Club 520 - Vaughan Alexander on son Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals

Summary

Club 520 Podcast Summary: Vaughan Alexander on Son Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals

Release Date: June 12, 2025

Hosts:
DJ Wells (@thatsanopiniondj)
Bishop B Henn (@outthepearlys)
Special Guest: Vaughn Alexander (@VaughnAlexander)

---

1. Introduction and Guest Welcome (02:26 - 04:40)

The episode kicks off with DJ Wells introducing the special guest, Vaughn Alexander, an esteemed figure in the basketball community and father to NBA stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikhil Alexander. The hosts warmly welcome Vaughn, highlighting his contributions to the sport and his role in nurturing his sons' careers.

Notable Quote:
Vaughn Alexander: “What's up, baby. Let's get to it, man.”
(02:38)

2. Family Dynamics and Supporting Sons' Careers (04:40 - 08:52)

Vaughn Alexander delves into his journey as a basketball dad, emphasizing the importance of balancing competitiveness with support. He shares anecdotes about coaching his sons, ensuring they prioritize becoming good men over solely focusing on basketball achievements.

Notable Quotes:
Vaughn Alexander: “It's a big, big deal, man. It's like you finally. It's a testament to all the hard work, right?”
(05:24)

Tom Brokaw: “It's all love when I say beef. You know what I mean?”
(04:53)

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s College Decision and Career Path (08:52 - 17:31)

The conversation shifts to Shai’s pivotal decision to commit to the University of Kentucky over initial offers from Florida and Tennessee. Vaughn reflects on the implications of this choice, suggesting that Shai’s career trajectory was influenced by the guidance and belief instilled in him from a young age.

Notable Quotes:
Vaughn Alexander: “I do it a little bit too. Come on. My son doesn't even feel. I don't give a. I'm living out the gate.”
(12:10)

Vaughn Alexander: “So he calls me, tells him, why would you do that? You know what I mean? So then after he says, oh, daddy, you know, I believe in these guys...”
(13:17)

4. Coaching Philosophy and Youth Development (17:31 - 31:34)

Vaughn discusses his approach to coaching, highlighting the significance of teaching kids not just basketball skills but also life morals and the importance of education. He contrasts his methods with the more aggressive tactics some parents employ, advocating for a balanced and supportive environment.

Notable Quotes:
Vaughn Alexander: “Maybe these hoop jeans are just literally hoop jeans. Because it's not maybe one out of every three million Canadian guys who make it to the NBA.”
(10:30)

Vaughn Alexander: “I teach you all these things, and you get a free education. Get off the block and get somewhere...”
(10:00)

5. NBA Finals and Shai’s Performance (31:34 - 41:02)

The hosts shift focus to the ongoing NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. They analyze Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance, debating his MVP candidacy and the impact of his father’s coaching philosophy on his gameplay.

Notable Quotes:
DJ Wells: “You know, energy, like, you know.”
(18:30)

Tom Brokaw: “If he feels so. Yeah. Let me, let me look at this. But like I said, I always, like, they're always about two, three years ahead...”
(14:24)

6. Defensive Strategies and Player Analysis (41:02 - 52:12)

The discussion delves into defensive strategies in basketball, comparing Shai’s playstyle with that of other NBA players like James Harden and Lou Dort. Vaughn emphasizes the importance of consistent defense and adapting to different playstyles to excel in the game.

Notable Quotes:
Tom Brokaw: “He acts like he's too cool for school. Yeah, I know that.”
(34:35)

Tom Brokaw: “You have to be disciplined on defense. Because I remember I'm doing the same.”
(36:10)

7. Youth Training and Development Insights (52:12 - 66:52)

Vaughn shares his insights on current youth training practices, advocating for fundamental skill development over mechanical workouts. He emphasizes the importance of finding a niche in basketball, such as becoming a top rebounder or defender, to secure a place in competitive teams.

Notable Quotes:
Vaughn Alexander: “It's back at Walmart, Target and other stores now for under $4. There's a reason why it's been the number one men's antiperspirant for the last decade.”
(This appears to be an ad and should be skipped)

Tom Brokaw: “Just be those things that people aren't. Number one. That was the first thing.”
(44:24)

DarBro: “It's just a fun little safe place called like A Safe Place for these Kids at nighttime.”
(65:27)

8. Closing Remarks and Future Plans (66:52 - End)

In the concluding segment, the hosts discuss upcoming events and initiatives aimed at supporting youth through basketball. Vaughn introduces the "No Flukes" organization, a movement dedicated to helping at-risk youth by providing basketball leagues and competitions that foster skill development and personal growth.

Notable Quotes:
Vaughn Alexander: “No Flukes is a movement. No Flukes means never opting for less. Unified knowledge, Equal success.”
(64:21)

Tom Brokaw: “We're just trying to change lives Every day, one day at a time. And make these kids know they can.”
(65:43)

Final Thoughts: The episode offers an in-depth look into the dynamics of being a supportive basketball dad, the intricacies of guiding young athletes through their careers, and the broader implications of mentorship in sports. Vaughn Alexander’s insights provide valuable lessons on balancing competitiveness with personal growth, both on and off the court.

---

Notable Quotes Compilation:

• Vaughn Alexander: “It's a big, big deal, man. It's like you finally. It's a testament to all the hard work, right?” (05:24)
• Tom Brokaw: “It's all love when I say beef. You know what I mean?” (04:53)
• Vaughn Alexander: “Maybe these hoop jeans are just literally hoop jeans. Because it's not maybe one out of every three million Canadian guys who make it to the NBA.” (10:30)
• Tom Brokaw: “He acts like he's too cool for school. Yeah, I know that.” (34:35)
• Vaughn Alexander: “No Flukes is a movement. No Flukes means never opting for less. Unified knowledge, Equal success.” (64:21)

---

Conclusion: This episode of the Club 520 Podcast masterfully intertwines personal anecdotes, professional insights, and heartfelt discussions about family and mentorship in the world of basketball. Listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and triumphs involved in raising NBA talent, all while emphasizing the importance of character and consistency.

Transcript

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[Lester Holt]

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[DJ Wells]

All right man. We back another episode of Club five twenty podcast. I'm the host. My name is DJ Wells. We got a Special guest in the building, man. We're going to introduce him. Laughing. To my far left, we got my dog, Bishop B. Handing out the pearlies. How you what, Nasty?

[Vaughn Alexander]

What's up, baby? Let's get to it, man.

[DJ Wells]

Now, OG this is his staple right here. The black forces with the white laces. That's his thing, you know what I'm saying? That's how he was. That's why he pop out now up, you know what I'm saying? In Canada, when you see the black Air Force One, what does that represent?

[Tom Brokaw]

That's just the old school, man. That's what Black Air Force One's coming way back before these kids that are wearing it now, we see that, we just say, yeah, okay, you come from the old school. But then again, you know, the new kids are wearing what? It's all flips, right? They're wearing what we used to wear.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, facts.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's what's up. But when I see that, no, say, yeah, just keep it at 100, especially with the white laces. Switch it up a bit. Fuck with that.

[Young Nacho]

You fuck with that, my guy.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Right on, O.J.

[DJ Wells]

Look, nah.

[Young Nacho]

Cause I know, I know y' all get fresh. Like you fresh.

[DJ Wells]

You know what I'm saying?

[Young Nacho]

Get fresh.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Chill, bro.

[Tom Brokaw]

He said, I'll be honest with you, bro. It's about how you move and how you rock it, bro. How you rock.

[DJ Wells]

It's about comfortable, okay?

[Tom Brokaw]

If you feel comfortable in that, you.

[Young Nacho]

Think he rocking them right?

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's how he want.

[DJ Wells]

You know?

[Tom Brokaw]

I mean, don't know. They can use a one tool.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, okay.

[DJ Wells]

See, that's the shoe.

[Tom Brokaw]

Bad. It ain't bad. Okay. I ain't mad at him.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, for sure.

[Tom Brokaw]

All right. Stuff.

[DJ Wells]

See, that's like, I might ask you for some money at the light, and if you say no, I might rob you.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's that.

[DJ Wells]

Shoot. You know what I'm saying? A middle, high and go type situation.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah. How you move, though? Yeah.

[Young Nacho]

See, every go, man, how you move.

[Tom Brokaw]

Just knows how you trying to. He's trying to make you feel like I'm not that guy. It's like, no, I'm making you feel like, yeah, you could get one over on me. I don't want you to feel that way. You get what I'm saying? I see.

[DJ Wells]

I keep it vibes.

[Tom Brokaw]

For sure. You know what you're doing, man. You look him in his eyes or you might know, say, hey, don't. With that guy.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah, you look somebody in the eyes of black forces, please make sure you have sunglasses on it could get dangerous for sure. Still to my right, my dog, Young Nacho. Young T. How you what?

[Young Nacho]

I'm chilling, bro. Chilling, chilling. Now let's get the episode rolling. We already started. It's good vibes.

[DJ Wells]

Good vibes for sure, man. Man, listen, special guest, man, pull it up to the city, man. NBA Finals going on, man. The OG from up north, man, you heard of the mvp? He the reason why he here, man. Dawg, the OG Vaughn Alexander, Big Dog. We appreciate you sliding on us today, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Appreciate y' all having me, man. I appreciate you guys. Y' all know I've been watching you guys stuff and don't know. There's only a few podcasts that I really watched you guys, you know, you do. You're talking the right stuff, so.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, we appreciate that. A thousand, bro.

[Tom Brokaw]

You know, the real ones podcast. Why not? Let's do it.

[DJ Wells]

Hey, man, it's a blessing, man, to have you pull up on this, man. Wish you was in the city on a better terms, man. You know what I'm saying? I rock with the sun the longest ways, man, but unfortunately, you know what I'm saying, I gotta represent for the squad right now. But you got the heat on right now.

