How it All Started for John, All-Star Fixes, Who Wins NBA King of the Court

In Episode 1, John and C.J. talk about John's wild 18 hour ride from Raleigh to Chicago that put him on the national basketball map, and ultimately led him to the #1 pick in the NBA Draft, plus John's ideas about how to fix the Dunk Contest and All-Star game, and who he thinks would win an NBA King of the Court contest. John also weighs in on the Doc Rivers controversy, the Clippers chances to win the title this season, and where he thinks he could still fit in the NBA.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
What's going on? Everyone? Welcome to Point Game presented by DraftKings.
Don't forget DraftKings is your home for all the action
across the NBA and gets too close to the game
we all love. The crown is yours. Now. I'm one
of your host CJ Toldono you might know me from
House of Highlights follow through, but we all know I'm
not the reason we're here. So without further ado, I
want to introduce my permanent co host, the reason why

(00:30):
we have this show. Give you a little credits here,
five time NBA All Star, former number one overall pick,
optimist Dime himself. Now I want to know the story
behind that nickname. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my co host,
John Wall. John. How you feeling, man?

Speaker 2 (00:46):
What's something? I'm super excited to be here. Man.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Everybody may tell me for a while to get on
the podcast, so I'm glad I can be able to
do this with you and just have some fun. Man,
just talk about the game of basketball and just tell
people what my experience has been about life or been
in the NBA.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
And all that.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yeah, before or before we move on, I just want
to be like, you know, everyone knows there's so many
player podcasts right now, you know, from players you know
in the league and and you know out of the league,
like hoving around it. But I remember when we were
like we got to do this pod. I was like, immediately,
John Wall because I remember listening to that Theo Penson interviewed,
just all the knowledge and wisdom and stories you dropped.
I was like, we got to have this dude on

(01:20):
a regular basis. So how excited are you doing this
pod with us?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Super exciting? Man.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
For me, I'm just like I feel like I'm just
you know, a lot of people use the word real.
I just don't like to use that so much. I
just like to say I'm just gonna be honest, Like
I rather just be honest and be one hundred with
you at all times. And uh, that's how my mom
raised me. And either some people don't like it. Some
people are not gonna like you know what I mean.
But in the day, like I know, I'm just being
myself at all times and I'm not trying to fit
in to be nobody else. And I think that's why

(01:47):
a lot of people respect me.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Now, as I like to say, a hardcore basketball fan
like I know ball and I will prove it through
this through this series. But I think you have some
gas in your tank. But we all know that, Paul
to the NB and whatnot. So let us know, Like
you're not on a squad right now, you're on the Clippers.
Last what are you been up to?

Speaker 3 (02:06):
Just working out, man, Just working out, staying ready. But
most important, man, just being a dad, enjoying the time
to be around my boys. Man, raise my kids, being
able to take them to school, pick them up from school,
take them to the activities you I mean, go to
the school plays, watching them saying, getting little Christmas parades
and stuff like that. My kids just started boxing last week,
so you know what I mean. Just excited to put

(02:27):
them in a lot of things. And you know, when
you're when you're on a team, you're traveling a lot.
And like my situation, if I was like in DC still,
then my family would live there, you know what I mean,
because they would know be there. But like if you
like on a team for like maybe six months or
a year, you don't know how long you're going to
be there. It's kind of hard to move your family there,
you know what I mean, Like it's tough like you
look at Danny green situation. He was about to be

(02:47):
on a team then they ended up cutting them in.
His family had just got like started school. Then you
gotta find some much to put him. Like that's always
the toughest part. So if I don't know, if I
got a longevity over there, I wouldn't bring my kids
to my family. So being able to be there with
them every day, wake them up, taking them practice, taking
the school, do all these type of things. I'm joined
it and embracing it being a father, and that's something
I put pride in.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
And that's actually kind of interesting and a big point
of Like again, I come from NBA Twitter in that world,
and we don't know like the nuances of being an
NBA player. Now you mentioned Danny Green or people like
you know, players like Ish Smith or whatever, who are
kind of these NBA journeymen like you talked about a
little bit. But what happens if you're on a new
squad every year? Are you living, do you have like
a main spot in the country, and then are you

(03:30):
bringing your family out? Like how does that work?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Oh? Well for me?

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Kind of like when I went to Houston, I didn't
know how long I was gonna be there, you know.
I mean, like I thought I was gonna be there
long term, so you know what I mean, You just
it happened so fast. I didn't have time to go
buy a house with no need, so I just rented
a condo, penhouse condo and just stayed there, you know
what I mean. And my family would come down and
come to games. But it was still tough though, because
it was COVID at the time, so you really, I mean,
Houston was one of the place that allowed you to
have fans but a certain amount, so I was able

(03:56):
to have my kids come out there and watch me,
see me play a little bit. When I was in La,
I rented a crib, I mean, because I had time
to prepare for that. Like I signed in the summer,
so I knew what I wanted, and I want this
spot where I can just feel like I'm at home.
I mean, like when my kids come, they got a
backyard and stuff like that, because my kids like to
be outside, they liked to do stuff. And when I
went to Easton was kind of tough, but it was

(04:16):
a COVID year, so it wasn't too frustrating. But I
don't know, how a lot of people do it, but
for me, it depends on what the price of ranges
is for a house at that time. Being I have
enough time to rent one, then I'm cool with writting.
But I think like guys that go in and buy
and not know how long they're gonna be there, that's
kind of difficult.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, I think with this pod til I'm like, Okay,
here's my biggest fear of John and it's also what
I want to happen. Is Uh, you get signed by
a team like ten days for the rest of the season,
and you said you're taking care of your body and
you're working out. So what does your daily life look
like outside of doing this pod? Like, how are you
staying ready?

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Six thirty seven o'clock? Get up?

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Sometimes I take the kids to school. Sometimes I help
them get dressed. Did my workout started eight thirty? It
was either basketball at first and or is lifting at
my house. I turn my whole garage into a gym.
I have almost every equipment you can have to make
sure you're ready, and then I go court to weightlifting
or go weightlifting the court. I'm probably doing it like
twelve every day. I mean, I try to give myself,

(05:14):
time to have my first meal at one, be able
to shower, relax, run whatever errands I might have to run,
or pick my kids up from school if I have to.
So I try to get my date then by twelve,
and Miami traffic ain't no good.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
I remember, this is a story. I always knew about
you because I've been a fan, and I was like,
this seems like an urban legend. But then I saw
you post about it on your Instagram, and so the
first time, like you got sort of put on the map,
and I think you know the story. I'm going to
ask you about two thousand and seven. You were seventeen
years old and you took an eighteen hour cab ride
from North Carolina to Chicago to try out you weren't invited.

(05:49):
I maybe you weren't invited but to try out for
the Rebok camp, which then led you to get ranked.
So can you tell us some details about that story?

Speaker 2 (05:58):
Uh? Well, I give I give you more d for
details into that. Man.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
I used to be on scout dot com every day
looking at everybody that's rank rifles dot com, and I'm like, bro,
I can be up here like I'm nice.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
I'm just as nice as them.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
It's just shout out to David West, like, that's the
first AU team ever played with garn Rod Bulldogs, you
know what I mean. So that's how I ever got
the opportunity to even be in AU and understand what
that was about and being able to travel.

Speaker 2 (06:20):
And see things in h Uh.

