The Ringer NBA Show - Tapping Into March Madness. Plus, a Ring Culture Debate and League Scuffles | Off Guard with Austin Rivers

Episode Date: March 17, 2023

Austin and Pausha tap into March Madness and recap Pausha’s in-person experience watching the wild Virginia-Furman game, before they discuss the difference between college and professional hoops (1:20). Then, they switch gears and try to make sense of scuffles around the league, including the recent confrontation involving Giannis, Trey Lyles, and Brook Lopez (13:58). They also weigh in on the “ring culture” debate (24:38) and Ja Morant’s recent interview about his current situation. Later, Austin’s Pet Peeves makes a return, and he lets slip which teammate has a soup obsession during Timberwolves film sessions (34:37). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, everyone, it's Ariel Hawani, and I wanted to let you know that each and every week, I'm part of a great program called The Ringer MMA Show. I hosted alongside two absolutely brilliant minds. Their names, Chuck Mendenhall and Pizzie Carroll. And every Thursday, a new episode drops where we preview the weekend in mixed martial arts and react to all the biggest news. Plus, after every UFC pay-per-view, we give you a post-fight show. So this is what you have to do.

Just follow the Ringer MMA show on your Spotify app. So you don't miss an episode. We'll talk to you then. What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Off Guard. I'm Pasha, and as always, I'm joined by my co-host, The Man, The Myth, The Shooting Guard, Combo Guard, Austin Rivers. Austin, what's up?

That was the greatest intro I think I've ever got in my entire life, man. The man, the myth? Am I a myth? Man. There's definitely some myth vibes going on with you these days. I'll take it, man. That was a hell of an intro. I just got back from March Madness.

I went to the firm in Virginia game. One game, one and done, crazy-ass ending, man. I'm shocked that I just witnessed that in person. Did you see it? Do you know what's crazy about that is I remember FaceTiming you? And all I remember, because I just feel like a lot's happened today for whatever reason, I just, our phone call, I had like a banked memory of like 10 seconds. And the only thing I remember is it was so loud where you were.

at. And I remember you just flipping the camera and seeing a court. And I was like, oh, the college game's going on there. I then put two and two together when I went to my Instagram and saw what happened. You were at the Virginia game. Yeah, you FaceTime me right after the guy made the shot. I don't know why I answered. Just kind of muscle memory. I saw you were calling. I thought it was important, answered. And I was just in the middle of everybody cheering. The fact that you answered my call seconds after that shot went in, tells me everything about you right there. For the people listening,

that is what friendship looks like. Yeah, if I ever screened your call, just know that it has to be important because if I answered during that, then... Yeah, that was crazy. I'm pretty much answering, yeah.

I feel like I was there too now. I feel like I could tell people I kind of experienced it. I was in that moment with you. Can I do it? Or am I lying? No, no, no. Listen, absolutely, you were a part of it.

It was it was pandemonium in that arena. Probably the most action that arena has gotten since the Orlando Magic haven't been able to give them anything this year. But that was, yeah, I know, a little blow there. But it was an awesome game to go to. I felt bad for the guard that threw the ball away. Fifth year senior, like all five years. And he won a national title with Virginia a few years ago

with Kyle Guy, tied Jerome. So it's just crazy that he did that. He had a timeout left too. You know, in moments like that at the end of the game, it's very natural as an athlete, depending, really any sport. Anytime you're in clutch crunch time moments, you start thinking about the moment and how big it is

and how you can't mess it up instead of just honing in on who you are, like, what you do. And that's when people will mess up and start acting frantic. If you watch that clip, he gets the ball. He dribbles left, and he dribbles right, and just picks up the ball.

When he, like, he still had like a set. second and a half of baseline where he could have dribbled somebody out. Like he's any small to load of the ground. If this guy went any direction as hard as possible, they would have caught a blocking or they would have to trap him and foul him at least. And you have to know you have a timeout left. If I know I have a time out left, I know push comes a shove. If I'm in a bad situation, I'm just going to call tea. Like the last thing you do is, you know, hurl the ball over your head. Do you know what I mean? But like that's what happens sometimes. I've always thought about that. I've always thought about that. There's a few seconds to go to just throw the ball.

in the air. Yeah, but there was, there was 10 seconds. There was like, yeah, there's like nine seconds left. But that's what even close? I mean, like that's, but that's how you know that moment lasted. Like, that's, he was frantically thinking in his mind. Oh, yeah, there's probably only one or two seconds left. Like, because that's how that moment was.

It was like, sometimes guys can have like just a lapse and kind of get psyched out and a lack of judgment. Because like you said, he's a fifth year senior. I guarantee that player who threw that ball away today has tons of big place that he's made throughout his Virginia. your career, especially being a fifth year senior, being at the program for a while. Like, Guaranteu's made many big plays. But all it takes is like a lapse, you know, like the J.R. Smith's incident where he didn't know,

like, and everybody kind of clowns J.R. for that. But like, I could pull up a whole montage of J.R. Smith hitting huge shots or even making, you know, good defensive plays because he was actually a capable defender with his athleticism. But that one play, you know, that can happen in sports, especially the NBA where it's so fast. you know what I mean? It's interesting. I feel for that kid.

