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- [00:00]
Tyronn Lue
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:04]
Colin Coward
This is Colin Coward from the Colin coward podcast on Fox 1. Now you can stream your favorite live sport so you can be there live for the biggest moments. That means NFL Sundays and college football games, nascar, major league baseball, postseason and more. With Fox one, you get it all. Live, edgier seat plays, high octane moments and. And that feeling like you're right there in the action. Fox one, we live for live streaming now.
- [00:35]
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- [01:03]
Tyronn Lue
Please welcome aboard the Johnson family.
- [01:07]
Shannon Sharpe
The whole fame's here for the Disney cruise. So you know, we came to play. And listen, the adults are gonna have a ball. First we're chilling in the infinity pool, onto massages at Sense's spa. Then gliding into Star wars hyperspace lounge for a to. We're even gonna kick back with Mickey on Disney's private island. That's how we get down. Cause Disney cruise line is where we came to play.
- [01:33]
Tyronn Lue
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- [01:47]
Colin Coward
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- [01:50]
Tyronn Lue
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- [01:52]
Colin Coward
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- [02:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Lebron James is on an expiring contract.
- [02:08]
Tyronn Lue
I'm surprised by that.
- [02:09]
Shannon Sharpe
You know he posted a video. He was working at the Clipper facilities.
- [02:11]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, I know. I seen that. Yeah, I saw that.
- [02:16]
Shannon Sharpe
What that meant.
- [02:17]
Tyronn Lue
I don't even know if I can speak on that.
- [02:20]
Shannon Sharpe
All my life been grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle, paid the price, wanna slice got to roll the dice that's why all my life I've been grinding.
- [02:30]
Tyronn Lue
All my life all my life been.
- [02:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Grinding all my life Sacrifice hustle, paid the price, wanna slice, got to roll a dice that's why all my life.
- [02:40]
Tyronn Lue
I've been grinding all my life.
- [02:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Hello. Welcome to another episode of Club Shay Shay. I am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the proprietor of Club Shay Shay. Stopping by for conversation on the drink today, he's a two time NBA champion as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He's the coach that authored the greatest comeback in finals history. With his team down 3:1 with two of the last three games on the road. And don't forget that warriors team had the best regular season record in NBA history at 73. 9. He helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win the first and only NBA title. He's the Olympic gold medal winning coach, first team all big 12 point guard selection. His number 10 is retired by the University of Nebraska. He has a street named after himself in his hometown of Mexico, Missouri. The current head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers that led them to the first ever conference finals. Here he is ladies and gentlemen, Tyron Lue T. Lue. What it do man?
- [03:35]
Tyronn Lue
How you doing?
- [03:36]
Shannon Sharpe
I'm good bro. When growing up in Mexico, Missouri, if somebody would have told 10 year old Tylou, you're gonna be an NBA player and you're gonna play on with two of the greatest players in NBA history. You'll later become a head coach and you'll be author the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. If somebody would have told 10 year old Tyronn Lue that, what would you have told him?
- [04:02]
Tyronn Lue
Hell no. Hell no. But I mean, you know, you always dream and dream big, you know, you put the work in. But to like come this far from, you know, where I come from, it just is crazy. It's crazy to believe and like I said, been blessed. Like I talk about it all the time, just you know, come from Mexico, Missouri, small town where we call it one way in, no way out, you know. And so to make it out and be able to help the people I be able to help is just a.
- [04:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Blessing, you know, my brother tells the story all the time is like coming from rural South Georgia where there's really no one that you like. If you're in la, you might see someone that you might aspire to be like, or you come from a big Chicago or New York, you might bump into a Jay Z or you see a Kanye. But when you from a small rural town and there's really no one from that hometown that's ever gotten out and become what we call be on television or be on the radio. How hard was it for you to find motivation to want to leave Mexico, Missouri?
- [04:56]
Tyronn Lue
It was hard. But I idolized my uncle Jay Graves. You know, he played basketball, he wore number 10, so I wanted to wear number 10. And he just taught me a lot about the game. But like you said, it was no one to look up to and idolize. Cause TV wasn't, you know, games on, TV wasn't big back then.
- [05:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [05:12]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so you just kind of had to pick the people who you wanted to be like. And outside of my uncle, the other guys, I want to be like, it would have been going in the right direction.
- [05:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, yeah. You never left Mexico.
