Gil's Arena - Jaylen Brown Deserves Better Than Boston

Episode Date: March 21, 2023

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Welcome back to Gil's Arena presented by Underdog Fantasy. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, we got smoke. The most elaborate set in all of sports. We got the legend Gilbert Arenas in the building. Oh, double smoke. We got Brandon Jennings back with freedom. Triple smoke. Josiah Johnson, just give me a baby smoke.

I'll just hit it. All right, there we go. There we go. And we got a lot to get into today. Now, it was a great weekend for some. Shout out to those UCLA Bruins. Jaime and Gabby Hawkins became the first brother and sister to reach the Sweet 16 at the same school. Go Bruins! But some of us didn't even make it to the weekend, though, Gil. Bear down! For what? The Bears got down. I know you watched the game.

How embarrassed were you to see Arizona, the 2C, get smacked by Princeton as a 15th seed? Listen, it happens. It happens in a tournament. That's why they call it the tournament. But I'm not embarrassed. You know, when you're playing against a team like Princeton that has a lot of moving and reacting inside that offense, which I know a lot about because, you know, in Washington, that was the same offense I was in, the Princeton offense. So if you're not disciplined enough for that offense, it will just eat you alive. Yeah.

You know, backdoor, cutting, reacting. You know, it's the same kind of offense that Sacramento was in in the early 2000s. Was it 2003, 2002 with Bibby Nim? Yeah. Yeah, Bibby Weber. That was that offense. Backdoor, cutting, handoff, dribble, reaction.

You know, so you have to be really sound as a defensive team and offense because if they come down and they're milking the clock and waiting for you to get tired and you come down and shoot a shot in six seconds and they come back down, taking 20-something seconds, that will eat you coming towards that fourth quarter, I mean second half. It's the only way nerds can stay in the the game unfortunately. It's a janky thing. My older brother played at UCLA after they won the Natty. They faced Princeton that next year.

He got on the backdoor cut. He had a janky back though so I'll give him that but he threw his back out the weekend before and he's on that final play where dude makes the layup but if his back wasn't janky he would have beat it up. Not to say that we have stellar athleticism, but more than what we're showing on the tape. All right, so now it's time for trust issues. So Jalen Brown gave an interesting interview to the legend Logan Murdoch over at the Ringer that should definitely have Celtics fans concerned with his long-term commitment to the team.

Now, Brown is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2024. And he's taking issue with his name constantly being mentioned in trade rumors. And he's also had some problems with a certain sect of Celtics fans. I'm not going to talk about Celtics fans in general. But, Gil, you've expressed some of those same things. A little too free with the N-word. Now, if you're a black Celtics fan, you say the N-word. It usually has a my in front of it.

But for the other side, it's a hard R. It's a hard R. But Brown had this to say about his future in Boston. I don't know as long as I'm needed. It's not up to me. We'll see how they feel about me over time and I feel about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense, but I will stay where I'm wanted. I will stay where I'm needed and treated correct. I just enjoy the time that you have now. If it's your whole career, it's your whole career. If it's not, it's not. Some of the greatest players of all time haven't finished with their organization. Michael Jordan retired a wizard.

So, question for both of y'all. Gayle, I'll start with you first. Will Jalen Brown stay with the Celtics, or should he make his next move his best move and take his talents to another team? I mean, it all depends on what his journey is after his contract is over. I guess just any time you're being pushed into that trade block, players take it personal.

So, you know, we'll see. You know, it's hard to speak on what he will be thinking when that time comes. So all we can do is just say, we'll see. Yeah, I mean, we'll see. You know, Jason Tatum is the guy though, of that Boston Celtics team. So, you know, at this point, I feel like if they don't get it done,

I think anybody can go besides Jason Tatum. So I think that's why his name is getting brought up. Also, he's a big value player. Like, you know, he has a lot of value. He can go to another team and be the guy, too. So, I mean, you know, we'll just see what Boston wants to do. But if they don't get it done this year, you know, I can see them moving, you know, just breaking that up

because it's, you know, it's just running this course now at this point. You think so? Yeah, I mean, they've been going at it

just for like, what, almost five years now, right? But they're only 24 and 25. And they've been tampering with the Eastern Conference finals for how long?

When I, I think Isaiah Thomas was there when they were there, right? But they were still, but they were only young. That's what's at 24, 25, you give up on it already. It's like five years. I'm oh yes No, I mean this ain't no Shaq and Kobe situation. No, but it's still

24 year old in a 25 year old so it's not like a 29 30 Yeah, but it's two guards It's like I think when does that like, you know Shaq and Kobe was different like cuz you had a big and you had a guard these are two wing guards that one probably feels like he's better than Jason Tatum. And then Jason Tatum feels like he's the guy. So it's going to take... I mean, they haven't even hit their prime yet. That's the sad part, because you don't want to get rid of one of them, and then two years

later he becomes him. That's how young they are. It's like... Does's all we do. Does this feel like a Westbrook KD situation in OKC? Yes. To me? To me? Yeah, to me.

That's why I'm like, okay, now after a while, it's like, okay, so if they don't get it done this year, then what? You going to do it again? See, this is what I don't want to happen, where you leave so many good years on a table, and then you're sitting back there regretting something. Because they're only 24 and 25, you still have, what, seven more years before real decline. You don't want to get rid of that player that early. Okay, well, you can keep those two.

Al Horford's almost gone. Fuck out of here. Okay? I didn't know he was still in the NBA, to be honest. I'm just going to be honest. I thought he was like – He's still getting the check. I thought he was still like on his down end six years ago.

But even if you do keep those two, what else are we getting, though? Like that's still – But that's – Have they actually really had a team besides them two? Has any other player on that team can say, we are the best or top five in our position? I mean, Al Horford was playing like it. I mean, they just went to the finals last year.

I know, I know. But I'm just saying, like, as a big, I mean, I'm just saying for what he still can bring. What position is he playing? Like the four or five, right? So, wait, he's top five? I mean, he was playing something. He was playing up to that part in the playoffs. But you're, I mean, you got a good squad on team.

Robert Williams had knee issues last year, obviously. I mean, Grant Williams is stepping up. Marcus Marver, defensive player of the year. Who you gaming? Come on, man. Fillers! He's a filler for two guards that are supposed to be top, like what, top ten players in the league?

Yeah, you got two top two, but everybody else, that's what I said. That should be enough to win. That should be enough to win. With Al Horford being a great vet, like, you know, he's a good vet. Marcus Smart, like, you got guys, and you've had guys. You need one more. They need one more.

Coming off the bench, I mean, they need one more player. They need one more player. They need one more player. Derrick White with the double wide? They need a nice PG or a nice four or five. That's overkill. We can find a way. You're not going to get rid of Dame and bring back pieces.

