Vince and Garrett Temple on the Playoffs Best Duos and the Most Underrated Player

Vince talks with his former teammate Garrett Temple about how Temple made it in the league despite not being drafted, Scottie Barnes' role with the Raptors and Garrett's behind the scenes knowledge as VP of the player's association. Plus they go through every playoff series and discuss the most underrated players and the best duos.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's the VC Show. It's the VC Show. It's the
VC Show.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's the season due show, Season two. Yeah, we back again.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Got the world tune in there for shows, so through
with tell of friends my heart got me on the
squad us Slam Dumpster whistle blow on there. Kick your
feed up so you can listen to me. It's the
VC Show. It's the VC Show. It's the VC Show.
It's v SSON two least.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
All right, Welcome to the VC Show of your hosts VC.
The playoffs are heating up and it's been a lot
of great matchups, performances, and some big names and teams
were sent home. We'll talk about that and much more
as the VC Show starts now Harder.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Harder.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
My guest this week played college ball at LSU, where
he was second team All SEC on the SEC All
Defensive Team in nine. He didn't get drafted, but was
a D League formerly formerly D League All Star fifteen
years fifteen year vet played a long time. He's old

(01:21):
in this league, fifteen year VET and the current vice
president of the Players Association since twenty seventeen. My former
teammate LSU Laboratory School's own Garrett Temple Yes I do
my homework there, buddy. Yes, make you feel good here
in your high school.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Uh, for sure, bro, for sure, it's good. How you doing, man,
appreciate you coming on. Man. How's everything? Man, it's good man,
it's good. I'm in your old stumping ground. I heard
that Toronto shot out. We had a trying season this year,
but you know, it's great for growth at the end
of the day. And so just excited to see what's

(02:04):
next for me.

Speaker 4 (02:05):
Whether I play another year or whether I.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Step into you know, coaching a front officer. Who knows
what's next. But family is healthy, family is good, and
just ready to play a little golf this summer. As
you know, my.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
Phone is always on. My brother, my phone is always on.
And we're going to get into a little bit of that.
But I wonder, you know, and I mentioned you not
being drafted because you know, you know me. You we've
played together, so for you guys don't know. We were together
in Sacramento for a year and uh, you know, young team.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
But I think we learned a lot.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
I learned a lot about being a vet continued, you know,
and obviously make great friends for life. So shout out
to George Hill. Justin Jackson. You know, we have a
group chat that we continue to talk with each other.
But you know, I mentioned that you weren't drafted, but
yet you had a fifteen year career for a reason.
And I want young young people to kind of hear

(02:59):
your story because I think sometimes we don't hear it enough,
and we always hear about either young guys going one
and done obviously having a great career, those prior to
the rule change coming straight out of high school or
something doing one or two years and have a successful career.
But I want you to talk about the grind in

(03:19):
your first in your first few years in the league,
and how you stay focused and hungry to make sure
you stuck to where you are now fifteen years later.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Nah As that's real, bro, you know, shout out to
my guys and uh from Sacramento, G Hill and Justin.
But I think it's what you said, bro, the grind
now it was, you know, I kind of I'm fortunate.
I was never highly touted in high school or college,
so for me, not being drafted wasn't a shock. So

(03:53):
I always had that kind of you know, underdog mentality.
I had Glenn Big Baby Davis as my high school teammate,
so he was overshadow shadowing everybody because of how you played.
And then his big personality was greater than everything anyway.
So I was always you know, he lived with me
for two years in high school, so I was always
just under the radar. You know. People used to believe

(04:14):
I was kind of riding his coattail, and I was
fine with that. However, Yeah, I heard that we went
to l s U together. And when I played at
LSU my freshman year, we we went to the final four,
and I played like forty two minutes a game because
we had a couple one or two overtime games. In
the final four. I guarded JJ Reddick and helped He

(04:35):
was three eighteen. It was his last game as a
Duck him up, Lock him up, him up. That's my guy, JJ.
But I kind of I kind of got kind of
got on on the radar and defense was my calling card.
So when I didn't get drafted, I didn't expect to.
But I think the mentality of always being an underdog
just kept me in that grindset mentality and going into

(04:57):
the D League formerly the D League, and and just
playing for now Chris Finch who has done done a
tremendous job for Minnesota. It was his first year over
here with the Rio Grand Valley Vipers, the Houston's affiliate,
and played thirty games there, got caught up by the
Rockets for two ten day contracts, went to Sacramento for
one ten day then went to the Spurs for the

(05:19):
rest of the season. Had my first four starts there
and just seeing the business of basketball early on. I
didn't have a family. I didn't have any kids to
have to provide for, and this is my first time
being paid to play again. There was no nil. Even
if there was, I probably wouldn't have got much. So
I'm like, I'm making in the G League. In the
D League, twenty two hundred dollars every two weeks they

(05:42):
paid for my I'm cool. I hadn't been making any
money anyway, so I think just the mindset going in
was different. And then I got to play basketball for
a living, and I knew my game didn't translate to
overseas because I wasn't gonna just go get it score,
so I just continued to grind and I wanted to play.
Once I got my first taste in those ten day contracts,
and I was actually playing in games the you know,

(06:05):
I knew I could play in the league. So it
wasn't a matter of can I play with these guys.
It was just a matter of, you know, when I
get my get my moment, seize it. And uh, I
was able to start against you know, San Antonio. Let
me say this, your first start was do you remember
your first start? And who is man? Like it was yesterday.

(06:25):
I was with Sacramento for a ten day. I went
to San Antonio and then I started against Sacramento. Uh,
it's crazy events like and I remember we were on
the road. So ge Hill, when we talked about when
I got to San Antonio, he was there. We're like,
that's George Hill. George Hill, George Hill. We're four days apart.
He's May fourth, I May eighth. But he was in

(06:46):
the league a year before me, so he was. He
was He had played the whole season and was the
backup point guard behind Tony Parker. Tony had gotten hurt,
so George was starting at point and Minu was the
backup Minud. You know, So George got hurt on the
West Coast tripp In l a against the Lakers, and
he got hurt in like the third quarter. My new

(07:07):
finished the game at point. The next game, now I
haven't played, I haven't been in the rotation. The next game,
I'm playing against wearing Sacramento and coach Mike Budenholzer. It
was his scout, he was an assistant and he says, Okay,
my nu U guarden, Tyrek Garrett your guarding so and
so I said, huh it was this is I said, Okay,
my first start playing against Sacramento. I just was playing

(07:29):
with these guys, you know, two weeks ago. So my
first four starts in the NBA against Tyreke Evans Rookie
of the Year twenty five and five. The next game
was against Phoenix Suns. Steve Dash Grant Hill. We talked
about the Mars start to myer. So they were on

(07:49):
Jay Rich.

Speaker 3 (07:50):
You were in Oh No, I got there later on
in that season. Yes, you were still in Dallas. I
think no, I was still in I was in Orlando,
still Orlando, and I went from next start was the
next star was against your old team, Memphis, Mike Conley
and them, the whole grinds. And then the last start
against Denver Chauncey Billups j r Smith, Nay.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Nay Kenya Mart. They was squad and I had like
eleven points in the fourth In the fourth quarter, I
hit some threes. After the game, Chaunce was like, I
like the game, young fella. So I was like, that's
big shot mane. You know. So those were my first
four starts, and then George Hill came back. Hill came
back in rotation, and I didn't play anymore. Like I
understood the business of you get to play or you don't,

(08:34):
and it just is what it is. You you're ready
when your name is called. And and that was a
great first season for me, just to understand the business
of basketball and understanding when to to continue to have
your work done. Seeing Tim Duncan every single day work
work on the same goal, put his work in every
day like that really built a mindset of you have

(08:56):
to have a work ethic to be this guy that great.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
It also says a lot about you and understanding the moment,
taking advantage of the moment because obviously you know you're
just built and and I know, guy, and it's easier
said than done, but and I know guys don't like
it when they get we call it garbage. Minutes, but
they tend to be important because that's how that leash

(09:19):
gets longer, because they see you see how you handle
yourself in you know, bits and pieces, what type of
guy you are. Can you handle these adversities because obviously
we all want to play, we all have dreams to play,
but sometimes it doesn't happen immediately, you know what I'm saying.
And you earned that to where you get those callbacks again.
You know, once that callback, that year is over. You

