The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Kenny "The Jet" Smith On Return Of NBA & His New Virtual Basketball Camp

Episode Date: June 30, 2020

Play Sports Talk 790 on IHartRadio. Well, you just heard it. The Jet has a brand new virtual camp, and we're going to talk to about that right now here on Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show. Happy late anniversary to the Jet and the rest of the Houston Rockets. Kenny joins us here on the Matt Thomas show. Kenny, a long time, no talk.

How are things, friend? Man, everything's going okay, man. you know, in the pandemic and the social unrest, but we're doing well. We're doing well during these times. You know, it could be different. Oh, no question about that. I've got to ask you a stupid question. You ready?

Before we get to the academy. Yeah. When I was the arena announcer for the team back when you were running the championships, I never called you the Jet. And I went to look it up yesterday about you got the name the nickname the Jet from your, I guess, a high school coach or somebody that watched you. Why didn't I ever call you that when you play in the NBA? It actually went away.

I was a jet in all, like my senior year of high school, I was a jet. Everywhere, everyone say in New York City, yo, jet, yo jet. Right. And I return. I went to North Carolina. I didn't take the moniker with me. So people didn't know me.

So the college students, they just called you kidding. So I didn't take it with me. Went into the NBA, didn't take it with me into the NBA. Kevin Harland is, you know, one of the T&T hosts, he's listening to Paul Richardson and Chris Mullen talk to me. And they're like, and Chris Mullen's from New York City, he's like, Jet, blah, blah, blah, blah. Hey, Jet. And so he goes, what is that Jet?

I was like, well, that was my nickname in high school. Okay. As forward. Now I'm on T&T. And he goes, Ernie Johnson and passing back to Ernie Johnson and Kenny Johnson and Kenny the Jet Smith, and it stuck again. He said it on TV, and then Ernie goes, what is the jet? I was like, that's my nickname.

And so Ernie was like, okay, getting the jet here, and then it stuck. So it went, it all through high school, and then it went away for like 13 years, and it came back when I started at T&T. Okay, because I don't feel nearly as bad now because I, when I do the PA right now for the Rockets, I change up names and kind of move things around a little bit. I'm like, damn, I called Kenny's games for three. three years inside the summit, I never called him a jet once, and I feel terrible. And so thank you for clearing that up there. No question.

It's like that whole nickname. I got you. And the Jet Academy, you've been working with this for a very long period of time, and now you've gotten some of your NBA and WNBA buddies to get together for a little virtual camp. Tell the folks about a little bit. Well, you know, the social distancing, the quarantine, I have a 12-year-old son. I'm like, I can't send them to camp. And so all the cancel can't.

I have a campus cancel. I was like, what am I going to do with my son and my daughter who love the sport? What can they do? So I just created a streaming service. And I'm like, I just can't do it myself. Let me go get some of the top NBA and WNBA players. So I got Campbell Walker, Trey Young, Victor de facto, Brianna Stewart, Brittany Griner, Sue Byrd, and said, you know, that's the start of it.

you be everyone's personal trainer for two hours a day. And they were like, oh, that's a great idea. So everyone here, but the difference is we're doing it live. So we're live, just like you can ask questions live. You can get in the Q&A chat rooms. You can talk. You could see it live. You go side by side live with your favorite players.

And all you have to do is go to Jetacademycamp.com and register. And that, to me, was a difference maker. during this time. My kids are like they're consuming and producing information through these devices. And now you can do it on any device anywhere, your laptop, your phone, your pads. All you have to do is have a basketball and you could be part of this community on Jet Academy cam.com. I mean, you didn't mess around. Kimball Walker, Victor Oladipo, and Treong.

I mean, three. I'm working on some rockets. That's all I'm going to say. I'm working on getting a couple of rockets, too, because I'm the rocket. I'm hosting it every day. But yeah, I couldn't mess around. It had to be, you know, guys who are all-stars and perennial all-stars right now. And WNBA, MVP, Brianna Stewart, champion, and NBA champion.

