Speaker 1: The volume. The Draymond Green Show is presented by a
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Speaker 1: fan duel sports book makes it easy. Welcome back to
Speaker 1: The Draymond Green Show. This is our tenth episode, milestone
Speaker 1: episode UH number ten, which I am excited about. We
Speaker 1: got another great guests, UM one who's about to be
Speaker 1: named to his second All Star Game. UH. And it's
Speaker 1: also helping lead the Bulls to the top seed in
Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference. UH. You know they've gone from non
Speaker 1: playoff team last year UH to right up there at
Speaker 1: the top at the Eastern Conference, a lot like us
Speaker 1: in the Western Conference. UM. And so it's it's been
Speaker 1: beautiful to watch. And I also want to shout out JJ.
Speaker 1: Shout out JJ Reddick and the old man in the
Speaker 1: three podcast obviously, uh we had JJ on. I think
Speaker 1: it was our second episode, uh that we had JJ on.
Speaker 1: If you haven't heard that episode, it was an incredible episode.
Speaker 1: Definitely go back and check that out, um, if you
Speaker 1: have not heard that one. Um, but I highly recommend
Speaker 1: everyone checks checks out j J Show this week because
Speaker 1: you know when when when you're doing these things, you
Speaker 1: can kind of feel like, all right, that was a
Speaker 1: good episode, you know, and you can feel yo, we
Speaker 1: crushed that one. And I think, you know, I get
Speaker 1: that feeling at times, um, you know when we're doing
Speaker 1: our show. But I also got that feeling, UM when
Speaker 1: I was recording JJ show. Oh man in the three
Speaker 1: with with j J and Tommy, I thought, like number one,
Speaker 1: the conversation went on sixty minutes longer than it was
Speaker 1: supposed to go. Um, and not one second, not one time,
Speaker 1: was guys checking their phone to see what time it is,
Speaker 1: worried about the time. And that's how you know when
Speaker 1: you're in a great moment and you don't have anyone
Speaker 1: worried about the time and checking or you know, j J.
Speaker 1: They had a flight out, they came to San Francisco,
Speaker 1: they had a flight out they weren't worried about their
Speaker 1: flight and checking the flight schedule, because when you're in
Speaker 1: that moment, you have to really just embrace it and
Speaker 1: dive all the way into it. And that's how you
Speaker 1: create greatness in anything, not just in podcasting and anything.
Speaker 1: And I thought, uh, that was that was what was
Speaker 1: going on the other day when we were recording Old
Speaker 1: Man in the three. I thought it was a great segment.
Speaker 1: I thought it was fun. I enjoyed it, uh JJ
Speaker 1: and those guys they had some great wine for us
Speaker 1: to drink, So it was an amazing time. So go
Speaker 1: check that out. Um. Also check out episode number two
Speaker 1: of The Draymond Green Show if you haven't out already.
Speaker 1: Uh that that was a great episode. J J is,
Speaker 1: as we spoke about on that episode, he's kind of
Speaker 1: a pioneer in this podcast space or for current players.
Speaker 1: And although he's not a current player anymore, Uh, he's
Speaker 1: I think he's been doing in the podcast space now
Speaker 1: for six years, which would take him to year nine,
Speaker 1: eight or nine of his career. And so uh he
Speaker 1: kind of you know, made this made help make this
Speaker 1: lane available to a lot of us, and it's been beautiful.
Speaker 1: He's done an incredible job. And so check that out,
Speaker 1: check both of those out. But before we get to that,
Speaker 1: as you know, we're gonna go around the association, but
Speaker 1: we're also going to step out this outside of the
Speaker 1: association and talk a little NFL and I think that's
Speaker 1: where we will start at. Man, that divisional round was
Speaker 1: the craziest not only division around in in NFL history,
Speaker 1: but that was the craziest playoff weekend in NFL history.
Speaker 1: You're talking for walk off scores like that, that that
Speaker 1: doesn't happen like it just doesn't happen. And I think
Speaker 1: led by the absolute last game of the weekend, which
Speaker 1: were the Chiefs and Bills. I mean, Patrick Mahomes is insane.
Speaker 1: Thirteen seconds and you get down the field and get
Speaker 1: a field goal that's unheard of. And you know when
Speaker 1: when you have things that happened like that in the
Speaker 1: game all night. Actually read the Bills coach uh Sean McDermott.
Speaker 1: He said, I've watched those last thirteen seconds a million times,
Speaker 1: and I and you you either handle that one or
Speaker 1: two ways. Some people, for instance, myself, I have not
Speaker 1: watched the entire game seven of the NBA Finals to
Speaker 1: this day, still haven't been able to watch the entire thing,
Speaker 1: and so I think you go one or two ways.
Speaker 1: You either don't watch it at all, which may not
Speaker 1: be the right thing to do because it still lives
Speaker 1: in my head. Is I don't think I've really laid
Speaker 1: it to rest. Or you're Sean McDermott and you're watching
Speaker 1: it over and over and over again, which I also
Speaker 1: don't think is the right thing to do, because you're
Speaker 1: reliving that moment over and over and over again. And
Speaker 1: obviously you have to watch film and improve. I personally
Speaker 1: just didn't think I needed to watch that one game
Speaker 1: to improve. Maybe I need to go back and watch
Speaker 1: it and just embrace it, I guess, But until that day,
Speaker 1: I will continue to stand on the side of not
Speaker 1: watching it, unlike Sean McDermott. But back to Patrick Mahomes
Speaker 1: and how I mean, like you kind of knew the
Speaker 1: Bills were in trouble when he got that first eighteen
Speaker 1: yard passed and when he got that picked up those
Speaker 1: eighteen yards in the first down and they had time
Speaker 1: out to stop the clock, like you kind of knew, Like,
Speaker 1: all right, they are one pass away with cheetah Um,
Speaker 1: with Travis Kelsey and with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, they're
Speaker 1: coming up with these fifteen or twenty yards that they
Speaker 1: need in order in order to kick or give Bucker
Speaker 1: a chance at the field goal. And then the Chiefs
Speaker 1: wins the coin flip, and when they win the coin
Speaker 1: flip at that point, you know, whoever wins this coin flip,
Speaker 1: that's who's winning the game. Like neither one of these
Speaker 1: defenses are stopping these quarterbacks right now. We always talk
Speaker 1: about offense and defense and how great offense is going
Speaker 1: to ultimately beat great defense in most cases unless um
Speaker 1: Draymond Green is on defense, and then it doesn't quite
Speaker 1: go that way. But you know, those quarterbacks both had
Speaker 1: it going and no defense was stopping them at that point.
Speaker 1: And so that then brings us to the rule. And
Speaker 1: you know, there's a lot of people um discussing how
Speaker 1: to how the NFL needs to change the rule, UM.
Speaker 1: And my question to everyone out there is, and obviously
Speaker 1: you can't answer here, but you know, if you want
Speaker 1: to tweet me some answers or tweet some answers to
Speaker 1: the volume and you know, maybe we talked about them
Speaker 1: next week, maybe they're irrelevant, who knows, But it's college
Speaker 1: football way of doing over time better than the NFL.
Speaker 1: And should the NFL adopt what college football does or
Speaker 1: should they just go about it the way they go
Speaker 1: about it? And then but also just allow the Bills
Speaker 1: and in this instance to have an opportunity to score.
Speaker 1: But then it kind of gets super long, and you
Speaker 1: got to think about the TV slots and like, there's
Speaker 1: so many things that come into play when you're discussing this.
Speaker 1: And so you know, a team goes down to score,
Speaker 1: i e. Kansas City Chiefs, and then you give and
Speaker 1: then you give Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills an
Speaker 1: opportunity and they go down to score, Like do you
Speaker 1: start back with a kick off and then you go again?
Speaker 1: Like because then that starts to run into other shows
Speaker 1: that the network may have other games. If there's other
Speaker 1: games on, you know, then you run into that issue.
Speaker 1: Or I mean, what if these quarterbacks go back and
Speaker 1: forth for you know, seven possessions in a row, that's
Speaker 1: severely going to outweigh the time that um that is
Speaker 1: a lotted for an overtime, So do you scraped it overtime?
Speaker 1: Like there's a ton of things that we can discuss
Speaker 1: or you know that the NFL can discuss the changes
Speaker 1: they can that that can be made. But the reality is,
Speaker 1: I personally don't think they're going to change it. I
Speaker 1: think that's kind of their way of going about it.
