December 30, 2025 • 36 mins
In a special episode we recap the best stories from Isaiah Thomas & C.J. Toledano so far, including: the origin of Isaiah's "Pizza Guy" nickname, being Jaylen Brown's vet in Boston, his sudden trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Evan Turner's funniest moments with David Lee, how to avoid getting dunked on, NBA handshakes and so much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome a point game. I'm CJ.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Toddanno and will of course be joined by my co
host Isaiah Thomas. Now this is a special episode with
some best of moments without further ado, let's go to
me and it one more thing because this is out
of curiosity. When I was just doing a little bit
of research. Uh you know, when we were starting this
this podcast with you, obviously I knew the one nickname
you had King of the fourth Quarter, which is you know,
(00:36):
you went off from the fourth quarter. It was like, no,
no lead was safe with you guys or playing against
you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
But this one I saw Pizza Guy.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Can you please give some context as to why people
called you Pizza Guy.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Look, the Pizza Guy came from I had a I
had a good I had a nice little One of
my first endorsement deals was with a pizza company called
Pizza Guys back in Sacramento, and it was my first
three in the league.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
So we did commercials.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It was commercials every like every break in the game,
especially local games, they played my commercials. So it got
so big in terms of being the pizza Guy. Anytime
I'm in like even like Golden State, I'm if we
got home games in Sacramento. There's literally signs in the
in the crowd like saying the lines I said throughout
(01:24):
the commercial.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
What kind of guy is Isaiah Thomas's quick, fiery and determined.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
And I'm a pizza guy. That's why I'm loving the
fresher scratch pizza. Pizza guys. Are you a pizza guy?
And get the pizza guys.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
And the funny thing about it is I would go
I would be in the warm up line. You know,
you're in the warm up line, and guys like you
go to half court, you chop it up with somebody
on the other team because that's your friend or some
or something around them. That way, every player would be like,
I'm a pizza guy. Get the pizza guys.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Because that was one of my little That was one
of my little lines.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
And anytime you watch a sacrim Mental game, I promise
you throughout the game it probably came on thirty times
at least through all the commercials, So anybody who watched
Sacramento games, it was really a nickname that I was
given through an endorsement I had. So even when I
go back to Sack now, it's like somebody's gonna yell
out the pizza guy for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I promise you right now, I'm not gonna call you
pizza guy at all this.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
It's funny and if you do, it's all good. I
get it.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, I would say, Sacramento, if anyone in that
organization is watching this, we need to bring back those commercials.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They need they need to, they need to. Anytime I
go to Sack, I call it pizza guys. I get
a little free pizza all the day. I'm a lifetime
pizza guy, bro, so it's all good.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
There was a viral clip where Jalen in the middle
of the game. I think he's against Jaylen Brown. I
think he was in like triple threat, swinging around his
head hit the jersey of the defender and his hair spray.
I don't even know what to call it. His hair
rubbed off on there and that viral and then his
response was, Hey, I should get on Twitch and stream
(03:04):
me getting my hair fixed. So bucketter Brick, did Jalen
respond to that embarrassing moment correctly?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
He responded correctly, for sure. Okay, but dang, Jalen, I
thought I'd taught you better. Come on, man, that's my
rook right there. We can't be seen with the Beijing
in the hair. That's what it's called. When they got
the little black stuff in the air. Come on, man,
you too young to be putting that in the hair.
Jalen Brown. I like how you saved yourself though, clown
(03:34):
to yourself, laughing about it because it is funny. But
come on, JB, I thought I'd taught you better than that.
I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with a bucket
for how he responded. But Brick, come on, we can't
do that.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
And so you said he was your rook What was that?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Like?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
One thing I would say on the court, and when
it came to basketball, he asked questions. He wanted to
be great, so to see his progression and his success.
Now it's a no brainer because he thought he was.
He thought he was the best at that point and
that was amazing to have that mindset. But come on, Jalen,
I thought I thought I taught you better. On top
(04:13):
of that, I got to tell the people what I
did to you. You know, rookie year, he wasn't doing anything.
And when I say not anything, not bringing the soap
on the road for the showers he's not bringing. He's
not having the lotion for everybody. These are little rookie
duties that you know, every rookie gotta do. You gotta bring,
you got you gotta have towels for everybody after the game.
(04:33):
Little things that, Okay, if you do them, nobody's gonna
mess with you. If you don't, we're gonna be on
your helmet. And he thought he was just bigger than
the program. Nobody's bigger than the program being a rookie.
So every time it would pile up every road trip,
he's not bringing the soap, he's not bringing the towels,
he's not doing this. So one time, towards the end
(04:55):
of the year, we all got together. I forgot who
it was it was. I got we had a home game,
it was like towards the end of the season, and
he didn't. He didn't do nothing, maybe the game before.
So I'm like, okay, I'm popcorning in his car. It's over.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
I gave him.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I gave him chance after chance, popcorning it. So I
got the people who work in the locker room throughout
the game, I'm like, okay, I pay you to go
get popcorn from upstairs during the game, please popcorn Jalen's car.
So after the game, and it sucks because he had
a bad game too, so he was already mad.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
We end up winning the game, but he already had
a bad game.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So he was the first one out, first one out
the locker room, storming out, go to the car, and
I'm always usually the last guy out, so I'm not
in no rush. I remember Danny Ainge coming into Danny
Ainge coming in the locker room.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
He's like, I t did you popcorn Jalen's car? I'm like, who.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Told you that? Like, I didn't do it. I didn't
do anything. I don't I don't know what you're talking about.
It became a joke. It was so funny that when
I go to my car to get to get my car,
all the people who got the popcorn, like the guys
the locker room attendants, they're the ones cleaning it out,
so I go and help them too. I'm like, I
(06:14):
didn't want y'all to get in trouble. They got in
a little bit of trouble for following my direction. So
shout out to you know, the Celtics locker room attendants.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
We got We're like this always.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Jalen was hot and it was funny because it was
his rookie season and he had family in town.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
He had one car, so everybody was in that car.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
They just they were just outside the car like this,
so mad, trying to leave and they couldn't leave. To
all the popcorners out, I love it for anybody watching this,
your rookie, please just do what you're ass Nobody's doing
nothing to embarrass you.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
You just gotta fall in line. You're not bigger than
the program man.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well, let me ask you, have you ever been booting
an arena and had you overcome? Have you ever been
a villain, which is definitely not anything would ever think
of you, But have you ever been a villain?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I haven't been a villain, No, I haven't. I've always
liked the fans for the most part. Yeah, kind of
kind of always showed some love. Like There's been times
like when I was in Cleveland, I wasn't playing well.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
They booed a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
They bo when I played for the Cows, but I
was hurt, so I understood it. I didn't take it
personal because you're not booing when I'm one hundred percent,
there's no way. So and then I'm just I interact
with the fans and that that part of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
So I haven't been booed.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember early on in my career I played for
the Kings and we played in Madison Square Garden. They
booed me because of my name. They didn't like the
older Isaiah Thomas. So every time I touched the ball,
especially my first time, I was like, they was boring me.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I was like, what did I do?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
And then I go to the bench they say, oh,
they boring you because your name. I'm like, oh, I
get it because it's crazy. Like a quick story, I
was in prep school in Connecticut. My friend Jamal Crawford
was on the Knicks. So when I had open weekends
in prep school, I would take a train to New
York and go to the Knicks games or stay at
Jamal's house. And I'm sixteen seventeen at this point and
(08:10):
Isaiah Thomas is the coach. So it was that year
when you would go to the games and they would
just bow Isaiah Thomas the whole the whole season.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
They wanted them fired. The fans didn't like them.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
And so fast forward when I was on the Kings
my first time.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
I remember touching the ball.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
And they just they just booing me right, And then
I remember walking by.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Spike Lee and he's like, you know, we got to
do it to you. It's just your name. It's all good,
and it just that was crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Spike Lee even knew who I was and mentioned me,
and it was it was definitely a little joke. But
they just don't like that name around there, so I
was definitely smiling.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I remember after the game my mom calling me. She
was mad.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
She was like, why are they boring you? I was like,
you got to just relaxed. It's just the name, that's all.
