Gilbert Arenas FULL EPISODE | EPISODE 12 | CLUB SHAY SHAY

Hello, welcome to another edition of. Club Shay. I am your host, also the. proprietor of Club Shay. The guy that's. stopping by today for a drink and. conversation is a 2001 first team all. pack 10. He's a three-time all-star, a. three-time AllNBA player. Some call him. agent zero, some call him Habachi. The. host of No Chill podcast, Mr. Gilbert. Arena. All my life been grinding all my. life. Sacrifice, hustle, paid the price, want a slice, got to roll a dice. That's.

why. All my life I've been grinding all. my life. All my life been grinding all. my life. Sacrifice. the price. Want a slice. Got to roll. dice. That's why. All my life I've been. grinding all my life. Gil, how you doing today, bro? I'm good. I'm good. Thank you for having. me. Hey, you forgot. what? Most call me the goat. You forgot. to say the goat. I'm the goat. Oh, you the goat. Yeah, I'm the goat. You got to say the. goat.

And some call him the goat. Gil, how you been? What's going on, bro? Man, I've been good. You know, I've been. good. You know, uh, quarantining like. everybody else, you know, just trying to. figure out what's going on in life, right? We're gonna start present and then we're. gonna work our way back. Um, Saturday. night, there's a fight that took place. Nate Robinson, former NBA player against. YouTube sensation, I guess that's what. they would call him. Uh Jake Paul, who. also says he wants to take up the fight.

game. He's been in it for a little. while. He's taking it serious. Uh it. didn't work out well for Nate. What do. you think happened? Besides the obvious, you know, there's a difference between fighting. and boxing, correct? you know, um Nate. is a fighter. He's he's he's fought. plenty of times in locker rooms, right? You know, um he's used to grabbing, holding, body slamming, you know, hit.

trying to hit somebody with the club. hit, right? Well, you know, when you're a boxer, it's timing, you know, it's precision. Correct. You know, I don't think he understood. that. I don't think that was told to. him. So when he got frustrated, he went. into fight mode, right? Um and every time he decided he was. gonna try to grab and launch, he got. popped for it, right? So why wouldn't someone explain. the rules of boxing versus the rules of.

fighting, but one rule is universal. Keep your hands up. Whether it's a. street fight or you're in a square or. you're in an octagon, you got to keep. your hands up, Gil. Yeah. you know, it's it's if you're not. used to it, it's it's secondary to you. Like, you know, when you took McGregor. and had him go against, you know, Mayweather, you can see that. he didn't protect himself as usual. because in MMA, that's not what they do.

They use their hands to grab and. counter. So, you know, using your hands. to, you know, block, you know, jabs, McGregor wasn't used to it, you know. So unless you're sparring and. that's what you're being taught, it. comes second nature to someone who's. just used to fighting. So why didn't he go get the proper. training? Why didn't he go out and reach. out to a Freddy Roach? Why didn't he. reach out to a Teddy Atlas or Buddy. McGurt or Floyd Mayweather the senior?

Why not reach out to somebody that could. train him properly? Because you're fighting a YouTuber. Oh, so he underestimated it. Yeah. Yeah. I'm pretty sure he did. I'm. pretty sure. You know, it's a YouTuber. He's not a professional actual fighter. So, I can go in there and probably try. to bully him. And, you know, if you look. at the way the fight started, that's. what Nate was trying to do. Just bully. through him. And if you look at both.

the YouTuber, Jake wasn't a a boxer. either. No. You know, the three the three hits. he landed was three hay makers with his. eyes closed. You know, when you slow. everything down, it's like he's just. bending down throwing a over-the-top hay. maker and it's connected. But here's the. but you know this as a ex-professional. athlete. You respect everyone. You. underestimate no one and you'll be fine. It's when you underestimate your.

opponent and you look at him. Some of. the best hoopers don't have the best. bodies and you like man it can't do. nothing and he light you up. Y. if you don't give them you don't give. your opponent the proper respect that he. deserves. Well then you deserve whatever happens. to you. And you know and that's why I sent the. text like we we we we got our giggles. off. We got our giggles off. Yeah. And. then you know while I'm looking at it. all I'm like well Nate wait hold on. You. not that far off you know. He not that.

far from what, Gil? He wasn't that far. off. If you look at right before he got. knocked knocked down the first time, Jake throws a overhand right. A fighter, he blocks it with his right. hand instead of his left hand. So if he. blocks it with his left hand, he gets to. uppercut him. The fact that he blocks it. with his right hand, he gets no counter. on it. If he was a boxer, he would have. known that that you he throws that.

overhand, right? No protection. Uppercut. him, right? So, that could have been an easy. knockout for for Nate. Nate could have. knocked him out with that punch because. he he threw too much effort into it. But. little things like that, you know, I. was, you know, explaining to Nate like. this is what you need to be trained for. So, I used to box a little in, you know, in uh ninth grade, you know, instead of. basketball, I just took boxing gloves to. school and I used to fight for $5. Okay? You know, so you know, there was little. things I was like, well, Nate, you could.

have ended him right there. Look, when. you're chasing someone, you cannot chase. him like this. No. You know, you're chasing him upright, right? Yeah. But but but here's the thing though, Gil. Why would you all of a sudden want. to pick up the fight game in your 30? Your reflexes start to slow, guys. If. you in the fight game, you have to be. able to to see punches, to anticipate. punches, and not to walk into punches. I.

mean at 36 I mean we are a little slower. but you know. Nate is Nate is one of those freak type. of athletes like yourself where the age. doesn't really like my 36 is probably. you're 31. you know so Nate still feels he has it. um that's what I SAID YOU'RE NOT HE'S. NOT FIGHTING AGAINST AN actual. professional fighter he's fighting. against a YouTuber who just jumped into. it last year but that year of training.

still is still above what Nate was ready. for. Well, how about this here? Why not pick. up bowling? Why not pick up cornhole? Why pick up the fight game? Of all the. THINGS THAT YOU COULD PICK UP ONCE. YOU'RE DONE WITH one professional sport, why not why not something that's not. that's non-cont, you know? I I haven't asked that. question, but I do ask it in football. when the football players retire and. they go straight to I'm like, at that. age, do you really want And it's like,

well, CONTACT IS ALL I KNOW. NO, I was done with contact once I was. done. I had been taking contact for 26. years. I didn't want to get hit on. anymore. But and it takes it takes a. special type of person to be able to and. like I said for me football was second. nature because I knew okay in a certain. defense I knew where the hits were. probably going to be coming from. As a. boxer you know if you throw where the. punch is probably going to be coming. back from and so you can anticipate.

things. You understand how to pivot. You. understand how to turn. But if you just. getting into it it's going to take so. long for you to pick that up. Gil, but. you know, just like any just like. anybody who's been in a fight or watched. fights, you think it's easier than it. really is. Exactly. You know, we you know, you get in, you. know, fighting through school and you. think, "Oh, I CAN KNOCK HIM OUT." And. then you don't realize the precision, the timing is Yes. You can't grab me. you.

boxing you can't grab because in a real. street fight, see I believe Nate in a. street fight can probably beat Jake Paul. because he do what he tried to do. He. would rush him, scoop, boom, boom, boom, boom, ground and pound. But in a boxing match, ain't no. grabbing. It ain't no scooping somebody. up off the floor and dumping them. And I think that's what like I think. when he was attacking that was the. mentality. I'm rushing with the scoop. the scoop mentality and that's how he. actually was approaching him and he kept.

getting hit. So you wrote this heart uh you started. trending because you wrote and I won't. read it all about a bud whippid is no. different than the first time that you. had to guard Allan Iverson. You had to. guard myself, Stefon Marberry, some of. the a uh the other great guards in the. NBA when Nate came in and you was trying. to explain to him it's not getting. knocked down, it's getting up. What are. you going to do once they got knocked. down and you get back up? What do you do. moving forward? What made you write. that?

Because I'm I'm, you know, I I see. everyone's posts. I know Nate personally. I know what type. of person he is. He's a He's a fighter. He's fierce. He doesn't back down. And. I know because of you know the Curries. and LeBron's everyone laughing that. probably hurt him like hurt his soul.

Like I think that hurt more than the. actual fight losing to a YouTuber. I'm. pretty sure losing to a YouTuber he's. like ah. But it's your peers. You feel. like you let him down. And. you know as as a big bro to him I'm like. well no the let down is if you don't get. back in that ring. It's okay. No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that. Don't do. that, Gil. Don't talk that man on. another one. Let it Let it go. Hey. Hey. Hey. So, you win some, you lose some. Okay. You lost. Let it go. It's okay.

What's the dis what what's the. difference between a con a champion and. a contender? A champion gets back up one more time. But here's the thing. If if if somebody. beat me in my sport, it's okay. That's. not what my thing is. Why did he feel he. needed to do this? See, this is the way. I look at it. And you know how we are. If you me and Gil, we walking down the. street and we see a bee nest, a beehive. or colony of bees. They not bothering. us. Now Gil going to go over there and.

start messing with them and they light. him up. I'M GOING LAUGH. THEY WEREN'T. BOTHERING YOU, GIL. YOU MESS WITH THEM. So you deserve to get stung 10, 15. times, however many times IT TOOK THAT. GUY in called Nate out. Nate called him. out because he underest he a YouTuber. Man, I beat the brakes off him and he. underestimated it and the dude hit him. with a one hit a quitter. Uhhuh. Now, now what you do is you CALL. SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN. WIN. GO ONE AND ONE AND QUIT. QUIT QUIT AFTER.

THE W. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY. YOU AIN'T GOT TO FIGHT HIM AGAIN. OKAY. One more fight. Get the win. QUIT. THERE WE GO. SO, IN. other words, you want you want you want. somebody that he can Well, who can he. beat? Cuz now people YouTuber, you can't. beat the YouTuber. Who you going to. grab? Hey, well, listen. A YouTuber who's been. boxing for about a year and a half now. GO. HEY, BOX SOMEBODY WHO'S WHO WHO JUST. FIGHTS. SO, WHAT HE WHO HE GONNA CALL Tony Hawk?

Hey, do what you got to do, PLAYER. GET YOU A. W IS ALL I'M SAYING. GET YOU A W BEFORE. YOU QUIT THE GAME. SO, so in other. words, you feel that cuz I was one of. the ones. I mean, I the means, you know, but here's the thing though, Gil, you. know, this the new crying Jordan for the. next year. This the new crying Jordan. meme. He's thrown face out. He. not getting over that. Listen, I had about four posts that I.

had to actually take down before I. pushed the but before I PUSHED. BEFORE I PUSH IN, I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, I did that about four or five times. So you want to re So you want a rematch, not necessarily with Jake Paul, but you. want him to fight to have a one and run. record instead of a 0 and one record. Yeah. Like get like, YOU KNOW, YEAH. YOU. get knocked down, but get Come on, get. back up. This is what we do. Like this. is this is what we do. We we we. athletes. We get back up. Like if we if.

we quit after we got knocked down the. first time, there would be no one. But Gil, you know, athletes have. from being a professional athlete, you. know, our problem is is because we're. great in one thing, we automatically. assume we'll be great in something else. We automatically assume that without, oh, I CAN DO THAT. OH, I CAN DO THAT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S what get us in trouble. Yeah. And that's Hey, listen. WE JUST. WATCHED CHARLES BARKLEY WIN, RIGHT?

