The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Draymond Green Show w/Baron Davis: Darius Garland on Cavaliers NBA title chase, Donovan Mitchell, D-Rose influence

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

NBA All-Star and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland opens up about his journey toward making it into the exclusive 50/40/90 NBA club and his "revenge season" mindset. He talks about putting on 25 pounds, building chemistry with Donovan Mitchell, and why he thinks the Cavs deserve four All-Stars this year. Along with Draymond Green and Baron Davis, he dives into the All-Star popularity contest, Kenny Atkinson’s coaching style, and how he and the Cavs bounce back after a tough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Darius also talks about why he started his TENFOLD YouTube series, how former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose has influenced his game, his goal to chase a championship this season, and his top five shiftiest guards in the league. Timeline 2:30 - Start 10:15 Chasing the Exclusive 50/40/90 Club 14:00 Revenge Season 25:15 - Putting on 25 Pounds 28:15Locking In with Donovan Mitchell 32:15 Cavs Should Have 4 All-Stars 38:00 Is the All-Star Popularity Contest? 32:15 Response to Getting Blown Out by OKC 50:45Having Kenny Atkinson as a Head Coach 53:00 Before Kenny’s Mindset in Cleveland 1:01:30 Starting TENFOLD Youtube Series 1:02:15 Derrick Rose’s Basketball Influence 1:08:00 Winning a Ring This Season 1:09:30 Top 5 Shiftiest Guards   (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #Volume #Herd  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show with my dog, my brother, B.D., what's hiding in, bro? What's up, everybody? What's going on? Just chilling, brother. Before we get into this special episode, please subscribe to the Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,

so you don't miss any episodes. That's right. Follow the show on all social media platforms. That's at Jemont Show, so you don't miss none of our great announcements. I do want to say something. We wanted to reach out from the show and sit the high-fell message to everybody in L.A. Going through the fires.

You know, first-line defenders, people losing their homes, people getting sick from the smoke, being displaced. You know, our heart goes out, you know, being from L.A. And J. living in L.A. You know, we know the importance of community, the importance of togetherness. So on our behalf, we're going to be dropping some links, different organizations that you can donate to, that you can volunteer, and hit us up. Whatever we can do to help, whatever you can do to help, we want to bring LA back. And, you know, our goal is to Unify LA. We've been through a lot.

We've always been through stuff, but we always come out on top. So shout out to the whole fire department, first responders, the city, you know, the volleyball. volunteers, we just wanted to show you a lot of love and appreciation in these times. We most definitely appreciate y'all. And also all the fire departments that came from outside places to help fight those fires. Couldn't imagine being there. I know the stress that I've dealt with over the last week and a half of just wondering and worrying that our home will be okay. You know, and just to know like, but people being in that every single day,

actually getting displaced from the home that they live in on a daily basis. You know, being taken out, kids being taken out of school. The reality is some of those kids being taken out of school, some of those parents still have to work, you know. And so, you know, just with all the stuff going on, so we definitely send our love to the whole city of L.A., everybody affected all of those helping and, you know, doing all that you can and your power. Can't thank you all enough.

But we're going to get into the show. BD. I'm not sure why you got the, is that the Lwood hoodie? I think so. I, man, GP put me on this brand. I think they based out of L.A. It's called L.Wood. Oh!

Let me check. Are you talking about my new shade, bro? Yes, sir. Bar O'Mill is gone. What happened to Bar O'Mill? Bar O'Mill has the dress. What? I transfer him Bart O'Mill to a true animation.

These, man. I kept the dress up. Just show up with a ball. Hey, man, you know, it's a Star weekend coming up. You know, I got about, what I say, about nine, ten months to get ready for training. camp, you know what I'm saying? So, hey man, I had to cut the dress off.

They was holding me back. I was missing shots and shit. So I said off with the hair. You're trying to go back to BD with the Hordets. Yeah, yeah. When I show up in training camp, I'm out of headband, everything. The baggy shorts are. This man just popped up on TV with a body.

come on, man. You know, I had to switch him up. I had to look more professional. You know, we got to look more professional. They're handing out these Amazon, MTV, NBC, Netflix deals. I'm like, okay, let me. Is it the hair? All right, let's see if it's there because I know I can talk to talk.

Yeah, is it the hair? Is the hair holding me? You're all scared of the judge? These just ain't real. Did you shave your hair with a razor or clippers? No, what happened, bro, was the barber. He gave me a good cut. But my hair line, I had a Stephen A.

And so my kids came calling me Stephen A. And so I went back to the barber. And I was like, hey, bro, I could not be called Stephen A. Nowhere in L.A. And my kids are doing this, bro. They was on the FaceTime, them and all their friends. They was like, Stephen A, my daddy got a Stephen A. So I told the bar, I said, bro, take me all the way down.

Take me home, baby. Take me home. So are you saying Stephen A need to come home to? Man, Stephen A, that's his moniker. That's his logo. If you had a syllable, man. And he was a silhouette. You wouldn't know that.

You wouldn't know that Stephen A. You feel me? Like, that's how I pretty much, you know, think about it. Like, if he was a silhouette, you can look at the silhouette and say, oh, that's Stephen A. Smith. So he can never go ball. Nah, he got to keep that. Yeah, he got He got it.

He got it. He got to keep that. You know, it's like it's like when you go to the long rider shows and they got the and they got the truck.

Like, that will help it so you can see the motor. Oh, man. Oh, my God. I can't have a long ride. had a trunk over and I said, man, I'm just cut him off. I can't be Stephen out of it. I'm just go ahead and go home, man.

