August 23, 2023 • 49 mins
Ryan talks with his former teammate and Kings legend Jason Thompson on the hazards of not correctly doing your "rookie duties," being the Sacramento Kings all-time leader in games played, and the bright future of Keegan Murray.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
How's everybody doing what you want to welcome you into
NBA rookie like with Ryan hollins Man and today, man,
we gonna have a fun episode. Man, this is this
is one of my dogs, one of my boys. Man listen,
a former teammate of mine, and he was what he's
a fellow big man. You know, our big man always
had to get down the twelfth pick in the two
thousand and eight draft. He is has played the most
(00:29):
games for an NBA organization, for the Sacramento Kings. I
want to save it so I didn't give it away.
The most games ever played. This is like some this
is elite company dog. Okay, none other than my guy
Jason Tops jtbles go with your Boy's.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Good with you, man, appreciate you for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Hey, j listen, JT is this Can we can we
JT the kid? Can we slide it in? That's that's
what we called him in the locker of j T.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I just remember even when they when Twitter first started,
was my rookie year and they.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Were like, yo, what name, what year was that? What
year was that?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
That was two thousand and eight man, And the PR
people was like, yo, there's a new app coming out
called Twitter, What you do today? And pick a name.
I couldn't think of nothing. You know, JT the kids
started in the rest is history. I don't know how
long I can have that for. But that's a that's
another time for another day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
So hold on, hold on, hold on. So did you
literally throw out the name JT the kid there and
it stayed so you like, no, it was just literally
just for Twitter?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, man, I mean literally, I didn't have any correlation
of that name. I couldn't think of something. I know,
JT was catchy just because of my name. Everybody called
me JT. No one really called me Jason, and I
was just trying to think of something catchy. And like
I said, years later, here we are.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And j like Jason. There's a million Jason Thompson's like like,
you know what I'm saying, Like so, so it does
have to be different. I'm you know, it's funny. I
had to be the Ryan Hollins or d however people
like to say it because some dudes won't get off
Ryan Hollins and he was just being a real jerk
about it. But I'm like, dog, I'm verified, so whatever.
Like so people like okay, the right. I'm like, I
(02:10):
couldn't yo JT for real, Like you know, it takes
a while. But JT, man, like I said, I'm glad
to have you on And for those who don't know,
you one of my favorite teammates. People don't know man,
like you have a love for basketball and you're one
of the only guys I played with. JT. I know
you remember this. We just got like tired of we
(02:32):
were in a situation we play minutes, we wouldn't play
minutes we play and like we would literally play full
on ones before the game, like we gonna have our
own game. But that's why I rock with you because
a lot I'm like, JT's a real with some guys,
I don't want to get heard on. We were getting
it in and.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Man, that's all that's all I know is just to
go hard. And like you said, you know, I'll explained
later on. It's just when you have that type of situation.
We have two ownerships, seven coaches in seven years and
that amount of time and tons of new teammates that
are coming in. You know, I was the last man
standing for a long period of time and try to
make the best of the situation. But then when you
(03:11):
get older and a little bit wiser, you understand, like
that's not really normal, and you know I had to survive.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Man, Absolutely, well, Man, let's let's go ahead, and rewind
We talked a little bit about being drafted and you're
the longest tenure king and however you want to put it,
doll like that is an accomplishment and you end up
going twelfth. In two thousand and eight, JT walked me
through the draft experience for you Draft Day. You know,
(03:37):
where were you, what were the expectations, who was with you?
What was your agent saying? You know, were you comfortable
going into the draft? Were you nervous? You know, like
people don't know, Like I kid you not, Bro. My
agent told me this stunk. Bro. He said, you could
go from anywhere from ten to fifty. I said, what
do you mean? He said, I could be the tenth
pick in the draft or the fiftieth because you know,
(04:00):
I'm bouncy. I was an intriguing prospect. Like day, he's bouncy,
he's tall, like but he didn't play that much or
you know, he played well at the end, you know,
there were more questions and answers than I was a
you know, a college senior. I was a young senior.
But they still you know, put that the equation. But
for you, what was that draft experience? You know, who
were you? Were you not in nineteen twenty at the time.
(04:21):
Who was JT the kid? You were really the kid
then at the time? Man, But walk me through draft
day for you and where you stood in your career?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, man, just a little bit by myself. I was,
you know, from South Jersey, you know, from I went
to Roddy University thirty minutes outside of Philadelphia in Jersey,
and you know, coming in, man, you just didn't think of,
you know, being an NBA prospect and an events.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Of the guys that came up with you in Jersey,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
A real mentor.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Was Dwan Wager you know, the messiah of New Jersey
player in the country. His son Daly's the number one
player in the country. And DJ Wagner so and then
it's Dad with the old American. I think it's the
first time three guys in their generation, family generations were
all America or number one players in the country, you know,
so like I said, and then Milik and the Milik
(05:07):
Allens of the world and things go uh, you know,
list goes on with that, and then eventually, like I said,
I grew three inches my junior year, I started getting
more looks. I was going to the Lebron camps than
Mark kamps, the top guys that were like, yo, this
guy putting up big numbers against you know, mid major competition.
What can he do against the best better guys in
the country. So I was going against the Maurice Spates,
(05:31):
the Anthony Randolph, the Lopez, the Lopez twins, Roy Hibbert,
and we were going at him. And then like you said,
a Mari was playing, Lebron was playing, and other NBA
got for playing at the time. So you know, with
that experience, especially going into my junior year, you know,
I took a full advantage of that.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
We were you skinnied th JT or did would you
have like size?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Right? So That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
So going in to my junior year, I still was
about like six to eleven, but I was two hundred
and then guys are like, yo, you have the ability
to go to the lead, you gotta put on muscle.
So I just locked in. Eventually I became a junior year,
I was about twenty six eleven two twenty, and then
I graduated in six eleven two fifty.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Dang, hold on, j T. There's no way, bro stot on.
You put up fifty pounds of muscle between your junior
year and your senior year.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
All around there. Like I was two twenty to two fifty,
so about thirty. But when I when I signed a
letter attenth to go to college, I was six eight
one ninety and I graduated six eleven, two fifty.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You gotta be kidding men. Sixty pounds, dude, you talk
about You know what's funny when you look at the NBA.
Now these kids are one and done or they're your age,
and it's like, dang, you put you you put on
sixty pounds of muscle, like functioning muscle in that time.
That's wild. So who knows what you know. I'm sure
we'll talk about the lady like a Victor winbin Yama
(06:54):
like guys like that like that. That is wild that
if he could make that type of jump and increase. Wow,
oh so you're falling out. You're doing well, You're doing
your thing. Did you always like, oh man, I'm going
to the NBA or like what was it playing against
those guys? Like well, shoot, if I played, well, here
they going, I'm going. And how did that kind of
function from getting an agent to your college coach and
(07:17):
and and then obviously drot wise, how did how did
that come around? Or I guess I assume you created
a bus for yourself, right.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, so you had more of the like I said,
the South Jersey guys in Philly is so close.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
So during those.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Times, you had a guy John Harnett that kind of
ran the workout for Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And you know guys.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Especially when the Sixers, you know throw back sixers where
AI would come, Aaron McKee and like I said, Kyle
arm was coming, Dion Waiters and uh, like I said,
all the Philly guys that were in the league, I
can't work and the list goes on. So, like I said,
it was one of them things, where are you doing
anything in Jersey? Coming over the bridge and see this
(07:55):
up and like I said, I always you know, like
the fact of that challenge and things like that. So
then you know, going into my senior year, I was
like number two and rebounding in the country behind Beasley.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We we go. So you know, another thing.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I was on national TV my senior year and the
first game he played NC State and that had JJ
Hickson who was so who was a freshman at the time.
And then I was like, all right, let me let
me go on JJ. And then the next game we
played Penn State, when like I said, they had a
solid squad.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
But then the third game he played.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Mike Beasy, and Mike Beasy, like I said, was projected
number one, and like I said, and Billy Walker.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Was on that team to Billy Walker.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Right, And we didn't win that game, but like I said,
I put up like twenty five and ten man, and
like I said, this started becoming more on the radar,
and like I said, I was hollering in these games
and saying, you know what, like this, you know this
is this can happen and make the best of the situation.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
When you were when you were skinny JT one ninety two,
would you were you? I remember JT. You'd always go
in and I know if anything, like you good for
a double double? Was that always you know, kind of
your basketball make up your DNA, but like you're always
gonna if you play the minutes like that, that shows
like you're a double double guy. That's just who you are,
knows for the ball the way you would train.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, like I said, I always tell guys in
the mentality right, Like I went to a mid major school.
I had the talent to go to a higher major,
but they wanted me the red shirt a year, and
like I said, I only knew the play. So my
thing was was, like I came with the mentality of
have energy, be able to get on the boards, run
the floor, be the hardest worker, and then your skill
(09:37):
will take care of the rest. So if I can
get ten points and ten rebounds just off of energy,
then my skill will get me twenty So I averaged,
you know, twenty one and twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
You know, my senior year. So I'm like, all right,
you know I'll be able to like I said, show skill,
shoot the three, put the ball on the floor, take
the ball out of bounds, rebound the ball, running faster
than the guards, and like I said, become approximate.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You know, it's crazy you say that, JT. Those are
wise words. And if any young boys are listening or coaches,
spread this on, because I remember Kevin Garnett told me similar.
He looked me dead in my eyes, and this is KG.
This is KG. And he was like, listen, man, you
can if he said have to you know what word
he used, half the people in the league will insert
(10:20):
that for KG. He said, you don't even have to
have skill, he said he and he's saying, at the
NBA level, you can outwork half the people in the league.
And he's like, your skill is going to set you
into the you know, the upper echeline. But it's funny
you're saying that, you know, a walking testament of it,
Like you go out and work, you don't even have
to have skill. You're better than half the NBA by
(10:42):
that in your position. So I think, like that was
that was life changing for me to hear him say that,
like you you're serviceable just by playing hard and then
every everything else boils on. But okay, JT take me
in the draft day. You got your buzz going around you.
You feel like you you went pound for pound with
the best. Mike. Those who don't know, go back and
(11:02):
check Mike Beasley. That was one of the most certified
players like ever, Like he was, he was just different.
He was different in college. He was a dog in
the league too. Mike Beasley needs his respect. But take
me through draft day. I'm over the emotions. What were
your thought process? What were the feedback you were getting
from the draft workouts? Now that that you were getting
(11:24):
and you like, how did you how are you approaching it?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
So the night before I was working out at the time,
still with the new jersey nets and the Knicks, right,
and then I go to the main draft hotel to
pick up my draft suit, you know, and like I said,
this is me knowing that I wasn't gonna go to
the draft.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
So I go.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Then I like, I take the train to Philly and
then I'm good. I have my draft student and then
I'm not thinking of of it. Uh So, then the
draft day, I go, I don't work out for the Sixers.
