Mind the Game - LeBron James Answers Your Big Burning Questions | MIND THE GAME

Episode Date: June 2, 2026

Welcome to another episode of Mind the Game. The Finals are rolling on and we will be back soon to cover all things Spurs vs. Knicks, but first LeBron James and Steve Nash wanted to take some... time to answer some fan questions about self doubt, holding teammates accountable and much more. They also talking Cooper Flagg, give flowers to the great Chris Paul and the unbelievable career he’s had and finally, LeBron breaks down a classic play from his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers.Thanks for watching Mind the Game and please subscribe to the channel or wherever you get your podcasts!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Coming up on this episode of Mind the Game. Let's get some fan questions out here. Just, damn, it's a lot. Just a few. For Steve, in 1996, you were drafted 15. Do you feel like you should have gone higher? Well, first of all, 30 years ago. How does LeBron come up with all these handshakes?
Starting point is 00:00:17 And how does you remember them all? People want to know. Were there times when you thought negatively or had doubts about yourself? And how did you manage those thoughts in order to win? How do you guys go about taking accountability with your? teammates and staff while still upholding your confidence in leadership. We're late on this, but we haven't talked about Chris Paul. We're retiring.
Starting point is 00:00:38 We are late and apologies. So in the eighth grade, I got a couple stories, so in the eighth grade. This episode is sponsored by American Express. With Amex Platinum, enjoy a range of premium travel, dining, and entertainment benefits, all backed by American Express's award-winning service. There's nothing like Platinum. Well, speaking of cool ones, we're late on this, but we haven't talked about Chris Paul. We are late.
Starting point is 00:01:26 And apologies. One of the very best point guards players to play in our league and play our game, where do you start, CP3? Man, I mean, AAU basketball. So in the eighth grade, I got a couple stories. So in the eighth grade in Orlando, Florida, at the Worldwide Sports, it was an AAU national tournament there. And my AAU ball club was there.
Starting point is 00:01:57 And in the final four, it was our team, Southern Kyle All-Stars. I believe they were, it was Chris Paul. It was Chris Paul's team. I think they were the, maybe the Carolina Hornets, maybe. I could be wrong about their name. and then one other team in the final four. And there would have been a chance that we met them in the finals.
Starting point is 00:02:21 But they lost in the semis. We end up losing the Southern California All-Stars. They were the best team. But I saw him there. Didn't get an opportunity to meet him, whatever the case may be. Obviously, I didn't know him. We were 14 years old. Fast forward to my senior year in high school,
Starting point is 00:02:36 we're playing in Greensboro, North Carolina, during HBCU weekend. And there was a tournament down there. our high same area goes down there and we're playing the team out of North Carolina. And after the game, Chris Paul comes in, we win that game and Chris Paul comes into the locker room and that's the first time I officially met him.
Starting point is 00:02:58 I was 17, I think he was 16. He was the best point guard in North Carolina at the time. And I believe he was playing in that tournament. I believe his high school played in that tournament, but he came to the locker when we met. And from then on, we kind of started like a, friendship to us playing in a McDonald's game together, to me supporting him while he was at Wake Forest,
Starting point is 00:03:23 to him coming into the league, Olympic teammates. I mean, it's incredible what he was able to do in all the stops that he was in, New Orleans, with the Clippers, obviously, I think his jersey is going to be raised with the Clippers someday. even in his short time in Houston, you know, making the impact there. His finals appearance with Phoenix, you know, and so on and so on. And he's definitely going to go down as one of the best point guards that has ever played this game,
Starting point is 00:03:57 one of the most fierce competitors ever played this game. And to add the ice into the cake, his daughter and my daughter happen to be best friends. No way. Really? I didn't know that. And that's pretty cool. They hang out all the damn time.
Starting point is 00:04:10 So that's pretty cool, man. age? Cameron is a year or two older than my daughter. But they're super close. But, man, what an unbelievable career. Well, I want to keep talking about Chris, by the year. All that means less than the daughter's being. I mean, like, it does.
