NBA CHAMPION Rajon Rondo on Coaching, the Celtics and Mentorship | Milwaukee Bucks

NBA CHAMPION Rajon Rondo on Coaching, the Celtics and Mentorship | Milwaukee Bucks

So, I’m call my agent like, you know, get me out of here and trade me. And my mentor at the time, Doug Bby, and my agent, Bill Duffy, was like, you know, cream rises to the top. So, stay the course. And then a year later, you know, I’m become, I think, one of the one of the second youngest point guards behind Magic to win a championship at a young age. [Music] Welcome to another episode’s show with one and only fino and Tony C. What up? CC week one NBA basketball is back. So, we’re very, very, very hyped. Very, very excited. And today, we have a legend that’s so like you guys are going to be so amazed when you guys see him. Um, we have a special guest today. But before we go to our special guest, you know, we want to thank our sponsors. Remember, uh, it’s analysis presented by Gruber Law Offices. One call. That’s all. That’s all. I want to thank uh, Prisoner Wine Company. Uh, you guys are amazing. The wine’s amazing. We’ll give some to our guests. give some to people around you guys. Uh I want to thank uh Pawani Casino Hotels. Whenever you come to Milwaukee, that’s the place to stay. You know, they have great experience, great room service and and and entertainment. Plus, you might win some money. Never know. And last but not least, McDonald’s in the building. Tony, did I forget anything? Nope. You knocked it all out the park right there. Nice and easy. Uh I just want you to get to the intro at this point. Today’s guest is is an alltimer. is an oldtime oldtimer and you know you have to give him the the the intro that’s welld deserved for a person like this from Kentucky an NBA champion your favorite guards point guard rapp introduction my dog I you know I get the I got the privilege and the and the and the blessing and the opportunity to work with him, you know, on a daily basis. But, you know, people watching, uh, people being on the show, listen to the show as well. Uh, do people know you with with the Bucks? We would know like you’re part of our They learned it during the Cavs game, them telling you when you did the the television hit. Yep. And every like the online chatter, my phone started blowing up. It’s like, “What is Rondo doing with the Bucks?” And I was like, “One, connect the dots. He might know Doc Rivers a little bit.” Um but if you want to explain to people what your uh what your role is with the team and what you’re doing in Milwaukee. So it all started um you know Doc River and I have an amazing relationship um despite our first eight months together rookie season but other than that like I said we got over the the hump and like I said he’s one of my my closest mentors to this day and he came to my wedding two years ago and he put me in headlock said I need to get my butt in Milwaukee and here I have been the last couple years. Last year I was more in a consulting role. this year. Um, the name has changed. I think it’s called coaching associate. Yep. Since they had you on the broadcast associate. So, uh, yeah, I’m around more and I’m able to be on the bench this year legally. So, I got a couple calls last year with the NBA about me being on the bench because I didn’t have a a particular role or a particular title, but this year I am and I’m I’m grateful to be in that position because I’m able to talk to the guys and my biggest strength to be able to help the guys in game adjustments while on the fly versus, you know, talking to him after the game and watching film. So, it’s been exciting for me and um just being a part of the organization now and uh a lot of kudos to the coaching staff as well. You know, he has a big staff and a lot all those guys have been welcoming and teach me a lot of things that you don’t see u in in the back lens of being a coach. Man, this is what So, I’m I’m I wanted to uh let him say this is what the NBA uh and everywhere in basketball needs right now. Just the league has become so young. We was talking about this with Miles with Chris Middleton. Yeah, we had uh TA is the oldest member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Chris Middleton is the oldest member of the Washington Wizards. No one’s over 34. Like, unbelievable. And uh it’s become so young. And I And today we’re going to talk about that, you know, just like how what what does it take to be a mentor and what’s the psyche you have to have to kind of accept that role? It’s hard. It’s not easy to accept that role. Like, hey, I’m I’m here to help, you know, not not to here to to be the star, you know. It’s very very hard. Um and then we today we’re going to talk about as well about the different era of the NBA because I was I was telling him uh before we started that you know like you guys know a different era of the NBA which is the highlight. Oh w this and Jiann is this and that like before this was a different era you know like a different grit. uh we’re going to talk about that as well and kind of talk about a lot about our like kind of your runs to the ch to the championship and and what’s the similarities and what you have you learned in your experience. So, uh, so first we want to talk about a little bit about like being a mentor, being a coach. What does that entail and how come how come you you was like, “Okay, let me get into this role now.” Well, for me, uh, I’ve always loved teaching the game and, um, I’ve actually gotten to chess probably the last 5 years. So, always being a couple steps ahead of the game, just like you do in chess, it’s just like any way in life. And so, for me to give back to, you know, the young generation along with, that’s why I haven’t been full-time is because of my kids. you know, my daughter just went uh she’s attending Alabama now. She’s a freshman playing volleyball. Oh, congratulations, man. And then my son’s playing uh varsity as eighth grader. So, I’m just trying to always be a mentor, be a teacher, uh you know, pay it forward through life and give back to those who give back to me. So, for me personally, it’s just an honor. You know, I’ve had great veterans in my past. Guys like Kevin Garnett, you know, Paul Furious, um a lot of greats. You know, I even, you know, Shaquille was my vet, Rashidito Rashid Wallace. I can go on and on, but those guys, you know, for me have always taught me everything that I, you know, I try to, you know, do in the game as I, as I prepare for the game, as I, you know, leave a game, how I talk to my teammates, how I talk to people in organizations. So, it’s just taking notes from all the great I play with, all the great leaders and role models I play with. And now it’s my turn. I’m in a situation to where I’m able to pay it forward and give it back. So, you said your son is playing varsity as an eighth grader. And with you in the coaching game, I know you’re working on a couple AA things. Are you coaching him at all? coaching coaching younger kids in addition to NBA players. I am actually we um we just got a Nike EBL deal a great team and it’s been a grind. We’ve been three years we’ve been independent um just trying to build the right program around my son and um a lot of great people that’s helped me build that program. Tim Barnett head coach his name is JC Canard. So I’m the assistant coach actually because I don’t want to always be that one voice for my son. So I want to give, you know, people around him and we I try to build a a family, you know, a group of guys that’s able to mentor him and push the same message and get, you know, get him to where he wants to be in life. Love that. No, no, I I love it so much. So now the first thing I was going to ask you like what’s your what’s your relationship with like, you know, you mentioned like Paul and Kevin. Oh, it’s great. I mean, it’s Kevin probably sends me something two or three times a day on Instagram. Uh Paul and I talk, you know, every once in a while like it’s his birthday just passed, so I called him, wish him happy birthday. Uh, you know, until this day when I’m in ever in LA, I always call them. You know, we try to get to dinner somehow some way and vice versa. Kevin and our daughters both play volleyball. Yeah. I think she’s attending Michigan next year. So, we still have those, you know, so many different ties for us family, uh, kids, and then, you know, our daily life. So, it’s been a blessing, like I said, to have that as a brotherhood for the rest of your life, not just, you know, the couple years we played the game together. I have a lot of great relationships with a lot of my ex- teammates. And like I said, it’s about how you handle daily activities versus just being a basketball player. like you know life goes on. I looking up when we were prepping for this interview and just looking up you know you have players who some guys played their entire career one place right and then I you had your big run with the Celtics and then the guys who you played with after Boston obviously played with Hall of Famers in Boston but like you played with nearly 15 like Hall of Famers are legit all NBA guys. Is there any of those moments that stick out to you when you look back and you’re like yeah I really played with LeBron and Wade and Paul and just like it’s kind of unreal. Not really. I don’t I don’t know if I’m just, you know, trying to stay always stay in a moment. And for me, when I was able to even get the big with the big three, it never was an aha moment because I wasn’t a fan of any any of those guys. Um, you know, no disrespect, I just didn’t really watch basketball, you know, growing up. I I didn’t watch Michael Jordan play. I was just a kid outside playing. Really never had hoop dreams. I actually had football dreams. Oh, yeah. So, really, so basketball, what position? Quarterback. Quarterback. Quarterback. Yeah. Makes sense. Well, you you were recruited to Kentucky to play football. No, no, no. Okay. No, no, no. I uh