July 3, 2024 • 54 mins
In this captivating episode of the 3-on-3 podcast, the hosts dive deep into nepotism in sports. With LeBron and Bronny James making headlines as the first father-son duo in the NBA, Chris Williamson, Sharí Nycole, and Terrika Foster-Brasby explore the broader implications of this historic moment. Sharí doesn't hold back as she passionately discusses the impact of nepotism on black athletes, while Terrika emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities within the community.
Chris weighs in on the influence of family connections in the front office and coaching roles, sparking a lively debate among the hosts. The conversation takes an engaging turn as they share personal anecdotes and professional insights, shedding light on the often unseen dynamics of the sports world.
The episode heats up with thought-provoking discussions on how nepotism will impact future generations in the sports world. Then in the signature Jump Ball segment, the co-hosts go around the horn and pick their biggest takeaways from NBA frree agency from Paul George to Klay Thompson. Join the 3-on-3 team as they navigate the intricate intersections of family, power, and opportunity in sports.
Tune in for this action-packed episode.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of the three
on three podcast. We're kicking off the summer with they
a little bit of a different playbook, right, So on
this episode, we're going to dive deeply into nepotism in
basketball when Lebron James in Bronni James becoming the first
father son duo to play in the NBA. And don't worry,
you're still going to get these takes on what's going
(00:29):
on in the world of Who's but we're going to
really get into this whole concept of nepotism in the NBA,
from the front office, coaching, players, media to everything in between.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
So I'm Chris Williamson.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Of course I got my amazing lovely co host with me,
Scharena Cole and Tarika Foster Brass Meet Charie. How we
doing on this day?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm good, like I'm excited to dive in. It's been
a lot going on the sports world, and you know,
I always miss you all when we're away from one another,
so it's nice to be able to lock in with
you guys all. Good.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
What up, y'all? Is your girl? I'm here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm gonna try to keep my hands down because I
got a nail appointment later today. So oh she's missing
a nail, missing one with my hands.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So I'm trying to be good luck with that.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Thank you for the disclaimer. I say, just let them,
let them have all the hands. They'll be fine. I'm
sure there's there's women listening right now that they're set
redone is what we're seeing. You've ever seen a movie,
You've ever seen Malcolm X when Ray Lindo be like,
it was my wrap.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Can't be out here letting my rep go to waste
with this.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Black that you that.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Look down. Yeah, we're gonna keep it down. Speaking of that, well,
I cut my nails. My wife's getting mad at me.
She was like, you nails way too long.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You need.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
This man out here like Wolverine's got nails falling off.
What is happening.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Later tonight? But you always on poet, you know what
I'm saying. You're always on poy oh man.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
But you know who's been on POI right is Lebron
James using his massive power and influence to get his
son drafted with the fifty fifth pick in the twenty
twenty four NBA draft. And this really brings on a
much needed conversation about netheotism and sports because we are
(02:41):
the three on three guys, so we're going to get
into just how much of a microchism this is really
what's been going on forever, not just in sports, but
in life.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
And the thing that is very clear.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Lebron James manipulated the system right as she should have
to get Bronnie James selected. If it wasn't I if
Bronnie James wasn't up there, if he wasn't Lebron's son,
he wouldn't have gotten selected by the Lakers. That's just
a fact, Okay, And I'm not particularly mad at it
in this case, right because how many fifty fifth picks
(03:20):
have been sensational?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Right?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How many of them been game changers? Can y'all even
name me, like the past five? The only reason I
could name it is because I did research before this show, Like, Okay,
here's who was picked in twenty twenty three, twenty twenty two,
and they're mostly irrelevant, you know, outside of Aaron Wiggins
with the thunder.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But do you think.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It was a good decision by Lebron to use his
power in this way? Knowing the leverage that he has
with the Lakers Shore read.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I think it was the only decision if you really
think about it. Lebron has been very clear about, you know,
his retirement play, and part of that plan was playing
with his son. So he's somebody who has the power
to be able to get his way. We've talked about
that on this show before, and he exercised that power.
The other piece to this is Brianni understands he's a
(04:15):
role player. He's been saying that as well, so I
don't think he's coming in thinking that he's going to
take over in any kind of way. The reality is
also Lebron is on the back end of his career,
so at some point Briannie James is going to have
to prove himself or he's not going to play in
the league anymore. So I think with a player like Brianni,
whose skill set you know needs work in order to
(04:36):
be like a factor in this league, this is the
perfect place for him to be. Obviously, with the coaches
and you know, with his father mentoring him, this may
give him an opportunity to really have a career post
Lebron James. So I think Lebron did what Lebron does,
get his way in this instance. You know, I would
hope that he's setting Briannie up for success, but that's
(04:58):
still to be determined, and I think for me that's
the bigger thing we could look at it. Like mj
Son played in College child, he didn't bring him into
the NBA because I think there's something about Michael Jordan
has said, you ain't good enough. I'm not running myself
on the line. Man, I'm not doing it. So lebronarn it.
That's what I'm saying, you gotta earn it. So again,
(05:18):
it's also about the mentality piece. Like Lebron and Michael Jordan.
To me, again, this is what differentiates them. The mentality
piece is different. But Lebron James did what Lebron James
wanted and Bronnie followed too, So it's not just about
Lebron James. I think we need to open our minds
to understand Brianni wanted this too, because if he didn't
want it, he wouldn't have gone through this process as well,
(05:39):
all the criticism, the combines everything that he had to
go through to get to this point. If I don't
want it too, I wanna stay at USC. I'm not
going through all of this just because my father wants
me to play. So I'm more interested right now in
two three years from now, if Bronni's still here and
if he's some form of a factor. But no one
should be surprised by lebron Ja James doing what he
(06:01):
absolutely had the power to do. And I think this
speaks to a broader point that I'm sure we're going
to talk about, is from a moral standpoint. When you
infuse that with sports, are we towing a dangerous line?
Because what this sets is a precedent for future players,
NBA players to do the same thing. This is the
thing that Lebron James also thinks it's going to steal
(06:22):
his legacy. This is the piece. So for him, I'm
doing it because I want to go out this way.
Lebron James is all about records, guys. He's all about
making history. That's his thing. How many records can I say?
How much history can I make? So for him, as
he you know, in his mind, he's the greatest player
of all time, So I'm going to put as many
of these historic markets in place to make sure that
(06:42):
whoever comes behind me can't replicate it. So for Lebron
James in that respect, I salute you, but long range,
I'm very skeptical about Briandi James being able to actually
have an impact in the league. But I can't hate
on the young man for taking an opportunity that many
young men in his position will never get. There's nothing
wrong with that, and hopefully he proves himself in the
(07:04):
long run.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I'm sitting here trying to.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Think to myself about when I think about like some
successful two way role players in the league, right, Like,
for example, Derek White is someone who comes to mind
who just won a.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Championship with the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Right, he was at one point a two way role
player who elevated himself in his game to reaching star
status of his own, you know what I mean. I
think Josh Richardson is another person that kind of comes
to mind who was a very important role player. I'm
trying to think of some others who I think were important.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
But I bring all of that up Drew Holliday, right, yep.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And so I bring all that up to simply say
that you don't have to be a star to be successful.
You don't have to You can have a six career
and win championships, by being a role player, by coming
off the bench, by just kind of making yourself available
when you're necessarily needed. And I think that Briannie has time.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Where I struggle is I am one who always feels
that as an organization, you should use the draft to
either do one of two things, improve your organization or
find trade value to help improve your organization. And I'm
just not sure Briannie does that on either level for
the Lakers. I hope that I'm wrong, to be honest,
(08:35):
like maybe he does. I don't know, you know, if
we're being completely honest, I don't cover the in depths
of the Lakers enough to know whether or not you know.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
This is something that's going to move the needle for them.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
But no, like on the surface, just kind of feels
like you got picked because your daddy plays for them.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yeah, to that end, there is not enough black nepotism.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
There is not enough. I don't know a parent who
does not say that I work every day, that I
go to work every day, that I build what I'm
building so that my children can do better, so that
my children can have better, so that I can give
my children what they need, and Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It ain't even just basketball.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Do you think Ad and Sean Hockey didn't have anything
to do, Like they are two of the most notable
reference officials in the NFL. You don't think his daddy
put them up. Like, Let's look at all the ownership
in the NBA. You don't think people's daddies. Let's look
at Jerry Jones.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Your whole roster is for kids.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Javen John, Jerry Junior, Like your whole roster is your family.
So I am not at all Like the last thing
that I actually care about is the fact that Lebron got.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
His son in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Kudos to you, Like, honestly, kudos to you, because it's
been happening everywhere, and it's been happening for everyone. But
so it is finally about time, Like it's about time
outside of Ken and Ken Griffy Jr. And I ain't
even saying that Ken got got Junior in because Junior
was a beast.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I can't even count that one since I can't out that.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Like because you was gonna get in regardless.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Absolute. But the point point that I'm making is simply
that I have no problem whatsoever about Lebron using whatever
leverage it is that he used, and really the leverage
that he used publicly is the is his relationship with
Rich Paul. Rich Paul was the one that was making
all the moves because I'm seeing what's coming out about
(10:42):
what Rich Paul says was gonna happen if they didn't
pick Brownie, the conversations that were going on with other people,
the way that he was demanding he's making a roster
and not be.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Like that's Rich Paul.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Rich Paul is the one who was really calling the
shots for real, for real. But of course with Lebron's backing,
and I just simply don't have an issue with anyone
being able to put their children in a better position
to do well in life. But on the Lakers' perspective,
I just wonder, you know, what do you think the
benefit of this is going to be long term other
(11:17):
than just the ability to say we were able to
produce the first father son duo as teammates. Because I'm
looking at the Lakers right when I think about them
as a team, I'm like, wow, you were able to
get what seventy five games out of Bron and ad yep,
and you were still a play in team. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah, you ain't getting that kind of production.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
You ain't getting that kind of ability availability out of
Bron in AD for years to come like this was
this like especially ad like no no hate.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But it's just like day A D. You are injury prone.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
So you know, I don't think that there will be
another opportunity like that this year, and this year they
couldn't cash in on it. So from a Lakers' organization perspective,
it doesn't matter that he was number fifty five. You
use a pick on someone that I am not sold
can truly help move your needle forward for your organization,
And I think ultimately that should be the point.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's not going to move the needle. Well, actually,
let me take that back. He might move the needle
because everybody's going to be tuned in to see when
Lebron and BRONI are going to actually play on the court. Tarika, Right,
of course, he's not going to get I don't think
he's going to get that many minutes this year, right,
He may get it a few, He will get a couple, right,
(12:38):
just to fulfill that prophecy of lebron Yo, I'll play
with my son in the NBA, and that is a
testament to the greatness and the longevity in my career.
