The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Draymond Green Show - SHAQ

Episode Date: June 3, 2024

Shaquille O’Neal joins ‘The Draymond Green Show’ to discuss criticizing NBA players like Dwight Howard, why he decided to make his apparel line affordable, Kobe Bryant telling him to relax in the NBA Finals when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers, why Shaq demanded the Orlando Magic draft Penny Hardaway, his first big fight with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat, how Jerry West broke the news to him about his Lakers contract, Shaq’s jealousy of modern bigs like Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama, stories from ‘Inside the NBA’ and thoughts on the new NBA broadcast rights deal. 00:00 - Start 03:50 - Criticizing players 14:00 - Making shoes affordable 23:00 - How Shaq handles money with his kids 25:00 - Kobe Bryant’s mentality 28:00 - Drafting Penny Hardaway 30:00 - Fighting with Dwyane Wade 39:00 - Jealousy of modern bigs 42:00 - Inside the NBA Produced by: Jackson Safon #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. See dkng.com slash B-Ball for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources. What's up, everybody. Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. As you all know, the inner child in me is at Disney World right now. Excited as hell to be doing this interview. I like to do intros and name off accolades.

I'll be sitting here forever trying to name these accolades. So I'm not going to do that, but we'd like to welcome none other than the one and only. Shaq Diesel, Shaq Stradamus, the Big Cactus. And the list goes on and on. My man, Shaq. What's up, brother? I'm not talking to you until you undress me as my career. name, the Black Steff Curry.

The Black Steff Curry. There it is. We got another one just like that. We got another one. No, man, number one, I want to say thank you. Like I said, just what you've meant to me and my life from afar, I was just telling Travis, and we was on the way over here. Like, I still remember the first time I ever met you in the picture we took at Staples Center, and you was looking the other way and shit. I was? Yeah, you know. I'm bad, though.

Looking the other way. I did not think anything of it. I was happy as hell to get the picture. But... Before we go starting, I want to say, I've always appreciated the way you play. Thank you. You know, we always get in this conversation

about us and them. You play like us, Big Dog. I know you wasn't 6-8, 6-9. How told you? 6-6. 6.6. Okay, yeah, I know you weren't 6-8-6-9, but you always played really big for your size.

I appreciate the way you play. All the texts and files and all that bullshit. That's what you got to do to win. And at the end of the day, you got four of them things, and that's all that matter. So I want to say I appreciate you. No doubt.

And the way that you played. Thank you. Thank you, man. That mean a lot to me. So just in getting into it, number one, I want to ask you about your approach in TV, because what I've seen is so many guys get up there, and I try to be sure that I'm not doing it myself. But so many times you see guys get up there and they want to throw stones, you know.

And in specific, you get former players. Players getting up there throwing stones at guys, acting as if they weren't players. But we always say once you're a player, you are always a player. And you get so many guys that just go up there throwing stones, not standing up for guys, acting like they were perfect when they played it as if they ain't ever doing. And you always take the opposite approach. Can you talk to me first off just about that? We all get criticized.

You know, I was told one day if there's some truth in the criticism, You have to look at it different. Like, Shack could have been a great player ever, but he wasn't a great free throw shitter. Can't get mad at that. It's truth in that, right? So when I criticize players, I try to put some truth in it.

Like, for 10, 50 years, people think that I hate the white. I actually really love the white. A little bit of me, probably a little bit more athletic and jump higher. I would always say you've got an average 28-10. I would always say you're not dominating. So hopefully he would get the message and say, fuck you, Shaq, this is what I got to do. That's what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did to me. When I first got to L.A., I was putting up historical numbers, and we was getting swept.

And Kareem said one day, they said, Shaq, man, Shacks were going to be a great player like you. He said, is he really that great? They're not winning. And he has G-14 classification to say that. And, you know, I could have took it as a jab. Like, Kareen, you're just hating because I'm averaging more points a year and I make more. But I was like, you know what? he gave me the lesson inside the criticism.

So when I criticize, I just try to give the lesson. And, you know, sometimes people take it the right way. Sometimes people don't. But people like me and you, we have Jeep 14 classification. We know what it takes to play at a certain level. And we know what it takes to win the championship four times. So a lot of times when we say something, like I know what the fuck I'm talking about. And then a lot of times I test people out.

My motherfuck is soft just to see what I'm dealing with. Same thing I did to cope. Same thing I did to penny. Same thing I did to D-A. And if you respond and turn it into greatness, I know I'm dealing with a fucking dog. Like, I jumped on Donovan one time, and he kind of went.

So I knew I had to handle him with, you know, kit and gloves. So a lot of times I try to criticize and give you the answers. And a lot of times I just try to just say something hateful just to see who you are. Because, again, I would want to listen to a guy like me. Because, you know what?

the best thing I did was listen to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he said, I'm my fuck, he's great, but he ain't that great, and he ain't winning. And I'm looking up at the fucking juries. I'm like, fuck, he's right. I got to start winning, you know? So, you know, I try to protect the guys

as much as possible, but people like us, we don't have to hate. Like, we actually know what we're talking about. And, you know, sometimes guys understand it, and sometimes they don't. Like the other day, and this went viral, I don't know why I went went viral. Joker is my guy.

