April 19, 2023 • 50 mins
Ryan talks with NBA Legend, Mario Elie about how he found out he was drafted, starting his career in Philly with Charles Barkley, playing with Chris Mullin and the Run TMC Warriors, and then hitting the famous "Kiss of Death" three pointer to help the Rockets beat the Suns in the Playoffs.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
How's everybody doing. I want to welcome you in to
a very very listen man, I'm excited. This is a
whole different type of NBA rookie life with Ryan Hollins
episode we have here. This is one of my favorite
forget players. He's one of my listen, I'll give it
a little bit. He was one of my favorite players
growing up, but one of my favorite people, one of
my favorite mentors in my life. And I had the
(00:25):
privilege of not just watching this brother play, but getting
a chance to be coached by him. And now a
little bit of a spoiler for those who may know,
I work with him over with the Rockets and at
and T Sportsman. He was one hundred and sixtieth pick. Yes,
we got a call with today the hundred you're hearing
this correctly, the one hundred and sixtieth pick in the
nineteen eighty five draft. My man, the kissing Death none
(00:49):
other man, Super Mario, Ellie, Ellie, Mario. What is going on?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Brother?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Talk to me?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Oh gz, it is a privilege for you coming on
and bless an NBA rookie life.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Thank you for having me. It's a great time of year. Ryan,
the NBA playoffs is off to a great start. The
playing has been amazing. Looking forward to just kicking my
feet up, cooking my popcorn and watching games all day
Saturday Sunday, you know, being your basketball junkies. And thank
you for the great introductions. And of course, man, you
have great history. It's crazy how you said it. You know,
(01:22):
I played, I coached you, and now we work together.
So we got a special bomb man.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, real. And before we get into I normally don't
do this, I want to give you your flowers, man,
because I think you have one of the cooler rookie stories.
And sometimes we've had first pick in the drafts on
lottery picks. You're the first guy. And now I want
you to break down. We'll dive into it as we
get your rookie experience. Back then there were rounds of
players drafted. So yes, you heard it right, I didn't.
(01:48):
That wasn't a mistake, the hundred and sixtyth pick. And
we're going to dive into that. But when I watched that,
and I know the way the NBA is played now
versus then you brothers put on so that we can
be what we are now, and a guy like you
had to persevere through many trials and moments to be
successful being NBA chant one day. So we're going to
(02:10):
dive into that. But I got to give you a flowers,
But I think you can see it real. Even as
a coach, every day you came with the right attitude,
You pushed us, you always even killed, always within and
we still see see that that same mentality. But real,
let's let's let's dive into it. Coming into the NBA Draft.
What was that day like for you? What were the
(02:30):
expectations coming out of college? How did you view things?
Was was the NBA dream? Was it just hey man,
it's either work here or go getting nine to five?
What was your situation a young what real? What were
you were twenty twenty one years old at the time, Man,
talk to me about a young Mario Ellie going into
the draft. Where were you in your career and what
(02:51):
were the expectations and where was the NBA at that time?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
My expectations were very high. I was one of the
top players come out of New York City out of
high school. I was a kid, you know, I was
a knuckle.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Who are the other guys in your class?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
By the way, like Chris Smullen ed Pickney. Jerry Renos
Lsu got drafted Milwaukee. Me and him got drafted together
in the Bucks. He was our first pick. I was
our seventh pick with the Bucks. So there was a
lot of good players when I was coming up round
in New York City. Every high school player had a
major Division one player on the squad. North Carolina State, Connecticut, Syracuse,
(03:30):
Boston College. You know, Saint John's was big back then.
You know Walter Berry, Willie Glass, Mark Jackson that era.
Then you had Kenny Smith in Queen's Maloy going to
North Carolina. So it was it was a lot of
heat coming out of New York City. And I was
one of those guys. But I ended up going to
a Division two school because I didn't take care of
(03:52):
my books. So I'd always tell these young kids, make
sure you take care of your books, you know what
I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So essentially, when you went D two, did you just
what was the were you discouraged? Was it like, you know,
and I'm making it to the league no matter what?
Like like was that a hit? Like you know? Was
that like that was that your first kind of reality check?
And I know real people don't notice as a coach,
you'll take a guy who's a little and I've seen
this a little hard around the edges, and you'll embrace
(04:18):
those guys, the guys who kind of get written off.
And I admit, you know, I was a little when
you coached me. I was a little while Reo, I
was a little. I wasn't that the Polish brother that
I am today. You know, I'm still working, but you
always embraced us. You always kept it real. Talk to
me about a young Mario Elliotts and that why, as
in your coaching style and essentially the way you broadcast today,
(04:40):
you kind of have an affection for those guys and
you're you know, you're you're very honest.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, Ryan, because I know how hard the road is
was for me, so uh.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I loved everything about.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
The game, and you read my story Portugal Ireland. You
know that's why I played with the edge, you know, guys,
that's why low management bothers me. I tried to play
every night, you know, hard as I can. Because I'm like,
at twenty seven, Ryan, I didn't I didn't get to
the leads. I was twenty seven years old. Wow, my mom,
(05:12):
God bless us all right. And I remember sitting in
my house in New York at twenty seven and the
the CBA and then in questioning am I doing the
right thing for going to NBING, my mom said, you
know what, some follow your dreams.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And you know what, Ryan, everything happened.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
For me that year got called up by Philly.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
We're gonna talk about that.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Then when I got to the Warriors, we're gonna talk
about that story too, And that's when my NBA journey
really started.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Okay, Well, let's rewind. Let's go to draft day. You
talk about getting drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. Walk me
through that day. Who was with you? Was it you
and mom, Dukes, you and the fam? Or were you
at the crib? Where was the NBA draft at that time?
Because I'm amazed, you know, I'm so young. All I
know is the draft being in New York and two
rounds of NBA basketball is here. Where was your draft?
(06:01):
Where were you? Who was with you? Did you have
an agent at the time? Walk me through that day?
The details of your draft day. Man, let's let's be
a fly on the wall and what was going on? Many?
How old? How old you were you? Twenty one?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Real?
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I was twenty one, and it was funny. I really
had no expectations. Right now, I know, I had a
great year. I was a three time All American at
my school. I was one of the top players. H
Jerome Cursey, Menu Bowl, Scottie Pippen, Charles Oakley. Those were
the kind of guys that were in my class and
you and you see what.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They are today, great great players.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
But I didn't have no expectations ryan me being from
a snowball school. I was in the park in New
York with my buddies, and then my mom came to
the park and said, honey, honey, I'm like what, mom,
She said, you got drafted?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
A honey, is bro what on?
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Reo? No, you didn't have a draft party. You were
hooping or just chilling at the park.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I was chilling that way and the boys moms pull
up on your boy and be like, yo, you got drafted.
You know, I'm like a hundred and sixty If I'm like,
how many players in the draft? You said one hundred
and sixty two, I'm like, man, I was second to
the last. It was crazy, right, and I was a
kid for New York right, never really traveled so you know,
(07:21):
I get I get a first class ticket to Milwaukee
for it's like summer Cab, and I got a hotel,
I get my little Milwaukee buck get. You know, I'm
amped up. You know yeah, But like I tell you,
when I get to when I get to Summer Cab,
I'm like, I'm the second shortest guy. I'm like, what
the hell's going on here? And don Nelson said he's
(07:42):
a point guard and you're a point guard. I'm like, Lord,
have mercy. So it was crazy.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So when you played in college, you didn't have the
ball handling responsibilities. You were catching finished guy. You were
go get off the boards, go play some you know,
you pie garden. Every whoever the best player was, if
he big, you got him, to be small, you got him.
And then, you know, talk to me about the guys
in Milwaukee that training camp. You talked about being the
shortest guy on the team. You know what what was that?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You know, it was the craziest experience I ever had
and hooping in my life because I never really played
with guys at that level, all that collective group young guys.
There was some veterans there who were nasty. He didn't
want to talk to me. They elbowed me. Right, they
I was trying to get this fright.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Call him out?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Who wasn't, man? Come on, real?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
What it was? Paul something he went to. He was
a California dude. He was a small forward. I'm trying
to remember his name. I can't remember his last name.
But like I told you, I got drafted with my boy,
Jerry Reynolds. He was a six ' nine point guard
out of LSU. So I had to go again say
him he knew how to handle the ball and all that,
and me, I, like you said, right, I ain't know
how to handle the ball. I'm like out there bumbling
(08:49):
the rod yelling at me, cutting me out. I'm like, man,
it was probably the roughest, hardest time hooping in my life.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Boy.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
And after end of the day, Ryan, we were going
two three hour practices. My legs were shaking. I didn't
know how I was gonna make it the next day
through another tour days so I had. I was in
the pool all night Ryan getting the sawing this out
my leg. At the end of that camp, when down
Nelson told me I was cut, I was so happy
because I know I had a lot of work to
(09:20):
do out that. I was like, I said, I got
so much work. I got work on my body, my
ball handling, my shooting.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
So that was a very eye opening experience from me.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I got to throw this in the ass too, Rio,
So your legs are shaken. Were the guys on the
team doing the same thing you were doing or was
there any at this time? Were there any guy? Was
literally everybody trying to make the team. It sounded like
everybody got it in.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Everybody got it in. Right, I'm the only dude out
there because you know, me going to a small school,
ridan Division two, I really didn't know how to prepare
for a camp like a Division one guy. These guys
were in shape. I'm like, why are these guys such
good shape?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
But they prepared.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I'm in the park just playing with my boys, and
I'm like, I'm just gonna go out there. Who That's
what I was, Yeah, right, I'm just going wasn't like that.
It was a lot more organized three man weave, one
on one, two on two, physical, five on five, and
you know, after the morning session you go lay down,
eat man your phone winning for the wake up call
(10:25):
for the second session. Man, You're like, man, already two.
You know how the two days were back in the day,
they weren't playing, so the days went quick. The sessions
were long, they were very physical, and there were just
some good, tough players, and I knew I needed a
lot of work.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I said, I'm not ready for this level yet.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Why go overseas? Why not? You know? I mean, i
I'm being you know, just thought, why not hanging out?
Why not? You know, like and from the guy in
high school who's confident did his thing D two? It
has to be it had to be a shot to
the ego or big wake up call. Why go over season?
What that do for you?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (11:01):
You know? For the young brothers? Now for my class
of guys, it would have been almost embarrassing, like a letdown,
a failure. Why go overseas? Why not?
Speaker 3 (11:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (11:09):
What was was? Was hoop? The only option for a
young twenty one you're old Mario Elie be like, man,
I'm about to go get a job, like you know what,
I'm hooping. I'm gonna ride this thing out. Where was
your mindset? And why do it?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Said, I'm a hooping and ride this out? And you know,
I got a little taste of the NBA. I'm like, man,
you know, I got it once, I got that taste, right,
I'm like, okay, I think I can do this, but
I need to work on some things, you know. So
I got looked at, you know, I was playing, you know,
in the league, and I got looked at by an
Ireland team and they're like, man, you know, I had
a good game that they asked me, hey, would you
(11:41):
like to come over to Dublin and play over here?
