Nightcap - Hawks AF - Dominique Wilkins on his favorite dunks, matchups with NBA legends, & today's NBA

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

On a very special episode of Hawks And Friends, DC heads to Atlanta legend Dominique Wilkins's house, where the Human Highlight Film tells stories from his Hall of Fame career, including his most memorable dunks, going toe to toe nearly every night with NBA legends like Michael Jordan & Larry Bird, and his only regret from his time as a Hawk. Then, DC and Nique hit the court to talk basketball fundamentals, being a coach & role model for kids, and the mentality he played with each game.Timeline:00:00 Intro02:21 Young Nique gets discovered04:30 Impact of Coaches06:30 How the game has evolved09:20 Toughest matchups of his career12:30 Mentality on the court13:30 Most memorable dunks15:05 Biggest regret of his career16:21 Nique on his statue19:30 Working out with Pistol Pete21:00 Players he learned from the most23:45 Craziest fan interaction25:00 Best trash talker26:00 How much could he score in today's NBA27:47 Nique's assessment of the current Hawks30:43 Welcome to my crib34:12 Nique & DC hit the court35:40 Nique coaches DC36:50 Being a role model38:40 Playing with & against his son's friends40:45 DC tries to dunk42:42 Dunk contest memories43:25 In-game mentality46:53 Post game @ ClubShayShay @ Nightcapshow_ #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Yeah, you got this. You got the, oh, you got it down. Yeah, I'm trying to get it right. You got the silhouette down. We ain't playing. We ain't playing. Hey, listen, man. America, we're here again on another beautiful day on the Hawks and Friends podcast, man. And I'm just trying to keep my composure because we don't get a chance to be shoulder to shoulders with legends shoulder to shoulders with icons man and listen man today's guest needs no introduction okay a hall of famer an icon a legend everybody make some noise for

dominique wilco Appreciate it Appreciate it Appreciate it man What's happening What's happening man It's good to see you outside of the Hawks arena man I'm telling you man

You're not as amped up Today as you are at the arena Nah man Cause you know I really be into it I really be into it You know what I'm saying Like But you amped up

But you ain't amped up like I'm amped up Cause I'm a fan When I'm at that arena I paid for them to hear my frustration. I feel you. You feel what I'm saying? No cap because they represent us.

I am really from Atlanta, but you have been representing Atlanta for quite some time, man. And we want to say thank you. Oh, you're welcome, man. I appreciate it. You know, Atlanta basically made me who I am. Right. You know, when I came out of high school. Right.

Actually, I moved to Atlanta first before I went to the University of Georgia. Uh-huh. And Georgia kind of got me out of the situation that I was in in North Carolina, which was a pretty intense, dangerous situation. And this was the first city that I came to. Man, and take it back to the 80s, man, the NBA draft. 82, first round, third overall pick. Like, how did that feel?

Because, you know, I had a dream to be in the NBA, but it's people that actually lived our dreams. You know what I'm saying? So we be living through people. So when we say that and when people say that to me, I really understand. And when we see y'all on the court, everybody had a dream of being an NBA star.

Oh, you know what? That was our dream growing up. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Right. And at the time, Baltimore had the highest crime rate in America at that time. And I left home when I was 16 and got discovered on the playground the next day in North Carolina. That's where my high school career started. And a guy asked me, he said, hey, son, you live here?

I'm like, I'm not sure yet. He said, where you going when you leave from here? I'm like, I'm not sure. And he looked at me. He said, come go with me. I don't know why I followed him. And he showed me his house. He showed me a kitchen.

He showed me the bedroom. He said, you can have all this. The only trade-off is you have to play for my high school team. He was the high school coach. In North Carolina. I looked and I was like, okay. And that's how my career started. We were 76-1 in three years in the state of North Carolina, high school.

How many championships? Back-to-back. Back-to-back. Back-to-back championships. I don't know how they feel. I don't know how they feel. In North Carolina, that type of record was unheard of because I came out at the same time with James Worthy.

We had so many. We had Mitchell Wiggins. We had a lot of guys come out of North Carolina. Of course, you had Mike come out of North Carolina. And you had Jimmy and Black. It was so many guys that played in basketball in the state of North Carolina back in the – especially in North Carolina, Duke, you know, Wake Forest. My high school teammate went to Wake Forest.

So we had a lot of guys, man. And so to have that type of wreck in the high school in that state, that's basketball mecca. And for somebody to pull over to say – for somebody to stop their car, get out, and say, man, i want you to play for me you got talent because my parents didn't even stop didn't even watch me but you know the funny thing is his players was playing on the playground that day and i just went out start playing with him you know after i got off the bus and he walked up right and you know, and all was, the rest was history

after that meeting. I'm gonna tell you what, he might be the greatest coach that I ever had outside of Mike Furtillo that I've had in my career. He refused to let us lose. I was just finna say that. So we had a different, man, that team had a heart of a lie. So speak on like coaches because people don't understand.

Roles are important. Let me explain something about coaching. Coaches are put there to help you develop, teach you how to play the game. And, you know, sometimes coaches use the best players as an example to push all the other players. Correct. Both, all the coaches I ever had always jumped on me harder than anybody else. Because they, first of all, they know I could take it. Two is that if they could say stuff like that to me and get on my case, and sometimes even belittle you sometimes, nobody else can say anything.