I've always talked great about Joker, right? Absolutely. And I said to him, I said, Joker, I want you to hear this for me. So other people like Shannon Sharp don't get on their fucking podcast and twisting and trying to make it look like I'm hating. And I said, yo, you're the best big man in the league. You're my favorite player. You're the vice president of the big man alliance.

However, I think SGA should have got MVP. Like when you're a man and you're dealing with another man, respect it. is a must. Like, Traymond, you shouldn't have kicked them in the balls. I'm not hating.

I'm just saying, bro, they need you for the next game. You should, they ain't like I'm hating. So, you know, so for people who don't

try to understand the clarity that we have and they try to make it something different. So I'm glad you asked that question. So again, to your answer,

I try to criticize but give you the answers to the test. Like, hey, Dwight, you want to be dominant, average 2810. And, you know,

hey, Donovan, you ain't no superstar yet. Like, I want you to sometimes say, fuck, Shaq, and just go do what you do. Because if we protect this thing of ours, guys going to be making $80.90 million. They say that when this next deal come around, Luke are going to be making 80-man. That ain't because of me. That's because of Dr. Jay.

He gave it to Mike. Man gave it to me. I gave it to Brian. Brian gave it to y'all. Y'all about to give it to Luca. Luca about to give it to Wimbiana. So we have to make sure that, you know, all these guys play at a high level. And the ones that really take his hate,

the ones that don't understand, I don't really care. You just mentioned Donovan when you said, when you said he wasn't a superstar yet, is he a superstar now? Has he crossed that now? Because that was like two, three years ago when you said that.

He's close. And, you know, as you know, there's a fine line between a star and a superstar. He's close. I would like to see him dominate more. Any guy that can put up numbers anytime he wants

shows me that you're a puppy, but you can be trained to be a mean dog. You ever see a bunch of puppies, and you're looking at that one puppy, that's the one you always pick because he's like, if he's aggressive right now, I could train him to be more aggressive.

So like when I went in him, I made it seem like a disc, but I wanted him to respond and be like, okay, watch this because that's what all the grades do. I sit back and I still watch you today like I watched you when I was a kid. Only difference is then you were playing the game of basketball,

and now we're all watching you crush the game of life from a business perspective, just from a legend and everything that you do we're watching. You do it at the highest level. And I admire that. And one question that I have for you is, how is it that you have stayed human? And when I say stayed human, here's what I'm saying. you are 7-1, 300-plus pounds, African-American man. So you're already bigger than everyone.

That's a strike against you. In height and mass. You're a black man in America. That's a strike against you. You are a legend. Most people won't believe it, but that's actually a strike against you because people put you on a pedestal. They want to tear you off the pedestal.

Everything that you do is going to be criticized. How is it that you have stayed human to peopleable, like approachable? You know, no one's, like, people see you and they're like, oh, my God. And, like, when I see you with people, you're immediately able to break that ice. Like, how have you stayed that through the success and through all the things that are up against you just naturally, because of who you are in the way that you look. You know, when I first got draft, I was making a lot of money,

and I took my mom to a restaurant, and I was acting big Willie. I was acting like I was a shit. And my mother was disappointed, and she said, son, it cost you nothing to be nice. So I dropped the arrogant thing, you know, because, you know,

coming from where we come from, we didn't have anything, and now I got it, so this is my word, you're going to do what the fuck out, you know, all that attitude. She's like, it costs you nothing to be nice.

And then one time I was in L.A., and I was at a restaurant, I saw a superstar. I'm not going to say his name, but a kid came and asked for an autograph, he fucking made the kid cry. And I always said to myself, if I ever get the superstar status,

I'm always taking care of the kids. My mama said, be nice. I'm going to take care of my family. Everything I do is for my family, especially my mother. You know, we play the game of basketball, and they pay us a lot of money. From 2 to 17,

it hit me when I first got drafted. My mom never had her own house. Like, she never really had her own house. And, like, you know, they, and, you know, our parents, they give us the basics. Be respectful. Go to school, get this education, and make sure you always work hard. That was, you know, the basics for our family. So when I said to myself, you know what, I'm about to buy my mom a house, right?

I'm about to buy my dad this, the same 600 Mercedes I got. I'm about to take care of my brother. I'm about to take care of my family. Now, there's many ways to lose that. You know the ways to lose that, so you stay away from that, and you lean towards the stuff that keeps it, you know, start businesses, you know, educate yourself on, you know, financial stability, on, you know, financial wealth. Everything I do is for my family. You know, I have seven children now, I have to do, and I have to say the right thing. Good thing about me and my crew is if I happen to get offline, they can check me.

Like, I did a little AI disc record. My mom wasn't happy with that, so I'm done with it. I ain't going to say nothing else about it. So, you know, that's another attribute I have that I always listen. You know the world famous Uncle Jerome. Absolutely. The only one that could turn my motoro. Like, he'd tell you, you bullshit.

Like, I used to, you know, I got tired of Duncan and go to my jump hook. So every now and then I like to shoot the fadeaway. I may miss four, but as soon as I fucking hit one, I look at him, be like, don't nobody want to see that shit. Fuck that. Don't shoot that dumb ass shit. So, you know, you have to listen sometimes and you have to, you know, follow your goals and you have to stick to your principles, you know. My mother is an avid TV watcher.

