April 30, 2024 • 57 mins
Brian's guest today is former professional basketball player and Lob City legend, Blake Griffin. The six-time NBA All-Star discusses his youth as a three-sport phenom, how he learned he would be selected as the #1 draft pick by the Clippers, and the excitement and heartbreak of play-off basketball. Plus, Blake details his retirement plans for keeping busy in the world of film and TV production.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I remember putting on you know, Oklahoma, you never wear
pants during the summer is so hot, and I remember
I put it like at our school, you had to
wear pants at private school. And I put on my
lash previous year's pants. I was like, Oh, he's not
gonna work.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hi everyone, my name is Blake Griffin and I have
been Brian's idle for upwards of thirteen years now. So enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Welcome back, one and all.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
This is Off the Beat and I am, as always
your Off the Beat host Brian Bomgartner my guest today, Well,
he could absolutely dunk on you because he is one
of the best dunkers in NBA history. As you just heard,
I have the Blake Griffin on the show with me today.
(01:03):
He is a former member of Lob City, the Los
Angeles Clippers, as well as a member of the Detroit Pistons,
Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics. But as a kid, he
could have his pick playing either football, baseball, basketball. He's
just an all around athlete who luckily chose to grace
the NBA with his prowess. He is a power forward,
(01:27):
extraordinary and extremely funny guy and a pretty medium golfer,
if I do say so myself. So I guess when
I said great athlete, he's a mid athlete at golf.
That's fine. He's got plenty of strings. I have had
the good fortune of getting to know Blake over the
past decade or so. He taught me how to dunk
(01:49):
back in twenty eleven. So I'm glad that you're going
to get to know him today. Here he is Blake, Griffin.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And squeak.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Bubble and Squeakna, bubble and squeak. I cook at every mon.
Lift over from the ninety boat.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
What's up?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Look at you in a little professional booth over there.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I mean, you know, I am nothing if not professional.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
That is true. That's what they say.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I mean, that is what they say. Thanks for dressing
up for me today. Now, I just sent you a photo.
We had this conversation this week twenty eleven. Yeah, twenty eleven,
Blake and I shot something for a series of specials
I was doing on NBC.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I will share it on social media. I just sent
you that photo. I feel like my form is pretty good,
Like I feel like I'm down there.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Can I just take a look again? Just to yeah
you can warm. Do you maybe honest? Or you want
me to just do the thing where I'm like, yeah, yeah,
it looks good.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I want you to be honest.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Okay, the ball, you just got the ball way too
close to me.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I think that's the I think that's this perspective of
the cale.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah yeah, probably just the angle. I don't know what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I think that's just the angle.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, okay, listen, you you know what,
why don't you just join a team for the playoffs
and see if see if they need some help.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I mean, if you considered calling them, just throw out
a line like Tom Brady, like, I mean, if anyone
calls I'm here, yeah, maybe really.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You know, maybe no, I'm finish, You're done, I'm done, done, done.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
All right, Well we're gonna we're gonna talk about that.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I saw very clever by the way on social media
that you had to retire to finally get a trophy.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I was just with Blake this last weekend in Las
Vegas the Win Hotel for the eight AM Golf Championship
Invitational Celebrity Celebrity Ternament featuring Justin Timberlake. Yeah, I think
that's the title of it, eight am Golf. They certainly
(04:20):
are a lot of fun. I had fun playing with you.
How is it playing with me?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
It was? It was, man, I'm almost at a loss
for words. It was a very surreal. It was a
beautiful experience, It really was.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It was.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I mean, we had so much fun. How it works,
it's like for people who don't know, you play with
a different group, front nine and back nine. So we
played the back nine of day one and boy, let
me tell you, things went off the rails. It was fun, man,
so much fun.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
And Blake and Chandler Parsons ended up winning the Chance
Beach Chip. Now, did you come down hard down the stretch?
Is that what happened? Because I thought you were out
of it at that point. I mean, after playing with
you on day one, I thought, yeah, they don't have
the staying power. I mean, I don't mean that anyway
except exactly how it sounded.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, yeah, I just meant it in the worst way possible. Thanks,
and I appreciate that. Thanks for clarifying that. Actually either way.
So we started out the front nine of day two,
I mean we were we were second place after day one.
Day two, well, we played solid on the on the
first day Day two, the front nine was rough because
(05:37):
we got strokes. We had, you know, the bogie with
the max you could take for what hast to play
and all that. There was a couple holes where we
stroked and those were like our bogie holes, so we
actually got to put in a par got it. So
that helped. And then the last two holes par five
and the part four birdie birdie, but birdie for eagle
(06:00):
because we stroked. So we ended up like we were
like two under on the front nine and then we
ended up six under on the front nine. So it
was kind of like our strokes really helped.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
To be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Yeah, I mean for those of you who need strokes,
I get it. I understand that that's you were good.
That that's how it worked. Here's the here's the thing.
So Jimmy fallon playing with tournament host, I think we
can safely say that if we don't have the title
right tournament host justin Timberlake, I feel like everyone wanted
(06:35):
them to win. Now is that just a perception thing
on my part or no?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Well, so they technically did you know, they were like
thirty minus thirty two hunder. But they don't. They weren't
gonna they weren't going to accept a win, like they
weren't going to win their own thing. Oh yeah, they won.
They beat us like five strokes.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Okay, I thought, so this, now this is starting to
make way more sense because I thought they had an
insurmountable lead.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, we wouldn't have. I mean, we wouldn't. We got
a sniffed.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Actually, then that legitimizes the whole thing to me a
little bit more that you guys actually did it. You know,
there was you know, Justin got hurt. There was people
hitting shots for him. I mean, you know, there was
a whole thing going on. Well, congratulations, How did it
feel the moment you were handed that trophy, Blake, How
did it feel one.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Of the biggest sporting accomplishments of my life? Yeah, fig
it actually did. Because we were tied with the guys
who were leading, Archie and Adrian Gonzales. We were tied
with them going into eighteen. They were already finished and
we popped them the last hole as well, So we
were like, all we got to do is get a
ball in the green and two putt Part three last week.
(07:46):
So and we both got laying on the green, picked
a better putt, two putted for the win, and felt good.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Congratulations, Thanks man.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I feel like you're it feels like you're saying that,
but you don't quite need Maybe.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
No, I'm happy.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I had a great time playing with you. Let me
let me ask you this. Let me ask you this.
Who's the slowest call for that?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Uh, I know some slow ones. Yeah, do you think
I'm up there? Are you about to set up something here?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Well, I wasn't gonna set it up. I was just
gonna say it. I mean, whoever you think is slow,
you're slower. Okay, let's be let's be clear about it. Yeah,
I mean I think so. All right, Well, but you
know what you're really what you punish us with slowness,
you get back in fun.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
So I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, that's the thing. I gotta work on it. Nobody's
ever told me that. So I'll get faster next year.
I'm gonna play in my co like an hour thirty.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Maybe so much. You're just gonna You're just gonna run.
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
There was a lot of It's the first tournament I've
ever played in that that shirts came off around the course.
It was uh, well, it was it was it was fun,
it was very it was Let me ask you a question.
I want to get back into your beginnings, but I
do want to ask you this. Are you the most
(09:14):
powerful dunker since Shack?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I mean there's like, okay, so let's go through. There's Dominique, Wilkins,
Sean Camp, shack On obviously, but Shacks was like, I
mean he's so powerful, and I guess Earlyiam's career got
up pretty high, but he was like true big man,
want to hand, you know, just as ran as hard
as possible. I think Dominique and Sean Camp both like
(09:40):
jumped really high.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes, and they.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Were super powerful.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
So I don't know, I'm Sean Kemp. That's a that's
a good one. I mean Barkley no, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
But he just didn't like like no one thinks of
Barkley and thinks dunks. No, he obviously could and he
had some good ones. But like those two Dominique and
Sean Camp, like those two.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Are like Sean Camp, I didn't think of Sean Camp.
That's a good that's a good one there. Yeah, I
mean both well before you, who do you think is
the most powerful man in the game right now now
that you've retired?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Uh Zion, not even close. Yeah, he's like two seventy
maybe to eighty maybe two ninety, have no idea, but like,
and he's like six seven. He's not like super tall.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Is he only six seven?
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, he's not super tall, but I mean how high
he jumps and the force he creates. I took a
charge from him one time three I think I was
in Brooklyn to get charge from him, and he kind
of kicked me in the shin, you know, as a
result of it, right, And I had like a I
had like a lump, like a lump, decide, like half
(10:52):
of a golf ball on my shin, which you think,
like that's just bump. Where where's the bump coming from? Right?
I didn't know I had it for like a month
and a half.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, in hindsight, probably shouldn't have taken the charge. But
you know, well, Bri, I like to put like to
put my body on the line.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Then you know, did you get did you get the call?
I did?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I got charge?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Your your lob City days and the power with which
you played. The game obviously made you incredibly popular because
that's just fun to watch. But like you said, I mean,
you're putting yourself on the line both both as the
aggressor and the receiver at times. And so yeah, I was,
(11:39):
as I knew I was going to talk to you today,
I was wondering if there was anybody else. I mean,
you mentioned Zion, which is obviously a great one that
that you sort of that you feel like plays in
that same way that you did.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, I think like physically it's him. I mean there's
other guys that are pretty physical. But when you like
add in like dunks and like just like you know, Zion,
just like just pure athletics and athleticism, we'll just he'll
beat you.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
How tall are you?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Six nine?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Are you? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Six ten with shoes if you want.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
To, I feel like I'm growing or you're shrinking, because
I feel like I feel like we were kind of close, right.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, maybe maybe we'll let let people decide when they
when they look at that picture. It also could just
be the angle, you know, it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Could No, I think it might just it might have
just been the angle. You grew up in Oklahoma. Your
brother played, you played with him, and uh and and
your dad was a big athlete as well.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
He ran track right At Northwestern Oklahoma.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
He played he played basketball and football.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Basketball and football.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Yeah, dual sport college guy.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Oh that's impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah, he back then they wouldn't let freshmen play on
the varsity, Okay, so he really wanted to play both,
and he was like, I just want to play like.
I don't think he wasn't looking for like and also
back then this was this would have been he went
to college in sixty eight, so like professional sports, you know,
weren't weren't what they are today, right, So I think
(13:16):
he was just like, I just want to play both.
Going to the Northwestern do that? So he yeah, he
had that was actually at home recently that was going
through his old like memorability. He had like multiple forty
rebound games really at like six or four. He was
a center playing six four at sixty four.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Well, you obviously didn't see him do that. I mean,
did he did he play the same way you played?
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Probably, I don't know. I didn't see him play. All
I go off of now is like seeing clips, like
articles like that, and like his teammates selling stories and stuff.
But I knew he I know he can jump out
of the gym. I know that for a fact. But
that's it's kind of all I know.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Exacly, sports was a big part of your life growing up.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Did you grow so? Did you grow tall fast? Were
you big? Early?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I was like always the tallest kid in my gray,
you know, always the tallest one on my team. And
but then like end of my eighth grade year, so
like end of May, I was six one and I
was I guess I just turned fourteen. Yeah, And then
beginning of my freshman year, so two and a half
(14:24):
months later, I was like six six six six six
and a half. So I grew like five and a
half inches and two and a half months, and like
stretch marks on my shoulders, like stretch marks on my hips.