NO, we watched Phil Mickelson win. I don't know who Listen, first of all, I. don't know who thought that two guys. that are non-professional can beat a. professional and even a slappy. It is. It's like if you get two nonpros in. basketball and you put an NBA a current. NBA player with another slap, the pros. going to win. Yeah, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. BILL. MICKELSON IS ONE OF THE ONE OF THE TOP. GOLFERS all time. And you actually.

thought Steph and Pton Manny was gonna. beat him and Charles AS BAD AS CHARLES. IS. But look, he became a champion mad. But but see, Charles chose something. that's non that's not contact. He picked. up golf. You can still be competitive. even though you're competing against, you know, you say you're competing. against the other guy, you're actually. competing against the course, but the. course don't hit back. Okay. You go. eight straight, eight strokes or 10.

strokes over park, the course ain't hitting you upside your. head. It ain't hitting you and getting. you no body shots. Yeah. I mean, he took Look, he took his. lumps. He He's going to be embarrassed. for a while. FOR A WHILE, FOREVER. YOU'RE NOT LIVING. THIS DOWN. OH, NO. THAT'S WHY HE GOT He got TO GO. KNOCK SOMEBODY OUT. YOU GOTTA GO KNOCK. SOMEBODY OUT, YOU GOTTA GO KNOCK. SOMEBODY OUT. That's the way it works. But see, here's the thing. Nate said he. was doing this for the all the NBA. player, for all the athletes. I mean, the culture, he he I mean this for the.

culture. That's what he said. And And we. called the L. Now you got everybody. Now. you know how they looking at us. They. looking at us. Somebody like, "Oh, I'mma. try him." Oh, they they can try me. They. won't they won't get a response. I can. tell you that for sure. I'm not getting. no ring. Hold on. You done gassed up Nate and got. him in the ring. And now you say even. though you box, you got a boxing. background. You say you don't want no. PARTS OF IT. NO. LIKE I TRIED TO DO 20 PUSH-UPS. NO.

NO. I'm not even strong enough to get in. the boxing ring. I can tell you that for. sure. So what about what about MMA. for Nate? for anybody for any I think do. you think any Well, I think James uh. James uh uh John James Jones could do. it. James Oh, yeah. He's black belt. Yeah, but that's something he But that's. that's like something he actually. Thank you. See, something you actually.

do, you do, right? But the difference. the difference between that and let's. say. like I'm pretty sure like when you're. when you're when you're playing you you. trained in boxing, right? Hard. Yeah. So if you're training in boxing. and shadow boxing, you kind of think you. can really throw them hands. Yeah. But that's what I said. HE HE HE. PROBABLY WAS training and really thought.

he could throw the hands. and didn't realize like the sparring. part of it, the getting hit, the. reacting, you know, that is the most. important. So, I don't think he sparred. enough leading up to that fight. That's what Mike Tyson says. Everybody. has a plan until they get hit. Mhm. And the thing is with boxing, people. don't understand how long three minutes. actually is to be or to have your senses. acutely a keen and to throw punches and.

also try to dodge punches while. breathing because what happens when you. get tired? Your hands drop. What also. happens when you get tired? Your jaw. drop. Now you're susceptible to what? A. boom. And there you go. And that's what. happened with boxing. And people like, "Throw punches." I did boxing when I. first got to LA about four years ago. I. did boxing for a year and I quit because. I just realized this ain't me. I said, "Uh, it's hard. I mean, two, three. minute rounds and I'm I'm talking about.

like a minute in and I'm gassed and I'm. not bouncing around like the little. weight." And that's what a mistake the. first one made. You know, I see. everybody else bouncing around. So, I'm. light on my toes and my trainer was. telling me say, "Bro," he said, "You too. big for all that. You 250 pounds. That's. a lot of energy that you burning. So. just stand flatfooted, you know, and. just, you know, you know, keep your. hands up, you know, throw the punches, you know. I'm hitting the mid. I'm. feeling good. You know, give I'm. shooting. He's like, "Give me a one, two, boom, boom. Give me one, two, three, four." Boom, boom, boom, boom. Okay. YOU KNOW, I'M DOING ALL THAT, MAN.

90 seconds in, I'm spit. He's like, "Okay." You know, so my hands drop and. he'll touch me. Okay. That's a head. Now. I hit you on your arm. That to bend to. your face. I said, "Oh, okay. I'm up.". So you know what I'm saying? So he doing. ALL THAT. SO THERE'S A LOT GOING INTO. BOXING. YEAH, I I think he just. underestimated him, you know, being a. YouTuber, probably been in there a year. He he figured he can just roll through. him and then it didn't work work in his. favor. Swaggy P. Swaggy P had a response to. your response.

So you and Swaggy P go get go get in the. ring, go put the gloves on. Hell no. Hey, I had to You see, he didn't. respond, right? What? What happened? Huh? I pulled up on him. Boy, you better. not even go on Instagram and try to. challenge me in no fight and have them. people looking at me because I ain't. doing it. We might as well just We might. as well STAB THE STAT RIGHT NOW. I'm not. doing it. You won one and0. I gave up.

I saw where Kobe, you follow MMA, you in. the big in the fight game. I saw where. Kobe Cington, he's always trying to call. out, he's a MAGA guy. He's always trying. to call out, especially black athletes. that were protesting police brutality by. taking a knee. He called out LeBron and. says, "Uh, I would did King James half. the amount of time that it took the. YouTube guy to do that to Nate. Robinson." What's your response to to. him? They just chasing they chasing the fame,

you know? They're they're you know, you. know, you got to remember some people, they're banking on the response, right? That's all they care about. They, you know, he knows LeBron is not gonna. fight him. LeBron is not gonna fight any. He want, but he needs the response, right? To to bump him up into that next. category of fame, you know, and some people some people. that's all that that's all they're on. Instagram for is because you got to. remember even with Nate, you know, he's 300 400,000 followers,

right? He challenges him. He's millions now, right? you know, so it kind of worked. I. mean, you know, for those extra know. what 900,000 to a million followers, YOU. JUST TOOK SOME LUMPS FOR IT. THAT'S. YOU KNOW WHAT? I looked at on last. night. I was searching who has the most. IG followers. Cristiano Ronaldo has like. 243 million. I think The Rock is next at. 208. I think Selena go Ariana Grande is. at 205. I ain't taking no ass whipping.

for 200 200 million followers. God, I'm good. I keep my little 1.8. building like 500 a day. I'm good, Gil. Yeah, me too. I'm with you. Me too. Oh, there's a trade that happened. John. Wall, Russell Westbrook. Who won the trade and why? Both both their contracts is up until. about what two 202 years about 132.

million. on both players, right? Both players, both players shoot about the same from. the three. Both players shoot the same. from about the from the field. Both. players have an injury history. One's. coming off a torn ACL and a and. achilles. And the other guy has knee. problem. That's probably bone on bone. You know, it's it's hard to it's it's. hard to say who who won because it's. who meshes better. Do Bill and um.

Westbrook mesh better than James Harden. and West I mean uh and and John Wall? Because that's all it comes down to. I. mean, you got to say something about. Westbrook because the the fact that he. averaged 27 and 10. and not really having the ball as much. as he's used to kind of tells you. he gets it somehow. But he but he but he wasn't happy. He he wants to get back to playing like. he played in OKC dominating because.

that's why it's so hard to judge this. because all three guys are high usage. guys. All three guys need the ball in. their hand in order to be effective and. so Russ because it's uh John Walls last. year 2018 he was second in time of. possession with the ball in his hand. behind Harden but Russ and Harden. normally goes back one two one two as. far as usage. So, how do we know who's. going to mesh better when basically the. same guy? I I think Wizards win a little bit on.

this one because even though. Westbrook needs the ball, he's not he's. not a a bouncer. He doesn't he doesn't. need many dribbles to actually do what. he's trying to do, right? He gets he he gets right to the point, you know? He's he's going to take you. off the dribble and score, take you off. the dribble and pass. and the fact that. Bradley Bill can spot up and and and. move without the ball. Paul George.

played well with Westbrook that year and. Bill is kind of like a a Paul George. type where he doesn't really need the. ball to be effective like that. So I. think that'll mesh better than two guys. who need to pound. But we because you. look at it, I think Russ Westbrook. should probably average double digit. assist because he has Bartan who can. shoot. Bradley Bill who can shoot. So he. should, you know, he should average. double digit assist. You know what's so.

funny? Both of them probably going to. average double double digits assists. because the problem with Houston is when. James is when when when Harden is doing. what Harden does, everyone else is out. Yeah. But because because John Wall has. that point guard vision. a lot. Eric Gorn is going to eat, you know, if. PJ Tucker's there, he's going to eat a. little bit more. So John Wall is going. to be the pure point guard like Chris. Paul was. But the difference is is that.

John Wall is a two masquerading. Russell. Westbrook is a two masquerading. The. true point guard is like a Chris Paul or. Rajan Rondo. Most of the most of the. point guards today are twos masquerading. as points. Kyrie Irving, he's a two. He's really a two masquerading as a. point. And how what makes you so convinced that. John Wall is going to mesh better with. Harden than say. Russ or CP3.

because you have to. WHAT YOU MEAN YOU. HAVE TO? You have to. You got to. remember ju just like anything, it's. you're going into a new city. you're. going into a new pro, there's already a. king there. You have to sacrifice. You have to sacrifice. You you you know, just to survive sometimes, you know, you. can't go in there, you know, thinking. you're going to dominate that ball. Like, I mean, and I'm gonna say it, Harden.

is going to have to re-evaluate how he. plays the game. Thank you. I'm glad it. because. you you've done had everyone now. You. done you done had everyone and. everyone has came and gone. So is it. them or is it you? Cuz think about it. You had you wanted. Chris Paul but and then you want didn't. want Chris Paul after a year. You wanted. Russ and then you didn't want Russ after. a year. You had Dwight Howard. You had.

