The Bill Simmons Podcast - Chris Bosh on the Anthony Davis Saga, KG's Trash-Talking, and the Player Empowerment Era | The Bill Simmons Podcast (Ep. 481)

Episode Date: February 11, 2019

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh to discuss the events surrounding Anthony Davis and the trade deadline, player empowerment and the pros and cons that co...me with it, playing against NBA legends including Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Brook Lopez, globalization of NBA talent, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Today's episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast and the Ringer Podcast Network brought to you as always by our friends at ZipRecruiter. You know what's smart? Having Chris Bosh on my podcast because that dude is really smart. You know what else is smart? Going to ZipRecruiter.com slash BS to hire the right people for your business. It's technology identifies people with the right skills for your job, actively invites them to apply, get qualified candidates fast.
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Starting point is 00:01:06 want to stay at, go to hoteltonight.com or download the app right now. We're also brought to you by theringer.com, the world's greatest website, talking Grammys, talking post-trade deadline stuff, bunch of great features, the Ringer podcast network, where we put up a brand new rewatchables already, A star is born. We did that one. We put it up Sunday night and yeah, I think it's the earliest rewatchables we've ever done. We've done six movies this decade. So this was one of them. We thought it was timely with the Oscars coming up. So you can check that out. You can check out a new episode of Winging It. You can check out the Ringer MBA show and The Flat Circle, our True Detective show, which is on YouTube, Twitter,
Starting point is 00:01:46 and then running on the Recapables feed. And we have some good stuff in the works across the board for everything we're doing here. Coming up, Chris Bosh, future Hall of Famer. Great time for him to come in because I've been bummed out about this Anthony Davis situation and just where the NBA is going with, with players just jumping teams left and right.
Starting point is 00:02:11 And nobody seems to be happy. And we have this unbelievable product on the court. And yet all the other stuff is just taking a life of its own to a point. Like, where is this going? So who better to ask than Chris Bosch, who was right there at the front door of the player empowerment decade and
Starting point is 00:02:27 and kind of saw it blossom into what it's become he has some great thoughts on this we're going to get to them right now first our friends from Pearl Jam All right, we're taping this Monday morning Pacific time. All-Star weekend is coming. The player in play arm and decade is in full bloom. One of the people who started it, Chris Bosh, is here.
Starting point is 00:03:07 Is this out of control now? Is anyone happy? What's going on here? You know, I don't know, man. That's an interesting question. I don't know if anybody's happy. I think it's gotten to a point where, you know, in realizing the power of the athlete and that athlete kind of becoming aware of that, it's still young guys making decisions.
Starting point is 00:03:30 And sometimes even if, so the Anthony Davis thing, even if he doesn't want to be there, it's a way you go about it, but now it's going to be this new world where we're talking about other things like these decisions backfiring a little bit. At what point does it undermine the concept of team? That's the part I'm worried about. I'm fine with player empowerment. I love that everybody's making money. The Encore product is as good as it's been in the last 25 years, and yet it just feels like it's turning into pickup where it's like everybody's on the court and say all right i'm gonna run with him
Starting point is 00:04:10 now and you run with him and yeah there's no continuity at all when i was in high school growing up in the aau thing this is pretty much the aau generation yeah you know um and i was heavy into it of course growing up But that's how some guys played. Some guys, and I remember distinctly, many dudes would play for a team in California and live in Michigan. Play for a team in Texas, but live in Florida. So it's always kind of been there in the underlying tones of basketball development. So I think that's kind of where it comes from. Because usually guys just make an all-star team.
Starting point is 00:04:53 And this year it's in D.C. And this D.C. team is going to be the best in the world. And then after that, they're not even playing together. It feels to me what we're losing here is basketball ultimately is designed not to keep everybody happy. It's hard to be on a team. There's a winner and a loser, especially you're in a 30-team league. 29 teams are going to be sad at the end of the season. For sure. And, you know, it was interesting.
Starting point is 00:05:22 Right before LeBron left Miami in 2014, which you were intimately involved with, Riley had that press conference. Yeah, he did. And it was this old guy on the couch press conference. But I also really liked it because he was basically like calling out LeBron and saying, Hey, this is hard. Nobody said we're going to win every year. Like, it's hard to keep a team together.
Starting point is 00:05:44 I went through this with Magic and Kareem, and this is a journey, and you have ups and downs, and you can't bail the moment you have a down. Yeah. And LeBron didn't like when he said that. Yeah, I guess not. I guess that didn't help. But what did you think about that, though? Of what he said?
Starting point is 00:05:59 Yeah. I mean, yeah, there's any time, especially when people are upset, there's some truth to what they're saying. And I do get his point of view. Did you feel that way as a player, though, in the whole middle of that? Like, oh, yeah, the season didn't work out, but should we, that's it? Should we blow this up? No, I mean, I was, look, I grew up on classic basketball, you know,
Starting point is 00:06:20 so I'm finally here at this moment, and we are living or trying to attain things like Mike Jordan and Kobe and Shaq did, and Kobe on his own in L.A. with his team. But we were trying to—I thought that's how it was going to go. You know, like, hey, all right, this is the next thing. Let's, you know, figure this thing out. Let's add more players, and we'll see what happens but free agency has taken on another meaning usually it was like alright let's work this thing out
Starting point is 00:06:53 now it's more of a business transaction and that's great that's good and there's always going to be repercussions for those things and now I think we're seeing the unintended consequences now. So, you know, it's great, but it's different.
Starting point is 00:07:11 You've been in two different situations that relate to this. The first one was in Toronto. Yeah. And the end of that decade, the team just wasn't good. Yeah. And at some point you realized, I can change my destiny. How old were you when that happened? You were like 25 26 i was
Starting point is 00:07:25 25 um it was funny because you know if you think as a young guy hey if i work hard everybody else is gonna work hard around me and they're gonna we're gonna do this thing right this special thing and and as hard as i was working we were barely scratching the surface of the playoffs i think we made the playoffs with two two years in a row and one of the years was working, we were barely scratching the surface of the playoffs. I think we made the playoffs with two years in a row. And one of the years that I thought we were pretty good, we were a 500 team. Yeah. And, you know, it was just that consistency of just kind of underachieving a little bit and really, quite frankly, not having any help.
Starting point is 00:08:00 You know, free agents didn't want to come. You know, therefore, we agents didn't want to come. Um, you know, therefore we could only get so much better. And, um, I remember, uh, John Salmons was a free agent and it was between us and Chicago. So I'm like, yeah, okay. Oh man, if we can get Johnny Salmons, we'll be, we'll be pretty good. And I guess you would call it recruiting, trying to get in touch with him and stuff, and he took less money to go to Chicago. And that's kind of when I knew it was going to be a lot more difficult being in Toronto.
Starting point is 00:08:34 So as soon as I could change my destiny and have an opportunity to explore other things, I was ready to do that. So you felt competitively you were compromised a little bit with the situation, especially free ready to do that. So you felt competitively you were compromised a little bit with the situation and especially free agent side in there. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it just is what it is. I guess it
Starting point is 00:08:53 wasn't as appealing. And even now, I don't remember the last time Toronto got a big free agent sign. Right, it's usually been smart trades and stuff like that. It's usually been smart trades. Well, there's some Canada stuff and there's taxes. Yeah, there's taxes and customs and they don't make it easy on you. I mean, it's usually been smart trades and stuff like that. It's usually been smart trades. Well, there's some Canada stuff and there's taxes. Yeah, there's taxes and customs and they don't make it easy on you.
Starting point is 00:09:08 I mean, it's small things like, hey, man, and, you know, forgive me if I'm going off on customs. I love you guys, but man, you know, we go in and out of the city
Starting point is 00:09:16 a lot because, you know, we're centrally located. So a lot of in and out flights, you're going through customs every time. And we're in the airport going through customs and that gets kind of old a little bit. You're going through customs every time. Yeah. And we're in the airport. You're going through customs and that gets kind of old a little bit. You know, they had to give us our boarding pass and tickets
Starting point is 00:09:31 and then we had to take off our shoes and laptops and everything. You know, we're NBA players. We got a lot of jewelry on. We got a lot of stuff. And, you know, and like Sam Mitchell was killing us one year. He made us have a business casual dress code. Oh, my God. So we've got big coats and belt buckles and shoes going through the thing.
Starting point is 00:09:53 It was just, I did the math one time, 26 hours in the airport. Oh, my God. Over a season, 26 hours. And you're just thinking about it. So you get to Miami the next year and you're like, all right, we'll see you at the private jet. You just hop on, you're off. You just hop on and go to work, man.
Starting point is 00:10:08 And you're like, what was I thinking? Yeah, man. That's why I was like, okay, all right, this is how it should be. But I asked. They just, you know, politely declined. So you had, because you had signed a max contract or whatever the biggest extension you could have done that last time in Toronto.
Starting point is 00:10:23 Yeah, three-year deal. And then you knew pretty much with about a year to go that that team wasn't going to contend and that you were probably leaving. Did you ever think about being like, get me out of here? No, no, no. I wanted to try my best,
Starting point is 00:10:38 and I wanted to put it all on my back. That was one of the dreams that I had as a kid. You watch Jordan do it. It's like, okay, I'm going to do the same thing. Yeah. You think it's a little easier than it really is. And then,
Starting point is 00:10:49 I kept, you know, I was in a position being the best player, perennial all-star and all that stuff, but I was still watching the playoffs
Starting point is 00:10:57 as soon as May, like May 1st. Yeah. It was a wrap. You know, in a while, you get kind of tired of watching guys that you've competed with your whole life.
Starting point is 00:11:07 You want to compete against them on that stage. So not being able to experience that, it was very tough. And, I mean, the last year, I mean, I came in. I was a man on a mission, and it just didn't work out. You know, I think numbers-wise, I had the best of my career. But, you know, I just ran out of juice, man. Did you have dialogue before the trade deadline, the all-star break, be like, hey, man, I'm probably leaving?
Starting point is 00:11:29 No, no, no. So you're like, I'm riding this out today. Yeah, just ride it out. And that's the thing I think guys today have to do. You just got to ride it out, man. I was going to bring that up. Yeah, I think what Kyrie, he's kind of, he says some stuff. He's like, don't even say anything, You know, just kind of ride the wave.
