The Ringer NBA Show - Summer League Vibes | Real Ones

Episode Date: July 11, 2022

Logan and Raja tell all kinds of stories from summer leagues past and present, then get into the drama between LeBron and Russell Westbrook from Vegas and Raja gives us the real down low on why he defends Russ so hard. Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Producer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's up, everybody? Are you tuning in to the Challenge USA on CBS? Well, tune in to me, Tyson Apostle, as I break down each and every episode with my co-host, Amelia Weddemeier. I'm also a contestant on the show, which gives you all the insider scoop. Amelia, how stoked are you to do this? Tyson, I'm freaking excited. I cannot wait to sit my butt down every single week to watch the show, then come here and recap it with you on the Ringer Reality TV podcast. What's popping? Logan Murdoch here.

Roger Bell there. Roger. I'm live from Vegas. Yo. Hey, I'm out here. What's up, buddy? How crazy is the vibe in Vegas? I spent one summer league in Vegas with the Cavs.

It was after that first season, LeBron, was there. And so I did Summer League. And it's a vibe, though. Like, the NBA shows its ass to some degree at Summer League. You got execs are out. Like, I mean, out, out. Pool, cabanas. It's hell of funny, bro, because I'm not going to say the name of this, this GM that I

walked past. But like, it, I'm walking through a unnamed casino, but I see an unnamed GM. And it's just hell of funny because this person is trying to have fun in a time where, like, you can't have fun as a GM. It's like you're moving and shaking. I don't know. And it just seems. There's just a lot of smoke all around.

It's just, it's fucking Vegas, man. And it's 111 degrees. It's, it's, you know, craziness comes out when it's hot, you know. And you have that to juxtapose that with basketball. And you see all these like these, these kids who ain't ever been to Vegas before, but they got to also focus on their goal while seeing this world that's like, what the fuck, knowing they got a game tomorrow. Yeah.

It's a lot of stuff happening. a lot of juxtapositions, a lot of stuff. Everything is going on in Vegas. One of my favorite parts of being with the Cavs for that summer league, I kind of knew I was leaving at that point. So I wasn't all the way locked in. I was still doing my job. But I wasn't all the way.

I was playing golf and hanging out and doing my daily duties. But it was seeing, you know, being behind the scenes. Like, again, there's work being done. But, you know, we were in a couple spots at night, late. and other teams brass were in there and you get to see them in a light that you don't normally see them in because people are getting it in.

It's a good time, right? It is Vegas. But for me, I guess this was the whole year, though. It was interesting for me to be on the flip side of the equation. Like, so, you know, for instance, the Summer League vibe, the kids coming in at like 3 a.m.,

2 a.m., and seeing them like skulking, like, and try to slide in. And then you see them the next morning and shoot around and somebody will be like, man, he don't, he's not moving great today, you know, and you don't want to throw him under the bus. You just like, oh, yeah, he's, I don't know, maybe stiff. But, you know, when you were on the other side of that, you thought you was slick, you was sliding in, trying to get in. And real talk, you know, those are big auditions for a lot of kids. For some people, it doesn't matter. But for some of those guys, like, this is your, this is your

opportunity. It could be your only one, one of a few. So seeing how they handle that was really interesting to me from a professional side. That's why Vegas is such a great city for Summer League because it is a crash course in having to focus under a lot of pressure and a lot of shit coming your way in a way that you have never seen before because it's Vegas when you're an adult, you know? It's Vegas when and it's funny, bro, because especially everybody know the NBA players when they run through here, bro. Like it's just the tall dudes. There's a tall in shape dudes because there's not a lot of those in Vegas. There's a lot of like beer bellies. There's a lot of, you know, just a lot of, it's not a lot of in shape folks in Vegas, you know.

Or they're just, you know, it's their cheat week. You know, it's their cheat weekend. They are not in a state of mind. So you see them walking through. You see them, you know, mingling with other GMs. You see them at the slots, you know, you see that. It's a vibe here, man. I think the biggest thing that, you know, I see when I come out here is just,

the level of just the wide-eyed bushy-tailed kids here, you know, who ain't never seen anything before. And did you, did you ever hit a Summer League, raw? As a player. As a player, did you ever hit one? Man, I played in multiple summers. What's the difference? What's the difference between the Summer League?

Because you kind of alluded to it, what's the difference between the Summer League player and then as a thing, as a, as a, as a front office person? Well, obviously, like, as a player, you know, I was there in different parts of my career, right? So like, when I first went to Summer League in Atlanta with the Hawks, they used to run a small summer league at Life College. I believe it was at Life College, yeah. Right. So we, at that point, you are super green, relatively nervous, but really excited about this opportunity because in my situation, I was undrafted, but I was brought up for the whole summer to Atlanta. So I just really wanted to show and prove that I could go to camp, right? And literally, that's all I was trying to do.

