Carmelo Anthony | Ep 100 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball

Episode 100. It doesn't get much bigger then this. 10x All-Star and 6x All-NBA, Carmelo Anthony rocks with the boys on ALL THE SMOKE as he dives into his legendary career. He opens up about his relationships with Kobe and Lebron and discusses his career stops in Denver, New York, and Portland. Plus, he shares the truth about 2003 NBA draft night, talks about his olympics success with team USA, & reflects on his year off from the NBA when no one would sign him. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime. Welcome

(00:21):
back to All the Smoke, Episode one hundred. We got
him for y'all. Man. When I thought of this show,
this is one of the first people that came to mind.
I what ways respected the game obviously, but I respected
his mental more just the way he's approached life and
the game. Me and Jack been chasing this nigga for
two years and we finally kind of, man, but it's
only right to hundred episode. We're here and we're in

(00:43):
New York, and we got mellow here, man, So let's
get right to it. Man. Eighteen years in the league,
this COVID is kind of obviously, the pandemic is taken
over the world. But what has it been like for
you as a player in the health and safety protocols
and all the stuff you have to do outside of
actually having to getting to play the game. It was tough,

(01:05):
Like I mean, going back to the bubble right with
those health and safety protocols, It's like it was like
four knocks down there, you know what I'm saying. So
you really had to be on it, and it was serious,
Like I think a lot of guys didn't know understand
what it was gonna be like. But it was serious
down there that bubble as far as the protocols and
all that. So I just followed protocols, man, then what

(01:26):
I had to do and let everybody else do their job.
At the end of the day. People don't understand how
mental this game is. I mean, obviously when you get
to the top level, is this is what allows you to,
you know, sustain your longevity. How has it been? Um,
you know, you had a point where you had to
take a whole year off. It wasn't really by your choice.
How did you stay mentally locked in knowing that you

(01:48):
still have the ability and the skill to do it,
but you wasn't getting the opportunity. Yeah, but you know,
like training is like for me, that's it became my lifestyle.
So it's like I never was gonna stop training. It
was just one point didn't know what I was training for.
You know what I'm saying, like what team I was
gonna go to, what situation I was gonna be And
so I'm just in the gym, just working on ship

(02:09):
that I already know how to do. You know, what
I'm saying, it's it's it's it's second nation to me.
So I didn't know what situation I was going and
so that was a hard part. The mental part, the
tough part was like, damn, you don't know where you're
gonna be at. You know, you start hearing because they
let me go in November, like November early, so it
was like de Sember fifteen. You don't get picked up

(02:30):
January with the January fifteen wait till it was it
ever teams or just this is the like the point
in the sc or the season where they would look
at we. I mean we was in the first ten
games of the season, so we didn't even get a
chance to see what the team can really be about.
You know, you're still working out the Kings and people
ain't playing preseason guys. It's hurt, so you trying to
figure it out. But that whole yeah, it was just

(02:52):
like I had to like just say fun it like
I'm getting away from the game of basketball, because when
you love something and they don't love you back no more,
it ain't no point, it ain't no point to even
giving put your own into it. So but I always said,
I'm like you know, I'll keep my body right. I'm
a train, I work out. My son had me right
being around his teammates and going to AU tournament. That's
what really got me motivated again to get back. Yeah,

(03:14):
because I was like, I'm done with the game, the game.
Don't let me know where I let the game. I
can't deal with this, after all you gave to the
game that I'm like seventeen in, like sixteen sixteen in
at that point in town soon and I'm talking to people,
They're like, no, I don't give I'm like, now, I
ain't giving up, but it's written. You know what I'm
saying that I'll be cool with walking away with the game.

(03:34):
I'm set, I'm not straight. My family is good. I'm
I'm such. We and Jack were big advocates the whole time.
We run a while, but we're telling these people on
these shows like what the fun is going on? Man?
How's this dude not picked up? How's no one playing?
But you know you're hung in there. You landed on
your feet with the Portland Trailers. What has that experience
been like for that organization? And then get a chance
to play with Damon c JS. Well, it was so
Portland really stepped out there and like, all right, we

(03:56):
gonna We're gonna make it work. I was hesitant about
that situation too, because I'm like, I just dealt with
this situation. I don't really you know, you gotta let
me know, put the sh it on the table at
this point, because I really stepped away from the game.
So whatever you bring into me got to be solid.
Portland was real solid. Uh. They brought me in and
I played it right away. And that's all I haven't

(04:18):
wanted to do was just hoop man. I love the hoops.
I wanted to be on the court that I'm playing
with Dame, like with CJ. They oh, they opened their
arms up, they open they they sitting up to me
and their organization. So I had to be loyal to
those guys, like I'm gonna give you what I got.
You understanding Dame is a real one because Dame always
knew like we don't care about what nobody else is saying,

(04:38):
like we know you can play, I know you can play.
I see you, I'll talk to you. So when you
get somebody like that rocket with you, it makes it.
It makes that situation is and you'll always want to
play together anyway around. Yeah, I always was connected with
Portland some way, somehow. I don't know why, but I
always was connected with Portland. I mean I could have
been there four years ago, you know what I'm saying.
So it didn't work out, but time. I always always

(05:01):
told myself, like Dame will always go down as one
of my top dogs. Forget basketball, guys, as a human being,
you know what I'm saying, that it don't get better
than that. Yeah, we'll get back to basketball later, but
talk to us about your upbringing. Uh, you know, Brooklyn, Baltimore,
what was your with your childhood and teenager? Was like
it was tough, man, it was. I mean it's every
hook got the same story at the end of the day.

(05:22):
But going from New York Brooklyn in the height of
the early nineties, you know that that that crack ever
hitting you know, it's it's like I'm growing up in that.
I didn't know it, but I'm growing up in that.
And then I go from that situation to be more
it is like worse. It was worse, but I thought
it was better. I got I had to add I'm

(05:43):
out the projects now, but I'm in the house. I'm
in the row house. I'm like, okay, bedroom a little bigger,
another extra room, you know what I'm saying. I feel good.
But I went to Baltimore to sum of ninety two
and that was the heyday of you know, it was
it was body more murder Land at that point in time.
The pharmacy, you know what I'm saying. That the wire
like all of that stuff started to hip. And I'm

(06:04):
just a product of that environment, man, And I I'll
never forget that ever. Ever. I would never forget that moment.
Members of Brooklyn. As a kid run up in Brooklyn.
So Brooklyn, like I never left out of. I was
born in red Hook, Brooklyn. So people who know red
Hook is like it's like an island within the island.
You know, it's one way in, one way out of

(06:25):
red Hook, you know what I'm saying. So you don't
go outside of outside of red Hook. I never knew Manhattan.
I never knew the Bronx. I just never did that.
I never went to the Bronx until I got older,
until I was in the league. And I'm like, I
ain't I still don't feel comfortable over here, and I'm safe,
but I feel I still don't feel comfortable. So it
was just hard growing up in Brooklyn, man as a kid,

(06:47):
and you're seeing you know, I had everything though as
far as experience. You know, people fighting, slab boxing, you know,
dope dope, you know dope fings right there on the
stupid walking outside, you kicking needles, you you running, you're
running past you know, the sales over here to go
play ball, and you see guns shots, and you just
there's nothing. I'm told I became immune to that. M