Starting point is 00:11:46 You don't have to commit, people. And that's the game sometimes with the media. They want you to, they need that story. You know, guys have to write about something. Sources. Sources are saying. Hey, I'm coming back. Just say free agency or just come up with something to say and, and, you know,
Starting point is 00:12:05 leave it at that. My issue with what Davis did, he, he really started maneuvering with two years left on his deal. And I think the issue with the league right now, and I have no idea how to fix it. I think it's awesome that everybody's getting these big, long contracts.
Starting point is 00:12:21 They should, they, the league is being carried by 30 guys. It's a multi-billion dollar industry. I don't even know what it's worth. But you're putting young players in a position where it makes the most sense for them to take a long contract for the max
Starting point is 00:12:35 and then decide how to get out of it if things don't work out. And we're seeing that over and over again where now we're in a situation where he's got two years left on his deal. He re-signed there to be their max guy. Yeah. And he hires Rich Paul and you can see where it's going from the moment that happens. Yeah. And then right before the all-star break, all of a sudden leak, he wants out, he wants to go to the Lakers. Yeah. And my question is, you're everyone else on that team.
Starting point is 00:13:02 What is it like to be on that team now? You've completely blowtorched the situation. There's no going back. Yeah. And you have all this time left on your deal. Yeah. I mean, that complicates things a little bit. And I think he said he does want to play, right, for the rest of the year. I mean, that's why I say it backfired.
Starting point is 00:13:19 You know, you can explore different things. And just because we're business savvy a little more now and understand a little more doesn't mean that every decision is going to be spot on. Yeah. You know, and yeah, now you have to deal with the awkwardness of having to play in New Orleans. And that's pretty much a lose-lose situation now. And, I mean, New Orleans, you saw, they're patient. They're not moving. They're going to make the move that's best for them.
Starting point is 00:13:50 I like how they handled it. They've got more time. Yeah, wait, why do we have to trade you? We paid you all this money to be our max player. Thanks for the offer, but we're going to keep you and try to figure it out. And that's the interesting thing. The long-term contracts are great. That's another, I think, unintended consequence.
Starting point is 00:14:06 As a player, we're like, great, $38 million max deal. That's awesome per year. If you're not happy, though, now, I mean, it's hard to trade that. Yeah. You know what I mean? Well, look at John Wall's situation. John Wall's like $40 million a year, and now he's hurt. Yeah. It's going I mean? Well, look at John Wall's situation. John Wall's like 40 million a year and now he's hurt. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:14:25 It's going to be an interesting situation. And even if you try, what does that value look like trying to make those blockbuster trades now? Because the money is way different. Yeah, I don't know how we fix this. Just buckle up and get for the ride. Just go for the ride. Whoa. Just go for the ride. Whoa. Just go for the ride, man. Could we have no trade clauses for the max deal?
Starting point is 00:14:50 And if the guy wants to get traded, maybe it's 15% off the contract or something. Like there's some sort of. Nah, dudes will never do that. You don't like that anymore? Nah, guys will never do that. I don't know how to fix this. I don't have an answer. Hey, man.
Starting point is 00:15:01 I think it's just one of those things. It's the new generation it's the new nba so you know everybody has their twitter followers and instagram followers and followers on social media so you know it's more uh single entities working under one big entity pretty much single entities undermines the concept of a basketball team though like you were in a situation in miami where you were like, I have to do the little stuff. I'm watching this right now with the Celtics.
Starting point is 00:15:30 One of the issues with the Celtics right now, Kyrie going to be a free agent. Horford and Hayward are veteran stars. Marcus Morris, contract year. Marcus Morris just got signed. Then all these young guys. Yeah, it's their time. And basically, they need the young guys to be the glue guys.
Starting point is 00:15:44 But the young guys are like, I'm a young guy. Can I get 20 shots? Yeah. Did you just see my commercial I just did? I just did shoot. I just have my own Nike show. I don't want to be a glue guy. And then everybody's like, what's going on?
Starting point is 00:15:56 I thought they were going to win 67 games, and it's been a disaster. Anytime young guys have early success, I always watch. Like, I'm a Cowboy fan. Yeah. So that year, when we went, I think, 13-3, going and made the playoffs next year wasn't very good. Automatically, you're going to have a letdown with young guys
Starting point is 00:16:17 because they don't know what it takes to get back to that level. They don't know that the Eastern Conference Finals is a pretty special thing. Some guys don't know that, yeah, the Eastern Conference finals is pretty special thing. Some guys don't even make it, but it's normal to them because it's what they're, that's their reality at the moment. They're not going to work as hard
Starting point is 00:16:33 and if they do work hard, it's not going to be in the right things. You know, your guy that you want to be a glue guy, he might say, okay, hey,
Starting point is 00:16:42 I'm going to average 20 next year. Yeah. You know, Jasonason tatum amazing talent i'll be your glue guy but i need 18 shots for sure and but and then with that said you've got hey we're coming back yeah and you have kairi coming back so that team that you know made it to the confinals totally different team team. And they have to wipe off everything from last year and restart. And some guys, sometimes it's just tough, man. Especially as a young guy, I couldn't imagine that. I feel like I really know basketball
Starting point is 00:17:15 and I did not see this Celtics thing coming at all. I just thought, I was like, this is great. We got two more players. Stevens will figure all this out. And you just forget, man. You know, I look at a team like Brooklyn
Starting point is 00:17:28 or Sacramento and they don't have half the talent to Celtics have. Oh, Sacramento has the talent, but they're just so much happier. Everybody knows their roles. They love playing together.
Starting point is 00:17:37 I mean, there's really something to be said for that. Success is tough. Like, you know, people, many people have,
Starting point is 00:17:44 you know, that I respect have always told me, don't, it's not really what, you know, people, many people, you know, that I respect have always told me, it's not really what, you know, how you handle everything when you're failing. It's easy to get up and work harder and have more dreams and aspirations and even be more determined next year. Show me the guy after he's successful. And show me that guy after all the success and then the next year when it's time to come back and and do the little things like being the glue guy yeah that's what I want to see and you know that's the message that doesn't get pumped out as much as like everyone
Starting point is 00:18:19 is connected and and as much as social media plays a huge role in talking to the youth and delivering the product to the people nobody's really talking about the psychological aspect of it it's like it's a mind thing man we talked about it last time you were there about how hard that first Miami season was
Starting point is 00:18:39 and it's like why is this team doing better it's Chris Bosh's fault if only he wasn't there I wasn't used to that. If only he wasn't there. I wasn't used to that. I remember dudes was killing me, and it had me feeling like I wasn't playing well. Yeah. That was the most points and rebounds I actually averaged with the Heat until LeBron left.
Starting point is 00:18:57 Yeah. You know, I was averaging 18 and 8 or something like that. And I remember thinking like, damn, I remember people making me feel like I was crap. You know what I mean? And I wasn't an all-star and all these things. And, you know, I was averaging just under a second option on another team. You know, so after I saw that, I kind of just said, all right, put all that to the side.
Starting point is 00:19:21 I'm going to just concentrate on playing basketball and helping the team out and win. That didn't make it easy, but, you know. That was the first time I remember the day-to-day rhythm of how we cover basketball now with social media and with all the reporters and this might happen and that might happen and sources say. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:19:39 Miami, I feel like, was the first team that was in that for 365 days a year. Yeah, it was fun. And the ups and downs of it. Yeah, that first year was not fun at all, right? It was not fun at all. You know, it was kind of a polarizing thing. I do think, you know, I love Pat Riley to death.
Starting point is 00:19:55 I do think it was made by design because, you know, Pat Riley is a smart guy. So, you know, they designed this whole big parade thing. It's kind of like you remember in 87 when he said, we're going to do it again. Right. Put the pressure on. Yeah. And Lakers dudes was like, you got to be kidding me.
Starting point is 00:20:12 Right. I think it was the same thing. You know, put the pressure on. And it's good that nobody likes you because, you know, you're trying to go here. Nobody likes the guys up there. So we might as well do it now. Out of those four years, what percentage of it were you guys actually just happy as a basketball team?
Starting point is 00:20:32 Oh, a major percent. Yeah? Major, major, major percent. That was one of the best parts about it. We found how to go within the team and find things from each other. And it was more than just like on the court. It was going to breakfast together, going over each other's houses, visiting family, supporting each other at charity events and stuff like that.
Starting point is 00:20:58 That's pretty much what it was because everybody was growing up. We had families, children, dreams and goals. And so that team thing was very, very important to us. Do you think teams still hang out like that? No. Because I think that's one of the problems. I don't think they do. You can tell.
Starting point is 00:21:16 I think they put their AirPods on when they're on the bus and they get on the plane and they're just doing their thing. It's easy to do. It's the easiest thing to do. I remember, you know, after Brian left, and one of the most underrated things about him is that he's really a team guy. Yeah. You know, he's going to say, hey, let's go here. Let's go to dinner. He loves just—
Starting point is 00:21:36 The family aspect of the team. Yeah, you know, and so I said, all right. After he left, I said, okay, I got to assume the role. I'm going to take it on myself to reach out to the young guys and, you know, go to dinner and stuff like that. Sometimes it wouldn't be everybody, you know, open invitation for the whole team. And maybe just, you know, it's five or six guys, which I understand, you know, guys do things in cities, but it was never like it was, you know. And that's, I think, you know, as technology's moved on, yeah, you can watch a movie. You can be on your Instagram, your Twitter.
Starting point is 00:22:13 You know, so you can do anything, man. And I think now more than ever it's important for guys to, you know, hey, man, let's go to dinner or let's talk because you can't you can't like with the Warriors now everybody's making a big deal because they're yelling at each other you have to be you have to have a strong bond for those things
Starting point is 00:22:36 not to get to you because you're going to yell, it's going to happen it's an emotional game, I'm going to scream at you, you're probably going to scream at me but afterwards it's done we address it it's over you know um and it'll linger if you're not you know if you don't know each other and respect each other it seems like the family aspect of everything is the secret sauce for these basketball teams that actually really succeed on a consistent level because i remember like nash's son's teams in the last decade.
Starting point is 00:23:05 Yeah. And they had that one last run in 2010, the year you were free agent. They almost made the finals. Wasn't their best team, but it was a really close team. Yeah. And they were the same thing. They were like dinners and all that stuff. Because you're asking somebody to be the glue guy. Even though he has talent to be a number one or number two,
Starting point is 00:23:20 you're asking him to stand in the corner and, you know, shoot threes and, you know, shoot threes and, you know, guard the best guy on the other team. Pretty much take a beating. Right. And the Spurs have been able to do that pretty consistently. It's easier when you have somebody like Duncan, who's an all-time guy, and who knows who's never going to leave. Yeah. But still, they asked a lot of good players to make sacrifices. You think Tim Duncan in this day and age would be kind of, would he be different a little bit?