(09:42):
now you know season's over, you get this opportunity again
the next year with Milwaukee. If I'm not mistaken, right, Yeah,
So the season was over, I went to some league
with San Antonio.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
I had a little bit of money guaranteed for the
next year. Twisted my ankle came back, wasn't playing the
right way. I got cut two weeks into the season.
Them and Pop Popovich cried when he cut me, like
he was. That's how genuine he was. We're still very
close to this day. I went back to the G League,
got traded to another team he is, and Milwaukee called
me up and I love Scott Skoles for this. Scott

(10:14):
Scouts was my coach. He was, you know, a former player,
great guy. At the end of my first two ten days,
he tells me we wanted to cut Chris Douglas Roberts
and keep you, but the owner of the team doesn't
want to pay him his guaranteed money and have somebody else,
so we gotta let you go. I love how just
straight up he was. It wasn't it just told me

(10:36):
what it was. And you know, I've always said if
I ever become a GM or president or a coach,
like that's the way that I would do things, because
at the end of the day, you just tell people
what it is. We're grown men. And then I went
from there to Charlotte and finished my second year in Charlotte.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
So I want to ask you after that, Charlotte, now
you're you're where where's your mind right at that point?
Now you know it's like dang, not not yet, not yet. Yes,
you finished seasons, but like, not yet, where's your mindset
at that point before we move forward? Like where are
you right there? Because a lot of guys we're talking
this is two years in of here here, here, there, here, there,

(11:14):
back and forth, up and down, get on a ten day,
but sometimes don't even play. You know that you're used
for a security blanket, so to speak, but like, what
where is your motivation to keep going?

Speaker 2 (11:25):
At that moment, man, I was living out of a
suit KSB. And again it has a lot to do
with my faith, uh, being a man of God and
just understanding if this is for me, it's for me,
you know. The timing is what it is, is God's timing.
And at that specific point, I was thinking, I'm an

(11:47):
NBA player, you know, especially after the last few games
of the season with Charlotte. I had some good games
to have my career high, and like seventeen we have
I have fourteen against This was against Miami and Miami
when everybody was playing, so I was fourteen and the
fourth quarter, so I was like, I can play in
this league. It's just a matter of getting my chance.

(12:08):
And then the lockout hit, so I was like, I
don't know.

Speaker 4 (12:12):
I don't know if I'm going to be having.

Speaker 2 (12:14):
A roster spot, So let me go overseas to Italy
to see what that's like and just be there for
a season and get some guaranteed money in my pocket
and then come back a little more mature, older and
then see what it was. I didn't know it was
gonna be kind of out of side, out of mind,
but my mindset was I'm gonna get my chance. It
wasn't I'm thinking about quitting or I don't know if

(12:35):
this is gonna work. It was still all right on
to the next and Italy.

Speaker 3 (12:39):
In my opinion at that time, that's not a bad
that's not a bad thing because at the time gods
are trying to find somewhere to play. They're gonna be
looking out there anyway. So it made sense. You get
the phone call or now did you so? Washington happens
how ten day two?

Speaker 2 (12:58):
So it's interesting. I come back from Italy and I
go to training camp with the The next year, I
go to training camp with Miami. Now they're coming off
the championship in the lockout season, I go to training
camp with him. They want a guard and a big
so I'm like, okay. They had a guy named Terrell
Harris who was my backup in the G League the

(13:18):
year before before I went to Italy. The year before,
he was my backup for like the ten games I
was there, and I'm knowing him for college. He stayed
during the lockerow. He stayed with he stayed there made
Miami's team went on to win a championship with him.
So he's trying to make the team again the next season,
and I'm coming in as kind of an outsider, and

(13:39):
they pick him over me and Spose still to this day,
I talked to him one of the last games of
the season because I told the story and Spose one
who actually told me I was cut. You know what
I'm saying. I don't know. He didn't make the decision obviously,
of course, but he still says, gee, I didn't cut.
You made it what me, bro, I wanted to keep
you right. So I go back to the D League,

(14:00):
a third D League team. I'm playing great. I'm playing
strictly point guard actually with this team, and I'm playing
in Reno, Nevada. We play in LA. The next day
we leave to go back to Reno. I get a
call walking on the plane VC from Tommy Sheppard, the
assistant gym in d in Washington. He tells me, trying
to stay in LA if you can, and fly to DC,

(14:22):
wanting to work you out. See if Now, before this,
I had never been caught up before the ten day contracts.
So ten day contracts usually happened in mid January. This
was early December. So I was like, I don't have
I don't know if I can get another flight, like
I'm in a D league. Like I can't get no
other flights. So I fly back to Reno, fly go
back to LA take a red out of to DC.

(14:46):
I work out in front of me and Chris Quinn,
who ironically had taken my spots in San Antonio when
I got cut, and we work out for Randy Whitman,
me and DC. Now DC is three and twenty two
at the time John Wall broke his hand. It was
Bradley Dor's rookie year. Aj Price had broke had heard

(15:06):
something as well, so they Jordan Crawford, who's an amazing player,
was playing the one they had cut Sean living Standing.
They had cut Gennaro Pargo. So I get we go
through the workout, they don't pick either of us. They
say we're going We'll be in touch with your agents.
Y'all can go home, go ahead, back home. So we're like,
oh man, this is crazy. I'll be honest. I was
kind of upset at that point. I go back to

(15:30):
the G League, I get a we go, I play
two more games, we go home for Christmas. I go
home in Louisiana for Christmas for like two days. I
get a call on December twenty third, Ernie Grunfeld, we
love to sign you to be a Washington Wizard. Now
let me tell you. I was in Miamis for training
camp and my agent had talked to Andy Elsberg and
Miami and said, and Andy said, let us know if

(15:51):
somebody else comes after him. You know, we kind of
want first ride of refusal, or at least let us
know because we may be interested in getting it back.
So we called Miami up the next day and they're like, yeah,
we want him back. We made a mistake. So I
have to choose between Miami the former, the former the
you know, former champions, or DC where i'ma have a
chance to play. But they're three and twenty two and

(16:14):
I would be behind obviously Mario Chalmers and Norse Cole.
Because I was this, they were looking at me as
strictly appointed. So spoke caused me. They Fizzdale text me
like they're putting a full press of Fizz your former
coach of Memphis. So I'm like, I love it. I
loved it there and after like probably a few hours
of deliberation. I'll tell them I gotta I tell I

(16:36):
got to bet on myself, bro. And he's on the
phone like what I like, that's so surprising to me.
I appreciate you though, And I ended up going to
d C Man and that that that's how I got there.
The second game of the season, I started in the
second half, and I started the next like probably nine
ten games until until aj Price got back from injury.

(16:59):
And that was and that was it, bro. In the
rest is history. The rest is history. The rest is history, Bro.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
And then you just finished up year this year obviously
in Toronto. Uh, it was cold one.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
It wasn't as cold as I expected. It wasn't cold
as I expected. Bro. You know that, like when you
know that that global woman. Oh that's true. Whatever you
didn't get, you didn't get the pleasure. Good for you. Man.
It's snowed twice. It's snow two. We had two actual
like big snow, big snow. That's crazy crazy.

Speaker 3 (17:32):
Well, I want to say, obviously, how have you I
was gonna ask how you've enjoyed being a VET in
the league at thirty seven? You you you know, we
that's you know, when you hit mid thirties, they call
you old and can you still do it? But how
has it been, you know, being a vet because I remember,

(17:52):
you know, obviously I was playing together. You know, y'all
used to give me. Y'all used to call me old
head and all this, but now fingers turned.

Speaker 2 (18:00):
To you exactly. Nah, it's crazy. I had. I've had
great bets. I've been on so many different teams, so
I didn't see one way to do things. And even
later in my career, when I was in my sixth.

Speaker 4 (18:12):
Or seventh year, like you know, like when we played.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
Together, seeing how you how you did things, how you
approach things, how you approach different different young guys, and
how you approach them versus how z BO approached them
versus how Antonio mcdye did it in San Antonio. Like
everybody has their own way of connecting to the young guys.
And I just found my lane.

Speaker 4 (18:33):
Man.

