I Seen The Vision

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome, everybody, to the Nil podcast, Name, Image and Legends Podcast. I'm your host today, Nick Rivers, joined by my fellow pit legends, Jermaine Dixon, Gary McGee, Lavance Fields. Today we got another exclusive for you. Another great story. Currently mvp. Mvp. As he's walking through the Australian countryside. We're joined by Lamar Patterson. 717 Legend. Started playing high school at McCaskey High School storied program in Lancaster. Decided to take his talents to St. Benedict's historical high school basketball program, which eventually led him to the Big East. One of the most versatile players to ever go through the Big east, to ever go through the PIT program. Was drafted in the league, played overseas in multiple countries, been successful everywhere. A born winner. Current MVP for the Ipswich Force, Lamar Patterson. Thank you for joining us today, baby. [00:00:57] Speaker B: I appreciate it, man. Appreciate getting on here with you boys, man. Yeah, LP stood up for this. What up, lp? What's good? [00:01:08] Speaker A: Yeah, so, I mean, you're one of the best players to ever come through Pitt. And, you know, a lot of people don't really know about your story. They don't know who you are. They don't. You know, when people ask me, you know, what NBA players did you play with? You're one of the first ones that come to my mind, and they're like, oh, Lamar Patterson. Like, oh, they probably wonder, where have you been? I mean, you've had a long history career, but we really want to start with, you know, your background. You know, you're from the 717. Lancaster. Did I pronounce Lancaster right? Is that how you pronounce Lancaster? [00:01:39] Speaker B: Yeah, that's how outsiders pronounce it. The locals, we say Lancaster, but either or works. Yeah. [00:01:49] Speaker A: So you started at McCaskey High School and transferred to St. Benedict's High School. So talk to us a little bit about your experience, you know, growing up playing basketball, starting at McCaskey, and what went into your decision and when did you know you were that guy, that you could compete at the highest level and take your talents from New Jersey? Tell us that story of, you know, you transferring and your high school. [00:02:12] Speaker B: Growing up in Lancaster, it was just like, I was always my brother's little brother. He was a big figure in our city, football, basketball. So it kind of drove me to always want to be better than him. That's kind of where it started. Like, oh, I'm tired of being little Perry or Perry's little brother growing up, which, I mean, it was cool. I looked up to him. I got two older brothers, both of them my. My Heroes in their own rights. But it was just like that kind of like drove that, that in house family competition. Probably mainly just a one sided competition because they're seven years older, 10 years older than me, so they wasn't really worried about the little brother. But that, that, that's kind of where like that drive to be better started with at a very young age. And then just playing in that Lancaster league, like it was good, but I knew it wasn't what I needed because I had committed to Pitt like my junior season. So before I even transferred to St. Benedict's I already knew I was going to Pitt. And I already knew like I was going up. Seeing you guys playing and going into the games and stuff like that, I'm like, nah, like, ain't gonna be ready for this. So Dixon, he kind of like we sat down and talked. I'm like, listen, like, I want to transfer. And he pointed me in the direction of St. Benedict's that's when Dan Hurley was there. So like, you already see what type of coach he is. Two time national champ at UConn and he's like a crazy dude. So it was like I went from like a public school, was laid back, my mom was the nurse. I pretty much get away with anything. Like I'm the man in high school. I can walk into school whenever I want. That makes sense to pretty much changing that whole dynamic around going to, to St. Bennett's where Hurley like really didn't care who you were, what type of player you were. He just wanted like the best out of you. Like it didn't matter, like how good you were. Me walking into that gym, he was like, like, you're a nobody. And that, that's kind of what I needed at that time in my life for sure. Cause like, you know, you feeling yourself, you're the man of your city. Everyone's felt that. But like it was like a wake up call. Cause I went up there to work out first and them boys was working. Like I didn't know what hard work was until I seen a practice at St. Benedict's for the first time and we was playing ones and they just had. Tristan Thompson was there and they just had him going to work on me. Like just one on one. I'm dead, I'm tired, I'm not in elite shape. So it's like they just having a way with me up there. And when I left I was like, yo, I gotta go there. And I remember talking to Hurley like probably like a couple months later. He was like, there Was no way I thought you was Gonna come to St. Benedict after that workout. So it was just, like, when I see something, I always just want to challenge myself and kind of push myself to make that next level. So going to Benedict definitely changed the trajectory of my basketball career. It got me prepared for Pittsburgh. But, yeah, that was main. Like, the main reason why I wanted to transfer. It's like, I just wanted to get ready for going to Pitt. [00:05:33] Speaker A: So you committed early. So while you were still at cast, you committed at Pitt. I didn't know that. So why did you decide that you wanted to go to Pitt? [00:05:42] Speaker B: What attracted you to, man, so. Just because I had went to a couple games that year. I had went to the Georgetown game. I believe that was at the peak. And I went to a UConn game at the peak. That's when I think Fella flipped. Flipped. Who was it? Hashim Hateem? You know what I'm talking about? Yeah. To beat. And I'm like, yo, this. This is rocking. And then my brother, he was with me, and he was like, yo, like, I don't. He said, I don't think you're gonna find another school better than that. And it's close to the crib. It wasn't. It was four hours away, so it was better than having my mom and grandma have to fly or. Or just being able to just get to the games whenever they felt like it. So I was like, yeah, like. And then Pitt at the time was. You know, y' all was there, like, number one seeds. Like, we was rocking. I was like, yeah, like, this the best school for me. The best school coming at me like, I'm going to Pitt, yo. So what was your top three schools? So Pitt. Pitt was always number one for me. And then, like, I really didn't even look at many schools. I went to Penn State. I went to Rutgers. But, like, I'm like, these schools are trash. Like, Rutgers wasn't good at the time. Penn State wasn't good at the time. I'm like, nah. Like, I need to be somewhere where we on. Like, Pitt was on ESPN every game. Like, you know, I mean, like, I'm like, this is. This is. I'm. This is what I want. Playing in the garden. Like, that's what I wanted. Like, I had, like, a bunch of, like, other schools. Like, like, kind of right before I signed a letter, right before I committed. Like, Miami came. I remember Tubby Smith was trying to come at me. I think he was with Minnesota at the time. [00:07:21] Speaker C: Minnesota? Yeah, he's at Minnesota. [00:07:24] Speaker B: Yeah. And then, like, those were kind of like the main schools that I was, like, in constant communication with. But Pitt was like. Like, it would have took a lot for someone would have to throw a big bag or something for me not to go to Pitt, honestly. But I. Who. [00:07:38] Speaker C: My bad. Go. [00:07:39] Speaker B: Yeah, Nah, nah, go ahead. [00:07:41] Speaker C: Who recruited you to kind of Pitt? And when did. When did you come on? When did they start recognizing you? [00:07:49] Speaker B: Harry and Tom. He was. Yeah, th was my recruiter, I would say, probably, like, my sophomore year. Like, that. Sophomore year going into, like, junior. That whole time, Pitt was, like, everywhere. Th was, like, at all my tournaments. He was texting me, calling me. Yeah, he was the one recruiting me. So at Pitt, you red shirted your freshman year. How did that help you develop for the rest of your career? I mean, it helped because it gave me an extra year. Cause, like, that was the year, I think Maine was hurt. You was hurt for half the season. And then gil was academically. Mr. Smart man was academically ineligible for half the year. So. So I started. I started playing like that. The beginning of that season. I was playing. I think I played, like, the first, like, 10 games or something like that. And when they. When I came back, when Maine came back healthy, Gill was coming back. Dixon came. He said. He's like, listen, you probably not going to play no more. I'm like, all right. He said, look, we can. You can do a medical red shirt, because I guess I had tweaked my ankle or whatever. He said, we could say you have an ankle injury and you got medical red shirts. I was like, yeah, all right, cool. Like. Like, you don't lose the year. I'm like, all right, bet. Cause if I'm not gonna play, like, I don't wanna lose a year. You know what I'm saying? So. But I think that year was, like, playing those 10 games. Like, there's no experience better than actually getting on court. You know what I mean? So playing that and then just being in practice every day, like, that year, like, I remember the last one Brad was talking about how Lee was killing him every time. Brad was that for me, like, he was killing me all year. Like, OD and that. Like, that's probably, like, the best. The best. Like, the best way you can get better. Just play with people that are better than you. You know what I'm saying? Like, be on the court with them and getting the game in. Game experience. That was great. So going into, like, next year, like, I have more confidence and stuff like that, which was good as Well, I. [00:09:55] Speaker A: Mean, that could be a good. That's a good story for. For some youth to hear out there, because I think a lot of this new generation, they don't know how to deal with adversity. When he told you you're being. You're going to be red shirting, especially after you had been playing and you. You were playing pretty well, I remember. [00:10:09] Speaker B: Yeah, he gave me the option. He gave. He gave me the option. I will. I will say Dixon gave me the option. He said, listen, like, you're not going to play no more. So I'm like, all right, if I'm not going to play, then it makes sense for me to do the red shirt. Honestly. [00:10:25] Speaker A: Yeah, because it seems like, you know, nowadays that would make a. A kid transfer, you know, that automatically would be like, bro, I ain't playing well, I'm out, you know? [00:10:32] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's different. It's. You can't even compare the two. It's two different. Two different games now. It's not even the same. You know what I mean? Like, you got the nil. You got everything. Like, it's just like, had the nil been around, I probably would have been out too. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like. Like, it's just two different. Two different. Can't compare. You know what I mean? Was those. Was I ever thought about that transferring during that year or you was like, nah, I'm good to come back. Nah. Like, I never. Transferring wasn't even a thing. Like, wasn't. Yeah, like. Yeah, like, that wasn't like a thing. Like, you transfer, like, you'd sit out a year, like, just like, that wasn't even a thought back then. For real. You still have to get better. Yeah, it was just get better, get on the court. Like, you know what I mean? Just grind it out. And then it was like, going, you know, going to pit. Like, we had guys like Gil was like that. You know what I mean? Like, where he's red shirted, and then next thing you know, he's starting, you're playing, playing 25, 30 minutes a game. Like, we had guys like that. I think Trey. Trey had just came off of his red shirt year, so it was like. It wasn't like I was like the only one doing it, you know what I'm saying? Or the first one to do it. So it was like being able to see them do it, talk to them about. Made it easy. Pretty normal at Pitt at the time. [00:11:47] Speaker C: Yeah, redshirt thing. [00:11:51] Speaker B: Yeah, that was normal for Pitt even And even after me, I think Cam red shirt it. Maybe someone else red shirt it or something like that. But it was just. Just. It was the Dixon thing, you know what I mean? [00:12:00] Speaker C: Yeah, that was Dixon thing. [00:12:01] Speaker B: I should have took the option when. [00:12:02] Speaker A: I got offered in my freshman year because everybody. [00:12:05] Speaker B: I had to play the spot minutes because we got too many injuries. I could have played one more year with you, lp, catching some knowledge. It's all good. [00:12:14] Speaker C: LP could have got you to the league, huh, man? [00:12:16] Speaker B: How you pass. Yeah, hey. [00:12:19] Speaker C: L did. Did you feel like you could help us that year? [00:12:21] Speaker B: Man? I. Honestly, I. I don't think I was ready to produce at that level. Like, you know what I mean? Even the next year, I felt like I still wasn't quite there yet. Like, I would come in a game and get a couple assists, couple rebounds, you know what I mean? Not mess up. That was my whole mindset is not mess up at that age, at that point in my career. So, I mean, yeah, I probably could have helped just by being some sort of stable option off the bench or something like that, but, like, I don't. You guys didn't need me, you know what I'm saying? Like, then the next year, like, I just kind of, like, just build up the confidence year by year, and I feel like that was just. That was another pit way, like, you know what I mean? Just get better year by year. So, yeah, we didn't really have many guys come in right away and then make an imprint on the game right away. [00:13:09] Speaker A: You mentioned Brad every day in practice your freshman year. You know, he was the one kind of. Kind of picking on you and giving you work every day. But what would you say is your, like, welcome to pit moment where you're like, dang, this is the next level. I really need to work on my game if I'm ever going to be successful here. [00:13:24] Speaker B: I think it was just like those trainings, like, every day. Like. But the thing about Pitt is, like, we was. We was getting too. We were getting after, like, when we came in the summertime, dudes was bad. We was playing pickup and go to the back gym at night, play ones like. Like, we were just getting after it, like, you know what I mean? So kind of like just built it up, Built it up every time. And then, like, once official practice started, you know, getting ready for the season and stuff like that. And I'm. I'm. We're like. Like, that's when Brad was really like, oh, then. Cause he knew the system. He understood, like, how to. How to get to his spots within the system, you know what I mean? And I'm still trying to figure out how to get over ball screens and, you know what I mean? And all that extra stuff. And it's like the pace was just different, you know what I mean? So, like, I wouldn't say I had one specific moment, but I think just that whole leading up to that season was just every day walking in there and then getting cooked. Next day, had to go through it again, then get cooked, you know what I mean? Like, it was just every day, it was like, damn. Like. And then you got Dixon in the background, get your fat ass down. Like, you know what I mean? So it's like, all right. Like, all right, man. I was gonna say, how was your individual workouts when you first got here? How was that? How was that surprising? Yeah, it was cool. Like, they wasn't bad because it was like. Like coming from. Coming from Benedict's. Like, we. We was already doing like a collegiate program. Like, we was, you know, I mean, we was putting that work. And so, like, when it came to, like, the individual stuff, it wasn't hard. Like. Like, it was just like the non stop grind of it. Like, doing it. Doing the conditioning with Tim Belch, then the weight room. Like, I don't. I don't think we touched weights at Benedict's. Like, we didn't do that. But then you add that at Pittsburgh, and on top of that, another two and a half, three hour practice. Like, ah, like, dang, that don't start wearing you down. Then you gotta go to class and start wearing you down. Like, you're like, yo, this is. This is. This. This is college. Like, you know what I'm saying? So when you're in high school, like, oh, college is hard. Like, I feel like just the. Just to maintain, like, the sustainability of being a collegiate athlete. That's what really makes it hard. Like, being on the court. Like, that's what we're there for. You know what I'm saying? So it wasn't too hard. Like, the individual was straight, but the practicing and then. Yeah, and then you getting cooked every day like that. That really makes it. [00:15:37] Speaker C: Now, lp, when you came to pit, you already had your son, correct? [00:15:41] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah, Zayden. Yeah. [00:15:44] Speaker C: So did you come in the pit hungry, like y' all got kids to feed? Or was it like, how, How. How was that? [00:15:50] Speaker B: Yeah, it. [00:15:52] Speaker C: Did it. Did it play, in effect? [00:15:54] Speaker B: It didn't really play that. That effect. They didn't, they didn't. When he came in, like, it didn't play that effect. Like, mines was just like. Like, see, like just come in and just. Just going with the flow. Like, I really didn't, like, I didn't get that. That mindset, like, shift until my youngest was born. And that was like going into my senior year, like, that was like my senior year. That's when, like, the mindset shift kind of started happening. But, like, going there like Pitt, like, I was young, I was just, you know, I was just happy to be in college at the time. Like, you know what I mean? Like, didn't really know what I wanted out of it. Like, it wasn't like NBA was on my mind at the time. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I knew I wasn't like a one and done player or nothing like that. So it was like I kind of was just going with the flow of just being in college, you know what I'm saying? [00:16:42] Speaker A: At that time, when would you say that moment where it started to click, where you realized, dang, maybe I am that guy. I do have a future here. I could be a pro. [00:16:53] Speaker B: I would say, like, the cbi, kind of. That's when the cbi. So that was what, my red shirt? Yeah. It's funny. You gonna laugh? [00:17:03] Speaker A: Nah. Hey, that was incredible. [00:17:05] Speaker B: Yeah, the CBI is kind of. When I was like, oh, okay, wow. Like, I can do a little something. Like, you see how they laughing at? [00:17:14] Speaker A: They laughing, hey, we got a chip. [00:17:15] Speaker B: We got a new chip. They had to go through. Y' all didn't have to go through it, but I had to go through it. But all we knew how to do is dance, baby. My bad. That's what I'm saying. We just knew how to dance. Yeah. Unfortunately. Yeah. I knew I shouldn't have brought up the cbi. Oh, it was. It was coming. [00:17:42] Speaker A: We had to beat a team three times. [00:17:44] Speaker B: I forgot. I forgot y had to play that series. My bad. N. But, yo, the cbi, it. It helped me because that was what my red shirt sophomore year. Yeah, my red shirt sophomore year. So, like, like, I'm still trying to figure out, like. Like how I'mma make it, like, be that guy or you know what I mean? And make an imprint on every single game. And I was. I would say I was fairly inconsistent at doing that that whole season. Like, you know what I mean? Like, that was. What was that? That was Ashton year. Nas. Nas. Senior year. So when the CBI came around, like, you know, that's their senior year. They're like, they're used to being number one. Seed, stuff like that. So CBI come. They didn't want to do that, so it was like, all right, cool. Like, huh. Like, Ash went from wanting to shoot, what, 16, 20 times a game to just hurry up, try and get that shit up, get it over with so he can get on with his career. And I'm like, all right, that's perfect for me. So Dixon kind of let me rock out. He's start calling plays for me, letting me go get ball screens, like, stuff like I wasn't normally getting, and I was like, no, I was killing that. So that's kind of when, like, I'm like, oh, okay, well, I want the ball more now. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I want to start coming out of ball screens. I want to start shooting more. And then that next year, like, I kind of. Like, I felt like it kind of regressed and not. My mindset didn't regress. I felt like the faith Dixon had in me regressed, like. Like it wasn't the same love that I was getting. The CBI going into that next year, we had a lot of wings. That's when I think Trey Zegler transferred in that year. [00:19:18] Speaker A: James Robinson's freshman year. [00:19:20] Speaker B: Yeah, that was James Robinson freshman year. [00:19:22] Speaker C: This wasn't Trey. This was Trey senior year. [00:19:24] Speaker B: This is Trey. Trey senior year. [00:19:26] Speaker C: Okay. [00:19:27] Speaker B: Yeah. So I felt like. Like, that. That faith that Dixon was giving me in the cbi, kind of like it disappeared, and I really didn't know why. You know what I'm saying? Like. Like playing CBI, trying to play, like, 30 minutes a game, something like that. And then next season come around, he's doing the 20. 20 minutes, 22 minutes, stuff like that. I'm thinking like, yo, like, what is going on? Like. Like, what's going on? Like, we were. We were winning. We were still, like, fairly decent. We made the tournament day. That was Stephen Adams freshman year, too. So we were doing all right, but I felt like I had more. You know what I mean? And then going that summer, it was like, just them dudes start. Like, Trey, I think Trey transferred out. J.J. moore transferred out. Who else transferred out? I want to say maybe, like, Isaiah was Isaiah Epsos. I think he transferred out that year, too. So. Dude, he's transferring. Yeah. All right. Okay. So I just know dudes just started training. Maybe John. Maybe that was John. He transferred out that year. Flip. Yeah. So dudes start transferring now. I'm like, all right, Dudes is out the way now. It's only freshmen coming in. It's my Senior year. No way Dixon gonna do that again. Going into that summer, like, it was just grinding. Like, I was just grinding. And then we found out my youngest was about to be born. He was gonna be born. She was pregnant. And then I remember I called B Night. I'm like, yo, like, I might have to leave. Like, this. Is this the only time I thought about leaving Pitt? I called B Night. I'm like, yo, like. Like, I think I gotta go. Like, I got two kids. Like, Kyle, I'm not making no money here. I gotta go. I'm like, yo, I'm about to leave. Like, I'm about to go overseas. Or I'm gonna try to transfer to a school that's gonna. I know. That's gonna let me eat, and then try to build it up that way. B. Night, I think he might have came over to the apartment that night and was like, nah, like, you can't do it. It's not. Ha. Like, he pretty much is like. He told me, no. I'm like, damn. All right. He's like, nah, like, not happening. I'm like, all right, like, cool. But then I'm like, all right, I'm just gonna grind. Like, whatever. He's like, I'm like, Dixon was on some BS Last year, and, like, it wasn't like. Like, I didn't want to be like, that guy to be complaining about minutes and stuff like that. Like, I. Like. Like, I. Like, I knew at that point, like, you got what you earned. You know what I'm saying? And nothing was going to just be given to you. So I didn't want to be that guy