1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: On this episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly, JJ Reddick stops 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: by to discuss the fallout from his Zion. Williamson comments 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: what it was like to play with Ben Simmons, angel 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: El Embiide and what it was like to play for 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: coach k and later, former All Pro wide receiver Steve 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: Smith Senior joins me to talk about the first time 7 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: he was in Sports Illustrated and who he was way 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: back when. But first making it to the NBA is 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: a dream come true, but for members of a small group, 10 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: it also means playing exactly one minute and one minute 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: only before never playing in the league again. SI Stafford 12 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: Ben Pickman tells the tale of maybe the most exclusive 13 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: and heartbreaking club in all of pro sports, the NBA's 14 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: Minute met It's March second. I'm your host John Gonzalez 15 00:00:52,600 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: from Sports Illustrated in iHeartRadio. This is Sports Illustrated Weekly. Yo, Yo, yo, 16 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: how's everybody doing tonight? This is a day. Murky is 17 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: a twenty four year old guard who went undrafted in 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. A few months ago, he got called up 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: from the G League to the Sacramento Kings, and if 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: that wasn't enough to blow his mind, he got to 21 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: address the holiday crowd before tip off. Yeah, I'm not 22 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: gonna lie. I'm super nervous. This is the most people 23 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: I've ever talked to, but on behalf of the Sacramento Kings. 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: We want to watch you guys a merry Christmas and 25 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: I'm happy New Year's give it up. But Day Murky, 26 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: if you play in the NBA for more than twenty years, 27 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: you have likely played thousands of minutes kream. Abdul Jabbar 28 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: locked more than fifty seven thousand minutes over his two 29 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: decade NBA career, Bill Russell more than forty thousand. But 30 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: a select group of men hold a slightly different distinction 31 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: least amount of time on an NBA floor. They're part 32 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: of what's called the NBA's One Minute Club. A Day 33 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 1: Murky is one of the newest members. Ben Pickman is 34 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: a writer for Sports Illustrated who reported this unusual story 35 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: about an oddly exclusive club. Ben, from what I understand, 36 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: there were only ten members of the One Minute Club 37 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: going back decades, but all that changed recently, Right. That's 38 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: one of the most interesting parts I found it in 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: reporting out this story that when we started working on 40 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: this piece, you know it was just kind of a 41 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: fun idea that we wanted to revisit, and we had 42 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: no idea about what was going to happen, like everybody 43 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: else in terms of COVID and COVID nineteen outbreaks and 44 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: how it would affect the NBA. But this past December, 45 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: COVID had a major impact OMNI NBA. And so, as 46 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: you mentioned, what started as ten players in this club 47 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: entering this season quickly grew to fourteen, and that was 48 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: because a ton of ton of G League players who 49 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: might not have otherwise gotten opportunities in the NBA ended 50 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: up receiving call ups this past December and January. This 51 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: is the dream come true, man, for sure. You never 52 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: know you might be coming from the end of events 53 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: on the G League to start in the NBA. I'm 54 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: ready for sure, you know. I think as of January 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: twenty fourth, it was a record five hundred and ninety 56 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: players have appeared in an NBA game this season. At 57 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: one time it was a record one hundred and one 58 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: players we were reporting this out had received G League 59 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: call up, so big big numbers. One of the guys 60 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: who was called up was a Day Murky. What happened 61 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: with the day, and how did he feel about getting 62 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: called up and ultimately becoming one of the minutemen a 63 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: day Murky had just finished getting his COVID nineteen booster shot, 64 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: ironically enough, when he got the call that the Kings 65 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: actually were going to have some interest in calling him up. 66 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: He had kind of started the season with the Stockton Kings, 67 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: which is Sacramento's G League team. League at night, Alliott 68 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: set up what are unable to handle that one? The 69 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: ball goes to the quarner, it's Purty who it's back to, 70 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: back to the well. The Day gets the call and 71 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: the Kings needs some point guard depth because they're going 72 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: through an outbreak at the end of December, and a 73 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: Day it feels comfortable because he is familiar with the 74 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: King's organization and actually, on the day of his debut, 75 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: the thing he was most nervous about was he had 76 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: been tasked with talking to the crowd, the Sacramento home 77 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: crowd and wishing them happy holidays. Yeah, so he's twenty 78 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: four years old, He's about to have his NBA debut. 79 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: How does a Day do? So he gets in the 80 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: game and it was a memory of a lifetime. But 81 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: as we said, with some of these other guys. It 82 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: didn't exactly go to plan either with this one. This 83 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: fourth quarter has been brutal for them. Yeah, sometimes it's 84 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: about ordinance and how much a weapon were you have 85 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: available and kings shorthanded with new bodies and now he 86 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: didn't end up touching the basketball in his one minute. 87 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: He describes it as just a couple of up and downs. 88 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: That was it. He still says it was a memory 89 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: of a lifetime and he's super appreciative of that opportunity. 90 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: It only made him hungrier. But that was his only chance, 91 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: one minute in twenty eight seconds, running up and down 92 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: the floor, never touching the basketball. And now he's back 93 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: in the G League, competing and fighting. So, as you said, Ben, 94 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 1: there used to be only a few members of the 95 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: one minute club in the NBA, and they weren't from 96 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: the past few years. They were from decades ago. And 97 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: one of them that you wrote about was a guy 98 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: named Cedric Hunter who played way back in the nineties. 