KJ Live - Ryan Hollins

On this episode, KJ chops it up with Houston Rockets color analyst Ryan Hollins about the development of the Rockets young core under Head Coach Stephen Silas and what' transpired so far this NBA season. KJ and Ryan also chop it up about Kevin Porter Jr's leadership qualities, Jalen Green's superstar potential and the evolution of KJ Martin and Alperen Sengun. Ryan gives us some insight into his mental and physical approach that allowed him to play 10 seasons in the NBA, the biggest difference in coaching on the NBA level and why culture and "knowing who you are" are the two most important factors for a successful NBA franchise. #allball

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is kJ Live with Chris john Silis and Chris
is having conversations with influencers in the sports world and
entertainment in the strain. Now here's Chris Johnson. You are
now tuned in to kJ Live. Today's guests on the

(00:24):
show was a former us A Brewing baller that spent
ten seasons playing in the n b A. He now
works for the Houston Rockets as the color analysts. Let's
welcome in Ryan Hollins to the building to kJ Live.
What's good Ryan? What's some big bro? How are you going? Man? Man?
I'm great, man. It's a little chilly out here in

(00:45):
l A. Man. You out there and where denver? What's cracking? Yeah?
I mean never right now, we got got k on it.
They're not back the backs, they're like game and games
whatever they're called. So uh okay, yeah, man, we were
seeing that young boy up closing personal So you got
you guys, got yokers. Now the Rockets this year, you
guys are sitting at around five and fifteen. Um. The

(01:07):
young guys have been playing a lot, getting a lot
of experience. Just talk a little bit about how this
season in this first sort of third or fourth of
the season has gone for the Houston team, I think
for the young guys has been amazing because they've got
a lot of experience. When you can look at the record,
but you also understand ten of the pirst third team,

(01:28):
we're on the road. You've seen like two non playoff
teams already, so like they've been getting hazed and I
think they've done just well. And I think that the
big thing is development. And um, you've seen Jalen get better.
We've seen Jabari who the last three games was averaging
around nineteen points per you know, kind of really coming

(01:50):
to his own. So that's a big point of the season.
You know, it's not that the Rockets aren't trying to
win games, it's like developments important. And when you got
a eighteen nineteen year old out there on the floor,
they're gonna have to learn NBA basketball. You know, it's
rare that you find those, what all due respect, the
nineteen year old, the Magic Johnson's, the Lucas Lebron's, that's

(02:11):
why they are who they are and takes other other guys,
you know, a couple more years to become you know
that guy. Yeah, no, it does. And it's interesting how
now you know you mentioned Luca Lebron, but you know
guys that saw success so early, so prolific in the
NBA that we kind of measure rookies by that standard
now and it is sort of unfair. One of the

(02:33):
young guys on that team, Chugoon, that's been playing a
lot of good basketball. I read somewhere Yoki said the
Rockets should run the offense through him more. What's been
the key to his development this season for the Rockets.
He had so much success last year, but he came
up the bench. Now he's a starter. Now the teams

(02:54):
are game planning for him a little different. Um so
I Pronchangoon. He's he's a four two year old man
in a in a twenty year old body like he
has all the shoulder face, all the he's nice, he's
he's you at six ten six eleven bro. No, his

(03:16):
footwork is yeah, I know, yes, that experienced in the
Turkish League, my man like Hollans. What do you think
like because he came in experience, he was kind of
tried through the fire over there. I played in that
league for a quick cup of coffee. Yeah, it's one
of the most competitive, physical, tough leagues that I had

(03:37):
played in while while I was overseas. You think that
had something to do with it? Or do you Is
there something going on, you know with with the development
staff and the work that they're putting in. Just give
us some insight on how he's gotten so much better.
It's both big bro, you know, to to be honest,
um when when you look at him, he's gotten so
much better in such a small amount of time. But

(03:57):
you have to understand that I saw him go pound
for pound Anthony Davis, pound for pound a lot of
these guys last year, DeAndre Aden, and like he wasn't intimidated.
He just had to catch up to Oh that's how
high they jump, that's how fast they run. But I've
seen him just absolutely work guys on the block. So
it's it's he's figuring out how to be that guy

(04:18):
coming in this year with the different expectations of your
The starter versus off the bench was you know a
different story for him. Then you know, these young guys
are working, they they're competing for minutes, they're playing hard.
So you know for Alp, he's like, oh, I gotta
I gotta get on their level. I gotta I gotta
figure this out. So that's the biggest thing I've seen
from him is adjusting and growing to what he has

(04:40):
to see, hear, what he's gonna be seeing on a
night tonight. Basis, does Jalen Green have the potential to
be sort of that superstar level type talent in the NBA?
He does, bro And the reason I say, you know, well,
it's a couple of reasons. One, he's got it like athlete,

(05:00):
like he's one of those one percenters dude, like like
you know how, there's some guys like, oh, he could
win a duck contest. But then there's some guys like
the live went too high and he when and caught
it back here and then come down and just made
a little really easy finger on it like somebody throwing
my lib against okay see, and it kind of floated

(05:22):
like led him too long, like he didn't have his
his feets weren't right, dog, and he jumped and just gled,
And the chapter in it was like he has that.
And then the thing about Jalen is like in here,
dog like he's there, like he's competitive, he's angry, he's fiery,
like he's there. So a lot of those reasons are

(05:43):
why he's gonna be really, really good. And I think
I would strongly believe he has that superstar potential in
him because he's like angry when things don't work out,
Like he's frustrated when you know, hey, like he didn't
you know, if he's not scoring or he's not playing

(06:03):
up to where he should be, he's mad. Yeah, he's
he's not. He's not on a different level. I don't
want to say Kobe because a lot of people through
a Kobe, and I think those are really big shoes
and field. But he has that like anger, like like
I'm supposed to be this dude, y'all tripping, y'all tripping?
What what do y'all see? Like y'all tripping? That's what

(06:25):
is like? Yeah, he different dogs, that swagger, that confidence, Uh,
that's I mean we you know, when we used to
hoop against guys like that, we would say it was arrogance,
but it's really not. It's just full on belief and
your skill setting, your ability. And I definitely agree with
you on many fronts. With Jalen, I've seen him do
some stuff that just blows my mind at times. Obviously

(06:46):
young and he still has to develop and learn how
to play in the NBA. But man, I want I
still want to stay on the Rockets for a little bit, man,
because this is intriguing, this lineup, in this situation and
then going into next season, how things could could shape
up okay with draft positions and all that. Kevin Porter Jr.

