Full Transcript for Vin Baker

again AND i was. Game and then by the TIME i went my before my senior year and that, SUMMER i just got better man and started. DOMINANT i started feeling like dominance WHEN i went there the second. Time more between junior and senior, YEAR i. DIDN'T i grew like, it like one more. INCH i was like six seven my junior year and then six seven my senior. Year but my growth, spurs the big one came WHEN i WENT i was a senior in high. SCHOOL i grew four inches going into my freshman year in. College SO i was six seven and then six to. Eleven that was my big girl. Spur but it helped me BECAUSE i was, handling you know WHAT i. MEAN i WAS i was growing, up growing up like the guard and the. 00:06:38 Speaker 3: Wing. Yeah so since she was a. 00:06:39 Speaker 1: Late, bloomer what was the college that you really wanted to go? 00:06:43 Speaker 3: To man being In, connecticut you, KNOW i wanted to go To. 00:06:46 Speaker 2: Yukon, yeah and at the time, too The university Of Rhode island was. Rolling this was Pre Lamar Odham. Prektino they were. Rolling they had this dude Named Kenny green that was From connecticut that was a. Monster they had actually gone to The sweet sixteen my right before my senior, year and SO i took a visit, there but they didn't offer me a scholarship because AGAIN i wasn't ready for that level at the. Time so it Was Rhode island And. Yukon but by the grace Of, god MAN i got one, offer and that was from The university Of. 00:07:16 Speaker 3: Harford like your. 00:07:17 Speaker 1: Game WHEN i started really playing attention to your, game your game won the typical center. Game like to, COMPARE i, say a king your, footwork like the way you. Play when did that story getting in your game when you got to. 00:07:33 Speaker 2: College WHEN i got to college, there it was crazy because you, know my freshman YEAR i averaged four points a, game but then my sophomore, YEAR i averaged twenty points a. Game and so going to a small school was a blessing in disguise BECAUSE i got a chance to do. Everything take the ball off the, rim dribble it up the, court work in the. POST i got to do everything at The university Of. Harford so that's really where my footwork, developed and my junior and senior. Year my junior Year, IVIUS i think like twenty eight point five points a. Game in my senior, year like twenty eighty, game and SO i was tripled in quadruple team and double team all the time in. College so it made me figure out how to use BECAUSE i was so desperate and thirsty to. Score it made me figure out how to beat double, teams how to beat triple, teams keep my dribble in the post outside the. 00:08:24 Speaker 3: Post so that's really where the footwork really. 00:08:27 Speaker 2: Developed because by the TIME i got to the league my first two, YEARS i was, like there's no way they guarded me with one. 00:08:33 Speaker 3: Person it was crazy to. 00:08:34 Speaker 5: Me, centers the old traditional, centers. 00:08:36 Speaker 2: Right, physical just, strong

right, right but my footwork they were stronger than, me but my footwork was. 00:08:44 Speaker 4: Better, yeah how was it for you going from averaging you, know four points and you, know pretty much figuring out your body after growing like, that then you get to your senior year and you had little Old, hartford but you got the you, know the Whole Sports illustrated call you the best kept, secret AND i was that when you started getting that type of attention going from where you came. 00:09:03 Speaker 2: From it was crazy, too because at the TIME i knew WHAT i was doing at The university Of, hartford BUT i also knew That Chris weber was out, There hardaway was out. 00:09:13 Speaker 3: THERE i was aware. 00:09:15 Speaker 2: THAT i was doing, damage BUT i was doing it at a lower. Level but it kept me hungry. THOUGH i was, like those dudes are getting. Recognition they're At, michigan they're At. MEMPHIS i felt it being called the nation's best cap secret was great for me and my, college but at the same, TIME i was at a place where mentally like, this ain't it. Right there's more LIKE i really want national, attention and to get the national, Attention i'm gonna have to bring it to somebody. Nationally i'm gonna have to bring it to See. Web i'm gonna have to bring it to your mind and all the best. Ones so as great as my college career, WAS i was very aware that there was another level of basketball player THAT i had yet to accomplish and yet to go. 00:09:59 Speaker 1: Again like back in them, days Like streets And smith and like the, magazines they was like they was like the social media these. 00:10:08 Speaker 3: Days you know What i'm, Saying when you go. 00:10:09 Speaker 1: Viral, yeah to hear that you're about to be On Sports, illustrated which by THE Nd Sports illustrating and had. Magic they hadn't had all these these professional and these big time guys on ther to do even do the. Article how was it when you first heard their? 00:10:24 Speaker 2: CALL i mean it was it was super, dope, Man because the actual photo shoot it was all the athletes that were in the. School so they got all the athletes out of, class at least the majority of, them. 00:10:38 Speaker 3: Yeah some of. 00:10:39 Speaker 2: Them and to do this one photo where everybody had their their. 00:10:43 Speaker 3: Finger on their my likes the best. 00:10:46 Speaker 2: Secret so it was kind of cool to have the whole university, involved have all my fellow student athletes involved. In but again they like at the same, TIME i was so, humble, Man, LIKE i was happy THAT i was getting their. Attention BUT i still the basketball side of me was, like, MAN i GOTTA i gotta prove. This you, KNOW i wasn't. Winning you. Know my junior year in, COLLEGE i averaged twenty eight point five points a, game but we only won six, games SO i had to figure out how to win. 00:11:15 Speaker 3: Too it was the accolades were. 00:11:17 Speaker 2: GREAT i was happy THAT i was getting the, attention BUT i knew it

was another level. 00:11:21 Speaker 3: Too was it. 00:11:22 Speaker 4: Crazy for you to, see like you had wanted to go To, yukon you went to the camps and all that It now it was roomors like coach cal who wants you to transfer to you kind of like what was that type of feeling? 00:11:33 Speaker 2: Like so it was it was cool man like to know THAT i was. WANTED i had a ton of opportunities to leave The university Of, harford but because of my mom and my, dad my, upbringing the loyalty That university Of harford showed me and my, family. 00:11:49 Speaker 3: It was like far. 00:11:50 Speaker 2: FETCHED i could HAVE i could have left to go to The pros my junior, YEAR i could have left to transfer to other, schools but the loyalty that The university Of harford had shown to me man AND i also was smart enough to, realize like what IF i do go and transfer, it Then i'm one of, Ten LIKE i don't know If i'm gonna be able to develop IF i go To yukon and you Had Dianiel marshall's, coming you know WHAT i, mean they Had Ray, allens all these other players are. Coming you Know i'm Doing damna. CHEER i THINK i might want to stay here and develop my game as opposed to going and being one of. Ten i'm one of one here and you have to sit out a whole, year right right out a whole year if you train that transfer, Portal like go back, there. 00:12:31 Speaker 1: When you first heard THAT nba scouts or the league scouts was looking at you or giving you an, eye knowing that you, know the big time, schools they guys get most of the looks you, know from THE nba scouts before they'll go and get a small school. Guy back, then they really weren't looking as many small school guys as they were looking at The North, carolinas the dudes to whoever it was when you first heard that it was a possibility for you to go to the, league something that you've been watching your whole, childhood what was your reaction to? 00:13:02 Speaker 2: That super, Excited LIKE i mean to hear your name mentioned IN nba drafts in THE nba, circle like y'all, know d N. Q it's, crazy like it's a dream without the dream even. Happening it's a dream coming true and the process of. It but the most important THING i think it gives you a different. Swag it gives you a different you, know DN q like you walk on the. Court And i'm at The university Of, Harford SO i didn't come with a bunch of accolades and a bunch of the. McDonald's All americans. Came so now when my name is mentioned with going to the draft and potentially being a lottery, pick when we're underground meeting The yukon players to play at such and such gym In, connecticut y'all know what it. IS i don't have like and there were great players at The university Of, Connecticut Scott barrell And Chris smith and all These so when we go to these gyms and go underground where there's no lights and cameras and no, acting you, know no media and no, rankings then we're gonna get to. It SO i was really establishing myself underground BEFORE i became you, know

