1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,200 So welcome back to Entirely Media. 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,560 This is Entirely NBA and we're here with one of our favorite people. 3 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:08,640 Before we get started, let's just list off some accolades of my guy here. 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,400 High school state champion, ACC player of the year, 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:17,280 leading scorer that last year drafted in 2013 and then went overseas to become an overseas phenom. 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,520 I want to welcome Eric Green. 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:20,280 How you doing, man? 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:21,920 Thank you. How you doing, man? Thanks for having me, man. 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:28,560 Start off easy. 10 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,480 I just want to talk about what your favorite childhood memory? 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,080 Oh, man. 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,840 Probably when my father got the team the rising stars together, 13 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,880 just for the fact that we grew up together since we were like seven, eight years old 14 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:46,440 and accomplished so much from winning a national championship to a high school state championship. 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,000 So, you know, doing that from eight to like 16, 17 years old, man, 16 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:55,520 it was that was probably my favorite childhood memory because we started so young together. 17 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:57,200 I want to talk about that. 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,880 So we like to start early on. 19 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,120 What was it actually like winning that first state championship? 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,640 Man, it was crazy because, you know, like from our city, man, no one's ever done it. 21 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:13,680 So, you know, being able to be the first ones to do it, man, it was a heck of an accomplishment. 22 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:14,840 And then you get to do it with your brothers. 23 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,080 Like I said, those guys I've been playing with since I was like eight years old. 24 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,360 So that's been I was even made it better. Right. 25 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,440 So that's that's a hell of a feeling. 26 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,920 And then if I remember correctly, you went from obviously winning that state championship 27 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:27,760 to heading over to Paul to six. Is that correct? 28 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:28,960 Yeah, that's correct. Yep. 29 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:30,400 They ended up retiring your jersey. 30 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,000 If I'm not mistaken, you won another state championship over there, too. 31 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,280 Yeah. So you just just been winning. 32 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,120 You've been winning the whole time. 33 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,600 So like, what is that feeling like after Paul to six? 34 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,160 Did you see like NBA dreams? 35 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:42,720 Did you see like going from there? 36 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,560 Was that just something that you just like, I'm just going to keep playing, keep winning? 37 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,000 Man, honestly, no, I didn't even think NBA. 38 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,560 I mean, of course, you know, all of our dreams as kids is like NBA, NBA. 39 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,400 You know, so you work hard towards it. 40 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,320 But I mean, it's just like a goal I had. 41 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,280 I didn't really see it come in 42 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,640 until probably like my junior senior year of college when I was like, oh, I got a chance. 43 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,520 But from the most part, man, it was just honestly just working hard. 44 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,120 Like I was like, man, my mom, my dad, like, you know, growing up, it was very competitive. 45 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,120 Like we were always taught, if you're going to do something, 46 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,840 do it at your best and always try to be, you know, win. 47 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,520 So, you know, that was installed in us very early. 48 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,840 So not only was dad big on that, but mom was to. 49 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,120 Yeah, mom was huge. Mom played college basketball. 50 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,880 Mom was a shooter. Mom was really good as well. 51 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,320 So, yeah, she was she was hard on us a lot, man. 52 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,640 OK, so high school championship, Paul, the sixth. 53 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,920 What went into that process of actually joining Virginia Tech? 54 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,360 Man, my dream was to play in the ACC. 55 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,920 My first offer, I was going to go to either George Mason with coach Larry Nega, 56 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:45,320 who is at Miami now. 57 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,720 But, you know, Virginia Tech came and I was like, Maggie to play. 58 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,280 You know, my favorite team grew up was Duke. 59 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,160 So I was like, I'm not getting looked at by Duke. 60 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,320 So the closest I'll probably get is Virginia Tech. 61 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,720 So, you know, playing in ACC, Duke, Carolina, 62 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,440 they say it's the best basketball in the country. 63 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,040 So I was like, man, I want to challenge and, you know, I took it on. 64 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,360 Gotcha. OK. Not only did you take it on, I know the first. 65 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,840 So what I want to talk about is the emotional aspect of that first year, 66 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,640 because I read I know it was a little rough. 67 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:15,960 It was what, you know, two point six points or shooting percentages. 68 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,160 I know what that feels like right to not perform the way you want to perform. 69 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,240 You were quoted, though, saying that first year turned you into a gym rep. 70 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,760 So what was the emotional feeling like experiencing the lower percentages 71 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,280 and the lesser performance and then diving deep into that hard work 72 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,680 to obviously get to that fourth year where God damn you were doing it? 73 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:37,680 What was that like? 74 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,800 Man, I mean, it was, you know, when you come in from high school, 75 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,520 you know, from my city, like you're the man, everybody, you know, praises you. 76 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:44,960 Everybody's saying how good you are. 77 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:46,960 And then you get a really nice, humble experience. 78 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,320 You know, when you go to college and you realize like, 79 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:50,880 you know, you were the best of the best. 80 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,160 Those guys, there's guys here that are like the best where they are at, too. 81 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,320 And they're older, they're more, you know, physical, physically ready. 82 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,360 You know, I came into college at like one fifty five. 83 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,320 So I was like a skinny mini man. 84 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,600 I didn't really I didn't have I was always talented. 