November 4, 2025 • 50 mins
In the debut episode of the new season, Isaiah Thomas and C.J. Toledano discuss Isaiah's foray into podcasting while maintaining his role as father and hooper; Victor Wembanyama's ascension that pushed the San Antonio Spurs to a franchise-record 5-0 start; Ja Morant's contentious one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the Memphis Grizzlies; new faces in the league, including Cooper Flagg and V.J. Edgecombe, and what exactly went wrong with Jaylen Brown's revamped hairstyle.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome back to a brand new season
of Point Game Season two. I am so so excited
because we are joined by my brand new co host,
because we all know we're not tuning in because of me,
despite all the stuff I've done in the league and
around it. But I'm so so excited. When there was
talks about getting this guy, I was like, we can't
(00:33):
do the show with Adham. Probably see him on screen
right here, right now, but I'm going to give you
some credentials here. Twelve year NBA pro, one of the
best guards of the twenty ten's going to the twenties era,
two time All Star, one of the lowest draft picks
to ever make an All Star team. He holds a
regular season for points in a fourth quarter, with twenty
nine of his fifty two coming in over a win
(00:55):
over the Heat in twenty sixteen. We'll get to that's
a nickname Why nickname got creative later on, But please,
everybody welcome my new host for Point Game Season two,
Isaiah Thomas.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
It what's up, man, man?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
What's going on? I appreciate you having me. This should
be a fun season. I'm excited about all of this.
Man my first time. I'm a rookie right now, I'm
a rookie all over again.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
We'll get into I mean, you've never failed to impress,
and I know we've been always so excited NB fan.
I've been a fan my whole life, and when you
came into the league, it was just like all eyes
on you. You've been on some incredible teams, You've had some
insane playoff victories. I'm just like putting up crazy scoring.
You just have a very rich career in the NBA.
(01:41):
So one, I'm excited to hear those stories, and two,
I'm excited to hear your take on today's game. And
so that's just like a little bit of a preview
we're going to see this season. So I just want
to I guess I want to give a reminder to
the fans out there. You know, I said, have all
your accomplishments, and you're probably gonna acomplish even more coming up.
But I would love to hear like you've been up
to and why now for a podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
First off, like I said, thanks for having me. This
is this is super dope.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I'm excited about this opportunity to you know, be able
to talk the game of basketball, to be able to
talk today's game when I was playing all of those things,
and then just the everyday life. But for me just
you know, being around my family, raising my kids. I
got three beautiful kids. I got a high schooler now,
so life is life is going very fast. Then I
(02:32):
got an eighth grader who's thirteen years old, and then
we got a little doubt of this seven. So it's
a full house. There's no there's no breaks at all.
Other than working out daily, I'm taking care of them,
being their uber, being their driver, their taxi, all of that. So,
like I said, other than staying on the slow grind, bro,
(02:55):
I'm just really doing what my kids need me to
do and being a family for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Well let's talk about that, the slow grind, because you
got to sign behind you and anyone who's been following
me the last few years, it's been cool to see
slow Grind kind of take off. I'd love to hear
sort of the definition of that and why you created that,
and you know, because it's also another presenting sponsor of
the show, so we'd love to hear more about slow
grind man.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Slow grind is just really it came about when I
was when I was injured back in twenty seventeen and
throughout that whole summer, like I can't really do anything
because I'm injured on rehabbing. You know, It's just it
really was just a slow grind. And one day I
thought of it. I remember being on my balcony back
at my home and I said it, and it just
(03:41):
made so much sense. And then like, I'm really good
friends with I was really good friends with Nipsey Hussele
who had his mantra was the marathon. So it just
it just made since, man, and it's for all walks
of life. It's not just for basketball. So you know,
anything that you want, any type of success, never comes
(04:01):
really fast. It's just really a slow grind. So I
made that my brand. Man, That's something that I live by.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
We got to meet.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
We got a production company as well, so we we like,
we like building and making content. We've done a lot
of things. We got merch, we got you know, we
got we got a few things going. It's just going
to try to, you know, shake up the world in
the near or future and hopefully everybody can you know,
be a be a slow grind.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Member.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I love that. I mean I'm excited to see you
take that approach with this podcast already. It's like I
feel like I've been podcasting with you for a few
years now, so it's only going to get better of
the season. Now we we last all you play some
G League and then with the Suns. I would love
to hear, like, how are you touching the game of
basketball on a daily basis from I know you're still
working out and whatnot, but I would love to hear
(04:51):
you know what you've been up to in that aspect.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
First off, like I'm staying ready.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I want to play one more year in the league,
like at least, like that's my ultimate goal is to
get one more one more year in As my kids
get a little older, it's like it's harder to miss things.
So other than staying ready and staying in the gym,
staying on the slow grind. For myself, I got an
AAU program as well called Slow Grind Elite that each
(05:18):
and every day teams are practicing. I'm in the gym
helping kids, I'm I'm training kids. I'm just trying to,
you know, get back to the game as basketball as
much as the game has given me and obviously my
two boys play, so that's a big reason why I
created a program, but also to just be be able
to get back and be able to leave my footprint
(05:38):
on the game of basketball in more ways than just
playing the game.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So being able to.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
See these kids' eyes and see these and hear their
dream of being basketball players and being on this journey. Man,
it's just I got the I got the answers to
the test. So if they you know, they're taking that
test of the game of basketball, I can provide them
those answers along their journey. So that's all I'm doing, man,
and just staying locked in on the game of basketball,
(06:03):
the NBA, college basketball. Like I said, my my my
oldest son is getting into high school. So you know,
I'm a high school dad as well.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Now, So that's crazy. I mean that's I got two kids,
and I know how how busy life can be. So
the fact that you're still staying ready, you know, you're
you're playing stance G League, the NBA and still being
a great dad chat. And I think I saw on
Twitter that your son or maybe a couple both your
sons are are kind of lead prospects now, are just
like going through that sort of like next level of
(06:33):
getting ready.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
They're they're pretty good, like they My oldest is starting to,
you know, love the process of it, love the work,
so that makes you half the battle. My youngest is
he's into everything, but he he he's really good at
the game of basketball as well. But you know, I
try to just keep them level headed and know that,
you know, there's gonna be ups and downs in this
journey and it's going to be very difficult in terms
(06:56):
of whatever goals that you set out for yourself. But
like I said, I'm damn but I'm also coach at times,
and I'm I'm here to help any and every kid
that I could, you know that I can touch.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
How often are they pulling up old game tape or
you are you showing them game tape and being like
here's how you do this and whatnot, like you need
this movie in your arsenal, Like are are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Ever?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Every now and then they're like, I'm I'm so much
in their ear that they when they when they get
a break, they want to break.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
So it's like, my oldest really likes watching the game
of basketball.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Like I said, my middle son, Jayden, he's he's in everything,
Like he made me a beat yesterday.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
He's like, Dad, can you hop on this beat that
I made?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And I'm like, man, I'm not no rapper, Like it's
gonna take me a little bit of time, but I
try to do the best I can.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So just being there for them along their journey is
like what I'm here for. But they don't.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
They don't really unless it's like on YouTube or somewhere
they're watching some old.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Clips of me. They think I'm really old man. They don't.
They don't, they don't. They don't show me the love
I feel like I deserve. But it's all good, man.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I mean, because the thing is like half the dudes
doing it right now in the league. You've had insane
games against them, so it's like that's got to be
a good feeling.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
So that's what I tell them too, is like, man,
your favorite player, you know, your favorite player shows me
more love than you do.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That's you.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I have nothing like that I could tell my kids,
but uh, you know, so we're gonna go through this
season again getting those stories from your career, you know,
maybe talking to some former teammates, some coaches. I didn't
even mention the intro like you played at Washington. I
have a few buddies that went to Washington during the
time you were there, and they were like, they you
(08:35):
made college for them, like truly, like they were going
to class, but they were like, we gotta go and
watch Isaiah. But I just, yeah, I'm excited to do
this with you, just because you got a lot of
stories and you've done a lot of stuff in your
own career. But I feel like, you know, this season,
I don't know, it's been only two weeks of this season,
(08:57):
and I feel like it's kind of the changing of
the guard a little bit like some of the older
guys who were playing what like season seventeen, eighteen, nineteen twenty,
like they're not necessarily fading, but the new generation is
really starting to make waves. So I'm excited to see
you break down that, just you know, on a weekly basis.
Here one more thing, because this is out of curiosity.
(09:18):
When I was just doing a little bit of research,
you know, when we were starting this podcast with you,
obviously I knew the one nickname you had King of
the fourth Quarter, which is you know, you went off
in the fourth quarter. It was like, no, no lead
was safe with you guys or playing against you guys,
But this one I saw pizza guy. Can you please
(09:39):
give some context as to why people called you pizza guy.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Look, the pizza guy came from I had, I had
a good I had a nice little One of my
first endorsement deals was with a pizza company called Pizza
Guys back in Sacramento, and it was my first three
years in the league, so we did commercials. It was
commercials every like every break in the game, especially local games,
(10:02):
they played my commercial. So it got so big in
terms of being the pizza guy anytime I'm in like
even like Golden State, if we got home games in Sacramento,
there's literally signs in the in the crowd like saying
the lines I said throughout the commercial.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
What kind of guys?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Isaiah Thomas's quick, fiery and determined.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
And I'm a pizza guy. That's why I'm loving the
fresh re scratch pizza that pizza guys. Are you a
pizza guy? Get the pizza guys. And the funny thing
about it is I would go. I would be in
the warm up line.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
You know, you're in the warm up line, and guys
are like, you go to half court, you chop it
up with somebody on the other team because that's your
friend or some or something around them. That way, every
player would be like, I'm a pizza guy. Get the
pizza guys, because that was one of my little That
was one of my little lines. And anytime you watch
a Sacramento game, I promise you throughout the game, it
(10:56):
probably came on thirty times at least through all the
comercial So anybody who watched Sacramento games, it was really
a nickname that I was given through an endorsement I had.
So even when I go back to Sack, now it's
like somebody's gonna yell out the pizza guy.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
For sure, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I promise to you right now, I'm not gonna call
you pizza guy at all.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
This funny and if you do, it's all good. I
get it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, yeah, I would say, Sacramento, if anyone in that
organization is watching this, we need to bring back those commercials.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
They need they need to, they need to. Anytime I
go to Sack, I call up pizza guys. I get
a little free pizza all the day. I'm a lifetime
pizza guy, bro, So it's a good one.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
More one more thing I wanted to cover and sort
of this intro to this new podcast. You're obviously you've
repped Seattle so much over your career. I would just
love to hear like what makes Seattle so special and
what do you what are you hoping for in the
future of Seattle basketball from you know, the programs that
you know people still see you playing in and and
(11:58):
you know, maybe even an NBA team there again.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So first off, look, I'm I always rep Seattle because
Seattle's like got a special place in my heart. But
for the people where I'm from, I'm from Tacoma, Washington.
