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00:00Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Mr. Galen Gordon.
00:17All right, all right, all right, all right.
00:20What's going on, man?
00:23Thank you, Rob.
00:25Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
00:27We can start, right?
00:28My name is Galen Gordon, as DJ Rob mentioned.
00:32We are excited about this next conversation.
00:35Oh, I see some people I know about this next conversation.
00:39Let's get right to it.
00:40I'm going to introduce our panelists.
00:42First up is a basketball analyst for Fox Sports, former NBA player, Jim Jackson.
00:56Thank you, man.
00:58Coming to the stage.
01:02What's up, 30?
01:03Good, good, good.
01:05All right, next up, he spent last season as the assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets.
01:13Give it up for David Vanterpool.
01:16Last but not least, the head coach of your New Orleans Pelicans, give it up for Mr. Willie Green.
01:38What's up, fellas?
01:49How we doing?
01:51Good.
01:51I'm good.
01:51Good.
01:51How we doing?
01:52OK.
01:52All right.
01:53We're going to have a conversation about basketball, getting to fatherhood.
01:57The league just wrapped its 75th season, so at the very end we'll talk about either
02:03GOATS or your all-time top five.
02:05But for basketball in general, it's a question for all three of you.
02:12What did the game of basketball, we'll start with you, Jim, you can go down.
02:15What did the game of basketball do for you and your family?
02:19Well, the game of basketball opened up so many opportunities that as a young youth
02:23in Toledo, Ohio, it never would have had because my parents, my father was a bus driver, my
02:27father was a secretary, didn't travel a lot.
02:31So by playing the game, it opened up opportunities that my parents, my family never saw.
02:38So it opened up a whole new world to me from the age of 15 on up to be able to see things
02:44in a different way.
02:45So basketball wasn't just about putting the ball in the hoop and playing against, it was
02:50about a young boy growing to be a young man to learn more experiences and probably more
02:54importantly, I got a chance to meet a lot of great people along the way.
02:58So the game opened up probably from an educational perspective, gave me a broader sense of the
03:03world, experiences, and to meet new people and go to new places.
03:08Good stuff.
03:09David?
03:10Let me give you the essence question, which was when did you fall in love with the game
03:16of basketball?
03:17How do you want to answer that?
03:19Well, I think I fell in love with the game at a very young age.
03:25The funny thing about it is my first love was actually football.
03:28Oh wow.
03:29Okay.
03:30Yeah.
03:31My first love was football and I, you know, a part of me still loves football just as
03:36much as I love basketball.
03:37Sure.
03:38But as I played and as I grew, we always did everything and did both as kids.
03:43So getting the opportunity to play basketball and grow as an individual.
03:48I mean, I grew to 6'5 and running around on a football field wasn't going to be, you know,
03:53as advantageous as being 6'5 on a basketball.
03:55I know that experience.
03:56Yeah.
03:57You know, I was able to go to so many different places, live and work in different countries,
04:04meet millions of different types of people and immerse myself in different types of cultures.
04:07So, I mean, it's given me a lot outside of just, you know, running around on a basketball
04:12court like Jim said and, you know, being able to learn different languages, be in different
04:17environments and meet different types of people are the things that it's given me the most.
04:22Good stuff.
04:24Coach Green.
04:25Basketball, what did it do for you and your family?
04:27Give it up for Coach Green.
04:28Give it up for Coach Green.
04:32Similar to what Jimmy just talked about.
04:35It allowed, number one, just a platform that you can never imagine.
04:43You're playing in front of millions of people every night on TV and from our, in our communities,
04:50when we make it, everybody makes it.
04:51Yeah.
04:52You know, I say it all the time, but I am a beneficiary of prayer.
04:57Yeah.
04:58My grandparents, my parents, my uncles, my aunts, they were all praying and, you know,
05:05you come up in those communities where everybody take care of you.
05:07So having an opportunity to play basketball for a living on this stage has been the biggest
05:14blessing that I can ever dream of.
05:17I'm able to impact my family, take care of people, impact my community, and at the same
05:22time still impact people here.
05:26The relationships that we were able to build with this platform, it's nothing like it.
05:32And, you know, I wouldn't change that for the world.
05:34So I'm truly blessed to be able to have played the game and now coach the game.
05:39And it's because people invested in me early.
05:41I love it.
05:42Willie, both you and David both played in mid-majors.
05:47You both made it to the league.
05:50None of you were all-stars, but you had a great, great career.
05:53But you made your way into the coaching ranks.
05:56Talk about that experience and what that's been like during the – because, Jimmy,
06:01you have a different path once you retire.
06:03But talk about your experience getting into the coaching ranks.
06:07We'll start with you, coach.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I had a solid career, role player, played 12 seasons, so something to be proud of.
06:16And I didn't necessarily know I was going to be a coach.
06:20Yeah.
06:21When you're in it, your mind is focused on the task at hand, which is becoming the best player
06:26and best teammate that I could be.
06:27Yeah.
