The Ringer NBA Show - Nikola Vucevic on His “Welcome to the NBA” Moment, Love for Batman, and More | Off Guard

Episode Date: May 5, 2023

Austin and Pausha welcome two-time All-Star and current Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic for an in-person, in-depth chat on everything from his brief time with the Philadelphia 76ers to becoming an All-Star with the Orlando Magic to the trade that eventually sent him to the Bulls (21:14). The guys also dive into Nikola’s off-court interests as he explains his love for Batman, ‘Star Wars,’ and his car collection (53:43), before throwing him into the deep end for another classic edition of Rapid Fire (69:23). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Guest: Nikola Vucevic Producers: Ben Cruz and Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, humanoids. This is David Chewaker here with a very exciting announcement. Your favorite wrestling podcast feed, The Ring of Wrestling show, is now going daily. And you can hang out with me and Kaz on Mondays and Thursdays for the Masked Man Show. And you can join me, Peter Rosenberg, alongside Stack Guy Greg and Dip every Tuesday with cheap heat. And on Fridays, I'll welcome a friend or special guest from the world of wrestling. Now on Wednesdays, we have a very special new show called Wednesday Worldwide that you're going to want to check out. Paperview reaction, one-of-a-kind interviews, fantasy booking, talking about bagels.

That's what we do here on the Ring of Wrestling show. Follow the show now on Spotify. And do us a favor. Give us five stars. And do us another favor. And stay major. What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Offgard.

I'm Pasha. As always, I'm joined by my guy, Austin. And today's an awesome episode. I'm really excited because one of my good friends is going to be our guest. Austin, why don't you tell the audience who's with us? There we got Voochovich in the house, bro. Big dog. Nikola Vucovich.

Vucovich. Vucovich. What's up, guys? Thanks for having me on. What's going on? Man, I'm really excited to do this because I feel like, obviously, I know you really well, but a lot of people don't know that much about you. You're a really good player that people don't know a lot about.

Reserved. Reserved. He's a reserved guy. Yeah. It's like a Kauai type of thing. It is. Yeah. You just, you do your business and then off the court, you're like completely just, you know what I mean?

I know a little bit about you. You know way more about him, obviously. But yeah, the world, I feel like, because you just don't like, you could probably do a lot more in terms of like social media, Instagram, all these different things. And you just kind of choose to be more of just to, you know, just do your work, kind of go back overseas, hang here in Orlando, chill out. Yeah, I'm not. I only have like social media. I only have Twitter, mainly just to kind of read the news, you know, see what's going on in the world, things like that. I'll tweet here and there.

I'll say some funny things here and there, but not very active. Instagram is just not my thing. I'm not a big picture guy. I don't like putting up my life out there a whole lot. I just like to keep private, you know, my family, obviously, my closest friends, people that I know well that I trust. I just feel like that just because, you know, we're always, especially nowadays, I mean, cameras everywhere, people want to take pictures. You know, I mean, you walk down the street. A lot of times I'd be walking at the playground with my kids and I'll see, like, random people walk by and then, like, they're, like, secretly recording me.

And I'm like, what are you going to do? Have you ever had it on? they had the flash on and then like they're like, they're like, they're like, oh, shit. I'm like, I don't mind, but I'm like, what are you going to do with it? Like, you're going to watch me play with my kids. Like, so.

It's more, sending it to their friends. That's what it is. I guess, yeah. But to me, that's why like all of that, like, when I'm like away from it all, I just want to be away from it all and do my thing. So, yeah, I just was never really got into it. I thought about a couple times getting Instagram,

maybe doing things like that, but just wasn't my thing. So I was just like, man, just stick to what I like. Has your, like, have your people, your agency kind of try to talk to you Like marketing? Many times. Yeah, my agency people, like, I know and things like that, opportunities I could do, things that I could do. I just always felt like, you know, I was kind of pros and cons, like my time, especially now with the kids, my wife, everything, I'm away so much. Hey, like, when I'm away from the game, like, that's my focus, my friends, people close to me. And then, you know, obviously when I'm playing and when always me doing media and all that,

that's different. But just I think, waying both the good and the bad, I always felt like, it's not really me. I don't want to do something. It's not me. and I don't want to be out there, you know, having somebody else run my account. I just feel like it was not me 100%. It's not worth doing it. You've an underrated Twitter, though. You definitely have some funny tweets. Yeah, my Twitter is not bad here and there.

Yeah, he's a little small window into his personal. He can do a lot more on it, but it's really good. I love that. Yeah. So you two have a lot in common. You're both fathers of two boys. Okay. And so let's dive into that really quick.

Talk to me about parenthood. What's it like? Yeah, I'll start with you, man. How old and what's your belief? So actually, so my older. is four and a half, two and a half, and I have a third boy come in. He's doing June. Oh, man. That's awesome. Congrats. So three boys, yeah.

Y'all knocking them out, man. Yeah, we want to keep them close, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Obviously, it's a harder, much harder on my wife because I'm gone a lot, but, you know, there's so little, a lot of, you know, require a lot of attention, you know, make sure you're always there for them and everything. But we're thinking, you know, long term, they always have each other. Yeah.

You know, they always be close to each other playing around. So that was hard thinking. I know, we're obviously, you know, lucky and blessed to be able to be able to do it. But yeah, I mean, it's been great. You know, it's the best thing. Probably be thankful in the long run. Just because like you got them out of one age. Once you get them all out, then like his wife can heal. They can move on. Right. You can just grow. Once I retire, you know, hopefully, you know, many years from now, but they'll be, you know, already probably in school. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, then my wife and I will have more time.

So, but it's, uh, yeah, I mean, it's been great. I mean, just watching them grow. I mean, goes by fast. You don't even realize it. But it's been the best thing to me, I mean, just, time with them, seeing them grow, seeing him learn. Now they're, you know, especially my older one, he's at an age when he's starting to understand, you know, what I do and watching me, and he plays all day and like, I'll come from a game, he'll be asking me questions, things like that. It reminds me how I was when I was little. And so so many things, I mean, that go into it. It's a lot of fun. You know, I try to be there, you know, for them as much as I can. Obviously, when I'm home and, you know, raise them properly and spend time with them,

and things are very important. But, yeah, it's been amazing. So, you know, I'll have another one coming, we'll keep us busy, but it'd be fun. Are you done after that, you think? Three? So to my wife, you know, if she wants to go for a girl, number four. It's always the wife. It's always the wife's decision, man. Happy wife, heavy life, bro. That's how it works. Yeah, well, I mean, it's, uh, you know, she does most of the work. I mean, she has to go through the pregnancy and then off of that. So yeah, carry the body. I have to say that, I have a lot of respect for, you don't understand until you have the kids. Yeah, you really don't know. And you're like, it's nuts, bro, seeing it. Like, them push out the child,

carry the child, the pain they go through, the suffering, even after the recovering, then the breastfeeding, like the nurturing, it's exhausting, like looking at it. And then you know when when you have custody or when you have like time spent with these kids and it's just you, say it like your wife's out of town and whatever, whatever. If she goes to the dinner with her friends and you got to take care of the kids for a night, which I have to do all the time, it's an amazing experience, but you realize in the moments like how much work this stuff really is. bro. It's exhausting. Yeah, your youngest one actually, I was at your house the other day, and your youngest one, Rain was kind of us playing with him. And I think after 10 minutes,

I was kind of looking around for you to, I was trying to help out. I was exhausted. He was all, he was all, he was, you can't, you can't, he was all, he was, you can't even watch the TV. Anytime you have to live your life and then consciously think of the betterment of someone else's life, you're like doing two lives at the same time. Because you, in your life, your life, but takes a back seat. And that's the crazy thing. It's, you feel so vulnerable because it's the first time in your life where you care about someone else's life genuinely more than your own.

You know what I mean? And it's a very scary feeling. You're not in the word genuinely. No, no, no, because you care about your mom. You care about your dad. It's true though. Like your kids are sort of different. But your kids are the first people in your life

that you're like, I would sacrifice myself for my kid, man. And it's a scary feeling. I have like, I think of bad things sometimes happening. It's a thing like that happens in parents. You think of bad dreams, bad thoughts. You like paranoid over certain feelings because like it's a very like scary.

Like I said, yeah, vulnerable feeling. I'm sure you're feeling it right now. I don't matter who you are. Are you guys definitely going to have your kids play basketball? Keep the legacy going? I'm trying to push them into it. I'll ask you. I mean, to me is, I mean, I think it'll kind of come naturally.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I definitely do not want to be that parent as like, you know, forcing it and like, hey, you got to do this and that, like, especially not a young age. I think you've got to kind of let it. They've got to let them enjoy it. If I see that they're talented to have a chance, you know, I'll try to steer them in the right, you know, direction. And obviously at a certain age, once they get certain in which you got to really take it seriously down.

You know, obviously I'll try to help them and all that. But I think it's a fine line with like pushing too much and making it for not making them not liking anymore because it's like forced to where, you know, enjoying it but being there for them. So like nowadays, I feel like a lot of parents are just pushing their kids so much. Like at such a young game, it's like, oh, you got to get private guys to work you out, trainers. Like do all this like at 10, 11 years old. And there's a million trainers out there too. I'm like. The trainers are popping up everywhere.

No, I'm like, like your kids are 11 years old. just let him go into playground play, have fun. Like, who cares? Like, he doesn't. I don't, I, I didn't get like a ball pushed in my hands seriously by my father until like I was like, second, third, fourth grade, maybe like third or fourth grade. That's when he was like, you know, you started making, you know, I went to practice and stuff like that, but a lot of it has to be natural and organic.

The kid has to want to work. He has to genuinely love the game like I did. You know what I mean? Usually, like, it's tough, man. A lot of kids, especially by former players, like his kids are going to be in like mine are, there's only like a handful of us in the NBA and that's because A, you're born with everything, you're privileged.

You know what I mean? You grow up very well. That's the first aspect to it. And then the second aspect would be so you have to manifest like a work ethic. You know what I mean? You have to manifest the same hunger because you're going up against, you know,

80% probably 90% of the NBA comes from, you know, areas or, you know, family backgrounds of probably not like fortune. You know what I mean? So that's what you're up against. and you have to like manifest that work ethic. The thing of my dad did is just bring me to work. That's all he did.

He just brought me to work. And I saw how these guys were and I wanted to be just like them. And like nothing else. That's the natural. That's the way. Yeah, yeah. That's the best way. Like nothing else mattered.

I didn't want to be any. There's no plan B with me. Is either I was going to be basketball or I don't have to go back to the drawing boards. You know what I mean? So, but it's not for everybody though, man. That's why there's only a handful of us. And you don't see a lot of us really, a lot of former player sons, you see a good handful of them.

70% of the league is not former players. You know what I mean? For sure. Yeah. I mean, I agree what you said. Like, same with my dad. He just kind of, I always want to go with him, practice his games, watch him, do what they do.

And it kind of came naturally. And once I hit a certain age and it was like, I think it was like 14 or something like that. He saw I had a chance. I was talented. So he kind of set me down and asked me like, hey, this is, is this what you want to pursue? Yeah.

