a bizarre situation. Hey, GB, explaining what he believes led to the arrest of his friends at a children's Christmas play.

A family man, former NFL player, devout Christian, now cut off from his family and connected to a strange arrest. I am going to share my journey of how I went from Christianity to now a Hebrew Israelite. I got swept up in Kabir's journey, but this was only the beginning in a story about faith and football, the search for meaning away from the gridiron, and the consequences for everyone involved. You mix homesteading with guns and church and a little bit of the spice of conspiracy theories

that we liked, voila, you got straight away. I felt like I was living in North Korea, but worse, if that's possible. Listen to Spiral on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, here we go. It's Cam Jordan from New Orleans Saints, here to tell you it's going down. On season two of my podcast,

Off the Edge with me, Cam Jordan. Can't stop it, you know what's gonna happen. Can't stop it. That's right, catching new episodes every Wednesday, all season long. That's what you look for in year 14 to do more. And I'll have my friends who happen to be some of the NFL's biggest stars join me on the pod. We'll give you a player's perspective of the biggest storylines, trends, and did that really

just happen moments from around the league. And you know we'll have fun doing it. Oh and I'll have a special guest each month. Join me to mix it up a little bit. Who is it? None other than... Syke. You have to tune in to find out. So tap in to Off the Edge with Cam Jordan's podcast, your ultimate playbook

for all things football and not football. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We did what we thought was best in the moment. It didn't work out. And you know, I feel bad because I told the guys, you know, and me and Amp have conversations all the time, even during the Olympics, you know, about things we both could do better, we could do all around better so we can help our team win. And, you know, I know that we didn't want to come out with that kind of result. You learn from it, you move know, I know that we didn't want to come out with that kind of result. You learn from it, you move on. I think that we obviously, like you said,

we wish we could have that moment back. We could maybe change some things, but it is what it is now. Mike Collins said you have to be more active in the paint. Is that something that you're gonna, obviously, you know, we're gonna talk about the 1500 shots that, you know, TNT and Charlton said that that's not possible. But do you feel that's, I mean, obviously you work on shooting. I mean, you can't be as tall, you know, TNT and Charlton said that that's not possible. But do you feel that's, I mean,

obviously you work on shooting. I mean, you can't be as tall as you are, have the kind of touch that you have without working on it. So how do you split your workouts? Do you like, okay, I'm getting up 500 shots today. And then in the afternoon session, I'm gonna get played with, you know,

in the paint, do drop steps, do fade away one leg. I mean, so how does Kat break up his workouts to make sure he's getting the work that he needs so when he gets in the game, it's second nature? For me, when I, in a regular season, post season, whatever, it's the same routine all the time. I usually, first one in the gym, I get there, say probably like six, six, seven, if it depends the time of practice.

But let's just say six on a regular day six, get my sauna in, you know, get my work in, do my red bed. After that, head back, get work on my body, do PT session with the people there, go on the court, shoot, shoot for an hour, go lift, come back, do our, we call it vitamins, do it with the coaches now, shooting more, practice the whole practice, shoot again after a Luka Garza. And then you know, go home, rest up. I've been there for a long time. This is probably now we're talking about from six in the morning, I'm leaving around two o'clock, three o'clock.

If I get a massage, take care of my body, go in the cold tub after and everything probably about 4.30, 5 and then get home. Got a core at the house, so shooting more shots at the house and then just relax, take care of my body, do some rehab, ice, game ready, you know, Normatec. So really just, I love this game. I love my job. I love my craft. So I just dedicate my whole entire life to it. And I smile because I just, I always think about every day about playing basketball and happy even before this, I got to play a lot of basketball. You said, man, I get up 1500 shots a day. Charles Barkley said he lying. It ain't happening. Shaxx

like the fact that he's not upset concerns me. Drerey, Ma, and Candice say you were capping. I mean, look, I don't know what's normal for an NBA player, how many shots he gets up. I don't know if it's 50. I don't know if it's 500. I don't know if it's 500. How many passes you catch a day when you was playing? When they threw them to me.

