April 6, 2021 • 28 mins
Less than a week from the 2020 NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards lifts weights with Uncle Drew and Justin Holland. An argument about his work ethic when he was younger leads them to reflect on how astonishingly far Anthony has come to get to this moment, and how much strength and fortitude it took to get here. Their pre-draft workout ends with Uncle Drew warning Anthony about his world getting turned upside-down once again as he joins the NBA. Narrated by Keegan-Michael Key.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Drafted is a production of tree Ford Media, Clutch Sports Group,
and I Heart Radio Cold Drew trying to get some
working any baby walking in the weight room right now.
We're going on time doing alright, So I welcome back
(00:27):
to Drafted. I'm keeping Michael Key and you're hearing from
Justin Holland and Uncle Drew, two critical people supporting Anthony
Edwards rise from unknown South Atlanta talent to potential number
one pick in the NBA. Hey, I'm are you ready,
bab nah lifeealthing issue. They're only six days away from
(00:53):
the NBA Draft and the reality of the moment is
starting to sink in, especially given how far Anthony has.
I think about it all the time, like, man, it's
motherfucker boy. I always knew it when you were yawn,
But I didn't think you're gonna focus like I was
gonna be a superstar and you was gonna be good.
(01:14):
That's Anthony talking while he lives waits at the gym
on god Be Road, his home base for the last
five years in a tough Atlanta neighborhood. You don't understands,
shouldn't you always had? He was like, you know, I
always knew you was gonna be good at sport, but
supert and you got on the stand. Should listen, listen,
I'm the stands out. You will yawn. You used to
(01:37):
be good, bro, and you will. Boys sitting in episode one,
we told you about the near impossible odds of any
kid becoming an NBA lottery pick and how much more
likely it was for Anthony to become a dark statistic instead.
But Uncle Drew had an even more specific reason for
why he didn't think Anthony would make it here to
the cusp of NBA stardom. So get what if you
(01:58):
stop bullshit? No, I need to cut you out. Bro.
When you stop bullshit and you buy in, Shaw, you
can be here. You're still coming out of bullshit. Get
the ball here we go. What that you guys say?
I'm bullshit like you like once you buy in like
man the man it would buy. You don't own the problem?
Are you bout in? Their argument is about Anthony not
(02:22):
practicing hard enough as a kid, and how he wouldn't
buy into the work it takes to become great, and
that he only tried his hardest during games. Uncle Drew
was his youth football coach back then, so he had
the clearest look at Anthony's shortcomings in sports. Why they're
making me right? Man got the practed late. I got
(02:43):
school and man got a prcted late. I got through
all the running and then run down here. I said
that the man too small. Phone don't good that point
you make me mad? Right, that shouldn't make me mad?
Wrong like man don't get it rough? He was could
(03:04):
be mad though. I don't know no better you did.
You did know better. You knew what you would. You
knew better, bro, you knew better because you know what
stop I was act like he was. See the mentality head.
Anthony avoided the most grueling parts of practice, the intense
hitting drills or the extra hill runs or anything that
(03:26):
would push his limits. So, in my opinion, I called
a knoa head yeah ahead the skills, just the discipline
pot or for the work ethic when we was younger.
You know one thing, If you got a kid that's
a knockahead in a good way, and you put that
discipline in them, you can create a master in a
positive way. So how did Anthony go from lacking the
discipline and the work ethic he needed to become this
(03:48):
laser focused nineteen year old prodigy. Here's uncle Drew and
Anthony still in the weight room. To be honest, basketball stuff.
Of course I was get what of course I was
banging on the football when I came to the third game.
Y'all play somethingbody, I'm like a lot. They ain't really
work with him. But once I say you played basketball,
yeah you gotta shot. I course I think you'd be
(04:10):
dead good. Yeah, what do you think I'll give the superstar?
You can tell me, bro. Why does Anthony insist on
hearing that other people doubted him? Does he use it
as motivation to gain an edge or is he also
stunted that he used to find the odds and it's
now being talked about as the number one pick in
(04:30):
the NBA. I'm telling, why the hell you think I
was so close to y'all? You didn't had a discipline,
you didn't had to work, anth you're looking at on
the top of the hill. Way, No, your mom can't say,
and you know c common you know seven rey hare,
Come on, manlazy man. They rolled the ball. I didn't
(04:51):
play and they want to pray what I'm talking? Yeah,
I had to let him how to hear somebody feel
a you start level red the matt. Let's tell what
you gotta do. Run run, you gotta gonna get it. No, no, y'all,
no no no no, no, no no no, don't run
for real, act like you want to run. You gotta
come pushing around and feel like a little baby. And
(05:12):
ship get what looking at it? Looking up the hell
and ship wanted mama can't say you know what here
we're going? And that he would dodge these extra drills
and then try to convince his mommy vet to get
him out of practice. I hate it. Let me tell you.
I hate free to think called free games so much rain.
It's I used to get the practice round six fifteen
six on purpose. So I know they've done like no, no,
(05:33):
no, no no, no, get dressed super get dressed super slow.
But I'm so good now made me do that, SI,
So look we get down practice. We gotta run a
lot again. I got down. I run a regular ship.
But once when they started doing at ship, I'm like, man,
all right, right doing that? I get what to do?
You're looking on let's look at looking doing My time
(05:57):
is star eight teen, my MoMA, I'm like, you're ready
to do? Well? What and a your team. You know
what I'm doing talking to him? You do stand right
on here with j like, oh, I don't know. Counting
my mom to save him didn't always work out his
planet though, my mom, she's pushing everybody. This is Anthony's
(06:23):
older brother Anthony three years is elder and better known
as Bubba to those closest. One time, I think Aunt
was having a bad day in football game. It was
a football game. He was kind of playing a little sluggish,
and like halftime, she pulled him over and talked to
him like my mom was very aggressive. I can say that.
