Gil's Arena - How Nate Robinson Became The NBA's Most Iconic Little Guy

Episode Date: August 28, 2023

Nate Robinson tells Gilbert Arenas How He Became The NBA's Most Iconic Little Guy in this EXCLUSIVE Gil's Arena Interview! The crew sits down with Nate to talk about his unique journey from college football to the NBA where he overcame the odds to win NBA Dunk Contests and become one of the most iconic players the game has ever seen.  Gil’s Arena premieres every 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/ Pre-Order Rashad's Book Here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD9ZQ3HD?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro  00:48 Seattle vs Tacoma 01:53 Nate Robinson Enters Gil’s Arena 04:14 Coach Deion and Nate’s Son 07:40 Life As The Little Guy 10:15 Best Player Out of Seattle 12:49 Gil’s Advice To Nate 15:30 Rashad Gives Nate His Flowers  18:50 Nates Favorite In Game Dunk 21:30 How Nate Made Himself Look Taller 26:05 Who’s Got Next? 31:00 The NBA is Getting Softer 35:14 Isaiah Thomas vs Nate Robinson 37:30 Nate’s Relationship With Coaches 41:30 Nate and B-Jennings Went At It! 43:46 Playing For Coach Thibs in New York 48:32 Nate Robinson Brought The Dog out Of Jimmy Butler 51:30 Changes To The NBA Dunk Contest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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When we're between the lines and we're on the court, that size don't matter. If you're a dog and you can play, you gonna compete. That's all that matters. You got heart, you got passion, you believe in yourself, you can do anything. You know, being a little guy, bro, we get looked over and,

I want that guy, I want that guy. I was just like, yep. I said, man, this guy had me feeling like I picked the wrong sport. I wanna go play football now. I wanna go hit somebody. Y'all can't preach the little shit to me. I'm the one guy you guys can't do that to.

When I get in the game, you're gonna know the difference and you're gonna see the temples gonna turn up. Welcome back to Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop. Coming to you live from the Zeek Inn, Tacoma, Washington, day two. Got a very special guest just pulled up on us.

Nate Robinson, what's going on with you, bro? It's good. How y'all doing? Doing good. Yeah. So we talked to IT a little bit about this, but I want to hear from you as well. Just talk to me a little bit about just the community, Seattle, Tacoma, Hooper's.

Like, first off, you from Seattle. Is there beef with Tacoma? How does that work out? Nah, we just don't like coming out here, bro. It's too far. It's too far. What, 40 minutes? It's too far for us Seattle Hooper's men,

and then it stinks out here and shit coming coming past the tacoma dome you know we don't like that aroma we call it the tacoma aroma you know it's been like that for a long time i don't know we gotta act isaiah why the fuck it smells like that out here but yeah we just we just don't like coming out here bro it's just a little too far for us but i mean us mean, us as Hoopers, man, you know, we compete against each other. Because, you know, they say they're from Seattle, but they're from Tacoma. And this is kind of, you know, 40 to almost an hour out.

But, you know, the competition just started just, you know, often just, you know, who wants to be the best? And, you know, Seattle guys say we are. Tacoma guys think they are. And then it's always fun playing against and competing against them. And then now that we're kind of like coming together and just branding each other's type of style and how we play, I think it's just been great

for the community. So yeah, just talk a little bit about yourself, man. What you been up to now, obviously, playing days a few years before. Yeah, retiring, man, just enjoying dad life, man. It's been such a pleasure years before. Yeah, retiring, man, just enjoying dad life, man. It's been, you know, such a pleasure, you know, watching my kids grow, you know, getting to, like Tupac said, I'm getting to watch a part of me that wasn't always shaped,

you know what I'm saying? And that's beautiful to be able to watch, you know, my kids, you know, who, you know, they're flawed, but to me they're perfect in my eyes. I love them to death. I try to keep my daughter around so much basketball just so much knowledge where she can you know grabs and take with her you know you know when she starts you know her career. It was crazy like when I remember I said I was like being an

NBA father we're not really fathers right we're in this little mold hey baby see when we get home by the time we get there, they sleep. Right? We did all that. When we're done and we get to just watch them grow, it's a whole different experience. A whole different experience, yeah. Because, like, when you come and go, you get to see them, you get to kiss them, good night, you know,

read the bedtime story. You get to do all that fun stuff when you're coming in from a long week, you know, laying on the road and coming home. You know, you got that, but it's still, it's some type of, how can I say it? Like, we're not, we're not attached to them the way that, yeah, Disconnect, we're not attached to them the way like their mothers are. You know, we get to see a whole nother side of them. And then when we're done, then we get to see who they really are. And for me, it's been great.

I got a son that goes to the University of Colorado playing football with Prime. So he's out there balling, playing his corner, earning his stripes, starting from the bottom. So I said, this is the best place to be because from here, the only way from here is up. And you get to learn from all these players and coaches and from from a man that, for me, Deion was everything. That's what I wanted to be like when I grew up. I wanted to play football like him. I wanted to go to Florida State like him. I wore number two because he rocked them.

He was my everything. That's who I wanted to be like when I was a young boy. So to see my son, you know, there, I know he's in good hands and I know he's going to do, you know, what he's supposed to do as a coach, you know, priming him and my son as a player. So I'm excited. What position did you say your son played? Cornerback, defensive back, yeah. So did you encourage him to go to Colorado, or did he have that same love for Deion as well and wanted to go there?

He had the same love. So when I sent Deion his highlights when he was a junior, my son had like eight picks. He was one of the top players in the state of Washington here when he was at the Black my son had like eight picks. He was one of the top players in the state of Washington here when he was at the Black College. He was at Jackson. And Deion was like, I'm going to keep my eye on him. And I was like, cool, just respectfully.

I was like, if my son go anywhere, I would love him to go to you. If he's walking on or he's a scholarship, whatever. And when I heard he got closer to Washington, he got the job in Colorado, I was like, that's perfect. And when I told Deion that my son wasn't getting heavily recruited, which is fine, I told him, I said, you're a little guy. You know, now they're trying to change the whole narrative as, you know, bigger corners, bigger guys in the league and all this other crap.

And I was like, and I told coaches, y'all can't preach the little shit to me. I'm the one guy you guys can't do that to. Right. I don't want to hear it. You know, so I told him I don't want to hear it. So if that's what you guys got, I'll take my son kindly and he'll go somewhere that, you know, somebody will accept him for who he is. Because I don't see big and small and all that crap when we're playing.

When we're between the lines and we're on the court, that size don't matter. If you're a dog and you can play, you're going to compete. That's all that matters. The best player should play. So Deion was like, man, if you ain't getting a list, bring him here. We don't got no scholarships, but, you know, he can walk on and earn one for next year. And I was like, bet. That's respect.

I want him to actually earn it so you guys can see he can actually play. And now that he's playing there, you know, he sent me some little clips today of him locking up and doing what he's supposed to do. And coaches are asking, how are you on the block on? They're like, I don't get it. He was like, man, because they said I was too little. He was like, they lied to you.

So it's good that, you know, he's in the right position and he's with the right coaches and he's with the right environment. You know, they have so much to prove. And I love that, you know, he started from the bottom. They went 1-11 last year. And I was like, bro, y'all went two games. You guys did better than what y'all did last year. Bet, because they were strong.

Just keep it up. Yeah, sorry. So just keep it up. That's what started last decade. Yeah, so now, you know, they're going to the Big 12 next year. It's going to be fun to watch them and see what they do, and I'm just excited for him. So we all came up Pac-10, turned it into Pac-12.

Now it's cooked. I didn't even talk to you about this shit. How do y'all feel about, obviously, Washington coming over UCLA? Man, the history, it sucks. It does. It really sucks because the Pac-12 and the Pac-10 history, we have so many great guards, like this guy right next to me. You said we all. Baron Davis. You said we all came from the Pac-12 and the Pac-10 history, we have so many great guards like this guy right next to me. You said we all?

