The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Draymond Green Show w/Baron Davis: Ty Lue on Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals, Kawhi's return to Clippers

Episode Date: December 31, 2024

Los Angeles Clippers head coach and NBA Champion Tyronn Lue sits down with Draymond Green and Baron Davis to dive into the Clippers' season, from Kawhi Leonard’s highly anticipated return to Norman Powell’s breakout season and James Harden stepping up after Paul George’s departure to the 76ers. They also dig into the four iconic NBA Finals series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors that featured battles between LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. Plus, they swap stories from Ty’s days playing with Kobe Bryant, Shaq, and, Michael Jordan and revisit what it was like guarding Allen Iverson on the biggest stage. Ty also drops gems on Steve Ballmer’s impact as an owner, who’s the toughest player to game-plan for, and plenty more. 4:00 -Start 6:15 - Ty Lue breaks down the 2016 Warriors-Cavs Finals 26:30 - The most important play of Game 7 29:00 -Ty’s reaction to KD joining the Warriors 31:00 - Shaq’s Lakers vs. KD’s Warriors—who wins? 50:00 Harden stepping up after losing PG 53:00 - How Ty stepped out of LeBron’s shadow 1:07:00 - Kawhi’s big return—what to expect 1:32:00 - The wildest Shaq prank ever 1:42:00  Guarding Iverson in the 2001 Finals 1:54:00 - Who’s the hardest player to gameplan for? (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #Volume #Herd   Follow The Draymond Green Show on social media:  https://www.instagram.com/draymondshow https://x.com/DraymondShow https://www.facebook.com/people/Draym... https://www.tiktok.com/@draymondgreen...  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up, everybody? Welcome back to this Draymond Green show with my dog, B.D. What's up my bro? Chilling, bro. Before we get into this episode, please subscribe to the Draymond Green Show with Barron Davis. so you don't miss any episodes. That's right. Follow the show on all social media platforms,

Dremont show, so you don't miss none of our great announcements. And as we get into today's episode, I told you all our therapy works. And, you know, I've been through a lot in my life, a lot in my career. And to bring this guy on with some of the wrong he's done in my life is a big step for me and my journey.

But today's, guess he's an 11-year NBA veteran, two-time NBA champion as a player. He is an NBA champion as a coach, which we do not want to talk about here. One of the best coaches in the league, for sure, bar none.

I got a lot of respect for quite honestly. One of the coaches I hate playing against, and we'll get into that a little bit. We have our little banters. I talk junk to him, but none of the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. T. Lou was

My guy, what's happening? What's up, B.D.? What's up, coach? Look at my dog. My dog is the coach. You know what I mean? We came in the league together. You got all of gray hairs.

20, 21 years old, and I'm going to coach it now. 26 years later, I'm coaching. Like, I would never thought I'd be coached, man. But it's been a blessing. You know, the game of basketball. It's been a blessing. for all of us. And then just to, you know, turn a chapter from being a player to being a coach, man.

It's really putting me in a great position. Like I said, basketball is everything, you know? So, you know, I wouldn't know if I didn't play ball or like I said, or if I wasn't coaching. So it's everything. Man, just, you know, just to speak about coaching. You know what I mean? You know, you one of the best coaches in the league.

Man, you're an NBA champion. and I would like to kick the show off by talking about, let's get into this Cavs Warrior situation. And is this the first time y'all ever talked about this? Yeah. Come on to that.

Sorry, Jake. Come on. You know that was coming. Listen, the amount of- That was a fastball. The amount of times I see T. Lou, like I see T. Lou at private events. We're a part of the same family.

Like, and, like, we've never spoke about this. And the fact that we start in this podcast and that's what you want to talk about. Man, I'm on one today. Y'all could have took Draymond Green out of the show today. This just could have been the Baron Davis show today. That's what you wanted to start this show off talking about it. But since you want to talk about it, let's talk about it.

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about it. Taylor, when you worried the first two games, especially the last time y'all saw the Warriors in the finals, they won the last three games. And then, J-Mai, you can talk about, you know, in the finals, how y'all felt the first two games. But, you know, coach, walk us through this series, you know,

what was the mentality? And feel free, Coach, you say whatever you want, you know what I mean? On this show. I mean, you know, like, for me, it was like, you know, you go through the, you know, you go through the Eastern Conference, you know, and, you know, it's a different style of basketball.

Until you actually play the Golden State Warriors and see the speed and the pace that they play with, you can't duplicate it. You know, we had a lot of time to prepare it, but you can't prepare for the speed, can't prepare for the shot making, and how hard they run their stuff, you know? And so when we got to Golden State

for those first few games, man, we couldn't keep, like, we were just like, they were just playing so fast, so fast. And what happens is a lot of people get, you know, they go crazy. about the threes that Clay and Steph, whatever they're going to make, but you lose sight of, shit,

they got 60 points in the pain. You know what I mean? Because you wanted to step them. You're trying to do it. And now you got Drake, you know, one of the best passes in the league. You soon as you go out and help step,

they slip, they're getting dunks, they're getting layups. And so you kind of lose sight of everything else because you're so worried about Clay and Steph, you know,

coming off screens. And so those first two games, like, it was hard to make adjustments because shit, it was a blowout. It was a blowout. It was getting beat by 25,

you know, 24. us, but, you know, I think the adjustment we made was it was really good for us because, you know, when you plan, you think about we want to switch everything, you know, we want to, and they just pick you apart. Yeah. Any mistake you want to pick you apart. So, you know, look at the film over and over and over again.

When game three came, I said, you know what? We're only going to switch Steph and Clay's when they come together and splits. Everybody else, we're going to just drop back. You chase and follow, and then we'll protect you. If Barbosa pops back, if Eagle Dala pops back, if Sean Libison pops back, we'll live with the results. But you can't, like, switch everybody. They were just too good. There's too much chaos, yeah.

And you got J.R. Smith chasing step full speed. And now you got to stop and try to go back. It was too much. And so, like, listen, if Steph and Clay come together, switch, if not, you're on your own, you got Steph and you got Clay. And that really helped us out, you know, a lot. And so what people understand is, like, after the first two games, I didn't show film. Like because, you know, because sometimes Brian will be upset and he'd be in the back, rolling his eyes.

I said, you know what? I'm going to stay positive. You know, I'm going to stay positive. Everything we do, we should have court shots. We just did a lot of different stuff. And then when we won game three, then that was a game. I kind of showed all our mistakes. What we need to clean up what we need to get better at because when you win a game,

it's easier to kind of show that stuff. So they came back at one game four, I didn't show no film. And so I'm David Griffin was like, man, what the hell of Tyler doing? I'm like, bro, you don't understand. Like, she just, just relax. Like, I got it, you know. And so, but it was, I mean, playing them every single night, man. Like, you know, it's just tough.

Like, the pace they play at, people don't understand until you actually end it. Yeah, and then, you know, speaking up, well, Jay, I'll let you talk in a minute, but speaking up on game four, one of the biggest turning points of the series. And then you find out, Jay Ma wasn't going to play. game five, like what was the adjustments like, you know, going from game four to game five? Because once y'all, once y'all tied it up, I like watching the series because I felt like every game after game three, it was like somebody went back and made key adjustments to make the game that much stickier, right? Yeah, I mean, so, you know, they win game four, you know, and I thought we play, you know, good. enough to win, but they win game four. And then we got to go back to Golden State,

you know, for game five. And then we get the news that, you know, Drey Mountain's going to be out. So for us, that was something for us, like the automatic pickup pressure up. Like, you know, now we got to pick our pressure up. We got to deny. We got to extend because they didn't have like Eagle Dog can make plays, like in transition. But Dre was more of the half court pass. So he's basically the point guard. And so when he was out, we knew we had to pick our pressure up to try to take them out everything they try to do. You know, and so it's a funny story when we get to game seven. And I think you probably don't remember Drayvon, but you,

but if you go back and watch the game, so at the end of the game, we were up three. And we went over, like y'all's out of need three plays. We went over every single day for three weeks straight. But one of the games were closed. So we did, so coffee and Carrie and Bron, like, man, we're doing this shit again. I'm like, man, you never know. It's going to come down to.

something. And so for each play, we had different guys guard in different positions. And so when they came out to run a need three play, you know, Drey was taking it out. And we jumped to our formation and Drey was kind of like, what's going on? So we deflected a ball out of bounce. So then they go to their second knee three play, they switched it. And

our players was guarding somebody different. And we was able to take it away. And then so Braun said, man, it came down the game. So I said, you never know. Like you got to work on it every single day because you never know when you're going to need it. And so every day we work when I need three, he's like, man, ain't none of the game's been close while we're doing this. And then game 70 came down to him, big ones. Yeah, man, that was crazy. What up, D?

Welcome to the party. Come on, Jay. I appreciate it. Speak your peace. I don't have much to say we lost. But what I will say is, no, it's crazy because in planning those series, like, it prepared us and moving forward to, know how to make those adjustments because it was a chess match. Like every time we would play from game to game,

they make this move, we make this move. They move, they queen, we move, we move our route. You know, they, we move our, like, that's what those series were. Obviously, when I got suspended for game five, it changed everything. But also, you know, their adjustment is interesting because their adjustment to pick up the pressure

is obviously how they took over and won the game because when you get in a lot of series and a key piece like that gets moved, normally your game plans stay the same, right? Because you're like, ah, we've been playing this team, your game plan stay the same. And then you come out there and you get blasted.

Like, it happened to us a couple of years ago when we won a championship. We played Memphis in game four, game five or something like that, and Jaya was hurt. Oh, it was game five. They beat us by 60. Because we didn't, like, there was no adjustment. Like, you didn't know what team you was about to play.

Whereas opposed to you've been preparing for this one team and you know the adjustments that you need to make. It's a different team now. And so that's an interesting adjustment. But no, when game five, it changed everything. Like, we're going home and obviously they're going to make an adjustment. But, you know, for us, we're going home to close out this series. And that's the mindset.

Didn't I get suspended? And I'll never forget. I was watching that game next door. at the Ace game, and I had on all-black. I had on some black Nike combat boots, and I had my route down and everything. I'm like, yeah, we're going to win this game,

and I'm taking the long route to the court so I can walk past all of the calves when they walk into the locker room with they head down, and I'm in all-black and I'm mobbing in there. And it just didn't work out for us, man. I was sitting in that, I was sitting in that sweet watching the game, and I didn't realize, I didn't recognize the team I was watching.

