The Ringer NBA Show - Lamar Odom on His Journey Through the NBA, Addiction, and Being Reborn. Plus: Lakers Defeat Warriors in the Play-In With Marcus Thompson. | Real Ones

Episode Date: May 20, 2021

First things first, The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson joins Logan and Raja to talk about the incredible Warriors-Lakers play-in game Wednesday night (0:30). Then NBA All-Star and champion Lamar Odom joins to talk about his journey through the NBA, playing with Kobe Bryant, winning championships, working through depression and addiction, and his new documentary “Lamar Odom: Reborn” following his journey (43:27). Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Guests: Lamar Odom and Marcus Thompson Associate Producer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA season is heating up, and Kevin O'Connor and Chris Vernon have got you covered on the mismatch. They discuss all the news, the trends, and transactions happening around the league. They also offer their on-court analysis and occasionally get into heated debates. Check out the mismatch on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. What's popping? Real ones. Logan Murdoch here, Roger Bell, Lamar Odom, in a bit. But first, we have, Raja, getting ready for this propaganda, man. We have a town legend, Subrani Park's home, columnist for the athletic, fellow Juan Tiscano Anderson stand. We have Marcus Thompson in the building right now, Roger Bell.

Also, somebody that covered you. Do you remember this? Do you remember this time? I do remember this time. He was there for three days. You know, right? I got about a good what. three and a half weeks out of it. Yeah, the Bay, like Piedmont.

Like, listen, Marcus, I catch a lot of shit on this show, bro. What I'm saying is I rep Piedmont. If I'm in the Bay, Piedmont is where I want to be. That's where I live. This is a dope little town. Like, what, you, are you supposed to apologize for that, Logan? Like, Logan, would have me feel some kind of way because I, like, fucking Piedmont. No, because you always say I rep, let me give you context before we go here, Marcus.

Because he says, he's like, when we first met, he was like, yo, man, yeah. I lived in Oakland for a bit. I lived in this place called Piedmont. And you know how we feel about that. We're like, I don't know. We can't really claim you like that. I don't know what I was talking about. I think I ran into Roger and the A-court

few times. I don't know what. My bad, my bad, that's drive. Business in the streets. He was in Piedmont. I don't know. I feel like you was in East Oakland. I don't know about little Piedmont.

He don't even know. No, we got to, we got to, when he comes to the bay, we got to show him the other side of Oakland. We got to show him open as a whole. Yeah, you was there before it was like gentrified and all that, huh? You was there before it got kind of wild. Mark, yes, though, I'm trying to tell Logan, when I came, I expected to stay in Oakland. Like, I was hoping to resign. So they actually provided me someone from the team to kind of take me around and show me areas.

And it wasn't, like, I didn't really, they either did not do a good job or there wasn't a whole lot of spots at that time. So then they wound up, I rented a house that Jay Rich owned up in the hills up there. Yeah, I remember them days. Yeah. It was a rough time.

Go ahead, Mark. He, I remember your hand, your wrist was shot, right? When you got, when you play, your wrist was jacked up.

I remember he was checking into a game. And I think you even played. And I was like, dude, what are you doing? Like, like, why are you even playing?

right? Because you was a vet and I remember the season being pointless, I don't think y'all are any good. I was just like, yeah, why are you even playing? And I remember you like walking off like, looking at me like because I'm a dog and they just walked off.

I was like, all right, all right. I'm with you. I actually had the same injury as the boy Jaylen Brown has right now that torn scaffoldone. It's an ugly injury. It's a little tiny thing, but it's it's a nasty little hard rehab on that shit, little space in your wrist.

But I like that team. We had a fun team, man. That was a cool vibe. And Steph was a rook, so he was getting donuts and bennets and shit like that. It was a fun team. It wasn't no good, but it was fun. That's what Roger says whenever he ditches somebody to compel with us.

Like one time he ditched golfing with Michael Jordan to compile. I did not ditch Mike. I did. Why do you do this? Why do you do this? And I say, because I'm a fucking dog. Yeah,

that's usually what happens. So, you know, shout out to Raj's being a dog, I guess. I don't know. Is he DMX? I don't know.

So, Marcus, we brought you here to talk about Warriors, Lakers, and the epicness all that came through.

Now, the question that I have for you, starting into this game and towards the end of this game, if at all, Did your prediction wane at all?

Like, who did you pick to start to win this game? And how did that kind of manifest as the game wore on? Oh, I thought the Lakers are going to drag him. I mean, I thought this is a bad matchup for the Warriors. Like, I mean, I think Vogel helps with his Andre Drummond addiction. I do feel like Andrew Wiggins' Revenge Tour is still live and cracking. He still got beef with LeBron. So he was coming for the neck.

I think that helps. And, you know what I'm saying? You know, Steph was Steph, right? Steph started doing Steph things. I was surprised. I thought, I mean, the last two games, they lost about, what, 56 points total? Like, this is a bad matchup. Playoff Draymond, this is why I underestimated.

I forgot, but I don't know playoff Dreymine would show up for playing. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Playoff Draymond was about that life of the play in. But he had Anthony Davis in some clamps, yo. I was like, dude, can you give a dollar back in his? lunch money? Like let them get a dollar. Let them get some bus money back home. So I was surprised. I was surprised. No question about it. I thought this would be an ugly one. And, you know, we'd hear the

same. We got to do better. Blah, blah, blah, blah. But they showed up. They came to play. I was, I was surprised by that. Well, I thought it was a, I thought it was a tough situation because you, I thought it was really unpredictable, honestly. I thought it could go one or two ways. I thought Steph could get really hot and you could be in a ball game that you didn't expect to be if you were the Lakers or I thought the Lakers could drag them. I didn't have too much of a scenario where I thought Golden State was going to beat them handily. It was either going to be Steph going ham and pulling it out at the end, which they almost did, or the Lakers rolling them. But I didn't foresee it playing out like it did last night. I thought Steph had to go berserk from the jump. Like I didn't

see, to your point, Marcus, I didn't, I didn't see Dremont with like all-time great defensive. This man was playing the ball, clamping AD, picking a ball and picking row, and then getting back on the pocket pass and stealing that shit, like multiple times. That was crazy. That shit was wild. I didn't see Wiggins doing that. Quite frankly, you know, pool and friend of the show, JTA, was getting buckets early in the game. Like, they had a well-rounded performance.

I thought Steph would have to go berserk early for them to be in that game. Bag time. Time to pay the bills. We'll be back. Hey, yo, JTA is from East Oakland. Let's get to it. Let's get to it. Let's get to it.

It's from the block. Yo, hey, propaganda time. Did you see that heart? Did you see the moment? Wait, did you see the block on LeBron? Did you see the block of the bra? Oh, my God. Hey, check this out.

This dude is in the biggest game of his life, yo. He came from the G League. He came out of Mexico. And that moment came and guess who was ready? The dude from East Oakland. Ross, you was in East Oakland. You know what I'm talking about. You was posted up.

Outside Oracle or Rita after the game, looking for something to eat. You know these East Oakland streets. Watson Scott O'Anterson is from that soil, man. That dude was ready. I'm going to get that boy some love on the pod because I've been in that situation, bro, where now his is different because he got a whole season under his belt for that moment. Like they just dropped me in a moment, so mine was a little different. But it's really hard the first time you see that and like that type of atmosphere. to be ready.

And what got me was kind of early in the game, not early, but maybe second quarter. He caught that shit on like a skip because everything's trying to get the ball to Steph. And then if you're open, we'll throw that shit to you. So they hit him on a skip. And he kind of like sized his man up and hand down, man down.

He pulled that shit from the wing. Why? I was like, oh, no, he's, yeah, he's really about that life tonight. He came to play. Yeah, right now. Yeah, put it out of court. Oh, shit.

Yo, I was so hype, man. I was hyped for a while. This was going to be towards the end of the show, Marcus, but you brought Juan up, so we have to talk about it now. What, like, I know of a certain age, because I'm a bit younger than you, and I remember, like, going to high school

when Juan was playing. Like, I remember being all that. And there was something about that game. Like, I don't know if you've had, I know you've had this in your time, but seeing, like, somebody that you kind of grew up with, play against LeBron James on the biggest game with the season,

Is this somebody from Oakland play on ESPN and then holding their own and talking shit? That did something for me. And like, it brought up some feelings that I didn't know I had. What was this about you to see Juan play against Braun like that on the biggest game of the season? Yo, I mean, you know what it is when you're from the town? Like, all of it feels like your cousin. You know what I'm saying? It's like watching your cousin graduate from Stanford or something.

It's just every time I see Juan play. And this was like when he was a G-League caller. getting buckets and chasing her. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? You got that you got you got that vibe man like it's it's crazy especially his story.

