November 16, 2023 • 42 mins
Magic legend Rashard Lewis joins Dante and George for a walk down memory lane, his impressions of this young Magic group, how impressive he found the AdventHealth Training Center and tons of great stories about the 08-09 Finals Run!
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Great to have you with us, Magic Fans for another
episode of Magic od Squad. This time we have the
opportunity to catch up with the Magic Legend where Shard Lewis,
you helped get this team to the two thousand and
nine NBA file.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Magic Fans, the.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Florida Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't let
fans drive drug. If you've been drinking, don't get behind
the wheel. Instead, find the sober driver or catch a
right sirs. Remember drive sober or get pulled over. Have
a great night and drive safe. All lots to get
into here with Rashard Lewis, including that run to the
two thousand and nine NBA files. So many big shots
for Rashard along the way and he breaks down each
(00:40):
and every one of them, playing alongside you know, Turkleu,
Dwight Howard. That was a magic team that kind of
started this furras of three point shooting back in the day. Also,
his basketball journey that took him through the Pacific Northwest
has started Seattle and ultimately his decision to come to
City Viewers. Lots of good stuff to get into with
Magic big Man Rashard Lewis on this edition of Magic
(01:01):
Pod Squad. This is Fawns long Enough to Orlando Magic.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
This is Cole Anthony, this is Jennon Suggs.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
This is Paulo Ban Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're
listening to the Pod Squad.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Hey, welcome everyone to another edition of Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcateelli, George Galate and quite Frank to George one
of the greatest magic players.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
We've ever had.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Rishard lewis kind enough to join us from Magic Pod Squad.
And I tell you what it is. How great is
it being back here? But it is a blast for
us to have you back here for But it feels
like old times.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh man, It's always a blast coming back to Orlando
because it just brings back so many memories and all
those memories are great memories. So I love this city,
you know, because it's one of the best sides of
my career. It was was it was one of them.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's like he can still play by I'm not buying it.
You could play if I put you on, could I
could you give me fifteen minutes right now?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I can give you offense, no defense, that's not no
blocking size. I can give you some corner three parts
or something perfect. The league has gone home on.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Well, let everybody know what you're up to now, which
I know last year you were on the sidelines. You
were you were coaching with the Detroit Pistons. You've been
in the Big Three since its existence. Just what what
are you up to now?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Pretty much like you said, I was with first year
coaching with the Detroit Pistons. Last year, coach Casey brung
me on. He drafted me when I played with the
Seattle Super soonest and kind of raised me from a
young kid into a man. So he asked me to
come out there and help, which I enjoyed it. You know,
I feel like the next chapter in life for me
of being able to still be around the game and
looking forward to continue to do it, you know, in
(02:34):
the future as well as during the summertime playing the
Big Three. Still love to compete, still love to play
basketball at a high level. So I feel like that's
kind of like half court professional basketball. That's how I
look at it. Is it is that's a whole head. Yeah,
that's still professional to me because you got a lot
of talent in it.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I mean, yeah, a lot of coach because that makes
us super old heads over here?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Do you feel like you're retired?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I do, but but you know, like I said, it
was still young in life. Of course, I still got
a long life to live. So I feel old in
basketball terms. I guess you could just say in basketball.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So how was the your coaching that was? That was
your first foray into into coaching. What did you What
did you like? What did you not like? Or is
there things you didn't expect?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
No, I really enjoyed it. I loved it. A lot
of people always saying like, it's not too much for you.
Now you know you have a real job and you're
gonna be I'm like, man, this is basketball. Like basketball
to me is not a job, right, you know. It's
so much fun and I love it. I don't look
at it as a job. And the traveling, you know,
(03:42):
I mentally kind of put my mind to a place
where as a player, traveling night in and night out,
being at the practices, the meetings and all that. So
I did it for seventeen years. True, it's nothing for me.
It was easy for me to go into the season
and be mentally prepared for the travel and everything else,
just because the fact that I've done it. You know,
if I was coming in and never have done that
type of we're traveling, then it'll probably be a little
(04:03):
different for me. But I was mentally prepared.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
And really a little more stiff on the water flight now.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Daf definitely that I'm older, but that's when you just
got to keep getting up. Just just them legs out a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
What they What are the guys nowadays asking you when
they picked your brain and you have conversations with young
guys that are coming into the league now, guys are
coming in same age as you were nineteen twenty starting
your NBA career, What are you telling these guy?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I will always tell the guys you know, you stick
with it because I can remember being that young guy
nineteen twenty years old and wanted to success right away.
Want to be an All Star, or score twenty points
at night, you know, be on sports and or be
a big key to making the playoffs. It don't happen overnight.
And that was a big thing that I was saying
with a lot of the young guys that was with
the Pistons. There was a young team that's rebuilding, like,
(04:50):
you gotta stick with it. You know you're gonna have
good nights, gonna have bad nights. But for the most part,
you're nineteen, you're twenty years old. There's a lot of
learning and a lot of experience the game. Everybody, not
Lebron James or Kobe Bryant. They could come in and
have immediate success. They take a lot of us. It
takes time and not saying that you won't be successful
your first year, but you will be a better player
(05:10):
down the road in five for six years playing in
the NBA from gaining that experience. So I always tell guys,
you know you're going to have bad weeks, bad days,
bad months, don't beat yourself up over it. You know,
be mad that day, but get up tomorrow and continue
to work, continue to get better, and that's how you succeed.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You on spread, When did that click in though, for
you or shar because I would imagine that the majority
of players that come in, especially the ones. Let's say, like,
let's take a team like you you coached last year
in Detroit. There's a lot of kids on that team.
And I say kids because they're eighteen, nineteen years old.
I mean, I'm super old. Now that they've they've been
(05:47):
you know, the best player on their team. I mean,
and you you went through this as an eighteen year
old kid coming out of high school. When does that
kick in for a player? Because it's not easy to
tell them that. I'm sure somebody may be told you
that when you were when you were a rookie. Maybe
it was coach Casey, maybe it was somebody else. When
does that click in for a guy?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
And does it?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I mean, I'm sure clicks in differently for everybody, right,
clicking for you?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Like you said, does clicking different for everybody? Sometimes it
could take a year, it could take two years, take
thirty games. But with me, I would say after my
first two years in the league going into my third
year that I gained a lot of experience. I think
more than anything, it's the confident level. But coming in
as a teenager, you know, I was able to mature
a little bit more from playing in the summer league
(06:32):
and you know, practicing hard. But I would say my
third year because you want to gain that experience on
the court, playing with the with the real guys, right,
And when you get that experience, the conference level goes up,
everything goes up, and you put the work in during
the summer. But by my third year, I felt like
I had it figured out. I was still learning, but
you know, everything was starting to come to me like this.
(06:53):
It was all about winning ball games, and when you're young,
it's all about me, me me. I want to be
an all star, I want to get it paid the
big bucks. I want to get thirty points a night.
It's all about, you know, the individual person. But when
you figured it out over the years, it's all about
the team. It's about us, and when the team had success,
the individual has success. So you learn over time that
(07:15):
it's not just about that individual person. It's about us.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
As did you call any of your old coaches back
once you became a coach and apologized to that and
say and say, hey, I'm really sorry, I got it
now apologize, But I do y'all.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Did definitely get it, you know, being a little bad
body language at the end of the bench, wanting minutes,
wanting shots. You know, I was just learning. I was
a kid. If they would have put me out there,
probably would have been like a deer in airlight. So
I think sometimes, like I said, some kids are very talented.
They can come in and play right away, but I
would say ninety percent of rookies of guys that get
(07:48):
drafted to the NBA. It's a learning process. Yeah, it's
definite learning. You still can't have success, but it's still
a learning process. Of course.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
You know, we think about when he came here in
oh seven, right, you played parts of four years with
the Magic Right looking at it today, and I obviously
knew this, but I had why I forgot you had
a whole basketball life before you got here.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
That's not trumers in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Years in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
That is a phenomenal career for a right that you
had a whole journey. I imagine Ray Allen was one
of those guys that pulled you aside. You were his rookie.
What I mean, nine years in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Like you said, nine years in Seattle, and that's when
I had my best season. When Ray came for the team.
I played with Gary Payton for the first two years,
and then Gary Payton was traded for Reality. And when
Reality came to the team, he was one of those guys.
You know, we see Jesus set us work, not Reality.
You know, we're young guys in the locker room. Listen
to every story he tells us right, But it wasn't
(08:43):
out the stories he told us. It was the summertime. Uh,
the work we put in during the summer, working on
our bodies in our game. Uh, we followed the things
he did. He would get to the arena up before
games before anybody would get in there. By the time
us young guys would walk into the arena for the game,
he's already in his locker reading a book, mentally preparing
himself for the game. And we're like, what are you doing.
(09:04):
You're not gonna go shoot. He's like, I didn't already
did all of that, So he's so we picked up
the small things. And he told me to be an
All Star in his league, you have to be consistent,
not saying that you're gonna play great every night, but
when you have a bad night, you have to get
back onto the very next try to get back onto
the next game, and that's how you become an All Star.
And he was like, what you do outside of the
(09:24):
court is how you perform on the court. And he
helped me make my first All Star team. So I
give a lot of critics. Awesome for being a great leader,
you know, not only for just myself but for us
as a team because we was a young team and
he was a great leader.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Well, I got to hit you because we know Gary
Payton can tell stories, and we know reality can tell stories.
So we don't in Orlando, we don't.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Know a lot about reality and Gary Payton.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
So what what?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
What give us some.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Good stories that stood out that you can tell on
a podcast from those two guys.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Jerry Peyton's story that stands out? And I tell this
story all the time. Of course, I'll drafted out of
high school teenagers. I'm a kid. The year I get drafted,
it was a lockout. So right after I got drafted,
league locks out, and I think I don't think. We
didn't start to January. So once they lifted lockout, we
fly into Seattle a week before training camp starts, me
(10:16):
and Julena McCard the rookies. But camp don't start for
another week, so the guys were just playing pick up
basketball games. So our first day to get there with
somebody from the staff was picking us up from the hotel,
Me and Jelena McCourt to bring us to the facility
just to play pickup before camp starts. To follow week.