Will pay a year for your rent. I'm like, man,
I can get to travel see the world, you know.
Me being from New York, Ryan growing up around like
a lot of white brown Spanish. I grew up in
like a real international neighborhood. So me going over and
I went to school with a lot of Irish Mullein
(12:03):
you know Chris Mulley we played was Irish. Yeah, Molly
is Irish from Brooklyn Dog. So they asked me to
go overseas. I'm like, hey, I can go overseas who
work on my game, you know? And I had and
I had a buddy already playing over there. He said,
mars nice over here. So went over there in Ireland,
had a great time over there. Ryan scored a lot
(12:24):
of points, got to work on my game, and you know,
didn't decide to go to different countries after that until
I felt I was ready to try for the league again.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Andy let me ask man, So was a young twenty
one to two the real did you have dumb bounce
back in the day?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Well?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
What was what was the thing we know you could shoot?
Could you shoot then? Or was just everything was dunk?
What was your game at that time?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
I was a bucket, get around the basket, run.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I was dunking on cats on a regular dog.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I bought rolling.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Dunking on cat I was a baby bull back then.
But I went to that Milwaukee training camp, I said
I needed to work on some other things. So it's
when I got to Portugal. I played in Portugal for
two years. I really enjoyed it over there. I really
felt that I know, got my jumper together. You know,
I was sort of a wing slash two guard out there.
(13:18):
There was in too many two guards. You know, overseas
they always want big guys. They never really had guards
over there. They want guys like you six nine, six
ten because they already got little guys. So I was
one of the rarity guys guards out there, but I
was killing Ryan. I was dominant out there, you know,
me and my guy was dominant out there.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So I really enjoyed out there.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
I really developed out there because those guys, they're in
the gym twice a day. That's why guys like Luka
and Jokic are ready. Because the Europeans man, they stay
in the gym all the time. They're working on their
craft all the time.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
It's funny you do say that real. My last year
I played in Spain and Italy, and I felt like
my game got better. I felt like you almost get
pressed in a sense in the NBA is just like, well,
just rolling dunk. And then I got a six '
nine guy guard me. I'm like, nah, I'm gonna pull
out these post moves I had. You know, I'm gonna
go to my left hand. I'm gonna you and I'm
gonna make sure I'm more of a complete basketball player.
(14:14):
So let's fast forward now. It's interesting. I love that
your mindset. I want the kids at home if they
listening to hear that man Mario Ellie went there was
real with himself, developed and got better in those moments. Okay, guys,
stay tuned, man, this is an unbelievable story coming up.
Charles Barkley. You're not gonna believe what he did with
Mario Ellie and the type of player. What is Charles
(14:36):
Barkley at the time. Anyway, stay tuned, we'll be right
back check us soon. On an NBA Rookie Life with
Ryan Hollins. Rial told me about your rookie year. Let's go.
So now you're a twenty seven year old rookie. Mom Dukes,
you know, kind of supports you. What was that mindset?
(14:58):
And again, I'm a cat this why do the NBA
and talk to me about that first experience? And how
did you cats don't get back into the league? Rio
at twenty seven? How did you get back into the league?
People don't know. The hardest thing first is to get drafted,
and even harder than being drafted or getting there is
getting back. How did you do this?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I had a vision, I believed in my ability and
like you mentioned, right, Mom gave me that extra boost
and it all happened for me that twenty seven year
old year. All Beney Patroons head coach George Carr, assistant
coach Terry Stotts I had two NBA head coaches coaching
me in the CBA, so it was a blessing when
(15:39):
George calling Terry Stotts came into my life. Those guys
saw something in me and it happened, and I went
to Philly. Philly was my first call up. Super excited
playing with Charles Barkley. I remember seeing that number eight
Jersey Ryan walking in that Phoenix locker room. I met
them guys on the road right, you know, every thing
(16:04):
it's going through my mind, the Knights in the park
in New York, tournaments, Argentina, Ireland, all that work that
put in and just seeing that Jersey. I remember us
losing that night to kJ and Tom Chambers. But the
one thing I remember about that night, Ryan, was how
good Charles Barkley was. Searg Barckley at forty five. He
(16:26):
was killing John Chambers all night and I ended up,
you know, I went to La they were on the
West Coast road trips. I went to La Seattle, got
to play a little bit because we were getting our
bus kick and I've never gone to Utah. Jimmy Lineum,
the head coach of the Sixer, said Marrio, now you
you been looking good I'm gonna play that night, and
(16:46):
they ended up making the trade the night before the game, Ryan,
so I had to cut me. So I went back
to the CBA, was there for a month, then got
called up by the Golden State Warriors, and the rest
is history. Ran to run TMC.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I gotta reavide real quick before we talk Warriors. I
need your first impressions the first time you met Charles Barkley.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Barclay stuffing that ball over the helpless, defective feeder.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
I need a story. I need that first, Like, Yo,
this dude different, right, I knew who search y'all just
do different up and close. What was he like in
the locker room? Give me that first? Did he did
he acknowledge you?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Dude?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Dude, dude, I got the craziest story for you. My
first I go to Philly, I tell you, I get
the first call up from the Sixers, so I go
meet Jean Shue and Philadelphia, said Mario. The Sixers on
the West coast trip, so they're Phoenix right now.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So I'm gonna give you a ticket.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
You're gonna go to Atlanta, the Atlanta to Phoenix, so
you're gonna meet the Tick of Phoenix. So Yo, Yo,
I'm so hight right. I'm like, yo, first class ticket
to my first first class ticket. I'm like, yo, I'm
living right out. Fly to Atlanta, connected flight from Phoenix.
It's foggy in Atlanta, right, I can't get out. I'm
(18:06):
like panicking.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yo.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I'm like, yo, what's going on? My first NBA game?
I can't even get to feed him? So Yo, I called.
They give me the information where the hotel we stand at? Right,
so Yo, God is my witness. I call the hotel
and gets who answers the phone. It's freaking Charles Barkley.
(18:28):
Who is it, yo? I swear on my mind. I'm
like Yo, I'm like, Yo, is this broke? They said, yeah,
this is job? Like who is this is?
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Marrior? Ellie?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Man? I just got called up on a ton day
with y'all. I got fired then at Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
You know, tell coach, he said.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Mary to welcome to the team. Man, no problem, I
wanna tail coach.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
You be at the bar, Yo.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Ride as God is my witness, show you how crazy
Charles is.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
He's just the funniest dude.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
He'll take the meet you know, media out everybody out
to dinner.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
This student answers the phone at the hotel. Yo.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
And that's that's that's the first meeting I had a
Charles Barkley. And then I mean I got finally get
into Phoenix. The next morning, I said, Charlee, what you
doing answer the par He said, no, worry about that.
Welcome to the team.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yo. The best human.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Being you would ever want to be around is Charles Barkley.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yo. That was my first impression. Dog. That was crazy.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
So let me recap this. You're calling the actual business
line of the hotel.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, Chuck. You know, Chuck was like that. He'll go
in the bag, answer phones, do all kinds of crazy stuff.
He was the best teammate.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Every time you go out with Charles, you pick up
the bill. He would always invite me out to eat,
even though you know, I wasn't really part of the tea.
I was only on the test show. I did. He
He took care of me like I was on the
squad for like ten years. And the things people say
about Charles is absolutely wrong. That dude is a first
(20:01):
class human being.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Wow, that's gold. And I think that this generation, I
think people misconstrue Chuck is Chuck. Chuck is him you know,
and the same thing with you. You know, when I
would do stuff over at T and T go in
and NBA TV. I'm one of the little guys. I'm
in the corner trying to write my notes. Chuck would
always come up, Hey, Roy, how you doing? I remember you?
(20:24):
I know you, you know, like these that type of guys.
So you're right there. Okay, Wow, that's gold Mario real,
that's gold real. Let's get now, ont now your real
rookie year when you had a chance, you had an opportunity.
You get the Golden State. You're the guy you had
a ten day cup of tea.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
There.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
You know, you're still twenty seven trying to establish yourself.
You're a grown man, but all this is new to you.
How did you ingratiate yourself into that system and how
did they play out where you know you ended up
being to Mario Ellie that we know, talk to me
about this, this real rookie not rookie rookie opportunity you're
finally getting.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
This is I mean, I should write a book because
I get called down by Golden State. We're playing the
Denver Nuggets that night, and I think Marshall Oona's got hurt.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
So I get called up Don.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
We at the Ritz car Don I'm in don Nelson's room.
He said, Okay, Mario, I'm gonna get you twenty five
thirty minutes tonight, and you better show me what you
can do.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
All right, su leave it at.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
The same that cuts you in Milwaukee says your guns.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, that's crazy, right, and circle back around.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
He's in with the Warriors now.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
So we're playing the Nuggets and uh, I get I
get my twenty five thirty minutes. I remember Reggie Williams
from Georgetown.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Those were the Nuggets.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I don't remember who else was on the squad, but
I just remember we lost, but I had fourteen and
eleven that night. Get exactly, Yo, you know, I'm height up.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Right off height.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
As soon as we touched that in Golden State, don
Nelson's like, Yo, I'm gonna sign you to this year
and next year.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And that's how my NBA career started off. That one night.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Endeavor, the coach said he could don Nelson had big
boy power like that.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Yes he did. He like, Yo, I'm selling for the
rest of the year and next year. I'm like what, Yeah,
I was so amped, then went on and played a
major role. We went to the second round that year.
We beat San Antoni on the first round. They were
the second seed. David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Terry Cummins, Rod Strickland,
(22:34):
Willie Anderson. Good squad, but we lost to the Lakers.
In the second round. We lost the Magic Worthy Perkins.
I think Jordan then beat them that year. But I
remember Ryan my first game in the form, I had
twenty one second game. I hit the game with the
free throws to beat the Laker, but the Lakers went
on and smoked us for one in that series. But
(22:57):
I had a great playoffs and I was my emergency
man being in the LA Forum. Man performing at a
high level at the LA Forum against Magic and Worthy
man crazy.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
It was crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Now real this is you know, you were a little
more of an intriguing situation. And I think obviously that
first training camp you got that welcome to the NBA moment.
But even as a twenty seven year old rookie, I
had guys bust me up that I didn't think could
bust me up. O'thella Harrington, I'm O'thella Harrington took me
on the block after practice and wore me out, and
(23:33):
I'm like, I got him. I'm betting th that's my
og to this day. Wore me out. Was there a
moment in your you know that true rookie season, We're
not eve gonna count that training camp. Were you like, Yo,
this is different some of these dudes different, yo. Was
it a checking MJ for the first time? Was it
an off brand brother that just gave you the business?