But outside of that, he can't get no time. I
do think it also helps that this draft class was
so weak, Right, You didn't have any really names that
(12:58):
jumped out to you that screen general rational talent. Right,
it was Okay, a lot of these guys, you know,
they can grow into becoming really solid role players or
perhaps future franchise stars. But there weren't anybody. There wasn't
anybody that really jumped out to you. And the other
thing that we have to definitely able to talk about
(13:18):
is well, I'm curious to know if if teams were
gonna draft Ronnie, like outside of the Lakers, I wonder
if he actually rich, Paul would have actually be like, oh, yeah,
we're taking him to Australia, because I feel like that
that wasn't happening.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The other parts.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
The Michael Corley in Australia is an interesting place to choose,
Australia of all places. That is some straight godfather shit.
Ab I've ever heard it, Okay that Like, I don't
I believe that he would have took his ass to Australia,
which is funny to me because Australia is probably one
(13:58):
of the only other countries that I know got a
beast basketball squad that has been Simmons about playing in
austre Right, that as the most gangster shit I've ever
seen from an.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Agent like you pick coming going to Australia. I'm screaming,
crowd is too late.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
First of all, anybody that would have chosen Briannie outside
the Lakers, it would simply be to be spiteful because
the reality, because it would simply be to take to
pull the rug up underneath from underneath Lebron James. Period.
There was no other reason because to Christmas point, to
Christ's point, this is this was the this was the
iron striking while it was hot. Put Briannie in the
(14:44):
draft next year, good bye. No, No, this was the
time to do it. So I don't know, I just
felt like it was It felt a little cap to me,
but that was just my opinion. I don't necessary I
didn't necessarily see Brianni fitting in with any of these
other teams in a way. Again, to Trea point earlier,
that he would have any level of impact so monetarily, yes,
(15:04):
short run your team. Your team from a financial standpoint,
you got ticket sales, You're gonna get that anyway, it's Bronnie.
But outside of that, like getting better? What am I
drafting him for? If I'm another NBA team outside the Lakers, Like,
what's the point unless I'm gonna be like, yeah, lebron
sorry dude, or we got him over here. How much
money y'all got, Lakers people? How much money you got
(15:27):
Jenny Buss? You want them?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
So hang up talking about when I say trade value,
when I'm like for trade leverage.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Or trade value, Like there you go.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
A team could possibly I mean, if you're a Sacramento
what you got to lose?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
And keep in mind, you know, this really wasn't a
very strong at all, not at all.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
I mean, so it wasn't like there was a plethora
of folks that folks could just really you know that
gms and folks could really be like, well, I think
you should have got him or got him. So, I mean,
like that's what makes this situation so nuanced, right because
it wasn't a.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Typical draft class.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It's the fifty fifth pick, you know, it's it's Lebron's son.
There's so many variables to why something like this probably
won't ever happen again, or at least no time within
our generation. But it's just it, it's so difficult for
me to pinpoint other than the fact that, like, I'm
not mad at what happened, but I'm thinking, like, if
(16:24):
you're the Lakers, I just don't believe you, like even before,
even with the seventeenth pick, Like, I.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Just don't think this draft made you better, not.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
At all, not at all, And the Briny decision was
so short run. It was so short run to me
and even JJ Reddick. Sorry short run. If I'm thinking
about the Lakers three years from now, I'm literally thinking
about a catastrophe, Like I don't see them being a
great team for quite some time. So you did this
(16:54):
to fulfill, you know, a desire of Lebron to have
a historic run, your gut, your organizations to make really
good money for the next couple of years. But when
Lebron gets out of there and Brinni has to prove
himself and JJ Reddick may or may not, we don't know,
because we all know how they recycle coaches, Like, what
does your organization look like, look like in the next
three years. That's assuming he still stays. Because what I'm
(17:17):
saying honest and Chris love to hear your input, because honestly,
what if what if Lebron says, Hey, I'm forty one
or forty two or whatever, I'm done, I've fulfilled my prophecy, done,
whatever it is I want to do. What if what
if Bronnie doesn't have a great experience, what if he
feels that he does develop a skill set that could
be needed for another team? Like I just I just
(17:40):
think the security, like I just keep hearing it was
the security for the future. But I'm like, you can't
guarantee that a future with Ronnie is going to remain
here once his father is not.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
You can't guarantee that.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So so that I think it's much more likely that
Bronnie James will be on another team once his father retires,
then he stays right with the Lakers. I think it's
just much more likely, right, I honestly think it would
have been better. And again, I know Lebron James' career goal,
right was to have his son play in the NBA
(18:13):
at the same time that he's playing. It was never
Brownie James' goal to our knowledge that he wanted to
play with his father, it was I want to play
in the NBA. And I do think he has the
tools right to develop into a really solid role player.
Like we got to remember, this is a guy who, Yeah,
he doesn't have the gaudy stats, right, he averaged just
about five points to rebounds two assists at USC coming
(18:36):
off a cardiac arrest, right, so he didn't even play
to the begin the season. He's got the defensive, he's
got the athleticism, right, He's got the hops, he's got
the playmaking, the vision, but it's going to take him
some time to adjust a lot more time than others, right,
because I do think that he still should have gone back,
but again, he wanted to be at NBA, and that's
(18:58):
that's his prerogative. And look, well, in the combine where
I think ESPN had him in the top one hundred
for prospects, and then after the combine he was number
fifty four, So clearly there's talent there. I just think
he probably should have had. He probably should have gone
back another year at USC or somewhere else and taken
more time to develop, and that he would have gotten
(19:20):
drafted maybe a year or two, but that's not the situation.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
He's in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
And my thing is, I just hope, to Tarika's point,
that his experience with his father on the Lakers is
going to be a positive one and it doesn't derail him, right,
Because it's one thing to give your son or your
daughter a leg up in the process because of all
the work you put in. But it's another thing to
put him in a situation where you can make them
(19:48):
very vulnerable, very susceptible to a lot of issues, right,
a lot of possible failures and an environment that's just
not healthy. So I think that's something that you know,
we have to we have to look out for. But
uh yeah, I got no problem with what Bron doing
what he did, And I don't know, as we're gonna
(20:08):
flip the page, I don't know if people have a
problem with what a lot of these front officers do
because nepotism be all up in there when it comes
to sports, right, And we'll talk about that after the break.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Hey, basketball family, We're Rod and Karen of the Blackout
Tips podcast. Cash new episodes of The Blackout Tips.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
On Our Heart or wherever you download your podcast. We're
excited to be part of the Inflection Network family.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yes, hey guys, welcome back to the three on three pie.
It's your girl, Tarrika Foster Brasby here with my girls
reading the co and my brother Chris, and we're talking
about nepotism in sports. But nepotism in sports isn't just
necessarily what's going on on the court, on the field,
on the diamond. It absolutely also takes place in the
(21:00):
front offices, It takes place between coaches, it takes place
in media. I mean, listen, I have a whole story
about working with my grandmother, so furious I took my mom.
My grandmother was a nurse and when she got into
her later years of being a nurse, she decided she
wanted to, you know, use those last ten fifteen years
(21:22):
in a nursing home because she was like a nurse
in the hospital for like thirty years. So long story short.
I was young, I was broke, I needed a job.
She got me a job in the dining facility, which
was cool.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I was young.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I was making good money doing absolutely nothing for four hours.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Lovely, okay, But it's.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
The fact that everyone saw me as Dorothy's granddaughter.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Oh that's Dorothy granddaughter, Dorothy grandad. It was like, I
want Rika. I didn't have a dad. It no matter
what I did, it was, oh, man, that's Dorothy baby.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Like, oh, I'm twenty years old, ma'am, I'm not a baby.
There's a certain level of expectation that comes along when
you are the daughter, the son, the product of working
with working with someone a family member of sort a mom, dad, grandma, whatever,
(22:17):
in a certain place of business, and it's a little
bit easier when it's ownership, but at the same time,
there is still an expectation that is placed upon you.
You know, you guys know, I just spent a good
ten years at ESPN.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
First thing that comes to mind is Kendra and Malika Andrews.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
Malika was there and Kendra came over, and we know
that Kendra's there because.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Malika is your sister.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So it's what I don't understand is those who are
critics of what has went down between Lebron and Bronni,
that same criticism doesn't seem to be there for other
people for other things that we have seen, for other
scenarios where we know that a parent has very much
(23:02):
played a role in their son or their daughter making
it to the next level. I mean, the examples are endless.
We all watch, you know, Sunday Night Football, Sunday Night NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
We all watch that. We all hear you know, our
good friend collins Worth. What's his first name? Yeah, Chris, Yes,
Chris collins Worth. Right, you know, people hate him. I
actually love him. He's funny to me. But he has
a son named Jack collins Worth. Now do you think Jack?
How you think Jack got that job.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
By merit?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
By meritory? He was clearly the most qualified.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Who are trying to enter into the ivy League. There
are certain categories which you can gain interest and acceptance,
and one of those is based on if you have
a family or some type of hereditarial background of alums
from those colleges. We don't see people out here make it,
make a noise and being upset about getting into Harvard
(24:04):
because your daddy, granddaddy, uncle and brother went to Harvard.
I don't see people mad about Doc Rivers and Austin Rivers.
And there's a lot of reasons that you should be
mad about Doc Rivers. Don't don't know.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Some people, some people they got that clippers gig as
a player was because of his daddy.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Listen, y'all know, don't bring up Doc on this show.
Don't there a lot of you should be mad at
Doc Rivers. You want what you did for Austin. It's
not one of them. No, I agree, it don't matter
Austin sitting on somebody TV right now giving a bad take.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
But guess what so what so what like? That's what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
When you think about nepotism and sports and front offices
and media and coaching, it has been there and there
has been no criticism, Shari, when you think about the
way that this has really been into I mean, the
Lakers themselves was owned, has now been passed down and
now operated by the Bond family. What do we like
(25:18):
If anyone gets it, they get it correct. I think
it's also about how we qualify excellence, right. I think
a lot of the people that have taken issue with
this are thinking about it from a standpoint of is
this person who's getting this opportunity deserving of the opportunity
because they have the skill set necessary to be excellent
(25:39):
in that space. Some of these people also are looking like, Okay, wow,
my son his stat line's way better than this. Ronnie
took an opportunity away from my son, right. So I
think when people think about you know, because again I
don't have an issue like nepotism is. It's part of
it's a part of life. I think culturally as black
(26:02):
folks were simply behind in that respect. So there's a
lot about this that we just don't buy design. But
I think the way that we look at excellence and preparedness,
I think is why some people are frustrated. Also, front
office there's a level of protection from public scrutiny that
you don't necessarily get when you're on the basketball court
(26:24):
and you have to show improve in real time. So
I also think that's another part that people miss. They're
not even a lot of these people that are sports
fans or not. They don't even know who's in these
front offices. They don't know there's a long line of
sons and daughters that are moving the needle or not.
But they know that Giannis's brother is not playing. Do
you see what I'm saying? Right, they're looking at Austin
(26:46):
Rivers like U and now you're up here talking why
are you here? So I think that's part of it.