It's like, what was going on? I remember putting on
you know, Oklahoma you never wear pants during the summer
is so hot, and I remember I put it like
(14:45):
at our school, you had to wear pants at private school.
And I put on my lash previous year's pants, and
I was like, Oh, he's not gonna work.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not gonna work. You played baseball, I heard first
base something else we have in common pitch. That was
the first basement. Yeah, I pitch.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
What was your favorite sport?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know, I was the best at baseball.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I probably liked basketball the best growing up. I feel
like now it's you know, just I'm kind of all
in on the football deal.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
But I did not play. I think it was my dad.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
My dad, he wasn't as interested in football. He was
also a doctor, and I think that maybe subconsciously that
was a part of it, Like he just sort of
didn't steer me in that direction, which is crazy even
back then, I mean didn't know at all what we
you know, know, the potential is now, So it wasn't
ever like stated, but I kind of later on I
(15:51):
kind of wondered about that. But you were friends with
Sam Bradford.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Yeah, we grew up like not not too far from
each other, play all kinds of sports against with growing up,
and then obviously we went to the University of Oklahoma
together too, So it's pretty cool. I've I've you know,
known him forever.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
What's harder to be better at football or basketball?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
I'm so biased. Well, if you're playing quarterback, you're playing
like something like that, like insanely hard. I mean you've
got so many responsibilities. Right, Like I always felt like
football was easier for me just because I played like
wide receiver, I played tight end, I played like safety
defensive end. Like so it was just like in high
(16:38):
school is obviously different, but it's just like just go
just go run and catch or go do this. Whereas basketball,
you know, it's like you gotta be able to dribble,
you gotta be able to shoot, gotta you know, there's
there's a lot going on. So I think like there's
just more things that you have to do if you're
just a basketball player. Now when it comes to you know, quarterback,
(16:58):
like I said, like that's that's a that's a whole
different level. And then football you got to take take
an account the absolute beating right right right right. So
I don't know, I don't know what's harder.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
You know, I think the thing that I don't tell
me what you think about this.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We didn't talk about this this weekend, but like there
is and let's just call this is a terrible, like
simplistic way to say it, but let's just say AAU
basketball like what people sort of refer to as AAU basketball,
which is run up and down the court, shoot it
from every which away and try to.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Do big dugs. But there's something about that Clippers team
that I refer to before.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
And then I would also say, so, I don't know
if you're a hater of them or not, but it
was sort of almost from well if you take like
the showtime Lakers, look at you guys, what you were
doing at the Clippers, and then like what the Warriors
were doing sort of at their peak, which is moving
(18:02):
so well in space, and that the idea anyway that
you're making a play a pass, dribbling to a spot
for that like you're playing chess as opposed to checkers
or aa, like you're making a play for three passes later,
(18:25):
and that for me is so much fun to watch.
And I feel like you don't see that often and
you certainly don't think about it, but when you when
you see it happen, it's so beautiful and to me,
the most beautiful game that there is.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, like it. I mean, it's obviously now way more
of a commonplace. And if you look at like the finals,
even like the early two thousands, finals, game scores would
be eighty five, eighty nine, ninety to ninety two whatever
it was. And now I mean teams are still scoring
plus one ten, you know what I mean. I can't
(19:01):
remember what everybody ended up with last night, but I
know Minnesota scored over one hundred and fourteen maybe, I
know whatever. All these teams are just like the pace
of playing is so much faster and everybody's philosophy, mostly
because of the Warriors. We were a big transition team
with the Clippers. The Warriors were obviously like get up
(19:22):
as many threes as possible, shoot it early, or get
to the rim. They want to dump the layups and threes.
And now you're starting to see everybody do that. But yeah,
like when we came in, that was sort of like
the Dirk was like obviously a power forward who was
shooting threes, Kevin Love was and then now, I mean,
it's probably hard to find a team with a power
(19:44):
forward who's not shooting four threes. Again, right, there's definitely outliers.
But like you're right though, getting back to the point
of like how teams move the ball, and this is
what Yukon on the men's college side does so well.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's so fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Their offense is like the closest thing I'm not saying
that they they are an NBA team, but how they
move and their sets like that Hurley does such a
good job because their sets are so you watch the
ball go this way, there's an action on the backside.
Somebody comes off, but it's not for him. He turns
and says for somebody to rip screen down. Somebody else
(20:21):
comes up, and then the guy who initially started moving
in the first part somehow comes back around and he
gets a shot. They're there, and their defense too, is
played a lot like an NBA team's defense. So like
watching them play in the tournament. In the conference tournament,
I was like, no one is going to touch them,
and I hate to be the guy at the end
after they wanted it. But I was telling like multiple
(20:42):
people like, dude, Yukon is so good. Their offensive defense
are so fun to watch, and that's a lot. It's
a lot like how the better NBA teams play.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, you four time high school champion, undefeated your freshman year.
(21:16):
I mean, Oklahoma Christian, you're playing baseball, you're playing football
at three positions in football at least, and you're playing basketball.
When for you did you decide basketball was it?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Was?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It? This growth spurt the six inches.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Now because I still played. I played football my freshman year, okay,
and then I came to the team late my dad.
We played for my dad, like you said, and came
to the team late, barely made the varsity team, didn't
really play much, sort of worked my way up and
I got into like the state championship game and it
(21:50):
was like our toughest game of the season. I hadn't
played the semi final game of the game before that,
and I was kind of bummed about it. And my dad,
my dad, my dad. We got home and he was like, hey, no,
I'm not doing that, Like, wipe that whatever you got
on your face, Like wipe that attitude off. And then
he the game. We're like, I think we're maybe like
down to which was shocking for us because we just
(22:11):
dominated that season. And my brother was like, you know,
the best player in the state and he was just killing,
so we're down. He turns the bench and goes blake
and I was like me and I check in the
game right before the end of the first half and
first play some reason, they threw it to me on
the block for some reason. To this day, I've told
(22:32):
this to multiple people. I still don't know why. I
because I was very like because my dad was a coach,
he's very disciplined. Like I was just play the play
the way I've been asked to play. Catching on the block,
post move, fade away jumper, going to the middle, fadeaway jumper.
It goes in. I'm already backpedaling back. It goes in,
and I remember, like the crowd. You know, you get
(22:54):
to play at the it's called the Big House and like,
you know, huge craft, ten thousand people, and I remember
the crowd and I remember like the chills like going
through my body, and I remember being like, oh, yeah,
this is it, this is like this is what I like.
And I ended up like came back down, my brother
made a move, They came in, doubled, let me passed
(23:15):
off to me. Later it in. I think I got
another lay up come out. I ended up going back
in the second half and we ended up winning. From
then on, I was just like, that's this is what
I'm this is what I'm supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
I love that there's specific moment that you remember, and there's.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Like other moments too, Like that was like the earliest one.
Where I was like, oh no, no, I think I can
maybe do this. And I wasn't even thinking NBA. I
was just playing like I want to be. I wanted
to always be like my brother, and he was like
the person I was always chasing, and he was like
he was already committed to go to Oklahoma at that time,
and you know, that's what I want to do. I
(23:54):
want to go play college basketball. And then there's moments
where you realize, Okay, maybe I can go play in
the NBA and so on.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
You guys won, as I said, four straight state championships,
and I hear Oklahoma Christian just this last month won
a state title again. There's a kid by the name
of Luke Gray who plays there, who just passed you, Blake.
(24:21):
I'm told breaking news here from the studio that he
just passed you as the all time leader leading scorer
in school history. I mean, how does that make you feel?
I mean, are you proud of the kid or are
you look at that don't be nice?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I mean to be honest, holding out high school scoring
record for an individual, it is awesome. It's awesome. I'm
super happy for him, But that's not something I would
be like we should still had.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
That one, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
It's so happy for him. That's a huge when you're
in high school and you're doing.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That, of course.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Yeah, and he'll go on to you know, play more
basketball and hopefully have a really long career, and it's awesome.
I'm super happy for him. It's definitely not one of
those things where I'm like, I wish that had happened.
I still hang on to that one. That's that's that's
that's great for him. He's a great player.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
You get recruited by Duke Kansas North Carolina. I read
you decide to go follow your brother to Oklahoma?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Now? Is that because your brother was there?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That was a huge reason I initially wasn't going to
go there. My brother was recruited by Kelvin Samson, went
and played for Kelvin Sampson for his freshman year and
he got into some NCAA violations. They hired a young
coach at the time named Jeff Caple played at Duke.
He was like one of the youngest I think he's
one of the youngest Division one head coaches at the time. Yeah,
(25:55):
came from VCU and my brother came home one day
and he was like, I like really love like how
we're doing workouts, Like it's more like skill work. It's
less like, you know, just same old you're you're a
big man, do this, you know. He was everybody was
working on their shot or but he was working on
their ball handling. It was he was like, I really think, like,
(26:16):
if you want to, like this could be a great
place for you. And I developed a relationship with with
coach Kpele and still to this day, I have a
great relationship with him. And he was just like one
of those people that I felt like believed, like really
believed in me. He had asked me he had actually
the other day I announced I was retired, and he
had a really cool post and meant a lot to me.
(26:36):
One of our first conversations, he was like, what are
your goals? And I was like, I want to play
college basketball when I you know, win a championship and
you know, we'll see what happens after that. And he
came and saw me play for the first time because
at the time he just got the job and you
reach out to recruits in state right away, can't watch
me play for the first time. And I remember the
next day after that tournament, he called, he texted me.
(26:59):
I was like, hey, can jump on the phone. I
was like yeah, sure. So we calls and he's like, hey, man,
I think you've got to change your goals. And I
was like, all right, well it's pretty cool, but like
it's nothing. Confidence was ever like a huge issue for me.
Like I knew who I was as a basketball player,
and I just wasn't one of those guys. It was like, no,
I'm going to the NBA, I'm going to do this,
this and this. It was just like I'd seen so
(27:21):
many guys not make it, so many talented guys not
even make it to college. Right. My dad being a
high school basketball coach for years and years, I always
looked up to his high school players and there were
so many guys and I was like, man, he's so good.
Didn't make it in college, or did make it to college,
didn't play left da whatever. So it was just never
a thing with me where I was like, oh, I'm
for sure I'm gonna make a career out of this.
(27:44):
You know. It was just like you play right, and
whatever happens happens. And my college coach, among you know,
amongst my parents and my brother, two of the biggest
you know, or some of the biggest basketball influences on
my life.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
That's awesome. Yeah, were you planning to be one and done?
Speaker 1 (28:02):
No? No, no, not at all. I didn't even think
that was like, I mean, I guess there's there's a possibility,
but I had a chance to be I was, you know,
at the end of the season, I sort of had
a decision to make and I had to announce that
I was coming back to college. People thought I was
going to leave. It was like I was probably like
(28:22):
a lottery but you know, not top five, I don't think,
probably maybe like more like eight to fourteen to sixteen.
And I just felt like I wasn't ready to be honest,
I really enjoyed my development in college. I really wanted
to come back and play with my brother his senior year.
I wanted to try to you know, I set a
list to all these goals and I wanted to come back,
(28:45):
and I decided to, and I'm so glad I did,
because I don't think I would have been as ready.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Yeah. Well, you had some injuries that held you back.