Like he saw like it was really what I wanted. And that's when the work skin. Like, and so he was like, all I didn't like, and then like, and he explained to me how works and he was like a little harsh on me then because he wanted me to like understand what it takes and so looking back now i understand it was the right no at that time you're like man why is yelling at me blah blah but then like your understanding like this is what it took for me to get here so now i understand it but so i think from that experience but i think also the other part is you know if you're that is whoever or your mom or whatever like you feel like a certain pressure people have certain

expectation sometimes that also like makes the kid not enjoy it as he gets older like oh he's so-and-so's kid he's not good like you get judged right away because you have that kind of really have that name that you're carrying so it's not always easy that's another thing you guys have in common i was gonna say is that you both the kids of former pros and your mother played as well too right yeah she did yeah you were definitely going to play basketball yeah yeah it wasn't really up to you no chance bro yeah besides your your father who did you look up to in europe when you were growing up like Who are the big players back then? I know there was a big boom of, you know,

international guys coming into the NBA. And I'll add on to that. I'll add on to that. When you were 14, where were you at? Like, when you were like peak, this is what I want to do. I have this potential. My father sees this in me. When everything's coming together, where were you at 14?

Like, what were you thinking? Who did you look up to all those things? I was back in Montenegro then where I'm from. That time, I was a huge Dirk fan. He, so, yeah, I was a huge Dirk fan. that summer there was a euro basket and they played in Serbia

and he played for Germany and he was killing it and that was the first time I really like because NBA games was hard and they were late you saw highlights things like that but that was the first time we got to see Dirk Dirk

he was really cooking and I was just watching I was wild by it and so that's I loved him before that when I was younger obviously it was a big Jordan fan I think that's given for everyone

except for Pasha maybe We'll get into that later. You're Team Libro. We know that. But not. And then there's the other guy. I don't know if many people know him, but his name is Dan Bodhiroga. Yeah, yeah.

He's the original guy that did the sham god. Everyone calls him the sham god, but this guy actually got in first. He did it. And so he was like the best player in Europe. Played for a national team that back then was Yugoslavia. They won gold medals. World Cup, European Championship, everything. He won a Euro League.

Amazing player. And I was huge. I was a huge fan of his, like, he gave me his jersey. I had posters, like everything. So yeah, I was a huge fan of his. And then ended up being Dirk, and then kind of, as you get older, I was watching plays.

I think those two were kind of the guys that are really in Jordan, of course, but kind of- You made the move to the States when you were 16. Was that a conversation that you had with your father? Or did he kind of just tell you that this is what you need to do for- How's that process like?

I mean, like, obviously, like you said, 14, 13 is when the age when that decision gets made, like, hey, this is something we actually might see might be. Well, first you have to be good enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm saying, I'm assuming with your height and your talent kind of, they're like, yo, this is 100%.

Like when I was growing up, my parents weren't like, hey, maybe Mont Verde is like the way we're like they were just kind of. Right, right, right, right. So you have to be. Right, right, right, right. Exactly. And both your parents are hoopers. Yeah.

What was that conversation like, is America the way NBA, like, let's go big or go home? You know what I mean? Like, I mean, so in Europe is very different. Like, here it's kind of established, like, you go, you know, high school, then you get recruited at college and then like you know hopefully it's the NBA or if it's overseas whatever it is but there's kind of already established in europe in europe kind of is too but it's harder because like you play for so they're you don't play for school you play for club teams like whatever pro club team is there usually to have like uh you know like a junior yeah junior teams

like all the way from like under 12 14 16 18 so you go through that and then the hardest thing there is once you finish the under 18 like you're a pro now But most good teams won't take on young kids and give them a chance. A lot of times kids will either play for like in lower leagues or like they go to a good team but they won't play at all. So I feel like that for me when I was 16 I got to like age. I was really showing real potential. Like I was lucky because my dad was, you know, he was from that world. So he knew how I worked.

So he knew like how to like when he was thinking about it like what was the important things. what was important for me. Like, he saw my strengths, my weaknesses, what he thought would be important for me. And so we looked at a lot of different options, Europe, this and that. And then through some mutual friends, some many people might know him, Nikola Dragovic, he played at UCLA.

Yeah. So he, what's it called? He's a good friend of ours. And he told me about the U.S. and his experience. And then that started intriguing us. So the first, the original idea was like, I'll go to high school one year, see how it works.

If it's good, if I get recruited somewhere, if I like it, I'll stay. If not, I always come back. So we kind of worked on that, and then we're able to find a little prep school in California for me in CME Valley. So onage prep, so I ended up there. And then once I got there, you know, I was getting recruited. And then USC came. They liked me. They recruited me.

And then I end up going there. So then, you know, all worked out in the end. But yeah, that thing took a while from, thing from like March, April, when we finished our season. all the way until like August. I wasn't sure where I'd go. What would happen? I had different offers, different things. And we just waited all.

I was like, hey, let's go to the US, try it. You know, we liked the system. How I was working. My dad felt like it was good. Because I was kind of a laborer too, especially physically. Like I was killed, but I was, my body was not there yet.

And so my dad felt like, if I get like a couple years in college, it would help me develop my body. And obviously in the U.S., that part is much more established. Europe, you know, the lifting all that. It's still a little bit so-so to work here. Like that's a big part of it.

And that's really what helped me really elevate my game because I was able to do all my skill word because I got stronger. I remember my first like tournament we played at a strongage prep. I had like we played three games. I had like six points total. Like I could not do anything because that was so weak, you know. And then I got stronger. And then when I got to USC, I remember my first big cup game we played, I was like, like, like, where am I?

Like, what am I doing here? Like it was just impossible for me to score. You had like, like, Todd Gibson was there. But he was like, he was a junior, but he was over like 23, four. Did you come into the class with the Rosen? Yeah, DeMarr me. Like, you know, DeMarr was there. He was like, you know, freak, just, you know, jumping out of the building.

Had all these other guys that were like, you know, almost like grown in. I was like, little kid. I was barely 17. Actually, when I was 17, I was turning 18 in October. So it took me a couple weeks. And then, but. Were you there Nick? No, it was two years before me.

Okay. It was Nick. And Oja was there for a year. Then it was DeMar. Did you play with Little Romeo there? Yeah, he came. He came. He came.

He was there. Yeah, yeah, he was, but it's cool, like, nowadays, like, DeMar and I, like, like, last two years we've been talking about everything. So it's been fun. But yeah, it's just, that's kind of my. How Romeo's crazy. Yeah, no, I just, when he's, I remember him and DeMarre de Rosas. No, yeah, right? No, yeah, right?

No, yeah, right. I remember the P. Miller, uh, what was it? P. Miller All-Stars. Yeah, they came kind of as a package. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, yeah, it's a package deal. Yeah. Yeah. You want to tomorrow, you get, you get Romeo, right?

Yeah. What was the biggest adjustment? Not, not, not basketball-backed. You said obviously like hitting the way to getting stronger. It was the tough of San-Ales, right? But what's the biggest adjustment you have being in the States? I mean, it's just, I mean, the whole different culture. Like, I mean, my English, I could understand a good amount of it, like spoke a little bit.

Just the whole culture adjustment, like how people are here, how to live, how to like, how to think, how to view things. Like for me, it was a big shock, you know, coming from Montenegro and in New Europe. And so it was, that took me some time. much language and then just being of myself having to learn to make my own food do my own laundry pay my phone bill like things like that i had to do it already had like 16 uh which i think it was great for me because it helped me mature and know learn of those things but yeah like first couple months where for sure it wasn't easy you get homesick you miss your friends you get thrown into like you know we're living with this family it's a great family you know that it took care of us

very well and everything but like you know you don't know anything you know anybody like we live in a suburb so like the first store was like 40 minute walk so you had to like things like that that I never had to do before because you know you had your parents and everything so it took me a couple months but I mean it was once I got a there was also some other kids there from France and so I speak French since I lived in Belgium so that kind of helped because you know I was able to speak with them and we kind of went all we're going through together through it together so that helped and yeah it was I mean it wasn't easy but it helped me like mature quicker and figured things out, you know, at a young age.

When did you realize you were going to be in the NBA? I know you came out at your junior year and you had a big junior season. Was it kind of during that season? Before that, you always thought the NBA was going to be there? Like the first time I ever thought it was realistic chance was my sophomore year. Like when we were playing a couple of good teams and I've had like some good games against guys that were supposed to like be first round picks and whatever. Like I realized like, I have a chance.

You know, I didn't know what it would be. And then like my junior year, I really like took off and exploded. And that's when I realized I have a really good shot of being like first rounder. But even when I got to the NBA, like, like, I always, you know, thought of like going, you always want to go further and further and further. But like I was just first happy to be there, you know, try to establish myself, see who I can be. And then year by year I was just able to improve. But yeah, not until my sophomore year.

And late, like, sophomore year that realized I have a chance, you know. And then you just decided obviously your senior year wasn't necessary. Yeah, I just felt like after my junior year, I just felt like there was nothing I could do in my senior year. really helped me that much. And you were a first round pick. And also, what other thing was I felt like people, like some people were little surprised that had me like late first, early second, but like knowing some of the guys I played against, I'm like, you know, I know I can be better than these guys.

And so I had a lot of confidence myself that once I go through the combine, the whole draft process, people. And you know, the thing that's funny is the thing that really like helped me the most was when I went to the combine and I measured at like 6, 10 or whatever I was. and I had the highest standing reach and the highest, the longest wing span. And so that, like, was the huge, like, the biggest thing. You were like a combine, darling.

I went from, like, early second to, like, locked, like, top 20 just because of that. Because everybody told me, like, 6-8, 6-9, non-athletic, like, what is he doing? And then, like, once I actually was much tall and much, like, my wingspan, then people realized, like, because people didn't really, I guess,

see me as much at USC, what's course or that. It was a little different. Okay, so you got drafted by the Sixers. Did you know anything about Philly at the time? At that point, you've been in the States for a while, so you knew obviously the makeup of the roster. What was that like? You went in there. You were excited? No, for sure. I mean, they had a good roster. I felt like it was a good opportunity for me.

I would have a chance to play some minutes, had some good vets. So the only thing that sucked was the lockout year. So I get drafted five days later, lockout. Nobody knows when we're playing what happens. So I go overseas for three months. I play there for a team back home. And then, you know, lockout ends. We get caught up.

We play. And I think we start up, like, right around Christmas to play. Like, we had two weeks of camp. So I kind of, no, made it tough because you didn't have the whole, like, summer to get to, like, learn about the NBA, get adjusted and things like that, find a place to live. It was all so much on the go. So, but I think my first year, it was, it was like up and down. I played early on and I didn't play as much. You know, we played while as a team.

We didn't like things like that. We went to the playoffs. I didn't play much in the playoffs. But overall, looking at all, I think it was a good experience for me going through like playing, not playing, learning to deal with it. It's not always easy. You come from college. You're like, man, you know, you're playing.