I stopped playing football my sophomore year in high school. Gotcha. I had a better relationship with my basketball coach. So, I kind of went towards basketball and then my boys were playing basketball. But if I had to do it all over again, I probably would have if you my basketball coach or my football coach, I would have played football. Really? That’s type of leadership I had. Yeah, I did. Yeah. You watching now? Are you dialed in the NFL? I don’t watch NFL at all. No, I’m pretty bad. I used to be a a Packers fan back when Brett Far was uh you know, back in the day, but other than that, when he left the Packers, that’s kind of left the game. When I stopped playing football, I kind of just got kind of just lean towards basketball more. I feel like quarterback and point guard are pretty Yes. pretty similar. Leadership, smartest guy on the field. Yeah. To to a fault basically because we’re talking about you got a quarterback the whole play and now and his era of point guard was totally different than this of point guard, you know, like his point guard was the point guard. Yeah, you’re in the corner. You you’re in you’re in the slot. Even if you on defense like hey get to the corner, he they coming right to the corner. You get to the 45 totally different. And I want to I want to I want to talk about that in a little bit. Come to watching the game now, right? And you were on a bench and you see Giannis make that that pass yesterday. Look at looking at the rim and passing behind the back. Yeah. Only thing I’m mad about that pass is Miles foot was on the line. Miles was on the line. Long too. Was it actually a two? I’ve watched that highlight 12 times and I think I’ve never actually watched the shot. I’ve just watched that pass. That looked like you had he had I think he had one nice one of those last year as well. Yeah. Yeah. Do you how would you teach that to people? Like because I don’t I don’t think like somebody taught Giannis Jiannis that he’s mostly like, “Hey, I got this.” Because there’s two different levels of passing, right? And the one level is that I I move you and I pass. Like I I can see the pass before it happens, right? I I can see this way or left or right. You’re in front of me. But if I look left or right, I can, you know, maneuver manipulate the game and maneuver the game to where I want it to be. But for Jan is different because he’s so he’s already over you. So sometimes he’s already seeing the past before he he makes it sometimes. So for you, how how do you teach people to be better with passing or better let’s say uh creating this um so-called matrix in the game that it slows down for them. It’s kind of difficult to say teach it, but like for me, a couple things even with my son now, like I make him rebound the basketball when some when guys are shooting and then work on his passing. You know, like I said, don’t be afraid to to make a mistake or try a pass that doesn’t get there right on on time when seems on target because in games a lot of guys are getting passes that’s not great passes. So, while he’s practicing those pass while he’s rebounding a basketball, two, two things it teaches him. It teaches them the trajectory of how the ball’s going to come off the rim. He’s able to get the ball quicker. That’s why I was able, you know, only be six feet but have games where I got, you know, 14, 15 rebounds because it was my speed and I knew the understanding how the ball will come off the rim. And for two is just like I said, those behind the back passes you see guys may make. I work on those passes during practice when I’m rebounding for Kevin or when I’m rebounding for my even my son now. It’s like I still play with the game, have an imagination and work on those type of passes. You do have to have an imagination because it’s not the normal typical. I remember I had coaches would be like both hands and then I had another coach would be like one hand I don’t want to see you do both hands it does play bigger role in how but if I practice it then I’ll be able to take that chance but if I don’t if I don’t see you working on it it’s like shooting somebody shooting a step back it’s like I’ll let you shoot that if I see you practice I get to work on it but if you’re it’s the first time I see me shot to shoot this shot and you air ball this mother then you’re coming out the game you know it’s like yeah if you practice what you preach and you know you put the work in I’ll give you range to do what you need to do as a player. When did you get to the point in your career, whether college or pro, where you could try stuff like that? That you had practiced, but you can try it in a game knowing, all right, this one is a turnover, it doesn’t get through, I’m probably not going to get yanked out. I didn’t really I didn’t care about the the failure part of it. Um, you know, I didn’t want to be too flash or too risky. But at the times when it may be a behind the back or a simple b back court, you know, a long bounce score bounce pass, I try to make those plays. You know, it wasn’t always necessary for the flash. It was also for just being the right play to make at the right time. Like what’s the what’s the differences you see between this era of point guards and your era of point guards? Like the this like the biggest difference you see the biggest inight. No besides height um I think just the intellect and now the game is for me is more robotic. Um even like scouting the game it’s like everyone’s running the same sets. Um there’s no really offensive flow and you know you know you throw analytics out there all the time and people say these things you know you want to shoot the ball in the first six seconds you know shot quality shot profile all these things but like today the game I think players don’t have to think as much and I think that’s why you know the game is changing a lot and you know I think the game evolves and changes every you know so often so maybe five years from now six years from now we see another run where point guards come back into play heavily and they’re more like I would say appreciate it because now I don’t think the game does appreciate the game as far as the intellect of the point guard but in fourth game fourth quarter situations three minutes to go in the game uh or or the Houston game this this past year or no this started the season KD didn’t touch the ball you know seven out of eight possessions it’s like as a point guard me being on the floor if Kevin had to touch the ball I know being an extension of coach that Kevin needs to touch the ball in regards if if I’m open two or three shots my guy has to get those balls and then if that’s the point guard if you don’t have a point guard on the floor who’s willing to do that because the coach only so calls only timeouts and then the game is going so fast you need a guy extension of you on the court that slow it down and get guys in the right spots and get guys the ball when they need the ball 100%. you know, it’s it’s like obviously two out of all three I agree 100% because that’s that word works and to add to that uh two things that’s very very um consistent that you see like the the the playmaker has shifted from the guard to the to the to the to the small forwards like to the jokes and the and the Giannises and the you know the hybrids shift she does from the point guard saying like oh might I need a point guard just because you know Jiannis can have 10 plus assist can have 10 plus assist um whoever you know the the B fors which I do believe that it’s great to have that is a great quality but it does add a special pressure of those guys because you want now you basically want those guys to do everything you want them to score you want them to lead you want them to rebound you want them to die for the ball you want yeah because you’re essentially asking the superstar to do everything to mentally create to be a superstar to lead the team to the playoffs mentally to have mental fortitude and physically right and then to do the dirty work like okay now he has to defend And that’s where, not to cut you, that’s where I pride myself as far as like when I play with the superstars to make their job easier. You don’t have to think as much. Let me do all the thinking for you. I’ll put you in the right spots. I’ll put the other guys in the right spots so the game is easier for you. And then you can just focus on whether, you know, we need 10 blocks reite or whether we need 10 assists or whether we need 45 points. So, it’s about, you know, every game you can’t go in with the same game plan, but to have those guys to where they don’t have to think as much and they can relax playing with a guy like myself, that’s what I took pride in is being there. That was one of the best though. That’s what I think we miss a lot in today’s game where we see and this starts at younger levels too though is like that mentality of I’m going to put a star in a position to make the game easier for them instead of going to make the game look better on your box score that’s where I think we starting at a young age we miss a lot of in today like that’s that’s like rarified error right there and also challenging the stars you know what I mean it’s like you know what I I think I gained and earned all those future hall of fame well those first battle hall of famers guys I played with I earned their respect because of how I approached the game And they also see that everything I was doing was for the greater good of the team. And like I said, with those type of with those things in mind and that mindset being extension of the coach, they had to respect what I was where I was coming from and how I approached and played the game because it wasn’t just going to be about talk. It was how I played and how hard I wanted to play and try to fight for the team. Yes. I the the the other thing is so so so true. The other thing too he’s got to understand the reason this is happening too is because the