Speaker 1: They already made one change, which was if you get
Speaker 1: a field goal right there, then the other team has
Speaker 1: an opportunity to score. They already made that change. I
Speaker 1: can't really foresee them totally overhauling the rule. I just
Speaker 1: I personally don't see it. But I don't know. I
Speaker 1: don't know. Um. I thought the Cincinnati Bengals game was
Speaker 1: also an incredible game, and it is. It's incredible to
Speaker 1: see Joe Joe Burrow the way he's taken over that team,
Speaker 1: and and and Jamaar Chase is insane. Like Jamaar Chase,
Speaker 1: it's so good. He's probably the best receiver in the
Speaker 1: NFL right now today as a rookie. And it's interesting
Speaker 1: because he set out uh his last year at L
Speaker 1: s U and I was wondering, like, is he sitting
Speaker 1: out because he's not gonna have a great quarterback? As
Speaker 1: he's sitting out because he don't want to get hurt.
Speaker 1: And you know, most guys when they do stuff like that.
Speaker 1: They usually fall in the dry. Jamaar Chase didn't fall
Speaker 1: and rightfully so, because if you're judging that, if you're
Speaker 1: judging him off sitting out that last year and you
Speaker 1: missed Jamaar Chase, you have an even bigger issue on
Speaker 1: your hand. And I was recently UM listening to someone
Speaker 1: speak on guys sitting out of bowl games and Shannon
Speaker 1: Sharp actually went in on a little bit. Kirk Kirk
Speaker 1: Herb Street UM was discussing some guys sitting out of
Speaker 1: the bowl games and he was I think it was
Speaker 1: the Ohio state wide receivers and he was kind of
Speaker 1: destroying them, and Shannon Sharp went at him, and I
Speaker 1: applauded Shannon for going at him that way. Uh. And
Speaker 1: one of the things Shannon said was with coaches UM
Speaker 1: change programs all the time, and you have all of
Speaker 1: these people leave on on on their on these kids
Speaker 1: or young student athletes, and then once the student athlete
Speaker 1: does it, it's a problem, you know. And and Shannon
Speaker 1: went in about that, and I thought it was great,
Speaker 1: UM incredible, because players aren't treated with the same respect
Speaker 1: that organization and coaches and general managers UM are. They're
Speaker 1: not giving the same grace that those people are given,
Speaker 1: whether like I said, whether it's general managers, organizations as
Speaker 1: a whole, coaches, we're just not giving that same grace
Speaker 1: as players. And I don't know if it's because of
Speaker 1: the clickbait. I don't know what it is, but I
Speaker 1: think it's ridiculous. And I was appreciative of the way
Speaker 1: Shannon went in on that topic. So yeah, man, I
Speaker 1: hope everyone enjoyed that weekend of football the way I
Speaker 1: enjoyed it. Uh. And now moving on to the Association,
Speaker 1: obviously there are huge, huge, a lot of Russell Westbrook
Speaker 1: trade talks, trade rumors going around. I know, I saw
Speaker 1: yesterday the Houston Rockets were saying they would trade John
Speaker 1: Wall for Russell Westbrook and picks. And the reality is,
Speaker 1: I'm not sure Russell Westbrook gets traded. Um, I don't.
Speaker 1: I don't if I'm guessing, just as an NBA fan,
Speaker 1: I don't really foresee it happening, nor do I think
Speaker 1: it really should happen. Um. You haven't really had the
Speaker 1: opportunity to see that team healthy, uh and and how
Speaker 1: they could grow together healthy uh. And I also don't
Speaker 1: like how Russell Westbrook gets all of the blame for
Speaker 1: everything going wrong. Like there's just it's just not possible
Speaker 1: that one guy is the blame for everything going wrong.
Speaker 1: So just been kind of keeping out with those trade rumors.
Speaker 1: As we know, it's that time in the NBA where
Speaker 1: trade deadline is approaching over the course of the next
Speaker 1: few weeks, and so you're gonna hear more and more
Speaker 1: talks ramp up, You're gonna start to see deals made.
Speaker 1: And then obviously Russell Westbrook is the biggest name in
Speaker 1: any of these talks, so that's and he's on the
Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers, so that's always going to take the cake,
Speaker 1: and that's kind of who we've been hearing about the
Speaker 1: most in the trade rumor. So I said, I as
Speaker 1: a basketball fan, I'm I am excited to see what
Speaker 1: happens at this trade deadline. And that's just not Russell Westbrook,
Speaker 1: that's just as a whole. I think that's always an
Speaker 1: exciting time. You have some guys finding new beginnings, uh
Speaker 1: that the new beginnings that they need and want, and
Speaker 1: then you have some guys that uh don't quite find
Speaker 1: the new beginning that they're looking for and it doesn't
Speaker 1: go right. And that is the uncertainty of the trade market.
Speaker 1: Number one, you don't. You don't most guys probably guys
Speaker 1: has no say and where they where their trade the too.
Speaker 1: It just kind of happened, and a lot of guys
Speaker 1: find out they're traded on like Instagram and Twitter, which
Speaker 1: I think is ridiculous, um and needs to be changed,
Speaker 1: but it happens. De Marcus Cousins found out on the
Speaker 1: interview after after the All Star Game in New Orleans
Speaker 1: that he had been traded to New Orleans, you know.
Speaker 1: And so you would think then, because we are human beings,
Speaker 1: that that rule would have been changed then, and yet
Speaker 1: it still hasn't. And so maybe one day it will
Speaker 1: get changed and we will be treated like the human
Speaker 1: beings that we are. Uh. When when being told that
Speaker 1: you have to uproot your family, your children, if you
Speaker 1: have children, your wife or a girlfriend or fiancee or
Speaker 1: whatever it is, that life totally changes for you. And
Speaker 1: it'd be great as a human being that plays basketball
Speaker 1: and not just as a basketball player that were viewed
Speaker 1: as um that if you if you could find that
Speaker 1: out the way you should find it out. And that's
Speaker 1: my hope for not only the NBA, but for all
Speaker 1: leagues for anyone who goes through things like this, that's
Speaker 1: definitely my hope. Um, we'll see if it happens. And lastly, uh,
Speaker 1: around the association, there's also been these rumors about James
Speaker 1: Harden test and free agency, which what a weird time
Speaker 1: for it to come out, like if he is going
Speaker 1: to test free agency, Like the free agency doesn't start
Speaker 1: to July. One's January. Everybody's trying to do all they
Speaker 1: can to compete for a championship. And so I thought
Speaker 1: it's a very weird time for it to come out.
Speaker 1: But maybe it came out because if you do think
Speaker 1: James Harden is gonna leave, And actually I spoke to
Speaker 1: you all about checking out JJ's podcast, So I'm not
Speaker 1: gonna go all the way into this because we discussed
Speaker 1: this on JJ's podcast. But um, I'll just summing up quickly.
Speaker 1: When Lebron left Cleveland and went to Miami, you no
Speaker 1: longer really see teams waited out for free agents. Um,
Speaker 1: they kind of move on if they know a guy
Speaker 1: isn't going to resign, So maybe that's why it came out.
Speaker 1: But they are competing for a championship, So I don't know.
Speaker 1: I just thought it was a little weird that that
Speaker 1: came out at that time. But James Harden will be
Speaker 1: a free agent and he has the right to test
Speaker 1: free agency if that's what he wants to do, and
Speaker 1: no one can stop that. He would be in a
Speaker 1: restrict to free agent. So um stuff is getting interested
Speaker 1: around the association. And as I said before, it is
Speaker 1: that time of year where you start to hear all
Speaker 1: these things. So buckle up your seatbelt because it sounds
Speaker 1: like it's about to be a wild ride on this
Speaker 1: trade deadline. So we shall see. But without further ado,
Speaker 1: I am going to turn this over, or not turn
Speaker 1: it over, but I am going to welcome in my
Speaker 1: brother NBA All Star, one time All Star Sooner be too,
Speaker 1: All time All Star, Chicago Bulls Slam Dunk Champion, All
Speaker 1: NBA performer, Zach Levine. Man. This this interview is is
Speaker 1: an exciting one for me. Uh. You know, obviously in
Speaker 1: doing this, you had an opportunity to um not only
Speaker 1: ramble on about my thoughts as I like to do,
Speaker 1: but also had an opportunity to sit down with We
Speaker 1: sat down with Hall of famers, future Hall of famers,
Speaker 1: and today I am honored to have another future Hall
Speaker 1: of Famer. UH. One time All Star sooner be too. UM.