Your MCL and your left knee.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
You're hurt against Kansas and then your right knee against
A and M you decide to come back. I mean, truly,
your sophomore season, your second and final, as it turns out,
season at the University of Oklahoma, one of the best
college seasons by any player ever. I appreciate that, right,
(29:16):
I mean no, you lead the NCAA and rebounding, lead
the Big Twelve in scoring Big Twelve records on rebounds,
thirty double doubles in college.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I read that, I'm like, is that right? That can't
be right?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
You end up being, of course the number one pick
after that, Were you satisfied with what you accomplished in college?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Satisfied? Now? I mean the biggest goal obviously is they
win a championship, and that think truly, it was like
it was the one I made a goal list with
one of our assistant coaches, and I had it on
a poster board and I put it up in my
apartment and checked off every single one but Big Twelve
chanceampion and national champion. That those are like the ones
(30:03):
that like being Truly the sounds corny, but being a
part of something that's like bigger than you is so rewarding.
I mean, you know, I can obviously speak on that
having just won a golf tournament.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
So I was gonna say, you and Chandler parties, Yeah,
being part of that.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Team, yeah jesus. So you know it truly is though,
like like winning a championship would have been awesome. That
would have been like I would have looked back and
been like, I am, there's nothing left to do in college,
you know, And I eventually did leave, but it was
time for me to leave, but that would have been like,
(30:38):
you know, where I was truly satisfied.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Did you know you were going number one? Did they
tell you? They told you?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
So?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
I think the Clippers kind of got in trouble because
when the draft lottery came out, the guy who was
at the draft lottery representing the Clippers, you know, the
interview whoever gets in the one pick, and he was like, yeah,
we're taking Blake Griffin. I remember I was sitting in
the ESPN zone was doing like a doc follow thing.
You know, they did this thing called the Rookie or
something like that. I can't remember what it's called, but
(31:09):
I'm sitting there with cameras and it was just kind
of like WHOA, all right. I had been to La
once at that point, I think, right, honestly, it didn't
even like the Clippers weren't even like back then, like
there's no league pass, no social media, Like I wasn't
seeing highlights of the Clippers. They weren't on national TV ever, Right,
I didn't really know much about the Clippers by the
(31:31):
team that I knew the least.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Right, I think the Clippers liked it that way.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Nobody that was their whole thing.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
You know, we're gonna we're gonna sneak up on them
when they're not looking.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Here comes Lob City having to force them into the like.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
I mean, you know, I know you got hurt your
first year, so you know, your first real season rookie
of the year, and you guys just start going nuts.
I mean Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford, JJ, Chauncey,
Moe Williams, Grant Hill, lamar Odom, Steven Jackson, Ryan Hollins.
(32:12):
I mean that's just a few. You truly brought the
Clippers out. Well, I mean, does balm Er buy them
if it weren't for you, I don't know, maybe you
should have some sort of percentage.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Of that of that sale. How much fun was it?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I mean to be a part of something, and not
just a part of something, but a part of transitioning
an organization that had again either chosen or was sort
of obscure or or mired in obscurity to such amazing heights.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I mean had to just be incredible.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Yeah, it was a blast, man, it was. It was
you know, my rookie year was it was one thing.
But then when we got Chris CP, when we got
Chris Paul, it was like a whole day front level
and it was like, you know, we were on the road,
you go play like a team that wasn't doing that
well that year. Attendance was down, sold out. I mean
it was like every night we played it felt like
(33:13):
it was like the you know, a national TV game,
like a big one, and that was like a blast.
You know as a player, like you truly want to
play in the best in the best atmosphere, but also
you want to you want you want everybody's best shot.
You know, it's it's hard, man, when everybody's gunning for you,
Like it's it's obviously much harder. There's no games where
(33:35):
you just walk in, ho hung, do your thing and
get out. You know, when everybody's gunning for you. You
you got to bring it every night, and it was
it was like a level of focus that like I
truly believe helped my entire career because I just, you know,
so early on, I knew I had to bring it
every night, and it was it was a blast. We
(33:56):
had a really fun, really good run. I was it
came short of like a championship, but it was those
years were so fun. Why do you think it did
Why we came short multiple reasons. We had some we
had some mental lapses. We also had some physical breakdowns,
Like there was multiple times where key guys got hurt,
(34:17):
myself included. Yeah, and then we had some times where
like we should have gone on to the next round
and we you know, we were up three to one
against Houston, and I was like, you know, it's hard
to talk about still. Yeah, I was sorry. I wasn't
really asking the heart hitting questions. Man, you know, it's
gonna cry, But yeah, I mean there's multiple reasons, you know,
(34:41):
and and to win a championship, like there's a certain
amount of luck that you have to have, Like obviously
total wings are very very good, but like you know,
being healthy, like look at look at the year that
Toronto want beat Golden State, Kevin Durant gets hurt, Clay
Thompson gets hurt. Toronto's not sniffing that championship. If those
two are healthy. I don't mean any disrespect to Toronto.
(35:02):
They earned it because they and also guess what, they
stayed healthy, so they earned it. But like that's it
takes a lot, takes everything coming together at the right time.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Are you able now to celebrate what you.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Guys accomplished and how you change the culture and how
the Clippers are seen and defined or is it still
more I wish.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
I mean, I don't know, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
I mean, I don't know about you know, I'm still
close with a lot of those guys, and I don't
know that people are like truly give us any like
type of credit for bringing the bringing, you know, because
they still had to make decisions, you know, they from there.
They got guys for CP in the trade, they got
guys from ME in the trade, and then now they
have the team that they have. I don't know if
(35:48):
anybody's actually giving us any type of credit because really
we didn't ultimately win, so like, you know, it's not
really think that doesn't mean I'm not proud of what
we did, but I don't know that people are like
really giving us. I've never heard any like bump anybody.
No one's been like thank you for what you did, So.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I don't know, you know, right, well, that's that's really
surprising to me, honestly. I mean because even you know,
I hadn't been in LA that long, but I had
been there long enough to know that we talk about
the Clippers like there was no there weren't two teams
(36:27):
in LA. I don't I don't care what anyone I mean,
there just there just wasn't you know, that totally changed.
I mean to your point exactly what you're talking about.
I mean, you win the Pacific Division title number one
in the West, and you you changed the culture to
like you're at away games and it's sold out, whereas
(36:47):
before you guys, I don't think there were many home sellouts.
By the way, that's just uh, that's just a reality.
I that's the rising to me. Well, I ultimately, I
think you should feel really good about that. I feel
like you and the rest of the guys, Yeah, I
(37:08):
mean I think what you said earlier, I mean you
called it a transition team. I don't really know what
that means, but you definitely began a style of basketball
that Okay, maybe the Warriors took over.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
They also have like the greatest shooter of all time.
I mean I think you can you can now call
him that.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
Yeah you could, you could call him that like five
years ago.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Sorry but just saying now, but now you definitely.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now you know what, I'm just now realizing. You got
to give it to Steph. You're pretty good, pretty good now.
Before I was like I was on the fence.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Well, and look, you got to meet me early on.
I mean, think about think about that. Think about that.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Honestly, I'm not even kidding, Like that's what I was
talking about when I didn't realize what going to play
in LA was all about, Like it just never crossed
my mind. But like the amount of like people that
I got to meet and like, you know, we're at games,
you know, I was like fans of and it was
really cool because it just wasn't like a thing that
I really thought about until it was happening. Yeah, I'd
(38:22):
consider myself so lucky, so lucky to have been able
to do the things I've done. And you know what,
shooting that spot with you.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, you know, I.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
Told you it's a massive fan of the office.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So it was like, but.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, of course, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
I don't know you. My recollection is this, you played
it very cool. One two, I was in this awkward
phase where.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
You know, that was the second year that I had
shot this and and I was meeting a bunch of
people and I didn't even start at the beginning, but
I was because I'm not a I'm a I mean
a huge sports fan. I was a big fan of
yours from watching even in Oklahoma. And someone was like,
(39:11):
you know, you should like get some merch or something,
and maybe you were the first one I don't.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
I don't like. So this was like year two. I
finally was like, well, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Like I would never go up to someone and ask
them to sign something if I didn't like, but now
I'm like working with them, and so I don't know
if you remember this, I still haven't. I'm gonna I'm
gonna send and post a picture of this as well.
It's down in my office.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
I was like, oh shit, I should I should have
him signed something. I stole a ball from that gym.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
That we was red and blue.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
It was.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
It wasn't red and blue, but it had like I
think it was like property of something. But it was
definitely a used high school basketball that I was like,
I mean, I guess I'll just take this. And I
had you sign a basketball and you signed it, and
I still I still have it.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
That's hilarious.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
And now that you're retired, I'm hoping it's gonna be
worth a lot more because now I have this signed stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Probably not, It's gotta be honest, man, I should have
got I should I should have got off it. Really,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
You congratulations on the retirement. I mean, that's a long
(40:45):
career to have played thirteen years in the association, to
have had such great success. Why did you stop where
you just you were done with the grind of it?
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Yeah, well, I I mean I loved every minute of
basketball the last couple of years. You know, as you
get older, dude, I've had nine surgeries in my.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Career, and that's crazy, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
And like really like fought hard to get back from
each one and felt like I did for a long time.
But then you just start slowing down. And I was
at the point where, like you know, dude, you got
to take You're taking my anti inflammatories. You're like, you know,
you to tie it. There's just like all the things
that go along with basketball, and when you're not playing
(41:32):
as much, you have to work, Like in practice days,
you work twice as hard because if you're playing a
lot of minutes, like you can't go in and work
hard on an off day. But if you're not playing
that much, you have to stay in like elite shape.
And so it just like was aware on my body,
you know, nine months out of the year, ten months,
(41:53):
depending on how far you go in the playoffs, you know,
where I was just like, I don't think I can
give as much as I really need to, more so
mentally than physically. And it was just it was time.
And I have a ten year old son and a
seven year old daughter that I think it was just
time for me to to to move on. And I
feel super at peace with it. You know, when you retire,
(42:15):
I'd be like, I hope you're doing okay, and I'm like, no,
I'm so happy, so happy. You know, that's one of
those things.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Did you did you watch basketball this year?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
I watched the least amount of basketball I ever had,
but I kept up with it. I would watch here
and there. I would I would check out scores. I
would see how you know, buddies were doing. There was
some there was like clips and games I watched like
if an old coach like ever was like, hey, let
me pick your brain about this, Yeah, send me clips.
So I'd send clips and I you know, would get
on the phone. I'd give them whatever advice I could
(42:47):
possibly give. But you know, and just checking in on guys.
You know, you see guys going through a slump and
you reach out and stuff like that. But I didn't
watch as much basketball as I you know, normally during
the season, dude on, Like I was just at home.
I would watch East Coast games, the West Coast game.
I'd watch games all night. It's definitely different this year.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Is there a team are you a fan of? Blank?
Is there a team that you root for?
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Yeah, I mean the guys in Boston. I love those
guys and I hope they win this year and I
think they have a great shot. Denver is going to
be really good again. And then other than that, I watch,
you know, guys like teammates from before. Who are the teams?
