Chris Bosh FULL EPISODE | EPISODE 4 | CLUB SHAY SHAY

hello welcome to another edition of club. shay shay i am your host shannon sharp. also the proprietor of club shay shay. the guy that stops by the bar today to. have a drink with me. is two-time champion nba champion. eleven-time all-star. and mr basketball in the state of texas. in 2002. chris bosh all my life been grinding all. my life. sacrifice hustle paid the price wanna. slice. got the roller dice that's why all.

[Music]. chris how you doing today bro i'm good. man that's uh that's a good one you hit. me with a throwback on that one. [Laughter]. well we're going to take off in a. different direction normally when i talk. to athletes we start. talking about their athletic career but. we're going to talk about your music. career. that you started after you finished with.

the nba you're producing music. what made you go into music after your. nba career. well i mean first off like i kind of got. it felt like i got. thrown out of a car going 200 miles an. hour. um i was playing basketball i felt that. i was gonna get that second wind in my. prime. into my twilight years like uh most of. your heroes like you see. uh time and time again every year um.

it didn't happen and i just kind of. found myself trying to figure out you. know like what am i gonna do. i never really thought about that it was. always basketball. a lot of people say and then it was. funny because everybody was like oh. chris you're smart you. you know stuff and you'll be fine and. it's like i don't know what i want to do. you guys have been mistaken. in order to even do what i'm doing i. have to give my whole life to this thing. so. there was never anything else you know. you make the grades so you can play.

basketball you know so i just kind of. i found myself trying to search for. something. and uh man next thing i knew i had a. guitar in my hand. i'm making new friends um talking about. different things and. and aspiring to do different things and. and. and you know it was just all a lot of. passion and a lot of love so. that's how i got there and and i'm. starting meeting some great people along. the way. so you're on the you're producing or so.

you're producing music you're writing. music. are you gonna actually do are you gonna. actually be in front of the microphone. no sir. [Laughter]. no sir you know i leave that to the pros. um i i just. enjoy the collaborative effort that it. takes really like you know. uh seeing songwriting i was blessed to. see songwriting at the professional. level. i was pretty much like the kid going to. a pro game and seeing a pro game get. played and not only.

did i get to see it but they're like hey. yo kid have a shot. you know and and i ended up uh getting a. placement really quick. uh with gucci gucci mane and a good. friend of mine rico love. and it just happened you know and and. and i said man if i. if i don't continue going down this path. i'm a fool so. that was that was like four years ago so. i'm i've been. you know steady working putting that. time into something else you. you mentioned gucci mane and you did a. song with him in.

2017 right you did uh you did a collab. or something with them. so yeah so uh rico and i wrote a song. together. and you know you you write music all the. time you just kind of. get into the flow it's almost like. practice that you i. i equate everything to basketball now. you know so. it's a metaphor for me so it's like all. right i'm going to the gym. okay i'm gonna hit the weights okay. let's go get some shots up. all right let's you know just making. sure you get the work in if you want to.

accomplish your goals. and um that just came through uh rico is. a good friend of mine. we're just hanging out i play music for. him he writes to it. and it ended up uh uh getting on gucci's. album. uh mr davis back in 2018 or early 2018. and so that was kind of that was kind of. the hook. for me you know just uh just to be like. all right that's that thing. [Music]. you know let's let's go that way. regardless of. you know it's the feeling it's knowing.

the spirit is there and following that. you know. so have you all have you always been. musically inclined. i'd like to say so man. my family is a very musical family i. have uh. cousins that are classically trained my. father can sing. we we always had to like join choir back. in the day at church and stuff like that. you know so. it was it was more so uh just something. you're always around i always enjoy.

music. i have friends like i continuously was. trying to make. beats like when i was in high school. then i think when i was in the league i. start trying to like er. early early i start trying to learn to. play the piano it was. these incomplete you know this other. world that keeps calling. you that you never go to um. you're good at basketball so you can sit. that down for a month or two. pick right back up and be good at it but. when you're not good at something you.

have to fully devote. all of your time all of your energy your. effort in order to become. good at it so if you're trying to learn. to play the piano and you're doing it in. four or five month increments. that's not gonna work not gonna work and. you have to get over yourself being bad. i mean. right yeah you know it's it's just a. part of the process that's. been one of the uh things that i've. really learned because. people will you know i i only know that. because i started playing. you know my music for people and not.

that it was bad but they were looking at. me like oh i thought it was going to be. whack man i thought it was just gonna be. okay you all right. yeah right and i said okay so usually. okay you have to continue to you know. just like anything home work on your. craft hone your craft just keep. going keep doing stuff and and it'll. turn. man i mean that's just how i believe it. how hard was it. because like you said you you know you. have to get over the fact that you're. not good at it. but you're always good at basketball so. it basically so everything that you've.

really ever done. you've been really good at it and so now. here you are starting from the bottom. and you know you're not one of these top. upper echelon. songwriters or producers and you're. basically starting from. scratch yeah i mean it's it's a crazy. thing shannon i mean. it's like you don't you feel immortal. for so long. yes you know what i mean yes i mean. boy so long you just. and then all of a sudden like all right.

cool you taking the kids. to school you you packing lunches. you know you you have to pick up new. skills i'm in the house. like a few years ago when i was first. retired i had to learn how to fix. everything. i know that just goes in into being a. dad like hey. dad fix it you know. and i'm just like you i got brought back. into my skin. so quickly you know so you have to go. back to the work that that's the thing.

that's the only thing that i remember. regardless of what happened in the nba. and in my career i put the work in you. know. i know that i was you know in the gym. all the time so if i want to be good at. something or if i want. something um to happen you got to put. your time in. and yeah but when i when i think of. athletes i think of athletes let's just. say a basket. in your case a basketball player okay. he's going to stay close to the game. he's either want to he wants to be a.

scout he wants to be a player personnel. he wants to be a general manager. he wants to be a coach he wants to own. the team you went. totally away from basketball this is as. far as you can get from basketball. as you possibly can imagine yeah it is. and. you know i know basketball will be there. but that kind of. the music that that's kind of what drew. me towards it. because it was so crazy and like i say. it was just a feel. man i can't even describe it it's like.

yeah i should be doing that. and and and i told myself i was gonna. follow my heart. so right you know and to be honest with. you that's kind of what. gave it you know more allure because the. game is there i still watch every game. i watch i know the salary cap the cba i. know. i watch the guys you know um but. this is just it it offered me um. a way to get in touch you know more with. myself. and kind of find out other things that i.

like i know we hooped. right whoa man we did it my dad we took. me to every practice. hours and hours and hours of it you know. um and it will continue one day but you. know right now i just want to. really really pursue this endeavor and. it's uh it's quite. this is a lot man you you have to learn. a lot it's more than just. creatively doing things you have to as. you know you know how it is when. you know you're taking those meeting. meetings with the accountants. and the agents and the managers and the.

lawyers all those things. uh fall into place too what is it about. basketball players probably more so than. any other athlete. in music you get dame you get dame. lillard dame dollar. you get him on jumper you get shot you. get aaron gordon you get metal world. peace he. even allen iverson tried to do something. with the rap colby tried to rest his. soul. what is it about basketball players in. the music industry. man you know that's a really good. question i think.

i think for one there's a lot of idle. time. so when you're going on those bus rides. there's a lot of bus. rides it's a lot of practice it's a lot. of downtime with your teammates if. you're out of town for a road trip. you know if you're in summer league. you're gonna be with your boys and. there's gonna be a hotel room and it's. the summer and you guys are hanging out. and i mean rap was just so influential i. mean. i remember from the minute i was. listening to music rap was.

everywhere you know so it had a huge. influence on. on our life and and like to be honest. with you you don't see. you didn't see many black men uh at that. time successful and much else. you know so it's it's like you know. unfortunately. in those times which is much better now. but in those times yeah you i mean they. write rhymes about it but. you know you either play basketball or. you were a. musician a rapper or something that. people you know wanted to aspire to and. to be quite frank it was cool man.