Baron Davis. You said we all came from the Pac-12? We was only talking to this side. Okay. Just over there. Just these two. Just these two. We know where y'all are coming from.

He was on Arizona too but he ended up going a whole other route and started a whole- Because Luke Alston. He started this whole high school thing that y'all see now. Guys going to the league and D-League and all that. He started this. So you guys got to talk to him about that. West Coast didn't recruit. Just wanted to make sure that the crowd know that ACC is a different muscle.

Man, but shit. In high school, he was one of the coldest I seen in high school and coming up. He was the first person I ever seen shoot far like how you used to do it. High school. I mean, he didn't shoot NBA. how you used to do it. High school. He didn't shoot NBA. When we had a little... When we went to that college... What was that shit called? A little college, a little thing where all the college players go.

We hoop and then we're counselors. Yeah. NBA Nike camp. Yeah, some of the camp we went, he was shooting. I was like, I don't even know how far that is. I was like, damn. They were respectfully, they were number one in scoring in college. We I was like, damn. And they were, respectfully,

they were number one in scoring in college. We were number two, Washington, right behind them guys. We were supposed to see them in the tournament, but they had lost.

We lost to Louisville. They kicked our ass on that pick and roll with Rick Pitino. We couldn't stop that shit. It was lit. Damn. So you started playing

football in Washington, shifted over to basketball. I remember, I don't even know where I was at, but just seeing you come on the court. And like you said, looks can be deceiving. So we looking at you, but then two weeks later, you play for a couple minutes.

It was like, damn, this moment. Everywhere, a beast on the court. Yeah, because Romar used to tease people about that shit. And they were like, yeah, yeah. Like, who's the little guy? They just call me Gary Coleman and shit. I was like, who's Gary Coleman? And he was like, because Romar was like, all right.

Yeah, all right, you'll see, you'll see right when the ball tips. So, and then like my, I think my gift to the game was, I had so much energy. And I just wanted to, like,

I would pick the guys up full court and I would fuck with them the whole game. I wouldn't get tired. And that was my niche. I was like, I can hoop and shit, but I was like, I'm just gonna,

I'm just gonna get on people's nerves as much as I can. And then they don't understand I got too was like, I'm just going to get on people's nerves as much as I can. And then they don't understand I got too much energy. I'm right back at you offensively. So that was my gift when I brought it to the pack. Did you get a scholarship for football? I got a scholarship for football. I had no basketball offers when I came out.

The only school that wanted to give me a scholarship, respectfully, and I thanked coach, was Gonzaga. But they didn't have a football team, so I told him, I was like, no, thank you. I was like, I don't care how good your team is. So did you play all four years at, no. No, I played one year at Washington because they fired Coach Rick Neuheiser, my head coach. They fired him. He was betting on the game. Not betting on the game, but he bet.

The little tourney pool. He won the tourney pool with like 20, 20, it was like 20,000 people. It was hella people. He won the tourney pool just luckily. And then they won and somebody ratted him out. And they fired him. And I quit. And I was like,,000 people. It was hella people. He won the tourney pool just luckily. And then they won and somebody ratted him out. And they fired him. And I quit. And I was like, that's it.

I'm going for basketball. And I was like, I'm going for football. Then they brought in Tyrone Willingham from Nebraska, from Notre Dame. And fucking shit the bed and won like four games in four years. Yep. Damn. And then that changed the program. And then they went and got Coach Peterson and changed the whole shit back up.

So, Romo had to give you a basketball scholarship too? I walked on my first year, yup. And then the second, my sophomore year, he gave me a, I earned a scholarship. So just talk about playing for Coach Rowe and just, you know, being able to now excel. Like you said, no basketball scholarships coming out of high school, so then becoming a first rounder at the end of your college career. Yeah, it was cool playing for Coach Rowe. He had to, you know, he kind of taught us how to be men, bro,

like how to be presentable, how to look apart. Back in the day, I wanted to be an Irish and this shit. I had braids, and he was like, the first thing he worried about was, like, you going to cut your hair? And I was like, shit, I'll cut this shit right now. I don't give a fuck about this hair. If you're going to play me. If you're going to play me, I'll cut it today.

I'll cut it right now. Give me some clippers. I'll cut it right now. He was laughing. He was like, oh, I just wanted to make sure. I'm like, I don't care about no hair. Like, this shit can grow back. was laughing. He was like, I just wanted to make sure. I'm like, I don't care about no hair. This shit can grow back.

I was like, I just want to play, coach. All bullshit aside, whoever's your top guard, I'm going to eat them up every day in practice. That's what I'm going to do. Who's the best player

you've ever seen out of Seattle? Who's your favorite player? Jamar Crawford. Hands down. He was doing shit like Rucker Park shit. He's the reason why I went to Rainier Beach Who's your favorite player? Jamar Crawford. Jamar Crawford. Hands down. He was doing shit like Rucker Park shit. You know what I'm saying? He's the reason why I went to Rainier Beach, the high school I went to.

When I see him all in seventh, eighth grade and some of the things he was doing, he was dribbling backwards down the court, turning around, shooting, without looking. He was doing and one mixtapes, falling on the ground, dribbling, throwing down, no look. We're like, who is this guy? Who is this? Right, grew up right down the street from the hood, like in the hood. I was like, and then my whole family went to Garfield where B Roy was. My mom, my aunts, everybody. And I was like, I was enrolled there, but I was on the waiting list.

And I told my mom back in the day, like South End versus the city. There was like, you know, a lot of beef, people fighting, gun violence, all that other bullshit. I was like, mama, I'm trying to run and protect myself every day from school because I live in the South. So I'm not doing that, bro. I'm gonna walk to school, I'm going to Rainier Beach. Like, Jamal's down there, so.

And then I thought, shit, if I'm guarding him every day, I know I can lock up anybody else if nobody else is doing this. So he asked me every day in practice, watch out, I'm guarding. Pick him up full court. He's hated. You know that close name? He's four years older than me.

So my freshman year. You said you're a high energy guy. You like to pick people up full court, harass them. Who's a guy that you played against that did that to you? Man, Lindsey Hunter. So when I, when he was on his way out, he was on his way out when I was in the league, but when I saw him, and people didn't want to fuck with Lindsey Hunter, they was like, he

was with your ass too. So I was like, oh yeah, I gotta be like this guy. Pest, you know, guys that just don't give a fuck. I was like, all right, I need to be that type of player. So when I came in the league, I just was doing the same thing. And I knew that guys in the NBA, they were just, I won't say Hollywood, but they wanted to just hoop. They didn't want to deal with a guy that picked up full court.

I remember the first time when I played against Gil, I was like, I'm going to pick his ass up full court. Gil just passed the ball and then got the ball back later and with the iso. And what to work on is like, he was the first person I ever seen give somebody 40 in three quarters and sat down the whole fourth. When he did that to Marbury, they was going at each other, but when he did that to Marbury and I was like, I see this guy every day, I was like, he got to be one of the colors I've ever seen.

And I was like, damn, he gave Marbury 43 in three quarters and sat the whole fourth. I looked at Maul like, bro, he's that nice? He was like, yo, nice. I remember we had that conversation. I was just about to bring that up. I was just about to bring that up. My coach was on my ass about shooting and I stopped shooting. So this is funny, this story.

We're playing in the barn, right? And he was like, you got Nate. I'm like, fuck away. Maul, Barry, you had Maul, Barry, you had Bear, you had Jamal, we had, shit, Steve Francis. Jalen Rose was on that team. Jalen Rose was on that team. I remember that team. So I'm like, cool, I'm not worrying about the old heads, right?

So it's like, you got my eyes, my mother, I got a match, right? So, late, boom, swing, and I close out. He didn't do nothing. Pass the ball. Yeah, my coach is on my ass about, you do a shoot. You do a highlight. You come down, right? Move.

