Gil's Arena - Gil's Arena Breaks Down The Best Trade For Trae Young

Episode Date: February 20, 2024

Gil's Arena Breaks Down The Best Trade For Trae Young as Gilbert Arenas and The Gil's Arena Crew react to trade rumors for the Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter and discuss his fit with Victor Wembanyama and The San Antonio Spurs. They also react to Wemby's first all star weekend appearance and examine how the transition is going for the french phenom. Finally, they give their thoughts on the budding romance between Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic and debate the likelihood of the 2 superstars teaming up to create an unstoppable super team. Please consider giving us a like and subscribe!!!! Gil’s Arena premieres every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11:30am PT / 2:30pm ET. Sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code GILSARENA and get a $100 first deposit match: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-gil's-arena SUBSCRIBE: / @gilsarena APPAREL PARTNERS TUFF CROWD: https://www.tuffcrowd.com/ ADIDAS: https://www.adidas.com/us/agent-gil-restomod-basketball-shoes/ Gr8ness: https://www.gr8nss.store/ Order Rashad's Book Here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD9ZQ3HD?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 CHAPTERS: Intro 0:00:00 Show Start 0:05:31 Texas A&M Commerce & Incarnate Word Brawl 0:08:59 Damian Lillard's Starting Top 5 0:14:44 Ant Edwards Shuts Down USA vs World All Star Game 0:37:32 Gil & Rashad Battle over LeBron and The Dunk Contest 0:45:06 Luka & Jokic Superteam??? 1:02:46 Which NBA Stars Do You Want To See Team up? 1:17:12 Trae Young Trade Rumors 1:20:37 Discussion on All Star Wurk 1:22:39 Back To Trae 1:28:32 Will LeBron Leave The Lakers? 1:30:36 Where Will Trae Go Lakers or Spurs? 1:33:52 Rookie Transition For Wemby 1:42:13 Norris & Rashad on NBA Vets 1:53:02 Is G-League Ignite Working? 2:22:47 MostlyFans 2:41:07 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. Y'all don't know what goes on in practice. Baby, flashing lights everywhere. They just been saying shit about me, they didn't even fucking know me. This is my school. This is what I was doing when what nobody knew. Y'all don't know what goes on in practice, or the locker room. Agency, bro. Change, yeah. Welcome Welcome back to Gills Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. Woo-woo! Let's go!

Tuesday, still no basketball on. But your favorite basketball show, we don't take breaks. We out here for y'all, the people. What's up, everybody? How y'all doing? Good, good, good. It's good. Everybody wore blue today, except for me. I appreciate y'all, the people. What's up, everybody? How y'all doing? Good, good, good. It's good. Everybody wore blue today except for me. I appreciate y'all.

Okay. Didn't get the memo. So this is Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. As always, we got the legend Gilbert Arenas here with us. What he do? What he do? How you doing? We got the dream killer, Rashad McCants, back on the couch. What up, Shadi?

Okay. I like the coordination. Hey, man. Leave me alone. The coordination? It's my first day back, man. They've been waiting on me. You're going to come at my head already? Come on, man. Let me hear it. You know what I'm saying? I'm getting a little bit more money.

Okay. That's the most important thing. I can go shop for some shit now. Shit. Go hit the ball. And we got Tucson NBA champ Norris Cole back on the couch with us. For another day. Had so much fun yesterday. Had to keep it going today.

Uh-oh. Look at that. All gravy. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a live show, and things do happen. That's why you know and love Gills Arena. Presented by Underdog Fantasy. Whoop, whoop. Here's what's cracking in the arena today.

Trae Young has been the subject of trade rumors, but which team would be the best fit for the three-time All-Star? Luka and Jokic's bromance was on full display All-Star weekend, but will they ever join forces to create a super team? Joker has some thoughts on that. How tall is Luka? Yes, that's a big boy. That's a big boy right there.

And Wimby has been phenomenal in his first year in the league, but what's the transition been like for the Spurs rookie this season? But before we get into all that, as always, this show is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Download the app, use promo code GILD. They will match your first deposit up to $100.

You know what I'm saying? You looking, you still been doing the pick-ups? I'm nice, man. You back? I'm back. Okay. I'm back. You back?

I mean, I went 0 for 7 in the three-point contest, but I'm back. Oh, shit. I was out of town I could that's okay I took a little on everybody so I realized there was a new format of possible point of 40 yes out of 40 now with the the story balls gilded story balls were three yeah I'm still think yeah no there was no 26 first round is

all like 20 kids like 20.5 I'm like Malik busy the only one who betrayed me 20.5. He hit 20 Needed one more money ball, but got it. Well not good. Sometimes. Oh, I got one right then I got yes, okay Technically Steph still the champion though, right? This 29 is 29. I would like to see Dame and Steph go head-to-head in the playing contest. Technically. Obviously, Steph is the best shooter of all time, but I think Dame got the most range. For sure. In honor of the NBA season kicking back off later this week, we got special pick-em deals for you guys. All week, help you get your bread right.

As always, we do Mostly Fans at the end of every show. You drop a good question in the chat with your underdog fantasy username, we use it on the show. We'll give you a $50 bonus if you send us a video to mostyfansgill at gmail.com and we use that video on the show and you include your underdog fantasy username. We will give you a $100 bonus. Please keep the video under 30 seconds and you can ask us about more than just basketball. We are

life, hoops, culture. We deal with a little bit of everything. Always got great perspectives and if you can't watch the show live with us on YouTube, we got audio versions on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts from. So let's get into it. It ain't even March, but the madness is already starting in college basketball. So three and 10 after a game between Texas A&M Commerce and Incarnate Word, things got a little testy in the handshake line as an all-out brawl. It was punches, slaps, kicks, police got involved.

Scholarships getting revoked. It means more in the Southland Conference. Now, both these teams are near the bottom of the Southland Conference, and it'll be interesting to see what punishments are doled out. It seems more just frustration than anything. Everything. They fighting for last? They're close.

We still have guys running after people. One guy wanna lash out and do nothing. Yeah. Just did a bunch of nothing man. Have y'all ever been in a brawl like this at any point in your basketball career? Yep. Looks like a young girl. When, Gil?

High school league? NBA. We're brothers. Oh, the Blazers won? The Blazers won, yeah. You threw a punt? No, hell no. Tell me.

Where was you at, Gil? You was, hey, laying low? I was holding the chair. Oh, yeah. Picking myself. Good move. Always a good move. Like you're supposed to. How about yourself, Norris? You met her broad like this?

High school. What happened? One of the players, we was beating them, you know, pretty good. One of the players punched our big man, and our big man chased him all over the court. His parents came on the court, and once the kid's parent ran on the court, it was like a melee. It was like a melee. People was getting knocked out, fighting.

I mean, it got ugly. I just got my back to a wall and just got out of everybody's way. I saw my parents. They was cool. They saw that I was cool, so they stayed in their seat. As long as I was cool, they stayed where they was supposed to be at.

But the people who was in action, the cousins and all that was on the court. Punches was being thrown. Wasn't a bunch of nothing like that. It was actually real blows being thrown. Cats was getting hit in the jaw. You saw them dropping. Oh, no, there was some punches there. You just got to see.

You got to look. That was an amen. You know gotta see. You gotta... Look. That was an amen. You know what I was talking about back in Dayton. Don't bother filming. If you would've watched, a few people was on the floor getting dropped. Oh yeah, for sure. So you said you never been in situations where they weren't messing with the dream killer like that? Nah, just stay away from me. Because I get serious when it's time to get serious.

I don't want nobody touching me. not even teammates, officials, everybody. Don't touch me. You're the cameraman. Don't grab me while somebody's swinging on me. Don't grab me. I don't play none of that. Norris, you're smart. Always get to the wall.

Get to the wall. Head on a swivel. Back up. Back up. Get your chair together. Get your chair. Alabama. Because it chair. Alabama. Because it's always this.

The one who looks like he ain't part of nothing always gets hit. Yeah. Facts. Yeah, you get sneaked. Be sitting there just, what you doing over here? What? What you doing? If I get hit.

Just hit the dirt. What you doing? If I get hit, the hat going up. Like Montgomery Brawl. No, what is wrong with y'all? You don't just hit people that's not even part of this? I try to keep the peace. Hey, man, y'all relax.

Calm down. So I also have another video to show y'all, another situation that happened during a recent basketball game. Bro, I got hit with the German suplex. Ooh! I got hit with the German suplex. Ooh. I don't know what it is about Dermot that makes him on a suplex like that, but they do things differently out there.

Hey. Them intentions. Them intentions of that swing. I'm about to say, why was he swinging like that? He was clearly not trying to score on you into the game. That's fair. What you doing if somebody body slams your teammate like that? Same thing his teammate. Get up.

Damn. Get up. Get up, man. Get up. Get up, man. Get your ass up, man. Got to leave. Shit.

Got to go to the locker room, man. I don't know why you messing with that man like that. His teammate is like back. You want some more, man? No more, no more. No. I'm going to the locker room, man. I don't know why you messing with that man like that. This team is like back to this. You want some more, man? No more, no more, no. No. I'm going to the locker room. I see you can always tell the respect that they have for the player doing it.

If nobody, the whole team was like. We gotta stop them, though. The slam gotta be over. You can't slam them and then do nothing else with them, though. It's overseas, though. Look, you gotta understand. Yeah, it's a different world. Overseas, you don't fuck around with them.

They got the army motherfuckers in the crowd. You don't know who's daddy. They got the army motherfuckers in the crowd. You don't know whose daddy is who who own what? Bro, they'd send motherfuckers out there to do shit like that Just to antagonize you when you to import right you a long way from calling. Oh, they'll tell you that too. Oh, oh You'll fuck with me We fuck with you You don't want to fuck with them when you buy yourself Mmm, all that slapping and shit,

they do that shit on purpose. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, we want you to react. Never go down like that where they got home court advantage. Anytime I go to Mexico, I ask y'all, y'all got it?

Hustle me, go ahead, take it. Y'all got it. I don't know what I'm dealing with out here. You got to vote your own, though. You just don't go overboard. Yeah, for sure. You got to let them know, like, hey, ain't no punking going on, but at the same time, you got to make sure own, though. You just don't go overboard. You got to let them know, like, hey, ain't no punking going on.

But at the same time, you got to make sure you don't get too aggressive because there's thousands of them. There's one or two of you. Your help, it'll take two and a half days for them to fly over and they still. Yeah, ain't no calling for help. They outside waiting on you. And the bus don't move. The bus not moving.

You know how much money it's going to take to ship that many people over right you buy yourself you know spend $30,000 to get 10 people there I'm no help ain't no help coming let's keep it moving during all-star weekend Damian Lillard was asked to name a starting five of current NBA players you could create your own starting five, what's your team? It would be me, LeBron, Steph, Kevin Durant, and I'm going to go with Bam out of Bayou. So, for those hearing impaired, Dane went with himself, Steph Curry, LeBron James,

Kevin Durant, and Bam Adebayo. You may notice the list doesn't include Giannis. That's his friend. Bam is his friend. Okay, I mean, that's his friend. But a list does not include Giannis the other half of Freak Time. Dame and Bam are close friends from their Team USA days. How should Giannis feel about getting snubbed on Dame's starting five?

Why would he be on Dame's starting five? It's his starting five Because they're teammates now. Yeah, 30 something games. Yeah, I don't even know first of all I don't even I only like doing pick and roll with you right now because they double me Like you're asking me I'm thinking about the game he's. He'd rather do pick and roll with Lopez before Giannis, so I don't even see why Giannis would be a part of that. Just off of GP. You got to put your teammate. Fuck no. But why wouldn't you want to do a fucking pick and roll with Giannis?

Because they double me. Run through that shit. They double me. Get around that shit. No, they double me. Get a stretch to fucking double. I'm not. By the way, that's a good No, they double. Get a stretch to fucking double. I'm not, I'm not. By the way, that's a good lineup, though,

what he said. It makes sense. Yeah, I mean, I know you're a big fan of Bam. Yeah, that makes sense what he said, but as your teammate, and Giannis is a big dog in the league now, he a top one or two or three player in the league.

Okay, who you gonna sign him out for then? Yeah. I'm not doing nothing. Okay. But if Giannis was my teammate, I'm not saying Bam, if he was my teammate. Even if I believe that, I'm not saying that. I'm but if you're not was my teammate I'm not saying BAM if he was my teammate, even if I believe that I'm not saying that I'm saying yeah That's right. But Batman's best friend best friend we can you know, we best friends Yeah, but you're not on this list on a person do my teammate who I just got traded for that

We trying to win this shit with I need all that camaraderie. I got a gas he move I need that and as a point guard you got a thing like that You know, you need to just dig the whole you on fire. Just the buck started Yeah, and nobody would have thought about it that's a good line of Oh, well, you know, I would have been a good llama, too Well, you can see you can see he clearly wasn't even thinking like that. He was just name. Oh, uh, bye bye bye bye and boom I mean, that's a heck of a line. I'm gonna be honest with you What is it is BAM, but we know why BAM is that that's his friend No, BAM is deserving to be in that spot to don't get the tripping. Oh

Start tripping G top 20 to 20 or tripping G top 20 to 24 over especially in that lineup Is it he didn't say nice top he say his starting five. Yes the top players and I honest Not me not players not yeah, that's not him be my favorite. This is favorite player He picked look at that. He picked his favorite. The best point guard. You got great shooting. You got playmaking.

You got height and length. And you got Bam who does everything else. That's a great lineup. All you need is a passer that be... Bam do all that. Bam dribble handoff. He backdoor. All that.

So Bam over Joker? Yeah, he ain't no Joker. Because we've seen what happened when Bam faced Joker. Yeah, we saw that, but guess what? Yeah, yeah. Joker going against the rest of them. BAM don't have to be one-on-one because he got Kevin Durant, LeBron, Steph. What do you mean Joker going against the rest of them?

It's you and me down here. We know what that goes. Yeah, everybody. But Joker do that to everybody, though. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, Joker do that to everybody. So you're picking already. We're X-ing that out.

Your friend is barbecued. But that's his friend that's a very barbecue but that's cool but that's his friend so you know he picks him but I mean y'all is that they don't even have a relation didn't even have a relationship now why to be in the top ten but then I just got here I don't know you like you've been here for a while but I just got here for a while cool but I don't even know you're like dude you should know me don't even know you like me. You should know me like that. Remember in the All-Star they were saying, who would you want to play with?

And he was like, Giannis said, oh, Dame Lillard. Dame. Like, who would you want to play with? Giannis and the Kubo Nally together and you're going to leave him off the list? You're going to say Bam? Yeah. And everybody know you wanted to go to the Heat in the All-Star? I mean, when did those comments come out?

Was it after Giannis said he don't watch game film? Gil, do you believe that Giannis? Yes. 1,000%. So the smirk on his face, you believe that Giannis really... 1,000%. I can see his game, and he don't. Damn.

He just go out there and play basketball. Damn. So Giannis can't even joke around. Damn, Gina. He was dead serious. Damn, I'm feeling some bias hate coming from the couch. I'm feeling some bias. He's been hating Giannis ever since he went to go work out with him. I said it earlier. hate coming from the couch. I'm feeling some bias

He been hating Giannis ever since he went to go work out with the king. He can't stand it Fuck this nigga correct correct yourself fuck this nigga I don't like him no more cuz he went to a king for three days. See now that's a false statement God damn. I think I said it way before that and then he went with Tykeem. What you don't like about Giannis? But y'all said Giannis top two in the league. No, I said Giannis was top two in the league. The only thing he needs is to he needs a better IQ for the game of basketball.

Right now he's just playing with all physical attributes. If he was smart like Tim Duncan, what would his game be? Everybody's like, oh it'd be... Name a player that's playing now. Don't name Tim Duncan, what would his game be? Everybody's like, oh, it'd be... Name a player that's playing now. Don't name Tim Duncan and them. Smart like somebody playing now.

If he had an IQ like Jokic. Who does, though, other than LeBron? Who does? You're talking about the top percentile of the world. Now, exactly. What if he had Jokic IQ? What would he be maybe a What have been be what if Joker had

Impossible human who would be Okay, let's try this again. Michael Jordan shot like Steph Curry. It wouldn't be real. It would be fake. Which one is easier to get? Can, right now, who can get whose attribute? It's easier for Yonis to get. Okay, thank you.

You're right about that. So that means watching film. How is it easier? Because it's watching film. Joker didn't get his IQ from watching film. Nigga, what are you talking about? You're right. I know he did because he played basketball. Since he was a little boy, he got his IQ from playing. But Yonis can study film. Nigga, what are you talking about? You're right. I know he did because he played basketball.

Since he was a little boy, he got his IQ from playing. But Giannis can study film and catch up, though. Giannis can't study film. He can't just watch film and all of a sudden become a better player. Are we sitting on this thing saying that Giannis does not really watch film? No, Giannis is not watching film. But Giannis plays a lot. So if he's watching film and playing, like Gil said, he can get there.

It's an application, man. You can watch it to see your discrepancies and the thing you need to work on. But essentially, you only going to be able to become better by actually going out and playing. You don't think that he can do that, though? He's been doing it. He's gotten better every year. At what? Everything.

At what? Everything. Gil, you can't say he ain't got better. Everything. His conditioning, his size and strength. His numbers have been increasing. His core is getting better. His three balls are getting better. what his conditioning is why the numbers the way their numbers have been increasing his Three balls get better. Let me try this thing. So let me ask you this so he's gotten better

He's gotten stronger and wiser Skills again better. Yes, it's three balls getting better handle his handle his moves his two dribble spares. Dump back. Yeah. His back sort of fades. It's getting there. It's getting there. I'm pulling it up. It's called progression. We can name some bigs that he don't want to name that he shoot better than. He just has an ugly looking jumper, so we can judge him by that. Hold on. Hold on.

Because coming into the NBA draft, he was very great at dribbling, very great at passing. No, he wasn't. His open score skills. He was a one, two-year-old guy. That was his skills coming to the NBA. Come on, bro. He was barely even getting in the game. He was none of that.

