The Ringer NBA Show - Karl-Anthony Towns on His Return and the T-Wolves’ Past, Present, and Future | Off Guard with Austin Rivers

Episode Date: March 24, 2023

Austin and Pausha are joined by Karl-Anthony Towns to discuss his triumphant return to the court after missing over 50 games with a Grade 3 calf strain (1:37). They reflect on Minnesota’s warm welcome, KAT’s big 22-point return, and how the team held it down without him for almost four months (8:23). Then, they go down memory lane and reflect on KAT’s career with his carousel of coaches, GMs, and playing with the Big Ticket himself, Kevin Garnett (39:05). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Guest: Karl-Anthony Towns Producer: Erika Cervantes, Ben Cruz Additional Production Support: Megan Schuster and Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's official. One Shining Podcast is back, and I am your host, Tate Frazier. And as March Badness begins, we're covering everything from Selection Sunday all the way to the championship and beyond. We're going to have great guests that are coming through on the show. And look, if you're a friend of the program and you're already subscribed, you don't have to do anything. OSP is back. It's going to be right back in your feed. And if you're not a friend of the program, and this is your first time on the rodeo, then let me tell you this. You need to go to Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcast. and smash subscribe today because the OSP show is back.

What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Off Guard. I'm your host, Pasha, and joining me, as always, is my guy, Austin Rivers. Austin, what's going on, man? What's up, my guy? This is probably one of the more special podcasts that we're going to ever have, and this is an honor.

We're here at my boy, teammate, Carl Anthony Towns. What up, baby? Yeah, we have at the crib right now, what we like to call, or what he likes to call Cancun. Hard to describe. It's just a place where you go and time. I'm stand still. It look, I see a fish tank behind you.

It looks pretty insane. This is nothing but vibes over here. If I was, if I had this in my crib, I probably would never leave the crib. No, no joke. Kat, uh, Kai, you don't mind if I call you cat, right? Nah, not at all. Call me whatever the hell you want. Big fan.

Appreciate you jumping on with us. I want to get right into it. Last night, your first game since November, uh, pretty much went, I would say best case scenario. You guys pull out a big win. You have the game winning free throws. You played great. Was that kind of the, like I said, best case scenario, the best way you'd envision that happening? I know over the last few months, you probably pictured your first game back what that would be like. What did that feel like for you? No, man, it felt great. And like you said, it definitely was the best case. I mean, you asked to, uh, hadn't been out for what, 114 days,

52 games. And with three seconds left, the balls in your hand to win the game. So, I mean, It was obviously selfishly, it was kind of like what movies are made for my return. That's why I kept saying that I don't know why. I just felt what it was. Yeah, yeah. It just felt like one of those moments, you know, it's been a long road. I never thought people doubted if I would come back this year, you know. Yeah.

Yeah. Right. We all did. We were like, man, I don't know if cars coming back because it was so close, bro, with eight or nine games left, when you get that close, you just don't know. Yeah. And, you know, you've seen how people before, you know, they get eight, nine games. It's like, ah, why you even risk it, you know, this type thing.

So I wasn't going to be one of those guys. I was ready to go playing as soon as I got clear from it. That's dope, man. And that's the longest you've been out, I would say, since you've been in NBA. Yeah. I mean, I broke my wrists. I dislocated it. I was out like 30, 20 games.

But, I mean, I always found the way how to play. Like, when I broke it, I put a cast on and played with it. And then when I dislocated it, I was trying to play. But I came back a little later than I thought I was going to come back. And it never was like that where you couldn't like walk, you know, like something. When you hurt your wrist, I can still be there. I'm still in the vibe. I'm at every trip.

The routine's the same. When you tear your cab, it's like, you know, I wasn't able to be on the road with you guys. And like, it was different. You know, that's because you really got basketball taken all away from you. You couldn't walk. You couldn't shoot. You couldn't do anything. So it's really like, you're done.

No more basketball. Breaking wrist, break your left when I still shoot with my right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stuff and everything. But it's different when you can't go to a gym. Right, right, right. How do you mentally approach that then? Like, what do you, what do you do every day on a daily basis to lock in and, like, keep that mental sharpness? You know what I mean?

Yeah. I mean, every day I was here, it was just more about, like, when I get back, I'm going to make sure my routine's perfect. I'm going to make sure I do everything I possibly can. Like, you know, you're just kind of salivating at the moment of I could go back to Mayo Clinic. I could practice. I could do this. I could do that. Like, every day I was just itching for that moment.

I was going to be clear to do more and more and more. It's hard, you know, because you're just, you know, we're workers, you know. We're hard workers. And we always love being in the gym. That's like what our DNA is composed of for how long we've been doing this. So to not to take a big part of your routine out of your everyday life. Right, right. It's like a forced retirement.

I just didn't know what to do. So every day I was here, you know, it's great. You know, Cancun, oh, my God. Yeah, yeah. This had a bad place to be. Cancun never ran dry. I can tell you. that, but it's just the fact of like, man, I want to go outside and, like, drive a car.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You love cars. Like, the fact that I couldn't even drive my car. Yeah. Damn, like, you know. And then my girl was doing so much for me and I was like, damn, I'm supposed to take care of that. I'm supposed to be able to. Yeah, right, right, right.

I couldn't do like the little things. And it was like, it was tough. But basketball-wise, it was tough just because I just wanted to shoot. I just wanted to do something, you know? Yeah, at least getting the gym field a ball. Get outside. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just to feel like I had an errand to do outside.

It was like a big, like, oh, my God, I can't wait. I have to go to the grocery store. Oh, my God. Like, that's how I got, how crazy it got with that time being here. And then it's the winter. So there's snow. You can't even go outside. So you stuck it in the house.

Right, right, right. Oh, that was awful. Yeah. And I wonder, like, as someone who is so routine, I just only know this from playing with you. When you were healthy, you know, you were one of the earliest to the gym, if not the first, every time.

You had your routine. You had your massage. You had this. You had to work. You know, you're very meticulous about how you do your stuff. To have that taken away and not be able to do that, try to fill that void with something. You know, even though, like, you have all this at the house.

You know what I mean? You're a man of, like, you say, you like to work. You like to grind. You like to be in the gym. You like to have that purpose. Does that ever, like, kind of like, fuck with you just because you didn't even know, like, what the end goal was. Yeah.

It's like you said, like, I didn't feel like I earned my day. And I knew I was recovering. And I think that's what I always tell my girl all the time is like I got to do something in a day so I feel like I earned the right to be resting or doing nothing or, you know, to be watching TV and stuff like I never felt like I earned a day because I never was at the gym. I never was working out. I was never doing my routine coming home and say, wow, okay, I've earned the right to be in Cancun and in the house, chilling, playing video games, whatever I'm doing.

Like, you know, you wake up in the house all day. you just seen the same walls and then you come and then you go to sleep and you're like, I didn't really do anything to earn the right to say, oh, I want to do this. I want to do that. Right, right. It was just hard because I used to wake up early and I used to know that I was still not doing anything. Yeah. Like you wake up and you're like, nah, I mean, my cab is right.

I could do something. I could get up and do this shit and whatever. And then I take the first step and I'm like, oh, no, I can't do that. There ain't no way. I remember even being like in Cancun with the pool. It's like I couldn't even get in the pool. The water was too much. my cab, it would hurt.