We get to the facility late. I think we got
(10:36):
there like thirty minutes late, when they had already started
playing pick up, But it was because we got lost.
The guy that was driving us ended up taking a
wrong turn and we end up getting there late. So
soon as we walk into the gym, me and Jolena
McCall walk in, they literally plan a full game of
pick up. Gary Payton dribbling the ball up the court
stops in the middle of the pick up and started
(10:57):
seeing me and Jelena McCloy out, what the like y'all doing?
Y'all are late while y'all not. You know, we both
looked at each other and we pointed to the guy
that was driving like he is like it was his fault,
you know. He was like, I don't give a damn.
Y'all got to get to the gym. I have my
own boys pick y'all up, and you know, it's just
(11:17):
Gary Payton be and Gary Payton both and it scared
us because we know we're young teenage kids, just got drafted.
But starting to figure Gary out and and learn what
type of person he was, He's just passionate about the game.
When he steps in between those lines, he's playing basketball,
and we just happened to walk in the building while
he was playing basketball. That's right. If we called him
(11:39):
outside of those lines, maybe he would have came at
us a little different. But Gary Payton in between those
lines is all basketball.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
They could both those two that you're learned from. Then
you come here in Orlando, you get a young Dwight
Howard right to get all the young young Jimier Nelson,
you get that. How valuable was that it was very
valuable veteran for those guys.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
It was very valuable for me because, uh, you know,
playing nine years in Seattle, I learned a lot from
sitting back watching my first couple of years to becoming
a role player to becoming one of the main guys
in the offense. Uh. And when I got to the
and I was all about winning. My whole game was
just win, win, win. It's not about you know, getting
fifty points at night and losing the game. It was
(12:21):
just about winning. So when I came to the Orlando Magic,
it was obviously, like you said, it was a young team,
and my whole thing was winning basketball games. I didn't
care about the amount of money I was making or
me coming in being a Superstar from the Seattle super Sonics.
It was about us. It wasn't about me. That's how
I always approach you know, every game it's about us
(12:42):
and to be successful. You know, over the years of
watching the NBA, like the Spurs, the Lakers they have,
it's about the team to win that championship. It ain't
Toobe Bryant or Tim Duncan you know, it was minw Genobili,
Tony Parker. Uh, you know, from Shack to Rick Fox
to it was about the team. So I always felt
that as long as I could have my teammates engaged
(13:05):
and feel like they're part of the success, you get
the best. You get the best out out of them
on the court.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
But you were a big reason for that success because
of you playing for what the team needed. Because it's
been well documented obviously, like Stan talks about it all
the time. You know, you were you were three for
nine years, ten years, you know, and you played the
three and small forward and that was your thing. And
then Stan pulls you into the office one day and says, listen,
(13:32):
like I want, we want to put you at the
four right and we want and you I don't think
there was much push pushback from you. You're just like, hey, listen,
whatever the team needs, we're good.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, and you.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Guys kind of revolutionize revolutionize the game a little bit,
because now look around, everybody's got a stretch for and
it all goes back to that with you.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's right. I remember, like you said, when stant told
me you wanted to move me to the four, and
I you know, and like I said, I told him,
whatever helps, you know, the team win ball games. And
I was for it because we had Hedo Turkeulu that
was playing a three position, which was the same position
I played when I was in Seattle. And I know
Turkeulu is a great basketball player. I played against him
when he was a Sacramento even played against him when Orlando,
(14:15):
you know, we played faced each other, and I know
Turku Lou was going to be a big key to
us succeeding. So when he said to move to the four,
you know, I was all for it as long as
it was successful the team. I may have took a
little bit of back last by not being that thirty
point score of what everybody was always looking, but we
didn't need that for exactly. It was all about winning.
(14:36):
Long as we win basketball games, right, nobody's talking bad
about the Orlando Magic. When you're losing, they try to
point the finger. But that's just a part of sports.
And it was in with the this organization. The team
we had, it was a family. You know. We didn't
have guys stabbing each other in the back and Dan
smiling in their face. No, we We was a real
(14:57):
family and we played that way on the court. Feel like,
the better relationship you have with guys off the court,
coaching staff as well, the better it'll show. The more
it'll show on the court.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I always tell Dante, and you may remember it or
you may not remember it, it will stick with me forever.
The year before the year we went to the finals,
we had a dinner at training camp and everybody got
the handbooks and whatever else. And everybody's sitting around a
big table at the dinner. And I don't know if
you and Stan went through. Each guy started, you know, Dwight, Rishard,
(15:32):
Hito jam and he went all the way down to
a Donald, the offense of Donald. He went all the
way down to a Donald. Right, this is what we
need you to do to win. I need you to
do a B, C, D and E Rashard, I need
you to do ab and everybody to a man just
kind of stood like and they knew, but like that's rare,
is it not?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
It's there here. And that's why I really like Stan,
not only as a coach but as a person because
coaches like Stan be straight up. Which as a player,
that's what you need. You need to tell us our
roles because I can be a great defender rebounder, but
I aver twelve thirteen points with the Sonics. Now I'm
(16:11):
coming to the magic. First thing is on every basketball
player might a scoring Yeah, now I want to go
get twenty points because you know, you score, you get paid.
So when Stan tells you your role, look, you're a defender,
you're a rebounder, you're a three point shooter. Are your
you know whatever your role is. And if you know
that as a player, you go out there and play
your role. You can't get upset when you're not playing
(16:33):
your role, if coach takes you out the game from
not being doing your role, because you know, when you
have Dwight Howard on the team, you know Jamie Nelson
hit a turculu. Those are offensive guys. Those are the
guys who are going to go through offensively. Martine Gortat,
you're the back of center. I need you to rebound,
needs you to defend and take the offensive points when
it comes to you, when you're opening, when you get it.
(16:54):
But for the most part, Dwight Howard, Jamie and Nelson,
you know, he lets everybody know their role defensively, offensively,
and if you don't know your role, come talk to me,
because we don't want to have no type of friction
or bad body language. Love that because one person do it,
it can trickle down to the team, especially if you
have a guy like Dwight howld Oheito Turkulu one of
the main guys on the team. If they show a
(17:16):
bad body language and a bad attitude as the leaders,
it trickles down to the team. That's right, So you
want to make sure that don't happen throughout the time.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I don't know why that dinner sticks with me even
to this day, but I just remember leaving there and
I had been to a bunch of dinners like that
before with speeches that were similar, But for whatever reason,
it was the way you guys were even just I
don't want to say you were locked in at dinner.
But you were locked in at dinner, right, And I
and I left there and I went home and I
told my and I told my wife and I was like, hook, like,
(17:47):
we're going to be damn good. Like we're going to
be good. And she's like, what do you mean you
just had dinner. I'm like, you can just tell by
the vibe in the room with the guys, you could
just tell special.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Well, and you're and you're going at this revolutionized in
the game, really because you've got two six ten guys
who can handle, who can defect, who can pass, who
can shoot.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Right now, you're leading the league in three is made.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
The team is leading the league in threes. Right, You've
got a big that you can play through.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And that was that I hadn't been done till that point, right,
and the way you guys did it.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And a lot of credit goes to Dwight Howard because
he was obviously one of the best centers in the
league at the time, dominant in the paint, as well
as a lot of credit goes to the coaching staff.
Stan Van Gunn. This was his staff because he didn't
come in from Miami and coach the way he coached
the Miami Heat. He coached to the players that he
had on his team, right, He had Dwight Howard, He
(18:38):
had of course hedoj JJ, he has shooters, but he
has such a dominant force in Dwight Howard. He coached
the style that would fit best for the type of
players he had. And that's what makes great coaches, not
coming in with, say the Miami Heat coach her and
try to bring it to the Orlando Magic. Maybe don't
have that Miami He coached type players, right, he coasted
(19:01):
what he had, and that's why, you know, those are
some of the best coaches. And that's why I still
think stand is one of the best coaches that I've
ever played for, because he's always made adjustments, if it
was during the game or in the playoffs, whatever it was,
or the type of players he had, if it was
a trade made visc Carter coming to the team, whatever
it was, he made adjustment with within the organization.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
You know, it's is We just had Ryan Anderson on
the podcast recently as well, and he said when he
first got here, he couldn't do anything right.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Stan rode with him and.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
He's just hug You're laughing because you heard you heard
those guys he said Shark could do no wrong.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
He did say that he ever Shark was his favorite.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Yeah, did you feel that with the stan ever get on? Well,
I never.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Heard Stan gets on everybody. Sure, sure he does. Stan
gets on us. He gets on everything were not doing.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I also never heard of Yellow you had a special relation.
You either did everything right.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I don't. I don't want said Ever sacrificed. I think
I think he appreciated the sacrifice, but not only that. No,
I'm not a bit talkative guy that's gonna be screaming
and yelling and practice. I live by example, Yeah, putting
the work in getting their early standing, after practice, getting
up shots, or in the weight room to getting my
body together, whatever it was, I live by example, and
(20:14):
I was always you know, I always practice hard. I
would always do, you know, whatever coach wanted me to do, because,
like I said, I felt like as one of the
cabins of the team, if you don't do it, the
other guys want to fallow behind. So I've always been
just that type of person to do, you know, the
right thing and try to win ball games that way,
especially with a guy like stand being the coach.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Now I think about that finals run, right, and I'm
sitting there thinking, then this guy hit a lot of
big shots, I mean big shots with all of us
praying go in, go in. I got a huge, mega
shot and I went back and looked at it. That
eighth nine year clutch situations, Right, you're talking in the
last two three minutes of a basketball game, close within
five points either way, Vince Carter was the most clutch
(20:58):
player in the NBA, and we had that year.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Really we ended up adding oh.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
You're talking about eight o nine.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
We ended up adding here right right right.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Number two in the whole league was Rashard Lewis.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
That doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I can think of six las off the top of
my head that.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
But would you have known to that level?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
No, we No, I just I can think of I
can think of the Detroit I can think of the
Detroit game winner. I can think of the Boston banker
at the buzzer. I can think of the Cleveland game
winner on the win, and then I could think of
the Cleveland three pointer in the corner that tied it that,
Oh my god, maybe we didn't even go to the finals.