It's not even just that the dude is great like Oakland had Oakland has some great players right. But it's the story man. It's to come from nothing, right? Like it's it reminds you like what we cut from and what we about. And you know, you know, Roger, we try to sometimes we act like we talked about this before uh me and logan how we like you know we act like some always this small town like everybody love the bay you know people love the town people love

the bay but we act like don't nobody recognize it and it's just in our blood that just you know what I'm saying like so yeah so every moment we got like it's the greatest moment of all time and I'm telling you when when he block LeBron people the streets was cracking I'm promise you I heard gunshots. It was just like 4th of July. It was celebratory gunshots for sure. Oh, yeah, in the air shots. In the air, you can tell, yeah.

Bro, I remember, because, you know, it's well documented in my Laker fandom. I remember last night, it was a bit of, it was Laker fandom, but it was also Oakland versus L.A. Because they had the Oakland jersey on the propaganda was going through. I love my young brother. Logan is my brother, man. Like, Logan, this is my.

dog, but we got to set the record straight because I didn't heard this. I didn't hear, I didn't listen to every real ones. And I got to let people know. Like, you just can't be, this is a new generation thing to be a Laker fan coming from Oakland. You know what I'm saying? Like, this is, I

don't know about that, but Logan get a pass. You know, Logan get a pass because he, you know, he knew school, and we got to follow Logan. From you, maybe. He's out here reping two sets, bro. Every fucking day we on this pod, he's weapon two sets. He got.

No, we hated the Lakers. You could not rock with the Lakers where I was from. Nah, but not, uh-uh, B. Hey, but I'll just say, I went, it was, I got into the, the vibe of, like, Oakland versus L.A. SoCal, and I was like, when they was hitting threes, I remember with Steph in a three down the stretch, I ran to the other side of the house, and I was like, what the, I was like, what's going on? I think the, for a quick second, the Oakland,

versus L.A. took a hold of me and I was like, let's, what, let's fucking go. How are you during this? Because it wasn't, you just alluded to this earlier. It wasn't just Lakers versus Warriors last night. It was a whole bunch of other pent-up stuff. How did you think that manifested last night from your vantage point and from the Bay as a whole? Well, I just, I feel like this was, you know, for some reason, we love like struggle stars, right? We want, we want our heroes to be, to be in the some form of basketball poverty. I admit it's kind of, while like Iverson, you know, he's surrounded by trash like Raja and, you know, he's still making it happen.

That's how, but for real though, ain't that how the narrative is? Like, let people tell it, like, Eric Snow could not play basketball. At all, right? He was a C-Y-O point guard, right? And it's like, come on. Who was Aaron McKee? But that's, we like that narrative. So it was unique, especially after the dynasty to see the warriors in this little engine that

could roll, right? Like, it's like, yo, Jordan Poo, like the whole game is on George Poo, right? That's normally that's Clay Thompson and that's a bucket. But it's like, you know, the Warriors were the struggles team. Like the way Steph hoops, it was like, man, this dude is nuts. That's what I was just thinking like, Steph is nuts, man. He's insane. I'm telling you, he was shooting at Staples Center like I shoot regularly, which is not good, right?

Like, I mean, his last trips to staple has been awful. And this dude literally dropped 27 or 23 shots against the number one D in the league dedicated to stopping him. Like, yo, who is this dude? He's, I'm just, I was marveling. I actually felt this form of appreciation. I'm writing about this now. Like, our conversation about basketball would be so trash sometimes. Like, we just watch LeBron and Steph make a playoff, like a play in game, feel like a,

a finals game. Like, this is, like, what are we talking about here? These dudes are great, man. It's incredible how great they are. And I feel like if we're going to miss it and then later on, everybody going to act like they wasn't trash and LeBron and Steph on their respective sides later. They go act into 50 years. It'll be like, no, it was great. You know, we were all in like, nah, they was hate. Hey, brother, they was pitting two black men against each other for two decades. That's what it was. Sir. Well, we was in here. We saw this. We saw it. That's what we're going to say in 10 years when they was talking about how they thought. They're going to act like they love Steph, right?

That's what they go. They go act like they love LeBron the whole time. Be like, nah, I remember the batteries and the burn jerseys. Cool playing. Hey, Raja, what's the biggest evolution from you? I know there's a lot of evolutions of Steph, but what is the biggest one from you, from you seeing him as a rookie to now?

Wow. I mean, there's a, there have been a lot of strides made by step. I mean, this is going to sound corny as hell, but it's just the confidence level. I tell you, I saw glimpses of it when he was young. You could tell that there was something special. It just didn't, it wasn't a sustainable thing for him every game. Like, he couldn't tap into it for as many plays a game as you needed him to tap into it to be a star.

And so, you know, what you see now, like the grades from the grades for me, like there's a separation and skill level, certainly, between a great and a good NBA player. But where there's really a separation is in their confidence and belief that they can summon that superpower. whenever the fuck it's needed. Like, it doesn't matter what you do to me. I'm going to find a way to get it off. And so this year I've seen Steph, you know, really evolve into a dude who's got everyone looking at him, right? Like, not, you know, usually you account for Steph coming off of picking roles

or you know he's such a great shooter that you, you know, that big wants to extend a couple more steps with him just to make sure he doesn't get it off. But now he's got three and four people just glued to him at all times, eyes, you know, bodies. and he still has found a way to, like, get off that ball, move, come back, get it, and believes that he is able to, like, function in that space. And because he believes he can, he does. Like, it sounds crazy. It sounds crazy, but it really, a game is a game.

It's a commercial, right? It really is. Like, a game is a game. I'm not throwing shade at MJ. This is going to sound crazy. MJ played a certain way. Can you dig what I'm saying? Like, it was his style of play.

You know, even Kobe, to a certain degree. They had a brand of ball that they played. This dude doesn't necessarily have a brand, dog. Like, he's, he's like, he just kind of morphs into something different with the way he plays. And I wasn't throwing any shade, but it's incredible to watch him say, all right, well, fuck it. Then I'm just going to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. And you can't get here quick enough for me to shoot it, you know? You know what's crazy about it. Like, you know, you know, Roger, you're a hooper, right? Like there's something about when people, like when you as a defender, when you need a double or people saying bring the double as a defender, you like, hold up.

You know, even Logan, man, you play a pickup. And they're like, man, you can't cook switch. You're like, no, I got this, right? It's crazy how blatantly the other team just like, I don't care. I'm putting three dudes on. I don't care. Like, Caruso is a good defender. Like, he can play defense, right?

And he's like, yo, AD, you better be. right there. You better absolutely be. Don't you leave me hanging, AD, you better be right there. It's crazy how, like, all pretense, all, like, you know, bravado and machismo go out the window. It's like, yo, I need help.

Like, man, hey, you didn't rotate. You're not there. Like, Steph really got dudes like, yo, I don't care. I'm going to cry on TV. I'm not getting the bucket. This dude is not scoring on me. It's like, it's crazy. It's how people just throw all the machismo out of the window.

It's like, yo, you better help me with this dude. Hey, Kobe would, Kobe was like that. Like, you know, there were times where we wanted him to go one-on-one against whoever the defender was, because if he got into his bag like that, it would take away other people. But there were other times where that was not the game playing, and you'd be looking around like, yo, you better, you better fucking hold me down. Do I am trusting you? Because this shit's going to be embarrassing.

There's a play of me guarded him at the top of the key where the coverage, no, he just straight blows by me and dunks the ball. Is this Christmas? Is this the Christmas game I talk to you about that I roast you about it? And it's not your fault, but I roast you about it? We're right in the middle of the floor, top of the key. There's a screen, and it just looks like I played no defense, and he goes right down the lane and dump. Exactly, yeah.

The fucking coverage was to tear him away from the screen. They're supposed to be helped there, right? So, like, in those situations, if you're not there to help me, dog, I'm going to look really stupid. Please be there to help me. And I look really stupid. There's a play last night. They threw three people at him.

Half, the shot before halftime. You had Caruso. A.D. was, was it? A.D. was supposed to get up and really trap it? And then somebody else ran at it. as he went over to the I think it was KCP on real shit, bro,

three people. It didn't matter. It did matter. And they walked away like, yeah, we did that. Like, it's like jumping,

dude, three people walking away. Like, we, you know what I said? Like, like, they really be jumping stuff.

And like, yeah, we did that. We handled that. Like, forget that one-on-one stuff. Like, he never sees one-on-one

anymore. I mean, when he did, they have to take Dennis out the game. It was like, yeah, Dennis, like,

have a seat, buddy. You play well. You were a valiant, you were a valiant foe. You guys both have seen both sides of this, so I want to get your perspective. The evolution of the LeBron relationship, and LeBron-Steff relationship, and Marcus has written about this in his book called Golden, I believe, don't you have a book called Golden?

Yes, that you guys can still pick up in stores. Nice shout out. The evolution of Steph and Braun's relationship. It started out as they were pot and as they were homies. They were really good. You know, LeBron's on court side coming to games in North Carolina. Then they evolve into, okay, he's cool. Oh, damn, you shook my point guard Mario Chalmers with the Hesi.

