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0:50

What's up, everybody, Welcome back to The Draymond

0:52

Green Show. This is our episode.

0:55

That's right. We have as

0:57

many episodes as lebron

0:59

Jay has All Stars, which

1:02

is incredible, especially speaking

1:04

of what he's been doing as of late, which

1:06

we'll get into. But before

1:09

we get into that, we have

1:11

another all Star guests, which,

1:14

like I said, we're kind of making a thing of having

1:16

all Stars and Hall of favers. I don't know, it's

1:19

it's pretty great. So I am

1:22

number one um from

1:24

myself, from my producer

1:26

Jackson, we want to say thank you to all the guests

1:29

that have come on the show. Up

1:31

until this point, it's been incredible.

1:33

Um, each episode is special

1:35

in its on right, You're getting something different

1:38

from each episode. At least that's what I hope, because

1:40

I'm getting something different from each episode. And like

1:42

I like, I always say, I enjoyed

1:44

these conversations just as much as I hope

1:47

our listeners and enjoy the

1:49

conversations I learned from them.

1:52

I think it's for me. It's always good to see

1:55

in someone else's psyche and see what

1:57

other guys are thinking and how they're

1:59

thinking. So today we will have a pleasure of having

2:01

All Star Bradley bill Um

2:04

coming on today. He's obviously

2:07

had a stoppage in this season due to injury

2:09

god coming off of risk surgery,

2:11

but more importantly, in

2:14

my opinion, one of the most underrated

2:17

guys in the NBA. Like, if you look at Bradley

2:19

Building, what he's done in his career, if I'm

2:21

not mistaken, Um, actually

2:24

I am not mistaken. I am certain he's

2:26

a three time All Star. If

2:29

you know anything about basketball, Bradley Bills

2:31

in his teen year, you think Bradley Bills

2:34

has way more All Stars appearances

2:36

than three. And so that's

2:39

why I said he's one of the most underrated players

2:41

in my opinion. If you play against him, you know

2:43

you're getting a bucket. However, he can give

2:45

it to you however you want it. Brad

2:47

Bill, give you that off the dribble,

2:50

off the catch and shoot off a pin down in

2:52

the post to the cup. He's

2:55

giving you that. So I'm excited to have Brad

2:57

Bill on obviously. Uh, you know, he

2:59

has a player option coming up this summer, so we'll

3:02

talk a little free agency. We'll talk what he's

3:04

seeing and thinking for his future, as

3:06

we all know that's important. And I

3:08

mean, do you see the movement that's

3:10

going on in the NFL. If the

3:13

NFL never has movement in

3:15

their off season ever, like

3:18

guys getting traded left and right, that

3:20

it never happens. So

3:22

that has to be lining us up for a

3:24

great NBA off season because there was

3:27

always movement. NBA off season

3:29

is a thing. I think this is great for the NFL,

3:31

by the way, um to have this movement

3:33

and exciting, like it's the first time that

3:36

the NFL has gone into the off season

3:38

and like gave

3:40

us something to talk about for real, Like you know,

3:43

you see signs here and there, but it's

3:45

just not as much movement. And so to see

3:47

these guys on the mood like this and all the

3:50

reshuffling going on in that league, I think

3:52

is incredible. And so, uh,

3:55

you know, as we're seeing that, we'll get a chance to

3:57

hear what Brad Bill is thinking for

4:00

his offseason coming up, and how he's preparing

4:02

for free agency, how he's embracing it. We'll

4:05

get to hear all that good stuff. So but before

4:07

we get to that, as you know, we gotta

4:09

go around the association, starting with

4:11

the Warriors. Our team, my team

4:14

three games slump number one, until

4:16

Jackson told me, I didn't even notice we're in a three

4:18

game slump because the reality is at this

4:20

point in the season that I

4:23

I care less about um

4:25

whether we win or lose a game, because

4:28

ultimately this is about preparing yourself

4:30

and getting ready for the playoffs

4:32

in the stretch run. So I

4:35

had no idea we actually had lost

4:37

three in a row. And saying that, I

4:39

think, as you as you may have heard in

4:41

my press conference after the Orlando Magic

4:44

game, I think, you know a large

4:46

part of that is is us getting pumped.

4:48

And you know I said that, I said

4:51

that to my teammates, I'm not afraid to say that.

4:53

And what I didn't say in the reality is is

4:55

that falls on me. That's my category.

4:58

That's where I say, Oh, that's where

5:00

I lead. I have to be better

5:02

at that. I can't let that happen, So that

5:05

falls on me. I know someone asked me last

5:07

night, like, well, you know, would would that

5:09

be different as Steph Curry is it was

5:11

any game And the answer is no, it

5:13

wouldn't be because that's not Steph Curry's

5:15

duty. So if I'm if I felt

5:18

at that currently, no

5:20

matter who's on the floor, Steph Curry

5:22

is not coming to make us tougher. That's

5:24

not what stuff does. That's what not what

5:27

I'm ever going to allow step to do.

5:29

That's not steps roll. So that

5:32

falls on me. Regardless of who on the

5:34

floor. You can't be

5:37

out toughed like you gotta be

5:39

tough. You gotta meet the level of physicality.

5:41

And like I said, the playoffs are coming up, so

5:45

meeting the level of physicality is

5:47

more important than any more important than anything.

5:50

Being mentally strong is more important than

5:52

anything. And I think that's two areas that

5:54

our team has been lacking in and

5:57

we need to pick it back up. We've shown that

5:59

we can be UM good in

6:01

those areas, and I think it's it's very important

6:03

that, you know, heading into mid

6:06

April, that we get that back,

6:08

and like I said, that's on me. I'll make

6:10

sure we get that back. So that's you know, and

6:12

I think that leads to other things, right, Like that

6:14

leads to the turnovers, that leads to the misshots,

6:17

Like that leads to UM

6:20

going eight minutes and scoring

6:22

two points or whatever. It was like that,

6:25

all of those things our

6:29

byproduct of just being

6:31

out tough and another

6:33

team being more physical than you. So I'll

6:35

take that on the chain. That's on me. Um.

6:38

Everybody talked about all Draymond get back.

6:40

It will change a lot of things that hasn't And the

6:42

reality is, I know it can change things.

6:44

It should change things, so I will change things.

6:47

So that's where I am. As

6:49

far as our three games something go. Obviously,

6:52

you know yesterday it was released that I was find

6:54

twenty five dollars. At

6:58

this point, I I really

7:00

don't care about

7:03

the fine or whatever. Like I got suspended from

7:05

Game five of the NBA Finals, Like that was the

7:07

absolute worst thing you could do to me. The

7:10

last thing I care and I got

7:12

fined for that. I'm not sure if I've told

7:14

you, if I've told this story before, but I got

7:16

fined for that, getting

7:20

suspended from game five of the finals. Not mind

7:22

you,

7:24

you're not paid for the playoffs. Just so

7:26

you guys know, like say,

7:29

on the average for a guy who's on the max contract

7:32

on your per game per salary,

7:34

I mean your per games salary or

7:37

game chet, let's

7:39

go roughly two hundred grand. Okay,

7:44

it could be a little higher, could be a little lower, but just

7:46

go two hundred grand for for

7:48

an even number to give you some perspective.

7:51

If you win the NBA Finals, I

7:53

think your bonus is like three grands

7:56

or something like that, which is a lot of money,

7:58

get me wrong, But

8:01

in comparison to playing one game and making

8:03

two grand, it's not a lot of money

8:05

because that's seven that's

8:07

at least six if you sweep the playoffs,

8:10

that's sixteen extra games. So

8:13

you do the math, it doesn't

8:15

add up. I was actually find a game

8:17

check for missing a game that I actually

8:19

don't get paid to play it. So

8:22

I think, if I'm not mistaken, that fine. At the

8:25

time. For me, it was like a hundred and fifty six

8:27

thousand dollars or something like that. Um,

8:29

And so to be find was

8:32

like the worst thing that you can do to me, you've already done.