Clint Capella. I mean at some point in. time even Kobe said it rest his soul. before his death. He said that's a great. style if you like you know he gonna put. up phenomenal numbers but you can't win. a championship like that. So. do you want to win a championship or do. you want to have be known as one of. these elite scorers and be known one of. these the best player never to win a. championship? Is it James Harden? Is it. Carl Malone? Is it Charles Barkley? Is. it Patrick Euan? because that's the road. he's headed down. because there's no true offense, you.

know, um. with. with the new owners coming in that's. coming from Wall Street. That's right. You know, and all they're doing is just. crunching numbers on, you know, statistics on how the game should be. played, right? You give a guy who's a one-on-one player. a whole game of oneon-one, right? When. one-on-one is the last four minutes, the.

the the when the game counts, crunch time game, the last five minutes. of the ball game. Yeah, that's where that's where that's. where James Harden, Kyrie, and Damelin, that's where you excel. That's where you. get to Okay. The offense, everyone's. keyed in on the offense. You use your. natural ability to get us buckets, right? Not from not 48 minutes of it. And. that's what the game has turned into. 48. minutes of a one-on-one style. So, when. I look at the how his game is played, I.

said technically he's the easiest person. to guard, but hard to guard because he's. perfected this style. That's But he doesn't he doesn't know. how to back door, doesn't know how to. flare, doesn't know how to come off. In other words, he doesn't do anything. without the ball. He doesn't baseline run. He don't post. up. Like you you you have this great. offensive guy who only has one offensive. tool. Dribble dribble dribble shoot. Dribble dribble dribble step back.

Dribble dribble dribble drive. You know, you don't have a you know, you have no. no complete offensive game where. everyone can actually eat. Are you. surprised that the Clippers came up. short and all the rumblings you were. hearing about what transpired in the. locker room and what ultimately may have. led to them not succeeding this past. season? Oh, no. No. I knew they was I knew they. were terrible. Why? Like because even from the beginning, I. said they never established who team.

this was. So, what ends up happening is. you have a Clipper team the year before. that this was lose team. LES should have. made the the All-Star game that year. Um, and then you bring in two stars. You got a team who don't we don't need. you two. We we just made the playoffs, right? You games are go a healthy Golden. State. Yeah. And then what ends up happening is. you two come, you guys are load.

managing. We're holding it down. You guys are. getting the credit for it. We're holding it down. You guys are. sitting out of practice. We're holding. it down. You guys are all stars. Hold. on. And because they publicly never said, "All right, this is how the team is. this is this is who's the star. This is. who's going to take the shots at the end. because that that never was established.

when it got to playoffs. That was going to happen. See, everyone. thought they were great because they. beat the Lakers, but nobody paid. attention to, well, all four games the. Lakers was up 15 points in the first. quarter and then they had to panic and. and put in the two bench players, which. that's all they had. They got two. starters, two bench players. So, you're. saying they got the deepest bench in the. league? No, no, no, no. They got two. players. that's averaging 40. If you put those.

two players as starters, they have no. bench. So, the fact that they actually. didn't have a real full roster, they. were going to get beat if you just. shorten the if you just shorten the. possessions because now you got four. Lions trying to eat for the trying to. eat the same meal. I look at the Clippers. Do you think the. leaders because Kawhai never had to be a. leader in San Antonio. Tim Duncan, Tony. Park Amanu when he went to Toronto, Kyle. Lowry was the leader. Paul George was.

not the leader in OKC. That was Russ. So. you really never had leaders. And. Kawhai's style of leadership, and this. is what I tell people, uh, Gil, Kawhai's. style of leadership is good as long as. you're winning. Because Kawhai just wants to go out. there and hoop. Kawhai is not going to. call a team meeting. He's not going to. have the guys over and talk and try to. get through things. But the moment you. get you get to that deep water. now you now what do you do? You look. over there. Come out. Okay. What? What? Just go. Who? Nah. Bro, what you going.

to tell us? Am I off? No, no, no. You. you're you're correct. like you know you. and that that was the that was the. biggest issue that I seen because the. leaders. Trev and L will. the leaders. you know and you got you know the. Chicago dog you know Pat Bev you know. he's the one that gets them fired but. you got to remember it's them three and. the rest of the locker room versus these.

two so when got crushy. It's yo. do we really do we are they really are. are they really the stars or is it us. you know so there was a division. I think the thing is it's one thing to. know that you have uh privileges and. benefits it's another thing to exploit. those when you're okay you can live. wherever you want to live but that also. means you got to get up earlier and get.

here to make sure you're on time Because. when you show up late, Gil, the one. thing that I hated was for someone to be. late. Because basically what you're. telling me, Shannon, my time is more. important than yours. Even though I know. you had to get up and get here on time, my time is way more important. So, I'm. cool. And so, they looking like, "Hold. on, Doc. Why you keep allowing this to. happen? AIN'T NOBODY TELLING HIM TO move. to San Diego. So, we got to hold up the. plane. Doc, why you keep saying that we. need to practice? We need to get. together, but you let him sit our. practice. You let him miss the games.

Why do you keep saying what we need to. do when all you need to do is tell his. butt to practice? That's where the. leader steps in. See, like on a team. like that and you're coming in and. you're you have a load management that. that's going to happen. That should have. been talked about at the beginning, right? That like you know on in my Wizard days, I wasn't leader of the team. Larry. Hughes, I I was Kawawaii. I play. You. tell me to head hunt this person, I go.

give them business. You tell me, "Hey, these they ain't getting the ball. Okay, I'll give them the ball for a couple. possessions, then I'm going back. attacking." You know, that was Larry's. job to make sure everyone was happy. because my job was to kill. That's all I. knew, right? And then when he left, then it was. Antoine and Karan, right? You keep the locker room. That ain't my. job. I come in, I have fun, I do my job, and I go home, you know? And that's why. there was never no beef with us. We knew.

who was who, right? Yeah, I might be the face, but you guys, you're the captain. You guys run this. I'll be I'm the face up here because I'm. the sexiest out of the three. I'm the one that's going to be on the. billboards and I'm gonna get the big. money, but as a unit, we're moving how. you guys want us to move. Do you think that Paul George coming in. and thinking he's a superstar? And okay, maybe you can understand Kawhai. Kawhai's a two-time Finals MVP. He's a.

two-time defensive player of the year. He's a many time first team allNBA. player. So, you know, him getting. certain privileges. Okay, you understand. that. But the guys are looking at Paul. Jordan like, "Hold on, PG. Wait a. minute, bro. When did when did you. become LeBron James? When did you become. one of these, you know, one of these. historically great players that you get. to load manage, that you'll get to call. shots by practice?" at some point, you. know, as an organization, you got to. take responsibility, too. Um,

you know, because you do have two stars. coming in, you know, Paul George coming. off what, two shoulder surgeries, right? So, with two shoulder surgeries, I'm. pretty sure he didn't get to really. train. the way he's used to training in the. summer because of it. You got Kawhi. Leonard who load management that whole. next year. That should have been. established. before this season started. But you got. to remember there was going to be. animosity anyway because you got you got. two guys who are carrying a load, but.

these two are getting all the credit, right? So, you know, but. you have to be aware of your. surroundings, too. As Kawaii and Paul. George, you got to understand that, hey, we're going to have to give these two. some credit. publicly, right? You know, we can't keep taking all the. right. the the we can't keep everyone's. cheering us on and we know what they're. doing. You know, you you you got to be.

able to understand. Yeah. You know, Lou. and Tres has been holding it down while. we've been taking some breaks and you. know, that's what makes us special. Like, and that right there. stops a lot of envious, you know, tension in in the locker room. Yeah. Because I think the thing is what. happens is if you get guys that are that. are established that have been there and. have had a certain level of success, not. the success that Kawawaii's had as a. team or as an individual, I think guys. become resentful. is that they see what you're do what.

you're getting credit for, but you ain't. practicing. You miss every every third or fourth. game and everybody's talking about we're. winning because of you. But we play every game. We play hard. every game and you sub yourself in and. out when you want to. You practice when. you want to if ever. And. what how that takes a special person to. understand that, right? And you know, I remember when I I went.

by the same logic when Kobe said he. wants to know like forget the opponents, I want to know my players to the tea, right? You know, I want to know how they take. I want to know how they move, how they. like their shots, how they think. Like. you have to know your players better. than your opponents, right? So you would you will know how Tres. feels. You will know how Lou feels. So. you know when to give them credit, right? You know, and and and and those are the. like I remember like when you have that. bad game,

but you you win and you you say, "Yeah, great team win.". deep down you're mad like damn, you. know, now they think they CAN DO IT. WITHOUT ME, you know, and that's where. that that that great team win, you know, that's but instead of saying great team. win, you point out the the people who. add who had great games because you got. to remember if you're the face, you're. the leader, they care more about what you say than. what the media is going to write, right? You know, so you you know, as.

players, you got to understand these. little things. These little things of. just communicating can stop a lot of. problems and stop a lot of breakups in. in in organizations. Everybody can't. play with historically great player. because one thing, you know, is going to. happen that when you win, they're going. to get the credit and when you lose, they're going to give the blame because. they going to say the bench, the role. players didn't show up. That's just it's. always been like that. Magic. Magic. wasn't with the exception of maybe a. game here or there, Magic wasn't going. to get any blame. Kobe and Shaq weren't.

going to get any blame, but Rick Fox. and and Fish and all those other guys. And you know, if you play with LeBron, this how it goes. So, basically, it goes. LeBron and AD and then everybody else, you got a role to ful you got a role to. fill. You've got to fill that role. But. I think LeBron does a great job of, okay, guys, we going out to eat. Okay. guys, we gonna get together in the room. We gonna have uh PlayStation tournaments. or guys, he does a great job of not just.

being a great basketball player, but. being a great guy as far as team. building the uh uh in the locker room. because people don't realize how far. chemistry go. Yeah, that is the mo that is the most. important, you know, aspect of just just. winning. Yes. being great teammates is having a. relationship outside of that court. Because what ends up happening is. if we have a friendship. outside of that basketball court, what.

he whatever happens on the court, it. stays on the court, right? It it stays there. So, you know, you you. you. you might have a blow and I yell out. something. You don't take it personal. Correct. You know, but if we don't have a. friendship and that happens, it it rolls. over. Yeah, I'm looking at you side with. who you think you talking to. Yeah. Well, yeah. All right. That's, you. know, four, five games, you know, I. AIN'T PASS YOU THE BALL, you know, but. but LeBron's does has done a great job.

of bringing teammates together like, you. know, including everybody, right? You know, so whatever happens on the. court, it's not personal. Like even with. J.R. Smith, we all yelled at J.R. Smith. for the dumb. LeBron's never said one. bad thing. We did it for him. Yeah. Yes. you know, because he knows. this was just a moment, right? Our friendship holds tighter than this. moment. Do you believe that's what happened in. Golden State when when Draymond said. what he said to KD, do you believe.

because they weren't per se friends off. the court that that spilled over or was. what was it what he said, not so much. that he is what he said? No, what he said is meaningless because. we hear that all the time. That that's. just we're going to hear that from 25. OPPONENTS. HE'S PROBABLY said it a. hundred times. But the problem comes. down to this because he is the new guy.

there and they've already established. who's the leader of the group. So you. got Draymond is the leader of the group, correct? And then everyone else is. player. So if you if you look at the. history of Golden State's time together, they never actually established who. was the go-to guy. We knew Steph Curry's. the best player. He's the MVP, but. nobody actually like paid attention to.