So yeah, it's semi you and my dad's fault, but
it's all. I'm gonna just take it because everybody don't
get booed in Madison Square gardens. So I'm gonna just,
you know, I'm gonna take that one to the chin.
I've never been dropped, I've never been dunk down. There's
(09:11):
a picture of me going up against Lebron. It looks
like I'm about to get dunked on. My kids clowned
about that too, but I found him and he missed
the layup, so the poster looks like.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
He's gonna turn it on me, but he never did.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
And I don't think I'm ever gonna be the guy
that gets duncked done just because and if you ever
dunk on me, it's like you're supposed to.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
I'm five nine, so I'm not tripping. I'm not tripping
at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I remember speaking of Lebron because I was a big
Bulls fan. I was.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I was living in Chicago during those like Bulls Heat,
those Bulls Heat series titles, and I remember John Lucas
he had that one jumped over him. But you know,
shout out to guys like you. The fact that you
even contest that is like you know you got.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Like that just show it was a It was a
frustrating play.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It wasn't the smart play for me to do, but
I did it anyway, just out of frustration. And luckily,
like I was like this for the basketball guys, thank you,
thank you for not putting me on a poster like that.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
We're gonna show, we're gonna bring up the video and
we'll show people that it's not a poster.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Picture's a lot to bring up the video. You could
show the picture at first because the pictures donna look
like it.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Because even my kids, my kids would make fun of me, like, dang,
you got It's like, nah, my brother, I did not
get dunk young he I fouled him and he missed
the layup.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
When you got traded to the Calves and people say
you didn't resign, you didn't get that super max because
of your hip, Like what was sort of going through
your head? Like how tough was it to leave here?
And then when did you finally feel like you know,
like that's in the past.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
I got I gotta keep it moving.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
I mean I didn't. I didn't. It wasn't in the
past until like I got healthy again.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Like I always say, if I got traded to Cleveland
and I was one hundred percent healthy, like right when
I started playing training camp, and then I would to
move past everything because I'm playing, I'm focused on something different.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I'm one hundred percent healthy.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
But at that time when I got traded, I didn't
play till like the middle of January. So I go
from getting traded in August to not playing till January.
It was somewhat difficult to move on seeing watching the
Celtics play, watching my new teammates playing, I can't compete
with them.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
So it was tough.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
But once I got healthy and was able to play
the game again, like I wasn't really tripping on what happened.
Like obviously, it was a tough situation. I felt like
I gave my heart to this city, this organization, and
to be a franchise player and to be traded out
of nowhere. It was tough on top of being hurt.
But like out of all people, I understood the business.
(11:44):
Like people will always be.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Like, oh, you keep bringing it up. It was like
the media was bringing it up. I wasn't. I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, Like I wasn't talking about it. I just had
to I just had to answer those questions. So like,
and then at the end of the day, I'm human. Yeah,
I had real feelings, Like I had real love for
this city and organization and I wanted to keep it going.
But like I said, at the end of the day,
I understand the business one hundred percent, and I understand
some things happen that you know, both sides don't really
(12:14):
want to happen, but for the business side of it,
it makes sense. So you find ways to continue to grow,
continue to move on and continue to, you know, just
keep competing and doing things with a smile interface.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And I tried to do that the best I could.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
As I got older, I started to not even obviously
think about it as much. But as a basketball player,
as a human, yeah, you always look back and be
like what if, or you think about those things, what
if this happened one? But as you get older, you
understand you can't control a lot of things, and you.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Got to move on as best as you can.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I gave away so many kobepes that I'm so mad
at myself. But giving away obviously that was before you know,
my guy passed away.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Rest in peace, Kobe. But I just thought they would
be coming forever.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
You know, like obviously you think Kobe gonna be here
forever as well, But like I thought they were just
gonna be coming forever. That's why when somebody would asks
during the game, like man, can I get those?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Can I somebody back at the crib? Can I get
that colorway? It was like, hell, yeah, I'm gonna be
getting unlimited of these, So it's good.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So there's a few pair that I don't have anymore,
and I wish I had just because I was being
so nice and generous and giving them away, but like,
I'm gonna always be team Kobe. I'm always represent the
brand Kobe to the death. And like you said, like
everybody's wearing Kobe's now, all the colleges got them, which
is super cool, but it ain't nothing about it ain't
(13:44):
nothing like having.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Your own player exclusive when it comes to Kobe.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
All right, So how many sneakers you think you've got
in your collection right now?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Total?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I mean, and this is not basketball shoes.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Let's say basketball shoes.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I mean, I would say a few hundred, three hundred,
and I give away a lot, especially like people in
from where I'm from, Like I'm giving them everybody got
my shoes. I'm giving away. It's just obviously it's a
nice thing to do. But like I I've always been
like that. There was one summer I gave you probably
(14:17):
one hundred pair of shoes, and I was like, there
was a reason for it, but dang, it was right
before the it was right before the shoe the shoe
the shoe culture start booming. Like there was some exclusive
I gave away that I'm upset about. But you know,
hopefully somebody's rocking them the r If.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
You got one of it's pe send us a picture
in the.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Don't sit on pictures, send it back.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I'll give you another little gift. Send me back my peas. Man,
I need them, So let me ask you this.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So like funniest teammate and I guess, funniest moment on
that squadro.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
We just had a goofy ass group of like like
I thought, they'll probably get pissed at this. But we
used to gamble on the plane and I would play
at the table where they were really paying money, like
you know what I'm saying, y'all playing Monopoly fight the fight.
(15:18):
So they did this man so bogus. So we know
they about the wave David Lee, but they all owe
David Lee like collectively like a quarter. So David Lee
like I could be gasing. It's a bit David Lee Like, Man,
I'm finna get baught up. I'm going to man this.
So you get up and go to the bathroom. I
ain't gonna say who at the table these niggas was like, yeah,
(15:41):
so the deadline Tuesday?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Are we paying.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Literally paying? Like like are we paying? Are y'all paying? So?
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Like literally like now we ain't gonna pay so so
then by the time we see him next, like when
we play the MAVs, Davids in the shooting around like like, hey.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Bro, we're that bread like you got so far.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Damn you want to like broadcast and he's as smart
ass that Damn I can't get my little sixty thousand,
like damn big ballers.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Like it's like a casual NBA fan. We don't like.
People don't know about David Lee at all.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
It's the funniest. It was the funniest, coolest, like wavest.
I was telling somebody the other day. I was like,
when I like this daily, I want to talk about
like real money and people finding somebody man. David Lee
was just getting to it now. So he was living like, yeah,
different life and yeah, you lived in Tom Brady's old
house for like thirty Yeah, like you was so booming
(16:48):
that like we might be like what you're wearing a
night and I'd be like, man, Gucci and Jordan's and
like our fit might be like twenty three hundred. I'm
like what you're wearing, d League man jeans, a black
tea and a quartermain dollar watch. For sure, I ain't
gonna go in here, bro, like I'll buy a bottle.
He'll do like five figures. He's a cool I still
(17:11):
talk to I still talked to DV too.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
D was one of.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
So Mike Conley the other night he hits a three
against the Spurs. Now you proceeded to do ten unique
handshakes with each of his teammates. So I'm just asking you,
what is the process, Like, when do these handshakes get created?