8:34

Like, so I really don't give a damn, especially

8:37

when I can go home at night and

8:39

sleep and know that ultimately

8:42

I got a tech for saying come

8:44

on and walking

8:46

the other ways saying come on, and

8:49

then I I received a second technical

8:51

for saying come on. All right, you know

8:53

that was terrible. No profanity,

8:56

no, none of that. But then it's put out there, Oh,

8:59

Draymond had a uh, a

9:01

profanity laced um

9:03

thing with the official and he's fine twenty

9:06

dollars. But let's talk about the two technical

9:08

files that I use absolutely no profanity,

9:12

two receive. So

9:14

I don't know, I don't understand. I don't really get off into

9:17

it. I really don't appeal technical files

9:19

anymore, UM or

9:21

none of the fines or anything, because you're appealing

9:23

to the same person that gave you fine

9:26

like you're you're appealing to them. So

9:29

you're not gonna listen to the interview

9:31

a second time or watch the thing a second

9:33

time and be like, oh, you know what, I'm

9:36

gonna change that like that. That don't make sense

9:38

to me. It's it's actually one of the most

9:40

backwards processes that I

9:42

can even think of. I mean, you think,

9:45

you know, if you go to court and

9:49

you get a judgment from the judge and

9:51

then you appeal that, you don't go back to the same

9:53

judge and ask that judge again. Hey, um,

9:56

I think you want to change your mind on what

9:59

you already to side it like, you

10:01

just don't do that. So I've never

10:03

understood that process. Because I

10:05

don't understand the process, I just don't bother

10:08

to waste my time anymore. Um,

10:10

it is what it is, Like it comes with the

10:12

territory, Like I told

10:14

them,

10:17

probably not. It's one

10:19

thousand percent not the first time

10:21

that I've been fine, um

10:23

as I think at this point now, I've probably

10:26

been fined over north of a million

10:28

dollars in my career, somewhere close. Um,

10:31

It's definitely not the first time I've been fine,

10:33

and I'm almost certain

10:36

it won't be the last. So it

10:39

is what it is. UM. I

10:42

me, I'm not changing that for

10:44

anybody. I'm always gonna be me. You

10:46

take it to leave it. It's gotten me this far. It'll

10:49

get me much further, so not

10:51

tripping on that. And we got to talk

10:53

about one of the goats, my big

10:55

brother, Lebron James, passing

10:58

Carled Malone on the school Our List for number

11:00

two our time, absolutely insane.

11:03

You know why it's so insane because no

11:05

one even considers Lebron James the score.

11:09

That's what I think is extremely

11:12

impressive is this guy isn't

11:14

even considered a score yet

11:17

He's sitting that number two all time, and

11:19

it's only a matter of time before

11:21

he passed Kareem.

11:24

Absolutely insane. And

11:27

then he followed that up going back to

11:29

Cleveland thirty

11:31

eight, twelve and eleven and

11:34

oh my god, kay Love. By the way,

11:36

we got a high k Love on the show. Um

11:38

one of these days, but oh my god,

11:40

kay Love. Jesus

11:43

Christ, I

11:45

think I think Brian owed you

11:47

some good wine for the album, my brother. As

11:50

there's no way come on out, Brian,

11:52

There's absolutely no way.

11:55

Like like, Brian, you had enough reaction

11:58

time to realize like, oh man, that's kay uh,

12:00

Like I'm I'm not about to do that. Not

12:02

put your foot in his stomach and

12:04

climb him and get the extra booths

12:06

and look at the rim and throw it in there. And

12:09

then what I will say

12:11

is if

12:13

it was me, kayleb I would have

12:15

turned around and looked at you and like, oh type of

12:18

ship. At least Brian looked at crowd.

12:21

But like I tweeted or

12:23

I put on Instagram story

12:25

or something like thirty

12:29

eight, twelve and eleven power

12:32

Dump, like we knew,

12:34

we knew this was happening. Like, it's

12:37

no surprise that Lebron

12:40

goes back to Cleveland, puts on that

12:42

show, the Lakers get a win. That

12:44

was no surprise if you if you, if

12:47

you saw that Lebron was going to Cleveland

12:49

and that surprised you, shame on you because

12:51

it did not surprise me at all. I mean,

12:53

Cleveland is having a good year. Shout

12:56

out to uh the

12:58

Draymond Green Show alumnus

13:01

Darius Garland. They are having an incredible

13:03

year. Absolutely love what they're

13:05

doing. But as Lebron

13:07

going back to Cleveland, like we all know how that

13:09

goes. So I mean that that

13:11

that really just captain an incredible week

13:15

for Bron, you know, and what and

13:17

what he's been able to accomplish.

13:19

Man, I mean, I

13:22

take my hat off to that brother, asked as

13:24

someone who's had battles with him,

13:26

who has played in finals against

13:29

him, and and really understand,

13:31

Um, you know his process

13:34

and what he does, and how hard

13:36

it is to beat him, and how

13:38

incredible he is, my

13:41

brother. I take my hat off to you, man. I

13:43

mean, it's still

13:45

baffles me that as

13:48

much love as you get, still don't get

13:50

the love that you deserve. And I

13:53

guess that's a part of it, they say, But

13:57

as a brother, but even

14:00

more importantly than a brother in this situation,

14:03

as a competitor, as

14:05

um, someone who's going up against you now

14:08

for the last ten years. Hats

14:11

off to you, Bro, and nobody

14:14

else ain't gonna give your flowers, my man.

14:17

I give you all flowers in the world because you

14:19

deserve them, Bro, from what you've done for

14:22

the game of basketball, for the African

14:24

American community, for us

14:26

as basketball players, and the freedom

14:29

that you've taken hits for

14:32

and helping everyone

14:34

else get to where we are today. I

14:37

take my hat off to you. Bro. The

14:39

chosen one had that tattoo. I don't know

14:41

since high school that I know, like

14:44

to actually come into the NBA with all of

14:46

that height and like not

14:49

not only like like you didn't live up to the

14:51

hype, you know what I'm saying, Like most people don't live up

14:53

to the height. And to come

14:55

into the NBA as the most hyped

14:58

basketball player of all

15:00

time and

15:04

to exceed the hight, to exceed

15:07

what they thought you were gonna do, and they thought

15:09

you would be one of the best to exceed

15:12

that is absolutely incredible.

15:14

And the way you exceeded as as as

15:16

incredible as it is as a as a basketball

15:18

player that you are, you've exceeded that.

15:21

In business, you've exceeded that, um

15:23

and like I said, changing the way

15:26

we operate in this business. Uh,

15:29

you you've achieved that by

15:33

by your entire team, your

15:36

entire family, y'all, like

15:40

our entire family all

15:43

winning at the highest level. Like

15:47

you've achieved so much, bro, And like I said,

15:49

as as a friend, as a brother,

15:51

as a competitor, I take my hat off to you,

15:54

Bro. They ain't never been done like you, and

15:57

I don't know if in my lifetime it will

15:59

ever be done in so to be able

16:01

to witness that, it's been incredible,

16:03

bro. And saying that

16:06

still trying to kick your ass,

16:09

but no doubt, man, Congrats

16:11

to Lebron second all time, probably

16:14

in fifty more games or so, fifty

16:17

or seventy games or so, he will be first all time.

16:19

And I can't wait to see that, and I hope

16:22

Steve Kerr, I'm throwing this out there right now. Lebron

16:25

James is passing all time scoring record, and we

16:27

have a game. I'm going to Lebron's game and

16:29

witness history. So that's

16:31

what we're doing, Coach Kerr. So if if

16:34

Lebron or not, when Lebron passes

16:36

Kareem gets the number one all time, does that

16:39

make him to go to what you gotta do to be to go? You

16:41

know, you know every everyone talks about

16:44

when Lebron passes Kareem, does

16:46

that make him to go? I

16:48

don't think him becoming the number one score

16:50

makes him anymore of the goat than he already

16:53

is. I think what what I don't

16:55

like to get into is like, oh, is Lebron the goat

16:57

over Michael Jordan? No, Lebron is

17:00

a go and Michael Jordan's a go and

17:02

they're both incredible and they never played

17:04

against each other, So how can

17:07

we ever settle that? Like it's all

17:09

subjective? And I hate that in sports,

17:11

Like, No, no one's running around talking

17:13

about well, Google is a better company than Apple,

17:15

or Apple is a better company to Amazon. No,

17:18

we all just appreciate those companies

17:20

for what they bring to this world. But yet

17:22

we get in sports and we're getting basketball,

17:24

and they've gotta be Lebron James against Michael

17:26

Jordan. Has to go to who's the best. They're both incredible,

17:29

they're both great, they're both goats. So

17:31

to get into this whole thing of like is

17:34

he above this guy or not? No, they both go

17:36

to their own right and I appreciate and respect

17:38

those guys for that, and I don't

17:41

really want to get off into who's

17:43

better or who's not. They both are incredible

17:46

in different rors. I think you can appreciate

17:50

uh particular things

17:52

about both of their journey and

17:55

they're different from each other. You know, you can appreciate

17:57

how Lebron has been able to do this for nine

18:00

team seasons. This man is leading the NBA

18:02

and scoring in his nineteen season.

