Digital Social Hour - "Why Being Nice Destroyed Us": Ex-NBA Pro's Championship Secret | Mario Chalmers DSH #1106

Episode Date: January 15, 2025

🏀 Why being nice can be a game-changer in the NBA - but not always in a good way! Join us as we uncover the championship secrets of an ex-NBA pro. 🏆   In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the world of professional basketball, exploring everything from point guard rankings to the evolution of player skills. Our guest shares candid insights about playing alongside NBA legends and reveals the unexpected challenges of facing a team that kills you with kindness. 😮   You'll hear fascinating stories about: • The current state of the NBA and its young talent 🌟 • What it's like to be part of a "Big Three" 🏀🏀🏀 • The toughest playoff matchups and championship experiences 💪 • How adapting to your environment can make or break your career 📈   Don't miss out on these valuable insights from someone who's been in the trenches of professional basketball. Watch now and subscribe for more insider secrets from the world of sports! 🔔   #NBA #BasketballSecrets #ChampionshipMindset #DigitalSocialHour #SeanKelly   #nba #nbaratings #adamsilver #jimboylen #scottbrooks   CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:25 - Mario Chalmers Career Highlights 05:00 - Specialized Recruiting Group Insights 05:55 - Starting Your Own Podcast Tips 07:32 - Miami Heat Big 3 Era Overview 08:52 - Championship Experience Comparison 10:09 - Favorite Coach Experiences 11:32 - Future Plans for Mario Chalmers   APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: [e-mail]   GUEST: Mario Chalmers https://www.instagram.com/mchalmers6/   SPONSORS: SPECIALIZED RECRUITING GROUP: https://www.srgpros.com/   LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-social-hour/id1676846015 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Jn7LXarRlI8Hc0GtTn759 Sean Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmikekelly/

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Bet MGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Like, okay, I can run the team, I can hold my own, I can do X, Y, Z. And I mean, I told my kids I got hurt, so that was just damn. But there's a lot of guys I heard in the league that are like that. They're on the bench right now. If they were on another team, they would score 20 games. It's always like that, it's like you gotta be able to adapt to your, adapt to your environment.

So if you need to just be a strength and point guard and get these guys to ball to win a championship, hey, that's what I'm gonna do. Facts. All right guys, Mario Chalmers here at Celebrity Poker Tournament, what happened to you man? Ah man, it's the big blind. Big blind takes me out every time. I don't lose to no other players, but I lose to the big blind every time.

You felt rushed. I just had nothing to fight for when the big blind came and that just took me out. Filled up. Who got you out? Big blind. Like literally the big blind. It wasn't a player? I had, I want to say about 375 and the big blind was 300. So yeah, that took me out. I had nothing to fight for.

So you've been following the NBA this season? I have been. It's been real, it's been a lot of storylines. Yeah. You liking what you're seeing 53 to game for some teams. I do like it. I just feel like the NBA right now, it's a lot of three pointers

and there's a lot of different skills that's being shown from the players. And the stars are being stars right now. Absolutely, LaMelo ball is having a great season. I'm impressed with LaMelo. And me being actually in Charlotte and seeing them and hearing about them, LaMelo is one of them guys, he just hoops.

No matter if he's at 24 hour fitness or he in an NBA game, his game is gonna look the same. And that's what's really helping him right now. It's like, he's just a bona fide Hooper. Facts. You think he's a top three point guard right now in the league? He's averaging 30 a game right now.

I think he's fifth in the league scoring. See, when it comes to being a point guard, I'm old school. So when I think of point guards, I think of people that actually set people up that will pass up they shot for other shots. And I know that's not really the point guard game right now, but he's very good. I just can't give him my top three.

Oh, so who you got then? My top three, I gotta go, you know, my favorite is Kyrie. I'm a big Kyrie fan, always been. But Kyrie, Luca, and you gotta throw stuff in there. Damn, all right. Well, all three of those guys are scoring too though. They're all scoring,

but they also command a lot of attention and they also average seven, eight assists. Not saying that he doesn't, but he's another person. I think before the beginning, I think Tyrese was one of the better passers and playmakers in this game. He's just not showing it right now, whatever's going on. But I think he's still up there,

but I wouldn't put him in the top three. You know what I'm saying? Top five though. There we go. That top five is cool, but I mean, you still got Jalen Brunson. It's a lot of guards right now. And that's the big thing about basketball.