06:28But as I got to the end of my career, I started to realize all the people that invested in me.
06:36My uncle, number one, who's no longer here.
06:38But he was the first person that showed me the game, taught me how to play.
06:43And then I was blessed with really good coaching and great teammates coming into the NBA.
06:50Jimmy's college coach, Randy Ayers, is my first NBA coach.
06:55Oh, wow.
06:56Okay.
06:57Aaron McKee, Kevin Ali, Greg Buckner, all of these guys, even though we were competing
07:05for the same positions, they were coaching me every day, showing me how to write a check,
07:10showing me how to open a bank account, how to dress, how to eat, how to not go out in
07:15the club too long and hang out with folks that's doing it all night.
07:18No, you can't do that.
07:19Yeah.
07:20And so that's coaching.
07:23And we were on the same team.
07:25And that's the reason that I wanted to sort of get into coaching after I played.
07:29Good stuff.
07:30David?
07:31Yeah.
07:32Interestingly enough, and Willie brought up, you know, relationships.
07:35The first time he and I met, and I'm sure you remember this, we played a game against
07:40each other in Germany.
07:41Oh, wow.
07:42Which, you know, again, all of this connects us.
07:45But, you know, as far as getting into coaching, just like Willie, that was not something that
07:49I thought that I wanted to do.
07:51As a player, again, you just immerse yourself in your teammates, immerse yourself in the community
07:56that you build on that unit.
07:58And, you know, you just continue to drive and push to be the best that you can be as far
08:03as a person and a teammate and uplifting the organization.
08:07But I think as you transition, you're starting to try to figure out what it is that you want
08:13to do next.
08:14And when you fall in love with something, you don't want to ever put it down.
08:18So being involved with the game, although we can't continue to run around and play,
08:22you still want to be as involved as possible.
08:24So, I mean, that's pretty much why we're all still here and involved in the game in
08:27some form or fashion.
08:28So, you know, as I transition, for me, I actually started out in the front office.
08:34So I was Pro Personnel Director of Oklahoma City Thunder.
08:37We did pretty well.
08:38And I'll never forget the last season that I was there.
08:41We went to the NBA Finals.
08:43We lost to the Miami Heat.
08:45And we had a rookie named Reggie Jackson, who was not...
08:49He played, but he wasn't so much in the rotation.
08:52And he hung around in the summer.
08:54Now, I've been a front office personnel.
08:56You know, I used to play and I still could do some stuff on the court.
08:59So he came to our office one day and was like, you know, let's get on the court and do something.
09:03So we started doing it.
09:04And I'm like, man, I could really help someone maybe in a better capacity doing this
09:11than what I'm doing sitting in the office.
09:13So you had front office aspirations and then...
09:15I did, yes.
09:16Okay.
09:17But, you know, it really inspired me to understand that there's a different calling
09:20and how I could actually contribute.
09:22So I was like, well, you know what, I need to look at maybe coaching
09:26instead of being a front office personnel person.
09:29And fortunately, I was hired by Terry Stocks as soon as he got the job in Portland with the Trailblazers.
09:35Sure.
09:36And they drafted a guy named Damian Lillard.
09:38And it helped me do the things that I think I was called to do.
09:42Absolutely.
09:45Was it two years ago you were an assistant with the Timberwolves?
09:50Yes.
09:51And there was an opening, which...
09:55We're going there.
09:56Here we go.
09:57Yeah.
09:58Yep.
09:59I want to talk about...
10:00This is really good.
10:01I want to talk about, you know, the...
10:02Because, you know, not everything's easy as we get to our respective positions.
10:06Absolutely.
10:07I want to talk about some of the pitfalls along the way.
10:09You were passed up for an opportunity.
10:10Yeah.
10:11Tell us about that and what that did for you.
10:15What it did for me?
10:17Yeah.
10:18What impact did it have on you?
10:19I have a follow-up question for...
10:21I mean, it was very impactful and I think it helped me learn a lot about myself and what I could endure.
10:29For those of us who don't know this story, Coach Sanders was let go.
10:37Yes.
10:38You were...
10:39I was the associate head coach.
10:40You were the associate head coach.
10:42Yes.
10:43So you were trying to lose the associate and become head coach.
10:45Yes.
10:46Under typical protocol, normally the head coach gets fired.
10:51The next person in charge takes over on an interim basis most times.
10:56And it was unprecedented for a hire to be made outside of the organization in the immediate.
11:03You have thoughts on that, Jimmy?
11:05I got a lot...
11:06I mean, I got a lot of thoughts on it just because, like you said, the unprecedented side
11:10of not having the associate head coach finish the job.
11:13Whether you go out and get a coach after the season, management has the right to do that.
11:19Sure.
11:20But in the interim, when you have an associate head coach that's on defense and understands it,
11:25normally the way it works...
11:26Again, I've been around the league for 20 plus years.
11:28Yeah.
11:29They take over.
11:30Yeah.