18:05

You can appreciate my mj taking off

18:07

a year and a half or two or whatever it was

18:10

and coming back and running off three more championships.

18:12

That's incredible. And so when you when

18:14

talking about the Golden which one is, like,

18:17

Man, that's bullshit. Like, I

18:19

respect both of those guys. I appreciate

18:21

both of those guys, and at some point

18:23

I hope this world of basketball

18:25

catch up and appreciate that as well. Man,

18:33

this is becoming a show. You

18:36

almost you gotta be like doing

18:39

your thing to come on this show. Man. I'm honored

18:41

to welcome this next guest. UH

18:43

three time All Star Freshman

18:46

of the Year at the University of Florida,

18:49

All SECS first Team,

18:51

All Freshman First Team, UH

18:53

National Gatorade Player of the Year in two

18:55

thousand eleven in high school. But

18:58

this guy went on to be the number

19:01

three draft pick in my drive class.

19:03

Matter of fact, which I must tell

19:05

him. I'm still piste off about everybody

19:07

who got drafted before me. I'm still

19:10

upset at and he is one of them.

19:12

Nonetheless, he is one of the guys that did

19:14

validate that he was supposed

19:16

to be before me, and I'm cool with that. I can live with

19:18

that. But if some guys on there that

19:20

shouldn't have been before me, this is not one of

19:22

those guys, you know, So I am

19:25

honored to welcome this next guest. Three time

19:27

All Star Brad Bill, what's up, my

19:29

brother, Dre. It's a pleasure. Is

19:31

a pleasure, my brother. How you feeling.

19:34

I'm feeling great, man. I appreciate

19:36

you coming on. We you know, we we've been having

19:38

this streak of All Stars and Hall of Famers

19:41

and you know, like real guys. So I'm

19:43

I think I'm starting to get to the point now where like,

19:45

man, if you ain't got no accolades, I don't know if you

19:47

could come on the show. I got Brad Bill on the

19:49

show, were doing it. You know. It's funny you

19:52

you was mentioned in my accolades and all

19:54

that, but in the draft class, and

19:56

one thing I always admire about you is that

19:58

you keep that chip on your should about every it

20:00

was drafting ahead of you,

20:02

and it's

20:04

way steeper than everybody else in our draft

20:06

class. Bro. I'm

20:08

trying to you already

20:10

know that I appreciate

20:13

that. Bro. No, honestly, honestly, I

20:15

still I still think back to that draft

20:17

class and like, I'll keep

20:19

it all the way g with you. I go through it all the time,

20:22

and I'm like, no, these guys ain't before me. Like

20:24

there's a there's a few guys in this draft

20:27

class who I'm like, all like, no problem,

20:29

it's you, it's dame, it's a d But

20:33

then you get much deeper than that, and I ain't

20:35

going much than that, you know, you

20:38

know, those three guys I can respect.

20:41

I respect the work put in, I respect the resumes.

20:43

You know what I'm saying, guys really doing it. And

20:46

but it was a lot of guys in that draft who

20:48

I didn't think they should have been before

20:50

me that night, and I for damn sure don't think

20:52

they should be before me. Now listen,

20:54

So you're showing it every night, so I

20:56

ain't listen. We

20:59

already know how they work, you know, absolutely,

21:01

I appreciate it, bro No, But first

21:03

off, how are you feeling? Obviously you

21:06

had the risk injury. How how is your recovery

21:08

going with that? So it's been good. I had risk

21:10

surgery literally on a deadline day, So February

21:12

tenth, I had risk surgery. Um,

21:15

it's been four weeks since then. I just got my cash

21:17

changed out. I got another six

21:19

weeks in this cast, so it's gonna be ten weeks

21:21

total. I'll be in the cast, get the

21:24

screws out hopefully around April. Twenty

21:26

minute April um. And then after

21:28

that I'm good to go on back rehabbing hopefully another

21:31

month after that, just getting the strength back in the hand.

21:34

Um. And then I would say about May June,

21:36

I should be I should be back to to myself.

21:39

So it's been good. There's been

21:41

no setbacks, no problems, you know, it's

21:43

just getting used to being around, walking around

21:46

doing everything with the cast. Luckily, was my shooting

21:48

hands something good. Absolutely,

21:50

And and speaking of that, obviously,

21:53

you know, most guys like I've

21:55

never hit free agency, uh, and to be

21:58

quite honest with you, I've I've never on it

22:00

too, um, you know. But for

22:02

most guys, you know, you get injured

22:05

during the contract year and you

22:07

don't know what the hell is going to happen. Obviously,

22:09

your situation is different. We all know who

22:11

Brad Bill is, we all know what Brad

22:13

Bill is bringing to a team, and there will be twenty nine

22:16

other teams knocking at your door. If

22:18

you're one team that if your team that your

22:20

own didn't want you to due to injury, that's

22:22

not quite the case for you. But in

22:25

saying that, I think even for my you know,

22:27

for myself, I can speak from my own, um,

22:29

from my own personal self. When

22:31

you go through an injury, like you know,

22:34

anybody, I

22:36

still have doubts to like, man, are they still

22:38

gonna want me? Like did you

22:40

have any of that once going through the injury or

22:42

or the whole time where you're just like, no, I'm all

22:45

right, Like I know what I bring and I'll be fine. No.

22:47

I never had that mindset. You know. We

22:50

always know that you always keep in the back of your mind.

22:52

And it's a business. You know, teams are going to operate

22:54

the way that they fit best. Um.

22:57

But we always had constant communication

22:59

between in the front office and not so like it

23:01

was never no no bs. It

23:03

was nothing you know under the table, nothing

23:05

that I didn't know about or you know, something

23:08

that all you know, we're not gonna we're

23:10

not going to hold our extension that we have now on the

23:13

table, you know, because you got

23:15

injured, like the extension still on the table right

23:17

now. And then you know, they never

23:19

said anything about moving me at the deadline

23:21

either. So the constant communication was

23:23

there. That's what I respected. Um.

23:26

But like you said, not everybody gets

23:28

to be in that position, you know, So I'm definitely

23:31

you know to put the work in and and

23:33

be fortunate enough to be in a position I mean now to

23:36

kind of have a little bit more control in that absolutely,

23:40

And you know, speaking of of

23:42

the extension and free agency talk, obviously

23:45

you have a player option going into next season,

23:48

which is always the best. I

23:50

actually got my first player option on this deal.

23:52

I didn't have one on last deal. I

23:54

really didn't even know as a possibility last

23:56

time. But I got a player option on this deal,

23:58

which is always the best. I think, you know,

24:01

it's it's it's protection for the player. If

24:03

if you're having a ship season,

24:05

then you opt in. If you're having

24:07

a great season and you gotta market, you opt out.

24:09

And so I think that's a great position to be in. But

24:12

obviously there's been a lot of talk around

24:14

you and your situation. I actually

24:16

respect what Washington has

24:19

done and not making you a part

24:21

of trade talks and

24:23

and and um telling you

24:25

that they're not shopping you at all, because the reality

24:27

is that's a risk for a team to take with

24:30

you are the player option, and you can possibly

24:32

walk for nothing. Now, we hear the rumors

24:34

all the time we're here. Just yesterday

24:36

or two days ago, we heard that the heat

24:38

once you're really bad. What's been your mindset

24:41

about going into this next free agency?