Like it was, it just looked like a different team to me. And so then the comeback game six, like, we lost game six in game five. Like game, there was zero percent chance we were going to Cleveland and win game six. So we had already lost game six in game five. And then we end up in game seven. And T. Liu game plan is to make me beat them. and I had the game of my life and ultimately

you had five threes in the first half. Man, I was there. I was at that game. I was at that game. But you know, like something about coaching, you know, Dene is like when you got the control of your team

and they respect you and they, they trust you. Like, you know, you have five threes of halftime and then not one player coming in crying about like, that's the game player. Like, you know,

like he can make shots, but if we keep stepping Clay from, you know, making seven, eight threes, and we keep the bar of their hands, like, that's what we want to do. And you got to think, for the best team of NBA history record-wise, like, we held you out of 89 points in game seven.

89 points. You know what I'm saying? So, like, we just, we just stuck with it. Like, and, like I said, J.R. Smith was huge in that third quarter coming out. But, like, it just, and you had to balance out of the best game of your life, you know, but.

You know what's crazy, though, T. Is that game? And it was a mixture of that game and then also KD coming. And so the mixture of that game and me, like, shooting the lights out, scoring that will, having, what, I scored 31 or 33 or something like that? 35.

35. And we only had 89 points. And I have 35. And so me being the player that I am, which is 70% cerebral, KD coming in, which means I have to kind of take more of a backseat anyway, right? But at the same time,

time, that's coming on the heels of me just having 35 and we lost. And so now my mindset ends up turning to, well, they want me to take this shot because I just had 35 in game seven and we lost. So then I stopped shooting, right? Like, because I'm like, oh, they, they, they want me to take the shot. In turn, I didn't spend two and a half years with zero confidence in my shot and just DHA and find creative ways to get Steph and Clayton them involved because I ain't want to shoot because I lost all

confidence. But a part of me losing confidence was that game and not taking the shots, right? Like, and actually making them. But we ain't win. So I'm like, that's the mindset. They want me to shoot. So I'm not going to shoot because they're

game planning to make me shoot. So why would I shoot? And then it led down to this whole path of like then being like afraid to shoot like and losing my confidence in my shot and like hesitating and then having to get over that mental hurdle. It all started for me there

which was crazy because it was your game plan. But then it became a part of my mind of like that's the game plan. Why would I shoot? But now you're about to shoot 47% for three again. And turning the T-Lew telling them don't let me shoot the night goddamn. Man this is

this is therapeutic. Like, yeah. Man, this is therapeutic, man. That's a hell of a moment. A full circle moment. That's hell of therapeutic, man. I'm glad T. Lou, see, we got that. The hardest part, we got out the right.

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168 hours after issuance. Four additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng.co slash B-Ball. So I have to ask this question. And speaking of that game seven, you know, I've heard all of the stories and quite honestly I've ignored them because that's just a dark moment in my life.

But there was some story about you collecting money that you left in the ceiling or something like, Let me in on this story. I need to know more because next time we play y'all in a meaningful series,

I'm going in that locker room the night before and taking that money. So after we won Gang 5, so you know, all the owners and, you know, the gym, everybody's in the locker room,

they celebrate and everybody's happy. So I go in a locker room and say, everybody gave me $200. They're like, what? I was like, I'm going to take it, wrap it up, back and get our money for game seven. And so where I got there from was from, you know, Doc Rivers.

We played the Lakers. In 2009, we played the Lakers during a regular season. It might have been Christmas, and they blew us out. Like, they killed. And so Doc went around the room and collected money from everybody, put the money in the sales and said, we're coming back for the NBA finals, and we come back to get our money. And we came back and we played in the finals.

They beat us that year, but we came back and played in the finals. And now the money was still up there. too in the ceiling. So I got that from Doc, and so we came back game seven. I'm going to tell you what's crazy than that. You know how Cheek LeBron is.

Oh, man. Godly. We win a championship. Game seven, if I go up in the ceiling, the money's like $4,700 or something like that, right? So shit, I'm pocketing. You know what I'm saying? And so, Brian,

they throw a champagne, they whatever. So Bronx, hey, T. Lou, where's that money at, man? I said, man, I went up there. It's missing all my words. We just want a championship, and he's wondering by getting $200. He's $200. The great.

That is hilarious, because that is exactly how he is, to every penny. That's crazy. He frugal, huh? I mean, he's generous, too. I understand, but like, he won his money back.

Yeah, for sure. He earned that. He need his cut. Out of pocket it, too. In the middle of popping Shad, Pan, you just won a championship, and you asked what the 200 is at. Man, don't forget about it. But I was just about to say, but interestingly enough,

it's less about him being frugal and more about, like, dude, don't miss anything. Like, yeah. He'll miss nothing. Nothing, man. And, like I said, him and Kyrie, like I said, they were special. That, that final, they were special.

Like, say, in game five, both of those guys having 40, and just like I said once we got to game seven like Bronz said give me the game seven and I'll do the rest you know and so but bad bad man yeah speaking of game seven

I mean everybody talk about the block and then obviously Karee shot but there is there another play that you feel people miss that helps secure that title Kevin Love when he switched out on step he sat down Hey, dude, he sat down.

That's one of the ultimate sit downs in NBA history, dude. That was crazy. Because it's crazy because it wasn't supposed to happen. So, you know what I'm saying? I don't want Caleb on step. You don't want that. I'm having it break down when he ended up on step.

And I mean, Caleb, I give him crap, me he sat down. He sat down. He brought in four or five different moves. Like, you know, four step into. a tough shot. But that was a big play. I think we might have been up three or maybe four. Maybe three.

Yeah, three. Yeah, big stop. And I think that's when Bron got the rebound and got fouled. And then we went to free throw on. No, no. Got the stop. He went closer coast to throw it to Brown and you're out. And then he went to the line and made it.

Yeah. But that was Caleb, man, moving them puppies. There he was. It's crazy because we watch, we see him like, oh, this is it. Like, we have three stuff about the tie. is it. Like we got K-Love on the ISO, it's over. And he was moving. I think it surprised. I thought he was going to lay it up. Yeah, I thought he was going to lay it up. Yeah. You're probably surprised at step too, for sure. Because like,

I mean, he was there. He was there. He boomed. I was like, damn, okay, K-love. But I was nervous to the, I was nervous to him. Like, I didn't know how did he get on step? That was a moment, dude. I thought he was, I thought Steph was going to drive because he had got a layup. I feel like the play before on the drive. And it was enough time. You know what I mean? But that switch was like, okay, Steph getting to the step back. And shout out to the brewing great. Kevin Love, you know, we bring up.

There we go. Sit down. You sit down. I got a couple people from UCLA that sit down. You, Russ, and Drew. Keep going, Norm. Norm don't sit down no more. Stop.

Stop. Stop. Wait, hey, hold on. Norm don't sit down. Hold on. No, no, I was just on the show talking about defense. No, no, no.

Just keep talking about offense, you know. Come on, Nora, what happened? He's all office now, T-Loolew? All-office. And Matt Barnes, that's it. That's all y'all got to say. Oh, Loom.

Loom. Lou. Come on, Peyton, Watson. Zach Levine. But, but Zach Levine, man, if you don't play no defense. Also, how many, And that whole group you just named, how many are defensive teams in that group?

Oh, man, we always get a... Oh, right back. So we're going to move on there in T. Luke. Yeah, yeah, we're going to move on. We're going to move on. We're just not going to speak a UCLA like they defense you. Like, Tim, baby. We're going to see when that matchup happened.

Y'all don't want to play us. It's nice weather where y'all go to school. Okay. Y'all don't want to play us. Don't do that. It's crazy because T. Lee Lou was just saying they decided to switch Clay and step stuff. And the way they were guarding us, it was then like, man.

And even a little bit before that, like we struggled a bit with OKC, but then we end up coming back and winning that series. And then it obviously reared this ugly head against the calves in a great year. But teams were starting to figure out how to guard us. And so, you know, at that point, we got to figure out what's next. We go sign KD. What's your reaction to that, T. when you see that.

It's over. Like, it's like, you know, I'm saying, you game playing. Like, I mean, like you said, we thought we figured y'all out.

You know what I'm saying? Instead, we went back to the next year, it could have went either way again. But, like, we thought we had the blueprint on how to guard and how to attack,

you know, how to attack y'all offensively because y'all was always top five in defense. You know what I mean? A big shout out to Ron Adams. You know what I'm saying? Like,

yes, sir. But when y'all got KD, it just made it. I mean, come on, You blitzed step, and now you got Clay and KD on the weak side. You know, you short rolling, you got Eagle Dollar for the lob,

and you got Clay and KD in the corners. Like, it just became... Come on, dude. Yeah, it just became too hard. Like, it was too hard to really, like I said, match up offensively, and y'all was always a great defensive team. So when you got KD, I mean... And he can get his own money.

You know what I mean? Yeah, he can get his own money. too. That was so, that's what made it so unfair. Yeah, so what you do with BD, you blitzed KD, and now you got step and play. Oh, yeah. What are you doing? It was just like, it was

just too much. It was too much. Now, it was interesting because that's what ended up happening. Then teams was like, oh, we're going to switch, here we're going to switch. And so we would run our stuff. It's literally how our offense would go. We would run our stuff and either KD getting spot up

shots off because teams blitzing, and now I'm kicking to them or getting a lot of the drive. Yeah. You're going to put a short row. Yeah. Or the team starts switching it and then we just get a ball to K. And K go one-on-one.

If you double, if you double, we hitting Steph. All right, so then they start doubling off me. And then that's where we start doing the handback. You throw it to me. I'm catching. I'm handing off. I'm catching. I'm faking.

I'm going to the cup. I got Andre on the live now. That's where that came from. But it all started with us getting K. And then like, all right, y'all switch. Good luck. Right. It just, it was too much.

Playing on the Lakers winning a championship with those two Laker teams, playing against Golden State, losing in the finals, beat them in the finals, where does those Lakers team stack up against the Cleveland Cavaliers Championship team, the Golden State Warriors championship team with KD? You're probably the best person to give some insight because you played on the Lakers and won a championship with them. Man, I just don't see nobody, like, beating the Lakers team.

like I said, when he got Katie, I got to go back and reassess. It just, what I'm saying, the biggest factor, like, is Shaq. Like, you know what I mean? Shack was just, I mean, no, I'm saying. You can't stop him. Like, you can't guard him. You know what I mean? And you had, you know, God rest of peace.

One of my guy, Macumbow, like I said, defensive player at a year, you know, Shaq averaged 36, what, 36, whatever, and 14 that series or something. But, like, I mean, it just wasn't on answering Shaq. Like, okay, say, you know, you had you double team Kobe or Kobe had a rough night. There's just, there's no answer for Shaq. And you can file them. But now you've got three centers playing the game.