(06:43):
So you didn't want to play around with my mom,
But my mom didn't want to play around with us.
So even to just hear her voice, it's like motivating
to any one of us, any one of my siblings.
If you hear her voice, you're gonna want to do
whatever you're doing ten times harder. So she was a
support and the motive that we actually I used to
(07:04):
drive ourselves to do what we want to do. As
far as force see anything in life, she was out
rock for real man, So yeah, that would be the
main force for me. Uncle Drew again, Miss Mama. She
babied him as far as that's my son. But when
it came to a pet in the sports, she didn't
play that. It wasn't no baby that, it was none
of that. We we had the green light too. If
(07:24):
we want to run a the time, we're gonna run
aft the time. She wasn't solve at all. She didn't
miss no games. She did she had to do to
get him, give him a pregnant. She was allowed as
once you know, everybody knew was mother wall. She had
the jerkor's on some type of pair that everybody know.
You know, there's my baby, there was my boy. If
anybody on the sideline started talking trade, she's gonna talk
trash back. She was a diehard. She had a lot
(07:45):
of son. Uncle Drew and Anthony's mom both knew he
needed to be pushed, and since Anthony's mother and grandmother
primarily raised the kids on their own, it often fell
on Uncle Drew to get on his star running backs case.
Here they are in the weight room, still debate what
happened back then you knew, you knew what you were doing.
Doesn't mean they need practice though, so much better. They
(08:08):
just blow on and then how you come by that practice?
Great bullshit? How you On some level, Anthony was also right.
He didn't need to practice at that age. He was
that much better than everyone else. Who y'all depended on
in the game beside we had a good team. Who
y'all depending on days and the hole? Yea looks like
you to come out of that bullshit? Who y'all depending
(08:30):
on during game time? If it rain ain't working, tone
ain't working? Who y'all giving the ball? To remember that
game you played in the snow? What comes? Time to do?
And I'm rare where airplane? What I do to the
house to the house, to the house, to the house,
to the house, to get that ForSight game? And I'm
gonna get you by a time you remember the Reliving
(08:58):
those touchdowns proves his point. What kind of kid scores
eight touchdowns in a game without practicing hard? The differences.
Uncle Drew wasn't worried about Anthony's success as a nine
year old football player. He wanted to instill the discipline
and work ethic for when Aunt got older and other
kids physical abilities caught up, especially before it became too late.
(09:18):
So you done got understanding. But their starts down you
bought in. I don't buy an hold. You bought in
being good. You bought in and got I want to
get better. I want this is what I want to be.
You bought into it and I wanted to be best.
But you want work a line in him? No, I was,
(09:41):
I'm sorry, before I start picking up. Maybe take hard,
we'll maybe take great, maybe take greater down right, working
on the focus and work ethic emerged in ninth grade,
when Anthony's entire life changed forever. We'll be right back.
(10:17):
Here's justin Holland again. I was a recreation coordinator, so
I worked at the rec center and and pretty much
a low income neighborhood. The rec center he's talking about
it is the gym at god to Be Road in
South Atlanta, the one that's played such an important role
in Anthony's story. I have a passion for just kids
(10:38):
and in the youth, especially the kids that grew up
in our communities, and they really need guided, structure and
somebody just to be there for him, even if it's
just for some advice, even if it's just even it's hell,
if even if it's just a hood. You know, kids
need those types of people around them. When I met him,
um he had just lost his mom and his grandma
within six months of each other. Anthony's grandmother, Shirley, was
(11:04):
someone he described as their family backbone. He once said
she would help pay the bills, keep the lights on
where they didn't have the money, that she would always
come through in their time of need. Grandma Shirley had
been battling cancer for years when her daughter, Anthony's mom, Yvette,
lost her own fight with the disease only a few
months later, surely passed two shortly after that. Justin first
(11:28):
met Anthony, that was even a part of the introduction
of my buddy, Heir who brought him to me. He
was just kind of like this kid, like he just
needs somebody good in his life. And I know you're
a good person. I know you have him on the
basketball court, and like I said, he's special, just not
on the court. And I think I tell him this
all the time as well, because I think if I
(11:48):
was dealt the same cards that he was dealt, I
no doubt in my mind, I wouldn't be in a
position that he's in right now, like I would be
a statistic because it's so easy to be a statistic
and losing you know, losing losing his mom and grandma
so young, and and his brothers and sister being so
young and just kind of being left to figure it out.
You know, that's something that that's really hard, and I
(12:10):
just kind of wanted to present myself as stability. If
you need anything for me, I'm always here for you,
regardless of what it is. And like I said, I like,
I'll always be your stability with whether you need it
or not, and being that like that mentor and just
being available to give insight and information to throughout life,
just for life, because you know, life is just so
(12:31):
much more than basketball, because one thing I understand, like
the basketball eventually stops bouncing, and it's who you become
after that. Justin entered Anthony's life at a critical moment
when he was just an eighth grade kid fourteen years old,
facing the loss of the two most important people in
his life, both to cancer, both within six months. Here's
(12:53):
Anthony's older brother, Anthony, about the relationship with his mom
and grandmother. My grandmother, she's she's very caring, so she
doesn't like the yellow line. So she was more up
the calm motivator. That's what I would call her. Become motivated,
laid back motivating like like she would she would like
(13:14):
give you a speech or something like, put you to
the side and talk to you. Very loving person though.
And then there was his mom basically, and my mom
was like best friends. We all best friends with my mom,
and she was always a person that picked us stuff
when we needed a shoulder, lean on the shoulder, the
crowd on anything like that. She basically supported us throughout
(13:37):
anything we wanted to do or we believe that we
could do so. And those were two queens right there.
His mom and grandmother pushed and pulled and carried the
entire family through life. The impact of their loss goes
beyond saying goodbye to the two people Anthony loved most.
His whole life was upended since they were also his caretakers.