24:43

I mean, if if you decide to opt out, because

24:45

you you haven't been in this position either exactly.

24:48

So it's just like you like, I'm just I'm

24:50

kind of embracing everything, right, So, like

24:53

I'm not upset about the rumors. I'm not

24:55

upset about you know, teams

24:57

warning me like that's that's a

24:59

good thing. We we we put in the work and

25:02

you know, we're wanted by a lot of people,

25:05

not just where we're at, you know what I'm saying, And I

25:07

think that just speaks volumes to the type of players who

25:09

we are and you know what we're

25:11

able to do onto the floor, you know, on and off

25:13

the floor, and the impact we can have. And so for

25:15

me, I just embrace it all. Like

25:17

I know, it's it's a lot of noise. I know it can

25:19

be distracting at times, but I

25:22

always had a bunch of O G s and a lot of people

25:24

who I've had a lot of teammates. This is

25:26

my tenth year, rev had a lot of teammates in and out,

25:28

you know, so they're

25:31

telling me, you know what it's like at other places,

25:33

you know, compared to where I am, you know, so I

25:36

kind of get that field and I get a little

25:38

bit of their entriest. But you know, just like

25:40

I know, it's nothing better than you know, grinding

25:42

it out and kind of doing it on your own, you

25:45

know. And I also love and respect the fact

25:47

that Washington, like you said, it hasn't

25:49

been shopping me. They're not saying, oh,

25:51

you know, we're out listening to what teams are

25:53

like as soon as they call their hanging on the phone, right,

25:56

So like I respect that part of you know,

25:58

um And and it's kind of funny, like I've

26:00

I've never been a free agent. It's

26:02

kind of reminded me of college recruiting. Like I hear

26:05

every single game somebody's recruiting me. Somebody's

26:07

like tagging on me, like whether it's a

26:09

another player, whether it may be a coach or

26:12

whoever it may be, like some you know, somebody's chitchat,

26:15

be what you want to do to something, what you're doing the summer. So

26:18

it's been I embrace it, bro

26:20

like I don't shot from it. Like I

26:23

love the fact I have constant communication from Washington,

26:25

so I know what's going on. There's no there's no

26:27

gimmicks, right. We know which pathwords going

26:29

down, and we're making the moves to do that. And

26:32

it's a matter of if I'm comfortable, like I've never been

26:34

in a position to where Okay, I hold all the chips, I can

26:36

really make any decision I want m

26:39

And I think that's incredible to

26:42

you know, to be in that position, Like you said that everyone

26:44

isn't afforded that opportunity. Most guys

26:46

in this league never experienced

26:49

that feeling, you know, and have that

26:52

opportunity to kind of control their own destiny.

26:54

But I know you've gone on record a million

26:57

times. Um. You know, even

26:59

when we we've several times,

27:01

you've always spoke about like, yeah,

27:03

I want to stay in Washington is home for me. They drafted

27:06

me. But my question to you is

27:08

with with Washington, never with

27:12

Washington? Never, UM,

27:14

really attracting big free

27:16

agents. You know, we're now in the tenth year of

27:18

our career and and it was actually one

27:20

of the things that I went through with

27:23

our management last year and just constant conversations

27:25

we were having about like hey, you got

27:27

you have me Stephan Clay Um, who's

27:30

been here, I mean ten

27:33

years for me Levin, for Clay, thirteen

27:35

for Steff. You have Andre who

27:37

left for a couple of years. You

27:39

have Looney that's really been

27:42

here, you know, through the through the run

27:44

that we had, what

27:47

and and then and so we're kind of in this position

27:49

and where like, yo, we got we have two

27:51

first round draft picks, right, and so

27:53

with the two first round draft picks that we had,

27:56

Um, I'm like, what are we doing

27:59

because and and I actually

28:01

said it publicly earlier this

28:03

year, like the mixture of young

28:05

guys and old guys or

28:07

I don't think we're old, but you know, experienced

28:10

guys, it's never worked,

28:12

So so what are we doing? And they're

28:14

like, no, I think we got the right mixing. It can work.

28:17

And I'm like, I don't know if this can work. Like we've

28:19

never seen this work. This has always been

28:21

a disaster. Now you know,

28:23

it's it's been working for us. But

28:25

how do you view that, Like, Um,

28:27

as far as you're in your tenth year,

28:30

do you see a certain type of guys that

28:32

whol need to bring it around you? Because

28:35

I mean building through the draft like y'all been,

28:37

y'all been on the fringe of the playoffs, and I

28:39

know you want to compete, and so building

28:42

through the draft it may not necessarily

28:44

fit your timeline. So how are you viewing

28:46

that? Are you looking around like, yo, we

28:48

need to bring these guys in in order to compete,

28:51

or are you okay with that building through

28:53

the draft process that you all kind of been stuck

28:55

in a little bit, right, And that's that's kind

28:57

of where we've been, right We've always

29:00

been a team that's kind of been right in the middle

29:02

of the pack, right in the limbo, right where either a

29:05

few like either a player away or a few

29:07

possessions away from being a top

29:09

four seed or you know, a bottom

29:11

eight t you know. So that's

29:13

kind of always been our

29:16

downfall. And then you look at it is like then

29:19

when you're drafting and that you're drafting from

29:22

you know, mid late lottery, you know, so those

29:24

are guys who are more or less developing versus guys

29:26

that you're expecting to come in and really make

29:29

a drafted impact right away. You know.

29:31

On top of that, another frustrating thing is, like

29:33

you said, we have never probably in the

29:35

history, being able to attract

29:37

free agents, right you see, is

29:39

a great market dcs A sport Town, DC

29:41

is an awesome city like d C should

29:44

be desired I think by a lot of teams. But

29:47

I think it's it's us shooting ourselves in the footwell

29:49

when you don't necessarily win, when you

29:52

don't necessarily always have

29:55

uh positive light coming out

29:57

of your locker room, because we've had history of negativity

30:00

all that bs coming out of the locker room,

30:02

so that plays a factor. Um

30:04

So it's just when you have all, like

30:06

all the little things that don't add up to being

30:08

you know, an elite team like teams

30:11

would expect, then you you're

30:13

not necessarily going to get those creators right. So

30:15

that's where we have to explore

30:17

the trade markets. We've got to explore the draft

30:20

class, and I know a lot of our

30:22

moves have to be may via trade. Like

30:24

we got to explore some of the options that we ended

30:26

up drafting. Guys that we ended up picking up. Sometimes

30:29

we can't give them extensions because we gotta move on and try

30:31

to get something else, you know. So that's kind of been

30:34

our position. Do I love it? Not necessarily

30:38

because you know, you

30:40

always want some type of stability. You want

30:42

you need to have your core, you know, once

30:45

you have your core established, you can find you

30:47

know, guys that you can plug into your

30:49

system and just take off and run. You

30:51

know. So it's a little bit of both.

30:53

You know, we're we're still finding that core. Um,

30:56

we have a mix of a few

30:58

vets. Like we just picked up We're think it's in the trade.

31:01

We got rid of some some guys

31:03

and we add a KP and you

31:05

know, we got some we got some size. But

31:08

now we need to like you said, we need to ask some

31:10

experience. We gotta have some some

31:12

guys who who've been in those

31:14

awards before to propel us. You know, when he's

31:16

play off time, they know what they expect. Absolutely

31:19

no, I think I think that's very important. And

31:22

that's kind of you know, that's kind of the space we've been

31:24

in in the last couple of months

31:26

where I went out. You have Clay

31:28

coming back from injury. So he's

31:31

Clay has been out for two and a half years. The one

31:33

thing I tried to stress to him before

31:36

coming back, like, YO, just be aware, like

31:38

and don't be shocked by once

31:40

you come back, the league is totally

31:42

different. Like I

31:45

even told him, I said, I know one of the things

31:47

you're going to struggle with is everybody

31:50

nowadays shoot threes and

31:53

and I know you Clay, like you're

31:55

gonna look at some guys and you're gonna be like,

31:58

yeah, are you serious.

32:00

And it's in the league now. It's

32:02

not like, you know, some guys just catching

32:05

the spotting up. It's like it's

32:08

legitimately, like, uh,

32:12

John Smith will walk walk into

32:14

a three now. And I was

32:16

trying to tell him, like, it's a totally

32:19

different lead from when

32:21

you left. Make sure that

32:25

you're aware of that and you're ready to adjust.

