June 12, 2024 • 49 mins
On today's Dan Patrick Show, DP pays tribute to his idol Jerry West. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times shares his reaction to Dan Hurley turning down the Lakers. NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller joins us for his weekly appearance and shares his memories with Jerry West.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's our two on this Wednesday, Dan and The Dan
and Dan Patrick Show come on. In a little bit later.
We'll talk to Bill Plishki of the La Times. He
had a scathing column about the Lakers and the embarrassment
of what happened. Letting Dan Hurley go back to Connecticut
the news that just happened about ten minutes ago. Jerry
(00:25):
West has passed away at the age of eighty six.
He was the logo and certainly a friend of the show.
We tried to have him on. He'd be mad at
me if I was emotional, be like, what are you
(00:46):
crying about. We tried to have him on recently and
he wasn't feeling well. I think he had a cold
or the flu, and his wife said, you try again.
I think the last time we had him on was
a little little less than a year ago. And you know,
he's a friend of the show and integral part of
(01:07):
the show. Came on many, many, many times, joined us
in studio a couple of times when we were in
Los Angeles. But listen stuff, Yeah, Paulie helped me out.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, I just gotta tell you Man, we found out
about three or four minutes before you did. Sometimes we
get information before you, and none of us in this
room wanted to walk over and tell you this. We
were waiting for the break. And man, I know how
important this.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Guy was to you.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I mean, we talk about Walter Payton for me or
everyone has an athlete, and I think work on the
show a long time. I'm sure he was your hero,
your dad's.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
And then and we.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Saw a couple of times, maybe about ten years ago
he started coming on a show and he was sitting
there with you and talking basketball, and I could tell
that you were like kind of giddy, like I can't.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, I saw my dad. Yeah, and I think they
were similar age.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Jerry walked out one day and he goes, thank you,
my friend, and I could see You're.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Yeah, that's that's not something that's
supposed to happen. And then.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
On our tenth anniversary, Fritzy and I and Seaton and
all the guys had an idea to surprise you for
the tenth anniversary of the show. And we're like, let's
let's ask Jerry West to come in at seven am
West Coast time.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And he looked immaculate.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
He was perfectly dressed. He had to go on a
flight two hours later. He took time out of his
day and we surprised you with a cake from Jerry's
Cakes and Torrents. And if it's not the greatest moment
ever on the show, ye so uh, I wish we
didn't have to tell you this, but yeah, yeah, see
(02:47):
he has.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Jerry West has one of the most unique positions in
sports sports history, and that with just one figure can occupy.
He was a tremendous player. He's the logo of the sport.
He is instrumental in drafting several of people who had
then gone on to become some of the greatest people ever.
His impact on the game is immeasurable just in one person,
(03:11):
and you could take as an executive it's one way,
just as a marketing I guess, even though it wasn't
really his doing, just the logo itself is massive. And
then just him as a player, just it's like three
or four separate careers that were all massive, all Hall
of Fame careers. Yeah yeah, I mean, his role an
impact really can't be measured.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
He might be the most impactful person in the history
of the NBA.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
While also wanting almost no attention for anything, like to
be the logo and also be a very private man.
I mean, he would do interviews and share things he
never wanted credit.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
And he brought up the fact that he couldn't even
watch or listen to the Laker games because it ate
him up. You know, he had a hard time sitting
there watching a game because he was so competitive and
that you know, there's only so much you can do.
You put a product out on the floor and you
hope that they win. But he said that he would
drive around Los Angeles sometimes when the Lakers would be
(04:12):
playing in you know, an NBA finals there. But yeah,
we were very lucky. We were very lucky that he
opened himself up to us and developed a relationship there.
But Jerry West passed away at the age of eighty six.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I always found it when we'd have him on the show,
it was like going to a time machine with a
different type of person, a gentleman from the fifties and
sixties and seventies that said, that's how I'm going to
be for the rest of my life.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
I'm going to be a gentleman.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I'm not going to buy into all this new culture
of what you know, all this stuff and and it
was like meeting Babe Ruth or something like that. I
didn't grow up on Jerry West like you did. And
when we first had in my studio, it's kind of shocking.
That's exactly who I expect him to be. He outlived
the expectations of what a class individual dad mona like that.
That's kind of person I wish I could be someday.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
He wrote a book, and he had an alcoholic father,
and his father used to physically abuse his mom. And
I remember Jerry telling the story that he slept with
a shotgun under his mattress and he said that he
told his dad, you do it again, and I'm going
to blow your head off. All right, Well, let me
(05:30):
let me do my job here.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I do want to ask you one thing, Dan about
Jerry West.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
We always talk about that the TV era, there's certain
players that because they didn't play in the TV era,
they're not going to ever get their due, like a
young doctor j or a David Thompson or a player
with Elgin Baylor.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Jerry West seems to me.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Like one of those guys that boy, if there was
more TV around her, more great films of seeing him play,
because I look at his stats and they're insane.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I mean, if you look at thirty five and seventeen
in the NBA Finals, that's insane.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I think it's almost like he doesn't get his due
as a basketball player. He didn't get his due.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, And you're right about not being in the TV era,
you know, having the NBA Finals on tape delay back then.
But his numbers even at West Virginia and he and
Oscar Robertson were you know, kind of competitive peers, you know,
at the same time. And Marvin brings up a great point,
like the first time you got to see somebody who
(06:26):
had a jump shot in the NBA, it's Jerry West.
Everybody else was shooting like set shots. All of a sudden,
Jerry's off the dribble hitting jumpers and you got to
be going, wait a minute, this is new, this is different.
And he had a beautiful shot. I always tell people,
always remember Jerry West that last dribble is even harder,
so you can go up. Quicker had a great release, gentleman.
(06:49):
He was a wonderful, wonderful spokesperson for the NBA represented
it quite well, yes, Mark, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
He was playing at a completely different speed when you
watch old of him on NBA TV. And also guys
he brought together Shaq and Kobe. You know the fact
that he signed Shack from Orlando, then drafted a kid
thirteenth traded with the Hornets. It was just like, wait,
so you did this. You won the NBA Finals MVP
on a losing team, and then you draft Kobe Bryant
and you signed Shack and it's like three different generations
(07:20):
were all linked to this guy.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I also, you know when I first really got to
talk to Jerry West. Now, I saw him play in
person in nineteen seventy one, had beautiful penmanship, got his autograph,
and my dad always said, that's a ball That's that's
the ballplayer you want to be like. You want to
be like him, and like so, yes, so I wanted
to be like Jerry West. I wasn't like Jerry West.
(07:43):
And I wasn't alone in wanting to be like Jerry West.
So we I had Rick Riley, the great writer from
Sports Illustrated on and Jerry was part of the Memphis
Grizzlies front office. And Rick Riley alluded to the fact
that maybe Memo was tanking and I don't know who
they were tanking for to get a draft pick, and
(08:04):
he said it on our show. I get a phone call,
and I get a phone call and it's from Jerry West,
and Jerry West rips me for five minutes. He is
cursing me out. I mean, I am, I am shaken.
I called Paulie. I said, first of all, Jerry West
(08:25):
just called. He goes awesome. I go no, no, no, no.
He was yelling at me. He was Why was he yelling?
I said, Rick Riley said that Memphis would be tanking
and Jerry said, you know, bleep the bleep thee believe
believe me. I'd never tanked ever never. I can't stand losing.
I hate, you know. Five minutes he went on this long, long,
soliloqually diatribe. I'm monologue and I'm going and I kept saying, Jerry.
(08:49):
Jerry finally stopped and I said, Jerry, I didn't say that,
Rick Riley did. He goes, okay, I'm sorry, and then
he hung up and I'm going, You're stel sick up.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I was, I was.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I was devastated. And then I remember talking to him,
and I said, look, and I told him the whole backstory.
I told him everything, and he said okay, and he
was giving me like another chance. And after that he
was wonderful with me, whether we had him on the show,
whether I got to talk to him privately, or I
(09:27):
got to ask him about things that were off the record,
and just having that relationship with somebody you watched as
like a I don't know a ten or eleven year
old in person. That's the logo, all the things that
he did, and you know, so we didn't have a
good start, but we had a good we had a
(09:48):
good finish, yes.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Bo I know for years it's been a touchy topic
that you know, Jerry West, clearly, if you know anything about.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Basketball, was the logo a that the NBA used the
photo of him.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It's it's clear the NBA has never publicly that because
of business reasons and legal reasons.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I'm sure, well what would that be worth?
Speaker 8 (10:05):
Right?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But you know what, but Jerry didn't. He didn't. He
didn't bring it up. Eve when I brought it up
to him, he said, you know, Dan, it doesn't matter.
He wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Wouldn't have asked for anyone.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
No, but it'd be nice if the NBA today announced
that this is and will be the logo and with
a side by side, you know, or something like say.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Like, well, there is a picture, yeah, and you see
the picture they took the logo from, and you go,
how could you how could you deny that that's not
Jerry West?
Speaker 8 (10:32):
There? Uh?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Adam in West Virginia. Hi, Adam, what's on your mind today?
Speaker 9 (10:39):
Hey?
Speaker 10 (10:39):
Dan?
Speaker 9 (10:40):
I just wanted to call and just speak on the
importance of Jerry West to West Virginia and how great
he is. Tauris they and sorry, man, let me get
it together. He he is so such as just a
great person. And I don't think people understand the greatness
(11:02):
of Jerry West now, but man, he's just here's just awesome.
And that's really all I have. I just just from
the state of West Virginia. Man, couldn't couldn't ask for
anybody better.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Thank you, Adam. I thought you were going to help
me not cry, and you're making me cry. I'm going
to bring back a couple of things, you know. Uh,
Jerry talked about being a surrogate father to Kobe. We
had him on when Kobe died Uh. He never wanted
uh to be complimented on that. You know, he just
(11:36):
said that it's my job, you know, making these trades.
But yeah, we we had some great moments there, great moments,
and you know, he he predicted that he'd be dead
without basket. I mean, there were always these powerful moments there,
and we'll try to bring some of those back if
we can. Adam in La Hi, Adam.
Speaker 8 (12:00):
Good morning, Dan, Thanks for having me six two two twenty.