So now you're third and four-string center and playing against Shaq because everybody else is going out or in foul trouble. And now you're in a bonus with, you know, six minutes ago in every quarter. Like it just, I just don't see that answer for Shaq. And that's like that's what people are talking about and understand is his dominance was, you know, unmatched.

I agree. And then you get that backup center to third, String Center. They ain't shot blockers. They're not, you know what I mean? They may be a little different, so it just kind of softened up the defense. But, you know, I always say, you know, I pull favoritism to our era just because of, you know, you got Shaq. Shaq was just a dominant player.

Kobe was super dominant. But then all of the other players on the team were high-skilled cerebral basketball players that could play basketball. that love to play basketball, that can make adjustments on their own. You know what I mean? As opposed to, you know, a lot of the modern day basketball

is more so adjustments from a coaching standpoint. You know, the coaches have to make the adjustments because I think the players are young, right? And so there's a gap of veterans to young guys and there's a learning curve that feels like, that's why y'all got so many damn. coaches over there on the sidelines to China. Is that the case?

I mean, it's a lot of player development going on, you know, so I do think, like I said, these player development groups that you put together, you see on every team, I think it's very important because you got guys coming in 19, 20, 21, and don't really know how to play the game, you know? So, like, our guy, we got Sean Fine, he's amazing. Like, you know, he's him and, you know, Dante Jones,

and, you know, Jeremy, Castle, cookie, boat, coming in Connor, all the guys, they put in work every day, like Chris Hogan, and you see it paying off, like, you know,

just with our young guy, Kai Jones, like, he's got better and better and better. Like, you know, so it's important. So I think when you're driving these young guys,

you've got to have guys that's willing to be in the gym, do the, you know, the hard grinding work every single day, and then, you know, mold and get these players to what they want to be. And so I think it is very important.

I just want to, I just want to, say something about, I don't even want to talk about the championship. This Lakers. This Lakers thing. He couldn't wait to

get out. I got to say something about that. I mean, I've got to say something about that. I find it interesting because, you know, it's a very interesting one. I'll tell you why it's very interesting.

Because quite honestly, Shaquille O'Neill is my favorite player of all time. So it's a little challenging for me to be like, yeah, somebody's going to stop Shaq because it's very hypocritical to my childhood beliefs and like what I like how I actually feel so it's very hypocritical of me to say that and quite honestly I don't think any of us could have stopped Shaq just like no one else in Shaq's error could

stop Shaq um I just don't think that was happening but I do think we then pose some challenges on the other side for Shaq that you just can't stand in the pain against us, Big fella. Like, you know, I'm a, again, I'm the biggest shack fair you're going to find. But you can't just stand in the pain against us. Like, we're going to exploit that.

And so what y'all going to do defensively? And then, you know, also depends on the time that we plan because, you know, when y'all were playing, that couldn't play zone in the NBA then. Obviously now you can play some zone, but you couldn't play zone then. You know what I'm saying? And so that also changes it to where we can really get at Shaq.

But in saying that, no, I think I don't really have much of an argument just on the sake of it being Shaq. So I'm going to let y'all have that. Okay. Just on the sake of it being the Big Diesel. Because you're right, though. Ain't nobody stopping Shaq. And it actually pisses me off, man, when people don't try to get Shaq the credit that he deserves. Like, and like, don't talk about Shaq in the light that Shaq is.

It's the most dominant player we've ever seen. No, ever. Hey, hey. Hey. Hey. Hey, hey. Hey, that's that? Hey, day, day.

Oh, D. Jones. Oh, no. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey, that is one of the biggest hacks in summer basketball history. Hey, T. Lou.

T. Lou. Remember how mad we used to get that Dante dude for playing and following people in the gym? Hey, Jemann, you see nothing like this, bro. You see nothing like this. You shoot. I appreciate you. See, there you go.

That made my heart warm. Like, if you, all defenders are hacks. That man on the other side of the cameras, that hate, Brimauds. That's crazy. I don't even follow that much. The referees just don't like them. Thank you, God bless you, Jake.

He and here working on Chris Dunn. Okay. Another hat. Another hat. Chris definitely a hat. Teach him your ways, Dante. Teach him your way. He's definitely a hat.

I'm sorry. Now what happened? What was going on? No, so, yeah, I'll give you all to that. Although I don't think your team was as good as ours, but in a matchup, nobody's stopping Shaq, but I'll tell you what, you got to come out there paint, big fella. and you might just be looking crazy.

That's all I'm going to say. Yeah, no, I mean, yeah, talent-wise, but, like, when you got the two best players in the world on the same team, like I'm saying, like, okay, I mean, the only team I saw even do a halfway decent job on Shack, like you said, was San Antonio. Like, you know, the front and back with David Robinson and Tim Duncan was still, yeah, he still average 27, 28.

You know what I'm saying? But, like, it just, man, And it's just him and cold, man. Like that, I mean. And Shaq could move. Shack could move. He wasn't no stiff. He wasn't, he wasn't a stiff.

He wasn't a stiff. But he wasn't moving like Shaq had been moving. What years? Shack started getting them later years in, in L.A., he wasn't moving like that no more. Man, Shaq started getting heavy. Shack, Shaq started rehabbing on company time. Shack wasn't moving like that no more.

That's what he do. That's what he do. You think about a three-stop. after that when he went to Miami Cleveland. Well, of course, he was completely done moving in Miami. Miami, Miami, year one, he was straight. Year two is when we gotta stop. I gotta stop.

This is gonna come off like, um, hey, North Shaq, and that'll break my heart, so we gotta stop. No, yeah, not. I'm saying, like, the Phoenix, Cleveland, and Bosque. You know what I'm with the Lakers, he was still, she was still, of course he was still dominant. But again, coming to move them puppies on the, on the wing with Katie and Stefan,

putting them in pin downs with Clay. He wasn't moving like that. He wasn't moving like that. That's all I'm saying. You got to have guys that's going to get through the screens for sure. Kobe will chase over the screen. Let's see.

T. Lou get nailed by the screen. No, I'm kidding. No, T. Luke getting over the screen, but. I thought he had to come out in the drop. He had to worry about, I'm getting through the screens. Hey, man. I didn't say he's playing against that dude. hit Tahrloo in the game

because he ain't got to do nothing you know what was crazy though back in those days and we were talking about me and B. Shell you know it was automatic because back in those days you had a four and a five

on each block I mean so when the ball hit the wing whether it was a pick and roll or not you was automatically in an ice stance because it's going to be it's going to be a big on the block and that's what made it easier

to guard back then you know what I'm saying you know you can have a four on a block or five on a lot weak side block cross screen. But when the ball hit the wing, you automatically jump into no middle stance and set it down whether it's picking room or not. And so that was crazy.

That was real crazy. But it was easy, but, you know, it made you a lot easier for sure. All right. Switching beats to the Clippers. You talked about Norman Powell and how he stepped up this season to become pretty much a go-to player on this team. Talk a little bit about Norm and, you know, who does Norm game remind you of in your playing days. Okay. First, let's start with, I mean, with Norm, like, just to see the work he puts

in every single day, you know, Bidi and Dre, like, I mean, he works too much for me, like I said, to me, I mean, he works hard and he's wanted to be a starter, you know, having PG and having Kaua, you know, it was hard for him to start, you know, but this man works every single day since I've been here, like, just seeing an amount of work he puts in. And, you know, it's the slogan, is UTG, understand the grind. He grinds every day, like working on everything.

And so for him to get this opportunity and to play the way he has, like I'm just happy for him because, you know, he puts in, like, he puts in, like, real, real work, you know? And so I'm just happy to see him, like, half a year he's having,

people starting to recognize what he can do, you know, as a starter. So that's really good. As a player, more like a microwave, but I didn't get a chance to play against microwave, but I see a lot of them.

just that bill he's still norm I tease him I say he's six foot but he's six three he's right if he straighted his legs

I'm he might be six seven but I was saying like you're saying like Michael wave like you can score at all levels man just instant offense and he did it last year

for us off the bench you know average 16 points off the bench later league in fourth quarter threes percentage wise last year you know he he can

can just, you know, come in the instant score. So I would say more so like, like microwave about how to, you know, say anybody. Y'all got James playing at a, and when I say y'all, I mean obviously coaching, but, you know, he's doing it. But James playing at an all-star level this year back,

looking like the James that we all have grown to know, you know, going through them battles with, you know, them Houston teams, like that's the James that he's looking like now. once it been like James once said, I am the system. You know what I'm saying? I am a system.

And seeing him play this year, it's like you as a coach and your staff has put him in all his pet sets that he liked to run and have twisted some things to, you know, sets that you've incorporated, but putting him in those situations that he liked to get to,

that he's thrived in and became James Hardin. as we know it. What's that adjustment been like? What was those conversations like to go to him and be like, all right, listen, obviously PG gone, Kauai out, and taking a team that most people seem like,

dang, PG left, Kauai out, this team going to be bad and got this team rolling and he playing at that level. Just what was the kind of the building up to that and, you know, just the adjustments that you've had to make and getting him back in that row. Yeah, what a good thing for us is he's been customer to playing that way.

You know, so we got him last year. He more so just try to adapt. And, you know, he was a playmaker and, you know, ran out, you know, with Kauai and PG, like you said. He didn't come in. I think James, that was like eight or nine shots of game last year. You know what I mean? And he just kind of just, you know, got everybody involved, picking, choose his spots. But this year, it was a different conversation.

Like you said, with Kauai being out, with PG being gone, like, we need him to turn back the clock. Like, you know, the same position he was in. to carry that burden, you know, offensively. And, you know, our front office has done a good job of acquiring Derek Jones, Jr., who's a defender, you know, Chris Dunn, who's a defender. And you put those guys around James where he doesn't have to, you know, guard every single night. And now he can just focus and lock in on scoring a basketball and making guys better. And he's flourished, like I said, and he's used to accustomed to this role. But, like, it started in training camp.

