Darius Garland on Cavaliers NBA title chase, Donovan Mitchell, D-Rose influence | Draymond & Baron

To be completely honest, bro, I'm gonna really say this summer. We really, really got locked in on what we really wanna do and what we wanna accomplish. And yeah, it was like a grown man conversation. Just really sat down and just unfolded everything.

What's up everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show with my dog, my brother BD. What's happening, bro?

What's up everybody? What's going on?

Just chilling, brother. Before we get into this special episode, please subscribe subscribe to The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis so you don't miss any episodes.

That's right, follow the show on all social media platforms. That's @DraymondShow so you don't miss none of our great announcements. I do want to say something. We wanted to reach out from the show and send our heartfelt message to everybody in LA, uh, going through the fires, uh, you know, first-line defenders, people losing their homes, People getting sick from the smoke, being displaced. Our heart goes out. Being from LA and Jay living in LA, we know the importance of community, the importance of togetherness. So on our behalf, we're going to be dropping some links, different organizations that you can donate to, that you can volunteer, and hit us up.

Thank you.

Whatever we can do to help, whatever you can do to help, we want to bring LA back. And our goal is to unify LA. We've been through a lot. We've always been through stuff, but we always come out on top. So shout out to the whole fire department, first responders, the city, the volunteers. We just wanted to show you a lot of love and appreciation in these times.

We most definitely appreciate y'all, and also all the fire departments that came from outside to help fight those fires. Couldn't imagine being there. You know, I know the stress that I've dealt with over the last week and a half of just wondering and worrying that our home will be okay, you know? And—

Right.

Just to know like, but people being in that every single day, actually getting displaced from the home that they live in on a daily basis.

Yeah.

You know, being taken out, kids being taken outta school. The reality is some of those kids being taken outta school, some of those parents still have to work, you know?

Yeah.

And so, you know, just with all the stuff going on. So we definitely send our love to the whole city of LA, everybody affected, all of those helping and, you know, doing all that you can in your power. Can't thank you all enough, but, We gonna get into the show. BD, I'm not sure why you got the— is that the Elwood hoodie?

I think so.

Man, GP put me on this brand. I think they based outta LA. It's called Elwood.

Oh! Let me check. Oh, you talking about my new shade, bro? Yes, sir.

Bart O'Neal is gone. What happened to Bart O'Neal? Bart O'Neal had the dreads. What? This man just gone.

I transformed Bart O'Neal to a true animation. I cut the dreads off.

This man just showed up with a bald—

Hey man, you know, it's All-Star Weekend coming up. You know, I got about, what'd I say, about 9, 10 months to get ready for training camp. You know what I'm saying? So, hey man, I had to cut the dreads off. They was holding me back. I was missing shots and shit. So I said, off with the hair.

You trying to go back to BD with the Hornets?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I show up in training camp, I'm outta headband, everything, the baggy shorts.

Ah, this man just popped up on TV with a baldie.

Come on, man, you know, I had to switch him up. I had to look more professional. You know, we gotta look more professional. They handing out these Amazon, MTV, NBC, Netflix deals. I'm like, okay, let me— Is it the hair?

All right, let's see if it's there, 'cause I know I could talk the talk.

Yeah, I know. Is it the hair? Is the hair on me? Y'all scared of the judge? This shit ain't real.

Did you shave? So did you shave your hair with a razor or clippers?

Nah, what happened, bro, was the barber, he gave me a good cut, but my hairline, I had a Stephen A. And so my kids kept calling me Stephen A. And so I went back to the barber and I was like, hey bro, I cannot be called Stephen A. Nowhere in LA. And my kids was doing this, bro. They was on the FaceTime, them and all they friends. They was like, Stephen A, my daddy got a Stephen A. So I told the barber, I said, bro, take me all the way down. Take me home, baby. Take me home.

So are you saying Stephen A need to come on home too?

Man, Stephen A, that's his moniker, that's his logo. If you had a silhouette, if he was a silhouette, you would know that. You would know that's Stephen A, you feel me? Like, that's how I pretty much, you know, think about it. If he was a silhouette, you could look at the silhouette and say, "Oh, that's Stephen A.

Smith." So he could never go bald?

Nah, he gotta keep that. Yeah, he got it. He gotta keep that. You know, it's like when you go to the Lowrider shows and they got the trunk, like, Well, I hope it's so you can see the motor. Oh man.

Oh my God.

I could have had a low rider. I could have had the trunk open. I said, man, I'll just cut him off. I can't be Steven Ailey.

I'm just going to go ahead and go home, man.

Kudos to you, Draymond Green. Take me home. Take me home.

Man, we gonna get into today's guest.

Oh man, let's get it.

Today's guest, uh, an all-star point guard, and I say that with all pun intended, and we will get into that. Nonetheless, he's averaging 21 and 7, shooting nearly 50% from the field. He's very close to the 50-40-90 club right now, and the 21 points on 50% from the field at that size, Says a lot. So we gonna get into this. Nonetheless, he is a 2022 NBA All-Star. And like I said, he gotta get another one this year. One of the best guards in the league that I play in. Nonetheless, he been on the pod. This rundown that I saw, it say a friend of the pod, but he ain't no friend of no goddamn pod. That's just my young dog right there. DJ the PG. What's happening?

What's good with you? What's good? Appreciate y'all for having me, man.

Appreciate you, man. You staring down the possibility of joining the exclusive 50-40-90 club this season. I know you're a team-first guy, but how important is it for a point guard to be in this club, especially in the season you having?