(23:54):
Talk to me Rio?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
All of them, all of them got that worth right,
all them worthy. I remember Birthy just busting my shoes,
bust about worthy. Just Jay and me up, Mitt Raine,
face up, I'm the body the month.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
He just rolling off me.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Ryan with the beautiful fade Away just wore me out,
my boy, Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway just talking mess to
me in practice, wearing me out.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Chris Mullin with the left.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Hand, Jay running me off a hundred screens, just just
went me up. Glenn Rice, Jamal mash Burn, Jimmy Jackson,
the list go on and on right, Michael Jordan, of
course I'm in the land bird talking mess. I mean,
just a lot of heating NBA. Man, it was just
a war every night.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Man.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
It was just Gary Payton, I mean crazy, Eddie Johnson,
Ricky Pearce, Kevin Johnson, Damn Bar I mean sorry, JJ Ray.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
We weren't no plumbers back then. Brother.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
They Hey, man, let me hear about Molley. I worked
with I didn't work with Money. I played for Molly
over when I was in Sacramento. That's one of my
favorite guys on the planet. What made Chris Mullin special?
You knew Molly from all the way back high school.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Come on, y'all, what made.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Molly so tough? For those people? Forget people when they
hear about our brother, they think, they think Larry legend.
We need to hear about Chris Muller. What made Molly
so tough? And now you have a chance on the
pros to actually play with your brother. You know what?
What was Molly like?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yo?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Man, let me tell you something. There's one rule in
New York City back in our day, Ryan, growing up.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
It's not the same right now. If you can, if.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You can ball, go in any hood in New York
City if you want. That's the respect you got if
you were a baller Molley. He was one of the
few white boys with a bunch of brothers on the squad.
He was the best player on the team. Right brothers
(26:04):
on the squad, and Bully's the best player.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Molley can go in.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Any hood in New York City and not a hair
on his head will be touched because that left handed jumper,
dog was wet since high school and they know him
around the city with get in that Jim ride. He
gets thirty forty points on your bus. So he had
to respect in New York. Molly go any hood, New
(26:30):
York City and one dot of hair be touched on
his head. Because that's how it was.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
In New York.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
If you are baller, you had the respect of the city.
Nobody mess with you.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Dog. That's how it was. Mully was a bad boy.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Was there a Chris Mulling moment where you where you
realize what you just talked to me about or something
where you saw, like yo, Chris Mulling different dog. Was
there a moment where like yo, like I've seen this
for my own eyes.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Two moments when we were up in Chicago. One time
in my career, I played eleven years fan bo against
Michael Jordan. There's one time I won in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
That was with the.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Warriors that year and Mully and Michael Jordan had a
battle that man and Mulley won the battle and we
won the won that game that night.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
But Jordan was special that night too.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
And when we played in the LA four, it was
Mulley and Magic going at it in the second round.
The only game we won is when I hit the
free throws. Magic had like forty four. I think Muddy
had forty two.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
And the Warriors are half many recipients and they go
home one and one. They have home corner vantage.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
And then despite the fact being I'll remounted forty nine
to twenty nine defeat the Los Angeles like GIRs won
twenty five to twenty four, and.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
They gotta get him, and that that jaden Net wasn't
moving though a lot of time when he made his jumper.
Always in great shape. Mulley was always the best conditioned guy.
You had to always chase him. He's always moving. He
made me slow, but he always seems to get open.
But he was in great shape and was an amazing shooter.
I was just happy that he finally got his just
(28:08):
too by making the Hall of Fame. Yeah, I got
a money moment for you, right. I remember he was
on the Dream Team. Remember Money was on the dream Team.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
On the McDonald's. He was on the McDonald's deal, that original.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Yeah, yeah, he was on.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
He was on the one that went over there in
ninety two.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
So we were together, go to State.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So he's like, Marry, I need like a pickup game somewhere.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
He was in New York. I was in New York.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
I said, Molley, that's a little pro am up there
up in the gaucho. Jim, you want to play. I'm like, yeah,
let's go up there and play. When I sell you.
This boy went up there and put on a clinic
dog Muney had fifty four points show. They sat out
in the fourth court, the net one three quarters though.
Money out there just killing these boys. This like a
(28:52):
week before he going over to Barcelona. He was so
in tip top shape focus. He went out there, drove
fifty four. I had low thirty points though, Ryan, Now
don't forget about my little thirty thirty. But he had
the fifty four piece extra spicy that night. Right, I'm like, dude,
(29:13):
you ready, y'all gonna kill over in there, liftic. He
was so ready because he was trading all summer, so
he needed to play, said, man, I need someone to play.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Make sure I'm good. I'm like, dude, you good, You're good,
You're ready. Wrote Now you see how he went over there.
He went over there with pauling over there.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
That's a Moley momit dog, I'm fifty four piece extra spice.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
He dropped off.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
And you know, Rial, I love how you you how
you brought that full circle? All right, guys, coming up next,
we are gonna do Yeah, it's your favorite part of
the show, the NBA Rookie Life Film Room, and Mario
Elly is gonna break down some fire plays. Man, listen,
some Tarry Easton, some heat from Tary east and some
dream of lives. You want to yeat you alright, No
we can't.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
We can't.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
I'll tell you right now to Kissing Deaths. Kind up,
you're gonna hear something you did not know about one
of the greatest shots in NBA history. Stay tuned. Will
be right back talking about somebody who loves to play.
Over in Houston. We're gonna step in right now to
(30:14):
the NBA Rookie Life Film Room. We got a young
boy named Tari Easton. I want you to break down
one of these plays from Tari Easton because as you
brought up, Molly, Tari to me is a throwback in
the sense that this kid loves basketball dog and you
can see it by the way he plays. He doesn't
take a moment for granted. He's gonna be in all
the programs this summer wherever the heat is that this
young boy is gonna be everywhere working. I want you
(30:37):
to break down one of these plays from Tar Easton
because when I saw this play and real I know
the analysts, I want a little bit of I want
a little bit of New York Mario Ellie with the
with broadcaster Mario Ellie in it. No, no, I don't
want broadcaster Mario. I want coach Mario Ellie. We were
doing your thing in New York. Mario Ellie. We need,
we need you to the back to the to the
(30:59):
hood with this one. But break down this play. You know,
run the rockets off the line and they're still hitting threes.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Twny.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
Look at Tory, he said he's sting away from ben
Town Cook. He slipper draft.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
You gotta love that. If I'm Charlie Easton, I want
to make this guy uncomfortable. Apollo is six ' nine,
and as me as a defender, I want to get
into the ball.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I want to make him comfortable.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Look where he's starting the offense past the three point line.
I like where Charlie is. He's staring him in the eye.
Lsu do going at it? Way to crowd him. And
one thing we me and Calvin always mentioned in the
pre and post game was his anticipation and instinct. He's
the most instinctive player on our team. You know, That's
(31:53):
why he had eighty eighty steals and forty blocks. He
has great instinct. I like how you as the ball,
who wants it fifty to fifty ball? Tari gets it
and with that little Luisiana flavor, you gotta put a
little mustard on the hot dog. Little windmill, nice little
windmill to get the bench with the mean mom and
(32:16):
most important Ryan he went at one seven. You know
that one seven. Make that dog come outy. That's where
the crowd the ball. I know Ryan is hype on
the dunk windmill boom, Look at the Orlando bench, talk
a little mess, get the squad up, hype on the sideline.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
Love it, love it.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
From a from a mentality standpoint, you were one of
those guys. You had to guard Jordan, you had to
guard Magic, you had to guard the best players. That
was your job.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Real.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
So what's his mentality here, Like, what does this mean
for a later pick guy going against the numeral? H No,
that's that's number one over there. What's this mentality here? Rio?
This was a huge game for these young guys, and
you've been there before against the competition.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
That's while you play in the NBA, Rynd, you want
to play against the best. You want to compete against
the best. I don't care if Polo's number one. I
don't care if that's Michael Jordan, Larry Bird. I'm a
competitor as well. I want to win. I have a
will to win. I was blessed in my eleven year
career to make the playoffs every year. It's funny, Ryan,
I played with the Rockets five years. I'm third all
(33:22):
time in the playoff games. Third third guy who played
five years. You know, we were in the playoffs every year.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
I was a history major. Slow that down, say that
one more time, man, I wasn't a.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
You said you're behind Elija on and Hard at least
number three in playoff games played for the rockets. So
I just want to let you know all I won't
waving on child, I won't waving on chown.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
All right, we just broke down the future. Let's go
back to the past. Let's get in the time machine.
Rio talk to me since we're here on the NBA
Rookie Life with Ryan Hollins about a rookie Hakeen Elijah Wah,
who was dream What was he doing in the NBA
at this time? What was we know that dream shake all?
That was he dreamshaking at this time? Breakdown this rookie
(34:18):
year Hakeem Elijah won real.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Talk to me, man, he was He wasn't dreamshaking at
that time. He was just power dunking, blocking shots. Just
was super athletic, was just sort of learning the game.
Was drop stepping, dunking on the regular on guys with
two three guys, spinning off guys. He did have the
nice little spin, but I think he sort of developed
(34:42):
a little spin fadeaway j as time went on, started
developing this game. But just super athletic, just a tremendous talent.
Nobody questions, you know. He was in the same draft
as Jordan, so he was picked one. Jordan was three,
So no, he's questioning that pick at number one, but
(35:03):
just an amazing talent. Played bigger than his side, more
six ' ten than seven foot. You've been around Ryan,
He's more six to ten than seven foot. But just
was raw back then. Still took the team him and
Rob Still took that Rocket team to a final, but
lost to a great Celtic team with Bird, Parish and
(35:24):
McHale at that front line. Was tough, but just an
amazing talent. Houston was fortunate, probably to me, the greatest
greatest athlete period to come out of the city of Houston.
I mean you had great Earl Campbell, Roger Clemens, I
mean he had a lot of great athletes, Nolan Ryan,
(35:46):
but to me, a chem Elijah Wan when you talk
about Houston, he's number one in my opinion as far
as athlete. He was used to the physicality and if
we go back to the history of Houston basketball, Dream
got his tutolage from Moses Malone in the in the
(36:08):
Fondie Rec Center when they were playing the summer, and
Dream got his confidence because he held his own he said,
Moses was the MVP at the time, and Dream felt
he held his own against the MVP. He said, there's
not a lot of guys like Moses Malone in college
and he was absolutely right, and Dream went and dominated
college basketball. But he was still raw, didn't have the
(36:30):
moves yet. But once he got to Fondie and started
battling against Moses Malone on the regular, he got used
to the physicality. That was the thing that was most
impressed about Dream when as a rookie he was able
to take the physicality. You see him Ryan spinning off
double teams, not laying the ball up. He was dunking
that thing. He was dunking that thing then blocking shots. Yeah,
(36:54):
so he developed that jumper. I mean, it's amazing how
good he got.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
You know, he went.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
He went from a power player like you mentioned Ryan.
He transformed this game to sort of like a finess
big face. You up, shoot the jumper, shoot the fade
on your jump, hook up and under. That's what he
puts you on the popcorn machine, like he did Dave
in ninety five.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
I felt bad for Dave.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
They was the MVP at that time, and for Elijah
wanting to dominate the MVP of the league in the
biggest stage. Such a lot about how good that man was.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
All right, real, we got to stay in the NBA
Rookie Life Film Room. This ain't no rookie moment. This
is a big white moment. But we not letting you
get away without talking about this. I need the inside
scoop tho dog. I need the ins and outs. I
need to know what happened before you hit one of
the greatest shots, not in Rockets history, in n BA history.
(37:49):
What was the moment in the game, what was the feeling?