industry in the tabloids about being a lottery. 00:14:12 Speaker 3: Pick that's where my street cred was better than my media. 00:14:16 Speaker 2: Credit, yeah people knew underground LIKE i was getting to, it so but to have people talk about it was just added to WHAT i was already. Doing it's like it's like having a mixtape right and then getting, signed SO i had to, buzz BUT i just had to get. 00:14:33 Speaker 4: Signed how many workouts did you go on when you finally came out and started going through the. 00:14:38 Speaker 3: PROCESS. 00:14:39 Speaker 2: Q i, Went it's crazy BECAUSE i went to like six workouts for the draft because AGAIN i had TO i didn't go To. Portsmouth, WELL i didn't do any other senior tournaments, postseason SO i worked out for The. PISTONS i worked out for The Golden State, WARRIORS i worked out For. SACRAMENTO i worked out for a lot of. Teams interesting, ENOUGH i went, eighth but The pistons were nine and. Ten my workout with The pistons was so. HORRIBLE i heard them WHEN i left the. Draft they were, like we weren't going to take it was, Awful like my draft was horrible for. Them they ended up Taking Allan houston And Lindsay hunter in that. Draft BUT i worked out for a lot of people because for, me it was LIKE i got a you, KNOW i got that small school stigma was still, there like we saw him do it against from my main can he do it at this? Level so that's why one of the REASONS i worked out for so many people you. 00:15:36 Speaker 3: Didn't go to The did you go to the? DRAFT i? DID i. Went how was that? 00:15:40 Speaker 1: Experience it was? Great, drafting shaking the commissioner, hand it was. 00:15:43 Speaker 2: Great AND i think the most amazing part of that draft for me WAS i didn't know WHERE i was. GOING i had no, Idea Like milwaukee was my, Worst Like detroit And milwaukee were my worst. Workouts milwaukee was my worst workout because he pushed me to the maxic coach Down leyvy was also THE gm as, well and, man like three or four times in that draft, WORKOUT i was, like, Man i'm. 00:16:07 Speaker 3: Done i'm not DOING. 00:16:08 Speaker 5: I hated teams that did that, Shit, like well come, on, bro you're just trying. 00:16:13 Speaker 3: To burn me out, right all my gas? Out, Yeah, BRO i don't want to do workout. Anymore. 00:16:19 Speaker 2: Right so WHEN i got to the, drive sitting at the, table it's one thing to have all your dreams in that. Room LIKE i KNEW i would possibly be. LOTTERY i was pretty much guaranteed That denver would take me at, nine BUT i didn't Know milwaukee was gonna take me at. Eight and that's so that made the dream even that more. 00:16:37 Speaker 1: Amazing how was it For, like your pops to see your growth and you falling in love with, basketball especially coming up through a church and you done found a sport that you love and you, know sometimes we play On, sunday you know What i'm. 00:16:52 Speaker 3: Saying so how was that for. 00:16:54 Speaker 1: Your pops to see the growth and the

levels that you're going to and then finally gets the draft and see his son blah blah shaking the. 00:17:03 Speaker 2: Commissioner, yeah so what my dad, did it was crazy BECAUSE i watched him watch me like my dad's faith and his belief In, god and you, know him becoming a minister and a. Pastor LIKE i watched him be, like my faith and everything That i've worked for and believed in has come to fruition through my. Son so he you, know he had a pastor. Me my dad's super, quiet laid, back BUT i watched him not only be, proud BUT i watch him also, believe like my faith has come to. 00:17:33 Speaker 3: Fruition my kid has made. 00:17:35 Speaker 2: It and so that was that was a joy to see him happy and to see my mom just as happy as. Well my mom worked for two years AFTER i went to the, league so it was a bit they still weren't. 00:17:50 Speaker 3: Adapting to it believed. It yet they both worked for like two. 00:17:54 Speaker 2: Years SO i was happy to see them happy and get them in a space where they could, finally you, know retire your rookie. 00:18:02 Speaker 1: Year you get To Milwaukee midwest the first year for, you how did you feel about the first year being in the, league the highest level you can. 00:18:10 Speaker 2: Go SO i, WAS i Was i'm a basketball, fan AN nba, Fan SO i was in all y'all know this. 00:18:17 Speaker 3: Team you're in all, game, right you're in all. 00:18:21 Speaker 2: That i'm, HERE i mean like just being on my, Team, like no disrespect to my, teammates but my teammates were like stars to, me, yeah because of the talent. Level so part of me was, LIKE i made. 00:18:33 Speaker 3: It i'm. 00:18:33 Speaker 2: HERE i can't believe that's That's Frank, berkowski That's Tired, day That's Lee. Mayberry but then the competitive side is like later for that, Man it's time to get to, it. Right SO i had to be a, fan and THEN i had to be the eighth pick in the. 00:18:46 Speaker 1: Draft, expectations the expectations had to kick in when you started playing against These, uh it's, youing it's lines over, morning it's you, Know, Lajahway David, robinson and LIKE i, said your game was was like, smoother more, footwear you can, dribble you can, shoot the adjustment on on. 00:19:08 Speaker 3: Defense you know you. 00:19:09 Speaker 1: Gotta guard bigger, guys but they gotta guard. You what did you start seeing that you can get? 00:19:15 Speaker 2: Successful, yeah the physicality was, Crazy LIKE i found myself getting pinned like almost every. 00:19:21 Speaker 3: Night power and, strong both of. 00:19:24 Speaker 2: Us i'm, saying like cats who didn't even get the superstar. Recognition there was monsters in the, league not just from. Scoring and you have to go To New york and See, Oakley mason And, Ewing, yeah all on one. Vena, like the physicality was the first THING i was, Like, wow this is crazy man. Like but WHAT i didn't, realize and we talked about this, earlier like my footwork was going to be the gift or what got me. 00:19:57 Speaker