Speaker 1: Two time dunk Champion, which which produce some incredible dunks.
Speaker 1: But more importantly, UH went on after that dunk contest
Speaker 1: to show what an incredible player uh he is and
Speaker 1: and became an All Star and what we share in
Speaker 1: coming and what started this relationship which is is growing
Speaker 1: and it's a lifelong one. Is an Olympic gold medalist.
Speaker 1: I am honored today to have my brother Zach Lavine Zach,
Speaker 1: what am my dog boy? I appreciate it, man, I'm
Speaker 1: absolutely I appreciate you coming on. This obviously means the
Speaker 1: world to me. I have an opportunity to have these
Speaker 1: conversations we had t mac on last week, but just
Speaker 1: just to talk not only basketball but talk life, UM
Speaker 1: and and just kind of get it all out there.
Speaker 1: It's always fun for me. But you know, from from Rendon, Washington,
Speaker 1: UH Seattle for for those of y'all that that can't
Speaker 1: put two and two together. Uh Zack Yet, if I
Speaker 1: understand correctly, your parents are athletes, right, yeah? My dad
Speaker 1: UH played professional football. UM. The Portland Breakers is the
Speaker 1: USFL team. Back in the day, it was like the
Speaker 1: other NFL. And then when you played for the Seahawks
Speaker 1: as well for a couple of years. My mom extremely
Speaker 1: athletic plays off for growing up, So it was in
Speaker 1: my blood from the get though, extremely athletic. Uh. We
Speaker 1: we we've seen that, that's for sure. Um. And so
Speaker 1: your dad he played for for the Seahawks. Is that
Speaker 1: how y'all? How he ended up in Seattle? Or is
Speaker 1: your dad from Seattle? Now? My dad's from San Berndino, California.
Speaker 1: Grew up in up and Socale and uh ended up
Speaker 1: meeting my mom there after you after he retired, So
Speaker 1: he just ended up staying in Uh, ended up staying
Speaker 1: in the cold, rainy city. Okay, okay. And I also
Speaker 1: read that you became a fan of Michael Jordan through
Speaker 1: the movie Space Jam. You didn't, You didn't watch basketball
Speaker 1: before Space Jams. So I was. I was a baseball
Speaker 1: player growing up because my dad, my dad, I run
Speaker 1: baseball to uh when he was before he went to
Speaker 1: before he went to college. Um. And then while I
Speaker 1: was younger, just watching Buggy Bunny and Michael Jordan together,
Speaker 1: I think as a kid, that's that's the best combination
Speaker 1: you can get. That. By the way, I've heard your
Speaker 1: dad is out of his mind, especially when it comes
Speaker 1: to your workhouse. I've seen some of the videos in
Speaker 1: the black was crazy, Yeah, but it got me to
Speaker 1: where where I had to go. Man, and me and
Speaker 1: my dad are best friends. Um, and that's what I
Speaker 1: wanted to you know, I wanted to be like him
Speaker 1: growing up. So I think it's a it's something that
Speaker 1: just molded me who I am. That's interesting. Uh. And
Speaker 1: the question that I have as a father, um, and
Speaker 1: always trying to find that balance of how much do
Speaker 1: you push your kid and what's too much? And I've
Speaker 1: seen I've seen growing up some dads that probably pushed
Speaker 1: their kids way too much, and and it altered the relationship,
Speaker 1: altered the father's son relationship. And for me personally, UM,
Speaker 1: my relationship with with my obviously my my two girls
Speaker 1: olive in cash, but my son, my relationship is way
Speaker 1: more important than him ever becoming a basketball a star
Speaker 1: or my two girls becoming stars. My relationship with him
Speaker 1: is way more important. And so when I see that
Speaker 1: or hear that, it's kind of heartbreaking because to see
Speaker 1: a father lose the relationship with their son and to
Speaker 1: hear you say, my dad is my best friend. And
Speaker 1: how hard he pushed you. What was the thing that
Speaker 1: kept your relationship so tight and not him pushing you
Speaker 1: away because he was pushing you so hard in basketball? Yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean I think that's a big thing. And like
Speaker 1: you said, it's sad because being a dad and fathers
Speaker 1: number one, UM, and I want to be there one
Speaker 1: day that you have kids. But it's it's something that
Speaker 1: I had to realize growing up. Was you know how
Speaker 1: bad he wanted it and wanted for me, I had
Speaker 1: to want it that bad as well. And he was
Speaker 1: pushing me to you know he was. He was helping
Speaker 1: me do all the things that he didn't have. He
Speaker 1: didn't have a dad grown up, he should tell me.
Speaker 1: So I wish I had somebody like me that would
Speaker 1: love and care for you and tell you all the
Speaker 1: mistakes I made and trying to guiding the right way.
Speaker 1: So as as a youngster, I really realized, like, you know,
Speaker 1: he's not here to hurt me. He's just trying to
Speaker 1: help and guide me to be the best person I
Speaker 1: can be, not just as a as a basketball, baseball player,
Speaker 1: whatever it was, but as a man too. So, UM,
Speaker 1: I always respect to appreciate that that's that's what's up.
Speaker 1: And so you go on from high school and then
Speaker 1: as the Mr Basketball in the state of Washington two
Speaker 1: thousand thirteen. I know a little bit, you know, I
Speaker 1: know a little bit and and and and Jackson. Jackson
Speaker 1: is great at what he does as well. But I
Speaker 1: know a little bit about you. Man. No, so so
Speaker 1: you're you're Mr Basketball, you go on to u c
Speaker 1: L a um and having and walked me through your
Speaker 1: transition and going to u c L as I know
Speaker 1: from me, uh and going to Mischigan State. I struggled
Speaker 1: a little bit that that first year I didn't get
Speaker 1: much time. Uh, the odds were kind of against me,
Speaker 1: and I played. As the year went on, I started
Speaker 1: to play more, but early on it was a struggle
Speaker 1: for me. So I walked me through you getting you
Speaker 1: arriving on campus and how your freshman yor went. Man,
Speaker 1: I mean, coming from coming from Seattle, I mean, obviously
Speaker 1: you're not the most highly touted or like really hot
Speaker 1: hot play the basketball. We're a little bit slept on
Speaker 1: the Northwest. So you know, obviously I did my thing
Speaker 1: in high school, and but I wasn't a McDonald's on
Speaker 1: American I think I was in the top like seventy
Speaker 1: five players. So I wasn't going in thinking I'm gonna
Speaker 1: be a one and dunk guy. But UM always been
Speaker 1: a worker, and you know, always when I step on
Speaker 1: the court, was the most confident person just because the
Speaker 1: work I put in, So going out there, I had
Speaker 1: a chip on my shoulder. And then being able to
Speaker 1: play against prose immediately um on campus, you know the
Speaker 1: runs up at U c l A at the Sack,
Speaker 1: So playing against guys like Westbrook Drew Holiday, uh, er
Speaker 1: guys like Josh ship Um and like testing my game out,
Speaker 1: like right coming straight out of high school and seeing
Speaker 1: where I was really good for me and uh, just
Speaker 1: finding my way. I didn't started. I didn't start at
Speaker 1: U c l E either, but I came off the bench,
Speaker 1: had a good role and really just started picking up
Speaker 1: momentum from there. That's that's funny because I I remember
Speaker 1: watching you at U c l A and I'm like,
Speaker 1: how are they not starting this kid? Like this is insane. Yeah,
Speaker 1: we had a really good team and I wasn't I
Speaker 1: wasn't upset about not starting because we were really I
Speaker 1: think we're like top five in the country with me,
Speaker 1: Jordan Adams, Kyle Anderson, Norman pale To, we're twins. Like
Speaker 1: we had a really tony Park. We had a really
Speaker 1: good team. So, um, I was always accepting of a
Speaker 1: role as long as I was able to, you know,
Speaker 1: go out there and contribute. And were you the highest
Speaker 1: draft pick of that group? Yeah, I think yeah I was.
Speaker 1: I went thirteen. I went thirteen. Um, so it was
Speaker 1: you know, it's the way it worked out. That's interesting
Speaker 1: because I think a lot of young guys can learn
Speaker 1: from that. You know, we all want to be starters.