Man, it's cool. I mean, I think it's like 8 guys in the NBA history that has actually done it. And actually completed for an entire season, which is pretty tough to do. But I mean, it's cool just having the stats and like a great field goal percentage. Like Draymond said, like at my size, it's pretty hard. So I mean, it's cool just being up there with some of those guys. I haven't been completed yet for an entire season, so I'm not going to— I'm not going to like jump into it. But I mean, it's cool just being recognized like that. It's cool to have some stats like that for sure.

you walk into the game, right? It's not like you saying I'm 50-40-90. You hitting those marks. You walking in the game like, what is that? What does that feel, right? Because, because you had a high clip right now.

That's great.

Like, what is that confidence? What's that feel, bro? It's gotta be a feel, right?

Yeah, um, I mean, just going in with confidence, bro. Um, just trying to play the right way. Be aggressive when I can, but just trying to take the right shots, playing the system a little bit, you know, but just trying to be aggressive at all times. Trying to get in the paint as much as possible. And then with the lob threats that we got, I mean, everybody going back to their man, they 5 man. 5s don't never want their bigs to score ever. That's a fact. Draymond Green is going right now. I'm getting some easy layups, so That's why the field goal percentage is so high. I'm getting looks from the 3-point line. Our bigs send some really good screens for me to come off and get some open looks. And then my teammates set me up so well. So, and then the free throw percentage, I mean, that's just focus and concentration. So not too much to say about free throws.

I be pretty focused and concentrated when I'm going to the free throw line. My shit not like that. It's crazy. Don't tell me it's just focus and concentration.

That's not true.

That's just simply not true. You just made that sound less difficult than what I see.

What's difficult now?

No, I'm talking about one thing you said in specific, which is specifically, which is you said, "Bigs don't want their, their centers don't want their men to score, so I'm getting easy layups." I disagree with that. I agree that centers don't like their men to score, but I think you do such an incredible job of keeping, like, what we're taught as bigs is to cat and mouse. Like, never give up. Like, if you're gonna fully commit to the guard, never give up if you're completely taking the big away when you're in that 2-on-1 situation. And you do it just about as well as anyone where you will literally pass the ball at the very last second. Like, if you get all the way to the rim and you about to lay the ball up, and finally I go because I have to go at that point, you do as good a job as anyone of them making that drop-off pass after you get that guy to commit at the last second. And that's such an incredible skill. So I, I, I have to disagree with you there, uh, where you say I'm getting easy layups because I got live threats, because I, I, I get a lot of guys with live threats in that situation and they can't finish, like, and so they can't finish that layup, don't know when to take that layup. And if they drop that ball off, you better believe it, I'm going to steal it and go the other way. And you do it as as anyone in this league. So I just wanted to throw that out there while you make it sound so easy. But moving on, I love that you called this your revenge season because I know the player that you are. And last couple years you haven't quite been the DG that I know. And that's due to some injury, right? Like you bring Donovan Mitchell in, That takes some time to get used to. Everybody think it's just gonna happen the next day. That don't happen like that, right? Like, and so there's things that were happening that I think could have caused it. Nonetheless, I want to ask you, what—

what—

for what reason did you feel that you needed a revenge season?

A lot of people doubted me last year, bro. Like you said, I was going through a lot of injuries, broken jaw. A lot of family stuff that I was dealing with. But I mean, most importantly, the jaw was detrimental to me, to be honest with you, bro. I mean, I lost 15 pounds. I'm eating out of a straw. I'm trying to literally just blend anything up I can find in the house just to try to get some nutrients in my body. And I mean, that's what it was, bro. Like, I'm in the second round of playoffs playing against the— Draymond Green. Boston Celtics that won the Finals, I'm down 15 pounds. I haven't been that little since high school. So I'm playing at the highest level and the most intense basketball of my career and I'm not even fully healthy. Like I'm just going out there. I just really rushed it, just trying to get back out there with the guys and play the game that I love for real. So yeah, this is, I knew coming to that summer, the next summer, Like I really had to really lock in on my body, really lock in in the gym. And that was my whole mindset. Like I'm coming to get what I deserve and what I had. Like I want all that back. I want the All-Stars back. I want to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals that we really want to get to. I wanna get back to playoffs and—

Yeah.

Have like a, like a good little jumpstart for it, you know? So, I mean, that was just like a big thing for me last year. And going into that summer was just, it's my time to get what I deserve. And I mean, I just had that confidence in me ever since the injury, just to go in and have that mindset like, let's go get it.

I see a different look, a different fire, a different confidence, and a different poise. You know, I also read that you got a list. I love the fact that you got a list, you feel me? You have to have a list when you a PG. Can you talk about this list? And, uh, if you want to give me like 3 or 4 names off the list— I heard you check some off, you know, I'm just here as a witness, you know, to say yeah.

No, um, Yeah, the list was just, I mean, you know, y'all know this league is really guard heavy. So it's a lot of great guards in this league and I wanted to be mentioned as one of the top guards in this league 'cause I really feel like I'm one of those guys. And I mean, just this summer, I'm just thinking about all the guards that I had to go through to get back to this All-Star level. Even get an All-Star nod. And it's a couple people on the list that I got at this year so far. Uh, we 40 games in, we got a whole another second part of the season, but I'm not gonna name no names though, BD. I'm sorry, bro.

That's okay. I can guess. I can guess.

But, uh, yeah, I, I just want to play with that confidence, bro. It's not about like just knocking nobody off or anything like that, but I wanna be seen as one of the best guards in this league. And that's been my mission. That's been my goal since I was a youngin'. I wanted best to play at this position. So yeah, just having that confidence in me, bro. Going out there and playing with confidence and having that swagger that I've always had and having the trust in my teammates and my coaching staff that I can go out there and do it on a nightly basis.

But to have that list is like a chip though.

Yeah.