(07:11):
hm uh. You have a memoir coming up where tomorrow's
aren't promised, coming out September fourteen. Talk to us about
that project. And you know, obviously you're someone who doesn't
really speak very much, and that was tough on you
know what, I meant to really open up and be
vulnerable and show your real upbringing in life. How was
that for you? It was a tough. It was tough, man,
because you start, it's therapeutic, so you gotta go back

(07:36):
and and relive those moments and relive those stories. I
didn't want to touch anything after I got drafted, because
everybody knows that story. I really wanted to people. I
really wanted to connect with the youngers out there to
let them know, like what I went to sh it
ain't sweet, Like you know, you don't just make it
to the NBA like that. You don't just have eighteen
years in the NBA like that. So I wanted to

(07:58):
start from the beginning. So I started from the beginning,
and I in the book the day I shook when
I walked on the stage, David, I said, last, that's
that's it, and all of that story from from Brooklyn
to Baltimore, family cousins, ship that I had to go
through should I had to deal with seeing ship as
a kid that you ain't supposed to see as a kid,
and you just you see it and you just walk

(08:21):
on by. So I felt like, I like this was
the timing of me writing that book. It was needed.
He was the process about the years have changed, man,
It was because again I wanted it to be so
real and so authentically. I ain't hold no punches in
the book. So I had to go back and act
those stories, like make sure people validated the ship that

(08:42):
I was saying, because saying it from my saying it
from my point of view is a lot different than
other people's point of view. So I had to every
story was like yo, do you remember that? So they
had to validate that, you know, because I ain't want
nobody but like this snick of mellow Live, I adn't
want that, so they had to really validate those stories.
So that's why I took the I says a lot
of tears during the time. It wasn't no tears, man, Honestly,

(09:05):
it was just like like I can't believe I made it,
you know what I'm saying, Like Damn, Like, yo, you
really people need to hit it because often too because
of may you're still in it, but you never really
get a tance to step back and like, damn, look
where I came from, looking what I did, look at
by accomplished, because you're still in the mid You're still
in the mix. And so that's why I always found
myself like going back and being in there. And it's

(09:28):
like I never left. I stayed tapped into the you know,
to my streets in my hood and my people because
I was that and I never got a chance to
like decompress on the upbringing, you know what I'm saying.
I went from high school one year, one year, o
kill one year, Syatuse, drafted to the NBA. I've never
even it took me eight years ago back to watch

(09:48):
the National Championship. I never watched the Challenge and actually
my National Championship game because I just didn't have a
moment to like sit and just sit still. So and
I always try to go back and you know, get
that love and get that feeling. Just those stories is man,
That's what motivation keeps me going. Talk to us about
your high school experience. Obviously one of the top players
in the country started talented Catholic, eventually moved on to Oakhill.

(10:10):
But what was your high school un most NBA players
in any school history indeed alumni. Indeed, Oh, I mean,
like I went to a Caffee school, right, So going
to Caffee school, it was hard coming in there with braids,
you know what I'm saying. From the projects. Gotta take

(10:31):
two trains a bus to get to school every morning.
You know, I'm getting getting to school. Have it where
you can get to school. And I really was. I
was good, but I wasn't the top player in the
country good. I was locally good. People knew me because
I played in the streets and I played with my
neighborhood wherever my neighborhood went. That's what we was playing with,

(10:51):
played for money, whatever whoever you was, we was rocking out.
So when I got to Townson, Cal, I bought that
with me. So by the time I get to my
junior year, they kicked me out. You know a lot
of people don't know that I got kicked out of
Times of Catholic my junior year because I have braids.
They were just you know, they was it was racism.
You know what I'm saying that I didn't know that

(11:11):
I was a part of the racism at that point
in time. And you know, you you're walking around and
you know, the moms senior and then the archdioce is
looking at you like what you gotta take your help.
I'm like, no, I can't do that. You know what
I'm saying. My toe was crooked. You got detention, like
they was picking on me. So by time my junior ended,
I had so many detentions accumulated that I had to

(11:35):
come back that summer in order to get my transcript,
my report card. And I'm like I'm done with that,
Like I ain't about to come into summons scrub tables,
and you know, wastch books, so I'm not man something time.
So I got kicked out. They kicked me out. I
had to go to someone school anyway, and then I
ended up at Old Kill, which which really changed my
whole life. ABCD camp I specially the experience. I gotta

(11:57):
take a drink on now cheer to mellow being in
a hun episode. I don't even drink red one. But
for Melow you know, A b C D camp, Man
was like, it was like Golden Hoops. Man, It's like
you there, and it's like Who's who? Like who I'm

(12:19):
matched up with this whole week? But I was I
was a late bloomer, right, so I had to go
to summer school because of my transcript, so I couldn't
go to Nike camp. They had me on they had
me on the waiting list, and Nike Camp had me
in the waiting list at Nike Camp. People don't know
that either. Five Star Camp. I went to five Star.

(12:40):
That was like one of the only camps that I
went to. Uh, and then I go to ABC but
I'm not O kill O Kills at Jordan's school, a
b C D is and Sunny is like, yeah, I
just I need you for one day, Just come for
one day. I'm like, nah, like I'm Jordan's out, I
can't wear didas I ain't. You know, no disrespect, but

(13:01):
at that point you can do it. And Sonny was like,
I said, the only way I would come if you
bring my man with me. My man gotta play because
I'm trying to get him off the block and get
him in school, which which turned out good. And I'm like, yeah,
I got I'm wearing my Jordan's likes. I was the
only person ever in the history of ANBC D can't
to where Jordan's There was a a j six days
and I'll never forget that. But they try to set

(13:23):
me up. Lenny Cook first Lebron at night, Framon Felt
the next day. You know what I'm saying, all these
big time players, I'm like, let's get it, like this
is my coming out part, you know what I'm saying.
So I only got a chance to play against Lenny
that one game and the rest is history. After that,
talked to us about good because I don't think obviously
he's had his story, but I don't think people unless

(13:43):
your basketball head know how good Lenny Cook was. Lady
was good Man he was. He was six eight, you
know what I'm saying, long arms, quick feet, quick hands.
You know. He was a big guard, the point guard,
six eight point guard, pick you up, full court, rowdy,
you know he was. He was. He was one of them.
He was. He was cut from where we was coming from,
you know what I'm saying. So I respected him for that.