Speaker 1: I think that's just the nature of what we do.
Speaker 1: But for I think there's even more so than starting.
Speaker 1: There's more power in owning your role. And so if
Speaker 1: you if you sit back and you mope about it
Speaker 1: and I think I'm better than this guy. I think
Speaker 1: I'm better than that guy. Then you start to look
Speaker 1: at the draft boards, you're climbing up the drive boards.
Speaker 1: It's very easy for that to start the crumble. But
Speaker 1: I always try to tell guys it don't it don't matter. Uh,
Speaker 1: if you're starting the game, are you in the lineup
Speaker 1: that finishes the game exactly? And that's what's important. And
Speaker 1: I remember you being in those lineups closing our games. Yeah, no,
Speaker 1: it was. It was big time. And you know, like
Speaker 1: you said, accept your role and talent always shows regards
Speaker 1: of when you're playing or where or or your role
Speaker 1: on the team. You know, can you shine in those moments?
Speaker 1: And I feel like when opportunity knocked opened the door absolutely.
Speaker 1: And and so you're drafted thirteen to the Minnesota Timberwolves,
Speaker 1: where with a young Andrew Wiggins with with a young
Speaker 1: called Anthony Towns. Yeah, and it didn't quite go the
Speaker 1: way everyone wanted to go. I now, I personally think
Speaker 1: you guys were very young and so being out people
Speaker 1: don't understand, um how important experiences in this league. And
Speaker 1: I felt like they never gave y'all enough time to
Speaker 1: grow together and kind of and they kind of moved
Speaker 1: on fast. What what did you think or feel about that?
Speaker 1: I mean, like you said, experience and us being extremely young.
Speaker 1: I mean we're nineteen years old altogether, you know, sharing
Speaker 1: the sharing the court, it's nothing is going to be
Speaker 1: perfect because you have to go through the bumps and bruises.
Speaker 1: And you know, realistically, we only had to the three
Speaker 1: years to really like everybody wanted the process to happen
Speaker 1: so fast and us to be good so fast. It
Speaker 1: just doesn't work like that sometimes so um, but growing
Speaker 1: up and having those experiences, you know, those our guys,
Speaker 1: and it was it was really fun. But like you,
Speaker 1: like you said, I don't I don't think they let
Speaker 1: it marinate enough for us to really see what could
Speaker 1: have happened. Do you think that group could have been
Speaker 1: successful if they did let you all play or do
Speaker 1: or do what you have just preferred for it to
Speaker 1: go the way it went. I mean, I think everything
Speaker 1: happens for a reason, but you know, it's it would
Speaker 1: have been tough you realistically, you know on this it
Speaker 1: would have been tough there for everybody to stay on
Speaker 1: the team from a financial standpoint because we're all, you know,
Speaker 1: really top level guys. But we never got to the
Speaker 1: point to find out if it would work or not.
Speaker 1: I mean always I think financially it could have worked, though.
Speaker 1: I mean, you look at our team for instance, we
Speaker 1: have Clay making a max. Obviously Step making the super
Speaker 1: super super max. Uh. But you have Clay making the max.
Speaker 1: You have Wigs making his max and what the max
Speaker 1: was at that time, and I'm also making my max
Speaker 1: for what I could have signed for or and so
Speaker 1: I think it could have worked financially, it could have,
Speaker 1: but you guys also won, you know, a handful of
Speaker 1: championships and we're in Minnesota and the small markets. You
Speaker 1: just you never you never know. I don't, I don't know.
Speaker 1: It would have been tough, but you know, like you said,
Speaker 1: you never know, you know. And so you you you
Speaker 1: were traded to Chicago, and Chicago hadn't really rebounded. Um.
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously you had those few years in there
Speaker 1: with Tips and d rows uh and Jimmy had a
Speaker 1: solid run there, but Chicago never truly rebounded since Michael
Speaker 1: Jordan left. And obviously we all saw the documentary and
Speaker 1: how Jerry Krauss broke the team up. He told them
Speaker 1: now was it for Phil, it don't matter and and
Speaker 1: and they never rebounded from that. And now I think
Speaker 1: everyone's finally starting to see that rebound. But walk me
Speaker 1: through those years of Chicago. I found out an interesting
Speaker 1: stat when we were at the Picks, which was Zach
Speaker 1: hadn't won three games in a row. Yeah, since college.
Speaker 1: I think it was yea four games of row since college.
Speaker 1: That was my first four game winning streak. It was
Speaker 1: just it's interesting. Yeah, that's interesting. You gotta played the
Speaker 1: car hill um going going to another rebuilding team. I
Speaker 1: was coming off a c L injury when I got
Speaker 1: traded as well, so I only got to play about
Speaker 1: I think it was less than twenty games my first
Speaker 1: year there. Um. And for anybody knows coming off a
Speaker 1: cl that first year isn't really you're you're you're just
Speaker 1: getting your feedback, um. And then that next year really
Speaker 1: when you become back to you know who you are
Speaker 1: and all that training comes in. So it was a
Speaker 1: great opportunity for me to go out there and showcase
Speaker 1: all the work I put an off season, you know,
Speaker 1: because I work out and I trained, you know, like
Speaker 1: I said not to not to be a number two,
Speaker 1: number three guys, Like you know, I work out and
Speaker 1: I want to be a superstar. And that's and that's
Speaker 1: what I worked for. And I think when that opportunity came,
Speaker 1: you know, I wanted I wanted to be ready for
Speaker 1: it absolutely. And I know for me when I played
Speaker 1: in Chicago, Um, every time I hear the music and
Speaker 1: the start of lineup, it feels like Michael Jordan's about
Speaker 1: to run out. Yeah, because that's just like that's where
Speaker 1: we all learned that sound, Like, that's where we learned. Um,
Speaker 1: you know, I can't really I'm not I'm not very
Speaker 1: good musically, so I can't really make the sound on
Speaker 1: my own. But we all know the intro song of
Speaker 1: the Chicago Bulls, And like I said, for me personally,
Speaker 1: when we're playing there, every time I hear it, I
Speaker 1: look at the tunnel like Michael Jordan's about to run out,
Speaker 1: and absolutely and then it's only Zach Lavine run out
Speaker 1: and I'm a little disappointed, but it's a good no.
Speaker 1: But but so you you you didn't you go to
Speaker 1: Chicago Bulls initially knowing that the team was so bad?
Speaker 1: Did you feel pressure and going in there, uh to
Speaker 1: live up to what the Bulls were or because the
Speaker 1: team was already bad, there was no pressure. I mean me,
Speaker 1: coming from a rebuilding team, I didn't know any different.
Speaker 1: And that's where, like I said, you have to play
Speaker 1: the cards you're dealt, and that's where the experience and
Speaker 1: learn how to win all comes into play. Because you know,
Speaker 1: I had to learn from myself what it took and
Speaker 1: to go into that. So it it was a process. Um,
Speaker 1: obviously you go out there and try to do everything
Speaker 1: you can. But you know, I was just looking forward
Speaker 1: to the opportunity to, um, you know, play my game
Speaker 1: and then hopefully, you know, have the bulls built around me.
Speaker 1: As I showed progression now to year to the years
Speaker 1: two thousand twenty one, Um, you become you become an
Speaker 1: All Star for the first time, you went an Olympic
Speaker 1: gold medal. Sound like a damn good year to me,
Speaker 1: my man. Yeah, hey man, look at a lot of
Speaker 1: work goes into that, and it just, uh, you know,
Speaker 1: it started manifesting. And then obviously going into this year
Speaker 1: with the with the year that we're having, the additions
Speaker 1: that we brought in, it's been it's been incredible. And
Speaker 1: and and talk me through those additions and and I
Speaker 1: want to hear about one in particular. Alonzo has been
Speaker 1: a great addition. Alex Caruso has been a great addition.
Speaker 1: But Damar, and you know, coming into coming into the well,
Speaker 1: just going into those talks, there's a lot of talk
Speaker 1: about you and Demorroo'll play the same position. How is
Speaker 1: that going to work together? Once? And then DeMar dusk,
Speaker 1: did you well, before we get to DeMar signing, did
Speaker 1: you have any conversations with Damar about coming to Chicago
Speaker 1: or was that all done with Damar and Arturos. But
Speaker 1: they went through their own process of going to get him.
