Welcome Back Man, Episode five, All the Smoke, My Brother Jack back five, Stephen dig Jesse Jackson, and my man, Sweet louke Man, appreciate you brow in the building, give me a song on the off day. On off day, you did. So. You're fifteen, huh years straight out of high school. Yeah, I was with your That was in your rookie year. I was with you, right, yeah, yeah, neither of us playing chilling both that, Like, it was different for me because I was just happy to be there. He was like, what then is going on? Yeah? Yeah, I mean that was we have from Rose to you know what I mean, to the greatest show on on the court. For a minute. Tell me what it was like coming straight out of high school. I'm sure you looked up the AI and then playing with him and having him as a mentor fresh out of high school. Yeah, for me, it was it was mind blowing because I spent like, uh, my whole high school career like modeling my game after this dude. Like he's literally the reason why I even started getting tattoos, and he was so influental, influential in my life and I didn't even notice cat, you know what I'm saying. He was just like a role model to me that I didn't even know. And then going to the league and it's like, oh, ship, that's my teammate now. And then it's set in, like what is he gonna like me? Like, you know what I'm saying. In the first time we ever met um, it was a Charlie mac Um celebrity game in the summer, and he was already he was already drafted by that I got drafted and then invited me to come play in the game. So I go up to Philly and then it's just like this wave of people come in. You know, he keep his unto rocked. Hundred people come in. It's like motion, everybody going crazy, and I see him and I just kind of freeze, and out of all the people in the building, this dude locked the eyes with me and like walk directly to me and gave me a hug. And that's been my big brother. Man. That's that's a great FELM. I know it was, yeah, man, just it's like, you know what I'm saying, because like, all right, at least he embraced me enough to you know, at least speak to me, gett acknowledged by people. You look up to. That's all. That's always because I've had people let me down. Did I look up to? Yeah? Talk real talk. So what what was some of the stuff that you learned early on, because you know, you're a student before you actually got out there and got to do it. What is some of the stuff you learned from him? But just watching him every day from practice together on the line every day, you know, just you know, it's well documented how much how many injuries that he played through, um, all the pain that he played through, boken, broken bones and everything. And you know, it's unfortunate that you know, it always be remembered about the practice thing. But it's like he couldn't practice right, you know, he was so banged up. What you wanted on the game or you wanted to practice want, you know, but he just he laid it on the line for his teammates every single time he went out there. They don't understand, remember the biggest elbow versus actually having like tennis balls on his elbows every day. Man. Just And it's funny now because like it's gonna you're gonna be hard pressed to find a superstar a practice these days anyway. Anyway, Right, you know what I mean. It was just ahead of his time for sure. Going into the season. You like to kinda I mean, you stay in Atlanta, you guys do that whole program and you're real big on kind of working out and getting ready. What is that like for you year in year out? Seeing that you know where you started and where you came from. You need to change the program name though a little will program. I mean to me, I compared to like Jamal Croft, that's like I played with it. I mean, I see it one he gets fifty on one leg. If you want to league, we'll keep you humble. But you know we have to put some work in play with me. He's part of the crew. So but it's cool, man. It's an opportunity. We played out on the West side of Atlanta's opportunity for young kids that they probably don't make it to Philips Arena to see games and don't get to see pro so to bring guys in town. Um, they were able to see prim Kyrie irving in their neighborhood. You know, where you can walk in the gym and he and they're putting on the show. You know, you get to see that, You get to see a lot of different guys that come through that gym, and so for me to be a part of it, be a pillar run, it's cool. Um, how do you find out about PG? And Kauai was signing like me, I think I kind of knew, you know, from talking to Kauai a couple of days before. But how did you find out? I didn't know ship to be honest with. They reached out to me. Management reached out and said, ayum, we're gonna meet with Kauai. UM, here's his number if you want to say something to him. And I was thinking, I'm gonna leave this dude alone because you know what's coming at him. Yeah, I'm like, I don't think I'm gonna swee his his decision either way, you know what I mean? And so I text him and I just said, what's up killer this little will? I know you're about to have your meeting. You got any questions about the coaches or anything? Just hit me keeping in one thousands possible and I left it and I left it there. He said, bet, I'm gonna go into the meeting. And I called you after he never called. It was like three or four days went by. I was like, yeah, I think I blew it. Yeah. I was like, you know, because we had never actually met, you know what I'm saying. So I was like, there, I hope that wasn't part of it. And then, um, I was in Vegas in the Summer League. And it's funny, I had just seen Peg like ten minutes before I've seen him. He was he was playing uh craps. He was shooting craps. I was playing Roulette and we uh we spoke. He kept moving and then we were playing and then it was just like a bus in the um in the casino, and my man came up and tapped me while I was while I was making my best, he showed me its phone. So it was like Kahi Leonard agrees to play with the Clippers, and the Clippers trade for Paul George. So I'm looking at like the fuck and so I'm like, man, go to World page. I don't believe it until I see it on old So we've seen it on old page. And my phone start ring and it was Pat Bev and Pat was in Vegas, Whitten, so he was like yo. I was like, man, come downstairs, I'm got the let's say we'll go downstairs. So it was cool and I saw that, Yeah, that was a Cao tripping out. We had a shot and then we kept gambler like, well, it's exciting to have them, but we started dealing with that in training, cap. Yeah, that's what's up. Tell me what that coat, that whole culture is like. I played there early. Um, you know, I played at the end of the what's the what's the dick CAD's name, at the end of the Sterling era? Yeah, okay, so that was that. That was right, you said. That was right end of the Sterling era and then into the Bomber era and it was it was night and day. Tell me what the organization is like now and the energy around it. My experience has been so positive. Um, just how I've been embraced by the city, in the organization. You know, I was at the crossroads in my career. Um, I didn't even want to be a Clipper. You know. That was the third team I had played for in six months, and so at that point I just didn't know what was happening. You know what I'm saying. That was my first time kind of going through something like that in my career, and so I just wasn't excited about getting bounced around. UM, and I think Doc had sensed that, and UM, you know, me and Doc had had we had a conversation, UM, and he just changed my perspective about being there. And so I went into training account with an open minde UM, and I went in with some guys that was on the same page as