- [05:22]
Tyronn Lue
You see them with all the cars, with all the money and you know, that's kind of like what you inspire to be, you know, just having money, just being able to do what you want to do. And so I was, you know, like I said, blessed and thankful that I was able to get out.
- [05:35]
Shannon Sharpe
Fast forward, here we are now. You're the head coach of the Clippers. Big acquisitions this offseason. You make the trade for Bradley Beal. Chris Paul comes back after what, four or five year away from the Clippers. Kawhi seems to be finally healthy because he started to play really, really well down the stretch last year. James Harden, you re signed him. The bill, the Chris Paul, are those the missing ingredients? What do you guys need to do? Because OKC ain't going nowhere. Houston traded for that seven foot monster. We know he's the elite scorer. And when you pair him with what they already got, Shun, Goon and they got VanVleet and they got Thompson. What do you guys need to do, T. Lou, to make sure you guys are playing in the conference finals with a chance to go to the NBA finals?
- [06:20]
Tyronn Lue
I think the biggest thing for us is just health. I think, you know, you start the season and your best players, you know, aren't available when it hurt.
- [06:28]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [06:28]
Tyronn Lue
You know, you gotta play a different style of basketball until they're able to come back. And that kind of hurt us last year. Like we had to play a style just to win games to try to stay afloat. We really didn't have a flow or system how we wanted to play because our best player was out. He played I think 37 games last year and like, I think eight or nine of them, like was that 20 minute restriction, you know, so, you know, we. So we lean a lot on James. James was great. You know, Zoo was great. Yes. Nick Batun, I mean, Norman Powell, Norman Powell was great. And then Derrick Jones Jr. Had a career year. Chris Dunn had a career year. So guys stepped up and we took on a mentality and we took on like a. Like we're going to be a defensive minded, tough team and that's who we became, you know, so James led the way, I think, with his leadership. I Think Norm, you know, being able to score the way he did. Zubak, you know, being getting Went to another level. Yeah, went to another level. I thought it was good for us. And we had an identity in his defense. And then when Kawhi came back, you know, you try to integrate him into something that's been working, you know, now you get your best player back. It's kind of tough to do that.
- [07:28]
Shannon Sharpe
Cause they've been playing one way and now you bring this guy in it.
- [07:30]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. So this year, like I said, just starting camp, Kawhi's healthy and we know when he has a camp and he's healthy, he's a monster.
- [07:37]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [07:37]
Tyronn Lue
You know, James is back. You know, we got Brook Lopez, you know, who's huge for us. I think another big body. We can throw a joker. And we're playing against Denver like, you know, when Zoo's out of the game. We've always been small and so he's punished us inside, you know, being able to score. And we have a double team now he's picked me apart with passing. So just for us being healthy, I think for majority, I think we got a chance to do some special things.
- [08:00]
Shannon Sharpe
Does Bradley Beal coming in, does he replace what you lost with Norman Powell because you had to move Norman Powell, he moves on. And Powell, he's explosive. He's an explosive scorer. Now we know where Bradley Beal was in Washington. He went to the All Star game. He averaged 30 for a couple of years. So we know he can score, but that's not necessarily what you need from him.
- [08:19]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, I think, you know, Norm, like I said, led a team in scoring last year and had a career year. He was phenomenal. And you lose a guy like Norm, it's always tough to make up for that. But Bradley Beal, like you said, who's been a perennial all star who's averaged 30 a couple times in his career, he's definitely going to be a big help for us offensively. So we're going to need him to score. But outside of scoring, we're going to need him to make plays for other guys too, because he's going to draw two or three guys and he can make a pass, he can make a play, and then defensively he's always been good, but you got to challenge him every night. If he's on like bad players, he's not as good. But when he's guarding a guy that can play, he's a really good defender. And so we need total all around package. And when you play For a team like Phoenix, like he did the last couple years, you got Booker and kd and you're the third option. Like, people like, oh, well, he. He have 18 points, shot 50% from the field and 43 from three.
- [09:09]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [09:09]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so, I mean, those are unbelievable stats. But when you playing with Katie and Book, it kind of gets overshadowed. And so I think, you know, by coming here, I think it gets a fresh start. I think he's going to be great for us.
- [09:20]
Shannon Sharpe
How difficult is it, T. Lou, to get a guy when he's been the guy where he was, to get him to come in and say, that's not what we need here? Because he's not. It's gonna be Kawhi, it's gonna be James Harden. And I think he struggled. Like you said, he's had good numbers, but I think he struggled because when you go from 30 to 18, that's a big. And people look at you different. They talk about you different.
