The Ringer NBA Show - Austin Rivers on Podcasting as an Active NBA Player and Life as a Role Player in the League | Real Ones

Episode Date: September 25, 2023

Logan and Raja are joined by NBA veteran Austin Rivers to talk about navigating the balance between being an active player and hosting his own podcast and to discuss his life as a journeyman in the league (1:00). Next, they unpack what he said about trying to land a guaranteed contract later in your career as a pro and why the right situation is so important (27:00). Finally, the guys close with their Real Ones of the Week (43:00). The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out theringer.com/RG to find out more or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Guest: Austin Rivers Producer: Jonathan Kermah Production Assistant: Kai Grady Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey everyone. I'm Mallory Rubin and I am thrilled to tell you that House of VAR has a new podcast feed. Joanna Robinson and I will now be with you twice a week with more of the deep dives you've come to know and love on the ring of universe. In addition to exploring all of your favorite nerd culture new releases, we'll have nostalgic revisitations, hype meters, hall of fame inductions, tropes courses, drafts, and more. All bad babies are welcome as we dive into Star Wars, Marvel, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and beyond. Follow the new House of Our feed on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. What's popping? Logan Murdoch here, Roger Bell there.

Roger, we have a special guest in the building. This is someone that I have, like, I feel like every time he comes to town or somewhere and where I'm at, I make sure that I go to his game, honestly just to ask if he'll come on the pot. I literally, that's literally the whole thing, right? And so we have a co-worker on the program, the host of OffGuard with Austin Rivers. We have Mr. Austin Rivers in the building. What's up, Austin?

How you doing, bud? What's up, guys? How you doing? Raj, big fan, man. I grew up watching you, man. It's mutual, bro. Mutual. Yeah, I grew up watching you battle, bro,

especially in that defense. You were crazy. That's what's up, man. Your dad was like one of my favorite, or still is, but like when I played, he was always one of those dudes, man. I just wanted a chance to play for him, bro. I loved what he did.

Coach, I've been a fan. He's been a hard time lately, man. He's been on his mess, bro. Fuck that. What makes a doc like a coach that you want to play for? What's what is the, what are the attributes? For me?

Yeah, I know you guys got obviously two different perspectives, but yeah, well, for you. Well, first of all, his teams,

his teams were having hell of success, but like, I, you know, when you're, when you're around the court, like you get to kind of know and you get a vibe from the people that are on the court with you,

whether they be coaches or players and, and you always get reports from, you know, people that you have on other teams. And Doc always seemed like, you know, a player's coach in regards to understanding what we went through on a daily and what the life was like and kind of the grind that is the NBA season. And I always thought he was hella relatable. And I just liked his style, man. So I always thought, I always thought given the opportunity, there were a few guys like that, but Doc was one of them.

Yeah. Your player type was definitely his style in terms of like just playing hard, defending, playing the right way. you know, guys that don't force shots, you know, you would fit. He's a technical. You look at the guys who have played well under him, you know, Pat Beverly is like, Montres Harrow had like, you know, the guys who play off energy, you know, DeAndre at one point, and the list goes on. Even myself, I have my best years playing on that team.

You definitely finish playing style, so I appreciate that. That's done. One of the things that, you know, we wanted to talk to you about, and I know that we've been trying to get you on the, program for a while, but there was something, obviously, that happened last week. And y'all can go Google that. I don't want to go into the specifics of it. But I think it, one of the things listening to your pod last week, Austin, it really made me think about the relationship between players and media. Obviously, you're talking about player media, and that's something that Raja,

obviously, has dealt with. And you're kind of coming into this fold. And how has that been for you, just kind of just adjusting to being in that, in that? mode of like, you know, I'm stating my opinion, but now this is just, this is, this is something that are, how are you, how is your voice kind of evolving now that you're in this space now? How has it been for you? I've had to really go about, I think at the beginning process, I try to work myself into it slow in terms of just not being too opinionated early on just because I was trying to get the hang of it and understanding what the players like or react to.

And then when I started to be more honest and just kind of candid, especially as recently you do get a little bit of especially when you're currently playing they just react differently especially players and you know it's tough because it's hard to have an opinion

without offending anybody and especially if you're just being honest obviously last week I had words or you know even some things I've said this summer nothing negative or bad I've never tried to put anybody down but you know a topic's brought up

and we're talking about something if I say anything and you know this too Rod I mean they're gonna like you know a player could just see that one sound bite and have something to say

so it's been an adjustment man because I don't want to burn bridges and I don't want to burn relationships especially when you're still trying to play and like go fit in the team and be liked by your teammates and stuff so it's like I had that one comment last week

I don't think Charlotte's calling you know what I mean it's just like just because I said what I said you know what I mean Like so that's what sucks because I'm just being honest, but then now I'm sure they're like, well, fuck, Austin. You know, so it's like, it's really hard to have a pod while you're still playing, man. I'm still adjusting to it, but at this point, I'm just kind of just being honest.

You know, I'm not going to ever try to be controversial, but I don't want to do the pot if I can't talk. So that's really, that's really, really interesting. And I hadn't really thought of it, like, from that perspective, right, of how difficult it would be to navigate that. that still trying to play, like, and still in my career, right? Because they always want you to, like, the first thing they target for someone like yourself or me when I came out was like, does he have an opinion? Can he articulate it? Right?