He was none of that. I can tell you don't watch nothing. Giannis was none of that. He was a young player that barely understood the game. He had to come in and learn. Whoever wrote that, like, somebody wrote that. Statman, Statman. Yeah, because he wasn't, he wasn't, no, no. Nah that Yeah cause he wasn't

He wasn't no no Nah Gil he wasn't You can't even bring up highlights and say that was him So his Rookie profile Coming to the draft Saying what he was great at He's not a great pull up guy

He's not a great post up guy He was second division grease He wasn't even great He was second division grease. He wasn't even great. He was potential. Potential. He had potential to be honest. What I'm saying is with the writing, what his attributes are and what his weaknesses are. They have his attributes.

Passer loves dribbling the ball. He's more of a point guard, like coming downhill. He's going to get you with the year-round stuff. He's very sneaky, very what's-his-name. He can't shoot the mid-range. He's going to hesitate on the mid-range. He's very sneaky very wasn't him. He can't shoot the mid-range He was gonna hesitate on the mid-range. He's very bad at passing. He doesn't post up He doesn't shoot the three good what the fuck is she was right? Who was right now? I'm gonna say wrote the profile cuz you get upset at the biggest get the shit wrong

So obviously they had the shit wrong when it took him what how long to get to the point where he had true potential by year four at least year by year four at least year four and by year five and six it was back-to-back hold on so what they wrote as coming into the nba so that means that was what 2001 what was that 2001 when yas came into the house in 1314? 2013 14 was so they said he couldn't shoot a mid-range then does he have a great mid-range out a lot better like nobody Not that mid-range now. Yeah Yes, just like LeBron. Yeah, this is hold it. I can't go that far. He's trying to hold it. I can't go that far.

He's trying to hold it. He was going under. He was going under. You are going under. He was going under. Now you have to respect it. Who was going under? Who?

Yeah, but Brian always could make- What do you mean, who? Who was going under? Who was going under? Brian was always a shot maker, though. Who was going under? He was always a shot maker. You know, it just became like a-

We're not talking about shot making. We're talking about hitting a consistent jumper. Who? Come on, y'all. Stop. He was a little different than y'all. Stop. That extreme's a little different. It's not an extreme.

It's just an observation. We're watching. We see it. We was going under that. You got to make that. You got to make that, Brian. You got to make that. Who shoots 35% from a three?

Are you going under that? 35% from a three? Yeah, maybe. Maybe. What'd you shoot from a three? From my career? No, just a year. It's a five or seven in three Yeah, maybe maybe For my career Average maybe league average. So did they go under on you? They went under you. Yeah. Yeah

Hmm 35 33 36 40 percent 37 percent 35 percent 36 36. That's LeBron James So one the three-point line what? You bringing up stats again? Yeah. See, because you don't have stats. You have what you think. No, I have what I see. Not what I think. Well, LeBron is different. You have to choose.

See it. So we're seeing it in real time. It ain't no stats. I'm watching. You got to go under LeBron because he'll kill you, you know, going downhill to the basket, drawing fouls and stuff like that. You have to go under that. It don't make sense to me.

I know what you have to do, but reality is reality. What's reality? If we're going to make him shoot, he's going to miss. We'll make him shoot, and he's shooting 37, 47% from the three-point line. When was he doing that? In years. I played him in the playoffs. I did.

I did. He was the cook. You played him in the playoffs? I played him in the regular season. I was at Cleveland State. I was at y'all game. Regular season? We're going under that shit. You played him twice. Regular season. We're going on why you got you you name it all time

I don't know rush my plate of four times four times in regular season six seven times during regular season You got a heavy though. Okay heavy dose a heavy dose of heavy dope we're going under I know Yeah, but he gonna steal right but I never know But I'm saying is I know yeah, but he gonna steal When we look at someone's scouting report and then we give you years in the league and Rondo you didn't get a mid-range. You didn't get a three, right? We can say you didn't work on certain things rest book, right? You came in without a bit of Rondo hit timely was when they count when they counted because he because I'm hearing it Yeah, just wasn't she wasn't

Man when I'm not shooting. Yeah, cuz Ron used to kill us in the playoffs We wonder he used to be killing a ball when he was in Boston elbow You'd be 40 Parker can't sue and she you get that bitch right there boom boom boom boom boom you like damn I thought he couldn't sue he can shoot from right there, though. He can't shoot that three ball, but he can shoot that bitch from right there. Westbrook can shoot that bitch from right there. So if there was a thing that said he can't shoot threes, and then he plays a whole career, and he can't shoot threes,

did he get better at that? Giannis can shoot threes, though. Are we watching him shoot some threes? Come on, why are we playing stupid? He's not a shooter. Like Jason Richardson, right? Jason Richardson couldn't shoot a gun coming to the end. Hold on, so Yannis hasn't got better at shooting? Has he? Yes. Yes! His three point percentage has gone down. Of course. The last three or four seasons. I'm not talking about that. He's not shooting a lot of threes.

That means it should be going up. The attempts are going down. The attempts have gone down as well. The attempts are going down. The attempts are going down as well. As well. And I remember who he's playing with this year. He's playing with another all-world offensive player now. What is the average team? Just ask that question.

Right. Why would I need to shoot threes? 31 points per game. 31 points per game. 11 rebounds. 31 points per game. Right. Why would Jordan need to have a fadeaway, signature fadeaway,

when they can't stop him going to the basket? Because he wanted to improve his skill. Why would Jordan need to have a fadeaway, signature fadeaway, when they can't stop him going to the basket? Because he wanted to improve his skill. No, because it stopped him from going to the basket. It was fouling the fuck out this nigga. That's why I'm going to establish something else. Say it exactly. I'm going to establish something else. They're not stopping Giannis.

Let me hold on. They're not stopping Giannis. And Giannis don't depend on shooting. You can shoot the ball. He can get the rebound and put the ball in the basket. What year did they stop? That phone got all Giannis. What year did they stop? And Giannis don't depend on shooting. You can shoot the ball. He can get the rebound. He can put the ball in the basket. What year did they stop? That phone guy.

All his answers. What year did they stop Jordan? Never. Because he was averaging 37, 35. You mean the year? You mean the year? Which year? The years he couldn't get past.

Okay. So he said they stopped. That's why he created a fadeaway. What was the year? So what year did they stop? It was the years that he didn't get past the Detroit Pistons? What was the years? He averaged 37.

I didn't ask what he averaged. 86, 89. What was the years that he didn't get past them? Because John Connery said, our game's got to report against Michael Jordan. If he goes left, he's going to shoot that motherfucker. If he goes right, he's going all the way to the basket. We're going to foul him. We're going to foul him. He got tired of shoot that motherfucker. If he goes right, he's going all the way to the basket. We're going to foul him.

We're going to foul him. He got tired of dealing with that. And he was wise, though. He was wise in understanding that he's not going to always be able to jump, so he developed his skills. Exactly. He developed his skills. To be honest, like I said, he didn't have to do none of that shit because you can't stop him. Shaq.

Shaq didn't have to turn around and shoot a fucking fadeaway jump shot. That would be dumb if he did. Why would I have to do that? I don't have to. said didn't have to turn around and shoot a fucking fadeaway. That would be done if he did. Why would I have to do that? I don't have to have to. I'm average. You have to. I'm averaging third the year he's talking about.

Michael Jordan swept the NBA in every single award. I'm with you. I'm with you. What I'm saying is I'm with you. Every single award he swept the NBA like never to be seen before until the end of the playoffs And he decided to get a fadeaway Right, he got the fadeaway became his signature move and I'm not his not the logo 96 Sir, it was 96 89 is when he came with the fadeaway

Sir, no, you're back to the. It is. Sir, know your basketball. His first championships, he was here. Know your basketball. It's not. Sir. The patented move. Know your basketball. I'm sorry, he was in middle school.

96. I'm sorry, he was in middle school. He took two years off. He was a middle schooler. He took two years off. He depended more on the fadeaway in 96, but he developed that. Middle school. Took two years.

He was playing middle school basketball. He was at the park. He was playing basketball. It don't matter where I was school still watch it. He was fade away He came with the fade away fade away your feet 96 98 that's when the rapper 96 tonight Elevator no no sir. Yeah Three people no He was already now he was the guy he did Me from doing what I was doing He had to fade away the first fight

Away became the city had he had He had the ah, ah, ah. Ah, ah. He had everything. That was on TV. He's talking about just the highlight. He had this. I'm talking about all the highlights. When he was flipping that bitch. You remember the flip? He did everything. Yeah, for sure.

He didn't have to do no fadeaway. He was going through three people. He had to fade away. He was going through. He had to fade away. Michael George's Playground, Come Fly With Me. All that.

Yeah, you remember what years were those? Grey Cinema. 91, 92, 93. 91, 92, 93. He had to fade away Michael George playground. I'm fly with me all that. Yeah, you remember what years were those great cinema 91 I do that 91 92 93. Yeah Ways in those did none he perfected his feet on Came when he was going up against Charlotte and Anthony Mason was going and he said Now he was hitting John Starks with the fade away. He was in John John Starks with the fadeaway. He was hitting John Starks with the fadeaway. Stop it. He don't know, man. He was hitting them all.

He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all.

He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all.

He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting them all. He was hitting a little puppy. He was in elementary school watching. Back to Giannis, like we were saying. Giannis don't need that right now, Gil. He's going to play alone. Giannis don't need that right now. He's developing it. You see how he always go to Jordan. He always got to deflect and pull the goal post because Jordan is his best.

Jordan is the coach. Yeah, man. Leave Jordan alone. Jordan is the reason I go. Hey, man, stop using him to save you in conversations, man. Stop doing that. The reason I use Jordan is because you're having a guy at 26, 25 years old. Think about the age, 25, 26, who's using all of his athleticism

and smart enough to realize the future of what he needs to do and decided he was going to get skillful at that age. That's why I use him, right? Not wait until you motherfucker 32 to try to now get a post-up move. Now you got to start developing. You got to start developing.

Westbrook, my guy, said it. He needs to learn how to pull up. He needs's learn how to do this because when you can't Get to the basket no more. What did you learn? What did you develop you can't wait all the way until you can't do it anymore. You got to put that skill in Immediately, I think y'all see is working on it though. I mean take back sort of phase I'll be sending shoot the three, you know, and he have his games where he go off before But he also has a game where he go 3 for 5. In those games, he got 45 and 15.

Yeah, I see it. I see it. Me too. I see it. Saw in the finals what he did. I see it in the mall. Saw in the finals when he went for that nifty ball. Yeah, a bunch of... Sometimes it's not good enough. I'm about to say, he didn't go for that... Sometimes it's not good enough.

He went for a 50 ball when it counted and was 17 for 17 from free throw. Didn't miss a shot like... Sometimes it's not good enough for some people. I mean... Okay, 17 for 17 for free throw, and then you've been shooting 60% since I mean It's some other cats out here stars is doing that. I'm saying is just like Shaq not good enough. I'm just like Shaq, right? No Gil Eric you can't be 99 on everything this ain't no video game. I mean what I'm saying is what else If you can if you can

shoot threes but can't dribble, Clay Thompson, what point of life or you in the NBA decided, I need to enhance and put this attribute in me so I can keep developing? I don't know. He's a 6'7 shooter. If he can't dribble,

he's going to always have a job because he's a 6'7 sniper. Just like Stojakovic, just like every other fucking shooter. I don he can't dribble he gonna always have a job cuz he's six seven sniper It's just like story. I'll cover just like every other how quarter they don't always have Yeah, I don't have to do them all they don't know how to do just pass it I'm shooting and that's why there's that's why there's another level Another extra level means I don't know how to do this and I'm gonna add these extra attributes in to enhance my skill Dwayne Wade Drive layup dry either layup. Drive. Layup. Tacky basket. He got his post game together. Post game. Post game. When his knees started hurting, that saved

him a lot. Before the post game, he came with the mid-range. Then after the mid-range, backboard. Then he came with the pump fake. Then he came with the back to the basket game. Then he came with the hit double pump fake. Every year to keep his when his knees was going, thighs was going, he added so many

things that we didn't even notice it. But Giannis is 6'11". He got that going for him too. So if all else fails, he going to have 10 rebounds a game. That's points. He don't have to shoot jumpers. Shoot the ball, I'm going to get the rebound. Two points, you found me, three points.

So he can get it, make up for that in another way. Yeah, I seen them outside of Miami, Blake Griffin. Period. Yeah, we seen them. They ain't never been good as young as though. No, but we seen it Before we move on Gil the chest said you've been hating on Doc River so long that the basketball guys curse you with his voice You need some of that hot green tea? You need some of that hot green tea with some honey? You need some of that hot green tea with lemon honey? Harder working man in sports media. Hey, did you hear Rachel Nichols throw that shot at him? What'd she say? You heard?

You seen it? No. She was like, would you have rather been at home learning your team? Like that. He missed it because he's being Hey Guys are in Kabul Some guys were here today

He was in Kabul too I know Ladies and gentlemen The hardest working man in sports media Number seven on Complex's list Climbing up the charts Alright Grinding

But let's keep this thing Moving and shaking Hey Gil got something against the Bucks And Rivers and Giannis. Gil, what they do to you? Rivers for sure. Okay. Block Rivers.

Giannis, I just said, just add these extra things so you can take it to the next level. If he does, he's going to be fake. I just want you to know. Give me a fake nigga. This is what I'm saying. People accuse Gil of hating on Giannis, but if you actually listen to what he's saying, it's elevation. A lot of people are like, oh, well, he's already got two MVPs. Cool.

Like, do you want to stagnate? I'm sure everybody on this couch, when you guys were playing, you wanted to figure out ways to get better. Just let the man be who he want to fucking be, man. We can't make him who we want him to fucking be. He's my favorite Greco-Nigerian. Let him be who the fuck he want to be. He want to be who he is. And they go without a jumper.

That you cannot stop. Let him be that goddamn. He's like man. Why y'all keep forcing me to have a jumper I'm not forcing you to have a fucking 44 inch vertical. I'm not forcing you niggas to be running for force Right. Okay, then let's take it one strap. I'm happy For you to be out here dribbling Kyrie mom fuckers. I asked you none of that. Don't be asking me shit I don't want to do. Okay, then let dream on be dream on He's been dream on it. I want to hear you say nothing about dream on you do this Let him choke people like you want to Just don't complain about the consequences money. That's all I say. Yeah, you gonna choke a nigga take the consequence

You got a German suplex now. He got a game up All right But let's keep it rolling after the lackluster All-Star game, all the talk has been on how to fix it. When a media member suggested the game shift to a USA vs. the World format, Ant Edwards quickly dismissed the question.

So, after he was asked, Edwards responded that Joker, Luka, Embiid, Giannis, Towns, and Shea weren't enough to fill an international team. When asked about Jamal Murray, Ant said he wasn't an all-star, reporter was stumped and moved on. It was the funniest. We're taking Embiid.

And two of those is Americans. We're taking Embiid. Embiid is American. Towns is American. He just didn't make the goddamn Olympic team, so he ran to another country. Shout out to the Dominican Republic. You know what I mean? So that was...

Beautiful country. But that was the whole debate back then. Like, last year, there was seven All-Stars out of 24. This year, there's four All-Stars out of 24. So if it's going to be 12 and 12, that means eight All-Stars from the American team got to be taken off, and then you got to add eight All-Stars the American team got to be taken off and then you got to add

Eight all-stars on the euro side who ain't even fucking all-stars. How is this gonna be competition again? Did I get all-stars? Would you gonna some people just be talking now and it makes sense because the international players have to be all-stars And 12 euros is not gonna make the all-Star team. It's not happening. Not in this lifetime. We saw the output from the international players and the American players in this past All-Star game, so I don't think it would be much better if they were all on the side together. See, they all doing the same thing, shooting the bitch from half court and all

this. Both sides look stupid. But we look at foreign All-Stars in the previous two seasons. So we got Kyrie, who was born in Australia. Laurie Markin in Finland. Sabonis. Big man, big man. Siakam.

Big man. Gobert, your favorite Frenchman. Big man. So you got five big men. Andrew Wiggins. Oh, my God. Maple Jordan. He's the fourth best player in this team right now. Maybe fifth, but he's going to be an all-star.

Keep going. Right. That's about it. Oh, that's it? That don't sound too watchable. You're's it? That don't sound too watchable. You're not scared? That don't even sound watchable. Listen, all-star game is the all-star game.

It's for fun. But is it fun? Yes. You enjoyed watching that? No, I didn't. When have you ever watched an all-star game and actually enjoyed watching it from your TV? It's better when you're there.

2001, 2002. I've enjoyed watching Stephon Marbury and AI and Kobe and all of them. All of them. Even Kobe when, who was Kobe and CP and them when they played against the East, what year was that? 2010, 2011. That was a good competitive all-star game. But for the most part it's-

And Kobe kind of forced it. He's like, they're going to have to play or get blew out. Because I'm old. CP3 was like, they're going to have to play or they're going to get blew out cold kind of forced it He's like are they gonna have to play or get blew out? CP 3 was like they don't have to play or they gonna get blew out. So it forced it to be was over this Every all-star game I've been to the same conversation in the locker room We don't go out here play hard boom boom boom. All right, cuz we want the 50,000 will want the 35,000 Right 50,000 for the winners. Y Did I get $50,000 already?

So what are dudes complaining about? They need more bread. Because I get $50,000 to win. The $35,000. You're talking about our stars are mostly guys in max deals. But $50,000 is $50,000. So what I'm saying is a loser gets $35,000 when it gets the extra $15,000. So we all start off saying it.

And then all it takes is one person to do some dumb shit. And then everybody's like, all right. Everybody's taking this shit serious. Motherfucker throwing from. Hey, let's think about it. You talk about it. Yeah, let's take it serious. Saying it and then all it takes is one person to do some dumb shit Right, so you see Think about it you talk about the other thing is serious and if you come down there first play shoot half court You're like, hi, man They can do that the first three fourth quarters kind of you know tighten it up a little bit What I'm saying is but sometimes I should be gone by then Tighten it up earlier and it let's be a little bit more competitive. It's man. I'm saying is but sometimes I should be gone by then tighten it up earlier man it let's see a little bit more competitive it's man I'm saying

where you know my competition competition think about the all-star weekend have you been there it's a conversation man it's all-star weekend it's fun right it's the atmosphere it's a circus it is that's what it is this is not made for TV part of it is though This may is not made for TV. It's made for being there in the experience All-star game It's called the best players from both sides Play against each other exactly and if you're a competitor

You want to be seen as the best player from both sides best among the best? I'm going to come out here to kill you guys. Sounds great. And that's exactly what I was told from my OG, how Kobe thought every All-Star game. Every All-Star game? He sat in the back and he said, Hey, man.