just complaining. Like, even, like, during the year, like, I wasn't complaining, Dixon, about the minutes and nothing like that. Like, I didn't want. I'm like, all right, cool. Like, just go out there and just try to show them on the court. Like, I had that. Like, I'm gonna show you. Show you mindset. And then going to senior year, like, I. Like, we was just grinding. Like, it was me and Talib. That was our senior year. So it was like, all right, it's us. Like, this is our. This is our. This is our ship now. It's us. Then I remember one of our. One of our workouts, we was doing conditioning, something like that. You know, Todd. Todd got that. He got that. That African motor. Don't get tired. He got that African motor. So we just doing conditioning, and he just beating everybody in all the sprints. And I remember Dixon saying, yeah, that's why he's gonna lead Us this year. That's why he's the man this year. And I'm thinking like, nah, you not about to be on this. Like, you're not about to be on the BS again this year. Like, you know, I'm looking at him like, nah, like, you're not. Like, of course I'm not gonna be running like Talib. Like, Ty was different. [00:22:46] Speaker C: That's what he did. [00:22:47] Speaker B: I'm like, you got here like. I'm like, nah, dick, you not about to be on that. So I'm looking around, I'm looking at him. I look over at B night, I'm like, he's like, don't like B. Just shaking his head like, don't worry about it. I'm like, all right. You know what I mean? I'm like, you pretty much told me I had to stay here. So just going into that senior season, it was just like. That was just the mindset. The mindset was, it's my time, I'm going to eat, and nothing's going to get in the way of that. That's kind of just. Just how it happened. Like, the first couple games. Like, I can't remember our first game, but, like, the first couple of games, I know I'm just killing. And that. That senior season was just. It was pretty much shot me into the trajectory that my career ended up being. So you was. You was known for your versatility. What would you say was the best part of your game? Playmaking? I think probably playmaking. Just being able to crave for others, crave for myself. I think that that was it my senior season. That's kind of when, like, I started scoring more. But I think, like, I've always was able to. I was always able to get my own bucket, and I was always able to find somebody for easy bucket or something like that. So I feel like the playmaking definitely was the best part about my game. Who was the toughest player you had to match up with that year? Senior season? Yeah. Oh, T.J. warren. T.J. warren gave us 40 at the peak in the box, where I was like, dang, yeah, T.J. warren. Listen, that he was giving it to everybody. Like, it didn't matter who switched. Cam was. I think Cam started on him cooking Cam. I'm like, all right, let me get on him cooking me. I'm like, oh. I'm like, me and Cam just trying to take turns on. He just like. And it was just some nasty get to the, like, elbow, fade away joint. I'm like, nah, like. And then I think the game before that, he had 40, so we knew what type time he was on, and it was just. He just came into the peak. Ain't nothing we can do. Yeah, I think we. Did we lose? How much did we lose? I can't remember if we lost or not. How many times he paused that in the film room, man? How many times he put the. Stop. Get a handout. I think I stopped. I probably stopped watching, filming. Probably like my junior season. Honestly, bro, I was just going to sleep. Sit in that back row and go to sleep. You know, Y' all know how it is. Don't. Don't act like that. No, don't act like that. I was in the background knocked out. You wasn't watching. I was focused on the screen, man. I was focused. You gotta know what you doing out there. I was knocked out. Second row. We was all asleep. [00:25:22] Speaker C: I watched film. [00:25:23] Speaker B: I was knocked out. I watched film, man. Proudly. [00:25:25] Speaker C: Hey, lp. Oh, no doubt, LP let's go back a few years. I know we talking about your senior year. [00:25:31] Speaker B: Yeah, go ahead. [00:25:34] Speaker C: What happened when you. What happened in the vehicle that day? Tell me. [00:25:41] Speaker B: Why people think I was lying. Yo, there's a lot of rumors going around about this story. Let's. What's the rumors? I want to know. I want to know what y'. All. [00:25:49] Speaker A: Just to give some context to the. To the audience. There was a incident Lamar Patterson was involved in where a vehicle he was operating ran into a side of a CVS building. [00:26:03] Speaker B: It was. [00:26:04] Speaker A: It was on front page of the pit news, and nobody knows what happened. There's different stories, different accounts. Lamar, I think, at one point had one. Stories. Different stories. We just want to air it out today. [00:26:14] Speaker B: My story never changed. My story never changed. [00:26:17] Speaker C: I never heard your story. That's the thing. [00:26:19] Speaker B: I never heard your story. [00:26:20] Speaker C: I never heard your story. [00:26:22] Speaker A: The lawyer said you zip it up. [00:26:23] Speaker B: Well, I want to know what. What is. What. What is being said. Like, what. What's your. [00:26:29] Speaker A: People thought it was like a Tiger Wood situation, like getting beat up by somebody. [00:26:33] Speaker B: And I heard. [00:26:34] Speaker C: I heard. Oh, I'll tell you what I heard. I heard you were. I heard you was drunk. I heard you was drunk and you. [00:26:39] Speaker B: Drunk through your CVS at 8am on a. On a Tuesday. [00:26:43] Speaker C: That's what I'm saying. [00:26:45] Speaker B: Oh, well, you. You wasn't even. Were you there? [00:26:49] Speaker C: I wasn't there. No, I wasn't there. [00:26:51] Speaker B: Was you there, Nick? Nah. [00:26:53] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:26:53] Speaker B: Yeah, that was. [00:26:53] Speaker A: I was there. They brushed that under the rug. [00:26:55] Speaker B: That was my rest of freshman year. Nah, I had. So I'M so here. Here is what happened. There was no Tiger woods, nothing going on. I was by myself. I had just dropped. I had just dropped Dayton off at daycare. So I wasn't drunk. I wouldn't be in the car drunk driving with my son. I had just dropped him off at daycare. I was on my way to class, and I had them Nike flip flops on, and it was traffic, you know, Was that Forbes. Forbes Ave. Gets backed up in the morning. A car stopped short, and I'm trying to stop slamming my brake, but my foot got caught in between the gas pedal and the flip flop. So when I'm trying to pull over and slam the brake, I'm slamming the gas. So instead of going into the back of the car, I peel off and go into the side of the building. That's the story. That's what happened. [00:27:47] Speaker A: Wow, that sounds a lot more heroic than I. [00:27:51] Speaker B: That's what happened. Okay? I wasn't drunk. I wasn't. There was nothing going on in the car. I was by myself. [00:27:58] Speaker C: Who did you. [00:27:59] Speaker B: I wasn't on the phone. I wasn't texting. [00:28:01] Speaker C: Who did you. [00:28:02] Speaker B: I ain't call nobody. I didn't call no one. For real. I. So I ran into that building. Then I guess, like, the people working, they. They was like. They all came outside. They're like, oh. And then they. I guess they realized who I was. Maybe I had, like, a pit basketball shirt on or something. I don't know. They pulled me inside, and then I think just so happened that the coaching staff, Regan and all them was having breakfast at Pamela. So they was. They was there in a minute. Like, they pulled me in the building. I'm like, damn, Like. Like, I'm, like, a little. Shaking up the airbags off. I'm like, a little dazed or whatever, looking at my arm. I had, like, a little scratch or something. Like, nothing bad happened, but I just had, like, a little scratch. I'm looking down like, damn. Like, and then the next thing I know, I look up like, dixon be nite. Everyone's already there. I'm like. Like, yo, like, what happened? So then I'm like, how'd y' all know so fast? They was like. They were just across the road. I guess somebody told them that I crashed into the building right there. But, yeah, like, they. I ain't had to call nobody because they was right there. Then I end up doing. So the crazy part is I end up doing. You know, you do an internship to. I guess one of the. One of the credits you had to do. I had to do an internship. So I did it with the pit police, and they told me they had. They. They watched the surveillance, the. The camera or whatever. And there was a girl probably like, 10ft away from the building where I crashed at. She was walking, and I never seen her, but they said she was, like, 10ft. So I could have, like, killed her had I not, like, had she been, like, a couple feet ahead. Like, that was crazy. I'm like. So when he told me, I said, damn, like, I might not even been able to play basketball. I might have been in jail or something. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, that's crazy. He was like, yeah, you got lucky right there. [00:29:54] Speaker A: I was like, damn, the ultimate court vision. [00:29:56] Speaker B: I was just about to say. You keep. You keep saying you ran into that building. Like, it's. Like, it's just something simple. No. Yeah, like, I just ran into the building. Boy. I mean, that's what it was, though. Like, basically, he was better off just crashing into the back of the whip, honestly. That's what he should have did. So listen. So. So listen to this. So the. The workers. So they. They make a joke out of it because they was meant to have. So another thing. They was meant to have a meeting in that. In that office. I ran into, like, the boardroom. So they was meant to have a meeting in the boardroom, but they changed the meeting that morning because it was too hot. [00:30:33] Speaker C: Oh, so they could have been in there. [00:30:35] Speaker B: Oh, man. So they could have been in. They should have been in there. And then the lady, she was like. She was like, thank you for running into that building, running into that office. Now, they could put AC in there. Oh, that's what the lady. That's what the lady told me. She was like. I was like, oh, but. But that's crazy. Like, when you think about, like, two things that, like, I could have killed people, and just by, you know, the grace of God, like, it didn't happen. Like. Like, she was like, yeah, we was meant to be in there. We was meant to have a meeting that morning, but we moved it because there was no ac. Like, what are the chances of that? You know what I mean? And then somebody walking on the street, like, they could have been. If it was 10 seconds later, I would have killed somebody. Well, I'm glad that ain't happened. [00:31:21] Speaker C: And like Nick said, you might be. [00:31:22] Speaker B: More heroic than we. We giving you credit for. Now you got. You got an ac. I've seen the video. Man of the people. But then we had. We was we had practice or we was playing pickup later that day, and I went up there and started killing y'. All. I don't know how you forgot that. Oh, I about to say, I don't know how you forgot it, because. Oh, she remember. I don't know how you forgot. Cause then I think it was. I think Esco, because I probably had like a game winner or something. I hit like a couple threes or something. You know, Esco always joking. He's like, dang, you go from crashing until and then coming up here killing, like, yeah, that's crazy. That was. That was y' all senior year. Okay. That was. Yeah, that was y'. All. I remember when it was. I knew it happened. That was G and M senior year. Yeah, that was y' all senior year. Yeah. G never try to remember nothing. When he get cooked, he always got amnesia. Boy, good days. A couple good days. He probably was on my team saying that, you know, it's winning. That's probably what it was. A bunch of dubs. That's what