So they're not looking for someone who doesn't have an opinion and can't speak it. Yet, you know, you are navigating this mind field of like, man, I'm still trying to get a gig. You know, if I offend X, Y, and Z, the relationships that they have, how far does that extrapolate out? Like, how far am I going to burn this bridge? Is it like fractionally burn? have I torn the whole shit down to the studs? And really, like, you do a really good job of it because I'm not so sure I could.

Like, honestly, it took me a while on this side of the mic, even when I was done playing, to really open up and be forthright and 100% honest with myself and Logan and the listeners. But, you know, that's really interesting. I hadn't thought of it from that point. Like, that's got to be really difficult to have a true pod where you're actually, you're actually bearing kind of your opinion in a way that my defense. some people. Yeah, I mean, it's like someone to ask me, even on the podcast, if someone asked me

a simple question of who's better on LeBron or K.E. No matter who I answer, if any of the other players sees that, they're going to be like, man, fuck that guy. You know what I mean? Like, just something simple as that. Like, so it's like, it's crazy. Some of the things I've set in my pod and then I was like moved around, even the summer to the summer league.

And there has been some guys that I've had to talk about on my pod. And then like you see him and you just like, man, that shit's weird. You know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't try to be on like your head top, bro. But how many cats? I mean, like, I'm just curious. You don't have to necessarily share. But like, of course you're going to get that.

You're going to get the dude who's offended. And, you know, they got the thin skin. And you know what? I find it interesting. Like, I don't know how you feel about it. It's usually to do it with like the highest profile. It's got the thinnest skin. Like usually a journeyman or some shit like that.

Like, we're used to it. So like, it's whatever. But how many cats come up to you and have you had anybody say, hey man I really appreciate that I appreciate what you're doing like I know that's got to be difficult but I appreciate you for speaking your piece I've had a I've had a lot of people come up to me that's the only compliment I get on the pot is that they like my honesty for the most part you know what I mean people are usually like man I like how you just kind of tell how it is but I think I'm like bro you don't even know what I cut out we'll record and I try to just go full

like full send and then after we have to spend like an hour and a half cleaning this shit up just because I don't want to I'll say something something like, bro, I can't say that, man. You know what I mean? Like, and you know, bro, you've been around the league. You know how much fuckery. You know how much fuckery goes on. Like, y'all both do, bro.

Like, imagine if we, like, really, really tell what goes on. So it's just like, because at the end of there, there, there's a difference between me telling stories and me being messy. And I don't want to be viewed as, I don't want to be messy. I don't want to be controversial. I don't want my name to be someone that is known for,

like, starting stuff and spilling tea. And, like, I don't want to be that guy. So it's hard. That's a good question, man. It's such an interesting balance, especially like, you know, I think I didn't get, I'm sure you're feeling this right now, Austin, where you're on this platform, like, especially like the ringer. You kind of don't realize like how many people are listening and you kind of get that in the first couple of weeks. It's like your initiation process. It's kind of weird how it works out.

And then you, you know, I remember my first year just being here and or just doing a podcast that was like, this is like you're really. you it's like you're walking on eggshells talking about the things you're talking about right like not even just offending people but making sure that you have maybe you heard what you heard was one person's side of the story right and then you have to and then you have to balance both of them to kind of have make sure you have a full fledged story in real time as a podcaster it's a very interesting line to to to walk how has that journey been for you right where you are kind you're we're speaking freely and you're supposed to speak freely, but then you still kind of have to have that line of not even just offending people,

but like I just said, like one, maybe you heard one side of the truth and you kind of like, and you're kind of speaking off the cuff. How do you kind of manage through that or trying to? Because you're very young in this, in this podcasting space. So how have you kind of figured that out?

I haven't yet. I haven't yet. I mean, I just went through this last week. man. Someone asked me about Charlotte, and I just was honest about it. You know what I mean? And again, I don't know the full story. I'm not there. And that's what Miles Bridges had alluded to when he had said something. You know, he's like, you're not in the locker. We don't see a day to day, which he is right. I'm not there. But my opinion is often just the evidence that is laid in front of me.

And also another thing, also another thing. People in the NBA talk. It's not like it's not like it's a, what you said was like it's not like another thing. thing. Everybody knows these things that are going on in this league. If you're around. I took it so light. I was like saying stuff on the surface. And I didn't say any names. That's why I was, I don't understand why he even responded to me. I never said his name, ever. I just said they had troubled youth there.

A lot of the young players are getting in trouble. That is just a historical fact over the past couple of years. There's multiple, multiple guys. And not even trouble. I'm talking about not with the law. I'm talking about just in the locker room. You know what I mean? But I'm not there. But that's just what I'm hearing it is a small world and a lot of players play there and then move on to other teams

and they'll i was charlotte or how was this place or this place people good players are always honest you know what i mean so i had said to that opinion and he took offense to it and i'm just like bro i don't have no problem with you actually i'm a fan of mom as a player i don't know i'm as a person but that i don't know man at some point you have to like stop caring what everybody thinks i'll never be disrespectful with it but unless and i've had people come at me recently like there's some guys that said something about me on their podcast. I was just like, bro. I don't know, man. I'm still trying to figure that out.

Sometimes I'll have some tweet. I'll have like a tweet ready that I'll draw that motherfucker. I'll be like, you know what, bro. Be and Rod talk about all the time. If this was happening in his day, he would be on IG live. He'd be do a hell of wild shit. If it was like back in his day, if we had all the resources we currently have now,

it would just be so different. That shit would be, I would be messy. And to you, like, that shit would not be good, man. Like, because without the perspective that I have now, though, I don't even, no, I couldn't handle it. Yeah, I'd be wanting to, man. But the only thing it stops me is every time I see someone do that, I'm like, look at this cloud.