Hey, I saw the jacket you got on. They threw it to you a lot. They did. They did. You know, we caught jugs, I caught jugs and we tried to catch 50 passes, but we had to catch 50 in a row. So if we dropped, we had to start all over again. So yeah, I caught at least 50, you know, quarterbacks through doing. So I would say during the course of a practice,

given 75, probably 75 passes a day. You hear that, that means they ain't dropping no passes. No, no, no, cause you already been out there for an hour and a half, two hours. And so you already tired. So you got a concentration, because of your concentration break, now the ball hit and you might be at 25,

you might be at 30. Now you got to start all back over again. So you didn't want that to happen. And the last thing you want to happen, Cat, is that being in a situation where it's fourth down, or it's late in the ball game, and your lack of concentration, you drop a pass. And the lack of reps,

that's the moment where those reps count. Right, right, and so we catching balls at different angles, shoe tops, over the shoulder, different things like that. But when people call into question how hard you're actually working, does that bother you or you just brush it off? Because these are not normal guys. No, if I were to say that, you ain't even play.

You talk about NBA legends. Yeah. You played the game. Yes, yes. I know the work I put in, so I don't even have to explain it. I know who was there when the gym was dark, and I know who turned the lights on. I ain't worried about that.

I know one thing when that was said, I know Ant was not happy about that. Because he was like, I know I've seen you in there. Even when I show up, you've been there sweating. And when I leave, you're still going for another one. So like I said, I don't gotta explain. I know what I do in the gym. I know the work I put in.

Shout out to the coaches, PD coaches, Choralist, Kevin Hansen, Moses. Shout out to all the guys over there in Minnesota who willing to, as you know, put their lives to the side. Wise kids willing to dedicate that amount of time to me, allow me to shoot the basketball to me, allow me to work on my game and allow me to be the best version of myself. So shout out to them last year, especially, you know, we gave up a lot of their time, you know, they could have been given to their kids and their family and they were in the

gym working dedicated. You getting better. Carrie had praised for you after the correct. He's an after that criticism, you came back, dropped 25, 9 of 13 shooting five from the three. Kyrie said, despite the unfair criticism he received, he's a great player, I respect him. I know my teammates respect him. That's what great players do, they figure it out. That's my Jersey dog.

That's my guy. You know what, man, I've known Kyrie since we was young and I've seen the work he put into his game. So I know everyone goes so crazy when he's doing these layups, he's dribbling, but I've seen him since he was young doing that. I've seen the hours he was putting in. I've seen the work he was putting in. I've seen the drills he was putting in.

I definitely stole a lot of the drills for myself so I can improve myself as a player. When you're watching greatness, you study greatness and you try to implement it into your game. And I got nothing but praise for Kyrie. I've you know, I've been like I said, I've been blessed to watch him since I was young before the NBA, before Duke, before any of that. So just to see where he's at now, I mean,

in my eyes, he's a legend. Right. Game. Are you surprised with the ease or seemingly eased it looked like it was easy? The Celtics handled the Mavericks or did you think it would be like a long series? I thought it would be at least a, I thought it would be, I ain't gonna lie, I thought it'd be at least a six, seven game series. Celtics was really good last year. Okay.

They've been good for years, but they was, they've been knocked up. Yeah, you know what I'm trying to say? They was locked in last year. They like, I know one of the reporters was telling me about you got to lose to finally win and that history plays itself out and and Boston had to go through that. They've been just so good. They've been like, they just been knocking on the door. They finally, the door, you know, the door finally open, you know what I'm trying to say? So, I know when we played them that they showed so much poise

and championship pedigree in them, you know, when we went to overtime with them and the way they played, they just so disciplined in their approach. Great coach. Shout out to Missoula. She took care of my boy and my brother, Deshaun Butler over there in West Virginia. I just, you know, you could see not only the talent, I think we all see that as basketball fans, you would see it, but the poise, the discipline, that's what's needed to win a championship and they had it. They see it, but the poise, the discipline, that's what's needed to win a championship. And they had it, they had it early in the regular season.

I think they shown it and they record. So I didn't know what the series was going to have, you know, in order. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I just knew that Dallas had a tough, tough, tough test against the Celtics. You know, they're, they were rolling. They've been resting. They were waiting for this moment. So shout out to them.