The people where I'm from would be mad if I'm
repping Seattle before them, So I'm only like thirty forty
minutes south of Seattle.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
But like it's it's honestly, it's the same thing.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
But I got to give a shout out to my
home town city of Tacoma because it's.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
All love there.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
But really, man, that that connection we have in this area, bro,
it's like no other with all the current and former
NBA players, all the guys that are older than me
that did it before me. To name a few like
Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Brandon Rory, Nate Robinson, those guys
that like paved the way for guys like myself, and
(12:47):
then guys like myself being able to pave the way
for guys like de Johntay Murray, Zach Lavine, Paolo ben Carro, this, this,
you know, this are our number one guy right now,
and then the list goes on with so many guys
that made it from here. But it's that connection to
the city. I mean, I know, I remember Jamal Crawford
(13:09):
and Jackson Terry saying, you know the things I do
for you, make sure when you make it or when
you get to a you know, part in your life,
that you can do the things for the next generation
of guys coming up.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
So it's just a brotherhood around here. Man.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
We're a close knit group of guys, not only just
you know, basketball players, but the football players, baseball players,
everybody kind of comes together. And to answer you know
what you said though, but about the future of Seattle
basketball man, the signage you got to be coming back
in a few years at least, you know, we're excited
about that hopefully, you know. Obviously, not not to say
(13:46):
anything that's not out there yet, but it's like it's
only right that that we get our signage back. Like
it's been a whole generation of kids not having a
professional team. And I know when I was a kid
growing up going to those games, that made my dream
that much more real being able to see NBA players
walk the streets of Seattle or somebody in Tacoma, and
(14:07):
it's like the game is missing that, you know, the
culture is missing that out here.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
So we do the best we can with just like
those programs you spoke about.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I got a basketball tournament called the Zeken, this big
in the city that you know, NBA players come out
and you know, the normal fan or the regular fan
and can see NBA players when we don't have our team.
So so a lot, it's a lot in store for
the future of the game of basketball in this area.
And you know where we're just praying and hoping our
(14:38):
Sonics come back soon.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I love that. I mean nothing beats nineties Sonics gear.
Like I was a Bulls fan of nineties but now,
like I still try to collect some advantage stuff because
the designs and the colors were so dope.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh it was, it was super dope, like any anything. Oh,
Sonics I'm trying to grab if I see.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
All right, well, we're gonna take a break U just
as a preview again, like a lot of those guys
you name, we hope to have him on the show,
but we're gonna take a break and we're finally we're
gonna get into your thoughts on the current NBA. What's
that exciting you in these first two weeks of the season.
So we'll be back on Point Game. All right, welcome
back to Point Game, my co host Isaiah Thomas. Now
(15:20):
it this season. It's underway, only two weeks, but I
feel like there's been some major storylines that coming out.
I think you know we saw in the last couple
of years. But the biggest player right now in the
in the world, I would say, is Victor Wembanyama in
the Spurs. So they already off to a hot start.
I just want to know, like watching when Bayama Wemby,
(15:42):
everyone's calling him unfair. What's your reaction when you're watching
him on a nightly basis.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean, it's not fair. It's not fair at all.
It's like it's like he's a creative player. You know.
It's funny.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I said this to one of my friends the other day,
Like when I used to play NBA Live or NBA
two K when I was younger, you create a player
just like him like this seven five, seven four. They
can have handled, can shoot, can do everything, And that's
what we're that's what we're seeing this this season. Obviously
(16:17):
we've seen it the first couple of years, but it's
like he's putting it all together and it's like it's
scary because I was able to actually a quick story
this summer we was over there. I was in la
at Lmu and open gym all the NBA guys and
he was there and we were playing, and just to
(16:37):
see it up close and personal. Obviously I seen it
in the season when I played for the Suns, but
like to see it like right there, it doesn't even
seem real, like the things he's doing and able to do,
the way his body's able to move, and he's that tall,
Like we've never seen anything like this. So to his
(16:59):
success to start this year, like you can say it
was it was a surprise of people, but it's really not,
because it's like he's like one of the most talented
guys I think we've ever seen in the game of
the basketball period, Like we've never seen somebody this tall
able to do everything and more than a guy in
my height can do like that. That doesn't even sound
(17:19):
that doesn't even sound real at all. So what he's
doing is amazing. The sky's the limit. Like obviously he's
still young, so he got so much room to grow.
But it's like it's scary to see where he's at
right now, and it's so early in the season.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Yeah, I feel like, you know, when guys like that
came to the league and a lot of the armchair
critics of like, oh, he's easily gonna get hurt, you know, like, oh,
you can't. You know, he might have those handles playing
and you know that G league year that he played
before coming to going pro. And I feel like everyone
gave these same predictions that he was going to have
like this, these health issues, but he's like transcending it.
(17:55):
He's like, you know, taking it up on fast breaks,
going io on guys, the one play everyone knows the
plan talking about where he Like it was the first
game this season he blocked I forget on Dallas, took
it up himself, went iso like between tweens are still
back three like fadeaway three. It's like it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
It was like he was at a Rutger Park playing
at outside court, not caring what anybody says. It's like
that's how he plays, and he's that good to where
the moves he does each and every night, he's really
must see TV because you don't know what he's going
to do being that big, Like even like one of
the games after the first game where he went in
(18:32):
the lane and did a three sixty layup, like you're
not even supposed to be able to move your body
like that, that big. But if you do see the
things he does off the court, though, you understand why
he's able to move his body like that with the
stretches he's doing, they he does with the trainers, all
the all the things that you know, the American basketball
guys aren't familiar with he's doing. And I bet like
(18:56):
the people around him are not surprised by the things
he's able to do with his by because of the
work he puts in each and every day.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Well, that's why I was gonna ask you, like how
much of is his success because he landed with the Spurs, Like,
what what do you know that Spurs organization and what
they're doing with Wenby. That's that's owing a little bit
of the success to that.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I mean, I think any team he got drafted to
he would have had this success. But you know, with
the Spurs, they're doing things the right way. They're not
skipping any steps on and off the floor. They got
the Hall of Fame guys probably in his ear since
he got drafted, about how to take care of his body,
how to be a pro each and every day, the
(19:35):
things they expect by being the franchise guy in San Antonio.
So I think they can take credit for those type
of things putting them in position, but as his talent,
like that's all him, that's all. Anything that he showed
us is like I don't think anybody has taught him
those things. That's just using his imagination being in the
(19:57):
gym by hisself, working on those things and really believing
because you know, leaving at like a young age, I
bet he was super tall. I don't think anybody made
him be a post player. Yeah, that's the thing that
people don't talk about enough. It's like for these kids
that are super tall at early age, they should still
be working on all types of skills. In the game
of basketball, not just Okay, he's the tallest guy, so
(20:19):
he has to be in the post. The game is
changing now. There's no post players, you know, there's like
two or three maybe that are back to the basket
guys that especially in the NBA, you're going down low too.
Other than that, everybody's on the perimeter that can possibly
go down low and play. It's like, you gotta have
all types of skills now, Like you can't just be
(20:40):
one one dimensional on the game of basketball no more.
And he's showing you at any height you're able to
do any and everything.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Yeah, that's why it's so funny you talk about him
not primarily going loan in the post. It's like the
more we people hackle him about that, he's gonna come
back one summer with that post game. It was like
jan it is the same thing, like and like joann
Is it took a few years, Like he got to
go in the jam like Wenby already has that. So
it's like the more criticisms to this guy, the more
(21:10):
he's just gonna go and work on his game and
pick up those tricks for his arsenal.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Oh, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
You could just tell if you listen to his interviews
or if you just ever interacted with him, that he's
a student of the game and that he wants he
wants to get better. That's why he done so many
things this summer. Like he really tapped into things that
nobody would tap into. He's he met with people that
you might be scared to ask questions too, Like he
(21:33):
doesn't care. And I feel like like that was something
I did at a high level as well, you know,
not to talk about myself, but like reaching out, reaching
out to guys before me, reaching out to guys I
looked up to, like having no pride in doing that,
and I think half the battle, Like, especially as a
young player, if you're able to have no pride or
no ego in asking questions. The guys you've looked up
(21:56):
to are guys you compete with. It's like, man, you're
the only going to get further. The guy with the
most information, especially at a young age, usually is the
guy that is a little further ahead when it comes to,
you know, his progression in the game of basketball.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Absolutely, I mean those things that you were describing off season,
it was like not even basketball related, it was like
spending time in a Showlin temple, you know, playing soccer.
Like maybe that's what it is. I mean, obviously you
got to grind, play hoop and you know, got a
hoop and whatnot. But sometimes it's probably good to just
go experience life a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Yeah, I think it is, because so much of your life,
especially once you get to the NBA, is about the
game of basketball. You got to find other walks of
life that are similar to your drive in the game
of basketball, if that makes sense, Like finding guys in
other sports, talking to guys at the level that you're at,
talking to guys people that are in different professions and
(22:52):
seeing how they how they work through their journey. Those
are all ways to get better at the at at
your mental side of the because at some point, especially
at the professional level, you got to find ways to
be different from the next guy. It's not all about
you know, your physical your physicality, your athleticism. It's like
(23:12):
what's in between your ears is most important once you
get to that level. And I think he's mastered that
at a young age. Like and if you see like
he's reading books all the time, like he's doing stuff.
Guys his age are not even thinking about that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Well, I did want to give props also to the
supporting cast that they're building around him. Is also just
I think someone said it was like, this wasn't supposed
to be the year where we're keeping an eye on
them as a contender, but they've already made the lead
because you know, they have Castle, they just drafted, doing
Harper's already making you know, impact right off the jump,
like six games in, and then they have a new
(23:48):
head coach. This is gonna be his first full season
because Papovich, as we all know, step down Mitch Johnson,
who before the recording you actually drop some knowledge that
you have a connection with Mitch.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I got a real close connection with miss Mitch. We
played in the same AAU program when he was I
was a young buck at that time. He was a
senior in high school going into a senior year. But
that's a guy that you know, that I've looked up
to since I was young. You always vision him being
a coach at some point. Stanford graduate really really smart
(24:20):
point guard, Like I said, somebody in this area people
talk highly of in the game of basketball. So it's
super cool to see him have success not only be
the coach of the San Antonio Spurs at a young age,
but have the early success that they've had this year
because I know his preparation is is a one I know,
I know he's he's learned so much from you know,
(24:43):
legendary coach and pop a vision just being around the
Spurs organization. So like you said, they're they're they're role players,
and their guys around Winby are are really good. Like
even though, like like you said, this might not be
the year that they were suppor to be good, but
it's like their best player has take leaps and bounds
(25:05):
in terms of his progression that they can only follow
suit and becoming better and being good and everybody's development
going faster. So I'm excited to see where the Spurs
go this season. Before the year, I was one of
those guys that was like, man, they're a couple of
years away. But it's like, man, from like you said,
(25:26):
it's only been two weeks, but from what we've seen,
it's like they have that energy of a team that's
like really trying to prove that they're here right now.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Yeah, Well that's perfect segue into just this younger generation
that has been playing for a couple of years, and
then these new rookies this season, because you know, we
were talking about like the Thunder only two years that
we're like, oh, yeah, they made the second round, you know,
they whatever, and now they just won the title last year.