NBA is like a copycat league. Like whoever wins everybody models. That’s why you see all the same plays. Like I remember it was when when I got drafted 2014. Remember we was talking about the floppy. I was like where is that anymore? You know just coming off the screen and if you don’t have anything you pass to the big then you play like then you play. And now you see this kind of the same and the same and the same action which actually makes it harder because everybody the same. So everybody knows what’s coming, you know, but and at the same time I get the sentiment analytics one kicatan league. Whoever wins, we kind of play the model the same thing. You know, two bigs, they went with two bigs. We’re we’re going to have two bigs. That’s the example. Jan is running through the bigs in the east. We’re going to get a bunch of bigs the same way they did with Shaq. Same way they did other guys. So that’s totally understandable. But I do believe that people who are played different may might not win the 75 games, but when it comes to the playoffs, you got to have those difference makers in your team and and to be able from top to bottom to be physical. Um, the question I was going to ask you, right, uh, did you ever thought you was going to be a coach now after like you playing, would you ever think like, oh, you know what, when I’m done playing, I’m coming. I’m going to be with Doc with the in the with the Bucks and Doc. If you was like ask me obviously back when I got drafted or even the first five years in the league, I would have said no. Um, but me being the player that I am and if I was to watch myself from the outside looking in, I would have assumed that yeah, I would have been a coach because of how vocal I was as a player. um how I was able to understand and break down defenses as as the point guard on the floor. And again, I always pride myself on being an extension of a coach on the floor. It’s just not knowing that this type of role will be different. And how much hard work goes into being a coach is unreal. How many hours of of work and preparation and how many films you have to watch before a game just to get a 14minute speech to your team before the game and get them prepared for the game. So, it’s it’s uh it’s hats off and kudos to the coaching staffs around the league and in any sports organization because it’s it’s not easy. It’s hard, man. Yeah. Have you ever had the situation that uh that somebody wasn’t accepting what you were saying? And I’m not say accept because accept, you know, is based on somebody, but I’m say like really was it not messing with what you’re saying like no, I don’t want to hear that or like uh no, not teammates. Yeah, sometimes. But for me and learning how to, you know, everyone doesn’t receive information the same. And like even with my team AU team, it’s now like I got to go back to the drawing board as a coach and see how can I articulate for them to understand the way that I need them to understand. So I don’t necessarily get frustrated as I would in my earlier days. Now it’s like okay. Oh, so you get frustrated in early leaders with like with like teammates. Yeah. With teammates. Yeah. It’s like understand what I’m saying. But what also helps me a lot even with my AU program is like film, you know, I might we might be in disagreements, but if I go back and show you this film, it’s like film doesn’t lie. So I don’t look crazy or when I’m yelling at you, this is what I mean by that. So it it helps me a lot, you know, navigate, you know, ugly situations that can possibly go a different direction versus let’s just keep it where it is. This is the truth. This is what I see as a teammate. I think I can help you improve. And it’s always coming from a a place of help as well. So, it’s like it doesn’t come off as uh I know it all or it doesn’t come off as a sense of like uh you I’m trying to undermine the coach or anything. It’s like, okay, this is what I think for the greater good of a team. And I can be wrong, but let’s just let’s look at the film and see, you know, what’s what cuz I’ve already watched it probably two or three times. You know, that’s the next level of coaching, by the way. I could be wrong, but let’s let’s watch the film. Let’s let’s see it together. That’s the next level, you would have 12 players and they would all play like one coach. All of them would play like one coach. You like, “Oh yeah, he went to school there. That’s why he’s playing like that.” But nowadays, one coach has to be 12 players. Has to be like everybody’s so so different. So so different. Okay. Now obviously this now I want to ask about the championship run you you guys playing against LeBron you know what was like how do you like what was said in the locker room like what how do you how do you say okay now this is LeBron the Heat and now we want to we’re going to play against them and we want to beat them and we want to like what’s the was the mental preparation for them for for for a guy like this um in that state of career as well we it was obviously still there’s a lot of greats in every every era but um you know we were playing against a lot of greats in that particular area um era. Um, so who give me so give me your top five then. Who’s your like you was like I was game planning for this guy, this guy, this guy and this was give me your like top five hardest matchups you guys had to like match up really d well the Detroit Pistons the entire team you know they had I think they had four allstars so it wasn’t really one particular matchup you had obviously you had you had Taan Rasheed and then Ben defensively that was you know turning the game up in his own way. Um you obviously had Kobe. Yes. Um you had Shaq, you had Dwight with the um the Orlando run they had with Circl all the shooters was stretch forward. Dam the first stretch four in a sense. I would give him the first one. But Rashad Lewis made it hard on teams. A guy like Dwight rolling and him stretching the floor out. It was different. Yeah, it was a different era like I said cuz our bigs KG was shooting along mid mid twos and now Rashad was stretching to the three. So we figuring out rotations for that since then you got LeBron his team he had the other run they had and you go to the Miami era. So for us and for me mentally always wanted to play against the best and it was no no use of ducking smoke early. Um you know if he was if that was the best guy or the team to go through we want to see that team you know if it wasn’t no other shortcuts or way around it for me I was always a competitor. I’m still you know everything I do in life is I want to compete and that’s why I’m happy to be back in this situation where I’m coaching and doing it from a different level of competing the mental versus actual physical now. But um that’s is always the way I approach the game. And then playing for a coach like Doc Rivers, you know, one after his pregame speeches, you already run through a wall for him. And he always had the mindset of the guys to go out and fight for one another and understanding, you know, the greater good of the team versus myself or individual things that you can accomplish versus the team. So, uh you know, we want you win, we win, we all win. Yeah. You know, so that’s that was just the mindset. Did is the story true? Did Doc really make you guys leave money uh in the ceiling? ceiling in the stable center. Absolutely. So, what was it? You had to t Have you ever heard this? I think it was $100. Yeah, that’s what that’s what I read. They had to leave a hundred bucks ceiling of the staple center. So, you guys would return there to Absolutely. to get that bread, get the money. I just wanted to make sure that was a that’s a true story. That’s pretty incredible. So, so when he did that, how did you feel like what was that? How did you feel when he said that? Like, hey guys, we want to get some money. To me, it was just like, you know, anything I if I was to bet in life, it’s like I want to um I want to I want to win, you know? I want to I want to get back at I want to get back to to the stable sooner and and grab the money. And obviously it’s a bigger small a small incentive creates a bigger goal to accomplish. But that was just a mindset. I I do that with my kids AU now. It’s not necessarily money, but I’m like uh you know I might give them VCs or you know what they’re interested in like to give you know it is so crazy. I heard a quote today from coach Vin Baker. You guys can clip this or or listen to this. It said and it’s a Bible quote you know coach Vin. He said, “If you’re faithful in little things, you will be faithful in greater things. If you’re faithful in little things, just the little things, you will have access to even bigger things because you put your faith in and you believe in this.” This might not mean somebody else might be like, “No, I don’t even care about this.” But if you care for these little things, gay things are coming, g things will be. Uh do you Who is the guy that you was like, “Okay, we don’t have nothing for him. Like we we keep doing this. we’re competing and we don’t like we have no answer for this guy. And um it was never one guy, but the time that that did occur was game six when we had no answer for Brian when he came into the garden and I think he dropped 46 or 45 and it was nothing no one could do. And I was very frustrated because I usually they’re always able to figure it out and I couldn’t because the look in his eyes and I think for for him I think that took his legacy and his career path to another level cuz I feel like if we would have beat them in that particular game they were done for and then he would probably try to figure out somewhere else to go because he had went from Cleveland to Miami to particularly kind of beat the big three. Mhm. And you know, kudos to him and his staff. And I remember I think I talked to a couple teammates, Joel, Anthony. Um, and uh, DW were talking about the look that