But then Comcast, NBA TV all that type of stuff following.
They actually did a piece up with me, h d Rose,
the Lopez Twins and stuff the night before the draft.
(12:07):
So then next thing, you know, we go, I meet
with all the front office and stuff with the Sixers
and then I come back home. So I'm at the house.
I have all my family, my friends and close you know, love.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Who's there who give me some names man, mom, Duke's in.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
The house, Like I said, my mom, my brother, my grandparents, Uh,
you know, have my aunts and uncles and then you
know just some close friends.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Are you are usually like the first in the family
to have this type of success a lot of us
mostly I don't want to assume. So are they looking
like like yo, like we've never seen this before?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, at this type of level was?
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I mean, I have some that were like actors and
one played in Brooklyn. I had some that were lawyers
and stuff like that, but never kind of on like
that type of stage. So, like I said, like, I'm
just you know, pacing myself and it's a long day,
you know, humbly, you know, and that.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I'm trying to be in another room. Everybody else espnists
on the whole day.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
We're listening to guys like yourself and all them analysts
talking about who should go here, we should go there,
all that type of stuff. So as time goes on,
like I said, I ended up. I put I put
my suit on. I act like what color is j
New York? So it was like metallic silver with with
yellow with yellow and then like a yellow and metallic.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Uh tie it as kind of flying. Man, i'mna have
to send me. I'm gonna have to.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
We have to.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
We're gonna have to put a picture on here showing
that John.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
I was flying.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Uh So yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
So then as time goes on, and like I said,
like we had the TV in the family room and
I'm just in the kitchen, and I had my agent there.
At the time, I had signed with Leon Rose, and
then I was off with Andre Buck as well. Who's PJ.
Tucker's agent and stuff. So so like I said, we're
just there and everyone just likes everything going played, and
and like I said, like regardless of anyone where I
(14:00):
got picked, it still feels like a long time, long
day because all the pre shows, all those type of things.
And then like you said, at the time, you know,
David Stern was the commissioner Rest in Peace, and you know,
every time like he goes into the podium, I think
you get five minutes, so they're not five minutes, feels
like twenty five minutes.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And like I said, I.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Remember, you know, the eleventh pick I think was the
Portland Trail Blazers and they took Jared Bayless and I remember,
and like you said, like you said every like you
a new in the beginning of the night or beginning
of the day. It was gonna either be between twelve
and then like you said, like it could be the
end of the first round. And like I said, it
(14:44):
all depends on the team's needs. Sometimes it's not about
the best player. It's about do we need a big,
do we need a guard? Do we need a three minute?
So did you have a pick?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
JT? Did you have did you have like a team?
So Portland Dartner told me they were drafting me in
New Jersey. I went in the day before the draft
and worked out with New Jersey and Lawrence Frank and
Dang I forget the GM. They looked me dead in
my face and were like, why should we draft you? Like,
why should we draft you? Are you ready? Like like
pretty much like you're coming here. Nick Mick Miller was
(15:14):
like like put me in the office, was like, hey,
I've never seen nothing like bro JT. No, Lie, I
was win milling to step in from the free throw
line like I was like, I'm going to port Like
I'm going to Portland, Like you know what I'm saying, So,
did you have a team kind of like I'm kind
of good. I'm going there. I'm going there.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
So like, yeah, in between the draft workouts, I had
a few injuries that I didn't obviously talk about. I
tried to play through it. I might have canceled some workouts.
It's because so I can get healthy to go. I
had one of the most workouts in that draft. But
like I said, sometimes I was getting going back to
those teams, Warriors, Kings, couple of other teams that they
(15:51):
told me to come back and they're like, yo, don't
even tell your family. Was like, Yo, don't tell your family,
nothing like that, like we don't want no one. So,
like I said, so it makes sense on that. And
then like I said, I just remember David Stern going
to the podium. I remember my agent like fulping me,
like yo, yo. I'm not sure, but it might be
I'm like yo, man, I'm like yo, man like and
(16:12):
I'm like, I said, my kitchen at my house, like yo,
maybe I stop playing me. He's going down on what
And then like you said, never forget as long as
I live, man, you know. With the twelve pick, the
Sacrament of King select Jason Thompson.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
With a twelve pick in the two thousand and eight
NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Jason Thompson from Writer University.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I just remember all the people telling me, man, like
what you going to do when it happens.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I'm like, yo, I might.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Take my shirt off, run down the street. I had
no idea, just a wholy emotions. Is all the hard
work you put in as a kid and everyone telling
you that, like, yo, be realistic with your goals and stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
It just all just hit you at once. You know,
on YouTube it goes I hugged my brother, my family,
jumping up and down. I try to get some fresh
year in the whole neighborhood outside like going crazy. Yeah,
it was lit, man, it was lit.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
And then eventually we go get the limo and then
we had one of the sports bars about maybe like
ten minutes away.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
It was crazy. Man.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
It took me like an hour to even get inside
the draft party. People from a high school, college, family, friends.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
It was.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It was something to people still talk about it, man,
every time I go like in that area.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
So it was it's a blessing.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
You got to be one of the first guys I
want to say, you're the of the guys we've talked
to You're like the highest draft pick by far. That
was at the crib. Everybody else was a green room guy.
And you you don't get an invite and you go
high and you're at the cryp.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
So once you got it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
You see, I was at the ESPN Zon. I was
the fiftieth picks. I was sitting there mad, like I'm
gonna bust him up. When I see him, I got like,
you're jumping up and down. You at the crib. That's
a legendary. So no more draft. I got drafted. We
watched our deal, We out of here, We to the club.
What what happened?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Nah?
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I mean honestly, it was like I said, we were
at that party like for a long long time.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
I think also too, which is crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Like that same Lemo that we called up, we actually
went to like Atlantic City was probably from there. It's
like forty minutes. We had no idea, no plane, no
nothing that we were gonna do. We just took it
there and was going to to ac Man and then
like I said, you come back, and then we had
a plane to go straight to Sacramento right in the morning.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Who's the who's the first phone call? You got from
the King's Organization, because I remember, for me, I was mad. JC.
I don't know if I told you, bro I was
drafted during a commercial. My dad told me. He was like,
you got drafted. I thought my dad was just jiving.
I was like, man, stop it, man. And I saw
everybody started celebrating. I was like, oh, I did, like
(19:01):
you know, but like and then I'm upset, obviously fiftyth pick.
Next thing I know, I'm on the phone with Michael Jordan. Man,
I'm on the phone with the goat man. So who
was that. Who was that first call? And was it
like oh gosh, like from celebration to like, all right,
let's get let's get to Hooper, like this is real.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I think from what I remember, I think it was
Jeff Petree talking to them and a couple of other guys.
I think at the time he was the president and
the GM of the team, so we're just talking to him.
He was really excited. I think I got to talk
to Reggie Thias, who was the head coach at the
time as well, too, and they just were, you know,
(19:41):
they loved how my work ethic and how well I
did in the workout and stuff, and like I said that,
this was when they invited me the second time. Man,
I was like, yo, you ain't gonna make no mistake
of bringing me back again.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Yeah, yeah, you know, put.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
My footprint on it. So you know, like the rest
is issue.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Okay, how about okay, you get drafted and obviously we
want to skip past league because you still some league.
For those who don't know, you're still there with the
young guys. It's not really the NBA, but it's kind
of like, hey, this is where your bags are, this
is where your stuff is. Talk to me.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
But even in that, even then though the Summer League,
I feel like the Summer League didn't still because you
still had guys that were Vets that still played. So
I still felt like because even my time it was
Spencer Hall's played, Sheldon Williams played like, there's still some
guys on my team and they were bigs that were there.
So I just remember and bringing that up, that's why
(20:31):
I sapped. You can bring it up. So I think
the first game he played, we played the Trail Blazers
and it was against Baylists in there and I and
at the I got a bucket at the buzzer and
we beat the blazing So I was. I was, and
like I said, it wasn't a thing of Yo, you
should have picked me on eleven because I mean they
had they had Portland had a squad, so they needed
(20:52):
to guard. But like I said that, I remember that because,
like I said, I hit it jone at the buzzer
against them, and like I said, that was the perform me.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
You're like, I'm popping. I'm on, I'm more.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Let's get it Philly, Hey, Philly, Philly in Jersey Lit.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
All right, what about talk to me man that when
you do get to that camp, so you kind of
do your thing. I know, the buzz now now that's
dangerous now because the buzz is there from some of
league like oh he hit the game winner, man, rookies on,
talk to me about you know kind of if people
don't understand, it's like the first day of school. You know,
you go in, you have media day, you're taking your
(21:30):
pictures and you're seeing some of the veterans. You're seeing
for the first time. Like Yo, where he been. He
ain't been at none of the workouts. He's showing up
directly been camp. So talk to me about that kind
of first day at the school, experienced what it was
like your first year.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Well, one thing I did was when I did go
to because it was in Vegas. We had a camp
even before in Sack So before we had the camp
in Sack to go to Vegas, I got my house
and I just wanted to get comfortable of the city
and that's sure to let them know, like I'm serious
about this and let's get stuff done. But like you said,
the training camp, man was at the time, we had
(22:06):
bets like Brad Miller, Bobby Bobby Jackson but that was
his last year playing, Mikey Moore, Francisco Garcia, and Kevin
Martin to name a few, And like I said, man,
we had, we had a lot of talent. It just
was unfortunate. I think we got off to a solid start.
But then you know, with injuries and things like that.
(22:28):
You know, eventually coach Dias had got h had got
fired and it we changed. And like I said, that
was pretty much the whole type of you know, a
current reoccurrence with the organization which was changed. And the
more you think about it, you had to trust the
process with Philadelphia, with Brent Brown, and it wasn't really
(22:49):
his fault where they had losing seasons, but he still
was the coach. So at least if you have that
and you had most of the similar teammates, you could
still build off of it. We weren't able to build
because you change ownerships, you change coaches each.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
And every year.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I mean Michael Malone was one of our coaches and
was fired and now look have his successful he's having now.
And like I said, it's not a shot. It's just
like I said, it might be fit, it might be
differences at the top. So you know, those type of
things are very clear now as you're older and you
experience it, and then you can be able to understand
how things are supposed to go rather than how they did.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Yeah, and for those who don't know, NBA's professional sports
and every team is different. I went from the Bobcats
and we didn't even have a regional sports deal. To listen,
an NBA team didn't have a regional sports deal. We
were that young, so there wasn't no like Fox Sports
West or Balley Sports and then national TV games and
I was like, what is this Sunday game? Or are
(23:47):
all these people here? I'm on ABC? Now? Like what
you and the real NBA now. So I say that
to say for a young player, when you have multiple coaches,
you know, inconsistency. You go from saying, hey, JT, we
want you to be a mid range shooter to hey, man,
we want you to be a shop blocker, or we
(24:08):
want you to be a three point shooter. And you
have a summer or a new general matter. You have
a summer to kind of develop or a training camp
to give coach what he wants. So the longevity or
the inconsistencies for a young guy is extremely tough. And
then you know you're trying to find your way. So
that's a good point. All right, stay tuned, guys, A
(24:28):
young JT. The kid learned a lesson from his veterans.
