Joe and Jada - The Real Report - Tim Thomas on Melo vs Brunson, the effects of NIL money, & playing at Rucker Park w/ Fat Joe

Episode Date: March 14, 2026

On this episode of The Real Report, Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda sit down with former NBA forward Tim Thomas for a wild and insightful conversation about basketball, hip-hop, and growing up in New Jersey. Tim breaks down how the parks and street ball culture shaped his unique game, being ahead of his time as a stretch forward, and how the NBA has changed with more three-point shooting, European-style play, and NIL money influencing young athletes. The guys get into Tim’s memories playing AAU with Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter, his time as teammates with LeBron James, and stories from Rucker Park, including playing alongside Fat Joe during the era of G-Unit vs Terror Squad. Tim also talks about growing up in Paterson during the crack era, his relationship with Stephon Marbury, and building the Tim Thomas Playaz program to help the next generation reach college and the league. Plus, the crew debates whether Jalen Brunson or Carmelo Anthony has had the better New York Knicks career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember, 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know, just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada. Next Monday, our 26 IHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at South by Southwest.

It's the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much. IHeart Radio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome.

Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific, free at Veeps. Or the Veeps app. Ego Woda is your host for the 2026 IHart Podcast Awards, live at South by Southwest. Hello, is anybody there? Raised by a single mom, Ego may have a few father-related issues. Are we supposed to talk about your dad? Her podcast, Thanks, Dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, including fellow S&L alums, comedians, musicians, and more about life and their wonderfully complicated

relationships with their fathers. I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Ego. Follow Thanks, Dad with Ego Wodom and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. You know, Roald Dahl. He thought up Willie Wonka and the BFG. But does you know he? he was a spy?

In the new podcast, The Secret World of Rolled Doll, I'll tell you that story, and much, much more. What? You probably won't believe it either. Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. Okay, I don't think that's true. I'm telling you, the guy was a spy. Listen to The Secret World of Roll Doll on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. my latest episode is with Hillary Duff, singer, actress, and multi-platinum artist. You desire in family like this picture, and that's not reality. My sister and I don't speak. It's definitely a very painful part of my life. And I hope it's not forever,

but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let me tell the word right quick. Y'all got us going, these guys' Instagrams and watch them when they travel. That's all they do.

I don't even like this guy. He always wants to talk, Tim. We only friends on talk. We only friends on talk. We only friends. He got kids and that thing. We ain't right. We ain't right.

We go on tour with friends. Can I talk about to see something? No, I want to ask you something. No. He didn't get stopped. Right. Shut the f***. Okay.

Broving. Roving! Role! You get movies with you get movies with. Oh, Bram! Bro. Look,

got my video. You know, I would get out. Get out. My sister. That's it. We're glad to have you here, New York legendary Nick from Patterson, New Jersey. Metson, New Jersey. Oh.

This is serious. So how did, growing up in Jersey, how did it take you on your basketball journey? I mean, it was just, you know, like any other inner city, you got, you know, you got your suburb. you got your hood. For me, growing up in Patterson, I lived all over. Right. You know, so I was able to connect with, you know, a little bit of everybody. And we had, at that time, we had a lot of guys that was actually playing ball.

You know, so they was a little older than me and all that. So I was just following suit, you know what I'm saying? It's like, like anything else. You know, you see the hustlers and they got nice cars by Zay Blah, and you fall in love with something and you just follow suit. So I was chasing those guys around, you know, just trying to make my mom. mark on things and um you know once i got into like the fifth grade started traveling going to camps and shit like that went out to this camp called five star destroyed out there and the next thing you

know i was the best sixth grade in the country so that yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah because you got you got more of a versatile game like you was a big man shooting the three yeah yeah yeah so how did you build a that's the parks you was doing that early like a yeah yeah but that's that's now it's like every day in basketball. Yeah, but that's the parks, man. You know, you're on the playground and shit and you out there and, you know, you might play one game at one o'clock

next game before o'clock if you lose, you know what I mean? So you had to go out there and be able to do multiple things to, you know, sustain. So that's from the park, man, just, you know, having that. And actually, God blessing me with the talent, you know what I'm saying, so just, you know, putting it through. I see something a few weeks ago online, I think it was Swaggy Pete beefing with Kenyon Mall

it made me think about you and two in tomorrow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I talk about that a little bit. How did that wind up? Like, how did that you? I like drama. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what it's about.

It's Uncle Murder. Yeah, yeah. It's Uncle Murder. No, no, no. So I was actually with the Knicks, and he was with the Nets. They beat us. And when his teammates came across

and, like, kind of clothes lined me. So when he closed on me, I was like, I was numb on one side of my body. So I had to go to hospital, IV, blah, blah, so I was out of the series. So, you know, it's like anything else. I can't even remember it went that deep. Like, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's my livelihood. That's how I'm feeding my father. You know what I'm saying? So me and Jason Collins, we actually had the same agent. So he called the check-in on me, blah, zay, blah. So I was more pissed off at my teammates

for not retaliate. You know what I'm saying? It's like anything else, you know what I mean? So ride out, nigga. Right, exactly. Like how a whole murder down when they run up on them for the rap? Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Same, same.

Same, same. So, you know, it went back and forth in the media. And then he said something that caught my attention, like, put us in the room and let's see who walk out. So now that's like some. Oh, he don't know he's talking to. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. He was in Jersey.