You're doing whatever you want pretty much. And then you go to the NBA. Yeah, and you're like, nobody's like, who are you? Like, unless you're like a top. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like top 10. Yeah, yeah. It was like so.

It was good for me to kind of bring me down a little bit, humble myself again and figuring out, okay? So it was a good year. I didn't play as much towards the end as I would have liked. But then I get traded in the summer to Orlando, which obviously that was a huge thing for me because I went to a great situation. Yeah. I had a chance to play a lot. It was a huge thing for the city of Orlando. So we won the Dwight Howard trade. Dwight Howard trade with Andrew Bynum and Dwight.

We got Aaron Aflowe, I think, right? Yeah, more heartless, me, Aaron Aflolo. You're the reason we won the Dwight Howard trade. You're the best player out of that thing. I end up working out. Dwight left the Lakers right away. Bindam never really played for Philly. So I ended up working out.

Yeah, but for me it was great because I came here. Obviously they went to a rebuild, but at that point for me it was good because I had a chance to establish myself. And so obviously, everybody knows my nine years here was really good. Each year I got better, two officers, all that. And so went and getting in, I traded to Chicago.

What was it like making an All-Star game, man? Like you said, like your first year, your first experience of the NBA in Philly. You're like kind of going through, I'm sure at times, thoughts of like, I don't want to say like panic or anything like that, but you're like, man, I'm not playing. You know, I'm sure you've heard good and bad stories being overseas about the NBA. You're now in the NBA. You're living this dream, but things aren't going the way that you really wanted to go in terms of playing time and et cetera. You get traded to a good situation.

You work your way up to making a fucking all-star game. You know what I mean? Like I played 11, I played 11 years in the NBA. and I've never made an all-star game. You know, that's always been like a, at this point, that's a fairy tale. But, you know, it's a dream for a lot of guys for you to be able to make that, you know. I was, I mean, for me it was, one of my top things that I've done as a basketball player, you know, it's really hard to do it.

I mean, you know, only 12 players make it from each conference. And there's always, like, whenever they announce a team, there's always like five more to you could say, oh, they could have been in, you know. Right, right, right, right. So there were a couple years where I felt like, you know, I had, you know, the numbers to, be in it but as a team weren't good enough. So it took a little while. I mean, I made it my eighth year.

But yeah, the moment they announced it, that I made it, I was like, it was one of like that when I got drafted, I had the same reaction. I was just like, I could not like speak any words. Like people were like congratulating me. Like we were actually standing for the anthem. I heard it and just like, I just had this huge rush of emotions like more like, like me myself, like I felt like I deserved it. was part of that but you know until you actually get it you know until like

actually give it to you like you're just like yeah like it's not one you once you hear your name being part of it just a huge accomplishment you know it was just everything that I put in to the game and everything kind of just kind of pays off in that moment like those are the rewards you want like you know making an all-star you know one of the playoffs you know winning playoffs going to obviously everybody's dreams championship but things like that is kind of and And then what happened to me is it motivated me to even go further. Like I want to make another one.

I want to, yeah, yeah. You get hungry. Yeah, you want more, more. Yeah, you want more. Yeah, you want more. That's kind of what happened with me. I didn't get satisfied. I wanted more and more.

And so, yeah, it was just, I mean, awesome for me, you know, going there, having the whole experience. I had my friends, my family there, you know, going through it all playing with all obviously being around all the best players. You know, for me, that first one I went, and for me, what was really special is they gave Dirk and D. Wade honorary, like, selections as the last year. Oh, dope. So I got to play it with Dirk, shared a core with Dirk. Yeah, so for me, that was like really amazing.

Yeah, so I got to talk to him there a little bit, gets to know him. So that was really cool for me. So that was a great experience, you know. You stuck it out through some rough Orlando rebuilding years. So for him to be there and ride the whole thing out to get into the playoffs, All-Star. Right, yeah. How do you feel about your place in Magic history? And then end up on an All-Star game with one of your heroes.

You're right. You know what I mean? Yeah. That's crazy. It's trippy. I mean, I don't know. history. I mean, it's tricky because I

wish I had one more. I think that would have held my legacy a little more. I think individually, you know, I had not play well, I had a good numbers and anything, but I think the last an all-star game is fucking one. Two of them. Yeah, double it up, you bet you validated it, bro. No, no. Making

a playoffs for me, with Orlando, that was a huge, like, also a thing because, like, it took seven years, yeah, no, yeah, seven years years to do it. Seven or six? seven years to do it. And like when we won in Boston, I'll never forget like that.

I also had the same rush of feelings. I was just like, like I was about to have me like do radio or TV or whatever. And I was just like you got to give me a minute. I got to like get you guys together. Game one superstars, man. Game one. You're getting one.

Oh yeah. Toronto. DeJ. Augustine. I remember the bubble. DJ Augustine. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that was, yeah, just also that making the playoffs going there finally,

like, after all these years of, like, the losing, the, like, up and down, like, you're losing your building, then, like, you know, all this, and then you finally make it. It was just so rewarding. And then, like, we made it next year again. Well, it was a COVID year. We went again, and then I get trade after that. But it was just, yeah, those are things I remember. And I think making the playoffs, making an all-star really helped me kind of,

I would say, like, one of the best players that played for magic and something I take a lot of prize. I didn't. You were so good. You were too good. And we couldn't get a good draft pick because you just kept making the playoffs. You're the reason we kept drafting in like the team. Towards the end. Yeah.

Towards the end, yes. Yeah, yeah. I wanted to ask you, what was your first kind of welcome to the NBA moment? Did a guy kind of really like bust your ass maybe in your rookie year? What was your moment where you were like, oh shit, this is different than anything? Uh, hmm. I don't, I mean, I got don't toned on by Javille McGee like second game. It was an exhibition game.

Chappelle would say that. He's like 7.3 and I don't know. I can't really remember. I mean, the first game, like a regular season game, was in Portland. And they had Lamarcus. And I remember, like, watching it. And I wasn't sure if it was going to play or not.

You know, the crowd there was pretty good. I mean, it was really good then, like, no, it's because the team's not as good. But then they were good. They had a good team. And I remember watching the market just doing work. I was like, don't put me in. I don't want to go in there right now.

I don't have none. So I guess that I wasn't part of it. But in my mind, I was like, that's okay. I was just sit this one out. I put the next one. And the next game, actually, we played Phoenix. And I remember, like, I got in. And, like, right away, I had, like, some tip-in.

Like, that was my first bucket there was, like, a tip-in. And I kind of, like, broke the ice. It was fine of that. But, like, moments I remember, like, my rookie year, like, Kobe. We played in Philly. He needed like 24, 5 points to surpass Shaq, whatever number that was an all-time scoring list. And he didn't like the first half. But it was like crazy shots.

Crazy. Why don't you tell us here, welcome to the NBA moment. Because you told me not when we were recording something about LeBron in an exhibition game. Yeah, it was a preseason game. And we played the heat after they had won. And this is a year after they had won the championship. And we had Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosch, LeBron James, the team, the game. You know what I mean?

And we had a preseason game on ESPN. Super nervous before the game just because it was on ESPN. My friends were watching and were playing against this team. I grew up playing, you know, obviously all of us. We all watched LeBron James and DeWay, Chris Bosch. You call them the Hedles. They were the Hedles. At that point in time, yeah, they were the Hedels.

They were the most popular team in, like, sports. You know what I mean? and we had a preseason game in Miami, and it was just like a circus. And I remember they came out, and they had the music bumping, and there were warmups. And I'm like, I'm locked in.

I'm focused. I'm confident. But at the same time, like, I'm going through warmups. And I'm like, when you're going to the back of the line, you're looking at the other side of the court. Like, I'm saying Dwayne Wade

and like LeBron do the label. I'm like, man, I'm really like in this game right now. And you have to like hold it together as a pro just because you have to approach it with that level of confidence. But I had a moment where the ball was stolen. I had the ball in the fast break, long story short,

and I see, like, the crowd raising up. And I think they're, like, doing it for me. Like, you know what I mean? Like, my ignorant, rookie, just whatever self thought, for whatever reason that the crowd was raising up because they thought I was going to do something special. I was literally about to, like, try to go and do something. And I see, like, I feel it in my peripheral.

And, like, I can see off, like, the fucking glass of the backboard. LeBron James is, like, fucking running me down. That's what they were raising the... Yeah. They were standing up because they thought I was going to get my shit pinned against the glass. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I'd go for LA, but I passed it off to, like, my teammate, Jason Smith, who I don't even

remember what happened. It's just, I got rid of the ball. You know, that was my welcome to the league moment as a rookie as the first time. I was like, well, you know, I panicked in like a game. Instead of being confident and sure in my abilities, like, what you do in college and high school naturally. Yeah, for sure. It was my first moment in the NBA where, like, I'm doing something and I just, like, panicked.

out of just like pure like all. Also panning because you were, I mean, you were starstruck and lay-up lines. I was in all. I was in all the moment. You know what I mean? Like it's just like, whoa. You know what I mean? Yeah.

That was my welcome. Like, yo, you got to get ready. This is the NBA. You know what I mean? So I've had many more since then, but that was like the first one. The last thing I'm going to bring up that you guys have in common is at the risk of sounding annoying is that you guys, all three of us, we love Orlando. Orlando's home.

Well, me and him have even more in common. We have the vehicle. The vehicle addiction. Oh, okay. We're obsessed of course. But so what, why do you still have a home in Orlando? Why is Orlando home for you? And I feel like you're just going to settle down, I'm assuming here.

What is it about Orlando just because you spent a lot of time here? Yeah, so, you know, being here for so long. But mainly, I mean, just their relationships have established with people here, you know, over the years. I mean, I came here as a kid. I was 21, too, whatever it was. And then, you know, I left with two kids, you know, married, two kids, life completely changed. But just to me mainly, I mean, I always said,

it was just the people I've met here over the years. So many great people. People I've been very, you know, close with still. When I worked for the magic, outside the magic, I always felt very welcome here. I always felt like, you know, second home to me. Like, I think when you leave home, a such young age like I did.

And, you know, you're kind of switching places like when it was in Seamy Valley, then with the U.S.C., then Philly and Orlando, like, it's a lot at the young age and short period of time. Yeah, right. And like, big cities too. Yeah, and then you make, for sure. And then you make it to like you find a place where you feel like they've, you know, accepted you. And like it's, you know, you feel comfortable.

You feel like you at home. It means a lot to you like the way. And then also for me like, no, early on I didn't necessarily like feel, but as the years went on, like, I could really feel like, I was welcome here. People really like genuinely like me, like me, respected me, like everywhere I went. And so you just kind of know, really stay with me. and especially last couple years when I went to, we had the playoffs,

you also everything that, like you take it to a whole other level and just, and on top of that, no, we feel like it's a really good city, you know, gray weather,

people are nice. Well, Lando loves you for sure. I've gone out of dinner with them. He's got dumb love here. People, people are, I'm obviously,

they stay because they're huge, but. Anytime you play for the magic, especially, wait, nine years? Yeah, eight and a half,

yeah. Eight years, eight and a half years, man, like that's a long period of time. Two all-stars. You helped them to the playoffs Badge

You know what I'm saying T-Mack, Dwight Yeah like some of the guys who are made You know who else made an all-strike DeWite Steve Francis making me You know what he made an all-star Jamir Nelson

Shack? Shack obviously I want to say Did you say T-Mack already? What about Rashar Lewis? Yeah he's valid Yeah Rashar is definitely in there

Low-key I'm gonna throw Turkleu in there No he never made an all-star game No but Turkleu is valid here though No, of course. Everybody, everybody for the team. He's a big time player here. JJ. Jay J.J.