And I don't this is what you got to see. Man,
I was laughing. He can laugh now about it. We'll
tell you what happens coming up next on NBA Rooky Lifey,
(24:52):
you came in for the NBA ready and you certified. Now,
a lot of young guys we ain't quite certified. They
don't like to kind of bring this up, man, But
did you have that that welcome to the NBA moment?
Did you have someone that just busted you up, or
did you have a og a somebody that you like. Man,
you know what, all due respect, I don't want to
say he weak. Nobody's weak, but kind of like I'm
younger than him, I got him that kind of just
(25:12):
gave you the business. Like dog, I always tell people, listen,
o'della Harrington gave me the business on the other side
of the rim. I looked up one time Marvin Williams
was was skying over and duncan I'm a second lad
on a rotation like that? Okay, this NBA is a
little different. Did you have somebody that kind of or
a moment where you're like, okay, dog, like I gotta
(25:34):
I gotta get better. This NBA is a little tougher
than I thought.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, I think it's just like the mentality that I had.
I always was like, you know what, I was cool.
I was gonna be able to fit in with a squad,
and you know, like I said, I had a lot
of events that I even kind of looked up to
because I'm such a basketball junkie.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
We had Brad Miller, who was an All Star with
the Pacer. We had Kenny Thomas who was with the
Rock It's you know, for for a long period of time,
and listen to the playoffs for a long time. We had
Mikey Moore who was with that Jason Kidd next team
that went to the finals. If I'm not mistaken, Yeah, So,
(26:13):
like I said, these are guys and then like I said,
Spencer Halls was young, but like I said, these are
all guys that I'm going through in practice, and they're like, man,
I'm not letting this young brook take my spot. So
like I said, I can't say anything in particular with that,
but they definitely tried to humble me, regardless of the
success that I was having. I think that in my
first game I had, I came off the bench and
(26:34):
I had a double double, and like I said, like
that was something that I was gonna try and do.
It's crazy that I tried to understand it now, right,
I was humble enough to be able to be confident
in my game where you know, I always knew someone
was going to try and take my spot, but it
never really happened.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Ice Wall and college and stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
So now as I'm trying to make a name for myself,
I'm looking at it now and those guys are like, man,
I'm not having this young dudedude, you know what I mean.
So Bobby Jackson one of the times, so one of
the things we had we had to get at least
ten lifts in the season, and I had not. But
also I had rookie duties get the breakfast, the bagels
(27:13):
and all that type of stuff. So what I tried
to do was I was trying to be on time
to get the lift in. I gave money to one
of the secretaries and to get the stuff because I
couldn't do both at the same time, and I was
gonna get fine for both. So I was like, let
need to kill two birds in one stone. So what
she did was she got the stuff, comes through the
weight room and then and Bobby goes, Yo, why are
(27:34):
you coming there with the stuff? So long story short,
we go, I have practice and stuff. I come outside
and I have popcorn in my car.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Now, JT. I think we we we may have some
footage of this, JT. We may I think I think
we have something that might jog your memory.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
I love you.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Putting the story out, JT. Because you're taking us right
into it. Actually, So let's go to.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It and it with the popcorn in there too. Walk,
I got popcorn.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Popcorn whipping.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
There's like there's like literally so much popcorn you can't
even get in the car.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
I don't understand, like shampood the carpet and everything, and.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
You know, I think this is three days now that
we haven't had bagels when we come into practice. And
he's always he never brings scream cheese. He always expects
stream cheets to last for about a month. So he
got it. You know, he had it coming.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So do you know who's responsible for this?
Speaker 6 (28:40):
I do?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Can you disclose that information? No, you bought it out?
Look at the good non JT, Like you're telling walk,
walk me through it?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Man?
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Hold on looking? Did you start to realize the look
is on your He's like, why are there cameras out here?
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Right? I was like yo, I was like, what are
they doing? And I got a fresh package from Nike.
I got stuff falling off the box. I'm pissed. Look
and Dana went the secretary. Y'all they're gonna spence Yo.
It was crazy, man. I was sick Spence being being spenced.
Of course, my god, they know man, you got a
(29:28):
young brook byby Brown good dude, man, good dude.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Yeah. I was pissed, man, I was pissed.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
I just know that I wasn't cleaning it and like
I said, now I'm messing out my plans and all
that type of stuff.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
So the name so Dana sold you out that hey JT,
you know, didn't want to do his rookie duty and
he gave me the money. So Dana sold you out
pretty much.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Man. I mean I came through the weight room and
then got me so and like I said, I don't
remember this ever happened or being viral at the time.
So this went like crazy and then you started seeing
guys in the league get it done to them. But
uh yeah, I definitely I could, you know, maybe, look,
I don't believe. I'm like yeah, I'm like, yo, I know,
(30:15):
they don't think I'm trying to clean this stuff. Man.
So we got somebody, one of the car dealer guys
that cleaned it up for me, and, like I said,
messed up a couple of hours.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Man, my day.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Look at the flip phone.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Man, I was sick.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
What did you learn from this?
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Man?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I don't, I don't. I haven't seen anything like this
from the young rookies now and you have some super
og veterans, and I think, if I'm not mistaken, you
know you had three times to kind of do what
you're supposed to do as a young rook you ain't
doing what you're supposed to do. Man, So what was
going on?
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Man?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
What was the after?
Speaker 3 (30:51):
I mean, like I said, that's why I kind of
bring up the story like me being a lottery picking,
being a guy that was kind of a threat, I
guess to my teammates in a way, my god, John Samer,
you know they put they put me in check. Uh
And like I said, they just made me do a
little bit more than you know, Dante or Bobby or
all those type of things, you know what I mean.
(31:12):
So you know they wanted me to. If anything, it
was more of a learning experience of just being like, hey,
you need to mature a little bit more fastive if
you're going to try and help this team out. So
in a way, I look at it, and you can
look at it when you're older and be like it's
a learning experience. You know, humble yourself, rook you know
they're going to bet right there. The Govt.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
They're like y'all like you.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Know, humble yourself. Yeah, you still got some time to
take some of our minutes. That's how I took it.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, man, it's a it's a lifelong fraternity. And for
those who don't know, it's not just like we're gonna
mess with the rook It's like, you know, we're not
gonna fight you, We're not gonna beat you up. But
it's like humble you. You know, like you know, pay your
dues and a lot of times for any of you
young rookies that happen to be watching this, when they
ask you to do something, just do what the veterans
(32:02):
ask you and have a good attitude about it. But
if you kind of like me, I don't want to
do that, I'm bigger than that, they're gonna mess with you.
And clearly you know they got you in a major way.
So did you feel that, like, hey, next time y'all
asked me to do something, I'm doing it.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
I mean, like I said, I just made my planning
a little bit different. It was my first time. You know,
I'm three thousand miles away from home, so not knowing
where stuff is and stuff and like I said, learning
experience something I definitely wasn't laughing then, but I can
laugh about it now.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Hey, how much? How much was the bill to get
this cleaned up?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
It was definitely a couple of hunting, man, definitely a
couple of hundred. But you know, like I said, they're
trying to take my rookie pockets and they knew I
had it too, So you know, like I said, they
all learning experience, man, all learning experience.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
But it's on there all right?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
We all right with JT. Let's officially get into it man,
the NBA Rookie Life Film Room. This is our favorite
part of the show Man. We need we need coach JT.
So we want to know what's going on the mentality.
If I'm a player, how do I get better? If
I'm a coach? What were the reds going on? But
you are one of the rare NBA players who have
had a twenty twenty ball game, JT. And I realized
(33:16):
one of your o g's from the popcorn incident is
on the floor. Spencer was a part of this game.
So was this a little personal seeing Spence on this
side and walk me through this?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Man?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Yeah, I mean this is definitely a time where it
was uh, what was in Live City, man. So the
Clippers got a lot of buzz, and you know, with
all the things with Sack, you just never knew if
you were going to have another season, you know in
Sacramento and stuff. So you know, you always, you know,
would highlight these type of games and just just go
at it. So and I allow an some people from
from home, you know, come in town to say they
(33:51):
brought me a little bit of.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Do As a matter of fact, hold on, JT, you tripping.
I forgot I'm on the floor with you.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yeah, I know, j T.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
That's about I'm true. We both started this game. I
was the part of your career high Yeah, yeah, so
I was. I was like, I thought you knew that. Yeah,
Roy Hollin is with me, man.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Heven, hold on, what on? Jay Z?
Speaker 1 (34:12):
My man, this is supposed to be your motive. This
was like a payback game. So if you don't remember,
I think Cousin was out me and you started and
because it was the Clippers, I was like, JT, we're
about to get the game.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Popping now for show for a show now. Man. But
like you said, you take it.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
You take advantage of your opportunity at all points at
all times, and like I said that this was something
and everything was flowing. How about Jason to turn to
rebounds for toxing?
Speaker 1 (34:40):
He has been to.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Start a half and then, you know, because as talented
as he is, man, you know, when he wasn't on
the floor, you know, you get a little bit, a
couple more more opportunities what I once did before he
got to the team.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Another center to play another way.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
How about that a twenty.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
One point game and a twenty one rebound game for
j C.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Thompson.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Then he didn't feel like didn't have to do a.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
Lot offensive lads, But we again, Jason Thompson started the
game out standing, and it's gonna finish.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
It that way.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
J T. Give me the ball back, man, give me
the ball back. DC was gonna take care of you.
But no, this was my first time playing the Clippers
after being there for two years. So I came out.
I'm out of elbowed Blake the first player. DJ, you know,
got into a scrum with Turgerlu and I remember you
rode out because I was j C. Do you remember
they were trying to elbow me, hit me and JT
(35:33):
was I full with JT. JT riding with me.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
Let's go all day. And I was gonna say that
was right on Spence too, right over Spence's head.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Get five.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Is there anything else you remember about this game?
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Man?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
But that's what I loved.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
We went from being two guys who maybe didn't play
as much at this part of our career, of playing
one on one and staying ready, and you had a big,
you know, twenty twenty game, bro, I do j JT.
I don't know if I'm tripping. I should have noticed
myself on the film and your clip, man, but you know,
talk to me about just staying ready and like, like
I said, you always having an opportunity, You're gonna be a.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Double double walking Yeah, I mean, uh, you know I
was able to, like I said, start off my career
coming off the bench, and then was a starter for
most of my career. And I became more I guess,
a defensive guy to help the team and stuff like that.