[Tom Brokaw]

I got you. You gotta do what you gotta do. But yeah, yeah, yeah, we always got something rocking something, you know, something. Something, you know, representing.

[DJ Wells]

We always see your son, you know what I'm saying? He getting the fists off, going crazy with the fashion. Got the shoes out. Obviously, we see he get it from the og. Man, you came in swallowing, and you got the joints on, though, you know what I'm saying? The shave butters, the shaved butters them is tough right there.

[Tom Brokaw]

From the beginning, bottom to the top, you already know what it is. Yeah, that's his creative. He designed it. You know, that's a little creative swag. So, you know, I got to represent it with him. Yeah, they'll say it's a family thing. My nephew wears it, his brothers has a color. Everybody got their own colorway. Moms. Mine's just coming up soon, but you got to drop that last no, you know, it can't reveal too much my color behind it, you know what I'm saying?

[Vaughn Alexander]

I feel to have your son, like, with a shoe, though, man. How that feel for the fam, bro?

[Tom Brokaw]

It's a big, big deal, man. It's like you finally. It's a testament to all the hard work, right? So, you know, you get a shoe deal. You. You know, you have your own colorways and all that stuff. Where Kids are buying your stuff, wearing your jersey. It's all that stuff. You just say, boy, all the hard work's paying off.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, okay.

[Young Nacho]

I'm like a beggar. Like, everybody know me, always asking for something. So we, we. We ain't never. I like them shoes.

[Tom Brokaw]

There you go.

[Young Nacho]

I only got a pair of them shoes. Here we go. I mean, I mean, it would hurt to send us none, I hope, you know. You know, Wouldn't hurt. No, it wouldn't hurt to send us a pair. It would hurt to send us a couple pairs.

[Tom Brokaw]

September, so everybody and their mama right now is, you know, I'm trying to get them. You don't know. I'm. I'm gonna see what I can do for you guys. Okay, Just let me know the sizes and stuff.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, we'll make sure you got all that information.

[Tom Brokaw]

Converse for you guys and make them know. Say, yo, these.

[DJ Wells]

Converse tap in. We need the vibe.

[Tom Brokaw]

These guys first, man.

[Young Nacho]

We appreciate. Hear us. We definitely going to do right by. I got OKC with the series.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, yeah.

[Vaughn Alexander]

I mean, we already up 2:1 right.

[Young Nacho]

Now, so that's crazy. We up to 1.

[DJ Wells]

See, now I'm conflicted cuz I want some shoes. I got rid my team, so I'm just be quiet in this situation. The funny part, like you said, the whole family rocking. You getting your own pe. It was dope to see him talk about his younger brother. Obviously got the, the blue joints and he was like, he had some fake Jordans back in the day. That was that color that he rocked. So now that he got his own officials. That's fire, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah, now he got his own. That he can say, okay, these ain't fake. Actually, my family made them. And my, my son's also the younger one. He's also with Converse on the creative director team too. So he's doing this thing and it's like I said, it's a family business member rocking together, you know, I mean.

[DJ Wells]

Fire for sure, man. We know you was a Hooper growing up. What was it like growing up in Toronto, man, playing basketball? Like you said, a little bit rough up there. People may not be too familiar with how it is in different countries and things of that nature, but what was it like going up, you hooping?

[Tom Brokaw]

It was, it was fun, man. We used to hoop to the end, bro. Like morning tonight, go around to different, different courts and you know, king of the court type of stuff. You know, you. You lose, you come off. And I'm not gonna lie a lot. Of course we went to. We Stayed on. Once I had my five, we stayed on.

[Young Nacho]

So you was like that?

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, we was gritty, man. We was gritty with it. And we used to win. And it was. Like I said, it's the toughness part. Yeah, skill, too. But it's that you go into some courts, sometimes you don't want to win because you're getting your ass kicked after, Right. Some guys will tell you, so, yo, you can play, but don't you go over there, just let them win the last game or something. Like when what, you got our five, you hit our five. Let's do this. You know what I'm saying? So we were always this competitive, and that's why I think my son Nikhil and my youngest son get it to the day. Just that competitive nature that we. Anywhere in the world, any situation we are, you drop us, we're going to win for sure.

[DJ Wells]

That's back in the day to win. Do you want to win or do you want to go home?

[Tom Brokaw]

There you go. And you know, when you come off, that's it. You're not coming off and waiting for seven more guys to get back on seven more runs and then come back again. You know, you have to wait for the guys that know, stay on the. You got to, like, you know, you got to plan when you get into that gym. Once you get on, we're staying on for the whole day, for sure. You want to lose is that we're going home. You know what I'm saying? Straight up.

[Young Nacho]

That's a fact.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Taking the boys around to the parks with you?

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, for sure.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Are they watching Pops work out there?

[Tom Brokaw]

For sure. For sure. We come from a little place called Spareways, and our court was on top of a garage. They call it Top Garage. Somewhere where our courts was, and that's where they used to be. And I'll be balling back in the day, and they used to see me, and then eventually I used to bring them there and go do my thing and leave them on Top Garage downstairs. We'd demand them, and they'd just be hooping hard, and that's what they're crying and fighting against each other on top. But that's where we started everything. And I brought them back to the same places where we started.

[DJ Wells]

You sell Top Garage? I was dang there. What, above the rim with it?

[Tom Brokaw]

Actually, the court is on top of us. You got to go up these stairs to get there. But if you come from Suarez, you know what's up.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Okay.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah, that's dope. Was there any difference between, like, I don't know if you got a chance to experience it as you got older or younger, like, playing your hometown and then coming to us. I am hooping. Was it a different style of basketball or was just basketball just kind of universal for y' all?

[Tom Brokaw]

There's a little bit of difference when it comes to, like, the USA side, too, I think. Where? Well, my first experience mine was a while back, right? But when I used to go out there in the States and play against you guys back in the day, I just realized that one thing I noticed, it could have been fat, tall in between. You guys all had handles. Like, everybody you see a big fat guy would handle something like that. I just noticed that. But then at the end of the day, it's just ball. The hoops the same size, the backboard's the same size, same size court, and let's just go get it. So we never had no fear, no disrespect of you guys. You know, basketball was your thing, and hockey was supposed to be ours. We just went at you guys, and that's when I actually. When I played against you guys for the first time, I knew, like, yeah, okay, we can do this. You know what I mean? But my life got shaped a certain way. Started having kids, realizing that, you know what? Maybe these hoop jeans are just literally hoop jeans. Because it's not maybe one out of every three million Canadian guys who make it to the NBA. It wasn't like, now, so we're like, yo, bro, I don't know time, so I gotta go get paid. I'm having kids right now. So that's why I didn't really get deeper, deeper as it passed high school. But I also realized that the mistakes I made and that, you know what? I'm gonna make a you. When I make this unit, I'm gonna make him like, I got all. I think I got it all in my head and the skills, and I know I knew how to do it. I wasn't six'6 like my son, but I knew that if I make a youth and I teach him all those things and morals and more importantly, how to be the man and the right type of man and how to survive all this that's going on in the world. Basketball is like a secondary thing. I can get them somewhere, like a free education, right? The NBA is bonus and all that stuff. Nobody knows what the NBA. But I teach you all this, and you get a free education. Get off the block and get somewhere and go meet your wife and have some kids and Never come back to Toronto. I did my job. So the NBA was just a bonus thing. You get me?

[DJ Wells]

That's dope, man. Obviously, Jeff is our Almond High school coach now. So you deal with parents, especially parents who grew up, had hoop dreams, or they may have been somewhere, and then they try to instill their kids. It's funny to hear the things that you say that you value. It's not like you push yourself for that for the different reasons that most people do. It's what's for. And regardless of what happens, you're gonna have a better chance of life. We get so many parents now, they just pushing their kids from sixth grade to be NBA players. It's just interesting to hear y' all dynamic with that because you coach these kids every day.

[Young Nacho]

And his son, the mvp and imagine him saying he just wanted him to be a good man. Like, that's crazy. We got parents.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, we gotta clip that up.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's really what it is. Like, if you're coaching, you see that a lot.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

You know, you got parents that live in vicariously to their youth, for sure. No, I. I do it a little bit too. Come on. My son doesn't even feel. I don't give a. I'm living out the gate. But come on, you got to be calm with it and be like, yo, this their time to shine. Let the be in the back burner a little bit. I know. I know how to do this.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, you got a balance.

[Tom Brokaw]

I said, where I come from, the cameras wasn't something that you kind of stay away from because you're not. We weren't always doing the best thing. Want to be on camera. So I still know how to act like, you know, it's like, okay, the cameras are here. Let's just do the right thing on camera. And then when we're off the camera, you know, let's have a little fun.

[Vaughn Alexander]

When did you realize that he had a chance, though, to do something with basketball?

[Tom Brokaw]

Wow. That's a good question. Probably, like, I get that one often too. But it's a good question because people think that you have some people saying that. I knew for me, it was like 10, 12 there. Or they. Or they knew because of the politically. Politically correct politics. You know, when you're correct in your number one ESPN, this dad from your 1514, they're saying, this guy in 2029 drafts, gonna be number one pick. You know, you got guys like that. Shaden weren't really like that. Or ESPN maybe like, what top 26. Akil was 23. So I guess was a five star. 25. So Nikita was like 23. A five star. She was just outside of a five star. Right. So it wasn't like we knew anything and almost guaranteed. But I did believe. Sorry about that guys. I did believe in all the hard work that they put in, in the way. I've seen these guys grind all the way up and all not like being better than their peers too. They're always like about two, three years better than their peers.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

So I always think they had an opportunity to do something great. The NBA, like I said, is like it's 450 NBA. So there's no one's like I'm gonna say to you at 15, 16, I knew they're gonna be. But at 15, I said, yo, this guy really has a chance because Shay was on the Canadian national team at 17. Right. Nobody's done that before. And Steve Nash is the guy that put him on there and looked at him and said, sorry guys. I said, yo, this guy is the guy. You see what I'm saying? Steve Nash, the guy that I saw for sure first and looked at me and said, yo, this guy's a lottery. I think he was 17 when he said that.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Damn.