Talk to me about what I don't know about this moment.
Let's run the Clinton, Let's go into the NBAG Rookie
Life Film room. Talk to me. Rio Elly out of
the corner for three in.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
Kelly with up three with seven point one seconds to
play timeout Phoenix Mario Ellie is that the stake through
the harbor for a second straight season by the Houston Rocket.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
We were gonna take the last shot, so Phoenix knew that,
so I guess they wanted to sort of rush us.
So Kenny gets the ball and gets double team in
the back court, slow it down.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Then he finds.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Robert being a good point guard that he is. So
I'm on the floor with two of the fifty greatest
players to ever play the game.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
So they're not gonna leave those two guys Dream.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
So Ain's doubles off me in the back court, so
I space out to the corner in front of our bench.
So once Robert got the ball at half court, he
spotted me in that far corner. So once I got
the ball, Danny Shaves was going to lodge one. He
was not leaving a until he saw me about the
pull of trigger. But he was a little bit too late.
(39:05):
As a shooter, Ryan, you know when it's going in.
Everything felt good about this shot. I didn't hesitate, and
I knew if I missed, Dream was gonna get the rebound.
And then once that thing leb look too late on
that Joe Klein and the Phoenix suns the Kiss and
Death a River dirty by Vacation one, two three, King
(39:30):
Cool Phoenix, what up three?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
With seven point one seconds to play timeout Phoenix, Mario Ellie,
Is that the stake through the Hart for a second
straight season.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
By the Houston Rockets? Was this your celebration that it
was it natural? At the moment? Was there was there
trash talk going on? I mean, this is this is
talking about being a road Warrior. Where did kiss come from?
Why was that so natural? Man?
Speaker 3 (40:01):
It started in game five with me and Joe Klein.
We were just blowing kisses at each other, messing with
each other every time one of us scores.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
So that's where it really started.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
But you know what, Ryan, I got the last and
most important kiss. See your buddy, heavy vacation. It a
dirt shard. Yeah, we sent them home. Great series down
three to one. Heart of a champion, like Rudy said,
just some battle tested guys. Love being in the bucker
(40:33):
hole with my teammates. Just a great group or resilient group.
And everybody always made big plays. We had the Constance
and Dream and Clyde. But Sam will step up, Robert
will step up, Chucky, myself, Kenny. So we had guys
sort of support our superstars on different nights.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
What was this like too? Man? I noticed, Kenny, we
talked about earlier. Another New York guy you grew up
playing with and competing against. He's the first one giving
you a hug. Then they talk to me about that relationship.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Man, that's my guy.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Man. We still we all tight to this day. Just
at dinner with Clyde and Carl Herrara the other day we.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Said, that's a special moment that we shared.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
You know, we brought the first two championships to this
great city of Houston, and uh, you see when we
walk around Ryan, you know, people know us and they
know Mrph rightfully. So merphs a legend in this town.
This town is rich with basketball history. I know it's
a football town, but you know, I believe that Mustard
(41:37):
and Red. You know, you're part of me, and you're
a part of a great organization. And I love our
Rocket fans. You know, they they love us to death. Here.
They great fans, great basketball down here in Houston.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
So yeah, on that play too. You know one thing
that for those those kids who may be watching who
don't notice you naturally floated to that corner in space.
Was this something that Rudy t had planned? You guys know, Hey,
is this a trap? You run a jump? Was it natural?
Was this a play run?
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Like?
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Hey, when we see this, this and this is happening
because the two things that I noticed, there was no
hesitation from Rob Horyd to swing the ball over to you.
This was just moving the ball on the flight or
taken what the defense gives you and you talked about
not hesitating any sense of your job was to take
those shots where any other player may have hesitated. You
got one of the greatest players, top ten player all
(42:30):
time underneath the basket, and you take this shot and say,
I know if I take this shot, it's the right
play for him to clean up inside. Talk to me
about that moment from some hoop stuff and Rudy t
and what you guys had went over, or just the
chemistry you guys had as teammates at the time.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
It was chemistry and reads.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Because we were holding for the last shot, because it
was under twenty four seconds. We wanted to get the
last shot. We either go to win the game or
was we go in the overtime. But Phoenix decided, okay,
they hold.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
For the last shot.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
Let's see if we can rush their offense, which they did.
Danny Ains goes back and doubles Kenny, which is makes
us a rush. Robert, you know, six ' ten, makes
himself available at half court, and then you know Danny
Ains is in the back court. He's not even in
the rush to get back to me. So Robert spots me,
there's Dream under the basket. Clyde flashes middle, so both
(43:22):
of those guys are guarded. So I spaced to the
far corner. So Robert spots me in the far corner
and I'm like, okay, one of my favorite spots. I'm
wide open. Shay's is not moving because he's not even dreams,
so I got a chance to get a good look
at the basket. Felt comfortable about the shot, ain't confident
about it, and once you know, I got it set
(43:43):
and let it go. Shay's was a little bit too
late on the close out, and in fact, everything about
that shot felt good. Didn't really want to Kawhi Leonard
that it hit the rint three or four times, right.
I wanted it that it was all net once it
went on net. Staying at the Phoenix bench, blew him
the Kiss of death, and like you mentioned, Ryan, I
(44:06):
was just so caught up in that moment. I really
didn't feel my teammates on me. I was locked in
on Joe Klein after I blew him the Kiss of death.
If you see the video, Sam Sam jumps off me.
Chucky Clyde is just laughing, and I'm busy staring at
the Phoenix bench and until I sat down Ryan, I
(44:26):
had to collect myself. I'm like, okay, collect yourself.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
It's a big moment right now.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Once I got on the bench, then I sort of
sort of was able to calm down a little bit.
Then it started understanding the moment in the situation.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Man, that that that's huge and you know normally obviously
Clyde and Dream got those accolades to two thams.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Before we get you out of observe it.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
Did you feel a like was there a moment within
that like dang the kid who was the last pick
who had to go oversee that? Did you kind of
get that moment? I got it because I know you
remember in Dallas the game where I showed out and
had the blocks again. To me, it was like, dang
that dude from the dude who got cut freshman year.
You know what I'm saying that you have a little
(45:11):
bit of.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
That, no question, Ryan. I mean that night I was
on such a high and I think about all the
work I put in me being in the park and
the snow with my little dog, guys laughing at me,
like what you're doing out here in the snow shooting
baskets with your glove art.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
I loved it. I had a dream, Brian.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
I think about that kid in New York, riding this
bike all over New York, playing two or three games
a day, loving the game, passionate about the game, being
from Haiti, being a Haitian American kid, you know, being
a Haitian American kid in New York, growing up in
the middle of Manhattan dreaming. A lot of people don't
(45:55):
make it out of New York City, you know, like
Frank Sinatra and Jay Z said, you can't make it there,
you can't make it anywhere. So I'm one of the
guys who made it out of there. And it was
a blessing to be a part of that moment. And
what's most gratifying, Ryan is just walking around this great
city in Houston and me, me, and people still.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Know who I am. I mean that is I'm not.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
A superstar, I'm not Jordan, I'm not Elijah On, I'm
not Quiet. I'm the ultimate role player. And I tell
all the guys out there, ain't nothing wrong with it,
Ain't nothing wrong with being Ax Bruce Bowen, you know,
ask you Donnas Haslam, these guys, you know, role player,
Ain't that wrong being a role play? These guys had
amazing careers, and I'm blessed, you know, I had an
(46:41):
amazing career being able to say I made it all
eleven years in the playoffs. I'm playing one hundred and
sixteen playoff games, being third on the rocket listen playoff
games played, only playing five years here, So that says
a lot, Like you said, Ryan, seventh round pick, one
hundred and sixtieth pick, second to the last pick in
(47:01):
the draft.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
If you have dreams, people believe in them.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
Believe in them, as you've seen every bit of the NBA,
every bit of life. You know, I can imagine I
love soaking up the game from yach. We could do
this all day. Oh g you know you know this.
What message would you have for that twenty one year
old Mario Ellie who wasn't good enough at that time?
If you could give a message back to your younger
self before we get out of here, what would that be.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
I would not change the path. I knew what I
wanted to do. I knew I.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Needed to work and.
Speaker 3 (47:35):
Getting a chance to play, Ryan to see the world.
The world is beautiful overseas. It's beautiful, the people over
there beautiful, the food, the cultures over there, being able
to play and get paid to doing something you love
to do and then have it in the back of
your mind. I got to still work now I'm here overseas.
So the time we're not playing, I was in the
(47:56):
gym right shooting, working on my ball hand, getting stronger.
That's what overseas enabled me to do. We'll play once
a week a cup game, maybe we played twice a week,
but the rest of the time. Them guys over there
really like to work. And I really enjoyed being overseas
because they taught me to really really work.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
I was in the gym with those guys. Man, we
love to play, we love the work. And then then
when I felt I was ready to give NB a shot,
I was ready to go because of my overseas experience.
Them guys helped me to work, taught me how to work.
So when I got to the league, I felt I
was ready. So believe in your dreams. Put in that work.
(48:41):
Well you're not around your coach, what are you doing.
You need to be in that gym. That's where you
need to be.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
Man, the great stuff, they're real. Where can we support
your NBA Ricky life. We appreciate you taking time in
coming out and just beyond this you rocking with me Rio.
Where can we support you the people who are here listening,
Where can they check you out? Where can see you
with any organizations that you're behind that you know the
people can go support and show some love too.
Speaker 3 (49:06):
Just just holler at me at Twitter one and I'm
on my Instagram.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
I love my fans.
Speaker 3 (49:11):
I love interacting with the real Rocket fans, the real
EDGs like yourself, right, men, you are always on the
Twitter with the fans, love the questions. I'm three in
one this weekend. I lost with the pals last night.
I picked the bulls. I picked my two winners the
night before. Real excited about the playoffs. Holler at me
(49:32):
on the Twitter Instagram.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Let's chalk Rocket basketball, Let's.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
Talk about the playoffs all that good stuff. Man. You
know me and you are junkies, right, we live and die,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
That's what we do.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
Well a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (49:47):
Real.
Speaker 1 (49:47):
I can't say enough.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Man.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
We'll be seeing y'all, be bugging you soon, texting, you're
hitting you on the Twitter. Man, But my brother, seriously,
thank you again for everything you've done. Just not for
me in my career, but you're still doing and thank
you for blessing the show Man.
Speaker 3 (50:00):
Well tell everybody Ryan, we're not just fresds men, you're brothers. Man,
We're not just friends, We're brother So enjoy working with you, brother.
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Keep up the great, great work you're doing.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
My man again man, one of my favorite episodes. Much
love Tomrio Ellie first impact overall on the game of basketball,
from from high school to college as a player, as
a coach, and now broadcasting and still showing love on
a major level. But guys, if you like what you saw,
if you appreciate it, you just rock with Rio, rock
with myself. Make sure your raid, your life, your subscribe,
(50:33):
tell your aunt, to your uncle, your cousins, whoever. About
the show Man. We want to keep doing some amazing things.
And hey, you know what, guys, who would you like
to see on NBA Rookie Life with Brian hollins Man.