me. You know, Pat Bell, he's hungry to prove itself, hungry to prove his name, make his name in the NBA. Montrez was starting to come into his own. He wanted to prove his name. We had young guys coming in that wanted to be a part of the culture, wanted to be wanting to be accepted, and so I think we had like minds um and going into the season. And even though um, you know it didn't work out with Blake and Dre while they were there, you know, the experience was positive and so we just kept that momentum going. UM. We communicate, we got problems, we got we got grown in our locker room. We don't do no rookie hazing U. We like we you know, for me being a VET, me being the o G and just looking back at you know, how the league was carried I prefer to just grow him up, like man, you know what I'm saying. So I'm like, look, y'all, do your job, y'all do everything y'all supposed to do. We ain't gonna do all the Hazen ship. We're not gonna play them games with y'all. We want you all to look like men. He was brought up in a different time too. I was brought away. Yeah, he didn't really played like that, you know what I'm saying of posting him pouring water on my head. Other than that, I ain't wearing no pink backpack. We had that one incident on the bus at one time. Oh yeah, but even then, that's that's a whole different thing. Yeah, I let Matt tell that I got paid. You want me tell whatever is that that that was? We was heading summer, I don't know where. I don't remember, but we made a bet that he had to drink a six pack. I didn't drink at the time. He didn't drink here. He was fresh out of high school as a kid. Still look like a kid. How much fun do you get? Teen thousand? Man, give me a farty and give me a six pack of parties? He made a six pack of alcohol and he couldn't drink a six packing on the bus ride, right. It was quick though, it was drink a six pack of beer before we got on the plane for fit and Grant ship that mother killed it. But he was so wet that we almost got like a little worried, like, damn, what the fun are we gonna carry loo? You know what I mean? So we kind of he kind of had his arms slumped on ai shoulder and then me and see where it was kind of in front, kind of just like he was out of there. He was still there, but he was, you know what I mean, Like he handed himself well, but he was sucked up. So we kind of had to like camouflage his ass up onto the plane. But that was kind of like from all I recalled, the only time, yeah, because he got big bread off it, you mean, But I think that was the only kind of time we ever did any kind of rookie ship. We wasn't really it was like you said, it was more on some grown man ship, like handing your business workout. You're not playing dude, you're supposed to do. But ship like that, that's that's more of a wait, that's you. You know what I'm saying, because there was a lot of rookies on that team and they were exactly exactly. Tell me what it's like now. The last year, I love the fact that you guys bought in, you got you guys are one of my favorite team last year. I really take pride in the Clippers because, like you, I got a chance to play for the Lakers and Clippers. And that's a whole another world. We'll get to that, but I took pride in trying to put the Clippers on the map. And it seems like once you guys bought in, that's where you guys are at. So so tell me what what's that like? Knowing that the Clippers have always been a little brother. You've been on the other end. But tell me what it's like taking pride and putting them on the matter. Our mindsets are perfect for, our personalities were perfect for. We like being underdog. Y'all get hit us with these six teen rings and all this, like it's cool, but we're working on hours. Though we're working on one day, we're gonna be be a part of you know, and and we carry it and we embrace it, you know, even though last year, we wouldn't even expected to make the playoffs. We were a fifty win team with no quote on quote superstar. But like you said, we bought in. We try us to each other. We loved each other, we love competing with each other for the dogs. We have a team for the dogs. And then you're bringing them to guys and it's like you still got the same core guys, same group of guys with that mindset, and you bring in two of the top five players in the league, you know, the skis and limits, and they have that. That's what I loved about. That's why I picked you guys from the jump to in the chain, because they don't have no egos, no agendas, their motherfucker's go out there and play hard on both ends. That's why I thought they fit. Because to me, it was a tricky situation sucking up you guys, chemistry. People on the outside, I don't understand how important chemistry bringing in the superstar with the ego or superstar and bullshit or fuck the whole team up, you know. So that's why I thought it was really strategic and important what you guys did, bringing two selfless, two way players to a team that aren't. We had a conversation with them, like, listen, we're not confused about who we are. It's like, yeah, I was the leading score on this team past two years. I know who y'all are. Now I'm gonna go back in my place and I'm gonna still start in my place, so we don't have no confusion about nothing that we're doing, you know, And I think that's the beautiful thing about our team, and you don't. You don't get that much from guys in the league either, you know what I'm saying, Like, just imagine what that even though they the two stars, just imagine what that did for them. You know what I'm saying, coming in on a new team, and well, guys been needing to hear that they're welcome up. I mean, that's one of one of the favorite thing I remember about doctors, to be a star in your role, and you mentioned it. So I'm gonna go back to my role and I'm gonna be a starter that there's a role for everybody, you know what I mean. Obviously your role changed slightly. I mean, you're still gonna get your numbers, but you're just coming from mentality, right, mentality like I know I got two guys that deserve the ball in scenarios that I think I should have it as well, you know, last game, And that's a good problem to have. Well, listen, it's a good problem to have. Yeah, I come off a pick and roll. You can't help. You can't do nothing. I though a clean chest pass to the man for the game. Yeah, you can easily took your man one on one. You can't help. So it's a good problem for us to have. Mentally, if we're on the same page, the sky's the limit up. So what do you what's your thought on this team? You guys haven't really even fully come together yet, but still you can tell even though I think you guys are fourth in the West, it's early glimpses of it. There's some saying flat like yeah, you see glimpses of it. Like we played in Atlanta, like we were sharp and it was like damn, okay, you kind of feel it. It's like, yeah, kind of feel it. And even when we have like rough games and we have we have some we have some some mistakes, we feel like it's communication. It's like, what was you thinking on that? Oh? I was trying to al right. Cool. So now we at got to go through that no more. And so even when we even when we have setbacks, we still build on it. Yeah, it's finding ways how to win. That's part of it though. Yeah. I know that from the outside looking the MPG and CHOI kind of quiet, like, who are the vocal leaders on your guys team? Um? I am and Pat for sure, you know, but those guys they Yeah, I think a lot of people got quite messed up. He's a funny he's good dude. Man. He talks way more than I thought he did, especially like doing games. He want to win, but you want to win. To me, it's good though, to have two point guards as your most vocal on