3: THROUGH i couldn't get PANNED. 00:19:58 Speaker 2: O i was, LIKE i got to use my wickness and things That i've been gifted with to. Survive it wasn't even about being An All. Star it was JUST i need to not get, pinned you. Know and that time it was just, floppies like just pinned down. Post it wasn't all this moving around so the physicality and the speed of the, game you're gonna see right away if somebody can do it or. 00:20:18 Speaker 1: Not, yeah one of the THINGS i loved about. CENTERS i felt Like Kaul malone did it, man probably the best out of anybody to. Seal like you're, saying pin like a sealer person under the net where they ain't. Moving they put that anchor down and they ain't. Moving back in the, days they ain't. Move it's not in the game. Today and then it was used to be some of the most easiest buckets to either get filed on or to get you a layup. 00:20:44 Speaker 3: On Right what you think about? That, like how is that's not in the game no? 00:20:49 Speaker 1: More where guys it's really selling guys under the goal like how they used. 00:20:53 Speaker 2: To it's amazing because the three point game has just changed the. Mentality it's changed the play and it's just changed the mentality of the Big you know you got when that word AND d you might have been classified as. One like when that word stretched four, hit then they moved it to the stretch five And i'm, like they moved it to the stretch, five moved to the stretch. File so when the stretch four And stretch five became like Like kgizky and all them that became sexy and all that physicality kind of went out the game based on the style of. Play but being a, COACH i think the great part of being a coach right now is THAT i get an opportunity working With Bobby brooke And giannis those nuances of the. GAME i literally can whisper in their, ear like if is getting a cross green Or bobby's getting a cross, GREEN i tell. 00:21:44 Speaker 3: Him, hey stopping the, paint stopping the. 00:21:48 Speaker 2: You, know just stop exactly because the advantage is we're giving you the advantage if he sets that cross. Screen if you, stop they can only push, you, Right so those type of NUANCES i get to teach from the, nineties the physicality and stuff because as much as he doesn't feel, like in the nineties it was a thinking man's game because of the physicality and. Speed it was a thinking man's. Game you've had to. 00:22:11 Speaker 1: Because it was some, big strong, motherfucker so, right you had to know once you beat your, man it's a seven foot strong right right there right waiting every. 00:22:21 Speaker 3: TIME i, mean think how Great Reggie miller was in the. 00:22:23 Speaker 2: Nineties, man and they got a chance to handcheck and hold it and hold you, like imagine the freedom he w have to run, now, man and how fasty it would? 00:22:32 Speaker 3: Be. Crazy let me ask you. This this is my. 00:22:34 Speaker 1: Guy he's one of my, favorite all time favorite, Players Big. 00:22:37 Speaker 3: Dog. 00:22:38 Speaker 1: Yeah when he got drafted and you heard that he asked for the huntred, Meal, like what was your thought process to that because guys. 00:22:48 Speaker 5: Had never which it was well deserved because he was a. 00:22:51 Speaker 1: Dog coming out of of, college but just to see how the money went from net to where they changed and put a cap on. 00:22:58 Speaker 2: It, yeah so easy thing about that d in, Hindsight like the year prior was my, Draft Chris webber got seventy. Two, yeah, right dog just asked for sixty. Eight so it really was like in the wheel it was in the he was the number one the. Wheelhouse it was a wheelhouse OF i think because of the market and where we, were it was made more of a bigger thing like the sixty eight million over ten. Years but let me be, Clear glenn Big Dog robinson was worth every. 00:23:28 Speaker 3: Pen every pen, Everything, like. 00:23:30 Speaker 2: Let me be, Clear Glenn robinson was a monster coming out of college and he was on EVERY tv, show every. Magazine Everything Jason kidd And Grey hill were in that, draft nobody said they should go before, him because you know WHAT i. 00:23:46 Speaker 3: Mean he was just the beast. 00:23:47 Speaker 1: To clarify this, too because MEN qb trying to tell people this all the. Time no disrespect To Grant hill And Jay, kidd But Big dog posed the one rookie of. 00:23:55 Speaker 2: Year absolutely the only reason he didn't win it was because he held out for the. Money in my humble, opinion you do your homework on. It you do your. Homework he twenty two points a, Game, yeah it's hold out right in twenty two points a game in nineteen ninety, five it's like thirty, yeah yeah as a rookie as a. Rookie so the only reason he did not make or Win Cole rookie or maybe split it three ways is because of the. Holdout and Also Dog. Dog y'all Had dog on the, show a real. One, yeah So dog in his, Interviews he's not gonna be politically correct on the name what you want him to, say but be, clear Like Glenn robinson was a, bucket like saying his first year he may have been one of the most prolific scores in the. League at that, TIME i watched my big, bro BUT i watched great defenders Like Stacey. 00:24:47 Speaker 3: Augman And pippin Plastic. 00:24:49 Speaker 2: Man great defenders just struggle that that slide, back you know. 00:24:54 Speaker 3: What you know What i'm talking about with the high art that all the. 00:24:59 Speaker 2: Time it used to be like he getting to it LIKE, i you, KNOW i got a chance to watch it close, up like he getting to. It like when the wings were a thing defensively and? Offensively what year. 00:25:10 Speaker 1: Did you feel like you started to set your feet in and you start to have big time, success. 00:25:17 Speaker 2: So you know the crazy thing they Like my rookie season nineteen ninety three was the Inaugural Rookie game at The All Star weekend AND i was the eighth pick and they took the top sixteen people AND i didn't make

that. Game my first half of my rookie season didn't really go that. 00:25:35 Speaker 3: WELL a lot of people don't know that because of the success THAT i had. 00:25:39 Speaker 2: Thereafter but my my rookie season heading Into All star break was it Doud and then WHEN i came back from The All Star, BREAK i literally watched The All Star. Game i'm, like, DANG i don't know if it's disrespect Or i'm just not doing What i'm supposed to do as the eighth. Pick so fast, FACT i didn't make that, game The Rookie All Star game In. February By april Or, june when the awards came, OUT i was unanimous All, rookie, Myself penny and See weber unanimous all rookie. Choices so From february to the end of the season went. Crazy so that's WHEN i really. Started and then by the second, YEAR i. Missed my first, YEAR i missed The Rookie, Game Rookie All Star. Game my second, YEAR i was in the Actual All Star. 00:26:30 Speaker 4: Game so how was that walking into that room where you, know you got the you walking in there with mj and them boys in? There, like what was that like to be at The All Star game and being a member of the. Team, MAN i should have taken a camera And mike with me because it was. 00:26:47 Speaker 3: SURREAL i felt, like. 00:26:49 Speaker 2: You know this, again like what we talked about WHEN i was at the, University i'd understood WHERE i was on the total. POINT i made The All Star, game But i'm not him him him and he GOT. Mjd you're watching top fifty walk through the hallway and so it was. Amazing it was. Amazing cut just the year the top. Fifty so so my rookie. SEASON i, mean my first year Was. Phoenix the second YEAR i made The All Star, game it Was. Cleveland that was top. Fifty, yeah that was top. Fifty WHEN i Saw wilt in the hallway and Raise, jack, yeah, crazy Said will And patrick get all these great it really put into perspective like the irony of it, Is it's LIKE i made The All star, team BUT i. 00:27:32 Speaker 3: Ain't really made. 00:27:33 Speaker 2: Nothing it was like right there to see Well chamberlain man, Again i'm a basketball storian. Man so it was a blessing to be at The All Star, game but even cooler to be in that in the presence of those. 00:27:48 Speaker 1: Greats when you first heard because you, know we all Loved, Mike when you first heard That mike want you to be a part Of Team, jordan what was your reaction to? 00:27:58 Speaker 2: It to be honest with, you it was bigger than being. Drafted, yeah and in some ways like bigger than being An All. Star like at that, point you, know there's Like All, Star ALL. Nba you know there's levels to the elite. Neists so to get the opportunity to Have michael Stamp you is, different like day, one BECAUSE i was on the first. 00:28:23 Speaker 3: Batch, first you, KNOW i remember The. 00:28:30 Speaker 2: Jump, yeah so the first batch was like, Myself Ray, derrek And Eddie, jones and so me And eddie got an opportunity to have our own, shoes like we had The Power forward and we had like the