And then it's like, oh, we're playing against the finals with each other. We play, oh, it's funk. You see LeBron like, yeah, I'll block your shit, right? And a finals game. And now it seems to be, is it subsided? What is it right now, Marcus? And I want to get your perspective in a minute, Rosam. What is it right now, Marcus, from your band?

And it is, it is, so when I was growing up, Roger, you know, my uncles and aunts were always around, right? So we kind of, we knew, like, they'd be fight. They'd be start drinking and they'd just start fighting, right? And you always knew when it was cool because some 70 song was on. It's like, all right, they made up, right? Like, so they're in their laughing and they're dancing, trying to swear they the temptations, right? And then they're arguing, come back again, and then it's like, all right, we're waiting for the music, right? We're waiting for the music.

I feel like they at that part where now it's all up, man. It's like, yo, the 70s music is playing. Like, they love each other. They respect each other. And it's actually really, I know I must be getting old because this stuff is warming to me, man. Because in the end, they're going to be 65 with like gray beards talking about, look what we did. Like, look who we were and what we accomplished. And I feel like they found that lane.

they found the lane where they could compete against each other and still embrace each other and respect each other. I think they've, you know, Steph always respected to LeBron and look up to LeBron. I think LeBron like understands where Steph is and respects where he is and what he's going through. And LeBron knows he's thrown his best shot at Steph. Like I've given you, you know, I'll give you everything I got and you're still here, right? You still out here giving a bucket. So I'm a little warm.

I'm bushy about this stuff. I feel it. Like, yeah, I love seeing, like, when LeBron took that three, you could see Steph yell at him and tap him in the stomach. You know what I'm saying? Like, and before that would have been big drama, right? Like, it would have been like, oh, it would have been talk all day. But it's just part of, like, the banter of two dudes playing.

They're 30s now. They got kids. You know what I'm saying? Like, they've let all that petty stuff go, and they're just boys, right? And they talked about it, like, you got me this time. I'm going to get you next time. And for me, that's dope. I equated to right now is like, I told you this, Marcus,

where it's like the little homie has to gain a big homies respect, you know, but there's a lot of, there's a lot of like here. There's a lot of back and forth that goes along the way with that. And once they do that, they're good. They can still be competitive, but overall that they're fine. Raja, what did you think, because you were in the clubs organization, the first finals, how did you feel like LeBron approached Steph in that moment versus how you think he doesn't happen?

I didn't really, you know, I didn't talk to LeBron about that. So I don't know. From the outside kind of looking in, I would say it was the same way. Look, it's all good. And I love you, Steph, if I'm LeBron, right? And you're like little bro, but it's all good until you threaten my shit. And then you start threatening my championships or like my mantle, where you start getting in the conversation for the best player in the game right now.

And then that competitive spirit comes out, right? that juice. Like, I, I'm not ready to give this up. And that's kind of the way I saw that. I never, you know, I don't, I can't speak to the relationship relationship. I haven't really done any interviews with anyone or anything like that. But that's just the way I saw it. It's like, look, I think that's accurate. I think that's accurate. Yeah, like, listen, you're coming from my shit now. Like, hey, I'm not ready to, I'm not ready to give this up. And also, everybody was giving it to Steph, right? You know, all the aunties, all the 13-year-olds was like, yo, this is our new king. And LeBron is like, hold on. Right. Like, like, shit.

like chill, but... He took that whole demo. Steph took that whole demo for like a year and a half. He did. I just, man, I just... There's something about old black men that just warms me. And from the NBA perspective, these are two older black men

who are like, man, these youngsters are coming. You know, these youngsters are coming, man. So we ain't got that much time at the top anymore. You know what I'm saying? So I just like that they're in this space. And, you know, we still got a few years left. Who knows? They might even see each other again once the words get set up.

and we're getting greatness. That's what we're getting. We're getting great dudes. Listen, I said, I've said this before. I'm going to say it again. What Steph is doing this year, I just hope that there's more of this in the tank, right? Because it's this, I love the story,

but they ain't winning shit, right? So you get clayback, and I was left with this feeling last night. If you get clayback at an 85% to 90% version of himself, they got some pieces. I still think you need something else, but they could be right back in the mix again if Steph is playing at this level of ball. Like that, they pop right back into the conversation.

I mean, look where they are right now, low-key. Like, low-key, like, where are you putting them in the West without Clay? They, you know, you probably say, hey, they in that 6, 7, 5 range. You get in a series with 5, 6, 7, they can win that thing without Clay. You add clay, that means they firmly in that mix. I do think they need another move, but, man, think about this. If Wiggins is your fourth best player, like you, you're a pretty good team. And Draymond is playing with stakes?

And Braymond care. LeBron knows, like, Draymond is about, like, you know, he's clucks now, right? So he knows what stuff. Them dudes is boys, AD, LeBron. Do you see how Draymond was going at this dude? Like, like they wasn't even homies. ADD. AD, that's, it's kind of my, see, A, I'm glad you said this.

Here we go, here we go ahead. I'm glad that he had a good second half. I really am. Because in the first half, he has. In the first half, I was sitting there like, see. Raza was ready to go. This is that shit. And not because he came, but because he came out there not understanding,

apparently what that shit was about. Like, hey, bro, this, this is not one of the 82 or whatever we just played, dog. This is, stars got to be star. as the night, dog. That's where I was. You got a lock in. Dreyman was about that life, boy. He was like, let's go.

It took AD a while. It took AD a while. I was like, come on AD. Come on AD. You can't go out like this. He found it. Do you think that, do you think that that if the warriors

get back to contention and they play the Lakers again, do you think the LeBron, Steph thing goes to another level? Do they go back? Do they go back to fight in like the drunk uncles? Do they go back? Is the sweet music still playing?

I think it's, first off, I think it's all on LeBron, right? Like, Steph just ain't that dude who's going to start the beef, right? Steph is a killer who's, like, smiling the whole time, right? Like, he will dismember you and then be like, oh, man, it's just, we're having a great time, aren't we? Like, isn't this wonderful, right? That's just, I mean, Steph was raised around his stuff, right? Like, this is what his daddy, his daddy had him, like, exposed to the fraternity of the, of the NBA, like real early.

So he loves all this stuff, the battles and the competition at the talk. So it ain't going to be stiff. It's going to be if LeBron can handle it, especially if he ends up losing. If somehow the Warriors get together and they can throw him the Lakers, like, how will LeBron handle it? I think LeBron is old enough and has accomplished enough that, like, we already know who he is. We shouldn't even be talking about whether or not LeBron is LeBron.

Like, I almost feel like if LeBron go back, it's because he doesn't feel like his legacy is secure enough. But I think that would be a mistake. I think he's real secure. I don't know that, I don't know because LeBron, LeBron, when he feels like maybe threatened or something like that, he gets into the bag where he's talking about, I was looking at three rims. I was, my, my hand was broke. Like, I know that he is threatened right now. Hey, Joe, is he in a different bag right now? Why was C.J. McCallon? I love that, dude. Yeah. No, but I'm just like...

Like, you might have to play this man. You know. Yeah. But I'm just like, LeBron, when he's threatened, you know, like he just starts to get in a different bag. And I think that he's...

If that was a seven-game series, I could totally see LeBron just being like... You did that switch flips. Just pulling out all the stops. The flips switch. Yes, it switches. Okay, so I want to know, we've talked about,

you brought about Andrew Wiggins a little bit. He was about that life last night. He was about all of the small. smoke last night. How sustainable is this? Because he's been doing this all season. How sustainable is this, Marcus, for next year? I mean, for next year, it's very sustainable. We'll have less to do.

I mean, second half, they needed him hit a couple shots. And, you know, he didn't come up like, like he was more maple than Jordan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was definitely more maple than Jordan. I mean, in fairness, like, you put him in that situation is probably not

the best situation, right? Like, we've seen him in this role. That's the that's the spot where you want Clay Thompson. Like Clay, Clay's sticking them shots. So next year, he probably won't be asked. It will be gravy what he can do.

But man, he hit, he hit LeBron with that ooh out one time. I was like, yo, on the post. Yo, what the, what the, wigs? Why is you doing this? Like, have you seen a therapist?

Like, you gotta get this out of your, you gotta get this hate out of your heart. He was going at LeBron. Like, he's like, he still ain't over that trade. I was like, Yo. Was he mad about that? Roger, was, did you, you know that trade? Were you around at that point?

But I know you did see Andrew coming back and playing against LeBron. Did you ever see Wiggins have that little oomph whenever he played against LeBron when you were at the cash? No, I didn't even know it existed. I mean, I was there for his workout. I was consulting with the Cavs at the time. So I saw Wiggins workout. We went out to our, you know, we did our interview with him and went out to dinner and all of that. And so they traded him.

How was he in that? How was he in that? First of all, was he straight? How did that? His workout was phenomenal. His interview was great. He was a really good, you know,

a really good kid at the time, good young man. He came across exactly the way you would want a number one pick to come across. Like, he was fantastic. I didn't know

that he had beef with LeBron about that, but in retrospect and thinking about it, that's normal. I just say this about him. He, believe it or not, because of the dysfunction

in Minnesota, he is just scratching the surface of who he's supposed to be. Like, you're in Minnesota, you basically just been over there sitting in, like, limbo, and just accumulating a bunch of empty stats for years.