Speaker 3 (06:24):
Brian Clifton that used to run D one sports like
Eric Waller's Marshall Modes. All those guys came out of there,
Me Quincy Miller, J T. Terrell, So many guys came
out there, and they was a team that was traveling
like being at the Big Showcase tournaments and things like
that sponsored by a Rebok. Uh, and that opportunity to
get on the circle with them that summer, but we
took uh. We drove all the way from North Carolina

(06:44):
to show to Chicago, me and J. T. Terrell and
Brian Clifton and it was the Rebok Underclassman Camp, So
I think I think before it was that before they
changed it from ABCD camp, that camp used to be called.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Camp Next in Jersey.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
Gotcha.

Speaker 3 (06:59):
So we go there and they was like we only
take five players from this camp. They get to go
to the big camp reebok U, which used to be
called ABCD Camp but they changed rebouk You. I'm like,
all right, I'm be one of these five. Like I
don't care who's here, what's going on. Funny thing is
the first day I'm late, I got a mohawk. One,
I'm already walking in there with a mohawk. Me and
my homeboy JT. Thrill walking there with a mohawk, and

(07:20):
my got around my autube programmers like, bro, that's not
a good look, Like you need to clean image, like
he always believe hit low cuts. And I was like, Bro,
I'm gonna ware whatever style I want. I'm that nice
one of there killed the camp, one of the five
guys that get invited. So I'm like, all right, I
did my dudes. We literally drive eighteen hours back to
North Carolina and the Tudor beings like little. I'm in

(07:41):
the back seats like little. We go there. I'm I'm
probably home for like that whole week. Then we got
to go to reebok U. So we drive from North
Carolina right back to Philly. I'm like, bro, I'm tired
of this, Like you know what I mean, I'm trying
to get on a plane.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
Or something. So we fly.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
Never forget walking there the first day, you know, like
it's a line everybody to getting their gear. Yeah, I'm
looking around like them. I'm right here with the guys
that I've been looking at it on scout dot com.
So I'm like, all right, cool. So then I see
Brandon Jennis and Isaiah Thomas come like they skipped the
whole line. Like you know, they got a name, they've
been at ABCD camp, they've been ranked in all this.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
They skipped the line. They getting unlimited.

Speaker 3 (08:19):
Gear, they getting shoes that we ain't getting. I'm like, damn,
I gotta be like them, Like I gotta get some
extra gear. I gotta take something back home. First game. Man,
it's me, Malcolm Ly and Quinciation on my team.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
You play. I think Renardo sitting with them. I'm not sure.

Speaker 3 (08:34):
I don't want to be wrong, but I know Brandon
Jennis's idea, Thomas with the back court. Yeah, and like
we going back and forth, like back and forth.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
I ain't gonna lie.

Speaker 3 (08:41):
Probably like the first minute or two, I like always
end up with the guy undereath the basket taking the
ball out, and I'm like, I'm like, man, I ain't
taking this shit out no more because you know, if
you know, like Campson, you want the ball because you know,
like at campus and stuff like this, you take the
ball out, you ain't getting the ball back like you
The last one up the court, they already and did
their things. So I stopped that and I just got
into a rhythm and start hooping. I never forget I

(09:03):
had a black ashy tank top underneath, like this on
your mind. Used to get you the grand black tank
tops from Walmart. You couldn't wear no white one. So
everybody talking about like who this skinny kid? Like who
this skikny kid for North Carolina. I just put on
the show like I was hooping. We end up losing,
but it was a good ass game.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
It was so lit. It was on the main court.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
Everybody like stopped the games on the other two courts
and its looking over like dn who that they hooping
over there? Like it was windows Like I'm like, damn,
I'm in the moment of this now and now I
remember I got interviewed. I'm talking my lips, ashy shit
tank ashy tank top showing and then from that day
for it was up for there, like I just lived
up to the rest of the camp, I started killing

(09:40):
and killing, and uh, I never forget. We go to
Vegas after this, my first time flying go to Vegas.
I'm scared as hell anyway, cause I wake up on
the turbulence over the mountains. I'm terrified. I'm like, nah,
this ain't it. They started shaking. I'm like, I don't
want to fly no more. And everybody was like, man,
I think that was a flute. Like that just because
he killed at the camp, that was a flute, Like
he ain't gonna do in Vegas. I kill in Vegas.

(10:01):
So then that's where my name got the buzzing and
the rest was history for me.

Speaker 1 (10:05):
Now that's crazy. So after that camp, what did you
end up? Did you go back to scout dot com
and then look for your.

Speaker 3 (10:11):
Yeah, I was up there, Like I was all up there.
Like even while I was at there, my boys call
him like you on scout dot like you on right
with like they talking about like you want the biggest
surprise at the camp. Like I'm like, I told y'all
like I knew how nice I was. I just never
had the opportunity to be in front of those type
of people like I always told a lot of people
like you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (10:28):
You know what I mean, being from New York, being from.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
LA being from Atlanta, being from Jersey Philly, those type
of places, like they have that basketball mindset where they
always on that spot, like on it in that disposure.
And I feel like, since what I've done North Carolina,
it's always been a basketball It's hoop state for sure.

Speaker 2 (10:46):
Don't get me wrong.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
I didn't start it, but I feel like I gave
us the buzz to be known for who mixtapes balls
like those mixtapes, and gave North Carolina another bus. Then
you start having guys like J. T. Terrell, Quincy Miller,
Dennis Smith, Junior Bam, TJ Warren, Rodney Purpos, all those
guys came and just start kept it going to rocket.

Speaker 1 (11:04):
That's crazy. So when you got to that camp and
you mentioned I love hearing the other names Brandon, Jennings,
Quincy Acy and all these guys, did you do you
have any moves or plays in your head where you're like, man,
I went at Jennings, I went at you know, were
there any that stuck with you?

Speaker 3 (11:18):
You guys the first game going at Brandon Isaiah Thomas,
like these guys. Was those guys I looked at, you
know what I mean, Like, Damn, these guys nicey hell.
Like I remember when I was at Bob Gibbs. I
think Brandon Jennis might have been a freshman of sophomore.
He was on so called All Star probably winn of
the best A teams. I seen him, Taylor King, Malik's story,
Daniel Hackett, Kevin Love, Chase Butteringer.

Speaker 2 (11:41):
I'm like, god, damn, like they loaded, you know what
I mean.

Speaker 3 (11:43):
Brandon Jenning is just coming through, breaking through the press,
couldn't stop him, crazy, handle, crafty, make getting his shots off, athletic,
and I was like, damn, he's nice as hell. So
when I got the opportunity to play against him, like, well,
I'm from you don't back down for nobody. You accept
the challenge. I mean not saying I got the best
of him, but I think I got respect from him
from that day forward. And that's all you can ask
for when you're going to gets top players. Is like

(12:05):
I always said, I went into that camp hunting, you
know what I mean, Because I didn't have a name.
I had to make a name for myself. And when
I got my name, I stayed with that mentality of
being the guy that was hungry, Like I didn't want
to people come hunting me. I'm like, I'm still hunting y'all,
even though I am that guy now.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah, And I always I'm a sneaker head, and so
I always knew, like there were like three dudes I
ever sent that first, you know, Steve Francis, and then
you like, I was like, oh, John wall Is a
signature athlete with Reebok. Were there some people that saw
you at that camp? And like did the conversation even
start there even though you didn't end of the league
three years later?

Speaker 2 (12:39):
No, I didn't. It really didn't.