So less shots, but just I was efficient. I was
gonna at least shoot fifty to fifty five percent from
the field, get to the line and finish in the paint.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
C JT. I noticed, i'mna just throw a little shot
out there.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Man.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
You you you had that double double, but you know
the assists. You could have dropped it to your boy
a couple of times. Man, you got the points.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You know. I'm not mad.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
I'm not mad at you, though you were. You were
definitely rolling, man, But this was this is a.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Get what your man d C was there, so lo
KEI I was even gonna pass it to him or you,
and then he passes back.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
You should have gave it to you. I got under guy.
DC Man. Such a good dude too, man, really good.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Yeah, shout out d C Man doing a doing an
excellent job here. Man. And we got to talk to kings.
Let's stay Kings, like I'm gonna mention you you have
played the most games. I'm gonna say this again, the
most games as any Sacramento king in history, the most
by far. So that's an accomplishment. So I want you
to talk a little bit about one of the young
(37:20):
fellas over there, man Keegan Murray. He was in the
running for Rookie of the Year. Man had himself a
heck of a rookie season. So we got his uh
some some some players here from Keegan, and we want
to see you break down man, what makes him special?
What makes him tick? What do you like about his game?
And why did he have the success? What? What don't
we know about Keegan Murray that you were able to see?
(37:41):
We asked him coach coach j T j T to
coach here man.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Yeah, I was watching you know, Sacramento a lot this
year from AFAR and I think you know with him,
the confidence that the team had in him. They believed
in him. You know, he can really shoot the ball.
You can see how he was in and like I said,
they're like, yo, if you're open and you and you
work on your game or not that you can be
able to shoot the ball.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
We have confidence.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
So that's that's the start right there, especially as a rookie.
And and like you said, he has decide to be
able to go into the paint too. But he's ready
to play. He's not afraid of contact. Right there, finishes
in the paint. And like I said, they got to
play him up because of his three point shooting ability.
So then he drove past him and can finish in
the paint.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
And here's Fox.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Over the Murray for the record, Murray em blazing himself
into the history books.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
I got your kind of body.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
You know, that's here ooh playing without the ball, and
like you said, you got They don't think that he's
doing an athletic but like he said, want surprise you
right over his head somebody.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
And like I said, this is what in basketball is
not talked about that much as playing without the ball.
Everybody wants the ball, either pick and rolling stuff or
playing without the ball is very important. And he snugged
like a duck in there. And like I said, transition,
Like you said, he's not only just running to the
three point line. He's able to finish at the rim
and with contact. He's not afraid to go to the
(39:11):
rim like back in the day where most shooters you're
just only spotting up.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Is there anybody like a player that he reminds you
of watching? You know? Is there anybody like man he's
similar to you know six saight, you know, doesn't look
that athletic, but clearly like you said, more athletic high IQ.
You know, great size and strength for a rookie. Is
there anybody like a comp that you maybe remember playing
(39:35):
against it? So when you didn't it's tough to say.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
I really want to say, it's somewhat Mellow is a
little bit, you know, Like.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I said, I'm not saying it, but I'm not saying
it's like I'm not saying that, I'm saying similar game,
you know, with a side right from size, scalability.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Handling the ball.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
I'm not saying that he's you know, a faceome guy
on first ballot Hall of Famer or something like that.
But if I have to pick someone off the fly,
I think of kind of mellow. Of like you said,
he has the old school game in the way he
can still shoot, he can you know, drive, He finishes
at a high level too. And like I said, my
thing with Mellow too is is he wasn't the most
(40:15):
wild guy, but he was he.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Bouncing where Where's kind of like a ceiling. I don't
like to give a sealing to guys, but kind of
like like, where could he go? Because right now we
see him, you know, playing within the Florida offense, you know,
taking his shots. You know, because obviously from front office
standpoints are going, hey, man, where can we project with
this guy? People don't know, like you said, they're always
(40:37):
looking for a young guy to you know, hey, does
he need a bigger role? Does he need a smaller role.
We're always being evaluated as players. What do you see
of where he can go because he gets off like this,
this is a rookie year JT.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
I mean I think that you know, right now he's
with the third or fourth option in the team in
his rookie year. So I mean, for sure, I'm not
sure if he's a guy like you said, it's going
to be the number one. He may be his number
two guy, depending on if it's you know, durability and
things like that too. But like I said, I think
that sometimes it's not about him being the best player
on the floor. You know, it's just playing his role,
(41:12):
but then playing at that high level and you can
develop him and make him get better and all the
clips that we've seen all in his rookie year and
make sure they're maturing and being smart and reading the
defense and watching film and stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
I just feel sky is the limit. And then like
I said, he's being able to be a king for
a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
You'll laugh, man. When I was in Sack, I wanted
to eat with some family and they were this restaurant
owner comes out and he's like, I know who you are.
I'm like, okay, how you doing. Nice to meet you.
He's like no, no, no, I know you. And I'm like,
all right, cool, he's Keegan. I was like, no, he's
(41:51):
like Keegan. And I'm like, I guess he could be
a little cousin and son.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Babe, are you telling me like this year?
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Yeah, because you know with the rockets, Yeah, I'm glad
you can mistake me for you know.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Yeah, they're gonna say we all we all look alike.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Man, thank you, j thank you, man, thank you. I
will be a mistaken man. You are gonna hear one
cool story from from the Kings playoff win. The drought
is over and JT was actually there in the building. Man,
he has some cool stuff to say, stay too next
on it be a real life all right, all right,
(42:42):
JT Man. For me, this was emotional to watch because
I had a lot of love for Sack in the city.
I did get a chance to go up JT for
forgive me if you didn't get to see it and
kind of see the arena prior, but you were obviously
still playing and I had like fully, so there there's
a different But the drought had ended. The team got
(43:05):
to the playoffs, the inconsistency seemed to have gone away.
And for Sack, you were there. You were part of
this man. You got to see this as long as
Senior King talked me through the emotions. As you watch
this man late to be six one thousand one lasers
(43:30):
piercing the atmosphere over Sacramento tonight, I felt this moment, JT.
So I know there was a lot going you know,
I think you were even there, if I'm not mistaken,
So talk to me about what you're seeing here and
what this.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Yeah, yeah, I was, course, I man, it was. It
was one just crazy to just be in downtown area,
you know, with when we played it was Arco Arena
and it was in the toonement, so away from downtown.
So downtown you only really just went, you know, just
to go eat and socialize and stuff. So now you
have that, you know, a special that team in that area.
(44:03):
So you know, once I went in that area, then
you know, like the fans was just going crazy. I
hadn't been there, uh you know since you know, since
I played my last game. Well I was with Warriors,
but like I said, before the arena was built, so
it was a lot of emotions of one going back
to the organization one seeing the new arena and seeing
all the new stuff over there too. So like I said,
(44:25):
it was it was well deserved for the fans. Man,
they deserved that arena. They deserve to have a team.
It was a long time coming with them one getting
to the playoffs and then you know they didn't get
to win the series, but having you know, being able
to win that those first two games, man, was was electric. Man,
you couldn't even hear yourself talk, and they showed love.
But put me on the jumbo tron and the fans
(44:48):
and uh, you know, like I said, man, it was
a it was a good feeling because you know, I
put a lot of blood, sweating tears in that organization,
and the gardless of all the stuff that had happened,
you know, that team still has a lot of you
know in my heart and stuff like that too.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
So I'm glad to see them going.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Well, what were the emotions you had when you got
put on a jumble truck? Because sometimes you're like, man,
I might go, I might not go. It's a little weird,
like cause like this is like a high school sweetheart.
See JC, I had ninety ferteens bro. You kind of
like you're a king Bro. You're like the like you're
like walk frasier for the next like kings Bro. Like
(45:26):
you are like like a guy like you know, so
what were those emotions cause you don't really know how
you're going to respond to you are on a jumbo
tron or you are seeing what emotions kind of hit you?
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Did?
Speaker 1 (45:39):
You was there a little a little a little tear
up a little kind of like that a they rock
with me?
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Man?
Speaker 3 (45:45):
It just it just was a whole lot, you know,
I just you know, it's just starting from where it
was my rookie year into year you know seven with
them and you know, like I said, seeing Signed Lady
and all the people that would die hards fans from
you know, from from the glory days to the days
I was there. And then like I said, it was
(46:06):
more emotion too because I played with the Warriors as well,
and I can kind of relate to them more because
all those guys in Miaim, you know, Steph and Clay
and dre uh you know Looney, you know we're all in.
We're all on those with all the team. When you know,
when I was there, so like I said, Man, it
(46:27):
was just a lot of emotion from both sides. But
like I said, it was all love from both organizations
and uh, like I said, man, it just it's just
like I said, it wasn't it was so hard to
describe hollow well, but like I said, it was a
lot of most of.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
J no thug, no thug tears, no tug man.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
I appreciate it, brother, But before you get out of here, man,
one thing. We appreciate your time and supporting us here
on NBA Rookie Life, Ryan Hollins. But where can the
fans get behind you j T. You in the community.
You got a lot of projects, you got stuff going,
so give us the full rundown of where we can
rent with you and help you out. And those who
or are watching this that want to support any project
(47:12):
that you have moving forward.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
I appreciate that. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:14):
So, like we talked about before, I still got on
all the I G and twitters, j T, the kids,
j T, T, H E K, I D. Also I
have lived like JT is a nonprofit in my foundation
which is called the Jason Thompson Foundation, so ww dot
(47:34):
Jason Thompson Foundation dot com. I have different events from Thanksgiving,
the Christmas to Bike events, and also my annual camp
that's in August. And then I just opened up a
business in this past Saturday which is called Hydrate Ivy
Therapy and Wellness, which is i V, which is an
(47:55):
I V and wellness center that has to do with
like I said, b twelves nynesium zinc and just like
I said, not just for athletes when people are having
pre and post surgeries, and like I said, man, it's
just something that I'm excited about.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Congratulations Bro, well A JT. I appreciate you. You've been
my dog.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Shoot.
Speaker 1 (48:14):
I didn't seen you. I didn't like playing against you,
but love playing with you, and none but respect for
your career. And you know, I think it's cool we're
on that second chapter where we can look back and
appreciate it. Especially. I'm glad that you got your flowers
in Sacramento. Bro, I was there with you. How I
know your heart's in sack no matter what, and I'm
glad you got you got your flowers this year. Bro.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
I appreciate you man, thank you for having me on
the show.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
Appreciate you guys for being here and hanging with us.
Good stuff there, from Jason Thompson on NBA Ricky Life.