it was. That's what it was. [00:32:25] Speaker A: So, so, so, so back to hoops. Do you have a great senior year? But let's talk about kind of transitioning into, you know, your great senior year, the draft process, to actually getting drafted. So at what point during that senior year when everything starts clicking, you're the leader of this powerhouse pit program again. At what moment were you like, wow, I have a chance to get into the league and then kind of talk us through that and then talk us through your draft process. [00:32:52] Speaker B: Yeah. So like, like, I never, like, you know, growing up, like, you want to get to the NBA, that's everyone's. Every basketball player is gold NBA. But like, I didn't think it was like, like obtainable prior couple games into that senior season. It wasn't until we had a tournament. It was at the Barclays. Like, that was, I think brand new that year or the second year or something like that. So this was like the first time we had, like played in that one. But it was after that tournament, I think we played Texas Tech. First game killed them. And then we played Stanford. And then I remember like, be Knight coming in saying, like, oh, the Stanford team got NBA dudes on there. Had a two guard Anthony Brown. They were saying they're supposed to be first round pick. They had Dwight Powell on there. He's still in the league right now. They had Josh Eustis, who was also like supposed to go get drafted. They had Tayson Randle, point guard, another guy who was supposed to get drafted. So I remember him coming in, remember him coming in and saying like, yeah, like the Stanford team, good. Like we like really going to test us, see how, see if we're ready for ACC or whatever. Because that was the year we're going to acc. So like that game killed them. And then after that, like an article came out. I want to say it was like ESPN article, maybe like Yahoo or something like that. And it was talking about like the like the best college players and the best, the best players in the nation. And they had me like number five. Like I was like top five or something like that. I'm like, oh. It was like, it was like me, Doug McDermott, like a couple other dudes. [00:34:39] Speaker A: Like CJ McCollum, year two. [00:34:41] Speaker B: Nah, CJ was the year before, year before. Okay, two years before the year before. I think it was like all the top dudes in the nation. I'm like, oh. I was like, Jabari Parker, I think I'm like, damn, they got me up here. Like, I can't remember what number. I was like, five. I know I wasn't number one, but it was like, it was something crazy. Five or four or something like that. I'm like, damn. Like, okay. And they started talking about like, oh, like he's a, like, article was going on, he's a solid senior. This, that he'll be real good pick up for teams in the draft. I'm like, dang, this is the first time I heard my name in NBA draft. Like together. You know what I mean? So that kind of was like, okay, like, I'm going to the league. Like, you know what I mean? Like, like that's all I needed. Was that, like that, that confirmation. Like, after that, like, it was just every game I just want to kill. Like, and then I'm checking, like, oh, where am I at on the draft? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, so that, that kind of was like that point where, all right, like, just, I'm, I'm trying to go to the league and then go through that season, finish up. And then it was just the whole picking up, like picking an agent, Picking an agent was more stressful than picking college. Like when I chose Pitt, that was easy. Like, you know what I mean? Then, then picking the agent, it was like I got everyone in my ear. Like, you got people messaging you, like texting you, getting people, getting your phone number calling you. And then luckily for me, like, I had my cousin, my cousin, he kind of like just took that stress that weighed off me during that season, he was like, yo, like, anybody that call you, any agent that hit you up, just send him my way and he'll pretty much vet him, you know what I mean? He pretty much ask all the questions, talk to him. And then at the end of the year, or when we start getting closer to that time, I'll tell you who I think is the best for you or whatever. So that definitely helped because I remember, like, after. After that, that tournament, like, I had everybody texting me, calling me. I'm like, yo, like. Like, I'm not trying to deal with this right now. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you know, you got random numbers hitting you up, and I'm such. I'm such and such from this agency, and I'm such. I'm like, my God. Like. Like, I wasn't trying to deal with that. So luckily I had that. But then, like, when it came down to it, like, I think we was. I want to say we was like, getting ready for a tournament or something like that. And then my cousin had, like, all the agents that he thought were, like, three. Like, he thought that were, like, good. He had a meet. Meet us at. What was our game that year? I can't remember, but he had him meet us at the tournament. So we're sitting down, talking, like. Like going through that. Just going through that process. It was like, yeah, Orlando. Yeah, yeah. And then going, so. Just trying to pick an agent. So I pick an agent and then just. Just hearing them out, filling them out. And then I had one of the agents that. That was cool. He was like a family friend, kind of. Like, my brother had grew up playing au with him that he was with. He was with Wasserman. Y' all probably Lee Melgioni. Y' all probably know him. He. [00:37:53] Speaker C: He's. [00:37:53] Speaker B: We sitting down, he's talking. And so this is a family friend. He. He's the one that's supposed to be the closest. He's the. The sure shot. This is who I'm signing with. Like. Like, the mother guys have no shot. Like, you. The one that's close to home. You know, my mom, you know, you know my brother. Like, you know, like, I know. Like, I grew up with your brother. Like, you know what I mean? So it was like, clear, shouting, signing with you. And he was the one that talked. Sit down and talked to me. He was like, yeah, like, I think you could have a good overseas career. I'm like, huh? Like, I'm like, I'm not trying to hear that. Like. Like, yeah. He said, I Don't know about getting drafted. I'm like, nah. Like, you know, I. I'm like, you know, I mean, like, so kind of like, it just. It showed me, like, all right, like, ain't no. Really no friends in this. You know what I'm saying? Like. [00:38:40] Speaker A: Like he's not gonna be pushing for you, your dreams. [00:38:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Like, I'm like, I ain't feel like. Because he. He had Marcus, I think Marcus smart that year, and he was. He was heavy on the market. Smart train. I'm like, all right, well, I'm gonna let you go handle that. I'll find somebody else. So I ended up going with dude, Adam Pensack, I think. Did you sign with pensac? Yeah, I used to be with Adam. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. So he came and he. He just kind of like the way Adam worked. Like, he probably was the same for you. Just very analytical. He broke down, like, where I stood against all the shooting guards in the draft. He was like, these are your scoring averages, your assist averages, rebound averages with the top 10 shooting guards who are meant to go before, who were meant to be first round picks or whatever. And then he broke down, like, just real analytical base and just put the work. You can see he put the work in. I was like, ah, yeah, sure shot. Like, he's coming with like a spreadsheet of stuff where no other agent did that. No other agent kind of like. Like, it just was talking, you know what I mean? Like, him, like, I seen like the work behind the scenes leading up to. So I signed with him and then just that dude, he's like, he was just a workhorse. So going into the whole draft route, like, I went out to Impact, training at Impact, doing all that, and then just end up getting the invite from the combine. Like, a lot of that is obviously the player gotta be good, but I feel like a lot of that is like, Adam, like, he was just pushing, like, pushing, pushing. So I was real happy with signing with him. And then when it came to going to actual NBA workouts, I had probably matter of fact, I know for a fact I had the most workouts. Cause every time I talked to somebody I was working out with, I'm like, oh, like, how many workouts you got? Oh, I got like four or five. And I had like 20, 21 or something like that. I had like 21 workouts, something like that. So like, for like. So the combines, what, in May or June? May. Combine was like May or June. [00:40:52] Speaker C: End of May? [00:40:53] Speaker B: Yeah, May. Late May. End of May? Yeah, yeah, late May. The Draft. The draft. Mid June, mid July. I mean, so in that time, like, I had 21 workouts. So it was just, work out, get on the plane, go to the next place, work out, get on the plane, go to the next place. That was my whole draft process. Like, just non, stop, non stop. So then. But that was just. I could just tell my agent, he's just working, pushing, like, pushing, like, like, listen, all he said, all it takes is just one team to fall in love with you. So I had a couple teams that I worked out with twice. I worked out with Atlanta twice. I worked out with Charlotte twice, and then Charlotte, like. But I felt like I was doing good in, like, a lot of my workouts. Like, a lot of. I felt like I could have got drafted by a lot of teams. Like, that's in my mind. Like, in my mind. [00:41:43] Speaker A: What were some of your matchups that you remember most? Or some workouts you remember most where you stood out? [00:41:47] Speaker B: Any. Any guard? So Joe Harris. I think I had Joe Harris at Cleveland. Matter of fact, G, you was at that one. Yeah, you was at that one. I was at the mini camp, and I seen you. Yeah. After the workout. Yo. Yeah, you and Dixon was at that one and that one. I thought, like, I'm like, all right. Like, Like, Joe Harris is my matchup. Like, I. I know he can't mess with me, so I killed. I killed Joe Harris. I remember at Thunder, I got matched up with, like, Russ Smith, and they had me picking up full court. Picking Russ Smith up full court. I'm like, what are we doing here? Like, you know, I mean, like, I'm like, there's no way I'm going to the Thunder because, like, I'm like, yo, I got me picking up. Got me picking Russ Smith full court. I'm like, russ Smith is probably the fastest player in college basketball that year. Like, you know what I mean? Like, you got me picking him up full court. I'm like, nah. And then who else? [00:42:44] Speaker C: So it's safe to assume that Russ gave you buckets. [00:42:49] Speaker B: Crazy thing. He really didn't. Cause, like, he would blow by me in the back court, and then I would just have to. I would just have to catch up, and then he'll try to do a layup. And then I, you know, I blocked a couple, like, doing, like, he tried to do a layup, but I wasn't changing him. Like, turning him in the backcourt. Like, I wasn't doing that. It was just, let him blow by me. Damn. I had, like, like, KJ McDaniels was in a couple. Trying to think of other guys in that. Oh, like C.J. wilcox. I think he went first round to the Clippers. [00:43:21] Speaker C: Yeah, I remember cj. [00:43:23] Speaker B: I'm trying to think, like, there was, like, I was getting matched up with all the. All the top shooting guards that draft, except for, like, probably, like, the top five players. Those are probably, like, the only players I didn't see in workouts. Like, the top players. [00:43:35] Speaker C: Was Atlanta, your best workout? [00:43:37] Speaker B: I did pretty good in that. Um, I would say Charlotte probably was my best workout. Charlotte was. PJ Harrison was in there. KJ McDaniels, dude from another dude from Duke, Andre. I can't think of his last name. Shooter boy from Duke. Um, I would say that probably was my best workout. They called my agent and, like, they're like, yeah, we're going to have Lamar come back. Mike wanted to see him. So that's when I met Michael. I'm like, oh. I'm like. I'm like, mj. I'm like, oh, okay. So then I went back there. It was kind of was like, kind of like a couple of the same guys. I think PJ Harrison was back in there, and it was still like, I still. I killed that workout. But I say my first Charlotte was better than my second Charlotte. And then I think Houston. Houston was probably my best one because it was just pick and roll action. And I had Tyreek Black from Kansas. [00:44:35] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:44:36] Speaker B: And he's a dog. So it was like, I think he got drafted that year to Houston. I think I helped him get drafted that year to Houston. Cause it was just. He was setting screens, and I'm just coming off throwing lives. He's dunking everything. And I'm like, we was killing. Both of us was killing. But that was my best one. But, yeah, yeah, Atlanta was cool. Like, Atlanta was like, it was a good workout. It was a lot of, like, skill stuff. We played a little bit. I think I dunked on Thanasis. I dunked on Thanassis at the coupo. But, yeah, I don't really remember that being, like, my best workout. Like, I didn't. Like, I didn't go back to my. I didn't go back to. No one said, oh, I just killed Atlanta. Like, I didn't think, like, oh, like, I'm about to get drafted by Atlanta. Like, I didn't. Like, at the end of that, I didn't. I didn't have that feeling from them or from that workout. [00:45:31] Speaker C: That's what I was going to ask you. You had 21 workouts or 20? 