Speaker 3 (12:41):
Like I think I just caught a lot of people
by surprise, to be honest, me, Like I know how
nice I was, you know. I mean like I've always
been a guy that was cold my whole life. I
just never got to play outside and stayed in North
Carolina unless I went.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
To Nationals, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
And my team, we was good, but we wasn't like
one of those top team that was in the championship
game or the Lee eight every year, Like we wasn't
that good, but we had nice guys on my team.
But I just always knew, like a national I'm gonna
show out like they gonna remember this kid, skinny kid
with braids being from Gone the Road, like they gonna
remember me. And I just think it all happens in

(13:13):
mysterious ways. But nah, they didn't really look at me
like that. Like my AU team high school team was Rebok.
And then I think when I was coming out the draft, man,
I went to Kentucky, you know what I mean, Like
there was a le Bron school Nike, you know what
I mean. And I came out of Kentucky and they
was like, yo, we feel like you can be like
the next Ai, like try to get Rebok back on
the mat for us. I'm like, hell yeah, like that's

(13:34):
my favorite player. And you know, like anybody coming out
at the time be thinking like them, I want to
be a Nike athlete. Who do I signed with?

Speaker 2 (13:41):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (13:41):
And everybody knows that. And I had to sit down
with Ai like two hours at the Rebok thing. He
was like, bro, I was in the same position as you,
And I was like, shit, I changed the culture for myself.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
I'm like, shit, I want to do the same.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Damn Okay, This is a random ask question what you
just inspired me by? Because yeah, everyone grilled rocking Jordan's.
But then you're like, oh, I'm with a I'm with
a company. They, I'm you know, sponsored by them. I
was heard the urban legend that Ai was with Reebok,
but he would rock like Jordan Levin's at Home and
all that stuff. So do you know, I don't want
to hurt your money at all, but like, were you

(14:15):
rocking other brands?

Speaker 2 (14:16):
He hurt my money at all?

Speaker 3 (14:17):
No, you know, I mean like I ain't got no deal, right,
I mean I ain't got no deal or nothing like that.
But no, I didn't like not gonna lie like all
my shoes. I just put him in the storage. Yeah,
put him in the storage. But like like that's why
I say shout out to O g Gi Ghila rings
because at that time, it's like all I had was
Rebox at the time. She I mean, like it was
nothing else you really could wear, you know me, And
they were just like having a Class six and Swiss

(14:39):
Beats came around. All the rappers start signing to him,
like Meet Meal, Swiss Beat, Rick Ross. So they started
making like kamakazzis and things like that and trying to
bring back some.

Speaker 2 (14:46):
Of the old schools.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
But Gil gat a blessed them with a lot of
designer sneakers, you know what I mean, Like he gave
me a load of designer sneakers. I was rocking ahead
out of the designer sneakers.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
Like, yeah, shout out to Gil. He he's the one
dude whos wearing.

Speaker 3 (14:59):
Like the No man, it was wild man we got
We can talk about that another time with Get.

Speaker 1 (15:04):
We'll have them on.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, we gotta have mo on. But Gil was man,
I mean my game in La my rookie. He wore
dotcha inkabanas with no shoestrings like straps. I'm like, bro,
who this guy's crazy. But we both had thirty so
I'm like, shit, he could do it.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
I ain't trying that though. He running and cross runners
and everything.

Speaker 1 (15:20):
Yeah, okay, one more, one more thing about this story
and then we'll go to break. So people said it
was a cab. That's like some fresh prince ship where
they're like, n.

Speaker 2 (15:29):
Tell you one thing.

Speaker 1 (15:30):
I don't think it makes it any under No, I don't.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
Make it un cool.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
But let me be honest. If I was gonna take
a cab. I might well bought a flight. The flight
would have been cheaper than the cab, to be honest,
eighteen hours.

Speaker 2 (15:40):
No, I ain't do that. They want a cab though,
now it was we drove down though.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
That's what I'm saying. It's like a fresh prince, you
know in the theme where he hops from Philly in
a cab and getting shows up in l A. And
I was like, man, John Wall actually did that.

Speaker 3 (15:51):
And if I did that, if I did that, I
need all my money back that cab rade as long
as hell, we'll.

Speaker 1 (15:56):
Make a movie about it. Okay, all right, we're gonna
take a break here, but uh, the big point of
this show is we're gonna get John talking about, you know,
the current stuff that's going on the league. Again, the
insight from an actual player who's just been in the
league recently is gonna be dope. So, John, when we
come back, I want to ask you about the Dunk
Contest because twenty fourteen you won. And then I also
want to talk about the All Star Game because a
lot of opinions floting around and I want to know

(16:17):
how you can fix it or maybe you think it's
cool the way it is, so when we come back
on Point Game, We're gonna be here with John Waller.
All right, welcome back to Point Game now, John, we're

(16:41):
recording this. We're right in the middle of the break,
the All Star break games come back on Thursday. But
I was in Indy for All Star and I always
have a good time, right and you know, we know
there's parties and whatnot, but like the programming itself. Now,
you were a five time NBA All Star. Let me
reiterate that to people listening. You've been there multiple times.

(17:02):
So what did you think about this year's All Star
Because I think a lot of people are saying, we
gotta fix we gotta fix the dunk contest, like everything's
kind of boring. So what do you did you watch
the All Star All Star weekend and what do you
think about it? Uh?

Speaker 2 (17:15):
Yeah, I watched it.

Speaker 3 (17:16):
Be honest, even when I first went my first year
it was in New Orleans, Like I was overwhelming. I mean,
just being an All Star. I feel like I should
have been one a year earlier that and I could
have had more about then have the injuries I had,
But you know, I mean it's all part of God's playing.
But I think like you know what I mean, how
you look at it growing up, Like when I watched
the game, like one of my favorite games, I think
it was in DC AI and then was going at
it to the end when they would when they were.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
Their real jerseys.

Speaker 3 (17:39):
Yeah, like you look at it then and it was
just so competitive, like you know what I mean, Like
they wanted to win, And that's how I think it
has to get back to. But I don't know how
you get it there, you know what I mean. I
think it's hard. But when I played, like it was competitive,
like my first year.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
I did.

Speaker 3 (17:54):
We were the sleeve jerseys. Think we were to save Jersey,
New Orleans. Yeah, we were the blue ones. So like
it was a competitive ass game, Like I was one.
I'm not saying I'm the reason why he won, but
like I started us, like getting back into the game
and making a run. That's when Kyrie went. Kyrie went
MVP that year. He went crazy. He was lazies doing it.
But like it was competitive. I think Mello hit eight
threes that game. Like it was a competitive ass game,

(18:16):
and I think they got to get back to that.
But it's kind of hard because the league has changed,
Like I think they took like seventy one threes is
one team the other team to like sixty something like right,
it's just what the game is now. There was like
they want a lot of scoring. They won a lot
of threes, and they want a lot of highlights, you know,
I mean, like that's just what the game is involved

(18:36):
into now. And like you know what I mean, I
think when Dame shot twenty three threes and they made
eleven of them, but shit, he shot two from half
court and looked like it was effless.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
Like well, that's what I'm saying. I don't think it's
a problem with taking threes, but like they were uncontested
right now.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
I just think like it's like even just look how
the start of the game goes like nobody's really competing,
nobody really doing nothing.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
And may maybe when.

Speaker 3 (18:58):
Kobe was there, like it was had it like Kobe
won bullshitting a round, like you know what I mean.
It's because like for me, I look like you like
the All Star Game should be like a pickup game.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
That's what it really is.