Speaker 2 (18:33):
I love it. I enjoy it. They keep me young.
And at the end of the day, I just try
to remind myself that these guys are nineteen, they're twenty,
they're twenty one, like they're twenty two. Like when you
were have said you were still in college doing who
knows what you know what I'm saying like, they're just
you know, give them the grace and knowledge at the

(18:54):
end of the day, drop a little knowledge at the
end of the day. I'm never overbearing, but I always
let them know I'll throw on my tidbit so they
know how that if you need anything, questions about anything,
not just basketball, but life, how to handle you know,
your girlfriend, your ex girlfriend, all of this type of stuff.

Speaker 3 (19:10):
Well, I asked you. I asked you that question. To
lead up to this, I watched Scottie Barnes exit interview
and he gave you a lot of credit for you
and well for him watching how you operated, how you
went about things kind of some of the same things
you just said you did. He said he did and
it helped him be a better leader in the locker

(19:31):
room and on the on the floor. And you know
that's a shout out to obviously to him taking the times,
particularly at a young guy actually being able to see
that because you said a couple of years in is
when you started to kind of develop that, and he's
seeing that year too. But you know, guys are coming in,
they're they're different now. But he understands that it's his, his,

(19:52):
his franchise, But how do I go about doing that? Like,
you know, yeah, it's my but like, okay, do I
score points? It's more than just that. Now it seems
like he understood that and that interview. I was really
impressed with that, and it made me smile because obviously,
you know, we talk a lot, we played together, and
you know, obviously I've seen how you operate with young

(20:15):
guys and just to see young guys, young guy like
that catch on so early, kudos to you. But how
have you enjoyed watching Scotty Barnes play and his growth?
And I'm also at R J and E Manuel quickly
to that as well, since you had those are young
guys who are gonna seem like they're gonna be the
cornerstone in the future of the franchise.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
No question. And Scotty's third year, so I mean, like
you said, bro first, and you're right, Me and Scotty
talked so when I was playing against him either his
rookie year, I think I was defending him and I
was like, young fella, that ain't I might be slender,
but you know that that post up stuff, y'all doing
ain't happening, so he always brings that back up. But

(20:56):
he's very cerebral. He may be the has, he may
have the higher It's like Cuba rookie I've ever been around,
or like one first, second, third year player, understands the
game immensely, is a hard worker, and him getting injured
was a blessing in disguise me because, as you know,
when when young guys can stop, or in when anybody

(21:17):
honestly can stop and has it has to stop and
sit down and actually watch the game from a different lens,
it's it opens their eyes so much. And he realized
that multiple times, and we sit next to each other
on the bench when he you know, when he's when
he's out. So obviously I wasn't playing. I wasn't in

(21:37):
the rotation most of the year, and then it actually
worked out that I was able to play, so the
young guys could see all all that stuff, not just
it's like you can't say, okay, well let me see something,
and I go out there and I do any of them.
You know, I'm defending Anthony Davis in the post. I'm like,
I'm doing all these things, so I think it actually
all of that worked out the way it was supposed

(21:58):
to for him to be able to see me talking
saying that and then see it because he's always been
a guy that can that will doesn't is it. You know,
some guys in this league you don't want to be too,
you don't want to upset your teammates. You may not
want to say this to this guy. He's the guy
that is willing to do it, but always it's out
of love and trying to win the game, and he's

(22:19):
not doing it the wrong way. So I think that
that helped him.

Speaker 4 (22:22):
Uh r j Man.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
You know, when you see a guy that is so
uh that can score so well and is as a score,
you have certain preconceived notions about it. But I just
got to say that I was so pleasantly surprised by
how how much he takes, how much he can take,
you know, criticism, constructive criticism. You can tell his dad

(22:47):
has really been in his life and he's he understands
how to how to be a man. Pick up against
row Man, he can, he can. You can tell he
understands how to take criticism and and channel it to
to you know, the right energy and quick quick has
has you know, nobody. He didn't expect to get traded.

(23:08):
So he's coming over here and he's kind of being
handed the keys of a franchise. He doesn't know how
to really play with everybody just yet, so he's figuring
all of that out. A score the last the first
three years, he was off the bench, go get us
sixteen a game in eighteen minutes, so that was his mindset.
So he's changing that whole mindset to starting to be
a complete point guard. It's very willing to listen and learn.

(23:31):
So they have three guys that are really going to
be great in terms of going on to the you know,
for the future of the team. And I'm excited for
the franchise. I'm really I really am. And Scotty's gonna
be a great person to lead him because he works hard,
he practices hard, and he's all about winning.

Speaker 3 (23:50):
And he plays that way too. You could tell he
goes he goes after and it's great to hear hard.
So let's let's pivot real quick. You know, obviously, you
know we talked about your role as the vice president.
You've been on there since twenty seventeen. What is what
are some of the things that you do or as

(24:11):
a vice president that we may not know that goes
on behind the scenes.

Speaker 2 (24:16):
You know what I'm saying. I mean, yeah, yeah, I
mean even real quickly during the bubble, before the bubble
when the lockout hit, not the lockout, sorry, when the
when COVID happened. The conversations we were having. Now we
were in the middle of interviewing for our new executive director,
right and then we had to finagle to a We're

(24:37):
gonna have a season this year and what's that gonna
look like. So I was on the phone out of
a seven day week. I was on the phone on
Zoom calls four days a week. And again, none of
this is this is not a paid gig. This is
just making sure guys are you know, this is what
we got to do. And so I think the biggest
thing is the conversations that we have, you know, on Zoom,

(25:01):
on the phone, through text, the calls. We have to
try to make sure things are going the way that
they should be going, keeping people in line. On one
side of the leisure you know, we have a whole
a staff that works for us day to day. As
basketball players, we can't focus on these things day to day.

(25:22):
But a staff that works for us that you know,
may have some some things that happen, internal conflicts or
what have you. And I think the biggest thing is
the biggest The reason I love it the most is
that I'm able to be on the inside and let
guys know what we have for them, you know, what
we can offer them as a players association because a

(25:43):
lot of times, you know, guys don't really understand the
benefits of the union and what they can provide for them,
so especially the young guys. So all of these things
are things that I'm that I'm able to do in
my position and try to get as much in possible.

Speaker 3 (26:00):
Hey man, my only beef with y'all was this, you
took twenty two teams instead of thirty, and you left
the Hawks out so I ain't get to finish with
the season. You know what I'm saying, Like, come on, man,
just just just let all thirty teams go. Man, Like, okay,
you know, get us out the way. Nah, But I
understand that was, I mean, a tough decision, and I

(26:21):
think the whisper first came out like everybody's going So
I was like, okay, because I'm still working out trying
to stay in shape, and all of a sudden they
were like, you know, then it was like, wait, we're
gonna see it.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
Then I was like, so, so you don't have a chad.

Speaker 3 (26:35):
Twenty two teams are going and the last eight wait,
wait we are we we neverne godly we we're part
of the eight that's not going. So no, I mean,
it was kind of disappointing. But at the same time,
I was already in my transition phase, so I mean, obviously.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
It'd been great to go play in it, but I understand,
you know, I heard the Bubble was challenging, challenging. It
was challenging. It was challenging. You would have had a
blast because you would have played golf. So I had played.
I played eighteen rounds in the Bubble and I was
there for a month and period month, a little less

(27:14):
than a month and a half, and thank God for
you know, for safety. My wife was pregnant at the
time with my little man, so she was back in
Brooklyn and Brooklyn shout out to Brooklyn the Brooklyn new
They did a great job just providing all the families
with things. Once the team left and went to the Bubble,
which was amazing. So, but we would have had a

(27:35):
great time, man, you we would have played live golf.
Bro I played a lot of golf regardless, I bet.

Speaker 3 (27:42):
I sll did, but absolutely because and I heard a
lot of guys pick picked up golf because you know,
they didn't have anything to do. So I'm sure you know,
and I know a lot of guys you know now
sticking with it. But it was just it was just
interesting that, you know, hearing guy's story and I mean
obviously testing a lot, but at the same time, you know,

(28:04):
shout out to all of you guys.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
In the.