Speaker 2 (17:33):
How often are they rehearsed? Tell everyone the fans who
are in the locker rooms, how does that come to be?
Because it seems like a big trend in the league
for the last couple of decades.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
It's crazy. It's a whole thing.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
It usually happens like during training camp, everybody's trying to
figure out their little handshakes. Like I didn't really start
to see it until I got traded to Cleveland. And obviously,
you know, Lebron's been big on doing that since the
first time he's been in Cleveland. Whether they're doing pregame antiques,
they're doing all types of handshakes.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
So he was really the leader of that in Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
He like everybody got to think of something dope to dude,
that relates to you know, you guys's friendship really, So
that was really a big thing. And then every other
team after that I've been on, it's like, you better
be locked in on these handshakes because when the camera's on,
there's no time to mess up.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So it's really a big thing.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Where guys is in the locker room, you'll look over
there in the corner, they're working on a handshake over there.
They're like, man, what do you think we're doing on
this handshake?
Speaker 4 (18:34):
So it's serious and if.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
You really watch, nobody's really messing up, like everybody is
just everybody's just tapped in. And the crazy thing about
it is Lebron is doing handshakes with teammates from ten
years ago that he hasn't played with in years, and
he remembers everything. So like, shout out to Bron, Shout
(18:57):
out to everybody who's locked in on the handshakes, because
you be locked in on the game and right when
you go to the bench, you hitting everybody with all
these down the line, I'm surprised coaches don't have handshakes.
The next thing we got to do is have coaching staff.
Gotta have dope dope handshakes. Yeah, with the coaching staff,
that would be funny.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Well.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
I talked to Richard Jefferson too about I mean that
twenty sixteen cass team, and he was saying they were
just like they had no business being the Warriors, but
they were just brothers. It was all on brotherhood and
like the handshake thing. And you've talked about that too
with their Celtics teams, Like the closer you guys are
and that the handshake thing. It seems it could be
silly child's play, but it means something.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
It means a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
It means like that's that says a lot about your friendship.
If you got a quick one, it's like, oh, they're
not that close.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I would be watching the games like that, that's quick one.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
You're like, they're just a handshakes all good.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yeah, they got the pat pats all that. Oh they
go to dinner together for the show.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So if you were to see Lebron at a game,
would you be able to be able to do your handshake?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Now, I just go off with whatever he's doing. He's
definitely remembering it. He's definitely I remember we used to
end it with this, so I know I know, I
know we're ending it with.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
That for sure. I don't remember all the other stuff
in the middle. I love that.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
I love that. Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Desmond bin chucked the ball at og and Andnobi the
other day.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
Og inside, Oh, I want to play from Blake Oh
and Bine throws it off, Haddanobi Handanobi shoves Babe I
Bain wanted to save it and get possession, but he
threw it like it was throwing a fastball.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Desmond rebound the ball, just chucked it at og. What
was going on there?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I was I'm still trying to figure out, like, do
you not like that guy? Like what the hell was
going on? Like that was because he could have when
he got it, he could have just went the other
way like he was. It's not like he saved it
out of bounds and he was like they were already
out of bounds. If you ever, if you watch it again,
he really could have grabbed it.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
And just went the other way.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
He really like aimed it fastball straight to the ribs.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I'm like, damn.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
The funniest part was that he is he pointed to
their position because it technically was out on.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Ojos out of him and he was what do I do?
It's like, what do you mean? Wuld you do?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I wish I could ask him because that was if
I was on the bench, I would have been like,
oh my goodness, I would have I would have thought
they had some type of beef. And he's trying to
do the right like the wrong thing, but legally like
he was trying to get him back for some I
was like.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Dang, and maybe Og is playing innocent.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
But like they asked him during an interview and he
was like, actually, think Desmond's a great guy.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Maybe you can say that just to like.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
I'm saying, you could tell. He reacted like what are
you doing?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (21:44):
And then they said something and he was like, it's
all good, bro, It's all So that was a crazy
exchange that was I never see nothing like that, especially
when you didn't have to go out of bounds.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Another thing that happened since we last recorded, and I
didn't see this you posted it. I saw this because
I follow all these basketball aggregator accounts, But your son
made his freshman debut from if I'm.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Not mistaken right?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And okay, so here's from a fan standpoint, here's what I.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
The experience that I love when I see this for
the first time, is they go, oh, the son of
whatever you know star and then you see their game
and it's it's like watching you all over. You see
the stuff that he picked up, Like it was like
watching watching you again. But like walk us through that.
You know, I'm a father too, so I can't even
imagine that feeling. So tell us all about that. You've
(22:35):
been watching him and helping them grow as a player,
and now you get to see him put it all
to work.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So my oldest son, James, is fifteen. He's a freshman
at Ai Wright High School in Tacoma. He had his
first high school game and it's crazy because like that
was one of my like proud dad moments, Like just
seeing him in the starting lineup, get his name called.
That's the first time he's probably being in a starting
lineup situation where they got an announcer and things like that,
(23:00):
and to see him have a good game and most
importantly his team win, Like he had twenty six points,
eight assists, three rebounds, two steals, like, and he missed
three or four free throws, so he didn't have a
perfect game, but it was amazing to just sit back
and see him be able to experience that because I
remember my first high school game and it's crazy because
(23:22):
my first high school game I had twenty six points
as well, So I had a bet with him, like,
I know you're not going to be able to pass
that and the only reason why he did it because
he missed three free throws so he would have had
twenty nine. But it was amazing, man, I all my
family could do. My dad, my wife, his siblings obviously,
(23:44):
is just smiled because it was a big moment for
all of us, Like it was cool. So I was
shout out to big game James, James the Great having
a successful high school debut.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
But you know, I was a proud dad.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
But the competitor ding me is like it's on to
the next we gotta be bigger and better.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
We gotta this is expected. So it was.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was a super cool moment being a dad, but
also for our family just seeing him be able to
be in high school and be on his own man.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
For me at least, and a lot of fans out there.
Obviously Christmas traditions, but the biggest Christmas tradition to me
outside of spending time with family and opening presents and
giving presents is just turn on the TV and just
getting a whole slate of games. You know, very special,
meaningful matchups like team you know, the best teams play
against each other. It just there's it's not Christmas Day
unless these games are happening. So wanted to go through
(24:35):
some of the big ones, get your thoughts and predictions. Uh,
the first one we talked about it you actually you've
played in a Christmas Day game, So I wanted to
get your thoughts on on what that day and that
what that game, how special was compared to other games?
And you actually played an MSG and remind everyone what
was that?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
What was that game? Like I think was it twenty seventeen.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Twenty sixteen? Sixteen? Okay sixteen?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, now we played the MSG. It was like a
dream of mine that came true. Like as a kid,
like you just said, like, I'm a basketball I love
the game of basketball, so I'm watching it every day.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
So as a.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Kid, I'm locked in, Like, yeah, I want to open
my presence, but I want to watch hoop too. I
want to watch Michael Jordan on Christmas Day. I want
to watch Kobe Bryant. Like those type of guys. So
as a kid growing up, that was a dream of mine.
So my first chance we got I was on the Celtics.
We played the New York Knicks in New York on Christmas.
(25:33):
Like we woke up in New York on Christmas. That's
obviously like a dream of everybody's as well. So it
was just the whole moment, the whole day. I took
it in. I have my boys at the game, like
we was walking through the tunnels. You know, it's really
Christmas Day. I think we were the first the first
game too. We happened to win that game I played.