11:31So when it didn't happen, I think it sent shockwaves through the league of how things are supposed
11:36to go and how things are not supposed to go and how do you handle protocol.
11:39Right.
11:40Again, the Minnesota Timberwolves can do what they want.
11:42Sure.
11:43But it sets a bad precedent when you do something like that.
11:46Absolutely.
11:47So currently there are, what, 16 black head coaches in the NBA?
11:51Yeah.
11:52Sorry to cut you off.
11:53No, go for it.
11:54I mean, the thing...
11:55It's a conversation amongst ourselves, so go for it.
11:56The thing to speak to that, like, you know, and I like to try to stay as positive as possible.
12:00Absolutely.
12:01Especially after having certain experiences, living through them, enduring it.
12:04But the things that happened after that are the things I think we need to really focus
12:11on how, you know, like that summer, that following summer.
12:15That's how it's going.
12:16What happened after that?
12:17Yeah, we get, I believe, five new black head coaches that were hired that summer.
12:25And now we're up to 15, including my man Willie here, who has gone through the process
12:31as well.
12:32And, you know, these are all people that were very deserving, overlooked for many years.
12:38Some of them had never even been interviewed, and I have been on many interviews in different
12:42situations.
12:43So, you know, for me, again, it's inspiring that whatever happened, happened, but what
12:49happens next and how do we respond to it?
12:51And that's the thing that, you know, we got to take so much positivity and look at where
12:56we are now, not so much, you know, what happened.
12:58Yeah, no, absolutely.
12:59Turn that up.
13:00You never know what happened when you give someone an opportunity, right?
13:05Speaking of opportunity, all right, Coach Green, let's talk about this past season.
13:10You guys made the playoffs after a 2-15 start.
13:17You're a highly touted, well, he wasn't a rookie then, but Zion was not available through
13:22most of the season.
13:23You guys are 2-15.
13:25How did you find, like, what did you do to lead that team with a 2-15 record into the
13:32playoffs?
13:33Pray.
13:34No, seriously, it was just, you know, talking to the team every day about being positive.
13:46You know, it's easy to focus on the things that we're not doing well and focus on the
13:52things that the media talks about.
13:55But we made a choice as a group to focus on being in the present.
14:01And the talks that I had with our team came down to this.
14:07Look, guys, whatever our record is, it is.
14:12If we lose an NBA game and that's the worst thing that can happen to us, life ain't that
14:17bad.
14:18So big picture is we're all in the NBA.
14:21We're all doing pretty good.
14:23If we lose some games, we'll be fine.
14:25Let's focus on each and every day making the right decisions, making the next best choice.
14:31It's hard to do.
14:32And it's a credit to our organization.
14:35It's a credit to the character in our locker room, our coaching staff.
14:39We just stuck together and every day we came in with joy.
14:43Music blasting, you wouldn't know that we lost our record, whatever it was, 1 in 13.
14:49You wouldn't know it.
14:50Yeah.
14:51Because after the game, the guys let it go, had a good meal, came in the next day, and
14:54we just got to work.
14:56And so a lot of prayer, a lot of, you know, you really find out who you are when you go
15:02through adversity.
15:03Yeah.
15:04And what I learned about myself is that I don't want to be a leader only when things
15:10are good.
15:11Yeah.
15:12And just be steady, be consistent, but hold people accountable.
15:20Absolutely.
15:21We did that for each other.
15:22Absolutely.
15:23Find the measure of the man through adversity.
15:25Good stuff.
15:27All right.
15:28So we talked about the second careers of coaches after you finished playing.
15:32Jimmy, you have a unique, somewhat unique second career.
15:37What was your plan?
15:38You finished playing in 2006.
15:40What was your plan upon retirement?
15:42Well, I mean, it started back probably when I was playing, and you guys understand that
15:47my third year, I got hurt.
15:49I tore my ankle up.
15:50So after that, I started to prepare myself thinking that my career could be over at any
15:56time.
15:57Sure.
15:58But eventually when I retired in 2006, I was fine.
15:59I knew what I wanted to do.
16:03It wasn't broadcasting.
16:04It kind of came about organically the year after I retired.
16:08Yep.
16:09When I got approached by a broadcasting agent to ask me if I was interested in doing TV.
16:15I never thought about it.
16:16I never thought about doing TV.
16:17I never thought about coaching.
16:18That's too stressful for me, bro.
16:20Seriously.
16:21He's a smart one.
16:22No, no.
16:23Because I love my free time.
16:24But what they do is so important and impactful.
16:27I love the game.
16:28But coaching just wasn't.
16:29Yeah.
16:30If I was going to do anything basketball-wise, it was going to be a management on that side,
16:33kind of putting teams together.
16:34Sure.
16:35But the broadcasting kind of just organically happened with the Big Ten Network back in
16:402007 when we started.
16:42Fox owned a piece of it.
16:44Threw to that.
16:45Eventually, I got over to Turner, TNT.
16:48I do games for the Clippers.