- [09:43]
Tyronn Lue
Right. But the talk really doesn't matter because you don't know how the team is structured and how they're. How they want to play.
- [09:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [09:49]
Tyronn Lue
You know, he might took a back seat to Katie and Book. Like, listen, I'm a guard, the best player, you know, if y' all need me, I'm going to be here. But I don't think, you know, with our team, he'll get lost in the sauce. Because James is such a great passer.
- [10:01]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [10:01]
Tyronn Lue
He makes it easier for everybody to play the game. And we're going to need him to score. We don't need him to come in and, you know, try to be somebody else.
- [10:07]
Shannon Sharpe
We need him to be who he.
- [10:08]
Tyronn Lue
Is, you know, and so keeping him involved and engaged offensively is going to be huge for us because he can do a lot of stuff. He can cut, catch and shoot. He can come off screen. He can handle the ball as a secondary ball handler. So he can do a lot of things offensively. And so we want him to come in and be who he is, not trying to fit in.
- [10:25]
Shannon Sharpe
Chris Paul, you bring him back. What are your expectations? Because I want to see Pete going into his 20th season, 20th season, and he's still a quality assist guy. Now, he's not the scorer that he once was, but you might not need him to give you that kind of that offense, but you need somebody that can move the ball. He is a pure point guard. He's looking to pass the ball first. What are your expectations from cp?
- [10:47]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, kind of same thing with Bradley Bill, you know, just being who you are. And, you know, you get older in age and you played so long in the league, your main goal is to win. And so I think they're at the point in their careers where we just want to win whatever it takes. But, you know, C.P. you know, being 40 years old and playing 82 games last year.
- [11:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [11:04]
Tyronn Lue
You know what I mean?
- [11:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Like, so nobody plays 82 anymore unless you're Mikhail Bridges.
- [11:09]
Tyronn Lue
Right, right. And so he has done a great job as far as just changing his diet, you know, how he eats, how he trains. And he's going to be huge for us, I think, for our young guys, as far as teaching them how to work, teach them how to be professional. And then, like you said, being a hell of a pastor and creator, and he takes care of the basketball, he doesn't turn the ball over. So that's huge for us.
- [11:26]
Shannon Sharpe
But you do realize when you bring these players in, combined with the players, that you already have expectations goes up exponentially. You know, what's expected of you guys, and you guys just happen to be the oldest team in the NBA. See how that happened?
- [11:40]
Tyronn Lue
If you don't have expectations, you don't have a chance to win.
- [11:42]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay?
- [11:43]
Tyronn Lue
And so you should never shy away from that. You know, as a coach, you should be running to that, right? You know, having a chance to compete for a championship. That's. That's all you can ask for, right? Just having a chance to compete because it's, you know, about 20 teams that come in every season, and they don't have a chance to really win, you know, and so for me, I think we really have a real shot. Like I said, with the guys we acquired this summer, with the guys we had here last year with a healthy Kawhi, I think we really do have a chance to. To be an elite team, you know, and so it's going to take a lot of work, but we can get there.
- [12:12]
Shannon Sharpe
How important was it for you guys to get into your own building? Because as long as you stayed in Staples or the Crip or whatever they call it, it's really hard to have an identity because the Lakers have been there so long, they won so much in that building, especially not so much in the last 10 years, last 15 years. Excuse me, but you know, with Shaq and Kobe, everybody remembers that. And now you got the Lakers, and now you got LeBron in that building. You got Luka. How important was it for you guys, T. Lou to get your own building?
- [12:39]
Tyronn Lue
Well, it was important. And I know, like, you know, everyone makes the robbery The Clippers, Lakers, whatever. But to me, it's more about the city of la, you know? And so when I first came as a rookie, like, it's all I knew. And they embraced me. And just being here for the people in the city of LA is. It was. It means the most to me.
- [12:56]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [12:57]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so if you're a Lakers fan, if we're not playing the Clippers, not playing the Lakers, you should be a Clippers fan.
- [13:02]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [13:02]
Tyronn Lue
Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's us against the world, you know, and so that's kind of how.
- [13:06]
Shannon Sharpe
They view it, though.