Like you haven't been in those moments that you're talking about. You know what I'm saying? Mark is like he's going to evolve if he stays there into a player that's seasoned enough to make shots that understands the gravity of the situation. Like he's, we talk about this, Logan, when we're talking about teams being a year ahead of schedule because some of their, some of their players aren't ready for that. I'm not saying Andrew Wiggins is not. I'm just saying he'll get better in time with that.

You can't do it until you get there. until you get there. You can't do it until you do it. That's right. That's the only way. He's going to be on the ascend for them. Like, he's going to be ascending as a piece. You know, he'll put in the right spot, not having to do too much offensively.

His bag, look, his offensive bag, don't get that shit twisted, bro. Go find his workouts on Instagram. Like, my man's got a, he's got a healthy repertoire of offensive things, fully, fully capable of being your number three score. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know, so I think that's going to be a good look.

for them. He just needs a little seasoning. I liked what I saw from wigs. By the way, I found an old fire piece that I wrote about Roger, yo, man, these are some bars, bro, from back in the day. Oh, man.

Where was it? Oh, 9. He was with the Warriors, yeah. When you, I guess you put... You wrote a hell of an injury report, huh? Nah, so, so what happened was like, Roger hurt his wrist, and

he wasn't supposed to play, but he was like, yo, I'm going to play anyway. It was in Boston. You remember that? I do. You went in the game. And he was like, I'm just going to play anyway. But we thought he was done for the year.

We was like, y'all, he's done. He's not playing. And you went in the game. And I don't, you haven't played that long. But it was a, that was back with a 14 point loss to the, to the Celtics was like a win. You know, if you just keep it close to the end and, you know, they're going to pull out of the end. So, you know, it was like, yo, I remember, I'm looking at the story. And it's like, everybody was like, man, we didn't expect him to play.

Monti was like, man, when I saw him take off his warmups and get the game, I was like, wow, this guy, he's a, he's a trooper, man, he's ready. I was like, look at Roger go. Those are my bars. That was me recognizing your greatness back in 09, Lo-Kin. What? Some respect when it was like, hey, you know what happened with that? You weren't even respecting your greatness in 2009. No greatness, bro.

I was, you know, I had history with, with, with Nellie. Like Nellie was my guy. He had had me in Dallas. And so when they traded for me, him and Larry Riley, I think, was the GM, right? Riley. Yeah. So I was going home and they were like, look, man, we just need you to fly out and sit for that game just to fill a bench spot. Then you could go home and have surgery.

And as I was sitting there, like, Nelly looked at me. My wrist was taped. I looked at Nellie. He looked at me again. And I gave him to, we could do it. And we did it. It was cool. I think I went three for three.

He took. I was three for three threes. I'm like shooting a thousand in a warrior's uniform. Yo, yeah, he took a, Nelly took a swig of the beer and was like, he's ready.

Yeah, what we do? He's ready to go. Yo, check this out. I'm about to get my James Earl Jones on. Look, go to stay play just seven men in a loss at Cleveland the night before on Tuesday.

And Bell's minutes were helpful as the word, stayed close with Boston for most of the game Wednesday. What's more? Bell gave the Warriors an example of the gutsy, scrappy, sacrificial disposition they needed to be successful. This meant a lot from me, Anthony Morrow said. He wanted

to be with his teammates. It's a reflection of the kind of person he is. This is what we wrote when the Warriors is trashed. My young fella, we were writing, but forget the game. Rockett. Rogers is just playing with a jacket wrist in Boston with seven men. Who did this is a gangster?

That's what we were. People don't remember They don't know about that old life. That old words. Let me tell you one more story. You explained why I was a Laker fan. You explained exactly why I was a Laker fan because I was not reading that. I had surgery on my wrist, right? Like a long surgery.

You're in a cast for eight damn weeks. Like it's a shitty little surgery and a shitty part of your wrist. So I get out to the bay. Can't really like pronate my wrist yet. So I'm trying to work through the rehab. So I show up. The practice facility was at that Marriott. Was it the Marriott up top?

Yeah, yeah. So I come out. from the occupational therapy, like all the way across town, and I'd be racing to get to practice. So I would show up, like, literally as practice was starting, or five minutes late. So this is where they were at this time. So I showed up one day. I was five minutes late, approximately. So I get out my car, boom, slam the door. It's one of them great foggy days out there. And I see a truck running right next to the entrance to the gym. It's a pickup. And I'm walking up and I'm like, the car is running. The windows, there's smoke billowing out of the windows.

Like, what the fuck is going on? So I walk up to make sure everything's okay in the truck. It's Nelly. Now, practice is five minutes. We're like five minutes on the clock. You should have been in there. Nellie is sitting in the cab of his truck at the steering wheel, smoking cigarettes and petting his dog, like sitting next to him on the seat.

I was like, God damn, this is a wild shit. This is where we are. Hey, hey, Kee Smart was coaching that practice. Kee's smart. Nell used to be like, you know what? I'm out today. I don't feel like this. Keith, you got this right?

And he walking off with his dog and his beer like, I'm out. We're like, yo, this dude just out today. He ain't even coach him. He's a goal. He's a legend. He's a legend. Yeah. Man.

So I think that's a great way to go to our favorite segment of the program, ruin of the week, where we shout out a person, an entity, an organization that won the week. I will go first and set the tone. Then we will go Raja. And then we will go our guest of honor, Mark. is Thompson. I'm going to go with a real, real, real, maybe two real one. I'm going to go with Paul

Mooney, who passed yesterday. Berkeley High Legend, Oakland legend, writer for Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle, just a legend all the way around. Paul Mooney, real one of the week, two real one of the week, very

real one, real one. Roger, who is your real one rest of peace, Paul Mooney, he was dope. So my real one of the week, I'm going to switch years, man. I'm going to take it to the baseball field. I'm going with one Shohei Otani. Listen, I grew up playing Little League, but in full disclosure, I'm not a huge baseball fan until the playoffs. He's nuts. What my man is doing is incredible, though. He's leading MLB in total bases. He's leading the MLB in home runs with 14 homeruns right now, and the man got a 2.39 ERA. Like, they didn't do great last night. Like, he got pulled after four innings or so. He didn't factor in.

But come on, dog. Like, that's ridiculous. That's Babe Ruth shit. Yo, it's crazy. Like, number one is crazy what he's doing. He had a home run on a pitch that was like five feet above the strike zone. I was like, how the hell you get to that? That bat speed is nuts. But what's crazy about baseball is you can really have Mike Trout and Shoahe Otani and still be less. Like, at one point, I'll be like, at one point, the great players actually help you win.

Like, it's unbelievable. Baseball's weird. So my real one, I was, I was going. to go baseball. I was very, I was very used about C.C. Sabathia coming after Tony LaRouza, you know, Vallejo's finest, you know what I've said, like getting after Tony LaRosa for his, you know, problematic, you know, dialogue towards these Latin players. He did that on R2C2, where you can watch on the ringer. I was like, yeah, let's go, C, C, C, but man, you know what I'm saying? I got, I got my Diana jersey on, but I got to give my real one of the week to

Sabrina Yenescu, the Bay legend, Miramani's finest. We hype about one triple double, but she's about to get one of these every week. So, but, you know, the youngest would have tripled. Took her six games to make it happen. Just debate. This is what we do. This is who we are. You know what I'm saying?

Shout out to Sabrina. We've been, knew who she was since she was in high school, giving buckets out here. We knew she was great. So it's good to see a local. live up to the hype. You feel me? No, man. You know, we do this. We do this out here in the day. We knew that this propaganda. You knew that this propaganda

was going to come for us. You knew it was. Rogervin knows this. Wait till the Juan episode. Wait to the one episode and see what happens. My bad, Rodgers. You go, bro. You wrote a nice piece. We got history. Hey, this is kind of fire.

You know, I was in my bag a little bit for a bad Boston game. It's a 14-point loss. I'm like, why about so sentimental? Like, hey, that's what we do. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? Hey, Marcus is part of the reason why Warrior fan had hopes because he would just write shit like this. Like, we have a chance because Rogers just just get good at a 14 point loss in Boston.

We got a shot. That's part of the gig, right? Like, hey, part of the gig. Keep everybody hopeful. That's what we need to do more NBA talk, man. Like, everybody else figured that out. We spend so much time hating and tearing people down. I know, man.

We talked about that a couple weeks ago where it was just like, bro, Do you like basketball? Do you like what you're watching? We're watching Steph first LeBron James. This is fun. This is fun. Hey, these jokes straight. Steph,

one last shot, Steph bringing the ball up. A.D. and Caruso is literally at half court camped waiting like, you crossed this line. We own you. And people walked away like, I told you, Steph,

what clutch? Bro, what? They do the same thing with Russell Westbrook every week and Raja wants to fight someone. Raja literally wants to fight somebody. I'm like, yeah, What are we talking? This is what we're talking about? Like, come on, man.

