1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: The only thing I'm plugging is Forgotten Seasons. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 2: Welcome back to another episode of Forgotten Seasons. Today we 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 2: got a Mari Stottmeyer stat how you doing today? 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: Feeling good? Brother? Feeling good? 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 2: Well? First off, I want to congratulate you for being 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: inducted into the Son's Ring of Honor. Doing my research 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 2: in the Son's blogs, they felt it was long overdue. 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: First Off, how was the feeling when you got the 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: call from Matt Ishbia? And then secondly, what took so long? 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: Well, I was actually enjoying my son's birthday when I 11 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: got the call from Matt, and Matt was like, hey, 12 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: I got some excited news for you. And at the moment, 13 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: I was like, okay, this this seems pretty surprising. And 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: then he was like, we're gonna, you know, induct you 15 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: into the into the Ring of Honor. We're going to 16 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: retire jersey number thirty two. And I was like overly excited. 17 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: I got the call on my son's birthday. My son's 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: my namesake, and my name would be in the Raptors forever. 19 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: So that was a beautiful moment for me. 20 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: That's increduble. 21 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: I'm not sure. I'm not sure what took so long. 22 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,639 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously it was under different ownership at that time, 23 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: but I did talk to the previous owner and he 24 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: also mentioned that he was going to retire my jersey, 25 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: but just wasn't sure when that was going to happen. So, 26 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,119 Speaker 1: you know, if it happens for a reason, that always 27 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: at this point in time, mm hmm. 28 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: Well, I'm happy for Suns fans in the Sun's organization. 29 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 2: I mean, without getting too much into it, it seems like 30 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 2: a cloud has been lifted, and Matt seems great. I 31 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 2: know Isaiah is super involved, and they wasted no time 32 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 2: making moves once they came in. 33 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's beautiful, man. I traracturally enjoyed the moment. My 34 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: family is very excited about it. 35 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 2: So I want to start talking about your career in 36 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: the spring of two thousand and five. It's funny. I 37 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: was in Springfield this past week watching Dirk and Power 38 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: get inducted into the Hall of Fame. I think you're 39 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: soon to follow. But starting, you know, starting with your 40 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: career in two thousand and five. The spring of two 41 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: thousand and five, in the playoffs, I mean, the numbers 42 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: just jump off the board, and I don't really think 43 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 2: people understand just how special that run was for you. 44 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: Twenty two years old, this is your third year in 45 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: the league, and you go through Paugasol's Grizzlies in round one, 46 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 2: you go through Dirk's MAVs in round two, and the Spurs, 47 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: who end up winning the championship, do get the best 48 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: of you, but you break a record thirty seven points 49 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 2: per game. You break Kareem's record for the most points 50 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 2: per game in a conference finals by a first timer. 51 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 2: I mean, those numbers are absolutely incredible. The best you 52 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 2: can can you kind of take us back to who 53 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 2: a twenty two year old Amari Stotdemeyer was in what 54 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: his mindset was going up against the best power forwards 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 2: in the game in the playoffs and not only going 56 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 2: up against them, but dominating. 57 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, man, like you said, bro, I was twenty two 58 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: years old, right, I was only three years in, a 59 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: kid fresh out of high school, and so I was 60 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: eager to take on the league and really kind of 61 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: make my imprint on the NBA. And so my mindset was, 62 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: you know, playoff is where stars, superstars are made, Right. 63 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: I had a pretty I had a very decent, really 64 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: good regular season that year. But then I figured the 65 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: playoffs is when you can take the next step and 66 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: become a superstar and wanted to dominate one of my 67 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: name to be to be known as the next generation guy. 68 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: And so first round we faced the Grizzlies. Paul Gasol 69 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: was in his prime. He was hard to guard, you know. 70 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 1: He was a phenomenal, phenomenal play even even then in 71 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: his young career. I was able to have my way 72 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: similar with them. But I playoffs is about strategically planning, 73 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: and so as a team we we we was able 74 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,839 Speaker 1: to win that series and then going up the next 75 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: following series against Dirk and Dirk is one of the 76 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: hardest players I ever had. The guard I really couldn't 77 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: guard him. He was a remarkable offensive juggernaut and but 78 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: but I was able to have my way also with him. 79 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: I was just too quick, too powerful, too explosive for 80 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: those guys to handle me. And then once we got 81 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: to the Spurs. The Spurs was a well ought machine 82 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: by coach Popovitch, who's a Hall of Fame coaching and 83 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: so Tim Duncan was was a player that I had 84 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: on my radarf far as I wanted to show the 85 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: world that I can compete with him and if not, 86 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: be better than them. And so I took that series 87 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: personally and I was able to to to put on 88 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: an incredible run in the Western Conference finals. 89 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 2: I read that Tim Duncan gave you a lot of 90 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 2: props after that series. You mentioned that you kind of 91 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: had him circled coming up. Do you remember any conversations 92 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 2: you had during or after that series just between you guys? 93 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: No, I mean, we we we You know, Tim don't 94 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: really say much in the basketball court, you know, and 95 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: plus in the playoffs, neither the why you know, it's 96 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: just a matter of just focusing in and being truly 97 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: determined to try to win the series. But I think 98 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: after the series, the respect from both parties was mutual. 