Like, it was a hard training. It was a throwback training camp, you know, like, press up on the line six or ten. No, every day, and I give him credit. You know, like he did it every single day, whether he liked it or not. And that's what kind of got us to this point. But, like, just every day practicing, playing every game, where he missed one game, you know, the whole year, playing every night, you know, all the training camp stuff, and then taking this young team, like I said,

just put them on his shoulders and just showing them how to work, showing them how to win, showing them how to do things the right way. And like I said, he's been great for us, like you said, all year long. No, I think it's dope to just see him back at that level. And where I give you credit in him, it's like, I didn't even know he still had that level in him. You know what I'm saying? Like to either get back to this level,

it's special to watch. But one question I also want to ask you is, in coaching Brian and in coaching James, I always say obviously the way they went about it, two completely different ways. But talk about how both of them can control the entire pace of a game and having a guy

like that that every time down the court is capable of getting you a good shot because I don't think people understand in this league, your favorite player can't just do that. Like there's only a select few of guys that can make that happen in this league

and obviously, you know, now having James playing at the level of doing that and then having Brian just what are the similarities in them controlling the games and then what are the different? differences. And that's what, that's one thing, like you said, is why I think it should be an all-star this year of just things he's done so far, just making guys better. But like you said, to generate a good shot every time down, you know, whether you make it or not, you know, it's making

mislead. But, you know, he generates a good shot every single time for himself or for his teammates. And just look at all the people when you talk about him and Bron, like, how many people they didn't got paid? Yes. You know what I'm saying? That's where it starts. Clem Capella should still be watching James cars. Mm-hmm. I'm just saying, like, a lot of people, the same with Bronn. Like, you know, they've made people better.

They've gotten guys paid. They've gotten coaches paid. Like, Brian got me paid. But, like, just to control a game and know that you're going to get a good shot every time down the floor, like, you just don't find it everywhere, you know. And so people don't respect that part of the game

where you got a guy that can generate a good shot every single time. When the last time Mosgov came and watched your and Brian Carr's. I see my South Beverly Grill two weeks ago that's fine. That's hilarious.

Man, you're one of the best coaches in this league. You know, we've said it before on this show. We say it all the time as far as in-game adjustments. Just talk a little bit about your philosophy around

in-game adjustments. And then when did you notice? Like, hey, bro, I'm kind of nice at this coaching thing. What did that hit? Man, well, I started back, like you said, you know, Doc and Danny Aang, you know, gave me my first opportunity.

And it started when I played for Doc in 2003 in Orlando, and he told me, he said, listen, T. Lou, when you're done playing, you can come coach. I'm like, man, I didn't coach it. You're crazy. You know, coach it wasn't in me. You know, but when I finished in 2009, like, that's all I knew. And so I give a lot of credit to Doc because, like,

you know, we lost a tough game or a hard game, you know, I just go back and sit in the back of the room when he did media and just listen to how he handled himself and how he handled the media. You know, just all the ATOs at the timeouts. Like, Doc was, you know, the best, in my opinion, you know, back in Boston, just running ATOs. And they was to learn from Tibado, you know, in Boston.

Then I learned from Lawrence Frank, you know. And so I had a lot of guys that I can learn from. You're taking, like, you know, Doc back then was the best coach in the league. You know, so you learn from Doc. You learn from Tibino was the best defensive. in the league, learned from Lawrence. And so I had a lot of guys that I learned from. And so I give them a lot of respect, you know, for me being where I'm at today.

But it's hard. You know, it's hard, BD. It's a hard job. You know, as a player, you know, you just kind of basically worry about yourself. You know, as a coach, you got to worry about everybody, the assistants, the medical, you know, the equipment managers, the players. And so when you lose a game, you know, you got to go back. And look yourself and I'm like, man, what could I have done different?

What could I have done better? And, you know, like, it was a tough grind. But I learned a lot along the way to be in this position and putting a lot of hard work to be in this position. There's a lot of great coaches out there. And so just to be mentioned, you know, in the same breadth with a lot of these guys, you know, it means a lot, you know, especially being a young coach.

You said something that I actually wanted to address anyway. You just said it. You said LeBron get a lot of guys paid. He got me paid. And I want to ask you about that because coming in, obviously, you take over a team, you go on to win a championship. And a lot of people knew you were great

in what you brought in that situation that even the coach that, you know, you were assistant under couldn't bring. And everybody just knew, like, there was a specific thing that was going to be needed. Nobody felt that he had it. No disrespect to him, but everybody felt you had it. And saying that, you come in,

you take over a team, obviously Brian's playing, and Brown is always going to get much deserved credit that he gets. But you said Brian get a lot of us, Brian get a lot of guys paid, he got me paid. A lot of people tried to say that initially.

Like, oh, man, he was coaching Brown. Of course, he going to come in and win a championship as if that's just a given. You then started to be known as, and rightfully so, as one of the best coaches in the league, period. How was it for you to kind of break that tag of, yo, he's LeBron's coach.

Because, you know, everybody always try to make it a stigma of like, oh, he's LeBron's this, he's LeBron's that. He coached bronze. So that's why he won a championship. So much so that even than the Los Angeles Lakers want to give you a contract that aligns with LeBron's contract. How was it for you to break that stigma of Bronin and knowing how great you were, or how great you are,

but how great you were as a coach. I mean, the outside noise really didn't bother me because I don't have social media and I don't want to get into all that. You know, everybody has their opinions. But he really helped me. But the biggest thing for me is I sat down with him, Kyrie and K. Love.

And I told him this is what I need from you guys. Like, if I want to win, if we want to win, this is what I need. And I give those three guys a lot of credit. But when people say that, you know, Brown's been in the league, what, 21 years? He had two championships. So, I mean, they act like he won 21 championships.

You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? He won four championships. And so, you know, he hasn't won every year. And sometimes it takes, you know, a special person or a special situation to get to that point. Well, like I said, Brian deserves all the credit. But what fulfilled me was when he came to me and said that, you know, I was a great coach and, you know, one of the best coaches he's ever played for. And so that enough right there meant a lot to me.

And so I think, you know, once. you know, he went to the Lakers, then I had a chance and I go to the Clippers. I think in Coach that team, we go to the conference finals when Kauai gets hurt, you know, I think that's when I finally got my respect. You know, once I, you know, my first year with the Clippers, we go to the conference finals,

and I was able to get out from under LeBron's umbrella, you know. But it shouldn't be like that. Like you said, and I know that he's brought a lot to me, you know, as a coach made me better because he saw how execution doing things the right way. And you got a guy who's the best player in the world that had never been late. Like he's the first one, like, you know, shoot around, practice, leave.

And then, you know, a lot of times you even have guys of his stature coming to bus 10 minutes late. They're playing 20 minutes. Man, it's never late. Never. Like, respect everybody's time. Respect everybody what they're doing. And like I said, without him, like I said,

I would be who I am today because he's, he made you better because when I come in and present, you know, a scout reporter how we want to do something, I know that he's not going to miss a beat. And I know I got to be sharper on what I'm doing every single day, every single night because he doesn't miss a beat. You know, so he's made me better for sure. So I'm not, I'm always going to give him the credit because like he's made me better of who I am. And so hopefully one day he can say, you know what, T. Lou was one of the guys that got me over the top when I got about to Cleveland. You know, and so, you know, I give like I said, all the credit to him, like I said, Reed, K. Love's, be at a sacrifice, you know, because you got to think,

Kay Love came from Minnesota where he was the man. Getting 20 and 20, 30 and 20s, yeah. 30s and 20s. Ask K. Love, like, hey, man, could, you know, be in a third option, you know, but I'm going to feature you when you're on the floor, out of timeouts, different situations. And for him to buy in like that and to win a championship, like he just says a lot about them and who they are, too.

But I give, like I said, all the credit to Ron, but for making me a better coach, you know, every step of the way. No, I think that's dope and I and I respect it because again, to have the influence, to have the impact that Brian has, obviously, you know, it's a great platform. But then you have to be capable of living it like on that platform. Like you can't, because if you're, if you're not capable, you get swallowed up fast and anything that he's involved in. And it was, it was like the same thing with rich. I think the same. thing with Mav, you know, where all the guys that has grown with him in a certain aspect, it's like, oh, there only this because of him.

But it's like, no, A, there were some people along the way that weren't able to take advantage of that opportunity, right? B, they don't get to the situation without being special anyway. You know, and, you know, when Rich first started clutch, it's like, oh, he's a bronze Asian. Like, oh, he's only, and it's like, no, I've actually. built the best sports agency in the business and to see you kind of break that same stigma in your own way. Like rich, like you said, what he's built, where Mab is built, you know, what I continue

to go on and build, you know, but it's all, like I said, it stems from LeBron. But just because I give you a million dollars and tell you to invest it, then I don't mean you're going to make the right investments. You know what I mean? Like, I could be broken two years or I can make, I can have 10 million in two years. So, like, what you do with it, and that's what I say about LeBron, because, you know, when they fired Coach Black, they could have went with anybody. And Brown had to, you know, have the confidence in me, you know, to say, you know,

what, no, you know, I like T. Hooke, you know, and so that's a lot. That's big, that's a lot. That's a lot. You know, for a college, you know, 38 years old to, you know, step in there and, you know, feel some big shoes because, like I said, Coach Black went to the NBA finals a year before. And when I took over halfway through the season, We're the number one team in the east. You know, that was a lot that came with it too.

You know, so, but like I said, for those guys that had a belief in me to do it, you know, says a lot. So I'm happy about that. 1,000%. And just speaking to guys that you've done it with, your relationship with Steve Baum, how has it been, you know,

and working with him, you know, just the type of owner that he is, the resources that he's bringing to the team and building that incredible arena. You know, And obviously the only other owner that you've coached under Saheyer coach is obviously Dan Gilbert. But just what is it that Steve is brought as an owner of that team and it being a joy to coach, you know, and having an ownership group like that? You know, what he's brought is family.

Like, you know, when you get a chairman that, you know, that really cares about your well-being, your family's well-being. the team, everybody works in this organization. When you get somebody really actually cares, it's genuine. You can tell somebody's bullshit. You know what I mean? But like when you could see when it's genuine, you know, like when COVID first hit and we were in a bubble and Black Lives Matter, and, you know, we started that slogan and trying to, you know, help our communities and help our culture.

He stepped in and everybody on the team and even Doc Rivers, the head coach, he donated to a million dollars to everybody's charity or community center or yeah everybody to you know to put it to wherever you want to put it to you know he told us we're going when he first took over I'm going to build a new arena for us like you know he couldn't invite another team um like the lakers to come play here so he can generate money but it wasn't about that it was about us you know and so like this man crazy story was ryan west get something got to tell it all the time but it's for me it's huge because um During the season, a couple of years ago, he said, you know, what are you passionate about? I said, I'm passionate about my family and I'm passionate about where I'm from, which is Mexico, Missouri. He said, I said, I want to do something special there, but I really don't know what to do. Like, you come up a small town, 11,000 people, not a lot of money in the community. So he was like, I'm going to take a trip with you one time and I'm going to take a look at. I was like, yeah, right, whatever.