your team. I was just about to say that. And then not only you and Pat, y'all just not the vocal leaders. Y'all a big part of that team. So to have y'all being the head of the monster and to be the most vocal, that's a big part, bro, you know what I mean. I think a lot of the young guys on our team they follow our lead, you know, because of how we carry ourselves. What are your thoughts when we came into the league at a different time, I mean I played four teen, You played fourteen, you're going in your fifteenth year, so you came back. You came in in the early two thousands where there was no such thing as low management, like we touched on of like superstars practiced back then. You know, good players don't even practice, you know these days. So what is your thoughts, especially surrounding Kauai because it's such a big deal with low management, what is your thought on I don't well, see, I don't think he's the He shouldn't be the case that he's not the post boy post man, should he? You know, if the man can't play, can't play. But if they throw load management on it, it'll be a problem. But even on games that's not the back to bed, he can't play. So I don't think he's the poster child for it. As far as guy's just not playing for the hell of not playing, I don't know about that. I'm a the old school. I don't know. I still play for the kid that've never seen me play before, you know, so if I can lace up, I'm a lace up um. And you know what else, man, the game is so different now because it's it's so many good players, so many good teams, and everything has to be so strategic. You've got the numbers involved in it. Now, you've got the analytics, sports scientists. You got all this ship in the game. And it's like, why have all of these assets if you're not gonna use them? So it's it's kind of fifty with me. You know, if guys could play, I think they should play. But you're spending all this money on this science, man, and the science is telling you X, Y and Z you might as well use it. Tell me what's your thoughts on one and done? Should that? Should that rule be eliminated? Should you be able to go out of high school? And you I mean you're coming straight from the school. There's the guys that's held this league up are from high school. You had a famous quote about you know who's kind of been the pillars of this league and talk to us about that. Yeah, KG, Kobe Broun, these are the guys that carried this business straight out of high school, you know what I mean? Like, so what a year? What is a year in college gonna do? Because if you're going just for the year, you're not going for the education. You know what I'm saying. You know what I mean, And now you see the young kids, they're going around it. They're going to prep school, they're going to the going overseas, they're doing all types of they're doing anything to not go to I've never been a fan of the n C double as you know, my my senior year in high school, I literally couldn't find a reason to go to college. So I didn't care where I was gonna get drafted. I knew I wasn't going to nobody college. Waking up at five in the morning trying to figure out how I'm eating lunchtime. You know what I'm saying. I just that never was a that never was appealing to me, you know what I'm saying. And I'm struggling to need at home. Why I'm gonna go ten miles ten hours away to go struggle up ten hours away out of here. I'm struggling. Now, I'm happy that they're starting to put some kind of legislation in where uh you know, these kids that have an opportunity to be able to benefit off their own names and their likenesses. You know, you go to the fans stores, they're selling the jersey without your name on it. You know, everybody is making money off of you. But you you know what I'm saying. It's it's simple, ship. It's like, all right, take the money out. I don't even know how I mun eat. Like your coach can't go buy you a nice dinner. That's ridiculous to me, you know what I'm saying. So I think I think the rule is stupid to have it one and done. Um. You know, these the best guys are gonna find their way into the NBA anyways. You know, you know what I'm saying, So you might as well create a vehicle for them to realistically live their dreams and benefit you on the business side as well. Would have been some of your favorite moments throughout your career on the court? Favorite moment the ten six million year, the ten with the Tim Tropis you got it home? Yeah? My first one was my favorite one. My my first year two thousand fourteen, I was with Toronto and that one was special because I was I was playing in my hometown Atlanta, UM toward my a c L and my head coach told me like, I don't know if you'll be the same player again, and you know, it's just not working here. So I'm five a home for you somewhere else, and then you know, for them to kind of them to ship me to somewhere. And when my first six Man of the Year and my my one and only season there, that was special to me and the group of guys that I did it with. Three I've won three and I've been a runner up twice and I lost one to James Harden. That's bullshit. So arguably, when you think about it, coming out of high school, do you ever think you would be in the toss of one of the greatest six men in the history of the game. No. I thought I was been a superstar, you know, don't we all think that? But yo, yo, high school games was like some butter rim type ship and so I felt that way. It's like, I'm gonna be one of the best players in the league. You know. My route took me somewhere different, and so it took me a while to kind of embrace it, you know what I mean, because we all strive to be the best player in the league. We all strive to be one of the guys that's on on every commercial, have your own shoes and all of that. You know, Like years six or seven. I realized that was my rote, you know, So I could either carry this chip on my shoulder and be upset, or I can carry this chip on my shoulder to say, I'm just gonna make it embarrassing for y'all to have me coming off the bench, you know, And I chose the letter. What is? What is your thoughts on that though? Like if they say, Lottle, what you wanna do you want to start to come off the bench? What would you say? At this point? I'm just I am who I am at this point, you know what I'm saying. And you know, doctor start me every once in a while and just um, just to mix it up. But I think it's just who I am now, you know what I mean, just a six man. I mean, like we know, at the end of day, it don't matter because you're gonna play starters minutes something in the fourth car. That's what I tell people. You know, you don't start, you started, like all that ship don't matter, Like who is in at the last two or three minutes of the game. It was the only thing. It affixes the money, m It definitely affects that. That's what it affects, you know. Because people are you should be making this, You should making that. That's another reason why I don't mean to cut you off. That's another reason why I think the city appreciates you so much, you know what I'm saying, because they know you could have went somewhere else and got more money. You know, everybody in the world know that the answers of this buil didn't know that it wouldn't I wouldn't have been happy though, like the places that I had deals on the table. It just it wouldn't have been fulfilling to me, especially with everything that I had built with this particular group of guys, you know what I'm saying. So I took a little bit less than um what I could have got, but it wouldn't have the money when it did nothing for my happiness, you know, and especially where I was in my life, my kids loving in l A. I found a found a home, you know what I mean. Like I