Starting point is 00:23:47 I mean, he almost left, remember, in 2000? Yeah. He almost signed with Orlando. He ended up coming back. I think all these guys, I think your generation to the next generation is really different. Those two generations are really dramatically different. It's way different.
Starting point is 00:24:03 And you really, you're thinking of yourself as a brand all the time. I don't feel like in 2009, you were like, I'm Chris Brosh. I'm a brand who plays basketball. You're like, I'm a basketball player. I want to make some money and be in the right situation. Well, that was the best thing going. You know, now, yeah, you have to compete. It's a different platform. It's a bigger platform. So now you're going to get more of everything. You know, you're going to get more brand association opportunities. You're going to get more deals, more money.
Starting point is 00:24:35 Yeah, you start your own company. I'm for all of it. I think it's great. I just don't know what it means for the basketball dynamic. You don't have, and here's how I think about it. You don't have to start a company. One thing that people do is make basketball players or athletes period feel like they have to know what they're doing after they're done playing now yeah it doesn't you don't
Starting point is 00:24:53 you know what i mean long if you're if you're you know excuse my language if you're not an asshole yeah people will talk to you later yeah they know who you are you don't have to do it right now because you you know, it's not always the best situation. Like just because you're investing in business doesn't mean, you know, you're going to be successful. I carry that with me all the time, you know, so you can be patient. You don't have to do it right now. You can wait and, you know, develop other things you want to do. If you're having ideas, hey, why don't I make sure that this guy I'm talking to is a good guy? Make sure I like him.
Starting point is 00:25:30 Yeah. Usually people come right away, invest in my company. I don't want to invest in it. I have enough money. Yeah. Don't you see my deal? Right. You know?
Starting point is 00:25:40 So, you know, sometimes there's this pressure that doesn't need even need to exist. And then we start competing because, you know, you see guys with their businesses and it might be well, that's a whole different situation. You know what I mean? And I think it's better just sometimes to let things develop. I'm amazed. I look at this Warriors thing. Hey, KD's been on this pod six times. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:26:03 I'm amazed that's not like the happiest team on the planet. Like, those guys, this is the team of a generation, you know? And they play so beautifully together. I'm amazed they have any strife at all. It's all great. Everyone's making money. They can kill anybody. Like, how are you fighting with each other?
Starting point is 00:26:19 I don't get it. It's always that thing, man. And you're right, man. I mean, it is amazing to watch them play. I always wanted to talk to Steve Curry and ask him, like, how do you get these guys to pass the ball? You know, like you watch them. I mean, it's amazing, beautiful basketball.
Starting point is 00:26:33 They had like 40 assists last week. Yeah, it's crazy. And you've got pretty much two, arguably three of the greatest shooters of all time. They're like, you shoot it, you shoot it, no cut. It's so much fun they get the young guys involved it's it's amazing i would never want to leave that you never know what you got till it's gone man one thing i learned is as cliche as that is the old cliche sayings those things are true man it's a reason why they're still around and you never appreciate it until
Starting point is 00:27:02 it's gone in miami we thought that was going to happen forever. Four years, boom, done. And we could have competed for more championships too. So they just have to enjoy it while it's there, and then you'll look back and be like, damn, I should have, would have, could have, and maybe we could have won more. I don't care how many you win. You want to stay there as long as possible.
Starting point is 00:27:23 You think LeBron feels that way at all about Miami or that he looks at that like college? No. Four years, that was done. Yeah, it was a great experience, and he made the decision that he felt was best for him and his family, and, hell, it worked. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:27:39 You know, he kept going to the finals. We didn't. Right. You know, so it worked that last year when he was you knew his free agency was coming and you didn't know what he was going to do but you felt like he was going to stay how does that affect the dynamic of the actual season is that like a like a shadow that lingers over everything that's going on or you're just not thinking about it because of the grind yeah we weren't thinking about it because of the grind. We were trying to—three-peating was on our mind.
Starting point is 00:28:06 If we win, that kind of, you know, alleviates everything. And we came up short. We were dealing with, you know, fatigue, mental fatigue, you know, everybody, the whole team not buying in all the way and doing the things necessary to win. As you see, we got smoked once we got far enough against a motivated team. We're just battling the things that come with trying to win three in a row. We just fell short. What's your biggest regret about that last season? Nothing.
Starting point is 00:28:41 One regret I have, I should have spoke up more and been more aggressive in games three, four, and five. Well, three, I would have. One regret I have, I should have spoke up more and been more aggressive in games three, four, and five. Well, three, I would say. Game three. That was a weird series. I was doing TV that year. It really flipped. I felt like game four, just the feeling from being in the building, the Spurs seemed so confident.
Starting point is 00:29:00 I was like, I think they might win this. But I didn't feel that way until game five. But if game four was on my radar, I was like, I think they might, they might win this. Yeah. But I didn't feel that way until game five. Yeah. But if game four was on my radar, I was like, it doesn't seem like
Starting point is 00:29:09 they think they're going to lose this series. Yeah, I mean, they were moving the ball so well and you guys were always like a half step behind wherever it was going.
Starting point is 00:29:16 And they were shooting. I mean, they were shooting amazingly and it just seemed, everything, we were scrambling the whole time. Everything that we were doing,
Starting point is 00:29:21 we were playing catch up. Yeah. You know, we were playing catch up enough in the series before and we barely squeaked by. That series was more, they were determined
Starting point is 00:29:31 and we didn't have enough to fight that determination. We weren't playing well. We weren't gelling as a team. We didn't have momentum. You know, it was just a classic, you know,
Starting point is 00:29:43 beatdown pretty much. And we won game two. Once we won game two, I was like, okay, you know, beat down pretty much. And we won game two. Once we won game two, I was like, okay, this is, well, game one,
Starting point is 00:29:49 wasn't that the heat game, game one? Cause they had an excuse with game one. It was like, oh, if that didn't happen, Miami wins that. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:29:55 Good one. Good one guys. That was definitely rigged. Yeah, of course it was rigged. I think I lost 12 pounds. I was just doing TV. And people always tell me,
Starting point is 00:30:04 like my friends will say, if you were to win a series, I say, nah, we split. That's what you're supposed to do. A good team, you split on the road, you go back home. So we did our job. You know, it wasn't any heat issues in three or four, no pun intended. So, you know, it was just one of those things. I wish I would have been more aggressive in speaking out
Starting point is 00:30:23 and getting myself involved. Let's take a quick break to talk about Bud Light. Did you know not all alcohol products are required to list their ingredients? That was news to me. Bud Light is changing the game. They believe that we deserve to know our beer's ingredients. So they put an ingredients label right on their packaging. Bud Light, brewed with hops, barley, water, and rice. No corn syrup, no preservatives, no artificial flavor. Find out what ingredients are in your beer. Bud Light, enjoy responsibly. AB Bud Light Beer, St. Louis, Missouri. And since we're here, the rewatchables, A Star is Born, doing that. It's up. You can download it right now. Me, Sean Fantasy, Amanda Dobbins, including crucial conversations like what would have happened in real life if
Starting point is 00:31:14 somebody peed on themselves at the Grammys like that? How would that have been treated? What would the seven-day news cycle have been like? Is the seven minutes when they sing Shallow in the movie the best seven-minute stretch of any movie this decade. A lot of good stuff. Really enjoyed that one. We have Reality Bites and Dave are the next two movies. Yeah, that's all coming. I don't know why you haven't subscribed to the Rewatchables yet
Starting point is 00:31:37 if you haven't already done it. Check that out, the Rewatchables feed on the Ringer podcast network. All right, back to Chris Bosh. What do you see from LeBron in year, what year is he now? Year 17, I guess? 16, whatever. 16. 16? Yeah. What do you see from his game that is different, evolves a little less than it was?
Starting point is 00:32:01 Not banging as much. Not banging as much. Yeah, not banging as much. He's very calculated in his face-up moves. He pretty much knows the move he's going to hit you with, and he's more of in a flow. He knows his game. He knows you can tell he's picking his spots on the court, what move he's going to do in which spot.
Starting point is 00:32:21 Every time he faces somebody up, when he gives you that long back dribble and attacks. He's taking more threes. I watch the Boston game and the Philly game and it's definitely he's already in energy conservation. I know if we make the playoffs
Starting point is 00:32:38 I'm going to have to do absolutely everything. I'm not burning it right now. Mid-February. But at the same time, they might not make the playoffs. it might be too late it'll be time you know I think yeah he's just in a position
Starting point is 00:32:48 he hasn't been in a while you know and he's gonna have to guide that team and their young guys are the same way you know
Starting point is 00:32:56 I put them in the position the same as Boston yeah they had some young guys very good you know Kuzma Ball
Starting point is 00:33:03 Hart all those guys Ingram, they, phenomenal talents, and then Bron is coming, like, oh, we're going to win it all, and you can see it in their eyes in the summertime, and it's like, man, you know, it's a blitz about to come your way, and you have to deal with it now, you know, they're kind of, you know, on the outside looking in, but there's some work to do. I really like the way they looked the last couple months of last season and whatever the dangerous team if they figure it out they i i mean if they figure some things out it's still two months of
Starting point is 00:33:35 basketball don't count them out you know it's uh defensively is going to be an issue though you do have to play defense they just it's a pretty inflexible lineup like mb just annihilated them yes yeah the ability is there they can't match up at center i mean you know um well tyson's there uh but they have some defensive ability yeah it's an older tyson and just like brian he won't be able he's not going yeah you know burn it all out out now. But like I say, if they figure things out and get those things down, especially defensively, they're long. Outside shooting is an issue, but they might could turn around. I feel like the Kings are going to make the playoffs,
Starting point is 00:34:19 and I'm trying to figure out what the eight spots are. I haven't even looked at the standings. I mean, it's a little too early. There's like 25, 27 games left. Yeah. I just like the Kings, and they play hard every night. I think they're going to make it. So somebody's got to drop out for them.