he had in his eyes at halftime and before the game, game six, like, you know, obviously we didn’t know what he was thinking or what he was doing, but we knew he had to come in with some some some some play, but I think we threw everybody at him. You know, we threw all our best defensive players. I tried to guard him a couple possession, he just shoot me out of like a little fly. I mean, he he really took advantage of, you know, that moment and he capitalized and, you know, his career went, you know, where it is now. It’s wild. He’s still playing, right? Like the the the highlight you’re talking about was like 15 years ago. Yeah. And he’s still playing at him when he’s healthy at an elite level. I mean, I think what you just said about the discipline, the faithfulness of the little things. Like that’s, you know, one thing, you know, kudos to him is like as all the greats I play with, him and Kevin are the two most disciplined elite leaders I’ve I’ve played with and do everything the same every day. They don’t take short steps. They don’t cheat the game. They they take care of the body. They they’re taking their treatment. They’re eating the proper foods. Of course, they’re humans. They live life, but at the most part, everything I’ve always saw and seen from those guys, and I take the most kudos to those guys, their discipline to their approach every day. Speaking of Kevin Garnett, we can get back to basketball in a second, but but I do I do have uh the because he said something about like this the observation I wanted to make is like you just see like with great players, even with them with Kobe, right? Bam with the leakers like great players like recognize that couple of these games that to fans is just games to some people it’s a leg it’s it’s legacy defining thousand% legacy like my legacy is on the line you know and that adds more to the to the story absolutely like and the pressure means in that game six you mentioned I think Paul Pierce also had like a 40point game or something where he went headtohead with LeBron in series and like Oh, no. I don’t think it was that, but you’re talking I think Paul gave us 40. We would have won. But no, um it was against the Cleveland when he was with Cleveland. That’s when he they both had a 40 in there. Yeah. Cuz I remember that game was like an alltime classic. It was like we went game seven. And the thing about it is that’s why it’s all basketball is a great great and unappreciated team sport. I think volleyball is the most celebrated and the best team sport there is. I mean, I’m a little my daughter plays, but we get back to that. But no, I was saying about the um that series was that PJ Brown hit the game when shot and it’s like nobody ever talks about PJ Brown, but we picked PJ Brown up late waiverss I think in February. He was out all season I believe and then like I said it takes all the entire team to win whether he’s your practice players, whether he’s a guy that’s the 11th man on the roster. He hadn’t played all series. He comes in hit a big shot and it’s a game winning. So it’s like just having that mindset just it always takes everybody and they always have always everyone has to always be ready. Always. Always. You would say something about KG. You wanted to say something about KG. Obviously, one of the greatest players ever. I think everyone of our generation grew up a fan of his and then he went to Hollywood. I wanted to get your opinion of KG and Uncut Gems. Oh yeah, we’re going outside now. His performance in that. What did uh what did you think of that? Uh I mean I you know that’s my guy. I’m always going to root for him. Um you know he could do no wrong in my eyes. You know what he’s done for my life and just I like the I enjoy I enjoy his performance a lot by the way. And shout out to Adam Sandler. He knows how to first of all he really loves basketball on a way. I I do really think he loves the NBA like he love all all of us like where we play. He’s a great big fan. But I like how he really gives us opportunity to uh excel in that space because you know once you get out of basketball you still you become a rookie again right and and it’s always cool. You got to put Ronda. You gota put Coach Raw cuz though in your next like movie I’m not even joking. Like you have to Well, because you’ve done uh do you just right? Yeah. My good friend of mine Common. Okay. He uh he was able to throw me in a little you know little cameo little role. Really? Yeah. And a Blackish episode, right? Yeah. But if you sneeze or blink, you won’t you won’t know I’m even in in the movie. A little bit. It was still it’s still credited. I thought that was Yeah, I’m still credit obviously, but I’m still getting a dollar check from him too every every two. But but you know what it is. That’s how you started. Little cameos here and there and then you like you build your way up. First of all, I’m surprised you don’t have a podcast, by the way. You don’t have your own kind of I I just don’t want to talk every day. I believe you. I’m with you. I’m with you. And uh like I said, I’ve I get asked that all the time. I’ve want to do it. Like I said, I’m thinking about doing some things as far as helping and teaching the game as far as film with young point guards. But for me, again, it’s it’s family first. I just became married. I don’t want to stretch myself too thin. Uh I do want to particularly be a head coach in this league one day. I want to try to do too many different things and and get off task for me. Like uh what I’m doing with with the the staff now is like, you know, it’s monumental for me in my career. It’s like I’m learning so much. I’m taking notes every day. I’m able. I’m able to have a voice in the locker room. So it’s like, you know, I want to stay on that path and and go towards that goal right now. No, you’re doing it the right way. By the way, you know, you can always do both. Obviously, so just generic, you can always do both. You know, you can always have minor games or any of play you want to break down and spread some knowledge. You can always come here and do it, bro. If you listen, this is not even over exaggerated. Not now, you know, years from now. If you even decide to do anything remotely close in a heartbeat, we’ll get you a deal. In a heartbeat, we’ll get you a deal. Um, but you can see, you know, Steve Nash now is like M games with LeBron and and stuff like that kind of dissecting the game. Um, you want to ask anything else outside of basketball? was about to go back to basketball and I want to ask him about like because you know you know Kevin came a lot of like Giannis’s year seventh year eighth year he would come here I love with J kid kind of hanging around with him and I remember Jan will always text us and send us like videos and links from like KG’s videos and I always get so amped up and so hype man uh was he like that as a teammate too obviously I know probably but yeah like was he really like that as a teammate was he cuz this is just him mentoring this is not even him being a teammate Hey. Yeah. I mean, I think you people starting to see his personality a lot more. Obviously, he’s doing his podcast and doing that thing, but like he’s a he’s a hell of a storyteller. Um, you know, he loves to talk and I think that’s why he’s great with his podcast. I’m I’m kind of the opposite. I will talk, but I don’t I don’t want to talk every day. And like I said, he’s a great storyteller. Um, he’s a great one of my best teammates of all time. Uh, he’s a great leader. He’s a great captain. And he’s not just doing it with his words like he does it in everyday action. And you know, he would spend five, six hours after the gym taking care of his body, you know, just being a pro. Um, you know, proper food, how you hydrate. He’s the first one to put me in the hyper chamber, you know, back in, you know, the finals against the Lakers, you know, sleep in the chamber two hours. I used to take my naps in there. So, it was kind of like, you know, he opened my eyes so much as a young player. And then a lot of guys in those positions don’t always have that type of willingness to teach and give back. And so I always respected him for being, you know, the man that he is that he wasn’t insecure about, you know, able to give me my keys or give me my flowers at a young age. And like I said, it’s just it’s very rare. And I know I know he knows that I appreciated that, you know, coming from a person like himself that he could have stayed off to himself. He didn’t have to give me anything. And then when I was wrong, he was the first one to call me like, “Hey, young fella, like you should have handled this away. You need to apologize.” Or when I was right, he was the first one to call say the same thing. So it’s just like I was fortunate to have a guy like that in my career. And I think what you’re talking about vets now Yeah. that that doesn’t happen. Yeah. The league has kind of so so young and just so young five years like huh like 80 to be a vet at least you need at least to be 36 37 like okay I’m a vet now I’m talking to guys 33. I’m like we were talking the other day like um Prisoner Wine’s one of our sponsors like guys are on their second contract before they can even buy it. Like you come you get in the league at 18 and now everything is like when you watch the draft everyone is one and done, right? Like there’s very rarely two year twoear players, threeear players at college unheard of. Yeah. And you’re just so young by the time you’re on your second deal or your third deal you’re 24 25, right? Yeah. So 24 25. So I want you I want you to give us like a like a story that stick out with you either during the draft when you were getting drafted. Oo, I got one. Say less. Go. No, these go drafted. I’m saying. So, uh, for me, I was I was drafted 21st pick, but leading up into the draft, um, right after college, we I think we lost to Connecticut and Tubby and I that particular year, I was I got