But there's plenty of guys who I like, love I
mean love Washing, but I loved watching women Yama play
(43:37):
this year. I'm so excited to see I'm so excited
to get one to not ever have to play against
him too, just like to see his career. I hope
he stays healthy because he just seems like he's just
so mentally past everyone his age, and then physically he's
(43:58):
passed everyone, you know what I mean? In four years,
Washington play, Washington play against Yiannis, like the guys who
just absolutely bully people you know, are just longer than
like Washington play against those guys and just like be
able to like get up and block a shot or finish.
It's a I think he's going to be. I mean,
I'm not saying anything. Anybody knows, you know, it's not
a secret. But I'm so excited to watch him. Other
(44:21):
than that, just teammates who I've played with before.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
Yeah, you may be retired from basketball, but you are
not retired.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Do you want to be a comedian?
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Not? No, I don't want to be like a stand
up comedian. I've done it from time to time. I
love comedy so much. I love doing little acting things
here and there. It's just like it was always fun
for me to do in the off season. But I
like started production company years ago with my buddy Ryan Khalil,
and you know, we had an Apple TV show come
(44:56):
out Coolhella Tomorrow, We did a remake to White McCann Jump.
We got a bunch of other stuff and in the pipeline.
That's what I really love, Like the creative process when
it comes to comedy. I love it, like thinking of
the idea, like pitching, you know, the whole thing, from
beginning to end. I truly love it. So there's some
projects that I'm working on now that I'm really excited
(45:16):
about that I will maybe get to do personally now
that I'm done, and it'll be in the comedy realm.
But now I don't really consider myself a comedian per se.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah, you know you mentioned a couple White Man Can't
Jump remake, a Hulu Hello Tomorrow at Apple TV, plus
working mostly as a producer.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Did you enjoy that?
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Yeah? I loved it.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
You loved this?
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Yeah, the creative process. It's crazy because like the first
conversation I ever had about doing a White Men Can't
Jump reimagine it was twenty seventeen, I met with Kenya
Bears and I was like, that's one of my favorite films.
I'd love to see how it looks in this world today.
I know people get upset or remakes, but it's like, right,
(46:00):
it's kind of fun because that movie came out before
the Dream Team had even right one like Basketball, it
is so different, fashion so different, but they're two very
very relative things today. And then on top of that,
the conversations of race and what it means to be black,
when it means to be white, and how those two coincide.
(46:20):
We're still having those exact same conversations, right, you know.
So that was like why I wanted to do that,
But you know, it's twenty seventeen to like when we
started shooting May of twenty twenty two, I remember I
looked at it. I looked at our head of development,
a person in government. I was like, I can't believe
we're actually here right now, Like multiple scripts and multiple
regime changes, Disney acquiring Fox is just insane. So I
(46:43):
do love the process.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
It's it is insane. Well that's good one.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
That's another way that we are similar and this and
this time I'm not joking the business of television, the
business of entertainment is fascinating to me. I love it
as well. You can either get frustrated or you can
embrace it and you know, ride the wave. But it
got made. That's good too. You think of it this way.
(47:09):
Your development director got paid for five years instead of one.
I mean, that's a bonus for them, whoever they are.
So there's all.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
There's always a reason to keep push. Yeah, let's do
this in the next cycle.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
But you've also done performing working with fun of your Die,
comedy by Blake, you were on broad City and stuff
with Whitney Cummings. Let me tell you this, you really
make me laugh. So I'm not the arbiter of all
things funny, even though everyone else says that I am.
(47:45):
I will tell you I'm not. But I you have,
honestly a very fresh, unique perspective and take, and I
hope you continue to work and at some point point
give me a job because ultimately that's the only thing
that I care about is my own ability to further
(48:06):
my career.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
Wow, I said that weird career.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Yeah, it's okay, it's fine. The whole thing that you
said was was weird too, So like, don't don't let
the just the word career slow you down, like you know,
it's just it wasn't weird. I guess it's just so
immensely selfish, which obviously we've got to know each other.
I know that's just you. So don't even worry about.
Speaker 2 (48:30):
It, man, Right, I said career weird?
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Right, honestly, didn't hear it?
Speaker 2 (48:34):
It is?
Speaker 1 (48:35):
It may it made in those those headphones you got
are the beautiful studio microphone instead of an iPhone.
Speaker 3 (48:43):
Well, you know what's unique about your setup here today
is that you still have the plug in as opposed
to the AirPods.
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Well, hold on, can I I'm just I was told
to wait in headphones. I can pull up the email.
You know what, I'll blast it out. I'll blast it out.
Screenshot on the Instagram. It wasn't written by pain to
plug in headphones.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
No, that's right. And you did well, you did very
very well in.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
This thing where I try to not use Bluetooth as much.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Good.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
So I ordered these for my iPhone And.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Do you want to know the truth, I don't. I
don't use them ever, No, it's my don't.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Man, I think it's smart. I don't use microwaves either.
I'm like, I think.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
Microwave, don't use the microwaves at all.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
I mean I've probably used a microwave in the last
like ten years. I've probably used a microwave like once
a year maybe on average, like when there's no other option.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
Yeah, I mean that might be a little bit of
an exaggeration, but I'm actually with you. Here's here's the
weird thing. Okay, let's actually if we can have some
doctors right in. This is a serious thing.
Speaker 1 (49:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
I moved into a new house and it has a
built in microwave. Okay, now the microwave. There's an island.
I have an island in my house, and the microwave
is built into the island, which means that the microwave
is right at the same level and adjacent to.
Speaker 2 (50:18):
My pelvic region.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
Now this when I have used it, and I don't
use mine very much either, But when I do, I
hit the button and kind of step back real quick.
Speaker 4 (50:30):
It doesn't feel safe. Am I wrong about that? Is
this from our childhood? Is this bad? I mean, is
this is this bad intel? Or it just doesn't seem
like it's safe, right?
Speaker 1 (50:42):
I think you're right, you know, I think you should
do is get one of those X ray things you
just tied around your waist, and then the kitchen. Yeah,
there's that joke about you know, the x ray technician
is like yeah, safe, no words, and they run off
and hide behind what could be considered like a bomb, like.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
A drape themselves. No, it's totally fine.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
There's no way microwaves can be healthy. It's like we're
zapping our food with micro waves. Obviously, not to get
too scientific on you there.
Speaker 2 (51:21):
Ryan, I never really thought about it, but no, that
makes sense, right, And then we're.
Speaker 1 (51:25):
Eating that food like obviously, but not only like what
you're saying where you step back, but like smart by
the way, but like then we're also just just eating
that food like there's there's it can't.
Speaker 2 (51:38):
Be right, right, I'm I'm with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (51:41):
Maybe we started a little maybe we start a separate podcast.
No microwave thought.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
Is the microwave industry a powerful industry that I don't
want to anger.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
I don't know, I don't know, or they I.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
Feel like everybody that makes microwaves also makes like ovens,
or they make like toaster ovens.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
And the ovens are probably more expensive. Yeah, they probably
would rather sell ovens, so in a way we would
be helping them.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
Yeah, maybe we get we get big Microwave to back us,
put in a little money.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
Big big microwave, big wave, big wave companies. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (52:20):
It doesn't it doesn't seem safe, but yeah, I I
don't to your point, I don't know what kind of
energy it is. But shoving energy that is transmitting to
another device inside my head, just intellectually, it just doesn't.
It doesn't seem like it's a great thing to do,
does not, does it?
Speaker 2 (52:40):
I agree, we're onto something, we're on or we're on
something one one or the other. Just to you listen, uh,
good luck again.
Speaker 3 (52:53):
You have my number now, so when you you have
something interesting project wise, you give me a call. All right,
it's got to be interesting though, Okay. Well, other than that,
we will we will play some really slow golf and
now I'll be playing with a champion.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
Yeah, you're welcome and that, and you know I'm gonna
work on this slow thing. No one told me, but
so thanks for telling me.
Speaker 3 (53:14):
You know, I feel like everyone told you. I feel
like it became Oh really, yeah, I feel like it was.
It was sort of commonly said I had to put
Blake on a on a shot clock.
Speaker 1 (53:26):
Oh that's right, you were doing a shot clock thing.
Speaker 2 (53:28):
Yeah, yeah, counting down.
Speaker 1 (53:31):
Well, you know what, maybe you should play a little
slower next year and you'll win. Sorry, man, I was
just lashing out. It felt like you came at me.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
I feel like, no, it's I mean, it's it is
a fair point. Uh.
Speaker 3 (53:44):
Are you a fan of the play in? Yes, it
generates interest, it keeps more people involved exactly, and it
does it does kind of suck. Like who wasn't New
Orleans was? I think they were the sixth seed and
then like they maybe two games and they went and
had to play the plan and luckily they still got in.
But it does suck for most teams that like, if
(54:06):
it's jumbled at five to six and you have a
couple of back games or you have just like a
two minor injuries, the guys need to take a couple
of games off, like your season could be over instead
of you know, getting a favorable matchup in the playoffs.
That sucks, but it does generate a lot of interest
and also the end season tournament kind of the same way,
like more people were watching those games than usually watch
(54:28):
games during that point.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
Of the season.
Speaker 3 (54:29):
During that time, Yeah, yeah, Minnesota for real? Do they
have a shot that winning?
Speaker 2 (54:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (54:39):
I think yeah, I think they're for real. But I like,
I would say Denver's like the favorite in my favorite
in the West in Boston's Like, I don't see them
beating Denver or Boston, but could happened, for sure. I mean,
Rudy's playing unbelievable defense, Anthony Edwards is an absolute stud
and then their pieces around are so solid that yeah,
I mean for sure, could happen again. You never know,
(55:02):
they get matched up with Denver and somebody goes down.
Hopefully doesn't happen, but they could get there, right.
Speaker 3 (55:09):
I just I do want to point out that you
picked the two consensus favorites.
Speaker 1 (55:16):
I just I mean, well, guess what, I also picked
Yukon before they won. So what's that mean, Scot. There's
a reason their favorite the best team also, but also
Denver's other than two seed Oklahoma City. Yeah, I didn't
pick Oklahoma City there the one seed.
Speaker 2 (55:35):
Are you an Oklahoma City fan because you're from Oklahoma? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (55:39):
But you know what's crazy is like they the first
year that Oklahoma City got a team was my last
year in college, so I like I didn't grow up
with them, so it's kind of weird where like I
basically got into the league as they were starting out,
so it was like I obviously would have been if
they were there prior, but I just was never like
a fan fan. But yeah, I want to him do well.
(56:00):
Still still love Ulchoma City.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
Well.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
NBA playoff basketball is very exciting. My TV is on
every night. I wish you all the best. Good luck, Yeah,
good luck with everything.
Speaker 2 (56:13):
Media. Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
Yeah, and let's get the golf game tuned up and
then we'll play again.
Speaker 1 (56:20):
Let's do it. Man, appreciate it. Thanks for having.
Speaker 3 (56:21):
Me, Thanks buddy, Blake. Great to have you on my friend.
Thank you so much for joining us. I'm gonna see
you soon, I hope. And thanks for all your insight
(56:43):
into the NBA playoffs. I will be watching mostly to
see if the Celtics and Nuggets do play in the finals.
Speaker 2 (56:50):
Thanks for listening. Listeners.
Speaker 3 (56:53):
Come back next week right here, same place, same channel
for another listening adventure. It's gonna be fun, really will be.