It's going to have to be Brown or... One of those two got to go, and it ain't going to be Tatum. So if you're Jalen Brown, obviously Jalen's been associated with Kyrie a lot, been very supportive of Kyrie. Jason Tatum and KD, boys, they work out in the summertime. I think Jalen took exception last summer when the KD news was happening, and everybody was talking about KD to Boston. I guess he jumped on a three-way with Brad Stevens and Jason Tatum to kind of figure

it out. I don't think there's any beef between them particularly. And obviously, if you get a chance to get somebody like a KD, you're going to make that move. But if you're Jalen Brown and you're the I-man out in that situation, are you feeling some type of way about it? In hindsight, yes. It's a side-eye.

It's a side-eye. It's a side eye. It's a side eye. It's a side eye. You're being traded for Kevin Durant. Yeah, but if you're Jalen Brown, right, and you think you're one of them ones, you don't care who it is, right? And he believes he's one of them ones. But that's what I'm saying. So you're being traded for Kevin Durant.

We know that. Imagine being traded for Al Horford. Like, man, that's what all the work is. Al Horford and two picks like that's like whoever gets that trade is like that so you should have took pride being like they traded me for Kevin Durant like that's way I feel like he better than KD I'm telling you they these like listen I know our ego's gotta be high but so listen you being traded you being talked about being traded, you being on a trading block, that means you have value. Yeah, yeah. I wasn't on teams where, you know, we were asking for trades, I can tell you that.

When trade deadlines was coming up, it was like, yeah, we all going to be here. And none of y'all work for shit. We all work for some shit. Nobody want us. You know, so it's, yeah. So put yourself in a position to Jalen Brown, though. You feel some type of way about Celtics fans. You've had issues with them.

Like I said, your name has been mentioned tons of times in trades, which has got to wear on you a little bit whether it happens or not. Like, damn, they don't really, they always looking to see if they can get something better. Imagine you with a chick and you always side-eyeing looking around like, damn, I'm trying to see if they can get something better. Imagine you with a chick and you always side-eye looking around like damn, I'm trying to see if I can get something better. Oh, couldn't, I'll stay with you. Does it come to a point where it's like, well damn, I'm going to go somewhere where I'm

wanted? That's usually how relationships go, right? We all here trying to figure out if we can upgrade. But if you're him, do you think about, I don't even necessarily call it an upgrade, but I want to go somewhere else now where they're going to appreciate me and they're going to treat me like that guy. They're going to treat me like I'm Tatum. At the end of the day, you don't know that until you get there.

They can tell you that they're going to treat you like that guy, and when you get there, you're in the same situation you are before. It's really the relationship between the coach, the general manager, and his teammates. You know, the outside noise is still outside noise. So, you know, you don't really care about who's saying what. If, you know, Tatum's saying it, if the coach is saying it, then that's when the real problem becomes a problem. So, Brandon, you had an experience somewhat like this during your time with the Knicks. Talk about that a little bit.

Oh, that's when Mello had the no trade clause in his contract, but they kept putting it out there every day that he was getting traded. So they kept making things with ESPN and all these guys, Phil and all. They kept putting things out there that he was getting traded. So everybody's just kind of like, you know, you're on eggshells because you really don't know. That's when D. Rose left the team for a day. It was just getting like chaos. So it was like, but the whole time Melo's like, I have no trade clause,

so I don't know why. But we just had to keep answering questions and questions. They were trying to bait him. So I think that's what they're doing. They're trying to bait Jalen Brown to say something. Like, well, you know, if y'all don't want me, then I'll leave. Or, you know, just say something because he's young. So he's playing it right, though.

But, you know, they probably are trying to get him out. They're just trying to bait him right now. And it's always why. What is – I mean, unless there's just something under the hood that we don't know about. Because they haven't got it done, so they got to find somebody to blame. Then blame the coach. Blame whoever's picking the groceries.

Because, I mean, you don't have a full – You do got a new coach in there. What I'm saying, you don't have a full meal. You don't have a full meal. You do have a new coach in there. You don't have a full meal. You don't have a full meal. You got two good pieces. You got a defensive player. That's cool. But where's the offense coming from?

Like, when you're talking about offense, if one player is shut down, where is the rest of the points going to be generated from? You don't have enough weapons. Like, I'm sorry. Like, Marcus Smart was a sixth man. He was a great sixth man. Now he's a starter. That's how weak the team is. But now you've got Brogdon coming off the bench who can start on a lot of teams around the league.

Then he should be starting to put the sixth man back in the sixth. Think about it. It just makes sense. If he was the sixth man, that means who was in front of him that was better, making him come off the bench? The fact that he's a starter means the six-man is even weaker Compared to him, you know, they gave up on Terry Roselle. Yeah Terry they should have kept Terry like that's what they should have kept. Yeah should have kept Terry Scary Terry, that's scary Terry for a reason. Yeah right now, but you know, nobody's at the top is going to say, oh, it was our fault. So they've got to figure out with the players. And since there's two young ones that's top ten players, like, in the league,

let's just blame one of them. I mean, you're talking about a team, though, that was two games away from a championship. By all accounts, this roster has gotten better this season. But you're saying if they don't make that, they've got to make it at least to the finals, right? If they can't get out the East. I mean, yeah, it's kind of like we just, we're in the same, you know, we had a chance last year.

I don't know if they're going to have a chance like that this year. You know, the Bucs, my Bucs are going. Chris Middleton back. He's not where he needs to be just yet, but he's back in the mix. Like speaking of the Bucs, do you see how they added new pieces? Better pieces. Yes. Than the ones that they had before.

Yes. That's the same thing with Boston. They tried, but Gallinari got hurt. You know what I'm saying? That's what's up. But I'm just saying, they tried. Guys didn't make it to the season, though. Okay.

I get it. Well, let's keep this thing moving. It's time to go zero to 100 real quick. Look at these stellar graphics. Appreciate you, Underdog Fantasy. So, after the Mavs-Grizzlies game Monday night, cameras caught Kyrie Irving and Dylan Brooks doing the jersey swap.

The only problem is, Kyrie didn't want Dylan Brooks' jersey and left him hanging like a testy. You see it, ooh Oh the dab. Oh You forgot something. Nope Oh, he gave him his jersey Watch out. It's over to my child. He said you want you want this one guys? Like I reacted after the game said at some point he may want a Dylan Brooks Jersey Kyrie said, ooh, I see. Now, Kyrie, after the game, said at some point he may want a Dylan Brooks jersey. Maybe.

No, no, no. Okay, let's just be honest. Who was the fan and who was the star? Okay, so it's not like Kevin Durant. I mean, it's not like Kyrie said, yo, let's jersey swap. It's the fan saying, let's jersey swap. It's Dylan saying, let's jersey swap. It's the fan saying, let's jersey swap. It's Dylan saying, let's jersey swap. Let's go a feature for a feature. He basically said, yo, can I have your jersey?

And I guess Dylan probably thought that. You can have mine, too. It's like, no, no, no. No, no, no. You keep yours. Here's mine. You can have mine. You can have mine.

I got a full suitcase. I don't need no extra luggage. But what are the chances, 0 to 100, that Kyrie accepts a signed Dylan Brooks jersey? That's on point, Gil. Oh, we have the answer? Zero. Like, I thought silence meant zero. Like, come on.