He's like, man, this nigga. Hey, Kobe, you all right, bro? Yeah, I'm cool. You ain't talking? I'm about to kill y'all niggas. I'm about to kill y'all. I'm about to kill y''all but he's talking to a teammate that's in the locker room with him Come on man. I might want it wasn't a teammate that was Prompt to smoke it. I don't know we were just testing the equipment

Like some people don't like it. I mean it could be your favorite player, but then you don't like what he's saying I get it. I mean it could be your favorite player, but then you don't like what he's saying I get it. I mean it's a contradiction I'm there you played in three all-star games. You're how competitive would you say those three games were? One was Where AI I think AI wanted Averaging 15 right it always starts off the same world We all say the same thing that we're gonna take it take it serious And then somebody you remember you need ten people to do it once a few people decide

I'm not taking it hard because I don't really Then it becomes a joke so all three all-stars were not taking serious It's more competitive than what we got to do one we got today exactly no. It's more competitive than... The one we got today. The one we got today. Exactly. Right? Like, it was more competitive than the shit we're seeing today. That's all we're asking for.

But it's not... But what I'm saying is we're going into it. You know, we're not going to hurt each other. We're not going to go out there and get hurt. Right? Just enjoy this atmosphere itself. Right?

That is our mentality. Like pickup. It's like pickup. We're not going out here trying to... We're going to play. We're here to play. Yeah, but that's not the case. Right? Luka's there to play,

but he's shooting from half court, right? Giannis is one of the hardest players in the NBA, right? Right? How does he look out there? This is the first time I've ever seen Giannis look like that in All-Star Game, to be honest. Because normally he kills everybody. He usually just goes hard. He just kills everybody.

Why is he going hard? Because everyone is in agreeance now. No, no one's in agreeance. Everyone's in agreeance. Hey, man, we just chilling. We're just chilling. We're here celebrating. We're just chilling, man.

We're celebrating. Hey, y'all relax. Is that one person's fault or is that the whole... I'm just like, hey, Stephen A. said one person killed the dunk contest, right? He tried to blame LeBron as if we didn't get

Aaron Gordon's act. No, no, no, no, no, no. But the reason why he said that is because one person's participation can diminish everyone else's. Because if you're like, all right,

I'm going to go out here and continue the legacy of all the great dunkers that's going to dunk in this contest, cool. Because now everyone after me has to be prompted to do the same thing because if you're a great dunker and you're the face of the league,

come out here and dunk. If you don't do that, now everybody don't feel like they have to. You're going to go with that? Yeah. Now. Who is the face of the league that was in the dunk contest? Hold on. Can I finish? It's 90.

Can I finish? So now if in the All-Star game, everybody doesn't want to actually play hard because all the best players aren't playing hard. Why would we play hard? Since 90, who was the face of the league that was in the dunk contest since 90? Since 1990. Stat man, stat man.

No, no. Wait, are you going to give me the stat? I don't know. Are you going to give me the stat? You want me to tell you? I don't understand. That's that man. No, no You want me to tell you I don't think I mean it was Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins 8889 and then 90s gone now who was the face that entered since LeBron in 2003 messed it up So beef so from 91 to 2002 who was the face of the NBA that was in the dunk contest? From when? 91 to 2002. They were trying to find him.

I feel like this is a very targeted range, so you've done the necessary research. Because it's called, that's what we call it. No, no, no. No, no, no. Errol Miner. Oh, yeah. You got all the, you know what I'm saying? Guys who were trying to be in that line. They were trying to be in that line. I didn't say that. I know Miner. Oh, yeah. You got all the... You know what I'm saying? Guys who were trying to be in that line.

They were trying to be in that line. I didn't say that. I know you did. I know you did. Oh, okay. Errol Miner was a star. No, no, no. He was none of that.

I'm saying guys who were in it and then won it because they were trying to follow the steps. They're following. I just said... They're following. When Michael Jordan did it, he was a star. He was a star when he was there. He wasn't upcoming what stars had that lit a system in it exactly like him Exactly, there was only a few exactly those few all participate. Thank you He knows you snap man. You supposed to know

You posted oh, why you know? Why you saying who when you know this man? You don't have shit to say I do stop backing stop No, no, no, I do your group. I just did that yesterday. Yeah, I just tag-team on him yesterday You okay? You said here and try to make him change his bucket perspective ten times Now we're like, okay, yo, so 90 to 2002 there were a bunch of high flyers that were not stars that would participate Flyers they were not Do you consider First off 2000 that was their first one.

99? You know, I'm merely a host, but I do have information. Hold on. Let me go to my Google. They were young stars. They were young stars. Hold on. Michael Jordan, three-time, four-time All-Star.

When he entered the dunk contest, he was the dude. When he entered the dunk contest, he is the biggest star that entered the dunk contest, he was the dude. When he entered the dunk contest, he is the biggest star that entered the dunk contest as a star player. Him and Dominique were bona fide stars. That's what hurt the NBA. You didn't

have up-and-coming players. You had two bona fide stars. No, they were stars. 35, 37, he was a star., they were stars. 35, 37. He was a star. Now, moving forward. 35, 37. What you mean?

That's what he averaged before coming into that dunk cut. He was a star. All NBA, all star. Leading league in the scoring. He was the scoring title leader when he did it. Now, you said who? Harry Miner? That's the name of you?

Baby Jordan. Okay. So we're going to go Kobe? Kobe was young. Kobe was 18 years old coming off the bench. Average seven. He wasn't a star. This is a goal post.

His votes. Let's take the goal post from here. Let's move it all the way up here. Yeah, you sit there. So he averaged seven when he entered that contest. But he still had star name. He still was a star. He wasn't a superstar. He was a star. He wasn't a superstar.

Vince Carter was a second year player. Tracee McGrady came off the bench when he entered the dunk contest. Vince was bigger than TK then. Yes. These guys wasn't bona fide mega stars like Michael Jordan and

Dominique Wilkins was. They were high flyers. Yes. Just like Jason Richardson. So when you do have a guy... But when you do have a guy who has that type of jumping ability and a star... And a star. We need some participation. But stop. You don't have no point.

What you mean? He just made the point. I said thank you. That means I don't have to say it. He said it for me. Thank you. Thank you. I don't have to. He just said it. Thank you, how about you guys I don't have to say it he said it for me. Thank you. You make a thank you Make a boy. I don't have to just made it. Thank you It's Tuesday we were in the missile If the miss a black every month we all committed to do better on this couch noise This is not an accurate reflection to show these two gentlemen get along very well. Why do you keep doing that? Man, we can't go, man. Stop doing that.

This is wrestling. This is wrestling. This is shit. The biggest star when there was a star since Michael Jordan and Dominique was Dwayne Howard. That entered the dunk contest. That entered the dunk contest. Now Jalen Brown. You're right.

Those are the biggest names. Jalen tried. Other than that, it is young guys, first, second year players. So if LeBron was going to do it, he had to do it in his first two years because they don't do it after that. He could have did it any of the years ago. Jalen Brown first All-Star

since 2017 to do it. After Jalen Brown showing in this dunk contest, do we think All-Stars will be inclined to want to do it? I'm going to say he's not the guy that's going to move the needle. With the gloves, though. That's, listen.

Hey, Si, did you see that? Yes. I think they need to get rid of it. That was nasty. Did you hear why he said he did it? Uh-uh. Because I just wanted to do it. I just wanted to be a part of the dunk contest.

I didn't give a fuck about winning. I wanted to go out there and have fun. And just do some shit, right? Because at some point, if you see all the dunks that's going out there, he's like, well, shit, I can do better than

what the fuck they've been doing out here. I can do none of this. I can do none of this out here, so I'm going to just go out here and have fun. I respect that, but I don't think

he's going to move the needle. I hope he does, but I don't think he's going to. So how can he come out there and have fun and just enjoy the time, but then we expect all the other All-Stars not to just go out there and enjoy the time.

It's a dunk contest. Do you know what I'm saying? Do you know what the All-Star weekend in titles, what a motherfucker got to do? They got interviews, they got host certain things, they got sponsorship. It's worse than a regular game. It's worse than fucking

a whole playoff series. That's the last thing we want to do as a game. But you're getting celebrated, though. That's why you get paid the big bucks. You make the most money. I'm about to say, you make the most money. We get celebrated. I just want to be out there just enjoying.

This is my rest time before I got to get ready for the second part. Part of the season, I'm out here just having fun. Well, more comes more responsibility. Like, Coach, Gil, you want to get in? Heavy is the head, dude. Where's the crown? How much stuff is mandatory? How much stuff is by choice?

They're in all of it. All of it's mandatory? All of it's mandatory. All of it, yeah. So All-Star weekend, what time are you waking up, let's say, All-Star Saturday? It depends what, so it depends on what the NBA has for you, like build fucking houses and some fucking project. What if I got do That sounds very fun. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah

Build some houses that in Indiana you're back to not fucking yeah. Yeah. Can you just buy them a couple? I want to get back to the community. Let them sorry as Indiana players do it. This is this is this is this city? Well, I gotta come all the way from Los Angeles to help build some some some that I'm never gonna come back To you. Yeah, this is the Indiana's chance to see the all-stars buy him a couple how you do that Gotta feed the homeless right got a uh, so what I mean, but I go I go do this stuff you gotta go make my shit or do a deal stuff Gotta do if you got car stuff if you got to go do that sounds so strenuous Okay, everything is paying The shoe company paying you.

Panini paying you. All that. You get paid for all that. The league is giving you a max deal. What I'm saying is... Hotels. Five stars. So all this time that we're...

And you know what else is out there with you. You know what I'm saying? So think about all the things we're doing throughout the day. And then night party. Got a Kenny Smith party, got this and this. The game is the last thing. But they've extended All-Star Week. It ain't just the weekend now. They got the weekend, and then

guess what? They got a few more days after that now. What I'm saying is, the last thing that we're thinking about is the game. That's the last thing. Before the game was at 2 o'clock. I feel all that, but once my laser beam sneaks and we step out there and we we're going to go play. But this is a different thing, too,

that no one... Back in the day, the game was at 2. No obligations before that. That's fair. Now the game's at 8, starting at 8.45. 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock, we got things. By the time we get to the game, half the reporters, if you listen to a reporter,

fuck, I'm tired. So if you fucking tired, what the fuck you think I am, you know what? I can't do that though TV about to say TV. Yes TV, but just to go back to the dunkers 2000 2001 2002 there was a bunch of Stars who name said dunkers. I didn't say stars. Oh, there's dunkers every year. You're talking about. We're good dunkers Who good dunkers every year? That's good. No, there's not every there's dunkers every year. What are you talking about? Well, good dunkers. Who? Good dunkers. Every year, there's good dunkers? No, there's not every year good dunkers. A lot of niggas that can dunk, don't dunk. That wasn't the question. The question was...

I'm not talking about what the question is. I'm making a statement here based on stats I just received. Okay, wait. So your stats... What's your stats? But what is your... What are you combating? Or are you just going to name good dunkers? No, I'm just going to name guys who we consider high flyers that participate that don't participate now compared to when the league was 2000, 2001, 2002 high flyers who were up and coming guys. Up and coming, okay. Not necessarily stars. Okay. But guys

we would love to see dunk because when they play they be dunking that shit, right? Open topping. Does he play? He's open dunking. Does he play does he play he's open does he play yeah he's playing he's playing a lot okay go go can you can we see it she got Vance Steve Ricky Davis Jerry Stackhouse Desmond Mason this is 2000 Baron Davis again he's just naming all of them over among the years and then Jason Richardson Steve Francis again Gerald Wallace Desmond Mason. These are guys who were known as... High Flyers. High Flyers.

Right? 98, 99, they had a lockout. It wasn't no dunk contest. 98, 99. So 97 was prior to that, the last dunk contest, which didn't get us stats for what 97 was. But 2003, 2004, all the way up into there, we look at, okay, LeBron James is in the league now.

2003, 2004, 2005. He's a major half-flyer. And didn't he participate in the McDonald's All-American game? He won the dunk contest in 2003. Which we all proceeded to say, we can't wait to see him in the dunk contest. Hey, guys, I love that list. That was an amazing list for 2003, 4, 5, which I was part of.

It was 2000, 2001, 2000. 2000, 2000. Okay, so Kobe did it at 97 at 18. He won. Did he do it in 98, 99, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003? No, right? Okay. Vince Carter did it in 2000.

He did it once, though. Vince Carter did it in No, right? Okay. Vince Carter did it in 2000. He did it once though. Vince Carter did it in 2000, right? Right. After he won, did he go back to defend it in 2001, two, three, right? So when you think about when LeBron James came into the NBA, you're talking about a dunk contest. Kobe would have been 24, 25, Vince would have been 26. If Kobe, Vince, Steve Francis,

Jason Richardson, a young LeBron, so LeBron would have been Kobe when Kobe did it. What kind of dunk contest is that? That would have been an all-world. All-world dunk contest. What happens was you want to blame LeBron, but when Michael Jordan won his, he

defended it. When Dominique won his, he defended it. If Kobeique won his either is it what you say everybody? If Kobe and Vince would have defended it maybe would have gave LeBron as a younger player Incentive to jump in yeah, I get what you saying and that makes that's a good That's what I thought about that point of view that's no one does if you just want to figure out how to blame somebody like That's I'm there in real time. I'm just participate there was no there was no No, just like like Jason Richardson just participate he won back-to-back and you know, we're gonna go for the third and all it and he's like Where's the where's the where's the competition just participate right?

Where's the competition cuz guess what if Zion and John Moran jumped in it Zack Levine to be right back Yeah, he'd be right back with Gordon. It'd be a wolf whoo That'd be something we need to just like just like just like didn't name who? He'll be right back in it. He'll be right back in it. With Gordon. With Gordon. It'll be a war. Woo. That'll be something we need to see. Just like... Just like... Why didn't they? Who? Zion and Ja.

Why didn't they? Well, Ja, he's hurt this year. Not this year. But last year. In the year before. Why didn't they? Because I'm not compelled to. Because...

They saw other young guys skip. Yeah. Yeah. I ain't. Why would I? I don't need to if he ain't got to. That was my point. Young guys got to. That was my point. Young guys do things like that.

That was my point. Young guys do things like that. But it's always the young. Right? When you... That's why I said that if you really want to make the dunk contest a powered name dunk contest, your young jumping stars, they must be committed for three years. Yeah.

They must be committed for three years. They must be committed for three years. So now Vince would have had to do it 2000, 2001, and two. Or make them just do it once. No. They don't have to do it every year. No, three years. Because you might have another young dude that's coming next year. It might be more than just four dunkers.

It might be 15 young dudes that can dunk. But that's what I'm saying. You want to lock down because you want to preserve the integrity of the game Yeah, right that that's it. That's it. Like even we're like Michael Jordan was a Michael Jordan has the worst three-point He was just contest he was just participate that that is great, but it's false narrative The three-point con the three-point line was further back then versus it is now. He's fucking 24 feet back then. It's 22 feet now.

So that's a bad thing to try to say, oh, he did this. It was way further than it is now. But he didn't care about looking bad or nothing. He just was participating. He was having fun. Yeah, out there. If Matt McClung does not participate in the dunk contest for the last two years. It would be a problem. Okay, who wins?

Who participates? A winner. Who watches? We wouldn't even know. Who even gonna watch? Like, we had to pull a nigga out of the slums. Someone wins. We gotta come over here and be a part of this shit

because it's like, well, we can't put him on the NBA team, so we just gonna at least let him come in here and entertain us. Someone wins it, though. Yeah, but it would have been bad looking. Nah, Obi Toppin could have. Obi Toppin would have, you know, because he can dunk.

But as far as, you don't need one or two dunks. You need four or five dunks that make a real dunk contest. Like, even though Vince won it that year, Stevie Francis. Trash. What's that dunk contest? What he did with Trash? Who? No. What was it?

He did good? Vince Carter? No, I know Vince Carter did good. I'm talking for instance don't want trash. I don't know Jason McGrady's don't want trash. Hmm Tracy McGrady you wouldn't know you know and then the one sweat I was I was too busy looking for me So you see Vince? Oh Vince see Stevie French. I store it up from half court and then leg kick back here, uh, and then catch it, uh, in here and he only six feet. You ain't seen nothing like that? He just went into a debate.

He ain't even watched it. You ain't seen that? What he do? He did the, he threw it up and did the caught it and did the one hand. Oh, kind of like, put a glove on. No, it ain't like that. It ain't like that. It ain't like that.

And it was 20 years ago. It was 20 years ago. He did this. 20 years. He did this. Let me get He did this. 20 years. He did this. Let me get it. Let me get it. He did this. And then did a windmill.

No, behind the back. He did a two-hand tuck. Oh, shit. Woo. Blow the wheels off. The problem is this. The problem is this. Since 83, since the dunk contest, I mean, for the most part, we done seen every dunk.

That's kind of the problem, too. But there's different ways to do it and swag it out. We should take it to... White Howard, Gerald Green, Jason... All of these guys... Nobody, nobody. Different. Yes.

Different. What are you arguing about? Literally created new dunks. All this... Oh, they did it the same... Man, come on, man. Everybody's different. Man, just bring something new by participating.

A new guy is going to come out here that can dunk like Zach Levine and Aaron Gore. We've never seen them dunks before. Okay. You know why they did? The old heads never seen them before. The young people, we've been following them on YouTube. Yeah, on the internet, we've seen them. Boom.

Zion, when he was doing that shit in high school in layup lines. He was. He been dunking like that. People just ain't brought it to the big stage yet. We need to see that on the big stage. The same exact dunk. Don't change up. Do the same exact ones we saw on YouTube on the big stage.

So we don't need stars if just dunkers bring their unique dunks? I think some of them will turn into stars. But if your star is a unique dunker... He should be in it, man. So if it's Ja jaw if it's King James

get your ass in there and give him the quotation mark I'm just saying you'd be the king of the dunks you can't get everything fucking else it's the only accomplishment you don't got it just is just weird that you trying to blame somebody when it was tainted from the beginning I was Stephen a blame I know but you was caught you was stop it you were cosigning it. No, I was using it as a reference of course So that means you were cosign all was referencing if you're using it as a reference. Yes, you're called It's called plagiarism. You don't want to plagiarize you use as a reference at the bottom of education. Yeah, you feel me? That same kind of as a Casey? I gotta make sure. I'm a writer. I'm a writer.