Blake won't be here, so it'll be great. Until then,
everybody have a fantastic week. Off the Beat is hosted
(57:16):
and executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive
producer Lang Lee. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our
producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our
talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary, and our intern is
Ali Amir Sahed. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed
(57:37):
by the one and only Creed Bragg,
I remember putting on you know, Oklahoma, you never wear
pants during the summer is so hot, and I remember
I put it like at our school, you had to
wear pants at private school. And I put on my
lash previous year's pants. I was like, Oh, he's not
gonna work.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hi everyone, my name is Blake Griffin and I have
been Brian's idle for upwards of thirteen years now. So enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Welcome back, one and all.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
This is Off the Beat and I am, as always
your Off the Beat host Brian Bomgartner my guest today, Well,
he could absolutely dunk on you because he is one
of the best dunkers in NBA history. As you just heard,
I have the Blake Griffin on the show with me today.
(01:03):
He is a former member of Lob City, the Los
Angeles Clippers, as well as a member of the Detroit Pistons,
Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics. But as a kid, he
could have his pick playing either football, baseball, basketball. He's
just an all around athlete who luckily chose to grace
the NBA with his prowess. He is a power forward,
(01:27):
extraordinary and extremely funny guy and a pretty medium golfer,
if I do say so myself. So I guess when
I said great athlete, he's a mid athlete at golf.
That's fine. He's got plenty of strings. I have had
the good fortune of getting to know Blake over the
past decade or so. He taught me how to dunk
(01:49):
back in twenty eleven. So I'm glad that you're going
to get to know him today. Here he is Blake, Griffin.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And squeak.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Bubble and Squeakna, bubble and squeak. I cook at every mon.
Lift over from the ninety boat.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
What's up?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Hey?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Look at you in a little professional booth over there.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I mean, you know, I am nothing if not professional.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
That is true. That's what they say.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I mean, that is what they say. Thanks for dressing
up for me today. Now, I just sent you a photo.
We had this conversation this week twenty eleven. Yeah, twenty eleven,
Blake and I shot something for a series of specials
I was doing on NBC.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
I will share it on social media. I just sent
you that photo. I feel like my form is pretty good,
Like I feel like I'm down there.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Can I just take a look again? Just to yeah
you can warm. Do you maybe honest? Or you want
me to just do the thing where I'm like, yeah, yeah,
it looks good.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I want you to be honest.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Okay, the ball, you just got the ball way too
close to me.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I think that's the I think that's this perspective of
the cale.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah yeah, probably just the angle. I don't know what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I think that's just the angle.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, okay, listen, you you know what,
why don't you just join a team for the playoffs
and see if see if they need some help.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I mean, if you considered calling them, just throw out
a line like Tom Brady, like, I mean, if anyone
calls I'm here, yeah, maybe really.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You know, maybe no, I'm finish, You're done, I'm done, done, done.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
All right, Well we're gonna we're gonna talk about that.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I saw very clever by the way on social media
that you had to retire to finally get a trophy.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
You.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I was just with Blake this last weekend in Las
Vegas the Win Hotel for the eight AM Golf Championship
Invitational Celebrity Celebrity Ternament featuring Justin Timberlake. Yeah, I think
that's the title of it, eight am Golf. They certainly
(04:20):
are a lot of fun. I had fun playing with you.
How is it playing with me?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
It was? It was, man, I'm almost at a loss
for words. It was a very surreal. It was a
beautiful experience, It really was.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It was.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I mean, we had so much fun. How it works,
it's like for people who don't know, you play with
a different group, front nine and back nine. So we
played the back nine of day one and boy, let
me tell you, things went off the rails. It was fun, man,
so much fun.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
And Blake and Chandler Parsons ended up winning the Chance
Beach Chip. Now, did you come down hard down the stretch?
Is that what happened? Because I thought you were out
of it at that point. I mean, after playing with
you on day one, I thought, yeah, they don't have
the staying power. I mean, I don't mean that anyway
except exactly how it sounded.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, yeah, I just meant it in the worst way possible. Thanks,
and I appreciate that. Thanks for clarifying that. Actually either way.
So we started out the front nine of day two,
I mean we were we were second place after day one.
Day two, well, we played solid on the on the
first day Day two, the front nine was rough because
(05:37):
we got strokes. We had, you know, the bogie with
the max you could take for what hast to play
and all that. There was a couple holes where we
stroked and those were like our bogie holes, so we
actually got to put in a par got it. So
that helped. And then the last two holes par five
and the part four birdie birdie, but birdie for eagle
(06:00):
because we stroked. So we ended up like we were
like two under on the front nine and then we
ended up six under on the front nine. So it
was kind of like our strokes really helped.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
To be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Yeah, I mean for those of you who need strokes,
I get it. I understand that that's you were good.
That that's how it worked. Here's the here's the thing.
So Jimmy fallon playing with tournament host, I think we
can safely say that if we don't have the title
right tournament host justin Timberlake, I feel like everyone wanted
(06:35):
them to win. Now is that just a perception thing
on my part or no?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Well, so they technically did you know, they were like
thirty minus thirty two hunder. But they don't. They weren't
gonna they weren't going to accept a win, like they
weren't going to win their own thing. Oh yeah, they won.
They beat us like five strokes.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Okay, I thought, so this, now this is starting to
make way more sense because I thought they had an
insurmountable lead.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, we wouldn't have. I mean, we wouldn't. We got
a sniffed.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Actually, then that legitimizes the whole thing to me a
little bit more that you guys actually did it. You know,
there was you know, Justin got hurt. There was people
hitting shots for him. I mean, you know, there was
a whole thing going on. Well, congratulations, How did it
feel the moment you were handed that trophy, Blake, How
did it feel one.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Of the biggest sporting accomplishments of my life? Yeah, fig
it actually did. Because we were tied with the guys
who were leading, Archie and Adrian Gonzales. We were tied
with them going into eighteen. They were already finished and
we popped them the last hole as well, So we
were like, all we got to do is get a
ball in the green and two putt Part three last week.
(07:46):
So and we both got laying on the green, picked
a better putt, two putted for the win, and felt good.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Congratulations, Thanks man.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I feel like you're it feels like you're saying that,
but you don't quite need Maybe.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
No, I'm happy.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I had a great time playing with you. Let me
let me ask you this. Let me ask you this.
Who's the slowest call for that?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Uh, I know some slow ones. Yeah, do you think
I'm up there? Are you about to set up something here?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Well, I wasn't gonna set it up. I was just
gonna say it. I mean, whoever you think is slow,
you're slower. Okay, let's be let's be clear about it. Yeah,
I mean I think so. All right, Well, but you
know what you're really what you punish us with slowness,
you get back in fun.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
So I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, that's the thing. I gotta work on it. Nobody's
ever told me that. So I'll get faster next year.
I'm gonna play in my co like an hour thirty.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Maybe so much. You're just gonna You're just gonna run.
It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
There was a lot of It's the first tournament I've
ever played in that that shirts came off around the course.
It was uh, well, it was it was it was fun,
it was very it was Let me ask you a question.
I want to get back into your beginnings, but I
do want to ask you this. Are you the most
(09:14):
powerful dunker since Shack?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I mean there's like, okay, so let's go through. There's Dominique, Wilkins,
Sean Camp, shack On obviously, but Shacks was like, I
mean he's so powerful, and I guess Earlyiam's career got
up pretty high, but he was like true big man,
want to hand, you know, just as ran as hard
as possible. I think Dominique and Sean Camp both like
(09:40):
jumped really high.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes, and they.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Were super powerful.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
So I don't know, I'm Sean Kemp. That's a that's
a good one. I mean Barkley no, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
But he just didn't like like no one thinks of
Barkley and thinks dunks. No, he obviously could and he
had some good ones. But like those two Dominique and
Sean Camp, like those two.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Are like Sean Camp, I didn't think of Sean Camp.
That's a good that's a good one there. Yeah, I
mean both well before you, who do you think is
the most powerful man in the game right now now
that you've retired?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Uh Zion, not even close. Yeah, he's like two seventy
maybe to eighty maybe two ninety, have no idea, but like,
and he's like six seven. He's not like super tall.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Is he only six seven?
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, he's not super tall, but I mean how high
he jumps and the force he creates. I took a
charge from him one time three I think I was
in Brooklyn to get charge from him, and he kind
of kicked me in the shin, you know, as a
result of it, right, And I had like a I
had like a lump, like a lump, decide, like half
(10:52):
of a golf ball on my shin, which you think,
like that's just bump. Where where's the bump coming from? Right?
I didn't know I had it for like a month
and a half.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, in hindsight, probably shouldn't have taken the charge. But
you know, well, Bri, I like to put like to
put my body on the line.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Then you know, did you get did you get the call?
I did?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I got charge?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Your your lob City days and the power with which
you played. The game obviously made you incredibly popular because
that's just fun to watch. But like you said, I mean,
you're putting yourself on the line both both as the
aggressor and the receiver at times. And so yeah, I was,
(11:39):
as I knew I was going to talk to you today,
I was wondering if there was anybody else. I mean,
you mentioned Zion, which is obviously a great one that
that you sort of that you feel like plays in
that same way that you did.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, I think like physically it's him. I mean there's
other guys that are pretty physical. But when you like
add in like dunks and like just like you know, Zion,
just like just pure athletics and athleticism, we'll just he'll
beat you.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
How tall are you?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Six nine?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Are you? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Six ten with shoes if you want.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
To, I feel like I'm growing or you're shrinking, because
I feel like I feel like we were kind of close, right.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, maybe maybe we'll let let people decide when they
when they look at that picture. It also could just
be the angle, you know, it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Could No, I think it might just it might have
just been the angle. You grew up in Oklahoma. Your
brother played, you played with him, and uh and and
your dad was a big athlete as well.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
He ran track right At Northwestern Oklahoma.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
He played he played basketball and football.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Basketball and football.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Yeah, dual sport college guy.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Oh that's impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah, he back then they wouldn't let freshmen play on
the varsity, Okay, so he really wanted to play both,
and he was like, I just want to play like.
I don't think he wasn't looking for like and also
back then this was this would have been he went
to college in sixty eight, so like professional sports, you know,
weren't weren't what they are today, right, So I think
(13:16):
he was just like, I just want to play both.
Going to the Northwestern do that? So he yeah, he
had that was actually at home recently that was going
through his old like memorability. He had like multiple forty
rebound games really at like six or four. He was
a center playing six four at sixty four.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Well, you obviously didn't see him do that. I mean,
did he did he play the same way you played?
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Probably, I don't know. I didn't see him play. All
I go off of now is like seeing clips, like
articles like that, and like his teammates selling stories and stuff.
But I knew he I know he can jump out
of the gym. I know that for a fact. But
that's it's kind of all I know.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Exacly, sports was a big part of your life growing up.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Did you grow so? Did you grow tall fast? Were
you big? Early?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I was like always the tallest kid in my gray,
you know, always the tallest one on my team. And
but then like end of my eighth grade year, so
like end of May, I was six one and I
was I guess I just turned fourteen. Yeah, And then
beginning of my freshman year, so two and a half
(14:24):
months later, I was like six six six six six
and a half. So I grew like five and a
half inches and two and a half months, and like
stretch marks on my shoulders, like stretch marks on my hips.
It's like, what was going on? I remember putting on
you know, Oklahoma you never wear pants during the summer
is so hot, and I remember I put it like
(14:45):
at our school, you had to wear pants at private school.