If you don't hit that shot, what.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Else what else I got them on the top of
I want to touch on those.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
You have notes, I have no notes.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
It's all in my head.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
The individually, but to be because we know he hit
big shots. But but there was a clutch gene about
you your whole career, but something special that year. What
is it about being?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
You know, we haven't the ball out Gane, the second
and the clutch. I had no clue about this that
I think. Uh, I'm just always I'm just.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
He made it up by way. He made the stat
up side of el.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Think it helps me.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Look good. No, go ahead, I'm saying fifty.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Percent to the floor in forty four percent from three
in the clutch, second.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Best in the envent. I don't know. I just had
that attitude of I just wanted to win, and I
felt like I always felt like I'm gonna make every shot.
I'm not a high volume shit. I'm not gonna go
out there and shoot thirty shots just to get twenty points.
You know, maybe twelve. I wasn't a high volume shooter.
But I've always felt like, give me the ball at
the end the game, I'm gonna make the shot. You know,
even if I were missed the shot. I go home
(22:35):
and I think about that shot all night long. But
I just felt like I wanted to win so bad.
I'm gonna make you trust you for to trust me.
I'm gonna make this right. That's the mat I think there.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
I think there's a couple of things with that, Like
number one, it's that, and number two, like your demeanor
all the time is very even, keel right, and you
don't get too high, you don't get too low. Everything
you look on and you always know Rashar is in
control of his emotions.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Of nervous every time out the ball, every time we
touched the ball, I was a wreck.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Please don't throw this. In the fifth throw, please don't throw.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
He was so clutched.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
But you're though, you're Jamiir, Jamiir rishard Hto. We're probably
three of the best clutch players in the league over
that like three four years time span, right, But with you,
it was like I just I never it was never
a doubt to me that that ball was going to
go in if you got it at the end, I
(23:29):
just knew it was going to go in. I haven't
felt that way in a long time. By the way,
it's been like.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
I miss you and also on that during that time,
we had such dominant alpha males on the team that
even he don't felt like he would make shot Jamir
Dwight Howard. You know, we was just at a point
where we had that chemistry and we were so bonded. Yeah,
we're gonna make this out. We're gonn You're gonna have
to beat us. You're not gonna come in and just
make it. It's gonna be easy win. You gotta beat us.
(23:56):
You have to take it from It's gonna go down
to the last second for you to beat.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Well in Turkey big shots too. But we got so
we got video. We're gonna roll this in after the fact.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I wish we could. We are. We're going to roll
things a little and after we do.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I wish you could see it that we go we're
huge right now.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Oh wow, I didn't know we did that.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
But that Game one against Cleveland, here you are in
the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Fire.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
You just beat Boston. You just blew them out on
their floor. And after the conference in Game seven in Boston,
the whole world is expecting Lebron and Kobe.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Yes, were they not commercials all year long? The Muffets
Kobe Lebron, Kobe Lebron all year. That's all they wanted
to see in the final.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
That's a little chip, I would think on your shoulder.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
It was a big chip on all of our shoulders
every week. You know, we took that person because we
felt like it was one of the best teams in
the league in the East at the time, us Cleveland
as well as Boston. But you know they started that
early in the season and commercial it was that was
like all Star bres almost predicted that Lakers versus Cleveland.
So you know, we we we took that person.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
But you go to the end of game one. Now
here you are the big bad Cleveland Calves who everybody's
assumes going to go. You're on their floor.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
They lost like three games that whole year at home. Right,
balls in your hands with four seconds left with a
chance to steal game one.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
This is after by the way, and we had one
of our assistant coaches with Steve Hetzel at the time,
who was an assistant coach with Cleveland during that team,
and he liked to remind us that that they were
up by twenty something.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Points, like that good point game. They were a good
point and we were getting smoked very I could just
about to say that Game one, we was excited. Eastern
Conference Finals. You know, we in Cleveland, we take the
bus ride to the arena to go over for Game one.
Streets is just filled with people. You know, they booing
us as we're getting police as scored to the arena.
(25:40):
So yo, crazy, like we're excited. Right first quarter game
Stars ball goes up. It was boom boom boom. We
was like first time out. We go to the bench,
were down maybe ten to fifteen points, and we look
at each other. We looking around like we just get
(26:02):
ourselves into a stands, just like, calm down, everybody, just relax,
take us chip away at it. We're not gonna get
it all back in one play. Just calm down. I
think that first time out kind of relaxed. Every day
I relaxed. We were still tense and you know, ready
to play. Kind of reset. It was reset, yeah, because
we it was just like it was too fast for us.
(26:24):
We reset it, started chipping away at it, and I
think we was cut the league by halftime. I think
it was down maybe a couple points now, but I
can say that first quarter it was like, oh my God.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
I had to been thinking, Wow, we get ourselves into it,
like you said, but now you fight back and the
game comes down to you with the ball in your head.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Fight back down to the last second. I remember coaching
goowing up a play. You know, I'm feeling good. I
started off first half not playing too well, but second
half started playing well. I was playing a lot better,
started getting a little rhythm, and I can remember, you know,
like I said, when it come down to those that
end of the game, I want to win. I don't
care how we're gonna do it. Let's win. But I
(27:03):
remember Turkeyu passing me that ball in the wing, and
I had Verisida was guarding me, and you know, I
felt like every time a BIG's on me, I'm going
to beat you to the basket. I'm quite quicker than you,
so I tried to drive him to the basket. He
played great defense. I remember kicking it back out to
Turkeulu at the top of the key. But I wanted
to win and my instinct was going to get the ball,
so I just come running back out to the three
point line, you know, like kind of waving my hands
(27:25):
like pass it back and he gives it back to me,
knowing Turculu.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We don't.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
He don't like to pass the ball a lot he wants. Yeah,
he ended up giving it back to me and I
gave Ver's our jab step and he thought I was
gonna drive it again and I just raised up and
when they went through the net. When I say the excitement,
I had the chills, the feeling. I think I started
(27:51):
pumping my chest looking over to the Spinch. You know,
everybody is so happy. I mean just the magnitude of
that game, Eastern Conference Finals, game one on the road,
playing against the best team in the NBA, had the
best record that year, Lebron James, best player in the league.
You no our back. I mean everything was against us
(28:12):
and our back. The building was insane. It was insane.
It was the loudest building I've ever played in. The
atmosphere was crazy. To steal Game one was a big deal.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Is that do you just do you have that like
bookmarked on your phone and then that's how you go
to sleep every night? Real quick before you go to sleep,
You're like, let me just watch this fifteen seconds real quick.
That's how I would go to sleep every night.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
No, that's the side that I always remember, but not
only that, but I don't I think still in Game
one is a big key to us getting to the finals.
We don't get game one absolutely.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Well, that's what you're thinking.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
The story that you're telling is the story that Turk
wishes he could tell because it gave two.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
He is right, he makes the why it should have
been the game, the game winner.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Now Lebron make that miracle shot.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Every year I have to watch this, and not only that,
it was only what Every year I gotta watch it
to the NBA TV, they always show it either to
highlight or they showing that game. But I think it
was like one point something seconds left because it was
only like that last time tick it in or catching
let it go. And like I said, I remember this
to this day. I'm guarding the guy on the inbounds
(29:23):
as he throws the button, and the play was. You know,
we figured they wanted to try to get a lib
tip in or whatever because you don't have time, So
we cut the lob off for Lebron to get the tip,
but we cut all the paint off. We playing the paint.
You're not getting a tip in. So he somehow runs
to the back to the top of the key, and
I remember the ball being passed to him and I'm
(29:43):
following the ball. I'm the inbound im guarding the inbounder.
Ball goes to him. I'm following the ball and I'm
running to where the ball's going. Lebron catches it. If
you go back and watch the replay, Turculeus contested it,
but you can see me come flying by to try
to well you try, and he shot it, and you know,
we like, we got this game too, And when it
(30:04):
goes in the arena erupts and we like kind of
looking around like did that really just happen? Yes, we
thought we was going up to zero. Were for sure
knew we was in the driver's seatd this serious? Now
it's a whole new ball game. Yes, from a one
second shot from the top of the key.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Yeah, that's a miracle shot. But you you recover.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
You go back and win game three at home and
then there was a feeling George that I I remember,
and magic fans fell.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Game four is almost just as important. You can't go
back up there too, too.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
You had to get well, you have to you have
to hold home court at that to get it.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
And it goes to you again in the corner with
the big shot, end up going overtime and winning. But
now you get your number called again. I would think
if I'm Cleveland, I'm not letting Richard beat me.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Right for some reason, Like I said, I think it
was down two points at the time.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Yeah, way were down down, one.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Down, one down one didn't need a three, but went
fur all of it.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Yeah, but I was wide open, I mean, staying a
little such a great play, you know, me and Dwight
at the elbows, and I think it was screening down
for I don't know if it's Turkey Lou or Jamir
coming up, but that was just a decoy screen. Yeah,
I mean, and I see a lot of teams running
this place to this day and people bring it up.
But you know, after I set that screen, Dwight turns
and screen for me. And you know I like to
(31:22):
post up on that right block, so the right side
is one of my best. You know, I need to
shoot the jump hook or I love to turn over
the right should learn that from a kim Olaji won
the dream shake. Turn over my right shoulder to shoot
the shot, the fadeaway shot. So me turned over my
shoulder to shoot that three was almost a money shot
for me because I worked on it all the time
and I post up all the time. So coming off
of that right side, catching it and turning over my
(31:45):
right shoulder, it was like and he told coach, told me,
if you're open, let it, go shoot it. You know.