99 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 1: Tell me a little bit about Cedric. Cedric Hunter was 100 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: a really, really good college player at Kansas. He was 101 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: a starter on a final four team. They're in nineteen 102 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: eighty five, eighty six Final four team that was a 103 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: team led by Danny Manning. He was coached by some 104 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: of the sports grades Larry Brown, John Callapari, Greg Popovich, 105 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: Bill Self, Alvin Gentry. All those names passed through Kansas 106 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: while he was there. But after college, she was not 107 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: good enough to make the NBA. He kind of said 108 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: that free throw shooting in general, shooting from the perimeter 109 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: was really an achilles heel for him, and he knew 110 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: he needed to show some improvement. So Cedric Hunter went 111 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,239 Speaker 1: undrafted after his tenure at Kansas and kind of settled 112 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: in the CBA, the Continental Basketball Association, which for those 113 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: who don't know, is in essence a minor league. At 114 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: that time night, but tonight it is Game three of 115 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: the CBA Championship Series between the Cloud City Thunder and 116 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: the Super Ball sky Force. The series tied one game 117 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: a piece, they split two and again there in the CBA, 118 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: he was a really good player, really solid point or 119 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: not a great player, but a good facilitator, aggressive on defense, 120 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: and a good teammate. Seemed to be well liked, and 121 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: so Cedric Hunter spent a few seasons after his time 122 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: at Kansas working through the CBA and Finally, on Valentine's 123 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: Day in nineteen ninety two, Mike Tebow, who is currently 124 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: the general manager and the coach of the Washington Mystics 125 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: in the WNBA Tibo calls Cedric Hunter and he asked, 126 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: what do you know about North Carolina? And Hunter responds, 127 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: I don't know, and then Tibo replies to him, well, 128 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: Charlotte called and they want to send you, sign you 129 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: rather to a ten day contract. And that was it. 130 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: I mean, Cedric Hunter then a few years after his 131 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: college career, finally got his NBA opportunity. I didn't say 132 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: much right at that moment. I was just like, wow, 133 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: this is actually happening. A little emotional that put a 134 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: ton of work in. You know, you just never know 135 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: when you're going to get that call. Yeah, So where 136 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: was he when he got that call? Because when these 137 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: guys are preparing, they're trying to play at a high level, 138 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: and even if you don't make it to a high level, 139 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: you dream about playing at a high level. So it's 140 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: the call you've been waiting your entire life for. So 141 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: I'm figuring that he was pretty jazzed up about this, right, yeah, 142 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: I mean he was surprised it was kind of funny. 143 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: You know. Cedric told me that he didn't even think 144 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: he was playing his best basketball at the time, that 145 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: he had played better in past seasons, but Charlotte had 146 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: a need. So that was kind of the impetus for 147 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: calling Cedric Hunter. And as you mentioned, he was in 148 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: a state of disbelief. But it really did sink in 149 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: and pretty quickly. You know, with these ten days, you 150 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: want to make an instant impact, and that was kind 151 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: of Cedric Hunter's mindset. He had worked so hard for 152 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: so long for this one opportunity that he finally received, 153 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: and he wanted to take full advantage of it. And 154 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: so his mindset quickly changed to Wow, I'm here, I'm 155 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: going to get my NBA shot, to how can I 156 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: make this NBA shop last as long as it possibly can? Yeah, 157 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: and I love that you that he tells you at 158 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: the time he didn't think that he was playing basketball 159 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: all that. Well, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. 160 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: So he finally gets the call, he shows up to practice, 161 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: he ends up playing for the Hornets. What happens? Did 162 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: he nail it? Tell me he nailed it, not exactly. 163 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: I guess he wouldn't be in this story. If he 164 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: nailed it right, that is definitely the case. He would 165 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: not be a one minute or as we're calling them 166 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: if he nailed it. Instead, he kind of did the opposite. 167 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: He did come in with the right attitude. Certainly, this 168 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: is what all the hard work and you know, the 169 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: sweat and tears I put into this because you know 170 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: I have come to I'm getting the opportunity. And I 171 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: remember I got a chance to practice, and I remember 172 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: I think it was Alan Bristow with the coach at 173 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: the time, and he said at practice, he said, hey, guys, 174 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: I'm just letting you know your minutes are going to 175 00:08:53,960 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: be determined by how you practice. He competed really hard 176 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: in his one practice before the game and believed that 177 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: practice was going to pay off in the game itself. 178 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: But as it turned out, as we said, it really 179 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: didn't and so in what turned out to be a 180 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: seventeen point win against the Heat. I watched the film, John, 181 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: I see Cedricconnor. He's running around really aggressively. In his 182 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: forty eight seconds, he's driving the basketball, he's kicking a 183 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: teammates on both wings. He had two assist opportunities that 184 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: fell for not because his teammates didn't make the shot. 185 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: He's crashing the glass. He even deflects a basketball off 186 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: a free throw miss. But in the end, as we said, 187 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: it was all for not. He didn't record a single 188 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 1: stat during what was his forty eight second NBA career. 