Club 520 PodcastClub 520 - Damian Lillard on playing w/ Giannis, Russell Westbrook battles, Steph Curry, NBA Top 75
We’re back with Season 2, Episode 93 of Club 520 where the squad interviews Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks. Dame talks about hitting “the shot” against Paul George in the NBA Playoff, playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, going against Russell Westbrook in the postseason, facing Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and making the NBA Top 75 All-Time list. The guys then get into Dame’s rap career, and discuss getting Lil Wayne to jump in on a song, and much more! #Volume #Club
The volume. All right, we're back another episode of Club five to twenty podcasts. Were on the road for a special guest. We got me in a special place.
Man.
We pulled up to Phoenix one time for the camp long away the episode. Man, they've been asking about him. Happy we could deliver. But to my far left, we got my dog Bi should be hearing out the pearles.
How you was.
Nasty, cool and nasty. Let's get to her baby.
Damn.
I gotta tell you, man, he got a uniform so you dont get him out of uniform and yo shoes.
That's a big deal with you know what I mean? Three strips forever to make sure it's straight. Yeah, man, he got the lady change the lacers in there. Oh yeah, I freaked them out. I made them me sure that's your flavor.
Run for show.
To my right and my dog young not your young tig.
How you are man Schilling?
Man, I'm like, we got one of the special players in the bill on top seventy five. Person, I'm a huge fan of I'm really shitty. I ain't get that colorway, but I may you know what I'm saying, A big three player this league.
Hey say, man, we talk about this. Good to see you back in in the three strikes, Man.
I mean, I gotta work something now with Jy'll. I'm about to go on my little rent like Bassie, shut up to the guy.
We love you, we love you, we love you, but.
Till my left.
Man.
We got a special special guest man, one of the coats to touch a basketball, like my bro said, top seventy five and he get busy off the court. You know what I'm saying, music going crazy and if you do too much, you know what I'm saying. The hands is legit too. We got wanted the coachters to ever do it. Dame Dalla Damian Little appreciate you sliding on this big.
Dog for sure. Bro, appreciate you all having a.
Long time coming.
Man.
People been asking for this episode, you know something, trying to make an all star, but know that the weather was too crazy.
We got straight to it, man, But.
Listen, we gotta start with the origins with you, man, because yo, yo, let your history, by your your career is so crazy. Be here. We got to talk about the high school days.
You know what I'm saying.
Yeah, man, I want to tap in with you. What's the let's go back all the way to you. Was you rocking with the guys or did you just know wink up with some guys that was already nice in the city with the rebels.
No, that was like my childhood neighborhood type program. Yeah, okay, like I started with him in elementary school.
And ship.
That was like my first real friends outside of my cousins and my family. So shit, it was once I start getting nice then like the Soldiers and all those other you know, Nora Cali Lee. We had a couple other like programs that was sponsored. They was getting all the shoes. Yeah, but then I was like like these my people.
You know what I'm saying. That's hard, bro.
I stayed with the team. Uh shit. We was in the lower level tournaments.
Then we got older, we started getting into the other ones because we was like way better.
But that was it. I stayed with the local program.
Him. Got a similar story guys too. That's why I wanted to ask you about that.
I did that, but yeah, I switched my senior year. Rock was the guys like that, Bro, I wasn't getting offers. I was like, I forgo this out. Now we had the same team. We just went to one of those sponsored teams. That's all it was.
Yeah, I ain't half we didn't, I ain't getting no offers to the very last summer.
That's me. I was going to your senior year jump down.
Who was your first one?
Okay, that was my first offer.
I remember we had uh we played against this dude that was from Texas, only remember his name. But it was a nine am game. We get there. It was empty, we was there was literally our team.
They team.
It was another game next to us, and it was one coach there that was a coach from Weaver, but he was there to see me and the other dude that game.
They just offered me right after the game. Killed buddy.
Yeah, yeah, took his spot. That was the story right there. It was over fast too. I've seen one coach. That was the first time a coach ever came our game.
Too, So I was like crazy, damn. See I was just playing in front of Auntie's uncles.
Not even that for real. Nobody we was in Oakland.
Everybody came, but on it was just us.
That's crazy.
So for you to go to that head un til same year, it should start going crazy for you. Obviously, you already made that decision he was rocking with. Weaver stated, because they showed interested you early. How was it going to your like getting to college after that crazy high school career.
I mean when I got there, it was it was cool, Like everybody was cool.
Uh.
They was just telling me like, man, you gotta earn your spot. And I remember thinking like, man, like I'm the best player they'd had come here in a minute, and they like, you know you missed class, were sending you home. It was just hella, damn. They just ran a tight shit, you know what I'm saying. It was first day I got there in the summer, it was conditioning, we running stadiums, all this crazy shit, and I remember thinking to myself, like, shit, I don't think I'm.
Really cut for this. It's just crazy.
Like I remember dying after conditioning and thinking like I really don't know if this shit is gonna work out because this crazy.
If this would it take?
So I got through the first day we started playing pickup. I couldn't score, Like everybody was stronger, faster, I couldn't get nothing done. So that was kind of when the transition for me started. I was like, all right, I gotta I got to answer the call like this shit harder than I thought it was gonna be. And then from there it was that was it, you know what I'm saying. I came off the bench like the first four or five games, and uh, then I got to the starting lineup. They had me at the two, and then the guy who was starting at the one.
He actually here at camp.
He was like five six, five seven, but he was just a straight score. And then they they switched us. They made me the point guard in him the two because I was more like a playmaker scorer and he was just getting buckets. And when they switched us, that's when that's when shit change. That's crazy. It's not like you getting recruited, you know what I'm saying. They tell you, hey, you the best. We can't wait till you get here, and you get there like you ain't really shit, you are your spot and on for real.
For real.
Me and him got a very similar story because that's how I was awake for us. I ain't started my first five six games. We had it'sh Smith, So it was started at the point and then I came in playing the two, and like you said, it kind of switched even though this was I was more of a score than this, but he broke his foot. That's how I got a chance to play point. But I was just thinking. I'm like, shit, you was a past first one ship. I know you for buckets because the first time I seen when you was at Weber State.
It's my guy, Lou, I'll never forget.
I think it might have been your junior year because my brother was a senior in high school, I think, and he was like, it's this dude a Weaver State. That's nasty. And I was like he nasty. Was like, man, he reminds me of like Stephan them at Day Davidson. I'm like, oh, this nigga gassing now, Like I ain't going for all that. Then he was like, no, you gotta watch you. So he the game came on, y'all came on latest. Hell, we watched it and you were shooting fadeaways. I'm like, buddy, got the greed. He wilding like he wilding here, but you have bounced. I'm like, he was like, bro, he gonna go top five. I was like, wait for State.
He like.
I was like, they ain't playing nobody. He was like, hey, you tripping, bro, watch what he's doing. And then the next year, my brother was in the draft and I never forgot like, you gotta go against this dude named Dang You gotta get to work out with him.
That nigga to me and said, I ain't about.
To work out against him. Said he was like, man, he going top five working out against him. I was like going top five.