Speaker 3 (28:09):
Vp A and I mean everybody involved to putting it together.
I mean, I know they had to hustle, get get
something triggured out, they put it together. You know, some
people say whatever, they shouldn't have had it. But then
at the same time, for the people who said that,
when it was on TV, people watched it, you know,
and people enjoyed it, you know, and it's just it

(28:30):
gave us something to watch. And you know, however they
deem it, it's still it worked and you still, I mean,
you could tell guys, we're happy to still play, you know,
you know, through through it all, shout out to you guys.
And I say that to say the NBA is in
a good place, you know, with the young talent just

(28:54):
teams parody. I love the parody where you can't just
go out, you know, people always ask who you're going for.
And for many years you could just pick a team
all such, that's gonna win it, you know whatever. Now
you really have to think about it. You know, you
can say, you know a lot of people saying maybe Denver,
some people saying maybe Boston. But then at the same
time you're like, I don't know about Minnesota, you know,

(29:15):
or whatever. So you know, I don't know the Knicks
or you know so. And I love the fact that
you have to watch and see the ending and the outcome.
But with that saying that makes the TV deal now
shoot through the roof. And we saw NBC with the
with the two billion dollar bid. I mean, basketball and

(29:36):
everything together is in a good place.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
Would you say, no question, it's in a great place. Man.
And I remember, you know, probably five three years ago,
maybe when we were talking about the new CBA and
the new TV deal, we were wondering because of streaming,
people weren't sitting down watching an entire game, so we
were thinking the new TV deal is gonna take up,

(30:00):
it's going to go backwards. It We're not gonna make
as much. But you know, kudos to to Adam Silver
and NBA and just the fans of the game, you
know throughout the world that have understood that, you know,
live sports is something that you just cannot get anywhere else.
The NBA you cannot get anywhere else. You can make

(30:21):
all this type of content, but you cannot get live
sports that are not staged. And you know, the people
that are bidding for this understand that. And I think
it's gonna be It's going to be an amazing, amazing
deal for the people you know that are continually in
the league. You know, five years from now, guys are

(30:42):
gonna be making a bunch of money. And uh, the
league is in a really, really good place right now,
and I'm happy for it. Let's see, five years from now, guys,
we're making a bunch of money and I'm forty something.

Speaker 3 (30:54):
I mean, I still got a jump shot, but about
it at that time. Yes, it's just I mean, it's
just it's just crazy. I mean to see, you know,
where the game is and and I just can't imagine
I'll be let me say, I'll be interested to see
where that final number ends up. As far as the bidding,

(31:15):
I mean that's wildness. I mean we've seen obviously TV
deals and heard you know, you can go and look
at the history of TV deals and what teams are
you know, bid it for over I mean companies have
bid it for over the year.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
But like it's starting to bill starting, you know, and
I'm sure it's it's it's still you.

Speaker 3 (31:34):
Know, just wait to see what Turner and everybody else
going to see because everybody's jocking for this young talent
and it's a shout out to the young talent, and
you know, they deserve that money. It's like in I
L I think the players deserve it because they are
the ones that bring bring the eyeballs. They're the ones
that making these people buy these jerseys. They're the one
that making these people sit their butts in the seats.

(31:56):
They deserve something exactly for it. So I mean, I
think we still need to kind of shape and mold
I thing something. Let's come on, let's get But I
think it's a great start. You put it out there,
and then they wanted to put it out there and
they say, hey, let's figure it out because I heard
in IL it's getting crazy right now, crazy, you know, so,
but it's providing you know, a lot of opportunity for people,

(32:20):
you know, like you say, for people who may not
get that opportunity to play professionally.

Speaker 2 (32:24):
Look at it that like R. J. Davis.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
You know, he's coming back for his fifth year. You know,
I'm sure his NIL deal is solid to where you know,
I don't get that opportunity yet to play in the league,
but I can live pretty good as a as a
college student with you know what I'm earning over there, So.

Speaker 2 (32:42):
No question, I think the biggest thing is guys, you know,
having some financial literacy around it as well. That's where
when that's what's twenty two because the amount of money
that you're bringing in is the amount of money that
you can start pretty well, pretty well you're making. You
may not even be in the one percent, but you
for sure in the five percent. You know what I'm
saying of earning some income at that age, and that's

(33:05):
when I watching investments and all of that stuff starts start,
you know, investments and all of that stuff. And that's
another reason I love being in a position in the
PA just to educate guys on things like that and
just being a vet honestly, you know, these are the
things that we talk about. And that's the difference. And
when I first got in the league beat versus Now
we talk about those things like Dad Young and I
when he was on the team beginning season. We're talking

(33:25):
about different investments and Scottie Bourns is over there, like,
let me get in that one. What you'll talk about?
I want to invest, you know. So the conversation is changing.

Speaker 3 (33:36):
Well, and also the amount of money coming to these
young fellows pockets to where you're seeing Trey Young who
invested in sports team and some of these guys who
are current players investing in sports team in their city
like it's they have. They're making that kind of money.
And I say, now what I want and what I
beg in you know, I hope these colleges in universities

(33:58):
hear this. Your guys now you're putting this money in
their pocket who are making you know, in their mind,
I mean crazy amount of money that's just before they're
getting this opportunity to play in the NBA. They're making
more money than they've ever had, So it's you know,
you got to expect them not to understand how to
save it, not to understand when tax time what they

(34:19):
need to do. Make sure you protect these players, you know,
because they're making a lot of money, because yeah, I
mean think about it, you're coming out of high school.
Now you're making six to seven figures.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
Bro.

Speaker 3 (34:31):
Like what we're talking about the meal plan and and
and that and that and that. You know that money
coming in every month like this is that's the next level.
So I just hope you know, I noticed that the
give and take and the push and pull with this,
but you know, I just hope you protect these young

(34:53):
guys and don't put them in situations where they're having
tax issues because they don't know any better. They don't
know any better. Like, let's this helped them out, like
as you've given them and providing them and I know
they're coming and asking for it. We're like, you know,
this is what we provide. Just like at Carolina, you know,
this is it's totally different. But we were we had

(35:14):
to do media training, we were so I mean that
was understood in the standard where you had to go
to media training, whether you played twenty thirty minutes or
you played or didn't play at all because you never
know when that microphone would be in front of you
or or whatever the case may be.

Speaker 2 (35:32):
So it's worth it. So I just wanted to ask
you about that. So that's awesome, Nah, for sure, for sure.

Speaker 3 (35:55):
You know you guys didn't make the playoffs, obviously, but
let's talk about the playoffs a little bit.

Speaker 2 (36:01):
It's been insane.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
It's been great basketball on the East and the West,
So let's dive into Since you're on the East, let's
start dive into the East real quick. Your thoughts about
this Boston Miami Heat series. Obviously Boston wins in for
the one. It's just crazy how things happen. And I'm

(36:24):
gonna say it now, you know, because it's about a
bunch of teams. But you know, the one thing that
drives me crazy about organizations, I'll say coaches, is when
you get in these situations like you had with a
Jimmy Butler, with Giannis, guys going down, and now you're
you're handcuffed because you didn't play some of your guys

(36:46):
throughout the season in minutes and you don't feel comfortable
inserting them in your lineup. Now you're playing shorthanded because
of whatever, you don't feel comfortable as the coach or
the player is just whatever, trying to find his way
and you you know, he doesn't feel comfortable out there
or whatever, and you don't want to throw them in
the fire like you know, whateverever. And that's why I
say it's important over the course of the season, you're

(37:08):
playing eighty two eighty two games, you know, utilize your
your guys that you know, because you never know if
one of your star players or a couple of your
star players go down. At least you feel comfortable knowing
that in a tough situation, I can put these guys
in for spot minutes to give some of your other
guys that you're gonna play time. So I think that's

(37:28):
what you know happened to the to the Miami Heat.
But those guys stepped up and put out of fight.
The Miami Heat culture is crazy. But your thoughts of
that first is that series?

Speaker 2 (37:38):
Nah, you know, I figured Boston was gonna win it,
especially coming off losing to them last year. Even even
if even if Jimmy was was you know, it was
was healthy or Terry or both of them. I think
once I saw both of them were out. I love Hymie.

(38:00):
How can I like him? I love the culture of
the heat.

Speaker 4 (38:04):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (38:05):
I wasn't surprised that they got one, but the way
that Boston has been has been playing this year, they've
just been very dominant. And I wasn't surprised that they
came out, you know, last night and just and they
had to.