For me, I can understand both sides. I can understand hey,
from a cultural standpoint, you all, when one of us
is blessed to be able to offer an opportunity to
our loved ones who we feel can handle it, because
(27:07):
nobody's gonna know that they can handle it outside of
themselves and the person and the parent or the family
member that put them on. As much as we can
criticize lebron excuse me, Bronnie stats, his trainers, his coaches,
his father. They know, so we can say all we
want to. We're not in his workouts. We don't necessarily
(27:28):
know the ins and outs of his game and how
that may translate over. We're just speculating. So if a
person has trust, just like Terka's grandmother had, trusting her
because some people may have said, what's this young girl
doing to hear? How she don't Terka's grandmother said, well,
she's smart, she's adaptable, she's flexible, she's gonna listen, she's
gonna pay attention. So I'm putting her here. So I
(27:48):
think the other piece of it, like we're trying to
qualify excellence on the spectator side for people that truly
know what that is on the inside. So again for
people that have to show and prove in the moment,
it's a lot harder. And I think that's why nepotism
is something that as far as black folks go, we
don't necessarily understand as much because a lot of the
(28:09):
nepotism that happens culturally and other cultures, it's happening on
an executive level, which is really where where the majority
of the money is, the majority of the influence is.
And so for Lebron to do this, I really would
like us to think about how this sets the stage
for us to take this beyond just performance on the
(28:29):
basketball court. What does this look like ten years down
the line, because Lebron James is gonna try to move
into ownership, Like for us to not think that that's
gonna happen will be absurd. So what does it look
like for Lebron to say, Okay, Briani, you've played in
the league, even if he has a short run in
his career, You've played, you understand the game. I've brought
you up, I've mentored you, I'm a part owner of
(28:52):
this team. I'm putting you underneath me and you'll have
space to grow because the level of pressure is there
for you, but not publicly. So that's the difference. Again, Guys,
I'm not oppost to nepotism. I do understand the frustration
on the other side, and even beyond sports, Like, I'll
just be honest with you all, I've done everything on paper,
quote unquote that I was supposed to do to get
(29:14):
the opportunities that I have, and then I'm still believing
God for and I've watched people, I've watched influencers come
in and just because they went viral, they have an
opportunity to have stages, be on stages and get opportunities
that I'm still like, Okay, God, what else do I
have to do. I got the degrees, I got the experience,
I've worked over here, I've done all this. My skill
set is stronger. But because they know somebody, or because
(29:35):
they went viral a couple of times, they're here. So
it's that frustration, like where do we where? Where if
you're moving in excellence and you're not seeing that fruit
yet or getting those opportunities yet, where can you take
that frustration right? Where can you place that not being
envious of a person who got an opportunity, but also
being challenged and saying, Okay, I'm gonna stay in the fight.
(29:55):
It's not my time. Yet there's still space for me.
So I think people that are criticizing feel like, man,
just because this person took this, there's no more space
for me, no their space. And I think this is
also showing us their space. Brannie was fifty fifth. Guys,
he wasn't in the front draft fifty he was almost
at the end their space, you know what I'm saying.
(30:16):
So like, I think the people that are having a
tough time are not understanding, they're not quantifying there's still
space for you. They're still a place for your excellence
as well. And just because somebody got an opportunity that
somebody that's in their life earned, they earned it and
they should do it. It doesn't take away from you.
And there's actually no delay. So I think we look
(30:37):
at we look at nepotism and people that get those opportunities,
they're taking something away. Oh now I have to wait more. No,
you don't. There's space for that. So let's continue to
move the needle forward and continue to have the conversations.
I want to see more of this and Honestly, if
somebody's qualified and they're the son of somebody else, good
for them. And if they're not qualified, they're going to
(30:58):
figure it out or they won't last. And that's just
the law of life, period. They will not last.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I'm a wait.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Until after, Chris, because I have a full whole response
for like two things that you said.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Ooh, now, no, go ahead, Terreka, I see you you it,
just let it get it.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
It's the thing, the thing, the thing about it. And
ooh girl, y'all I'm about to be already know I'm
about to be called a racist. It is so we
get called racist every other way.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That's just us Tuesday. You know, it's a regular Tuesday.
Heard it.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
But the reason that we we think like that is
because when it is an opportunity for us to put
somebody on, you still have to be twenty times.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Better to be put on.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Absolutely when the opportunity for them to put somebody on,
you don't. And that is why it does not matter
about who you know or who you don't know when
it comes to us. That is what makes this situation
so different and why I am so okay with it.
I too have been that person that have quite literally
(32:04):
been like, y'all, I did this, I did this, I
did this.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
What are we doing like? I didn't produced? I didn't
did this.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I had said this, I spoke to this person, talked
to this person, I've written.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
I've done all.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Like what else to do to prove to you guys
that this is worth it? While I'm seeing such and
such just march on it here and get jobs and
get opportunities without having put in the work, without the reps,
without the whatever.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Right, But those people didn't look like me, and I
was cognizant of that, that those people didn't look like me.
The people who were.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Making the decisions of having them march in did not
look like me, and I was cognizant of that. And
so those who tend to criticize criticize from a level
of where they are, of their perception, and it does
not It does not upset me that people who look
like us feel a way about this that is very
(32:59):
different from those who don't, Because those who don't have
been benefiting from this kind of career move and lateral
moves for years. We have not Chris, when you said
it's by design, it is. It is by design. We
haven't owned anything of that type of significance. We haven't
been we haven't been given the power of that type
(33:21):
of significance to make that kind of a move.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
That's why it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I have no problem whatsoever saying to someone that you
should absolutely, you should absolutely have some form of merit
in order to be in a position. But everyone who's
gotten where they've gotten on the backs of one of
us having us say so is because they've brought the
additional work.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Extra level of standard.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
Because it doesn't matter, you still have to have it,
You still have to have it, doesn't matter, you still
have to have it.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
They don't.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
That bugs me to no end, But it is why
I preached this right here. Don't bother me at all.
Don't bother me at all, not even in the least bit.
Don't bother me at all. But I look at the
Cowboys organization and buddy, buddy, my got today.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
You don't have to know how to run shit to
be like, you don't have to know how to do nothing.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
And mind you, they still have the faith of America,
every America. They are America's team regardless. Isn't that incredible
except except Charlotte, I move her out the way, because
Charlotte the only one who got any damn sense.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
For being honest too, Like, this wasn't even the most
egregious example of nepotism, right, because it would be one thing,
if the Lakers picked Ronnie with the seventeenth pick, that
would be that would be.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Ridiculous, right, right, right, But there are only three.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Other players that were drafted after him, and.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Again it was a weak draft class, you know, all
things considered. So yeah, I'm I ain't mad at that
at all, but I do think we do need to
do a deeper dive on the cultural ramifications of nepotism
and whether it's good in single instances or whether it's
bad when you look at the totality of nepotism.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
All right, fam Listen.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
One of the things that we touched on briefly in
the previous conversation was about the level of the level
of excellence in the standard that comes along with black nepotism, right.
And the reason that I believe one of one of
the reasons, shall I say that I believe it has
(35:34):
a little bit of a different cultural significance for us
is not only because again it doesn't happen incredibly often,
but the fact that we still have to be good
and great when it does. When I think of NEPO babies,
even outside of sports, right, one of the first people
that comes to mind is John David Washington.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
John David Washington is a ton of baby but short.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
That's where I'd be like anyone but I met, but
I met, I met. I met John David Washington on
one time, did a thorough interview with him.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Loved it, and he talked.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
To me about his story in terms of how he
still had to you know, he went to college, tried
to play football, realized football wasn't for him, wanted to
get into acting, and for a minute, did not even
use his father's last name, just went by John David
because he did not want people to only pick him
because he was Denzel Washington's son. And it's not the
(36:35):
first time that you hear these kinds of stories, right,
So there is a an expectation or a level of
we have to kind of make it on our own
situation when it comes to the black community, where I
don't think in the white community or other communities, people
are very quick to say, hey, you know, that's my daddy, right, right,
(36:56):
you know that's right? Yeah, like it's the it's it's
so interesting how that dynamic is different for us.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
I also realize that.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
John David Washington is a very good actor, so it
really didn't matter how he said it or not.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
But you see, that tends to be a trend. I
think about Natalia Bryant, daughter of Kobe Bryant.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
She's a businesswoman and she's good. She's really good at
what she does. And this just continues to be a
trend that when you think about what it is for us.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yes, there are people who use or have a family connection,
but they tend to be really good at what they're doing. Anyway.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Look at Blue Ivy Carter, right, Blue Ivy Carter is
got baby, she got the soup. Mama and daddy just
out here getting and doing everything. But if you've seen
that baby develop, she's market and she's an entertainer, and
she understood that she needed to get better because regardless
that Beyonce is my mama, I know that my mama
(37:59):
don't play games about her performances. And so where she
started on that renaissance tour versus where she was when
I saw her and boss, that whole new thing, right,
level of excellence completely skyrocketed, right, So I just continue
to say that in Chris. I don't know if you
agree or not, but it just feels like for us,
(38:20):
it doesn't even matter when we have the ability to
use or to come from a place or a person
that can give us a leg up, there is still
this inkling that we have that we still have to
be really good and really good all the time. Regardless.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I think I'm glad you brought that up, because I
never looked at it that way, especially you know, John
David Washington. I mean, even Ronnie James, like he doesn't
want people to know who he is, even though you
know his name is Bridian.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Class name James.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
But yeah, there's this I don't say it to Nate,
but there's this feeling of Yo, my parents they're great,
but I want to make a name from myself. I
don't want to rest on their lures. And I don't
know if those same conversations are those same attitudes are
had in other races where it's my daddy is you
know who my daddy is. My daddy is Jerry Colangelo,
(39:11):
and I'm the son of Jerry Colangel and I'm Brian Colangelo.
And that's why i got this GM job with the
Phoenix Suns right after he left that post, and you got,
you know, Tony Wrestler for the Atlanta Hawks. His son,
Nick Wrestler is the princial advisor to Tony. I don't
know what their conversations are, but I do know that
in this in America, a lot of times white people
(39:34):
feel entitled to brag about who their their parents are,
who they're related to. Right as for black people, I'm
gonna still get out of the mudd. Yeah, I've benefited
from being the child of an amazing talent, whatever it's
in music or sports, acting. But I'm going to work
my ass off because that is the Those are the
(39:56):
values that my parents instilled in me. But where I
do have a little bit of an issue with nepotism
as a whole, is it keeps the elite in the elite, right,
and if we're not able to bring because we're in
a world of capitalism, you know, I worry about the
(40:17):
poor Black Americans or the middle class Black Americans. You know,
if we want to go you know, across race, you
know white, Well, it's different, right with white people, but
I don't want to go down that road where you're
still not seeing a range of black people get these
jobs in high places. And again that's a much larger
(40:38):
issue with how our system works in America.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
But by and large, black.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Nepotism I think is a positive because, to Tarika's point,
you are going to be the person that you put
on is usually going to be excellent. They are going
to be a bonafide star in their own way. Of
course there are outliers, but from what I see, they're
(41:05):
going to be working their ass off and they're going
to be qualified. So yeah, that's where I stand up.