Starting point is 00:04:30 At the end of the day, you hoop and you do everything, you can, you try to get better, you try to compete. When you have a competitor, a contemporary, your family has become friends. Yeah, man, absolutely. It's, it's for, special man and you know I think like you know a couple of his stories like his individual stories like what he did in high school when his grandfather passed
Starting point is 00:04:49 away you know 63 I believe or 62 something like that you know that moment you know the moments that he had at Wake Forest the moments that he had in New Orleans like I just think about all his his moments his personal moments you know I think about the Spurr series when he was with the Clippers when he was playing with the hamstring but he makes the floater over Tim Duncan high off the glass, you know. It's just, yeah. I'll be sitting here. The whole episode of this one will be about Chris Paul because I have so many stories,
Starting point is 00:05:23 but they shout out, you know, Chris Paul. And now he gets to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor and enjoy his career. And he can be full-time Cliff Paul. Yeah. Cliff Paul. Yeah. Yeah. Now you're the real,
Starting point is 00:05:39 now he can throw that thick mustache on to be the full-time cliff fall. But in all seriousness, it's incredible career. Incredible career. Point guard to point guard. He's, you know, right up there with any of the greats
Starting point is 00:05:53 I played against. Stockton, Kid, Peyton. I mean, he's amazing. I remember, I think it was his rookie year. I didn't know what to expect. I think he might have had 40 and I had 36 or something went like toe to toe.
Starting point is 00:06:08 I can't really remember, but I was like, oh, yeah, he can play. Yeah. Really, really play. And then, you know, just built his career on, you know, a combination of IQ, skill, toughness. And, you know, the skill was elite, right? But, like, what I respect as much as that is, like, the toughness. That's the stuff when you finish playing for me.
Starting point is 00:06:33 I remember and appreciate. is people's competitive nature and toughness more than things that they happen to be able to do. Right, right? And he loved the game. He loved to compete. Yeah, absolutely. Love to fight and all that stuff.
Starting point is 00:06:50 So... All fame next. That's the next up. All the fame. And truly, truly wanted the all-time great point guards easy. So shout out to CP3. Yep. Shout out for P3.
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Starting point is 00:08:02 slash platinum dashcom. I want to break down a play. You had a great late game playoffs versus Indiana in Cleveland. Oh man, y'all. We're taking it back, back, Taking it back. Just get your thoughts here. I had a little hair. Had a little hair.
Starting point is 00:08:27 But here we go. So they come down. They're going to go high screen and roll Victor Oladipo. Yep. You recognize what they're going to and pre-switch. So you have a bonus and you can take the matchup and take away their advantage and pick and roll. So now Victor isolates you. He actually gets you.
Starting point is 00:08:45 Yeah. But that's why you took the switch. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. First of all, shout out Victor Oladipo. I mean, that year, wow, he was, he was electric.
Starting point is 00:08:58 But yeah, I figured they, you know, they, we scouted them a lot. And a lot of their late game situation, it was, you know, Victor and Subonis. Either if you didn't switch, you was able to get Sabonis in the pocket, which he was really good. And so I wanted to pre-switch it because I didn't want him to bring Kyle Cover up into a pick-and-roll to get that switch. or any one of the other guys out there to be completely honest. I feel like, you know, Jeff Green, I would trust on that. Larry Nance, the Junior's pretty good, too, but it's Monoie Mano. It's your best player versus our best player.
Starting point is 00:09:36 And, you know, for me to kind of make that block was a huge, huge block. Huge block. Now, but I think what's interesting about that a little bit is these are the adjustments that happen in the playoffs. now they need to try to adjust that you're going to pre-switch so now they have to move the potatoes and say you can't just pre-switch and these are the things that go on in the place what makes it really difficult is how can we get it
Starting point is 00:10:01 that they can't get LeBron or Larry Nance or whoever their better to perimeter defenders are in the pick and roll so that's playoff basketball you got them that night the next night they're going to say how do we get our screener coming out how can you manipulate the game space Move the potatoes so that we've got the worst defender getting in the picking row. But you got him on that one.
Starting point is 00:10:24 All right. And then off the stop. You read the play. You got the match up. Three seconds left. In bounds. Gang time? Series 2-2.
Starting point is 00:10:38 Tied the Series 2-2. That's pivotal. At home? Yeah, at home. No, we went up 3-2 after that. Otherwise you go on the road down. Yeah. Otherwise we go and they haven't planned.