If you're not open them, you know, go to the basket,
you know, make a plate. But if you're open for
the three, you can have to shoot it. And nobody
was on me right and I'm turned over my right
showed it, which is a rhythm shot for me, and
it was nothing, you know, nothing, but he made it
and the arena he erupted it.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Oh my god, talk to you talk about the arena erupting, like,
talk about the city at that point when we were
making you know, the all the years you were here, really,
I mean, just talk about the fan base and the
energy that white.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Yes, and that's what was going on in the city
of Orlando. It was ignited throughout the playoffs and it
even bigger in the finals. Did you know. That's what
it was all about. Who was trying our best win
the championship for the city of Orlando, for the de
Vos family, because the energy. I mean that not only
that year the fans was great, but in the finals
(32:40):
it just went to a whole nother level. Man. The
city was great, the arena was packed. It was just
it was a good feeling to have in here. And
you know, in the in the Orlando area, especially when
we was on a road playing playoff games. We would
come back, the fans will be buzzed. They couldn't wait
for us to come back back road. It was great.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
It was a lot of I don't think we knew
how special it was, so we tried to never take
it for granted.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
But man, it was just a spout. I mean, it's you.
You're lucky in your career to experience it once. You
got to go on and win a championship. You got
to do it again, which is phenomenal. Down in Miami.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
I'm not bitter at all. Why did I have to
be with any other team?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
But they for God, good Lord.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
All right, But it seems like you get to the
NBA Finals and then Game one kind of seemed like
a little bit of what happened in Game one in Cleveland, right,
It kind of maybe the speed or the right right, right,
But man, you thirty four seven and thirty four eleven
and seven in Game two for Rashard.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Yeah, that does not you were on a missioning game.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I was on a mission to win. I saw all
I was thinking about was win, win. When we got
to win ball games. I think that first half of
played really well. Yeah, especially in the first half. And
you know, after that Game one loss, we didn't only
lose a close game, we got beat pre We got
beat up pretty bad. So you know, staying laid into us,
we got on field session, but as players, as individuals,
(34:00):
you know, we got a man up. And I've heard
the rumors in the media. We saw all they're not
fit for this day. It's like I think Paul Pierce said,
like it's like a rock Wiler versus a chihuahua. So
you know, we we heard it all, and I mean
it didn't hurt our feelings, but we knew we had
to bring a different level of play because we're in
the finals playing against Kobe Bryant and you know, the Lakers.
(34:24):
So I just was locked in. Came out playing well,
shooting the ball very well, and we almost had a
chance to win that game, end up missing lay up
to go to old time. But I think if we
win game two, definitely a totally different series of files.
Not saying we will win it all, but it's a
different serious because during that time it was two three two.
So we played the two. Say we split one one
(34:45):
and we come to Orlando to play three games, and
we still we win the first game at home. Of course,
I think game four, Fisher, it's a crazy shot shot. Yeah,
he ain't makes shots all game long.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
He was over he was over five. I think at
that point, right.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Even we win that game of example, well you were
about to tie the series. You're about to tie the
series up, that's right, and it's kind of back.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
To zero zero three games series. Of course we would
have to go back to la But at the same time,
you want to be competing, you know. And and when
officially hit that that three, I felt like it took
a little bit of hair out of us because we
didn't play the same way the very next That's a
good point. Yeah, you know, it just felt like I
kind of did it.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
It took air out of me and I wasn't playing
like I just I just find I would you felt
like it, oh, man, Like that was one, we another one.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
We let Yeah, down two one is different going down
three one.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
That's that's a big hole.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I remember that.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
I remember the time out for the Courtney League because
I was doing sidelines and I'd have my head in
all those timeouts, and I remember him drawing up that
play and it must have been something you guys worked
on a bunch, because I remember seeing the diagram Ember
thinking oh.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Shit, this this could work.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Yeah, this could work.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
And he and heto says, Courtney keeps telling him make
sure the balls there, make sure the buzz, make.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Sure, make sure it took it.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
And his answer, don't worry, bro, I get it there.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Come on, man, don't hello, Bet, just get there, just
get it there.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I'll get it.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
It almost happened. It was a tough shot.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
But he oh my goodness, it was a tough soun.
Was a great pass. Tough shot. I mean, it's just sports.
Sometimes it happens. I don't want to say Courtney leaves, oh,
of course, because one shot doesn't determine how the game.
So it's a bunch of Look.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
That building was like, I mean, it felt like are
you for a second ball game?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Right then? It felt it was that well drawn up.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
It was. It was well drawn up, great play. Just
ball just didn't go our way that night.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
No, no, but sure did well. I think this is awesome.
I g we could reminisce and go down memory.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
About all kind of stuff. Now, the Philly series when
Dwight gets suspended, we beating them out in their court,
Boston Game seven on Derek Court. I mean, it was
just one of those years, like we we fought tooth
and nail to do to win ball games.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
And we feel as good as that year was. And
you went to the NBA Finals, where would you rank
the old nine ten him?
Speaker 2 (37:00):
They were just as good work that was just as
good you guys, you get Blue through that probably even better.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Yeah right, I contend we were better the second go around.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
It's just sometimes things are happening getting to the finals.
You always want to say that's a better team, because
if I say I won a championship, a better team.
But just like I mean, you team could be stacked.
You have one injury to your team, it can it
can mess the whole season up, even if it's just
a role player like Peters is a great role player.
(37:32):
Tachers get hurt. You know, he's our coat he's going
he's our best defender. He's going to Lebron James, He's
going court Bryant. You know, he's guarding all these guys
that we need him to guard one role player gainst
Hurst and may change the whole season. We may not
even make it to the finals. So you know, you
held a lot goes into trying to be successful in was.
Speaker 4 (37:52):
Michael Petri is the only guy who played with They
gave himself his old nicknames.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Off. Can I say.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
He was great though? He was a big part of it.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Everybody was.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
It was a great time.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
It was just an unbelievable time to be here.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
It was central Florida, not only for the basketball players
and the staff, but for the city. It was great times.
That's why every time I come back, I feel like
I'm walking with open doorms, not only by the organization
but by the fans in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
You know.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
That's why I always called this my second home.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Wow, you've gotten to see the Advent Health Training Center. Yes,
what are your thoughts? It's hard. People ask me, and
we'll talk to some former players and they're like, Hey,
how's that how's that practice facility? You guys have down there.
I'm like, you really don't know until you see it,
So you see tell.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Me that I've been hearing all about it. Yeah, but
first time seeing it today, and it's great, it's amazing.
I mean, it's one of it. It's got to be
the one of the it's got to be the best
practic facility in the NBA, at least for now until
five years down and road somebody else go build something else.
So our goal see somebody come in and see this
facility and try to copy it. Yeah, copy it in
(39:05):
and on tour. But you know, like I said, this
facility is first class. I mean, I've never seen a
heel in the.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Weight room right right right on lap.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Pool as well. You know, it's it's definitely all the things.
These players have no excuses to get better there you go, right,
you know, get healthy, get better.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
You have no excuses now that you're removed a little
bit from the game, and your kids were really little
when you were here, yes, and now that you're you know,
and we talked about it, that's fourteen fifteen years ago,
which is crazy to think about because Russ it does
feel like right, it feels like yesterday.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Like do you look back.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Do you set the kids down and say, hey, let's
check out what dad was back in the day, Like, yeah, yeah,
I do. How do they react to that?
Speaker 2 (39:50):
They love, especially when I come back to Orlando. When
I bring them back and we go to the games,
they see my pitches on the wall or they always see,
you know, the treatment I get when I'm playing when
I'm here in Orlando. They they they they excited about it.
And every time I get ready to come back to Orlando,
I'm always telling you, I'm about to go to Orlando,
I gotta do some events. So I do some charity events,
you know, with the Magic, and they know that this
is probably my favorite team that I played on throughout
(40:11):
my career, even though I was drafted as a young
kid and grew from a boy to a man in Seattle,
won a championship in Miami. But this was the best
time in my career playing with Orlando Magic, not only
because the teammates, I had great coaching staff, but like
I said, the seat of Orlando. You know, they welcomed
us all with open arms and we was treated great,
such a specialty.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
I show my kids the shots that.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Night, so I hope I'm gonna go watch them tonight again.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
Watch it was just it was a little embarrassing. It
was it was It.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
Was an awesome time. And listen, it's thirty five years
of magic history. Yeah, and we're excited to have you,
you know, be in town more, to come around more often.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Of course.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
Yeah, we need Rashard Lewis around more. How do we
How do we get that? How do we do that?
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I'm one phone call away, all right, But one thing
I can't say is I can't wait to see the
city get back to that trip, that type of basketball,
which I think is coming real soon, you know, to
have a bright future, and the organization is always working
to to get good players here and to make them,
you know, a playoff team. And I can't wait to
see the excitement back in the city of Orlando when
(41:13):
they're back in the playoffs, not on the playoffs, but
hopefully win the championship. I love it.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
There's a buzz coming people. It's very excited about this team.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
You gotta have patience. Patient, that's the key, you know,
Like I said, with young guys, it doesn't nobody's winning
the championship nineteen twenty years old. Maybe n C double
a turner, But the NBA Championship is very tough, so
the fans just have to have patience. Just like when
I came here that first year. We got better every year.