You put some chips on your shoulders. For me, I remember it was Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups. 'Cause each one was like a different level. You know, it was almost like a video game and I wanna go 2-0 against him, 4-0 against him. You know, I like that you got them chips when you put them names, you know, on the board. It's like you really got, you really got a issue, right? It's not friendly basketball no more with other point guards. Exactly.

And that's that competition level, man. Just having a chip on my shoulder and just going out there and competing at a high level, especially against those guards. But on a nightly basis, it's always a different guard that's gonna give you something different every night. So I mean, you still gotta go at them the same way you're going at the guys that you got on your list. So it's on a night-to-night basis. Every guard in this league is really good at something that they do. And I was just trying to go at them and attack them as much as I can.

You spoke about eating out of a straw. Word on the streets is that you starting to step into your grown man weight now. You to put on 25 pounds. Like, do you feel the difference in the weight helping you? Like, getting in that weight room, getting stronger, are you feeling that difference? Like, because I think that part is a part of the confidence as well.

No, for sure, that's definitely part of the confidence. Uh, yeah, I've been in the weight room consistently this year, which is totally different. This is like my first year actually being in there consistently. Um, and then the weight that I put on, that helped tremendously. So I'm just trying to keep that weight on, bro. Yeah, I'm getting into bodies a little bit, bumping a little bit, and my chest a little bit more on the defensive end. So I could definitely tell a difference just getting through screens, actually like making the first blow instead of taking it first, you know? Keep me off my heels. But yeah, I'm getting a little bit more physical in the trenches, you know what I'm saying?

I see in your defensive mentality that you're stronger. You're looking to guard more than I've ever seen you look to guard. And it's like on a possession to possession basis. At times it's you turning around everybody like, "Hey man, we need to get a stop." And you sitting down. And what that brings to a team for a point guard to be doing that like yourself, it give your guys behind a whole nother set of confidence. But not even the confidence, it gives them a whole nother sense of responsibility. And you know, for y'all to have a Jared Allen and an Evan Mobley, you know, who are two defensive stars in their own right, but to see our point guard turn around and give us that sense of responsibility, that's a totally different thing. You know what I'm saying? And I see that. And I think that is due to you putting that weight on. It's like, nah, I can take the bump, you know, and still be there. And that comes with a different bravado. Yeah.

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, like me just turning around, talking to them, like I'm the head of the snake. Like I'm the person on the ball. So I gotta be the one that's sitting down, pulling up my shorts and try to not let him get in our paint. Even though we do have two 7-footers down there that's all defensive caliber type of guys, which helps a lot for sure. Just being in the weight room, bro, I'm actually taking a lot more challenges. And I owe that to Kenny. Kenny Atkinson, man, he's letting me know, you're gonna guard this year. Like, we switching 1 through 3, 1 through 4. You gonna have to guard bigger guys. And that's motivated me a little bit more to get more in the weight room so I can guard small 4s that's trying to post me up and try to back me down like they did in my earlier years. So yeah, it's like BD says, it's a chip on my shoulder, bro. Yeah. I'm not trying to let nobody just score on me whenever they can or just blow by me and challenge our other bigs so we can get in rotations and stuff like that. So yeah, just trying to put my shorts up and move my puppies a little bit more.

That part. That's what's up. Man, you and Donovan Mitchell, y'all look great this year together after 3 seasons. You know, it look like y'all finally finding y'all groove. I remember playing with David Wesley You know, and when you're, you know, it's like almost similar size backcourt, right? It take you a little bit of time to figure out like, okay, he a point guard too, used to having the ball in his hand. You know, I'm a point guard, this is what I really wanna do. Like when did y'all really, like what was it a play or when did y'all really feel like y'all was locked in? You know, as teammates? And when did you feel like, okay, I'm the point guard, you the 2, but I understand, you know, how you flowing?

To be completely honest, bro, I'm gonna really say this summer. Really, really got locked in on what we really want to do and what we want to accomplish. He knew that I was pretty upset about last year and not having the performance that I wanted and what he wanted. And as like a team perspective.

Wow.

Yeah. We just sat down and talked and we just really explained to each other like, this is what we gonna have to do to win. This is what we gonna have to do to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and to the Finals. And yeah, it was like a grown man conversation. Just really sat down and just unfolded everything. That's like probably like the first grown man conversation I had in the league so far.

Wow.

It was like, yeah, it was like a lot of release off my shoulders and I knew it was a lot of release off his as well. 'Cause I know the tandem can work perfectly. He's a scoring guard and I like to play make. And then coming to this year, he's used to averaging 30 and high 20s, but now this year his minutes are down low. And he's not averaging 25, he's averaging like 23, 24, and we the number one team in the league.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Like he just realized what the talent that he had around him and he's just letting me facilitate and he's just playing off me a lot more as well. Just trying to get him open shots and open looks. 'Cause everybody's gonna hound him on the offensive end 'cause he's Donovan Mitchell right now.

Mm-hmm.

He's an MVP candidate. So just trying to get him some easy ones to get him going. And when we need Draymond Green to make some tough shots, that's when he can go be, go be Spider that everybody else knows.

Yeah, I like that. I feel like that grown man conversation, you can see, 'cause that's how y'all operating in the backcourt. Like grown professionals, y'all taking care of each other. And you know, sometimes it's not even communication, it's the no. And you can tell he'll play make for you to get you going, right? At the same time, you're doing the same thing for him, you know? And I, you can see the maturity. I just like the fact that, you know, that's your first grown man conversation and it's with your backcourt mate.