two GUARD i had to pro. Strong so to Have michael Stamp you was. DIFFERENT i, mean it's one thing to be An All star and walk through the arenas and but now people are, like, YO i need to get some of. Those so it was, cool man. LIKE i, mean like anybody else growing, up everybody's My Michael jordan, fan and to have it was surreal for me to Have michael, stampy Man, LIKE i remember being In. Seattle the cool part about it IS i got a relationship with him and a friendship with. Him AND i remember WHEN i got traded To, seattle we played The, bulls and, WELL i wanted to be in this. Commercial so The sonics were really, good Man. Like we were number one in The west at the, time AND i begged my organization. 00:29:28 Speaker 3: To fly To, chicago which is like a four hour trip From. 00:29:30 Speaker 2: Seattle they said, yes AND i got to the photo shoot AND i Had fulk as an agent as. Well SO i got to the photo shoot all giddy That i'm gonna be make this little slight cameo in the brain join. Commercial first THING mj says to me when he because we were playing The Utah jazz the following night and he knew, that and he said to, me what the hell are you doing? 00:29:51 Speaker 3: Here true? 00:29:53 Speaker 2: Story AND i was, Like i'm coming for the. Commercial that was like one of my first Less, like, nah, bro you want To you're in a place now where you're. 00:30:04 Speaker 3: Winning this is. 00:30:05 Speaker 2: Secondary so you, KNOW i learned so many lessons from him being in that brand and not just being stamped for the, brand but just learning about him and his competitive. 00:30:15 Speaker 1: Nature you being there from the get go on the start to see Where jordan brand is now With Jason, Tatum zion And Chris paul And Russell, westbrook how it. 00:30:27 Speaker 3: Grown we came in in two. 00:30:29 Speaker 1: Thousand it took another step up to see the brand going that far and still it's like. 00:30:36 Speaker 3: The number one brand in the. World how is? That to? 00:30:39 Speaker 1: See like you was kind of. Started it was a part of that the first, Part, yeah it's. 00:30:45 Speaker 2: GREAT i saw a magazine man like something THAT i googled search AND i saw, Myself Zion luca and someone. Else it's like two years ago where they were talking about about the, brand and it was just amazing to see myself on a picture With Zion luca and then the current guys and then of Course jason And Russell man And. BLAKE i, mean it's just awesome that THAT i was a part of the beginning of. 00:31:14 Speaker 3: It, yeah AND i feel like it's it's. 00:31:16 Speaker 2: FAMILY i, even you, KNOW i text with With polo now because he's Family. Jordan now we have to Play, orlando but he's still My jordan. Family so it's just it's a blessing man, like And i'm trying To it's funny BECAUSE i have to mentor those guys, too BUT i have to play against him, too so my mentoring can only go so far when we play Against. Orlando but it's it's a. BLESSING i Think that's HOW i feel with me AND. 00:31:41 Speaker 1: Q as soon as we hear a guy is signed To, jordan it's like you instantly part of our. Family, yes because we have been part of The jordan family for so. Long it's like you instantly part of the fact once we heard you sign With jordan's and. 00:31:54 Speaker 4: To, me, yeah it's just, like you, know it was dead as summer when, we you, know go to the brand call it the family. 00:32:00 Speaker 3: Reunion you know they call it The board Of. GOVERNORS i just called it The Jordan Brand Family. Reunion you, Know i'm. 00:32:05 Speaker 4: Saying everybody show, up and it's, LIKE i think it's super, dope you know What i'm, saying to have The ogs like, y'all you, Know ray always on, deck how You bill and some of the dudes that really was like you, say, y'all y'all kicked it, off y'all put the foundation down for this to be doing what it's doing. Now so it's dope to see the brand really honor everybody and still hold everybody down because they don't have, to you know What i'm. Saying they definitely don't have to do what they do and extend themselves the way they do for for The ogs and the guys that, were you, know the past guys that. Came because like it's, crazy bro to still be able to receive the things we received the way we do and from the brand and it ain't. 00:32:44 Speaker 3: Cheap you see, them you see them them price. 00:32:47 Speaker 4: Tag But i'll be, Like, lord have, mercy thank You, god like you know What i'm, saying really, appreciative. 00:32:52 Speaker 3: But like you know What i'm. 00:32:53 Speaker 4: SAYING i think it's just you know What i'm, Saying like you say WITH, mj it's just top scholf with everything in the. 00:32:57 Speaker 3: Way you know What i'm. 00:32:57 Speaker 4: Saying they take care of us and look out for us because we know that they don't have. To SO i just love it to see all of the og you know What i'm, Saying like WHEN i saw you, down LIKE i was. 00:33:08 Speaker 3: Loving that because that's the way it should. Be you know What i'm. 00:33:09 Speaker 4: Saying everybody don't do. That but you know What i'm, saying the brand do it the right. Way AND i love that and hit me when we. Wanted two years, AGO i was In greece With. 00:33:18 Speaker 2: JANNIS i just got Into greece With jannison AND i got an email AND i was reading the email and that it could have only been for one, person BUT i was, like it was, like, congratulations so, part so happy you're part of the. BRAND i, mean that was super dope man for him to email me about the success that we had just had with the. Team so to your, POINT, q it just feels like family all the. Time it's not just you, know on the surface with, commercials it's behind the, scenes it's. 00:33:45 Speaker 1: Love and all the people that work With jordan brand if they work With Jordan bran for five years and went somewhere, else, yeah they feel like family coming up looking. Out when you got, traded did you know you was gonna get traded or did it blindside?

00:34:02 Speaker 2: You it did BECAUSE i WAS i had flown, back flew back To. Milwaukee we're getting ready for the. Season so this is In, September So september you you ramping up the. Go and, again this is nineteen ninety. Seven there's no social, media there's no. Nothing you wo was around it during that time probably would have had their heads, up BUT i didn't, know. DUDE i was actually in the gym working out and one of my, coaches his name Was Jim. 00:34:29 Speaker 3: Tied he came down to the. 00:34:30 Speaker 2: COURT i literally shooting in the, gym just kind of trying to get ready for the, season and SO i was watching people move up top And i'm, like you, Know i'm at the time of me like now one coach had come down and like helped me rebound or. Anything so Finally Jim tide came down AND i, SAID i, JOKINGLY i, said just tell me what it's gonna. Be you, KNOW i was in that, space like tell me what it's gonna, be y'all you're trying to move me like he's like he dropped his. HEAD i was, like, like y'all really the true, Story like y'all really trade. Me he's, like, yeah It's. Seattle so it was a Shocked that's just how it. Happened so it was a. SURPRISE i was a little bit like it hurt me, initially you know how first it's like you're the, Failure you're the reason that the team isn't. Succeeding so but, obviously you, know my first gear And seattle had great success. 00:35:24 Speaker 1: There tell us about Just seattle is one of the teams that they're trying to bring back to life and give them A i, Mean seattle was one of the cities that they're trying to bring back to life and give them a team. 00:35:38 Speaker 3: Again them In. 00:35:38 Speaker 1: Vegas just tell us about the culture Of seattle and the basketball culture now and how rich it, is how the fans always come out and support what was, It Key arena used to be hype and. 00:35:51 Speaker 3: Loud, yes got but you going. 00:35:55 Speaker 1: There and getting the opportunity to play on a team that can be at the top of the and compete for a. 00:36:02 Speaker 2: Championship, yeah WELL i hope AND i, feel And i've heard that they're going to bring a team back To seattle in the next few. Years it's an amazing sports. CITY i enjoyed my. Time the fans are great, there blue, collar AND i was put into a situation where they were two years removed from going to the, finals so, that you, KNOW i was traded For sean and so to get to the city in that, space, man where they had pretty much exactly had established themselves as a perennial title contender and two years removed from the, finals it was, crazy Man, LIKE i had a lot to, prove, obviously but the buzz was, there, so you, know my first year In seattle was. CRAZY i think we won like sixty one. Games got to play with my big BRO, gp which was, amazing the best basketball PLAYER i ever played. With you, know as far as the team is, Concerned i'm being on a. Roster it's a great, city, Man, Like i'm hoping that they get a team back there very. Soon they're yearning for, it, man and they deserve. 00:37:03 Speaker 4: IT i, LOVED i love playing In, seattle, man like going, there like like you're saying it was a dope, city like when you're going to the road cities that you, like LIKE i. 00:37:11 Speaker 3: LIKED i always had a good time In. Seattle. 00:37:13 Speaker 2: Yeah it's, great great, city, man and great. Fans and LIKE i, said my first year, there, MAN i was getting the midst of the, sneeze so that fans support was bananas and all eyes were on, us and we we my first year, there we. 00:37:26 Speaker 3: Delivered did you go to the market and throw the? FISH i? 00:37:29 Speaker 2: DID i saw him do? That did you do that shot? FIRST i ain't gonna hold you LIKE i ain't do it on my. Own it was like something they set it, up so the catching it throw wasn't natural. 00:37:46 Speaker 3: Fish. Yeah. 00:37:47 Speaker 1: Yeah talking about Gp, man back, THEN gp was was loud as. Ever when we got to the, league we heard, him no matter how packed it, was no matter we heard. Him and some people took his trash talking a certain. Way but just just speak on just how good of a, person how good of a LEADER. Gp, WELL i know we weren't ON gp, team but we used to go to The seattle every summer and playing his, game and it's always had that bond with him and he always been a, solid thorough. 00:38:18 Speaker 3: One. 00:38:19 Speaker 2: Yeah BUT i shout out to my big brother who was coaching now in college and helping young. MEN i was just with him at his golf tournament about two and a half months. Ago but for all the greatest trash talk in the history, Basketball i've heard About, burden BUT i played with, Him so there was no level of person or competitor or talent that you were that he wasn't gonna get at. You, YEAH i know y'all saw that The Chicago. Finals she's getting a m. Man so listening to him every night because we talked about my, background hearing some of the stuff he was. 00:38:51 Speaker 3: Saying i'm from on Say, brook g From. 00:38:53 Speaker 2: Oakland now we both, competitors so but he brought me into some conversations sometimes THAT i had to pray my way out. OF i need to pray my way out of it BECAUSE i. 00:39:05 Speaker 3: Just heard SOMETHING i know ain't. 00:39:07 Speaker 2: Right that's gonna have to be dealt with with b because the thing about my big, bro man Is. Like it fueled. Him it wasn't fake at, all Man, like it fueled. Him like very rarely could he play a basketball game and not be in that. Space matter of, fact people talk about him not practicing right, like and The iverson thing about he WAS i think he might have said on that he was the one that talked about To alan about not. Practicing but the one thing about g not, practicing he couldn't a because of the amount of. 00:39:41 Speaker 3: Games but he don't have a chill. 00:39:44 Speaker 2: Gear he don't if he out, there he get into it right as. 00:39:49 Speaker 3: Well practice, practice Right. 00:39:50 Speaker 2: Yeah the fight