85 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,120 Like I worked hard, but I didn't really know what hard work was. 86 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,320 And I tell kids that all the time. 87 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,160 Like you think you're working hard, but you have no idea 88 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,880 what like working hard really is to make it to that next level. 89 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,120 And, you know, my first year, I mean, I'm not going to lie to you, 90 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,360 I didn't work hard like I was going through the motions. 91 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:21,760 I was happy to be there. 92 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,120 You know, I really wasn't playing a lot. 93 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,040 So I was like kind of felt like I was, you know, once you're in the middle 94 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,400 of the season, you're kind of stuck like either I can continue to work hard. 95 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,080 I'm just going to stay stuck where I'm at and just get through this season. 96 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,360 And I stayed stuck where I was at and just got through the season. 97 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,960 And, you know, when I when you had guys like Malcolm Delaney, 98 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,480 Derenzo Hudson, Jeff Allen, guys who are vets and that were in the gym 99 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,360 all the time and watching them, I'm like, man, like, I'm going to be 100 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,800 like, man, like Malcolm's all American. 101 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:48,360 I want to be like him one day. 102 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,800 So getting the experience of that was, you know, that motivated me. 103 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,120 And I wanted to be the best of the best. 104 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,080 And I got complacent my freshman year. 105 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:58,960 I remember getting like fan mail stuff. 106 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,120 People were like, we wasted a scholarship on this kid. 107 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,840 You know, you read these little things people sent to you and stuff. 108 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:06,920 Yeah. So it kind of like it hurt me, man. 109 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,320 You know, we have feelings too as who was a young kid. 110 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,360 I was like, man, I don't know if I'm going to be good enough for this. 111 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,760 But, you know, I come from a family where we don't run. 112 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,600 You know, you buckle down and you work harder and you grind and, you know, 113 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,760 and you make the most out of what you know, what you do, where you're at. 114 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:21,920 And that's what I did, man. 115 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,960 Like just saying, like, that was your first time running to adversity 116 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,160 when it came to like your basketball career. 117 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,720 Like, was that something that was that a self motivating thing? 118 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,520 Like you said, just watching other people like grind, getting what they get, 119 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:34,960 like getting accolades they had. 120 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,000 And then you just like, look, I got to get in the gym. 121 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,760 Like, I can't I can't be just a real man. 122 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,120 Just a regular dude. 123 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:43,160 Yeah, no, for sure. 124 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,000 You know, it really motivated me is when you hear another 125 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,360 another point guards coming in the following year. 126 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,400 So we had another guy coming in. 127 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,960 Yeah. So it was like, they signed another point guard. 128 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:53,800 I'm like, oh, wow. 129 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,840 Like, they don't like me or I got to, you know, pick this shit up, man. 130 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,000 You know, it was a choice or you can run. 131 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,600 You know what I mean? Like you can transfer and not have to competing work harder. 132 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,960 But, you know, I took the challenge on, man. 133 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,920 Like, I honestly, I got my butt in the gym. 134 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,520 I put on weight, locked in and it all worked out. 135 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:11,720 It definitely did. 136 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:12,880 Shit, I'd say. 137 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,680 So for people that don't know, as we talked about that freshman year, 138 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:18,080 it was what it was. 139 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,160 But when we say this man really got in the gym and did work, 140 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,200 he did that by his senior year. 141 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,880 Dude, not only one ACC player of the year, but was a leading 142 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,640 scorer in the whole national elite level at 25 points. 143 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,400 And so when we start looking at some of those names that are also on that list, 144 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,200 Air Greens, number one, passing guys that we well are well known, 145 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:41,400 such as CJ McCollum, Doug McDermott, Caldwell Pope was even in class that year. 146 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,120 So it's it's insane to say 147 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,360 it's fucking insane. 148 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,040 So what I want to know then, obviously, coming off of that, 149 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,040 what was that feeling like knowing or maybe not even knowing 150 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,280 what your next steps would be after your senior year? 151 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:57,080 What kind of emotions do you have there? 152 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,160 I was a roller coaster because, I mean, honestly, man, 153 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:00,640 college is the best time of your life. 154 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,120 Like, you know what I mean? 155 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,320 So it's like coming to a point where, you know, back then 156 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,720 we didn't really know too much about overseas basketball because we 157 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,040 I mean, Instagram was just starting to pop off, but it really wasn't covering 158 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:12,720 it is like it is now. 159 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,600 So, you know, in my head, I really was like, OK, I hear about overseas, 160 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:18,800 but you don't really know about it. 161 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:19,400 You know what I mean? 162 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,600 Are they these guys even make money like you don't know nothing? 163 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,400 So I was just like, oh, man. 164 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,880 So, you know, just the whole NBA. 165 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,200 Once I started my senior year, people were like, 166 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:30,800 yo, man, you got a chance to get drafted. 167 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,320 I came back from the CP three camp they do in the summer of the top point guards. 168 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,160 And I performed there really well. 169 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,880 I come back on campus and I'll never forget, like someone sent me something on Facebook. 170 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,840 I was like a draft board and I was like 50 something and I was like, oh my gosh, 171 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,920 like, you know, damn, I'm on a draft board. 