I hope he's all right. Do you think, is there the craziest gap between college? While I was watching that game, I just kept thinking all the magic games I've been to this year and kind of comparing the level of talent. How big of a drop-off is there? If Yannis, I saw something on Instagram today. If Yonis went to a 16 seed, would they win the tournament? Yes.

You're fucking kidding me. It's Yonis playing college basketball. So let me paint the picture. He's on a 16th seed. So he is at Iowa A&M Tech, and he's playing with a bunch of guys that are not going to play basketball after this month ever again.

And then you put Janice in there, and they're going up against, you know, a team like Alabama who has some pros on there. Arkansas has a few pros. You think they would just run away with it? Yeah, I think with Janus, they win the tournament easily. easily. I'm not even kidding.

Him in college, I mean, look what Zion did. They went to, what, the elite eight? Yeah, the elite they lost to Michigan. So you're saying Janus right now, the MVP of the NBA in college basketball, bro. If you just put a couple shooters around him, I'm sure there's somebody at a 16th seat. I bet they have

team full of guys that could shoot three. All they got to be open. He gets in foul trouble, one game, anything can happen. I'm not saying it's guaranteed. You asked me, could he win? I said yes. Could he lose? Absolutely. could be beat. I mean, it's a team sport. So one guy can only do so much so they could easily lose, but you asked, could he win? Yes, he could. Yokech him. There's like a handful of guys in the NBA that I think could propel a team all the way to the championship in college basketball,

a 16th C team. In your lifetime, who's your favorite college basketball player that you got to watch? Favorite college basketball player? You know, I have like a list of like one and duns that I really liked watching and then I have a list of like college players that I kind of like to watching because it was you know what I mean but my favorite my favorite college basketball player of all time was I mean I love mellow Syracuse um he's he's one of my favorite and I know he's was only there a year but he was incredible they won too for him to go there and win I thought that was really cool um who else would be in that list man I can name so for you Jimmer Ferdat Campbell Walker

Campbell Walker, Yukon. Campbell Walker, Yukon. I really liked, I mean, yeah, Timur Ferdat was a bucket at BYU, Adam Morrison, who's some other college players. I like Nolan Smith. Nolan Smith was a bucket for Duke.

Man, Eric Gordon, Eric Gordon, who's only there for a year, but I loved him in Indiana, man. He was so explosive. Eric used to be so explosive vertically. like you push the push the ball drive dunk on people he always had the three ball but uh Kevin Kevin Durant yeah Kevin Durant Kevin Durant Texas was a monster um yeah that'd probably be the list uh I feel like when brawny gets to college next year his game's going to be the most watch games every game on TV it's you know what it's going to be it's going to be insane just because we've

never we've never seen it before this has never happened before because Michael's kids were good, but they, you know, they weren't, they weren't what Brony is. And they also didn't play in the era of social media where Brony is like a celebrity himself. So these, these games hasn't, we haven't happened. This is the first time. This is ever going to happen. Were you going to have, you know, the goat, argue, you know, arguable goal, whatever you want to go. Me and you have had this argument 100 times, Jordan, LeBron.

The fact that it's just those two names in there, I think that says enough that his son, who's a high-level player who will what it looks like going to be in the NBA within the next two to three years. That, yeah, those games are going to be crazy. Did you hear the story? Other things that have happened this last week, that the Clippers team playing, I guess in February, got struck by lightning

and it was kind of a frantic scene. Has it ever happened? Have you ever had a scary flight where you were maybe kind of up there praying or what? Yeah, I've had some bad flights with just excessive turbulence, you know what I mean? Especially like in Utah,

Um, or just, you know, again, we're a winter sport. So you're flying sometimes to winter storms, man, and those flights can be really scary. You know what I mean? You open up your window and it looks like, you know what I mean? Like you have to close it because it's scary. Like that's, that happens all the time. Oh, do you do you do well in turbulence or do you kind of? No, no, no. Let go and let go.

I literally sit there and start praying for like 10 minutes and people look at me like I'm crazy and I don't care. I just, I freak out. Yeah, when we flew to Miami during All-Star, when we had, we had, we, we had, we, I saw you close your eyes and look down. Not very stoic of you. I'm going to be honest with you. Here's a deal, right? It's really hard to be in situations

where you're helpless. And there's really only two. In a car, you have a certain amount of control. You're driving the car. When you're driving on, or if you're riding, in a yacht or a big boat where you're not the captain.

Which is every time you're in a boat? Huh? No, no, no. I drive the boat on like a lake, People drive boats on lakes and stuff. Oh, no, I thought you meant like a, okay, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So I'm saying, like, if you're on like a giant, you know,

a boat where you're not operating it, being out in the middle of the ocean, you, you are really, like, your terms, it's not, it's not on your terms, man. You know, you're at that point, it is not in your hands anymore. And those situations are very vulnerable for me, and I end up just kind of turning the guy in those moments. For you to judge me, I think's wrong.