And so, and that's the way all the coaches taught taught and developed me and that's how i learned how to play the game from a fundamental standpoint right from a toughness standpoint right one thing i hate when guys when you know if a coach get on you too hard right you shut down you clam gotta build aggression i mean this is what we signed up for right you know so it's a lot come with being the king when you're the leader

of the team now you gotta speak on that because you gotta be able to take the heroics as well as

you are the target the criticism you are the target yeah and you know what that's what I love right that's what

any great player would tell you from Michael to Magic to Bird, and I played against them. These guys was monsters. The pressure builds you. Oh, and the pressure makes us who we are.

Right. And the only way you can measure your greatness, and you got to play against the greatest. And I'm glad you said that, because I feel like it ain't no pressure in today's basketball. If you look at it, because, OG, listen, man, when y'all was playing from the 80s and the 90s,

even the early 2000s, you still seen it. Like, they call fouls. It's like the game has gotten soft. Well, you know, you could get away with a lot more. I mean, the fouls are, you know, it is what it is. Right. But this is the thing. Big guys.

Right. If you stayed on the perimeter, I'm going to use a guy like Miles Turner. Mm-hmm. If you stayed on that perimeter as a big guy like he does, and a lot of the big guys, and if you miss four or five of those threes, you're coming out. You're coming out. You're coming out again.

You know, even at small forwards. Right. And if I wasn't making those shots, coach said, hey, step in, get to the free throw line, get to the post. Right. Take somebody off the dribble. So we was able to mix up our offense. Right.

You know, because when you see highlights, I mean, what do you see? Right. Slam dunk, slam dunk, slam dunk. Well, it's very difficult to get over 26 000 points on dunks i was a creative score everything you see talk your talk now you mean because you know the mid-range game post game getting to the free throw line jumps i had all that yeah back then so it's like a lot of times people think that this is a new invention right not it's been there we took a lot more high percentage shots.

It's just a fact. Because I hear a lot of times people say, well, the mid-range shot is obsolete. That's a dumb comment. Because it's the most high percentage shot outside of a help or a dunk. Now, if you have great shooters like Curry and a lot of these guys and Luke and all these guys, great shooters like them, them guys can make those shots. But you got a lot of guys taking that and Luke and all these guys, great shooters like them, them guys can make those shots. But you got a lot of guys taking that shot that shouldn't be taking that shot.

You could develop a good mid-range shot. Yeah. You dangerous. Kawhi Leonard. Right. Even Steph. You look at Durant. DeRozan.

Right, right. He rarely ever takes a three. What about Luka? I like Luka. I like Luka. All them guys who can score. Right. All shoot mid-range shots. takes a three. What about Luka? I like Luka. All them guys who can score all shoot mid-range shots. What a dirt. Well, again, guys like that kind of revolutionize the mid-range shot.

Right. Because it went away for a long time. Everybody trying to shoot threes. Yeah, then it came back. But them guys really show the analytical guys that y'all are dead wrong. Right. Because this mid-range shot, I can still get 30. Right now.

I mean, I've had games where I had 52, 54, and had one three. And people say, oh, it's possible. It's impossible for you to get 57 points and three quarters. You didn't shoot three. I had buggies on them all day. But what that says, though, is I shot a lot of free throws. Right. That's where my threes came and ones.

And so my whole objective was to get to the line. Get to the line. Get a thrift. And you have to attack people. And that's what we did. So looking at these matches, because Michael stopped a lot of great, great teams that could have possibly been champions. If you're looking at the matchups right now,

what was your toughest matchup? Oh, man. You know, Chicago was always tough. Right. Chicago was always tough. New York. Philadelphia. Uh-huh. You know, Indiana. Uh. Chicago was always tough. New York. Mm-hmm. Philadelphia.

Uh-huh. You know, Indiana. Uh-huh. And Milwaukee. I mean, Philadelphia, they had a super team back then. Talk your talk. So everybody was tough. But, you know, I never feared anybody I ever played against.

There's one guy that made me nervous. Who? Out of New York, his name was Bernard King. Wow. If you don't know who he is New York, his name was Bernard King. Wow. If you don't know who he is. You got to look up Bernard King. What happened now? What happened?

Because he's getting 40 and nothing you can do about it. Nothing. I mean, I couldn't sleep the night before I played against this guy. And he getting 40 all the time. Yeah. And when I asked him to say this, I said, look, I know he going to get 40. So, you know what? I'm going to get 40.

We just call it a wash. We just going to call it even.. Ain't killin' no take. Yeah. Cause everybody got that Michael Jordan to feel like they scared of Michael. Michael and I are the only two foes in NBA history to average over 30 against each other for a whole career. Every time y'all played each other.

Oh yeah, and I didn't think about it. Somebody brought it to my attention. I look back on those games, I'm like, whoa, he had 47, I might have 42, I might have 45. He might have 40, he had 60 when I had have 42. I might have 45. He might have 40. He had 60. I had, you know, 40. And all those games was like that, man, because he brought out the best in me.

And I know I brought out the best in him. You know, we love competing against one another. And that's one of the things. It ain't no competing no more. I had to guard Larry Bird. I had to guard Dr. J. I had to guard Worthy, English, Dantley, Aguirre every night. We couldn't duck each other because I was not gonna go over there

and play the power forward position. They had the license to kick your butt and I was not dealing with them guys. So at six, eight and a half, I'm going against some guys who was six, 11, six, 10 small forwards. But that's the way it was. We didn't think twice about it.