I just wanted to say a couple of things. I'm
a Lakers fan. My father grew up as a as
a fan of Jerry West in the sixties, so he
used to talk about Jerry West a lot. Uh, and
we had a lot of cool moments, uh, you know,
with with with as as Marvin just said, you know,
all the accolades that Jerry did as the general manager.
(12:21):
But my dad used to always remind me, you know,
how great he was as a player, and how nobody,
you know, nobody could touch Jerry West's intensity and and
and as you mentioned, the jump shot and just all
the things that Jerry West did for I think basketball
and pro basketball, and and and as that gentleman just
mentioned from West Virginia. You know, it goes from West
Virginia all the way across the country to La So again,
(12:41):
just just wanted to say, you know, r ip Jerry West.
And it's been a terrible week for Lakers fans, but
hopefully we'll get better. Thanks. Do you guys have a
great day?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yeah, yeah, Jerry talked. You know, we had him on
when Jerry Buss died. I mean, we had him on
so many times, and he was so willing to share.
Shelby san Antonio, Hi Shall, Hey, DP, how are you well?
You can imagine.
Speaker 11 (13:09):
I know, I'm glad I heard it from you.
Speaker 8 (13:11):
Then.
Speaker 11 (13:12):
I recently I was with my four grandsons and ran
into Jerry West, my idol. I graduated high school when
he was when he retired, and I was explaining to
him how I don't get to scene very often up
but I do hear him on Dad Patrick and you
stop me mid sentenced and said, yeah, you know what,
(13:37):
Dan Patrick's a good man. And I said, I haven't
met him, but I'm sure he is. And I appreciated
hearing him on your show. And thank you. I'm glad
I heard it from you, Dan.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Thank you. Shell. All right, we'll try to hit the
reset button once again. Still got a job to do here,
Bill Plishkeek from the La Times. I'm sure Bill will
have some thoughts. He'll join us coming up a little bit.
Reggie will join us in an hour from now. How
about we take a break back after this.
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Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
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Speaker 4 (14:27):
But here's the thing.
Speaker 10 (14:28):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
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Speaker 12 (14:31):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
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our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
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Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, you blubber list name and me.
Speaker 10 (14:45):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 12 (14:49):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
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Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
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the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a
little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Of all time.
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There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see it
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to over Promised
with Cabino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
It's the final hour on this Wednesday. Basketball coming up tonight,
it'll be Game three in Dallas Mavericks favored by two
and a half. Reggie Miller will join us. Coming up
in a little bit. La Times columnist Bill Plashki will
stop by. We were gonna have Bill on to talk
about his column where he tears into the Lakers front
office and the embarrassment of what happened with the recruitment
(15:47):
of Dan Hurley. And then we got word a little
while ago that Jerry West had passed away at the
age of eighty six, and Bill needed a little time
to kind of collect his thoughts on this, and we
certainly respect him, and you know the process of trying
to put it together. What Jerry West meant to the
Los Angeles community, the Lakers, you know, his impact on
(16:10):
the NBA. I mean, it's a long, long, legendary career, unmatched, unparalleled.
And if you have been listening to the show, kind
of throughout the rundown here what we were going we
were going to have ice Cube on. We had other
things to talk about, but you know, Jerry deserves my reflection,
(16:31):
our memories we brought back when we had Jerry on
after Kobe had passed away. We're going to bring back
when I had a conversation with him about being the
logo and recognizing that he was the logo and he
didn't want any credit. I mean, it was it was
typical Jerry didn't want credit. One of the most competitive
people I've ever met, and passing away at the age
(16:54):
of eighty six. So we'll hopefully you have Bill Plashke,
he'll join us coming up here in little bit. The
phone lines are all full. Everybody has thoughts about Jerry West.
I'd say you know call in, but we're backed up here.
We'll try to get to those phone calls as well.
Stat of the Day is always brought to you by
Panini America. They are the official trading cards of the
(17:16):
Dan Patrick Show, the Best American Athletes. They're getting ready
to go to Paris. The US Olympic Team trials making
Team USA June fifteenth through the thirtieth on NBC in Peacock,
which is where you can see this program. Christops Porzingis
is iffy with a rare leg injury. For tonight's game.
(17:37):
John ram is out of the US Open. The Team
USA officially announced their women's basketball team. Now, I was
trying to find out if there is an alternative list
so players who might be put on the team, and
I was told yesterday there is no list. But I
think that people have this impression that, you know, here's
(18:00):
here's the top twelve and then thirteen is Caitlin Clark
and fourteen is whoever. And that's not the case. They've
had discussions about if they have to replace players, they
will have, you know, these players available and that's due
to injury. There might be two roster sponts available, maybe
Caitlyn Clark gets one of those roster spots. Jerry West
(18:24):
was on the program many many times over the years.
We take you back to May twentieth of twenty fifteen,
and here is the question I asked Jerry West. We
see the NBA all and we see the logo, and
we've seen the picture that is you in that. You
are the logo, right.
Speaker 13 (18:48):
You know, I really don't like to talk about that
because I think it's very uncomfortable for the NBA. But
there's a very interesting story in the New York Times
that the man who designed the logo he said, yes,
that's Jerry West, but it's an it has to be
an honor.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Well, okay, what do you think when you look at
the ball and that's you. You're playing against the trail Blazers.
I think you're driving on the left side against the Trailblazers, right,
I'm not even sure Dan. Did you make the shot? Jerry,
I don't know, but you know I shot him. But
(19:24):
you're the low I thought that that's one. That's one
of the great nicknames of all time. Now you were
mister clutch Zeke from Cabin Creek. But the logo, it
doesn't get any better.
Speaker 8 (19:33):
Than not.
Speaker 13 (19:34):
It's flattering, it's really flattering. But honestly, Dan, I don't
really I don't think like that. That's just not me.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
You know.
Speaker 13 (19:42):
I'm so happy that I was able to live my
dreams as a kid and to be able to do
something that I absolutely loved. I loved the competition, I
like I told you, I liked how I felt the
day of the game, and I've lived my dream. Most
people don't get a chance to do it. I'm sure
you're living your dream today, but I'm living a dream here.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
My dad would be in tears watching this, well because
you were you were his is one of his idols.
Well thank you, and I can't help but sit here
think he would watch this now and then know I
ad made.
Speaker 13 (20:16):
It well as I say, you know, I'm extremely proud
of being an athlete. Sometimes it's a little I kind
of liked to fly under the radar. I have never
tried to place any importance for myself as a as
a person or as an athlete. I don't I'd like
to think I'm normal, and sometimes people don't want you
(20:38):
to be normal. And last night at the game up
in Oakland, I was there and I was walked down
after the game, and you know, our fans are incredible
up there. The best fans I have ever seen in
my life. I don't care where you go in the league,
these are the best fans. And they're so loud, they're
so vocal, and they haven't had a winning situation up
(20:59):
there for a while. But I was going out after
the game, I was with my wife and I said
to myself, they were these people in the hallways, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I was so embarrassed.
Speaker 13 (21:12):
I was really embarrassed, because again, that's not what makes
me work. But you know, thrilling that people recognize maybe
your contribution to basketball.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I told you tough to get him to take credit
for that, but you know, he got embarrassed. He was
very humble with that. It is him. He is the logo.
And that's as good a nickname as anybody has. You're
the logo of a sport. Bill Plashk woke up to
the news that Jerry had passed away. Bill, I appreciate
(21:47):
you joining us. I know we were going to talk
about the Lakers, but Bill Plansky of the La Times
joining us. Thoughts running through your head now.
Speaker 14 (21:56):
Just very so sad Dan, we lost else his basketball consciences,
basketball cornerstone. When he was the logo, he was a legend.
He was his presence. When he go to a game,
he's still you know. He stood tall with the Shaka
white hair and the furrowed expression. Everybody was drawn to him.
(22:16):
He was such a magnet of presence. Said, you know what,
for me, what gets me right now is that I
think it's very sad. His death was announced by the Clippers,
and I love the Clippers, I love Steve Ballmer, I
love the organization. But Jerry was a Laker, and I
think we need to say that. Maybe you said on
the show, but he was a Laker. He was the
first draft pick of the LA Lakers when he came
(22:37):
to LA in nineteen sixty. He built the Lakers as
a player, He's built the Lakers as a coach. As
AJM best executive in sports history by the way, the
best sports executive in the history of sports. He built,
he built and cultivated Showtime and Shaq and Kobe. That
was that was all him. And the fact that he
(22:58):
had a falling out of the Lakers, money and overall
kinds of different things. That's really sad because he's a
Laker and he'll we will remember and he was great
for the Clippers. And again I love the Clippers, other
against the Clippers, but I just wish. I think Jerry
probably would wish at the very end of the people
would remember him as a Laker.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Well, why was there that falling out? I know he
wanted to come back and maybe end his career, book
end his career with the Lakers, and it just never happened.
Speaker 14 (23:24):
Yeah, I'm thinking there was a fun over. Initially, there
was over money, over power for Phil Jackson came in
and Phil Jackson had a lot of power and Jerry
didn't have as much power when Philed became more in control.
And in later years it just got kind of it
just got kind of snippy. I mean when Genie Buss
listed her at five best Lakers, remember that a couple
of years ago, five best Lakers of all time. She
(23:46):
tweeted it out or something, and he wasn't. He wasn't
one of them. He was arguably the greatest Laker of all.
That's my point. He's everybody says his magic in Kobe,
but Shack was around for both. I mean, Jerry West
was around for both of them. Jerry West, you know,
don't get he traded for Kobe, he signed Shack, he
cultivated Magic in showtime. He's to my mind, he's a
(24:07):
great Laker ever and the grass executive sports. And it's
just really such a day of mourning, e the such
a day of loss, such a great, great loss.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
And this on the heels of the Lakers whipping again
on a head coach with Dan Hurley, I know you
gave them both barrels. Recap what you what you wrote
about the Lakers.
Speaker 14 (24:28):
Yeah, it's said. It seems so trivial talking about today
wago Jerry West's death, But yes, it was. I just
thought it was embarrassing. I thought the college coach flies
out to LA to see the Lakers. He's offered twice
the money he's making. It suffered a chance to be
the coach of the most celebrated franchise in professional sports.