And that you're different. He's nice basketball. Yeah. So now is different. So, you know, the rest of that summer's going on. So I actually caught him in a club in New York. He had his cool shoes on. He was in there.

You know, he had the church shoes on, the cool shoes. So I caught him in and he put his back up. against the wall. So I'm like, we already know what that's the block. You know what I'm saying? So you don't want no smoke, no nothing or whatever. So I just completely let it be. So, you know, on the summertime, we do a lot of charity events and different events.

So I had to go to Dallas like a week later, which where he lives. You know what I mean? So I've been flying private. We've been playing with those things. Before they started. Tell them, Tim. You know, the floor was cool. Before they started going and trying to figure out what you got in your bag.

So we get out there and, you know, I kind of embarrassed them in his own town. You know, so that's why he constantly keep, you know, talking and saying about you guys. Okay. And then, you know, the rest of my career, every time I would get a chance, I would just, you know, poke at him. You know what I'm saying? It was an incident in Phoenix. It's crazy because you're mad humble. I knew you for years.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But once I flip, man, you know what I'm saying? Once that Patterson. It's all that Humbley's like. So to go back to go back to what you're saying, like. I completely left it alone. Like me and this dude we're damn their neighbors

in California. Okay, look at that. Same, same dentist, same grocery store, same gas station, same mall. Our wives had kids around the same time, same doctor. Like, this could have,

you know what I'm saying? Like, we could have been got it on. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Petty. That's bad. Exactly. So what he's mad about is one of his teammates,

good brother from the city, Julius Hodge. Julius Hodge was in the wait room one time I caught him right before the game was about to rough him up a little bit Julius stopped the action and being that Julius stopped the action that's when we had to wear suits in the league

so Kmart went and bought them five suits in the TV you know what I'm saying to try to keep everybody from knowing what's going on with the situation but you know for me it ain't about nothing and you know for him he understand and know exactly what it is and you know

if you got a problem do something when you see me sucker That's crazy. God damn. You heard that head. That's what I'm murder like that. We like that. That's what we like, Tim. We could talk about that suit.

Because I remember that. That was like the Allen officer time. Yeah, time. Like, you, y'all had like the rules. Yeah, yeah. What was that about? Because the younger generation don't know. Yeah, so, so, you know,

shout out to my brother AI. I just did this All-American game down and B. Yeah. Shout to A.I. Um, so AI took a lot of bullets for a lot of cats to be able to do what they doing now. You know what I'm saying? So the tattoos, the cornrows, all of that shit.

And it was getting out of control because everybody was dressing like AI. You know what I'm saying? So the league was like, yo, we can't have the 5x T-shirts, the jewels. You know what I'm saying? Cats like that coming in and everybody's making millions, you know, millions of dollars. So they wanted to tone it down. So they put us in suits, man. So, you know, it was cool.

I mean, a lot of us, you know, we all grew up going to church, different shit like that. So it was cool. You know what I mean? but, you know, it was more of a corporate thing to get to where the league is at now. I feel like the league need to put a dress coat now to the way some of these board players dress in time.

Nah, man, it's cool. It's cool. Some of them, it's just the style change, so. But this generation is more about their brand. See, we was running around while, you know what I'm saying? Like, if we was connected to a certain rap group or whatever, you had a little stigma on you and shit like that. But now these guys, they're all about their brand.

Like, I just came in and said, you know, I ain't getting paid for this. You know what they're on. You know what I'm saying? So it's different times. It's different times. Smart world to highlight us. Yeah, definitely highlight us now.

You know, question. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. This one. You hold on.

No, you got to go on. No, I got to. Let me tell the world. Let me tell the world right quick. Y'all got us go on these guys' Instagrams and watch them when they travel. That's all they do. I don't even like this guy. I like this guy.

He always want to talk, Tim. We only friends on tour. We only friends on tour. We only friends on tour. We're not friends. He got kids. We ain't right. We don't want to talk with friends.

Can I talk now? Can I ask my brother something? No, I want to ask you something. No. Go ahead. Damn. No, I want to ask you. Because you know he's a fucking LeBron fan anyway.

Uh-oh. That's what I was in. Look. And my man. You was with LeBron early. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.

We're going to get back to. No. No. No. Because that is my favorite play. I'm not going to lie. Go ahead. I know you went to rush the bra.

Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Now, you was with LeBron early, right? Did you see certain things in him? Like, did you see all of this in LaBron early where you was with him?

Like, what did you see in it? When he first came in the league, you got to remember the league was physical. It was still physical. It was fading out to this new era. So, I mean, you could go back and look at it. He has some struggles, right? I think he ran up against that Detroit Pistons team.

I'm not really sure. I think Orlando gave him a little problem. They stopped them from getting in. Right. I remember that. Yeah. Yeah. So he had to go through, you know, his growing spurs to get to, you know, where he's at.

You know what I'm saying? So definitely, man. But, I mean, everybody knew that he was talented. He benefited off of all of the things that, you know, myself, Kobe, Jermaine-on-Neil, guys like that, you know, started before him from that high school side of things going coming up. So, but we all knew he was talented. I mean, obviously, you got to get in and, you know, put your plant down, make your mark. And he definitely did that. Definitely.