And I put on my lash previous year's pants, and
I was like, Oh, he's not gonna work.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not gonna work. You played baseball, I heard first
base something else we have in common pitch. That was
the first basement. Yeah, I pitch.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
What was your favorite sport?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know, I was the best at baseball.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I probably liked basketball the best growing up. I feel
like now it's you know, just I'm kind of all
in on the football deal.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
But I did not play. I think it was my dad.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
My dad, he wasn't as interested in football. He was
also a doctor, and I think that maybe subconsciously that
was a part of it, Like he just sort of
didn't steer me in that direction, which is crazy even
back then, I mean didn't know at all what we
you know, know, the potential is now, So it wasn't
ever like stated, but I kind of later on I
(15:51):
kind of wondered about that. But you were friends with
Sam Bradford.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Yeah, we grew up like not not too far from
each other, play all kinds of sports against with growing up,
and then obviously we went to the University of Oklahoma
together too, So it's pretty cool. I've I've you know,
known him forever.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
What's harder to be better at football or basketball?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
I'm so biased. Well, if you're playing quarterback, you're playing
like something like that, like insanely hard. I mean you've
got so many responsibilities. Right, Like I always felt like
football was easier for me just because I played like
wide receiver, I played tight end, I played like safety
defensive end. Like so it was just like in high
(16:38):
school is obviously different, but it's just like just go
just go run and catch or go do this. Whereas basketball,
you know, it's like you gotta be able to dribble,
you gotta be able to shoot, gotta you know, there's
there's a lot going on. So I think like there's
just more things that you have to do if you're
just a basketball player. Now when it comes to you know, quarterback,
(16:58):
like I said, like that's that's a that's a whole
different level. And then football you got to take take
an account the absolute beating right right right right. So
I don't know, I don't know what's harder.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
You know, I think the thing that I don't tell
me what you think about this.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We didn't talk about this this weekend, but like there
is and let's just call this is a terrible, like
simplistic way to say it, but let's just say AAU
basketball like what people sort of refer to as AAU basketball,
which is run up and down the court, shoot it
from every which away and try to.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Do big dugs. But there's something about that Clippers team
that I refer to before.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
And then I would also say, so, I don't know
if you're a hater of them or not, but it
was sort of almost from well if you take like
the showtime Lakers, look at you guys, what you were
doing at the Clippers, and then like what the Warriors
were doing sort of at their peak, which is moving
(18:02):
so well in space, and that the idea anyway that
you're making a play a pass, dribbling to a spot
for that like you're playing chess as opposed to checkers
or aa, like you're making a play for three passes later,
(18:25):
and that for me is so much fun to watch.
And I feel like you don't see that often and
you certainly don't think about it, but when you when
you see it happen, it's so beautiful and to me,
the most beautiful game that there is.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, like it. I mean, it's obviously now way more
of a commonplace. And if you look at like the finals,
even like the early two thousands, finals, game scores would
be eighty five, eighty nine, ninety to ninety two whatever
it was. And now I mean teams are still scoring
plus one ten, you know what I mean. I can't
(19:01):
remember what everybody ended up with last night, but I
know Minnesota scored over one hundred and fourteen maybe, I
know whatever. All these teams are just like the pace
of playing is so much faster and everybody's philosophy, mostly
because of the Warriors. We were a big transition team
with the Clippers. The Warriors were obviously like get up
(19:22):
as many threes as possible, shoot it early, or get
to the rim. They want to dump the layups and threes.
And now you're starting to see everybody do that. But yeah,
like when we came in, that was sort of like
the Dirk was like obviously a power forward who was
shooting threes, Kevin Love was and then now, I mean,
it's probably hard to find a team with a power
(19:44):
forward who's not shooting four threes. Again, right, there's definitely outliers.
But like you're right though, getting back to the point
of like how teams move the ball, and this is
what Yukon on the men's college side does so well.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's so fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Their offense is like the closest thing I'm not saying
that they they are an NBA team, but how they
move and their sets like that Hurley does such a
good job because their sets are so you watch the
ball go this way, there's an action on the backside.
Somebody comes off, but it's not for him. He turns
and says for somebody to rip screen down. Somebody else
(20:21):
comes up, and then the guy who initially started moving
in the first part somehow comes back around and he
gets a shot. They're there, and their defense too, is
played a lot like an NBA team's defense. So like
watching them play in the tournament. In the conference tournament,
I was like, no one is going to touch them,
and I hate to be the guy at the end
after they wanted it. But I was telling like multiple
(20:42):
people like, dude, Yukon is so good. Their offensive defense
are so fun to watch, and that's a lot. It's
a lot like how the better NBA teams play.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, you four time high school champion, undefeated your freshman year.
(21:16):
I mean, Oklahoma Christian, you're playing baseball, you're playing football
at three positions in football at least, and you're playing basketball.
When for you did you decide basketball was it?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Was?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It? This growth spurt the six inches.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Now because I still played. I played football my freshman year, okay,
and then I came to the team late my dad.
We played for my dad, like you said, and came
to the team late, barely made the varsity team, didn't
really play much, sort of worked my way up and
I got into like the state championship game and it
(21:50):
was like our toughest game of the season. I hadn't
played the semi final game of the game before that,
and I was kind of bummed about it. And my dad,
my dad, my dad. We got home and he was like, hey, no,
I'm not doing that, Like, wipe that whatever you got
on your face, Like wipe that attitude off. And then
he the game. We're like, I think we're maybe like
down to which was shocking for us because we just
(22:11):
dominated that season. And my brother was like, you know,
the best player in the state and he was just killing,
so we're down. He turns the bench and goes blake
and I was like me and I check in the
game right before the end of the first half and
first play some reason, they threw it to me on
the block for some reason. To this day, I've told
(22:32):
this to multiple people. I still don't know why. I
because I was very like because my dad was a coach,
he's very disciplined. Like I was just play the play
the way I've been asked to play. Catching on the block,
post move, fade away jumper, going to the middle, fadeaway jumper.
It goes in. I'm already backpedaling back. It goes in,
and I remember, like the crowd. You know, you get
(22:54):
to play at the it's called the Big House and like,
you know, huge craft, ten thousand people, and I remember
the crowd and I remember like the chills like going
through my body, and I remember being like, oh, yeah,
this is it, this is like this is what I like.
And I ended up like came back down, my brother
made a move, They came in, doubled, let me passed
(23:15):
off to me. Later it in. I think I got
another lay up come out. I ended up going back
in the second half and we ended up winning. From
then on, I was just like, that's this is what
I'm this is what I'm supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
I love that there's specific moment that you remember, and there's.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Like other moments too, Like that was like the earliest one.
Where I was like, oh no, no, I think I can
maybe do this. And I wasn't even thinking NBA. I
was just playing like I want to be. I wanted
to always be like my brother, and he was like
the person I was always chasing, and he was like
he was already committed to go to Oklahoma at that time,
and you know, that's what I want to do. I
(23:54):
want to go play college basketball. And then there's moments
where you realize, Okay, maybe I can go play in
the NBA and so on.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
You guys won, as I said, four straight state championships,
and I hear Oklahoma Christian just this last month won
a state title again. There's a kid by the name
of Luke Gray who plays there, who just passed you, Blake.
(24:21):
I'm told breaking news here from the studio that he
just passed you as the all time leader leading scorer
in school history. I mean, how does that make you feel?
I mean, are you proud of the kid or are
you look at that don't be nice?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I mean to be honest, holding out high school scoring
record for an individual, it is awesome. It's awesome. I'm
super happy for him, But that's not something I would
be like we should still had.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
That one, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
It's so happy for him. That's a huge when you're
in high school and you're doing.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That, of course.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Yeah, and he'll go on to you know, play more
basketball and hopefully have a really long career, and it's awesome.
I'm super happy for him. It's definitely not one of
those things where I'm like, I wish that had happened.
I still hang on to that one. That's that's that's
that's great for him. He's a great player.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
You get recruited by Duke Kansas North Carolina. I read
you decide to go follow your brother to Oklahoma?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Now? Is that because your brother was there?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That was a huge reason I initially wasn't going to
go there. My brother was recruited by Kelvin Samson, went
and played for Kelvin Sampson for his freshman year and
he got into some NCAA violations. They hired a young
coach at the time named Jeff Caple played at Duke.
He was like one of the youngest I think he's
one of the youngest Division one head coaches at the time. Yeah,
(25:55):
came from VCU and my brother came home one day
and he was like, I like really love like how
we're doing workouts, Like it's more like skill work. It's
less like, you know, just same old you're you're a
big man, do this, you know. He was everybody was
working on their shot or but he was working on
their ball handling. It was he was like, I really think, like,
(26:16):
if you want to, like this could be a great
place for you. And I developed a relationship with with
coach Kpele and still to this day, I have a
great relationship with him. And he was just like one
of those people that I felt like believed, like really
believed in me. He had asked me he had actually
the other day I announced I was retired, and he
had a really cool post and meant a lot to me.
(26:36):
One of our first conversations, he was like, what are
your goals? And I was like, I want to play
college basketball when I you know, win a championship and
you know, we'll see what happens after that. And he
came and saw me play for the first time because
at the time he just got the job and you
reach out to recruits in state right away, can't watch
me play for the first time. And I remember the
next day after that tournament, he called, he texted me.
(26:59):
I was like, hey, can jump on the phone. I
was like yeah, sure. So we calls and he's like, hey, man,
I think you've got to change your goals. And I
was like, all right, well it's pretty cool, but like
it's nothing. Confidence was ever like a huge issue for me.
Like I knew who I was as a basketball player,
and I just wasn't one of those guys. It was like, no,
I'm going to the NBA, I'm going to do this,
this and this. It was just like I'd seen so
(27:21):
many guys not make it, so many talented guys not
even make it to college. Right. My dad being a
high school basketball coach for years and years, I always
looked up to his high school players and there were
so many guys and I was like, man, he's so good.
Didn't make it in college, or did make it to college,
didn't play left da whatever. So it was just never
a thing with me where I was like, oh, I'm
for sure I'm gonna make a career out of this.
(27:44):
You know. It was just like you play right, and
whatever happens happens. And my college coach, among you know,
amongst my parents and my brother, two of the biggest
you know, or some of the biggest basketball influences on
my life.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
That's awesome. Yeah, were you planning to be one and done?
Speaker 1 (28:02):
No? No, no, not at all. I didn't even think
that was like, I mean, I guess there's there's a possibility,
but I had a chance to be I was, you know,
at the end of the season, I sort of had
a decision to make and I had to announce that
I was coming back to college. People thought I was
going to leave. It was like I was probably like
(28:22):
a lottery but you know, not top five, I don't think,
probably maybe like more like eight to fourteen to sixteen.
And I just felt like I wasn't ready to be honest,
I really enjoyed my development in college. I really wanted
to come back and play with my brother his senior year.
I wanted to try to you know, I set a
list to all these goals and I wanted to come back,
(28:45):
and I decided to, and I'm so glad I did,
because I don't think I would have been as ready.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Yeah. Well, you had some injuries that held you back.