He was like, yeah, he liked that. He said, yeah, seen you at Adida's Nations.
That bro, That's that's the funniest story because when I nobody knew who I was at Adida's Nation yet he was telling me that. But I seen like all of them. Obviously I knew who all them niggas was, but when I got there, everybody was like just staring at me, like who is Like, because they all knew each other, I was the only person nobody knew. So I remember one day I see them all like on the baseline, like in the group, and they all talking and they just kind of like looking at me. So I'm just kind of staring back, like, man, this is one of the moments I got to stay in my ground, like they all friends, Like, I don't know if they think I'm a.
Sucker or something like.
So they all had their little talk or whatever, and then Will Barton walked over there like, hey, like you de Ro's cousin. Like they thought I got in camp. I was a de Ro's cousin. I'm like, nah, I go to weeper. They're like okay. I'm like so the whole time, I'm thinking they talking shit or something. They thinking I'm in camp because I'm de Ro's cousin. Like that's how they thought I got in camp.
That's crazy. Brother told me.
They was like, bro, he was so cold, and he was like, nah, he cold. And then you went, nah, I played you my rookie. Yeall, never forget cause now I always had this thing about rookies. I'm like, if I can kill him the first time, it's gonna be in his head a little bit when we playing. And I seen you watch you sat there, you and DV y'all sit there before the game and like watch people warm up. I'm like, why are you watching me?
Like what are you going? Like?
I'm like, I'm about to get in his head.
So I start woman up for you know, I don't even warm up part start woman apart.
Shooting like yeah, he would pay me No. He was like.
I was like, you know what, I'm going at him first place. I'm telling people like, hey, we're gonna see you can hoop. I'm like, damn, this nigga cold. He gave me with that Kyrie Mom. Remember when I called you about Kyrie. I called my brother. I said, Hey, the dude, dang man, he gonna be raw books done.
He about to be the one. And after that it was over with. I was like, yeah, it's over with. He don't want.
That's crazy, man, It's crazy for you to say that because I'm thinking the same thing against you, Like I remember, like, shit you Darren Collison. It was people that they never was talking about like that. I'm like, these these are the matchups that be the hard matchups, like fast getting to the rim, you got the balls.
So it's like, it's crazy for me to hear you say that.
When we come into the game and they like, you know, Jeff t you know he fast, he can shoot, hes gonna be coming off and transition you gotta stand. I'm like, damn, Like it's gonna be a tough one going drag it. It was the same thing like you had them matchups for it was like them the ones people ain't talking about. They're gonna tell you about c P and Darren Williams, but it's them nights where you show up and it's like it's a it's a tough matchup.
I got this question, man, why the hell did you wears?
Bro don't do that.
I'm from Oakland, respect my college is in Ogden, Utah. And then I got drafted in Orgon.
Okay, I was just.
I don't know.
I was just making sure that have story like him. Nigga wants to be named after I mean where it's number because of Drew. They had the mohawk to get the league was just asking you what you.
Give them with my favorite players?
Yea with Drew good on March man get I just had to ask that row getting.
That's crazy that gonna put this outside up of this shit. Lewis, if you do that?
Bro quick?
Did you come into the league comfortable though, ready to go or it took you a while?
No?
I came in.
I'll say I was comfortable, but I had like I remember during the summer after I got drafted, I was like, my trainer was training tomorrow, he was at camp today.
He was over there.
Oh yeah, I saw, and he started taking me to LA with him. So I was playing. I was working out playing ones with Corey mcghetty, Matt Barnes, Debo, Like I was going against big wings and they was all athletic, and they was all younger at that time. So when I start going to LA playing against them, and they was like backing up off me and I'm winning spots and ones because I'm just hitting jumpers. They letting me shoot. Then they see I can shoot, they was pressing up into me. I was able to get around them. Like just those like a couple of weeks that I was able to go out there and get with them. That was when I was like all right, like I'm gonna be straight.
I got the.
Summer league, and summer League was kind of easy, like it wasn't really a lot of dudes that's actually in the league out there. And then my first preseason game was against Kobe, Steve Nash, all of them, so like I got broke in quick. Yeah he was in earlier, Okay, And that's where, like you said, even you know what I'm saying, what you had to go through a weeper being in options later that kind of prepared you to go in be ready for the like to be a franchise player. A lot of times you go to schools, you got shit the ball a lot and then when you're thrown that situation, you gotta figure it out. Shit, you had already been thrown the fire. And I can imagine playing pick up with Corey mcgaeddiytth Orange. You was getting no foul off.
Nah, they was.
It was big and they was physical, so it was like they wasn't calling no fouls.
It really was no fouls.
So it was and I couldn't come in there calling fouls and they weren't gonna respect it.
So it was that Shi. It was definitely. It was definitely good.
For me for Kobe play in that first game.
Yeah you did?
How was that shit? The first five minutes, I was just staring at you. I'm like, oh, God, like that that's a real person. Yeah, like that's Kobe. But he he wasn't paying me no mind, you know what I'm saying. So when I got on the court, I'm thinking, you know, he gonna be like, welcome to the league, you know something like that. He ain't say shit, just so that kind of like put me back into being a competitor because it was like, you're naturally gonna take it a little personal, even if you feel like that's Kobe or that's Brian or whoever.
I was like, damn, he ain't say nothing.
So I'm like, shit, it's either me waiting to be a fan or I gotta do what I gotta do.
It kind of it flipped back to that, you know, after a couple of minutes, I.
Think it's dope that you got handed the balls soon as you got in the league, Like I want to ask you, you know, you know how I go so like if you didn't, how you think your career would have went? Like you would have had to sit and think about it. Like that was the worst part of me. I had to play. Were about to interview Bibby one of these days, but I had to sit behind Bibby and I used to just wait and wait and wait. You kind of lose your offense a little because you're like, it ain't no way. I'm this sad, but I'm glad they didn't do that to you. I'm glad you got hitted the ball because, like you said, you're a top seventy five player. I want the greatest to do it, Like what you did you want that moment like to learn or was you like like being thrown in the fire.
I mean, I think, shit, a lot of people's career be dependent on that. Like there's a lot of dudes that if they come in and they get the ball right away they could have ain't no telling what they could have did that changed people careers. But when I got there, it was like coming from a small school, I was always telling myself like, shit, I might be in the G League, I might be on the bench. I ain't no telling. But I think once I got there and they was like, you know, he can shoot, he ain't scared. He playing with you know, LaMarcus Ardis, We was able to play off each other.
They was just like they let me go.
And I think just like how I was able to get along with Vets so fast, Like I played with Jared Jefferes and Ronnie Price, so once I was able to earn their respect and I was able to be on the court with them, That's when our coach was just kind of like, you know, just let me learn. He just let me go. And I think that was a big part of it. Is like you said. Being at we were for four years, I was an extension of the coach, so I knew how to I knew how to like get my words off through the team. You know what I'm saying. I knew how to lead a team. I knew how to do the right thing. I knew what it took, you know what I'm saying, to be the guy, but also like not make it all about me where everybody felt like they part of it.
So coming in and.