suspended, he suspended me five games for whatever reason. Wait, he suspended you for five games? I was suspended about Yeah, I lost my starting position. So, wait, I still play. So, suspension then would be from coach or from the league? No, this is college. I’m in Kentucky. Oh, Kentucky. Oh, Kentucky. This is the year I’m thinking I’m actually going to the draft as well. So I’m like, you know, mentally that leading up to the draft was I was kind of mentally messed up because again, I’m thinking I’m supposed to be one pick because my high school class, we had 14 guys come straight out of high school. Wow. I was in the 2004 class. That is a talented class right there. Dwight Howard, Josh, Robert Swift, Sebastian Tips, a lot of a lot of guys. We had a lot of guys that go. So for me going into college, I feel like I was already behind. So I went to college with a mindset of just work work. I didn’t have a great time in college. I didn’t party. I didn’t do anything but besides eat, sleep, and dream basketball cuz I was I feel like I was buying because of my peers. So draft night, you know, I’m on the phone my agent, you know, I don’t go to New York cuz I’m supposed to be a high pick, but I’m not I’m not really getting any any traction with some So you don’t go to the draft? I don’t go to draft. So I have a a party, a little get together in my hometown, Louisville, Kentucky. Um a little spot up the street and it’s the longest wait in my career. In my life, not career, in my life. It’s the two same like I think I was waiting like two and a half hours to get picked on the 21st pick. And the crazy thing is that the 20th pick his name was Ronaldo Balkman. So I hear the R annunciation to the Knicks cuz they told me they were going to pick me as well. So they go Ronaldo Balkman and I’m about to stand up and my heart dropped like damn it’s like and then you don’t know that you’re going next until a couple minutes later my agent was like Phoenix going to pick you and then you’re going to get traded to the Celtics. because thinking if I was with the Phoenix, I go play behind Steve Nash, I might sit for two or three years, not even get opportunity to play. So, you know, I’m thankful that it did work out to where I went to Boston, didn’t play my rookie year as well. And I was funny. I was talking to Jericho the other day and I was telling him, I was like, “Hey, be ready, young fell.” He was like, “Doc told me to be ready last two games.” I was like, “Funny story is he used to tell me that all the time as a rookie.” But the thing about Doc, he would call me in his office before the game and say, “Hey, I’mma play tonight.” And then the fourth quarter comes, I’m looking down at the bench like, “And he don’t play. Still not in.” So, it was kind of the mental warfare as a rookie and, you know, mental warfare. That’s that’s kind of earning my stripes and like, you know, being able to have mental fortitude to kind of fight through with adversity of thinking one thing and not being able to, you know, the outcome that you wanted on top of us. We lost 18 straight that year. Um, so I’m calling my agent like, you know, get me out of here, trade me. I want to this, do that, and this. And my mentor at the time, Doug Bby, and my agent, Bill Duffy, was like, you know, cream rises to the top. So stayed the course, continued to work and then a year later seven players got traded to Minnesota and then you know I’m become I think one of the one of the second youngest point guards behind Magic or you know I think I was 20 years old to win a championship at a young age. You remember when all those transactions went down. What was your like reaction cuz it was like it was obviously pre- Twitter. The crazy No, the crazy thing is I was at home my mom’s house and my name the first day about the trade I was on I was on I was in the rumors I was in the trade rumors. My name was on the TV. Okay. Then Danny called me. He was like you’re not going anywhere. And that’s when you hear this the story that Kevin has been telling for the last 16 years. What was the story? I don’t I don’t know. Was the story? Oh, about how like he was like he called me like uh he didn’t know how to pronounce my name and he saw a highlight. It was a highlight of me playing against the Knicks and I think I had maybe five points from like four seconds. I had a point. Then I got an inbound steel and one layup. And that particular play, he was like uh he told Danny, he was like, “We got to keep the African kid.” You know, he’s like but not knowing like who I was. He he didn’t know my name and he didn’t know how to pronounce my name. So, you know, that’s his little running joke he’s been saying for like it’s everywhere on. So, yeah. So, he, you know, he did that and then like I said, cuz I guess I’m he’s the reason why I stayed in Boston, you know, obviously Danny, I don’t think Danny particularly wanted to keep me up, but Kevin was like he wanted to keep me in Boston and end up being a starting point guard that year. You know, so crazy know you said about Danny A. Tony Allen had this story about him and saying like he would walk by him like, “Hey, how you doing? this Danny and stuff like that. He’s like, “Yeah, I’m just looking for another guy to come take your job.” Yeah. To come take your job. Danny’s my guy to this day. He’s uh one of my favorite guys in basketball. Uh always, again, he’s a great mentor as well and always kept it real. And the crazy thing about DA one time, the best probably the best conversations we ever had, it was was uh game six in the finals, the year we won, and he came up to me before the game, he’s like, “What’s the most important stat tonight for you?” And I was like, “Uh, steals, assist.” He’s like, “No, FGAs.” Cuz Kobe was playing off of me and he was smoking up the game. So that particular game, I think I shot 9 for 21. We end up winning by like 25 or 30 or something that game to get it get it done. But I was like with him giving me that confidence to shoot the ball that particular that game cuz back then as a point guard being on the team with the big three, shoot 21 times, we’re probably not going to go to finals every game. Yes. So he was like, “Tonight shoot the ball.” And I did and you know the rest is history. Man, you you mentioned Tony Allen, but I like put with you between you, KG, Tony Allen. I’m definitely forgetting a few, but like defensively Perk I mean, yeah, obviously Perk in the middle like defensively you mentioned the Pistons earlier. People forget how good you guys Paul Pierce was a great defender too for his even at his side. Like that was a good defensive basketball team. Probably even more so than on the offensive end. Definitely. It starts with Tomato. He was our defensive coordinator. He’s our defensive coach. You know, we we drilled. It was monotonous drills over and over. You know, it was boring, but it was a process and we built it out and we kept believing in it. And what helped us tremendously was our I like Tom was also by the way. I like him as well. K2 was the best communicator I’ve ever played with. And he came he made the game easy for me. Yeah. And everybody else, I’m sure. Just getting through getting through picks, pin downs, being up top the ball without, you know, being able to look left and right. It was kind of like he’s talking to me in my ear like earpiece. Okay, cool. He’s right here. Send the ball to the left and right. It was it was kind of different from the year before uh the young youngs I played with then. Gotcha. Wow. you have. Now, the next one I was going to I want him to tell me a story about him, but I think he said I wanted to say I wanted you to tell me a story that stick out with you during during you guys uh finals run between you uh team and you was like, “Nah, I’ll never forget this in my life, bro.” Like, this is It wasn’t really the run, but this is kind of the run we had after you won it. You know, like we we had a really great time. We we did some some championship trips overseas that I was actually just telling my wife about two three days ago. I don’t think I ever told that story how we were acting over in uh Milan. But uh a time was had and uh like I said that’s that’s an unbreakable bond that you know I’m sure a lot of guys at the end of their time or their life they’ll probably be thinking about the time we had in in Milan. I do time city like might get you this might get you lad. just let you know. But um okay, so now moving forward and now I want to talk about like the new generation, right? And how much you’ve impact that. I had a podcast with Terence Man. Okay. And you won’t even believe what he said to me. He was like, “Bro, I have this like card.” You know, was my teammate. Really? T my teammate, the Clippers. Yeah. So he had told me about this. Yeah. And I he showed me the card, you know, family, everything. So yeah, I I had no idea. And and things like that are some of the most humbling things. You see, he looked up to you. He was like, “Bro,” you know, and then I He always had that card in his wallet. Yeah. Yeah. He took it on the podcast. He took it out in the pocket, bro. I couldn’t believe it. He took out the card. He was like, “You don’t understand. This is my good luck. Like, this is how I been playing my whole my whole life, my whole career.” And I’m like, “Really?” And now he’s like, and I was like, “Oh, it’s signed.” He’s like, “Yeah.” Yeah. Yeah. We were teammates when we both were at the Clippers. Did he tell you the story? Did he tell you? I’ve learned the story, seen the card. You know, he’s he’s my young guy. One of my favorite players, you know, young teammates I’ve ever had. And like I said, I don’t know what it is, but I I love young guys and um you know, they’re willing listeners and the humbleness that it gives me and being able to being able to like talk to them and then able to, you know, be willing listeners, you know, cuz everybody can talk, but everybody doesn’t want to listen