Starting point is 00:10:48 and great basketball. They was confident versus us. You know, they beat us twice already. And listen, that's just a game five. You definitely don't want to lose game five at home and go to somebody else's building, being down three to. Indiana is a great place in the postseason to play, you know, play off basketball and they're super loud. Well, this, yeah, that's an important part. But this play basically like you think about the two sides.
Starting point is 00:11:16 So they try to get Victor and a ball. screen so that he could get on the worst defender. You actually blew it up by switching on to him, making a great defensive play. And then this, essentially, again, looking for a little rub screen here. They try to keep their match up. And even Bogie trying to shadow me, but I made one move in and just dipped out. And got, and see, this is the thing that I think is interesting for fans. You can be clever, but you can't have multiple passes late in game. It's too big of a risk. It's can we get the ball to our best player and let them make a play under our conditions, right? So for you in this situation, you got your catch.
Starting point is 00:11:53 Now let's get everyone as flat as possible in space. And I'm just just trying, hard, hard dribble to get them to separate. I was just trusting the word right there. Right, bang, bang. In this situation, what, why the three ball here? Were you just thinking, were you feeling good? Yeah, I just felt like, you know, that was just a rhythm. That's a great, I had a great rhythm to that dribble there.
Starting point is 00:12:23 Yeah. Space to explode into it. And I, you know, I had a great rhythm, and I was able to get that left right down. And that ball just popped in my hand. I was like, it's time to rise. It's time to rise. And, yeah, that was a fun. Fun, fun times.
Starting point is 00:12:38 Nothing like in the playoffs. That was nothing like. A walk off. A walk off in the playoffs is insane. That's good. Some fan questions. Yeah, let's get some fan questions out here. Damn, so much.
Starting point is 00:12:49 Just a few. Braun got game. Wow, he hates you, clearly. Bronga game on X. OX. When a defense starts overhelping on you, what's the first adjustment you personally make before the coach calls anything?
Starting point is 00:13:04 I think this is a simple question for you, but I love to you. Yeah, when the defense starts overhelping, you just make the right play. I mean, the best teacher in life is the experience. I've always talked about that. And so I've always been in situations and I kind of know how to react to certain defenses or whatever the case may be. And a lot of times I am manipulating the defense by either driving towards the defender knowing that I'm going to get someone to step up towards me or eyes going to be on me,
Starting point is 00:13:28 knowing I'm going to get my guy a shot or if I'm running a pick and roll and I have a great roller, then I know the bottom guy on the defense is going to, you know, attract the end and I can get my guy on the weak side of the shot. So it's just about like, you know, knowing the defense, the coverages that the defense is in, but also knowing the magnet that you have. You know, if you have the ability to attract eyes and multiple bodies, you kind of, you know, where your outlets are. So I've been fortunate enough to be in those positions. So, yeah, the first adjustment, the first adjustment that I personally make is literally just watching the game. You know, it could be from one play.
Starting point is 00:14:09 I can run the play, one play, see how they played it, and come right back to it knowing what I'm going to do the next play, just on the fact of how they reacted. Sure. You're always great at making adjustments like that, but I think, like, to the question, I think one, been in that position, having played against you, having washed you, been. One of the things clearly you try to do with your skill level size IQ
Starting point is 00:14:30 is try to pull the defense, whether it's driving at them to get too as tight to you as possible or letting them get as close to you as possible, throwing over their ear, shoulder, so that now your teammate has as much space as possible, right? So that's a natural innate thing that you do is to try to create as much space. Not just, oh, they're coming, let me throw it to my teammate. No, let him get all the way to me
Starting point is 00:14:53 and then deliver over his shoulder something that you always did that allowed your teammate to have acres of space rather than, you know, catching it and they recover, right? So I think that's an important thing is like, how skillful can you be, how well can you read, how good is your timing to be able to invite as much? much pressure as possible, but still be able to release the ball and have your
Starting point is 00:15:12 teammate have more, more time. That was great. Great question. Mine is at Hullyside on YouTube for Steve. In 1996, you were drafted 15. Do you feel like you should have gone higher? And how was your team workouts and what teams did you work out for? Man, well, first of all, it was 30 years ago.
