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Just go to 20 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: audible dot com, slash all ball or text all Ball 21 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: to five five hundred to get started today. Hey, it's 22 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: Doug Gottli. Welcome into the All Ball Podcast. Man, there's 23 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: been so much great feedback over our long interview with 24 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: j Bill is Part one, Part two, which of course 25 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: is still available. I'm just wherever you download this podcast, 26 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: type in J billis and Doug gotliber J billis All Ball, 27 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: and you'll find part one Part two. I want to 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: welcome you in reminds you that the Doug Gotlip Show 29 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: runs daily from three to six Eastern twelve to three 30 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: Pacific time on Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio dot com. 31 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: And oh yeah, by the way, if you miss it, 32 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,639 Speaker 1: or do you have satellite radio, and our satellite station 33 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 1: x M A E three right now is running TV 34 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: programming instead, so you miss you like man, I really 35 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: like to hear your radio show, a condensed version, all 36 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: the sorts of versions, individual interviews. Wherever you download iTunes, 37 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: just put put type in Doug Gotlip Show and you 38 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: will have it this week's guest. And look, I could 39 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: get into the A C C and the Big East 40 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: and the Big twelve and I'll at leasing schedules, or 41 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: I'll give you a second on Russell Westbrooks injury and 42 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: the subsequent surgery, and he's gonna be out for the preseason. 43 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: Give you some thoughts on that in a moment, but 44 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: for the most part, we're getting ready for the upcoming 45 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: NBA and college basketball season. We'll look forward to the 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: college basketball schedule in the coming weeks. But I don't 47 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: want to waste her time. We've got a great guest. 48 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: His name is Scott Brooks. Scotty, of course most of 49 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: you remember, was the head coach of the Oklahoma City 50 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: Thunder and is now the head coach of the Washington Wizards. 51 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,119 Speaker 1: But I having known Scott for wow, and you start 52 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: to ditract yourself, like how long have I known him? 53 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go about thirty years. A little bit more 54 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: than thirty years. I can honestly tell you that he's 55 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: an incredibly interesting guy, also a great dude, but super 56 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: super interesting. His life story is one that I'm not 57 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: sure most of you know, and I wanted to tell it. 58 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: And then we'll get to little side stories about uh 59 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: making the NBA from being a CBA player making his 60 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 1: way first to UC Irvine U S. Rvine was super 61 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: super talented. Back in the day. I used to go 62 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: to their basketball camps and watch him play at Crawford Hall. 63 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: My dad was an assistant at Long Beach State before 64 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: they lost their job, and then watching UC Irvine play, 65 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: so I can remember what it was like to watch 66 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: the RS and watch Scotty Brooks. But how he made 67 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: it from there to the NBA, playing for over a 68 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: decade in the NBA to becoming an assistant. Also, he 69 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: was a head coach in the A B A. You 70 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: want to get to him with that talk about playing 71 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: with the Sixers with Charles Barkley, what his interactions and 72 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: ultimately his friendship was with Charles Barkley. Was like winning 73 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: an NBA title with the Houston Rockets, um becoming an 74 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: NBA assistant coaching with the Super Sonics and then Thunder 75 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: and then they PJ gets fired and he gets the job, 76 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: and then you know, going to the NBA Finals and 77 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: losing uh in the NBA Finals and having all the 78 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: injuries in a couple of subsequent years and never getting 79 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: back to that moment before losing his job. What it 80 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: was like to lose a job, to sit out to wait, 81 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: why the Wizards and how can he fix the Wizards? Man? 82 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: There's a lot to get to. So that's kind of 83 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: the ultimate teaser. Let let me first start with this thoughts, 84 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: because you're gonna hear from Scotty on what it's like 85 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: to coach Russell Westbrook his honest perspective. I think you'll 86 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: enjoy it. So Russell had his knee cleaned up. And 87 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: remember this is uh, this is a guy who had 88 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: was a tor meniscus. Patrick Beverlely uh in kind of 89 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: like a Scotty Brooks type of way. We're gonna talk 90 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: about this. The backup point guard. You have to be 91 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: just tougher than a two dollar steak. You know, you 92 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: gotta be willing to put your nose in there, maybe 93 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: get a steal when a guy goes to call a 94 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: time out at at mid court. That's when Patrick Beverley 95 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: uh mistakenly bumped into Russell Westbrooks knee. Russell tour his 96 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: meniscus and then of course the first surgery didn't take 97 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: and that next year was honestly what led to Scotty 98 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,799 Speaker 1: Brooks dismissal as head coach of the of the Oklahma 99 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: City Thunder. I think the fear with Russell is it's 100 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: not that he plays hard, and that his knee won't 101 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: be fine when he comes back. Plenty of guys of 102 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: other knee scoped, plenty of athletic guys of other knee 103 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: scope and we're still very, very good athletes. The fear, though, 104 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: is that anytime you go in on somebody's knee, anytime 105 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: you go in and fix even an elbow at Tommy John, 106 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: the more you go in you run the risk of infection. 107 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: You run the risk of not being the same, and 108 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: of chronic pain, and of a shortenave of career and 109 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: listening of athleticism, and Russell Westbrook is arguably the best 110 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: athlete of the great players in all sports. He might 111 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: be the best overall athlete when you combine speed, quickness, toughness, 112 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: lateral and vertical athleticism. I mean, he's got it all. 113 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: And so does this slow him down even a notch 114 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: and progressively more so? And does it expose the fact 115 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: that his jump shot has never really been a consistent 116 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: weapon from beyond three point range? I think that would 117 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 1: be my fear. Also, if you remember the argument for 118 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 1: Paul were staying in Oaklahoma City and the argument that 119 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: I've made for Oklahoma City being the second best team 120 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: in the West is Look, they're gonna be better together 121 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: the second time around, Another full training camp, another year 122 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: of Russ and PG and others playing together. Um. Frankly, 123 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: they set themselves up very nicely with Dennis Shrewder, who 124 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: will get a chance to play major minutes. Really on, 125 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: I like Shrewder as a backup point guard more than 126 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: a starter. But I think it's gonna be fascinating to see. 127 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: Um if the consistency and continuity minus obviously Carmelo Anthony, 128 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: but the addition by substraction of losing Carmelo Anthony and 129 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: the consistency and continuity keeping the same coach, keeping most 130 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: the same roster, adding in Dennis Shrewder that ultimately benefits 131 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: the Oklahoma City Thunder now that they don't have Russell 132 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: westbrook for for training camp. Kind of interesting, right. We'll 133 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: keep you updated on that gets you ready for the 134 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: NBA season in the coming weeks. I thought this would 135 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: wet your appetite though, Let's get to our discussion with 136 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: Scott Brooks. It's a two parter and um, I think 137 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: you'll enjoy it. If you have any questions or comments 138 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: at Gottlieb Show is the Twitter handle. So let's welcome 139 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: in the head coach of the Washington Wizards, a longtime friend, 140 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: Scott Brooks. All right, let's welcome into the All Ball Podcast. 141 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: The head coach of the Washington Wizards, Scott Brooks, joins 142 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: us and Scott, Look, I want to get to the Whiz. 143 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: I want to get to your time with the thunder Um. 144 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: But I want to start with you as a person 145 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: and you as a player, because when I first got 146 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: a chance to watch you is when you're at UC 147 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: Irvine averaging four game playing at Crawford Hall, and I think, yeah, 148 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,239 Speaker 1: I think you played a year two of the brands. 149 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: I think you played all the brand center maybe h 150 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: um and uh, there's a lot I want to get into. 151 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: But you grew up in like the Sacramento area right 152 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: where what's uh like, where's French Camp? Well, it's about 153 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: I would say it's about sixty miles south of San Francisco. 154 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: I was born in French Camp. Moved at a young 155 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: age about maybe five or six miles south to a 156 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: small town in Lathrop, Um youngest of seven. My father 157 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: left when I was two. Uh, never did see from 158 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: him or heard from him. Those child support notes acting. 