Between vernon g like that that was in, practice Like Vernon, Maxwell Mad max AND gp in a. 00:39:58 Speaker 3: Practice it didn't it. 00:40:01 Speaker 2: Didn't last because escalated quickly because they're both tremendous. Competitors and that's HOW gv. Is man he doesn't have a gear where he can go out and walk through or. Practice he's the most, competitive probably with the exception of m the most competitive Person i've been. Around Man. Like he just brought it every. Night but you could appreciate it if you with and to your, point D, like he's a good, dude like he just that, year that competitive. 00:40:29 Speaker 3: Gear once that's turned, on all best of, off he's gonna. 00:40:31 Speaker 2: Talk right if you brought family, friends, girlfriend, wife you don't want to get started with him. 00:40:37 Speaker 3: Because you go disregard the fact that they're. 00:40:39 Speaker 4: There you playing for The, Knicks how was? 00:40:43 Speaker 3: It how was it playing AT? 00:40:45 Speaker 4: Msg, like how did you what was your experience like playing for The knicks. 00:40:48 Speaker 2: The, mecca man is, Amazing Like i'll say THIS q AND D LIKE i had just WHEN i played For New. YORK i had just went through my struggles with addiction and bought AND i was sitting home AND i got the opportunity to go back To New york that same season WHERE i had my, struggles and you, Know isaiah was, There steph Was marlberry was, There Allen houston was. There but the story about The mecca and playing in the, garden, LIKE i had a ton of good nights there playing With Seattle. Milwaukee But i'll tell you a garden story that was super, dope, Man, LIKE i had struggled all year and it was well documented THAT i was struggling with alcoholism and THEN i got the opportunity to come and play with The knicks at the end of. Season we're playing against The New Jersey nets in the playoffs AND i hadn't played like the whole, series and it was game four And Coach wilkins put me, in like you, know and it was a game we had to. Have he finally put me. In the game scored like maybe ten. Points it was a good, game scored like maybe ten, points five. Rebounds BUT i filed. Out on my way off the. Court the entire garden stood up and applauded, me man like it was crazy BECAUSE i was still in a fog WHAT i was going. Through, man it was like the most, surreal one of the most surreal moments THAT i ever had as a basketball, player because it was like they knew WHAT i was going. 00:42:12 Speaker 3: Through like talking about. 00:42:14 Speaker 4: Knowledgeable that's one thing about The knicks fans like you can't say what you want about, them but they. 00:42:19 Speaker 3: Know what is going. On and they real. 00:42:21 Speaker 4: Fans they, like that's what you got to rock like because they can say whatever about Their, knicks but let somebody else say. It it's about to go, Down like you, KNOW i can say, anything but you, right, exactly this is. 00:42:36 Speaker 2: Exactly you get the love for them walking down the. Street you, know you get the love from. Them And i'm talking about to this. Day, man you can go To New york and still get love as if you on the. Roster now that's How New York nicks fans BRO i said all the. 00:42:50 Speaker 4: Time my four years In New, york it was struggles AND i didn't feel like you, KNOW i did ship there, really but like to get the love and respect you get when like you, say we go there to, work do. 00:43:00 Speaker 3: Anything and then Just New york. 00:43:02 Speaker 4: Is Every, yeah live here In, orlando like everywhere EVERYWHERE i bumped in people From New, york just a random places in the airports were, like, yeah, man loved you when you were when you were with The. Knicks member From New, York New york being you might. Be you could be hereil someone like yo From New york and they gonna seut you. OUT i don't care who you. Are if you played for The, KNICKS i don't care if you even got in the, game they gonna know you played for the exact and they gonna run up on you like, yo get a, picture. Y'all you probably loved you with The. Knicks they're gonna then they gonna say something to let you know they remember, You they're gonna give you a little memory. Too that's what like out of, Everything like The knicks fans are bar none with that bro. 00:43:42 Speaker 3: Like they flawless, fans great. 00:43:44 Speaker 1: Fans man win a new era and back in our, day we couldn't say anything about our, problems so we couldn't speak about mental. Health to see how THE nba and this players that stepped up to another level of the mental side of, it or what somebody's going, through or it could be somebody in their, family you, know sometimes they don't always have to be that specific. Person how proud do you see the guys are expressing theirselfs in that way and showing the growth teams making sure they have a mental health doctor or somebody. 00:44:19 Speaker 3: For them to talk. 00:44:20 Speaker 1: To not only for them to talk, to but they're not relaying a message to a, team so it'll be penalized for. Them just somebody that just released what they need to release mentally Of how proud are you of the league and the teams of stepping up to a level of. 00:44:36 Speaker 2: That, Yeah i'm super proud the like that the league has in really our country and our society has acknowledged that mental health is a real, issue in particular for professional. Athletes And i'm proud of Jis gianni's foundation deals with mental health and they're doing him and THE nasis are doing wonderful work with their foundation dealing with mental. Health but it's mandatory and, necessary, man And i'm happy that the league has taken on this responsibility and taken action to see those players, through not just players who have the, issues but players who just are going through their day to day. Lives may give an, eighteen nineteen year old twenty year old forty million dollars and just assume that he's going to know how to deal with it

is in some ways, Absurd and so you, know if you didn't have the issues, before there's a good chance that you could get. Issues and so to see that THE nba and see that people Like jan and myself who are dealing with those issues because we face like you Alluded, tod we face these issues just like anybody. Else on top of the, fact and add to the fact that we got to perform at the highest. Level you could be going through something and nobody. Cares they just want the. Numbers you. Dig like WHEN i was going through my situation In, SEATTLE i just signed a max. Dealer at the, TIME i signed for eighty million bucks and. NOBODY i can't tell. ANYBODY i Just i'm an. Alcoholic they want the, numbers they want the. PERFORMANCE i won't say the team or the. Situation BUT i remember talking to a doctor one time AND i was going through my situation true, story and he was, like you, know we taking a look at your, body and your body is telling us different than what you're, saying like you have an issue according to your. BODY i was, like, man because you, Know i'm Thinking i'm living the live trying to. 00:46:38 Speaker 3: At the, time And i'm like. 00:46:39 Speaker 2: Really he was, like, yeah we're looking at your liver function and all that. STUFF i was, like, Nah, doc true. Story he says to, Me he's, like, look you start playing. Better all this is not a. Thing WHAT i kid? You not You I'm i'm, like, huh like, real that's a real. Story and so back to the original, point like to have, people THE nba and athletes come out and Say i'm Dealing i'm struggling with. This So i'm struggling with this and have not only the help, there but the hope that you can overcome it is mandatory and it gives athletes the opportunity BECAUSE i was afraid to come out and SAY i got a, problem something's going on with. Me it just wasn't a thing to. Do but now it's a thing to, Say i'm, struggling you, know so that you can get the appropriate and necessary. 00:47:30 Speaker 3: Help. 00:47:30 Speaker 1: Yeah one THING i just remember as a league and, hole once Jose canseko came out with the steroid thing for, baseball they checked all the. Leagues you, know a lot of guys was really Treat they really weren't drinking as much as they was because you took the one test at the beginning of the year and then you was kind of free to do. Whatever but then when they started making, guys no matter if you're a veteran or, not take them for, tests a lot of guys was really a using that. Alcohol like a whole. Lot myself isn't included BECAUSE i was on a horrible, team so it was, like, SHIT i might as well go and get me a. Drink and we didn't Get we got our ass kicked. Anyway but just Like i'm just so proud of the, League i'm so proud of the players because that's a lot because you always want to look like the most powerful and the most sane person in the room every, time especially when you got all these fans looking up to. You you sign the autographs and all. That but to come out and be, vulnerable you, know not and not scared to be vulnerable or not scared to be vulnerable in front of my man because he might Think i'm weak right Because i'm doing this While i'm being vulnerable. 00:48:41 Speaker 5: Him it's a, blessing. 00:48:42 Speaker 2: It, is, Man you, know it is like to show strength and vulnerability like there's strength in it because we, all like matter of, FACT i think like in some ways when you show the vulnerability or that you can be vulnerable because of what you mentioned d that like the super strength and these superpowers and it's super money that we. Have people think we can't go through certain, things to me is exacerbated when you get all those things that come along with your super. Talent so to your, point the like the vulnerability to, me, man like WHEN i was able to say, THAT i WHEN i finally got to a point where WHERE i was, like, Man i'm an, alcoholic that's when the strength and the power. Happened LIKE i was able to like not have somebody else tell, it media tell, it because that make you like it makes you it. Worse when you can say it yourself That i'm, VULNERABLE i got an, issue then you can start dealing with, it and then you can start helping other. 00:49:37 Speaker 4: People how did you come up with The Stand Tall? Foundation and then you got The Van Baker Recovery center In. 00:49:44 Speaker 3: Milwaukee SO i moved The Stand tall to The Bouncing Back. 00:49:47 Speaker 2: Foundation it Was Stand tall WHEN i was in the, league, okay and THEN i went through WHAT i went, Through so it turned The Bounce. 00:49:53 Speaker 3: Back it's A Bouncing Back. Foundation and THEN i got this great. 00:49:58 Speaker 2: Opportunity, MAN i meant to wonderful Folks Charles, Roger, charlray And Michael. Erico and they have a company Called Addiction Medical. Solutions so Next april, Seventeenth i'll celebrate fourteen years of. Sobriety and so WHEN i got back To, milwaukee thanks. You WHEN i got back To, milwaukee AND i had this great, platform, man Like i'm with The, bucks number one team in, basketball won a. Championship NOW i could have taken this coaching gig and this opportunity with The bucks and just rolled off into the. Sunset BUT i knew THAT i had been given this platform and this opportunity to go back and help people who have gone through What i've gone. Through and, so by the grace Of, GOD i met people who BECAUSE i had told the story a ton my book gotten In, starbucks a lot of articles. Written BUT i wanted to not only take over the narrative of my story to help people with the, testimony but THEN i wanted to have the opportunity to provide the hope and. Help so next month we're going to open up the First Van Beaker Recovery center In, milwaukee and we're going to be able to serve a thousand help a thousand people a month in this intense outpatient. Center and, man out of all the stuff we talked, ABOUT Q d, like this is the most epic Thing i've ever been a part. Of because when you talk about legacy and