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Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In New York, call 877-8HOPENWIRE. Text HOPE and The crown is yours. Restrictions apply one per customer enter the best ball 15 million dollar contest by 9524 to get one bonus entry $20 entry fee required reward expires at contest lock on nine five twenty four see terms at draft kings.com slash DFS Can't when you hear like Sometimes playoff like you hear playoff rondo. That's a compliment Yeah, but Magic Johnson had a situation Magic Johnson was a two times Finals MVP. Hook shot down the middle for a win. And in 84, he dribbles out the clock, they go to overtime, they end up losing,

and they call him Tragic Johnson, he was no longer Magic. And then when you hear the term, as great as you are in the regular season, you haven't been able to put those same type of numbers for in the postseason, and they like play off cat put those same type of numbers for in the postseason. And they like playoff cat. And they mean it in a derogatory way. How does cat turn that around?

How does cat, if there's such a thing as a narrative, because we see what you are in the regular season, how do cat make sure he's that same in the postseason? Just go out there and do what you do. I mean, you know, everything was good. I felt I was shooting the ball extremely well throughout the whole playoffs. It was a tough time to have a slump,

especially in the Western Conference Finals. But I think just work, just trust the work. Trust the work, it always is gonna pay off. Never get discouraged by the work you put in. If you put in hours in, you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you put exactly the amount of hours plus some needed to be great. You live with the work you put in. This team, you mentioned Ant.

Rudy. Rudy. Jadon McDaniels. Mike Conley. Kyle Anderson was so amazing for us. Sadly, we lost him. If this team, what's going to be, obviously success is winning a championship, but if this core, if you guys don't get to the NBA finals, if you guys don't win, will this be disappointing? I mean, it would be disappointing for the

fact that we made it to Western Conference finals and we haven't took that next step, which is to make the NBA Finals, you know? It's gonna be disappointing, you know, Minnesota deserves a championship. They've been asking for a championship since its inception as a team. So, you know, I've always said I wanted to bring them a championship.

I wanted to be a part of the championship team that finally brings that ring and that parade down to first half. You know, we just gotta keep working, keep working. I think that you say it's a disappointment, it's something that I think everyone's gonna feel the same way if they didn't win a championship. Everyone is a disappointment if you don't come out with a ring out of it. When you look at, and a lot of people didn't think the Rudy Gobert addition because you're like, this is not the 90s basketball.

You don't really need two seven footers. You need a guy. Well, shit, we got three of them almost. Yeah. But now I see it. You're exactly right. Because the way Kat can play with his back to the basket, he can shoot the three.

And then when you look at Rudy, there are certain situations that you have to take him out of the game. It's just one of them. He's a four time defensive player of the year. He makes a boatload of money. But the facts of the matter is that a lot of times late in the ball game, he's not on the court, Cat.

I'm not breaking, this is not interrupting your normally scheduled programming, breaking news to you, Cat. You know that because you're there. How were you able to put it together this year? Because the first year, it didn't work, Cat. And this year, you made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

I think it's, he gets unfair criticisms because he brings a lot to our team that we need. Right. Like the defense. I mean, this is a generational defensive player and around the basket. I think we all could agree in the NBA, guys, any of the colleagues, if he's around the basket with the ball, you know, he going dunk it. It's going to be tough to stop that field goal percentage from going down. So, um, his first year in Minnesota, I, it's, it's unfortunate. It's unfair because I think that we weren't at full strength and I also got hurt. I've never gotten hurt like that. So to be in that situation was, um, and put him in that situation, you know, uh, it was unfair. And I think that this year, you know,

with me healthy coming in and playing a lot of the season healthy, um, you could see what happens when you put the team around him and we have, you know, the lob opportunities, me and him have the four or five pick and roll was amazing all year, putting him in spots where he could be, you know, he's super successful on offense and defensively. I mean, you see what he does for our team. So number one, number one team in NBA and defense and it's not without Rudy Gobert, especially Jayden McDaniels too, I want to give him a shout out. But without Rudy, I don't, I don't, we're not going to be near, near, nowhere near the same defensive team as we were.

You willing to take a hundred plus million dollar pay cut like Jaylen Brunson did to keep this thing together? We can keep it all together and we can keep it together. Right. Show me then. We all gotta get in the room and say we're gonna do it. Right. So I mean Jalen Brunson, shout out to him. Yeah. Shout out to him. That's a lot. I mean 10 million. Okay. That's a lot. 10 million. Even like. Hey, but you know what? You know what? You can't put a value on the fact that he's at where he wants to be. Yeah. And I think that's a big value number

that no one's thinking of. He's with his father, he's super comfortable, he has a team that believes in him. I think that that belief that a team and organization could give you is something that's worth a lot, a lot, a lot of money. And they give him that belief. And I think that he felt that was the best situation

for him and I root him on for that. How's Ant Man as a teammate? We see the charisma, we see the charm. He's funny, he's outgoing. All the players. Barry Lander. Oh, bro. We saw him at the Olympics, he was talking to Steph.