I'm like, ah. Pass the ball. Right? I ain't going to say nothing. I'll wait until after the game. Hey, young fella, come on, man. Because I was in my head because my coach was like, you know, pass the ball, all you do is want to shoot.

I'm like, bro, I'm not a point guard, dog. I'm sorry to tell you, I'm not the one. You got that guy at 20 million, this guy. Those are the guys that are supposed to pass the ball, not me. I'm in here trying to get buckets and cause havoc. That's what you asked me to do. I'm doing what you asked me to do. And he was telling me to stop shooting.

So when he told me to stop shooting, I literally stopped shooting. I remember one time I had a fast break. Dude was chasing me. I dribble it down. I pass it. I was offended. I was offended. He was hot.

I was offended because I was mentally ready for the battle. I got a little tiger over there. I got to give him all I want. And it's like, what's going on? Yeah, and I never told you this because I never got a chance to, but I was like, you changed my whole trajectory in my career after we talked that day. Because when you told me, you was like, you got to play the way you how you got here and play your game. If they don't like it, fuck them.

And when he told me that, I was like, you know what, he right. Fuck that. Fuck them. If they don't like it, fuck them. Like, and I just, after that, after that game, that's when I just turned to Lou. I'm like, you know what, I'm just gonna play it and do what I'm supposed to do. Forget what he's talking about. Wow. And it changed my whole trajectory. You got some thug up here.

May I? I don't wanna say it was serious though, because you know how you like, you know someone's about to go at your head. Yeah. And he ain't going. I passed him the whole game. I'm cool. And I'm like, what the fuck was that? I remember that head. Yeah. And he ain't going. I pass him the whole game. I'm cool.

And I'm like. I remember that shit. What was that? Like, oh, no, no. Like. May I? Of course. Why you supposed to come at me?

Because, you know, yesterday. Oh, God. I got to give flowers. Yes. Flowers is due. I come bearing flowers, right? Nate has always been one of the greatest small men, but also greatest basketball players to ever play, right? Nate has always been one of the greatest small men, but also greatest basketball players to ever play, right?

I appreciate that. And we was at pre-draft camp together. We was roommates. You told me some gems about how to cheat the scale and how to- Oh yeah, how to get higher. Oh, you remember that? Yeah, I remember all that shit. My dad was telling me that shit. He told me a lot of shit early on, right? Yeah.

But aside from that three-time dunk champ, you know, I always look back to the 20-year game you had in New York and how they tried to put the muzzle on you and stop your greatness, right? And aside from you being a pest, aside from you being, you know, a lot of niggas' worst nightmares on the defensive side, your game offensively, what you did in Chicago, what you was doing in Boston, like the things that you've done, I think a lot of kids need to go back and understand like how IT became IT.

Right. Being able to get that pass of being so small, but having game, right? It's not just about you having energy and none of that. Like you really gave buckets, you played defense and you played the game the right way. You know what I'm saying? And I always wanted to give you those flowers and be like, yo, you was never dismissed as a hooper, as a nigga that can really, really, really hoop. You know what I'm saying? And you was a part of my class. So I seen you do shit that's like niggas has never seen. Like half court, throw between the legs, the shit you was doing at Duck Contest. I seen you do it in Tim's. Rob Markman, Right.

Rob Markman, And jean shorts, like Nike camp, boom, boom. Between the legs, ah, I'm like this nigga, like what is going on? So I just wanted to make sure you knew that shit is not overlooked for the guys who really know who. Like Nate Robinson ain't no slouch. Rob Markman, I appreciate that bro, real talk. But they don't really be trying to give me the credit that I deserve, too, over the years of just playing and, you know, being a little guy, bro.

We get looked over and, oh, I want that guy. Oh, I want that guy. I was like, yep. I said, as long as I get on the court, I'm going to show you. Oh, man. I said, I'm not really going to trip about where I'm picked. Coach, when you put me in, when I get in the game, you're going to know the difference and you're going to see the temples are going me in, when I get in the game, you're going to know the difference and you're going to see the temples are going to turn

up when I get in the game. And that's something I was telling my son, too, because he's battling that same thing, being a little guy and my son can hoop, too. He's out there dunking, doing windmills, throwing shit off the glass, and I'm like, damn, the apple don't fall too far from the tree. And watching him hoop and do everything he's good at, everything.

All my kids, they all can play and I'm like, I'm sorry I didn't give y'all height, bro. That's the one thing that I wish I could give y'all. I should have dated somebody six feet. Daddy should have been fucking with the volleyball, softball girl. You feel me? I should have been smart enough, but I was going for the thick little things. Shouldn't have been, but it's cool.

God bless me with the right one. Thank God I got the most beautiful kids. For them, I'm like, man, this is going to make you just work harder, bro. Being a little dude is an advantage. I tell people, I'm like, bro, we don't got to worry about sitting no first class. We can sit regular. We can sit regular.

Everywhere we go, we can be comfortable. We're not worried about people looking up. I'm like, how tall are you? Good. They look at me, oh, bro, you're not as short as you look. I'm like, bro, because I be around giants all the time, bro. I'm a little dude.

Yeah, they look. They be trying to size me up. I'm like, bro, listen. You can play. You got heart. You ain't got it. You good. I'm telling kids right now.

You got heart. You got passion. You believe in yourself. You can do anything. You won the dunk contest quite a few times, and those were like classic crazy dunks. Even at your size, it doesn't matter. Tell me what is your favorite in-game dunk,

and was it on somebody or just? My in-game dunk, one of my favorite in-game dunks was a follow-up that I had against Houston. I knew you was going to say that. Jamal. Jamal came down the court and shot some wild shot, and it went off the backboard on the other side, and I grabbed it from my hip, and I put it back and dunked it.

You can see everybody's face on. Houston's standing up. He's like, bro, bro. One of my teammates was like, bro, you got to hang on the rim longer. I'm like, what you mean? He was like, because you guys, Steve Francis, you got to let everybody know that was you that dunked it. I was like, oh, okay, word.

Yeah, all right. You know, I'm learning little tricks and stuff. So that was one of my favorite in-game dunks that I've done. But one that I've seen, probably Vince Carter got all the coolest in-game dunks ever, man. Like, going baseline. Like, he made it cool to want to have hops. He was one of the first dudes that I was like, bro, I want bounce, bro. Yeah, having jumpers, cool.

That didn't come until later. Guys wasn't really showing that they really had a clip until it got later on. But guys wanted bounce. Bounce was like, if you had bounce, you was cool. When I was growing up, they had Rod twins that were dunking and going crazy. Yes, bro. Rodrick. Rodrick a lot of twins that were done crazy. Listen, them two were so cold and whatever they were doing, I was like, I got to be able to do what they're doing. So that's how I learned. I learned from them.

I thought they were the only way they were. They were number two and three. Yes, LeBron. LeBron. Falls already. Yeah. They're nasty. They're like your height. Maybe a little taller than you, but game both twins.

Both twins. They were there. They were there, height, maybe a little taller than you, but game. Both twins. They both twins. They were there, but they were better than the Cravens twins. They had two twins, but one of the Cravens, I feel like it dropped off at that point. Yeah, but them two was cold. Our high school team, we were like number one and two in the country in scoring. Y'all went state that year? We went state that year and then two years after, so three years in a row. I remember my dad, Marcus Johnson, he was broadcasting the game.

Oh, that's your pops? Yeah. But he came back just talking about that y'all whole crew and what y'all were doing. That's what I'm saying. We had social media back then when we were in high school. We'd been famous before we even touched any court. Yeah, for sure.

Yo, is Marvin Williams from here? Yeah, he's from Bainbridge. We had to catch a little ferry. Yeah, yeah. I just remember him. I remember watching him play. Yeah, but he was Rob Markman, Jr.: Yo, is Marvin Williams from here? Rob Markman, Jr.: Yup, he's from Bainbridge. You gotta catch a little ferry though. Yeah, yeah. I just remember him. I remember watching him play. Rob Markman, Jr.: Yeah, but he was playing soccer and shit. He was athletic. I'm not saying... I remember watching Marvin Williams play.