So how was it playing on the Cavs? I never played with the Cavs. I played against him. Oh, okay. Yeah. So, you know, when he first came in, it was so much hype. He was on the cover sports,

illustrated, all that stuff. And I like to get all that stuff for the kids. So, you know, his teammates were sitting on them, too. Well, you know, that's just part of it. You know what I'm saying? I don't think this high school kid could come in here and really do nothing. That was Mows and all.

Yeah, yeah, D Miles. Shout to D Miles. D Miles. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a fact.

Yeah, because, you know, at that time, man, like, we only had KG as our guidance. Gotcha. A guy who came out and had some success in Minnesota. From high school. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. You know what I'm saying? And then, you know, when Kobe did it, Cole, people forget, Cole struggled his first two years.

And he didn't start right away. Right. He was a struggle. He didn't start right away like that. You know what I mean? Jermaine O'Neill. He struggled his first two years, not starting and shit like that. So, you know, KG was the only one.

got in, went right to work, and shit like that. But, you know, the LeBron thing, I think it was perfect for him because he went to a organization that was trying to build. And obviously they had a bunch of young guys there. He came in and he just fit right in with the young guys and they was able to do what they needed

to do. All right, now I could talk. We let's talk. You asked the wrong question. I wasn't playing on the calves. I got to get him to the cabs. No, no, no, no. No, I don't know what I was thinking. Exactly. I don't know what I was thinking with that.

Blame your man Marcus with that. I don't know. I didn't blame Marcus for that. Because I never knew him playing for the calves. Marcus put that in the, you know, and he's fucking cuckers. He'd blame him. What I wanted to ask you is,

because he's going to go with LeBron and, you know, him and my man, like, they always argue, he always go with Kobe. Right. Right. So I love when they argue it's like every day. Right, right.

I'm going to go with Jordan. You know what I'm saying? That's why I'm going to go with. Jordan, that's always been my favorite player. How was it playing AAU games early with like Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant, those two grades? So the way that shit happened was crazy because people forget Kobe was overseas. So when he came to the States, he was trying to catch up with the game like most cats

would do coming from overseas. So he got with Sham God, get his hand. those together and then he played with us to just get a foundation of how to speed and the strength of the game was. And you could just see the determination in him. Like, he will pull up from deep, shoot an airball. And then we'll be like, yo, man, like, get closer than that. He'll go right back to the same spot and shoot that bitch again. And it'd be all money. You know what I mean? So, but you could just see it early, you know, in them. And then we was rock stars, man. Like, you know, the shit that the kids is doing now playing, you know, AAU at

college universities and, you know, high school games on ESPN. Like, LeBron got that on ESPN. That was some of the things that was, you know, put in for us. But we was never able to capitalize, you know, on those situations. Like one example, like me and Cole was an hour and a half away from each other. So an hour, in our class in 96, towards the end, it was, it was basically who you like. If you like, you know, if you like McDonald's and you like Burger King. You know what I'm saying?

So it was one and two in so many people's eyes. And we could have played a game, a high school game at the Garden or at the spectrum in Philly or at any college against each other. Look at that. But we never was able to make that game. You know what I'm saying? Hey, look at that. But that AAU stuff with the players.

You know, shout out to the players. Shout out to everybody who came through the program. But that, for us, man, we was like rock stars. We were seeing the stuff that everybody caught on later with Vince Carter. we were seeing that early. Early, got you. Like, damn, what the fuck he just do? Wait, did he really do that?

We were seeing that shit early, you know what I'm saying? And then, you know, obviously, Cole, you know, transitioning over and becoming a player that, you know, he became. Yeah, rest of the piece of Kobe. Yeah, definitely, man. You know, Cole passed away, man. My West Coast Crabbers in Hitted Hills in Calabasasas.

Coal passed away maybe about five minutes away from me. Damn. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah. That's the piece, man. Legend, man. Yeah. Yeah.

How do you think today's NBA is different from, like, around your era? You can't touch us. You had kind of a style that similar to today's game. Like, I feel like you was a little ahead of your time a little bit. Definitely. So it was cast like Deadlift Shrimp, Derek Coleman, Billy Owens, Steve Smith, you know, 6-9 can handle. That can shoot. That can still shoot.

Tony Cucco. Yeah. Guys like that. before me, but the difference now is basically all of the rules is European rules. So you're seeing all threes and you're seeing guys being able to move and go wherever they want on the court. In my era, motherfucker chuck you. You cut through the lane and you're not looking.

Bang, they're going to give you a quick one. You know what I mean? So then you had the hand checking and stuff like that. So they took that style of play out. And now that's why you see scores 135. a 110, you know, 145 to 120. You know what I'm saying? So you can't even determine like,

yo, this is going to be, you know, a low scoring game. So speaking of Knicks, right, who you think had the, not the better player overall, but the better Nick career so far between Brunson and Mello. That was my fucking question.

Get out of it. He's talking too fucking much today, man. You know his basketball, you know, because he feels like he knows his basketball. You got me on my little baby. So, yo, you got to let me fucking take some. Because we was going to say who you think is better.

Brunson or would you say Mello? Because that was really, that was the debate. Not better Nick career. All right. I feel what you're saying. But all around, that was with the comparison on Instagram. Mellow and Brunson. Shout to stay mellow too.

Make sure you all get that stuff. Stay mellow. Yeah. Good, good stuff. So Mello actually is a Hall of Famer, right? So as far as, As far as career, he's reached the tip-top. Oh, yeah, he's a whole famous.