- [13:07]
Tyronn Lue
I know, I know. I said, but I wish they would, you know. And so for me, it was great for us to kind of like you said, Mr. Ballmer, when he bought the team, he said, I'm gonna build us an arena. And so, you know, it took some time. And he did that, you know, so to have our own home and a place, you can leave your shoes in a locker room, have to move it out every time, you know, we left to go on the road or a concert came in.
- [13:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [13:27]
Tyronn Lue
You know, it's huge for us, you know, have a place called home. And it's beautiful. I mean, they've done a great job of just everything they've done with that, you know, nothing was left out, nothing was spared.
- [13:37]
Shannon Sharpe
He spared no expense, nothing. Reports are, and you can correct this, that Kawhi trained until the end of the playoffs. Is that true?
- [13:48]
Tyronn Lue
He was.
- [13:48]
Shannon Sharpe
He trained like he put his body. He was doing like the playoffs was going on, even though he wasn't playing. And so when the Clip. Excuse me, when the Thunder and the who, they play, the Pacers, when they ended, Kawhi, he took a break, and now he started back up. Why do you think it was important for him to do that?
- [14:05]
Tyronn Lue
I think just training his mind to be able to play and get to Finals. Yeah. Like our season was over. Like we got beat by Denver in Game 7. But to keep training and keep playing and just pushing your body to that point of, you know, an extra two months of the season, like, that's tough, right? And to train your mind and train your body, that's what he's getting ready for. So I love that.
- [14:25]
Shannon Sharpe
It'S hard. I mean, because, you know, you as a player, you play, you play, you play. And you see how great Kawhi is when he plays. And for some reason, his body has betrayed him sometimes, not all the time, because when he's. When he's healthy, it's hard to Say he, he might not. He's borderline top five, but he ain't getting out of the top ten. When he's healthy. Now you can say whatever because he can still defend. Now he's not the defender, the two time defensive player of the year defender, because he's kind of focused a little bit more offensively. Back then he was just a defensive player that gave you some offense. Now he's an offensive player that can still play outstanding defense. But when you watch him and you see. Cause a lot of people say, man, Kawhi just that low management, ain't nothing wrong with him. When you see how hard he works. Cause everybody talks about how hard he actually works and you see how his body sometimes betrays him. What goes through your mind?
- [15:15]
Tyronn Lue
I feel sorry for him, you know, Cause all the work he puts in, we see it every day. And just what it takes to get on the floor on a consistent basis. It takes a lot for him to get out there. And so it's not like he's wanting to sit out and miss games. Like he puts the work in every single day. The grind that he has to do to even get on the floor to play, it's just tough, you know. And so when he tries to push, you know, through that threshold himself, he gets himself in trouble. So a lot of times it's coming from us, it's coming from Lawrence Frank, you know, the medical staff. Like we gotta protect him from himself because, you know, sometimes he wants to play back to backs, but we've seen the trend. If he does, then you know, the.
- [15:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Knee go swell up, you know.
- [15:52]
Tyronn Lue
And so even though he wants to do it, like sometimes you gotta protect him from himself. And it's just tough because he's not a guy that wants to sit out not wanting to play. Like his whole mindset is to win championships and that's what he wants to do. And like sometimes, like you said, it just, it's unfortunate, you know, it's, you know, some bad luck that, you know, things happen. But it's not like, you know, he doesn't want to work or he doesn't want to play. Like that's definitely not true.
- [16:15]
Shannon Sharpe
You played alongside Kobe, you played alongside Jordan. Has Kawhi ever. Because a lot of people say his game is very, very similar because he had the mid range game. Both of those guys had tremendous mid range games. Has he ever asked you any questions about Jordan and Kobe?
- [16:29]
Tyronn Lue
All the time. Yeah, all the time. Especially when I first got here. And so going down to San Diego, you Know, a couple summers and just working with him and just showing them that, you know, the moves and the routines that me and Jordan did every single morning. Like we went to, we call it a breakfast club.
- [16:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [16:44]
Tyronn Lue
Get up, we lift weights, go to breakfast, get to the gym about an hour and a half early. And I went through the same post moves that Jordan went through every single day for two years. And so I knew it was routine and so I brought that's a kawhi and just kind of showed him footwork, you know, how they did it, what they were looking for, you know, how to take advantage of different, you know. And so he really picked up on it. It was crazy. We talked about it like 4 days ago when you coming back to San Diego, and I was like, man, I don't know. You know what I'm saying? When you come back to L. A.