Oh, it was irritating it, bothering. Yeah, like, I guess we say buoyancy and something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was bothering my cab a lot. So I remember when the wolves was having me do the rehab, they would have me do it in a pool and I would be tired. I'd be done. Cab would be done for today.

Could it move? Yeah, your workouts were definitely, I mean, even you showing me on the phone. And then first game back, Pasha, like you said, he hits the game-winning free throws. In the huddle, coach draws up that play and says, Carl, you got the ball, seven seconds left. This is a must win, bro.

You know, we're trying to get to the- We need to win these games if we're going to get into playoffs and the plan. You haven't played in 51 games? 52. 52 games. And the balls in your hands with seven seconds left. Ooh, love it. That's crazy to me, though.

The whole team looked at each other like, I mean, shit. Who else people get a ball to? I was ready for that. I knew when I got in there, I said, Finch don't draw this shit up for me. before anybody, I'm gonna be real pissed, bro. I'm gonna be mad in this hug. You wanted the ball.

Why, I wanted it. That's the moment I live for it. That's why I get the check. Let me go get my check. It's the first day I get to earn my check. At least I want to go out there and earn my check. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I fuck with that.

I love that. What was that like in the arena in the post-game interview? I saw a happy you were your rapport with the fans. You were talking to them. What was that like in there being in the building? Because on watching for my phone, it looked awesome. It looked like months in the making. Man, that was so much excitement.

built up, so much, you know, understanding the work I put in and everything just to get to that point. It was just, man, the fans were electric. They were, they were, they were excited for you to come back. That intro, the intro was crazy. The intro was crazy. They like did, first off, they have like, you know, music that they play for our team. So they had the hip hop music in there, everybody in there jumping around. They changed the whole song, the lighting changes just for his name when his name's ready to go. So it's like the Undertaker about to come out. I thought the Undertaker was about to come out from the tunnel. They like din the lights.

They changed the music. Carl just starts smiling. And they go, he's back. I was like, whoa, this is crazy. And then he came out three for four. Bang, bang, bang, bang from, bro. The first one I'm going to tell you right now, that was the get one out one. Do you know what I respected?

When you got the ball, there was no option that you weren't putting that. Oh, no. Not at all. the ball, we were running a set. Carl was like, fuck the set. He caught the ball in the wing, turned like this. It was like, yo, I'm back. I'm going right at this dude. It went right at him. Like, I love that. I love that you, that you had that aggression, that confidence after missing that many games. It's just validation of why these guys are who they are. You know what I mean? The confidence is just at a superior level. That's love, man. That's amazing.

You shade you. When you were in your rehab process, did you ever think for a second that you wouldn't be able to return this season, or did you always know that you were going to come back? I knew I was going to come back. I just, you get, it's the one thing about injuries, especially like a calf injury. It's so tricky, one, but two, it's like there's a very good chance you could have a setback. You know, there's a chance you got a setback. It's not like, oh, we do all our things, you know, there's no setback. Like, there's a good chance that something could happen with the cab.

It's a tricky injury. So going from, oh, you know, we had a, you know, we knew it was a grade three calf strain in the team and stuff. So it was like, oh, we know it's going to be a little while, but we're looking at this date. And then every time you're looking good, you know, it gets pushed back. You have a setback like I had. And then you go and you're just trying to figure out how can you get back. Because, you know, you thought you were coming back at this time. Then weeks from there, you're finally coming back like last night.

So it's just one of those things that test your patience a lot. Because every day you feel like you're getting better and you're, you know, you realize real quick, you're at step one still. You can't skip no steps on it. And true story, and why you weren't making it. When you were going up to those fritos, you know, there's two fritos left. We're down one with, what, three seconds? It was, yeah, three seconds. And, you know, everybody's over there like, man, this is a hell of a position to be in.

After missing 51 games to have two fritos left to, like, win the game is like, it is a great situation. But it's a very tough situation to ask a player to be in. You know what I mean? Like, after missing that much time. And Aunt was literally on the bench like, I don't know what y'all nervous for. I was like, Carl going to make these. He's going to make these. He goes, he'll get a bucket.

He's gonna get you a bucket. I'm gonna get you a bucket in those times. And once you make the first one as a basketball player, for people who don't know, you make that first one. The first one's, yeah. It's everything. Yeah, yeah. You have to make the first one.

But if you miss the first one, then it's like, holy shit, I got to make the second one. You know what I mean? The pressure goes from here to like, so you make that first one. Then it's, you know, I could see your dad. Your dad was something like, yeah, he was. I saw a lot of people stressed out. And I really didn't have one nervous bone in my body.

Like, I really didn't feel the moment. I was even telling everyone here after the game. I was like, you know it's crazy. I get foul, they're going to review it. So I'm just worried if they're going to somehow call foul them. I just, I don't know because I'm in the play, so I don't remember. So I don't actually feel what's happening. Did I file them or something?

I get back to the bench, the first thing Nate goes and says is, oh, you're good. Like, you're going to be shooting the free throws. Carl's going to be shooting. As soon as I heard that, everyone's in there stressing about the two free throws or stuff. I swear, I would tell everyone here, I was looking up and I'm launching the replay. And all I was thinking about, you have these two big free throws, sellout crowd, Target Center. All I was thinking about was, wow, I put a lot of torque on my right calf right there.

So I'm over there analyzing my calf more than the shots because I felt the shots were good. In my mind, they were good. So I was just more like analyzing something. I'm like, wow, I had the picture of it too. I was like, wow, my leg took a beating on that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because you did. You had a-oh-oh-my-god. You know, I had the RG-1s.

They, like, my leg, my foot was coming out of them on some Zion shit. I ain't know what was going on. Slipping? So I was just like, damn, like, I really, I really put a lot of toys. Not caring about the two free throws. The two free throws, like I said, in my mind, they were good. So I wasn't even tripping this whole time. So when I got up there, I remember shoulders, you know, shoulders weren't high.

I didn't need the breathe. I'm just, give me to work. Let me get this over with so we can go home. That's confidence, bro. Elite. For sure. As tough as it was sitting out all those months, what was it like seeing your guys battle in such a tight Western conference with the guys like Nas Reed?

Jada McDaniel's really stepping up all season and kind of, you know, taking over when they needed to. How good has Nas been? Yeah, Nas is like, Nas was the best kept secret that's now out and now the whole league knows about Nas Reid and everybody wants them. It's a great year for everyone to know about Nas.

It was the perfect year for everyone to get to know Knob. And then you have Jaden who's like really established, you know, he's establishing himself as a premier complimentary player in the league. And I think that's one thing, too, is right here, this guy right here, well, I say like this, but to Austin, because it's the vets that have instilled this confidence in him to go think he's bigger than what he thought he was. You know, people like Austin have always, everyone's been telling him how great he is.