20 plus. So workouts at what? Yeah, did any of them. You felt like, yo, Draft day. This team is definitely calling me. Is it Charlotte? Is it Houston? Is anywhere? [00:45:44] Speaker B: I thought Charlotte. I thought Charlotte. I thought Houston, I thought Cleveland. I thought those were like my best chances right there. I had some teams that I knew wasn't going to call me. Like Miami Heat. Like, I did a Heat workout and they wanted us to do full court Alley. Oops. I'm like, bro, I'm not LeBron James. Like, I'm not. [00:46:06] Speaker C: They wanted you catching them. [00:46:08] Speaker B: They want us to catch them. Yeah, like catching. And it was like, just non stop. Like six of them just. They just throwing alley. You. Six of them. Like, bro, I'm catching them, laying it up. I'm like, I'm not ducking these dirt. I'm not dunking these. Like, y' all crazy. So I knew they wasn't gonna. I knew I had no shot there. And in the Thunder, I'm thinking, like, I didn't have no shot there either. And then draft day come. So, like, the only first round team I thought I was gonna get picked was Charlotte. I thought Charlotte was gonna take me first round. Only because, like, I killed. I killed. I really killed the first workout, and I did all right. The second workout. [00:46:47] Speaker C: They had multiple picks that year. [00:46:50] Speaker B: I'm probably. I don't know. They probably had a first and second, but they definitely had a first. It was like number 20, 24, 26. Something like that. Something like that. [00:46:59] Speaker C: Okay, okay. [00:47:00] Speaker B: It was late, late first round. So I'm thinking, like, so it's starting to get close to that. And I'm like, my agent called me. He like. He like. Like, Charlotte, Charlotte may take you then. Then when it comes to Charlotte pick, he hits me. He's like, nah, they going with PJ Harrison. I'm like, all right, makes sense. North Carolina, dude, whatever. And then the Cavs had an early second. They had an early second round pick. Oh, no, no. The Thunder called. So the Thunder had like a 28th pick or 29th. They had like something close to the end of the first round. And they called and they was like, yeah, we want to take Lamar here, but we not going to sign it. You're going to go straight to the D league. And I'm talking to my agent, like, talking to my cousin, because my cousin there, I'm talking to them. I'm like, what do you think? Should I do it? Should I not do it? And my agent's like, listen, he broke down exactly how it's going to happen. He said, they'll take you. You go to the D league. Not going to get paid. You'll get paid a D league salary because you're not signing the NBA contract. I'm like, nah, I can't do that. Like, D league salary was terrible. Then, like, make, like, I think I was getting more in college. Like we was getting more the, the monthly checks in college, something like that. Scholarship checks. I'm like, no, I can't do that. He was like, yeah, it's cool. Like, don't, don't, like, don't stress it. There'll be other, other opportunities or whatever. So that was, that was my, that was my two first round opportunities right there. I probably should have just took the D league joint and just sucked it up for the year, me. But they would have still had to sign you to the first round contract, right? Wouldn't they have? Yeah, they would have assigned me to the first round contract eventually. Or they would have. Like, yeah, I think, I think when they draft you, you can sign it, but they can cut you immediately. Something like that. But in hindsight, I probably should have just took that. Josh Eustace that went to Stanford, he ended up taking that deal and he ended up getting like one or two years out of them. But yeah, but then the Cavs had like an early, early first round, early second round pick. Then when they're about to pick, they called my agent and said, oh, this mind, this is the year. I think this is the year Bron going back to Cleveland. So he, the agent called me, he's like, yeah, they gonna just take a shooter, like a pure shooter. So they took Joe Harris that year and that kind of like deflated me. Cause I'm like, nah, not someone in my workout. Like, did you kill? No, I mean, I'm like, not someone in my workout. Like, I'm like, nah. But it was like, all right, whatever. At the time, Bron hadn't went back to Cleveland. He didn't like say he was going back yet. Because I think that was the year they took. I think that was the year they took Wiggins. Hold on. Oh, yo, chill. That was the year, too. Oh, man, he's turned up right now. That was the talk at that minicamp, though. They was talking about that how that. That Brown was probably going through. [00:50:08] Speaker C: That was Wiggins. [00:50:10] Speaker B: That was the talk. That was. Everybody was like, yeah, yeah, I didn't know that. I ain't know none of that. But obviously that must have been in the cards because they wanted to just take a pure shooter. But that year they took. They had the number one pick. I think that's. That was Wiggins year. So, you know, I think Wiggins been getting traded. Yeah, Wiggins and they love. Yeah, so. So they end up. So, yeah. So I'm like, all right, whatever. So that kind of like defeated me though, because I'm like, damn. Like, like, I don't know what's gonna happen. You know what I mean? Cause like, I really didn't know what was gonna happen. So then Atlanta, Atlanta had the 42nd. 42nd? Nah, they had like the 42nd or 43rd and they end up taking Eddie Tavares, big seven footer from real Madrid, big fella, they took him. So I'm like, damn, I'm not getting drafted. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I knew. I'm like, it's over. Cause mind you, like, I had like a mini little draft party. Like I had all my friends and family, we had renting out a room at a hotel, like a little conference room and watching the draft on tv. So I'm like, damn. Like, I'm one of those guys. Like, I got everyone here in the green room. The local media. The local media came. Like, they came and my cousin like, nah, you can't come into the room. Like, you can wait in the outside. If he gets drafted, then we'll do an interview or whatever. So he kind of shut them down from coming in, but it was just like, I'm like, damn. So at this time, like, we're all stressed out. Like, my mom's stressed, I'm stressed. My brother stressed out. Like, they like, my brother, he like, he emotional Teddy bear, the middle brother. So he like left the room, he went down to the bar. He's drinking. And mind you, at this time, I'm stress drinking at the time. So I'm just, just. I got a drink in my hand every two seconds. Like, I'm just stress drinking at this time. And then. Cause I'm like, damn, I'm not getting drafted. And then my agent called me. So it was Milwaukee had to pick or whatever agent called me, he was like, yeah, like, they're going to take you right now. I'm like, oh, shit. That's. That's the first thing he said. Like, he said, he said, atlanta going to take you right now. Milwaukee's going to make the pick. But they traded the pick. They're going to take you right now. So at this time, like, oh, like, but I'm drunk. Like, I'm Lit. So I'm like, yeah. I'm like. I'm like, nah. Like, I'm like, oh. And then my mom, she, like, in the room, so she looking at me on the phone. Because every time I pick up my phone, my mom looking over like this, like, trying to see what's going on. Like, being nosy, you know what I mean? And then I think she could see it on my face that, like, I was about to get drafted. So she's just screaming. Like, she, like. And then the pic come through, like, right after, she starts screaming, like, oh, what the Milwaukee Bucks taking me? And then, like, the whole room just go crazy. Like, everyone go crazy. Jumping up, celebrating. And then, like, my brother came upstairs crying. He was crying, and he like. Like, my brother not little. So he, like. He's 6 4, probably like 270. Like, he not little. So he. He crying. And then he come grab me and throw all his weight on me. And that's when, like, I feel like his emotions just transferred right into me. And I start bawling. Like, I started crying. I'm like. I'm like, yo, I told myself I wasn't gonna cry, but, dog, like, once he did that, it was like, tears, like, you know what I mean? Like, we was just balling, just too big. Six, four, six, five. Dudes just crying, hold each other. I'm like. I'm like, yo, like, so. So that. That was dope. That was a dope moment. That probably was, like, the highlight, obviously getting drafted, but, like, just having that moment with him was dope. [00:54:02] Speaker C: Do you got. You got that? You got any footage of that? [00:54:07] Speaker B: Yeah, I just got to find it. [00:54:10] Speaker A: You gotta have some footage. [00:54:15] Speaker B: Somewhere that's. [00:54:16] Speaker A: In the BlackBerry that for the pod. [00:54:17] Speaker B: We need the footage on the black book. But I got. Yeah, yeah, I got it somewhere. But, yeah, that. Yeah, that night was crazy. And then I ended up going out with the fellas and stuff like that. And then, like, mind you, I'm already tipsy. So we go out, we drinking some more. I'm drunk. They like, yo, you gotta be in Atlanta the next morning. So I'll get on a plane first thing in the morning, hungover. We got press conference, media conferences, stuff like that. I'm like, damn. Like. I'm like, I'm messing. So the other dudes that got drafted with me, they went. So they was in New York, so it was Adrian Payne, rest in peace to him. And then Eddie, Big Eddie, they was both there in New York, so they just. I think Atlanta flew them down. That Night. So then they had me go down the next morning. So I was just like done. And we have all these meetings. Everybody want to talk to you, everybody want to take photos. And I'm just like, I'm hungover. I know it in the photos when I see them. I'm like, I'm hungover. But it was like, it was just like that, that leading up to that, like that whole like month and a half, two months, like just to have name called on that day. Like it felt like everything was worth it. Like all those, all those like flying, get on a plane workouts. Like, I'm like sore. Like imagine how your body's feeling. Like, you know what I mean? Like you're not really getting no time to rest because