I was in eighth grade. I was playing in the Vegas. Rob Markman, Jr.: He was killing it. He was on his squad. And when he came from here, we're like, is that the same Marvin? We had to question, is that the same Marvin from Bainbridge? We got to catch the ferry? He went number two? We were like, hold on, he went number two off the bench? Rob Markman, Jr We got to catch the ferry. He went number two?

We were like, hold on, he went number two off the bench? He got to catch the ferry. I was like, oh, he caught. He got me caught with him. You got to tell him about the hops, though, bro, because what you told me about the hops, right? Because he was so crazy how he was telling me, right? It was one thing about the trick about that.

Your reach. So when you go to NBA to do your reach and stuff, and my dad was like, go to your son. don't show him how long your arms really are. You got to just act like your arms are not that long. Just put them up long enough, high enough, whatever. So then your vert is higher. It looks like you're jumping even higher than what you really are. And your wingspan, when you're doing your height, standing straight up tall, whatever,

show him, kind of lean back. My dad was telling me tricks and I was telling him, I said, you know what I'm saying, standing straight up tall, whatever, and show them, kind of lean back. My dad was telling me tricks and I was telling him, I said, that's what I'm doing. Rob Markman, Jr.: Bro, you're crazy. Rob Markman, Jr.: I'm making all the records. I'm making all the records. I was like, bro, I'm doing all that. Rob Markman, Jr.: Not only that, he had this thing, because I'm being this nigga roommate, right?

So he'd be in the shower and steaming, but he wouldn't be in the shower, he was just like running the water. It's like running and steaming and steaming. And I'm like, bro, you ain't going, what you doing? He's like, nah, just relax. Go in there. But he's in the, he's in the, he's in the room doing calf raises.

In the steamy room? Nah, the room ain't steamy, but the bathroom's steamy. Then he run in there, five minutes, come on back out. I'm like, yo, what did you do? He was like, that's how I got my hops. Yeah, warmed up. He got my hops. So he was warming up his calves to go in there so the steam would absorb that and help his muscles. And then I would see him like jump and I'm like, yo, this nigga is not only cheating on the fucking inches,

but he's actually... That's creative. Yeah, that's creative. Man, I'm talking about explosive type shit. So, like, that always had me like, Nate has got the advantage over everybody. Not just the little niggas, but us was trying to figure out how to get our hops. And I'm like, okay, that's it.

That's it. The funny part about now, now they're using... See, that'll hurt players now on reach. So like I asked somebody, I said, yo, why didn't Bates, I said, why didn't Bates, his height versus his wingspan was little. Yeah, but that's how all the kids are making players anyway in 2K.

You're making them long with the short arms so they can shoot better. But that's what I'm saying. It's arm reach. Watch that. You can put the ball in the basket. What does that matter? I hate when they do all the analytical bullshit that don't mean nothing. Y'all say that shit for 2K.

Say it up. Say that for the race. You put jump ball in front of a lot of guys that can hoop. You ain't worried about how long his arm is on, how fast he can get from here to there. Is he going to play or is he not? When he lock up, can he hoop or not? Yeah, that's all that matters. You know what I'm saying?

I hate the ones where they say, especially at this age, oh, he's a volume shooter. Volume? Yeah. What the fuck does that mean? I don't know, but he needs 25 shots to be good. Because there's some guys that don't need that many shots to be good. Yeah, he needs to shoot a lot to be good. At 19, cool.

What the fuck does that got to do with a career? Once he learns how to put the ball in the basket at a high level, he becomes better. I'll take the guy who's shooting value because he has the mindset. From there, I can make the shot damn perfectly. Rob Markman Yeah, right. Rob Markman But you say, oh yeah, we don't want him because he's a valuable shooter. Y'all acting like he's 29, like this is fucking prime someone. Everybody's a valuable shooter until they learn how to put the ball in the basket.

Rob Markman Yeah. Then you'd be an efficient shooter. Rob Markman Then you'd become an efficient shooter. Rob Markman Yeah, that's what you want to be efficient. You don't want to be a valuable shooter. Rob Markman But an 18, 19-year-old, how efficient are you? Rob Markman But a kid still learning, like 18, 19, you're still in college supposed to be. Rob you'd become an efficient shooter. Yeah, that's what you want. You want to be efficient. You don't want to be a volume shooter. But an 18, 19-year-old, how efficient are you supposed to be? But a kid still learning. Like, 18, 19, you're still in college supposed to be.

Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm saying. You're just getting out of high school. You're supposed to be learning. I know. You're still supposed to be learning. Like the one twins. I like them.

The Amon Thompson. Oh, my God. They cold. Listen, they can. When I say hoop, when I look at hoop, I say, okay, them little motherfuckers can go. They go. They play defense. They're competing against you. You got to see the board they made and motherfuckers can go. They go. They play defense. They're competing against you.

You got to see the board they made and what they did to even make the league. That's crazy. That's how – those are the stories you want to hear. I want to see kids say that. Like, oh, yeah, me and my brother did this. I'm competing against him. He's competing. They're always going to be good that way.

You're always going to push yourself to be the best. And even if they played in an overtime league that didn't have much competition, and they're showing that they can play amongst the greats. What's so funny, they said those two really stopped playing because it wasn't as competitive for them. Yep. They only train with each other. That's lit.

They only train with each other. It's like, well, we have some blessing to dominate for them. So we're just going to push. That's lit. Yeah, I like I like that. I like them to it. They're going to be they each other. Yeah, that's lit. Yeah, I like that. I like them two. They're going to be nice. When you look around the league, what other players are you impressed by, young guys, that you're watching now?

Let me see. I like, what's your boy from Philly, the guard? Maxie. Yeah, I like him. I like him. He's pretty decent. Like, solid, solid player. You got? Yeah, I like him. I like him. He's pretty decent. Solid player.

You got the young guy. You got the Jokers. The Jokers is cold. I'm fucking with Joker right now. He tearing people up. He doing everything. What was that guard? I know you would like that.

What was the guard? Was it Kansas State? Oh, you talking about the market? Noble? Noble? Yeah. Noble. Yeah. Little Mr. New York. You like him? Noble, Noble, Noble. Yeah, Noble, yeah.

Little Mr. New York. You like him? Yeah, I like Mr. New York. I wish he had a little bit more bounce. Yeah. Because once it all being able to finish, because that's the thing

I've seen in the tournament that was hard for him to finish at the rim. Because he can do the, you know, pulling up and the dimes, the New York ball. That's swag.

Y'all like that. But I wish he had more going, more grit, not being afraid to get in there. Like how I was finishing. I was like, you got to learn how to finish at the basket. Like my dad wasn't, my dad was like, he wouldn't let me shoot my threes.

You shoot threes after you work out. But we're going to mid-range. And if you get to mid-range, nobody's going to be able to stop you. Because you're maybe getting, you can stop in the middle. You're going to go to the hole and finish because you want to dunk on people. So it's going to be easy. You just got to finish. But we're going to work on, I've worked on mid-range i worked on come out pick and roll and then i shot threes later

like later on i didn't really shoot these in high school like that i did all my was pull up to the hole dunking having fun and when i got i think my third year when i got to college my shot got better over time and just my junior year that's when i really focused on it and i remember shooting like 45 from the fifth from three 50 from the field so i was solid and i just started working on my my three ball when i was going to the league i was all right i got to knock this three down and that's what i just that's all i focused on all summer i didn't do no pick and roll nothing all i did was straight shooting shoot every day i woke up in the morning i just wanted to go shoot shoot shoot shoot and i was like that's the last one thing i was missing i was like once i get that and then i'm gonna be a

part and i'll be able to survive however many years i need to play so we knew about you on the west coast obviously pack terms you had our respect i remember scouting reports like yo i think even first time we played you like it's gonna be the second when you see him out there but he's beating he's getting to the ball he's doing all types of stuff but i think about that tip jam with North Carolina State. Rob Markman Oh man, B Royce miss. Yeah. That kind of put me on the map.