I played solid, like it was a pretty good game
(25:56):
and we won on Christmas. So it was like and
then it was Boston versus New York. You know how
that little rivalry is, like, so you couldn't beat it,
Like even though.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
It was Christmas, it was dope for the family.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Like that was an amazing moment for myself, Like to
be in Madison Square Garden playing on Christmas, being you know,
the franchise guy playing on Christmas. It's a little different
when you're that guy as well, So it.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Was super dope.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
And then the next year I actually was hurt when
I was on the Cows, but we were we were
in Golden State. We played the Warriors on Christmas Day.
And then years later I was on the Lakers. We
played I think we might have played the Brooklyn Nets.
We played somebody on Christmas Day. I didn't get in
the game. I got a DMP. But it's still it's
(26:45):
still dope to be able to play or be able
to suit up on Christmas and you know the world's watching.
So I've had a few little experiences that's been really
cool for sure.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Time for our DraftKings segment, Victor Winbanyama has minus two
hundred odds to block ten shots in a game this season.
It t Do you think he's gonna do it?
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yeah, I think he. I think he has a good
chance of doing it that. I think he's gotten maybe
eight or nine blocks a couple of times before, so
ten is right around the way is coming.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, he's getting healthy. I wouldn't be surprised. Download the
DraftKings sportsbook app and use code Point Game. That's Code
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ce DKNNG, dot co, slash Audio Limited time offer this.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Incredible film and documentary that you and your team created
called Go Forward. I don't want to explain I think
it's best put in your words, but I got an
opportunity to watch it last night. It's incredibly powerful. It's
about a story that, honestly man like. One of the
reasons why I want to do the show with you
(28:29):
is like, not only were you know you're incredible basketball player,
but an incredible human being who has been open. Your
story has been shared and it's been an inspiration and motivation.
And I had no idea that this documentary was being made,
and I just think it speaks volumes about who you
are and your initiatives, if an outside of basketball. So
(28:52):
the documentary is called Go Forward, but I wanted to
tee it up to you. It's premiering here at the
Sun Valley Film Festival, so I want to ask you, like,
what is this film about and sort of why you
wanted to make it, And that's some other questions about
the making of this film.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
So we slow Gride Media we produced the documentary called
Go Forward. And the reason why I wanted to do
this was because when the situation happened with my little
little sister getting a car accident back in twenty seventeen
and passing away right before the playoffs, I seen how
(29:28):
inspiring me trying to fight through a personal tragedy was
for everybody in the entire world, whether somebody I seen
on the street, somebody I seen back home in Tacoma,
somebody I seen in an arena, who really would stop
me and be like the time I was going through
the you know a tough time in my life, I
(29:52):
was really looking to you for motivation and inspiration. And
when I heard all those messages being thrown at me,
all those people write me letters, people would just say
how inspiring I was, And I was only doing what
I felt was right. I was only doing what I
felt was normal. But to be able to inspire the
world on something that everybody goes through, whether somebody passes
(30:16):
away in your family, whether you got to go through grief,
to be able to do that on the national stage
was very difficult. But to be able to show it
to the world. And if I'm able to help one
person that's going through the same similar situations that I've
been able that I've had to go through when it
(30:37):
comes to grief and losing family members, losing siblings.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
That's something I want to do.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
So we've been filming since twenty eleven. I got everything
since twenty eleven, so soon we're going to come out
with a movie of my life. And we've been able
to my guy TJ. Riggins, been able to film and
capture some of the the biggest moments, some of the
highs and the lows, not only in basketball, but in
(31:05):
my everyday life, and this was a very important piece.
So when it came up to do a short documentary
with a couple other producers, it was difficult, but it
was a no brainer because it was to help others.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
It wasn't about myself.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
And when people sit and watch this, it's gonna change.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
A lot on how you think about things.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Like even when I sit and watch it, a couple
of times I have and put myself outside of who
I am and it being me that's going through this.
It made me realize, like it's bigger than yourself. So like,
if you're going through personal stuff, it's bigger to not
to to not just keep it in like you can
(31:50):
you can help somebody else, and that's what is the
most inspiring thing.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So we got. We got.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
This film is inducted in the Sun Valley Film Festival,
which is a major film festival.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
It's only the beginning.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
It would be showing December sixth in Idaho at the
Sun Valley Film Festival. I will be there and my
family will be there. It's definitely a dope opportunity to
be able to be in the mix in that space
because that's something that I'm very interested in being in
and it's just going to be a powerful short doot.
(32:26):
It's going to change a lot of eyes when it
comes to being able to push through adversity and tragedy
on a national stage where everybody's watching my every move.
And shout out to my pops man for being able
to sit down and speak his truth on how he's
going through it, how he deals with grief.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
And without him, this would never even have been made.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
And this was a tough, a tough goal for him
to even sit down and speak about it. So shout
out to my dad, Shout out to everybody involved, Shout
out to TJ. Reagan for like it's it's it's it's
tough moments, man, but it's going to at the end
of the day, is going to help somebody else and
that's what's most important. So the film is called Go Forward.
(33:15):
It will be shown this weekend at the at the
Film Festival, and the world would be able to see
it soon for sure because it's going to be that impactful.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Yeah, man.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
And and you know a lot of my work in
Basketball two is about telling the stories of the person
you know behind because everyone knows about that legendary fifty
three point game on your sister's birthday. Highlight reels are made,
edits are made and whatever. But the fact that you
had cameras rolling you were you know, you were open
(33:46):
and not to just be like hey look at me,
like you said, but like this stuff helps, you know,
Like I've gone through some grief, you know, anyone ever has.
It's tough, but people, we as humans have to go through.
And to see someone who went through it like yourself,
and then you know, was able to channel that through basketball,
you know, passion that you had and get through it,
and then your family and how how you guys have
(34:07):
worked through it and continue to work through and make
you know, these powerful films and like that. It's really
incredible to see. So I appreciate it. And so some
other questions I had about it were, you know, getting
other members of the Celtics. You know, you have Brad Stevens,
Alhr for all these people. How important was it to
get them to be involved and help give, you know,
some more texture to that story.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
It was easy actually, because that whole organization went through
a real life tragedy with me, so they understand the
magnitude of what was going through them. Locker room halls,
what was how the energy was for that whole playoff
run when it was it was a tough situation for
everybody involved.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
So shout out to everybody who was a part of
the film.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Shout out to Al Horror for Brad Stevens, a few
other Boston Celtics staff members that took their time out
of their day to be able to, you know, speak
about such a personal moment for myself and my family.