(14:03):
I didn't know him like that, but I respect to
him because I see him like, oh, this is this
is the type of time I need, Like you know,
I need this type of time just gonna bring something
else out of me. I played against that. So then
he was Lenny was a real job. I give him that.
When did you and Lebron start playing each other and
start developing a friendship. So Lebron is one year, one year,

(14:25):
So we played and um when I get the old
kill brought him, had beat o kill the previous year,
and I'm like, yeah, I gotta play against him, like
it's on the schedule. We got him, we gotta make
it happen. I knew nothing. I ain't never see him
none of that because back then he was a pamphlet
telling what I'm saying. There's no internet. You didn't know

(14:45):
who it was you seen him in the gym. It
was Bob Gimmon's report. You know what I'm saying, So
well in the box down the number one player. So
that's who you're going after at that point. So we
get the jersey and we planned a prime time shootout
and he coming to the hotel and we're coming in
the hotel and he's like, yo, you mellow, like you know,

(15:05):
you mello him like yeah, And we sat on the steps.
It was All Star weeking in Philly too, so we
sat on the steps for hours the night before the game, like,
I don't know nothing about you, dog, you don't know
nothing about me. And we sat there for hours just
kicking and just talking, man, and we clicked from that moment,
you know what I'm saying. We just felt like we
had similar backgrounds. You know what I'm saying. You're single parent,

(15:25):
home broken family, growing up in the hood. You know,
it's that was a similar story. So we we connected
all of that before before basketball. That's that's then. That's
where you do that. That's where you especially with two
players being at the top like that, y'all dug into
each other as people. Absolutely basketball, So I can you
can it's easy to understand now your relationship, Yeah, because

(15:47):
I was looking. I was looking for some type of
relationship like that with somebody. Yeah, and he was looking
for that as well. So we came in each other's
lives at the right time. You know what I'm saying.
We was both looking for, you know, that brotherhood that
you know, that that brother that we can rely on
and talk to. And we had that. We that ship
clicked right away. Besides Sarah's strap beside Syracuse, who else

(16:10):
was gonna run to get you? In college? Yeah, I
committed to like five schools trying to figure it out.
Committed because I was just happy, Like what, I'm walking
around school with the with the book bag full of
letters in my bag every day. It's a new school,
like I'm coming. But I committed. I committed early to

(16:32):
Syracuse my junior year on my birthday. That was like
my birthday present to me. And I was still at Tewson.
So when I get the old kill, I'm like, you
get millions of level. This is what I'm saying. When
you're walking and you're walking the gym, every college coach
in Americans in there, so they looking at me like
why are you signed with while you commit to Serracuse
and they're like, you know you only committed, you know

(16:52):
you did a you don't have to go. You don't
have to go. So I'm saying that and We're playing
in NBA scounsels in there. Every practice the practice was
like game. It was better than games. So at that point,
I'm like, oh, let me just let me just try
and I'm gonna open it back up. And then I
like I committed to like I went like Georgia, Georgia Tech.
Jerry Jack and Chris Bosh was going to down to

(17:14):
the Tech, so you know that that was one of
the schools. Jay Wright was just at just got the
job at Villanova. So I wanted to go to Villanova,
but they already had people. Carolina already had people in
my and my spot for guy who was there, Wald
Williams was there at that position your senior year in
high school O two my saying it was oto right.

(17:35):
So then Sarachuse was like they had Preston Shumper three
and he was leaving. So I was like, oh, I
can come right in and play right away. And that's
why I really stuck with. So what was that experience
like I mean, you guys caught magic in the bottom.
You who King Warwick with a Jerry McNamara. You guys
made that run and uh, you know, you're one year
in college you win the championship. I ain't never think

(17:57):
I would do that. Ship. I'm gonna be honest. We wasn't.
We was a good team, but I ain't ever think
we was gonna be that good, you know, like, you know,
we to go seventeen and oh at home. We never
I never lost in the Carrier though. People don't talk
about that enough. Yeah, it's hard to do, you know
what I'm saying. So especially the Big East, right and
the Biggest that's when the Big East was that that

(18:18):
point in time, this is the Big East, you know,
the heart of it. So being that Serri choose and
just that whole experience. Man, we just clicked. Like it
was just something that that clicked. We wasn't doing nothing special.
We clicked. And then once we started feeling more confident
about ourselves, we can beat this team, we can beat them.
Oh should we just beat Missouri? It was number five.
We just beat Georgia Tech. It was Okay, We're going

(18:42):
into the tournament and I'm like, look, all we gotta
do is get hot at the right time. That's all
it takes. That's it. And at that point it was
like we we knew we at that point, we knew
we was gonna win in that tympiship. What what was
your what was your mental I mean, obviously the NBA
is the goal, but College of Pits stopped you ever
think about jump stares the league? When you dig into
the college? Was it one and done? Like what was

(19:03):
your mind set there? I could have came out of
high school. But again, like people don't understand, like NBA
never was my goal, Like it never was. I just
felt like we can never I can never reach that.
And you hear so much, oh you hear the stats
or one out of every thousand. You know what I'm saying. There,

(19:23):
there's no chance in hell I'm gonna make the league.
So I ain't even thinking about the league. Let me
just get to college. So when I got to college,
I'm on campus. I'm like, I never want to leave
this ship. Like Sarah Sarah choose Big eas It's popping
up here like I'm staying. And if you go back
to the footage, even like my press conferences, I'm like, yo,

(19:43):
like forget one more year, Like I thought, you stay
in school for four years, Like I'm coming back the
Bay Howard Like, man, if you don't get your ship campus,
we ain't trying to hear that. So he really kicked
me off the campus man rightfully? So right so makes sense.

(20:09):
What was most memorable about your year year old three
draft class? I think the fact that we all like
supported each other, you know what I'm saying. Like me
and Braun knew each other first we came to New
York for the drive d Wade, you know, we were
linked up with d Way and it was just like
at that moment, just us three, just moving. So we

(20:30):
felt like we always had to hold each other down
no matter what, you know what I'm saying. And I
always felt like even though d Wade's older, I always
felt like big brother, you know what I'm saying. I
was the I was the gamest of the other bananim
you know what I'm saying. Like it was like anything
even when we was younger. I used to feel like

(20:51):
I had to protect Braun and in a sense when
I say protect him me and like if I'm watching
this game and they found him hard I felt like,
I gotta get back. I'm gonna kill him the next game,
you know what I'm saying. Like I got him the
next game, you know what I'm saying. So I always
felt like that. So that was always our dynamics with
that old three class. And then on top of that,
yet Chris Boss you know, went went down to Toronto.

(21:14):
We had David West. So it was a lot of
guys in our class that spread out. We had a
deep class, but those three or four guys we were connected. Now,
I don't know if you've ever thought about it. You
mighty in passing, but obviously Detroit skipped over. You took Darko.
Do you ever think because that was a good Detroit
team obviously went on in one championship, you ever think
of that my career right insert him, it was I'm

(21:40):
gonna tell you what, man, I like to this day,
I still think about that really look yeah, hell yeah,
Because I'm like they promised me. You know what I'm saying.
You know we're taking you were taken. I'm talking all
the way up to draft day, I understand we're taking you.
So in my mind, like I'm going to Detroit get
the Chauncey then change all these guys there. She came

(22:05):
in the middle of the year. I mean she got
traded and that's what really put them over the top.
But it was like, yo, you canna share time with
Like Tasha, I'm like cool, like I ain't you know,
I'm gonna come and do my thing, but I don't
know how locked my ship time will help, you know
what I'm saying, I'm just coming and do my thing.
And then they wanted and I'm like, my luck, you