Playing with Batum and Wes Matthews and La, Robin Lopez, all them dudes, it was like I knew how to be there and be the point guard they need it, but I knew how to not get in their way too and stop them from being able to La get his twenty four attempts, but to him handling the ball sometimes and Wes getting post ups. Like I was aware of that because of my experience and being in school for four years. So ain't no telling how I would have went bro. I think I would have. I would have been straight regardless. But I think them giving me the ball right away to play is what kind of let me just jump out there and get on the track that I that I've been on.
I was ready you already.
I was in Atlanta.
I went to the perfect environment too, like going to Portland that was right by Oakland. Family could come, like some of my family moved up there. It was like quiet. It was a perfect environment. Did you go to mawk when you got to the league? What did you want on that? But how was it playing with l A Man we be.
We one of the more underwrited players.
L A was like, that makes sure easier for you?
Made it way easier. I mean teams was really paying attention to him.
So like.
Being in the pick and roll with him, like he popping, he making every jumper, I'm throwing it to him on the block.
They going to get him.
I'm standing there by myself like coming off picking rolls his man trying to get back to him. So I'm getting Like my rookieyear, I started every game with an elbow pull up jumper off pick and roll, like I literally won two three dribbles to the elbow, pull up everything because they trying to get back to him. Then ship once they saw I could make it, I still was getting pull up three off the pick and roll. Damn there every time, So like playing with him. I was like, one thing I think about in my career is like, if he would have never went to San Antonio, we would have won at least once already because he couldn't because I would have came into my own.
But he was that good.
Facts like, he.
Was that good.
It was fact and batoon, motherfucker sleep on batoon. Batoon was nice.
Bro Bro killing last season. Bro, he just killed this last post season.
He was he was. I hated playing now. They used to do this little flairge little will you know we do that?
Pike.
I took y'all playing, Yeah, that's our that's that's our offense. I used to I used to hate guarded so much. I was like, it's no way you can't use it. It's terrible. Y'are doing all these flares. And when you was guarding him, especially when CJ started playing, well it was it was super effective with West and Patun But when CJ started playing, y'all had the hand doing stuff with and I'm like, they're getting filthy out here now.
Yeah, we was using it. Running off that I was like getting fifty you know.
So that offense was crazy, But playing them, you knew you was about to get you played in Portland, he was getting beat we knew from the East Coast team.
He was like, you're gonna take hell in Portland. It's cool, though.
It's hard to win there, especially when travel. That crowds crazy, ye heard y'all.
And Sacramento got one of the two of the toughest crowds in the NBA.
It used to be like that. That just got like that over the last couple of years. It was like that with Bib and them down for a while and then the last I say two three years it got crazy.
Yeah.
Just speaking that, I gotta ask, what's the most hostile game you've been there, like as far as like environment, like location wise, man, because you don't have been to some battles I say, either at Golden State or at OKC like when they was nice, nice like at okay See.
But Golden State just tough because like.
Playing them in the playoffs, you like, we played them I think my fifth year, or maybe it was my fourth year. It was my fourth year. We played them in the second round. We beat the Clippers. We played Golden State and we was up double digits every game, and I'm like, man, we like we lost four to one, but we could have beat them for to one, but we'd be up nine and it'll be five minutes left in the third quarter. We going to the fourth quarter down eight, and it's like it happened fast too.
It's like they hit one three.
You hear the crowd, You see everybody stand up and somebody taking the ball out and you just looking around like damn, it feel like we down twenty, they come back hit another one. It's like, just see the game just that was That's the only crowd I played against at Oracle or like we could be winning and it felt like the game was like slipping away.
Damn.
Like that's how crazy it was in there. Like Steph hit a three play hit it three like time out like that, walked back to the bench.
Was like devastating.
Damn toughest matchup, bro, Golden State, It's what Steph? You and Steph one on one?
Uh? I mean Stephan, he just he just constantly moving. Yeah, you just can't lose track of Steph. Like he he definitely wanted the toughest. I think just one on one. I say, like, Kyrie, a tough matchup. What's up, Kyrie? Just a tough because you can guard him perfect, he'll still make it either hand bumping them like fat like it, like he just and he he do it when it don't look like it's hard too. Somebody do it and they feel like they just did it smooth and it's all that. You'd be like, damn, like that can turn into him making every shot.
He spoke on Kyrie early.
At one point in my career, I guarded Kyrie more than anybody in the NBA.
Y'all played the line get killed every time.
No.
I was when I was in Milwaukee. They was like he was playing Brooklyn. It was like, you can guard him. You guard him the most of anybody in his career.
I was like, put that better.
We got swept every year, don't guess.
Trying to get you to believe, trying to like, nah, I was already done. I don't believe that you're gonna stay on him, hurt him, hurt Kyrie.
Yeah, he twisted his ankle, but I wasn't getting in it anyway. But I was gonna say, you have battles, for sure, but my favorite battle between you and the guards. I used to watch all y'all games, but you and Westbrook got together. I was like, oh yeah, this this musty TV. Yeah, because y'all, y'all both tough minded guards. We're both gonna talk yp pop yall ship you don't really talk like.
Somebody say something to you then you will go back.
But him, he don't get he's starting. He started every time. I remember one time he did that to me. I was like, bro, I don't care. He was like, that's the problem. That's the problem. Again it was a problem on the trip. No, but what's those battles?
Like I mean it, honestly, that was the most fun, like with Russ because it was like my first five six years, like he was the bully, like they was on TV all the time. And Russ it didn't matter if it was like a big matchup, if somebody was hurting, he was playing against the backup. He didn't care. He tried to do it to everybody. And I just remember when when I was like rookie second year, it was like he used to try to give me fifty every time, Like it was like he would be shooting on me so much that like KD would be getting mad, like past the ball, like he's shooting every time. And once I realized that it was like that. That's when I started taking in person. I'm like this, like I know he always on go against everybody, but he really trying to like come get me.
And that was like when it became personal. So I.
Start going back and then I start having the ball more once like you know we did our rebuild, I start having it more, and you know, he noticed that I was having it more, so I was being more aggressive back at him, and then that's when it had turned into like talking. You know, I've been busting your ass for years and I'd be like, yeah, well, like it's a new time. Like so we started having that conversation. It just turned into every game it was automatic, like I came to the arena knowing like it's on the night, like something happening.
I thought you had real, like be for real because it just seems so tense to know it's just coming from him just on bs, just trying to.
Get on.
Like that. He had cool to us. Its cool off the court, we're cool like, but on the court, it was just like he took that approach and like, ain't nobody punking me.
I don't care who you.
Is turning you up? Though it did for sure yeah, you ain't see the playoffs. I mean got back the blood because Pat said he was the bully of the NBA.
So here you go.
Stop continue God, I don't want to rule it.
Oh you fried man.
Man.
I got to ask I always want to ask you this, ques Es, what's your favorite game winner between the One and Portland? You know what I'm saying, coming off the curl knocking it down or the bad shot quote unquote the bad shot.
That's that's my favorite one for sure.
I know that was a personal comption for you, obviously winning the series. But do you know what you did to the internet with that shot?