I need a number. Zero. Yeah, I think. One. Zero. I mean, I'm taking off my jersey thinking you want mine. And he's like, no, I'm cool. That's better than some players, they would have just took it and threw it in the

trash. Is that better though? I'd rather you take my jersey and then go throw it in the trash. That's in front of everybody. That's in front of like 20,000. 20,000 people saw you. I get it. But no one thought, I didn't think you was like, you asked me for my jersey.

I didn't think you were going to take your shit off and try to give it to me. But can you at least just take it and throw it away? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I can't even walk 100 yards with a football. Every other player that's in your position is going to think it's a jersey swap. This was no jersey swap. All right? This was here's my jersey.

Keep yours own. Throw it to a fan, somebody. Here's my jersey. That's on. Throw it to a fan, somebody. Here's my jersey. That's it. There's not a swap. You know, like, listen, people with swaps, listen. Caliber, the same caliber players swap jerseys, okay? You know, superstar for superstar, right?

That's a swap, right? If one's a superstar and you just getting into your career, just ask for his, keep your dusty shit swap, right? If one's a superstar and you're just getting into your career, just ask for his, keep your dusty shit on, okay? That's just law. Just keep yours on until you get to the level where, you know, you can swap with stars, you know what I'm saying? Ah, damn. Who's on Dylan Brooks' caliber for a jersey swap?

Dylan Brooks? Does JaVale McGee and Dylan Brooks does JaVale McGee and Dylan Brooks swap? I'm pretty sure JaVale McGee might be like I'm good

I'm good man I'm an NBA all-star man and I got rings I'm on an Olympic team I got a gold

like Dylan Brooks is a second year third man yeah I mean three three-year player. Whatever three-year, four-year player that's averaging the same around, I'm about the same. Yeah, I don't even think a rookie is. You got to stay in your class.

Even if you're Trey Young, you're like, yeah, I'm good. Yeah. Now, Dylan Brooks has been in the league his sixth year. Damn. And the fact that you thought it was two or three good, you set me up to make me look bad in front of our audience. You should have said that. Hold on.

You should have said that. Yeah. It's been six. He was drafted in 2017. See, that's what sucks about the Grizzlies. Because thinking about it, he's played well in these six years, though. Yeah. He's done a good job.

I mean, it's not like he's been a bum. He's played well. He's played well. A six years, though. Yeah, he's done a good job. I mean, it's not like he's been a bum. He's played well. Averaged about 16, 17. But you just don't know nothing about him until there's Draymond Green stuff. So maybe he's smart on his side. He's trying to really boost his name around the league. But let's switch it to you, Gil. Gil, you have a wall full of signed jerseys, an elaborate collection.

Yes. Some of the biggest legends in NBA history. What was the hardest jersey for you to get? Look at the camera work. I'll say Kevin Garnett was the hardest. Right there. The KG.

That's the hardest. Why? Because one, if you beat them, he wasn't signing shit. If you lost, you didn't want no jerseys. So it had to be one of those, he won and you had a good game. Okay. Okay. Because I'm on the East, you don't want to play them twice a year.

So it's really one of those things where he has to win and you still played good enough to be like, hey man, let me go in there and get your jersey, man. So it took probably a few years before I actually got his jersey. Because it just never timed well when we beat him. He was was like, man, now get that shit out of here. Did that happen? You said, can you sign my jersey? Get that shit out of here. I ain't signing shit.

Right? It says shit. I ain't signing shit. The All-Star, actually, the All-Star was easier because we was at All-Star weekend. Okay. He was getting it in. Yeah, it was still a happy, it was still a good vibe. Did he want your jersey? Hell no. KG didn't want your jersey, Gil? No.

So when you look at Dylan Brooks, who do you see, Gil? I see Dylan Brooks. Okay. I was three-time All-Star at that time. I was three-time All-Star. You're going to take that shit, KG. It wasn't swapping then. I was just asking for jerseys. Okay. I wasn't swapping. I was just asking for Jersey. Okay. I wasn't swapping I was just so you're a trendsetter. Yeah, so you got my Jersey Which Jersey were you the most nervous to ask for my name is say you have the most fear asking for probably the LeBron football jersey, okay So there was fear with LeBron. It was fear.

We're going to get to it in a little bit. It was more of you know, with certain type of players, you know, just asking them for the jersey. You know, you never know if it's like at the wrong time. You don't want to be, it's like asking for, you know, a girl's

number at the gym. You don't really know when the right time is to do it. So it was one of those things where I don't know to be, it's like asking for a girl's number at the gym. You don't really know when the right time is to do it. So it was one of those things where I don't know when I was supposed to ask a pre-game, after the game, before the game. So you know. So it's like when a family member asks you for money. Yeah. Woo!

It's like, oh, here we go. How were you able to secure a LeBron football jersey? That seems very exclusive, very elite. You know, there was some talks about maybe coming into calves. No, it was like during playoffs when you have overlays and stuff like that. I'm collecting jerseys, what's up, and that's it. Last but not least, Gil, you have a signed Scottie Pippen jersey. Yes, sir.

So, gotta know, did you wash it after you gave it to you? Wow. In light of recent news that he was going four times a day, four days, with his ex-boo. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Why did you put that on him? What?

Why did you put that on him? I'm just saying, did you wash the jersey? No, no, no, no, you said four times a day with his ex-bou. She had a recent interview where she said they were smashing four times a day. No, no, no, no. She didn't say we were smashing. She said she was smashing four times a day. She said she was smashing four times a day.

With Scottie Pippen. No, she did not say with Scottie Pippen. She said she used to travel on the road. She used to travel on the road four times a day. She didn't say with Scottie Pippen. She said she used to travel on the road. She used to travel on the road four times a day. She didn't say with Scottie Pippen. We know her background. We didn't say four times with Scottie Pippen all four times.

Let's just be clear. So I'm going to take that as you didn't wash the jersey. And now you got a little remorse. Hey, listen, listen, listen, listen. Oh, I get a technical foul. I get a technical foul. Like, I mean, like, I'm not the liar here. I'm not the liar.

I'm just pointing it out. Like, I mean, come on. We have games. We have practice. Traveling. I mean, she did have kids. So, like, I don't know how she was having sex during having kids. I mean, there's just these that just says cap.

Just cap. Yeah, a just says cap. Just cap. Yeah, a lot of cap. Just cap. So if she gets the cap, can I just throw in? Maybe she did that for just, you know, Scottie Pippen was one and, you know. We're going to take that T and we're going to rescind it. T rescinded. T rescinded.

I get to take it back? You get to keep your bread. You get to keep your bread. Yes. All right, so let's talk a little bit more about Dylan Brooks, but more specifically Klay Thompson. We saw this weekend that they got into it. Obviously, there's talk a little bit more about Dylan Brooks, but more specifically, Klay Thompson. We saw this weekend that they got into it. Obviously, there's been a war between the two of them.