Brunton is still climbing. Yeah, yeah. I will put Mello, yeah, definitely. To my bad and Nick career. But Nick, right now is, you got to say, you gotta say, J.B., because he's winning. And that's the bottom line. That's what it comes down to.

You know what I'm saying? So, like, I don't know Mello's full Nick career. Nick Career. I know he, you know, he averaged certain points and did his thing or whatever, whatever. But winning, that takes it all. Craig, you got to put some respect on J.B. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Got you, got you, you got to. You know. Let me ask you another question. How do you feel about, like, kids making money in college now? Because I know back in the days it wasn't like that. You think a kid should rush to go to the NBA? They not. The draft?

They not. But that's part of the problem. Like a Cooper flag. Like, I know he's first round pick, so. Yeah, I mean, you know, the kids that have the desire and the heart to want to pursue that shit and go after it, those are the kids that's going after. Right. Now you got kids that's just going to college where they're going from high school,

trying to get into college just for the NIL deal, and they're trying to stay in school six years, five, six years. They can still get it back. Yeah, so think about it. How do deals look, too? So think about how I'm about to break it down. So think about it. If you play Division I basketball and you're a starter,

you can make anywhere between $2 to $5 million. Wow. And that's just off of an NIL deal. The school, the university, can actually pay you as well. So in reality, in one year, you can make $8 million. You see what I'm saying? Or 10.

Stay in school. They have that when you was growing up. Hell, yeah. I'm not. They're at that shit when I was coming up. Meanwhile, if you make second round, you might not even be making that kind of money. Yeah, so that's what I'm saying.

So the other part about it, too, is basketball players know now that the G-League is like prison. You get into the G-League, ain't no telling them you're coming out. A lot of cats don't, they sign two-way deals. Everybody not Bronny James, right? But not even that. Like, they signed,

they signed, you know, two-way deals, but they're only going to play in the one league. Right. So they might bring them up. If a guy get hurt, they'll bring them up for a week, two weeks, or they might even put you on a playoff roster, but you're not going to go in and play. You know what I'm saying?

Unless a lot of people get hurt. Unless, yeah, yeah, the cars got to flip crazy. You know what I'm saying? So cats now in high school, I mean, in college, they're like, yo, we might as well to stay in school and make as much bread as we can and then if the opportunity is there later, we're gonna go later.

Cool, we'll take it, but let's secure this bag first. Yeah, but the other thing too that's killing the game is that the kids that are actually in college playing, they're older now. So they're 26, 27, 28, you know what I'm saying, junior, seniors.

So now when you do go pro, you're already kind of old. Exactly. So now you've got a good nine, ten years to play. You know what I'm saying? So that's, you know. You learn something new. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything.

Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada. Next Monday, our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at South by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting.

We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much. IHeart Radio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific free at Veeps.com or the Veeps app.

I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final Rose rejected. The internet turned on him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom, with Clayton at the center of a very strange paternity school.

The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. We're going to search for it. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. This season, an epic battle of He Said She Said, and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. S work! Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ago Wodam is your host for the 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards,

live at South by Southwest. Hello, is anybody there? Raised by a single mom, Ego may have a few father-related issues. Are we supposed to talk about your dad? Her podcast, Thanks Dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, including fellow S&L alums, comedians, musicians, and more about life and their wonderfully complicated relationships with their fathers.

I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Ego. Follow Thanks, Dad, with Ego Wodom, and start listening on the free IHeart Radio. app today. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hilary Duff, singer, actress and multi-platinum artist. Hillary opens up about complicated family dynamics, motherhood, and releasing our first record in over 10 years. We talk about what it's taken to grow up in the entertainment industry and stay grounded through every chapter.

It's a raw and honest conversation about identity, evolution, and building a life that truly matters. You desire in family like this picture and that's not reality a lot of the time it's for people. My sister and I don't speak. It's definitely a very painful part of my life

and I hope it's not forever but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Every day man with the legend. What's your Illest Records experience? You said. Rucker Park Yeah

Well shit You know I play with I play with Terra Squad I play with Fat Jones Territ Squad Oh man Yeah we hear about We're cool now

Yeah yeah yeah yeah We talk about that That drama So I remember a little bit Before I was with Gene UNA But I remember Gene UNA And Territ

Squad drama How did that affect Your relationship With Steph on I'm back Oh it was crazy Steph don't remember Because we both

Was kids We First of all We grew up together I know his dad I know his moms His brothers everybody, you know what I mean?

So I played with the galoos. We was always going to camps and shit together. But when we got here together, both our heads were so fucking big because we was both excited to be home playing, you know, in the mecca. My very first game, I never forget, was on ABC. I played against a team that traded me, Milwaukee Bucks.

And we was down, we was down like 14, 15. And that was like one of the best feelings because the first half, I stunk it up. Second half I got going, he just kept giving me the ball. You know what I'm saying? So I thought right then and then,

I'm like, yo, this shit going to be crazy because he know I could score the ball and he got the ball all the time. He could go do his thing when he wants to. You know what I mean? But when that shit happened,

it was like, it took us back so far because me and him both stopped hanging out. We stopped talking to each other. And then you could see that chemistry also on the court. You know what I'm saying?

So it'll be times. And he don't remember this shit. It'll be times where, like, he'll be trying to create and make a play. And he'll pass me the ball. It'll probably be like seven seconds on the clock. But he'll pass it to where I'm not in range to catch and shoot or catch and do something. It might be at my ankles. I'm 6'10.