So it was easy though, Like when I asked those
guys to be a part of it, it was a
no brainer for them. So the love and respect they
(35:10):
have not only for myself but for my family is amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
And you know that feeling is mutual.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Man.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Well, I highly recommend it, and Hee was a fan
of it. Of basketball who's ever been through having to
deal with grief? I highly recommend you check out this
docu short Go Forward, produced by Silgrind Media. It's like
it said, It's premiering this Saturday in Idaho, December sixth,
four point thirty at the Opera House. The link is
(35:38):
Sun Valleyfilmfestival dot org. You can check out all the
information how to get tickets there. Check it out. I
think Yeah. Like I said, I think it's the start
of you telling your whole story, because it's like, you know,
you've inspire people, shorter guards and all that stuff. But
also I think there's another layer that when people saw
you deal with this, was like, oh yeah, it is
our guy, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
And when they see this, it's just gonna be real
life stuff. So it's gonna be something anybody who's been
through something like this is going to relate to. I
just was happening to do it on a national stage
while in the NBA playoffs, And I mean, even though
it was tough to do, like, it's helped me in
ways that I can't even imagine in terms of being
(36:23):
able to help others in such difficult times.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
All Right, this has been another episode of Point Game
with myself and Isaiah Thomas. Everyone please stay safe and subscribe, follow, like,
and comment.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
On our socials.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Shout out to all of our partners at iHeartMedia, DraftKings,
Slow Grind, and fall in through the
Welcome a point game. I'm CJ.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Toddanno and will of course be joined by my co
host Isaiah Thomas. Now this is a special episode with
some best of moments without further ado, let's go to
me and it one more thing because this is out
of curiosity. When I was just doing a little bit
of research. Uh you know, when we were starting this
this podcast with you, obviously I knew the one nickname
you had King of the fourth Quarter, which is you know,
(00:36):
you went off from the fourth quarter. It was like, no,
no lead was safe with you guys or playing against
you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
But this one I saw Pizza Guy.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Can you please give some context as to why people
called you Pizza Guy.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Look, the Pizza Guy came from I had a I
had a good I had a nice little One of
my first endorsement deals was with a pizza company called
Pizza Guys back in Sacramento, and it was my first
three in the league.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
So we did commercials.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
It was commercials every like every break in the game,
especially local games, they played my commercials. So it got
so big in terms of being the pizza Guy. Anytime
I'm in like even like Golden State, I'm if we
got home games in Sacramento. There's literally signs in the
in the crowd like saying the lines I said throughout
(01:24):
the commercial.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
What kind of guy is Isaiah Thomas's quick, fiery and determined.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
And I'm a pizza guy. That's why I'm loving the
fresher scratch pizza. Pizza guys. Are you a pizza guy?
And get the pizza guys.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
And the funny thing about it is I would go
I would be in the warm up line. You know,
you're in the warm up line, and guys like you
go to half court, you chop it up with somebody
on the other team because that's your friend or some
or something around them. That way, every player would be like,
I'm a pizza guy. Get the pizza guys.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Because that was one of my little That was one
of my little lines.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
And anytime you watch a sacrim Mental game, I promise
you throughout the game it probably came on thirty times
at least through all the commercials, So anybody who watched
Sacramento games, it was really a nickname that I was
given through an endorsement I had. So even when I
go back to Sack now, it's like somebody's gonna yell
out the pizza guy for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I promise you right now, I'm not gonna call you
pizza guy at all this.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
It's funny and if you do, it's all good. I
get it.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, I would say, Sacramento, if anyone in that
organization is watching this, we need to bring back those commercials.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They need they need to, they need to. Anytime I
go to Sack, I call it pizza guys. I get
a little free pizza all the day. I'm a lifetime
pizza guy, bro, so it's all good.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
There was a viral clip where Jalen in the middle
of the game. I think he's against Jaylen Brown. I
think he was in like triple threat, swinging around his
head hit the jersey of the defender and his hair spray.
I don't even know what to call it. His hair
rubbed off on there and that viral and then his
response was, Hey, I should get on Twitch and stream
(03:04):
me getting my hair fixed. So bucketter Brick, did Jalen
respond to that embarrassing moment correctly?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
He responded correctly, for sure. Okay, but dang, Jalen, I
thought I'd taught you better. Come on, man, that's my
rook right there. We can't be seen with the Beijing
in the hair. That's what it's called. When they got
the little black stuff in the air. Come on, man,
you too young to be putting that in the hair.
Jalen Brown. I like how you saved yourself though, clown
(03:34):
to yourself, laughing about it because it is funny. But
come on, JB, I thought I'd taught you better than that.
I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with a bucket
for how he responded. But Brick, come on, we can't
do that.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
And so you said he was your rook What was that?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Like?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
One thing I would say on the court, and when
it came to basketball, he asked questions. He wanted to
be great, so to see his progression and his success.
Now it's a no brainer because he thought he was.
He thought he was the best at that point and
that was amazing to have that mindset. But come on, Jalen,
I thought I thought I taught you better. On top
(04:13):
of that, I got to tell the people what I
did to you. You know, rookie year, he wasn't doing anything.
And when I say not anything, not bringing the soap
on the road for the showers he's not bringing. He's
not having the lotion for everybody. These are little rookie
duties that you know, every rookie gotta do. You gotta bring,
you got you gotta have towels for everybody after the game.
(04:33):
Little things that, Okay, if you do them, nobody's gonna
mess with you. If you don't, we're gonna be on
your helmet. And he thought he was just bigger than
the program. Nobody's bigger than the program being a rookie.
So every time it would pile up every road trip,
he's not bringing the soap, he's not bringing the towels,
he's not doing this. So one time, towards the end
(04:55):
of the year, we all got together. I forgot who
it was it was. I got we had a home game,
it was like towards the end of the season, and
he didn't. He didn't do nothing, maybe the game before.
So I'm like, okay, I'm popcorning in his car. It's over.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
I gave him.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I gave him chance after chance, popcorning it. So I
got the people who work in the locker room throughout
the game, I'm like, okay, I pay you to go
get popcorn from upstairs during the game, please popcorn Jalen's car.
So after the game, and it sucks because he had
a bad game too, so he was already mad.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
We end up winning the game, but he already had
a bad game.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So he was the first one out, first one out
the locker room, storming out, go to the car, and
I'm always usually the last guy out, so I'm not
in no rush. I remember Danny Ainge coming into Danny
Ainge coming in the locker room.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
He's like, I t did you popcorn Jalen's car? I'm like, who.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Told you that? Like, I didn't do it. I didn't
do anything. I don't I don't know what you're talking about.
It became a joke. It was so funny that when
I go to my car to get to get my car,
all the people who got the popcorn, like the guys
the locker room attendants, they're the ones cleaning it out,
so I go and help them too. I'm like, I
(06:14):
didn't want y'all to get in trouble. They got in
a little bit of trouble for following my direction. So
shout out to you know, the Celtics locker room attendants.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
We got We're like this always.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Jalen was hot and it was funny because it was
his rookie season and he had family in town.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
He had one car, so everybody was in that car.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
They just they were just outside the car like this,
so mad, trying to leave and they couldn't leave. To
all the popcorners out, I love it for anybody watching this,
your rookie, please just do what you're ass Nobody's doing
nothing to embarrass you.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
You just gotta fall in line. You're not bigger than
the program man.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Well, let me ask you, have you ever been booting
an arena and had you overcome? Have you ever been
a villain, which is definitely not anything would ever think
of you, But have you ever been a villain?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I haven't been a villain, No, I haven't. I've always
liked the fans for the most part. Yeah, kind of
kind of always showed some love. Like There's been times
like when I was in Cleveland, I wasn't playing well.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
They booed a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
They bo when I played for the Cows, but I
was hurt, so I understood it. I didn't take it
personal because you're not booing when I'm one hundred percent,
there's no way. So and then I'm just I interact
with the fans and that that part of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
So I haven't been booed.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember early on in my career I played for
the Kings and we played in Madison Square Garden. They
booed me because of my name. They didn't like the
older Isaiah Thomas. So every time I touched the ball,
especially my first time, I was like, they was boring me.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I was like, what did I do?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
And then I go to the bench they say, oh,
they boring you because your name. I'm like, oh, I
get it because it's crazy. Like a quick story, I
was in prep school in Connecticut. My friend Jamal Crawford
was on the Knicks. So when I had open weekends
in prep school, I would take a train to New
York and go to the Knicks games or stay at
Jamal's house. And I'm sixteen seventeen at this point and
(08:10):
Isaiah Thomas is the coach. So it was that year
when you would go to the games and they would
just bow Isaiah Thomas the whole the whole season.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
They wanted them fired. The fans didn't like them.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
And so fast forward when I was on the Kings
my first time.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
I remember touching the ball.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
And they just they just booing me right, And then
I remember walking by.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Spike Lee and he's like, you know, we got to
do it to you. It's just your name. It's all good,
and it just that was crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Spike Lee even knew who I was and mentioned me,
and it was it was definitely a little joke. But
they just don't like that name around there, so I
was definitely smiling.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I remember after the game my mom calling me. She
was mad.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
She was like, why are they boring you? I was like,
you got to just relaxed. It's just the name, that's all.