(07:07):
How do you characterize him? Is he does he embrace
like being like sort of a leader, an elder statesman
on this team. He does as best as he can
because he's he's still learning the position. This is his
second year, kind of picking up where he left off
last year. But to me, he does it by example.

(07:31):
He talks to his teammates. He has an amazing attitude.
He's figuring out how to be like a next play guy.
Oh they didn't go well? All right? Next place? Like
next play, Like he's correcting himself. Really like next play
because we get a bad whistle sometimes and I don't
say we, And when I say we, I mean the
Rockets in the sense of they get grab they get hell,
they get pushing the ground and it's something like, hey man,

(07:52):
you like get up and play and realizing that that's
what it is. He's been so much better and it's
it's like it's it's just foul sometimes, like like every
hooper knows when you get a certain whistle from a referee,
like it's personal, like you are like like you know
what I'm saying. But he's I definitely believe a leader.

(08:12):
He wants to step up and hit the big shots.
I think he's figuring out still how to get other
guys involved. So he's the point guard that like if
you cut kJ, he's hitting you every time, but he's learning,
Like mm hmm. If I send that guy through, he's
gonna help. And then then you know, kJ is gonna

(08:33):
have an open three in the corner. You know what
I'm saying, So you get a big broke. The next step,
like I said, is when that cutter goes through, I'm
waving them through to get the three point shot to
open up for my teammate. So he starts getting understanding offenses.
And you know, today's point guard to me, has to
be even a little bit more doper. You want to
know why, because before the point guards job is just

(08:56):
to run to play. Now you gotta know your team's run,
and you got to know the other team how they're
playing you. You gotta know your player of stramps. You
gotta that position is evolved because switching, dude, because now
your players don't work this, Your players don't work the
same anymore. So to me, that's the next step for

(09:16):
for Kevin that he has to get you, but don't
get it twisted. If you're open, he's getting you the
rock every time. He's super talented. What do you think
is the most important facet of a team? I mean,
there's offense defense that contributes to success. Is it both

(09:37):
a combination of both? Is it the teams that can
pick up the defense and stuff the quickest, or is
the teams that can figure out the offensive stuff the quickest?
In the NBA? Can I take another route? Do it? Culture? Like?
Who are you? Like? If your deal is like play defense,
get it off the glass and run? Like are you

(09:58):
the best at that? Like if you're a Golden State
and you score? Are you the best that scoring and
shooting threes? Right? Like? Culture like who are you are?
Young guys are figuring out what are we? Do we
scrap and play hard? Do we run? Are we one
on one team? Who are the rock Who are we?
Who are the Rockets? Right now? At this stage of

(10:19):
the game. They're still figuring it out. There's a second
unit that plays really hard. kJ Martin, try eaton who's
my group of They rebound that you dive on the floor,
They do do that that whole They all the dirty work,
like all the nasty that O G. Matt Barnes work. Okay,
then you're already big bro. Then you gotta you know,

(10:41):
you got Kevin and Jalen who can score one on
one over anybody, And they're figuring out how does this
work with everybody else? And when am I supposed to
go do my deal? Because I can't just go one
on one every time down it's not gonna work. But
my team needs me to go one on one. What's

(11:03):
that balance? So those two are figuring out what it
looks like. And the best thing I saw in the
last game Jalen had what seven eight about seven eight
assist last game, had nine assist the game before, so
him playmaking. Now it opens up your shot. Now they
got to figure out how they're gonna guard you. So, um,

(11:23):
that's to me the biggest difference that I see um
or the next step with them or that's the culture
that they have now. But figuring out what, like what
are we like? Are we the team that's gonna like
get in your face, We're gonna get a little chippy
with you. Are good guys are bad guys? Like? And
it's legit questions. I don't think any are wrong. Should
we We're gonna say we're up here in Denver. I remember,

(11:45):
you know, Kate Martin and Chaunce and them boys and Nollo,
they were bad boys traveling. They were bad boys like
that was their del you know. So this young team
is still figuring it out. I think they need to
run more. You know, when you're young, you gotta run, dude,
Like people don't want to run with you for four quarters.
You know, maybe you lose, but you gotta lose your way,
you know, and then when you figure out what that is,

(12:07):
you're dangerous. Absolutely no, thank you for that assessment. It
makes sense to everything that you're saying, especially how you
how you approach the NBA. I asked about technical stuff
on court, you went straight to culture and figuring out identity,
which is absolutely the right thing to do. What about
this NBA season has maybe surprised you or you've been like,

(12:32):
I didn't expect that to happen. Has there been anything
that stood out so far? Holland Utah. Utah has been
pretty good. It's early though, but you know you're like
kind of like, what are they? And Mike Connolly has
found a way to do it again and and and
be himself. So I think Utah is one of those

(12:53):
pleasant surprises. Um, Golden State doesn't shock me, like you
know that you know they're gonna be better, dude, Like
it's early, they don't do They're probably not even in
shape yet, you know. And when we saw him it
looked like the real step in the real play. So
it's like, yeah, they're very much they're very much still there.
They're they're very much still there, you know. So um, Lakers,

(13:20):
we're gonna on. Um. I think Indiana pleasant surprise up there.
Moving to Bonus, they're not great, but like they're gonna
sneak up and beat you. And they've had a couple
of comebacks and kind of Rick Carliles getting in his
bag again. Remember I think how his best coaching job was,
you know, taking that old Pacers team with after the altercation,

(13:42):
all the suspensions of just winning games, and it seems
like he's kind of Rick's kind of doing that again
up there with the Pacers. So, um, Haliburton has been amazing,
Yeah dude, yeah, like like really good, like like crazy,
no turnover stats, it's just to turnover and say and
so like yeah, yeah. So I think there's a couple

(14:03):
of surprises in the league, those being one of them.
I think just everything being even killed though, man, like
you're honest and Luca doing what they're doing. Are we
really surprised by that? You know, Yokis being that like
you know, John Moran. Those things are kind of on
part of happened. So we haven't seen the breakouts, but
I guess, I guess I just wrote with Utah, you
know Utah right now and the Pacers a little bit