We was like, hey. Now they picking. They nitpicking. Yeah, I'm like, hey, man. I'm like, I'm like, I'm like bringing on, you know. Because, you know, most of the time that I played against Boston, Kevin McHale at seven foot was guarding me. You had to go out there and boss him.

It didn't matter. It didn't matter, you know, the size. Right. We never, because this is the thing most great scorers will tell you. And Bird and Jordan, the prime example of this. We never worried about the guy who was guarding us. We worried about the guy who was double teaming.

Because we knew we could beat this guy. But if they bring a battle. Only guy, only guy. And see people ask you know, how do you beat a double team? Okay. You go before it gets to you. Right. You know it's coming. Right.

But if you can get by this guy first, the double team comes. It's too late. Right. And there's now somebody open. Yeah. And that's how I used to get a lot of my points because I knew the double team. Now, if the double team comes quick, you know you give the ball up. Because you're always going to come back.

So nowadays, you don't really too much see a double. It's just a lot of the elements of the game has just changed. You don't really see a double team. The double teams is like you play an area. Right. So if he comes to the area, you got help. It was a lot of one-on-one defense back then. And, of course, you need to help with certain guys

because certain guys are monsters. And because like I said, my first eight games, I felt like I played against eight Hall of Famers as a Rook. And I finally had to get over it because I thought I know I had to play against these guys. But I'm gonna let them know I'm a God too. And that was my mentality. Because you had to have that mentality.

Them guys you're going to, the Dr. J's and the Guires and Worthy and all them. Cause Worthy and I, we all came out in 79. Out of high school. We actually, our high school senior class, across the nation, got voted as the greatest senior class ever. Because of the level of professional athletes

that they created. We had a lot of guys in that class to go to pros. And to speak of that class, like the aggression and knowing like the highlight factor was real back then. So even knowing that, you know, nowadays it's like the highlight countdown. It's cool.

You done saw it before, but it was like you, it was demanded. Like you had to go out there and make the highlight. Like speaking of your iconic dunks, what's an iconic dunk that you remember and remember who you did it on?

Man, there's a lot of them, man. I think one of the ones that, and it's been a lot. Well, I think the one that they show a lot of is the one against Bob Lanier in Milwaukee where the clock was running down and I'm on the post. They throw it to me. I go to the middle. They cut me off.

I went back baseline and I jumped. And Bob Lanier, who was 6'11", covered the rim. I think he crossed his arms when he covered the rim. And I turned and air, he was coming down. I was still going up. Still going up. And I dunked it on him right before the buzzer. And that was one of my favorite dunks,

because most of my dunks in traffic, that was my favorite. The dunks I had against Boston where I shot and I hit the rim and I caught it over like three or four guys. I mean those type of plays kind of changes the momentum in the game. So I mean a lot of my favorite dunks, those type of plays kinda changes the momentum in the game.

So, I mean, a lot of my favorite dunks, believe it or not, was in high school. In high school, I was looking in the rim in high school. I was really into it. Not even the one where you gliding all across the court? Oh, in high school, man, you know, our point guard was a wonderful point guard, and it was every game on the jump ball,

we were trying to get an alley-oop. Every game. If we got the tip, we had a design where we run wide, and he'd throw up either corner of the backboard, and we would go get it. Is there a moment in your career that you wish you could have done differently? No.

Only thing that I regret that I didn't do is bring a championship here in Atlanta. I think that's the only thing I regret. But as far as if I would do anything differently, no. Because what I did and the way I did it, it helped build character. Yes, it did.

Personality, respect. And so winning a ring, a lot of times people don't understand, it ain't always about winning a ring. It's about competing to the highest level. Because I look at this, my ring was giving me the ability to play something that I love. this, my ring was giving me the ability to play something that I love. That's my ring.

And so, you know, there's only one team that wins every year. A lot of great players have never felt that, you know? So, you know, that's the nature of the beast. That's the way it is. But would I change anything? No, maybe one thing, the money they make now, but you know. It's different, it's different. They bought again 256, back then they had a good nine piece of beach great yeah i changed that oh man i can't even

fathom that you know it's crazy that's crazy now me and you enter the same part of the building of the arena you know and and you got a statue you gotta You got something that's out there that's very, you know what I'm saying, inspiring to the city. Like you said, even though we ain't got no ring, it's you, the energy, the compassion, the aggression, the fight that you wanted to go out there and represent us. We feel that, and we're thankful for that. That is our ring.

It's the love that you showed our city. That's our ring it's the love that you showed our city that's our ring do you ever go into the front to even see the statue and just take it all in i'll tell you a funny story uh first of all let me just say this what he captured in that statue is everything about who i am and so when i saw it for the first time, man, I was blown away. I was so emotional, I couldn't even shed a tear. That's how emotional, I was that choked up about it. Because it's not just about basketball, when you receive something, it's what you've done in that city, how you connected with people,

relationships, everything. So when it went up, I remember a couple times I went down, I drove by. So one day I stopped by there, I put a lawn chair out there, I had a beer. I looked up, I said, big fella, went down and drove by. So one day I stopped by there, put a lawn chair out there, had a beer. And I looked up, I said, big fella, we come a long way. We come a long way. You know, and that really felt good, man,

because it was a moment in my life that I never dreamed of. You know, and even to this day, man, it's still surreal. So, you know, I was talking to Steve Coon and our GM and I'm sorry, our president, CEO, I said, I rode by the statue the other day and it looks a little ashy there,

Steve. Y'all gotta put some lotion on it. It's the LeBron statue now. And I went back a couple weeks later, it was shiny. Shiny. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's the LeBron station now listen I went back a couple weeks later it was shiny shiny oh yeah yeah yeah so

it's just fun you know for people to see me go down and interact because sometimes I walk by there and I see people

stop by and they look at me and they're like is that you I said yeah most people think it is yeah it's me

yeah it look like me but that it's just it's just a pleasure to see people admire it you know no man it's just it's just amazing man just to see you you know i'm saying just get to smell your flowers while you're still here because like you say it's it's not about the ring it's about the love you know how many times i say that you know i said don't wait till someone's gone. You give them their roses. Give them their flowers while they're here.