We went from first round making it to trying to
get past Detroit and Boston ended up getting past them
(41:41):
making it to the finals. But it didn't happen in
one year. It was a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
It feels like it happened in one year.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
Away these guys got a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
You got clotheslined by the pistons for three years.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
That was that.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
You can't do that anymore. Changed a little bit, but Rashard,
this was awesome. Thank you so much and we look
forward to keeping up with you here.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Thank you very much for it. Thank you for one
of our favorites for Charlotte's. That'll do it.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
For this edition of Magic Pod Squad
Great to have you with us, Magic Fans for another
episode of Magic od Squad. This time we have the
opportunity to catch up with the Magic Legend where Shard Lewis,
you helped get this team to the two thousand and
nine NBA file.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Magic Fans, the.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Florida Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't let
fans drive drug. If you've been drinking, don't get behind
the wheel. Instead, find the sober driver or catch a
right sirs. Remember drive sober or get pulled over. Have
a great night and drive safe. All lots to get
into here with Rashard Lewis, including that run to the
two thousand and nine NBA files. So many big shots
for Rashard along the way and he breaks down each
(00:40):
and every one of them, playing alongside you know, Turkleu,
Dwight Howard. That was a magic team that kind of
started this furras of three point shooting back in the day. Also,
his basketball journey that took him through the Pacific Northwest
has started Seattle and ultimately his decision to come to
City Viewers. Lots of good stuff to get into with
Magic big Man Rashard Lewis on this edition of Magic
(01:01):
Pod Squad. This is Fawns long Enough to Orlando Magic.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
This is Cole Anthony, this is Jennon Suggs.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
This is Paulo Ban Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're
listening to the Pod Squad.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Hey, welcome everyone to another edition of Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcateelli, George Galate and quite Frank to George one
of the greatest magic players.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
We've ever had.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Rishard lewis kind enough to join us from Magic Pod Squad.
And I tell you what it is. How great is
it being back here? But it is a blast for
us to have you back here for But it feels
like old times.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh man, It's always a blast coming back to Orlando
because it just brings back so many memories and all
those memories are great memories. So I love this city,
you know, because it's one of the best sides of
my career. It was was it was one of them.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's like he can still play by I'm not buying it.
You could play if I put you on, could I
could you give me fifteen minutes right now?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I can give you offense, no defense, that's not no
blocking size. I can give you some corner three parts
or something perfect. The league has gone home on.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Well, let everybody know what you're up to now, which
I know last year you were on the sidelines. You
were you were coaching with the Detroit Pistons. You've been
in the Big Three since its existence. Just what what
are you up to now?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Pretty much like you said, I was with first year
coaching with the Detroit Pistons. Last year, coach Casey brung
me on. He drafted me when I played with the
Seattle Super soonest and kind of raised me from a
young kid into a man. So he asked me to
come out there and help, which I enjoyed it. You know,
I feel like the next chapter in life for me
of being able to still be around the game and
looking forward to continue to do it, you know, in
(02:34):
the future as well as during the summertime playing the
Big Three. Still love to compete, still love to play
basketball at a high level. So I feel like that's
kind of like half court professional basketball. That's how I
look at it. Is it is that's a whole head. Yeah,
that's still professional to me because you got a lot
of talent in it.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I mean, yeah, a lot of coach because that makes
us super old heads over here?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Do you feel like you're retired?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I do, but but you know, like I said, it
was still young in life. Of course, I still got
a long life to live. So I feel old in
basketball terms. I guess you could just say in basketball.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So how was the your coaching that was? That was
your first foray into into coaching. What did you What
did you like? What did you not like? Or is
there things you didn't expect?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
No, I really enjoyed it. I loved it. A lot
of people always saying like, it's not too much for you.
Now you know you have a real job and you're
gonna be I'm like, man, this is basketball. Like basketball
to me is not a job, right, you know. It's
so much fun and I love it. I don't look
at it as a job. And the traveling, you know,
(03:42):
I mentally kind of put my mind to a place
where as a player, traveling night in and night out,
being at the practices, the meetings and all that. So
I did it for seventeen years. True, it's nothing for me.
It was easy for me to go into the season
and be mentally prepared for the travel and everything else,
just because the fact that I've done it. You know,
if I was coming in and never have done that
type of we're traveling, then it'll probably be a little
(04:03):
different for me. But I was mentally prepared.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
And really a little more stiff on the water flight now.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Daf definitely that I'm older, but that's when you just
got to keep getting up. Just just them legs out a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
What they What are the guys nowadays asking you when
they picked your brain and you have conversations with young
guys that are coming into the league now, guys are
coming in same age as you were nineteen twenty starting
your NBA career, What are you telling these guy?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I will always tell the guys you know, you stick
with it because I can remember being that young guy
nineteen twenty years old and wanted to success right away.
Want to be an All Star, or score twenty points
at night, you know, be on sports and or be
a big key to making the playoffs. It don't happen overnight.
And that was a big thing that I was saying
with a lot of the young guys that was with
the Pistons. There was a young team that's rebuilding, like,
(04:50):
you gotta stick with it. You know you're gonna have
good nights, gonna have bad nights. But for the most part,
you're nineteen, you're twenty years old. There's a lot of
learning and a lot of experience the game. Everybody, not
Lebron James or Kobe Bryant. They could come in and
have immediate success. They take a lot of us. It
takes time and not saying that you won't be successful
your first year, but you will be a better player
(05:10):
down the road in five for six years playing in
the NBA from gaining that experience. So I always tell guys,
you know you're going to have bad weeks, bad days,
bad months, don't beat yourself up over it. You know,
be mad that day, but get up tomorrow and continue
to work, continue to get better, and that's how you succeed.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You on spread, When did that click in though, for
you or shar because I would imagine that the majority
of players that come in, especially the ones. Let's say, like,
let's take a team like you you coached last year
in Detroit. There's a lot of kids on that team.
And I say kids because they're eighteen, nineteen years old.
I mean, I'm super old. Now that they've they've been
(05:47):
you know, the best player on their team. I mean,
and you you went through this as an eighteen year
old kid coming out of high school. When does that
kick in for a player? Because it's not easy to
tell them that. I'm sure somebody may be told you
that when you were when you were a rookie. Maybe
it was coach Casey, maybe it was somebody else. When
does that click in for a guy?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
And does it?
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I mean, I'm sure clicks in differently for everybody, right,
clicking for you?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Like you said, does clicking different for everybody? Sometimes it
could take a year, it could take two years, take
thirty games. But with me, I would say after my
first two years in the league going into my third
year that I gained a lot of experience. I think
more than anything, it's the confident level. But coming in
as a teenager, you know, I was able to mature
a little bit more from playing in the summer league
(06:32):
and you know, practicing hard. But I would say my
third year because you want to gain that experience on
the court, playing with the with the real guys, right,
And when you get that experience, the conference level goes up,
everything goes up, and you put the work in during
the summer. But by my third year, I felt like
I had it figured out. I was still learning, but
you know, everything was starting to come to me like this.
(06:53):
It was all about winning ball games, and when you're young,
it's all about me, me me. I want to be
an all star, I want to get it paid the
big bucks. I want to get thirty points a night.
It's all about, you know, the individual person. But when
you figured it out over the years, it's all about
the team. It's about us, and when the team had success,
the individual has success. So you learn over time that
(07:15):
it's not just about that individual person. It's about us.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
As did you call any of your old coaches back
once you became a coach and apologized to that and
say and say, hey, I'm really sorry, I got it
now apologize, But I do y'all.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Did definitely get it, you know, being a little bad
body language at the end of the bench, wanting minutes,
wanting shots. You know, I was just learning. I was
a kid. If they would have put me out there,
probably would have been like a deer in airlight. So
I think sometimes, like I said, some kids are very talented.
They can come in and play right away, but I
would say ninety percent of rookies of guys that get
(07:48):
drafted to the NBA. It's a learning process. Yeah, it's
definite learning. You still can't have success, but it's still
a learning process. Of course.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
You know, we think about when he came here in
oh seven, right, you played parts of four years with
the Magic Right looking at it today, and I obviously
knew this, but I had why I forgot you had
a whole basketball life before you got here.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
That's not trumers in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Years in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
That is a phenomenal career for a right that you
had a whole journey. I imagine Ray Allen was one
of those guys that pulled you aside. You were his rookie.
What I mean, nine years in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Like you said, nine years in Seattle, and that's when
I had my best season. When Ray came for the team.
I played with Gary Payton for the first two years,
and then Gary Payton was traded for Reality. And when
Reality came to the team, he was one of those guys.
You know, we see Jesus set us work, not Reality.
You know, we're young guys in the locker room. Listen
to every story he tells us right, But it wasn't
(08:43):
out the stories he told us. It was the summertime. Uh,
the work we put in during the summer, working on
our bodies in our game. Uh, we followed the things
he did. He would get to the arena up before
games before anybody would get in there. By the time
us young guys would walk into the arena for the game,
he's already in his locker reading a book, mentally preparing
himself for the game. And we're like, what are you doing.
(09:04):
You're not gonna go shoot. He's like, I didn't already
did all of that, So he's so we picked up
the small things. And he told me to be an
All Star in his league, you have to be consistent,
not saying that you're gonna play great every night, but
when you have a bad night, you have to get
back onto the very next try to get back onto
the next game, and that's how you become an All Star.
And he was like, what you do outside of the
(09:24):
court is how you perform on the court. And he
helped me make my first All Star team. So I
give a lot of critics. Awesome for being a great leader,
you know, not only for just myself but for us
as a team because we was a young team and
he was a great leader.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Well, I got to hit you because we know Gary
Payton can tell stories, and we know reality can tell stories.
So we don't in Orlando, we don't.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Know a lot about reality and Gary Payton.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
So what what?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
What give us some.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Good stories that stood out that you can tell on
a podcast from those two guys.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Jerry Peyton's story that stands out? And I tell this
story all the time. Of course, I'll drafted out of
high school teenagers. I'm a kid. The year I get drafted,
it was a lockout. So right after I got drafted,
league locks out, and I think I don't think. We
didn't start to January. So once they lifted lockout, we
fly into Seattle a week before training camp starts, me
(10:16):
and Julena McCard the rookies. But camp don't start for
another week, so the guys were just playing pick up
basketball games. So our first day to get there with
somebody from the staff was picking us up from the hotel,
Me and Jelena McCourt to bring us to the facility
just to play pickup before camp starts. To follow week.