And I think that like our vets, like Austin just took the blinders off and said, really, like, take a chance to look at yourself how you really are in our eyes. And, like, you know, we see him as a different way than he sees himself. And now he's starting to realize, like, maybe I am the people they, maybe I am what people say what these vets are saying to me. We would have lied to him. Yeah, right, right. No, no. Tell her you, you nice. So just, except you nice. It's nice. Right. And you've seen the level Jaden and Ayes just keep reaching. Yeah. They're so talented. I really do believe Jaden has

the ability to be a, a, a superstar. And I mean a superstar as in one of those superstars that's one because he's elite in a role. I'm not saying Jaden's a guy. Like a, like a McKell Bridges. I'm saying like a Scotty Pippin. Like Scotty Pippin was great because he No, no, no, I know that's a crazy name to say because it's Scotty Pippin. But he literally has that ability. I'm not even kidding. The guy's a freak athlete. He could score the ball.

But Scotty was great because he wasn't Jordan. You know, he had Jordan next to him. He had guys that closed the game for him. I'm not saying you can't close a game through Jaden. I'm just saying Jaden next up to a superstar. Like Jaden, complimentary piece. I see McKell Bridges ability. Jaden's a 20-point-by-game score.

A freak athlete, two-way player. That's what I'm saying. You know what I mean? And McKell was very, you know, he was obviously he's really good in Brooklyn, but he was a, he was really great in Phoenix, too, on a really good team. That's how I see Jaden. I see Jaden as a guy who's going to be like a big-time player on a compliment, you know, as a complimentary player with stars like he is right now.

That's what they're molding him to be, and it's perfect. You have Carl, you have Anthony. And then you- And that's the silver lining when a guy goes out, these other guys get to step up and now when everyone comes back together, you have a deep team. That is a silver lining. That's 100% the silver lining. I said that on NBA TV, too.

It's like the glass half full is that like these guys have got to grow more because I wasn't there. Right. Also, instead of having to take those responsibilities and, you know, they don't have to, they had more put on their shoulders and they were able to expand their game and see what more they could be, you know, and ants become an all-star and that. Jaden's becoming an all-star. Nas Reid is, he acts for those minutes.

He made the most of them, though. Oh, my God. I think what you just said is, is. that's really important for people to understand. When people talk about the success that a team has, everybody always judges on who wins a championship or not. And I get it. Whoever wins should be, you know, obviously that's the team

that was most successful that year. But you can argue on another note, a team that set themselves up to be very successful for the next five years is just as successful. And I think when you look at what OKC is done with their young core, And I think when you talk about this team and Carl being out and young guys being able to develop, now you have Carl back with these guys having the confidence in the year that they've had, it's really hard to argue that Minnesota isn't one of the best up-and-coming teams in the NBA

and that this isn't a team that, you know, if you're defining by success, isn't a team that's in that conversation. I mean, this, Minnesota's, I really do believe, is set up to be a contender for the next, you know, couple years with their young core here. The development of Nas and Jaden, and obviously I know free agency is going to play its part this summer, we'll see how that goes. It's a whole different monster.

But with the young core that they have here and the complimentary pieces they have around it, it's really hard to argue that they're not in the mix. We're not in the mix. Well, especially the way last season ended, and they went to game seven. They were a fun team, went toe-to-to-to-to with the Grizzlies. And then in the summer,

a lot of people have had a lot to say about adding Rudy and pairing Rudy with Kat. I just wanted to know, Kat, what were your first thoughts when they added Rudy? What were your thoughts? I was in London, about to eat some nobu. So what the hell? I was walking into some crazy shit. I was in London, for real, for real.

I was working out. And my phone died, so I left it. I had it on me. And it died. So I was in a Nobu hotel in London. I'm working out. I was thinking about the season. I'm like, man, we would be so good.

Like, I'm always thinking about the season. Like, it stresses me out. Okay. So, like, I was just working out. I got a great workout in. Well, phone died. So when I get upstairs, my girl is in the room getting ready for the night. And my boy's on the phone with her.

And she goes, did you hear what happened? And I was like, what happens? You know, that's PTSD. I don't want to hear that. So I'm like, what's going on? She goes, uh, y'all got Rudy. I said, oh, shit, we got Rudy Gay. That's dope.

I love Rudy Gay, man. And they were like, no, idiot, you didn't get Rudy Gay. I was like, oh, shit, what happened? What Rudy? I'm thinking about all the other Rudy's that he said. Shout out the Rudy Gay. I love Rudy Gay, man. Shout out Rudy Gay.

I just was like, damn, they said Rudy Gobert. I said, Rudy Gobert. How we pulled that one on? Yeah, that's just that. I had no idea. Never been talking about it. The idea of you playing with Rudy would. I never thought of it.

So I was just like, oh, okay, you know, because they were always talking about all of us being like the elite centers of the NBA. So you never think like, oh, you know, this is not like a Demarcus cousins, Anthony Davis things happen and like I feel like I don't know if people were doing it so I never had a clue it was gonna happen

and she goes yeah with your Rudy I said oh so my first thought was who do we get rid of for Rudy that's because then if you know you got personally like Rudy Gobert

what was the return for them right right and you know I'm hearing vandos out Bev's out like a pick is out and I'm like damn like

whole team changed yeah you know the whole landscape changed all of a sudden so I was working out for a different landscape than I was now walking into you know

I got to be the biggest, baddest center around, you know. And now you're like, well, Rudy's here. Change your whole dynamic. You're a small forward power forward. You're not in the paint as much anymore. You know, you're thinking about all the battles I've had to go through, getting those rebounds. And then all of a sudden now it's like, Rudy's got to do that.

And you don't got to do it. So I'm like, what? And this is your, what season is this for you? This is eight. So when you think about it, because I think in the beginning of the season, people saw us as a team have a little bit of struggle, trying to figure out that dynamic with you and Rudy. And what people have to understand is

that's eight years of you unlearning habits of you being the center and changing your playing style to a stretch forward. Yeah, remember, I haven't been any sort of a power forward. I mean, I wouldn't even say that was the time, but I was with Gorgi Gingang and that was, what, my second year in NBA? Right, so not a lot of time if you spending it. wasn't even like that.

You were still the biggest guy in the fourth. Yeah, it was kind of like we just had Gorgie. He played more like Power Ford Center. I would play Center and whoever the biggest do was I would get, he would just go and guard whoever. But I'm talking about true power forward. I haven't done that since college. I was Willie.

Because Willie Colley Stein was our center. Right. So I never thought in my career this would happen. So when the Rudy News came out, I was as stunned. Does everybody to know? Right, right, right. It just was one of those dynamics where, you know, you haven't been used to. I felt pretty good early on with Rudy because I just knew as a big man what a big man would want.

So I knew how to get him really involved. I think it's a large, it's a big change to have that also with young guys who have just got accustomed to Vanderbilt being in the game. Right, right, right. Ant was working out with him when he got traded. And they were asleep when they found out what happened. Word. That's one. And then, you know, you got Patrick Beverly, who was a big person for us.

In the locker room, now he's not in the locker room all of a sudden anymore. So it's like you're trying to figure out. Now you're scrambling. We all haven't seen each other in the summer. We just had that long, we just had that playoff run. Everyone just getting started kind of in their like off season. So it was a big change, but I believe it's my eighth year, seventh year. I think it's my seventh actually, but been around a long time like you, Austin.

And every year I've been in Minnesota, I've always experienced change. The word change has been synonymous with every season with the Wool. Yeah, no one's seen it as much as you. Not a lot of players have. I mean, I've been in the league for 11 years now, and for you to be in only one city your entire career and gone through. No one does that anymore. Coaches.