So I guess, like, who are some of the newer
guys even starting with this rookie class that you've been
(25:56):
really enjoying and think are gonna, you know, make a
big impact in the league.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I think overall, Cooper Flag is going to be a
really good NBA player. Obviously, he's going to have his
early struggles with being on a really good team to
start and to be thrown in the fire of playing
point guard to start the year off, which is something
he's probably never done before. So I expect him to
have struggles, But for an overall career, I think he's
(26:21):
gonna have an amazing career. One of my favorites is
Dylan Harper with the Spurs. I went to go see
him play my alma mater in Washington last year when
Rutgers came down and played in Seattle, So it was
it was dope to see him in person and see,
you know, how good he can be, how good he is,
So that's one the kid over in Philadelphia, VJ.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
VJ.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Edgecombe who is like, oh my, I watched.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Him last year though, and I can I can honestly
say last year when I seen him at Baylor, I'm like, man,
he's gonna be He's gonna be an amazing pro because
the game, once you get to the NBA and you
got handles, you can shoot your athletic, the game opens
up for you where the game is going to be
a little easier for you than it was in college.
(27:08):
So I'm excited to see where his where his future
takes him. He's had a hell of a start to
the season. I don't think anybody expected this out of him,
you know, to start the year. I think when those
guys do come back in and being and Paul George,
he will have an adjustment period where he's going to
have to adjust because he's not going to be.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Where he's you know, basically the second option right now.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
But I think overall, like Philly's gonna have some the
decisions to make soon and in terms of what direction
they're going to go in with somebody like him, because
he's I don't think anybody expected what he's shown so
far out of him right now, like he's he's surprising
a lot of guys in the league, and I'm I'm
(27:54):
I'm happy for his future for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Well, it's interesting because I've been watching VJ and first
all that Celtics game the other night. I don't know
if you saw that, but like late game shots, just
like some clutch shots already, that's a rookie and so
and you got on the bench, you got Paul George's recovering,
you got even Jared McCain, who they were saying was
next up, you know, like it just to cut you off.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
That's gonna be a tough one.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
I know when I say about decisions to make, I
know he's hurt right now, but it's like that's tough,
Like he was supposed to be the guy coming in,
but he's been hurt the last two years now, a
guy that just taking the league by storms.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Like those are tough little decisions. Not saying you got
to make any right now.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Obviously it's early, but when those guys come back, it's
gonna be like you only got one basketball and you
only got a certain amount of minutes. You guys can
you guys can have so not to cut you off,
but that's that's that's a good topic to talk about.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
You know, for future future conversation.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Well, I guess what's on my mind is like a
lot of these the guys who are are sitting right
now because they weren't healthy to start season, who are
vets and they're superstars and they're seeing their team have success.
Like what even putting yourself in that position? Like like,
what what's your mindset when you get ready to come back?
Is it, hey, I'm a VET, I'm an you know,
is it a pass the torch situation? Or is it
(29:15):
like no, it's my time. You know, I still got
I still got you know, juice, Like I still gotta play.
Like even I'm talking about even like Lebron over in
the Lakers, who has played you know, season twenty two
and like you know all these plays. Even Darren Fox
is young, but like he's a VET who's still waiting
to play over in San Antonio. So, like, what what's
sort of the mindset that some of these guys are
(29:35):
gonna have coming back healthy and their team's already off
to a great start.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Honestly, I the like the superstar type of guys I
think it would be more of adjustment for the other
players because you know, he comes back, say it's Paul
George or Lebron, he comes back in you got to
make stuff happen for that guy. So like it's not that, yeah,
when you come back, you don't want to step on
anybody's toes, especially if the team has been playing well.
(30:00):
That's something that's always in the back of your mind,
like I don't want to mess things up. But at
the same time, when you're one of those the star
guys or you're one of the franchise guys, everybody else
kind of got to adjust to how you're gonna play,
and there's going to be an adjustment with the coaching staff.
There's gonna be adjustment with guys minutes and how they
play it and how they're going to play for now
one that the guy is back.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
So it's a it's a tough situation.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
But I think a guy like Lebron is like everybody else,
kind of got to adjust and see what check his
temperature and see how he's playing and how he's going
to do. A guy like Paul George over in Philly,
it's going to be an adjustment for VJ. Because he's
the rookie, and you got to see how healthy Paul
George will be, how how in shape he's going to
be coming back, So you got it. I mean, it's
(30:48):
different situations for different scenarios. So, but if you're a
role player, that's always tough, especially if guys are playing good.
You're coming back and you don't want to step on
nobody's toes. You don't want to mess things up. You
feel like if things start to happen bad, is your fault. Yeah,
so it's it's it's a lot that goes into it,
but you gotta be good at controlling what you can.
(31:09):
Like the coach is going to try to put you
in put position to be successful. You got to take
advantage of that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
I just think it's you know, we kind of have
seen guys like in history of this league, you know,
where they could have been a superstar from the jump,
but they were sort of just like playing the waiting game,
coming off the bench and whatnot. And I'm speaking about
guys like James Harden even SGA, like you know, the Clippers,
and then the second you know there's situation changes, they're superstars.
So it's like, I think it's incredible that VJ has
(31:38):
found this confidence right away that it's going to figure
itself out, you know. And it's like also, like you said,
it's like there's some great mentorship on the way, you know,
with a lot of these a lot of these teams
and players coming up. Okay, great. So we're gonna take
another break here when we come back. There's another superstar
that I wanted to get your take on in John
Moran over in Memphis, Chrissy. So and we'll come back
(31:59):
here on one game and talk more about that. All right,
back on point game. Our producer actually reminded us of
a great before we move on from the topic of Wemby,
I have a great Winby tweet that you sort of
dropped that has a little bit of controversy. You said
that this season Wemby, people are saying MVP, but you
(32:20):
said that he could also potentially get most improved Player.
Why why are you thinking that, Like the guy is
already I don't know if you can improve from superstar
to this guy shouldn't play basketball because he's unfair.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
So look this how I break it down, I said,
I said, I think Wemby's up for he can get MVP,
Defensive Player of the.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Year, and Most Improved in one year. How he came
out the gate.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
So an average fan or somebody might be like, Okay,
well he was the number one pick, He's an All Star.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
How is he going to be most improved? Leave that
for somebody that maybe changed roles or gat more minutes.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Because it's like, if you break it down like this,
say it I average twenty points a game, twenty and
five in one year, then the next year I come
back and average thirty and ten.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
How can Why am I not in consideration for most improved?
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Like I'm saying that the significant jumping improvement should have
somebody in consideration, no matter if they were second team
All NBA last year, if they were an All Star, like,
they's still a jump you can make. Now, I say,
if it's from twenty points a game to twenty three, No,
it got to be like a huge jump to where
(33:35):
somebody like Weinby that can possibly average twenty eight, fifteen rebounds,
nine assists, six blocks. How is he not in consideration?
He should get every award? Like, So that's how I
want to like break it down to an average fan
that you know, questions my take on if he should
(33:57):
be most improved or even in consideration.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
No, it's just it's not ridiculous. I genuinely just think
fans are like save the awards for other people. But
like again, we're we're we've met to get there.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I get that, but but that's if it's a huge jump,
like just put me in consideration at least, like, don't
take that away from me at all.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
I mean, people that the argument comes up for like
giving Yokic winning MVP again, They're like, he can't give
it to him.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
That's what sucks because everybody is like they get bored
with how things are, Like he if he if he's
supposed to win MVP five years of row, give it
to him. I even say that even about Lebron. Lebron
hasn't won the MVP in what twelve years and he
has four of them. That's crazy, Like that's just the
world getting bored. Like even Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan should
(34:48):
probably have more than six or having any MVPs he
has like six. You know, the world, the world gets
bored with with with things that are with our consistently great.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
People love to when the MVP conversation happens, it's a
lot people forget. It's like so narrative based. It's like,
you know, I mean I think like even going back
to that Rust year where he averaged a triple double,
like he averaged a triple double more than one year
and he only won the MVP one year. But it
was like part of that was you know, KD left,
James left, and they were like, oh, it was in trouble,
(35:22):
he is doing it, but he did it again.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
It's like which in in ways it is cool. It's
like putting spotlights on different players in the league. But
you're right, if you earn it, you earn it.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Especially in the Big Boy League. It's like this saying,
everybody get a trophy. Yeah, if he's the best, like
just let's let's not question that he's the best.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
Now the awards ceremony will be real sure will just
be like Wemby with all this ches on the table.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Now, in a few years, it's over for anybody, you know,
getting awards him.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
I wanted to shift gears here. I wanted to talk about, uh,
you know, there are some teams struggling out there. One
of them being Memphis Grizzlies and John Marian and John
Moran just re some stories have been coming out that,
you know, one he got suspended for conduct detrimental and
saying that there's been several reports that him and his
coach aren't getting along. What do you think about the
(36:11):
situation over there with jaw And you know, I think
some places are even saying that he could be shocked around,
which to me, I think is ridiculous. Would love to
hear your.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Taking crazy crazy. It's tough because, like.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
It's hard to comment on those things because I'm not
in the locker room, but obviously I experienced those things
as a player, not only like individually, but teammates and
as well. So to see that and obviously to see
he get a one game suspension, so it had to
be some type of back and forth in front of
people or in front of the whole team, which always
(36:48):
can't happen, but things like that do happen in professional sports.
Things like that do happen after a heated game where
you know a player or coach doesn't see eye to eye,
or a player or a player doesn't see ida.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
I think in his situation as being the franchise player.
You gotta be better.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I mean, you gotta be better, not just only for yourself,
for your teammates, for your coaching staff, or your organization.
I think I've seen some quotes on talking about it.
So he didn't have the best game that he would.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Like to have. What went wrong for you today?
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Or go as stout.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
From the outside and that I said, maybe wrong. But
from the outside it didn't look like you had your
usual energy tonight.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Start okay, he said, like you should play more.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
It's hard to speak on it because I wasn't in there,
but from experience, John, you gotta take those to the chin.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
You gotta.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
You gotta being the franchise guy, sometimes you gotta take
the blame. I remember sometimes I would be having when
I was in Boston, have sit downs with Brad Stevens.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
We didn't see eye to eye.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
All the time, but at times like we would have
heated battles during the game before the game, I mean
not before the game, but after the game at times.
