WEBVTT - Michael Redd Talks NBA Cup, Cooper Flagg Making History, Surprise Teams & More 0:00:05.800 --> 0:00:10.720 Good morning, sweet wirl, and welcome to the Nodunks Podcast 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:15.159 presented by FanDuel Tuesday, December sixteenth, twenty twenty five. I'm 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:17.680 Jay Skeetz here in the Classic Factory and alongside me, 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:21.080 as always task Mellists podcast listeners, this is for you. 0:00:21.160 --> 0:00:24.600 Next to him, it's my top shot hot boy Trey Kirby. Hey, hey, 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:28.800 yo over Yonder making the magic happen. Super producer Jad Hello, 0:00:28.840 --> 0:00:33.040 there he is, and our special guest today, former Milwaukee 0:00:33.080 --> 0:00:36.440 Bucks All Star and Olympic gold medalist. And you know 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:41.440 what I'm adding to the resume, fantastic new NBA content 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:45.480 creator Michael Red. Welcome to the show, guys. 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:46.960 Thank you so much for having me. 0:00:47.080 --> 0:00:48.800 It's been a while since we've been together, but it's 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:50.000 always the pleasure to be with you. 0:00:50.320 --> 0:00:52.440 Yeah, you're right. I should have said, yeah, welcome back 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:55.560 to the show because we checked the archives yesterday and Mike, 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:59.240 you appeared on an old episode of the Starters backing 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:03.560 our NBA TVs in like twenty seventeen. So it's been 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:05.120 a long time since we last talked. 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:07.319 It's almost a decade and. 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:11.679 I hate to say that, but a big fan of 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:13.840 you guys, and with a joy then, and certainly it's 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:14.880 a joy now to be a part of. 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:17.040 Well, we got lots to talk about with you, and 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:19.840 you are sort of like in the content creating space, 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:21.520 and we'll get into that in some of the videos 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:23.960 you've put up. But let's start with the Nixon Spurs 0:01:24.440 --> 0:01:27.440 set for tonight's NBA Cup in Vegas, where the tournament's 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:29.600 going to produce a third champion in three years, no 0:01:29.680 --> 0:01:32.440 matter what happens, no matter who wins. I'm interested to 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:34.800 hear your thoughts as a former player who didn't have 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:37.800 this NBA Cup when you were hooping, what do you 0:01:37.840 --> 0:01:40.399 think about this whole thing and both you know, if 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:42.280 you were playing, and I guess as a fan as well. 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:45.840 Yeah, it's been fun to watch. I think. 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:51.120 It gives fans something else to get excited about, to 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.560 be engaged with in the middle of the season. And 0:01:55.160 --> 0:01:58.640 you couldn't have two better teams at the forefront of 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:01.800 this right now with the Spurs and the Nicks. Obviously, 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:04.280 this is the third year of the tournament. I don't 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:06.720 think it's been fully optimized just yet, but it's trending 0:02:06.760 --> 0:02:10.160 and it's going to be a phenomenal final and I'll 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:10.640 be watching. 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:13.880 Are there things that you would change to the Cup? 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.320 Like in terms of you know, we're already getting rid 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.160 of the semifinals in Vegas out of neutral site, But 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:21.280 do you think they should go worldwide with this? Do 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:23.399 you think it should just be in the better seeds 0:02:23.440 --> 0:02:24.600 of the higher seeds home place? 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:24.760 Like? 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:25.239 What do you think? 0:02:25.240 --> 0:02:27.800 How can it be optimized? Yeah said, yeah, yeah, I 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:28.480 think globally. 0:02:28.520 --> 0:02:29.600 I think it will go globally. 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:33.799 And now I'm not saying it should, but I think 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:37.040 it can. It could certainly do that with our fans globally. 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:41.399 I don't see why I wouldn't go global. And there's 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:43.079 way above my pay grade to be able to pay 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:45.320 creatively fair fair enough. 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:48.240 Are you envious of these guys playing for you know, 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:50.880 half a million dollars there if they win this thing tonight, Like, 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:53.040 would that have incentivized you when you were playing in 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:53.799 their days? 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:55.359 No, No, not at all. 0:02:55.800 --> 0:02:59.280 I think it's interesting when I played, you know, and 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:03.239 the money that we during that time seemed astronomical compared 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:04.120 to the guys who played in the. 