And appreciate what they've done. I remember when I first came to the league and I said to Dr. J the first time I played, I said, I grew up emulating everything you ever done. I just wanted to be that next doctor. And I just wanted to let you know how much you meant to my life. And directly, you really helped me elevate my game to a different level. And he said to me, he said, I know they calling you the next doctor,

but it's only one time with Dr. J, but today you can start learning. And I remember he had a great game against me and I wasn't upset. I said, that's the doctor, that's my idol. But once I got over that you know it was nothing but competing what when when did you realize i am dominique wilkins when did you realize like you know what i have to start making my own mark in the game because i'm here now um

i knew before i came in the league to be honest with you, because before I came to the NBA, I used to work out, a lot of people didn't know this, because you couldn't do it at the time, but I did. I worked out with Pete Mavericks and Maurice Lucas, so I got one of the most skilled guys in history who was for his time, and Pete Mavericks, and I got the toughest guy, and one of the toughest guys that would play the game,

and Maurice Lucas, the enforcer. So when I came to the NBA, I wasn't worried about nothing. I'm ready to go. But the thing about coming to the NBA in those days is the top three picks in the draft. You still gotta pay your dues. I coulda averaged 20, 25 plus my first year, but the old heads, as y'all say.

I had Dan Roundfield eddie johnson the tree violence young fella just play the game don't try to do too much ain't no time yet but once i got their blessing uh because that very next year i remember dan roundfield said now it's time for you to be the captain you earned it so you had to earn their respect you know they didn't they didn't hand you the keys that early right that right okay so so speaking of of of being in the game like was there any time where you you got knowledge from an individual that you was inspired by you know especially like once you come in you actually meet somebody that you've seen on tv yeah you know dr j that was just that was authentic that was just so happy to be there with somebody like you were truly like i want to meet this guy well he was the one he was the one

the guys i really learned from uh when i first came it was dr j it was uh maurice lucas magic i started playing summer ball with them before I came in. George, Iceman, Girvin, them the guys, Moses, Malone, them the guys that I learned a lot from. When I came late. God, these was not just superstars, these was legendary guys still playing the game. And so I learned a lot from them and I said,

I wanna be as good or better than those guys. And the only way you do that, you got to play against the greatest if you want to be the greatest. And it's crazy that you say that. You played against the greatest. But not only did you play against the greatest, your career is longevity. And you can attest to this.

In the NBA, nine years is cool. That's good. That's all right, you play long enough, well you gonna stab this, make you some money. Once you get into double digits, 10 to better, 12, 13, 14, like you good, good. Like they trying to get every little juice about you. Yeah, you know, I could have played two or three more years

if I wanted to, I could have got to 19, 20 years. Right. But at that time, it was changing. It was about really kind of nurturing the young guys. Be the man. You know, investing that. Because I remember Chuck Daly said to me when I was in Orlando at the end of my career.

And I was starting averaging like 19, 20 points and like 8, 9 rebounds. But I was only playing like 18 minutes a night. And I remember he came to me and said, we gonna start Matt Harper because we need more scoring. And I said, Chuck, let me say this to you. You don't have to blow smoke. I said, don't insult my intelligence. I was leading the league in points per minute.

I said, if you want to start the young guys, hey, I'm not no problem with that. I understand things are changing. That cool. But don't come at me with that. Come on. Really? It's going 20 points in 20 minutes.

Yeah. You're going to score every minute. Yeah, like, guys, this is what I've done. Right. So if it's about development, I'm cool with that. But let me know up front, this is what it is. Right So if it's about development, I'm cool with that, but let me know up front, this is what it is. Right, it's about the business too. Instead of insulting your intelligence.

Come back with correct. Yeah. So I saw the change and I said, you know what? Maybe I'm going to retire and go into the front office. And that's what I did. No more. Now, you've been in the game for quite some time. What is the most craziest fan interaction that you've had? Because That's what I'm on. Now, you've been in the game for quite some time. Like what is the most craziest fan interaction

that you've had? Because today's fans ain't fans. No, no. Back in the day was fans. Listen, they had a guy in Detroit called Leon LaBarber. I can't even tell you the stuff he said. Some of the stuff he said to us behind the bench. And he sat right behind our bench. Two big bodyguards sat there. And some of the stuff he said, us behind the bench. And he sat right behind our bench. Two big bodyguards.

And some of the stuff he said, you can't say on air. It's not clean enough for television. It was bad. People don't know that our fans back then was trash talkers. They didn't get thrown out. Because it wasn't for us. It was entertainment. You know, we didn't get upset, get fans thrown out.

We just didn't do it. Not unless a fan came out of the stands and did something. Right. But talking, all it did was motivate us. Right. Because he's supposed to make you bring the dog out. Because that shows you your toughness, too. Kind of like shut him up.