But guys, we are so thankful for you. We cannot
do it without you, So make sure you just give
us a simple you know, subscribe like follow, spread the word,
let us know what you like, let us know the
things that we can do better here on NBA Ricky
Life with Ryan Hollins. But love you guys, and guess
what I will see you next week. Foo
How's everybody doing what you want to welcome you into
NBA rookie like with Ryan hollins Man and today, man,
we gonna have a fun episode. Man, this is this
is one of my dogs, one of my boys. Man listen,
a former teammate of mine, and he was what he's
a fellow big man. You know, our big man always
had to get down the twelfth pick in the two
thousand and eight draft. He is has played the most
(00:29):
games for an NBA organization, for the Sacramento Kings. I
want to save it so I didn't give it away.
The most games ever played. This is like some this
is elite company dog. Okay, none other than my guy
Jason Tops jtbles go with your Boy's.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Good with you, man, appreciate you for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Hey, j listen, JT is this Can we can we
JT the kid? Can we slide it in? That's that's
what we called him in the locker of j T.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I just remember even when they when Twitter first started,
was my rookie year and they.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Were like, yo, what name, what year was that? What
year was that?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
That was two thousand and eight man, And the PR
people was like, yo, there's a new app coming out
called Twitter, What you do today? And pick a name.
I couldn't think of nothing. You know, JT the kids
started in the rest is history. I don't know how
long I can have that for. But that's a that's
another time for another day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
So hold on, hold on, hold on. So did you
literally throw out the name JT the kid there and
it stayed so you like, no, it was just literally
just for Twitter?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, man, I mean literally, I didn't have any correlation
of that name. I couldn't think of something. I know,
JT was catchy just because of my name. Everybody called
me JT. No one really called me Jason, and I
was just trying to think of something catchy. And like
I said, years later, here we are.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And j like Jason. There's a million Jason Thompson's like like,
you know what I'm saying, Like so, so it does
have to be different. I'm you know, it's funny. I
had to be the Ryan Hollins or d however people
like to say it because some dudes won't get off
Ryan Hollins and he was just being a real jerk
about it. But I'm like, dog, I'm verified, so whatever.
Like so people like okay, the right. I'm like, I
(02:10):
couldn't yo JT for real, Like you know, it takes
a while. But JT, man, like I said, I'm glad
to have you on And for those who don't know,
you one of my favorite teammates. People don't know man,
like you have a love for basketball and you're one
of the only guys I played with. JT. I know
you remember this. We just got like tired of we
(02:32):
were in a situation we play minutes, we wouldn't play
minutes we play and like we would literally play full
on ones before the game, like we gonna have our
own game. But that's why I rock with you because
a lot I'm like, JT's a real with some guys,
I don't want to get heard on. We were getting
it in and.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Man, that's all that's all I know is just to
go hard. And like you said, you know, I'll explained
later on. It's just when you have that type of situation.
We have two ownerships, seven coaches in seven years and
that amount of time and tons of new teammates that
are coming in. You know, I was the last man
standing for a long period of time and try to
make the best of the situation. But then when you
(03:11):
get older and a little bit wiser, you understand, like
that's not really normal, and you know I had to survive.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Man, Absolutely, well, Man, let's let's go ahead, and rewind
We talked a little bit about being drafted and you're
the longest tenure king and however you want to put it,
doll like that is an accomplishment and you end up
going twelfth. In two thousand and eight, JT walked me
through the draft experience for you Draft Day. You know,
(03:37):
where were you, what were the expectations, who was with you?
What was your agent saying? You know, were you comfortable
going into the draft? Were you nervous? You know, like
people don't know, Like I kid you not, Bro. My
agent told me this stunk. Bro. He said, you could
go from anywhere from ten to fifty. I said, what
do you mean? He said, I could be the tenth
pick in the draft or the fiftieth because you know,
(04:00):
I'm bouncy. I was an intriguing prospect. Like day, he's bouncy,
he's tall, like but he didn't play that much or
you know, he played well at the end, you know,
there were more questions and answers than I was a
you know, a college senior. I was a young senior.
But they still you know, put that the equation. But
for you, what was that draft experience? You know, who
were you? Were you not in nineteen twenty at the time.
(04:21):
Who was JT the kid? You were really the kid
then at the time? Man, But walk me through draft
day for you and where you stood in your career?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, man, just a little bit by myself. I was,
you know, from South Jersey, you know, from I went
to Roddy University thirty minutes outside of Philadelphia in Jersey,
and you know, coming in, man, you just didn't think of,
you know, being an NBA prospect and an events.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Of the guys that came up with you in Jersey,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
A real mentor.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Was Dwan Wager you know, the messiah of New Jersey
player in the country. His son Daly's the number one
player in the country. And DJ Wagner so and then
it's Dad with the old American. I think it's the
first time three guys in their generation, family generations were
all America or number one players in the country, you know,
so like I said, and then Milik and the Milik
(05:07):
Allens of the world and things go uh, you know,
list goes on with that, and then eventually, like I said,
I grew three inches my junior year, I started getting
more looks. I was going to the Lebron camps than
Mark kamps, the top guys that were like, yo, this
guy putting up big numbers against you know, mid major competition.
What can he do against the best better guys in
the country. So I was going against the Maurice Spates,
(05:31):
the Anthony Randolph, the Lopez, the Lopez twins, Roy Hibbert,
and we were going at him. And then like you said,
a Mari was playing, Lebron was playing, and other NBA
got for playing at the time. So you know, with
that experience, especially going into my junior year, you know,
I took a full advantage of that.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
We were you skinnied th JT or did would you
have like size?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Right? So That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
So going in to my junior year, I still was
about like six to eleven, but I was two hundred
and then guys are like, yo, you have the ability
to go to the lead, you gotta put on muscle.
So I just locked in. Eventually I became a junior year,
I was about twenty six eleven two twenty, and then
I graduated in six eleven two fifty.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Dang, hold on, j T. There's no way, bro stot on.
You put up fifty pounds of muscle between your junior
year and your senior year.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
All around there. Like I was two twenty to two fifty,
so about thirty. But when I when I signed a
letter attenth to go to college, I was six eight
one ninety and I graduated six eleven, two fifty.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You gotta be kidding men. Sixty pounds, dude, you talk
about You know what's funny when you look at the NBA.
Now these kids are one and done or they're your age,
and it's like, dang, you put you you put on
sixty pounds of muscle, like functioning muscle in that time.
That's wild. So who knows what you know. I'm sure
we'll talk about the lady like a Victor winbin Yama
(06:54):
like guys like that like that. That is wild that
if he could make that type of jump and increase. Wow,
oh so you're falling out. You're doing well, You're doing
your thing. Did you always like, oh man, I'm going
to the NBA or like what was it playing against
those guys? Like well, shoot, if I played, well, here
they going, I'm going. And how did that kind of
function from getting an agent to your college coach and
(07:17):
and and then obviously drot wise, how did how did
that come around? Or I guess I assume you created
a bus for yourself, right.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Yeah, so you had more of the like I said,
the South Jersey guys in Philly is so close.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
So during those.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Times, you had a guy John Harnett that kind of
ran the workout for Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And you know guys.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Especially when the Sixers, you know throw back sixers where
AI would come, Aaron McKee and like I said, Kyle
arm was coming, Dion Waiters and uh, like I said,
all the Philly guys that were in the league, I
can't work and the list goes on. So, like I said,
it was one of them things, where are you doing
anything in Jersey? Coming over the bridge and see this
(07:55):
up and like I said, I always you know, like
the fact of that challenge and things like that. So
then you know, going into my senior year, I was
like number two and rebounding in the country behind Beasley.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We we go. So you know, another thing.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I was on national TV my senior year and the
first game he played NC State and that had JJ
Hickson who was so who was a freshman at the time.
And then I was like, all right, let me let
me go on JJ. And then the next game we
played Penn State, when like I said, they had a
solid squad.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
But then the third game he played.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Mike Beasy, and Mike Beasy, like I said, was projected
number one, and like I said, and Billy Walker.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Was on that team to Billy Walker.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Right, And we didn't win that game, but like I said,
I put up like twenty five and ten man, and
like I said, this started becoming more on the radar,
and like I said, I was hollering in these games
and saying, you know what, like this, you know this
is this can happen and make the best of the situation.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
When you were when you were skinny JT one ninety two,
would you were you? I remember JT. You'd always go
in and I know if anything, like you good for
a double double? Was that always you know, kind of
your basketball make up your DNA, but like you're always
gonna if you play the minutes like that, that shows
like you're a double double guy. That's just who you are,
knows for the ball the way you would train.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I mean, like I said, I always tell guys in
the mentality right, Like I went to a mid major school.
I had the talent to go to a higher major,
but they wanted me the red shirt a year, and
like I said, I only knew the play. So my
thing was was, like I came with the mentality of
have energy, be able to get on the boards, run
the floor, be the hardest worker, and then your skill
(09:37):
will take care of the rest. So if I can
get ten points and ten rebounds just off of energy,
then my skill will get me twenty So I averaged,
you know, twenty one and twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
You know, my senior year. So I'm like, all right,
you know I'll be able to like I said, show skill,
shoot the three, put the ball on the floor, take
the ball out of bounds, rebound the ball, running faster
than the guards, and like I said, become approximate.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You know, it's crazy you say that, JT. Those are
wise words. And if any young boys are listening or coaches,
spread this on, because I remember Kevin Garnett told me similar.
He looked me dead in my eyes, and this is KG.
This is KG. And he was like, listen, man, you
can if he said have to you know what word
he used, half the people in the league will insert
(10:20):
that for KG. He said, you don't even have to
have skill, he said he and he's saying, at the
NBA level, you can outwork half the people in the league.
And he's like, your skill is going to set you
into the you know, the upper echeline. But it's funny
you're saying that, you know, a walking testament of it,
Like you go out and work, you don't even have
to have skill. You're better than half the NBA by
(10:42):
that in your position. So I think, like that was
that was life changing for me to hear him say that,
like you you're serviceable just by playing hard and then
every everything else boils on. But okay, JT take me
in the draft day. You got your buzz going around you.
You feel like you you went pound for pound with
the best. Mike. Those who don't know, go back and
(11:02):
check Mike Beasley. That was one of the most certified
players like ever, Like he was, he was just different.
He was different in college. He was a dog in
the league too. Mike Beasley needs his respect. But take
me through draft day. I'm over the emotions. What were
your thought process? What were the feedback you were getting
from the draft workouts? Now that that you were getting
(11:24):
and you like, how did you how are you approaching it?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
So the night before I was working out at the time,
still with the new jersey nets and the Knicks, right,
and then I go to the main draft hotel to
pick up my draft suit, you know, and like I said,
this is me knowing that I wasn't gonna go to
the draft.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
So I go.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Then I like, I take the train to Philly and
then I'm good. I have my draft student and then
I'm not thinking of of it. Uh So, then the
draft day, I go, I don't work out for the Sixers.
But then Comcast, NBA TV all that type of stuff following.