16:50So that's 15 years now.
16:52Yep.
16:53So it wasn't something that I planned.
16:56But the stars were aligned, so to speak, that had happened to fall in my lap.
17:00And I just kind of ran with you.
17:02So that's it.
17:03You retire.
17:04All right.
17:05Someone approached you about being in TV and you just get in TV.
17:07That's it.
17:08I'm messing with you.
17:09No.
17:10But that's how it happened, though.
17:11Yeah.
17:12Seriously.
17:13I mean, you don't.
17:14Now, again.
17:15Go ahead.
17:16No, no.
17:17Finish your thought.
17:18I got you.
17:19Go ahead.
17:20So as I mentioned, I'm head of talent for ABC News.
17:22Before that, I was the head of talent for the NFL media group.
17:25And I often dealt with athletes coming off the field or coming off the court.
17:29You know, they want to make the transition into broadcasting.
17:33And many people will try and, you know, name recognition gets you in the door.
17:38Big time.
17:39Yes.
17:40But it's more than that.
17:41I can't tell you how many people.
17:42I'm still here to this day.
17:43I want to be the next Strahan.
17:45And Michael Strahan is like a gift and a curse.
17:47I love him.
17:48But what Michael has done is so unique that everyone thinks that they can do it.
17:51And so you're still doing broadcasting after, how, since 2000?
17:56Since 2007.
17:57Since 2007.
17:58Right.
17:59So what would you say to athletes that are trying to make the transition into broadcasting
18:05from their playing days?
18:06Well, it depends on what you're trying to do.
18:08Because doing studio shows and actually doing live games are two different events.
18:12Yep.
18:13Studio is one thing, game is the other.
18:16One thing I've learned from the beginning when I first started is that the networks don't
18:22teach you how to be a broadcaster.
18:24You got to feel me on that.
18:26They don't teach you.
18:27So you see a lot of times when they hire talent, they bring them in, they do an interview.
18:31Next thing you know, they're on TV.
18:33Yeah.
18:34Some networks don't teach, but I hear you.
18:35I hear you.
18:36Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:37I agree.
18:38So what I did was hired a broadcasting coach from the very beginning so I could understand
18:43the business of being a broadcaster.
18:45Yeah.
18:46And then once I did that, I understood that the balance between doing studio shows and doing
18:51live games could benefit me more because I got an insight on talking to coaches and players,
18:57and then I could speak upon that once I got back into the studio.
19:00Yeah.
19:01And in the studio, I can watch games and prepare myself on the questions and what I want to
19:06see when I go do a live game.
19:08Yeah.
19:09So that's my big thing with guys that want to come in, is that understand what the craft
19:13is understand what you want to do and understand where you want to go with it, but also you've
19:17got to prepare yourself and want to work at it.
19:19You just can't come in and say, okay, because I've played for 15 years.
19:23I know exactly what's going on.
19:24Yeah.
19:25It's not that simple.
19:26Yeah.
19:27It's so important that you said that and I wanted people to hear that because it is,
19:30it's not just turn on the lights and go.
19:33People want to be either the next Stephen A. Smith or you name it, and it's like there's years
19:39of work that went into, you know.
19:41Here's the thing.
19:42Stephen A., I was in Philly.
19:43Yeah.
19:44This was 2000, I mean 1996, 97.
19:47Stephen A. worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
19:49He's a journalist by nature.
19:51Yeah.
19:52Now how he's evolved into what he's done at ESPN is one thing, but where he started was
19:58as a journalist.
20:00So you've got to give him that recognition that he understands his career and he understands
20:05what his job is and he's grown into, he didn't, he just didn't, they didn't parachute him
20:10in.
20:11Talk about it.
20:12To talk about, you know, ESPN like, you know, two years ago.
20:15Yeah.
20:16All of a sudden he's Stephen A. Smith.
20:17Yeah.
20:18His journey started back in the early nineties.
20:20Yeah.
20:21As being a journalist.
20:22Yep.
20:23Absolutely.
20:24Any other thoughts on that, fellas?
20:25Well, okay.
20:26He's like, no, we're not broadcasters.
20:28No.
20:29Let's talk about fatherhood.
20:31Ooh.
20:32You're all fathers.
20:33By the way, today's my son's 13th birthday.
20:36Happy birthday, Blake.
20:37Happy birthday.
20:38You're all fathers with very, very, very busy schedules.
20:43How do you make, how do you manage it?
20:46The balance of work, kids, you're on the road a lot for games.
20:51I'll start with you, Willie.
20:54Well, the biggest thing is, for me, is having a loving, understanding, and beautiful wife.
21:04She allows me to be a better father because she understands the schedule, makes sure that
21:12the kids are available, and then it's not how much time you have, it's what you do with
21:17the time.
21:18Yeah.
21:19It may be just dropping my son off at school.
21:22It may be going to have lunch when I have some free time.
21:25But it's difficult.
21:26It's difficult.
21:27It's stressful on a family.