leaving a, legacy the sport thing is, cool but when you can change lives and, families, man that's what it's all. About So i'm, blessed AND i appreciate you talking about. THAT Q So i'm blessed and not only turn my trial and tribulation into an opportunity to be back in the league and mentor basketball. Players But i'm blessed now with an opportunity to get into our, society our community and get people sober and living life on life, terms which is it changes, families it changes. Generations so that's What i'm excited. 00:51:54 Speaker 3: About. 00:51:54 Speaker 1: Man, yeah it's always a, blessing you. KNOW i feel like when you get a certain, age it's your responsibility to give, back especially if you experienced so much to before when you was going through what you was going through and you got the call to be with The bucks and they want to bring you back and bring Around you, know sometimes when a guy go through, something he's looked at it Like i'm not goin to bring him around all these good people because of the influence and so. Forth, one but to have an organization to be, like, nah he won our own and we want to bring him in the, fold and we want to bring him to these. Guys we want the guys to see him him give the. Knowledge how was that and what you felt about The bucks organization since? 00:52:37 Speaker 2: Then, Man i'm so blessed from ownership And Peter fagan And John horseman and the, Players Yannis Chris, Brooke bobby on down the. Lineman like to your, POINT, q it was, hard, Man, like once you go through that that, stigma once you're labeled as the guy who was an, alcoholic who lost his, career who lost, everything it's hard as hell to build trust again because you GET i was, sober but it's like who wants that story? Around like what can he outside of the? Story what can he do For gianni's And brooke And bobby outside of? That you don't really see that from the dollars and cents in the platform that THE nba. Is so it wasn't. Overnight you. KNOW i had to come in and build trust, again and they gave me an. Opportunity like my first job was pre and post game with The, bucks But Jay kidd was the head coach at the time WHEN i came back to The, bucks SO i was doing pre and post, game But jay had me around the gym all the. Time you, Know jay saw the value in having me in the. Gym and THEN i got to like any, basketball like y'allis. ADVANCE i learned the. Game so my first couple of, years true, story, MAN i rarely spoke To Gianni's like my first, year you know WHAT i, mean BECAUSE i wanted to establish trust AND i JUST i Didn't, YEAH i didn't. 00:53:56 Speaker 3: Just want to dive. 00:53:57 Speaker 2: In and plus this game wasn't back to the bas get at the Point, TIMEWAY i couldn't say nothing to his, game and he was doing stuff cute That i've never seen. 00:54:05 Speaker 3: Before so me teaching the fate away wasn't even an option WHEN i first got. 00:54:09 Speaker 2: There but getting the opportunity to build trust with these dudes, Man and believe it or, not when you go through something man and you and you overcome, it you have more strength and powered that saying what doesn't kill you makes you. Strongly WHEN i came back to the Bucks, man they gave me the. OPPORTUNITY i felt empowered THAT i had overcome this obstacle, man and so you, know it gave me a chance to start mentoring BEFORE i became a. 00:54:35 Speaker 3: COACH i. WAS i was mentoring because you, know they knew the, story. 00:54:38 Speaker 4: Talk about the relationship with y honest like just the type of person he. Is you, know we've all seen this story and heard how he's come, up and just to be able to see him and all that he, does and my thing THAT i like about him is that he got one. 00:54:51 Speaker 3: Gear he go. 00:54:52 Speaker 4: Hard he don't like that's what out of, everything you, Know he's got all of those different. Times but the thing THAT i appreciate the most is that he's a do it is gonna bring it every single. Night he's gonna be playing every game and he's gonna go. Hard like how refreshing is it for you to see that type of mentality in the Superstar you know What i'm, Saying that you get to see close up personal like. 00:55:10 Speaker 2: That it's amazing. You because he's a great. Person he's a better person than he is a basketball. Player and that's almost impossible to say given the talent and the accolades that he's accumulated over his short. Career he's only twenty eight years. Old but he's a great person. Man so to be around him and to be with, HIM i shouldn't say be around, him but to be with him on a day to day. Basis we have a lot of. Similarities, Man we care about. People he's a whole culture. Man he's a culture. LIKE i haven't been around superstars in the league as a. Coach i've just been around. Him but he's a culture. Man like he's the first in the gym and the last out of the. Gym he's, focused he's a family. Man so just to be with him and be around him and talk, basketball talk life with. Him it's crazy BECAUSE i think my career was probably, over like because of the addiction in like five six year in the, league ALTHOUGH i got thirteen out of. It so to get this opportunity to come back and coach him in a weird kind of, Way i'm living vicariously through, him and he allows me to live vicariously through. Him so a lot of people think Because i'm there and been a part of the organization for the last seven, years, Yeah i'm. Biased of, course he's like my kid, man but he's one of one. Man LIKE i was, saying he's a culture and the way he goes about his business on the, court in the weight, room off the. Court he cares about people, too which is very. Rare i've never been around a superstar that cares about people as much as he. 00:56:55 Speaker 3: Does we were In, indiana just one. 00:56:58 Speaker 2: Story, like we were In indiana a couple of years years, ago AND i asked him prior to the game IF i could get these sneakers for a kid that was terminally ill with. Cancer AND i