That's what I'm saying. Well, I looked over it. You kind of, I was feeling like, Listen, everything's going to be okay. I got Austin Rivers on the plane. Nothing's going to happen on this flight. I looked at you, high-close looking down, praying to, I don't even know. It was just, I don't know.

Okay, we'll switch gears here. And current news, right before we started this pod, I got announced that Alonzo Ball just underwent a third knee operation, and he's going to probably miss all of next year. It's just terrible news because I loved watching and play with the Bulls with Levine and DeRosa, and they were hooping last year. I think they were the one seed, and him going down. Now, you know. This podcast is just getting darker and darker.

His podcast is getting darker and darker. My God. Yeah, man, I heard the news. It's terrible. You know, I actually am a fan Alonzo. He got a lot of, I feel, negative scrutiny went with his first shoot with the Lakers, which a lot of rookies usually do. Delo kind of went through a similar thing.

And now you could see since he's gone back and he's had time to kind of just become a pro. He's really performed really well there in L.A. Lonzo kind of got the same type of treatment. and he's actually a hell of a player. He's super fast. He's an incredible passer. He's an unselfish player. He has great feel for the game.

He could defend. He's an ideal starting point guard for most teams in the NBA. And he hasn't been able to perform or be himself for the past couple seasons. And now they're saying he's probably going to miss all of next seasons. It's one thing to miss half a year on the mental. It's another to miss a full year. It's a whole other thing to miss a second year. And to miss a third year, you know,

yeah man you know that's just it's really unfortunate i feel for him uh i really do hope this last surgery on his knee really can help him start to get to a point where he can recover rehab and get back to like a similar version of himself so yeah there's clay thompson who's been he's been on fire recently he sat out for a few years and the way he's came back i feel like that's you know something to look at and say you know he can do yeah and lonsa's a freak athlete he's a freak athlete so he might be he's someone that probably could recover and still come back and be explosive and be himself. Yeah, and it's a shame because, like I said, last year, I remember the Bulls played at Los Angeles. It was him against the Lakers, and they killed the Lakers, and he was hitting threes and throwing lobs to, you know, Zach and Damar.

And they looked really good. I thought they were real threat in the east. So it sucks that we're probably not going to be able to see, you know, that team for a while the way they had it. But who knows what they look like after next year. That's the thing. Because by the time he comes back, you know, will DeMarre still be there? Will Zach still be there? These are guys whose names have been all throughout the trade deadline.

And, you know, that team might be in a whole different direction. So we'll never really get to see what that team could have done with the healthy Lanzo. So that is unfortunate, man. But hopefully he gets back and, you know, he can get back to his ways. Speaking of freak athletes, did you see Janice dribble the ball out in front of Trey Liles and Brooke Lopez got involved and that scuffle? I don't understand. There had to be something that happened earlier in the game

because for Janus just to dribble in front of him and him like push him like that. Okay, so you're on Darren Fox's side. He said, why did Yonis could have just dribbled the ball out? And then other people were saying, Janice was dribbling it out. Trey Liles was too sensitive. I'm saying, I think Janus went right in front of him.

I don't think he went to like start something serious. I think, yeah, he was drilling the ball out and he like went to just kind of cut him off and like, yeah, kind of like, I don't want to say harassed. What is what you're saying? He's cutting someone off at the end of the game when he's dribbling it out?

No, no, no. I agree with what you're saying. He did what he did, but I don't think he meant it in such a way where, like, Trey had to push him. You know what I mean? But at the same time,

Trey's in a moment where he's emotional. He just competed. He just lost. And like, now you're, like, trying to cut me off and be like, like, bro, what are you doing? And this is coming weeks after the incident where he did like the fake rebound thing

at a game where they were up by 30. And like, you could see even in that clip Kisper and Brad were like looking at him and then they both turned to look at the scoreboard to be like, did he just do what I think he did? And then obviously he just did, you know, the cut off of Trey. So I think in that moment, Trey like pushed him like, yo, bro, you know, what are you on? And then obviously Brooke has his back and whatever, whatever happened. But that fight was it.

That was the most, can you talk about it? Yeah, absolutely. There's been something going on with people like grabbing people. The way like Michael Porter Jr., I know you're close with, he did he choke Zach Collins last week? So here's the thing, all right, for fans who... There's been a lot of grabbing of the neck. Well, people don't understand. For fans who, like, watch, imagine being in a situation right,

where yes, you're in the heat of the moment, you're emotional, you're competing, high-pressured, being watched by millions, or thousands, depending on which team you are. But, and you're having an altercation with another guy who has an ego, just like you, you think's very similar to you, and you can't punch each other because if you do that, not only will you get suspended

or you'll get kicked out of the game, you'll get suspended for multiple games, you'll get a fine that's usually, especially if you throw a punch, you're gonna probably pay like $50, $75,000 in bread, maybe even more if it's a bad punch. That's another thing. How hard am I punching this guy?