He looks around, spends the day looking around, and he
(24:49):
says nah and goes home. What does that say about
the Lakers? How far are they following the fact that
they couldn't get I know, Dan, Dan Hurley is a
great family guy in the great He's coast guy, wanted
to stay home. But this is these are all the Lakers,
the Lakers. This is the same team that top Phil
Jackson out of retirement twice, the same team that that
that got shocked. They got Lebron got a d. They
(25:11):
get what they want. There are a great franchise. They
were great franchise. It's just humiliating the fact that they
couldn't close this deal on Dan Hurley just it's humiliating
for the franchise. It's a huge step back, a huge
blow to Rock Plaka. So, I mean Dan Dan Hurley
musn't seen what he what he saw. He was not liked,
didn't want to coach Lebron, probably didn't want to deal
(25:33):
with all their front office machinations, didn't want to do
as a team that maybe he's gonna make the playoffs
for several years. It's just a damning. It's just a
it's just damning the Lakers. There's no way around it.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Yeah, the perception hit is, you know, because it's the Lakers.
You don't turn down the Lakers.
Speaker 14 (25:50):
I mean especially you. You know, he's won two championships,
he has nothing else to prove in Connecticut, and your doubleness,
the double, his salary for the most highly celebrated franchise.
I know the time with the Seltics for seventeen championships,
but the most celebrated champions franchise in sports history, the
most covered, the most disagree, it's Hollywood. Nobody turned Nobody,
(26:11):
Nobody from stories Connecticut comes and turns down Hollywood, unless
Hollywood's really messing up. Hollywood really messed up this time.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah, once she came back built without an agreement in principle,
I said it was, it was over real, it was
done that he wasn't going back. Okay, So what's next
for the Lakers situation? In your opinion?
Speaker 14 (26:29):
And I hope it's not JJ Redick and I've written
about that. He's not. He's not a coach, He's never
coached before. I'm worried they're gonna go back to JJ
with JJ Redick. If not, I know they got this
James Bregos on the A list. Why not Sam Cassell?
Speaker 8 (26:45):
Why not?
Speaker 14 (26:45):
In my opinion, why not go go get Becky Hammond.
I'm serious? Why not to go completely outside the box?
Speaker 8 (26:52):
Is there?
Speaker 14 (26:52):
Because there where's gonna coach her?
Speaker 7 (26:54):
Now?
Speaker 14 (26:54):
Is in the coach for two years to get fired
probably anyway. I mean, it's so it's so bad, it's
so since since such disarray, Hell, why not draft Bronnie
Brownie the player coach. I don't know, It's just it's
crazy out here.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
Get this.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
How did they get this bad?
Speaker 14 (27:11):
They gave it because they gave the franchise to Lebron,
and Lebron helped running it into the ground. I mean,
he's been great on the court, but behind the scenes,
he's gone through coaches, he's gone through players. He told
him to get take Russell Westbrook. That didn't work out.
They kind of sold hers, sold to Lebron, and they're sold.
Probably has to remain sold to Lebron. Leaves and Lebron's
(27:31):
not leaving anytime soon. He's coming back. He's gonna retire Laker.
Only when he leaves will the money be released and
the freedom they have and the control they have. Then
they can become the become the great Lakers again. In fact,
I'm thinking Dan Hurley probably got that. They probably even
gave him that control. They gave him a six year deal.
Why wouldn't you come knowing you were you were going
(27:53):
to get fired. You got six years, seventy million dollars
life changing money for the Lakers, and he says, no,
that's just, that's just I'm still stunned by that, by that,
by that move. I'm still sad that the Lakers have
fallen so far, and I don't know where they go.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
I would draft.
Speaker 14 (28:08):
I would hire Sam Pacel. He's the three NBA championships coach,
tends to coach the Celtics, well known out here. Really good,
you guy, really good coach. I'd hire him. But I'm sure,
I'm sure they'll go somewhere else that I've never heard,
somebody I've never gonna heard of who knows. It's crazy,
and it's it's crazy. It's the Lakers. They should have
(28:29):
their pick. But again, once you give your soul to
liver to somebody else, it's not yours. You gotta wait
to get it back. And again, this is the this
is Lebron James the team right now, it's this franchise,
his organization. So probably Lebron is gonna pick the coach, probably,
and they're gonna draft. We're gonna draft his son Dan,
and they shouldn't draft his son. They're gonna take him
(28:50):
at fifty five, and they shouldn't go anywhere near that child,
because he said, there's so much pressure, it's gonna be
so so ugly out here, so much drama. If he
comes to this team in the locker rooms his dad,
let him go somewhere else and become himself. Don't do
that to him, Don't do that to their family, Don't
do that to their organization. Don't draft Ronnie. But I'm
afraid they're gonna do that because lebron wants it.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
It's a mess.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I know you've got a busy morning. I appreciate you
sharing your thoughts here, certainly on Jerry West and thanks
again for joining us. Thanks man, that's Bill Plishkin. Yeah,
I would love to see Bronni go to the San
Antonio Spurs. Get him in a smaller market, let him
develop with Victor Wemben Yama, less media there. Maybe you
(29:34):
get an opportunity. Pop can coach you there, Maybe you
get a starting point guard. Maybe you can learn that way.
But you're stepping right into this spotlight, and there's no
other spotlight like this one. All right, let me take
a break. I do have some phone calls. I'll try
to get those. Reggie Millervial, Jonas coming up next here
on the Dan Patrick Show.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows a Foxsports Radio
dot Com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
We're going to reschedule Ice Cube. We were going to
do an interview with him. The three on three league
that he has. They debut this season this Saturday, and
we'll talk to Cube more phone calls as well. We
bring in the Hall of Famer Reggie Miller Turner Sports NBA.
And it's a tough day here, reg as try to
(30:28):
trudge through this with the passing of Jerry West. And
of course I know you had many encounters conversations if
you'd like to share, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
I think I will start from the beginning and kind
of go through the many times I've had the honor
of just being in his presence. And it started out
an early age for me when I was at UCLA
getting phone calls from Jerry West. Now again I am,
(31:00):
you know, nineteen twenty years old, and remember those, you know,
UCLA pro basketball pickup games that we would have at UCLA.
He would always be around because at that time he.
Speaker 15 (31:14):
Was somewhat the architect of those Laker teams, those showtime
Laker teams, and just getting phone calls from him watching
my game saying well, you should think about doing this.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
I would have done that work on this. I mean,
this is you know, nineteen twenty year old Reggie. And
then once I made it to the league, Arn Tellham,
who was my agent attorney at the time, good friends
with Jerry West. We would have not only conversations but meetups.
I had a chance to interview him a few times
(31:49):
when I had my own little local local show in
Indiana and just to talk basketball because he had such
a brilliant, brilliant basketball mind. He was always two or
three steps ahead. So being a shooting guard and growing
(32:09):
up in Los Angeles, growing up in California and Riverside,
but watching the Lakers and knowing the history of Jerry West,
I was like a kid in a Cannis store. I
hung on every word he said to me. And have
a chance to interview him and to get tips from him.
I was like I was a kid in a cannon star.
(32:29):
You couldn't tell me anything. And our real last encounter
because working with Turner every time we would come do
the Laker games or the Clipper games. When he was
working with the Clippers at the time, we got a
chance to pick his brain. As soon as I walked
into the Staples he was there. He would give me
(32:50):
a scattering report, not only on his own team, because
he never held anything back. He never held anything back,
even on his own team. He would give me scattered
reports on the Lakers, the Clippers and who they were playing.
That's how advanced he was. And you know, we have
a term here in California. Right now, we're in June gloom.
(33:12):
I know you can't see outside, but it's very misty, cloudy, ugly,
and it's one of those days where when something like
this happens, you know it's June gloom. When you think
about the loss, Just think about this. Two years ago,
it was Bill Russell. Less than a month ago, Bill Walton.
(33:33):
This is another huge gut blow, and it's a little
bit more personal for me because I've you know, I've
had a relationship with Jerry West and when Kobe passed.
I don't know if you guys remember that show we
were supposed to air a Laker game, and remember we
did that special at Staples on the day it was
(33:55):
Charles Shaq Ernie, myself, Dwayne Wade, and Jerry very West.
And I think this was the most raw I've ever
seen mister West in terms of talking about Kobe and
their relationships because they were very close as well. We
(34:16):
were like in the back and before we were just
all bawling listening to mister West described Kobe. So I'm
sorry to be long winded, but I want to give
mister West the proper, the proper due he's earned and deserved.
Speaker 12 (34:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
I said earlier that it's not overstating this when he's
probably the most impactful person in the history of the NBA.
When you look at the player, coach, GM the logo
and you know you've been doing it. You know he
had been doing it at a very high level for
you know, seven decades, and that says an awful lot
(34:56):
about you know, what he does, how he does it,
how he did it and passing away at the age
of eighty six. There's no smooth way to make a segue,
but I'll segue into the Lakers missing out on Dan Hurley.
Why did that happen?
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Number One? I don't think Dan was ready to leave Yukon.
And as much as they want to say Oh my god,
how is he going to turn down six year seventy
million coming to California the state taxes, So really we're
talking about five or six million of ast seventy million.
(35:33):
So I don't think he was ready.
Speaker 16 (35:37):
I think.
Speaker 6 (35:39):
He's back to back champs at Yukon. It was a
great ploy by the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
It was a great try, But I think it was
a great ploy by Dan Hurley. I think this was
a leverage play on his part.
Speaker 6 (35:49):
Absolutely, And I'm sure from what I've been hearing, Yukon
redid his deal too, So I mean that's great for him,
But it kind of looks like the Lakers a little
bit of egg on their face. You know, here's the Lakers,
seventeen NBA championships. You got Lebron James Anthony Davis, and
you can't get this college coach, So a little bit
(36:11):
of egg on their face. But again, I still believe
it's a desirable job, a very difficult job now, but
it's still the Lakers that you would be coaching.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
But why is it difficult?
Speaker 6 (36:24):
Because everything you do, every decision you make, every trade
non trade, people want to know who's really running the Lakers,
is it Genie is it Lebron? Is it Rob Polanka?
I mean, there's a lot of things being thrown in
this gumble pot of being the Lakers. So there's a
(36:48):
lot of drama that comes with it. But man, is
it's still a beautiful star. Sometimes you just got to
shine it up a little bit to make it appeasing
for so when to come coach?
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Then okay, you can pick between the Lakers job and
the Cavaliers opening.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I mean, if you're the Lakers, you're going to be
on national TV fifteen plus times it's the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah, but you pause? You pause?