(13:57):
Suddenly Anthony and his simple things were on their own.
Here's justin again. They've always kind of been a close
knit family and they're still to this day. They're still
really close. But like I said, at the time that
I met him and his mom and grandma passed, they
were they all were young, like they were. I think
his older brother Antoine may have been with his older brother,
(14:20):
his older brother was one, so so they all were
so young. So I think just as a community, as
a whole, I think everybody kind of came together and
just helped everybody out and kept everybody focusing and definitely
kept and kept them even closer. Anthony internalized everything he
was thinking or feeling. He could only watch as his
former reality collapsed around him. Here again, his uncle Drew.
(14:45):
He never not one time, not one time at all,
even if they had the funeral, we were sitting in
the church and stuff all now, I was sitting to
my scene. He came walking in with his siblings. He
helped them together. He didn't, he didn't, you know, he
didn't break down. If he were, you know, you gotta
do what you gotta do. Everybody deal with different but
he held it together even that day when you know,
(15:05):
thirteen fourteen years old. You know, I always to ask
myself like that they came the past of the mother.
I just kind of sat back and out like, well,
asked myself, who's really gonna step up right now? Who's
really gonna do what they gotta do for their kids.
Despite having his own family and kids to raise, Uncle
Drew felt an obligation to get involved. I think it's
(15:25):
his mother had some more respect from him, just knowing
that I was deaf for the best centers of him.
She would text me sometimes she would send me a
long test man's just saying, you know, thank you coach
Ruth for doing this. Blod they didn blod to that,
and that right there, just that was all the validation
I needed to step up, do what I had to do.
So I'm gonna make it happen. You need you need
this in your pocket, you need shoot, you need a TV.
(15:46):
It was nothing. It was just like I said, I
don't know why I could have got through. I had
a treat like you want to mind, I had to that.
I don't know why I could do it. You fucking
get your sheep. I'm coming to get your clothes. You
come and stay with me. He didn't, He didn't push
back at all. You know he needed that. I'm gonna
give his face because I know how to deal with.
I ain't gonna be his face. I ain't gonna be
I ain't even to play that role like I'm your daddy.
I'm just a person to respect you, to respect me.
It just it's just tough love. And then I'm doing
(16:08):
what I gotta do. I told your mom'nna do what
I gotta do, point blank. Anthony split time between his
siblings and uncle Drew, sometimes staying for long stretches at
his old coach's house. I think, down inside, I kind
of feel like it was my dude to do what
I had to do to beat the phone, because you
gotta have somebody. You gotta have somebody else. They don't
(16:29):
want them for you. Just Janine Low, you know, I
want to see the kid be great. I won't see
him make it like I said it won those secret.
I treat him just like one of my own. I
had to get on his ass, I had to beat
up phone if I had to do what I had
to do out there, so I would feel like I
was just I was just acent the whole, and he
kind of knew that too. That relationship and their dynamic
is still the same in many ways even now, because
they continue lifting in the weight room and get into
another heated back and forth. I think he wants you
(16:55):
to be like I'll bringing my own water. Drew has
just called out Anthony, or getting in his ass as
he calls it. They're arguing over water. Specifically that Anthony
doesn't want to drink it. But that isn't what it's
really about at all, the way married couples fight about
dinner when they actually are upset about something else entirely.
I say, and man, I'll mail listen to are you
(17:19):
this is said you got some water? I said not,
you got get away and water. Just give me the
I think he wants to be sooth the initiative to
bring you a whole water? What I don't get away?
People say you got one? No, if you ask a lot,
don't you just give it to him? I'm never got
water got the water? Like I got a protein drink?
(17:42):
I don't want to ask some or you got a
water water? Let's but I haven't had an action. He
just give it to you? Are you ask so you don't?
You don't get abou You see what I'm saying. I'm
drew back the water. You just give me the water
(18:02):
and Drew you have protein? Drew know you just give
me pronching to drink. He goes for water I got
like if I bring if if I bring you a dollar,
dollar about you you're gonna say you better dollar? You
know what I'm saying. I don't know any but you
gotta get to get with exactly. And I got whatever
you need me exactly. Come on the only time on
(18:24):
bro so always about lookout, look out, look out. Hey listen, listen.
He helped you know, You're not like I told you before,
anybody in this big only bigger wather. He don't even
know you. Don't ad me, but it is a outside
of him. Don't ad nothing, no no opinion on go
(18:46):
what's that body with the employ It ain't talking the
important and this is what they're really fighting about. Drew
feeling like Anthony isn't relying on him enough, not asking
for help with the most important issues, especially as Anthony's
whole life is about to change. Absolutely, I'm talking about
(19:08):
civil life, growing up, being a manas didn't that mean nothing? Hey?
What what? What? What? What I came here said about
my paper is sent to the po box giving yours
about it. I ain't tell what I'm about. You don't listen.
You gotta keep out everybody I'm telling I said, I said,
I said, I said, I said from now I went
up to myself. Now, everything that I do, I'm gonna
(19:29):
get it, said to my po bay, I'm sort. You
don't know what's coming, We'll be right back. What's coming
(20:06):
in ten days is somewhere between six and eight million
dollars a year, along with fame an immense pressure because
in ten days, Anthony will become a top pick in
the NBA. He'll be moving to his new city and
starting his new professional life with his new team. His
entire reality will be turned upside down once again, hopefully
(20:28):
this time for the better. But Uncle Drew still sees
a teenage kid who needs his help, who doesn't know
how to avoid the pitfalls that likely await him. He
still needs those same people that were there for him
before he got his circle. Now he put it together.
You know who they all for the love, and you
know who they all for the for the fame and
all that. So I'm just gonna continue to bust to day.