It's a lot of good guards right now. It's a new era. It's definitely, it's a point guard era. Yeah. Like when I played, it was more big man era, throw it in the post now. Let's get the ball to the guards and let them rock. And Victor's shooting threes.

Victor's the truth. I like Victor. I'm a Victor fan. I was skeptical at first, but I'm definitely a Victor fan. A lot of people are skeptical. Yeah, I just think, I felt like he was too tall at that moment. I didn't think he would be able to move,

but he's impressed me. And these kids are different these days. These kids are very athletic. I mean, even if you're a center now, you gotta be able to move and shoot. Definitely. That's the name of the game now. Guard one through five, because everyone's so talented now, right?

You feel like the skill level has gotten a lot better since your era? Yes. That's one thing I will say. You know, everybody talks about how the game has changed and all that, but the skill level, players are more honing in to being able to shoot more, being able to play without the ball.

It's just different, it's a different game. It's more skill. And it feels like a younger game. Definitely is a younger game. Like me being 38, trying to get back for the last couple years, a couple years ago, and they was like, nah, once you hit that 35 mark, it's kind of like, ah, we really want somebody that's 21.

Not a lot of guys make it past 35, right? Not a lot. Braun and probably a handful of others. Braun, Harden. I can't think, maybe Westbrook. Steph, Steph is on the way, Westbrook is on the way. CP3. Yeah, so I think about it, my draft class was 2008

and we have maybe four or five people left. That's it? That's it. Damn. Yeah, and PG 2010, they have one person. He's the only one left? That's what I think I've seen that last couple of days, but yeah, it's, it's scary. Holy crap.

It's getting really young. Your draft class was stacked, right? Yeah, me, D Rose, Westbrook, Kevin Love. Yeah, D Rose just retired. Beasley, you know what I'm saying? We had a bunch of people. Kevin Love is still out there. Westbrook is out there for my class.

I think that's it maybe. Damn. Yeah, probably another couple of years for those guys too. Two, three years, not that. How was the transition afterwards? Was it smooth? For me, it was a little bit harder just because the way I had a transition.

For me tearing my Achilles to not fully getting back the way I wanted to, that was the kind of different transition. But, you know, once you get over that, you understand that Father Thomas undefeated, everything becomes easier because, you know, you can still. Looking for the ultimate online casino experience? Step into the BetMGM Casino app,

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a tailored approach to hiring. Still do something with the game of basketball. And that's, you know, that's my passion. I love the game of basketball. So right now I'm training kids and teaching my kids these different things of the game. So you can always be part of basketball if you can't play. Facts, you're going to start up a basketball podcast?

It's a lot of players are doing that. I'll say it is. I think people are scared to put me on a podcast or whatever I might say. Really? I mean, you just got to think about it. I've been around a lot of players. I've been around a lot.

Like I would never say nothing crazy about nobody, but I also know a lot about what it takes to be one of these superstars or one of these top players like LeBron and I've seen the work that they put in. So like, I know what it takes. Yeah, you've seen some stuff. His leadership style is not like vocal, like some leaders, right?

That's the thing, it's a little bit of both, but he is... I would say this about Brown. Brown is more of a vocal leader than he is a lead by example. You know, from my era, I had Braun and D-Wade. So comparing them two, Braun is more vocal, D-Wade is more, I'ma show you how to do this

and just follow my lead. But they both have similar tendencies. Right, and that was probably the most hated team of all time, right, at the time. I loved that. Before the Warriors, I'd say, with KD. I don't even think the Warriors was hated as much as us. With KD?

I don't think so, I think they hated KD. Facts, facts. I don't think they hated the Warriors as much as the Heat. No, you're right, KD got was hated as much as us. With KD? I don't think so. I think they hated KD. Facts, facts. I don't think they hated the Warriors as much as the Heat. No, you're right. KD got on that. That's why I think like, Bron had hated everybody around us. They hated our whole team.

Right. With KD in them, they just hated KD. They didn't respect what he did, but it's like, bro, at the end of the day, you gotta do what you gotta do to win. Yeah. How did that affect you at the time? It must've been like crazy, right? I loved it. You know, I of the day, you got to do what you got to do to win. Yeah. How did that affect you at the time? It must've been like crazy, right?