(22:26):
know what I'm saying, Like if I'm I understand, If
I'm now, I think we want to they win another one,
you know what I'm saying, Like I I wouldn't jump
out this and were three people, but I think we
go back to back. If if I'm there, because that
second year for me would have I would have learned
from those guys. It was all vets and I would
have learned from those guys in the way that that
second year coming back, I would have been a totally

(22:47):
different player. But you know, everything happened happened for a reasons. Yeah, man,
I still think about that ship though to this day.
But I'm like, because I want to say, then we
have ripped on the show and ripped or he was
coming to We drove from b Moore to Philly Man,

(23:07):
My man, Babe. We drove from b More than Philly
Man to go watch It was Detroit versus Philly, and
Larry Brown had already took their job at Detroit, but
you're still coaching Philly. So we're in the back and
he's like, Yo, we're taking you, Like we're taking you
so you know, I'm driving back up ninety five, like, Yo,
we're going to Detroit. The whole hood we Detroit. So

(23:31):
I was like, that's just still. That's just still sit
with me to this day. That's crazy. So you end
up laying it in Denver, Um, What was that? Like?
I mean, you're a street really a East Coast dude
coming out west. I go to Denver. I'm like, yo, damn,
I ain't never seen no mounds before. Like I ain't
never seen no snow caps like that before, you know
what I'm saying. So it was hard, but I knew,

(23:54):
like you just felt the energy going into Denver, like
they threw the ball at me, it's yours. And I
was nineteen when they did that, so I ain't thinking
about no pressure. It was just like this is mine.
Brown had Cleveland the way it was in Miami. Boss
was in Toronto. Everybody had their own situation. It wasn't

(24:15):
no teaming up back then. Y'all know that, it wasn't
no Big three, but it wasn't none of that. You
held your own team down back then. So I jumped
out to a great start in Denver. You know, we
made the playoffs seven years straight. My first year. I
made it. Bruno may make it. So it was like
I love you know, I love Dever. Let's we want
a little bit because you should have won Rookie of
the Year. I should have quite as Kip. I should

(24:36):
have quite as kill. We could have did Cole, could
have did Cole. Yeah, I thought it was gonna be Cole.
Now they did the jail like that, Jake kiss. I
really thought, okay, And that was part of our story too,
like we're about to be code. Yeah. Were talking about that,
and I'm like, okay, this is now. I see how
my career is gonna go. I see how they're gonna

(24:56):
look at me. I see what time it is. Just embraces.
I got embraced right hand too. Who are your vested
with the Nuggets. I know, big shot, big big shot
came later, right, So I had shout out stay. I
had Stacey, my big bro. That's I had Stacey. I
had k Mart, stacyag Man. I had for Sean Lennard,

(25:20):
Sean Lenny can be there yet Canby was dead. Andre Miller,
those was my Those was my vets. Arrow Boykins, you
know what I'm saying. Came after that, So I had
I had some good vets. And you know, we was
as y'all know, we was the Thuggets back then. You
know what I'm saying. We was. We was a hardcore,

(25:41):
like even though when when did we still have fun
playing the game of basketball. You wasn't coming in Denver,
you know what I'm saying. You couldn't breathe. And there
was something like, yeo, let's get them to the fourth quarter. Man,
we get the fourth quarter. We went dropping That first
quarter is always six minute walk. You the tap out,

(26:02):
were just blowing our lungs off the night before two.
So you come in there with the extra absolutely air advantage.
They get up to fifty point league quick and they're
like this too there and you know we we we
started that that running gun paste like that. You know,
say y'all caught it, y'all, y'all had it to it
in g state. But you know we was that running
gun style, you know, trying to score in seven eight seconds,

(26:23):
you know, get the ball up the court like that
was our m O two thousand nine Western Conference files
against Code. You guys are right there on the doorsteps
about that match up. The greatest man. I just that was.
That was my moment where man cold became. Before that,
we went to Olympics. Before that, we became very close,

(26:45):
but we became close on something like some disrespectful ship
like you know, you know Code man going at your
next elbowing. You had my braids back then too. So
he touching my head like y'all, don't I don't touch
my head, like you know what I'm saying, I don't
touch me no more dog. And you know he's smirking,

(27:06):
and you know he's doing his little ship elbows and
oh nine came and it was like, I mean, we
hugged before the game. He was like war, it's war,
and I said it's war, Like, let's let's get it
like it ain't you ain't gonna be nothing easy and
I just remember him. He always would tell me, I'll
call you in the fourth because they're they're gonna call,

(27:27):
They're gonna make some calls on me. They ain't gonna
call him to me in the fourth, And I just
usually try to I usually try to beat him up though.
You know, I was bigger than him, so I used
to trying to beat him up, be physical with him.
He come back elbowed me. I come back elbow on him.
He laughing talking about that's all you got. You know
what I'm saying. It was just pushing my button to see,
well I stand that. You know what I'm saying that

(27:47):
that's how like we grew man, Yeah, we all we
we we came who we are. Talk about your relationship
not in basketball, but off the court. Because he heard
him speaking the interview, that's kind of where he was
kind of checking your temperature. He was kind of person
were you know because you you hear ship. You know
what I'm saying, you hit it. And at that point
old four or five oh six was like those are

(28:08):
the I was still in the streets that those days.
You know what I'm saying, So you hear all the stories.
D was gonna it was just an old bunch of
project at that day, and he was checking me like
he wanted to see if I really was that, and
he wanted to see if I was gonna fold, if
I was gonna stand tall. In the minute that I
stood tall, he hit me, I'm cracking them back, you

(28:31):
know what I'm saying. Hit me and get him cracking
him back. He form stepping over him, Get up, you
know what I'm saying. So when he catched at it,
He's like, oh, I see what type of your bully?
Like that's when he started calling me a bully. At
that point in time. He respected that. There was no
question he respect He just has a weird way of
getting into it though. Yeah, he had a weird way
of just you know, he had a weird way just

(28:53):
be like, yo, yo, you're nice. He might not even
never say that period. To the in the papers, he will,
but to you he won't. He pulled me to the
side in the Olympics and said, you're bad motherfucker like that,
you know what I'm saying, because he knew what it
was already, and it took him forever to get that.

(29:14):
So for me as a young player four or five,
four years in the league. At that time, it's nothing.
You want nothing more than somebody like that to come
to your mother. You know what I'm saying. That was respect.
So he did that. I knew it took a lot
out of him to tell me something like that. So
I took that, and you know, I built on that.
Although you guys never got over the hump, you guys

(29:35):
are really special. Team can be Billups Martin Jr. We
remember most about those teams. Swiss Man. They shout out
the Swiss Man best bro we was. We I just
remember us having fun like we just had so much
fun on the road. You know. We was road warriors, man. Yeah,
you know we party like people don't know. Man, y'all know,

(29:57):
but y'all party it too. The Nuggets. We was partying
every night. We was partying. Hey, I will have a
party over there. Came off with having party over here.
I got a party over there. It was just like
we're tapping in and we're gonna we're gonna party and
we're gonna come play and we're gonna come work the
next day. And we had that. We had that understanding

(30:19):
take us through the two thousand eleven trade back home,
we need to have another drink to that. Yeah, two
thousand eleven, Contrary to anybody, everybody believed I didn't run
to leave Denver. You know what I'm saying. I never