Kudos to you, my brother. Take me home. Man, we're going to get into today's guests. Oh, man, let's get it. Today's guess, an all-star point guard. And I say that with all pun intended, and we will get into that. Nonetheless, he's averaging 21 to 7. Shooting nearly 50% from the field.

He's very close to the 50-40-90 club right now. And the 21 points on 50% from the field at that size says a lot. So we're going to get into this. Nonetheless, he is a 22 NBA All-Star. And like I said, he got to get another one this year. One of the best guards in the league that I play in. Nonetheless, he's been on the pod. this rundown that I saw,

it's saying a friend of the pot. He ain't no friend of no goddamn pot. That's just my young dog right there. DJ to PG. What's happening? It's good with you. Appreciate y'all for having me. I appreciate you, man.

You're staring down the possibility of joining the exclusive 50, 40, 90 club this season. I know you're a team first guy, but how important is it for a point guard to be in this club? especially in the season you have. Man, it's cool. I mean, I think it's like eight guys

in the NBA history that has actually done it and actually completed for the entire season, which is pretty tough to do. But, I mean, it's cool just having the stats and like a great field goal percentage, like Draymond said, like my size, it's pretty hard. So, I mean, it's cool just being up there

with some of those guys haven't been completed yet for an entire season. So I'm not going to, not going to, like, jump into it. But, I mean, it's cool just being recognized like that. It's cool to have some stats like that for sure. You walk into the game, right? It's not like you're saying I'm 50, 40, 90. You hitting those marks.

You're walking in the game. Like, what is that, what does that feel? Right? Because you had a high clip right now. Like, what is that confident? What's that feel, bro? It's got to be a feel, right? Yeah.

I mean, just going in there with confidence, bro. just trying to play the right way, be aggressive when I can, but just trying to take the right shots, playing the system a little bit, you know, but just trying to be aggressive as all times, trying to get into pain as much as possible. And then with the live thirst that we got,

I mean, everybody going back to their man, they five, man, fives don't never want their bigs to score, ever. I mean, where it's going right now. I'm getting some easy layings. So that's why the field goal percentage so high. I'm getting looks from the three-point line.

I'm being saying some really good screens for me to come off and get some open looks. And then my team may send me up so well. So in the free throw percentage, I mean, that's just focus and concentration. So not too much to see that three-go is. I don't know. I'd be pretty focused and concentrate when I'm going to the free throw line. I like that. It's crazy.

I'm telling me it's just focus and concentration. That's not true. That's just simply not true. But you just made that sound less difficult than what I see. I'm typically now. No, I'm talking about one thing you said in specific, which is specifically, which is you said bigs don't want their, their centers don't want their men to score. So I'm getting these layups.

I disagree with that. I agree that centers don't like their men to score. But I think you do such an incredible job of keeping, like, What we're taught as bigs is to cat and mouse. Like, never give up, like, if you're going to fully commit to the guard, never give up if you're completely taking the big away when you're in that two-on-one situation. And you do it just about as well as anyone,

where you will literally pass the ball at the very last second. Like, if you get all the way to the rim and you're about to lay the ball up, and finally I go because I have to go at that point, you do as good a job as anyone of them making that drop off fast after you get that guy to commit at the last second. And that's such an incredible skill. So I have to disagree with you there where you say, I'm getting easy layups because I got live threats.

Because I get a lot of guys with live threats in that situation, and they can't finish. And so they can't finish that layup, don't know when to take that layup. And if they drop that ball off, you better believe it. I'm going to steal it and go to other. way. And you do it as well as anyone in this league. So I just wanted to throw that out there while you make it sound so easy. But moving on, I love that you call this your revenge season.

Because I know the player that you are. And last couple years, you haven't quite been the DG that I know. And that's due to some injury, right? Like you bring down to the Mitchie in, that take some time to get used to everybody think it's just going to happen the next day that don't happen like that right like and so there's things that were happening that

I think could have caused it nonetheless I want to ask you what what for what reason did you feel that you needed a revenge season a lot of people were down to me last year bro like you said I was going through a lot of injuries

broken jaw a lot of the family stuff that I was dealing with. But, I mean, most importantly, the jaw was detrimental to me. To be honest, I mean, I lost 15 pounds. I'm eating out of a straw. I'm trying to literally just blend anything dump I can find in the house just to try to get some nutrients in my body.

And, I mean, that's what it was, bro. Like, I'm in the second round of playoffs playing against the Boston Seltes. I won the finals. I'm down 15. pounds. I've been that little since high school. So I'm playing at the highest level in the most intense basketball in my career. And I'm not even fully healthy. Like, I'm just going out there. I just really rushed it just trying to get back out there with the guys and play the game that I love for real. So, yeah, this is, I knew coming to that summer, the next summer, like, I really had to

really lock in on my body, really lock in the gym. And that was my whole mindset. Like, I'm coming to get what I deserve and what I had. Like, I want all that back. I want the All-Stars back. I want to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals that we really want to get to. I want to get back to the opposite and have like a good little jump start for it, you know? So, I mean, that was just like a big thing for me last year and going into that summer was just, it's my time to get what I deserve. And I mean, I just had that confidence in me every since the injury.

Just to go in and have that mindset, like, let's go get it. I see a different look, a different fire, different confidence, and a different poise. You know, I also read that you got a list. I love the fact that you got a list. You feel me? You have to have a list when you're a PG. Can you talk about this list? and if you want to give me like three or four names off the list,

I heard you check some off. You know, I'm just here as a witness, you know, to say, yeah. No, yeah, the list was just, I mean, you know, y'all know. This league is really guard heavy. So it's a lot of great guards in this league. And I wanted to be mentioned as one of top guards in this league because I really feel like I'm one of those guys. And, I mean, just this summer,

I'm just thinking about all the guards that I had to go through to get back to this all-star level and even get an all-star nod. And it's a couple of people on the list that I got at this year so far. We've 40 games in. We got another second part of the season, but I'm not going to name no names, though, BD. I'm sorry, bro.