172 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,520 So that just added to my confidence even more. 173 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,080 And I just took off from there. 174 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,840 So a lot of people get complacent with that. 175 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,160 So that was something that just kept on, made you push further 176 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,880 to try to get higher up in the draft class or were you just kind of just like, 177 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:00,760 hey, I'm on the board. 178 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,120 You know what I'm saying? Not many people can even make it to the board. 179 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,760 So you were on the board to get to the NBA or was that something that gave you more motivation? 180 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,000 Yeah, it gave me more motivation. I wanted to be a first round pick. 181 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,120 That was my whole intent. 182 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,800 Like, you know, I had like I had so in my locker, 183 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,960 I had a list of all the top point guards that came out with like the top 25 point guards. 184 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,960 And, you know, I used to put a title, I taped it to my locker 185 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,760 and I got a chance to go up against, you know, playing in the ACC, 186 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,600 you know, guys in Carolina, Duke, that names were on the list. 187 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,200 I went up against Marcus Smart. 188 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,600 So I got all these names. I'm like, all right, these guys are ahead of me. 189 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,320 Like, I'm going to take it on as a challenge. 190 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:37,960 Like, I want to show everybody I'm better, you know, and, you know, that's what I did. 191 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:38,920 I really took it every night. 192 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,360 I went out there, I wanted to destroy whoever was in front of me 193 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,480 and I wanted to show everybody I was a first round pick. 194 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,720 I love it. So what was that draft process like for you? 195 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:49,240 That was a dream, man. 196 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,560 Just be able to just to go through, like go to city to city, travel, 197 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:55,480 get to work out for these teams, meet all these different people, 198 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,320 play against the workout against the best of the best. 199 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,920 Like it was it was crazy. It was unreal for me. 200 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,680 I never thought a kid from Winchester experienced something like that. 201 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:06,760 You know what I mean? Like. 202 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,880 And then the cool thing was, you know, my whole life, I've been chasing people. 203 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,040 Like, you know, I wanted to, you know, I'm chasing, I'm chasing. 204 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,080 But now I'm being chased. 205 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,120 People want to be where I'm at. 206 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:15,720 People are trying to come for me. 207 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,240 And, you know, you hear your name now and it's like, wow, like I've come a long, long way. 208 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,200 You know what I mean? Yeah, that's very true. 209 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,240 I want to know. So obviously, you said you were working out, 210 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,040 just like most people do for various teams before the draft. 211 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,480 Was there one particular workout that stands out in your mind? 212 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,000 Like, damn, I think I killed that. I may be able to go here. 213 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:37,480 Yeah, I thought Milwaukee, Milwaukee was I think I will pick the head like the 20s. 214 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,480 And I killed that workout. 215 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,920 You know, the coaches were talking to me like, man, we're going to 216 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,360 if you're available late 20s, we're going to take you. 217 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:49,920 I'm like, yeah, yeah. You know, and 218 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,600 that was one where I thought it was a guarantee. 219 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,360 I was locked in for them because and I got called back twice. 220 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,880 So, you know, they brought me the first time and I did well. 221 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,000 Then the second time they wanted to see me up against somebody else. 222 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,240 I forgot who it was and I played really well. 223 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:05,760 And, you know, they went with somebody else. 224 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:07,280 That's just part of the business. 225 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:11,720 So by the time you ended up getting to the league, it was a second round, 46 pick 226 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,680 to Denver. Like, how was that? 227 00:10:14,680 --> 00:10:16,840 Like, what was your first year like when you went there? 228 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,400 Like going like playing with Ty Lawson and and all them. 229 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,440 It was crazy. 230 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,200 I mean, I remember my first day of training camp and practice. 231 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,680 I'll never forget like we're doing like two on two drills and 232 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:29,440 Javelle McGee and J.J. 233 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,360 Hicks and their garden each other and Javelle McGee is like seven foot, seven 234 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,760 one where his arms are long, crazy long. 235 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,480 J.J. Hicks and took one dribble and just dunked right over top of him. 236 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:44,680 And I'm just looking like, wow, I'm in a whole like I'm in a whole new ball game. 237 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:47,800 Like your bigs is just as fast as your guards. 238 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,000 You know what I mean? Like it's just the NBA is a whole different animal. 239 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,160 You're like, you better really come to play every day. 240 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,000 So that was really like my first eye opening moment was like, wow, I'm here. 241 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:58,280 Like, I'm really here. 242 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,920 So that was that was cool. But it was an awesome experience, man. 243 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:03,800 I'm glad you said that, because that's actually what I was going to ask to. 244 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,680 What was kind of that welcome? A lot of people have it, whether it's on the court 245 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:09,240 or in a practice or various other experiences. 246 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,240 So I'm glad to hear that was your last stop. 247 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:15,560 So obviously, the first year went the way it went. 248 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:17,000 I love to see you out there. 249 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,760 I mean, you competed against some good guards. 250 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,840 One pitcher that I saw that I really liked was he taking up beautiful. 251 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,240 Mid-range jumper. Trey Burke had his hand up. 252 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,600 I was like, damn, that's that's that's one moment you can always say. 253 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,040 Like that's fly. 254 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:35,320 What actually came down to your decision to start pursuing basketball overseas? 