He said, but Steph ain't showing up for the last three days, but I'm glad he showed up. I'm glad he showed up when me. You know what I'm glad he showed up with me there. That's Ant. What's he like on and off the court? I mean, on the court you see what he is. He's a competitor, fierce competitor. He loves competing.

He loves, he's one of those guys when you know, when you play at the park and you tell him, yo, come to the park, we're gonna play basketball. He always show up. Right. He always gonna show up for He always going to show up. For sure. You know you got a teammate with him.

So, and off the court, man, like you said, charismatic, funny, maybe the funniest player on our team. And we got some funny guys on our team. So he's one of those guys you really are super appreciative and blessed to be able to be in a locker room with them. They just bring the morale up. And I think that's rare for someone as young as he is, as talented as he is, and what we ask from him every single night to be able to bring that kind of energy to the locker

room. Like Mike Conley said one time, he makes him feel young again. Right. When you hear Ant, they talk about, well, he could be the next face of the NBA. I think he can. He reminds a lot of people of Jordan. What is it about him? What is it about that makes you, and you said it as soon as I was sitting, you're like, he can. What makes you so sure?

Well, before we get to that, I think what we need to also understand is, I know he reminds people a lot about Jordan, but when I know it's just Ant, he could be the first Anthony Edwards. Yeah. You know, I don't think. Which ain't bad. Which ain't bad at all. Which ain't bad at all. Well, he say, yeah, third. So, I think he just, he has the charisma, ages on his side. He has the athleticism, you know, and he got better at shooting the ball in the head. You know, I just, I think he could do it. I think he could do it. And this is a very guard friendly league and he's a guard that has all the, not only the skill, but the intangibles needed to really be the face of the NBA for years to come. And I think that, you know, he got, got good vets around him and Mike Conley's been amazing

for him so I think he could do it. I think he could really do something special and I think what also could help is winning and we've shown winning, starting to do that so if we can win at the highest level, what can you, you can't already can't tell Ant nothing. So imagine you put a ring too with a championship. Oh man.

Oh man, we can't tell him nothing. Kat, of all the teammates that I've seen you have in the NBA, and I'm on the outside looking at it, I don't know this to be true, but it just seems to me, you have the best relationship with him. Yeah. And you take criticism, you take coaching, you take praise from him better than any other teammate. If I'm right, I'm right.

If I'm wrong, I apologize. What is it about him and your relationship that you're so accepting of the advice, the input that he gives you? You know, I just want to help him grow in every single facet of his game, not only his game, but his life. You know, I want to help him be a better man. I want to help him be a better,

to his brothers, a better brother. I want him, I want to be able to help him the ways I feel that sometimes I couldn't get that help. Cause you know, I was in a situation, I know how it feels to be him in that situation. Number one pick, whole state asking you to help save him and help them bring a championship home and I just wanted to be a support system for him any way possible I could so I wanted to help him grow and I think in helping someone achieve

their full potential and something that I feel that I'm going to continue to work not only as a leader, but just helping him as a brother. You got to let them be free. You can't give them too much constraint. Maybe sometimes I got to tell him maybe you should have said that maybe you should scale back on doing this. Maybe you take this. We're turning up the heat on the newest episode of all the smoke.

Vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris pulls up to the show to discuss her historic presidential run. Most people have ambition, they have aspirations, they have dreams, and they are willing to work hard. And if we give people the opportunity to actually meet those goals, they jump for it every time. Matt and Stack will be diving deep into the journey that brought her here, her vision for the future and the real stories behind the headlines. Make sure you check out All the Smoke with Vice President Kamala Harris out now.

Listen today on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It was December 2019 when the story blew up. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, former Packer star Kabir Vajabiamila caught up in a bizarre situation. HGV explaining what he believes led to the arrest of his friends at a children's Christmas play. A family man, former NFL player, devout Christian, now cut off from his family

and connected to a strange arrest. I am going to share my journey of how I went from Christianity to now a Hebrew Israelite. I got swept up in Kabir's journey, but this was only the beginning in a story about faith and football, the search for meaning away from the gridiron, and the consequences for everyone involved. You mix homesteading with guns in church, and a little bit of the spice of conspiracy theories that we liked.