No one does that anymore. Is that something you see yourself? I mean, Pasha, I know you wanted to ask this. Yeah, I wanted to know, first and foremost, you know, growing up, did you ever see a player's career and, you know, think to yourself, that's the kind of career I wanted to have, whether it's Tim Duncan or even KG, who I know you were a teammate with. I mean, who was the guy for you? I mean, I always wanted just to win rings.

Yeah. So, you know, I was always big on rings. Like, I remember when I was in high school, my dad had been a big time New Jersey and a lot of people's my Hall of Fame coach in New Jersey. And he had all his rings in a ring case. And I used to walk by every day going to school and it would be my motivation. with playing basketball. And I always told him, I have more rings than you. So all I knew was rings.

Right, right, right. So when I was coming growing up, if I get an NBA, I just want to be able to go to the finals and win a bunch of rings, you know, of course, everyone wants to win. So KG was a dope, it's a dope, you know, tail, you know, I'm in the tri-state. He comes over from Minnesota to Boston, wins a championship. We all go crazy, everyone goes crazy in the tri-state because, you know, that's a guy you get to actually see by chance on TV or travel. So it's like, oh, my boss.

Austin won one. That's something I'll take notice of. I don't know. Ring-wise, I would love to say if I can mimic a career with the knowledge I had, especially then it was more of a Tim Duncan. You know, he won multiple rings, had such a crazy winning percentage. Every time he almost walked on the court, it was like he was winning the game. I think, who is it? He has like a 637 winning percentage or something like that. Yeah, it's crazy. His run with the Spurs. Like, he's like. And he should have, he could have had one more ring. Yeah, the Miami, the LeBron ring in Miami is still to this day. I was at that game.

Were you? I was there, yeah. And they were bringing the banners out and the confetti out because everyone was. And the NBA showed it. Yeah, they were showing the tunnel. The game was over. The game was done. All the Spurs had to do was a couple simple things.

And, you know, that's another championship to TV. And obviously, whatever happened happened. But, I mean, and then to transfer, you know, switch topics back, You ended up even playing with Kevin. What was that experience? Like I know Kevin, obviously, but it's only just from an experience of just seeing him work with my father. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I played against him a couple years, but I was at the tail end. Having him as a teammate is a whole different thing and a whole different experience. Man, it's crazy. It's crazy because when I walked in, you know, you see KG and you're like, man, that's like, that's crazy to be able to learn from him. But he's one of those guys who really, when he's the personification of one of those guys who is a teammate you always want to have, you know, and trying to say, it's one of those dudes when he walks in the room, it's just, everyone has such tremendous respect for a legend like

him. So it's just, it's, you know, I know Dilo had Kobe, the Marcus Aldridge who at the end was with Tim Duncan. I was with KG, but just you, you understand that kind of respect when a legend like that walks in the room, you know, how much work and effort and success and all the accolades he comes with. It's just like, what was the biggest thing he, he, like, what's one One thing you took away from your time playing with KG, like, what's thing, what's one thing that, like, you saw in your like, or one thing he broke down to you or thing to you? Routine. Routine.

From KG. Like my habits, my routine, how hard I work. Like, I've always been a hard worker. I've always been willing to be living the gym damn near it. But he was the one who was super big on me about, like, your routine. It has, it's everything. You won't succeed without a routine. So I'm going to show you my routine.

You could build off of it. You could take it. You could do whatever you want. with it, but I need to show you this young fella. And that's why my routine's the same way, because when Kevin used to come, Kev will come in, put his clothes on, have great energy, say hi to everybody. That's why I'm big on, like, saying hi to everyone in the medical stuff. But I'm usually the first one in, so no one's there to say hi to.

So even the chef's not there, no coach is there. So when I walk in, I go get dressed and I go straight to the weight room. I was just like Kevin. Kevin was like just the same way. KG would go, he would walk in, get dressed, go right to the weight. a weight room, start hitting legs. Immediately. Boom.

And then I would just do the same thing. I started the same way he did his routines, the same way I do my routine. Yeah. My, my, sense, I would say, but like my top dog is Arnie and Arnie was with us, and that's what KG got his routines from too. So we got the same routines now. So I was the same way he would do that. He would go shoot on the court.

He would go from there, go back in the locker room. He'd be chilling, talking. And then after that, he just get ready for practice when practice comes, is ready to go. So I just took my, that's really what I got from him. Routine is everything. I've been trying to tell. You appreciate that.

Do you take some of that stuff? Exactly. I was going to say, did you take some of the stuff that KG taught you and trying to help out with like. For sure. Like, and jaded and Nass, all these young. Especially Nass. Nas, yeah, just a routine.

Have something that when things are not going right and, you know, basketball is a very unforgiving sport sometimes. And, like, you have something to fall back on that brings normalcy to the If you're not making shots in the game and stuff, you at least know that the next day you're going to have your routine to fall back on to put you back in line. Yeah. And I took note that you sit next to and I was in the plane. Yes. I'm assuming that's by design to like, you know, yeah, to be that for him.

Yeah. You know, I just, we grew up with each other. I know that my voice carries weight with him. Yeah, Jersey. Shout out to Jersey. Yes, sir. Yeah. So I know my voice carries way.

And I just, when he first got here, I wanted him to be successful, you know, take care of. kids from my hood too. So that was by design. I wanted him to have someone of familiarity with him and someone that he could always fall back on if he needed advice or anything. And it was great that we played the same position. So I could tell him how I was finding success with certain people and tell him how I was doing it. And now he's grown into his own play. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but you're a part of that. Yeah, I definitely talk to him a lot. That's my dog. Yeah, I see it. That's my dog. That's stuff. When you first got in the league, you had, you know, Zach Levine, Andrew Wiggins.

You were like my league pass team. I loved watching you guys. All three of you guys were all-stars last year. Yeah. Do you ever think maybe what if, you know, you guys all were able to grow together? Because you've seen so much turnover since you've been with the Timber Wolves.

Do you ever think maybe if you, Zach and Wiggins could have stayed together what that could have been? Yeah. For sure. You guys last year, like I said, we're all-stars. Yeah. For sure. Oh, what you mean?

That was supposed to be, that was the legacy team. That was what it was put together for. So when Flip, when Flipper. But Flip took the reins and he had all of this work. And he had that vision in mind since the beginning that he's got draft Zach. He had Whig. We got Wig into Kevin Love Trade. And then, you know, so happily I became the first number one pick in this franchise's history.

And he landed it. I think he already knew that was going to be his three horsemen. Like he was going to run with us. We had a great back was who I. We drafted Ty's Jones with me. Yeah. So imagine you had us foe. You had Gorgie Zhang who was super.

super comfortable here. It was putting up big numbers, had confidence. Tyas hit. Tice. We had Belli, who was drafted in the same draft with me and Tyas, weird enough. So we had us three. We had, you know, we had some people. We had Leo, Leo, who we traded in with Rudy, Balmero. Okay. Balmere was like a stash pick. So we had, we had a team. We had a team. Was Ricky Rubio on the, was we had Ricky? And we had Ricky. And we had Ricky. Yeah.