i mean the people that you wanted to be. like tupac. everybody wanted to be tupac and if you. look at it. and also the flip side you look at the. rappers you look at the entertainers you. look at j. cole you look at two chains you look at. the game nelly. you look at all these guys and they you. know yeah they love football. but there's something about the lure of. basketball that attracts them. and vice versa yeah i think football. football is like one of those things you. find out cool pretty. quick if you can or can't do it you know.

what i mean like. you you find out real quick man. basketball you know you can talk. noise you can sit up there you can shoot. at the park. you can play money if you want to you. know. you have some sort of connection with. the ns you know. it's a it's a little closer i you know. even um when we were in high school and. in college the guys would come to the. games. you know coming to the games where we're. a good time and. and it kind of really starts that. connection and you know a lot of people.

play ball like i know j cole and and two. chains for sure they play. uh uh you know at a high level of. basketball so. they they understand and it's a good. feeling you know i'm you know hoping. you do that with your friends those are. summer days it's a lot of memories uh. that go with that and master p almost. almost made a basketball masterpiece man. p. man you know the legend. guys guys were always playing and um. it just it's just ingrained so deep into. the culture.

you know that people were doing that. really before i mean i know my dad we. would go with friends and you know. playing pickup. the same guys or or musicians or. something like that the same dudes go. around we all if you play ball. go play pick up uh uh at the park. you know you don't you you if you want. to find a game you'll find a game and. you're gonna play with your friends you. know it's just one of those social. things too. so who are some of your obviously you if. you're doing rap so who are some of your. favorite. some of your favorite artists some of. your favorite rappers are are you not.

necessarily are you writing for some of. not just rap are you writing for r b are. you writing for other genres or. oh yeah we do it all we do it all you. know we don't discriminate. okay yeah i mean you know music is music. we i grew up on i mean. even you know country music i love. country music i love pop music. r b um you know um. oh i mean really everything 70 soul it's. just so many genres of music i.

i never really try to limit myself. creatively. um and especially now with the way. things are going you kind of don't want. to. you don't want to put a cap on yourself. or or what you could do. you know i've worked with some with some. great artists and songwriters. and the things that you get when you. cross pollinate uh work with people you. you never think you've worked with the. things that you get are kind of brand. new. so that's kind of uh one of the things i.

i love doing and i never try to put a. cap on. on what it is do you know we. rap quite a bit yes we do you know uh. the artist that i work with. uh but we always challenge ourselves to. make. timeless music that people want to. listen to. 10 20 years from now right what what are. some of the artists that you listen to. before the game. for me i couldn't listen to rap because. it got me too amped up. and so i had i had to listen to the.

opposite i needed something to settle me. down. because i'm high strung to begin with. and so okay i was almost about to pass. out before the kickoff. where'd you where'd you listen to i'm. i'm eager to know what did you listen to. shaw day maxwell michelle and daniel. cello. you know something like that. i needed to slow it all the way down man. i was. you're ready to go huh yeah man scott. bring you down. just enough to be like all right let's. do it yeah.

listen to tupac and biggie and mystical. was having me about to pass out before. the kickoff. hey man you got to find that's what i. love about it you know i was. i was kind of like that it's funny like. people would always listen what do you. listen to before a game. it kind of goes in waves i kind of get. amped up you know in the regular scene. right. you gotta you gotta find that thing uh. playoffs yeah i need to be calmed down. and i need to think about what i'm doing.

so right i would listen to a lot of. classical music. okay you know because it's it's almost. like okay two hours before tip-off i. don't want to be. talking to nobody right i kind of want. to get in my head. and just think about what's about to. happen. so that i can do my job correctly right. you know. yeah getting amped up that got that was. like a yeah that was a young guy's thing. yeah but chris i can understand you. needing to get amped up because you're. playing 82 games. you're playing every other night or. every sec thursday night.

so after a while i'm only playing once a. week. and i know somebody's trying to you know. i'm already pumped up because i know. somebody's trying to tear my head off. for sure it's physical it is physical i. couldn't imagine man. i couldn't i have so much respect for. football. man i don't know how you guys do it man. [Laughter]. so you were all so did you were you. always. the tallest kid in school or did you. grow. it was a little bit of both so i was.

always the tallest kid and then i kind. of leveled off around. seventh eighth grade okay i was pretty. tall but not the tallest. right not abnormally tall right. then um between ninth and eleventh grade. i probably grew. man about ten inches what. yeah about nine ten inches in three. years and. i went from you know a okay. basketball player like yo this kid might. be something i played a couple games on.

varsity even in my freshman year. um to you know oh man he's a he's a. prospect so it happened pretty quickly. okay so you played against kendrick. perkins in high school. your team was 40-0 how many did you drop. on perk. oh man about 20 if i'm not mistaken i. had 23 points. 23 points about 12 or 13 rebounds. few blocks because you guys you guys.

went 4-0 that year and you were you uh. you. you were the number one team in the. country right yeah yeah it was like. it was like the hood version of friday. night lights to be kind of squishy man. it was we were not losing that game you. know. it was a really magical run that was. like that. that was i mean you know i talk about it. all the time with people. um i had a i was we were very blessed to. have. a magical run in my high school uh. uh senior year you know we um we were. public school.

uh that got ranked number one in the. country uh. you know one they said they called it. the mythical national championship. so that was pretty cool but we were you. know we were from south dallas man we. we didn't know much else we were just. playing ball did you guys so did you. guys have recruits were you like this. img academy or oak hill. were you one of those schools no sir. basically everybody that was on your. team. actually went to that school you didn't. have guys coming in just. obviously just to play basketball.

no uh from citywide in a city kind of. feel kind of but not on. not on okio's level no right no not in. that kind of context. yeah we were not a privately funded. school this was. dallas independence school district you. could look it up. in lincoln high school you can look it. up if you get bored. obviously at 6 11 you win the state you. missed the basketball in the state of. texas. so obviously you had your pick uh you.

didn't choose a blue blood you didn't. choose carolina you didn't choose. kentucky you didn't choose kansas. you chose georgia tech why tech. ben uh for one they had a uh. african-american head coach black head. coach. okay um i was very into that uh i was. drawn to that. uh oh he was right it was great yeah. paul hewitt um he was running. a great program turning the program. around. right um it was very young it was. youthful. the blue blood programs were there.

it just it just didn't it just didn't um. it just didn't attract me. in that kind of way and we really had a. really great class. and a lot of guys started getting picked. up early i believe. north carolina had three mcdonald's. all-americans from our class. they had raymond felton sean may. um i'm missing uh jewish. yes and rashad mccance that was in two. years they have four mcdonald's three. from my class.

so that was gone duke has sheldon. williams jj reddick. daniel ewing you know it just seemed to. kind of. all be uh uh going uh you know. to guys that were very very good very. early and they know where they want to. go. right for me you know what i had florida. and texas and i just. i don't know i wanted to play in the acc. because i felt it get it gave me a. better chance to make it to the league. so like in my mind i'm like oh yeah i'll. go to georgia tech.

because if i want to go to the nba the. acc. they don't have they there there's a. void at the four that they need to fill. i can go right there you know people. later told me said dude you were going. to play. anywhere you went right but i did not. i didn't have that uh awareness of. myself at that time. so who would be your top five players to. come out of. potato uh state of texas in high school.

basketball. man i mean me of course okay that one. you only got four more to go got to put. big perk in there okay. got to put tj forward in there. oh man it goes quick got to put lj in. there. and richard lewis. wow okay i know i'm missing some people. i know i'm missing somebody but. that's those are the biggest texas is. really not known for basketball.

you are yeah football mecca and track. and field. guys guys all the guys can really run. fast. for sure all day every day. but you know that was one of the best. things that uh that happened i think uh. well yeah and i'm just not thinking. about it too even in my. class um i know i get a lot for that but. i got to put d. will and lamarcus aldridge in there too. okay yeah but we were playing against. each other you know those are my good. friends and. you know it kind of not that it was.

overtaking basketball but it was like. in texas if you were a sports junkie if. you're a high school sports. junkie that's like the perfect place for. you right you follow careers. you get your information in the papers. you go and. you go see every game because a lot of. the times the best. football player is the best basketball. player too on a lot of teams so. you know just the just the school spirit. and and just continuing sports just all. through.