hate to ask, him but this, kid it was a request that came in that this kid was not in a good space with his. Cancer and so we were Playing. Indiana, man he was going crazy and the game got close AND i was, like, Man i'm not gonna ask him after the. 00:57:24 Speaker 3: Game we lose this as a, rap, right so he goes. 00:57:28 Speaker 2: Crazy we ended up winning the game by like two or, three and like immediately immediately he'd lean like this is like eight hours, Later i'm thinking he's going to go to the locker. Room immediately he looks at me ands like pointing like where's the? Kid at takes. Us that's just the type of duty. Is Man like cares about his, family cares about his. Organization as y'all can see with him resigning With milwaukee in the last month or, so he cares about the city Of, milwaukee cares about his teammates and his. 00:57:59 Speaker 3: Legacy at this, Point, man he wants to win. 00:58:01 Speaker 2: Championships, man he wants To he wants to be up there With he doesn't have a place where he wants to, be but he wants to throw two or three championships out there and let everybody debate it after. That so the dude is the dude is locked. In, man the city is, fortunate And i'm fortunate to be a part of something and that somebody's actually locked into their legacy and we're all fortunate to be a part of. 00:58:25 Speaker 5: IT i know he's one to. One you've seen a lot of. Basketball who would you, Compare you're honest. 00:58:30 Speaker 2: To SO i would have, TO i would have to combine. Players so he's Got pippins like when, pipping you, know When pippin get it off the rim And pip is into, that just getting going coast to, coast there was really nobody who could really stop. Him but then he has the athleticism and force Of. Sean so if you you Do sean And pip with length and athleticism and force With, sean that's what you. 00:58:57 Speaker 3: Got. Man he's, relentless like he's a. 00:59:01 Speaker 2: Type he's his mindset is, Nineties like it doesn't matter if you're there and Then. 00:59:07 Speaker 3: I'm run over you Or i'm a eure on. 00:59:09 Speaker 2: You, yeah it's funny because SOMETIMES i watch in, practice you, KNOW i watching. PRACTICE i used WHEN i first got, THERE i used to be like how WOULD i deal with this? 00:59:19 Speaker 3: Right you know WHAT i? 00:59:20 Speaker 2: Mean like we, Competitors like how WOULD i deal with? It in the back of my, mind, like, Yeah i'm gonna need the, wall that that wall that they talk, About, yeah we're gonna need the. 00:59:28 Speaker 3: Wall. Yeah but he's a phenomenal. Talent he gain that momentum. Coming it's like, Out, yeah it's likes. 00:59:37 Speaker 4: Out how was it for, you, know being a part of the. Organization you're a, coach AND i know you don't really you, know we people may think we, know but like when did you find? Out like did y'all was about to make the deal and the deal was done For dame to come to the, team and like what was your thinking on it when it? 00:59:51 Speaker 2: Happened it was crazy Because aaron And eric good when my, AGENTS i was In oakland WITH gp at his golf. Event Aw Aaron goodwin and me and a g talk never mentioned. It literally a week, Later dame was a. Buck it hurt me from the standpoint THAT i loved you. HOLIDAYS i spent the whole you, know a week In california with him this summer salt of the, earth but interesting, Enough Dame lillard salt of the. 01:00:22 Speaker 3: Earth great, dude like an, awesome awesome. 01:00:25 Speaker 2: Person i've been around him now for a few, months And i've Known dame Through eric And, aaron BUT i, mean like anybody, else we just added thirty two, Ball, like we just added added a thirty two ball logo shooting, right and Then globe. Played we Played philadelphia in our first. Game, yeah went for. Forty. Yeah so it's, different like from the coaching side of, it, man to see this, dude like at some points of the, game he's just unguardable and he's it's a special. 01:01:00 Speaker 3: Spec he's one of those. Ones. 01:01:02 Speaker 2: Man. COOL i joked with some people the other, DAY i, Said i've been around a lot of cool, brothers, man like in my. Lifetime i've been Around dame before. MONTHS i, SAID i THINK i want to Be. DAVE i THINK i would have. BEEN i THINK i want. TO i want he walked, through he boxed, everything AND i THINK i want to be Dam. 01:01:24 Speaker 3: I'm coaching, it BUT i want. TO i want to be in for a. 01:01:27 Speaker 1: Day let me ask you. This In, milwaukee we used to play at The. Center they used to have, nothing but now they didn't build like, restaurants they didn't built this whole new. Arena it kind of gives Downtown milwaukee this whole different vibe than what it used to be. Before tell us how it was when you was playing and you playing in the, center, man we. 01:01:47 Speaker 3: Had to take that long walk like your district or. Whatever now like they can be. 01:01:55 Speaker 1: Outside they got the big, screen they got the. Restaurants they didn't revamp the whole old. Downtown for, real it's beautiful when it's amazing to, See like how is that to just see how the city then flipped and chain and putting into the. 01:02:10 Speaker 3: City, yeah it's. Crazy do you? 01:02:11 Speaker 2: Like shout out To Peter fagan and the ownership and of Course joannis for pulling. This But milwaukee's a vibe, Man like to your, point d like The Deer district is a real. Thing it's like YOU i go around cities And i'm, like if you if you just come to The Deer, district like which most teams. Do they just come to the, hotel The New Trade, hotel and they're they're Like milwaukee hits like any other, City like it's got a beautiful new, arena beautiful places to, eat down to. Downtown but the COOL i think the cool part about is very rare for me BECAUSE i played. There NOW i coach. There nobody knows. Me it's Been baker around the. City it don't mean it's Coach. Baker like, coach it would be. COACHED i think like ninety percent of people don't even

KNOW i play it, right because it's like a it's like a you, know, obviously the success of the team And giannis And chris And brooke And bobby And. Pat it's a vibe down there, now, Man so it's much. DIFFERENT i could walk the streets Of milwaukee in ninety three to ninety seven and nobody bothered me and say anything to me about anything because we weren't very. 01:03:15 Speaker 3: Good but now it's a vibe, there. Man milwaukee's a VIBE i. 01:03:19 Speaker 1: Feel, like you, know back in the day when we used to, play it Was milwaukee's. 01:03:22 Speaker 5: Just seems so. Old, yeah you know What i'm saying with. 01:03:25 Speaker 1: It but me previously doing a charity event down, there AND i went down there AND i actually seen it, personally seen the whole. DISH i was, like, crazy this is so, Nice like all the restaurants and people. 01:03:39 Speaker 5: Vibe it's an everyday thing from. 01:03:41 Speaker 2: It, yeah it's a. Vibe it's a. Vibe now we're not like second to The. Packers, yeah you know The bucks are about and not second To. Chicago how was that. 01:03:50 Speaker 4: For you to be able to experience that championship, Though like that had to be out of this world, surreal, Man like to win a champ like every box basketball wise had as a, player Like, olympian made it To All Star, games made it to the, playoffs number did, anything but to win a championship was the pinnacle of my. Career NOW i didn't do it with my sneakers, squeaking BUT i was, there like on the sideline and it's the top of the food chain when it comes to winning the. City the journey like when winning a world, championship getting to the. Finals kudos to THE mj and The bonnie dudes have done it multiple. Times, man it is A it is a journey, man and so being able to enjoy it in the city that drafted, me with fans and friends in the, organization man was, surreal, Man, like. 01:04:40 Speaker 3: Got To, milwaukee my mom has my. 01:04:41 Speaker 2: Ring yeah yeah, yeah for you to have one, Amazing, yeah it's. 01:04:49 Speaker 3: Amazing. 01:04:50 Speaker 1: Man start bench. Trade you got to start one bench one trade, One. 01:04:54 Speaker 5: Start, One, Kemp malone And. 01:05:01 Speaker 3: Barkley who do you? Start a lot of? Events who you? Trade? Love? Love love love that? 01:05:06 Speaker 2: Question so my favorite power forward of all, time the ONE i feared the. Most sean camp start, one bench call and, Trade Charles Trade. 01:05:21 Speaker 3: Yeah, okay All hall of, famers all due respect to just answer the. Question. Trade. 01:05:31 Speaker 1: Yeah out of all the teams that you don't play, for all the teammates you had in THE, nba if you had to pick four other players to make you a, five you at the, center and you have to pick you four of the, players what would be your your your? 01:05:46 Speaker 3: Five? Man i'm GOING gp at the, One Ray allen at the. 01:05:51 Speaker 2: Two Paul pierce at the, three and myself at the, four AND I i gotta go with you trying to think WHO i make SURE i played with, BEASTS i play With, Patrick BUT i play With patrick In. 01:06:08 Speaker 3: Seattle no matter you, say, Crime, pat DID i take? Prime? Pat that's a. Five that's a. Five that's a fucking, five, YEAH, Gp, paul in, reality that's. Nice that's a nice. Five that's a nice. Five all. 01:06:22 Speaker 4: Right so you know we know you from from from small town In connecticut and all that And we don't want to hear what you did For pops and mom talking about when you got because you done got an eighty piece big. 01:06:33 Speaker 3: BAG i want to. 01:06:34 Speaker 4: KNOW i want to hear something that you look back like what the hell WAS i? Doing, like, well you got that bag of money because we all did. 01:06:41 Speaker 3: Something, Wow LIKE i don't know whether it was. 01:06:43 Speaker 4: A crazy chain a, call but like what what it then do when you got the? 01:06:48 Speaker 3: Bag? Yeah you know what's? Crazy? 01:06:50 Speaker 2: You the one THING i would, say the one crazy THING i got was Before hummers Became. 01:06:55 Speaker 3: Hummers oh you got the real. ONE i got the REAL oneac. 01:07:00 Speaker 2: Did with with the with the TVs and the, yeah with the PlayStation When i'm RIDING. 01:07:09 Speaker 3: Tv who plays had it? 01:07:12 Speaker 2: All? Yeah, yeah, yeah you know What i'm talking about, this so that The hummer with the real, one the Army, hummer was WHAT i, was WHAT i got real? 01:07:20 Speaker 3: Tank yeah, yeah, okay. 01:07:22 Speaker 4: Yeah tell me how proud are you to, have you, know your daughter being a part of The Virginia tech women's basketball, program and you know the women's basketball is booming right, now blowing up and real time part of you to have your, daughter you, know following your, footsteps hooping and you know obviously doing it to a turn level level where you get a scholarship to RE V. 01:07:45 Speaker 3: Tech, YEAH i mean super dope. 01:07:47 Speaker 2: Man to Have carrit, speed you, know on The Virginia tech they played last, night she was one for one and played thirteen. Minutes to be playing on the ranked, TEAM i, mean, she's as we alluded, to she light years ahead of WHERE i. WAS i, was you, know nineteen years. Old but it's Super i'm proud of all my. Kids remember my oldest, Son Vin junior is, playing and Then mark and. So but to Have karrason be on the national, STAGE i think she's going to be. Tremendous she's already claiming the titles being the best basketball player in the. 01:08:15 Speaker 3: Family so she's got. It she's got to jump over. 01:08:18 Speaker 1: There being selected to THE usa, team in the opportunity to play with THE usa, team all of, us it's, like you want to win a, championship you want to play with THE usa, team you want to make The All Star. Game how was it when you heard, That, like, HEY i can be a part of THE usa. 01:08:36 Speaker 2: TEAM i mean just kind of the same is a little bit. Different being able to represent your country is. Different, man, like,