People are JJ here. But JJ's best years were in Los Angeles. It's a fact. Yeah, people like JJ. Los Angeles and Philly. No, no, no, I'm not arguing that. He was, I think he was a reserve. Yeah, not even a reserve.

It's one thing to come up to bench and have consistent minutes. He wasn't, in Orlando was like, that was like the beginning of JJ. Yeah, but we drafted us. We, we, that's always a special place in art. It's a wee. No, I'm a diehard magic fan. Yeah, you're okay to say we. Yeah, so when you drafts, though,

and I think, you know, we brought him in. I think JJ was... But that's a different badge, though. All-Star playoffs, like, and actually having to wait on your shoulders, it's a different type of cloth. We're talking Steve, Dwight, T-Mack, Penny, Shaq,

Booch, Jemir, because he made an all-store game, and he was putting in work. And you're in that final That's it That's it That's it That's it

I'm putting in that class And then there's a class Of like Turk Rashard Right You might even put a chart In that first group But like

Turk, JJ You know what I mean You have like magic favorites You know what I mean Like Daryl Armstrong Played here It was a huge Hard and hustle

Hard hustle guy You want six man of the year Big magic guy Yeah yeah Yeah Yeah Anderson is up there too Of them

Nick Anderson Exactly You know I mean Like yeah that crew. You know what I mean? Dennis Scott. Like you have like Orlando. Did you say Bo Outlaw? He's all over. He's at every game. He's, he's, he's, statistically I'd have to check into Bo outlaw stuff. Oh, come on. No, I love, I love Bo. Bo's Orlando legend, but there's first tier, second tier, third tier, fourth tier, fifth tier,

fifth tier, like, I'm not saying where everybody's at, but he's definitely first tier. All-Star, All-Star being the focal point. Yeah, and he didn't mention Scott Schuyall's 30 in a game, NBA record will never be broken. But yeah, Scott Schiles. You know, I don't think 30 assists will be broken in a game. That's important. It definitely will. Really? The way the game is going now with how many possessions are, someone will break that record.

Point cards don't. Point cards don't are like scores now. You know what I mean? There's not a lot. And tell there's one that's not. Well, Hallibor? And you still average 20 a game. I don't even know who's the past first point card out there.

I'm not saying it's going to be broken in the next three or four years. It's just tough. The point guard is so athletic now. Everyone wants to the score. So no one breaks will. No one breaks will. Someone break will. So that's closer.

You're closer to people. Jack still. No, no, no, no. People were just gunning out there. I think, I think, I think the assist is closer as 100. I think someone will break 30 assists before 100 points.

100 points is fucking insane. Fudge tiebreaker. Oh, I don't know. I've seen Rondo get 24 assists. You know what I'm saying? There are no more Rondos, though. If you had to say points or assists. 24 assists for 100 points.

And Damien Willard this year had 70, both of them had 70. So they'd have to have 30 more to get 100. And 30 itself is a great game. Someone has 30. I'm calling my homies after. 30 to night. It's a great game.

It's a great game. It's a great game. It's a great game for the family over here. 30 and above, you feel like you've made every basket. Yeah, yeah. You're like, yo, I made it.

You know, I had a big time. It's a big time night. For sure. So, 100 is fucking fairy tale. 100 is insane, bro. The whole team would have to be in on it.

I think if you can, I think they're the same level. Like 30 assists is like flows. Like, it's hard. 30 assists is crazy. A hundred points to be scored, the whole team has to be in on it. It has to be a mutual decision before the game.

that if I get hot and something gets going, like you guys are going to help me, get this. Is there a guy that's that alpha out there that would be able to the team would have rally around? I think if Damian Lillard got stupid hot and shot 60 shots in a game, I think he could go for a fucking 100. So, I'm 60 shots in a lot, though.

You'd have to shoot, how much the shit? If you were scoring 100, I want to be really efficient. Otherwise, it's a little tacking. You got to shoot 50 at least. 50%. You know what I'm saying? With threes and stuff, too. Yeah, yeah.

So I would say 55 to 60 shots. What is, everybody just went crazy for Steph scoring 50, what he had, 50? 38 shots. Yeah, 38 shots. Okay. So by that, you're shooting about 60 to 70 shots to get 100. I don't like, if someone's shooting 70 shots, I don't think I want to attend that basketball game. 70 shots is nasty.

That's not happy. I think the assists might have a better chance. When you think about that way, I think the sis might have a better chance. The NBA playoffs are back in full swing and you can turn crossovers into capital. turn crossovers into cash with Fandul. Just visit Fandual.com slash Ringer MBA right now and place a $5 bet and you'll get an instant $150 in bonus bets, win or lose. For example, tomorrow Philly is a plus two underdog against the Celtics at home,

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Let me ask you this, just related to basketball news and what's going on lately. I'm curious to know what you think. What do you think of the Dillon Brook situation? And them announcing... I've never heard of that. In my... Since I've been in the league, I've never seen in the beginning... I mean, it's all like a week after they got eliminated.

A team publicly announced that we are not going to have him on our team next year by any circumstance. No circumstances? The no circumstance part blow... I don't know if that's a team that said that or I don't know who's responsible. for putting that out first and saying the no circumstance. Never say never. No circumstance is crazy. Saying never say never, now you can't bring them back.

Yeah. It hurts his trade value. Yeah. It hurts his overall value in the league. I just don't understand why you would do that to Dylan. Even if Didlin did the wrong things and went about his whole villain process the wrong way, I feel like putting the no circumstance, I don't know. I didn't really like that.

I got to be honest with you. I don't know. I've never seen that before. I don't think across almost any sports. Yeah. They have a lot of other problems. And for them, I just hate the whole. Here's my thing, right?

No one likes the way Dylan was handling his business. I like Dylan. I don't think he does. He was doing media anything afterwards. But he, you say, but like he antagonized it. He like ran with it, bro. He went from being like a guy that talked a little bit of trash to like becoming this thing. And it seemed like each week he did something crazier.

Whether it was his outfits, the stuff he said, the LeBron comments, like, bro, it got bolder and bolder and bolder. The whole team was doing like, A lot of crazy stuff, though. It was. It was synonymous with a lot of Memphis turmoil and, like, things that were going on. Unless I already have one friend that no one likes a Memphis. I'm asking you. I'm asking you two. Do you think he was a scapegoat used in this? Absolutely. They need to address a lot of issues. And then they think that they could just, you know, obviously not bring him back. And then I'll solve everything. There's a lot of issues there. It's not all all one person. But not bringing Dylan back by no circumstances. Again, I don't agree with certain things that he said or what he's done. But like, I met him.

I met him and talked to him multiple times. He said, you know him better than I do. He's a cool-ass dude. Why don't I just not bring him back without making that announcement? You could just not bring him back and not say anything and trade him this summer where he has a certain amount of value because you can say whatever you want about Dylan Brooks. He's a proven role player in the NBA. Is he this, this and that?

No. He has stuff to work on. You know, jump shot, this, whatever. But he's a proven rotational player and a big time player for the Grizzlies in terms of their winning and their success. To say, to put that out publicly only hurt his. value. Why not just trade them and then just move on. And then after it'd be like, yeah, we were never going to bring him back. You could say that if you wanted to.

Sure. Just say it a week or two after. You're not a fan of when people hurt someone's free agency or like when you fuck up a guy's money. Yeah. I don't like when you play with the guy's pockets. And I guess the argument against that would be he did that to himself because he he, he, when your team says not bringing you back, I don't like man. Dude, we all have a window in this NBA man. It's this fucking long, bro. We play. And the NBA should be about. getting these young men in here because we make them millions. We make the owner millions. We make the program millions.

Each and every player has an output to that. There's levels to that, but each player is a part of that. Their goal should be to get the players the most money as possible, the safest way as possible and try to at least help them secure their future, the kid's future, whatever, whatever, man. When you start putting out like certain propaganda and stuff out there in the news that fucks with guys' wallets, I don't like that. The whole world's against him now.

He already had a lot of people against him because of his comments, but now like the whole circle, like this Grizzly's comment was just out of pocket, bro. I don't like it. I'd be honest. I mean, that's just my opinion. But I think it fucks with his bread.

I'd be curious to your opinion. Yeah, I mean, I don't know how that the whole, if the Grizzis actually said that or that was leaked or whatever, like the way Shams or put it out there. Yeah. I fuck with Shams too.

Shout out the Shams. Sure. So I don't know what happened with that exactly. But, yeah, I think it's tough for him now because he's, you know, now he has this thing that, no, everybody's going to kind of hold against him and things like that. And it's tough because he's about heading to free agency.

And so, yeah, I mean, I think, I, like, whatever, like, the trash talk came to way he was doing it. Like, to me, like, you do you as fine, like, whatever. But the only thing I think he did really, really messed up is, like, you lost. Like, you can't escape. You duct the media. Like, you got to own it. Like, hey, I did this. It didn't work.

Just own it. That's what they turned against them. Yeah, if he had done that, because that was the only thing people talked about after, like, he didn't even, he left before people came to the locker room. And that's where it was. If he had just, like, stay and I owned up to it, like, hey, that's who I am. I did it. We lost.

Congrats to the Lakers. Like, he lost to Lakers, like, to LeBron to AD. You didn't lose to, like, nobody. But it was two, two or seven, right? Yeah. Yeah, but the Lakers aren't. They had all those trades. It's still two versus,

but it's the fact that it's two versus seven that people are going to use it against them. And all the trash talk were fine in the West. All these things that even a lot of Jaws stuff has creeped into this. Like the whole hate behind the Grizzlies, it's just there. And I think the two catalyst of that

would probably be John. Well, he made a good point to the whole ducking the media and stuff and not like living up to that role you created. Your teammate now, Patrick Beverly, would never have done that. He is who he is. Patrick Breeder would have, he stays in that character. Patrick Breed would have stays in that character.

Oh, yeah. You're talking about the media? Dylan Brooks. No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. In the Instagram. I'm got to say, you just play with Pat. I'll play with Pat too.

So, like, Pat is like that. You know, Pat talks his stuff. He's, you know, that's part of his, like, whole thing. But he's always Pat. But no, he's going to be the same way. He's going to show up. They'll take his L's on his chin and in the W's as well. That's where the media, see, I'm convinced this is like,

all like a thing. Once you turn on the media, they'll fuck you over. You can't do it. The media is undefeated. The media is undefeated. Conspiracy theory, Austin? I'm not a conspiracy guy.