So I got to go get it. So hold on. You feel like he was doing it on purpose, yeah, yeah. What do you mean? You feel like he was doing no. That was the sound. Right, exactly. So I would have to go get the ball.

I would have to bend down to get it. by time I square myself up, now I see him running right behind the ball to get the ball, you know what I'm saying? So it'll be stuff like that, but yeah, it definitely, it definitely, definitely affected us. Look at that.

A whole lot, man. She was in the first terrorist squad. He wasn't around, man. No, he wasn't around. So I'm gonna tell you another story. He was still being in Tim Studio back then. You know that? This was still my God.

Murdered all. Murdered all my God. I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know that. Yeah, I'm going. He's happy, man. Now he's happy.

He happy. That's what I'm saying. I ain't know that. I'm happy for you. Tim is my family too. I ain't know you're in the same. Let me tell you. Let me tell you.

You had a rap studio? Yeah, yeah. Paterson. I didn't talk about that. I ain't know. Murder be funny with this guy because, like, I'd be meeting people like for the first time, like Conway the machine and certain dudes,

any butcher. And murder be like, yeah, remember you first mixed tape. He always had his feet, you know, on the ground. So back in the day, man, we used to, we was doing the. podcast stuff before it even started. Oh, wow. Yeah, so it was called Off Top Radio in the

studio. So we had, my man was a DJ, so he had all the new music and bringing artists in and shit like that. Then he had models doing the interviews and shit. So it was like one of the first podcasts before the podcast shit started way back then. But let me tell you a funny story

about the G-Unit, Terersquoise shit. So, Fifth had just bought me, it wasn't the spinner chain, but it was similar. It was G in the chain, and I'm in season. So we fly to Miami. We're getting ready to play the heat and shit. So we go to the club, and I see everybody from T.S., right?

Yo, it's me and my man. So I'm jeweled up. I'm feeling good. I'm in Miami. Of course. I walk in the club. Everything shift. I see these niggas.

I'm like, oh, yo, these nink is going to get me. Ain't no way I'm getting out of here, right? Well, you see is a whole bunch of Spanish niggins. Yeah. So I tell the host, I'm like, yo, you got to put us away, you know, put us somewhere else. Yeah. So they must have seen what I was trying to do, whatever, whatever.

So I get to my section, we away from these motherfuckers. And next thing I know, before I could order bottles, they had already sent bottles up. So I was like, oh, okay. So I was like, you know what? What they drinking? So I sent some bottles back down and shit. like that. Yeah, because that's basically, if they did that,

shout to Fat Joe, a bridge, shelter, pistol pee, everybody. They basically let you know. It ain't, we got a problem with you. Exactly. You know, here, we're going to send you these battles. Yep. We actually would have chill with you.

So, yeah, yeah. I thought for sure it was over that day. I said, oh, it's a rock. I don't, I didn't walk into a trap. And then on the flip side, right, to talk about the stuff shit. We was in L.A. We was in L.A.

shooting Banks video. hands up. And Steph came through in the stretch limo. You know, niggas wasn't riding the stretch limos no more. He come through in the stretch limo a bunch of people,

models, whatever, whatever. And he dripped out. And God rest of soul, P from Mobb Deep was like, yo, he ain't leaving here without that shit, son. I'm on that. I'm like, no.

No. Pride of you. Yeah, yeah. He was like, he ain't leaving here with that. So I'm like, nah, we're good. We teammates.

Well, you think he got you think he got Carl Jack back in the days? Remember when, when, when, what Jay said? What Jay said? You said, I won't be slipping like Marbury at the line. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know, man.

And Coney Island? I thought you were no murder. I think something happened like that. That's something like that. Yeah. No, I'm just saying you, I just remember that. Yeah, I think you remember that too. Jay put him in the rhyme and all that.

Yeah, I know he was hot over that shit. I know he was hard over. So, you know, it might have happened. But now, Steph one of us, man. You gotta look out for the brother. Nah, step up. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Definitely. Definitely. Definitely a legend, bro. I'm trying to get him on here next to as well, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're going to make it happen. Yep, we're going to make it happen. So we do something we call a quick fire round, right? And so we had questions right quick.

So Patterson or NYC. You know he's going to stay Jersey. That's what I said. I don't know. Yeah, you don't know. It might be a hard question. Let the man answer the question. No, he's going to go Jersey.

I mean, Patterson is home, man. That's home. You can't get what you can get out of New York City. Like, there's so many boroughs, so many different spots. Like, shit. I mean, Brooklyn is looking totally different. Brooklyn is looking different. You know what I mean?

So my city don't look different. My shit's still fucking. Yeah, yeah. So. Shout to Patterson, man. But nah, man, I mean, you know, homeless home. But New York, it provides so many different things. Definitely.

Which rappers you like out of Jersey? Oh, man. I mean, obviously the hometown right here, you know, naughty. Those are my guys. They took care of me in college. Yeah, yeah. KG. Oh, you was messing with them in college?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I went to Nova. Nova had a Nike deal. And KG from Nordy, he, you know, he loves basketball and shit. So they will always get, you know, the newest shit, you know, the pennies and the Jordans or whatever. So he would send me the kicks. Like, yo, y'all play Kentucky on, you know, CBS, yo, where these? I'm going to send these, blah, blah, blah.