They actually did a piece up with me, h d Rose,
the Lopez Twins and stuff the night before the draft.
(12:07):
So then next thing, you know, we go, I meet
with all the front office and stuff with the Sixers
and then I come back home. So I'm at the house.
I have all my family, my friends and close you know, love.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Who's there who give me some names man, mom, Duke's in.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
The house, Like I said, my mom, my brother, my grandparents, Uh,
you know, have my aunts and uncles and then you
know just some close friends.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Are you are usually like the first in the family
to have this type of success a lot of us
mostly I don't want to assume. So are they looking
like like yo, like we've never seen this before?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, at this type of level was?
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I mean, I have some that were like actors and
one played in Brooklyn. I had some that were lawyers
and stuff like that, but never kind of on like
that type of stage. So, like I said, like, I'm
just you know, pacing myself and it's a long day,
you know, humbly, you know, and that.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I'm trying to be in another room. Everybody else espnists
on the whole day.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
We're listening to guys like yourself and all them analysts
talking about who should go here, we should go there,
all that type of stuff. So as time goes on,
like I said, I ended up. I put I put
my suit on. I act like what color is j
New York? So it was like metallic silver with with
yellow with yellow and then like a yellow and metallic.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Uh tie it as kind of flying. Man, i'mna have
to send me. I'm gonna have to.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
We have to.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
We're gonna have to put a picture on here showing
that John.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
I was flying.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Uh So yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
So then as time goes on, and like I said,
like we had the TV in the family room and
I'm just in the kitchen, and I had my agent there.
At the time, I had signed with Leon Rose, and
then I was off with Andre Buck as well. Who's PJ.
Tucker's agent and stuff. So so like I said, we're
just there and everyone just likes everything going played, and
and like I said, like regardless of anyone where I
(14:00):
got picked, it still feels like a long time, long
day because all the pre shows, all those type of things.
And then like you said, at the time, you know,
David Stern was the commissioner Rest in Peace, and you know,
every time like he goes into the podium, I think
you get five minutes, so they're not five minutes, feels
like twenty five minutes.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And like I said, I.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Remember, you know, the eleventh pick I think was the
Portland Trail Blazers and they took Jared Bayless and I remember,
and like you said, like you said every like you
a new in the beginning of the night or beginning
of the day. It was gonna either be between twelve
and then like you said, like it could be the
end of the first round. And like I said, it
(14:44):
all depends on the team's needs. Sometimes it's not about
the best player. It's about do we need a big,
do we need a guard? Do we need a three minute?
So did you have a pick?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
JT? Did you have did you have like a team?
So Portland Dartner told me they were drafting me in
New Jersey. I went in the day before the draft
and worked out with New Jersey and Lawrence Frank and
Dang I forget the GM. They looked me dead in
my face and were like, why should we draft you? Like,
why should we draft you? Are you ready? Like like
pretty much like you're coming here. Nick Mick Miller was
(15:14):
like like put me in the office, was like, hey,
I've never seen nothing like bro JT. No, Lie, I
was win milling to step in from the free throw
line like I was like, I'm going to port Like
I'm going to Portland, Like you know what I'm saying, So,
did you have a team kind of like I'm kind
of good. I'm going there. I'm going there.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
So like, yeah, in between the draft workouts, I had
a few injuries that I didn't obviously talk about. I
tried to play through it. I might have canceled some workouts.
It's because so I can get healthy to go. I
had one of the most workouts in that draft. But
like I said, sometimes I was getting going back to
those teams, Warriors, Kings, couple of other teams that they
(15:51):
told me to come back and they're like, yo, don't
even tell your family. Was like, Yo, don't tell your family,
nothing like that, like we don't want no one. So,
like I said, so it makes sense on that. And
then like I said, I just remember David Stern going
to the podium. I remember my agent like fulping me,
like yo, yo. I'm not sure, but it might be
I'm like yo, man, I'm like yo, man like and
(16:12):
I'm like, I said, my kitchen at my house, like yo,
maybe I stop playing me. He's going down on what
And then like you said, never forget as long as
I live, man, you know. With the twelve pick, the
Sacrament of King select Jason Thompson.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
With a twelve pick in the two thousand and eight
NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Jason Thompson from Writer University.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I just remember all the people telling me, man, like
what you going to do when it happens.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I'm like, yo, I might.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Take my shirt off, run down the street. I had
no idea, just a wholy emotions. Is all the hard
work you put in as a kid and everyone telling
you that, like, yo, be realistic with your goals and stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
It just all just hit you at once. You know,
on YouTube it goes I hugged my brother, my family,
jumping up and down. I try to get some fresh
year in the whole neighborhood outside like going crazy. Yeah,
it was lit, man, it was lit.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
And then eventually we go get the limo and then
we had one of the sports bars about maybe like
ten minutes away.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
It was crazy. Man.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
It took me like an hour to even get inside
the draft party. People from a high school, college, family, friends.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
It was.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It was something to people still talk about it, man,
every time I go like in that area.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
So it was it's a blessing.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
You got to be one of the first guys I
want to say, you're the of the guys we've talked
to You're like the highest draft pick by far. That
was at the crib. Everybody else was a green room guy.
And you you don't get an invite and you go
high and you're at the cryp.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
So once you got it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
You see, I was at the ESPN Zon. I was
the fiftieth picks. I was sitting there mad, like I'm
gonna bust him up. When I see him, I got like,
you're jumping up and down. You at the crib. That's
a legendary. So no more draft. I got drafted. We
watched our deal, We out of here, We to the club.
What what happened?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Nah?
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I mean honestly, it was like I said, we were
at that party like for a long long time.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
I think also too, which is crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Like that same Lemo that we called up, we actually
went to like Atlantic City was probably from there. It's
like forty minutes. We had no idea, no plane, no
nothing that we were gonna do. We just took it
there and was going to to ac Man and then
like I said, you come back, and then we had
a plane to go straight to Sacramento right in the morning.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Who's the who's the first phone call? You got from
the King's Organization, because I remember, for me, I was mad. JC.
I don't know if I told you, bro I was
drafted during a commercial. My dad told me. He was like,
you got drafted. I thought my dad was just jiving.
I was like, man, stop it, man. And I saw
everybody started celebrating. I was like, oh, I did, like
(19:01):
you know, but like and then I'm upset, obviously fiftyth pick.
Next thing I know, I'm on the phone with Michael Jordan. Man,
I'm on the phone with the goat man. So who
was that. Who was that first call? And was it
like oh gosh, like from celebration to like, all right,
let's get let's get to Hooper, like this is real.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I think from what I remember, I think it was
Jeff Petree talking to them and a couple of other guys.
I think at the time he was the president and
the GM of the team, so we're just talking to him.
He was really excited. I think I got to talk
to Reggie Thias, who was the head coach at the
time as well, too, and they just were, you know,
(19:41):
they loved how my work ethic and how well I
did in the workout and stuff, and like I said that,
this was when they invited me the second time. Man,
I was like, yo, you ain't gonna make no mistake
of bringing me back again.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Yeah, yeah, you know, put.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
My footprint on it. So you know, like the rest
is issue.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Okay, how about okay, you get drafted and obviously we
want to skip past league because you still some league.
For those who don't know, you're still there with the
young guys. It's not really the NBA, but it's kind
of like, hey, this is where your bags are, this
is where your stuff is. Talk to me.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
But even in that, even then though the Summer League,
I feel like the Summer League didn't still because you
still had guys that were Vets that still played. So
I still felt like because even my time it was
Spencer Hall's played, Sheldon Williams played like, there's still some
guys on my team and they were bigs that were there.
So I just remember and bringing that up, that's why
(20:31):
I sapped. You can bring it up. So I think
the first game he played, we played the Trail Blazers
and it was against Baylists in there and I and
at the I got a bucket at the buzzer and
we beat the blazing So I was. I was, and
like I said, it wasn't a thing of Yo, you
should have picked me on eleven because I mean they
had they had Portland had a squad, so they needed
(20:52):
to guard. But like I said that, I remember that because,
like I said, I hit it jone at the buzzer
against them, and like I said, that was the perform me.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
You're like, I'm popping. I'm on, I'm more.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Let's get it Philly, Hey, Philly, Philly in Jersey Lit.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
All right, what about talk to me man that when
you do get to that camp, so you kind of
do your thing. I know, the buzz now now that's
dangerous now because the buzz is there from some of
league like oh he hit the game winner, man, rookies on,
talk to me about you know kind of if people
don't understand, it's like the first day of school. You know,
you go in, you have media day, you're taking your
(21:30):
pictures and you're seeing some of the veterans. You're seeing
for the first time. Like Yo, where he been. He
ain't been at none of the workouts. He's showing up
directly been camp. So talk to me about that kind
of first day at the school, experienced what it was
like your first year.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Well, one thing I did was when I did go
to because it was in Vegas. We had a camp
even before in Sack So before we had the camp
in Sack to go to Vegas, I got my house
and I just wanted to get comfortable of the city
and that's sure to let them know, like I'm serious
about this and let's get stuff done. But like you said,
the training camp, man was at the time, we had
(22:06):
bets like Brad Miller, Bobby Bobby Jackson but that was
his last year playing, Mikey Moore, Francisco Garcia, and Kevin
Martin to name a few, And like I said, man,
we had, we had a lot of talent. It just
was unfortunate. I think we got off to a solid start.
But then you know, with injuries and things like that.
(22:28):
You know, eventually coach Dias had got h had got
fired and it we changed. And like I said, that
was pretty much the whole type of you know, a
current reoccurrence with the organization which was changed. And the
more you think about it, you had to trust the
process with Philadelphia, with Brent Brown, and it wasn't really
(22:49):
his fault where they had losing seasons, but he still
was the coach. So at least if you have that
and you had most of the similar teammates, you could
still build off of it. We weren't able to build
because you change ownerships, you change coaches each.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
And every year.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I mean Michael Malone was one of our coaches and
was fired and now look have his successful he's having now.
And like I said, it's not a shot. It's just
like I said, it might be fit, it might be
differences at the top. So you know, those type of
things are very clear now as you're older and you
experience it, and then you can be able to understand
how things are supposed to go rather than how they did.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Yeah, and for those who don't know, NBA's professional sports
and every team is different. I went from the Bobcats
and we didn't even have a regional sports deal. To listen,
an NBA team didn't have a regional sports deal. We
were that young, so there wasn't no like Fox Sports
West or Balley Sports and then national TV games and
I was like, what is this Sunday game? Or are
(23:47):
all these people here? I'm on ABC? Now? Like what
you and the real NBA now. So I say that
to say for a young player, when you have multiple coaches,
you know, inconsistency. You go from saying, hey, JT, we
want you to be a mid range shooter to hey, man,
we want you to be a shop blocker, or we
(24:08):
want you to be a three point shooter. And you
have a summer or a new general matter. You have
a summer to kind of develop or a training camp
to give coach what he wants. So the longevity or
the inconsistencies for a young guy is extremely tough. And
then you know you're trying to find your way. So
that's a good point. All right, stay tuned, guys, A
(24:28):
young JT. The kid learned a lesson from his veterans.