Yeah. Yeah. You know what I mean? So I don't want anybody ever to get on my live and see me rant and they're like saying something like, but you got some perspective now, man. Like, like, you've been around the block. Like, I'm talking like, you know, shit, year two, things aren't going the way. Oh, yeah, yeah.

Like, for me, things ain't going the way. It's very easy. ain't nobody around to really chop it up with. And here goes this live. Sitting right. If we're just hit the button and you can put that shit out to everybody. Man, I would just be irresponsible with that.

Yeah, it's dangerous. It's definitely a dangerous day. That's crazy. Hey, let me ask you, let me ask you, like, I didn't come in, like when I started, I had no real idea what I wanted to do other than hoop.

Like, when this presented itself to you, was it something that you were seeking? Like, you were like, look, man, I'd like to get into that space. Like, I have a lot to say. Was it, was, was someone approaching you, were you apprehensive at all?

Were you like, damn, yeah, let me get into that. It came from just me being on the plane all the time, just traveling. You know, it is playing cards. And I'm always like just talking, you know, just about basketball, stuff, the industry, the entertainment, whatever. And guys are always like, well, you got to do a pod because I tell funny stories and stuff like that. And people always used to tell me that, like, you should do a pod. and I've always kind of resisted

because I understand how much time and effort goes into it. People don't understand like it's not just, you know, especially if you're getting guests and stuff like that. And tracking down players, as you know, bro, it's like it is a mission to get guys on the pod sometimes just with their schedule and whatever, whatever. So, you know, it's something I didn't know I wanted to get into and then you just start to think about after basketball, what you want you like to be like in terms of just, you know,

what you're spending your time on. going into something because like when you go from like being busy and cool to not being busy and everyone's favorite person anymore you know what I mean that's a big I just I just see it happen to like former players and that shit's scared the shit I was just like I'll never want to be like that you know what I mean seriously but I you hear some you know how it is wrong you see guys man that just be right after their careers they're kind of lost you know what I mean because they just it never ends the way they want to. There's only the one percentage get the end of their terms.

Austin, what's the biggest thing? I get a question for both of you guys. Like, when you're transitioning to that thing, what is the thing that fucks you up the most? What is the thing that you, that you can't get over? It's not the money, because it's not about the money at this stage, right? Obviously, it's a job, but when you get to this point, you've been playing basketball your whole life, like, what is it like when you see it about to be, it's an identity thing, right? Yeah, because you start to feel vulnerable for the first time again. You know what I mean? you go from being, most players, wherever they come from, they're one of zero,

maybe they only got in their neighborhood or their city that makes the league. You go from being this guy who has all this, and then once you're out, people are like, what are you doing now? The very vulnerable place for a player to be in when they're unsure, you know, to be unconfident to go into a workspace where people have more experience than you and they're better at you. I started to realize this when I would go do ESPN stuff and I'm hanging around Malika and all these people who have, you know,

200, 300 episodes under their belt. And just the way they're so confident, natural on TV and talking, you're like, oh, wow, there's levels to this. You know what I mean? And RJ, you know, all you guys who have been doing it for a long time, whereas I'm just now kind of getting into it.

And even if you are really good at something or natural at first, there's just still levels of just being, you know, quick and sharp. And it's vulnerable for players who are prone to be in pressure and high confidence to be not, good at something or not certain of what their future's like, man, that's a scary place. Yeah, that just, I think you kind of hit it on the head, man. It's like you've, you've come up

with this purpose and this drive. And I think, you know, when you lose that, if you don't have something else to pour it into, Logan, like, you know, it could be really confusing. It could be a really confusing time. Like, it helped for me because I had a very young family. So a lot of my time was spent, you know, trying to, trying to raise them and get them to different things. And then I found, you know, a couple outlets for this seek for perfection. Because I think that's what we all kind of do as athletes, right? Like you're just on this quest to be the best that you can be. And so that's all I know as a human being is like, though, I got to get better at it. I got to get better at something, but now I don't have anything. So what am I going to pour this into? And for me, I found golf. And

luckily I found golf and I found a group of former athletes that were all kind of going through the same thing I was going through at that time. Basketball players, football players, baseball players. So there was this group of people that, you know, the golf was great and we were competing and I'd be on the range every day pouring the same effort. I poured into basketball, into my short game. But, but then you had this, you know, this community of people that you could sit around and have a couple beers with. They knew exactly what you were going through, you know? And that was critical from my transition. It helped that you had people going through the same process as you. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Because, you know, it's a, that's a lonely thing. Like your wife doesn't,

I mean, she's there, and my wife was shagging balls for me, and she went through her own transition from a college athlete to not playing anymore, but not really completely understanding what that's like. My kids were too young. Like, everybody that hung around me just knew that, you know, it was, you know, all of those trips were off and they weren't coming to see me playing these arenas. So I'm really the only one living this. And then I met a whole group of people that were living it, you know, in real time with me.

And that was, it was just critical. I couldn't have done it without them. Now, it's one of the things I'm glad that you said, Austin, is just the time that it takes just to be good on television and be good on this next stage of your career and things like that. And I think that kind of gets lost when we get into the player media aspect of it is the, I think a lot of it, and I'm just speaking from the other side of the aisle where it seems like a lot of people feel like they could just do what we could do off rip because they see it on TV. And it's not the case. It's not, we're not at that, at that, that's just not what it is. Just like how you guys, for your whole life and career, you know, dedicated it to one thing in sports. We did that in media.