So at that time, I'm the number one player in the country. It's no NIL deal. Number one player in the country type shit. We just put that out there. Right. Let them talk. Let them talk. That's murder.

Let them talk. Let them talk. So it's no NIL deals. We're not getting no money, no nothing. So I went to LAPAS. I was like, look, it's Nike. I'm still in the same brand. I'm wearing different shoes.

Yeah. So they just started flooding me with different shoes and shit like that. So, you know, they kept me fresh, man. But, you know, as far as rappers in Jersey, like, And, you know, I rock with a little bit of everybody, man. I like Al Bial. I like Al Bial. Yeah, murder put me on the Al Bial.

Yeah. I'm a lot of him right now. So, you know, I call myself Jersey. I don't just say, you know, I'm from Patterson. I move around and wrapped the jersey. Yeah, for sure. What was it like growing up in Patterson back then? Well, you know, moving around.

Not just Patterson, just moving around here. See, I've seen the movie lean on me, right? Yeah. So I grew up, like, when I was in pre-K, well, not pre-Ked, let's say third grade, my school was on one corner my house was on the same block and Eastside High School was right behind me

so when that crack ever hit, nigga, it was on. It was crazy. It was crazy. You started seeing, you know, guys that was going to school now high on the drug. Then you started seeing the cats

that didn't have no money with money. It was like, oh, what the... Then you start, you know, as a kid, you start seeing all the blue tops, the red top. Yellow tops all around. It was like, yo, this shit is unreal, you know what I'm saying? But, but Patterson is like any other city, man, any other borough.

You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, you know, for us, man, like I always tell the youngsters, like, with the gang bang and shit, right? The city is too small. New York, LA, you got land, you can move around a little bit. And even in New York is still small, you know what I'm saying? You think it's big, it's really small.

Yeah, but, you know, and in Paris, Patterson, like, you can have an incident with, yeah, pause. You know, Patterson, like, you can have an incident downtown, and you can live on one side of the town. And before you get home, that person could even catch up to you, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, but Patterson is like in the other hood, man. Yeah, I know, but you made it. We all made it.

And, you know, God is good. And, you know, sometimes you look back and you'd be like, damn, look what I've been through. Like right now, you could be, you could stay in Calabasas and California and be high. Hollywood, but you come back. Talk about your mentorship and how you work with the kids in Jersey. Because you don't have to do that. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government

in Canada. 26 IHeard Podcast Awards are happening live in South by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much. IHeart Radio.

Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific, free at veeps. At veeps.com or the Veeps app. I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final rose rejected. The internet turned on him.

If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom, with Clayton at the center of a very strange, eternity scandal. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. Please search more. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. This season, an epic battle of he said she said,

and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ego Wodom is your host for the 2026 IHart Podcast Awards, live at South by Southwest. Hello, is anybody there? Raised by a single mom, Ego may have a few father-related issues. Are we supposed to talk about your dad? Her podcast, Thanks Dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, including fellow S&L alums, comedians, musicians, and more about life

and their wonderfully complicated relationships with their fathers. I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Ego. Follow Thanks, Dad, with Ego Wodom, and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hilary Duff, singer, actress and multi-platinum artist. Hillary opens up about complicated family dynamics, motherhood, and releasing our first record in over 10 years. We talk about what it's taken to grow up in the entertainment industry and stay grounded through every chapter.

It's a raw and honest conversation about identity, evolution, and building a life that truly matters. You desire in family like this picture And that's not reality a lot of the time it's for people My sister and I don't speak It's definitely a very painful part of my life And I hope it's not forever But it's for right now

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty On the Iheart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Yeah so I started my program Tim Thomas Players my rookie year in 97. So this summer makes 29 summers. Come on, make some of it.

29 summers. Yeah, 29 summer. Come on, man. It's for the kids. For the kids. So the program itself, we produced 28 pros, 20 McDonald's All Americans,

and I sent over 15K kids off the college. So that's just the start in life. You know what I mean? That's good, man. And, you know, now being back, I'm coaching high school ball and just trying to share my experiences with the kids, you know what I mean?

Because, you know, a lot of them, you know, they don't really have that desire like we had to try to make it out. They're there in better situations financially and stuff like that. So, you know, the hunger is not there. So I just... Too much social media.

Yeah, so... Yeah, it's so many different things that's, you know, that's out there. And we didn't even get into the girls, you know what I mean? That's... Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? So, but with all of that that's going on,

I'm like, you got to... guys got it made because now if you put in the work for four years in high school and your parents is paying for trainers and AAU and this is that you can reap the benefits of it with the NIL. You know what I'm saying? So all you got to do is put in the work for four years. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, it's kind of hard, but, you know, in the same time I enjoy it, man. You know, $8 million in college year. I might stay for a couple of years. Yeah, bro. Instead of rolling my dice with the NBA, right, Mer? I ain't, I ain't know all that. Off the jerseys and all that. Eight.

I'm staying. I'm staying. I'll be like, yo, let me stay one more year, make number eight, man. Yo, it's a kid that actually came through my program. He was at Tennessee, young boy, Zaki. I don't really know a situation,

but if you go on on social media, you'll see he's trying now to fight the NCAA to get back into college basketball. Wow. So therefore, he probably doesn't have a real situation pro-wise or he's probably not on the draft board as a high draft pick so now he's trying to get

back. Yeah, he wanted to get back into college $8 million a year? Yeah, man. Rookies ain't making that. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? So, word, word. So you know how rappers always ask each other who's your top three and this down the third?