159 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: My mom raised us on her own along with governmental 160 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: aid until about about seven years old, and then she decided, 161 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: you know what, no more help from the government. We're 162 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: going to do it as a family. And that's when 163 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: I we started picking walnuts and topping onions on the 164 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: weekends just to make ends meet. No way, um okay, 165 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: so uh give me the oldest to you, being the 166 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: youngest boy, girl, the older brothers, three older sisters. I 167 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: think my own I shouldn't say. I think my oldest 168 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: sister is almost sixty four. Uh, and I'm fifty three, 169 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: and three older brothers and three older sisters. Okay, so 170 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 1: seven people, single mother and you guys kind of all 171 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: picked up. Everybody had everybody had a job. You really 172 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: did pick walnuts and do what with onions? Top onions, 173 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: put them in the sack, and you move on to 174 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: the next onions sack. And you didn't get paid for 175 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: you didn't get paid a lot of sack, but you 176 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: got paid enough at the end of the day. We 177 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,719 Speaker 1: did it. We had we had to do it. We 178 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: had no other choice. It was it was tough. I 179 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 1: have two kids, and you know, I said all the time, 180 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: I don't know how my mom did it. I really did. 181 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: Did my wife and I wish the schedules of two 182 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: kids and along seven all by herself. God bless her. 183 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: She was incredible. She was my hero. Uh for a 184 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: better mom, a better role model than I had. So, um, 185 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: when did you did you always hoop? Because I mean 186 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: for people who don't, it's really interesting, you know, like 187 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: there there's there's a there's a disconnect between sometimes between 188 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: fans and the reality of basketball. Like you were a 189 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 1: great athlete, a great score, and it's you know, how 190 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: you made it in college, and then you obviously had 191 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: to find a role in the NBA, and of course 192 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: then you know, you went to to coaching and you 193 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: had to find a way to you're on a staff 194 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: and then became a head coach and then um, just 195 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: kind of like the ultimate survivor. But I think people 196 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: will always underestimate your athletic ability just because you know, 197 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: five eleven white dude, were you always like athletically talent? No, 198 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: I'm say, I'm I'm being like, we're just being honest here, right, 199 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,719 Speaker 1: Like that's just you know, like five of them white 200 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: dud walks in the gym. Everybody shooter, right, Um, and 201 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: you were a great shooter. But there's more to it 202 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: than that. So like, were you are you? Yeah? Were 203 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: you were? You? Always? Were you? Good athlete? Everything? Did 204 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: you always hoop? Like? What was it like growing up 205 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: when you know you've got six brothers and sisters and 206 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: you're the youngest, what was your athletic career? Like? Oh, 207 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: you know what? I always I played just about every 208 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 1: and growing up. I love to compete. You have to compete, 209 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: you get beat up quite a bit. And never the 210 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: baby you never at least I mean, I like to 211 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,199 Speaker 1: think that my brothers and sisters disagree with me on that, 212 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: but I I feel like, you know, I've always been 213 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: a pretty good athlete. I was. I was able to 214 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: do a lot of things with my speed. But I 215 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: love baseball, I love football and soccer. I loved it all. 216 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: I just love to compete. And I think that's the 217 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: thing that are always try to instill in into my 218 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: my team, that you've got to go out there and compete. 219 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: That's what you're gonna love the team. I've always loved 220 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: it growing up. All right, So, um, you're gonna Manteca 221 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: High School? Right? Who knows to East East un High School? 222 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: Which is in Manteca, California. Okay, that's that's around the 223 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 1: Sacramento area. How did you how did you come to 224 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: sign the TCU. Well, Um, quite frankly, there was not 225 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to go to you. My high school coach 226 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: who was like he was like my father said, Bill 227 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: Stricker played at you. Okay, the seas a little bit, 228 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: but he was. He was rom I wanted to follow him. 229 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: They said I wasn't good enough, I wasn't quick enough, 230 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: I wasn't tall enough could go to go to York 231 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: and get a scholarship and not putting the Ford College. 232 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: Nobody and my family went to college. I didn't really 233 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: know much about college, but my high school coach guided me, 234 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: and unfortunately for me, Um, one of the TC's former assistants. 235 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: Um left the staff to be next to his mother 236 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,959 Speaker 1: that was not doing well and started coaching at a 237 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: local high school in Series not to force from Nantika 238 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: and and he spotted me, and he called up the 239 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: TCUs coach and he says, hey, you gotta get Brooks. 240 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: Get a scholarship the kids coachi. Okay, I will, So 241 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: he called me the next day offered me a scholarships. 242 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: I don't see. Oh, that's how it was. And you know, 243 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: I'm thankful for it because I wouldn't have been able 244 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: to get to college and go to college without a 245 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: basketball athletic scholarship. So you go to TCU and and 246 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: what was your what was your freshman year? Like, you know, 247 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: I had a decent freshman year. It was the first 248 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: time away from home. Uh So I struggled a bit there. 249 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: Um home sick. I was a love sick my girlfriend, 250 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: which you know, unfortunately for me, I ended up married 251 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: for twenty five years. And so that was one of 252 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: the reasons why I decided to leave teach you to 253 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: go to uh yourne through a junior colleague. But it 254 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: was good. You know, the conference was great. Five slam 255 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: a jama was you on Houston? Jim Klein in Arkansas 256 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: as from you had John Kontact. Yeah. I think I 257 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: had three or four top twenty teams in the conference. 258 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: And I had great teammates. Jamie Dixon with my teammates 259 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: now he's a coach at TCU. Now, Dennis Snutt was 260 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: a teammate and a great player. Great. I had just 261 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 1: a lot of teammates, had a lot of song but 262 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: I was. I just wasn't. It wasn't for me. I 263 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 1: just felt like I had to go and try something else. 264 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: And I'm glad I worked out because I had a great, 265 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: a great time at you sure of mine? Okay, wait wait, 266 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: so you came home though, because in addition to being 267 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: homesick because of your girlfriend who became your wife. Right, 268 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: So this wasn't one of those like people always people 269 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: always say, like, don't follow the girl. There's plenty of girls. 270 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: But this actually worked out for you. Oh yeah, you 271 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: know what. I'm not embarrassed, but it was. It was 272 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: My mom was not happy with me. My mom, Oh 273 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: my gosh, my mom was. I didn't think she talked 274 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: to me for like two months. She was so disappointed 275 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: to me because she she thought, you know, would never 276 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: get a scholarship again, I'll never go to college again. 277 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: But yeah, I was. I mean, it was. It was 278 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: a long way home, and I just felt that there 279 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: was something better for me out there. Like I said, 280 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: I'm glad I did it because I really really enjoyed 281 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: my time. I'd be sure if I wanted agree University academically, 282 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: athletically really helped me become a man and become the 283 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: althlete and then player I became. Okay, so and you 284 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: went to junior college in between you played at junior 285 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: college though, right, yeah, you know what I did. Um 286 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: they had they just went in the state championship Samuel 287 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: King Delta Junior College. Roba wit was the coach. Had 288 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: really a really good team. Obviously when the California State 289 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: Championship was a big deal. Junior college basketball California was high, 290 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: high level. So they had one player that was that 291 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: left and he was the guard in the point grund. 292 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: So it was a perfect position for it to be. 293 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: And and I played there and we were number one 294 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: for just about most of the season. We go to 295 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: the tournament ranked number one, played the sixteenth ranked team Riverside, 296 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: and we end up getting an upset. So it was 297 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: disappointing finished to my junior college career, but neither neither 298 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: either there I I really loved it. It was a 299 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: great opportunity to gave me an opportune to get the Irvine. 300 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: So you go to uh UC Irvine and what I 301 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: think people like, you know, people nationally have no idea 302 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: about about them about the amount of talent that you 303 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: got that that that you guys had there like it 304 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: was really like Bill Mulligan did. They did a great 305 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: job not just evaluating and but recruiting and landing kind 306 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: of all this talent. So you get there on five 307 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: eighty six, who's on your team? Yes, we had. We 308 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: had four NBA players that made the NBA on my 309 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: team my junior year. Was crazy. Coach Mulligan kicked off 310 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: two other guys who played in the NBA a long time, 311 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: Ronny Grant, I think he played six seven years in 312 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: the NBA and Tom Tolber played I don't know seven 313 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: or eight or nine years in the NBA. And we 314 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: would have had six NBA players on one mid major school. 315 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: And what a great team we had beat un l 316 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: V twice that year when they were ranking five. Just 317 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: a great opportunity. He's a great recruit. Of The funny 318 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: thing is how he recruited me. He went to the 319 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: state tournament. The state tournament was so backed up, it 320 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: was two hours late, and he happened to sit next 321 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: to Jim Killingsworth, tool was TCUs coach, and they were 322 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: good friends from all the battles they had at junior college. 323 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: And he just looked at coach Mulligan said, Hey, you 324 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: gotta recruit this Brooks kid. I had him for a year. 325 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: I was so disappointed that he left it really, you know, 326 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: it bothered me. But I'll tell you what, recruit him. 327 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 1: He's really good. So fast forward. Mulligan does not stay 328 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: from for our game because it was so late. I 329 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: think we started like a nine thirty or ten o'clock 330 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: at night, and he calls me the next day and 331 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: offered me a scholarships side unseen. So what a what 332 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,959 Speaker 1: a way to get to college? Uh? Scholarships side unseen? 333 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: So um uh So you show up on campus there 334 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: and did you know, like, did you know that the 335 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: the u c I was that loaded? Like you had 336 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: an idea Todd, Todd Murphy and Johnny Rodgers were that good. 337 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: I had no idea how good we were. I just thought, 338 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: you know, I thought we were this great uh uh 339 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: university close to Newport Beach, a beautiful campus, great teammates. 