I loved it. You know, I'm the person, person that like, I like being a villain. Like I like getting people's best shot every night, people talking shit and we just play basketball. Like I liked that. So for me, I embraced that role. I had a lot of fun with it and it was something cool.

I liked. Did you initiate the shit talking usually? Nah, not really because I wasn't getting the ball to take them shots to. You know, to back up the shit talking I was saying. So it was more of like, oh yeah, D-Way, like go bust. Like I remember one time we played in the Pistons and I know D-Way to get him ready for a game,

I would always talk shit like, Rodney Stuck, he better than him. Rodney Stuck gonna bust your ass tonight. So it would be stuff like that. They'd be ready for the game. So that was more of my approach to the game was to antagonize my big three and make sure they ready to play.

Yeah, yeah. That big three was deadly, man. Plus you, I would say that's a big four, man. Cause you were putting up numbers too. I mean, you know how the media says that. Everybody says it. So we'll leave it at the big three. I had my fun.

I had my moments. I held my own. That's how I looked at it. That was the first time it was like a big three, right? Other than I guess Jordan Rodman and Pippen, that's a big three. I mean, even Rodman didn't score like that. So that's what I'm saying.

It was kind of like, we really had the first big three. Big three in terms of scoring, yeah. Cause all those three could get 20, 25, 30. Quick, fast. Which chip felt better for you? 12 or 13? I would say 13 because that was the harder chip. Just going through San Antonio, being down, three, two.

They always say you need a little bit of luck to win the championship and our luck was Ray Allen hitting a three. Facts. So I'd definitely say the San Antonio one. Was that the toughest playoff matchup team you've had, Spurs? Yeah, I would say so. Just because the biggest thing about the Spurs,

they executed well, but the biggest factor that I hated the most was they were so nice. Like they were so nice. And it's like, when you come to a championship, you want to shit talk, you want to get into it You want to be a bully? That's like hey, I'm gonna do this spin move and hit a good shot and can't do nothing right I

Don't even know how to respond to that So they killed you a kindness and that was the thing it's like I don't know how to respond to kindness I've heard stories of people trying to shit talk Tim Duncan and he just doesn't respond He's just like, hi, how you doing? And they'd be like, what? It's crazy though, because obviously you guys had the way more athletic team, but they just played so well together.

They just yelled together. Crazy. Like you said, they yelled together and they played really well together and they got hot at the right moment. Yeah, and their coach. I mean, he might go down as the GOAT. Take your hats off to Pop.

Fuck your great coach. Who was your favorite coach to play for? My favorite coach to play for was Coach Yeager in Memphis, just because at the time Mike Conley got hurt and I was the only point guard. So I got to really, really thrive in that role of doing what I want to do. Like getting everybody involved,

taking the last second shots when I want to. I don't have to get a ball to Bron, D Wade or CB. I get to just be me and be a point guard. And I think that was the best thing about playing for Coach Yeager was just the freedom I had. Right, was that the first time you experienced that freedom? Yeah, it was the first time in the NBA I had that freedom.

So that was like- You went through years of- Yeah, but I understood like, I mean, you're playing with Bron, D Wade, Ray Allen. Like these are a real hall of famer. but I understood like, I mean, you playing with Bron, D-Way, Ray Allen, like these are real Hall of Famer. So it's like, I understand it. Like I don't, I ain't tripping, but if I ever get my opportunity,

I can show y'all what I was, what I can do. Right. That's when I got to Memphis, I was able to show like, okay, I can run the team. I can hold my own. I could do X, Y, and Z. And I mean, I told my Achilles I got hurt. So that was just.

Damn. But there's a lot of guys I got hurt. So that was just. Damn. But there's a lot of guys I heard in the league that are like that. They're on the bench right now. If they were on another team, they would score 20. It's always like that. It's like, you got to be able to adapt to your, adapt to your environment.

So if you need to just be a strength of point guard and get these guys to ball to win a championship, hey, that's what I'm gonna do. Facts. Well, man, what's next for you? And where can people keep up with what you got going on? What's next for me is just training and take care of my kids. I live in Charlotte right now.

My son is in junior high school, my daughter is a freshman. She's top 50 freshman high school players right now. WNBA. Yeah, that's the goal. So I just take care of them, make sure they're on the right track and just try to share my little bit of basketball knowledge that I have with anybody that wants to listen. Boom. We'll link your stuff below. Thanks, Kanaan.

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