Am I going to punch him as hard as I can and possibly break his nose and then get like a 10-game suspension? And now I look bad and the media says, that's a terrible look. So like no guy really, wants to punch each other. So all we could do usually is push each other or, or, you know, choke each other. That's why the fight with me and Mo got so crazy because, like, we actually were trying to throw hands, but we were, like, holding each other and that you never want to get to that type of point.

But, like, that, that stuff happens so quickly that you just, in the moment you try not to do anything too excessive, even the moment, even that fight that I've gotten in, any fight that I've ever gotten in, even the one with Mo, we never, you know, we were like throwing hands, but not really, man. We both could have punched each other if we wanted to at any moment. I probably could have punched him and he could have punched him for sure. So there's a certain level. There's a certain level of like holding back that you're doing. That's the point.

Like if Mo really wanted to punch me at a certain point, I'm sure he could have. And I know if I had the moment, there was a moment on top of him. You know what I mean? And I could have done something. But like you just don't want to do that because that's just like, bro, what are we doing here? It's never that serious. You know what I mean?

It reminds me of, it reminds me of, do you remember Kobe and Chris Childs where they got into it? And Kobe kind of threw like a weird elbow. No, no, no, no. See, that's where he fucked up, though. I think he was, I think he was held back. Didn't know this is bad for my aim is just or that. And Chris Charles was like, fuck that. Here's a two-piece. It was crazy.

It was crazy. First off, first off, rest of Pete, the one of the goats. The rest of the piece to one of the goats. But you are correct. He, but an elbow's crazy, bro. He threw him like an elbow as if, like, you can even see his reactions like, and he throws a punch. Like, that's what you're supposed to do.

He acted accordingly in that situation. I hate to say, but he did. And in most situations, though, you'll see what Trey and them did. They're, like, choking him and Brooks grabbing the back of his head. Like, it's like his lover. Like, he's back to, like, embrace his, you know what I mean? Like, trying to pull in for a kiss.

And, like, they're, like, both in the strength. That was comedy, bro. It didn't feel right to seeing Brooke that, Matt. I think of him and Robin Lopez, guys that go to Disney. They are kind of happy-go-lucky, goofy guys that are just kind of happy to be out there. They're both extremely sharp, great guys. They both are great guys. guys. And I've played with Robin, and I know that, you know, Robin, Robin's a great guy.

So, yeah, it's rare to see them in a moment like that. I will say Robin, Robin will switch on your ass now. Robin has. Well, I've seen, I've seen what he's done to all the mascots across them, yeah. He's always super physical with them. He's got the mascot be. But, yeah, two guys you definitely don't want to mess with. I still maintain that Yon has dribbled in front of him, but it was just bizarre behavior from a guy that, you know, a lot of people say is the best player in NBA. It is what it is. I don't know. What do you got? Are you applying

like a little lip balm? What is that? It's CarMax, man. All right? It's cold. It's cold. You're in Chicago right now? You're playing the Bulls tomorrow? We play the Bulls. I'm coming from Minneapolis. It's freezing wherever I go. You can't catch a break. It's gray and it's rainy. Okay. I need chapstick, yes. I haven't went, I haven't gone through this many bottles of lotion in years.

I go through like a whole bottle a month because that's how dry your skin gets. It's crazy. I'm just happy you use lotion because I've recently found out a lot of my friends that are lighter skinned. Well, let's just call it how it is. A lot of white people don't use lotion and it is beyond us. I don't know why that is, but a lot of white people just don't use lotion. I'm sure a lot do, but I'm saying a lot, a lot don't. They don't.

They don't see the ash. Because you don't see the ash, but like the feeling of the dry skin for me is just, it's unavoidable. It's something that has to be taken care of literally seconds after I get out of the shower. dry off. The lotion's immediate for me. Right. And if you ever want to find out, why don't you scratch one of your white friends on the forearm and see if there's a line of just a dusty trail. And that's how you know. And it's crazy. You got to use it. You got out of the shower, use soap, you're dry. You got to put some lotion on. You know, we're, we're helping. We're helping everybody, episode by episode.

Wipes, double dips, no double dipping. No double dipping. No double dipping. No double putting on lotion and wipes. I mean, we're helping people. Back to a much more serious topic. Did you see John Morant's interview with Jalen Rose? He finally kind of spoke on the incident? Listen, can I say something about this whole incident

and we can put this whole thing to bed? I'm like really glad that he's come out and spoke and understand he understands that what, you know, his behavior isn't something that, you know, he wants

to do consistently and be remembered by and he doesn't want to have these things turn into habits. He's not a, he's not a dumb kid, bro. This dude is a smart guy. He's a smart young player. He's just young and can be immature. I mean, those are two different things. And I think he's had a moment of where a guy like him is getting all this money, you have all this power, you kind of can do whatever you want.

People don't say anything to you. And, you know, you build habits and you make mistakes. It's really that simple. I've seen, you know, I love Jay Williams and Jay's great. He's great for ESPN, but he was just like, I'm worried the week at half isn't enough time for him to rehab and, you know, rebuild, you know, get his habits better. And people are like, Jha doesn't know who he is and he's want to be gangster. Like, bro, the dude is just young going out and some of the dudes he hangs out with probably are from the hood and got guns on them. And he's in the club and he's drunk and he grabs a gun and puts it on the screen to be funny.