32:27

And so I said all of that to say, we've

32:29

kind of been in this space now of lacking

32:31

experience due to the injuries,

32:33

and so you've got guys with experience going out

32:36

and now there's there's the

32:38

rest of our squad who don't have quite

32:41

as much experience. And so we've been working through

32:43

that. And I love the way guy has been working through it,

32:45

like putting their head down and just trying to figure

32:47

it out. But it's it's

32:49

a tough thing when you've got guys that don't have

32:51

much experience to lean on. It's a tough

32:54

task and it's a totally different

32:56

transition of the game, Like when we got drafted,

32:58

we had two bigs playing. Remember it

33:00

was too big two

33:03

back to the backs biggs playing right

33:05

now you might have you better hope

33:08

you have one legit big on the floor.

33:10

Absolutely, and and

33:13

to see that transition like I had,

33:15

I had a mecha opra for and then as

33:17

my big right then that transitions

33:19

to parts in their name, right,

33:22

and so now I have those two bigs dot

33:24

me transition to these stretched

33:26

forwards and all that. That's when the evolution of

33:28

you came in, and you really you change

33:30

the game in that fashion. You change the game

33:32

in the fashion as a

33:35

right, you change the game stre the floor

33:37

being able to not clog up the pain,

33:39

create driving lengths for the guards

33:41

like that. Evolution of the game transitions

33:44

so quickly, and

33:46

then you know it's a copycat

33:49

lead. Everybody wants to copycat, which y'all did.

33:53

And it's so funny because I know that y'all laugh

33:55

at it and look at like dang, like everybody's

33:57

trying it. But you don't have the person

34:00

there to do it right. You don't. You

34:04

don't have the person to do it right. You ain't get you don't

34:06

have none of this, And it's just to

34:09

see that transition of how we came in to

34:12

where we are now. And that's just a testament

34:14

to what you said earlier, like the

34:16

older guys that's now being more mature,

34:19

being older vets like

34:21

and seeing the treastion of younger guys coming

34:23

into it's just a totally different, totally

34:26

different game and totally different expectations. It's

34:28

crazy, It's insane.

34:30

I had to have a conversation with our team a couple

34:32

of weeks ago, and I was just telling them

34:34

like I like,

34:37

don't go like making sure

34:39

guys don't get caught up in and thinking like, yo,

34:41

I'm a vet, you know, like years

34:43

of service don't make you a vet, Like like

34:48

it's kind of one of those things that like when you

34:50

you know, when you know, you know what. I was telling

34:52

them, like, I really, I'm in my tenth

34:54

year. I really just became a fact

34:57

this year, right, Yeah, like you

34:59

know what I'm And two years ago, I felt like

35:02

I was thrust it into it once

35:04

everybody Steph was hurt, Clay was

35:06

out, Katie left, Andre was gone,

35:08

Sean was gone, and it went from

35:10

like I always say, it went from the little

35:12

brother who would sometimes get mad and

35:15

Sean Andrea be like already stopped,

35:17

that's enough, Like like that's enough to

35:20

like all of a sudden, I'm the older guy. That's like

35:22

I'm supposed to tell somebody that's enough now.

35:25

And I've always led,

35:28

but leading and being a vettest too

35:30

totally different things. And I struggled

35:33

with it mightily. The game this season we won

35:35

fifteen games. Everybody's out there,

35:37

everybody's out there out

35:39

in the world talking about all Dramond's playing bad,

35:42

he's not scoring the basketball. Meanwhile,

35:45

I'm going into every game trying to figure out how do I

35:47

leave these young guys

35:50

right, not even thinking about anything

35:52

else. And so I understood

35:55

how hard it was, and like now this

35:57

year, I finally feel like I'm making a transition

36:00

and understanding it. But it's

36:02

a weird transition to go from the young

36:04

guys to know you're the elder statesmen showing

36:07

everybody. This is a great point because everybody

36:09

loves to assume that your best player, of the

36:11

best score is the leader and and the

36:13

vet of the team, and that's not always

36:15

the case, right, And a

36:18

lot of us we take on that

36:20

that leadership role because we naturally

36:23

have that leadership, the leadership qualities,

36:25

right, But when it comes to being a vet, like, that's

36:28

a lot of stuff even outside of hoops, right,

36:30

teaching the about the game, teaching

36:33

them how you know to be on time,

36:35

what to do, teaching them about the financial game. Like,

36:38

it's it's just so much that you have to

36:41

pump into and kind of mentor that you

36:43

become a whole man to your teammates.

36:46

And the biggest thing I never

36:48

understood is the impact of like the

36:50

little things, right, just going

36:53

like I'll walk through the locker

36:56

room and if I don't speak to a young guy, he

36:58

may think I'm piste off out like

37:00

and just not understanding the

37:02

power and that just the that

37:05

you have in speaking

37:07

to one of your young fellas, right, just the power

37:10

that you have, the impact that that goes, and it's just

37:12

it's just so much bigger than just the game. Right.

37:14

The game is it's easy for us,

37:17

like we can we can do that all day, we can lead

37:19

you all day, tell you what to do all day.

37:21

But everything outside of that

37:23

and being a man within the game, you

37:25

know, understanding the reason is the aspect of it.

37:28

Understand the coaches playing time,

37:30

if you are you're not, Like, that's a

37:32

whole whole different ball game. I

37:36

think for us, one of the things that we have to understand

37:39

is the guys who are coming in the league now.

37:41

So we're in your ten, so you figure even

37:44

next year, let's go, next year's drift class

37:46

will be in your eleven. If you think

37:48

the eleven years ago, for

37:50

a nineteen year old coming into the league,

37:52

they were eight years old. So the

37:54

thing that we have to understand now is

37:57

like these kids, these

37:59

these young guys literally grew

38:02

up watching us play. And

38:04

so there's also that shock factor walking

38:06

in like yo, like I'm

38:09

I'm sitting in the locker room, I am sitting next

38:11

to Brad Bill Man, I watched this dude

38:14

growing up like Steph Curry. Like you

38:16

come in the locker room and you're next to Steph Curry.

38:19

For some of these young guys, it's like, and

38:23

we don't take that into account because you

38:26

are Brad Bill, because that is Steph

38:28

Curry, and we don't take into account.

38:30

Like when I came into the league, I

38:32

saw Kobe, I would star struck.

38:35

I saw grand Hill, them two guys I was star

38:37

struck by. I would star struck you're

38:40

now that getting You're you're now that

38:42

guy. You're now Kobe and grand Hill and

38:45

these young kids are like the young Draymond

38:47

that's sitting there watching Kobe hole whole

38:49

pregame workout light Like

38:52

that's where we at now, and it's a crazy

38:54

thing to try to wrap your mind around. That's

38:57

a big blessing, bro, because I

38:59

even just say their games now, like I'm out and

39:02

I'll be sitting on the bench and I'll see it killed my

39:04

jersey and it's like I never I never

39:06

would I never would have dreamt like

39:09

ever, right And just to see

39:11

that like that is so that's

39:14

amazing right now, that's just motivation to

39:16

just keep going, keep going, keep going. But

39:19

facts, it is

39:21

nothing like being in the position we in like

39:24

we we are. We have the best job in the world.

39:27

We're not asked to do a lot mm

39:29

hmm, and and we do

39:31

it at a high level. Bro, Like this is

39:35

is nothing like it. It's nothing like it. No,

39:38

for sure, I gotta ask you this question.

39:41

Um. More so for

39:43

the fans that don't quite understand,

39:46

um, when guys stay with because

39:49

you're starting to get to the point now where

39:52

media is such a big thing where

39:55

you're starting to get to the point now where

39:57

some guys are now criticizing

40:00

Heights for actually staying

40:02

with their team. See, you had

40:04

this kind of shift of like guys

40:06

leader team in the media dragged them

40:08

through the mud. You actually just face some

40:10

of it this past year where you

40:13

stay with the team now and

40:15

and and people are criticizing you before

40:17

the fort the Irish fan that

40:19

doesn't know like for and

40:22

for Brad Bill to stay with the Washington

40:24

Wizards, he can sign a five year

40:27

And I'm only saying this. I don't call nobody pockets,

40:29

but I'm only saying this because it's public information.

