00:00Beau, hello, how are you doing?
00:01I'm doing great, how are you doing, Remy?
00:03I'm very good, thank you.
00:04I mean, it's been a long time, how are you doing?
00:06What have you been up to lately?
00:09A lot of things, you know, growing my presence with the Olympic Committee,
00:15you know, exploring, you know, business opportunities, investment opportunities,
00:19just figuring out how to continue to get involved with sports in different ways
00:23and continue to help grow sports around the world
00:26and then, you know, growing my foundation, growing my family, you know,
00:32a lot of good things.
00:34That's impressive, you're keeping pretty busy, I like it, I like it.
00:37And just so you know, you and I, you probably don't remember that,
00:40we used to talk like a long time ago, I'm getting older now,
00:43back when you were with the Lakers, I was in Los Angeles in 2010, 11, 12.
00:49Nice.
00:49So we did interviews together a long time ago, that's like, shit, 16 years ago now.
00:54Yeah, a long time ago.
00:55All right, and I want to talk about that, by the way, since, you know,
00:59like we're getting to the playoffs now in the NBA,
01:01I don't know how closely you follow, like you watch basketball games these days,
01:05but how do you like the Lakers' chances, how do you feel about them
01:09against Houston next week?
01:12I mean, I think ultimately, you know, the Lakers, let's say,
01:19having Luka back or not, it's a big, big, big factor, right?
01:24So if Luka can join the team and see how this treatment has gone in Spain
01:31and has helped the healing from a grade two, you know, hamstring strain or tear,
01:37it's, you know, I think it's a big factor as far as how the series goes.
01:43So if Luka is back, even if it's, you know, hopefully, you know, let's say game three
01:50at the latest, then, you know, and a healthy Luka playing the way he does,
01:56then the Lakers have a chance.
01:58I think if Luka doesn't get back by then or before, you know,
02:04I think the Lakers' chances diminish significantly.
02:08Obviously, I would love them to win, if you ask me.
02:15But, yeah, Houston is a good team.
02:19You know, they have a great player.
02:22They have great players.
02:23They're very balanced.
02:23They're athletic.
02:25They have a good mix of guys.
02:27And so it'll be tough to beat.
02:29But, you know, in the playoffs, anything can happen.
02:31But you have to have your main guys healthy.
02:34Of course.
02:35Are you still working somehow with the Lakers in some capacity, by the way?
02:39Do you still keep ties with them?
02:41I mean, I keep ties with them.
02:42I don't work with them or I don't work for them in any official capacity.
02:48So, but, you know, I come down to a couple of games a season.
02:51And, I mean, I'm always in touch with management.
02:57Obviously, I'm close with Jeannie and Linda.
02:59And I'm close with Rob Palenka.
03:01And so I keep an eye on the team and see how things are evolving
03:08and how I can be of help at times.
03:12I don't know.
03:12Like I said, I don't know how much basketball you have time to watch these days.
03:15I'm just curious if you have a take on these playoffs, upcoming playoffs,
03:19and who's going to win it all.
03:22Yeah, I mean, it's hard to say who's going to win it all.
03:26But, obviously, you look at the regular season,
03:29you look who the current champions are.
03:33And I think if you have to pick a favorite, Oklahoma City definitely stands out.
03:40At the same time, San Antonio has given them a very hard time this season.
03:47It's probably been the team that has beaten them, I think,
03:49four out of five times they've played this season.
03:52So, you know, if I'm San Antonio, I feel like I have also a pretty good chance.
03:56So, and then in the East, Detroit and Boston are the two teams to look at.
04:04But, again, things happen in the playoffs.
04:08Teams also get hot.
04:10And those are the two, let's say, or the four top two seeds on both conferences.
04:17And they've earned that right by, you know, by playing better than the competition.
04:21But anything can happen, like I said.
04:23But those four teams, and to me, again, if I had to pick a favorite,
04:28OKC is still the team to beat.
04:30Makes sense, of course.
04:31You just mentioned San Antonio as well.
04:34Listen, Paolo, we got to talk about Wemby, about Victor.