- [17:12]
Shannon Sharpe
You had to come to Vegas to get that in.
- [17:13]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. So. But you know, he got it down and just showing all the different things that I learned from Jordan and Kobe and just the footwork and stuff. And he picked it up and he really embraces. Right.
- [17:22]
Shannon Sharpe
Is he as quiet as he seems?
- [17:24]
Tyronn Lue
No, no. I mean, he's like me. I don't really like, you know, being around the media talking out, you know. But were you around his guys around? Oh, he's a funny. He's a funny dude, man.
- [17:35]
Shannon Sharpe
That's what people say.
- [17:37]
Tyronn Lue
Super funny. Like, and I'm.
- [17:38]
Shannon Sharpe
People say he joking, he having a good time. But when, like when the cameras are around. Yeah, he's like so robotic.
- [17:46]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. And that's kind of what makes him him. You know, a lot of times, you know, stars, they want to get out in front of the camera, they want to be seen. And he's opposite.
- [17:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [17:54]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so he rather let his game do the talking and speaking. And so you can respect that.
- [17:58]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [17:58]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and I love that about him, but he's a funny dude.
- [18:01]
Shannon Sharpe
You. You re signed James Harden. The two year deal. When you guys make the move and you get Harden, what was your expectation? Because you had saw him from afar. You see him score 36 a night, you see him win the MVP, you see a guy goes from the sixth man of the year to one of the two or three best players in the NBA. So when you get a guy like that, what, what are you. What's going through your head? Like, damn. I mean, I don't want to mess. I don't want. I don't want to mess up too much of what he's Doing, but I also need him to play within the scheme. So what's your thought process when you get a guy like a James Harden?
- [18:32]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, it's tough. You just got to, you know, kind of figure out. The first thing you do is go to a player like that and say, you be who you are, you know, and we're going to try to make sure we incorporate into the team dynamics. But be who you are, and if you're doing too much, we'll let you know.
- [18:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [18:44]
Tyronn Lue
But when he first came, I thought.
- [18:46]
Shannon Sharpe
Damn, T. Lou, you said you doing too much. You let him know.
- [18:48]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, yeah. But I mean, when he first came, he wasn't doing enough. Like, he was thinking he was taking like, seven shots a game.
- [18:55]
Shannon Sharpe
No.
- [18:55]
Tyronn Lue
Hell, no. And so PG Kawhi, and then we had Russ, you know, coming in, and so James was more of the facilitator, you know, making the plays. But when he started to, like, you know, score more and be more aggressive, I think we went 35 and 6 or something. 33 and 6. And we had a hell of a stretch, you know, once we got him. But we had worked on some all training camp by, like, cutting and slashing and moving, and we brought him in. We just totally killed it.
- [19:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [19:22]
Tyronn Lue
Cause James, like, guys space. So space. He can make the right play and make sure guys are in the right spots. And so it made it tough for us, but we adjusted to it. And like you said, when guys are great, you just got to let them be great.
- [19:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Right. How do you make sure that Game 7 doesn't happen again? Because we hear James Harden is great in the regular season, and then come playoff time, we don't seem to get that same level of James Harden. Is it mental? Is it something that you can do? Is it something the players around him can do? What can you guys do to make sure he's at his absolute best when you need him to be?
- [19:53]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, I mean, I don't see what the difference is between game six and game seven. You know, the game six was an elimination game.
- [19:58]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [19:59]
Tyronn Lue
He had 30. What? 36. You know, so, like, I don't think it's a mental thing. I think teams are prepping for a hell of a guy.
- [20:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [20:05]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so when you have two or three guys loaded up, not gonna let you play to your strengths, not gonna let you ISO and get to where you want to get to, it just makes it tough, you know?
- [20:13]
Shannon Sharpe
And so that's when other guys gotta help out.
- [20:16]
Tyronn Lue
That's when I gotta help out. That's when other guys gotta step up and I just take most of the blame. Like if he's not. If he's not performing, if my players are not performing, I think yes, on me, you know. And so for me, if that's gonna be a problem, then we just got to win in six games. Don't go to sleep.
- [20:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, I think that dunk that, dunk that put back dunk by Gord. Really, it took a lot out of you because y' all had. Y' all had that one. And then all of a sudden you like, we're about, what are you gonna go? I think you about to go. No, y' all would have won the game.