That's what we're doing. We're saying they since you ducked the media, anybody in the history of known to man, bro, if you talk negatively or act a certain way disrespectfully to the media, which we're now a part of, you now are going to get talked about just like we are right now in a negative way. And the more people you have talking about you negative, the more people think of you in a negative context.

It's just like common sense. You know what I'm saying? So it's just like, we both know Dillon's a good guy. I know Jaws a great guy. They're both good dudes. Jaws a fucking spectacular player. Dylan's a great role player. Jaws a superstar.

That's a known fact. But just a little couple actions and a couple things done in the media. It builds, man. It just builds. And the media will feed on it because it gets views and clicks. We know it. That's why we're fucking talking about it right now. Yeah.

And you know what? This is our third straight pot of talking about Dylan, bro. We've talked about Dylan three years. I'm going to change the subject here. We talked about Pat being here. team A team A now in Chicago. First of all, I wanted to talk about the way that magic team that you took to the playoffs, how it kind of broke up with, I think you, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fornier got traded all in the same day,

something like that, really broke up a little era for the magic. Was that something you saw coming? Did you know that you were, maybe there was a chance you would get moved? And then to piggyback on that, walk us through like the process for people who just don't know listening. what's it like when your name starts getting in trade rumors and like you have to still show up to work ready to perform ready to work be professional knowing that possibly the guy that you know the coach the GM whoever's a part of it right that you're working for is trying to move you and like trying to like you know what I mean like what your first experiences of that I mean I was for me I was in trade rumors for

I mean I was since my third year and with the magic I feel like. I guess you had that in Philly too, right? Philly, no, not as much. No, a rookie year was fine. Then when I got here, first two, three years, nothing. And I signed my first deal. Then the year after that, that's when kind of, no, rumors are.

And at first, like, when it first was happening for me, like, I felt a little bit, like, like, is it real or not? But then, like, nothing happened, that deadline. And then ever since then, like, I've never. never really cared for the, because I just always realized a lot of it is just rumors. Like, I don't know even know how to come out. It's true or not if the team calls another team to ask or like in this instance, Orlando called somebody and was like, hey, we're looking.

What do you guys think about? Like, whatever it was. But I always kind of brushed that aside. I never really care for it. I think now it's worse than ever because, you know, social media, you have everybody just reporting all these things and you don't know what's true or what's not. So you can't focus on that. So it wasn't a big thing for me ever really.

I was always pretty good at just putting aside doing my work and whatever happens happens. Because you can't control it in the end of the day. So it doesn't really, like, it's really doesn't, there's no point of like, you know, getting upset or getting your feelings about it. So that's how I was felt about it. But to answer her question, yeah, I mean, I think we all kind of realized at that time it was, we kind of had hit our ceiling just because we're always in that eight, nine, seven spot. you know, draft was always, you know, in the kind of mid, like, so you weren't really, and it was hard to track free agents.

So Evan was about to be a free agent. Aaron was close to it, I think, two a year maybe. So we knew there was a possibility. We weren't like, we had a lot of injuries that year. We actually started out of season really well, but we got a lot of injuries. So we weren't doing that well, and we felt like it was, you know, possibility. But even when it happened, I mean, I had, I mean, I had, like, talking to the, an office and I had a good idea it could happen and what it could be and all that.

But even when it happened, it was a big shock for me. Just how to, like, you get a phone call. You're like, hey, like, actually, I was one of the lucky ones that I found out before it went out in the media. You know, it wasn't one of those where I read it on Twitter. So, but it just called me like, hey, you know, we're traded you to Chicago, this and that. Yeah. You know, it's just kind of how it is. Orlando to Chicago, man. You go from like South Florida. And four hours, yeah, four hours later, I was in a plane going to Chicago. So that all happened so fast. It was a COVID year. You had all these like stupid, you know, protocols, everything that you think that was happening.

So it was, it was crazy. But it was, it was just, it happened so fast, man. Getting traded in season is tough. And I never happened to me, so I didn't realize. But like, I got traded two days later. We're playing in San Antonio. I have like a red jersey on. Yeah, right, right, right.

A whole different thing. South Florida to the Midwest. Yeah, but like you go like, for example, no, like in Orlando for a while, like I have my little routine. People like my, you know, my PT I work with, the strength coach. was there, like the coaching staff was there for a couple years now. I had like my little thing. It was like the bust, like everything, like, everybody knew how I like my things. And now you go to a whole new team. Like, it's all new. You don't know anybody's names. You're trying to just kind of like figure it out on the go. You're doing your pregame routine. You're asking like what

you're doing. And like you're trying to explain it. Yeah. A new kid in school. It's a lot. And like, and I was already an experienced player. Like so, but it's still a lot. And it happens so quick. You don't have really time to like, I didn't really like have time to like digest at all. until like after the season, like, season was over. Like, I came back, like, here then. And my wife and I was just like, hey, like, we're in Chicago. Like, it's really, that's when it hit me like, oh, like, it's, because it was so fast. Like, obviously, I realized I was there, but it wasn't like, it was so fast.

You don't have time to settle, like, process it all. And then once I was able to do that, it was different. But it's, it was hard for me just, I mean, going after nine years and that. When you got there, did you have a deep dish pizza? Have you had a deep dish pizza? I will say this. There is this, the real deep dish pizza, no, that's not a pizza. It's like a tomato sauce pie.

It's not like, I mean, but I will say this. There's this spot in Chicago is called Pequods. And it's like, shout to Piquads. I will say it's a mix of a Detroit style and deep dish pizza. It's fantastic. But they got great Italian food in Chicago. Food-wise, the only city that beats it in America is New York. New York.

Yeah. I'm gonna say Chicago is like top tier. I've never been. I think it's the nicest city in America. They've never been to it. It's a beautiful city. It's filmed for most movies. I think like Batman, all the Batman movies were filmed there.

I actually drive there almost every day throughout where they did that scene. Bruce Bridge. Bruce Way-by on the way to... Yeah, all those like bridges and like all of a sudden that's Chicago. And then like I think it's split between Chicago and New York, a Batman guy.

Pittsburgh a little bit too. I'm watching the animated series right now. We won't go on that. I like Dark Night stuff. I'm not watching the cartoon. I watched the animated series, yeah. The old ones are right. Just don't ever watch it in front of me.

See, they only have three. The cartoons are great. He doesn't know. Yeah, he don't know. They have three seasons. They only had three seasons, 60 episodes of first season, 20 episodes, second one, I think, like 15 to third or something like that. Christian Bell stuff. Yeah, that's like, the last badman was amazing.

The one with Robert Madison. Yeah, it was amazing. It was the issue with that was. It was really good. It was really good. And Zoe in there was. It was very dark. She's unbelievable.

She's unbelievable. You know the issue with that? Oh, my God. It was really dark. It was really dark. It was really dark. It was a dark character. People don't really like that.

That was very dark. I like that. It tapped into like the other side of Batman. For sure. Psychological problems. Like there's a darker. I wonder if the Joker is going to overlap that the new one would. Yeah.

Phoenix. Oh, what's the name? Joaquin Phoenix. Walking Phoenix. He's in the, they have Joker too. I think Lady Gaga is playing Harley Quinn. Oh, it's not going to be Margo Robbie? No.

Isn't that her thing? It was her thing. Oh, she's not going to be. Oh. Yeah, it's going to be Lady Gaga. in the new Joker. And I wonder if Robert Pattinson and that Batman and him were going to meet.

It'd be fantastic because the Joker is like a dark, deep. It's not like an accent thriller. Like the first Joker movie was like really like a psychological thriller. But nobody will ever be a better Joker in Heath. No, but that's why I think they went that route. I think they... They weren't trying to match that. They couldn't match it.

So like they went a whole different spin and theme on the Joker. It was like more his upbringing and his abuse with his mom. It had like to do with his whole psychological. behavior how he was so off, how he was abused, how he had things done to him. That's what the first joke is about. It's a 30 for 30 on the Joker

instead of like, instead of like, instead of like Batman. Yeah, yeah, instead of being madman, like dual where he's like doing like shooting bazookas out of a truck, you know, like like dark night. You know what I mean, it's just different. So did you guys like the Dark Night Rises with the Bain? I loved all three of them.

I thought that was pretty good. No one talks about the Bain one. The Bain one, I don't like the ending. I don't like that they built Bain up to be this extreme, like this huge badass, the entire film and then like he duses a hair. Hand-in-hand combat? No, no, hand-to-hand combat.

He dies by, like, the backfire of, like, a motorcycle or something. Like, like, Catwoman comes in and just, like, kills him or some shit. It's something stupid. No, no, I think Batman kills his, takes his, kills his, his mask. He was already going down with the mask situation. But I thought it could have been, like, more of a dramatic, you know. Tom Hardy. Tom Hardy was good, though.

I do like the ending when he's seen at a coffee shop. But I think the story. That's his famous, like, the famous gift for what I love that scene. The story with Ben is, like, he was, I think, beating up in that. prison was he was he's killed yeah and then so like whoever saved him and then uh that's historian so when badman killed his mask he kind of nice but oh wow see you're learning new but he's not even have a couple of i thought i thought i thought i thought i thought i was a badman and this guy's really unpacking yeah no no yeah yeah are you are you hit to bad man you like

what other stuff are you into like what movies what movies uh i'm a huge star wars guy okay but also like not you know not just like lightsaber fight like most people like i'm actually into the whole whole deep like like I'm a huge like Darth Vader fan but it's because of his story like the Dark Side yeah how you went from Anakin to Darvader Dark Side a constant fight in between like the whole thing I read like comic books about it I watched like YouTube videos like comic books yeah things like that so I'm big into that I'm like superheroes uh I'm like Marvel movies um not so much new ones with older ones I like that I'm a huge Lord of Rings guy love Lord of Rings I saw the Rings

the first time not too long ago your brother jeremiah told me to watch it it was unreal they're unbelievable billbo baggins oh you you've only watched the once i watched one and i started the second one yeah the second one's the best one no no no i heard the third one's the best one no no i like it's a tough yeah twin towers is great the battle uh the third one is good too but they're all really good twin towers is my favorite yeah i'd say so too but they're all really really they're they're long did you uh did you see uh the amazon thing what's called uh rings of power Uh-uh. Trash.

It's not good? No. So bad. You can't emulate it. Is what's it called directing it and filming it? I don't even know it's bad. What's the name? Peter Jackson?

Yeah. I know who that is. But I don't know if he's doing the rings of power. I feel like you only know Peter Jackson because of the entourage. 100%. That's exactly why I know. Big entourage guys. I know you only know Peter Jackson because he was in one episode of the entourage.

He was a huge entourage guy. As I'm on. I wasn't huge. Of course. Yeah. To this day, I will go and watch our regards. old funniest moments on YouTube. Well, I'll like stream through a season.

I'll stream to a whole eight seasons, whatever it is, seven, what is it? Seven, eight seasons. I'll stream through eight seasons in like three weeks. I do that with friends. He loves friends. There we go. He loves friends.