I knew it wasn't about making your team at that point. I was just trying to get an invite to vet camp. Right. So, so that, that was my focus. And it was about, you know, getting your treatment and getting some good food in you and then if you could, and then getting to bed and being ready to go the next day. Like it was about that. And no real pressure at that point. Okay. So it was just like I want to make this. And if I don't, I wasn't drafted anyway, so I'll figure it out. And then, you know, the following year after being in the CBA and going to camp, like mini camp with San Antonio, there was, we were in Boston. Boston was a vibe. Life college was cool, but it wasn't really, you know, it wasn't really like a scene. Now, in Boston, I forget the college we

played at, but, you know, it was one of these old kind of Boston Juco type of places. And it was packed to the rafters, bro. Like, it was packed in that joint. It was Joe Johnson. It was Desmond Mason. I'm trying to figure out who else, Kedric, Keedrick Perkins had just got drafted by the Celtics. Like, I was there with San Antonio, Chris Carroll was on our team. We had some, there were a lot of good players in that class of kids that came out. And the vibe was like being in a jumping-ass big high school gym at a rivalry game. So, you know, having played a year of pro ball on the CBA and being in that, it was just a step up, a little more pressure for me, right?

Because now, you know, I'm on a clock. I've been to a summer league already. I didn't make it. I haven't got paid yet. And so, you know, I was hungrier. I knew more. So was it at the, was it at the Clark Athletic Center

on the University of Massachusetts Boston? Was that it? Was that the venue? Could have been, dog. I don't, I don't know. This was so long ago, man. This was, this was so long ago. But so what I did in that one that was different from the life, life I was happy to be there, dog, Green. You know, and then we get to Boston,

and so, you know, I want Joe Johnson. I want Perkins. Chris Carrowell is my guy and he's on my team, but I got to make sure that, If somebody's leaving this thing from San Antonio in the newspaper, that's going to be me. Like, this was my thought process. So in any pick, Desmond Mason, you got to see me. Now I'm not saying I torched those dudes, but what I'm saying is that was my attitude.

I have more of a killer mindset about it because now I'm trying to make the team. And I'm going to tell you a quick story. I was playing really well, getting buckets, defending, just being solid. And Alvin Gentry, still one of my good friends to this day, pulled me aside and was like, hey, we're going to, I'm just going to let you know, like, we want, we want to sign you. Like, we're going to sign you when this is done. I was like, that's, that's awesome. What was dentura at this point?

San Antonio. He was a San Antonio. Yeah, he was coaching the summer league. So he said, you know, we're going to sign you. Like, I need, you know, I want you to know that. Like, it's good news. And I was like, yes, that is, that is really good news. But every time you get cooking, I'm going to shut you down.

He said, because we can't have you going out. out here and getting a multi-year deal from someone else. Uh-huh. And that cat, true to his word, anytime I got cooking, he sat my ass right down. He was the best defender, wasn't he? He was the best defender that you had here. But also true to his word, the Spur signed me. So that was what I'm going to just take up the whole time.

So Spur signed me. It's all good. But I don't make their team, right? So then I come back and I have that 0-1 thing with the Sun, I mean, the Sixers, and guess who gets to go to Summer League again? So, yay. My third summer league, this time back in Boston, but this time, having played in the NBA. So mindset completely different now.

Was your chest sticking out? What? Well, I got MVP at that bad boy, bro. Oh, okay. Yeah, I got MVP at that. I was there for straight buckets. Like, I had seen AI practice. I knew the sets we were going to run.

I was familiar with the offense that we were running. Were you AI? Were you AI? I was AI, dog. And so all of those planes came to me. And so I got MVP of that, but mindset was not about making a team anymore. It was about showing you dudes like what you got. So those were my three Summer League stories.

I mean, I don't know how interesting. Oh, we're going to get some more out of you. Don't even trip. So I got the Summer League yesterday and everything I kept hearing. James Wiseman, really, really good. Do you see what James Wiseman did? he looks like a player. He looks like he looks like a player.

It looks like he can be something, which is also another thing and just how we are is like as a media right now. Just like, James Watson was getting shitted on last. Yeah. Like a few months ago, right?

It's just one game. It's like, oh, man, he's who he is, right? He is him. But the bigger point is, I get all this stuff and I was telling you this prepot. I get all of this people hitting me,

oh, James Wiseman is good. Did you see this game? And I'm like, man, like, James Wiseman is a good basketball player, but he's playing against G-leaguers and second year and like got in journeyman, right? He's supposed to look good. I want to see him opening night at Chase Center balling against some grown adults that have been playing. Like, I want to see him against an eight-year vet, right?

Sure. That's what I want to see. And not to take any wing away from James Wiseman, but I'm making this as an overall point or going into an overall question of, How do you balance a summer league performance like that with the expectation of like, oh, okay, like it's summer league. Okay. We'll see what happens. As a talent evaluator, how do you look at that?

As a talent evaluator, how do you look at that? Well, there are a few things that were that I would say going into a situation like that, right? So using James Wiseman, for example, you are in most cases older than a lot of the players. Well, maybe not James Wiseman, right? because he came out after one year. But if you've been in the league a few years, there's experience on you that a lot of these other cats don't have. There's nutrition at your disposal.