Nah, it definitely took us over the top, what I believe. 'Cause that was my thing, like my first All-Star year, Had Lauri Markkanen, Jared Allen, Evan Mobley as a rookie, Isaac Okoro. Like, I thought I had to do it all by myself. He felt the same way in Utah before he came over here. So it's like, now we got a dynamic duo with these two 7-footers down here that can move their feet on the defensive end, block shots, and then catch lobs, break screens on the offensive end. So let's figure this thing out. Mm-hmm. And then we bring Max Strus, George, Niang, uh, Ty.

Ty.

Big Ty hooping.

Uh, Harris.

Like, you know, we got, we got a lot more pieces now, so we don't have to do as much on the ball. Uh, we can get off the ball a little bit more and they can go make a play for themselves. So I mean, it was, it was a perfect dynamic for sure.

As we are taping this, y'all are currently 34-6. Um, and I must say, Before a couple days ago, I thought y'all, I was getting a little worried. Y'all was getting a little too close to being on pace to break the 73. So, you know, lose a couple games, all right? No, but lose a couple. No, the last team to have 4 All-Stars though come from the same team in the one season was the 2018 Golden State Warriors. Why do you think the Cavs should have 4 All-Stars this season? And by the way, before you answer, I'll say I think y'all should have 4 All-Stars this season.

Yeah.

Number one in the league, best record in the league, 4 guys playing probably the best in their career.

At an All-Star level.

At an All-Star level. And all guys played 39, 40 games so far. You know, that's, I think that's gonna be something that actually means something by playing games this year, especially the new rules for the All-Stars. Everybody's playing at a high level, bro. Don's at an MVP caliber level. Moppy, he's breaking the threshold and showing the world that he's one of those guys. And Draymond Green, he's showing that he's one of the best centers in the league. And playing every game at a high level.

Yes, sir.

And competing on both ends of the floor. So I mean, I think it's pretty simple that we should have 4 in a game, but you know, that's not up to me. That's not up, that's up to the guys that's doing the votes and the coaches and people like that. But yeah, I mean, it's, It should definitely be 4 for sure. And Kenny Atkinson, head coach of the East All-Stars.

And there it is.

That part.

Yeah.

My dog. Yeah. And I'm gonna stamp it. I'm gonna stamp it.

There it is.

Listen, I respect it. I think, I think all 4 y'all, when I look at, so when you take a step back and you look at how things have gone in the past when talking All-Star voting, the reality is most guys that becomes an All-Star usually gets snubbed once. Right. And so if you think about it from that perspective, I'm sorry Evan Mobley, but you have to be the one that gets snubbed because you've never been snubbed before, right? Like that's just, it used to be a rite of passage. If you was gonna become an All-Star, unless you was LeBron or somebody becoming an All-Star year 1, year 2, you had to get snubbed first. Now I don't necessarily think the way things used to be in the NBA, they are that way anymore. But for me, I have a hard time figuring out of the 4 guys, which one of them shouldn't be an All-Star. And the answer is none of them. Like all of y'all should be an All-Star. But say they take 3. If they take 3, then it just has to be Evan. And I, I, I'm sorry. Yeah. Uh, because he's playing some of the best basketball. He is playing the best basketball he's ever played in the NBA, but he's playing some of the best basketball of any power, of, of power forwards in the NBA. And it sucks that it would have to be him, but you've been an All-Star, Don's been an All-Star, and if I'm not mistaken, Jared Allen I think has been an All-Star twice. Uh, but has he been twice? Yeah.

He's an all-star.

I think he was snubbed.

Yeah.

He was snubbed though, for sure.

But to my point, he's been snubbed already. You know what I'm saying? So it's not right for him to necessarily get snubbed again. And so just in looking at it through that lens, like it definitely has to be you, Donovan, and Jared, and there should be 4 because I think Evan's definitely playing at an all-star level. But if there has to be 3, it's unfortunate it has to be him because he just hasn't been snubbed yet. That's kind of— that's, that's how I look at it. What about you, BD?

I like 4. I think the record they have, the way they've been playing, the type of basketball they've been playing, the consistency of the stars— when I look at the East, I don't see why not. There is not a a strong case, right? Outside of the, you know, there's a lot of guards in the East, but you know, you and Donovan and, right? Now when you look at the Eastern Conference big guys like Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, Giannis, couple other people, like, I'm not sure if Embiid makes, you know, like Embiid ain't even played this year. Does he make it? He can't make it.

Right.

So like, So as I'm looking at it, I'm like, number one record, big guys are playing well. You have top 10 big guys at both positions, top 10 guards at both positions. You're number one in the East. This is the time that the league should take core. This is the time y'all should be on Slam Magazine. This is the time that I like it. Because I like the hype. I like for y'all to get y'all shine. And I also wanna see y'all get y'all flowers and beat the dogs. Like, let's get the competition going. You know, I wanna see what Boston feel like after All-Star weekend.

Mm-hmm.

Right? It just, for me, you know, as a fan, raises the ante, but it's also rewarding you all for the type of season that you having. And you just, you a buzzsaw. You just, you buzzsawing everybody.

Yeah.

How do y'all feel about the All-Star votes?

How do I feel about the All-Star votes?

Is it a popularity contest?

It is definitely a popularity contest.

Anger. It's anger for sure.

I'm gonna tell you how you know it's a popularity contest. BD just said Joel may be an All-Star. Joel's played 2 games this year. So you know it's a popularity contest.

Right? It's a thing.

It's a 1000, because that's the way, It's been conditioned though. It, it's 1000% a popularity contest. But if I'm honest, there ain't much popularity doing anything in the Eastern Conference, right? Like, so when you look across the East, you got from Boston, you gonna have JT and JB, right? From the Knicks, you gonna have KAT and Jaylen. From Milwaukee, you gonna have Dame and Giannis. Orlando would've had one or two guys early in the season. They've been hurt the rest of the year. Atlanta will get Draymond Green. Detroit will get KD in. Miami, maybe Hero, maybe, but like after that, and then—

That's a lot of guards, bro.