They're not gonna change with me because I won't run
(20:49):
from the boy for him to be successful. So uh,
I feel like it was my duty to do all
I had to do to to beat their phone. Just
makes you links to see no matter what he did
in life basketball, even if you want to go, we're
gonna go to the military. If you want to just
be a regular person working nine of five. I just
feel like I had to beat the phone. I just
tell the MoMA, no matter what, I'm gonna make sure
(21:09):
you get you know what I mean. I make a problem,
I'll do what I gotta do them or to get
him now. And like I said, he never knew this.
Uncle Drew made a vow twe that that he would
be there, that he'd help Anthony the young football start
with his pads or rides to practice or with a
place to sleep over, and a promise that years later
he'd still be in the weight room trying to warn
Anthony the teenage basketball start about the dangers of money
(21:33):
and fame lurking around the corner. Of course he knew
it now, but that's why it went so hard. I'm
just saying, in the pain that he went through, he
never broke He never, you know, he never he never
made an excuse. Never. Man, I lost my mama, I
lost my grandmama. Why me? Why this is why? This? Never? Never? No, No,
he just locked in. Once they passed, he took that
(21:55):
that discipline and just put he put their they head
into it. And you see what you put everything you
head into it. Anthonis work, ethic and determination changed after
that life defining loss. He found the discipline because, like
Uncle Drew, he made a promise he was no longer
just playing a game or just playing for Anthony, coming
(22:19):
from somebody who's you know, lots of parents, especially your mom.
It's just things you have to focus on outside of
you know, yourself, another Anthony's coaches and a trusted friend,
Rob Allen. You're gonna be hurt, but you have to
know that those people that they looked out for you
and they want to see you do great. So the
main thing for you is continuing that legacy. So each
(22:43):
and every day when I do something or I help,
I helped somebody, or or I'm doing something, I'm thinking
of my mom because I know how she was. She
was a giver and help her. So I think Aunt
knows that as well. That his grandmother and his mama
and his mother, you know, they were people that liked
to help other people and they always wanted him to
(23:04):
keep going. And so you just had to focus on
something bigger than yourself. It became something much bigger than
only Anthony Edwards. That tragic passing of his mother and
grandmother also changed the lives of those around him. Justin Holland. Again,
no one everything that he that he's you know, been
through and goes through, he always had a smile on
(23:24):
his face, like regardless of what was going on. I
don't think I've ever really seen him like upset or
angry and not with a smile on his face. And
anybody that's dealt with, you know, the level of trauma
to that kid has gone through book, and I always
found a reason to smile and find and find the
brightness in any situation. You know, anything I'm going through,
I go. I ever go through his minor and I
(23:45):
always keep that with me. And I feel like he
channeled a lot of his frustrations into the game of basketball.
And I know a lot of his passion and will
definitely comes from you know, his mom and grandma, No
doubt about him. He definitely plays for them, but he
gives it all. And that maybe a reason why I
learned a lot from him to that's uncle Drew, just
(24:05):
seeing how he dealt with it too. I kind of
learned a lot from him. If he can maintain, if
he can hold it, he can keep a composure and
continue to live his life and duty gotta do. Nobody
really should make no excuses either, you know. So that's
why I always when he needed me to do something,
he needed me to, you know, come through the form.
I never made no excuses. I don't I don't care
what I had going on. I could have been out
of town. I could have been out kicking it in
(24:26):
the streets if he called me, if you had to
text me out with dead form. So I just always
feel like I had to be the asan whole phone
no matter what, because, like I said, he never made
no excuse. He never wanted about to feel sorry for me,
never would come and crown about his shoulder and say
why me, why me? Why? He never he was just
different like that. He just he just never he never
used there for an excuse. He was there for motivation,
(24:46):
you know So I really really really respect him for that.
He just I could have made, you know, lose my mom,
my mom, and my grandma at the age of four,
and I'm telling that I think it just it just
puts him to another level, really just push into another
loan and just put them to another love After they
never really talked about what happened, not to Uncle Drew
(25:07):
or with Justin or any of those closest to him,
not even to his siblings. After the funerals, one of
the only things he said was, I'm going to make
them proud. I feel like any person, any human being,
has been through what I've been through at the age
of fourteen, fourteen fifteen, If if you can get through
that and just you know, cope with yourself, shouldn't nobody
(25:31):
or anything be able to, you know, make you mad.
I can't nothing change my smile. You can't do nothing
to me to make my smile go away. My MoMA
and grandma they're always happy. So I made sure I'm
always happy. Yeah, I ain't never seen that when they
wasn't happy, Like even when they was here, they was
always happy. So I just made sure I'm always got
a smile on my face. To represent him as a
(25:55):
devastated kid, he kept all the hurt and pain inside,
using it as a few will to excel on the court.
Now he makes the choice to carry with him all
the happiness his mother and grandmother have inspired. And you
can take my basketball career way, oh everything, fame, everything,
but you can't take my happiness away. So I feel
(26:17):
like that's the only thing they left me here with
you next Undrafted, you guys have anything specifically looking for
I can tricker inventory level if you are nah, not
not checked, Yeah, trying to complete an outfit. I think
the attention to detail for to reason is exceptional. But
(26:40):
as soon as I step on the court with these
guys that are in the NBA or in whatever position
they are, I feel perfectly fine. I feel like this
is where I belong. Let's talk about some things that
people don't talk about. Let's talk about the manipulation, because
you're actually are attempting to take their job. But it
is time to think, sue l a start the new
journey man. This kid, it is a superstar person. And
(27:03):
when you got that, times is work at the time,
and the skill set times is man. It's dangerous. Brom
Drafted is a production of tree Fort Media, Clutch Sports Group,
and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Garner,
Lisa Ammerman, Eric s a Lot, Sean to Tone l Ki,
(27:26):
and me Keegan Michael Key. The series is produced and
written by Eric Winer. Jared Brom is our coordinating producer.
Trey McCain is our associate producer. Tom Monahan is our
senior audio engineer. Mixed and edited by Steven Johnson, additional
production help from Tim Shower, June Rosen, and Hailey Mandelberg.