There's pro, you know, skill development. There's weight room. So I expect you to look better than the rest of the people there. Can you dig what I'm saying? So like anything that you do to that tune, you're doing your job. Like I'm not getting overly excited about that. Like you're doing.

what you're supposed to do there. If you're already on my team and you've got pro experience, I would expect you to carry offensively. You know, like you should be doing the meat and potatoes of the scoring, the heavy lifting. That's what that's there for. Now, around the fringes of the James Wiseman's, the commingas, I don't know who else is on their Summer League team.

I haven't really watched. Moses Moody, who's also been balling, by the way. That's what you're expected to do, right? Now, what I've done as usually your GM isn't making your summer league team that's tasked to like his assistant GM or someone in player personnel. I'm looking for complimentary pieces to those guys. You know, and maybe a couple pieces that might fill a need on our team that we want to get a look at, right? And summer league. So from those pieces, I just, I want to see that, you know, you can, you compete at an NBA level that you understand how to play.

that you can either knock down a shot or defend or play out of pick and roll, whatever it is that I'm looking for from maybe that position on my team. You know what I mean? I want to see that you understand what this is about, that you're not coming in here, just, you know, your turn, my turn, your turn, my turn. You took two shots. I got to take three shots. Like, we can't do that.

I don't need that on my team. So I need to see a level of understanding and maturity out of those dudes, right? As well as, you know, the checking the boxes of the skills. But as far as James Wiseman goes, I expect you to be better than everyone here. And I don't put any stock into what that's going to look like with the big club. Because again, I'm going to tell you, I led Summer League and scoring that year, and I got MVP. And I also played pretty well in the preseason. None of that translated to the NBA regular season.

So the Summer League MVP summer, that comes on the, you're coming on the heels of that in preseason. That's why you talked so much shit to Michael Jordan that time, didn't you? Because you was coming off the heels. You had a came of a finals appearance. You had an MVP at the Summer League. I came off a game seven bucks, game one Lakers. Like, and then MVP of the Summer League. And we didn't see MJ first game of the preseason.

I think it was like, maybe it was first game. But, you know, I had 21 in it. So like, you was ready to go. You couldn't tell me shit. And I'm here to tell you none of it translated into regular season success for me that year. Well, it's funny because we had a JTA on the pod a year ago, right? And one of the things that he said was, you know, he was trying to, like a lot of people was in his ear like, why you ain't score? Why are you a score?

do do do and he's like I have to know my role past the ball to other guys like I am not a scorer on the team if I go to look for my shot it's actually going to do me a disservice than a service how much do you have to

instill that into a lot of guys when they're at this time okay what's the fine line there fine line of understanding your role so the way I always approached it right a situation like JTA or, you know, you're a free agent and you're going into one of these mini camps. That's typically

what they used to have before Summer League. From the mini camps, they would construct their Summer League team, right? Then from their Summer League team, they'll pick if anything looks good enough to make their vet camp, right? So let's say we're going to one of these free agent mini camps. Just play your game. You've been brought there for a reason. They've seen you play already in a lot of instances. You might be there on a favor to an agent, but you ain't making the cut anyway. So if you're there because they've invited you there, don't step outside yourself and start thinking you have to play a certain way. They like something in you. Just do it, right? Play your game. So I always felt like being, being who I was was the best way to approach that. So, you know,

I wasn't going to try to score a bunch of points. I wasn't just there focusing on defense. I wasn't there turning down shots because, you know, I didn't want them to think I was greedy. I just played the right way, the way that they had always seen me play. And so, you know, like that, if you're doing that well, there's a good chance that you're going to be successful or someone watching you is going to at least say, yeah, that's why we brought him here. Like, that's, that's why we brought him here. If you step outside of that and start trying to reinvent yourself, trying to figure out what they're looking for, it's a recipe for disaster. Now, here's what I would say to an already established pro, maybe in JTA's category. You can get typecast. Like, I was typecast in the NBA. for Philly. I mean, people, I couldn't score in Philly. That's what they said. That's not fucking true.

It's not true. That was on your mind on the 2001 Summer League? Fuck you, I could score. No, not really. I was given the opportunity, so I was going to do what I do, you know? Like, but it wasn't that I couldn't score in Philly. I was a young player.

We had Allen Iverson. Like, it wasn't my turn yet. Then I got to Dallas and, you know, we had a great team with Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. And I wasn't a pure shooter. And those guys all had the ball. So, you know, I'm not going to score there either. And so I just got lucky that I went to Utah in retrospect.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me, my agent, you know, Malone had just left to go to the Lakers and Stock had just retired. And it was a very, very young team with very young talent on it. And so we all had to score a little bit. but without the scoring, Logan, like you have to be able to shoot the ball. You don't have to playmake. You don't have to have the ball in your hands and be a usage rate guy. But you have to be able to do something on the offensive. And otherwise, you're a liability.