and most people, you know, people don’t always have to listen obviously, unless you not a lot of people want to listen. That’s true. It’s um it is very humbling that I’m able to speak to a lot of young guys and that’s what I love even by being on the staff now. Like even last night I was able to see Mobley, Allen, Garland, um Hunter, you know, I played with all those guys and I was always kind of feel like a mentor, a big brother. They might have considered me uncle at that time, but No. You know, speaking of young guys, so Cole Anthony obviously started his career in Orlando. He’s now here in Milwaukee. Big game the other night in Toronto. And now with your position, you being able to see him work with him. What are just kind of your thoughts on what he’s able to bring to this uh to this Bucks lineup? I’m extremely excited for Cole. Um I love it even more because for me my whole life and career I was usually the underdog and you know counted out against even like when we won the championship it was like how do you win with the big three and you got Rondo and Perk you know unexperienced point guard who can’t do this perk can’t do that. So for me that always fueled my fire and I love you know people counting us out counting me out. So for Cole I kind of see the same sense of you know Atlanta didn’t appreciate him where they didn’t want him. They say he can do this say he can do that. So him being in the particular role now with a coach like Doc Rivers a point guard’s dream to be able to have the ball create plays and play with a guy one of the most dominant guys ever played game in Yiannis Anthonyo I mean the sky’s is the limit I think he is the most underrated passer in our game and I think if he taps into that more and I think you know that’s why Doc brought me along as well just kind of helped me uh echo to him as well as well but uh he can he can change the game and to have a talent like him just imagine Cole and Jiannis picking role. I mean, it’s how do you guard it? You know, now you got to start defense has to start to figure out how do you guard that particular play and if he can buy into the role that Doc and the staff wants him to play in this particular game and doesn’t necessarily have to score, you know, as he was in Orlando, if he can be like more of a traditional point guard, you know, which is not rare, which is rare now, but I’m not going to say like myself because I wasn’t the scorer that Cole is or Cole can become that Cole has proven to be. You did touch the paint though, bro. I don’t like this is the crazy part like the way you was being aggressive. Even though you might you you might say you at the time you didn’t take as many shots as you would want to because of the other three guys but you was first of all one NBA player and second of all like the way you play the way you touch the paint that’s all you got to do to be able to create because there guys who I guarantee you can put the ball in the basket but cannot touch the paint so that makes them ineffective because if I if I close you out and I don’t let you shoot you’re you’re not effective do anything else but no but Co I’m excited to work with him this year um you know hopefully He feels better. I texted him the early day. He said he’s feeling better. So, uh, I’m excited to see him play. I’ve been excited ever since day one in camp watching him play. The pass, uh, he’s going to be special. Then I think he’s going to make the game easier for his brother. I mean, that’s that’s what it’s all about. That’s what I like hearing you say that cuz when he was interviewed, it might have been a media day or something. He was asked about teaming up with Giannis and I think he said like it has the potential to be legendary and of course the internet does what the internet does and Yeah. But they, this is the thing. It’s a real thing. It’s a real thing and then my skill sets fit. This is the thing about any podcast and social media and stuff like that. It doesn’t matter what they think. It matters what you’re willing to do and if you see the vision, you know, people be like, “Oh my god, look, they’re so lucky they got Cole and look what he’s doing and wow, he’s so lucky he turned out this way.” How is he luck if we really thought about that this way? How is he really luck? We knew this was going to happen. We knew like this is what what we wanted from him. Yeah, no knock to any I’m not, you know, I don’t have the every teammate he’s played for is points, but like Cole I think could be one of Giannis best passing teammates he’s ever played with. No, sure. The way he touches the paint, then the way he like Yeah. I mean, but I mean the passes he make like said this the loft on the ball, the trajectory of how he’s getting to him. It’s like even I told I was joking. I told you I think Giannis hasn’t had a rim run pass maybe in a couple years since he’s been here. And the other night I think Cole delivers one right on the money. It’s like that’s what I used to do with my guys. Like get you an easy bucket. You don’t have to work as hard. You don’t have to you don’t have to euro roll. You don’t have to elbow anybody. You don’t have to get off the floor. Just run to your spot. I’ll get it right to you and make it easy for you. Lay it up. I I just thought about a question before. This is the question I didn’t ask. When because we said that something about the big three of Boston, which was Paul, AG, Ray, and Ariel, we call them Arian just because he plays Milwaukee. um when that was broke like when that was like you know like broken up and you know he like what what was the feeling like like how how um it’s it’s it’s a different feeling because obviously everybody’s different but like well I would say it at first I think it felt like betrayal because of um the team he went to you know it was kind of like okay we’re at we’re at war with you know the opposite team the ops and then you go join that team the following year you month not even 3 months later and then now you’re fighting against us. That’s where I think the disconnect became and then the tension. But for me personally, um you know, the big three were the big three and I was 21 22 years old at the time. They were 30. So we had a lot of things in common, but at the end then again we didn’t, you know, we had we did a lot of great team activities together. We we host a Halloween parties. We did Christmas, birthday, we all separated and we all I mean not separate. We all showed up and showed up for one another. When Ray left, I think it more so affected the big three because again, it was the big three. It wasn’t the big three and the other guys. It was the big three. They had their group and then our age group was different. They would go drink wine, smoke cigars. Young guys, we were just out in the club partying, going to, you know, going to he’s going to the mall still. We land in certain cities. So, it was like we we were different. We were different parts of our life and um I think people thought it was just all like one big, you know, blow up when it did happen. It’s like, okay, he chose to go to Miami and it was just more he’s the enemy now. And that’s that was just a mindset of just being a competitor that we are like okay he’s not with us then you know did that change your game game plan at all change like obviously when the player leaves you got to change your game a little bit the the way but people don’t notice like so great thing I think that Ray had gotten hurt and then Avery Bradley stepped in and when Avery step Bradley stepped into the lineup I think it was me Avery Paul perk and Kevin and then analytics the numbers we had the most craziest defensive Braden on the floor and you know you get stopped offense becomes easier. Yes. So when Ray came back from injury, we had a meeting and guys still wanted to start Avery instead of Ray coming back and starting and then obviously as a guy like himself first Hall of Famer for Battle Hall of Famer. It was hard for him I think to grab I need I’m supposed to come off the bench now. So I think that was more of a disconnect and then that’s probably why he probably chose another team to go around because I don’t think he we have value as as what he wanted to be valued as still at that particular age and that’s just you know how the game goes you know he got hurt young boy stepped up and that’s when you see Avery Barley you know playing tenacious defense on Dwayne Wade and you know diving on the floor and he was picking a guard damn near every other game like full court picking his pocket nobody was like playing and the way he played V so it’s a lot of too. But like I said, for the most part, you know, that’s my guy. We actually had a good conversation at the Emmers Cup last year. Okay. Um really like Yeah. And like everybody’s trying to blow it up like we Ray and I or just enemies. It’s like it’s it’s not that deep. It’s always basketball day. But so being in Milwaukee when he he was here, you know, until like 2002 or whatever, you’d hear stories as fans. It’s like Ray would get to the arena early, shoot with the lights off. Yeah. Routine like that is out that I mean he was my vet. So in Boston he did the same thing and I would come early in watch how he worked. Uh I would come in at night Ray would be up top on the treadmill or be in the gym working. So it’s like I try to pull from all those guys all my vets you know Keon Doulan um you know Wally Zervak. I mean I play with a lot of great in Boston that particular time at a young age and just took as many notes as possible. To me I feel like the era has changed so much between like like that was a real thing. Mhm. You know, I feel like nowadays they’re just trying to create things from thin air. Like they be like, “Oh, they reaching now.” Right. I feel like now they’re reaching for like clicks. Yeah. They’re kind of like, “Oh, he doesn’t like each other.” Blah, blah, blah. Like, you know what I mean? Like that was totally