But Klay hit Dylan with the four rings. It was like Kobe minus a ring. He gave him a one, two, three, four. It was almost Kobe. After the game, Klay had this to say about Brooks. When he retires, I don't think anyone will ever talk about Dylan Brooks ever again. I promise you. It's sweet right

now, but wait 10 years. Do you agree with Clay? I feel like in Canada, he'll get a lot of love. I thought he was a second-year player. He thought he had time. He thought he had more time. If he stayed there and Memphis and Jock

come back and they do their thing, they mean, you know, they're going to make a run again, Memphis. So he'll always be in it because they'll always be making a run. So he'll have love in Memphis always. I mean, listen. And that's a cold, listen, that was just a cold ass line, man. That just,

that hurts. I mean, nobody will remember you as crazy. That hurts. That's me. What did y'all think about That hurts. I mean, nobody will remember you as crazy. That hurts. That's me. That's some shit. Damn, I wish y'all would have thought of that. What did y'all think about Klay doing the Kobe ring count clap back to Dylan Brooks? It seems like every time the Warriors are getting smacked this year, Klay's holding up the four rings to remind people.

I mean, personally, I respect that. I've never won an NBA championship, so I imagine if I did, I'd be letting y'all know about it all day, every day. But do y'all take any issue with Klay doing that this season? Listen, you on four rings. You throw that in their face as much as possible. Yeah. Like, I'm surprised he ain't on the bench with it.

Give him my four rings. Yeah, yeah. I would have did it to y'all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. On the bench. Yeah. I had that shit right there on the sideline. That's right there on the sideline.

And every time I'm losing. Every time, yeah. That shit don't matter. It's one game. That shit don't matter. one game that shit don't matter yeah four of them four of them is tough well everybody's talking one's last year would have been done for me lately one's last year I'm the defending champ so like I don't care what nobody one was last year when no one expected it so this is not one of those yeah you know I'll

be here oh four for you that's Like, you just sitting there like. Right. The only thing you can be like, I got four wins this season. So, last but not least, we got to talk about John Morant. He was back on the Grizzlies bench Monday. There's expectations that he'll be able to play Wednesday. Not for certain yet. But after the game, John crashed one of his teammates' interview to let the world

know it's a parade in my city. Yeah! Quoting NBA Youngboy. He watches the show, Gil. He knows. You gotta always show love to Youngboy. That Miami therapy did my man justice.

How excited are y'all to see Jai back with the Grizzlies? Listen, the excitement is like he didn't get broken by it. You know, it's still that you can still see that he's still himself. And that's the most important part because, you know, there's a certain aura that you got to have to be successful at, you know, there's a certain aura that you got to have to be successful at, you know, on the court. You know, so you can see he still has an aura, you know. And then, you know, he did the gritty.

You know, he did his gritty. He did his gritty. So that was the only thing I was like, my man, please don't change up. Because if you change up, you know, you change up your on-the-court activities, it will change your game too. Okay. I mean, I'm excited that he's back. The NBA needs it right in time for the playoffs. I love his game.

So his game is just so flashy, just fire. So, yeah, I mean, he made a mistake. All right, let's go now. It's time to get back to basketball. Let's go. Hopefully this will be the last we talk about off-court stuff unless he's signing a new deal or getting a new bag. And hopefully he's as good as he's making runs.

Losing the Lakers is sick. He said this is the last time. I said hopefully. I hope so. But now let's. It is 23. It is 23. Let's bring it back To the real world

Hey we're in the jersey Number 12 So we can say Fuck 12 He did He did like that I think he pumped on The IG to fuck 12

Now when I was first I was like okay This man might have A bright future In this league He's already got His head on his shoulder But some people

Didn't seem to agree With that Next up we gotta Talk about these Los Angeles Lakers. More specifically, y'all two's new favorite player, Austin Reeves. Austin's been hooping lately. Sunday night, he made Lakers history.

He became just the second Lakers bench player to drop 35-5, joined a little will, but also became the first undrafted player in Lakers history to drop 35 off the bench. In celebration, the NBA dropped an hour-long highlight reel. You know how long your highlight reel is? Five minutes. Damn, I was going to say at least 25.

It got to be. How he got an hour long? It was pretty much every highlight he's ever had in his NBA career. The fact that somebody sat and put together an hour-long Austin Reeves highlight reel, I don't know how to feel about it, but it is what it is. So Reeves on the season, he's averaging 12 points per game,

three rebounds, three assists, with 52, 38, 85 shooting splits. He's set to become a restricted free agent this summer, Gil. Now the Lakers, they can offer him a four-year, $50 million deal, but other teams can offer him more.

And thanks to you, he can actually stay with the Lakers. The Gilbert Arena's provision, the Lakers can match any offer, but it would be a poison pill contract

where I think the first two years they would pay on that four-year, $50 million scale, but the next two would be backloaded and they'd be paying like $18, 20 million dollars a year So you're awesome. You send your fruit basket first and foremost

No, I don't I don't think he's gonna send me a fruit basket. But um, thank you. Hold on. Stop calling them Stop calling, but he has a nickname now. What is it? He has a nickname and Bubba dub, you know the IG guy Yeah, he named him AR-15. Oh, that's a hell of a name! That's hard. AR-15 is a hell of a name! So that was the nickname. They had to take it back, just due to situations going on in the universe. That was his name before? Now they call him Hillbilly Kobe. Nah, nah, nah. He's not Hillbilly Kobe. Nah, nothing with Kobe. Nah, nah, leave Kobe alone.

Nah, nah, we not going to do White Mamba. We not going to do White Mamba. Mamba, Mamba. We not going to do none of that shit. He's also Sawston. They call him Sawston Reeves too. AR-15, man. Just let it go.

Yeah, I like AR-15. Just like AK-47? Yeah. The Russian? AR-15. But they also call him Stone Cold Reeves Austin, which I don't mind. AR-15. AR-15. Just like AK-47? Yeah. The Russian? AR-15. But they also call him Stone Cold Reeves Austin, which I don't mind.

Trash. You don't like the Stone Cold Reeves Austin? From Bubba Dub. Trash! You're going to see it. But now it brings me to my question. What are the chances, 0-100, that Austin Reeves is on the Lakers next season? I think he'll be a Laker next year. Okay.

So you think they'll match if another team comes in and tries to throw him that big bag? Did they learn their lesson with Caruso? You know, I've watched him.

His output is better than Caruso's where he can, you know, he can play defense, he hustles, taller, can score,

play makes. Swaggier. Yeah. Way more swag. Way more swag. You got the swag with the little hair. Yeah, like way more swag. 40, 50, I mean, they're gonna try to offer him that,

but I think he's gonna get a little bit more, and I think they're gonna match it. And he'd be a good match. Yeah, he's good with us. Yeah, he's good with us. Yeah, I'm on the team. Yeah, no more slant-er. Yeah, no more slant-er.

No more slant-er, no more slant-er. We'll get to that, but the rumor is he could put his elbows on the table at Roscoe's with no issue. Which one? The one on Pico? He can't go. The one in Hollywood? Yeah. Hollywood or Pico.

The one in East L.A.? Hollywood or Pico. He can go to one by Disneyland. But other than that, all right. Just making sure. So now both of you took a little longer than expected to get on the Austin Reeves train. So Austin Reeves is probably watching the show. I want to know, is there anything that you'd like to say?