340 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: I just thought we were just gonna have a lot 341 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 1: of fun. They're all kind of like they all kind 342 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: of looked like they were just off the beat, but 343 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: they were competitive. I thought. I just thought, man, I 344 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: gotta step up my game. These guys. Are these guys 345 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,959 Speaker 1: compete in They're athletic, and they're big, and they're strong, 346 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: they're quick, and they can shoot Johnny Rogers, Todd Murphy, 347 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: they're great shoots and there six six eleven range. And 348 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm thinking, man, I've never seen guys this big could 349 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: shoot the ball and run the floor and move around 350 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: like they did. But I knew that we were really good. 351 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: And like I said, what a great experience I had, 352 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 1: And and and coach Mulligan had a great run. Kevin 353 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: McGee was all the time best player. I mean, it's 354 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: a shame that you know, he never played in the 355 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: NBA because he was by far the best player I 356 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: ever played. Irvine, them McDonald, Bob Thornton, and they just 357 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: had Wayne Eagle step. They had a lot of NBA 358 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,679 Speaker 1: players during three or four uh year stretched there, but 359 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: it was because of Mulligan. What a great recruiter. Okay, 360 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: So what was he like as a coach though, because 361 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: again there were all those players and it seems like 362 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: every year you guys would beat un l V, and 363 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: yet you couldn't get to the tournament because there was 364 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: only the only UNLV would get there, and the league 365 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: was really good. Was he not that good a coach? 366 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: I mean you went, like your first year you haveverage 367 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: like tennant game. I remember your second year you haveverage 368 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: like twenty three game. When did you guys not play defense? Like? 369 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: What was what was missing there? Yeah? You know what 370 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: great coach, great recruiter, fun guy, I mean crazy, but 371 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: in a fun way. He wanted to. He taught me 372 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: a lot about offensive basketball or defense. You know, we 373 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,719 Speaker 1: weren't as good as we needed to be and that 374 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: was obvious, but our offense, we were way ahead. He 375 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: was a pro offensive coach before any college coach. Um 376 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: played that way. We were fast breaking, we were shooting quick, 377 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: we were shooting threes. My you know, my my senior 378 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,719 Speaker 1: year at a pretty good clip. But he was I 379 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: thought he was very, very animated and he was loved 380 00:19:58,200 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: by the players because he was a lot of fun, 381 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: fiery or halftime legendary uh sessions. You know, things were thrown, 382 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: chairs were thrown, and it was it was it was. 383 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: It was a fun time to be an ant eater. Okay, 384 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: so you get done playing about twenty three point eight 385 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: almost twenty four points a game, and by the way, 386 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: like you people should go back and look, as you 387 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: point out, you guys shot twice as many three as 388 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: your opponents, and as a team you shot forty one 389 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: percent from three, which is great numbers even even today. 390 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: And that was right but before others embraced the three 391 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: point shot, averaging like eight s eighties seven a game. Um, okay, 392 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: so uh, how did how did it happen that you 393 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: went to the c B A. Because I don't know 394 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: if you remember, but this is right about the time 395 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: of the My dad was supposed to coach a team 396 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: in the I B A, which was a six six 397 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: ft four and under the league, and they were gonna play. 398 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: They were gonna play at the Brent Center, and you 399 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: were the first, I think the first overall pick of 400 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: the draft and bo Action, by the way, it was 401 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,239 Speaker 1: his last pick. I don't remember that. And okay, so 402 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: you get done playing and what happens, Well, you know, 403 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: it's funny. Your dad, coach Scott Lit we meet at 404 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: Coco's right next to the airport, and he's saying that 405 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 1: we're starting the league, and I'm thinking, okay, that's great, 406 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,959 Speaker 1: and I want to make the NBA. But it was 407 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: this was going to give me a great opportunity to 408 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: um keep playing, and at the time they were offering 409 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 1: it was gonna be a pretty good salary. I can't remember. 410 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: I thought it was like twenty thousand, like three months 411 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: or four months, and it was six four and under. 412 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: It was very intriguing, and I was looking forward to, 413 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: you know, things don't work out, which you know, there 414 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: was a good chance they weren't going to work out 415 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: initially that I would have something to fall back on. Unfortunately, 416 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: I didn't really take off inter Vine. But then I 417 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: went to the summer league in Los Angeles and they 418 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: had two divisions. They had a NBA division with all 419 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: a lot of MB eight teens and the first, second, 420 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: third year players and guys who are trying to make 421 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: a team. And then they had the three agents of 422 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: this room basically was saying pay your four hundred bucks. 423 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: We're gonna throw you on a team and nobody's gonna 424 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,199 Speaker 1: watch you, and we're gonna tell you that everybody's scouting you. 425 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: Uh so we've had paid my four hundred bucks. I 426 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: was on a team. I was small forward on that 427 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: team and we were playing like a seven thirty eight 428 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 1: o'clock in the morning games where nobody was there other 429 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: than your your girlfriend or your your parents in the stands, 430 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: and but you hit me an opportunity to compete. But 431 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: I stayed there all day. Doug, this is the thing 432 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: that really made me and I and I tell, I 433 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: tell my my kids, and I tell when I speak 434 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: to kids, you can't expect anybody to give you anything. 435 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: But you have to be ready two to answer the 436 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: call and be there and always be around. And so 437 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: what I did. I got into my pickup truck and 438 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: got to the view like at seven a m. Eat 439 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: the traffic to l A and I stayed there every 440 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: single day all day and watching NBA practices and coaches 441 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: at that time they needed players to participate in practice 442 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: because guys were hurting. Guys last see me and asked 443 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: me to play. So I practiced for three or four 444 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: different NBA teams. But the head of the head of 445 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: the Summer league saw me and Larry Larry Craig, Larry Craig, 446 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: and I think, um, uh Mitchell, coach Mitchell, but Larry Larry, 447 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: they offered me to be the starting guard on the 448 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: all Star team that was playing against the Russian national 449 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: team in Atlanta. Hawks. They're kind of like the combo 450 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: team there. They were traveling around all the summer leagues 451 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: to play, and that's how I got spotted. I played, 452 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 1: and I played well Doc Rivers, but Webb was on 453 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: that team, and Marcelonas was on the team, and a 454 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,679 Speaker 1: bunch of other players I don't I don't remember, but 455 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: I played extremely well. The next day I got an 456 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: offer to go to to VET camp with the Detroit 457 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,360 Speaker 1: Pistons and Philadelphia seventy six And that changed that. That 458 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: game alone changed my career. But it was because I 459 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: stayed at the gym for like ten straight days and 460 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: they and they saw that I was watching and waiting 461 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: for my opportunity. Wow, that's that's really okay. So, um, 462 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: so this is your first year out of school. You 463 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: you play the that as back when the summer league 464 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: was at Elmy, as you point out, um, and you 465 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 1: end up going to camp with the city. You will 466 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: go to camp with the sixers that year. Yeah, I 467 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: went to camp with the Sixers. I thought I played 468 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 1: pretty good. Matt Dukas was the coach, but he thought otherwise. 469 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: I didn't play well enough to even make an exhibition game. 470 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: I was cut right before the first exhibition game. And 471 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: I thought I played pretty well, but um I did not. 472 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: So back then I don't know if they did it 473 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: every team, but back then, I go to practice and 474 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: the equipment manager, Um Allen Lumpkin, who was now like 475 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: up there in the six year organization and it's actually 476 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: his son, Um works with me. Now he's one of 477 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: our video guys. So what are great little side story there? 478 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: But he calls me. He says, hey, Scott, Um, you've 479 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: just been cut. If you want to keep your practice 480 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: um gear, you can go ahead and keep it, but 481 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: you gotta go see I think her name was Mary, 482 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: the secretary. Then get your flight out. I'm like thinking 483 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: to myself, Wow, how you get cut in the NBA? 484 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: That coach doesn't even come up to you, The general 485 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 1: manager doesn't come up to you. Just equipment manager comes 486 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: up to say, hey, go get your flight. And so 487 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: I did. I go to the office and as I'm 488 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 1: leaving to jump on the van to go back to 489 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: the go to the airport. Just so happened to be, 490 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: I crossed path with the assistant coach, Jimmy Linum, and 491 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 1: he set me down for like five minutes and gave 492 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: me the most inspirational uh, pep talk I've ever had. 493 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: He was basically telling me, I'm gonna make the NBA. 494 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: You just gotta go to the c b A. You 495 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: gotta stick it out, you gotta play the way you play. 496 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: You gotta continue to play with toughness. You will be 497 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 1: back and trust me, it will be sooner than you think. 498 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 1: And so I went to the c b A and 499 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: I played. I never got picked up. And wait, so 500 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: so wait, wait, hold on, let's let's sw down because 501 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: it's a great story. Okay. Um, so, so you go 502 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: to Albany. Was Albany your first choice? That your only choice? 503 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: You got to play for Bill Musselman, who um his 504 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: son obviously is doing a great job as coach in Nevada. 505 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 1: He's been a head coach at with the Sacramento King, 506 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: has been assistant all over and Bill Musselman is one 507 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: of the original fanatics. Um and he was who was 508 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: also a head coach of the Tea of the Timberwolves. 