And it was funny because I'm talking to Kimba, and he's so famous right now for that pullback move. And he, you know, between the legs, pullback. I said, Kimball, you got to show that move. He's like, oh, I'll do it. I said, no, no, no. You got to show it and tell us why and when you use it. he's like, you want to give all the secrets? I was like, yeah, you've got to give the secrets to our community so they know what they're doing.

Like, we have to expose it, expose that. He started laughing. He's like, all right. So it's a real side-by-side instructional live instead of a video. You're live, and you're doing it, like I said, on Jet Academy Camp.com. All right, Kenny, let's be real here just for a second. How are these grown-ass men who have a great live? style, lots of money, going to behave themselves in the bubble?

Well, I think that the reason you're one of the best 327 players, regardless of some of your things that go on in your life, is that you do have a degree of discipline that's different from everyone else. You know, to be, you know, you always hear the story about the guy who plays the guitar, the rock guy or the hip-hop person, and they spent hours DJing in their basement. And that's the discipline of excellence that these people have. So I'm not expecting anything different in that. I know it's going to be harder because, you know, your families,

but you're not around. And a lot of them, the older players, you know, in the league, their kids, you know, not being able to see them. But that's the discipline. That's going back in the back cage like I used to do. I used to play in a gym called a Los Italian Hall in Queens. And I'd be in that gym nine hours. Like, this is that.

This is what that is. And so it's actually easier for certain guys more easier than you think. Well, I hope you're right, because I had Eric Gorn on the show a few weeks ago. He's like, are you telling me all I got to do is play basketball, eat and rest to go win a championship? I'm all for that. So let me ask you this. Kenny Smith, with us from TNT, former Rocket, among many things, the jet. Is there any team that you think gains a small advantage?

or is it just because there's so many good teams, heavy teams, especially at the top of the West, that they're all veteran-laden, they're all chasing a title, that there isn't a particular advantage for one team over the other? Yes, I think the younger teams have a little bit of an advantage. Because if you're young and experienced, you have an advantage. I think teams like Boston, teams like Dembler, teams like Milwaukee. Because when you're a 12-year vet, you have a ritual to get in shape and not to overdo it in the summer.

So you get into a habit. And you get in shape a little bit during training camp. That's why LeBron teams, if you look at them over the years, they get better as the season goes on. And where the younger teams, they come out the gate fast. So teams, there's only one gate now. It's a race to the finish in a month. So those teams who've been all for three months,

those younger players only know one way to get ready right now. they don't have the wear and tear on their body. So I think they have an extreme advantage coming back after three months. They're not coming back after two weeks. This is three months. It's crazy. I had Ernie Johnson a few weeks ago, Jet, and I asked him about what the group texts are like between you and the inside the NBA crew.

You want to give us a little detail of what y'all are talking about? It's funny because the group text is more like a – Jack is never – and he's a group texter. He's the one who leaves a lot of it, but he's a FaceTime. He's going to, every, you know, it's going to be 1.30 in the morning, and you're going to see a FaceTime that sound come on your phone and it's him. He loves to look like FaceTime people all the time. He never just, like, calls you on a regular moment.

So he's more FaceTime. Charles is, he's like, oddly, he's middle of the day caller. I'm more of a consistent, like, every Thursday you're going to get something. from me. Every Thursday, you're going to get something from me. And Ernie is just, he just kind of keeps there, he stitches it all together. He's always answering everybody's text and email. But a call is typically led by Shaq, and it's some hilarious video that he's found on the internet. Well, I'm surprised he hasn't talked about his pizza yet. I watched wrestling last night, because I was really bored, and that damn Shakaroni pizzas out, he's publicizing it like

15 times in one show. funny thing you think about Shaq you know when I was telling them about it's interesting now I think I'll announce it here is when we're talking about the Jet Academy camp dot com right so he's like you know Kenny oh that's a great idea uh I love that idea it's like okay man appreciate he's like you know what you know it's COVID the first 10,000 kids I'm going to take $35 off I was like what he's like yeah just announce it 35 first 10,000 kids 35 and all they have to do is put in the code big shack. So I created a big shack code if you put in a big shack when you're signing out.