Your MCL and your left knee.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
You're hurt against Kansas and then your right knee against
A and M you decide to come back. I mean, truly,
your sophomore season, your second and final, as it turns out,
season at the University of Oklahoma, one of the best
college seasons by any player ever. I appreciate that, right,
(29:16):
I mean no, you lead the NCAA and rebounding, lead
the Big Twelve in scoring Big Twelve records on rebounds,
thirty double doubles in college.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I read that, I'm like, is that right? That can't
be right?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
You end up being, of course the number one pick
after that, Were you satisfied with what you accomplished in college?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Satisfied? Now? I mean the biggest goal obviously is they
win a championship, and that think truly, it was like
it was the one I made a goal list with
one of our assistant coaches, and I had it on
a poster board and I put it up in my
apartment and checked off every single one but Big Twelve
chanceampion and national champion. That those are like the ones
(30:03):
that like being Truly the sounds corny, but being a
part of something that's like bigger than you is so rewarding.
I mean, you know, I can obviously speak on that
having just won a golf tournament.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
So I was gonna say, you and Chandler parties, Yeah,
being part of that.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Team, yeah jesus. So you know it truly is though,
like like winning a championship would have been awesome. That
would have been like I would have looked back and
been like, I am, there's nothing left to do in college,
you know, And I eventually did leave, but it was
time for me to leave, but that would have been like,
(30:38):
you know, where I was truly satisfied.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Did you know you were going number one? Did they
tell you? They told you?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
So?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
I think the Clippers kind of got in trouble because
when the draft lottery came out, the guy who was
at the draft lottery representing the Clippers, you know, the
interview whoever gets in the one pick, and he was like, yeah,
we're taking Blake Griffin. I remember I was sitting in
the ESPN zone was doing like a doc follow thing.
You know, they did this thing called the Rookie or
something like that. I can't remember what it's called, but
(31:09):
I'm sitting there with cameras and it was just kind
of like WHOA, all right. I had been to La
once at that point, I think, right, honestly, it didn't
even like the Clippers weren't even like back then, like
there's no league pass, no social media, Like I wasn't
seeing highlights of the Clippers. They weren't on national TV ever, Right,
I didn't really know much about the Clippers by the
(31:31):
team that I knew the least.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Right, I think the Clippers liked it that way.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Nobody that was their whole thing.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
You know, we're gonna we're gonna sneak up on them
when they're not looking.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Here comes Lob City having to force them into the like.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
I mean, you know, I know you got hurt your
first year, so you know, your first real season rookie
of the year, and you guys just start going nuts.
I mean Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford, JJ, Chauncey,
Moe Williams, Grant Hill, lamar Odom, Steven Jackson, Ryan Hollins.
(32:12):
I mean that's just a few. You truly brought the
Clippers out. Well, I mean, does balm Er buy them
if it weren't for you, I don't know, maybe you
should have some sort of percentage.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Of that of that sale. How much fun was it?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I mean to be a part of something, and not
just a part of something, but a part of transitioning
an organization that had again either chosen or was sort
of obscure or or mired in obscurity to such amazing heights.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I mean had to just be incredible.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Yeah, it was a blast, man, it was. It was
you know, my rookie year was it was one thing.
But then when we got Chris CP, when we got
Chris Paul, it was like a whole day front level
and it was like, you know, we were on the road,
you go play like a team that wasn't doing that
well that year. Attendance was down, sold out. I mean
it was like every night we played it felt like
(33:13):
it was like the you know, a national TV game,
like a big one, and that was like a blast.
You know as a player, like you truly want to
play in the best in the best atmosphere, but also
you want to you want you want everybody's best shot.
You know, it's it's hard, man, when everybody's gunning for you,
Like it's it's obviously much harder. There's no games where
(33:35):
you just walk in, ho hung, do your thing and
get out. You know, when everybody's gunning for you. You
you got to bring it every night, and it was
it was like a level of focus that like I
truly believe helped my entire career because I just, you know,
so early on, I knew I had to bring it
every night, and it was it was a blast. We
(33:56):
had a really fun, really good run. I was it
came short of like a championship, but it was those
years were so fun. Why do you think it did
Why we came short multiple reasons. We had some we
had some mental lapses. We also had some physical breakdowns,
Like there was multiple times where key guys got hurt,
(34:17):
myself included. Yeah, and then we had some times where
like we should have gone on to the next round
and we you know, we were up three to one
against Houston, and I was like, you know, it's hard
to talk about still. Yeah, I was sorry. I wasn't
really asking the heart hitting questions. Man, you know, it's
gonna cry, But yeah, I mean there's multiple reasons, you know,
(34:41):
and and to win a championship, like there's a certain
amount of luck that you have to have, Like obviously
total wings are very very good, but like you know,
being healthy, like look at look at the year that
Toronto want beat Golden State, Kevin Durant gets hurt, Clay
Thompson gets hurt. Toronto's not sniffing that championship. If those
two are healthy. I don't mean any disrespect to Toronto.
(35:02):
They earned it because they and also guess what, they
stayed healthy, so they earned it. But like that's it
takes a lot, takes everything coming together at the right time.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Are you able now to celebrate what you.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Guys accomplished and how you change the culture and how
the Clippers are seen and defined or is it still
more I wish.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
I mean, I don't know, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
I mean, I don't know about you know, I'm still
close with a lot of those guys, and I don't
know that people are like truly give us any like
type of credit for bringing the bringing, you know, because
they still had to make decisions, you know, they from there.
They got guys for CP in the trade, they got
guys from ME in the trade, and then now they
have the team that they have. I don't know if
(35:48):
anybody's actually giving us any type of credit because really
we didn't ultimately win, so like, you know, it's not
really think that doesn't mean I'm not proud of what
we did, but I don't know that people are like
really giving us. I've never heard any like bump anybody.
No one's been like thank you for what you did, So.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I don't know, you know, right, well, that's that's really
surprising to me, honestly. I mean because even you know,
I hadn't been in LA that long, but I had
been there long enough to know that we talk about
the Clippers like there was no there weren't two teams
(36:27):
in LA. I don't I don't care what anyone I mean,
there just there just wasn't you know, that totally changed.
I mean to your point exactly what you're talking about.
I mean, you win the Pacific Division title number one
in the West, and you you changed the culture to
like you're at away games and it's sold out, whereas
(36:47):
before you guys, I don't think there were many home sellouts.
By the way, that's just uh, that's just a reality.
I that's the rising to me. Well, I ultimately, I
think you should feel really good about that. I feel
like you and the rest of the guys, Yeah, I
(37:08):
mean I think what you said earlier, I mean you
called it a transition team. I don't really know what
that means, but you definitely began a style of basketball
that Okay, maybe the Warriors took over.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
They also have like the greatest shooter of all time.
I mean I think you can you can now call
him that.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
Yeah you could, you could call him that like five
years ago.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Sorry but just saying now, but now you definitely.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Now you know what, I'm just now realizing. You got
to give it to Steph. You're pretty good, pretty good now.
Before I was like I was on the fence.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Well, and look, you got to meet me early on.
I mean, think about think about that. Think about that.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Honestly, I'm not even kidding, Like that's what I was
talking about when I didn't realize what going to play
in LA was all about, Like it just never crossed
my mind. But like the amount of like people that
I got to meet and like, you know, we're at games,
you know, I was like fans of and it was
really cool because it just wasn't like a thing that
I really thought about until it was happening. Yeah, I'd
(38:22):
consider myself so lucky, so lucky to have been able
to do the things I've done. And you know what,
shooting that spot with you.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, you know, I.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
Told you it's a massive fan of the office.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So it was like, but.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, of course, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
I don't know you. My recollection is this, you played
it very cool. One two, I was in this awkward
phase where.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
You know, that was the second year that I had
shot this and and I was meeting a bunch of
people and I didn't even start at the beginning, but
I was because I'm not a I'm a I mean
a huge sports fan. I was a big fan of
yours from watching even in Oklahoma. And someone was like,
(39:11):
you know, you should like get some merch or something,
and maybe you were the first one I don't.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
I don't like. So this was like year two. I
finally was like, well, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Like I would never go up to someone and ask
them to sign something if I didn't like, but now
I'm like working with them, and so I don't know
if you remember this, I still haven't. I'm gonna I'm
gonna send and post a picture of this as well.
It's down in my office.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
I was like, oh shit, I should I should have
him signed something. I stole a ball from that gym.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
That we was red and blue.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
It was.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
It wasn't red and blue, but it had like I
think it was like property of something. But it was
definitely a used high school basketball that I was like,
I mean, I guess I'll just take this. And I
had you sign a basketball and you signed it, and
I still I still have it.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
That's hilarious.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
And now that you're retired, I'm hoping it's gonna be
worth a lot more because now I have this signed stuff.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Probably not, It's gotta be honest, man, I should have
got I should I should have got off it. Really,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
You congratulations on the retirement. I mean, that's a long
(40:45):
career to have played thirteen years in the association, to
have had such great success. Why did you stop where
you just you were done with the grind of it?
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Yeah, well, I I mean I loved every minute of
basketball the last couple of years. You know, as you
get older, dude, I've had nine surgeries in my.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Career, and that's crazy, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
And like really like fought hard to get back from
each one and felt like I did for a long time.
But then you just start slowing down. And I was
at the point where, like you know, dude, you got
to take You're taking my anti inflammatories. You're like, you know,
you to tie it. There's just like all the things
that go along with basketball, and when you're not playing
(41:32):
as much, you have to work, Like in practice days,
you work twice as hard because if you're playing a
lot of minutes, like you can't go in and work
hard on an off day. But if you're not playing
that much, you have to stay in like elite shape.
And so it just like was aware on my body,
you know, nine months out of the year, ten months,
(41:53):
depending on how far you go in the playoffs, you know,
where I was just like, I don't think I can
give as much as I really need to, more so
mentally than physically. And it was just it was time.
And I have a ten year old son and a
seven year old daughter that I think it was just
time for me to to to move on. And I
feel super at peace with it. You know, when you retire,
(42:15):
I'd be like, I hope you're doing okay, and I'm like, no,
I'm so happy, so happy. You know, that's one of
those things.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Did you did you watch basketball this year?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
I watched the least amount of basketball I ever had,
but I kept up with it. I would watch here
and there. I would I would check out scores. I
would see how you know, buddies were doing. There was
some there was like clips and games I watched like
if an old coach like ever was like, hey, let
me pick your brain about this, Yeah, send me clips.
So I'd send clips and I you know, would get
on the phone. I'd give them whatever advice I could
(42:47):
possibly give. But you know, and just checking in on guys.
You know, you see guys going through a slump and
you reach out and stuff like that. But I didn't
watch as much basketball as I you know, normally during
the season, dude on, Like I was just at home.
I would watch East Coast games, the West Coast game.
I'd watch games all night. It's definitely different this year.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Is there a team are you a fan of? Blank?
Is there a team that you root for?
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Yeah, I mean the guys in Boston. I love those
guys and I hope they win this year and I
think they have a great shot. Denver is going to
be really good again. And then other than that, I watch,
you know, guys like teammates from before. Who are the teams?
But there's plenty of guys who I like, love I
mean love Washing, but I loved watching women Yama play
(43:37):
this year. I'm so excited to see I'm so excited
to get one to not ever have to play against
him too, just like to see his career. I hope
he stays healthy because he just seems like he's just
so mentally past everyone his age, and then physically he's
(43:58):
passed everyone, you know what I mean? In four years,
Washington play, Washington play against Yiannis, like the guys who
just absolutely bully people you know, are just longer than
like Washington play against those guys and just like be
able to like get up and block a shot or finish.