So what I'm saying, what I'm alluding to is how, where do you think we can find a new balance with all these new easy barriers of entry for athletes? What is the biggest thing an athlete should know when they're going. to the other side of the aisle, Austin, from the short time that you've been able to do it and as you're doing it, like, how, what, what do you think is the key to making a successful person in, in, and, and, and, and, player media, as we're starting to have all of these, these, these, these shows

and these, these platforms. Networking is essential. Getting after a comfort zone, I always tell the young guys at our team, I'm like, man, when y'all go over to these, you know, big cities or whatever, and y'all see these people stay at court side, it's always a tendency to go talk to the most famous you know guy on that

sideline and they don't understand the little dude right next to him or the guy right next to him who you don't know is on a whole different level of like just in terms of what they got of accomplishment yeah crazy yeah but you're just they're just not famous and just networking and getting to understand that they're there to see you play and they probably have a son somewhere that's a fan like it's it's a crazy

especially while you're in the door while you're still playing that phone picks up a little different. I think getting outside your comfort zone and trying to network or understand that there's people doing a lot cooler stuff than you. We're really good at playing basketball. There's people that are really good

at doing other things that are life-changing, businesses and empires that are being built. And you can put your name in those hats and those conversations just by talking to people, man. I think that's really, you know, important. Yeah, look, I would second that.

Like, I try to tell my young sons, I tell the kids that I coach, like that is, I wish that I had been better at the networking aspect when I played. Like that is a regret of mine. The other thing that I would say, Logan, specific to the young athlete that thinks he wants to be in the media game, and like they're different avenues.

And so figure out which one is good because being on TV is very, very different than sitting behind a microphone, you know, in podcasting. Do you know what I mean? And calling yourself a reporter with no real reporting skills or idea how to do that is very different than either one of the two that I just mentioned before. So like figuring out and taking, you know, these kind of go hand in hand,

the network and Austin just kind of referred to ESPN. I got a chance to do that a bunch of times. As you do different shows and you are on different mediums, like you figure out, okay, I like radio better than I like TV. Like those lights get bright. You stutter one time. You got the IFB in. It's a motherfucker telling you camera four when you're formulating a dog.

Like that, I don't like that shit. You know? That's just tough. Figure out what you like. while you have the opportunity to go out and try some things. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, you just put your head, you put your name in multiple hats, man,

and kind of see what sticks, what you feel, you know, what makes you fulfilled, what you enjoy doing. The pod's great because you're able to narrate your word. It's your conversation. You're going to put it out there the way you want to. That's the best thing. When you go on ESPN, you're vulnerable to be, it's alive. So, you know, it's one take, bro.

So if you say something, it's done. You know what I mean? Like, I've gotten trouble a couple times on live. back in the day when I was young, I was, you know, I would just say, I'd just blurt out something and you didn't understand the concept. You know what I mean? So, yeah, but I like both, though. I really do. I enjoy doing both. I never thought I'd really be into the media space. And then I started to do it. And you kind of like understand it's, you still feel part of the game. You got to watch games. You know, you got to keep up with not only NBA players, but you got to,

you know, draft prospects. I have a grassroots program. So now I'm like, I'm involved in that. and just being around the game that we all love, that's the most fulfilling part. You know what I mean, our podcast, obviously, we talk about a variety of things, but it's mainly centered around, obviously, basketball. And that's something that you can't put a price on. It still feels like you're involved.

So that's the best part about doing it. Before we get you out of here, I know we're going, we kind of alluded to this throughout this interview, but how are you approaching this step right now, right? Like you're going into, I guess, training camp in the next week, how are you getting through this point in your stages? And how is this, how does this part of your career where you are still a free agent have you looking ahead to what's next, whether it's on an NBA team or beyond? How are you going through this time right now?

Man, I wish I could say that it's just been so seamless. It's been extremely frustrated, to be completely honest, just because I know what I could do as a basketball player. You know, if I was 35, 36, I would be taking whatever I could get. But I'm 31 years old and I'm just not ready to put down the rock. You know what I mean? Like, I'm just not ready yet. And I just feel like I'm the best I've ever been in my life. Again, these are my thoughts.

And this is what I'm thinking. But when it's not reciprocating to other teams and they don't feel the same way in terms of not having a guaranteed deal already, that stuff can really like, it sets you back in terms of just being like, man, they don't really think I, you know, or whatever the case may be. If they don't think it's a personality fit or system fit, it's always, it's never personal, but it's very personal. to the player. And it's been frustrating. And I have, I have teams outside somewhere. So that's like the thing I know.

I do know I'm going to end up playing somewhere at some point. It's just the uncertainty of not knowing and what the situation is going to look like and where I'm going to be living. And is it going to be an opportunity or a good one? Like not knowing these things. It's like, it's not settling. You know, especially when all your friends are like, yeah, I got to go back from camp. You know, we got a camp for two weeks.

And you're just sitting there like, man, damn, bro. Like, I want to give us. I wish I had camp in two weeks, well. And I could go to camp, but we're trying to get a deal. So, you know what I mean? We're still at that stage right now. But there's only like a week and a half, two weeks left. And with this, the new way it's kind of working right now,

everybody keeps that last, that last slot for training camp. That's why you bring guys to camp, you know what I mean? So, like, it's tough for teams to give that away. People are like, you know, there's still 20 spots off. I'm like, yeah, but teams are saving that spot for a reward a young player. You know what I mean? It can't. So we'll see, I got to wait for the dust to settle.