This is an incredible game. This is what we're talking about. Like, whatever. Marcus, I am of the belief that we need NBA propaganda back. We need that NBA on NBC propaganda. We need that back. We need that energy back from a certain way. Not to say we can't criticize, but we have to just, we have to bring it back.

Yeah, Roger, why are you doing on TV, man? Because I fuck with Logan and the ringer, bro. Yeah, you can do both. Ah, ah, ah. You can do both. I talk to my age. That's true. No, I, listen.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Look, I don't, I, that's a different gig. It's a different gig, though. It's a different gig. I did color one time when I was hurt for the Charlotte Bobcats. It's not as easy as it looks. That's a, that's a different level of being able to get in and get out, be succinct with the call.

Like that's, man, have you flipped through league pass? It's some struggles. It's some struggle broadcast out there, bro. It's some struggles out there. Even if you don't care, you'll be middle of the back. You'll be right there in the back. You don't actually like Loeke. I like what you mean.

One of your homies, another Bay dude, Drew Gooden. He on the Washington Broncos. I was like, look at you. I didn't even know Drew had that as bad. I love Drew Gooden. I loved Drew Good, but he went to El Cerrito High. So I got to, you know, he's a gout show. So I got a little.

You know what I mean? Yo, that is such a. He's from the Bayton. Yeah, that's such a not Oakland conversation. Like, this dude got to be for people from El Cerrito. Like, I don't understand. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Anyway, so. All right, man. This was great. We got to get to Lamar. Um, that was a great episode of a great little topper. Make sure you go check out a little housekeeping note. We, this is the last Monday morning episode we will have for a few months. We are going to be recording on Monday nights.

Um, we might have some stuff on locker room. Me and Rajah, make sure you check out that. Um, for our real ones, night caps on Monday night started throughout the playoffs. Um, in the meantime, go check out the ringer NBA fee. Go check out mismatch. Go check out group chat. Go check out the answer. go check out

go check out if you're going to check out other things go check out R2C2 with Who Belayal legend CCC subatia

Go check out Black Girl's songbook with who Rajabel That's the second town legend of the day Right The second town legend

The day Smith Yes yes Make sure you go Check out Ringer music show With Charles Holmes

Make sure you go check out the ringer verse with Charles Holmes as well and Van Lathen and Jomey

who was in on the call right now. We'll see you guys on Thursday. Logan about to have Roger with a goal real dancer to tell me where to go about this. That's the plan. That's hilarious. That's the plan.

You know what I mean? Follow. Jomey's going to kill me if I don't do this. He said this in the chat. Make sure you follow the ringer MBA. Jomey. On all platforms. Jome, Jomey Jome, the legend.

And we will see you guys next week. Lamar Odom next. What's popping? Real ones. Logan Murdoch here. Roger Bell. So, Raja, we have a very special guest. As a childhood Laker fan, this is a bit of an honor.

We have six men at a year. We have a champion, you know, someone who went through battle against you, and ultimately became a champion. Roger, you want to take it away? Go ahead, Roger. I see you laugh and go ahead. No, you're doing an excellent job. I would just add to that, you know, we're talking about one of Christ the King's finest.

And I say one of them because Speedy Clax is a good friend of my, too, is Speedo was there too. Probably before his time in terms of what, you know, that type of size and length is now doing in the NBA. L.O. was doing this a long time ago. We have the one and only Lamar Odom. Thank you, Roger.

That's a great introduction. I appreciate that, bro. I mean it. It's sincere, though. Before your time with that. One of the fiercest competitors that I've played against in the NBA. So, I take that as a compliment. Thank you, bro. No doubt. I appreciate that, too. Lamar, let's kick this off right real quick,

because me and Rajah, like I said, I grew up a Lager fan, and Roger is obviously a sons. I'm from Oakland. Oh, you're from Oakland? Okay, there we go. So we have, so one of the best plays that I've ever seen in my childhood that you were a part of against the Phoenix Suns where Kobe dunked on Steve Nash and you were the one that got the back. Can you take us through that play, please, real quick? I think that was the playoffs. Was it the playoffs?

It was the playoffs. It was game two of the Western Conference. Yeah, so you just like, you know, every possession is important. And I'm just doing what I do best for that team. And, you know, I guess for that team, I was probably like a point guard in a sense, even though we were in a two-guard offense. So shit, I was just, you know, trying to run through whoever I had to run through or dive through whoever I had to drive through to get the ball.

Got it. I seen Bean and I seen him with a little lane, so I just tried to get it to him as quick as possible. I think I bounced past it to him. And he had the lane and he just went baseline. He just took off on that and banged it on him. It was real. It was crazy.

It was crazy. I don't know if I described it good enough, but I'm trying to replay it in my head to try to give it to you all play by play. Aggressive move by being, him being his best self and me just being my best self. and we just, you know, made an incredible play. You summed it up.

I'm not, I mean, that was the nuts and bolts of the play. But you didn't do it justice because Steve's my man, but he shitted on him. That's shit. I know. I didn't know if you could curse on this one. He fucking, you shitted on Steve, and that's what I do it. Yeah, he was inches away from getting it being called the charge. But, yeah, he shit it all on his hood.

Two feet, one. hands. He was like, Steve Nash was sucking, um, was sucking, um, was sucking balls on that play. That was a play. That was a play where like, you know, Steve and Cove were in the MVP race, right? And Steve ended up winning. But that dunk had a lot of, um, for Lager vans where it was like, that's the real MVP. That was, that, that was a play right there. At that time, even though Steve Nash was, um, even though Steve Nash was incredible. Incredible. But, you know, at that time, especially like, what, 2006, 2007, I mean, Kobe was playing

incredible basketball. And I'll be honest with you, like, I felt slighted for him at that time, not to take anything away from Steve Nash's greatness. I mean, shit, they stopped us probably from having a chance to get to the finals three times in a row. They came back from 3-1 on a student, Steve. Nash and this guy and Tim Thomas. You know what I'm saying?

Tim Thomas, yeah. Now we get to the heartbreak. Roger, what was the one of the word? We felt, I felt slighted for Kobe at that time. Well, look, I can say both of these things because we, this, Logan is a true Lakers fan. He's not bullshitting you. Like, he's a tried and true Laker fan.

And he often says that Kobe should have got MVP this year. I defend Steve because that's where I was playing, right? But I can say that Kobe should have won more MVP's that he won. That's facts. Like, you can't convince me of that. Like, think about it, MVP is the best basketball player in the world. And, I mean, if I think about it, his NBA career, he was only the best basketball playing in the world one, one year.

Right. And that's nuts. I mean, he had, I was on a quote with him, he hit nine game when there's one season. What the fuck? Some NBA players. don't hit you. If you hit three in your career, and as you, like, always remember for whatever team you played.

My fucking hit nine and one season. What was that? I know what it was like for you, Lamar. What was that? I just want to ask for both of you guys. You guys both in that series. What was that first, starting with Roger? What was that series like for you? You know, playing against Lamar, playing against Kobe. And a seven-game

series like that. What was that like for you? And then I want to get Lamar's answer going back, playing against the sons. What was it like for you, Raja? So that series, I'm trying to remember. It was like a rollercoaster of emotions. And playoff series are because they swing like from game to game. You try to stay neutral, but the emotions.

Right. But in that series, like we went out. I've told you this before, Logan, for whatever reason, the sun's brass decided to treat this trip to L.A. Like it was a different trip. Like we stayed in a different hotel. Like it was more festive. Like we were, you know, people were almost treating it like,

you know, we were supposed to just walk through this. And then we got smacked in the face. And that shit got scary real quick because you were like, uh-oh, like, you know, those were a match-up problem. Like, Kobe's a match-up problem. L.O. was a match-up problem. But there were problems for us. And it got real hairy real quick.

And then, you know, we kind of climbed back in it. And then, you know, you had a series. The best way I could describe it was just in the middle of that was scary because you were, you know, shit, you were there to compete. You thought you could beat them, but you knew you can fuck around and lose this and you, you know, on paper weren't supposed to coming out the gate. Yeah. Lamar, how was that for you?

It was, it was tit for tat, you know, your mother fat, your mother's thing. It was back and full. But the reason why I remember it the most, because I don't know if as a teen that we were practicing mindful, mindfulness yet

as a team, I don't think we were. And the reason why I say that is because I remember before game six, everybody was in the locker room saying, yo, we got to win this game. We can't go back to Phoenix. And I'm thinking, no, I mean, if we go back to Phoenix, then we're just going to go back to Phoenix and win.