But, boy, we had everything that people who, like, love Minnesota, was already ingrained in the community, felt comfortable with it and they're comfortable with the Jersey. Yeah, at that point. The hardest things to do in the NBA is get someone to buy into the jersey. Yeah, right, right, right, get something to buy into the culture of the team. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I remember you guys were giving the Warriors, one of the few teams that can give the Warriors

trouble when the Warriors were actually hooping. I remember that, that had a tough time guard me for sure. I don't know if it was back in my rookie year, we were the, There was five games left. I think it was they had to play Spurs, Grizzlies, us, someone else in the Spurs again. This is Spurs with Kauai. And they had to win four of those five.

I think those were the teams. They had to win four of the five to go 73 and above, 73 wins and above to beat the 72 record by the Bulls. The 72 and 10. So they needed to win four of the five. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Which they ended up doing. Yep.

but they ran into one obstacle, which was us, because we were one of those teams. And I remember they were like, our win odds are like, they're going to have like a 95% chance of winning this game. They should steamroll past the Timberwolves. And we took that serious. I remember it was on TNT, and we won that game.

We felt more proud than ever. And the crazy part was we celebrating the locker room. Like, we won the championship next week, last week of season, man. We had no chance to make a playoffs. That was crazy for us to be in there celebrating like that. Like we said earlier, man, several linings, man. Sometimes you got to find several lines.

You got to. You got to. If you can't make the playoffs, you're trying to mess up somebody's history. You ain't trying to be part of it. It's such like when Aaron Judge last year, no one was trying to be that dude who gave him that home run. Yeah, no one wanted to be. You don't want to be that team that helped them get there. You don't want to do that.

Facts. I respect it. Being around Zach early on, how do you compare Ants athleticism with Zax back then? Good question. Wow, that's a great question. Ants a more powerful dunker. He's a guy who looks for the contact. Yeah.

And he's willing to take the contact while jumping. Zach, which is funny years ago when we played, I used to always clown him because I was like, you need you to slam dunk contest champion. Don't poster nobody. He don't dunk a lot of people. He don't get nobody. You be doing these little fast break open court dunks.

You need to go catch somebody at the rim. And I remember I badgered him just enough. Then we played the Suns. Oh, that duck was crazy. On Lynn. And he looked straight at me. He said, I told you, motherfucker, I'm going to get one. Yeah, he's, that's one of his best dunks.

Oh, yeah. And it only took me about bullying him for about like a month or half. But he's, it was one of those things. When Zach would jump, though, it's like he's levitating. I think it's like, it looks fake, like the way when he jumps. Because when he dunks it, he's still going up. When Aunt dunks it, it's just powerful. Like, he throws the balls through the rim so hard.

The ball goes so fast at the floor. Like when Zach dunks it, he dunks it regularly, it goes through the net. It's cooling and he's still flying in the air, just chilling. Like, I've never, when he went through the legs at the dunk contest in the preto line. Yeah. That was never a dunk he worked on. That was just off to just off the, because he never had tried it. Oh, that's crazy.

He was like, the dunk was supposed to be him jumping over a celebrity. And then it got backed off at the moment he was trying to do it. So he came up with that on the fly. He's never tried it. He's never imagined it. He just said, I got to do something. Because if I don't try something crazy, I'm not going to win. And that was the first time he's ever attempted it.

He's even tried it. And he did it on national TV at the greatest dunk contest ever. And he makes it on the first try. That is probably the greatest dunk contest ever, no? It's absolutely the greatest. Also, I want to know what celebrity backed out at the last second. Yeah, what celebrity backed out of the last second? I'm going to leave that for him.

It ended up working out. It ended up working out. It did. It worked out because he had it in his back pocket in case he needed it. Yeah, yeah. And it was crazy because I was with him at the practice when I was with him at the slam dunk practice. We had had, he had heard like little whispers that Aaron Gordon had shit with him for this, for this slam dunk contest. So I remember when we was at practice and he was working out and he was telling him, he was like, man, I'm telling you, I'm hearing Aaron Gordon.

coming for it. He's not playing around with the slam dunk contest. And Zach took that serious. And he remember he was warming up. He was like, man, I need to make sure I have an emergency one just in case I need. I need it. You know you got too much bounce. That's what you know. You got dumps in the bag. You got emergency, you got emergency dunks that you can go to when you need to. The great point, you know why that was the best slam dunk contest of all time? Because everyone made it on the first try. That is why. And people underrate that. That is exactly why. When they went up, it was, it was one try only. There's something. to a multiple tried dunk

that just takes away the appeal. I think because the shock is out. Because now you know what's happening. You know what's happening. So it's just like, and you tried it. When someone tries it the first time in front of the whole world,

there's just a, yeah, it's more oppressive. The only dunk I think that someone could try twice. They could do it once, fail and then do it again and do twice and I'll still give them the same reaction. No,

through the legs twice. Like an NBA lie. If someone could do it through the legs twice, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll give them, I'll give them three tries. Someone will. Eventually someone will do that.

But if you do that on the second try, me and you are still going like, what? You've never seen it before. No, I've never seen that before. And that's a Dunkin' NBA live that hasn't been done yet. Has that ever been done, by the way, between the legs twice? I think there was a dude on one of those dumb dudes. Yeah, I've seen it on, like, YouTube.

On, like, on, like, Instagram. But I need to see, like, in a slam dunk. I'm talking about what the pressure are. You can't trust those LA fitness rooms. Those crazy dunce. I don't know if those are regulation. I don't trust. And that's being a L.A.

I'm saying, like, I don't care of it. It's college slam dunk contest or like if it's college one or the NBA one. But I just need to see it in a real legitimate, like televised slam dunk concert. I've only ever seen it at like LA Fitness. And this like this guy right here actually has like banners at LA Fitness. He has like jerseys. I want to say banners, but I saw it all day fitness. Who do you compare yourself?

Tell Carl who do you compare yourself to as a basketball player? I am the... He thinks you call yourself Brooklyn, the Brooklyn version of Darren Williams. Not Utah Darren, but Brooklyn, Darren. Let's go Cleveland, Darren Williams Cleveland Darren's crazy Okay Brooklyn Darren was a bucket though Why Brooklyn Darren was still getting to it

Yeah, yeah, yeah, just getting to it I'll give you Brooklyn Darren, Darren, you dominate LA Fitness And he was still like a superior bar at that time I gotta see this, I gotta see this game Kat, I brought Austin to LA Fitness and he took all my shine, shot the ball every time, didn't pass it all I don't know what I wouldn't put in LA Fitness last year You did?

Yeah, I did. I would have joined that one. Just like, why not? Just go out there and who's crazy, I don't like playing those summer five and fives, you know where it's like those, like, leagues and stuff. That's just not my style. I'm about to say, I never seen you, you've never done, I've never seen you in,

Dykeman and. Dykeman or the, like the, Rico, Rico, Hines. I've been, I've seen you in the Drew League. Yeah, that's just not your thing. That's not my thing. I remember doing that for so long and I understand this for the fans and everything, but like, yeah, you're more so just work out fine tune and then get to work when the season. No, fuck that.

I ain't playing for free. That's my off time. I ain't going to lie to you. All towns is not playing for freak. But I'll do it if I want to, if I'm like really wanted to, like I will. Like if you told me LA Fitness, yeah, I was pulling up and it was just like for fun, I'm playing. Like I'll just join just to play. But I'm not like the whole shine, the whole thing.