Voila! You got straight away. I felt like I was living in North Korea, but worse, if that's possible. Listen to Spiral'd on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Alright, here we go. It's Cam Jordan from New Orleans Saints here to tell you it's going down. On season two of my podcast, Off the Edge with me, Cam Jordan. Can't stop it. You know what's going to happen. That's right.

Catching new episodes every Wednesday all season long. That's what you look for in year 14 to do more. And I'll have my friends who happen to be some of the NFL's biggest stars join me on the pod. We'll give you a player's perspective of the biggest storylines, trends, and did that really just happen moments from around the league. And you know we'll have fun doing it.

Ha! Yeah! Oh, and I'll have a special guest each month join me to mix it up a little bit. Who is it? None other than... Syke! You have to tune in to find out. So tap in to Off the Edge with Cam Jordan's podcast, your

ultimate playbook for all things football and not football. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Take this one. I got it. I'll take this conversation on and I'll have this convo with whoever it is. I just want him to be himself, you know? And I've stressed that to him since day one. So all I try to do every single day is make sure Ant's as comfortable as possible

and he could be himself as much as possible. You want to see Ant do the dunk contest? I do. He don't want to though. Really? I do. So we get Ant, we I do so we get we get aunt We get jaw we get Zion we get Zach Levine to come back

I don't know who we're a G cuz they do so y'all don't rob me twice You ain't gonna go to the bank with me twice to go rob the bank you gonna leave me there So we get we get those four guys go rob the bank, he gonna leave me there. So we get those four guys, let's be honest, dunk contest, because the names aren't there. You used to get the Dr. J's and the Michael Jordan and the Clyde Drexelips, you got the big, the players that were like the best players

that could dunk the Dominique Wilkins, they did it. Now we're getting guys, and that's no slight, that's no slight to anybody that's won the dunk contest, congratulations. But that's no slight to anybody that's won the dunk contest congratulations but it's kind of hard to continuously sell when the guy that's winning he's not even an NBA okay or the guys that's what happens if I do is the best dunker but he had a show BA but he but he the best dunker I mean that's like said the best receiver 80 minute NFL you talk about two different sports.

So, you talk about two different sports. But I think it would, it would. I know what you're trying to say. You're trying to say those, back in the day you used to have the stars out there. Yeah, they did it. Doing the dunker. They did it. Because that's what we get in the three point competition.

But look at this, yo, like. We get in the three point competition. We get Steph, we get Dane, Clay participated. I mean, a lot of the three, Buddy Hill, a lot of the great three point shooters. They're shooting. They participate. But the great Dunkers, for whatever reason,

even Kobe, Kobe did it. I just feel like, you know, we in a new era with social media, we got more eyes, we got more chances to see more talent. I understand the stars as Anthony Edwards, Zion, John Moran. I mean, they're, they're enticing names who have the ability to use athleticism at the highest level in game. I just feel, but you never know, like these dudes, like Macklemm is amazing dunker and he's a great dunk contest dunker. And there's a reason why he wins. Let me ask you this.

Has the dunk lost its appeal because of the three-point shot? I think public scrutiny has kind of messed with the perception of the dunk contest. I think we're seeing dunks. Because at some point, Jacob Toppin was doing some crazy dunks himself. Shout out to him. What are you going to do?

He, like, bounced it off the floor between his legs, like a 360 something. Hey, I was there. I watched it with my own two eyes. I seen some dunks I ain't never thought was possible. Wow. And Mackleung did some amazing dunks. Jacob Toppin did some amazing dunks.

So it's like, we see in dunks like, so if you had the same dunk and you changed the name on the back of the jersey, does that still change the fact we all have seen a dunk that's never been done? Okay, I get what you're saying. You get what I'm trying to say? I understand the back of the jersey, I get that,

but there's guys out here who are using that dunk contest as an opportunity to prove what they are to the NBA and to the game of basketball. And for them to have that opportunity, I think it's special, especially people like Mac McClung. Yeah, and he deserved to win. Yeah, absolutely. So hey, don't get me wrong, he them to have that opportunity. I think it's special, especially people like Mack McClung. It's just. And he deserved to win. Yeah, no, absolutely.

So hey, don't get me wrong. No, I get you. He deserved to win. I get exactly what you're saying. I think, but we get, I think sometimes as fans, we get so caught up in the names in the DUNK contest, we're not caught up in the art, the DUNK contest. Right.