- [20:44]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. No, it was tied up.
- [20:45]
Shannon Sharpe
It was tied up. Okay.
- [20:46]
Tyronn Lue
But yeah.
- [20:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Something that I can't recall. And you were around Kobe a lot more than me and Jordan. I can't recall if he did it either. But when they had a bad game, they never dunked out on the medias.
- [21:00]
Tyronn Lue
No.
- [21:01]
Shannon Sharpe
It bothers me when things go well, guy drop a 40 point triple double. The guy got 50, 60, they'll talk. They have a bad game and then they run from their responsibility of talking to the media. What's your take on that, T. Louis?
- [21:16]
Tyronn Lue
I don't like it, you know, but I think guys are built certain ways in different ways. And I don't think it's more of a disrespect thing. I think it was more like you let yourself down because they train so hard and you work so hard to get to these moments. And if you don't play well, like, you're pissed off at yourself.
- [21:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Correct.
- [21:32]
Tyronn Lue
It's not the media or anybody else. And so, you know, it's better ways you can handle it. I think guys should, but you never know how guys are feeling. Yeah, some guys can't handle it. You might get them on stage and they might go crazy.
- [21:45]
Shannon Sharpe
You'd be glad. You're like, yeah, you should have done.
- [21:48]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so I mean, I wish it was a better way they could handle it, but, you know, you know, if you don't play well, if you don't do what you're supposed to do, step up and meet the responsibility, you know, of doing the media. Woo.
- [21:59]
Shannon Sharpe
That 98 draft class. Dirk, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Mike Bibby, Al Harrington, Larry Hughes, Rashard Lewis, Antwan Jamison, Jason Williams, Bonzi. Well, Ricky Davis, Rafer Alston, Katino Mobley, Earl Boykins. What do you remember about that draft class? Y' all had a nice little. Y' all had nice little. Y' all had A nice little squad. Dirk's in the hall. Pierce is going to the hall. Vince Carter's in the hall.
- [22:22]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, it was crazy because, you know, my junior year, you know, at Nebraska, I had a. You know, I had a really good year. And so I was like, man, can I come out? Because I didn't know if Steve Francis was gonna come. And then Baron Davis, right? And Baron Davis had got hurt, and he tore his ACL@ UCLA. And so when he got pushed back, he's gonna come out that year. So if BD would have came out, I'd have came back to school for my senior year.
- [22:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [22:49]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so once he got hurt, that's why BD's my guy, you know. So once he got hurt, I was like, I gotta. I gotta make a move, you know? And so I came out, you know, end up being the 23rd pick. But just going through that draft, it was crazy because I had a chance, an opportunity to go 15.
- [23:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [23:07]
Tyronn Lue
Like, Orlando said they were gonna take me 15 because they had had three picks, right? They had. So they took Mike Doliak at 12, Keon Clark at 13. And then for 15, they're supposed to take me, but they took Matt Harper. Yeah. From Georgia Tech. And then I think 16 was. I think Michael Dick. But then Michael Dixon went 14, and then Bryce Drew went 16.
- [23:28]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [23:28]
Tyronn Lue
And I was about to win 16th, and I didn't do that, you know. So then when you don't know, you're kind of like, oh, you know what's going on?
- [23:34]
Shannon Sharpe
All of a sudden you thought 15, you don't go 16, 17, 18. So you start sliding, you're like, damn, did I make the right decision?
- [23:41]
Tyronn Lue
Right? And so, you know, they wanted to have a draft party back in Mexico for me, and I was like, man, I ain't gonna be embarrassed. Like, I ain't have a draft party. Don't get drafted. So I was in New York, you know, with my agent, Andy Miller, at his house. And so, you know, when I heard my name get called by The Denver Nuggets 23rd pick, like, I went crazy, right? It was like a dream come true. And, you know, for a guy like you said from Mexico, that doesn't happen.
- [24:02]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [24:02]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so. So it was like a blessing, a dream come true.
- [24:07]
Shannon Sharpe
And then you got. Then you get traded. You, like, you get drafted to The Nugget. The 23rd pick, Tyron Lou. Yeah.
- [24:14]
Tyronn Lue
Yay.
- [24:15]
Shannon Sharpe
That pick was traded to the.
- [24:18]
Tyronn Lue
You now. Back flips. Yeah. Go from happy to, like, back flips, man. The Lakers, Kobe and. Come on, man.