and then it'll tie you over to track and. field man then you just keep it going. all. year you're good to go yeah so you you. go to georgia tech you play in the acc. what was it like playing those teams. because even though you chose not to. join them. you felt the acc gave you a better. opportunity or a better pipeline to the. nba. so that meant you had to play well. against the dukes. against the north carolinas. it was very humbling uh because despite. how good i did we were still getting.

crushed as a team just as a team. um i wanted to win you know you want to. win you have uh. you have a certain uh uh um. fixation of on how the season is gonna. go of how the school is gonna go. none of that happened for me and you. know. we we we you know had a had a couple of. great moments. um but it was just a tough year uh. adjusting the college was really hard. right um. you know being away from home going from.

dallas to atlanta. i understand you know atlanta had it. going on it did but let me tell you. brother. it did have it going on that was not a. good thing i didn't have any money in my. pocket. and you quickly learned how much. competition that it is for a pretty. pretty young lady and you know in. atlanta you know i was like oh. damn you know i don't have none of that. stuff you know what i mean i'm. i was striking out left and right so it. was it was very humbling. [Laughter]. so when you went to when when you went.

to tech did you. know that you're like i'm one and done. or did you think that you know what i. might stay a year. i might stay two years or was it because. the evaluation the. that you got like i gotta go. it was because of the evaluation i. didn't know. until later in the season around the. time. about february late february that's when. i was aware because people tell you. being in atlanta people going to tell. you you know so. i was just keeping my head down and.

working right you know people start. finding me and telling me that. information and my intent was to. do two years in my head i said okay two. writers and i'm gonna be man i can have. a shot. and it was kind of it was hard to take. because. honestly i wasn't ready to hear that. right no you. i'm just man we're losing and we not. what are we doing wrong and i have to. get better. and i'm thinking about the things to to. do to get better and then. you know people are telling me like well. we're a lottery big brother yeah you can.

go number five. i remember that and number five and i. was just. i didn't understand you know no no not. yet he's like nah. because that meant you had to go right i. don't absolutely. i know what that means i'm like ah i'm. just now. starting to get used to atlanta and. college life. looking good you know oh man the sun was. shining. it changed up man it just you know that. stink of the season was off. yeah it's just next year we were.

bringing which the guys went to the. final they competed for a national. championship we were looking around and. saying man we might be. we might be all right but you know. it just it just came up and it was. quicker than i anticipated. the 2003 draft lebron was regarded as. universally he's going number one. right did you think carmelo anthony's in. that draft. uh darko military is in that draft and d. wade though the most the high profile. did you think you had a chance to move.

up to maybe number two number three. i thought i could move up to number two. i wanted to play. in detroit because i have i had family. in detroit okay and at the time you know. you're young you don't know nothing. but i'm like man they're taking dark old. maybe i can if i work out for them. so i actually worked out for them but. they were taking darco was a grown man. at that time they were. they were taking one through three. pretty much was solidified. i didn't even i think i worked out for. denver but. that was pretty evident that they were. gonna take carmelo right um.

we i played carmelo that year in college. they they beat the crap out of us. um they were pretty good man um but. you know with lebron and duane not not. uh lebron and carmelo i had never seen. basketball players like that so. you knew they were going uh early and. with dewayne. nobody really knew i didn't even hear of. him until. um you know you hear a couple of things. i didn't really just like. no no until that kentucky game he had.

with the triple doubles. yeah and it's like oh okay but. everybody thought he was going to be. lower mid and miami. miami worked them out and they knew. right. but um you know after after after three. was pretty much. kind of like the question mark at the. time so. so you didn't play any of these guys in. aau ball you played you didn't go. against lebron you didn't play the ball. yeah lebron actually uh it was abcd camp.

in 2001 in tonight new jersey. he was he was he was the first. team well the first guy i played against. so it's kind of like uh they take 300. kids from all over the country. right and divide them into teams right. you just play like two games a day for a. week. and the first game we played was. uh lebron and and i remember watching. him play like yo who is this guy. oh this is lebron okay i've heard it. okay i've heard this guy haven't heard. his name you know.

have not heard his name since and then. like uh we played each other a couple. more times. uh that year yeah. so yeah we played each other that was uh. and then i played with melo. actually at usa basketball in venezuela. back in 2002. so watching lebron play then did you. know he would turn out to be. this or or is he even better than you. thought he would be. definitely better than you thought it.

would be but like when you know when. your kids right. like this is you're just a it's a friend. right you know it's like yo man what's. up yeah you were at the camp. right yeah yeah okay and then you're at. the draft and then. then all of a sudden it's like okay but. right before that it was. chosen one i'm like oh [ __ ] you're on. the cover of sports illustrated. damn but i remember when i got to. georgia tech. for my freshman year they played on espn. in high school and that was. kind of like damn that's crazy and then.

it's like. boy he's been hitting the weights. [Laughter]. he looked he took that next leap and and. then you know. you don't see him for a year and then. the next time you see him he's just. transformed so. we knew right away that okay he's gonna. be the number one pick. right but to be honest you don't really. think that far. into it you just you know you it's all. of us this is cool. i went right into you know trying to be.

great myself and. for my you know pouring all my stuff. into the game. you get drafted number four overall you. go to toronto. what were your expectations and what was. toronto like. i ma'am i didn't have any expectations. for toronto because it was. it was kind of shocking man it was a. culture shock it was uh moving to. um a different country i knew i was. playing with vince carter. you're excited to move you're excited to. get it going but then. just that professional pace is very slow.

man and then you know boom you're uh. you're throwing into the pan you know i. really struggled when it got cold. when it started getting cold that's when. i started you know getting homesick. you know i'm 25 30 games in. i'm getting smashed every day by grown. men the lead the league was a little. you know a little bit different a little. different than it is now. you know you could guys it was more. physical and. and you know i'm like 2 2 10 2 15. i.

mean i'm just getting. my ass handed to me every day so i. i was it was a struggle it was a real. struggle and we weren't doing too good. as a team. it was it was you know just um an. adjustment getting used to the nba life. and then socially. i was calling my friends every day back. at georgia tech they're going to the. final four. i'm just like god man well did i make. the wrong. i don't know if i made the right. decision you know i was going i was. going through that in my head but.

right you know you you everybody has to. go through it we all have to go through. it and. you know those are my years man did you. ever think about bringing family out. maybe your mom your dad or someone that. you're very familiar with you're close. close with to live with you to be there. to give you that sense of hope. we i had that i did have that i had uh. tremendous support um uh at the time. um always had someone with me it's just. they're not with you in that huddle. you know i wish you on those road trips.

yeah it's just just the grind of the. season. um it sounds a lot cooler playing on the. road. than it actually is when you first start. you got to get used to it it's a. lifestyle adjustment you have to make. and being 19. let's say being 19 in a. league full of grown guys it's. it was it was a struggle man it was just. different. uh chris i hate to bring bring this up. but um. january 22 2006 you happened to be on.

that team. in which uh kobe rest your soul again. yeah dropped 81. everybody talks about jaylen rose and. you kind of get. and you don't ever mention it so you've. done a great job of like hey. ain't nobody doesn't anyone remember. that i was on that. squad so i ain't gonna break it up. [Laughter]. i brought it up a couple times you know. just a couple times not a lot. it's more like a trivia thing and then. people say oh that is you oh you can.

watch the game and. maybe not even know it's me because i. look a little different i was pretty. young i thought i was like 22. yeah 22 23 at the time yeah that was uh. that was embarrassing man. so what do you what what what do you. remember. about that game and then when he got it. going did you ever think he would get to. that plateau no i didn't. okay so like all i remember i just like. i remember. half time and a lot of people don't.

know but he scored 55 points in the. second half. right that's like the stat that's like. that's the staggering that's what swept. up on the road because. you know what i mean they think it was. like okay 40 40 nah. he had 55. you know i just remember. being we were up we weren't a very good. team but you were all big on him. we were up about 14 16 points. and on the road we're feeling great he's. got 26 points right. so i'm like ah you know hey kobe can.