21:29And, you know, honestly, you have to weed out all distractions.
21:33You know, focus on, try to focus on what I'm doing.
21:36And then when that's over, my focus goes directly to them.
21:40It's hard to do.
21:41It's hard to execute.
21:42Yeah.
21:43But, you know, that's the goal.
21:46But having a loving family, having people that, you know, really understand what you're
21:50trying to accomplish, and that we're all in it together.
21:53But it's difficult, just like anything.
21:55Just got to work at it and continue to have an open line of communication, pretty much.
22:00Absolutely.
22:01David?
22:02Yeah.
22:03Being present is important.
22:05Yeah.
22:06And, you know, Willie hit the nail on the head saying, you know, it's not the time.
22:11It's what you do with the time that you have.
22:13And you have to be present.
22:15Put the phone down.
22:16Tell everybody, look, this is where I am.
22:18This is what I'm doing.
22:20And you have to be as present as possible for those children.
22:23I am actually divorced, but my two teenage children live with me.
22:30Sure.
22:31And, you know, being that this is our career, our career are not conducive to family.
22:38Yeah.
22:39Because the reality is, it pulls us away as often as possible.
22:43And I know Willie being a head coach now is like, you know, I have to go to what benefit
22:48to talk to who?
22:49What?
22:50So, I mean, you know, and as an assistant, it's nonstop, you know, the things that we have
22:55to do.
22:56So, for me, being a single, not a single dad, because me and my ex-wife are, you know,
23:01tied at the hip.
23:02We make sure we parent our children properly.
23:03You co-parent.
23:04Well, I mean, I don't even like to call it co-parent.
23:06Okay.
23:07Because we are both their parents and we do whatever we have to do to make sure that
23:10they have everything that they need, including the love from both of us.
23:13I love that.
23:14So, you know, at the end of the day, for me, it's tough, a little bit different in a different
23:20way.
23:21Because when I do have to leave town, I have to do what, you know, a lot of moms have had
23:25to do, and my mother included, for years and years and eons.
23:28And that's, get coverage for my kids and take care, make sure this is taken care of, make
23:33sure they eat, make sure all those type of things.
23:35So, I live some of that reality.
23:37And now, and I understand.
23:38Believe me.
23:39You know, I understand some moms, you know, are doing it by themselves.
23:43I completely understand.
23:44It's tough no matter how you slice it.
23:47And our careers aren't conducive to family life.
23:50So, we really have to be as present as possible, as often as we can.
23:55Yeah.
23:56And mine is a little bit different.
23:57How is your, the oldest is what?
24:0021, 21, 15, and 10.
24:0221, 15, and 10.
24:0419, and 16.
24:05My oldest is 29.
24:07So, I had them when I came out of college.
24:10So, and then, I'm a different, and now, I have a four-year-old.
24:15So, the gap in between has allowed me as a father.
24:2025 years.
24:21To understand how to be a better parent than I was at 22, 23, 24.
24:27Because, as a young man, I'm still trying to understand how to mature myself.
24:31Let alone, a young boy.
24:34Not that I didn't do a good job.
24:36Sure.
24:37But I've learned so much.
24:38So, one thing I've learned about being a father, in particular to a young black male,
24:42is not shutting him down when they have questions.
24:45Not shutting them down when they make a mistake.
24:48My older son, he wanted to do some things.
24:51He played basketball at the University of Wisconsin.
24:53Played overseas.
24:54Played in the G League.
24:55He made some decisions in his life that affected him.
24:58And I told him, I said, listen, it's a consequence to every decision you make,
25:02whether positive or negative.
25:03You've got to deal with whatever outcome happens.
25:06But you've got to deal with it because you chose to make the decision.
25:10I got your back.
25:12But understand what the life lesson is.
25:14Yeah.
25:15And one thing I'd also try not to do was shut him down.
25:18When things went bad or he had something going on, I always paid attention.
25:23I think one thing with parents, because we go through so much in life,
25:26we have all this equity built up in what we think we know.
25:29Yeah.
25:30And the tendency is, when a child is speaking, is not to listen.
25:33Yeah.
25:34Because authentically, a child is going to tell you what they want and what they need.
25:37But as a parent, because we've been through so much, we want to shut them down and be like, no, no.
25:41You can't do that.
25:42You can't.
25:43This is how.
25:44No.
25:45Sometimes we as parents need to listen to our children.
25:47So I learned that from my older.
25:50Now with my little one, I'm such a more patient and different father.
25:54Yeah.
25:55More loving father.
25:56Yeah.
25:57Even with my older son, I give him a kiss.
25:58I grab him.
25:59He's like, Dad, come on.
26:00I'm like, man, whatever, bro.
26:01Come here.
26:02Give me a hug.
26:03Give me a kiss.
26:04He goes over to my little man.
26:05Yeah.
26:06So that's how I become a better, especially to a young black boy.
26:09Yeah.
26:10With all the challenges and things that are going on, I try to educate him early.
26:13Yeah.