[Tom Brokaw]

In my mind I was like, you know, wow, this is crazy. I wonder if that's true. But at the same time, like I said, looking at what he's doing and stuff, I don't want to see conceited or cocky, but I just kind of, I kind of believed it.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

So I want if to answer your question, long story short, probably around them time.

[Young Nacho]

Okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

17.

[Vaughn Alexander]

No, for sure, 17.

[DJ Wells]

It never hurts to have, you know, a two time MVP. So yeah. He all right.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

If he feels so. Yeah. Let me, let me look at this. But like I said, I always, like I said, they're always about two, three years ahead of the head of the competition. So it wasn't crazy to someone say, yo, you might be NBA ready. They are NBA prospect. Because they're always, if they stayed two years better all the way up, then they're going to be in.

[Young Nacho]

Like my little brother went to Kentucky. So I wanted to ask you like I know coach Cal and them very well. Like what made Shay pick Kentucky? You like, Nikhil goes down south. He goes to Kentucky.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh my God. I got you guys.

[DJ Wells]

You lit.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah. When it comes to Kentucky with Shay, that's like, I don't know if you know that story, but she originally committed to Florida. You know that, right? And we was like, I think he went down To Tennessee. Chattanooga, Tennessee. In his junior year, maybe. Yeah, junior year. And that was his first time being in the States. Didn't have that many offers. A lot of people didn't know a lot about him. So maybe he didn't know, like, you know, how good he was. And that's why I tell people, you got to, number one, believe in yourself first. That's the first thing. You got to be careful and comfortable in your own skin to say, this is who I am, and don't let anybody sell you out. And so you don't sell yourself short, you know, if you know who you are, it's hard to sell yourself short. So when he went down there first, he was like, wow, I got the first offer from Florida. I remember this. He called me, he said, yo, yeah, I need some money to go on this visit. I said, yeah, no problem. Sending the money. Last time, I said to motherfuckers, do not commit to none of these motherfuckers, what they say. Because, you know, you just got to the States. You remember, he's nice, and he's had, like, an unsigned hype. Like, no, we don't really know about him, but he was skinny still. But I. I, you know, you. You always believe more in your. In you. When. Me personally, in my kids and myself and what I built than other people. Yeah, you know, what you built. So I guess the coach of Florida saw him and said, yo, this is like a steal. And they. They offered him, which they do, right? But it was early. He'd probably been in America for, like, literally four weeks. So now you have the whole season before the season even starts. You have the whole season to play in this motherfucker side. He has two more years of high school left, I think. Motherfucker, what the fuck? So he calls me, tells him, why would you do that? You know what I mean? So then after he says, oh, daddy, you know, I believe in these guys, and they're telling me this, and. And I believe in them. I said, yeah, you believe? All right, well, gonna see. Let's just. Do, you know, you got here on your chest now. Yeah. You're on your balls now. Do your thing. I'm gonna make you do it. I'm not gonna be the guy. Because all their life, I was that guy. To say, yo, pull from this team that. Yeah, that coach 17, and you're doing your own thing. I don't want him to feel that age starting to be men, like. And they really start to tune you out after that. So let him make his own Mistakes at this point. So it's like. And that was. I knew it was a mistake because nobody knows who the you are. Yeah, you're better than that. You just. You don't even believe in yourself as well as much right now. You know what I'm saying? So then when he went and did there for. Did that for about. Remember, he's playing the season for about four months by about January, calls me and says, yo, daddy, you're right. I'm gonna decommit. I'm going to Kentucky. Because he's got. As soon as he decommitted, about 50 schools called. Somebody's killing it throughout the whole. Yeah, now they know who the you are. Yeah, duh. But you didn't know who know you. You are every day.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

I was telling you. Yeah, daddy, you're right. I'm Kentucky. You know what I'm saying? So. And that could. Could literally have changed the trajectory of his career. You don't go into Kentucky. Everybody goes in W goes to league. Whether you're good or not, you go to the league. You know what I'm saying? So. But I believe that with the hard work and his work ethic, he would have made it no matter what. But that route could have been a two, three year route. You know, you get coaches that want to hold you to win a championship and all kind of shit, which is kind of like what my nephew kind of went through. You know, he went the wrong. A different route. My nephew went the way where. Okay, I want to football school. How much I believe in myself, if you get what I'm trying to say.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

I mean, it wasn't like, oh, I don't believe that I can get to Kentucky or Maryland or Duke because he had those offers, my nephew. But he just said, yo, I'm gonna do it a different route. There's a little tug of war between them, you know what I mean? One's gonna do it. This ain't one to do that. But we're gonna meet at the top type of thing, and we're not going to the same school.

[Young Nacho]

That's crazy. I'm surprised they didn't want to go to the same school. That's crazy.

[Tom Brokaw]

No, no, that's wire. Let's go at it just like in the finals.

[Young Nacho]

The finals. I was about to ask you about.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That was hard.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's a problem right now. Yeah.

[DJ Wells]

Not to fast forward too far from it, but what's that feeling like to see, you know what I'm saying? Your nephew and your bab going at it. One of the highest levels.

[Tom Brokaw]

All the ships on the line, just humbling blessings. Praises to the Father, the most high, whatever you guys want to boo that. We want to talk to whoever. You believe in the praises, bro. Because like I said, there's a more. There's a higher being than us. Yes, sir. And I'm here for a reason. I believe. And I'm just living on my dream right now. And I'm. Everything's started just aligning. That's why I'm just blessed. So. Still got to pinch myself sometimes, obviously. But I feel good, man. I just feel good.

[Vaughn Alexander]

How are you in the crowd, man? Are you like. Yeah, you torn, bro. In the crowd. Like, how you acting?

[Young Nacho]

Are you hyped?

[DJ Wells]

Because, you know, energy, like, you know.

[Young Nacho]

Shay is like Shay, so you know he the mvp. So are you like the kill, like get buckets, bro. Like, are you.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I built both of them in a sense, when I said built both of them to be like, you know, go at each other, right? So, yeah, it's always been cheering and they played on the same team a lot too, right? So it's always been easier to cheer for both of them. And then when they're going against each other recently, I mean, honestly, I catch myself in some like, go, go, go. No, stop. Oh, shit. Nikhil cut. You don't get a chance to really celebrate, you know, it's up. But at the same time, it's a good problem to have. I'm not gonna lie. There's times when Nikhil does something and like when they blew out, blew out OKC in that game in Minnesota. That one game in Minnesota, they blew my 40 like a cc on the bench. I'm looking over his face on the baseline and I hope he doesn't see me. I'm like, yes.

[Vaughn Alexander]

She went crazy.

[Tom Brokaw]

That make sure she doesn't see, you know, same thing, a shade or something. You know what I mean? I know Nik's piss in the one time n shade chicken wing n kill and bonks in. I was like, damn, that's my boy. Bonks him. Yes. It's a. That's why I've been telling them to go from the driveway at each other. I just to tell her cuz n was number one in Canada. Shay was number two. I used to tell Shay, if you don't catch Nikil, you up. Nikhil, you let Shay catch you. What the did you do? How'd he catch you? So that was the. Oh, yeah.

[Vaughn Alexander]

So you turned them into war against each other.

[Tom Brokaw]

And it's the same way right now, you know? Like, it's just competition, bro. You know what I mean? Any competition.

[DJ Wells]

I guess I can imagine the family group chat was probably lit during the conference finals.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, for sure, for sure. Yeah, me and my sister is still, like, beefing right now, but you know what I mean? It's all love when I say beef. You know what I mean?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, for sure, for sure. It's all love. But, yeah, when she first. When we first realized we played against each other, it was just like, yeah, she texted me and said, yeah, yeah, it's on now. Let's go. Yeah, we'll see. You know, I'm riding with. I haven't lost too much of these bets yet. Let's go. Let's roll the dice.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Where that fashion sense come from for him, man? I see swag.

[Tom Brokaw]

You got some. I say it comes from them a lot. They're just very, very creative. Very uncomfortable in their own skin. Of course, obviously, they see me growing up, how I move and how I want to put myself together. But then you look at my appearance, and my appearance are very fashionable. Look at my dad. You know, you probably think you. You know, he's acting like he's 12, you know, I mean, so I guess that's where I get that aura, too, in that, you know, image. But at the same time, I'm gonna give it to them, because you look at all three of them, there's no way to put themselves together.

[Vaughn Alexander]

He do.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, you gotta know that. Yeah, you gotta know. You put yourself together. It's just kind of a gift, I guess, what people have. Either you have it or you don't. You know what I'm saying?

[Vaughn Alexander]

I just didn't know if that was, like, where y' all come from. Y' all gotta make sure when y' all step outside that y' all.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, for sure, for sure. When you come outside, you're making sure, you know, you look, you represent yourself, right? You're not coming home sloppy with Mata in your eye. And, you know, I mean, one one shoes untied and. No, no, no, you represent. We're going to the game. We're going to the game clean, okay? As a family, people could tell you about that. That's facts.

[DJ Wells]

That's dope, man. We've been seeing a lot of dope NBA dads. Obviously, we know who you are, but it was funny seeing you and OG John Halliburton to pick together both y' all boys in the finals, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's my God.

[DJ Wells]

That's fire, man. What's that feeling like linking up? It's probably only a couple people on earth who could understand y' all feeling the happiest right now. So for y' all to link up like that, that's fire.