189 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: He has no other statistics other than that one minute 190 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: in his box score line. Because when you look at 191 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: it one and a bunch of zeros, like you just 192 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: got close, you would aid man, I could have just 193 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: filed somebody the box score Bagel is tough. And yet 194 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: he did play in the NBA, and that's I would guess, 195 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: a point of pride. You get to tell that story 196 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: to your friends and family and your pieces. You know, 197 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: for us, maybe not for the guys that you interviewed, 198 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: but for us, it's very funny. Then you do a 199 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: great job of including some of the levity of the 200 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: whole one minute club idea. One of the funniest moments 201 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: as I was reading your piece was forrest able story. Well, John, 202 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: I actually want to spin it back to you. Do 203 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 1: you know the name Bill Russell? Yeah, I think everybody 204 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: knows the name Bill Russell. Yeah, Well, forrest Able was 205 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: drafted the same year as Bill Russell. They were both 206 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: members of the nineteen fifty six NBA draft. Of course, 207 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: sure famously everybody remembers that draft, and everyone remembers forrest 208 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: Able in that draft versus Bill Russell. Of course, so 209 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: forrest Able, as you mentioned, he was taking nineteen picks 210 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: after Bill Russell by the Syracuse Nationals, who are no 211 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: longer a team. Their careers Russell and Able are very 212 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: very different. Forrest Able from smalltown Kentucky, and he was 213 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: actually a really good college player, much like Hunter. But 214 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: forrest Able only played one game with the Syracuse Nationals, 215 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: and he remembers getting a quick cook in that one game. 216 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 1: Forrest really he was running away from the forrest and 217 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: out of the forest very quickly. Yeah. He said that 218 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: the first time he touched the ball, an opposing player 219 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: stole it from him, and that Syracuses coach then took 220 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: him out. He talks about his time at Syracuse's being 221 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: an in and out deal, and so forrest Abel's career, 222 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: unlike Bill Russell's, was very short lived. He then returned 223 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: back home to Fardale, Kentucky, and he started working at 224 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: a local high school. He taught visit and health for 225 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: thirty years, he coached high school basketball. He later even 226 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: drove a school bus. So while we remember Bill Russell 227 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: for all of his accolades, Forrest Abel, also a member 228 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: of the nineteen fifty six draft, kind of lived a 229 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: very different post NBA life. Do any of them interact 230 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: with the others? I mean, we said for decades it 231 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: was ten people, and then recently it expands to fourteen. 232 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: Still a really small, finite group and only they know 233 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: what they've been through. Do they talk to each other? 234 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: Not really? And you mentioned it. They span a lot 235 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: of decades, right, Forrest Abel played in the nineteen fifties 236 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: and we've had guys that played this year. But I 237 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: think a lot of players did. Kind of they were 238 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: tickled to learn that there were other players who were 239 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: in this group that kind of shared this experience like them, 240 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: that they weren't alone and getting this kind of real 241 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: shot of coffee, not even a full cup of coffee. 242 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: It's really the smallest of shots of coffee in the NBA. 243 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: Was there anything that surprised you when you talk to 244 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: these minute men. One of the things that I asked 245 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: everybody was what physical reminders of your one minute did 246 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: you keep, and I wanted to know did you keep 247 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: jerseys or all your sneakers or warm ups or headbands, 248 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: because I think that if I was going to make 249 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: the NBA, I would keep everything, all the shoes they 250 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: gave me, all the jerseys, all the T shirts. I'm 251 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: keeping it all. Maybe I'm showing it all and I'm 252 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: letting everyone know that I have it. It's a big 253 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: long Instagram post. Probably when I talked to these players 254 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,839 Speaker 1: often they didn't really keep that much. Cedric Hunter just 255 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: has a practice jersey and some shorts. Other players just 256 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: kept one jersey. They didn't keep as many physical reminders 257 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: as you might expect, and said it really was the stories, 258 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: the memories that are gonna succeed them, that are going 259 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 1: to last far longer than any material items. So I 260 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: thought that was one of the most interesting things, certainly 261 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 1: different than what I would do if I was going 262 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: to make the NBA. I've talked to plenty of players 263 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 1: who say, you know, luck is a massive variable, right, 264 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: Opportunity is a massive variable. If you land with one team, 265 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: you might end up as a star. If you land 266 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: with another, you might not play, and you could flash 267 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: out and other guys who you think could be in 268 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: the NBA didn't get that opportunity because it wasn't presented 269 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: to them. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a reflection 270 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: of how good they are. So opportunity was really such 271 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: a big factor in determining how long someone's NBA career was, 272 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: and I think that's something that's really important for fans 273 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: to understand that these players are not one minuts because 274 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: they are bad players. There are often one minuters because 275 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: they just didn't get the opportunity to play longer. And 276 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: so many factors go into establishing a long NBA career, 277 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: into building their stories, and they just didn't get the 278 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: opportunity compared to some other players, or for a number 279 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: of different factors, they happen to get cut. But it's 280 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 1: not a reflection on them as players, certainly not them 281 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: as people. I think they were all, as we said, 282 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: really appreciative to be one minute ors. They all value 283 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: the journey, and they're really proud to be in the 284 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: NBA fraternity. So I'm reading all these different accounts and 285 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: I'm listening to you talk about it, Ben, and I'm 286 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: left with this feeling of appreciation for these moments because 287 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: it's so relatable because only one of these guys in 288 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: your story actually scored a bucket, which is mind blowing, 289 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: and everybody else it's just the snapshot. It's this one 290 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: moment in their life that's going quicker than I bet 291 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: any of them would have liked. And I'm wondering for 292 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: them how they process it. Do they look on it 293 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: fondly or is it still a little bitter sweet? I 294 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: really think that is one of the big takeaways from 295 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: this story, John, that even though these moments were so brief, 296 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: they were just a minute, and for some of them 297 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: even less than that, but that these were memories that 298 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: will last a lifetime. Pretty much everyone that I talked 299 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: to for this story spoke of the pride of being 300 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: in the NBA. They talked about family and friends recording 301 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: their one minutes. They smiled when they asked about the 302 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: calls and the text messages they received after games. One 303 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: minute may not be a big deal in the grand 304 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: scheme of NBA history. There are plenty of guys who 305 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: have played ten, one hundred, a thousand, you know, ten 306 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: thousand minutes in the NBA. But for these players who 307 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: played just one minute, the stories truly are going to 308 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: last them a lifetime. They're ones that they're going to 309 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: tell their kids, their friends, their family, and you know what, 310 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: I need these guys to know each other. I think 311 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: you need Ben to start some sort of commemorative group. 