Starting point is 00:15:33 I worked out for a I mean I think I went to 12 plus teams I went to almost the half elite like all over the country you know still in school graduating all that stuff crazy I first question not necessarily think I should have gone higher like I was I always had a growth mindset I got to improve I got to get better so for me I was like I just want to get there and then prove that I can keep going that was the biggest thing for me. Workouts went well, you know. Obviously.
Starting point is 00:16:08 Yeah, workouts went well, did my thing. Did some workouts on your own, some workouts with other guys, some workouts one-on-one, some workouts five-on-five. Went pretty well. Did well in the Desert Classic. They don't have that anymore. It was the Desert Classic. The Desert Classic was in Phoenix, ironically.
Starting point is 00:16:26 But basically it was like the top, it was, if Portsmouth was like the lowest one, Okay. Phoenix at the time, Desert Classic was like kind of the more elevated one. So it, that went well, I think I made the all-tournament team there, kind of cemented myself as a first-round pick, went 15th, but I always was like, I'm just getting started. Yeah, yeah, for sure. So that was my mind. That was awesome.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Toy Hunter. Okay. On X. How does LeBron come up with all these handshakes? And how does you remember them all? Uh... People want to know. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:17:01 I have no fucking idea. I have no idea. Some of the handshakes are like, I kind of like try to learn my teammates or the course of time, like early on I'm kind of like what they're into, what they like, you know, things of that nature. So like, right now, like my teammate Dawn Kinnett,
Starting point is 00:17:20 like we have a handshake where we, you know, we kind of dab up and then at the end we kind of throw like a ball and arrow. And I kind of got that because of how well he shoots the ball. So it was like when, you know last year when he was a rookie he would i think he one game he had like 30-something in one of our games and i was just like this month he fucking flamethrower um not because of dominic selanke strike her for tautom no no not at all not at all not at all um but also like um
Starting point is 00:17:51 some of them is just like off the top of the head like i i don't even i've been doing it for so long i don't even know man just like me my mom Me and my best friends, we've been together for what, since we were eight years old. We've had handshakes since we were young. And I got teammates that I was like, teammates in like 2008 that got hand. Like, it's just, I don't know. I'm so old. I don't even know what we're talking about right now.
Starting point is 00:18:21 It's just weird that I can remember a lot of these. I mean, I got handshakes. You still remember once from like 2008? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:18:31 Yeah. Yeah. It's weird. It's time consuming. It's brain cells. It's very time consuming. I need to stop. Bandwidth.
Starting point is 00:18:40 I need to stop. But it's cool. It's cool. I don't know. Good for you. I have no idea how I remember him. Hey, John, on IG with three WIs. You watch film after a game.
Starting point is 00:18:54 Hey. Hey, John. When you watch film after a game, what is the first thing that you critique about your own performance? That's a great question. great questions. It's been a long time for me.
Starting point is 00:19:05 I think usually when you go into a film session, if you're watching film, you already have an idea. Yeah, you already have it. So you're already biased about something. But if you're not biased, I think that what's more interesting is like sometimes when you have a good game
Starting point is 00:19:19 and you watch film, how it wasn't as good as you thought. Yeah, yeah, I agree. I think for me, I mean, I second that exactly what you said. I think for me, like, some of the games when I'm like super passive or
Starting point is 00:19:35 super passive in a sense of when I've had high turnover games and it's because it was because I was too passive you know casual yeah just super casual you know and those are some of the games that like a lot of people see when I come to the bench
Starting point is 00:19:53 I grab a stat sheet you know from one of our assistant coaches and the first thing I look at is our is my personal turnovers. And then I kind of look at the opposing teams, officer rebounds and their fast break points. And the reason for that is those are like effort plays. Like are we boxing out?
Starting point is 00:20:12 Are we getting defensive rebounds? And are we getting back in transition? But the first thing I look at is my turnovers. So that's kind of one of the one things that I kind of critique myself on when I'm having non-aggressive turnovers. Like if I'm being aggressive, I'm going to the hole, I try to make a skip pass to my team. made, it gets a turn it over, or if I go to the hole and I get stripped or whatever, it's a turnover.
Starting point is 00:20:32 I'm okay with those. But it's the ones that's like unforced turnovers or just not being aggressive, not read and reacting. Or decisive. Yeah, it's not decisive ones. So I would say that would be for me. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's sometimes you play so many games. There's nights where you almost fool with the game.