Rob Markman Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Rob Markman Because a lot of people out there didn't know, if you guys could just be in my shoes and just listen to what people say about guys being short and all, some vicious shit, like real vicious. You'd be like, damn, you guys are cold. Fans are cold. Yeah. And then when you do something like that, it shuts them up

and they're like, they've never seen some shit like that before from somebody so little. You know, it's like, you know,

then it's a stamp. I stamp myself and let people know like, yo, I'm here to play and I'm here to compete. That was my thing.

I wanted to compete against the best. I didn't care who you were. Like, when I came out in the league and I was working out, I was trying to work out with the chris pauls they were they were taking no workouts with me i was trying to work out with raymond films all the guys that were way before me i was trying to work out with all of them i've seen a couple of

them a couple times and you gotta ask what i did and it was it wasn't that nice i made them understand like what training and working out one-on-one with me was about. I was like, yeah, I'm going to show you guys because I'm not taking no L. I need to show you all, yeah, I could have been number one draft pick if I was 6'2", 6'1". Like, easy. To me, I'm looking at them like, y'all just looking at my height. Rob Markman He only says 6'2", 6'1". He ain't 6'6".

I don't know. I need to be that. I need to be there. That's enough. I need to be there. Number one, 6'2". Number one, 6'2". 6'1". If I was CPing them guys' height, man, it would have been over. It would have been over. Because I know how I was bringing it.

And then they wouldn't have labeled me as just a football guy or whatever. Because when I got drafted, all they showed was my football highlight. They didn't show really. They showed a couple of dunks, but they showed all my football shit. I was like, that's deceiving, bro. Why y'all show that? I'm like, no, no, don't show that. Like, show my hoop skills.

I think sometimes when you see football players, like, get drafted, right? It just lets you know how gifted the person is. Yeah, you see Iverson, you got Tony Gonzalez. You know what I'm saying? You got different guys that could hoop. You know what I'm saying? And it was, for us, we just, you know, we just want something to do. We want to show guys that we can, you know, you can do both.

Because people say, oh, yeah, can basketball players play football? It depends on what type of build you are. You know, what type of, are you physical? Because there's different guys like Westbrook. I would love to see Westbrook play safety. What? And if he's physical and he ain't scared to hit, then he's probably one of the best safeties to ever play the game.

You know what I'm saying? Different guys that played, Bledsoe, could have been a cold running back or whatever. You know what I'm saying? The guys that are strong with big physique, then they can play the game. You know what I'm saying? They can play football. Linebacker? I played quarterback.

Quarterback was serious. You look like a linebacker though. I look like one now. He's a now. Back in the day he was skinny back in the day. He looked like one now. Yeah, he's a now. Back in the day, he was skinny back in the day. He looked like one now. So, you know, when you look at the league now versus when you play,

what are the biggest differences that you see? We were talking about this a little bit before the show. Everybody got multiple coaches, multiple trainers. I know you talked about back in the day, you had to pay a kid to come rebound for you versus what it looks like now. So, you know, what difference do you see on the court and with the preparation? I mean, it's a little softer, for sure. No, I'm just saying because when we play, like,

the guys that were getting the calls were the guys like Iversons, the guys that you had to really, like, you couldn't really touch. You know what I'm saying? Like, guys that were creative, like, good, that knew how to foul, you know, get the foul, get the lay. Like, we weren't, like, we wasn't built on the, like, we didn't, I don't know, flopping. Flopping just came, what, last 10 years?

Yeah, 10 years. Yeah. Kevin Harris. Yeah, he was a flopper. Yeah, he was a flopper. Oh, he was so annoying. Genova used to flop, too. But, damn, like, when did they be,

every time somebody get hit in the arm or they neck going back like they getting murdered or something, they're getting these free throws, I'm like, bro, like, that's not hoop to me. Like, bro, I would be mad at somebody doing that. Like, bro, just hoop, dog. You trying to get a foul? And go to the free throw line to say that, like, to say you're killing,

because you're shooting 20 free throws? Yep. And you only got, you only made four shots the whole game? You're four for 17 with 25 points? Like, bro, that's not, you're not hooping? Not hooping. You know what I'm saying? People, they see that, oh, man, this kid had this many points.

But I say, how many shots did he take? How many shots did he make and how many did he take? Like, you guys got to be more. Are we talking about efficiency? Are we just talking about getting them up and just thinking that you're hooping? It's just trying to get the numbers. Deceiving what y'all doing. That's what I'm saying, just deceiving.

So what are some of the things about today's game that you do like that's better than when you played? Just how guys building these kids, bro. They're more athletic. They're more athletic. They're just way better now. You know what I'm saying? Guys like you see LeBron when he came up. Oh, my God, we ain't going to never see this again.

Now we're seeing that shit every fucking year. Guys that can play like that, can move, can shoot. Guys that are shooting, like you said, way better than what they were when they first came in. It's getting crazy. It's getting scary. And social media. Yeah. Social media is the biggest thing.

I mean, if social media was, like, today, if you were doing a dunk contest, social media today, it'd be crazy. It'd be, you know, it'd be crazier. Especially the creativity of how they, like, moves they do, the things that they can think of, right? Yeah. Wasn't, like, the jump stop with jump stop and then that extra step?

That was a travel. That was a travel. That was a travel. They don't try that no more. That's done. That's done. You can actually take two steps now. LeBron did that shit.

He started doing that hop step and then taking two steps and then dunking off of coming down from a jump step. I'm like, bro, after this, you got to go up. They're taking two more steps. It's crazy. That gather they like to say. Gathering. Nah, I ain't with that.

That was creative. The zero step. like the concept of it, right? What was the one? Off the two step or off the one? The zero step where you bounce and step at the same time. And then you catch it. Then it's one, two. Oh yeah. It's like pow.

I seen James Harden do a double Euro step and everybody thought he traveled and then they watched it again and he didn't travel because he did the move, Euro step, caught it, then Euro stepped again. And everybody stopped and was like, bro, what did he just... We didn't know what he did. And he was like, then we watched it again and he was like, this dude just did a double Euro step way before his time. He did it as the move, caught it, and then did it again. And they were like, ooh, a travel. They were like, travel.

They didn't know what it was until they slowed it down. And they were like, wow. So people are being more creative now. You know what I'm saying? Back in the day, I watched A.B. Johnson. I watched film and just how the old games come on. I watch them.

This shit is boring. Like, bro, A.B., they're backing up. He don't want to shoot. I'm like, bro, you wouldn't have lasted in our league. We would have been tearing him up. I'm like, bro, he's been 20 years doing this? Get out of here, bro. Get out of here, bro. I'm like, he's been 20 years doing this? Let me get out of here, bro. Let me get out of here, bro.

I'm like, bro, no. That's the end of it. The only thing we had was like, N1 mixtape back then. Yeah, back in the day. That was the only thing we had. And then y'all mixtape when y'all was doing it. Y'all were from N1. VHS though.

Yeah, VHS. Back in the day. Phone 99. Please be kind and rewind. You got to rewind that. Straight from Foot Action. I got to ask the question though to rewind. Straight from foot action. I got to ask the question, though, right?

Straight from foot action. As far as, you know, you being one of the guards that changed the game for the little man, right? Like, literally, you changed the game. Between you and Isaiah, right, the matchup has always been a conversation of, like, who would win the matchup. Isaiah already said he would win. He don't care. He didn't say he would beat me. He didn't say he wouldup. They already said he would win. He didn't say he would beat anybody. He didn't say he would beat anybody. He said anybody.