I just the whole elitist thing, right, It's not going
to save black people. You know what I'm saying, capitalis
is not going to save Black people because we used
to be the capital right with slavery, But we're diving in,
I'm diving into a much more complex issue. So if
(41:29):
we just keep it on the surface of nepotism and
helping people get jobs that they normally wouldn't, especially when
there have been so many racially, there's been so many
racial disadvantages that we've had as a black community, I'm
all for level the playing field again, when Lebron becomes
an owner or becomes a governor how you want to
spend it, that is going to be huge for black people.
(41:52):
Not going to save black people, but the representation is
significant because there aren't as many owners. There aren't any
governors in sports who are black, right, Like you got
Magic Johnson, Okay, you had Michael Jordan, But outside of that,
I'm just stinking off the top of my head, Uh
(42:13):
what I can't think of anybody?
Speaker 3 (42:14):
I mean, like, yeah, I mean I think Sanders is
going to be really good. But I think that also
plays to the point that we're making that It's not
like he a scrub and Dion just going to bat
form and is making him a starter just because like
nah Shador Sanders is pretty damn good and he has
things that he can work on to make himself better,
(42:35):
for sure, But at the end of the day, if
your daddy being Dion Sanders has an opportunity to get
you the better trainers and help put you in positions
to work on your footwork, work on your accuracy, make
you a bit like why not? You don't think folks
are gonna be out here when his time comes and
when draft time comes, his time come, they're not gonna
be like, well, yeah, because we know getting Shador is
(42:58):
essentially in some ways.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Getting access to ryme Like, yeah is what it is?
Like it's not, It's really not. And you're right.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
There are outliers to everything. There are exceptions to every rule,
even on the other side of the aisle. Like we're
not saying, or at least I know I'm not, but
I know that we're not as a group saying that
there are you know, white people are non minorities or
have put family members on and they haven't been worthy.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Or haven't you know, earned what it.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Is that they that they've done. I think about Agelina
and Joe Lee, for example. We know her daddy is
John Boyd, but Angelina is a hell of an actress.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
She has earned her own, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
So it's not we're not saying that, but I think
I know I think the basic and sure Reid correct
me if I'm wrong, But I think the basics is
just simply that when it comes to us, it doesn't
happen often, and when it does, the people who we
put on usually understand that you have to be really
good because we don't get the opportunities to look bad.
(43:55):
We don't get the chance to fail, We don't get
the chance to just.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
Kind of fuck it up. You have to do what
makes us look good.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
And if your mama, like my mama, Ma, mama, tell me,
don't you go out here embarrassing me exactly?
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Your reputations now on the line, right you.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Go, I embarrassing me. I have hut my name on
this field.
Speaker 3 (44:14):
I agree with both your points, a couple of points
I want to raise and high raise vaters. I'm going
to go there. Black people have been so traumatized by
systemic racism that they don't even understand that there's a
differentiation between black nepotism and white I we'll just go
white nepotism. We're in America, right, We because we want
to keep up with the Jones. Jones have assimilated ourselves
(44:35):
into thinking that into their form of nepotism, when in reality,
there is a difference. So that's part of the reason
why we can't conceive it. Our nepotism is going to
look different. For the reasons that Tarika and Chris just said,
we know intrinsically it is now in our DNA when
we know we have to be better, we have to
be two and three times better, but we can't conceive
(44:55):
that culturally because we're looking at them and how they
elevate one another view nepotism and don't have that standard culturally.
We need to understand, own and appreciate and celebrate the
standard that we have. So this level of nepotism isn't
so difficult to digest when you really sit with the
fact that, huh, yeah, we don't give them any opportunities.
(45:17):
And when we put each other on, we because mind you,
I put you on and you don't and I put
you on and you don't perform. We both out here,
we both see the reality. So we need to sit
in our reality and stop sitting in theirs, and then
we'll be able to celebrate something like this. That's number one.
Number two, we need to be open to understanding that
(45:37):
as we put each other on via our family lines,
this opens the floodgates for us to be able to
put other people on. Like Chris, you mentioned people that
may be at risk, at risk you, or some people
that may be dealing on a lower class level economically
that have the ability but don't have the access. We
can give them access. What Lebron James has done is
given us permission to do these things. So it's not
(45:59):
just about us in our family lines. We need to
come together culturally anyway, there's a disconnect anyway. Things like
this build a bridge for us to come together from
a cohesive standpoint, a collective economic standpoint and have real impact.
And somebody answered me this, Oh, I'm going there. Have
we gotten reparations yet? Go so good? So I say,
(46:23):
go for it, get your bag. How you need to
get it in this respect because the reparations ladies and gentlemen,
sadly they're not there and they're probably not coming. So
we need to also acknowledge that and understand we can
utilize nepotism just as other races have. We'll go black
folks there, but we don't have white privilege. And that's
(46:43):
okay because what we make up for it in terms
of how we identify with hard work, how we identify
with we can't mess it up, as Tarika said, because
it puts everybody on the line. That's to our advantage.
Briannie James knows what's on the line. He knows stop
assuming this boy doesn't know. Stop assuming Lebron James doesn't know,
(47:04):
Stop assuming Rich Paul doesn't know. They know, and understand
that he's going to have every opportunity to succeed because
he has to have it, because he has to succeed. Now,
success is measured in different ways. Again, we're not expecting
him to be Michael the next Michael Jordan. Who knows
he might be. But we have to understand how we
move when it comes to nepotism is not the same
(47:26):
way that our white counterparts move, and that's actually what
needs to happen. Stop assimilating what they're doing what we're doing.
We can't keep up with the Joneses. The system isn't
creative for us to do that, and it's not going
to change. So how about we understand what the system is,
accept it for what it is, and make the adjustment.
(47:47):
We're not doing that part, and that's why we can't
conceive it because we're still thinking we're on their level.
No we're not. And I'm not saying I'm not saying
white people in America and all different races are better
than us. What I'm saying is we have to understand
what we have and what we don't and work with
that fully. And this was a great example Lebron James
and what he did was a great example of that.
(48:08):
I am so excited really, and you know, y'all know
I'm the biggest Lebron fan, just he're not my guy,
But to think about what this could look like for
him and his family line and other people, even how
you put his friends on, think about this, what would
it looked like exactly? So this man, exactly, this man
is going to be an owner. He's going to bring
in more people into the foe that otherwise wouldn't get
(48:29):
an opportunity that he knows can do it and that
they're going to do it. Yes, that's my thoughts, y'all. Yeah,
for real, Will Smith and Jada, when I think about nepotism,
look at the Bear Jaden and they're talented. This is
what we're saying.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
They're talented, talented kids.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
They have their own Look, Will's got his own production company,
so does Lebron. Like, it's not like these people are
just here and just not doing shit with what the
resources that they have.
Speaker 2 (48:58):
They are To your point, serie.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
Standard is our standard is differend.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
Is different and and moving is, and not just adjusting
to the system, but moving within it to create our
own Like honestly, that's like really where we are and.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
That should be the goal. So stop stop criticizing those moves.
They're not gonna look like. You still have to be
able to have the communication and the connection with the
system that actually systemically is created to make sure black
people don't win. But you have to be connected in
some way to get to a place where Lebron James
has gotten. So it's actually genius what he's been able
(49:34):
to do. Get out your emotions, people, it's x'es and
o's at the end of the day. Once we get
out of our emotions, we can really conceive that this
is a great thing and that we all should aim
to do that for our families. Not just not just
oh I got a piece of property when somebody died,
you can have it. No, what's the elevation and the
extension of that. We have so much potential to go
(49:54):
well beyond that. So I hope this is an example
for everybody. This is how it's done. The next episode
of three on three, Breaking Generational Curses, come on now,
let's do it.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Come on now, Well, y'all know that was a very
deep conversation, but we cannot, you know, forget that this
show always has jump ball right in our shows and
on today's edition of jump Ball, it is.
Speaker 3 (50:25):
I love Chris's voice sometimes, his inflections and his cadence.
It's really fascinating. Sometimes it really is.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
I'm just speaking of mind. I'm just speaking of mind,
trying to be like you and you and Tarifa. But
today's you know, jim Ball save it. We're talking about
our biggest takeaways from Free Agency so far. For me,
it's Chris Paul landing with the Spurs, right. The reason
why is because I think he's going to be in
an amazing veteran presence for Victor wibin Yama. He has
(50:55):
a lot of leadership qualities right to pick and roll
with him, and Winby is going to be I just
don't know how long it's going to last, because I
think Chris Paul is on his last legs.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
Right.
Speaker 1 (51:06):
Hey, if Winby can soak up as much knowledge as
he can from Chris Paul in those two months, then
he is better for it, and the Spurs are as well.
But Tarika, what's your biggest takeaway from Free agency so far.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
Oh, definitely, Paul George, Paul Gizzl PG going to the
Sixers man. That just really elevated the Sixers to a
new level of if you don't get it done, it'sh y'all.
Because PG is the perfect wing replacement for what they've
lost in Tobias here is. I think the biggest challenge
(51:40):
is going to be health. They always say the best
ability is availability, and as long as MAXI, Joelle and
B and PG now have the ability to be healthy
for majority of the season and going into the postseason,
they are a true dangerous threat.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Needs.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
I like that. Minus Klay Thompson, I think that this
is a good fit for Dallas, you know, they need.
It's always great to have a guard come in that
gives you shooting range ability and also plays on the
defensive end. I think that that was one thing that
they you know, that they can add to their arsenal
that makes them more of a contender in the playoffs.
On the other end, Tricky just mentioned health. You know,
can Clay stay healthy? I think he can. I also
(52:18):
think this will just be a confidence booster for him.
I mean, obviously those who weren't avout Golden State fans
wanted him to stay there with good reason, but I
think from a confidence standpoint, morale standpoint, I just think
he needed a fresh start. So I'm excited to see
him with a fresh start. You know, we'll see how
he integrates into the offense. You know, that's very right now,
Luca heavy and then Kyrie filling in the gaps. But
(52:39):
I think Clay offers them some some versatility on the
guard side that I think they're missing. And I'm excited
for him. I've always liked Klay Thompson and I just
want to see him, you know, kind of mirror the
Klay Thompson of old and I think he still got
a little bit in the tank. So I'm interested to
see how this works out with him.
Speaker 1 (52:54):
Yeah, he'll definitely be motivated to you know, shove it
in Olden State's phases, because he clearly was not pleased
with the money they offered him last year, and it
wasn't I mean, I would have taken it, but I'm
not him. I don't have his you know, his.
Speaker 2 (53:13):
Catchea some defense down there, that's.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
Right, I hope, So I mean he had you know,
he can still be a passable defender.
Speaker 2 (53:21):
Right.