99 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: For me to average, you know, thirty seven points in 100 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: the conference finals as a twenty two year old was 101 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: an incredible run. I mean sometimes coaches came to me 102 00:04:58,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: after the series and said, Martin, you know what you 103 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: just did? Do you know what you accomplished? And I 104 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: had no idea. I was just a young player. Everything 105 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: was happening so fast, and I was just trying to 106 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: make my presence felt. But it was definitely a historic run. 107 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: So we jumped to the playoffs. I want to zoom 108 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: back out a little bit, just talk about the two 109 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: thousand and five season. A historic season. This is obviously 110 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: the birth of seven seconds or less. Do you remember 111 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: at a certain point what your guys record was like 112 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,239 Speaker 2: midway through the season. Do you remember that the best 113 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: record that you have? Because I have it. I'm just wondering, 114 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 2: like it if you remember what it was? 115 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: Man, I know we went on a twelve game winning 116 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: streak at one point, we maybe lost one and then 117 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: went on another one streak. I mean, it was it 118 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 1: was an incredible run. I don't know what how best 119 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: record was during that season, but it was. It wasn't 120 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 1: even it wasn't even close to what we were doing 121 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: to other teams. 122 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: It was thirty and four at one point, and it 123 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 2: wasn't like, you know, a few balls bounce your ways 124 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: or or the other team got lucky. Like you were 125 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 2: destroying teams. I read a quote during that time from you, 126 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 2: or maybe it was a little bit after, where you 127 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 2: said you would describe to your friends like it was 128 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 2: playing like playing a video game on easy. I mean, 129 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 2: you were destroying teams. This is also like two thousand 130 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: and four two thousand and five where you know, you 131 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 2: remember like the Pacers Pistons Conference finals where the final 132 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 2: score was like sixty five to fifty five. You were 133 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: putting up one hundred and twenty one hundred and thirty 134 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 2: points per game. Obviously you're a big part of that. 135 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: This is Steve Nash's first year over from Dallas. Joe Johnson, 136 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 2: Quentin Richardson, Shawn Marion, what was that experience like in 137 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: the regular season where because I've also talked to Quentin 138 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 2: Richardson about this season and it's like, you guys would 139 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 2: go back into the locker room after games and be like, 140 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 2: I mean, yeah, that just happened. What was that just 141 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: like whole experience like for you guys. 142 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: I'm having chills now, bro just thinking about it. Man, 143 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: how incredible that run was. It was. It was remarkable. 144 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: You know, we had just brought Steven the Phoenix. I 145 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: was still in my second or second or third year 146 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: uh in the NBA. We had very very intelligent young 147 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: talent when Joe Johnson and Sew Maroon was already established 148 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: as a as an INNT player, and so we all 149 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: were very versatile. Sean Maroon was probably the fastest player 150 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: I ever played with, and he played the small forward 151 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: and then he moved to power forward. I was one 152 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: of the fastest and quickest big man in the league 153 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,239 Speaker 1: at that time as a young player. And Steve nash 154 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: was a soccer guy who kept himself in amazing shape, 155 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: and this vision was incredible. He was able to somewhat 156 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: find us in the right spots, and we were able 157 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: to someone utilize our talent to the to the to 158 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: the ultimate level. And so because of it, because we 159 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: were so versatile and so fast and so energetic, the 160 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: NBA really had no idea what was happening. You know, 161 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: you know, you have you have Steve who's whose you know, 162 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: eyes behind his head, and then you have two guys 163 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: on the wing with start of Maya Nash Or or 164 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: Marion who are outrunning everybody and doesn't seem to get tired. 165 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: The league wasn't keeping up with that. And fourth quarter 166 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: come along and those guys are grabbing us shorts and 167 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: they're leaning over, breathing hard, and meanwhile we're like bringing on. 168 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. We were just we just 169 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: had all the energy and I was attacking the rim 170 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: with forcing, with tremendous power. Sawn was out rebounding guys 171 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: and defending the best offensive player. It was. It was remarkable. 172 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 2: How good was Joe Johnson at that time? Because he 173 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: ends up leaving the next season, he signs a big 174 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 2: deal in Atlanta, gets his money, gets his own team. 175 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 2: I think people forget in that playoff run, he gets 176 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 2: hurt a really nasty like face fracture. I believe it 177 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 2: was at the end of the Dallas series, and then 178 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: he misses the first two games of the Spurs series. 