He asked him anybody from his town. He said anybody. Of course, listen, it's always going to be that he feels that. But what Zeke don't understand is that if I'm Nate Robinson back when I played in my – bro, you're going to have to pick up the full court. He hated playing against me. Ask him. Regardless of how much he wanted to say he was better or whatever,

he hated to play against me because, you know, I'm not playing that shit. I'm not playing that shit. He knows that. He knows that. Just as much as you can shoot, I'm going to dunk on you. Yes, I'll dunk on you. You want to do this and be shooting? You're going to have to cook me to literally get

any shot you want. That's not happening. Right. Wow. And he knows that. Why y'all never caught a fake? Like never? That's just the age.

No, we played against each other many times in hoops and runs and stuff. We get the best of each other. We play, but I don't... I'm telling you what I'm saying. This is all fun and games, but we played in the league and the games. I told my coach, I'm not playing right today. I told my coach, he's on the my coach, I'm not playing right today. I told my coach, he's on the other side, I'm not playing right. He's going to go down and score, I'm shooting the ball.

Don't look for me to play the right way today, coach. It is what it is. And I don't care about winning, losing, none of that. I'm cooking here. Go back to the games and watch and feel. It's Tacoma, Seattle, it's personal. It's like that. It is.

It is. This is an unwritten rule in the NBA, right? You get traded. You get traded to a team. When your team comes back, it's already on the floor. I'm not myself. I'm not myself. I got traded.

The next game, I played the team. I played the Knicks. The very next day. I got traded one day, and then the next day they came to Boston and we played them. I had like 13. We won, but I was just like, yeah, where am I? I want to show y'all. Y'all traded me. Okay, yeah, it's popping.

I want to show you why. I don't care if I miss 100 shots. I'm going at every guard person. At the edge of my score, I'm looking at the bench. It's not personal to my teammates. All to the coaches. All to the coaches. Coaches are a big reason why a lot of guys

don't blot them to be who they're supposed to be. Talk about it. It's the coaches, bro. They put you in these cages. You know what I'm saying? I've been a part of it many times, bro. I've been in the doghouse for no reason. I'm not going to say I wasn't a problem child. I wasn't a little kid. I was a growing up when I first came to the league.

I mean, I was like, shit, it's NBA, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. You know, I'm a kid, 20 years old, coming out from, like, I don't know how to act. You know what I'm saying? I'm learning, I'm a new father. Like, bro, I'm learning that all this shit is new to me. So I was just like, shit, I'm just happy to be here. I'm happy every day. Man, we losing.

Then we got 81 more games, shit. Let's lace them up and let's play again. We lose again, we got to get another one. That's how I felt. Rob Markman, But 20 a game, averaging 20 a game to not like- Rob Markman, But that's where the conversation came from. Rob Markman, That shit is crazy. Rob Markman, When I'm watching it, I'm like, well, hold on.

Nah, I'm going to take you didn't shoot but going forward. God damn it. Don't do that. No, don't do it. No more to come at me. He'll let me know how to play defense like that. That was a thing. He was so mad.

It was like, bro. Don't do that shit again. I was like, all right, but Ryan was no more. I was like, you are my favorite. I watched you packed in, you know, I told him I was like bro, my coach be on my ass bro. And I don't know what to do. Well, like he's telling me one thing and tell me another and I'm like, bro, my coach be on my ass, bro, and I don't know what to do. He was telling me one thing and telling me another, and I'm sitting here confused. I said, man, this guy had me feeling like I picked the wrong sport. I want to go play football now.

I want to go hit somebody. Rob Markman, Jr.: Nate, you got to understand this, bro. When we look at the fucking box scores on the plane, we see the DMPs, we see that... That's one thing I knew I was going through when I wasn't playing. I knew you was going through it because I was seeing it. And I'm like, if this nigga Nate at 20 a game is getting this treatment, I don't have a fucking chance in the world. Yeah, that's when me and Will Bottom got close.

Because he was going through the same thing I was going through on the other side. He was in Detroit. Detroit. Killing niggas. Me and him got real close over the years just talking about our paths and what we had to go through and not getting the opportunity and not getting the chance because we were little guys, bro. They don't respect the little guy and I don't like that, bro.

And it makes me mad because I'm like, I looked at Zeke and what he did averaging 29. The last person to do that was Iverson and he was unstoppable. Yep. And you guys are just going to label him not wanting to give him his bread because he's a little guy. I said, bro, that speaks volumes. It's disgusting to me. Like, in a sense, it's not even cool.

Like, you guys are really putting this man because his parents are short, and he a short dude. And then now you guys are just going to. It has nothing to do with hoop. Nothing to do with basketball. Just let him hoop and do what he's supposed to do, and then you see what he do. You know what I'm saying? Like, then you see where the chips fall. Pay the man and do what he's supposed to do. And then you see what he do. You know what I'm saying? Then you see where

the chips fall. Pay the man to do what he's supposed to do. Just like when I came up, I'm like, I just want an opportunity to show I can play. So when I got to Chicago and everybody was hurt, I was like, oh, they got to play me. They got to play me. Now, no matter what I do, no matter what, I was like, cool. I came to practice, worked hard, did everything

Tim's asked. I never missed a practice. I never missed a preseason game, postseason game, playoff, whatever. I did everything Tiff asked. I never missed a practice. I never missed a preseason game, postseason game, playoff, whatever. I did everything. That was the one season I played everything without being hurt, nothing. And I showed them. I was like, I want to show y'all I can play. I'm not going to sit here and go back. I'm not going to be dunking hella.

No, I want you guys to see that I can play basketball. That was my best complete season I played in the league. That was the one time I got to actually play and not be a guy, Nate, going to score. Just going in and get the crowd pumped. Like, they was using me for, like, emergency purposes. Oh, push it. Break the glass.

Nate, go in there. I'm like, I can really go play and go for 30 if you guys really want me to. That's not a problem. I can go do that. Just let me boost it. Go to change the tempo. Go. Exactly.

That's how I used to do it. And it's funny because I used I can go do that. Let me move. You should go to the changing table. Go. Exactly. That's how they move. That's how I used to do it. And it's funny because I used to do shit like this. Like, you know, I used to walk to my coaches and do this. You're going to unlock me. Unlock me. Unlock me. Turn your lock on, boy.

I'm going straight in. Give the crowd up. Like, you know what's about to go down. When I get in the game, I'm turning up. Like, I used to go to my coaches. They'd be laughing. They'd be like, no, do that. Unlock me.

Unlock me. Turn your lock on. Turn your lock on. I let me out. I got the shackles off. Now it's time to move. That's fucking great. Now it's time to go to my coaches, and they'd be laughing. They'd be like, no, do that. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it.

Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it.

Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. Don't knock it. That's fucking great.

That's sick. That's fucking great. That's tough. I used to do that. Let me out. I can see it. Let me out. Let me out.

Let me out, coach. No, because, no, it was a story when me and B. Jennings went at each other. I ended up getting him kicked out of the game because I was getting under his skin, fucking with him, right? We did chat about that. So one game, we were going back and forth, but he came in the fourth and was killing. And I was on the bench, he was like,

get the game, nigga, he was talking shit to me. He was like four or five threes in a row. I was doing my little swing, he was flying on me and shit. I said, come put me back in the game right now, put me back, I'm hot. So they won the game and we played them the next day again. We had to fly them to Milwaukee. Took them to Milwaukee, yeah.

But in the paper, he was like, man, Lil' Nate know not to get me mad. So I was like, all right, B. I said, all right, cool. So then it was turn up time. So my teammates were all talking shit. We playing tomorrow. What you want to do?

I was like, watch. So I said, watch. So then when the warm up came, you know, you have to take that long ass walk. And then they were warming up right there when you walked in. I bumped him. I was like, yeah, it's personal today, B. Real personal today. I was talking shit to all the time. I said, I'm at his ass today. He said, he busted our ass yesterday., yeah, it's personal today, B. Real personal today. I was talking shit to all the time.