have 50. don't matter as long as we win by you. know. man i just remember he came out. it's like he couldn't miss it i don't. know it's it's it's like uh. you just start watching him play because. he started doing stuff you never seen. anybody do. nobody was pulling up for three steph. curry started pulling up for threes. again. nobody saw that back then he was pulling. up from that far. you know and and the game the second. half just started just. start the second half he just come out.

shoot it. okay he hits like four threes in a row. if i remember correctly. and that's like 12 points and then. then he just started hitting everything. and we were bad defensively already. so it wasn't like there was a bunch of. resistance so it was like. it was that perfect storm of he hit. every three. he hit every shot and he shot a lot of. free throws right. [Laughter]. it was really the perfect store oh it. was a perfect storm man he. he gave it to us man and that was uh.

that was a tough one man that was. and it was kind of like i just remember. running back and forth just like yo this. can't be real you kind of get stuck in a. dream. right you know like can we stop this i. don't know he. he just hit this fade away from over. there i've never seen that before you. just kind of get like no way. pop like god dang this dude is killing. so the horn goes up the horn goes off. and you look and you look up and it says.

and he has 81. did you like is that a misprint ain't no. way this man had 81 points in beginning. hey. i didn't even have to look i just walked. off i knew i knew what he had. his last two free throw free throw and. then they took him out and i said man. let's just get off the court let's just. get out of here as quickly as possible. man. that was a sunday afternoon yes. let me ask you a question when toronto. won the title last year. what were your emotions because you did.

start in toronto although you had your. greatest success. greatest team success in miami what were. your emotions were you excited. like okay yeah i played for that team. i'm happy for oh man i was so happy i. was so happy for the city because. nobody ever would have thought that. would happen that they would even have. uh the opportunity. just because that was the stigma for so. long right and especially when i was. there that was the stigma that you would. fight like. i don't know man can we compete for a. championship here. and then it would start to kind of seep.

through the city. but when i went i got the chance the. opportunity to work with the finals for. canadian cable. tsn up there and so we i went to every. game. and just to see the excitement that's. one of the things. i i wish i would have got more of right. was to see. playoff basketball in toronto phenomenal. fans. right and to see their spirit and. for them to experience that not only. experience it but. win it right i mean i was so happy for. those guys i mean i still know the.

trainers the coaches. you know the staff uh the front office. um the the first thing they say when. they see me like yo can you believe it. like i know. this is great i was just i was so so. happy for those guys that was one of um. the times i really really enjoyed i got. to go back and. see all the old guys you know on those. days i wasn't working pregame too much i. would go back to the locker room and. in the equipment room and talk to my old. equipment manager and the trainers and.

just. you know have a couple beers and shoot. the [ __ ] you know have some fun. and just to see those guys in that city. have that opportunity and win it and. have that forever. it's nothing like it obviously kawhi was. a big part of that team. in in uh in toronto last year he moved. on to the clippers. is there what was different between. kawhi last year in toronto and kawhi. this year. in la because it seems he had more. talent. in la that he had in toronto but he.

didn't enjoy the same level of team. success. why do you think that was you know and i. think it's the motivation. i think um you can get to a complacent. place as a team. it's it's not easy and with those guys. they had to have the gap in between. uh shutting down the season and the. bubble so. there could have been many miscues there. but but i think. you know that kind of they kind of let. that take them out of their rhythm. okay um and it's a hard lesson learned i.

mean you know hopefully those guys can. learn. uh uh from what transpired but all in. all they still have the talent they'll. still be a championship contender. it will be harder next year because you. know you got guys like golden state. who they're gonna you know they got the. splash brothers rested up. draymond rested up and a high pick you. know coming so. we'll see how that goes but you know. i think it wasn't as much urgency. you know they didn't play with the.

urgency they didn't play with the edge. that they needed. uh one to put denver away and two to. really sustain. uh uh their great play. 2008 you guys. is dubbed the redeemed team because. in 2004 they had lost the gold medal not. only did they. uh yeah because they say you know you. don't win a silver you win a bronze you. lose gold. they lost the gold medal they got the. bro they got the bronze.

if i'm not mistaken argentina won the. gold medal that year. behind manu yep in 2008. what was your focus what were you guys. focused going in. to try and bring the gold medal home. because you're not. america basketball started in america so. we should never lose. right in basketball man it was. embarrassing man. and like i i i didn't get the. opportunity uh. to play in on the uh team in athens but. i played in tokyo in 2006. we didn't win that either you know so it.

was getting to the point. you know where it's like man this is. embarrassing. yeah we're supposed to be the world. leaders in this. mj and those guys never lost. so we've gotta we've gotta fix this and. we definitely can't lose in a way it was. just a very very serious atmosphere. i mean not only for basketball but just. the spirit of a nation. i mean we talked to we talked to veteran. uh people who were disabled or disabled.

lost their eyesight re-enlisted back. into the military. you know to fight for their country. talking to two and three star generals. you know it was it was it was super. super. uh patriotic super heavy and i mean. coach k i really want to say coach k let. the charge on that one because. he he knew the moment and how serious it. was not only as a leader in. in in basketball and setting the. precedent with that but just.

representing you know the united states. of america having pride in that. and not letting anybody kind of take. that away from you you know. just just wear it with pride and and we. we played pretty hungry. we were ready to go that year it was a. lot of fun so what what are some of your. best memories about the oa team. obviously you're around some of you. around d-wade mellow. lebron you guys came in in the same. draft in o3. so you're very familiar with each other. colby was on that team also.

[ __ ] cp3 so what are some of your best. memories. about that besides winning obviously. that was the greatest memory of winning. yeah but what are some of your. behind-the-scenes memories hanging with. kobe. of course um. going to the we went to the uh uh. village quite a bit i want to say every. other day we had built this. uh thing where we would play the next. day we practiced and then go hang out at. the village but just to. hang out at the village see the spirit. of the games.

talk to the people you know eat eat um. eat in the mess hall. you know eat the same food that and like. seeing how big kobe was. because you know lebron lebron is you. know kobe's. kobe is the guy in lebron and he's like. okay he's the guy you can touch. you can't touch kobe right lebron you. can touch kinda. and and he's on his way and like he's. one of the best in the world but then. toby was around and it was it was just i. mean.

the way people reacted to that guy was. crazy. but just getting to see some of that. getting to see how hard he worked how. much he put into the game. how good he how good he really is or was. and um yeah just hanging with the guys. and we had a good time it was uh. it was a lot a lot of fun i had a lot of. fun on that trip you know i think i was. 24 years old we were all yeah brown was. 23. mello was 24 d was 25 we were just. just some you know young guys hanging. out when you guys are at the olympics in.

08. did you know that there was a. possibility that. you d wade and braun might link up. later would that ever i did not know. i'm sure bran knew. i'm sure he knew because there you know. he's a very calculated person. i was just happy to be 1b on the. olympics i was trying to play. right i was just trying to get more. menace. and i was so concentrated on.

making toronto uh a destination that was. like my goal and focus as a franchise. player i truly truly believed. um that we could uh compete for a. championship one day i just have to keep. doing what i'm doing. and you know i was just fully into that. i really didn't start. thinking um all the way. about free agency until i think it was. that's was it that summer i think the. summer before yeah in 2007 we all signed.

our deal so. it was kind of out of my mind for. whatever reason i wasn't i was just. kind of kind of just compartmentalizing. and just thinking about. things that were in front of me so how. did. so how did that come together so how did. you guys. you d way lebron are you on the phone. are you in a room. and you're like obviously they're not. coming to toronto. so in order for you to play in order for. you to play with. lebron you're going to have to make the.

move to the state so how did this come. about. so it kind of started out all cloudy you. know. um free agency is is crazy but. you know it was known that um. miami was making moves to get enough. cash space that's pretty much what it. came down to. once the cap space was made yeah a. couple phone conversations you know i. mean we're friends we see each other. and at that time it was still just. possibilities nobody really thought.

because you know i believe um there were. still moves to be made and all that. stuff so. you know it was just kind of a pipe. dream at the time but. it was on the radar um and you know i my. agent. uh the late great henry thomas me and. him had. me and dwayne at the same age you know. so um. i kind of everybody put me in a position. where it's like chris. if you come for sure we're gonna get one. of them. you know so that's like new york new.