Speaker 1: And then obviously I called tomorrow myself when we were
Speaker 1: in Tokyo the conversation with him, and I was all
Speaker 1: on board because I wanted a guy like that. For
Speaker 1: all the narratives that got put out about it, I
Speaker 1: think it was stupid, you know, for people that don't
Speaker 1: know basketball, don't know him as a person or basketball.
Speaker 1: But like Martin Roses all NYA, you know, players like
Speaker 1: you said, future all the fame players. He's proving this
Speaker 1: before the narratives that got put out because he was
Speaker 1: in San Antonio, like he's been playing great basketball for
Speaker 1: a long time, came from so it was it was
Speaker 1: it was great to have a guy like that. The
Speaker 1: way we've been able to work our chemistry on the
Speaker 1: court has been, uh, it's been like a hand in
Speaker 1: the glove. I think it's definitely been beautiful. And speaking
Speaker 1: of those narratives, obviously, as you know, I'm very close
Speaker 1: to the mars well and we would we would always
Speaker 1: talk through all of that stuff going on. Damar, is
Speaker 1: you know, he's washed up. He's kind of at the
Speaker 1: end uh mid range jump shots. He doesn't shoot threes.
Speaker 1: And you hear all of that talk um really for
Speaker 1: the last two year better part of the last two
Speaker 1: years since he since he went to the Spurs, and
Speaker 1: you know, obviously he continued to push. And one thing
Speaker 1: that you and I both know, it's how he works
Speaker 1: and like works none stop. But what was it for
Speaker 1: if you've had these conversations I'm not even sure if
Speaker 1: you've had the conversation, But what was it for A
Speaker 1: K and the Bulls franchise that saw Demorrow said, you
Speaker 1: know he can fit here and this is will work?
Speaker 1: What was What was it that pushed them towards this direction?
Speaker 1: Because I don't think his market was that hot, especially
Speaker 1: when when when the Lakers went away, which goes to
Speaker 1: show I always talk about tality evaluators and how they
Speaker 1: evaluate talent, But what was it that pushed y'all to
Speaker 1: to get over what everyone was saying about Tomorrow. I
Speaker 1: haven't personally talked with A K and Mark about what
Speaker 1: made them like him, but when they came to me
Speaker 1: and said, how this word I was off for? You know,
Speaker 1: we needed somebody that. Obviously I knew I could go
Speaker 1: to battle with every single day that's been those positions.
Speaker 1: I haven't been to those playoffs, like like we were
Speaker 1: talking about before, and someone who's had big time success
Speaker 1: in the playoffs, somebody who has a comic presence in
Speaker 1: the fourth quarter and go down and make big shots
Speaker 1: and be you know, me and him can be you know,
Speaker 1: a one to punch you know, throughout the whole game.
Speaker 1: It's uh, it really has been like a match made
Speaker 1: in heaven. Him playing in the mid range and he
Speaker 1: being able to get to the cup and shoot three.
Speaker 1: You know, we we we've been able to do pretty
Speaker 1: much everything. And uh, just that the presidence he has, man,
Speaker 1: you know, I mean, you know, he he is just
Speaker 1: such a confidence that comic presence has been able to
Speaker 1: help us this year. Absolutely, and it seems like everyone
Speaker 1: is taken on that has taken on that demeanor. But
Speaker 1: I think when when I'm watching the Bulls, um whether
Speaker 1: it's following along on Instagram, whether it's watching the game.
Speaker 1: Uh you know, we're we're sitting here talking about tomorrow.
Speaker 1: But what I see when I'm watching the Bulls or
Speaker 1: like I said on Instagram, I see a totally different
Speaker 1: zach Levine. I see a zach Levine that is so
Speaker 1: certain of himself that Um has kind of dialed everything up.
Speaker 1: I know one of the conversations that we had this
Speaker 1: summer was, hey, man, you you you are zach Levine,
Speaker 1: like you are that good and embody that And to me, Um,
Speaker 1: I think, as as great as Damar has been, big,
Speaker 1: you and I both know how it is to be
Speaker 1: have one great player on the team playing great to
Speaker 1: no one else, and so as great as Damar has been,
Speaker 1: you have been equally as great. And although you've always
Speaker 1: played at the level that you're planning that you've always
Speaker 1: put up the numbers and all those things. I think
Speaker 1: it's something to say for a guy that is certainly
Speaker 1: himself and carries himself that way. And it looks to
Speaker 1: me that there has been a change in you and
Speaker 1: my accurate in off because I remember me and you
Speaker 1: having that conversation after practice, and you know it was
Speaker 1: it was big for me to go out there and
Speaker 1: play on the level of guys of my talent and
Speaker 1: better than me, and me for to accept the role
Speaker 1: on team where you know I'm not going to be
Speaker 1: the number one option to score an option, you know,
Speaker 1: and we all had to end all roles and I've
Speaker 1: given you like the reason we won that gold medal, Drake.
Speaker 1: You know, Katie is by floor was by far the
Speaker 1: best player of the same but you know, without you,
Speaker 1: we wouldn't have one that you were the overall leader,
Speaker 1: but you accept your role and played it for what
Speaker 1: it was. I think coming into the season, I never
Speaker 1: had that type of mindset. So by any means necessary,
Speaker 1: just trying to find out a way to win. How
Speaker 1: I can you know, improve my game to play both
Speaker 1: sides of the floor and then also share the floor
Speaker 1: with another dynamic you know guy as DeMar has been
Speaker 1: and still be myself. Um, I've been extremely confident. Like
Speaker 1: you said, Damar has been off the charge. I know
Speaker 1: I've been right there with him. So it's a you know,
Speaker 1: it's been really funny to play winning basketball and have
Speaker 1: this type of season for both of us has been
Speaker 1: it's been so fun absolutely and and standing in Tokyo
Speaker 1: because I I do want to discuss that that was
Speaker 1: such an incredible trip, uh obviously for us winning goal,
Speaker 1: but I may I always tell people what what we
Speaker 1: did over there was special and it wasn't that we
Speaker 1: want the gold metal. That was special. We built a
Speaker 1: bond amongst that team that I don't think most people
Speaker 1: truly understands. And the reality is when we're over there,
Speaker 1: and you can speak to this too, when we're When
Speaker 1: we were over there, it felt like, including America, that
Speaker 1: the whole world was against us and one of us lose.
Speaker 1: It was crazy. I mean, you're looking on like like
Speaker 1: obviously on the phone because you don't get ESPN over there,
Speaker 1: but you're looking on the phone and you have Americans
Speaker 1: dogging us and doubt like doging us, dogging us. The
Speaker 1: world has caught up. These guys can win, blah blah blah.
Speaker 1: And I felt like we had to come together the
Speaker 1: way we did in order to win. Really us burst
Speaker 1: the world, especially with us being able because of the pandemic,
Speaker 1: can not go anywhere and having to be so close
Speaker 1: knit each and every day. Um, you said, they definitely
Speaker 1: bonded us. And for me being my first experience you know,
Speaker 1: over there, it was it was incredible. Now it was
Speaker 1: and I think, uh, for me personally obviously that that
Speaker 1: was my second one. But you know, and I appreciate
Speaker 1: what you just said about me on that team. By
Speaker 1: the way, UM. One thing that I learned my first
Speaker 1: time around UM in two thousand and sixteen, where man,
Speaker 1: I'm not sure how many minutes per game I averaged
Speaker 1: that Olympics. It was probably somewhere around six six to
Speaker 1: eight minutes a game. But the one thing that was
Speaker 1: that stood out to me was since winning not two
Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen gold medal, not one person asked me
Speaker 1: how many points I averaged per game, Not one person
Speaker 1: asked me how many rebounds I averaged per game, Not
Speaker 1: one person asked me how many minutes I played per game.
Speaker 1: The only thing anyone ever says was you want to
Speaker 1: gold medal, didn't you? Absolutely I want to go metal.
Speaker 1: And so for me to then bring that mindset to
Speaker 1: this team and trying to help guys understand, hey man,
Speaker 1: I don't and obviously on on this. This time around,
Speaker 1: I had a bigger a bigger impact and playing you
Speaker 1: know now everyone has an impact. You know, you we
Speaker 1: can speak of Keldon Johnson. You know everyone may may
Speaker 1: game put up so much fuss about Calton making a team,
Speaker 1: and I always tell people Kelden was one of the
Speaker 1: reasons we want that. The energy that he brought every
Speaker 1: single day practice. We don't want to go to practice
Speaker 1: Kelton and they're loud, bringing energy. I don't think people
Speaker 1: truly understand that. And and that was me like I
Speaker 1: was killed in for four years or man six years ago.