Speaker 1 (53:22):
But look, this is the end of today's episode of
the three on three podcast. We hope you have really
enjoyed a very deep and meaningful dialogue about nepotism and
specifically black nepotism, not just in sports but in life
for Scherina Cole, Tarika Foster Brasby, I'm Chris Williamson. Make
sure to check us out on x at D three
(53:45):
on three pod and Instagram at three on three pod,
and also tune into our YouTube network, our YouTube channel,
I should say, the Inflection Network, and also just subscribe
to the three on three podcasts on the iHeart Radio
app and give us five stars because we know we're
bringing the heat and we deserve that type of notoriety.
Speaker 2 (54:05):
We're out. We'll see you next time.
What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of the three
on three podcast. We're kicking off the summer with they
a little bit of a different playbook, right, So on
this episode, we're going to dive deeply into nepotism in
basketball when Lebron James in Bronni James becoming the first
father son duo to play in the NBA. And don't worry,
you're still going to get these takes on what's going
(00:29):
on in the world of Who's but we're going to
really get into this whole concept of nepotism in the NBA,
from the front office, coaching, players, media to everything in between.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
So I'm Chris Williamson.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Of course I got my amazing lovely co host with me,
Scharena Cole and Tarika Foster Brass Meet Charie. How we
doing on this day?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm good, like I'm excited to dive in. It's been
a lot going on the sports world, and you know,
I always miss you all when we're away from one another,
so it's nice to be able to lock in with
you guys all. Good.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
What up, y'all? Is your girl? I'm here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm gonna try to keep my hands down because I
got a nail appointment later today. So oh she's missing
a nail, missing one with my hands.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
So I'm trying to be good luck with that.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Thank you for the disclaimer. I say, just let them,
let them have all the hands. They'll be fine. I'm
sure there's there's women listening right now that they're set
redone is what we're seeing. You've ever seen a movie,
You've ever seen Malcolm X when Ray Lindo be like,
it was my wrap.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Can't be out here letting my rep go to waste
with this.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Black that you that.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Look down. Yeah, we're gonna keep it down. Speaking of that, well,
I cut my nails. My wife's getting mad at me.
She was like, you nails way too long.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You need.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
This man out here like Wolverine's got nails falling off.
What is happening.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Later tonight? But you always on poet, you know what
I'm saying. You're always on poy oh man.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
But you know who's been on POI right is Lebron
James using his massive power and influence to get his
son drafted with the fifty fifth pick in the twenty
twenty four NBA draft. And this really brings on a
much needed conversation about netheotism and sports because we are
(02:41):
the three on three guys, so we're going to get
into just how much of a microchism this is really
what's been going on forever, not just in sports, but
in life.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
And the thing that is very clear.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Lebron James manipulated the system right as she should have
to get Bronnie James selected. If it wasn't I if
Bronnie James wasn't up there, if he wasn't Lebron's son,
he wouldn't have gotten selected by the Lakers. That's just
a fact, Okay, And I'm not particularly mad at it
in this case, right because how many fifty fifth picks
(03:20):
have been sensational?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Right?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How many of them been game changers? Can y'all even
name me, like the past five? The only reason I
could name it is because I did research before this show, Like, Okay,
here's who was picked in twenty twenty three, twenty twenty two,
and they're mostly irrelevant, you know, outside of Aaron Wiggins
with the thunder.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But do you think.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It was a good decision by Lebron to use his
power in this way? Knowing the leverage that he has
with the Lakers Shore read.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I think it was the only decision if you really
think about it. Lebron has been very clear about, you know,
his retirement play, and part of that plan was playing
with his son. So he's somebody who has the power
to be able to get his way. We've talked about
that on this show before, and he exercised that power.
The other piece to this is Brianni understands he's a
(04:15):
role player. He's been saying that as well, so I
don't think he's coming in thinking that he's going to
take over in any kind of way. The reality is
also Lebron is on the back end of his career,
so at some point Briannie James is going to have
to prove himself or he's not going to play in
the league anymore. So I think with a player like Brianni,
whose skill set you know needs work in order to
(04:36):
be like a factor in this league, this is the
perfect place for him to be. Obviously, with the coaches
and you know, with his father mentoring him, this may
give him an opportunity to really have a career post
Lebron James. So I think Lebron did what Lebron does,
get his way in this instance. You know, I would
hope that he's setting Briannie up for success, but that's
(04:58):
still to be determined, and I think for me that's
the bigger thing we could look at it. Like mj
Son played in College child, he didn't bring him into
the NBA because I think there's something about Michael Jordan
has said, you ain't good enough. I'm not running myself
on the line. Man, I'm not doing it. So lebronarn it.
That's what I'm saying, you gotta earn it. So again,
(05:18):
it's also about the mentality piece. Like Lebron and Michael Jordan.
To me, again, this is what differentiates them. The mentality
piece is different. But Lebron James did what Lebron James
wanted and Bronnie followed too, So it's not just about
Lebron James. I think we need to open our minds
to understand Brianni wanted this too, because if he didn't
want it, he wouldn't have gone through this process as well,
(05:39):
all the criticism, the combines everything that he had to
go through to get to this point. If I don't
want it too, I wanna stay at USC. I'm not
going through all of this just because my father wants
me to play. So I'm more interested right now in
two three years from now, if Bronni's still here and
if he's some form of a factor. But no one
should be surprised by lebron Ja James doing what he
(06:01):
absolutely had the power to do. And I think this
speaks to a broader point that I'm sure we're going
to talk about, is from a moral standpoint. When you
infuse that with sports, are we towing a dangerous line?
Because what this sets is a precedent for future players,
NBA players to do the same thing. This is the
thing that Lebron James also thinks it's going to steal
(06:22):
his legacy. This is the piece. So for him, I'm
doing it because I want to go out this way.
Lebron James is all about records, guys. He's all about
making history. That's his thing. How many records can I say?
How much history can I make? So for him, as
he you know, in his mind, he's the greatest player
of all time, So I'm going to put as many
of these historic markets in place to make sure that
(06:42):
whoever comes behind me can't replicate it. So for Lebron
James in that respect, I salute you, but long range,
I'm very skeptical about Briandi James being able to actually
have an impact in the league. But I can't hate
on the young man for taking an opportunity that many
young men in his position will never get. There's nothing
wrong with that, and hopefully he proves himself in the
(07:04):
long run.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I'm sitting here trying to.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Think to myself about when I think about like some
successful two way role players in the league, right, Like,
for example, Derek White is someone who comes to mind
who just won a.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Championship with the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Right, he was at one point a two way role
player who elevated himself in his game to reaching star
status of his own, you know what I mean. I
think Josh Richardson is another person that kind of comes
to mind who was a very important role player. I'm
trying to think of some others who I think were important.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
But I bring all of that up Drew Holliday, right, yep.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And so I bring all that up to simply say
that you don't have to be a star to be successful.
You don't have to You can have a six career
and win championships, by being a role player, by coming
off the bench, by just kind of making yourself available
when you're necessarily needed. And I think that Briannie has time.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Where I struggle is I am one who always feels
that as an organization, you should use the draft to
either do one of two things, improve your organization or
find trade value to help improve your organization. And I'm
just not sure Briannie does that on either level for
the Lakers. I hope that I'm wrong, to be honest,
(08:35):
like maybe he does. I don't know, you know, if
we're being completely honest, I don't cover the in depths
of the Lakers enough to know whether or not you know.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
This is something that's going to move the needle for them.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
But no, like on the surface, just kind of feels
like you got picked because your daddy plays for them.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yeah, to that end, there is not enough black nepotism.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
There is not enough. I don't know a parent who
does not say that I work every day, that I
go to work every day, that I build what I'm
building so that my children can do better, so that
my children can have better, so that I can give
my children what they need, and Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It ain't even just basketball.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Do you think Ad and Sean Hockey didn't have anything
to do, Like they are two of the most notable
reference officials in the NFL. You don't think his daddy
put them up. Like, Let's look at all the ownership
in the NBA. You don't think people's daddies. Let's look
at Jerry Jones.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Your whole roster is for kids.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Javen John, Jerry Junior, Like your whole roster is your family.
So I am not at all Like the last thing
that I actually care about is the fact that Lebron got.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
His son in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Kudos to you, Like, honestly, kudos to you, because it's
been happening everywhere, and it's been happening for everyone. But
so it is finally about time, Like it's about time
outside of Ken and Ken Griffy Jr. And I ain't
even saying that Ken got got Junior in because Junior
was a beast.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I can't even count that one since I can't out that.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Like because you was gonna get in regardless.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Absolute. But the point point that I'm making is simply
that I have no problem whatsoever about Lebron using whatever
leverage it is that he used, and really the leverage
that he used publicly is the is his relationship with
Rich Paul. Rich Paul was the one that was making
all the moves because I'm seeing what's coming out about
(10:42):
what Rich Paul says was gonna happen if they didn't
pick Brownie, the conversations that were going on with other people,
the way that he was demanding he's making a roster
and not be.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Like that's Rich Paul.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Rich Paul is the one who was really calling the
shots for real, for real. But of course with Lebron's backing,
and I just simply don't have an issue with anyone
being able to put their children in a better position
to do well in life. But on the Lakers' perspective,
I just wonder, you know, what do you think the
benefit of this is going to be long term other
(11:17):
than just the ability to say we were able to
produce the first father son duo as teammates. Because I'm
looking at the Lakers right when I think about them
as a team, I'm like, wow, you were able to
get what seventy five games out of Bron and ad yep,
and you were still a play in team. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yeah, you ain't getting that kind of production.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
You ain't getting that kind of ability availability out of
Bron in AD for years to come like this was
this like especially ad like no no hate.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
But it's just like day A D. You are injury prone.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
So you know, I don't think that there will be
another opportunity like that this year, and this year they
couldn't cash in on it. So from a Lakers' organization perspective,
it doesn't matter that he was number fifty five. You
use a pick on someone that I am not sold
can truly help move your needle forward for your organization,
And I think ultimately that should be the point.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's not going to move the needle. Well, actually,
let me take that back. He might move the needle
because everybody's going to be tuned in to see when
Lebron and BRONI are going to actually play on the court. Tarika, Right,
of course, he's not going to get I don't think
he's going to get that many minutes this year, right,
He may get it a few, He will get a couple, right,
(12:38):
just to fulfill that prophecy of lebron Yo, I'll play
with my son in the NBA, and that is a
testament to the greatness and the longevity in my career.
But outside of that, he can't get no time. I
do think it also helps that this draft class was
so weak, Right, You didn't have any really names that
(12:58):
jumped out to you that screen general rational talent. Right,
it was Okay, a lot of these guys, you know,
they can grow into becoming really solid role players or
perhaps future franchise stars. But there weren't anybody. There wasn't
anybody that really jumped out to you. And the other
thing that we have to definitely able to talk about
(13:18):
is well, I'm curious to know if if teams were
gonna draft Ronnie, like outside of the Lakers, I wonder
if he actually rich, Paul would have actually be like, oh, yeah,
we're taking him to Australia, because I feel like that
that wasn't happening.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The other parts.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
The Michael Corley in Australia is an interesting place to choose,
Australia of all places. That is some straight godfather shit.