(14:24):
is just like that that team you don't really want
to play because they'll come back and they'll beat you.
They play to two bigs. Um, they're they're really traditional.
But it's just Rick Karnal being Rick dude. Sure. The
Clippers and the Lakers have surprised me the most as
far as just the way things are going for both.
I expected more out of the Clippers. I understand the

(14:45):
rhyme and the reason we can't things you can't control
with injuries and this and that. But it's just for me.
I just felt like, you know, both of those teams
would be in different positions uh as we had moving
forward through the season. Just that's my little two cents,
not got you know it matters to anybody, but uh
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in

(15:06):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app
search f s R to listen live. How is let
me ask you this. Before you got into the TV
broadcasting and when you were a player in the NBA,
you were a journeyman and so you you know, you

(15:26):
bounced around a little bit sometimes you were in a
couple of teams during the course of the season. How
what did it take for you from a mental and
a physical standpoint to stick in the league and to
continuously be on make an NBA roster for over for
a decade. People don't know for a young player, I

(15:49):
had a different coach every single year in the league.
So I used to be frustrated because I would get
different defensive coverages, different expectations from the coaches. I couldn't
really get like a like this is what we do,
This is what we expect from you from a coach.
And I got to a point where it was like,

(16:12):
you just gotta do it, bro, Like whatever they're asking, like,
you just got to do it. Whatever the system is, like,
you just got to do it. And I feel like
that helped me a lot in my longevity. Um and
then locking in and you know, seeing hey, are you
more of an asset to what coaches asking or a
liability you know, or can you deliver what's being asked

(16:33):
of you? And I feel like that really helped change
what I was able to do or what I was
trying to bring to the table and help my longevity
in the league, because it's not about you, Like now,
if you're a big time superstar score that's it, But
like for the role players, how well you fit and
you're gonna be in different situations all the time and

(16:55):
you gotta find a way to bring something to the
table and nix is can't be I don't know what
we're doing. It's a different coverage in last year. It's
a different this like you just gotta do it, bro. Yeah,
the different standard for the role player. Yes, how do
you fit? How do you adapt? You know, we brought
you in for X, Y and Z, and these are expectations.

(17:16):
The expectations are different everywhere. The expectations are different everywhere. Dude. Yeah,
who's the like the like just the hardest dude that
you played with, just as far as like a leader,
ball player, everything all in one. Was there somebody during
your tenure that you're you could just have like the
utmost respect for it because of your experience playing alongside

(17:39):
of him. Kevin Garnett, Bro, that's a history. Kevin Garnett
is culture. He he is going to preach the hard word,
that diving on the floor, the intangibles, that little things. Yeah,
that's KG all day twice on the Sunday. It's not
even It's not even close, dude, Like with that man

(18:00):
rings to the table, big brother is not even close. Yeah,
that's sick. Was there a situation that you look back
on during your career where you were like, man, that
was the one that I really am satisfied with my performance.
I'm happy about how that went. You know what I'm saying.
Is there a place somebody like a full year yeah

(18:20):
or whatever however long you were there, maybe playoff run,
I don't know. I mean, I'm just kind of you know, yeah, No,
when um, when I was in Boston piggybacking on KG,
I learned what basketball was like. You can be like Bro,

(18:42):
you can lose the love of the game. And the
NBA is so easy because it becomes a numbers thing.
The best guy doesn't always play. You're not gonna get
certain opportunities. The team is trying to lose, teams trying
to win. You know, you're not getting your shot, and
it's easy to kind of lose the love of the
game and just but like I'm just doing what I'm

(19:04):
told now. In terms of Boston, the reason why I
say it was so special for me is that Kevin Gardnet,
Paul Pierce Ray, like those guys played for Pride. We
were playing Atlanta, bro and I remember me and Greg
Steves map to the game KG. This is when like

(19:25):
I forget who was on sports and or something like
Kg's done. Kg's done, he doesn't have anymore. He's watched
up for playing Atlanta. I think like Jason Collins, bro Uh,
he had like the game of his life. Atlanta beats
us at their place, Like kg's watched up. You know,
he heard it and KG dropped like thirty five fifteen
and like three blocks on like sudden crazy dude and

(19:48):
me and Greg Stevesman were walking back into the locker room.
True store can't make this up. As we're walk in
the locker room, we walk around, you know, the gardens
TV garden is all old and vented throwback and we
can in CAGs in the locker room by himself and
he's standing there and he's like looking to the sky
bro and he's he's flexing. Every muscle in his body

(20:09):
is flexing. The game has been over for the last
thirty minutes, dude and KG kid you not, bro. He
had goose bumps in his arm, had goose bumps shooting
out through his arm. His hairs were sticking straight up.
He looked like a like a super saying bro. And
he was just he was just vibing out and me
and Greg stopped. He was like, yo that bro, like

(20:32):
this is not a game, Like Yo, this is real.
And it was like seeing how intense he was. You
hear about it, but once you like you see it,
it's it's different. I remember like before the game, no
scoring around actually around nobody. He has this same routine
he does like the Bible, dude, it is clockwork, stretch,

(20:54):
foam roll, you know, shoot, come in hot tub coat,
like the same deal. And like if you walk into
like before the game, playing around, he's gonna give you
the business. And like when he dogged, like when KG
is heated, he'll look up like if right at you, bro,

(21:15):
like like like what do you want? Like and you
don't want him to go there? Then even like layup
lines had to be the same. Each person went in
a certain order, and then as the ball fell out
the net, he had to let it drop and then
like him and Rondo passed the ball to like it
had to be the same deal and like I can't

(21:38):
make it up, like in order, in order Johnson. So
like you weren't ready. It was. It was a thing,
and I probably want to say one of the best
experiences is uh just little stuff, bro, Like I get
off on stuff like this. Um. Before the game, there
was like a like we would come out with certain energy.

(22:00):
So you get out there and it's the old building
man TV garden go back right, And we had to
get out there early. So we're stretching, we're doing our thing,
and then you know, Paul comes out last. Paul's late.
It's just Paul's deal, okay. And as he comes out,
you know KG is kind of there and we would

(22:21):
be there early. And then KG, you walk out in
full sweat, all right, literally full start dripping. He's doing
his leg swings, his whole deal, and uh, Paul will
come out in the in the tunnel'd be like, Celtics,
are you ready? Who take it all? We're ready? Who?