So the summer hits, he called him, hey, I'm going to go to Mexico. And I was like, what you mean? we're going to take a trip to Mexico. I give you three days, pick one. So I gave him a day. Long story short, we fly private on this plane. We fly in a Jefferson City, Missouri, go out of Mexico, Missouri.

We know we walk around, tour the city, just, you know, brainstorming. And the next year, I mean, and the man sleeps in the best Western hotel in Mexico. Wakes up the next day, wakes up the next day, and it says the best sleep I had, the long time.

Wow. The seventh bitchest man in the world. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's just how genuine he is. And then so we started a program, my C2C program, which is cradle to career, a member to community. And he donated $3.5 million the first year, which it was a five-year plan to raise $10 million. And the first year and a half, we raised $18 million.

But, like, he put me in contact with PRI. He donated $3.5 million. So he's just been putting me on the right path to do a lot of things. like I said, we've changed Mexico so much right now, but we still got a lot more to do. But just, like I said, his vision and like said, every single day before the game comes in for 10 minutes, checks on me, how you doing, you know, just so positive. And he's like there with everybody. Like, and it's genuine, you can feel it.

And so that's like, I mean, he's one of the best people I met my life, man. He's unbelievable. He's incredible. That's incredible, man. Shout out to Balmer, man. Absolutely. That's fire. You had a lot of interactions with Mr. Balmer.

Yeah, he, when he started the baller vision, Clipper vision. Yeah, he's been great. I mean, you know, one, passionate about the game, love talking about the game. I say even for, you know, Clipper alumni, you know, we got kind of like this starting to build a once a Clipper, always a Clipper kind of fraternity, which is cool and bringing a lot of guys back. So, you know, I respect him for what he doing, L.A. in the community with the courts, with the foundation, with the investments.

It's like somebody who really came in here, not just as an owner who owns a team. That's just all about the team and all about trying to get resources to the team. You know what I mean? He's been about the entire city, bro. Like every park, every inner city, like the amount of people that shout his name on the foundation side and the way he's helped, you know, mobilized this community is like, you know, that was like my dream. But I ain't got a Steve bomber money. you know what I'm saying, but it's just good to see, like,

and it's good to see the Clippers, like, care about the inner city and care about L.A. And then that's why you're starting to see that Clipper fan base, you know, grow in L.A. for real. No, it's fired. And then, and then T. Lou, since you've been in L.A., you know, you heard a lot about Kauai and his health. This past year, the critics have been super loud.

How are you how my question is how excited are you that he will return and just kidding. I mean, I thought she was going to give me a date. I thought you froze, well. You know like you froze for a second. I was like, what are you about to say? I was like, how excited are you? He will return. I'm very excited, man.

And just, you know, the big thing, M.D, like I said, you was one of the baddest point guards in the league. When I talk about guys, like, hard for me to guard, it was always you, Gilbert Arenas, AI, you know what I'm saying? And you was, and people don't get a chance to, you know, to see your full career because, like, so you got injured, you know? But that doesn't mean you wasn't put into work. That doesn't mean you wouldn't want to play. That doesn't mean you wanted to be on the floor.

And so, like, you have bad, you have bad players that, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, are elite players or perennial all-stars or, you know, are superstars. and just because like Anthony Hardaway like, you know, Penny Hardaway, like he doesn't want to get hurt. Like you don't want to be hurt. You know, so like it's just hard for the criticism to come his way. But I know I see him every day,

grind it every day in a wait room, grind on the court every single day. And it's just like, it's just unfortunate that, you know, he can't control what he has going on. Like he just can't control it. If he could, he would. Like, you know, so it's hard to see all the criticism that he gets, you know,

because he's hurt, because he's not playing, because if you got a guy that's hurt and they're not putting the work in to get better and get back. That's a difference. Yeah. That's totally different. This man is grinding every single day. Yep. You know, every single day, all summer, every summer to get to where you want to get to.

And it's just unfortunate, like you said, it's times when he just can't control it, you know. And so that's just the part that's hurtful because he's not a guy going to lay down. He's not a guy that doesn't care. You know what I'm saying. He does care. And that's what people don't understand, you know, from the outside. And it's just tough, man. And you see former players that have been through this.

Yeah. You're like, oh, like, man, don't get me stuff. They're not real. No, I don't get me. They're not real. Because you got, you got to really go through injuries. I mean, T. Lou, you remember when I was hurt playing in Vegas and, you know, trying to get back.

Like, man, you're trying to get back. And then next thing you know, you may overcompensate a little bit. You may lift one or two reps and some tear. You know what I mean? So you never right. Like once you get hurt, you are never right because you are never 100% of what you were before you got hurt. Jay, man, you talked about that with your injury earlier in the year, right?

And it's just like, man, you got to work to get, you got to work to almost get to 85%. Right. Right. And you'll never get to 100%. You got to work to get to 85 and hope you don't get to 75, right, because you're tired. meter, you're wearing tear and all that. So, you know, I think, you know, a lot of times fans don't understand that the mental part of it, the hard work part of it.

But like, if somebody's not on the court, it's definitely not the result of them not working. Yeah, just thinking about the organization, you know, as a whole, like, you think they would continue to giving $50 million if he wasn't in a world trying to get back. Like, if he was a lazy, you know what I'm saying? Lazy dude, they wouldn't like, okay, all right, cool. you hurt, you're done, we're done. You know what I'm like?

This man dedicated every single day, man, to try to be on the floor. And like I said, it's painful to watch because, like I said, he wants it so bad, man. And like, you know, and he's doing everything. And so I'm happy he's getting close, man. And for me, like, I've been hurt a lot too. I had three knee surgeries, micro fracture. And sometimes just it's the mental part. Like, can I do it?

You know what I mean? Can I get over this hurdle? Can I do it? You know, can I get back to being who I was? and people don't understand that, man, it's a grind, you know, but he's been grind. Like I said, I'm happy for him. Fun guy is one of my favorites, man. You know, I heard him rapping before.

Really? Yeah, he had a fun guy in the studio. Oh, man. He may be mad. He may get mad at me, but, you know, I have a fun guy in the studio. He got bars. He got bars. He'd be spitting?

People don't know. Yeah, people don't know. He's a funny dude, man. Yeah. I was going to ask you. One, last two Kauai questions, because, you know, I'm a fun guy up there. I need a Kauai-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-Som, for sure. And then the second question is,

describe the similarities and the differences between coaching the Kauai and coaching the LeBron. Well, Kauai-ism, a funny one, so me and my boy, Boogie Cousins. You know, that's my... And so I was mad at him one day, and, you know, he kept going back and forth. I said, man, Bogie keeps doing this. I was mad at Bogie, right?

And so Kauai came up to him and he said, man, he can play. He's good. He's good, though. I said, yeah, I know. I said, he's getting on my nerves, whatever, whatever. He said, I said, I'm just tired of looking at him, whatever. He said, just don't look at him.

Like, how am a coached player and don't look at him? Leave him on the court. Don't look at him. Yeah, we know he's looking at him. Because, you know, he's one of, you know, most talented centers have been around the game, you know what I'm saying? You know, so we had got into it one day, well, that's my God. But Kauai's like, just don't look out.

You figure it out, but he, he good right here. You figure out what you got to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the comparisons between, like, him and Bronn, like I said, the hard work, like you said, is lined up just like this. Like both putting in, like he said, the word, you know, every single day, like grind every single day to get better.

And just think about, you know, where they come in their career. Like Kauad, when he first got in league, he wasn't a shooter, you know, and he expanded, he was a corner shooter. Then he became better at the wings, you know what I'm saying? Then every year he's got better and better.

And that's a 43, I'll be a 40%, you know, three-point shooter, you know. He was able to take steps of being a post player, getting better and getting better. Same with Brian. Came in the league. He wasn't a shooter. Now, he doesn't shoot 40% for three to work in. And so they remind me a lot of each other, like I said, when it comes to that work ethic.

And, you know, putting that work in to get to where they want to get to. Kauai is funny. Yeah, he's funny. I mean, Brown's funny, but Kauai's funny because he don't do a lot of talking. But when he talks, it's funny. You know what makes it crazy. That's what makes it crazy. You say I have some crazy.

I love him. Our coaching staff this year, we added Jerry Stackhouse to take over our defense. One thing that I found that he does is he get these grades out. It's funny because he had something on the grade. Today I had a conversation with him. I'm like Stack, man, like you graded me on this based on how you grade somebody else. But I intentionally did this. Like I'm covering two right here.

And he's like, yeah, but you're supposed to. do this. I said Stack, but you ain't going to tell Steph Curry to drive to the rim because someone else drives better, he's going to shoot the three. So we had this whole conversation, and we went out of it for 15 minutes. It was great. Me and him. Just me and him.

It was incredible. Y'all have brought JVG in, who, you know, I've heard a lot about just kind of his approach and, you know, what he's brought to the staff and defense looking incredible.

is there something that he's brought that you would say has been different than maybe y'all were doing or a different approach than what you had before just bringing his coaching style, which is more of an old-school coaching style than kind of the coaching style of what coaches do today. Well, one, he brought us some purpose defensively. You know, a lot of people just go out there and play defense. And like I said, I always hate playing against you because you always read,

you know what's coming with ATL. you take him over there, I got this. And now y'all switch, you blow the whole playoff. Like, and have that IQ. But he's brought us a purpose defensively. And if you look at our team, like, if you start James and Norman Powell, I give normal hard time, but they're not really defenders. And so if you can be a top five defensive team in his league, you know,

start those two guys, we're small, we're little, we're scrapping. But he's bought some purpose. And what he has done, Day Day, is that, you know, most teams, they don't want to leave the corner. You know what I mean? Or, you know, you guard a great shooter. But our thing is, if you're close, go get it. And, like, for most time, you know, you drive the ball,

you know, a guy out of the corner, he's going to stunt and get back. Like, no, if you close to us, we're going to get it. And you don't see people get the corners, you know what I mean? Or if you go to the basket, you spin, the next guy is right there.

And we're figuring out the rotation on the backside. He's made us more aggressive. Like, if you close to the ball, no matter who you guard or who it is, if you close, go get it. And, like, you're generating so many turnovers. But he's bought a purpose. He's brought a mindset to our team.

You know, I come in early, you know, every day. And I come in five o'clock in the morning. He's out of here, you know. He's passionate about what he does every day. Like, he takes it hard. Like, we went about, what, 37 last night? And Utah schooled 107 points. He's pissed off.

Like, he's mad. You know what I'm saying? Like, come in, I talk with brother, he's, we just did fish a game right way. You know what I mean? We got first string in. You know what I mean? But he's passionate about what he does. He brings that mentality, like, no nonsense.

