Allen Iverson and Al Harrington FULL EPISODE | EP. 33 | CLUB SHAY SHAY S2

not being cocky not being arrogant. i think. no i know. that i would have been a better player. in football. all my life grinding all my life. sacrifice hustle pay the price. wanna slice got the roll of dice that's. why all my life i've been grinding all. my life. all my life been running all my life. sacrifice plus will pay the price. wanna slice got to roll the dice that's. why all my life i've been grinding all. my life.

[Music]. hello welcome to another edition of club. shay shea i am your host shannon sharp. and i have two guys stopping by the club. today for a drink and conversation one. of the 16 year nba vet he's the ceo and. co-founder of biola. al harrington and the other is an nba. legend 11-time all-star mvp three-time. all-nba four-time scoring champ. three-time steel champ hall of famer and. rookie of the year mr allen iverson you. know it miss a.i how you doing guys.

what's that shane what's up g oh i'm. good bro how y'all feeling today bro. i'm good i'm medicated. okay you guys got you got a special. announcement you guys want to make take. it away al. hey man so uh. really honored. and uh super excited to be doing a. partnership with um. uh. how can i explain this dude man like.

it means so much to me. um to our culture yep to you know all. the all the brothers that came up behind. him you know what i'm saying uh so just. being able to work with him and and be. able to you know create a business. opportunity is just amazing so we're. gonna launch uh some allen iverson. products uh in the cannabis space. uh we're gonna do thc products which. would be like flour pre-rolls uh vapes. and concentrates and then on the cbd.

side you know we're gonna do some. topical teachers and capsules you know. what i'm saying you know we're always. constantly trying to. um you know create products for athletes. by athletes because we know what we put. our bodies through when you think about. him he was a warrior you know what i'm. saying throughout his career you know. obviously played through unbelievable. amounts of injuries and you know when we. think about the ways that we have to. even myself i play through a lot of. injuries and yourself yeah even you and. the things that we had access to.

um to me were very harmful you know what. i'm saying to deal with you know the. opioids and all the prescription drugs. but now you know uh you know cannabis is. now being viewed through another lens. you know uh and we think that we have. products that would be very beneficial. to athletes so just really excited for. this partnership all right hey what made. you want to partner with viola obviously. you know al what what made you want to. get involved with this this company. it was definitely out. um.

his vision. um. i could just basically hear the. excitement in his voice when he called. me about it. and um. you know when he explained to me. everything that he was trying to do. um. i was on board you know what i mean. because it i felt like uh it felt like. an honor to to help him um. develop something and and and make it. better than what it is now. and for one of his dreams to come true. and.

you know for me to have the opportunity. to help him in any way. you know i was i was all for it you know. i mean me and him um got a great. relationship. and uh it just felt like the right thing. to do. what made what made you decide to get. into this space you tried other things. you tried a restaurant tried hotels what. made you decide to go into this space. because you were ahead of your time. it was my grandmother okay so uh now 11. years ago. i was able to convince my grandmother.

was 79 years old at the time to you know. come see me play when i was playing in. denver okay and when she got there um i. didn't know at the time but you know she. was dealing with a lot of different. ailments and you know i bought a bag up. for her and she opened it and took all. these pills and i was just like grandma. what's going on why are you taking so. much medication and she gave me the long. list of you know i always say like the. black grandmother ailments right she had. high blood pressure diabetes glaucoma. and when she said glaucoma i was telling. her about an article i was reading.

literally two days before she got there. about how cannabis helped with glaucoma. patients so finally started telling. about it and she just asked me she said. well what is what is cannabis and i said. is marijuana weed and she's like reefer. she's like why are you smoking nobody. for you out your mind. so i was like well grandma this is. medical doctors prescribe it you know. you should give it a try she told me no. but this was a guy i feel like god was. working right you know what i'm saying. the next day i come home from shoot. around and she's literally in the. kitchen complaining about how bad her. eyes hurt so i just said grandma why.

don't we just try the cannabis it'll be. our secret i won't tell nobody let's see. what happens so she said yes and uh went. to the dispensary my boy did brought. back um a string called vietnam kush we. put in a volcano bag of all things so. just let you know i know nothing about. smoking. um had her try it. uh she hit it two three four times and. i'm looking at it i'm like grandma that. might be enough. so i took it. i took it downstairs uh i went took a. nap because i had a game i woke up.

before i could you know jumped in the. shower so let me go check on it so i go. downstairs the doors close so i open the. door you know knock on the door i don't. hear nothing knock again and i open the. door and her back is to the door and. she's looking down and i just said. grandma um how you feeling and she. turned around man and she was crying. tears she said i'm healed she said you. know i haven't been able to read the. words in my bible in over three years. wow and uh. it changed me at that moment you know i. went in there i hugged her uh you know. she was crying she made me start crying.

and you know she was just testifying. saying how everything was so bright and. everything was so clear and that's what. inspired me to learn more about cannabis. and eventually you know we got our first. license and you know viola is my. grandmother right now we named the. company after i thought you was gonna. say you opened the door and you found. grandma hitting it again without you. that's now. hey obviously when you play as long as. you guys play and you playing. you know you play on a monday night you.

play may play a back to back you get two. days off and then you play thursday. friday and you plan these games the up. and down the 35 40 minutes a night ai. for you. do you wish that the nba because there. seems to be there's there's a shift in. how we view marijuana now do you wish. there would have been that shift back. then do you believe guys could have. played better played longer had they had. this substance instead of the uh the. narcotics and the peels and the. injections that they were forced to take. back then. i don't i don't know exactly.