You know what I mean? So right when that game started, I knew that our minds wasn't in the right place. A lot of us were probably going to be tense, you know, scared to make a mistake. and that's a hard way to play a basketball game and it showed the resilient team at that time, the most resilient team,

I would say won. I don't know if they were the best team, but they won a series. Yeah, it was hard for me to sleep that night, though. Yeah. We're talking to Lamar, you know, we're talking to him as he's about to release his documentary, Lamar Odom Reborn,

which is going to air this week on YouTube, MTV, Live, and other social media platforms. Now, I do want to get to... I need you all to check that out. Yeah, for sure. I want to get to that in a second, but Lamar, I do want to paint the picture to get to talking about this documentary first with your career.

One of the things that you talked about was your time in L.A. And how that affected you. You went to L.A. twice. And we talked to both Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles about their time during the when you guys were all with the Clippers. and then now you, and then you going back to the Lakers, what was L.A. like those two different times for you? How were they different?

How were they the same? When you were a rookie coming in the league and then when you were a bit of a veteran coming from Miami, getting traded into the Lakers, what were the two differences in L.A. experience for you? I mean, I can't really compare them because one of them I was 19, green. I don't know nothing.

All I know is be when I'm supposed to be, and just be on time. I didn't even drive my first year in the NBA. If it wasn't for Jeff McGinnis and Charles Jones, I wouldn't be able to even get to practice every day. So I owe a lot. You didn't have a car in L.O.? You didn't have a car in L.A.?

Wow. I'm from New York, and I had money. So I wasn't going to stop me from not getting around. You know what I'm saying? And then you throw in some women, you know what I mean? I'm always have a ride somewhere. But if it wasn't for Charles Jones and Jeff McGinnis, I wouldn't even get to practice. So like I said, I owe my time to L.A. to a lot of people.

And then the second time, you know, I was married. So I was a little bit more, I guess I thought I was a little bit more prepared for what L.A. had to offer. But I've been in L.A. since I'm in L.A. right now. I've been here since I was 19 years old. so besides New York and where I'm living now LA is always going to be home to me it's always special and they deliver here too so anyway

how was how was um yeah how was when you when you came for the second time because you when you're I want to paint the picture to going to the Lakers right because you would you know you went to the Clippers you know it didn't work out you

You always talked about how you were, you know, you kind of wish, or you alluded to wishing, going to, you know, a pick later you would be with the Timberwolves and Kevin Garnett and how that would have affected you. That would have been, that seemed like it would have been, it would have, you said like where you would have had leadership, yeah. Yeah, I could just imagine if I would have been around a duel like that, that was so, so determined, you know what I'm saying, to be great. At that age, now I was 19, I was, you know, open to learning everything.

for everybody. It's so crazy because I remember being at an All-Star game and I was working as a as a guest reporter. Oh, okay. And I was you know, like asking some questions. Jake G some questions. And I was like, KG, could you imagine

KG at the 4, L.O. at the 3? It was after my rookie year. He was like, oh shit, that would be crazy. But I could just imagine because because some of Kobe's star does fell off on

me. You know what I'm saying? So I can imagine that being 19 and having some of that KG Stard does fall off on me how that would have affected my career. It changed probably my practice habits and just my routine on trying to be great. Hello, so I had a chance my last time around the block Kobe had called and I was thinking about going to the Lakers. It just so happened that I had to take a bigger deal somewhere else. I hadn't put away that much money. I hadn't You know what's so crazy? That's what's crazy about Kobe. Yeah, people don't even really realize that about him.

Like, dudes that he admired or, they didn't have to be stars or whatever, but he would always kind of like reach out to him or always, like, want them around him on his team. And that's probably, that's probably just your competitive nature. He admired that. I've respected the shit out of him. And so one of my things, and I was going to say was, I always kind of regret it, not doing that. Because I would have liked to have seen what you just kind of talked about,

like who he was behind closed doors, how he worked. Like, if I could keep up with that, like, if it was an insatiable hunger for greatness. And so I want you to talk to me about, because you just said, you would have liked to have had that with KG. And then some of that rubbed off on you from Kobe. What was it like with him behind closed doors working? Oh, it was intense. But you know what?

You know, it helped me because I understood him because I understood. stood him and I met Colby at an early age and we were under the same AAU umbrella with the DEDA's. You feel what I'm saying? So I already knew what type of time he was on

from 16 that he was just I played one-on-one when we were 16, 17 years old and I kind of understood how he was back then. First one there, last one in the league. A lot of people could say that, but can't really do it every day consistently waking up at 4.30, getting a thousand shots in.

500 might be turning around to the right. 500 might be turning around to the left. Getting 800 stepbacks in repeatedly. You know what I mean? Lifting weights two times a day. This is in the summertime. Shit like that. It's just like when you off, though. Right. I've seen them banging on at Breffix. You heard Kat Williams say, damn, you're a thug in the morning? You gang pregnant on breakfast? Yeah, it's 10 in the morning. He elbowing Shasha Vujuch and we ain't even jump ball yet.

You know what I'm saying? Roger, you know how NBA practice is. You know, if you score eight times in the NBA practice, like you had an amazing day. Right. A great day. A seen do hit 15 in a row in practice. Oh, I couldn't have done that,

but out of elbow Sasha Vujic's ass too. at 10 in the morning. I shot him one, too. You know, if he ain't in the mood, Master P came, you know, to practice one time. It ain't that. Tell the Master P story.

We, like, in the Lusion Street, we're going through a hard time. P, I respect you, but it ain't that time. It just wasn't that time. And I kind of, like, had the, I sensed the energy and I kind of, like, got between them. I was just like, you know,

everything cool here. everything was cool there and he just one track mind man it's just all about the win all about W let's go home everybody going to make a home step you know what I mean it's just that first

I mean somebody that just put basketball first before everything well what was it like when when you got traded from Miami to the Lakers and that big deal with Shaq and it was supposed to be like a rebirth but what was the first time Kobe

shut the tone with you? Because there's one thing to see him from afar and grow up with him, but then you had time off from Kobe, right? And then when did he set the tone with you when you got traded back to LA? I think it probably was the perfect, um, sometime, you know, you believe in God, right? And faith, you're spiritual. And, you know, God puts, you know, religious in a direction for a reason. And at that time, it was perfect for me because I just came from Miami. Yeah. You know, which is like, that's the most strictest program probably in the league.

You know, you miss a weight room or whatever. You're going to have a sheet on your locker to say, yo, come meet, come talk to my office. Come, you got to go talk to stand. Like, they don't waste no time down there. So it was perfect because I had just came from a strict regimen and then, you know, playing with Kobe. so it was easy for me to like the falling line. So I didn't even really have to go through that with him.

I knew what to expect. And I just came from a place where it was no bullshit, which accepted. So it was kind of like perfect for me to be reacquainted with my brother in that kind of new circumstances. And I got a trade booster. So so I was nice little bag on the way out. And then I, you know, if it was any other team, I could have, I could have denied the trade. But then I was just going back to L.A. And being from the other locker room, I kind of knew what to expect being, you know, coming back as a Laker, it couldn't be no better really.

Where was Kobe in that way where, like, you know, he just left Shaq? He has something to prove. What kind of mindset was he in when you walked in the door that those first two years when he was, when you had got traded there? I mean, well, I ain't never walk on a court with him and his mentality is not murder, kill, homicide. God. But I think him, him being a, a realist

knew it was going to be hard. But then, you know, a couple of people felt that wrath. You know what I mean? Like, I always- Did you feel that rap too? Did you feel that? Because, no?

Okay. No. I always came with it. Okay. Or at least I'm going to play hard. Nah. I never really got that. for underperforming.

And I don't know, I don't know if it was just because I'm nice, or I don't know if I, I don't know if I, I ain't want that raft. First of all, it was L.A., so I know, you know, I'm from New York, so I don't want no media getting on my ass.

Then you got a coach, and then you got Kobe. Like, I don't want this motherfucker on my back, and I like L.A. If the best player don't like me, then you got a problem. No, that's right. And for me, it was easy for me,

because we was cool, though. We was cool, even though he was, you know, difficult for some motherfuckers, but you probably wasn't, bowling. Oh, you had a bad work, I think. And if it was both, then my man didn't have no time for you. But, like, he was going in on people, like, he was going in on, like, calling names on it, putting, like, Swiss Parker, Kwame Brown, like, all these people, like, why did, how did you escape that part? Because I wasn't a cancer to what he was trying to accomplish. You know what I'm

saying? We was on the same time with that. Shit, I wanted to get there, too. Hey, it's important for And any championship team I think it's important for the best players The people that are going to be doing most of the work To have their windows open at the same time Right? Like you're on the same channel as Kobe right now

Because windows are aligned I want to ask you, L.L.O., because you were Someone who could be the focal point of an offense. Like there were plenty of times where, you know, you were to gas offensively But there were other times where, you know, you were the facilitator, the defensive stopper, you could be, you know, doing the lion's share to rebound.

And, like, what was your approach to the game, bro? Like, how'd you grow up playing it? Like, who did you model your shit after? Like, where, you know, how did you approach the game? Some people approach the game purely buckets, you know? Some people, what was your? I always, um, ball handling, you know, was the probably was the strength in my game. I'm from New York City.