I want to know who's like your dream squad. Yeah, your dream team. Your top five. Oh, man. That's a good question. I can't put myself in it. Yeah, you got to, no, he got to put himself in it. Come on, his top, five that he wants to play with.

Put himself in it. You put yourself in it. All right. So I'm going to go, I'm going to go, I'm going to go, I'm going to go, I'm going to go, I'm going to go Shaq at the center. I'm going to go Tim Duncan at the four. I'm going to go Scotty at the three, Scotty Pippen at the three. Scottie, okay, all right. Yeah, Scottie, because he, he put.

baseball fans. Scott, you've been bugging out a little bit lately but okay. Yeah, that's my guy. That's my OG. That's my OG.

You know, Ron Harper is my OG as well. You know, sometimes you got to lead the big guy alone. Yeah, got it. You know, with MJ. But again, they both won

the same amount of range. Yeah, you can not all that. But, yeah, Scottie, yeah, he's too much, too much. Yeah, yeah, got you. What was he on? The brands, The brand song.

How do you balance that? Because, like, a lot of bowl players, like, between the finances, like you have kids, you know, you're married. Hold up. I need to get this. I need to get my boy top. All right. Oh, we didn't finish top of you.

Yeah. So I ended up Scotty. Um, at the two, shit, at the two, you got to go MJ. At the two. And at the one, man, you got to go magic. Magic? Magic over step. Because I had people all get complete.

They go, they debate over that too, staff, magic stuff. Yeah. I mean, again, it all depends on what you like. You know what I got, okay, okay. So me, I'm gonna go old, I'm gonna go more to old. I could have went further deeper and said guys like Elgin Ballard. Gotcha. Or Wilk.

You know what? Taking the weight back. Yeah, but if I said that, these young kids, you're like, who? What? I like that. I like that stuff five, okay. That's a big five, you know what I mean? So we had magic.

And then I'll be coming off the bench. You know what I'll come off the bench. Okay. Yeah, yeah. You know, he's hype he knew you that, and I know he didn't know you. I thought he didn't know you. Yeah, he's my God, man. I'm poorside Tony.

I'm poorside Tony, you know what I'm saying? He being the nosebleeds and all that. You know, fuck, God. Yeah, man. How do you balance the lifestyle? Because I look, when you look at basketball, right? Yeah, yeah. A lot of the cocky players that, you know, you know, out there, got all the chicks, the cars, you know, they're not going to.

I feel like, do you feel like those guys are going to win chips or the guys that settle down, have their wife lay back like a she. You look at a shade. He don't look like he club a lot. He don't look like he's outside. He might have a little jewelry. Like, but how do you feel about that? Like, how you balance the lifestyle

and trying to win a chip at the same time? Well, the season is so long, man. Like, you with your, it's like y'all, y'all always on the road, right? So you, y'all probably together out of a year, maybe eight months out of the year with traveling. So it's the same thing with basketball, right? So guys got to have different outlets to kind of get their minds off of the day-to-day work because it is work.

You know what I'm saying? It's fun. It's the best job in the world. One of the best jobs in the world. But you got to have, you know, different things to kind of balance yourself out. Some guys like the gamble. Some guys like the club. Some guys like the fish.

Some guys like the, you know, fly planes and do different shit. You know what I mean? But at the end of the day, man, like every man is for themselves. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, it's there. It's going to be presented. It's no secret. But it's how you indulge in it.

You know what I'm saying? And some guys dive in and they can't swim. You know what I'm saying? Some guys, you know, figure it out, shit like that. But for me, man, like, I just knew my upbringing and that I was the only guy in my family to break the generational curse. So I just knew at that point I got nieces and nephews behind me. There's no way I could just, you know, be out here just going, going wild. You know what I'm saying?

I have my moments. You know what I'm saying? You got cars. You got your jury. I know, you got all of that. You know, you got all of that. You know what I mean? He was turked up.

He was in some sweet. Like, he was, he was on a little time. Yeah, that's what I was Jack back. Yeah, you was doing. You was Jack Dames back then. That's what I came out. That's why Kmart ain't want no shit. He was like, it's the only guy that could, you know,

when you go to the VIP section, you know, the section, you know, never in. The VIP section. We gotta get you in there. I didn't keep talking this never will. Yo, that connects him. Lo, look. Yeah, look.

Connection. This guy's funny. The VIP sections never end, right? You know, shout out to Branton, but you know, he's the man. Yo, look. Yo, look, look. Shout to Dre.

Now, look, here let those these sources out because then people start calling out. So we're at it, Dre. So look, um, he's the only guy that can have like when you go to the bar there's never been Hennessy or nothing back there yo give me a Tim Thomas they pull out the Hennessy

oh for a real yeah 50s see him like that yeah it's me you uh Jadaeke's and I want to say spree it's somebody else that drink Henny only few that drink that Henny back then next year listen next year next year don't worry I'm going to have

Led Jet Lenny VIP I was, we got it. You know what? I'm a turbulent as Tony. You're going to get them to the game. You got to come to the game. Everybody's there. Last game, one game I went to,

Dana White was there. Gail King. It was so many people. There was one game I think. I was kind of mad. I did my sister. I said, I think I seen you there. Patrick Ewan.