(30:41):
told people that, but I never wanted to leave Denver.
But it's like they put my back against the wall.
We go to the Western College Finals at oh nine.
What you're supposed to do? Put the bill on that play,
don't don't mess the corps. They traded. They got rid
of Dante Jones, right and on that team do peace
on that team were to Dante Jones, They're like, when

(31:04):
you resigning, Chauncey, we're about to trade j R. K Martin.
You know what I'm saying. Contracts is up and the
lockout was coming. So I'm like, I'm not about to rebuild.
I'm not gonna rebuild after we don't went to the
Western Conference Finals. Were sposed to be building and rebuilding,
and I went to him, I'm like, look, I don't
want to go, but if y'all gonna rebuild, it's time

(31:27):
for me to go somewhere else and New York. New
York was a destination, but I had to go through
so much. Jersey was at the time, you know, Jersey
would come because they had all the picks. George Carl
wanted me to He wanted me to go to Utah.
Like I'm not. I'm stay him. I played through the lockout.
I ain't about to go to Utah for no reason

(31:48):
because he wanted at the time, he wanted um young
boy Derry Favors. He wanted the young boys. So man,
after that trade, I mean, I better have a trade
clause because anything happened, you know, says I come to
New York and just that Amari was here. He was
rolling you know, he came that half a year that

(32:08):
year before me, um Ray Felton was here. They was
rolling them. They were supposed to be all stars together.
And I remem my guy married in New York and
they come to the wedding and I remember I'm on
the boat and went the fund the Statue of Liberty
and they started playing uh from New York with with
with jay z and and I'm just like in the

(32:29):
front of the Statue of Liberty and I had I said, y'all,
I gotta come, like I gotta get I gotta get
to this. You know what I'm saying. I'm seeing the
energy in New York, and I'm like, if I'm gonna
go anywhere, I gotta be, I gotta be on the
biggest stage. I gotta perform on the biggest stage. Because
my time in Denner was already already peaked in Denner.
And you know they small market teams like that, secondary

(32:52):
market teams like that, it would have took them a
long time to really get the pieces. Nobody was really
coming to Denver like that. They did a great job
for an our team. So what was it like me
to come home and jump in the mix and then
you guys are in the playoffs your first two years?
What's that although you guys losing the first round? What's
that energy like to come back home and then you
you know, you got to the hometown team. Wasn't it

(33:15):
wasn't It wasn't nothing like it? And I tell people
all the time, you ain't seen nothing or experience nothing
until you're in the garden when it's rocking. Do you
understand when it's rocking, is no better place in the
world to be in. So for me to that's home
for me every night. But on the flip side of that,
I had to perform that you ain't coming here because

(33:36):
let you know, you know what I'm saying that, especially
you the guy, especially me. You know, we gave away
the whole team for you know. You know what I'm
saying that you give me the whole day. We got
to come in the ball. So I embrace that. I
wanted that pressure, and I also knew a lot of
people didn't want that coming to New York. Name with
that pressure. So two thirteen, you guys win fifty games,
beat Boston and six fall to the Pacers. You kind

(33:59):
of like, you guys are making progress at that point,
we're making progress. It's like I feel like I won
the championship after after we beat Boston. You know what
I'm saying, we beat them. We supped to sweat on
that year. You know what I'm saying, Jr. Get suspended,
But we're supposed to, you know it, were supposed to
sweat Boston. And I'll say that on on the record. Uh,
but I felt like it was a championship for me

(34:20):
because of just how much you hear about New York Boston.
And it wasn't just basketball, it was baseball, it was football,
it was high school. It was like street Ship is
like I'm a part of that, and I'm the focal
point of that. Being Boston was like the one of
the biggest moments because and it was tough, you know

(34:41):
what I'm saying. It was tough the Big three day,
you know, and they carried it like that, and I
knew in order to beat them, we had to carry it.
We had to be on that same type of time
it was on. So you come in on the high
and then reality sets in when the struggle starts kicking in.
It's a tough place to be when you're not winning.
What was that like for you mentally? So I said,

(35:01):
it's the best place to be in the worst place
to me. And I always I always observed, right, I
always look listening, observe and I'm always see how other
athletes dealt with ship here in New York, and I
would sitting back and like, y if that was me,
I wouldn't deal with it like that, or I would
deal with it like this. Or he's doing it the
right way. O G he doing it the right way?
This person, ain't you know what I'm saying that I

(35:22):
see how athletes got They kicked it. They build you up,
and they kicked the cheer for money. So you're here
in New York, and I never wanted to be that.
So I always stay solid with the media, even though
I ain't like talking to them. When losing drop, I
stood up. I still told after the game we lost
it was on me. It wasn't on nobody else. I
never blame anybody else. So I dealt with it, and
I think I reaped the benefits of you know, staying solid,

(35:45):
and benefits of being real so beneficial. Absolutely absolutely. What
could you change if you could from that time? What
would you change from the next. I think just the
way that ship was handled, you know what I'm saying,
Like that hand, you know what I'm saying, how I

(36:06):
was handled personally. I would I would change that, you know.
I would want them to communicate with me a lot
more than what was going on. You know what I'm saying.
When Phil came, it was just like he cut that
line in communication off for me with the front office,
with staff members, even players. You know what I'm saying,
I'm like, damn, like you're talking to him about me,

(36:28):
You're going to him talking to him about you? Is
But I'm right here, I'm right here, and the minute
that I knew that was a game that was being played, Like, nah,
you mean he was here. We had CBC C Brickley,
Brickley then he was like, Brick was there, but he
was like you know, when Derek Fisher was there, he
was like he was low key jealous of relationship with
y'all had because I wanted I'm big on bringing other

(36:51):
people up. You know, Brick was the he was. He
was a rebounder for us, and I gravitated towards him.
I've seen he was in the gym all day, all night.
I'm talking about the hours that they had him working.
It was crazy. No nobody should work that much. But
he didn't. He didn't complain. So I'm like, I'll call
him help meet me at the gym. I'm coming back
up with Tom and I'll beat it. He rebounded, so

(37:13):
before practice, after practice, I would look for him. You
know what I'm saying. I would be looking for Brick
and they hated that ship. We also had Kenny Atkinson
was you know, it was in the same position that
Brick was in at that point in time. But I'm
going to Brick. I'm like, you know, I feel comfortable
with him. I can confide to him. He can confide
to me. I know his struggle and what he's trying

(37:34):
to do. And I told him, I said, I got you,
like I got you, I'm gonna make you. I'm gonna
make you my train. I got you what they're talking about, right,
I got you. So you mentioned Phil. I mean, obviously
with that relationship, you think Phil Jackson, you think this
and that, but once he actually gets there, it's not
what you guys think. Has there ever been any closure
because it's obviously you know the friction has been publicized.
Has ever many many closure between you and Field? Nah?