I got to wait for the dust settle, unfortunately. If you're not in that first wave, you fall to tier two. The tier two is you've got to be ready to, you know, go play anywhere. The good news about that is that I've done this before. I have experienced. I've been traded. I've been cut. I've been waived.

You know what I mean? Everything that you could think of in the NBA. I went from being, you know, the top prospect to being a journey, a role player throughout my entire career. That's all I've been. And that's been an adjustment going from being a score, a high volume score in college to being a defender. like that arc of us you know what I mean he knows really well it's crazy

people are like man you know why don't you score like that I'm like bro you don't think I can score man like yeah that's my I'm I have a job bro like that's not what they're asking me to do it's crazy but they are paying me to do this role so if you don't do this role they're going to pay someone else who can do it we always have the story of like when uh when wantisconno Anderson came on the pot and he was talking his he was talking about his first preseason with the Warriors and he was talking about how his friends was always sitting him like, why you ain't scoring more? He's like, motherfucker. My job is

to pass the ball to step and set screens, bro. That's how I get on the team. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. We were playing the Warriors. We'd be giving one. We'd get one about 10 feet. I'm like, shoot one. He's like, no. I'm going to run over here and set this screen. He's like, no, right? I got to

sit there. He actually fit in well with it. He was solid with the Warriors. Yeah, yeah. No, it was. He plays hard, too. Real talk. All right, man. We'll have you on again, man. Thanks so much for coming on. I know you, you, you, it seems like you want, you on, uh, you out the way.

Where are you going right now? What's, what's, what's, what's the, uh? I'm going back home, man. You got to, LA for two days and then, like, the family starts to make you feel bad that you're here. So, like, now I have to like, I got to go back home and change diapers and do all the rest of the deal. That's what's up, man.

For the show, man. But now, it's been great, man. This is fun, bro. This is, this is why I, this transitioning process while I'm not playing. I'm still going to be doing media. That way, regardless, I'm busy grinding, working, and then when my name's called, you know, I'm going to go run. But right now, man, I'm getting to do opportunities like this,

be on podcasts like this, networking with guys like you. Lowell, obviously, I met you many times. Ross and watched you grown up. Ben, I deal with you on the regular. So I appreciate all of you guys. Good luck. And good luck. I know what that's like, bro.

That's an uncertain time. But just, yeah, that's just going to pop, bro. Keep grinding. in shape and knock that shit out. Stayed of course, right? Yes, sir. That is. You know, someone said, I'll say this last thing.

I'm going to say this last thing. Someone said this other day. He said, you're a situation away from playing another five years. Facts. And that's the truth of the matter. I can go to the right situation. If I'm ready for it, I'm in shape, if you go play well, you can extend. You just don't know, man, especially in today's NBA.

So you just got to stay after and see what goes. Good luck, my brother. That's Austin Rivers. You could check his podcast, off guard with Austin Rivers. Weekly on the Ringer NBA. Thanks, Austin, bro. We'll see you soon. Yeah, dog.

All right, bro. Tell your Pasta, I said, what's up? Thank you for having me. I will. I will. Yes, sir. And we are back. It was good to get, Austin.

Is that my own freezing or is that Logan freezing? It's Logan's freezing. Keep all that shit in, okay? Everybody's talking about my Wi-Fi. It's still better than your Wi-Fi. I don't care. Wow. Yeah, yeah.

I'm going to put it out there. But anyway, he gave a lot of, Austin's first, his first appearance on the real ones, pod. He gave a lot of game out, right? We had like a whole pre-pod meeting, a whole, like, talking stuff. And I feel like we talked a lot about before Austin came on, we talked a lot about just finding your niche in the league. And I feel like Austin, who was not on the prepod meeting, really just kind of brought that

into, brought that out into the light of just like staying ready and just trying to just the hard parts of this league that we talk about so much on this podcast on a week, week basis, Rasha. Yeah, well, I mean, he's living it, you know, it's happening to him like right now. And, and, you know, seeing it from the amount of different angles that he's seen it from gives him a perspective that, like, even someone like me, I can't tell you that I've seen it from all those different lenses, right? Because I didn't come in the same way he came in. Like, I experienced where he's at now, which is, you know, feeling like you still got tread left on the tire and you could be a value to someone and just waiting for that opportunity, knowing that you, you, you know, you,

you could produce. You know, I've experienced that, but, like, he's got a very interesting perspective on it. And, you know, the league, you know, it's such a small fraternity. And people, people tend to, they really strip it down and make it like it's the best players that make it. And if you don't, then you're not one of the best players. And if you do, you are there. It's more nuanced than that.

It's not as simple as that. Like, there's a lot that goes into why a undrafted, a two-year player in the CBA out of Florida International University, it becomes a 12-year NBA player. Like, it's more to it than I was just good. Like, I'd like to think that I was, that I was good in my role and I could do the things that teams wanted me to do. But getting in, you know, there was, you know, there was luck involved. There was, there were probably some politics involved.

There were, you know, personality fits that they were involved. Like, there's a lot that goes into that. And then once you get in, you know, it's not always about the best player. Like, I, you know, I'm on a mini-ran. mean to be, but, you know, I went to training camps with dudes that were, if you looked at us playing in LA Fitness, you'd be like, well, he's much better than the guy that's on the team. And I wouldn't probably be able to argue that because I'm watching him. I know what he can do versus what I can do, but I'm a better fit. I've already been there. I know what's going on.