Gil, you can go first. Is there anything that you'd like to say to Austin Reeves? Yeah, I would like to say I'm sorry for the slander due to my narrow-mindedness of Westbrook. But I'm going to say this. If Westbrook says, hey, I heard you like Austin Reeves, I'm going to be like, no, I don't. All right, just letting you know, I'm Westbrook first. I'm going to say this. If Westbrook says, hey, I heard you like Austin Reeves, I'm going to be like, no, I don't. All right, just letting you know, I'm Westbrook first. Okay, Austin Reeves second.

They can be in the world together, Gil. Should have told that to Darvin Ham. Race relations. Let's improve it. Should have told that to Darvin Ham. We got to be the change we want to see. Brandon, what would you like to say to Austin Reeves? No, I apologize.

I apologize. I'm sorry. No, you nice. You a nice. You're a dog. At least we can do it, right? We do it. I got some tough crowd for you. You're a dog. I respect it.

Yeah, man. Come out with me. Come out with me. I'm in LA. Is Austin Reed at the level yet... Now, everybody always talks about coming to the cookout. He can't come to the cookout. But would you gentlemen bring him a to-go plate from said cookout?

No, he can cater to the cookout. He can cater? He can cater. A lot of mayonnaise? He can cater. No, I'm going to bring him to the backyard boogie. Yeah, I'm going to bring him to the backyard boogie. Let's just say y'all are walking around L.A.

Austin Reeves tries to give you his jersey. Are you taking it? See, now you're taking it too far. You should have just stopped. You should have just stopped with the apology. You can't get a jersey. You should have stopped with the apology. How come ain't no white people on the wall, kid?

There is. There's Nash. You know, I'm going to do what they do. Nash. He a Canadian. To be honest, when I came... This was like reverse house. No, no. He a Canadian. To be honest, when I came into the NBA, the white American wasn't that popular. Okay.

So, yeah, I don't... Yeah, close enough. Does Austin Reeves take Dylan Brooks' jersey? We are really in the mix. Gil's getting blown up. I hope that's Austin Reeves calling right now. No, that's the front door. Okay.

He upstairs with a jersey. Front door. So he's not at the level yet. The bar chairs came in. So he's not at the level yet where he can get the jersey. Nah. If he asks you for an Agent Zero jersey, you sign it? Because he's a fan.

And then last question. How mad is Austin Rivers that there's a good player named Austin Reeves? It feels like he's taking to Austin. Wait, but come on. Listen, Austin Rivers was that dude in high school. No, mixtapes were phenomenal. Yes, he was that dude. And he did it without Pop's help.

You know, just sometimes the transition from, you know, NBA to college, I mean, from high school to college to the NBA is just different. Sometimes you get put in a situation where you can't be the star and you have to be a role player. And sometimes it's hard to break out of that role. Like, I mean, you had Lou Williams, who basically was a bench player his whole career, all because Allen Iverson came back to Philly.

Right? Yeah. So do people get mixed up with Austin Reeves and Austin Rivers or something? I mean, they're close enough. Oh, because they were doing that to me with Brandon Knight. Oh, really? Yeah, remember when Brandon Knight got dunked on? People used to at me like, yo, I saw you got dunked on by DeAndre Jordan and you missed

the open layup. I'm like, I am not Brandon Knight. Like, I, I saw you got dunked on by DeAndre Jordan and you missed the open layup. I'm like, I am not Brandon Knight. Like, I'm nice. Hey, that ruined his career. Yeah, all that did. Yeah. All that did. Like, I am not Brandon Knight.

Like, I am Brandon Jennings. When he got dunked on. Did you see it in real life with people around the neighborhood? Like, damn, dog. Like, bro, that wasn't me. Yeah, it's like, yeah, on Twitter, everything. I'm like, that's not me getting dunked on. I did not miss that layup because he had on a Bucks jersey and everything, too. So it's like, nah, nah.

So I'm sure we're all at some level of fear of getting dunked on, but let's talk about another fear. Now, LeBron's former teammate, Mario Chalmers, appeared on the Playmakers podcast and had some interesting things to say about LeBron. Nobody fears LeBron. appeared on the Playmakers podcast and has some interesting things to say about Bron. Nobody fears Bron. Nobody's like, I'm not going to play against Bron. Nobody said that. I don't know why. Right. Because I've seen people be scared when they actually line up to them, but they're not scared thinking about that matchup. Right. You hear anybody from that era

talk about going against George, there's a fear. So when you have people that fear a player, then that's telling you something different. George is that guy. Everything does not want to be that player. Right. What are your thoughts on Merle Chalmers saying nobody fears Bron? It's correct, but you can't use that as a negative against LeBron to say, you know, everyone feared Jordan, and that's why he's better than LeBron. Did anybody fear Magic Johnson? No.

Did anybody fear John Stockton, Carmelon? No. Right? The fear comes from what that person's capability is. Right? As an offensive player, the capability of what Jordan's going to do

if you're not on point. That's where the fear came in at. So, Michael Jordan was feared. Allen Iverson was feared. Kobe was feared. Guys who have the ability to score 30 to damn 70 points, they're feared, right? LeBron James was an all-around player. Even though he gave you 40, it wasn't the same 40 versus someone like an Allen Iverson or a Kobe or a Michael Jordan.

So you didn't fear the capability of what he was going to do to you, right? You did that with Jordan, Kobe, and Allen Iverson. You feared the capability of what they were. I mean, you feared what they were capable of doing. That's where fear comes from. It's not fear, like I'm not afraid of a guy who's going to give me 29, 9, and 9. I'm afraid of a man who's going to go for 60 if I'm not careful.

Yeah, like a Steph Curry. Yes. Like a Steph Curry's feared because it's like. You think people fear Steph more than they fear LeBron? Him? Yeah. Dame? Dame, yeah. But just from a I'm gonna get cooked stand just because it's like that thing can get Like you can get really ugly Bronny's more like, you know, he's gonna pass he's gonna you know It's like you said his 40s not gonna like a like it's like as I think to as a guard though It's as a guard. We're like, you know, this dude dropped 50 on us 40

It's like, damn, you can't kind of come back from that. Like when he scored that 55, all the guards that had to guard him after that was like, oh shit, who's the young fella?

It puts him in a whole different, because now we can see what his capability is. Right? So it just changes. So saying that no one feared LeBron, you're right, but no one feared 90% of the

greats. Yeah. Yeah. You talked about- No one feared Duncan. No one feared Tim Duncan. You talked about Brandon dropping that 55 piece and other guards being afraid. Gil, were you one of those guards?

Yep. Who guards them? Who's guarding them? Me. I'm not guarding him. But why would Mario Chalmers say that anyway? Because he's there. But it makes sense. It does.

What is the point, though, of it? Everyone's trying to justify why Jordan would be better. Like, it's two different animals. I couldn't wait to play against Miami, but because of Mario Chalmers. Yeah. Yeah, this is going to be easy night. And he was a defensive player.