It was stocks. It was all. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I made me sitting with that. Oh, yeah.

Tell him, Tim, I was there. Shout out to John Stark's family. He was there. Y'all seen this guy. Yeah. Now, he's, yeah, he'd be in a spot. He's in the building. I'm going to hear the build.

Shout out. Shout out of Garden of Dreams charity. James Dolan, you know, on New York Knicks, the N.Y. Rangers. I'm New York everywhere I go. Definitely. Because I always look at New York, or is we the most hating everywhere where we go, man.

That's how it was back in the day. Yeah, yeah. Out of town. You know, New York, nigga, come out of town. We mash up the town. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? But talk about the water, man.

Because we should have brought some. I'm up here. Yeah, yeah, I'm going to get my water, man. It's called RX water. You know, it's good taste in water. It got electrolytes in it. So if you're having a night out, you're drinking that branson or whatever. You need to recover. You don't need no red bull, no none of that. Drink that. Drink that before you go to sleep.

Soon as you wake up in the morning, bounce right back. So we're going to get that up here, man. We need some of that. Yeah, yeah, so we're going to get this up out of here. We're going to get this up out of here. Let's turn it around. So I heard you a murder talking earlier, right? And I know his kids are young seven, right?

And you was talking about them, he wants to, you know, get trained by you. Right. And you told him, don't put too much pressure on them now. What did you mean by that? Well, seven, right? Seven, eight. I got eight-year-old and a five-year-old that I wanted to get them into a year. So my son is seven, right?

So at this age, man, you don't want to take away from their livelihood. Because when they love, it's like rap, right? When you guys love it, you're going to dive all the way in. You know what I mean? So when the kid fall in love with whatever sport it is, they're going to fall in love with it and dive all the way in. And that's when they're going to come to you asking you for help. Right now, if you force it on them,

you might be taking a love away from them. Got you. You know what I'm saying? And that's what's going on with a lot of the kids in youth sports. The parents is trying to live through the kids because they're seeing what we see. They see in LeBron or Steph signing for $300. $40 million a year.

$50 million a year. Exactly. Hold up. Yeah, so they see that. Now it's at the lower level with college. So they're seeing it. So now everybody's trying to speed up the process. Got you.

You know what I'm saying? Everybody has talent, but if you don't love it, you're never going to be able to do that shit every day consistently. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, yeah, so like y'all been performing the last year and a half, right? The songs ain't changed. You're doing the same songs, different spot, right? Right.

But you got to get up. for that shit like yo we're doing this song that's on this song you got to get up to go perform that shit and it's it's just like that with sports right you got to go travel to whatever st louis or california whatever but you're going to just play that same game you know what i mean so if you if you force them now you might just drain them from it you know what i mean from the experience or you might just pull all the blood away from them and they won't even love it no more You know what I mean? No, I like that.

You hear that parents? You hear that out there? Don't put too much pressure on the key. Yeah. And it's early. I got to play basketball, baseball, and soccer. So you said, I see whatever one they actually fall in love. But like you said, then, hey, we've worked with it.

Yeah, like my son, he's playing soccer. He's playing basketball. He just started hitting the baseball. So he don't know what he wants to do. He don't know what he wants to do. You're saying the same age, man. You're seven age. You're like the same thing.

That's dope, man. Man, I'm glad to have you here, man. We got Tim Thomas here. Definitely. Took out his time out of his million-dollar schedule to be on the podcast. We live from the hard rock. You know what I'm saying? Definitely.

I mean, what's good? I was glad to have you on my show, and I like to have you on that again. Oh, my God. Who started this? Me, that's who. Me, that's who. Good luck surviving the off-season football fans. At first, I was afraid.

I was petrified. Football's over. It's like a part of me just died inside. 200 days till football's back. But tonight I won't just cry, because I've got a waste to play. And that's the place with hard rock bed. I will survive.

Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, must be 21 plus and physically present in Florida to wage your terms and conditions apply. If you are someone you know as a gambling problem, please call 1-833 Playwise. Next Monday, our 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at South by Southwest. the biggest night in podcasting.

We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much. IHeart Radio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific free at Veeps.

Or the Veeps app. Ago Wodam is your host for the 2026 IHart Podcast Awards, live at South by Southwest. Hello, is anybody there? Raised by a single mom, Ego may have a few father-related issues. Are we supposed to talk about your dad? Her podcast, Thanks Dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors,

including fellow S&L alums, comedians, musicians, and more about life and their wonderfully complicated relationships with their fathers. I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Ego. Follow Thanks, Dad, with Ego Wodom, and start listening on the free IHeart Radio app today. You know Roll Doll. He thought up Willie Wonka and the BFG.

But did you know he was a spy? In the new podcast, The Secret World of Roll Doll, I'll tell you that story, and much, much more. What? You probably won't believe it either. Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. Okay, I don't think that's true.

I'm telling you. I was a spy. Listen to The Secret World of Roll Doll on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hillary Duff, singer, actress, and multi-platinum artist. You desire in family like this picture, and that's not reality.

My sister and I don't speak. It's definitely a very painful part of my life. And I hope it's not forever, but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHeart Radio app. podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton Eckerd. In 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor.

But here's the thing. Bachelor fans hated him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. That's when his life took a disturbing turn. A one-night stand would end in a courtroom. The media is here. This case has gone viral.

The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.