again you can make An All Star, game you can even Make ALL. Nba but to have the opportunity to be a part of a team that only twelve to fourteen of us are, selected you Know Tim duncan alone some more Than Vince Carter Ray ALLEN Gp Jason. Kid, like you're talking about the elite of the leade at the time in the. League so to be on that team and be select kg be selected on that team was over the. Top like one of my greatest moments of being a basketball player had nothing to do with me. SCORING i get to tell PEOPLE i was there for the DUNK i. WAS i was, like that was C i'm gonna be, honestly because you're my little. 01:09:27 Speaker 3: Bro. 01:09:27 Speaker 2: Right my initial reaction everybody in the, World i'm probably the one person in the, world was, like that's a bull crap because you got to look at the, footage Like olympic points are hard to come, By SO i got to steal yea. 01:09:43 Speaker 3: Tipped to whoever and did, this events pointed. 01:09:49 Speaker 2: Went and then and then get way too secure and did this and did the gavity and then and THEN i thought he was gonna throw it up and and that not. HAPPEN i Give Vince carter hell about that to this, Day like that was some selfish. 01:10:05 Speaker 3: You could have we Need AND i played it off AFTER i screamed, too BUT i was, like that's a bull. Crap, seriously that's one of the most selfish. THINGS i. 01:10:21 Speaker 1: Was the locker room after the game and, like how was just like the team like after that, dump like BECAUSE i know they showed, it like like it. 01:10:30 Speaker 5: Was just that's one of the best dumps ever in the history of the. 01:10:33 Speaker 3: Game, yeah, no it. 01:10:34 Speaker 2: Was it was. Crazy you SEEN. Kg you know you KNOW. Kg, yeah you KNOW kg energy, Man kg's. Energy it was it was, crazy man. Like it was. Just but the thing, is we didn't realize it was gonna be so historical at the. Moment you, know you you had some of the greats in the locker. Room but it was it was, crazy man. Like at that, moment we hadn't really known what he did until we saw it on the. 01:10:57 Speaker 4: VIDEO i gotta go back and watch THE i gotta fact it's the true. 01:11:01 Speaker 3: Story you're gonna die. Live AND i asked for. IT i gathered myself and asked for the. Love my initial, reactionally that's crazy that's. Crazy you ain't throw. 01:11:09 Speaker 2: That b. 01:11:11 Speaker 1: Like like Y'ALL usa team is one of my FAVORITE usa teams. Too how was the, practices, Man because like y'all had hit us and they were talking About Vince carter was the last one to get, picked And i'm, like, whoa it was. 01:11:28 Speaker 3: CRAZY i tell, YOU i tell you quick funny. Story we were In. 01:11:32 Speaker 2: Hawaii that was the where our training camp WATCH q and being SO i loved a lot of wanting, man and we had we had some battles in our, career and so now we're on the same. Team but our training camp was In, hawaii and you've heard About olympic. Practice the first two or three they just rolled the ball up and you get to. It and, uh this one particular practice In, HAWAII i got to it like it was LIKE i was going and, Uh Tim hardaway was on that that team, Too and so the next, morning, YES i get The chicago you Know, Timmy So tim get on the. 01:12:02 Speaker 3: Bus the next. Morning i'm not thinking. 01:12:04 Speaker 2: ANYTHING i KNOW i got to it, right and it was really, yeah it was kind of being so locked up a little, bit But i'm not thinking we. Teammates SO i get on the bus the next morning AND i can Hear timmy say yeah you know yeah ass, today. 01:12:23 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yesterday i'm, like yeah you really? Sure you, know so got to it that. 01:12:31 Speaker 2: Day so it was cool, Man like the practices were, intense but you, KNOW i HAD i HAD gp with be, too. 01:12:37 Speaker 3: So it was super, intense but it was super dope, man all being on one cause though it was. 01:12:41 Speaker 1: Cool let me ask you, this your team is THE, us YOUR usa? Team where do you rank YOUR usa team out of all THE usa? Teams, like you know you have you have a dream team With jordan's you Got dream team, too you got The redeemed, team you. 01:12:56 Speaker 3: Got where do you rank that? Team? Yeah amongst them? 01:13:01 Speaker 2: Historically Did it's got to be in the top seven because you you're talking About, DUNCAN, Kg, Peyton kid Ray, Allen like if you really go to if you're doing like just lineup and not, results you're talking About hall of famers on. It i'm not not talking about the first, team but you can probably go pound for pound or guy for guy up there with the best of. Them and if you're talking about who's going to compete against, who LIKE, Kg duncan And zoe on the front, Line, yeah we can get with pretty much. Anybody steve Smith, man Spend Allen, houston and we had some guys that we have some go getters on the. 01:13:49 Speaker 3: Squad that's what's, up. Man we appreciate. It, Man this is a super dope MAN. 01:13:54 Speaker 4: O G Van baker pulling up phonus, family. 01:14:03 Speaker 2: All. 01:14:04 Speaker 4: Right want to thank y'all for you're continued support of The knuckleheads. 01:14:06 Speaker 3: Podcast be sure to give us two. 01:14:08 Speaker 4: Tasks by writing a review and rating five stars wherever you get your, podcasts and make sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an. Episode you can also watch all the episodes on The Players tribune on YouTube, page follow us on social media At Knuckleheads. Podcast enjoy Our Knucklehead facebook group for exclusive. Content thanks again and all of our guests and. Fans this wouldn't be possible without. 01:14:29 Speaker 3: Y'all The Players tribute dot com