179 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: How good was Joe Johnson? Did you kind of see 180 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 2: him evolving into a superstar? What was your observations of 181 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: him at that time? 182 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: We got to give Joe a lot of credit because 183 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: Joe was arguably maybe one of our best defenders on 184 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: the perimeter between him and sew and he was arguably 185 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: one of our best one on one offensive guys. Anytime, 186 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: anytime the ball stopped and we needed to get a basket, 187 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: we would go to Joe Johnson and he'll just break 188 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: his man down and needed to get a shot off 189 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: or get to the basket. I mean, so he was 190 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: he was very, very important to what we were doing, 191 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: and his skill set was imperative for us, and then 192 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: the year he left, we really missed him because he 193 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: was our guy and plus him and I are very 194 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: close in agent. We were, you know, close friends that 195 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 1: at that point in time. But that year was incredible. 196 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: He had a i think a abitable fracture that he 197 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,319 Speaker 1: suffered in the playoffs, which hurt us going into that 198 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: spur series. 199 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: Football fans, it is the last weekend of the year 200 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 2: to place your bets. 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I want to hear 224 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 2: your perspective and just feelings about microfracture surgery, because in 225 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 2: my research it opened up like a pretty fascinating history 226 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 2: of the microfracture surgery. It's a nasty sounding surgery. They 227 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 2: drill into your knee to basically extract blood, which I 228 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: guess forms a new type of cartilage. This is a 229 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 2: surgery that effectively ended the careers of guys like Tmac 230 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: Jamal Mashburn Chris Weber, you were still able to go 231 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: on and have a Hall of Fame career. But just 232 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 2: going back and reading what you were saying, you didn't 233 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 2: even know that you were going to have microfracture surgery 234 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 2: basically until you woke up from it. What was the 235 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 2: initial diagnosis, what were they laying out to you? And 236 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 2: then a little later. I just want to get into 237 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: what the recovery was like, because you also said that 238 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 2: was probably the hardest point of your career coming back 239 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 2: from that. 240 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was very difficult for me. I have to 241 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: have an incredible regular season and in an historical playoff run. 242 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: The following training camp, I felt this discomfort in my 243 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: knee and I didn't know what that was. So I 244 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: want to sell the team doctor. He wanted to do 245 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: a quick evaluation, and he mentioned that we could do 246 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: a orthoscopic scope to school in and judged, you know, 247 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: see what's in there, what's bothering you? Or it can 248 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: be a micro fracture surgery that's needed. So I was like, 249 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: what is a Micael Fratcher? Never heard his name before 250 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: at the Google and see what that meant. I didn't 251 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: know anything about it, and then so we came to 252 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: the agreeing stad Okay, we're going to have a procedure. 253 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: We're not sure if it's going to be a scope 254 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: or Michael fractuer, and we won't know until after I 255 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: get it where the doctor gets in there take a look. 256 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: Uh So I said, okay, fine, you know, and so 257 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: we went under. Basically the doctor, doctor Thomas Carter, was 258 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: going into the procedure and I woke up from the 259 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: from the procedure and said, well, we we actually did 260 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: a Michael fratcher and it's very small of a of allegion. 261 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: It's not you know, you should better recover one hundred 262 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: percent from it. But it's going to take some time. 263 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: And I was like, well, how long it's going to take. 264 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 1: It may take eight to twelve months. What hit the 265 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: twelve months? What did that? 266 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: What did they tell you before the surgery? Was it 267 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 2: supposed to be one of the options was just like 268 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 2: kind of a clean up, like cleaning up some carter cartilage, 269 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: which would have been you know, you would have been 270 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 2: back and maybe a few months. 271 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was that was That was the hopeful idea, 272 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: and I was leaning more toward that. I thought that 273 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: was going to be what was going to happen. But 274 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: because I was with the the what I got from 275 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 1: the dotor was saying, because I was so young, and 276 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: it's not a very big lesion that you know, doing 277 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,719 Speaker 1: it now will be beneficial posts doing it later on 278 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 1: because I have a higher chance of recovering. My body 279 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: would heal faster in these things. And so I wasn't 280 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: agree with I was in agreeance with it after I 281 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: woke up until I had to go through excruciating recovery 282 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: I mean scrucinating, bro. I mean it took. It took 283 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: months or months. There were times where I thought I'd 284 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: come up at a retirement. I just cannot do this. 285 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: I could, It was just it was just so bad. 286 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 2: Uh. 287 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: My family, the training staff at the time, which is 288 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: led by Aaron Nelson and assistant trainer Mike Elliott, and 289 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: those guys in Phoenix were very positive toward me. They 290 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: were like, stat you can do this, man, stay with it. 291 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: Just follow our lead. We got you, bro, don't worry. 292 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: And so I took I took all my lack of 293 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: confidence out of the equation and I was able to 294 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: attack my my recovery and my training with extreme focus. 