He's young and immature. I don't think Jaws wants to go to the corner and make deals or be in the streets and doing drive-bys. And, like, this whole thing that, you know, we're mixing Jaws name with, even if you go on Instagram or Twitter, you'll see, you know, the little comments, you know, about him being a shooter and all these things. And it's like, ha, ha, ha, funny. But it's really not. You know what I mean? It's not cool at all. It's really not.

And he doesn't deserve that. I feel like right now his name is getting smeared to a level that's just getting like. Like, I don't know. And Jay wasn't smearing his name, by the way. But, you know, I just feel like they're overdoing it. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they're right. Maybe he does need this in time.

He'll show us. So, you know, hopefully he proves me right, you know, and the things I'm saying now. But I just don't believe it's that serious. They said he's clear to play Monday. Do you feel, it feels for some reason a little quick. And the only reason I say that is because a lot of other people, a lot of reporters were out there saying the situation's worse than people know. There's a lot of other things going on.

And it had everyone thinking the worst. And then out of nowhere, the reason it's quick is going to play Monday. That's why it's quick is because they're saying eight games, but they're counting the six he's already missed. So he's really only getting two games suspension. Fuck, I got three for my little incident. You know what I mean? Like this guy was on a whole different level. So yeah, it is quick, but like I'm glad it is.

I'm happy for him. I don't, I don't. The last thing this guy needs is, if anything, is time on his hands. he needs to get back playing basketball doing the love. There's only 12 games left in the season. Get back to hooping. Get back to doing what you do. Get back to be in what made you great, made you a star, and lose yourself into being John Moran and your craft

and put on another shit for the summer, man. You know what I mean? And I don't, I'm not a guy that moves with a gun on me. I actually hate guns. But, you know, I don't make fun of people who have them, especially not a handgun. I'm not with like the assault rifles and all that stuff. But like, it's a crazy world.

if he moves with security that has those type of things, I don't have a problem with that. I don't. If you go out, if you go out. The problem is putting it on camera. The problem is putting it on camera

and like on your Instagram live and you got like 10 year olds watching it. That was the issue. For sure. You know what I mean? Among the legal issues that, you know, the state of Denver,

I think has drinking and having one, you know, there's all types of different things. But like, you know, so I don't know. Well, hopefully he can get back to playing basketball

and we won't be talking about this anymore. The West is wide open. That's why I knew I had a feeling he was going to be coming back this season. It's too much of an opportunity. Anyone could take the West right now. I didn't think he was going to be out the rest of the year. Nah, yeah. The show goes on, bro.

Show goes on. Last week, Damien Lillard, I think he was on JJ Redick's podcast, and he said he hates ring culture. Oh, man. Do you agree with that? Because I feel like it's part of the media and the fans' fault that players go around for hunting rings because we value them so much. Kobe has 5, Jordan has,

six, LeBron has four, you look at these players by their rings. Charles Berkeley has none. So that's why people are making moves and kind of going around in ring culture. Do you agree with that? I mean, that's a debate that's just never going to be solved because it's hard to judge every situation where a player has joined a team. People are like, well, the Celtics did it first. No, Miami did it when LeBron went here.

Well, no, that's not different. Or the Malone did it with Peyton. Well, no, they were too old. They were too old. The time cut out. Like, bro, there's no. this has been going on since the beginning. That's why there's been dynasties in the first place teams join,

players go to this team, whatever. So I don't know, man. Kevin obviously has done that multiple times throughout his career. You know what I mean? So he's publicly made that known. He has no issue with going to any team that he really wants to go hoop for. And it's hard to ever pick on Kevin because no matter what team you could say he's chasing, he's always the best player still on the team.

you know what I mean and still has the biggest job and impact in the team so you can't really say anything to him so I think also what Damien was talking about was just the way the NBA has evolved and how the game is being played now how the business works you know I think there's a lot in that statement because it is it has changed I came in the same years Damian we were in the same draft class you know what I mean so I what the league is now is completely different than when it was when I came in what's the biggest difference to you I think age the front office in terms of who has jobs and who don't. Like in the front office?

Yeah, I think analytics have played a huge role in the NBA and has brought in a whole different type of, you know, just a different type of a person in charge. You know, I mean, these are people from different backgrounds. A lot of, you know, teams are run by men who didn't play in the NBA. And there's a mix. There's a healthy mix now. You could say, you could argue that it's actually kind of headed back that way because analytics don't tell all, but they are, you know, without a doubt, an important factor.

You know what I mean? The best teams in the league use analytics. Everyone uses analytics. I think now what you've seen is they're not everything. And I think you need a healthy mix. I think the best teams are run when they have a healthy mix of former players or former people involved in the NBA who actually know the game. and then people who see it from a different perspective but still have a mind for it, you know what I mean,

who maybe don't have a background of playing in basketball, but, you know, their brainiacs of the game of basketball or they're analytic people. I like the, I like the mix, the mixes. You see that in a lot of teams now.