different. That’s literally people just go out their way saying like, “No, I don’t like this guy.” But now, like, guys don’t even say that no more because it’s it’s different. But guys who are uh very competitive, they stand out. You see them stand out. last year and you might have been part of the part of the team for this when Luca went off against the Bucks in the first half. You were talking to him courtside. Oh yeah. And everyone was like TA is talking [ __ ] to Luca. They hate each other. Blah blah blah. Like legitimately the complete opposite of the conversation after I was 16 years old by the way. But the no the pro that’s what I’m exactly what I’m trying to say. Like they just try to create things out of thin air which is good for the media, good for the sport. People watch it. People will get more excited like get riled up. But I’m saying like that era this this was the thing like going from because that’s what it is like you’re going to the opposite team we were trying to beat them they they had the step away keeping us away from winning a championship which is our goal right and you go to them same thing same like this now Miles came you know came with the Bucks and it’s great uh this is what the concern was going to like how do you feel about that now Miles being in the team obviously I’m very excited you know it’s like I’m very very excited we’re empty on the team yes see to me it’s not the same because like we had history with the Heat in a sense. I know think the Bucks Pat have played last two years. No, no, that it’s not even close. Of course, I’m saying like now you him coming from a you know quote unquote another team and play twice in a row. But for him and his situation different because the financial stability too. It’s like he he just came and got a bag. They didn’t want to pay him. I’ll be honest with you. That’s that’s what I know. Well, Milwaukee didn’t. No. Oh, Indiana didn’t. I’m assuming so numbers are out there now. They’ve been reported. Yeah. They didn’t want to pay. I I don’t I I’m only speaking out. This is what I’ve heard. Like the Celtics offered more than what Miami offered. So it’s you know it wasn’t about the money. Oh, so Celtics offer more than what Miami offer. Steph was offered more than what Miami offered. I think Steph was offered a two-year deal. I think he got a one year deal with Miami and it was half of it. So it’s like uh it it wasn’t the money. It was just a matter of I think as the respect error. I just won a championship with y’all. Yeah. You just Yeah. So it’s like you got No, you won a championship and you got paid more and you still go to the ops. So it’s like the ops that that’s just this this juggernaut there. Two teams that always been going each other the last one one of those teams is going all three. So ain’t no other way. And then you know his fans he picked the right team they end up winning championship. True. Because of him and he hit a big shot. So yeah I mean hey he true. So Miles comes to the Bucks obviously like the Bucks the last couple years. Not bad blood but the competitive nature right? You know you go back and forth with some but sometimes you end up on a team with somebody that you may have bad blood with or have a history with. Do you ever uh run any situations like that? Absolutely. Dwayne Dwayne Wade. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Great. Great segue question. How How was that? Did you But you you guys We had actually We had actually a conversation before he signed with the Bulls. Really? We did. Yeah, we did. Did you Who initiated that? I believe I think he reached out or something. It was like we cool you know and uh basketball. No, but he had disced my elbow. So that was different. That was that was when you know they just laid him elbow and then everybody was on the internet was going crazy saying he did it on purpose and so it was it was like I said it was different like Indiana bucks nobody nobody’s been thrown out or but it was cool though after like you like said it’s no yeah we cool great teammate um you know a lot of respect for his career what he’s done for the game and like I said for me as as a playing with a guy like himself I want to make the game easy for him like at this age young fella big fella Rond co I want to say uh Rondo. Coach Rondo is is the point guard to have bro in any era. I’m telling you right now in any give me give me your you know what you know what give me your Mount Rushmore of point guards bro. Oh point guards. Yes. Just so you know when we do this on this show a filibuster so you can think of this. Uh we’ve never actually Just give me a mount rush. It it can be it can be 12. It doesn’t matter. Just give me your like the people you I really appreciate that really appreciate the point guard. Um, Pistol Pete. Pistol Pete. Pistol Pete. Obviously, Magic Matter of Um, Magic Johnson. Um, I love Rod Strickland’s game. Um, Steve Nash, respected it always. Jay Kid, I mean nowadays, I like, you know, Hallebertton’s game. Hallebertton. Yeah. the way he’s I mean the way he manipulated us last year in the playoffs. I mean I I like I didn’t want to respect it but he made me respect it. Yeah. And I said I appreciate his game how he was able to do it at a high level. I you know what the the thing I think he has a very underrated is the first of all his pace like people would think he he moves awkwardly but not that’s his pace. It’s not awkward. It’s his pace. It’s like he’s losing the ball every time he dribbles but he’s really not losing it. He’s just trying to get you out of your position and shooting. Okay, shooting is shooting. Like a lot of point got to shoot, but the the ability to penetrate, put get people involved, that’s that’s the that’s the magic. Touch the paint, get people involved. Chris Paul was a great manipulator for a long time of manipulating the game, you know, especially how he’s able to dominate the bigs in the switch. But, um, I mean, there’s a lot of greats that obviously played the game. I don’t think there’s a lot of greats now that’s playing the game. And I always joke and say even kind of when I my era still was like it’s more scoring guards by the way. If you threw if you if the coach got thrown out and the only the point guard I could run the show how many teams would have success? Not a lot. In your in your era not that many but nowadays even fewer cuz like in your era you I love that you just throw that like if the coach is out you think of Nash, Chris Pauler and you like right Nash can run around the show. Chris Paul can run the show. Ronda can run the show. Like when I say legit, they’re on the show. Like he can literally make the subs. That’s what I mean. Know who needs a shot, you know, who hasn’t had a shot, who’s who’s guarding who. Switch the defense up after free throw timeout. I mean, it’s it’s so many layers to teaching the game and I was I don’t want to say what it is, but I was um watching film with Ryan Rollins last night on the court. I mean on the plane last night coming back and um I I found myself telling him like you have to talk every possession. You have to. It’s like this is what the and KG always taught me when he used to condition and run in the summertime, he would sing on the beach because he would practice talking while he’s tired. And a lot of guys either one don’t don’t talk because they’re not in condition to tire to talk or they don’t know what the hell to say. That’s why a lot of people are quiet on the court. So, as a coach now in this role, it’s like we talked about it’s like my job as a coach is to get you to understand what you need to say despite trying to teach Ryan last night like the things to say because again, most players right now don’t know what the hell to say. So, they don’t say anything and then you’re on the court and it’s mute and now the pickle happens and then now it’s too late and then now you’re able to manipulate this offense kind of how Hallebertton did last year to us and it’s too late. So, if we be we can be the smartest players on the court most nights we’ll give oursel a chance to win because of just our intellect. T point guards are in good hands. Very good hands. Like this is for Bucks fans watching this like especially because with KPJ, Cole Anthony, Ryan, even Mark Sears, too. Obviously, he had to get some burn because of injuries, but like people are excited about him. Like it’s a good guy to learn from. And there’s no egos. And that’s what I love about this group. It’s like um you know, they’re willing listeners, you know? When teams like this win, I don’t care how you how you put it on. like teams who care about each other one teams who are selfless because you got to understand there’s two agendas to this is the team’s agenda which is to win no co trust me no coach wants to lose a game for sure if he believes you can he can play win he’s going to play you no coach wants to lose the game and then the other agenda is the player’s agenda that what it is regards of playing not playing I have to get better this season one and I have to be ready so you have to be able to understand this be calm and collected and and and execute. Yeah. And execute. There is an agenda. There there’s no hiding it. Of course, everybody wants to get better and and but they have to do that regardless of playing, not playing. They have to. Right. Right. And the other thing is the team’s agenda. It’s about winning. We have to win games. I don’t care. That’s it. I do not care. We have to win. We got to win hot seat. Darren Williams from your era, too. I was thinking I was forgetting somebody Harris. Yep. Yeah. I mean, there was a lot of Mo Williams. A lot of guys were again those are the guys a lot of guys were in front of me making all stars before I got you know like that that you know like when he says talk you know and especially even if you have Giannis or Jokic or uh even Shay even anybody and you’re a point guard point guard you literally