Then we'll hug each other later down the line, because
it's two competitive spirits going against each other. Sometimes I
feel like what I got going on is right, and
what you're saying is not and vice versas.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
So there's a lot of heated battles in his locker room.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I think there's ways to go about it, and being
a franchise guy, you got to limit those distractions from
your teammates. And I think, I mean, with experience, Jobs
just going to continue to get better. But you can't
get suspended. You can't get suspended, especially early on in
the season. You got to be a better leader and
a better example of what leadership is. So I mean,
(38:45):
I think he's going to continue to learn. I don't
think this is the last time they get into it,
but it gotta be better on both sides for sure.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
I think that's really interesting what you said of like
it's almost a trait of a franchise guy or a
super star. It isn't just the numbers you're put up
on the paper. It's like, you know, it's overcoming, like
when things are bad, no one had to like stick
through it, overcome.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
It, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Like because I don't think anyone will blame job for
the fact that there's been a big personnel change, There's
been some major roster moves over there. Desmond Bain has gone,
like I think they always were like, oh, the young,
the young core is here, and then it's like a
lot of those guys are gone now too, and it's
kind of just been him and Jaron Jackson who's been
the only consistent sort of pieces over there. So I
(39:29):
would say, I mean, like again, like I'm not in
that locker room obviously, but it's interesting. You know, things
haven't been consistent for a jobs, so obviously there's gonna
be struggles, but it's just kind of how you deal
with that mentally.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
Yeah, And I would say, like from the outside looking in,
it seems like this little hostile over there. It seems
like even with the surprise firing at the coach last year,
with the direction they're going in, like you said, Bain
has left, it seemed like that was their core. Yeah,
it don't really seem like he has any saying what's
(40:03):
going on, And maybe he doesn't, and maybe that's how
they're running the ship. But obviously we don't know because
we're not in those locker rooms or in those meetings
or in the front office. But we got a question
what's going on over there? For sure, Like for a
young team that's supposedly exciting and it got a lot
for the future. These things shouldn't be happening, Like this
is something that happens on losing situation teams, not something
(40:28):
that happens on a team with a superstar player like
a guy like joh But we got to be on
the lookout for this team for sure, because this is
something that shouldn't happen this early in the season. And
I know after tough losses like the loss that they
had against the Lakers. Yeah, you know, things can spark
(40:48):
and spark quick, that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
I mean, it's early in the season, so we can
very well be seeing them at the top of the
West or in those first three spots.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
And things like this might you know, it might spark them,
like it might. It might.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Like I've been on teams where we've had these situations
early on in the season, and I've been on a
team where it kind of took turns for the worst,
and I've been on a team where we nipped everything
in the button, got to it, got straight to it.
So we it'd be cool to see where this goes,
you know, in the next few weeks for sure.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
All right, we'll be watching. Okay, we're gonna take one
more quick break on point game and we'll be back
with more lighter stories and a little rapid fire at
point game tradition bucket brick. We're gonna play it here
with our new co host, Isaiah Thomas. We'll be right back.
All right, it's time for our DraftKings King of the
Court segment, where you guys got to pick who will
(41:43):
lead the league in total points, rebounds and assists on
Tuesday night, and if you get it right, you split
a million bucks. My pick for the King of the
Court is probably gonna be Steph in that Sun's Warriors game,
because I mean, Steph is always putting up numbers, so
you know you're gonna get in points and assists. So
that's who do you think is gonna get it on
Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I'm gonna probably go with Polo, the hometown favorite. I know.
I see they're playing the Hawks. He tended to have
pretty good games against the Hawks.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
And then Trey Young's out as well, so I think
you have a big one in terms of a total game.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yeah, I'm a wait for Polo to go off. Okay, Well, guys,
don't forget to play King of the Court on DraftKings
and don't forget to check out our show Point game
with Isaiah Thomas the CJ Toldono Tuesdays the rest of
this NBA season. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use
code Point Game. That's Code Point Game. Bet five bucks
and get three months of League Pass plus get three
hundred dollars in bonus bets if your bet wins. In
(42:37):
partnership with DraftKings, The Crown is yours.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
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(43:01):
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All right, welcome back to point in game.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
We are gonna play a one of our favorite games
from last season called Bucket or Brick. And so if
you guys forgot how this works, it t I'm gonna
give you a quote or a story that's happened in
the league right now, and you say bucket if you're
with it, or brick if you're not, and you got
to describe what you got to explain why you're not
with it?
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Okay for sure? All right.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
So for the first one, Chicago Bulls rising star Matis Buzellis,
they got he got caught using a janitorial mop bucket
to ice his knees after dropping twenty seven and five,
and it went over the kings. So they were clowning
him because his knees were in the mop buckets like
he was an old vent and they're like, dude, you're
like twenty three.
Speaker 3 (43:51):
Look that's a bucket because he's smart, like those are
like he's icing his ankles or his feet.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
We don't know if he got bad feet or ankles.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
The top of I think he had a good game
where he played a lot of minutes, so he's only
doing what's right. Obviously that looks crazy and it looks funny,
But like, I'm proud of him because he's a young dude.
You won't really see a lot of young dudes doing
that that early. That's that's for guys my age for sure.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
I guess all I gotta say is, Chicago Bulls. You
guys are a storied franchise. Get some real ice buckets.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Look, they ain't the trenches with it. I don't know
what that is.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
They definitely need. Come on, you should have a bucket
with the Bulls logo all of that. Yeah, no, that's bad.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
You got six trophies behind them and their legs are
inside janitorial equipment. Okay, this next story, shout out to
my Dodgers. I know you're wearing a Mariner's cap there. Actually,
let me ask you, did you enjoy watching the Blue
Jays lose?
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I did? I did? You know?
Speaker 3 (44:50):
I'm a Mariner fan, but look, my family's from La,
so I'm watch Dodger fan too, Laker fan all of that,
So I get it.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
I'm shout out to the Dodgers for sure, but just
because Mariners for me.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Yeah all right, Well, so the reason why I brought
that up Brandon pot Pajenski. He said this quote. He said,
I think I could be the White Show. Hey, I
think I could do both. Maybe not the degree degree
he can do it, but I think I could for
sure do both pitch, play the field, hit all those things.
So do you think pods is the White Show?
Speaker 2 (45:20):
Hey, come on, man, that's a brick. Don't do that.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
We can't do that one, like you could have said
somebody else, like you went, you went from you went straight,
zero two, one hundred, you went to the best guy.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
It's like, I get it, but you ain't him. We
can't do that one.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Okay. Finally I wanted to end on this one. I
don't know if you saw this. There was a viral
clip where Jalen in the middle of the game. I
think he's against Jalen Brown. I think he was in
like triple threads, swung it around his head, hit the
jersey of his of the defender, and his hair spray
or I don't even know what to call it. His
hair rubbed off on there and that went viral and
(45:58):
then his response was, Hey, I should get on twitch
and stream me getting my hair fixed. So bucket brick,
did Jalen respond to that embarrassing moment correctly.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
He responded correctly, for sure, Okay, but dang, Jaylee, I
thought I taught you better. Come on, man, that's my
rook right there. We can't be seen with the Beijing
in the hair. That's what it's called. When they got
the little black stuff in the air. Come on, man,
you too young to be putting that in the hair.
Jalen Brown, I like how you saved yourself though, clown
(46:33):
to yourself, laughing about it because it is funny. But
come on, JB, I thought I taught you better than that.
I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with a bucket
for how he responded. But Brick, come on, we can't
do that. And so you said he was your rook
what was that like?
Speaker 2 (46:50):
He was hard headed. He was not trying to do
anything at all, not trying to do any rookie duties.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
One of like one thing I would say on the court,
and when it came to basketball, he asked questions. He
wanted to be great so to see his progression and success.
Now it's a no brainer because he thought he was.
He thought he was the best at that point, and
that was amazing. To have that mindset. But come on, Jaalen,
(47:17):
I thought, I thought I taught you better. On top
of that, I got to tell the people what I
did to you. You know, rookie year, he wasn't doing anything.
And when I say not anything, not bringing the soap
on the road for the showers, he's not bringing he's
not having a lotion for everybody. These are little rookie
duties that you know, every rookie gotta do. You gotta bring,
you got you gotta have towels for everybody after the game.
(47:40):
Little things that, okay, if you do them, nobody's gonna
mess with you. If you don't, we're gonna be on
your helmet. And he thought he was just bigger than
the program. Nobody's bigger than the program being a rookie.
So every time it would pile up, every road trip,
he's not bringing the soap, he's not bringing the towels,
he's not doing this.
Speaker 2 (48:01):
So one time, towards the end of the year, we
all got together. I forgot who it was it was.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
I got we had a home game. It was like
towards the end of the season, and he didn't he
didn't do nothing. Maybe the game before, so I'm like, okay,
I'm popcorning in his car.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
It's over. I gave him.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
I gave him chance after chance popcorning it. So I
got the people who work in the locker room. Throughout
the game, I'm like, okay, I pay you to go
get popcorn from upstairs during the game, please popcorn Jalen's car.
Speaker 2 (48:33):
So after the game, and it.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Sucks because he had a bad game too, so he
was already mad. We end up winning the game, but
he already had a bad game. So he was the
first one out, first one out the locker room, storming out,
go to the car, and I'm always usually the last
guy out, so I'm not in no rush. I remember
Danny Ainge coming into Danny Ainge coming in the locker room.
He's like, I t did you popcorn Jalen's car. I'm like,
(49:00):
who told you that?
Speaker 2 (49:01):
Like, I didn't do it. I didn't do anything. I
don't know what you're talking about. It became a joke.
Speaker 3 (49:06):
It was so funny that when I go to my
car to get to get my car, all the people
who got the popcorn, like the guys, the locker room attendants,
they're the ones cleaning it out. So I go and
help them too. I'm like, I didn't want y'all to
get in trouble. They got in a little bit of
trouble from following my direction. So shout out to you know,
(49:28):
the Celtics locker room attendants.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
We got.
Speaker 3 (49:31):
We're like this always. Jalen was hot and it was
funny because it was his rookie season and he had
family in town. He had one car, so everybody.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Was in that car.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
They were just outside the car like this, so mad,
trying to leave and they couldn't leave. To all the
popcorners out, I love it for anybody watching this, your rookie,
please just do what you're ass Nobody's doing nothing to
embarrass you.
Speaker 2 (49:57):
You just gotta fall in line. You're not bigger than
the man you.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Heard it from.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
I t it.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
This has been the first episode of point game.
Speaker 3 (50:06):
Man.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
This is like, those stories are why we've needed you
on this mic.
Speaker 3 (50:10):
This is super dope. I told you I'm a rookie
all over again. I didn't know what to expect. I'm
happy I'm in this space. We're going to do it
bigger and bigger each and every episode. But we got
so many stories Like so many experiences I've been through
in the game of basketball, whether that be high school,
college pros man. I can't wait to be able to
(50:31):
spill those beings to everybody who's tapping in love it.