Speaker 3 (19:07):
You got the best twenty four players that the Nbay
think is the best twenty four right now, they should
be competing to each of them. I can't control, like
why guys don't compete, why they do. I don't know
how the Nbay could fix that. And I mean, I
think there's something they all have to talk to about
what the players and with those And I remember earlier
on in my when I went, not say but early
when I went, it was like right after the All

(19:28):
Star Game, we probably had one of two days and
we had to report back to this team, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 2 (19:32):
Like now they get them.

Speaker 3 (19:33):
They give the All Star guys an extra four days
so they can have their own break. So I think
it's a little bit different now. I don't know, like,
but it's changed. The league has changed so many ways,
and the All Star Game has changed. I wasn't there,
and I don't know how the parties and those all
those accolades and things was. But like, yeah, dunk contest
was boring, Like it wasn't a sighting at all. But

(19:54):
I think it's hard though, because so many guys, I'm done,
every damn dunk you basically could do. It's like you
basically got to go get like the best of the
best in the league and see what they can do.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
So I mean, yeah, the dunk content was barring people
the judging. I think a lot of people had some
criticism on the judging, like they weren't given, you know,
the appropriate scores.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
I think, yeah, I agree with the topic. You know, yeah,
I agree with that. I agree with that for sure.

Speaker 1 (20:19):
Well, and what is it because Jalen Brown is like,
oh he's you know, he's a star, He's going to
be the All Star Game. I think there was a
bit of an agenda to get him to the final round.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
I don't know, maybe so, like I think he had
some cool dunks, but it's like dunks we already seen,
Like those were right basic.

Speaker 2 (20:33):
Dunks, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (20:34):
Like, I know he's a freaking athlete, like Jaylen Brown
taking out the way from him, but I think Jacob
Toppit had better dunks to him. He just didn't get
the scores for him, you know what I mean. And
I think it's hard as difficult, you know what I mean.
And also like you don't really have too many All
Stars to try to anticipate in the dunk contest, So
that might have been a reason why they wanted to
get him to the next round.

Speaker 1 (20:54):
So what do you think is that reason why these
bigger players inn play because I was watching back in
twenty fourteen and it was you George on the squad
back when they did teams for the dunk contest. So
why don't these bigger players do the dunk contest.

Speaker 2 (21:08):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (21:08):
I don't know, Like I always told them, like they
asked me to do it early, like a couple of
years earlier before I got did and I told them,
I said, if I make the All Star Game this year,
I do the Dunk Contest, like I wanted my first
time doing a dunk contest to be an All Star Game.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
The team stuff was different. It was a little different
for sure.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
I wish it could have been like individuals, but I
think it was still dope, like we had fun, like
it was creative. They try to do something different and
make it more excited. I'm glad Like they went back
to the East versus West. I think that's the best.
I think somebody came up with it. I think I
seen on Twitter, Instagram, like I think this is how
they do it in baseball, and I don't want to
be wrong, but like whoever win the All Star Game
gets home court throughout the finals. I think that's how

(21:46):
you got to create stuff like that because teams want
the home court in the finals, Like you gotta find
ways to make it more like creative or even when
they did the point thing like the remember I liked
it when they did the point thing, like each quarter,
whoever win the quarter they get like a bonus to
the foundation or whatever it is. And then whoever at
the end, you got a target score, Like I think
that's dope. I thought that was dope. I think they

(22:06):
have to find ways to be creative to make it
a little bit more interesting because of naw, it's.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
Like I didn't even know Kat had fifty.

Speaker 3 (22:14):
Yeah, like you know what I mean, like just being realistic,
like he had fifty and then he shot the ball
thirty five times off the bench, Like that is crazy.

Speaker 1 (22:21):
I well, so with the n season tournament and not
to get off track, but like there was an incentivized
like they incentivize the players, like you get half a
mill or whatever, and it was public fans do that.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
I feel like this, Yeah, I feel like that was
dope because, like Dame said, one of the realist things,
like some of the guys that's two way guys, and
some of the guys that might not make the money
that a lot of these stars make. They want that money,
like that's some money that they can do some stuff
with to take care of their family or take care
of themselves. So they put a target on their back
that everybody was competing to try to really win it,
you know what I mean. So I think you have

(22:54):
to do like you have to do things like that,
you have to put trademark tender and things that's value
to make you like, yo, I got it, Like I
need this win, Like I want to win this for
my guys. Because I enjoyed watching All Star games growing up.
I enjoyed being in the All Star Game. I feel
like all the ones I was in was competitive, and
then I went to the last one that Kobe was
in in Toronto, and that was real competitive, you know

(23:14):
what I mean, Like him and him and Lebron having
the io matchup on the wing, that like idle picture
that everybody has, Like.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, I just think he's ruined. Jake are always doing
the most on the sideline.

Speaker 3 (23:26):
But I just feel like Kobe, like I think everybody
like that's kind of like when Mike got in a game,
Like you know what I mean, Like shit, they compare this,
they dogs like they're not playing around like kind of
I'd be honest to like when Russell West was in
the All Star Game, like he didn't mess around, Like yeah,
because like those guys played with that one motor. They
never turned it off, no matter if it's a pick
up game, one on one, two on two, like they

(23:48):
just played like that at all times. And I think
you gotta have that going on if you want to
bring the All Star Game back. For me, when I
play like I always treat it, this might be my
last time able to play basketball, you know what I mean,
So I just try to give a hundred seeing effort
at all times.

Speaker 1 (24:01):
Well, okay, so we were talking about the dunk contest.
We had some younger players who are being asked about it,
and they were saying, like, we don't need the dunk contests.
We've seen it all and they were recommending and I
think you'll love this king of the court one on
one Like I've been saying, dunk contest in one on one.
So what do you think? How how come it's not
happening because it seems so obvious.

Speaker 2 (24:20):
It depends.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
It goes back to like do the stars players want
to play one on one you know what I mean? Like,
do they want to really go through a King of
a court?

Speaker 2 (24:27):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (24:29):
That's all the bores down to, you know, I mean,
like the guys that's the face of the league, the
guys that has that power and say so in the league.
Is like, do they really want to go through that?

Speaker 2 (24:37):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (24:38):
Yeah, I think it would be dope. They go through
a one on one series, the two on two series,
something like that, like I've seen Gil talking about on
his podcast. But it all depends do you really want
to get through that?

Speaker 2 (24:49):
You know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (24:50):
Like, I think that would be dope and exciting. And
I think we haven't seen a lot of dunks, but
you can still see some more.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
You just got to be creative.

Speaker 3 (24:56):
But I think it's just like you say, it's really
hard because so manyunks have been done. But you look
at the team flight Brother, they come up with some
new dunks every other day. I'm like, what in the world.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
And I'm like, some of the like that's how I
came up with the dunk I did in the Dunk contest.
I didn't know what to do.

Speaker 1 (25:11):
That's why, And tell me, what the preparation are there,
like consultants are people going to some of those professional
dunkers and be like I need a few for my
bag and.

Speaker 3 (25:19):
Like literally I didn't even like literally I was doing
like because I knew it was a team and I
was like, man, I gotta think of one dunk to
do when I'm by myself for my one dunk, and
I was gonna go behind my back like jar Smith did.
I did it at the Chris Paul pickup game, like
charity game we had during the lockown and I was like,
all right, I'm gonna do that. Those were crazy And
one guy was working out with somebody like yah, I

(25:40):
got this one dunk, you probably can try and I'm
like what he was like the ball there. But see
a lot of people don't understand, like when you take
the ball out of somebody in the basketball or somebody
and like I double pumped it, like sometimes you just
grab the ball and dunk Like I double pumped it.
Say it made it more difficult. I had to get
the basketball in his hand, then go down and come
back up with the basketball. So a lot of people
like hold onto the basketball, get himself a boost and

(26:01):
make it dunck a little easier, but he was like, yo,
try I tried it. I did it one time. I
really did that duck twice in my life.