I would never want her to sit down and seeing me do something crazy. And then, FOTM, don't fuck off the money. Do not fuck off the money. So I try to do the right thing. I try to say the right thing. And I'm just being nice. I'm 50 years old. There's no need for me to be arrogant towards anybody that looks up to me.

looks up to me. No need for me to be arrogant towards anybody. You know, if you approach me the wrong way, I know how to re-approach you with that same energy, but listen, I'm a nice guy. I've fulfilled all my dreams. You know, all my children hate using this word, but I have seven perfect children. Like, they don't give me no problems. A couple in college, couple of graduated. Shout out to my nephew, Miles Bailey, you just graduated. I'm going to help them get in law school. So, you know, the family is very important to me. So again, I just try to do and just try to say the right thing,

you know, keep my mouth shut. I don't get into the gossip mess and all that. And I just try to make people's mouth. You did the unthinkable. We've seen a couple guys attempt to do it then. I think the latest and most popular was Big Baller brand with the ball family. You started shack, the apparel line, sneakers, clothes. And starting that as a household name as the Shaquille O'Neill,

the most dominant player we've ever seen play. I remember sixth grade a pair of shoes that my grandfather bought me from Kmart, I want to say. Shacks. They were kind of all white with the black down the middle, like through the soul, through the tongue. Kind of had like a, and 30 bucks. as a household name as when people say premium, like you want to do premium things, you said, no, I'm going to have these $30 sneakers.

Number one, how did you accomplish that? Because you're going up against Nike. You're now the president of Reebok, owner and president of Reebok, Adidas, you're going up against all these brands, and you say, no, I'm going to go. do my own. Help me understand how did you go about that process? Who did you do it with

to help you understand the marketing and the distribution and all of those things initially to start it? So one day, me and my cousin Kenny were leaving practice in Orlando Magic. And Orlando Magic was the first arena that was in the hood. So they used to come out, Shaq, Shaq.

Matter of fact, Marquis-Daniels, when I was playing with him with Boston one time, he said, yo man, you don't remember me? And I said, no. And he showed me picture. He was one of those kids that used to always come and get autographed jersey and get tickets and all that. Yeah. So one day, me and my cousin Kenny, we were walking out the back in this lady. She's coming. She's, you know, dragging her son. She's not smiling. The boy, Shaq, Shaq, she's not smiling. And she's like, you motherfucker. And I was like, what do I do?

I don't know. You motherfuckers, got these high-ass, motherfucking sneakers, my baby. You know, he went these fucking high-ass rebugs and I can't afford them. So, you know me. I had a couple stats. I was like, ma'am, I don't do the price point. Here's the money. And she's smacked the money out of my hand. I don't want that. Won't you motherfuckers make an affordable shoe? And I'm riding in the car, and I'm thinking. I was like, that was my mom and me.

I asked my dad for some jorins one time. Then my fucking looked at me like, man, you better get the fuck out my face. He looked at me like that. I had to cut grass and fucking wash car and sell lemonade and all that bullshit. And then by the time I got my $110, I was the size of 15,

I bought some 13s. That's why my toes all fucked. I ain't going to show my toes like you. But that's something like I tried to squeeze in those Jordan. So all that shit was going back to me. And I said, you know what? Call Reebok and tell them after this, I'm going to do my own thing. So if you look at this brand right here, and we're all creatures,

creatures of our environment. Jordan has to what? The dunk man. And this is the dunk man. So when I was in college one time, the professor said, create something that you can see being the thing. sold in the future. And you know me, Shaq's shirt, Shaq Draws, Sacketka So I, you know, I was in the marketing class. I was in business class

So I patented the Dunkman because that's how I don't. I try to put my nuts in your face. So this right here, Dunk Man was created in 89.90 And I just was going. And then I was talking to my dad about it. I was like, this shit might not work. I'm going up against these powerhouses. And he said something. He said, there's more poor people than there are rich people. I was like, shit. So, you know, I think it only worked because I was a household name. You know, of course, you had Jordan and all those guys,

but I was saying, I'm Shaq. And the only thing that took me a while to get is even though they're $30, you can't make them look like they're $30. Because you know how we get fucking criticizing the hood. And, like, people always hear stories how people usually get bullied for wearing my shoes. That's because their mindset was what wasn't right. I never made shoes that look like 30s. I even went over to China and be like,

motherfucker, I want the same leather. I want the same everything. So I just tried to keep the price point down. And that's why I did that, because, you know, it was the right thing to do. And, you know, when it was, it was Reebok, another person than me. Now it's just me and the shoe manufacturer guy.

So, you know, if you go go with Walmart, who has $50,000 dollars, Kmart, got a lot. And then it was a, it was a no-brainer. And then you get with all these companies and they say, okay, we don't want the Shuck brand. I'll say, okay, so I'll just create the Dunkerman brand.

So Dunk Man was at Kmart and Shack was at Walmart. And I was just, and I just sat back. It wasn't like, you know, because, listen, back then, when I first came in, brother, I had so much money, I didn't need no more money. So I was like, if I don't make money cool, but, you know, I got a report one day, I said, bro, you don't sold,

since you started this, you don't sold, with 250. It's up to about 400 million pair now. But now where I got this new company and we coming with that funk now, we were down there. So we were downstairs. So we're about to come mid-level and then, you know, even, even, you know, upstairs. Because Magic Johnson said something to me very important. He said, it's okay to be the man, but at some point you want to start owning things. So this is what I own. This is mine. And, you know, a lot of people like it and respect it. And I'm going to keep giving them stuff that looks good, but at a price they can afford. In 2016, a friend of mine introduced me to authentic brand groups.