Why don't we get that fan thrown out? He obviously is a fan of mine because he's – He came to see me play. He's talking crazy because this is what motivates him. But you know what? That same fan, Leon DeBarber, after the game would ask me for my shoes. All the time. So it was never personal.

He was supporting his team. So it was a lot of fans around the league like that. I mean, we loved it. We embraced it. Who was the best trash talker as a player? Oh, man, a lot of them. My brother was one of them. I remember he told me, he said,

Big Bro, you ain't scoring no more tonight. I said, little bro, I got 40. I don't want to score no more. I'm done. As a matter of fact, coach, take me out. I don't even want to play no more. Well, you had to be taking that because you too good versus you asking the coach, why are you taking me out?

That's the only reason I said that, because he was talking trash. But it was a lot. Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers, oh, my God. It was almost like we fought every game. We had a fist fight or something. Every game. Every game.

Yeah. And then you got Larry Bird. Larry Bird, if you wasn't ready, he took your heart. You know, Larry was great. It was quite a few guys that talked like that, but Larry and Chuck was some of the best. Larry was number one because everything he said, he did it. He backed it up.

He backed it up. That's a bad boy. He's a bad boy. And that's why, again, I hate when people ask. I had a guy ask me, did I think I could score 15 points a game in today's game? Could you? I said, is that a trick question

I said which quarter hmm I like are you serious right and I said I average 30 in the hand check era right I said what do you think I do if you can't touch me I'm like come on man really can't touch me we all like physical contact man I wanted to bump and grind down around the basket because the thing about when you can feel a guy, you know how to play him. I already know how you play him. I already know how you can play him because if I can feel you, I got you. Because if I can make you commit one way, I'm going opposite.

And people say, well, what do you mean by that? I say a lot of times when you guys catch the ball, the first thing you do is dribble. What you do when you can feel a guy, you commit one way or the other. If you feel him move to your right, you know you drop and go left. And those are all the things we learned at high school, college, to prepare us for the pros. So all that stuff, the up and under, drop step, you know, power,

we learned that at a very early age. The thing is, is how can you put pressure consistently on a team if you don't attack? Right, you have to attack.

See, my whole thing was, this is my strategy. If I play against another great player on the other side of the ball, if I can get two fouls on him early, now I create an advantage for myself because now he's not going to play me as hard. He's going to back up. He's going to back ball. Right. If I can get two fouls on him early, now I create an advantage for myself

because now he's not going to play me as hard. He's going to back up. He's going to back up. He's not trying to get that third foul. Right. And so you create that advantage early. Now you get going. Now the ball is going in the basket.

You know, your level of confidence is elevated. And, you know, you're trying to get that third foul on before you get to halftime. I feel like we're getting our coaching on. And since in our coaching and this is hawks and friends what you think them hawks got to do by me well first of all we got to stay healthy man i mean yeah injury been hit with that injury bug and you know we got guys out right now but you know i got to give it to these guys man they still fighting right we got to fight fighting they playing hard. But, you know, I got to give it to these guys, man. They still fighting. Right. We got to fight.

They still fighting. They playing hard. Got to fight. You know, and each night it's a different guy to step up. Right. Last game was Trey hitting a big shot. Need that. Big fourth quarter that he had.

But, you know, you look at Reese Deshaun. He played well that night. Dyson Daniels played well well and that's what you got to have when you're decimated you know with injuries you got to do it collectively it's hard to do it with one guy yes uh and that's crazy because as a collective as the city we all want to say thank you again for bringing that energy and that love and that's why you got a statue ain't nobody got no statue. You know what?

There's only one jersey I felt good in throughout my career. And I'm not just saying this. It's a Hulk jersey. When I was with Boston and L.A. Clippers and Sam, I didn't feel right. I didn't look right in those jerseys. You didn't look right in them colors, man. Only this red and yellow matter, man.

That's right. That's right. Mark Spade. He eating the head. Oh, gee. It's an honor, man. Don's right. That's right. Mark Spade. He eating the head. OG, it's an honor, man. Don't let this be your last. Oh, no. We can do it anytime, man.

And then we eat your crib. Yeah. They got a Picasso. Got a pool. And he got a gazebo. And don't nobody be over here. The gazebo for him. You're right.

Yeah, that tiny house where I want to get away from my grandkids, I go over there. He got a tiny house to get away from his house. He got a house to get away from his original house. He tired of that house. Hey, man, it's a blessing and an honor, man. And, you know, like you said, we just want to continue to give you your flowers while you're here. And we appreciate you and we're thankful for everything that you've done for the city. And we're glad that you came and did it for our city.

That's why I wore this jersey to let you know. Man, it still hit. That's crazy that you could do something so long ago, and it still has. You know what's funny? I'm 33. You know, you can get my jersey. I can't get it. Why? They said they had to order, which is a good problem.

Yeah. I'm about the same, but you created it. No, but no, then the Hawks will always make sure that I have a jersey for the families and grandkids. And I have two great grandkids. I'm a great uncle. Oh, man,

you're too young for a great uncle. That's what you say. My mama had me when she was 45. My dad was 61. Oh, gee. Okay. Yeah.

Okay. Makes sense. My dad graduated high school before you. Show you right on that. Show you right. Hey, OG and a lot of man, you know what's up, man. Hey, man. It's a great episode of Hawks and Friends.

Get it. Yeah, this is my area. You got to have a pad. You know, only time I really come in the house, I'm going to eat. Right. Or go to sleep. Right. These two rooms.