Speaker 2 (26:07):
That one time.

Speaker 3 (26:08):
He showed me I did it on the first try
to say, all right, this is duck I'm doing tomorrow night.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
So I'm like, I didn't. I didn't really know nothing.

Speaker 3 (26:13):
I was like, because you got to think if you
go back to my sophomore year, I played the rookie
sophomore game.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
I was doing dunks in that whole game.

Speaker 3 (26:21):
They were like, no, you gotta get him to Kenny
Spiel like you got to get him in the dunk contest,
Like you gotta get him in the dunk contest. And
I was like, all right, bro, I'll get in the
crazy dunk contest I've seen in person with Aaron Gordon
and zachla being like that was.

Speaker 2 (26:33):
They should have gave out two trophies for that one.
That was amazing.

Speaker 1 (26:36):
No, I think they kind of scared away Aaron because
he got robbed, not robbed the first one said that
Zach was giving it.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
To like like one year. Second, like one year Aaron
didn't do too well. Then the second year he came back.
He was going like they had the herbal bowls spinning
around under both legs. I'm like, but then you got
Zach going tween the legs from the freet the line
win let women from three lines.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
I'm like, bro, just give it a time. Bro, Like
it's getting hand.

Speaker 3 (27:00):
Like what you feel like they could do to change
like the All Star weekend because you were there, so
you know what I mean, Like I don't know how
many you've been to, but like you were there and
you was around you experiences, so I would like know
what you think, like you could change about it.

Speaker 1 (27:12):
No, It's it's interesting because you know a lot of
it is like the fan complaints and the fans sentiment
and so like. And I just love basketball. I love
the celebration of the weekend. But like when I go
to the games, because sometimes people are like there and
they're skipping the games and stuff, and I'm like, this
is why I'm there. And I think I'll start by
saying what they did well was I thought the Steph
versus Sabrina shit was amazing, amazing, you know, like that

(27:33):
was like a pay per view type thing, And I
think that's what let's think about this stuff through the
lens of like it's almost like, let's use the weekend
to answer the greatest what ifs in basketball. So it's like,
you know, constantly when people watch women's sports, so like
can they do it as good as the as the men?
And like Sabrina set that record in her in their
own All Star Games, so they brought her over here.
So I think we got to expand on that, and

(27:54):
I to go back to what I was asking earlier
with the incentivizing these players because we saw it work
with the the in season tournament. I'm like, I legitimately
was pitching this people this week. I was like within
the All Star game itself because it's like that should
be the biggest, biggest event, whether it is or not,
but that should be it. And I'm like, let's create
little mini awards within the game, so you get like

(28:16):
best dunk in game, you know, longest shot, best defensive player,
through some other shit like best debut. And so you
got these guys who are like, oh man, I'm not
getting the ball or I'm not doing certain things, so
like I'm gonna lock into that, and then you get
a combination all these players trying to go and get
certain awards and it's like you get two hundred K
for each of those. Now I don't know what budgets

(28:37):
are looking like, but like you know, if you give
players and it'd be cool. You can have like a
little bit of a post like award ceremony where people
are announcing that shit because I think people in the
third quarter know who MVP is gonna be. So I
think stuff like that and let's just experiment with the shit,
you know, at least, like I think fans love when
the NBA is trying stuff when we've seen that with

(28:58):
the end season, we see that with other stuff and
they might fall flat on their face, but at least
it's different every year.

Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah, I think, I think, I think I believe you
on this too, and I piggyback on it. I believe
like the n Ceedon Tournament was dope because you know,
like early in the season, everybody like the first monthy
to everybody, like usually take it like easy their way.

Speaker 2 (29:14):
Into the season.

Speaker 3 (29:15):
But this year you have to compete, I mean, because
if you really wanted to go to the towards the
en Ceaton Tournament, you made the games more like meanful
early on because usually most people say, like the games
really don't get competitive to write them at the All
Star break, like now everybody trying to find their seat
and like where we're gonna go, where we're matching up
at Like we're trying to find this rhythm, you know
what I mean? And I think the n Ceaton Tournament

(29:36):
kind of gave it a little bit of more boost.
And then you got to think, like seven, eight, nine,
ten got to play against each other. So are you
really trying to be one of those teams that got
to see a Minnesota or Clippers or Denver or Oka
See or Boston or a phillyum Milwaukee in the first
round when you should be seeing them in the second
or third round.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
We were talking about King of the Court. Do you
think some of these guys are scared to get exposed
in King of the Court?

Speaker 3 (30:00):
Well, well, I don't know why you would be scared,
because I remember when I was at USA Basketball and
they they basically playing King of the Court. That was
playing me and post you know what I mean, that
video guy and look how lick that was. You got KD,
you got Paul George, you got Devin Booker, you got
a vide Oldipot was out there, Chris Mility was out there.
You had all those guys that are shot created, tough

(30:21):
shot making. James Harden was out there. Like those guys
are doing it at a high level. I think like
the league would love to see that because I remember
on Boston team they had Kyrie, Jaylen Brown, James Tatum.
They playing ones every day. I have to practice, you
know what I mean. Like, so when you got a
team like that, like I bet you Brad d booking,
KD are playing every day, you know, you know what
I mean? I feel like in Boston you probably still
getting that when you have those teams that just imagine

(30:42):
the Clippers. Though you got Kawhi PG, Jameson Kauhid probably
ain't playing though, Kawhi probably just chilling.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
Kawhi gonna get his work in, do what he do,
keep it moving.

Speaker 1 (30:52):
He got five sat down. But okay, so who you
named a lot of great names who would win if
King of the Court happened next season? Who do you
think would win?

Speaker 3 (31:01):
I just think KD bro like there's nothing you can
do with him, you know what I mean? Like the
way he's improved defensively with using his length. You know
I mean blocking shots. I think when he took that step,
that's what got him to the MVP that year, you
know what I mean, because we already knew he could
score the ball like nothing you could do. Yeah, but
I just thank him, bro, just because he's seven feet
and it's not a shot he can't make, you know

(31:21):
what I mean.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yeah, And then you probably came.

Speaker 3 (31:24):
To the court, you're probably playing through dribbles or at
least a five second Like you can't be out there
dribbling all day.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
I think that. Yeah, I agree with the because the
dribbling then it just becomes sloppy.

Speaker 3 (31:34):
But if you're doing a dribbling, I'm taking kypri irving
and everybody gonna be mad because he got so many
counters and that you can do.

Speaker 1 (31:39):
Yeah. So do you think like a Lebron is that
disadvantage just because of his playing style in a one
on one king of the court.

Speaker 3 (31:46):
I think he could dominate if you want, you know
what I mean, Shit, Lebron's shooting the ball at a
high level. Every year in his career, he got better
at shooting the ball, So it ain't like you can
back up off of him. He can make those still
athletics still can blow by you. It's kind of hard.
I mean, like I don't think he cares for one
on one, right, I mean like he's not one of
those guys that's gonna play king of the court, Like
what do I get out of this?

Speaker 2 (32:06):
But I think the.

Speaker 3 (32:07):
Other guy like Anthony Erwins would love that type of battle,
you know what I mean, like this type of stuff
for those young guys like that. But I think it'll
be a sighting for sure.