It's a I think he's going to be. I mean,
I'm not saying anything. Anybody knows, you know, it's not
a secret. But I'm so excited to watch him. Other
(44:21):
than that, just teammates who I've played with before.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
Yeah, you may be retired from basketball, but you are
not retired.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Do you want to be a comedian?
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Not? No, I don't want to be like a stand
up comedian. I've done it from time to time. I
love comedy so much. I love doing little acting things
here and there. It's just like it was always fun
for me to do in the off season. But I
like started production company years ago with my buddy Ryan Khalil,
and you know, we had an Apple TV show come
(44:56):
out Coolhella Tomorrow, We did a remake to White McCann Jump.
We got a bunch of other stuff and in the pipeline.
That's what I really love, Like the creative process when
it comes to comedy. I love it, like thinking of
the idea, like pitching, you know, the whole thing, from
beginning to end. I truly love it. So there's some
projects that I'm working on now that I'm really excited
(45:16):
about that I will maybe get to do personally now
that I'm done, and it'll be in the comedy realm.
But now I don't really consider myself a comedian per se.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah, you know you mentioned a couple White Man Can't
Jump remake, a Hulu Hello Tomorrow at Apple TV, plus
working mostly as a producer.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Did you enjoy that?
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Yeah? I loved it.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
You loved this?
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Yeah, the creative process. It's crazy because like the first
conversation I ever had about doing a White Men Can't
Jump reimagine it was twenty seventeen, I met with Kenya
Bears and I was like, that's one of my favorite films.
I'd love to see how it looks in this world today.
I know people get upset or remakes, but it's like, right,
(46:00):
it's kind of fun because that movie came out before
the Dream Team had even right one like Basketball, it
is so different, fashion so different, but they're two very
very relative things today. And then on top of that,
the conversations of race and what it means to be black,
when it means to be white, and how those two coincide.
(46:20):
We're still having those exact same conversations, right, you know.
So that was like why I wanted to do that,
But you know, it's twenty seventeen to like when we
started shooting May of twenty twenty two, I remember I
looked at it. I looked at our head of development,
a person in government. I was like, I can't believe
we're actually here right now, Like multiple scripts and multiple
regime changes, Disney acquiring Fox is just insane. So I
(46:43):
do love the process.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
It's it is insane. Well that's good one.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
That's another way that we are similar and this and
this time I'm not joking the business of television, the
business of entertainment is fascinating to me. I love it
as well. You can either get frustrated or you can
embrace it and you know, ride the wave. But it
got made. That's good too. You think of it this way.
(47:09):
Your development director got paid for five years instead of one.
I mean, that's a bonus for them, whoever they are.
So there's all.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
There's always a reason to keep push. Yeah, let's do
this in the next cycle.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
But you've also done performing working with fun of your Die,
comedy by Blake, you were on broad City and stuff
with Whitney Cummings. Let me tell you this, you really
make me laugh. So I'm not the arbiter of all
things funny, even though everyone else says that I am.
(47:45):
I will tell you I'm not. But I you have,
honestly a very fresh, unique perspective and take, and I
hope you continue to work and at some point point
give me a job because ultimately that's the only thing
that I care about is my own ability to further
(48:06):
my career.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
Wow, I said that weird career.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Yeah, it's okay, it's fine. The whole thing that you
said was was weird too, So like, don't don't let
the just the word career slow you down, like you know,
it's just it wasn't weird. I guess it's just so
immensely selfish, which obviously we've got to know each other.
I know that's just you. So don't even worry about.
Speaker 2 (48:30):
It, man, Right, I said career weird?
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Right, honestly, didn't hear it?
Speaker 2 (48:34):
It is?
Speaker 1 (48:35):
It may it made in those those headphones you got
are the beautiful studio microphone instead of an iPhone.
Speaker 3 (48:43):
Well, you know what's unique about your setup here today
is that you still have the plug in as opposed
to the AirPods.
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Well, hold on, can I I'm just I was told
to wait in headphones. I can pull up the email.
You know what, I'll blast it out. I'll blast it out.
Screenshot on the Instagram. It wasn't written by pain to
plug in headphones.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
No, that's right. And you did well, you did very
very well in.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
This thing where I try to not use Bluetooth as much.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Good.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
So I ordered these for my iPhone And.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Do you want to know the truth, I don't. I
don't use them ever, No, it's my don't.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Man, I think it's smart. I don't use microwaves either.
I'm like, I think.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
Microwave, don't use the microwaves at all.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
I mean I've probably used a microwave in the last
like ten years. I've probably used a microwave like once
a year maybe on average, like when there's no other option.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
Yeah, I mean that might be a little bit of
an exaggeration, but I'm actually with you. Here's here's the
weird thing. Okay, let's actually if we can have some
doctors right in. This is a serious thing.
Speaker 1 (49:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
I moved into a new house and it has a
built in microwave. Okay, now the microwave. There's an island.
I have an island in my house, and the microwave
is built into the island, which means that the microwave
is right at the same level and adjacent to.
Speaker 2 (50:18):
My pelvic region.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
Now this when I have used it, and I don't
use mine very much either, But when I do, I
hit the button and kind of step back real quick.
Speaker 4 (50:30):
It doesn't feel safe. Am I wrong about that? Is
this from our childhood? Is this bad? I mean, is
this is this bad intel? Or it just doesn't seem
like it's safe, right?
Speaker 1 (50:42):
I think you're right, you know, I think you should
do is get one of those X ray things you
just tied around your waist, and then the kitchen. Yeah,
there's that joke about you know, the x ray technician
is like yeah, safe, no words, and they run off
and hide behind what could be considered like a bomb, like.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
A drape themselves. No, it's totally fine.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
There's no way microwaves can be healthy. It's like we're
zapping our food with micro waves. Obviously, not to get
too scientific on you there.
Speaker 2 (51:21):
Ryan, I never really thought about it, but no, that
makes sense, right, And then we're.
Speaker 1 (51:25):
Eating that food like obviously, but not only like what
you're saying where you step back, but like smart by
the way, but like then we're also just just eating
that food like there's there's it can't.
Speaker 2 (51:38):
Be right, right, I'm I'm with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (51:41):
Maybe we started a little maybe we start a separate podcast.
No microwave thought.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
Is the microwave industry a powerful industry that I don't
want to anger.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
I don't know, I don't know, or they I.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
Feel like everybody that makes microwaves also makes like ovens,
or they make like toaster ovens.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
And the ovens are probably more expensive. Yeah, they probably
would rather sell ovens, so in a way we would
be helping them.
Speaker 1 (52:06):
Yeah, maybe we get we get big Microwave to back us,
put in a little money.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
Big big microwave, big wave, big wave companies. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (52:20):
It doesn't it doesn't seem safe, but yeah, I I
don't to your point, I don't know what kind of
energy it is. But shoving energy that is transmitting to
another device inside my head, just intellectually, it just doesn't.
It doesn't seem like it's a great thing to do,
does not, does it?
Speaker 2 (52:40):
I agree, we're onto something, we're on or we're on
something one one or the other. Just to you listen, uh,
good luck again.
Speaker 3 (52:53):
You have my number now, so when you you have
something interesting project wise, you give me a call. All right,
it's got to be interesting though, Okay. Well, other than that,
we will we will play some really slow golf and
now I'll be playing with a champion.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
Yeah, you're welcome and that, and you know I'm gonna
work on this slow thing. No one told me, but
so thanks for telling me.
Speaker 3 (53:14):
You know, I feel like everyone told you. I feel
like it became Oh really, yeah, I feel like it was.
It was sort of commonly said I had to put
Blake on a on a shot clock.
Speaker 1 (53:26):
Oh that's right, you were doing a shot clock thing.
Speaker 2 (53:28):
Yeah, yeah, counting down.
Speaker 1 (53:31):
Well, you know what, maybe you should play a little
slower next year and you'll win. Sorry, man, I was
just lashing out. It felt like you came at me.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
I feel like, no, it's I mean, it's it is
a fair point. Uh.
Speaker 3 (53:44):
Are you a fan of the play in? Yes, it
generates interest, it keeps more people involved exactly, and it
does it does kind of suck. Like who wasn't New
Orleans was? I think they were the sixth seed and
then like they maybe two games and they went and
had to play the plan and luckily they still got in.
But it does suck for most teams that like, if
(54:06):
it's jumbled at five to six and you have a
couple of back games or you have just like a
two minor injuries, the guys need to take a couple
of games off, like your season could be over instead
of you know, getting a favorable matchup in the playoffs.
That sucks, but it does generate a lot of interest
and also the end season tournament kind of the same way,
like more people were watching those games than usually watch
(54:28):
games during that point.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
Of the season.
Speaker 3 (54:29):
During that time, Yeah, yeah, Minnesota for real? Do they
have a shot that winning?
Speaker 2 (54:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (54:39):
I think yeah, I think they're for real. But I like,
I would say Denver's like the favorite in my favorite
in the West in Boston's Like, I don't see them
beating Denver or Boston, but could happened, for sure. I mean,
Rudy's playing unbelievable defense, Anthony Edwards is an absolute stud
and then their pieces around are so solid that yeah,
I mean for sure, could happen again. You never know,
(55:02):
they get matched up with Denver and somebody goes down.
Hopefully doesn't happen, but they could get there, right.
Speaker 3 (55:09):
I just I do want to point out that you
picked the two consensus favorites.
Speaker 1 (55:16):
I just I mean, well, guess what, I also picked
Yukon before they won. So what's that mean, Scot. There's
a reason their favorite the best team also, but also
Denver's other than two seed Oklahoma City. Yeah, I didn't
pick Oklahoma City there the one seed.
Speaker 2 (55:35):
Are you an Oklahoma City fan because you're from Oklahoma? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (55:39):
But you know what's crazy is like they the first
year that Oklahoma City got a team was my last
year in college, so I like I didn't grow up
with them, so it's kind of weird where like I
basically got into the league as they were starting out,
so it was like I obviously would have been if
they were there prior, but I just was never like
a fan fan. But yeah, I want to him do well.
(56:00):
Still still love Ulchoma City.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
Well.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
NBA playoff basketball is very exciting. My TV is on
every night. I wish you all the best. Good luck, Yeah,
good luck with everything.
Speaker 2 (56:13):
Media. Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
Yeah, and let's get the golf game tuned up and
then we'll play again.
Speaker 1 (56:20):
Let's do it. Man, appreciate it. Thanks for having.
Speaker 3 (56:21):
Me, Thanks buddy, Blake. Great to have you on my friend.
Thank you so much for joining us. I'm gonna see
you soon, I hope. And thanks for all your insight
(56:43):
into the NBA playoffs. I will be watching mostly to
see if the Celtics and Nuggets do play in the finals.
Speaker 2 (56:50):
Thanks for listening. Listeners.
Speaker 3 (56:53):
Come back next week right here, same place, same channel
for another listening adventure. It's gonna be fun, really will be.
Blake won't be here, so it'll be great. Until then,
everybody have a fantastic week. Off the Beat is hosted
(57:16):
and executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive
producer Lang Lee. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our
producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our
talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary, and our intern is
Ali Amir Sahed. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed
(57:37):
by the one and only Creed Bragg,
Host
Brian Baumgartner
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