Speaker 1 (50:35):
I'm excited. We got a whole NBA season ahead of us. Hey,
shout out to iHeart, Shout out to Slow Grund, shout
out to follow Through for making us happen. We got
more shows for you all, so please don't forget to
subscribe to Point Game with Isaiah Thomas and CJ. Toldonno,
We'll see you guys in the next show.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Yanks do it.
Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome back to a brand new season
of Point Game Season two. I am so so excited
because we are joined by my brand new co host,
because we all know we're not tuning in because of me,
despite all the stuff I've done in the league and
around it. But I'm so so excited. When there was
talks about getting this guy, I was like, we can't
(00:33):
do the show with Adham. Probably see him on screen
right here, right now, but I'm going to give you
some credentials here. Twelve year NBA pro, one of the
best guards of the twenty ten's going to the twenties era,
two time All Star, one of the lowest draft picks
to ever make an All Star team. He holds a
regular season for points in a fourth quarter, with twenty
nine of his fifty two coming in over a win
(00:55):
over the Heat in twenty sixteen. We'll get to that's
a nickname Why nickname got creative later on, But please,
everybody welcome my new host for Point Game Season two,
Isaiah Thomas.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
It what's up, man, man?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
What's going on? I appreciate you having me. This should
be a fun season. I'm excited about all of this.
Man my first time. I'm a rookie right now, I'm
a rookie all over again.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
We'll get into I mean, you've never failed to impress,
and I know we've been always so excited NB fan.
I've been a fan my whole life, and when you
came into the league, it was just like all eyes
on you. You've been on some incredible teams, You've had some
insane playoff victories. I'm just like putting up crazy scoring.
You just have a very rich career in the NBA.
(01:41):
So one, I'm excited to hear those stories, and two,
I'm excited to hear your take on today's game. And
so that's just like a little bit of a preview
we're going to see this season. So I just want
to I guess I want to give a reminder to
the fans out there. You know, I said, have all
your accomplishments, and you're probably gonna acomplish even more coming up.
But I would love to hear like you've been up
to and why now for a podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
First off, like I said, thanks for having me. This
is this is super dope.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I'm excited about this opportunity to you know, be able
to talk the game of basketball, to be able to
talk today's game when I was playing all of those things,
and then just the everyday life. But for me just
you know, being around my family, raising my kids. I
got three beautiful kids. I got a high schooler now,
so life is life is going very fast. Then I
(02:32):
got an eighth grader who's thirteen years old, and then
we got a little doubt of this seven. So it's
a full house. There's no there's no breaks at all.
Other than working out daily, I'm taking care of them,
being their uber, being their driver, their taxi, all of that. So,
like I said, other than staying on the slow grind, bro,
(02:55):
I'm just really doing what my kids need me to
do and being a family for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Well let's talk about that, the slow grind, because you
got to sign behind you and anyone who's been following
me the last few years, it's been cool to see
slow Grind kind of take off. I'd love to hear
sort of the definition of that and why you created that,
and you know, because it's also another presenting sponsor of
the show, so we'd love to hear more about slow
grind man.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Slow grind is just really it came about when I
was when I was injured back in twenty seventeen and
throughout that whole summer, like I can't really do anything
because I'm injured on rehabbing. You know, It's just it
really was just a slow grind. And one day I
thought of it. I remember being on my balcony back
at my home and I said it, and it just
(03:41):
made so much sense. And then like, I'm really good
friends with I was really good friends with Nipsey Hussele
who had his mantra was the marathon. So it just
it just made since, man, and it's for all walks
of life. It's not just for basketball. So you know,
anything that you want, any type of success, never comes
(04:01):
really fast. It's just really a slow grind. So I
made that my brand. Man, That's something that I live by.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
We got to meet.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
We got a production company as well, so we we like,
we like building and making content. We've done a lot
of things. We got merch, we got you know, we
got we got a few things going. It's just going
to try to, you know, shake up the world in
the near or future and hopefully everybody can you know,
be a be a slow grind.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Member.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I love that. I mean I'm excited to see you
take that approach with this podcast already. It's like I
feel like I've been podcasting with you for a few
years now, so it's only going to get better of
the season. Now we we last all you play some
G League and then with the Suns. I would love
to hear, like, how are you touching the game of
basketball on a daily basis from I know you're still
working out and whatnot, but I would love to hear
(04:51):
you know what you've been up to in that aspect.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
First off, like I'm staying ready.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I want to play one more year in the league,
like at least, like that's my ultimate goal is to
get one more one more year in As my kids
get a little older, it's like it's harder to miss things.
So other than staying ready and staying in the gym,
staying on the slow grind. For myself, I got an
AAU program as well called Slow Grind Elite that each
(05:18):
and every day teams are practicing. I'm in the gym
helping kids, I'm I'm training kids. I'm just trying to,
you know, get back to the game as basketball as
much as the game has given me and obviously my
two boys play, so that's a big reason why I
created a program, but also to just be be able
to get back and be able to leave my footprint
(05:38):
on the game of basketball in more ways than just
playing the game.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So being able to.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
See these kids' eyes and see these and hear their
dream of being basketball players and being on this journey. Man,
it's just I got the I got the answers to
the test. So if they you know, they're taking that
test of the game of basketball, I can provide them
those answers along their journey. So that's all I'm doing, man,
and just staying locked in on the game of basketball,
(06:03):
the NBA, college basketball. Like I said, my my my
oldest son is getting into high school. So you know,
I'm a high school dad as well.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Now, So that's crazy. I mean that's I got two kids,
and I know how how busy life can be. So
the fact that you're still staying ready, you know, you're
you're playing stance G League, the NBA and still being
a great dad chat. And I think I saw on
Twitter that your son or maybe a couple both your
sons are are kind of lead prospects now, are just
like going through that sort of like next level of
(06:33):
getting ready.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
They're they're pretty good, like they My oldest is starting to,
you know, love the process of it, love the work,
so that makes you half the battle. My youngest is
he's into everything, but he he he's really good at
the game of basketball as well. But you know, I
try to just keep them level headed and know that,
you know, there's gonna be ups and downs in this
journey and it's going to be very difficult in terms
(06:56):
of whatever goals that you set out for yourself. But
like I said, I'm damn but I'm also coach at times,
and I'm I'm here to help any and every kid
that I could, you know that I can touch.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
How often are they pulling up old game tape or
you are you showing them game tape and being like
here's how you do this and whatnot, like you need
this movie in your arsenal, Like are are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Ever?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Every now and then they're like, I'm I'm so much
in their ear that they when they when they get
a break, they want to break.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
So it's like, my oldest really likes watching the game
of basketball.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Like I said, my middle son, Jayden, he's he's in everything,
Like he made me a beat yesterday.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
He's like, Dad, can you hop on this beat that
I made?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And I'm like, man, I'm not no rapper, Like it's
gonna take me a little bit of time, but I
try to do the best I can.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So just being there for them along their journey is
like what I'm here for. But they don't.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
They don't really unless it's like on YouTube or somewhere
they're watching some old.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Clips of me. They think I'm really old man. They don't.
They don't, they don't. They don't show me the love
I feel like I deserve. But it's all good, man.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I mean, because the thing is like half the dudes
doing it right now in the league. You've had insane
games against them, so it's like that's got to be
a good feeling.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
So that's what I tell them too, is like, man,
your favorite player, you know, your favorite player shows me
more love than you do.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
That's you.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I have nothing like that I could tell my kids,
but uh, you know, so we're gonna go through this
season again getting those stories from your career, you know,
maybe talking to some former teammates, some coaches. I didn't
even mention the intro like you played at Washington. I
have a few buddies that went to Washington during the
time you were there, and they were like, they you
(08:35):
made college for them, like truly, like they were going
to class, but they were like, we gotta go and
watch Isaiah. But I just, yeah, I'm excited to do
this with you, just because you got a lot of
stories and you've done a lot of stuff in your
own career. But I feel like, you know, this season,
I don't know, it's been only two weeks of this season,
(08:57):
and I feel like it's kind of the changing of
the guard a little bit like some of the older
guys who were playing what like season seventeen, eighteen, nineteen twenty,
like they're not necessarily fading, but the new generation is
really starting to make waves. So I'm excited to see
you break down that, just you know, on a weekly basis.
Here one more thing, because this is out of curiosity.
(09:18):
When I was just doing a little bit of research,
you know, when we were starting this podcast with you,
obviously I knew the one nickname you had King of
the fourth Quarter, which is you know, you went off
in the fourth quarter. It was like, no, no lead
was safe with you guys or playing against you guys,
But this one I saw pizza guy. Can you please
(09:39):
give some context as to why people called you pizza guy.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Look, the pizza guy came from I had, I had
a good I had a nice little One of my
first endorsement deals was with a pizza company called Pizza
Guys back in Sacramento, and it was my first three
years in the league, so we did commercials. It was
commercials every like every break in the game, especially local games,
(10:02):
they played my commercial. So it got so big in
terms of being the pizza guy anytime I'm in like
even like Golden State, if we got home games in Sacramento,
there's literally signs in the in the crowd like saying
the lines I said throughout the commercial.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
What kind of guys?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Isaiah Thomas's quick, fiery and determined.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
And I'm a pizza guy. That's why I'm loving the
fresh re scratch pizza that pizza guys. Are you a
pizza guy? Get the pizza guys. And the funny thing
about it is I would go. I would be in
the warm up line.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
You know, you're in the warm up line, and guys
are like, you go to half court, you chop it
up with somebody on the other team because that's your
friend or some or something around them. That way, every
player would be like, I'm a pizza guy. Get the
pizza guys, because that was one of my little That
was one of my little lines. And anytime you watch
a Sacramento game, I promise you throughout the game, it
(10:56):
probably came on thirty times at least through all the
comercial So anybody who watched Sacramento games, it was really
a nickname that I was given through an endorsement I had.
So even when I go back to Sack, now it's
like somebody's gonna yell out the pizza guy.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
For sure, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I promise to you right now, I'm not gonna call
you pizza guy at all.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
This funny and if you do, it's all good. I
get it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, yeah, I would say, Sacramento, if anyone in that
organization is watching this, we need to bring back those commercials.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
They need they need to, they need to. Anytime I
go to Sack, I call up pizza guys. I get
a little free pizza all the day. I'm a lifetime
pizza guy, bro, So it's a good one.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
More one more thing I wanted to cover and sort
of this intro to this new podcast. You're obviously you've
repped Seattle so much over your career. I would just
love to hear like what makes Seattle so special and
what do you what are you hoping for in the
future of Seattle basketball from you know, the programs that
you know people still see you playing in and and
(11:58):
you know, maybe even an NBA team there again.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So first off, look, I'm I always rep Seattle because
Seattle's like got a special place in my heart. But
for the people where I'm from, I'm from Tacoma, Washington.