Starting point is 00:20:50 Yeah. Right? You know, like you get into this mode of like trying stuff or thinking you can get away with stuff. And it never really works. It never works out. It never works out. It never works out. Yeah, I can relate to that.
Starting point is 00:21:02 All right. Let's go to playoff Chris 23. Ooh, great handle. LeBron, you've always been a selfless guy in your career. Steve, me too. How do I say that third person? Steve, too. How do you guys go about taking accountability with your teammates and staff
Starting point is 00:21:21 while still upholding your confidence in leadership? That's just, it just comes with the territory of being a leader. When you're a leader and guys look for your leadership and guys, you know, run through a wall for you. The least thing you can do is be accountable, hold yourself accountable, you know, and take accountability when you mess up or you, you know, not feeling like you've done your job and even more, like even when you think you could have done more. And maybe you could have, but you still feel that responsibility. So this thing is just a responsibility to just being a leader. How do you handle it as far as keeping your teammates? accountable, like finding the right balance between their confidence.
Starting point is 00:22:01 Yes, is you have to, every, you have to learn your teammates over the course of time, and I think that's what the regular season is all about, unless you've spent multiple years with one teammate, whatever. But you have to know how to talk and approach each and every teammate differently, depending on the outcome that you want to get out of it. You know, so there's teammates that you can, you know, you know, be in their face and, you know, what the fuck are you doing moments right in their face in the moment?
Starting point is 00:22:35 There's teammates, you got to pull them to the side and pull them away from the coaches and the players. There's teammates that you could, like, you know, go all-health storm for and they react to that. So you have to understand and take time to learn your teammates and what, and how they, how to get the best out of them, depending on how you, how you say it. At the end of the day, it's not, sometimes it's not what you say is how you say it. But, you know, you have to have that responsibility to. Yeah, I mean, I think if you're bought in, you're authentic, you are teammates believe in you. They know your motives are pure.
Starting point is 00:23:13 You have more leeway. The other part for me was always, like, developing relationships to your teammate, like that aren't basketball. Like getting to know where they're from, what their family's like, all that stuff. That allows you some equity to, like, have harder conversations, right? You're up. Do I want to ask a question that's directed to you or try to find one that was, no, this is a good one. At Spirus Teasimus, I hope I said that correctly. That's a hell of a.
Starting point is 00:23:49 Spiris Teasemus on YouTube. And this is a good question for both of us. Were there times when you thought negatively or had doubts about yourself? And how did you manage those thoughts in order to win? That's a great question. I don't want to say negatively. That's a very strong word, but doubts for sure. There's no way the human mind in competitive sports or in life in general that you just don't have some doubt.
Starting point is 00:24:19 And that's okay. And I think for me, how you do you? you manage those thoughts is by one, if whatever that you're doing, whatever field that you're in and ours happen to be professional sports, if you know that you're giving the time to the process and you're putting in the work in order to get the results,
Starting point is 00:24:41 then you're okay with whatever happens. The win, the loss, the draw, whatever the case may be, the uncomfortable nights would happen if you did not put into work and you're not seeing results. That is more self-doubt than anything because you were expecting results from things that you haven't put into work. So, but yes, I mean, you're, we're, everyone has self-doubts.
Starting point is 00:25:07 It doesn't matter what field that you're in. You could be a stay-at-home mom. You could be a, you could be a, you could be somebody that's working NASDAQ, you could be a professional basketball player. You could be a nurse, a doctor. Everyone's going to have human. You're human. But the, I think the one common goal and everybody I just just mentioned if they've put in the work and the time on their craft, then
Starting point is 00:25:34 the self-doubt will trickle his way out more often than not. It also helps to have a support system too. I think that's very important. That's a good point. That you can kind of, when you have that self-doubt, if you can have someone to kind of be like, hey,
Starting point is 00:25:50 this is what I'm feeling. Hey, what would you, what's your what's your intake? What's your take on it? How would you handle it? So I think that helps too. That's an interesting, actually, point. Like, I think your first,
Starting point is 00:26:02 the bulk of your answer there is amazing about process, basically. Process over outcome. You gain confidence from your process. And if you stick to your process, you put the work in and you fail, you can live, right? It's the times when you don't work,
Starting point is 00:26:15 like you said, you're like, maybe, you know, why you shouldn't be confident, right? But I think it's interesting. The support system is interesting because that's tricky, too, Like you don't want yes men, you know, you want people that, but there's also, you need a space to vent. Like sometimes you want to just vent and get off your chest and then realize like, okay, let's get back to what can I do better?