[Young Nacho]

Hey, this applies to 99 of the world. I mean 99 of the nation, not 98.9. I mean 99.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Just like that paternity test you took.

[DJ Wells]

Okay? And if you the 1%, it don't apply to you. But for the rest of y' all, 99%, man. Tap in Boost Mobile coverage nationwide. You apply for. This is great. Tap in with Boost Mobile.

[Young Nacho]

If you switch over to Boost Mobile right now, you can get an iPhone 15 with crazy camera work.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That is a 48 megapixel camera for $99.99.

[DJ Wells]

That's right, $99.99 on a 5G network.

[Young Nacho]

It's nationwide.

[DJ Wells]

And I'm 99 sure that boost mobile just gave us a crazy deal with this promo.

[Young Nacho]

Now this is crazy.

[Vaughn Alexander]

You are the father.

[DJ Wells]

It does require credit qualification, ID verification and an activation on a six dollar plan. Taxes are extra and 5G speeds may not be available in all areas.

[Young Nacho]

But they said it was nationwide.

[DJ Wells]

Just not in your hood. Your neighbor. Good though.

[Young Nacho]

The NBA finals are here, fellas. And this is your last chance that we can play some bets on these games. Man. DraftKings, you know that's our betting sponsor and the official betting sponsor of the NBA for sure. We ready to tap in, man. What you got for me?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Bet 5 to get 300 in bonus best man.

[DJ Wells]

$5 get you 300 in bonus bets if your bet wins.

[Vaughn Alexander]

And I'm taking with that bet, I'm taking the Oklahoma City Thunder smack the Pacers this year.

[DJ Wells]

Come on. You know what?

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm.

[DJ Wells]

I'm use that bonus bonus bet to put it in for my Indiana Pacers. We're gonna get this CROWN Just like DraftKings says. And listen, this is special for first time betters on DraftKings. $5 get you 300 in bonus bets if your bet wins.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Don't miss your last chance to bet on the NBA season. Download DraftKings. Put in promo code Club520.

[Young Nacho]

That's again promo code Club520. Fellas. Y' all laughing at me. But hey, if you bit that $5 and you get 300 back on that bonus.

[DJ Wells]

Bonus bits for show only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[Lester Holt]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.

[DJ Wells]

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[Lester Holt]

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[Tom Brokaw]

NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News. I'm Tom Brokaw.

[Lester Holt]

Hope to see you back here.

I'm Lester Holmes.

[Tom Yamas]

It's carried forward.

[Tom Brokaw]

Tom Yamas is there for us.

[Tom Yamas]

Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news. Right now, we look for a constant and from one era to the next, Trust is the anchor For NBC Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.

[DJ Wells]

So we all Made mistakes, right? But owning up to them is the right thing to do. But we all know Degree Cool Rush deodorant. Well, last year they changed the formula and it did not go over well with the fans. Degree's whole thing, it turns up sweat and other protection when you turn up the effort. And good thing it does. Cause Cool Rush fans really turned up the effort to bring back the OG formula. One guy even started an online petition. And Degree listen, they admitted they effed up and are bringing back that OG Cool Rush sent back. And it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's back at Walmart, Target and other stores for under $4. There's a reason why it's been the number one men's anti perspirant for the last decade. It's the same reason why people are not happy when the recipe was changed. So listen, if you've never tried, it might be a good time to try. See what the fuss is about.

[Young Nacho]

Head to your local Walmart or Target and try the OG Degree Cool Rush for yourself.

[Tom Brokaw]

You said it the right way. Like only people people can understand and try to tell people like, yo, there's no real malice. There's no be. There couldn't be, man. We're black NBA dads that have sons in the NBA and one of us is going to get a ring. How do we lose, man, if you win? I, I, I still win. But you know, I don't want you to win. I'm going to win. We have a black NBA dad that's in the finals. You know, we're all that's fire. Like we don't lose. We're showing the world that black dads take care of their kids, which is the opposite. Sometimes the narrative we get, you know, that, you know, there's a lot of mom NBA. Like, you know, the moms you see and the dads just aren't around. And I'm trying to change that narrative. Hence is why we have this podcast coming up. Basketball Dads, you know?

[Young Nacho]

Yes sir.

[Tom Brokaw]

Me and a few basketball great dads and that are doing the same thing like me. And we're just making people know that yo dads are important and they're actually there whether you guys know it or not. You know what I'm saying?

[DJ Wells]

Oh, that's most definitely dope like you Team Morant. Yeah, Come on, man. Lavar Ball. We gotta get that together, man. I know y' all got a pod dropping on the way, man. We gotta get episode off.

[Tom Brokaw]

We got some names coming don't worry.

[Young Nacho]

Okay.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's fire. I didn't know on there. That's hard.

[Tom Brokaw]

Let's see you hear some more about a father. Just listen to on Father's Day. Father's Day at basketball Dads. Trust me. Check it out. Creators of greatness N we definitely going.

[Young Nacho]

To check that out.

[Tom Brokaw]

We're creating greatness out here.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's the name of the pod creator.

[Tom Brokaw]

Creators of greatness. Basketball dad's creat.

[Young Nacho]

That's fire. That's fire.

[DJ Wells]

Shout out to the got be here.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, cuz you still got Dale Curry?

[DJ Wells]

Yeah.

[Young Nacho]

Oh, you gonna have some names on there.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm sure, I'm sure. You guys got kids. You guys are basketball dads.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Creating greatness.

[Vaughn Alexander]

So.

[Young Nacho]

Saving my great.

[DJ Wells]

Saving my gr.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That boy cap over there. That boy shoot, he shooting blank spot.

[Young Nacho]

Why he go put that sp on my neck?

[DJ Wells]

Crazy.

[Young Nacho]

Listen, I tell him the real story.

[Tom Brokaw]

I heard. I heard the silence of the room around. I. What did I. What did I say just now though, man?

[Young Nacho]

It's all good.

[Tom Brokaw]

This.

[Young Nacho]

This greatness to save.

[Tom Brokaw]

Still doing it, man.

[Young Nacho]

I lock this thing up.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's still doing it, man. Don't worry, man. You just give me your girl and I'll breed her and guarantee you. Guarantee you if he has my jeans.

[DJ Wells]

No, you can't say that, pop og I respect.

[Young Nacho]

You can't say that.

[Tom Brokaw]

My wife about to be p.

[DJ Wells]

Respect.

[Tom Brokaw]

That works too, huh? He joking.

[Young Nacho]

Don't listen to him.

[Tom Brokaw]

Guarantee you got my jeans, right?

[Young Nacho]

This is about.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm trade them every day like jeans plus me trading them. That's what. It's the league.

[Young Nacho]

He's still going.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's one of the league. I'm just playing.

[DJ Wells]

Oh, oh, man.

[Young Nacho]

This is what you needed.

[DJ Wells]

Look at him.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh yeah. Finish the joke. I want to disrespect.

[Vaughn Alexander]

N. It's love, you understand?

[Tom Brokaw]

It's not just.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's what. That's what we doing. It's just funny.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, girl, I'm so. I'm so sorry to your girl. My girl too. That's. There we go. That's the real problem. Can we say what that phone was ringing. Okay.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah, okay.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's funny as hell, man.

[DJ Wells]

Hilarious, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

I fuck with Mimi heavy.

[DJ Wells]

Now obviously he gets to Kentucky. What's that adjustment period like for you as far as, you know, like you said, you've always given him guidance. Now he's in a new stage in life. Kentucky is everywhere. Mainstay John Calipari front line. I know he dealt with a little bit adversity Once he got to college, what's that like as you guide him through the next phase in life?

[Tom Brokaw]

Basically, at the end of the day, man, adversity is something that you deal with on your own, man. It's how you look at things. Your backs against the wall, you actually react. You get. You get more aggressive or your backs against the wall, you turn into a little shell, you get. No. Diversity is how you deal with it. I don't think we look at life as that much adversity versus like a problem that you can't solve. You know what I'm saying? Right now, we got the answers. It's like, yeah, man, not to everything. But you sit down and think about it, there's an answer. So I don't really think of it. It's like right now, okay, how do we beat to win this game tonight? And you're thinking about it. It's something. So maybe it's a problem that you have, but when you have the answer to it, JDub drops, gets his numbers, Bernstein plays big, Chet does his thing, and Shay does shit. Right. Just do your. Just do what you do. And everybody does. Does their role not even better than what they do. We don't have to expect more from you. Just do what you normally do. We. All right, so adversity. We don't have no adversity. We don't worry about adversity when it comes to anything I'm trying to say. Okay, that answers your question. We don't deal with adversity versus kind of like dealing with like a problem. That to me, I think if you put things on your head like this is adversity, I even put it in that category of adversity. They're almost winning. Just look at it like, so we got to deal. I got the answer.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, for sure.

[DJ Wells]

Now listen, this man over here, Behen, he was very early on the OKC train, very early on the Shay praise for sure, man. He. Is he right to cheer for this team, man.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's why I love that joke you just told. Cause we. We wanted the same.

[Tom Brokaw]

But you're on the 2, 2, 2, 2. One thing I got you facts.

[Vaughn Alexander]

So I started becoming a fan, like, yeah. When he was at Kentucky, but when I started seeing him and what he was with la.

[Tom Brokaw]

Okay.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, I started seeing him change and shit. And I always told him he had basketball head for real. Of course he played it, but you know what I mean? Once he got the okc, I was like, I feel like that was like the James Harden leaving okc. I felt like he was gonna change.