295 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: I mean I mean, very very detail oriented all the 296 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: way to the to the smallest detail. And thank god 297 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: I was able to recover, make first Team All NBA 298 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: play eighty two games, which is unheard of nowadays. I 299 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: don't think anyone plays eighty two games nowadays. But to 300 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: play eighty two games after Michael Fratcher was was a 301 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: blessing for sure. 302 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 2: I mean, that's got to be listed up with all 303 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: the All nbas and All Star appearances. The fact that 304 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: eighty two right after a microfracture, do they is micro 305 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 2: fractor not a thing anymore? Like do they not practice it? 306 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: Or do you not know? 307 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: I don't know, I don't know, you know, I think 308 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: I really, I really don't think it's a thing anymore. 309 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: I don't think a lot of people have it anymore. 310 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: It's not even heard of at the moment. 311 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 2: Well, like you said, you rebound first Team All NBA 312 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven. Some people think that this was 313 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 2: the best Suns team. I'm interested to hear your perspective. 314 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 2: A lot of the reason why they say that is 315 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 2: because of the trio of you, Marion and Boris Diao, 316 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: who was there pretty much everything you would need in 317 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 2: a big man. Between you three. You're all very versatile players, 318 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: can play both sides of the ball. Great athlete, I 319 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 2: mean you and Mary and probably more so than Boris, 320 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 2: no disrespect great athletes. What made kind of that trio 321 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: so special. 322 00:15:55,840 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: Well, everybody had their own particular skill set, right team 323 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: leading't score. I was putting up twenty five plus points 324 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: a game. Sean was our leading rebounder. You know, people 325 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: tried to realize this guy was out rebounding me and 326 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: I was trying to snag it rebound. I hood so. 327 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: And Boris was our versatile kind of point forward guy 328 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: who would pass the ball as if he's a punt 329 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: guard around And so that trio of big men and 330 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: forwards was something that was very versatile. You couldn't you 331 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: couldn't figure us out. And then obviously Nash being a 332 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: floor general with us helped us as well. But it 333 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: was just it was just, you know, hard to figure 334 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: us out. You know, you got myself who attacking and 335 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: being very dominant in my own right, and then Sewan 336 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: being versatile with speed and agilitleague, and then Boris been 337 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: that playmaker. Two thousand and seven was an incredible year 338 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: for us, and I think that might have been our 339 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: best year. 340 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 2: Why did coach D'Antoni take you out of the game 341 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 2: after you hit the go ahead bucket in Game five 342 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 2: against the Spurs which led to the hip check, the 343 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 2: worry hip check and obviously you being out of the game, Yeah, 344 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 2: that's the bullshit suspension. But why were you why'd you 345 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: get taken out of the game. I never understood that. 346 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 1: It was a coach decision. You know, I'm not totally 347 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 1: sure why. I think, you know, coach might have wanted 348 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: to have a defensive team out there, you know, but obviously, 349 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: you know me, I'm a competitive dow want to play 350 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: every minute, and so you know, we're not sure why 351 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: that happened. But the hip check was was brutal, you 352 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. I ain't never seen nothing like 353 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: that before. In the game, I thought Nation has really hurt. 354 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: And so yeah, I mean once and for us, as 355 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 1: myself and bors, we've never really heard of the rule 356 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: of not being able to step on the court. We've 357 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: never heard of it. It was only young players boys 358 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,160 Speaker 1: from France. I'm from the high school. We never heard. 359 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: But you know, you can't step in the basketball court. 360 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: So it was a tough tough ruling. 361 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 2: Fast forward in a couple of years. So two thousand 362 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 2: and eight you lose to the Spurs in round one. 363 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: Two thousand and nine you missed the playoffs, but that 364 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: was also kind of a wonky year in the West, 365 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 2: and that any other year you would have made the playoffs. 366 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,880 Speaker 2: That's when Shack's there. And twenty ten another pivotal game, 367 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 2: the our test put back again you're not on the floor. 368 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 2: So the two probably maybe the most defining plays of 369 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 2: that son's era. For some reason, you were on the 370 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 2: floor and it didn't swing your way. When you look 371 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 2: back just at your son's tenure, do you think that's 372 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 2: the best collective group that never won a championship? I mean, 373 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 2: we hear about the early two thousands, Kings, might hear 374 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 2: about the Durant Westbrook Thunder. The Blazers in the early 375 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 2: two thousands were really good. But do you think that 376 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 2: that group is the best collective group? You know, you 377 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 2: say the National Sodomier Sons, and I'll throw Marion in 378 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 2: there too, to not get over that hump. 379 00:18:58,240 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think so. I mean, you got to you 380 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: gotta keep it min We faced a lot. I mean 381 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: that was also during the era where we had you know, 382 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: Tim dunnagu who was who was you know, officiating games 383 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: and and a lot of our games in the playoffs 384 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: that he officiated that didn't go our way through through 385 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: the calling and so you know, and so a lot, 386 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: a lot a lot that took place during that during 387 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 1: that time of us trying to compete for a championship. 