That's okay. I can guess. I can guess. But, yeah, I just want to play with that confidence, bro. It's not about, like, just knocking nobody off or anything like that. But I want to be seeing that's one of the best guards in this league. And that's been my mission. That's been my goals since I was a younger.

I wanted best to play at this position. So, yeah, just having that confidence in me, bro. Going out there and playing with confidence and having that swagger that I've all always had and having to trust in my teammates and my coaches staff that I can go out there and do it on a nightly basis. But to have that list is like a chip. Yeah. You got you put some chips on your shoulders.

For me, I remember it was Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chonsie Billups. Each one was like a different level. You know, it was almost like a video game and I want to go two and oh against him, four and no against them. You know, I like that you got them chips when you put them names, you know, on the board. it's like you really got, you really got an issue, right? It's not friendly basketball no more without the point guard. Exactly.

And that's that competition level, man. Just having to chip on my shoulder and just going out there and competing at a high level, especially against those guards. But on a nightly basis, it's always a different guard that's going to give you something different every night. So, I mean, you still got to go out them, go at them the same way. You're going at the guys that you got on your list. So it's on a night and light basis.

Every guard in this league is really good at something that they do. And I'm just trying to go at them and attack them as much as I can. NFL playoffs? We're talking about NFL playoffs. You bet we are. Get in on the action at Draft King Sportsbook. An official sports betting partner of the NFL scoring touchdowns is a key to winning in the NFL playoffs and the key to you scoring big is betting on them at Draft King's, the number one place to bet touchdowns. If you're ready to place your first bet, make it really simple.

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Like you to put on 25 pounds. Like, do you feel the difference in the weight helping you? Like, getting in that weight room, getting stronger? Are you feeling that difference? Because I think that part is a part of the confidence as well. No, for sure. That's definitely part of the confidence. Yeah, I've been in the weight room consistently this year, which is totally different.

Just like my first year, I actually being in there consistently. And then the weight that I put on, that helped tremendously. So I'm just trying to keep that weight on, bro. Yeah, I'm getting to the bodies a little bit, bumping a little bit, my chest a little bit more on the defensive van. So I could definitely tell a difference, just getting through screens, actually like making the first blow instead of taking it first, you know, keep me off my heels.

But yeah, I'm getting a little bit more physical in the trenches, you know what I'm saying? I see in your defensive mentality that you're stronger. Like, you're looking to guard more than I've ever seen you look to guard. And it's like on a possession of possession basis. At times it's you turning around everybody like, hey, man, we need to get a stop and you sitting down. And what that brings to a team for a point guard to be doing that like yourself, it gives your guys behind a whole other set of confidence. But not even the confidence, it gives them a whole other sense of responsibility.

and, you know, for y'all to have a Jared Allen and an Evan Mobley, you know, who are two defensive stars in their own right, but to see our point guard turn around and give us that sense of responsibility, that's a totally different thing, you know what I'm saying? And I see that, and I think

that is due to you putting that weight on. It's like, no, I can take the bump, you know, and still be there. And that comes with a different bravado. Yeah, for sure. But, yeah, like me just turn around talking to them, like, I'm the head of the snake. Like, I'm the person on the ball. So I got to be the one that's sitting down, pulling up my shorts and try to not let him get in our paint.

Even though we do have two seven footers down there, that's all defensive caliber type of guys, which helps a lot for sure. Just being in the wait room, bro, I'm actually taking a lot more challenges. And I owe that to Kenny. Katie Ackerson, man, he's he let me know you're going to guard this year. We switch at one through three, one through four. He got out to guard bigger guys. And that's motivated me a little bit more

to get more in the right room. So I can guard small fours that's trying to post me up and try to back me down like they did in my earlier years. So, yeah, it's like BD says, it's a chip on my shoulder, bro. I'll tell you like nobody to score on me whenever they can or just blow by me.

and challenge our other big so we can get in rotations and stuff like that. So, yeah, just try to pull my shorts up and move my puppies a little bit more. Doug Park. That's just so. Man, you and Donovan Mitchell, y'all look great this year together after three seasons. You know, it looked like y'all finally finding y'all grew. I remember playing with David Wesley, you know, and when you, you know, it's like almost similar size back court, right?

it take you a little bit of time to figure out, like, okay, he's, he a point guard too. You said having a ball in his hand, you know, I'm a point guard. This is what I really want to do. Like, when did y'all really, like, was it a player? When did y'all really feel like y'all was locked in, you know, as teammates? And when did you feel like, okay, I'm the point guard, you the two, but I understand, you know, how you flowing? To be completely honest, bro, I'm going to really say this summer, really got locked in knowing what we really want to do and what we want to accomplish.

He knew that I was pretty upset about last year and not having the performance that I wanted and what he wanted and as like a team perspective. Yeah, we just sat down and talked and we just really explained to each other, like, this is what we're going to have to do to win. This is what we're going to have to do to get to the Eastern Conference finals and to the finals. And yeah, it was like a grown-man conversation. It's really sat down and just unfolded everything. That's probably like the first grown-man conversation I had in the league so far.

Wow. It was like a lot of release off my shoulders. And I know it was a lot of release off his as well because I know the tandem can work perfectly. He's a scoring guard. and I like to plate mate. And then coming to this year, he's used to averaging 30 and high 20s. But now this year, his minutes are down low.