said, I played three teams in six months. I didn't want to move again. Was that Lakers Houston back to l A. Tell me what that was like. Because we've both been traded and bounced around, and that people don't understand like family wise, life wise, you just gotta pick up and no matter what and moved. So tell me what that and they can follow you and press Child's on your every state too. Let me say that I know that man. Well, we talked about all kinds of ship on him bro every stage to try to tap your hand. Let me get some of that go ahead. That's why I was at one point I was going rare a lot. You know, you need to put that put on your whole body. Just put that bitch all the way on the topic. I had to clip, I had to go forgive go ahead. But it was it was a roller coaster. I knew I was gonna get traded from the Lakers. I knew that was coming. Uh. I think the last game for All Star break, I checked out of the game and all the coaches stood up, was like, thanks for everything you did. What Yeah, like I think I think you know. I was. I was like, this is it? So who was coaching there? Luke Luke wah yeah, so you don't get me on his Yeah. But I knew that was coming and so UM I was working out All Star weekend in Atlanta, UM and got traded to Houston and then UM Houston, I liked being there. Um, I thought we could have did something special. I wish they had been a little bit more patient with with the process. Um I was in China, got traded again, and so I was like, yeah, I don't know what the fun is going on, you know what I'm saying. And then they trade me to the Clippers. And then they still had Jamal at the time, and so I was like, you don't make no sense. Yeah, it don't make like what are y'all trying to do? And then you know, they started making some moves and and like I said, I had that conversation with Doc Man and every I think the whole course of my career changed after that. You know, I've had my best shops in looking back on my career, Like I funk with Doc. I just think when I was there, he had a lot of hats. So I want to say he was president GM and you know what I mean. So there just wasn't really there was too much kind of whispering and and not truth coming to the surface, you know. I mean. But our particular incident was, um, we had just lost the Golden State. Um and goes that they beat our ass and Blake and DJ didn't have the best games, but for some reason just that day he wanted to go at me in the film room. And I'm someone you can coach with me. You could yell at me, you could do whatever you want. You're just not gonna disrespect me as a man. That's like where I d and funk who you are. That's where I draw the line. So he got mad at like the two shots I took. I took two shots in the game. He like complained off both, like I had a corner three that I shot that I should have passed to Blake when he was cutting down the middle, and and I had another three points that I should have gave to Jamal. I'm just looking at this to like, mother funk. I took two shots and we lost by thirty. What the funk are you talking about? You know what I mean. So it was just a situation. It was kind of weird. And then he came at me for something. I'm just like, yeo, man, fuck this. So I like got up and everyone in the room like, because I remember DJ was sitting next to me, he like patting me on my leg like a little dog to keep me calm, and which is funny. Because DJ is I can feel sick, but he it came from us though, because you know, DJ didn't used to be that way. So I got up and I was like, oh ship, and they're like, oh, chill, chill. So I walked, you know how the film room. I'm over in the corner and you gotta walk past the coaches to get out. So I just man, I was got up and I was just heated. So I walked out the room and then I went in the back and like fucking I'm just gonna go home, and I'm just like, no, I can't. I can't let my team down like that. So I saw on the TV that we were done with film and they're out on the court stretching. So I went back out on the court, start stretching, mad as fuck, not saying nothing to nobody, and this this motherfucker comes over me and tells me to flip my jersey over and he's gonna put Jamal with the starters and put me on the second team. So I look at him and I took my jersey off and I threw it. He's like, put your jersey back, goes like these motherfucker's know what team I'm on, so I didn't have no jersey. The whole practice went out hard killed in practice, and then we played. I was on one even some of the butt. See I think Doc was one. Yeah, yeah, he didn't like what he didn't like what almost happened to him. But so then we went hard in practice. You know, some of the coach came up and talked to me, you know, so you know it was just this and that trying to defuse the situation. But you had coaches before like that little exchange where you took your jersey off. They're not doing it until you leave because they can't accept that type of like doctor, Doctor plays the players coach and right because you know, and yeah, he's gonna challenge you. Some coaches I've been with down they're gonna security get him utter. It's like you're my coach, like security bro. So and so I go home. We played four than early the next day, and I can't sleep the whole night, and I stopped smoking too for a little bit, so night I started chain smoking. Probably smoke like three or four joints that night. Maddest Fun couldn't sleep, got to the gym earliest, Fun started shooting. We went to shoot around and before we broke, like right when we brought it in, and I just, you know, I just dogs like, you know, you can coach me, you can yell at me, you could do whatever, just don't disrespect me as a man. And then you know, he said his part and it kind of started getting heated, and he's like, you think you're tough. I was like what, so like it got super like he almost like was trying to poke me. So it chilled out. We went through shoot around and then we went back in the locker room to watch film at to shoot around, and Mike Woodsons tried to say something and I was like, Mike, don't start, because you can get it too, you know what I mean. So everyone calmed down, and then Doc said some more ship to me and then stormed off his office. So I stormed after him in his office and everyone like trying to pull me back, and we sat now and had a little conversation, but it was just a little heated back and forth. Looking back on it, you think, right, looking back, I mean I funk with Doc, you know what I mean. Like I said, I think I was going through a divorce at the time, so I was kind of on edge. He was going through whatever he was going through, so we was kind of on edge and we talked obviously talked to and made amends. But like you said, he is someone that you can have, that you can go back at, and you gotta respect that because, like you said, a lot of culture you yeah at, you cuss that, and that's it. Yeah, you know, that was it for me. I got traded. I was the first traded. The motherfucker we care for Lance Stevenson and we ended up on the same team that year. But you know, to to see what he's done for you guys. Like I said, I always loved him as a coach. I just thought our differences was when he had a lot of different hats and there was a lot of rumbles in that locker room about you know, him not being this and then his son coming in and all this others not crazy kind of stuff. So it was just a a feisty situation. But we had so much talent on that team, like but we would always get in our own ways. So that's why I'm excited to see. Like I said, I still love the Clippers, so I'm excited to see what you guys are doing. Now because I feel like you guys have just as much, if not more talented, Lob City had obviously, but you guys have a