(22:43):
Then he walked in to the huddle, Celtstics, are you ready?
And we jump around and start doing a deal. And
then we take out and run, take off and run
down the garden, and it felt like you were running
through history. And as you come out in the playoffs, dude,
the tea garden would be full, like they don't play

(23:04):
this isn't the land of the same that l a
the st Brooklyn as fans are different, Bro, They're going crazy. kJ.
We're running out there already in their seat, They're going
going nuts. When you're coming out this tunnel, you can
see it. And as you run through it felt like

(23:26):
I was in the movie dude, and half of us
go one way, half of the other. We'd circle around
and we'd high five around and we started the handshakes
and then the layup lines and it had to be
to a t, Bro, so we won. There was no accident.
That was a lifetime experience. Yeah, did you mean, Bro?

(23:49):
Doc Rivers used to create a unit where KG would
start and he come out of the game early, like
six minutes. In every game he hit the first to
three shots. Me range, jopperds, middies, got got, got come
out of the game. Then ME and KG would come
off the bench, and especially if he's got you hyped,

(24:15):
so listen, Bro, I'm playing with KG. Was on my wall.
I used to cut out little pictures of Kevin Garnett
past on my wall on my wall growing up, Bro
true story, Kg. This was my kind of time. So
I would be on the ball and KG would get
back and take my man, and whoever went back, he

(24:36):
just took him because he was like, we're the same Joe.
We're the same Joe. That would be on the ball
and I'd be in a one. It was me and
Avery Bradley, prime, Avery Bradley, pick up full court. Avery Bradley.
We started and Keion dueling on the other wing. We
would deny the other team. They couldn't get the ball
and bounce. Bro. It was like it was on like

(25:01):
I can't even I can't even say, hey you. It
was on something like team practice in the middle of July,
a real mobal part. Bro. Hey yo, those when I
say Johnson, I was playing as hard as I could
physically play like I would have like run, I don't

(25:24):
run through a wall, Bro, Yo. That some of the
best times in my life. But you talk about basketball,
being an experienced giving yourself to the game propelled me. Bro.
I played five or six more years just off of
taking nuggets from that that run. We don't get the championship,
no thanks to Lebron, but that run, Furst I've ever

(25:45):
been in the NBA and just seeing what it's like
in the details that going to the game, we're like
just being game ready, being able to adjust on the fly.
Like dog running into a pick and roll with Prime
d Wade coming off and I can't foul him because
if I get out of position, it's a foul. He's
looking for the foul the way used to be like
a power forward, Bro playing to guard. He was looking

(26:08):
for the contact. So you had to be in the
stance ready. What was it like playing what was it
like playing Dwight Howard back then? Here's the thing. Dwight
was so strong and so fast that like he put
his arms up and like you couldn't like get around him,
so you had to like push him out. And like

(26:31):
Dwight used to walk around like Debo Bro. Dwight had
his own gravity, Johnson, you know what I'm saying, Like
when a guy has his own gravity, like you feel
where he is on the court. So like Dwight was
sitting in the painting like I dare you to score
over me. He was like sending my way, I dare
to score. Just go. He was getting everything. Dude, you

(26:51):
had a different he would he just wreck. He would
defensive player to year by the last what the greatest
DEACONSI players we've ever seen. It was like and then
there were like no stretch five. So Dwight can't get
away with that now because the stretch five there weren't
stretch five. So he just sat there like he was
so intimidating you into did you ever try or did

(27:12):
you ever I didn't catch I didn't catch the white
him a jump hunker too before, but like he didn't
even have to play real defense. Bro. You know the kids,
you're like getting this stands three quarters, you know, get
be ready to play. Dwight was so strong and so mobile. Bro,
you you couldn't score on him? Is he couldn't score
on him? Bro? Is he top seventy five? Eazy? Okay?

(27:37):
I was just wondering, Bro, he in his era, for
what he was supposed to do, he was different. Bro.
They penalized the White maybe for you know, not being
the greatest teammate, you know, kind of being to his
own drum at certain times. But it's like, no, that dude,

(27:57):
that dude right there is different, Bro. He and he's not.
He has not gotten in respect that he deserves. And
it's Um, I think it's tough to see, but yeah,
the White was different. Bro. What doing that your career?
What was the single greatest performance you ever witnessed or
were a part of, or your team or that you
witnessed in person. Two of them that I can't not

(28:20):
mention first is, um, Clay Thompson play is not really
Clay yet. I don't think this was like they didn't
This wasn't like Championship Golden State and like he had
a couple of games. He was a good shooter. You
were like, yo, like we like him, like yo, like
he's good, dude, Like he's good. And me and Carl

(28:42):
Andry running bench with the Kings were veterans at the time.
I think, like my ninth year, we're chilling and we're
having a conversation, like, yo, do you like Clay at all?
Like you like him like that? You know, we're just
talking to hoops and he's like he's solid, you know,
like I rolled with him, like calls like I'm in
on him. I'm like, you know, I gotta see more.
You know. Is he just a shooter? Is he defending?
What is it? You know? Because he knows the guys

(29:05):
we know, put the ball on the deck. Clay is
gonna burn you with no dribbles. So I think it's
like the third quarter and Clay HiT's a a three. Okay,
it's an open three, al right. Cool. You know, game
keeps going on the floor of the offense. Play it's
another three, okay. Cool. They get on transition, Clay comes down,
pull up three, cool pain Okay, Clay, pull up three

(29:28):
al right. Cool. Clay goes to the block, turning in
your mouth and Clay hits another jumping, Clay comes down,
shot flake one, dribble, pluck three boom, time out, whoa
hold on? Okay, who's going him? Somebody got we're doing
when the Kings were going random defenders at them. Clay
and me and Carl looking at each other more and

(29:49):
more like, are you watching this? Like yeah, he's like that.
There's still point plays right in front of me. I'm
waving my towel down there. Probably hit him down there.
I know he could hear, but trying to make him.
It's true. He scores thirty five points in the quarter.
Bro dang and me and Car inbia at thirty five

(30:12):
points in one quarter, which means that do the math right,
could have scored seventy seventy points, yes, seveny time. He
could have scored a hundred and forty points if he
did that every single quarter's thirty five right, thirty five seven?