And he's not averaging 25. He's averaging like 23, 24. And we did a number one team in the league. Right. Like he just realized what the talent that he had around him and he's just letting me facilitate and he's just playing off me a lot more as well, just trying to get him open shots and open look.

because everybody's going to hound him on the office event because he's down to be Mitchell, right now. He's a MVP candidate. So just trying to get him some easy ones, get him going. And when we need to make some tough shots, that's when he can go be spider that everybody else knows. Yeah, I like that.

I feel like that grown man conversation you can see because that's how you're operating in the back court. Like grown professionals, you got taking care of each other. and, you know, sometimes it's not even communication, it's the no. And you can tell he'll playmate for you to get you going, right? At the same time, you're doing the same thing to him.

You know, and you can see the maturity. I just like the fact that, you know, that's your first girl, man conversation, and it's what your back court made. It definitely took us over the top of what I believe. Because that was my thing. Like my first All-Star year had Laurie Marketing, Jared Allen, Evan Moby as a rookie,

Isaac O'Coro. Like, I thought I had to do it all by myself. He felt the same thing in Utah before he came over here. So it's like now we got a dynamic duo with these two seven footers down here that can move their feet on a defensive van, block shots, and then catch lots, break screens on the office event.

So let's figure this thing out. And then we bring Max Struz, George, me and, uh, Big Todd Hooping. Uh, here's, like, you know, we got, we got a lot more pieces now, so we don't have to do as much on the ball. Uh, we can get off the ball a little bit more and they can go make a play for themselves. So, I mean, it was, it was a perfect dynamic for sure. As we are taping this, y'all are currently 34-6. Um, and I must say, before a couple of days ago, I thought I was getting a little worried y'all was getting a little bit.

too close to being on pace to break to 73. So, you know, lose a couple games, right? Lose a couple. No, the last team to have four all-stars, though, come from the same team in the one season was the 2018 Golden State Warriors. Why do you think the Cavs should have four all-stars this season? And by the way, before you answer,

I'll say, I think y'all should have four-stars. this season. Yeah. Number one in the league, best record in the league four guys playing probably the best in the career. An all-star level.

I had an all-star level. And all guys played 39, 40 games so far. You know, that's, I think that's going to be something that actually mean something about playing games this year, especially for the new

was for the All-Stars. Everybody's playing at a high level, bro. Guys at an MVP caliber level. Eric McMopee, he's breaking the threshold and showing the world that he's one of those guys. And Jared Island, he's showing that he's one of the best centers in the league and playing every game at a high level and competing on both fans on the floor.

So, I mean, I think it's pretty simple that we should have four in the game. but, you know, that's not up to me. That's not up to the guys that's doing the votes and the coaches and people like that. But, yeah, I mean, it's definitely before, for sure. And Kenny I can say head coach that you saw us ours. And there it is. Yeah, my dog.

Yeah, and I'm going to stamp it. I'm a stamp it. There it is. Listen, I respect it. I don't like it. I think all for you. I look at, so when you take a step back and you look at how things have gone in the past when talking All-Star voting, the reality is most guys that becomes an All-Star usually gets snub once. And so if you think about it from that perspective, I'm sorry Evan Mobley, but you have to be the one that gets snub because you've never been snub before, right?

Like that's just, it used to be a right of passage. If you was going to become an all-star, unless you was LeBron or somebody becoming an all-star year one, year two, you had to get snubbed first. Now, I don't necessarily think the way things used to be in the NBA there are that way anymore. But for me, I have a hard time figuring out of the four guys which one of them shouldn't be an all-star. And the answer is none of them. Like, all of y'all should be an all-star. But say they take three. if they take three, then it just has to be Evan.

And I'm sorry because he's playing some of the best basketball. He is playing the best basketball he's ever played in the NBA. But he's playing some of the best basketball of any power of power forwards in the NBA. And it sucks that it would have to be him. But you've been an all-star, Don's been an all-star. And if I'm not mistaken, Jared Island, I think has been an all-star twice. but has he been twice? He's an awest.

He was snubbed. He was snubbed, for sure. But to my point, he's been snubbed already. You know what I'm saying? So it's not right for him to necessarily get snubbed again. And so just in looking at it

through that lens, like, it definitely has to be you, Donovan, Jared, and there should be four. Because I think Evans definitely playing at an all-star level. But if there has to be three, it's unfortunate it has to be him

because he just hasn't been snub yet that's kind of that's that's how I look at it what about you Biddy I like four I think the record they have the way they've been playing the type of basketball they've been playing the consistency of the stars

when I look at the east I don't see why not there is not a a strong case right outside of the, you know, there's a lot of guards in the East, but, you know, you and Donovan in, right?

Now when you look at the Eastern Conference, big guys, like Evan Mowgli, Jared Ali, Janice, a couple other people, like, I'm not sure if Embedd made, you know, like, Embedd ain't even played this year. Does he make it? He can't make it. Right. So, like, so as I'm looking at it, I'm like, I'm like, you know, Like number one record, big guys are playing well.

You know, you have top 10 big guys at both positions, top 10 guards at both positions. You know, you're number one in the East. This is the time that the league should take forward. This is the time y'all should be on Slam magazine. This is the time that, you know, I like it because I like the height. I like for y'all to get y'all shine. and I also want to see y'all get your flowers and be the dogs.

Like, let's get the competition going. You know, I want to see what Boston feel like after All-Star Weekend, right? It just for me, you know, as a fan raises the end. But it's also rewarding you all for the type of season that you haven't, and you just, you're a buzzsaw, you just, you buzz saw and everybody. Yeah, how do y'all feel about all-star votes? How do I feel about the All-Star votes? a popularity contest?