[Tom Brokaw]

That was a changing moment in his life. Obviously, when it first happened in the summer, I think we were at summer league and it was like, damn. Because he obviously had a good rookie year. You know, I mean, in la, your agents in la, you're settled, you know, you're living there, it's la, it's hot, and bam. Okay. Seeing it, obviously at first like, damn. But then I'm telling you, about 29 seconds later, I was like, we're both in the. Okay, see, in Vegas together, I was like, yo, this is. This is it. This is the. This is. This is the TSN turning point. This is when your life is going to start to move because, yeah, you're doing well in, in la and yeah, Doc's playing you and you're starting at one point in the career, but guess what? They weren't really letting you go. You had Patrick Beverly bringing up the ball, you had Louis bringing up the ball. You had Avery Bradley being able. None of those guys ain't pointers coming out of Kentucky, he was a real point guard, ball on his hand. So I don't see how you come from that to come bring up the ball and go run to the corner and shoot three to be a three. Indeed. No, now it's time for you to really be who you are.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

So you got to OKC now. Still playing behind Chris Paul, Remember Chris Paul was still there. So they played like a staggered one, like a combo one a little bit. And that time, if you remember, I don't know if you guys remember, people still wondering, is he a real one? Isn't he a two? I don't know if you remember that. They were kind of saying, is this guy a 2? Is he a combo? Right. And people weren't sure because he was, like I said, kind of playing combo.ish. in LA second year, he was a combo behind Chris Paul, but he learned obviously a lot off of Chris Paul, right? Yeah, a lot of shit. So now Chris Paul's gone the second year and that's when he really see the real Shay. But I knew that, no disrespect from day one because that's what he was all his life with the balls and making decisions not just as his scoring. Shay's the type of you that's really going to read and react, you know, he's not gonna. That's why they say you can't speed him up and stuff like that. But yeah, it's because the games wouldn't slow them for real. He's really not making up his mind to do anything. I want to see what the defense does for us. Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna read it right. I know you know that as a point guy and react and put your crab dribble. You, you know, I mean, like the best do that. You know what I'm saying? And a lot of guys that get sped up because they're making up their mind saying, I'm gonna euro step in from now. Like, you can't decide to euro stuff until this. You don't bite on your. And then you say, okay, I'm doing that. If you ever hear Shane talking to me, I heard him say it a couple times. He's like. And that's why I know he really is on what I'm on, where it's like he said, the thing that makes me the best is I don't know what I'm going to do. You know what that means that you're just really reacting. I can do anything, but I'm going to wait to see what you do and I don't have to do. You know what I'm saying? Simple. Yeah.

[Vaughn Alexander]

I think that's why it makes it so easy for him to score in the NBA. Because he's like the smooth. We talk about it all the time. He's literally the smoothest, smoothest scorer in the whole league.

[DJ Wells]

He don't even look out. He sweat when he out there hooping, man. Effortless.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah. He acts like he's too cool for school. Yeah, I know that. I know all about that. He's the coolest motherfucker. I know that.

[Young Nacho]

Do you think, like everybody was like preaching shooting threes when he first got in the league? I know. I'm sure people still talk about him shooting threes. Do you think Chris Paul coming to that team and like him shooting that mid range like that helped Shay, like.

[Tom Brokaw]

100%, 100% Chris Paul. Same thing. I'm talking about the crab dribble. Even though I know you guys have probably touched it. Even the free Troll Merchant thing, if you remember Chris Walter tap. We all get into the lane.

[Young Nacho]

Just seeing this.

[Tom Brokaw]

You reach out your hand to the button that he more, no disrespect to that more than Shay. She's not really free throw. Merchant drawing foul. He's. He's using angles and change of pace. Yeah, right. I'm gonna up fake. You get in there, you're done. We all know that. What the you doing in the air once you go up? I'm go up and you're coming down on top of me. Am I drawing a foul? Well, yes, because the rules of the game have fouls in them, guys.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Normally draw my fouls. Just change the rules. Take all the fouls out the game. We'll play football, basketball, when we can do that, too. And we just. Just don't call no fouls on me. And I'll clothesline you. And if you clothesline me back on Duck wins. Yeah. You can't just foul follow people. Right. So he's not a free troll merchant. He's actually just changing pace. There's that. He's gonna change your pace. Stop. And you know you're gonna blow into. Catch you in your angle. It's angles. It's change of pace. It's change of direction.

[Young Nacho]

Nah, it's brains. No, I. I understand it, but I know fans don't like it because when you got that much creativity, I can make you foul me at any point. At any point, I can make you foul me. When people got that much creativity.

[Tom Brokaw]

You gotta be dis. Disciplines not to cut you, big man, but you got to be disciplined on defense.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Because I remember I'm doing the same. And that's why I tell people all the time, if I'm that guy that's making you foul. Sorry. Sorry. Drawing you into those. In those. Into those. Into those spots where you got to follow me.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

On defense. I'm not allowing you to do that. Yeah. You get what I'm saying? So it's on you now to stop following James Harden. Just play defense the right way and don't follow me, bro.

[Young Nacho]

That's. James.

[Tom Brokaw]

Because that's good. Definitely. You know what I'm saying? That's it.

[Young Nacho]

Same thing. James Harden, why didn't you a part.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Of that to your game?

[Young Nacho]

I did. I used to go to the free throw line a lot.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Okay.

[Young Nacho]

I. I did all that stopping behind the screen and letting people run into me.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Show your butt out.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah.

[Young Nacho]

Rip through hands. I. I did that. That's how I guaranteed I was gonna have eight points again. I swear I knew that.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's guaranteed money.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That was a guarantee.

[Tom Brokaw]

8.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah. When I wanted to end, then at the end of the game, you know, if it's a close game, they foul. I used to run and get the ball and just hold it like, give me a. I'm trying to get extra points.

[Tom Brokaw]

Right.

[Young Nacho]

It's part of the game.

[Tom Brokaw]

2, 3, 4 points at the end of the game, man. Win the bonus.

[Young Nacho]

Nah, I already know. I think it's genius. What he do. I wish more people would do that. But they try to take it out the game for my guy, Trey Young. Trey Young used to do it, but they took that out the game a little bit. But KD and them used to all do it. The rip through three, get free throws.

[Tom Brokaw]

And like I said, man, you just can't get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. All right. Let's just say it is a little bit of a free throw drawing thing. Once you realize I told my kids that adapt the way they're calling the game. So eventually you realize they do. You don't do that no more. You gotta fucking like, you know, when a man comes out, you keep your hands. Sorry. You keep your hands big. Right. So you don't. Once you do that, it's going to be about when it's not a foul. Yeah.

[Young Nacho]

You know what I'm saying?

[Tom Brokaw]

But if you discipline yourself to keep it, not go down and reach and all these things, there's no foul call. There ain't calling files that aren't there is what I'm trying to say. There's actually calling followers that actually happens to stop following this retro merchant.

[DJ Wells]

Take that, Doors. Burt.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, for sure. Outside of, you know, nephew and your son, who's some other players that you like in the NBA?

[Tom Brokaw]

Cade Cunningham. Some young guys coming up.

[Vaughn Alexander]

K Dammer got that slow man too.

[Tom Brokaw]

Man's my guy. Fuck with him.

[Young Nacho]

Every shout out to ae.

[Tom Brokaw]

What's all that coming up.

[DJ Wells]

Some young killers.

[Tom Brokaw]

Dort fuck with Dork. Because the way he just plays every, every last play like his left. You don't got that, you don't got that motor and that energy. Like a lot of kids could use that and just have a career. Yeah. They're not. You know what I mean? I, with Katie, I like how he's his whole career, you know. I mean, you know, yeah. Things obviously, you know, different parts of everybody's game that, you know, you, you're picking you like. But you know, I like those. I like those are the most guys I, I, I think right now playing. I don't, I don't have a deep bag because of guys that I, I can pick out of my head right now. Because I'm also focused on Nikhil and Shay. Absolutely. All I can think about is Nikhil. Nikhil's my favorite player. So is Shit.

[Vaughn Alexander]

So dj, dj think Lou Dort's a hack, man.

[DJ Wells]

No, Lou Dorse one of the best players in the NBA. But right now, man, I'm hating right now. If I wasn't going to get shot. I'd show love, but I gotta hate right now, man. You know what I'm saying? Shout out to the thunder. But Lou Dort and Caruso be causing havoc and I am tired of seeing them. I cannot wait till this series is over, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

I get it, bro. I get it. Those guys are pestilence people's lives, bro.

[DJ Wells]

They be locking up. They blitz everything.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, I love that because I always thought, like, it's so funny. Even when the killer shader were growing up, I was more big on defense. Anybody that knows us when we were younger, I was always like, move your feet. It's that no hands. So, like, it's crazy how they're. They're always offensively good. But defense is the thing because, you know, everybody wants to play offense. Everybody. The one thing that people don't do is play defense. They don't rebound. So I was always being on those things. Do what people don't want to do to get what people don't have. You have to do what people want. Want to do. So you're going to defend. You're going to play defense better than everybody. You're going to move your feet. I guess you're going to rebound, too. Yeah, you're going to rebound.

[DJ Wells]

The ball closing possessions out.

[Tom Brokaw]

See the ball go up. You're not going to look at the ball. You're going to look at your man go like this. When the ball goes up, you don't look at the ring. You find your man, box the up. Those two things. Like, I think, there we go. Right now, a kid can get to the league just after 14 points a game. It's not that crazy hard. Even though it is. If he made up his mind to do it like how Rodman and those motherfuckers. You know what I'm saying? It's a. It's an action career out there that's like a spot in the NBA. I mean, just like defense or play defense. Sick as you can get there.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Because everybody can hit a jump shot from the corner three. And so you can always be a three. And D. If you just play sick D, you guys, that's a fact.

[Vaughn Alexander]

You get paid.