Your defender doesn't guard you. And now the team's in a worse situation. Yeah, you're defending, but we can't score because your man won't play you. So completely turning down shots and not looking to score is not a good idea. Like, you have to show them your value on the offensive end and be able to defend and do the other things, right? So, you know, in a lot of instances, you're coming into a summer league like that, your value is going to be in knocking down shots and defending. It ain't going to be in like, hey, let me give you the ball and just go be a volume score. That's not what it's going to look like.

So my first summer league was 2019. And that year, I got to, I was just looking around. I was also wide-eyed and bushy chill. I had been to Vegas a lot just being on the West Coast, but it was like, oh, shit, this is different. This is Summer League Vegas. This is a lot different. But one of those people that, like, one of the things that I saw

and who was also there was campaign, who at the time was pretty much out of the league or was like on his way out of the league. He was somehow, he was on, I don't know, like, the logistics of it, but just seeing it from where I was, Monty Williams was a coach of Phoenix, at the time. From the outside looking and it looks like,

yo, he gave campaign a shot because Monty Williams was the assistant in Oklahoma City when campaign was playing and got drafted. And campaign was balling.

Like, it was, oh, oh, he's coming. He's coming for food. He's ready to get back in the league. What is the mindset of a guy like that? Like, there's, we talked about that there's the rookie guy. There is the young guy.

trying to make a team, but what about the young guy trying to get back into the league after he gets drafted high? Like, what is the mindset of that guy? His mindset, um, it's all,

I mean, your mind, your mindset is kill. I mean, that's your, that's your mindset. Your mindset is like, business, bro.

Like, don't, you know, I'm cool with y'all, but I'm here for one reason, bro. Just don't get to touch you to, he ain't until 3 in the morning sneaking in his room.

Don't get this twisted. And even on the court, like, again, I would say that player's mindset is different than the one I just talked about. Like, again, I fall into the category that we talked about a little while ago with James Wiseman. You've already got an NBA experience. You're three or four years in.

I'm expected to kill this shit. And so that's going to be my focus is to just work you out. And, you know, I should have some tricks of the trade at my disposal. A lot of these cats, you know, haven't played professional ball yet. But that's what you're there to do because there's an expectation level of you that's higher than the rest of those young kids there. So you can't just fall into like, yo, I shouldn't say that. I mean, if you're there for, so if, like, campaign is an offensive player. He's not there for defense, right?

So if you fall into the offensive player category there in that situation, cook. I mean, if you are a defending shot blocker, then you should be getting 15 boards and beating up three shots again. game. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you have to excel in whatever, whatever type of player you are looking to get back in the league. You better excel in that role at that, at that, uh, at that summer league. All right, man. Let's take a quick break. And Ranja, at the other side of this, we're going to get a little messy. Mm-hmm. All right, rah-rah. So, you know, we're all about vibes at real ones, you know? You are the, I mean, I haven't called you this in a while, but you know who you are. You're the vibes curator.

You are, so you know, you're a good girl to talk about this. This happened before I got to Vegas, but the cameras got everything. And what I'm talking about is the Cold War that allegedly maybe

probably not, but maybe exists between LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. Let's paint the picture here. LeBron came in on his, you know, front row seat at Summer League for the Lakers game out here.

And, you know, he's coming. He's shining. Randy Mims is with him. You know, he got his diamonds glistening. He's chilling, you know. He's, he's dislocating Scotty Pippin Jr's shoulder by picking him up after a foul call. You know, he's just, he's locked in, you know, he's ready to go. And then you see one Russell Westbrook, who was also in attendance, right? and he's also court side. He's looking sad. You know, I honestly don't know why he came out there.

This is coming on the heels of rumors that he may get traded for Kyrie Irving and that LeBron would want Kyrie Irving on the squad. This is the reports and the rumors that are out there. And Russell Westbrook decides to come anyway. And so, you know, LeBron is, LeBron is doing LeBron thing. He's being the politician. He's dapping people up. You know, he sees Rob Policki.

He's like, yo, what's up, Rob? We're going to get this done. We're going to figure it out, you know. And he talks to everybody at Lagra's personnel except for one Russell Westbrook, who, you know, he signed off to get the trade done to get him there. What do you make of all of this messiness, rah, ra? What do you think of this? What's going on here in Vegas? What are the tea leaves telling you when you see this?

Yeah, that, you know, Russ is no longer. in camp, if you will. I would say this, though. You know why I mess with Russ? You know why I don't allow any of Russ slander? You know why I defend Russ's honor? Because he was sitting courtside. Like, who the hell are you, bro?

I mean, wait, because you act in a certain way or because you're trying to trade me and don't want me on the team, no more, I'm going to sit my ass at home? Nah, son. I am, I am. I am LA. I'm out here. And I like that. I like that energy. I like that. Just defiant, like in the face of defiant. Just, no. Bro, not only that. He's going to be. Harvin Ham's like coaching press conference to stand in here. Like, I'm here. What's up? You see me? It's good. All jokes aside. It doesn't look good for my man, Russ. It's just, I don't know. I have no real insight into their relationship.

or lack thereof. You know, it just from the outside looking in, it doesn't look like you're in the camp anymore. And, you know, when you're not in the camp, I don't know. It's big, meet the Falkers energy, where it's like circle of trust and then Russ. That's a great call. Yeah, it's just, it's sad.