It is definitely a popularity contest. For sure. I'm going to tell you how you know it's a popularity contest. Beatty just said Joelle may be in all-star. Joel has played two games this year. So you know it's a popularity. Right?

It's a thing. Because that's the way it's been conditioned. It's 1,000% of popularity contest. But if I'm honest, there ain't much popularity doing anything in the Eastern Conference, right? Like, so when you look across the east, you got, from Boston, you're going to have J.T. and J.B. Right? From the Knicks, you're going to have Kat and Jalen. From Milwaukee, you're going to have Dane and Yonis.

Orlando would have had one or two guys early in the season. They've been hurt the rest of the year. Atlanta will get Tray Young in. Detroit will get Cade in. Miami may be hero. maybe, but like after that, and then Charlotte, Charlotte will get Lamello in. So when you look at the guards,

you got Lamello, you got Donovan. Brunson. Got J. Lambrunsen. You got D.G. You got D.G. You got Dane. That's five garbs. You see what I'm saying? And Kay. And Kay Cunningham. That's six guards. All right. Now you got Yonis. You got J.T. You got Evan.

Jared Allen, Jalen Brown, and Kat. That's your 12 all-stars. That's 11. That's 12. That's six guards? That's six big. That's your 12 all-stars. And I don't see how that could play out any differently than that.

Like to be, because here's the thing, some people try to make the argument and say, Derek White. right, which Derek Weiss ballings average 20 points, but if you're going to say they get three in, y'all are six games ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. With 40 games in, you're six games ahead. And so you can't say both of y'all get three and y'all six games ahead,

and I think that gives y'all to not. Like, I think there should be four guys, but it's definitely a popularity contest. And I think there's not much, like, at some point with this All-Star stuff and with the voting stuff in general, they got to get it figured out, man. Like, because it's just, it's just

all over the place. There's too many opinions that don't really have a real opinion, but they got to say, it's just, it's too all over the place for me, if I'm honest about it. And then when you look at the coaches, you know, I would say I got stuff

probably twice because the coaches hated me. Because I, you know, because if you're killing the coaches, they're not going to vote for somebody who's really killing them, right? So it's all a campaign thing. I used to look at it like,

man, if I don't make it, then they're on my list. You know, they're on my list coming up. And I always wanted to prove myself, I guess, the best. But I stopped kind of relying on that and more so start looking at, Okay, what does my numbers look like against whoever they think are the top dogs? I think y'all get four.

I just don't see how it plays out any other way. And you're definitely an All-Star. So, yeah, that's how we moved. You know what I'm saying? DG to PG for All-Star, vote D-G. Right now you, right now you A in guard. So, you know. And that's the fan bowl.

That's just the fan vote. That's just the fan vote. But, you know, you leading this team in as a point guard and taking the role as that PG for this unit, I definitely see you in as an all-star this year. And, you know, as we're talking, you're coming off one of the worst or one of the toughest losses of the season of the OKC Thunder who also been balling in the West. when you lose a game like that in that type of fashion, how do you bounce back?

Like, what do you say as a team? How do y'all bounce back from that? You play Minnesota tomorrow. That bar. Yeah, I was just watching them play the Knicks. Super tough, super long defensively. You got Nickle, Alexander, and Cheney McDaniels out there. McGaigne's at 6-7-66, you know?

and you got Rudy here. Yeah. Man, Ant Man, just a dog, you know, on an office event. And Julius Randall

just playing his part. So, I mean, it was an old-fashioned built-to-ass. I mean, that's what it was on national television.

So, yeah, we watched that film and try to figure some things out on the defense event, trying to stop Shane, which is pretty tough

to do. do. Man. It's just an 82 game season, man. So I look forward to the next game. We got another tough opponent coming out the West in Minnesota. So let's get ready for that one. That's, I mean, they on our list.

Brother, what I'll tell you is this. Y'all just had a tough loss to the team with the second best record in the NBA. The year we won 73 games, we lost to the Lakers who won. 17 games all year twice by 25. And people will try to point to that loss and be like, yo, because we live in this 24-hour news cycle, right? So people try to point to the loss as soon as y'all lose, ah, man, they're not big enough, they're not strong enough.

Look, we just showed y'all in a team that y'all just beat last week, right? Like, that's just the news cycle we live in. But y'all, y'all will be just fine. Yeah, straight. And then they start talking about trade talks immediately right after the law. I'm like, you didn't even get on the plane yet now. I'll talk about people. 34 and 6.

Best record in the lead by three or four games. What else? Games ahead at the next closest team in the Eastern Conference. Trade talks. That's the world we live in, though. So get used to it, enjoy it. Because as y'all sit at the top, which I don't see that changing. That's just what comes with it.

and take it on the chin, keep her pushing. I call them all smart dummies. They smart. They don't know. Kenny Ackison was an assistant coach for us for three years. One of my favorite guys, man. I remember Kenny was interviewing for the job, and he called me. And he was like, what do you think about this job?

You know, they got, I think, you know, they got Darius. They got Donovan. like, what are you thinking? And I was like, well, I think they got talent. You know, they have the pieces, but it hasn't worked. And he was so excited to get there, to get the job, number one. But then once he got it, or the opportunity to get a job, but then once he got it and just seeing how he went to work,

you know, I got to know him really well. And I love the way he have y'all moving the ball. man, when we played y'all the first time, I felt like my neck was like this. Like, so I turned one time, somebody drove, and I dropped, and I turned my head for a second. The ball flew by my head, and I turned to go back to where I was, and you was way on the other side. I'm like, man, these dudes are moving and moving this ball crazy. But what has it been like just having Kenny come in? What would you say it is that he did initially?