Speaker 2 (32:14):
Though.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
All right, let's I want to talk a little bit
of a regular season again, Like not every episode we'll
be talking about All Star. We're just waiting for real
basketball to come back.

Speaker 2 (32:22):
Man.

Speaker 1 (32:22):
But again, you know this time between All Star and
games coming back, like you said, they added four days,
just stories are are getting created. And I think right
now what's being added to the fire a little bit
is is Doc Rivers stuff. Because Doc Rivers he took
on and I will admit to he took on an
incredibly difficult task. Adrian Griffin got fired. Doc came in,

(32:45):
Doc was calling games two days before that, came in
as the coach and he's currently three and seven, And
so I think what the media and fans and it
can be toxic. What they're grabbing onto is Doc has
been doing these interviews and he's saying he's just saying
it's hard, like he's saying, I wouldn't want I wouldn't
wish this on anyone else. And I think people are

(33:06):
acting like he's it's a cop out, he's making excuses.
And then it got to like JJ Reddick was saying
started making excuses. Pet Bev was like, come on, why
are you you know, shitting on Doc? He saved your career.
Austin Rivers went on, so like, what do you make
of this Doc Rivers situation? Do you think he's gonna
get it together? Do you think Doc, you know, is

(33:26):
a certain coach where he's not the guy to like
take over a team with so much potential.

Speaker 2 (33:32):
I'm not sure.

Speaker 3 (33:32):
I don't really like I never i've played against Doc,
but I never had opportunity to play for Doc, you
know what I mean, So I don't know how it really
is as a coach. I only can see, like what
I see from my point of view away from the game,
or even when I was playing against him. For one,
I just didn't feel like Agent Griffin should have been fired,
you know. I mean, like he was number two in
the East at the time. You just gave him a

(33:53):
nice contract. I mean, and then you're still paying Mike Boujeholz.
That means so like now you've played that, you're playing
three coaches. Like, but I don't know personally what was
going on to make them make that decision.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
That's up to the front office and make that move.

Speaker 3 (34:07):
And maybe their players wasn't happy, maybe the front office
wasn't happy, or they just wasn't messing together. Nobody knows
unless you was inside the locker room. And I think
that's the most important thing for them to keep it
inside the locker room, Like nobody needs to know why
they made that decision or was it his fault of
his fault, Like, you don't need to play the blame game.

Speaker 2 (34:24):
As long as they all.

Speaker 3 (34:25):
Agreed to it and they made it, they did what's
best for their organization, you gotta respect it.

Speaker 2 (34:29):
For me.

Speaker 3 (34:30):
I think it's tough though for Doc a little bit,
because you have a team that probably already had the
chemistry and the camaraderie and whatever system they wanted to
run from Agrient Griffin. So they've probably been through that
through training camp into the first what twenty some games
thirty games of the season, if I'm not mistaken to
Now you got to make adjustment to how do Doc

(34:51):
Rivers want to run his team?

Speaker 2 (34:52):
What system do we have to run?

Speaker 1 (34:54):
Like?

Speaker 2 (34:54):
How do you want us to play?

Speaker 3 (34:55):
So it's always hard with a new coach the first year,
trying to get adjusted to how they want you to play.
And then you gotta think Damon Jannie is trying to
figure out how to play together. You know, I mean,
Dames used to being ball dominant being in his show,
now he's with Joannis where Jianni's used to be in
Baald dominant in his show a lot of times, you
know what I mean. And then a lot of times
in the fourth quarter it would go to Chris Middleton

(35:16):
as they closer. Now you have Damian Lillard, that's bonafide
one of the best closes that we've ever seen. And
now how do you mess all three of these guys together?
So you go from putting all three of these guys
into one system and Chris Midton coming back from injury
and being in and out of the lineup, that's difficult,
and then boom, we got to switch from this one
system to another system, Like that's very difficult in one

(35:37):
season and they only played ten games together and I
think Chris Middleton got injured and one of the games
that Dame said out he sprained his ankle. Yeah, so
like you're trying to build this camaraderie with your team
to get everybody messed together, but then we're also trying
to do it on the court, and it's like they
on the spotlight because Gianni's every year they look at
you. You should be in the finals, you should be trying
to win another MVP. Dame, it's time for you to

(35:58):
get a ring, like you know what I mean, Like
that's how they're looking at it, and like this is
the move they made to help him.

Speaker 2 (36:03):
Push forward towards that.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
So I can't put all the blame on Doc because
it's like for sure, and you can't put all the
blame on the players because we're trying to figure out
how to play together still. I mean, like Johannis and
Damn say they watch film together, working out together and
trying to figure out how to make it better.

Speaker 2 (36:18):
And then we got to try to figure out that.

Speaker 3 (36:19):
We got it just to a whole new system now
so like, but it's like when you take that job,
even though you might not ask for the targets on
your back then because you have one of the best
players in the league and one of the best closes
we've ever seen.

Speaker 2 (36:31):
So they like, well, you got to figure it out.

Speaker 3 (36:33):
You've been in the league long enough, been around coach
a lot of superstar that you got to figure it out.
And it's like they look at it it's like you
only won one championship with all.

Speaker 2 (36:41):
These great teams you had.

Speaker 3 (36:43):
Yeah, and then you know, they also look at it
as like he's blown a lot of three one leads,
you know what I mean. So all that is the
pressure they have on Doc on top of trying to
figure out how to get all these new guys and
new team is coaching to get on one pedal stool.
But I feel like he can get it done. I
feel like he's great coach and he could figure it out.
I just think it takes time. It's only been ten games.

(37:03):
But I mean that's what happens when you were in
that spot. Like I kind of look at like when
I went to the Clippers, like I feel like it wasn't.

Speaker 2 (37:09):
Fair to me.

Speaker 3 (37:11):
I went over there and I didn't care if I
started or not. I mean, that's when think I always
wanted to get I just wanted to play basketball, like
I was happy to be able to compete. And it
was like, well, they got to get over the hump,
they got to do this. They got a big three,
and I'm like, well, it's hard because a big three,
a big three pull to start, you know what I mean.
I didn't start, which is cool. I was found that.
I wasn't upset about that. I mean, but I couldn't

(37:35):
play back to backs, Kawhi couldn't play back to backs.
Then Paul George's in out of lineup with injury. So
it's like we never had an opportunity to get a rhythm,
find a chemistry and play together at the same time
because it was all, oh, John Wat's coming that we
should be better, Kawhi is coming back, but Kawhi was
coming off injury, also coming off injury, so they had
a plan for him, you know what I mean. So
it wasn't like we really got to see what we

(37:55):
really could have been. And we had glimpses of it
at times, but I was on men and Kawhi I
was on minu restriction, so it was difficult.

Speaker 2 (38:03):
It was kind of tough.

Speaker 3 (38:03):
So I kind of look at it as like t
Lude was trying to balance out and figure out how
to do it the best way he could possible, you
know what I mean. And the same I feel like
what Dot was doing, but I feel like they could
figure it out.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
No.

Speaker 1 (38:14):
I just to remind everyone the intricacy is of basketball,
because I know the super team is definitely something that's
being looked at, you know, with the magnifying glass now
because some of this shit hasn't worked out, you know.
And it's like, just like you said, Dame came from
playing in Portland for so many years where he was
the guy he never had a honest and like you know,

(38:35):
to the general fan, they're like, oh, that's a luxury,
but it's like no, these guys, they had these roles.
They got to change and like what Dame got traded
in late July early August, like he had like a
month or two and then they got training camp. You
got to figure that out for quick and you got
to figure that out in game situations. So yeah, I
think I think it's great. Like what you had just

(38:56):
said is a reminder and like you said, you got
added to the Clippers and the guys weren't healthy and
the rotations were changing, and we saw it happy with
Russ and the Lakers, like these are Hall of famers
being team up against each other, and we all just
we act like we didn't see the Clippers like lose
eight in a row when James got added to the team,
and now they're the hottest team in the league right now.