(30:32):
Yeah right, it's different when you say it like that,
it hits different. He could have scored a hundred and
forty points by himself. That dude's a bucket long, story short,
the greatest things I've ever seen. On the other and there,
I think there's a picture in the Warrior's office where
he's shooting, and I'm like behind him waving aild like
trying to make a miss. Like somebody took a picture

(30:52):
and showed me, um what, Lebron, We're up three to
We're ready to get our ring sides. Coming back to
the crib, coming back to Boston. And the report said
Lebron is soft, he's not a dog. He doesn't have
it the actual scouting report, not the scouting report, but

(31:15):
that was a consensus about him. He's not like that.
You know, he's talented, he's good. But if you put
him that was our game plan though, kind of like
you put him in the right situation, he's gonna fold
the he you'll see his brain thinking too much and
he's gonna he's not he's not ready. And we got there.

(31:37):
We played well. We were gonna come out ready, we
were gonna be us. We knew that if things got tight,
we wanted the game to be tight. Okay, we wanted
the game to be tight because we knew Dwyane Wade
beat us. I think two games, and we're like, okay,
as soon as we're locking on Dwayne Wade, he's the
only guy who can go get you in the in
the fourth quarter, so we like cool, we got du
Wayne Wade figured out, got him locked up. We would

(32:00):
because now if they got to go to Bron, he's
not gonna you guys, So you guys weren't tripping on Bron.
You guys were basically like, if it's the fourth quarter,
you're not really tripping on Brian. We're gonna see t
Rex arms. He's gonna the moment's gonna hit him. The
moment's gonna hit him, right, so we're all just do
our thing, don't trip. Of course, we're playing hard. We

(32:20):
don't want him to score, but great players are going
to score, but the moment's gonna hit them. Lebron proceeded
to have one of the greatest performance that we've ever
seen in the NBA. In the garden, KG said things
to him, I can't repeat this day to this day,
your mama, Grandma. He went in and Lebron had this

(32:46):
look on his face. Bro. It wasn't hyped, it wasn't sad.
It was just in the zone, bro. And he gave
us thirty five, fifteen and like five and for the
game in the and it's bro, it would have been
a closed out game. We would have went to the
NBA Championship, and like, you know, Broun, like it's dunks,

(33:07):
It's nah, Bro. These were MIDI pull ups. That's when
he was mid post. That's when he was mid posting.
Y'all post Bron, we couldn't run a double team over
there fast enough because he was already turned it around
in the pet and you know, the double team there,
so we're jumping on that outside shoulder, forcing them back middle.

(33:29):
He's still going dog. It was, and it was like
I never forget it. After we lost. Paul and KG
were like he liked that, like we respect him, Like
he liked that, gave it up all right, he got it,
They're like, he got it. He liked that. Fox Sports

(33:52):
Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot
com and within the I Heart Radio app search f
s are to listen live. Yeah, that that Bron game
was like that turning point game where you know he
kind of shed that tag of not being clutch. I
remember back then it was all about Brian, this lack

(34:14):
of clutchiness and why we can't consider him this and
that and that game in particular in the guarden. I
think they had on their black unis uh the dang heat.
I mean they came with it and he and he
couldn't miss what is what is it? What did it
feel like like in that situation after the game when
you guys realized, like you know that the series had shifted.

(34:39):
I don't want to say we knew we lost, because
you're gonna try everything to win, but you knew with
in their place, with their role players. He role players
played better at home, their role players running and their
energy and a different, a different type of atmosphere, like
we had to win, you know the place you have

(35:01):
to win this game. Don't let it go back three
three at their house. And we we don't get me wrong,
we gave it everything we had in game seven, but
we knew that window was missed. And it was like
you when you know you've given one percent to something,
you live with the results. We live with it. It

(35:23):
was disappointing, but we live with the results. Yeah, you do.
What do you think was the biggest difference and the
way that you were coached at U c L a
versus the way that you were coached in the NBA.
Ben Hollan, well, laugh and let me get loose. Don't

(35:44):
get me wrong. But it was like, just go be you.
And it was like, people don't remember I used to
take cats off the bounce and go bang out. I
used to shoot. I'm not gonna say before, but if
I play on the wing, I remember the mid post,
go go baseline, spend back. Then Hall, I was like,
I want you on the block. I don't want you
to drive. I want you to shoot a jump hook.

(36:05):
I don't want you to block a shot. I want
you to wall up. It was a whole different thing.
When I got to the NBA. It was like, oh,
he has a four years vertical. We didn't know that
because we never saw you really dunk in college because
Ben halland just wanted two points. So I had to
adjust and show God's gifts. You get what I'm saying.
So you played a different game in the league than

(36:27):
you did in college. Basically, he became the actor I
had to, and it worked out in the best way
in the sense that I had to like learn, all right,
go set the spring, get your shoot over. Okay, he's flaring,
flipped the screen, read the flare all he jumps out
slip live Like I had to learn the game of

(36:47):
basketball from Ben Hallid so later in my career to
things he taught me. And defensively he was a mastermind.
I was ahead and when I got to the league
defensively because of the things he showed me. But once
I've merged as a veteran, the defense and the offense
and that the minute details things worked out. But it

(37:10):
was like being an athlete, run use your gifts that
you were given, you know what I'm saying. So I
had to find that when you was it your senior
year that you played UM in the final? Yes, year
and so and that was against Florida, Yes, and so

(37:31):
I always wanted to know about this, Like, up until
that point, you had been playing well. I remember you
have been playing well as far as like NBA prospects.
It was sort of like, you know, you're sort of
a guy. I don't know if you're on the draft boards,
but but you were like an interesting sort of dude
for people. Right, So when you went up against Noah

(37:53):
and Horford and kind of you know, really showed a
different class of athleticism against those two guys. Did you
after that game, even though you had the l in
the championship, did you at all feel somewhat like satisfied,
Like like I proved I could play against two highly