Bro?
You fucked everything up that shot. That was probably one of the hardest edits, the filest stretch my head. So that shot is one of the hardest basketball edits.
Of all time.
Bro.
Yeah, that that that was a moment for sure. Yeah, and you you definitely when it happened. I ain't even think about it like that until you know after the game, you do media, all the shower, you do all that stuff, and then like you finally get to your phone, Like I look at my phone right after, but then when you go into that whole post game process, it's like a little minute in the playoffs for you get to your phone and I just remember after that, I was in a sprinter, I was on my way back home, and I was just sitting there on my phone and I was like, it was so much shit that happened that I ain't even remember it happening. Like I looked up into the camera. I ain't even remember that moment. Crazy picture, crazy. It was just that whole ship was It was a blur until I saw it. I was like, damn, you remember waving though, I remember that. I remember you waved. I don't know if it was your brother or something. My brother right there, yeah he came.
I said, oh they are.
But that's how you know when it be personal because you got a brother. So you know when like just like I know, like what type of when I come into the game, I'm playing against Russ or whatever, Like you see russ brother sitting in the courtside too, Like everybody who got a brother, you know, like when you go home or when you step away, your brother is the one that your like, man, he got you up. No ever, you know what I'm saying, Like it's that type of conversation. So it's that type of investment. So when it happened like that, he was like, shit, he made the shot.
Just what It's like, you knew you was gonna take that shot, though, you do it.
I knew after about like when the clock got like I remember, I was about to call for a switch to get PG off me. I was calling for another defender. But then he was a little bit like back a little bit, so I kind of waved them off, like and right when I waved them off, I was like, I'm shooting.
This shit right here.
Damn you know how far you was, Bro, That's what I was saying. Bro, you shot that bitch from Yonder Bro.
What's crazy? Is my trainer Field, the one that's running the camp. He came to OKC like after I think it was like after game three he came to Okay. See, we was in the arena shooting and that whole series, we were shooting at night, and I was just shooting a bunch of deep threes, and he was like, you're gonna, like you gotta make these, like You're gonna keep making these in the whole series. I was just hitting deep three after deep three. So when it got to that end of the game, like I just remember like CJ was like to my right and I could just see his arm like telling me like go, like it's time to go. But I already knew in my head, like he stayed right there, like I'm shooting this ship right here.
You go there for that.
And it was a tie game, so I'm like if I missed over, yeah, that's crazy. And that shot got brought originally again because we watched the Steph in the Olympics and that shot that he hit and the gold medal game was just like that was crazy.
That's just different.
Ship, Like I just get it like that, And a lot of people talk about obviously we know stuff to go, like you one of the best shooters of all time that don't get enough credit on that because you really go crazy, like we were looking at the highlights, but you they don't talk about enough.
Bro number two with him and Clay number two because I feel like I feel like you can shoot off the dribble better though. I mean, Clay, I ain't gonna lie because he us and I got a different view.
Like.
Yeah I got PTSD from Clay, but the way you can shoot off the dribble though, I put that.
In like you on stuff in a different run with that the.
Hardest shot, they more contested people guarding you harder. You know what I'm saying, Like it's it's different, bro. Hell, Yeah, they definitely don't. They definitely don't talk about it. They act like I don't be doing what I've been doing, Like this may be my thirteen season.
You've been going crazy for a long time.
Still you've been cold. That's what we want crazy because it's been a long time. Like I'm just saying, it's like my time in the league when you when I think about, like how many people have been very good, like over that time, and then there's been more people very good and more people very good for a couple of years, Like it ain't been that many people that been here the whole time, Like since I've been in the league, that just been doing it like over and over and over. But I think people just get bored with consistency. And I ain't loud, but like, should I been doing it that long and winning? Like it ain't like I've been doing it and I'm playing fourteen that just never been in the playoffs, Like, yeah, poor season before or last Brad average thirty almost thirty three game. Bro. No, I know, Like, it's hard average dub in the league for a decade. Bro, it's crazy. I've been over twenty five for damn near eight nine years.
What another I gotta stop cussing. But another person, you know how I get that botherfucking c Yeah ship too, But I'm saying that goes to you.
Like, but I always told CJ, like I could think of games where CJ come out hot. He got eighteen in the first quarter. I ain't trying to get my twenty two like CJ. I remember one game he was playing against Chicago, he had fifty and three quarters. I think I just didn't shoot, kept giving it to him, like because I'm I want to see everybody do their thing.
Like, Yeah, if I'm gonna have I'm gonna have a lot of moments.
I want to make sure that when it's somebody else moment, I'm gonna let him have a moment because I won't. I want niggas to be happy for me and I have mine, So I ain't gonna try to be hogging at the moment all the time.
So it seemed like the media trying to break out up for a long time, Bro, trying to separate your saying I was too small, Like so that goes to show what type of person you are, for shure to let him rock out like that for sure.
Even to see you like how you and brace Simon is like nah, Bro, like I'll show you how to get to it. And you can see the direct reflection of that, Like obviously you could tell Bro in that locker room of your presence is felt. Bro, you show love and that's like even with you, like you said when you got no starting position, all right, I'm straight.
I'm gonna make sure my backup.
He's gonna get his breath.
Too, and that was my goal.
But like what he does is not normal, like especially as a friend showing people love that essentially it's supposed to take your spot, and that's not what when I was coming in the league, Like people weren't really doing that, Like nobody was doing a camp or they invite guys to come and work out with them to show.
What you do to help them get better because they want your spot.
I mean, I know, Bro, Like to me, I'm looking at the game and how like these dudes coming in and behaving and I'm looking at a lot of weird behavior, like how they handle success, like the shit that they're doing and what they're saying and how they act when they have some success, and I'm just like that, ain't that shit is not gonna last. And then when they stopped working and it don't work, and then they down bad and they broken up about it, Ain't nobody gonna come save you.
Ain't nobody gonna care. So I'm just trying to.
I'm trying to touch them and reach out and give them everything that I know because I know it's gonna give them a chance to sustain it. So like all of them dudes that's behind me, like I'm gonna give them everything because I'm not in competition with them, Like I know I'm gonna win. I already been winning, and it ain't because I've been hating on somebody or holding out. That's actually why I keep winning because I'm not hating and I'm sharing it and putting the next player, young player, whatever in position to do what they gonna do because I'm what's for me is for me, Like I'm gonna be me all the time, and it ain't it ain't gonna stop.
That's rue. Everybody ain't like that, Bro. I remember my guy ets just always tell me that about you.
Man.
He used to be like, dang, no realists, bro. He want everybody to win. And that's a fact.
Like just even seeing that with my own eyes today, I'm looking at all the young guys you're working with. I'm like, man, if I could have had something like this when I was a rookie, because they asked me, we were sitting up there watching like did you do this when he was rookie? I'm I'm like, no, what nobody taking me under their wing. It showed me how to get better. They thought I was gonna come to take their spot.