You're seeing a lot of former players get involved, but still work alongside, you know, that other side. So I hope it continues to do that because I think it's beneficial for the game and the purity of it as well and how it's played. But I think there was a lot. You mentioned age. You mentioned age. That is a huge thing that I've definitely noticed because your dad was the coach of the magic. I think it was the year, it was 99, 2000 season. It was a heart and hustle year. Anyone coach of the year and it missed the playoffs barely. I think they were 41 and 41. And that team looking at that roster with Darry with Darry and that team would have tanked. They would have saw that roster and said, we're just going to pack it in. We're not good this year. Let's get the number one pick. But they fought in.

scratched and clawed their way to barely missing the playoffs by one game. And that just would never happen right now with a team without lacking talent like that. I mean, stuff like that doesn't happen. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's like, man, there's so many sides to this, man. This is such a hard conversation to just like nail down and have one opinion about because there is the other side. There it's like, isn't a player just allowed to want to win?

Isn't a player allowed to want to go to a situation that he thinks he could thrive in and be a part of a team that can go win championships? because he has the personnel players around him and it's a five-star organization. Is it really so bad that Kevin Durant wanted to go play for one of the best, or if not the best organization in basketball, which is a Golden State Warriors?

Is it so bad, you know what I mean, that he wanted to go play and be a part of that, and he still was the best player in the team. He might not have been, you know, he might not have been the most important to the system, step is, but Kevin was the best player in that team at the time. You know what I mean?

At most moments, you know what I mean, especially in the finals. You have that and then you have a guy like Kevin Garnett that stayed in Minnesota, you know, way too long. I have, but I have respect for that too, though. I'm okay with both routes. It just depends on what type of person you are. It's like, I mean, you can't please everybody.

It's just what it is, man. There's never going to be just like there's not a greatest player of all time. Someone could say as LeBron. Someone could say Michael. Some people say Will. Some people say Kareem. It's just dependent on what error are you from beliefs in how you feel as a competitor down to the core, are you a person that likes to try to do things on your own and build

something? Or do you not mind kind of go and join something? That's an aspect of business too. I mean, it really just depends on what type of person you are. Well, so what's the difference between why does it feel different when Bradley Beale stays with the Wizards, his whole career and everyone's like, oh, he's just getting the biggest paycheck. But when Damien Lillard stays with Portland, his whole career, he's getting applauded. So what is the difference? There isn't a difference. You don't think they're viewed differently? They are viewed differently. Why? That's a great question. I don't know. I guess because Portland has been in the playoffs in recent years competitively, and the

Wizards have been bad for a while. That'd probably be the main difference. But in terms of loyalty to somewhere and still just wanted to be, because Brad could get maxed from any team in the NBA. And I understand he was able to get super max and other things because he was on the same team. I think you get extra money for doing that. For sure. Absolutely.

But a lot of extra money. But still nonetheless, he still has a loyalty to the team that drafted him. that he's been with, that he's built his family there. He wants to see if he, and D.C. is a nice city. I think he feels that one day maybe he can get some players there. However delusional that is the people or not, the fact is, that's what he believes. And there's a loyalty and a respect factor there. In high school, when I played for Winter Park, it was just a, that's a neighborhood I grew up in.

I could have went to O'Kill. I could have went to Mount Verde at the time, St. Pat, St. Benedict, all these prominent prep school teams. But I was just like. Well, you did when a state title your junior year? Did you think about your senior year? going somewhere. No, I was like, why would I? I was competing for national titles in the same tournament as those teams. I felt like I could just build around the players that I wish with. I'm from the same cloth as Brad and Damien. I'm just not a superstar who could stay on one team

for 11 years. That's the difference. That's the way. Mod Verda is down the street from where you grew up. So is it, was it even a thought? No, no. My sophomore year, I had like a hesitation to thinking about going to O'Kill and I'm just like, what am I doing, man? I just don't need to do that. didn't need to. And I wanted to also have like some sort of a normal life before everything got crazy what I knew it was when I was going to go to Duke. I knew once I left high school, my life would never be the same. And that like my days of like just being a kid and waking up and like you go to school and you hang out your friends and you know every once in a while you'll go to a party or homecoming prom, football games. Like being a real kid was done once I went to college.

It was like a job. You know what I mean? Like everything changed for me. Because I wasn't one of those kids that went to college for four years, whatever, whatever. So I don't know. I mean, it's, it's, I went to, I went to a Mon Verde game earlier this season. I wanted to see Cooper Flagplay. He's the number one sophomore in the country. They, they look like an NBA team. It was nuts how big they were.

They had a bunch of guys. That's my thing, though. That's not, like my, and I'm all four days. It was running clock. That's, that's exactly what happens. You end up, you know, beating most teams by like, you know, whatever amount. I was in all the same charter miss as a nationally ranked teams. and we beat most of them.