but um. i think it should have been more of a. conversation right you know what i mean. more of a conversation instead of it. being sudden something so negative right. you know what i mean i i think it should. have been looked at. another way and you know the the most. important thing is our health obviously. correct you know what i mean you know. and you know obviously it's to each is. on with everything that uh that you do. but you know a a lot of people just from. hearing from howl and different people.

you know they felt like you know it. could have added more years to their. career and and did a lot of um things. for them as far as healing from night to. night so um. i don't know man like like i said i'm. i'm getting um. um education from al and you know what i. mean just listening to different things. that um. you know he he tell me about how it you. know can help people and um i'm all for. that you know what i mean if i could. have a chance an opportunity to uh to.

help somebody and make their career go. you know a couple years longer or you. know get people to heal the best way. that they can then i'm all for it you. know what i mean i just felt like it was. a great idea a great opportunity to help. a partner of mine you know what i mean. i'm looking forward to the results of. everything but al you just did al you. did something very unique because you're. not one of these guys says okay i'll you. know i got some money i'll be the front. and that's it you rolled up your sleeve. you found out about it from picking the.

seeds and where to go and the different. types of strands and what would be best. for you in the business that you were. trying to go in a lot of people don't do. that why were you so like you know what. i need to know everything there is to. know about this business so when people. ask me this i can tell them back when. they ask me that i can tell them this. and i can go into great detail and tell. them why this is a good a a good. substance for them. well to be honest you know when i. started this 10 years ago this is my 10. year anniversary bro it wasn't i didn't.

have an option of being a face up right. it wasn't popular right you know what it. was taboo to be honest you know. yeah it was too taboo i mean honestly i. if i asked chuck 10 years ago to go on. the weed company probably looked at me. like i was crazy you know what i'm. saying like that's that's how serious it. was during that time and i mean for me. my financial advisor literally dropped. me because i made the investment in the. candidates right he literally told me he. wasn't going to help me learn the money. he wasn't going to jail behind helping. me start a cannabis company it just.

wasn't popular back then. i had to do it all myself you know what. i'm saying understand even from the. standpoint of you know hiring attorneys. and different things like that my first. attorney that i hired man like. everything he told me to do was the. wrong thing right you know what i'm. saying like thank god i knew how to read. and understand and be able to you know. interpret you know different contracts. and legislation that actually got me to. this point where i am today you know. what i'm saying but anything what i've. learned just in my career is being an. entrepreneur like if anything that.

you're going to put your money and time. into you're going to have to put blood. sweat and tears into it if you're going. to get something out of it you know what. i'm saying and. being that and during that time. like you know i was afraid that if. people found out i might lose my. contract right it was just different. right but you know but i had to. literally do everything myself right and. you know obviously it made me a monster. in the game right you know what i mean. like now i am a cannabis expert you know. what i'm saying i'm a thought leader and. you know we're really breaking down.

barriers every single day you know as a. company and me personally as an. entrepreneur in the space some of the. best restaurants are owned by chefs. because they're the ones doing the. cooking they understand what the what. the clientele is going to like what they. need what you know what they prefer so. you you're in the fields so you went so. how did you know to go about saying you. know what i really need to know. everything and you you you admitted that. i had to do this with a veil of secrecy. because it was so taboo people didn't. look at marijuana.

then like they look at it now. right. well i had to like to your point like i. had to know everything because at the. same time like cannabis is still. federally illegal right right so i i. couldn't put you know all that i've. worked for you know all the network that. i was able to get my reputation i. couldn't put in the hand of somebody. else right i had to know exactly what. was going on you know what i'm saying. and why i was making certain decisions. and where our money was going and right. how we were paying taxes and all these.

different things you know what i'm. saying so to your point yes a chef you. know what i'm saying if you want to run. a restaurant you need to know every part. of that restaurant make sure you don't. lose anything right you know what i'm. saying so i learned that early in the. game like once again my old financial. advisor one of the things he used to. challenge me with every time because as. nba players well as professional. athletes you know we get a business deal. every week right right so you know a lot. of times i would bring deals and want to. do it he would say no and then finally. he told me like you really want to do. this deal you do you do the due. diligence yourself you do the research.

and that's what really opened my mind i. was 28 years old when that happened you. know what i'm saying and ever since then. that's how i conduct myself in business. and i was able to take pretty much you. know athletes you know the way we. grind and you know and how regimented we. are and different things like that i. took all of everything that made me a 16. year pro right and brought it into this. world and that's why we're thriving you. know what i'm saying because we're. diligent right you know what i'm saying. we're militant and we get done. you good bro you're good you're good but.

hey. you could have tested this everybody got. great business ideas with your money and. the thing that you have to understand. alan i'm sure you found this out is that. with people like oh he going into a. business he don't really know so we. might be able to steal a dollar here. steal a dollar there yeah i mean go no. he worried about something else so let's. take advantage of him hey i'm sure you. tried to open up a business what is some. of the advice that you know if al were. if you know you're trying to explain to. someone like okay you want to open up a. business this is what you need to do.

that's that's. basically the problem that i had a lot. when i was playing you know what i mean. because um. i was i was doubling endowment in a lot. of things. and um. you know i wasn't as serious as i was. with those things like i was with. basketball correct you know uh a lot of. times um. during my career um you couldn't tell me. that it would come to an end. you know so i always i always felt like.