Speaker 6 (37:16):
Are you telling you was going back to Cleveland? No?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
No, he's going to be He's there for the next
at least two years. You're probably taking his son. The
West is loaded. What's a better job because both are
open right now.
Speaker 16 (37:31):
You have an.
Speaker 6 (37:32):
Easier shot to get to a conference finals and maybe
an NBA finals if you take a Cleveland job. If
Donovan Mitchell resigns as well, we're assuming Mitchell's there. They
have the two bigs, Darius Darland, who I heard there's
some friction going on between him and him and Donovan,
(37:52):
so I don't know about that, but there's a more
desirable opportunity if you're Cleveland. It's a tough road if
you're the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
What's that say about the Lakers job that you look
at Cleveland and say that may be more advantageous than
going through being under the microscope with everything.
Speaker 6 (38:13):
Look, you've got one newspaper, the Planes Dealer I believe
it's called in Cleveland, and you've got a few Internet salutes.
Big deal for the Lakers. You just had Bill blackfiall right,
you gotta your Bill every single day talk about what
the Lakers should be doing. And you've got the whole
(38:33):
Laker nation, which is worldwide after your throat after every
single game. So that's why Cleveland would be better suited.
And it depends on what coach is coming in. Is
it a coach with experience that has heavy shoulders that
can handle the criticism, or is it a new beat
JJ Reddick, for instance. If it's a JJ Reddick, that's
(38:57):
a very difficult job as your first job to take
on the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (39:03):
If it's James.
Speaker 16 (39:04):
Barrego, who's been around the league as an assistant, who's
been a head coach, he's been an associate head coach,
I mean he kind of knows the trials and tribulations
of what's to come.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
See, I think I think little things would bother JJ
Reddick and I don't know Barrego. I know that he's
been around, he had a little stint as a head
coach before. But JJ watching him when he's on the
mother Ship, it feels like things bother him. Don't take
the Laker job. If things bother you, I mean they
(39:37):
that that'll they'll eat you up. They'll eat you up.
They will.
Speaker 6 (39:43):
But look, if you're bff and close friend is Lebron James,
and you have.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
An opportunity not even gonna get credit if you win,
Lebron's gonna get credit.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
Frank Vogel still gets credit for that bubble bubb Champions did.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So not enough to keep him around Red, that is true.
Speaker 6 (40:07):
I mean, look at Darvin him. They were just in
the Western Ago. I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
We're talking to the Hall of Famer back in Milwaukee.
Reggie Miller, the Hall of Famer joining us. All right.
I keep waiting for Kyrie, the most talented player to
ever play the game. It's time to be talented coming
up tonight. If you're not talented tonight, You're not gonna
be around much longer. So what adjustments can Dallas make
(40:34):
to uh, you know, get back in this series.
Speaker 6 (40:37):
Number One, they got to push the pace, they got
to run more, and it's you know, I was talking
to a few people. Indiana has played Boston probably the
best postseason and the reason why it is it was
all about pace. They pushed the pace and they kept
forcing it down on Boston's throat. The problem with Indiana
is they didn't have any closers because Palliburton went down,
(41:01):
and they were using guys that usually weren't in that role.
Speaker 14 (41:05):
TJ.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
McConnell, nim Hard. They had great games, but they they're
not closers.
Speaker 8 (41:10):
They're not used to that.
Speaker 6 (41:11):
So that's why they lost them four. But the pace,
that was one thing that was consistent three at the
four games, and that's why they were in three of
the four games. Right now, the pace is too slow.
And if you if Boston has a chance with Holiday White,
we don't know the availability of Porzingis, but Al Horford
and Brown and Tatum, you get there in the half
(41:33):
court setting and they get a chance to adjust defensively
and get those wingspans out, you're not going to be
able to score enough. The pace has to be faster.
Kyrie has to make quicker decisions, and you are one correct.
Tonight's the game they've got to win for their confidence
number one. But to make it a serious they win tonight,
(41:55):
the series really can shift. People don't understand. People think
this is going to be a gentleman this week. If
Dallas wins tonight, things change. Well, it depends on how
they win, by the way, but if they win tonight,
the series does change mentally because getting that first win,
especially if finals win, it turns the key for you
(42:15):
and Kyrie. I hate to say it, he's got to
be a catalyst. Both have to be playing well for
Darren Jones, PJ Washington, Gafford Lively for all them to eat.
If both of those guys, Luca and Kyrie are not
playing at a high level like they did in the
West during the West run, those other guys can't eat
(42:38):
one or the other. It won't work in the finals
versus Boston.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Also with Chris Thoms perzingis you know, on the outside
looking in when somebody says, well, why don't you get
it shot up? Why don't you I mean, you played
you played a you know, two decades in the NBA, Like,
how many times would you get something shot up so
you could play in a big game? How often does
that happen anymore?
Speaker 6 (43:03):
I never got shot up, even in the Conference finals
versus Chicago when I twisted my ankle, and everyone's saying
you should get shot up because you don't know the
ramifications once that medicine wears off and the damage that
will have been done. Having said all that, this is
the NBA Finals, and lord knows if you'll ever be
(43:25):
there again. You assume Boston will because they're a young team.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Would you run the risk if you're poor? Zingis? Uh?
Speaker 6 (43:32):
Probably not? Because you're up to zero. Anyways, Now, if
you're telling me I have a chance, let's say Dallas
comes back and ties it to too and you don't
play these next two games, Well, you have an opportunity
to come back in game five, six, and seven if
you take these next because now remember there's two days.
They don't play again till Friday, and they don't play
again until Monday, so you would have some time to
(43:55):
rest a little bit between games three and four and
possibly come back for I wouldn't get shot up I
never would advise anyone to get shot because you don't
know about the ramifications afterwards. But always in the back
of my mind people saying, I will do whatever it
takes to win. You're in the NBA finals. Don't do it.
(44:16):
But I'm sure it's crossed it will have crossed his
mind to get a shot.
Speaker 2 (44:20):
Speaking of shots, everybody's got an opinion on Caitlin Clark
not making the Olympic team.
Speaker 6 (44:27):
You got one, well, who are you going to take off?
Before I say this, who would you take off that
team and put her on? And then then we can
have the debate from there.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
I wouldn't put her on that. That was my argument
is Okay, who am I taking off? I don't think
she's one of the twelve best players right now. And
these players are veterans. You know, Sabrina Ironescu had to
earn her way onto this had to wait a couple
of years. Yeah, you know, you got twenty seven year olds,
twenty eight year olds, you got Tarassi, who's what forty
(45:00):
or forty one? I get it, She's not I think
she could use a break. I don't think she's one
of the twelve best players. And people say well, you've
got a chance to grow the game. How are you
going to grow the game if she's on the bench,
She's not gonna play. Like she can't make the roster.
Now you're going to put her on. Now she's one
of the top two players on the team, she would
(45:21):
be sitting. She would be like Christian Latner was on
the Dream Team, not playing very much. Maybe you tune
in to watch warm ups.
Speaker 6 (45:29):
Ador, Mike drop. Everything you just said is a mic drop.
And I absolutely love everything that Caitlyn Clark stands for
and what she has done for the women's game. She
has taken it to new heights. And on top of that,
she has Hoosier blood in her now because she's a
fever player. Having said all that, you're right, she's not
(45:51):
one to twelve best. And on top of that, I
think they did her a disservice by like naming her
early on, like she was part of the top fifteen
or twenty. That was a disservice to her because it
got her fan base all round up. She automatically should
make the team, and looking at this roster, it's arguably
(46:13):
one of the greatest ones they've had. By the way
people they've won seven gold medals in a row. So
for everyone saying, oh, they need her, not really they
need her. And in terms of growing the women's game,
it will continue to grow. She's just not the top
(46:34):
one of the top twelve players. And it's such a
disservice for her because she's in a lose lose situation.
Whenever she can't, comes out and says because if she's
like I should have been on it, it needs to
look bitter, and she's like, you know what, hopefully in
four years I'll be on the Oh you're being soft,
you should be more. It's ridiculous. Give this young woman
(46:58):
a break. Please, please give her a break.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
I wonder about you know, her frame. You were very
slight when you played, and that you know, welcome to
You played in a very very physical time in the NBA.
I don't know what she can do to get you know, stronger,
Like is it just simply going into the weight room.
Is that How much will that help her going into
(47:23):
year two?
Speaker 6 (47:25):
That will help tremendously. I wasn't huge in the rate room.
I did a lot of national weight like pull ups
and push ups and sit ups to get my body strong.
Her best defense will be the school of hard knocks.
All the times that you've seen her getting stripped and
knocked down, every time she's driven to the hole and
(47:49):
been taken out the air, That's how her mind and
body will get strong. Yes, the weight room will help,
but the school of hard knocks is always the best.
Lesson me getting my head knocked off by Lamber and
Mohorne and all those dudes. You learn, you learn to adjust,
You learn to get stronger on your own. Pull ups,
(48:10):
push ups, sit ups, get your body naturally strong. She
trusts me. She would look at her numbers as a rookie.
She's averaging like almost seventeen what five and a half
dimes a couple of stills. I mean, she's having a
very good, solid rookie year. Just people please, like, stop
it with the whole Olympic thing, and I'm gonna boycott
(48:32):
the women really like, who would you take off that team?
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Here's the thing, read a fall. The people who are
upset about Caitlyn Clark not on the Olympic team, we're
not going to watch the women's team to begin with.
Now you put Caitlyn on there, now they want to
watch it, So they're not even it's not a true fan.
I mean, they're kind of faux fans. Would I like
to see her, Yeah, but I wanted to earn it
(48:57):
and then and those players will leak set when she's
earned it, and they'll know when she's earned it, and
maybe that's in four years in LA. Hopefully it is.
She's great for the sport. She's grown the game. The
reason why people are watching the WNBA is because of
her these audiences, whether it's TV, whether it's in person.
(49:17):
She's bringing people to the game. That's growing the game.
Sitting on the bench at the Olympics is not growing
the game, and that's unfortunate. But I don't think though
she's earned that over these other players.
Speaker 4 (49:29):
Just don't.
Speaker 2 (49:32):
Mike droumped there. Thank you, Rech. It's a sharpie drop.
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Thank you, reg I appreciate your digo or and always
your knowledge. My dad, I love y'all.