But it's I mean, the thing about like the camp, bro, is we got like speakers, like mental like stuff that is gonna help them with stuff that ain't got nothing to do with basketball, because they all gonna have agents, especially now, they got agents, they got managers, they got family members, You got all these people that's pulling them in all these different directions. And then when it don't work out, ain't nobody gonna be there? Yeah, it ain't. None of them been in position to really give them no sound that that's gonna actually help. They just think he about to make some money. They think he better than everybody when they don't really know what's really going on, Like they don't really know who in this league, who they competition is. How the coaches look at him, they just think this is my family member.
He'd have won.
So it's like we're trying to share as much as we can with him on the court, but off the court too, so they don't come in here thinking it something it's not. And they been, you know, their whole life, they've been working to be an NBA player, and then they at the league in one year and don't know what to do. Now they just somewhere, you know, doing anything. I ain't playing basketball no more. So that's really what our focus is because a lot of these dudes, you know, it's two way players, second round picks, first round picks. Some dudes on the you know, they on a cusp, like that third year. You know, you get your option picked up, you guarantee that third year, but after that you might be overseas like it's spooky. Yeah, they don't care what pick you was no more. Now they're looking at you like he wasn't what we thought he was. That's another nineteen year old that like they looking at like they used to look at you, so you can go yeah, yeah, So it's like we trying to stop that from happening. But they it's a lot that they got to understand on the court, but also like what goes into it off the court too, you know what I'm saying, Like them drills we did today that wasn't Euro steps and a bunch of side steps like Brady's are conceptual drills you have to be able to do in the NBA. Like the X is on the court more reason bron gonna zip the ball to that X right there. If you're not, there's gonna go out of bounds coming out. He gonna put his hands in the air and look at the coach and you're coming out for sure. So it's like this the type of stuff they got to know or you can't make it, especially for some of the positions that they end like y'all not the number one pick.
Of the draft, so nah, it's dope, which I first syear being out of Portland.
How was that transition coming into a new team in New City and getting adjusted to play with another great player like Jannis.
It was.
Like I was excited about it, like going into it, just opportunity to like really win.
Like every year.
I always thought, like if you're a competitor, you like this, Like we can do it this year, you know what I'm saying, Like you talking to the team.
Everybody excited this in New Year.
But this was the first time where I went into it like we can win for real, like and it was kind of It was kind of fucked up because I had a, you know, a bunch of family stuff going on, going into like that summer, going through a divorce and knowing I'm gonna get traded, but not knowing where I'm gonna get traded to, so I couldn't get hurt, got to be able to pass a physical, so I wasn't able to get up and down at all. Like I didn't play pick up or nothing the whole summer, damn. And my first day getting up and down was the first day of training camp and I did. I got traded like two three days before camp. So I got to Milwaukee, I did my physicals, move my stuff into the apartment I was in for a little bit.
The next day I went to go shoot.
The next day was media day, and the next day was practice, and I remember like going up and down in practice and we got to stop. Gianni's got the rebound and I'm like running up the sideline and he threw it ahead to me and I jumped up and caught the ball and I landed like if this dot of bounds line, I was this far out of bounds, Like I caught the ball way out of bounds. I'm like, oh, I'm off, Like I ain't on point, Like I ain't ever did that shit before. I'm like completely out of bounds. So we keep playing and just because I'm a score, like I hit a couple of threes, like I got to the rim a few times, but I could just feel like my body didn't feel good. I'm like, I'm thinking, like I just had to pick my life up in two days and just go and like plays. You know what I'm saying, Like, ain't nothing, Ain't nothing really settled. So like I pretty much spent the whole year trying to like just get my mind to like be there and to lock in and be sharp because I knew what type of opportunity I had, you know what I'm saying. But it was a it was a harder transition than I thought for real.
Like just.
Like I said, because of my life, but then also like adjusting to playing with another great player, and then also playing with Chris, Like Chris is a is a great player too, but he plays a certain way too. So I'm having to get used to playing with two players and I don't want to stop them from doing what they do. But I got to find how to be the best version of me within this too. So it was just a lot of it was a lot of moving parts. It was.
It was more difficult than I thought.
It would be damned to get that ship together. Yeah, trust at the Pacers. Yeah he thinks they got smoked for y'all. Bro We did last year last year. Last year they like fo.
Last year.
Yeah, it was hurt last year. It just was, you know they I think the first time we played them, I don't think I played. I think if we played them in Indy, I don't think I played in that game. And I think the next time we played them was in the N season tournament and then they beat us in that game, and and that was when Halliburton was like, you know, my time whatever. So like when I seen that, I respected it. That's why I said after the game, I respect it. Like that's like if you know, like how Rush used to do this and sometimes people used to do it back. He had to take it because I didn't did it to so many people. So I respected it. But like at the same time, you like, we're gonna address that. I respect it, but we're gonna we're gonna get back to that at yes.
Yes.
So then like the next time we played them, I think, uh, we beat them in Milwaukee, and then.
I think, you know, they beat us.
I think four times we beat them that one time, but at the time that we beat them was when the situation with the ball and they had like fifty yea Joannis had sixty six.
Sixty four or something like that.
Jesus Christ, so like he got that look back, yeah, but he was just just done in every play, like they he there's nothing they could do that night. So that happened, and then you know, the season went by, so like we lose the last game of the season and I'm looking at the schedule, I'm like, we about to play Indiana in the playoffs, and that was when I was.
Looking at it. I was like, I ain't it been like a little back and forth. Year been a lot.
You know, I'm trying to figure this out, figure that out. But I was like, now we're about to be about to see in this like in this playoff. So I mean, it's it's kind of fucked up. We was banged up a little bit.
I was hurt, bro I was hurt.
No, but I felt like we still was gonna win. Respect, I felt like we still don't win. But I mean, Chris Milson believes that Banking three is going to overtime and ship he damn sure believe.
Yeah.
He I mean, I still felt like we was gonna win. But I mean they sometimes teams have a run and they had to run. They end up getting to the conference finals and they beat us in six games. I mean, I still felt like we we had Actionally what I'm saying, I strained my achilles again and uh in game three too, So get well son, y'all was hurt to be fair as he was hurt.
But you get out there, you get beat, you get beat. You know what I'm saying.
Respect heye, dass niggas.
This energy low like he marking that pace.
We had a grazy season. I seen, y'all because I'll be watching. So I've seen the episode. Y'all was like, you know the Pacers whatever. I'm like, no, I remember you, was like I remember over there? Whatever, I want to chicken Milwaukee Deer. We got a boss and half to sat down. You gotta shouts about dogs.
Now, how you'll have a hell of a year this year?
Though, for sure it's gonna be crazy this year. You just gotta be healthy. What's gonna come down?
What's like playing with Nis? I had a chance to play with nice as a point guard. I ain't gonna lie. I'm gonna keep it a bean, It's me. I love Jannie.
He's a good dude, super cool, but at a point guard. Now, hey, I'm cool. I'm gonna keep it real, bro, I'm cool. I'm cold cold, I'm coolish.
Corner my boy.
No, this is the I mean.
The thing about playing with Janni's is like when you're being great and you've won playing a certain way, for sure, you you gotta respect that.