Shoot us some tweets or some messages and we'll see
if we can't get them on the show to lock
them in. Anyways, love you guys, We cannot do it
without you. We'll talk too, see you next week.
How's everybody doing. I want to welcome you in to
a very very listen man, I'm excited. This is a
whole different type of NBA rookie life with Ryan Hollins
episode we have here. This is one of my favorite
forget players. He's one of my listen, I'll give it
a little bit. He was one of my favorite players
growing up, but one of my favorite people, one of
my favorite mentors in my life. And I had the
(00:25):
privilege of not just watching this brother play, but getting
a chance to be coached by him. And now a
little bit of a spoiler for those who may know,
I work with him over with the Rockets and at
and T Sportsman. He was one hundred and sixtieth pick. Yes,
we got a call with today the hundred you're hearing
this correctly, the one hundred and sixtieth pick in the
nineteen eighty five draft. My man, the kissing Death none
(00:49):
other man, Super Mario, Ellie, Ellie, Mario. What is going on?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Brother?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Talk to me?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Oh gz, it is a privilege for you coming on
and bless an NBA rookie life.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Thank you for having me. It's a great time of year. Ryan,
the NBA playoffs is off to a great start. The
playing has been amazing. Looking forward to just kicking my
feet up, cooking my popcorn and watching games all day
Saturday Sunday, you know, being your basketball junkies. And thank
you for the great introductions. And of course, man, you
have great history. It's crazy how you said it. You know,
(01:22):
I played, I coached you, and now we work together.
So we got a special bomb man.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, real. And before we get into I normally don't
do this, I want to give you your flowers, man,
because I think you have one of the cooler rookie stories.
And sometimes we've had first pick in the drafts on
lottery picks. You're the first guy. And now I want
you to break down. We'll dive into it as we
get your rookie experience. Back then there were rounds of
players drafted. So yes, you heard it right, I didn't.
(01:48):
That wasn't a mistake, the hundred and sixtyth pick. And
we're going to dive into that. But when I watched that,
and I know the way the NBA is played now
versus then you brothers put on so that we can
be what we are now, and a guy like you
had to persevere through many trials and moments to be
successful being NBA chant one day. So we're going to
(02:10):
dive into that. But I got to give you a flowers,
But I think you can see it real. Even as
a coach, every day you came with the right attitude,
You pushed us, you always even killed, always within and
we still see see that that same mentality. But real,
let's let's let's dive into it. Coming into the NBA Draft.
What was that day like for you? What were the
(02:30):
expectations coming out of college? How did you view things?
Was was the NBA dream? Was it just hey man,
it's either work here or go getting nine to five?
What was your situation a young what real? What were
you were twenty twenty one years old at the time, Man,
talk to me about a young Mario Ellie going into
the draft. Where were you in your career and what
(02:51):
were the expectations and where was the NBA at that time?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
My expectations were very high. I was one of the
top players come out of New York City out of
high school. I was a kid, you know, I was
a knuckle.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Who are the other guys in your class?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
By the way, like Chris Smullen ed Pickney. Jerry Renos
Lsu got drafted Milwaukee. Me and him got drafted together
in the Bucks. He was our first pick. I was
our seventh pick with the Bucks. So there was a
lot of good players when I was coming up round
in New York City. Every high school player had a
major Division one player on the squad. North Carolina State, Connecticut, Syracuse,
(03:30):
Boston College. You know, Saint John's was big back then.
You know Walter Berry, Willie Glass, Mark Jackson that era.
Then you had Kenny Smith in Queen's Maloy going to
North Carolina. So it was it was a lot of
heat coming out of New York City. And I was
one of those guys. But I ended up going to
a Division two school because I didn't take care of
(03:52):
my books. So I'd always tell these young kids, make
sure you take care of your books, you know what
I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So essentially, when you went D two, did you just
what was the were you discouraged? Was it like, you know,
and I'm making it to the league no matter what?
Like like was that a hit? Like you know? Was
that like that was that your first kind of reality check?
And I know real people don't notice as a coach,
you'll take a guy who's a little and I've seen
this a little hard around the edges, and you'll embrace
(04:18):
those guys, the guys who kind of get written off.
And I admit, you know, I was a little when
you coached me. I was a little while Reo, I
was a little. I wasn't that the Polish brother that
I am today. You know, I'm still working, but you
always embraced us. You always kept it real. Talk to
me about a young Mario Elliotts and that why, as
in your coaching style and essentially the way you broadcast today,
(04:40):
you kind of have an affection for those guys and
you're you know, you're you're very honest.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, Ryan, because I know how hard the road is
was for me, so uh.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I loved everything about.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
The game, and you read my story Portugal Ireland. You
know that's why I played with the edge, you know, guys,
that's why low management bothers me. I tried to play
every night, you know, hard as I can. Because I'm like,
at twenty seven, Ryan, I didn't I didn't get to
the leads. I was twenty seven years old. Wow, my mom,
(05:12):
God bless us all right. And I remember sitting in
my house in New York at twenty seven and the
the CBA and then in questioning am I doing the
right thing for going to NBING, my mom said, you
know what, some follow your dreams.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And you know what, Ryan, everything happened.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
For me that year got called up by Philly.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
We're gonna talk about that.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Then when I got to the Warriors, we're gonna talk
about that story too, And that's when my NBA journey
really started.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Okay, Well, let's rewind. Let's go to draft day. You
talk about getting drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. Walk me
through that day. Who was with you? Was it you
and mom, Dukes, you and the fam? Or were you
at the crib? Where was the NBA draft at that time?
Because I'm amazed, you know, I'm so young. All I
know is the draft being in New York and two
rounds of NBA basketball is here. Where was your draft?
(06:01):
Where were you? Who was with you? Did you have
an agent at the time? Walk me through that day?
The details of your draft day. Man, let's let's be
a fly on the wall and what was going on? Many?
How old? How old you were you? Twenty one?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Real?
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I was twenty one, and it was funny. I really
had no expectations. Right now, I know, I had a
great year. I was a three time All American at
my school. I was one of the top players. H
Jerome Cursey, Menu Bowl, Scottie Pippen, Charles Oakley. Those were
the kind of guys that were in my class and
you and you see what.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They are today, great great players.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
But I didn't have no expectations ryan me being from
a snowball school. I was in the park in New
York with my buddies, and then my mom came to
the park and said, honey, honey, I'm like what, mom,
She said, you got drafted?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
A honey, is bro what on?
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Reo? No, you didn't have a draft party. You were
hooping or just chilling at the park.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I was chilling that way and the boys moms pull
up on your boy and be like, yo, you got drafted.
You know, I'm like a hundred and sixty If I'm like,
how many players in the draft? You said one hundred
and sixty two, I'm like, man, I was second to
the last. It was crazy, right, and I was a
kid for New York right, never really traveled so you know,
(07:21):
I get I get a first class ticket to Milwaukee
for it's like summer Cab, and I got a hotel,
I get my little Milwaukee buck get. You know, I'm
amped up. You know yeah, But like I tell you,
when I get to when I get to Summer Cab,
I'm like, I'm the second shortest guy. I'm like, what
the hell's going on here? And don Nelson said he's
(07:42):
a point guard and you're a point guard. I'm like, Lord,
have mercy. So it was crazy.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So when you played in college, you didn't have the
ball handling responsibilities. You were catching finished guy. You were
go get off the boards, go play some you know,
you pie garden. Every whoever the best player was, if
he big, you got him, to be small, you got him.
And then, you know, talk to me about the guys
in Milwaukee that training camp. You talked about being the
shortest guy on the team. You know what what was that?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You know, it was the craziest experience I ever had
and hooping in my life because I never really played
with guys at that level, all that collective group young guys.
There was some veterans there who were nasty. He didn't
want to talk to me. They elbowed me. Right, they
I was trying to get this fright.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Call him out?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Who wasn't, man? Come on, real?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
What it was? Paul something he went to. He was
a California dude. He was a small forward. I'm trying
to remember his name. I can't remember his last name.
But like I told you, I got drafted with my boy,
Jerry Reynolds. He was a six ' nine point guard
out of LSU. So I had to go again say
him he knew how to handle the ball and all that,
and me, I, like you said, right, I ain't know
how to handle the ball. I'm like out there bumbling
(08:49):
the rod yelling at me, cutting me out. I'm like, man,
it was probably the roughest, hardest time hooping in my life.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Boy.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
And after end of the day, Ryan, we were going
two three hour practices. My legs were shaking. I didn't
know how I was gonna make it the next day
through another tour days so I had. I was in
the pool all night Ryan getting the sawing this out
my leg. At the end of that camp, when down
Nelson told me I was cut, I was so happy
because I know I had a lot of work to
(09:20):
do out that. I was like, I said, I got
so much work. I got work on my body, my
ball handling, my shooting.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
So that was a very eye opening experience from me.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I got to throw this in the ass too, Rio,
So your legs are shaken. Were the guys on the
team doing the same thing you were doing or was
there any at this time? Were there any guy? Was
literally everybody trying to make the team. It sounded like
everybody got it in.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Everybody got it in. Right, I'm the only dude out
there because you know, me going to a small school,
ridan Division two, I really didn't know how to prepare
for a camp like a Division one guy. These guys
were in shape. I'm like, why are these guys such
good shape?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
But they prepared.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I'm in the park just playing with my boys, and
I'm like, I'm just gonna go out there. Who That's
what I was, Yeah, right, I'm just going wasn't like that.
It was a lot more organized three man weave, one
on one, two on two, physical, five on five, and
you know, after the morning session you go lay down,
eat man your phone winning for the wake up call
(10:25):
for the second session. Man, You're like, man, already two.
You know how the two days were back in the day,
they weren't playing, so the days went quick. The sessions
were long, they were very physical, and there were just
some good, tough players, and I knew I needed a
lot of work.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I said, I'm not ready for this level yet.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Why go overseas? Why not? You know? I mean, i
I'm being you know, just thought, why not hanging out?
Why not? You know, like and from the guy in
high school who's confident did his thing D two? It
has to be it had to be a shot to
the ego or big wake up call. Why go over season?
What that do for you?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (11:01):
You know? For the young brothers? Now for my class
of guys, it would have been almost embarrassing, like a letdown,
a failure. Why go overseas? Why not?
Speaker 3 (11:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (11:09):
What was was? Was hoop? The only option for a
young twenty one you're old Mario Elie be like, man,
I'm about to go get a job, like you know what,
I'm hooping. I'm gonna ride this thing out. Where was
your mindset? And why do it?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Said, I'm a hooping and ride this out? And you know,
I got a little taste of the NBA. I'm like, man,
you know, I got it once, I got that taste, right,
I'm like, okay, I think I can do this, but
I need to work on some things, you know. So
I got looked at, you know, I was playing, you know,
in the league, and I got looked at by an
Ireland team and they're like, man, you know, I had
a good game that they asked me, hey, would you
(11:41):
like to come over to Dublin and play over here?
Will pay a year for your rent. I'm like, man,
I can get to travel see the world, you know.