Like, when he's on the floor, we go through defense, it ain't no messing around. You know what I mean? He's locked in. And so it's been really good for us. And shout out to stockhouse, too, because he's done a good job. And I played with Stack in Washington when we played with Jordan together. So I love Stack.

That was a 51 game, Dre. Hey, I was guarding him. T-Loo. Was I not guarding him? You didn't want to know that. They put a lead-nay-line. They put a lead-nay-line. You know what I'm saying?

And then I was crazy about that day day. I looked it up the other day when, you know, he had 51 points. So I looked at him up on, man, I played 18 minutes. I didn't score. Hey, bro, you got to watch the tape. Because me and you are talking. Yeah, yeah. Like, you got to watch the game.

We're just having a conversation like, oh, I'm not going to help. And you're like, well, I ain't getting the ball. I'm like, well, shit, let's wish we had some popcorn to watch this. Why he was mad at that game, right? The reason why he was mad at that game is because the game before we played New Jersey Nets. And they put Kenyon Martin on him. And like, he struggled to score. You know, and at this point, MJ's 39 or so.

They was like, all you got to do is put it in athleticism on him. He can't score, you know, bigger six, eight, six. He can't score on those guys, whatever. So the next night we played Charlotte, and they, you know, put Lee Ney-N-Lines, a couple guys on. Lee don't play defense. Lee don't play defense. Y'all had David Wesley.

He got, Daniel Weston. Torts. Lee Nealon, PJ Brown, you know what I'm saying? But, yeah, he was on one. He was mad because, you know, he had a play against Jersey. You had an opportunity this summer to coach, The Olympics, you know, it was a part of the staff, Steve. And I'll be honest, I was one of the main people, one of the main guys saying,

I don't understand how in the hell Jason Tatum's not getting any minutes. I didn't understand it. Obviously, y'all go on to win. But in looking back at that situation, was there something that could have been done differently? to where Jason Tato because now he got this vengeance against us and I'm not sure he got that same vengeance against y'all T-Loo

but now he got just vengeance against us we don't really need right now that's my little cousin you know so he's from St. Louis his dad is my first cousin wow

yeah that's my he's kind of my phone since in Mexico when he was younger so that's my cousin so I feel bad for him but you know we talked every single day. But the biggest thing for me, like, I ain't going to go against coach's decision. If I'm a coach, I'm a stand in, you know, whatever the head coach decision they make, you will never hear me say, I disagree, you know, not to a player, not to anybody because, you know, that's not my response.

Like, my job is to be all in, you know, and so, but I will say, I like the way J.T. handled himself, you know, he was professional. He didn't try to go home. And like he said, as a guy who's been first team all NBA three years in a row. You know what I mean? Coming off winning a championship, you know, won a gold medal back in, you know, 21.

Like I said, it was tough for him, you know. And so I just try to talk to him. I just try to be positive with him. Keeping the right head space. And like I said, I'm just glad he got through it. I'm glad he got a gold medal, like he said. And he was in to play, like I said, that last game in the gold medal game.

So, but I'd never be one of those guys with his family or not, if I'm, if I'm, you know, in the trenches and I'm in the clinic, you know, that's what it is. And so, but I am probably, like I said, little Jay, how he handled himself and how he conducted itself throughout the, you know, the hard time and adversity of what he had to go through. No, I think, I think that's dope. Do you, ultimately, I don't think Steve's going to do it forever, do you hope to ultimately one day take that over and be the head coach at a USA team?

Is it something you want to do again? Yeah, I mean, I would like that. charity. Because, you know, as a player, you know, you grew up with wanting to be on an Olympic team. Of course, I wasn't good enough. You know what I mean? But, you know, like, that's what, that was your dream. You know, winning the internship, you know, being, you know, Olympia, be able to represent your country, but now I have to do it in this capacity has been great, you know, so to be able to, you know, one day be the head coach, if that was possible, and be able to be a young black man to, you know, win a gold medal for your country.

I think it says a lot about our youth about, you know, He is looking up to us and, you know, seeing that, you know, young black coach, you know, winning a gold medal for your country and representing your country, there's no better feeling than that. If I'm still playing in 2028. Me and J-Mont coming to coach. Ah, you coach it because you can't move no more. If I'm still playing, hey, I'm in the name.

Next year, I'm getting invited to Go to State Warriors training camp. What do you think my chances are of making the team if I'm in shape? Well, don't guard Steph. I'm not messing with Steph. Yeah. How do you now love it? You got to be 42 now? Yeah, I'm like 38, 42.

It's a rap. I'm like 37, 43, you know. I don't know. I don't know, love, I ain't speaking on that. I've never killed nobody's dreams, you know. I'm telling, Jemar. He think I'm playing. Watch me make that fucking team next year.

Back to business. You watch Steph Curry go off in the final minutes of the Olympic championship game against France. One, how did it feel getting a gold medal in that fashion and talk about the experience now,

you know, coach and Steph in the Olympics? To finally be on this team, I feel like Bronn. You know what I'm saying? We're working for so many times it came up short, you know, But it was really good. You know, the thing that I like the most take me out of it is that just Katie, Steph, and Braun.

Like, you know, three guys, and it's like saying, our generation, like to be able to play together on that level, you know, the representative country to win a gold medal together. I think that was one of the coolest moments I've seen, you know, just seeing those three guys come together. So that was great. And then my time, like I said, I've always dreamed of being, you know, in the Olympics, you know, represent my country and a winner gold medal, like I said, alongside of Steve. How Braun felt about Steph, I felt about Steve. You know, battling every year, you know, battling, you know what I'm saying? And Steve's a great coach and being able to Spow and then having Mark Few from Gonzaga, who was on staff as well. Man, it was just great to just, you know, learn so much and see so much, pick each other's brunch.

brains. It was an amazing experience, man. So I'm just happy that Steve, you know, extended the invitation as well as Grand Hill and it was beautiful. Now we're going to talk a little bit about your playing career. You grew up in a small town. Went to Nebraska,

which we talked about, Mexico. Shout out Mexico, 11,000 people where you wore the number, where you had a 23rd pick in the 1998 draft. You got the red what was that the Navigator on the 22s? Yeah.

Gold. Yeah, gold rims too, huh? No, no, no, dude. You had no gold rims? Oh, damn. Yeah, no Midwest bumpkin. Hey, relax yourself, man. Relax yourself. You got to go there.

You know, you know, Midwest ain't right goals, man. I thought he had a gold rim. That's true, but you... Yeah, but no, I didn't have gold. I didn't have gold. I had the silver joints. I give shout out to Mark and Darnell a 3-10 motor.

That's right. 3-0 motor. Remember that? It was kicking that. That was going up. But 98 you got drafted. Who was your favorite player growing up? And then looking back on your journey, like,

talk about, like, what made, what was, like, your happiest moment? My, I don't know. I mean, Jordan was everybody's eye. Yeah, for sure. I couldn't be like Jordan. You know, I couldn't be, he's six, six. I couldn't be that.

But, you know, Michael Jordan was definitely everybody's idol. But someone that I loved and tried to pattern my game after, it was three guys. Actually, it was Kevin Johnson. I love KJ. I love Terrell Brandon. And I loved Kenny Anderson. Like, those were my three guys that I looked up to and, like, idolize and wanted to, you know, pattern my game after. That's why, like, I love the mid-range so much because of KJ and Terrell Brandon,

two of the best at doing it, you know, especially when I was coming up, you know, watching the game. And so what was your next? What was your second question meeting? Oh, my favorite moment was, it's got to be when I got drafted and was able to buy my mom our first car. You know, we never had a car growing up

our whole life. And to get drafted and buy my mom that Cadillac escalade. Sheesh. Her first car. Big baller! You ride to Mexico with the catalog. You know what I'm saying?

You big balling. But, That was one of my happiest moments to get my mom, you know, the car, you know, house, my grandma house. And like for me, it's always been about just taking care of others, taking care of my family. And that's why I want to do it. That's what made me so hungry. And so, you know, you think back, like I said, 20 years old, 21 years old, you know, a red navigator. You know, you was at UCLA.

You already know. At the Blue Expedition, remember that? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And so, you know, man, you got to be careful. You got to be careful. driving that. You're running out of here, whatever?

I'm like, you driving a red navigator? I'm like, man, I'm from the Midwest. I ain't going. Hey, Dre, he all in Englewood. He's just going places. I'm like, bro, you can't be, you can't just be driving this red

navigator on 20s with the thump coming out of it. Oh, man, I was, yeah, you look like. I'm just, like, I'm, like, Jerry Allen, I'm 21 years off from the hood in Mexico. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know, like I'm hanging with Pete Pierce. He worked out together every day.

You know, we go and play at Rogers Park. You know, I'm just hooping. Like, I don't know. Hey, bro. He is in all. Remember I take you to the Drew League? What did you tell me when I take you to the Drew League? Don't ever do what?

Bring you back up here. Yeah, yeah. Hey, Day Day, we go down to Julie. You know, of course, I ain't scared to go nowhere. You know, I'm young, whatever. But he's like Jordan down there. So we go to, he dropped me off. He's all over.

He's talking to people. I'm by myself. the whole time. You get grips and bloods and, you know what I'm saying? Everything, they mugging me. You know what I'm saying? Like, AI just stepped over me. You know what I'm saying?

You know what I'm saying? He got me talking, they got to talk and stuff to me, you know what I'm saying? He was not feeling that. We was not feeling the truth. It was all love. It was all love. It was love, but it was early, too. Remember you was back because it was early in the morning.

You was like, D.D. Yeah. Come on, bro. You got me down here. This is. This is a gamble. And Jane, that was back for old Drew at Drew Middle School. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So the gym like this big, the gym like this big. So everything somebody say, you can hear. Yeah. You know what I mean? Absolutely. Even people whispering on the sidelines.

But T. Louis, that was my guy, man. You held me down when I was in college. And then I wanted to share the story. You probably don't even know. Roy Williams recruited me. And when I was with the, you know, I, I came out here for the best in the West. Uh-huh.

And at the time, I was 5'3. And I used to watch, you play for CMH. Yeah, so I was like, that's my guy. That's who I can be. When I saw you play on CMH, I was like, yeah, I can be him because I'm going to be a little dude. And I played on Paul team. I don't even know if you remember that. I was on Paul's team.

But we played y'all in the slamming jam? Yes, bro. Roy Williams and everybody in the camp thought I was a handicapped kid. What you mean? Because I played with a limp. I was fresh. I was three days out of a broken ankle and I showed up at the best in the West because I just wanted to get recruited. So I only played garbage time, bro. And I had a lip and I had a lip. I was the little dude on the team with the lip and everybody thought I was handicapped, even Roy Williams. He was like, what happened to that handicapped kid? He was so good. I was like, bro, that was me.