The people where I'm from would be mad if I'm
repping Seattle before them, So I'm only like thirty forty
minutes south of Seattle.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
But like it's it's honestly, it's the same thing.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
But I got to give a shout out to my
home town city of Tacoma because it's.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
All love there.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
But really, man, that that connection we have in this area, bro,
it's like no other with all the current and former
NBA players, all the guys that are older than me
that did it before me. To name a few like
Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Brandon Rory, Nate Robinson, those guys
that like paved the way for guys like myself, and
(12:47):
then guys like myself being able to pave the way
for guys like de Johntay Murray, Zach Lavine, Paolo ben Carro, this, this,
you know, this are our number one guy right now,
and then the list goes on with so many guys
that made it from here. But it's that connection to
the city. I mean, I know, I remember Jamal Crawford
(13:09):
and Jackson Terry saying, you know the things I do
for you, make sure when you make it or when
you get to a you know, part in your life,
that you can do the things for the next generation
of guys coming up.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
So it's just a brotherhood around here. Man.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
We're a close knit group of guys, not only just
you know, basketball players, but the football players, baseball players,
everybody kind of comes together. And to answer you know
what you said though, but about the future of Seattle
basketball man, the signage you got to be coming back
in a few years at least, you know, we're excited
about that hopefully, you know. Obviously, not not to say
(13:46):
anything that's not out there yet, but it's like it's
only right that that we get our signage back. Like
it's been a whole generation of kids not having a
professional team. And I know when I was a kid
growing up going to those games, that made my dream
that much more real being able to see NBA players
walk the streets of Seattle or somebody in Tacoma, and
(14:07):
it's like the game is missing that, you know, the
culture is missing that out here.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
So we do the best we can with just like
those programs you spoke about.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I got a basketball tournament called the Zeken, this big
in the city that you know, NBA players come out
and you know, the normal fan or the regular fan
and can see NBA players when we don't have our team.
So so a lot, it's a lot in store for
the future of the game of basketball in this area.
And you know where we're just praying and hoping our
(14:38):
Sonics come back soon.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I love that. I mean nothing beats nineties Sonics gear.
Like I was a Bulls fan of nineties but now,
like I still try to collect some advantage stuff because
the designs and the colors were so dope.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh it was, it was super dope, like any anything. Oh,
Sonics I'm trying to grab if I see.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
All right, well, we're gonna take a break U just
as a preview again, like a lot of those guys
you name, we hope to have him on the show,
but we're gonna take a break and we're finally we're
gonna get into your thoughts on the current NBA. What's
that exciting you in these first two weeks of the season.
So we'll be back on Point Game. All right, welcome
back to Point Game, my co host Isaiah Thomas. Now
(15:20):
it this season. It's underway, only two weeks, but I
feel like there's been some major storylines that coming out.
I think you know we saw in the last couple
of years. But the biggest player right now in the
in the world, I would say, is Victor Wembanyama in
the Spurs. So they already off to a hot start.
I just want to know, like watching when Bayama Wemby,
(15:42):
everyone's calling him unfair. What's your reaction when you're watching
him on a nightly basis.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I mean, it's not fair. It's not fair at all.
It's like it's like he's a creative player. You know.
It's funny.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
I said this to one of my friends the other day,
Like when I used to play NBA Live or NBA
two K when I was younger, you create a player
just like him like this seven five, seven four. They
can have handled, can shoot, can do everything, And that's
what we're that's what we're seeing this this season. Obviously
(16:17):
we've seen it the first couple of years, but it's
like he's putting it all together and it's like it's
scary because I was able to actually a quick story
this summer we was over there. I was in la
at Lmu and open gym all the NBA guys and
he was there and we were playing, and just to
(16:37):
see it up close and personal. Obviously I seen it
in the season when I played for the Suns, but
like to see it like right there, it doesn't even
seem real, like the things he's doing and able to do,
the way his body's able to move, and he's that tall,
Like we've never seen anything like this. So to his
(16:59):
success to start this year, like you can say it
was it was a surprise of people, but it's really not,
because it's like he's like one of the most talented
guys I think we've ever seen in the game of
the basketball period, Like we've never seen somebody this tall
able to do everything and more than a guy in
my height can do like that. That doesn't even sound
(17:19):
that doesn't even sound real at all. So what he's
doing is amazing. The sky's the limit. Like obviously he's
still young, so he got so much room to grow.
But it's like it's scary to see where he's at
right now, and it's so early in the season.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Yeah, I feel like, you know, when guys like that
came to the league and a lot of the armchair
critics of like, oh, he's easily gonna get hurt, you know, like, oh,
you can't. You know, he might have those handles playing
and you know that G league year that he played
before coming to going pro. And I feel like everyone
gave these same predictions that he was going to have
like this, these health issues, but he's like transcending it.
(17:55):
He's like, you know, taking it up on fast breaks,
going io on guys, the one play everyone knows the
plan talking about where he Like it was the first
game this season he blocked I forget on Dallas, took
it up himself, went iso like between tweens are still
back three like fadeaway three. It's like it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
It was like he was at a Rutger Park playing
at outside court, not caring what anybody says. It's like
that's how he plays, and he's that good to where
the moves he does each and every night, he's really
must see TV because you don't know what he's going
to do being that big, Like even like one of
the games after the first game where he went in
(18:32):
the lane and did a three sixty layup, like you're
not even supposed to be able to move your body
like that, that big. But if you do see the
things he does off the court, though, you understand why
he's able to move his body like that with the
stretches he's doing, they he does with the trainers, all
the all the things that you know, the American basketball
guys aren't familiar with he's doing. And I bet like
(18:56):
the people around him are not surprised by the things
he's able to do with his by because of the
work he puts in each and every day.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Well, that's why I was gonna ask you, like how
much of is his success because he landed with the Spurs, Like,
what what do you know that Spurs organization and what
they're doing with Wenby. That's that's owing a little bit
of the success to that.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I mean, I think any team he got drafted to
he would have had this success. But you know, with
the Spurs, they're doing things the right way. They're not
skipping any steps on and off the floor. They got
the Hall of Fame guys probably in his ear since
he got drafted, about how to take care of his body,
how to be a pro each and every day, the
(19:35):
things they expect by being the franchise guy in San Antonio.
So I think they can take credit for those type
of things putting them in position, but as his talent,
like that's all him, that's all. Anything that he showed
us is like I don't think anybody has taught him
those things. That's just using his imagination being in the
(19:57):
gym by hisself, working on those things and really believing
because you know, leaving at like a young age, I
bet he was super tall. I don't think anybody made
him be a post player. Yeah, that's the thing that
people don't talk about enough. It's like for these kids
that are super tall at early age, they should still
be working on all types of skills. In the game
of basketball, not just Okay, he's the tallest guy, so
(20:19):
he has to be in the post. The game is
changing now. There's no post players, you know, there's like
two or three maybe that are back to the basket
guys that especially in the NBA, you're going down low too.
Other than that, everybody's on the perimeter that can possibly
go down low and play. It's like, you gotta have
all types of skills now, Like you can't just be
(20:40):
one one dimensional on the game of basketball no more.
And he's showing you at any height you're able to
do any and everything.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Yeah, that's why it's so funny you talk about him
not primarily going loan in the post. It's like the
more we people hackle him about that, he's gonna come
back one summer with that post game. It was like
jan it is the same thing, like and like joann
Is it took a few years, Like he got to
go in the jam like Wenby already has that. So
it's like the more criticisms to this guy, the more
(21:10):
he's just gonna go and work on his game and
pick up those tricks for his arsenal.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Oh, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
You could just tell if you listen to his interviews
or if you just ever interacted with him, that he's
a student of the game and that he wants he
wants to get better. That's why he done so many
things this summer. Like he really tapped into things that
nobody would tap into. He's he met with people that
you might be scared to ask questions too, Like he
(21:33):
doesn't care. And I feel like like that was something
I did at a high level as well, you know,
not to talk about myself, but like reaching out, reaching
out to guys before me, reaching out to guys I
looked up to, like having no pride in doing that,
and I think half the battle, Like, especially as a
young player, if you're able to have no pride or
no ego in asking questions. The guys you've looked up
(21:56):
to are guys you compete with. It's like, man, you're
the only going to get further. The guy with the
most information, especially at a young age, usually is the
guy that is a little further ahead when it comes to,
you know, his progression in the game of basketball.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Absolutely, I mean those things that you were describing off season,
it was like not even basketball related, it was like
spending time in a Showlin temple, you know, playing soccer.
Like maybe that's what it is. I mean, obviously you
got to grind, play hoop and you know, got a
hoop and whatnot. But sometimes it's probably good to just
go experience life a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Yeah, I think it is, because so much of your life,
especially once you get to the NBA, is about the
game of basketball. You got to find other walks of
life that are similar to your drive in the game
of basketball, if that makes sense, Like finding guys in
other sports, talking to guys at the level that you're at,
talking to guys people that are in different professions and
(22:52):
seeing how they how they work through their journey. Those
are all ways to get better at the at at
your mental side of the because at some point, especially
at the professional level, you got to find ways to
be different from the next guy. It's not all about
you know, your physical your physicality, your athleticism. It's like
(23:12):
what's in between your ears is most important once you
get to that level. And I think he's mastered that
at a young age. Like and if you see like
he's reading books all the time, like he's doing stuff.
Guys his age are not even thinking about that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Well, I did want to give props also to the
supporting cast that they're building around him. Is also just
I think someone said it was like, this wasn't supposed
to be the year where we're keeping an eye on
them as a contender, but they've already made the lead
because you know, they have Castle, they just drafted, doing
Harper's already making you know, impact right off the jump,
like six games in, and then they have a new
(23:48):
head coach. This is gonna be his first full season
because Papovich, as we all know, step down Mitch Johnson,
who before the recording you actually drop some knowledge that
you have a connection with Mitch.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I got a real close connection with miss Mitch. We
played in the same AAU program when he was I
was a young buck at that time. He was a
senior in high school going into a senior year. But
that's a guy that you know, that I've looked up
to since I was young. You always vision him being
a coach at some point. Stanford graduate really really smart
(24:20):
point guard, Like I said, somebody in this area people
talk highly of in the game of basketball. So it's
super cool to see him have success not only be
the coach of the San Antonio Spurs at a young age,
but have the early success that they've had this year
because I know his preparation is is a one I know,
I know he's he's learned so much from you know,
(24:43):
legendary coach and pop a vision just being around the
Spurs organization. So like you said, they're they're they're role players,
and their guys around Winby are are really good. Like
even though, like like you said, this might not be
the year that they were suppor to be good, but
it's like their best player has take leaps and bounds
(25:05):
in terms of his progression that they can only follow
suit and becoming better and being good and everybody's development
going faster. So I'm excited to see where the Spurs
go this season. Before the year, I was one of
those guys that was like, man, they're a couple of
years away. But it's like, man, from like you said,
(25:26):
it's only been two weeks, but from what we've seen,
it's like they have that energy of a team that's
like really trying to prove that they're here right now.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Yeah, Well that's perfect segue into just this younger generation
that has been playing for a couple of years, and
then these new rookies this season, because you know, we
were talking about like the Thunder only two years that
we're like, oh, yeah, they made the second round, you know,
they whatever, and now they just won the title last year.