Speaker 3 (38:19):
I think they had to because they were they were,
you know, treading, treading in deep waters. If they continued
to get back Miami confidence.

Speaker 2 (38:29):
Any type of confidence. So I think them taking Tyler
hero at.

Speaker 4 (38:32):
The game early.

Speaker 2 (38:34):
Was what they needed to do, and once he was
out of the game, they didn't really have many many
other playmakers and you know, Bam started off kind of decent,
but you know, I wasn't able to just obviously take
it on, so I expected it to be four h
four one. So it kind of happened like I expected.

Speaker 3 (38:52):
And your thoughts on Nick seventy six is I mean
this this man, It's serious, man, I mean it's just
just a Imagine what this would be like if Joel
and Okay, he got injured but he came back. Just
imagine if he didn't hurt that knee.

Speaker 2 (39:08):
He's exactly if he was if he was fully healthy. Man.
I mean, like this is great basketball. I really enjoyed.
It's great basketball. I would love game I want to
say Game two when the Knicks. It was Game two
when the Knicks were down five and came back from five.

(39:29):
Jalen hit the three and then they got to steal
from Tyres Maxie. You know, controversial in my opinion, it
was not a foul. You know, you got to play
like like like I think Shack said it, uh after
the game. We know you don't flail and stuff like that,
like you just you just got to be strong with
the ball. But just that type of basketball was but

(39:51):
you see you are that type of basketball.

Speaker 3 (39:55):
One hand you get away with that two hands, bro
not two hands a little much anyway.

Speaker 2 (40:00):
He let it go quick anyway, Just that type of basketball.
The season, I mean, it's just been great. It's been great.
I love I love it for New York as a city.
You know, my shout out to my former teammate Josh Hart.
He's just been amazing for him doing everything, all the intangibles.
But I love it for New York as a.

Speaker 4 (40:17):
City because you know, as well as anybody.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
Once you go in that Madison Square Gardeners is a
special place, and the fact that they show up every
single day sell it out no matter what the what
their record is, It's a special place. So I love
New York. The team is built just like the city.
Right now, they're hard nos. Their Jalen has been amazing
and I love to see him showing everybody that that

(40:41):
one hundred and four he signed was was he was
worth all of it and more. You know what I'm
saying with all the nay sayers when he signed that deal.
So I'm just excited. I'm excited for New York.

Speaker 3 (40:51):
And then real quickly we'll move on your thoughts on
the Knicks takeover in Philly, Man, how crazy?

Speaker 2 (40:59):
Like? So, So, there are certain places where you play.
I've played on twelve o them teams, certain teams that
you play where a team comes in and you're like, Okay,
it's probably gonna be a it might be a road
game for us, even though we are at home. But
there are certain teams where that just doesn't happen. You know,
certain cities, like if you're a Sacramento only one team

(41:20):
may come, but Sacramento has a great fan base, so
they not san Antoo has a great fan base New York.
That's not happening in New York. I would say that
Philly is a team that you would not think that's correct,
never at all. Ever. I don't care how bad they are,

(41:40):
but to see that happen in the in the first
round was was insane. And it's and and and it's
not even you know, sometimes that happens when it's a
star on the other team, like if Lebron was playing
for New York or you know, some random some steps,
so the cheering, there'll be cheering for him, but for
a team, they're cheering for the Knicks. The Knicks travel

(42:00):
is the travel. It's a quick train ride, man. So
that's Knicks fans travel.

Speaker 4 (42:07):
Man.

Speaker 2 (42:07):
They're everywhere.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
They're everywhere, so I can see and I know that
the Sixers tried to buy out the tickets, but I
think it was like two thousand tickets.

Speaker 2 (42:15):
I'm like, that's not enough, that's not enough.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
And knowing Knicks fans, they they bought they won for
two they bought their tickets prior to they were already
prepared for this. We heard how you that upset you
that Ruffian feathers on. Then, oh, we didn't close you
out in New York. They already got their tickets before
you even thought about doing this, or you know, as
y'all think about this, they had already had their tickets.
So it's uh, it's just it's just amazing and it

(42:38):
just makes for a great rivalry. I mean that looking
at seeing that, it's just been great to see. And
then let's talk about Pacers bucks Man like there again
real quick. I thought, you know, obviously John's going down
was gonna be tough for the Bucks.

Speaker 2 (42:55):
Can Dame do it?

Speaker 3 (42:56):
I thought we saw the version of Dame that everybody
wanted to see, and he could be you know obviously
with you know, he just had to figure out how
to be that be his a version of himself without
I mean with Giannis, which is tough, like when you've
had the ball all your career, you know, you you
it's great to play with somebody else, but you still

(43:16):
got to figure out how to still be yourself a
dominant you know what I'm saying. And I thought it
just took some time on top of you know, everything outside.
I think basketball, once you get in between your lines,
he can kind of be stress free. But like when
you're trying to figure it out, it's kind of not
going your way. Plus you're outside, no, it's kind of
it tends to get to you. But I thought we

(43:36):
saw a version of Dame that you know, we all
know and love. And next season, man, look out. That's
how I say, I know question. You know, hopefully they
keep they keep honest, not exactly and.

Speaker 2 (43:53):
I think you know, you know, bringing in Doc was
part of trying to keep you honest. Obviously, bringing in
Dame obviously was part of trying to keep you honest.
I think the biggest thing with them they have to
have a defender in that first unit. You see what
the change that happened now peab Pat two years younger
than me, but just having a defender in that first

(44:14):
unit at the guard position kind of freed up everybody
else and having like a dog, you know, and Pat
may have a few more than years left, but you
got to find a.

Speaker 4 (44:24):
Young guy in my opinion, that can be that defender.

Speaker 2 (44:26):
And to me, to me that maybe Andre Jackson. I
love his game, I love his energy, I love his tenacity.
He got you know, he got a little a little
mean streak in him, which is great. You need so
you need somebody on your team with.

Speaker 4 (44:41):
That and that he can be.

Speaker 2 (44:42):
That for them, him and Bobby Porters. But you know, Indiana, bro,
they just they you know, Pascal bringing Pascal and was
a great move for them because they were able to
have a proven guy in the playoffs and uh, you know,
not Tyree hadn't had the ball in his hands as much.

(45:04):
But I think they're able to play two different ways now.
And so shout out to Pascal for going there and
then off the bench what happened, you know tonight. TJ McConnell.
You know, TJ McConnell may be the most underrated player
in the NBA today. He is by far the he's
he's for sure one of the best, if not the best,

(45:25):
backup point guards in the league. And if anybody anybody
that doesn't know him going to pay attention to him.
If you ask anybody in the NBA that plays guards
about TJ McConnell, if you ask anybody against that plays
against him, they'll let you know how much of a
real builds he is. So shout out to TJ McConnell.
I think he had twenty and nine to night in
the close out game like that man, amazing, bro brings

(45:47):
the energy every single night, just just just great. So
they they'll build, you know, I was. I was pleasantly
surprised to see Indiana do what they did again. I
think adding Pascal, adding a veteran that has been there,
that's won a championship and hasn't had a pivotal role,
helps them immensely. And then obviously if Jannis was playing,

(46:10):
that would be you know, maybe a different story. But
they have confidence right now. And I'll say this, it
would be interesting to see what they do in the
next series.

Speaker 3 (46:17):
Their their experience, and hear me out when I say
this to everyone, I'm not comparing the two.

Speaker 2 (46:24):
But it gave them.

Speaker 3 (46:25):
The end season tournament gave them a glimpse of how
they needed to play, their approach and what the playoffs
is somewhat like like you can't simulate what the playoffs
is like until you actually go through it. But the
play in tournament had a bit of playoff like atmosphere
when they played the Lakers because Bron and Ad and

(46:46):
them had on their mind, were about to show these boys, nah, nah,
this is a championship. This is how we turn it up,
and they saw another level to what the playoffs was.
Like I thought, you know that they were they had
an understanding of that, and like you said, Pascal, they
had some guys in there who has been there before.
But it's like, you know this like I do. I

(47:08):
can explain it to you all I want and simulate it,
but it's nothing like the real thing. It's nothing like it.
Just go through that for yourself because sometimes you just
you don't believe it. You hear me, but you don't
believe me until you.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
Bro it's so real. That's exactly right. And like you
said that playing tournament, you know, it gave them a
little something of every game and it ain't ain't no okay,
we got to back to back. We play somebody tomorrow.
It's like, nah, this's this fall to Marble. You know
what I'm saying. We got all this, all this money
on table, come on, we gotta get it. So, like
you said, it showed them what that turn up was

(47:43):
going to be, and Pascal wasn't there yet. So it's
it's it's great that they've been able to go through this.
It's another young team that we haven't really talked about.
That's on the rise, and uh, you know and obviously
Rick Rick that their coach has been been deep into
the playoffs so so so they're gonna make some noise,
you know what I'm saying. They'll make some noise.