it's like workout go through like different teams had different type of workouts. So they got testing, you're doing all this extra stuff and then you work out and then it's like, get on the plane, then try to get some sleep the next day and then do it all over. It just like it felt like everything just was like it was worth it. [00:56:11] Speaker A: So, so you get, you get drafted. You know, it's one thing to get drafted, you achieve your dream. The emotions you and your family, you get to share. But let's talk a little bit about your, you know, actual career. So get drafted from the Hawks. Then, you know, you have to report to camp, you become a Hawks player. Talk about your, your journey in the NBA. You know, you're welcome to the NBA moments. [00:56:34] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:56:35] Speaker A: What was that like? [00:56:36] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So that year I didn't even, I didn't even play. I wasn't even in the league. I had to go overseas. That, that year, like that was like kind of like the first thing they was like, oh, like, like we drafted you but there ain't no spot for you. You know what I mean? [00:56:50] Speaker A: So trying to work contract wise, who actually pays you? [00:56:53] Speaker B: So it was the overseas team, they paid me. So like Atlanta, like, Atlanta was just like, look, there ain't no spot for you. We drafted you. No spot for you. But it was like, it was better than the Thunder, like in my mind at the time, like I went for the money now opposed to what it could have been or whatever because I, you mean, I had two kids or whatever. But so Atlanta, Atlanta was like, look, there's no spot for you. You can sign it. Because I, I guess they have to offer you a contract when they, when they, when they draft you. So he was like, you can sign a contract, be non guaranteed but we would just cut you anyway. So I'm like, all right, whatever. So, you know, it's kind of like starting back at square one, you know what I mean? Like, red shirt in that pit. So I go, I go to Turkey that year, end up being like the, like the highest paid American rookie that, that season. So that I'm like, all right, cool. Like this, like I wanted to make money from the sport, you know what I'm saying? Like, this is what it is. I can finally take care of my, my family, my kids, like, make sure they're good. So I go through that season like Atlanta's constantly checking in, like they're flying people out, check on me, stuff like that. So that was reassuring. Cause it was like I was a part of the plans next season. So the fact that they kept doing that and then you was in bursa when that season was over, I was gonna say you was in Bursa. I was, yeah, that's what I was, in Bursa and Tofos. Yeah. So. So after that season still wasn't like guaranteed lot, like, you know what I mean? Like, I still had to earn my contract to play for the Hawks that season. So when my season was over, I think they were still in the playoffs. And so Atlanta was like, listen, once the playoff's over, fly you down to Atlanta and then you're just gonna be working. So once that happened, I went down there. It was me and another dude, Taren Pettaway, I think. I think Taron Pettaway, I think his name was that they pretty much was looking at both of us and they moved us into an apartment together. So it was like the most awkward thing ever. Cause it's like we, we going for this one spot and they got us living together essentially, you know what I mean? So it was like having kind of like a fake friendship, you know what I mean? It's cool people, but it's like, I'm not trying to be friends with you, you know what I mean? I'm trying to get this deal, lock it in. So they had us just down there grinding every day for like two months leading up to summer league. Then summer league come around. I had a pretty good summer league that year. So once that summer league was over, they finally just gave me the contract. Gave me the contract. It was still non guaranteed, so I still had to make the team. So they gave me a contract. Still had to make the team in preseason and stuff like that. So it was kind of like just always having to confirm like, you know what I Mean like just earn it step by step. Like I had to earn it step by step. Preseason come around, have a. I have a pretty decent preseason. First couple games I'm playing like real spotty minutes. And then one game they're like, like everyone just sat out. So they just let, let us rock. They let me rock. I think we played, I think Detroit, something like that. I probably had like 18, 19, something like that. Like just pretty much doing, doing without. Like just showing that I'm a pro. Like I could play in the NBA. So I made it. So that made the team. So getting over the stress of that making the team and then that rookie season pretty much was all just non guaranteed. So they can cut you at any moment and your contract's not guaranteed up until I want to say like it was like January. Like something I don't know was like my, my guaranteed date. So look like. So that first part of the season, like I was a part of the rotation. Like I'm playing probably like 15, 20 minutes a game. Like the game still like the NBA game still hadn't like slowed down for me. Like I was still in that, that happy to be there, happy to be there moment. Like mindset. Like it hadn't turned into I want to kill this, you know what I mean? Like, and, and see what I can do or try to get like a big contract or something like this. So I'm still in that, that mindset. Like I'm still trying to just, just a, just enjoy it and then just make the. Get the guarantee, make it to that guaranteed date. So leading up to that, so I'm in the rotation. I'm playing, I'm playing. Having some, like some games are better than others. I'm not out there just killing like it's a couple games. I got like 15, 13, something like that, or like couple, couple spot moments where I'm having decent moments. And that's for like the first like month of the season, maybe, maybe a month or two into the season. And then we play Philly and then when we play Philly at Philly. So it's pretty much me going home. It's the first time I'm. I'm in the league. I'm playing at home in Philly. So it's like I got everyone coming. My mom, grandma, they renting out like two buses. So like my whole church is coming up to watch the game. But at the same time it's my, my guarantee date. So it's like they can cut me, they can cut me that night. And I won't play the next day, and you know what I mean? And I'll be done and just trying to figure out the next steps. But were you stressed about it? [01:02:16] Speaker A: Did we kind of aware that just. [01:02:19] Speaker B: As hell is what's about to happen? Like, in the back of my mind, I'm like, oh, I might be cut. Others, like, I'm excited to be in Philly. I might be able to play, you know what I mean, in front of everyone. And then I got a bunch of people coming up. I got, I think it was like 60, 70 people coming up from my church to watch that game. Like. Like, I think they end up getting, like, a deal. Like, the Sixers hooked them up with like, a crazy package deal to get tickets and stuff like that. So. So that the night before, but Mike Budenhausen called me to his room, to his hotel room. And I'm like, damn, like, what's about to happen? You know what I mean? Like, am I about to get cut? Like, I gotta tell everyone they can't come or. You know what I'm saying? So he called me like, yo, like, we're gonna keep you. I'm like, damn. Like, weight off my shoulder. Like, shit. And then he hit me with butt. We gonna send you to the G League. I'm like, nah, you not. Oh. I'm like, damn. Nah, like, yo, I'm like, you not about to do that. Like, not this game. Like, I'm thinking in my head, like, yo, like, let me just have this game, please. Like, I got everyone coming up. I got like 67 people coming up. Like, let me just play Philly. Philly, mind you, Philly at the time was terrible. Like, they were trash. I'm like, this is like, I can get. I will play extra minutes. I'll get extra shots up. Like, they're terrible. So, like, it was like, I never at that point had to like, fly with, like, sec, like, other clothes to suit up for a game. Like, you had, like, the time you had to wear a suit jacket. Like, and like, you had to wear decent stuff on a bench or whatever, but you couldn't just wear whatever. So I had to wear, like, one of my coaches suit jackets. Cause, like, I had. I wasn't traveling with this stuff. Like, I was playing every game. So I'm like, damn, nah. Like, and I'm sitting there in a suit jacket and jeans, like, on the bench with the sour face. I'm looking up in the stands and I got like, everyone I know that the game, like, the church had people Coming. And then, like, all my friends and people that I just knew from, like, my city were just buying their own tickets and they were just coming up. So I'm looking around in the stadium. Mine, Philly sucks. So it's like the arena is empty. Half the people in the arena are my people. You know what I mean? So I'm looking around, seeing everyone like, damn, like, nah. Like, they're like, everyone's hitting you with the, like, yo, like, like, what's going on? Like, I'm like, I'm like, just, just on the best. Like, man, like, so. But it was cool, though. Like, you know what I mean? Like, just having that experience, like, being in the league, like, it was dope. Didn't last long, but it was cool. [01:04:56] Speaker A: Do you think you got a fair shake in the league? Like, do you have any resentment on how your career went? Do you feel like, failure, or did you learn from it? [01:05:05] Speaker B: Nah, definitely, Definitely. I think I got a fair shake. I definitely think I got a fair shake. Even though the reason why I had to go to the G League was a little political, but I still think, like, that first month and a half, had I been killing or doing better, it probably wouldn't have happened. You know what I mean? [01:05:28] Speaker A: What was the political. What do you think the reason was that. [01:05:31] Speaker B: Well, so that year, that draft, they traded our first round pick. Atlanta had traded the first round pick to get Tim Hardaway Jr. And like, during that preseason and training camp, like, I was, I was a better player. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I was just, like, I was just better player than him. So to start the season, he started in the G League. And then it got like, either my agent told me or like, one of the assistant coaches told me, like, the owners called and was like, yo, like, why the hell did we trade a first round pick to put him in a G League? You know what I mean? Like, so which, which is understandable. Like, you know what I mean? Like, like, like, you gotta, you gotta understand the business, you know? I mean, you can't get too offended by stuff like that. So it's like, all right, like, cool. Like, we played the same position. I was the rookie on the team or whatever. So it was like, I'm like, grateful that they, they guaranteed me, but at the same time, it's like, damn, like, that was a real. That's a political move. But it's like, God, I understood it. You know what I mean? So, So I, I, I would say I got a fair shake. And then, like, they ended up Cutting me that season at the end of the year ended up cutting me. I ended up drafting, like, two dudes at the wing position first round, too. So they end. So they ended up cutting me. And then. So. So I start the process all over, going through, like, the waiver process. I mean, this is summer league. My last, like, my third or fourth summer league. And then going through the waiver process and talking to my agent, seeing, like, what the hell's gonna happen? He's like, oh, like. Like, if you don't get picked up, then you'll just be a free agent and then just gotta go through the workouts, gotta do it all again. So, like, damn. Like, I really don't wanna do that again. Like, you know what I mean? So the Kings end up claiming me off of waivers, which was dope. I'm like, oh, okay, cool. Like. Like, the thing about Atlanta was, like, we had a lot of. It was a good team. And then the vets, like, we're all wing players. The Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefalosha, Kent Bazemore. Yeah. Tim Hardaway Jr. Who was pretty much the first round pick. What you gonna call it for them? So those are kind of the guys that were just always, like, gonna play no matter what. So then think about going to the Kings. Like, all right. Organization not great. Team's not that good. I may have an opportunity to actually play minutes, like, real minutes here or whatever. So the King's wholesale was, to me, was trying to. They had Rudy Gay. They had Rudy Gay, Matt Barnes and them, Aaron Aflalo. But the whole thing was they were like, oh, like, we're going to trade Rudy. And then, like, we're trying to trade Rudy and then we'll sign you or whatever. Like, all right, bet. Cool. So I'm going through, like, training camp, going through the process of that with them preseason. And then, like, I felt like I had probably my best NBA game in that preseason. But I, like, I really wasn't getting much opportunity to play. So we played. I think we was playing the Wizards or whatever, and we was playing at Kentucky. So that was packed out. Yeah. Demarcus cousin John Wall back at Kentucky playing a preseason game. So that was packed out. And then Dave Yeager was the coach. He threw me in in the fourth quarter. Like, fourth quarter is yours. And I probably had like 14, 15 points just in the corner in that quarter. I'm like, oh, shit. Like, you know what I mean? Like, there's no way they don't hurry up and get this Rudy trade going so they can sign me, like, you know what I mean? Like, that probably was the best quarter of anyone on the team in that preseason. I'm like, all right. There's no way they don't hurry up and do this trade. So the whole thing was just, oh, we trying to get this trade. We trying to get this trade. So they was like, oh, like, we gonna cut you, but we'll sign you back and give you some money, and then you just go to the G League in Reno or whatever. So that was kind of like. Like, my Sacramento experience or whatever. So they gave me. They gave me some money. They gave me a good, good little bag to go play in the G League, which I was cool. I'm like, all right. Cool. Like, I could still. Like, I could still feed my family. You know what I mean? But they, like. They, like, sold me on, like, a big dream. Cause it's like, oh, yeah, once we trade them, like, so I was staying in a hotel, and it was like, oh, go find a place to live. Because, like, you know what I mean? You gotta get out the hotel. I'm like. I'm like, y' all really ain't sign me. You know what I mean? Like, y' all ain't sign me. [01:09:55] Speaker C: Who's the gm? [01:09:57] Speaker B: Vladi. Vladi? Yeah, Vladi. Vladi's gm. Yeah. [01:10:02] Speaker C: And that's who talking to you? [01:10:04] Speaker B: Yeah. So it was Vladi, and then the assistant gm, he was. He was probably the main one that was coming. I can't remember his name now, but it was. It was them, too. And then Paige. I think Paige was like, president of basketball or something like that. But yeah, so they like, oh, go find a place. So I go. I'm like, all right, cool. Like, they about to sign me. I'm about to be good. So I get a nice little. A nice little crib out in. Out in Sacramento, like, out the way a little bit, you know, Got. Got. Got some. Got a Gus. Got some. Got some room in the house. You know what I'm saying? Got a pool. Got it. Got, like, a hot tub, you know? So I'm like. I'm like, I'm cool. Like, I'm good. Like, you know, I got a little bit of room in there. And then it just never happened. Like, a trade. Never. I think Rudy tore his Achilles that season, so that trade never happened. And I'm like, killing in the G League. Like, I'm like, yo, when is. When am I going to get the call? Because at the time. Any. So once. Once. Once Sack signed Me. They cut me again, but they gave me, like, some guaranteed money. That was the second sign it. So they gave me some guaranteed money. So they gave me money to go to the G League. And then. So at that time, anyone could sign me. And I'm like, killing in the G league. I'm like, OD and getting 30 balls, 40 balls. Like, I'm. Oh. I'm like, when is someone going to sign me? Like, you know what I mean? Like, and then Atlanta end up signing me back. So. So I ended up going back to Atlanta. But yeah, like, so then once I got cut from there, that was. That was my NBA tenure right there. Yeah. [01:11:38] Speaker A: So at what point were you like, all right, you know, my. I'm gonna pivot my career and start, you know, going overseas and seeing. Seeing what's over there. [01:11:49] Speaker B: It was probably like that. That. That year, you know? Cause I had went to Italy, so once I got cut from Atlanta, I think I played in Puerto Rico that. That summer, and then I went to Italy. And then I just realized I'm like, yo, like, I might as well just take these guaranteed money over, you know what I mean? Like, the what ifs. And, like, it kind of started getting stressful, like, you know what I mean? Like, at the time, because I. I did five years at Pitts. I'm an older. I was an older rookie to begin with. And then those two years in and out of the league, I guess you could say I probably was like, 26, 27. I'm like, Bro, like, I don't know how much longer I can play this, you know? I mean, like, I'm not about to keep chasing this, His NBA dream. And. And when I can, I got guaranteed money overseas, like, you know what I'm saying? So it was like, when I got. When I went to Italy, it was like, all right, like, that was like, probably like my first, like, real big bag. Like, you know, I mean, like, you're not really getting taxed on that stuff. So it was like, all right, cool. Like, this is all me. You know what I'm saying? So. So that kind of was like, it. I'm like, all right, cool. Like, I'm good with this. Like, you know what I'm saying? But then it just like. Like, I. I kind of. I kind of wanted to get back to it. Like, in the back of my mind, like, oh, maybe I'll do it. But it's just like year after year, just. I go from Italy, I go to China or something like that, get another bag and go. Like, then I end up going to Australia and I end up loving life in Australia. I'm like, yeah. And I mean, next thing you know, you're 30 something. [01:13:14] Speaker A: So just speaking of Australia, I mean, you talk about overseas basketball. Most people think, you know, euroleague, Euro cup, you know, I think South America. But Australia has a, you know, history, basketball, you know, kind of legacy. When did you find your niche there and how has that experience been for you? You know, because you've been there for a while. [01:13:38] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, like that. Once I. Once I got here in what, 2018, came in. I think I came in the middle of the season because I had. Actually, I was chasing the NBA dream again. I was about to sign, I think, like an Exhibit 10 or something like that in Utah or something. Now they was gonna sign me to. Not exhibit. I can't remember the term. Maybe Exhibit 10 or something like that where they're gonna give me some money playing the G League again. And then I think I was coming from China and they couldn't get my release papers in time for the deadline or something like that and didn't, so I couldn't sign Exhibit 10 or something like that. And they're like, oh, well, we can sign you to a regular G League deal. And I was like, nah, like. Like, I'm cool. Like, I'm out. And so I went to Australia and then it just. I started killing, like, pretty much like second, third game in, and it was like, you know, going from, like, the mother country, like China and like, Italy. Like, no one speaks English over there really. So coming to Australia, everyone speaks English. It's summertime. You know what I mean? Like, so it was like I got into. I got into a. Like, pretty much like a schedule of just play here for five, six months, then go to, like, Puerto Rico, go to China or something like that, play there for a couple months, and just kind of just kept going back and forth like that. And it just was summertime. In the summertime, like. Like, I hadn't seen snow in, like, five years. You know what I'm saying? So. So that. [01:15:05] Speaker C: It was the nbl. [01:15:07] Speaker B: Yeah, the nbl. So that kind of was like what made me stay and end up, like, meeting my wife, got married, got a crib, got Zayden out here, so just kind of got stuck here. For real. For real. [01:15:20] Speaker C: What was the team. What was the first team you went to? And. And nbl. That's the only thing you play for? [01:15:28] Speaker B: I played for, like, the New Zealand breakers for, like, a little bit, but that was like. That was a Bad experience. Like I came in super out of shape. That was after Covid. So Covid's going on. I'm sitting down on the couch. I'm not doing that. I don't even working out. Like I'm thinking this is never going to end. So I came to the breakage over shape. I mean overweight. And it was just a bad. It was just a bad experience. Like we was like I said during COVID So like New Zealand, normally, like you can go back and forth from New Zealand and Australia, but the fact that Covid was happening like, so Australia itself was in lockdown, lockdown mode. So we was living. We was living in Australia the whole time out of hotels, like just going to different city, living out of hotels. So on top of not performing the way like I'm normal, like I wasn't like terrible, but I wasn't. I wasn't like what I was what I normally was. So like on top of that and then just living in the hotels and just was just getting stressed out with that. And we had a. I can't remember, not Serbian, but he might have been like a Israeli and coach or something like that. So it was like a European coach and Australia, not they, not we. Australia doesn't really deal with. With the European coaches like that. Like the like all up in your face, yelling, screaming and stuff like that like that. That's like Australia's real chill when it comes to like the coaching and stuff like that. So like dealing with that, being stuck with him on the road and just. Just wasn't working. So I ended up coming back to Brisbane that season. So I probably played like five or six games with them. And I got injured that year too. [01:17:07] Speaker C: I was about to say. So you got hurt. You got hurt, right? [01:17:11] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:17:12] Speaker C: And you didn't play. You didn't play. Right. And then you came to tbt. What was that two years ago? That was two years ago. [01:17:19] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:17:21] Speaker C: But you was hurt before that, before you came to tbt, right? [01:17:23] Speaker B: Yeah, but that, that was that. I had did my hammy. I had did my hammy before then. This is just me just at this point in my career, I'm just. Just out of shape. Just basketball is kind of just. I kind of just got tired of it, like mentally, you know what I mean? At that point, I'd probably say for like two years, I probably would just burnt out. Yeah, I was just burnt out. You know what I mean? [01:17:49] Speaker C: So that's what I'm saying. But then you came, you played tbt, played tbt. So did that give you that fire back? Because now you went over there and. [01:17:58] Speaker B: Like Nick said, I kind of had it before. I kind of had it before. I kind of had it before. So. So before I got hurt, like, I still, like, I was. I had already made it up in my mind, like, all right, I'm get back in shape. I'm gonna get back to, you know, like, playing basketball at a high level, at an elite level. So I was like. I had made it up in my mind at that time, but I got hurt. So I was like, all right. Kind of had to sit down and