Charlotte will get—

LaMelo.

LaMelo in. So when you look at the guards, you got LaMelo, you got Donovan.

Bronson.

You got Jaylen Bronson, you got DG, you got Dame. That's 5 guards. You see what I'm saying? And K. —and K Cunningham. That's 6 guards. All right. Now you got Giannis, you got JT, you got Evan—

Draymond Green.

Jared Allen, Jalen Brown, and Cat. That's your 12 All-Stars.

That's 11. Nah. That's 12.

That's 6 guards, that's 6 bigs. That's your 12 All-Stars. And I, I don't see how that could play out any differently than that. Like, to be— because here's the thing, some people try to make the argument and say Derrick White, right? Which Derrick White's balling, he's averaging 20 points. But if you're gonna say they get 3 in, y'all are 6 games ahead of them in the Eastern Conference with 40 games in. Yeah. You're 6 games ahead. And so you can't say both of y'all get 3 and y'all 6 games ahead. And I think that gives y'all the nod. Like, I think there should be 4 guys, but it's definitely a popularity contest. And I think there's not much, like, at some point with this All-Star stuff and with the voting stuff in general, they gotta get it figured out, man. Like, 'cause it's just, it's just too all over the place. It's too many, opinions that don't really have a real opinion, but they gotta say it. It's just, it's too all over the place for me, if I'm honest about it.

And then, and then when you look at the coaches, you know, I would say I got snubbed probably twice because the coaches hated me. Because I would, you know, because if you killing the coaches, they not gonna vote for somebody who really killing them.

Right.

So it's all a campaign thing. I used to look at it like, man, if I don't make it, then they on my list, you know? They on my list coming up. And I always wanted to prove myself against the best, but I stopped kind of relying on that and more so start looking at, okay, what does my numbers look like? Against whoever they think are the top dogs.

I think y'all get 4. I just don't see how it plays out any other way. And you're definitely an All-Star. So yeah, that's how we moving, you know what I'm saying? DJ to PG for All-Star vote. Let's go.

Right now you A in guard, so.

And that's the fan vote. That's just the fan vote.

That's the fan, that's just the fan vote. But you know, you leading this team in as the point guard and taking the role as that PG for this unit, I definitely see you in as an All-Star this year. And you know, as we talking, you coming off one of the worst or one of the toughest losses of the season, the OKC Thunder, who also been balling in the West. When you lose a game like that in that type of fashion, how do you bounce back? Like, what do you say as a team? How do y'all bounce back from that?

You play Minnesota tomorrow. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Yeah, I was just watching them play the Knicks. Super tough, super long defensively. Got Nikhil Alexander and Jayden McDaniels out there.

McDaniels, yep.

At 6'7", 6'6", you know? And you got Rudy here.

Yep.

And Ant-Man just a dog, you know, on the offensive end. And Julius Randle just playing his part. So I mean, it was an old-fashioned belt to ass. I mean, that's what it was on national television. So, Yeah, we watched that film and try to figure some things out on the defensive end, trying to stop Shay, which is pretty tough to do.

Man.

But it's just 82-game season, man. So I look forward to the next game. We got another tough opponent coming out the West in Minnesota. So let's get ready for that one. Let's, I mean, they on our, they on our list.

Brother, what I'll tell you is this, y'all just had a tough loss to the second, to the team with the second best record in the NBA. The year we won 73 games, we lost to the Lakers who, who, who won 17 games all year twice by 25.

That's it.

And people will try to point to that loss and be like, yo, because we live in this 24-hour news cycle, right? So people try to point to the loss. Soon as y'all lose, Ah man, they're not big enough, they're not strong enough. Look, we just showed y'all and a team that y'all just beat last week, right? Like that's just the news cycle we live in. But y'all, y'all will be, y'all will be just fine.

Y'all straight.

And then they start talking about trade talks immediately right after the loss. I'm like, what? You ain't even got on the plane yet. Now talk about—

34-6, best record in the league. By 4, 3 or 4 games.

What else?

3 games ahead of the next closest team in the Eastern Conference. Trade talks. That's the world we live in though. So get used to it, enjoy it. Because as y'all sit at the top, which I don't see that changing, that's just what comes with it. And take it on the chin, keep it pushing. I call 'em all smart dummies. They smart, they got— They don't know.

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Kenny Atkinson was assistant coach for us for 3 years. One of, one of my favorite guys, man. I remember Kenny was interviewing for the job and he called me and he was like, what do you think about this job? You know, they got, I think, you know, they got Darius, they got Donovan. Like, what are you thinking? And I was like, well, I think they got the talent, you know, they have the pieces, but it hasn't worked. And he was so excited to get there, to get the job, number one. But then once he got it, or at the opportunity to get a job, then once he got it, And just seeing how he went to work, you know, I got to know him really well. And I love the way he have y'all moving the ball, man. When we played y'all the first time, I felt like my neck was like this, like, so I turned one time and somebody drove and I dropped and I turned my head for a second, the ball flew by my head and I turned to go back to where I was and you was way on the other side. I'm like, man, these dudes moving and moving this ball crazy. Yeah. But what has it been like just having Kenny come in? What would you say it is that he did initially? Because the season is the season, right? Like y'all got talent, got offense obviously, but what was some of the things that Kenny did initially before you ever even had a practice? Like summertime, what was some of the things that he did to ultimately get y'all rolling to the way y'all are now?