But it's easy, yeah. Easy night. And I remember Brown and him used to be like, you know, like, what you going to do tonight? Easy 30. Yeah. So Brown would ask you what you were going to do to Chalmers. No, no, I'm just saying, like,

you could just tell they would be getting frustrated. Like, you're going to, you knowalmers. No, no, I'm just saying, like, you could just tell they would be getting frustrated. Like, you're going to, you know. You're going to stop them? It's like, no. But the team, you know, the team was great. When he says nobody fears LeBron, I also want to know, how many people were you talking to before the game?

Like, yo, dog, you fear LeBron tonight? Like, I just don't feel like those were conversations. No, no, they're not conversations. Listen, it's not conversations you're having. It's just the way the game is played, right? You know, like Shaquille O'Neal was feared. Yeah. Right? Shaquille O'Neal was feared.

What about Tim Duncan? Hakeem was feared. Tim Duncan, no. No fear for Tim Duncan? No. David Robinson, no. The game was so boring that there was no fear. Just, all right, he's going to give you the 25, 27.

You know who I feared? Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose. After that second year, we had to play him four times. So I got him four times that year. And I used to just be like, man. I wanted him to go to bed. And he had that taking over in the fourth.

Every time. You knew every fourth quarter he was coming over to take over. And that's just a fear. Like, yeah, he had a game winner on me. Right now, no one fears Luka. There's no fear that he's putting in. No one fears Joker. They fear Giannis.

They're going to fear Embiid. It's just the capability of what you can do. And not to say that Joker 30-piece, because Giannis can give you 40 or 50. But his 20, the way he plays, his 20 seems like 40. If he comes on you, if he comes and he dunks on you four or five times, and then the and one, it makes it look like he's done ruined your whole life. That's where fear comes. When you say it's less of Joker driving the lane, I know how it is.

Do you think anybody feared Jason Tatum or Jalen Brown? Not right now. You feared KD. He almost called LeBron once, almost called him again this season. But fear? Just when he's driving down the lane, he's around the hoop. People fear Gardner.

Because he's going to embarrass you. Do you feel like, other than Steph, Kyrie. People fear guarding Kyrie. Yeah. Because he's going to embarrass you. Do you feel like other than Steph, Kyrie's probably the most feared guard at this point? He will cook. What's so funny is I think Dame is more, I would think Dame is more feared than Curry is. Ooh. I don't think so. Because with Curry, I don't... Dame is going to give you

all 60 points, him having the ball coming at you. Curry is going to get off the ball a little bit. If you're relaxing and kind of... I would rather guard Dame than Curry because Curry is going to score in too many different ways that it just

irritates you as a player. Maybe Gordon Curry at the half. Yeah. I know. That's what I said. At half. Dame is there too, though. Don't get me wrong.

It all depends. I'd rather be scoring all just like you doing it all here versus here, drive, goddammit, coming off and it's... Because you're going to get tired doing it too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I'd rather have the 60 and be like, all right, I still can do something back with Curry. It's like, he's just going to take everything from you. So, Brandon mentioned Derrick Rose.

Who was the player amongst that list? We know the usual suspects. Who was somebody maybe that people wouldn't expect that you actually feared guarding? I feared... Baron. Yeah, actually, I did fear Barron. Barron was nice. Because Barron had more in his game than he put out.

If Barron wanted to score 30 a game, the way he played his body size, and he could post up, and he had that bop in his game you couldn't guard him but because he was actually still under the the pure point you know so when baron went he was still looking to dish off when he had easy layups so you know when you get into the game you're like which baron is coming today yeah um you You know Nash, you know you feared Nash because you know You know I hated pick and roll I hated that pick and roll I think I don't know if he was in the league

I want to say Lindsey Hunter was in the league when I was in league still I Used to hate playing it said because he you know 94 feet pick up full like just like fear It's like god, here we go. I hope I'm not in the game with him. Just annoying. Some of the annoying players is just fear because he's like, man, all right, here you go. You're coming up in here.

So Lindsey Hunter's last year was 0-9, 0-10. That was my rookie year. I don't know if he played much. But just seeing it. And then you talked about Barron. I think Barron probably one of the more underappreciated hoopers. I mean, you talk about him at UCLA, but Torres ACL was able to come back, still be a number two overall pick after that.

And that's back when the ACL injury was a big deal. Like, you know, career altering, career changing, still carved out a great career in the league. So, I feel like Beatty don't get his flowers enough. No, he don't. Like, he was feared, man. Like, what he used to do, what he was capable of, like, it was just one of those guys that just got anywhere he wanted.

And, you know, we never got to see his whole full output. Yeah, yeah. This is, what bearing is this? I'm saying before the injuries, like before. Oh, before the injuries? Oh, he was unreal. Yeah. Like he was like, I remember watching him.

It was him and Kenny Bruner, a dude named Kenny Bruner. They were battling for one and two. Kenny Bruner, a dude named Kenny Bruner. They were battling for one and two. Kenny Bruner was more just a straight defense guy, and then he was just a real nice playmaker, like really great playmaker. And Baron just grew, and now the bounce came. Now the bounce, and that's what elevated Baron over Kenny. Just the way they were both shifty and got through picks. It was just different.

If Baron would have had just a scores mentality, he would have been hard to guard. He was already hard to guard, but he would have been on the- Big, posting. Play D, everything. I heard healthy, they said BD's, posting. Play D, everything. Yeah, I heard healthy. They said BD's top five. Top five. Top three, something like that.

Easy. So, fellas, got to shift gear. Obviously, we do this show live on the fly. Just got some news reported on the Saturday side. Willis Reed, Knicks legend, passed away today. So, one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Deducted in the Nate Smith Hall of Fame in 82. Two-time champion with the Knicks in 70-73.

Two-time Finals MVP, most valuable player in the NBA, 1970. Ooh, this is a tough one. I just want to know, obviously, this is before our time, before our generation, but just what are your thoughts on Willis Reed as a Hooper and what he meant to the game? I actually have, I think I have a Willis Reed jersey. You know, you always want to give it up to, you know, the veterans who paved the way.

You know, it's sad, you know, he's in basketball heaven. And, you know, you just want to just always give a shout out to, you know, some of the vets that just moved that needle for, you know, the future of us. So, you know, it's really sad, you know, especially when you're a hooper. You know what I mean? It's like we just feel that we're going to live forever and ever and ever when we're still human.

So, you know, this is a – Ray, you're a former Knick. You know, just a great tradition that Willis Reed helped establish with those Knicks basketball franchises. The winning tradition. Yeah, mine don't really go back that far to the 70s. But, I mean, from his resume, what you said, I mean, you know, I always like to give respect for who came before before me for the game so but

like you said he's in basketball heaven and but from that resume he was putting a lot of work putting a lot of didn't even play that long but you know that's how the game goes but yeah we just want to send prayers out to the willis-reed and his family man willis-reed passed away today. Yeah, it's tough, but we're going to keep this show moving. And the last thing we got to talk about, it's another kind of sad story, talk about Lonzo Ball.