you know um. once i retire. you know the things that i get involved. with you know that's a job every single. day like it was being an nba basketball. correct you know what i mean i think. that's the most that's the most. important thing for anybody that's. trying to do anything you got to put. your blood sweat and tears into it like. i'll say it and and and make sure you're. watching everything to make sure it's. done the way you envisioned it the way. you wanted it to. turn out and be successful.

alex says cannabis is going to be a 70. billion dollar industry by 2028 it's a. 24 billion dollar business as we sit. here today in 2021. but you know with anything when it comes. to businesses normally minorities are on. the outside looking in even though you. know when they had the war on drugs it. was the minorities that were going to. jail it was the minorities that were. getting the harsh sentences and. suffering the penalties so how do how. does how do minorities gain access to a. business that now people see that are.

profitable you're gonna have big tobacco. big farmer trying to come in and. overtake it. yeah so. the way we're gonna do it is you know. one of the things that we advocate for. at viola. is you know for obviously inclusion. right and it's through a lot of these. social equity programs uh right now. cannabis is very very very expensive to. partake in because you know right now. you can't get loans any traditional ways. of you know starting a business is not. accessible to us right now okay you have. to either get it from you know private.

private people. family offices and that comes down to. resources and relationships correct a. lot of these social equity programs are. you know catered to giving them to uh. people that were recently incarcerated. all these different things and what. makes it tough is because you know. somebody was just recently incarcerated. you know how do you make an investment. into this person right you know they're. going to be majority they make all the. decisions all these different things so. what some of the things we're working on. at viola is we have an incubator program. where we're trying to teach um you know.

the people that actually come through. our program. um ways to you know be able to you know. get into the business and actually be. successful in the business right because. it's obviously overly regulated the. legislation constantly changes and it's. just very difficult to actually you know. be successful in the space but what. we're going to fight for is for that. opportunity either way you know a lot of. times these states you know usually give. out all these licenses and they give out. social equity after the fact and then. basketball terms how i look at it is. like it's like spotting the warriors.

from two years ago a 30-point lead to. start every game right it's impossible. for us to win right you know what i'm. saying well black people have shown. constantly is we are masters of making. something out of nothing if you give us. a true fair shot opportunity we can. compete with the best of them right and. that's what we're fighting for and. that's what viola is going to do and. that's what i'm really excited for. bringing alan into this family and into. this into this purpose you know what i'm. saying because you know what we're doing. is we're giving people hope and we're. giving them you know we're giving them.

something to aspire for we're inspired. inspiring them to really go out and go. after this because this is generational. wealth at risk for our people you know. there's obviously industries before this. rice sugar cotton uh alcohol tobacco the. lottery these are all to back these are. all things we we started yeah we. pioneered those things and we have no. ownership but we can't allow this to. happen with cannabis 85 percent of drug. arrests like you just mentioned in in. black communities is always cannabis. related the one thing that i know that.

i've been in the game for 11 years i. still haven't met any black farmers that. own thousands of acres of cannabis and i. haven't met any of them that own. trucking companies so all i'm saying is. that all those things had to happen. before they hit our community and none. of those people were heavily ever. affected it was only us so we just feel. like right now we got to make a stand. and we got to make sure that we get our. piece of the pot and that's what i'm. fighting for every single day so you. telling us we started the numbers game. that they be playing the cash three and. the cash four we started playing that i. think you remember we used to play that. at the you know and locked us up for it.

and they locked us up for that too. it's crazy. but as you mentioned that. weed is still federally regulated how do. you how do you get it off the federal. control list because i mean if so many. if you know you're making billions and. billions off of it. what's going on here. i think it's just a matter of time man i. think the government as you know this is. what they do right they just got to. figure out how do they tax it how do. they get there how do they get their cut.

and then. how they get they cut and then they also. have to figure out how do they regulate. it right and regulate it consistently. across all markets well i think that. it's got probably going to end up being. just like liquor where they're going to. allow each state to kind of have their. own nuances or whatever but you know we. have chuck schumer um you know cory. booker we have people that are. definitely out pushing for federal. legalization and you know i think that. it's coming sooner than later you know i. think the first thing that will happen. will be federal decriminalization which. will allow each state to make their own.

rules around how they want candidates to. be you know regulated within that state. right and then after that federal come. right behind it do you think america. would be surprised at how many of their. best athletes. smoke cannabis. they would be very surprised. um i personally i i personally think. that there's 80 plus percent of the nba. players that use cannabis in some shape. form or fashion um i want to just say. that like most times when you hear about.

someone using cannabis the first thing. you think about is them smoking a bomb. yeah all that but cannabis has evolved. so much fast that now right to the point. where like i said you know now we have. all these other different ways to. deliver cannabis where whether it's a. vape pen whether it's uh edible whether. it's a tincture whether it's capsules. you know what i'm saying whether it's a. topical cream it's all these different. ways that players can now use cannabis. to benefit them for recovery and just. overall wellness. when. if i said al you could get four people.

you could smoke with. dead or alive give me the four you're. choosing. this ain't smoking i won't smoke with. you. hey. we definitely we definitely gonna have. to be at the house. i want to smoke with i want to smoke. with bob marley. um and i wouldn't mind smoking with. barack obama i want to watch him in hell.