255 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:41,480 What the second year coming in with getting released from Denver, then did the G League, 256 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,400 got picked up by Utah and did that whole thing. 257 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,680 And then going into that summer, my agent was like, hey, man, you got a great 258 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:51,960 opportunity overseas. It's a lot, a lot of money tax free. 259 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:57,080 And it's going to, you know, play at the highest level in Europe and get you back into the NBA. 260 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,200 So I was like, you know, let me think about it. 261 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,520 You know, I didn't want to keep going to the G League. 262 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,600 And I mean, the offer was crazy. 263 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,200 So, I mean, it was seven figures. 264 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,360 I was like, man, at this age, I'm 20 something years old, 265 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:09,800 but make seven figures tax free. 266 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,400 Like, this is going to be crazy. 267 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,360 So and opportunity to play the best of the best. 268 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,400 And I was like, I can't I can't I can't beat it. 269 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,000 So, you know, I took it on. 270 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,160 And that was that was a whole other challenge as well in my life. 271 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,640 Is the NBA and the Euro League, is it that much different? 272 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,800 Like when it comes to the talent, because like you said, people in the NBA, 273 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:34,360 you know, your centers are just as fast as your guards, everybody's stupid athletic, 274 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:40,760 all this stuff. Like, was it still that same change going over to the early like going overseas? 275 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:41,560 Yes and no. 276 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,560 Because there's a lot of guys over here at the Euro League, man, that could play in the NBA, 277 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:49,400 but they get paid more here than they do there because of the tax. 278 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,560 But I mean, it was it's smarter. 279 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:52,520 You got to be really smart. 280 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:53,640 This is basketball over here. 281 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,560 Like, it's not really too much athleticism. 282 00:12:55,560 --> 00:13:01,320 You know, you got to really know how to play basketball, shoot the three, play as a team. 283 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,080 Like there might be one game you play 25 minutes, one game you might play 15 minutes. 284 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:06,680 So it's just like up and down. 285 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,240 Like you got to learn how to manage that type of stuff, too. 286 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,400 So it was definitely a challenge from the NBA to Euro League. 287 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,720 It's it is two completely different games. 288 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,480 But I mean, you've had tremendous success over there. 289 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,640 Italian Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup MVP, Spanish Super Cup winner. 290 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,880 That was in 2017 Turkish Cup winner. 291 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:23,560 Tell me how to say this, Eric. 292 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,640 It's the M-O-N-T-E-N-E-G-R-I-N. 293 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:28,920 What the hell is that? 294 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:30,040 It's the Montenegrin League. 295 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:31,100 Yes. 296 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:31,740 Yes. 297 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:33,880 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 298 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,200 But anyway, so tremendous success there. 299 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:38,440 So and you're still over there. 300 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:40,840 Obviously, like you said, the money is amazing. 301 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:42,360 And obviously, you still get to pursue your dreams. 302 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:43,960 You're playing at a high level. 303 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:45,560 And it's funny, too. 304 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:48,200 Kyle brought up a good question of the talent difference, right? 305 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,960 One of the biggest misconceptions is that it's easier over there. 306 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,920 While it may seem easier over there in a physicality standpoint, 307 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,040 the mental aspect and how these guys play on a strategic level 308 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:00,440 is hands down one of the best. 309 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,480 So I applaud you for being able to go over there and dominate. 310 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:04,760 That's such a hell of a thing to do. 311 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:05,640 I appreciate that. 312 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:06,760 Thank you, man. 313 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,120 This got more personal for me, but I don't know if you remember a while ago 314 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:11,480 when you were still in tech. 315 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,120 I went out there and I was chilling with you there 316 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:15,960 and I was asking you some of these same questions. 317 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:19,640 It's kind of weird how in the future now we actually doing as an interview. 318 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,880 But the biggest thing that kind of stuck with me 319 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,400 because I was still whooping, chasing my hooped dreams, all that good stuff. 320 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,320 The biggest thing you stuck with me is the fact that you were like, 321 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:30,680 I'm not the most athletic. 322 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:31,640 I'm not the strongest. 323 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:32,840 I'm not the biggest. 324 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,920 But I'm smarter than everybody on the court. 325 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,480 So everybody I play against, I'm smarter than them. 326 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,800 So I can just beat them because my IQ when it comes to the court. 327 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,000 And so now that you're saying it now, you're in the Euro League, killing it over there. 328 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,080 It kind of all ends up playing out. 329 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,640 It's just like, you have the talent. 330 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:50,920 You've always been talented. 331 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,000 And you said that you don't have like, you were talking about earlier, like six, four. 332 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:56,440 Like, you know what I'm saying? 333 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,360 You're not like in the NBA or in the NBA, that's like short. 334 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:00,920 Right. 335 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:02,760 You're short to everybody else. 336 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,840 But you still perform in at a high level. 337 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,280 So I really respect that. 338 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:07,480 And it just stuck with me ever since. 339 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,000 So I was tough. 340 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,040 I appreciate that, bro. 341 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:10,520 Thanks, man. 342 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,560 What's a typical workout schedule look like for you? 343 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:15,160 Oh, man. 344 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,800 Offseason or during the season? 