real chance to win the championship, you know, And I think that's dope because it hasn't been done for that franchise. I always wanted to know that because, yeah, because y'all should have documented, you know what I'm saying that, So when I've been around Dog, like damn that ain't that have been my experience with you? Know what I'm saying. And I know you. I know how cool you are, but I know as a teammate fightst you are. You know what I'm saying, how competitive you I saw. Always just wanted to know, like what was your disconnection? You know what I'm saying, because I like both of y'all. So tell me what it was like playing with the Lakers and getting the chest to play with Colde on his way out. That was interesting being out being excuse for getting that being I need to pack that Kobe pack that just dropped. It was three different shoes and my boxes again like MJ, give me my give me, this is my shoes. Second Cold it's a new pack, undefeated pack. That's what it's called. I need all them boys, third, two fourths, you need four team? What about MJ. He might have never heard you from last We'll get back to them. It's about Kobe right now now. I think, Um, I wish I could have played with Code like when yeah, when he was cold, like I felt like he could have did something special for my career. UM number eight Code, Yeah, I take an early I don't. I just think it wasn't it wouldn't manage right, you know. I think we could have been a lot better than we were. It kind of just turned into like like some hard and globe try to ship like, you know, because it was like at first it didn't it wasn't the It wasn't the farewell tour, you know, the two season w not to get you off? Two season one season with him? Did I play two seasons with Cole? I didn't play two seasons? Yeah, yeah, I did play two seasons with Code. So but the first one he was he was, he was hurt the majority of the town. Um. The second one, uh, it turned into the farewell See it turned to the farewell tour. And then at the same time it was like they were trying to develop the young guys, and I was like, realistically, you can't. You can't do both. You know, you can't develop these young guys and then tell them that like that ship don't matter when the game starts, you know what I'm saying. So it was just it just it wouldn't manage, It wouldn't manage. Great. But as far as uh, as far as Coke god Man, he was super cool. Um. I enjoyed competing with him, um, and just just being around him. You know what I'm saying. It's just a different energy when you're around him and you want to flow with him. Yeah, I said, I mean I got a chance to, Like you played with Ai, played with Chris Paul, super competitive dudes. But to me, there's no one more competitive. Yah See, I didn't. We didn't get We didn't. We didn't get that part of the experience. Like every once in a while, yeah did he would say some ship did it. The whole room was like, like we had a he gonna be mad at this. We got blue out uh in Portland's and he came in the locker room and he was like, from now on out, every time down the court, I touched the ball, y'all, gonna learn what it's like to play with Kobe Bean fucking Frock And I'm looking like serious. And so Nick Young played for last we go, we showering ship, We come back, Nick walk in the locker rooms, y'all better throw that but the ball, it's gonna be some ship around here. Like Nick never took anything serious style, but we just got the ship kicked out of us, and Cold wasn't going for you know what I'm saying is so I just think mentally like he meant that ship, you know what I'm saying. I just think at that point's body just didn't give him what he wanted. It's a lot of miles, man and stuff. You know, because I got shocked the same way in Phoenix, you know, right, miss prime shock. So I got shocked. That was still cool. But he was just he's on the other end of the spectrum. He was like a seven ft three, big ass kid, you know, pulling pranks. But I was just saying, like you would see flashes every once in a while, I'm just like, goddamn, like this, that's crazy, right. Like the last game, Like the last game he played, he went for sixties, went for sixty, like literally when mother fuckers said I'm gonna leave it all out on the floor. That's what he did. Believe it. Who was some of the best young players that that you look at in the league right now that you like Shay Gil just Alexander game. Uh, that won't hurt you got a real game. I remember dr was real hesitant on trading him too. That won't hurt when when when Shay left, because you can just see him get better every day, you know what I'm saying, Like you literally watched this kid grow day in and day out. I think he's gonna be real special man. M John Moran and Memphis that motherfucker's called like he's one of the young kids. I like, I'm going on NBA TV like Memphis, I'm watching that. You know what I'm saying. I really like I really liked them too. For sure. Guys not in the league right now, like Jamal Crawford j R. Smith that we know can play. You know, Carmello just got picked up. Like what are your thoughts on situations like that, Sticky Man, because it's like ship, it's gonna be a funeral for us all one day, you know what I'm saying, And should we all gonna feel like we still can play. I did you know what I'm saying? When you was done, did you felt like you can still go? Right? I just have to go punish the Big three D to get it out of some type of the clippers, the last thing you play with when you came out with us and you got the shortened stick, because I thought you should have definitely what what was the situation there? Uh, someone got hurt. I just stopped playing and Chris Paul broke his hand and they needed to bring That's right, So I think it. I think it just it gets sticky with that because you know, you know that these guys, you know that they season vets. You know they can give you something. But then it's like they've created all these avenues to develop young guys. Yeah, you know it's like, so do you do you give that opportunity to a to a vet that you know you can give someone you can develop this kid and see what he can give it to you. So it's so difficult, man. You think you think they confused though, like when they when when you walk in the locker room and they see you, you you think they still think you about two years old? Yeah, I think. I think, so, benj come on one in with no grades. Three. How many more years you feel like you got or want to play good ones? Yeah? Like four? And then I'm still as well. Is that a goal you ever think about that coming out of high school? Yeah? I can get twenty. Only thing that has stopped me if my kids tell me to stop. You know, my daughters, my daughters at eight and five. I got a son on the way, um daughter hooping and my daughter hoop and so I want to be there for her. I want to be there for her process. My five year old daughter, she's into acting her personality of phill up a room. So I want to be there for you know, for their development. You know, I really want them to be up and popping. And then I come into the scene, you know, you know what I mean. I try to let my eight year old daughter just do her own thing in basketball, and I leave her alone. And if she asked me something or she she wants some advice, I kind of poked my head in. Other than that, I just let him be kids. But I want to be there for you know, if you can't get that time back, you can't get it back, especially at a time, so impressionable man, and so the only the only reason I was stopping if they tell me the stuff that was my thing too. I had just signed the year I won the championship, will going to State two thatand seventeen. I signed a three year deal earlier with Sacramento. But