I'm at a lack for words right now because that's my guy. How do you feel, bro? because we're in the pre-pod meeting with me, it came in with me and Sasha just talking about Russ and him on his way out. And you heard, overheard this. And, you know,

I'm going to be real with everybody was to pull the curtain back. Rai-Rah doesn't do this, this Rust defense for show. He really bout this life. Like, if you come on the pod talking that shit, if you come, even in the Zoom, you're like, yo, check this out.

And when he came on the pod today, it was a face. It was like, hey, man. And it was also just like a level of resignation that hurt me. So how do you feel right now? Like, you know, because it's really only you on the Russ bandwagon right now. It's really only you on Russ Island holding it down, you know. How do you feel right now?

I mean, I feel sad for Russ. Russ, you went to the wrong team, bro. You were hoodwink, bamboozled, let us stray. You know, you went as a polarizing player, you went to play in one of the biggest media markets with the biggest star. And the team gets the most scrutiny of any team in the NBA. Like, and your styles didn't fit. It was just bad. It was a bad call, bro.

And so I'm sad for Russ because while I can agree Russ isn't maybe the player that he was three years ago. Like, I'm not sitting here saying that he was good this year or great this year. I am saying that if you look at Russ's numbers, they were kind of what Russ always is, you know? Like, and I don't understand why Russ gets so much hate. I don't. Like, I don't understand why he gets so much hate, bro. Like, like real levels of vitriol hate. Like, I hear these clowns talking about him on TV and the radio and shit.

And I'm like, yo, slow me down, dog. Well, because you don't go. No, slow me down. I'm trying to help you out. I'm trying to tell you. lie and see if you respond to it. Can I do that really quickly? Go ahead. Around league, like if you talk around the league or if you talk to people, it's the fact that, one, he takes too many shots. And also, there is the, there is the assumption that at least opposing teams think

this when the scouting report, that it's a lot of fake hustle, right? The hustle is a lot of fake hustle. It's not like he's going on defense. He let a lot. And, And this is something you can look at on the tape. So did Kobe. Kobe didn't guard nobody at the end of his career. He didn't guard nobody. Like nobody. MJ didn't guard nobody at the end of his career.

LeBron ain't guarding nobody. The thing is, though, what is something that they all have? As superstar, what do they all have as superstars that Russ don't have? That's fair. But that shouldn't translate to a level of hate. And I'm saying this is someone that happens to really like Russell Westbrook, okay? I think that's fair. when you are putting people in categories as like champions and greats, all of that is fair.

I'm simply saying, I don't know why that translates to the level of vitriol that people speak with when they talk about Russ. Like if he's a bad dude, like if you tell me a dude, well, then again, like I don't get that, dog. Like, I don't, I really don't get that. He didn't fit. I'm not saying that he did. I'm not saying that he should be a Laker. I'm not saying that he is the answer anywhere in particular.

I'm simply saying, I don't understand why there is this level of hate. You know how many dudes out there are inefficient or inefficient? Like, come on, bro. They're scattered across the landscape of the NBA. And don't nobody get the hate like that cat is. You got me and my feelings today, bro, because there's not a lot to talk about. And I'm not championing. You have a lot to think about right now.

And you've been thinking about, like, you think about Russ. You're like, what the fuck is going on right now? Hold on. Hold on. I wasn't even thinking about Russ until you asked me to question. And it just kind of dawned on me. Like, I don't, yeah, man, sure, inefficient, not a great fit with LeBron,

probably on the downside of his career, hasn't won a championship, and a lot of that's got to do with him. I can dig all of that. I can then say in the next breath, like, it's still not a lot of people. It has a lot to do with O.K., let me honest. He got a lot of the blame for,

why or wrong for Kevin Levy. How's that look now? How's that look now? Points were made. Points were in our, made. You know, I should. If I'm going to yell the whole pod, let's yell.

Like, okay, y'all hung all of that on Russ. Now how's that look? Yeah. There you go. I thought there was more to the point. I thought you were going to, I thought you were going to do. No, I don't need to make, I don't need to explain that. Like, you know, this man and I look, again, like he can be great, but that shit

don't look like it's all Russ at this point. Okay. Now, you have been, you love Russ, but you've also been around LeBron. What is it like when LeBron freezes? somebody out. At least this is what it looks out on the, this is at least what it looks like, right? I'm not saying that he rolls them out. I'm just saying the eye test

says, because here's the thing. LeBron, I've not covered LeBron. I want to cover by saying this, but when you see it for LeBron, every single thing that he does in front of cameras is calculated. You cannot tell me that it's not, bro.

Every single thing that he does. So if he wanted to show some love of respect for us, I think he would have done it. But so that's why I'm saying that like it seems like he throws him out. So what is it like when he freezes a motherfucker out? What is it like? Forgive the pun but it looks, it's cold.