345 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:20,280 Well, give me both. 346 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:21,320 Give me offseason first. 347 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,680 Offseason, man, I get up around like seven, seven fifteen. 348 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,160 I got to be at the gym at eight for my strength and conditioning, footwork, stuff like that. 349 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,520 Then after that, grab some breakfast, you know, something to eat. 350 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,040 And then I go work out my shooting coach skills work. 351 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:36,760 We do skills. 352 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:39,720 We do that for about an hour. 353 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,000 And then sometimes, you know, maybe twice a week, we play pickup right after we get done with that. 354 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,080 And then at nighttime, man, you come and get some shots up. 355 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:48,760 That's when I really feel like your body's tired. 356 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:49,480 You're really tired. 357 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:50,440 You don't want to do it. 358 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:51,240 You know, let's be real. 359 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,280 You sit at the crib, you're like, man, I don't want to go back to the gym, man. 360 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:55,960 But you got to do it, man. 361 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:59,400 If you try to continue to be successful, play at a high level, you got to get that work in. 362 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,600 And, you know, that's that's a day for me, man. 363 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:03,720 Every day in the offseason. 364 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,000 That's that's my that's my day. 365 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,400 During season is just a lot of just team practices, team bonding, like, yeah. 366 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:10,120 Yeah. 367 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,720 Like today, man, we had weights at 11, then practice at 12. 368 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:15,240 And I stay after every day of practice. 369 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,320 30 minutes, like 20, 20, 30 minutes, man. 370 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,000 Just getting shots up, working on not even doing too much running, nothing like that. 371 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,600 Just doing, you know, a few steps. 372 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:27,720 Continue my repetition, repetitions, you know, continue just to stay on my flow, man. 373 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:28,920 And that's it, man. 374 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:29,720 That's really it. 375 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:31,400 And then just go get the treatment. 376 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:32,520 I take care of my body every day. 377 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:33,160 I'm learning that. 378 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,240 Take care of your body, man. 379 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:35,960 That's important. 380 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:38,200 That longevity is needed. 381 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:39,960 I'm trying to play for another five, six years. 382 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:40,760 I'm trying to get out. 383 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:41,240 I want to. 384 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,000 It's hard to get up in the morning sometimes. 385 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:43,500 It's hard. 386 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:46,040 I believe it. 387 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:47,800 They're making it hard for everybody. 388 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:48,760 Yeah, you're right about that. 389 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:56,760 Tell me, so being overseas, is there a moment that you remember of one of the toughest guards 390 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:57,480 you had to go against? 391 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,920 Yeah, man, I remember I was playing against Luca and I remember coming home 392 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:05,640 and I'm like, yo, y'all, like, there's this dude over there named Luca Donjans. 393 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:06,920 Yo, he is like that. 394 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,640 And, you know, Americans, they kind of like, yeah, right, man. 395 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:11,400 I know European is good. 396 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:11,960 Yeah, right. 397 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,560 I'm like, man, yo, listen, he's killing grown men at 17. 398 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:16,760 Like this kid is nice. 399 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:22,840 Like, and honestly, I don't really I don't really walk away from games like, oh, yeah, 400 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,440 yeah, like he's really, really tough. 401 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,920 Like, you know, but when I left that game, I was like, yo, who is this kid? 402 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:29,720 You know what I mean? 403 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,280 Like, I was like, yo, like, yeah. 404 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:37,560 For being 17, his IQ, his physical, you know, you know, he was strong, like he could shoot 405 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:38,520 his cocky. 406 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,560 I'm like, yo, who the hell like where this kid come from? 407 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:43,320 You know what I mean? 408 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,160 So that was I was like, yo, this dude, this dude, a real deal. 409 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:48,920 Mike James, Mike James is the real deal. 410 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,360 I like going playing against Mike. 411 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:52,040 Mike is, you know, he bring the best out of you. 412 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:53,800 He can get to it, man. 413 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:55,080 He really gets to it. 414 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:55,640 I love it. 415 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:56,680 What about just in the NBA? 416 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:57,880 Who was the toughest person you guarded? 417 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,720 Man, I mean, Kyrie, I got a chance to guard Kyrie. 418 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:02,760 I got a chance to guard Steph. 419 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,000 I mean, they were everybody's tough, man. 420 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,520 But I mean, I got to practice against Todd Lawson. 421 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,600 At that time, Todd Lawson was one of the best guards in the league. 422 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,240 You know, like he was definitely. 423 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,920 You can't you could not stay in front of him, man. 424 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,600 Every day in practice, he was busting my ass. 425 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:17,240 You know what I mean? 426 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,560 Like you just can't stay in front of the guy. 427 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:21,800 Like in all the space, you can't help in the NBA. 428 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:22,680 So it's just one on one. 429 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:23,960 Congratulations. 430 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:24,520 Got kid. 431 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:25,160 Thank you, bro. 432 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:26,520 Yes, sir. 433 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:27,000 How was that? 434 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,840 How was that like separating that with all the like off season workouts during season 435 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,800 workouts and then still making good time for your family? 436 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:34,760 Oh, man, it's tough. 