So I guess, like, who are some of the newer
guys even starting with this rookie class that you've been
(25:56):
really enjoying and think are gonna, you know, make a
big impact in the league.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
I think overall, Cooper Flag is going to be a
really good NBA player. Obviously, he's going to have his
early struggles with being on a really good team to
start and to be thrown in the fire of playing
point guard to start the year off, which is something
he's probably never done before. So I expect him to
have struggles, But for an overall career, I think he's
(26:21):
gonna have an amazing career. One of my favorites is
Dylan Harper with the Spurs. I went to go see
him play my alma mater in Washington last year when
Rutgers came down and played in Seattle, So it was
it was dope to see him in person and see,
you know, how good he can be, how good he is,
So that's one the kid over in Philadelphia, VJ.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
VJ.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Edgecombe who is like, oh my, I watched.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Him last year though, and I can I can honestly
say last year when I seen him at Baylor, I'm like, man,
he's gonna be He's gonna be an amazing pro because
the game, once you get to the NBA and you
got handles, you can shoot your athletic, the game opens
up for you where the game is going to be
a little easier for you than it was in college.
(27:08):
So I'm excited to see where his where his future
takes him. He's had a hell of a start to
the season. I don't think anybody expected this out of him,
you know, to start the year. I think when those
guys do come back in and being and Paul George,
he will have an adjustment period where he's going to
have to adjust because he's not going to be.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Where he's you know, basically the second option right now.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
But I think overall, like Philly's gonna have some the
decisions to make soon and in terms of what direction
they're going to go in with somebody like him, because
he's I don't think anybody expected what he's shown so
far out of him right now, like he's he's surprising
a lot of guys in the league, and I'm I'm
(27:54):
I'm happy for his future for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Well, it's interesting because I've been watching VJ and first
all that Celtics game the other night. I don't know
if you saw that, but like late game shots, just
like some clutch shots already, that's a rookie and so
and you got on the bench, you got Paul George's recovering,
you got even Jared McCain, who they were saying was
next up, you know, like it just to cut you off.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
That's gonna be a tough one.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
I know when I say about decisions to make, I
know he's hurt right now, but it's like that's tough,
Like he was supposed to be the guy coming in,
but he's been hurt the last two years now, a
guy that just taking the league by storms.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Like those are tough little decisions. Not saying you got
to make any right now.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Obviously it's early, but when those guys come back, it's
gonna be like you only got one basketball and you
only got a certain amount of minutes. You guys can
you guys can have so not to cut you off,
but that's that's that's a good topic to talk about.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
You know, for future future conversation.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Well, I guess what's on my mind is like a
lot of these the guys who are are sitting right
now because they weren't healthy to start season, who are
vets and they're superstars and they're seeing their team have success.
Like what even putting yourself in that position? Like like,
what what's your mindset when you get ready to come back?
Is it, hey, I'm a VET, I'm an you know,
is it a pass the torch situation? Or is it
(29:15):
like no, it's my time. You know, I still got
I still got you know, juice, Like I still gotta play.
Like even I'm talking about even like Lebron over in
the Lakers, who has played you know, season twenty two
and like you know all these plays. Even Darren Fox
is young, but like he's a VET who's still waiting
to play over in San Antonio. So, like, what what's
sort of the mindset that some of these guys are
(29:35):
gonna have coming back healthy and their team's already off
to a great start.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Honestly, I the like the superstar type of guys I
think it would be more of adjustment for the other
players because you know, he comes back, say it's Paul
George or Lebron, he comes back in you got to
make stuff happen for that guy. So like it's not that, yeah,
when you come back, you don't want to step on
anybody's toes, especially if the team has been playing well.
(30:00):
That's something that's always in the back of your mind,
like I don't want to mess things up. But at
the same time, when you're one of those the star
guys or you're one of the franchise guys, everybody else
kind of got to adjust to how you're gonna play,
and there's going to be an adjustment with the coaching staff.
There's gonna be adjustment with guys minutes and how they
play it and how they're going to play for now
one that the guy is back.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
So it's a it's a tough situation.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
But I think a guy like Lebron is like everybody else,
kind of got to adjust and see what check his
temperature and see how he's playing and how he's going
to do. A guy like Paul George over in Philly,
it's going to be an adjustment for VJ. Because he's
the rookie, and you got to see how healthy Paul
George will be, how how in shape he's going to
be coming back, So you got it. I mean, it's
(30:48):
different situations for different scenarios. So, but if you're a
role player, that's always tough, especially if guys are playing good.
You're coming back and you don't want to step on
nobody's toes. You don't want to mess things up. You
feel like if things start to happen bad, is your fault. Yeah,
so it's it's it's a lot that goes into it,
but you gotta be good at controlling what you can.
(31:09):
Like the coach is going to try to put you
in put position to be successful. You got to take
advantage of that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
I just think it's you know, we kind of have
seen guys like in history of this league, you know,
where they could have been a superstar from the jump,
but they were sort of just like playing the waiting game,
coming off the bench and whatnot. And I'm speaking about
guys like James Harden even SGA, like you know, the Clippers,
and then the second you know there's situation changes, they're superstars.
So it's like, I think it's incredible that VJ has
(31:38):
found this confidence right away that it's going to figure
itself out, you know. And it's like also, like you said,
it's like there's some great mentorship on the way, you know,
with a lot of these a lot of these teams
and players coming up. Okay, great. So we're gonna take
another break here when we come back. There's another superstar
that I wanted to get your take on in John
Moran over in Memphis, Chrissy. So and we'll come back
(31:59):
here on one game and talk more about that. All right,
back on point game. Our producer actually reminded us of
a great before we move on from the topic of Wemby,
I have a great Winby tweet that you sort of
dropped that has a little bit of controversy. You said
that this season Wemby, people are saying MVP, but you
(32:20):
said that he could also potentially get most improved Player.
Why why are you thinking that, Like the guy is
already I don't know if you can improve from superstar
to this guy shouldn't play basketball because he's unfair.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
So look this how I break it down, I said,
I said, I think Wemby's up for he can get MVP,
Defensive Player of the.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Year, and Most Improved in one year. How he came
out the gate.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
So an average fan or somebody might be like, Okay,
well he was the number one pick, He's an All Star.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
How is he going to be most improved? Leave that
for somebody that maybe changed roles or gat more minutes.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Because it's like, if you break it down like this,
say it I average twenty points a game, twenty and
five in one year, then the next year I come
back and average thirty and ten.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
How can Why am I not in consideration for most improved?
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Like I'm saying that the significant jumping improvement should have
somebody in consideration, no matter if they were second team
All NBA last year, if they were an All Star, like,
they's still a jump you can make. Now, I say,
if it's from twenty points a game to twenty three, No,
it got to be like a huge jump to where
(33:35):
somebody like Weinby that can possibly average twenty eight, fifteen rebounds,
nine assists, six blocks. How is he not in consideration?
He should get every award? Like, So that's how I
want to like break it down to an average fan
that you know, questions my take on if he should
(33:57):
be most improved or even in consideration.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
No, it's just it's not ridiculous. I genuinely just think
fans are like save the awards for other people. But
like again, we're we're we've met to get there.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I get that, but but that's if it's a huge jump,
like just put me in consideration at least, like, don't
take that away from me at all.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
I mean, people that the argument comes up for like
giving Yokic winning MVP again, They're like, he can't give
it to him.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
That's what sucks because everybody is like they get bored
with how things are, Like he if he if he's
supposed to win MVP five years of row, give it
to him. I even say that even about Lebron. Lebron
hasn't won the MVP in what twelve years and he
has four of them. That's crazy, Like that's just the
world getting bored. Like even Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan should
(34:48):
probably have more than six or having any MVPs he
has like six. You know, the world, the world gets
bored with with with things that are with our consistently great.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
People love to when the MVP conversation happens, it's a
lot people forget. It's like so narrative based. It's like,
you know, I mean I think like even going back
to that Rust year where he averaged a triple double,
like he averaged a triple double more than one year
and he only won the MVP one year. But it
was like part of that was you know, KD left,
James left, and they were like, oh, it was in trouble,
(35:22):
he is doing it, but he did it again.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
It's like which in in ways it is cool. It's
like putting spotlights on different players in the league. But
you're right, if you earn it, you earn it.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Especially in the Big Boy League. It's like this saying,
everybody get a trophy. Yeah, if he's the best, like
just let's let's not question that he's the best.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
Now the awards ceremony will be real sure will just
be like Wemby with all this ches on the table.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Now, in a few years, it's over for anybody, you know,
getting awards him.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
I wanted to shift gears here. I wanted to talk about, uh,
you know, there are some teams struggling out there. One
of them being Memphis Grizzlies and John Marian and John
Moran just re some stories have been coming out that,
you know, one he got suspended for conduct detrimental and
saying that there's been several reports that him and his
coach aren't getting along. What do you think about the
(36:11):
situation over there with jaw And you know, I think
some places are even saying that he could be shocked around,
which to me, I think is ridiculous. Would love to
hear your.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Taking crazy crazy. It's tough because, like.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
It's hard to comment on those things because I'm not
in the locker room, but obviously I experienced those things
as a player, not only like individually, but teammates and
as well. So to see that and obviously to see
he get a one game suspension, so it had to
be some type of back and forth in front of
people or in front of the whole team, which always
(36:48):
can't happen, but things like that do happen in professional sports.
Things like that do happen after a heated game where
you know a player or coach doesn't see eye to eye,
or a player or a player doesn't see ida.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
I think in his situation as being the franchise player.
You gotta be better.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I mean, you gotta be better, not just only for yourself,
for your teammates, for your coaching staff, or your organization.
I think I've seen some quotes on talking about it.
So he didn't have the best game that he would.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Like to have. What went wrong for you today?
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Or go as stout.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
From the outside and that I said, maybe wrong. But
from the outside it didn't look like you had your
usual energy tonight.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Start okay, he said, like you should play more.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
It's hard to speak on it because I wasn't in there,
but from experience, John, you gotta take those to the chin.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
You gotta.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
You gotta being the franchise guy, sometimes you gotta take
the blame. I remember sometimes I would be having when
I was in Boston, have sit downs with Brad Stevens.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
We didn't see eye to eye.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
All the time, but at times like we would have
heated battles during the game before the game, I mean
not before the game, but after the game at times.