I'm smarter. Like, I'm willing to do this where he might not be willing to do this. And there's a lot that goes into that. I need you to dissect this quote that we heard. Shout out to Cole and Charles from on the dissect fee, but I need you to dissect the quote that we just heard from Austin in the first segment. Your situation away from adding five years to your career. What does that mean? We didn't have enough time to like kind of like really unpack that, but I really thought that was something that was really interesting.

Yeah, I think. From what he said. What he's basically like, look, he's at a point in his career right now where there's a lot of doubt apparently. Right? Like whatever the doubt is based in, like, you know, there's there's some uncertainty as to whether or not he's going to be able to come into some somewhere and help the way they want him to, right? Like, and so we all get to that point in our career. If there's tread left on your tire, you always think there is.

Like probably the last time that I was a, that I was a free agent, this was after my second stint in Utah, there wasn't any tread left on my tire, right? there was a little bit of tread left on my tire when I signed back in Utah. There was a little bit of tread. Not a lot, but in some capacity. And so what he's saying is at 31, he's got a tread left on the tire. And so while there may be this doubt now, like if he goes into a situation like mine in Utah, which is at probably the worst point that organization had been in in decades in terms of like the turmoil that was the coaching situation and all. of that and you've got an older player with very little tread left on the tire and now you're

transitioning to playing young players and the coach is admittedly telling you that it's a selfish team but his answer to that is to put you on the second team because said players on the first team are just going to do that and that's what we're going to let him do like that does not extend his career five more years but if he hops in a situation like maybe uh leandro barbosa late in his career with Golden State or Sean Livingston late in his career with Golden State or some of the people that that hop on like the teams like San Antonio and Miami where it's buttoned up, it's functional. I think about it like, as you're talking, I'm thinking about a guy like Trevor Areza, right, right, who gets drafted by the Knicks, right? Doesn't really, or Shannon Brown, too,

right? Like, is another guy. But Trevor Reza's like, I think is the, the guy that I think that really exemplifies Austin's argument, right? Because you get drafted the way you get drafted the way. You get traded to a great situation with the Lakers, right? Play one year. Hit a couple big shots, right, like in the finals. Then you get a five-year deal with Houston. And then you continue to do what you do. And then also there's the other side of that, right,

where, you know, he was kind of, he was just being a vet on different types of teams and getting deals that way. Then he gets another, like, one final bag with the Kings. That's a 16, 17-year career already for a guy that, you know, I mean, he was really great at what he did. But those are the things that he gets to do, right? Those are the breaks that you kind of need to stick in a league like this, right? Yes. So what he's got to find, it's the later part of Trevor's career maybe is the better

example because at this point in Austin's career, at that point in my career, at that point in Trevor's career, to get those five years, to be a situation away, you've got to be really selective about the situation you go into. do you understand what I'm saying? Because it's got to set you up for that. Like, you know, you know, and they're out there. And so I think, you know, hearing him kind of go through it with us, like he's saying, I know I'm going to play.

I'm just waiting for the, like it sounds like he's being really responsible and really selective about what opportunity he takes. I thought I was too, in fairness. Like, you know, I went back to Utah for everything that it wound up really not being at the time, which was the stability, Jerry Sloan. high level playoff team, thought I'd play a, like a, you know,

and he said something else that was really interesting. Like, he said something about, like, you know, they think you're a fit, you know, in terms of your expectation, I think he said,

or maybe it was a personality or so on and so forth. Like the other thing that can happen is, you know, you go into a situation sometimes where people think, Austin Rivers just wants to be a starter. And they don't really ask Austin Rivers.

And this is just hypothetical, right? Utah didn't really ask me. I knew who I was. I'm going back to Utah to be a 12 minute a game, 15 minute a game, dude. Like if you need me some nights to do more than that, I will. But I'm not under any disillusion that I am in my prime. But circumstances, if they're not, good circumstances in that situation can put you in another role. And then you know what I mean?

And so being selective about it is really important. And that's basically what he's saying. man, if I get the right situation and it's set up for me to play the role that I can play right now, not maybe the role I played four years ago. Don't expect me to necessarily look like I looked when I came into the league, but look at me for what I was when I was really good a couple years ago, and I'll be a version of that. And if the situation is set up for you to hit a home run in that space,

you could stretch that career out. A wise man once told me, don't let your next check be your last. Yeah. And it's in that, I don't know, we were talking about pre-pop. like how sports is just such a metaphor for life just in general, right? Like you, you, and we were just talking about it in terms of just like the steadiness that you need to be in this league. I wish we were to record the pre-pod because that was just so, I thought that was dope. I thought that was great.

But one of the points that you made was like, and I don't want to name names unless, you know, you bring it out. But like, you talk about just the steadiness that's required to stay in this league. It's not about talent in this league. It's not. It's about, because everybody got talent. It's about all the other things that are surrounding that the will, the work ethic, the choices that you make, right? Not even be a good person.

Just take a shitty choice in free agency. You get the bag and then you pay for your irrelevancy. And so it's just a really tough balance that you have to have to be in this league. Yeah, look, I mean, professionalism is a word that I would use. It isn't about talent once you get to a certain talent level. Because it's always about talent. But once you get to a certain talent level, now we're talking about separators, which again, is just this is life.