Speaker 3 (48:04):
And briefly, I don't want to forget about Magic Cavs
real quick. I think that has been more of an
entertainment entertaining series than we thought. I mean, I'm sure
there's a lot of people watching it on the radar.
But the Magic in the future, I think this this year,
you know, they did not get swept, so now they're
learning how to win. You know, they still got to

(48:24):
figure out how to win on the road, but they're
they're they're learning how to win, which is going to
be make them dangerous next year because they'll have that
experience that we're talking about now.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
You know, no question, no question. I love Jamal most
of their coach. Shout out he coached me. Shout out
to Jamal. He coached me in summer league. Powloll BN
Caro is a star in this league. Man Franz Wagner
a star in this league. There I love Jamn Song,
the famous sub I told Jalen Suggs. I told Jalen

(48:55):
Suggs got to be played against him in the first
time this year that his energy and his his just
how he plays, how hard he plays, it's gonna take
him a long way in this league. Man. I just
love his tenacity. Reminds me of reminds me of a
young Russell Westbrook. Russell Westbrook in terms of how hard
he plays. He Orlando is gonna be special, like you said,

(49:16):
years to come. Uh and they just have a they
have they have a mentality. And shout out to you
know Cleveland too, like JB coached you, he coached me.
I love him for for Cleveland, I love that team.
Hopefully Donovan understands what he has there. You know, Grants
is not always greener other places. That's his team. He
can do what he do, what he likes. He has

(49:37):
a team of young guys that can play built well
and play with him. Shout out to Karas LeVert coming
off the bench and playing game busters toward the end
of the season. And uh so it's like you said,
we'll see you know, Magic might try to tie it
up tomorrow and it may have. It may be a
game seven. So it's been a really good and uh,
you know, joint to watch.

Speaker 3 (50:14):
Let's let's breeze through this west real quick. Obviously, Okay,
see took care of business. No, no Zion.

Speaker 2 (50:20):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (50:21):
And I feel bad for Zion because I think with
all of the talk throughout the summer, the summers, you know,
oh we didn't see him, you know this that the
forth he doesn't work out with them or whatever, get
through the season to where he made a valiant effort
and commitment to getting himself in shape, and he you know,
you could see the difference.

Speaker 2 (50:42):
You can see how happy he was, you can see
him all in.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
For him to go down was just unfortunate. Like I mean,
I mean that I think that that series would have
been very entertaining as well.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
I agree, I think it would have been very entertaining
because they had nobody to stop him. And uh, you know, yeah,
I was about to say that they were New Orleans
was eating in the paint. So I feel bad for Zee.
Obviously I was there for two years with him. Hopefully
the taste of that Lakers game and the playing games,

(51:18):
you know what I'm saying, uh, even gives it more
motivation to even get in the better shape than it
was this year, and uh, you know, New Orleans has
a lot of things think about in terms of their
roster next year. Bey Ad as a free agent. Valentois
is a free agent, so it'll be interesting how they
come back next year. But you know they got one person.
They've seen what Zion can do in what seventy games

(51:38):
and it's forty nine wins, So like we know the recipe. Okay,
see Shay is if I had to vote, Shay is
my my MVP vote. And Jalen Williams is it is amazing.
I love I love the young Jalen Williams man. And
it's second or third year, it's it's it's amazing how
well he's playing. So okay, see a lot of time

(52:00):
to rest before they go against the next opponent. Uh
your thoughts Denver Lakers quickly? I I felt bad talk
about feeling bath Ofsion. I felt bad forle Broun. He
played so well, played so hard. Ab game game two,
game two, man, I feel like, you know, but every
game they were up up, you know, a whole up

(52:23):
and half and just didn't have enough. Jamal shout out
to Jamal Murray, talk about under the underrated people knowing
people remember him killing in the bubble. This man has
not had an All Star, has not had an All NBA,
but continues to just up his game in the playoffs.
And I remember he tried to dunk on me when
I was in Sacramento and I blocked. The shout out
was like, who is this light skined Canadian tried to
dunk on me? But I love his tenacity. I love

(52:47):
his mindset. He can hoop, Bro, he can really hoop,
and he turns it on in the playoffs when it
matters most. So Denver's gonna be really tough to beat.
They're built so they could play so many different ways.
They're built built really well. Clippers masks go back to

(53:07):
the way correct. That was so beautiful, back and forth, Bro,
you love it because you never know what game you know, like,
I don't know if Kawhi plays, but honest, they've been
playing better with Kawhi, but then last night they they
needed him badly and playing better without him. They were
playing sorry better without him except THEE and they needed him.

(53:28):
Luca Lucas stepped up. He felt like he said, he
felt like he was letting Kay down. He stepped up
and took over, but it's just love back and forth.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
I love that about Lucas. So that was my one
thing about Luca, you know, coming into the season, like
if he buys into understanding what he has with him,
and I think that was kind of the thing with
having Jalen Brunson. He didn't understand that he had a
gym there and he's not. He wasn't gonna let that
mistake happen again, in my opinion, and he's learning how

(54:00):
to play off the ball, and you know, it's like Lebron,
if he trusts you, he's gonna let you do your
thing with the ball. And I think Luca is kind
of in that kind of somewhat of that same mold.
He now feels comfortable where he's saying I got to
step up for him. We didn't have to say him yeah,
I let him do exactly like you know, it's not
the other way around. So, uh, you can see the

(54:22):
maturity in there, and he wants more. I mean, I
love the pieces that Denver has and that that those
pickups were perfect for what they needed.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
So for that Dallas, yeah, like PJ. Washington and Daniel
Gafford have been perfect, and I was always with in Chicago. Yeah,
I was also I was always a fan of Lively. Uh.

Speaker 3 (54:44):
My only question was who is going to be their
third score consistently as if they if they get out
of this series, you know who is going to be
their third score? You know, because when you see Okay,
see young Athletic, they're gonna you know, they're going to
try to take away Luca and and and Kyrie and

(55:05):
somebody else their their scoring. So PJ, I mean, has
had some good some good days in good games.

Speaker 2 (55:11):
We'll see. And lastly, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Suns man
bro Brad Bill is one of my best friends in
the NBA. I was with him for his first four
years in NBA. I talked to him before he went
to Phoenix, and you know, he ended up going to Phoenix.
They never had Phoenix never had uh time together, enough

(55:36):
time together in my opinion, and Katie touched on that,
you know in his interview.

Speaker 4 (55:40):
I think when we have.

Speaker 2 (55:41):
Teams that have been together, I don't care how young
they are, if they've been together multiple years. And then
you have a star in Anthony Edwards, you gotta people
gotta understand Karl Anthony Towns was the was gonna be
one of the faces of the league three years ago.
Like that's how well he was, that's how good he is,
how well he was playing.

Speaker 3 (56:00):
And let's add to that there when Anthony Evers comes
in after the first year, they bump heads exactly, now
this is my.

Speaker 2 (56:09):
Team, like like more times than not, people have split
after that. They so they bring in Rudy Gobert. They
bring in a Mike Conley. Mike, Now, you and me
both know how well there's the reason why he got
Teammate of the Year. We understand. He knows how to
bring everybody together. He's the guy that if there's.

Speaker 4 (56:30):
An argument in the room, he.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Walks in, everybody will look and he'll just look at you.
He's the type of guy that you like, Mike's here,
let's chill man. It's just good. That's just the type
of person he is. Without saying anything, so.

Speaker 3 (56:46):
Years and no technicals like I've got I've gotten a
few technicals on his behalf because I'm like, nah, bro,
you don't need you don't need, you don't need to
get a type of I got what you want to say, Okay,
cool and something so.