wow. that'd be a nice group that's a nice. group that's a nice group i think uh. i don't know i i think i could get you. hey i say he did it 26 years i think i. get. a i think you got me. let's get to some sports uh. ai. you had you did it all you were mr. basketball mr football at in newport.

you're right you're from newport. everybody yeah you from newport. newport news yeah. michael vick sweet pea uh pardon all. y'all from down in that area. uh right let me ask you this had you not. chosen basketball do you think you could. have been as good an nfl player as you. were nba player. shannon and and this is like um this is. a list moment for me. because.

shannon shaw is asking me a question. about. right there you know i'm already when i. when i go home and and and i see the. guys i grew up with you know i'ma brag. about this situation right here. but. not being cocky not being arrogant. i think. no i know. that i would have been a better player. in football. than i than i was in basketball and and. that's not disrespecting basketball guys.

that's not. disrespecting the game that that that's. done so much for me i mean i'm a. household name i'm a hall of famer. in that in that sport but football was. my first love. and at the same time shannon. you know if i would have had to get on. the gridiron then i wouldn't never stop. lifting weights after high school. you know. you would have seen a whole totally. different physique i might be looking. like you or something.

hey but i would i would have had to i. would have had to. would have had a short short career you. know what i mean basketball i just. didn't like weights because i thought it. was too heavy. but football i know i would have had i. would have to lift and then you can you. can um. you can ask anybody from virginia and. and and they will tell you shannon that. you know hands down i was i would have. been better than football so that was my.

first love so you would have been uh. russell wilson. kyla murray. uh lamar jackson michael vick you you. was michael vick before michael vick. all you got to do is ask mike. and then and then what's what's was wild. about what you're saying and that that. that lets me um know about definitely. what i've been know about you your. sports iq. but you know that's how i was as a. basketball player you know what i mean i. wanted to add some of michael jordan. game add some of magic be fast like.

isaiah rebound like barclay be dominant. like shaq you know what i mean do it all. on the court right like you know. you know the the guys that do everything. not just. one particular thing on the basketball i. i didn't want to have no weaknesses out. on the court so i tried to impl. implicate all of those guys. gang in the mines and that's what i. would have did in football you know what. i mean i would have wanted to be um. accurate like aaron rodgers and and have. the arm like aaron rodgers but i.

definitely would want to run like. russell i definitely would want to run. like lamar jackson or mike vick you know. what i mean i just wanted you know uh in. basketball i didn't want. the opponent to feel like they could do. just one thing to shut me down i wanted. to have a variety of things that i could. counteract with you know what i mean. when they try to take something away. from me and it would have been the same. thing in football like it means just the. way you changed the game at tight end. you know titanium is not playing the. game nope like you know you played the.

game you know i mean it was like a wide. receiver playing tight in you know what. i mean and that's how you change the. game and that's what i would have tried. to add to my my football game was. different parts of grapes and try to put. it in one game. and beyonce. al you came directly out of high school. did you know that that was something. that you always wanted to do when you. growing up obviously you were probably. taller than everybody else and you. wanted to play in the nba when did you.

realize like you know what. i ain't going to college i'm going. straight from high school to the nba. so i mean i i don't tell my story enough. but believe it or not i didn't start. football was my first love too okay. right and i wanted to be a defensive end. i played i played defensive end and. offense to tackle. uh when i was a freshman in high school. bro offensive tackle yeah yeah bro. that's left side girl i saw all the. money.

but uh but i didn't i didn't. i didn't hoop until i was a freshman in. high school i was six four i had moved. so when i got there they see this big. tall kid they're like oh you're gonna. play basketball so i was the worst. player on my on my freshman team my. sophomore year i transferred to an all. basketball school i don't know why i did. that i just. just decided to say forget football i'm. gonna play basketball only i was. probably the worst player my sophomore. year too but between my sophomore and my. junior year man i just dedicated myself.

to the gym and like my game just like i. just got nice out of nowhere right and. to be honest like i didn't have hoop. dreams as a kid like i thought i was. gonna go to notre dame and play for the. new york giants that's what i wanted to. do. okay okay. and next thing you know bro like i'm. assault i'm a junior i'm killing my. going to my going into the summer going. into my senior year and i was like top. 25 i got that good that fast and it was. certain names on that list i needed to. go get and they were all at the uh nike.

all-american okay so instead of me i was. an adidas kid but i said i'm going to. nike to go get those kids and i went to. nike and i ended up being the mvp of the. camp and i had just told the guy that. was training me i said yo if you can get. me to being the number one player in the. country i'm gonna go pro out of high. school bro that's literally how i made. the decision like i had no idea bro. i just got really good out of nowhere. and ended up being the number one player. in the country and uh you know the rest. is history there were a couple of months.

ago uh. kwame brown came up and i don't think me. personally i don't think kwame was a. failure you don't make it to the nba the. number one overall pick now maybe he. some people say well he wasn't a hall of. famer he wasn't this or that but what if. you could have given what do you think. some of the things that happened to. kwame because. watching him he's athletic he could run. he was nimble he was quick why don't you. think he enjoyed the level of success. that many think he he was destined to.

have. well from you know from what i know. about the situation because i know a. couple guys that was on the wizards you. know when he got drafted okay was that. he went to a veteran team where. um. i guess that they didn't really want him. there right you know i think that what. he was saying was the truth like he. thought that he was supposed to go to. the clippers for ellen right so those. veterans that you know michael jordan. want to win right now right right he. don't want to develop a high school kid. right. so from what i hear was just like he. didn't get a lot of support you know.