Some of them we lost to, but we competed with all of it. It was just me and my voice from my neighborhood. I got to be a kid, which was important for me because, you know, that's what I wanted to do and enjoy at the time, knowing that in college, I wouldn't get the college experience that everyone else got. So I damn sure I was going to have in my high school. I wasn't going to lose that and college. You know what I mean?

I had to have some sort of regular, you know, regular, like, behavior in life because I knew once I left it would change and which it did. So I'm with both, but, you know, I, I, I like in that respect what Brad and Dame have done, but I also see the other side of it, and I don't think there's anything wrong with players wanting to go to a team. It just depends on who you are as a person as a competitor.

Do you think if Michael Jordan played in this era, he would have his entire career? Yes, yes, he would have. Because he had the best coach of all time and the best sidekick of all time and all those things. What do you mean, all those things? It was him and Scotty. So if Michael Jordan was on the cabs with Moe Williams

and Sasha Pavlov. Super team. Everybody swears Michael had this super team. It's so ridiculous. It was him and Scotty and they had some good role players here and there. So if Michael Jordan was on the cabs during LeBron's first thing with the cabs. Look at the rosters. And he was getting the shot to Drew Gooden. He was getting Drew Good in. So Dr. Nisulgouselakis, he was getting these players. He would have been fought. He would have stayed. He would have rolled with that.

LeBron did. He didn't leave till like what year what? He played their seven years. Yeah. Michael would have just stayed. Michael left to go play some damn baseball and golf. So he did leave. It's just his own way. He would rather do that than go to a different team. That's what we call on the biz load management. But let's take a break there.

And when we get back, we'll go to my favorite segment, Austin's pet peeves. Oh, Jesus. All right, Austin, it's that time of the week. Last week you crushed it. What are your pet peeves? What has been on your mind? I know you're in Chicago right now enjoying the windy city. Well, what is bugging you?

I've realized, if anything, that it's crazy that we're making this, like, a weekly thing now. Am I going to be known as like the Larry David of the NBA? It's too late for that. We established that last week. It's too late. If you all, just lean into it and tell us what's on your mind. I think it's now clear that I have a problem with the sound of people eating or consuming, even like a drink. It drives me crazy.

It really, like, annoys me to a level of... Just like at a restaurant, or can you give me an example? Just, I don't mind at a restaurant so much because it's just supposed to be loud and chaotic. It's just more so, like, if I'm, like, in the morning eating something and I hear, like, someone, like, just crunching or smacking on something, it really just... For instance, we have team film every day or every day after a game. We have team film, and it's usually like 11 or 12. and for whatever reason,

they bring in this little hot bowl of broth soup for Rudy Gobert. Every damn film, they bring this fucking soup for him. And he sits right next to me. I love Rudy. But my goodness, he sips on this soup the whole film session

for like, it's like a 25, 30 minutes film session, by the way. and all you hear is and I'll just watch him take these sips and I hear it. I'm like right next side. I just hear this, this,

the bowl, the bowl and his hands looks still large, so the bull's large because his hands and I think he wears like a size 22. His hands are, you know,

Giants features are always, I mean, they have large hands. He's a big hands. The bowl is, it's a big bowl. It's a big bowl of broth. And you could hear him sipping

and it's all. It's dead quiet. It's all you hear of some soup. What kind of broth? What do we do? Is it a French onion soup? Like, what is it? What's going on over there?

The bowl? It has like all types of vitamins. I don't know. It has all types of things in it. I don't mind him doing it. It's just the time in which he does it and where he does it right next to me. It's literally a foot and a half for my ear. All you hear, it's just.

I'm going to look out for that. I don't like that sound. Even when someone's, I'm on the phone with somebody and you can hear they're eating something. That definitely is a noise that. it's not good. By the way, this isn't like a weekly thing. I've dealt with this.

We've had film probably 52 times. I mean, I've listened to that soup being sipped at least 30 times. And I'm not being exaggerated. 30 times I've heard soup being sipped. And no one's going to say anything because it's Rudy Goberty's.

What do you say? Stop sipping your soup? I think it's just a little joking comment, but... You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to do. my own fucking bowl of soup. And my soup's going to be even bigger than his.

I'm going to get like a chunky, a giant chunky noodle, a bowl of soup. Jeez. And I'm going to sip, I'm a sip so obnoxious that he'll look at me and get the point of what he's doing. But then at that point, am I now being counterproductive to the film session?

Yeah. Be the change you want to see in the world. I wouldn't, don't add to the problem. That's a good way, funny. Last week we talked about not shaking people's hands. And I was playing tennis at the park the other day.

And I see one of my friends run by. And he goes, oh, don't want to dab you up. I know you and Austin don't like that. So I was like, oh, man, this is like a thing now where I don't, now I'm not saying hi to people. We have to be aware of what we're saying. One of, we had a request. Someone said, how do you feel about people brushing their teeth in the shower?