Man, just building that confidence in everybody. Like literally from day one, he came to Nashville to see me just to sit down and talk to me. He was like, I need you to be that all-star guard that you was. He told me straight up, like, I need you to go run a team and go do what you do. Go play with that confidence and that swagger that I've seen you with for the last 3, 4 years before this. So I mean, I took that and I just had that in the back of my head the entire summer. Like, I gotta get to work and I gotta go be me. And he did the same thing to Don. He did the same thing to Evan and JA. So, and that's our core 4. That's, that's really locked in with each other. And then as soon as he got the job, we went to training camp. You know, a couple years ago with JB, he had Evan and JA in the, in like the dunker a lot more. So now Evan's on the 3-point line a lot more, spacing in the trail position. And he's— Now, like Kenny saw a lot of things that Evan could do on the floor, on the outside, like behind the perimeter. He can call, he can make the right reads. And he's stretching the floor this year, shooting the 3-ball a lot more. So, That's, that little slight change changed our entire offense for us. Just a lot more spacing for me and Don to get downhill to create for others. And then Evan just having that confidence in himself and his, his work, just shooting a tray ball with confidence. And I think he's shooting at like a 45% rate right now.

And it ain't on a, a 3 a game either. Right. He ain't shooting about 3 a game now.

Just that confidence in him just to shoot the tray balls just so he keep the defense honest. I mean, it changed the world for us.

Before Kenny coming to Nashville and having those conversations with you, did a part of you feel like you was possibly gonna ultimately need a change of scenery? You know, it hadn't been quite going the way it has started going for you in Cleveland. You kind of not feeling like yourself before having that conversation and Kenny assuring you like, "No, this is the guard that I need." Did a part of you feel like, "Man, maybe I need to change the scenery?" 'Cause that creeps into all our minds. I've been here for 13 years. I can't tell you the amount of times I've been like, man, maybe I do need a change of scenery. Like throughout the course of this journey.

It crept in my mind a little bit, especially a couple times over the summer. But I mean, it was really, really my parents, bro. They was like, just stick with it. Like you didn't have a great season last year with the injuries and stuff like that. And you and Don just now getting to, really have a good feel for each other. Like, just, just stay with it just for another year. Then with Kenny coming in, I didn't, I didn't know how it was going to be. I didn't know how it was going to work. But when we got to Sarasota in training camp, bro, it was, it was off and running after that. Like, everything was just flowing. Our connection is, was pretty good at the time, but now it's, it's really good. We can talk to each other often and on the floor. I get a lot of input from him. He get input from me and Don. So I mean, it's like a working tandem right now, bro, in our relationship. And I remember even asking you a little bit, Draymond Green, about Kenny and how he was gonna be. And I mean, that's my dog, bro, to be honest with you.

I told you, you love Kenny. Great coach. He know the game. And the one thing that I love, really love about Kidney as a coach is he knows those analytics better than anyone. But he's not an analytical nightmare. He don't coach that way. Exactly. What I mean by analytical nightmare is he gonna tell you, hey, so notice about this number. He ain't throwing it in your face every day like, yo, these numbers say this, you need to, And to understand the analytics like he does, but have the feel that he has, that's a dangerous combination, man.

I had him in New York. He used to work me out. He was an assistant coach. He's sharp, he work hard, he efficient. He understand analytics, but he understand players. He like players. He like hoopin'. And anytime you find a coach that like hooping and like hoopers. Then you give them the little, you know, analytic stuff. It, it, it makes it perfect for the point guard. I was going to ask you that with the relationship with the coach, like, how important is it for you as the point guard this year to have that relationship and that communication with, with a coach like Kenny?

Yeah, it's super important, man. Um, me and Kenny, like, we really like this right now. Like, no BS. Like, it's my dog. We even talked about the OKC loss this morning. He came up to me when I was getting recovery. He was like, we didn't shoot it well, but they kicked our ass. That's what it was. That's period.

Yeah.

And I just asked him, I was like, that's it? He was like, yeah, get ready for Minnesota. So, all right, you feel the same way how we feel. Like, onto the next one. We got another game coming up. Earnest Sherrod will shoot arounds. Like, he's on the floor with me when I'm getting shots up. He's guarding me, trying to get over a screen. He going unders, giving me a hard— He's like, this what it's gonna be like in game. And then when I'm done, he'll go over and take a ball, go on the sideline, start working on his handles.

I'm like, what you doing, bro?

You trying to get a 10-day? He's like, man, I just start. So it's super cool to just have like an active coach like that. Just always on the floor with us, always getting input from us. And then he can receive and then we can receive it as well. And just that communication part, bro, it really means a lot to me as a point guard and have like another point guard coach that actually been through it and she played the game and actually know and actually been around great players. Like, Steph, one of my favorite players to ever play the game. So I try to get like some little input from Kenny. How, what was Steph doing? Like, what can I do to help my game? How can I, how can I get over this screen a little bit faster, get my feet down quicker to get into the shot? So just getting like little notes from him like that is super cool.

I know y'all just saw me laughing. I was laughing because a couple years ago, Kenny with that same intensity, uh, him and Lane, our video guy, got to talking some shit. And, uh, you know Kenny, like Kenny check up, Kenny always check up, check rock.

Always.

First play, Torres squad.

Huh? First play, he was pissed at Lane.

He like, come on Lane, let's go. Come on. Now you wanna fuck? Come on, let's go. First play, tore his quad.

I'm crying, dude.

That quad slowed him down before. I'm telling you, before when Kenny first got here, before that quad, Kenny was like a machine. He work out all day, every day.

All day.

Right? Like all of that. He tore that quad. That quad slowed him down. That quad slowed him down for sure. I'm telling you, chasing you over the screen and all that, like that was Kenny. Like he got crazy energy and crazy shape. But, and eat, sleep, and breathe basketball. But that quad slowed him down.