That's that's how you play, That's that's how you know. And then you put me into it.
I'm used to having the ball too, but I came into the situation like, you know, like I gotta be a great compliment to Jannis. So I knew it wasn't gonna be what it was in Portland, but I just think it was a It was just an adjustment for him. You know what I'm saying, Like it's different when you got some different type of help. You know what I'm saying, Like it don't take as much, you don't have to give as much. You know what I'm saying, Like we can do it a little different. And I think it the best part about it is like we have a conversation about it. Yeah, it ain't like he was just like I'm not changing. He was just like dagn sometimes like you gotta just tell me, like pass the fucking ball. You gotta tell me because like all I all I know is go like I'm gonna go like but don't like he'll tell you, like tell me. And he that's all I had to say. And he mean it though, like he I give him credit because he because he mean it. I'm saying, like that's really how he how he think. Like when I got there, I'm watching him work out. He working out against four people and they all failing, like and he's like, no, like you gotta find me harder than that, you know, Like damn, So that's how he that's how he That's just how his mind is.
The One thing I do love about you is though he do listen, Like he'll listen to anything you say, like he'll take it in. I don't know if he was listening to me, but he was. He was considering it. I'm like, I'm like, look, i'm fast too. If you get it to me on the break, I can get to the ring. He looked, Okay, all right, get out the way.
Brother. Yeah, it's just an adjustment, bro. I think that was the biggest thing. And like as the season went on, we talked about it more and more. The more that we got to know each other, it was like I felt more and more comfortable telling him like, if my man is sitting right there in that gap and you can't get in there, just swing it to me. After I hit a couple, like, he gonna get a little closer to me and you're gonna have more space. Like we started to have more and more conversations like that. But I also would tell him like, it's also gonna let me know like when the ball is coming, because he get in the paint so easy. You know, he'll get into the paint and sometimes he had just dunk on two people. Yeah, and then sometimes you know a third person to come and you know, just jump before he jump, and then he'll throw it and I'm thinking he about to shoot.
So it was just like as the season went on, we.
Talked more and more and like we definitely had our stretches where it was like that was it right there. Like I remember we went to La we played the Lakers and I had like thirty five and eleven and he had thirty five and twelve and eight. And then we played the Clippers and I had like thirty four and ten and six and he had thirty seven, twelve and nine. And it was like those back to back games. I remember like walking through the tunnel and we were just looking at each other like this, how we got to this, How we gotta do it? Like it ain't gonna always look like this numbers wise, but like when we on point on point, it could look like this, but we got to use each other. And then both of those games down the stretch, we played two man games. I'm coming off, hit him in the pocket. He don't have nothing. He come back to me, I'm shooting threes off the handoff. I come off the handoff, get to the paint. His man come to me, I'm dumping it off dunk. It was just like we was just we was clicking, you know what I'm saying. But I think when you have an injuries, you know, I miss a game here, then he missed a game, and then Chris missed a stretch of games like we was never able to just fully like click all at the same time. You know. Then I think they both missed a stretch of games. And we playing the Clippers and then Bobby Half twenty eight and fifteen, I have forty. We beat the Clippers with everybody, and then we beat Phoenix with everybody.
Like we just it was just a little It was a funky year, bro.
I mean, that's why I had y'all win the chip. We talked about it about, you know, but all them things, combined injuries and.
All that stuff.
You gotta be healthy, Brod, y'all want the chip. But I got y'all went hold on, let me, it's gonna be be real, do I got. He's just crazy this year to JT, he mad right now. He ain't getting no tick.
It might be.
It's gonna be an interesting year. Bro, it's gonna be tough, but it's I think.
I mean, you know, from being in the league a long time, bre it's a lot of ship that happened over the course of the NBA season a lot, but it's a lot deer man.
I don't want the de deer man. They don't no board, but I still rock with I say, I ain't see you in the building at all this year?
Might people back there would be no fives on the walker. We gotta you know, president back, I'm going into the game this year. You play open to night. I think we at Philly.
Oh that's tough.
That trip.
I didn't want to look to that.
I think we have feeling.
I want to hop into the rap ship though, Bro, when did you pick up the pen? When did you start? Like did you start our freestyling with the guys on AU trips and then it turned in That's.
How it started real. Yeah. So like.
My AU coaching, we was in like sick great like we used to you know, we would do the local tournaments. We would go to Sacramento, we might go to Vegas, we would go to LA But we used to all, we used to have four people to a room, like for our tournament, so it was like two beds. We literally was back to back in the bed, back to back in this bed. Four of us in one room.
Damn.
But at some point he would have us all in one room and we all just kind of be circled up in there, and he had talked to us like, hey, you know, I'm gonna talk to y'all like men. Like you could tell he was trying to mold us to be like certain time he would tell us like you know what I'm saying, y'all from Oakland, Like we ain't scared, we don't care.
You know what their name is, who they are, what type of gear they got. They was trying to mold us like that, you know.
And they started doing this thing where like he'd start rapping, and then we pretty much had to pass it around and everybody and everybody had to rap, Like we had a couple of white dudes on our team, like they had to rap.
Yeah.
I made him get in the booth and we sitting in a circle like this, Dann. We just passed it around and everybody had to rap. And I just remember, like when I rap sometimes like they'd be like like that was hard, you know, like and I felt like every time I spit, I had to keep coming with something clever like I. And then like all my cousins I grew up around, was doing music. They was all rapping. And then Ship. By the time we got to high school, you know you come out warm ups, we was coming out to our own music. Go record that's far, let them play the music we're doing, layup lines was playing our own music. College, we started doing mixtapes and then Ship that was was.
You a West Coast rapper? First was you? Forty said.
Wow, we now who was I?
Being from the West Coast?
I like West Coast music, but my style of music was always more like East Coast gotcha because I like bars. I like people that could like rap for real, and that was never the style on the West Coast like that.
It was more bounce, you know, like dance Steve, you know, it was more like that.
But I always preferred my style because I'm I like, you know, lyricism and writing and bars and doubling tundras and stuff like that. So I wrote like I'd write music like the kind of music that I listened to and then I try to find like that balance of like what's player and what sound good boring and preachy, and that's kind of like the laye that I do my music in.
When Did You Know You? Was nice though, like all right, I can really do this. I can start putting the LP out the album up. I start in Wayne Jada for a feature like I did.
I think it was like probably like twenty fifteen, I start putting stuff out on SoundCloud and no, it was before that.
I did what was that?
What was that All Star twenty fifteen? Yeah it was it was twenty fifteen All Star in New York. I was at that one. Yeah, so All Star twenty fifteen in New York. I did Sway in the Morning because Sway from Oakland. So he was like, you know, you do your media stuff out there. He was like, come on the show. Yeah. So when I walked in, he was like, man, like, I don't want to put you on the spot, but I know you'd be rapping, Like do you want to spit something? I was like yeah, So like I rapped on Sway like during All Star and like the video like that's my most viewed rap video on the internet.
Like so like after that, that's when everybody was.