Starting point is 00:34:35 And it either has to be the Spurs or the Lakers. Because the Spurs are kind of going this way. Yeah. Very, like, quietly. They're kind of doing this. Well, everything in San antonio's gonna be quiet yeah and the thing is like you hit this point where you have 11 teams that have a chance to make the playoffs but then you get to like late march and somebody pulls a calf muscle for two
Starting point is 00:34:55 weeks yeah and all of a sudden that team's tank and then all of a sudden they're not in the playoffs yeah i mean so it's gonna be fun yeah it happens i mean i like the kings i keep you know i've uh i was hearing about in the last month man the kings the Kings, the Kings and, you know, DeAndre Fox and Marvin Bagley, you know, they have some really, really, you know, generational talent. Bagley's in your lefty, lefty club. Yeah, I saw him play at Duke a couple of times. I like him. He's, he's, he's nice. He's pretty good. The lefties all hang out. Yeah, man. Is there like some text chain? Nah. You, Zach Randolph, Zach Randolph Bagley nah man all the lefty post-up dudes you had to wear a Keon Clark's on it still Keon Clark wow who are the great left
Starting point is 00:35:34 who are the great lefty forwards who are your favorites Lamar Odom Lamar Odom an all-timer yeah of course I modeled I remember I watched him play at rhode island man when i was a kid like dave callens great lefty dave callens before your time that's before my time yeah that's a good one right there you i really got to think about that one because they i always say this but sam perkins sam perkins there was young sam perkins and then old Jedi Sam Perkins, 28 feet from the basket. Yeah. Shooting the set shots, man. Yeah, set shots, Sam Perkins. That was so weird.
Starting point is 00:36:09 A center shooting a three. It was like, what is he doing? Because the thing is, I always say this. Everyone forgets somebody's left-handed during a basketball game. You just forget. And then the guy's going left. It's like, oh, shit, he's left-handed. And I feel like it's worth three baskets.
Starting point is 00:36:25 Sometimes. You know, sometimes. then the guy's going left. It's like, oh shit, he's left-handed. And I feel like it's worth three baskets. Sometimes, you know, sometimes you gotta, after, after a while you start playing smart players and they know, and then it's like left. Like, well,
Starting point is 00:36:33 because of that, I'm going right more. So thanks. Well, cause the other thing is guys jump up like this. Yeah. So you're going on the other side and people, people don't defend like this with the right hand.
Starting point is 00:36:44 Yeah. It's a weird, you know, it's a different. It flips it around. Yeah, you got to kind of be aware of all that stuff when you're defending guys. LeBron's left over the years has been like his underrated thing that he's added. Yeah, he's right left-handed though. He's left-handed. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:36:57 But I mean, his ability to make these little five-foot jump hooks and twisting shots. Yeah, I always thought that was a huge advantage. Him and Mario Chalmers, they're both left-handed, but they shoot with their right. And I always thought that was such an interesting advantage because you have the mechanics in there kind of to be able to use your left hand a little better because I don't do anything with my right hand.
Starting point is 00:37:22 Damn, they're useless. James Harden left-handed. Yeah. Averaged 37 again this year. He's pretty good. I don't do anything on my right hand. It's damn useless, you know. James Harden left-handed. Yeah. Averaged 37 again this year. He's pretty good. I don't know if you've heard of him. He's pretty good. You know,
Starting point is 00:37:32 I would like to see that team do better. I think this is a year to take down the Warriors and like I don't see any challengers that's like, oh no, you've got to beat us on our home court this year.
Starting point is 00:37:44 The only one i kind of like for this conversation is uh i like what i'm watching from okc yeah i they they're pretty good yeah absolutely they're very different and they're they're long and they're physical and they're good defensively and they have a center who knows what he's doing and paul george is playing out of his mind he is and they're just like athletic, and they try really hard. And this year, somebody's going to have to actually knock them out and beat them. Last year, they kind of beat themselves in that Utah series.
Starting point is 00:38:11 Yeah, I would like to see them. This year, that Warriors thing, the Warriors will have to beat them. But they need that number one seed. It makes it a little better, you know, for sure. I feel like the Warriors are, like like they lost that stupid philly game that um they just philly played really well yeah um but i felt like they were about to go on a run a little similar to your 2013 run yeah maybe not 27 straight but they have the personnel to do it yeah it's right around the time the time of the season where that can happen.
Starting point is 00:38:45 Yeah. You guys did yours right into March? Well, yeah, because everybody kind of writes you off a little bit. Yeah. You know, you kind of take offense to that. People get healthy. Yeah. Everyone else in the league, guys start getting hurt.
Starting point is 00:38:58 And now you're at 10. Yeah. Now you're at 12. And then you kind of start looking around going, hey, let's keep that. When did you think, was there any point during that streak where you're like, oh, shit, we could, 33 is like in our sights. I think like 20. 20.
Starting point is 00:39:11 We got to 20. Like, okay. It became a thing and not a thing at the same time. So we didn't want to talk about it, but you're aware. Yeah. Hey, maybe let's go for it.
Starting point is 00:39:20 You know, let's just try to shoot for it. And then every game became bigger and bigger and bigger. And then, game became bigger and bigger and bigger. And then, you know, we played Chicago and Thibodeau. He rested all his players. He sat everybody to get before us. I know that for a fact. Sat everybody and then had them fresh and had a game plan for us.
Starting point is 00:39:40 I think that was one of the best regular season games of all time. I remember writing that at the time. It was just an, it was like a game seven of a playoff series. It was intense. It was amazing. I had a, so I didn't have a good game. So I, you know.
Starting point is 00:39:52 You didn't like it? Yeah, I forgot it. Like, ah, we lost. Let's get out of here. I think weirdly that might've been the highlight of the Derrick Rose era in Chicago. Cause they never really. I don't think he was playing. Was he not in that?
Starting point is 00:40:04 No, he wasn't in that game. He was hurt. Oh yeah, you're right. They had, they, they were short. It was Noah. I don't think he was playing. Was he not in that? No, he wasn't in that game. He was hurt. Oh, yeah, you're right. They were short. It was Noah. I don't even think Joaquin was playing. You're right, he was hurt. Yeah, I think Joaquin was hurt too.
Starting point is 00:40:12 They had a depleted lineup a little bit, but they played a good game that game. Jesus. Yeah. If you got past that one, I remember looking at the schedule and I think it would have happened. That was like your last bad one?
Starting point is 00:40:25 Yeah. And then it was, it got easy after that. Well, no, we had, yeah, but we had an average month after that. So after we lost that, we were pretty much
Starting point is 00:40:32 a 500 team. Yeah, we were just ready for the playoffs after that. That was fun. I actually, that run you guys had there and then some, the Warriors will have
Starting point is 00:40:44 little stretches. That's been the best basketball we've seen this decade. The Spurs are really fun to watch, but it was more like a chemistry thing. But from a talent standpoint, what you guys had there in that stretch and what the Warriors have now, I think, has been. Yeah, you want to see a couple fadeaways, right? A couple. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:00 A little bit. The hardest thing to do is to get just a lot of talented guys to click like that. Yeah, it's hard. Because we've seen a lot of teams that have talent, but to get everybody to kind of understand what they do. And that's why what's been interesting with this Golden State thing was Boogie coming back. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:18 It was like, wow, this is going to be weird. And it's actually like he fits in. Yeah, because they dump it down to him. They know how to play basketball. Here you go, big fella. Yeah. And, I mean i mean for him he gets to play one-on-one and sets and he's setting screens yeah it's like all things that he's good at yeah and uh i didn't think i was like yeah he's not gonna be healthy this year this is come on yeah and then watch him like oh man yeah i was wrong this team's gonna win i think they're i i don't see any
Starting point is 00:41:45 scenario non-injury that's what i'm saying there's no other team there's no other team to be like i don't know man this team over here they're boy they're pretty good i don't know if they got to beat them on their home court at least once i mean you know there's there's not that other team who do you like in the east you know you seem exasperated. Yeah, it's a tough one. I like Milwaukee, but I think a game plan against Giannis can kind of neutralize him a little bit, neutralize the team.
Starting point is 00:42:19 Because he can't really shoot yet. He's getting his 27th. He just needs to shoot it. Yeah, you're getting 27, and that's cool, but yeah, you know that the paint is going to be a little smaller, and there's going to be specific game plans for you in the playoffs, and against a very good team, I don't see that other guy to step up
Starting point is 00:42:39 and really take control for the Bucs. When he's on the bench, what does that look like? It looks like Eric Budso. And, yeah, he's been pretty good this year. He's been pretty good, yeah. I really like the Meritage trade. That was my favorite. Very interesting one.
Starting point is 00:42:55 Favorite trade of anybody, because I just felt like he could play crunch time for them. Yeah, yeah. And I don't understand this Brooke Lopez shooting threes thing. He can shoot threes in the Lakers, man. No, but, I mean, he's like one of He's been shooting threes in the Lakers, man. He's one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Five years ago, he was just one of the few low-post guys we had.
Starting point is 00:43:14 Because, look, that's the best part about being a center shooting threes. Nobody runs you off. Centers will just watch him shoot, so he knows that he's going to get pretty much a straight look at the basket. And he can shoot. He's got a slow release, and nobody running him off to three you know what i mean when did you start really shooting him uh somewhere during the miami run right yeah like the fourth year of the whole finals thing a little bit in the third year but the fourth year a little more and then after that i was like okay and it's just i'll let it rip
Starting point is 00:43:43 and what were the defenses doing when you were like, what's he doing? Yeah. Nice to get out there. Yeah, and then we got Hassan at the same time. So I was like, damn, man, I wanted to play the center. I've been fighting center my whole career. Yeah. And then now it's like, all right, I want to play center
Starting point is 00:44:00 because I just want to pick and pop. Yeah. It allowed me just to get a straight shot at the basket every time. So eventually they became, you know, it's just, am I hitting the day or not? The irony is you were like five years ahead of your time. Oh, no, you could see it coming. Right. I saw it coming.
Starting point is 00:44:16 2009 Chris Bosh coming into his prime in like 2017. You say you're eight years too early. Yeah. You would have taken like eight threes a game probably. For sure. I looked. And you would have been a stretch five. For a long time ago.
Starting point is 00:44:32 I was looking at the San Antonio series. I mean, the way they were defending us, I should have been at the three-point line a long time ago. And even the series we won, if I would have stepped out, I felt that probably we won. It was great, but I could have had more of an impact offensively.