I write books. I got a couple books over there. You gotta cite the reference. You feel me? Stephen A. Smith, I appreciate you. Let's keep it going. One of the biggest stories of the weekend was a bromance between Lucas.

He like that shit, man. He don't like me. You on this couch with me? I love it because you just contradict yourself all the time. I'm just saying. I mean, it's fun for me. Just do that a little bit. Can you guys believe we've almost been doing this for a year? I love it because you just contradict yourself all the time. I'm just saying I Just do that a little bit. Can you guys believe almost been doing this for a year? This is a beautiful thing to see child underdog fantasy So your love to them by downloading the app using promo code gildo match your first deposit up to $100

but one of the biggest stories of the weekend was the bromance between Luca and Jokic we have some Various clips. It's the reverse Obama sketch. Hey, how you doing? Hit it with the reverse Obama. How you doing? How you doing? How you doing? How you doing?

Hey, brother! Bring it in. Bring it in. Cuz I can stick it your ass up. Bring it in. Show me some love. Show me some love, man. Brothers don't shake hands. Brothers got a hug. I just seen you last night. What's up with the work?

But they were going at it all All-Star weekend. The shenanigans, the hijinks. I don't know. Y'all seen the Drewski sketch when he had to go back home to his real family. I like the musical choice. Even got it going in the All-Star game as well. Wow! Oh, man. So although neither player looked like they wanted to be there, the mood quickly shifted

any time they were hanging with each other. So this left some wondering if the pair would ever decide to team up down the road Joker is an opposing idea, but it will require Luca relocating to the Mile High City I don't have any regrets anymore. I will see you there, good organization. I will find Luka. If you find Luka, go to them. can come. So gentlemen, we got some astute, really informative people who know basketball on this couch. How good would a Luka-Jokic duo be? They look like they was having fun out there, huh? They did. They look like they was just out there enjoying the atmosphere.

All the obligations they had. We need to use that as an obligation. They look like they was just having fun, right? Like they was just happy to be there that was beyond crazy spite all the obligations Building houses. You're funny nigga, man. I'm just saying it look like they wasn't about to take that game serious now, right? Cuz they know Man you niggas ain't really fuck with us at all. Let's not turn it because We really be doing

out here in real time, they don't want none of that. Look at me playing an all-star game like in real life. That's what I don't understand. He hit you with a step back from 35 in real life.

Little boy. Little bitty boy. Little boys. Personally, I wouldn't like to see it. The only reason I wouldn't like to see it. The only reason I wouldn't like to see it is because the narrative now is when you team up, whoever moves is a weak-ass motherfucker that couldn't carry his team. Which means that whoever leaves, legacy gets cut, right?

So therefore, if you want their legacies to preserve its greatness, they have to stay put. What if they both leave and go somewhere else? Then both of them, then it's LeBron James and Chris Bosting. We go to a whole other city. Whoever's there is going to be there. Both of us look silly like a mother. So that's what I'm saying. We're fighting on both sides of the fence here, right? We want people to be champions and then but if their organization is not

Putting themselves in the position if they leave to go get one now we the diminishes their legacy So, you know, you're sitting here fuck both ways. I Don't know so I don't know. So I wouldn't want to see it. Norris, how about yourself? How would you feel about a Luka Jokic super team? I would be cool seeing it. I mean, I understand from the legacy point of view,

but from a basketball purist point of view, I think it would be dope to see them two play together because they complement each other well. You know, Joker can pass. He can play in different spots on the court. Luka can manipulate the pick and roll. If a Jamal Murray Joker's pick and roll is deadly, what's a Luka Donson Joker pick and roll going to look like?

So from a basketball purity standpoint, I would love to see that. Now, it ain't going to be no hot flying and all that, but they will carve you up slowly. You hear me? Carve you up like a pumpkin slowly, a slow death. So I definitely, I would like to see it from a basketball point of view. I think it'd be cool. Do we think fans would enjoy seeing that, as much as fans complain? Sure, absolutely. They already enjoy Luka right now. It ain't gonna happen.

All the media's gonna say how stupid this shit was, how bad it was, and then the fans just gonna jump their goofy ass on the bandwagon. Yeah, that's stupid. He's stupid for that. What would be the difference between them two and Clay and Steph? Huh? Like, it wasn't like that was all crazy entertaining, just shooting a bunch of threes, right? Winning championships, right?

So this pick and roll with them two slow motherfuckers playing basketball at the highest IQ level. Carving you up. Carving they motherfucker. It's like Euro basketball at the championship level. At the championship level. Slow it down, half court all day. We about to do some shit that y'all really never see because you don't really get to see good basketball Imagine Luca playing with a good center that can pass not even yo kitsch

Just a good center that you can throw the ball to he can cut and he can move and he ain't even got that He's still averaging what? Joker I think Joker will make him be open to pass this team. I look I don't want to pass that mother I'm with you I mean he has a cyst but there because of the volume of him having the ball not Giving the ball up to let somebody else make the play type of the Kobe trust system Yes, do I trust giving you the ball other than Antoine Walker say I trust me more than I trust you. Yes, sir. I'm cool I'm cool. I got it. My shots better

They gonna need a bunch of hot flying 3 and D dudes if they play together. Because the defense, them two... Oh, 100%. It ain't non-existent. But they're going to get rebounds. So we could zone up. We can play lazy defense. But then it fucks with the integrity of the game. So like you said, you need some 3 and D guys.

Guys go out there and hustle. Take the pressure off them. And it'd be cool. So if KD and LeBron wanted to team up, what are we going to say? At this point, they're a little older. They're a little older right now. But in prime time, I don't, you know. It's unfair and stupid.

Some people would say that. They play the same position. Others just enjoy it. Because they play the same position It's direct you taking away direct head-to-head matchup. We found like the YMPG we found we frowned upon we found we found upon Them too, but it's okay for these I don't think they never want to though Brian Katie didn't want to play but they play the same exact what I'm saying is we can't do that what I'm saying is mentally why can we accept a Luca and And Jokic

Super team, but then we frowned upon when it was done Because people are sees is killed because of it because it's a guard big and it was a media legacy kill-off It wasn't no player kill-off But that's what I said. I said the media will kill it and then the people frown upon the KD stuff one Oh, yeah, no more from KD style I said they enjoy watching it right? No, you enjoy watching it cuz it's great basketball But did you and the narrative is not gonna be? Luca going to a team that's been putting that directly put them out of the playoffs and all that it ain't gonna be that

That's what the KD But as you know, Katie was up 3-1 and then lost and then went to that team. That narrative wouldn't be the same as Luka. We find ways to put a narrative on anything. We didn't put a narrative on LeBron and Kyrie.

Kyrie was a young... He wasn't all the way him yet. He never made the playoffs before LeBron came back home. They was perennial losers until LeBron came back. I'm just talking about the two abilities together. But guess what? They were two different positions. Those are two incredible abilities, right? Together.

Then KD goes to the Warriors. Two incredible abilities. But Kyrie wasn't looked at as an MVP level player at that point in time. I understand. Steph was already, you know. I understand that, right? So you got an advantage for the Warriors. Right. Right? So when you look at Luka, Jokic, you got two incredible abilities together. LeBron

and KD together, like you said, it's a clash just like Kawhi and PG. It just don't make sense. I wouldn't frown upon that because we've already seen different mashups. So you wouldn't talk shit about LeBron James if he went to Philly? Mm-mm. You wouldn't talk shit if he...

You support it? No. I wouldn't support it, but I wouldn't talk shit about it. Yeah, you would. He got a win. You got a win. And he's here. You got a win.

But as I said, we're okay in one super team because we like the ideal of it. He got a win and you gotta win We were okay in one super team because we like the ideal of it, but then Any other super team when people teamed up their legacies got killed for that's what I was that like Just keep the same smoke all the way around. So but if these two came if these two team up Which one are you all gonna say is not him? If they win, it's just been an on if they win it Katie one Team up. Which one are y'all going to say is not him? If they win. It's just depending on if they win it. KD won.

It didn't destroy nothing about his legacy. From my standpoint. I think from a leadership standpoint, it did do something to his legacy for sure. Because he's not looked at like how Steph LeBron is looked at. Yeah, he's not looked at that way because of that. I look at him as the leader of that team when he won with the Warriors. He led that team. Period.

That's how I looked at it. Steph led the team the year before when they went 73. None. That was Steph. I looked at him as like a hired gun. You called the Navy SEAL in. He came into the job. He ain't the leader of the pack,

but he's exactly what you need, and he's a juggernaut at what he do. But look, when you hired a hired gun, you know who's in charge? I'm in charge now. You know what y'all did? Y'all called me and Troy, Achilles. You called him. When you called him, go fight your own battle.

Now let me do me. Now you called me back in here in the tent. I'm not coming here and I need you to, I bow to no man. I bow to, I got no king. Exactly. Okay, cool. Now we have an agreement? Now you're taking the arrow to the foot.

Okay, we're going to win. Cool. That's how I look at KD. And when he went on his own, like you said, with the leadership side, you can question that because he did not take his teams to the championship because he was not a hired gun anymore. We bringing you in to build the ground. Bringing other people around, yeah. Right.

But why do we spend our time questioning? No one did it before. It wasn't done before. It was never done before. It was never done before. We just watched the game. Nobody questioned legacies. Well... Right? We just watched.

Now you got guys out here saying they the... You got guys out here claiming to be the best. You got a lot of rankings going on. Just like the rest of them. Before this group, same thing. Before. Who? Who was the best?

I never heard Penny, Shaq, MJ. Even Cole. Even Cole never said it out of his mouth on a public thing that he was the best. Obviously, you know what he thought. But like, hey, MJ. Who's better, MJ? I'm A1.

He A2. After he was retired. Yeah, he said that after he was retired Yeah, cuz when he was 96 97 in 2000 I took him a while before he thought he could yeah, MJ I and that was after Shaq even solidified on my a man this did but this yeah, that was 2002 So that's one beyond Kobe started to be like, you know what I feel I'm second to nobody. Mm-hmm Yeah, Kobe thought he was the best player in 98 I made all-star game as a starter.

Started an All-Star game, and he didn't start on his own team. He didn't even start on his own team. That's a little delusional. That cat was delusional then. He was delusional then. A little delusional then. Getting hated on by older gentlemen. Yes.

Little Laker boy. Yep. Little Laker boy, huh? Little Laker boy. Little Laker boy won't go out there. From a pure hoop standpoint, I mean, KD, you know, he's one of them ones now. He is. He's one of them ones.

But being on the hierarchy, though, you can't just look at basketball. You got to look at everything when you're nitpicking. That's what I said. I'm going to get like this. That's what I said. It's only fair when you're arguing your point. Argue your point without talking about the other one. I got you.

Right? So if you're for Jordan, just talk about Jordan. Put his stats up there, and then whoever has Kobe, you put his stats up there. Whoever has LeBron, you put his stats up there. Magic Johnson people, you put your stats up there. Let the stats. But it ain't just stats.

It's stats with context and eyes. It ain't just the numbers. I know, but go from there. Don't start saying, oh, he couldn't do this, he couldn't do that. He couldn't do... Because that'd be... Some of that turns into... Because you spend more time talking about what they can't do

versus talking about what your guy can do. But that's what comes with an opinion, right? Comparison. You got to have an opinion because we're all referencing something, right? So then what we're referencing it against. Okay, the reason I'm picking him. Over him.

And then when you do that, you know what someone else does it like? The fact that you didn't pick who they picked. Why does he have to be over? Because I picked him. That's why. I picked him. Right. Well, I disagree.

Okay, cool. Disagree. But I still pick who I pick I'm not gonna change my pick is because you disagree. It's like a job resume, right? When you go into a job resume looking for a job You don't spend your time talking about the other person that they're trying to hire. You just talk about how great you are That's how you do it. We all go in there talk about how great we are and they say I we're gonna go with you I think you got a nice you see the other motherfucker in the lobby be like you better not pick this

I'm better than him, right? So They say, all right, we're going to go with you. Unless you see the other motherfucker in the lobby, you'd be like, you better not pick this motherfucker. You better not hire him. Hey, I'm better than him. Right. So speaking about picks. False. Question. I'm merely a host. Which two current NBA players would you like to see join forces?

Hmm. Ooh. We already had a small sample size of the one I wanted to see, but they broke it up. Jimmy and Joel Embiid, that was it. They might have been in the finals by now. I want to chip maybe by now. They chose, I ain't going to even say, you know, we saw what they chose instead. Because I don't want to, what we just got, I talk about, I'm just going to promote my guys and what I wanted to see.

I don't want to put nobody else down. I'm sure you're going to very well do that. Yeah, yeah, let me. Because we have to see these people on the screen. Yeah, in real life. But Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid, that was it right there. I got one. Ant-Man, Wimby.

I like that. I like that. I like that. Young niggas versus the old niggas. Ant so eloquently told him. That's a good pick and pop. That's a good, that's a good, hey, that's a good everything right there. Gil, which two current NBA players would you

like to see join forces? That's a tough one though. I mean, I would like a Jokic and. And Luka. I would like a Jokic and Luka. Really? Yeah, yeah, I know. I mean, I would. From Leo Kijin, Luca. Really? Yeah, yeah. I know. From a basketball standpoint.

Hey, Shadi, hey. We working on him now. No, you're asking me what two that I would like. That is the... I get it. That's why I love this dude. That's why I love him. Black Rivers.

I'm like, he got to say John, somebody else. He'll say him. Luca and... Yeah, dude. I'll see him like I'm like he gotta say John somebody else. He's seeing Luca in Yeah, you're asking me what I would like to see versus if I Will I approve I'm talking there's two different subjects That's what it's about a legacy once that what would you like? I mean those two motherfuckers together would be great you such a job thing. I knew you was gonna say Josh I first I was thinking I was like giant I Couldn't think you know my fridge I

John I don't like that. I don't like that they would have for multiple reasons. I don't like that idea which one They can't be going out together in this they stay off the court social light nah Yeah, man It's gonna affect you cuz they won't be on the court what they gonna be doing the court will affect them to not even be On the court like what if it balances out and they both club chicken wings man one man We go get both we get the chicken way that I can do a booty Katie with me That'd be the tallest of front court in history. I like that.

KD and Wimby. Because everybody got these great little niche, like they got these little twos, these little great twos that look great. I was like, huh? They said Wimby and Boba. Halliburton and Giannis? Yeah.

Halliburton and Giannis, yeah. That's tough. Should I say Halliburton and Wimby and Boba. Halliburton and Giannis? Yeah. Halliburton and Giannis, yeah. That's tough. Should I say Halliburton and Wimby if we're keeping it a... Keeping it a whole book? Trey Young or Trey Young and Wimby. Oh, good. We didn't talk about that one, though. Speaking of Trey, after the Hawks didn't move to Jontae Murray at the deadline, Trey Young has become the subject of trade rumors,

with the Lakers emerging as a potential option to land the three-time All-Star services this summer. According to The Athletic's Yovan Buha, the Lakers' interest in Young dates back to the 2022-2023 season, when the organization identified him as someone who could bridge the gap between Lakers' errors and complement Anthony Davis with his off-the-dribble scoring and playmaking. There is also the obvious Clutch sports connection, which always matters. Young is represented by the firm and its founder, Rich Paul. Shout-out to Clutch.

Not on the payroll, not getting any bread. Oh, okay, I'm on the same. Just letting you guys know. Just an unnecessary shout-out. Just an unnecessary. Sponsorship shout-out. Not getting a check would be nice. I think, I don't know.

I guess the chat just thinks Clutch goes around just paying everybody. No bread. Y'all see how I dress. I ain't got my check yet. Y'all see how I dress. No bread. Still waiting on the underdog direct deposit. I'm trying to ease off, and I'm about to take my mask off.

You want a payroll? Like, I wish I was if they're giving out checks. During All-Star weekend, Trey was asked about his name being mentioned in trade rumors by Hawks beat reporter Jamila Johnson and had this to say. It's part of it I mean the best players in the game have all been traded. I mean some of the few lucky ones have been blessed to be drafted in situations where they can win championships and it all be perfect for them. They can stay in that one situation forever.

That's what I wanted to do. That's what I want to do with Atlanta. But who knows? This is a type of league where things change and it happens. But obviously my mindset is staying in Atlanta right now. I don't get caught up in all the rumors and stuff. My contract is locked in for a couple of years. I don't have very up in all the rumors and stuff. My contract is locked in for a couple years I don't have very much say in the way

So if you listen what Trey say very interesting again shout out Jamila Johnson who asked that question all-star weekend posted the video Can um, can y'all put that video back on and just put it on pause? No, just put it on ball Rachel Nichols like you know, just pause right there This is the type of stuff you talking about all-star weekend why you ain't thinking about the game this is I'm here trying to enjoy my festivities and this is the conversations that they're spending having We're talking about trade rumors Enjoy my festivities. And this is the conversations that they're spending having. We're talking about trade rumors. What the fuck does that have to do with the weekend?

Trade sounds like trade. But that's what I'm saying. You spend your whole time with this bullshit. This is all-star weekend. Let's talk about the fun festivities that we're going to do. Don't talk about... But you may have been asked that previously. Yeah, of course, here. Starting lineups, even that creates controversy.

Think about it. If you notice, everybody who's been getting... LeBron James, what did he talk about? Trading, did you know he was going to get you? This is what you're spending time doing the whole time. Right? Because for the first time, all the media that never really gets to talk to you all year is at one spot.

So you spend your time answering questions about everything but the weekend itself. As you know, Gills Arena submitted for a credential for All-Star weekend, so we could ask the question that the players want to hear. That credential request was denied. I'm not going there answering no questions You know gills arena submitted for a credential for all-star weekend so we could ask the question that the players want to hear that Credential request was denied. I'm not going there answering no questions about you get to ask you the media now And I'll be trying to hump on all the things that came in town. What's wrong with you? So I'll start weekend all you ain't got to go city to city to city to city to city right Miami

New York is all diverse la conversion It's a big guy. it's a big gumball it's a big gumball here oh hey all the lower tier airlines all making their way and I'm getting you within two hours of the scene and about greyhound oh no no Oh. No, no. You want me to tell you. You want me to tell you what the best part is about All-Star Weekend? Most of the women there ain't got no hotels. They're driving, hoping to land somebody. It was 15 degrees out there, though. What if it did not work?