For transcripts of the show and more information on Drafted,
(27:46):
go to tree Fort dot fm. For more podcasts. For
my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Drafted is a production of tree Ford Media, Clutch Sports Group,
and I Heart Radio Cold Drew trying to get some
working any baby walking in the weight room right now.
We're going on time doing alright, So I welcome back
(00:27):
to Drafted. I'm keeping Michael Key and you're hearing from
Justin Holland and Uncle Drew, two critical people supporting Anthony
Edwards rise from unknown South Atlanta talent to potential number
one pick in the NBA. Hey, I'm are you ready,
bab nah lifeealthing issue. They're only six days away from
(00:53):
the NBA Draft and the reality of the moment is
starting to sink in, especially given how far Anthony has.
I think about it all the time, like, man, it's
motherfucker boy. I always knew it when you were yawn,
But I didn't think you're gonna focus like I was
gonna be a superstar and you was gonna be good.
(01:14):
That's Anthony talking while he lives waits at the gym
on god Be Road, his home base for the last
five years in a tough Atlanta neighborhood. You don't understands,
shouldn't you always had? He was like, you know, I
always knew you was gonna be good at sport, but
supert and you got on the stand. Should listen, listen,
I'm the stands out. You will yawn. You used to
(01:37):
be good, bro, and you will. Boys sitting in episode one,
we told you about the near impossible odds of any
kid becoming an NBA lottery pick and how much more
likely it was for Anthony to become a dark statistic instead.
But Uncle Drew had an even more specific reason for
why he didn't think Anthony would make it here to
the cusp of NBA stardom. So get what if you
(01:58):
stop bullshit? No, I need to cut you out. Bro.
When you stop bullshit and you buy in, Shaw, you
can be here. You're still coming out of bullshit. Get
the ball here we go. What that you guys say?
I'm bullshit like you like once you buy in like
man the man it would buy. You don't own the problem?
Are you bout in? Their argument is about Anthony not
(02:22):
practicing hard enough as a kid, and how he wouldn't
buy into the work it takes to become great, and
that he only tried his hardest during games. Uncle Drew
was his youth football coach back then, so he had
the clearest look at Anthony's shortcomings in sports. Why they're
making me right? Man got the practed late. I got
(02:43):
school and man got a prcted late. I got through
all the running and then run down here. I said
that the man too small. Phone don't good that point
you make me mad? Right, that shouldn't make me mad?
Wrong like man don't get it rough? He was could
(03:04):
be mad though. I don't know no better you did.
You did know better. You knew what you would. You
knew better, bro, you knew better because you know what
stop I was act like he was. See the mentality head.
Anthony avoided the most grueling parts of practice, the intense
hitting drills or the extra hill runs or anything that
(03:26):
would push his limits. So, in my opinion, I called
a knoa head yeah ahead the skills, just the discipline
pot or for the work ethic when we was younger.
You know one thing, If you got a kid that's
a knockahead in a good way, and you put that
discipline in them, you can create a master in a
positive way. So how did Anthony go from lacking the
discipline and the work ethic he needed to become this
(03:48):
laser focused nineteen year old prodigy. Here's uncle Drew and
Anthony still in the weight room. To be honest, basketball stuff.
Of course I was get what of course I was
banging on the football when I came to the third game.
Y'all play somethingbody, I'm like a lot. They ain't really
work with him. But once I say you played basketball,
yeah you gotta shot. I course I think you'd be
(04:10):
dead good. Yeah, what do you think I'll give the superstar?
You can tell me, bro. Why does Anthony insist on
hearing that other people doubted him? Does he use it
as motivation to gain an edge or is he also
stunted that he used to find the odds and it's
now being talked about as the number one pick in
(04:30):
the NBA. I'm telling, why the hell you think I
was so close to y'all? You didn't had a discipline,
you didn't had to work, anth you're looking at on
the top of the hill. Way, No, your mom can't say,
and you know c common you know seven rey hare,
Come on, manlazy man. They rolled the ball. I didn't
(04:51):
play and they want to pray what I'm talking? Yeah,
I had to let him how to hear somebody feel
a you start level red the matt. Let's tell what
you gotta do. Run run, you gotta gonna get it. No, no, y'all,
no no no no, no, no no no, don't run
for real, act like you want to run. You gotta
come pushing around and feel like a little baby. And
(05:12):
ship get what looking at it? Looking up the hell
and ship wanted mama can't say you know what here
we're going? And that he would dodge these extra drills
and then try to convince his mommy vet to get
him out of practice. I hate it. Let me tell you.
I hate free to think called free games so much rain.
It's I used to get the practice round six fifteen
six on purpose. So I know they've done like no, no,
(05:33):
no, no no, no, get dressed super get dressed super slow.
But I'm so good now made me do that, SI,
So look we get down practice. We gotta run a
lot again. I got down. I run a regular ship.
But once when they started doing at ship, I'm like, man,
all right, right doing that? I get what to do?
You're looking on let's look at looking doing My time
(05:57):
is star eight teen, my MoMA, I'm like, you're ready
to do? Well? What and a your team. You know
what I'm doing talking to him? You do stand right
on here with j like, oh, I don't know. Counting
my mom to save him didn't always work out his
planet though, my mom, she's pushing everybody. This is Anthony's
(06:23):
older brother Anthony three years is elder and better known
as Bubba to those closest. One time, I think Aunt
was having a bad day in football game. It was
a football game. He was kind of playing a little sluggish,
and like halftime, she pulled him over and talked to
him like my mom was very aggressive. I can say that.
(06:43):
So you didn't want to play around with my mom,
But my mom didn't want to play around with us.
So even to just hear her voice, it's like motivating
to any one of us, any one of my siblings.