So Lonzo just underwent cartilage replacement surgery on his left knee Monday. This is a procedure which he believes would give him the best chance to return to the court where he hasn't played since January 2022. Now, now Ball is aiming to become the first ever NBA player to return from cartilage transplant surgery. So, you know, zero to

100, what are the chances that Lonzo Ball plays another NBA game? 100. Okay. All you need is one game, right? You gotta play one more? That's it. What's up with all these Debbie Downer-ass stories, man? Yo, this is NBA news. We are an NBA show.

Damn. Lonzo Ball is a SoCal legend. Chino Hills, not really LA for those who might get confused by it. A little bit in the cut. Adjacent. You can get there in about 50, 55 minutes with proper traffic.

I hope he does come back. But still with this time, you know, he's still taking it easy and things like that. But I still feel like he should get into other things in life now. I don't think he should wait. You know, yeah, let's say that if surgery does come back, he can play. You still just don't know, though. And I think just for a lot of young guys that deal with injuries or dealing with things that, you know, can get you off the court,

you know, you got to find something else to still be creative outside of basketball. Just because, like, things like this, you'll never know. So even if he does come back, if he doesn't, you know, I just know that it's still more into life. It started off with his foot first, right? So I think, no, he had, so let me give you. At the beginning, it was the ankle injuries?

Let me give you the timeline for Alonzo. We got the notes. Hold on. So he hasn't played a game since January 14th. Had surgery to prepare a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was supposed to be back six to eight weeks. Ended up missing the rest of the season. Continued to have pain and discomfort over the summer had a second surgery in September and

Now they're saying that this surgery could cost him most if not all of the 2023-2024 season So he had a meniscus tear That That didn't heal right they said repair torn meniscus. He ended up missing the rest of the season for that. Continued to have pain and discomfort. Wasn't able to really jump and work out on the knee, like he was saying. So they gave him a second surgery in September.

A second meniscus there? Surgery? I think just to repair it or to go in and clean it up. Okay. And now he's had cartilage replacement surgery on that left knee. Huh. So that's three. In about a year.

You know, you gotta, you know, it's probably just rehabbing, rehabbing too fast, too aggressive. You know, just like, just like anything, there's a time frame where, you know,

you have to make sure you're doing the right things or you can go south. I had a meniscus tear and it was supposed to have been six to eight weeks and I didn't come back until the end of the season. Two games, and, you know, it's just how your body heals, you know. So, you know, he has to listen to his body. You know, it's one of the most frustrating things

because the mind says, you know, it's not painful, but, you know, even though there is pain in there, so, you know, he has to listen to his body, and when he's, you know, free of pain, that's when he should be trying to ramp things up. So you guys have both suffered career-altering injuries. Talk to me a little bit just about the mental side of it, Gil, like you mentioned.

Brandon, I think you had with the torn Achilles, and just trying to come back, you know, knowing what you used to be able to do prior to that injury and knowing how you had with the torn Achilles and just trying to come back, you know, knowing what you used to be able to do prior to that injury and knowing how you had to adjust your game moving forward after the injury. I think with my Achilles, man, that was the first time I had to like sit down. So I just started getting buck wild a little bit. I was partying and just trying to find different things just to do because that was the first

time, like I said, I had to sit down and not be able to play basketball. So I started getting to other things in life and it kind of took me it kind of took me away from basketball a little Bit because I was into starting to get into other things Came back. Of course, I played that year still didn't feel right got traded to the Knicks Things just started like the mental part happened the mental What messed me up mentally was just the moving around a lot Like not knowing coming off the bench like that was that wasn't new for me I mean, I mean that was new for me

So just different things I had to go through outside of basketball too, which just was like it was tough for me though Mine it was the mental harder than the physical or how would you compare those? It was I think it was the mental The mental physically I was fine. But mentally, I was so into a different space, I just wanted to do other things. I was just ready to do whatever I wanted to do at that point. And how about yourself?

Obviously, your game relied a lot on speed, change of pace, that bop, as you like to say, then getting those knee injuries and now trying to come back. And I even think about my pops, who I've told you he broke his neck and was a shadow of his former self. Like he just, you know, and that was one that was supposed to be,

literally he was supposed to be paralyzed. Ended up getting surgery, being able to continue his career with the Warriors a couple years later. But, you know, we go back and watch old tapes, and if you look at his time in the Warriors, completely different player. So, Gil, what was that experience like for you after dealing with all those knee surgeries?

Yeah, I had about three knee surgeries in 14 months, right? So it was just the most frustrating part is when you're rehabbing, you do months and months and months of rehabbing. You think you're good because you're going through practice and, you know, not realizing you're not going your game speed you're going your practice speed right so you're it's controlled it's it's it's protected and then when you go against someone who has no concept of your your knee and your feelings and he's coming at you full speed and now now two games later, you're back out.

When you've just been practicing and training and jumping for the last month and a half, and then two games later, you're sitting there injured, rehabbing again for six, seven, eight, nine months to play two games, to sit out six, eight, nine months and all you see is the people you were in front of catch you. The people you were tied with past you. The people you were trying to catch gone. Yeah. And you just watching your career just pass you by. Yeah. And that's really the the most frustrating thing. So, you talk about, you know, game conditions versus practice conditions. Is it even possible to replicate game conditions in your practicing,

in your rehab, in your recovery? And what is it about getting to that game? Because a lot of people might watch a game and be like, oh, this is not as fast-paced as you might imagine compared to practice where I can be running full speed and doing all this crazy stuff, but you also don't have to guard guys like Kobe and, you know, those type of dudes. You don't get to replicate that in practice. No, that's the part that you really are going to always struggle with,

where, you know, you're playing against your backup. You're playing against your backup, and that's what your backup is capable of, and he's testing your knee with his ability. Now you have to guard someone like Ja Morant or go against a Curry. Even if I go against a Dame, you know, and I feel good, now I got to go against a Ja or Steph. That might bring up a whole other issue that I wasn't, you know, ready for. And that might set me back, you know, two, three months.

So it's really one of those things where you have to find a method of really testing your need to its full capacity. For sure. We're hopeful and optimistic that Lonzo can get back on the court. Obviously, L.A., you know, adjacent legend, big baller brand, everything they've meant to the game. It's sad, man.

You know, especially when you think about his whole NBA career so far. You know, I know it's not the way he would have liked it to pan out so far. But, you know, it's one of those things where, you know, you still have time on your hand. And, you know, you can still carve out an amazing career. Yeah. You know, and it's more about the longevity of your career versus just like right now I feel like Lonzo got a lot of shit too because of his pops if we're just being real And for those of us who actually really know the bar know he's a man of good intentions good heart

I think he was taken and shielding his kids from a lot of that stuff by being this promoter type, you know I think about you know The Don Kings of the world and just being on that level over hyhyping his kids, promoting his kids, taking a lot of the limelight and pressure off of them. But it feels like Lonzo and LaMelo, who LaMelo's also out, I think, for the rest of the season, just, you know, ate a lot of that and to the point where people didn't want to see them succeed, which was always wild to me. It's like, you mad you see a strong black father and your recourse would be like, well, shit, I hope his kids fail. So, you know, just looking at this whole situation, man, with Lonzo, and I didn't really have

a question or a point to make, but... Yeah, we've got that, right? We figured it out. We just figured that you're just going. I'm just out here cooking, yo. I see. I see. It's about your time.