(37:58):
I mean I don't need closure. You understand, there's no
I ain't what it is. It's still tall doing my
doing my time. So it is what it is. You
feel the way that you feel about me. You say
what you got to say about me. I don't know
if I had to sit down with you, you wouldn't
say that. You would say something totally different. You don't
tell me it wasn't like that. So I ain't really
got time for I don't need it at this point,

(38:18):
Part three of your next experience deciding it's time to go?
What was that? How tough was that It was tough
because I ain't want to leave the NIXT either. You understand,
I didn't want to leave even though like we was losing.
I'm like, I'm still don't want to leave, like I ain't.
This is me, this is I came in for a reason,
this is this is where I'm ending to that and
for some reason, man, that man ain't he used to

(38:41):
like tell me everything in the book without telling me
get out. I thought you was a liful with the knicks.
I can't lie. I thought she was gonna time. And
that's what That's what I wanted to do. That's what
I wanted to do. It I'm talking about every time. Man,
it's just like he's telling me ship is just basically
like pushing me towards the door, and I know he

(39:01):
pushing me, and I'm like, nope, I ain't going nowhere.
I ain't going nowhere to hang yourself. Trying to get
me hanging myself, man, And honestly, like I never made
Philip probably had three conversations. Man, it's the whole time
he was here. We never we never talked like that.
If we talked, we were sitting the room his office,
lights out. A couple of candles. You know what I'm

(39:22):
saying That we would watch film and he would he
would teach me how to break the triangle. You understand that.
He would teach me like, yo, you, this is what
you gotta do. So I learned it so crazy, but
he was. I think he was a little sick that
I learned it before from Cold m J. Like you know,
I used to sit with them and asked me on

(39:43):
what's over this triangle? And Cold we used to you know,
we see down the master of breaking the try and
go uh. And I think Phil hated that, the fact
that I figured it out on how to get to
my spots, how to get what I really wanted on
of that. So he used to always I was manipulating
the office bro, like I'm trying to get you though,
that's what I needed, And he wasn't. He wasn't flying

(40:05):
with that. Well, that's funny when you sit back and
think about it, from where you started to Baltimore to
Syracuse too. Now you're number ten all time on the scoring.
First of congratulations, But what does that mean to you?

(40:26):
And how do you process something like that? It was hard.
It's still hard to process that because I'm still in it.
I'm still doing it, so you know you you I'm
in Atlanta and that's that was That was Atlantic game,
and I get the temp spot we played the next day.
It's like you can't even you can't even sit still
and celebrate that, you know, so everybody else can celebrate
it for you, but you got I gotta get ready

(40:46):
for the next game. I gotta go play Milwaukee the
next night, Like I can't be celebrating temph like these
don't give a about tenth like they trying. They're trying
to beat the shower that's out there the next day.
So it's still having I understand it. But if they
ain't gonna be till I'm done done, more climate to
do because nine, you're not that far behind, far from
nine man nine eight is right. Then after that, after that,

(41:11):
I ain't trying. Listen, I ain't gonna be in that
long out of points, bro, I mean Olympic mellow three
gold medals, all time leading scores. Although I think Katie
today if he gets six points, should she was supposed
to That's what supposed to happen. But what was your
Olympic experience, Like you were one of the greatest Olympic
players our country's ever seen. I think losing the Old Four,

(41:33):
getting embarrassing Old Four, you know, losing to Puerto Rico
at that for me personally, we could lose anybody, but
not Puerto Rico, not pr So, losing the Old Four,
coming back at oh six, losing in the World Championship
and that moment we lost the game and I'm on
the court and they thrown toward a tissue confettiated. It wasn't.

(41:55):
In the championship game they beat us, and I remember
Men Brawn walked over the court. It was like he's like, Yo,
come on, man, we gotta get off the court. He
was like, Yo, we're gonna be back. We're gonna be back.
We came back oh seven one of the one one
of the fever games in Vegas, and I had to
convince my brother, man, come on, cold, we come on.

(42:16):
He's like, no, Ain's working with it. I ain't freking
with that. I'm like, come on, like you the missing link,
he said, just like when you said that no for four.
I'm like, bro, you're the missing link. Bun the way
like we are, you know what I mean? CP. This
was d White was Chris Bars like, will you know

(42:38):
what I'm saying, Like we gotta go. He's like, you know,
Nike came in and you know, helped helped it out.
But the Old eight team probably the best team might
ever played for. I think a lot of ninety two team, man,
but that Old eight team that we had a different mindset,
like we was locked in, you know what I'm saying.
And it was a dog eat dog world, you know

(42:58):
what I'm saying at that point, And you couldn't come
with no bullshit and oh wait practices you couldn't come.
I don't get for who you was, you couldn't come.
So oh wait came Bestie Sperence ever two thousand twelve came,
uh go to go to London when that that was
sweet too. The six team was like this is it
for me? You know what I'm saying. I left my

(43:18):
ship in real my sneakers if I was stealing in
the gym. So I ain't never touching USA basketball again
because four Olympics, man a lot, that's a lot, and
four Olympics I play USA basketball for damn the eight
summers straight no break, no break, sounding like I'm I'm
done with him, and I hung my hat up team
year and say if they need me, they could know

(43:40):
one thing about it. Though, to put your credit to
say all the stars they had on their team, the respect,
they're happy because Donna squitch, they was going there was
coming to you. But they also knew. They also knew
how I was giving it up to you know what
I'm saying. They also knew like you sucking around Stack,
don't stop playing, bro, you know you're sucking around. You
don't play like we ain't. It was that so I

(44:02):
don't you know, I don't want pap myself on the
back for that, but I felt like I was a
glue guy to a lot of situations over there when
she could have went left. She could have went left
over there. People don't know that. People no, No, she
could have easily went left. What I mean, I think
that's what this team right now is is struggling with
this is kind of defining roles and having to understand
who's gonna sacrifice. You guys got a lot of people

(44:24):
on your team that's sacrifice to make that ship happen.
And it started from the from the jump, and Coach
k did a great job of, you know, giving anybody rolls.
But he you know, he didn't keep you in the box,
but he told you what he expected from each guy.
And I remember, like, you know, we were talking about,
you know, who's going to start and who's nine. And
I went to him like, yo, coach, look, don't stress

(44:44):
yourself out about that. Start Katie, Like I bring me
off the bench, like I ain't. Nobody remember I came
off the bench. You know what I'm saying. Nobody remember that.
So he's like, oh, you know, it's just I said, listen,
coach k and start that man. You know what I'm saying,
I A and I'm gonna do what I do regardless.
Start him. And you know he defined those roles for us.