But at some point in time, your creativity. I mean, you see some of these guys, what? These A.M.1. I mean, some of these dunkers on YouTube. And then people like, well, we'll get some of those guys. But I'm like, at some point in time, I mean, you gotta run out of creativity. What'd you really drop over?

Like 10 people? Like 18 wheelers? I mean, what? All I gotta say is we still making new music and new sounds. And music been around longer than basketball. I mean, what? Hey, all I gotta say is we still making new music. Yeah. And new sounds. Right. And music been around longer than basketball. Okay.

So there's always a possibility to have some new tricks. So you don't have a problem with the props? Cause a lot of times, I don't know when, really when the props came in. Yeah, yeah. It seems like now, at some point, I mean, Dominique was a power dunker, Jordan elevated through the era. You had Vince Carter.

So let me ask you this. The dunks you've seen now in present day NBA, let's just get into it. Oh, they're way better than what I saw in the past. OK. And yeah, I mean, Zach Levine going through the free throw line between his legs. I still don't think people understand.

That was the first time he's ever tried to dunk. Within the contest. Then, wow, that's the first time he's ever tried the dunk. Because I asked him, I said, Zach, I've never seen you even attempted. He's like, honestly, I ran out of. So I just went up there and did the first thing I could think of. It was the first time he's tried it. Wow. He's never like for me to even say he's practiced it.

He could have said I practiced it. I missed it. I just said, I'm going to go for it. He's never tried it. So let me ask you, the man it. Jeff was his first time. The man tried a dunk for the first time in competition and basically it sealed a win because he jumped for the three-goal. And what, a double overtime? Yes.

Double, triple overtime in the dunk contest. Basically. You've had some characters as teammates. You had Patrick Beverly. Oh, yes. You had Jeff Teague. You had KG. Yes. Who's the funniest teammate You've had Jeff Teague. You had KG. Yes.

Who's the funniest teammate you've had? I'm not gonna lie, ants up there. Yeah, I forgot ants. Andre Miller's up there. Really? Yes, my rookie year, Andre Miller. KG, of course. Jeff Teague, shout out to Jeff Teague, man.

I'm so happy to see him. Yeah, club 520. Oh man, shout out to Jeff Teague, man. I've been told when we was teammates, he needed to be telling stories. He's the best storyteller. And I see now people are getting to recognize that. I love that, I love that.

He's always been great at that. Man, D-Lo, D-Lo's up there. He's really fun. Wow. Okay. Man, I've been blessed to be with, I've been blessed in a way to be with so many teammates and to meet so many people at different stages of life and to be able to be able to communicate with them, share energy with them, and be able to call them a teammate is a blessing, and it's an honor that I don't take lightly. Do you believe that every teammate, a lot of the teammates that you've mentioned, do you believe you've met them

at the appropriate stage of your career? Do you look back and say, man, now, if I had met him a little earlier, that'd have been perfect. If I'd have met him a little later, that would have been perfect. If I'd have met him a little later, that would have been even better. Perfect, it was perfect for me. I can't go back looking at this timing, that timing. It was the perfect timing for me in my life.

And I'm happy that I had that moment, whether it be a short amount of time or years of calling them my teammate. It was perfect timing. God puts people in your life at the perfect time. I don't doubt that. So it was the right timing for me. Whether they helped me grow as a man,

helped me grow as a player, it was perfect timing. One of your former teammates, and this was going around, he said there are players right not currently playing in the NBA. If I gave him a helmet and shoulder pads, they can go make a team. I talked about it on the Rich Eisen show. I just said, you know, I don't know, but I can tell you right now, if you put me in the slot receiver and you sent me down the middle with that medicine ball, I ain't doing it.

That little medical ball going down the middle, hell nah. Cause that's what's gonna happen. Nah, I ain't. They gonna saw you in half, Kat. You still a foot tall, bro. Them shoulder pads don't mean nothing. I would say, I think there's few players who could do what you did,

but no one's gonna be Shannon Shaw. No, I'm saying right now, you take a guy that's playing in the NBA, we gonna give him a pair of helmet, some shoulder pads, he will go to training camp. I think very few of them could do it. You actually think somebody could make an NFL team right now? Let me ask you this, you think LeBron could do it?