what i'm saying from the from the vets. and you know that's that's a big thing. man and i will say like as much as i. wanted to be a top five pick you know. god blessed me to be picked at the 25th. pick because he put me on a team full of. veterans that taught me how to be a man. right how to be a pro right you know. what i'm saying what they instilled in. me the foundation they gave me was the. reason why i was able to place 16 years. and why i had a respectable career was. because the things that those guys. taught me and from what i understand. from the outside looking in it was from. stories was that he never got that.

because when you think about it to your. point he had everything but what he. lacked was confidence progress and. sometimes you need vets to give you that. confidence you know what i'm saying the. one thing i'll just talk about allen is. like from what i seen it because i was. in indiana when he was at the height in. philly when he was giving us 40 every. night but he had all these guys around. him that you could tell they believed in. him bro you know what i'm saying was. something about the way he gave him a. high five the way he patted him on the. ass that made them willing to run. through a war for him you know what i'm.

saying and that's what i think that. kwame never got and that's the reason. why i think his career started off that. way i totally agree i don't believe you. go ahead 18 yeah. 18. yep. 18 years old number one pick in the nba. draft. i mean if if that's not pressure because. i mean even if you go lottery that's. that's big time pressure right. you should clean out of high school no. college experience to step on that stage.

like that. i applaud him you know what i mean and i. played with quan i love kwame the person. i played with him you know what i mean. everybody talk about you know they. didn't know kwame was like this and. you know how outspoken he is now and. everything kwame been like this right. you know what i mean and. and something. i don't know when it was and when it. happened some lit a fire up under him. and it all came out of them. but you know kwame is smart very.

intelligent man you you go on his. podcast and you listen to him you got a. lot of great points you know what i mean. and and i just feel like. you know. he was put in a tough position man being. the number one player in the nba at that. young of an age you know what i mean and. and like al said going to a squad where. they were trying to win right they had. black jets on that squad you know. anything. you trying to win now. right. and um. it's just i i didn't like the way it.

turned out because um a lot of guys that. he did get into it with is guys that i. love and respect you know what i mean so. i didn't like the whole fiasco anyway. and you know it it gave me a bad feeling. anyway and and i just think you know. um. kwame did what he did he was he was. successful i knew him as a person and as. a teammate i know he had fun when he. played he enjoyed himself. and um and and kwame had a lot of great.

moments now you would expect a number. one player to. like shannon said end up being a hall of. fame one all-stars yes yes at least at. all-star maybe if you don't make the. hall of fame at least an all-star yes. right and. it didn't it didn't happen. for him but you know a bus. i can't really i can't say that man i. mean number one. i mean number one pick. on all the beautiful things he's done.

for his family. and um and for himself i i applaud him. man you know what man i love kwame brown. guys we we're all ex-professional. ex-professional athletes and you know. the number one thing people can say well. it's size it's this is that it's. confidence. we've seen guys that are tall we've seen. guys that can run and can lift all these. weights but if you're not confident when. you step out there on the court or the. field. it don't mean nothing. that's it that's it that's that's it in. a nutshell if you don't have the.

confidence i don't care if you lebron. james himself. you can be michael jordan you know what. i mean with all the athletic ability in. the world you know what i mean and if if. you don't believe in yourself and that's. in anything in life yes that's anything. yes you know what i mean you behind the. eight ball anytime you don't you don't. believe in yourself you know what i mean. my mentor used to teach me all the time. when i was young. he used to say if it's you and me. it's me. you know what i mean that's not cocky. that's not arrogance or anything like.

that that's the belief that's you. believing in the talent that god gave. you you know what i mean and respecting. the talent that he gave you by believing. that you're the best you know i stepped. on the court with number 23 before both. of them right you know what i mean open. the number 23s and when i was on that. court that night. i felt like in my heart i was the best. player on the flight. and a million people would say otherwise. but it all it mattered was how i felt. right you know what i mean you always.

know who number 23 is and black and red. you know when he leave up out of this. gym tonight but you're gonna know who. number three is too. and that's just how i approached it you. know what i mean because once you. don't have the confidence and bow down. the the the battle is already lost. you're in trouble. go ahead having trouble from step on the. floor. i'm just agreeing with them you know. what i'm saying like confidence is. everything you know what i mean like you. could have you could have it all but if. you don't believe in yourself you know.

what i mean it don't matter right. shannon i thought i thought we were a. super team. that's how i believed in myself because. i'm saying you put four other pros with. me why can't we beat anybody right them. them rose i'm on the floor right and. they're like you know like you got. in me janitors. they felt like every night in that. foxhole as long as they saw me in that. foxhole we had a chance to win.

hey i i think and i felt. hey everybody knows what you did on the. court. but you also changed the rules because. you had everybody coming. if they wearing 150 pounds they were. wearing a t-shirt that was fit shack. they were wearing jeans that were foot. calm alone. you started that you started the. cornrows nobody was had cornrows nobody. was tattling teammates. my teammates hated me for that. they were going to big and small and i.

would get there before them and buy up. all of this stuff. so they understand all the big machines. because i would buy all the stuff from. from from big and tall and i was just i. didn't ever think that i was doing. nothing wrong i was dressing like the. guys from my neighborhood right it was. just it was yes at some point it it it. turned from levi's to. jabals and guests and all you know. because i could afford it right. you know what i mean and and. i was getting beat. down a lot.