Ab I've ever heard it, Okay that Like, I don't
I believe that he would have took his ass to Australia,
which is funny to me because Australia is probably one
(13:58):
of the only other countries that I know got a
beast basketball squad that has been Simmons about playing in
austre Right, that as the most gangster shit I've ever
seen from an.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Agent like you pick coming going to Australia. I'm screaming,
crowd is too late.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
First of all, anybody that would have chosen Briannie outside
the Lakers, it would simply be to be spiteful because
the reality, because it would simply be to take to
pull the rug up underneath from underneath Lebron James. Period.
There was no other reason because to Christmas point, to
Christ's point, this is this was the this was the
iron striking while it was hot. Put Briannie in the
(14:44):
draft next year, good bye. No, No, this was the
time to do it. So I don't know, I just
felt like it was It felt a little cap to me,
but that was just my opinion. I don't necessary I
didn't necessarily see Brianni fitting in with any of these
other teams in a way. Again, to Trea point earlier,
that he would have any level of impact so monetarily, yes,
(15:04):
short run your team. Your team from a financial standpoint,
you got ticket sales, You're gonna get that anyway, it's Bronnie.
But outside of that, like getting better? What am I
drafting him for? If I'm another NBA team outside the Lakers, Like,
what's the point unless I'm gonna be like, yeah, lebron
sorry dude, or we got him over here. How much
money y'all got, Lakers people? How much money you got
(15:27):
Jenny Buss? You want them?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
So hang up talking about when I say trade value,
when I'm like for trade leverage.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Or trade value, Like there you go.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
A team could possibly I mean, if you're a Sacramento
what you got to lose?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
And keep in mind, you know, this really wasn't a
very strong at all, not at all.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
I mean, so it wasn't like there was a plethora
of folks that folks could just really you know that
gms and folks could really be like, well, I think
you should have got him or got him. So, I mean,
like that's what makes this situation so nuanced, right because
it wasn't a.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Typical draft class.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It's the fifty fifth pick, you know, it's it's Lebron's son.
There's so many variables to why something like this probably
won't ever happen again, or at least no time within
our generation. But it's just it, it's so difficult for
me to pinpoint other than the fact that, like, I'm
not mad at what happened, but I'm thinking, like, if
(16:24):
you're the Lakers, I just don't believe you, like even before,
even with the seventeenth pick, Like, I.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Just don't think this draft made you better, not.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
At all, not at all, And the Briny decision was
so short run. It was so short run to me
and even JJ Reddick. Sorry short run. If I'm thinking
about the Lakers three years from now, I'm literally thinking
about a catastrophe, Like I don't see them being a
great team for quite some time. So you did this
(16:54):
to fulfill, you know, a desire of Lebron to have
a historic run, your gut, your organizations to make really
good money for the next couple of years. But when
Lebron gets out of there and Brinni has to prove
himself and JJ Reddick may or may not, we don't know,
because we all know how they recycle coaches, Like, what
does your organization look like, look like in the next
three years. That's assuming he still stays. Because what I'm
(17:17):
saying honest and Chris love to hear your input, because honestly,
what if what if Lebron says, Hey, I'm forty one
or forty two or whatever, I'm done, I've fulfilled my prophecy, done,
whatever it is I want to do. What if what
if Bronnie doesn't have a great experience, what if he
feels that he does develop a skill set that could
be needed for another team? Like I just I just
(17:40):
think the security, like I just keep hearing it was
the security for the future. But I'm like, you can't
guarantee that a future with Ronnie is going to remain
here once his father is not.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
You can't guarantee that.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So so that I think it's much more likely that
Bronnie James will be on another team once his father retires,
then he stays right with the Lakers. I think it's
just much more likely, right, I honestly think it would
have been better. And again, I know Lebron James' career goal,
right was to have his son play in the NBA
(18:13):
at the same time that he's playing. It was never
Brownie James' goal to our knowledge that he wanted to
play with his father, it was I want to play
in the NBA. And I do think he has the
tools right to develop into a really solid role player.
Like we got to remember, this is a guy who, Yeah,
he doesn't have the gaudy stats, right, he averaged just
about five points to rebounds two assists at USC coming
(18:36):
off a cardiac arrest, right, so he didn't even play
to the begin the season. He's got the defensive, he's
got the athleticism, right, He's got the hops, he's got
the playmaking, the vision, but it's going to take him
some time to adjust a lot more time than others, right,
because I do think that he still should have gone back,
but again, he wanted to be at NBA, and that's
(18:58):
that's his prerogative. And look, well, in the combine where
I think ESPN had him in the top one hundred
for prospects, and then after the combine he was number
fifty four, So clearly there's talent there. I just think
he probably should have had. He probably should have gone
back another year at USC or somewhere else and taken
more time to develop, and that he would have gotten
(19:20):
drafted maybe a year or two, but that's not the situation.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
He's in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
And my thing is, I just hope, to Tarika's point,
that his experience with his father on the Lakers is
going to be a positive one and it doesn't derail him, right,
Because it's one thing to give your son or your
daughter a leg up in the process because of all
the work you put in. But it's another thing to
put him in a situation where you can make them
(19:48):
very vulnerable, very susceptible to a lot of issues, right,
a lot of possible failures and an environment that's just
not healthy. So I think that's something that you know,
we have to we have to look out for. But
uh yeah, I got no problem with what Bron doing
what he did, And I don't know, as we're gonna
(20:08):
flip the page, I don't know if people have a
problem with what a lot of these front officers do
because nepotism be all up in there when it comes
to sports, right, And we'll talk about that after the break.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Hey, basketball family, We're Rod and Karen of the Blackout
Tips podcast. Cash new episodes of The Blackout Tips.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
On Our Heart or wherever you download your podcast. We're
excited to be part of the Inflection Network family.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yes, hey guys, welcome back to the three on three pie.
It's your girl, Tarrika Foster Brasby here with my girls
reading the co and my brother Chris, and we're talking
about nepotism in sports. But nepotism in sports isn't just
necessarily what's going on on the court, on the field,
on the diamond. It absolutely also takes place in the
(21:00):
front offices, It takes place between coaches, it takes place
in media. I mean, listen, I have a whole story
about working with my grandmother, so furious I took my mom.
My grandmother was a nurse and when she got into
her later years of being a nurse, she decided she
wanted to, you know, use those last ten fifteen years
(21:22):
in a nursing home because she was like a nurse
in the hospital for like thirty years. So long story short.
I was young, I was broke, I needed a job.
She got me a job in the dining facility, which
was cool.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I was young.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I was making good money doing absolutely nothing for four hours.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Lovely, okay, But it's.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
The fact that everyone saw me as Dorothy's granddaughter.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Oh that's Dorothy granddaughter, Dorothy grandad. It was like, I
want Rika. I didn't have a dad. It no matter
what I did, it was, oh, man, that's Dorothy baby.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Like, oh, I'm twenty years old, ma'am, I'm not a baby.
There's a certain level of expectation that comes along when
you are the daughter, the son, the product of working
with working with someone a family member of sort a mom, dad, grandma, whatever,
(22:17):
in a certain place of business, and it's a little
bit easier when it's ownership, but at the same time,
there is still an expectation that is placed upon you.
You know, you guys know, I just spent a good
ten years at ESPN.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
First thing that comes to mind is Kendra and Malika Andrews.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
Malika was there and Kendra came over, and we know
that Kendra's there because.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Malika is your sister.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So it's what I don't understand is those who are
critics of what has went down between Lebron and Bronni,
that same criticism doesn't seem to be there for other
people for other things that we have seen, for other
scenarios where we know that a parent has very much
(23:02):
played a role in their son or their daughter making
it to the next level. I mean, the examples are endless.
We all watch, you know, Sunday Night Football, Sunday Night NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
We all watch that. We all hear you know, our
good friend collins Worth. What's his first name? Yeah, Chris, Yes,
Chris collins Worth. Right, you know, people hate him. I
actually love him. He's funny to me. But he has
a son named Jack collins Worth. Now do you think Jack?
How you think Jack got that job.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
By merit?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
By meritory? He was clearly the most qualified.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Who are trying to enter into the ivy League. There
are certain categories which you can gain interest and acceptance,
and one of those is based on if you have
a family or some type of hereditarial background of alums
from those colleges. We don't see people out here make it,
make a noise and being upset about getting into Harvard
(24:04):
because your daddy, granddaddy, uncle and brother went to Harvard.
I don't see people mad about Doc Rivers and Austin Rivers.
And there's a lot of reasons that you should be
mad about Doc Rivers. Don't don't know.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Some people, some people they got that clippers gig as
a player was because of his daddy.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Listen, y'all know, don't bring up Doc on this show.
Don't there a lot of you should be mad at
Doc Rivers. You want what you did for Austin. It's
not one of them. No, I agree, it don't matter
Austin sitting on somebody TV right now giving a bad take.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
But guess what so what so what like? That's what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
When you think about nepotism and sports and front offices
and media and coaching, it has been there and there
has been no criticism, Shari, when you think about the
way that this has really been into I mean, the
Lakers themselves was owned, has now been passed down and
now operated by the Bond family. What do we like
(25:18):
If anyone gets it, they get it correct. I think
it's also about how we qualify excellence, right. I think
a lot of the people that have taken issue with
this are thinking about it from a standpoint of is
this person who's getting this opportunity deserving of the opportunity
because they have the skill set necessary to be excellent
(25:39):
in that space. Some of these people also are looking like, Okay, wow,
my son his stat line's way better than this. Ronnie
took an opportunity away from my son, right. So I
think when people think about you know, because again I
don't have an issue like nepotism is. It's part of
it's a part of life. I think culturally as black
(26:02):
folks were simply behind in that respect. So there's a
lot about this that we just don't buy design. But
I think the way that we look at excellence and preparedness,
I think is why some people are frustrated. Also, front
office there's a level of protection from public scrutiny that
you don't necessarily get when you're on the basketball court
(26:24):
and you have to show improve in real time. So
I also think that's another part that people miss. They're
not even a lot of these people that are sports
fans or not. They don't even know who's in these
front offices. They don't know there's a long line of
sons and daughters that are moving the needle or not.
But they know that Giannis's brother is not playing. Do
you see what I'm saying? Right, they're looking at Austin
(26:46):
Rivers like U and now you're up here talking why
are you here? So I think that's part of it.
For me, I can understand both sides. I can understand hey,
from a cultural standpoint, you all, when one of us
is blessed to be able to offer an opportunity to
our loved ones who we feel can handle it, because
(27:07):
nobody's gonna know that they can handle it outside of
themselves and the person and the parent or the family
member that put them on. As much as we can
criticize lebron excuse me, Bronnie stats, his trainers, his coaches,
his father. They know, so we can say all we
want to. We're not in his workouts. We don't necessarily
(27:28):
know the ins and outs of his game and how
that may translate over. We're just speculating. So if a
person has trust, just like Terka's grandmother had, trusting her
because some people may have said, what's this young girl
doing to hear? How she don't Terka's grandmother said, well,
she's smart, she's adaptable, she's flexible, she's gonna listen, she's
gonna pay attention. So I'm putting her here. So I
(27:48):
think the other piece of it, like we're trying to
qualify excellence on the spectator side for people that truly
know what that is on the inside. So again for
people that have to show and prove in the moment,
it's a lot harder. And I think that's why nepotism
is something that as far as black folks go, we
don't necessarily understand as much because a lot of the
(28:09):
nepotism that happens culturally and other cultures, it's happening on
an executive level, which is really where where the majority
of the money is, the majority of the influence is.