437 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,440 It was it's not really as bad because my family likes to come to the gym with me. 438 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,040 So, you know, they would be in the gym with me all the time. 439 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:43,160 So it's cool. 440 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,800 My girl was a she used to play college basketball. 441 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:47,160 So she loves basketball. 442 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,720 So she always in a gym, you know. 443 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:54,440 So, you know, my son and my daughter, every time we together, man, we in the gym. 444 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,040 We we love to be in the gym. 445 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,040 So, you know, it's it's not it's not really too bad. 446 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,840 Sometimes, you know, the hardest part is being away from your family. 447 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,520 You know, I mean, when you're trying to work and you got to get ready and they're far away 448 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:07,880 and stuff, that's probably the hardest part. 449 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,280 Just missing them and wishing they could be there with you. 450 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,080 So off the subject of just sports in general, 451 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:20,520 when it comes to being a father, what is one lesson that you want to try to instill into your child? 452 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:23,720 Man, that's a great question. 453 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:26,360 I'll tell you what kids do make you work on. 454 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:27,240 It was your patience. 455 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,920 But, you know, one thing I really want to install and it was a work ethic. 456 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:37,080 Not just on the court of I'm off the court with people to like, be a good person, man. 457 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,360 And it's one thing my parents taught me. 458 00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:41,080 You can be a great athlete and all that, but be a great person. 459 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:42,920 That's going to take you further than anything in the world. 460 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:47,000 And that's what's gotten me to where I'm at, you know, and been a great dude. 461 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:48,040 No problems. 462 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,880 I still today say yes, sir. 463 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:50,200 No, man. 464 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,320 People look at me like I'm crazy. 465 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:52,840 Like you a grown man saying it to other people. 466 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,840 I'm just like, it's like this is what I'm saying. 467 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,040 No, you know, so I get it every day. 468 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:59,480 But that's the one thing I want to teach him. 469 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:00,520 Like, you know, hard work, man. 470 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,200 We're going to try to be the best as we can be on the court, but be the best person we 471 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:05,400 can be off the court as well. 472 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,960 And that's something I want to install into my kids. 473 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:16,440 Going back to the court real quick, one of our best performing videos was a take on 474 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:17,240 leadership. 475 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,400 So from your standpoint, what does it mean to be a leader? 476 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:26,760 One, the court and two, do you believe that it's the best player on the court that's 477 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:27,800 normally the best leader? 478 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:28,840 Because I don't think that's the case. 479 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:29,560 I'm with you. 480 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:32,120 I don't think the best the best leader has to be the best player. 481 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,720 I played on teams all the time where, you know, the best leader, you know, he's the 482 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,040 most vocal, the hardest worker every single day, man. 483 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:40,920 He's in the gym. 484 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:42,680 He's out working everybody. 485 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,880 He's you know, he's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does 486 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:47,960 everything you know, he's the best leader. 487 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,560 He's a person that you can't say nothing back to because like he does everything you 488 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,920 know, he holds himself accountable, he holds everybody else accountable. 489 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:55,800 You know what I mean? 490 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,240 And you know, that's something I look at when somebody's talking to me like, bro, 491 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:00,440 you putting in the work or you doing it? 492 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,120 You can't just be talking if you ain't doing it. 493 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,480 But yeah, being a leader, man, I just think is just you don't always have to be the 494 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,720 most loudest person in the room to be a leader. 495 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,840 Just doing things the right way, working your tail off every day, being coachable, 496 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,040 you know, you know, being able to be able to talk to your teammates. 497 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,160 That's big without having, you know, feeling like someone's attacking you, you know, 498 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,200 just trying to be able to give him advice and be like, hey, I need you to step up a 499 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:24,680 little bit. 500 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,440 And some guys get defensive, but I think a leader don't get defensive. 501 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,840 He takes on that challenge like, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to hold everybody 502 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:31,240 accountable. 503 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:32,440 I love it. 504 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,720 Now, some of these next because I only got you for actually, oh, we're making a good 505 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:36,920 time with 30 minutes in. 506 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,360 So these next questions are going to kind of be some fire questions, just your taking 507 00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:40,920 a picture. 508 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,560 So for me, and then I'll give it to Kyle real quick. 509 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,720 If you had to pick a starting five, right, best starting five. 510 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,120 We've in our audience is crazy. 511 00:21:50,120 --> 00:21:54,040 Like for me, man, for me, man, I think there's a few in there that are solidified. 512 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:55,240 Like for me, Jordan's the. 513 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,240 My favorite Shaq is also in the period at number five. 514 00:21:59,240 --> 00:21:59,800 Thank you. 515 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:05,400 So when people are saying, obviously Shaq isn't even a top four center, he's a top 516 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:05,960 five center. 517 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,240 I'm like, come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have a leader. 518 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,640 Come on, man, name a starting lineup that doesn't have Shaq in it at the five spot. 519 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,080 So my question to you is, who's your starting five? 520 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,560 You had to take take five players out of any era. 521 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:25,480 Any era I want Mike Colby, LeBron for. 522 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,800 Y'all might think I'm crazy, but I mean, I'll throw one European in there. 