I had no clue what the fuck it was, what they did, what it meant, how you go about it. As I've gained more business knowledge and contacts, I've learned more about what it is. And when I was introduced to Authentic Brands Group, I was actually introduced to it by, is who Shaq just partnered with. And I thought it was a very interesting lesson for me because it was, this is who Shaq just partner with, not this is who Shaq just sold his company to.

Can you walk me through that process of you partner with authentic brand groups but necessarily didn't take all cash or something? Yeah, so ever since a youngster, jealousy motivates me. Jealous of Steph Curry. I wish I could fucking shoot like that. I'm jealous of Clay. I wish my jump shot was that motherfucking pretty. I'm jealous of Brown.

He's almost a billionaire. I'm not. Instead of taking that jealousy and turning into hate, it turns into motivation. So I'm walking down Hollywood Boulevard, and I'm like, how the fuck does Elvis, who've been dead for 60 years,

still make money? So now I start studying. Because, bro, I'm walking down to Hollywood, every fucking story, bro, Elvis, shirts, hats, and this is towards the end of shack. And you know how there's towards the end and motherfuckers act like they forget who you are.

Absolutely. I'm like, you know what, fuck that. I want to live forever. So I'm seeing all this Elvis and Maryland Monroe shit. So I did my research and I met with two companies. I was like, hey, I want to, you know, this is who I am and this is what I built. You know, me, Mike and Perry and Colin and Leonard Armallo, this is what we built to be interesting, you know, doing a partnership with. And the first company is like, yeah, we want to buy it.

I want to own it. I said, how much you're talking? Nope. And then, you know, I met with, you know, authentic brands. They said, hey, yeah, we want to buy it. I want to be your partners. I said, well, can I invest in your company? So they wrote me a big check, and I wrote them a big check,

and now I'm the number two. And basically what this does is just make sure my name lives forever. And if it doesn't live forever, all the brands that we own, my business still live together. And again, it's all about family. I have seven kids. You know, my kids got mad at me because I did a little speech, and I was trying to be funny, but I was serious.

We're not rich. I'm rich. So I want them to be able to work and understand. And, you know, because, like, I always show them what respectable nepotism is. I took my second son, Sharif, with me to a business conference. And he was amazed that the Walmart family will make every member that wants to be, when I work with the family, they'll make them take an aptitude test. And however you're scoring the test, that's where you're going to start at.

So one guy who was part of Walmart family was very wealthy, he was like, I didn't take the test seriously, so my uncle made me shovel shit for two years at the horse farm. But teaching them the business of horse manure business, and I was, so like, he learned that. So Sharif was amazed. I was like, this is how it works, my brother. I'm here. But only the kids can take it boom, boom, boom, boom, bam. And that's what I'm, you know, try to, you know, show my kids.

A lot of people in your position with the amount of wealth that you accumulated, they either, most people do one or two things. They pass their money only theirs. and some people do what called ruling it from the grave, where if you die, they got parameters that they can't get out of to protect people. Others give it away. Like, you got these different giving pledges and different things nowadays, and they give it all the charity. What is your mindset around your children and how you either give them money

as they become adults or when you die or like, no, I work for this and you need to learn to go work on your own and I'm giving it all the way. What's your approach to those? I told my kids all the time, we don't need another basketball player and a family. Give me a lawyer. Give me a veterinarian.

Give me a head front operator. So they get something, but the higher they go in education, the more they get. And, you know, I tell them all the time, it says, school is important, education is important to me. You know, I wasn't the smartest guy in the book, but, you know, I took things that were very hard and broke it down to as simplest form.

Like, you know, when I was learning business and school, I really didn't understand it until I got with a businessman. And he showed me what a joint venture was. He showed me what a, you know, subchapter S corporation is. I was like, oh, this is what it means to get education. So I just tell them, hey, whatever it is you want to do, let me know. I'll hook you up and I'll start you off and want you master that. we'll be on our way. And again, I hate you,

not that P-word, but I don't have no problems to none of my babies. None at all. Man, that's incredible. Getting into the basketball, you had the opportunity to play with and in a major way,

D-Wade, Kobe, and Penny. You played with Brian. To me, that was kind of a telling in your career, like it wasn't, as shack dominant as you were with those guys.

When you look at those three guys, though, rate them. It's tough to rate them because we speak a language, right? If I say in our language, but it gets out, not saying that your show would do that, but even if you put out a clip, the ones that don't comprehend our language will try to make it look like I'm rating them.

But I'm going to rate them because you're a good friend of mine and you ask me to do it. Kobe, number one. He had the master killer mentality. And I like to say I help him get that. Because when he first came in, I put the Donald Vintest on. Oh, fuck you ain't shit.

Don't shoot. Fuck that. And it would drive him crazy. You know, you talk about the six, five, six hours a day in the gym? Yeah, he did that. Just so he could shut me the fuck up. And I loved it. Because I already knew what I was going to do.

I already knew I was going to get you 28, 10 in the plus. playoffs, 35, whatever, but I needed another guy. And I always used to piss him off. You know, you know this very well. I don't know how your team was, but you know for a fact you don't have to be like this to win the championship. You do not. On the courts, you have to be like this. But attitudes and you don't have to be like that.