Starting point is 00:26:38 Right, right. My environment or my word is. Now you start looking back yourself, but having a good support system can allow you to be like, I'll let you vent. But then like, you got to bust your ass. Yeah, you got that. You had that group blood. Okay. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:26:54 heard what you say, you're done. Right. All right. So now, let's get to the, like, but yeah, no, it's very important. So, yeah, man, Spiris T. Zimas on YouTube. Thank you, Spirus Zimas? Yeah. Zimus.
Starting point is 00:27:09 I think I've come close to it. It was very good. Yeah. Yeah. And now over to our producer, Jason, for a word from one of our partners. Thanks to Draft Kings for sponsoring the show. The NBA playoffs are heating up, and Draft King's sports has you covered, so you don't miss a second of the excitement.
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Starting point is 00:28:57 So depending on when this is released, you know, like the MVP, we have a hell of a rookie class. Yeah, we got a hell of a rookie class and shit. These guys are playing. Cooper flag, conch, conch, Neville. VJ Edgecom, Dylan Harper, to name a few. I'll start this by saying, I still think Cooper Flagg has the biggest upside. I think Kahn's my rookie of the year.
Starting point is 00:29:23 And I think if Dylan Harper wasn't on such a good team, he could be rookie of the year. And I think he's an 8 to 10 plus time All-Star. Let's go around the horn on the rookie class. It's between the two Duke boys. I mean, roommates. That's an unbelievable, talented roommate group. It's between those two.
Starting point is 00:29:46 I mean, obviously Cooper, like we talk about, the biggest upside, I believe, with all of them, you know, and he's had some unbelievable moments this year. Obviously, their team is not, you know, up to par of what he is expecting on himself, expected of the team, whatever the case may be. Ends up being a tank. Yeah, yeah. But that doesn't take away from what he's doing. I mean, like, you look at this right, he had 49 worst Charlotte,
Starting point is 00:30:14 youngest player to score 46 in a game, more than any younger player since Brandon Jennings. I mean, broke my record for most points scored by an 18-year-old. I think that might be a misprint. And in December and January, average 22, 5, it was a plus four on the court. I mean, for a team, that's a number. not in the playoffs.
Starting point is 00:30:39 You know, you look at the plus four ways on the court for a two-month period. That's just good ball. But then you look at Khan, I mean, I mean, we can't give him any more great superiors of what he's doing. He's 22 points a game. You know, the four assists is even more surprising
Starting point is 00:30:58 than a lot of people would think. You know, because everybody just think he's just a shooter, a three-point shooter. But if you actually watch their games, he's in the lane, he's finishing at the rim, he's bumped fades. He using his pivots, all that. Reads the D.
Starting point is 00:31:11 Yeah, reason the defense, that obviously that accounts for the four assists the game. And, I mean, 257 threes made. Shattered the most threes by a rookie, and that was King of Murgie's rookie year. He's leading the league. Yeah, he's leading to league and threes made? Three's made, I believe. Not just as a rookie by everybody?
Starting point is 00:31:30 I think he is number one, as this gets fact-checked in real time. Well, yeah, I mean, with no, well, I mean, yeah, Because, I mean, Steph hasn't been able to be available as much. Dame hasn't played. Buddy Hill hasn't, you know, played much since he's went to Atlanta. Those are kind of been like our league leaders in threes made. Anthony Edwards? Con's number one. Anthony Edwards has been a little hurt.
Starting point is 00:31:53 So, yeah, that's a, you know, as a rookie? Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's a, that's a, the league in threes made as a rookie. As a rookie, that's insane. I think that's another thing for fans to understand, like, that's a hard. hard thing to do. The NBA's line is different. The speed of the game is different. You're not comfortable. You might shoot it while your rookie year. I think I shot it well my rookie year, but it's not comfortable. Yeah, and then the opportunity alone. How do you even get the opportunity
Starting point is 00:32:17 to even see if you can make enough to be the league leader in three-s as a rookie? And lead-leager, league-leager? League-leager? League-leager? How does this go? League-league-leagr? League-leager. League-leager. League-leager at 43%. Right, right. Right. That's it. That's a clip. Oh my goodness. The guy's... Yeah. It's a two-man race.