Like, you gotta start putting music out, like this shit fired, like it went viral, remember that shit. And then after that, I start putting it out on SoundCloud and I was doing a bunch of SoundCloud stuff and then people was like, you got to drop an album. And I remember, like my twenty sixth birthday, that was probably the following year. For my birthday, I did my first show, but I performed all SoundCloud songs.
Where are you performing at in Portland?
I sold it out. I sold it out a show in Portland on my birthday. After I did that, and then I start working on the album after that, and like all my partners, Adidas at JBL at the time, like they started wanting to use my music for like all my stuff.
So that's really how it started.
That's hard, bro.
I needed to own my music.
I needed to own like my publishing and the masters and all that to be able to use it for like commercials and all of that stuff so that I can make money from it.
And then from there it just took off.
Yeah, I heard you say you had one of uh somebody working with you, your agent or something like you hadn't really tap into the music.
He actually worked for my agency.
He's like one of my agents, but like they he always get on me because my very first game in my career, like a regular season was against the Lakers two. So he played them on Halloween and we actually beat them, and I had twenty three and eleven, and I remember walking out the locker room the night before, me and my cousins.
Was just upstairs like freestyle and writing bars.
And I came out the locker room and they was like, man, that was a great game, Like you just played against Kobe. You just had twenty three and eleven, only Alan iverson. So they telling me all these stats and shit like, and I remember I was just I let him finish, and I was like, bro, I really can rap.
But I was thinking about what I was writing in my notes. I'm like, bro, I really can rap.
And they all looked like, man, not another fucking basketball player, thinking like they can rap because they hadn't heard me rap. So then he started I started sending them stuff this phone, like after I record, I send it. So he really was like just you know, an agent working for my agency doing basketball stuff.
And now he basically is like you know everything about me, he and my A and R.
But he do all the business side of everything with my music as far because he didn't learn, Like he didn't learned everything.
That's right, bro.
Yeah, I remember the four ball Friday's going crazy. Yeah, I started four bar Friday. So what's that energy like? Having a sold out crowd listen to you? You know, rap like you get it in the NBA. You can playing in front of thousands of people. Then you go you up on stage's you know, it's different. It's definitely different. Like my first couple of times, I'm like, man, I wonder if they even go like funck with the music like that. And like when I got up there and I did the first show for my birthday, I was doing this freestyle and I think I posted a clip of it at the time on my Instagram. But I was rapping and I was like rapp Like one of my bars, I was like, last time they count me out what I do?
Game six?
I said, last time they count me out what I do? Game six? Talking about when I had the three on the rockets and I said it in at the show, I said, last time they count me out?
What I do?
And the whole crowd said Game six and it was and it was a clip of it, and I was like, oh, they fun with my ship. I'm really nice after that after that and I was like, all right, bro, you're about to crash out and crash you put the jump off stage crashing out.
Who been your favorite collabse so far as a two parter and then like, who you look forward to work in the future with?
Uh, my favorite so far? That's crazy.
I gotta say Wayne, because like the first time I got with Wayne, it was actually somebody reached out to me for Wayne because they was like, you know, he wanted to do something with you because he you know, he liked how you don't try to rap like a rapper.
He can tell you just rapping like you. So we connected like that and ship.
Me and Wayne got so many songs together that ain't ain't even released, like because everything I send him, he do it and just send it right back, like he just he do that shit fast. So it's a bunch of shit that we haven't that I haven't even put out. But I'll say that one because I actually been to the studio with him and like being able to see it, I was like, damn.
Like, you know how crazy that is? Bromber.
I grew up on little Wayne Bro like.
Like Wayne Bro.
No, it was crazy because when I he was like, I was in l A. He was like, yeah, pull up, come to the studio.
That's crazy.
And I remember I was like all right, and then I was on my way there and I was thinking like damn, like I'm finna pull up on Wayne at the studio. I'm thinking he's finna have fifty people there. There's gonna be a whole situation.
I got there. It was him and the engineer. That was it. That's crazy, man.
And he probably wrapped through thirty five different beats, just like play the beat. He's standing up at the MC. He had rap rap, rap, they bring it back here, rap over some more. He wasn't writing it or nothing. He just was kind of like rapping over each track, just kind of punching in. And then he played some ship for me that you know, hadn't been released. I was like, Bro, this dude really is like how you even think about half of this ship? You're saying like it was crazy. It was a crazy experience. Bro, still be doing that to this day. It's still crazy. Like he coming crazier, like right now, like he keep going in his bag right now?
What's the girl?
The who for l s U? She gave her?
He gave her a real verse, fire verse, crazy and like as an athlete too, like people will give you a throwaway too, they'll just do something to be like here, you know what I mean, like what they won't do it. So he gave her a real verse. And he always gave me a real verse, and he never gave me no little bullshit.
Yeah, who's somebody look forward to though? Or you want to that you ain't collab with your man? You got something Cold?
Man, I've been on Cold a long time. I've been on his ass for I've been on about.
Hit him, serve.
I been on his ass.
That's how I want to interview, Like, Bro, we got the dam, Bro, we got your dame.
That's why I hit me, Like Bro, I'm trying to work it out. I feel bad.
Bro supposed to this ship months ago. I appreciate it, but I've been trying to get one with Cold for a minute. But I actually know him, like like he hit me, Uh, he randomly hit me one time, and I'm thinking like, Okay, I see his name problem, like, oh, he finally finished.
He probably said something through.
I opened the message up and he hit me about like our roster to see, like if we got a roster spot about somebody he know trying to get back in the league playing GM. He was playing GM on me. I'm like, oh my god, bro, I thought the track was coming through. I'm finish, send it right back. But yeah, I say, Cold, that's my that's my boy man. But Ship Drake, it's I mean, it's it's a crazy few names to say, but I say Cole, Drake and Kendrick, the three, them three.
I gotta get at some point.
When you just said I forgot that Cold really wouldn't hoop to Africa.
That's what I thought he was about the highlights. He really he really loves hoops.
So like what I do send him sometimes is like when I see other rappers that's actually nice and hoop. I always send him a clip up like hey, he might he might be able to get you. I know you'd be tight.
He probably hot.
Who you think better him with Chris Brown? Chris Brown.
I think Chris Brown like he's just he an athletic, like he an acrobatic he just he can hoop for real.
Like when I see his clips, he looked like a young player, you know what I'm saying, Damn co I don't know.
I'm thinking there's probably more athletic, more athletic, but like really love hoop though, so that I can get the best rap hooper is Davey's going to hooper crazy, David's hoop.
He's the best.
A dude name it's this dude. It's a rapper. He ain't like super Big. His named Dax though. He nice and hoop.
We got somebody from at the end of that rap for real, that's nice.
David's just like that though, like Dax, I'm telling you. Look him up on Instagram looking nice. Look up de Bo from Indianapolis.
Yeah, he really d one.
He was you. He really, he really liked that, you know. Yeah, crazy, he gaged the rapper. That's nice and hoop that I'm.
Rapper.
Gilly Gilly can HOOPI he'd be hooping Gillia Big three, m v P bro NL chopper hoop too.
Yeah, you can tell he played a you for the show.