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:04.880 Eighties and seventies. 0:03:05.000 --> 0:03:07.600 We would hear you know, and Mike Gore, I can't 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:09.680 believe you're making so much money, and so I didn't 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:11.920 want to be that guy when I retired to be 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:15.079 jealous or be envious of what these guys are making. 0:03:15.600 --> 0:03:17.960 We fought for this in our collective bargain agreements over 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:22.840 the years, and the players deserve everything they get. 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:25.840 No NBA Cup when you played, but you did make 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.360 a Final four back in your college days. What's your 0:03:28.360 --> 0:03:32.600 mindset going into like these single elimination games when it's 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:33.680 all or nothing out there. 0:03:34.400 --> 0:03:35.160 Yeah, it's fun. 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:38.800 It's so fun, and I think it's a great format 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:42.280 for the players. Sometimes in the dog days of winter 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:45.440 during the season, you know, you find yourself. You know, 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:47.960 for us it was four games and five nights. This 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.440 reinvigorous the players. It gets them me more engaged because 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:54.600 they're shooting for a midseason goal and you're going to 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:56.800 see some great basketball to night, because at the end 0:03:56.840 --> 0:03:58.880 of the day, the players want to win, they want 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:00.920 to compete, and they want to win, no matter if 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:03.760 it's the finals or the Cups. So I think the 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:06.040 quality of basketball is gonna shine through tonight. 0:04:06.400 --> 0:04:09.360 Do you have a prediction for Spurs Nicks here tonight? 0:04:09.640 --> 0:04:12.360 Ooh, the Spurs aren't a heater right now, then you 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:14.760 get a chance to be Okay, see, you've got to 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:18.680 probably favor them. Although the Knicks with coach Mike Brown 0:04:19.200 --> 0:04:23.120 look great and they're trending in the right direction. I 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:25.760 think I have the Spurs tonight because of how they've 0:04:25.760 --> 0:04:29.039 been playing. But what it's time to close. There's not 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:32.240 to meet closers better than Jayalen Brunson. And I'm biased 0:04:32.240 --> 0:04:36.159 because he's left handed, but I just love his game 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:39.560 and his moxie in the fourth quarter, and so it's 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:40.680 going to be a barn burner. 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:42.720 I do have the Spurs pulling out, though. 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:45.080 Okay, well, hopefully it's an entertaining game. Let's talk a 0:04:45.120 --> 0:04:49.080 little bit about last night and in particular one awesome 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:52.080 game from an eighteen year old kid. The Jazz did 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:52.880 beat the MAVs. 0:04:53.000 --> 0:04:53.320 They did. 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:54.479 I want to make note of that. They had some 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:58.400 great performances. One forty one thirty three despite a career 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:01.880 high forty two points from koup Flag, becoming the first 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:05.080 eighteen year old in league history to score forty plus. 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:07.640 He's playing the best basketball I think we've seen over 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:10.040 these last few weeks. He's really putting it together. What 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:12.520 are your thoughts on Cooper Flag's you know, twenty five 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:16.080 plus first games here and just this rookie class in general, 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:18.240 because this looks like a stocked class with all the 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:19.680 performances from these guys. 0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:23.400 No question, it is a deep class to your point, 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:27.479 But with Cooper, it was a matter of time that 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:30.520 he kind of figures it out, and so he couldn't 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:33.520 be under better tutelage with Jason Kidd as his coach 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:35.760 to help him kind of figure it out. 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:36.960 Any rookie's going to. 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:39.640 Go through an adjustment period and the first few games, 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:41.599 first couple of weeks trying to figure it out. The 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:44.000 pace of the game is different than college, certainly than 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:45.240 high school. He's on a year and a half and 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:48.760 moved from high school, and so to see him perform 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:53.000 at this level, this was predicted by most that he 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:56.440 would be somewhat of a superstar, and he's showing it 0:05:56.560 --> 0:05:59.599 right now. How at forty he scored forty at eighteen 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:01.200 is it's pretty remarkable in the NBA. 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:03.359 So I'm excited about his future. 