Starting point is 00:32:41 If... Like, we go back to the MVP race, like in the conversation, if one of those two guys were to get rookie at ear and one didn't, I wouldn't... And you... And Kahn is making a huge impact on a winning team as well. Right. It's not really... It's not really...
Starting point is 00:33:02 It's just, this is the thing like... It doesn't matter for a year. It's not... It's not... It's not fair though in a way, but that's the deal, right? Yeah. Is that Khan has affected a team that's played as good at basketball as almost anybody for three months coming into the playoffs here. As a rookie, he's changed their culture.
Starting point is 00:33:19 His compete, his steadiness, his seriousness, he's brought that team together. I don't want to overstate his impact. Yeah. But it wasn't quite there before he got there. No, I wasn't. Do you know what I mean? No, I wasn't. And pretty much all the same guys are there.
Starting point is 00:33:33 Right. And I don't want to take anything away from his teammates. I don't want to take anything away from the coaching staff has been outstanding. But Khan has made a big impact, a great competitor. He's done his deal. So I give it to him right now. However, like when you talk about fairness, Cooper, obviously got into a No Kairi, the 80 trade, got into a kind of a little bit of a tanking situation in a sense. So that's not really necessarily right for him.
Starting point is 00:33:57 And then Dylan Harper, like I think is almost as good as. He's so good. He's so good. But he's on a winning team. and he comes off the bench behind Darren Fox and Stefan Castle. He can't win rookie at a year, but damn he's so. He's damn good. He can't win a rookie at a year, you know.
Starting point is 00:34:13 But he's as good as anyone. But he's as good as anyone. That's my point. Has there ever been an MVP and a rookie of the year on the same team? I know we've had a rookie at a year. Have we, we've had a rookie of year in an MVP by one individual. Correct? In NBA?
Starting point is 00:34:31 No, I didn't win MVP my rookie year. No, I'm saying in the same year. In the same year. Oh, wow. No. I think the youngest MVP ever is Derek Rose. I think MB would be the youngest if he won it this year. Have we ever?
Starting point is 00:34:43 Wes Unsull? Unsale. Ussel? He won both in 1960. Yeah, he won both. Oh, okay. So he won rookie year and MVP. Has there ever been a team with an MVP and a rookie at a year on the team?
Starting point is 00:34:57 Individual. Other than him. And I'm saying, yeah, like individual. And West must have been older because Derek Rose is the youngest MVP. He's supposed to be four years of college, which was normal back then. That's impressive. Yeah, but I mean, obviously, my lifetime,
Starting point is 00:35:12 I've never seen a team to have an MVP and then a rookie at a year. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, especially maybe if he started the year, but they're stacked. Yeah. But Dylan's great.
Starting point is 00:35:25 Yeah. I'm a big fan. Yeah, Dylan's great. I mean, his daddy ain't shit, but he's good. I see him when I see him. How cool is it that him and his brother going out of the other night.
Starting point is 00:35:36 Oh, my goodness. That's so awesome. That's so awesome. Oh, yeah. That's so awesome. Yeah, anyways. And Vijay, we didn't really talk much about him, but another guy. I think, I guess my, beyond the rookie of the year, it's fun for the league.
Starting point is 00:35:50 To have all these guys making a big impact. That's one thing about this league, man. It's one thing about this league in a game of basketball. It's some great young talent. And the fact that we can continue to put great young talent into our league and also great young men. We talk about their talent. Really good kids.
Starting point is 00:36:06 These four guys are great young men, too, you know. And it's a great representation of what our league has to offer. And what's to come. I mean, Cooper, Com, VJ, Dillon. Like, you root for all of them. I root for all for them, man. Like, I love watching those guys play. And they have my utmost support and loyalty for forever.
Starting point is 00:36:31 I mean, I just love the game of basketball, and I love what these guys do for our guys. game is a beautiful thing to watch. 100%. And now we've got a heck of a class following it up this year. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Thanks for watching Mind the Game. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Remember to like, subscribe, or follow wherever you're watching.

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