- [24:24]
Shannon Sharpe
Shaq.
- [24:24]
Tyronn Lue
Come on. Kobe and Shaq. And like, being in la. And then so, like, what blew my high was I like when they said, trade it to the Lakers, because I know Jerry Weston came and watched me play in Hawaii. We played against Virginia and I had a hell of a game. He was sitting courtside, like, thumbs up, winking at me. I was like, oh, you know what I'm saying?
- [24:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Let me keep this up.
- [24:45]
Tyronn Lue
And so they say I get traded to the Lakers, man. I jump off the couch, I go crazy. My agent scared me. Well, this is totally different. You're not going to Denver, you're going to the Lakers. So this is very important. You got to. So he scared me. So now I'm going from being high to like, scared. Killed you high? Killed my high. Like, and we talk about to this day, like, damn, like, I was like, excited and now he scared me. Cause now like, I'm like, shit, like, what I gotta do now? Like, you know, so. But like, that was huge, man.
- [25:10]
Shannon Sharpe
But you go into a situation, T Lou, where you're like, you're all Big 12 and you handling the ball, you're scoring and you know that's not gonna be you. What you gonna be doing in la? So how do you transition? Because you transition.
- [25:23]
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- [26:22]
Tyronn Lue
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Tyronn Lue
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- [27:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Like you like forgot. I mean you could score, but you like. Nah, that ain't my thing. Let me lock in on this defensive end. That's how I'm gonna have to be here.
- [28:00]
Tyronn Lue
Well, what's crazy is that, you know, like coming out of College, I averaged 23 that year, you know, and so all I knew was scoring the basketball and you know, playing with pace, playing with speed. And so when I got to the Lakers, you know, I came in, it was lockout season, you know, so the first 35 games, I ain't even, I ain't even suit up. I didn't even suit up. Damn. Yeah, I wore, I wore a suit for the first 35 games. And so, you know, we only played 50 games that season, right. You know, Dale Harris got fired and Kurt Rambis took over, right? And he was my workout guy, you know, that whole time while Dale Harris was there. And so the last 15 games, he gave me opportunity to play. And I play, you know, I play well, you know, but just looking at it like every day I'm like scoring and practice, I'm doing my thing. Never got me on the floor, but just sitting back and just observing and seeing what guys were doing and what I could bring, I said, okay, like D. Fish is a, he's a, he's a good player, solid player, makes open shots, does the right thing, doesn't turn the ball over, but we don't have an energy guy. Like a guy could pick up full court pressure the basketball like. And so just looking at that and just learning from that instead of, you know, being pissed off and being mad, like, just learning, getting better. I seen what they needed. And when I got my opportunity, man, I just picked up. I ain't never been a defensive player.
- [29:09]
Shannon Sharpe
I mean, I can play defense, but.
- [29:11]
Tyronn Lue
Like, I've always been a scorer, you know. And so to be able to do that and see what we needed and then make that my niche to get on the floor, like, that's what I had to do. So I was willing to do it.
- [29:20]
Shannon Sharpe
You should be like, all. A lot of these players look up to Michael Jordan and all these other guys. Peyton Pritchett and T.J. mcConnell should look up to you. That was your gig before. Way, way, way back, when you get to la, Shaq and people always talk about Shaq's generosity. It was reported that Shaq gave you a sum of money to go get laced out.
- [29:45]
Tyronn Lue
It's funny because when I first met him, we went to the Century Club. And so when I first met him, he didn't know who I was. They had drafted me. He didn't really know who I was. And then Uncle Jerome, like, man, that's the guy we just drafted from. He's like, oh, okay, whatever, whatever. He said, all right, well, just come to the house tomorrow. I'm gonna have my chef cook and just come by. So I said, all right. So I brought a couple of my guys. We go to Shaq's house, man. A hell of a spread. We eat good. And so we just sitting around talking. And he's like, all right, here, before you leave, hold up. So he goes to the back, comes out with $10,000. Like, here, go shopping. Get yourself. I was like, what? He's like, yeah. I was like, man, I can't pay this back. It's lockout. I'm getting half my money. No, no, no, just keep it. Don't worry about it. Just keep it. That's the kind of guy, he was like, bought mark mass in the truck, like, because he, you know, he wasn't getting around. But like, that's who he was, man. Like, Shaq would give and he took care of a lot of people. And like I said, he don't get a lot of credit for that. But he's always been like that.