40:32

But for Brad Bill to stay with

40:34

the Washington Wizards, he can sign a five

40:36

year, two hundred and forty

40:38

two million dollar deal this summer. For

40:40

if Brad Bill was to leave and go to another

40:43

team, he can sign a four year, one

40:45

hundred and seventy nine million dollar deal.

40:47

Well, why is that? Because you have bird

40:50

rights and the team that you've been with

40:52

for two or three years, two years, I think you can

40:54

EARLYI ber two or three years. They're on your

40:56

bird rights and they can pay you more. They can give

40:58

you that extra year on a deal, the

41:01

percentage increase on your last year

41:03

salary goes up, and so that

41:05

that seventy nine

41:08

through one, that's sixty

41:10

three million dollar difference. That

41:12

has to matter. Where does that matter

41:14

for you in your process? Like, I

41:16

know you've made a bunch of money, You're gonna make

41:18

a bunch more money. What are you eight? Yes,

41:21

sir, So even

41:23

if you sign a five, you're your thirty three. You

41:26

got another four your deal. Like, so the

41:28

money people say,

41:30

the money isn't it thing? But sixty three million dollars

41:32

and sixty three million dollars, I don't care how much money

41:34

you to make. You know, it's

41:38

it's It's really tough because, like

41:42

you said, you do get criticized for

41:45

for what for what you do right, for standing in

41:47

your situation and

41:49

and doing what you feel its best. Right.

41:51

And if you took

41:53

a survey, right, and you ask

41:55

any anybody random personal street if they

41:58

were signing this deal, everybody in their mama is gonna say,

42:00

yes, I'm signing

42:05

They're signing the deal. Right. But

42:08

like around me too, Like I'm

42:10

also not in the same position as those

42:13

people. I have money,

42:15

right, I've made a lot of money in

42:17

my career. Um,

42:20

and I'm blessed and fortunate to make even

42:22

more right and so, but I

42:25

have for the first time, like you said, if

42:27

I have the opportunity to be in control

42:29

of what I would like to do. And

42:34

it's like you said, it's a business end of today.

42:36

I have to have their understanding with Washington that

42:39

we are in the pursuits of winning, right,

42:41

that is, that is my destination and goal.

42:44

The money is awesome, yes,

42:48

Granted, when we grew up playing Dred,

42:50

we played the game to make a lot of money.

42:52

We played the game to take care

42:54

of our family like that. Getn't

42:57

twisted like we all that is still in

42:59

the back of our it we that is priority number

43:01

one, taking care of yourself. Mak you

43:03

sould as you get every dollar as you possibly can make

43:05

and that you feel comfortable with doing. But there

43:08

also comes with when

43:10

you make that money. Do you want

43:13

to win ball games? Do you want to

43:15

be able to play for sex? Right?

43:17

I want to play meaningful games,

43:20

right. I want to be playing in late

43:23

June. That's what I want,

43:26

m Right. And I

43:28

think people don't understand that, yeah,

43:31

And it's and I think people don't understand

43:33

that I want to do that here, Like

43:36

like what And in my mind set, it's like,

43:38

Okay, why can't I do it here? There's

43:40

a lot of other teams that are out here doing all

43:44

right, Milwaukee,

43:47

you wouldn't have said that about them

43:49

six years ago, five years ago, three

43:52

years ago. Right

43:54

even Memphis. Now Memphis is making noise,

43:56

Phoenix, same thing. Like, teams are doing

43:58

it. Teams are doing it, teams

44:01

that were we're talking first

44:03

round picks, I mean number

44:06

one picks. Like it's

44:08

it's possible for teams to do it. It's possible

44:10

to go on those runs. And not

44:12

all those teams have two, three,

44:14

four all stars. That's a fact.

44:18

They developed their guys, right

44:20

they they're putting in, they're putting

44:22

in, they're putting the pieces together. Like

44:25

so it's a possibility, and it's I

44:27

mean, shoot me if you want. But that's my

44:29

mindset, Like I have that mindset. I want to do it

44:31

here. But for sure,

44:34

there also comes a point, Dre that you

44:36

also know that it becomes a business,

44:39

and if you feel like the stars aren't aligned

44:41

with that, then everybody's

44:43

gonna do it's best for them, regardless of what the money is.

44:48

And You've earned that right to do it there

44:50

or do it else where if that's what you decide.

44:53

And I think you know, and speaking of

44:56

you know, like you said the survey, and everybody

44:58

will take that money. The thing people don't

45:00

understand this when you're getting your ass

45:02

kicked every day, and like

45:05

you don't get me wrong, making the money

45:07

is great, But when you get

45:10

your ass kicked every day and you're making

45:12

that money, you don't feel good about yourself.

45:14

Like no one, no one leaves

45:16

the game unless you found

45:19

a complete loser, because there are losers that

45:21

get paid in this League's another problem because

45:23

if you need the game laughing, then

45:26

you don't give a damn about the game. Oh you

45:28

don't give just collected checking, You just

45:30

collect his chicken, just moves about his day. Mm

45:33

hmm. So you and a loser,

45:35

you're in a lose lose situation. Like

45:41

two thousand and twenty was one of the worst years.

45:43

I mean two thousand

45:45

nineteen, two thousand twenty seasons. I was miserable,

45:48

like at that point in time

45:50

up until like now it's more.

45:53

But at that point in time, I was making the most

45:55

money I had ever made in my life, and

45:57

I was as miserable as I had ever been,

46:00

getting our ass kicked every day, like walking into

46:02

the gym, like we're

46:05

losing today. Oh man, you're

46:07

going you walk in the gym and like you're playing

46:09

like a

46:12

trash team, and like, oh we

46:14

we can win this one today. But you get that

46:16

feeling maybe three games out of the year. But

46:19

I don't think people, I don't think people really

46:22

understand how the effect

46:25

that losing has on you.

46:27

Like it's not just about the money, yeah has

46:29

it has a drastic effect on you, bro. And

46:33

maybe it's my competitive spirit you want to change

46:35

that? And maybe I

46:37

need to follow my head to maybe wake up

46:39

when I don't know, but for

46:41

sure we definitely have like

46:45

that's just a competitive spirit to just want

46:48

to pursue that, like everybody wants to win.

46:52

That's the goal. That

46:54

is the goal, and

47:00

only one team get to do it. And

47:04

that's where I think my

47:06

confusion sometimes in my own head gets

47:09

called into why I don't just jump the gun right?

47:13

Everybody goes through that though. For

47:16

sure, for sure it

47:20

is I love being

47:22

in a position, I mean because

47:25

I have the advice

47:28

for my peers and

47:30

then I have the competitive spirit of me as well,

47:32

just like wanting to compete against all

47:35

y'all right, I have

47:37

desires to He'll play with everybody

47:39

for sure, you know that,

47:42

like it is, that

47:45

would be remarkable.

47:47

Like the USA team that

47:49

was one of the most fun experiences

47:52

ever just

47:54

being around so many elague guys sacrificing

47:57

too. Who right, everybody's

47:59

good, every is really good. I

48:02

want to be I'm speaking of the trust and believe I would

48:05

love to be in around environment, around Katie dray

48:07

Steph and going hard

48:09

winning games that what who wouldn't Yeah,

48:12

absolutely, who wouldn't. But it's also

48:15

just as fun to compete against that team as well.

48:17

When it's so many elite guys you competed

48:20

like that's what that brings the best out of you. That's

48:23

that's true. That's true.

48:26

Question, And you've you've

48:29

played with both of these guys and switching gears just

48:31

a little bit. Um. I

48:33

think in my opinion, there's not

48:35

somebody challenging that. But in my opinion,

48:38

you play with two of arguably

48:40

the most athletic point guards

48:43

that ever come through the NBA. Like I said,

48:45

there's somebody in Memphis challenging that now,

48:48

and no disrespect to d Roles as well.

48:50

We all know d Roles was also in

48:53

that category as well. But we

48:55

we got this young dude in Memphis challenging

48:57

all of that right now. And he won't

49:00

all that smoke. He ain't ducking no wreck.