(45:06):
You haven't yet got an opportunity to win a championship.
But how special was it winning gold medals with your brothers? Yeah?
So the gold medals winning that was special, especially at
eight one, like the O eight was like, okay, we
got our ship back. And I looked at I looked
at the left BRA, looked at the right cold back
head the way CP. You know what I'm saying. It

(45:27):
was like this I was supposed to be You're supposed
to celebrate these moments at that level of any sport
together like that. How did the Banana boat come together?
I have no idea, to be honest, I wasn't on that.
I wasn't knowing that that fucking Banana boat man. You
know what I'm saying. We went on the vacation. You
know what I'm saying. One of the vacation, but little
brotherhood vacation and Bron slage your life. I came late

(45:52):
to the vacation Banana boat. So as I'm as I'm
on a tender going to the yacht, I see them
on the on the Banana boat. So I'm looking like,
what the fun is going on? What y'all? You know?
I'm looking about something. So I get to I get

(46:13):
to the boat and the next day it's like a
picture of like everywhere everywhere it was the Banana boat crew.
I ain't even there though I rolled past that ship, ain't.
I won't even get on that. You with my son, like,
you don't know Banana. You know what I'm like getting
talked to us about two. I mean, there's a I

(46:34):
don't know if it's true, but I heard that Bron
saved your life man swimming ship. Any truth to it truth.
It's it's truth. Man. We was We was in like
the little grotto like in the Bahamas. You know, you
can swim underneck because Jack is great to get the bathtub,
so you can't swim either. I can swim, but I'm
gonna tell you some real ship. I can survive. We're
in there and we're trying to get back. Everybody swimming

(46:56):
back to the to the boat. But I'm snorkeling to
we snorkeling on their way back. And my head is
in the water and I'm snorkeling and I look up.
Any time I look up out the water, the boat
is further and further way, and I'm getting pushed by
the current current. I'm like yo, yo, because looking at

(47:18):
me like like I'm joking, I'm like, yo, I need help.
Like this, I'm swimming, I'm like this, I'm trying to
hold onto a rock. It was exhausted. I was exhausted.
I'm like, I ain't gonna fight that current like that.
So the one guy was like, just don't fight it,
you know what I'm saying. Let it just go with it,
go with the floor. And I see bron jump in
the water just you know, aquaman jump in the water.

(47:42):
I was because the way it was right in front
of me, on right before me. So I'm thinking d
going come back. But I know d ain't rocking with
the water like that, you know, like he's like yo, yo,
go get him bat and I just see Bron, Bron
just coming. I got I got you, Champ, I got you,
I got you, grabbed me and we went back. We

(48:03):
went back to the boat man all purpose the run
is all purpose God all kind of ships. But it's
crazy because he can. Really he's very good at a
lot of ship. Like I don't give what it is.
He's going to be successful at that. He's gonna figure
it out. It's one of them people. He just wanted them.
He's just want of them natural freaks. Man. You just

(48:23):
called him a laugh baby man he was building. Or
shout out Braun for saving you man's life. He all
appreciate you can They said he had mellow on one arms,
swimming with the swimming against the current with superhuman Get
a look easy. What was your inspiration betind launching Creative seven?

(48:43):
So Creative seven was like I already had I had
a production company years ago. We did our first project
was the Tyson documentary years ago, and I got my
feet wet in the production business, and I just always
was I would watch the business and see where it
was on. But I knew, excuse me, I knew it
was hard for athletes to tap into any other industry

(49:06):
other than what we do basketball, and you know, music
was a thing at the time. I tried to dip
and dab in music, but it was like I knew
I had an age for that ship, you know, and
creating content. And I was treating content back then, not
even knowing what I was doing. And then you see
everybody started creating content and years later re vamping it.

(49:27):
I'm trying to revamp the production company. I'm sitting down
with my partner, now who's you know, she's the president
of Medal Enterprises. So we're sitting down and were just like,
you know, we gotta start telling these stories, like we
got so many stories that needs to be told. We
got to tap into our people telling our stories, and
we got to go back to the true essence of

(49:48):
where we come from and telling stories about the unsung heroes.
And you know, I don't want to keep hearing about
no disrespect, but Dr Martin Luther King, Like we learned
about that ship already, what about what about Banka Evers?
What about these guys right here that these stories need
to be told. You understand the history behind that, what

(50:09):
they did? You know what I'm saying. Like I was,
I was joking with somebody other day, I'm like, Yo,
people don't know Batholin was black. Really what I'm saying,
you ain't even know the idea? This was what I'm saying.
So it's like, these are these are stories that people
need to know that and ship that they should do

(50:29):
to him. It was a reverse. The richest man in
the world was black man Moos Moosa. So it was like,
these are stories that people I don't know about what
they really need to know about that? So that was
like the you know, the idea behind trade and Trade
of seventh. So uh, Obviously, last year with the pandemic

(50:50):
hidding the George Floyd ship, Hidden Jack found his next calling,
I think his main calling what he was made to do?
Uh in this social justice space. You guys created a
social change fund, you CP Brown anyone else? So what
is what is the mission? And to go behind that fund?

(51:11):
Oh man, we just wanted to start putting our money
while our mouth was at you know what I'm saying
that I got. We did the sp speech and that
was like the call that was our athletes summing of
sixty eight, you know what I'm saying, Like that was
the Ali Jim Brown. But I also say I thought,
I think it was bigger than that moment because we

(51:32):
they sat in the room and did a breast conference
and you know, amongst them several we was we called
out our fellow athletes and if you didn't take that
and this and ran with that after that, then you
you ain't who you mean who you say you are
lead down for the cause. So after that, it was like,
what's what's two point oh of that? You know what's next?
Then the George Floyd ship hit and was like the

(51:52):
bubble ship hit and it was like, yeah, we gotta
do something. You know, CP was already doing it with
the you know, with the p A the way it
was doing his own thing. I was doing my own thing,
and it was like, yeah, we gotta we gotta come together,
We gotta have some type of unity and go out
to the world and really make change socially, like you know,
so let's create this fun. You know, we team up

(52:13):
with everybody. It don't even it don't even matter, like
we in the competition with nobody. You know what I'm saying.
If you come on, you got some ship, you come on,
we we support that, you know what I'm saying. So
we had our pillars. You know, everybody had their own
thing that they wanted to do, education and prison reform,
and you know, it was just like let's just take
what we take three or four pillars that we really

(52:33):
want to rock out with. Let's attack that and then
we go from there where the idea come up from uh,
what's in your glass? The pandemic? Yo oncen't your glass?
Started like like every Monday and during the during the quarantine,
I would just get on that. We would just be
on zoom, right. I just I first learned about zoom

(52:55):
during that time. So we're on zoom and it's like,
say it's me and you on zoom. We just rocking, talking,
drinking wine and were like I'm like, yo, call somebody
else on like see when you can get on with us.
I'll call one person. You call one person, that person
will called somebody that person. So it became just a
cycle you know what I'm saying. It was like Carol Hart,

(53:16):
wal Burden Brady was on one of them, Dave Chappelle,
like it was just like you don't know who the
was gonna coming on that. And then I realized, like, yo,
everybody needs this. What everybody needs everybody drinking wine and
ship We had d nice with the DJ. We have
versus and the wine, Like those are the three. You
know what I'm saying that that's what was going on.

(53:37):
So I kept that what'sn't your glass? I started it,
kept it going and here and now we got a
full production behind it, and we made it a premium show.
So coming down to the end um, I think as
athletes often we don't get enough credit for because people
just think basketball is our life and that's the furthest
thing from the truth. Recently, you've had stuff in the media.