So I looked up to guys like, you know what I'm saying? Kenny Anderson, tiny ball handers. Because I was always tall for my age, but I was real slight. I was real skinny. And I wasn't real strong or big. So I had to use my ball handling, you know, to get past my guy or whatever or to be aggressive. But when I was 5, 10, you know, when I was 10 years old, I was like 5'10. You know, so I was able to play like 17 and under and things like that.

And I just always like, I always had a really good cue for the game. And when I was coming up, you know, my, of course, Michael Jordan was the man, but I like magic more. You know what I'm saying? So if I'm, you know, so growing up, I just, I wanted just to be a big ball handler that rebounded and defended. And that's kind of how I just modeled my game. I watch the NBA now. I'm like, they got a huge advantage.

It's like, the physicality change even from me when me and you was playing, Roger. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's crazy. I'll probably get played a hundred million to come off the bench.

Man, I hit a bag, man. The bag is crazy. They're handing out all kind of bags, man. No, real fair. I don't want to, you know, I mean, I heard Greg Anthony say that Draymond Green

is a Hall of Fame. I'm not taking nothing away from it. But the Hall of Fame is more like a numbers game, right? Kind of. Yeah, no. Yeah, no, now. Because Ben Wallace got in it. He went in on sheer, sheer numbers. Yeah, but he's like one of the best. He's like, he's the best defender. He's like a four-time defensive player at a year, wasn't he? I know. I'm just saying, no, I know. I'm aware. I'm just saying if you look at his overall stats,

if you just look at his stats, he is an All-a-famer, yes. If you look at his stats, he went on numbers. 13 points? 14. I'm not saying that he's not. I'm just saying the game from today now is changed drastically. I do have a question. I was saving this for the end, but you brought up Jremon.

And I love Jemond Green game. He's one of my favorites because he got to affect the game. He don't got to put the ball in a hole. Yeah. I've always wanted to ask. you this. And I want to get back on track, but I always wanted to ask you this. I'm going to ask you this later. But I'll ask you this now. Whenever I looked at, because I covered the Warriors before I got to the ringer. And I always thought, like, what would it be like for if Lamar

Odom played for that Warriors team? Like, and put on it, like, you take out Draymond. I love Dramon, too. But if you took out Dramon and put in Lamar for that, in that role, how would that be for, how would you think that would turn out? Because I would be like, man, that is, you You could shoot. You can push the pace. What would they record? And I could create my own shot. I mean, I played on offenses where the offenses were ran through me.

No disrespect to Draymond Green. He hasn't had the opportunity yet. Who knows what it would be like, you know. Say it. Say it. Say it. He alluded to it. That team would be really strong.

That team will have a chance to win a championship. There we go. There we go. Do you think they would have been like 75? five wins instead of 73 if he was on that team? Like, how do you think it would have? Yeah, you can't really defy greatness, man. They should they beat the Bulls record.

So I'm going to leave that alone. You know what I mean? We're off the rail. So let me ask, I'm going to ask another question. Logan, you could get back to your script. I'm just firing shit away. Okay, I want to know. Harder place to be a young player, L.O., right?

You'd be a harder place to be a young player and distracted and getting into some shit. L.A. or Miami? Oof. Miami. Reason being. L.A. you want a house at 3 o'clock. Miami, you can just be getting to the club at 3 o'clock.

Just totally different lifestyles. At L.A., if you're cutting up, you want somebody house. Miami, you're cutting up. You're in the street. So, you know, just different lifestyles would make it make it hard. You've got the same temptation everywhere, right? Women, sex, and drugs, everywhere. You said that, you know, when you were in L.A.,

that you were, you said this, you were filling a hole, filling this hole with celebrity that you had with the lifestyle. How did that manifest for you when you were in L.A.? What was that like? What was that process like for you when you were in L.A.? When did your depression and all the things off the court start for you in L.A.? and how did it start to get out of hand for you? Well, I would say, well, sure, you know you went with depression.

You could be depression. and don't even really know it. I would say I've probably been living with depression, probably for longer than I realized it. But I would probably say when it all came to a head, and I would probably say where it got out of control, where I probably said where I became addicted to cocaine. I would probably say when my son passed away.

So that's what, 2006, 2007, that's when Jaden passed, yeah? 2006. Okay. And it was hard for me even like to consider playing basketball. It's so crazy. I remember my first game back, we played against the Phoenix Suns. And I remember I had a good game or whatever.

It was emotional for me. I remember like coming back to the bench, like kind of like, I guess that probably was like the first time I would ever even cried about it. But it took it's crazy because it took a basketball. basketball game to get me to start crying about my son. I couldn't even get myself to cry at the funeral. You know what I'm saying? Because if Lamar Odom,

if Lamar Odom crying in front of his family, even if he's at his son's funeral, what my family are going to do? This is my mindset. So I kind of just took everything on. And I was able to let it out a little bit during that game. But I think that's when it kind of like started where I couldn't control it until I had to,

things are admitting. I don't know if I went to rehab that summer or summer after that. How did you hide that? Because, like, we have no idea that this stuff is going on, bro. Like, I can't, I know that your son passed. I was aware of that, but I did, how do you hide the fact that you're doing this? When you, when you're a drug

addict, right, you know, shame comes along with doing drugs. Coke is not socially accepted. It's not a cigarette. You know what I'm saying? If it was, you'd be seen a lot of more people smoking cigarettes. You know what I'm saying?

But it's not socially accepted. So of course you know how to, because you're shameful of it. You don't know anybody to know. And I'm an NBA. Can't nobody know? Yeah. So, you know, that's deep, although it just, it takes me to a place where, I mean, you never know what somebody else is going through, right?

Even though we're all on the court together and we're sharing these intense moments, you really never have any idea what's going on in someone else's world or how they're feeling. We all go home, right? And then in our case, we all got our own hotel room. Right. So did the ones in the locker room with you? Like, did, I mean, maybe not the substance abuse, but the pain, was anyone aware of it?

Anyone close to you? What's your team? I'm pretty sure people knew that I was in pain. Should I had a whole, I had a shirt that I had made of my son in my room. And I've always been one of the, I think one of, of the most, I don't want to took my own home, but amongst my teammates, like one of the most beloved ones, like one of the ones dudes is looking for. You know what I'm saying?

To go get something to eat with shit like that. So I know people felt it, but I think people, my teammates let me grieve in my own way. Pretty sure it was sometimes where I probably was like a dick. Sure. You know what I'm saying? And then like got the past. Like, oh, that's L.O. We know what he going through.

You know what I mean? But did you, did you ask for, uh, or even asked to be the same person every day after going to something like that. Did you ask for like, did, were you somebody that when you were going through your things, did you go to other people to go to or did you kind of keep it to yourself? Did you feel like I can handle this on my own and I'll, I can figure this out all this out. I was on my stereotypical black man shit. Yeah, we were conditioned. We were conditioned to do that. Like that.

We don't really love. Let me just double down on that because I, that's really interesting. And you talk about the culture as young, is young black men, you know, being taught to be tough. That's doubly accurate when you take into account that a young black man is an athlete because you're taught as an athlete, or at least you were in our generation.

It's true. To be doubly tough, right? Like, so you're getting a double message of, a, suck that shit up. You're good to go. Yeah. Yeah. No, I can see that.

But like, what about when you are, you know, when you're winning titles, what's that like the balance of like, you know, you have your drug use, but you're having these real highs, at least outwardly, and you are getting married very fast. You have these highs that what we see, you know, and then you're going through something.

What was it like winning titles, getting married, and going through all these processes, as you are dealing with something? How is that? It's just life, but it's a real unique life. It's only one of my older. You know, it's only one NBA ball player get married on TV, shoot a reality show, same year that he won an NBA award, which I don't think it would be done again. But it's just life, and you just have to enjoy every moment of it because, you know, the best times and the worst times go by in the blink of an eye.

That's the only way I can really explain it. Yeah. You know what I mean? But the best times are yet to come. and hopefully the bad times are behind me which one what's what's what's title was your favorite Lamar second one okay why this is the this is 2010 against boston you guys uh you know you lost you lost it you lost them two years prior I was setting it up what was the emotions take me through that journey to that we're just saying louis to them we got molly wild I know that was one of the

hardest games that I've ever watched when ray Allen went crazy for you I know it was back at the end of the game bro. Phil just giving me the ball and just saying, Yo, Ma, just clear it. I'm like, huh? Like, now you let me play like that? What was Boston like when y'all lost that one? Because y'all had to spend a night in Boston, right?

After y'all lost in O.A., right? Their fans were dirty and disrespectful. How so? They wouldn't let our bus leave. Coming down that ramp in the back? Yeah, they would, no, we got down the rent. All right. street. The fans are like

shaking the fucking bus. We think we're going to have to get out the bus and like, thunk. I'm like, damn, what about we the won the game? There were no security here from at all, huh? There wasn't no security there at all. There wasn't no security

helping y'all at all. It was just real like, I was like, damn, what about we to won the game? Y'all might not have got out of live. Y'all won the game. Man, Lord have mercy. You know Boston fans. They're like, yes, I know. They tell us. And I went to school in Boston, so I know.