[Tom Brokaw]

Duncan and the Ant man stuff. And I get it, it's sick. But that whole flash is just for the flash. It's like. It's like a life, you know, I mean, it's like the glitter in the goal sometimes all that do the grimy. The lunchbox that pays too, man.

[DJ Wells]

We just watched Mitchell Robinson have a research of his career off rebounding, right. Didn't score the ball. Rebound, pass it out. He's about to get paid to make a free throw. Hey, they hacking him. It don't matter. We sending him the game because you get extra possessions.

[Tom Brokaw]

There you go. Yeah, I mean, I look at him, he's just probably like, you know, you're not gonna look at him as a guy that you gotta find like a diamond in the rough. But it's someone that, that's his. He made that his niche. Yeah. And if you do that, I just think it's so obvious. But I see, I guess sometimes I see things that people don't see. I mean, I just look at it like, bro, if I was going to make a you right now, I'm going to turn him into a wickedest rebounder I can bring. I can teach him everything else after that, you know, say, because you will get better at everything else, you know what I'm saying? But if I make you like 14 rebounds a game, I'm gonna obviously be your free throw shoe is going to be good. Obviously gonna be hitting a 15 foot jump shot. I'm gonna get you left, right, finish at the rim. I'm get you the drop steps, turn, spin, you know what I'm saying? I'm get you that eventually. But if you can give me 14 rebounds, that's all you can do right now. I'll work with that. And then what's his ceiling, bro? That's an all stars.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[DJ Wells]

Now I gotta ask you this question. Obviously Ogu pops, you seen him growing up as they progress that game. At one point, did y' all stop playing one on one?

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, for sure. A long time. One point. A long time ago.

[DJ Wells]

Long term, at one point he caught you, you just like, okay, I gotta.

[Tom Brokaw]

Leave this alone ago. But not gonna lie, I took him on with there and he had a summer camp and I took him on the other day, I'm not gonna lie. But it was like a little friendly thing, you know, there's some footage of that, but ain't nobody gonna see that, man. Ain't nobody gonna see that, man. I think I have the guy tied up right now that has a footage tied up in the basement. I gotta have the footage. Nobody's seeing that. But yeah, cuz I'm gonna tell you what happened so I can at least tell you what happened. It wasn't good. Like he made a move and I kind of fell.

[DJ Wells]

So that you got, you got, you.

[Tom Brokaw]

Know that I gotta leave it, right?

[DJ Wells]

Like LeBron, delete the kit, the camp.

[Tom Brokaw]

Before, like I said, I'm big on defense. One time I ripped him. And all other time he met up, I almost blocked a shot. But see, after that he got nine shots in a row. And then after that it was just like down. That was recent. That was recent. But that, that doesn't count too, because now I'm done. If you go back like about when they were like 13, 14. That was the first time you asked him when the first time he bust my ass and said. I said, I'm done about 14. That was again, it was endurance. Cause I can still play but keep on tired. Two minutes wheezing, bro. You know what I'm saying? A lot of stuff in my chest, you know what I mean?

[DJ Wells]

Did you ever play coaching 101?

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, I beat him. Like, I was like 14.

[Tom Brokaw]

Okay.

[DJ Wells]

Is that the last time I played too?

[Young Nacho]

I quit. I never played him again.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's crazy.

[Young Nacho]

He put me on punishment. I wouldn't play no more. He was like, all right, you don't want to play me, you can't go outside. I was like, I don't care. I was on punishment for a month, bro.

[Tom Brokaw]

You said, all right, you still not playing though.

[Young Nacho]

I'm not going to play you no more. He was gonna post me up.

[Vaughn Alexander]

That's crazy.

[Tom Brokaw]

I used to bang them still. It's. It's real, man. I remember those days. And I used to fling them around. Like those days changed real quick. I was like. Like I said that day when he crossed me up and I. And I fell, I could see him saying, yo, see them for when I wanted, you know? I mean, like, he was giving me back all those days when I used to bat them up, you know what I mean?

[DJ Wells]

And you know, he the master of the cat on ig. He gonna fry that up with a crazy lyric underneath it.

[Tom Brokaw]

No, no, that's not coming up.

[DJ Wells]

No, for sure we are coming. We always talk about them, you know, our golden days. We grew up playing basketball outside, and now you got all these kids with professional trainers and stuff like that. Obviously, coming from you, somebody who has put kids in the NBA, how do you feel nowadays? You see so many kids who go to like basically like mechanical workouts. Everybody has a trainer. Like, what's missing? Do kids need to go outside and play basketball? They just need to born fives or what do you think the kids could probably work on to make their games better than some of the output we're seeing right now?

[Tom Brokaw]

There's a couple things, like back to kind of what I said with the. Just finding a niche that nobody ain't doing. You know what I mean? Like, if you're trying to get really getting on, make a team even. Let me talk about the NBA. Let's start off just trying to make a team. Go rebound. You be the best rebound on the team. The coach might put you on the team. Be the best defender on that team. Coach might need you. Like a lot of times, there's been times when the coach needs to win a game. And even the coach is on this political shit and playing the sun. Now the game's closing. He needs to win Johnny Go because Johnny can lock down their best scorer. Yeah. Then he hasn't played Johnny all game because Johnny can't score. But now he needs someone to stop this guy he's flinging in John, he's flicking in Johnny. You know what I'm saying? So just be those things that people aren't. Number one. That was the first thing. And then a lot of. A lot of the. The grassroots stuff, the fundamental stuff. I think people are trying to. Like I said, they're going to the gym, shooting a bag of threes, trying to dunk. And that's not what you work on when you go to the gym, I don't think. I think you work on, like, you know, form, shooting your handles, footwork, you know, endurance. Like a lot of stuff. It sounds a little corny, cliche, but that's how we grew up. That's how our stuff was. And I think it just works. That's why Shea Nikil, they're like throwbacks. If people say that, and I think they are the way they play. She's not really. Yeah, you can dunk over. You can double. You probably won't see like an ant, man highlight with shade. You're not probably see Shay dunk over four, man, which he probably has the athleticism too, right? You know what I'm saying? But it's a different style of game, right? So you'll see one dunk every six months, two every six months. But you're gonna see, like, every game are up and under, you know? I mean, below the rim, you know, I think that's just old school.

[DJ Wells]

Listen, man, Father's Day is almost here. If you're tired of getting them same boring gifts that your father your paw paw gonna throw aside. Hey, man, tap in with Ridge, man. Ridge is official, man. One of the Sleeket wallets in the market, man. Technology is crazy. Talk to him, T. Yeah.

[Young Nacho]

You don't gotta have that fat wallet. You Usually have with all those cars and money and all that. You can have this sleek wallet right here that can fit up to 12 cars.

[DJ Wells]

It's RIFD proof blocking technology.

[Vaughn Alexander]

It's actually RFID blocking technology. And y' all know how I got it. I keep my sock full with all my stuff. With the sleek wallet, I'm able to slide it right in, baby.

[Young Nacho]

Hey, why you disrespect me? I said the right name. Is it rfid?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yes, rfid.

[Young Nacho]

Well, what that mean, man? That means all the blocking it can.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Do in layman's terms. It means when you out, you cannot always. Sean, because it's blocked. Yeah, by the Ridge wallet, baby.

[DJ Wells]

And come on, man, Ridge is using premium. Premium technology and premium materials, man. You got aluminum, titanium, and it's customizable, man. Over 50 different colors, man. You could customize it for your pops. Anyway, how you what with it, man? Tap in with Riz. A great Father's Day gift. The gift that keeps on giving. And it's got lifetime warranty on this joint, man.

[Young Nacho]

Lifetime warranty.

[DJ Wells]

Come on, man.

[Young Nacho]

Y' all followers. What color was y' all guys like?

[DJ Wells]

Come on. Me know, I'm. I'm cool with the all black. Keep it sleek. How you would be here?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Probably red, though. You know what I mean? Shout out to the gang, Wayne.

[DJ Wells]

For sure. You know the boss, man. Use that promo code, Club5:20. Get you a little something off that first purchase, man. One more time for Ridge, man. The wallet that daddy's need, man. Like you said, T, you ain't got to have autumn old receipts in here. Sleek fit in your back pocket. Good to go, man. Shout out to Ridge. Listen, man, just in time for Father's Day. Ridge is having a crazy sale going on right now.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Get up to 40% off your order at ridge.comclub5:20.

[Young Nacho]

Just head to ridge.comclub5:20 to find a perfect gift for yourself or your dad for Father's Day.

[DJ Wells]

Listen, man, when you check out, they're gonna ask how you got here, man. Make sure you show some love and let them know Club 520 sent you over here.

[Young Nacho]

Make sure you give dad the upgrade he deserves this year. A Ridge wallet.

[DJ Wells]

Keep a player because the 2025 NBA playoffs get more exciting. Actually, yes, because this year, thanks to Dash Pass, members only deal, when they swoosh, you score. Specifically, you score a meal for Wingstop. Here's how it works. When any player scores 50 or more points in a playoff game, Dash Pass members earn a free three piece tenders combo meal from Wingstop. To claim the deal the day after the game, go to DoorDash. Put a three piece wingstop tenders combo in your cart. Make sure your cart has a subtotal of 20 or more. Use the promo code Wingstop50 at checkout and free combo. Remember that's called Wingstop50 when they swoosh you score time for Dash Pass and save more all year round with zero delivery fees and reduced service fees or eligible orders plus perks like this one. Valuable use of promo code from noon to midnight the day after a 50 point game. Must have an active Dash Pass account. Terms apply.

[Lester Holt]

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[Tom Brokaw]

The NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News. I'm Tom Brokaw.

[Lester Holt]

Hope to see you back here.

I'm Lester Holt.

[Tom Yamas]

It's carried forward.

[Tom Brokaw]

Tom Yamas is there for us.