312 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: They'll have a reunion for a stable and a day. 313 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: Murky will be there. They'll meet each other. That has 314 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: to happen, Ben, Yeah, I mean, I think it would 315 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: be a really fun gathering where they revisit and they 316 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: tell their stories, and you know, hopefully it lasts longer 317 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: than a minute. John, That's the only thing I can say. 318 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: Hopefully that reunion lasts longer than a single minute. So 319 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: perfect way to end this. You can read his fascinating 320 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: story about the NBA's minutemen on SI dot com. Ben Pickman, 321 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: you have a lifetime contract from us here at Sports 322 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly. Thanks for doing this. Thanks a lot for 323 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: having me. After a break, JJ Reddick joins to discuss 324 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: the fallout from his Zion comments, what Ben Simmons and 325 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid are like a teammates, and what it was 326 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: like to play for coach k Earlier this month, Portland 327 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: traded their elite shooter CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans, 328 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: home to recent number one overall pick and injured star 329 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: Zion Williamson. McCollum was recently asked if he'd spoken with 330 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: Zion yet. He's a big part of our future, obviously, 331 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: you know we're looking forward to getting them back. I 332 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: haven't had conversations with him directly. I was spoken some 333 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: people close to him, and MC forward to sit down 334 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: with him sooner or later. But a lot of people 335 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: were surprised to hear that the two hadn't connected yet, 336 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: But recently retired fifteen year NBA veteran JJ Reddick not 337 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: as much. He had the world buzzing after he gave 338 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: his opinion on ESPN's first take. I get that he's 339 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: hurt in a way from the team, but you just 340 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: traded for one of the fifty best players in the league, 341 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: a guy that's supposed to be payed with you reach 342 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: out and say hello. We had a chance to speak 343 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: with Reddick, who has recently transformed himself from professional basketball 344 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: player into professional media presence. I'm wondering if you expected 345 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: it to become this media firestorm, because like within moments 346 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: of you saying this, you were trending like two different 347 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 1: ways under your normal name and then under Reddick with 348 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: two d's, which is not even how you spell it. 349 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: And then ESPN, your employer, put up this headline and said, 350 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: Zion Williamson ripped by former New Orleans Pelican teammate JJ Reddick. 351 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: Did you think it would get this much run? You 352 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: never know when I go on first take what we 353 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: will have. I actually I'm going to New Orleans tomorrow 354 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 1: for perfect timing for Marti Gras. And I texted my 355 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: wife and our and our friends were taking our kids 356 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: down love the city of New Orleans, one of the 357 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: most special places on planet Earth. And I texted the 358 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,479 Speaker 1: group and I said, guys, we may be in trouble here. 359 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: I am I not able to go down to news, 360 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 1: but yeah again. I talked to a bunch of people 361 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,199 Speaker 1: after former teammates Duke and people around the league, and 362 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: I think most people who know me know that I 363 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 1: don't say things to get clicks. If I get a question, 364 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: I am going to answer it from my perspective in 365 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: the most honest and direct way. Sometimes that elicits a 366 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 1: visceral or a viral response on the interwebs, and there's 367 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 1: nothing I can do about it. But again, ESPN hired 368 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: me to be me. I started a podcast to be myself, 369 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: and you can't control what the response to something is. 370 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: So I tend to not to worry about And again, John, 371 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: you know this, Like I've read a bunch of your stuff. 372 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: You can write a great article. And once you've done that, 373 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: if you can sleep with what you did, yeah, the 374 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: response is irrelevant. Yeah, I mean you're already an old 375 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: hand at this media game. I mean you've transitioned seamlessly. 376 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: I'm wondering though, like, what was your relationship like was Ion? 377 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: What's he like as a teammate. Well, again, I want 378 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 1: to be very clear, I never said Zion was a 379 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: bad teammate. And I've rewatched the clip. I read the 380 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: ESPN article that you're referencing that had I thought for 381 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: a very click baity headline. It had all my quotes 382 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: in there, and I thought everything I said was very reasonable. 383 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 1: Zion and I had a great relationship as teammates. And again, 384 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: he's a duke guy. What I described him and the 385 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: word I used was detached. And I understand how difficult 386 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: it is as a young player now dealing with your 387 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: second major injury in two of your first three seasons 388 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: to feel a sense of detachment. Months later after this surgery, 389 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: he is still experiencing persistent soreness in his right foot. 390 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: He underwent some imaging and the imaging showed that there 391 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: is a regression in the bone healing. So as a result, 392 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: my point is part of being a professional athlete on 393 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: a team sport is being fully invested, being fully invested 394 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: in your body, being fully invested in your work, and 395 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 1: being fully invested in your teammates. That's all part of 396 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 1: the job description. So you have to do all those things. 