even if they’re not in the right spot you have to put the other guy in the right spot like hey come to the 45 come to the 45 we watching at the coaching meeting day and I’m co coaches are saying a couple different things I’m like but coach the difference is I think when you’re on the court and everyone doesn’t know you have you need somebody on the court that’s that’s able to manipulate the defense to where if you see a mismatch go you know automatically go like it can’t be just I’m programmed I’m checking the shooter but I see Rond’s on on Evan Moy do I go do I not go it’s it’s not a thought it’s like so now automatic yeah the players need to know and understand what they need to do I’m excited to see Brunson against you guys in a couple nights because the way he talks it seems like he’s always like very active almost to the point of where he can like run up to a player just point him in Right. Literally, he does. He does. He He just scores so much though. He just scores. I’m going to look for that. I’m not I’m not sure. We We going to look for that. But But he’s just more of a scor. I’m not going to lie to you because if if you think about it, he does say like, “Hey, not you cat.” Like I’ve seen that him to get his own. He said it. He said it. One of you guys the experts looking at you. No, he’s trying to get out of the way so I can get out to the two. But he I’ll be honest with you, he’s the legit point guard than other guys because we’re not going to put obviously when I put in Luca and those guys obviously these guys are hid hybrids. When I talk about Steph Kerry like Steph Car, you know, like he’s a hybrid, man. He’s not of course he he plays maybe like a PG and the point position, but this guy’s coming off screen shooting. So it’s not the the point that we’re talking about. Uh no, but if we’re talking about the greatest minds of the game, I got to put stuff up there. 100%. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he’s able to manipulate it so many different ways. You know, it’s fun to watch. Like you cannot say Dame Land is not a point guard. He’s a point guard. He’s just not a point guard. Uh this is different. Yeah. Traditional. It’s different. Yeah. In the game once more, I guess now those type of point guards, the Tyres Maxis, the guys that these point guards now like the Damen Lillard of the world, the the the Tyis Maxi, the the point guards who can like just go and get it. Those are the point as you said before if they run the show if they’re going to be successful. I don’t know if you know not only necessarily if they’re going to be successful the goal is that they going to put the ball in the basket. So now like you have a chance and now guards are hybrids too but obviously bigs are also hybrids like KG when you when he came out he’s 6’11 and can do what like and he was shooting threes and now it’s you’re 611 and you’re not shooting threes yet you’re not going to last in the league. Shoot. Do you have uh and then obviously know you know we how how long have we been going for? 20 30 minutes. Uh a little bit over. Yeah. Oh, okay. Over. Okay. So, I I’ll have one last one and then and then we’ll kind of come towards the end of the show. Uh which which locker room is you’ve had the most fun at from all the teams you played? That’s a really really great question. Um but I’ve I’ve been so fortunate to play in a lot of different locker rooms. the Celtic locker room was was fun. A lot of lot of fun times. I was young. I was single. I was, you know, the point guard of the Celtics. Like, yeah, it sounds like a good time. Fresh into the game. And I was able to, you know, like I said, back in the day, like I said, we would go to different cities. We would go outside, you know, we would go walk, we would go to the mall, we would go to dinner. and playing with the big three, like I said, they, you know, they they changed my life as well with, you know, all the experience and exposure that we’re able to have on the road trips and favorite cities like Toronto, uh, you know, New York, Miami, LA, team dinners. Yes. You know, private rooms. So, it’s kind of like, you know, they showed us the ropes on how to do it. So, that was great times. And then obviously fast forwarded to when I was a lot older and I had, you know, more money to do certain things I really wanted to do. Um, that was great experiences with, you know, the teams like the Lakers. uh even living in uh the triangle in Chicago when it was a great time for me just being able to walk outside and because you know in NBA you don’t you don’t get a chance to kind of do normal things and for me in Chicago I was able to I really took literally took walks damn near every night but we should I should first of all you should come to Greece one have you ever been to Greece I just went to Greece um uh with my wife on our one year anniversary really yes oh my goodness was it good you like it one of the best times of my life I I mean, we we party like four straight nights. And yeah, that’s something about Greece. That sounds like Greece. I love about Greece cuz like it kind of reminds me of in the sense of like Miami, like we would take a my wife and I would take naps from like 10 to 12:00 a.m. and then we would get up at 1:30, get dressed, and go out and stay out to 6:30 in the morning. I mean, crazy. 8:30 in the morning. It was It was never a time we came in where the sun wasn’t, you know, wasn’t coming. Everybody speaks English. Everybody’s polite. And it’s cheap, too. It’s not expensive. Like, you could really have a ball. Where’ you guys go? Athens or or islands. Mkos. Of course you did. Mos. But let me you let me know where to go now next time. I mean it’s just name drop him. Yeah. Migos. Paros. Umini to kind of chill. But then Athens. You going to come to and Saloni. You come to the Saloni. You come there. This is going to trust me you’re going to you’re going to enjoy. Okay. Encrit and crit is very like you’re going to like those five six places but then you need at least like two and a half weeks. But I am telling you, you will you will want to get an apartment after this. You’ll be like, “No, I want to I want a place here.” I do I do want to get a place overseas somewhere. Um you should whenever you want. Actually, you don’t even need to. Just let me know whenever you want to disappear. No, I got you. I’m never even joking. All right. I appreciate that. Whenever you want to like disappear like, “Hey, I want to we got you.” All right. Cool. Um you know, this is the worst part of this of the show coming to the end of the show. Uh man, you don’t understand how much how much I appreciate you coming for the show and doing this and for and not only for me and and the fam, but like you know people who are watching and listening like they really want to hear from you know like you know what’s new, what have you been doing, you know, not just see you show up in Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, in a in a TV broadcast, you know, it’s such such a blessing to have you and uh not only that, but I do think, you know, just sitting with you a little bit because we talked last year as well. I wasn’t with the team last year, just being me being hurt, but like I was so glad like the team had somebody like close like that as being a player and kind of could see things in a different eye and Kennedy lit and it was like exactly was going through a player’s mind. Yeah. Yeah. That’s why like I had a guy like Sam Cassell in my career that did the same thing. Tyron Lou did the same thing. So I understand like that kind of bridge between the players and coaches to like make sure we’re all in one accord and like I said everything is is for the up and up and everybody is going in one direction and we’re all trying to accomplish the same goal. Yes sir. Yes sir. Tony, do you have anything else to say? I don’t know. I think that’s it. I think that wraps it up. Wraps it up. Please, please, please uh go and follow uh Coach Rajan Rondo on all his social name right too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, Twitter X, I don’t know what it’s called. Not anymore. Instagram, uh, whatever you get, you know, socials. Please, when this episode comes out, go spam his account like oh analysis and stuff like that. Uh, please, please don’t forget to like, share, subscribe to the show. Uh, you guys are the moving angel of the show. This show has been amazing. It’s like really been something different this year, man. Taking over this season. It’s amazing. Thank you guys so much. Uh you know and for people who are listening you can get our podcast whatever on every platform right everywhere if you can download it or there’s a anywhere just anyway wherever you get your podcast from we’re available on every platform. Thank you guys so much. analysis out. [Music]

Rajon Rondo is an NBA Champion, who played with legendary teammates. Now, he’s learning the coaching ranks. The former NBA All-Star sits down with Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Tony Cartagena on Gruber Law Office’s Thanalysis.

The trio discusses Rondo’s new role coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks, mentoring Ryan Rollins and Cole Anthony, and reflecting back on his career with the Boston Celtics.

Timestamps:
01:30 – Introducing NBA Champion Rajon Rondo
06:00 – AAU Coach Rondo
12:00 – Dealing with Failure
17:30 – Point Guard is an extension of the Head Coach
26:00 – Rondo’s epic playoff series
36:00 – Kevin Garnett Trade Story
42:00 – Cole Anthony
48:00 – Ray Allen was Rondo’s Veteran
53:00 – Mt. Rushmore of Point Guards
56:00 – Job as a Coach
01:01:00 – Favorite Locker Room

Thanalysis is also presented by The Prisoner Wine Company, Potawatomi Casino Hotel and McDonald’s.

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Listen to the FULL podcast here:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thanalysisshow/

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