0:06:03.680 --> 0:06:06.760 I love his ability to be able to bring the 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:09.480 ball up and orchestrate the office to a degree and playmate. 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:12.560 It's going to make him much more dangerous as a player, 0:06:12.680 --> 0:06:14.520 and Jason's using him in the right way. 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:17.800 How long did it take you during your rookie season 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:20.960 to feel comfortable playing in NBA games, to know where 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:22.599 you're going to get your offense, to know how you 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.160 want to score, and to just fit in on an 0:06:25.240 --> 0:06:27.040 NBA court out there? Because Cooper a little bit of 0:06:27.080 --> 0:06:29.760 a slow start, but in the past fifteen games, basically 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:32.119 he's been playing at an incredible level. 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:35.120 He has Well, Yeah, I remember I didn't play my 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:35.560 rookie year. 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:38.040 Probably I didn't play six games, so I never got 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:41.599 adjusted to my second year basically in the NBA, so 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:46.479 it takes time. There's a cadence, there's a rhythm, there's 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:49.720 a certain speed, and so at my rookie year, I 0:06:49.800 --> 0:06:53.520 learned a lot through our practices and obviously watching during 0:06:53.520 --> 0:06:57.919 the games, just on how guys paced themselves and whatnot. 0:06:57.960 --> 0:07:00.280 So it's a rhythm to it for sure that you 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:00.760 have to learn. 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:05.960 Let's get your thoughts on some of the surprising teams 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:08.200 so far this year. Is there a team or two 0:07:08.279 --> 0:07:11.000 that's really shocked you, maybe heading into the season and 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:12.760 you thought maybe they're not going to be that good, 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:14.080 or maybe you thought they were going to be better 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:16.360 and they've struggled. Is there a team or two to 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:18.720 you that's like, uh, okay, that's not what I thought. 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:20.960 I think we all be lying to say we didn't 0:07:20.960 --> 0:07:23.000 think Toronto would be where they are right now in 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:27.840 the standings. They have certainly played well this year. I 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:29.920 think health has been a big part of it. It 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.840 has to continue to be a big part of for them. 0:07:32.920 --> 0:07:36.280 But Ingram has played at all star level, Scottie Barnes 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:39.160 is playing at all star level. They've done a wonderful 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:43.160 job up in Toronto. So I think Toronto is a 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:45.720 team that certainly stands out. I think you had to 0:07:45.760 --> 0:07:49.280 look at the Spurs and their acceleration. We knew maybe 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:51.240 he was going to have a big time year, but 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:55.240 with the team match what he's done, being able to 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:57.200 have done in the court. So I think the Spurs 0:07:57.240 --> 0:07:59.680 have done a wonderful job this year so far. There 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:01.600 to be taking seriously and I don't know if we 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.160 knew that they would be taking so seriously this year. 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:07.240 Maybe next year, but they certainly have opened up a 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:08.080 lot of eyes this year. 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:10.960 Yeah, absolutely, especially the record they had when Wemby was 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:13.080 out there for a good chunk of time, and I 0:08:13.120 --> 0:08:15.600 think you see the benefit of having like veteran guys, right, 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:16.920 And I'd love for you to speak to this, like 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:19.640 Harrison Barnes had some great games and has continued to 0:08:19.640 --> 0:08:22.400 play well all season. Darreon Fox obviously not that old, 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.000 but older on that squad. How important is it to 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:29.000 have in your experience, just like VET guys to plug 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.960 and play to learn from, especially when you are a 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:32.920 younger guy in the league. 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:35.760 Yeah, I think vets are essential. 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:40.000 And when I came in I'm a little bit biased 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:42.040 to this because when I came into the league, I 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:46.480 had Lynn Robinson and Sam Cassell, Tim Thomas, ray Allen, obviously, 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:52.240 Urban Johnson, Lindsay Hunters. These guys shape my career in 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:55.680 a sense, and when you are with a group of 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:59.040 great veterans, that can have a huge influence on your 0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:02.520 whole career, how you handle yourself professionally on and off 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:02.920 the court. 0:09:03.240 --> 0:09:05.680 It's a lot of nuances that comes with being. 