No, but that's why you always got to keep your family close. You got to keep your family close. You got to keep your family close. As much as he was being a dad and being a father, a lot of people are probably preying on their downfall too. Preying on your children's downfall. Not happy the fact that my dad died when I was eight, so I would want my dad to be like that, to pump me up. I think it's dope, but a lot of people don't like it because they don't have that type

of support. That's why it's important y'all stay close the family stay close I think that was the thing it was the insecurities of fathers fathers not doing it the way he did it yeah and you know you know men out there who didn't have fathers pushing their greatness amongst the world. So you try to figure out how to hate him without saying, I'm just envious that I didn't do this for my kid. Yeah, because a lot of parents want to... A lot of parents live through their kid's success. Mm-hmm.

But with Wilder... That's what it is, too. They just like... And he wasn't living through the success. He was basically saying yeah here Hey the best Yeah, like come on like if my dad telling me I'm better than Michael Jordan. I'm gonna think it right what you that's what you want Right. Yeah, of course. It's his you know what your dad me lie you trash try But I think the thing about LeVar which was always per perplexing to me, is that people acted like he was uncommon. Like, you play in the AAU circuit, you play coming up youth basketball, especially in

a city like LA, we've seen that dad all throughout gym. Did we? No. Not maybe as amplified, but you- We didn't see that type of dad. But you see these crazy dads- We see crazy dads. We've seen the crazy dads where it was more yelling at the kid down talking to kid

and doing all this like yeah everything he did was putting his kids in a better situation a better light a positive light like you know even if you didn't if you didn't think the kids were that good he made you believe it and made you think it like you know like i remember look um zoe's first game was bad. After the first game, they asked him, he said, my son never had two back-to-back bad games. Never. Never. Big ball break.

And then the next day, Lonzo responded. Had a great game. And that's how it was. I mean, I feel like you got to rock with them, though. Looking what they did at Chino Hills, I think they finished number one in the country. And putting that school on the map, like, with those squads they had, the style of the ball that they played, kind of reminiscent of LMU back in the day, like the Paul Westfall, just putting up, you know, 100 points. The Mellow dropping 92 in games.

But even I got to see Lonzo, Jello, and Mellow. I think Mellow was a freshman. And the way those three dudes just on the court, they played. And it was a funky style, obviously a style that wouldn't translate to college or the league. But you're looking at Lonzo, and it's like, Lonzo's this dude. He was always the level-headed one, kind of the quiet assassin. You know, Jello quiet to LaMelo, obviously, the more out there,

kind of outrageous personality. But to get two sons selected in the top three in the NBA, I think that means we should give LaVar his flowers. No, I mean, he really do deserve his flowers. I mean, he did his job. Like, he did his job. He got two out of three second round picks.

Right? They both were second round picks. Number two. Number two and three? Yeah. No, I think both two, right? Both two. Yeah. Two and three. Or it was three. I think Mello might have been.

Mello was three. Yeah, Mello was three. The Warriors didn't take him at two, right? And then you had one who's, you know, he's tried. You know, he's been on, you know. Been on NBA roster. You know, been on NBA roster, G League. Is it Gatorade League now?

So he's done his part i think zo zo downfall to me was when when dad stepped away because it's like that it seemed like that was his power like you know he was quiet and his dad spoke what Zoe was really thinking. Yeah. And just Zoe seeing it in the air gave him that ability to, you know, really go out there and play with that confidence. This one is with the Lakers, right? Yeah, when he was with the Lakers. With LeBron and it was over there, right?

Yeah. See, I think that's what it was. I think that was the – It was too much of – because he was, you know, it was – If you show up to a Lakers game, then there would be a line of people trying to get autographs from LeVar, and I'm sure –, you know, it was. If you show up to Lakers game, then there'd be a line of people trying to get autographs from LeVar. And I'm sure.

No, no. It irritated. It irritated someone higher. But I'm talking about for those. But for those self-esteem and for those game, it needs it needed a spokesperson. Yeah. Right. You know, that 10, 11, 11.

He he pulls in, you know, he pulled in the Pelicans. Man, nobody paid attention to it. With LeVar speaking it, it made it seem like all world and all the next coming. And I think that's when Zoe lost his mouthpiece. It kind of just made him feel normal again when he really wasn't. That's right. I never honestly thought about it like that,

but that's a real way to approach it. Really, he needed LeVar as much as we try to act like everybody's like, oh, his dad needs to stay away. I mean, no, that's his dad. I mean, at the end of the day, my son's made it now. I'm going to say whatever I want. Say whatever I want. What are you going to do?

Yeah, full point. It was the most amazing full point the game has ever seen. Whatever. Watch, watch it. Look at, ooh. But that's what, you know, that's what you need. You need to, like, he was his own media. He was Zoe's personal media that never said anything negative.

The alter ego. And we're not saying at this level, obviously, but LeBron, even with Bronny, like, you know, LeBron is going to hype up Bronny. He's going to hype up Bryce. He's their number one fan. I've seen Bryce, when Bron come in the gym, it was just like this ultimate just boost pack that came in. Boom!

Soon as he hit the three. If Bryce was 0 for 7 and Bron walked in, 14 for 14 next 14 shots. Like it was just one of those things where some dads and kids, they just, they need it. It's like when Bron walked in, Bryce be like, ha ha, it's over now. It's over now. All like, you just be like, yo, like. Yeah. It's amazing.

But, you know, you're going to get some coaching, too, because Bronco will tell you, no, you know. He going to. No, but, you know, Bron never really, like, they never really, like, tried to. Like, for my. All I'm saying is, and I'm sure you're probably in this position now. Like, you got your coach. No disrespect to high school coaches.

But if it's between a high school coach and a Hall of Famer or a high school coach and a three-time All-NBA player, if you tell your son to do something, I'm sure he's going to gravitate and listen to you. No, no, no, facts. But I'm not going to – but I don't tell my kids stuff that goes against the coach. For me, it's like, you know, you got to run and get back on defense. Like, why you didn't do this move?

You're supposed to – like, mine is just plays that, you know, are going at the same time. Like, if the coach calls some play and I'm like, no, don't do that. No, I don't think it's ever. Don't pass to him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I ain't never do that. It's more just encouragement or stuff to think about from a one-on-one standpoint as opposed to, you ain't telling them, like,

hey, don't run that play. No, no, just be like, yo, get back. Hey, back cut, stop just standing around. Yeah, for sure. Move. Well, look, fellas, that that play. No, no. One-four flat. Just be like, yo, get back. Hey, back cut. Stop just standing around. Yeah, for sure. Move. Well, look, fellas, that's all we got for today. Appreciate you to Underdog Fantasy, as always. Woof, woof.

Woof, woof. We'll be back tomorrow, so don't meet us there. Beat us there. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back.