No. No, not now, not now though. No. Don't take out now. No, I don't think any guy in his prime, I'm talking about right now. No, in his prime, that's what I'm saying, in their prime. No, if he, not now though. No. Don't take out now. No, I don't think any guy in his prime, I'm talking about right now. No, in his prime, that's what I'm saying, in their prime. No, if he had done it, let's just say for the sake of argument, LeBron's playing basketball,

and he says, you know what, I'm gonna take a year off. Like Michael Jordan says, I'm gonna take a year off, and I'm gonna try to go play in the major leagues. I just think the nuances, the understanding, because I think like a, what's the, I forget the NC State, the big fella. Big fella, big shot, mini shot? Yes.

Okay. I think with a year, I think you can play offensive line or defensive line. Yeah. Okay. You got to teach them. So you're saying if you give them a year though. Yeah. But I feel like even for people who may not understand, like I have friends who are offensive

linemen at NFL, that's a tough job. And it comes with a ton of chess match. Yes, because the difference is, and I'm not saying, because I think NBA players are tough, but what we do is that we go out there every Sunday or every Monday and cat, we try to move a man against his will.

Just imagine when you say, I ain't going nowhere, and I say, the hell you not, you leaving this plot of land today? That's what we do every week. We try to run through a mo' foes face. Some warriors. Yes, yes. I love that.

Because football in its essence is about breaking a man's spirit. It's hard to break a man. If I'm shooting threes, you're like, damn, coach, I can't do nothing. But like Shaq, Shaq is like, everybody's trying to be Shaq. That's what NFL is about. Everybody's trying to be Shaq, especially on the interior.

Offensive line says, I'm going this way. Defensive line says, I'm going that way. I'm trying to push a line back or a defensive lineman. And I think guys are super talented. I think if you took Ant and gave Ant a year. Two people I give is like Bron and Ant that come to mind first. But I think, Ant's played football though.

Yes. That's what he grew up playing. But just like Bron. Yes. So it's kind of like, could I see him doing it? Yes. How, when did Ant start?

Did Ant play in high school? I think so. I think so. But he was he was a good football player. Yeah, for sure. He plays. He plays. We'll be throwing the football around at a Mayo Clinic at Target. He mean, he's still got. I mean, he's an athlete. I think Russ, if you took like Russell Westbrook, I think so too. I think Russ, with his speed and his understanding, if you had the amount of power he generates. Yes. I think that's yes. That could help him a lot too. I think football is a more physical sport.

I think basketball is a more skill. I think that's a good one. I seen PG himself, he was playing wide receiver and he did a really great break out the cut and he looked great. But I just think I can't fathom to all the NFL dudes who are gonna watch this, I can't fathom what y the NFL dudes who are gonna watch this.

I can't fathom what y'all go through on a Sunday and Monday and then look back and say, oh, let's do this again on Thursday. Yeah. You know, like I can't imagine that. I tell you what, go to home, deep oil lows, get you a hard hat and get you a nice coat. Okay.

And get a line of about 10 yards from your garage and run into it 65 times. Yeah, nah, see I can't. That's what it's like. I'm at the point where I'm thinking like, I go in a game and I jump as high as I possibly can to go dunk, lay it up. And then, you know, I'll fall on the floor.

And I fall hard, all my teammates be like, man, why you be falling so hard on the floor? We'd be worried about your safety. And I'm thinking the fact that I do that, I get right up. I start running down the court. And I said, hey, I was telling my girl, I said, man, if I had a trip and fall in this house right now, I don't know if I'm getting up.

But you telling me in the game to go do it for the love? Yeah, 65 times. And see, like, when you jump up there, guys are going to do everything they can not to undercut you. They're going to try to break your fall. Like, undercut you. They gonna try to break your fall. They ain't what you're trying to do. We trying to make you fall. I don't know about all that.

I've seen it the other way. I ain't seen that. They ain't trying to hit me. Hell nah. Let me fall on the floor. What was it like playing for Teebs? Because you hear how Teebs like, man, Teebs grind you to the,

I mean, he just wears on you. He's playing his guys 40 plus minutes on a nightly basis. And then when it comes playoff time, he's done ground them down to the nubs, and then they just don't have anything. What was it like playing for him? You know what I respect is so, so much about Tibbs is that he wanted to win.