388 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: But I do think that, you know, with with our team, 389 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: we were capable of winning the championship. We could have 390 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 1: won a championship, but things just in swing got way. 391 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 2: Do you guys like obviously the ref thing kind of 392 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 2: came out years later. Was there any discussion in the 393 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 2: locker room or in the league that this might be 394 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 2: happening before you guys knew it? Or was it just like. 395 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, man, we no, absolutely, bro, Yeah for sure. There 396 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: was times where I would get these file calls what 397 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: happened on me in the first quarter? Like what is 398 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: going on? But this can't be you know, and you 399 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: can't really say much to the ref because you get 400 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: technical foul, you might get you know, they might be 401 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: more aggressive on you. But we're like, hey man, something 402 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,439 Speaker 1: ain't right, Like we keep getting these calls against us 403 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: I'm not, you know, and so you can't send to 404 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: the media because they can't be able to find you. 405 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: So it's like, you know. And then years later we 406 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: hear that this guy was cheating the games and he 407 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: was purposely calling fouls on key players to change the 408 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: outcome of the game. And nasally, I was like, what 409 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: the we knew something was going on, you know what 410 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: I'm saying, Like my god, and so you know, and 411 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 1: we were a team that were DestinE to win the championship, 412 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: and all these things happened to us. Man, it was 413 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: very unfortunate. 414 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 2: Did you even watch the documentary that they put out 415 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 2: a few years ago about it or you can't, don't 416 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 2: even don't even bother me. 417 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: I saw it, man, I saw it, and I'm looking 418 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: at it and I'm like, this is is exactly what 419 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: I was experiencing. We first had experienced that. You see 420 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: you see on the documentary the Sun's team being affected 421 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: by the officiating. You're seeing clips of our games been 422 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: affected by the officiating. And it's all during the time 423 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: when we were destinely win the championship and unfortunately, you 424 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: know what happened. The what happened. 425 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 2: It's crazy how far the league has come, and that 426 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 2: today you have like gambling companies sponsoring the league pretty 427 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 2: freshly after probably one of the biggest scandals in sports. Yeah, 428 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 2: I mean, I would agree. I think that that those 429 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 2: Suns teams were probably pound for pound the best. And 430 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 2: also just you guys had different iterations and you banded together. 431 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 2: So I mean, I think there's still obviously a ton 432 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 2: to be proud of, but especially when you factor in 433 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 2: the ref factor, that just that sucks. 434 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: It's tough. 435 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 2: So going forward, you signed with the Knicks in the 436 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: summer of twenty ten. This is the big splash summer 437 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 2: of twenty ten with the South Beach Big Three being formed. 438 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 2: Me being a Knicks fan, that was you know, you 439 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 2: came at the tail end of a really rough stretch 440 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 2: for the Knicks in the mid two thousands. That first 441 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 2: stint with the Knicks was incredible. You brought life back 442 00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:00,120 Speaker 2: into the garden. MVP Chance, MVP candidates, how is that 443 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 2: experience your first time out of Phoenix. You must have 444 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 2: built really, like, you know, a solid foundation in Phoenix. Uh, 445 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 2: ownership wasn't willing to give you what you deserve, so 446 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 2: you choose to go to the Knicks. How was that 447 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 2: free agency experience. Were there any other teams other than 448 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 2: Phoenix in New York that you were considering, and then 449 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 2: just that opening run with the Knicks where you're really 450 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 2: tearing through the league. 451 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, man, I mean, obviously my goal was to sign 452 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,479 Speaker 1: with Phoenix and contain my career with Phoenix. We had 453 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: a chance to win. We lost to a Kobe Bryant 454 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: Araball that won our test, you know, lay up at 455 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: the buzzer moment, right. We were so close to it, 456 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: to being a championship team despite the previous years. So 457 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 1: my goal that alsinason was to re sign with Phoenix 458 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: max contract and then go and then go from there. 459 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 1: The numbers I put up in the playoffs that right 460 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: there alone in today's game, deserves a supermax you see, guys. 461 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: You see guys average of eighteen points in the playoffs 462 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: and getting three hundred million. So, but the idea was 463 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,880 Speaker 1: to resign with Phoenix and continue to play and retire, 464 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,479 Speaker 1: you know, and continue to play with Nash and keep 465 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: that going. Unfortunately, with the ownership at the time, it 466 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:15,880 Speaker 1: didn't work out that way. So I wanted to sign 467 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: with the Knicks, which was which was great for me 468 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: as well, because I wanted to play in New York. 469 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 1: I spent time there as my childhood years, and you know, 470 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: going back to New York was awesome for me. And 471 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: then I took on the challenge of going to show 472 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: the world like my total skill set, right, and so 473 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: when I signed with Phoenix, when I signed with New York, 474 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: I was able to just do that, to really show 475 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: my entire package from ball headland to a perimeterive game, 476 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,479 Speaker 1: to inside game, leadership qualities on bringing the team that 477 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: didn't make the playoffs to the playoffs, and you know, 478 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: raising the level of play for all my teammates. That 479 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: was that was important for me, and to show the 480 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: world that you can play in New York and you 481 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: can take on this media jugger out of a place 482 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,439 Speaker 1: and still be able to have success if you focus 483 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: on the game of basketball. So all that was in 484 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: my thought process. And to have to have that success 485 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: to be the first player to be an All Star 486 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: starter since Patrick Ewing, and these things like a team 487 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: to the playoffs after a ten year a deficit, you know, 488 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 1: and the MVP chance and all these things were truly remarkable. 