Yeah he can hoop, bro.
That's a few who it's somebody I can't think of right now.
They're rap nobody we grew up on.
He said, na.
I tell you at the All Star Game too. Bro, you got bors, but you one of my favorite you. You got bors.
Cam cam cam cahoop. You know we ain't doing this on the show, boy Kelly, why why musicians? I can play basketball, you know.
I.
Just team uniform.
I'm not come on, good dame out of here. But it got this campush to get me all rapp up before we got out.
We can't let you go, bro, you top seventy five. Man, you had that moment to be there at that ceremony.
Man, what's that like?
Bro? Honestly it was. It was crazy, bro, because I didn't when they first announced it. I started seeing like lists of like this is my top seventy five, this is my top seventy five. So I thought it was just like a trend that you know, people were saying who they thought they top seventy five players were. And I remember driving to the gym one day and somebody called me like you made it. I'm like, like what you talking about? And they sent me a picture of it. You know, they had the little thing around your head and it was like you made it. I'm like, so they actually put like a committee together to like pick seventy five players. And once I found out I made it, I'm like, well, shit, who didn't make it? So I look and see some of the people that didn't make it, I'm like, damn it. Like it was the first time that I was like they really looked at people's like body of work, like the availability them winning, like what they've been able to do consistently. Like this ain't like no All Star voting, it ain't popular contest, it ain't none of that.
It's like, what have you done?
So, like that's why that's why it meant so much for me, because it was like I could think of bigger names and you know, people that you if they had to say seventy five players that they might just off the top of the head put them in front of me. But when you look at the body of work, it's a lot of players in the league that like it's probably like James kd Russ, Steph Bron Damar, but after that, Chris Paul, after that. It ain't nobody that got more career points than me.
That's a fact.
And like they all been in the league for three or more years longer than me, and I ain't far behind. So it's like, like I said earlier, that been like with me being in the playoffs on a vet team and on the rebuilding team. We didn't we started rebuilding. We was right back in there, like right back in the playoffs eight straight years. So it's like that was the first time I was like the like they made the right decision. Like people ain't gonna see it right now, but when they look back at like what actually took place, they're gonna be like he should be in there. And then you know, we got to uh to Cleveland for the like seventy fifth anniversary event and just being in the room and seeing you know, Kareem and Magic and like seeing all of these dudes, that was the first time I was like like should I even be in this? Like this crazy to be in here and I'm like one of them, and being in the picture and taking a picture with you know, the other Oakland Point Guards. It was you know, gp J kid like being up there with them. It was like I'm amongst this group. But I'll say that like the craziest part and I told this story I think on the on Q Rich and uh In d Miles shots and knuckleheads on knuckleheads, like.
Everybody was there.
But when when Jordan walked up, that's when I was like, this man is like not even a real is he even a real person? Like it was probably eighty cameras surrounding like the other seventy four players when he walked up, it was probably his own set of sixty cameras. And he walked up and it was like you can see right away he ain't like we part of the top seventy five, Like he's the one, like he a part of his own group. And that like that was when it was the most obvious to me, Like seeing him walk up. Even when you was in a building, when they called his name out, it was like, nigga, we could all leave now, like let him go up there by hisself. That's how loud it was. It was like that shit wasn't real. It's crazy, bro.
Top seventy five, Bro, that's crazy.
That's like you know, coming from no name AAU team, we restate to get the top seventy five, Bro, I don't probably could you dreamed that?
Nah?
I said it yesterday when I was talking to the campers when I was just telling him, like I was stressing to them, like all of the people that's working camp, that's not like a NBA coach, Like even the counselors, the you know, a lot of the staff is like they coached me. I played with him, they played in college. Now they coaching college or they coach in the NBA, like they got credentials. But they also witnessed my story and everything that I went through, so they they know that none of the stuff that we're doing, it ain't just no, oh I'm a start. Now let's make sure let's you know, act like he know everything. He ain't have no you know, he ain't do nothing wrong. This shit was seamless, Like they've been there for the whole thing. So they witnessed it and they can share the same message that I'm sharing and they've experienced it through me. But they also know, like the formula or formula zero is not me saying this is what you gotta do. I'm a product of the formula that all of these people make up and I'm sharing that with them. And I was like the reason why it is important for y'all to like be invested in this and to embrace everything that's happening here is because I don't need nothing from y'all. But because of all of this stuff and like my ability, I've been able to accomplish way more than I ever would have thought. Like I would have never have been like I'm about to be top seventy five. Even when they was talking about top seventy five, I wasn't thinking, oh, I'm in there for sure, you know what I'm saying. So like I never could have I never could have dreamed of it going like this, you know what I'm saying. I was just when I came in the league, I was like, man, I might spend some time in the G League. Literally, I was literally thinking that I might spend some time in the G League. Shit, I might. I might go to Miami and be playing with Brian and d Wade, be just a shooting point guard like shit, I don't know.
But I could have never dreamed of everything that's happened happening.
And that's why, especially with you be at top seventy five and deserving of that for sure. She said, you get overlooked a lot, and the time change, like you said, it's always voted Fatigua garoo for people. But like you can talk about all the newer guys, there's a lot of younger point guardsen league. But still you still hold your ground, you still do your thing. You're still set the center with that before we get out of here, it ain't gotta be a no order. Just know what I'm saying. Who's some of your top five players? They ain't even gotta be the best, or who's some of your favorite players right now?
Just period?
I say right now, because if we say period, it's a lot of people I can't leave off the list right No nigga get the waller.
So right now, I'm gonna go, uh Anthony Edwards.
I think everybody super high on him right now, but I like him because of his energy, Like his swag about him is authentic and he got the game to go with it. So I'm gonna go Anthony Edwards. I'm gonna go uh Ja Morant shout out the joy. You know, he got in some trouble, so I think people kind of turned off to him a little bit, But I mean, I I know what I'm looking at. Yeah, I mean I'm gonna I'm gonna go Anthony Edwards. Jama Rant Luca leave me somebody, yeah, joker m hmm, And be honest, that's my five right now that I'm like, when I'm watching and they like my favorites, I'm gonna go so.
Far that backcourt trenchy.
Babies, that's somebody that comes out. Hell, your two picks was a lot of Oakland, Like I say, I mean, I mean I'm going with like obviously younger players. Yeah, I mean that's what you know. That's the group I go with.
But they all like real though, Like when you watch him, you can tell, like I hang out with him, you know what I mean? Like John Morant, he come on thirty eight. Yeah, he clow with me.
Anthony. That was definitely one of us, for sure.
It was funny even see the joker. He was like when Olympics, he was all right asking, I'm by killing my niggas, drinking beer, watching horses for shure. I know Lucas smoking the squares when we're.
Squares.
He's not the new Ports getting fit.
Took me square.
That was a beer. Y'all want to take a beer.
Now?
I dang.
We appreciate you. I'm a zero cab man. We appreciate you making this happen. Man, y'all know what it is. Club five twenty light Share Subscribe be here telling people that grasp some merch at shop Club five twenty dot com. The show we appreciate y'all. Catch y'all next time.
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