523 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,400 He's my favorite European of all time. 524 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,880 I put Dirk at the floor and I put Shaq to five. 525 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,040 Derek, I knew you were going to say Dirk. 526 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:36,920 Put Dirk at the floor. 527 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:37,720 He was a stopper. 528 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:38,440 I respect that. 529 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:39,400 I respect that. 530 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,400 Listen, I would go Colby with you, but Colby and Mike, they're one and the same. 531 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:45,560 Right. 532 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,920 So I got to go Steph, Mike. 533 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:52,120 I'm going Bron, I'm going KD and I'm going Shaq. 534 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:53,560 I like that. 535 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:54,520 I mean, I like Steph too. 536 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:55,720 You can't go wrong with that. 537 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:56,680 You can't go wrong with that. 538 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:58,680 I like Colb though, man. 539 00:22:58,680 --> 00:22:59,320 I love Colb. 540 00:22:59,320 --> 00:22:59,640 I'm a similar. 541 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:01,240 That's what I'm saying. 542 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:08,120 So I'm a Steph, Colby, Bron, and then I might have to throw my man Timmy at the floor. 543 00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:08,520 Okay. 544 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:09,160 And then Shaq. 545 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:10,520 You're leaving Mike out. 546 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:10,760 Okay. 547 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:16,440 The only reason I say I'm leaving Mike out is because Colby and Mike are the same player. 548 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,520 So you can't get wrong either way. 549 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:19,880 That's my thought process. 550 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:21,000 I just grew up watching Colby. 551 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,200 So this automatically, you know what I'm saying? 552 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:24,520 Okay. 553 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:24,760 Okay. 554 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:25,240 That's my reason. 555 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:25,720 I can take it. 556 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:26,200 I can take it. 557 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:26,920 Yeah. 558 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:27,880 No disrespect to Mike. 559 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,120 I mean, obviously Mike is one of the best ever, in my opinion, the best to ever do it. 560 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:35,640 But at the same time, it's just like, you know, I grew up with Colby. 561 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:37,080 All right. 562 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:41,880 I got a few more for you because I know these topics go crazy online. 563 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:47,960 Eric Green, 500 million in career earnings or 50 million and five rings? 564 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:48,920 Which would you rather? 565 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,520 Oh, oh, yeah. 566 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:53,000 Let me get that. 567 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,120 Let me get the five ring to 50 million. 568 00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:56,920 I'll take 50 million. 569 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,840 I can invest in that and flip it. 570 00:23:58,840 --> 00:23:59,160 So I can. 571 00:23:59,160 --> 00:23:59,800 Oh, damn. 572 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:00,120 Really? 573 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:01,800 Okay. 574 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:02,520 See, like, okay. 575 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:03,560 Look, I get it. 576 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:04,040 I get it. 577 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,360 My argument to a lot of the people in the chat was essentially, yeah, as long as you're smart, 578 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:10,280 either you can't go wrong with either one of them. 579 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,360 Except for the legacy is obviously buried with the 50 mil. 580 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:18,600 But at the same time, I'm looking at, let's say we all played in the league and you're the only 581 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,960 one with five rings and 50 mil and I got the 500 mil and I'm like, Eric, man, let's take this quick 582 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,640 trip over here and just hop on a plane, taking yours and you're like, bro, I ain't got it. 583 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:28,280 I ain't got it. 584 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:29,880 I'm like, yeah, that's what the fuck. 585 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:34,360 That they're probably they're probably gonna be a little crazy, but I still I mean 50 million, 586 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:35,080 a lot of money, man. 587 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,280 It is a lot of money for anybody period. 588 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:40,840 And plus, I'll say this to post career. 589 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,960 And I know a lot of athletes experience this with those five rings. 590 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,840 You have an instilled legacy that can't be changed. 591 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,760 And the shit that I think you could reap rewards from afterwards is unmatched. 592 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,120 So I'm with you on that, too. 593 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:53,080 Quick question. 594 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,760 This is actually going back to the leadership real quick. 595 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,840 As you can tell that Darion's favorite players is KD. 596 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,120 Kevin Durant. 597 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:01,880 He got him in every category. 598 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,480 But what do you think your leadership quality is? 599 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:06,360 Are you a vocal leader? 600 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:08,280 Are you just like a hard work leader? 601 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,960 Like, what is your leadership quality and with your teams? 602 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:13,000 I think just hard work. 603 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:15,080 I'm always working hard. 604 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,600 You know, I mean, I don't say too much. 605 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,720 I've never been a guy who like, you know, a raw type of guy. 606 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:22,600 You know, I just I'm very coachable. 607 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,400 I do what you asked me to do and I work my tail off every single day. 608 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,440 And, you know, that's just that's how I do it. 609 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,280 Are there a lot of language barriers there? 610 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,600 Or because you're playing overseas or is it just everybody kind of speaks English? 611 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,520 Or you just got to learn whatever whatever language that you got where you at? 612 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:39,560 How the hell does that work? 613 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:41,640 Honestly, man, a lot. 614 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:42,680 Everybody speaks English. 615 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,240 I mean, when your coach gets mad, he'll speak his language. 616 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:46,600 Like my coach speaks Serbian. 617 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:47,560 He'll get all mad and stuff. 618 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:48,520 We'll start speaking Serbian. 619 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:49,640 You don't know what the hell he's saying. 620 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:51,160 But you know what I mean? 621 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,640 For the most part, you don't worry about it. 622 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,480 If it's something important, they make sure it's in English and they you understand it. 623 00:25:58,360 --> 00:25:58,920 Gotcha. 