it was it was crazy. As much as my boys love basketball and come to games, would come visit me in the bay. Like one night we were sitting up watching TV and they're just like, Daddy, we missed when used to take us to school. And that ship broke my whole heart. So my daughter did that to me one time. Um last year, I was packing my bag and she was cool as ever. She laying in my bed on her I pad and she said, Daddy, ask your question. I said, what's up? She said, Uh, you don't get tired of leaving us. I was on my way at the door four road trip and that ship broke my heart, like it my whole day up because it's like we're kind of naive, like what I ain't saying that they ain't tripping like that ship bothered them to you know what I'm saying. And so when she when she put that on me it was different, and then it was like a blessing in disguise. Like the very next year, she turned into a basketball fan. You know what I'm saying, is so because we had the parent advisory on her TV, so the only thing that she could watch it was like Nickelodeon, UM Disney and NBA TV, and she was kind of growing out of the kids ship, and so she watched NBA TV and she like basically coached herself into being a fan of the game. And so that kind of re energized what she saw me going through and and everything like that, and so she kind of gave me another boost instead of wanted me to come home. So we'll see how long that last. Tell me what it's like being and we touched what is it like being a father? And you got your first boy on the way, Tell me what that's like. Oh lord, I'm excited. I feel like this this is would be my like my first challenge is like a father. You know what I'm saying. The girls, you kind of you kind of give a lot of responsibility to the mom, you know what I'm saying. With a boy, you wanted to be just like a mirror imager yourself you know, and you gotta put, you gotta put that time. So I'm excited. You guys got a name picked out. Yeah, six six six. Yeah, that's that's dope. Dope. Take us back to Christmas Eve two thousand eleven, Europe almost robbed at gunpoint. Yeah, tell us about that story. Yeah. So I get my hair cut in the hood and Philly it's gray. Second, just keep real. You do everything in the hood. You ain't never changed. And let me tell you how too. If you look on the map in on Atlanta, Georgia, you're gonna see lou Willville. Facts. Facts, this is real facts. Proud of my boy. But I was in Philly and I was actually with my man and um just for disclosures, since is y'all. Of course he was scrapped, yeah, of course, protecting each other. And so when I was done getting my hair cut, I was at the light and I remember but he called me. He said, Yo, you're good. I see I'm going home. He said, all right, bet, And I watched him. You turned behind me and go the other way here you turned. I looked down at my phone at the light and I just heard click, click click. Somebody knocked on my window. Look up, Bro got the gun on me. I don't know why, but I rolled the window down. That's just that's just where my mind took me. I rolled the window down, and he like, get out of the car. And I said huh. And when I said huh, he looked at me. He said, Lou, I can't even do it to you, Bro, I got too much love for you. And at that time, um Me and Meek Me and Meek Mill, we was doing a lot of coach drives. Wh was doing a lot of stuff in the communities. Um that particular community. You know, we just we just had our footprint on it. Um that's his neighborhood. Um Philly had adopted me. And so whatever I was doing over there, he would get behind me. Whatever he was doing, I would get behind him. Nonetheless, he was doing a lot for that community at the time. And the dude said, he said, man, I can't even do it to you. He said, man, I just got out of jail. All I got is this gun and a bus token to get home. Bro, I ain't got nothing to eat. And I just was thinking fast. I looked. I said, look, Bros. McDonald's right there. You meet me at the McDonald's. I buy you whatever you want to eat. He's all right, cool. So my first start was do I let him get in my car? I was like, hell no, So I just I started driving first. So I drove went into the McDonald's, and I watched them running across the street to the McDonald's. So while he run into the McDonald call man pull the McDonalds the McDonald's. So they've made the story like I sat down at eight with him on some hell dog that motherfucker order food. I swiped my car, I shook his hand. I said, God blessed bro. But this ain't the way. By that time, my man was walking in McDonald's. I got the funk out of So that's the that's the real story. They thought it didn't like that. Y'all probably each other. That's that. That's great, that's lucky. But I mean, shout out to home me whoever he is. But that's that's the testament to who you are, though, Like a buster would have got smoked and robbed right there. You know what I'm saying. The fact that you was in the community, the fact that they know you'd be around there like that, that says a lot about you, bro. Very few players could do that because I was down bad keeping real yeah, scared shitless, ain't gonna flex. Okay. So I was just in the Lanta at your side of listening party to the new project. Um, I'm one of those guys that drop projects, you know, doing my career. While I was playing, you one of the only one of the very few rappers to actually put their music out, you know, talk about your new project and and where you see yourself going with the music. I just have fun, you know, and the underground go. Yeah. For me, I just want to be part of the conversation. I don't even want to be like an artist, you know what I'm saying. I don't even want to be like what you are. Bro. I know that, but you haven't you having full silent listening parties like rappers have with with the DJs. You have plenty For me, Like that makes me happy. I like, I just want my friends to be like that. Ship hard. But that's what I said. You've seen me and you've seen me in there. Yeah, yeah it is hard. Um, shout out the injury. My manager man, she just yeah, she was like, Bro, you spend so much money on this ship. And so much time on it, like either you're gonna put it out or I'm gonna put it you know what I'm saying. And so, Um, it was supposed to come out already. UM, now we're looking for Um. We probably put it at All Star weekend. UM. I just wanted to feel a certain way. I wanted to look a certain way. UM. I had a documentary that was gonna come out with it, Um, a movie. We ended up getting into some with the With the documentary, it's no longer. Um. We had merch to go with it. The merchant still gonna come out. UM. I had a I had a sample on the on the project. I didn't know I had a sample on it. Um. We was having a hard time getting that clear. Yeah. So everything had kind of just got backed up. So we're gonna release it in February, just to give us some more time to get organized. Like I said, I wanted to feel and look a certain way. I don't want it to be rushed. So how many what number? What what number? Project number three? Number three? You have any you ever thought about anybody players you want to work with? Man Damon actually had a conversation about doing something I sent him a record um to get on and he never sent it back and we never had another conversation about it. So I don't know where that's staying. But um Shump used to record at my house in my studio, but we never did music together. But he always was recording in my spot. Other than that, I don't really know. Yeah, I talked to all y'all about doing music together before I got an ego ship. Yeah, man, I think we need to get together so too. I did not take you off a song what the one you and Katie did only at the top. I took you