He back to it now though, bro. He in the gym. He was, we was at OKC Shooterout. He on the stairs, hands up, running up the stairs, the ball handling drills. He was in a pool.

He enjoying all the amenities. So that's what I'll be doing. If I was coaching, I'd be doing the same thing. But I'm playing, you know, I'm trying out for the Warriors next year. I'm going to training camp, you know, me and Draymond Green. Me and Draymond Green got a bet. I told him I'm gonna make the team, man. He keep doubting me. I've been doing that shit too. Yeah, hey bro, it's easy. It's easy. You know what I mean? I gotta come back to the league. One of y'all gotta retire me. You know, I love y'all game. I'm just like, Man, put me on the bench, let me come in, guard his time. Let one of the young dudes try to retire me. But I'm definitely making this court comeback. You see, I had come, I had some brains, man. I was going for you for the hang time. I was going like that. I said, man, let me go, let me reverse the clock and shit. You know what I'm saying? Draymond Green.

DJ, we hopped on this Zoom today. This man had this hood on. He had the Bart Oatmeal going, he had the little dreads going, he had— and this man hopped on this Zoom with a hood on and he took his hood off. You can't go bald out of nowhere, bro. This man is out on the Zoom with a baldie.

Hey, hey, bro, people was asking me like, you okay? Something wrong? That man went from hair to bald. I thought something was wrong I had here.

Like, go to the taper. That man went from hair to bald.

I ain't gonna even lie, this is how I went. Okay, take the dreads down, let me get the baby curls. I looked at the curls, I said, you know what, let me get a Kobe Bryant. Let me get me a Draymond Green. So I go to get the Draymond Green, the Kobe Bryant, you feel what I'm saying? And I look in the mirror and I say, oh, I go, oh, right. So I FaceTime my kids and they get— bro, I'm not playing. I FaceTime my kids, bro, and they get on the phone and they said, oh, Stephen A. Smith. And they said— Oh my God. And I look and I said, damn, look, the line, the hairline. The hairline was like he had lined me up. I said, come on, bro, take my shit off. Hey, hey, bro, my hairline was like this. That shit was clean, but that shit was up.

He said it was clean.

No way, Jose. No way. I got to cut it off, bro.

I'm just here to tell you, I'm here to tell you it wasn't clean. If your hairline was here, it wasn't clean. It was no way for it to be clean.

No, it was this thick edge. He put a sick edge on it. Like, imagine if you take 3 inches back and then that's your hairline. I mean, that's sick, bro.

That is crazy.

And that's where we at, bro. Hey, hey, tell us before we get out of here, tell us about Tenfold, why you decided to start this series.

A lot of people want to know like the real DG, you know? So just trying to give them a little input of what we go through, what I go through on a daily day basis. And then like my number 10, you know, tenfold, try to be 10 times greater than I was, 10 times I was the day before. You know, just a play on the number 10. Just give y'all a little insight of what I do on a day-to-day basis.

Nah, I love that 'cause it's first person. It's your perspective, right? And you know, for fans and people who love your game, the more we get to know you, you know, the more we pour in and root for you. And you talked about how Chicago and, Derrick Rose was one of your favorites growing up. You know, tell us about why he is one of your favorites and like what aspect of his game do you try to implement into yours?

I'm a Gary, Indiana kid, born and raised in Gary, Indiana, by the way, in Nashville. But yeah, that number 1 jersey, that was the first jersey I've had and that was the only one I've had. I just got rid of it when I moved to my house in Cleveland. So probably like my second, second year of the league, that's, that's when I got rid of the jersey.

Wow.

But, um, then my rookie year, my first preseason game was against D-Rose when he was in Detroit.

That's crazy.

I was like, man, this is insane.

That's wild.

But just going to the United Center, bro, just making that little drive to the city. That was my grandmother's favorite team. So we used to watch that going to over her house. We used to watch all the games growing up with Kirk Heinrich, Ben Gordon, and all the other guys. But man, D-Rose just had the whole region on lock, like from Indiana to Chicago, damn near the whole world. Not even gonna lie to you. Yeah. But just his relentlessness, bro, he was just relentless. Like, you know, get it by any means necessary. Um, he couldn't shoot it as well, but just his handle, his quickness, and just getting to the paint, shooting a floater, uh, using his athleticism, which I don't have. Wish I, I wish I had, but nobody got his athleticism, bro. Yeah, bro, it just Just his explosiveness was insane. He just brought so much excitement to the city. And then like as a young kid, just watching him on a night-to-night basis, it was super cool to see the youngest MVP in the league. It just brought so much inspiration for us. Like we used to lower the goal so I can go dunk like D-Rose.

For sure.

DG, you had some bounce. You had some, can you still dunk? You had some bounce.

I can still dunk.

You still dunk the ball?

Hey, that's a bounce, PB. Did he?

You know, this NBA will take your legs away.

I had that knee surgery, man, and I'm getting old, bro. I'm about to turn 25 this year.

Oh my goodness. His insurance about to go down, ladies and gentlemen. His car insurance is about to go down. That's pretty amazing.

Yeah, I did have bounces in high school and college though. I had a couple bodies in my day, you know, but until I get to the floor now, I'm trying to save a couple of those bounces.

Yeah. By the way, for those of y'all that don't know or don't understand, he said that short drive and you probably like short drive from Nashville. DG the PG is from Scary Gary, Indiana. For those of y'all that don't know.

Scary Gary.

Yes, he is.

Scary Gary, the next great place to shoot a horror movie. Y'all got so many vacant buildings.

All it is is churches and liquor stores and abandoned houses. I love the city though.