And so for Lebron to do this, I really would
like us to think about how this sets the stage
for us to take this beyond just performance on the
(28:29):
basketball court. What does this look like ten years down
the line, because Lebron James is gonna try to move
into ownership, Like for us to not think that that's
gonna happen will be absurd. So what does it look
like for Lebron to say, Okay, Briani, you've played in
the league, even if he has a short run in
his career, You've played, you understand the game. I've brought
you up, I've mentored you, I'm a part owner of
(28:52):
this team. I'm putting you underneath me and you'll have
space to grow because the level of pressure is there
for you, but not publicly. So that's the difference. Again, Guys,
I'm not oppost to nepotism. I do understand the frustration
on the other side, and even beyond sports, Like, I'll
just be honest with you all, I've done everything on paper,
quote unquote that I was supposed to do to get
(29:14):
the opportunities that I have, and then I'm still believing
God for and I've watched people, I've watched influencers come
in and just because they went viral, they have an
opportunity to have stages, be on stages and get opportunities
that I'm still like, Okay, God, what else do I
have to do. I got the degrees, I got the experience,
I've worked over here, I've done all this. My skill
set is stronger. But because they know somebody, or because
(29:35):
they went viral a couple of times, they're here. So
it's that frustration, like where do we where? Where if
you're moving in excellence and you're not seeing that fruit
yet or getting those opportunities yet, where can you take
that frustration right? Where can you place that not being
envious of a person who got an opportunity, but also
being challenged and saying, Okay, I'm gonna stay in the fight.
(29:55):
It's not my time. Yet there's still space for me.
So I think people that are criticizing feel like, man,
just because this person took this, there's no more space
for me, no their space. And I think this is
also showing us their space. Brannie was fifty fifth. Guys,
he wasn't in the front draft fifty he was almost
at the end their space, you know what I'm saying.
(30:16):
So like, I think the people that are having a
tough time are not understanding, they're not quantifying there's still
space for you. They're still a place for your excellence
as well. And just because somebody got an opportunity that
somebody that's in their life earned, they earned it and
they should do it. It doesn't take away from you.
And there's actually no delay. So I think we look
(30:37):
at we look at nepotism and people that get those opportunities,
they're taking something away. Oh now I have to wait more. No,
you don't. There's space for that. So let's continue to
move the needle forward and continue to have the conversations.
I want to see more of this and Honestly, if
somebody's qualified and they're the son of somebody else, good
for them. And if they're not qualified, they're going to
(30:58):
figure it out or they won't last. And that's just
the law of life, period. They will not last.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I'm a wait.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Until after, Chris, because I have a full whole response
for like two things that you said.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Ooh, now, no, go ahead, Terreka, I see you you it,
just let it get it.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
It's the thing, the thing, the thing about it. And
ooh girl, y'all I'm about to be already know I'm
about to be called a racist. It is so we
get called racist every other way.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That's just us Tuesday. You know, it's a regular Tuesday.
Heard it.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
But the reason that we we think like that is
because when it is an opportunity for us to put
somebody on, you still have to be twenty times.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Better to be put on.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Absolutely when the opportunity for them to put somebody on,
you don't. And that is why it does not matter
about who you know or who you don't know when
it comes to us. That is what makes this situation
so different and why I am so okay with it.
I too have been that person that have quite literally
(32:04):
been like, y'all, I did this, I did this, I
did this.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
What are we doing like? I didn't produced? I didn't
did this.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I had said this, I spoke to this person, talked
to this person, I've written.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
I've done all.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Like what else to do to prove to you guys
that this is worth it? While I'm seeing such and
such just march on it here and get jobs and
get opportunities without having put in the work, without the reps,
without the whatever.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Right, But those people didn't look like me, and I
was cognizant of that, that those people didn't look like me.
The people who were.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Making the decisions of having them march in did not
look like me, and I was cognizant of that. And
so those who tend to criticize criticize from a level
of where they are, of their perception, and it does
not It does not upset me that people who look
like us feel a way about this that is very
(32:59):
different from those who don't, Because those who don't have
been benefiting from this kind of career move and lateral
moves for years. We have not Chris, when you said
it's by design, it is. It is by design. We
haven't owned anything of that type of significance. We haven't
been we haven't been given the power of that type
(33:21):
of significance to make that kind of a move.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
That's why it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I have no problem whatsoever saying to someone that you
should absolutely, you should absolutely have some form of merit
in order to be in a position. But everyone who's
gotten where they've gotten on the backs of one of
us having us say so is because they've brought the
additional work.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Extra level of standard.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
Because it doesn't matter, you still have to have it,
You still have to have it, doesn't matter, you still
have to have it.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
They don't.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
That bugs me to no end, But it is why
I preached this right here. Don't bother me at all.
Don't bother me at all, not even in the least bit.
Don't bother me at all. But I look at the
Cowboys organization and buddy, buddy, my got today.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
You don't have to know how to run shit to
be like, you don't have to know how to do nothing.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
And mind you, they still have the faith of America,
every America. They are America's team regardless. Isn't that incredible
except except Charlotte, I move her out the way, because
Charlotte the only one who got any damn sense.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
For being honest too, Like, this wasn't even the most
egregious example of nepotism, right, because it would be one thing,
if the Lakers picked Ronnie with the seventeenth pick, that
would be that would be.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Ridiculous, right, right, right, But there are only three.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Other players that were drafted after him, and.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Again it was a weak draft class, you know, all
things considered. So yeah, I'm I ain't mad at that
at all, but I do think we do need to
do a deeper dive on the cultural ramifications of nepotism
and whether it's good in single instances or whether it's
bad when you look at the totality of nepotism.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
All right, fam Listen.
Speaker 3 (35:12):
One of the things that we touched on briefly in
the previous conversation was about the level of the level
of excellence in the standard that comes along with black nepotism, right.
And the reason that I believe one of one of
the reasons, shall I say that I believe it has
(35:34):
a little bit of a different cultural significance for us
is not only because again it doesn't happen incredibly often,
but the fact that we still have to be good
and great when it does. When I think of NEPO babies,
even outside of sports, right, one of the first people
that comes to mind is John David Washington.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
John David Washington is a ton of baby but short.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
That's where I'd be like anyone but I met, but
I met, I met. I met John David Washington on
one time, did a thorough interview with him.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Loved it, and he talked.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
To me about his story in terms of how he
still had to you know, he went to college, tried
to play football, realized football wasn't for him, wanted to
get into acting, and for a minute, did not even
use his father's last name, just went by John David
because he did not want people to only pick him
because he was Denzel Washington's son. And it's not the
(36:35):
first time that you hear these kinds of stories, right,
So there is a an expectation or a level of
we have to kind of make it on our own
situation when it comes to the black community, where I
don't think in the white community or other communities, people
are very quick to say, hey, you know, that's my daddy, right, right,
(36:56):
you know that's right? Yeah, like it's the it's it's
so interesting how that dynamic is different for us.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
I also realize that.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
John David Washington is a very good actor, so it
really didn't matter how he said it or not.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
But you see, that tends to be a trend. I
think about Natalia Bryant, daughter of Kobe Bryant.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
She's a businesswoman and she's good. She's really good at
what she does. And this just continues to be a
trend that when you think about what it is for us.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yes, there are people who use or have a family connection,
but they tend to be really good at what they're doing. Anyway.
Speaker 3 (37:37):
Look at Blue Ivy Carter, right, Blue Ivy Carter is
got baby, she got the soup. Mama and daddy just
out here getting and doing everything. But if you've seen
that baby develop, she's market and she's an entertainer, and
she understood that she needed to get better because regardless
that Beyonce is my mama, I know that my mama
(37:59):
don't play games about her performances. And so where she
started on that renaissance tour versus where she was when
I saw her and boss, that whole new thing, right,
level of excellence completely skyrocketed, right, So I just continue
to say that in Chris. I don't know if you
agree or not, but it just feels like for us,
(38:20):
it doesn't even matter when we have the ability to
use or to come from a place or a person
that can give us a leg up, there is still
this inkling that we have that we still have to
be really good and really good all the time. Regardless.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I think I'm glad you brought that up, because I
never looked at it that way, especially you know, John
David Washington. I mean, even Ronnie James, like he doesn't
want people to know who he is, even though you
know his name is Bridian.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Class name James.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
But yeah, there's this I don't say it to Nate,
but there's this feeling of Yo, my parents they're great,
but I want to make a name from myself. I
don't want to rest on their lures. And I don't
know if those same conversations are those same attitudes are
had in other races where it's my daddy is you
know who my daddy is. My daddy is Jerry Colangelo,
(39:11):
and I'm the son of Jerry Colangel and I'm Brian Colangelo.
And that's why i got this GM job with the
Phoenix Suns right after he left that post, and you got,
you know, Tony Wrestler for the Atlanta Hawks. His son,
Nick Wrestler is the princial advisor to Tony. I don't
know what their conversations are, but I do know that
in this in America, a lot of times white people
(39:34):
feel entitled to brag about who their their parents are,
who they're related to. Right as for black people, I'm
gonna still get out of the mudd. Yeah, I've benefited
from being the child of an amazing talent, whatever it's
in music or sports, acting. But I'm going to work
my ass off because that is the Those are the
(39:56):
values that my parents instilled in me. But where I
do have a little bit of an issue with nepotism
as a whole, is it keeps the elite in the elite, right,
and if we're not able to bring because we're in
a world of capitalism, you know, I worry about the
(40:17):
poor Black Americans or the middle class Black Americans. You know,
if we want to go you know, across race, you
know white, Well, it's different, right with white people, but
I don't want to go down that road where you're
still not seeing a range of black people get these
jobs in high places. And again that's a much larger
(40:38):
issue with how our system works in America.
Speaker 2 (40:42):
But by and large, black.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Nepotism I think is a positive because, to Tarika's point,
you are going to be the person that you put
on is usually going to be excellent. They are going
to be a bonafide star in their own way. Of
course there are outliers, but from what I see, they're
(41:05):
going to be working their ass off and they're going
to be qualified. So yeah, that's where I stand up.
I just the whole elitist thing, right, It's not going
to save black people. You know what I'm saying, capitalis
is not going to save Black people because we used
to be the capital right with slavery, But we're diving in,
I'm diving into a much more complex issue. So if
(41:29):
we just keep it on the surface of nepotism and
helping people get jobs that they normally wouldn't, especially when
there have been so many racially, there's been so many
racial disadvantages that we've had as a black community, I'm
all for level the playing field again, when Lebron becomes
an owner or becomes a governor how you want to
spend it, that is going to be huge for black people.