(39:16):
So I think, Yeah, it's a long season and it's
just a great reminder it's like chemistry and a lot
to figure out.

Speaker 3 (39:22):
Yeah, I just feel like everybody think like just because
I think everybody just think this because we were basketball
players that we night, we all supposed to just right
work like this.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
It doesn't work like that.

Speaker 3 (39:32):
Like it takes time, you know what I mean, Like
Kawhid and PG had to get used to James having
the ball most of the time now, you know what
I mean, Like now he's running pick and roll and
doing the hell of a job, Like he's one of
the best passes in the pick and roll, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 2 (39:43):
Like, but now James took the back seat.

Speaker 3 (39:45):
Okay, I'm not gonna score as much unless those guys
that have an off night or unless I have to
turn up a notch. Yeah, but most of the time
he's probably getting ten and twelve points, but he's getting
ten to eleven assists, you.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
Know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (39:56):
Like he's orchestrating their offense, running the team, and he's
getting those guys rolling. But I think like everybody just
bought him to it, Like you know, everybody has to
buy into the sister and buy into what's going on.
And it's easier said than done. Like you know what
I mean, Like they got James in the middle of
the season.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
It ain't like they got him had it started season
when he went through a whole training camp with them,
Like they're using the season as their training camp to
get him activated with everything.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
And it's it's difficult. It's not as easy as everybody think.

Speaker 3 (40:24):
Like it's not like even when I was with the Clippers,
like to lou hell of a coach all day, It's
like it just was difficult because it's times he wanted
to play me more, but I only can play twenty
twenty two minutes, you know, I mean, it's times more I
want to play more and I'm frustrated because I feel
like I should be it right now, but I can.

Speaker 2 (40:40):
I'm at a minute restriction.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
It's times when certain guys feel like they're playing well
in practice should be getting more minutes, you know what
I mean.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
Like it's always a difficult thing.

Speaker 3 (40:47):
And that's why I be saying as a coach, is
you got to do a hell of a job, like
you got to touch your foundation. And also as GM
they got to do a hell of a job because
just because I'm nice and you nice, don't mean our
games messed together, you know what I mean, Like we
got to really study the game understand like, Okay, are
they really gonna be able to feed off each other
the right way? Can he make him better? Or is

(41:07):
he gonna make our team worse? And I think we
gotta do a lot of more studying them doing that.
Like a lot of talent out there. We're not sending
a lot of talented guys, but can a lot of
talented guys sept the role and can a lot of
talent guys like be veterans to some of these young guys,
Like I feel like the league need more veterans in
the league, and not just saying because I'm out of it.

Speaker 2 (41:25):
I just feel like we need more vets for these
young guys.

Speaker 3 (41:27):
And that's a pointing to where the GM and the
coach guys like, you know what, I'm just bringing you
in to be a great VET like you might not play.

Speaker 2 (41:33):
Are you cool with accepting that role?

Speaker 3 (41:35):
And I think that more we're upfront and honest like
they want us to be honest with them, it makes
everything much more easier for your team and y'all can
go a long way.

Speaker 1 (41:43):
Yeah, all right, we gotta take a break. I do
want to in this podcast get more in depth of
your time with the Clippers in Houston, cause I feel
like it's a little bit misunderstood. But we'll talk about it.
We're gonna do a lightning round game when we come
back that we came up with called bucket or Brick.
We're gonna geinst your thoughts on some of the other
storylines happen the NBA right now. Can we come back
bucket brick which John look at it? Gambling problem called

(42:10):
winning hundred gambler or in West Virginia visit www dot
one eight hundred gambler dot net and New York Call
eight seven seven eight Hope and Why, or text hope
and Why for six seven three sixty nine. Connecticut Help
is available for problem gambling call eighty eight seven eight
nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org.

(42:30):
Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort
in Kansas twenty one plus. Age varies by jurisdiction, void
in Ontario, ce DKNG dot com. Slash promos for eligibility
and responsible gaming resources. Odds and lines subject to change.

(42:52):
All right, Welcome back to point game with John Wall
and CJ. Toldano. Uh, this is a really fun game
that we we we've practiced before, but this is a
lightning round type game where we're gonna ask John not asked.
We're gonna say a statement about the NBA, and if
John agrees, he's gonna say bucket, and if he disagrees,
he's gonna say brick and then explain why. But first

(43:14):
Bucketer Brick is brought to you by Draft Kings Sportsbook.
Draftking Sportsbook is your home for all things NBA action,
from player props to same game parlays. Check out everything
DraftKings Sportsbook has to offer to make your NBA experience
even Sweeter. The crown is yours, all right, John. So
we were talking about the Clippers in the last Act,
Your Last Team. I said, they're the hottest team in

(43:35):
the league right now, and I think they have the
third best odds to win the title at plus five hundred,
which means if you bet one hundred, you would win
five hundred if they win the title. So Bucketer, Brick,
the Clippers will win the title this year, Brick.

Speaker 2 (43:52):
I think Brick.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
It's kind of hard because I want to say Bucket
did I want to say Brick? Because there are the
hottest team. Hell of a coach in t lou you
know what I mean, Like he knows what he's doing,
He's done it before.

Speaker 2 (44:05):
I know.

Speaker 3 (44:05):
Kawhi is the closer. He's won two finals MVPs. I
just think they need a full year together to like
get what they really want out of it. But I
think they're gonna have a chance to get close though.

Speaker 2 (44:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
A lot of people are saying, you know, the Clippers
kind of fall apart in the playoffs, and a lot
of that is health. So like, how much do you
think that's on their mind or they're like just.

Speaker 2 (44:29):
I think health is always the key to any team.

Speaker 3 (44:32):
I mean, like being healthy, going into the playoffs and
going to the finals is the key to any team,
you know what I mean. Like I feel like that
it's luck, like you got to ask some luck to
win the championship, healthy and playing well at the right time.
But I think there's like it's just like a burden,
like a lot of pressure on the Clippers, you know
what I mean, Like because everybody feel like with Kawhi
and PG, they should have been to the finals or

(44:52):
won one by now, but like you said, like they
had it's always been an injury in the playoffs, the
ejurine here, injured deer or then you have the bubble,
you know what I mean, Like where a lot of
guys probably just checked out, Like I didn't go to
the bubble, but I know that would have been difficult
been there way for your family, not doing nothing but
the same stuff complete constantly over and over. So I
think that's a pressure there, in a burn there. But

(45:13):
they have the team, they have the talent, they have
the depth, they have the coaching staff to be able
to win it all. So that's why it was kind
of hard to say brick, because I wanted to say, Bucket,
but I feel like they get a whole year on
themselves of knowing what they want to do.

Speaker 2 (45:27):
I think they'll get one.

Speaker 1 (45:29):
I'll ask you later on this season. I think, yeah,
your opinion might change. So yeah, okay, next.

Speaker 3 (45:34):
A little bit, I see a little bit more high
like how the second happened the season going, I probably change.

Speaker 1 (45:40):
Okay, Bucket or Brick. This rumor has been going around,
but the Lakers should sign Trey Young this summer.