So, you know, we used to always go at it. And it was, I don't want to say my fault, but I knew what the fuck I was doing. Because when he came in, he showed me that he wanted to be a dog. He was that puppy that was nibbling on a chair. And I was like, okay, watch this. Motherfuck, you ain't, nah, fuck, don't shoot. Shoot it again, motherfucker. So, like, it just used to piss him off.

And then by the time he got into itself, and I kind of had to make a decision. Like, you know, Phil was like, listen, let him do what he's doing in the fourth quarter. And once I made that decision, I was like, you know, and then we was, like, first three-quarter, give me the fucking ball, let me do what I'm going to do, let me get us in the penalty.

And then because I'm not a great free-threather shooter, fourth quarter, I'll step back and you do what you do. And we did that. And, you know, he's sacrificed. He did it because all those finals where he helped me win the championship, he damn sure could have easily got finals MVP. But that was our plan. Big Dog, you eat for the first three and the fourth I take over.

And my favorite game in Indiana was on our first championship where I filed out. And I looked at him and was like, because if we lose, it's all my fucking fault. Shaggy, motherfucker, you want to be a wrong. rapper, you're doing movies and you ain't contracting on your free throws. I don't know what my percentage was, but it wasn't black Steph Curry like. So I already know if we fucking

lose this series going to be my fault. I'm looking at Kobe, my fucker, do me like this. And that motherfucker, he had an incredible four or five, like, and then I knew then we was going to win our first championship. So him for that penny ultimate team player

and my motherfucker. And I don't know if you know the story, but my second, my first movie, No, second movie, Blue Chips. So, you know, it was already a problem for me to go fucking shoot movies. You're not going to be able to work out. So it was in my contract. I got a workout from 8 to 12.

So they built a little fucking gym, and I got all the NBA players to run down. And this motherfucker is diamond me up like crazy. Six, seven, my fuck, smooth. And I'm running. As soon as I go like that, the fucking balls there, I'm spinning, he's throwing the lobs. I was like, yeah, man, who the fuck is this actor?

Because, you know, we're on the moon. movies they said that's Penny Hardaway and I don't know about you but I don't be looking at college players seeing who the fuck I'm I got shit to do so I'm like who the fuck is this dude he's like man that's fucking Penny Hardaway and I can remember before I left you know that's losing and getting swept D Scott come to me and say yeah man you got fucking take over because I'm the I'm the military kid I'm the discipline kid yes sir no sir whatever you say sir D Scott was like man fuck that you got to take over so I was like you know what now I'm a try it hey man you know who a penny Hardaway is

Yeah, we might not get them. We want the first pick. We want to go with Sea Webb. No, fuck that. You're going to have to get Penny. Yeah, I don't know if we can get Penny. Listen to what the fuck I'm telling you right now. My deal is up in two years.

If you don't give me what I want to help me win this championship, I'm going to have to look elsewhere. So me, Kenny and Uncle Drone, we had the house. We're watching the draft. They draft Chris Weber. I'm fucking picking up lamps. I'm just tearing the motherfucking house apart. Because I'm like, these motherfuckers didn't listen to me.

They tested me. You know, because I'm just, now that I put myself in charge, motherfucker, I'm in charge. You're going to have to do what the fuck I say, or else I'm going to go swirled where they're going to let me be in charge. So I'm tearing the fucking house up.

I'm going crazy. Kenny and I'm trying to rest me to the floor. And then they say, wait, wait. The Orlando Magic Maker Trey with the Golden State Warriors for Penny for Chris. And I was like, oh shit, they did it. They listened to me.

So now, D. Scott and them don't know what I got, because I don't know if they know Penny, but I know this motherfucker's nice. So him. And D. Wade, our first argument was in the finals. We go down O2. I'm declining in the shack. I'm going through a divorce.

I'm not shack. My first two guys are fucking terrible, awful. So I'll pull D-Wade in the room. The fuck you're going to do, man. Motherfucker, you want to be the man? What the fuck are you going to do? He had a look at, I wasn't trying to fight. I was just asking a question.

He had a look of relief like, I can't. So yeah, motherfucker, I got four people on me. I just took, well, in the future, I'm gonna talk to my good friend, Draymond. He's gonna tell me they're gonna put a motherfucker in front of me behind me. That's the fuck they're doing to me right now. What the fuck you're gonna do though? And he said, okay, Shaq, and he went off.

So it's not that I'm rating them, even though I answer you a question. I was fortunate enough to play with three of the greatest guards. And Bronn, Brown had so much power. Like when I got that, I've never seen a young kid. with that much power, and deservedly so. Like, he had everything in order, and it was just so. And I think we could have possibly went further. I don't know if you remember we were in first the whole year.

Big baby broke my thumb. And I was out. I came back. I wasn't, I wasn't, you know, at that time, I was already declined in the shack anyway. You break my thumb, and then I got to sit out five weeks and then try to come back and beat a Boston team. It wasn't going to happen. Because, you know, at that point, I was like, I got to get fucking five.

before he did. I already got four and this motherfucker, I guess, so I was, I was Marine chasing, but I was just, you know, like you said, I wanted to just try to step in and, you know, help people. And then when I went to Boston, same thing, I thought we could have made it pretty far,

but I told my Achilles, but, you know, I hate rating those guys because I don't want ignorant people who don't understand our language to try to twist it up and, oh, he said, Cov was better, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying all those guys had different attributes and they were great players.