Then we'll hug each other later down the line, because
it's two competitive spirits going against each other. Sometimes I
feel like what I got going on is right, and
what you're saying is not and vice versas.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
So there's a lot of heated battles in his locker room.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I think there's ways to go about it, and being
a franchise guy, you got to limit those distractions from
your teammates. And I think, I mean, with experience, Jobs
just going to continue to get better. But you can't
get suspended. You can't get suspended, especially early on in
the season. You got to be a better leader and
a better example of what leadership is. So I mean,
(38:45):
I think he's going to continue to learn. I don't
think this is the last time they get into it,
but it gotta be better on both sides for sure.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
I think that's really interesting what you said of like
it's almost a trait of a franchise guy or a
super star. It isn't just the numbers you're put up
on the paper. It's like, you know, it's overcoming, like
when things are bad, no one had to like stick
through it, overcome.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
It, you know.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Like because I don't think anyone will blame job for
the fact that there's been a big personnel change, There's
been some major roster moves over there. Desmond Bain has gone,
like I think they always were like, oh, the young,
the young core is here, and then it's like a
lot of those guys are gone now too, and it's
kind of just been him and Jaron Jackson who's been
the only consistent sort of pieces over there. So I
(39:29):
would say, I mean, like again, like I'm not in
that locker room obviously, but it's interesting. You know, things
haven't been consistent for a jobs, so obviously there's gonna
be struggles, but it's just kind of how you deal
with that mentally.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
Yeah, And I would say, like from the outside looking in,
it seems like this little hostile over there. It seems
like even with the surprise firing at the coach last year,
with the direction they're going in, like you said, Bain
has left, it seemed like that was their core. Yeah,
it don't really seem like he has any saying what's
(40:03):
going on, And maybe he doesn't, and maybe that's how
they're running the ship. But obviously we don't know because
we're not in those locker rooms or in those meetings
or in the front office. But we got a question
what's going on over there? For sure, Like for a
young team that's supposedly exciting and it got a lot
for the future. These things shouldn't be happening, Like this
is something that happens on losing situation teams, not something
(40:28):
that happens on a team with a superstar player like
a guy like joh But we got to be on
the lookout for this team for sure, because this is
something that shouldn't happen this early in the season. And
I know after tough losses like the loss that they
had against the Lakers. Yeah, you know, things can spark
(40:48):
and spark quick, that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
I mean, it's early in the season, so we can
very well be seeing them at the top of the
West or in those first three spots.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
And things like this might you know, it might spark them,
like it might. It might.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Like I've been on teams where we've had these situations
early on in the season, and I've been on a
team where it kind of took turns for the worst,
and I've been on a team where we nipped everything
in the button, got to it, got straight to it.
So we it'd be cool to see where this goes,
you know, in the next few weeks for sure.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
All right, we'll be watching. Okay, we're gonna take one
more quick break on point game and we'll be back
with more lighter stories and a little rapid fire at
point game tradition bucket brick. We're gonna play it here
with our new co host, Isaiah Thomas. We'll be right back.
All right, it's time for our DraftKings King of the
Court segment, where you guys got to pick who will
(41:43):
lead the league in total points, rebounds and assists on
Tuesday night, and if you get it right, you split
a million bucks. My pick for the King of the
Court is probably gonna be Steph in that Sun's Warriors game,
because I mean, Steph is always putting up numbers, so
you know you're gonna get in points and assists. So
that's who do you think is gonna get it on
Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I'm gonna probably go with Polo, the hometown favorite. I know.
I see they're playing the Hawks. He tended to have
pretty good games against the Hawks.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
And then Trey Young's out as well, so I think
you have a big one in terms of a total game.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yeah, I'm a wait for Polo to go off. Okay, Well, guys,
don't forget to play King of the Court on DraftKings
and don't forget to check out our show Point game
with Isaiah Thomas the CJ Toldono Tuesdays the rest of
this NBA season. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use
code Point Game. That's Code Point Game. Bet five bucks
and get three months of League Pass plus get three
hundred dollars in bonus bets if your bet wins. In
(42:37):
partnership with DraftKings, The Crown is yours.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
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(43:01):
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All right, welcome back to point in game.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
We are gonna play a one of our favorite games
from last season called Bucket or Brick. And so if
you guys forgot how this works, it t I'm gonna
give you a quote or a story that's happened in
the league right now, and you say bucket if you're
with it, or brick if you're not, and you got
to describe what you got to explain why you're not
with it?
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Okay for sure? All right.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
So for the first one, Chicago Bulls rising star Matis Buzellis,
they got he got caught using a janitorial mop bucket
to ice his knees after dropping twenty seven and five,
and it went over the kings. So they were clowning
him because his knees were in the mop buckets like
he was an old vent and they're like, dude, you're
like twenty three.
Speaker 3 (43:51):
Look that's a bucket because he's smart, like those are
like he's icing his ankles or his feet.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
We don't know if he got bad feet or ankles.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
The top of I think he had a good game
where he played a lot of minutes, so he's only
doing what's right. Obviously that looks crazy and it looks funny,
But like, I'm proud of him because he's a young dude.
You won't really see a lot of young dudes doing
that that early. That's that's for guys my age for sure.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
I guess all I gotta say is, Chicago Bulls. You
guys are a storied franchise. Get some real ice buckets.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Look, they ain't the trenches with it. I don't know
what that is.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
They definitely need. Come on, you should have a bucket
with the Bulls logo all of that. Yeah, no, that's bad.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
You got six trophies behind them and their legs are
inside janitorial equipment. Okay, this next story, shout out to
my Dodgers. I know you're wearing a Mariner's cap there. Actually,
let me ask you, did you enjoy watching the Blue
Jays lose?
Speaker 2 (44:49):
I did? I did? You know?
Speaker 3 (44:50):
I'm a Mariner fan, but look, my family's from La,
so I'm watch Dodger fan too, Laker fan all of that,
So I get it.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
I'm shout out to the Dodgers for sure, but just
because Mariners for me.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Yeah all right, Well, so the reason why I brought
that up Brandon pot Pajenski. He said this quote. He said,
I think I could be the White Show. Hey, I
think I could do both. Maybe not the degree degree
he can do it, but I think I could for
sure do both pitch, play the field, hit all those things.
So do you think pods is the White Show?
Speaker 2 (45:20):
Hey, come on, man, that's a brick. Don't do that.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
We can't do that one, like you could have said
somebody else, like you went, you went from you went straight,
zero two, one hundred, you went to the best guy.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
It's like, I get it, but you ain't him. We
can't do that one.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
Okay. Finally I wanted to end on this one. I
don't know if you saw this. There was a viral
clip where Jalen in the middle of the game. I
think he's against Jalen Brown. I think he was in
like triple threads, swung it around his head, hit the
jersey of his of the defender, and his hair spray
or I don't even know what to call it. His
hair rubbed off on there and that went viral and
(45:58):
then his response was, Hey, I should get on twitch
and stream me getting my hair fixed. So bucket brick,
did Jalen respond to that embarrassing moment correctly.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
He responded correctly, for sure, Okay, but dang, Jaylee, I
thought I taught you better. Come on, man, that's my
rook right there. We can't be seen with the Beijing
in the hair. That's what it's called. When they got
the little black stuff in the air. Come on, man,
you too young to be putting that in the hair.
Jalen Brown, I like how you saved yourself though, clown
(46:33):
to yourself, laughing about it because it is funny. But
come on, JB, I thought I taught you better than that.
I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with a bucket
for how he responded. But Brick, come on, we can't
do that. And so you said he was your rook
what was that like?
Speaker 2 (46:50):
He was hard headed. He was not trying to do
anything at all, not trying to do any rookie duties.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
One of like one thing I would say on the court,
and when it came to basketball, he asked questions. He
wanted to be great so to see his progression and success.
Now it's a no brainer because he thought he was.
He thought he was the best at that point, and
that was amazing. To have that mindset. But come on, Jaalen,
(47:17):
I thought, I thought I taught you better. On top
of that, I got to tell the people what I
did to you. You know, rookie year, he wasn't doing anything.
And when I say not anything, not bringing the soap
on the road for the showers, he's not bringing he's
not having a lotion for everybody. These are little rookie
duties that you know, every rookie gotta do. You gotta bring,
you got you gotta have towels for everybody after the game.
(47:40):
Little things that, okay, if you do them, nobody's gonna
mess with you. If you don't, we're gonna be on
your helmet. And he thought he was just bigger than
the program. Nobody's bigger than the program being a rookie.
So every time it would pile up, every road trip,
he's not bringing the soap, he's not bringing the towels,
he's not doing this.
Speaker 2 (48:01):
So one time, towards the end of the year, we
all got together. I forgot who it was it was.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
I got we had a home game. It was like
towards the end of the season, and he didn't he
didn't do nothing. Maybe the game before, so I'm like, okay,
I'm popcorning in his car.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
It's over. I gave him.
Speaker 3 (48:18):
I gave him chance after chance popcorning it. So I
got the people who work in the locker room. Throughout
the game, I'm like, okay, I pay you to go
get popcorn from upstairs during the game, please popcorn Jalen's car.
Speaker 2 (48:33):
So after the game, and it.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Sucks because he had a bad game too, so he
was already mad. We end up winning the game, but
he already had a bad game. So he was the
first one out, first one out the locker room, storming out,
go to the car, and I'm always usually the last
guy out, so I'm not in no rush. I remember
Danny Ainge coming into Danny Ainge coming in the locker room.
He's like, I t did you popcorn Jalen's car. I'm like,
(49:00):
who told you that?
Speaker 2 (49:01):
Like, I didn't do it. I didn't do anything. I
don't know what you're talking about. It became a joke.
Speaker 3 (49:06):
It was so funny that when I go to my
car to get to get my car, all the people
who got the popcorn, like the guys, the locker room attendants,
they're the ones cleaning it out. So I go and
help them too. I'm like, I didn't want y'all to
get in trouble. They got in a little bit of
trouble from following my direction. So shout out to you know,
(49:28):
the Celtics locker room attendants.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
We got.
Speaker 3 (49:31):
We're like this always. Jalen was hot and it was
funny because it was his rookie season and he had
family in town. He had one car, so everybody.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Was in that car.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
They were just outside the car like this, so mad,
trying to leave and they couldn't leave. To all the
popcorners out, I love it for anybody watching this, your rookie,
please just do what you're ass Nobody's doing nothing to
embarrass you.
Speaker 2 (49:57):
You just gotta fall in line. You're not bigger than
the man you.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Heard it from.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
I t it.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
This has been the first episode of point game.
Speaker 3 (50:06):
Man.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
This is like, those stories are why we've needed you
on this mic.
Speaker 3 (50:10):
This is super dope. I told you I'm a rookie
all over again. I didn't know what to expect. I'm
happy I'm in this space. We're going to do it
bigger and bigger each and every episode. But we got
so many stories Like so many experiences I've been through
in the game of basketball, whether that be high school,
college pros man. I can't wait to be able to
(50:31):
spill those beings to everybody who's tapping in love it.
Speaker 1 (50:35):
I'm excited. We got a whole NBA season ahead of us. Hey,
shout out to iHeart, Shout out to Slow Grund, shout
out to follow Through for making us happen. We got
more shows for you all, so please don't forget to
subscribe to Point Game with Isaiah Thomas and CJ. Toldonno,
We'll see you guys in the next show.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Yanks do it.
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