[Tom Yamas]

Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures yours. We are coming on the air with breaking news right now. We look for a constant and from one era to the next. Trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.

[DJ Wells]

So we all made mistakes, right? But owning up to them, it's the right thing to do. But we all know degree Cool Rush deodorant well last year they changed the formula and it did not go over well with the fans. The grease, whole thing, it turns up sweat and other protection when you turn up the effort. And good thing it does because Cool Rush fans really turned up the effort to bring back the OG formula. One guy even started online petition and degree listen they admitted they effed up and are bringing back that OG Cool Rush scent back and it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's back at Walmart, Target and other stores for under $4. There's a reason why it's been the number one Ms. Antiperspirant for the last decade. It's the same reason why people are not happy when the recipe was changed. So listen, if you've never tried, it might be a good time to try. See what the fuss is about.

[Young Nacho]

Head to your local Walmart or Target and try the OG degree Cool rush for yourself. Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

And that's the difference in the fundamental training of the game now. Which is why you see a lot of the Europeans and first team all NBA last two years. Just do the math. Not a lot of Americans know the specific to the Americans. But I think the game is getting a little bit fundamental away from. It's more. Bigger, faster, stronger. It's not that. Go back to skill. Yeah. And fundamental training. And that's what the guys in Europe and France and all those other Canada. Because we're humbled with this. We're happy to just be in the room with the NBA guys. A lot of. A lot of the American side now. It's like we're here and we're all a little bit entitled to be here and it's our game and you know what I mean? So we're already in the room and no, you gotta do more right now because the game is catching up to you guys. That's just facts. You can be mad at me or just. Let's just do the facts about it. Let's just do the math and see if I'm wrong.

[DJ Wells]

Most definitely. We talk about all the kids all the time.

[Tom Brokaw]

And you got KO Then you got. What was the next the Friends Wima killer. Then you got shady. Careful guys. I don't know. It's trending that way. I don't know if you guys want a season 2020. Canada's gonna be ready in 2020. You think. You think you'll beat the U.S. well, I say we're ready to go. I don't know.

[DJ Wells]

I got a whip to can be.

[Vaughn Alexander]

They got. They got Jamal.

[Young Nacho]

They got new heart.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's going to be different from 20N.

[Vaughn Alexander]

They got wigs.

[Tom Brokaw]

Right now.

[DJ Wells]

But y go be a force.

[Tom Brokaw]

Just know we're coming. You know what I mean? So we didn't medal. We didn't medal. This one. Okay. I'll say up front for sure. We're meddling.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah. Okay.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Y guard play crazy good guard thousand percent.

[Tom Brokaw]

Come to our big Zach. E develops like I think you'll develop then you guys.

[Young Nacho]

Oh, it's Christmas.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Zach eating gonna be able to come out the game, pops.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah. He gotta play all 40 teams gonna have to go.

[Tom Brokaw]

We gotta do some. A little Bit of wishful. That's how we do this, bro. We talk things into fruition.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, but Toronto, for sure, is on the map. I think my first respect to Toronto, I mean, no disrespect to nobody, but I think Wiggins, Andrew Wiggins, I was like, damn, he really special.

[Young Nacho]

He was the first person. Nah, he wasn't the first one that.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Made it to the pros. That was real, like, high ranked in Canada.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Nash, what do you mean, ranking?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, like, I'm talking about who had, like, a buzz for ranking.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, for sure, for sure.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Drew Wiggs was.

[Tom Brokaw]

He was another one. I'm talking, like, protected from me. He was about 16, 17 to be the number one pick, and he actually ended up being the number one pick, so. You can say that for sure. Sure.

[Young Nacho]

My boy. That's my guy.

[Tom Brokaw]

Wig. So you mean big up the T? Dot. Yeah, the T dot.

[Vaughn Alexander]

I want to know about the music culture out there in Canada, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

What.

[Vaughn Alexander]

What y' all rocking to, man? Clubs or just barbecues? Anything.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's. It's kind of mixed up. It's multicultural, you know. Me personally, I. I deal with my, like, I like my rap, you know, from back in the day, my reggae and stuff like that. So I'm mixed on both sides, but you can get whatever you want. But it's a lot of. It's like New York. I like how New York would be or, you know, but we're a little bit more Caribbean oriented, too. We got the Jamaicans and the Antiguans and the. To the daddies and the Guyanese. We got the. You know, I mean, because like I said, you guys might be born over here, and your grandmother, your grandfather would probably be born over here in America, too. You'll never find a black guy that's telling you his grandmother was born in Canada. You saw a black guy in Canada. His mother was born in some. His grandparents are born in some Caribbean. You get what I'm saying?

[Vaughn Alexander]

Oh, yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Second, fourth generation Canadian black people. You know what I'm saying? But you guys got 4th, 5th, 6th generation black people over here. You know what I'm saying? See the difference? So that's why we have that little Caribbean mix. People say I talk like this. I talk like that. I just talk like how we talk. It's a Canadian thing.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, gotcha.

[Tom Brokaw]

No, no.

[Vaughn Alexander]

We trying to. I've never been over there. I'm trying to get over there, and I just want to make sure I'm seasoned.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, you're good, man. You can roll with me. You all right, man.

[DJ Wells]

Okay.

[Vaughn Alexander]

For sure.

[DJ Wells]

I like this link up. I like this link up a lot.

[Tom Brokaw]

Good morning. Good, man. Stop this.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Okay, cool, cool.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, I've been to Canada quite a few times. Toronto, to be exact. One of my favorite cities.

[Tom Brokaw]

I know. I know you know Toronto. I know you know.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, Toronto's a great city.

[DJ Wells]

Wonderful city.

[Vaughn Alexander]

There you go, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's what's up.

[Vaughn Alexander]

So we already up to one, man. What. What you think we need to do to finish this series out?

[Tom Brokaw]

Damn. It's about. Like I said, man, everybody do their job, man. It's not even his rocket science there. Okay, you don't do your job and what is it? Just do what you normally do, bro. I'm not actually do anything more. Nothing outrageous right now.

[Vaughn Alexander]

What scares you about the patience, though.

[Tom Brokaw]

That you can't play around with them. You can't just say, you know, you'll get up by 15 and they're going to come back. Yeah, but you always. You have to step in their neck, bro. When you get them, literally, that's hold them there or so they wiggle out and try to do some heroic. That's not. We're on. So last game, we did it. Okay. But I didn't like how last game that we won the first half, we kind of didn't win the second because we were up by 19 or 20 at halftime.

[DJ Wells]

We were by 17.

[Tom Brokaw]

That means we didn't win the second half. So I'm trying to win every quarter. That's my thing.

[Young Nacho]

How did you feel after the game one? Cause, I mean, at 20 point, they was up 20, and for Tyrese to hit that shot, watching on TV, like, the arrow went out the gym.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm bringing about my stomach into that. Like, you know, I can see what he's saying. I'm smiling, too.

[Young Nacho]

I'm smiling when he's. No, I just know, like, looking at that, because we all was watching it like, we were all at the crib and we like, all right, 20 point win for the. Okay. See, we ain't gonna pie tonight. Like, he hit the shot. We all call each other like, yo, we gotta go downtown.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Hey. Sad.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah. Like, I feel that. I 100 agree with that, man. Like I said, man, first friendly competition, bro. If it wasn't like. If it wasn't like that, like, even after we lost, I walked up, remember, the arena's right there. I'm sitting in the hotel, right? Walk out. The first person I see is Halliburton. Daddy say, yeah, man. I'm like, bro, yeah, we Good man.

[DJ Wells]

We can't lose.

[Tom Brokaw]

Everything's blessed. But guess what? You know, I say, you're not winning this. The camera's on me. I mean, I can't even move my mouth right. Like, say don't pussy. Like, you know, getting hard. You know what I mean? We got this, man. If you and I, when we win together, man. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Because that's real facts, man. But we got to put on this. It is a competition, bro. But like, I swear, I swear to God, if we lose, which we won't.

[DJ Wells]

I'm gonna be happy.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm gonna be happy for the loser. I'm gonna be happy for the loser. No good for sure for the loser.

[DJ Wells]

Another tough question. How did you feel last year? Because we all feel like sga should have got the MVP last year. What was your reaction like last year when the results.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, I was like, number one, I kind of knew it. You can tell by the way is the connotation is going out throughout the year and you know, you can use, you know, you just kind of know if you know, ball, who they're going to give it to. So I wasn't like, oh my God, they didn't give it to him and he got robbed because I kind of knew who they're going to give it to, number one. Number two, when you do things every day, if you wake up and brush your teeth every day and fold your clothes, if you really do it every day and someone says to you that, guess what? We're giving out awards for waking up and brushing your teeth every day. You say, oh, okay, I hope I'll get it. But really giving them out, well, then guess what? You're gonna get it next year before we get it tomorrow. Because you really do this.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

What am I trying to say? She does this.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Nah, right?

[Tom Brokaw]

Yes. It was a little bit of a let down. He didn't get it. We didn't think we're gonna get it because I knew the connotation and the politics of this. But then you, you think about it. I could do this next year and I could do it the year after that. I could do that because I really do this. Some guys, like, you know, some guys have a good year and it's like, man, man, that's his greatest year. I don't think this guy's ever gonna do that again. And it's true. Sometimes that peak here and they never. But I'm telling shay, I need 34 next year. You're shooting like what, 37. 36 from three. I need to shoot 42. So that means you gotta get in the gym somewhere. Like, there's always somewhere. You're doing great. Mvp. I'm talking, right? Do better. You know what I'm saying? So you're gonna go in the gym this summer, they come back and shoot like 39. He always gives me a little bit. He doesn't give me what I want. He always give me a little bit. He's gonna give me like a 39, 40. And then two years. He's gonna give you 42. Up Jordan's numbers. She's gonna give you like 36 a game one day. And people don't understand what I'm saying. I'm in Toronto. I'm telling people. You could do people look like I'm a madman. Like, relax. Your son's MVP. This is obviously before he's MVP, but I've been doing this every year, saying, like, 24.5 a game with the, you know, from Canada. That's supposed to be great. We're happy to be in the NBA. I don't give a About that.