jersey chicago. that's what they were telling me like. for me they were putting me in the. middle of it. and i mean so in other words you were. the next man you you were the one that. was going to connect the dot. because if you come one or the other was. definitely coming that's pretty that's. what they were trying to sell me on. never believed it any. any part of the day i'm like guys i. don't know but. they um that's definitely what was being. sold to me quite a bit but. you know it was it was a slow burn um. right you know the free agency period. uh happened um once.

i heard the possibility i mean it was. pretty evident to me i was on board. the welcome when the heat had their. welcome party and you guys are on stage. and this. the pyrotechnics are going off and there. are probably 15. 000 people in in heat arena and lebron. is saying. not one not two not three not four are. you like right i hope bruh. let's hold this thing let's get first. and then we'll get to two to three to. four what's going through your mind when. you hear him say that.

that's right that's right tell them. oh yeah i was take yo give me all the. gas i wasn't even. thinking about how that would look. wasn't even aware. i mean it was just everybody was having. so much fun to be honest man. and it kind of not that it it did it. didn't get. flipped we definitely should have been. smarter it was just. like in the context the question was.

asked. and then he said we're not here to win. not one. but of course you gotta hey man they're. gonna pick up they're gonna just nudge. that over. pick that part up and yeah you did kind. of we did. we were all there counting all the way. up to 10 or whatever yeah. i mean we were feeling so good man. [Laughter]. we had no idea and at the same time like. we weren't seeing. the aftermath of the night before right. you know we went straight to parties and.

stuff so. we were told at least on my end i was. totally unaware. of uh of the perception and how it was. taken so yeah we. if we would have known that and and how. good and how hard it is to win a. championship. yeah we might would have uh we we. probably would have said some. some different stuff you know and you. know come on the crowd was like. they had no gas oh we were gasps. by the time he got the eight it was a.

standing ovation. but but you as you mentioned you didn't. see the backlash that had happened the. night before. because once you guys said once you guys. did what you did you went straight to. parties. but you go you you beloved lebron. was beloved d-wade and now you guys. combined. and you're the most hated team in all. maybe. in the history of basketball outside of. the bad boy pistons but you go from. beloved to hated. overnight that's what kind of that's.

what kind of threw me off and that's. what kind of. that was my naive nature at the time. just being a younger guy. um everybody loved me in toronto. i was not threatening i'll give you 20. and 10 a night. right you know we'll make it the eighth. seed 7c. right we'll get you guys out of here at. five man chris you boy you can play. you know and and and it wasn't uh. threatening and. you know prior to that i want to say. yeah 2009. yo when i tell you everybody was so nice.

because free agency was coming up. right and so you kind of get in this. mode. of just thinking oh yeah they're my. friends or. yeah nobody not even putting yourself in. their position and saying oh yeah okay. there's a fan and. they're a bulls fan so if you don't go. to chicago. right they're not gonna like that so i. mean you know i think for everybody. for all of us we kind of uh duane and. lebron had. some experience with it i had none right.

so i was just steadily playing catch. up and and you know just catching those. straight bullets man. how how difficult was it because as you. mentioned you go from being a 2010. guy a guy that they're running the. offense through. to all of a sudden it's lebron d way. d-wade lebron. now chris okay here's a little something. for you how difficult was that for you. it was very difficult to be honest with. you because in my mind. um i thought i said man.

i'm gonna get my touches here and. they're gonna be making plays for me. because dwayne and lebron can pass so. well. right i'm gonna be the leading scorer. man i'm gonna average my game is gonna. continue to. to go up i averaged 25 last year 24. point. i probably have 26 at least. yeah it wasn't like. it's not like that and then even and. then even in that we're trying to figure. it out as a team. i'm running a whole different playbook i. don't like it.

um nobody i mean we're when it's new. nobody likes it and then we're trying to. figure out how to play. with it like yeah with each other and. then like it's so loud every game is. like a playoff game. so learning on the fly it's not really. working so we're going back to old. habits it was bad. you know it just it just kind of. snowballed into this situation. where we said okay as a team this is. what we have to do. and to be quite frank man i mean they.

they were so. they were so amazing just said what they. did. i said all right cool you know they i. mean i would see lebron get. a block get the rebound push it kick it. up and and catch the alley ooh. my god okay i can't do that. d-wade doing all those euro steps and. getting the steals in the backcourt. they they they just did things that i. could not do so i. i pretty much it was pretty evident as. far as like how i would affect the game.

and and where i would uh fit in with. that team. you guys don't get off to the best start. at 17. games in you're nine and eight yeah how. much truth is it that. d wade and lebron wanted spoke. gone and pat riley to come down and were. you in. on it no yeah never was never a thing. that was just that was so it was getting. so crazy man to be honest with you that. was one of the things that we. didn't you know expect coming because.

you know hey. we gave us for a rough time don't get me. wrong supposed to give your coach a. rough time in that situation nobody's. happy right. uh but yeah the fans in miami they. started it started at the home games if. i remember correctly people were just. like we want rose. riles pretty much had to we had to have. a whole team meeting about that and just. like hey i'm not coaching. you know this is our team and and him. doing that. we knew that okay this is what we're. working with. it's not gonna be any any kind of.

wishy-washy kind of stuff over here he's. the coach. he's ready you know we're good to go. how difficult was 2011 because you guys. were. favorite to beat the mavericks and it. does not go you win game one. you're up by 15 at one point in time in. game two. they go on a 22 and 22 to they go on a. 22-5. run something like that yes and they win. and they end up winning the game to win. that series.

yeah how difficult was that. and what was the off season like the off. season was long. because uh it was the lockout year right. so not only did we lose but it's like. damn we are we even gonna get another. chance to even redeem ourselves probably. i don't know we'll see. but it was embarrassing it was hard. uh we were shameful i mean everybody. chris what went wrong what went wrong we. just weren't ready. we just weren't ready they were better.

than us um. we we didn't psychologically. we didn't play well um our offense. was stagnant lebron didn't play well. i didn't play well nobody played with a. coaching staff had a popcorn man. i'm sure he was like i didn't get them. the popcorn like i. you know but it just you know one thing. i learned from that you have to gain. um experience as a team and then as an. individual. and unfortunately sometimes that.

requires pain. and we understood as soon as we lost how. important it is um to pay attention to. the small details. right to play with that to play with. that pain you know what i mean and you. get into a mole worse. and you got to give credit to the. mavericks too jason kidd jason terry. dirk novinski they were very steady and. they picked us apart and they were. always a step of head. as far as like what we were doing so we. were always catching up to them.

right and i mean they seized the moment. man you got to give them credit they. played well and we did not. did you feel like okay lebron obviously. is the best player but he goes to d. wade's home. it's kind of like look i understand i. might have more money than you but when. i'm in your home i need to act. accordingly. did you feel that lebron was holding. back because he was in miami. and this was d wade's castle oh yeah for. sure that was that was all of our things. i didn't want to step on their toes. lebron definitely didn't want to step on.

these toes because. he had developed his pretty much. developed his style. of uh of play at the time so you know. that's a ball dominant style to be. honest with you so like. i know for sure he didn't want to you. know it's like yo this is d way he's the. franchise guy. it took them having the conversation um. to pretty much say hey man you know. you do your thing we're you know we're. we're we're. in behind you we've got your back we're.

going to allow you to be the best player. in the world. and that pretty much was the. conversation it was off and running. after that. you had this epic these epic battles. with the celtics. um you're down i mean you go up 2-0. they win the next three walk us through. game six what would because you had just. lost the previous year to the mavericks. right you can't lose you you can't lose. again. oh my god it's over if we lose.

what was your mindset what was the. team's mindset and did you know lebron. was gonna have. an epic night i didn't know he was gonna. have an epic night i. on my from my mind i was hurt. you know i had a torn growing i could. play. but uh i knew i couldn't give much. right um so i just wanted to give as. much as i could give. and i was coming off the bench i think i. was uh playing i was gonna i knew i was. probably gonna play 18.