397 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: And that's a lesson that I had to learn. And 398 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 1: the other point I just want to make I said 399 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: this on air, and I want to be clear on 400 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: this every time that I get asked about this over 401 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: the next week or however long. This is not something 402 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: that I said that I hadn't said to Zion directly. 403 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: I addressed this his rookie year in front of the team. 404 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: This is not something new that I could have texted 405 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: him about. And look, you know he reached out to 406 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: CJ after CJ said the thing. I wasn't aware of that. 407 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: We found that out later in the day. I'm rooting 408 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 1: for that guy. Why would I not want him to 409 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: be the best version of himself on the basketball court. 410 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,479 Speaker 1: I'm rooting for him. But to become that, you have 411 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: to be a great teammate. That's part of the job. Yeah, 412 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: that teammate dynamic, I think is really interesting because we 413 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: have all this data as people who watch sports or 414 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: cover it that tells us what you guys are doing 415 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: on the court, but we're not really clued into the 416 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: interpersonal relationship aspect. And I'm wondering how that impacts team 417 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 1: dynamics in your experience. It's a great question, and it's 418 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,239 Speaker 1: a general thesis about my belief in basketball, and my 419 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: belief in basketball is that it is, along probably with soccer, 420 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: the most dynamic team sport there is. There's one ball, 421 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: there's five players on the court at the time, there's 422 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: another ten guys that are pissed off that they're not 423 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: on the court. There's coaching dynamics. So navigating the interpersonal 424 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: relationships within a locker room on the court, it's one 425 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: of the biggest challenges about our sport. And when you 426 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: look at our sport, let's say thirty thousand feet from above, sure, 427 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: I love analytics. I love stats. I love that a 428 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: guy has a long wingspan. But I also think we 429 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 1: should be evaluating more how personalities are going to mix 430 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: together and how they compliment each other. This whole thing 431 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: made me think about the Ben Simmons situation too, which 432 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 1: was obviously very messy. Danny Greene just sat on his 433 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: podcast Everybody has a Podcast that Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. 434 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: They didn't have the best relationship with Simmons, and then 435 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: of course he gets traded to the Nets. You played 436 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 1: with Simmons, What was that relationship like as a teammate. 437 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: I love Ben, I love Ben. I don't remember having 438 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: bad relationships with teammates. I went out of my way, 439 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: or at least tried to. And again, I will readily 440 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: admit I was not a perfect teammate all the time. 441 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: But I had a great relationship with Ben. He called 442 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 1: me shortly after the trade happened. He was with a 443 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: buddy mine when he came up to New York and 444 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: we chatted about things. I'm excited for him, and I 445 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: think it's a great fit for him and one of 446 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: the And I know you're a Philly guy, and you've 447 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: followed this whole process. Thank you for that, Jage. Yeah. 448 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: One of the reasons to me that the playoffs always 449 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: got clunky for that pairing was, to me, the best 450 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: version of Ben in the playoffs is as a five. Yeah, 451 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 1: you can't take Joel off the court. He's the best 452 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,360 Speaker 1: player and one of clearly the most dominant and best 453 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: players in our entire league right now. She can't take 454 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: him off. But Ben at the five as a switchable five, 455 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: disrupting playmaking five ala Jannis. Right, And I'm not saying 456 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: Ben and Jannis are on the same level, but in 457 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: that sort of mold, that to me is the best 458 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: playoff version of Ben. I just think that he was 459 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: reluctant to do that, right. I remember back to the 460 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: Raptor series and you guys basically had Jimmy take the 461 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,640 Speaker 1: ball and Ben was sort of in the dunker spot. 462 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: And I remember Zach Low asking him about that, and 463 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: Ben being like, Yeah, that's not who I am. I'm 464 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: better than that. I you know, I'm in the point guard. 465 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: I'm the guy he is. But my question to you is, well, 466 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: where else are you supposed to put him? Right by 467 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,120 Speaker 1: the way, no one wants She's talking about an All Star. 468 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: He was an All Star that year, He's a he 469 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,199 Speaker 1: was an All NBA player the following year. He's up 470 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year of 471 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 1: the following year. Like, this is a guy who has 472 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:53,159 Speaker 1: a resume and is accomplished, made me a better player, 473 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 1: that has hung out in the dunker spot in a 474 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: playoff series. So yeah, I could see why he might 475 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: be reluctant to do that. Yeah, it probably press me 476 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: off too. I'm with you. I think this is going 477 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 1: to be a really good spot for him, and I'm 478 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: eager to see him get back out there. Yeah. Alas, 479 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: it does not look like he's going to play on 480 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: March tenth, when the Nets go to Philly. There were 481 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: reports that Simmons is dealing with back soreness, and the 482 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: Nets probably don't want to put him out there against 483 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: the Sixers anyway. But JJ, eventually, in theory, he will 484 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,120 Speaker 1: have to play in Philly again, And if and when 485 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,640 Speaker 1: that happens, what kind of reception do we think he'll get? 486 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: It was depending on your perspective, not great, a not 487 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: great perspective, or if you're a Philly fan, an overwhelming reception. 