(54:00):
What do you do mentally to block out the noise
to focus on one being a player and then too
being a father. So the player that that's gonna be there,
like that's there's anything I do is surrounded around that.
Long't I get that done? I can do whatever the
hell I want to do after that. The parents and
is that's easy. You know what I'm saying, that you

(54:22):
just gotta be in their life. That's you gotta be there,
you gotta be That's that's super easy. That comes natural
to me. So I don't have to think twice about that.
So when Ship is out there in the field and
people talking like I just staying tall on who I am,
you know what I'm saying. I know the truth and
that's all that matter. It's like, you'll never hit me
speak on nothing. I don't basketball person who you ain't

(54:44):
gonna never hit me speak on it because only I
know the truth. Because I'm gonna staying tall on all
that that that that goes with who I said. People
say a lot of things. But when you go and
look at yourself in the mirror, if you're not happy
with what you see, because the mirror ain't gonna lie
to you, it's gonnae it's gonna keep it really real
with you every time you're looking at And if you
can go in the mirror and be happy what you see,
bunk with anybody else, it don't matter, man, it don't matter.

(55:05):
But I also say that that year that I took
away from the game like that Ship did something different
to me mentally, spiritually, mentally, it did something different to me,
Like I came out of that on something like I
was untouchable, you know what I'm saying. Like spiritually I
was locked in. I know I haven't been locked in
like that. I'll be in my lessons, in my books
and all that, but I wasn't locked in like that,

(55:26):
you know, So to sit still for a year, give
me a chance to get away from basketball. Let me
say basketball at that point. Let me get back in
my literature, Let me get back in my lessons, let
me let me really lock in. Let me let me
unravel all of these years of just building up, building up,
and suppressing a lot of ship. I gotta get that out.

(55:48):
In the minute that I got that out, like I
just said, I felt so much better mentally, spiritual, I
just felt so much better after later during that time too,
it was good you didn't say that because you had
so many people speaking up for you, because they know
you as a person, they know what you deserve, and everybody,
everybody that knew you didn't mind riding from now. I
ain't talking about last talk about the world. Everybody was
speaking up because like and that that's a testament to

(56:09):
who you are. And you know what I'm saying, because
like the media can say a lot of things, but
the best thing about now is we controlling our own narrative.
People that knew you had we had like we had
a platform with people that knew you had a platform.
So it's best sometimes when you don't say nothing, because
people that know you go around for you a little.
I didn't. I didn't have to say much, man, And
I'm glad I didn't really have to say much. I
have to say ship at all. Right, you know what

(56:30):
I'm saying. I had jaw holding up holding me down
out which I appreciate that big time. And just people
like you said, people who knew me, people who really
know my true essence. That's what we're speaking up for me.
And I always say that if I never ever won
the championship, as long as I got my respect for
my pist, that's all that matters. That's all that matters,
straight up. That quick hitters. First thing to come to mind,

(56:52):
if you could relive one night in your career, which
night would it be? Draft Night? Okay? Why? Draft night?
Draft Night? I did? I did? I did Draft Night?
I did I did Draft Night? You plus four going

(57:13):
to black Top? Wire? You're taking going to the black Top?
You plus four? Oh Cold Katie Kyrie? Yeah, one more
plus four. I don't really need a big I'll take ticket.
I'll take kg Yeah, ticket because we play on black

(57:37):
You gotta go get it, man, you gotta killers out there.
Top five artists in your opinion ship right now and
top five arters. I'm nahs hold kiss. Let's know that

(57:59):
East Coast bush Kiss. I hate this man. I hate
this ship like I'm I love like I love rock Kemp.
I'm saying I love the guard Man, so he would always,

(58:22):
no matter what, be my man. You know Hens of seven?
You know what I'm saying that. You know that you
know the history on that um like I'm a Jeezy fan,
Like you know what I'm saying, Like I'm a Jesus
I came up with Jez. You know what I'm saying.
So that I can't put five man, I can't. I

(58:43):
hate this ship. I could do everybody hate that. I
can't do nives. I don't know what naves to hate
that ship. You know what I'm saying, Like I grew
up on nas. You know what I'm saying I grew
up on you know, the Temberlin boots with the army jackets.
You know what I'm saying that that was project looking
at my project windows like songs that could you spoke
to me? You know what I'm saying, the moutang, you

(59:05):
know what I'm saying it. Then as I started getting older,
you know, X started you know, X was a dog snoop.
You know what I'm saying. I always funk with game.
You know what I'm saying that, Like I can't put
five man, I funk with everybody. I'll tell you what
I do though. I give anybody a shot. Yeah, I
give anybody a shot, and that gives me a reason
to be like now I'm funk with you. Theyved Road

(59:27):
Arena to silence good Boston. I like that Boston. You
don't like that look? You know like that Boston? Just
the Boston is just they vicious out there. Man. Yeah,
they don't give a funk out to the Bos. That's
the That's the East Coast. You talk to me, Boston,

(59:53):
you talk is second silent as you talk. I'm gonna
sign yes, yes, yes. Utah is a place you want
to dagger like you want to beat them. So yeah,
you want to dagger and just talk. You talk your
talk out, then then you talk your favorite batch up
to this point to your career was all it would

(01:00:16):
be cold. That would be cold. On the spot again.
Five dinner guests that are alive. I think you would
like this question or deep as you I think Um
Malcolm M. Nelson, Marcus Garvey, Um, Dr Ben York Deep

(01:00:41):
Um Obama with the table. You're gonna learn a lot
at that table. Hell of the table. Last question, bro,
this is a big I might interlude on this question.
Go ahead and go ahead, get it. Find a question,
but remember the answer to this question. You have to
help us get them on the show. Who would you
like to see on All the Smoke? The person that
ain't your life swimming? Or oh no, no he cool

(01:01:05):
with somebody else that we try to get to. Now, okay,
let us speak. Oh I think he's been doing ever
since Pat Joe all day. Think those I think those two, man,
I think Holve. I would love to see house. I
would love to see a whole one here because it's real.

(01:01:26):
You know what I'm saying, It's authentic, and he gonna
kick that he's gonna kick that ship to you. You
know what I'm saying. He's gonna, he's gonna, he's gonna
have you. He's gonna have all of y'all in head
on some right, you know what I'm saying. But you're
gonna learn something from him too. I would love to
see broun On here too. Um the game I would
love to see, But I would love to see home
one here though. I mean I can sit and listen

(01:01:47):
to hold Talk all day. You got break Niles over here, man,
you want to get the norm break? We need you
any one of them three or go yeah, one of them,
bless the brother this overhead, Yes, sir man, that's a wrap, mellow.
We appreciate you, man. We got a lot of love
for you, you know what I mean. Like like like

(01:02:08):
we said, man, your peers speak up for you, and
that shows the character and the man who you are. Man.
So you know we got your back. You always got
a family here you love the rest of the way,
we know you're not done. Keep climbing that ladder. You
can catch yourself. Showtime Basketball YouTube the hundredth episode and
appreciate you, bro and the Heart platform the Black Effects.
You bet you. This is all a smoke A production

(01:02:33):
of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio in partnership
with Showtime. Jake Paul has site install its opponents, but
his next test against Combat Sports ledger of Tyron Woodley.
He's his toughest yet. Now the fight critics that Jake
Cole should never take. He's here, he wants it more.

(01:02:58):
Jake Cole versus Tyro Woul late Sunday, August twenty nine
at eighty Stern five Pacific, live on pay per view.
Order now go to showtime dot com slash ppv