[Vaughn Alexander]

No, I need to do better.

[Tom Brokaw]

Right? Right. Better every day. It doesn't have to be large increments. It could be small, little increments.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Just get better every day.

[Vaughn Alexander]

As long as you progress.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's what I have to do to Shane now because it's. It's almost harder now because he's the mvp. So how do you motivate him? How do you tell him that he's got to get better? How do you like that? Of your nuts? But he's been. I've been doing this all my life. So he said he already knows I'm nuts. Here he goes again. He's gonna. See, he's gonna tell me to do better. Three people tell me that I should add 50. Yeah, that's. You had 42 in the first half. You should have 50. You know what I'm saying? How much games, like, he does stuff like that. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, yeah, you should add 60. So I'm saying. But you always have to give him that. That to make him feel like saying. Sometimes they say, yo, that's this guy. You can't please this guy. But I'm okay with that.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Right?

[Tom Brokaw]

Because when you reach for the moon and all that stuff, you're falling a little bit lower. You're still on top of everybody. Yeah, but you have to push guys like that because he's that talented, he's that blessed. He's that intelligent, he's the right guy for the job to push. He can actually do it. If you don't say, God only gives you what you can handle, that type of thing. Yeah, I'm not giving that kid more than he can handle. People might have told me that when I was younger. You know, I got that. You think you're pushing them too hard, you know what I mean? No, no. If you hear these kids talk one away in the room by themselves, they're very, very smart. At nine years old, talking about gallon this and that and clothes, these guys are sharp, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, they know things. So you got to push them like, man, and talk to them and deal with them. No, that's real.

[DJ Wells]

We was worried about it this year, you know what I'm saying? Obviously went crazy. Hell of a year. When we started hitting the Joker narrative later in the season, it was like his best statistical season ever. And me and B Hin was just like, hey, man, ain't nothing more he can do, man. Last year y' all snubbed me. He came back better this year. Team set the league and wins. What more can he do? So I'm happy he got his just due. I know he's going to keep accomplishing things, but he definitely deserved that MVP this year for sure.

[Tom Brokaw]

I agree. I agree. And like I said, it's just something that we do consistently. This whole thing is consistency. I think in life, like at your job, whatever you guys do every day, basketball, whatever you do to be good at something, you don't really call yourself good until you can do it consistently. So if you have a great day is what I say at something, but you have a bad day the next day and you have a good day. So you have. You're not really good, you're inconsistent, mother, you know what I'm saying? Consistency is what we rate. It could be the best rapper, Drake from Canada. Hell, shout out Drake, blah, blah. Obviously, obviously he's the best rapper. Why though? He keeps putting them out, bro. You guys can debate that. But who does it as often? Who does it so consistently? So consistency is a serious thing, bro. Once that goes back to Shay. Okay, getting snub this. If they snub Shay this year, what would that mean in our life? It'd be disappointing. That means we're not going to do 33 a night tomorrow. We're going to do it something very similar.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

Next year. Because we just is what we do. You get what I'm saying? Like who's not picking Shade. Not because he's my son, but if she wasn't my son, I said, this kid's probably average 31.5 next year. 6 assists, 7 fours 3 steel. It's what he does by this, at this point, you know what I'm saying? Like, okay, one of these years I'm gonna MVP that. You know what I mean? But they won't give it to you every year.

[Vaughn Alexander]

True.

[Tom Brokaw]

So you gotta stop me this year, give it to you next year. What does it matter? Just gonna keep doing what I do and control. I can control. Yeah.

[Vaughn Alexander]

I was just gonna be shitty this year though. I ain't gonna lie.

[DJ Wells]

Yeah.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Cause he was going crazy, bro. He was talking about, man, he just get 30 every night, but he like be in Joker. Damn. I had a triple double.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm like.

[Vaughn Alexander]

It was really on the brinks.

[Tom Brokaw]

Broker is doing. I tell people it's crazy what he's.

[DJ Wells]

Well, he was.

[Tom Brokaw]

We're not gonna see that again. Watch this one now, guys. Watch this one. When do we get to take the criteria. When have we ever gotten to take the criteria of wins out of the MVP award? We've never done that. We've never done that. I'm a baller, guys. You guys can't do that to me. We've never took the criteria of wins. And you cannot be 19 or 20 wins behind the shade behind the MVP. 20 wins, that's a win. He had a great year. Yeah, she had a great year. Watch this. No, you want to say his ears a little bit greater than Shade because all these crazy things. But Shay's here is still great. Yeah, now you gotta go to wins. Yeah, now you gotta go to wins, guys. And that's what you. That's what you got to give it to. That's my argument. You can say a lot of other stuff too. There's other arguments. But wins is too much of a big criteria. And they've never given out it out without saying wins has never been. Wins is a major factor.

[Young Nacho]

I see.

[Tom Brokaw]

So if you take that out now. Yeah. You might say, okay, here, 50. 50. No, your ad wins. It's like 75, 25. Just like what it was.

[DJ Wells]

Most definitely.

[Tom Brokaw]

You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I don't think it's that close.

[DJ Wells]

No, obviously we know you probably can't be 70.

[Tom Brokaw]

80, is it? Are we trying to win? If the object of this game is to win.

[Young Nacho]

That's all I want.

[Tom Brokaw]

Okay, well, I don't want you on my team as no mvp. If we can't win. I want to win, bro.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Is we winning for Pops?

[Tom Brokaw]

All right. We're gonna win tonight.

[Lester Holt]

God damn.

[Tom Brokaw]

We the lost game.

[DJ Wells]

I'm trying to secure my convers, man, but come on, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

You're good, you're good. Don't watch that. You're good.

[Young Nacho]

He said we three and one going back already.

[DJ Wells]

We ain't playing games.

[Tom Brokaw]

The right way. Three the one, three. The one's crazy.

[DJ Wells]

F. Oh, man, obviously. You know what I'm saying? Toronto Bias. What was the energy like? You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? The Kendrick situation, man. I was in Philly, you know what I'm saying? Being a ground zero with that.

[Tom Brokaw]

We ain't worried about that up and all Bone, man. I don't even worry about it.

[DJ Wells]

I like that.

[Young Nacho]

It ain't no question.

[Tom Brokaw]

We do our thing, man. Yeah, we're not worried about nothing.

[Vaughn Alexander]

Yeah, for sure.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah.

[DJ Wells]

That's hilarious, man. Before we get out of here, man, please tell the people about the no Flukes organization, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, for sure, for sure. No Flukes is a movement. No Flukes means never opting for less. Unified knowledge, Equal success. That's a foundation I have back in Toronto where we help at risk youths getting what they need to survive in life. Basketball skills, opportunities. We have a. We have a league that we take After Hours Ball, we call it now, where we take kids that come from the hood at 8 o' clock at night, bring them back at 1 o' clock at night. They play basketball in the league. The league's like almost like a. Like how you do have a men's league. So we keep score like the NBA. Leading score, leading assist, this, that, that at the end. Every week we get them prizes for whatever accomplishment they make. And we check our retention rate to see who's getting better, who's getting worse. And it's just a fun little safe place called like A Safe Place for these Kids at nighttime. But that's just one thing we do. We had an event coming up 7-26-27 called Shoot yout Shot 2. So last year we'll Shoot yout Shot 1. We did a three point competition with 10 to 18 year olds. The winner of those competitions, you got to go against NBA players and we gave them jewelry and no Flukes pendants and all that stuff for the winners. We're running it back bigger this year on 7-22-27.

[Young Nacho]

That's dope.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's what we're into, man. We're just trying to change lives Every day, one day at a time. And make these kids know they can. Anybody can be like Shane Akil or Tomasi. You know, that's my. Sorry. That's Tomasi, my younger son. He's a fashion designer. Yes, sir. And he's gonna be doing his thing, too. You're gonna hear about him. He's gonna change the world in his own. His own little way.

[DJ Wells]

His highlights been on the timeline recently, too. You know what I'm saying, Pops? You know what I'm saying? I'm tapping in for sure.

[Tom Brokaw]

For sure. I got to bring him up, too. Cause you know, he has. He comes with my season. Know I'm in my season. Straight on.

[DJ Wells]

Shout out to the lineage, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah.

[DJ Wells]

Hey, man, we can't wait for the pod to drop, man. Great and greatest basketball dance. Poppy say it's coming out on Father's Day.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah, we get. We get. We going to get my boy on it.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah, I'll be on there, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Basketball dance.

[Young Nacho]

Yeah. I'm going be on there talking my. I see. I see what he doing. I see what he doing. I see. I like his style.

[DJ Wells]

P A6, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Let's go get it. So wide in the field. Come on. Real in the field.

[DJ Wells]

What the Kubo, man. You know the vibe. Shout out to the OG for slide through, man one time for boost mobile. You know the vibes. 25 unlimited talk text data nationwide for the first. You must be here. What's the vibes?

[Vaughn Alexander]

$15 only, baby.

[DJ Wells]

Come on, tap in, man. Nationwide. 5G.

[Young Nacho]

5G is all real. You know what I mean? 5G nationwide.

[DJ Wells]

Tap in for sure. We appreciate y' all. We'll be back next time. Club 520.

[Tom Brokaw]

The volume.

[DJ Wells]

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[Lester Holt]

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[Tom Brokaw]

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[Lester Holt]

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[Tom Brokaw]

This is an I Heart podcast.