488 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: I think that's the genteel way of putting that an 489 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: overwhelming reception. For me, I just want to see Ben happy, thriving, 490 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: playing sooner he gets back to better. If he ends 491 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: up playing in that game, I'm definitely tuned it in. 492 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: It'd be amazing. Yeah, who wouldn't want to tune in? 493 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: I mean, just thinking about it makes me excited. I'm 494 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: gonna guess probably Ben Simmons would be less excited, But 495 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: for the rest of us, it sounds like it would 496 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,200 Speaker 1: be great entertainment. But one lass quick Philly thing for you, JJ. 497 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: You played with him and now he has hardened with him, 498 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,120 Speaker 1: and I'm wondering how you think their personalities will mesh 499 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,479 Speaker 1: and what shall we be looking for as they kind 500 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: of learn each other's game. So I'll say two things 501 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: about the pairing. The one thing I'd like to watch 502 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: logistically is just how Doc manages the minutes together on 503 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: the court. Obviously they're gonna start games together, and obviously 504 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: they're gonna finish games together, but those in between minutes 505 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: are there times where he staggers them and lets Joel 506 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: be the focus, Lets James be the focus and play 507 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: I said, all let's Joel play out of the post. 508 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 1: And then the second thing, of course I'm watching, is this, 509 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: how are they meshing as in a two man game? 510 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: Because we all know Joel is not a high frequency 511 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: rim roller in pick and rolls, he pops to space. 512 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: We all know that James has thrived in his career 513 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: when he has a rim running big allah clink capellt 514 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: Alt grows it up again, the Capella perfect pass for 515 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: James hard for a seven assistance one of them. At times, 516 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: we'll have to sit and watch. We'll be on the court, 517 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: I'm saying, but we'll have to say. There's gonna be 518 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: times where Joel is going to his package on the 519 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: left block and James will have to sit there and watch. 520 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: There'll be times where James is going to his package 521 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: at the top of the key and Joel will have 522 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: to be a bystander. Joel is in such a good 523 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: place right now to me that I think the mesh 524 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: of personalities will be great. James has been through so 525 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: much over the last two years and received so much criticism. 526 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: There's has to be a sense of urgency to make 527 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: this thing work with Joel in Philly. Yeah, taking off 528 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: my sports media hat and just leaving my Philly hat 529 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: on and fingers crossed on that one. But you had 530 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 1: mentioned Doc you'd played for him and the rotations that 531 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: he has. That'll be something that's interesting. But I'd be 532 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: remiss if I didn't ask you about another coach that 533 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: you played for while you're here. Coach k is obviously 534 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: retiring this season, and he built this incredible legacy. I mean, 535 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: really one of the greatest coaches to ever do it. 536 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: What was he like to play for? He was the best? 537 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: He was the best. I played in a very different 538 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: era than this one and done era, and I think 539 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: between that rule change and then getting to coach pros, 540 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 1: you know, NBA players in the Olympics, his coaching style 541 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: has changed quite a bit. When I was there, there 542 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: was a standard. If you didn't reach that standard, there 543 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: were consequences daily. So it was very, very demanding, and 544 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: I gain I stayed four years. It was four years 545 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: of mental period times, but it was first of all 546 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: as a dream come true. I had wanted to play 547 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: there since I was seven years old. I was getting 548 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 1: ready to turn eight in a couple of months, but 549 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: later hit that shot to beat Kentucky. I turned to 550 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: my parents I'm gonna play it too. It was the 551 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: best decision I've made in my life outside of marrying 552 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: my wife. And it's such a monumental decision to make 553 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: at that age, and you're talking about the consequences. That 554 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: part is interesting to me because back then you carried 555 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 1: yourself with like a certain amount of confidence, where I 556 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: don't want to say that you positioned yourself as a villain. 557 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: I'm wondering how Coach k dealt with swaggering, confident, brash, 558 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,680 Speaker 1: young JJ Reddick. It's a good question. Coach always told 559 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: me the truth. There was one time he called me 560 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:14,959 Speaker 1: a name. It was my freshman year at halftime we 561 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: were playing Georgetown. It was probably my tenth or eleventh, 562 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: twelfth game, something like that, a duke. It was a 563 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: January game. I don't remember him ever raising his voice 564 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 1: to me other than that he knew how to push 565 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: my buttons in a very different way. I'll give you 566 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 1: an example. After my sophomore year, we had a series 567 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: of meetings and I was a total d bag that 568 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 1: year off the court. I mean I was an asshole. 569 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: And we went a series of meetings. We meet every 570 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: Saturday morning during April until school got out and in 571 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: one of those meetings, he said to me, we didn't 572 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: win a national championship because you weren't worthy of being 573 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: a champion ouch. And I made sure that you know, 574 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: and that summer I made a big change in my life, 575 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 1: a big transition, And that summer laid the foundation of 576 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: the groundwork for the rest of my career and the 577 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: rest of my life. And so I learned to have 578 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: that same standard that he has. I was around the 579 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: guy for four years, never saw him have a bad day. 580 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: He puts everything into it every day, and that's a 581 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: testament to his greatness. But it's also one of the 582 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: reasons that he's been able to have this standard of 583 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: excellence and continuity for over four decades. Dude would appear 584 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: to be all their way. It's official. Mike Shiseivski gets 585 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: his fifty ACC tournament title. First, we talked about the 586 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: interpersonal relationships with teammates, But when you're dealing with a 587 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: guy like that who gives you really unvarnished feedback and 588 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: tough love, what's that dynamic like I mean, because it 589 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: sounds like you just said you changed the way that 590 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: you operated. That's a life altering moment from a guy 591 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: who you know, he's defined by all these wins, but 592 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: that clearly had a much different kind of impact than 593 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 1: you can categorize wins and losses. Yeah, Like I said, 594 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: Coach K is all in every day and so the 595 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: amount of tough love love that he invested into me, man, 596 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: it's life changing. I mean, my dad is one hundred 597 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: percent my hero. No man has had a bigger impact 598 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: on my life than my father, But second, unquestionably is 599 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: Coach K. And there was a moment after my junior 600 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: year we lost in the sweet sixteen to Michigan State 601 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: in Austin, and he texted me and say, hey, can 602 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: you come up to my hotel room. We got back 603 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: to the hotel to the game, and we had a 604 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: long conversation and he was proud of me. You know, 605 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,719 Speaker 1: we were both emotional. We recognize how much I had 606 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: been through that prior year. You know, I can get 607 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: into how hard it was to be the villain and 608 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: how difficult it was on my psyche and my ego 609 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: as a nineteen year old to have to deal with that. 610 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 1: The amount of therapy that I went into, and he 611 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: was a driving force behind that. He got me to 612 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: help I needed and all that stuff. But that moment 613 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: in austin that hotel room, that was the moment we 614 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: became friends. So will always be coached to me, don't 615 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: get me wrong. Yeah, but that's when we cemented our friendship. 616 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: Was that moment in that hotel room. I was going 617 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: to ask you about his legacy, but I think that's 618 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: the perfect testament to it right there. He had an 619 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: excellent college career and an excellent NBA career. You can 620 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: watch him with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN creating all 621 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: kinds of headlines, and you should listen to him on 622 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 1: The Old Man in the three podcast JJ Raddick. Thank 623 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: you for this. Thank you, John, appreciate it. After a break, 624 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 1: I'm joined by former All Pro wide receiver Steve Smith 625 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: Senior to discuss the first time he was in SI 626 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 1: and who he was back then. Third down, I'm fourteen 627 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: from the thirty one up Carolina Goloe fires to an 628 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: open Smith. Steve Smith, He's gonna go all the way, 629 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: don't flax down. Smith scores and the Carolina Panthers painted 630 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 1: over time. I'm a third and fourteen sixty nine yard play. Unbelievable. 631 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 1: I were thrilled to be joined by former All Pro 632 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 1: wide receiver now an analyst for NFL Network. Steve Smith Senior, 633 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: Thanks for doing this so man, how you doing. Always 634 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 1: good to see you. I saw your NFL Network teammate 635 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 1: Joe Thomas, and it reminded me of the conversation we 636 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: were having one night and two of you, being the 637 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: nice guys that you are, were asking me how the 638 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: new gig was going. We started having this chat and 639 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: it led me to I thought, what was a really 640 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: cool discussion, So I'll tee it up to you the 641 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 1: way that I did that night. Steve Smith Senior, Tell 642 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: me about the first time you were in Sports Illustrated, Man, 643 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 1: first time I was a Sports Illustrated I was at 644 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: the University of Utah bano pulp returner, and I remember 645 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: in the back of the like near the end on 646 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: College they were they had us all ranked on our 647 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: yards and all that stuff, and so I was there 648 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: with Antana Moss, I was a returner at Utah, and 649 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: I just remember seeing it. Man, I was like, wow, 650 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: like I made Sports Illustrated and it was huge. It 651 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: was validation to show other people that me coming to 652 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: the University of Utah me wanting to play professional sports 653 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: that it just wasn't a unrealistic expectation or dream. Did 654 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: you stumble upon it? Did somebody tell you about it? 655 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: Like I saw that at the store and the store 656 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: was Smiths, the grocery store, and so I was like, 657 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: I saw it and I bought it. And then other 658 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 1: guys saw it, and other people saw it, and they 659 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 1: showed it to me, and you know, being a young 660 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: immature kid, you're like, hey, did you see you? And 661 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: sports nowhere? Really? And so they showed it and even 662 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: though man, I saw it, right, So that was the 663 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: first time I was in it, and I was in 664 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: it a few times. But man, being on the cover 665 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated bananas. So you're on the cover of Sports 666 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:08,640 Speaker 1: Illustrated when you're in the pros, that's got to be 667 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,239 Speaker 1: completely trippy. Let me tell you how trippy it is. 668 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 1: You ready, because let me tell you. I'm I'll be 669 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: forty three this year, right, how amazing is it for 670 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: me to be on Sports Illustrated. I still have the cover? 671 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: Oh no way, this is amazing. You know. This is 672 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: something that we had talked about where we were like, oh, 673 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,239 Speaker 1: we gotta find this and send it to Steve. You 674 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 1: already have it. Oh, this is the cardboard version, Like 675 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: when you make it, they send you that. That's really cool. 676 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,760 Speaker 1: So it says stepping up under pressure on that stepping 677 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: up under pressure sensational Steve Smith, least the Panthers into Seattle. 678 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: Now we got Molly Wopp But hey, just not talk 679 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: about that, right who even remembers that? But I want 680 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: to go back to what you said about the first 681 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: time you're on where it was sort of validation for 682 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:00,839 Speaker 1: you and you felt like you would arrived. I'd in that, Hey, 683 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,479 Speaker 1: you know I can go and make the It wasn't 684 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:08,399 Speaker 1: that I had arrived. It was that I possibly can 685 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: do it. And what I mean by that is for 686 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,720 Speaker 1: you to be inside of being on the cover whatever 687 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 1: it is, and it means more than guys led on 688 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:23,240 Speaker 1: to be because those magazines that now you are looking 689 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 1: at all right, actually the magazines you started reading when 690 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,879 Speaker 1: I started daydreaming about I wanted to be like Jerry Rice. 691 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 1: Well how did I find out about Jerry Rice? Right? 