624 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,520 Are you taking it like the initiative to try to learn any Serbian? 625 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:04,120 Not really. 626 00:26:04,120 --> 00:26:04,600 Spanish. 627 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:05,640 I picked up some Spanish. 628 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,560 So I know a little bit of that, but I'm not fluent or nothing like that. 629 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:10,060 No. 630 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:12,280 You say you know a little Spanish, which you know. 631 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:13,320 Pass me the ball. 632 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:13,720 Yeah, I know. 633 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:14,680 Pass me the ball and I'll shoot. 634 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,960 Oh, you know, the simple basics to get you by. 635 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:21,420 Right. 636 00:26:21,420 --> 00:26:23,100 Good, good, good. 637 00:26:24,220 --> 00:26:28,860 And so obviously we will have people around here that are going to be watching this and know you 638 00:26:28,860 --> 00:26:30,780 and some idolize you, of course. 639 00:26:30,780 --> 00:26:33,980 So when you start looking at people in a youthful age, 640 00:26:33,980 --> 00:26:36,700 I know you probably get this question or have got this question a lot. 641 00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:41,100 But what advice would you give those young kids that are starting out trying to trying to build 642 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:44,860 something, love basketball, have the dreams of being a basketball player 643 00:26:44,860 --> 00:26:46,780 and love what you've done with your life and your career? 644 00:26:46,780 --> 00:26:53,340 Man, I used to tell all the kids, man, really work hard because you're not competing. 645 00:26:53,340 --> 00:26:57,100 People fail to realize you're not just competing against like the guys in America. 646 00:26:57,100 --> 00:26:58,540 Basketball has expanded so much. 647 00:26:58,540 --> 00:27:04,540 You're competing against guys in other countries, you know, Greece, Spain, Turkey, China, 648 00:27:05,820 --> 00:27:06,700 NBA Africa. 649 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:12,460 Now, like it's coming from every angle and Europeans are starting to make a force in the league. 650 00:27:12,460 --> 00:27:18,940 So it's like you really, really got to work extra hard to be able to make that goal come true. 651 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:22,300 And even if you don't make the NBA, man, I tell people all the time, 652 00:27:22,300 --> 00:27:25,820 there's another way of making a living going across that water. 653 00:27:26,540 --> 00:27:32,780 Being able to still do what you love, make good money, meet amazing people, get to see the world. 654 00:27:32,780 --> 00:27:37,500 Like, you know, and it opens up your eyes so much that you probably have never, you know, 655 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:39,100 Kyle, you know, we come from Winchester, man. 656 00:27:39,100 --> 00:27:45,100 I mean, you know, I don't, you know, coming to be able to see Greece and Spain and places like that. 657 00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:47,820 It was like, wow, bro, like I get to see something crazy. 658 00:27:49,020 --> 00:27:53,100 So just like, you know, just to work hard and, you know, like I said, there's different avenues. 659 00:27:53,100 --> 00:27:54,860 Don't just think it's the NBA or nothing. 660 00:27:54,860 --> 00:27:57,100 Of course, you know, try to get to the best of the best. 661 00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:01,660 But if not, you can still make a living and enjoy life over this overseas. 662 00:28:01,660 --> 00:28:03,100 I mean, you got the best of both worlds. 663 00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:04,060 I mean, you got to see both. 664 00:28:04,620 --> 00:28:05,100 Yeah, I did. 665 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:05,580 Right. 666 00:28:05,580 --> 00:28:09,100 Like, with that being said, you have to say you chillin. 667 00:28:09,660 --> 00:28:14,220 And because I think a lot of people like, like when you went there, the credibility when it came to 668 00:28:14,220 --> 00:28:19,980 overseas, wherever that may be, I don't think it had that like that credibility there yet. 669 00:28:19,980 --> 00:28:22,540 So I think everybody now has that respect for it. 670 00:28:22,540 --> 00:28:22,780 Right. 671 00:28:22,780 --> 00:28:26,700 I think a lot of people looked at overseas as if like you are you're not good enough to play in the NBA. 672 00:28:26,700 --> 00:28:28,620 It's like that's far from true. 673 00:28:28,620 --> 00:28:32,540 Like, like it's just that was just the opportunity for you there. 674 00:28:32,540 --> 00:28:37,740 But with that being said, do you think, you know, if you had the opportunity, would you come back to the NBA? 675 00:28:38,620 --> 00:28:41,740 I think the NBA is going in the direction of the youth, like the young guys. 676 00:28:41,740 --> 00:28:43,820 They want the young guys and stuff like that. 677 00:28:44,620 --> 00:28:47,740 I would love to come back, play for my friends and family and be at home. 678 00:28:48,460 --> 00:28:51,580 But I mean, I got, you know, I'm respected, really well respected out here. 679 00:28:51,580 --> 00:28:52,460 I got a great name. 680 00:28:53,660 --> 00:28:54,860 You know, they treat me really well. 681 00:28:55,660 --> 00:28:57,500 I enjoyed living overseas. 682 00:28:57,500 --> 00:28:59,660 It's you know, I've gotten so used to it. 683 00:28:59,660 --> 00:29:01,020 It's I enjoy it. 684 00:29:01,020 --> 00:29:03,020 You know, I'm happy where I'm at, where I'm at. 685 00:29:03,020 --> 00:29:04,460 You know, I would love to go back. 686 00:29:04,460 --> 00:29:06,140 But, you know, I can't complain. 687 00:29:06,140 --> 00:29:09,900 I'm blessed to be able to do what I love and continue to still play at a high level over here. 688 00:29:09,900 --> 00:29:10,400 Exactly. 689 00:29:11,580 --> 00:29:12,220 All right, man. 690 00:29:12,220 --> 00:29:14,460 So we're about 45 minutes in. 691 00:29:14,460 --> 00:29:18,700 I've enjoyed this probably more than you can even even know, Eric. 692 00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:24,540 And so part of the reason that Kyle and I had even talked about bringing you on here is because 693 00:29:24,540 --> 00:29:26,460 we've established a really good platform. 694 00:29:26,460 --> 00:29:32,460 And I think that stories like yours, especially yours, where like, well, like Kyle said earlier on, 695 00:29:32,460 --> 00:29:37,980 undersized but one continue to compete and work hard adversity in that first year of VT 696 00:29:38,940 --> 00:29:43,260 overcame that ACC scoring chance that like the shit is crazy. 697 00:29:43,260 --> 00:29:46,620 And then to be able to come from a town as small. 698 00:29:46,620 --> 00:29:51,180 I mean, it's bigger now, small as ours is and see your name on an NBA draft board. 699 00:29:51,180 --> 00:29:52,300 Go through that first year. 700 00:29:52,300 --> 00:29:53,340 See what that's like. 701 00:29:53,340 --> 00:29:55,980 Make a name for yourself on the overseas platform. 702 00:29:55,980 --> 00:30:00,060 Like you said, you're well respected that we know and that we can see and still carry on a legacy 703 00:30:00,060 --> 00:30:02,540 that's that's bigger than the green name. 704 00:30:02,540 --> 00:30:03,180 I love it. 705 00:30:03,180 --> 00:30:04,780 And I think that's a story that needs to be shared. 706 00:30:04,780 --> 00:30:08,700 So, man, I know I don't know how much it means, but when we talked about this, 707 00:30:08,700 --> 00:30:12,780 one of the things we kept saying was how proud we were at the end of the day. 708 00:30:12,780 --> 00:30:15,340 I want to wrap this up and say thank you. 709 00:30:15,340 --> 00:30:19,100 But do you have any last words that you would like to say to our audience? 710 00:30:19,660 --> 00:30:21,340 Man, thank you all for having me, man. 711 00:30:21,340 --> 00:30:21,820 I loved it. 712 00:30:21,820 --> 00:30:27,100 I actually brought back a lot of memories and I'm glad I got a chance to share my experience 713 00:30:27,100 --> 00:30:29,900 with everybody who gets to see this and watch this and listen to it. 714 00:30:31,340 --> 00:30:35,260 Just for the young kids, man, I just I will hope all your dreams come true, man. 715 00:30:35,260 --> 00:30:37,260 If you work hard, you know what I mean? 716 00:30:37,260 --> 00:30:42,860 Stay in the gym, focus, lock in, man, anything is possible. 717 00:30:42,860 --> 00:30:47,340 And if you really want something, man, you can go get it. 718 00:30:47,340 --> 00:30:51,100 It's definitely reachable from small towns, big towns, it don't matter where you're from. 719 00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:52,780 Man, anything can happen. 720 00:30:55,100 --> 00:30:57,020 You know, he's my brother, he's my friend. 721 00:30:57,020 --> 00:30:57,980 He's my teammate. 722 00:30:57,980 --> 00:31:00,140 He ain't been through the constant grind just like me. 723 00:31:00,140 --> 00:31:21,900 He was underrated and just like me. 724 00:31:30,140 --> 00:31:49,900 I think it's good time right here. 725 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:54,860 Eric Green from Castle Rock. 726 00:31:56,060 --> 00:31:57,260 Any shout out to Eric? 727 00:31:57,260 --> 00:32:04,460 Oh, just shout out to my family, my friends.