I said, I'm at his ass today. He said, he busted our ass yesterday. I said, it's on today. I remember that. I went at his head, bro. I remember that. Yeah, that was good. Got to keep down the game.

We ended up winning. And I was like, I told you. I said, I'm not playing. He got me. He got me. I didn't do that again. It was lit. It was so much fun to go back and forth.

The thing was, I was warned early because Marquise Daniels and Monte was like, yo, I'm just letting you know right now, Nate out there getting ready for you. I'm like, I'm on my whole move chain. I'm like, I just deal with what I'm going through. Rob Markman, Jr.: No, he did. He had 34. I remember the pay-as-you-go. When I say killing, he got cooking and then nobody could stop him.

He was come out picking raw. It just left me. Rob Markman, Jr.: He was in Chicago. Yeah, that shit was lit. That was a good little rival right there. That shit was lit. I was back and forth. I got kicked out. I was like, this motherfucker.

He was talking shit. What did he do to get you kicked out? I was just fucking with him the whole time. Grabbing him. Yeah, because he didn't start. He came off the bench though. I think he hit me with a back door. I got it dunked. He was like, though. I think he hit me with a backdoor. Oh. I got it dunked. Yeah. He was like, ooh.

I was like, and you know, Milwaukee, we're playing against Chicago, so they fans are coming to you. So I'm like, I'm hearing all, I'm like, here we go again. Like, another D-Rose. I had a blast with him today. So, yeah. That shit was lit, bro. I had a blast that game.

Yeah, those were battles, man. Those were good battles. So you're a best year in Chicago playing for Tibbs. I hear different stuff about him and his relationship with players, but what was that experience like for you playing with him? How successful do you think you'd be in New York with this squad? I mean, I think I'd be highly successful. Tibbs opened up a different mindset for me as a player.

He had me really, you know, being a student of the game, you know, like watching film and, you know, knowing the plays and knowing what to do. So when I was in the game, know like watching film and you know knowing the plays and knowing what to do so when i was in the game it was everything was just off field i didn't have to worry about nothing and worry about making a mistake or doing whatever i was hoping and i just ran the team and he made me comfortable with you know everything we did because we literally did the same thing every day we go over our defensive you know principles we go we just everything was defense offense we ran you know guys he said god office it fluctuates you're going to make shots you're going to miss shots but one thing that can't change is our way we rotate the way we talk on defense and that was the difference we had guys like joe kim noah and lal dang jimmy but we had defensive guys that could play offense and anybody

can get hot at any time then we had guys like rip hamilton the og that can come in and just we just needed him to score come off curls and we're gonna feed you the ball you know we have we had guys like Rip Hamilton, the OG that can come in and just, we just needed him to score, come off curls. We going to feed you the ball. You know, we had, we had our set guys that we, that we had that worked for us. And, and like we had a decent scene. They had, they had us pick last in our conference and all that. We ended up making the playoffs and going to the second round, losing to Miami. But that, that, that, that group was special.

I was hoping they was going to bring me back. So then D Rose come back that year. And then now they got me come off the bench when D-Rose started. That would have been perfect. You know what I'm saying? But they didn't want to give a chance. Oh, we don't have enough money for you. We just paid. I said, bro, stop it. You don't got to, you guys didn't even offer me. You didn't know what I was going to take. To me, 25 million is a lot of fucking money, bro. You don't know like, you don't know what I would take. So don't say what was...

That's just a cop-out. So then it was cool, which I was like, all right, then I had to go settle for Denver for some bullshit. And that was the thing, though, with you, though. You had such value at the time for you to take the one-year deal after that. You took the one year in Denver. I took a two-year deal in Denver.

I just took two years, yep, for $6 million. That was it. So I remember when you took that deal in Denver. I just took two years for a six million. That was it. So I remember when you took that deal, I'm like, man, this thing got to the point where niggas like Nate got to take the two-year. Because I'm thinking, who was it? I think it was Patty Mills that started the take. And they all had come off the bench, and they were comparing different guys. And I'm like, man, I don't.

I said, first of all, I don't count nobody else's pockets, bro. So don't tell me what Patty did. I don't care. They ain't got nothing to do with me. He's a whole different player than I am. You know what I'm saying? I said, he ain't went three times slam dunk contest. He don't put people in the seats like me. Nobody come to watch him play basketball. No disrespect. He's nice as fuck. You know what I'm saying? But nobody's coming to

see Nate Robinson. They're not going to see Patty. They're not going to see Patty Mills. Your jersey is in the stores, bro. You feel me? Like, still today, they're still in the store, still buying the jersey. It's still in there. So I'm like, bro, I don't even hoop no more. And people still, obviously, I watch Nick games all the time.

Number four, I watch Nate Robinson. I don't even got to look. I know. I know for a fact. I know for a fact. I didn't see him in a play. I'm like, oh, yeah, that's Nate Robinson. I know.

That's number four. I know what that is. Like, people know what it is. For me, it was bigger to get the respect like that from the fans. That's why when I was in New York, I was doing shit like going to play at West 4th Street during the season. Like, oh, y'all don't want to play me? I'm going to play in New York Sports Club League, cooking, going for 30s and 40s. Hell, yeah, I did all that.

I did it all. I'm a dead ass. I was going to Harlem. I was going to Rucker. I did all that. I was like,. I'm dead ass. I was going to Rutgers. I did all that. I was like, you guys are not going to stop me from doing what I love. Yeah. Which is, you know what I'm saying?

The people was like, well, how do you be ready for the game? I said, they don't play me. So I get DNP. I'm sitting there waiting. Crazy. Cool. Crazy. Go after the game, get in the shower, go home.

Y'all going home? Yeah. I'm going to go hoop. I'm going to the gym. I'll go to the sports club. That's just open 24 hours. Instead of going to the Knicks facility. Y'all don't want me in there? Man. Certain times? Cool. I'll go to the sports club. That's just open 24 hours. Instead of going to the Knicks facility, y'all don't want me in there?

Rob Markman, Man. Rob Markman, Certain times, cool. I'll go to the sports club. Go to 24 Hour Fitness and go in there and hoop regular guys. Rob Markman, They was kicking you out? They was kicking you out of the- Rob Markman, Not really kicking you out, but they had a time where they stopped having guys go up there because guys were bringing their friends and they was fucking up the

practice facility and doing dumb shit. So they started doing, they stopped doing that. You know what I'm saying? So it was a liability issue. So I was like, I'll and doing dumb shit. So they started doing, they stopped doing that. You know what I'm saying? So it was a liability issue. So I was like, I'll go to the sports club. So I went to the sports club and I was hooping, made friends and met new people and shit. It was cool. It was a vibe.

No, it was really a vibe. It was really a vibe, bro. I was like, this is my garden. I'm going to treat this like this. I had people showing up, playing games, trying to autograph, taking pictures with people. It was cool. It was all love. I would go to Brooklyn to hoop, outside, I would go everywhere. Rob Markman, That's one thing about New York.

Lil Jon, And people was like, man, that's one thing I love about New York. And they were like, man, they's a people person. I said, I am. I just want to hoop. I don't go nowhere, no security, no nothing, be me and my homie. Just one person, bro. I'm here.

Nobody fucking with me. I'm showing love. Like, bro, I just want to hoop, bro. I'm here to hoop. Rob Markman, That's one thing about New York, man. Lil Jon, Y'all want me here, I'm here. Rob Markman, They love it, man. Lil Jon, Yeah, they love that shit.

Rob Markman, That energy just alone makes you just want to hoop every time. Lil Jon, It's so much fun bro like so let's talk about jimmy buzzer a little bit with your teammate gil talks about this a lot he was viewed as a cancer in a lot of the places he went prior to miami but now they go to the finals he's using as a winner so what was your experience like with jimmy butler as a team man i had to bring that out of jimmy man honestly when i was when i was there, I kind of brought that dog out of him because he was only a defensive guy. And I'm like, bro, you're so much better than just being a defensive dude.