Speaker 2 (56:58):
So with with Mike, like they have everything they need.
Bro shout out to Chris Finch again. I hope you know,
has a quick recovery, my old coach. He's been great
molding them together. And I will say I was one
of the people, the non believers that didn't think the
Rudy Gobert Karl Anthony Towns combination was gonna work, and
I was completely wrong. They have done an amazing job

(57:21):
and naj Reed and Lsu guy has been great. Six
Man of the Year, like Nikile Alexander has come in.
He played for finching you know, in New Orleans for
a little bit and he's come in and been a
great backup for him. Kyle Anderson was with me and
Memphis like he's a guy. So they they are. And
then we haven't even talked about their best defender, Jayleen McDaniels,
or or how well Anthony Edwards has. You know, he

(57:44):
plays both sides of the ball. He has a dog mentality.
He talks talks stuff, you know what I'm saying, Like
he's he's the face of the NBA, you know, and
it's a bright future. Like I mean, Marsha and Brooks,
my teammate in Memphis, was telling me about this guy
was a junior high school Moreshaun was like, bro, they
got a guy in Atlanta, mane, that's tough, you know.

(58:05):
I was like, everybody talk about their young their young guys.
He came in and I will tell you Brad Bill
told me about Jason Tatum when he was in high school.
So like these guys, they when they say yeah, yeah,
right right, and and the crazy thing.

Speaker 3 (58:22):
I want to give a shout out to Kat as well.
Whether throughout the season he was still fighting it's his
team or not. I think it was a blessing in disguise.
When he gets injured, we started to see the rise
you know what I'm saying of man and him doing

(58:43):
his thing and he comes back and buys in and
falls in line and still puts up a fifty sixty
ball or whatever, like you know, because it's like, yeah,
I'm that guy, but I you know, he shows loves
and he gives support and gives credit due when all
his teammates exactly. And I think that's important.

Speaker 2 (59:04):
Bro.

Speaker 3 (59:04):
We can coexist together like we could be one one,
A one B or one and two like we can
batman or rhyming like it. You know, but you know,
just know now you know who I am, but I
know who you are as well. And I think that's
approach and I think you can kind of see the
you know, cat put his hands back saying okay, I get.

Speaker 2 (59:25):
It, and they get help here they are. It helps
that there one is a guard and one is a
big also, you know what I'm saying, one is a guard,
one is a big. They get the play off of
each other. They play pick a roll cat like that
helps in my opinion, like very much so being in
different positions. You know what I'm saying. If you look
back to the guys that are correct that he ain't

(59:48):
roll he popping. He ain't he popping you right? He
popping faking and going right to a d right if
he if he pumped fake. But like you think about
the dynamic duos, it's more time not either guard big
or to guard and another wing that is unselfish, you
know what I'm saying, even Kyrie and and Lebron. You know,

(01:00:08):
Lebron is always very unselfish. So Kai was able to
do what he did obviously Jordan and Scottie and then
so it's a it's a great it's a great match
for them and uh Minnesota, Bro and Minnesota Denver.

Speaker 4 (01:00:30):
Jokai is still the best player of the NBA.

Speaker 2 (01:00:32):
So I mean, like, in my opinion, the size is
what killed Phoenix, you know, like that killed him. Now
now they were a better team, but like sizes what
really just dominated them. They don't. They're not gonna have
that size against Denver. Denver got a g They got
my MPJ third, you know, so MPJ Jr. So it's

(01:00:57):
gonna be interesting, Bro, it really is. It's I had
to pick. If I had to pick, I gotta go,
I gotta go, I would have to say Denver because
I can't bet against the defending champions with the best player.
But that done, my research has to see exactly I
haven't done my research. That pick and roll has been amazing.
I haven't done my research enough to see how well

(01:01:19):
yokis played against Gobert. You know what I'm saying, That
length that he provides, so that that'll be interesting.

Speaker 3 (01:01:24):
And it's interesting even but to to their to to
Minnesota's credit, it'll be a downsize. But even if Gobert
gets in foul trouble, they can throw a cat on
them for a little while to wear them now they
can throw nas Reed on them for a little while.
So they have multiple guys, different side skill, you know,

(01:01:45):
approach and maybe you you you even now I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
I'm not gonna say that even even Jayalen B Daniels,
I'm with you, or even Kylin Linison Caylers.

Speaker 3 (01:01:54):
So just different guys just to make it different, like
body them up, try to meet him at the free
throw line, just so you need get into this position
every time he catches in free throw looking to make
plays and back door you get a guard, you know,
some somebody one thing who is gonna guard Anthony Edwards
on their team.

Speaker 2 (01:02:12):
And see they're gonna put k on him, but for
a little while.

Speaker 3 (01:02:15):
But then I said, if you do that, you can
also put Aaron Gordon and then your uh porter kind
of goes onto cat.

Speaker 2 (01:02:26):
Now I'm gonna be honest, boat, Michael Porter Jr. Ain't
playing no defense, you understand. I understand that. But so
what I'm saying, Minnesota has more people two to guard Jokic,
their best player. Denver doesn't have a lot of people
to guard best player.

Speaker 3 (01:02:47):
I agree, I mean, but they'll throw Reggie Jackson. They
don't throw different people, different I mean, that's what you're
gonna have to do. I feel like he's gonna see
a lot of double teams. You know, he's gonna have
to make He's gonna have to make the right play
early and early in quarters and in the first game
because you know, in my I mean, you got to
play the game, and you have to be ready for
it to where if you show that you're your if

(01:03:09):
you show your willingness to get off the ball and
other guys to kind of get going early, you kind
of coach the other team out of the double team.
And sometimes you know, they just say, we're gonna stick
into it, like we like this because of whatever, and
we're gonna live and die with it. But at the
same time, they do have other guys that can put
the ball. Like if Cat gets going, he he makes

(01:03:30):
a difference, you know what I'm saying. So it's gonna
be a great series. I can't wait. I can't wait.
And then lastly, I'm gonna talk about basketball, and we'll
briefly talk about something. I'll let you get out of
it because I know you're a family man, You're a daddy. Daddy,
I want to ask you. You know this is just
something that's uh that you know, that kind of bothers me.
But I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this. What

(01:03:51):
are your thoughts on coaches like Darvin Ham and Frank
Vogel names coming up to be fired you know already.
I mean, if you want to can give my opinion
on the first wall, you can go.

Speaker 2 (01:04:04):
Ahead, you if you choose to. I hate, you know
that coaches that the I hate the adage coaches are
hired to get fired. And the fact that somebody that's
in the playoffs, uh, that has won a championship, that

(01:04:28):
asked for supposedly asked for a you know, a point guard,
or asked for a team to be built a certain
different way is then you know, if if if he's
used as a scapegoat, then I have a problem with that.
I have a problem with that, you know what I'm saying.
And that's I think that those are the reports about
you know, Frank Vogel. I've never played for Frank, but

(01:04:53):
he's he's a nice guy, really nice guy. Darvin as well,
the same, you know in a situation where he he
did almost the best you can with with what he had.
At the end of the day, it's not as fall.

Speaker 3 (01:05:11):
It's not either one of those fault coaches over the
the history of coaching. Well, let's just say, let's just
to stick with these guys. These guys did not put
these teams together, and they did the job that they
could do with what they had. Frank Bogo asked for
what he needed or what he wanted to help his

(01:05:31):
team grow because he felt like that would take them
over the top, make them a better team. It didn't happen.

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:05:36):
You know, darvinham once you gave him, uh uh something
that he needed to work with. Look where he took them.
Then we get back to now you gave him what
he gave him back here make it happen. Well, he
made it happen. He got that team into the playoffs.
They ran They ran up against a juggernaut. They ran
up against a very you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
So my thing is the it's like you said, it's
not college basketball, like these coaches don't pick the teams.
But I will tell you this and this is just
like the problem. I mean, it could be what the
league is. My dad told me the closer to the floor,
the closer to the door. So you and we both
know in this league, you're gonna you know, the coach

(01:06:23):
is gonna be the first to get fired because you
signed players, and then it's gonna be then it's gonna
be a player move here or there, and then it's
gonna be the president of the GM. I mean, that's
just the way things happen. But I hate the fact
that coaches get the brunt of it because you know
me and you both know too. Front officers are in
the back, yeah, trying to make trying to push these

(01:06:44):
certain players to play. You should be playing these guys
like they got the people that don't do it the
right way. They're trying to have their hands in it
instead of giving the coach hiring a coach autonomy to
actually coach his team. Like that's just so, Like coaches
do not have say so. That there's some coaches who
are coach GM whatever, there's not many anymore. There's that

(01:07:09):
there's very few coaches that have say so, particularly young
coaches who are getting their first opportunity to coach a team.
They're not exactly you know, they don't they're not getting
you know, they're not being able to they're not going
to get to walk into a h you know, executives
off whatever's like hey I need such such okay, right
on it. No, it's not. It doesn't happen that way,

(01:07:30):
you know. And it's just unfortunate. And then obviously at
the end of the day, GMS presidents, ownership whatever, they
can kind of hide in the back and guess who
has to answer all the questions all the time exactly
the head coach.