Speaker 1: Six years ago, I was killed in and so I
Speaker 1: understood that. And like I said, I played a bigger
Speaker 1: role now. But for instance, um, it came down to
Speaker 1: like who's gonna start me or bam, I'm telling coach
Speaker 1: Pop like I don't care, like start man? Who who cares?
Speaker 1: That don't matter to me. And I don't think people
Speaker 1: truly realize how important a guy settled into, settling into
Speaker 1: his role on on that on that US team is
Speaker 1: in order to win that go. No, it was it
Speaker 1: was a big time And what you said earlier, winning
Speaker 1: Trump's Everything, nobody asked many minute you play. You wanted
Speaker 1: to gold medal winning Trumps everything, and everybody was happy
Speaker 1: with the role that they had and that we got
Speaker 1: to celebrate with the gold medal. It was that. I
Speaker 1: think that's what the main thing that I brought back,
Speaker 1: like you said too, even to the NBA this year,
Speaker 1: me having my my ole role back with my team
Speaker 1: winning Trump's everything, and that's what we have to go
Speaker 1: out there and do it, no doubt. And as soon
Speaker 1: as we got back from Tokyo, which we all flew
Speaker 1: back together, um news comes out maybe a week a
Speaker 1: week week and a half later that that you had
Speaker 1: left your agent and signed with Rich Paul and Clutch Sports.
Speaker 1: And I thought that was a very big deal because
Speaker 1: the reality is that you were with Bill Duffy and yeah,
Speaker 1: and it's not that they were doing a bad job
Speaker 1: or you know. I know for me personally, and I
Speaker 1: can only speak on my own experience when I signed
Speaker 1: with Clutch Sports, it wasn't that my previous eg uh,
Speaker 1: my previous agent b J Armstrong was doing a bad job.
Speaker 1: I thought he was doing a good job and we
Speaker 1: had a we had a close relationship. I just thought
Speaker 1: for me and where I was in my life and
Speaker 1: the things that I wanted to do, that Clutch moving
Speaker 1: forward was the best fit for me. It didn't necessarily
Speaker 1: make b J bad, It didn't make wash them in bad.
Speaker 1: I just felt that that was the best decision for me.
Speaker 1: What what was it for you that made you want
Speaker 1: to want to make that switch. It was like you
Speaker 1: just said, Bill and Nema that I love those guys
Speaker 1: the death. They helped me grow as a person and
Speaker 1: help me grow as a man into his league. You know,
Speaker 1: I loved him. I still talked to him all this on.
Speaker 1: But you know, sometimes you have to go off and
Speaker 1: do something that's right for you at the right time.
Speaker 1: And I think me at this age of my career,
Speaker 1: Clutch lined up with everything that I was going moving
Speaker 1: forward to and even into the future. And you know,
Speaker 1: I really appreciate what they did. But you know, I
Speaker 1: really appreciate what rich and Clutch is doing for me
Speaker 1: now and then moving forward because that's the that's the
Speaker 1: path I'm on, absolutely, um. And like I said, I
Speaker 1: I saw that you made that move. I thought it
Speaker 1: was a great move. And like you said, and just
Speaker 1: who you are becoming. And you know now this summer,
Speaker 1: you're having a great season, You're about to be an
Speaker 1: All Star. Your team is right there time for first
Speaker 1: place in the Eastern Conference. Uh you know, so obviously
Speaker 1: looking I'll be that y'all get healthy because y'all have
Speaker 1: been bidden by the man. Yeah, y'all have been bidden
Speaker 1: by the injury bug like we have. I saw being
Speaker 1: that that that y'all get healthy now you're going into
Speaker 1: your first playoffs and you're able to compete for for
Speaker 1: what holds to be a championship. But and and speaking
Speaker 1: of y'all getting healthy, it looked like y'all have found
Speaker 1: a hit in Jim and being hurt. And I you, yeah,
Speaker 1: uh what what what's your feeling on him? What does
Speaker 1: he bring to the table that that you like or love?
Speaker 1: He's a dog and you know he was he has
Speaker 1: a chip on the shoulder, was a second round pickles.
Speaker 1: You know, one of the players of the year in college.
Speaker 1: Kid really knows how to play, does whatever is ask
Speaker 1: will play defense, will go out there and score a
Speaker 1: game if he asked to play the point guard. I mean,
Speaker 1: he has a great feel for the game. And you know,
Speaker 1: we appreciate him. And with us being out gave him
Speaker 1: an opportunity to go out there and start getting more
Speaker 1: comfortable and doing everything he has. And now with us
Speaker 1: being backed me and the Martin says, man, keep playing
Speaker 1: this way because we're gonna we're gonna need it. And
Speaker 1: you know, I think I think that's how sometimes when
Speaker 1: opportunity happens, you go out there and start becoming who
Speaker 1: you who you're meant to be absolutely And I went
Speaker 1: on JJ Reddicks podcast that Will That Will dropped this
Speaker 1: week and one thing, uh that we discussed was the
Speaker 1: importance of team and the importance of culture within a team.
Speaker 1: And the reason I am bringing that up is standing
Speaker 1: along the lines of value. Um, if you and Damar
Speaker 1: aren't aren't going about things the way y'all going about
Speaker 1: things being true professionals and vouch as well vouches an
Speaker 1: ultimate pro and Caruso and Alonzo obviously, but you know,
Speaker 1: whenever you're speaking of a team, you're always going to
Speaker 1: talk about the two top dolls. Just is how it goes.
Speaker 1: But do you feel that they're the importance of culture
Speaker 1: and winning has helped move him along because as a
Speaker 1: young player, you also went to a Minnesota team that
Speaker 1: didn't have culture and it's kind of just guys out
Speaker 1: there doing they do to you. Can you see the
Speaker 1: difference or the importance of culture and winning in him
Speaker 1: at supposed to what you were giving your your rookie year,
Speaker 1: because you're coming into a totally different environment, um, with experience,
Speaker 1: and I can include myself being a you know, a
Speaker 1: year pro now you know, seeing guys like me in
Speaker 1: the gym early guys like the Marks, staying afterwards, getting
Speaker 1: there and getting there working and they're gonna getting treatment.
Speaker 1: Guys like Alice Cruser who's won the championships speaking during
Speaker 1: film sessions and walk throughs um a Lonzo ball sacrifice
Speaker 1: itself and pointing out defensive coverage is like, I didn't
Speaker 1: have that, you know, like you said, it was just
Speaker 1: it was just rolling the ball out and guy's just playing.
Speaker 1: So I am even coming from a winning, winning program
Speaker 1: in Illinois now coming into this, this is a totally
Speaker 1: different thing that I have. But it's helped him push
Speaker 1: alongest game. At least I feel like to where this
Speaker 1: is a normal thing and this is how it's supposed
Speaker 1: to be ranked. Absolutely, and I wanna I want to
Speaker 1: backtrack a little bit and talk again about Zach pre
Speaker 1: Star Zach Lavine and what I want to talk about.
Speaker 1: It is actually an event that I attended with a
Speaker 1: with a bright ass yellow jacket on, and that was
Speaker 1: the Dunk Contest. I'm not sure I would ever wear that. Well,
Speaker 1: I actually I didn't believe I would ever wear that
Speaker 1: jacket again. I actually gave the jacket to Mr fab
Speaker 1: because I'm like, I would never wear this again. I
Speaker 1: was thinking about that jacket a couple of nights ago, like, man,
Speaker 1: I should have kept that jacket. I throw that all
Speaker 1: small black nowadays in rock out. But I personally thought
Speaker 1: that was And I've watched a ton of dunk contests.