489 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 2: It must have been amazing. Obviously, the Knicks and their 490 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 2: fans are notorious for just being hard on the team. 491 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 2: I think they're just really passionate fans. I think you 492 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 2: have so much love from Knicks fans. But were there 493 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 2: any stints in your New York career where you know 494 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 2: you just didn't understand maybe just stuff people were saying 495 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 2: about you. I talked to Gilbert Arenas and he was adamant. 496 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 2: He's like, Knicks fans do it to themselves. The reason 497 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 2: that Nicks have not been great for the last how 498 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 2: many ever years is because nobody wants to play in 499 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,719 Speaker 2: a home arena where the fans might boo them. Obviously, 500 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 2: it might be a love hate relationship in total. How 501 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: how do you feel your relationship with the New York 502 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 2: media and the New York fans was because it's not 503 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 2: an easy gig. 504 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 1: But that means that means you're not you're not taking 505 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: the game serious. If you're afraid to play in New 506 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: York because of booze, right, if you get booed, that 507 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: means you're not doing your job. You're not you're not 508 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: playing at a high level. You're not putting the game first. 509 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: You know a lot of times in New York players 510 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: get caught up in the fashion, the glamour and glicks, 511 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: the lights, the entertainment, not focused on the game of basketball. 512 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: And so you know, us as New Yorkers and as 513 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: as as fans, we look at that, we see, Hey, 514 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: this guy really says about basketball? Is he improven as 515 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: a player? Like you can't go you can't go right 516 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: three years in a row, you know what I'm saying. So, 517 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: you know, the fans of New York are basketball fans, 518 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 1: and they and they see if you're focusing on the game, 519 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 1: if you're giving your heart to the game of basketball. 520 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 1: So for me, the fans saw my heart and saw 521 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:52,399 Speaker 1: my dedication and saw my willingness to to to to 522 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: play through injury and all these things. And so I've 523 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: never really got a lot of bad press from from 524 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 1: from the New York Knicks fans because they saw my 525 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: dedication to New York and to the game. 526 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 2: Well that that first season was amazing. Unfortunately, in the playoffs, 527 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: your back catches up to you and you're not at 528 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,480 Speaker 2: full strength in that Boston series, and injuries kind of 529 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 2: linger throughout your next career. When you when you from 530 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 2: your perspective, I think you probably got out of the 531 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 2: Knicks just in time when things really went south other 532 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 2: than health. Were there any other reasons other than health 533 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 2: why the Knicks of the early twenty tens didn't work 534 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 2: out or do you think that health was the main 535 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 2: factor and the only factor to look at? 536 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: Well? I mean, health was obviously very important for myself, right, 537 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: not being able to really give one hundred percent and 538 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 1: be there one hundred percent of the time because I 539 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: have to deal with certain injuries. It was very difficult 540 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 1: for me at that time. And just trying to get 541 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: you to the training staff and then get used to 542 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:03,639 Speaker 1: my body and how I need to train and so forth. 543 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: Took a while to really gain that rhythm from that standpoint. 544 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: And also we had, you know, coaching staff. Mike D'Antoni 545 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: didn't want to coach anymore because guys wouldn't buy it 546 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: into the system, and so coach and Antoni left and 547 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: then we brought in Mike Woodson. And Mike Woodson was 548 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: a player, a coach who was a player coach, you know, 549 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 1: he got the best out of us. We brought in 550 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: some veteran players, from Jason Kidd to Marcus Camby to 551 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 1: Kurt Thomas to Rashid Wallace guys who were who were 552 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: the game, and we played the game the right way. 553 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 1: And that was that was a very very good year 554 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:38,159 Speaker 1: for us. But then we brought then Mike Woodson, uh 555 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: you know, got fired, and then we brought in another 556 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: coaching staff, and nobody wanted to buy into that system, 557 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 1: and it was just it was just a mess after 558 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: that point of not wanting to really buy in. And 559 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: so I wanted to somewhat conteam my last few years 560 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: on a high note, and so I was I was 561 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: able to somewhat reconstruct my contract and to make an exit. 562 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 2: I was playing with Sid. I've talked to a few 563 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 2: players who said he almost became like a coach when 564 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 2: he was there. But I mean loved by the garden, 565 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 2: brought the three to the head to it. How is 566 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 2: your experience with Sid? 567 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, Rashid was awesome. Man. I enjoyed playing with Rashid. 