So yeah, it's semi you and my dad's fault, but
it's all. I'm gonna just take it because everybody don't
get booed in Madison Square gardens. So I'm gonna just,
you know, I'm gonna take that one to the chin.
I've never been dropped, I've never been dunk down. There's
(09:11):
a picture of me going up against Lebron. It looks
like I'm about to get dunked on. My kids clowned
about that too, but I found him and he missed
the layup, so the poster looks like.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
He's gonna turn it on me, but he never did.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
And I don't think I'm ever gonna be the guy
that gets duncked done just because and if you ever
dunk on me, it's like you're supposed to.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
I'm five nine, so I'm not tripping. I'm not tripping
at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I remember speaking of Lebron because I was a big
Bulls fan. I was.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I was living in Chicago during those like Bulls Heat,
those Bulls Heat series titles, and I remember John Lucas
he had that one jumped over him. But you know,
shout out to guys like you. The fact that you
even contest that is like you know you got.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Like that just show it was a It was a
frustrating play.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It wasn't the smart play for me to do, but
I did it anyway, just out of frustration. And luckily,
like I was like this for the basketball guys, thank you,
thank you for not putting me on a poster like that.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
We're gonna show, we're gonna bring up the video and
we'll show people that it's not a poster.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Picture's a lot to bring up the video. You could
show the picture at first because the pictures donna look
like it.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Because even my kids, my kids would make fun of me, like, dang,
you got It's like, nah, my brother, I did not
get dunk young he I fouled him and he missed
the layup.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
When you got traded to the Calves and people say
you didn't resign, you didn't get that super max because
of your hip, Like what was sort of going through
your head? Like how tough was it to leave here?
And then when did you finally feel like you know,
like that's in the past.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
I got I gotta keep it moving.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
I mean I didn't. I didn't. It wasn't in the
past until like I got healthy again.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Like I always say, if I got traded to Cleveland
and I was one hundred percent healthy, like right when
I started playing training camp, and then I would to
move past everything because I'm playing, I'm focused on something different.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I'm one hundred percent healthy.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
But at that time when I got traded, I didn't
play till like the middle of January. So I go
from getting traded in August to not playing till January.
It was somewhat difficult to move on seeing watching the
Celtics play, watching my new teammates playing, I can't compete
with them.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
So it was tough.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
But once I got healthy and was able to play
the game again, like I wasn't really tripping on what happened.
Like obviously, it was a tough situation. I felt like
I gave my heart to this city, this organization, and
to be a franchise player and to be traded out
of nowhere. It was tough on top of being hurt.
But like out of all people, I understood the business.
(11:44):
Like people will always be.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Like, oh, you keep bringing it up. It was like
the media was bringing it up. I wasn't. I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, Like I wasn't talking about it. I just had
to I just had to answer those questions. So like,
and then at the end of the day, I'm human. Yeah,
I had real feelings, Like I had real love for
this city and organization and I wanted to keep it going.
But like I said, at the end of the day,
I understand the business one hundred percent, and I understand
some things happen that you know, both sides don't really
(12:14):
want to happen, but for the business side of it,
it makes sense. So you find ways to continue to grow,
continue to move on and continue to, you know, just
keep competing and doing things with a smile interface.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And I tried to do that the best I could.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
As I got older, I started to not even obviously
think about it as much. But as a basketball player,
as a human, yeah, you always look back and be
like what if, or you think about those things, what
if this happened one? But as you get older, you
understand you can't control a lot of things, and you.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Got to move on as best as you can.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I gave away so many kobepes that I'm so mad
at myself. But giving away obviously that was before you know,
my guy passed away.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Rest in peace, Kobe. But I just thought they would
be coming forever.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
You know, like obviously you think Kobe gonna be here
forever as well, But like I thought they were just
gonna be coming forever. That's why when somebody would asks
during the game, like man, can I get those?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Can I somebody back at the crib? Can I get
that colorway? It was like, hell, yeah, I'm gonna be
getting unlimited of these, So it's good.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
So there's a few pair that I don't have anymore,
and I wish I had just because I was being
so nice and generous and giving them away, but like,
I'm gonna always be team Kobe. I'm always represent the
brand Kobe to the death. And like you said, like
everybody's wearing Kobe's now, all the colleges got them, which
is super cool, but it ain't nothing about it ain't
(13:44):
nothing like having.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Your own player exclusive when it comes to Kobe.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
All right, So how many sneakers you think you've got
in your collection right now?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Total?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I mean, and this is not basketball shoes.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Let's say basketball shoes.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I mean, I would say a few hundred, three hundred,
and I give away a lot, especially like people in
from where I'm from, Like I'm giving them everybody got
my shoes. I'm giving away. It's just obviously it's a
nice thing to do. But like I I've always been
like that. There was one summer I gave you probably
(14:17):
one hundred pair of shoes, and I was like, there
was a reason for it, but dang, it was right
before the it was right before the shoe the shoe
the shoe culture start booming. Like there was some exclusive
I gave away that I'm upset about. But you know,
hopefully somebody's rocking them the r If.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
You got one of it's pe send us a picture
in the.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Don't sit on pictures, send it back.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I'll give you another little gift. Send me back my peas. Man,
I need them, So let me ask you this.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So like funniest teammate and I guess, funniest moment on
that squadro.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
We just had a goofy ass group of like like
I thought, they'll probably get pissed at this. But we
used to gamble on the plane and I would play
at the table where they were really paying money, like
you know what I'm saying, y'all playing Monopoly fight the fight.
(15:18):
So they did this man so bogus. So we know
they about the wave David Lee, but they all owe
David Lee like collectively like a quarter. So David Lee
like I could be gasing. It's a bit David Lee Like, Man,
I'm finna get baught up. I'm going to man this.
So you get up and go to the bathroom. I
ain't gonna say who at the table these niggas was like, yeah,
(15:41):
so the deadline Tuesday?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Are we paying.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Literally paying? Like like are we paying? Are y'all paying? So?
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Like literally like now we ain't gonna pay so so
then by the time we see him next, like when
we play the MAVs, Davids in the shooting around like like, hey.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Bro, we're that bread like you got so far.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
Damn you want to like broadcast and he's as smart
ass that Damn I can't get my little sixty thousand,
like damn big ballers.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Like it's like a casual NBA fan. We don't like.
People don't know about David Lee at all.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
It's the funniest. It was the funniest, coolest, like wavest.
I was telling somebody the other day. I was like,
when I like this daily, I want to talk about
like real money and people finding somebody man. David Lee
was just getting to it now. So he was living like, yeah,
different life and yeah, you lived in Tom Brady's old
house for like thirty Yeah, like you was so booming
(16:48):
that like we might be like what you're wearing a
night and I'd be like, man, Gucci and Jordan's and
like our fit might be like twenty three hundred. I'm
like what you're wearing, d League man jeans, a black
tea and a quartermain dollar watch. For sure, I ain't
gonna go in here, bro, like I'll buy a bottle.
He'll do like five figures. He's a cool I still
(17:11):
talk to I still talked to DV too.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
D was one of.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
So Mike Conley the other night he hits a three
against the Spurs. Now you proceeded to do ten unique
handshakes with each of his teammates. So I'm just asking you,
what is the process, Like, when do these handshakes get created?