off that. I went crazy on that. You took me off that joint. It came out and I was like, that's crazy, that's that's how you found Actually when they came, I actually sent you that song to get all out. I sent it back it was done. You told me it was fired and you took me off and he told me money of women don't matter what. I followed living like fourth thought and I'm turning up like Anozer Hayters want to hate. But on Twitter, they still followed on my Instagram like more pictures than models. You didn't cursey that. I did not curse. I said, I don't remember it on the not his herd. No, no, no no, don't blame it on the weed, and don't blame it. I don't honestly don't remember. I honestly don't remember. But well, let's do another. I remember I remember the song because that's why I don't remember you, because Katie didn't. He didn't get behind the song. Oh he didn't push it. No he didn't, and he didn't behind the song, and then they made us make that made us do it clean. I actually don't remember you getting on the song, so we did. All of you probably got caught up into Katie ship and trying to get him to do it because I didn't. I didn't like a day for you. That's crazy. That was a quick return to that's crazy. Yeah, so you probably honestly, I get it, though, because sometimes if if somebody do something for me and I got a lot going on and it's quick, I have to go through my files and be like, oh we did because because you know, you know how, because I didn't call you twenty times about doing something that's hot. That's how I don't remember that. He took me off the last song. Keep doing that's crazy, shout out the shop for doing the BT cipher at the Hip Hop Awards. I think we should all do it, man, I've been said that too. That show I did and that was when I told you that was I did. You said we should do it, I said, and I'm with you. Put it together? Well that is BT. Look the next site for need to be me shop your Dame lou ba Q six man get up, went head up with dames be singing. Get him on that. I'm cool. I'm cock that really sing though, Yeah I'm not. I'm cool. I could be cool. I could be cool over it up. But with some of the people you look up to in the music game right now? Who was some of your favorite artists? He's a dream chasing let me. I don't hope you don't know that he the meek ain't just friends now, Motherer got to change. He's a dream chasing family for I'm a holiday. I'm going to go holidayn when I leave here. I want to change ship. Just I think about all the smoke I'm to answer some ship. Clothes never get fed, you know what I'm saying. Clothes, mom, never get fed. Me get to the right channel. Yeah, somebody going hit me, get my baby, mama, chain within them little one, make him like uh miek is one of my favorites because I know he tells the truth. Um, Little Wayne has always been my all time. I think he gets slapped on because I think he went so hard in the early two thousand. Motherfucker's forget about him. Now it'll go hard. I think the only thing is messed up is just a business guy's different. He's still alive. Yeah, And you know that's what. And there's so many there's so many guys rapping right now, all of them his kids, all of them a little something, little something, got dreams, all got tattooed in face, little bullshit, drugs. They don't want to listen to pops. They want to listen to their period. You know what I'm saying is so uh Wayne jay Z obviously um and God rest his soul. I had just started getting to nip Um, so I listened to a lot of nip nine days Wayne, to Go, Wayne to Go? Who are you so that those that's your top five? Who's your top five? I thought drinking and drinking drakes hard? So speaking to Drake, how do you feel about him dropping six man? And basically being about you in your life at the time. It was cool at the time, it was cool. Ye gave me a soundtrack to everything I had going on. Yeah, yeah, we drove prices up. Yeah it's cauture. You wanted me to come to your party, So I appreciate you for that. You know what I'm saying. Looking back, Man, in twenty years, he's gonna be one of the greatest artists that ever you've ever heard of. And he made a song about me. Yeah, question, that's what's it? What's it like? I mean, could you know meet dropped your name and y'all the family, but dropped that. What what's it like? Though? Like I said, becoming a hooper, fucking with AI with you know, a legend that that you looked up to, and now people you look up into the rap him and they're rapping about you. Make shot video that you crib, didn't it? House Party one of his biggest songs. That song was about my house. It was about a party that he came to one of them because I'd be having pool parties out here, but I heard you'd be having the pool parties in Atlanta that I never come to. Different Vibe I'm just gonna get I'm gonna get a hall pass. I'm gonna tell my girl the baby like the last two years Wheel Day, right, you know Beverly Hills in Hollywood, like you know, it's a little different in it. But see you're doing yours at your house, the house, okay, but he's doing this at his own city. You're right, Okay, this is the will I've seen. I've seen an Instagram and I almost wanted to be like, I shouldn't be. I'm too old to be watching. It's just a good time, right, It's just a good time. It ain't no v IP sex, just's no nothing. It forces everybody to hang with everybody and have a good time. I'm there time joint. Can't hide. You can't hide in my party. No matter who you are, it's nowhere for you. Yeah, I get jealous when I look at the Instagram. Got to be that we might do it. I got invited. I just business. We're gonna do a show from there, all the smoke. That would be awesome something. Yeah, we already wear commercials, so we go all well and listen, who do you see? Do you see anybody? I mean, I know you probably not This is probably more for the media. But do you see anyone coming for your six man title this year? This ship? Yeah, I can't nobody take it but Traders. And that's still a win for me his teammates. Yeah, that's a win for me. That's my brother. And so you know, the crazy thing is they don't know how close you all though. People don't know that, right, And he wasn't remembers that's where our chemistry come from. Like he played on my program team Okay, I like him. He's a mother. He played on my program saying. So I don't know if anybody even gets close, um, except except Traders. And you know, I see the Roses doing this thing now, but I don't even know if that's something. The Rose even won't. I heard him say it last year, but I don't know if he's wired for like with that job. Entails was a former m v P. Yeah, it's a different album. Yeah, it's a different things. It's only been so only you and Jamal Crawford have three six man right, so when you win, the next one is history. I wouldn't mind just as just a little bit, right, you know what I'm saying? Like I got the scoring title. I got three, Um, jamal ass three, But I wouldn't mind standing alone on it, you know what I mean? Yeah, tell us about your You got your own shoe? Man, Yeah, that's that's crazy. It's mind blowing to me. Um. I don't know if I'm the only one I think I am. But a career bench player have his own shoe, that's like, that's groundbreaking. You know what I'm saying is, so how many players drafted where you would drafted to have their own shoe? Well, I remember it was crazy was he came in with Monte. It was Mississippi bullish out our little kids, you know what I mean. And I think Monte obviously stepped on the stage before Lou, but then Lou came through and lasted with the longevity. So that's pretty all second round picks. And and I'm glad I stuck around long enough to kind of smell my flowers and get appreciated from my peers and the people I've competed with and against in this game. You know, I think outside the money and the championships and everything, y'all know, the biggest thing that we lived for is that acceptance from the guys that you like he was. He was that dude. You know what I'm saying. It so for me to be in year fifteen, had my own shoe come off the bench be considered a underground goat. You know, I don't even think a lot of people understand what I'm trying to get across when I say underground goat like you know this. You know it's like you got you g K. But like the goats respect them. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, Like that jay Z album, jay Z, look up to you g K. You know what I'm saying. So you've got Lebron's and you've got Katie's. Katie Is went publicly and said that he feels like I'm a Hall of Famer. I'm one of his favorite. You know what I'm saying. That's so like compliments like that, It's worth more than any amount of money could ever do for me, you know, to get get accepted from those kind of guys in this league that you compete against, you know, so because the money don't always reflect that you don't because some guys get the money, you like, still corning. I can't believe that, you know what I'm saying. You hear that a lot, and then you got people that you know O g s like y'all, y'all going aeron, y'all defend my name. You should be making way more than that. That means more to meet than anything, you know what I'm saying that, So to have my own shoe doog like it's mind blownce ask current players, did you guys see people like me and Jack in the media going hard with you? Did you guys see that and hear that when we're out here going hard for y'all for shows. Sometimes I want to text him and tell him to chill. And one time I hit big Bro, I said, are you wrong on this one? Yeah? You know what the saying. I said, you know you're wrong on this one. You know what I'm saying. But behind the scenes, it's like we hear y'all, We see y'all. It takes something simple as just just like the video, stay out the way let them, you know what I'm saying, Because we're still under that machine so much. Sometimes we appreciate it, you know what I'm saying, even if it's just a hit that like, but just let you know I'm right here. You know, we'll see what what what they hate too. They hate the fact that we got the respect and the relationship where when we on TV that I can get a text from you. You know what I'm saying. They wanted to blow up into something. You know what I'm saying. But the fact that the respect of that and it's all coming from a good place. They hate that type ship And whoever gave my microphone some syrup before this? Uh, it's been leaning in the hole and I to just keep dropping. Bron gonna give me the dope fing Mike today. Man, we need to get this finished fixed the next show man, I'm to live for the ship. Go ahead, Man, who is uh in the league right now? Who's the most slept on the player? You think? Or besides shape or starting to make it? Man? Slept on like a young cat. We don't have you have to be young, just something like you know, going to war with like that mother don't get a lot of love. But he can go Drew Holiday. People sleep on great pick Drew Holidays both ways, both ends of the court. Bro Like, I don't think he gets he gets the recognition and the respect that he deserves. Um, that's a great call. Yeah, I like you Holiday? True? I hate seeing Drew Carmine on I ain't on front. He does on both ends and he knew all my ship we played together. Who who to you, who's the best player in the game right now, right now today? I think it's Kauai. I think it's Kauai with Katie being out, and then it's Paul right there behind that. And that's not like a and I'm and I'm not saying Lebron because Brown. To me, it's like grandfather then yeah, yeah, like he's in conversation for the Goat, not parent rappers. To jay Z, yeah, he's grandfather then, yeah, you know that would be my pis. So you see Kauai, Katie and Paul all right in that mix fighting for the best. Yeah, I think they still? Yes, Yeah, who is the best? Who's your top three all time in the game all time? Michael Jordan's Lebron? Yeah three, Yeah, that's three for me. I love that. That's my personal right now. Definitely that's your list. Yeah, Penny Hardaway used to be in there. He probably hate what I tell this, tell yeah, I gotta tell it. So you know, look at look at my Mike. Yeah, it's still leaning double comp somebody gave him like a double. Yeah. Man, So you know, I'm originally from Memphis, Tennessee. UM, and so as far as like basketball, like Penny Hardware, people I didn't like because Penny Hardaway he used to give Mike problem because yeah, because at that time, I was like, it's either Penny or Jordan. I'm like, well it's Penny. So growing up, he was always my my goat. He was always my favorite. And um, my senior year in high school, UM, Nike was kind of was kind of coming for me a little bit because they knew I was going to the league and so they had set it up for the Nike rep to introduce me to Penny. He was playing with the Knicks at the time they was about to play. They was playing the Hawks. So I'm excited the whole day in school. I'm like, I'm working for the me Penny, Like this is crazy to me. So the game go on or whatever. After the game, he come out, they walked me down to meet him. He got on the Sooners ship. So, uh, Nike Rep. He say, uh, he'd say, hey, Penny, this is a young kid I was telling you about he thinking about going to the NBA's name Williams from Memphis. Man Penny shook my hand and even acknowledge me, didn't even look at me, gave me no look at one of these and kept talking to who he was talking to, never looked me in my eyes, never said was something dr And I was like, let's you crush me? You know what I'm saying. It did that. We years later we had a conversation about it because every time I was doing the interview, I have shipping on them left every time I had something to say about it. So he we set out. He was just like, man, I apologize he was on purpose. This is that. I was like, at this point, I'm dope, bro, Like, yeah, like I ain't tripping, you know what I'm saying that. It ain't a big deal to me no more. I just like, ain't with you? Hyeah, Yeah you're out of my list. That yeah, who retirement being around the corner. We hope you get another five six years. But is there anything you look forward to post career? No, Man, I'm locked in a moment. I'm happy where I'm at. I'm happy like I'm at the height of my career, you know, So I'm in the moment right now. So the only thing I can I can really look forward to his fatherhood. You know what I'm saying, just being a better father than I am. Now, So what would winning the championship mean to you? Everything? Yeah, that solidifies everything that I've worked for, you know, as far as where my career took me. I've done everything individually that I can do. Um, So the ring is the last thing for me going platinum. Yeah that'll work too. Yeah, I mean when the ring gona help you go about to say that ring gonna take that, I'm dropping that day. Well, lou man, we appreciate you, man. And that's the rap Man Episode five. All the smoke would arguably the greatest six man in NBA history. You already know. That's the way we need our shoes. Man, we were four teens. We need some We need some shoes. I'm knocking of you. Nigga's out a little proactive man. I would have brought it. I would have brought it with you. Season. We'll get you later. We know when y'all at now. And remember we're gonna do a live show from the pool party. Done deal, it's on record. We don't make sure you guys catch a Showtime Basketball YouTube are all platforms, The Stream podcast All Up h BO,