Me being from New York, Ryan growing up around like
a lot of white brown Spanish. I grew up in
like a real international neighborhood. So me going over and
I went to school with a lot of Irish Mullein
(12:03):
you know Chris Mulley we played was Irish. Yeah, Molly
is Irish from Brooklyn Dog. So they asked me to
go overseas. I'm like, hey, I can go overseas who
work on my game, you know? And I had and
I had a buddy already playing over there. He said,
mars nice over here. So went over there in Ireland,
had a great time over there. Ryan scored a lot
(12:24):
of points, got to work on my game, and you know,
didn't decide to go to different countries after that until
I felt I was ready to try for the league again.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Andy let me ask man, So was a young twenty
one to two the real did you have dumb bounce
back in the day?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Well?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
What was what was the thing we know you could shoot?
Could you shoot then? Or was just everything was dunk?
What was your game at that time?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
I was a bucket, get around the basket, run.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I was dunking on cats on a regular dog.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I bought rolling.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Dunking on cat I was a baby bull back then.
But I went to that Milwaukee training camp, I said
I needed to work on some other things. So it's
when I got to Portugal. I played in Portugal for
two years. I really enjoyed it over there. I really
felt that I know, got my jumper together. You know,
I was sort of a wing slash two guard out there.
(13:18):
There was in too many two guards. You know, overseas
they always want big guys. They never really had guards
over there. They want guys like you six nine, six
ten because they already got little guys. So I was
one of the rarity guys guards out there, but I
was killing Ryan. I was dominant out there, you know,
me and my guy was dominant out there.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So I really enjoyed out there.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
I really developed out there because those guys, they're in
the gym twice a day. That's why guys like Luka
and Jokic are ready. Because the Europeans man, they stay
in the gym all the time. They're working on their
craft all the time.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
It's funny you do say that real. My last year
I played in Spain and Italy, and I felt like
my game got better. I felt like you almost get
pressed in a sense in the NBA is just like, well,
just rolling dunk. And then I got a six '
nine guy guard me. I'm like, nah, I'm gonna pull
out these post moves I had. You know, I'm gonna
go to my left hand. I'm gonna you and I'm
gonna make sure I'm more of a complete basketball player.
(14:14):
So let's fast forward now. It's interesting. I love that
your mindset. I want the kids at home if they
listening to hear that man Mario Ellie went there was
real with himself, developed and got better in those moments. Okay, guys,
stay tuned, man, this is an unbelievable story coming up.
Charles Barkley. You're not gonna believe what he did with
Mario Ellie and the type of player. What is Charles
(14:36):
Barkley at the time. Anyway, stay tuned, we'll be right
back check us soon. On an NBA Rookie Life with
Ryan Hollins. Rial told me about your rookie year. Let's go.
So now you're a twenty seven year old rookie. Mom Dukes,
you know, kind of supports you. What was that mindset?
(14:58):
And again, I'm a cat this why do the NBA
and talk to me about that first experience? And how
did you cats don't get back into the league? Rio
at twenty seven? How did you get back into the league?
People don't know. The hardest thing first is to get drafted,
and even harder than being drafted or getting there is
getting back. How did you do this?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I had a vision, I believed in my ability and
like you mentioned, right, Mom gave me that extra boost
and it all happened for me that twenty seven year
old year. All Beney Patroons head coach George Carr, assistant
coach Terry Stotts I had two NBA head coaches coaching
me in the CBA, so it was a blessing when
(15:39):
George calling Terry Stotts came into my life. Those guys
saw something in me and it happened, and I went
to Philly. Philly was my first call up. Super excited
playing with Charles Barkley. I remember seeing that number eight
Jersey Ryan walking in that Phoenix locker room. I met
them guys on the road right, you know, every thing
(16:04):
it's going through my mind, the Knights in the park
in New York, tournaments, Argentina, Ireland, all that work that
put in and just seeing that Jersey. I remember us
losing that night to kJ and Tom Chambers. But the
one thing I remember about that night, Ryan, was how
good Charles Barkley was. Searg Barckley at forty five. He
(16:26):
was killing John Chambers all night and I ended up,
you know, I went to La they were on the
West Coast road trips. I went to La Seattle, got
to play a little bit because we were getting our
bus kick and I've never gone to Utah. Jimmy Lineum,
the head coach of the Sixer, said Marrio, now you
you been looking good I'm gonna play that night, and
(16:46):
they ended up making the trade the night before the game, Ryan,
so I had to cut me. So I went back
to the CBA, was there for a month, then got
called up by the Golden State Warriors, and the rest
is history. Ran to run TMC.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I gotta reavide real quick before we talk Warriors. I
need your first impressions the first time you met Charles Barkley.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Barclay stuffing that ball over the helpless, defective feeder.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
I need a story. I need that first, Like, Yo,
this dude different, right, I knew who search y'all just
do different up and close. What was he like in
the locker room? Give me that first? Did he did
he acknowledge you?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Dude?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Dude, dude, I got the craziest story for you. My
first I go to Philly, I tell you, I get
the first call up from the Sixers, so I go
meet Jean Shue and Philadelphia, said Mario. The Sixers on
the West coast trip, so they're Phoenix right now.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
So I'm gonna give you a ticket.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
You're gonna go to Atlanta, the Atlanta to Phoenix, so
you're gonna meet the Tick of Phoenix. So Yo, Yo,
I'm so hight right. I'm like, yo, first class ticket
to my first first class ticket. I'm like, yo, I'm
living right out. Fly to Atlanta, connected flight from Phoenix.
It's foggy in Atlanta, right, I can't get out. I'm
(18:06):
like panicking.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yo.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I'm like, yo, what's going on? My first NBA game?
I can't even get to feed him? So Yo, I called.
They give me the information where the hotel we stand at? Right,
so Yo, God is my witness. I call the hotel
and gets who answers the phone. It's freaking Charles Barkley.
(18:28):
Who is it, yo? I swear on my mind. I'm
like Yo, I'm like, Yo, is this broke? They said, yeah,
this is job? Like who is this is?
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Marrior? Ellie?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Man? I just got called up on a ton day
with y'all. I got fired then at Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
You know, tell coach, he said.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Mary to welcome to the team. Man, no problem, I
wanna tail coach.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
You be at the bar, Yo.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Ride as God is my witness, show you how crazy
Charles is.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
He's just the funniest dude.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
He'll take the meet you know, media out everybody out
to dinner.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
This student answers the phone at the hotel. Yo.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
And that's that's that's the first meeting I had a
Charles Barkley. And then I mean I got finally get
into Phoenix. The next morning, I said, Charlee, what you
doing answer the par He said, no, worry about that.
Welcome to the team.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yo. The best human.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Being you would ever want to be around is Charles Barkley.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yo. That was my first impression. Dog. That was crazy.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
So let me recap this. You're calling the actual business
line of the hotel.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah, Chuck. You know, Chuck was like that. He'll go
in the bag, answer phones, do all kinds of crazy stuff.
He was the best teammate.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Every time you go out with Charles, you pick up
the bill. He would always invite me out to eat,
even though you know, I wasn't really part of the tea.
I was only on the test show. I did. He
He took care of me like I was on the
squad for like ten years. And the things people say
about Charles is absolutely wrong. That dude is a first
(20:01):
class human being.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Wow, that's gold. And I think that this generation, I
think people misconstrue Chuck is Chuck. Chuck is him you know,
and the same thing with you. You know, when I
would do stuff over at T and T go in
and NBA TV. I'm one of the little guys. I'm
in the corner trying to write my notes. Chuck would
always come up, Hey, Roy, how you doing? I remember you?
(20:24):
I know you, you know, like these that type of guys.
So you're right there. Okay, Wow, that's gold Mario real,
that's gold real. Let's get now, ont now your real
rookie year when you had a chance, you had an opportunity.
You get the Golden State. You're the guy you had
a ten day cup of tea.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
There.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
You know, you're still twenty seven trying to establish yourself.
You're a grown man, but all this is new to you.
How did you ingratiate yourself into that system and how
did they play out where you know you ended up
being to Mario Ellie that we know, talk to me
about this, this real rookie not rookie rookie opportunity you're
finally getting.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
This is I mean, I should write a book because
I get called down by Golden State. We're playing the
Denver Nuggets that night, and I think Marshall Oona's got hurt.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
So I get called up Don.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
We at the Ritz car Don I'm in don Nelson's room.
He said, Okay, Mario, I'm gonna get you twenty five
thirty minutes tonight, and you better show me what you
can do.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
All right, su leave it at.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
The same that cuts you in Milwaukee says your guns.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, that's crazy, right, and circle back around.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
He's in with the Warriors now.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
So we're playing the Nuggets and uh, I get I
get my twenty five thirty minutes. I remember Reggie Williams
from Georgetown.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Those were the Nuggets.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I don't remember who else was on the squad, but
I just remember we lost, but I had fourteen and
eleven that night. Get exactly, Yo, you know, I'm height up.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Right off height.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
As soon as we touched that in Golden State, don
Nelson's like, Yo, I'm gonna sign you to this year
and next year.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And that's how my NBA career started off. That one night.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Endeavor, the coach said he could don Nelson had big
boy power like that.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Yes he did. He like, Yo, I'm selling for the
rest of the year and next year. I'm like what, Yeah,
I was so amped, then went on and played a
major role. We went to the second round that year.
We beat San Antoni on the first round. They were
the second seed. David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Terry Cummins, Rod Strickland,
(22:34):
Willie Anderson. Good squad, but we lost to the Lakers.
In the second round. We lost the Magic Worthy Perkins.
I think Jordan then beat them that year. But I
remember Ryan my first game in the form, I had
twenty one second game. I hit the game with the
free throws to beat the Laker, but the Lakers went
on and smoked us for one in that series. But
(22:57):
I had a great playoffs and I was my emergency
man being in the LA Forum. Man performing at a
high level at the LA Forum against Magic and Worthy
man crazy.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
It was crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Now real this is you know, you were a little
more of an intriguing situation. And I think obviously that
first training camp you got that welcome to the NBA moment.
But even as a twenty seven year old rookie, I
had guys bust me up that I didn't think could
bust me up. O'thella Harrington, I'm O'thella Harrington took me
on the block after practice and wore me out, and
(23:33):
I'm like, I got him. I'm betting th that's my
og to this day. Wore me out. Was there a
moment in your you know that true rookie season, We're
not eve gonna count that training camp. Were you like, Yo,
this is different some of these dudes different, yo. Was
it a checking MJ for the first time? Was it
an off brand brother that just gave you the business?
(23:54):
Talk to me Rio?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
All of them, all of them got that worth right,
all them worthy. I remember Birthy just busting my shoes,
bust about worthy. Just Jay and me up, Mitt Raine,
face up, I'm the body the month.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
He just rolling off me.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Ryan with the beautiful fade Away just wore me out,
my boy, Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway just talking mess to
me in practice, wearing me out.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Chris Mullin with the left.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Hand, Jay running me off a hundred screens, just just
went me up. Glenn Rice, Jamal mash Burn, Jimmy Jackson,
the list go on and on right, Michael Jordan, of
course I'm in the land bird talking mess. I mean,
just a lot of heating NBA. Man, it was just
a war every night.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Man.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
It was just Gary Payton, I mean crazy, Eddie Johnson,
Ricky Pearce, Kevin Johnson, Damn Bar I mean sorry, JJ Ray.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
We weren't no plumbers back then. Brother.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
They Hey, man, let me hear about Molley. I worked
with I didn't work with Money. I played for Molly
over when I was in Sacramento. That's one of my
favorite guys on the planet. What made Chris Mullin special?