(38:14):
rated dudes that are gonna be, you know, big time pros.
Well for one of those two were probably my age,
but there were sophomores at the time, which was like crazy.
But I don't think anybody knew those two were gonna
be two mainstays in the NBA for a really long time,
Like those dudes aren't normal. And then most faces off

(38:35):
the bench and Chris Richards, so they have four leaguers
on the team. Most I forgot about. So I was very,
very frustrated. I didn't realize I played as well as
I played until after the game. I had ten and
ten in the championship game and like two blocks. You
don't realize that, but I was. I was because, No,

(39:00):
it was so good in Horford. I was going to
do moves that Ben Hallen never equipped me to do,
and it was like beating on a baseline spin back.
He's just as long as you he's still there, all right,
go up over him with your touch. No, I'm showing
him the basketball. He's gloving my stuff. So I was frustrated,

(39:24):
like I could have had twenty and ten and the chip,
but Ben Hallan didn't let me work on my face
up to my stuff, like you know what I'm saying.
So now playing against other pros, I'm trying to go
to moves that I hadn't worked on, and I'm like,
this is gonna work. This. I have to be able

(39:45):
to do this to shoot over his length, and I
didn't have it or to back him down to you know,
hook or whatever, because no it was weak. But he
was long. He was just range e athletics super long.
You know. He was Joe Kim like one of the
best defend was in the league whence he got to
the league. So for me, it was figuring that out.
And I was so frustrated in the sense, and I

(40:06):
was crushed my last game. I want to think about
going pro or nothing. I was hurt. We lost in
the ship. I was crushed. A lot of emotions came
to me that he just hit me. They crushed me,
and then it was like yo, get on the ground,
no time to So Rico called me that weekend. We
got to work probably that Monday, bro and we we
we we went at it. Rico heines, Um, but I was.

(40:27):
I knew I had more for me in the NBA.
And the first time I saw Noah in the league,
got him want to post up based up baseline, came
under that thing and yammed it like like that meant
something like you know what I'm doing. And I talked
to Joe Kim. Bro that man owned me in that game.
There's no question there. And uh, Joe Kim is that dude. Bro.

(40:50):
I talked to him, Man, I dude had a heck
of her career. Bro. But but for me and that
sense big bro definitely the like like dangn like I'm
trying to do something I don't have right now. Yeah. No,
but you I didn't get any of that. I was,
you know, I was blown away by your performance in
the championship. I still always felt like, you know, that

(41:13):
was just like wow, Howls really came to play. And
that's when I knew you were gonna be in the league. Um,
I didn't know how, but I knew you were going
to be in the league and you could contribute. I
was like, this guy could play. I mean, please, you know,
at forty introvert he's doing all this. Uh so that
that was impressive. What a lot of people don't realize
about you A couple of things they don't realize unless
they obviously look you up, is that you had signed
with St. Louis originally coach Romar out of high school

(41:36):
and you were a two sport athlete and we're a
member of actual member of the u c l A
track and field team. How did you balance? That's that's
fascinated me. How how did you? How did you balance?
To sports? Bro, you know when hoop is over in

(41:56):
the spring, we're chilling. We're just doing a little the
little workouts you used to be in there, coach fence
getting it in. Like that's the time I wish I'd
never quit track because it was like I could have
just done some basketball workouts and did track and my
bounce went wild from year one of year two, that's all.
My bounce went even like crazier. Bro, you think about it.
And then I had the knee surgery and sent me

(42:16):
back a little bit, but it was still there like
it never left. So yeah, that's the time we're chilling, bro.
Think about a spring time. We got nothing to do.
It's just sprain workouts and waits. So yeah, it was,
it was easy. It was it was like it was
mentally refreshing. Imagine you go from hoop and you need

(42:36):
this teammate to go well that, that to work and this,
and then it's like, oh wow, every single every single
time I went out at PRD every week, Oh phenomenal
career best but you just keep getting better and better. Yeah, yeah,
So were you? Were you a Fosbury fly? How did you?
What did wait? What did you do? The law? High jump?

(42:57):
High jump? I did high jump and triple job. I
took third the state and triple jump in high school.
But everything there there are like no triple jump high jumper,
so that the events would conflict. They were running to
each other. So I just primarily did high jump. I
did seven ft in the quarter and I went backwards,
if that's what you're asking. I didn't go forward, Yeah,
forwards that it stated. No, it's just amazing that a

(43:19):
seven ft because I mean, I'm sure Will Chamberlain. I
don't know if any other seven foot high jumpers. There
was a guy that's like six six nine in Cuba
side of Mayor. I forgot his lap first name. He
was pretty good, but you know, it's just amazing to
me that you had the coordination. I was going to
break down that, the fact you're high jumper, the coordination
to do all that, to do that type of jump,

(43:40):
and then the triple jump coordination to go same leg twice.
What was the training like with that stuff, Holland? Or
were you just a natural? Bro It's the most unnatural
thing ever. The first time in high school when I
went to highjump, bro Um, my coach just had me

(44:01):
stand on a box and jump into the thing and
get used to landing. I had to jump in the
pit and it was our old pit was dusty, and
the dust stop was going everywhere, and it kind of
you know age, So every time I jumped in it
would be full of this side and all kinds of stuff. Dude,
I jumped in that pit like fifty times my first

(44:24):
Because if you have perspective, you're running, then you drive
your leg up, you peek at the bar and then
the arch you go completely backwards. And I'm trusting that
I'm looking up into the sky and I'm trusting that
once my feet get over and I tucked, I'm gonna land.