509 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: Like he's like Bill Musselman was crazy. He was a 510 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 1: great coach, but he was crazy. But for people who 511 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 1: don't know, like, look, and I mean this in all uh, 512 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: I mean this is a compliment, Like you were a 513 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: dick to play against, like you would want to like 514 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: in a in a pickup game, and I was a kid, 515 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:47,640 Speaker 1: you would want to you. You would in fact lighten 516 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: me up just to and like, okay, so this this 517 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: We'll get to the story in a second, the pickup 518 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: ball story. But they were you. There was this always 519 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: your persona. Was it established when Jimmy Lyneham sat you down, like, look, 520 00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 1: you're gonna make it, but you gotta be kind of 521 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: an a hold to do it. How to take me through? 522 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: Go ahead? I mean, I'll tell you if I think 523 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: a lot is goes back to my childhood, I wouldn't 524 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 1: change anything. I mean I was definitely did not have 525 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 1: did not know that at that point. I did not 526 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: know we had no money. I didn't know we were welfare. 527 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: I didn't know that nobody else was not living the 528 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: same way we were living. Um we've lived. I mean, 529 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,679 Speaker 1: there was not a lot of you know I was. 530 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 1: There was not a lot of I guess wealth are 531 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: not a lot of money in the in the whole 532 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: entire area. But it made me, It gave me everything 533 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: that I have in my belly to make it. I 534 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: knew I was going to make it. And I refused 535 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: to be pigeonholed in being called something that I knew 536 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: that I was not. That wasn't me. I didn't want 537 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: to be that way. So I always felt that I 538 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: had to fight for everything. And and I always felt, 539 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 1: you know, once you're the competition, it's a fight. You 540 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: do whatever it takes within the rules to win. And 541 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 1: I refused to play any other way. And that's how 542 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 1: I was brought up. And you know, like I said, 543 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: my mom raised me that way. I fought. I've been 544 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: in many fights, and I did a lot of things 545 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: I should never did as a young kid. But it 546 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,199 Speaker 1: all changed. I go back to this eighth grade graduation 547 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: June nine. It changed. I told myself that night that 548 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: I will be in the n b A and I 549 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: will make something out of my life. And I'm not 550 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: gonna let anybody tell me anything different. And I've been 551 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: told a lot. I've been told then you look like 552 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: you're gonna be checking groceries, You're gonna be you know, 553 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: driving ups. Not that there's nothing wrong with that, but 554 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: I felt that I was good enough to be an 555 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: NBA player. I don't know how you wait, by the 556 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: way you you know you do. Do you glossed over 557 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 1: that with your childhood? Like that's a great like how 558 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: in the because I had I had the exact seeing 559 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 1: kind of vision and dream and I have it written down. Um, 560 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: my freshman year at test in high school, we had 561 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: to get an apartment and um because because I grew 562 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: up in but the Almadina district and my brother you know, 563 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: played some point played some too. Almadina was kind of 564 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: a nothing high school, like basically like Robbie Gordon was 565 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: from there and who was a race car driver. And 566 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: outside of that, like, uh, you know, up until now 567 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,479 Speaker 1: we're Freddie Freeman, who's an All star baseball player. No 568 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: one really came out of Almadina and so especially basketball. 569 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: So I stay back in eighth grade, all I want 570 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: to do is be a basketball player. My dad having 571 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: notebook and he's like, I want you to write down 572 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: your goals, and I wrote, I want to play in college. 573 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: I want to play in college basketball, playing the Final Four. 574 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: I want play in the NBA. And then he was like, great, 575 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:42,959 Speaker 1: those are goals. Now like the rest of the notebook, 576 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna fill up with what you're gonna do, all 577 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: the things you're gonna do in order to get there. 578 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: But like eighth grade, without a dad, without kind of guidance, 579 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: how did you come to the how did you come 580 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: to your own mind that I'm gonna play in the 581 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: NBA no matter what anybody says? Well, you know, like I, 582 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: that goes back I've had great mentors alone the one 583 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: and it goes back to my mom. I remember using 584 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: the word I can't, I won't. I can't make the 585 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: NBA and she said what I said, Well, I can't 586 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: make them like so much bigger than me and faster 587 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: and athletic, and she said, okay, that's fine. Um see 588 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: this these um like it was like ten pieces of paper, 589 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: you know, front and back line paper, and she said, 590 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: I want you to do me a favor and right 591 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: on every line front and I called ten pages. I can't. 592 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: It's not a word. And so I had to do 593 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,000 Speaker 1: that printed out and she said I needed pleasurable. I 594 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: needed printed out neatly and take your time. It's not 595 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: a rush thing. And I and I took the heart 596 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: to that. And I really believe kent is not a word. 597 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: If you make it a word, it's gonna be it's 598 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: gonna be pretty predominant in your life. But I refused 599 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 1: to look at that word and say it's gonna be me. 600 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna let that word define me. And I 601 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: just felt that, you know what, everybody has to put 602 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: on the shoes the same way, why can't I put 603 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: on it the same way as an NBA player does? 604 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: And I just felt that, you know, I have to 605 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: to earn it. Nobody was going to give it to me, 606 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: and I have to exhaust every opportunity and physically and 607 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: mentally challenging myself every day. And that just goes back, 608 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: you know, going into CBA Musselman coach, Musselman challenge you 609 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: not only physically, he challenged mentally. There's a line you 610 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: got a cross as a coach, and now that I know, 611 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: you try to cross that, and you try to cross 612 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: the physical line occasionally, and then you've got to go 613 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 1: to the mental line, and then some days you got 614 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: to do both. Uh. Muscleman, he did both every day 615 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: as if it was Game seven of an NBA Finals, 616 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: and he treated every way everybody that way, and it 617 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: really it really moded me. I really give him a 618 00:31:54,920 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: lot of credit. Man. I twisted my ankle so badly. 619 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: He's like his name was boot Bond, What a great name, 620 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: and he was, I mean, good player, and I'm twenty 621 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: two years old. I twisted my ankle soapen on. The 622 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: thing blew up like a balloon. And I remember leaving 623 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 1: in the second quarter, going downstairs in the old armory 624 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: and I had to use the restroom so bad. And 625 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: back then you using the restroom with the fans, and 626 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: it was like using the urinal and then the fans 627 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: are looking at me and say, hey, hey, Scott, good 628 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: game around. You're back for the second half. Like going 629 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: to the locker room, we have no trainers there. I'm 630 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: looking at my ankle. Oh my god, am I gonna 631 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: do so at halftime, like the fire chief comes in 632 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: and you know he's he's he's like the trainer. I 633 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: think his name is Jack. Uh. So he comes in 634 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 1: and looked at my ankle. He said, no, there's no way, 635 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 1: there's absolutely there's no way you can play. So uh 636 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: Coach Musman was doing this talk and just gloss over 637 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: me and he said all right. I said, I'm like 638 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: like at that point, like stuttering, like I don't know, 639 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: I'm I'm nervous because he's about to stream at me. 640 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: I don't And then then he said, okay, I'll tell 641 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: you you can't play. Make sure you go to our 642 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: secretary tomorrow morning, get a flight back to California. And 643 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: I'm like what I said, No, no, no, no, no 644 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 1: no no no no, I'm good, coach. I'm going to play. 645 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: So I tied that thing up so tight and ended 646 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:24,959 Speaker 1: up playing in the second half. I to this day, 647 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: I don't know how I played. I wish I could 648 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 1: somehow get video tape of that because I was dragging 649 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: that leg all on. But I didn't want to get cut. 650 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: I know this is my chance and I cannot, uh 651 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: let it be blown away with just the twisted ankle. 652 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,080 Speaker 1: All right, see are you did you guys get married? 653 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 1: Were you guys married at this point? Um? No, we 654 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: we were not married, but we were. I mean it 655 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: was going that direction my wife and I at that time, 656 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:55,360 Speaker 1: my girlfriend and I, Uh, it was somebody that I 657 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 1: knew that I want to spend my rest of my 658 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:02,479 Speaker 1: life with. But was she came out and and stayed 659 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:04,959 Speaker 1: with me. You know, Albany And at that time my 660 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: first contract in Albany was one year, non guaranteed. We 661 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 1: do actually day to day with muscleman, no playing a 662 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: play contracts the possession. But how much how much? And 663 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: then what was did you guys get pretty? M she? 664 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: I mean pretty was probably pre dym Basically it was 665 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: just enough money to go to like uh, I don't know. 666 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,399 Speaker 1: You went the Scisslers because they had all you can 667 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,839 Speaker 1: eat lunch and the take take something, take some home 668 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: with you through the dinner and then take some home 669 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:40,479 Speaker 1: with you. Yeah, or we did this in high school 670 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: and I did it when I was in the U S. 671 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: When I was in the USB L, we would do 672 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:45,399 Speaker 1: it too. We have like twenty dollars a day. When 673 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,760 Speaker 1: I was in the A B A it was twenty 674 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 1: dollars a day as well, and we did the scissor thing. 