You knew Molly from all the way back high school.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Come on, y'all, what made.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Molly so tough? For those people? Forget people when they
hear about our brother, they think, they think Larry legend.
We need to hear about Chris Muller. What made Molly
so tough? And now you have a chance on the
pros to actually play with your brother. You know what?
What was Molly like?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yo?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Man, let me tell you something. There's one rule in
New York City back in our day, Ryan, growing up.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
It's not the same right now. If you can, if.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
You can ball, go in any hood in New York
City if you want. That's the respect you got if
you were a baller Molley. He was one of the
few white boys with a bunch of brothers on the squad.
He was the best player on the team. Right brothers
(26:04):
on the squad, and Bully's the best player.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Molley can go in.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Any hood in New York City and not a hair
on his head will be touched because that left handed jumper,
dog was wet since high school and they know him
around the city with get in that Jim ride. He
gets thirty forty points on your bus. So he had
to respect in New York. Molly go any hood, New
(26:30):
York City and one dot of hair be touched on
his head. Because that's how it was.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
In New York.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
If you are baller, you had the respect of the city.
Nobody mess with you.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Dog. That's how it was. Mully was a bad boy.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Was there a Chris Mulling moment where you where you
realize what you just talked to me about or something
where you saw, like yo, Chris Mulling different dog. Was
there a moment where like yo, like I've seen this
for my own eyes.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Two moments when we were up in Chicago. One time
in my career, I played eleven years fan bo against
Michael Jordan. There's one time I won in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
That was with the.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Warriors that year and Mully and Michael Jordan had a
battle that man and Mulley won the battle and we
won the won that game that night.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
But Jordan was special that night too.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
And when we played in the LA four, it was
Mulley and Magic going at it in the second round.
The only game we won is when I hit the
free throws. Magic had like forty four. I think Muddy
had forty two.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
And the Warriors are half many recipients and they go
home one and one. They have home corner vantage.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
And then despite the fact being I'll remounted forty nine
to twenty nine defeat the Los Angeles like GIRs won
twenty five to twenty four, and.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
They gotta get him, and that that jaden Net wasn't
moving though a lot of time when he made his jumper.
Always in great shape. Mulley was always the best conditioned guy.
You had to always chase him. He's always moving. He
made me slow, but he always seems to get open.
But he was in great shape and was an amazing shooter.
I was just happy that he finally got his just
(28:08):
too by making the Hall of Fame. Yeah, I got
a money moment for you, right. I remember he was
on the Dream Team. Remember Money was on the dream Team.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
On the McDonald's. He was on the McDonald's deal, that original.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Yeah, yeah, he was on.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
He was on the one that went over there in
ninety two.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
So we were together, go to State.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So he's like, Marry, I need like a pickup game somewhere.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
He was in New York. I was in New York.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
I said, Molley, that's a little pro am up there
up in the gaucho. Jim, you want to play. I'm like, yeah,
let's go up there and play. When I sell you.
This boy went up there and put on a clinic
dog Muney had fifty four points show. They sat out
in the fourth court, the net one three quarters though.
Money out there just killing these boys. This like a
(28:52):
week before he going over to Barcelona. He was so
in tip top shape focus. He went out there, drove
fifty four. I had low thirty points though, Ryan, Now
don't forget about my little thirty thirty. But he had
the fifty four piece extra spicy that night. Right, I'm like, dude,
(29:13):
you ready, y'all gonna kill over in there, liftic. He
was so ready because he was trading all summer, so
he needed to play, said, man, I need someone to play.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Make sure I'm good. I'm like, dude, you good, You're good,
You're ready. Wrote Now you see how he went over there.
He went over there with pauling over there.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
That's a Moley momit dog, I'm fifty four piece extra spice.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
He dropped off.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
And you know, Rial, I love how you you how
you brought that full circle? All right, guys, coming up next,
we are gonna do Yeah, it's your favorite part of
the show, the NBA Rookie Life Film Room, and Mario
Elly is gonna break down some fire plays. Man, listen,
some Tarry Easton, some heat from Tary east and some
dream of lives. You want to yeat you alright, No
we can't.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
We can't.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
I'll tell you right now to Kissing Deaths. Kind up,
you're gonna hear something you did not know about one
of the greatest shots in NBA history. Stay tuned. Will
be right back talking about somebody who loves to play.
Over in Houston. We're gonna step in right now to
(30:14):
the NBA Rookie Life Film Room. We got a young
boy named Tari Easton. I want you to break down
one of these plays from Tari Easton because as you
brought up, Molly, Tari to me is a throwback in
the sense that this kid loves basketball dog and you
can see it by the way he plays. He doesn't
take a moment for granted. He's gonna be in all
the programs this summer wherever the heat is that this
young boy is gonna be everywhere working. I want you
(30:37):
to break down one of these plays from Tar Easton
because when I saw this play and real I know
the analysts, I want a little bit of I want
a little bit of New York Mario Ellie with the
with broadcaster Mario Ellie in it. No, no, I don't
want broadcaster Mario. I want coach Mario Ellie. We were
doing your thing in New York. Mario Ellie. We need,
we need you to the back to the to the
(30:59):
hood with this one. But break down this play. You know,
run the rockets off the line and they're still hitting threes.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Twny.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
Look at Tory, he said he's sting away from ben
Town Cook. He slipper draft.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
You gotta love that. If I'm Charlie Easton, I want
to make this guy uncomfortable. Apollo is six ' nine,
and as me as a defender, I want to get
into the ball.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I want to make him comfortable.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Look where he's starting the offense past the three point line.
I like where Charlie is. He's staring him in the eye.
Lsu do going at it? Way to crowd him. And
one thing we me and Calvin always mentioned in the
pre and post game was his anticipation and instinct. He's
the most instinctive player on our team. You know, That's
(31:53):
why he had eighty eighty steals and forty blocks. He
has great instinct. I like how you as the ball,
who wants it fifty to fifty ball? Tari gets it
and with that little Luisiana flavor, you gotta put a
little mustard on the hot dog. Little windmill, nice little
windmill to get the bench with the mean mom and
(32:16):
most important Ryan he went at one seven. You know
that one seven. Make that dog come outy. That's where
the crowd the ball. I know Ryan is hype on
the dunk windmill boom, Look at the Orlando bench, talk
a little mess, get the squad up, hype on the sideline.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
Love it, love it.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
From a from a mentality standpoint, you were one of
those guys. You had to guard Jordan, you had to
guard Magic, you had to guard the best players. That
was your job.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Real.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
So what's his mentality here, Like, what does this mean
for a later pick guy going against the numeral? H No,
that's that's number one over there. What's this mentality here? Rio?
This was a huge game for these young guys, and
you've been there before against the competition.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
That's while you play in the NBA, Rynd, you want
to play against the best. You want to compete against
the best. I don't care if Polo's number one. I
don't care if that's Michael Jordan, Larry Bird. I'm a
competitor as well. I want to win. I have a
will to win. I was blessed in my eleven year
career to make the playoffs every year. It's funny, Ryan,
I played with the Rockets five years. I'm third all
(33:22):
time in the playoff games. Third third guy who played
five years. You know, we were in the playoffs every year.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
I was a history major. Slow that down, say that
one more time, man, I wasn't a.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
You said you're behind Elija on and Hard at least
number three in playoff games played for the rockets. So
I just want to let you know all I won't
waving on child, I won't waving on chown.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
All right, we just broke down the future. Let's go
back to the past. Let's get in the time machine.
Rio talk to me since we're here on the NBA
Rookie Life with Ryan Hollins about a rookie Hakeen Elijah Wah,
who was dream What was he doing in the NBA
at this time? What was we know that dream shake all?
That was he dreamshaking at this time? Breakdown this rookie
(34:18):
year Hakeem Elijah won real.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Talk to me, man, he was He wasn't dreamshaking at
that time. He was just power dunking, blocking shots. Just
was super athletic, was just sort of learning the game.
Was drop stepping, dunking on the regular on guys with
two three guys, spinning off guys. He did have the
nice little spin, but I think he sort of developed
(34:42):
a little spin fadeaway j as time went on, started
developing this game. But just super athletic, just a tremendous talent.
Nobody questions, you know. He was in the same draft
as Jordan, so he was picked one. Jordan was three,
So no, he's questioning that pick at number one, but
(35:03):
just an amazing talent. Played bigger than his side, more
six ' ten than seven foot. You've been around Ryan,
He's more six to ten than seven foot. But just
was raw back then. Still took the team him and
Rob Still took that Rocket team to a final, but
lost to a great Celtic team with Bird, Parish and
(35:24):
McHale at that front line. Was tough, but just an
amazing talent. Houston was fortunate, probably to me, the greatest
greatest athlete period to come out of the city of Houston.
I mean you had great Earl Campbell, Roger Clemens, I
mean he had a lot of great athletes, Nolan Ryan,
(35:46):
but to me, a chem Elijah Wan when you talk
about Houston, he's number one in my opinion as far
as athlete. He was used to the physicality and if
we go back to the history of Houston basketball, Dream
got his tutolage from Moses Malone in the in the
(36:08):
Fondie Rec Center when they were playing the summer, and
Dream got his confidence because he held his own he said,
Moses was the MVP at the time, and Dream felt
he held his own against the MVP. He said, there's
not a lot of guys like Moses Malone in college
and he was absolutely right, and Dream went and dominated
college basketball. But he was still raw, didn't have the
(36:30):
moves yet. But once he got to Fondie and started
battling against Moses Malone on the regular, he got used
to the physicality. That was the thing that was most
impressed about Dream when as a rookie he was able
to take the physicality. You see him Ryan spinning off
double teams, not laying the ball up. He was dunking
that thing. He was dunking that thing then blocking shots. Yeah,
(36:54):
so he developed that jumper. I mean, it's amazing how
good he got.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
You know, he went.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
He went from a power player like you mentioned Ryan.
He transformed this game to sort of like a finess
big face. You up, shoot the jumper, shoot the fade
on your jump, hook up and under. That's what he
puts you on the popcorn machine, like he did Dave
in ninety five.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
I felt bad for Dave.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
They was the MVP at that time, and for Elijah
wanting to dominate the MVP of the league in the
biggest stage. Such a lot about how good that man was.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
All right, real, we got to stay in the NBA
Rookie Life Film Room. This ain't no rookie moment. This
is a big white moment. But we not letting you
get away without talking about this. I need the inside
scoop tho dog. I need the ins and outs. I
need to know what happened before you hit one of
the greatest shots, not in Rockets history, in n BA history.
(37:49):
What was the moment in the game, what was the feeling?
Talk to me about what I don't know about this moment.