(44:46):
Because who trains that jump on a mat? If if
you did that without have met during there, break your back. Yeah,
it's all about trust. So the biggest thing is getting
a trust together. And if it was so difficult, bro,
but once I got used to it, I got better
and I kind of figured it out. I got used

(45:08):
to it, and then I remember, like the best coach
sometimes your teammates. And I remember six eight was like
my PR right And I remember this Kevin Weaver, unathletic,
six four white dude, stiff like a box, not even
really like bouncing, you know, you know athletes went around
bouncing and springing. Kevin six eight was my PR right

(45:32):
in high school. Kevin did a three step approach and
did six eight street step. Three step approach means like
you're starting from like you normally you start from far
back one two, three, four, you know you have certain steps.
He said one to three and went six eight. And
I was like, this dude just jumped my PR off
a three step approach, and I said, I know I

(45:53):
have more bounced than him. So I literally watched him
and was like, I'm doing it. Do did it? Do?
Did it? What was your what you get? What was
your what was your did you beat it? Seven three
quarters with the highest side done. And I was told

(46:13):
that when I cleared seven feet and three quarters there
was like four or five inches that I couldn't even
want even higher because I still didn't really have the form.
And what's dang, that's because the toughest thing, maybe, Bro,
the tough The toughest thing is when you you want
to just jump super high, but if you get too technical,
you don't really So you gotta find that mixed up

(46:34):
power and technique. Boom man. That takes a considered amount
of grace and coordination. My brother Mariah was a high
jumper in high school and he did some stuff. Moe
was high jumping, so I mean, but it does you
and you had to have a certain type of build
I think. Although although it's crazy that Kevin was able
to do that with his box shape as you described,

(46:58):
easy bro, Yeah, yeah, Kevin and I learned so much
and he was a great veteran. I just followed him. Yeah,
but I come on, man, let's do this, let's do this,
let's do you know, just followed just watched him. I
learned so much more from watching him than anything a
coach could tell me. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our

(47:19):
shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the
I Heart Radio app. Search f s R to listen live.
And who who would you credit for your basketball I
love of the game, like when you foach fell in
love with the game when you're a young man. Was
it a NBA player? Was it a coach? Was it
you know? Parents? Don't you tell me my dad? Man? Easy?

(47:43):
He put a court up in the backyard. I'm coming
home from school. My neighbor went and got me, which
was weird, Like my neighbor never picked me up from school.
Let's see the dad or mom people picked me up
from school. I got home as a court in the backyard.
I lost my marbles. I remember watching the NBA Championship.
I was originally a Rockets fan. Dude, watching I came

(48:05):
and shot go at it. Fell in love with the game.
They're they're tall like me, they're big like me. And
then it was the two tall guys were the centerpiece
of that championship. You know who's gonna win. And I
just fell in love with the game from there, dude,
And it was something I was just in the backyard,
just voluntarily just shooting and playing, and my dad just
knew it's crazy. My dad always said, my dad's only
six four. My mom's pip loving that. I was like,

(48:27):
my son is gonna be seven ft. We're gonna be
seven ft. Since a kid, I knew I was gonna
be because he put it in my brain and he
put the court in the backyard, dude, and I just
I fell in love with it. He just he just
put the pieces they're dude, and it worked. Did you
guys used to work out a lot? Like would it
be like early in the morning or late at night
or did you have any uh unorthodox methods that pops

(48:50):
kind of. I wanted to train with my My dad
was a tracking football guy, and I went to train
and work with him more than anything, but he wouldn't
do it. It's weird. We would go down to the
high school and he would train the high school kids
how to hurdle, how to detrain the state champion in hurdles,
telling him how to hurdle, like like he was his deal.

(49:11):
So we would play basketball, but he never like training.
He didn't know how, he didn't know how. You mean
crazy and we in its different times, Yeah, no, it
was different times. So when you were around but eighth
ninth grade, is that when you kind of say you
took you started to get real serious about the game,

(49:32):
seeking out training, working on different moves, playing in au.
Was it around then or was it earlier? Not? Even then,
I didn't play organized ball. I just played in the backyard. Yeah,
I didn't have those same opportunities. Dude, played in the backyard.
I thought you. I thought you who I thought you were? Hey?
You I wanted to I just didn't have an opportunity. Wow,

(49:55):
So you were just wanted to park. Nowaday that they
see a kid six five, you're grabbing him on the team.
You're gonna go pick him up from his house, drive
him to where he's going. Dude, you know, growing up,
it wasn't like that. Now every kid has a team.
It wasn't like that when we grew up. You were
privileged to kind of have an a U team or

(50:17):
something like that. Like I got cut, I made the
freshman team, the JV team, my my summer year, and
then going into the summer so I didn't play to
my software. You're organized basketball? How did you get in?
The college? Radar kept growing, kept getting more bounty. I
would start. I started going to the camps and then

(50:38):
I played AU but I didn't really play major AU.
But I murdered those camps, you know, the the West
Coast camp, you know, and I'm and I'm murdered. I
played for rock Fish a little bit, but I murdered.
And it was like you couldn't deny that. Like Greg
Hicks ranked me third in California as a center and

(50:58):
people are like, why are you? Who's the I in Hollins?
Who is that? Greg was like, just watch, just watch, yeah,
And why St. Louis coming out? Was it? What? Was
it all Romar or was it something about St. Louis
that you loved? There was a combination of boat. It
was all Romar bro it was two. When Romar bounce,

(51:19):
it wasn't even a question like I'm out. That's so funny,
I'm out. The funny thing is real quick. Not to
interrupt you, but when Romar left U c l A
to go be the head coach at Pepperdine the first time,
all of us were thinking about bouncing over the Pepperdine Yo,
that's crazy. Oh please, I mean the thought went through

(51:43):
people's minds. I'll just say that I know I was
dead serious. I was like Malibu the only thing, you know.
I was just kind of like, you know, dagn't leaving
u c l A. But but it's like, you know,
I like I can't leave. Yeah yeah, sorry sorry continue
my brother, Um yeah, Romar when he left for Washington.

(52:09):
I was supposed to go to Washington. And when me
and Romar first talk, he said, if you go to
any school, who would it be at the U c
l A. By that time, I didn't like U c
l A. You know, you still, they just had to
make sense for me. Dude. I was off them, super
chip on my shoulder, super chip like they don't rock

(52:30):
with me. I don't rock with them. So you was
that you was on that so you were the rolling
with laugh at first. No, he didn't recruit me. He
looked past me. Gerald Mackins sat there and looked past me.
Gerald Mackins had to like get me some like Tracy
mcgrady's shoes. Bro, he had to order some shoes and
give me some shoes. Who did to make up for it?

(52:51):
Because I told him straight off, this is dug. You
can't bro. Remember I was on one. I was like,
you overlooked me first my song. Oh I saw you.
You came to my game and overlooked me, didn't say
nothing to me. Oh wow, I forgot your Yeah, I
didn't know the etiquette, Bro, I didn't know the etiquette.