Because the season is the season, right? Like y'all got talent, the offense, obviously. But what was some of the things that Kenny did initially before you ever even had a practice? Like summertime, what was some of the things that he did to ultimately get y'all rolling to the way y'all are now? Man, just doing that confidence in everybody, like, literally from day one, he came to Nashville and see me just to sit down and talk to me. It was like, I need you to be that all-star guard that she was. he told me straight up. Like, I need you to go, go run a team and go do what you do.

Go play with that confidence and that swagger that I've seen you with for the last three, four years before that. So, I mean, I took that, and I just had that in the back of my head the entire summer. Like, I got to get to work and I got to go beat me. And he did the same thing to Don. He did the same thing to Evan and JJ. So, and that's our core four that's really locked in with each other. And then soon as he got the job, we went to training camp. You know, a couple years ago with J.B., he had Evan and J.A. in, like, the dunker a lot more.

Now, Evan is on the three-point line, a lot more space in the trail position. And he's now, like, Kenny saw a lot of things that Evan could do on the floor, on the outside, like, behind the perimeter. He can all, he can make the right reads. and he's stretching the floor this year shooting the three ball a lot more. So that's that little slight change chance our entire offense for us. Just a lot more spacing for me and Don to get down here to create for others. And then Evan just having that confidence in himself and his work, just shooting a trade ball with confidence.

And I think he's shooting at like a 45% rate right now. And it ain't on a three game either. Right. He ain't shooting one again. just confidence in him just to shoot the tray balls just so he keep the defense honest. I mean, it changed the world for us. Before Kenny coming to Nashville and having those conversations, which you did, a part of you,

feel like you was possibly going to ultimately need to change the scenery. You know, it hadn't been quite going the way it has started going for you in Cleveland. You kind of not feeling like yourself before having that conversation. And Kenny is shoring you like, no, this is the guard. that I need. Did a part of you feel like, man, maybe I need a change the scenery? Because that creeps in all our minds. I've been here for 13 years. I can't tell you the amount of times. I've been like, man, maybe I do need a change of scenery, like throughout the course of this journey. It crept in my mind a little bit, especially a couple of times over the summer. But, I mean, it was really, really my parents, bro. They was like, just stick with it. Like, you didn't have a great season last year with the injuries and stuff like that. and you and Don just now getting to really have a good feel for each other. Like just stay with it just for another year.

And with Kenny coming in, I didn't know how it was going to be. I didn't know how it was going to work. But when we got to Sarasota and training camp, bro, it was off and running after that. Like, everything was just flowing. Our connection was pretty good at the time. But now it's really good. We can talk to each other often and on the floor. I get a lot of input from him.

He get input for me and Don. So, I mean, it's like a working tandem right now, bro, in our relationship. I remember even asking you a little bit, Dre, about Kenny and how he was going to be. And, I mean, that's my dog, bro, to be honest. I told you. You would love him. Like, you're going to love Kenny. Great coach.

He knows the game. and the one thing that I love really loved about kidney as a coach is he knows those analytics better than anyone but he's not an analytical nightmare exactly

what I mean by analytical nightmare is he's gonna tell you hey so notice about this number he ain't throwing it in your face every day like yo these numbers say this you need and to understand the analytics like he does, but have the feel that he has.

That's a dangerous combination, man. I had him in New York. He used to work me out. He was an assistant coach. He's sharp. He work hard. He efficient. He understand analytics, but he understand players.

He like players. He like hooping. And any time you find a coach that like hooping and like hoopers, then you give them the little, you know, analytic stuff. it makes it perfect for the point guard. I was going to ask you that with the relationship with the coach. Like how important is it for you as a point guard this year to have that relationship and that communication with the coach like Kenny?

Yeah, it's super important, man. Me and Kenny, like, we really like this right now. Like, no BS. Like, it's my dog. Yeah. We even talked about the OKC loss this morning. He came up to when I was getting recovery. He was like, we didn't shoot it well, but they kicked our ass.

That's what it was. That's what? Yeah. I just asked him, I was like, that's it? You just like, yeah, get ready for, get ready for Minnesota. So you feel the same way how we feel. Like, once in the next one, we got another game coming up. During a shirt or shoot around, like, he's on the flow of me when I'm getting shots up.

he's guarding me trying to get over a screen. He's going under's giving me a hard. He's like, this one's going to be like in game. And then when I'm done, he'd go over and take a ball, go on the sideline. I start working on his hand to us. What you doing? But he's taking it a 10 day. He's like, man, I just start.

So it's super cool. Just having like an active coach like that. Just always on the flow with us, always getting the input from us. And then he can receive it. then we can receive it as well. And just that communication part, bro, it really means a lot to me as a point guard and have like another point guard coach that actually been through it and keep playing the game and actually know and actually been around great players.

That's one of one of my favorite players to ever play the game. So I try to get like some little input from Kenny how, what was stuff doing? Like what can I do to help my game? How can I get over this screen a little bit fast and get my feet down quicker to get into the shot? So he's getting like little notes from him like that is super cool. I know y'all just saw me laugh now. I was laughing because a couple years ago, Kenny, with that same intensity, him and Lane, our video guy got to talk her some shit.

And, you know, Kenny, like, Kenny, check up. Kenny always, check up, check rock. Always. First play Torres Quah. Oh? He's, no, boy. First play, he was pissed at Lange. He's like, come on, Lane, let's go.