um. and i think it's kind of bittersweet. because. if you look at today's game in every. sport. you know you see guys dressing in and. and looking the way they want to look. you know some people can uh disrespect. it and it might not be their look but. people comfortable they're supposed to. be able to come to work comfortably. right and and like for me i never went. to the basketball court when i was. growing up in a suit. you know what i'm saying i wear them now. because you know.

my my lady like when i was right but. back then. me i was i didn't mean anything bad or. anything like that i was being me right. and i felt like that was what's wrong. with being you and everybody else taking. up so when when. so when the commissioner when the. commissioner changed the rule even. though he just said it was the allen. iverson rule you got to work you know. sport code and things of that nature no. oversized t-shirt no fubu jeans size 50. when you're a size 32.

rest in peace i love them to death. because we became. real we became real good friends um. towards the end of my career and um i. just remember going in there to meet him. about that um dress code situation. shannon man and i had on all baseball. and um. baseball again you know what i mean and. he said something i think i had on. indian stuff and he was like what's you. know what's all this major league. baseball stuff you got on i'm like man.

it's just. clothes you know what i mean. and i sat in that meet me and i and i i. thought i may have been in there 30. minutes and it seemed like i was in. there getting chastised for hours. and i really felt like they changed that. rule because you know once everybody. seen that i was dressing like that guys. were like well damn that's how you know. i want to dress that's how i feel. where was we going afterwards after. afterwards shannon you know we'll go. from the champion and go right to the. club right.

straight up i'm gonna wear no suit to. the club. so you use that bridge because everybody. saw michael jordan suited and booted he. had a shot he had a suit on he had the. towel the nice gator the nice shoes okay. michael jordan and then ai comes along. in 96 and he got on 4x t-shirt in fubu. and he tied it up they're like well i. don't know. i want to be like this this is more. comfortable than being like that.

it's not it's it's not the it's not the. um it's not the clothes right you know. just like when a guy. when when some guys you know you said. ever seen reservoir dogs yep. um. when they rob the jewelry store or or. anybody go robs and banks. they don't never have on sweatpants and. and. jeans. they come in there with soups on you. know. the stereotypes right it don't matter. it's it's inside the clothes right there. you go. you know what i mean do you understand.

but you started you started the sleeve. was nobody wearing no sleeves you. started to sleeve i'm like why you got. that i'm like what's wrong why that was. was the sleeve was it just a fashion. statement or did you actually need to. sleep. it was a it was a it was an injury. and i had just got surgery on my elbow. your birthday was an injury and i have i. don't know remember the cloth that they. used to have in the training room. yeah they put it over here they cut it. and put it over your knees just keep.

down swelling the thing yeah there you. go there you go and then i just said. okay won't y'all just make me one right. and then it started to get so popular. and i love it now like i love seeing. guys in different sports you know have. them on and and whatever some guys women. don't even be injured right one time i. was watching the r kelly video and the. man had it on in the video man. i said well i kelly must have fell off. the stage and hurt himself that's. something the man got to sleep on in the. video.

and i was really hurt then i had to wear. it right. they kept shining my sleeve into a. fashion man and i today when i look back. on it it's so cool you see high school. players college players winning even you. know dudes playing rec league football. i just think it's it i just think it's. so cool and it's a blessing man. i'm gonna ask both of you this. who do you think had the best draft. class we're going to start with 96 aiu's.

the number one pick colby ray allen. steve nash jermaine o'neill stefan. mulberry 84. jordan stockton barkley. malone sam perkins and then in 2003 you. got lebron. wade mello and bosch. hey i. you up first all right first of all. shannon. you already gave you already uh you. already said the best draft class. because when you name dogs look how many. players you name.

and then you forget um you forgot. lorenzo right. um did you did you say did you say carry. kiddos no i didn't say can't kill him. did you say marcus camby nope. did you say um jay wallace nope. swan walker man did you say i i think. you said steve nash i said yeah yeah you. kobe ray allen steve nash stefan marbury. jomain o'neal derek fisher but here's. the thing though but here's the thing. you. kobe ray allen steve nash made the hall.

jordan stockton barkley elijahuan made. the hall. braun wade mello bosch will make the. hall. i don't know hey i don't know i don't. know. you you're a little too smart man i knew. you was going to help me. and make me wrong because if that. because that was very valid right there. i liked it. that was good.

that was good. i'm thinking you you was gonna know that. that we had so many good players and. all-star players in there but then you. had to throw that hall of fame thing out. there yeah yeah. i like that one you got that man. what'd you think of that you got that. one. dude man i'm gonna go i'm gonna go i'm. gonna go 96. you're gonna take notice. this i like i like that. yeah i mean i think. for me like that was my era you know. what i'm saying and they was just like. those are the dudes that i looked up to.

you know what i'm saying remember i came. into the game late right you know so for. me 96 i would say those guys have more. of an impact on the way i played the. game than any of those other classes. hey. if you were playing i mean when you got. when you got when you got see when you. it's hard man when you got. and no i'm not taking nothing away from. um. dwayne and mello because i love them. guys on and off the court but. and the same thing with elijah and mike.

when you put lebron in class and you got. mikey. they take about four or five spots by. themselves. if you were playing in today's game with. the way the rules are now with no hand. checking with all the space on the floor. at your prime at your peak how many.