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:09.600 An NBA player, and so it's important to have mentorship 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:12.160 guys who've been there, have done that at a high 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:15.959 level around you to help equip you to accelerate your 0:09:15.960 --> 0:09:19.040 growth as well. So I think the Spurs historically have 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:22.000 done this and they continue to do it. 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:24.640 Is there a team that catches your eye when you're watching, 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:26.640 because we can tell you watch a lot of basketball. 0:09:26.679 --> 0:09:29.080 Do you have a favorite league past team, like, is 0:09:29.120 --> 0:09:31.840 it the Bucks having spent a majority of your career there? 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:32.680 Is it something else? 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:37.360 Well, I'm always watching the Bucks for sure. Another exciting 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:42.679 team to watch, or at least player players sixers. 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:44.040 Yeah. 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.760 I had the pleasure of seeing Tyre's Maxie play against 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:48.839 the Bucks people see on Milwaukee, and he put on 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:53.720 an absolute show. And he's a special special talent that 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:55.000 I love watching play. 0:09:56.240 --> 0:09:58.200 And so they have a great young back. 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:01.319 Court with s Calm as well back there with him, 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:03.600 and I think the future is bright with Philly, you know, 0:10:03.600 --> 0:10:05.480 in the midst of all of what they've had to 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:08.240 deal with the injuries with Paul George and obviously Joel Embiid. 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:11.480 But but, but Philly is a team in the future 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:14.120 to look out for with those two in the back court. 0:10:15.360 --> 0:10:19.120 I enjoy watching the Thompson Twins in Detroit and the Houston. 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:25.520 Their their energy, they're athleticism, they're just fun to watch. 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:28.079 Destroit has been such a pleasure to watch this year, 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:31.000 so so proud of their effort this year, and then 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:34.200 they've grown k Cunningham one of the top five MVP 0:10:34.360 --> 0:10:36.760 candidates arguably in the league this year so far. 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:40.199 But yeah, those those are the guys that stand out 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:40.400 to me. 0:10:40.880 --> 0:10:43.880 When you're watching a game, are you zeroing in on 0:10:44.000 --> 0:10:47.679 things maybe that a casual fan has no idea even 0:10:47.720 --> 0:10:50.280 to watch? You know, is there a particular thing or 0:10:50.280 --> 0:10:52.439 two that you're watching on either the offensive end or 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:55.679 a defensive end that maybe, again, someone just like doesn't 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:57.760 watch a lot of basketball, has no idea it's even happening. 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:01.440 Yeah, it's a switch that just won't shut off. I 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:03.959 try to watch as a fan. Yeah, and I can't 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:06.680 watch casually a finger. I'm watching the setup of the offense. 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:10.640 I'm watching how guys are getting open. I'm watching gaps 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.240 in the defense. I'm watching how the defense is playing. 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:17.119 It's his zone? Is it like an amoeba defense? Is it? 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:17.520 You know? 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:20.320 What kind of flares are they running for the shooters? 0:11:20.720 --> 0:11:23.880 I'm watching all kinds of games within the game, which 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:26.720 is hard to shut off. But I wish I could 0:11:26.720 --> 0:11:29.080 watch it casually and just be in all And I 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:32.640 am in all of the athleticism and these younger players. 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:35.360 But I'm always watching the game within the game, and 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:36.560 that's how I played. 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:40.080 Do you miss like the off ball screens, there's not 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:42.160 nearly as many. You were a guy who used to 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:45.880 do some damage coming off pin downs or multiple away 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.079 from the play kind of screens clearing some spots for you. 0:11:49.360 --> 0:11:52.480 It's like Duncan Robinson does that now, but kind of rare. 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:56.360 It is rare. I do miss those days. 0:11:57.240 --> 0:11:58.880 And you don't see a lot of two guards with 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:00.640 guards posting up like that too as well. 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:04.280 That's something I missed. I was watching the. 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:07.640 Game that Milwaukee with Philly Sixers and no one posted 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.640 up from a guard position, and in my era, all 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:13.480 the two guards posted up and it was a huge 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:14.280 advantage for us. 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:16.679 But there's certain aspects of the game that I missed. 