26:14From what I've learned and I've watched my peers on how they deal with their sons and their
26:21daughters and what they do.
26:22And I talk to them and try to take a little bit of that and be a better father.
26:27Yeah.
26:28Talk about that, fellas, about raising young black men.
26:30You know, 2020 was a year, quote unquote, racial reckoning.
26:36And what was it like for you guys in dealing with or talking to your young men about police
26:42encounters, et cetera, et cetera?
26:44Got real quiet in there.
26:47You know, it's a difficult conversation.
26:51My oldest son is 21 and my youngest son is 10.
26:56And they're very aware of what's going on around them.
27:02And it's hard.
27:03Number one, it's just hard, no matter how you slice it.
27:08But we do have those conversations.
27:10Yeah.
27:11At the dinner table, you know, what I tell them in terms of police encounters is no matter
27:19what happens, you're not going to win a battle on the street.
27:22Yeah.
27:23I don't care how you slice it.
27:24Yeah.
27:25My uncle was a police officer and he told me that.
27:27He said, I don't care what happens, you're not going to win.
27:32Get home.
27:34That's the most important thing that you can do.
27:36Yeah.
27:37And those are the conversations.
27:38I just try to keep it real with them.
27:40Yeah.
27:41All the arguing, you can state your point, you can be right.
27:44But when you see it's not going right, get home.
27:47Yeah.
27:48Whatever you got to do to get home, that's important to me.
27:51Get home.
27:53But at the same time, you don't want to put all people in the same bucket.
27:57Absolutely.
27:58And that's not fair.
27:59Yep.
28:00And so trying to get them to understand that judge every person on their own merit.
28:05Yeah.
28:06What one police officer or one person does does not negate the fact that somebody else may be totally different.
28:12Absolutely.
28:13And so just trying to teach them that way of life, because I think it'll help them as they progress.
28:19They're going to run into, they're going to meet all different kinds of people.
28:22And I don't want to be unfairly judged and I don't want my kids to do that to other people.
28:27So it's a fine line and it's a balance.
28:30But it's hard.
28:31Absolutely.
28:32I mean, for me, the education of that experience was something that I wanted to make sure that my children understood wholeheartedly and along with me giving them examples of my experiences.
28:46Yeah.
28:47I played in the Yes League as a child, which was like a police run league.
28:51Yeah.
28:52So I know some police officers from childhood that I picked up the phone, called them and had them explain a few things to my kids as well from a different perspective.
28:59So they were a little more educated than some of that.
29:02I mean, Willie again is, you know, get home.
29:04That was a big, a big message in my household.
29:06And I mean, like the interesting part is I was in, we were living in Minneapolis when George Floyd was murdered.
29:15So we were in the middle of that.
29:17And my daughter for our household, honestly, like led the charge, like, when is the march?
29:25I want to go.
29:26And she, I mean, she was like activated, making signs and all type of stuff.
29:30And I'll never forget, you know, it, it, it touched me that she wanted to be involved in understanding everything.
29:39One, one day we, you know, she wanted to go to, to one of the marches and I, you know, I'm thinking about how dangerous it may be and some of those type of things.
29:46And she's like, well, I want to go.
29:48I'm like, all right, well, then I'm going with you.
29:50Let's go.
29:51We geared up, we go down and it's happened to be, we were sitting on the freeway waiting for the mayor to come when 18 wheeler came barreling down.
30:02I don't know if you guys remember seeing that on TV, 18 wheeler came barreling down the street and all the people start running.
30:07Yeah.
30:08I was sitting down on the ground next to my daughter when that happened.
30:11Wow.
30:12Like we jumped up, we started running just like everybody else.
30:14And, you know, it, it became very real.
30:16Yeah.
30:17And, but next March that happened, next activist, activist type of event, she wanted to go.
30:25So, I mean, it, it, it has inspired some of those, those, the youth.
30:29Yeah.
30:30And, you know, I think it's our job to try to guide and direct them the best way that we know, but they are living a different experience and they're living in a different world than what we even know.
30:39So, you know, we got to do the best we can.
30:42And I just tell my kids, look, whatever happens, do whatever you have to do to get yourself home, get home.
30:48Good stuff.
30:49Thank you for all of you for your perspectives on that.
30:51It was really, really good.
30:55All right.
30:56So we're going to switch gears and close it out a little bit with your opinions on the NBA 75 season just wrapped up.
31:04The all time top 75 players were named.
31:07I have so many questions, but I have two, I have two that I specifically have to ask.
31:13Um, one came from our mutual friend, Mark Spears.
31:16It was one question he didn't like, but I'm going to ask.
31:19So Mark said, nah, ask him this.
31:20So Mark, who is the three of you?
31:23Who is your goat?
31:26We'll start.
31:27Okay.
31:28We'll start with Willie.
31:29Who is your, who is your goat?
31:30Uh, MJ.
31:31Okay.
31:32Oh, easy.
31:33Michael Jordan.
31:34Easy.