Speaker 1: I'm thirty one. I've probably been watching the Dunk Contest
Speaker 1: since I was four or five years old. Um, I
Speaker 1: personally thought that was one of the best dunk contests
Speaker 1: I've ever seen, and it was pretty much what it
Speaker 1: came down to was you and Aaron Gordon. If and
Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken, DeMar was in that dunk contest. No, Damar,
Speaker 1: Damar what he was going to be? I remember talking
Speaker 1: because we played, uh we played Toronto like three days
Speaker 1: before the all start, right, and he said, man, I
Speaker 1: was gonna because it was in Toronto that was about
Speaker 1: to be an All Star the Dunk Contest until you
Speaker 1: put your name in there. And I remember correctly, he
Speaker 1: was like, man, I'm not about to jump with them young,
Speaker 1: Yeah exactly. But like I said, do you feel like
Speaker 1: that was one of the best dunk contests ever? Yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean obviously you can't. You can't base any things
Speaker 1: on error, and I impact like with Domedic and Michael
Speaker 1: had or like stuff. Contest, but you have to put
Speaker 1: that up there to be one of the best dunk
Speaker 1: just on the pure skill athleticism in the fifties that
Speaker 1: we were doing. And um, it was a toss up
Speaker 1: and it just came down to who had the best
Speaker 1: dunk at the end of the overtime. And uh, I
Speaker 1: tried to go between the legs and the free throwing.
Speaker 1: I was the first time I tried that and I
Speaker 1: made it. So that's the first time you ever tried that.
Speaker 1: That was the first time I ever tried the first
Speaker 1: time and only time happy you know. So, wow, that's interesting.
Speaker 1: That's interesting. And obviously that was up against Eric Gordon
Speaker 1: Um who went on to give himself the nickname Mr
Speaker 1: fifty What what what do you think or make of that?
Speaker 1: I mean, I mean a look, he's had a bunch
Speaker 1: of times where he could have won a dunk contests
Speaker 1: and know it's it's sometimes it's unfortunate. It's because not
Speaker 1: everybody can win. And I'd be at the end of
Speaker 1: it even said like, man, look we should both be
Speaker 1: sharing this because just for the culture and for what
Speaker 1: we did for this, you know, event. You know, it
Speaker 1: was big time. But you know, a g definitely is
Speaker 1: gonna be cemented in dunk contest history even if he
Speaker 1: didn't win it. No, I I agree one. I actually
Speaker 1: thought the same thing, like, man, just stop this now,
Speaker 1: let them both win, and we're going about our night
Speaker 1: because Toronto was definitely a great time. But what do
Speaker 1: you can't you ever see yourself participating in the dunk
Speaker 1: contest again or our little days behind you? Oh it's over, Yeah,
Speaker 1: it's done. I try, I can. I can still get up,
Speaker 1: you know that. But it's not h it's not. It's
Speaker 1: not the fort front of my mind anymore. And uh,
Speaker 1: you know, now with me logging more and more minutes,
Speaker 1: you know I was playing. I was only playing like
Speaker 1: twenty minutes of game then, so but didn't jump all
Speaker 1: the time. So no, I'm saving my dunks for the
Speaker 1: You know, if you try to come over and set
Speaker 1: a charge or something like that, that's the thing though,
Speaker 1: I'm never coming over and try to set the charge.
Speaker 1: I think you didn't. You didn't try it before I
Speaker 1: blocked it. You try and I got out the way.
Speaker 1: I ain't know. Cool, but you're not dealing with Here
Speaker 1: is a fool. I'm not crazy. If I listen. I
Speaker 1: keep trying to tell Myles Bridges, who infamously went out
Speaker 1: and said publicly that the one going he wants to
Speaker 1: dunk on this me um. I try to tell Miles
Speaker 1: all the time, You're not going to dunk on me.
Speaker 1: And the reason you're not going to dunk on me
Speaker 1: is because I am only going to jump if I
Speaker 1: know I have the advantage, and if I if there
Speaker 1: is even an inkling of not having the advantage. And
Speaker 1: when I say advantage, I don't mean advantage to block
Speaker 1: the shot. You want to block your shot, I need
Speaker 1: to be in a position of why I can file
Speaker 1: you where you can't make that shot. And I try
Speaker 1: to tell Miles this all the time, Like, Miles, I'm
Speaker 1: only going to block your shot, file you or move
Speaker 1: out the way your those won't equal out to you
Speaker 1: dunking on me. It's just not gonna happen. So you
Speaker 1: may want to take that word of advice too. But
Speaker 1: prime m J. Kobe VC and you what was happening
Speaker 1: in that dunk contest. A lot of people don't put
Speaker 1: put put Kobe in there, and Kobe was now and
Speaker 1: that's how I first learned about Kobe was in the
Speaker 1: dunk contest with the frow between the legs, Like back
Speaker 1: then between the legs wasn't common. Yeah you got I
Speaker 1: think exactly Isaiah Ryder had did it. Uh, but there
Speaker 1: it wasn't a common It wasn't a common dunk and
Speaker 1: Kobe was doing all that. But who you what's happening
Speaker 1: in that dunk contest? Uh? I mean MJ is gonna
Speaker 1: get the biggest fan reaction you are Um, Vince Vince
Speaker 1: dog come with like the most I would say creative
Speaker 1: because he Yeah, it's gonna be a toss up. Man.
Speaker 1: I don't never put myself against anywhere. I think it
Speaker 1: will be being Vince in the final. You know, but uh,
Speaker 1: I think Vince might. I think Vince might take me
Speaker 1: because Vince I always go against the guys that you
Speaker 1: know came before me, and Vince bench came with some stuff.
Speaker 1: It would be me Evince. It just depends on who
Speaker 1: makes the first dog. That's what I was saying, Ladies
Speaker 1: and gentlemen. Zach Lavine just um eliminated Michael Jordan and
Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant. Let that marinate for a minute, you know that.
Speaker 1: Let that marrinae Uh. It's it's funny because last week,
Speaker 1: as I said, we had we had team back on,
Speaker 1: and I asked te Mat. I said, t Mac back
Speaker 1: in those raptor days, you know how you you, you
Speaker 1: jumping guys do after practice, y'all doing all the dunks
Speaker 1: while I go sit down and watch and talk my
Speaker 1: jump um. But I was asking him, I said, you
Speaker 1: or Vince back in those days, Duncan and what what like?
Speaker 1: He didn't even blink. Vince Carter by far, like, not
Speaker 1: even close. And so it's interesting that that's who you
Speaker 1: went with as well, because I think I don't think
Speaker 1: people realize number one, how athletic Vince was, but number two,
Speaker 1: how good of a player Vince was, but did it did?
Speaker 1: How good of a dunker? On how good a player
Speaker 1: he was? Like, the dudes are straight up all of famer.
Speaker 1: Twe six thousand points average, you know what, nine thirty
Speaker 1: points per game a couple of times like that's you
Speaker 1: don't do that by dunking, you know, you're all absolutely
Speaker 1: absolutely no. I think I always tell people I think
Speaker 1: Vince had an incredible career and I think he is
Speaker 1: one of the most talented players that has ever stepped
Speaker 1: foot in the NBA. So it's it's great, uh to
Speaker 1: see you give him his flowers because that that doesn't
Speaker 1: happen often. And like I said, when you're talking any
Speaker 1: category that includes Michael Jordan's and Kobe Bryant and you know,
Speaker 1: and the two other guys are the ones that walk
Speaker 1: out of that conversation because I too believe that you
Speaker 1: would have been up there. You you put on one
Speaker 1: of the greatest dunk contest performances that we've ever seen,
Speaker 1: and not once but twice and so two times right,
Speaker 1: you ain't what's funny about you? Remember you just said
Speaker 1: team mak Eventure dunk after prod. You wanna know who
Speaker 1: beat me in the dunk contest that you wouldn't think
Speaker 1: of Wigs exactly. Listen, man, I have this picture on
Speaker 1: my phone. I have this picture on my phone the
Speaker 1: wigs jumping and he literally jumped for a rebound and
Speaker 1: his neck it's above the square, the top of the square.
Speaker 1: I couldn't believe he never wanted to do it. He
Speaker 1: would just casually, like after practice we would. He would
Speaker 1: just casually do some stuff I've never seen before. That wow,
Speaker 1: and that's gonna you know, you know I did what
Speaker 1: I did dunk contest. It was crazy. Well, let's see,
Speaker 1: we got Wiggs, who are gonna make the All Star
Speaker 1: Game this year, and we all need to be pushing
Speaker 1: for Wiggs to also getting the dunk contest. I don't
Speaker 1: know if you're gonna do that. No chance he's doing that.