This is the getaway, man. This is my humidor right here. This is why I can't wait when my house is done so I can get my pads. See, I got my pads down on here. You know why these are here, right? Uh-uh. Because when you smoke in here, you can't burn my chairs. Fat.

Oh, okay. This is the cover. I need some of these then. This is the cover of my chairs. Fat. Oh, okay. This is, this is the cover. I need some of these then. This is the cover of my chairs. I thought, I thought it was just like, you know how old folk keep the plastic

on their furniture. Well, it's something like that. Okay. It's something like, you know, folk booty state right here. That's a booty room. Hey, look,

I don't want nobody, you know, burning holes in my chairs. But, you know, both of these areas like, it's like my cigar bar.

You drink. Uh, yeah. You know, I got a little stuff. See, this one, this's like my cigar bar. You drink? Yeah. See this one this one like more family oriented even when the family want to get out but this one I had

my bed to meet. I have a lot of meetings out here. Yeah. You know we do a lot of podcasts from time to time out here but I wanted this

to look more like a log cabin. Yeah. What's wrong with that? I have my own my own I have my own... I got my own bourbon.

What's your own bourbon? I'm going to give you a bottle. Yeah, give me a bottle. That was yours. I'm walking around the crib with this. That's what we're doing. I built the floor myself. I did the floor myself. So you're telling me you got down here and you leveled it,

sand, until you realized you needed somebody professional to finish it. No, no. I finished it. For real? No, I did this whole floor. I did this. I did this backsplash here, that whole wall there. That's fire. Only thing I had, because we had shingles at the top.

Got to get rid of the shingles. So I had somebody to do the roof, but the floor stuff, did oh yeah then i came and put heating and air and then i put you know cigar uh so you do you do so you you be reconstructing houses too uh i ain't gonna say all that but i mean anybody that can do a flow you that's that's the start of something you need flow before you get a building i'm really really handy. Yeah, I like that. See, I'm a country boy myself. I build a lot. Even the little boards on my tiny house, I built those.

I put those boards on. Oh, that's all right, dog. And actually, we took my old fence down, but my uncle and I built the fence. Y'all built the fence, too? Yeah. You dug it up? Oh, yeah. Stuck the wood down?

Yeah. You know, I got my nail gun and the whole thing. You know that's engineering. That's engineering. Right. That's engineering. See, people don't know that that's engineering. I've always been a handyman.

I come from a family that the men of the family always work. You got to. They work inside and out. Right. So, yeah. Got to get dirty. Yeah. Yeah.

One thing I like when my kids, they come here, they take basketball and they throw them all over the yard and I got to come pick it up. I thought that was a boat. I was going to say, you don't do no fish? Oh, no, no, no. You don't fish? Oh, well, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Okay. I bass fish. Okay. I've been bass fishing. My dad's father's from North Carolina. That's all they did. Fishing, hunting. I used to hunt, too.

I used to steal my grandfather's head, a gun to shoot 16 times. It was silent. I used to go out grandfather's gun to shoot 16 times. It was silent. I used to go out and shoot at the barn. Boy, see, I thought I was good. I ain't good. I'm going to keep this bourbon right here. This is my championship trophy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That is excellent bourbon. And you know what? I don't drink, but I'm going to drink that. You know, I'm not much of a drinker. Usually, it's for other people. Right. I kind of experiment a little bit, but I'm going to drink that. You know, I'm not much of a drinker. Usually it's for other people. Right. I kind of experiment a little bit, but I'm not a big time. Well, you know what? I'm going to replace this whole floor because I've had it here for a minute and it's starting to fade.

So CBA Sports, which I'm a partner with, this is what we do. We do outdoor courts. Right. We do indoor courts. Yeah, you got this. You got this. Oh, you got it down. Yeah, I'm trying to get you got this you got the oh it's you got it down yeah i'm trying i'm trying to get it right you got the silhouette down we ain't playing

what hey wow that's the boss fade i'm talking about man hey that's funny that's funny so yeah so we we we have a court building Actually, I have my own signature floor coming out. Right. You know. How would they, because I referred them to me. So I got, if you want a court, just call me and I'll make sure they get over and look at your property. Yeah, I need one. Matter of

fact, I want this same silhouette. Matter of fact, I want this same cut. You know what? With the Hawks logo. Make sure you get my information and i'll send the guy to help because they'll come out look at your property same court see where you want it and uh i got ups now and see this is also a tennis court too right because you because you have you have you have you have rebounders here these are rebounders right and then you have the hook these right here rebounders here. These are rebounders. Right. And then you have the hookup. These right here are rebounders?

Yeah, it's the rebounders. Oh, for the tennis. Actually, like if you want to hit shooting by yourself. Right. You can, you know, this is your rebounder. So what's your technique of a perfect jump shot? Well, I don't know what it is now, but back then it's just going straight up and down, give it balance, you know what I mean? Right. I'm pigeon-toed, so, you know, back then it's just going straight up and down, give it balance, you know what I mean?

Right. I'm pigeon-toed, so, you know, I'm like this, go straight up and down. And go crazy. Let me see. Yeah, you got to have form, baby. You got to have form. I'm an old man now. I can't shoot it like I used to.

One word, man. That's a good-looking shot. That's a good-looking shot. Nah. Coach told me that I wasn't going to be there. But I'm going to tell you, though. I'm going to tell you, though. The first thing I would tell you, though.