If you hear her voice, you're gonna want to do
whatever you're doing ten times harder. So she was a
support and the motive that we actually I used to
(07:04):
drive ourselves to do what we want to do. As
far as force see anything in life, she was out
rock for real man, So yeah, that would be the
main force for me. Uncle Drew again, Miss Mama. She
babied him as far as that's my son. But when
it came to a pet in the sports, she didn't
play that. It wasn't no baby that, it was none
of that. We we had the green light too. If
(07:24):
we want to run a the time, we're gonna run
aft the time. She wasn't solve at all. She didn't
miss no games. She did she had to do to
get him, give him a pregnant. She was allowed as
once you know, everybody knew was mother wall. She had
the jerkor's on some type of pair that everybody know.
You know, there's my baby, there was my boy. If
anybody on the sideline started talking trade, she's gonna talk
trash back. She was a diehard. She had a lot
(07:45):
of son. Uncle Drew and Anthony's mom both knew he
needed to be pushed, and since Anthony's mother and grandmother
primarily raised the kids on their own, it often fell
on Uncle Drew to get on his star running backs case.
Here they are in the weight room, still debate what
happened back then you knew, you knew what you were doing.
Doesn't mean they need practice though, so much better. They
(08:08):
just blow on and then how you come by that practice?
Great bullshit? How you On some level, Anthony was also right.
He didn't need to practice at that age. He was
that much better than everyone else. Who y'all depended on
in the game beside we had a good team. Who
y'all depending on days and the hole? Yea looks like
you to come out of that bullshit? Who y'all depending
(08:30):
on during game time? If it rain ain't working, tone
ain't working? Who y'all giving the ball? To remember that
game you played in the snow? What comes? Time to do?
And I'm rare where airplane? What I do to the
house to the house, to the house, to the house,
to the house, to get that ForSight game? And I'm
gonna get you by a time you remember the Reliving
(08:58):
those touchdowns proves his point. What kind of kid scores
eight touchdowns in a game without practicing hard? The differences.
Uncle Drew wasn't worried about Anthony's success as a nine
year old football player. He wanted to instill the discipline
and work ethic for when Aunt got older and other
kids physical abilities caught up, especially before it became too late.
(09:18):
So you done got understanding. But their starts down you
bought in. I don't buy an hold. You bought in
being good. You bought in and got I want to
get better. I want this is what I want to be.
You bought into it and I wanted to be best.
But you want work a line in him? No, I was,
(09:41):
I'm sorry, before I start picking up. Maybe take hard,
we'll maybe take great, maybe take greater down right, working
on the focus and work ethic emerged in ninth grade,
when Anthony's entire life changed forever. We'll be right back.
(10:17):
Here's justin Holland again. I was a recreation coordinator, so
I worked at the rec center and and pretty much
a low income neighborhood. The rec center he's talking about
it is the gym at god to Be Road in
South Atlanta, the one that's played such an important role
in Anthony's story. I have a passion for just kids
(10:38):
and in the youth, especially the kids that grew up
in our communities, and they really need guided, structure and
somebody just to be there for him, even if it's
just for some advice, even if it's just even it's hell,
if even if it's just a hood. You know, kids
need those types of people around them. When I met him,
um he had just lost his mom and his grandma
within six months of each other. Anthony's grandmother, Shirley, was
(11:04):
someone he described as their family backbone. He once said
she would help pay the bills, keep the lights on
where they didn't have the money, that she would always
come through in their time of need. Grandma Shirley had
been battling cancer for years when her daughter, Anthony's mom, Yvette,
lost her own fight with the disease only a few
months later, surely passed two shortly after that. Justin first
(11:28):
met Anthony, that was even a part of the introduction
of my buddy, Heir who brought him to me. He
was just kind of like this kid, like he just
needs somebody good in his life. And I know you're
a good person. I know you have him on the
basketball court, and like I said, he's special, just not
on the court. And I think I tell him this
all the time as well, because I think if I
(11:48):
was dealt the same cards that he was dealt, I
no doubt in my mind, I wouldn't be in a
position that he's in right now, like I would be
a statistic because it's so easy to be a statistic
and losing you know, losing losing his mom and grandma
so young, and and his brothers and sister being so
young and just kind of being left to figure it out.
You know, that's something that that's really hard, and I
(12:10):
just kind of wanted to present myself as stability. If
you need anything for me, I'm always here for you,
regardless of what it is. And like I said, I like,
I'll always be your stability with whether you need it
or not, and being that like that mentor and just
being available to give insight and information to throughout life,
just for life, because you know, life is just so
(12:31):
much more than basketball, because one thing I understand, like
the basketball eventually stops bouncing, and it's who you become
after that. Justin entered Anthony's life at a critical moment
when he was just an eighth grade kid fourteen years old,
facing the loss of the two most important people in
his life, both to cancer, both within six months. Here's
(12:53):
Anthony's older brother, Anthony, about the relationship with his mom
and grandmother. My grandmother, she's she's very caring, so she
doesn't like the yellow line. So she was more up
the calm motivator. That's what I would call her. Become motivated,
laid back motivating like like she would she would like
(13:14):
give you a speech or something like, put you to
the side and talk to you. Very loving person though.
And then there was his mom basically, and my mom
was like best friends. We all best friends with my mom,
and she was always a person that picked us stuff
when we needed a shoulder, lean on the shoulder, the
crowd on anything like that. She basically supported us throughout
(13:37):
anything we wanted to do or we believe that we
could do so. And those were two queens right there.
His mom and grandmother pushed and pulled and carried the
entire family through life. The impact of their loss goes
beyond saying goodbye to the two people Anthony loved most.
His whole life was upended since they were also his caretakers.
(13:57):
Suddenly Anthony and his simple things were on their own.