What if it did not work? Driving to All-Star Weekend next year, you'll see people sleeping in their cars. They got vans They got you all vans and they sleeping in there would also our weekend. It'll be in the bag, you know, you know prices is warm room Got the warm room. They got room in there them bottom feeders though. I don't know how you can know bottom feeders Your body will be some pain. Thank you. Call them dirty. We call them dirty, but so yes, I'm painting That's a dirty, but no now when they get into your room

Gotta take a shower first Anyone anyone bro trying to get rooms so shelter on the layer for the weekend the boys basically Shelterless work is a rumor board. Oh, man. You're sitting at the bar the boys basically more shelter this work is The bar the whole time just waiting to get picked up Does it work better in cold weather cities? There's warm weather obviously if I gotta sleep in the car not a big deal to throw the windows down and cold weather 18 degrees snowstorm, but you can't buy you be catching some a1 straggling boy like it's like a clearance say yes

The TJ Maxx's work just got out with a whole bunch of friend girl. Let's go where we gonna stay shit. We all know You you you and you let's go I thought I thought the work all combined forces like 18 to a room at the Holiday Inn Is that still going try before the most part everything is sold out fair It's eventually think of that what I saying is, think about the smaller cities. Like New York, of course you can find something somewhere. LA, you can find something in San Diego. But places like this, come on, man. You over here got a room in damn Chicago. Two and a half hour drive.

Yeah, you driving. Now think about what I'm saying. You got a room in Chicago, driving there for two hours trying to figure out cuz you don't want to drive back. Oh buddy This I'm just just sounds like a great discussion for the workshop. Yeah the workplace Workplace Workers Good old days.

But, you know, 24 All-Stars out there. Is it an infinite amount of work? Are you getting premium pick? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What draft pick do you feel like you had when you were there? Anybody. He used to steal the work. He was a work thief?

He was a work thief because he was already. When you got the stamp, he don't have to do a whole lot of shit but just show up in the lobby. Show up in the lobby. And that's it, right? So the niggas like me walk in with the work and they leave my hand to go over there and be like, that's Gilbert. That's Gilbert. Most people come with their girls. Most of the all-stars are coming with their family because they're not going on vacation.

Right. So most of the players ain't really accessible like that. So if you're a single dude coming down, you're a hot commodity. Other than that, it's just players that didn't go on vacation that came down there. They're sitting there pulling them. Right. So when you be watching and you see people like, you ain't even an all-star this year. Yeah.

Pulling them. Got them. Pulling them. The Applebee's. Friends of friends. The Applebee's. The Applebee's. you know, the little car it don't work Okay, you know it worked when you got them a big people in Applebee's at this is then Gilbert pop up in the lobbies Like going

Many coming they coming with friends. So let's talk about Trey Young, where this conversation initially started. Where this conversation initially... Man, it went from Trey Young to the... Because it was all starting. I was like, what are you talking about? To the work. Oh, good. Gil made us pause to talk about the question, proceeded to talk about the work,

and now we're coming right back, full circle moment. Trey Young. So given all the assets the Lakers would have to give up, do you like a LeBron, AD, Trey, big three and a future Trey, AD duo? What's LeBron?

What is the assets that we got to give up? They've got three first round picks, a bunch of pick swaps, a bunch of guys that are currently on the roster.

I know your feelings on the Lakers. I'm just saying it's going to take a lot. I mean, it'd be a, I mean, it'd be a CBA. It all depends if we're going to take a lot. I mean, it'll be a better.

It'll be a CBA. It all depends. I mean, we're going to get rid of what? D'Lo and Kamara. Kamara and Kamara. Have to give them two plus probably your first two first rounds. I would say probably three if I'm being real. So I still keep like.

They're going to want a limit daddy. I mean, no. You're not giving up all three of them. Just them two plus and picks? Yeah. Yeah, I like that. I like that trade. Let him in a good trade Let me pull up my trade machine Does it move the needle? So D'Angelo Russell has a player option you would need him to opt in If that's the wrong you want to go you got Rui Austin Reeves you can Gabe Vincent Jerry Vanderbilt You take game with you

All under Santa Contra pipe to give up those three picks a few second round picks a few pick swaps You can take Christian Reeves, you can Gabe Vincent, Jerry Vanderbilt. You can take Gabe. All under. Santa Contra Pipe to give up those three picks, a few second round picks, a few pick swaps. But does it help us get closer to winning something? And that's the question I'm asking you. That was my question for y'all too. If they don't win this year, do you break this motherfucker up?

Who, Lake Show? Does LeBron come back again? Does he come back again? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's nowhere else he don't wanna go. Does LeBron come back again? Does he come back again? Yeah. There's nowhere else he's going to want to go. There's nowhere else he's really going to want to go. He can go home.

I was about to say, let's he go back to Miami. No, no, no, you can retire. He'll put on the apron, he'll cook. He still loves to play though. He lives here. Yeah, we all love to play. So LeBron said he wants to stay with the Lakers organization. Obviously, Norris, you played with LeBron on the Heat.

But entering year 22, if it does not go well for the Lakers this season with the finite amount of time he'll have left in his career, I think we all think he'll come back to the Lakers. But if you're Bron, are you looking around a little bit like, ooh? Looking to do what? Nah, because you got to understand, when he goes somewhere, you have to readjust your whole roster. You have to readjust your whole way of doing things, to most places. Most places are going to cater to everything he wants, and he knows that takes time. That's

the one thing he don't have. He don't have time. And so if he looked around and seen somewhere he can go, and with the new salary cap options, where could he go? Unless he's going to take the minimum, unless he's gonna take the minimum but he's not taking the minimum that don't make no sense to ever do that for him which you can't legally yeah so i think he's gonna stay there and ride it out like mentally it might frustrate him to not win obviously but he loved being in la you know la you know the big fish you know in la for the lakers the the Laker brand. Try to be competitive as you can.

If Bronny comes out this year. He's not. If he does. Now, if he does. Gets drafted. He's going to that team. By the Toronto Raptors. He's going to facilitate his way to be in the six.

Nah. Unless Bronny say, I don't want it. If Bronny say, Pops, I don't want it, then he won't. But other than that... They just make a trade. I think somebody would draft him just to have leverage over the Lakers. I would.

If they drafted him, though, he still has time until when he can pick up his player option. He might not pick it up and then go straight there. But he is making $5 million for the NIL shit, so he could stay another year in college. Yeah, his video game money is crazy. Yeah. You know what I mean?

So he ain't rushing the fucking... Right. But that's what I'm saying. It's video game money, so even if he's in the NBA, that video game contract is still there. It might even enhance. It will enhance, because it's now changed him. But if I'm a team and I want to bend the Lakers over a little bit

Get a little grease get a little pumps in I Would drive Ronnie Knowing that so we had it. He goes to Clippers daddy gotta come if the clip Yeah, what it goes? If the Clippers had a little late first round or late second round pick and they picked up Ronnie I'm doing Brian with Brian go across the street? What way? I don't know. All that Laker talk. Would he go across the street?

I'm going to do this. I'm going to look. Hey, I got your son. Wow. He'd be in good hands too with Ty Lue. Yeah. He'd be in. I got your kid.

Wow. I feel like. So what would you do for that? What would you throw? What pieces would you throw to that for Bron? You get rid of Kawhi and PG? They don't know.

We got your son. I got your son. I don't know what you do, but you do whatever you need to do to make it happen. So there is another, back to Trey. You said, Gil, you didn't know how you felt necessarily with Trey coming to the Lakers, but there is another team out there with more assets than the Lakers that could be looking to add a star this summer as well. That is the Spurs. When asked about the type of player Wimby needs to take him to the next level,

Trey offered these thoughts. I mean, the kind of player that can help him win a championship. I mean, make his job easier for him. I mean, somebody who can just help him. So that's the type of player he needs around him. Trey was out there cheesing just a little too much for my liking, but shout out to Najee Adams, who got that video. If you were Trey, I'm asking you guys on this couch, if you were Trey, would you rather go to the Lakers or Spurs?

Lakers. Why would you pick Lakers, though? I mean, you're playing with Bron and AD, the Laker brand. You're going to have a chance to play in the playoffs. And once the playoffs start, Bron right now is still healthy enough to where if he get in the playoffs, he can make things happen. So you're going to be on the bigger stage. So I would go to the Lakers. Now, if you're talking about future, no state taxes in Texas, San Antonio, but you're going to get your head beat in. Him going there with Wimby,

they're still going to get their head beat in. They're not beating Luka, Golden State, the Lakers, Ant-Man up in Minnesota, Shea Gill in the OKC. They still, even with them two, ain't touching them. Nobody's touching Denver right now. So him going there ain't going to move the needle drastically enough to where I would say he'd go there over the Lakers. I think if they filled the rest of that roster up, but from a trade standpoint, the opportunity to play with Wimby. That's cool, but you got the opportunity to go play with him.

That's a lot of assists. You got to go play with Bron and AD. I get it. 25. That's a lot of assist. You got to go play with Brian and I did it 25 he's he's 25 right now and He's been screwed over by Everybody right. He's been screwed over by everybody every time you get a chance to Screw Trae Young over you do Go on with LeBron,

well, you got one, two years, right? And then that team's going to be broken up if you don't win it. With Wimby, you are a staple for Wimby and Wimby's success and all eyes are on you and you are with the face of the NBA coming, right? You're going to be looked at in Italy and all this.

And I think for himself personally, this is personal, like personal thing, I think he can rebrand himself better playing alongside Wimby than he would come to L.A. Will he win? Probably not. But would he be in a better situation for his brand? A hundred times. See, I'm on offense on both sides, because Norris, I understand what you're saying. The LA brand, the market, and all that, but as we

know, Lakers fans can be very critical. Rude. If you think you're getting it bad being in Atlanta from what you're getting across the country, and not to say Trey would play bad if he came to LA, but first bad game. Ain't no bad games. Ain't no bad games for Trey would play bad if he came to LA but first bad game ain't no bad games for Trey in LA especially with AD and LeBron right you look at what LA needs scoring point guard that can actually pass right then

you look at the Brandon side now I get what Gil was saying and that was what you were saying with the future looking at the future reference of the staple and the franchise, him really being like Tony Parker. Right. Ultimately. But I think he's bigger than that. I think that if you put him in LA, it's just like putting Dame in Milwaukee. What happened when Dame hit Milwaukee? He

became a fucking starter in the All-Star game. Instantly. Instantly. The one thing he kept getting snubbed for on the West. Because he's important. Take an East snubbed for on the west right take an east guy put him on the west put him on a big market team next thing you know he in la jersey sales is up yep out the roof immediately immediately he's going to get sponsorships he's going to be on the billboard immediately adidas got to put him on the bill got to shoes are fire as it is already so shoe sales increases now he gets to be maybe on TV, TV shows,

you know. Movies. Different opportunities come with being in L.A. than other places. Right? He could be buried in San Antonio,

but ultimately when you look at L.A. and what it provides, you got D-Lo, you got Lemon Daddy. Shout out to Lemon Daddy. Billboards all over the city. And if you was to get them

to go to Atlanta for Trey, you're talking about an opportunity for A. look better easier shots easier opportunities now lebron really don't even though they say he don't like to play off the ball it's an opportunity for him to really just chill trey he need that to preserve him to get to the playoffs so that he can do what he need to do once he get to the play. Oh, I think it's a good opportunity Even though you know when be just getting that Louis Vuitton deal. He's gonna be bigger That's bigger than life right there. How crazy is a Louis V plug though? That's Harris I need right there. My favorite years man. I'm saying that every team assists a game Like that like I just look at it like

Because of where wimby's gonna be and where he is right now if i'm trey young i want to attach mine just like t mac and y'all i want to attach my name to this dude today but what happens if you help the lakers win win then what what happens let's just be realistic right we win lebron retires 80 something right it ain't gonna be us too and then eventually I'm in LA you automatically are good almost forever Starting point or a Laker chance like a team just like 80s been since he's won championship. Yeah. Yeah, he's been good Right, but he's a little five How about in the streets how's baby leg in them? Right? So I'm just saying like, in LA, realistically, what he has what? Three years here?

Realistically? Nah, but if LeBron retire, you can still build through him in AD. Or you can trade, if you do trade AD, you can get a haul of other young- But do you want to be trade young? You can be in the big market, get some other stars that want to leave they small markets. Because you know LA always going to bring big players anyway. For sure. So if it's trade, it's our one stars that want to leave their small markets. Because you know L.A. always going to bring big players anyway. For sure.

So if it's Trey, it's our one big player that we hear. It ain't like you're saying you're going to build around Trey. But what you're saying is we're going to bring

other big players in and we're going to have Trey here. Yes. So you're always going to have a piece that's going to distribute and score.

And the Laker, all that Louis Vuitton stuff, that sound good. The Laker brand in American sports, it means something. Nor, no tax and Louis V? I'm feeling it, I feel you. And the French in the face.

I feel you, I get all that. I feel all that. And the French. And the French. It makes perfect sense. And the French women too. But you're going to show up to San Antonio, and then you're going to take your visit to LA,

and then you're going to be like. Man, I can see it both ways though. Yeah, you see how excited he got? Yeah, yeah. You're going to be in San Antonio, it both ways. Yeah, you see how excited he got. Yeah You're gonna be a San Antonio. Do you go to LA? He got it. Yeah Y'all gonna put him on TV everything So that's hard I think that's the win-win these 21 of them is a bad

Organizational to you look at organizational for the Spurs. Because guess what? Pop ain't going to be there for ever. Pop's 70-something years. So who going to replace that? That's some instability. His coach, Wimby's coach is going to play a big part in his trajectory and how much he wins. You think it'll be Tim Duncan? I think Timmy. Is he on the bench right now?

I think so. I think he's around. He's just around. He's doing kind of what UD be doing. They around. He's Doc River. Doc River. He just can't get his coach. You know you're old, right? Here it comes, right? He's doing kind of what you'd even do they around

Coach he can pick we won't talking to GM pop coach Hmm Nor is available so we asked the chat where should Trey go 44% said Lakers 56% said Spurs so speaking of the Spurs Wimby was very candid when asked about building his relationship with pop this season when we talk privately He knows I'm like I understand. I'm smart. You know I'm trying to do my best, you know but sometimes he tries to send messages and like uh yeah sometimes like i'll remember maybe two three months into the season we were in film from everybody and he goes like yeah what the is this this is what you were doing day one why did you stay where do you take a step back yeah gotta keep getting better like so yeah, sometimes he says message So earlier your career How did you guys handle this criticism getting called out from a coach maybe getting blasted in a film session?

And how did that change as you gained veteran status in the league? It hurt It hurt right you hurt, right? Hurt that ego. Yeah, ego get hurt. Listen, listen. I used to spaz so much when they did that shit to me to the point where the coach had to come to me and like, yeah, listen, we're going to talk.

We're going, I'm going to come to you early today. We're going, I'm going to kill you, but it's not personal because I want to talk shit about them. Right? Because I've been that motherfucker just... Yeah, I did that because I got to score 30 every night. What you mean? You want to be running playing defense too?

That is my rookie year. Right? Because coach is like, yeah, your plus, your minus is this and this. And I'm like, when I got the fuck in the game, we down 30 fucking points. And he's fucking way, blah, blah, blah, just going. He was crazy. Yeah.

Because it was, like, unfair, bro. Like, the motherfucker said, we sorry. We sorry. Like, you put me in with two minutes left, and you talking about the shots I took. We're down 30. Now we're down 36. Had no impact on the game. Yeah. Fuck you.

Because you don't want to talk to them? I was used to it like college groomed me for that constructive criticism um when you're the best player on your team and you got other guys who are just as good as you that's not getting as criticized because you like i could take it like i love the criticism. Because it allowed me to show the other players that when you get in the lashing, you don't say Toby. Don't say it. My name is Kunta Coach. Yeah, I got you. But I'm going to go out there and I'm going to keep playing the way I play. But I understand what you want.

So you get to the NBA, it's different because They trying to make a point even even stronger and if you're not a star like Gil You know We came from trying to get get to that point and I never got to that point Because it was like I knew that the coaches wanted to make a point to certain players and they couldn't talk he couldn't call out KG Cuz ticket wasn't having that shit and I're not having that shit, Dwayne KG. What the fuck is he talking about? Dwayne KG. You know what I'm saying? So it's like they pick and choose. They battle with who they can call

out. But if you're willing to be able to take it, it lets him know that, oh, I can always use him as the whipping boy, right? And if you do got the ego, it's difficult for that. But sometimes you got to put that aside because you know it's either a narrative or a reason why they're doing it. And they got to use you because it's like, all right, he's used to this. Who was your coach? Oh, Roy Williams? Who? Bobby Knight?

Who? Okay, yeah, I know you used to me talking like this. But if you ain't ever used to that, you're going to cry in the car. I was groomed in college, too, high school and college, to be able to take criticism. But I always look and see if what they're saying is true. If what they're saying is true, then you can yell all day. Because I'm listening to the message, and I'm mature enough to handle the message. Because he ain't going to whoop me.

So I know it ain't going to be like that. And so I can take them yelling. And if it's true, if what happened on the film is true, then you just take it. Where it becomes tricky is when they manipulating the film. You might have did five things right. I got five assists, only one turnover. You show that one turnover for five minutes, ten minutes of the film session. Then skip over the assist.

Then skip over the dude that got four turnovers. And you ain't say nothing. And you ain't say nothing. That's when it can get tricky. I wasn't in that situation, but I don't know how I would have handled that situation. But a lot of it also depends on the organization that you with. Like you said, he couldn't say nothing to Ticket. Minnesota is ran a different way.

They don't have no championship pedigree and all that. Pop can say what he want to say because Pop, you look up in that banner, he put five of them things up there. Spoh can say just about whatever he want to say because Pat Riley is not firing him no matter what. So he can say whatever he want to say. He blew the big whistle. And even though Spoh don't take advantage of that,

but he says what he needs to say. And so as a role player, you don't have no choice but to take it you know and then once you get a couple years and if you a vet if you don't like it you can just talk to him like hey man like i'm for the team and all that but suppose you was i think he was a little extreme because that's how ud was you didn't mind getting called out but if you call him out you ain't call out the star ud and they'll break the whole blackboard he'll break everything he'll be like, man, I played for 12 minutes. Right.