Like if I would just like picture this I don't know, Montana because I just watch Yellowstone like middle of February snowstorm. Everybody's in the lodge like drinking hot cocoa or their little spirits of where have you and just warm, cozy and you look outside

and it's a mofo sitting over there on just teeth chattering and like that shit looks cold and i i experienced that to some degree i witnessed it early on do you remember when lebron k d i mean i'm sorry lebron karee and kevin love got together that first year yeah remember how hard it was for kev and lebron kept making these these things like don't fit in fit out type of deal don't fit out fit in it was it was it was it was a Wow, third-eye vibes. It was, that's what that was. It was.

And now he didn't, he didn't, like, kick Kev out of camp. But from my perspective, it looked like Kev just wasn't in camp yet. You know what I mean? Like, he hadn't worked his way in camp. And this is me speaking from, again, my perspective, not for Kevin, not for LeBron. It looked like that was a cold place for Kevin loved to be in. He didn't look happy. I mean, I dealt behind the scenes with, with,

you know Kevin and and and and Dion Waiters while he was there and people like that. So like I have a little insight into the way people felt and it just looked cold and like he felt that I'm not part of this. And then it was fixed and they've been good. They seem to be really good friends and all of that stuff. But early on in that, Kev was on the outside looking in. and you ask me how it feels, I don't know, but it looks cold.

Forgive the punt. This is why LeBron is the coldest in the league, bro. This is why I don't want to hear anything about LeBron's competitiveness or the lack of or that he doesn't have that cold, blooded, cut your heart out energy. Because if or when Russell Westbrook gets traded, there's going to be a time when Russell Westbrook comes back. to Staples,

crypto arena, whatever you call, we call the building now, who knows, like whatever, there's going to be a time when they play against each other. Mm-hmm.

And LeBron is going to probably give Russ the biggest hug. Hey, man, you know, this is my pro for life. It's been tried and true every time.

It has been tried and true every time. Bro, brother for life, dog, yo, what's up? It is going to be hilarious. Well, trying to think of who he's done it with and their personality makeup. No, I know.

I'm trying to think of their personality makeup. You know, it's interesting because Kyrie doesn't seem as much as he is confrontational. I don't think he's overtly confrontational if that makes sense. Like in a situation like that, I don't think Kyrie would show his ass. I do think Russ would, though. So I think that would be telling, right? Because you start out with him and KD to some degree, right? So I think that if there really is bad blood, because again, this is all just conjecture.

Like, I don't know. I don't know that he's outside the camp. That could have just been, I don't know. Could have just been a mere coincidence. Could have been. I mean, I might not have seen Russ. I doubt it. But let's just say, for argument's sake that it is not, then I think Russ will be, you'll see a warm embrace.

Like, whatever, dog. Like, they got that shit twisted. That was all media driven. We're cool. It just didn't work on the court. but if there are some feelings, I don't think Russ is the one to fake that interaction with him. I don't think, here's a thing.

I don't think it was media driven, bro. Like, I don't think it was. I don't either. I'm just trying to play devil's advocate. So what I guess my overall point is that, that little exchange that you just described that LeBron always has, it's not going to go to the way he thinks with Russ. Dog, I don't see it.

It would be cold if, like, LeBron got curved. It would be wildly funny if that happened. because that doesn't happen. That usually doesn't happen when, like, guys get done. Because also another thing, LeBron, for whatever it is, LeBron gets motherfuckers paid. So he'll get you paid before he gets you shipped up out of here, you know, by and large.

I mean, that's fair, though, right? Like, because there's... Like, remember the year when he, like, when Delova went to, uh, was it Milwaukee or something like that? And he was like, good job, Deli, you know? Didn't want him, like, it was clear that he, that Deli wasn't coming back. Like, he was not going to come back to the,

Cavaliers. Right. But you're saying he got Delhi paid? Of course. Yeah, he got Delhi paid. How? What do you mean how?

He was on the bronze team. He was on the bronze team. I don't, I don't subscribe. I don't subscribe to that. Okay. I don't. You and I will agree to disagree.

As someone who played in Delhi's position, like, I'm not saying Delhi didn't bust his ass. I'm not saying Delhi didn't bust his ass. I'm not saying that he didn't play great defense to good stuff for the game. You know, so I think that.

He earned it. But what I am saying is... But that's not what you said. You said, you just say he earned it and then... All right. Can I finish my point? Can I finish my point? Can I finish my point?

The LeBron got him paid thing stems from the fact that LeBron's spotlight showed what Delhi could do on the highest states. He wouldn't have done that on that spotlight without being on LeBron James' team. Is that fair? I mean, that's fair. If he was doing what he was doing on a 31 team, he wouldn't have gotten a bag that he got. Is that fair? I don't know. I don't know.

Okay. Well, I mean, I'm speaking from experience. I got my biggest bag coming off a team that didn't make the playoffs. I played with Alan Iverson. I got minimums. I played with Steve Nash. I went to the finals. I went to the finals. I got a minimum deal. And then I got kicked out in the NBA.