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:20.080 But there's certainly an evolution with all of this space 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:25.600 and the obviously the importance of the three ball in 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:26.120 this era. 0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:28.400 It's it's unbelievable. 0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:30.640 I remember last time we had you on again, this 0:12:30.679 --> 0:12:33.720 is twenty seventeen, we were like, how many points would 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.680 you score in today's game? With the amount of three 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.080 point shots that guys are now allowed to get up 0:12:39.120 --> 0:12:41.880 because you despite being a great three point shooter, I 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:44.280 think you only like you maxed out at like six 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:46.920 maybe seven, you were flirting with seven three point attempts 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:50.320 per game. That would be easily like in the like 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:52.520 ten plus today for a guy like you, not you 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:54.600 would be putting up, you'd be flirting I think with 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:55.560 thirty points per game. 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.520 Oh yeah, it's hard to I mean, yeah, yes, I 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:00.600 mean I wash more threes. 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:04.520 It's pretty accurate to simulate that. 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.080 What the misnomer with my career is that people know 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:09.600 me as a three point shooter when I was really 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:11.679 just a score that happened to learn how. 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.120 To shoot threes. So the floor is so. 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:17.760 Space now and the bigs not in the paint as 0:13:17.760 --> 0:13:20.960 they used to be. The yao means the Sean Bradley's, 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:24.560 the the Shaquille O'Neills, the Ben Wallace's, the Rashi Wallace's. 0:13:24.600 --> 0:13:27.680 Those guys are not now outside and so the ability 0:13:27.679 --> 0:13:30.160 to be able to get into the hole and score 0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:33.480 at a high rate is more rev but now and 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:37.920 then obviously probably shooting between ten to twelve to thirteen 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:40.520 threes a game would probably be my calling card now, 0:13:40.559 --> 0:13:42.199 So it would be a different dynamic for sure. 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:46.200 Yeah, I mentioned this off the top. You know, you're 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:48.720 a great follow on Twitter x or whatever we're calling 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:50.920 it NOWT, But you also do these YouTube videos and 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:53.720 the latest one is fantastic. It's titled why this game 0:13:54.120 --> 0:13:57.040 meant more than My fifty seven point night? And you're 0:13:57.080 --> 0:13:59.880 breaking down with our g T. Actually the game where 0:13:59.880 --> 0:14:02.320 you scored in the forties, but it was against Kobe, 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:04.520 and you guys go through it and it is really fun, 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:07.560 you guys breaking it down. I'll make sure we linked 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:09.240 to it in the show notes to this, But yeah, 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:12.360 why why was that one more important to you? Was 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:14.160 it just who you were going against? In the the 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:15.200 late great Kobe Bryant. 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:18.720 You know, for me, it was homage to him as 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:21.320 much as it was about my my my game and 0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:22.040 my performance. 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:23.800 He was the pinnacle. 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.560 He was the top dog at that time in our league, 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:29.920 and to be able to have it a performance like 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:31.760 that in his house. 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:34.840 Was was, you know, for me special. 0:14:35.000 --> 0:14:37.920 And he didn't have his typical great game that game either, 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:41.600 So I was very very proud of the win for one, 0:14:42.600 --> 0:14:46.880 and but more importantly the performance against him, because he's 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:50.720 the best, he was a standard and to to compete 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:52.640 at a high level against him, and to perform at 0:14:52.640 --> 0:14:55.200 a high level, it meant the world to mean it 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:56.640 stands out to me my favorite game. 0:14:57.040 --> 0:14:59.400 There were a couple you know, smaller things from that 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:01.720 video you brought up that I wanted to get your 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:04.720 you know, more thoughts on. You said it may be 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.840 more difficult for a shooter to shoot a technical foul 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:10.040 than a normal free throw, and I was like, wow, 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:12.360 I never thought of that, because you know, there's no 0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:14.480 one there. It's just like not routine. You guys are 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:18.280 mechanics or mechanical with how you approach the free throw line, 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:21.480 and so I hadn't thought about it until you said 0:15:21.520 --> 0:15:22.960 it on that video where I could see that to 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:23.400 be true. 