Starting point is 00:44:48 It wasn't much of an offensive series for me, but I should have been, I should have been spaced. It's so funny to watch those games. Yeah, because they'll pop on
Starting point is 00:44:58 like NBA TV, they'll run like Hardwood Classics. Yeah. And you're only talking about six, seven, eight years ago. Yeah. And I'll watch talking about six, seven, eight years ago.
Starting point is 00:45:05 Yeah. And I'll watch the spacing now. I'm like, why were they doing it that way? It's crazy. Three guys right next to each other. It's crazy, man. Why is that guy there? Why isn't he in the corner?
Starting point is 00:45:13 And then, I mean, you know, like Tim Duncan's guarding me. He's like, I don't know, the best, one of the best players of all time. And one of the leading shot blockers in history of the game. And I'm not spaced as much yeah you know i could have done a much better job of spacing especially in like that corner three area could have made a killing wade's career so wade a little too early too i think now he's basically trying to emulate the hardened strategy of like two like free throws and threes yeah he would i think he would have gotten rid
Starting point is 00:45:45 of the 17 footer for the most part. Yeah, you know what the hardest thing is as a primary ball handler is catching, you know, shooting off the catch. Yeah. You're stepping into the shot, that's like surprisingly hard for some, it took me two years to learn how to do that.
Starting point is 00:46:02 Yeah. You know, to shoot wide open jumpers, as crazy as that sounds, because a guy like D, he's used to creating the shot, you know, and he's used to certain moves to get them. If he's in a situation that's just catch and shoot, you think you have to do more. Yeah. You know what I mean? And you're not used to somebody else, you know, being that, you know, creator and hitting you. You know what I mean? And you're not used to somebody else, you know, being that, you know, creator and hitting you.
Starting point is 00:46:27 You know what I mean? So it's a different thing. It's a different concept to learn. It's a way different, you know, approach to the game. Do you feel like is Wade better or worse in 2019? Vintage Wade. Since. So let's take 2009 Wade. We just put him in a time machine we put him right
Starting point is 00:46:48 now 2009 wade nobody could stop that man i feel like he would average like 35 right he was 30 in 2009 yeah i mean yeah 30 then it was uh more less hand check yeah well less hand checking now no big guys right in front of the room that was with like, like, Shaq was still in the league. You know what I mean? He still had guys in the paint, and he was averaging that much. He was unstoppable then. And, I mean, he could shoot the ball too. So, I mean, he was always going to be in the passing lanes,
Starting point is 00:47:16 getting steals, blocks, and dunks. He was just electrifying. Can we talk about power forwards you went against? Yeah, sure. Who? Who's one? Duncan? Yeah, sure. Who? Who's won? Duncan? Yeah, Duncan, KG.
Starting point is 00:47:30 Because those were my heroes. You know what I mean? They were, I wanted to be just like those guys. And Tim was tough just based off the fact that he was in a system that he had mastered. Yeah. And he was pretty good. Right. And you can't stop him one-on-one.
Starting point is 00:47:45 KG was just, he was kind of in the same, but his intensity and kind of his skill level was unmatched. I remember you said he intimidated you early, right? Yeah, he got my head. What was he saying to you? He called me a mama's boy. You can swear on this. He called me a mama's boy.
Starting point is 00:48:04 A mama's boy? Yeah, we joked and laughed about it a few months ago. He got me, too. It was true. It was true. He called me a mama's boy. I was, you know, he said something. I forgot what he said to me, and I said something back.
Starting point is 00:48:20 He said, man, you a mama's boy. I was, oh. I had the worst game of my career after that. And I said, man, you a mama's boy. I was like, oh. I had the worst game of my career after that. And I said, man, you know, I couldn't sleep. I heard your feelings. Oh, I was up just late at night. You're like, how did he know? Yeah, I'm like, what?
Starting point is 00:48:33 No, I'm like, what is that supposed to mean, a mama's boy? Who is he talking about? It's 4 a.m. You know, I got to be up in a couple hours. I'm still up late at night. He got in your head. Oh, but he was all in there. All in there.
Starting point is 00:48:49 Kept hearing it, man. Mama's boy. What was the most unstoppable power forward move you had to guard? Duncan step back banker? No. If it was Duncan, it'd be his left shoulder hook. Because he bows you in the face like three times. Pow, pow, pow.
Starting point is 00:49:09 Cop, cop, cop. And they don't call it? No. Never called it. Watched the film. And then I would say Kevin, he had those shimmy turnaround jumpers. And you know who else was tough? I had a lot of problems.
Starting point is 00:49:26 Paul Gasol. Yeah. I liked his game. Oh, boy. He was really, really, really good. Everyone thinks Kobe won the last two titles by himself. It's like Gasol was on the team. No, Gasol and Bynum.
Starting point is 00:49:36 Gasol should have won the MVP in the Celtics series. You think so? Yeah. You think so? He killed us. Yeah, I mean. Especially in game seven. We couldn't keep him off the boards.
Starting point is 00:49:45 Yeah, he was an amazing player. And, yeah, those would be my top three probably. You went against C-Web, but it was kind of at the tail end of the C-Web prime. Yeah. But your rookie year, you probably saw a decent version of him. I think he was hurt. Yeah. And then when he got healthy, he was picking Popsiweb.
Starting point is 00:50:07 You know what I mean? I never had to guard him in the elbow system. You know what I mean? Yeah. With the Kings. I never had to. That was, I never saw that. So, you know, I never had any nightmares about that.
Starting point is 00:50:21 So that was great. I always felt like he was way up there in the most talented big guy conversation. He was ahead of his time. He just had bad luck. Yeah, he was ahead of his time. He had a couple of dumb injuries. He was on a couple of bad teams that were the wrong franchises, basically. Never really found the right team.
Starting point is 00:50:37 Yeah, and you know, freaking Big Shot Bob, man. That was just tough, man. Sometimes it just comes down to that. Vlade bats it out. Yeah, it's the right play. And it's like the perfect pass. Yeah, it's the right play.
Starting point is 00:50:52 And some people say, why did he knock it out? Well, because Shaq was right there. I mean, if he gets it and dunks it, you're going to overtime either way. Get it out of there. It just so happens he's standing right there. And he's able to step right into it. it's just how it happens sometimes man but yeah c-web was that was a stolen title yeah man you know oh two kings that's a tough one it's a very tough one that's why even though they have this the celtics have their pick this year and it it kills me when they win because
Starting point is 00:51:20 they're killing our pick um I am really happy for Sacramento fans because they have, I spent like 13 awful years in a row basically. Yeah, I mean, you know, the ownership, they've been trying. I think that's been
Starting point is 00:51:36 an obvious thing. They want to be in Sacramento, build a new arena, tech savvy and everything. It helps to draft in the top five. And it helps that too. A bunch of times.
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Starting point is 00:53:02 Do you think we have enough teams or should we have more teams or less teams? Is 30 the right number of. Do you think we have enough teams, or should we have more teams or less teams? Is 30 the right number of teams for you? I think we have enough. Would you go to 32? Do we have enough talent for 32? I mean, expansion is always a great thing for business, but no. I don't think it's a good thing right now.
Starting point is 00:53:18 It wouldn't even make any sense. What's the ideal number of games? 82. Speaking as an athlete. Speaking as an athlete speaking as an athlete i would say and the recovery process and everything it would depend on when the season starts if it's the same length it's still a long season if you keep it the same length but um if you had like 60 60 games it would be a lot quicker a lot lot more important. But then, you know, the pay would go down. So I don't think guys would really care for that.
Starting point is 00:53:48 I'm not sure the pay will go down. Just a little bit. I think if it's at 70 and they figure out a couple gimmicks to make the money back, like a midseason tournament or a couple different things they could do. Yeah. I don't know. Midseason tournament would be fun. It would be.
Starting point is 00:54:06 You get like the fifth pick in the draft if you win or something. Yeah. You know, then, you know, you have pros. So you have the GMs. We get the fifth pick, bro. They're like, oh, shut up. I think they fixed the All-Star game, though. I actually liked the – I went last year.
Starting point is 00:54:19 I thought it was great. Yeah, it was a great All-Star game. I enjoyed it. Everybody was trying. I enjoyed it. Yeah, it was a great game. I think sometimes with the players, when you see things getting shaken up a little bit, you can tell, okay, the product isn't that good.
Starting point is 00:54:31 Come on, guys. Let's get out here and let's play. The fans come to see us play. Yeah. Let's play. And I think the picking captains and the, like you said, it's a pickup league right now anyway, right? True. It's AAU era. Yeah, man. So now it's even more, you know, it's a pickup league right now anyway, right? True. It's AAU era.
Starting point is 00:54:45 Yeah, man. So now it's even more, you know, even more. How much lobbying behind the scenes do you think went on for who's going to be on what team? A lot. You think LeBron's texting all those guys? I wouldn't say texting them, but when you get in the locker room, hey, what's up, man?
Starting point is 00:55:02 Sit down. You know, you can talk. Everybody's there. You can, you know, see how he's up, man? Sit down. You know, you can talk. Everybody's there. You can, you know, see how he's doing, how's the family. What are you thinking? I don't know. You know, I'm just kidding. You know, you can go to dinner.
Starting point is 00:55:16 You can write it off. It's great. How much side betting is going on? Side betting for? For the game. For the game? Between the two sides. I don't think much.
Starting point is 00:55:29 No? I don't think much. Yeah, because if, you know, maybe the guys who can, you know, win MVP, the ball handler guys, guys like me, the All-Star game was just, you know, a privilege. And then, you know, I'd play for a couple minutes and go sit down and let everybody else be cool. Like, they won't let me.
Starting point is 00:55:45 Nobody will pass me the ball. It's like AAU all over again. Yeah, spot-up jumpers. Doesn't get it in an all-star game. Nobody wants to see me lay it softly off the glass. You had some crunch times, though. So, yeah, I did. And then, you know, I came close.
Starting point is 00:55:58 And then after I didn't win MVP, I said, well, that's it. Dallas was my best shot. I gave it. And after that, I said, all right, well, you know, I'll just do it for the honor and the jersey. You're like the perfect all-star game guy, though. Because it can't be five guys who need 25 shots. Yeah. You need like a couple guys who are like, I'm good.
Starting point is 00:56:19 Yeah, even in all-star games. Like, yeah, I'm a role player. I'll send some pics. Yeah, you're a permanent role player now, Chris. I'll shoot some 18-footers. You'll be the greatest of all time if you just play your role. Now get over there and just spot up. You know, we need LeBron and, you know, we need him to do his thing.