Here's justin again. They've always kind of been a close
knit family and they're still to this day. They're still
really close. But like I said, at the time that
I met him and his mom and grandma passed, they
were they all were young, like they were. I think
his older brother Antoine may have been with his older brother,
(14:20):
his older brother was one, so so they all were
so young. So I think just as a community, as
a whole, I think everybody kind of came together and
just helped everybody out and kept everybody focusing and definitely
kept and kept them even closer. Anthony internalized everything he
was thinking or feeling. He could only watch as his
former reality collapsed around him. Here again, his uncle Drew.
(14:45):
He never not one time, not one time at all,
even if they had the funeral, we were sitting in
the church and stuff all now, I was sitting to
my scene. He came walking in with his siblings. He
helped them together. He didn't, he didn't, you know, he
didn't break down. If he were, you know, you gotta
do what you gotta do. Everybody deal with different but
he held it together even that day when you know,
(15:05):
thirteen fourteen years old. You know, I always to ask
myself like that they came the past of the mother.
I just kind of sat back and out like, well,
asked myself, who's really gonna step up right now? Who's
really gonna do what they gotta do for their kids.
Despite having his own family and kids to raise, Uncle
Drew felt an obligation to get involved. I think it's
(15:25):
his mother had some more respect from him, just knowing
that I was deaf for the best centers of him.
She would text me sometimes she would send me a
long test man's just saying, you know, thank you coach
Ruth for doing this. Blod they didn blod to that,
and that right there, just that was all the validation
I needed to step up, do what I had to do.
So I'm gonna make it happen. You need you need
this in your pocket, you need shoot, you need a TV.
(15:46):
It was nothing. It was just like I said, I
don't know why I could have got through. I had
a treat like you want to mind, I had to that.
I don't know why I could do it. You fucking
get your sheep. I'm coming to get your clothes. You
come and stay with me. He didn't, He didn't push
back at all. You know he needed that. I'm gonna
give his face because I know how to deal with.
I ain't gonna be his face. I ain't gonna be
I ain't even to play that role like I'm your daddy.
I'm just a person to respect you, to respect me.
It just it's just tough love. And then I'm doing
(16:08):
what I gotta do. I told your mom'nna do what
I gotta do, point blank. Anthony split time between his
siblings and uncle Drew, sometimes staying for long stretches at
his old coach's house. I think, down inside, I kind
of feel like it was my dude to do what
I had to do to beat the phone, because you
gotta have somebody. You gotta have somebody else. They don't
(16:29):
want them for you. Just Janine Low, you know, I
want to see the kid be great. I won't see
him make it like I said it won those secret.
I treat him just like one of my own. I
had to get on his ass, I had to beat
up phone if I had to do what I had
to do out there, so I would feel like I
was just I was just acent the whole, and he
kind of knew that too. That relationship and their dynamic
is still the same in many ways even now, because
they continue lifting in the weight room and get into
another heated back and forth. I think he wants you
(16:55):
to be like I'll bringing my own water. Drew has
just called out Anthony, or getting in his ass as
he calls it. They're arguing over water. Specifically that Anthony
doesn't want to drink it. But that isn't what it's
really about at all, the way married couples fight about
dinner when they actually are upset about something else entirely.
I say, and man, I'll mail listen to are you
(17:19):
this is said you got some water? I said not,
you got get away and water. Just give me the
I think he wants to be sooth the initiative to
bring you a whole water? What I don't get away?
People say you got one? No, if you ask a lot,
don't you just give it to him? I'm never got
water got the water? Like I got a protein drink?
(17:42):
I don't want to ask some or you got a
water water? Let's but I haven't had an action. He
just give it to you? Are you ask so you don't?
You don't get abou You see what I'm saying. I'm
drew back the water. You just give me the water
(18:02):
and Drew you have protein? Drew know you just give
me pronching to drink. He goes for water I got
like if I bring if if I bring you a dollar,
dollar about you you're gonna say you better dollar? You
know what I'm saying. I don't know any but you
gotta get to get with exactly. And I got whatever
you need me exactly. Come on the only time on
(18:24):
bro so always about lookout, look out, look out. Hey listen, listen.
He helped you know, You're not like I told you before,
anybody in this big only bigger wather. He don't even
know you. Don't ad me, but it is a outside
of him. Don't ad nothing, no no opinion on go
(18:46):
what's that body with the employ It ain't talking the
important and this is what they're really fighting about. Drew
feeling like Anthony isn't relying on him enough, not asking
for help with the most important issues, especially as Anthony's
whole life is about to change. Absolutely, I'm talking about
(19:08):
civil life, growing up, being a manas didn't that mean nothing? Hey?
What what? What? What? What I came here said about
my paper is sent to the po box giving yours
about it. I ain't tell what I'm about. You don't listen.
You gotta keep out everybody I'm telling I said, I said,
I said, I said, I said from now I went
up to myself. Now, everything that I do, I'm gonna
(19:29):
get it, said to my po bay, I'm sort. You
don't know what's coming, We'll be right back. What's coming
(20:06):
in ten days is somewhere between six and eight million
dollars a year, along with fame an immense pressure because
in ten days, Anthony will become a top pick in
the NBA. He'll be moving to his new city and
starting his new professional life with his new team. His
entire reality will be turned upside down once again, hopefully
(20:28):
this time for the better. But Uncle Drew still sees
a teenage kid who needs his help, who doesn't know
how to avoid the pitfalls that likely await him. He
still needs those same people that were there for him
before he got his circle. Now he put it together.
You know who they all for the love, and you
know who they all for the for the fame and
all that. So I'm just gonna continue to bust to day.
They're not gonna change with me because I won't run
(20:49):
from the boy for him to be successful. So uh,
I feel like it was my duty to do all
I had to do to to beat their phone. Just
makes you links to see no matter what he did
in life basketball, even if you want to go, we're
gonna go to the military. If you want to just
be a regular person working nine of five. I just
feel like I had to beat the phone. I just
tell the MoMA, no matter what, I'm gonna make sure
(21:09):
you get you know what I mean. I make a problem,
I'll do what I gotta do them or to get
him now. And like I said, he never knew this.