Do you regret, and so you went so hard for Penny, for Orlando to get Penny. Do you regret leaving Orlando as soon as you did and not seeing it through with Penny the whole way? No. And the reason is I am programmed to, once you make a decision, you live with that decision right or wrong. And you know, one thing about my agent at the time

who Len Armada was he informed me about business. I knew where the money was gone. You know, when I came in, You know, because I think what even got me in for wrestling playing basketball, John Conkak was making 15 for three. I was at home one day, and my father smacked me in the back of the head with a paper. Because I was a medium-level juvenile delinquent. I was like you.

I was a fucking football guy. I used to like to bring that pain. I was like, you know, and then my high school coach said, you ain't going to make it. I ain't had no scholarships. I already had a plan to join the fucking armor. I already knew the army life was a good life. I'm a joining Army.

My father smacked the shit at me one day with a paper. Look at this. And it was John Conkate. No disrespect to John, because, you know, I end up playing with John. He's a great fellow. And he said, hey, look at this dude. So we got the 15 for three. I ain't the smartest guy in the world.

I know that's five in a year. So I'm watching John Conkett play in San Antonio Hemisphere Arena. And I'm like, damn, I'm like this now. So now I really start taking basketball serious. And I had a guy that I met in Germany and named with Dale Brown. He already offered me the scholarships. I already know I'm going. going to LSU.

So, you know, my agent kept telling me, hell, the money's going to be a lot. So when I first got driving, how much you want? I was like, I don't know. Six million a year? He's like, no, man, we're going to ask for 50. And I was like, what?

He said, we're going to ask for 50. I ended up getting 40 for 7. I think I was the first to do this. He's like, but I'm going to put a clause in there. You can do something after three, after four. And I was like, okay, sounds good. So when it came back around to Orlando, you know, everybody was talking about $100 million.

I want to be the first hundred million dollar guy. It was mine. So I started high. I said $1.50. And they said no. And then here during the Olympics, 96, me and Uncle Jerome, we had Magic City, doing what we do at Magic City. And my agent called, it's like 2.30 a.m. He said, I got a call.

I need you come to his hotel. Stuff for what? He said, come. So I get there, and it's the great Jerry West. And I used to always see him. We play Legger's never really met him. but of course I know he is. I shake his hand.

He said, you want the good news or the bad news? I said, I want the bad news. He said, I couldn't get you to 150. I said, what's the good news? We can get you 120. But he's like, you got to sign it right now. So I was like, and then I told him, I said, Carl Orlando, he said, they weren't even close.

So, hey, my mom, my mom needed a new house, even though she did. And that's how I'm thinking of mine. So I went that. So even though I always think about what me and Penny could have done, it's not a decision I regret because when it comes to family and it comes to making a decision, I make the decision as a leader, as a general. And if it happens to be the wrong decision, that's something that I can live with.

You said something when you were just discussing Kobe, when you were discussing Kobe, you remember what y'all did in the fourth quarter. You said if quarters one through three, I dominate. and then we let Kobe take over in the fourth. And I recently was just on Instagram maybe a week ago, and not even a week ago, and Gilbert Arenas on his podcast was talking about Joker and saying, you know, when it's time to get a bucket,

the ball always go to Jamar Murray towards the end of the game. So how can you say he's the best player talking about Joker because Jamar Murray get those last shots? And you pretty much just said, that's what me and Kobe did. Like I did this and then we let him go then. So what do you make of Gilbert Arena's statement about Joker saying he's not as good because Jamar Murray gets the ball down the stretch

and he takes all the big shots. Being that he was a part of us, he has that G-14 classification. But Joker is really good. And Jamal is really good. That's just the way their team is set up. When it comes to the most valuable player, I always thought it meant the baddest motherfucking a lot. league. Like, you're a guy who made history, it should have been my history, the most dominant,

I mean, the unanimous MVP, he's the baddest motherfucker in the league. I don't go to fuck, what your record is, where are y'all at, one through eight? He's the baddest motherfucker player to me. I don't understand what the classifications are, best player on the best team. We as players, we know who the baddest motherfucker is. We know who the strongest is. We know who the best, like, we know. You know, all these voters sometimes, they just, you know, we just, Sometimes they just get with their favors and they stick with their favorites. I don't know what the fucking criteria is. So, you know, I think the point that, you know,

Gilbert was trying to make is, okay, if he's the baddest guy, why is he getting the ball? Sometimes you got to do that. Like, you know, Shannon Sharp said something the other day, Oh, Shaq wasn't the best player on the team. That's true. I'm not better than fucking Penny Ottawa. I'm not better than Kobe Brown. I'm not better than D-A.

But I'm the baddest motherfucker on the team. That's what I always try to be. I always try to be the biggest baddest, fuck all that. I didn't better than Alonzo Morn and Christian Layton are coming out of college, but I was the baddest motherfucker. That's why I got pick number one. So, you know, a lot of times, like, if you got G14 classification, I'll let you say what you want. If you don't, I ain't going to let you. Like, I'm, you know, sometimes people take our niceness for granted.

And I'm, I'm big on G14 classification. So I don't have a problem with what Gilbert said. He's been there. He's done that. He was with us. I understand that. but, you know, all opinions are subjective. You either agree or you disagree.