points do you think you could average. the game. people ask me this and it sounds so. arrogant. um but it's the truth. the way they play now and it's so wide. open yeah. definitely more than my highest average. so i think i have the most average and. the season was. like 33 okay 33 5 something and i lost. the scoring title that year to the mamba. you know yeah. right for me to lose a title and i'm.

averaging 33. but um. definitely more than my highest average. because it's it's too wide open and um. and. with the with the floor spaced out like. it is now it would have been harder to. to double team me. um. like they was. and um. and i don't know but you still now you. can they can sit you can sit in the zone. can't you yeah. i i thought i would think that it would.

be harder for me like when i was in. college. um all my teammates used to say man well. you know. you're gonna have it good being that you. you don't have to deal with no more two. threes one three ones no more boxing. ones you know what i mean they're gonna. have to play you head up you know night. in and night out for 48 minutes and then. ironically somehow all of a sudden when. i started winning a couple of scoring. titles and this dude six feet 165 pounds.

you can't stop them then all of a sudden. the zone came into that. a throne in the nba man yeah they. nba so i i think that was some type of. conspiracy man. how many points how many points because. there's a lot of people saying he. averaged 40 he'd have a 50 average 60. how many points do you think jordan. could average in today's nba.

what's the most he ever happens 37 uh 37. won. all right so 40 easy. 40 easy. 40 40 easy. yeah 40 easy like like. 40 is easy 40 would be easy for black. jesus. because hard i think hard hardened a. couple of years ago averaged 36. so you. go so you're right so you figure jordan. could average 40 with no problem.

man shannon like. it's when i talk about him it's. different man and and a lot of times. a lot of times he's bad because i love. him so much like if if it wasn't for him. i wouldn't have division i wouldn't be. the allen iverson the basketball player. today. if it wasn't for. him right you know what i mean so i feel. and plus he was he was he was the best. to me yeah you know what i mean i think.

i think i definitely think he was the. best and i and i don't put. lebron. in the conversation because i love him. so much as a as a person. and as a and as a basketball player you. know i mean it's real real personal me. and michael jordan don't have the. personal relationship. like me and lebron lebron right. but those three lebron. mike and kobe. i never seen nothing better i've never. seen i've never seen a player better.

than those three i'm gonna ask both of. you guys can you add to that when he had. when he averaged 37 he was doing it with. twos it wasn't even those three they. weren't they weren't shooting three. pointers like how they shoot now. you know what i'm saying is just imagine. if michael like decided to shoot six. seven threes a game like they do now. like 40 would have been easy. oh no question i didn't even think i. didn't think about that well let me ask. you a question. when you first met michael jordan both. of you guys. what was it like to meet him for the. very first time.

you go ahead now. so for me um the first time was actually. seeing them on the court and with the. wizards okay or whatever so uh. it was just in the game and you know. that game uh i actually had a good game. and. you know. he started talking you know he called. everybody a hope. so finally i got to the point where like. you know i know it's michael jordan but. i'm like damn well do you keep calling. me a hoe. he like you a hoe oh my god.

he called me a little. so. i had to wear it but uh after that game. you know after that game went to. overtime. and uh i had 35 that game he had 41. they won the game and after the game uh. he signed some shoes and sent it to me. after the game was like best wishes keep. playing hard and all that and i i didn't. even ask him for him so. for me it was like you know obviously. you know i grew up a nick fan right but. obviously everybody you gotta like. michael jordan at the end of the day but.

you know it was just it was you know it. was a surreal moment for me but at the. same time you know i went out there and. i competed against them for sure yeah. first first of all i was a bulls fan. coming up because of him okay. but um while he was in the league. man. i mean i hated the bulls more than any. team in that league i hated the bulls. you know what i mean like. once i got into the league right and.

you know heard the way they talked to us. and. everything like they knew. they knew they was at the top of the. mountain and um. man i'll never forget my first time i. talked about it in my hall of fame. speech. and. i you know i wasn't lying at all man he. didn't look real to me. like you know. i know i was star struck i know i was. starstruck because like i said i talked. about um. the charlie murphy hollywood story right. and he talked about uh.

rick james and. how rick james walked in the room and he. saw like the orange like his aura yeah. you know what i mean yep i saw that like. i looked at that man and he didn't look. human to me yeah you know i'm looking at. him like damn he got on the you know he. got on the jordans you know he don't. even have on the nba socks you know i'm. looking at his um. his knee brace you know on his shin. and i was like man it's him you know. what i mean and my teammate they teased.

me before the game because they was like. you're not gonna play your game because. you know mike on the floor yeah i don't. wanna be out there on the floor you're. not gonna play your game tonight and i. was. i was. i was star struck but when that ball. went up and somebody hand touched it it. just went away. you know what i mean it was showtime. time to dance that's what i tell people. the very first time i met him i was on. an elevator he was on there with his uh. his first wife while back in atlanta the. super bowl. and i'm looking at him. and he probably looking at me like this.

dude where i know who he is he's like. look how he's looking at me like. i'm like he like he was levitating he. didn't look real i like man. it was like it was like up to my it's. the closest thing i you know in the. bible they talk about how the disciples. they saw je they saw g and they're like. he don't even look out to this day. every time i see him he don't look real. i've never i've never been like that. with a man before in my life and i've. missed some big time i've seen samuel.

jackson. man from samuel jackson today. lebron and shaq colby but then he he. when it comes to that he apart he ain't. real. i'm right there with you i'm right i. understand exactly how you feel the only. time that i had a experience like that. is um i was coming in from an all-star i. was coming in from um somewhere at an. all-star game and everybody walked up to.