I went to the Western Conference finals with Dallas. I got a two-year, $1 million a year deal from Utah. And then I played on a bad team, and I played well. and I got my bag. Tushay, motherfucker. Tushay. Tusha. But I feel you, though.

I feel you, though. His, I can make the argument. It hits home with me. Like, you could tell things when they, when they hit somebody in the soul. As someone who had to do it the way Delhi did it, it always, it always gets under my skin a little bit to hear people say

somebody else made you your money. You know what I mean? Like, that shit always hits me wrong. I feel that. I feel that. Yeah, man. I don't know what else. talk about.

So, um, no, come on, we can't end it on that note. I'm not angry. I'm just, it's one of,

you know what else bothers me? No, no, not that's you're angry. That was just a legit feeling that I had. All right. This is the other thing that bothers me and it will always bother me. It's sitting around and it used to happen all the time in,

and behind the scenes with the cats, like sitting around at a table and hearing people call NBA players, bombs or, or, Or, you know, like, he can't play was a term I hear all the time. And I'm like, you know, trying to toe the line because I am a professional now. But like, you can't say that. And I hear fans do it all the time.

I have to curb my boys all the time. Like, yo, dog, you're 15. You don't get to call anybody playing anything professionally trash. You don't get to do it. So don't even make your mouth up to say it. Like those are some of the best people on the planet. If one of those cats came into your gym tomorrow, he would light that shit up in a way that you've never seen before.

The worst player in the NBA would bust your ass every time. And also, here's another thing. And this is something that I've liked, this is a personal anecdote. Like, you realize how, like, easy those NBA players make it and a G-leaguers make it, and everyone that's played professional basketball, how easy they make the game.

When you go on to the court afterwards and just put up shots, like me as a mortal person just like putting up shot you thought that because they make every shot and they do all that stuff but they do it with a hand that you can do it from like

you know that I'll preface this like I went on the court after the Nets Warriors game I think it was January and this was like and I'm just fucking around

I'm not even shooting a basketball I'm just like visualizing the game that I just saw on the court like just being on the court like, oh, such and such did this from here. Bro, during that game, Kyrie hit like a fadeaway wing three with

like the game on the line. And I saw, like, I was on the court and I saw where he took that shot. I was like, there's no fucking way. Like, even set shot that I can like even think about doing that. There's no way. And that's just, that's the cream of the crop, right? You can't even

motherfuckers can't even hit a set shot consistently from top of the key. You know? Yeah, I do know. But again, that would always just... They're airballed free throws. And one thing I didn't know

is that the free throw line is closer than I thought it was. It's close. It's pretty close. That's not far. It's 15 feet. I deal with high school kids all the time, right? And I legitimately have dudes in high school

that think they can beat me. Now, mind you, I'm 45 years old. I don't run or jog or anything. I'll lift some weight sometimes. like my back hurts so I don't do a lot but I I it's an absurd thing like and every now and again I have to in flat in my flat like you know tennis shoes or something like yo I and jeans like let me just let me just put this to bed real quick because if if someone really wants to that's that has it has the level of mastery that some of us have if you played 10 12 years in it there's nothing

you're going to be able to do right and people don't people don't understand I go to the park and cats get angry all the time when I play with my sons. Because, like, they, you know, I'm like, look, dog, I'm 6'5, 225, bro, 235 now. Like, if I really want- And you got old man strength now, there's nothing you can do. Now, I'm just here to have a good time and let my Jits get off. You know what I'm saying? But if you want to be a butthead about this, like, and they don't- Be a butthead.

Oh, I have no problem. But that always bothers me, right? Like, when they call someone like trash. And I would be the, I would be, you know, I for most of my career, people still say I was trash. And I'm like, hey, man, like, it's cool. I'm okay with that. But you got to understand what you're saying. Like, that is, that is a level of disrespect that, like, that will get you 11-0 in a game to 11.

Here's another thing. This is what they don't know, though. You don't want to really lose because you're not getting out of bed the next day. That's fair. That's fair. that's hair. Yo, bro. There was cats in the park.

If they saw me the next morning, they'd be like, yes. Yeah, motherfucker. Yeah, there was one time, Roger said the video in the chat of him shoot jumpers. Motherfucker, they was cash. All of it was cash. Everything was cash. I know he was hurting the next day.

I know it was done. How about this? I'm still dealing. That was, what, a month and a half ago? I was a month and a half ago. I'm telling you right now, I've had this spasm behind my right shoulder. I don't know that. origin of it. And I've traced it back. I've traced it back to that day and the amount of jump shots

I shot. And you, hey, you was feeling good, dog. You had the daddy Yankee list of playing, you know, you know, you was really like Miami vibes. You know what I'm saying? You was out here. Daddy Yankee? You know, no, no, no, what it was? You know what it was. It was not Daddy Yankee. I was just, I'm sorry. I think it was Noriega and Capone, though. I think it was Noriega in Trump. You know, you was out here shooting and you was getting the groove going to as you was doing. He was like play that shit. You were talking to the machine like, yo, give me that shit.