Well, the fact that these guys have. actually set in fourth 34th quarters, full fourth quarters, that means they've. never actually had experience. in close quarter matches. So, what ends up happening is Draymond's. was used to getting the ball, taking. off, and making that play. if they ever. actually got in that moment. There was. never no give it the step, let's run a. play. So if you ever looked at Golden.

State last two-minute basketball and. close games, they were horrible. They were horrible because they were. rarely in those moments. So when KD. comes, so when KD comes, he's used to those. moments. So he's like, "Give me that. ball." And Draymond takes off, turnover, and right there, the perfect storm hit. I feel that that was the moment that. they couldn't come back because I think. KD thought Draymond said because he said. he called it that and say you've been. that said you know we didn't need you we.

won before you got here because now. angry people drunks and kids will. normally tell you the truth Gil. Yeah. So. but you got remember they were they they. played against each other. So he done. heard it from Draymond anyway. The media said it anyway. So, he's done. hurt all anyway. It's just the It's just. the perfect storm hit those two. Draymond's used to doing it his way. KD's used to doing his his way. And when.

when it clash, it clash in the wrong. way. Yeah. But it hit different when your. boys I mean, somebody outside can say. something. But when your boy call you. that, that's a little different, J. That. thing hit different. Yeah. Oh, no. It it it do hit different. BUT IF THEY IF THEY had a friendship. like I mean listen I have teammates. knock on my door you know after games. because of stuff I said on the court. right I didn't answer the door but they. knocked. I figure once they GO TO SLEEP AND WAKE. UP WE COOL AGAIN so I just let it but.

here's the thing were they friends or. were they acquaintances or was did KD. did KD come there for a specific purpose. and to get on because I never felt KD. was going to retire Golden State. Warrior. I thought he came there to do. what he did. Get those rings. Get that. monkey off his back. So you can no. longer say Kevin Durant is the best. player that's never won a championship. And that was it. He was going to bounce. I never thought KD was going to spend. the rest of his. No, no, no. You you you had and I don't. you know when KD decided he was going to. leave. No one really put the thought.

into it. No one really said, "All right, what would you do in this situation?" So. we if you if you took a look at his. stats. and said, "All right, what would I do. here?" He got four scoring tighters, MVP, three uh All-Star MVPs. I mean, you. was a Hall of Fame player fir. You the only thing you didn't have was a. Finals MVP and an NBA championship,

right? That's the only thing as a offensive. player that you needed off your bucket. list, right? in this team right now is going. to can give you both of them, right? Cuz you can go to cle you can go to. Cleveland. You can go to Cleveland, but they said, "Nah, we good. We we we keeping our. team. Next up is Golden State." He only. he only had two teams to go to. Cleveland or Golden State where he can. knock that off right there.

Right. Other than that, nobody was in position. to beat those two teams. So, what's your. early prediction of 2021? Uh, back to back. Really? Back to back. What about the Nets? They got Kyrie, they got Levert, they got KD, they got. Denwitty, they got Jared Allen, they got. uh uh uh uh Joe Harris, they got Tyler. Johnson. They got a nice squad over. there. They Listen, I watched them. I.

watched them for two weeks. They playing. amazing. They're working together. Amazing. But let's not forget. LeBron. and that Cleveland squad. We whatever that team was that went last. place after he left, right? You remember, you know, they went dead. last after he left. We did a lot. Went up against KD, Curry, Clay,

Mhm. Draymond, right? Fold fold Juggernauts. There's only two now. And and he and he. and he got help. So unless they gonna. get unless they gonna get Harden and. Westbrook over there, I I I don't I. don't I don't see it. Not in seven. games. That Oh, that I think that's the matchup. everybody would love to see. No, IT'LL BE A GOOD MATCHUP, but you got. to remember LeBron himself takes he.

takes out at least two stars. You know, Kevin. KD is going to he's going to match him. pointwise, right? But the little things, you know, LeBron. does is what keeps him a little bit over. KD when it comes to as a player. And. then now you're gonna have to match. Anthony Davis up and Kyrie is not going. to be able to match that play. So you So. Lakers is going to edge, but it's going. to be a battle.

Giannis, what does Giannis need to do to. win the championship? Learn learn how to play basketball. So you can't euro step everything from. the free throw line. I mean I mean you you you you. it to be honest, he's the James Harden. of the West Coast. I mean of the East Coast, right? What. James Harden is in the West is what. Giannis is. There you have a guy who's.

not the point guard who dominates the. ball and he's playing one style and that. style is I'm going to try to take all my. all the all the big men who can't move. off the dribble year on to the step and. get some dunks. That is amazing during. regular season, but when that small when. that court gets small, you cannot do that anymore, right? You you can't you can't play that. you can't play that style in like he's. like T-Mo.

but not in the red zone, right? No, no, no. You got to No, no, no. You. gonna have to make some actual plays. before you get here. Godamn it. Like I know you good here. You good when. nothing when you don't have to think. No, no. We're gonna bring you back here. Let's let's get you to that point. So. when when the small when the court gets. small, that style doesn't work. So what what do you think it obviously. so what would you tell him to work on. because I think until he can shoot a 15. foot jumper consistently until he can.

shoot better from the three and then. he's terrible at the foul line. So. basically it's either dunks or layups. Yeah. He's going to need to get back to. the basket where. they can actually double them. You got. to remember to to utilize your shooters. someone has to be double. right. So if your if your style is. drive, euro, spin, dunk, and you decide. to pass it, well those guys are still. guarded. So now your shooters are not. getting easy bat. He's like it's like. Blake Griffin because you was so used to.

playing this style when it counts. No. one else gets to eat. So unless he. learns how to play back to the basket. where when he gets the ball, teams are. actually shifting now. Now now, now. Middleton hit three threes. Now they got. to play you oneonone. Now you can go. score. Now you can do those little. things. But Holiday kind of helps him a. lot. He helps him a lot. Let's talk about your NBA career. What What are you most proud of.

that I got to live out my my my. childhood dream? Um, you know, I I grew up a fan and, you. know, I got I got to live and play this game. from a fan standpoint. So, I enjoyed every bit of it. I enjoyed. signing autographs, taking the pictures, doing the happy birthday, shaking. everybody's hands. Like, I that's what I.

enjoy. taking my jersey off, throwing. it, watching the kids go crazy. Like I. enjoyed all of it. What would you do differently? Or do you. think your career ended prematurely? You know, not not you know what I would. what I would do differently is. like take the the injury I had serious. Um. like you know when you get injured.

you're you're you're put on you're put. on pause. you know so going into a summer where. you know you're you done k you done you. you you done stepped into another realm. of play. you know and you're trying to get. better. You're trying to get better. You know, you're trying to catch the Kobe and the. Steve Nash, and. it's like, I want to train this rehab. stuff that can wait. I don't know what.

y'all trying to do. These little these. little movements that ain't that ain't. that ain't gonna get THAT AIN'T GONNA. GET ME 40 A NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT. Y'ALL DOING HERE, you know? So, I didn't. take that serious, right? And end up. having. three knee surgeries in in 14 months. You tear your AC. You tore your ACL, right? No. MCL, PCL, meniscus, micro fracture. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So, basically, you're like. bone on bone at that point in time. No, I had a little I had a little bit. miniscus left. Yeah. Right.

You go to the bay. You You start out in. the bay and then you go to. DC with after Michael leaves. What was. the culture like in the locker room. after Michael left? Because I know you. heard stories. Okay. So, you know what's so funny? This actually. this will make it make sense. Everything. the my contract, all of it will make it. make sense. Okay.

So, I'm in Costa Rica when everything. went sour with Michael Jordan. Okay. So, I think there was like this little. gray this little this little thing going. around where no free agents are supposed. to go to Washington, right? So, so when I get off, you know, and I'm. getting offered, you know, um I think I. was I was second. I think um yeah, Lamar. ODM was the number one free agent. I was. number two. Um.

so I was, you know, talking with Miami. Um they were they were going to dra they. just drafted Dwayne Wade and they were. they didn't know if they were going to. put him at the one, try him at the one. and they didn't, you know, Pat Rody. said, "I don't believe in paying young. players." Clippers, they were being. forced to pay because they had all this. money and all these free agents. Um. Utah, I didn't want to follow. um John Stockton who just retired. That. wasn't my game. I felt my career would.

die. Me trying to, you know, do me a. used to for 20 something years, right? Um, so it was basically. Washington DC and um, Clippers and what ends up happening is I. think um, I went to go visit I went to go visit. and they pull and said because my that. was my dad, what what happened with you. and Michael Jordan? And he he told him. he said, you know, I I didn't like the.

way he was talking to the team, you. know, the way he was treating the team. I asked all the players, do they want. him back? and the player said no. So, I. had to reig on a deal that I did with. with MJ and you know um you know I felt. I felt bad but you know it's the team. you know I did what the team wanted me. to do. right. so it was like okay and then you know. and he was like listen if you come here.

whatever we have whatever we get it's. yours just get me out of this MJ hora. you can be the you're the you're the. face. You be the face. We don't have a. face here. We have, you know, Clint. Portoris, but you know, you can be a. real you can be a real star in this. He. said, "We have Clint Poris. You know, he's a star, but you can be a real star. with your personality, with your play. You know, the city is really trying to. figure out who to grab on.". Nobody. That story has that story has. never been told. What transpired between.

Mr. Napoleon, the former owner of the of. the Wizards and Michael Jordan, is that. he said he didn't like the way he talked. to the to his teammates. to the to the to the to the players. It. was like I I you know, listen, he was a player and a player. personnel because he was in charge of, you know, drafting players and he was. also a teammate and was also playing. Yeah. So, you know, when MJ comes down to play, he's he's. Michael Jordan. It's not, you know, it's. not general manager Michael Jordan. the. player Michael Jordan,

right? So that player Michael Jordan, if you. seen The Last Dance, that's the Michael. Jordan, right? You know, he's going to push and push. and, you know, he's going to be. competitive. Well, a bunch of 18, 19, 20. year old, they don't understand that. They can't take that, you know. So, you know, that's what they. were crying like, "Oh man, if that's the. way he talked to us, then what HAPPENS. IF HE'S OUR BOSS? WE'RE NEVER GOING TO. BE ABLE TO, you know, and that was the. and that was the thing." And, you know, Mr. Poland, you know, made his decision, you know. So when when when I decided to.

come, my whole thing was. I have one job to do and he has my back, right? My job is to to to to make it less MJ. talk. Did when you signed, did MJ call you and. say, "Man, what the hell you doing? I. thought we had a had an agreement that. you weren't going to go there.". No, no, no, no, no, no. That that was. the like we didn't have the agreement. That was like the rumor that I heard, right? Like, yo, like nobody's supposed.

to be going to Washington cuz I'm like, man, Washington ain't got nobody, you. know? Uh, Brian uh uh Brian Russell just. opted out, so it it bumped the the cap. up, you know? So, I'm like, I can really I can I mean, he said he. gonna have my back, you know? You know, if he said he gonna have my back, he. gonna have my back, right? you know. So, so I came, I did my. thing, and this is how I got paid 111. Ernie Grunfield, when I was when we was.

negotiating, I had three surgeries. already, I think. No, I had two and I. decided I was going to opt out. Ernie Grunfield. negotiated his ass off. I'm not going to. lie. Like it was one of those where I. knew I didn't have any leverage because. I had two knees knee surgeries, right? I didn't only play two games. So I. decided I was going to have my agent. zero tour start July 1st, right? Free the first day of free agency. So if.