692 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: You saw him on TV? And then there was an 693 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 1: article where there was a cover of a Sports Illustrated 694 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:45,439 Speaker 1: that said that Sports Illustrated stamp of approval. You want 695 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 1: to be somebody. Jerry Rice is a standard. So when 696 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,680 Speaker 1: you're trying to be like Jerry Rice, you're a kid 697 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: in college or Utah, you're thinking, I'm gonna go to 698 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: the league. I can do this now. But I would 699 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 1: imagine that that comes with some pressure too. How did 700 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:01,879 Speaker 1: you deal with that as a college kid? That would 701 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:05,520 Speaker 1: be difficult, I would think for most people. But you know, 702 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: you're also a professional athlete, so you've overcome a lot 703 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 1: of things that other people haven't. You know, being an athlete, 704 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: you are supposed to be the example of resilience, be 705 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: the example of discipline, consistency, and you you know, most 706 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: of us are. But the human element of it is 707 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: there are some guys that grow up in areas where 708 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 1: you know, my mom was married to a guy who 709 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: didn't treat it right, and he had a son. So 710 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: it was my stepbrother, right, and it was my brother 711 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 1: and men. I was asked to give some character traits 712 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: about when you're a kid in the hood, and some 713 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: of the character's traits were being grateful or being thankful 714 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,840 Speaker 1: man when when your life's get cut off, when you 715 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:01,000 Speaker 1: on Section eight food stamps, you're sleeping in the bed 716 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 1: with your stepbrother. That's younger who peas in the bed? Man, 717 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 1: what are you thankful for when you're sleeping in that 718 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:14,719 Speaker 1: pissie bed when you don't have food in the refrigerator? Right? 719 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 1: Like I was telling someone, I remember one time we 720 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: didn't have a lot of food, and I was hungry 721 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: and looked in the freezer. Man, what we had was 722 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: was some hog monks. Man. I turned on the stove, 723 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:29,759 Speaker 1: put some water in there, bought the hog monks, got 724 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 1: a knife and a fork. That was my lunch. How 725 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:37,640 Speaker 1: old were you, I mean eleven, twelve, fourteen fifteen, and 726 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:41,439 Speaker 1: so to experience that there are traits that you grow 727 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 1: up at kid in the hood, that you experienced that 728 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: when you're playing ball, people tell you to be humble, 729 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,720 Speaker 1: act like you've been here before. Man, every time, fourteen 730 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:52,360 Speaker 1: fifteen years old, I ain't never been where I was 731 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,960 Speaker 1: at at twenty two. And I just summarize at all 732 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 1: to say, man, is sometimes you gotta be careful that 733 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 1: these young men are in these magazines, are aspiring to 734 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: be on these magazines. Man, they got a story that 735 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: some young men shouldn't have to go through, especially we 736 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 1: living in America, you know, the land of free opportunity. 737 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,719 Speaker 1: But man, it's tough. It's it's hard to be it's 738 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,439 Speaker 1: hard to be grateful when your stomach is grumbling, right, 739 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 1: And so that's all I'm just saying that it's it's 740 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 1: different man. For a long time. There's times, man, before 741 00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: I went out to play, I would put my head 742 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:31,840 Speaker 1: down and thank God and pray. But also too, I 743 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:35,719 Speaker 1: would pray that I hope I don't get pinched to 744 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:39,399 Speaker 1: wake up because maybe everything I'm experiencing as I play 745 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:45,040 Speaker 1: balls actually is it real that perspective, I think it's 746 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 1: a unique story that you have, you know, where it's 747 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:51,279 Speaker 1: like you were saying, some people far more fortunate growing up, 748 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,840 Speaker 1: success comes to them easily. They're always living sort of 749 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:58,719 Speaker 1: a comfortable life. For you, it wasn't that before you, 750 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 1: you know, get to Utah and then you go on 751 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: to the pro So I think it would lend a 752 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: different perspective for you looking back on it and how 753 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: you appreciate it. But there's also other people who have 754 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:09,960 Speaker 1: had it worse as well. So I'm not trying to 755 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 1: paint my picture. All I'm just trying to do is 756 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 1: really just say that, man, for a young kid for 757 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 1: a kid for a knucklehead from La Man to be 758 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: on the Sports Illustrated Bro. That's man, that's Charlie who 759 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: just got that factory. Yeah yeah, Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka. 760 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 1: Man to get that magic ticket. Bro, that's what it's like. 761 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: That's really cool. And I like that you have the 762 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: magazine cover still. Yeah, I'm I'm in my office. And 763 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 1: when you had told me, I made sure. I was like, man, 764 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:43,239 Speaker 1: I gotta remember to bring it. And so I brought 765 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 1: it here because you know, I John, I obviously respect 766 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 1: your wife and respect you, respect y'all, y'all as a 767 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,520 Speaker 1: power couple. Man. When you asked me to do it, Man, 768 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:55,160 Speaker 1: when when his friends and his family, Man, you can't 769 00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: come in there and have stepping bro. So you know 770 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:01,319 Speaker 1: I had to make sure, Man, I got Hey, if 771 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:04,880 Speaker 1: you've really been on one, you got one. You killed it. 772 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 1: You've been on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Now you've 773 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,279 Speaker 1: been on Sports Illustrated Weekly. Steve Smith Senior. You're the 774 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:14,840 Speaker 1: absolute best. Thank you for doing this, absolutely man, my pleasure. 775 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and iHeartRadio. 776 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:31,239 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 777 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,080 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your favorite shows. And for more 778 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: of Sports Illustrated its best stories and podcasts, visit SI 779 00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:41,400 Speaker 1: dot com. This episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced 780 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:44,759 Speaker 1: by Alex Kappelman, Cooper McKim and Isaac Lee, who was 781 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 1: also our sound engineer. Our senior producer is Dan Bloom. 782 00:40:49,200 --> 00:40:52,680 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Scott Brody and me John Gonzaltz. 783 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 1: Our theme song is by Nolan Schneider. Thanks for listening, 784 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 1: and if you've stuck around this long, we leave you 785 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:07,200 Speaker 1: with this. I remember a podcast you did back in 786 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:08,959 Speaker 1: the day with Chris Paul where you guys talked about 787 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,760 Speaker 1: like not liking each other at that time, not liking 788 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:16,920 Speaker 1: each other. Yes, that's the huge understatement. We hated each other. 789 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:18,279 Speaker 1: Hated he hated each other.