We get to the facility late. I think we got
(10:36):
there like thirty minutes late, when they had already started
playing pick up, But it was because we got lost.
The guy that was driving us ended up taking a
wrong turn and we end up getting there late. So
soon as we walk into the gym, me and Jolena
McCall walk in, they literally plan a full game of
pick up. Gary Payton dribbling the ball up the court
stops in the middle of the pick up and started
(10:57):
seeing me and Jelena McCloy out, what the like y'all doing?
Y'all are late while y'all not. You know, we both
looked at each other and we pointed to the guy
that was driving like he is like it was his fault,
you know. He was like, I don't give a damn.
Y'all got to get to the gym. I have my
own boys pick y'all up, and you know, it's just
(11:17):
Gary Payton be and Gary Payton both and it scared
us because we know we're young teenage kids, just got drafted.
But starting to figure Gary out and and learn what
type of person he was, He's just passionate about the game.
When he steps in between those lines, he's playing basketball,
and we just happened to walk in the building while
he was playing basketball. That's right. If we called him
(11:39):
outside of those lines, maybe he would have came at
us a little different. But Gary Payton in between those
lines is all basketball.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
They could both those two that you're learned from. Then
you come here in Orlando, you get a young Dwight
Howard right to get all the young young Jimier Nelson,
you get that. How valuable was that it was very
valuable veteran for those guys.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
It was very valuable for me because, uh, you know,
playing nine years in Seattle, I learned a lot from
sitting back watching my first couple of years to becoming
a role player to becoming one of the main guys
in the offense. Uh. And when I got to the
and I was all about winning. My whole game was
just win, win, win. It's not about you know, getting
fifty points at night and losing the game. It was
(12:21):
just about winning. So when I came to the Orlando Magic,
it was obviously, like you said, it was a young team,
and my whole thing was winning basketball games. I didn't
care about the amount of money I was making or
me coming in being a Superstar from the Seattle super Sonics.
It was about us. It wasn't about me. That's how
I always approach you know, every game it's about us
(12:42):
and to be successful. You know, over the years of
watching the NBA, like the Spurs, the Lakers they have,
it's about the team to win that championship. It ain't
Toobe Bryant or Tim Duncan you know, it was minw Genobili,
Tony Parker. Uh, you know, from Shack to Rick Fox
to it was about the team. So I always felt
that as long as I could have my teammates engaged
(13:05):
and feel like they're part of the success, you get
the best. You get the best out out of them
on the court.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
But you were a big reason for that success because
of you playing for what the team needed. Because it's
been well documented obviously, like Stan talks about it all
the time. You know, you were you were three for
nine years, ten years, you know, and you played the
three and small forward and that was your thing. And
then Stan pulls you into the office one day and says, listen,
(13:32):
like I want, we want to put you at the
four right and we want and you I don't think
there was much push pushback from you. You're just like, hey, listen,
whatever the team needs, we're good.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, and you.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
Guys kind of revolutionize revolutionize the game a little bit,
because now look around, everybody's got a stretch for and
it all goes back to that with you.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's right. I remember, like you said, when stant told
me you wanted to move me to the four, and
I you know, and like I said, I told him,
whatever helps, you know, the team win ball games. And
I was for it because we had Hedo Turkeulu that
was playing a three position, which was the same position
I played when I was in Seattle. And I know
Turkeulu is a great basketball player. I played against him
when he was a Sacramento even played against him when Orlando,
(14:15):
you know, we played faced each other, and I know
Turku Lou was going to be a big key to
us succeeding. So when he said to move to the four,
you know, I was all for it as long as
it was successful the team. I may have took a
little bit of back last by not being that thirty
point score of what everybody was always looking, but we
didn't need that for exactly. It was all about winning.
(14:36):
Long as we win basketball games, right, nobody's talking bad
about the Orlando Magic. When you're losing, they try to
point the finger. But that's just a part of sports.
And it was in with the this organization. The team
we had, it was a family. You know. We didn't
have guys stabbing each other in the back and Dan
smiling in their face. No, we We was a real
(14:57):
family and we played that way on the court. Feel like,
the better relationship you have with guys off the court,
coaching staff as well, the better it'll show. The more
it'll show on the court.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I always tell Dante, and you may remember it or
you may not remember it, it will stick with me forever.
The year before the year we went to the finals,
we had a dinner at training camp and everybody got
the handbooks and whatever else. And everybody's sitting around a
big table at the dinner. And I don't know if
you and Stan went through. Each guy started, you know, Dwight, Rishard,
(15:32):
Hito jam and he went all the way down to
a Donald, the offense of Donald. He went all the
way down to a Donald. Right, this is what we
need you to do to win. I need you to
do a B, C, D and E Rashard, I need
you to do ab and everybody to a man just
kind of stood like and they knew, but like that's rare,
is it not?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
It's there here. And that's why I really like Stan,
not only as a coach but as a person because
coaches like Stan be straight up. Which as a player,
that's what you need. You need to tell us our
roles because I can be a great defender rebounder, but
I aver twelve thirteen points with the Sonics. Now I'm
(16:11):
coming to the magic. First thing is on every basketball
player might a scoring Yeah, now I want to go
get twenty points because you know, you score, you get paid.
So when Stan tells you your role, look, you're a defender,
you're a rebounder, you're a three point shooter. Are your
you know whatever your role is. And if you know
that as a player, you go out there and play
your role. You can't get upset when you're not playing
(16:33):
your role, if coach takes you out the game from
not being doing your role, because you know, when you
have Dwight Howard on the team, you know Jamie Nelson
hit a turculu. Those are offensive guys. Those are the
guys who are going to go through offensively. Martine Gortat,
you're the back of center. I need you to rebound,
needs you to defend and take the offensive points when
it comes to you, when you're opening, when you get it.
(16:54):
But for the most part, Dwight Howard, Jamie and Nelson,
you know, he lets everybody know their role defensively, offensively,
and if you don't know your role, come talk to me,
because we don't want to have no type of friction
or bad body language. Love that because one person do it,
it can trickle down to the team, especially if you
have a guy like Dwight howld Oheito Turkulu one of
the main guys on the team. If they show a
(17:16):
bad body language and a bad attitude as the leaders,
it trickles down to the team. That's right, So you
want to make sure that don't happen throughout the time.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I don't know why that dinner sticks with me even
to this day, but I just remember leaving there and
I had been to a bunch of dinners like that
before with speeches that were similar, But for whatever reason,
it was the way you guys were even just I
don't want to say you were locked in at dinner.
But you were locked in at dinner, right, And I
and I left there and I went home and I
told my and I told my wife and I was like, hook, like,
(17:47):
we're going to be damn good. Like we're going to
be good. And she's like, what do you mean you
just had dinner. I'm like, you can just tell by
the vibe in the room with the guys, you could
just tell special.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Well, and you're and you're going at this revolutionized in
the game, really because you've got two six ten guys
who can handle, who can defect, who can pass, who
can shoot.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Right now, you're leading the league in three is made.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
The team is leading the league in threes. Right, You've
got a big that you can play through.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And that was that I hadn't been done till that point, right,
and the way you guys did it.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And a lot of credit goes to Dwight Howard because
he was obviously one of the best centers in the
league at the time, dominant in the paint, as well
as a lot of credit goes to the coaching staff.
Stan Van Gunn. This was his staff because he didn't
come in from Miami and coach the way he coached
the Miami Heat. He coached to the players that he
had on his team, right, He had Dwight Howard, He
(18:38):
had of course hedoj JJ, he has shooters, but he
has such a dominant force in Dwight Howard. He coached
the style that would fit best for the type of
players he had. And that's what makes great coaches, not
coming in with, say the Miami Heat coach her and
try to bring it to the Orlando Magic. Maybe don't
have that Miami He coached type players, right, he coasted
(19:01):
what he had, and that's why, you know, those are
some of the best coaches. And that's why I still
think stand is one of the best coaches that I've
ever played for, because he's always made adjustments, if it
was during the game or in the playoffs, whatever it was,
or the type of players he had, if it was
a trade made visc Carter coming to the team, whatever
it was, he made adjustment with within the organization.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
You know, it's is We just had Ryan Anderson on
the podcast recently as well, and he said when he
first got here, he couldn't do anything right.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Stan rode with him and.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
He's just hug You're laughing because you heard you heard
those guys he said Shark could do no wrong.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
He did say that he ever Shark was his favorite.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Yeah, did you feel that with the stan ever get on? Well,
I never.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Heard Stan gets on everybody. Sure, sure he does. Stan
gets on us. He gets on everything were not doing.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I also never heard of Yellow you had a special relation.
You either did everything right.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I don't. I don't want said Ever sacrificed. I think
I think he appreciated the sacrifice, but not only that. No,
I'm not a bit talkative guy that's gonna be screaming
and yelling and practice. I live by example, Yeah, putting
the work in getting their early standing, after practice, getting
up shots, or in the weight room to getting my
body together, whatever it was, I live by example, and
(20:14):
I was always you know, I always practice hard. I
would always do, you know, whatever coach wanted me to do, because,
like I said, I felt like as one of the
cabins of the team, if you don't do it, the
other guys want to fallow behind. So I've always been
just that type of person to do, you know, the
right thing and try to win ball games that way,
especially with a guy like stand being the coach.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Now I think about that finals run, right, and I'm
sitting there thinking, then this guy hit a lot of
big shots, I mean big shots with all of us
praying go in, go in. I got a huge, mega
shot and I went back and looked at it. That
eighth nine year clutch situations, Right, you're talking in the
last two three minutes of a basketball game, close within
five points either way, Vince Carter was the most clutch
(20:58):
player in the NBA, and we had that year.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Really we ended up adding oh.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
You're talking about eight o nine.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
We ended up adding here right right right.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Number two in the whole league was Rashard Lewis.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
That doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I can think of six las off the top of
my head that.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
But would you have known to that level?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
No, we No, I just I can think of I
can think of the Detroit I can think of the
Detroit game winner. I can think of the Boston banker
at the buzzer. I can think of the Cleveland game
winner on the win, and then I could think of
the Cleveland three pointer in the corner that tied it that,
Oh my god, maybe we didn't even go to the finals.