Uncle Drew made a vow twe that that he would
be there, that he'd help Anthony the young football start
with his pads or rides to practice or with a
place to sleep over, and a promise that years later
he'd still be in the weight room trying to warn
Anthony the teenage basketball start about the dangers of money
(21:33):
and fame lurking around the corner. Of course he knew
it now, but that's why it went so hard. I'm
just saying, in the pain that he went through, he
never broke He never, you know, he never he never
made an excuse. Never. Man, I lost my mama, I
lost my grandmama. Why me? Why this is why? This? Never? Never? No, No,
he just locked in. Once they passed, he took that
(21:55):
that discipline and just put he put their they head
into it. And you see what you put everything you
head into it. Anthonis work, ethic and determination changed after
that life defining loss. He found the discipline because, like
Uncle Drew, he made a promise he was no longer
just playing a game or just playing for Anthony, coming
(22:19):
from somebody who's you know, lots of parents, especially your mom.
It's just things you have to focus on outside of
you know, yourself, another Anthony's coaches and a trusted friend,
Rob Allen. You're gonna be hurt, but you have to
know that those people that they looked out for you
and they want to see you do great. So the
main thing for you is continuing that legacy. So each
(22:43):
and every day when I do something or I help,
I helped somebody, or or I'm doing something, I'm thinking
of my mom because I know how she was. She
was a giver and help her. So I think Aunt
knows that as well. That his grandmother and his mama
and his mother, you know, they were people that liked
to help other people and they always wanted him to
(23:04):
keep going. And so you just had to focus on
something bigger than yourself. It became something much bigger than
only Anthony Edwards. That tragic passing of his mother and
grandmother also changed the lives of those around him. Justin Holland. Again,
no one everything that he that he's you know, been
through and goes through, he always had a smile on
(23:24):
his face, like regardless of what was going on. I
don't think I've ever really seen him like upset or
angry and not with a smile on his face. And
anybody that's dealt with, you know, the level of trauma
to that kid has gone through book, and I always
found a reason to smile and find and find the
brightness in any situation. You know, anything I'm going through,
I go. I ever go through his minor and I
(23:45):
always keep that with me. And I feel like he
channeled a lot of his frustrations into the game of basketball.
And I know a lot of his passion and will
definitely comes from you know, his mom and grandma, No
doubt about him. He definitely plays for them, but he
gives it all. And that maybe a reason why I
learned a lot from him to that's uncle Drew, just
(24:05):
seeing how he dealt with it too. I kind of
learned a lot from him. If he can maintain, if
he can hold it, he can keep a composure and
continue to live his life and duty gotta do. Nobody
really should make no excuses either, you know. So that's
why I always when he needed me to do something,
he needed me to, you know, come through the form.
I never made no excuses. I don't I don't care
what I had going on. I could have been out
of town. I could have been out kicking it in
(24:26):
the streets if he called me, if you had to
text me out with dead form. So I just always
feel like I had to be the asan whole phone
no matter what, because, like I said, he never made
no excuse. He never wanted about to feel sorry for me,
never would come and crown about his shoulder and say
why me, why me? Why? He never he was just
different like that. He just he just never he never
used there for an excuse. He was there for motivation,
(24:46):
you know So I really really really respect him for that.
He just I could have made, you know, lose my mom,
my mom, and my grandma at the age of four,
and I'm telling that I think it just it just
puts him to another level, really just push into another
loan and just put them to another love After they
never really talked about what happened, not to Uncle Drew
(25:07):
or with Justin or any of those closest to him,
not even to his siblings. After the funerals, one of
the only things he said was, I'm going to make
them proud. I feel like any person, any human being,
has been through what I've been through at the age
of fourteen, fourteen fifteen, If if you can get through
that and just you know, cope with yourself, shouldn't nobody
(25:31):
or anything be able to, you know, make you mad.
I can't nothing change my smile. You can't do nothing
to me to make my smile go away. My MoMA
and grandma they're always happy. So I made sure I'm
always happy. Yeah, I ain't never seen that when they
wasn't happy, Like even when they was here, they was
always happy. So I just made sure I'm always got
a smile on my face. To represent him as a
(25:55):
devastated kid, he kept all the hurt and pain inside,
using it as a few will to excel on the court.
Now he makes the choice to carry with him all
the happiness his mother and grandmother have inspired. And you
can take my basketball career way, oh everything, fame, everything,
but you can't take my happiness away. So I feel
(26:17):
like that's the only thing they left me here with
you next Undrafted, you guys have anything specifically looking for
I can tricker inventory level if you are nah, not
not checked, Yeah, trying to complete an outfit. I think
the attention to detail for to reason is exceptional. But
(26:40):
as soon as I step on the court with these
guys that are in the NBA or in whatever position
they are, I feel perfectly fine. I feel like this
is where I belong. Let's talk about some things that
people don't talk about. Let's talk about the manipulation, because
you're actually are attempting to take their job. But it
is time to think, sue l a start the new
journey man. This kid, it is a superstar person. And
(27:03):
when you got that, times is work at the time,
and the skill set times is man. It's dangerous. Brom
Drafted is a production of tree Fort Media, Clutch Sports Group,
and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Garner,
Lisa Ammerman, Eric s a Lot, Sean to Tone l Ki,
(27:26):
and me Keegan Michael Key. The series is produced and
written by Eric Winer. Jared Brom is our coordinating producer.
Trey McCain is our associate producer. Tom Monahan is our
senior audio engineer. Mixed and edited by Steven Johnson, additional
production help from Tim Shower, June Rosen, and Hailey Mandelberg.
For transcripts of the show and more information on Drafted,
(27:46):
go to tree Fort dot fm. For more podcasts. For
my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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