You show a film for me for 15 minutes. That cat played 40 minutes. We only showed two clips. But he got the pedigree, though. You know, he got the pedigree and the respect to where he can do that. And so you got to, role players, don't try that unless you got the ultimate respect. You got to build your resume up to be able to do something like that. So I want to basically ask you about that.

So Wimby in a lot different situation. Wimby's in a situation. Then I feel like yourself coming in with that Hedo squad. You got LeBron. You got Chris Bosh. You got D-Way. You got UD. So what's it like for you in a film session with all them dudes?

Are they piling on? Are they supporting? Nah, see, they never piled on. I remember one time it was a film session. Coach was getting on me for, it wasn't getting on me bad, but it was just my turn. You know. I remember one time it was a film session and Coach was getting on me for it wasn't getting on me bad, but it was just my turn. Everybody going how they turn in the film session. It was my turn that day.

UD was like, man, keep your head up. Don't worry about that. Them MFs played 40 minutes and did what you did 50 times. He said, don't worry about that. He kept prolonging it. He told Spoh one time, he said, right spole the young fella got it all right let's move on and i wasn't gonna say nothing you know because i'm young i'm the you know i'm the youngest cat

on the team i don't have no accomplishment in the nba yet it's my first second year in the league so i'm like i'm i'm taking you know i ain't saying nothing i'm like you know boom boom boom he's prolonging the point and i I'm getting it here. And Spoh's not a screamer, but he's an intense talker. And he look you dead. He look right through you. So he's looking at me, and I'm out of eye contact. Boom, boom, boom.

But it was going so long. And then UD was like, all right, young fella got it now. All right now. And he started cussing at me. All right, Spoh. All right, let's go now. Other cats around this MF will play 40 minutes now. Like, come on.

Yeah. So you got to have a balance and a respect. You know, the organization has to be intact for you to take certain stuff. That's a real thing. Because if you ain't got no, the coach talking don't have no pedigree and he being an assistant, obviously some players ain't taking that.

Some players are like, hey, man. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, because you was with Golden State when they was coming up. There wasn't no pedigree yet like that. No, but it's just like, dude, 30 you just put me in and you took my four shots You're talking about a turnover or this some shit like this happened. I Meant I'm on the wing do get crossover boo boo left right right let's fight

Go in there. Don't boo. What it helps all that Gilbert why didn't you box out pissing me off you pissing me off coach me by pissing me out there's no miss shot you look at your man Randy if there was a miss shot if he would have got it hell no man you ain't talking about how he got blown off the first trip bum bum there's no help there's no charge straight line drive Hell no man You ain't talking about how he got blown off The first dribble There's no help there's no charge Straight line drive

Like you know I'm sitting here And that's what used to piss me off Well this is why you're not getting in the game Yes That part That part This is why you only play 5 minutes I used to blow up like I'm not playing anyway

So fuck this shit, and then I just go off and then don't talk to me Why you ain't dive on that little ball lose? You see that motherfucker standing next to me too. There's both of us. Why you ask you to get some time You already got some time So do I feel like coaches would come at y'all because they couldn't go as a that's kind of now I'm not saying that. No, but I'm just. I spoke, talked to everybody on the spot, so I ain't saying that.

But I've seen situations where it was like that. Yeah, where it basically, I can't yell at the star player like that. So that's what, that was told by Eric Musselman my second year. It was like, yo, I'm going to come at you because I'm trying to go at someone else. Right? And if I come at you and you blow up, then the fuck am I doing? Like, so... Like, it was just...

I was literally a hothead and had to be taught that listen to what they're saying, not the volume of it. Yes. Listen to what they're saying, not how they're saying it. So I had to learn it.

That's why I said I had, you know, my second year, I had 14 texts. So you already know what time I'm on. Absolutely. Right, I'm on Don't Tell Me Shit. Yeah. Right, I do Headband at the Referee. So you already know what time I'm on. Absolutely. Right? I'm on don't tell me shit.

Yeah. Right? I threw a headband at the referee. But I don't know. To be honest, I don't know why I was angry like that. Maybe because my girl was cheating. I don't know. Who the fuck knows?

She's out there slut bucking it out. I don't know. But I just had this build. That'll piss y'all. I just had some built up anger that I had to prove something. And it just took effect. And then I had to learn how to really just enjoy the moment, understand that it's not about the volume.

It's about what they're saying. Sometimes they might come at you because they're trying to get to somebody else, right? If you just start playing, you're acting like this, what do you think they're going to do? So understand what being the next level is. So I had to pay attention. So from there I had to watch Antoine Jamison. He's the max. So when coaches talking to him, I'm looking at his mannerisms and he's like, all right, my bad. I got it. My fault. And

then realize like, okay, this is how you're supposed to act. And so when I went to Washington, I kind of had an understanding how to be or move as the best player moves. So when I got to Washington, I was better at dealing with the coaches versus my first two years. First two years, I was whole different. You made a great point on why we need vets in this league now. You had Antoine Jamison, somebody to watch and teach you how to be professional.

Now who are these young guys learning out there? No, that's real. Or is it doing a team 24? No, that's real shit. Like, no, like dead ass. Like, if there was no Antoine Jameson on the team and you're telling me to be a franchise guy, what the fuck am I? Now I'm just dealing with my own

Emotional ass out here trying to figure it out now. I'm looking at Antoine everything he did how he dressed how he would you know Antoine He's a professional professional So this is the max player like media how he talked how he carried himself the colored socks like you know Like I learned like you why you weren't I don't even match He says yes, so I want people to look at my like he's cheap That's how to be a pro. Yep. We need that again You know you talk about the lack of vets in the game. It seems like there's a lot of vets out there though I mean I'm looking at Dwight Howard in Taiwan He's not getting a chance to come back to leave yourself playing G League ignite tons of G League

Vets in the G Lee doing that so that. So right now, a lot of players are still trying to show why they deserve to get another shot in the league. Among them is Lance Stevenson. We got some highlights right here. Born ready, been out of the league since 2022, currently playing for the Iowa Wolves. Recently almost dropped a triple-double in the game against the Santa Clara Warriors. Like you said, there seems to be a need for solid vets at the end of a lot of NBA benches, but why is it so hard for guys that should be on NBA rosters to actually get on NBA rosters? Part of it is the way it's collectively bargained with these two-way deals. I think you can have two or three two-ways. So teams are investing in that.

So that's one thing. And another thing is how talent is being evaluated. You got to understand if you're asking the vet to come in, it's not like the vet trying to come in and be the max player. Like a guy like me, if I come to a team, I'm not coming to the team and trying to shoot step back threes and all that. I know exactly what my role is and I'm going to be excited to play my role, which is maturity, which you need to have on the team in the locker room. So I think the

evaluators are looking at these guys can do this, they can do this, you can do that, but when you call them to your team, that's not what you're going to ask them to do. You need to be looking at the fit you need that guy to play and find the best player, regardless of age is he capable is he in shape enough to do that role and if he is that should be

the guy that get called up you know it's only three guys on the team that's gonna be able to open up they back unlimitedly other than that you gotta know how to run to the corner space catch and shoot if you're a backup point guard or a third string point guard organize the the offense, ball security, know how to play defense, get everybody. Because in the playoffs, especially playoff teams, that plays a big role. It ain't about scoring 15 or 20 points. It's about when you're on the court and your team is down by four and the starters come back in, are y'all still down by four? Are y'all down by 10?

Are y'all up by two? That's what veteran players understand. And we ain't out there trying to get our game off. We out there trying to fit the team. Times for management. Exactly. And I think the league is missing that right now. It's too young. Obviously, you got a lot of young talent that deserves to be in the league. I ain't never going to hate on no basketball player. But the end of the bench should be guys that are veterans, that can stay in shape,

keep the locker room and the practice atmosphere positive, and be a good example for young, talented players. That's what should be the end. And guess what? If a guy goes down and gets injured, you know a veteran, he ready. He's been training. He's been watching film because he's practicing and doing stuff with the young guys every day, playing ones, running sprints after games at the practice, so, you know, he ready and he's been in the league for seven eight nine ten years

So, you know the moment not gonna be too much for him because he didn't done it You ain't got to guess he's done it and I think we've gotten away from that. We need to get back to more that I know Gill and I talked about this in the group chat a little bit. So I already know Maybe where the direction is he going to go, especially with the Lance thing. So I want to kind of go in a direction of knowing how these guys, vets, are willing to accept that role of being the professional example, right? And maybe you're not going to get your number called to come in the game and give us what you know you can give us, right? And maybe you're not going to get your number called to come in the game and give us what you know you can give us, right? But it's more so to be on this team, to be an example of

a professional. Knowing that I'm not going to call your number, but you need to be an example for these young guys and tell them how to stay ready. Exactly. I'm in here working out. I'm on the treadmill. I'm showing you getting shots up. I'm sitting on heat pack so when he call my number I'm warm already. I'm here before the game. I'm working out

with the trainers. I'm making sure I'm eating right and I'm getting my sleep. Like you said, the dress code. Dressing the right way. I'm being an overall example

to the point where they're calling me here not necessarily for the team necessities but for the player necessities right we need you to be a mentor more than a playmaker and with lance it's like how is land i remember when i was in that position where they wanted to know was i mentally capable of adjusting to maybe not playing me not having to have to prove myself that I could play and I look at the Carmelo Anthony situation when he you know Houston Portland and it's like him accepting the role of I'm not the star guy can I come off the bench

playing Stevenson can you be the guy that Can accept not playing Can you because you want to prove you can still play that's the narrative I want to prove that I'm still playing in the G League because I could prove I could still play When you get your opportunity, are you going to be disgruntled about not playing? that's a fair question and as a vet you have to Evaluate yourself and know if you want to be in this league, that's what you have to do. I can't speak for him, but I know some vets that will gladly accept their role. Right.

Because guess what? You only really care about what your peers think. And guess why you prove that? That's practice. That's pickup. That's practice. Like with the young guys, I play with G League at night now. I know I'm not there to play 25, 30 minutes a night.

I know that. But in practice, I'm first in the sprints. When we playing four on four, five on five. That's where I can prove that I can still play. But it's about them getting better. And the vets who are trying to get back in the league, that's what they have to accept. You have to accept that or you won't even get an opportunity. It's not even about playing, right? It's about an investment, right? You're spending all this money on players and

you don't have anybody to teach them how to be basketball players outside of the court. Yes. Right, and that's what it was. I didn't know how to be a basketball player outside of the court, right? So that's where I got in trouble until I had to learn how to be professional and be what... Like yo, everyone's watching you, right? When you go out, don't drink liquor in front of people, right? To this day, before the show, I can say I don't drink, and no one will have any evidence of it,

because I came in with a Gatorade bottle full of liquor. But it's a Gatorade bottle. Drink Gatorade, drink water, get drunk before you get to the club, right? Don't show people that you're drinking in public. You don't want that image out there. So a veteran had to tell me that. That's what NBA needs to invest in. You're investing it in the older guys, right?

14, 15, 13, you're not getting in the game anyway. Those guys can teach these guys, hey, we have a big game today. We got it. We're going to back it up, right? You know, hey, we're going to go out and get a little eat, and then we're going to get back to the room. Yep. Right?

Don't stay up to the strip club very late. Don't, you know, go into the club, you know, end in the club with the lights on. No, no, we don't do that. You step in, step out. No, we don't do that. You go in, spend about an hour, hour and a half, get what you're going to get, get out of there.

Right. Right? Make sure you tell someone that this girl came to your room. You let the front desk know. You let the team security know. Boom, boom, boom. So if anything happens. You got your alias name.

Yeah. You know what I mean? Get your nondisclosures ready at the door so they turn them phones off. But that's what I said. They teach you how to move. They teach you how to be a professional. You're a veteran for a reason. The veteran means you've been in this motherfucker for a long time.

Been there, done that. You know what I mean? The Jawan Howards. You've been in here for a long time. You was a star. Now you... I need to learn everything that you've learned this whole time. That's what it is.

It's the clip notes to be a star. Jermaine O'Neal. Yes, and that's what they're missing. Ron Walker. Enjoy your vices at home. That's one thing. Enjoy your vices at home. If you have a vice that could get you in trouble, enjoy your vices at home.

Ron taught us one thing. He said, man, you ain't got to always go to the party. Bring the party to you. Hey, no, no, no. We ain't going to Magic City. We in Atlanta. No, no, I got them all coming to the they come to the telly Don't even worry, brother. Don't just bring some ones you could and you're not gonna stay all that like all that late You're gonna be in you can be out This want you to show you what this other side look like when you ready Yeah, you don't have to go out and be out all times of the night

and woo, woo, woo, hey, come to the room, do, do, do, do, do. And this is what your rep's supposed to look like if you're trying to be a max player. You want to be a max player? This is what the max players do. This is what the max players do. They don't do the same work that the road players do. They do, their recovery is different.

They reps, his shoulder, his endurance and his shoulder and elbow gills is different than everybody else's. Because guess what? When all else fails, he got to show up yep they showing up to the game he's a headliner so young fella if this is the path you're taking if we're taking 250 makes a day you need 500 at least and in the summer you got to double triple that a day you got to get a massage afterwards yeah all that but you only know but you only know that a play You need it from a player, not a coach. You don't need it from, it's different when a player is saying it versus when a coach is saying it.

It resonates different, and that's why you need that. You know what happens, though? I think sometimes that the general managers and all these guys, they look at a player that had problems, right? Yep, Yep. And then they assume that the player who got in trouble at 21 is the same player at 35. They haven't grown yet. What is wrong with you? The thought of that is like a father to son. Yes. If a father is a gangbanger, he don't want his son banging. You know what's going to happen. Right. He knows the ins and outs of what's going to happen. Right?

Like with Chris Brown in the All-Star game. You're penalizing a dude when he was 70. He's 30-something with children. Man. You're still talking about what he did when he was young. He's not even the same person. He's changed three-fold times. That's what I'm saying.

Come on. The idea of this is who he still is just eludes me sometimes. And that's what I think the NBA gets stuck with. Just people, period. That these people are still the same and they haven't grown. The only thing that hasn't grown is you technically because you're still thinking about a motherfucker that did something 20 years ago. That's the problem. DeMarcus Cousins.

He's upset with the fact that he don't know why they won't give him another chance. And it's because the attitude problems that he had. And that's why it's important to tell these young kids to know, like, your perception of you and your reputation will follow you everywhere you go. Yes.

Any interview you do trying to clear up what the past what happened, they're going to use it, oh, here you go, blaming somebody else. It ain't your fault. It was his fault. It was their fault. But I'm just trying to tell the story of what happened.

But it's like nobody gives a fuck about what happened because you are the problem. Right? But it's like, no, but I'm 40 now. But they'll hear something about you. It may not even be true, but they'll trust the person saying it. So no matter what you do, and that's bigger I mean that's that's bigger than this basketball. It's like this is like period Yeah, you know many people who's just stuck whenever they talk about somebody they're talking about who they were 10 15 20 years ago And it's like Then you you still on that?

So you ain't grown right somebody who's our young? decision makers I don't even at all. Some of these dudes are young decision makers. I don't even think they know some of the, need to do their homework on some of the vet's, veteran players. They don't even know some of them. So, you know, they need to do their homework and stop using just analytics. Right.

If you bringing in a vet, you ain't bringing him in for analytics. No. I need him to groom him. Right. To be the next, uh. Exactly. Because he been here.

He's empathetic to the situation. He knows. Like we talk about Zion and you look at a guy like Zach Randolph. That would have been vital. How Z-Bo could give someone like him an opportunity to hey look, I had the same type of body fat problems you had, bro. And I was

hungry too. But you know what I did to become an all-star? You know what I did to maintain 20 and 10? Man, I did these things. Stayed out of trouble what I did to become an all-star? You know what I did to maintain the 20 and 10? Man, I did these things. Stayed out of trouble. I did this. When the work called me, I left them on read. I ain't call them back until I was done with my workout. You want to go take some mid-workout, I'm taking a breather on you.

Yeah, baby, I'm going to be there in a second. Discipline is the biggest thing when you're in. Yeah, baby. I'm gonna be there in a second discipline discipline is the biggest thing when you're when you're in the NBA man is like it's one of those things where You have all the money in the world and all the time to not get in trouble that is a problem I got all the money in the time to not get in trouble and You're gonna have to really police yourself. So if you don't put rules in for you to just be great, then you fall to all the elements, right? The last thing you want to be is someone who's addicted to the NBA life.

That is the worst thing, right? That's thing. The life without the work? The life won't last long. You don't want to be a partier, a drinker, going to the club, to the strip club. You don't want to be all the elements of an NBA player. You want to have

some structure in your life. And then have small small pieces of it i get i get an ultimate testimony to that that's a great fucking segue point for i just talked to my sister about this yesterday i never set any goals beyond shaking david stern's hand and putting on that hat i never set a goal beyond that there There was never an all-star. There was never an all-NBA. None of those things. And I always accomplished all of my goals that I set. But I never set a goal beyond that,

which is why my career never went past the contract extension of the four-year minimum. I never set no goal because the lifestyle engulfed me. And it was like, yo, this lifestyle is where it's at. And then I got Kevin Garnett as my teammate showing me the next level of it, which still didn't make me set a goal to say, all right, I'm going to do this. And the conversation me and him had, me, him, and Sam Cassell had a conversation of, okay, Shadi, what you going to do? What you going to do this year? I mean, most improved, most improved, six men of the year maybe. Cool.

That's when I averaged my 15. And I felt like I had reached a certain pinnacle because I was in that conversation of most improved, six men of the year. But after that, it was like, work. I can get on this TV show. I'm rapping. I want to be in movies. I want the lifestyle of the NBA and the golf view.

But it was the leadership. Once he left, I was on a younger team. And I started dating the Kardashian. It took over. So it's like the young guys got to understand that there is a difference between that lifestyle aspect and being a fucking

setting goals. Because you can go and accomplish those goals as long as you know what the goal is and i never i never said i can honestly say i never set those goals and that's the reason why i can't have conversations about being an all-star or conversations about being the goal or none of that because that was never an aspiration of mine until i was out of the league and i'm looking back like damn i never really had a goal outside of shaking this nigga's hand you know the funny part is most of us don't right we get to the NBA our our goal just to get there our goal was to get and this is the only thing that saved me was a conversation with Mullen I'm sitting there just fucking around in the gym and he said, what was

your goal? I was like, to be an NBA player. He said, okay, congratulations. You're here. Now what's your next goal? Huh? You're an NBA player. Goal set. Boom. Now what?