49:02

He carrying this guys. I got a lot of respect

49:05

for for for joh but and

49:07

playing with those and playing with those

49:09

two guys. And there's two separate questions.

49:12

Um. One is a lot of

49:14

people try to make it out to be

49:16

you and John hated each other, which

49:19

I didn't, which I didn't really appreciate

49:22

because we are men, and if somebody

49:24

hate each other, there's no need for me to hide

49:26

it from y'all. I ain't got nothing to do with y'all. So

49:29

I didn't like that people try to create

49:31

that narrative. But where

49:35

where where did you stand as

49:37

far as like the

49:40

team moving on from John? Because like

49:42

y'all were arguably the

49:45

best backcourt in the league for years.

49:47

I mean y'all to Stephen Clay,

49:50

Um James and CP. Like you

49:52

know, it's it's been some backcourts in this league, and I

49:54

thought y'all too arguably one of the best.

49:57

Um, how did that affect

49:59

you, like I was the biggest trade. I

50:01

mean that you've gone through in your career as

50:03

far as someone around you being traded.

50:06

How did that affect you? It

50:08

was tough, bro, because John is

50:11

a brother, Like still to this day, like I

50:13

picked up the phone called John if I need

50:16

him here here right, and it's it's the same vice

50:18

versa. And like you said, we

50:20

both hated that

50:23

there was a picture painted that we didn't

50:25

like each other and we didn't like playing with each other,

50:27

and us being young guys at the time, like we

50:31

didn't that we weren't mature enough to just have a

50:33

conversation. We were kind of readingto it, right,

50:36

and so it's just kind of like a silent like damn,

50:39

you feel like that now? He can't

50:41

like that. Until eventually was like all right

50:43

now, boom yo, bro,

50:45

how are you feeling? Just how you feel now? This

50:47

is how you're feeling. So once

50:50

we had that conversation, it was just okay,

50:52

that's dead, right, it's just noise

50:55

to kind of get us rad or to get us off our

50:57

track, right. I

51:00

loved playing with John. Like

51:02

John, I say to this day is

51:05

the best pass where I played with He's

51:09

probably the fastest guy I've played

51:11

with with the ball, and

51:14

his ability, his athleticism,

51:16

his ability to be able to pass while

51:18

I'm running so fast, to the corner of being able

51:20

to find guys like Night

51:23

and Day right, And

51:25

the toughest part when we moved

51:27

on from him was

51:30

he was injured. Right.

51:34

The toughest part was there was some stuff

51:36

that went on in the summer that front

51:39

office didn't necessarily a

51:42

bye bye, and they

51:44

just they were like, Okay, we got it, We're

51:46

done, right, We're done. And

51:49

so it kind of it was out of my hands

51:52

because I was coming

51:54

to camp thinking, you

51:57

know, John is ready to go right boom,

52:00

next day he's gone, And

52:02

so that was very tough and emotional

52:05

because he

52:07

never came back from the injury and we never got a

52:09

chance for us to play. When John first

52:11

one down, that was the

52:14

first chance for me to really blossom

52:16

into like who I feel

52:18

like I've grown into today, right

52:21

in the modern game, right, I've become more

52:23

of a ball handler, putting the ball on the floor, shooting

52:25

off the dribble, more of something coming

52:27

off pin downs, catch and shoot like I did my first

52:29

five years. Solutely granted,

52:32

it's Unfortunately John went down, but

52:35

it gave me a chance to play

52:37

point, to run more balls, screams,

52:39

high picking rolls, to be able to facilitate

52:42

the understand how defense is guard and

52:44

how to manipulate him how to score easier. And

52:48

he ended up missing. I

52:51

think he got hurt like December and

52:54

missed the rest of that year, then missed the

52:56

whole year the next year, and I had I

52:59

literally had a year to myself to operate

53:02

and and just kind of learned, right,

53:04

And I went through double teams. When

53:07

John first went down, I got double team. I didn't know

53:09

what to do. I didn't know how to handle it. And

53:12

so literally the next year I had a whole year

53:14

to adjustin Boom score

53:16

thirty a game, right,

53:18

and it was just like Okay, I get it,

53:20

like I understand it, Like I mean now I'm

53:23

evolved, right, And

53:25

so that summer I'm like, Boom,

53:28

I've changed, Like I'm way better

53:30

than what I was when we were younger, playing Boston

53:32

in sixteen seventeen and lost in the second

53:34

round. Way better

53:37

player than that, right,

53:40

And I knew John was was pretty much

53:42

climbing into his problem right around this time. So

53:45

I'm well, I'm like, well, I'm a new,

53:48

newly tuned up player

53:51

waiting on this athletic, freaking

53:53

nature to come back, like, let's

53:55

give it one more shot, Let's

53:58

give one shot. But we

54:01

never I would say that was one thing that if

54:03

I can go back, I wish we could have had. But we

54:06

moved on and

54:09

we moved into Russ right.

54:11

So it was a situation to where,

54:15

yes, I was frustrated, you know, my

54:17

brother's gone, but I

54:19

understood who we were gaining right.

54:22

I understood who Russ was,

54:25

and this is an m v P. We're getting right,

54:29

and there's no disrespect to John. Russ

54:31

has won m VP. Russ is. Do you know how rust

54:33

played Russ is? He

54:36

is boss to the wall every

54:38

single night. He is going hard every

54:40

single night. And for

54:43

me, I've

54:47

learned a lot from that because

54:49

every single night, we don't always want to bring it,

54:52

we don't always

54:55

right. We retired some nights,

54:58

we banged up a lot of nights. We

55:01

you know, whatever the case may be, we're dealing with

55:03

something, you know, mentally, family, whatever the

55:05

case may be. I've literally

55:07

seen this dude lace

55:09

him up and play as hard as he possibly

55:11

could every single night, bro, and

55:15

he pushed me, come on

55:17

all I kept hearing all years, come on, be keep

55:19

going, be keep going, be keep

55:21

going. And

55:24

I never understood that drive. I'm like, how

55:26

does he do this? How does he do this? But

55:29

being in the fire, with him, being around

55:32

him on the day to day, seeing how he prepared.

55:34

He up at six in the morning,

55:37

work done on his body, going

55:39

in late doing the same thing, like, I'm

55:42

like, okay, that's why,

55:45

m so for sure. I

55:48

also want to ask a follow

55:50

up question on Russ,

55:54

like you said, the way he played hard, the way

55:56

he gets ready on a nightly basis for all

55:59

of these years. I have the most respect for

56:02

um. That motor that he has as

56:04

a skill, and I don't think people give that

56:06

skill enough credit. But

56:09

having a motor as a skill. Two

56:11

things. Number one is

56:13

there's this notion of the way Russ

56:16

plays to

56:18

the outside world that Russ

56:20

is a bad teammate. What I've heard is

56:22

from everybody who's playing with him is he's one of the best teammates

56:25

they've ever had. Can you

56:27

talk about Russ as a teammate? And

56:29

then how do you feel about

56:32

all the slander that he's

56:34

getting this year? As if he not fucking

56:37

Russell Westbrook that ship picked me off.

56:39

I gonna lie bro it really, it

56:42

really frustrates me because especially

56:44

being a guy that played with him now like

56:47

the disrespect guy that she gotta stop, Bro,

56:51

got to stop, because we

56:55

acting like this man is not a Hall of Fame

56:59

first battot, first battle. First of all, let's

57:01

let's like the

57:05

way he plays may

57:07

not be your cup of tea. Facts,

57:11

it may not be facts.

57:16

And that's okay. Russ ain't gonna shoot a million

57:18

three's he's not, nor

57:22

should he, nor should he. Russ

57:24

is. Russ is going to play

57:26

winning basketball. Russ is going to

57:28

go get rebounds. Russ is gonna make assist,

57:31

Russ is going to take advantage of matchups he feels

57:34

like he can't. That's

57:36

Russ mm hmm. And

57:39

he's gonna play a hunter moles power. He's

57:42

gonna play hard. Absolutely.

57:46

If that's not your cup of tea, don't watch him.