But like, you are my guy, man. You are my guy. And I never forget that. I watched that game. Like, damn, I'm going to be like him, man. That little dude got gay. He became 6'3, a perennial all-star max. Was that was that one of the most shocking things that you had to deal with

and like coming from a small city and like moving to like L.A.? Yeah. I grew up in Mexico to my sophomore year in high school and then my sophomore year in high school I moved to Kansas City from my Uncle Kevin. Because like in Mexico

wasn't being recruited. You know, there's a lot of politics, you know, as far as who plays, who doesn't play. And people weren't coming to Mexico to see you know, see kids play. You know, so it was hard on my mom, you know, because like to let your son go as a sophomore high school, move

you know, to Kansas City. I went to Raytown High School. It was hard for it, but if I wanted to get to where I wanted to get to, it was the right move. It was the right move. And so I played in Kansas City, went to Raytown High School, and then I played on the AAU team, BD, talking about with Derek Hood, you know, Jamal Walker, Mani died. I think our whole team went D-1. And the younger team underneath us, that played up sometimes with Earl Watson, Muggetty, Geron, Rush, Collier, and Young. So we have to have to be. teams and that's when I got my first look because

I wanted to go to your to check because I was, you know, Kenny Anderson and Bob came to one of the games and he ain't looked at me one time but it took step take year ago. It took step, you know, but that's when I kind of like got my name and got on the map and that's when I got started getting recruited and stuff

so it was huge for me. Yeah, we know you play it with Shaq, who's a big prankster in L.A. You got to give us a wild Shaq prank or give us, you know, I know he's one of the best teammates ever, dude. Yeah, one of the best teammates ever.

Somebody got a genuine and given and taking care of people like Shaq was that. But I remember one time he has Devon George to do something, and Devin didn't do it. And so, you know, Devin, you know, Laid didn't do it, whatever. So Shaq's all right, cool. So the night before we had a game, Devin's, you know, I think on the court, shooting, whatever he's doing, the training room, whatever. So Shack goes in the stall and he takes a shit in Devon's shoe. Oh, my God.

And so he takes it and he knocks it, he knocks it, you know, so it goes all the way down to the front of the. And so Devin, Devin comes back, goes to put his shoe on, Dre, and he stuck his foot in some of it. Oh, my God. That is crazy. That was crazy. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Hey, that Shaq is wild.

Wow. Devin George is a rookie at that point? Yeah. He probably devastated. Wow, that's brutal, man. Shack is the biggest kid in the world, Doug. Shack is the biggest kid in the world. You know what I give Shaq credit for?

is I give Shaq credit for being a mega star but living his life. Yeah. Because you come across guys that, you know, they won't come out of house, you won't see him. Shack was out every day. So then it became,

oh, that's just Shaq. You know, and that's what he should do it. You know what I mean? Because, like, he was amongst the people. He did everything. Everything. So he was a hero.

Yeah, you can live a normal life. But if you just, you know, like, lock then, you come out every now and then. people don't see you. Like, it's harder for you to live at life. But Shaq, like, man, I'm just going to live. And it's probably the smartest thing you ever did.

You know what I'm saying? Because you're larger than life, but just to live every day life, like, you know, like me. Like, he just went out every day and did whatever you wanted to do. And people were like, oh, that's just Shaq. We saw him last week. You know what I mean? It was cool. Like, that was crazy.

Stack had the city on fire. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. You have the city on fire. You get traded to the Lakers on draft night. First three years, don't go your way. Fast forward to the 2001 playoffs. You find out that you guard in Igers.

How was that conversation with Phil? To backtrack, the year before, the year of what field got there was in 2000. That's when I had messed my knee up, and I got a micro fracture. So I was out for 10 months. So I was out the whole year we won that first championship. And so coming back the second year, it was kind of like, you know, back and forth

because they were just trying to figure out who was a good match and good fit. And so they brought in the guy, you know, Mike Penberthy, who was a sharp kid. Like, he could make ball all over the game. So, you know, back then, if you go on IR day, you got to sit out at least five games. It wasn't like you were addressing. So if they put you on IR, you got to sit out five games. And so it was like a whole year just back and forth with that. I was getting so frustrated.

And then one time they came and put me on IR. And I remember I came in and my cousin Duttle, I threw it, you know, like little marble fishbowls. I threw it through a glass table, man. He went, man, what the hell is going on? He put me on IR again. I was mad. I was, you know, whatever, going crazy.

But the craziest thing is back in those days, if you go on the, if you get on the playoff roster, you had to be chosen. So we in the war room, and he feels going around the room telling everybody who's on the playoff roster. And so at that time, we had Mike Penberthy, J.R. Rider, myself. And so when he called my name in the war room,

man, I jumped crazy. Kobe and I'm going crazy. No, everybody was happy. I was hype. You know what I'm saying? I left Mike Pemburthy and J.R. Rider off the playoff roster. So once you off, you can't play.

It don't matter. You can't play. Yeah, you can't play. Wow. You can't play. Yeah. So throughout the course of those playoffs, I was playing like, you know,

10, 12 minutes a game. And what people don't realize, it would have never been me in AI if Milwaukee would have beat the Sixers in the Eastern Conference because it had been Sam Casale, Ray Allen. They beat us. They beat us.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't play. You know, so now we get to the finals. And so the first game, when I check in, like, you know, I'm AI for two weeks. I'm playing AI, you know, running around fast, doing all this stuff. And so I didn't know if I was going to play or not.

But first game, with six minutes to go in the third quarter, he had 36 points. And I hadn't played yet. So the first time I checked in was six minutes ago in the third quarter. He had already had 36. Oh, man. That's brutal. He was cooking that game. He was cooking that game.

Oh, man. So you got to think, like, as a young dude, you know, growing up, same height. Like, I analyzed AI too. You know what I'm saying? Like, even we close in age, but, like, that was the, like, the cold. you know, stand up for, you know, who we are as a culture, who we are as people, and to live it on the level that he did, I mean, that was huge to me, you know, and so when I had a chance to go in the game, like I said, a step over and all that,

like at the time, I didn't even know it was a big deal. Like, he caught me over and I fell down and, you know, like he made a, you know, a shot, I contested it, and I stepped on his foot, you get to death over, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. But to happen. But if it wasn't for that series, if it wasn't for AI, making it to the finals, I might be out of league that next year today. Wow.

You play, you're bald, though. You ball, though. Yeah, but that put me on the map. But that put me on the map. Because if I didn't have that matchup with him, like I ended up playing 27 minutes a game in the finals. You know what I mean? But if I didn't have that matchup with AI,

I wouldn't have a matchup against Toronto, who had Alvin Williams and Vince Carter, Milwaukee, who had, you know, Big Sam and Ray and those guys, you know, BD. So I would even have a matchup. So thankfully, you know, thank God he made it to the finals and like, okay, we need a different, you know, we need a different guy to guard. You know, and I saved my career for us.

So it was a blessing in disguise. So the stepover was worth it. It was well worth it. I do it again. Because you know they're doing it in football. I was going to ask you, you know, how you feel about all that, you know. I mean, for me, I don't feel bad. Like I said, it was a part of the history.

It's a moment of history. You know, but like, it's a lot. like I got crossed over and fell down. Right. You know what I'm saying? Like I could test the shot. Step back on his foot and I kind of roll my ankle.

You know what I'm saying? But they make a big deal of it. But like I said, I don't pay out of my man. Like I don't, if I can win a championship, I'll let him step over me right. You know what I'm saying?

Right now. Come step over me right now. You're talking about to win a cat. That part. That part. That far. Oh, man. You end up leaving the Lakers after that.

going to the Washington Wizards. End of that September, Black Cat, MJ, D. Michael Jordan decides he is going to return and play for the Wizards. How did you learn about MJ making his return? And was there any indication before he announced it

that he was going to be coming back and playing that season with you? So it's funny how it happened because, you know, during that series, um, with the Philly Lakers, you know, after that series, you know, Doug Collins, he's the one that made them step when we're famous.

If it weren't for him, people probably would have made a big deal out of it. Oh, he's funny. Because he became the head coach to next year with the Whistler. Wow. And so after him watching that series, like, that's my biggest payday. You know, and it gave me two years, four million. You know what I'm saying? And I was going to make $400,000.

You know what I'm saying? So, like, no, 600,000. So I was like, okay, I got to take this deal, but it was rumblers that MJ might come back. But, you know, MJ was part of the front office already. And so a guy you idolized and looked up to, if I could be a part of MJ, like, you know, ain't getting $4 million to meet it. Come on, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah, like, I'm gone. You know what I'm saying? So that's what happened. And then when I did sign, you know, MJ came back and, like, to have a chance to play with MJ and like, come on, man. Like, you go from Kobe and Shaq to MJ. Like, come on, you couldn't ask. I could have, you couldn't have, I could have retired.

After those two years of MJ, I couldn't retire there and been to the happiest being in the world. Nobody who ever think you'd be that blessed to, you know, to have that, you know, play with Kobe, Shaq and George. Yeah, that's crazy. Only you and Horace Grant. Oh, wow. Yeah, yeah.

I know we talked about MJ dropping 51 on us, but I was happy MJ came back that year because I had 30 the game before, and I was MJ that night. So I just saw my kids that. You feel me? Hey, if Jordan don't come back, I don't get 30.

I can't tell my kids that I played. They wouldn't believe I even played. It wasn't for that damn duck. But like one of the most iconic plays, one of the most iconic plays at MJ's career was the Chase Down Block on Ron Mercer. What was that? That was crazy.

Oh, so you just around Chase Down blocks. That's just your thing. No, I mean, I guess, I mean, I was part of it because I was there when Tachshon, Blocked Reggie Miller. That's crazy. That's your Chimper chairing. Yeah.

Wow. You do it there. There for that. Yeah. Just bad love. Brian. Ron. Ronald Eagle Dallel.

And then Jordan and Murson when he pitted against a glass two hands. Wow. Yeah. That was crazy. And Ron Merser was like an All-American. I thought that was the thing that killed his confidence. As to Jordan did that. He was the only one in our class, too.

He was. 95. Yeah, him and KG, Steph, you know, but, like, Ron Burser was, shout out to Ron Murphy. There was a legendary 2010 pickup team. In Vegas, yeah. There was a legendary pickup team

in Las Vegas Impact. No, for training. No, we, it was a league. I think they tried to give y'all credit. It wasn't a league. It was just runs, but y'all cheated. It was run. All the time, you, you, Chatsy.