And then I said, can I sit back and think about this? Because I never. So I came back the next day and then gave him my goal. And then he said, now prepare for these goals. That was the only thing. I'm not playing. So I don't know what to do.

I don't know what the NBA lifestyle is. I don't know nothing. I'm not playing so I don't know what the I don't know what to do I don't know what they mean lifestyle is I don't I don't know nothing I'm not being a sinner, but when he asked me that question and said What is your goal now? You already did this or what is your goal now? And then I had to sit back come back and I was like, all right. I want to do this this this He said all right now work for that. That's a vet. That's a real fucking thing. He wasn't even a player He wasn't even a player. He's still a vet Yeah, he was in he was in man. It was a play. He wasn't that's why he gave That's why he gave you that day the whole assessment and he had an alcoholic problem when he played and working out all the time Took him out of it. So that was gonna take you out your vice and I and I took him out his vice

So now I'm dealing with a guy who his vice is playing basketball to get rid of another vice so that's what I'm saying again Mark Jackson like these guys like I was blessed I'm not even gonna lie Mark Jackson who used to wake me up and bring me to the gym and say don't look at these dudes he ain't playing don't look at these dudes right here he said I played the last 25 games of the season I would never forget this, man. He said, I didn't, just like you ain't playing, he said, I did not play no games. I played, everybody got hurt. I played the last

25 games of the season. The last 25. And signed a contract for 25 million. Every game was worth $1 million to me. He said, so it don't matter how you start off man he's my first gonna go down they don't get this interested he gonna call your name make when he calls it make sure you ready

every game I played was worth 1 million dollars and I was like damn you need two or three oh geez on the team that's like that From each position Letting these young dudes Who sit for 20 30 straight games Like hey young fella Man I've been pitching For 30 games What can I do

It's a long season 82 games 82 games And we might make the playoffs It might be 95 game season Trust me It can turn around

And it can turn around quick Lance Senedy Had me for two weeks And changed his whole life Only 12 games People think he had A great season He went crazy For two weeks Eight games His life was. Only 12 games. People think he had a great season.

He went crazy for two weeks, eight games. His life was never the same. Ramon Sessions? Ramon Sessions' life changed forever. Yes, bro. So you look at the Bones Highland situation we was talking about, Bones Highland, as a young fella is like, ah, man. Stay ready, young fella. You're being all, fuck this shit, man.

Somebody get hurt in the playoffs and you make two threes and win them one playoff a series But you can't you can't get that opportunity if you bitter doghouse, but as I said, but you don't have any right most of the time We always we all know how it works man. If a player if a player is in Is in the doghouse with the coach? Whoever hangs around it whoever hangs around that nigga you in the doghouse your dog Let's you unless you let you oh gee, let's you oh gee that's like come on. I'll be gonna stay with you We go we gonna show him how we working. Yeah, we working to get out this running running sprints

Let's get these shots after practice. Hey, we ain't playing so we ain't tired. We got to run these Sometimes we play the game within the game. Yep, gotta play the game within the game. To piggyback on that, play the game within the game. A lot of young players don't know what the fuck that means. Yeah, you're right. And we don't explain it to them. Guess who can though? You can, but we don't. That was the thing for me.

No offense, the vet, guess who can? The vet. The vet, right. But when I was in the league, I kept hearing that. Play the game, young fella, play the game. I'm like, yo, why you keep fucking saying that? What the fuck is the game? And they be like, you know. Nah, no, nah, I kept hearing that. Play the game, young fella. Play the game. I'm like, yo, why do you keep fucking saying that? What the fuck is the game? Like, you know.

Nah. Nah. I don't know. Come on, man. You know. We assume. And it's like kissing ass, saying yes, sir, getting there early. But we was like, bro, I don't know about all that.

Bringing that fake energy. Let's go, baby. Let's go. All that. But we're not being taught that fake energy. Bringing that fake energy. We're not talking that rah rah rah the shit you was talking about PJ Tucker supposed to bring to show bones Mm-hmm. This is how you supposed to do this fake shit my nigga you got the play

Hey, just like in life fake it till you make it same thing with the NBA. There was times where I was taught Hey, hey fake it team maker. So I go to the gym right go to the gym Go to state and then I'm tired like I got there 4 a.m. They got I didn't shoot no shots But I don't do I don't I did this turn it on one second shot the ball boom throw it back in a boom That motherfucker got 890 some shot throw the balls everywhere being a monkey just sleep So when they come out there like who shot oh gila he's shooting 800 something shot i didn't shoot not one didn't shoot but i made it look like you played the game coming there early every single day like going to sleep early waking up

at five to beat to beat the general manager there So when the general manager pull up and I see the lights on his Gilbert every single day beating him Every even if I don't show up that he thinks I did right coming in a common God Hey, we're about to beat him. Hey, don't make keep your head up Right just it's playing the game like like when Pat Bev told Kenya Martin, son when they call your name get up and run That that might be the game you might need to play to get some more time. Like they call your name and you running and coach says, oh, he really want to get in. He don't feel entitled. He going to feel excited about putting you in all the time.

This is how y'all supposed to do it, y'all. When I call your name, you run. Those are just little things you got to do to to put yourself in In good graces and it's good graces Right if it's called kissing and that matters if it's called kissing ass just like anything in life, right? If you were boss, how would you want people to come to you? Do you want him say hey? Alright, mr. Johnson. Hey

Yes, mr. How's your family? Oh shit my family's good., hey, Mr. Johnson, hey, how's your family? Oh, shit, my family's good. Happy birthday, Mr. Johnson. How'd you know it was my birthday? Oh, what's your name? Believe it or not, that goes a long way. Take some humility. It's a clash.

It's a clash with what we would consider I'm too real. I'm a real nigga. That'll get you real. When I heard, listen, that's what my clash was. I was a real motherfucker. I'm too real for that. What you mean, fake it till you make it? I don't want to hear the word fake unless you're talking about them Jordans.

Aaron McCann. I was about to. I covered my face. I covered my face. I covered my face. I was going to let you finish, though. I was going to let you finish. I'm ahead of you. I'm ahead of you. I covered my face. You think I'm going to do. I covered my bases. I covered my bases. I covered my bases. I was going to let you finish, though. I was going to let you finish. I'm ahead of you.

I'm ahead of you. I covered my bases. I think I missed how I could. I think I missed how I could. Let me go ahead and get my defense up. No, no. But I'm like, yeah, fake it. No, man, I ain't about to do none of that.

But it's a lot of that in the league, in our culture. Man, I'm not about to fake nothing. What you mean? Kiss his ass. What you mean? Do this. It's like bro That's a part of the business business ain't nothing real in business. It's all a facade. It's all an illusion

It's all and that's the thing about business is they don't understand like black business and white business is different white business They can fuck each other over and still do business with each other They know that's a part of the business. I mean man, I fucked a man over, you know, two weeks ago, man, and the janky-ass deal went sour, but we got another deal on the table. Brothers, we don't like to do that. It's like, man, once you fuck me over the first time, man, I ain't fucking with you no more.

But that's emotions in business. You got to get your emotions out of there, right? And that was the thing for me when I was coming up and I had the whole crown shit and it was being the king and it was surviving. And I used this as a symbol of, man, I had to be something that I knew everyone couldn't really relate to. And it was survival. But now I can put this down and say, I'm no longer the king. I'm a messenger now. It's no more about me. this was about survival so self self absorption self-awareness I gotta be who I need to be to survive and now I don't need to shit no more because I'm a messenger

I know now this is about Giving the kids something that they can attach themselves to which is truth your truth be true to you and it ain't about Necessarily faking it to you making it. It's understanding that business is not real. We out here to get the bread now. So now it's like the passion for the game is what I hang my hat on. The passion for the game can now be interpreted for business now. You got to be a businessman now. Take your passion and you got to be able to transmute it to something more.

You can't just always be the real nigga no more. Being the realest sometimes can be being real broke. Yes. And as long as you're not real talk, and as long as your integrity is not compromised, then it's not really faking it. It's doing what you have to do. Because I'm all for some stuff I'm not going to ever do because of my integrity.

But when it comes to this game with basketball we're talking about, you got to take your emotions and your feelings out of it sometimes. Because this is a result-driven business. This is a professional environment. You got to show up regardless of how you feel and be a professional if you want to last. Because the average career anyway is three, four years, three and a half, four years. Regardless of age, whether you come in at 19 or whether you come in at 30, you've got three or four years on average and that's it.

And how you get past those three or four years is playing the game, knowing and understanding the game within the game and having somebody teach you that, taking your feelings out of it. Okay, I'm on the bench or a coach is saying something to me. I'm not taking that personal. I personal i'm in the gym i'm running i'm in shape so that whenever i get my chance and you gotta remember i might get traded so i might go from not playing to being thrust into a lineup so if i'm pouting then i get traded to a team i'm out of shape because i've been pouting for three weeks for four weeks and so you gotta learn that and got to have people that can sit on the bench as players and communicate that to the young dudes. Is it playing a game or just is a respect level of understanding that everyone has some type of entitlement to power, right? And understanding that everyone has feelings. And if you can

discard people's feelings, right, they open up. Right? So when people said, like, when I said, the reason I got 111, I got my 111 two knee surgeries, damn near going on three knee surgeries, two knee surgeries.

I said, because I had a relationship with the owner. Right? I went to ask him how he's doing. Right. You're talking about hundreds and hundreds of millions, billions, like who talks to the billionaires? Nobody asked billionaires, how did they doing? Right. It's all about business. Everyone's scared of them. You go up there and say, Hey, how was your day? What's going on? What are you going for lunch? Like, what do you do? Like, what do you do? And then they're like, uh, uh, yeah, um. Yeah, I was just going to Olive Garden and talk to this and have the wife and the movie.

Oh, I've seen that movie. That's a good movie. Let me know how the movie was. And you talk to them like regular human beings, they treat you like a regular human being. Same thing with a coach, right? I know I'm not playing, right? I know he's intense. Let me go ask him some regular ass questions. Hey, coach, right? I know I'm not playing, right? I know he's intense.

Let me go ask him some regular-ass questions. Hey, coach, what you doing after this? If you have any time later on, can you show me some plays or how to get better a little bit? Like, you know what I mean? It's improving you and it's kind of taking away this police versus robber thing. Victim.

You know what I mean break the wall i get yeah when i get pulled over hey how you doing uh was i speeding oh my bad i i mean true i know my windows are starting to go here roll them down for you right you can you disarm people yes that's right it's the gift is disarming referees everything and that's that's what playing a game is learning how to disarm you know even when you talk about the referees it's, and that's what playing a game is, learning how to disarm. Even when you talk about the referees, it's like I was taught to know their name, know their first name.

First name, yep. And when I became the team captain, I'd go to the circle, shake their hand. What's up, Tony? What's up? Y'all good? All right, cool. Now, in the game, they came to me and they talked to

me because I knew their names. And it was an element of me that a leadership quality that sprung up that I knew I had an advantage over everybody else on the team because I was polite. I understood the business, the qualities of respect and then becoming personable. Not being the, nah, you got to smile because they love your smile, they love it. You got to smile more. You got that frown on your face.

They don't like that shit. They don't like that shit. And that's body language. And that's the thing we're not taught is when you get taken out of the game, like he was talking about Kmart's son, run, right? When you come out of the game, run.

Shake everybody's hand on the bench because the camera's on you, son. People watching. son, run, right? When you come out of the game, run, right? Shake everybody's hand on the bench. Because the camera's on you, son. People watching. We see that you didn't tap the first three motherfuckers. Who you don't like? And the coaches in the GM seat. We're watching. We're watching.

So we talk about the very young players, but let's talk a little bit about just the future of the league. So recently Adam Silver said that in the wake of NIL the NBA may look to start player development even earlier so Norris are you involved with the G League Ignite really trying to help these future athletes with their transition to the league but I gotta ask you first is G League Ignite working? I believe that it that it is working um to what degree is it working? That's in the eyes of who's ever judging. But I mean, over the years, if you compare how many draft picks they've had compared to any college program they've had the most, they've had the most combined minutes, the players that have been drafted compared to any other, like a Kentucky or UNC or whatever. The contracts of, you know, how much they got paid.

So I believe that it's worked, but I also understand that there is some room for growth, which when you're starting something, you don't start on top. You know, G League United is, what, three years old. So obviously there's some growth that still needs to happen, but I believe that it is working. The players that have, you know, been drafted, been drafted, Green is playing well for the Rockets. He's probably going to get a max deal. Bo Camp, who's a role player for the Bucs, but he's a pro.

He's a young player. I think he's 21 years old. Playing his role on the team. Scoop, he's going to probably make the all-rookie team this year. His body is in shape. He came in in shape. Still got to learn the game. Point guard is a tough position to learn, but he's playing well for a rookie.

So I think that it's working. But I also understand that there's room for improvement. But I do believe that it's working, and I think that it has been positive so far. Do you think they should have another team? So like all the talent that these kids are showing, they're not handicapping themselves? That's a big thing. So this season, it was a lot of young guys on our team like this year.

And it's hard to develop all of them at once because you need to saturate it with vets around them so that they can get the one-on-one tools that they need. Instead of having maybe 11 on one team, maybe have five or six on one team surrounded by vets. And so having multiple teams maybe may work. But having the one team, I think, is good because everyone's not going to come to the G League at night. They're going to go other places, but this is just one avenue. And if the guys who choose not to take NIL money and want to play and start training like they're in the NBA already, then this is the route for you. It's just to give you options.

There's more than one option for everything. And I think this is a great avenue for certain type of players with certain mentalities. I mean my assessment is a little different Because I feel like structurally the fundamentals of the game when you talk about the G League at night It's not being taught on the level where college basketball would teach it right when you're talking about you know four-man shell drill you're talking about being able to close out being able to you know force baseline certain little elements that we were all taught when we went to college and during the years in college

helped us realize fundamentally that you can survive on your fundamentals in the league and now that what we see is this unpredictable unpredictable basketball is what Kobe and Phil talked about is the driving kick era everything is driving kick everything is freestyle freelance and what I see in the G League at night because I was on board initially just to give the the younger younger guys better opportunities to flourish Without having to go to college right, but then you see the results we talked about the results behind

Coming in as a scoot Henderson. She's your third year. You should be a third year college player coming into the NBA and having the actual Resume or the attributes to prove that, right? So if you did three years in college and you proven to be the most dominant player coming out of college, what it does for you when you get to the league is you say, man, my transition is a lot smoother because I have all of the little things. I know how to adapt to what the coaches are asking me to do. And I know how to fundamentally get my shot off because I worked on these things, but I also know the structure of team. When you talk about these young players now, you see that they don't, what Adam Silver is complaining about is the lack of

fundamentals. They don't have the skillset. They have all the talent and potential. The skill set is missing. So you're looking at, all right, how do we give them more skill set opportunities, practicing and all that when we're giving them in the G League at night, NBA sets, we're giving them all of the things that they're going to be prepared for, but we're not teaching them the fundamentals of the game. I think that's what happens in college. So if you did those three years in college, you're being broken down. You're being held accountable. And you have an opportunity to be disciplined enough.

Like Gil always said, when he was in college in his second year or that first year, you had to fight to get in front of certain guys. I got my opportunity because I fought to get in front of certain guys i i got my opportunity because i fought to get in front of these because they thought that they was was sweet right but that created a work ethic for him for me i came on i already had my work ethic from college because i was playing with fifth year seniors for two years in high school so it was already uh preparation that was like alright my goal now is to be the best from the moment I'm touched touch ground of freshman year to the moment I leave I'm gonna outwork these guys because I've already it's created a

work ethic but when you come from high school you go to the G League at night and then you go straight to the league things are kind of it's like here it's not necessarily given and it is a different philosophy than college. That don't make one better or worse. It just means it's different. Right. Because there's things in college that don't prepare you for the NBA. So you do learn fundamentals.

You do learn things, but there's no 35 seconds in the NBA. Right. You got to know how to do your stuff in 24 seconds. Right. You know how to get to spacing. The conditioning level in college, they condition you just to play 35 games in March Madness. G League and Knight, they running every day, even the day before games, because we're preparing their bodies to be able to play 82. They're lifting every, they lift almost every single day, almost every single day to get,

because they're not thinking about the short term, they're thinking about the long term. And so there's differences in philosophies, and we do teach them fundamentals, but you can't do it the same way college does it, which is, but that's why this is an option. If you want to go to college, go to college. If you want to go to here, go to, I think the bigger problem is who's coaching them before they get to this level,

which, you know, the amateur, the high school or the peewee, and then the evaluators who are drafting these guys. If, you know, you're drafting younger, that's a risk. When you're drafting a guy one year or two years removed from high school, there's only so much development that can happen in two years. You can't skip steps. It took Kobe seven, eight years to get to that. It took Kevin Garnett took kobe seven eight years to get to it took kevin garnett six seven eight years to get to where they so it's gonna take these young guys time so either let them go to college or draft the cat that's older but kobe did say

in his waiting process watching his peers play and him not playing i could have went to college yes not the same type of you know development that I'm sitting here watching. I'm watching these dudes play, and I could have been playing. And he said that's what's hurt him the most inside. I was like, damn, I could have just went to college. Now I'm sitting over here on the bench and woo, woo, woo, but he's still panned out because it worked out. But some guys game, I'm going to go out. Some guys game are not meant for college.

Like Matas, Tyler, Ron. Well, Ron could have won the college too, but he's a game. These guys have NBA bodies long. You know how the NBA, look at the NBA prototype. Tall, long, skinny, but athletic. They built for knowledge though.

Remember we was talking about your knowledge. I'm about to tell you. That's why with the G League at night, we have vets like John Jenkins. Poo Jeter was there last year. I'm there. Coach Hart, who was a journeyman in the NBA, who played 10 years. He's the head coach. He was a role player, so he understands the value of working and working.