Ronald, we have now in this world, as somebody say something, you don't like it. You want to take it and put it in your thing. That's cool, too, but just make sure you have that G-14 classification. And G-14 classification gets you in the building. We have ranks. Me and you have the highest fucking ranks. Me, you, Steph, Cole, Magic.

We're on the top motherfucking floor. A lot of guys are in the building, but they don't have the same, you know, right to say certain things as we do. But again, I don't have a problem with, I do have a problem with what he said, where I hate all centers. I don't hate all centers. I never said anything bad about Joker. I just think they thought I was trying to be funny when I told him.

I said, no, I want you to hear from me first, Joker, and I'm telling you like a man, you're my guy. Love you. But SGA, should have got an MVP. That ain't know this, but again, I did it, and I slowed it down. So people can understand that. And I even have, hey, this is no disrespect to you. And they still take it and twist it.

Oh, Shaq hates all big men. I hate all big men. I hate all big men that don't play like fucking big men. Yeah. That's what I hate. A couple more questions before we get out of here. The modern day big Joker, you know, those guys, Joelle, Wimby. I'm jealous of them.

Why? I wish I could step out and shoot the three, brother. You know why I call myself Black Steph Curry? Because if I go to the gym and miss 190 fucking. And make one on the black stuff carry. That shit fucking feel good to step out and shoot that three, bro. But again, you got an understand about me. When I'm jealous, I'm not envious.

I'm jealous to fucking motivate me. So every now and then, I go out there and try to Clay Thompson my shit. And just, you know, I built the corporate. I just go out there and try to shoot. I'm jealous than because I wish I was allowed to do that. You know, back then I would, every now and take and go coast to coast. The coach would look at me crazy. So they're allowed to do it.

Indeed is a mixture of me in the post and Akeem Elijah run outside the floor. And Joker, he's, man, I was trying to figure who he reminded me of. I was thinking a little Brad Daughery, a little Sabonis in the 84 landline. Like, his game is just nice. And I like people that play at their pace. I asked you about Luca one time. I was like, he really that nice. And he was like, yeah, the motherfucker's strong.

And he played at his pace. So I really like those guys. Any other big, Wimbingiana is different. He's thin. but like he does some stuff, he's really different. As the president of the Big Man Alliance, I really like those three guys.

Any other big guys, I'm not really feeling. So when he said, I hate all Big Man, I don't hate all Big Man, just don't like the Big Man that don't play like Big Man. Do you think there would be any benefit to Joelle at times, saying, you know what, I'm channeling my inner Shack right now? Fuck Shack.

Just play. just play the odds. If I got a guy six, seven on me, I'm not shooting no jumper, even if I know how to shoot the jumper. One, I'm going to try to get him in foul trouble, get my team in a penalty, and the percentages go up

when you move closer to the basket. It's just so, you know, why you want to drip between your legs and shoot jumpers, like, listen, when it goes in, it looks pretty. But when it doesn't go off in playoff situations, you're going to have to live with that, oh, you're the only MVP who never made out the first round.

And I know guys don't want to live with that. So I just want him to just, you know, play, play to his ability. Like if you got another agile big guy, you take him out and you go around him. But anybody that's smaller than you, you got to go on the post and then go to work. And then once they double you, you make it easier for Maxie. Maxie is a good player. But if he don't have to work as hard, I think he can be a lot better. Like Maxi was doing all that and he's young and all that.

but I wanted to make the game easy for Penny, Kobe, and D.Way. Let me go down here and jump hook these motherfuckers to death. Then when they start filing and doing all that stuff, then I'm going to kick to you, then y'all go to work. So that's what I think about Joe. Last couple questions. Shit's been, what, 13 years now? Yeah, 13.

You took, and you took on another role in what you've been doing at T&T with the inside the NBA crew. What did you first think you was getting yourself into as opposed to what it's turned into? I wanted to be the black Brian Gumbull and use big words and do all that. And TNT said, motherfucker, we'll fire your ass tomorrow. Be you. And I think that's what makes our show the best show out there.

G14 classification. Berkeley Hall of Famous, Jack, Hall of Fame, McKinney, two-time champion, and Ernie, Best Analyst in the world. Yes. But you guys can be yourself. and we make fun of people, we crack jokes, we do a lot of stuff. Because you also have to realize after watching two games, good games or bad games, the fans that are real people don't have to work in the morning.

If we're going to keep you up past your bedtime, at least we want to do is entertain you. And I think the reason why they hired you, you're very intelligent. Thank you. And you're definitely one of us. You know how to crack jokes. You and Charles are also going to y'all have me rolling. So welcome to the team

And I'm glad you're here But I didn't really know what I was getting myself into But TK He was a producer there He was like, we don't want you for all that shit Just talk about your experiences Talk about what you know And he said people know you know what you're talking about

Because you did it Because you did it And so They just told me to just You know, be myself I wish I could talk more Charles is good at fucking talking And then when you pose a fucking rotate

He'll say something again. That's why I snapped on those eyes. I said, yo, motherfucker, one, two, three, not one two and back the motherfucker one. He, like, cut motherfuckers off repeating itself. Like, bro, you said that shit. I've been here 12 years.

You say the same shit over here. Chris Paul de Grizzly. Motherfuck, we heard that. Say something different. That's funny. We had Chuck on the show a couple of years ago, and I asked him, y'all get into these hegan arguments.