So you get $35 off courtesy of Shaquille O'Neill in the Jet Academy Camp.com. Oh, very, very nice. All right. So everybody keeping on that. I was like, it's unbelievable, man. He's unbelievable. He really is. He's one of the athletes.

And I want to talk about you. But he's done actually probably as much off the court. He and Magic to me have come across as guys that have done his much off the court than they were did on the court. They were both obviously Hall of Fame basketball players. Well, he's Shack a Clause. He really is. Like I said, this is, I'm like, that's Shack of Clause.

You're giving away $35 to 10,000 kids to sign up for Jettacaddy.com and you put in the big shack code. And he came up with the whole promotion. He's like, they call it the Big Shack code. Big Shack. Just let him put in Big Shack and they get it. And like, that's you, it just spills out of them. It doesn't, you don't even have to like, you know what I mean?

like convincing to do things like that. Matt, it's unbelievable. That's great to hear. And again, I've always been a fan of his from a distance. And I certainly didn't mind watching highlights of the 19905 championship when you guys beat him in four straight games. And does that ever come up in conversation all? I mean, I think I've asked you that every time you've been with me over the years, but does 95 ever get brought up in conversation just to needle him a little bit? All the time.

You know, his line is, I just respected a king too much. That was my problem. Oh, my gosh. I just respected him too much. So I would give him too much respect. I didn't like David Robinson. I didn't like Patrick Ewing. I had it where I could not like them, you know,

meaning like he could play against him and like build himself up to say I don't like him. He said I can never do that with a team. I try to build myself up. And I look at him, I go, man, I want to be like. Well, here's the thing. I see D. Scott all the time when I'm traveling with the rocket. doing the radio, and I have to like him. I mean, A, because we beat him, so that made me happy, but he's a likable fella.

So it's just very hard to really, you know, be mad of him for a guy that you beat four straight times for a second championship. Yeah, it's interesting how much he did respect to Keynes. You know, because we talk about, I'd say if we're together 10 times, we talk about Akeem at least four. You know, we're going to talk, we're going to talk about stories. any questions about what was he like in the locker room, what would he like personally. He just adored Akeem Elijah one.

Right. I mean, we all did, but I think we understand why now. But he said he could not get the same energy that he could face the way he faced Patrick. He said he used to make up stories and then start believing him. He's like the whole David Robertson not signing his autograph when he was in high school. I don't know if you heard that story. He said, that's why he went out of so hard. He said to me, like, two years ago, he's like, that never happened.

I'm like, what do you mean? Never happened. He's like, I just made it up to get mad at him. So I had to play getting mad at him. Well, guess what? Hey, Kenny, Michael Jordan makes up stories, too. So all you superstar players like to make up stories in the NBA. You know what I'm saying?

Oh, my gosh, no question. All right, before I let you run, real quick. Give me some update on the TNT aspect of the broadcast in these games. You got what kind of bells and whistles you guys going to have? Well, I'll show, you don't, there's so many. differences that's going to be on throughout the, you know, years, our show is going to probably look the most familiar. You know, our studio is big enough to have, you know,

to make our desk a little bit different, but I'll still be running to the big board. We'll still be together. The studio will be set up a little bit more social distance. But it will look familiar, I think, for a lot of viewers. And I think that's important more than anything in this time is, I just want to feel a little bit like home. You know what I mean?

Right. It's like going into that the cheers bar, you know, and you want to know where everyone knows your day. I think that is big to happen during this time as well. Jet Academycamp.com is the website. If you mention Big Shack, $35 off. So when does the camp start officially? July 20th, it starts.

sign up start now. We do have some limited space in certain areas in camps because they're filling up fast. We just want to make sure everybody has a great experience. So, yeah, Jet Academy Camp.com. Sign up start now. All right. When the Rockets go to Atlanta next year, I want you to get me into the TNT Studios. So I want to run to the big board once and say, that's one of my bucket list things. You can you make that happen for me. Say no more. I got you, brother. Kenny, good hear from me, friend. Congratulations on the Jet Academy stuff and continue your excellence on television, my friend.

Thanks for the time. Appreciate it. You got it. Kenny Smith with us here on the Matt Thomas show.