I didn't like the way this was going, I. can go out of the country. Now you guys. are gonna have to wait and then watch. the rest of the free agents and. someone's gonna panic and then now some. now someone's going to be tricked to. give me some money. So what ends up happening is the first. the first domino was uh Baron Davis opts. out and Golden State gets all this. money. So uh uh rumor rumor hits my. phone a rumor a little birdie said,

"Hey, Golden State at 12 o'clock is. going to offer you five year $101. million." And I was like, "All right.". But I mean, I was like, "Man, I just. bought a house, $5 million house with a. helicopter, all right." So, you know, I'm going INTO. THE MEETING ALL COCKY. What's happening, y'all? What's happening? You know, and. you know, Ernie does spill. You know,

you did great for the city. You know, you know, they love you here. We love. you here. And you know, we think you. deserve this. And you know, he pushed. that contract to me, you know, smiling. Yeah, baby. You know, and I seen, and. I'm not gonna lie, it was six year 86. million. Like I had to like, you know, how you. like like rub your eye because I thought. it was a one missing. I thought it was. it was, you know, 186.

million. 86. Like, woo. This is This. must be Antoine's money. This is You. might have a WRONG CHECK. THIS IS This. is what Antoine's trying to get. This. ain't this like I that ain't a zero. money. Yeah. Yeah, I'm in 100. I I THINK. I'M IN 120 120 SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THIS. IS 88. THIS IS WHOA, YOU OFF a little. bit. And it was like and I was like, um. I don't mean to be rude, but uh I. already I'm I'm going to get the max. from Golden State. Uh Baron Davis is. opted out. So they actually hold on did.

the research and realized he opted out. So I said, you know, on that note, you. know, I got to get up early in the. morning. I got to go fly to China to do. my tour. And they was like, when do you. come back? I said, uh, July 11th. And. they was like, wait, what? I was like, yeah, July 11th. I'm going to come back. So I I'm going to sit and think about, you know, the two offers that I have. I. got the 86 million here and then I got. the 101 for five there. Woke up in the. morning, phone rings, a Poland. Hey,

listen. Do not worry about nothing that. happened early this morning. I just. found out. No, no, no. The max is yours. Whatever the max is, 120, 150, 200, WHATEVER IT IS, is yours. That's your. money. You earned it. I told you when. you came, you you you you held me out of. this Jordan situation. I was going to. take care of you. Here it is. Max is. yours. You do with it how you see fit.

Do not worry about what they offer you. because that was not me. You want 130. You want 150. If I got to. write your personal check, let me know. because hey, you gonna be the last. contract I signed. Wow. And and and that. was that was our conversation, man. So, uh uh Mr. Poland was good to. you. He was No, he was good. He was. great. When he said he had your back. from the beginning, he had your back to. the end. Yeah. He did not like need I don't care.

if you play one. Hey, I don't care if. you play one game full thousand games. You're going to be the last contract. outside. You're my guy. Wow. So, you. know, so I took 111. Uh, so my max was. 127. So I took 111 to save 16 million. for free agents for Antoine, who was. also up, right? That's awful nice of you. Yeah. Hey, listen. Hey, the man blessed. me with WHATEVER YOU WANT. I GOTTA. I gotta I gotta feed everybody else too.

because the thing is normally normally. Kobe I think Kobe I think Kobe said this. Kobe said yes I'm a millionaire but why. would I give a billionaire discount. because they don't give anybody. discounts but for you to do that so. someone else get an opportunity to eat I. think you should be commended for that I. think you're foolish but you should be. commended. yeah but the commitment comes from the. owner I had a relationship with the. owner you know just like anybody hey. listen. there's There's someone who writes that.

check and then there's a whole bunch of. people in the middle of them, right? I don't want to I don't care about the. people in the middle. I want to know who. that check writer is. And that's who I'm. talking to. How you doing? Because when. it's time to sign a contract and be. traded, I want to be a person, not a. name on the sheet. Right? You know what I mean? Like, oh, you. crunch your numbers and say we don't. need him. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, Mr. Poland, how you doing? Hey, you jogging? I'M GOING GO AHEAD AND JOG WITH YOU. WHAT'S HOW YOU DOING? SO, when my knees. went south, hey, I'm not worried about.

none of that knee stuff. Here's that. money. Thank you. You had great success. Um, you go to the. playoffs. You play I think you played LeBron twice. in your in your three-year run in the. when you made the playoffs, right? I I played him one healthy one and then. a half a hurt one. Okay. And that was kind of like his. coming out party. because those that that that series he. just he just goes off. Yeah.

Did you obviously you were in the league. when he got drafted. Did you ever think. watching him then that he would be where. he is now? Yes. Um, I remember I made a comment to one. of my teammates and I said, uh this is. 200. I think it was like 2004 five season. Okay. I said he's going to go down as top. three greatest of all time. and never taps into his real real.

ability. As I said, because he doesn't. have to. That's how dominant this man is. going to be. that he's never gonna have. the to tap into 100% of what is in that. body because I watched something that I. didn't see and it came from an 18 19. year old kid as I wrote on my Instagram. where I'm at the house we're we're. playing cards and him and Savannah.

they're sitting there you know you got. Richie you know all them same crew he. has same same team Mav and all same team. and he's sitting there just like just. watching sports like I mean when I say. what detail like watching knowing. everything knowing that this this girl. soccer who's the best player who should. win like it was like a I'm I'm like. playing cards but watching.

and and it was a computer. it was a computer and then the following. year when we was playing them in the. playoffs went over cuz you know it's. chess now. I want I want to see what. what's going on. You know I'm you know. I'm I I want to peek under the hood. Y'all playing cards. LET'S PLAY SOME. CARDS. RIGHT. You know they over there breaking down. plays. You know this that you know got. the film. I'm watch I'm watching our. plays. Damn. know everything over. here. Huh?

I can Okay. I can SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AND I'm watching this man just study. study study understanding. So what. everybody's hearing now, I knew then. that yo, he knows everything that's. going on on that court. He knows what. everyone's supposed to be. He knows he. knows if the play is real, the play is. fake. He knows exactly. what is expired all through that game. Gil, why do you think it's so hard for.

the older guard to give this man the. credit that he deserves? I mean, you see so many people, well, he's not top 10 or he's not this and he. did this, he lost. You know, it's always. no matter what he does, it always goes. back to, well, but he couldn't have. played in my generation or he couldn't. have done this or everybody's afraid of. LeBron. instead of saying the man is. great. He'd be great in any generation. because I don't know how many in the. 50s, 60s, and 70s 69, 269 uh uh pound.

guys could handle the ball, could do. what he could do. because everyone takes evolution out of. it. No one wants to believe. everyone believes that their era was the. golden era. Like, you know, if if you go. down the line, look at rap, they don't like the new wave. True. the wave before that. They didn't. like that wave. That's just, you know, uh, Rand Max Flex, he didn't like the. Jay-Z era. LIKE, IT'S JU IT'S just it's.

the competitiveness of it, you know, even though it's like, well, Dennis. Ryman, I mean, you was a great defensive. player. You did this, but you were you. were 67 210, right? Bro, those are point guards now. Yes. You know, we're we're we're bigger. We're stronger. were faster. You know, that's just how But you I mean, you're. going to have your your guys that that. no matter where you drop them at, you. drop Magic Johnson in, he's still he's.

still a 69 point guard that's still not. in this era, you know? So, you're gonna you still got. your Michael Jordan, right? You you know, so you got guys who. can go through from older eras into But. there's some guys who shouldn't be. talking, right? Like, you know, you you're 6'4 and you. was a a center. let that let that go. Let that dream go. You know, so I just. think that they can't accept. the fact that it's a different game. But.

today. we're a hund times more skilled because. of rule change, because of evolution. than you guys were. That's just how it. is. you scored 54 on the Suns and many. believe it was because of the way Mike. Danton treated you on the national team. Uh if I'm not mistaken, um. he took you off the team. Was that. personal?

Okay, I'm be story. Tell the story. I'm. I'mma be honest with you. Mike Danton didn't do nothing. Okay. Okay. Okay. But I but I couldn't go back. to college to to to to to talk to coach. uh Mike, right? You know, I I needed to talk to him. So. what ends up happening is when I make. the team and I got selected, I call I. called coach, I think it was fourth of. July. So to wish them a happy 4th of. July, you know, um can't wait, you know,

to tryyous and um you know, whatever you. need from me, you know, hey, I'm willing. to do, right? You got to remember at this time. on this team there's only three players. that's. two-time all-star, two time all NBA, right? That's me, LeBron, and Dwayne Wade. Okay, so we're trying. We're we're we're. going through our thing. Boom, boom, boom. Now, this is the part that. irritated the hell out of me. So,

they got their starting unit. I'm not in. it. That's cool. Okay, I'm cool with that. You know, you know, I can sacrifice uh for the betterment of. good. So, but my unit, my team is this. So, we can so we can see how this plays. I have Kirk Hinrich as a point. They got. me at the two. I have Brad Miller, Antoine,

um. Shane Badier. I think that was it. It was It was It. was the It wasn't LeBron. So, the other. team is LeBron, Bosch, Dwight Howard, Joe Johnson, Chris. Paul. So, that's all one unit. We the. second unit. Whooping ass. I'm whooping their ass because they got. to play a zone. Oh, yeah. Give me So,

Kirk is just give me THE OH, JUST OH, I. EAT I eat through all this right here. this cuz this was like a personal. challenge for me, right? Because this is where I'm trying to like. like I just missed the free throws in. LeBron, so I'm on a whole another wave. of mentality anyway, right? I just I just came from training in San. Francisco with a uh black ops guy named. Frank. Um so he done got the mental. right. He got the confidence right. And. what ends up happening is I'm.

playing against the best five the world. can give me right now. This is the best. five that I'm going to be playing. against. and I'm about to I'm about to put them. to the bricks. So we'll go to 21. I got. 17. I got 18. Like I'm really dominating. because I have to I don't I don't have. the scorers on my team. SO BASICALLY MY. WHOLE GROUP is running an offense. through me. So Kirk was smart enough. Kirk like, "Yo, hey, just I'mma get you.