Let's run the Clinton, Let's go into the NBAG Rookie
Life Film room. Talk to me. Rio Elly out of
the corner for three in.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
Kelly with up three with seven point one seconds to
play timeout Phoenix Mario Ellie is that the stake through
the harbor for a second straight season by the Houston Rocket.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
We were gonna take the last shot, so Phoenix knew that,
so I guess they wanted to sort of rush us.
So Kenny gets the ball and gets double team in
the back court, slow it down.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Then he finds.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Robert being a good point guard that he is. So
I'm on the floor with two of the fifty greatest
players to ever play the game.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
So they're not gonna leave those two guys Dream.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
So Ain's doubles off me in the back court, so
I space out to the corner in front of our bench.
So once Robert got the ball at half court, he
spotted me in that far corner. So once I got
the ball, Danny Shaves was going to lodge one. He
was not leaving a until he saw me about the
pull of trigger. But he was a little bit too late.
(39:05):
As a shooter, Ryan, you know when it's going in.
Everything felt good about this shot. I didn't hesitate, and
I knew if I missed, Dream was gonna get the rebound.
And then once that thing leb look too late on
that Joe Klein and the Phoenix suns the Kiss and
Death a River dirty by Vacation one, two three, King
(39:30):
Cool Phoenix, what up three?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
With seven point one seconds to play timeout Phoenix, Mario Ellie,
Is that the stake through the Hart for a second
straight season.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
By the Houston Rockets? Was this your celebration that it
was it natural? At the moment? Was there was there
trash talk going on? I mean, this is this is
talking about being a road Warrior. Where did kiss come from?
Why was that so natural? Man?
Speaker 3 (40:01):
It started in game five with me and Joe Klein.
We were just blowing kisses at each other, messing with
each other every time one of us scores.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
So that's where it really started.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
But you know what, Ryan, I got the last and
most important kiss. See your buddy, heavy vacation. It a
dirt shard. Yeah, we sent them home. Great series down
three to one. Heart of a champion, like Rudy said,
just some battle tested guys. Love being in the bucker
(40:33):
hole with my teammates. Just a great group or resilient group.
And everybody always made big plays. We had the Constance
and Dream and Clyde. But Sam will step up, Robert
will step up, Chucky, myself, Kenny. So we had guys
sort of support our superstars on different nights.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
What was this like too? Man? I noticed, Kenny, we
talked about earlier. Another New York guy you grew up
playing with and competing against. He's the first one giving
you a hug. Then they talk to me about that relationship.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Man, that's my guy.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Man. We still we all tight to this day. Just
at dinner with Clyde and Carl Herrara the other day we.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Said, that's a special moment that we shared.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
You know, we brought the first two championships to this
great city of Houston, and uh, you see when we
walk around Ryan, you know, people know us and they
know Mrph rightfully. So merphs a legend in this town.
This town is rich with basketball history. I know it's
a football town, but you know, I believe that Mustard
(41:37):
and Red. You know, you're part of me, and you're
a part of a great organization. And I love our
Rocket fans. You know, they they love us to death. Here.
They great fans, great basketball down here in Houston.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
So yeah, on that play too. You know one thing
that for those those kids who may be watching who
don't notice you naturally floated to that corner in space.
Was this something that Rudy t had planned? You guys know, Hey,
is this a trap? You run a jump? Was it natural?
Was this a play run?
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Like?
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Hey, when we see this, this and this is happening
because the two things that I noticed, there was no
hesitation from Rob Horyd to swing the ball over to you.
This was just moving the ball on the flight or
taken what the defense gives you and you talked about
not hesitating any sense of your job was to take
those shots where any other player may have hesitated. You
got one of the greatest players, top ten player all
(42:30):
time underneath the basket, and you take this shot and say,
I know if I take this shot, it's the right
play for him to clean up inside. Talk to me
about that moment from some hoop stuff and Rudy t
and what you guys had went over, or just the
chemistry you guys had as teammates at the time.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
It was chemistry and reads.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Because we were holding for the last shot, because it
was under twenty four seconds. We wanted to get the
last shot. We either go to win the game or
was we go in the overtime. But Phoenix decided, okay,
they hold.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
For the last shot.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
Let's see if we can rush their offense, which they did.
Danny Ains goes back and doubles Kenny, which is makes
us a rush. Robert, you know, six ' ten, makes
himself available at half court, and then you know Danny
Ains is in the back court. He's not even in
the rush to get back to me. So Robert spots me,
there's Dream under the basket. Clyde flashes middle, so both
(43:22):
of those guys are guarded. So I spaced to the
far corner. So Robert spots me in the far corner
and I'm like, okay, one of my favorite spots. I'm
wide open. Shay's is not moving because he's not even dreams,
so I got a chance to get a good look
at the basket. Felt comfortable about the shot, ain't confident
about it, and once you know, I got it set
(43:43):
and let it go. Shay's was a little bit too
late on the close out, and in fact, everything about
that shot felt good. Didn't really want to Kawhi Leonard
that it hit the rint three or four times, right.
I wanted it that it was all net once it
went on net. Staying at the Phoenix bench, blew him
the Kiss of death, and like you mentioned, Ryan, I
(44:06):
was just so caught up in that moment. I really
didn't feel my teammates on me. I was locked in
on Joe Klein after I blew him the Kiss of death.
If you see the video, Sam Sam jumps off me.
Chucky Clyde is just laughing, and I'm busy staring at
the Phoenix bench and until I sat down Ryan, I
(44:26):
had to collect myself. I'm like, okay, collect yourself.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
It's a big moment right now.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Once I got on the bench, then I sort of
sort of was able to calm down a little bit.
Then it started understanding the moment in the situation.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Man, that that that's huge and you know normally obviously
Clyde and Dream got those accolades to two thams.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Before we get you out of observe it.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
Did you feel a like was there a moment within
that like dang the kid who was the last pick
who had to go oversee that? Did you kind of
get that moment? I got it because I know you
remember in Dallas the game where I showed out and
had the blocks again. To me, it was like, dang
that dude from the dude who got cut freshman year.
You know what I'm saying that you have a little
(45:11):
bit of.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
That, no question, Ryan. I mean that night I was
on such a high and I think about all the
work I put in me being in the park and
the snow with my little dog, guys laughing at me,
like what you're doing out here in the snow shooting
baskets with your glove art.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
I loved it. I had a dream, Brian.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
I think about that kid in New York, riding this
bike all over New York, playing two or three games
a day, loving the game, passionate about the game, being
from Haiti, being a Haitian American kid, you know, being
a Haitian American kid in New York, growing up in
the middle of Manhattan dreaming. A lot of people don't
(45:55):
make it out of New York City, you know, like
Frank Sinatra and Jay Z said, you can't make it there,
you can't make it anywhere. So I'm one of the
guys who made it out of there. And it was
a blessing to be a part of that moment. And
what's most gratifying, Ryan is just walking around this great
city in Houston and me, me, and people still.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Know who I am. I mean that is I'm not.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
A superstar, I'm not Jordan, I'm not Elijah On, I'm
not Quiet. I'm the ultimate role player. And I tell
all the guys out there, ain't nothing wrong with it,
Ain't nothing wrong with being Ax Bruce Bowen, you know,
ask you Donnas Haslam, these guys, you know, role player,
Ain't that wrong being a role play? These guys had
amazing careers, and I'm blessed, you know, I had an
(46:41):
amazing career being able to say I made it all
eleven years in the playoffs. I'm playing one hundred and
sixteen playoff games, being third on the rocket listen playoff
games played, only playing five years here, So that says
a lot, Like you said, Ryan, seventh round pick, one
hundred and sixtieth pick, second to the last pick in
(47:01):
the draft.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
If you have dreams, people believe in them.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
Believe in them, as you've seen every bit of the NBA,
every bit of life. You know, I can imagine I
love soaking up the game from yach. We could do
this all day. Oh g you know you know this.
What message would you have for that twenty one year
old Mario Ellie who wasn't good enough at that time?
If you could give a message back to your younger
self before we get out of here, what would that be.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
I would not change the path. I knew what I
wanted to do. I knew I.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Needed to work and.
Speaker 3 (47:35):
Getting a chance to play, Ryan to see the world.
The world is beautiful overseas. It's beautiful, the people over
there beautiful, the food, the cultures over there, being able
to play and get paid to doing something you love
to do and then have it in the back of
your mind. I got to still work now I'm here overseas.
So the time we're not playing, I was in the
(47:56):
gym right shooting, working on my ball hand, getting stronger.
That's what overseas enabled me to do. We'll play once
a week a cup game, maybe we played twice a week,
but the rest of the time. Them guys over there
really like to work. And I really enjoyed being overseas
because they taught me to really really work.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
I was in the gym with those guys. Man, we
love to play, we love the work. And then then
when I felt I was ready to give NB a shot,
I was ready to go because of my overseas experience.
Them guys helped me to work, taught me how to work.
So when I got to the league, I felt I
was ready. So believe in your dreams. Put in that work.
(48:41):
Well you're not around your coach, what are you doing.
You need to be in that gym. That's where you
need to be.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
Man, the great stuff, they're real. Where can we support
your NBA Ricky life. We appreciate you taking time in
coming out and just beyond this you rocking with me Rio.
Where can we support you the people who are here listening,
Where can they check you out? Where can see you
with any organizations that you're behind that you know the
people can go support and show some love too.
Speaker 3 (49:06):
Just just holler at me at Twitter one and I'm
on my Instagram.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
I love my fans.
Speaker 3 (49:11):
I love interacting with the real Rocket fans, the real
EDGs like yourself, right, men, you are always on the
Twitter with the fans, love the questions. I'm three in
one this weekend. I lost with the pals last night.
I picked the bulls. I picked my two winners the
night before. Real excited about the playoffs. Holler at me
(49:32):
on the Twitter Instagram.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Let's chalk Rocket basketball, Let's.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
Talk about the playoffs all that good stuff. Man. You
know me and you are junkies, right, we live and die,
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
That's what we do.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
Well a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (49:47):
Real.
Speaker 1 (49:47):
I can't say enough.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Man.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
We'll be seeing y'all, be bugging you soon, texting, you're
hitting you on the Twitter. Man, But my brother, seriously,
thank you again for everything you've done. Just not for
me in my career, but you're still doing and thank
you for blessing the show Man.
Speaker 3 (50:00):
Well tell everybody Ryan, we're not just fresds men, you're brothers. Man,
We're not just friends, We're brother So enjoy working with you, brother.
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Keep up the great, great work you're doing.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
My man again man, one of my favorite episodes. Much
love Tomrio Ellie first impact overall on the game of basketball,
from from high school to college as a player, as
a coach, and now broadcasting and still showing love on
a major level. But guys, if you like what you saw,
if you appreciate it, you just rock with Rio, rock
with myself. Make sure your raid, your life, your subscribe,
(50:33):
tell your aunt, to your uncle, your cousins, whoever. About
the show Man. We want to keep doing some amazing things.
And hey, you know what, guys, who would you like
to see on NBA Rookie Life with Brian hollins Man.
Shoot us some tweets or some messages and we'll see
if we can't get them on the show to lock
them in. Anyways, love you guys, We cannot do it
without you. We'll talk too, see you next week.
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