me it was exciting because everybody. didn't know how i feel about michael. jackson right. anybody that know like before the games. and all that i listen to mike you know. what i mean like i gotta get up by. listening to mike and he walked and he. walked in the hotel and i came in after. and everybody was like chuck george i. mean uh uh um michael jackson just came. here and i felt faint man. and i was so happy that i always see him. cause i thought i was gonna be all on. the internet or whatever you know like i. thought i was gonna really pass out like.

one of them fans right. you know what i mean. like that's how much i love that man man. and i didn't even see him and i felt. really. [Laughter]. and i understand i'm like okay now i. understand what the fans be going. through when they see him because you. know mike you jump on the stage and. don't say nothing for a few minutes. right and everybody just you know this. man started singing yeah he said let it. simmer he said he gonna say that he just.

come on stage and just standing he said. let it simmer. just let that face man yeah just hey. don't hey. just keep the focus just let it simmer. obviously when you when you grow up like. when you grow up like we grow up. we all ve you know we all dream when our. miami advice was huge when i was growing. up and i just remember saying i'm gonna. get me some money i'm gonna get me a. ferrari i'm gonna get me a rolex i'm. gonna get i'm gonna i'm gonna be i'm. gonna be cracking in tubs i'm gonna be. dressing like that.

what's some of the when you were growing. up what were some of the things they had. out that she was like when i give me. some money oh i'm getting that. yeah. man man my mom man my mom was always um. man my mom was like. i don't know since i can remember five. six years old five years uh five or six. years old man my mom was always. infatuated with jewelry okay always. since i was a since i was a. small kid five six years old now i.

remember being at georgetown. and um. uh tupac. what was it all eyes on me yeah where. you had the jewelry rolex and all that. and i remember that album covered and i. was um. i was telling my teammates like you know. when i get drafted you know what i mean. that's one of the things i'm gonna get. you know i'm gonna give me a rolex and. i'm gonna give me some jewelry like like. tupac. and um. i think even like buying my mama crib i.

think that was the obviously that was. the best. you know for me and my own but. even with all the cars and all that like. that was the best of me for that moment. right there you know for for to be so. young and always loved jewelry like that. and to be able to afford it to get. whatever i wanted and get my mom. whatever she wanted you know because we. were so infatuated with jewelry. that was it that was it for me um. and for me it was it was it was a benz.

i just always wanted i always wanted a. benz man and. you know obviously i didn't go i didn't. get drafted as high as i wanted to so my. first men's i got was a clk 430. you. know the small that was the small. two-door and i'll never forget man i got. it i when i played that season i bought. it home for the summer and i went to. seton hall and i'm thinking i'm stunting. on the campus. and i pull up in uh my old high school. point guard named shaheen holloway i. pull up and i get out he's like your big. ass just got out of that little ass car.

hey al listen let me see let me see if. you uh if you had this moment when you. first got it. when you first got it was you nervous in. it driving away like you thought you was. gonna wreck it or something hell yeah. bro i i i couldn't even get out the drop. though it was crazy. it was terrible. hey i thought i was gonna wreck when i. was driving i'm talking about straight. up driving miss daisy man i had both.

hands on the wheel. seat pushed all the way up one one no. cool laid it back and all that. i was so scared that i was because i had. never been in the business before hey we. you know what i mean hey we gonna get. you here we're gonna get you out here on. this we can't let you go you say you was. you was in awe of jordan but you crossed. that man up how you gonna cross that man. up and talk about you and all of them in. the same breath. okay because. shannon. the the guy that taught me the crossover. was a walk-on at um.

a walk-on at georgetown okay and he. never you know never played never got in. the game but he didn't want to you know. taught me to move because he used to hit. me with it at practice all the time and. my ego i just put it to the side and. said look man you got to teach me that. you got it you got to teach me the movie. taught me to move. and i used to always remember telling my. family and my friends my teammates like. if i got the opportunity. that i was gonna try my move. against the best player that i've ever.

seen play the game okay. and it just. i'll never forget the moment obviously. but i. always hear that voice in my head when. phil jackson said michael. on the switch. and he stepped out and i was like okay. every moment and i'm not gonna be scared. of it you know what i mean i said i was. gonna do what i was gonna do so i'ma try. it so when i tried the lube and he bit. on the little one that's when i said oh. yeah in trouble. he built it a little when you say when i.

come up with that. he told me one day i went to a i went to. a um. i went to a charlotte because i live in. charlotte right so i went to a charlotte. uh hornets game. and uh he had me come in and we in the. back and man i'm just you know sitting. back and drinking and reminiscing or. whatever and i was like man i love you. man and he was like you don't love me. you little. [Laughter]. man and everybody in the room just bust. out laughing man it was crazy.

hey hey congratulations al. viola there's a cat he would get the. casualty of warships you casually war. yeah that's all. congratulations man viola is doing big. things congratulations on the business. a.i congratulations on the partnership. hell of a career hell of a career for. both of you guys thanks for stopping by. club shay shane giving me a couple of. minutes of your time. thanks man i love my brother appreciate. it. all my life been grinding all my life. sacrifice hustle pay the price.

wanna slice got the roll of dice that's. why all my life i've been grinding all. my life look all my life been running. all my life. sacrifice plus will pay the price. wanna slice got to roll. [Music]. you know what to do hit the subscribe. button and become an official member of. club shayshay where we do something. before two something.