You already know. Were you in the locker room when Ron Artec went to go speak to Kobe? Were you there when he just was like, hey, I'm here and I'm going to go. Hey, nice to see you, Lamar. I'm about to go in the shower and see where Kobe is. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I was there. That was weird.

That was weird, but it was setting us up for what happened. the next year we wound up getting Ron. No, we, no, we wound up playing, we have won to win it with Trevor Riezer the next year and getting wrong next year after that. When Ron came through, did he help you? Like, tell me with Ron coming into the locker room and then y'all going to win with Ron.

What was that? I think Ron kind of, you know, he gave us with Kobe. We already had the interior lockdown with Drew, myself and empower defensively. But Ron, when you add Ron

and Colby on the wing defensively, then you kind of like man for man you just make your team, give your team this alpha energy,

which at the time, I think after Trevor, Ron was the perfect perfect replacement. And I played for Ron with Ron. And I remember talking the run before that about him coming to play with us.

So that was all in place. That was God's playing too. We won so much as youngsters for us to be in the NBA and have an opportunity to play with each other, I guess it was meant to be. What's it like to win a title in L.A. when, you know, especially 2010 where you guys, you guys are vindicated, you guys beat the Celtics, you guys come back down three, two. What's it like to win in L.A.? You can't really.

I don't know if you can compare it to anything. But for me, it was really, really special because I was married to Chloe Kardashian and I woke up with my children and my wife bought me a beautiful phantom. Oh. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

So I got a championship and a 2010 fan. I did pretty good. You did pretty good, sir. Boy, you did good. Boy, you did good. I don't want any real insight into the family and shit like that. Let me just full disclosure. That's not what I'm getting at.

But I'll give it to you. Okay. How difficult was that as a navv- trying to navigate your career? And then the craziness that could be, you know, just not that the family's crazy, but the craziness of the media surrounding that, you know what I'm saying? I think what will prepare me to make that transition the most was I think being for New York being a heralded basketball player and followed at an early age, then playing for the clippers, I mean, then playing for the Lakers and understanding that.

So that transition came rather easy. The problem with it came a bite me to ask was that I didn't really realize, you know, how women move and no respect to all the beautiful women out there, but I didn't really realize I thought when you were like, when people knew you were married, they kind of treated you as such. I didn't know, you know, when you married a beautiful woman such as I did, like, I don't know women are, like, more intrigued or want to know what she got. And then I'm a Laker. It just got really like, I just wish I knew how to handle myself. So you felt like they were, they were, it was, it was more temptation after you got married when you thought that there was going to be less temptation because.

because you were married and people and you were outwardly married. Yeah, with women, I thought it was, yeah, it got ridiculous. It got ridiculous. And at the time, I wasn't man enough to handle myself as a man and really, you know, you get married in front of God and all that. Just, you know, the real simple things that we don't, that we, you know, really think about when we get married. Would you have gotten married so fast if you could do it over again? Like, maybe you would have married it.

Okay. No, I would do it over the same way. I would just keep my dick in my pants. Because when I know, I know. You know what I'm saying? I'm from, like, I've had women, you know what I'm saying? Like, all my life, 16 years old, 17 years old, I always had a pretty girlfriend and things like that.

I just wish I was man enough to handle that situation. I probably would still be happily married. No doubt in my mind. I was the best time of my life. Best adult time of my life with that family. Real rap. What was it like? What was it like when, you know, because all this stuff is going down, you are married and things like that.

But what was it like when all of a sudden the CP3 deal happens, right? And where you're thinking you guys are, y'all won, y'all, y'all didn't win the title the next year three people, but y'all had a pretty good team. And the lockout short in year. And then all of a sudden, you find, you get called up to Cupchecks office and you get. That's the year that got traded to Dallas with the CPT year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was when you got, ended up getting traded to Dallas.

It was hurtful. What was the trade like during your, the failed trade like from Lamar Odom's perspective? Because I think you were supposed to go to like New Orleans or Houston or somebody. But what was that like you get called up? Can you tell me the story from your vantage point? What happened? I'll just hear it in the news.

I don't know if I even got to Mitch's office about that. I had spoke to, um, what was the coach one time? What was the coach who was coaching at that time for like the black guy? It was Mike Brown. Mike Brown. I had spoken to him one time, and if I'm not mistaken, my memory is really bad from the accident. If I'm not mistaken, it was more like,

I think we're going to try to keep you. I think. And then the CP3 thing goes down. I'm still, I'm still would like to know, like, why didn't go down? I mean, there'll be the news, the news saying it got vetoed by the commissioner. Yeah. Why? How would you just stop a train?

Wouldn't they going to be too powerful or? is it more of a off-the-court thing? I mean, y'all was going to be out-coding guy in the league? What was it, Roger? What could that be? Listen. Lakers was going to be cold. Yes, I think that was that was Davis third step.

I mean, they rolled it up in the, in the, he was doing what was in the best interest of the team, right? Because he was the fact. Yeah, it was basketball reasons. But he wasn't trying to give, they weren't trying to put that together, bro. Like, that was going to be too powerful. They were, he was doing everything. I don't know the real reason why it was going to be too powerful for him to be able to stomach,

but that's what that said to me. They just, they weren't going to let them get together. So when that happens, and you go to Dallas and people are like, well, what's going on with L.O.? What's going on with L.O? And you're kind of like, and I can get it. Like, you loved the Lakers, loved L.A., and all of a sudden you shipped off. But what was it like from your band this point? Did that put you down a spiral going when you were in Dallas?

Did that, what was that like? That was like, I thought that was like the, that probably like, I can really say that. That trade, I never really bounced back from that. I kind of, I was really depressed, really depressed. And actually my abuse picked up. Yeah. Because, you know, an addict will find a way how to be an addict. Hello, are you met with people that don't agree with what you're doing?

Because you just said anyone saying to be changed. Some of the ketamine, some of the people take it as you're replacing one drug for another. Okay. But this is working as medicine. Medicine helps. It makes you better. Drug suppress. Ruins your brain cells, son.

Kills your brain cells. You remember leaning on me, right? You smoke crack, don't you? Yeah, you smoke crack, don't you? But yeah, it kills your brain cells. You know, this is like exercise from my brain. My brain's been through a lot. It's been through hell.

So I got to work it out. I do want to say before we get to, you reference ketamine and that is a synthetic drug with some hallucinogenic effects. But it has been approved for off-label use by the FDA. Hasn't been fully approved. Hasn't been fully approved, but has been approved for off-label use. And I do want to say you should take this in the presence of a doctor, right? You should do that. You should definitely do that.

You can't do that. But you say in your experience with the drug. and the doc, you said it's changed your life. But I do, and how has that done that? Because that was something that I had. I'm like, bro, because you read about ketamine and you're like, well, why would you replace one drug with another? You don't want to get addicted to another drug, right?

And what did you say? You got all these people that, you know, being, getting labeled with depression and anxiety. What's the first thing they put on a pills? Drugs? Yeah, drugs. So not everybody wants to go down that path and put drugs in your body every day. This is something that you can do once a week or maybe two times a month and be cured from PTSD, anxiety, any kind of addiction. During the pandemic, I can be cured from PTSD and anxiety during the time of the pandemic.

really sign me up. Where do I sign up? It really should be the question and the answer. Hey, I just noticed, L-Lo, like, you know, I only really knew you as a competitor and shit like that. And, you know, no, real talk. Like, we didn't have like a real personal relationship, you know?

So I'm not even going to front. But when I saw that shit happen and heard about the shape you were in, to see you now, bro, to see how healthy you look both spiritually and physically, is a really fucking cool thing. And watching you train in the trailer, bro, you're in fucking better physical shape than me, dog. Like, that shit's, that shit made me want to go out there and get something in the gym.

Are y'all going back to the league? Are y'all making y'all come back now? Or is that, what are we doing? What's going on? No. No, but anyway, I just wanted to say, dog, like, hey, that's dope, bro. And I'm happy for you, bro. And it's good to see you looking healthy and back. I appreciate that.

I appreciate that, Roger. I really do. I really do. Even though I almost, sometimes I almost get offended. When people would be like, oh, I'm all good to see you. Look good. I'm like, fucking spending it to look. Like, I always try to look good on at least my best.

I'm vain, my fucking butt. I appreciate that, though, man. Yeah, no doubt. No doubt. No doubt. Word, man. And you can see all of that at Lamar Odom Reborn, which is airing this week on YouTube, MTV Live and other social media platform.

Lamar, bro. Thank you so much, man. This was a treat to get this interview. man. Appreciate you. No, thank you. Roger. Good looking, my guy. Hey, dog.

Good to see you, bro. Stay up, my guy.