But reward yourself when you're playing good D. Reward yourself on offense. You can play, bro. We run the offense, and I'm like, bro, when I pass you the ball, you don't shoot. We're playing four on five, bro. You ain't even trying to be aggressive. Like, I used to have to tell him, like, bro, be more aggressive.

And then, so he used to call me, like, Nate, what you doing? Shit, I'm at the gym right next door to my apartment. I had a little apartment in Skokie in Chicago, and I would go to this, I forgot what it was called, but it was like a 24-hour fitness, and I would go in there and get shots up every day. I wouldn't even go to the Bulls facility. I would just go there. Every day after practice, I would go there and go shoot.

All gym to myself. Nobody in there but me. up every day. I wouldn't even go to the Bulls facility. I would just go there. Every day after practice, I would go there and go shoot. All gym to myself. Nobody in there but me. I'm like, this is perfect. I would go in there and shoot. Jimmy like, what you doing, Nate? I said, I'm at the gym, come pull up. And me and him would just shoot and play one-on-one. And that's one motherfucker that I couldn't beat one-on-one.

The one. Only I beat a lot of good dudes, and he was the one dude I could not beat one-on-one. And we would play and we would shoot. And he'd be like, bro, how do you get in the game and just play so free? I'm like, because it's only a game, bro. I don't care about the reward at the end. I just want to hoop.

I want to compete. I want to show people I love to play basketball. That's what basketball is. It's a game. They take it so serious. It's not even that serious. That's why y'all be scared when y'all get in the moment. I don't get scared in the moments because I enjoy it.

I embrace the time of just having fun playing against the best of the best. I'm like, oh, I heard about him. He's the best. All right, cool. I want to show him who I am. Yeah, I'm tough too. But I just sit back and chill and let you guys get all the love. I'll get it one day.

I'll show him by just doing all the little things. And when Jimmy started to come to my workouts and start to hoop with me and start working on this stuff that I was working on, and my dad gave me gyms growing up, I just did those same things. I didn't have no trainer. I was in the gym working my pull-up, doing that shit a thousand times.

Come out behind the back, pull-ups, transition pull like Chauncey. Pull-up three, I was doing that. I was going, so if I shot the ball and it went on another court, I'd go shoot on another court. Three. Shoot another three on the other court. I'd just keep going until I got tired.

Until I got tired of doing it. Then I might go home. It's time to go home, shoot my free throws, make my 100 or whatever. And I just did my routine. And I was like, I know how to hoop. And I told Jimmy, you do too. And once all that season left, and I went to, wasn't it, that's when he started blossoming offensively. That's when he started turning up more offensively. And I was

like, I kind of gave Jimmy his little push. That's what I think. I think I gave Jimmy his little push. He may not agree to it or not, you know, confess to it, but ask him. I used to go hoop. He used to come and he used to, he used to be a part of my little. We're going to take you out your word. We don't even need to ask. Nah, it's that ass. These are facts. These are facts. So, last question for you. Three-time slam dunk champion.

Dunk contest has been very mid. Do you think it's time for the NBA just to get rid of it or what can they do to make Nah, man. What they need to do, they need to have... They need to just bring in... Every NBA player that's in that league needs to go out and find one, whoever's the best dunker is around the world, and bring them to help them with the dunk contest. I think that that would be kind of cool, kind of like a team buddy thing.

A coach? That will go, not a coach, but you can sub in this guy to go dunk for my points to get to the finals so I can show you what I can do. So it's like, and then just adding them with the dunk. Because there's some, like if you see some of the dunkers on YouTube are so crazy that they will beat every NBA player that's doing dunk contests because what they're doing is, like, they're

really practicing it every day. They're really going into the gym dunking back behind without looking, like, nobody's thinking about doing this in the dunk. Like, because you're not going to do it in a game. Right. But you're not thinking about doing it in a dunk contest. So some of the dunks that I see now, I'm like, damn, I wish I would have been thinking about doing those. I could have did those easy. But you're not thinking about doing that in the dunk contest. So some of the dunks that I see now, I'm like, damn, I wish I would have been thinking about doing those.

I could have did those easy. Do you think if they... This is what I was thinking. If there was an outside dunk contest version, right, and the person who wins it, he is in the dunk contest. Well, that would be kind of fire, too. Now, if he's in the dunk contest, what ends up happening is, because we done watched what he can do- Can do.

Everybody else. Oh shit, I got to really- Bring your A game and study and really, yeah. Did you ever practice any of your dunk? Honestly, I did. I mean, I just... So what we used to do, after we got done hooping, everybody done hooping, we're shooting around, guys start throwing shit off the wall, start doing crazy shit.

So that's when we started to learn how to dunk, after hooping. After we already burnt out, we're throwing the ball, we're trying, everybody's trying dunks and that's how we learned how to do dunk contests and shit. We just started dunking, seeing who can do what. And once I started seeing what other people were doing, I was like, shit, let me just try it. I just started trying. Every dunk that they did, I said, if you can do it, I can do it. So I started seeing what other people were doing. I was like, shit, let me just try it. I just started trying every dunk that they did.

I said, if you can do it, I can do it. So I started doing it. Once I started doing every dunk that they were doing, they were like, man, try this. They were like, nigga, try this one. I'm like, bro, I didn't even thought about that. So then that's when I started learning how to throw off the glass and go between the legs.

I was like, it's all about timing. That's all it is. You jump the high, it's all about time. You can get the timing off of it and all that. You can do almost any dunk. Like the one kid I almost did, you see the one dude from, that's a dunker, influencer, he almost did double between the legs. Like whoever you think about, bro, you're the one.

2K. Twice? That's a 2K shit. And you almost get out of it. Bro, that's crazy. You see Jay Rich's son? He got mount? What?

Which one? The taller one? The taller one. Yeah, the 15-year-old. He's taller than all of them now. He did a 360 over someone. Like you know how you jump over someone? Yes. He did a 360 over.

It started now. It's going crazy. He opened up his legs at the perfect time. Oh my God. Yeah, that's it. It's getting scary out because his dad, you see what he's been doing in the big three. He dunked his head at the rim still. So the two dunk test contests he won, he didn't practice one dunk. I remember it was the art dunk contest. Rob Markman He said that one of y'all said, jump, do it between the legs and just try it.

So I was like, hey, throw it up, how about this, throw it up and then do it. He was like, alright. Rob Markman He was trying to think about calculating it. So he threw it up and then ran to it and then he's like, oh I got to do this? Oh, I got that. Never tried it. Rob Markman That's crazy. I'm like, what? Yeah.

But see, though, that's when the bounce comes where it surprises you. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, when I did my dunk, I was mad when I had to do it 15 times, bro. Because I do it. Yeah, bro, I do that. You did it. I used to walk from the free throw line and do it.

And it was nothing. All the time. And so I'm like, and it was, of course, a lot of people. It's a little different when you're in a different environment. Because that kind of messed me up. Like, damn, there's cameras, people, I gotta make this. I'm too stubborn. I don't care if I don't win. I gotta make this.

I'm gonna do it. I made this too many times not to be able to do it. So I had to finish it, man. I think one dunk that I wish I would have done, put my arm in the ring. I wanted to show people that that's how high I really am when I'm dunking. I wanted that. That was one of my favorite dunks, even though it was basic, but it's harder because being 5'9 doing it,

it looks fake. It looks so fake. It looks so fake. People are like, bro, when they see me, they're like, bro, you jumping out? I'm like, yeah, man. Your mind is like, yeah, man. Well, Nate, we appreciate you taking the time.

Man, any time, man. Thank y'all, bro. I had to come pull up here, man. It was good to see y'all. It was definitely good to see y'all. Gels Arena from the Z-Pen. We out. Peace.

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