675 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: Or then we do you know, like one dude would 676 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: pay and other guys that sit at the table in 677 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: order to save money. So uh so you get down 678 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,720 Speaker 1: you're on the all rookie team. Didn't you go play 679 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 1: in like Fresno and some other random league? Yes, it 680 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 1: was that was the ended up being a WBL DOT 681 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: the league that your dad was gonna be a part of. 682 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,320 Speaker 1: I don't think it's actually made it or they maybe 683 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:13,320 Speaker 1: merged with the WBL. In the World Basketball League, it 684 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: was the same concept six four and under, and I 685 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: was playing with the Fresnel team played their summer It 686 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: was like a fifty game, fifty four game three months 687 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: in the summer league. And it was funny that the 688 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: same guys, the same guys that I was playing in 689 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:32,399 Speaker 1: the c b A, that they were listed at six 690 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 1: trying to make an NBA key somehow, some way they 691 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: shrunk the sixth four in the summer to play in 692 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: the six league. But which was you had to do it? 693 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 1: I mean there was no money in the c b 694 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: A and and that league paid. They paid twenty tho 695 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 1: dollars per player. I think every player got the same 696 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: amount of money. Uh. In a shocker, in a shocking development, 697 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: that league did not last stay around all that long. Um, okay, 698 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: so then how'd you make the six How do you 699 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:02,359 Speaker 1: how do you make the six ers the next year? 700 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: Did you go back through the summer league thing? Or no, 701 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: you're playing in the w BL. So there was no 702 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:10,280 Speaker 1: summer league, There was no summer league. But um, Jimmy 703 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: line them ends up taking over for Maddie Bukis. Philadelphia 704 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,879 Speaker 1: becomes the head coach, and so he calls me up, 705 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,880 Speaker 1: and coincidental, Detroit calls me up. The same two teams 706 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 1: that wanted to bring me in last year. So, uh, 707 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 1: he calls me up, and you know they there. He said, 708 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: they're looking for a backup point guard. They got Mo 709 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 1: Cheeks as a starter in general I understand, which is 710 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 1: like a combo guard gate and they're thinking about some 711 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:45,040 Speaker 1: other guys overseas, and and I say, okay, that's great. 712 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,760 Speaker 1: But Detroit calls me up. Jack Klefsky was the generalman. 713 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: She tells me Siah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Denny Johnson 714 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: were the guards and they were looking for a backup 715 00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 1: point guard. And it's gonna be between Mike Williams from 716 00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 1: Baylor and myself, and we were going to go in 717 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: both with the same non guarantee contract one year, like 718 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 1: non guaranteed, like seventy five thousand. I said great, So 719 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: I committed to him. I said perfect. I know, you know, 720 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: just give me a chance and I'm gonna do my best, 721 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: and that's all I wanted. So I felt that that 722 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: was gonna They're gonna give me a great opportunity to 723 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: be a backup to Isaiah. So Jimmy Lennon ends up 724 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: calling me. He says, Scott, no, they're not telling you. 725 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:32,839 Speaker 1: They're not being um up front with you. Um, it's 726 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: not going to be an even deal. Mike Williams has 727 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:37,920 Speaker 1: like a three year guaranteed, like three hundred thousand a year, 728 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: and I'm like, well, no, I talked to I talked 729 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: to my agent, talked to him. They saidn't. I went 730 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,280 Speaker 1: back and forth, but finally Jimmy calls me once again, 731 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,439 Speaker 1: like that was night before I was going to fly out. 732 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:55,279 Speaker 1: He said, Scott, I'm gonna tell you this, and I 733 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 1: probably shouldn't tell you this, but I'm gonna tell you. 734 00:37:57,239 --> 00:37:59,319 Speaker 1: It's just like if I was your dad, I would 735 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:03,440 Speaker 1: tell you not to come to Philadelphia. I'm not guaranteeing 736 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: you a spot, but you have a chance. Detroit, you 737 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:08,920 Speaker 1: have no chance. They're not going to cut a player 738 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 1: that's gonna be guaranteed for three years. Not gonna do it. 739 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 1: So I said, okay, perfect, I'm there. Flow out the 740 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:20,359 Speaker 1: next day. Yeah. Fast forward during training camp and I'd 741 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: have a great training camp, play well in exhibition. Backing 742 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: up Maurice's cheeks, pressuring him up and down the court. 743 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: He's doing the same to me. We're not backing down 744 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: from each other. They like, they like what they saw, 745 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 1: and they offered me the job. So I ended up 746 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: making the team. But it was because of Jimmy Lina 747 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:40,840 Speaker 1: showed and gave me great advice. I mean, he was 748 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: more than a coach and still is more than a 749 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 1: coach to this day. But thankful for him. He made 750 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:48,760 Speaker 1: that last call to tell me, do not go there. 751 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 1: There's no chance to make the team there. Okay, So 752 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: here here's what if if you can, and if you 753 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 1: can kind of shake your memory. Um, who what was 754 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 1: a call like or what was the office visit like 755 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:06,880 Speaker 1: when they told you they were keeping you? Well, this 756 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:12,600 Speaker 1: is interesting. Um, I had a non guarantee like seventy 757 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 1: five thousand, and it wasn't it wasn't gonna be guaranteed 758 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: until like December. That was the that was the guaranteed day. 759 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 1: Thank goodness they changed that to like January ten, because 760 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 1: there's a lot of unhappy families right around that time 761 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:28,879 Speaker 1: because you were going to get cut because they didn't 762 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:30,920 Speaker 1: want to guarantee of the year. But I get the 763 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:33,399 Speaker 1: call from John Nash. He calls me, and he says, 764 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 1: come down, um, come down to the office. In the 765 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: office was like right under the old Eagles football stadium. 766 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:45,279 Speaker 1: And so I go to the office and you know, 767 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:49,319 Speaker 1: as a twenty three year old kid, it's intimidating. So 768 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: I go into his office. I mean it's big death 769 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:56,840 Speaker 1: would death. I'm sure you know, high end Mahogany or 770 00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:00,239 Speaker 1: so he or whatever it would, but it was. I 771 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:03,120 Speaker 1: still remember that desk and it was like John Nash 772 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:06,280 Speaker 1: was on the other side of shaking from thinking. Okay, 773 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna make the team. They kind of 774 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:10,480 Speaker 1: told me I was on the team, Barkley told me. 775 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 1: Now the general managers talking to me. So he says, hey, 776 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: you're going to make the team. Congratulations. What we want 777 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:19,680 Speaker 1: to do is we want to give you. We want 778 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:22,520 Speaker 1: to rip up your contract and give you a new contract. 779 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, what this is like, way too good to 780 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:27,680 Speaker 1: be true. So he says, here's what we're gonna do. 781 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:32,439 Speaker 1: We're gonna guarantee you dollars this year and then give 782 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:36,400 Speaker 1: you like a hundred thousand next year, non guaranteed. And 783 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: he says, just sign this, and I said, well, um, 784 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: I said, I'm not comfortable. Signing it, and he's kind 785 00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 1: of like taking take him back, and he's like startled. 786 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 1: He said, well, wait a minute, what do you mean? 787 00:40:47,719 --> 00:40:49,839 Speaker 1: He said, you need to call your agent, he said, 788 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 1: but I'll leave the room call your agents. So I 789 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:54,040 Speaker 1: end up calling my agent, Frank cata Panel. I give 790 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: him the scenario and what just the place, and he says, well, 791 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: you need to sign it. I said, because that's guarantee. 792 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 1: You know some teams they don't take that lightly. They'll 793 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:06,759 Speaker 1: end up giving you, give you the benefits of the 794 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,080 Speaker 1: doubt to keep you. I said, thank. I just don't 795 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:10,839 Speaker 1: want to commit to him for two years. Next year 796 00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:14,080 Speaker 1: is non guaranteed. And that's and I said, I don't 797 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,200 Speaker 1: feel comfortable. I just so I just stay with my 798 00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:18,359 Speaker 1: normal contract. If I'm good enough to make it, I'm 799 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:20,080 Speaker 1: going to stay on the team. If I'm not, I'm 800 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:21,759 Speaker 1: not going to be on the team. It's simple. In 801 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:24,279 Speaker 1: my eyes. I was real. I don't know, I was real, 802 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:25,840 Speaker 1: black and white. It was either I'm on it or 803 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:28,880 Speaker 1: I'm not. Just you know, let me know. So I 804 00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:31,400 Speaker 1: I called Mr Nash back in. I tell him when 805 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to deer and he says, wow, are you sure? 806 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: He says, we're looking at We're looking at um a 807 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:38,880 Speaker 1: guy that is playing overseas right now, but we're gonna 808 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:41,359 Speaker 1: bring him in. I think I can remember the name. 809 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,040 Speaker 1: I think was Dave Henderson played the dude. And he says, 810 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:46,480 Speaker 1: he's really a good guard, the common guard. He can 811 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:48,120 Speaker 1: play a little bit of point of six five and 812 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:51,239 Speaker 1: you know, we're gonna guarantee him like fifty dollars and 813 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 1: I don't know, you might not be able to match that. 814 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: And if if you don't play well enough, you sure 815 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,279 Speaker 1: you don't want to sign this? I said no, and 816 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 1: I just so I looked him run the I said, 817 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:05,000 Speaker 1: if he deserves to make the team, over me, I 818 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 1: think he should be on the team. Over me. I said, 819 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:08,879 Speaker 1: I don't deserve to be on the team, but I'm 820 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,920 Speaker 1: very comfortable with my contract and I'm very happy with 821 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:14,600 Speaker 1: the opportunity I'm giving. I shook his hand and then 822 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 1: immediately I give it was like the funny we still 823 00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:19,000 Speaker 1: ask that this all the time when we see each other. 824 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,720 Speaker 1: He shook my hand. He just said, you know what, Scott, 825 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:24,960 Speaker 1: you just made yourself a lot of money. Congratulations, And 826 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 1: then I walked out of in that plane. You know 827 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,560 Speaker 1: over you know, over a decade. Okay, wait wait do 828 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 1: you you also that year you started six games, so 829 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: among the things like, look, everybody dreams of playing in 830 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 1: the playoffs and winning a championship, and even you know, 831 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:43,279 Speaker 1: my whole dream was like, look, I just all I 832 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:45,640 Speaker 1: really wanted was to play one game in the NBA, 833 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:48,279 Speaker 1: but to have your name announced. And remember this is 834 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:50,400 Speaker 1: the six Ers. You guys, no only had more cheeks, 835 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:52,880 Speaker 1: but yeah, this is Barkley in the height of Barkley's powers. 