(53:13):
And then um, I said, look, I planned on being
a professional, and this is my choice. In every center
that went through U c l A made it to
the pros. I know I'm not there, guy. I know
they don't know me, they don't know anything about me.
So I came up with a super tip on my
shoulder and I said that if I can start here,

(53:33):
the NBA is meant to be. But Mike Fay was
supposed to be the four year starter there, not Ryan Hollins.
So when I came, I came about that business. Boss
you had to see me and probably the first person
that kind of really gave me my roses. It was like, hey,
hey he's different. M J. Pops came through. We were

(53:57):
playing pick up pick up ball, Okay, pull me decide.
I swear to God, Bro, I want to swear to
God over something my new like something simple like that.
Not liking that, but like Pops was like, you're gonna
be a tenure NBA veteran damn time in the NBA.
Nobody knew you had Evan Burns, Jason Campono, Ray Young

(54:18):
with the grown man Calves, had all these guys in there,
Michael Faye. Michael Faye was like all American at the time. Yeah,
Ryan Hollins, you're gonna play him plus years in the NBA,
and I've been I've been at Johnson ever since. J
M J always has that unique ability as far as

(54:39):
that basketball stuff that spotted out, especially he sees something
about it. He's passed that along to us as well,
and we man, when you're the way you played, they
just you affected the game in a lot of ways
without scoring, and I just I mean, for me, it
was just, you know, it was a no brainer. It
was a no brainer. I wish the one regret that

(55:00):
I think I had for you at U c l
A Was was when they sort of stunted your development
a little bit as far as the things that you
were capable of doing, because I definitely saw I remember,
I think that year on your laugh you're doing some stuff.
I mean, I remember did you take off did you
have a crazy dunk that year from the thing, dude,

(55:24):
you had one dunk. But it was one dunk that
was just crazy. I can't remember, but I was just
somewhere watching. I think I was at a bar. I
was just like, he came through. You had you had
the long brains, and I was like, damn. I was
like all I think I text somebody was like all
this man, oh man, that's crazy. Yeah. I was, you know,

(55:48):
like you said, I was. I never I knew there
was so much more for me because I knew I
wasn't being taught the right things. And I just knew
if somebody gave in media the opportunity, if I could
just creak through that door, I knew I had to
do it on hustle because I was like, if y'all
mess around and let me get this skill part, it's around, bro,
it's around. I just knew there was more for me.
I was like, this is not it. I haven't even

(56:10):
become me. You know, you have it, and what I
what I love about it. You took that same sort
of attitude and you attack the world of sports media
and sports broadcasting in a similar fashion. I watched your
ascent and your rise, and you know, watching your ESPN
and just just watching you just go about it and

(56:32):
never turning down a job or an opportunity. At one point,
you seem to be one of the hardest working men.
And all the sports media you're on every day two
and three times. I mean I remember all that, so
I have a lot of respect for your grind brother
is is not only as as a basketball player, but
in the afterlife, you know, the after basketball, You're You're

(56:52):
an excellent example. I love when you post your stuff
if you're working out still and just how how you're
keeping yourself together. Uh in shape, duncan still live still?
You know? I saw you was in the Big Three?
Wait whit did you play? I wanted to talk about
that the Big Three? Wait, wait do you still? Like?
What is it about the Big Three that made you

(57:12):
want to go and play it? I love the game, bro,
Like I love the game. And then I'm like, we
don't got to go overseas and I can still do broadcasting,
like I love. I always thought they'd have to drag
me off the court with an injury. Yeah, Like I
always thought that my career was gonna like Alonzo Morning,
Like it was gonna have to be it, Like I

(57:34):
just can't. I always envisioned that, and when I went
to Spain, I experienced in nationalism, which Trump's racism, and
I was like, I can't be a part of this.
So only two of US Americans can be on the
court at the same time. No matter how well I play,
you're gonna set me out the game. I'm not gonna

(57:57):
get a chance to rock. Policeman pulled me over for
no reason, was like, where's your passport? I was like,
I work here, Like where's your passport. I was like, Bro,
I lived down the street. Where's your passport? I said.
My father raised me to have much more pride than that.
So when I went into broadcasting, I knew I ended
my basketball career premature, but I said, I ain't going

(58:18):
back overseas. I ain't sending my family over there. I
ain't doing that. We're not gonna have a ten year
overseas career. I'm gonna work my gosh darn tailaw to
make broadcasting work. I don't have an option. M I
don't have an option. There's no this is gonna pop big, bro,
you don't understand. This is gonna pop off no matter what.

(58:42):
And what I didn't know. I was starving to find out.
I asked a million questions. I used to go to
the first take. I used to sit in the control
room the first take and watch the show. So what
what makes this show good? What is he saying? What's
he not saying? What? What? What do you want to
see on the show? What's the idea of the show?
They said, the producers, What do you guys want for me?
I used to write essays. I used to write and

(59:04):
sending stuff to give my notes together, so they knew
I was prepared, so I could send my knowledge. What
is the editing? Like my social media? I start running
on my social media because I realized that dang I
was a weak clip. So I understood I need to
come off with some good from my social media. Like Dan,
you were laying right there. Your biggest judgment yourself. Now

(59:24):
try to post your content and make your content pop off.
Then you'll find out that you ain't really doing what
she's supposed to be doing. How you entertained. I got
five seconds to grab your attention before you tune off.
I gotta grab you in five seconds. Then I gotta
be interesting, Then I gotta I gotta make you feel
some type of way. If you hear me talk and

(59:45):
you didn't feel some type of way love joy, happy piece.
We come back to watch our favorite media personality of
the emotions. I hate um, I love him. Damn. He
couldn't be more right, he couldn't be more I had
to figure that out. I didn't have I didn't have
an option a J. I wasn't going back overseas. Let's
say no, man, when you're backs against the wall, you

(01:00:06):
sometimes we find out a lot about ourselves, you know,
when we really have when we really have to step
up and you know the metal the true measure of
a man is tested. My brother, Uh, we've been on
this thing for a minute. Man, it's about time that
we got you all. I know that I was supposed
to have you all last year, but uh, you know,

(01:00:27):
unfortunately did work out. But I'm glad you made some
time for me and my brother to come on man
and chop it up with me. I appreciate a big
bro anytime. You know that, man, Man, ladies and gentlemen,
Ryan Hollins