20 minutes right so that was my you know. focus is playing with this pain. and hopefully something could come out. of it because you missed the first. series right against indiana you missed. the first series yeah i came out. probably played six minutes and missed. the whole series and then missed the. first five games of this particular. series. right with boston uh well first four. and i came back game five and then we. lost. but i mean it was just kind of. one of those things to where we we just.

kind of had to believe man you had to. believe we weren't really thinking too. much about. the possibilities it was more so just. like all right cool. boston we going to boston let's get it. done you just. i'm gonna eat dinner i'm gonna do shoot. around i'm gonna do this. i i you know that's all i was focused on. and then about midway through the first. quarter. end of the first quarter i noticed brian. like yeah. he is he hasn't missed am i tripping you. know and then. just damn we're playing well and then.

okay. man he's hitting everything we're not. even running in any place you know. i can just focus on defense right we get. some stops he's going to take care of. the rest that's great. that makes it easy on everybody and then. we were just in a good rhythm. defensively as a team. you know the couple times that he did. get off the ball we scored. um and you know we were able to get out. of there but like. i mean it was it was a crazy experience. i mean before you know i'm sure you've. been in one of those games right where.

you could just hear a pin drop. you know it's nothing it was nothing to. say there was no hype speeches it was. it was just you know let's go out here. and go and then. you know it's just one of those moments. 45. 15 to 6. god it's like man this dude is. hitting everything are you. man are you tripping then we're up 20. it's kind of like a good dream but like. an. eerie dream like am i in boston up 20. right now are we about to get out of. here. alive okay cool and that kind of gave us.

um you know some uh it reinvigorated us. for uh game seven. as you mentioned that was game six all. that did. was promise you another game you still. weren't out of the woods. because you have game seven and it's in. your building. which would have been even worse had you. lost game six because. you would have got the l in your. building for sure didn't even hey once. you get there it don't even cross your. mind it's like hey we're at the crib it. don't matter we'll whoop your ass on the. moon let's go.

so you you play okc. you lose the first game you win the. second one. okay what's going through your mind at. the beginning of the series and did you. like okay we got we we've got control. now. we're going home for three games and. we're not coming back to okc. oh yeah i definitely i know i felt that. um in my spirit. um we didn't play particularly well game. one. um we knew that we we turned the ball. over a lot.

and when you get when you get that far. you don't. freak out you don't get that far just to. freak out over one game. right you recognize we recognize the. mistakes that we were making as a team. and we knew we could play much better. and. you know knowing kind of trying to get. in okc's head they were all in their. early 20s. i know how i was when we won game one i. thought we were gonna win it. so naturally you're gonna have a let up. in game two just that little bit of let. up right. um or or change the ties a little bit we.

kind of knew that so. we said okay let's get game game two and. then once we get that once we got that. game i said okay we're not coming back i. mean that's just how i feel. uh we were a tremendous home team i. think one of the best home teams in the. league. um and we were just totally confident at. home so. going back we just knew we had a chance. to run them all off. and you didn't know this at the time. but you beat a team that would later. going to have. three regular season mvps and a guy that.

won two finals mvp. crazy we knew they were good and. you know it was kind of you know playing. them was. very difficult you know even back then. early 20s it was like and. and i think westbrook put on like 15. pounds after that series you know. they took it to another level. individually um. we knew that they were going to be a. problem we knew they were a problem. coming into that series. um you know everybody didn't really get.

used to the hardened thing. uh until houston right was doing that. with okc. you know you know he i think he was. sixth man of the year. but did you know harden would be this i. mean there's one thing that. okay yeah he's gonna be good but to beat. this a guy that averages 36 a guy that. averages 35. he leads the league and assists the guy. i mean the 50 points. a 60-point triple-double did you know he. could be. this no no we knew.

it's like yo he's going to be he's he's. cold he's bad. he can be a franchise player somewhere. else but if they stay together. you can fill in the blanks and then when. he went to houston oh man he's gonna be. pretty good but yeah what he's uh. the things he's been able to do i mean. he's inspired. he's he's done a whole other thing with. the game of basketball that nobody else. has seen before. yeah i don't think anybody saw that. coming i think he gained his confidence. and then. with whatever that crazy creativity that.

he's got in his brain he started. figuring things out and it's like oh wow. i can do this. he's almost he he's almost unguardable. with that step back three. i'm for sure so i i don't know how you. you you defending. yeah you don't know either you're just. in the whole game how do we defend this. guy. [Laughter]. so you win that one and then the next. year you go. the spurs you lose game one. tony parker hit that miraculous shot.

lebron got him deed up. shot clocks winding down and somehow he. throws it up. it rolls around and it falls in you guys. lose. what's going through your mind you're. like oh my goodness yeah it's like oh my. goodness but man. it's cool but that's not okc now that's. not okay. that's not okay. yeah i'm not saying you don't want to. you want to lose it but you don't allow. yourself to it's. like okay all right cool we lost that. one. all right hey we cannot lose game two.

that's just. and and you know we start identifying. the problems and what we need to fix. right away. and uh we were able to have a great game. but you know in that particular moment. you just try to. you you know in the finals you have to. have a very long. outlook on the series so you know not. that it gives you peace. but just saying okay hey this is what we. need to do. we identify this mistakes we correct. them. let's have a better game next game.

you still you get one game because you. got to get one. in order for you to come back to miami. you get the one game you come back 3-2. talk to us about game six what's your. mindset what are you feeling going into. game six. when it it's not i mean it's kind of you. have to fight that deja vu. kind of feel because we were in the same. situation with the mavericks. um we we knew.

our backs were against the wall we. didn't expect it did not expect it at. all. you know but we're here and so. you know um. winning two games at home or just. winning one game at home. right was the focus but we never lacked. confidence it was always. uh you always want to approach that. situation with confidence. you you you know being beat down after. being in san antonio and and dealing. with that home crowd. uh with their home crowd for a week and.

a half you know being away from your. home is is. a difficult thing but you know it. refreshed us and. you know you just get ready for the. battle man that's all you can do get. your mind right it's not about the x's. and o's you go through those things but. it's not about that it's just about the. preparation it's about doing what you do. um and and going out there and competing. at the highest level. you start the fourth quarter of game six. you're down 10. or you're thinking like man this san. antonio we know they're gonna execute.

down the stretch. this is not a young team they're well. coached they're gonna be where they're. supposed to be. they're gonna execute their offense like. they're supposed to do you allow. yourself to like damn. how did we get ourselves in this. situation against that team. no we were good at throwing away the. situations i mean we were. probably the best fourth quarter. comeback team. by far in the league that year so we had. confidence i mean. we didn't want to be there but you know. not all is lost.

right and you know uh our second group. with lebron. they played amazing basketball they. always got us. going um even in the regular season so. it was just one of those things where. you trust your guys you trust the second. group. led by lebron you know that they're. gonna get you back in it and once they. get us. once we get back in it we've we've got. to either sustain it or overtake the. lead. and um that's the but that's one of the. habits that we had built up all year you.

know having that faith in each other. right you're down and if basically has. come down. to this a missed shot and a rebound. you see lebron pulls up. you're tracking the ball what's going. through your mind. the ball fill your mind with watching. the ball. man i mean um if you watch the play in. slow motion. um the way that they played it tony. parker read the play and he stayed on.

top of my screen. right boris dial did not see him they. both. went and and contested lebron shot that. allowed me. pretty much a free pass uh to crash the. boards and. i watched the flight of the ball so with. no tim duncan because pop had made a. strategic effort. uh uh strategy to take duncan out of the. game. yeah and you know it's always a what if. thing but they they have been doing that. all year. right you know that's this is their late. game package is what they always do.

but that allowed me um a free run to the. basket while i'm watching the ball. and so uh any rebounder can tell you if. you get to watch the flight of the ball. and nobody hits you. nine times out of ten you're gonna know. or or your instincts are going to take. over. and you're going to be able to be there. when the ball is there you know. great rebounder told me hey man it was. old schooler too he's like hey man. trick the rebound and it's getting there. before the ball gets there. right yeah you're right.