Speaker 8 (49:45):
Let's do this.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Reggie Miller NBA on TNT The Hall of Fame
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's our two on this Wednesday, Dan and The Dan
and Dan Patrick Show come on. In a little bit later.
We'll talk to Bill Plishki of the La Times. He
had a scathing column about the Lakers and the embarrassment
of what happened. Letting Dan Hurley go back to Connecticut
the news that just happened about ten minutes ago. Jerry
(00:25):
West has passed away at the age of eighty six.
He was the logo and certainly a friend of the show.
We tried to have him on. He'd be mad at
me if I was emotional, be like, what are you
(00:46):
crying about. We tried to have him on recently and
he wasn't feeling well. I think he had a cold
or the flu, and his wife said, you try again.
I think the last time we had him on was
a little little less than a year ago. And you know,
he's a friend of the show and integral part of
(01:07):
the show. Came on many, many, many times, joined us
in studio a couple of times when we were in
Los Angeles. But listen stuff, Yeah, Paulie helped me out.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, I just gotta tell you Man, we found out
about three or four minutes before you did. Sometimes we
get information before you, and none of us in this
room wanted to walk over and tell you this. We
were waiting for the break. And man, I know how
important this.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Guy was to you.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I mean, we talk about Walter Payton for me or
everyone has an athlete, and I think work on the
show a long time. I'm sure he was your hero,
your dad's.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
And then and we.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Saw a couple of times, maybe about ten years ago
he started coming on a show and he was sitting
there with you and talking basketball, and I could tell
that you were like kind of giddy, like I can't.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, I saw my dad. Yeah, and I think they
were similar age.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Jerry walked out one day and he goes, thank you,
my friend, and I could see You're.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Yeah, that's that's not something that's
supposed to happen. And then.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
On our tenth anniversary, Fritzy and I and Seaton and
all the guys had an idea to surprise you for
the tenth anniversary of the show. And we're like, let's
let's ask Jerry West to come in at seven am
West Coast time.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And he looked immaculate.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
He was perfectly dressed. He had to go on a
flight two hours later. He took time out of his
day and we surprised you with a cake from Jerry's
Cakes and Torrents. And if it's not the greatest moment
ever on the show, ye so uh, I wish we
didn't have to tell you this, but yeah, yeah, see
(02:47):
he has.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
Jerry West has one of the most unique positions in
sports sports history, and that with just one figure can occupy.
He was a tremendous player. He's the logo of the sport.
He is instrumental in drafting several of people who had
then gone on to become some of the greatest people ever.
His impact on the game is immeasurable just in one person,
(03:11):
and you could take as an executive it's one way,
just as a marketing I guess, even though it wasn't
really his doing, just the logo itself is massive. And
then just him as a player, just it's like three
or four separate careers that were all massive, all Hall
of Fame careers. Yeah yeah, I mean, his role an
impact really can't be measured.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
He might be the most impactful person in the history
of the NBA.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
While also wanting almost no attention for anything, like to
be the logo and also be a very private man.
I mean, he would do interviews and share things he
never wanted credit.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
And he brought up the fact that he couldn't even
watch or listen to the Laker games because it ate
him up. You know, he had a hard time sitting
there watching a game because he was so competitive and
that you know, there's only so much you can do.
You put a product out on the floor and you
hope that they win. But he said that he would
drive around Los Angeles sometimes when the Lakers would be
(04:12):
playing in you know, an NBA finals there. But yeah,
we were very lucky. We were very lucky that he
opened himself up to us and developed a relationship there.
But Jerry West passed away at the age of eighty six.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I always found it when we'd have him on the show,
it was like going to a time machine with a
different type of person, a gentleman from the fifties and
sixties and seventies that said, that's how I'm going to
be for the rest of my life.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
I'm going to be a gentleman.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I'm not going to buy into all this new culture
of what you know, all this stuff and and it
was like meeting Babe Ruth or something like that. I
didn't grow up on Jerry West like you did. And
when we first had in my studio, it's kind of shocking.
That's exactly who I expect him to be. He outlived
the expectations of what a class individual dad mona like that.
That's kind of person I wish I could be someday.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
He wrote a book, and he had an alcoholic father,
and his father used to physically abuse his mom. And
I remember Jerry telling the story that he slept with
a shotgun under his mattress and he said that he
told his dad, you do it again, and I'm going
to blow your head off. All right, Well, let me
(05:30):
let me do my job here.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I do want to ask you one thing, Dan about
Jerry West.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
We always talk about that the TV era, there's certain
players that because they didn't play in the TV era,
they're not going to ever get their due, like a
young doctor j or a David Thompson or a player
with Elgin Baylor.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Jerry West seems to me.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Like one of those guys that boy, if there was
more TV around her, more great films of seeing him play,
because I look at his stats and they're insane.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I mean, if you look at thirty five and seventeen
in the NBA Finals, that's insane.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I think it's almost like he doesn't get his due
as a basketball player. He didn't get his due.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, And you're right about not being in the TV era,
you know, having the NBA Finals on tape delay back then.
But his numbers even at West Virginia and he and
Oscar Robertson were you know, kind of competitive peers, you know,
at the same time. And Marvin brings up a great point,
like the first time you got to see somebody who
(06:26):
had a jump shot in the NBA, it's Jerry West.
Everybody else was shooting like set shots. All of a sudden,
Jerry's off the dribble hitting jumpers and you got to
be going, wait a minute, this is new, this is different.
And he had a beautiful shot. I always tell people,
always remember Jerry West that last dribble is even harder,
so you can go up. Quicker had a great release, gentleman.
(06:49):
He was a wonderful, wonderful spokesperson for the NBA represented
it quite well, yes, Mark, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
He was playing at a completely different speed when you
watch old of him on NBA TV. And also guys
he brought together Shaq and Kobe. You know the fact
that he signed Shack from Orlando, then drafted a kid
thirteenth traded with the Hornets. It was just like, wait,
so you did this. You won the NBA Finals MVP
on a losing team, and then you draft Kobe Bryant
and you signed Shack and it's like three different generations
(07:20):
were all linked to this guy.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I also, you know when I first really got to
talk to Jerry West. Now, I saw him play in
person in nineteen seventy one, had beautiful penmanship, got his autograph,
and my dad always said, that's a ball That's that's
the ballplayer you want to be like. You want to
be like him, and like so, yes, so I wanted
to be like Jerry West. I wasn't like Jerry West.
(07:43):
And I wasn't alone in wanting to be like Jerry West.
So we I had Rick Riley, the great writer from
Sports Illustrated on and Jerry was part of the Memphis
Grizzlies front office. And Rick Riley alluded to the fact
that maybe Memo was tanking and I don't know who
they were tanking for to get a draft pick, and
(08:04):
he said it on our show. I get a phone call,
and I get a phone call and it's from Jerry West,
and Jerry West rips me for five minutes. He is
cursing me out. I mean, I am, I am shaken.
I called Paulie. I said, first of all, Jerry West
(08:25):
just called. He goes awesome. I go no, no, no, no.
He was yelling at me. He was Why was he yelling?
I said, Rick Riley said that Memphis would be tanking
and Jerry said, you know, bleep the bleep thee believe
believe me. I'd never tanked ever never. I can't stand losing.
I hate, you know. Five minutes he went on this long, long,
soliloqually diatribe. I'm monologue and I'm going and I kept saying, Jerry.
(08:49):
Jerry finally stopped and I said, Jerry, I didn't say that,
Rick Riley did. He goes, okay, I'm sorry, and then
he hung up and I'm going, You're stel sick up.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I was, I was.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I was devastated. And then I remember talking to him,
and I said, look, and I told him the whole backstory.
I told him everything, and he said okay, and he
was giving me like another chance. And after that he
was wonderful with me, whether we had him on the show,
whether I got to talk to him privately, or I
(09:27):
got to ask him about things that were off the record,
and just having that relationship with somebody you watched as
like a I don't know a ten or eleven year
old in person. That's the logo, all the things that
he did, and you know, so we didn't have a
good start, but we had a good we had a
(09:48):
good finish, yes.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Bo I know for years it's been a touchy topic
that you know, Jerry West, clearly, if you know anything about.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Basketball, was the logo a that the NBA used the
photo of him.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It's it's clear the NBA has never publicly that because
of business reasons and legal reasons.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I'm sure, well what would that be worth?
Speaker 8 (10:05):
Right?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But you know what, but Jerry didn't. He didn't. He
didn't bring it up. Eve when I brought it up
to him, he said, you know, Dan, it doesn't matter.
He wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Wouldn't have asked for anyone.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
No, but it'd be nice if the NBA today announced
that this is and will be the logo and with
a side by side, you know, or something like say.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Like, well, there is a picture, yeah, and you see
the picture they took the logo from, and you go,
how could you how could you deny that that's not
Jerry West?
Speaker 8 (10:32):
There? Uh?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Adam in West Virginia. Hi, Adam, what's on your mind today?
Speaker 9 (10:39):
Hey?
Speaker 10 (10:39):
Dan?
Speaker 9 (10:40):
I just wanted to call and just speak on the
importance of Jerry West to West Virginia and how great
he is. Tauris they and sorry, man, let me get
it together. He he is so such as just a
great person. And I don't think people understand the greatness
(11:02):
of Jerry West now, but man, he's just here's just awesome.
And that's really all I have. I just just from
the state of West Virginia. Man, couldn't couldn't ask for
anybody better.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Thank you, Adam. I thought you were going to help
me not cry, and you're making me cry. I'm going
to bring back a couple of things, you know. Uh,
Jerry talked about being a surrogate father to Kobe. We
had him on when Kobe died Uh. He never wanted
uh to be complimented on that. You know, he just
(11:36):
said that it's my job, you know, making these trades.
But yeah, we we had some great moments there, great moments,
and you know, he he predicted that he'd be dead
without basket. I mean, there were always these powerful moments there,
and we'll try to bring some of those back if
we can. Adam in La Hi, Adam.
Speaker 8 (12:00):
Good morning, Dan, Thanks for having me six two two twenty.
I just wanted to say a couple of things. I'm
a Lakers fan. My father grew up as a as
a fan of Jerry West in the sixties, so he
used to talk about Jerry West a lot. Uh, and
we had a lot of cool moments, uh, you know,
with with with as as Marvin just said, you know,
all the accolades that Jerry did as the general manager.