Speaker 3 (01:07:46):
You know, he's the one that has to sit up
there and you know, clean it up, dress it up,
whatever he has to do.

Speaker 2 (01:07:53):
And it's just it's just unfortunate.

Speaker 3 (01:07:55):
And I just wanted to ask you about that because
I just you know, it just bothers me because you know,
you can look at the comments and you know, fans
and fans and you can you know, love your team
as you want, but we're quick to just say, oh man,
he should be fired.

Speaker 2 (01:08:07):
But like, look what he did with what you had.

Speaker 3 (01:08:11):
Because the same time you say our team ain't like that,
we this, we that, but you want him to win.
And if you just said your team not like that,
but the coach was able to get you in the playoffs,
the coach was able to get your you know, it
bothered me just hearing you know, I love Mike Greenberg,
and you know, he said, oh, maybe the Lakers should
just and as a player, it it really hit me

(01:08:32):
to the court, maybe the Lakers should just not win
so they can get the eighth seed to the seventh seed.
And I said, Okay, I hear you, But what if
the Lakers don't win and then and then lose again
and then don't get in what you're gonna say about him?
Then you know, like as players, you know you can't

(01:08:53):
I mean, I hear you. Matchups are you know, we're
very conscious of matchups during the season. Well, you have
time to kind of if you try time to try
to manipulate situations, not in the playing tournament, like like yeah, man,
you don't know you might run into somebody, you know,
a team that just has has.

Speaker 2 (01:09:13):
A night one day. It's one day, one game. It's
one game. You can't turn it on like that, Like no,
I don't. You wouldn't be correct, you wouldn't be seven
to eight. And I don't want to take that chance. Man,
I just don't want to check that chance. So it
just it just it just bothered me. I mean, like
I said, people gonna talk they're gonna have their own scenarios.
You know, they sit at home and have the things.
And Greeney was up front with like, Mike was like, hey,

(01:09:35):
you know, I know people are at my neck. I
just think you know this, this this he's thinking as
you know, a non player, because the player is like,
you know, as a player. I was like, Bro, there's
no way I'm about to take this chance. And you
know whatever, you never know what happens in a one
game You're trying to win every game I play, especially
in the one game series. I'm not like, yeah, you know,
we don't win. We lose, we meaning Lakers, we lose two.

(01:09:56):
We out. Now what you're gonna say about me? I
can't do? That was not Lastly, man, what are you
thinking about the golf game? Man? What's looking like? You
know now you're in the off seats. My handicap I played,
we've been out. We've been out about two and a
half three weeks now. I've played six times, went to Vegas.
My handicap has dropped. I was at eleven eight nine

(01:10:18):
back I'm at ten eight. So I've been playing pretty
decent getting there. Uh so we'll see, man, I'm going
back home. I got a golf simulator building crib now,
so I'll make sure.

Speaker 4 (01:10:29):
I get in there a good amount.

Speaker 2 (01:10:30):
And I got a three year old that that and
a one year old daughter that's she'll say golf and swing.

Speaker 4 (01:10:36):
The club, swing her head.

Speaker 3 (01:10:37):
So well, I'm interested. I'm interested in pocketing some of
that NBA money.

Speaker 2 (01:10:41):
So you know, come on, I'm still trying to I'm
still trying to get to Uh. I'm still trying to
get to East Lex. So so all all your uh
the heel or whatever wherever somewhere in Florida, Orlando or Atlanta,
wherever you're gonna be, I'm coming. Yeah, okay, yeah, okay. Uh.

(01:11:03):
You have a player play golfer that you're watching right now. Man,
I've really been locked into Sahita got uh. He's been
playing well, he's playing well, up and coming preperdye, no question,
no question. I love female as all have. I've always
loved Fenale Sahito. Uh, and I've been watching. I watched

(01:11:26):
The Full Swing first season and then last season as well,
so I pay attention to a few guys on there.
I got a different you know, respect for Wyndam Clark
and Joel Damon so uh nah, excited for the golf season.
And you know what, the best thing, I can't wait
until I retire so I can go to the Masters.
That's one thing I'm very much looking forward to as

(01:11:47):
retired NBA player.

Speaker 3 (01:11:49):
Yeah, I've got I've gotten that opportunity to play once.

Speaker 2 (01:11:53):
Uh And it was amazing I have once. He was
he was amazing he watching this. If y'all don't know
anything about golf, that's I can't even That's like getting.

Speaker 3 (01:12:04):
A chance to play a game at the Garden with
the fans like that. What they're doing there, that's like
getting the.

Speaker 2 (01:12:09):
Player and all you and all you do, and all
you do is play at the Wreck and you get
a chance to play at the.

Speaker 3 (01:12:13):
Guard the Guard the NBA, or you get the opportunity
to play on your favorite team's home court.

Speaker 2 (01:12:20):
That's like playing at the Masters, like and that's what
it felt like. It was. It was an amazing you know,
it's it's watching it on TV. Does it does not
do it justice? No, Just that's what everybody tells me. Bro. Well,
let's go into another I don't even to think about it.

Speaker 3 (01:12:33):
And lastly, Scottie Scheffler and the streak that he's on
in the corner, the streak that they're they're on right now.

Speaker 2 (01:12:41):
It's like it's just great to see. It's like I
remember watching golf. I remember watching golf when Tiger. I
started watching when Tiger started his run, and it was
just like that's just all I knew, Like one person
was just better than everybody else, and he was gonna win,
you know, three or five tournaments year, one or two majors,

(01:13:01):
and then that's what it was. And then when he
you know, when he was out, it was like you
don't really know who's gonna win. And I was like,
this is a different type of golf. But to see
Scottie just take off and do that the last three
three years, and then Nelly, like you said, Nellie Corter
doing the same thing. I've always been a fan of
her and her system. Uh And honestly, I love watching

(01:13:25):
like a woman swing a golf ball more than a
man because it's so smooth.

Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
You know, they chance to play in the LPGA Pro
Am or something alongside them, I recommend you do that.
It'll give you a different perspective on the golf game
and on how men players, how they play, how we
how we as men swing and we just feel like
we got to we got to get into it. As
opposed to women, they just it's they get the distance

(01:13:53):
they want. Like it's it's it's very humbling. Okay, Okay,
I'm gonna check it out. I'm gonna check it out.

Speaker 4 (01:14:00):
Got it.

Speaker 2 (01:14:00):
But it's great for golf. It's great for golf them
doing what they're doing or now I'm all for it.
I'm all for it. Man, Well, g man, I appreciate you. Man, Man,
you don't understand.

Speaker 3 (01:14:11):
As always, I was thinking of like, man, who do
I want to bring on this to talk some basketball?
But I wanted to share your story and I wanted
young people to kind of understand, like you know, the
grind don't stop for one and sometimes it doesn't go
the way you expect that door closes, but like sometimes
you got to figure out the way the kick it

(01:14:32):
down yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:14:32):
And you've done that.

Speaker 3 (01:14:33):
You've been a great example obviously for all these years,
fifteen years now moving forward, obviously, I can't wait to
see what your decision is moving forward. That's why I
did not ask I wait until you let us know,
because I know that's you know, it's golf time. Right now,
not the decision time, so uh man. Appreciate you once again. Man, ladies, gentlemen, Gt.

(01:14:54):
My Guy Garrett Temple.

Speaker 2 (01:14:56):
Appreciate you so love, always love, Thank you and the
VC Show. We'll catch you next week. Let's go,