Like we can all do this. So now what makes you different than him or her? You know, like how do we differentiate now? And so, you know, consistency, professionalism, you know, understanding of situations, you know, not just on the court time and score, but like situations in terms of an organization. and what are you going to do to either represent us in the right way or represent us in a way we don't want to be represented? Like, you know, those are all things that start to separate and parse out who's who

and who has longevity in a league and who doesn't. You know, and then other guys, like, you reference taking the bag in a bad situation, like not all of us all the time are in a situation where we can be extraordinarily picky about where we go, right? because we come into the league in different circumstances than a first round pick. And so, you know, we don't have the security up front. So if the bag gets thrown at us in a way that that is not going to be thrown at us from anyone else, and we know it's dysfunction, I mean, it would take a very disciplined, very, I mean,

uncommon approach for someone to say, yeah, no, I'm going to turn down an extra 25 million to maybe squeeze out three more years on the back end of my career because this one's dysfunctional and that one's not. Well, it's funny because how do you, how often, because that's the question that I've always had for players like yourself and just in beyond, right? Like when you sign, say you sign a five-year deal for a stupid bag, right? Or a four-year deal. I guess they're giving out three, like three-year deals with an option is like the big thing

right now, right? When you're going, say you're getting that bag from a dysfunctional franchise who has to overpay because they're a dysfunctional franchise. How many years do you think, like, are you buying a house there? if like if it's a bad situation are you saying oh i'm gonna be it's i'm only be here a year year and a half i'm getting traded like how are you looking at a situation where you clearly signed a deal with a bad dysfunctional team yeah i mean that's like what's your mindset there's a lot that goes into that man like i think all of us when we first get we first signed somewhere like you are you are the

consummate optimist and and and hoping that while it may not have been, you know, a desirable destination. Like, we can turn it into one. Like, we can change the fortunes of the franchise. Like, we can, you know, if we just do X, Y, and Z, like, in a couple years. And so that's always the inner competitor in you doesn't, the inner competitor in you doesn't allow you to look at it really any other way. Now, once you get in dysfunction, you know, your natural instinct as that competitor is

to be like, yeah, knew it was going to be dysfunction, but I'm good. I can handle this. Let's go. Let's work at changing the dynamic. Sometimes you get in a situation and you realize, like, I'm not going to change that dynamic. Like, this is what this is. Like, this is, I'm not a good enough player to change this. Do you know what I mean?

Like, this is just going to be, this is systemic. I can't really do that. And so at that point, I mean, you know, but you're still a professional. Like, and you're still putting the first thing as the first thing, which is going out there and being the best version of yourself you can be because, you know, you've played on a team your whole life. I owe this to not only myself, but I owe it to the to the dudes in the locker room. I mean, yeah, there's a check and you would think that that would make someone feel like they owed it.

But that's not always the biggest motivation for some dudes. Like the motivation for me in a lot of instances was, man, I didn't want to let anybody that I was in the locker room with down. Do you know what I mean? Like it was my motivation wasn't even me. You know, I would, I remember one year I was really close to like, I had a bonus from Nike. Like, and it was, it was going to be, if I average 15 points a game, like, I got a nice check for me at the time. Do you know what I mean? Like, it was a nice.

The Nike bonus sex was lit. They were nice. And I was sitting at like 14.9, do you know? And, you know, that's an easy space to be like, yo, man, let me grab a couple more three attempts over the last 10. But I wasn't on that. Like, because I was not trying to, like, let anybody on my team down. Like, that was most of our motivations. Now, there are some bad apples.

don't get me wrong. But for the most part, we feel like, hey, man, we owe it not only to self, but to Logan, who's in this, he's in here every morning with me, bro. We're both in here an hour early. Like before anybody else gets here, we're working our ass off. We got a full sweat. We didn't hit the cold tub. Now practice is about to start. Like, I owe it to that, man, to be giving it whatever I can for this team to be successful.

That's real. That is real. Okay, it is September 25th, Raja. You know, some teams are reporting the camp this week. some other teams are reporting next week. What is your mindset at this point as a player? What are you thinking about? What's going on?

Are you not sleeping well? Are you just getting a little giddy? Are you, how are you feeling? Are you, you're going into your market? Like, what's going on? What are you thinking about?

Man, I was always excited to go back to training camp. It was like, I mean, maybe a little conflicted like you were when it's time to go back to school. Like, everybody's like, oh, damn, I don't want to go back to school.

But there's this little party, man. It's like, man, I get to see my people, man. Like, I got these new clothes. Like, I'm about to hit, these, it's on, I'm going back. So I was always a little excited to go to camp and, you know, see if what I had worked on was going to translate to see what we look like as the squad to basically get back to doing what I love. Like that was a, that was my dream for, for a lifetime. So at any moment I could be in that shit, I relished it, you know? Like it was, it was, it was what

it was for me. In terms of like logistically, like, if you don't stay in the city that you play in, Like you're starting to, you know, get the kids together, get, you know, get, get, get the car shippers ready to go. Like, you're, you know, it's about that time to make them move. Yeah, having your last little outings with your people. And it's about time to pick the family up and do what you do. There we go. All right, man. It's Monday.

We're not two, two episodes a week yet. So that means another edition of Monday, real one of the week. I don't usually step in front of me when I'm about to go first. Do you want to, do you want to go first? My own means. I'm good. I'm good. All right.

This is a very delayed ruin of the week. I forgot to do it the last time we were on. But this week's ruin of the week goes to Brough from Barcelona. Brough from Barcelona, who I met at the hotel, I forgot his name. I assume he was from New York, had New York Knicks gear on. But was a recognized me in the hotel. It was a big fan of the pot. A word.