57:50

He's been working his whole career. You're gonna change

57:52

him in a year fourteen exactly,

57:55

exactly A fan

57:57

of it six years ago, eight years ago. Acts

58:01

he played the same brand of basketball. He plays

58:03

the same way with every every

58:05

situation he's been in, he's played the same way. When

58:07

Houston went to the Conference finals, he played the same way.

58:10

Was there's no difference,

58:13

that is, how are you going to change him? That's who

58:15

he is? Absolutely I

58:18

agree. I haven't,

58:20

like, I haven't gotten with the slander.

58:23

I don't. I can't understand

58:25

it for the life of me. And it's people saying

58:27

it that like, you have no business

58:30

slandering Russell Westbrook. Come

58:34

on, man, like you got former players

58:37

that weren't that good Slander and west

58:39

west Brook And I just don't understand

58:41

it. But you know, I could talk about

58:44

this all all day. I could talk to you all

58:46

day, but I got one

58:48

last question for you, and

58:51

that is and he's

58:54

having such an amazing year, especially

58:56

as the last couple of months. But I

58:59

think it's well documented and well known

59:02

your relationship with JT.

59:05

Jayson Tatum for those of y'all that don't know who

59:07

j T is. Um,

59:09

I've had the opportunity over the course of the

59:11

summer and over course the last couple of years, but really

59:13

over this summer to really get to know

59:15

him. And it

59:17

was big for me because you you see this

59:20

guy who is like young

59:23

and

59:26

and yeah,

59:28

he's now been doing it at this level

59:31

since for five years now, since he came in

59:33

four or five years since he came into the league. And

59:35

you can get it twisted and like, oh,

59:38

he's one of us, you know what I'm saying. And

59:41

We're at the Olympics and

59:43

I'm just sitting there talking to him,

59:45

and then some of the questions he would ask him, like,

59:48

Yo, this dude is a baby. Man Like

59:50

he like, this dude is a baby.

59:53

But you think you don't think that because

59:55

he's so good and he's on the level that

59:57

we are on All Stars produced

1:00:00

and like, and you're just like or

1:00:03

ship in some cases ahead

1:00:05

of the level you know, like and you're

1:00:07

just like, man, you

1:00:09

tend to think like, no, he just wanted us.

1:00:11

But the realities, he's a baby and I've

1:00:13

got an opportunity to know him. I've got an opportunity

1:00:16

to build a relationship with him, and

1:00:19

it's one that I cherished. I cherished

1:00:21

relationships. But

1:00:24

and I'm so excited

1:00:26

the way he's playing because him and jay

1:00:28

Len Brown went through a lot of especially

1:00:30

this last year and a half, a lot of stuff

1:00:32

like you and John went through it like, Oh, they can't

1:00:34

work together. It's that you got these

1:00:36

people trying to create termoil against him and

1:00:39

they figuring it out and it makes

1:00:41

me happy. But I just want to really get

1:00:43

your thoughts on on on JT

1:00:46

the season he's having, and where do

1:00:48

you see him going um in

1:00:50

his career, Like what's that next step for him

1:00:52

to take? Man, it's created a lot of people

1:00:54

don't know what people do know. We

1:00:58

grew up together, so we're

1:01:00

both from St. Louis, We're both in the same high

1:01:02

school. Moms know each other

1:01:05

like whole nine. And I

1:01:08

would always tell Jason when he was younger, You're

1:01:10

gonna be a million times better than me, a

1:01:13

million like

1:01:18

and to see it happening as fast

1:01:20

as it is, it's really

1:01:22

crazy, Like it's

1:01:24

it's very crazy, right. And to

1:01:28

see the success he has, like you said,

1:01:30

like I forget that he's as

1:01:33

young as he is, absolutely

1:01:35

crazy. He's been around me forever,

1:01:37

right, I've I've known jasonce he was

1:01:40

in diapers, I've known him forever. And

1:01:42

to see him now he got he got more. I'm

1:01:45

barely growing my beard, right, you don't

1:01:47

even connect. You got a full

1:01:49

beer, like and to see him,

1:01:52

to see him, to see

1:01:54

him growing to this, this young man. Bro,

1:01:57

he's the next face of the league. And I told

1:02:00

him that that is your goal. Mm

1:02:02

hmm. Like he has a he has

1:02:04

a great support system. We've got a lot of people that push

1:02:07

him around him and then uplift

1:02:09

him mom being number one. But

1:02:12

I always tell him that you are the face of his lead.

1:02:14

Bro, you have that

1:02:16

opportunity to be the face

1:02:18

of this lead, Like,

1:02:22

don't shy away from no endorsement,

1:02:24

don't shy away from no

1:02:27

no, no money throwing your way whatever the

1:02:29

league want to say, they do do mm

1:02:32

hmm. This is your lead,

1:02:34

bro, Like you already

1:02:36

planned at this elite level. You

1:02:38

need to be getting your name into these MVP talks

1:02:41

every year, like because you have

1:02:43

that ability, Like that's that's his projection,

1:02:47

that is his projection, Like that's

1:02:50

his projection. I

1:02:52

agree, I agree. It's

1:02:54

funny, which I wish

1:02:57

you could have gone with us and you know, and we'll

1:02:59

get out of here. But even

1:03:01

on the team, like obviously you know on our team

1:03:03

with the USA team, Katie was the guy, like

1:03:06

but you can see like next

1:03:10

up, it's him, And

1:03:12

there were games where ka lived to him like,

1:03:14

hey, man, come on now like you

1:03:16

you gotta take it now, and clockwork

1:03:19

boom boom boom. I'm just like, Yo, this dude

1:03:21

got it man. But it's it's so

1:03:23

great to see Bro. I gotta run of this

1:03:26

game. I appreciate you coming on the show

1:03:28

Man. It means a lot. Michael Lavine

1:03:30

asked me all the day, like, how are you getting guys

1:03:32

on the show Man?

1:03:34

Yeah, my brother. I

1:03:37

appreciate you. Brother. Get healthy, Bro, and

1:03:40

I hope to see you soon. My dog actually will be there in a

1:03:42

couple of days, so

1:03:46

no doubt. Alright, love Bro, bro

1:03:53

Man. Thank you to Brad. Appreciate Brad

1:03:55

coming on the show, um sharing his

1:03:57

outlook on his injury, his

1:04:00

views on free agency, his thoughts on

1:04:02

John Wall on Russell Westbrook. There's

1:04:04

not many guys that can say they played with those

1:04:07

two point guards, caliber point guards,

1:04:09

all star level, m VP level, extremely

1:04:12

athletic point guards and talk about

1:04:15

the differences in between them. I thought that was super

1:04:17

dope. I appreciated that. One of my hopes

1:04:19

from that interview is that everyone took away

1:04:23

what they needed to take away about Russell Westbrook

1:04:25

and how the work that he puts in

1:04:28

and what he gives to this

1:04:31

game and the slander

1:04:33

coming from like the reality

1:04:35

is if Russell Westbrook

1:04:37

is not the player that he once was

1:04:40

but he was up until year fourteen,

1:04:42

I think that is fucking amazing.

1:04:45

Man. And we get into

1:04:47

all this TV stuff and

1:04:49

and like destroying this man.

1:04:52

You got fans coming to the game calling that man

1:04:54

Westbrook. Like if you and

1:04:56

Russell Westbrook had a shooting competition, he

1:04:58

takes your life savings. But

1:05:01

you come to the game because you see something

1:05:03

at such a high level and you come to the

1:05:05

game and call this man Westbro. He he'd literally

1:05:07

take your life savings if you got into

1:05:09

a shooting contest for him. So I really

1:05:11

appreciated that that part of the interview.

1:05:14

I hope everyone else did as well. Um,

1:05:16

until next week. It's been real.

1:05:19

Make sure you guys like review and

1:05:22

subscribe to the podcast, and also subscribe

1:05:24

to the Volumes YouTube channel so

1:05:26

you can catch all the content. Make

1:05:30

share with your friends. We want

1:05:32

to keep bringing y'all good

1:05:34

vibes, good news, good

1:05:36

conversation. That's what we're all about here. So until

1:05:39

next week. I love piece

1:05:41

of hair grease. I'm out, very

1:06:00

pleasant, pleasant,