Like I don't. But you wouldn't ever want to go to like. I would do Dykeman. Especially you're from Jersey, bro. That's not saying. You would never want to go to Rucker Park and have a game at the Rucker Park. I've played there when I was growing up so much. So it's kind of like the lust of it is still there, but I've done it.

And I've had moments on them, had great games. I remember being on a Rucker Park playing with my Reebok pumps with a crowd and like getting buckled. You know what I'm trying to say? So I would maybe do Dykeman. If anything, I would do Dykeman just for the hood. But like, I just, in the summer, I like, you know, I like traveling. I like doing my own thing. I like working out.

I'm weird. Like in the summer, I'm very much of a one and old guy. I like working on my game, sharpening my tools and stuff. You know, I've played in the game so much that. I know what I should be expecting when I get on the court, when someone's guarding me and stuff like that. Like, I never feel like anyone could guard me. So I never need to go there to work on my game with a 5-on-5 or one-on-one. Like, I know they can't guard me.

That's the confidence I got. But that's also how I feel is it's been working. So I'm not going to say, but like this summer may be different. Yeah. Because it's summer I want to go play with the Dominican team. So really? That would be cool. Really?

That would be a fire. Yeah, that would be dope. Yeah, I'm trying to work that out right now. So that would be sick. Coach Cowell was your coach when you play for the Dominican team. Yeah. you were younger. Did you already know at that point that you were going to go to Kentucky? No.

Was that after you? No, I thought about everything because, you know, I was, I was, it's funny, a lot of Jersey kids say this, but I was thinking I was going to be that kid, that top ranked thing that actually stayed home. I was thinking about being that top ranked prospect that actually stayed home. I was going to go to Rutgers, literally home. So I was like, man, I can maybe be that guy that changes history and like makes Rutgers that Kentucky and stuff too.

And then, you know, obviously Kentucky was awesome. I had familiarity there. I knew the coach. I knew they had a track record for making people number one picks. Yeah, that time with you went was like prime Kentucky. It was prime Kentucky. I mean, AD just left. Julius and them just had that historic run in the elite A Final Four with two Aaron Harrison shots,

went to the national championship, unfortunately lost. Like, we was running shit and we still is, but we just, it's different now with the NIL. Nah. Yes. I'm going, I can't let my school with that. So, you know what it is. It was like that school, it was like that. Go, number one, I also had Duke in my mind because, like I said, I've always been about

rings and that's all I've been obsessed about since I was- You got that from your grandfather? From my dad, my dad, my dad and dad. So it was like, I've been obsessed with rings. Like, I'm obsessed with winning. So it was kind of like, I was willing to go to Duke and partner with Tyos and all of them and do it that way. Jolil Oka-Four.

Yeah, because I felt like it was a good chance to win a national championship. I wasn't even thinking about, like, number one pick. Like, of course, Kentucky's great. I could already know they do a good job of taking care of people's families and players, but I also saw the team. We had Willie Colley Stein. We had D. Book was going there.

I could insert myself in that. Trey Lowell is the top-ranked player as well. We had Aaron, Andrew Harrison staying. Like, it just looked like a prime team ready. Like, think about it. They made the national championship team game with that team. And now you're just inserting foe of the best players in the country with that team.

It seemed like it was a picture. That was the team that had basically two starting lineups. Yes, we were the platoon system. Yeah, we were the platoon system where I played half the game, DeCari Johnson. Which coach has had the biggest impact on you? You played for, I mean, Carl, you've been through a different, you played for Flip. You played for Flip, Jr. Flip Jr.

I played for Sam Mitchell on NBA TV. Sam, you played for Tibbs. Tibbs. You played for Finch. John. I mean, you've had a plethora of coaches. Which coach have you? you really identified with and had something.

And I know you've probably had it with all of them. Yeah. Every single one of them taught me something different. That was very big. Okay. If you're talking about head coach, right? Yeah. You know, I would say who impacted me the most because of everything in the circumstance

was Sam Mitchell. Because Sam Mitchell was asked to step into a situation where your boss, the head coach, passes away. And now you're stepping into those shoes. But this number one pick, that's the first one, the team and organization has ever had. And now you are asked to lead him. Yep. And grow him up and turn him into a man.

So for him to do that, make that one of my funnest, one of the funnest, I think it is the funnest year I've ever had playing basketball and just make that magical and make that special. And I know we didn't win the way we wanted to, but how much I learned, how much everyone, And I feel like a lot of us have such fond memories of that year with each other. I'm going to say he had the most impact on me because he was, he really, for my first year in NBA, I saw how special the NBA was and I actually smiling a lot. You know, I have fun.

And that's a lot of circumstances. Like, I don't think a lot of coaches, when, you know, they step in, it's like, you know, someone got fired. You step in, you try to do it best as you can, giving it grace, you know. There's no grace for Sam. Sam went in there with a coach that passed away, I actually take a team to the playoffs, and then at the same time with never having a head coaching,

like having guarantee you're going to be the coach. And he ended up not being coach, which, you know, I feel like that's a lot of circumstances for him to still come in every day with a smile and treat us with, and give us the most of him he could give us that day, every single day coaching-wise, you know.

Got a lot of respect for that boy. I got a lot of respect for that. Sam Mitchell. Shout to Sam Mitchell. out Sandwich on D-A-TV. You mentioned you were the first number one pick in the franchise's history. Did you, what did you first think when you knew that you were going to go to Minnesota? I'm imagining you never even had been to Minnesota before.

No. No, I don't think anyone's ever been to Minnesota. That's the first off. Let's be real here. Can we keep it real on the podcast? I don't think anyone's ever woke up one day at any other part of the country. He said, wow, let me go to Minnesota. That's where I want to go.

I ain't never think anyone that said that. But being a Jersey kid and being told, you know, number one pick is Minnesota. I was all in to come to Minnesota. I told Glenn, I told Flip, like, I want to be here. I don't know how many other draft picks can tell you they want to be in Minnesota. Right, right, right, right. Let's be real. Yeah, yeah.

You're saying that. No one's really saying that. And I'm sure you got here and realized like this place is a lot better than what you think it is. It's kind of what happens is you go to a city and you realize like, oh, wow, there's a lot of beauty to a city and there's a lot of, you're a city and there's a lot of, you're a different side to a city and a culture to the city that you kind of align with. I'm so happy I got placed here because one for my career, I just love the peace and quiet. It brings. Right. Get the focus.

The focus on your game. You know, the fans are amazing. The hospitality here. It's true that there is a thing called Minnesota nice here. Like, people are really nice. It's just like the whole culture here, you know, it just, it feels like home, you know. So, you know, like I said, I was a young kid. I ain't never heard of Minnesota now.

feel anyone ever. I could have asked somebody to give me advice about Minnesota. So do you see yourself as a one, one team guy? I would like to be. Like you see Tim Duncan, you see Dirknowiskin, you're like, those guys went to one city, they went to the good, the bad, they just tuffed it out, they played for that franchise. Yeah. Do you see yourself as something like that? I am someone who could do that. Yeah. I know I'm someone who could do that. Yeah. What Damien's doing right now in Portland. Yeah. You fight that fight, but you live with the good and the bad. Yeah. You fight the fight. You come every year where you put your armor on.