Just do what you do." So we're we're. we're we're testing this group. And I remember we're in what? South. Korea. And um. it's it's hot in the gym. I'm in there. dunking like I thinking I'm LeBron James. the way I was jumping. Feeling good. And. I remember I'm playing in the game. We. playing a game and he puts me in and I. scored three straight buckets. Pop.

Hit the sub. I know he ain't telling me. I just got in about two minutes ago and. I hit I hit the tap. like. So I run off the court. Cool. All right, man. It's like, man, he killing boy. But. yeah, lighting lit the way he up. We blowing we blowing him out. Everybody. gets subbed in at the end of the game. but me. And I'm sitting here like.

like yo like did I do something wrong? This man like like like what's going on? Like like I'm really like like this was. like this was like a bit like yo what's. going on? Like why why am I the only. person out here? Like we we he sent me. like I played 30 minutes tonight. Was was he trying to save you for. something? that that's what I'm. thinking. So, you know, so I I went to. Kangelo and was like, "Uh, yeah, I think. I hurt my groin. Um, but I don't want to. hold a spot up for Brad Miller or Bruce.

Bowen." He was one of my other Bruce. Bowen. And he hit me with, "Yeah, you on. a bubble of getting cut.". Cut. Like, what do you mean cut? Like. I'm like, I'm top I'm top three here. What do you mean cut? So I was like, "All right, they give me my check." I. get back on the plane and I'm hearing. the rumors that it was more of a shoe. issue than it was me personally or it.

was my agent who had Sean Marian and. they were going back they were they were. negotiating and that was uh Phoenix Sun. So that's where Dan Tony came in at, right? You know, they were negotiating and they. were taking it out on me. So, I got. Matt, fired my agent, said, "Man, if if. if you over here burning, I can burn my. own bridges. I don't need you to help me. burn bridges.". So, I fired my agent, and then that's. when I went on a tangent, said, "Yo, I'm. gonna go score 50 against you, and I'm. gonna go score 50 against you because I.

can't go back to college now." And and. and give that man 700, you know, and that's how the 54 came. Like, and I remember when I came on the. court, he told me, he's like, "You gonna. have to score more than 50 to beat us.". He was on a 16game winning streak. I. said, "Oh, trust me. I'm planning on. it." They already know they ain't. getting the ball today. The score can be 50 zero. I'm gonna have. it can be 50 to 100. I'm gonna have all. 50 of our points. I'm I'm leaving this. building with 50 tonight.

So that's So that's how the 54 came. about. Yeah. Because I just felt that he was. part of the I he he didn't do he was. nice as hell to me, right? you know, but just he was part of. he was part of the team, right? You mentioned about the playoff. game in which you got fouled and you got. you got two free throws and LeBron comes. by and taps you on the chest and. whispers something to you. What did what. did he tell you? He said if you miss these free throws, you know who's going to win it. All.

right. Now, what makes it what makes it. worse? What makes it worse is this. So. because we gambled at LeBron's house, me, Damon Jones, you know, that was our. group, right? So Damon Jones was horrible. Horrible. He was horrible. Horrible at cards. So. he owed me money. So I always used to. say like every time we played them, I. always used to scream out,

THE LANDLORD'S HERE. The landlord needs. his rent money. Right. So that's I go. like every time we came to town shoot. around I'm yelling it. The game I'm. yelling it. Like that's all I yell. So I. told the coach, "Hey, anytime you put. Damon Jones in, I'm going one for flat. He owes me money. Until he pays me. money, one flat. He's going to be a. liability out on this court." And that's. what I did every time he came in. One. for flat. So they wasn't So he stopped.

playing. So he doesn't even play in game. six. So when he when he whispers, you. know who's gonna hit it, everybody. assumed it was him. I knew what he was. talking about. And I think the thought. went into my head of they really gonna. put Damon Jones in. and let him hit a shot. And I just. just missed. Like it was like I was I. was balling that game. Just hit the. three to get us in overtime. Playing.

great in overtime. Um, very great. battle. And then I see Damon Jones in. there stretching and and they really put. the man in. And the fact that LeBron. even passed him the ball is what hurt. the most. Like you like you're really that petty. where you will actually give that man. the ball. Who Who does that? That's what That's why I SAID I HAD TO. THAT'S WHY I SAID I WENT to go like do.

mental stuff, right? like with the uh uh with the uh. mental training because I I was like. this didn't just happen. You didn't tell. me this man was gonna come in and hint. and then he comes in and then you pass. him the ball like he's done hit five. straight threes. I need to go see some. hill because I don't want to be the the. next uh Anderson out here. You mentioned the card playing. What is it about NBA players playing.

cards and what was the game that you and. a lot of the NBA players play? You know, just like any any card game, it's passed on from whoever started it, right? You know, um. like I remember when I first came in, huh? I think Jordan is a Guts guy. Guts. We played Boray. Boray. Yeah, we played Boray. So lucky for me, I was never on a team that played real.

high stakes boo. Okay. Like, you know, when I first came in, I'm playing, you know, $20 a hand boo, right? You know, so it wasn't really like you. lose $4,000, bro. You You had a heart. attack, right? Because I remember I won I remember I. WON $300. WHAT? WHAT? 300? YEAH. WELL, you got to remember when you done. spent all your money on an Escalade. truck and some jewelry when you first. get drafted and then you go the 31 pick,

you done spend all that. So, $300. is everything right now on the road, you. know, you know. So, so and then when I. went to Washington, you got to remember. it's a young team. So, the card players. there was um. it was Larry Hughes, Stack House, and. Stack because Stack House played with. Jordan. Stack House was a hold on. Yeah. So, what So, what were you guys So, you.

guys were playing. Yeah, we was playing. we was playing Blu-ray, but it it wasn't. I remember like I knew it it was one it. was one thing like. that happened. and I was like, you know what? I'm never. gonna play this game for that kind of. money no more. Okay, what happened? So, so. stack house, like stack house, I owe stack house.

$3,000. And he said, "You know what? You know, you new here. I'm going to go ahead and. give you a discount, man. 2,000. You. only got to pay me two.". Like, all right, cool. He's like, "I. know you got the money, you know, but. you know, 2,000, right?". All right, COOL. YES, SIR. Nice discount, my man. $1,000. discount. Welcome to the team. I end up beating him. He owed me 12,000.

He said, "Hey, man. You know, you go. ahead and give me that discount. I. called a,000. You know, he go ahead and. pay me 11." This man said $2,000. [Laughter]. So, right. So, I'm looking around like, "Wait, wait. H how much?" Oh, I I was. like, "Oh, you want me to take off. 2,000?". Okay. Give me.

I'm gonna give you 2,000. Huh? I said, "But wait, you you Huh?" I said, "The don't even know that they don't. even equal." He said, "I gave you a. discount, right?" I said, "Yeah, you. took off $1,000.". And he said, "Are you going to take this. $2,000 or not?". Like I So I look around, right? And I'm. getting a take that money. You better. take that money. And I'm looking like, "YEAH, YEAH. YEAH." YOU KNOW, DISCOUNT. DISCOUNT. GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. YEAH.

But see, no, no, no, no, no. See, see. that's what happened. You know, money. out of sight cause a fight because No, no, no. If I give you a discount, the. discount is what I say it is. You don't. set the discount. I can't go into the. store and tell the people, "Well, I want. 40% off this." They said it, "Okay, it's. 20%, it's 30%, it might be 60, but the. customer don't set the discount." The. story is, "Hey, your your muscles tell. you that.

My muscles TOLD ME JUST TAKE THIS $2,000. and shut the hell up." All right. That's. that's what my muscles told me to do. because Gil what we play I know you. heard of it called in between. and so we play I mean some people play. with one deck some people play with two. decks. We all three decks but we always. play with two decks. And so you know. obviously you flip the card. So if you. get a ace you say uh uh you know high or. low and then whatever the next card is. So we're going to the Super Bowl. You.

know we we got Super Bowl tickets. Everybody come down with money cuz we. going to be gone for a week. Yeah. You know, we going around and the pot's. climbing. So now there's like 15 grand. in the pot. So we come. Okay. It's a. ace. Ace high. He said, "Oh, high." And then. another one come. So it's automatic. So. it's automatic low cuz you can't have. high. So it's automatically low. Yeah. So now, man, it's 12 grand in the pot.

He said pot it. ace come. So now you got to double the. pot. So whatever's in the pot, he got to. put 24 grand in there. Yeah. Well, he don't have 24 grand cash, but. he got a boatload of Super Bowl tickets. So I, you know, you know me, the banker, the c the banker, I like, "Okay.". They're like, "Man, I only got I only. got like 15 grand cash." I said, "You. got Super Bowl tickets?" So I'm putting.

them tickets in there. He like he. looking at me like I'm like I don't know. what to tell you. I said but you owe. $24,000 to that pot. So you need to come. up with 24,000. So the way we look at. it, we'll take 15 grand and six Super. Bowl tickets. So now Gil, so the pots. now is 36 basically 30 $36,000 in you. know Super Bowl tickets. Nobody want everybody going around it's. king three. It's king three. Nobody. ain't nobody saying I said man. So it.

come to me. I got a king and then I got. a five. I like my homeboy Keith Burns. We going. down to Super Bowl. Super Bowl 33. I. like who? I said homeboy we need. He. said, "Hombo, don't touch it." I said, "We need to get this money, homeboy." I. said, "Look, I got 50." I said, "I got. 50 grand on me. I got 50 on me." I said, "What we going to do?" It's king five. It's king five. As long as it don't come. another king, it don't come another five. or ace. We good. Uhhuh.

We had to pot that thing. We Hey, we had to pot it, but it came. close. It was a six. So, I was I was in. the middle. That's how close it came. So, I know how them games can get out of. hand. But I also know money can cause a. fight cuz we roll dice, too. Mhm. And Rob, I But let me tell you, I was generous. like you. I did beat a guy out of a car. I took a car. He had a 70 old school 70. Chevel. He had it fixed up. I said, I tell you what I do,

cuz I know you can't go home and tell. your wife you lost this car. You going. to get divorced and it's going to cost. you more than a car. Give me 2500. We'll call it even. Because for me, Gail, it wasn't about. the money. I wanted your pride. And a lot of times the way I gamble is. that if I want money off you, I wanted. it in coins. So go get me $5,000 in. dimes. Go get me two, you know, 2500 in. quarters. So when you go to the cashier, they ask you, "Well, why do you need.

this?" I lost Shannon Sh. That's what I. wanted. I lost a sack bet once. I had to. get 15,000 in Susan B. Anony's. That was heavy as heck, too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But you know what's so funny? That's. usually why fights start. Yeah. It's never really about the money. It's the talking. It's the. embarrassment. It's it's just a whole. atmosphere of how someone lost. and they keep rubbing it in because you. lose it already and then they talking.