568 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: He's just just a good guy. You know, it's a 569 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 1: game of basketball. He's a down to earth person and 570 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: it gives it to you straight how it is. You 571 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. Uh RASI was a guy who 572 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: started that three to the head thing from a Kendre 573 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: the Marson and so you know, and then Mellow then 574 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: then took it from there and made it made it 575 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: something special. But yeah, I mean, Rashid was great to 576 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: play with. I enjoyed playing with Tyson Chandler. I enjoyed 577 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: playing with Jerrard Smith, and I had a really good 578 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: time playing with Jerrard Smith. He's one of my favorite 579 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 1: teammates that I've played with. It's also Imon Shomper. You know, 580 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed playing with those guys, Man Baron Davis, 581 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: you know, playing playing playing with those players for me 582 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 1: was was was special and I cherished those moments even 583 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: till today. 584 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 2: What's the Kendrick Lamarson that the three to the head 585 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 2: came from? 586 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: And it was a song I think it said something. 587 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,239 Speaker 1: I forget what song it was, but it was like 588 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: it's like sounds like, uh, you know, but that song 589 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: I think was the one and Rashid might be to 590 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: explain it better, but I think that was the one 591 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: that kind of get got it through to the head. 592 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 2: And I'm going, uh, your last top, which I think 593 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 2: is forgotten, was the Heat really fun team with Dwayne Wade, 594 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 2: Goran Dragic, Joe Johnson on that team too. There was 595 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 2: Tea though, no Johnson, it was dragic. Wade Whiteside was there, 596 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,959 Speaker 2: was there. That's the year that Bosh gets his illness 597 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,719 Speaker 2: catches up to him. Yeah, yeah, you take Toronto to seven. 598 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 2: And that would have been great if we got to 599 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 2: see like uh Lebron versus Wade in the conference finals, 600 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 2: because you would have played the Calves next. What was 601 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 2: that year your last year? You know, I think you 602 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 2: ended on a pretty high note going to the playoffs, 603 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 2: winning around. How is that year in Miami for you 604 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 2: and and being with that that heat culture? 605 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: It was great. I was back home, you know, being 606 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,719 Speaker 1: from Florida. I was mister basketball here in Florida when 607 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: I was in high school and being drafted from Florida 608 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: to Phoenix. So so having a full circle moment in 609 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: coming back home. My home was here in Miami. Uh 610 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: so I was local for my family to travel to 611 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: the games easy, easily. But playing that year was great. 612 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: Playing with the Wade was was was brilliant, you know, 613 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: because he's such a team player as an unselfish player, 614 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: and he's very crafty, but he gets his he gets 615 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: his stats to me and and he affects the game 616 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: in a way that you really don't see often, but 617 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: it happens, and he shows you how good he really is. 618 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 1: He was able to have a great combination with on Whiteside. 619 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: White Tid was able to have a great year in 620 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: block shots and scoring, and so we had a really 621 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: good run. Fortunately, Chris Bots went down with the with 622 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: the with the injuries that he was was was trying 623 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: to fight from. And I think if Bosh was healthy, 624 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: we could have made a really decent run to the finals. 625 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 2: Mm hmmm uh. Kind of looking back, You've only been 626 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 2: away from the game for seven years, but the game 627 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 2: has changed so much. I mean probably the last seven 628 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 2: years are as much as the game has changed in 629 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 2: such a span. What are your overall thoughts on the 630 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 2: league today. 631 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: Well, I think the leads in a good place, right. 632 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously the game is more versatile. I mean 633 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: when I start to shoot threes, it was kind of 634 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: an unknown thing for basics shoot three, so I stopped 635 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 1: shooting them. But but now it's it's it's a part 636 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: of the game. I do think that the the the 637 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: footwork and the you know, the the attention to detail 638 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: from a fundamental standpoint is somewhat gone. From a post perspective. 639 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 1: You do see. You do see Joe Gitcho shows a 640 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: lot of footwork and creativity in the post. You do 641 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: see Joel Embiid showing some footwork and creativity in the post, 642 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: but you don't see a lot of that those details 643 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: when it comes to to to the post game. In 644 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: the mid game, the pull up jumper, Devin Booker showed 645 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: a lot of the fundamental skills when it comes to it. 646 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: A lot of players want to shoot a lot of threes, 647 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: which is okay, but you have to be versatile and 648 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: be able to score from all three levels. 649 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 2: M h. How do you think you would have fared 650 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 2: in today's game? 651 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: Oh man, it would have been the same as I 652 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: did with Phoenix, you know, you know sixteen running away, 653 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: I run and attack the rim with force. I mean 654 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: it reminds me of Jannis in a sense. You know, 655 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: Janni's kind of when Jannis was originally starting now, I 656 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: think his first the second year coach Tim gerger Rich 657 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: was with us in Phoenix ended up going to Milwaukee 658 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: and he pulled me aside and Jannis, I think it 659 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: was nineteen twenty at the time. He's like, stat this 660 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: player right here, and he brought Jannis over. He said, 661 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: reminds me of you, you know. And then then the 662 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: next thing, you know, a year or two later, this 663 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: guy's taking over the NBA and he's attacking the rim 664 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: with force. He's he's dominated his grabbing rebounds like you 665 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't believe. He has no fear. And then I was like, yep, 666 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: coach Gerry told me about him, and he's exactly right. Yeah. 667 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 2: I think an underrated part of your game is just 668 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 2: how many times you went to the free throw line 669 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 2: and how aggressive you were, Like I think you probably 670 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:17,479 Speaker 2: let the league in free throw attempts to a few times. 