Come on. Yeah, you want to fuck. Come on, let's go. First play, Torres Quah. I'm crying, dude. That quai slowed him down. Before, I'm telling you, when Kenny first got here before that quad,

Kenny was like a machine. He worked out all day, every day. All day. Right, like, all of that. He tore that choir. That quire slowed him down. That quire slowed him down for sure. I'm telling you,

chasing you over the screen and all that. Like that was Kenny. Like, he got crazy energy and crazy shape. But, and eat, sleep and breathe basketball. But that quiet slowed him down. Like, too, now, though, bro, he in the gym. He was,

we was at OKC shoot around. He on the stairs, hands up, running up the stairs, the ball handling drills. He was in a pool. He enjoyed in all the amenities. So that's what I'll be doing. If I was coached, I'd be doing the same thing.

But I'm playing, you know, I'm trying out for the Warriors next year. I'm going to training camp. You know, me and Jay, me and Jay got a bet. I told him I'm going to make the team, man. He keep doubt me. I've been doing that shit, too. Yeah, hey, bro, it's easy. It's easy.

You know what I mean? I got to come back to the league. One of you, I got to retire me. I love y'all game. I'm just like, man, put me on the bench. Let me come in, Garry's time. One of the young dudes trying to retire me. But I'm definitely making this comeback.

You say, I had come. I had some braids, man. I was going for you. For the hang time, I was going like that. I said, man, let me go. Let me reverse the clock and shit. You know what I'm saying? Jay.

DG, we hopped on this Zoom today. This man had this hood. all. He had the barred oatmeal's going. He had the little dreds going. He had the and this man hopped on this zoo with a hood on and he took his hood off. You can't go bald out of nowhere, bro. This man just hopped on the zoo with a body. Hey, bro, people were asking me like, you okay? Something wrong? I thought something was wrong. I thought something was wrong.

out here. Like, go, go to the tape. That man went from her to a party. I ain't going to, I ain't going to even lie. This is how I went. Okay, take, you know, take the dress down. Let me get the baby curls. I looked at the curls.

I said, you know what, let me get a Cobainz. Let me give me a J.Mond Green. So I go to get the Jemond Green to Cobitist. You know what I'm saying? And I look in the mirror and I said, ooh, I go, ooh. Right, so I FaceTime my kids. And they get, I'm not playing.

I faceTime my kids, bro. And they get on the fall and they said, oh, Stephen A. Smith. And they said, and I look, and I said, damn, look, the line, the hair line. The hair line was like he had lined me up.

I said, come on, bro. Take my shit off. I'm, Oh, boy. Hey, bro, my hair line was like this. That she was clean, but that shit was up. You say it was clean. No way.

I was done. No one. I got to cut it out, bro. I'm just here to tell you. I'm here to tell you it wasn't clean. If your headline was here, it wasn't clean. It was no way for it to be clean. No.

It was this thick edge. He put a sick edge on it. Like, imagine if you take three inches back and then that's your hair line. I mean, that's sick, bro. That's crazy, man. And that's where we are, bro. Hey, tell us, before we get out of here, tell us about the tempo, why you decided to start that series.

A lot of people want to know, like, the real DG, you know? So just trying to give them a little input But what we go through What I go through on a daily day basis And then like my number 10 you know 10 fold Try I be 10 times greater than I was 10 times I was the day before

You know just Just to play on the number 10 Just got a little insight What I do on a day to day basis No I love that Because it's first person It's so perspective Right and it's

You know, for fans and people who love your game, the more we get to know you, you know, the more we pour in and root for you. And you talked about how Chicago and Derek Rose is one of your favorites growing up, you know, tell us about why he is one of your favorites and, like, what aspect of this game do you try to implement into yours? I'm a Gary Deanna kid, born and raised Gary Deanna, by the way in Nashville.

But, man, that number one jersey. That was the first jersey I've had, and that was the only one I've had. I just got rid of it when I moved to my house in Cleveland. So probably, like, my second year of the league, that's when I got rid of the jersey. Wow. But then my rookie year, my first preseason game

was against D. Rose when he was in D.J. That's crazy. I was like, man, this is insane. That's wow. But just going to the United Center, bro, just making that little drive to the city. That's my grandmother's favorite team. So we used to watch that going over at her house. We used to watch all the games growing up with Kirk Highering, Ben Gordon, and all the other guys.

But, man, D. Rose just had the whole region a lot, like from Indiana to Chicago. damn near the whole world. Navigo, Lazzi. But just his relentlessness, bro, he was just relentless. Like, you get it by any means necessary. He couldn't shoot it as well,

but just his handle, his quickness and just getting to the paint, shooting a floater, using his athleticism, which I don't have, wish I wish I had, but. Nobody got his athleticism, bro.

Yeah, bro. Just his consciousness was insane. He just brought so much excitement to the city. And then, like, as a young kid, just watching him on a 99 basis. It was super cool to see the youngest MVP in the league. It just brought so much inspiration for us. Like, we used to lower the goal so I can go dunk like D.Rowe's. For sure.

DG, you had some bounce. You had some. Can you still dunk? You have some bounce first. You can still dunk, Doug. Hey, that's a bounce, did it? You know, this NBA will take your legs away, though.

He had that knee surgery, man, and, you know, my turn 25 this year. Yeah, my goodness. His insurance is about to go down, ladies and gentlemen. His car insurance is about to go down. That's pretty amazing. Yeah, I did have bouncing high school in college, though. I had a couple of bodies.

in my day, you know, but so I get to the photo now, I'm trying to save a couple of those bounces. By the way, for those of y'all that don't know or don't understand, he said that short driving. You're probably like short drive from Nashville. D.G. to P.G. is from

Scary Gary, Indiana. For those of y'all that don't know. Yes, he is. Scary, Gary, the next great place to shoot a horror movie. Y'all got so many vacant buildings. All it is, is churches and liquor stores and abandoned houses.