You was looking at your, look at your, look at your hands. I might have to tweet that, bro. Should I tweet that? Should I tweet that? I was trying to fucking tweet it. And you were like, no, man, you personal. Just fucking drop the tape. You were acting like, you were acting like that time with fucking, um,

when Jordan Crawford dunked on LeBron, like you was like, confiscate the tape. Burn the tapes. I was like, dog, put the tape out, dog. Like, you know. I didn't know I'd be in my feelings sometime. I don't know, doc. I don't know. Yeah, man.

Just don't. When you post it, just post it with like a caption of like, you know, still got it or some shit. Don't put like hell of them hashtags down. Don't be at motherfuckers. Just say, just put it out. Just put the video out. Because you do, you do. I hashtag and add people?

Do I? Yeah, bro. Who do I hashtag? Yeah. No, bro. Like, you be like, you do it when you're shouting out your sons. And I know why you do it because you're promoting the little homies. You're promoting Tide bell, right?

D&M got to add people. They got to add people. I know they do. That's their job. I do know this, right? But I'm saying if or when you tweet this video, don't do that shit. Just be like, just like a caption, like, still got it or some shit. You know?

I don't appreciate the way you're speaking to me right now. None of my personal tweets are hashtags and ads. Like, I might repost theirs that have hashtags and ads, but not mine, dog. Okay. All right. I'm just saying you, you're saying that you want to checkmark, but you're not tweeting as such is all I'm saying. Twitter just, hey, dog, I don't even.

I think I got like 14 days before I can reapply, so. Bro, that is so pathetic. Yo, this dude has been trying this for since I've known him, bro. That's crazy. Since I've known him. That shit's crazy. Hey, Rob, two years of real ones coming up. Two year anniversary of real ones coming up.

It's crazy that it's only been like we're coming up only on two years. But we're going to have like just a little preview. We're going to have a little extravagance coming up pretty soon. I don't know when. You guys just keep a lot. We're going to have all the homies come through and just go through down memory lane. You know, we're just going to do that.

That'll be fun. But, like, hopefully, Rogers' two-year anniversary prize is a fucking checkmark because, geez. Don't you have a checkmark on Instagram? Oh. Do you have a checkmark? Yeah, because Instagram don't be on that bullshit.

Instagram was like, here, dog, yes, we know you take that. Dr. Zuckerberg was like, yo, take this check. Jack Dorsey's like, who the fuck is Rajabelle? Bro. They make it hell of hard. Like, do I go as a sports entity? Do I go as a, so I, the last time I went, I went as a media member, right?

And so, like, I put the ringer, like, website to verify with, like, it goes to me. I even use my damn driver's license and shit. I know, bro. Nah. Nah. Nah. They scamming, dog. They scamming.

They scamming. All right, man. That was been another edition, the real ones. Hashtag get rise of check. out uh hashtag I don't with the hashtag

oh shit but yeah man we we live and make sure you check us out every Monday's the Thursday what's up I'm putting those jumpers up hashtag verify me

oh shit that's not going to work it's not going to work so in the meantime in between time make sure you go check out all everything on the ringer I had dinner with all the homies yesterday, bro.

What was at a shout out to Mama Fuku. You know, Jomey was in the building. Joe, Big Jome. Yo, Jome is, Job is out here living this Vegas life. I can see it in his eyes. I could see it in his eyes. This is in a bag.

He came up and gave me a hug for behind. And I was like, oh, yeah, he's here. Stay safe, Jomey. Stay safe, Joey. Hey, all my real ones in Vegas, y'all, make sure. protect Joby at all cost, okay? Because I've seen it have locked in. He's in the round.

He's been in the gym. But it's his first Vegas summer league, and it shows. It shows. He had an unexplained wristband on. You know when the motherfucker got a wristband on. He's been outside. He's been outside.

He ain't been back inside yet. He's rolling right from it. Yeah. Somehow Jomey got a tan. And I'm like, well, what the, okay. All right.

So anyway, makes you check out the whole rigor slate. Makes you check out the answer. Make sure you check out the board For the board Make sure you check out Group check Make sure you check out

Missmatch Make sure you check out Everything on the ring your slate man We kidding to pop it man Make sure you check out The Midnight Boys Make sure you check out

The Ringer Music show That's popping out tomorrow I'm on the latest edition of the ringer music show We're doing a Frank Ocean Song draft And I think I want it You know

I'm just gonna say I want it Fuck it I want it I want my draft was Most popping Okay All the real ones

You go check that out And also They thought because I was in Nevada. I wasn't going to keep the propaganda going. You thought. Make sure you check out Black Girl's songbook with who? Roger Bell.

Town legend. Miss Daniel Smith. Make sure you check out R2C2 with who, Roger Bell. The Cressee Clown, Valleo legend, C.C. Yeah, I better stop yelling before I get kicked out this room. All right, man. Make sure y'all lock in, man.

We'll see y'all Thursday.