31:35Easy.
31:36Michael Jordan.
31:37Easy.
31:38Mine is different.
31:39No, but I, and the reason why I say it is because Mike, because I grew up in the air and I played against Mike.
31:44Yeah.
31:45But mine is the totality of a basketball career is Kareem.
31:50Okay.
31:51And the reason why is you look at what he did at high school at power Memorial and college,
31:56three national championships.
31:57They actually changed the rules in college where you couldn't dunk a basketball because of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
32:02Yeah.
32:03Six time MVP, six world titles, all time leading scorer.
32:08So the totality of what his career was from high school, college to NBA, no question.
32:16We break it down to NBA and stuff like that is MJ.
32:20Yeah.
32:21Just because of what he was able to accomplish in that.
32:24But totality.
32:25Yeah.
32:26Bro, it's Kareem for me.
32:27I got talent.
32:28I got you.
32:29I want, I want.
32:30Give it up for Kareem.
32:31I mean, we can debate that.
32:32I won't argue that though.
32:33I'm just saying totality.
32:34I mean, because, listen, he couldn't play as a freshman.
32:39He was the NCAA MVP in the championship all three years.
32:43And they said no dunking.
32:44No dunking.
32:45The most unstoppable shot.
32:48All time leading scorer without take.
32:50He probably took one three pointer.
32:52He did take one three.
32:53He made it too.
32:54And he made it.
32:55Take three points off that.
32:56Take three points off that.
32:57Listen.
32:5838,000 points without shooting a three.
33:00And an excellent free throw shooter.
33:02Say it again.
33:03So, so to me, the records are going to be broken.
33:08All this stuff because you got more possessions.
33:11Three point shot is in there.
33:13So, but that's just mine.
33:17That's fair.
33:18That's fair.
33:19Again, it's all opinion.
33:21It doesn't make it right or wrong.
33:23That's just.
33:24Right.
33:25We got one witness.
33:26Y'all about the same age.
33:27Y'all the same age.
33:28I knew he was going to say that.
33:30Oh, man.
33:31I played it.
33:32I played against Mike at the height.
33:34So trust me.
33:35Yeah.
33:36He put numbers up and I was there to witness it.
33:39So.
33:40Oh, he put numbers up.
33:41All right.
33:42Two more questions.
33:44And the second one is broad.
33:46You're all time starting five.
33:50You're all time starting five.
33:51That's tough.
33:52You told me not to give you time, so.
33:53I know.
33:54So Kareem better be on it.
33:55Oh, no.
33:56Questions.
33:57Kareem, Magic, Mike, LeBron.
33:58Oh.
33:59Five.
34:00Starting five.
34:01Kareem.
34:02I didn't say five people.
34:03Starting five.
34:04This is going across the board.
34:05We winning it all.
34:06Kareem.
34:07Mike.
34:08LeBron.
34:09Magic.
34:10Point Guard.
34:11Magic.
34:12Okay.
34:13Oh, wait.
34:14Oh, wait.
34:15No, no.
34:16No, no.
34:17No, no.
34:18No.
34:19No.
34:20Larry Bird.
34:21I'm going to tell you why.
34:23People of my.
34:24You don't understand how cold Larry Bird was.
34:28Larry Bird was very weird.
34:31He was very weird.
34:33He was very weird.
34:34He was very weird.
34:36Oh, no.
34:37He was very weird.
34:38He was very weird.
34:39Bird would tell you, okay, young fella, you guard me, I'm going to take two dribbles,
34:46I'm going to get to this spot right here, shoot over the top, ain't nothing you can
34:48do about it.
34:50Nothing.
34:51I don't care what you say.
34:52So, to me, now, as we evolve, I think that five is going to change.
34:57Sure.
34:58Because Kevin Durant is not done.
35:00I think Kobe, I don't know if Kobe will slide in there, but you guys are honest.
35:04It will change, but right now, man, give me those five all day long.
35:09Good stuff.
35:10Again, I'm old, too, so.
35:12It's all good.
35:13Older, older!
35:15I'm more mature.
35:17David, we'll do your top five.
35:20And Coach, if you're comfortable giving the top five.
35:21He got some young dudes in his.
35:23Kobe in there.
35:24I know it is.
35:25No, no, no.
35:25I play with Kobe.
35:26So, Mike, starting five.
35:31Mike.
35:31Mike, two guard, okay.
35:33We going by position.
35:34We just going by starting five.
35:36Positionless basketball right now.
35:38Kareem.
35:39Okay.
35:40At the five.
35:41Oh, wow.
35:42Kobe.
35:43At the what?
35:45Doesn't matter.
35:45Put him on the court.
35:46Okay.
35:47Positionless basketball.
35:48We don't do that no more.
35:49At the three.
35:50Whatever.
35:52Magic running my team.
35:54Okay.
35:54The best power forward to play the game.
35:56Tim Duncan.
35:58Okay.
35:58Wait, you flip out Mike.
36:00Tim, no, I called Mike.