And I don't this is what you got to see. Man,
I was laughing. He can laugh now about it. We'll
tell you what happens coming up next on NBA Rooky Lifey,
(24:52):
you came in for the NBA ready and you certified. Now,
a lot of young guys we ain't quite certified. They
don't like to kind of bring this up, man, But
did you have that that welcome to the NBA moment?
Did you have someone that just busted you up, or
did you have a og a somebody that you like. Man,
you know what, all due respect, I don't want to
say he weak. Nobody's weak, but kind of like I'm
younger than him, I got him that kind of just
(25:12):
gave you the business. Like dog, I always tell people, listen,
o'della Harrington gave me the business on the other side
of the rim. I looked up one time Marvin Williams
was was skying over and duncan I'm a second lad
on a rotation like that? Okay, this NBA is a
little different. Did you have somebody that kind of or
a moment where you're like, okay, dog, like I gotta
(25:34):
I gotta get better. This NBA is a little tougher
than I thought.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, I think it's just like the mentality that I had.
I always was like, you know what, I was cool.
I was gonna be able to fit in with a squad,
and you know, like I said, I had a lot
of events that I even kind of looked up to
because I'm such a basketball junkie.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
We had Brad Miller, who was an All Star with
the Pacer. We had Kenny Thomas who was with the
Rock It's you know, for for a long period of time,
and listen to the playoffs for a long time. We had
Mikey Moore who was with that Jason Kidd next team
that went to the finals. If I'm not mistaken, Yeah, So,
(26:13):
like I said, these are guys and then like I said,
Spencer Halls was young, but like I said, these are
all guys that I'm going through in practice, and they're like, man,
I'm not letting this young brook take my spot. So
like I said, I can't say anything in particular with that,
but they definitely tried to humble me, regardless of the
success that I was having. I think that in my
first game I had, I came off the bench and
(26:34):
I had a double double, and like I said, like
that was something that I was gonna try and do.
It's crazy that I tried to understand it now, right,
I was humble enough to be able to be confident
in my game where you know, I always knew someone
was going to try and take my spot, but it
never really happened.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Ice Wall and college and stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
So now as I'm trying to make a name for myself,
I'm looking at it now and those guys are like, man,
I'm not having this young dudedude, you know what I mean.
So Bobby Jackson one of the times, so one of
the things we had we had to get at least
ten lifts in the season, and I had not. But
also I had rookie duties get the breakfast, the bagels
(27:13):
and all that type of stuff. So what I tried
to do was I was trying to be on time
to get the lift in. I gave money to one
of the secretaries and to get the stuff because I
couldn't do both at the same time, and I was
gonna get fine for both. So I was like, let
need to kill two birds in one stone. So what
she did was she got the stuff, comes through the
weight room and then and Bobby goes, Yo, why are
(27:34):
you coming there with the stuff? So long story short,
we go, I have practice and stuff. I come outside
and I have popcorn in my car.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Now, JT. I think we we we may have some
footage of this, JT. We may I think I think
we have something that might jog your memory.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
I love you.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Putting the story out, JT. Because you're taking us right
into it. Actually, So let's go to.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It and it with the popcorn in there too. Walk,
I got popcorn.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Popcorn whipping.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
There's like there's like literally so much popcorn you can't
even get in the car.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
I don't understand, like shampood the carpet and everything, and.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
You know, I think this is three days now that
we haven't had bagels when we come into practice. And
he's always he never brings scream cheese. He always expects
stream cheets to last for about a month. So he
got it. You know, he had it coming.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So do you know who's responsible for this?
Speaker 6 (28:40):
I do?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Can you disclose that information? No, you bought it out?
Look at the good non JT, Like you're telling walk,
walk me through it?
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Man?
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Hold on looking? Did you start to realize the look
is on your He's like, why are there cameras out here?
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Right? I was like yo, I was like, what are
they doing? And I got a fresh package from Nike.
I got stuff falling off the box. I'm pissed. Look
and Dana went the secretary. Y'all they're gonna spence Yo.
It was crazy, man. I was sick Spence being being spenced.
Of course, my god, they know man, you got a
(29:28):
young brook byby Brown good dude, man, good dude.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Yeah. I was pissed, man, I was pissed.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
I just know that I wasn't cleaning it and like
I said, now I'm messing out my plans and all
that type of stuff.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
So the name so Dana sold you out that hey JT,
you know, didn't want to do his rookie duty and
he gave me the money. So Dana sold you out
pretty much.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Man. I mean I came through the weight room and
then got me so and like I said, I don't
remember this ever happened or being viral at the time.
So this went like crazy and then you started seeing
guys in the league get it done to them. But
uh yeah, I definitely I could, you know, maybe, look,
I don't believe. I'm like yeah, I'm like, yo, I know,
(30:15):
they don't think I'm trying to clean this stuff. Man.
So we got somebody, one of the car dealer guys
that cleaned it up for me, and, like I said,
messed up a couple of hours.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Man, my day.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Look at the flip phone.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Man, I was sick.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
What did you learn from this?
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Man?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I don't, I don't. I haven't seen anything like this
from the young rookies now and you have some super
og veterans, and I think, if I'm not mistaken, you
know you had three times to kind of do what
you're supposed to do as a young rook you ain't
doing what you're supposed to do. Man, So what was
going on?
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Man?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
What was the after?
Speaker 3 (30:51):
I mean, like I said, that's why I kind of
bring up the story like me being a lottery picking,
being a guy that was kind of a threat, I
guess to my teammates in a way, my god, John Samer,
you know they put they put me in check. Uh
And like I said, they just made me do a
little bit more than you know, Dante or Bobby or
all those type of things, you know what I mean.
(31:12):
So you know they wanted me to. If anything, it
was more of a learning experience of just being like, hey,
you need to mature a little bit more fastive if
you're going to try and help this team out. So
in a way, I look at it, and you can
look at it when you're older and be like it's
a learning experience. You know, humble yourself, rook you know
they're going to bet right there. The Govt.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
They're like y'all like you.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Know, humble yourself. Yeah, you still got some time to
take some of our minutes. That's how I took it.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, man, it's a it's a lifelong fraternity. And for
those who don't know, it's not just like we're gonna
mess with the rook It's like, you know, we're not
gonna fight you, We're not gonna beat you up. But
it's like humble you. You know, like you know, pay your
dues and a lot of times for any of you
young rookies that happen to be watching this, when they
ask you to do something, just do what the veterans
(32:02):
ask you and have a good attitude about it. But
if you kind of like me, I don't want to
do that, I'm bigger than that, they're gonna mess with you.
And clearly you know they got you in a major way.
So did you feel that, like, hey, next time y'all
asked me to do something, I'm doing it.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
I mean, like I said, I just made my planning
a little bit different. It was my first time. You know,
I'm three thousand miles away from home, so not knowing
where stuff is and stuff and like I said, learning
experience something I definitely wasn't laughing then, but I can
laugh about it now.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Hey, how much? How much was the bill to get
this cleaned up?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
It was definitely a couple of hunting, man, definitely a
couple of hundred. But you know, like I said, they're
trying to take my rookie pockets and they knew I
had it too, So you know, like I said, they
all learning experience, man, all learning experience.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
But it's on there all right?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
We all right with JT. Let's officially get into it man,
the NBA Rookie Life Film Room. This is our favorite
part of the show Man. We need we need coach JT.
So we want to know what's going on the mentality.
If I'm a player, how do I get better? If
I'm a coach? What were the reds going on? But
you are one of the rare NBA players who have
had a twenty twenty ball game, JT. And I realized
(33:16):
one of your o g's from the popcorn incident is
on the floor. Spencer was a part of this game.
So was this a little personal seeing Spence on this
side and walk me through this?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Man?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Yeah, I mean this is definitely a time where it
was uh, what was in Live City, man. So the
Clippers got a lot of buzz, and you know, with
all the things with Sack, you just never knew if
you were going to have another season, you know in
Sacramento and stuff. So you know, you always, you know,
would highlight these type of games and just just go
at it. So and I allow an some people from
from home, you know, come in town to say they
(33:51):
brought me a little bit of.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Do As a matter of fact, hold on, JT, you tripping.
I forgot I'm on the floor with you.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yeah, I know, j T.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
That's about I'm true. We both started this game. I
was the part of your career high Yeah, yeah, so
I was. I was like, I thought you knew that. Yeah,
Roy Hollin is with me, man.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Heven, hold on, what on? Jay Z?
Speaker 1 (34:12):
My man, this is supposed to be your motive. This
was like a payback game. So if you don't remember,
I think Cousin was out me and you started and
because it was the Clippers, I was like, JT, we're
about to get the game.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Popping now for show for a show now. Man. But
like you said, you take it.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
You take advantage of your opportunity at all points at
all times, and like I said that this was something
and everything was flowing. How about Jason to turn to
rebounds for toxing?
Speaker 1 (34:40):
He has been to.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Start a half and then, you know, because as talented
as he is, man, you know, when he wasn't on
the floor, you know, you get a little bit, a
couple more more opportunities what I once did before he
got to the team.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Another center to play another way.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
How about that a twenty.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
One point game and a twenty one rebound game for
j C.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Thompson.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Then he didn't feel like didn't have to do a.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
Lot offensive lads, But we again, Jason Thompson started the
game out standing, and it's gonna finish.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
It that way.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
J T. Give me the ball back, man, give me
the ball back. DC was gonna take care of you.
But no, this was my first time playing the Clippers
after being there for two years. So I came out.
I'm out of elbowed Blake the first player. DJ, you know,
got into a scrum with Turgerlu and I remember you
rode out because I was j C. Do you remember
they were trying to elbow me, hit me and JT
(35:33):
was I full with JT. JT riding with me.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
Let's go all day. And I was gonna say that
was right on Spence too, right over Spence's head.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Get five.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Is there anything else you remember about this game?
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Man?
Speaker 1 (35:45):
But that's what I loved.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
We went from being two guys who maybe didn't play
as much at this part of our career, of playing
one on one and staying ready, and you had a big,
you know, twenty twenty game, bro, I do j JT.
I don't know if I'm tripping. I should have noticed
myself on the film and your clip, man, but you know,
talk to me about just staying ready and like, like
I said, you always having an opportunity, You're gonna be a.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Double double walking Yeah, I mean, uh, you know I
was able to, like I said, start off my career
coming off the bench, and then was a starter for
most of my career. And I became more I guess,
a defensive guy to help the team and stuff like that.