you track the ball you grab the rebound. with the with the the arena as loud as. his ears. how do you know did you know ray was. going to be back there. how and even if you didn't know you he. said chris or cb whatever he's calling. you. how did you hear that i heard him man. that's the only thing i heard to be. honest with you. isn't that crazy yes the only thing i. heard i. see me i didn't hear anything else and.

in my mind it went a lot slower but when. i watched it on replay. there's no way i could i don't know but. i distinctly. heard him and i could see his eyes. and his facial expression running back. like backpedaling. and so you know just the body took over. did did what it needed to do and and his. took over and. shoot and we were able to live to play. another day man. we still had to play overtime after. right but you know they were crushed. you know they were crushed for sure they.

were crushed for sure that's that thing. like. we let's move in right now and win this. game and then that's like huh. then you still got game seven to play. after that so it was that was. that's right ray allen hit the greatest. shot forget the. you know the that's the greatest shot. given the circumstances. and how does how does he backpedal he. does not. if you look at ray he never looks down. he has to like. train he he trained himself that he can.

back pedal. no i'm far enough back i'm not going to. step out of bounds. let that shot go and it's pure for sure. i don't know. if you ever had that moment in football. have you ever had that just moment where. after the game you're just like it could. be. hours it could the everybody's gone. you're still in your uniform just. there just like how you know what just. has happened. yeah what just happened and and me and. ray were just kind of like that and. you know and i said man do you practice.

that shot he said oh yeah i practiced. that. and ever since that day i practiced that. shot every day. every day that became a part of my. routine practicing craziest shots. because. you never know when you got to break the. glass and use it. and that's what i think and that's what. i tell people is that when you see these. guys. take these shots they practiced them. steph curry just didn't all of a sudden. start pulling up from the timeline. right you know everybody shooting these. logo shots now they become routine.

whereas chris when you first got into. the league you only attempted that shot. the end of the shot clock or the end of. half that's the only time you attempted. that for sure. for sure or he's shooting that shot now. with 18 seconds on the shot yeah. it's like the backup like whoa young. fella. way. so you're two-time you win two and three. years. you go back 2014 doesn't end. like you want it lebron makes his.

decision. he goes back to cleveland. what's your feeling did you feel that. miami was a total success. or did you feel like you guys got. cheated or you left something on the. table. oh we definitely left some on the table. i mean in my mind. i you know i will always feel like it's. an unfinished story but. sometimes the best stories are. unfinished you know right it was. it was a four-year just shooting star. you know and we wanted to continue it.

and you know we've i've had a lot of. time to think about it i've even talked. to pat about it. and we both like you know i couldn't. imagine if my hometown didn't like me. right um i couldn't you know i couldn't. imagine that uh at the time. you know feelings hurt um you have to. get over the fact that it is. free agency right um he didn't demand. the trade. he didn't build his obligation yeah for. sure and it's like okay it kind of hurts. but. you know it's just like damn you get.

used to playing a certain way and. and you know be frank i mean to be frank. you know man he's fun he's a great dude. we've been knowing each other since we. were 17 years old. um the team dynamic was great. um it's lebron james you're playing with. the the greatest player. and it's it's a lot of fun and i knew. that things were going to change. but then um i think it reinvigorated. everyone. i think um for me uh it was able uh.

you know i was able to you know just. move forward as my. uh uh career you know or what i thought. my career was gonna take off too it kind. of gave me. a fresh kind of outlook on the league. and what i could be and. as well as the wayne and the. organization too and for him. i mean and that kind of hurts too right. i mean you going over there caleb. over there they just got kayla kyrie i'm. like damn they're pretty good. they're pretty good. [Laughter]. so you know you feel a certain type of.

way but you know we um. we had plenty of conversations since. then you know and. more than the hatchet this was also. going to be your opportunity to go back. to being. toronto chris bosh yeah for sure. a guy that's going to be 20 and 10 and. then all of a sudden you get the. diagnosis. at the all-star game you're on vacation. with your wife you're vacationing. and you get these blood clots what's. going through your mind and at that. point in time did you say you know what. this thing might be career ending or did.

that thought never crossed your mind. it never crossed my mind but we knew it. was there i just thought i was gonna. beat it uh. because 2015 had happened and in 2016 it. happened at the same exact time. uh with no pain this time the first time. i was just out. i was in the hospital for two weeks i. was bedridden. i had surgery it was really bad uh the. second time was just. yeah you have blood clots and that was. it and. you know it was psychologically it was. just super tough to deal with we were i.

think we were number two. second or third in the east at the time. and. we were kinda and i talked with pat. about this too we were looking around. like man yo. we might i think yo i think we can make. a run for one we. we're hitting the marks if we after. all star break we can we can if we can. lock up this two seed and hopefully we. can lock horns with the cavs. i i'll take i'll take that any day and. just you know just how cool that is that.

how great of a storyline that would be. uh that was my motivation every day and. like you were saying being. um having that toronto spirit about me. and leading the team. i was uh i was all for that it was me. and duane but. you know it's just one of those things. that uh just wasn't meant to be man. so when the doctor tells you say chris. it's over. um yeah we recommend and and that's. normally how they give it to you. if you were my son i would advise you. not to do this anymore. considering the ramifications that could.

possibly come along with this. so when you and your wife sit down and. you finally come to the. the ultimate decision what what what's. going on what's going on. i mean how difficult of a decision was. that it took a couple years to get there. i tried. um i tried my hand in finding a way. to play again for a while and. i just ran out of gas you know you were. trying to find a doctor to tell you. would be okay. yeah pretty much you know.

i'm looking for that one please and i'm. just going different places and. you know we fought because i felt great. i mean it was nothing that was you know. physically there's nothing physical that. you can't see it's not a torn acl it's. not in the key leads. no it's not a a torn anything it's. something it's an invisible killer. that's what they call pretty good i'm. pretty good we can play right now. you know what i mean breathing great. there was no uh. there was nothing happening no pain. right um it just really messed me up man.

and. and i just kind of you know i tried and. i tried and then just eventually. i had to come to the realization and you. know there wasn't a singular. conversation but just. to be honest with you when i saw gordon. hayward dislocate his ankle. right took whatever fight i had. left in me it was going because remember. dwayne and lebron were played in that. game. right yeah so i hadn't watched. basketball any of the year before and i. said yo. i'm playing this year let me get back. connected with the game.

first five minutes that happened yeah so. you know i knew right then. like uh yeah i mean that can happen to. me man i can't i'm not gonna play. anymore. heaven forbid that happened you know. you're worse. you spent four years playing with lebron. and you're watching him do what he does. in year 17 how do you think he's been. able to maintain this level of play. because we've never seen a guy. play this well this late into their. career. we can debate chris we can debate who's. the gold who's had the greatest seasons.

all we want to. but we can't debate this nobody has ever. played this well. this late into an nba career. you know what man he puts so much into. his body. so early um everybody is just now being. able to kind of. see the the the benefits um that he's. reaping but. he's put in the work um he was. stretching twice a day. had a trainer was doing all the things. when we were in our early 20s.

i remember seeing him and he has a guy. that stretches him and they're doing. tissue work and all that kind of thing. even if i wanted to do it i don't even. know where to start. right you know so just his uh foresight. back then. to take care of his body do the right. things. invest in himself now he's reaping the. benefits now he can. combine that want and that drive. with physically actually being able to.

do it and compete for championships and. you know mike jordan man he you know we. it was all real to us mike jordan and. colby they were playing very well at 36. you know so. he's 35 i know he's like okay at least. until. 36 plus one more i'm sure he wants to. play this way until he's 37 and then see. where he's at after that but. i mean he's put the time in he's put the. work in um he's made the sacrifice and. now he's able to you know keep playing. ball at that level what do you think.

lebron's greatest attribute is. his longevity uh his durability. um never seen anything like it. play like a guy that plays every night. every night he plays you know and um. just that has allowed him to be able to. do the things that he does i mean you. know obviously we talk about talent. um we can talk about the things he can. do but unless you're out there on the. court. you can't do it um he's he's uh he's. done a tremendous job.