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:29.080 Now I was trying to justify why I missed, whether 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:31.800 what I said was true or not. You know, I 0:15:31.800 --> 0:15:35.400 think there is acceext to that to sure, having people 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:37.080 on the line and whatnot, But you shoot the gym 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:39.440 by yourself all the time for those by yourself, so 0:15:39.880 --> 0:15:42.480 you know, no excuses to ever miss those, really, but 0:15:43.360 --> 0:15:44.040 it is different. 0:15:44.040 --> 0:15:45.600 But I was trying to justify my missing. 0:15:45.920 --> 0:15:48.280 That's great, And you also said in the video how 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.560 large hands are like a cheat code in basketball. And 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:53.680 again it's like another one of these like observations. We've 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:55.640 been doing this for a long time, Like, yeah, okay, 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:58.120 that does make sense where I could see that would 0:15:58.120 --> 0:15:59.840 be an advantage because you had a great finish in 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:02.280 that game against Kobe and the Lakers. You know, you 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:04.520 could palm the ball pretty easy and sort of maneuver 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:05.840 it around the defense. 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:08.640 Now the caveat with that is that that year we 0:16:08.720 --> 0:16:09.640 had the different ball. 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:13.440 Oh yeah, the ball, yeah. 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:15.920 Synthetic ball, correct, And so there were a lot of 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:20.120 high scoring games that year with that ball. So I 0:16:20.120 --> 0:16:22.040 think Kobe had eighty one a year. I think Gilbert 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:25.880 has sixty eight. In lay ball, that ball was really unique. 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:28.200 I actually missed that ball because it would hang on 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:30.320 the rim a little bit longer and spin off the 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:34.320 backboard a little bit different. And so I enjoyed that ball. 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:36.840 But yeah, certainly hailing the basketball that way. As far 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:39.000 as palming him, I mean, you saw it throughout the 0:16:39.040 --> 0:16:41.320 history of the game with Connie Hawkins and doctor j 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:46.000 and obviously Michael Jordan and obviously Dwhy Leonard in recent times, 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:48.920 the ability to be able to palm the ball gave 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:51.800 you such a huge advantage because the defense was always 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:53.680 cut off guard on where you want to go, so 0:16:53.760 --> 0:16:56.280 you had the ability to manipulate the defense by palming 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:58.880 the ball and then finishing at the rim too. With 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:00.520 bigger hands, you can do it much more easily. 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:04.280 It is fun just listening to you in retrospect of 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:08.200 your career, what do you make of players podcasting now 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:13.000 in their current situation? Would you be able to podcast 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:15.520 as an NBA player? Would you be able to do that? 0:17:16.200 --> 0:17:18.720 What would you even talk about? What would your pop 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:19.440 be about? 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:24.040 I think yeah, I think I would. I think it's 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:26.399 just the time, right, It's just the time. You know. 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:29.560 The grave mistake that we as for players do is 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:31.880 we kind of stimulate what we would do in today's 0:17:31.880 --> 0:17:34.479 time when we didn't have social media. We didn't have 0:17:34.480 --> 0:17:36.600 the notion of a podcast, we didn't have apps, we 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:41.800 didn't have iPhones, we had Blackberries and you know Next Hills. 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:46.400 You know, we had Next So. 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:51.040 We didn't have with these kids at today at our disposal, 0:17:51.119 --> 0:17:55.440 and the notion of a brand wasn't as prevalent or 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:58.399 as important to us at the time. So with the 0:17:58.400 --> 0:18:00.560 avid of social media, obviously in the ability to touch 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.800 billions of people around the world and now thinking of 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:06.760 yourself as a brand and and all the opportunities off 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:10.120 the court beyond point. Could it serve as a distraction, 0:18:10.359 --> 0:18:13.320 Sure it can, but I think at the same time, 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:16.920 why not take advantage of it and why not monetize 0:18:16.920 --> 0:18:17.280 off of it. 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:21.199 One of your takes on X was a fun comparison 0:18:21.600 --> 0:18:24.400 about Kate Cunningham and you saw similarities to Brandon Roy 0:18:24.800 --> 0:18:26.760 and his game, and we talked about it here on 0:18:26.800 --> 0:18:30.520 the show. I'm curious which player in today's game reminds 0:18:30.560 --> 0:18:33.320 you most of yourself? Is there is there a comp 0:18:33.400 --> 0:18:35.879