Absolutely. That's Saginaw for you. Saginaw the same way.

Nah, Saginaw ain't like Gary, Indiana.

I'm just telling you.

Saginaw got cows and farms.

You think Gary, Indiana don't? The part of Saginaw I'm from don't have farms, but if you drive far enough out, you gonna find a farm.

Farm, but not in Gary, bro.

Yeah, it's no farm sitting in Saginaw, but you drive far enough out, you, you gonna find a farm.

You better believe it. Go out like to Valparaiso and Hammond, you might, you, you gonna catch a farm for sure. D and Gary though, no, you ain't finding nothing, man.

Two more before we get out of here. I saw Firefire ask you, are you gonna bring us a championship this year? And your response to him was, we have enough. More than enough. Why do you feel like this is the year y'all can get over that hump and capture your first ring, Cleveland's first ring since 2016, and, you know, second ring all time?

Man, just the talent that we have. Our depth is insane. We can go 9, 10 deep, which a lot of teams really can't do. I think that's—

Truthfully.

Another notch. And then our coaching staff is really good, bro. Y'all hit on it earlier with K.A. just being so intense and being so detailed in scouts. And everybody around him that helps is really locked in on both sides of the ball and actually understand the game and actually been in some important games in their careers as well. So they know what it's like. But then back to our team is we've been in some of those important games now too. We had a couple playoff appearances, so we know what it's like. We know what the physicality is like, and we know what it's like in that last 6 minutes of a close game in a playoff series. We gonna have to really take care of the ball and execute at a high level and defend at a high level. And with those two big 7-footers back there at the all-defensive level, I think they can take us anywhere with the competition and the spirit that we play with. I think we got a good chance, man. But another team in that green is— they hungry for another one as well. And also KC in the West and Minnesota over there as well. And Golden State, y'all never no sleepers with the talent that y'all have. So it's gonna be tough, but I think we have a chance for sure.

You know, I was known to be a shifty guard. I always say I created the bop. Uh, me and Jay, we love a good list. You know, you being one of the shiftiest guards in the league right now, give us your top 5 shiftiest guards in the NBA right now.

Right now?

Top 5 shifters.

The shifters.

I ain't gonna lie, BD, I gotta, I gotta, I stole a couple moves from you too though, bro.

Come on, man. Thank you, bro. That's all I want. Hey Draymond, I'll be sitting on the bench 25, 26.

Oh yeah, your back went out walking around. It's over for you, Chuck. It's over for you.

I threw my back out salsa dancing here, Billy. Hey DJ, I was salsa dancing. That's how I really threw my back out, you know. You know, yeah, you feel me?

DJ threw his back out the day before Kendrick Pop-Out concert. Imagine he would have been on that stage crit walking, threw his back out up there. That was just God looking out for him.

I would have never been crit walking. I would have never crit walked. No matter how many crits in the building.

That's too funny. Oh man, 5 though? I'm including myself?

You can.

Absolutely.

If you on your list of top 5 shifters.

Yeah, he should be.

No order, no order. I'm gonna put me, Kai, Shay. I'm gonna put Trey in there.

Mm-hmm, that's a good one. The last one. I got two he ain't gonna call. I already know he ain't gonna call.

I don't know who that fifth could be, bro. 50, like, Jankin. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. LaMelo, Bam Adebayo. Okay. I guess, yeah, Fred got a lot of snatches. He do.

He do.

I thought that was mine. I don't know.

Mellow, mellow Pat.

Jordan Poole.

I might go with Poole.

Jalen Brunson. Do you think, do you consider Jalen Brunson shifty or crafty?

Yeah, I like Jordan Poole. I like that on the shifty list. Jordan Poole shifty as hell.

Yeah, I'm gonna go B, Kai, Shay, Draymond Green, and JP. Go Poole.

That's a good list. I like that. I'll be on that list next year for sure.

Hey man, it's over. See, and that's why we gotta get outta here because this man then win ball and think he back in Charlotte with the number one pick. Jersey on. I'm sorry to tell you, Melo took the jersey. He took the jersey. I'm playing for the Warriors, bro. Now he want— now he want us to be struggling more than we already are.

This is crazy. The Lakers signed that dude to a 10-day. He was 56 years old. Remember that?

Uh, Andre Iguodala.

He was 56. You got a chance. I got a chance, bro.

They was looking out for a brother. Ain't nobody looking out for you.

You did it already. It's over for you. Hey, how I get on the show? It's because of you. You got me, big bro.

You gotta go sit down somewhere. We gonna keep doing this, and sooner or later I'm gonna join you sit down somewhere too. But it's over for you, G. It's a wrap.

I'll be on the team next year.

DG, we not listening to this. No. Hey DG, we appreciate you, man. I'm looking forward to seeing you out here at All-Star.

Yeah.

I'mma definitely throw me a banger at All-Star. So I'mma make sure you got your section for DG the PG, the All-Star. We gonna have a good time. But keep hooping, bruh. Keep standing in that weight room, man. The weight room is the key to success, bro. We don't understand that as basketball players. We don't understand that young, how important that weight room is. But the sooner you get it figured out, the more longevity you'll have, the better you'll play, the less injuries from a day-to-day basis you have. Like obviously longevity is one thing, but just from a day-to-day basis, bro, when you're lifted, the nicks and nacks, they don't happen as much. You know what I'm saying?

Right.

And so stay in that weight room, bro. Keep doing what you doing. And this is your second of the next 9 All-Star appearances. So congratulations, my dog. We appreciate you coming on the show.

Appreciate y'all. Y'all for having me, man. It means a lot.

Absolutely. Love, bro.

That's a wrap, y'all. Peace.