Starting point is 00:56:34 You know, we need to give D-Wade space. You know, that's what they said. I thought it was interesting that Harden went seventh. So the two captains. Yeah. Six guys get picked before Hardened who's averaging 37 a game it was like both guys were like yeah not sure i want to just stand there and watch james harden do crab dribbles yeah i mean that's what that's his game and westbrook went a little later too
Starting point is 00:56:59 that i expected yeah hey man i mean i don't know i mean that's always kind of the thing right when last year they were talking about televising and everybody didn't want them to televise it because it'd be kind of weird picking everybody. But now we're here and now we're talking about those things. And nobody cared. Yeah. Because you make the all-star.
Starting point is 00:57:14 I mean, Bradley Beal was the last pick and he is not the 24th best all-star. Bradley Beal is really good. Yeah. It could just be to the thing like, oh, damn, I forgot Bradley was playing. I got him. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:57:25 Damn. Giannis was funny because he took, damn, I forgot Bradley was playing. I got him. Damn. Giannis was funny because he took three centers, which I thought was hilarious. It was like nobody explained the rules or how to put together. You definitely can't play two centers at the All-Star game together. You know, they don't play pickup in Greece, man.
Starting point is 00:57:52 Who's the next LeBbron in your opinion uh i don't know is that person in the league right now i think yannis is uh i wouldn't call him the next brian but you can see kind of the the the generational guys he's influencing so So Giannis and Ben Simmons. I like Ben Simmons. Me too. I think he's a point guard, pass first guy, uses his size. He's just got to shoot the ball. And Giannis, same for him. He's just got to shoot the ball. And I think the kid, Zion Williams, I think he's probably one of those guys.
Starting point is 00:58:24 I think he could be the next guy. He did something this weekend that I just have never seen, but he did a chase down block, and it was like Spider-Man. The dude, was it on the layup? No, it was on the guy in the corner. Yeah, he took forever to shoot that. It was like, you've seen this kid play? Shoot it.
Starting point is 00:58:40 Good grief. He caught it, thought about it, felt it, and shot it and got his junk beat. I thought somebody doctored the footage, and then it, felt it, and shot it and got his junk beat. I thought somebody doctored the footage and then it turned out it wasn't doctored. Zion jumped like 12 feet.
Starting point is 00:58:50 Yeah, he's an athlete. I like how competitive, I'm obsessed with him. I love how like, great teammate, super competitive, like,
Starting point is 00:59:00 no like ego stuff at all. He's just like, I just want to dominate the other team at all times. That's what it's about, man. That's what it's about. And, you know, as he gets more skills, you know, that's the thing. But, yeah, the competitive drive, you know, getting after it,
Starting point is 00:59:15 and then, you know, just finding out a way to win ballgames and be a good teammate and use your athleticism for, you know, offense and defense. That's the thing. He plays hard on defense. Yeah, you know, that's a special thing. I like him right now. Two years from now when he's introducing his new shoe at All-Star Weekend.
Starting point is 00:59:33 And his new sunglasses. Yeah. His new Google sunglasses, the Zions. And then he's hawking Zion Gatorade. Oh, no, you know it's coming, man. Oh, man. It's coming. Really miss the old one.
Starting point is 00:59:44 It is coming, man. So it is what it is coming. Really miss the old one. It is coming, man. So it is what it is. We'll see what happens. Did you hate Duke? Everybody hates Duke. Well, you were in their conference. Yeah, of course. You have to.
Starting point is 00:59:54 Because, you know, if you don't, they're going to get the best of you. And they beat the crap out of us, too, you know, twice. How'd you end up at Georgia Tech? I wanted to go there to play right away, man. What were the other options? Texas, Florida, Miami,
Starting point is 01:00:11 Michigan, but then they went on probation. Yeah. Yeah, right after that. Jalen. Jalen. And I want to say
Starting point is 01:00:21 I'm missing one, but those are the main. You were only one year at Georgia Tech. Yeah, I was one year. So you're basically there eight months. Yeah, probably seven. Did you lead so you get knocked out of the tournament and you're out?
Starting point is 01:00:31 You're not taking classes anymore? Were you even in the tournament? The national invitational tournament. Oh, you didn't make the NCAA? Yeah, no offense to the, you know, NIT, but the NIT sucks. Yeah, yeah, that's rough. Yeah, it sucks. It was not a good time.
Starting point is 01:00:42 It's like I'm a competitor, but I hope we lose today. Just put me in my misery. It's warm, finally warm on campus, and everybody's having fun. And, you know, we got to go to practice for the second round of the NIT. It's not as cool as it looked on TV. We're playing Fordham. Yeah. We did get to play on ESPN and everything and the whack part about the NIT you don't find out
Starting point is 01:01:07 until everybody scrambles after selection Sunday so we lose we're playing in the N and we're playing in the ACC tournament we lose on of course we got lost on the first day we lose on Friday day off Saturday we practice on Sunday We're 16 and 16 and we practice and it's cold and we're watching everybody. I remember watching the ACC championship as we're leaving to go to the gym and then like
Starting point is 01:01:35 they select everybody right after and then the NIT, I guess it's just like a fax or you know, an email or something. Yeah, you know, I mean not back then. It wasn't a text back then. You know, let's do the fax machine like, hey, or, you know, an email or something. Yeah, you know, I mean, not back then. It wasn't a text back then. Yeah, yeah. You know, a student fax machine like,
Starting point is 01:01:48 KKK, KKK, KKK. I think we're playing. Hold on, guys, you know. KKK, KKK, wait. We're going to find it. You know. We're playing Loyola Marymount. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 01:01:59 We're just at home. Yeah, let's get the scouting report. Who's this guy? You know. So when you got knocked out, did you even go to class anymore at that point? Yeah, I went to class. I was crazy. Because most people now, they're just done.
Starting point is 01:02:12 Yeah, I mean, yeah. It's like, I'm out of here. I actually went to tutoring, kept going to class. I was a crazy kid, man. Yeah, the college thing now. So you show up in, what, what mid-august to start practicing mid-august and potentially you're out of there on like march 27th yeah and then it's like yeah zion williamson went to duke yeah he was there for a few months he stopped by yeah it was a good
Starting point is 01:02:36 time he didn't drive by yeah you know he took some online courses and were you in the mcdonald's game yeah 2002 in new y City. Who was your class? Who was in there? JJ Redick was MVP. Oh, really? Yeah. The ringer's own JJ Redick. He has a podcast for us.
Starting point is 01:02:53 Yeah, he does. He does. Really good podcast. Raymond Felton. The East was stacked. Raymond Felton. Were you East or West? Carmelo.
Starting point is 01:03:07 Yeah, Melo, Amari. I'm just trying to think of guys that was in the league. Oh, yeah. See, these games should be on all the time. Yeah, that was on during the McDonald's thing last year. Yeah, I would watch this. Yeah, it was good. It was funny.
Starting point is 01:03:20 It was funny to watch, man. But they had a stacked team, man. We didn't stand a chance. West, we didn't stand a chance, man. They beat the crap out of us. They beat us like a drum. I got yelled at during that halftime. We got yelled at.
Starting point is 01:03:31 Who was your coach? I can't remember, but they were yelling at us. I'm like, damn, bro. It was on ESPN, though, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, playing in the game of your dreams,
Starting point is 01:03:40 and the coach is screaming at you like, you called this a, you know. I'm coming off the greatest season ever in high school. Then it's like, oh yeah, I'm going to get these accolades and I'm getting yelled at and I feel like I'm going to have to run after the game because we're getting smashed. So they're retiring your number on March 26th? Yeah, man.
Starting point is 01:04:00 Are you going to cry? I hope not. What are the Vegas odds right now? They're high. They're high? Yeah, man. Are you going to cry? I hope not. What are the Vegas odds right now? They're high. They're high? Yeah, man. Minus 300? Yeah, you know, I don't want to get all emotional in front of everybody,
Starting point is 01:04:13 but if they start, you know, playing certain things and, you know, me knowing that that part of my life is over. Yeah. You know, that has been a tough thing to deal with but i'm good the last time you were here which i think was a year ago yeah it didn't seem like you closed the door yet no no i was still i was still trying pretty you know pretty adamantly you were watching all those stretch fives man out there eating i'm like this is this is my vision is true, bro. I knew it. I knew it.
Starting point is 01:04:46 Now this is what you got to do? All you got to do is play offense. You don't have to play any defense. Yeah. That's the best part. I don't have to play any defense. You don't even have to pay me that much. I don't want 30.
Starting point is 01:04:58 Just give me like 12, 15. You know what I mean? Four for eight from three. Yeah. Sit down and let the young guys do it. Yeah. You know, I can? A year. Four for eight from three. Yeah. Sit down and let the young guys do it. You know, I can mosey on back on defense. I don't really have to try that hard on defense, you know. Yeah, you could have.
Starting point is 01:05:12 You could have conceivably done that until you were like 44. Man, I could have kept playing. But, you know, that time has passed. You know, and, you know, I've made the decision, you know, not to pursue it anymore. And your house stuff's a lot better? Yeah, I mean, it's always been good. You know, I always tell people that the second situation was just, I don't know, man.
Starting point is 01:05:33 It just was just a thing. I didn't go to the hospital. I wasn't laid up in, you know, the first time I was in the hospital and had to have surgery and all that stuff. This time was just, yep, that's it. And, you know, I'm playing the best basketball I've played in a while, and I felt the team that we had, you know, maybe not win a championship, but at least make it really hard for whoever was coming out the East. I wanted to play the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Starting point is 01:06:01 Yeah. You know, and it was right there in front of us as a team and in front of me. It just didn't happen, you know. So I just came to terms with that a while ago. I'm happy. I'm healthy. My kids are happy.
Starting point is 01:06:14 You know, I'm around the kids more, and that's been great. What are you, up to like nine kids? I got five. You're like Phillip Rivers. You're the new Phillip Rivers. No, don't do that, man. Phillip. You got four more in there.