If you don't hit that shot, what.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Else what else I got them on the top of
I want to touch on those.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
You have notes, I have no notes.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
It's all in my head.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
The individually, but to be because we know he hit
big shots. But but there was a clutch gene about
you your whole career, but something special that year. What
is it about being?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
You know, we haven't the ball out Gane, the second
and the clutch. I had no clue about this that
I think. Uh, I'm just always I'm just.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
He made it up by way. He made the stat
up side of el.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Think it helps me.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Look good. No, go ahead, I'm saying fifty.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Percent to the floor in forty four percent from three
in the clutch, second.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Best in the envent. I don't know. I just had
that attitude of I just wanted to win, and I
felt like I always felt like I'm gonna make every shot.
I'm not a high volume shit. I'm not gonna go
out there and shoot thirty shots just to get twenty points.
You know, maybe twelve. I wasn't a high volume shooter.
But I've always felt like, give me the ball at
the end the game, I'm gonna make the shot. You know,
even if I were missed the shot. I go home
(22:35):
and I think about that shot all night long. But
I just felt like I wanted to win so bad.
I'm gonna make you trust you for to trust me.
I'm gonna make this right. That's the mat I think there.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
I think there's a couple of things with that, Like
number one, it's that, and number two, like your demeanor
all the time is very even, keel right, and you
don't get too high, you don't get too low. Everything
you look on and you always know Rashar is in
control of his emotions.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Of nervous every time out the ball, every time we
touched the ball, I was a wreck.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Please don't throw this. In the fifth throw, please don't throw.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
He was so clutched.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
But you're though, you're Jamiir, Jamiir rishard Hto. We're probably
three of the best clutch players in the league over
that like three four years time span, right, But with you,
it was like I just I never it was never
a doubt to me that that ball was going to
go in if you got it at the end, I
(23:29):
just knew it was going to go in. I haven't
felt that way in a long time. By the way,
it's been like.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
I miss you and also on that during that time,
we had such dominant alpha males on the team that
even he don't felt like he would make shot Jamir
Dwight Howard. You know, we was just at a point
where we had that chemistry and we were so bonded. Yeah,
we're gonna make this out. We're gonn You're gonna have
to beat us. You're not gonna come in and just
make it. It's gonna be easy win. You gotta beat us.
(23:56):
You have to take it from It's gonna go down
to the last second for you to beat.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Well in Turkey big shots too. But we got so
we got video. We're gonna roll this in after the fact.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I wish we could. We are. We're going to roll
things a little and after we do.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
I wish you could see it that we go we're
huge right now.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Oh wow, I didn't know we did that.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
But that Game one against Cleveland, here you are in
the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Fire.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
You just beat Boston. You just blew them out on
their floor. And after the conference in Game seven in Boston,
the whole world is expecting Lebron and Kobe.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Yes, were they not commercials all year long? The Muffets
Kobe Lebron, Kobe Lebron all year. That's all they wanted
to see in the final.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
That's a little chip, I would think on your shoulder.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
It was a big chip on all of our shoulders
every week. You know, we took that person because we
felt like it was one of the best teams in
the league in the East at the time, us Cleveland
as well as Boston. But you know they started that
early in the season and commercial it was that was
like all Star bres almost predicted that Lakers versus Cleveland.
So you know, we we we took that person.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
But you go to the end of game one. Now
here you are the big bad Cleveland Calves who everybody's
assumes going to go. You're on their floor.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
They lost like three games that whole year at home. Right,
balls in your hands with four seconds left with a
chance to steal game one.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
This is after by the way, and we had one
of our assistant coaches with Steve Hetzel at the time,
who was an assistant coach with Cleveland during that team,
and he liked to remind us that that they were
up by twenty something.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Points, like that good point game. They were a good
point and we were getting smoked very I could just
about to say that Game one, we was excited. Eastern
Conference Finals. You know, we in Cleveland, we take the
bus ride to the arena to go over for Game one.
Streets is just filled with people. You know, they booing
us as we're getting police as scored to the arena.
(25:40):
So yo, crazy, like we're excited. Right first quarter game
Stars ball goes up. It was boom boom boom. We
was like first time out. We go to the bench,
were down maybe ten to fifteen points, and we look
at each other. We looking around like we just get
(26:02):
ourselves into a stands, just like, calm down, everybody, just relax,
take us chip away at it. We're not gonna get
it all back in one play. Just calm down. I
think that first time out kind of relaxed. Every day
I relaxed. We were still tense and you know, ready
to play. Kind of reset. It was reset, yeah, because
we it was just like it was too fast for us.
(26:24):
We reset it, started chipping away at it, and I
think we was cut the league by halftime. I think
it was down maybe a couple points now, but I
can say that first quarter it was like, oh my God.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
I had to been thinking, Wow, we get ourselves into it,
like you said, but now you fight back and the
game comes down to you with the ball in your head.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Fight back down to the last second. I remember coaching
goowing up a play. You know, I'm feeling good. I
started off first half not playing too well, but second
half started playing well. I was playing a lot better,
started getting a little rhythm, and I can remember, you know,
like I said, when it come down to those that
end of the game, I want to win. I don't
care how we're gonna do it. Let's win. But I
(27:03):
remember Turkeyu passing me that ball in the wing, and
I had Verisida was guarding me, and you know, I
felt like every time a BIG's on me, I'm going
to beat you to the basket. I'm quite quicker than you,
so I tried to drive him to the basket. He
played great defense. I remember kicking it back out to
Turkeulu at the top of the key. But I wanted
to win and my instinct was going to get the ball,
so I just come running back out to the three
point line, you know, like kind of waving my hands
(27:25):
like pass it back and he gives it back to me,
knowing Turculu.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We don't.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
He don't like to pass the ball a lot he wants. Yeah,
he ended up giving it back to me and I
gave Ver's our jab step and he thought I was
gonna drive it again and I just raised up and
when they went through the net. When I say the excitement,
I had the chills, the feeling. I think I started
(27:51):
pumping my chest looking over to the Spinch. You know,
everybody is so happy. I mean just the magnitude of
that game, Eastern Conference Finals, game one on the road,
playing against the best team in the NBA, had the
best record that year, Lebron James, best player in the league.
You no our back. I mean everything was against us
(28:12):
and our back. The building was insane. It was insane.
It was the loudest building I've ever played in. The
atmosphere was crazy. To steal Game one was a big deal.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Is that do you just do you have that like
bookmarked on your phone and then that's how you go
to sleep every night? Real quick before you go to sleep,
You're like, let me just watch this fifteen seconds real quick.
That's how I would go to sleep every night.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
No, that's the side that I always remember, but not
only that, but I don't I think still in Game
one is a big key to us getting to the finals.
We don't get game one absolutely.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Well, that's what you're thinking.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
The story that you're telling is the story that Turk
wishes he could tell because it gave two.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
He is right, he makes the why it should have
been the game, the game winner.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Now Lebron make that miracle shot.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Every year I have to watch this, and not only that,
it was only what Every year I gotta watch it
to the NBA TV, they always show it either to
highlight or they showing that game. But I think it
was like one point something seconds left because it was
only like that last time tick it in or catching
let it go. And like I said, I remember this
to this day. I'm guarding the guy on the inbounds
(29:23):
as he throws the button, and the play was. You know,
we figured they wanted to try to get a lib
tip in or whatever because you don't have time, So
we cut the lob off for Lebron to get the tip,
but we cut all the paint off. We playing the paint.
You're not getting a tip in. So he somehow runs
to the back to the top of the key, and
I remember the ball being passed to him and I'm
(29:43):
following the ball. I'm the inbound im guarding the inbounder.
Ball goes to him. I'm following the ball and I'm
running to where the ball's going. Lebron catches it. If
you go back and watch the replay, Turculeus contested it,
but you can see me come flying by to try
to well you try, and he shot it, and you know,
we like, we got this game too, And when it
(30:04):
goes in the arena erupts and we like kind of
looking around like did that really just happen? Yes, we
thought we was going up to zero. Were for sure
knew we was in the driver's seatd this serious? Now
it's a whole new ball game. Yes, from a one
second shot from the top of the key.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Yeah, that's a miracle shot. But you you recover.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
You go back and win game three at home and
then there was a feeling George that I I remember,
and magic fans fell.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Game four is almost just as important. You can't go
back up there too, too.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
You had to get well, you have to you have
to hold home court at that to get it.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
And it goes to you again in the corner with
the big shot, end up going overtime and winning. But
now you get your number called again. I would think
if I'm Cleveland, I'm not letting Richard beat me.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Right for some reason, Like I said, I think it
was down two points at the time.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Yeah, way were down down, one.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Down, one down one didn't need a three, but went
fur all of it.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Yeah, but I was wide open, I mean, staying a
little such a great play, you know, me and Dwight
at the elbows, and I think it was screening down
for I don't know if it's Turkey Lou or Jamir
coming up, but that was just a decoy screen. Yeah,
I mean, and I see a lot of teams running
this place to this day and people bring it up.
But you know, after I set that screen, Dwight turns
and screen for me. And you know I like to
(31:22):
post up on that right block, so the right side
is one of my best. You know, I need to
shoot the jump hook or I love to turn over
the right should learn that from a kim Olaji won
the dream shake. Turn over my right shoulder to shoot
the shot, the fadeaway shot. So me turned over my
shoulder to shoot that three was almost a money shot
for me because I worked on it all the time
and I post up all the time. So coming off
of that right side, catching it and turning over my
(31:45):
right shoulder, it was like and he told coach, told me,
if you're open, let it, go shoot it. You know.