671 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 2: But nowadays people are kind of getting their free throws 672 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 2: in different ways, more crafty ways, rather than just going 673 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 2: to the basket. 674 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know again trying to throw 675 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:28,719 Speaker 1: and ones. I think there's a moment where I left 676 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: the league of a ones for like three straight years 677 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: or something like that. But just's being more versatile's key. 678 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 2: One thing during your career that I forgot to ask 679 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 2: you about is just Nike. You were part of a 680 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 2: great the Second Coming campaign, you know with Lebron Kobe 681 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 2: Nash was there, Marion, How is your experience as a 682 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 2: Nike athlete and then more specifically just your time maybe 683 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 2: spending around the Kobe's and Lebron's of the world. 684 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: It was brilliant. Man. Nik was a great company to 685 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: be a part of. I was one of the highest 686 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: paid big man of all time when I signed my 687 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: Nike contract with them. I was a part of his Force, 688 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: the Nike Force campaign, and so being around Kobe and 689 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 1: Lebron uh during those years as the top Nike clients 690 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: athletes basically was was was beautiful. I've been a Nike 691 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: guy my entire career and so to to you know, 692 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: to work with all the top executives and having the 693 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,280 Speaker 1: guidance from from Nike was important for me in my career. 694 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,359 Speaker 2: Any any memorable trips or campaigns that you were part 695 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 2: of that that really stick out to you today that 696 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,320 Speaker 2: you remember it. 697 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 1: In Nakei China, we went to Shanghai. We had a 698 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: beautiful time there for the Nike Festival that that was. 699 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 1: That was great. All the commercials from the second Coming 700 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: commercial was awesome we did. I did the Force commercial 701 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: out of l A and that kind of catapulta my 702 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,479 Speaker 1: acting skills. When I was able to start to get 703 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: involved in those commercials and really expressed my way from 704 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: a from a from an artistic standpoint that caliported my 705 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: acting career. 706 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 2: Mm hm, that's that's amazing. 707 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: Uh. 708 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 2: Just last quick, quick hitting correct question. What's your favorite 709 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,759 Speaker 2: dunk of your career? I mean you've had, You've had 710 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,839 Speaker 2: a bunch of them. I think the Richard Jefferson one 711 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 2: stands out. You caught I think Anthony Tolliver or Donald Foyle. 712 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,440 Speaker 2: Which one do you put at the top of the list. 713 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 1: The one on the Donald Foyle was awesome because the 714 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: quote that he made after he was like, I dedicate 715 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 1: the study of science to a march side of my 716 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 1: after that dunk, you know what I'm saying. Like that 717 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 1: was like, like, man, that's a very thoughtful quote. Well, 718 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,840 Speaker 1: I think I think probably my favorite my favorite dunk 719 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: will either be the live I called from Kobe Bryant 720 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,720 Speaker 1: from half court in the All Star Game. Okay, uh. 721 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 1: I caught it on one side, the rimen reversed it 722 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 1: to the other side, and that was a special moment 723 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 1: because Kobe was a special guy. Bless you memory. And 724 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 1: maybe the uh, the one dunk on Josh Smith in Atlanta, 725 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: because that was a very forceful heart, like you know, 726 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: attacking the rim dunk. But Tolliver is definitely the one 727 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,400 Speaker 1: on Anthony Tolliver against Steph Current and Warriors. It's probably 728 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: one of my favorites. 729 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 2: Any you know, when people ask you about Kobe, obviously 730 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 2: we could you know, talk about that forever. But you 731 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:18,360 Speaker 2: were around him, you competed against him at the highest level, 732 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 2: played with him in the All Star Game, you were 733 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 2: a Nike athlete. Was there any memory or instance from 734 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 2: Kobe Bryant that that sticks out to you today? 735 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: I mean every time every time we go to the gym, right, 736 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:31,960 Speaker 1: I mean when the USA team, I would get there 737 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,840 Speaker 1: like six in the morning, which is earlier than everyone 738 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: else except for Cobing. I get into the gym and 739 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: Kobe's already the full sweat training and he's going hard. 740 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, man covid time times you get here, he's 741 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: like man being like four o'clock, young fella, Like, this 742 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: guy's a different animal man. But he was a very articulate, 743 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,719 Speaker 1: smart individual. You can tell, you know, he read a lot. 744 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: You can tell he was educated. And that's what I 745 00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: took from Kobe the most is that he's not only 746 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: a basketball player, but he was very very intelligent as 747 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 1: a person, as if he was an Ivy League student 748 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 1: type of guy, you know what I'm saying. So that 749 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,839 Speaker 1: is what I charged the most about Kobe, about him 750 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 1: being outside of the box of a normal athlete and 751 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,920 Speaker 1: being an intelligent person, which I thought was very very 752 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:16,400 Speaker 1: very very good for him. 753 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,399 Speaker 2: M hm, rest in peace, Cope. Well, Mari, I really 754 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 2: appreciate your time. Man again, We'll look forward to seeing 755 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 2: you go up in the rafters and Phoenix well deserved. 756 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 2: Congratulations and wish you out all the best. 757 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 1: Thank you, brother, all the best and you appreciate it.