Right. Start right here. See? Most kids, what's the first shot they take? A three. A three. You know what? See the ball go down.

Take an easy shot. You see what I mean? Take like two of them, and then you step out. Knock down like two of those. There you go. Now you can step out. Knock down like two of those. There you go. Now you can step out. Or go to the corner, whatever you're comfortable with. Now you done seen that ball go down.

Right. You know? I've coached both of my sons. Both of them? See, but look. And my daughter. Isn't that like a blessing for you to give off some game to your loved one, especially that you know that they can use. I think we have a social responsibility to give back what we've learned.

Right. And when I hear people say, oh, well, I'm not a role model. I don't like being a role model. But you are. Once you put in that position, you have an obligation to give it back. Right. You know, that's why if you ever see me with bodyguards, all that stuff. Uh-uh. How can you connect to people if you ever see me with bodyguards and all that stuff. Uh-uh.

How can you connect with people if people can't? Can't even touch you. Interact with you, touch you. Right. So that's why I get respect from places I go, especially in the city of Atlanta, because I'm one of you guys. That's how I like when I'm moving in the city. Like, I understand when I'm out. That's cool.

Certain times you may need that. But when I'm in the city, man, I don't need no security. certain times you may need that but when i'm in the city man i don't need no security i don't know how to move around indeed nigga the wood i go to the grocery store i'm outside yeah i'm telling you i go to grocery all that stuff and people are like hey nigg how you doing because they see me so much how you doing so you know i don't have to have all that right so right and that's how you stay connected with the earth with with life you already know what's going on because i'm a, because I do this, I'm still a human being. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

And that's why people, that's why people love you. Because when you do that, man, you got, oh, you got a little jump shot there. Man, I tried to do a little something, something. Once he, once he told me I wasn't going to be nothing, I put the jump, I put it down. I put everything down. And so my, my, my son is, my youngest son is 6'11", right? Right. He used to come out here, him and his friends all the time,

and they kept the goal, and all they wanted to do was dunk. I said, man, put the goal up. What are you doing? Right. I said, if you want to learn how to play the game, put it up 10 feet. Right. Well, Dad, it's just me and the fellas. I'm like, put the goal up.

I mean, I'm screaming at him all the time. Right. Now he finally realized why. Because he done tried on this. He done learned anything. Sound footer. You ain't there, man. I see him. Actually, it was a little bit lower than this. I'm like, come on, son. You know. So,

the funniest thing, so as he got taller, you know, I think he was six, eight at the time he had a couple of his friends come over and he asked me to come out and play with him i said i don't know i'll be out there in a minute son so i saw him on the court from the window and he kept looking back and see if i would see if you would come i said you know what i gotta call i gotta go i gotta call so it was me and him against two of his guys. And these kids were like 6'8". Both of them 6'8".

And, you know, and one of the guys said, don't worry about his pops. That's Gar Jacob. I'm like, what? What? You tried me? Oh, man. I started. I started wearing this little kid out, right?

And so he tried to go by me. He hit me in the chest. My son said, oh, he hit a brick wall. You gonna learn today, son. Hey, I heard for two weeks. That was the last time. Yeah, that was it. No, that wasn't in my that wasn't in my

forte. Right. As a OG. As an OG. Every day. Yeah. And it wasn't in my wheelhouse. I'm just gonna give you some gang. It was fun while it lasted because I knew he wanted me. He just wanted that experience. He wanted me to come out.

He wanted that experience. He said, you know, say this friend, his dad out there playing. Remember me and dad in the bus, y'all. Yeah.

Yeah, you got to pull that goal up. But, you know, first of all, it's a God-given talent, a gift of being able to elevate, you know. But somebody dunked for the first time um make sure to go with at a height that you can reach it

you know i believe my first dunk was 13 years old i had to dunk 10 foot before i don't think i can do it again i mean i don't say can't in my vocabulary I can See, practice makes perfect I don't practice to dunk You know I just noticed that shirt, man Yeah, we don't play

That's a nice shirt We don't play, man We represent Ryan Hanna-Lotta, man We get in them blood And we represent All right, they want to see what you got See what you got. See what you got.

It's all about which dunk you want me to do. Wait. What, off the backboard? I don't feel to go crazy. I don't feel to go crazy. Okay, they want it off the backboard. Off the backboard. Off the backboard.

I ordered a two-half for myself. You know, that was one of my Slam dunk contest Winning dunk stats See but this Now I got to perfect See it's all timing baby It's all timing It's all about time

It's all about time It's all about how you bounce I ain't know that backboard Not too hard I ain't know that backboard Had a little semen on Oh yeah that's it There you go

There you go Dunk contest Now I got soft Hey Oh man They be doing stuff There you go. There you go. Dunk contest now done got soft. Hey, oh, man. They be doing stuff, looking at it. I be like, you ain't do nothing. And you know what? Now, McClellan is doing it again this year. Right.

For a three-peat. Right. It's amazing because you got a guy coming out of G League. The little short one. Yeah, he been doing the thing. If I'm an NBA player, man, I'm embarrassed. Embarrassed? No G League guy beat me.

Embarrassed? No, sir. Okay, so think about it like this, right? How you looking at it? How do you see that right now? You don't have to make it to the NBA. That's what it's saying. They got so many avenues.

You're right, coach. I probably won the NBA player, but I'm an NIL Europe League player. Yeah. You never taught me that. I only thought NBA was the only way. You know what? If you're an NBA player, you work all your life to get to this level. Right.