If you're not open them, you know, go to the basket,
you know, make a plate. But if you're open for
the three, you can have to shoot it. And nobody
was on me right and I'm turned over my right
showed it, which is a rhythm shot for me, and
it was nothing, you know, nothing, but he made it
and the arena he erupted it.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Oh my god, talk to you talk about the arena erupting, like,
talk about the city at that point when we were
making you know, the all the years you were here, really,
I mean, just talk about the fan base and the
energy that white.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Yes, and that's what was going on in the city
of Orlando. It was ignited throughout the playoffs and it
even bigger in the finals. Did you know. That's what
it was all about. Who was trying our best win
the championship for the city of Orlando, for the de
Vos family, because the energy. I mean that not only
that year the fans was great, but in the finals
(32:40):
it just went to a whole nother level. Man. The
city was great, the arena was packed. It was just
it was a good feeling to have in here. And
you know, in the in the Orlando area, especially when
we was on a road playing playoff games. We would
come back, the fans will be buzzed. They couldn't wait
for us to come back back road. It was great.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
It was a lot of I don't think we knew
how special it was, so we tried to never take
it for granted.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
But man, it was just a spout. I mean, it's you.
You're lucky in your career to experience it once. You
got to go on and win a championship. You got
to do it again, which is phenomenal. Down in Miami.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
I'm not bitter at all. Why did I have to
be with any other team?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
But they for God, good Lord.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
All right, But it seems like you get to the
NBA Finals and then Game one kind of seemed like
a little bit of what happened in Game one in Cleveland, right,
It kind of maybe the speed or the right right, right,
But man, you thirty four seven and thirty four eleven
and seven in Game two for Rashard.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Yeah, that does not you were on a missioning game.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I was on a mission to win. I saw all
I was thinking about was win, win. When we got
to win ball games. I think that first half of
played really well. Yeah, especially in the first half. And
you know, after that Game one loss, we didn't only
lose a close game, we got beat pre We got
beat up pretty bad. So you know, staying laid into us,
we got on field session, but as players, as individuals,
(34:00):
you know, we got a man up. And I've heard
the rumors in the media. We saw all they're not
fit for this day. It's like I think Paul Pierce said,
like it's like a rock Wiler versus a chihuahua. So
you know, we we heard it all, and I mean
it didn't hurt our feelings, but we knew we had
to bring a different level of play because we're in
the finals playing against Kobe Bryant and you know, the Lakers.
(34:24):
So I just was locked in. Came out playing well,
shooting the ball very well, and we almost had a
chance to win that game, end up missing lay up
to go to old time. But I think if we
win game two, definitely a totally different series of files.
Not saying we will win it all, but it's a
different serious because during that time it was two three two.
So we played the two. Say we split one one
(34:45):
and we come to Orlando to play three games, and
we still we win the first game at home. Of course,
I think game four, Fisher, it's a crazy shot shot. Yeah,
he ain't makes shots all game long.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
He was over he was over five. I think at
that point, right.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Even we win that game of example, well you were
about to tie the series. You're about to tie the
series up, that's right, and it's kind of back.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
To zero zero three games series. Of course we would
have to go back to la But at the same time,
you want to be competing, you know. And and when
officially hit that that three, I felt like it took
a little bit of hair out of us because we
didn't play the same way the very next That's a
good point. Yeah, you know, it just felt like I
kind of did it.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
It took air out of me and I wasn't playing
like I just I just find I would you felt
like it, oh, man, Like that was one, we another one.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
We let Yeah, down two one is different going down
three one.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
That's that's a big hole.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I remember that.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
I remember the time out for the Courtney League because
I was doing sidelines and I'd have my head in
all those timeouts, and I remember him drawing up that
play and it must have been something you guys worked
on a bunch, because I remember seeing the diagram Ember
thinking oh.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Shit, this this could work.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Yeah, this could work.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
And he and heto says, Courtney keeps telling him make
sure the balls there, make sure the buzz, make.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Sure, make sure it took it.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
And his answer, don't worry, bro, I get it there.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Come on, man, don't hello, Bet, just get there, just
get it there.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I'll get it.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
It almost happened. It was a tough shot.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
But he oh my goodness, it was a tough soun.
Was a great pass. Tough shot. I mean, it's just sports.
Sometimes it happens. I don't want to say Courtney leaves, oh,
of course, because one shot doesn't determine how the game.
So it's a bunch of Look.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
That building was like, I mean, it felt like are
you for a second ball game?
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Right then? It felt it was that well drawn up.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
It was. It was well drawn up, great play. Just
ball just didn't go our way that night.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
No, no, but sure did well. I think this is awesome.
I g we could reminisce and go down memory.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
About all kind of stuff. Now, the Philly series when
Dwight gets suspended, we beating them out in their court,
Boston Game seven on Derek Court. I mean, it was
just one of those years, like we we fought tooth
and nail to do to win ball games.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
And we feel as good as that year was. And
you went to the NBA Finals, where would you rank
the old nine ten him?
Speaker 2 (37:00):
They were just as good work that was just as
good you guys, you get Blue through that probably even better.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Yeah right, I contend we were better the second go around.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
It's just sometimes things are happening getting to the finals.
You always want to say that's a better team, because
if I say I won a championship, a better team.
But just like I mean, you team could be stacked.
You have one injury to your team, it can it
can mess the whole season up, even if it's just
a role player like Peters is a great role player.
(37:32):
Tachers get hurt. You know, he's our coat he's going
he's our best defender. He's going to Lebron James, He's
going court Bryant. You know, he's guarding all these guys
that we need him to guard one role player gainst
Hurst and may change the whole season. We may not
even make it to the finals. So you know, you
held a lot goes into trying to be successful in was.
Speaker 4 (37:52):
Michael Petri is the only guy who played with They
gave himself his old nicknames.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Off. Can I say.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
He was great though? He was a big part of it.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Everybody was.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
It was a great time.
Speaker 4 (38:07):
It was just an unbelievable time to be here.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
It was central Florida, not only for the basketball players
and the staff, but for the city. It was great times.
That's why every time I come back, I feel like
I'm walking with open doorms, not only by the organization
but by the fans in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
You know.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
That's why I always called this my second home.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Wow, you've gotten to see the Advent Health Training Center. Yes,
what are your thoughts? It's hard. People ask me, and
we'll talk to some former players and they're like, Hey,
how's that how's that practice facility? You guys have down there.
I'm like, you really don't know until you see it,
So you see tell.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Me that I've been hearing all about it. Yeah, but
first time seeing it today, and it's great, it's amazing.
I mean, it's one of it. It's got to be
the one of the it's got to be the best
practic facility in the NBA, at least for now until
five years down and road somebody else go build something else.
So our goal see somebody come in and see this
facility and try to copy it. Yeah, copy it in
(39:05):
and on tour. But you know, like I said, this
facility is first class. I mean, I've never seen a
heel in the.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Weight room right right right on lap.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Pool as well. You know, it's it's definitely all the things.
These players have no excuses to get better there you go, right,
you know, get healthy, get better.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
You have no excuses now that you're removed a little
bit from the game, and your kids were really little
when you were here, yes, and now that you're you know,
and we talked about it, that's fourteen fifteen years ago,
which is crazy to think about because Russ it does
feel like right, it feels like yesterday.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Like do you look back.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Do you set the kids down and say, hey, let's
check out what dad was back in the day, Like, yeah, yeah,
I do. How do they react to that?
Speaker 2 (39:50):
They love, especially when I come back to Orlando. When
I bring them back and we go to the games,
they see my pitches on the wall or they always see,
you know, the treatment I get when I'm playing when
I'm here in Orlando. They they they they excited about it.
And every time I get ready to come back to Orlando,
I'm always telling you, I'm about to go to Orlando,
I gotta do some events. So I do some charity events,
you know, with the Magic, and they know that this
is probably my favorite team that I played on throughout
(40:11):
my career, even though I was drafted as a young
kid and grew from a boy to a man in Seattle,
won a championship in Miami. But this was the best
time in my career playing with Orlando Magic, not only
because the teammates, I had great coaching staff, but like
I said, the seat of Orlando. You know, they welcomed
us all with open arms and we was treated great,
such a specialty.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
I show my kids the shots that.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Night, so I hope I'm gonna go watch them tonight again.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
Watch it was just it was a little embarrassing. It
was it was It.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
Was an awesome time. And listen, it's thirty five years
of magic history. Yeah, and we're excited to have you,
you know, be in town more, to come around more often.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
Of course.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
Yeah, we need Rashard Lewis around more. How do we
How do we get that? How do we do that?
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I'm one phone call away, all right, But one thing
I can't say is I can't wait to see the
city get back to that trip, that type of basketball,
which I think is coming real soon, you know, to
have a bright future, and the organization is always working
to to get good players here and to make them,
you know, a playoff team. And I can't wait to
see the excitement back in the city of Orlando when
(41:13):
they're back in the playoffs, not on the playoffs, but
hopefully win the championship. I love it.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
There's a buzz coming people. It's very excited about this team.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
You gotta have patience. Patient, that's the key, you know,
Like I said, with young guys, it doesn't nobody's winning
the championship nineteen twenty years old. Maybe n C double
a turner, But the NBA Championship is very tough, so
the fans just have to have patience. Just like when
I came here that first year. We got better every year.
We went from first round making it to trying to
get past Detroit and Boston ended up getting past them
(41:41):
making it to the finals. But it didn't happen in
one year. It was a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
It feels like it happened in one year.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
Away these guys got a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
You got clotheslined by the pistons for three years.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
That was that.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
You can't do that anymore. Changed a little bit, but Rashard,
this was awesome. Thank you so much and we look
forward to keeping up with you here.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Thank you very much for it. Thank you for one
of our favorites for Charlotte's. That'll do it.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
For this edition of Magic Pod Squad
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