My wife cannot stand me watching Friends anymore. I can't stand friends. Really? Really? I'm a Seinfeld. You either one or the other, I'm a huge friend. I like, I think Seinfeld. By Seinfeld's my favorite show

all the time. I think Samville. I love fun. The first show is all time. It was crazy. I grew up on Seinfeld. The best comedic show of all time is the office. Office is up there, then.

I have the office, curb enthusiasm, sign film. Boom, boom, boom. After that might be parks of recreation. But, what about that's comedic though? But that would be Martin. And if it wasn't comedy, you would go, you have Sopranos up there? If it's not comedy, the best show ever, I had Breaking Bad at Game of Thrones, even though the ending was trashed, but the whole up until the end.

No, Game of Thrones, the ending is so bad. Yeah, the ending's bad. It killed me the whole thing for me. I could have. It's terrible. It's bad. I didn't even see the new one because of how bad. Dragons?

I heard it's pretty good. It's actually pretty solid. It's not Game of Thrones, but it's good, though. It's good. It's not a Game of Thrones. But it's not supposed to be Game of Thrones. But the Game of Thrones is so fucking good. Just fuck the last season.

Up until then, it was so good. Last two scenes are a little questionable. But the way, like, the way it starts first episode when like they throw off, what's his name of the... What's his name? The guy that ends up being... Oh, God. To my Lund.

Yeah, they throw him off like... Yeah, Luke. There was no Luke back in there. You're just on Star Wars. I'm just looking at the skywalk around. Luke and shot you. No, but the worst thing to me is like for how many seasons was it, eight, seven, eight, whatever was. Those were, that was eight seasons.

You're waiting for the battle. Eight sucks. Against the... Seven wasn't that bad. You both don't like seven, huh? It wasn't as good as, like, you could tell there was a decline. That was when like John Snow met Denarius. That was what it all came together.

A little too much for me. It was happening fast. They were rushing. It was rushing. They didn't go 10. They needed 10 seasons. Or they should have just gone a little more episodes. But like you're waiting for that battle for like seven, eight seasons, whatever.

You're waiting for it to happen, happen. And then you put it all together in one episode. One episode where the Ice King dies. Yes. It is so dark. Night King. And she kills him like, first off, like she's going to like the way like she kills him. I thought they could have done much better.

And then. Yeah. By the whole episode was pitch black. Yeah. It was dark. It was dark the whole episode. And then at the end of it, their dragon, like, comes and, like, just melts the chair because he realizes that's the whole issue of the, like, what? Yeah, it's, it's, come on.

It's a bad writer. It's terrible. It's bad. That was, I was so, like, it was, you know, like, the biggest, one of the biggest fans of Game Thrones ever was Evan Fournier. And we like, like, he was a big Star Wars guy. I feel like every foreign player in the NBA. I feel like foreign people in general, like,

I have never seen anybody be as upset over a show. or movie whatever as he was over it was like because he's like he's like he's really into like he read books like shout to evin for sure big time that's my guy but he was like I mean I remember he was so upset it was funny to me to see but like yeah it was bad I was this sort of so this he got upset like about like the ending I mean yeah but it destroyed the whole thing like you talk about one of the greatest things ever created just being destroyed but terrible ending see that's how I feel about I don't like the breaking bad ending I don't like that Walter White went through everything to end up just, and I'm not going to spoil it, but like, I don't like the way

it ended, man. He deserved more than that, bro. I don't like it. It's like the James Bond ending. You had Daniel Craig do all of this to die by some fucking mess up. You have like a spoiler alert. Are you kidding? Maybe all the endings of every show ever.

If you haven't seen Game of Thrones and the James Bond series and what else? I love breaking bad by now. Are you watching the James Bond? Do you watch the day? Wake up. I haven't seen the last one. But I have just ruined it. He hasn't seen the last James Bond.

But I want to, but it's okay. Like, I do have a plan of kind of seeing them all in order. But I, like, I enjoy watching them if I see him. But it's not like something out. The James Bond series is one of the most underrest. I mean, he's incredible. I can't, I don't, not only do I, I'm, as a James Bond fan, I'll probably watch. But it's going to be hard for me to move on from like Daniel Craig.

It's hard for me to picture James Bond without seeing Daniel Craig, bro. Like, he killed that shit. Did you watch Pierce Brosnan, the James Bond before? Yeah, I watched him. Like the golden eye and all that. Guy in the day. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I watched it.

It was good. It's not a fan. No, no, no, I'm a fan. It's not Daniel Craig. You know, Craig's was like, it was like the dark night thing. Yeah. Like, they made it like a little bit more like grown and he was like just sophisticated. He had issues.

He had issues. He had the women. Like, he crushed that shit, bro. Yeah. I see Iljur says that. Yeah, I think he'd be good with that. He's a little too old. I think he's already in his 50s and he is.

He is. It's a 15 year run. Yeah, yeah, yeah. you're right. That's why they're looking for the next one. I don't know who would be that guy. It should have been ill-jurious, but you know, Daniel was still going. Yeah. I heard Tom Hardy and then, I don't know, he's doing like Ven-a-6.

He's just as old. How old are Tom Hardy? He's not so old. I like when they're London-based, though, or when they're European-based. Tom Hardy's European. Yeah, I know that's what I'm saying. I like, I don't want it to be like, there's a couple of names in the hat right now that's, like,

circulating. And a couple of them are American artists. And I just don't want it. It's a British thing, man. They're driving Aston Martin's. They're fucking, they're based in London. You got to have the accent. Yeah, you got to have the accent. It's got to be a London thing.

I want a fake accent. I don't want it. Speaking of cars, so you guys are both super into, because I'm not into cars, but I know you're obsessed. Yeah, we both have some serious car collections. He's always been into. And we both go to the same place to get our stuff customized Ultimate Auto here in Orlando.

What a shot up. They're some of the best in the world. Ultimabotos, you're doing boats and shit now, but they do some serious work with cars. And every time I go in there, he's got something in there getting done or I see some crazy whips. She's got stored in there, the Mustangs, the GT2RS,

all those things. So yeah, we've got some serious car love. Well, it got you in the cars. When I was little, just through toys. Yeah. I always had some car toys, like the, you know, the ones you drove with the little remote. Yeah, yeah.

I always enjoyed that. And then growing up, I liked the Formula One racing. I still do a fan. So just since I was little, just like toys and it kind of happened. Yeah, and so I have like one of my, my best friend's also a huge car guy who was talk about it. it always follow. So I mean, I like all kinds of cars. I'm not only into like high-end cars.

Like I- Yeah, you like everything. I like everything. I like even. Hot rod. Yeah, cars that drive like no good, but are not like crazy. Like for example, I love the like people like I had a Subaru WRRXSTI and like I love that car. It was a manual. It's fun to drive. It has, you know, plenty of power for you to drive. But it's not like the crazy cars that are not as. But you could like custom and do whatever you want to it. Things like that. I love like cars like that. that. So just all kinds of things, but just enjoying the whole, you know, DNA of the cars and things like that. Yeah, I got into like the science of it early. I think I got obsessed with cars when I was, before I moved here to Florida, when I was like in kindergarten pre-K, bro, I still have like flashes of when I lived in San Antonio. And I think my father at the time was doing TNT. That was his first

couple of years out of the NBA. That was before like TNT really became like what it is today. But it's like the building blocks. It was him up there. And, He had an ex-teammate, Sean Elliott, who played in San Antonio. Sean Elliott played with the Spurs, obviously. Really good player. He had a crazy car collection. And they had kids the same age as us. So my pops had bring me over there to play with their kids.

And every day, bro, I'd just run to his garage. And I would sit in there and just, it was just something. All the other kids were playing. He had games upstairs, arcade games. I'm sitting in the garage. It was, like, looking at his cars. It was an immediate attraction. That's like when I became a petrol head.

And every once in a while, he'd take me for driving his cars. And he had a model car collection. And then at like age eight or nine, I got into model cars. I started collecting die cast to 118 scale model cars. I had a crazy collection. That's all that's for Christmas is basketball sneakers, the hoopin, and a model car. And I always told myself one day when I get an old enough, you know, I'm going to have a car collection. So I'm trying to build that now.

But yeah, I'm obsessed with it. I like everything. I like forlons, expensive to petrolhead. tuner cars to hot rods, bro. Like, I like anything with an engine in it, you know? Yeah, I don't, I mean,

like, there are a lot of people that like cars, but like, when you ask them, they'd be like, yeah, like, name you like the top three brands in the world, like most expensive brand. Yeah, but I like, the rolls, Roy's gold. Yeah. It's like, it's fine.

Like, dude, but like, that's not knowing cars. I know, I knew you were a petrolhead when I went to an auto and the cars that you had are petrolhead cars. They're like, there are cars that, like, there are cars that, like, will be seen on the road and someone will look at it, be like, oh, that's a nice car.

But they don't know, the people that know cars will drive me, like, yo, that was a, like, I've seen your cars that you're to RAS, the Shelby that you have. You've had a handful of cars in there. I think you had a, what do you have right now? You have a, uh, did you have a Ferrari? No, I never had a Ferrari. What was it?

You had a GT2RS. How do you fuck do you fit in the GT2RS? Had to, well, the thing with Porsche, the 9-11, like the, the roof's like a bubble. Yeah, because of the, so the, They can feel helmets. That was the whole thing. Yeah, yeah.

And so, and it's since the RS, the G2. You got carbon bucket seats in yours, don't you? I do it, but a Gt2 is two-seater, so there's nothing behind.

I mean, okay. Like, there's no back seats. So they, I was able to move it back a little bit. I mean, I can't,

like, take it on drys for like, you know, I'm not going to go, like, cross-country with it because out of my back would be, yeah.

Yeah. But like, I sold by, man. To drive a little bit, like, around here and there, I made it work. That car's a beast.

It's an animal. What would you drive? I would drive across country. What are we doing? I would drive when I got outside right now. I'd drive that across country. Cross country. Anything that you feel comfortable in, right?

I mean, I would probably drive like a truck. Yeah. If I was going to drive cross country, I'd get like a fucking old. I don't know. I was still in from entourage. I went to bag on. I would get like an 80s, 90s, like RV and like go for it, man. That's something I really want to do.

Pack some stuff in there, some treats for the friends and the homies. By the way, our birthdays, both of our birthdayss are in August. We should do something like that. A cross-country vibe would be cool. I've never done it before. That's one of my things to do for sure. Cross-country, yeah,

I've never done it. I want to like go through everywhere, man, see shit. It's the best way to do it. Yeah. It's the best way to do it. You go to a close group of friends. You know,

you pack some good stuff. You have some good stories, some troubles along the way, not too many, but yeah, I think that's a dope. It's a dope vibe. All right.

Before we go, I want to do rapid fire with you guys. I'm with it. Come on. Some of these questions I've already asked you, So maybe it's towards But go ahead. Feel free to jump in. No, go ahead.