I love the city, though. Absolutely. That's Saginaw for you. Saginaw the same way. No, Saginaw ain't like Gary. I'm just telling you. Saginaw got cows in farms. You think Gary, Indiana, don't?

The part of Saginaw I'm from don't have farms. But if you drive far enough out, you're going to find a farm. But not in Gary, bro. Yeah, there's no farm sitting in Saginaw, but you drive far enough out. You're going to find a farm. You better believe it.

You go out like to him. Gaparizzo and Hammond. You're going to catch a farm for sure. Gee and Gary, though? No, you ain't finding nothing. Man, two more before we get out of here. I saw a firefighter ask you, are you going to bring us a championship this year?

And your response to him was, we have enough, more than enough. Why do you feel like this is the year y'all can get over to hump and capture your first ring? Cleveland's first ring since 2016 and, you know, second ring all the time. Man, just the talent that we have, our depth is insane. We can go nine, ten deep, which a lot of teams really can't do. I think that's another notch. Then our coaching staff is really good, bro.

Y'all hit on it earlier with K.A. just being so intense and being so detailed in scouts and everybody around them that helps us really locked in on both sides of the ball and actually understand the game and actually been in some important games in their careers as well so they know what it's like but then back to our team is we've been in some of those important games now too we had a couple playoff appearances so we know what it's like we know what the physicality it's like and we know what it's like in that last six minutes of a close game and a playoff series, we're going to have to really take care of the ball and execute at a high level

and defend at a high level. And with those two big sound footers back there at the all defensive level, I think they can take us anywhere with the competition and the spirit that we play with. I think we got a good chance, man. But another team in that green is they hungry for another one as well. And also, Casey, in the West and in Minnesota over there as well, and go to state, y'all, y'all never know sleepers with the talent to shop.

So it's going to be tough, but I think we have a chance for sure. You know, I was known to be a shifty guard. I always say I created the bop. Me and Jay, we love a good list. You know, you being one of the shiftyest guards in the league right now, give us your top five shiftyest guards in the NBA right now. Right now? Top five shifters.

The stifters. I ain't going to lie, BD. I stole a couple moves from you too, though, bro. Come on, man. Thank you, bro. I appreciate that. That's all I want. Hey, Dray, mine,

I'll be sitting on the bench, 25, 26. Your back went out walking around. It's over for you, Joe. It's over for you. I threw my back out soft of dancing here, Philly.

Hey, DJ, I was I was soft to dance and that's how I really threw my back out. You know, yeah, you feel me. DG, he threw his back out the day before Kendra Pop-out concert. Imagine he would have been on that stage, print walking threw his back out up there. I was just a guy looking out for him.

I would have never been printwalking. I would have never printwalking. Nobody how many crits in a building? What's too funny? Oh, man, five though. I'm including myself. You can. Absolutely.

If you want your list of top five shifters. Yeah, you should be. No order, no order. I'm going to put me, Kai, Shay. I'm gonna put Trey in there. Mm-hmm. That's a good one.

The last one. I got two. He ain't gonna call. I already know he ain't gonna call. I don't know where that fifth could be, bro. 50? Like, yankin? Yeah.

Yeah. Lamello, Bafleet. Okay. I guess, yeah, Fred got a lot of snatches. He do. I don't know, mellow, Mellow Pat. Jordan Poole?

I might go with Poole. Jalen Brunson. Do you consider Jalen Brunston, Shifty or crafty? Yeah, I like Jordan Poo, I like that on the Shifty list. Jordan Pooch, Shifty as hell. Yeah, I'm with a beat, Kai, Shay, Trey, and JAP,

go pool. That's a good list. I like that. I'll be on that list next year, for sure. Hey, man, it's over. See, and that's why we got to get out of me. because this man, the wind ball, and think he back in Charlotte with the number one jersey, y'all. I'm sorry to tell you, Mello took the jersey.

He took to jersey. I'm playing for the Warriors, bro. All right. Now he want us to be struggling more than we already are. This is crazy. The Lakers sign that dude to attend that he was 56 years old. Remember that? Andre Engel.

Andre Engel. He got a chance. I got a chance, bro. They was looking out for, bro, though. Ain't nobody looking out for you. You did it already. It's over for you. Hey, I get on this show.

It's because of you. You got me, big brother. You got to go sit down somewhere. We're going to keep doing this. And sooner or later, I'm going to join you sit down somewhere, too. But it's over for you, Jim. It's a ride. I'll be on the team next year.

DG, we're not listening to this. No, Hey, DG, we appreciate you, man. I'm looking forward to seeing you out here at All-Star. Yeah. I'm going to definitely throw me a banger at All-Star, so I'm going to make sure you got your section. But D-G to PG, the All-Star.

We're going to have a good time. But keep hooping, bro. Keep standing that weight room, man. The weight room is the key to success, bro. We don't understand that. As basketball players, We don't understand that young, how important that wayroom is. But the sooner you get it figured out, the more longevity you have, the better you'll play,

the less injuries from a day-to-day basis you have. Obviously, longevity is one thing, but just from a day-to-day basis, bro, when you're lifted, the Knicks and Knacks, they don't happen as much, you know what I'm saying? So stay in that wayroom, bro, keep doing what you're doing. and this is your second of the next nine all-star appearances. So congratulations, my dog. We appreciate you coming on the show. Not for having me, man.

It means a lot. Absolutely. Wow, bro. That's a wrap, y'all. Peace. The volume.