836 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:55,759 Speaker 1: This is a game. People forget that that Chuck And 837 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:57,160 Speaker 1: I want to ask you about Chuck in a minute, 838 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: about how he was a freak athlete, Like everybody think 839 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:01,920 Speaker 1: it's just roly poly round mound rebound, but he was 840 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 1: an incredible athlete. But anyway, um, do you remember what 841 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:08,120 Speaker 1: it was like the first time your name is called 842 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:13,040 Speaker 1: starting point guard for the Philadelphia seventies six Ers, Scotty Brooks, 843 00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:16,920 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I remember it. And it was just, 844 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,920 Speaker 1: you know, everybody in my position to all you all, 845 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:24,040 Speaker 1: we all said, all I wanna do is just get 846 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: in a one up game or a preseason game and 847 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:30,080 Speaker 1: getting just playing a game. Be able to do that. 848 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:32,880 Speaker 1: You know, I played for over a decade in the 849 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:38,520 Speaker 1: NBA and I only started six games. And I don't 850 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:43,560 Speaker 1: know if I was unlucky that I only started six games, 851 00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:45,960 Speaker 1: but I look at it. I was. Some people say 852 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 1: I was unlucky because you know, sooner or later starting 853 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:50,239 Speaker 1: point guard is gonna get hurt for a month or 854 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:52,080 Speaker 1: two and he's gonna you know, you're gonna get an 855 00:43:52,080 --> 00:43:54,319 Speaker 1: opportunity to start. But I never looked at it that way. 856 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:56,560 Speaker 1: I looked at it. I was on the team, and 857 00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:58,880 Speaker 1: I was always about the team. But when I started, 858 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:02,120 Speaker 1: and it was such a sure. Really, I don't I 859 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:03,840 Speaker 1: don't know what we end up being. I think for 860 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:07,600 Speaker 1: five and one or four locked the game before that 861 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,200 Speaker 1: Murry chiefs, I think he separated his shoulder a little bit. 862 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:13,760 Speaker 1: Uh so I played the game before that. But playing 863 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 1: alone with Barkley, I mean we can go, we can 864 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 1: go to day. This podcast can last for an hour 865 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:22,240 Speaker 1: strength just talking about team. But what an amazing teammate 866 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:25,239 Speaker 1: in person that I'm so fortunate to be able to 867 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:28,919 Speaker 1: call a teammate for two seasons? What what about him? What? 868 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 1: What do what do people not know about Charles Barkley 869 00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:37,760 Speaker 1: that you know the most generous person, the most giving 870 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:41,920 Speaker 1: the person I've ever been around, I mean constantly. And 871 00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 1: he was normal rightfully so as a you know, a 872 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:49,160 Speaker 1: tough guy, a badass, and he had this he had 873 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:51,200 Speaker 1: this way about him that you know, you don't mess 874 00:44:51,239 --> 00:44:54,320 Speaker 1: with him. He was strong, he was quick, he was athletic. 875 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 1: He was a freak of nature. I mean he's six 876 00:44:56,320 --> 00:45:03,799 Speaker 1: five maybe uh toft to sixty good days, but extremely 877 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:07,800 Speaker 1: gifted in athleticism and in brains. He just had a 878 00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:12,400 Speaker 1: high i Q. But didn't you realize that he was 879 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:15,400 Speaker 1: always given and he was always I mean, there are 880 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,520 Speaker 1: so many stories that just constantly. I played golf with 881 00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 1: him one day, and that was a treat. I mean, 882 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:25,400 Speaker 1: just to see him play in person. It was like 883 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:28,960 Speaker 1: so strange because so athletic he is, and then he 884 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:31,959 Speaker 1: can't play golf, but he loved it. And it didn't 885 00:45:31,960 --> 00:45:34,759 Speaker 1: even bother him that he wasn't very good. When you 886 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:38,160 Speaker 1: when he's on the golf course, for some reason, the 887 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:41,479 Speaker 1: whole community finds out. And I don't know if it's 888 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 1: the it's the starter, I don't know if it's the 889 00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:48,040 Speaker 1: range guy. I don't know if it's shut. But we turned. 890 00:45:48,080 --> 00:45:50,520 Speaker 1: We just finished nine and we're about turning the corner. 891 00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:53,520 Speaker 1: And I would say, I would say there was a 892 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:58,120 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty kids waiting for us, part for not 893 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:00,919 Speaker 1: for Charles just so upen to be in his cart, 894 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:05,000 Speaker 1: and he spent I would say, he spent I don't know, 895 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:08,120 Speaker 1: thirty five minutes talking to these kids about education, about 896 00:46:08,120 --> 00:46:11,480 Speaker 1: doing the right things, about playing the right way. And 897 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:15,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm just thinking to myself, one, I want 898 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:17,040 Speaker 1: to keep kicking your butt, so let's get to number ten. 899 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:20,320 Speaker 1: But I wanted to just stay in the moment because 900 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:23,600 Speaker 1: this guy was just like spewing out just great information 901 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:26,719 Speaker 1: and tidbit. But as a young player, for me to 902 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:30,080 Speaker 1: see that, to see him give back to the community, 903 00:46:30,120 --> 00:46:31,960 Speaker 1: it was great to see what a great role model 904 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:34,080 Speaker 1: for me. And it's funny he has the commercial not 905 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:36,759 Speaker 1: a role model, but he he was a great rule 906 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:38,919 Speaker 1: model for me. Did crazy things, He did dumb things, 907 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:41,239 Speaker 1: and he would regret like we all do, but you know, 908 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 1: but he he had a heart of a champion and 909 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:45,799 Speaker 1: a heart of you know, like I've never seen a 910 00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 1: player at ha UM that your first year, you guys 911 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 1: lost the bulls in five games. And when I was 912 00:46:53,120 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: getting ready, when you when you say you do this 913 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:56,080 Speaker 1: with me. I just I wanted to look up some 914 00:46:56,080 --> 00:47:00,320 Speaker 1: stuff and this was Michael Jordan's not these are Barkley 915 00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:05,040 Speaker 1: had twenty rebounds, nineteen rebounds, twenty rebounds. Jordan had thirty 916 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:11,160 Speaker 1: nine and thirty seven. What was what was Michael Jordan's 917 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:14,080 Speaker 1: like to be on the other side, you know? And 918 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:18,400 Speaker 1: that's crazy. And I swear I saw he owned scored 919 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:21,600 Speaker 1: in the first in the last eight minutes. It just 920 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:24,640 Speaker 1: seems like he was, you know, just offensively, just sewing 921 00:47:24,680 --> 00:47:26,480 Speaker 1: out the game in the middle, in the middle part 922 00:47:26,480 --> 00:47:28,680 Speaker 1: of the game, but start the game. He set the 923 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:33,880 Speaker 1: tone and obviously the game incredible. I mean, you can 924 00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:36,480 Speaker 1: argue he's the best player, and some people don't think 925 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:39,040 Speaker 1: it would argument. The guy was the best offensive player 926 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:42,640 Speaker 1: and the best defensive player all in the same and 927 00:47:42,719 --> 00:47:44,880 Speaker 1: he was that way for over a decade. It was 928 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:48,640 Speaker 1: it was just I guess he could easily been m 929 00:47:48,719 --> 00:47:51,439 Speaker 1: v P every single year. I mean, what's a what's 930 00:47:51,440 --> 00:47:53,520 Speaker 1: an off year from him? Okay, average twenty nine this 931 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:57,440 Speaker 1: year instead of thirty three. But he he had he 932 00:47:57,480 --> 00:48:00,600 Speaker 1: had shots that you didn't make a miss. He missed. 933 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:04,200 Speaker 1: It was him. He elevated way over you. He was 934 00:48:04,280 --> 00:48:07,800 Speaker 1: stronger than most guys six six to ten or whatever, 935 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:10,160 Speaker 1: how many towns he weighs. He just had this wiry 936 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:13,520 Speaker 1: straint and you know, as being a point guard against him, 937 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:17,160 Speaker 1: you got Scottie Pippen denying on the left side, and 938 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,120 Speaker 1: you've got Michael Jordan denying on the right side. And 939 00:48:20,239 --> 00:48:24,440 Speaker 1: that's hard to make just simple simple, you know, passes 940 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,000 Speaker 1: to the right or left that you were always like, okay, okay, 941 00:48:27,040 --> 00:48:30,160 Speaker 1: I see him. I know he's gonna still and he 942 00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:33,239 Speaker 1: steals it. And but just incredible just to be on 943 00:48:33,239 --> 00:48:37,400 Speaker 1: that court. That playoff series, to me was watching greatness 944 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:40,040 Speaker 1: and I've never I don't know if anybody's had those 945 00:48:40,080 --> 00:48:43,759 Speaker 1: type of moments that that many games so consistently as 946 00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 1: he played that that series. Um okay, So so what 947 00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 1: was if you had to pick out the flaw to 948 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: to Barkley, because I think Barkley, now, you know, there's 949 00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:55,200 Speaker 1: some people say, you know, some some guys games, I 950 00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:57,680 Speaker 1: don't know how some of the bigs would translate to now. 951 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:01,640 Speaker 1: Barkley I think would translate now because athletically, especially in 952 00:49:01,680 --> 00:49:04,520 Speaker 1: his prime, he could guard all those positions. But did 953 00:49:04,520 --> 00:49:07,040 Speaker 1: he like then the knock on Barkley I had always 954 00:49:07,040 --> 00:49:10,280 Speaker 1: heard was like he never was really bought into defense 955 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:12,040 Speaker 1: is good and he even though he could be a 956 00:49:12,040 --> 00:49:15,840 Speaker 1: great rebounder and obviously a phenomenal score, was it was 957 00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:18,040 Speaker 1: his defense was the shooting? What was what was it 958 00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:22,560 Speaker 1: that held Chuck back from being just that notch below? Well, 959 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:27,240 Speaker 1: you know the to me, there's so many opinions and knocks, 960 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:31,160 Speaker 1: and you know about Charles defense in this and that 961 00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:33,439 Speaker 1: the biggest knock that he was playing in the East 962 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:36,719 Speaker 1: against Jordan's and there was a lot of and then 963 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:39,400 Speaker 1: part of that it was Boston. There's a lot of 964 00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:41,719 Speaker 1: good teams and you know there's a lot of great 965 00:49:41,719 --> 00:49:45,080 Speaker 1: players that couldn't get by them, just like the East. 966 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:48,040 Speaker 1: Now you know the UH was Lebron eight straight years. 