I don't think it's a big deal. I don't mind it. The only issue I have is if you don't have a mirror in your shower, it's like I have to like make sure I'm visually seeing everything that I'm brushing and make sure I'm getting everything I need to be, you know. taken care of. Like, that's the only issue I have with that. Other than that, it's solid. I think it's disgusting. You have to put, I don't want warm or hot water in my mouth after I brush my teeth. I want like a refreshing cold sort of sensation afterwards. Hot water, like bath water in

your mouth or whatever, you know, shower, hot shower water in your mouth after you brush. I'm not getting that same fresh minty, you know, experience. I respect that. I understand that. Do you know what else bothers me? when you see somebody and they're like, what's up, man, how you doing? I'm like, what's up, bro? They're like, do you remember me? And I'm like, I'm not going to be like, nah, man.

And sometimes I even do that now for fear of what I'm about to say. Well, it's awful when you see someone and you know they know you, but you don't remember their name. That's one of the worst 10 seconds of your life. It is bad when you know, especially when you know you should know the person's name. You're like, you know what? I've talked to this guy enough times or this girl's enough times where I should know this person's name.

But when you really don't know their name and they're like, what's my name? they'll be like, what's my name? You don't know my name, do you? You'll be like... By the way, you meet a lot of people. That's tough for you. A lot of people are going to remember you

and you're not going to remember them because, you know... No, that is true. That's the point. Yeah. That's that I hate when people do that. I hate when you... I hate when...

And I keep that in mind. I've met... You know what? I've met, let's say Damien Lillard a few times. I'm not every time like, oh, I met you two years ago. Like, I don't say that. That's ridiculous.

this. Like, I know that he's Damien Lillard and he meets a lot of people, so I'm not going to call him out on it. There are people that do this. It's, and it's, and it's, it's, like, really weird and it's annoying to me. It's just a bad habit. I can't stand when I go up to somebody, or if someone comes up to me and they're like, yo, what's up, man? They say hi

to me, and I'm like, what's up? Like, you remember me? And I clearly don't. And I'm just like, yo, no, I, shit, I'll lie, just to be nice, because I'm trying to save faith and give them a little bit of confidence. I don't even know what it is. I just feel bad. I'll just be like, yeah, I remember and the person has the audacity to question me

and just be like, you don't know my name, what's my name then? What's my name then? You'll be like, what the hell is wrong with you? Why would you even seek out this awkward of a moment? Why would you even want me to, why would you ever put me in a space where I'm like, yeah, you're right, man.

I don't know your name. Like, why would you even want to? There's a lack of social awareness. And I was telling you before, it's the same guys that see a girl and they're like, oh, you're not going to give me a home. hug? And then they call the grover. Just stay in your lane, man. Maybe you didn't get it that time.

Maybe, you know, it's okay. You notice that someone didn't remember your name. Why would you call them out? It happens. It happens so much. These are the same cloth. I got a whole bunch of these. It's the same type of people that will see something. Like, I'll go somewhere and someone will be like, hey, what's up, awesome, blah, blah, blah, blah. And the person next to you, be like, who's he? He's someone important. He's someone famous. You'll be like, what you do? You're like, why are you talking? Why are you? You know, what's crazy is that there's been so many times where, you know, I'm with a basketball player or somebody and someone will go up to them and ask for their

picture and they won't know who that person is. They only saw other people ask for pictures or whatever. And then they'll go to them and be like, can I get one? I want one too. You'd be like, but you don't even know what I, like, why would you even, you know, I guess it's some people don't see a lot of people famous. So if they see someone famous, they just feel like they just need to do it just because it's not often they might do it.

They just wasted their time taking a picture. with Austin Rivers. It's worth absolutely just nothing. Would you respect it more if someone came out to you and said, hey, listen, it kept it real? Like, I'm not a big fan of this or that and they were just like an honest guy? Or is that, or do you rather have a guy come up as more of a fan? Well, if you're not a fan of mine, then just don't say anything to me. I don't need you to come up to yourself and introduce yourself and say, hey, by the way, pretend you guys are not a fan of you, but hey, bye.

At the same function like, hey, honestly, like, I don't agree with what you do with, you know, this and that. I used to, hey, how about this? This would be a good one. to hate you back. I rooted against you when you're on the Clippers, but now I'm a fan. That's probably what you were here. I've gotten that both ways. Amen, I love you and the Clippers. I hated you on the Clippers. I hated you on the Rockets. I hated you here. I've had. I've hated you there and I hate you here now. I've gotten that as well. So, I mean, you can't please everybody. I don't know. Some people just, they have too much hate in their heart, posture. On a on a lighter note. Misery loves company.

On a lighter. We're going out dark. We came in dark. No, no, no. I want to say shout out to our producer, Erica. It's her birthday Monday. I just want to say happy birthday. She's always doing the most for us.

And after every episode, I always text her and asked her, I did a good job. And she always says, yeah. So, Erica, happy birthday. Happy birthday to Erica. All right, well, good luck tomorrow against the Bulls. And looking forward to talking you next week. My guy, this was interesting. We were all over the place.

But this was comedy, funny as usual. Love chat with you as always. I'm gonna go get this dove tomorrow. Keep trying to build. Stay in the playoffs. Get out of the playing. This is crazy in the West right now. I'm going to get my sleep, bro.

I appreciate you, man.