04:37You know, well, I'm not going to teach you anything, but France and Spain,
04:41you guys have been rough with us for like 20 years while you were playing basketball still.
04:46And are you happy that Victor was born 20 years later then?
04:51Yes and no.
04:53To me, I would have, I've always loved the challenge.
04:57So, it doesn't matter, you know, I love my competition to be as strong as they could.
05:02So, I could have, I would have to give, and my team would have to give their best in order
05:06to beat them.
05:08So, not that any of the French teams were not strong enough, because they were very, very strong,
05:14and we had great battles with those players and those teams.
05:18But yeah, with Victor adds another layer that, you know, that we've really never seen before,
05:25or I haven't seen before, or I can only speak for what I've seen in my life.
05:31But yeah, he's such a special player.
05:34I love, you know, how hard he competes, his desire, you know, his resilience, everything about him,
05:44you know, how he's approaching the game, how he keeps a good balance also, I think, outside of basketball.
05:51And so, yeah, he's a fantastic, exceptional, extraordinary player that, you know, it's hard to imagine.
06:00You know, you see that he has potential to grow, right?
06:05So, young still, and still, his body's still developing, if you will, I think.
06:11But already what he's doing, you know, being in MVP conversations, probably, I don't know how many,
06:17the game situation about the 65 games and the award situation is a different topic.
06:22He's eligible, he's fine, he's eligible.
06:23Eleigible, good, good, good, I'm glad.
06:26So, he's, you know, right now, probably he's top two, top three in MVP conversation at, what, 20 years old,
06:3321 years old?
06:35You know, so, pretty amazing what he's doing.
06:37I think he has a great head on his shoulder, so he's going to be able to manage this well.
06:41And, like I said, he has a great desire, he's shown that every opportunity he gets to be the best
06:48that he can be.
06:49And, you know, that's dangerous for all the competition.
06:52I'm curious, did you two ever meet?
06:55Yeah, I coached him in the Rising Stars game.
06:58Oh, you did, that's right.
06:59Yeah, I picked him as my number one pick.
07:01Of course.
07:03Because I wanted to have a chance to coach him and to interact with him and to get to know
07:08him a little bit.
07:09Unfortunately, we did not win that game.
07:11We lost against a G League team.
07:15And, but...
07:15He was pretty bad about it.
07:17Yeah, yeah.
07:19But, you know, things happen.
07:20Everything is part of the, you know, part of the process and part of the journey.
07:25And, you know, it's obviously the All-Star weekend at Rising Stars game.
07:29But, yeah, but I had that interaction with him.
07:32And I've seen him other times.
07:34And I got to meet his mom and dad.
07:35And, you know, so it's, you know, I'm excited to follow his journey.
07:41So we all...
07:42Pao, one last question before I let you go.
07:44I don't know how much you can tell us about.
07:47But I'm curious about your implication with NBA Europe and how involved you are.
07:54Well, I've been very close to it from the beginning.
07:57And I'm talking years, years back.
08:01And I'm still, you know, I'm very, I'm getting, you know, very close today.
08:06My implication is still not defining which way I will be involved.
08:12But, you know...
08:13You know, people have mentioned things, opportunities.
08:15People have said that you might be commissioner of NBA Europe.
08:17Is that something possible?
08:20I mean, anything is possible, you know, and anything will be considered.
08:27I definitely want to help the league and this, I think, new needed model for NBA...
08:37I mean, for European basketball and its growth and its future, you know, to be successful and to help kind
08:45of implement it and land it.
08:46Which I...
08:48There's definitely will be a process.
08:49There's definitely will be a transition.
08:51There's definitely be some friction and some things and challenges to get through.
08:56But, you know, we believe, I believe that, you know, it's the best way forward and kind of to continue
09:03to make our sport, you know, grow in at the European level and at the global level.
09:10Pao, it's always a pleasure talking to you.
09:12Muchas gracias.
09:13De nada.
09:14De rien.
09:15Enchanté.
09:17Merci, Pao.
09:18Merci, Pao.
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