967 00:49:48,480 --> 00:49:52,080 Speaker 1: It's some some guys that you just can't get by. 968 00:49:52,120 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 1: In Jordan's you couldn't get by them. He's just he 969 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,919 Speaker 1: was dominant. But I mean, if I would say one 970 00:49:57,960 --> 00:50:01,080 Speaker 1: thing on the court, I mean, remember Detector, he wasn't 971 00:50:01,440 --> 00:50:06,359 Speaker 1: six five, he's gonna do. He competed. I don't think 972 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:12,160 Speaker 1: we never had the defense of inside presence, especially back 973 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:16,040 Speaker 1: in the late eighties and eighties and nineties were defense 974 00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:18,440 Speaker 1: for sure. Wins championship said it would you had to 975 00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:20,520 Speaker 1: protect the pain. You got to protect them. You were 976 00:50:21,120 --> 00:50:25,000 Speaker 1: you're basically playing football back then, So that was that 977 00:50:25,239 --> 00:50:26,880 Speaker 1: was a knock on him. But I'll tell you, he 978 00:50:28,840 --> 00:50:35,000 Speaker 1: in the league and he can shore on any uh 979 00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:39,399 Speaker 1: he had. He had a great sense of the four, 980 00:50:39,560 --> 00:50:42,160 Speaker 1: He had a great eye for passing, and he always 981 00:50:42,280 --> 00:50:45,520 Speaker 1: made some great decisions. And like I said, I I 982 00:50:45,719 --> 00:50:49,640 Speaker 1: thoroughly enjoyed every game playing with him. Had happened to 983 00:50:49,680 --> 00:50:52,800 Speaker 1: have lived with him for two months and at his house, 984 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 1: and that was also interesting. Will treat him that were 985 00:50:57,520 --> 00:50:59,080 Speaker 1: I feel like we're burying the lead. Why did you 986 00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:02,239 Speaker 1: live with Charles Barkley? Well, you know what, I thought 987 00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:04,200 Speaker 1: he would just be a nice guy. I thought he 988 00:51:04,239 --> 00:51:07,600 Speaker 1: was being really generous, which he is. I'm like, it's cool. 989 00:51:07,600 --> 00:51:11,040 Speaker 1: He's reminded me over and I'm living with you. Um 990 00:51:11,160 --> 00:51:14,480 Speaker 1: and I stayed there till about December. I don't know, 991 00:51:15,840 --> 00:51:18,239 Speaker 1: but have the conversation. How the conversation, wait, wait, how 992 00:51:18,280 --> 00:51:21,520 Speaker 1: the conversation goes that you came to live with Barkley? Well, 993 00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:23,359 Speaker 1: he just it was not even a conversation. She said, 994 00:51:23,360 --> 00:51:27,680 Speaker 1: you're living with me. I'm like, okay, great. So I 995 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:32,000 Speaker 1: remember back then they had these like phone cars, cards, cards, 996 00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:34,680 Speaker 1: like whatever it was, and that's how you made a 997 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:37,120 Speaker 1: long distance calls. I'm calling my mom. I said, you're 998 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:40,160 Speaker 1: not gonna believe this. Not only am I going to 999 00:51:40,239 --> 00:51:43,319 Speaker 1: make the team, I'm gonna live with Charles Barkley. And 1000 00:51:43,360 --> 00:51:48,799 Speaker 1: she says, oh you want that. That's like a it's 1001 00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:54,239 Speaker 1: an interesting guy to be under his wings. But so 1002 00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:56,680 Speaker 1: I lived with him. It was like no choice. But 1003 00:51:56,760 --> 00:52:00,480 Speaker 1: as it turns out, and this is even the story better, 1004 00:52:00,760 --> 00:52:03,439 Speaker 1: I was about to sign a release for some reason. 1005 00:52:03,480 --> 00:52:06,759 Speaker 1: I can remember these partners like Lincoln Green Apartments right 1006 00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:09,560 Speaker 1: all right on City Line Avenue in balachan Wood area 1007 00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:12,520 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia, right behind the Fridays. I was about to 1008 00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:16,359 Speaker 1: sign the lease um for like six months and once 1009 00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:19,440 Speaker 1: you saw, at least you're stuck with it. So Charles 1010 00:52:19,560 --> 00:52:22,960 Speaker 1: knew that I had a great chance and not to 1011 00:52:23,080 --> 00:52:27,839 Speaker 1: stick past the December deadline. So he did not want 1012 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:30,120 Speaker 1: me to commit to at lease and sign for six 1013 00:52:30,200 --> 00:52:32,000 Speaker 1: months and be stuck with it for you know, four 1014 00:52:32,040 --> 00:52:35,440 Speaker 1: and a half five months after they cut me. So 1015 00:52:35,640 --> 00:52:38,640 Speaker 1: but he never told me that until after and I 1016 00:52:38,680 --> 00:52:40,919 Speaker 1: can remember and he only he could say in these 1017 00:52:40,960 --> 00:52:44,200 Speaker 1: colorful ways, and I cannot tell you are saying over this, 1018 00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:48,920 Speaker 1: but basically in a PG version, buck ahead. You think 1019 00:52:48,920 --> 00:52:53,160 Speaker 1: I really wanted to have this California kid live with 1020 00:52:53,239 --> 00:52:55,880 Speaker 1: me twenty three years in my house. No, I didn't 1021 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:58,640 Speaker 1: because I didn't want you to pay thousand dollars a 1022 00:52:58,640 --> 00:53:01,040 Speaker 1: month for sixte I knew you were going to make 1023 00:53:01,040 --> 00:53:03,680 Speaker 1: a team. That's why I brought you in. But what 1024 00:53:03,800 --> 00:53:06,400 Speaker 1: a great guy, what a great story, what a great roommate. 1025 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:09,440 Speaker 1: My god, we had. We had the time of my life. 1026 00:53:09,480 --> 00:53:12,120 Speaker 1: And he loved to go out and he loved to 1027 00:53:12,160 --> 00:53:15,520 Speaker 1: have fun, and so good with the public. I've never seen, 1028 00:53:15,760 --> 00:53:18,880 Speaker 1: never seen a superstar so generous with his time with 1029 00:53:18,920 --> 00:53:22,239 Speaker 1: the public. I mean, dinner, come up to us. I 1030 00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:27,120 Speaker 1: mean it was almost amazing. No, no, he he know, 1031 00:53:27,239 --> 00:53:28,640 Speaker 1: he's I mean I worked with him when I was 1032 00:53:28,680 --> 00:53:31,640 Speaker 1: at CBS, and you know, even even now that we 1033 00:53:31,680 --> 00:53:34,239 Speaker 1: don't work together, like any time with him, like Doug, 1034 00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:36,439 Speaker 1: you're coming with me and kind of the same thing, 1035 00:53:36,840 --> 00:53:38,719 Speaker 1: and you just you're like, you're just my wife. Here's 1036 00:53:38,800 --> 00:53:42,160 Speaker 1: here's my my story with with Chuck. So the first 1037 00:53:42,160 --> 00:53:45,799 Speaker 1: final four I do with him. Um, you know, we 1038 00:53:45,800 --> 00:53:48,200 Speaker 1: were we we worked together one weekend in studio and 1039 00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:50,799 Speaker 1: I had we had kind of a mutual friend and 1040 00:53:50,960 --> 00:53:52,960 Speaker 1: I knew him a little bit and then I name 1041 00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:54,880 Speaker 1: dropped you, like, yeah, I grew up, you know, in 1042 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:57,400 Speaker 1: the shadow of Scotty Brooks. And so automatically I was 1043 00:53:57,440 --> 00:53:59,960 Speaker 1: good with him. And so we go to the final 1044 00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:03,560 Speaker 1: ford Is in Atlanta, and he has a place, it's 1045 00:54:03,560 --> 00:54:06,480 Speaker 1: like a condo in the Four Seasons in Atlanta, it's 1046 00:54:06,480 --> 00:54:08,520 Speaker 1: like a condo for when he works at Turner. It's 1047 00:54:08,560 --> 00:54:10,960 Speaker 1: right across from Turnia. So we get done at the 1048 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:13,400 Speaker 1: at the George Dome and we I had, you know, 1049 00:54:13,480 --> 00:54:16,960 Speaker 1: the Turner guys, they don't meet. They're like, we're not meeting. 1050 00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:19,640 Speaker 1: And so I worked for CBS, even though it was 1051 00:54:19,680 --> 00:54:23,480 Speaker 1: a Turner type broadcast, so they're like, well they're not. 1052 00:54:23,520 --> 00:54:25,759 Speaker 1: They don't have Kenny and Charles the net to be here, 1053 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:28,400 Speaker 1: but you and Clark and Greg and Greg Anthony's with 1054 00:54:28,480 --> 00:54:30,000 Speaker 1: this time. You guys need to be here like nine 1055 00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:32,200 Speaker 1: o'clock and the games don't start until, you know, like 1056 00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:35,520 Speaker 1: the afternoon, So we're literally at the Dome all day. 1057 00:54:35,640 --> 00:54:37,040 Speaker 1: So we get done then we do like an hour 1058 00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:40,000 Speaker 1: and a half or two hour post game, and I'm 1059 00:54:40,040 --> 00:54:43,080 Speaker 1: I'm wrecked, you know. It's like I'm I'm a little 1060 00:54:43,080 --> 00:54:45,080 Speaker 1: on edge my first Final four plus I'm working on 1061 00:54:45,200 --> 00:54:50,319 Speaker 1: Charles Barkley. And so I get I get done, and 1062 00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:53,200 Speaker 1: it's like eleven. He's like, hey, you and your wife, 1063 00:54:53,200 --> 00:54:55,560 Speaker 1: you're coming out with us? And I was like, okay, 1064 00:54:55,640 --> 00:54:57,000 Speaker 1: that's that's great. So we go and we're like, they 1065 00:54:57,040 --> 00:54:59,479 Speaker 1: all they have town car sporce and he like tells 1066 00:54:59,520 --> 00:55:01,279 Speaker 1: the town car guy like they are not allowed to 1067 00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:03,520 Speaker 1: You're not allowed to take them to their hotel, bring 1068 00:55:03,560 --> 00:55:05,680 Speaker 1: them to the Four Seasons at the bar. So like, 1069 00:55:05,719 --> 00:55:07,520 Speaker 1: all right, we're going out with Charles Barkley, you know. 1070 00:55:07,600 --> 00:55:09,520 Speaker 1: And and the idea like how many times in your 1071 00:55:09,560 --> 00:55:11,239 Speaker 1: life is Charles Barkley getting a man? Do you go 1072 00:55:11,239 --> 00:55:13,200 Speaker 1: out with him? So we go to the we go 1073 00:55:13,239 --> 00:55:16,399 Speaker 1: to Four Seasons and um, my wife is not much 1074 00:55:16,400 --> 00:55:18,680 Speaker 1: of a drinker, but she was. Don't know we were, 1075 00:55:18,840 --> 00:55:21,319 Speaker 1: you know, Charles picks up everybody's tab literally, and so 1076 00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:23,759 Speaker 1: he says, young lady, what do you what would you like? 1077 00:55:24,520 --> 00:55:26,960 Speaker 1: And she's like I'm fine, Chuck already have a drink. 1078 00:55:26,960 --> 00:55:28,680 Speaker 1: He said, no, no no, no, What's what's your favorite drink 1079 00:55:28,719 --> 00:55:32,719 Speaker 1: in the whole world? And so um, I said, chuck. 1080 00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:35,040 Speaker 1: She likes she's you know, she's from up she she 1081 00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:37,680 Speaker 1: grew up in a in a trailer, but she has 1082 00:55:37,760 --> 00:55:41,640 Speaker 1: high dollar taste. She likes she likes champagne. And he's like, 1083 00:55:41,800 --> 00:55:44,360 Speaker 1: he's like, no problem, what is your favorite champagne? And 1084 00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:48,080 Speaker 1: she's just like, you know, I'll take whatever, don't worry 1085 00:55:48,080 --> 00:55:50,000 Speaker 1: about it. I was like, that's not being honest. So 1086 00:55:50,040 --> 00:55:52,759 Speaker 1: we had a we had a friend who what's the 1087 00:55:52,840 --> 00:55:56,160 Speaker 1: really chrystal. We had a friend who, uh, they would 1088 00:55:56,200 --> 00:55:58,600 Speaker 1: they would send us a bottle of Chrystal every year, 1089 00:55:59,160 --> 00:56:01,080 Speaker 1: and she and I would have it like our anniversary. 1090 00:56:01,080 --> 00:56:02,960 Speaker 1: I was like, she likes Crystal. It's like, no problem, 1091 00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:05,600 Speaker 1: is like Chrystal for the league. So we're having Crystal, 1092 00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:07,840 Speaker 1: and you know, it's like one o'clock or one thirty. 1093 00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:10,400 Speaker 1: They shut down the bar, and so Angie and I 1094 00:56:10,440 --> 00:56:12,120 Speaker 1: were like looking at our watches and we don't have 1095 00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:14,680 Speaker 1: our no kids with us, and so he's like, all right, 1096 00:56:14,680 --> 00:56:17,759 Speaker 1: we're going upstairs. So now everybody goes up to goes 1097 00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:20,560 Speaker 1: up to his apartment. And so we've been there for 1098 00:56:20,800 --> 00:56:23,759 Speaker 1: a couple of hours we've been talking. He walks into 1099 00:56:23,760 --> 00:56:26,480 Speaker 1: the door. He walks right to the frigerator. And remember 1100 00:56:26,480 --> 00:56:29,160 Speaker 1: there's like forty people in this traveling circus following around 1101 00:56:29,239 --> 00:56:32,600 Speaker 1: Charles Barkley. Um, and he goes right to the fridge 1102 00:56:32,640 --> 00:56:34,160 Speaker 1: and and he goes and he gets a bottle of 1103 00:56:34,200 --> 00:56:36,120 Speaker 1: crystal and hands it to my wife and he says, 1104 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,480 Speaker 1: I know this is your favorite, and have as much 1105 00:56:39,480 --> 00:56:41,200 Speaker 1: as you'd like. You know, we have, we got more 1106 00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:43,640 Speaker 1: where that came from. Like that's just he's unbelievable. Like 1107 00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:45,359 Speaker 1: there's and you know how it is like when he's 1108 00:56:45,360 --> 00:56:48,359 Speaker 1: sitting there, not only are thirty people going up with him, 1109 00:56:48,600 --> 00:56:51,640 Speaker 1: but there's hundreds of people stopping by, taking pictures, shaking 1110 00:56:51,719 --> 00:56:54,879 Speaker 1: hands whatever. You know, he probably went through meeting five 1111 00:56:54,960 --> 00:56:57,319 Speaker 1: hundred people in the last couple of hours. And yet 1112 00:56:57,600 --> 00:56:59,319 Speaker 1: his first thought when he walks in the door was 1113 00:56:59,440 --> 00:57:02,080 Speaker 1: this guy I worked with once, I'm gonna get his 1114 00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:03,759 Speaker 1: wife a bottle of champagne because I know that's the 1115 00:57:03,800 --> 00:57:05,839 Speaker 1: one he likes. It's I've never seen I've never seen 1116 00:57:05,840 --> 00:57:09,200 Speaker 1: any I've never experienced anything like that. And you know what, 1117 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:12,439 Speaker 1: it's all the time, and I I can say every 1118 00:57:12,520 --> 00:57:15,239 Speaker 1: day he would make He would make more money than 1119 00:57:15,280 --> 00:57:17,400 Speaker 1: he will ever need if he just had a reality 1120 00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:20,800 Speaker 1: show follow him or cameras follow him every single day. 1121 00:57:20,840 --> 00:57:23,840 Speaker 1: The guy is so he is such a people person. 1122 00:57:25,000 --> 00:57:27,680 Speaker 1: Thousands of stories that my friends said, Hey, I'm friends 1123 00:57:27,720 --> 00:57:30,280 Speaker 1: with Scott Brooks. All of a sudden, they're hanging with 1124 00:57:30,360 --> 00:57:33,400 Speaker 1: him for three straight hours and they can't believe it. 1125 00:57:33,440 --> 00:57:36,280 Speaker 1: I said, well, he's like that with everyone. I remember 1126 00:57:36,280 --> 00:57:38,480 Speaker 1: the first time we play the Lakers. We fly from 1127 00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:41,920 Speaker 1: Philadelphia play the Lakers, and all my college teammates they 1128 00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:45,320 Speaker 1: to not wait. I mean, for obviously we're playing. I'm 1129 00:57:45,320 --> 00:57:48,120 Speaker 1: playing on the Sixers and we're playing against Lakers, and 1130 00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:50,680 Speaker 1: got Magic Johnson, You've got Jabar, You've got one of 1131 00:57:50,760 --> 00:57:55,080 Speaker 1: the Kurrambis. Byron's got all these great players. And we're playing. 1132 00:57:55,560 --> 00:58:01,720 Speaker 1: And so I go upstairs the shower and get and 1133 00:58:01,760 --> 00:58:03,520 Speaker 1: they get dressed to meet all my buddies in the 1134 00:58:03,600 --> 00:58:05,800 Speaker 1: in the lobby. So it's like, you know, thirty minutes later, 1135 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:10,200 Speaker 1: so they're already hanging with Charles, and then and then 1136 00:58:10,280 --> 00:58:12,680 Speaker 1: and then and then the next thing I know, I 1137 00:58:12,760 --> 00:58:17,080 Speaker 1: walked down and now Charles and they are having like 1138 00:58:17,320 --> 00:58:19,920 Speaker 1: back then w w F was like our w W 1139 00:58:20,040 --> 00:58:22,360 Speaker 1: whatever the wrestling thing was. It was huge back then. 1140 00:58:23,120 --> 00:58:26,880 Speaker 1: So they're having in the middle of the hotel lobby 1141 00:58:27,400 --> 00:58:30,520 Speaker 1: like a grastling matches with all my college come in 1142 00:58:30,560 --> 00:58:32,960 Speaker 1: in Berkley. They're like wrastling each other. I'm like, what 1143 00:58:33,080 --> 00:58:36,560 Speaker 1: do you guys do me? He said, Nah, just started 1144 00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:39,440 Speaker 1: sucking trashing. They were drinking beers and all of a sudden, 1145 00:58:40,400 --> 00:58:42,120 Speaker 1: the best wrestling all of a suden Ral said, I'm 1146 00:58:42,160 --> 00:58:44,560 Speaker 1: the best and he started raffling that some of my 1147 00:58:44,920 --> 00:58:48,160 Speaker 1: college teammates. I mean, the guy is so fun to 1148 00:58:48,160 --> 00:58:50,840 Speaker 1: be around. I love them, love them. Okay, so then 1149 00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:53,520 Speaker 1: you go to you go to Houston your second year. 1150 00:58:53,560 --> 00:58:55,760 Speaker 1: You guys you know you want you guys want a championship. 1151 00:58:56,400 --> 00:59:02,000 Speaker 1: What was dream like? You know what? M h incredible. 1152 00:59:02,760 --> 00:59:04,600 Speaker 1: I swear he didn't miss a shot in the entire 1153 00:59:04,680 --> 00:59:07,280 Speaker 1: fourth quarter of every game the year we wanted a 1154 00:59:07,360 --> 00:59:11,320 Speaker 1: ninety four. Just incredible. He had so much confidence, so 1155 00:59:11,440 --> 00:59:15,000 Speaker 1: much uh faith in his teammates and he but he 1156 00:59:15,120 --> 00:59:18,440 Speaker 1: you know what, he knew. He put you in your place. 