You could always go anywhere. You could always go anywhere and go play. Yeah. For sure. But you have this winning it somewhere where you were drafted or somewhere where you're at. There has to be a certain level reward to that. I just feel like it's so rewarding when you do something here than somewhere else, you know. Yeah, yeah.

It's just a different reward you get. Like, it's the same thing with me. I played for the Dominican Republic team. And, you know, I remember making the World Cup. There was the second time we've ever made it in our country's history. right before I got to college, my senior year, was crazy. Like, you do it, you get streets named after you. You're like national heroes.

Means more. Yeah, it hits different. And then being on Team America, you know, Team USA, of course, gold medals are always gold. Yeah, yeah, but they're expected when you go. Yeah, you're kind of expected. So when you do it, you don't really get grace for it, you know? Right, right, right, right. So I would say that's what's super cool about here is that no one expects us to when we do,

something special and we do something that we beat the odds and we beat the expectations. Like, it's just so much more rewarding on the soul. You know, I like taking the hard road. I've always done that. So, um, when I came to Minnesota, I knew what the situation was.

I knew what expectations were. I knew what the situation was. So ever since then, I just always wanted to beat the expectations. I wanted to bring this place back to winning. I wanted to be regarded as a winning organization and a winning culture. So, And that's been hard, man.

I mean, you've been through a lot, man. How much have you been through? You've been more to 90% of your average NBA player, Carl, with its personal life, front office life changes, coaches changes, player changes. Austin, he had that weird Jimmy Butler year. He came in and there was drama everywhere. Jimmy year. Yeah.

This guy, I mean, you've dealt with a crazy amount of change, man. So, yeah. Yeah, I have. Yeah. That's all I can hit you. It's just reflecting over the- Yeah, I mean, what? This is seventh year.

I think it's my seventh year. I think it's your, I think, I'm going to say it's your eighth. Is it? Carl, what, you don't know. I've had a lot of long years, man. Like, God damn. I've had years. I was like four years and one.

I've had, what, five coaches, five head coaches. Yeah, that's insane. I had Flip, rest of soul, Sam. And front office changes. Tibbs, Ryan, Finch. Oh, my God, front office, don't get me started. Yeah, you have a whole bunch of changes. Roson, Ross, what's the name?

Gerson. Scott, Gers, Tibbs. Gerson, Roses. Yeah, he's a nightmare. Remember, I had Milton when I got dropped. A nightmare. Who? I had six.

I've had six GMs. Six GMs is crazy. I think Tim's my six, yeah. Yeah. Tim's great. Yeah. So, you know what I'm trying to say, You say like, I've had six.

I've had more GMs and coaches. Yeah, that's insane. That's not it. People don't understand this is a business. It's not just like some like elective. Yeah. You go out there and play basketball. Imagine you just, imagine you hiring someone for a one-year contract

and you're like getting to know them. And when you finally get to know them, it's like, they're gone. They're gone. I'd be like going for anybody that works at a business, that'd be like your general manager or head boss, like just every year changing. Every year, you're very hard to get a relationship with them. And think about, think about how can you work? You don't even know what's the,

legal room. You don't even know who they are. You're like, you can't even implement them into the culture because you can't even, you don't even know them. How are you going to implement someone in a culture you don't know? Right. Yeah. Mike Connolly was on Ryan Riscilla's podcast the other day and he was talking about his favorite thing about Coach Finch is that he'll chew out anybody. It doesn't matter who he is. He'll get into somebody. Have you experienced that? I know you haven't played a lot of this year. No, for sure. For sure. He'd be. He's got in here. He'd be at Anne's head. He definitely, That's the one thing I'll get Finchie, or not the one thing,

but one of the things I'll get Finchie is that guy, he gets after Ant. I mean, he pushes Aunt to like, it's. Yo, Ann will have 40. I've been hurt. I've been in there one more days. Ant will have 40. I know I watched it on TV. I was here watching it.

I'm like, man, Ann had a good game, you know, just didn't pull out the win. And we come back, I've come back to. The whole film's about Ann. Bro, the whole thing be about Ann. It'd be like. Hey, but look at you, Ann. Like, what the fuck, Ann? What are we doing?

What the fuck are you doing? I'm like, damn. And I'd be over there with my leg up too, you know, hurt as hell. And I'm like, damn, I know Ann had like 40, like 40, like 40, but he's trying to make, yeah, he's trying to make A& better. He's trying to call him out. Like, yo, you could be even better. Pick up your habits. Be better defensively.

It's mostly, it's all defense. It's mostly or like offense sometimes, a lot of times too. But like, he'd be at his neck. He be at his neck. It's good, though, because. It is good. It's great. You know, I know, I know, like, Pop was.

like that with Tim, you know, and he was like that with Tony, and he was like that with Manu because if he could yell at the best players on a team and he could let him be know, you get respect. You get respect. Yeah, everybody respects Finch because of that when he does that. Because I'll tell you one thing, a lot, when those Finchie be going there and he be at it. Or we see something to you or Rudy, bro.

Yeah. He said something to you, Rudy or Ann. Oh, he'll say it to anybody, you know. Okay, this guy, yeah, he's about winning. He don't care about that. A lot of coaches won't do that though. He told me straight to my face. I, I dunk on my mother if I had a chance to win.

Fitchie said? He don't care, bro. He was like, I'll cross my brother. Can Fitchie dunk? Absolutely not. Fitch, I swear. Fitch can dunk? No, he was just, he was just, oh, oh, I was about to say.

No way. But he was like, I want to win at all cause. I don't care what it takes. Yeah, he don't care. Yeah, that's great. That's good too awesome because, for example, if he yells at you, you couldn't even take a personal because you're like, this guy, he fucking yells at Anthony Edwards all the time.

No, no, you can't. Like, you can't even take it personal. When Finch gets off on somebody in film, nobody says anything ever because everyone gets it. So you can't take it as disrespect because you see the best, when he gets after a Carl or an aunt, how the hell can you be disrespected? You know what I'm saying?

You're like, he's going to have to the best players on the team and you just got to shut up. You know what I mean? So he respects, and he respects Austin too, because I sit right next to Austin. He'll like, he'll like ask Austin.

Like he's, you're like your dad. Like you're another coach in the room. He'd be like, Austin, you think that's right? He's just looking back here. No, it's, it's, that's, I, I really do enjoy playing for Finch. You know, this is someone that's even out of the rotation at the moment. Like this is, I'm not even playing this much right now, Posh. Truth be told.

And I still feel a part of the culture, which is rare, man. Usually when you're, when you're not playing, obviously there's a side of frustration, right? You all have that because everybody wants to play. But most guys turn also to like a negative, like, I hate this team. I got to get out of here. I can't wait to show this team something, blah, blah, blah, blah. like I still feel very implemented here and I have a role here. You know,

no matter whether I'm playing or not, I have a job to do and really just trying to just help who I can help. It could be someone different every night. It's usually not guys like Carl and Aunt. They have their own roles. But like I have, you know, it's usually the other guys, you know,

the guys that do what I do on a nightly basis and that's compliment. So, you know, it's been, it's been pretty fun, man, to be here and play with guys like Carl. It's a journey, man. I'll tell you what, Minnesota's been great. It's too fucking cold here.