And he put the hours in and he put the work in. So playing for Tibbs was just watching someone who truly loves what they do and puts all their passion and their life missions being the best coach they could be. And you gotta respect that. And I think Tiz was a, he's a low key funny guy. Off the court, you know, when you take the basketball away, he's really funny.

And you know, I appreciate him even more now that I'm older and you know, that we've been able to talk even at a different level of maturity You feel me right? Man I got nothing but good things to say about him. He's been great. He's been He's been great to talk to especially now in my life and He's a he's one hell of a coach. There's one hell of a coach Probably the thing that's been talked about most in Minnesota is yours and Jimmy Butler's relationship. How could that have been handled differently?

What could he have done differently? What could you have done differently to make that relationship better? Where there doesn't seem like it's so much animosity, there's so much dissension, so much angst between the two of you. I think for me, like I said earlier, just everyone, we met each other,

all my teammates, we met each other at the perfect time. And I think that we both helped each other grow. And I think that was really appreciative of me. And also we made a playoffs together. The loss in all the hoopla is that, after years and years of not making the playoffs, we finally made the playoffs. And together we were able to do something

that Minnesota hasn't seen in a while. And then on top of that, I'm tremendously thankful that I had an opportunity to have my first playoff experience, you know, and hear so much about it, but to actually go through that experience helped me be a better player and be a better teammate to Ant. So like I said, I think we all met each other at the perfect time and when we all needed to God's time is never going to be wrong. Has that situation helped you become a better leader and a better teammate? I think just that season, you know, just, you know, having different people, different personalities, and also just different experiences than I never had. Like I said, I never made the playoffs until

that year. Right. So I kind of had that experience under my belt, understand what it is to what it takes to be a, you know, a playoff team. You know, I think that it helped me tremendously the rest of my career and made me a better man first off, and secondly, made me a better leader and made me a better player. So like I said, God's time is never wrong. So I met everyone at the right time, perfect time for what I needed in my life and it helped me be a better person and be ready for the next challenges that were coming up.

Why y'all let Draymond trade Rudy? Draymond trade? Choke. Yeah, why y'all let Draymond choke Rudy? Nah. That situation had been so funny. How did you exactly, okay, what led up to it? What led up to it?

I don't know. It's just all of a sudden one time I'm looking and I'm like looking, I'm seeing Draymond do something to Rudy, I'm trying to pull Draymond off. And I'm like, well, we're gonna have a triple Nelson going on around here. So I just, you know, I think they have a funny relationship to say the least. And I think that that was a moment where I was, I was surprised to happen.

I'm not going to lie. I just, I was very surprised that- Well, you were supposed to, you were supposed to like, he grabbed Rudy, you were supposed to grab him, and then somebody grabbed you and four-fired you and a car, and we're fucking choking each other. We just have a, I had a, just everyone in the full Nelson. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Finch coming out. This one Finch had a good leg too. Huh? This one Finch had a good leg too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was a, What animosity between Draymond and Rudy comes from? I don't even know.

Does Draymond feel that Rudy got some defensive player of the year that belonged to from? I don't even know. Does Draymond feel that Rudy got some defensive player of the year that belonged to him? I don't know. To be honest, I just, you know, you're always here to hoopla and we just always, we just tuning everything out. Like I said, I was surprised when it happened too. I feel like everyone in there was like, wait, is this really happening right now?

And we all trying to separate Draymond from Rudy and the whole situation went around. Does Rudy ever say anything? I mean, cause Rudy hears all the criticism. It's not like a whole lot of the teammates. But everyone who don't know Rudy Gobert, he laughs about. He'll joke around about it. So it's not like he just, he's really like salty

and he won't like, like, you know, he gets aggravated. He'll laugh, he'll laugh. So joke himself about it. I think it just shows the character and also how much he really, he just enjoys what he does and he cares about his craft and he cares about his team. So shows a teammate he is too. This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to club Shae Shae profile and I'll see you there. What happens when a professional football player's career ends and the applause fades and the screaming fans move on? I

am going to share my journey of how I went from Christianity to now a Hebrew Israelite. For some former NFL players, a new faith provides answers you mix homesteading with guns in church Voila, you got straight away. They try to save everybody listen to spiraled on the iHeart radio app Apple podcasts Or wherever you get your podcast MTV's official challenge podcast is back for another season That's right. The challenge is about to embark on its monumental 40th season, y'all, and we are coming along for the ride. Woohoo! That would be me, Devyn Simone.

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