Yeah, y'all was cheating, bro. Day, Day, let me tell you what happened. So, in the league, I was a solid player. But in the summertime, I was like that. Oh, my God. Hey, bro, oh, my God. Him all alone. And so we had, you all liked this story, too, because he's your partner, Day Day.

So we played Best of Seven series every day for two months. We had the same team. We didn't lose a series for two months. And the team we had were just all guys that were just like middle-go-packed players, you know what I'm saying, any NBA. But together it was me, Tayshan, Jared Dudley, Patrick O'Brien, and our best player was Alan Anderson. Wow, double A.

Oh, my God. Double-A. Oh, my God. Dude. Jordan that summer. Hey, hey, De Dey,

he was Jordan that summer. Biobolical, bro. Like, it was just running a thing. Like,

we never got beat. So they bought him Beattie and Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, Ron our test. Guys was flying in L.A. Like,

are we going to beat this? Nobody beat us to host some Chansy, Kyle Lari, J.O. We, hey, everybody.

Y'all read, y'all read, y'all ran this show. I ain't going to even lie. We could have, we could have beat y'all. But, remember I had Tony,

Allen on my team. Hey, and T.A. Oh, my God. T.A. Pass the ball, bro. I'm out here working

on my game, too, OG. Like, no, not today. Hey, bro, get a. Hey, Day, day,

we blitzing, picking rolls. Hey, bro, they call a set. Yeah, we rotate, J.O. Catching the Post

with Patrick O'Brien. We come double team. He kicking the ball. You're a double team. Pete Matt J.O. Matt. Hey, Don, dudes was bad. Frustard. Hey, that's

funny. I can't remember if it was that summer, but I know I have been up to Impact when you were up there, T. Lou. Because I remember the day that I was up there. Big Baby was up there. Dee Jones came in,

yelling to the top of his long, talking shit to everybody. Then you can. Because Joe D. Joe D has sent me, Jordan, a couple more of our friends out there to train for like four or five days. So we was out there training that impact.

Yeah, on the little side court. They relax yourself, bro. Like, we got main court work. Joe Dumas said us, we got main court work. Stop it. There was a little side court and then the defunct court. Oh, all right. It's cool.

It's cool. Y'all both. You're both old as hell now. How about that? And I'm going to be doing it too. I'm telling them. I think I'm going to say that when I make the team next year. Yeah, y'all both old as hell.

Now, you want to, nah, take the side court. But Joe Bounizard, man, he had, he ran a hell of a television. Yeah, he did. Yes, he did. Joe would impact, man. That was, that was huge, though. Yeah, no, he did a great job for sure. Tilo, what's your biggest coach and what if?

What if Brown stays in Cleveland? And what if Katie doesn't go to Golden State? that's a good one what what player is the hardest to game playing for it's always been step like you know

I think you know step is I mean is one of the hardest I mean the hardest guy to game plan for because of like everything he creates he creates everything off his movement you know what I'm saying

and people always want to try to duplicate you know what Golden State does but you can't duplicate that because your best player who was a Hall of Fame who was top five player in the league, like that's how he wants to play. You know, so they got to come, man, why we don't, like, you know, not our best, why is I going to run around like that?

He's not. Oh, you're going to run around like James Harding going to run like that. Like, you know what I mean? So you can't duplicate that. And that's why I always say, like, you got to coach to your personnel, not to your system. You know what I mean? Your personnel has to fit your system.

If not, you got to change and do different things. It's like every year I coach different. I got a different system, you know, every year. But Steph is the player that loves to play that way. You know what I mean? And so when you have your best player that wants to play that way, it's easy to do because their basketball is in line. But if you don't have that personnel and having guys to do that,

it's hard to play that style of basketball. No, 1,000 percent. I totally agree. We're always in for a good list before we get out of here. Appreciate you taking all this time, by the way. I hope I, I hope I cost you. y'all lost so we can catch up with y'all but you know that's a that's a good story we're going to play for a couple days you know what I'm saying we always love a good list

so I'm asking you this question I also love that it's become more of a thing like there's more of us and like that's the way it should be your top five coaches that are players that turn coaches of all time what What are the qualifications, though? Do it just dudes who coached? No, they were NBA players. And then they are the top five, they were NBA players,

the top five coaches that were players turned coaches. I was going to Doc Rivers. I would say Al Adels. Oh, the great RIP. The great Al Adams. I would say Bill Russell. Oh, my God. Casey Jones.

Uh-huh. And then probably Lenny Wilkins. No, Phil. Right. No way. Oh, feel, yeah.

I mean, I mean, I'm sorry. But I, yeah, yeah, but like, feel,

like, feels like kind of grandfather, yeah, like you talk about it. The most Jack, no, no,

you don't count Shaq. We don't, you don't say, like you're your own, you know, your own, you know, stuff.

But, yeah, I mean, yeah, like, I feel like Phil and Pat is in, like, their own

in another ballpark. Yeah. You put me on us, I forget about Pat. Yeah, Parvarii, that's another one, huh?

You got to ask me, I got to write that down first and then I got it. You know what I'm saying? But here's the thing, though, T-Loo, I love Pat, I love Phil,

but the same thing kind of ends up happening with MJ where you're like, yo, he in his own ballpark, but like,

no, but like people can catch up. You know what I'm saying? Like, people have put, Phil, again, and Phil and Pat, nobody's caught up.

But, ah, maybe pop. Nobody's caught up. But, We always put these guys in these categories. Like they can't, their stuff can't be touched. But like it's guys working towards that.

Like I feel like when people talk to goat debate, for instance, a lot of people just say like Brian, like they ain't going to say it's Brian or they ain't going to say it's Kobe because they come after MJ. Not saying that they are better, but just because you come after, like what is it that has to go on for someone to be like, okay, they are in that category with feeling that the guy, Fathers Field and Pat. You can win.

You know, I think the biggest thing when you look at that, no matter who's on a team or who's playing, like you got to win at a high level, you know. And so if I look at Pat Riley, when I look at field, like they won at an elite level. Like they have a pop, five rings, Steve Kerr, four rings. Like, you know, so like they've won at an elite level.

And so I just, I base everything out winning, you know, me, you know. And so when you look at Pat Riley, You look at Red Hourbog. You look at, you know, Phil Jackson. Like, it's, I mean, I know you should exclude them, but, like, they're just in their own life. Yeah, for sure. You know what I mean? And then you just kind of go from there.

But, well, man, now, we got to start all over again then, Derey. Let's go. Go for it. But that about Steve Kirk? Stevie Kurt. Yeah, Steve Kerr. I was going to Stevie Kurt next. But you forget, like, the players that actually coached, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah. So Steve Kerr. Doc. Doc. Lenny Wilkins. Lenny. Are you basing off like? I was basing it off of your hoop game and then how you won as a coach.

Yeah. Would you like, was you a solid player? Like, would you a solid player in a hoop game and solid as a coach, you mean? Yeah. I mean, you know what we're going to do? We're going to go mixing the player and the coach, the greatest of all time. Stevie Kerr, you drop out, my friend. Oh, no.

Oh, no. He made one of the biggest shots of the NBA. He did, but he made the shot. Like, come on. Steve Kerr got me. I love Steve Kerr. That's my guy. Steve Kerr got me socked in my chest in San Antonio.

He's going to flash his championship rings on me. And he had the highest three-point percent, I think, in NBA. He did. He did. Steve Kerr was tough, Dre. I ain't rolling. He was tough. Players, you got Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson.

Pat Riley. Dot, All-Star. Doc, Bill, I mean. Bill Russell, of course. That Lady Wilkins was my number one pick, right? Yeah, Lenny Wilkins won one as a player in a case, too. Benny one, yeah. It's tough.

Yeah. It's tough. Those lists are always tough, man. We respect all them goats, by the way. This is just fun. Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson.

Magic was all. awful coach. He wasn't an awful coach. When you have great players to try to coach, they don't have the patience. That's a fact. Zeke, when we see you? Yeah, like, yeah, like, magic,

I'm never going to be you. Like, you can't get mad at me because I can't throw over the heat. Yeah. Yeah. When you're great like that, they don't have the patience to, you know what I'm saying, to do a day. And they didn't think everybody's going to be as great as them,

but they don't work. like that. No, for sure. We respect all these greats. We love them. T. Lou, man, we can't thank you enough, my brother. This was incredible. Hey, and by the way, I got to share this story before we go. I was going through my stuff last year,

and I talked to T. Lou face to face, fresh on suspension. And T. Lou told me something very interesting, and I'd be trying to practice that. And I will say I've taken steps in the right direction, meaning I pick and choose. T. Luce said, Dre, you gotta still be you.

He's like, you, you ain't special not being you. He's like, that's what makes you special. You have to be you. And you have to play with that same fire and you have to be that same guy. He said, but it can't be everybody. Like, it can't be you going at your teammates and then going at your coach and then going at the referees and then going at players on the other team. It can't be everybody.

You got it like, maybe you have to, like, maybe you have to, All right, cool, move on, right? Like, he said, but you can't, it can't be everybody. And I just wanted to share that. And I just wanted to say thank you because that at that time was huge for me. And it's actually a lot better for me and implemented than that. You know, some games, I'm like, yo, I'm at this dude today. Some games, I'm like, yo, it's a referee.

I really don't like him. I'm at him right now. Like, you know, but it is like, yo, pick and choose. Like, it can't be this, can't be that, can't be this, can't be that. And so, number one, I wanted to say thank you for that gym. That free game. I appreciate that, my brother. But that was big for me.

Yeah, I mean, because he's playing so much in the game. And like you said, you know, when your mind's everywhere, you can't focus on what you're trying to focus on. And so you can't be mad at coaches, mad at the players, mad to reps, mad the other team, mad at the fans. You know what I'm saying? And now it's time for you to swing, swing, you got a shot. You're so wound up.

You're ready to fight everybody in the building. That's how you get a shot. You can't get you. You know, but now, like I say, I do, you know, appreciate what you bring like a brother to me, you know. So I just wanted to, you know, it wouldn't be right if I didn't tell you, like, you know, what I thought. You could take and do what you want with it,

but, like, I just feel like I would have been a brother if I didn't, you know, tell you, like, you know, this is how it should be. So I'm glad you're able to, you know, implement that and kind of go from there. I appreciate you, brother. And the words of B.D. The T. Louisism.

It's a wrap from this episode of the Dremont Green Show. Shout out to you fans. We appreciate y'all tuning in. Until next time, the Dremont Green Show with my dog, BD. It's a wrap. Yeah. Peace. The volume.