(12:21):
But my dad used to always remind me, you know,
how great he was as a player, and how nobody,
you know, nobody could touch Jerry West's intensity and and
and as you mentioned, the jump shot and just all
the things that Jerry West did for I think basketball
and pro basketball, and and and as that gentleman just
mentioned from West Virginia. You know, it goes from West
Virginia all the way across the country to La So again,
(12:41):
just just wanted to say, you know, r ip Jerry West.
And it's been a terrible week for Lakers fans, but
hopefully we'll get better. Thanks. Do you guys have a
great day?
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yeah, yeah, Jerry talked. You know, we had him on
when Jerry Buss died. I mean, we had him on
so many times, and he was so willing to share.
Shelby san Antonio, Hi Shall, Hey, DP, how are you well?
You can imagine.
Speaker 11 (13:09):
I know, I'm glad I heard it from you.
Speaker 8 (13:11):
Then.
Speaker 11 (13:12):
I recently I was with my four grandsons and ran
into Jerry West, my idol. I graduated high school when
he was when he retired, and I was explaining to
him how I don't get to scene very often up
but I do hear him on Dad Patrick and you
stop me mid sentenced and said, yeah, you know what,
(13:37):
Dan Patrick's a good man. And I said, I haven't
met him, but I'm sure he is. And I appreciated
hearing him on your show. And thank you. I'm glad
I heard it from you, Dan.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Thank you. Shell. All right, we'll try to hit the
reset button once again. Still got a job to do here,
Bill Plishkeek from the La Times. I'm sure Bill will
have some thoughts. He'll join us coming up a little bit.
Reggie will join us in an hour from now. How
about we take a break back after this.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 10 (14:22):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
But here's the thing.
Speaker 10 (14:28):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
want to get to.
Speaker 12 (14:31):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in
our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, you blubber list name and me.
Speaker 10 (14:45):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 12 (14:49):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships, and if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time time, it
will continue on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 10 (15:03):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promise and also Uncensored by
the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a
little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Of all time.
Speaker 12 (15:13):
There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see it
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to over Promised
with Cabino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
It's the final hour on this Wednesday. Basketball coming up tonight,
it'll be Game three in Dallas Mavericks favored by two
and a half. Reggie Miller will join us. Coming up
in a little bit. La Times columnist Bill Plashki will
stop by. We were gonna have Bill on to talk
about his column where he tears into the Lakers front
office and the embarrassment of what happened with the recruitment
(15:47):
of Dan Hurley. And then we got word a little
while ago that Jerry West had passed away at the
age of eighty six, and Bill needed a little time
to kind of collect his thoughts on this, and we
certainly respect him, and you know the process of trying
to put it together. What Jerry West meant to the
Los Angeles community, the Lakers, you know, his impact on
(16:10):
the NBA. I mean, it's a long, long, legendary career, unmatched, unparalleled.
And if you have been listening to the show, kind
of throughout the rundown here what we were going we
were going to have ice Cube on. We had other
things to talk about, but you know, Jerry deserves my reflection,
(16:31):
our memories we brought back when we had Jerry on
after Kobe had passed away. We're going to bring back
when I had a conversation with him about being the
logo and recognizing that he was the logo and he
didn't want any credit. I mean, it was it was
typical Jerry didn't want credit. One of the most competitive
people I've ever met, and passing away at the age
(16:54):
of eighty six. So we'll hopefully you have Bill Plashke,
he'll join us coming up here in little bit. The
phone lines are all full. Everybody has thoughts about Jerry West.
I'd say you know call in, but we're backed up here.
We'll try to get to those phone calls as well.
Stat of the Day is always brought to you by
Panini America. They are the official trading cards of the
(17:16):
Dan Patrick Show, the Best American Athletes. They're getting ready
to go to Paris. The US Olympic Team trials making
Team USA June fifteenth through the thirtieth on NBC in Peacock,
which is where you can see this program. Christops Porzingis
is iffy with a rare leg injury. For tonight's game.
(17:37):
John ram is out of the US Open. The Team
USA officially announced their women's basketball team. Now, I was
trying to find out if there is an alternative list
so players who might be put on the team, and
I was told yesterday there is no list. But I
think that people have this impression that, you know, here's
(18:00):
here's the top twelve and then thirteen is Caitlin Clark
and fourteen is whoever. And that's not the case. They've
had discussions about if they have to replace players, they
will have, you know, these players available and that's due
to injury. There might be two roster sponts available, maybe
Caitlyn Clark gets one of those roster spots. Jerry West
(18:24):
was on the program many many times over the years.
We take you back to May twentieth of twenty fifteen,
and here is the question I asked Jerry West. We
see the NBA all and we see the logo, and
we've seen the picture that is you in that. You
are the logo, right.
Speaker 13 (18:48):
You know, I really don't like to talk about that
because I think it's very uncomfortable for the NBA. But
there's a very interesting story in the New York Times
that the man who designed the logo he said, yes,
that's Jerry West, but it's an it has to be
an honor.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Well, okay, what do you think when you look at
the ball and that's you. You're playing against the trail Blazers.
I think you're driving on the left side against the Trailblazers, right,
I'm not even sure Dan. Did you make the shot? Jerry,
I don't know, but you know I shot him. But
(19:24):
you're the low I thought that that's one. That's one
of the great nicknames of all time. Now you were
mister clutch Zeke from Cabin Creek. But the logo, it
doesn't get any better.
Speaker 8 (19:33):
Than not.
Speaker 13 (19:34):
It's flattering, it's really flattering. But honestly, Dan, I don't
really I don't think like that. That's just not me.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
You know.
Speaker 13 (19:42):
I'm so happy that I was able to live my
dreams as a kid and to be able to do
something that I absolutely loved. I loved the competition, I
like I told you, I liked how I felt the
day of the game, and I've lived my dream. Most
people don't get a chance to do it. I'm sure
you're living your dream today, but I'm living a dream here.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
My dad would be in tears watching this, well because
you were you were his is one of his idols.
Well thank you, and I can't help but sit here
think he would watch this now and then know I
ad made.
Speaker 13 (20:16):
It well as I say, you know, I'm extremely proud
of being an athlete. Sometimes it's a little I kind
of liked to fly under the radar. I have never
tried to place any importance for myself as a as
a person or as an athlete. I don't I'd like
to think I'm normal, and sometimes people don't want you
(20:38):
to be normal. And last night at the game up
in Oakland, I was there and I was walked down
after the game, and you know, our fans are incredible
up there. The best fans I have ever seen in
my life. I don't care where you go in the league,
these are the best fans. And they're so loud, they're
so vocal, and they haven't had a winning situation up
(20:59):
there for a while. But I was going out after
the game, I was with my wife and I said
to myself, they were these people in the hallways, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I was so embarrassed.
Speaker 13 (21:12):
I was really embarrassed, because again, that's not what makes
me work. But you know, thrilling that people recognize maybe
your contribution to basketball.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I told you tough to get him to take credit
for that, but you know, he got embarrassed. He was
very humble with that. It is him. He is the logo.
And that's as good a nickname as anybody has. You're
the logo of a sport. Bill Plashk woke up to
the news that Jerry had passed away. Bill, I appreciate
(21:47):
you joining us. I know we were going to talk
about the Lakers, but Bill Plansky of the La Times
joining us. Thoughts running through your head now.
Speaker 14 (21:56):
Just very so sad Dan, we lost else his basketball consciences,
basketball cornerstone. When he was the logo, he was a legend.
He was his presence. When he go to a game,
he's still you know. He stood tall with the Shaka
white hair and the furrowed expression. Everybody was drawn to him.
(22:16):
He was such a magnet of presence. Said, you know what,
for me, what gets me right now is that I
think it's very sad. His death was announced by the Clippers,
and I love the Clippers, I love Steve Ballmer, I
love the organization. But Jerry was a Laker, and I
think we need to say that. Maybe you said on
the show, but he was a Laker. He was the
first draft pick of the LA Lakers when he came
(22:37):
to LA in nineteen sixty. He built the Lakers as
a player, He's built the Lakers as a coach. As
AJM best executive in sports history by the way, the
best sports executive in the history of sports. He built,
he built and cultivated Showtime and Shaq and Kobe. That
was that was all him. And the fact that he
(22:58):
had a falling out of the Lakers, money and overall
kinds of different things. That's really sad because he's a
Laker and he'll we will remember and he was great
for the Clippers. And again I love the Clippers, other
against the Clippers, but I just wish. I think Jerry
probably would wish at the very end of the people
would remember him as a Laker.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Well, why was there that falling out? I know he
wanted to come back and maybe end his career, book
end his career with the Lakers, and it just never happened.
Speaker 14 (23:24):
Yeah, I'm thinking there was a fun over. Initially, there
was over money, over power for Phil Jackson came in
and Phil Jackson had a lot of power and Jerry
didn't have as much power when Philed became more in control.
And in later years it just got kind of it
just got kind of snippy. I mean when Genie Buss
listed her at five best Lakers, remember that a couple
of years ago, five best Lakers of all time. She
(23:46):
tweeted it out or something, and he wasn't. He wasn't
one of them. He was arguably the greatest Laker of all.
That's my point. He's everybody says his magic in Kobe,
but Shack was around for both. I mean, Jerry West
was around for both of them. Jerry West, you know,
don't get he traded for Kobe, he signed Shack, he
cultivated Magic in showtime. He's to my mind, he's a
(24:07):
great Laker ever and the grass executive sports. And it's
just really such a day of mourning, e the such
a day of loss, such a great, great loss.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
And this on the heels of the Lakers whipping again
on a head coach with Dan Hurley, I know you
gave them both barrels. Recap what you what you wrote
about the Lakers.
Speaker 14 (24:28):
Yeah, it's said. It seems so trivial talking about today
wago Jerry West's death, But yes, it was. I just
thought it was embarrassing. I thought the college coach flies
out to LA to see the Lakers. He's offered twice
the money he's making. It suffered a chance to be
the coach of the most celebrated franchise in professional sports.