THEY TALK ABOUT SHUT UP. YEAH. AND AND THAT'S HOW THAT'S HOW I. GOT IN TROUBLE CUZ I WOULDN'T SHUT UP. I'M just. so trans what actually transpired. between you and Jarvis was this was this. about a gambling debt or what. transpired? So, so, so me and Jervarez, we were we like. how me and Nick are, we were here, you know, go over plays. He was, you. know, one of the young guys who who.

was trying to figure out how to to stay. in the league, right? So, you know, on the road, he's always. in my room ordering food. We go through. plays. We watch we watch the game. He's. my hangout buddy. So, they're they're gambling. I'm talking So, you gotta remember. it's it's Javaris, it's Javale, it's. Herb Boykins, right? They ain't no money on the table. So, you know, they ain't they ain't this. ain't no this ain't no,

you know, this ain't no if if they lose. $2,000, one of them is mad. That's the. type of, you know, so. it's probably about. 30 minutes left on the plane and I. decided, you know what? I want to play, you know. I You know, I. want to play. So, it's it's Javaris. It's So, Jal just. booed Javaris. So, Javvarz had to match.

the pot. Correct. Now, it's Javaris's. turn. Javar gets booed on his hand. Wow. Like. he flips over. He flips over a two of. clubs. So, it's clubs. Yep. And then and. then everybody goes around them three. them two and then he yells out, "I need. four.". That don't sound good. He gets booed, right?

Got to match it again. So now, because I'm next, if I decide to. play, so the rule was if you want to. jump into the game, you have to match. the pot no matter what. Correct. Whatever the pot is. Absolutely. So I'm like, "Well, what's in there?". Uh, that's what that look about 1,100. I. imagine I got about 1,100 in the pocket. Throw my 11. He pissed off now. Oh, why he playing. right? Cuz now the now now it makes it harder.

for him to to to play. So I'm in there talking Yeah, boy. I said, "Hey, you got it." Cuz you the. dealer now. I'm the dealer now. I automatically get it. So you get I'M. LIKE I'M LIKE I WANT THEM LEGS IS. OPEN. I WANT SOME OF IT, TOO, YOU KNOW. SO, I'M PASSING IT. Earl Earl says, so I. flip over like a nine. Earl don't want. no parts of it cuz I guess he peaked out. Jav's hand cuz Jelle did one of those. Woohoo. Like, woohoo. Like, LIKE LIKE.

he got smoker. He got a smoker. Yeah. So, I'm like, "Uh, how many you need?". He said, "I don't need none.". None. Damn. None. All right. How many. you need? Hold on. Hold on. You got to explain to. them what do you need because you can go. you explain to. So So with Blu-ray, it's kind of like. it's it's spades. Spades, but individual spades. You ain't. got no partner. You your own partner. Yeah. So whatever card the dealer flips.

over, that's actually the cut card. That's spades. Yeah. So then it becomes spades. Yeah. So, so basically he was basically. saying he either has four spades. My hand so good. My hand so good I don't. want to exchange nothing. Yeah. He don't want to exchange. So. basically he probably had four spades. and an ace or a king, right? OR HE GOT. ALL FIVE spades or he got five spades, right? So Javaris says, "I need five." Oh, so. me me being who I am. Oh, this man is. about to GET BOOED. BOO THIS MAN. RIGHT.

SO I SO NOW I'M JUST TALKING JUST. BOO THIS MAN LIKE, "OH, HE'S ABOUT TO be. booed." Like because it's not my turn. yet. I'm like, "Man, YOU SURE YOU WANT. FIVE? YOU WANT FIVE? OH, HE needs all. five." So now I'm just being an. Right. In the same time, um, uh, Earl Borgens tells Jelle, "Hey man, let me go get let me go ahead and get my. 200.".

And Jelle's like, "Hold on. after his. head. Let me let me let me let me let me. finish his hand first, right? You know, we always wait until the the. the plane ain't anyway. He's like, and. then Javar just snaps JUST SNAPS, MAN. GET THAT MAN THIS $200, MAN. YOU GOT MY. MONEY OVER THERE. WHY YOU WHY YOU. HOLDING YOU GOT ALL MY MONEY. And I'm. like, YO, CALM DOWN, BRO. That ain't got nothing to do with you. That ain't got nothing to do with you. Hey, don't worry about Don't worry about. what they doing. Don't worry about it. YOU TAKE YOUR FIVE BECAUSE I'M PRETTY.

SURE there's gonna be some more money in. the pot anyway. Yes. Right. So now it's my turn. Right. I'm like, "Oh, okay. All I. need is two." So I throw them two and I. got I got three because I got three. spades, right? And he just going just going just. because now he probably looked at his. hand and realized he ain't got one. spade. So he's just go I mean he's going. like and I'm like.

you know what. if you get booed the money is in the pot. anyway. There ain't no sense of both of. us getting booed. You feel me? Might as. well go ahead and let you be booed by. yourself, bro. And I said so what I did. is I showed him I said listen I got. three spades. I'm out of here. Oh, he flipped OVER HIS HAND. THAT'S A. misde.

Ain't no miss deal. I'm not playing. I'm. out of here. So, I'm going to leave. You. boo him. I'm going go ahead get up. Let. me know when it's my turn to play again. Right. And he's just like, you can hear. them argon. Nah, bro. Nah, bro. I ain't. going out like he ain't gonna just let. me lose my money like that. LIKE HE JUST. CAN'T COME IN HERE AND AND DOUBLE THE. POT and then lead and DON'T EVEN FIGHT. HELP ME FIGHT FOR THE POT AND MAKE AT. LEAST a 221. So Earl was like, "Yo, there ain't no 221." I can tell you that. for sure. That man got ace king. He got.

ace king, queen jack over that mother. right there. And I'm I'm hearing it like. he in trouble. I'm glad I got up out of there. Yeah. So So. Jelle said, "You know what? Listen, the. money's mine. I had five spades. I was gonna boo you again. I'mma let you. not get booed and I'm just gonna take. the money. Oh, hell no. He was a good deal.

He wasn't even having that. Hell no. That's a good deal though. G. If he get. booed, he gonna have to double the pot. after you just DOUBLE IT. SO, HE GOT TO. PUT 4,400 in there. Then. then if he gonna get booed, then he want. to get booed with somebody. Like, so. he's more mad that I didn't help him. fight. for his money. So then he started talking trash. I. started talking trash. So it wasn't like. it wasn't really like we was going at. it, right? It was just. he was irritated. that he was losing and then irritated.

that I came and doubled the pot and then. bounced on him and then left him for. dead. But did you did you know. his background and what he was capable. of? No. Like then then then he's not capable. of you know what he's accused of like. what he's in in jail for then no he. wasn't no like. well he changed once he got out the. league. circumstances forced him to change. right. survival like you know like when people. like I remember when when everything.

broke down and he got in trouble and the. DA going against him hit me up for a. character reference against him and I. said it I said, "Wait, hold on. I know we had an issue and it was this. big public thing, but character issue. I'm not going to be a great witness for. you because that that was my teammate. and he was an amazing guy, right? Yeah, we had an an issue that got blown.

out of proportion, but I'm not going to go and say this is. what he was capable of. This is who he. was." Because that wasn't him. how his life went after he got kicked. out of the league, his uh family. stealing his money, and he had to to to. to gravitate to something else. That's. not the guy I know, right? I know the hoop guy who watched film. with me. The the the Jabaras that you. were trying to have me go against, I. don't know that one that I can't say.

that was his character. I I can say. circumstances. uh financial someone robbed him for his. jewelry, everything spiraling down. That's a whole another person, right? That I cannot I cannot. talk about that person on the person I. know. I can't do it for you. So after that after that the gambling. incident, did you guys speak? Were you. guys still friends? friend Lee or.

because you were both were suspended. So. how did it end after that? So be even. before that I remember I get a text um. and he said yo G this uh this JC you. know I need a favor and I know you know. I can't even go to nobody else and I. know you don't hold grudges like that. You know my mom needs uh surgery. Is. there any way you can let me borrow you. know 60,000? I said man of course. How. many,000? 60. Hold on. You said six or six and a.

zero after it. Six feet. Six feet. She. was having neck surgery. She She needed. neck surgery. And then I'm probably He. probably needed some some some change. since he lost his contract. Right. So I said, "Okay." Wired. Gave me. the wire information. Sent it off to. him. And this is this is before I even. went through my trial. Like he already. got off. He already got slapped on, you. know, a little slap on the hand. And. this is after he said, "I'm scared for.

my life. He was coming in. He was going. to kill me." That already done happened. And I'm he's But he know I'm not going. to hold a grudge, bro. I know you got to. do what you got to do to survive, right? You know, so I wrote him a check. And. till this day, we still in. communications. He pay you back. No, it wasn't. It. wasn't. like when I let a teammate like when. some a teammate asked me for something, it was never to pay me back. You know what? Now that you mention it, I don't think any of my teammates have.

ever paid me back on a debt. It was just it was like, you know, if I. have it, you know, like I'm gonna do. something stupid with it anyway. So, if. you you got a better purpose for it, you. know, your mom's neck, that that's. that's all right with me. Yeah. Now that you mentioned, I was. thinking about that. Like, have any of. my teammates ever paid me money back? No. Teammates and family members don't. pay money back. I know. I don't pay money back. So, yeah, you you're right about that. So, I ask you to look back and says, "Okay, anything you would change?".

Obviously, you would like to not have. the knee injury and had a a longer. career because you felt you were in your. prime. you had just became the the the. agent zero the Gilbert arenas that you. know what this is the guy I always knew. I could beat and then you have the knee. like you said you had three surgeries in. in 14 months when you sit back and you. watch do you think what your career. could have been had you not had the knee. injury you could have been a Hall of. Famer maybe won a championship.

when you do that when you when you when. you do when you play the what if game. you can never move on in. Um like so I I try not to do the what if. game like like. how I was playing how I was moving. I. knew what I would have been. right. Um so there's no point of asking a. question like I remember someone asked. me that was like who's better you or. Dane? And I say what at what age? At the age of 25 by the age of 25 him.

Curry they couldn't see me. after 25 I. can't touch them boys. I didn't I didn't. have a career after that. Like so you. know you know like I I I I cannot touch. I cannot up until that age I cannot. touch them boys. So it's like yo can you. guard them? No. Like I I didn't have to. deal with players like that you know. So. like, you know, I I I stay true to, you. know, who I am and don't try to like, oh. yeah, I would have killed everybody.