Speaker 1: But but before I let you, before I let you
Speaker 1: get out of here, I don't want to take up
Speaker 1: much more of your time. I am very appreciative of
Speaker 1: you coming on. Uh. The last thing I want to
Speaker 1: discuss your You are a free agent coming up this summer. Um,
Speaker 1: how are you approaching free agency? Are you excited about it? Um?
Speaker 1: I know, for me, I never wanted to hit free agency,
Speaker 1: like I I signed my extension. Um if I hit
Speaker 1: free agency once, but I was a restricted free agent,
Speaker 1: which was after my third year, and I to hit
Speaker 1: at that time because that second year I ain't play,
Speaker 1: so I needed that third year to during my money. Uh.
Speaker 1: And then obviously my current contract, I signed the extension.
Speaker 1: So I never wanted to hear free agency. But how
Speaker 1: are you approaching this? Are you excited about it? Are
Speaker 1: you not worried about it at all? Right now? And
Speaker 1: just playing. I think that's a little cliche because we
Speaker 1: all think about things, especially when talking about the type
Speaker 1: of money that you're going to be up for. Yeah. No,
Speaker 1: obviously I'm excited for it. Now we're focused on the
Speaker 1: year and everything like that. My whole focus is on winning.
Speaker 1: But I'm ex I've never been a free agent, you know.
Speaker 1: Last time I was, I was a restricted free agent
Speaker 1: and I had to sign an offer sheet, you know,
Speaker 1: so not a lot of people go through that. Um,
Speaker 1: so I'm excited about it. And uh, you know, obviously
Speaker 1: I got you know, a great support system with Rich
Speaker 1: and Clutch that's gonna you know, take care of me
Speaker 1: and my business on that end. But you know, I'm
Speaker 1: looking forward to it, and uh, you know, because it's
Speaker 1: a new experience. You know, not not a lot of
Speaker 1: people get to go through and have a choice. So
Speaker 1: I'm excited. And Hunter as well, Yes, and my wife
Speaker 1: as well, my brother. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. No,
Speaker 1: you know, We're we're we're we're extremely excited obviously, like
Speaker 1: what we built in Chicago when we're going through this year,
Speaker 1: you know, I'm extremely happy and I know that, you know,
Speaker 1: for right now, this is my home but you know,
Speaker 1: it's uh, you know, I'm excited because it's a new experience.
Speaker 1: I must say. I am excited that you're going through this,
Speaker 1: were Rich. And the reason I am excited is because
Speaker 1: I know the way Rich goes about his contract negotiations,
Speaker 1: and um, I've now been I've had two agents before Rich,
Speaker 1: so I've gone through contract negotiations with now three agents,
Speaker 1: Rich being one of them. And he goes about it
Speaker 1: in a way totally different than I had seen before.
Speaker 1: And I think that one of the things that I
Speaker 1: was most impressed about was the way my contract was
Speaker 1: drawn up. I think so many guys get caught up
Speaker 1: in how much money is it, what's the dollar amount?
Speaker 1: And the reality is there are a lot of little
Speaker 1: nuances and contracts that if you don't understand, you can
Speaker 1: get screwed over, you know. And and Rich, there's actually
Speaker 1: one one, the one who taught me all of those things.
Speaker 1: I mean I'm talking about going in I mean your
Speaker 1: seven or eight of my career and and seven and
Speaker 1: I didn't know those things that he's taught me, whether
Speaker 1: it was the payment schedule, um, love of the game,
Speaker 1: you know, all of these different things that he included
Speaker 1: in my contract that really made my contract worth more
Speaker 1: than the actual dollar amount, which is that you didn't
Speaker 1: know about that until your eight years. So I think
Speaker 1: that's what I'm looking forward to a rich because like
Speaker 1: you said, he really is a bond about it, you know,
Speaker 1: and absolutely so I am excited to see you go
Speaker 1: through your process, brother, But even more importantly, I am
Speaker 1: as excited and watching you and Tamar Tara park the
Speaker 1: Eastern Conference and I and I think, I think it
Speaker 1: only goes up from here, like this is your one
Speaker 1: that we're seeing it. I think I think it only
Speaker 1: goes up here from you, from here for you guys,
Speaker 1: and you know, I was talking to Tomorrow and you know,
Speaker 1: and just looking at your roster like that's going to
Speaker 1: continue to improve and and you guys are going to
Speaker 1: continue to improve with your two workers. So I'm extremely
Speaker 1: excited about her, brother. Good luck the rest of the way.
Speaker 1: Good luck with getting you all guys back healthy. I'm
Speaker 1: looking forward to getting back healthy and getting out there too.
Speaker 1: But I can't thank you enough for coming on, my brother.
Speaker 1: I appreciate it. Man. You know, I'll talk to you
Speaker 1: any time in the NORF season. We only do a
Speaker 1: night glass of wine to get the dog. We We're
Speaker 1: definitely gonna do that. Oh. By the way, I see
Speaker 1: you got you got a new balance of you on.
Speaker 1: What's that about. You know, I'm a little bit of
Speaker 1: a free agent right now too, so I'm just you know,
Speaker 1: I'm messing around with all these different brands and uh,
Speaker 1: you know, enjoying my time there too. I'm a free
Speaker 1: agent everywhere right now. It's crazy. I love to see
Speaker 1: it well and it works. It goes hand to hand,
Speaker 1: my brother, But good luck the rest of the way, bro.
Speaker 1: I appreciate you coming on. I appreciate you dog. Stay safe,
Speaker 1: get healthy. Man, Yes, sir, thank you man. That was incredible.
Speaker 1: Thanks again to Zack for coming on. Uh. As you know,
Speaker 1: Zak is one of the brightest young stars that we
Speaker 1: have in our game. And I know it doesn't quite
Speaker 1: seem like he's that young because he's eight years in number.
Speaker 1: What you do have to remember is that he came
Speaker 1: into this league at nineteen uh so he is very young,
Speaker 1: uh still with a lot of runway to go in
Speaker 1: order to continue to build the Hall of Fame career
Speaker 1: that he's building. And I as a brother of his,
Speaker 1: as a big brother of his is excited to continue
Speaker 1: to watch his journey. There was so much talk about
Speaker 1: him not winning, uh And as T Max said to
Speaker 1: us a week ago, winning has a lot to do
Speaker 1: with the players that around are around you and not
Speaker 1: just the one guy who is the guy on the team.
Speaker 1: And as you can see, Zack, they went out and
Speaker 1: Zach some help there in Chicago, and you could kind
Speaker 1: of see that last year when they kind of did
Speaker 1: the overhaul and brought in usafsh from Orlando. They traded
Speaker 1: some high picks that they have drafted, but also they
Speaker 1: gave up some picks as well, some draft picks, and
Speaker 1: so they put the talent around him, and he is flourishing.
Speaker 1: They are flourishing, and it's a beautiful thing to see.
Speaker 1: So I'm excited to continue to watch Zach's career. I
Speaker 1: hope you all are equally or even more excited to
Speaker 1: continue to watch this growth because I think it will
Speaker 1: continue to grow at the rate or even faster ray
Speaker 1: than it's been growing. And Zach is embodying the star
Speaker 1: that he's become and I love that, and I think
Speaker 1: everyone has to do that. If you I had um
Speaker 1: a press conference before an NBA finals when we're playing
Speaker 1: Toronto Raptors and the guy was asking me that I
Speaker 1: think I was the best. I don't think you can
Speaker 1: be the best if you don't believe that you are
Speaker 1: the best. And so I think that's important, and I
Speaker 1: think that is a huge part of Zack's growth that
Speaker 1: we've seen this year and the winning that they're doing,
Speaker 1: because now you can follow that and it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1: So that's a rap for episode ten of The Draymond
Speaker 1: Green Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, make sure you
Speaker 1: check it out. Check all of the episodes out there
Speaker 1: there for you to enjoy. We love doing this. I
Speaker 1: love doing this. Try to bring some some knowledge and
Speaker 1: advice and great interviews to your headphones, to your radio
Speaker 1: if you're listening in the car, to your computer screen
Speaker 1: or your phone. If you're watching on YouTube, make sure
Speaker 1: you subscribe for the Volumes YouTube channel and you can
Speaker 1: check me out. But also you can check others out
Speaker 1: as well, other great podcasts. And so with that said,
Speaker 1: that's a rap for episode ten. Until next week, Peace
Speaker 1: in rivers and Inverlever Liver