So shout out to the homie, you know? I did not get your name because it was very early in the morning. I was getting, you know, when you're in the morning buffet, you don't even have the, the, the, the, the boogers out of your eye. And I'm just like, I'm in another part of the world. I wasn't really expected it. So I apologize if I wasn't really, really, like, enthusiastic in that moment. But I really appreciate it and it honestly kind of fucked me up because, you know, like, you don't really, you don't really realize, like, you know, who listens. So shout out to brother from Barcelona.

I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for listening and all the real ones for listening. So shout out to them. And also a little honorable mention, a little honorable mention. Shout out to Toast on Linux in Atlanta. I had the catfish and grits are to die for. Add a little shrimp to that. Oh, my God.

That's not my bad. I gained like 10 pounds this weekend. I can respect that. I can respect that. Not only because I don't eat, I don't eat. I mean, I like the grits, but I don't eat fish. So I, you know, but let me, I like that. And let me piggyback real quick.

I've had multiple. I've had, I've had college coaches hit me and say, and college staff members hit me and say they tap into real ones. And that's appreciated. I've, I had a dude. I was with my son in the swamp at University of Florida two weekends ago for the Tennessee game. I had a brother as we were getting to our seats right. His kickoff was about to start.

He called my name. And usually when that happens, it's like 95%. Hey man, I like how you defended or something like that. He loved the pod. In the swamp at University of Florida, bro. Big fan of the pod. I thought that was pretty dope. So I wanted to piggyback.

But as far as real ones, I have two, if you would allow me today. Let's do it. One, and this will be my second place winner. High school football in general in South Florida. Are y'all doing it? High school football in general in South Florida is crazy. Man, I know a lot of states claim to have the best football. football and honestly I'm not like a true aficionado. Texas has been talking big

shit. Texas is tough. Georgia is tough tough. Like, you know, Cali is tough. Like, there are a lot. But like, man, we really put on, bro. Like, if you watch that Shamanaut Central game the other night on ESPN 2, it was delayed for like two hours. Like, that's some high level damn high school football, man. So like, I'm using those two teams of an example, but like Dia's team, American Heritage and, and Cardinal Gibbons. And like, we just got a bunch of really good football down here in South Florida. And I've enjoyed being out and watching it and seeing it represent on national TV

the last couple weeks. And then my real, real one of the week, the only true real one of the week, is my dad, Roger Bell, whose birthday is today, man. Pops was everything that I wanted to be as a young athlete and as a young man. He said a great example for me and my family.

He taught me what being a dad that was sacrificed for his kids on top of being a hellified athlete and competitor was all about. And so none of this shit's possible without him. And that's my real one of the week. And he's still kicking your ass in tennis, huh? He's still kicking your ass in tennis, huh? He'll take me out right now and try to wear me out in tennis. Facts.

Out of the pop of Bill, man. That's what's up. You know who's not real one of the week? The Oakland, Las Vegas, L.A. Raiders, bro. Jesus. Just revamp it. Trade everyone, but Devante Adams and Josh Jacobs and just start. I'm tired of the coach.

I'm tired of the quarterback. Jimmy G already, bro. He's thrown a pick in every game. Are you serious? Are you serious? Pick happy. You know that. I saw last week.

No, man, this is ridiculous. This is just ridiculous. I saw last week against the bills. This, foe, you know it's one of those things where you throw it to a person who thinks he's open, but you know he's not open because somebody's going to come from behind and pick the ball on. He tried to throw it to Josh Jacobs. And somebody just came from behind and just picked it off that it was just a, terrible. And did you watch the game

last night? Did you watch it last night? I saw some pieces, some pieces. Did you see when Jimmy G was in a jam and he just threw it up? And he just threw it up. I saw that one. Yeah. I did. Pat Peterson. I mean, literally throw that shit anywhere else. Just take the sack. You could have even thrown it further out of

bounds. Yeah, it wasn't, it wasn't like you were like, yeah, anything other than that at that point. You know what? I'm going to do this right now. I'm going to do this really right now. I'm going to do this right now. I'm calling someone out. I'm going to call, I might, we might now have ruins. We'll call somebody else. I'm going to call out Mr. Bill Simmons because he tried to convince me

this year that the Raiders were going to be worth anything. I'm mad at you, sir. I am mad at you. Fuck that. That was, I, he got your hopes up, bro. He tried to convince me that they were going to be good this year. And I got my hopes up and

burn it all down. This is some bullshit. All right. Okay, I'm sorry. That's, that's it. If I say anything else, it will probably be no more real ones. So that has been our episode of of Monday, real ones. Say, don't let that next check be your last check. No, sir, you know the vibes.

I got plans. I'm not fucking that. Shout out to everybody. We'll see you guys next week. There's been another arresting of real ones. Thank you, Ross. Thank you, Austin. Thanks to Ben Cruz. Thanks to Kerm.

Thanks to Third I Kai. We'll see you when we see it. Bye. Must be 21 plus and president select states. Vandul is offering online sports. sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino LLC. Gambling problem. Call 1-800 gambler or visit fanduel.com slash RG in Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan,

New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia. Call 1-800-next-step or text next step to 533-42 in Arizona. 1-888-789-7777 or visit CCPG.org slash chat in Connecticut. 1-8009 with it in Indiana. 1-800-5-22-470-7-0 or visit KSgamblinghelp.com in Kansas. 1-877-7-7-70 stop in Louisiana. Visit MD-gamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Visit 1-800 gambler.net in West Virginia or call 1-800-5-22-4-7-0 in Wyoming.

Hope is here. Visit GamblinghelplineMA.m.m.org or call 800-3-27-50-50 for 24-7 support in Massachusetts or call 1877-8-Hope-NY. or text Hope NY in New York.