All right. First question, what's your favorite type of food or favorite restaurant? It's a favorite type of food? It's a Italian restaurant anywhere in the world. Yeah. Sure. We're not going to know what it is if it's maybe outside of the world, but go ahead. Maybe outside of the country.

But fuck it, yeah, but it is. Yeah, obviously shot it up. I don't know. I mean, I've traveled so many places. Yeah, yeah. Restaurant, I mean, I don't know. Life flex. Yeah. I know, I know.

It's hard to pick. Like, I mean, I don't know. Favorite restaurant? Let's go to the States. Yeah. Geez, you're so worldly. What was, because he is. Yeah, he's worldwide.

He is. What's the best restaurant in the States? Like, what's a restaurant in the States that? Like, what's a restaurant in the States that you're like, when I'm here, I got to go with this. New York. You said New York, Chicago, whatever. Like, what's just. One of my favorites in the whole.

Carbone, what we got? No, one of my favorites, like, that I go to on the road. That's one of my favorite things to do. But, like, when in the NBA, just going to like every city, you go in a restaurant. You like going to like a city and going to like a nice restaurant? I always do it. I love that.

I can't sit in my room. Like I have like I'll, whoever wants to go with me like a like a like a fine like I'll like research, find restaurants, the hot restaurants in the moment and all that. I love that. But like one of my favorites. That's really cool. That's really cool. I'd say Nick and Sam's in Dallas.

I love you. I love it. I'm a huge state guy and but I have so much on their menu and everything is so good. It is good. You're eating at the bar too in that fun area. You're not going to. getting a dining. I mean, I had both. That's a fun area though. It is funny.

Yeah, but the food is so good. Like, they have so, their wine list is really good too, but they have like everything and everything is good. It was hard to find a restaurant that has such an extensive menu that everything is so good. That's one. I mean, I was just there a couple weeks ago and that's why it's fresh. But yeah, but I will say this in Chicago, like, especially this year once everything opened up after COVID and all that, they have some amazing restaurants. Like some really, really, really good ones. That brings me my next question. Favorite city? How about favorite NBA city?

Probably have to say New York. Yeah. I love New York. Is there your favorite place to play too? Mine's... Yeah, the garden. Yeah, I think I'd say the garden. That garden in the Boston,

gardens, I mean... Might as out lie. The United Center was one of... I mean, I played that now, but it's still one of the favorites, but I always used to love, like, those three were always like... Because you're a...

Jordan fanatics, yeah, for sure. That was... And the next thing. Yeah, yeah. It's usually what is it? Also, go ahead and say, You're favorite city You like playing in LA.

It's not because of the bullshit you think it is. You think it's kind of like some Hollywood or whatever. It's exactly what it is. It's exactly what it's not. I like L.A. because of multiple reasons.

I'll tell you the main reasons right now. One weather. Every time I go there, it's 75 to 80 degrees. It's sunny outside. It's not a cloud in the sky. It makes me feel good about myself. It's been rainy this year, I heard,

but go ahead. It has been ready, but historically. Second reason, they have great restaurants open late after the game. That's all I care about. I don't care about none of that stuff.

I don't care about any of the, like the vibes, the scene, the Hollywood, like, I don't care about any of that. You give me good food, good weather, great city. And you played there for a while, too. I have an appreciation for Los Angeles. I was born there. I was born in L.A. I played there.

I definitely got loved there. But my favorite city to visit is Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Toronto, Atlanta, Houston. Okay, you just named it. Good place you didn't name is Memphis in Oklahoma City. Memphis is crazy. I gave you my top six. It's L.A., Atlanta, Houston, Orlando, Miami, New York, whatever. Yeah, that's six.

That's six. That's my six, right there. I love New York. I love the energy there. I'll go there and just walk around the city, like, shopping, whatever. You're not going to drive, then. Obviously, that's how you're going to walk around. I love walking around there.

I go walk and then, like, so many good restaurants. I don't think I've eaten in the same place here twice since I've been in league 12 years. I love that. Next question. Who is the toughest player in the NBA for you to guard? See, I hate when to ask me that question. I've never really had like somebody I can like, I can say like it was the toughest for me. What about the newly crowned MVP, Joel?

Yeah, I mean, yeah, but obviously like those players here, I tough the guard, no doubt. But like I never had anybody I played against. I was like, man, like that's going to be a tough. So how about this? Is it tougher to guard, Yokic or Joach? Such different kinds of game. Very different. Who's tougher to guard, Yokic or Joach?

Very different. Like, Joel, like, obviously, you know, very big body, physical. Like, once he goes. is not a whole lot like you can do. But the thing with Yoke's that's very hard to guard it is like, like, just gets passing. Like you can help us much. So as a lot of it's one-on-one,

enjoy you can help a little bit more. No, I mean, but Yoki's like, you look one way and just like throw some crazy, like, dime elsewhere. So you have to always, like, pressure him to make sure, like, you know, make it hard for him. So, I mean, both are hard and it's, man. But which player would you go into a night?

Like, man, I got, you know, like, is it like the same? Like, you know, the night before the game, you're, you're in Philly or your endeavor. You're like, you know, I got yokes tomorrow. I got a meet tomorrow. I mean, honestly, no, like, I feel like I've played them both pretty well, and I've had good games against them and the opposite. It was always, I enjoyed those matches.

Like, I know Yolkitch personally really well. So it's fun for me to play with, like, I know Joel now pretty well playing all these years. And we've had good matchups always. And it was fun. Like I always enjoyed. It's always like, you know, good respect. Like, I don't know, some games I play well, some games keep playing bad.

Like, they win. And we, well, whatever. And, like, especially on Zerl, I feel like I got some really good games. You know, no, you have. Me and Joel, like, going to each other. And it was always fun. So, like, I know, like, I've never, like, when I was younger, I don't know when I first got into the league, like, you know, I went against KG, Tim Duncan, like, those guys.

You're, like, they're like, you're like, man, I got a guardese. But I think as I got older and I realized, like, I can't compete with them. I never had that in my mind. Like, it was always like a underrated guy that gives you, that has given you a problem. What's got in the league? Yeah, yeah. I would say it. I've had like players that I've like underestimated and they like they gave me buckets.

Like for example, Robin Lopez. Rob. No, I will say. Not the roll-on, though. First time, I think one of like early, my early years in Orlando. The hook. Man, exactly. So we're playing and like obviously like I respect everybody about plays in the NBA, you know,

but you don't like I didn't expect him to score on me like that. You know what I mean? So they went to him in a post like one time. there and I'm just going to contest. He goes like two dribbles right, turns that like weird looking hook to his left. Like just like he scores. I'm like, cool. Next time they go back to him.

Same thing. So now I'm like, all right. Like now the coach is like play defense. I'm like mad, I'm getting scored on. So I'm trying to like front him do all that. But he's like he's strong. Like when he like establishes himself like you know who at him. No, he's a big like.

Yeah. You don't like he's like almost like. You would think like. like he, like, cemented his feet into it. You can't move him. Like, you can't move it. He, he, I swear, he did the same move on me, like six straight times. And there was nothing I could do about it.

Yeah. He just went two triples right, turned to his left. Like, like, just held me off. Yeah, the little hold off. And it was a hug. And that was one of, like, like, great dude, man. I was just, did not, like, I had no answer. That was like, I didn't expect it to happen because they were, like,

he wasn't there like a score or score. And he had, like, 20-something. So when you see him ever since you get a little nervous? I'll make sure. I don't know. He makes sure he just doesn't sleep on him. Like he doesn't make sure like he's going in the game. Like, you know,

let me just. Like, no, like, if he's like trying to post me up, I'm like front of him. Like, no. It's,

it's a moment as an NBA player when you go in there, like thinking like you'll have a big assignment, a Thursday and a Friday. And then you'll play again Monday, Tuesday for someone who's not as whatever. And you'll be like, all right, I can go into that game like,

who's more of like mentality? And then you'll get fucked up. Because you forget everyone's a, That's like a trap game, but like a assignment. I remember my first year or two, I got 30-something dropped on me. I think it was like 37, 38. Ben Gordon fucking fried me, bro. He's already validated.

I get it. But like he's not an all-star. And this is at the time when he was older. This is like older years, Ben Gordon. It's like Derek Rose, Ben Gordon versus playoffs, Celtics. Like this is like he's been older. Former teammate he was right? Charlotte.

This is Charlotte Ben-Gordon. Charlotte Ben-Gordon gave me like 36 in a preseason game. He fried me. Yeah. And I was like, that's when I remember going to like, I remember going home that night. And I was like, it was like my third or fourth to get in the NBA. I remember like calling my, I remember was my dad or something. I was just like, yeah, I got a lot of work to do.

Like, the fuck is good up here, man. Like, he gave me the business. We played pickup with Ben Gordon and Inglewood. Yeah, but that was, that was after that, that was like during my clippers years when I was like. After that, yeah, then you were getting paid back. Yeah, I was in my prime. I was getting payback those days. I was giving out buckets those days.

I was like six four in my prime, filled out weight wise, had some success in the NBA. my confidence was high. I just got a contract. Like that Austin versus first year or two trying to figure myself out and I'm going against like Ben Gorn like a validated pro and he's going like crazy on me.

Like two different, two different. The NBA is all mental, man. It's all fucking mental. You know who, because we mentioned Robin, but like when Brooke Lopez played Brooklyn, he was unstoppable.

People don't know that. People didn't know that book was a post player. Yeah, for sure. He was a post player. He was arguably maybe the best one. I want to ask you this quick. I know you do a rabbit fire. But like, you speak of Brooke Lopez, he's being able to extend his game just because the NBA's changed.

Since you've been in the league to now, the NBA is totally different. Now everyone's shooting jump shots. He's a good. That's why I'm asking. You and Brooke have been able to take your game and go from like post players to being like reliable guys who can pick and pop and hit threes and extend your, you know, your range. Like how did you go about that process? How did you improve your range? That's not easy to do.

only a handful of you guys have really been able to do it. Remember Bain? Yeah. I don't even know where he... Aaron Bain? Yeah, what happened to him? Aaron Baines? Yeah.

He had a nice injury when we went to Australia. I was an article about that. Because he was like, he was one of those guys that, I mean, he was never skilled as you and, uh, he had a jumper, though. But he was able to go from like a pick and like just a pig guy. He went to roller and like, or a guy had post game. You and you and Brooke had post. Bain didn't have post.

But Bohn went from, Bain went from being like, I said, bone, it's crazy. Bone, it's crazy. Bump is nuts. Bang went from being like an energy guy to being a guy that was the energy guy and then hitting threes, whatever. How did you go about that? Like how...

I mean, it came, I think was, like, I'd say... Did you, like, know the NBA was changing? Like, yeah, something I got to do. For sure. And I was, like, I was, like, one of my best things were shooting, like, mid-range. Yeah.