Do you ever really get pissed off? No. because it's a perfect story. I'm like you. I will fight you and do whatever. So one time this motherfucker, and like I never had no problem with Charles. The same way you looked up to me,

I looked up to Charles. Charles let me know it was okay, the elbow, a motherfucker on the mouth. My father used to tell me, you need to be like Barclay and knock him off in college and even in the league.

So we're playing in Houston one day. Charles is older. The motherfucker hit me in the head with the ball. I can't let that show. kick slide. I can't go back to any barbershop, any motherfucking crib, nothing. Now I got to knock this motherfucker out. But the mistake I made was I leaned too far to the left and he went that way. I wanted to throw the left because I wanted him to come inside. I was going to try to knock that motherfucker's head off to let him know like, hey, I ain't one of these motherfuckers, you can

throw the ball at. So, bro, by the time I got to the motherfucker tunnel, Uncle Jerome handed me the phone, you know, like, hello? And there was my mom and Charles' mom on the phone. And it's He's like, y'all shouldn't be doing it. I was like, who's this? She was like, my mom, check, this is Charles' mom. So you know when his mom's, even though I'm mad at him, I ain't gonna be like, fucking something, it's, yes ma'am, y'all stop that shit. I don't already talk to Charles.

Y'all, y'all hugged that shit out. And, you know, she was, not ghetto, but she was hard. She was like, y'all cut that shit out, y'all don't need to be fighting. So, mama dropped that final order. I'm not going to go against my mama ever. So I'm walking down the hall, he walking down the hall. I'm looking down, like, motherfucker, even though my fucker, even though my fucker, mama said that you make a move woman, knock y'

yeah, so he started laughing and I started laughing. And then I finally see my mom, I said, what was that about? She said, me and Charles' mom been best friends for 30 years. Crazy. Yeah. So one time I seen them playing cards, it's the same shit me and Charles do. You don't know I'm playing no motherfucking spade.

Like they, but it's respectful. So even though we argue, I know as a man you can't disrespect another man. I think, like, men that have the same principles, you can talk to each other same way. Like my little guy over That's my cousin. We grew up together.

We fight every fucking day. But we don't disrespect each other. And the fact that we don't disrespect each other, you can say what you got to say. I say what I got to say. So, you know, I'm never mad at him to the point where I want to beat him up because, one, my mom would be upset.

His mom passed away. She was so nice. My mom, she would be upset. So even if he said something crazy, I know he's not disrespect me. I know it's just Charles. I'll just let it go. Before we get out of here,

obviously, as you know, I think, you know, being one of the most successful businessmen to come through the NBA, you know, we see junior Bridgman magic. You know, and you have put yourself in that category, you guys. So you understand business. You guys have had, and I'm honored to grace the stage with you all whenever I get the opportunity. But what you guys have built at inside the NBA has been special. Business is business, and there's a TV deal coming up with the possibility. of Turner not, you know, having broadcasting rights.

That is a possibility. If that's to happen, everybody wants to know what happens with this crew. You know, you guys, you four guys, like, it's the premier show when it comes to NBA basketball. What happens with this group from your perspective? How do you see that? I don't like to think left, which is negative. I don't like to think right. I don't like to think what it is.

So until we hear what it is, I don't know. I'm glad I have different options to fall back home, but when I go left, it just starts to get sad. Like, damn, no Ernie, no Chuck, no Kenny. Then when I think right, it's a lot of other possibilities. So great possibilities, but right now I'm just stay in the middle. And you brought up a name, Junior Bridgman, another guy who I'm jealous of. I remember one time I'm walking to the airport, and I saw the 10 richest athletes there was a time article.

I was like, my fuck, I'm number two. I ain't fucking with Mike, but shit, I'm number of motherfucking two. Magic may be number two. So,

fucking, I'm number three. So I look at the list. I'm like, Mike, fuck. Magic, fuck. And then Junior Bridgman,

six hundred. I'm like, who the fucking Junior Bridgett? So I'm like, 800 million. So now, instead of being envious, it's like,

jealousy motivates me, brother. Been like that since I'm a kid. Like, you see a kid. Like, always tell me. my son, when you go to these A.U tournaments, find out who's who. Make sure you go at them. So, like, for me, I was always behind Kenny Anderson. So when I went to the motherfucking McDonald's all of American game, I met Dick Vitale and said, hello, Mrs.

Dick Vitale. He's like, and you are? So this motherfucker don't know who I am. Oh, shit. And everybody's sucking off Kenny and Jimmy Jackson and all these motherfuckers. I said, okay, motherfucker. So I told Ms. Vite, I said, you don't know me yet, but tomorrow at 1230, the whole world will know my game. So that, that shit motivates me. So I'm in that junior beard, I'm like, fuck, it's my motherfucker on all this shit. And I just, I just, it just makes me, makes me work harder because we like stories.

I like to open that Time magazine and see Shaq, two, three billion. Like, so I'm not there yet, but I think I'm working, you know, a way to get there. So, like, just want to tell athletes, it's okay to be jealous at times, but just make sure you use it as motivation and not hate. Big fella, I appreciate you, man.

I see in about 30 minutes. Yes, sir. Draymond Green Show. And y'all wouldn't have beat us in the finals? Easy, money.