He looks around, spends the day looking around, and he
(24:49):
says nah and goes home. What does that say about
the Lakers? How far are they following the fact that
they couldn't get I know, Dan, Dan Hurley is a
great family guy in the great He's coast guy, wanted
to stay home. But this is these are all the Lakers,
the Lakers. This is the same team that top Phil
Jackson out of retirement twice, the same team that that
that got shocked. They got Lebron got a d. They
(25:11):
get what they want. There are a great franchise. They
were great franchise. It's just humiliating the fact that they
couldn't close this deal on Dan Hurley just it's humiliating
for the franchise. It's a huge step back, a huge
blow to Rock Plaka. So, I mean Dan Dan Hurley
musn't seen what he what he saw. He was not liked,
didn't want to coach Lebron, probably didn't want to deal
(25:33):
with all their front office machinations, didn't want to do
as a team that maybe he's gonna make the playoffs
for several years. It's just a damning. It's just a
it's just damning the Lakers. There's no way around it.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Yeah, the perception hit is, you know, because it's the Lakers.
You don't turn down the Lakers.
Speaker 14 (25:50):
I mean especially you. You know, he's won two championships,
he has nothing else to prove in Connecticut, and your doubleness,
the double, his salary for the most highly celebrated franchise.
I know the time with the Seltics for seventeen championships,
but the most celebrated champions franchise in sports history, the
most covered, the most disagree, it's Hollywood. Nobody turned Nobody,
(26:11):
Nobody from stories Connecticut comes and turns down Hollywood, unless
Hollywood's really messing up. Hollywood really messed up this time.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah, once she came back built without an agreement in principle,
I said it was, it was over real, it was
done that he wasn't going back. Okay, So what's next
for the Lakers situation? In your opinion?
Speaker 14 (26:29):
And I hope it's not JJ Redick and I've written
about that. He's not. He's not a coach, He's never
coached before. I'm worried they're gonna go back to JJ
with JJ Redick. If not, I know they got this
James Bregos on the A list. Why not Sam Cassell?
Speaker 8 (26:45):
Why not?
Speaker 14 (26:45):
In my opinion, why not go go get Becky Hammond.
I'm serious? Why not to go completely outside the box?
Speaker 8 (26:52):
Is there?
Speaker 14 (26:52):
Because there where's gonna coach her?
Speaker 7 (26:54):
Now?
Speaker 14 (26:54):
Is in the coach for two years to get fired
probably anyway. I mean, it's so it's so bad, it's
so since since such disarray, Hell, why not draft Bronnie
Brownie the player coach. I don't know, It's just it's
crazy out here.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
Get this.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
How did they get this bad?
Speaker 14 (27:11):
They gave it because they gave the franchise to Lebron,
and Lebron helped running it into the ground. I mean,
he's been great on the court, but behind the scenes,
he's gone through coaches, he's gone through players. He told
him to get take Russell Westbrook. That didn't work out.
They kind of sold hers, sold to Lebron, and they're sold.
Probably has to remain sold to Lebron. Leaves and Lebron's
(27:31):
not leaving anytime soon. He's coming back. He's gonna retire Laker.
Only when he leaves will the money be released and
the freedom they have and the control they have. Then
they can become the become the great Lakers again. In fact,
I'm thinking Dan Hurley probably got that. They probably even
gave him that control. They gave him a six year deal.
Why wouldn't you come knowing you were you were going
(27:53):
to get fired. You got six years, seventy million dollars
life changing money for the Lakers, and he says, no,
that's just, that's just I'm still stunned by that, by that,
by that move. I'm still sad that the Lakers have
fallen so far, and I don't know where they go.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
I would draft.
Speaker 14 (28:08):
I would hire Sam Pacel. He's the three NBA championships coach,
tends to coach the Celtics, well known out here. Really good,
you guy, really good coach. I'd hire him. But I'm sure,
I'm sure they'll go somewhere else that I've never heard,
somebody I've never gonna heard of who knows. It's crazy,
and it's it's crazy. It's the Lakers. They should have
(28:29):
their pick. But again, once you give your soul to
liver to somebody else, it's not yours. You gotta wait
to get it back. And again, this is the this
is Lebron James the team right now, it's this franchise,
his organization. So probably Lebron is gonna pick the coach, probably,
and they're gonna draft. We're gonna draft his son Dan,
and they shouldn't draft his son. They're gonna take him
(28:50):
at fifty five, and they shouldn't go anywhere near that child,
because he said, there's so much pressure, it's gonna be
so so ugly out here, so much drama. If he
comes to this team in the locker rooms his dad,
let him go somewhere else and become himself. Don't do
that to him, Don't do that to their family, Don't
do that to their organization. Don't draft Ronnie. But I'm
afraid they're gonna do that because lebron wants it.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
It's a mess.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I know you've got a busy morning. I appreciate you
sharing your thoughts here, certainly on Jerry West and thanks
again for joining us. Thanks man, that's Bill Plishkin. Yeah,
I would love to see Bronni go to the San
Antonio Spurs. Get him in a smaller market, let him
develop with Victor Wemben Yama, less media there. Maybe you
(29:34):
get an opportunity. Pop can coach you there, Maybe you
get a starting point guard. Maybe you can learn that way.
But you're stepping right into this spotlight, and there's no
other spotlight like this one. All right, let me take
a break. I do have some phone calls. I'll try
to get those. Reggie Millervial, Jonas coming up next here
on the Dan Patrick Show.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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listen live.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
We're going to reschedule Ice Cube. We were going to
do an interview with him. The three on three league
that he has. They debut this season this Saturday, and
we'll talk to Cube more phone calls as well. We
bring in the Hall of Famer Reggie Miller Turner Sports NBA.
And it's a tough day here, reg as try to
(30:28):
trudge through this with the passing of Jerry West. And
of course I know you had many encounters conversations if
you'd like to share, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
I think I will start from the beginning and kind
of go through the many times I've had the honor
of just being in his presence. And it started out
an early age for me when I was at UCLA
getting phone calls from Jerry West. Now again I am,
(31:00):
you know, nineteen twenty years old, and remember those, you know,
UCLA pro basketball pickup games that we would have at UCLA.
He would always be around because at that time he.
Speaker 15 (31:14):
Was somewhat the architect of those Laker teams, those showtime
Laker teams, and just getting phone calls from him watching
my game saying well, you should think about doing this.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
I would have done that work on this. I mean,
this is you know, nineteen twenty year old Reggie. And
then once I made it to the league, Arn Tellham,
who was my agent attorney at the time, good friends
with Jerry West. We would have not only conversations but meetups.
I had a chance to interview him a few times
(31:49):
when I had my own little local local show in
Indiana and just to talk basketball because he had such
a brilliant, brilliant basketball mind. He was always two or
three steps ahead. So being a shooting guard and growing
(32:09):
up in Los Angeles, growing up in California and Riverside,
but watching the Lakers and knowing the history of Jerry West,
I was like a kid in a Cannis store. I
hung on every word he said to me. And have
a chance to interview him and to get tips from him.
I was like I was a kid in a cannon star.
(32:29):
You couldn't tell me anything. And our real last encounter
because working with Turner every time we would come do
the Laker games or the Clipper games. When he was
working with the Clippers at the time, we got a
chance to pick his brain. As soon as I walked
into the Staples he was there. He would give me
(32:50):
a scattering report, not only on his own team, because
he never held anything back. He never held anything back,
even on his own team. He would give me scattered
reports on the Lakers, the Clippers and who they were playing.
That's how advanced he was. And you know, we have
a term here in California. Right now, we're in June gloom.
(33:12):
I know you can't see outside, but it's very misty, cloudy, ugly,
and it's one of those days where when something like
this happens, you know it's June gloom. When you think
about the loss, Just think about this. Two years ago,
it was Bill Russell. Less than a month ago, Bill Walton.
(33:33):
This is another huge gut blow, and it's a little
bit more personal for me because I've you know, I've
had a relationship with Jerry West and when Kobe passed.
I don't know if you guys remember that show we
were supposed to air a Laker game, and remember we
did that special at Staples on the day it was
(33:55):
Charles Shaq Ernie, myself, Dwayne Wade, and Jerry very West.
And I think this was the most raw I've ever
seen mister West in terms of talking about Kobe and
their relationships because they were very close as well. We
(34:16):
were like in the back and before we were just
all bawling listening to mister West described Kobe. So I'm
sorry to be long winded, but I want to give
mister West the proper, the proper due he's earned and deserved.
Speaker 12 (34:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
I said earlier that it's not overstating this when he's
probably the most impactful person in the history of the NBA.
When you look at the player, coach, GM the logo
and you know you've been doing it. You know he
had been doing it at a very high level for
you know, seven decades, and that says an awful lot
(34:56):
about you know, what he does, how he does it,
how he did it and passing away at the age
of eighty six. There's no smooth way to make a segue,
but I'll segue into the Lakers missing out on Dan Hurley.
Why did that happen?
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Number One? I don't think Dan was ready to leave Yukon.
And as much as they want to say Oh my god,
how is he going to turn down six year seventy
million coming to California the state taxes, So really we're
talking about five or six million of ast seventy million.
(35:33):
So I don't think he was ready.
Speaker 16 (35:37):
I think.
Speaker 6 (35:39):
He's back to back champs at Yukon. It was a
great ploy by the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
It was a great try, But I think it was
a great ploy by Dan Hurley. I think this was
a leverage play on his part.
Speaker 6 (35:49):
Absolutely, And I'm sure from what I've been hearing, Yukon
redid his deal too, So I mean that's great for him,
But it kind of looks like the Lakers a little
bit of egg on their face. You know, here's the Lakers,
seventeen NBA championships. You got Lebron James Anthony Davis, and
you can't get this college coach, So a little bit
(36:11):
of egg on their face. But again, I still believe
it's a desirable job, a very difficult job now, but
it's still the Lakers that you would be coaching.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
But why is it difficult?
Speaker 6 (36:24):
Because everything you do, every decision you make, every trade
non trade, people want to know who's really running the Lakers,
is it Genie is it Lebron? Is it Rob Polanka?
I mean, there's a lot of things being thrown in
this gumble pot of being the Lakers. So there's a
(36:48):
lot of drama that comes with it. But man, is
it's still a beautiful star. Sometimes you just got to
shine it up a little bit to make it appeasing
for so when to come coach?
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Then okay, you can pick between the Lakers job and
the Cavaliers opening.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I mean, if you're the Lakers, you're going to be
on national TV fifteen plus times it's the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah, but you pause? You pause?
Speaker 6 (37:16):
Are you telling you was going back to Cleveland? No?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
No, he's going to be He's there for the next
at least two years. You're probably taking his son. The
West is loaded. What's a better job because both are
open right now.