(41:52):
Not going to save black people, but the representation is
significant because there aren't as many owners. There aren't any
governors in sports who are black, right, Like you got
Magic Johnson, Okay, you had Michael Jordan, But outside of that,
I'm just stinking off the top of my head, Uh
(42:13):
what I can't think of anybody?
Speaker 3 (42:14):
I mean, like, yeah, I mean I think Sanders is
going to be really good. But I think that also
plays to the point that we're making that It's not
like he a scrub and Dion just going to bat
form and is making him a starter just because like
nah Shador Sanders is pretty damn good and he has
things that he can work on to make himself better,
(42:35):
for sure, But at the end of the day, if
your daddy being Dion Sanders has an opportunity to get
you the better trainers and help put you in positions
to work on your footwork, work on your accuracy, make
you a bit like why not? You don't think folks
are gonna be out here when his time comes and
when draft time comes, his time come, they're not gonna
be like, well, yeah, because we know getting Shador is
(42:58):
essentially in some ways.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Getting access to ryme Like, yeah is what it is?
Like it's not, It's really not. And you're right.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
There are outliers to everything. There are exceptions to every rule,
even on the other side of the aisle. Like we're
not saying, or at least I know I'm not, but
I know that we're not as a group saying that
there are you know, white people are non minorities or
have put family members on and they haven't been worthy.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Or haven't you know, earned what it.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Is that they that they've done. I think about Agelina
and Joe Lee, for example. We know her daddy is
John Boyd, but Angelina is a hell of an actress.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
She has earned her own, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
So it's not we're not saying that, but I think
I know I think the basic and sure Reid correct
me if I'm wrong, But I think the basics is
just simply that when it comes to us, it doesn't
happen often, and when it does, the people who we
put on usually understand that you have to be really
good because we don't get the opportunities to look bad.
(43:55):
We don't get the chance to fail, We don't get
the chance to just.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
Kind of fuck it up. You have to do what
makes us look good.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
And if your mama, like my mama, Ma, mama, tell me,
don't you go out here embarrassing me exactly?
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Your reputations now on the line, right you.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Go, I embarrassing me. I have hut my name on
this field.
Speaker 3 (44:14):
I agree with both your points, a couple of points
I want to raise and high raise vaters. I'm going
to go there. Black people have been so traumatized by
systemic racism that they don't even understand that there's a
differentiation between black nepotism and white I we'll just go
white nepotism. We're in America, right, We because we want
to keep up with the Jones. Jones have assimilated ourselves
(44:35):
into thinking that into their form of nepotism, when in reality,
there is a difference. So that's part of the reason
why we can't conceive it. Our nepotism is going to
look different. For the reasons that Tarika and Chris just said,
we know intrinsically it is now in our DNA when
we know we have to be better, we have to
be two and three times better, but we can't conceive
(44:55):
that culturally because we're looking at them and how they
elevate one another view nepotism and don't have that standard culturally.
We need to understand, own and appreciate and celebrate the
standard that we have. So this level of nepotism isn't
so difficult to digest when you really sit with the
fact that, huh, yeah, we don't give them any opportunities.
(45:17):
And when we put each other on, we because mind you,
I put you on and you don't and I put
you on and you don't perform. We both out here,
we both see the reality. So we need to sit
in our reality and stop sitting in theirs, and then
we'll be able to celebrate something like this. That's number one.
Number two, we need to be open to understanding that
(45:37):
as we put each other on via our family lines,
this opens the floodgates for us to be able to
put other people on. Like Chris, you mentioned people that
may be at risk, at risk you, or some people
that may be dealing on a lower class level economically
that have the ability but don't have the access. We
can give them access. What Lebron James has done is
given us permission to do these things. So it's not
(45:59):
just about us in our family lines. We need to
come together culturally anyway, there's a disconnect anyway. Things like
this build a bridge for us to come together from
a cohesive standpoint, a collective economic standpoint and have real impact.
And somebody answered me this, Oh, I'm going there. Have
we gotten reparations yet? Go so good? So I say,
(46:23):
go for it, get your bag. How you need to
get it in this respect because the reparations ladies and gentlemen,
sadly they're not there and they're probably not coming. So
we need to also acknowledge that and understand we can
utilize nepotism just as other races have. We'll go black
folks there, but we don't have white privilege. And that's
(46:43):
okay because what we make up for it in terms
of how we identify with hard work, how we identify
with we can't mess it up, as Tarika said, because
it puts everybody on the line. That's to our advantage.
Briannie James knows what's on the line. He knows stop
assuming this boy doesn't know. Stop assuming Lebron James doesn't know,
(47:04):
Stop assuming Rich Paul doesn't know. They know, and understand
that he's going to have every opportunity to succeed because
he has to have it, because he has to succeed. Now,
success is measured in different ways. Again, we're not expecting
him to be Michael the next Michael Jordan. Who knows
he might be. But we have to understand how we
move when it comes to nepotism is not the same
(47:26):
way that our white counterparts move, and that's actually what
needs to happen. Stop assimilating what they're doing what we're doing.
We can't keep up with the Joneses. The system isn't
creative for us to do that, and it's not going
to change. So how about we understand what the system is,
accept it for what it is, and make the adjustment.
(47:47):
We're not doing that part, and that's why we can't
conceive it because we're still thinking we're on their level.
No we're not. And I'm not saying I'm not saying
white people in America and all different races are better
than us. What I'm saying is we have to understand
what we have and what we don't and work with
that fully. And this was a great example Lebron James
and what he did was a great example of that.
(48:08):
I am so excited really, and you know, y'all know
I'm the biggest Lebron fan, just he're not my guy,
But to think about what this could look like for
him and his family line and other people, even how
you put his friends on, think about this, what would
it looked like exactly? So this man, exactly, this man
is going to be an owner. He's going to bring
in more people into the foe that otherwise wouldn't get
(48:29):
an opportunity that he knows can do it and that
they're going to do it. Yes, that's my thoughts, y'all. Yeah,
for real, Will Smith and Jada, when I think about nepotism,
look at the Bear Jaden and they're talented. This is
what we're saying.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
They're talented, talented kids.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
They have their own Look, Will's got his own production company,
so does Lebron. Like, it's not like these people are
just here and just not doing shit with what the
resources that they have.
Speaker 2 (48:58):
They are To your point, serie.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
Standard is our standard is differend.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
Is different and and moving is, and not just adjusting
to the system, but moving within it to create our
own Like honestly, that's like really where we are and.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
That should be the goal. So stop stop criticizing those moves.
They're not gonna look like. You still have to be
able to have the communication and the connection with the
system that actually systemically is created to make sure black
people don't win. But you have to be connected in
some way to get to a place where Lebron James
has gotten. So it's actually genius what he's been able
(49:34):
to do. Get out your emotions, people, it's x'es and
o's at the end of the day. Once we get
out of our emotions, we can really conceive that this
is a great thing and that we all should aim
to do that for our families. Not just not just
oh I got a piece of property when somebody died,
you can have it. No, what's the elevation and the
extension of that. We have so much potential to go
(49:54):
well beyond that. So I hope this is an example
for everybody. This is how it's done. The next episode
of three on three, Breaking Generational Curses, come on now,
let's do it.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Come on now, Well, y'all know that was a very
deep conversation, but we cannot, you know, forget that this
show always has jump ball right in our shows and
on today's edition of jump Ball, it is.
Speaker 3 (50:25):
I love Chris's voice sometimes, his inflections and his cadence.
It's really fascinating. Sometimes it really is.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
I'm just speaking of mind. I'm just speaking of mind,
trying to be like you and you and Tarifa. But
today's you know, jim Ball save it. We're talking about
our biggest takeaways from Free Agency so far. For me,
it's Chris Paul landing with the Spurs, right. The reason
why is because I think he's going to be in
an amazing veteran presence for Victor wibin Yama. He has
(50:55):
a lot of leadership qualities right to pick and roll
with him, and Winby is going to be I just
don't know how long it's going to last, because I
think Chris Paul is on his last legs.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
Right.
Speaker 1 (51:06):
Hey, if Winby can soak up as much knowledge as
he can from Chris Paul in those two months, then
he is better for it, and the Spurs are as well.
But Tarika, what's your biggest takeaway from Free agency so far.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
Oh, definitely, Paul George, Paul Gizzl PG going to the
Sixers man. That just really elevated the Sixers to a
new level of if you don't get it done, it'sh y'all.
Because PG is the perfect wing replacement for what they've
lost in Tobias here is. I think the biggest challenge
(51:40):
is going to be health. They always say the best
ability is availability, and as long as MAXI, Joelle and
B and PG now have the ability to be healthy
for majority of the season and going into the postseason,
they are a true dangerous threat.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Needs.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
I like that. Minus Klay Thompson, I think that this
is a good fit for Dallas, you know, they need.
It's always great to have a guard come in that
gives you shooting range ability and also plays on the
defensive end. I think that that was one thing that
they you know, that they can add to their arsenal
that makes them more of a contender in the playoffs.
On the other end, Tricky just mentioned health. You know,
can Clay stay healthy? I think he can. I also
(52:18):
think this will just be a confidence booster for him.
I mean, obviously those who weren't avout Golden State fans
wanted him to stay there with good reason, but I
think from a confidence standpoint, morale standpoint, I just think
he needed a fresh start. So I'm excited to see
him with a fresh start. You know, we'll see how
he integrates into the offense. You know, that's very right now,
Luca heavy and then Kyrie filling in the gaps. But
(52:39):
I think Clay offers them some some versatility on the
guard side that I think they're missing. And I'm excited
for him. I've always liked Klay Thompson and I just
want to see him, you know, kind of mirror the
Klay Thompson of old and I think he still got
a little bit in the tank. So I'm interested to
see how this works out with him.
Speaker 1 (52:54):
Yeah, he'll definitely be motivated to you know, shove it
in Olden State's phases, because he clearly was not pleased
with the money they offered him last year, and it
wasn't I mean, I would have taken it, but I'm
not him. I don't have his you know, his.
Speaker 2 (53:13):
Catchea some defense down there, that's.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
Right, I hope, So I mean he had you know,
he can still be a passable defender.
Speaker 2 (53:21):
Right.
Speaker 1 (53:22):
But look, this is the end of today's episode of
the three on three podcast. We hope you have really
enjoyed a very deep and meaningful dialogue about nepotism and
specifically black nepotism, not just in sports but in life
for Scherina Cole, Tarika Foster Brasby, I'm Chris Williamson. Make
sure to check us out on x at D three
(53:45):
on three pod and Instagram at three on three pod,
and also tune into our YouTube network, our YouTube channel,
I should say, the Inflection Network, and also just subscribe
to the three on three podcasts on the iHeart Radio
app and give us five stars because we know we're
bringing the heat and we deserve that type of notoriety.
Speaker 2 (54:05):
We're out. We'll see you next time.
Hosts And Creators
Shari Nycole
Terrika Foster-Brasby
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