And there ain't nobody at this level. Right. And this, that's, I'll tell you, I'm sure Michael Jordan, Magic Maltese. Right. Ain't coming beating me. Right. No. Not happening.

Because it's pride. Right. You know, pride. It's all about pride, man. You know. Hell, we were going at the toughest guy right to do the contest right you know and you had to bring it you know my first dunk contest was dr j larry nance uh daryl griffith i mean these are legendary dunkers right and again i didn't do very well in that dunk contest because I'm stargazing because of Dr. J.

That was my guy, you know. And so, once I got over that, that next year, I said, I'm not going to just be in a dunk contest. I got to improve. I got to show myself. I said, I'm going to win it. And I won it that next year. So, you know, that was my mentality.

Again, I played a game of one speed that was all out. That's the only way I knew how to play. Right. You know, I wasn't going to come back to you. And I get out on the break. Ain't nobody beating me down.

And you look at guys like myself, James Worthy, how fast we ran the lanes. I think suicide is all that came about. Ain't nobody suicide. We ran the fast break. We wasn't going to stop at the three-point line. We get into that rack, especially early in the game. I think suicide is all that came about. Ain't nobody suicide. When we ran the fast break, we wasn't going to stop at the three-point line. We get into that rack, especially early in the game. We get into the rack because it can be easy too.

I see too many people right here. When you want a fast break and there's nobody between you and the basket, especially early in the game. Now, late in the game, the game close you need to be, of course. But early in the game, you get that too easy too. Now you're seeing the ball go in the basket. But, late in the game, the game close, you need to be in court. But early in the game, you get that too easy too. Now you're seeing the ball go in the basket. But this is what we're seeing.

You don't start pressing. We're seeing three, four people in the three-point line, one person at the post. And you got one person on the side, like he waiting on him to come over here. And you're like, ain't no move. Y'all ain't making no – y'all ain't setting up no plays. The classic way of running a fast break is when you get it, get it to that point guard right and you feel the lanes you go wide and then you cut in so you got a choice either side now if they don't get it you go through and

you cross right now the big guy come down and you have a what they call a secondary break so the ball never stops so check this out right just like you said if you would have missed three four five shots back then you getting out the game oh they got simmers coming up the court with the ball how when we start doing that but see the thing is the object of the game to get the ball up the floor as quickly as possible by any means necessary so yeah i brought the ball up the floor a lot but i was pushing it right most times, I wanted to be the one to finish the play, not start it. So I get that ball to Doc Rivers, Spock, Webb, and I just feel those lengths. Right.

Because I know it's coming back to me. But how are you going to get a rebound if you're still not bringing the ball up? That's why I got so many layups and dunks and one plays at the rim, because we were willing to run. We ran the ball before makes and misses. So we'll never get secondary chances if our center is bringing the ball up. Who going to get the rebound? The guard.

How? When he ain't taller than the power forward. Yeah, but, you know, again, it was just a different way of playing back then. I was trying to be very efficient. Right. And how you do that, you know, again, it was just a different way of playing back then. I was trying to be very efficient. Right. And how you do that, you got to attack. You got to attack. See the ball going to bat.

Get to the free throw line. And when you see the mid-range, I was doing all that mid-range stuff way back then. How you feel about people doing this? Because I see this a lot. I see this a lot. Guard or power forward, whichever one, beat their man. You can tell they ain't in their contract to shoot

too many shots. They got a free shot. I already know what you're saying. And here they go. You know what I'm going to give to you. God, that gets on my nerves. It drives me crazy with big guys to see them get right here. And they pass the ball. They pass the ball. If you did that back in the day, a big guy would have passed that ball back out

when you were right here. Again, especially early in the game. Right. You might not see a lot of playing time because you're giving up an easy You're giving up an easy. For a maybe. For a, you know he ain't going to, he ain't going to make it. Because this is a high percentage shot.

Right. But I see so many guys, rim is right there, and he do this. Throw it out. That's bizarre to me. Because even as a smaller guy, I'm not a center out with small forward. Right. If I got the ball in here, it ain't coming out. I'm trying to get this guy in foul trouble and get it easy too.

You know, the thing you don't see, I had a jump hook. Right. I get the ball here. Right. I get a step, dribble, I'm using this. I'm using my bow to give me room. I don't have to throw it out,

but that's hold the guy at bay, got a jump hook. Or if I get it right. Right. And like I said, come here for a second, let me show you something. Right. If I go this way and you go with me, right?

Right. Then go with me now. So if I move, go with me, I'm this. You're gone. You're gone. Right. You're done. You're gone. You know, or if you guard me.

Right. I take a step up. I rip through. Then I come through. Right. Or I go the opposite way. You got opposite. Then I go this way.

Then I throw it off the glass and in. Right. You know, that's the things we were taught. You know. Oh. an end. Right. You know, that's that's the things we were taught, you know. I'm Michael Kasson, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures and your guide on good company, the podcast where I sit down with the boldest innovators shaping what's next. In this episode, I'm joined by Anjali Sood, CEO of Tubi. We dive into the competitive world of streaming.

What others dismiss as niche, we embrace as core. There are so many stories out there, and if you can find a way to curate and help the right person discover the right content, the term that we always hear from our audience is that they feel seen. Listen to Good Company on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal

that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran-Contra affair. The things that happened were so bizarre and insane, I can't begin to tell you. Please do. To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco, Iran-Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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