Starting point is 01:06:25 Phillip, I, jeez Louise. He's probably having one right now. He's probably having a 10th. Just us talking about him. That dude is crazy, man. It's like, golly, man. He's, and that's NFL. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:06:36 You know, he's, that's out there living out there on the edge a little bit because you can get cut at any time. True. Yeah. Well, just so you know, five's a lot five is a lot they remind me of that every time and it feels like five yeah it's overwhelming it's like you know we were in the living room uh the other day my kids they like to ride scooters around the house so they just ride around they want me to chase them for whatever reason i don't i'm like
Starting point is 01:07:00 i'm not chasing you around the house and um yeah, they want me to wrestle, and they grab my leg. And it's the pretty typical dad stuff where they try to beat me up. And it's just five of them, and they're so intense. Everything is like a wrestling match. How old are the kids now? 10, 6, 5, 2, and 2. My twins will be three next month. So I still feel like you could take all five of them in a fight.
Starting point is 01:07:26 Oh, for sure. But maybe like three years from now. For sure. They get me a little bit, though. My twins, you know. Well, they're cheap shot artists. When they hit like six, they'll punch you in the balls. I had to stop wrestling with my twins because I had one,
Starting point is 01:07:37 and a couple times, you know, the other one gets me. Yeah, get me and scratch me. It's like, all right, I'm not messing with you. It's two of you guys. You know, so I got to, you know, It's like, all right, I'm not messing with you. It's two of you guys. So I got to come back and lie to them and then come back and blindside them or something. They play hoops, anybody? My youngest and my oldest boys,
Starting point is 01:07:56 my son, he's asked me to play a little more lately, which hasn't happened. In Austin, at home, we have a, uh, a goal set up and lately he's been wanting me to go out there and shoot with him. So, and I like watching him at first. I start trying to correct him. No shoot like this. And I said, man, forget it. Just do your thing. This is the purity of the game, you know, when you're just happy to get it up there and make a shot, you know, it doesn't have to be correct and all that stuff. So I just go out there, let them play and have fun. Let's take a quick break to talk about the ringer podcast network a couple of newish
Starting point is 01:08:29 shows and feeds that i wanted to tell you about joe house is back with fairway rowan our golf podcast which is really about to heat up here as we get into uh into february and march so we have that one we have winginginging It with Andy Finberg, Vince Carter, Kent Bazemore, who thank God he didn't get traded. I'm so happy. That was so great for the podcast. They've had some awesome guests.
Starting point is 01:08:53 If you love basketball, check that out. The Recapables is doing True Detective every week on the Recapables feed. Please check that out as well. And then Bachelor Party, we are in the full throes of Bachelor season right now Julia Lipman and a rotating cast doing two times a week
Starting point is 01:09:11 my wife was on this on Thursday and somehow she didn't get fired and I actually popped on on the end of it as well so we have that and then last but not least Channel 33 on Fridays now every week,
Starting point is 01:09:25 tea time with Amelia Wiedermeier, Kate Halliwell, and my favorite ringer employee, Liz Kelly. Oh, nice. Yeah. I think she,
Starting point is 01:09:34 it's you and, it's you and her. I'm related to you. And then Liz Kelly is just the best. Yeah. She's got no family points, so it counts. The three of them talk about,
Starting point is 01:09:41 uh, celebrity culture every Friday. And I'm just going to tell you, it's my daughter's favorite podcast. Works out to it. Really? Wants to be on it. Had to explain to her how my daughter is not allowed to invite herself on to people's podcasts. Check that out.
Starting point is 01:09:56 Tea Time. Every Friday on Channel 33, which also has the awesome press box, damage control, jam session every other week, week is one of the oldest podcasts we have. So yeah, Channel 33, Tea Time, Fridays. Check out all those podcasts on The Ringer Podcast Network where we had our biggest month last month, over 42 million downloads. Holy shit. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:10:16 Very cool. Jesus. We are doing really well. Thanks for all the support. Thanks for subscribing. Thanks for listening. Thanks for spreading the word. All right, back to Chris Bosh.
Starting point is 01:10:26 What about the media stuff? What's your plan? Because you're good at this. You should do more. I'm around. TV? The TV network's courted you. Look, I'm available for the whole deal. My wife, she told me I'm available. She did? She signed off? Yeah, she runs the shots.
Starting point is 01:10:42 You know what I mean? Women around the world. I tell people, I just work here, man. She signed off? Yeah, she runs the shots. You know what I mean? Women run the world. I just, I tell people, I just work here, man. You know, so she signed off. So, I'll be exploring opportunities.
Starting point is 01:10:50 But, you know, I think for a while, people, you know, both teams and both sides were kind of not knowing what my intentions were.
Starting point is 01:10:58 Yeah. And, you know, that's why, you know, now I'm just moving on and just letting everybody know that it's it.
Starting point is 01:11:04 You know, What about front office, you know, now I'm just moving on and just letting everybody know that it's it. You know, What about front office? Um, you know, I'm around. You know, because you were using stats and stuff
Starting point is 01:11:14 before a lot of other players were. Yeah. You were looking at all the advanced metric stuff. Yeah. Oh,
Starting point is 01:11:18 yeah. Now, now we're just, you know, me, me and my team, we like dissect the CBA.
Starting point is 01:11:25 The CBA. The CBA. Yeah. Yeah. I advise every player and everybody that's listening to this, dive into the CBA, man. It's on the internet. You can print it, read it. You know, that's the business agreement for, you know, players in the NBA, you know. So you have to understand that to understand more of what happens in the league.
Starting point is 01:11:43 You know what I mean? Yeah. Knowing the rules and everything. That CBA is going to look really interesting the next time they write it. It's going to change up a little bit. Yeah, I would say. It's $50 million a year. Hold up.
Starting point is 01:11:54 Let's talk about this. It's going to be another bad deal. Somebody else will, you know, complain about a bad deal. The difference this time around from when the lockout, what was that, 11? 2011. Yeah. The league's doing much better in every single respect. Oh, absolutely.
Starting point is 01:12:14 They make more money. The interest is better. It's growing. It's a 365-day-a-year sport. Oh, yeah. Summer league is huge. For people under 30, I feel like it's even bigger than football is. Yeah, for sure, by far.
Starting point is 01:12:25 And you could, I mean, I was saying this a few years ago, people under 30 I feel like it's even bigger than football is yeah for sure by far and you could I mean I was saying this a few years ago that to me like LeBron's worth like 75 million a year now he's probably worth
Starting point is 01:12:32 like 100 oh yeah I mean like just to what he means to the league and what you take like the top 12 guys just what they are and what they mean to the league
Starting point is 01:12:40 and the awareness yeah I don't know how much you can't put a price on it yeah they just picked the all-star team on national television yeah that's amazing and they're and everybody's likable and yeah it's good no it's a good time for the league um you know it's growing i think uh the worldwide presence is i think when we're really going to see this thing open up to
Starting point is 01:13:00 compete with soccer you know and um that's kind of one of the things I've been thinking about too, is, you know, really, I've been trying to do it for a couple of few years now, but, um, you know, um, I was working with Adam and, you know, we were trying to work on trips. Uh, you know, I'm, I'm the global ambassador of the league and everything. And so I was trying to, you know, get to different countries and, you know, we went to India, we went to South Africa, we went to Ghana. And it kind of stopped short with my, you know, health situation and everything. But,
Starting point is 01:13:32 you know, I'm looking forward to, you know, picking that back up. That's one, definitely one of the things that, you know, I want to do.
Starting point is 01:13:37 I feel like I owe it to the game to, you know, spread the game of basketball and help, you know, help kids. think about Embiid and Giannis, who I think are probably two of the best seven to eight players in the league. Yeah, for sure.
Starting point is 01:13:49 Giannis is definitely in the top three. Embiid's in the top seven. He's pretty good. His best game might even be in the top five. But think about how those guys ended in the NBA, you know? Yeah. Like 20 years ago, Embiid might not make it. Nah, I mean.
Starting point is 01:14:04 Like he might not even get to America. I talked to a dude one time, and he didn't make it to the league or anything, but he works for NBA Africa, went to the University of Manhattan, got a scholarship to play basketball. He's in a village, you know, with no food. Yeah. You know, so these guys go from that. And, you know, it was funny because I'm talking to him and he's talking about his problems.
Starting point is 01:14:27 I'm talking about my problems a little bit. They say, yeah, I know what you mean. It was hard in my village, too. We didn't have any food. He said, what? You got it. What? You got to at least eat a muffin or a croissant or something before you start playing.
Starting point is 01:14:41 You can't go to. Yeah. You know, you can't get a bite to eat before. Jesus Christ. Damn, my problems aren't that bad. You know, then these guys are in the NBA. When I was at Grandland, we did a movie with Serge Ibaka about the Congo, him going back there.
Starting point is 01:14:56 And it was really eye-opening to me because you see it, but when you actually, like, see it. Yeah. And you see, you know. Oh, I went over there. They didn't have sneakers. Yeah, they played basketball on their see it. Yeah. And you see. Oh, I've went over there. They don't have sneakers. Yeah. They play basketball on their bare feet.
Starting point is 01:15:07 Yeah. And it's snakes and lions and like gorillas out there, man. But I, we're probably, there's probably more in beads coming. Cause I think that infrastructure is being built. Absolutely. And that we're gonna be able to find kids from everywhere. And I just think the league is going to get deeper and more talented and more diverse. And we haven't even, I don't even think they scratched the surface.
Starting point is 01:15:25 No, we scratched like 10% of it. Yeah, and then India is another market. It's a billion and two people out there. Well, then the other thing is the streaming and the fact that
Starting point is 01:15:32 these games now are going into these countries pretty consistent. The old days, it was like they would have their one game a week in China. Now it's like you can watch anything.
Starting point is 01:15:41 Yeah, you're going to, everybody, and it's only going to be more mobile phones and iPads. You know what I mean? More money for the players. More money for the players, too. Everything is awesome except for the part that I don't think we can keep a team,
Starting point is 01:15:51 keep a team together for more than three years. I think that's where it's going, man. I think it's just going to be short, quick deals. Oh, Kyrie's on San Antonio this year. Oh, now he's going to Miami. Yes. Oh, cool, now he's on Detroit. Sign a two-year, $100 million deal, you know, now he's going to Miami. Yes. Oh, cool. Now he's on Detroit. Sign a two-year,
Starting point is 01:16:05 $100 million deal, you know, and he's going to go here. And yeah, because, you know, it was the same thing back in the 90s when they were signing the seven-year deals.
Starting point is 01:16:14 We're kind of back in that same space. The seven-year deals were cool. And then after a while, they became shorter and shorter and shorter. Now we're just going to do the same thing again.