Speaker 2 (17:33):
How often are they rehearsed? Tell everyone the fans who
are in the locker rooms, how does that come to be?
Because it seems like a big trend in the league
for the last couple of decades.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
It's crazy. It's a whole thing.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
It usually happens like during training camp, everybody's trying to
figure out their little handshakes. Like I didn't really start
to see it until I got traded to Cleveland. And obviously,
you know, Lebron's been big on doing that since the
first time he's been in Cleveland. Whether they're doing pregame antiques,
they're doing all types of handshakes.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
So he was really the leader of that in Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
He like everybody got to think of something dope to dude,
that relates to you know, you guys's friendship really, So
that was really a big thing. And then every other
team after that I've been on, it's like, you better
be locked in on these handshakes because when the camera's on,
there's no time to mess up.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So it's really a big thing.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Where guys is in the locker room, you'll look over
there in the corner, they're working on a handshake over there.
They're like, man, what do you think we're doing on
this handshake?
Speaker 4 (18:34):
So it's serious and if.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
You really watch, nobody's really messing up, like everybody is
just everybody's just tapped in. And the crazy thing about
it is Lebron is doing handshakes with teammates from ten
years ago that he hasn't played with in years, and
he remembers everything. So like, shout out to Bron, Shout
(18:57):
out to everybody who's locked in on the handshakes, because
you be locked in on the game and right when
you go to the bench, you hitting everybody with all
these down the line, I'm surprised coaches don't have handshakes.
The next thing we got to do is have coaching staff.
Gotta have dope dope handshakes. Yeah, with the coaching staff,
that would be funny.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Well.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
I talked to Richard Jefferson too about I mean that
twenty sixteen cass team, and he was saying they were
just like they had no business being the Warriors, but
they were just brothers. It was all on brotherhood and
like the handshake thing. And you've talked about that too
with their Celtics teams, Like the closer you guys are
and that the handshake thing. It seems it could be
silly child's play, but it means something.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
It means a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
It means like that's that says a lot about your friendship.
If you got a quick one, it's like, oh, they're
not that close.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I would be watching the games like that, that's quick one.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
You're like, they're just a handshakes all good.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yeah, they got the pat pats all that. Oh they
go to dinner together for the show.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So if you were to see Lebron at a game,
would you be able to be able to do your handshake?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Now, I just go off with whatever he's doing. He's
definitely remembering it. He's definitely I remember we used to
end it with this, so I know I know, I
know we're ending it with.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
That for sure. I don't remember all the other stuff
in the middle. I love that.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
I love that. Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Desmond bin chucked the ball at og and Andnobi the
other day.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
Og inside, Oh, I want to play from Blake Oh
and Bine throws it off, Haddanobi Handanobi shoves Babe I
Bain wanted to save it and get possession, but he
threw it like it was throwing a fastball.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Desmond rebound the ball, just chucked it at og. What
was going on there?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I was I'm still trying to figure out, like, do
you not like that guy? Like what the hell was
going on? Like that was because he could have when
he got it, he could have just went the other
way like he was. It's not like he saved it
out of bounds and he was like they were already
out of bounds. If you ever, if you watch it again,
he really could have grabbed it.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
And just went the other way.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
He really like aimed it fastball straight to the ribs.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I'm like, damn.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
The funniest part was that he is he pointed to
their position because it technically was out on.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Ojos out of him and he was what do I do?
It's like, what do you mean? Wuld you do?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I wish I could ask him because that was if
I was on the bench, I would have been like,
oh my goodness, I would have I would have thought
they had some type of beef. And he's trying to
do the right like the wrong thing, but legally like
he was trying to get him back for some I
was like.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Dang, and maybe Og is playing innocent.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
But like they asked him during an interview and he
was like, actually, think Desmond's a great guy.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Maybe you can say that just to like.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
I'm saying, you could tell. He reacted like what are
you doing?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Bro?
Speaker 3 (21:44):
And then they said something and he was like, it's
all good, bro, It's all So that was a crazy
exchange that was I never see nothing like that, especially
when you didn't have to go out of bounds.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Another thing that happened since we last recorded, and I
didn't see this you posted it. I saw this because
I follow all these basketball aggregator accounts, But your son
made his freshman debut from if I'm.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Not mistaken right?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And okay, so here's from a fan standpoint, here's what I.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
The experience that I love when I see this for
the first time, is they go, oh, the son of
whatever you know star and then you see their game
and it's it's like watching you all over. You see
the stuff that he picked up, Like it was like
watching watching you again. But like walk us through that.
You know, I'm a father too, so I can't even
imagine that feeling. So tell us all about that. You've
(22:35):
been watching him and helping them grow as a player,
and now you get to see him put it all
to work.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So my oldest son, James, is fifteen. He's a freshman
at Ai Wright High School in Tacoma. He had his
first high school game and it's crazy because like that
was one of my like proud dad moments, Like just
seeing him in the starting lineup, get his name called.
That's the first time he's probably being in a starting
lineup situation where they got an announcer and things like that,
(23:00):
and to see him have a good game and most
importantly his team win, Like he had twenty six points,
eight assists, three rebounds, two steals, like, and he missed
three or four free throws, so he didn't have a
perfect game, but it was amazing to just sit back
and see him be able to experience that because I
remember my first high school game and it's crazy because
(23:22):
my first high school game I had twenty six points
as well, So I had a bet with him, like,
I know you're not going to be able to pass
that and the only reason why he did it because
he missed three free throws so he would have had
twenty nine. But it was amazing, man, I all my
family could do. My dad, my wife, his siblings obviously,
(23:44):
is just smiled because it was a big moment for
all of us, Like it was cool. So I was
shout out to big game James, James the Great having
a successful high school debut.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
But you know, I was a proud dad.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
But the competitor ding me is like it's on to
the next we gotta be bigger and better.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
We gotta this is expected. So it was.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was a super cool moment being a dad, but
also for our family just seeing him be able to
be in high school and be on his own man.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
For me at least, and a lot of fans out there.
Obviously Christmas traditions, but the biggest Christmas tradition to me
outside of spending time with family and opening presents and
giving presents is just turn on the TV and just
getting a whole slate of games. You know, very special,
meaningful matchups like team you know, the best teams play
against each other. It just there's it's not Christmas Day
unless these games are happening. So wanted to go through
(24:35):
some of the big ones, get your thoughts and predictions. Uh,
the first one we talked about it you actually you've
played in a Christmas Day game, So I wanted to
get your thoughts on on what that day and that
what that game, how special was compared to other games?
And you actually played an MSG and remind everyone what
was that?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
What was that game? Like I think was it twenty seventeen.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Twenty sixteen? Sixteen? Okay sixteen?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, now we played the MSG. It was like a
dream of mine that came true. Like as a kid,
like you just said, like, I'm a basketball I love
the game of basketball, so I'm watching it every day.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
So as a.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Kid, I'm locked in, Like, yeah, I want to open
my presence, but I want to watch hoop too. I
want to watch Michael Jordan on Christmas Day. I want
to watch Kobe Bryant. Like those type of guys. So
as a kid growing up, that was a dream of mine.
So my first chance we got I was on the Celtics.
We played the New York Knicks in New York on Christmas.
(25:33):
Like we woke up in New York on Christmas. That's
obviously like a dream of everybody's as well. So it
was just the whole moment, the whole day. I took
it in. I have my boys at the game, like
we was walking through the tunnels. You know, it's really
Christmas Day. I think we were the first the first
game too. We happened to win that game I played.