36:01Mike was first.
36:03Oh, yeah.
36:03Mike, Kareem.
36:04Mike, Kareem.
36:05Kobe.
36:06Kobe.
36:06Magic.
36:07Magic.
36:07And Tim.
36:07I can't be mad at that.
36:09Okay.
36:09I can't be mad at that.
36:11I can't be mad at that.
36:12Tim is the best power forward to play the game.
36:14Yeah.
36:15Stand by.
36:15I said it.
36:16I said it.
36:17Yeah.
36:17I can't be mad at that.
36:19All right.
36:19Come on, Coach.
36:22Uh-oh.
36:22He got clear in his throat.
36:23Hold on.
36:24Coach, give us a perspective here.
36:27CJ McCollum.
36:30Herb Jones.
36:31Brandon Ingram.
36:33All time.
36:34Yeah, yeah.
36:35Jonas Valanciers.
36:37It's easy for me.
36:38I like that.
36:39Yeah.
36:40My guys is going to be watching whatever this is.
36:42I'm not going to get up here and be rooting for somebody else and trying to coach them.
36:45I got you, bro.
36:46As long as I'm on this team, that's my five.
36:50I don't care about MJ and I don't know.
36:51I got you.
36:52I got you.
36:53I got you.
36:54All right.
36:55Last question, and this is just for me selfishly.
36:59The Warriors won the championship a couple weeks ago.
37:02Shout out to them.
37:04In the all-time top ten, Steph Curry was not there prior to this list.
37:11Steph now has four rings.
37:13He is the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.
37:19Is he a top ten player?
37:23You dodged it.
37:24Yeah, so now you're really on that hot seat, man.
37:26Coach, I'm coming to you first on that one.
37:28Steph will see this.
37:29I'm riding with Steph.
37:30You know, I coached in Golden State with those guys.
37:35So, absolutely.
37:36And even more than a player, he's a great dude, man.
37:40Yeah.
37:40So, for sure.
37:42Yes.
37:43Good stuff, David.
37:44Simple.
37:44Yes.
37:45Absolute.
37:46Ooh.
37:48Absolute.
37:48Greatest shooter.
37:50I'm just asking questions.
37:51Greatest shooter of all time.
37:53Okay, so if you.
37:54Oh, man.
37:55Here you go.
37:55Here you go.
37:56I got a bright light.
37:57Here you go.
37:58Say Mark Price or somebody like that.
38:00I just don't have him in my top ten right now.
38:02Could he be 11?
38:03Yeah.
38:04You say greatest shooter or greatest player?
38:06He's a greatest shooter.
38:07There's no question.
38:09Change the game.
38:10But my top ten?
38:11No.
38:12Not now.
38:14Not now.
38:16What's your criteria?
38:17Who I like.
38:21It's your list.
38:23I'll tell you my five.
38:25So, my other five.
38:26You got Akeem.
38:27You got Shaq.
38:28You got Kobe.
38:30Kevin Durant.
38:33Olajuwon.
38:34So, who am I going to replace?
38:37You said Akeem and Olajuwon.
38:39I'm sorry.
38:41Hey, look.
38:41I'm going to be all over here.
38:43So, he's in the top ten.
38:44If you had Akeem and Olajuwon.
38:45Oh, no.
38:45Yeah.
38:46Akeem.
38:47Tim.
38:48Kobe.
38:50KD.
38:53Steph.
38:54No, I didn't say Steph.
38:55Yeah.
38:55Oh.
38:57So, where you put AI?
38:59No, not even close, huh?
39:01That what you're saying?
39:01You're shaking your head.
39:02No, no, no.
39:03I love AI.
39:04But?
39:05Steph is in my top ten.
39:06Okay, I get it.
39:07No question.
39:07Hey, look.
39:07I can't be mad at it.
39:09That's why it's tough that everybody has their opinion on why they want it, which is, they'll
39:13make it right or wrong, which I love.
39:14You know, what he's done aside, accolades.
39:17Oh, unbelievable.
39:18Who he is.
39:19As a person.
39:20And how he improves all of those other guys around him.
39:24Yeah.
39:24Like, the record that they have when he's not on the court is a little different.
39:27No, it is.
39:28So, that means a lot to me.
39:31Yeah, I got it.
39:32Not yet, though.
39:33Good stuff.
39:33Gentlemen, this has been great.
39:38Thank you for sharing your stories.
39:40Your journeys.
39:41Thank you for being examples in your communities for all of this.
39:44I want to appreciate all, say thank you to all of you.
39:46Jimmy, David, Coach Green, give it up for him, ladies and gentlemen.
39:50Thanks for having me.
39:51You know what this is.
39:54That's our time.
39:55We're giving you five seconds to put your drink down and report to the dance floor immediately.
39:59All the buses, we're giving you five seconds to get close to an exit.
40:04Thank you, brother.
40:05Absolutely.
40:05It's about to get real ugly in here.
40:07Thank you, man.
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