So less shots, but just I was efficient. I was
gonna at least shoot fifty to fifty five percent from
the field, get to the line and finish in the paint.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
C JT. I noticed, i'mna just throw a little shot
out there.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Man.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
You you you had that double double, but you know
the assists. You could have dropped it to your boy
a couple of times. Man, you got the points.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You know. I'm not mad.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
I'm not mad at you, though you were. You were
definitely rolling, man, But this was this is a.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Get what your man d C was there, so lo
KEI I was even gonna pass it to him or you,
and then he passes back.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
You should have gave it to you. I got under guy.
DC Man. Such a good dude too, man, really good.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Yeah, shout out d C Man doing a doing an
excellent job here. Man. And we got to talk to kings.
Let's stay Kings, like I'm gonna mention you you have
played the most games. I'm gonna say this again, the
most games as any Sacramento king in history, the most
by far. So that's an accomplishment. So I want you
to talk a little bit about one of the young
(37:20):
fellas over there, man Keegan Murray. He was in the
running for Rookie of the Year. Man had himself a
heck of a rookie season. So we got his uh
some some some players here from Keegan, and we want
to see you break down man, what makes him special?
What makes him tick? What do you like about his game?
And why did he have the success? What? What don't
we know about Keegan Murray that you were able to see?
(37:41):
We asked him coach coach j T j T to
coach here man.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Yeah, I was watching you know, Sacramento a lot this
year from AFAR and I think you know with him,
the confidence that the team had in him. They believed
in him. You know, he can really shoot the ball.
You can see how he was in and like I said,
they're like, yo, if you're open and you and you
work on your game or not that you can be
able to shoot the ball.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
We have confidence.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
So that's that's the start right there, especially as a rookie.
And and like you said, he has decide to be
able to go into the paint too. But he's ready
to play. He's not afraid of contact. Right there, finishes
in the paint. And like I said, they got to
play him up because of his three point shooting ability.
So then he drove past him and can finish in
the paint.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
And here's Fox.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Over the Murray for the record, Murray em blazing himself
into the history books.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
I got your kind of body.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
You know, that's here ooh playing without the ball, and
like you said, you got They don't think that he's
doing an athletic but like he said, want surprise you
right over his head somebody.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
And like I said, this is what in basketball is
not talked about that much as playing without the ball.
Everybody wants the ball, either pick and rolling stuff or
playing without the ball is very important. And he snugged
like a duck in there. And like I said, transition,
Like you said, he's not only just running to the
three point line. He's able to finish at the rim
and with contact. He's not afraid to go to the
(39:11):
rim like back in the day where most shooters you're
just only spotting up.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Is there anybody like a player that he reminds you
of watching? You know? Is there anybody like man he's
similar to you know six saight, you know, doesn't look
that athletic, but clearly like you said, more athletic high IQ.
You know, great size and strength for a rookie. Is
there anybody like a comp that you maybe remember playing
(39:35):
against it? So when you didn't it's tough to say.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
I really want to say, it's somewhat Mellow is a
little bit, you know, Like.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I said, I'm not saying it, but I'm not saying
it's like I'm not saying that, I'm saying similar game,
you know, with a side right from size, scalability.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Handling the ball.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
I'm not saying that he's you know, a faceome guy
on first ballot Hall of Famer or something like that.
But if I have to pick someone off the fly,
I think of kind of mellow. Of like you said,
he has the old school game in the way he
can still shoot, he can you know, drive, He finishes
at a high level too. And like I said, my
thing with Mellow too is is he wasn't the most
(40:15):
wild guy, but he was he.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Bouncing where Where's kind of like a ceiling. I don't
like to give a sealing to guys, but kind of
like like, where could he go? Because right now we
see him, you know, playing within the Florida offense, you know,
taking his shots. You know, because obviously from front office
standpoints are going, hey, man, where can we project with
this guy? People don't know, like you said, they're always
(40:37):
looking for a young guy to you know, hey, does
he need a bigger role? Does he need a smaller role.
We're always being evaluated as players. What do you see
of where he can go because he gets off like this,
this is a rookie year JT.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
I mean I think that you know, right now he's
with the third or fourth option in the team in
his rookie year. So I mean, for sure, I'm not
sure if he's a guy like you said, it's going
to be the number one. He may be his number
two guy, depending on if it's you know, durability and
things like that too. But like I said, I think
that sometimes it's not about him being the best player
on the floor. You know, it's just playing his role,
(41:12):
but then playing at that high level and you can
develop him and make him get better and all the
clips that we've seen all in his rookie year and
make sure they're maturing and being smart and reading the
defense and watching film and stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
I just feel sky is the limit. And then like
I said, he's being able to be a king for
a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
You'll laugh, man. When I was in Sack, I wanted
to eat with some family and they were this restaurant
owner comes out and he's like, I know who you are.
I'm like, okay, how you doing. Nice to meet you.
He's like no, no, no, I know you. And I'm like,
all right, cool, he's Keegan. I was like, no, he's
(41:51):
like Keegan. And I'm like, I guess he could be
a little cousin and son.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Babe, are you telling me like this year?
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Yeah, because you know with the rockets, Yeah, I'm glad
you can mistake me for you know.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Yeah, they're gonna say we all we all look alike.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Man, thank you, j thank you, man, thank you. I
will be a mistaken man. You are gonna hear one
cool story from from the Kings playoff win. The drought
is over and JT was actually there in the building. Man,
he has some cool stuff to say, stay too next
on it be a real life all right, all right,
(42:42):
JT Man. For me, this was emotional to watch because
I had a lot of love for Sack in the city.
I did get a chance to go up JT for
forgive me if you didn't get to see it and
kind of see the arena prior, but you were obviously
still playing and I had like fully, so there there's
a different But the drought had ended. The team got
(43:05):
to the playoffs, the inconsistency seemed to have gone away.
And for Sack, you were there. You were part of
this man. You got to see this as long as
Senior King talked me through the emotions. As you watch
this man late to be six one thousand one lasers
(43:30):
piercing the atmosphere over Sacramento tonight, I felt this moment, JT.
So I know there was a lot going you know,
I think you were even there, if I'm not mistaken,
So talk to me about what you're seeing here and
what this.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Yeah, yeah, I was, course, I man, it was. It
was one just crazy to just be in downtown area,
you know, with when we played it was Arco Arena
and it was in the toonement, so away from downtown.
So downtown you only really just went, you know, just
to go eat and socialize and stuff. So now you
have that, you know, a special that team in that area.
(44:03):
So you know, once I went in that area, then
you know, like the fans was just going crazy. I
hadn't been there, uh you know since you know, since
I played my last game. Well I was with Warriors,
but like I said, before the arena was built, so
it was a lot of emotions of one going back
to the organization one seeing the new arena and seeing
all the new stuff over there too. So like I said,
(44:25):
it was it was well deserved for the fans. Man,
they deserved that arena. They deserve to have a team.
It was a long time coming with them one getting
to the playoffs and then you know they didn't get
to win the series, but having you know, being able
to win that those first two games, man, was was electric. Man,
you couldn't even hear yourself talk, and they showed love.
But put me on the jumbo tron and the fans
(44:48):
and uh, you know, like I said, man, it was
a it was a good feeling because you know, I
put a lot of blood, sweating tears in that organization,
and the gardless of all the stuff that had happened,
you know, that team still has a lot of you
know in my heart and stuff like that too.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
So I'm glad to see them going.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Well, what were the emotions you had when you got
put on a jumble truck? Because sometimes you're like, man,
I might go, I might not go. It's a little weird,
like cause like this is like a high school sweetheart.
See JC, I had ninety ferteens bro. You kind of
like you're a king Bro. You're like the like you're
like walk frasier for the next like kings Bro. Like
(45:26):
you are like like a guy like you know, so
what were those emotions cause you don't really know how
you're going to respond to you are on a jumbo
tron or you are seeing what emotions kind of hit you?
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Did?
Speaker 1 (45:39):
You was there a little a little a little tear
up a little kind of like that a they rock
with me?
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Man?
Speaker 3 (45:45):
It just it just was a whole lot, you know,
I just you know, it's just starting from where it
was my rookie year into year you know seven with
them and you know, like I said, seeing Signed Lady
and all the people that would die hards fans from
you know, from from the glory days to the days
I was there. And then like I said, it was
(46:06):
more emotion too because I played with the Warriors as well,
and I can kind of relate to them more because
all those guys in Miaim, you know, Steph and Clay
and dre uh you know Looney, you know we're all in.
We're all on those with all the team. When you know,
when I was there, so like I said, Man, it
(46:27):
was just a lot of emotion from both sides. But
like I said, it was all love from both organizations
and uh, like I said, man, it just it's just
like I said, it wasn't it was so hard to
describe hollow well, but like I said, it was a
lot of most of.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
J no thug, no thug tears, no tug man.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
I appreciate it, brother, But before you get out of here, man,
one thing. We appreciate your time and supporting us here
on NBA Rookie Life, Ryan Hollins. But where can the
fans get behind you j T. You in the community.
You got a lot of projects, you got stuff going,
so give us the full rundown of where we can
rent with you and help you out. And those who
or are watching this that want to support any project
(47:12):
that you have moving forward.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
I appreciate that. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:14):
So, like we talked about before, I still got on
all the I G and twitters, j T, the kids,
j T, T, H E K, I D. Also I
have lived like JT is a nonprofit in my foundation
which is called the Jason Thompson Foundation, so ww dot
(47:34):
Jason Thompson Foundation dot com. I have different events from Thanksgiving,
the Christmas to Bike events, and also my annual camp
that's in August. And then I just opened up a
business in this past Saturday which is called Hydrate Ivy
Therapy and Wellness, which is i V, which is an
(47:55):
I V and wellness center that has to do with
like I said, b twelves nynesium zinc and just like
I said, not just for athletes when people are having
pre and post surgeries, and like I said, man, it's
just something that I'm excited about.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Congratulations Bro, well A JT. I appreciate you. You've been
my dog.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Shoot.
Speaker 1 (48:14):
I didn't seen you. I didn't like playing against you,
but love playing with you, and none but respect for
your career. And you know, I think it's cool we're
on that second chapter where we can look back and
appreciate it. Especially. I'm glad that you got your flowers
in Sacramento. Bro, I was there with you. How I
know your heart's in sack no matter what, and I'm
glad you got you got your flowers this year. Bro.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
I appreciate you man, thank you for having me on
the show.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
Appreciate you guys for being here and hanging with us.
Good stuff there, from Jason Thompson on NBA Ricky Life.
But guys, we are so thankful for you. We cannot
do it without you, So make sure you just give
us a simple you know, subscribe like follow, spread the word,
let us know what you like, let us know the
things that we can do better here on NBA Ricky
Life with Ryan Hollins. But love you guys, and guess
what I will see you next week. Foo
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