I played solid, like it was a pretty good game
(25:56):
and we won on Christmas. So it was like and
then it was Boston versus New York. You know how
that little rivalry is, like, so you couldn't beat it,
Like even though.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
It was Christmas, it was dope for the family.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Like that was an amazing moment for myself, Like to
be in Madison Square Garden playing on Christmas, being you know,
the franchise guy playing on Christmas. It's a little different
when you're that guy as well, So it.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Was super dope.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
And then the next year I actually was hurt when
I was on the Cows, but we were we were
in Golden State. We played the Warriors on Christmas Day.
And then years later I was on the Lakers. We
played I think we might have played the Brooklyn Nets.
We played somebody on Christmas Day. I didn't get in
the game. I got a DMP. But it's still it's
(26:45):
still dope to be able to play or be able
to suit up on Christmas and you know the world's watching.
So I've had a few little experiences that's been really
cool for sure.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Time for our DraftKings segment, Victor Winbanyama has minus two
hundred odds to block ten shots in a game this season.
It t Do you think he's gonna do it?
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yeah, I think he. I think he has a good
chance of doing it that. I think he's gotten maybe
eight or nine blocks a couple of times before, so
ten is right around the way is coming.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, he's getting healthy. I wouldn't be surprised. Download the
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Speaker 2 (28:07):
Incredible film and documentary that you and your team created
called Go Forward. I don't want to explain I think
it's best put in your words, but I got an
opportunity to watch it last night. It's incredibly powerful. It's
about a story that, honestly man like. One of the
reasons why I want to do the show with you
(28:29):
is like, not only were you know you're incredible basketball player,
but an incredible human being who has been open. Your
story has been shared and it's been an inspiration and motivation.
And I had no idea that this documentary was being made,
and I just think it speaks volumes about who you
are and your initiatives, if an outside of basketball. So
(28:52):
the documentary is called Go Forward, but I wanted to
tee it up to you. It's premiering here at the
Sun Valley Film Festival, so I want to ask you, like,
what is this film about and sort of why you
wanted to make it, And that's some other questions about
the making of this film.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
So we slow Gride Media we produced the documentary called
Go Forward. And the reason why I wanted to do
this was because when the situation happened with my little
little sister getting a car accident back in twenty seventeen
and passing away right before the playoffs, I seen how
(29:28):
inspiring me trying to fight through a personal tragedy was
for everybody in the entire world, whether somebody I seen
on the street, somebody I seen back home in Tacoma,
somebody I seen in an arena, who really would stop
me and be like the time I was going through
the you know a tough time in my life, I
(29:52):
was really looking to you for motivation and inspiration. And
when I heard all those messages being thrown at me,
all those people write me letters, people would just say
how inspiring I was, And I was only doing what
I felt was right. I was only doing what I
felt was normal. But to be able to inspire the
world on something that everybody goes through, whether somebody passes
(30:16):
away in your family, whether you got to go through grief,
to be able to do that on the national stage
was very difficult. But to be able to show it
to the world. And if I'm able to help one
person that's going through the same similar situations that I've
been able that I've had to go through when it
(30:37):
comes to grief and losing family members, losing siblings.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
That's something I want to do.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
So we've been filming since twenty eleven. I got everything
since twenty eleven, so soon we're going to come out
with a movie of my life. And we've been able
to my guy TJ. Riggins, been able to film and
capture some of the the biggest moments, some of the
highs and the lows, not only in basketball, but in
(31:05):
my everyday life, and this was a very important piece.
So when it came up to do a short documentary
with a couple other producers, it was difficult, but it
was a no brainer because it was to help others.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
It wasn't about myself.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
And when people sit and watch this, it's gonna change.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
A lot on how you think about things.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Like even when I sit and watch it, a couple
of times I have and put myself outside of who
I am and it being me that's going through this.
It made me realize, like it's bigger than yourself. So like,
if you're going through personal stuff, it's bigger to not
to to not just keep it in like you can
(31:50):
you can help somebody else, and that's what is the
most inspiring thing.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So we got. We got.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
This film is inducted in the Sun Valley Film Festival,
which is a major film festival.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
It's only the beginning.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
It would be showing December sixth in Idaho at the
Sun Valley Film Festival. I will be there and my
family will be there. It's definitely a dope opportunity to
be able to be in the mix in that space
because that's something that I'm very interested in being in
and it's just going to be a powerful short doot.
(32:26):
It's going to change a lot of eyes when it
comes to being able to push through adversity and tragedy
on a national stage where everybody's watching my every move.
And shout out to my pops man for being able
to sit down and speak his truth on how he's
going through it, how he deals with grief.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
And without him, this would never even have been made.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
And this was a tough, a tough goal for him
to even sit down and speak about it. So shout
out to my dad, Shout out to everybody involved, Shout
out to TJ. Reagan for like it's it's it's it's
tough moments, man, but it's going to at the end
of the day, is going to help somebody else and
that's what's most important. So the film is called Go Forward.
(33:15):
It will be shown this weekend at the at the
Film Festival, and the world would be able to see
it soon for sure because it's going to be that impactful.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Yeah, man.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
And and you know a lot of my work in
Basketball two is about telling the stories of the person
you know behind because everyone knows about that legendary fifty
three point game on your sister's birthday. Highlight reels are made,
edits are made and whatever. But the fact that you
had cameras rolling you were you know, you were open
(33:46):
and not to just be like hey look at me,
like you said, but like this stuff helps, you know,
Like I've gone through some grief, you know, anyone ever has.
It's tough, but people, we as humans have to go through.
And to see someone who went through it like yourself,
and then you know, was able to channel that through basketball,
you know, passion that you had and get through it,
and then your family and how how you guys have
(34:07):
worked through it and continue to work through and make
you know, these powerful films and like that. It's really
incredible to see. So I appreciate it. And so some
other questions I had about it were, you know, getting
other members of the Celtics. You know, you have Brad Stevens,
Alhr for all these people. How important was it to
get them to be involved and help give, you know,
some more texture to that story.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
It was easy actually, because that whole organization went through
a real life tragedy with me, so they understand the
magnitude of what was going through them. Locker room halls,
what was how the energy was for that whole playoff
run when it was it was a tough situation for
everybody involved.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
So shout out to everybody who was a part of
the film.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Shout out to Al Horror for Brad Stevens, a few
other Boston Celtics staff members that took their time out
of their day to be able to, you know, speak
about such a personal moment for myself and my family.
So it was easy though, Like when I asked those
guys to be a part of it, it was a
no brainer for them. So the love and respect they
(35:10):
have not only for myself but for my family is amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
And you know that feeling is mutual.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Man.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Well, I highly recommend it, and Hee was a fan
of it. Of basketball who's ever been through having to
deal with grief? I highly recommend you check out this
docu short Go Forward, produced by Silgrind Media. It's like
it said, It's premiering this Saturday in Idaho, December sixth,
four point thirty at the Opera House. The link is
(35:38):
Sun Valleyfilmfestival dot org. You can check out all the
information how to get tickets there. Check it out. I
think Yeah. Like I said, I think it's the start
of you telling your whole story, because it's like, you know,
you've inspire people, shorter guards and all that stuff. But
also I think there's another layer that when people saw
you deal with this, was like, oh yeah, it is
our guy, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
And when they see this, it's just gonna be real
life stuff. So it's gonna be something anybody who's been
through something like this is going to relate to. I
just was happening to do it on a national stage
while in the NBA playoffs, And I mean, even though
it was tough to do, like, it's helped me in
ways that I can't even imagine in terms of being
(36:23):
able to help others in such difficult times.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
All Right, this has been another episode of Point Game
with myself and Isaiah Thomas. Everyone please stay safe and subscribe, follow, like,
and comment.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
On our socials.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Shout out to all of our partners at iHeartMedia, DraftKings,
Slow Grind, and fall in through the
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