Speaker 3 (45:46):
Hmm, Bucket, I think Bucket. I feel like Trey's done
a lot in Atlanta. He's very talented man, you know.
I mean like it's one of those guys that it's
hard to guard, you know, I mean the league now,
you can't touch anybody.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
He's crafty, he can shoot the pass.

Speaker 3 (45:58):
And I think they got to kind of start with
paying for like if Lebron's last year is this year,
next year, whenever it is, that you got another star
player next to Ad. And I feel like a pick
and roll with a D and a guy like Trey
Young could be Dad, you know what I mean. Look
how he's made compel to look and all these other guys.
So I think that'd be a good move for them.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
Okay, next one bucket or brick. The Warriors should resign
Klay Thompson because I think people are saying that Clay
had has been going through a little bit of a falloff.
So Warriors re signing Clay Thompson this summer.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
Uh, I'm gonna say both.

Speaker 3 (46:32):
I'm gonna tell you why it's fifty to fifty because
if they want Clay to come out the bench, I
don't think he's willing to accept that role Brett.

Speaker 2 (46:40):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (46:41):
I mean, I think he might take a pay cut,
but I don't think he's want to be able to
accept that role coming off the bench, you know what
I mean. But I think if he takes a pay
cut and start, I think he's willing to stay with
the Warriors.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
But that's the decision they got to make as a
front off, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (46:56):
Like, I kind of think they have been going ups
and downs because it's difficult when you're being at this
spotlight and been at the level where he's been at
for so long and won championships, and you have two
major injuries, you know what I mean. Then in some
days you have your days that you feel good some
days you don't have your days like I've been there,
and it's kind of difficult. I think he responded to
well though, coming off the bench and having the hell

(47:18):
of a night and helping them win that game. You know,
you just got to kind of see how the second
half of the season goes.

Speaker 1 (47:22):
Do you think any of that is due to like
maybe there's a change of scenery or like a I
don't know, a fatigue on a dynasty team, like they've
been trying to figure out their bench and whatnot. Like
do you think Clay just seems that change of scenery?
And not to talk about the Lakers again, but like
if he was to end up on the Lakers next year,
you know, a team that he grew up loving his
dad played from, do you think there would be any

(47:43):
resurgence there?

Speaker 3 (47:45):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (47:45):
I think so, you know what I mean, Sometimes you
might need to change your scenery. You never know.

Speaker 3 (47:49):
But also I think it's kind of difficult now because
you have the young fellow john the communicy that's taking
the next step, and now instead of Clay being the
second option, it's Johnny Comita being the second option, you
know what I mean, So kind of throw the ball
to him in the post. He's not just waiting and
holding the ball for pinned downs. For Stephan Clay, he's
been aggressive and trying to go score. So now it
kind of puts Clay into the third option maybe fourth

(48:09):
option if you want to say, at times, and I can't.
I think there's something he's trying to adjust to in
the middle of a season instead of like because earlier
on in the beginning season, that wasn't a role for JOHNA. Commick,
you know, I mean he kind of got into that
role later on because his name was buzzing a lot
doing the trade dead lines and seeing if they was
gonna move him because a lot of teams wanted them.

Speaker 2 (48:25):
And I know how special in talent he is.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
He came to my John Wall Holliday Invitational tournament played
he played against one of the best high scall teams
I think I've seen with Mount Verne with Scottie barn
and k Cunnahim and them, and he did well, you know,
I mean, he's talent gifted, got a lot of stuff.

Speaker 2 (48:40):
I just did.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Like you said, like the Warriors didn't know which way
they wanted to go, keep young talent, keep the big
three together.

Speaker 2 (48:47):
And keep trying to build.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
So they're figuring it out and I think Mike Delly
be doing a hell of a job with that and
Steve Kerr.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
Okay, all right, final bucket brick And I've been actually
reading some stories on this and I think, yeah, you
answered as honestly as you want, but the bucket or brick,
the Phoenix Suns should sign you.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
The bucket.

Speaker 3 (49:08):
I'm gonna keep it a g not just because like,
and this is what I want to get across the
chest for anybody. Like I don't care about chasing the ring,
like you know what I mean, Like if I get one,
thank you. But I feel like I've showed out talent
diam in this league, how good aim in this league.
I just love to play the game of basketball, you know.
I mean, like I still feel like I have enoughing
to tank to play. It might not be at the
highest level like I was playing thirty eight to forty

(49:30):
minutes before, but I feel like I can do a lot.
I'm a better catching shoot guy than a lot of
people think, Like I didn't get a lot of those
in my career, but when I do, I shoot like.

Speaker 2 (49:39):
Forty percent from catch and shoot.

Speaker 3 (49:40):
But uh, I just feel like they need a true
point guard, you know, I mean to help those guys
just settle in, like deep books doing the hell of
a job playing point. Brad does it at times. But
those guys are bona fide scores, you know what I mean,
Like you put them bout anybody hands for thirty eight mins,
they're gonna have nine ten assists. I mean, they just
making the right play playing basketball. But I think those
guys just need to be bon to five scores and

(50:02):
don't worry about keeping the next guy happy. That should
be a true point guard's position. Let the scores be scores.

Speaker 1 (50:08):
Yeah, that's why I want you back in the league.
Is you know, we see the player's evolution, right, and
so I don't think we've really honestly gotten to see
the role player evolution for you. And like you said,
like and I guess ask let me ask you this.
Are you still talking to Brads Brad you know, hitting
you up? Or are you guys talking at all about possibilities?
Are you guys just still you know, talking about.

Speaker 3 (50:28):
Now we just talked. We just talked from time to time.
Like I don't even try to put that pressure or
burning on them about it, you know what I mean,
Like if I'm in a city, like I was in
La visiting and they was playing, I want to go
visit the game, you know what I mean. Like I'm
not putting that pressure on him or KD or D Book,
Like I'm cool with all those guys, but they focus
is locking in on the season right now, you know.
I mean, like if the front office come them, like
do you want to sign them? I hope they will

(50:49):
say yeah. But if the front office is not doing that,
then I'm not going to try to put that burden
on them guys and put that pressure because now I
look at it, it's like, oh damn, you ain't trying
to get me signed, and I don't want to be
your homebok. Like that's never gonna come between, you know
what I mean. Like that's not their role, that's not
their job. But I just feel like I can help
them out a lot. I mean I feel like I
could and maybe if it's not this year, maybe next year.

(51:11):
You know, I mean hopefully you never know what can happen.
But I just sit back and look like I'm like,
you can't make a point guard like point guards are made,
you know what I mean, like you can't just try
to build a point guard to be a true point guard,
like those guys are made. I think you look at
the Clippers at times they wanted PG and Kawhi. It
kind of be like run a lot of picking rolls
be they point guards. Those guys are BONA five bucket getters.

(51:33):
They might get you for SIS sixty sixty if you
double teaming them, but those guys are BONA five bucket getters,
and I.

Speaker 2 (51:38):
Think that made they roll so much more easier.

Speaker 3 (51:41):
James is the one that's facilitating running the team, getting
everybody's shots when they need to, and we're gonna carry
it load on the score.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
Yea. All right, Well, John man, this has been exciting,
Like I want you to get signed, but I'm happy
you're here with us and we're doing this thing for
the rest of the season. So keep checking out Point
Game presented by DraftKings. I'm CJ. Toldano. Shout out to
my co host John Wall. Guys, if you like this podcast,
don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on everything, share

(52:08):
the clips that have been coming out, follow all of
our socials. I've been CJ Toldano. We see you next time.
Please