Cold as hell. It's too cold. It's still snowing. It's March. Yeah, it's snow on the streets and it's March, but we're making it work, man. The sun's coming out now. Today was beautiful. So, you know, we're headed in better days.

Kat, when you entered the league, big men were kind of in the Roy Hibbert mold. That kind of, not to pick on Roy. A shout-out to Roy. I was just with him at the door. No, no, no, just saying like that kind of a center, and it's definitely evolved, you know, to present, would you say you had a big impact on that? Yeah, the game's changed since you've come in.

You've been a part of that. Biggs shooting three. You are. You shot, you made two three-pointers for Kentucky the entire year. Your lone season at Kentucky made two-threes all year. But I made two-threes at Kentucky all year. But then when we had our pro day, before the season started, I broke Kyle Singler's record for three-pointers made in a drill.

How crazy is that? That is crazy. Like, he would even... Definitely should let you shoot more. And it was on ESS. You remember that pro day was on ESPN. So you could watch all of them go in. It's not like I'm lying about it.

You could go watch it. Caliperi might have made it. Should have let you shot a little bit more from three is what you're saying. You fucking knows that, man. Yeah, definitely. But how do you feel about the evolution of the of the big man these days? It's good. I mean, I think that I think I was one of those guys who started that wave because I don't know.

I felt like when I was coming up, I felt like Big Man were getting more and more acts to do more. They were getting acts to do more on a daily basis. I was even thinking back to the days like. Like, it was crazy. Like, for Utah, I don't even know if I'm saying his name right, but Mehmet O'Ker. Yeah, yeah, Memet O'Cour, yeah. Yeah, like, I remember how valuable he was. Yep.

Because just because he could shoot, there was no big man that could shoot. One of the original stretch five. Yeah. So it's like, and he was a true stretch five. Like, he was really, you know, he was shooting. And by numbers, you're the greatest shooting big of all time. Yeah, for so. For so, numbers through that.

Numbers give me that one. So we're allowed to go on record. You are the best shooting big man of all time. Man, you could go make a championship belt and hand it to me for a lot. Love that. Yo, I love that. Come on. I love that.

Yo, yeah, you heard it here first. Yes, sir. Yeah. Say it again. I say it again, because people think I'll be bullshit and I'll be dead-ass serious. I know what I. You do be dead-ass serious. Oh, dead-ass serious.

Nah, I ain't fucking with that. He can't, he would he. A lot of people would say it's Dirk, but we're saying the numbers. I respect Dirk. I respect Dirk tremendously. I love Dirk. I mean, he's a guy who, honestly, the way I play. is because of dirt.

He made it feel possible to do stuff like that. But no disrespect to the originator anything, but I definitely think that I've been able to take what he's done and the mold he's put in history he's make and I've been able to build on it. And it's only because of him. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to do what I do. Right, right, right.

So I just... And that's deficiency you're doing it at. Yeah, like, I just do it at a different level. But, you know, also, too, you stop talk by winning. So, Dirk has something over me that I always won, and that's a ring. So I got to just get one. He's been able to hit those shots. What about Dirk having the hardest championship run of all time?

Yeah, no, he did. He beat the Heat. That team is insane. He beat the Heat. He beat the OKC. They beat the Heatles. He beat the Lakers. Yeah, yeah.

No doubt. All in that run. It was crazy. Blazers first round, Brandon Roy's last kind of run, yeah. They had a good team of vets, though. You know, Jason Terry and Deshawn Stevenson and Josh Howard. Who else was on that team? Jason Kidd, they had a team full of vets, bro.

Sean Marion, that team was full of, like, just absolutely grown men. That's a whole different NBA, bro. Today's like the NBA is like an extension of college, bro. Like every team's 22, 21, 21, 20, 20. Like, two vets. They make me feel so fucking old, bro. Like, I go to the facility and people like,

what's up, old Tama? I'm like, I'm like, bro, I'm 30. I'm 30 years old. I'm in my fucking prime, doll. Like, I'm athletic as hell. I move. I feel good every day. Like, I'm young.

They make me feel so old. It's just like, yeah. This is crazy. When I was like a rookie, like, my vets were like, these guys had like grandkids. Not grandkids. These guys are like grown. Yeah, that might be a little crazy. But these guys were like grown men.

I mean, I had bills and everything. When I was drafted, I was, my assistant coach was Gary Trent, senior. Right. And now I'm playing against Gary Trent Jr. Right, right, right, right. When he used to come around the facility all the time. Yeah, that's insane. Yeah, that tells you right there.

It's just a new NBA. I remember taking a picture with Trey Young. He was in high. school and they were like, yeah, this kid's, he's going to Oklahoma. He's going to be really good. Like, trust us, fam. And now it's like, oh, okay, cool, cool, cool. I wasn't so tapped into the scene, so I ain't know. So, you know, he goes to Oklahoma. He comes out. Now, we're playing against him yesterday. He's an all star. I'm like, man, I knew when he was in high school. Yeah, that's crazy. Literally in high school. You should, you should have heard how happy Austin

was when you guys got Mike Connolly because it made Austin, like, kind of young compared to Mike and Austin wasn't the old head anymore. That's why. That's, that's, that's, that's That's the only reason why. Selfishly. Selfishly, I was happy I wasn't going to be like this guy that like, everyone looked at and saw like, man, this guy's fucking old. Mike's old. Mike makes us older for sure.

Mike's 30, what is it, 35? 35. 35, 36. I mean, that's five, six years older than me, you know? I feel, you know what I feel old when I talk to my conno? When I talk to Josh. When I talk to Josh. When I talk to Josh, I feel old.

Yeah, Josh, one conversation with Josh, you know, Me no. My not. Me not. Menot. Manet. He's 19? Yeah, he's just young.

Him, Wendell are young. But Wendell went to college and Wendell has such a like... He went to Duke, bro. Yeah, Wendell has such a poise about him that he's just like he doesn't act like a rookie. And I love it. But Josh is like, you talk to him. You're like, this is the NBA. I told Josh I played...

Great guy, by the way, too. I love Josh. I played against Kobe. He said, Kobe. I was like, oh, shit. I'm like, am I that old? Do you think this is the most talented team that you've been on since you've been in the NBA? I think this is one of the deepest teams for show.

I mean, we got, look at it. Like, Austin said, he's not even like, he's not in the rotation right now. Look, we got him at the disposal at any time. Like, you know how crazy that is for coaches out to walk in and know you got Austin Rivers? Shout to, shout out. I appreciate you, man. You know what I'm saying? Real tall.

Thank you, man. Bitch, you're listening? God damn, bro. You saw, you saw what Austin came in the game what he does best, man. I always tell him. Just be complimentary, man. That's all. I'm trying to be.

Starting my role. I was just saying, like, we got such a deep team that you need this because we couldn't have withstand me getting injured any other year but this year because of just how deep we are. Yeah, yeah, no, facts. We were able to hold it down to the best we could. And now we're at full strength. A lot of years I would have been like, man, but I had so much confidence. I was like, they're going to hold it down until I get better.

Yeah. Carl, it's a good place to stop. I appreciate you stopping by and talking to us means a lot. Good luck the rest of the way. Thank you, man. Thank you, brother. Thank you, thank you. Anytime.

I've been one to go on this podcast for a minute.