Starting point is 01:16:23 You know, no team is going to want to say, hey, Kevin Durant come for six years or however, well, he can only offer five because he switched teams. It could be four. Four is the max if you switch. Yeah, so it's going to be shorter deals. And if I'm a GM, why would I sign a guy long-term if I feel that any time the weather might change
Starting point is 01:16:46 and you might change your mind so now guys are just the game has changed you're going to have to think a lot quicker now maybe we should make it if you sign the max deal you're just stuck with each other
Starting point is 01:16:57 for four years that's it it's like a marriage can't get out you just have to make it work remember I'm a player I was going to say both sides are stuck with it that's it can't get out. You just have to make it work. Remember, I'm a player. Both sides are stuck with it.
Starting point is 01:17:09 Yeah, I mean, but you know, I'm a player. I might want out. I don't know how we fix this. I told you, man. Just buckle up and just enjoy the ride. You know, it'll be
Starting point is 01:17:21 a fun time. I definitely think we're going gonna look back on this and say it was the start of something i don't know what it's gonna be i like your aau analogy i think that's where we're no 100 i think this is not the aau friends like that we we you know we dudes would play for other teams across the country and then like after that they would never be home yeah you know then they go to prep school i knew guys in la they went to prep school in boston right you know what i mean or you know guys in
Starting point is 01:17:52 dc that went up to worcester massachusetts yeah you know or going down to img right you know so that was like yeah you know okil was always they they were really the first ones that I remember, and then it kind of expanded after that, you know, so it's just changed a lot. So I just need to get over it. Yeah, just get over it, man. It's just different. Because, I mean, you know, they start different. You know, like Julius Reynolds from Dallas, he's the first guy out of Dallas to come out of private school. Nobody went to private school.
Starting point is 01:18:21 I went to public school. Yeah. You know? I remember C-Web went to Detroit Country Day. That was like the first time I'd even heard of it. Yeah. And I had heard about Country Day, but that was like the Detroit powerhouse. Yeah. You know, so there was no team like that in Texas. And now guys are getting opportunities early to go to private school, to, you know, click up with their friends to say, oh man, let's, hey, let's go to Vegas in this tournament and play with this team.
Starting point is 01:18:46 Oh, okay. Let's go to Florida and play with this team. And it's just, that's just the way of the basketball. I wonder, I wonder if like the under 30 generation is just going to have favorite players in that teams. Maybe that's part of this. Yeah. It'll just be favorite players.
Starting point is 01:19:00 It's like, I like Kyrie. He's on the Knicks now. I like the Knicks. It's like that now. It kind of feels like it might be. Yeah, it's like that now. I feel that way with my son a little bit with basketball. He just likes players, but doesn't really care about the Celtics that way.
Starting point is 01:19:11 Yeah. But he just likes the different guys. He likes Kyrie because he likes his shoes. Yeah, he got shoes and commercials. And then, like, one of the things I remember when Bron came back and played in Miami, you see people with Cavaliers jerseys. Right. It's like, dude, really?
Starting point is 01:19:23 You got the hat and the jersey and your girl got a jersey too? Stop. You're not a Cleveland fan. I remember the first time when you guys played in Boston, the first game in 11. The second game of the year.
Starting point is 01:19:40 No, it was the first game. That was the opener. I went to that game. And there were people in the stands with Miami jerseys. Yeah. And all of us were like, what the fuck is going on? Where did these people come from? Yeah. It'd be some days for us to like.
Starting point is 01:19:55 We were like, really? Come on, man. Yeah. And you know, it's the city sometimes. Like Atlanta. Yeah. Oh. I was just, okay, guys, calm down.
Starting point is 01:20:05 It was just a three. If you're cheering for me, then I know it's gone too far. You cheer for an open jumper. That's cool, but. The 2012, the game six when LeBron, KG, and Pierce pushed him too far and he just destroyed the Celtics that game. Yeah. There was a lot of Miami fans there.
Starting point is 01:20:24 I don't remember being like, what the hell? pushed him too far, and he just destroyed the Celtics that game. Yeah. There was a lot of Miami fans there. I don't remember being like, what the hell? I don't remember being like that. You Boston fans, you might have seen like that too. We're usually 100% capacity with Butler, but then this decade. But 99 and a half was like, I don't know, guys. This is weird. It was like close to, I don't know, 700, 800 Miami fans. 700, 800, that many?
Starting point is 01:20:44 It didn't seem like it, to be honest with you. So all those people that came out, thank you for your support. Because it was dead quiet except for the couple Miami fans. LeBron really destroyed us mentally. He had a pretty good game. It was rough. He played well. It was good.
Starting point is 01:21:01 KG. KG went too far. But that was always his M.O. It was the Celtics M.O. I mean, that was the vibe of the city and that team. They were tough. You know, in your face kind of like a smash mouth basketball
Starting point is 01:21:15 kind of style. And I mean, they went up 3-2. They were right there. You had a couple big threes in the fourth quarter that gave seven that I have not forgiven you for. I was open, you know. Got to knock them down. I wish you had missed them. Chris Bosh, do more media.
Starting point is 01:21:29 Do more of this. Go on TV. Be a talking head guy. Get your hands going. I'm trying. Do this. Oh, that's a great point, Paul. Here's the other thing with Golden State.
Starting point is 01:21:38 They have to do all that stuff. Yeah, you know what? I've been working with my hands. That's one of the things they told me I needed to do. I've been working with my speech coach. Kevin Durant has to take over in the second half. And people say, wow, that's amazing. Look at his hands, man.
Starting point is 01:21:53 He's figuring this out. Look, I'm retired now. I'm retiring, I guess. And, you know, I don't think anybody, has anybody retired and put their jersey up at the same time? Nobody's done that, have they? What do you mean? I'm like officially. Oh, you're up at the same time. Nobody's done that, have they? What do you mean? I'm like officially.
Starting point is 01:22:07 Oh, you're retiring at the retirement ceremony. Yeah. Yeah, you might have invented this. Yeah. Usually the people retire and then they have the ceremony. I knew it. I knew it. See, I got to find my place in the history of the game, you know,
Starting point is 01:22:19 and I pride myself on being a pioneer. So these things, like I've done so much and I never brag. You know, I never brag. Where are your rings, by the way? They're at home in my safe. Are they in a safety deposit box? They're in my safe. You guys work so hard for these rings,
Starting point is 01:22:33 and then they just get shoved into some safe. I wear them every now and then. They're too big. They're so big. Really, they should be turned into like chains. Because then you could actually wear them. Yeah, for sure. Because the rings are absurd. There's no human being on the planet that can wear those.
Starting point is 01:22:47 Well, I mean, it's like that big. I wore them in All-Star last year and I kept shaking everybody's hand and the side of my knuckles were mangled and bloody. Yeah, it's ridiculous. Yeah, you know what I mean? They should make, I would like a nice Cuban links. Maybe you'd be a pioneer with that. Yeah, man, I'm from Dallas, man.
Starting point is 01:23:04 I come from a certain particular part of be a pioneer at that. Yeah, man. I'm from, I'm from Dallas, man. I come from a certain particular. Ring chains. Part of town. I want, yeah, I want that type of jewelry. Just get a gold chain with two, with the two rings. Just go. Nah, nah. It's got to be one medallion right here.
Starting point is 01:23:14 Like flip, flip. And it's got to be bigger. You know, a little bigger. Cuban links coming down. Something real nice. Nice white linen suit in Miami. Real nice. You know what I mean? Something that looks like a king would wear. You know, you just suit in Miami. Real nice. You're out of town.
Starting point is 01:23:25 You know what I mean? Something that looked like a king would wear. You know, you just put it on something ridiculous. You know what I mean? That would be,
Starting point is 01:23:31 that would be dope. Well, good luck on March 26th. I'm happy for you. For what? For the jersey ceremony. You said good luck though. No,
Starting point is 01:23:38 good luck. Good luck not crying. Yeah, you know, that'll be tough, man. My kids gonna be there, my dad,
Starting point is 01:23:44 you know. You'll cry in front of your kids. Yeah, I can't. A lot of pressure. Yeah, my kids gonna be there my dad you know you'll cry in front of your kids yeah I can't a lot of pressure yeah it is gonna be a lot of pressure maybe take some anti-cry medication I might I might you never know
Starting point is 01:23:53 but it'll be it'll be a special moment that's something before you go give me a title prediction Golden State over I'm gonna say Golden State over the Raptors.
Starting point is 01:24:06 Yeah. I mean, they're probably— My team broke me this last week. Yeah. They lose to LA and then LA back-to-back. Yeah, I mean— 28-point game. Yeah, we've been waiting on the Celtics.
Starting point is 01:24:19 They should be number one, and they should have stayed at number one. My feelings are so hurt. And we just won the World Series and the Super Bowl, and I'm so upset about this. I'm like, I should just. A little bit of pressure for, you know, Boston guys, man. And that's probably another piggybacking on the thing with the young guys. That's probably another thing.
Starting point is 01:24:38 Like, people in Boston. I blame Kobe. Kobe knew what he was doing. He worked out with Tatum. He planted all the stuff in his head i really do as soon as i saw they're working out i was upset look let me tell you something about especially about that stuff i'm not saying he did that thing all i'm saying is like kobe's a very very calculated and smart man and so anybody that you know uh especially young
Starting point is 01:25:02 players that take his advice and all these things, keep the bigger picture in mind. He has two of our guys because he has Kyrie, too. That's another quote-unquote guy he's mentoring. Yeah. Black Mamba. Kobe, stay away from the Celtics. That's the Mamba. Stay away from the Celtics, Kobe.
Starting point is 01:25:20 The Black Mamba. What happens when you deal with the Black Mamba? Yeah. Right? Not good. What happens? I'm not saying black mamba? Yeah. Right? What happens? I'm not saying anything good happens. You can be a mentor. He hates the Celtics.
Starting point is 01:25:30 But you're going to take on mamba-like mentalities. He's on record as hating the Celtics. Why is he mentoring our players? You should ask him that. Maybe there should be an investigative report or something. There's nothing to investigate. He's sabotage. They should do some investigation on that and just see what happens, man.
Starting point is 01:25:52 Chris Bosh, thanks for stopping by. Appreciate it, man. It's a pleasure. Thanks for having me. All right, thanks to Chris Bosh. Thanks to ZipRecruiter. Don't forget to go to ziprecruiter.com. Thanks to Hotel Tonight.
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Starting point is 01:26:28 Until then. I feel it's working On the wayside I'm a person never lost And I don't have to be alone

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