That's what we're teaching these guys, but there's just a time. It takes time because you never know. Some of these guys are the number one ranked players, but number one ranked players don't mean that they are fundamentally sound. They might just be gifted. They might know how to shoot and jump out this gym, but you ask them to do the right angle on a show or you ask them to guard a pin down and be in help side position. These are things that they've never hammered home before. And so these are things that we're doing. And then guess what? After this year, we're starting all over a whole new group of young kids.

So there has to be a way to mix the two. Yes. That's why I said there's room for growth. But to say it's not working, I don't believe that it's not working. I just believe there's room for growth. But to start off, I mean, I don't believe that it's not working. I just believe there's room for growth. But to start off, I mean, you're a young guy. You don't want to go to college. You're able to get paid.

You start to learn how to use your time. I think someone like Scoot Henderson kind of made them question the whole G League. Not to point him out, but he was in the G League two years, G League night, right? And he's a high school kid who skipped his junior year, right? Skipped his junior year, came there, which means he had two years

in an elevated NBA machine, right? College, you got fucking classes, right? Oh so if you don't want to go to class and you want to just train like a pro like you in class going to class and You can only work out for two hours. I can work out ten hours a day, right? That is the idea of the the G League So when you're saying, okay, this kid had two years, we can see his body, he's the youngest player

in the All-Star game, you know, this is the star. So when he comes in, he's been in this program, he's been in this machine for two years, he's supposed to have been the most ready coming into the NBA. Yep. And from the evaluator standpoint, like when he comes in, while everybody's in school, he's training 10 hours a day. He's doing it.

That's the idea that we're... He was doing that. And I know I can see... He's a workhorse. So when he comes to the NBA and it's not translating very well, you're like, well, you're the one that had the biggest advantage. And you played in the All-Star game. You did this.

You've been a pro for two years. What rookie point guards are better than him, though? I'm saying for him, rookies. For a rookie, who's better and more developed in school as a rookie? Not really none. But the idea of coming off the bench, I think that was just a bad look. It wasn't supposed to be him coming off the bench.

None of that. I thought it was... Star right away. I thought it was... No, no, no. That's tough, though. How many stars are in this league? No, no, no.

From Chauncey's standpoint, I thought it was a bad look for... I don't care what's going on. I'm not going to put him off the bench or I'm not going to send him to the G League. Period. It's a bad example. You can't send him to the G League because that's where the fuck we drafted him from. But who did you get rid of?

I got rid of Dame because we got a future guy. But then, you're not thinking. But he can still be a future though. Anthony Simons. Don't judge him off the phone. No, because he's really young, but I'm just saying as a coach, But then you're not thinking but he can still be a nature though Anthony Simon He's really young but I'm just saying as a as a coach right I Make it look bad By me putting him down to the G League for a couple games or me bringing him off the bench as a six-man, right? I'm watching him against a

Bucks and I'm like what the fuck he coming off the bench for period Point of him coming off the bench. He's your future. There's no big there's no future coming off the bench right now You let him play you let him learn you let him adjust in real fucking time He got a guard Kyrie. He got a guy guard this guy if I got to play him 30 something minutes That's why we drafted him so high. Let this first year be his accelerated year. Boom, next year, that's what I expect from him. You don't think they're going to do that the last 30 games of the season? I need to... The last 25.

Anthony Simons is there right now, right? Did he go to college? Nope. He did not go to college. Is he the star player on the Blazers? Yeah. Is he? Is he the franchise guy there?

He's the face right now. He's guy there? He's the face right now. He's the face. He's the face right now. Dame gave him the keys, right? But that isn't how it looked. It looked like, look, Dame, we got a double zero coming in here. We're going to give him the keys because he got number two pick and like Gil was saying, two years

of development, you should be ready to take over, perceivably, what Dame is leaving behind. But that wasn't the case because there was already someone else next up. Anthony had already how many years? He's in his fifth year? He got drafted in 2018, yes. He's in his fifth year.

He's been priming for this, salivating. Like, yo, I'm not about to let this young nigga come in here and take my shit he got to outwork me he got to out skill me and he's not ready for that and that's what the thing is we hate to see chauncey send him down here bring him off the bench but to gill's point scoop supposed to be from a results perspective ready to go yeah i just i just i just I just... I think for his age... No, for his age, he's perfect. He's going to be okay. These are things that he can put in his

memory bank, you know, sitting on the bench, learning from mistakes. Going forward is going to help him. Because Chauncey, you know, before he became Chauncey, was like a journeyman, had to learn something. But he didn't have G League at night. No, no. Chauncey wasn't 19 when he came in. No, but I'm just saying, Johnson's a point guard, so he might be thinking how he came

up and using his... I don't know what he's thinking, but I'm saying that's maybe what he's thinking. But think about it like this from just an emotional standpoint from a young kid, right? You're the third pick in the draft, right? Second. Second? No, third. Third. No, he was the second pick. No, second was with charlotte third miller went second

so so number one is playing starting number two starting i'm bench that's crazy number four crazy right i mean so it's like one of those things is as a coach like like wendy but you can't but like your program based off of what other program but But what I'm saying is confidence of the player. What I'm saying is the confidence of the player. I'm watching the guys in front of me. Like I went against Wimby. Motherfucker, I stood my own. Yes.

Right? Yes. Right? He's out there playing. His coach is allowing him to do whatever the fuck he wants. He out here doing that shit. And he in last place. Yeah.

What the fuck are we trying to win for in a sense of if I'm playing 82 82 something games playing this what do you think I'm gonna be next year, right? My confidence I I have a 16 points in this and what you think I'm gonna turn into next year now I got a whole feel of it. You sitting me on the bench in this in this next year what I was supposed to do this year Learn in real time. That's what I'll be doing next year you're slowing down the progression and you put me in now he's he's also had some injuries too so that might have been a reason why he was coming off the bench he's had some injuries no you know you know for a fact when you talk about confidence and a guy's like out there not doing what he's supposed to do which is taking care of the ball doing certain things playing defense the way you're supposed to play

defense missing assignments. We got the whole strategy. Scouting report, everything. And you fucking that up because is it not translating from what you were learning from where you were just at? Did they not teach you these things? Because the expectation has already been set. You're number three.

We expect you to fit right in and propel us. So for the confidence standpoint from chauncey you're like how much how much time do i give him before i have to set an example why you set an example for a 19 year old exactly i don't see what's wrong with that though if he's your future then you should groom him the way you think that you should groom him if that means sitting him down letting him watch a little bit to learn what's wrong with that? I don't see what's wrong with that because you lose him anyway. Because it slows down your... Because women don't make mistakes. Millions don't make mistakes. No, no, no. It happened with Wiseman.

No, no. Think about it. It ruined him. It ruined him. But I think it ruined him for a different... They had him trying to play like Draymond Green. No, what I'm saying is, think about it. Think about Miller at the beginning of the year struggling. Look where he turned out. Look where he turned out. Look where he turned out.

Same thing. You have to let him struggle to learn the ins and outs every day. And then there's a moment, there's a game that it clicks. They're not winning because they're not winning. But you got to think it's a long season. What if he plays after this all-star break? He started from now until the end of the season. And let him go.

After having what he went through the first half of the season, I think that's great for his mental going into next season. I think that fashions him. Mentally, I think that that fashions him. He sat out some games, came off the bench because he was making some mistakes, learned, watched, didn't like it. But he gets to register all that. And then the second half of the season, they're like, listen, all right,

after trade, then all right, young fella, this is your time to get it until April 15th. I think that would make sense. Yeah, it would. That would make sense. Rookie wall. That's what I'm saying. Rookie wall is once you hit past the all-star break and you start to get that

cleaning your ears out, okay now i'm seeing my i'm seeing how my peers are bouncing back like he struggled just like i was struggling i'm sure i got benched the game and that's the difference it's like he's struggling because he actually got to play and he just wasn't hitting he's just off i'm struggling because i don't even know when i'm gonna be even play i'm coming off the bench i don't know how many minutes i'm getting in foul trouble i don't know none of this shit going to be able to play. I'm coming off the bench. I don't know how many minutes. I'm getting in foul trouble. I don't know none of this shit. Now I hit this rookie wall.

How I'm going to bounce back now? Now is the bounce back season. Well, let's bounce forward and move on to Mosey fans. Another spirit today. In the Gills Arena, I give it a C-. You're doing your thing, Josiah. I try hard. Thank you, Norris.

You're the first person ever. You got your De La Soul sweater on. Norris, first person to give me a compliment. You're doing your thing Josiah I try hard thank you Norris first person ever De La Soul you know what I mean Norris first person to give me a compliment so you just gonna know all about it Rashad give me a compliment see no we're gonna stick together Rashad we gonna team up on it just Mercedes Gill up multiple months now Gill and Stringer bell in this analogy. So, first one is a question from rstackxs. This is for Norris. What's your favorite off-court memory

with the Heat? Man, it's hard to pick one out. The Harlem Shake video. That was classic. Can you give us the details of the Heat's The Harlem Shake video. Wow. That was classic. Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh. Can you give us the details of the Heat's legendary Harlem Shake video? How did it all come together? Who picked the different roles?

So, you know, it was trending. You know, it was the hottest team in all the sports. So we was like, yo, y'all want to do the video? D-Wade was talking about it. Brown was talking about it. But we had a game against Memphis. And, you know, Memphis back then, it wasn't no easy game. It was talking about it. But we had a game against Memphis. And you know Memphis back then it wasn't no easy game. It was Zach and Randolph. So we like

we was like yeah we want to do it. Forget it. We got to do it while the train hot. So D-Way had the uniforms and all that. We was like but we got to win tomorrow because Pat going to kill us. Because once we post this it's going to go viral. We had our characters. I was the MC Hammer. You know what I mean? D-Way had the

Birdman. we like birdman you gotta kick it off you're the biggest character on the team and so it was like yeah we're gonna do it and so we had all the props in the locker room and all that before practice we did this before practice or right i mean right after practice we did it and once we put sin we do we was like we about to about to put sin but once we put sin, it went everywhere. Pat didn't say a word. He was pissed. I know he was pissed. We went out there and whooped Memphis, and so it was nothing to be said. After the game, we was like, whew. It would have been no phones in the locker room, no videos before games, all types of stuff could

happen. So I would say, other than the parade, obviously, winning the championship in the parade, nothing tops that. But with the team, the camaraderie, that Harlem Shake video was... We have the video here, Birdman kicking it off. Get his bird on. Yeah, do not play this song. A dude of Harlem. level go up after that? Popularity levels increased. Our next question from the chat

is from Trendodging. That's his underdog username. What's a play an opponent made that was so good it made you react like you were a teammate? So the example is the Gerald Green windmill versus the Rockets. Mine was Vince Carter. Uh,

baseline dunk on Jay Rich. You know, uh, in Toronto was like my second or third game in the NBA. And, um, yeah, it was depressing, but I jumped up on the court like, Oh, shit! Did y'all see what Vince Carter did?

Like, I'm all on the court about to give this motherfucker a high five. Get your black ass back here. Like, sit down, bro. Like, I'm at the end of the bridge. Like, no, did you see old manga? Jason Richards looked at me like this. I was like, oh, God, that's Vince? And then I realized I was Vince

Carter. And yeah, I ain't even ready for this game. I don't want no pause to this NBA, bro. Where that other NBA? Where that summer league NBA? Where them players at again? Because this is not what I signed up for.

So, Rashad, what's a play an opponent made that was so good you made you react like you were a team I think it was throw miles with man. Yeah He don't own Think it was Eddie Griffin man. Rest in peace EG But he dunked on the man so hard and man. I was the only one that actually, like, oh, my God! On my own, like, stood up and everything. Lord have mercy! And everybody looked at me like I was crazy.

Like, bro, for real? Like, yeah, for real, my nigga. That shit was devastating. Devastating. It was devastating. I was like, yo, man. I had to say, I didn't cheer for him, but on the inside, I was like, dang, that was cold. When we was in the playoffs in New Orleans, when they came back and Steph hit that three in the corner over AD.

And they didn't even call the foul. They could have, yeah. Should have been an N-1. Man, he made that shot. It was like, it was because of the playoffs, so you don't cheer for the other team at all. In your mind, I was like, yo, that was cold. Cold-blooded.

That was cold. Because, hey, they stretched. Oh, it's hard to shoot. They stretched. And Steph, and like, sided, like, swung out of bounds. And that boy was all net. And it was like completed the comeback. And we was up in the fourth, and they was all net. And it was like completed the comeback. We was up in the fourth and they completed that comeback.

And it was that shot. I was like, that guy's step is different. That guy's step is different. Shout out Chef Curry. Man, I was sinking in my chair. I was like. Last question is a video question from underdog user Larry Legend at the Lake. What are the strangest conditions you've played basketball under? I got some double rims here I play on every day.

It's 26 degrees today. So what's your strangest conditions you all have ever played ball under? Thanks. Love you guys. It looked like he about to call the cops on the Gills Arena barbecue. But we're good. What's the strangest condition you played basketball in? Berry Farms.

Berry Farms because I pulled up in my Maybach thinking everything was sweet. Right. And then you get out there And then you realize it was the hood trenches right the trench like like so They didn't have bleachers at the time so everyone grabbed their own lawn chair Yeah, created their own front row and they smoking weed like it's just like oh shit is this Do this right and then just the whole app the whole atmosphere was like one of those atmospheres like Like I never been to the Rucker at this point, right? So I never been to the Rutgers so I didn't know what the atmosphere was but going there like I'm the NBA player and they are already talking shit to me because of the point like I was a little nervous right like oh shit

I to me because at a point like I was a little nervous right like oh shit like niggas this is a little different than the MCI center and then um and then it triggered right because it was like yeah you know Kurt Bone gonna go over there and you know he about to he about to get that business what he did this Stefan Maul I mean uh what he did to Steve Francis and this miss and then I'm looking at what he talking about And then they show me Are y'all crazy? All y'all crazy, but I get so many buckets with this like him. Yeah, and then I was like Just get buckets. Don't worry about like trying to be flash or something So I went out there and just got just got busy that be so he don't come tomorrow came back tomorrow

Came back the next day and then it was just just such an environment but i think that kind of prepared me for like arenas chicago like you know i've been through this before right nothing like it ain't nothing like nothing like it's nothing like it like and then when i went to the ruckers i ain't like nah this ain't even y'all got stands and shit. Y'all ain't got a dude sitting right on the sideline, like, yeah, all right, we're going to see, we're going to see what you're really about.

Like, damn. Strangest conditions you played in, Rashad? I was in Uruguay. Come again? Uruguay. It's a country. Uruguay. South America.

Yeah. South America? Yeah. Well, they say Uruguay. Uh-huh. It's a country What'd I say, ooh, that's the way Man One side of the gym didn't have no stands. It was like a like a stage. It was the wall and it was our our our bench their bench scorekeeper wall

That shit went straight up. Stands. Straight up in the air. It was nothing but all of them. It was us and all of them. Flags. They had a whole band. Bro, I'd never seen or heard anything this loud before.

The rims. The backboard was wood. Wood backboards. And every time you shot, you could hear the clunk of the wood, right? But every time they was being... You've never seen anything like it. They was dancing on the floor. Break dance.

Man, listen. Was it fun? What? We got our ass whooped. We got our ass whooped. We got our ass whooped. They had to work in there, have Negi dancing around. Wow. Just the flag.

It was the most incredible shit I've ever seen. I had played a couple different places. I played in Lebanon. I played in Philippines, Dominican, all these different places. But Uruguay, Brazil. Brazil had some crazy shit. Venezuela had some crazy shit. But this place, and they had niggas with Venezuela had some crazy shit, but this place...

And they had niggas with the guns on the end, on the end, waiting. What about yourself? I'd say it had to be playing in Serbia, playing against Red Star, man. The way the fans was, they tried to send bullies to intimidate us on the court. You know how you come out and run out, you get the balls and you start warming up. They had dudes that was kicking the basketballs around, throwing them. They was throwing nickels and batteries and firecrackers on the court, spitting on the sideline.

It was a crazy environment because it was game five. Over there you play five games for the championship. It was the game five. They was trying to throw us off our game so that we didn't get that last game and we didn't. They had to postpone the game for two hours to get the court cleaned up to get the fans in check. The game started at seven. The game started until nine, nine thirty and we lost by like thirty or forty points. At that point I was ready to go home. I was like listen I didn't come out here for this. like 30 or 40 points man it was at that point i was ready to go home because it was last i was

like listen i didn't come out here for this right because now it's not even i'm not even thinking about basketball no more i'm thinking about like survival like if one of these dudes get close to me i'm gonna i'm gonna join i'm putting i mean and then i'm gonna get mauled by 9 000 people that's all i'm thinking i'm like if this dude get close to me and he spit on me or he throws a battery at me and he's in my arms link. I'm gonna knock him out and then 9,000 Bratis are gonna yeah I was just getting through the game I was just getting through the game to end the game and I left my normally I take my uniform with me that uniform

I left there it has stuff all on it from the fans throwing stuff on I took I couldn't wait to take a shower and Get out of there. That was the strangest environment ever. You ever had the banana situation? What? They threw bananas. They had the bananas in a couple different places. They were eating the bananas. No, no, no. They threw pop and stuff. The only black people in certain countries that I played for were the imports.

Yeah, they threw like 200 bucks. So they would bring the bananas to the game. I didn't go through that. I didn't go through that. I'm like, yo, for real? And then the little kids, after the game, you know, you're trying to get to the bus. They'll be doing it. All you're trying, the little kids are doing that.

Yeah, I heard of that, but I never, thank God I ain't never had to go through that man That was people don't understand that overseas grind different different that overseas grind is different cuz you you never feel intimidated playing in the NBA Arena like the fans are loud, but you know, it's against the law for them to cross the line They will be banned for life if they touch you throw something that's assault all types of stuff. That ain't the rules out there It's a different it's a different level. It's encouraged. It's a different level of racism. If people would be talking about racism over here,

I'd be looking at them like they crazy. Because you ain't never been on an elevator and motherfuckers let the elevator go because you on it. I don't know. We'll get the next one. You ain't never been spit on in broad daylight, a bunch of people spitting, and you can't punch them back, or you'll be the one to get arrested. Security guard, that's what they do with the gun right there. I spit on in broad daylight, and a bunch of people spitting, and you can't punch them back, or you'll be the one to get arrested.

Security guard, that's what they did with the gun right there. you you you you you you you you you you you you