Speaker 16 (37:31):
You have an.
Speaker 6 (37:32):
Easier shot to get to a conference finals and maybe
an NBA finals if you take a Cleveland job. If
Donovan Mitchell resigns as well, we're assuming Mitchell's there. They
have the two bigs, Darius Darland, who I heard there's
some friction going on between him and him and Donovan,
(37:52):
so I don't know about that, but there's a more
desirable opportunity if you're Cleveland. It's a tough road if
you're the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
What's that say about the Lakers job that you look
at Cleveland and say that may be more advantageous than
going through being under the microscope with everything.
Speaker 6 (38:13):
Look, you've got one newspaper, the Planes Dealer I believe
it's called in Cleveland, and you've got a few Internet salutes.
Big deal for the Lakers. You just had Bill blackfiall right,
you gotta your Bill every single day talk about what
the Lakers should be doing. And you've got the whole
(38:33):
Laker nation, which is worldwide after your throat after every
single game. So that's why Cleveland would be better suited.
And it depends on what coach is coming in. Is
it a coach with experience that has heavy shoulders that
can handle the criticism, or is it a new beat
JJ Reddick, for instance. If it's a JJ Reddick, that's
(38:57):
a very difficult job as your first job to take
on the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (39:03):
If it's James.
Speaker 16 (39:04):
Barrego, who's been around the league as an assistant, who's
been a head coach, he's been an associate head coach,
I mean he kind of knows the trials and tribulations
of what's to come.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
See, I think I think little things would bother JJ
Reddick and I don't know Barrego. I know that he's
been around, he had a little stint as a head
coach before. But JJ watching him when he's on the
mother Ship, it feels like things bother him. Don't take
the Laker job. If things bother you, I mean they
(39:37):
that that'll they'll eat you up. They'll eat you up.
They will.
Speaker 6 (39:43):
But look, if you're bff and close friend is Lebron James,
and you have.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
An opportunity not even gonna get credit if you win,
Lebron's gonna get credit.
Speaker 6 (39:55):
Frank Vogel still gets credit for that bubble bubb Champions did.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So not enough to keep him around Red, that is true.
Speaker 6 (40:07):
I mean, look at Darvin him. They were just in
the Western Ago. I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
We're talking to the Hall of Famer back in Milwaukee.
Reggie Miller, the Hall of Famer joining us. All right.
I keep waiting for Kyrie, the most talented player to
ever play the game. It's time to be talented coming
up tonight. If you're not talented tonight, You're not gonna
be around much longer. So what adjustments can Dallas make
(40:34):
to uh, you know, get back in this series.
Speaker 6 (40:37):
Number One, they got to push the pace, they got
to run more, and it's you know, I was talking
to a few people. Indiana has played Boston probably the
best postseason and the reason why it is it was
all about pace. They pushed the pace and they kept
forcing it down on Boston's throat. The problem with Indiana
is they didn't have any closers because Palliburton went down,
(41:01):
and they were using guys that usually weren't in that role.
Speaker 14 (41:05):
TJ.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
McConnell, nim Hard. They had great games, but they they're
not closers.
Speaker 8 (41:10):
They're not used to that.
Speaker 6 (41:11):
So that's why they lost them four. But the pace,
that was one thing that was consistent three at the
four games, and that's why they were in three of
the four games. Right now, the pace is too slow.
And if you if Boston has a chance with Holiday White,
we don't know the availability of Porzingis, but Al Horford
and Brown and Tatum, you get there in the half
(41:33):
court setting and they get a chance to adjust defensively
and get those wingspans out, you're not going to be
able to score enough. The pace has to be faster.
Kyrie has to make quicker decisions, and you are one correct.
Tonight's the game they've got to win for their confidence
number one. But to make it a serious they win tonight,
(41:55):
the series really can shift. People don't understand. People think
this is going to be a gentleman this week. If
Dallas wins tonight, things change. Well, it depends on how
they win, by the way, but if they win tonight,
the series does change mentally because getting that first win,
especially if finals win, it turns the key for you
(42:15):
and Kyrie. I hate to say it, he's got to
be a catalyst. Both have to be playing well for
Darren Jones, PJ Washington, Gafford Lively for all them to eat.
If both of those guys, Luca and Kyrie are not
playing at a high level like they did in the
West during the West run, those other guys can't eat
(42:38):
one or the other. It won't work in the finals
versus Boston.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Also with Chris Thoms perzingis you know, on the outside
looking in when somebody says, well, why don't you get
it shot up? Why don't you I mean, you played
you played a you know, two decades in the NBA, Like,
how many times would you get something shot up so
you could play in a big game? How often does
that happen anymore?
Speaker 6 (43:03):
I never got shot up, even in the Conference finals
versus Chicago when I twisted my ankle, and everyone's saying
you should get shot up because you don't know the
ramifications once that medicine wears off and the damage that
will have been done. Having said all that, this is
the NBA Finals, and lord knows if you'll ever be
(43:25):
there again. You assume Boston will because they're a young team.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
Would you run the risk if you're poor? Zingis? Uh?
Speaker 6 (43:32):
Probably not? Because you're up to zero. Anyways, Now, if
you're telling me I have a chance, let's say Dallas
comes back and ties it to too and you don't
play these next two games, Well, you have an opportunity
to come back in game five, six, and seven if
you take these next because now remember there's two days.
They don't play again till Friday, and they don't play
again until Monday, so you would have some time to
(43:55):
rest a little bit between games three and four and
possibly come back for I wouldn't get shot up I
never would advise anyone to get shot because you don't
know about the ramifications afterwards. But always in the back
of my mind people saying, I will do whatever it
takes to win. You're in the NBA finals. Don't do it.
(44:16):
But I'm sure it's crossed it will have crossed his
mind to get a shot.
Speaker 2 (44:20):
Speaking of shots, everybody's got an opinion on Caitlin Clark
not making the Olympic team.
Speaker 6 (44:27):
You got one, well, who are you going to take off?
Before I say this, who would you take off that
team and put her on? And then then we can
have the debate from there.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
I wouldn't put her on that. That was my argument
is Okay, who am I taking off? I don't think
she's one of the twelve best players right now. And
these players are veterans. You know, Sabrina Ironescu had to
earn her way onto this had to wait a couple
of years. Yeah, you know, you got twenty seven year olds,
twenty eight year olds, you got Tarassi, who's what forty
(45:00):
or forty one? I get it, She's not I think
she could use a break. I don't think she's one
of the twelve best players. And people say well, you've
got a chance to grow the game. How are you
going to grow the game if she's on the bench,
She's not gonna play. Like she can't make the roster.
Now you're going to put her on. Now she's one
of the top two players on the team, she would
(45:21):
be sitting. She would be like Christian Latner was on
the Dream Team, not playing very much. Maybe you tune
in to watch warm ups.
Speaker 6 (45:29):
Ador, Mike drop. Everything you just said is a mic drop.
And I absolutely love everything that Caitlyn Clark stands for
and what she has done for the women's game. She
has taken it to new heights. And on top of that,
she has Hoosier blood in her now because she's a
fever player. Having said all that, you're right, she's not
(45:51):
one to twelve best. And on top of that, I
think they did her a disservice by like naming her
early on, like she was part of the top fifteen
or twenty. That was a disservice to her because it
got her fan base all round up. She automatically should
make the team, and looking at this roster, it's arguably
(46:13):
one of the greatest ones they've had. By the way
people they've won seven gold medals in a row. So
for everyone saying, oh, they need her, not really they
need her. And in terms of growing the women's game,
it will continue to grow. She's just not the top
(46:34):
one of the top twelve players. And it's such a
disservice for her because she's in a lose lose situation.
Whenever she can't, comes out and says because if she's
like I should have been on it, it needs to
look bitter, and she's like, you know what, hopefully in
four years I'll be on the Oh you're being soft,
you should be more. It's ridiculous. Give this young woman
(46:58):
a break. Please, please give her a break.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
I wonder about you know, her frame. You were very
slight when you played, and that you know, welcome to
You played in a very very physical time in the NBA.
I don't know what she can do to get you know, stronger,
Like is it just simply going into the weight room.
Is that How much will that help her going into
(47:23):
year two?
Speaker 6 (47:25):
That will help tremendously. I wasn't huge in the rate room.
I did a lot of national weight like pull ups
and push ups and sit ups to get my body strong.
Her best defense will be the school of hard knocks.
All the times that you've seen her getting stripped and
knocked down, every time she's driven to the hole and
(47:49):
been taken out the air, That's how her mind and
body will get strong. Yes, the weight room will help,
but the school of hard knocks is always the best.
Lesson me getting my head knocked off by Lamber and
Mohorne and all those dudes. You learn, you learn to adjust,
You learn to get stronger on your own. Pull ups,
(48:10):
push ups, sit ups, get your body naturally strong. She
trusts me. She would look at her numbers as a rookie.
She's averaging like almost seventeen what five and a half
dimes a couple of stills. I mean, she's having a
very good, solid rookie year. Just people please, like, stop
it with the whole Olympic thing, and I'm gonna boycott
(48:32):
the women really like, who would you take off that team?
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Here's the thing, read a fall. The people who are
upset about Caitlyn Clark not on the Olympic team, we're
not going to watch the women's team to begin with.
Now you put Caitlyn on there, now they want to
watch it, So they're not even it's not a true fan.
I mean, they're kind of faux fans. Would I like
to see her, Yeah, but I wanted to earn it
(48:57):
and then and those players will leak set when she's
earned it, and they'll know when she's earned it, and
maybe that's in four years in LA. Hopefully it is.
She's great for the sport. She's grown the game. The
reason why people are watching the WNBA is because of
her these audiences, whether it's TV, whether it's in person.
(49:17):
She's bringing people to the game. That's growing the game.
Sitting on the bench at the Olympics is not growing
the game, and that's unfortunate. But I don't think though
she's earned that over these other players.
Speaker 4 (49:29):
Just don't.
Speaker 2 (49:32):
Mike droumped there. Thank you, Rech. It's a sharpie drop.
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Thank you, reg I appreciate your digo or and always
your knowledge. My dad, I love y'all.
Speaker 8 (49:45):
Let's do this.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Reggie Miller NBA on TNT The Hall of Fame
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