Like. it was a different it was a different. league then. David Stern, he suspended for the the. Javaris incident. You got suspended for. the rest of the season, right? Yeah, we got suspended for um here's the. trick. Here's the here's the trick. We. didn't get suspended for guns because. guns in the locker room. No one no one.

saw me touch a gun, right? So, they couldn't suspend me for a gun. It would have been one game if. and I would have argued that like, hold. on, Y'ALL DIDN'T SEE ME. I TOLD y'all. that those were mine. I didn't tell you. I put them in there. I didn't tell you I. br there. I just said those were mine. Right. know legally no one can do. nothing to me, right? I'm just honest and said, "Yo, they're. mine. I was giving them to him.". So when they realized that, they didn't suspend me for guns. They.

suspended me for detrimental to the team. conduct detrimental, which was because of what I did in. Philadelphia. when I was mocking him. with the with the with the with the with. the pistol hands. So, I got suspended. for that 50 games, which was detrimental. because. they can hold that as long as they want. Right. And then didn't didn't the uh uh. DC step in with the gun incident?

Who? DC. Uh uh the uh uh. Yeah, they still they still they still. did their case. Um and they gave me. what? 30 days probation. 30 days. Uh, halfway house. Halfway house. And you got in trouble. with that, Gil? What do you mean? So, no. What was half what was the. halfway house like? Halfway house.

You make. So, halfway house, you you know, look, listen. I was not doing a halfway house. in DC. I did the halfway house in Virginia. Okay. It was either it was either. Virginia or find me, right? Because I am not I'm not doing I'm not. doing DC or whatever this case was. By. my house or I'm going to be at my house. Pick one. So they gave me 30 they gave me 30 days. in um in uh the halfway house. Like so I.

had to do a weekend versus in jail. So. mine didn't have no jail time. So there. was no jail. It was just halfway house. But the the halfway house I was going to. said you had to do three days a weekend. in jail. So this is the funniest ever. So. you know how like like three days that's. it? I'm not cool. I do that. So all I know is jail from TV.

So I'm doing push-ups and everything. I. like Yeah. I'm about to get buff on. these boys just in case they try to try. me in there, right? Just in case THEY. TRY TO TRY ME. I'M gonna be all big and. strong. So, I'm thinking there's going. to be some some some some criminals. It was old men for ticket violations, drunk driving, stuff like that. Right. So, after day uh so that was a Friday, Saturday like, oh man, this is walking.

with my chest high, right? And then. something told me to look out that. window. So look out the window. It was. like a little basketball court. So I'm. like, "Oh." So there was this I mean big. I mean big like I like I he ate weights. He ate weight and he's on the court, right? And he was so strong. He was so strong. that he couldn't put his hands down. So.

his hands like this. Yeah. Yeah. So he's throwing the ball like just. boom. And it's not it's hitting the back. board like boom boom. And I'm sitting. there like yo this what what is he? What. is this? And like he's just picking the. ball up and he's like trying to shoot it. but he's just throwing it at the. backboard. And I'm laughing and he looks. he looked at me while I was laughing. Bro, I dropped to the ground so fast.

under the under that glass bro. LIKE SO. SOON AS HE LOOKED AT ME I'M LIKE OH AND. DROPPED boom. man I sat there for two hours like nah. nah I'm not just in case he there I know. he's there looking I am not getting up. no more. Did anybody recognize you while you were. there? Oh yeah yeah yeah. You signed autographs in the halfway. house. Huh? No. When I got Yeah. When I was at the. halfway house it was like um like it was. special rules. Yeah. Cuz uh I I went in I went in there.

primadana. I'm not even gonna lie. And I. said, "Hey, listen. All I don't do. roommates and I got bad sleeping. habits." Like, you know, I sleep I wake. up at 3:00 a.m. and do all this and you. know the way the way this room is is. structured. And I like to watch TV at a. certain time. It's going to irritate the. roommate. Then he gonna want to fight. And all. you do realize you're in a halfway. house. You do realize it's a halfway. house, not Gil's house. No, no, no, no, no. But my my complaint.

was like it was it was legit. So they. gave me my own room. and then they put a rule in that you can. only keep like. 20 something $24 on you. So this is what. I I So I got um I got what what they. call it when you get uh on I got on. lockdown for like 10 days. Oh, you got solidate, huh? Yeah. I got So what ended up happening. is.

I was smart enough to understand that. the change machine guy put the change in. at 4 a.m. Right. So I'll go in there and then put $20. take all the out put all the quarters. out. All no one got no change. So I took. all the change and I would charge. everybody 75 cents for the dollar. So I'm giving them 75 cents for a. dollar. So they getting charged, you. know. So So I'm papered up.

So So in other words, you hustling. Yeah. If they want to snatch from the. vending machine, they got to come. through me. They got to come through the. quarter. So So I'm hustling there. So, what ends up happening is I get caught. with like like $220. and they and they they put me on. lockdown. and they take Did they take the money? Oh, yeah. They took the money. They took. they took they took the money. They took. the money, put me on lockdown and had to.

spend 10 days in my room. So, let's talk about your your your your. classic battle because your your. greatest scoring game in your career. happened against Kobe, one of the. fiercest competitors, one of the. greatest offensive players, one of the. greatest defensive players. What was. your mindset going into that game? Because a lot of times you hear people. say, "Well, man, that's that's my idol. I grew up watching him. I just want to. make sure he doesn't embarrass me.".

Um well, you know, before the 60 game, my my highest average was against the. Lakers, right? It was already sitting at about 33 34, right? Um because. I knew. like I knew what it took to be. successful against the Lakers and Kobe. You gota remember that's a that's my. idol team growing up, right? You know, you know, I watch Kobe. I know. his mannerisms. I know he's playing.

chess out there, not checkers. So I. remember Luke Walton said, "Yo, Kobe. gonna shut you down tonight." Like, but. he said this every game. Kobe said he. gonna shut you down tonight. And I was. like, "Well, you tell him if he even. think about guard. I mean, one for flat. because you because you and Luke were. teammates, right?". Yeah, me and Luke was teammates. So Luke. just used to hype the UP, TOO. SO, so before that game, Luke said it and I. remember I'm sitting on the sideway like. I already worked out. Kobe's on the.

second workout and he ain't missing. I'm. like, "Damn, that man over there. killing, bro. I feel sorry for whoever. GOT A GUARD IN THE NIGHT, RIGHT? That's. me pregame, you know, watching him work out, right?". And game starts and he doesn't. Hey, uh, Smush, you go get Desawn, I'm gonna shut. down, um, Gilbert. And, um, yeah. And I. said, "Hey, uh, those first two plays, coach called, cancel those. If Kobe's. guarding me, one for flat, right?" So.

the way we tip the ball, tip ball, he. wasn't guarding me. Smoosh had to, you. know, Smoosh got on me. I'm scoring. Then eventually he tells Smush off. I. got him. So soon as I hit like three in. a row on Cole, Phil Jackson yells, "Cob, stop, stop, stop, stop playing. Do the ro. due to. due to the lineup I said you got to. shine boom boom boom once Kobe switched. off game was over.

because Phil didn't realize this these. chess moves he done interrupted Kobe's. chess move. right. so the fact that he was forced to switch. off put my mind in a whole different. element I'm on fire tonight it's on so. when he comes back he ain't gonna be. able to stop Right. So, he let you catch. a rhythm. Now, it's over. Yeah. And that's what happened is like. it's it's not about like I tell people, it's not about.

hitting shots per se. It's not backing. down from the challenge. So, when people. ask me what was your best game, I say. the second game that year against Kobe. because that second year, the second. game is. he said he's stopping me. I'm on his. radar. He's stopping me. That means the. demon is coming in. He is coming to stop. me, right? I gotta compete.

no matter what. Like the team is trying. to stop me. He's personally trying to. stop me. I end up scoring 37. That 37. was 100 points when the guy is there to. actually shut you down. Do NBA players go into the game if they. know say KD is playing LeBron. Do they. go into the game says. I got to get 40 because he probably. gonna get 40. How How do NBA players. approach it? I can tell you how I approached it. How How did you approach it? You going.

against Kobe, you going against T-Mac, you going against one of these other. prolific scores? Uh I'm I'm attacking like I you know. it's it's we're in a wild, you know. I'm. I'm I'm not a I'm not a cage lion. I'm. I'm a wild lion, right? So I I'm I'm out I'm out there hunting. You know what I mean? I'm out there I'm. out there hunting and I'm trying to like. if you're the shooting guard and this. point guard needs to get you the ball, I. need to destroy his confidence now,

you know? So like somebody like Dame. Lillard Curry, my my defense was trying to get them. trying to get them on the bench with two. fouls and they they get to watch me eat, you know, and that that's the way I. play. So, I was in attack mode from the. beginning. I didn't I, you know, I. wasn't I wasn't probing. I wasn't trying. to feel. Let's fill this game. I know. I. know how the game is is is I know how it. feels.

I know. I know how it feels. Who's the best player? I feel real uncomfortable around here. Who's the best player in the NBA right. now? Best player. Yes. It's either LeBron or KD. Why? You didn't mention Giannis. Giannis. is two time MVP. Two two. I mean, just because you won an. MVP don't mean you the best player.

Means you was on the best team and you. was the best player on the best team. The way the analysts do it, it ain't got. nothing to do who the best player in the. NBA is. Is who was on the best team who. did all that. That's, you know, so. right now for you, huh? KD or LeBron for you. With the first pick. Yes.

You get one. I'm saying Gibble Arenas. You get one player. I'm you starting. your team with one player right now. Okay. If I'm starting a team with one. player, then I go LeBron. Why? Because with with with LeBron. because he is a one, two, three, four, whatever. I can I can I can draft. anybody around him. You know, I used to. tell people that I like if you have. Kobe, it's hard to have a LeBron. If you.

have LeBron, it's easy to get Kobe. because Kobe won't won't sacrifice for. LeBron. LeBron will sacrifice to bring. Kobe on board, you know. So, so. I'll take LeBron because from there, it's easier to build a team. When you. when you take any other any any other. player, you have to build it around that. player. I don't have to build the team. around LeBron. I have a bond and then. bring in who I want and then let him fix.

that meal. Gail, I appreciate your time, bro. I owe. you. I know you busy. You took time out. to give me a couple of hours today. I. really appreciate it, bro. Oh, no problem. Thank you for having me. Hey, tell Nate, don't you let Nate get. back in that ring. Don't you do that, Gil? If you his friend, that's your boy. You don't let him take another one. All right, I got you. All right, bro. Appreciate it. All my life sacrifice hustle paid the. price want a slice got to roll the dice.

that's why all my life I've been. grinding all my life all my life been. grinding all my life sacrifice hustle. paid the price want a slice got to roll. the dice that's why all my life I've. been grinding all my life. [Music]. you know what to do the subscribe button. to become an official member of club. Shay where we always do before two.