in taking care of himself and really. dedicating himself to. the stretching the the treatments the. weight room. uh you know those other things you don't. see that you didn't harass the eating. you know all of those things that. allow you to perform on the court but. nobody sees. people always talk about his basketball. iq explain to people what basketball iq. is. because there are a lot of guys that can. play and i don't want to get into the. name. but you like bro you have no idea you.

can just put the ball in the hoop. but you don't understand angles you. don't understand such a game time. situation. right you don't follow a guy a guy. that's struggling to shoot the ball you. don't file him on a three-point shot. right you don't give the guy you don't. give up the baseline to a right-handed. guy on the right side. things of that nature so talk about. lebron's basketball like you. well i mean he's uh he's made that. commitment too to mentally dive into. those things that okay. um this particular player he's really. good. at uh you know the two dribble pull up.

going left. make sure you force him right and then. you store that in your brain. because you're gonna play these guys if. i'm playing bradley bill. i need to be able to call on a drop what. his. best move is right to dribble dribble. step back watch the film dribble left. step back three that's his move you know. so you get to a level and then you start. just dissecting guys. quickly and you keep storing that. information.

then you get to the team okay now you. get to the coach yeah this coach runs. this set. these kind of plays okay this you know. this situation. you know just storing information and. just recalling it quickly. quickly and like i was always envious of. lebron because for his whole career. he's had the ball in his hands he's six. eight and he can. see over everybody you know so he's like. has the ball in his hands and he can. watch. the offense move right i'm a post guy. i'm it's always something behind.

somebody behind you somebody's behind me. that i can't. see so you know lebron might be looking. i don't know what's behind me you know i. gotta watch film so. right you know just him being able to do. that for his entire career and combining. all that information and just living in. it you know of course you're gonna you. know you're going to be a savant. are you surprised that he's playing this. well this late. and that he has the lakers one game away. from being world champs. oh no not at all i mean as soon as he. went to la um.

i figured they would have a shot at it. um. as soon as they got a d they were you. know they were my favorites to win it i. mean. you know just combining those tremendous. talents and then building that team. around it. and um having guys like frank vogel guys. like jason kidd. you know guys like dwight howard uh. javel mcgee with their championship and. finals experience. um you know coming in and leading that. locker room. i mean um you knew that they were going. to be primed to win one.

uh they have a chance they're on the. precipice of it now they just got to. finish it. and uh we'll see if they're able to have. a run. d wade said anthony davis is lebron. james. all-time best teammate do you agree or. disagree. i disagree he's being humble i i you. know. this might be conversation but not the. best not the best and i mean you know. and i. only say that because what i watched um. lebron and dwayne do. i haven't seen anything since it was it.

was entertaining. right you know it's they're throwing. lives off the backboard they're doing. stuff you. play nerf ball with do with your friends. in little league. you know just the the the effect that. they had on the culture of things. and on the game and the way that they. were able. to combine their styles on it doesn't. really make any sense they're. exactly both of those.

lebron and adr are better fit. because d wade and lebron were both ball. dominant. d wade had to sacrifice more than a.d. ever did because lebron is really. starting the offense. through a.d now for sure absolutely and. he's doing that and they can run a. screen and roll with a.d we. never ran screen and rose until late uh. with you know with lebron and d. but like just the way that they were. able to combine their forces and figure. things out. i mean i just feel that they that was uh. that was just a great compliment and it.

was entertaining and just so much. so fun to watch you it was just all good. you know it was. it wasn't going to be anything in the. media it wasn't going to be anything on. the court. you were just going to watch some. amazing basketball. does it help that d wade and lebron were. such good friends. lebron and a.d are such great friends. does that really help with how well they. mention how well they play. because they they can say things to one. another that another teammate.

probably would be unwilling to say and. not say. because they talk about how d wade held. lebron accountable lebron hill d. weighed accountable vice versa with a.d. and lebron. do you think that relate that type of. relationship helps. oh yeah of course i mean you have to you. have to respect the person that you're. playing with you have to be. uh a friend i mean you have to care uh. because let me tell you when this. when it's like game six or something and. you're dead tired and you have nothing.

left to give. and there's still two quarters left and. there's a loose ball. [Laughter]. matter of fact lebron threw the loose. ball and if if i don't. like him to a certain degree all right. you threw that bro you go get it. you know i didn't throw it. you got to go get it man and and you. have to uh be able to. to sacrifice for each other and um you. know you got to stay. that's a huge part of being a team you. have to uh. come together as a team you got to be.

that solid unit. and you know you just have to it helps. when you like each other because yeah. you're going to have to have some. uncomfortable conversations some days. and yeah you might have to tell your. teammate yo. you need to play better right and you're. not giving i need more. or you're not that was bull or you know. just to. just um to keep people accountable i. think that's hugely important and if you. like them. it's it's uh it makes it easier what. would a fourth ring.

for a third team do for lebron james. oh it'd be great i mean he you know the. way i see it. it's it's a story still being told um. you know i have a little bit of spirit. experience with championships. i know you just want to get there so. actually winning another one would be. of course anyone you get is tremendous. winning it this year in particular uh. rrp kobe. um you know and and and winning it for.

the lakers. that's a whole you know other thing yeah. it's just i mean just. brian has a whole and this is just me. talking it's not him. he just has a whole other outlook on the. game he's thinking of it as a totality. not so much as a city. a person a place or a thing he's like oh. man along with the lakers. wow and then with the heat back to back. oh and then. brought one to cleveland i mean just. it's it's it's a whole body of work and.

and i know he's he probably has a number. in his head that he could get to. that's possible oh go ahead. but chris you you heard what they said. lebron went to the lakers. to retire spent his last couple years he. wanted to be close to hollywood. he wanted to act he didn't want to be. michael jordan he wanted to be michael b. jordan he wanted to do a movie project. you heard it all. you heard it all this is what they said. about the man right. who came to retire even after the.

historic season that he had just put up. gold coming off the nba finals. he said he going to la to retire nah i. don't think so. um not that he won't retire in la but. um if they win this fourth one uh that's. the start of a run. and you know he's in his mind they're. going to do this uh you know until i. mean contract. you know obligations are one thing but. you know if they can sign a d. they're definitely gonna try to really.

really capitalize. on um on on their situation so i see him. continuing to compete. for a few years. everybody ask you this you played the. game you didn't get it i don't think you. got an opportunity you might have played. you might have called jordan. you caught jordan's last i did man i. came in uh the year. yeah yeah yeah after. you what you saw the last dance the last. i mean the last dance you played with. lebron you played in the era with lebron.

when it's all said and done who's gonna. be the ghost. man really man that's just a tough. situation i mean. you know you can't really quantify it. um what lebron has done. is in its own category what kobe did. with. jordan kareem bill. i mean it's really hard to really. kind of uh uh you know people get very. selective well he only did oh well.

and well these are feats that uh i feel. that never will be. i don't think everybody nobody will be. 6-0 in the finals. it just ain't gonna happen right that's. crazy. ten finals and counting. i you know i don't think nobody's going. to do that they both have a bunch of mvp. or. they've got all the trophies you know. those guys kobe and. everybody's talking about the goat i'm. just trying to get in the building you. know what i mean.

it's gonna be there's gonna be a lot to. be said if you win finals mvp. he has four finals mvps with three. different locations which means he would. have led. three different teams to the ultimate. it's gonna be it's go it's gonna be. tough to hold him about that. conversation. let me tell you something man man it. will be scholarly debates over this for. decades. yes you know what i mean and you know i. know lebron wants it that way he. jordan was our hero you know we all. watched jordan we all know. that okay i mean this is what i'm up.

against and. man it is what it is but for him to. actually create a lane for his own. self and then they say hey man he is. arguably the greatest of all time. there's nothing else to talk about. chris man i really appreciate it bro. thanks for sitting down with me and. and sharing your thoughts about your. career and your new music. uh career congratulations on that and. when you win that grammy for uh best new. producer. best new song come back and visit your. boy for sure for sure i appreciate that.

man thanks a lot thank you brother. all my life been grinding all my life. sacrifice. hustle paid 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 the dice that's. why. [Music]. you know what to do hit the subscribe.

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