1157 00:59:18,520 --> 00:59:21,440 Speaker 1: He wanted you to keep it simple and simple with 1158 00:59:21,600 --> 00:59:26,000 Speaker 1: him was give me the ball, and it was it 1159 00:59:26,040 --> 00:59:29,200 Speaker 1: was it was so simple, but it was so affective. 1160 00:59:29,240 --> 00:59:31,080 Speaker 1: That's why I played a little in the fourth quarter 1161 00:59:31,120 --> 00:59:34,800 Speaker 1: because we we throw the ball into him, and I 1162 00:59:34,840 --> 00:59:36,600 Speaker 1: was smart enough, you know what we want, an offense 1163 00:59:36,600 --> 00:59:38,680 Speaker 1: will give it to him. And he said, throw the 1164 00:59:38,680 --> 00:59:42,520 Speaker 1: ball to me. I score if they doubled him me, 1165 00:59:42,680 --> 00:59:45,200 Speaker 1: I passed. You get an open shot. If they don't, 1166 00:59:45,200 --> 00:59:49,280 Speaker 1: I score or get one. And want to get easy game. 1167 00:59:49,600 --> 00:59:51,720 Speaker 1: Let's keep it easy. We don't have to do anything else. 1168 00:59:52,320 --> 00:59:55,520 Speaker 1: And we did that. I mean, he he can that guy. 1169 00:59:55,600 --> 00:59:57,440 Speaker 1: I swear he never fell. He never said he had 1170 00:59:57,480 --> 01:00:00,400 Speaker 1: like the he's like a cat. It's such great Allen's 1171 01:00:00,800 --> 01:00:03,120 Speaker 1: he's he's like almost like a guy that was six 1172 01:00:03,240 --> 01:00:07,600 Speaker 1: one but seven ft tall. Yeah, that much agility and 1173 01:00:07,960 --> 01:00:12,680 Speaker 1: athleticism and just a great teammate. Just like when he 1174 01:00:12,800 --> 01:00:15,920 Speaker 1: spoken wasn't often. It was like if Hutton, you stopped 1175 01:00:15,920 --> 01:00:19,680 Speaker 1: whatever you didn't and you listen because when he was speaking, 1176 01:00:20,120 --> 01:00:23,640 Speaker 1: you knew either you did something wrong or something incredible 1177 01:00:23,680 --> 01:00:26,480 Speaker 1: is about to happen. And he stepped up every single night. 1178 01:00:27,960 --> 01:00:32,000 Speaker 1: What what's what's that feeling like of winning a championship? 1179 01:00:32,040 --> 01:00:35,240 Speaker 1: You didn't get to win one. Uh in junior college 1180 01:00:35,240 --> 01:00:37,120 Speaker 1: as you point out you didn't win one in high school, 1181 01:00:37,160 --> 01:00:38,959 Speaker 1: you didn't win didn't get the n C A term 1182 01:00:38,960 --> 01:00:41,160 Speaker 1: and win a PC double A. Even when you're at 1183 01:00:41,240 --> 01:00:43,240 Speaker 1: u C your vine. You guys, didn't you know you 1184 01:00:43,240 --> 01:00:45,360 Speaker 1: couldn't get past the bulls with the sixers. You go 1185 01:00:45,440 --> 01:00:48,800 Speaker 1: to the Rockets in your second year, you win a championship. 1186 01:00:48,840 --> 01:00:52,800 Speaker 1: You win NBA championship. Considering all the people that I 1187 01:00:52,920 --> 01:00:55,920 Speaker 1: told you you wouldn't make it since eighth grade, and 1188 01:00:56,040 --> 01:00:58,360 Speaker 1: now you had made it, you'd started games, you'd stuck 1189 01:00:58,400 --> 01:01:04,080 Speaker 1: your NBA veteran. But to win a championship, what's that like, Doug? 1190 01:01:04,200 --> 01:01:10,200 Speaker 1: Nothing like it? You play. You play competitive sports too, 1191 01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:14,200 Speaker 1: to be the last team standing, And I've never been 1192 01:01:14,240 --> 01:01:19,120 Speaker 1: in that position. Um, and it's very difficult. You know. 1193 01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:23,040 Speaker 1: You see some of these players that won multiple championships, 1194 01:01:23,120 --> 01:01:26,520 Speaker 1: I mean they are so blessed and and lucky to 1195 01:01:26,600 --> 01:01:29,880 Speaker 1: be on a team. But I was on that team 1196 01:01:29,920 --> 01:01:32,680 Speaker 1: that good to win one year. Man, to this day, 1197 01:01:32,720 --> 01:01:38,240 Speaker 1: I have a picture after the after the game Game 1198 01:01:38,320 --> 01:01:42,840 Speaker 1: seven in Houston. Um, We're at this restaurant and the 1199 01:01:42,960 --> 01:01:45,720 Speaker 1: picture of my wife and I with the championship had on. 1200 01:01:47,040 --> 01:01:49,360 Speaker 1: She's not a big drinker and a big drinker. But 1201 01:01:49,520 --> 01:01:51,880 Speaker 1: we were having some champagne and you can see my 1202 01:01:51,960 --> 01:01:54,520 Speaker 1: eyes that I was. I was feeling pretty good. But 1203 01:01:54,560 --> 01:01:56,600 Speaker 1: to this day I have it on my on my 1204 01:01:56,760 --> 01:02:00,200 Speaker 1: desk at home, passed by it all the time time, 1205 01:02:00,240 --> 01:02:02,720 Speaker 1: and it just gives me great memory. Said, you know, 1206 01:02:02,760 --> 01:02:04,640 Speaker 1: you shrived to be and you want to be the 1207 01:02:04,680 --> 01:02:08,680 Speaker 1: best team. Nobody could never she wasn't even near the 1208 01:02:08,720 --> 01:02:13,200 Speaker 1: best player um on in the league, on the team 1209 01:02:13,280 --> 01:02:15,000 Speaker 1: or ever, you know, but I was on the best 1210 01:02:15,040 --> 01:02:18,400 Speaker 1: team in and they can never take that away from me. 1211 01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:21,360 Speaker 1: And it's something that I will always cherish. And what 1212 01:02:21,520 --> 01:02:25,160 Speaker 1: a great experience to me, the first team ever of 1213 01:02:25,240 --> 01:02:27,640 Speaker 1: all the major sports in Houston to win a championship. 1214 01:02:27,680 --> 01:02:30,440 Speaker 1: That team really, that city just took us in like 1215 01:02:30,520 --> 01:02:34,360 Speaker 1: I've never been taken in before. What a great time. 1216 01:02:34,600 --> 01:02:36,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I want to get back there. I was 1217 01:02:36,600 --> 01:02:39,560 Speaker 1: there pretty close as a as a coach with Oklahoma, 1218 01:02:39,640 --> 01:02:42,320 Speaker 1: but not quite. But it would be a great honor 1219 01:02:42,360 --> 01:02:45,320 Speaker 1: and an opportunity to get back there again. Okay, so 1220 01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:48,600 Speaker 1: after you got done, so um, you know you didn't 1221 01:02:48,680 --> 01:02:50,640 Speaker 1: you got what was? You got traded to Dallas right 1222 01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:52,840 Speaker 1: mid year the following year, So you didn't play in 1223 01:02:52,880 --> 01:02:55,800 Speaker 1: the back to back correct not only not only made year, 1224 01:02:55,880 --> 01:02:59,840 Speaker 1: but mid game at half time that was put in 1225 01:02:59,880 --> 01:03:05,240 Speaker 1: a wait what yeah, at halftime we were playing at 1226 01:03:05,240 --> 01:03:08,360 Speaker 1: halftime the day the trade deadline back then was like 1227 01:03:08,440 --> 01:03:13,240 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's like eight o'clock Eastern time, and 1228 01:03:13,440 --> 01:03:18,800 Speaker 1: so there's you know, every every trade deadline, players think, Okay, 1229 01:03:18,800 --> 01:03:21,560 Speaker 1: this could be the day I'm getting traded. But I 1230 01:03:21,600 --> 01:03:24,160 Speaker 1: remember I was told that day, don't worry about it. 1231 01:03:24,160 --> 01:03:26,000 Speaker 1: You're not getting traded because my name was thrown out 1232 01:03:26,000 --> 01:03:28,000 Speaker 1: there because I was down. The sale came on and 1233 01:03:28,000 --> 01:03:31,400 Speaker 1: he was obviously really really really a good player and 1234 01:03:31,400 --> 01:03:35,200 Speaker 1: and deserved the play over me. Um, but I knew 1235 01:03:35,600 --> 01:03:37,000 Speaker 1: that I had a chance that they told me that 1236 01:03:37,080 --> 01:03:39,880 Speaker 1: day that I wasn't getting traded. So so during the 1237 01:03:39,920 --> 01:03:43,520 Speaker 1: game after then the first after the like the first quarter, 1238 01:03:43,560 --> 01:03:45,880 Speaker 1: biddle of the second quarter, I'm looking up to my 1239 01:03:46,840 --> 01:03:49,600 Speaker 1: to my wife and she's in the stands right behind 1240 01:03:49,600 --> 01:03:51,440 Speaker 1: her bench. She gives me a thumbs up, and I 1241 01:03:51,520 --> 01:03:54,880 Speaker 1: give her up, meaning that, you know, we survived another 1242 01:03:54,960 --> 01:03:58,120 Speaker 1: year of not being traded in there before, and we 1243 01:03:58,280 --> 01:04:01,160 Speaker 1: really loved Houston. We just bought a house, you know, 1244 01:04:03,080 --> 01:04:05,280 Speaker 1: at home. It was it was home away from home. 1245 01:04:06,080 --> 01:04:09,120 Speaker 1: So I get in the halftime Rudy Rudy, Tom Jonovich 1246 01:04:09,120 --> 01:04:13,640 Speaker 1: and all assistant coaches do make there that he is 1247 01:04:14,120 --> 01:04:17,040 Speaker 1: known to do, and I'm thinking, okay, great. So I'm 1248 01:04:17,080 --> 01:04:19,800 Speaker 1: now back on the court in the layup line. The 1249 01:04:19,920 --> 01:04:23,120 Speaker 1: next thing I know, the general manager calls me, calls 1250 01:04:23,160 --> 01:04:24,919 Speaker 1: me out of the line and said, hey, we gotta 1251 01:04:24,920 --> 01:04:27,720 Speaker 1: talk to you. Takes me through the tunnel and right 1252 01:04:27,840 --> 01:04:29,400 Speaker 1: to tell me. He says, hey, you just been traded. 1253 01:04:30,120 --> 01:04:33,560 Speaker 1: And I'm like what he said, Yeah, we just traded you. 1254 01:04:34,320 --> 01:04:37,280 Speaker 1: So he tells me I'm traded to Dallas. I think 1255 01:04:37,320 --> 01:04:39,120 Speaker 1: I was traded for like a second round pick and 1256 01:04:39,200 --> 01:04:41,600 Speaker 1: more than whiley and I was upset. I mean, I 1257 01:04:41,640 --> 01:04:44,520 Speaker 1: was picked because I didn't want to get traded. I 1258 01:04:44,560 --> 01:04:46,080 Speaker 1: felt that, you know, I was told that I was 1259 01:04:46,120 --> 01:04:50,000 Speaker 1: not going to get traded. But as as it turns out, 1260 01:04:50,040 --> 01:04:55,400 Speaker 1: you know, what I was undrafted was not um did 1261 01:04:55,400 --> 01:04:57,720 Speaker 1: not make it as a drafted player, and the way 1262 01:04:57,720 --> 01:04:59,880 Speaker 1: I looked at the silver lining, it wasn't. After a while, 1263 01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:03,200 Speaker 1: look now I'm traded for two players, a pick and 1264 01:05:03,320 --> 01:05:05,560 Speaker 1: a and a and a live player. So what a 1265 01:05:05,760 --> 01:05:07,880 Speaker 1: what a what a career, But what a way to 1266 01:05:07,920 --> 01:05:10,120 Speaker 1: get traded during the game. It wasn't wasn't on a 1267 01:05:10,120 --> 01:05:13,320 Speaker 1: lot of fun. No, that's that's that's really really remarkable. 1268 01:05:13,360 --> 01:05:15,680 Speaker 1: And you know, like look we glossed over the Minnesota 1269 01:05:15,800 --> 01:05:17,320 Speaker 1: when you go to Dallas. That was back when you 1270 01:05:17,360 --> 01:05:20,600 Speaker 1: had when it was the Jim Jackson, Jamal Mashburn, Jason Kidd, 1271 01:05:20,680 --> 01:05:25,040 Speaker 1: like three unbelievable talents who ultimately that thing kind of 1272 01:05:25,440 --> 01:05:30,000 Speaker 1: that thing broke up. Um. Yeah, coach coach Mona had 1273 01:05:30,040 --> 01:05:31,840 Speaker 1: a good term you know we had there was only 1274 01:05:31,920 --> 01:05:35,360 Speaker 1: the three js, and he said they were really good 1275 01:05:35,360 --> 01:05:37,600 Speaker 1: and really young and really going to be, you know, 1276 01:05:38,480 --> 01:05:42,880 Speaker 1: a team to be you know, reckon with with Jimmy Jackson, 1277 01:05:42,960 --> 01:05:46,480 Speaker 1: Jason Kidd and Jamal that what three very highly highly skilled, 1278 01:05:47,120 --> 01:05:50,560 Speaker 1: very competitive, he said. But the fourth j um took 1279 01:05:50,560 --> 01:05:54,680 Speaker 1: over the team and that was unfortunately, we just could 1280 01:05:54,680 --> 01:05:58,600 Speaker 1: not get along and figure out a good balance of uh, 1281 01:05:58,800 --> 01:06:01,040 Speaker 1: sharing the pie, like I would like to say, because 1282 01:06:01,040 --> 01:06:03,440 Speaker 1: when you're a young player, you want it all, but 1283 01:06:03,480 --> 01:06:05,680 Speaker 1: if you want to be a good young player, and 1284 01:06:05,840 --> 01:06:08,080 Speaker 1: that's what things. I give a lot of credit to 1285 01:06:08,240 --> 01:06:11,160 Speaker 1: Westbrook and Durant that they were willing to show the 1286 01:06:11,160 --> 01:06:13,560 Speaker 1: plot pie to being such great players that they were 1287 01:06:14,280 --> 01:06:16,880 Speaker 1: all right. So let's let's get to that. Because you 1288 01:06:16,960 --> 01:06:19,480 Speaker 1: start out you're you're a player coach with the with 1289 01:06:19,520 --> 01:06:21,800 Speaker 1: the L A Stars and the A B A right, 1290 01:06:21,880 --> 01:06:25,960 Speaker 1: then with then with the Southern California surf? Right? Was 1291 01:06:26,000 --> 01:06:27,680 Speaker 1: there was there ever a moment to which your wife 1292 01:06:27,720 --> 01:06:30,000 Speaker 1: pulls you aside and says like, what are you doing? Like? 1293 01:06:30,120 --> 01:06:32,880 Speaker 1: What what are you doing? Did? Which was she did? 1294 01:06:32,880 --> 01:06:35,640 Speaker 1: She did? Did she? What was her sense? When you 1295 01:06:35,680 --> 01:06:40,520 Speaker 1: started coaching? Well? I waited a year or two because 1296 01:06:40,560 --> 01:06:42,880 Speaker 1: I wanted to make sure that I wasn't gonna put 1297 01:06:42,920 --> 01:06:49,000 Speaker 1: my family through the traveling, moving city to city as 1298 01:06:49,000 --> 01:06:52,240 Speaker 1: as I did as a player. But I wanted them 1299 01:06:52,240 --> 01:06:54,600 Speaker 1: to be committed to it because I didn't want to 1300 01:06:54,640 --> 01:06:59,880 Speaker 1: go in and then not go full steam and trying 1301 01:06:59,920 --> 01:07:04,920 Speaker 1: to become a head coach. And we got you know, 1302 01:07:05,480 --> 01:07:08,560 Speaker 1: I listened to my wife obviously had a bit as 1303 01:07:09,240 --> 01:07:13,200 Speaker 1: most husbands do. Uh So she said, let's do it. 1304 01:07:13,760 --> 01:07:18,479 Speaker 1: I'm willing to move from city to city and let's 1305 01:07:18,520 --> 01:07:20,720 Speaker 1: do it where it's gonna be a great experience as 1306 01:07:20,720 --> 01:07:22,920 Speaker 1: long as we can do it together as a family 1307 01:07:22,920 --> 01:07:26,440 Speaker 1: and um, your kids moved from school to school. It's 1308 01:07:26,480 --> 01:07:29,280 Speaker 1: not easy. Definitely not easy. It's a lot of tough times. 1309 01:07:29,320 --> 01:07:31,919 Speaker 1: But when you do it together and you can get 1310 01:07:31,960 --> 01:07:34,680 Speaker 1: through it together, you're gonna come out better and show her. 1311 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:37,480 Speaker 1: And I think that's one of the reasons why I 1312 01:07:37,480 --> 01:07:41,160 Speaker 1: think my kids are really well rounded and versed in 1313 01:07:41,200 --> 01:07:43,200 Speaker 1: a lot of different situations because they were put in 1314 01:07:43,240 --> 01:07:46,480 Speaker 1: different situations. But um, it wasn't easy to my re 1315 01:07:46,520 --> 01:07:49,480 Speaker 1: league's not easy. I remember driving the van. I remember 1316 01:07:50,600 --> 01:07:53,400 Speaker 1: uh setting the times for jam times. I remember passing 1317 01:07:53,400 --> 01:07:56,640 Speaker 1: out tickets. I remember and this was the most incredible 1318 01:07:57,200 --> 01:07:59,280 Speaker 1: keeping guy's ankles and I just did it off of 1319 01:07:59,360 --> 01:08:04,640 Speaker 1: memory when watching trainers tape my ankles. Yes, I was everything. 1320 01:08:04,680 --> 01:08:07,120 Speaker 1: And the minor leagues you had to do that back then. 1321 01:08:07,160 --> 01:08:09,360 Speaker 1: But now being in the minor leagues, now the league 1322 01:08:09,400 --> 01:08:12,640 Speaker 1: is down. These players don't realize how good they have it. 1323 01:08:12,840 --> 01:08:14,520 Speaker 1: I hope they do. I mean, I don't know if 1324 01:08:14,520 --> 01:08:16,880 Speaker 1: they do or not. But back in the minor leages, 1325 01:08:16,920 --> 01:08:19,679 Speaker 1: back then, it was really tough to be a minor 1326 01:08:19,760 --> 01:08:28,160 Speaker 1: league player. But that's it for part one of my 1327 01:08:28,200 --> 01:08:31,679 Speaker 1: discussion with Scotty Brooks, head coach of the Washington Wizards, 1328 01:08:32,120 --> 01:08:35,200 Speaker 1: about his journey to make it to the NBA. Up 1329 01:08:35,200 --> 01:08:37,840 Speaker 1: Coming next week in the All Ball Podcast, I'll have 1330 01:08:37,880 --> 01:08:40,240 Speaker 1: more with Scotty Brooks. We'll talk about what it was 1331 01:08:40,280 --> 01:08:43,840 Speaker 1: like to coast those thunder We'll talk about what um 1332 01:08:43,920 --> 01:08:47,320 Speaker 1: he sees as the ultimate ceiling for the Washington Wizards. 1333 01:08:47,360 --> 01:08:49,280 Speaker 1: I'm also gonna ask him about that terrible picture that 1334 01:08:49,360 --> 01:08:51,759 Speaker 1: John Wall took when he was practicing with Team USA. 1335 01:08:52,400 --> 01:08:56,799 Speaker 1: Make sure you download, subscribe, and rate the All Ball Podcast. 1336 01:08:56,840 --> 01:08:59,280 Speaker 1: Don't forget to download and listen to my radio show 1337 01:08:59,360 --> 01:09:01,599 Speaker 1: daily on Fox Sports Radio three to six Eastern, twelve 1338 01:09:01,640 --> 01:09:03,960 Speaker 1: to three Pacific. If you have any questions, feel free 1339 01:09:03,960 --> 01:09:06,280 Speaker 1: to hear me on Twitter, on Instagram, or on our 1340 01:09:06,280 --> 01:09:09,559 Speaker 1: Facebook page. I'm Doug Gottlieben. This has been a ball 1341 01:09:11,000 --> 01:09:11,040 Speaker 1: h