But then the new front office came into the magic. And they were like, they talked to me about it. asking me if Frank Vogel came in, I think then as a coach, he, uh, he almost talked to me about it. Not because it was the second year, he was talking to me about shooting a three a little more and things like that. It's amazing. Your head coach telling you to shoot three. And I was, I mean, at first I was against it. I was like, no man, I want to go blend a post, I want to be in the mid-range. That's where I, like, I'm best at, like,

you take me away. That's dope. And but they were just like, you know, but I also realized then, like it's the way the NBA is going. It's going to extend my career. If I'm actually, I'm able to do it. So little by little, I mean, it's a time, like, like, it was very, it's very, but you look like, I was shooting him in practice and I was pretty good, like, you know, making them. Then you get to the game, like, shoot one, you miss one, like, and then you want to go back down to like where you're good at, you know, especially you miss like two, three, three, you want to go back down there and like, you miss a couple of your disguise. Like, like, I'm going to what I trust. It took me like two, three or four years to actually get comfortable to like, if I shoot like five, six of them, like, it's just normal. Like, that's part of my game. And I think also for my teammates, because a lot of them play with me, like, when I wasn't doing that, it was hard for them to like figure out like, like, bro, like, why are you popping to the three? Like, I'm like, that's how we play it. So once I, like, but once I added that, it wasn't only like the three me shooting it. Like, it was the space that it opened up for everybody else on a team. Like, now, like, they're closing out. to me, I can drive by big man, or if they're switching.

If I make one or two, then they start switching. I have small guys on me. I can go post up. If they come double, opens up things. So it opened up so many more opportunities for me to play. If I catch it on top, I can involve my passing a lot more. So a lot of it came out of that. It wasn't just like me shooting the three and doing nothing.

So it opened up so much for my game that was able to add. There's been huge for me. And yeah, it was able to also take, I think, my points per game. average like from, you know, 16, 17, 18, where it was like 21, 2, 3 because now you're making two, threes again. It changes the whole thing. Like, it's different. I have one more question for you, and I'll let you go back to your offseason.

You have an amazing tan right now, by the way. I know your off season looks great. Like Dan Marley right now with this tan. This tan is insane. Thunder Dan. When he walked in Trurofo's, you know, like, okay, this guy's been like the Bahamas or something. It's crazy. No, you could definitely see he's been a part of the offseason club.

He's an instant glow. He's got a golden glow about a sky's got a golden glow about a sky's and he walked in very confident and yeah. It's been nice. My last question for you, we have a running segment on this show where we talk about Austin's pet peeves. And it's been hilarious.

He always tells us things that annoy him and he kind of goes into it. What are your pet peeves? And you can take a minute if you want. Don't worry. I'll give you an example. What is something that we've said? I hate when I fly,

a lot of them bathroom related. But I hate when I fly commercial and like the bell rings and everyone gets up and you can't stand. And they run up. It can be like that's one of mine for sure. Like the plane's not going anywhere. It's not.

We're all getting off at the same time. People are fighting. The L-rings, people like stand up. Like they got to like, like, it's, yes. One thing I hate on the plane also, I mean,

I wouldn't say, but they came, like, if you, like, bring a carry-on and, like, if you have to, like, jam in into the,

like, it's not, like, it's not a carry-on anymore. Like, if you got it, like, jamming, like,

you're above. I know, people abuse the, the, the carry-on. That's one thing. Like, and then,

like, you're moving people stuff out and, like, trying to, like, jam your thing. Like, it's,

like, you have too much stuff in it. Like, I don't like when people wake me up because my seat's back two inches. Is that? Oh, no.

This was definitely, I'll be one of my top three. Because you're seven feet. Yeah, if I'm standing up straight up, like, bro, I'm not doing that.

Like, I, like, if you're going to, like, like, just like, at least,

hey, man, I'm going to recline. Like, you know, don't just like jam, like, not even like slow. Oh, you're receiving this. You're talking about when you're receiving. I think also, you're your pet peeve. He is the other side.

He's the other side of the pet peeve. He's saying, give me a heads up before you do it. Yeah, like, don't just like people, because people just jammed or Shabbard. Given the, given the warning. I've never turned around and been like, hey, no, no, no, no, no. We're learning right now. You got to do it.

You got to just be like, hey, I'm just going to, so you know, you got to prep him. Let me ask you. Are you self-content? When you press that button on the side and you're pressing back, Are you not thinking about the person behind you? I'm always going to recline back. What are we doing here? I'm going to recline back.

That's like a 30-minute flight. Verso, why do you need to recline back? You're like 5-11. I appreciate 5-11. I'm 5-10. No, listen, you want to recline back to take it down? What am I? What am I?

Cattle? I'm not going to sleep standing up. I'm straight back. You recline back at a nice angle. I'm taking a nap. Cattle is insane. You know what I mean. I'm not, whatever.

I turn around and take a look. Hopefully, best case scenario, no one's behind me. Big. Yeah. Come on, you got it. This is a big dude. I might give him a little look. I'm never going to be like, like stop traffic.

I'm coming back. Like, no. But when you press the button and you go back, there's like a let. There's like a second thought of like, this is awkward. Because you know the first behind you is like, yeah. I'm also getting it from the other end too. I'd be honest. If I was getting in my seat and I like before I got in my seat and I saw like a man

his size sitting in the back, I would give a warning. But man his size was sitting coach. That's an issue. No, no, no. We were you even talking private. Not even private. I'm talking about first class. I'm sorry.

First class. If you're sitting first class and I'm sitting there and I press the button and I go back, if it's someone I see before me that's like six four, six five above, I'm going about to head back. I don't say like, I won't say anything. I'll just give like a little. Well, look is fine.

It's got to be, you got it. Something. Because he's probably got his legs up. If you go, if you jam your seat back at a world. Well, also, they have their tray out and they have maybe like a diet coke out there. And then you go back. Like a hot coffee. You can be looking at a little spilage.

If you're waiting for like his meal to be served, his little like, what are they always serve on planes? A little short rib, short rib carrots and like a little like cake or something. I'm not to eat plain food, but I mean, you're talking first class again.

You're talking above my, you don't get to. You're doing that thing you do. No, economy class doesn't get served. Economy class doesn't get served at full meals. It's like a peanuts. I sit back there.

Economy class is peanuts, peanuts and a sprit. No, there's a menu. We can order food. No, I don't think so. I think you can't order. food in.

Yeah. I think in her first class into conclusion and economy. It's crazy. I'm almost positive. I'm right about this. I don't think if you're,

if you're in row 33, if you're in row 33 fraud, ask. If you're in row 335, you don't get short rib and carrot. You order like a bad rap that's pre-made with like hummus in it.

I'm telling you ask, bro, what's wrong with you? I've eaten on planes before. A bad rap makes sense. Have you ever got number two on a plane? Have you ever going to? No. That's just.

ridiculous. Boots, there's no way you fit in one. So I don't even want to know that answer. There's no way you've got on a commercial playing a little bit. If Boots walked out of a bathroom, I walk out and be honest, can I be honest? I've gone to once. Oh, there it is. I've gotten once.

And I was flushing every 10 second. I was paranoid. Oh, you weren't. Okay. Why do you do this? Not only was I flushing every 10 seconds, I brought in, I went through my backpack, opened my duffel bag, and brought a cologne thing in there. And it was spring.

I was so nervous that a woman. more than a man. A woman behind me. It's a stranger. It doesn't matter. Would walk into the bathroom right after I've been in there. And just like, you know, it's not like something you want going on. You know what I mean?

Yeah. And once you smell someone that, you just don't really that person the same. I don't want to smell any, even if it doesn't smell that bad if it's someone else, it grosses me out. I don't know. It's awful. It's only me and my kids.

I'm okay with everybody else, bro. It'll make me want to gag. Wait, if you have a kid, it doesn't smell bad for this? It smells terrible. But the fact, when you, when it does it. when it's your kid, it's like it's you, man. It's like a little mini you. Like it doesn't even...

Kids get it past. Yeah, like kids get a pass. For kids, bro. I don't know. Strange human, bro, like, let me ask you. If I'm walking, if I'm walking on a park, if I'm walking down a park and I see a dog turd versus a human turd on the law,

the human, it would never happen. This is a, it's a fantasy world. If I saw a strange shit to the right of a human versus a strange shit of a dog, the human one would disturb me to a, level that I wouldn't even be able to look at it. Human shit is a problem. There's nothing more repulsive than it.

It's like going to a girl's house and seeing marks on the toilet. Then way too many pods where we talk about shitting. We need to stop. We have pet peeves. We have this part out too. But any more pet peeves? We got, I feel like we tossed you the plane stuff. But that was a good one because the one with a Atlantic C really does drive.

Because you had to have like regard for who's behind you. So work on it, Pasha. But I'm not going to think about. Another one. Let's see. trying to think about something like i'm like uh when i drive like i get really upset like it's a road rage like not but like if if the red light like if their green light comes on and you're on your phone yeah that's a popular that's terrible like have like i'd say like most of my

pet peeves come like people have no regards for others around them yeah yeah yeah so it can be different like very american i love america but that's a very like the phone the phone it's usually phone related Someone's just lost in their phone and not having a regard to people around you. Right? Like, that's, most of my pet peeves comes from that. Like, in the... Could you imagine getting an old road rage incident? And in Booch, you just see his face and you're like, oh, I'm going to take this guy.

And then you guys pull over and he walks out of the car. He has this stretch five just walks out of the car. That's insane. Yeah, that would be good. All right, which I'm going to let you go, man, first of all I just wanted to say, oh, first of all, last thing, I want to say, I appreciate you doing the pod. Yeah, when I first, Austin, there's a chance, man. Yeah. Yeah.

When I first, Austin, Austin, there's a chance. true story. When we first announced that we were doing a pod, he was the first person hit me and said, I'm 100% I'd be a guest. I'll do it. Well, that's amazing to hear because we have a mutual admiration for you, man. I'm a big fan of your game. He's a big fan of your game. All my friends are a big fan of you. It's just from all my homies, grew up here in Orlando. You're like, you're up there, man. You're like the top tier, bro. We talk about Penny, shacks, you know, all the guys, T-Mex, you know, all the fan favorites that's come to your name's like one of the first people that really pop up, man. You put it in work here.

in time here. You're doing your thing for fucking Chicago. We just played them at the end of the season. Got dunked on one of my teammates for the game. Oh, that was awesome. Yeah, no, no. The dude's killing it, bro. I've always been a bit of fan of your game. So thank you for taking your time out, bro. I appreciate it. And you know what? I think we're going to have them back again later on. I think that's, I had a good time.

Yeah. I think you're coming back from here. I want to go to like a cigar bar and put this up and have Courtney in here. And we all like, maybe Nick, and we just do a thing where we're just like kind of smoking cigars, drinking wine, like having some loose talk about basketball. I don't know if we can Clayless on the We'll see though. You might have to phone.

Nick's, Nick's. He'll say no to me, but maybe one of you guys. Get Nick in here, man. I think he would do it. Yeah, Nick would do it. If it's the right set up, right conversation. You in here, Nick's doing that, bro. I'd be a fly on the wall on that one.

I wouldn't even know. That would be a fun one for sure. You'd be awesome. I appreciate you. I appreciate you guys. That was fun for sure. So I appreciate you. Thank you, bro.