just chill. But then it was like, all right, TBT's coming. So my whole goal was just to make sure I was in shape for TBT and get back out there playing, because all them dudes is high Europe dudes. You know what I'm saying? So that was. That was good. That was a good bun. I mean, even though the coaching staff on that TBT team was really. [01:18:41] Speaker C: Well, you know what? Hey, hey, listen. Me and Levance is here right now. We both. We both would like to apologize to you. Hey, Levance said you should have been in the game. I'll give you his credit. Hold up. [01:18:56] Speaker B: That guy. [01:18:56] Speaker C: Hold on. Lee said hey to Lev. He said, LP should have been in the game. He did. And I kind of agree with him. Gil's the head coach, though. We gonna pick that. [01:19:10] Speaker A: That's your guy, too. That's your guy. [01:19:12] Speaker B: That's what I'm saying. Gil Brown, 717. We supposed to be like this. Supposed to be locked in. And he did me like that. And then. But I will say, like, coming. So I was a little surprised about how elite those guys were. Like, from game one, I was like, oh, like, these dudes are really, like. And I hadn't really got my legs back up under me yet. You know what I mean? But I feel like that last game that we lost, I was starting to get them. Like, I'm like. I hit a couple jumpers. I'm like, okay, yeah. Like, I'm back now. Like, I'm like, we about to get going now. And then take me out. And I don't get. I'm like, bro, nah, we not doing that. [01:19:50] Speaker A: Crazy. [01:19:51] Speaker B: It's coaching together. Oh, man. I should have said inexperienced guy. I'm like, man, it's all good. That's all good. Cause, dude, at this time, because that's when Mel. Mel had just tore his Achilles. So all them other dudes, they're like, nah, like, I'm not About to. You know what I mean? Like, you got. We got Ryan. Ryan, you got Dustin, Mike Young. Mike Young. Them dudes is about to go make half a million. Million dollars next year. That year. They're like, I ain't about to tear him. I'm about to get hurt out here. Like, supposed to let LD run wild. They should just let me go. Like, I'm like, listen, I got something to prove out here. I remember Dustin come to me. He like, man, they should have just kept you in. Cause I'm not trying to get hurt out here. Like, no, he did not say that. [01:20:40] Speaker C: Bro, because he was. [01:20:41] Speaker B: He was. He was complaining on the bitch. You gotta play it all. You gotta play it all. It was either Dustin or Ryan. One of them. I think it was Dustin. Dustin came to me. He was like, man, they should just. Let's. [01:20:52] Speaker C: No, Ryan. It was Ryan complaining, right? Was it Ryan complaining on the bench? Who was complaining on the bench? Lee. [01:20:57] Speaker B: I forgot. [01:20:59] Speaker C: You gotta get him in all of them. [01:21:01] Speaker B: All of them was crying. All of them. And I was chilling. I'm like, man, I ain't trying to do that to them guys, man. They stressed like I was. That's why I never even said anything. But, yeah, I remember Dustin came. I think Dustin, you like, man, they should just left you in. Cause I was not trying to get hurt. You see somebody tear their Achilles, you're like, that's spooky. Oh, like, that's scary. Like, you know what I'm saying? Especially when you got a half a million dollars on the table. Like, you. Like, nah, I ain't trying to do that. Like, so. [01:21:30] Speaker C: And that's how I knew we wasn't gonna win. See, that's the mindset. But that's neither. [01:21:35] Speaker B: Here, let me. Let me find out. You guys don't know how to. You don't know how to manage egos. That's crazy. Y' all know how to. Ain't how to manage egos, bro. Wow. He won two games, man. Ain't how to manage, man, she just left me in that joint. Let me rock out. I start. I'm like, okay, I'm hitting a couple three. I've got. Got a little midi. I got the midi. I'm feeling it right now in, like, 10 minutes. Probably had, like, 10 points. Like, this is my best. This is my best TBT game in the least amount of minutes I played. Y' all realize that, right? [01:22:07] Speaker C: Well, I know. [01:22:08] Speaker B: No, don't say y'. All. [01:22:13] Speaker C: Lee did say get. Lee said get. [01:22:15] Speaker B: LP I was with Gil. [01:22:18] Speaker C: I Was not with Gil. No, no, we not gonna throw. We not gonna throw me in that. [01:22:22] Speaker B: You agree with me. [01:22:24] Speaker C: I didn't. I didn't disagree with nobody. I didn't disagree with nobody, but. [01:22:31] Speaker B: Damn. Whatever. [01:22:32] Speaker C: Go ahead. Go ahead. Nick, where you about to go? [01:22:33] Speaker B: It's over. [01:22:34] Speaker C: Because I can't say. I can't say what I. I can't say what I want to say. [01:22:37] Speaker B: Over, man. It's over, man. It's over, man. Left LP on the bench. We won two games. We beat. [01:22:43] Speaker C: We beat. [01:22:43] Speaker B: That's it. It's over. And then, and then. And then. Not running back this year. It's crazy. [01:22:48] Speaker A: You mentioned your son's out there with you now. How's his game right now? [01:22:52] Speaker B: It's cool. I mean, he all right? Yeah, he getting better. He getting better. It's a working process. You know, kids think they know everything. [01:23:00] Speaker C: How old is he? [01:23:02] Speaker B: 17. [01:23:03] Speaker A: Wow. [01:23:04] Speaker B: Yeah, so he. He's a junior out here now, and they're in the middle of their season, but he, like, he's all right. Like, the hardest part, I think, like, y' all got kids, you'll see it when they get older, is trying not to compare yourself and your, like, and like, how. How basketball was for you and then them. You know what I mean? Like, like, that's like, the hardest thing is, like, trying not to compare, like, how I was as a 17 year old to how he is at 17, because, like, everyone's journey is different, whether it's two strangers or someone your child. You know what I'm saying? So I try, I try not to be too, like, too on him, like, about certain things. I just try to coach him, coach him through things. But, like, if it's like, efforts, effort, stuff like, you know, I mean, and energy and attitude and stuff like that, that's kind of where I really get on him about it. But, like, as far as, like, his game, basketball stuff, like, I kind of just like, all right, like, this is what you're good at. Like, let's. Let's hone that and then also let's work on what you're not good at. Trying to teach him how to, like, to read the game at, like, an elite level. I feel like that that could be an advantage of his because he's like, he's similar to me. He's like a big body, he can shoot. I would say he's probably a better shooter than I was at the age. [01:24:25] Speaker A: Wow. [01:24:27] Speaker B: And like, he. He's versatile. He can peeking, you know what I mean? But I feel like the Mindset hasn't. Like, his mindset hasn't adjusted to. Oh, like, every time I step on this court, I'm a show. I'm the best player. Like, he had. He hadn't adapted that mindset yet. So just hopefully he gets that. You know what I mean? But, like, the goal is for him to go back, play. Play D1, play college somewhere. It's a different game now. So whether that route is juco first and then go try to get onto a college. Yeah. You know, I mean, but even. Even more so now because would you get a year or two? [01:25:05] Speaker A: You're not gonna lose your eligibility. [01:25:07] Speaker B: Pretty much a year or two. [01:25:08] Speaker C: So I wish I'd have gotten. [01:25:10] Speaker B: Yeah. College is crazy now. Like, dudes be, like 28, 29 years old in college because they just milk in the system. You know what I mean? But some of the most money they'll ever get in their lives. [01:25:23] Speaker A: Hey, man, we wouldn't have went to the CBI if we. [01:25:25] Speaker C: No, no. We wouldn't have had. We definitely wouldn't have had. [01:25:28] Speaker B: That's facts. [01:25:28] Speaker C: We definitely wouldn't have had. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Actually, speaking of that, before we wrap it up, lp, I wanted to ask. Cause, you know, being nil podcast, if the nil was in place when we was in college, how much you think you would have got? [01:25:46] Speaker B: Oof. Prime you. [01:25:48] Speaker A: Prime. [01:25:49] Speaker C: We could say. We could say it by prime you. [01:25:50] Speaker A: By year. [01:25:51] Speaker B: By year, too. [01:25:52] Speaker A: Go year by year. [01:25:52] Speaker C: Oh, go year by year. [01:25:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:25:53] Speaker C: Go year by year. [01:25:55] Speaker B: So, okay, come out of high school, I feel like I might have got a little bag. [01:25:59] Speaker C: What's a little bad? [01:26:00] Speaker B: At one point, I probably would have got, like a half. I would have got like 500, I. [01:26:05] Speaker A: Think incentive for somebody getting 500. [01:26:07] Speaker C: Okay. [01:26:08] Speaker B: I think 500 out of high school, I would have got that. I think so. I was, at one point, I was top 15 in the nation in high school. Came from Benedict with Hurley. I don't know if it would have been at Pitt, but I think I would have got 500. You know, I mean, and then that kind of would have dictated the rest of that career, honestly, because I probably. I'm not registering. You're not telling me I'm redshirt and I got half a million dollars in the bank. You write about that. When you think about telling me, if you bring up the R word and I got a half a million, I'm transferring. I'm see you later. Taking this money, I'm gone. You know what I mean? So it would. It would have definitely Changed. Change a lot. But I think by the time my senior season, I would, man, I would have been making a. I would have been making a good amount. I think there's a lot of. A lot of money left. A lot of money left on the table. What's the first thing left on the table? I was going to say, what's the first thing you would have cop you. If you had that big bag on campus, what you was. What you was going to do. You pull it up or something crazy. At 17, 18 years old, I'm dumb. A car. I definitely, I definitely got a car. Definitely would have got a car. Definitely would have got a car. Yeah. Cause I didn't have a car until I signed my. Until I signed that Atlanta deal. That was my first time I ever owned a car. For real. Yeah, that was the first time. So I definitely would have got a car. Yeah. [01:27:41] Speaker C: Hey, we gonna let Nick close it up, but didn't you start the teams? [01:27:47] Speaker B: He is the originator. He is the. The original. That 09 class, we was different. It's a reason we called him young. Yeah, 09 class is different. Different. But look, could you imagine that 500 and then that was wild. We lived wild, wild times, but it was different. Breeders, right? We've been flying them flying up from. From Bratislavia like we've been flying. [01:28:23] Speaker A: We're gonna save the rest of this conversation for the Patreon page. That concludes another episode of the Nil podcast. Main image and legends. Another legend, another exclusive. Lamar Patterson, seven one seven's finest. One of the best ever come out of that area. One of the best all around players to ever come through Pittsburgh. I had the pleasure of playing with them. We all did. [01:28:46] Speaker B: We love you. [01:28:46] Speaker A: Thank you for coming and sharing your story. And it's a short a story all Hoopers can can aspire to be. You achieved the mountaintop and you still made a way when there was a no. When there was no way at every single level. So thank you for joining us, telling your story. [01:29:00] Speaker B: Appreciate you boys. [01:29:01] Speaker A: Thanks for pulling up on you. I want to come out there. [01:29:05] Speaker B: Yeah, pull up. Look, I got. Appreciate you. [01:29:07] Speaker C: LP. [01:29:11] Speaker B: Loves black people, man. Australia loves us out here, man. Y' all come up, you got to play.