- [30:40]
Shannon Sharpe
He's like a big kid. You see him. I mean, the thing, like, he goes in the store, he's like. And the parents will tell the kid to put it back. Cause they can't pay for it. He say, nah, I got it right. And he is. He's a oversized. He's a 50 yard. I think Shaq's probably 50, 51, 52. But he's a big kid. Yeah, he's a big kid that wants the best for everything. Everybody.
- [31:01]
Tyronn Lue
Everybody. Yeah, with.
- [31:03]
Shannon Sharpe
He a prankster, though.
- [31:06]
Tyronn Lue
A super prankster. A super prankster. So one time, you know, Devin George, you know, we're on the team, and. And, you know, Shaq had told him to do something. He didn't do it. And so usually he had, like, put a towel. Wrap a towel around his hand. He'll punch you and beat you up until, you know, until you surrender. But this day, like, Devin. We had a game, and Devin didn't want. He didn't do something that morning. Bring donuts or the newspaper or something. And Shaq went in the bathroom and he. It and he. In Devin's shoes. And so. So when he come out of the locker room, he kind of, like, you know, knocked it where it comes to, like, the top of your shoe. So Devin not knowing, we getting ready for the game. Devin not knowing, he comes in, puts his shoe in, and he puts his foot in a pile of shoes. Like, he would do stuff like that all the time. Like, just. Come on, Shaq. Yeah, crazy stuff, man.
- [31:59]
Shannon Sharpe
So what did Devin do?
- [32:00]
Tyronn Lue
What could he do? What you gonna do?
- [32:03]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, man. Come on, Shaq, man, that was unnecessary.
- [32:05]
Tyronn Lue
He was mad, but, like, what could he do, you know? Nothing can do about that. Like, just take it as a loss for one, you might get beat up, and then two, you might get cut. So, you know what I'm saying?
- [32:16]
Shannon Sharpe
You was a lose, lose. But you was also. You played with Dennis Rodman.
- [32:21]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, yeah.
- [32:22]
Shannon Sharpe
What was. Because obviously, he's one of the great small rebounders. He might be the greatest small rebounder in NBA history. You talking about a guy that's six, seven, that led the league in rebounding for, like, seven straight years. I mean, he was getting, like, 17, 18 rebounds a game, which is unheard of. So what was he like? Was he like, you know, Shaq, I saw. Shaq said he didn't take. He didn't like to take showers. He would leave and go straight to the club. So what was he like, practice behind the scenes?
- [32:52]
Tyronn Lue
He was a hard worker. You know, he was quiet. He didn't really do a lot of talking, but when he stepped on the floor, like, he gave everything he had every single day, you know? And so the funny thing is, like, when we wore our practice uniforms and stuff, he always wore, like, pajama pants and, like, a white T shirt. That's how he practiced, you know, so But I mean, just, you know, talking to him on the end of the bench. Cause I wasn't playing at the time, right? Like, so, like I said, the first 35 games, like, I'm on the sideline. He comes sitting on the end of the bench and, like, just talking to me about, you know, what Jordan did. Like, how Kobe, you know, reminds him a lot of Jordan and the similarities. And we just talk, you know, a lot at the end of the bench, you know, but he wasn't a big talker, you know, hard worker. I don't like the way it ended. They kind of like, you know, made like it was his fault, whatever, but it wasn't.
- [33:35]
Shannon Sharpe
Was he taking his shoes off at that time?
- [33:37]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, yeah, he always had his shoes off. Yeah, he always had his shoes off. And now that I'm older, I see why it's comfortable, you know, but, like, I see why. But, I mean, he wasn't a problem at all. Like, he. When he was supposed to do his job, he did his job. And you saw by the fans loved him, too. When he was.
- [33:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, yeah, they love. Everywhere he's been, the fans love him.
- [33:54]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah.
- [33:55]
Shannon Sharpe
You with The Lakers from 98 to 2001, you won two championships. What was that time like? Because LA loves winners, and if you win in la, you're golden forever.
- [34:08]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, I mean, it was like being, you know, with the Beatles, you know what I mean? You had Kobe, Shaq, you know, you had Rick Fox, who was a movie star, you know, Ron Harper, who already won with. You know, won with.
- [34:18]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [34:19]
Tyronn Lue
B. Shaw, D. Fish, you know, then the first one was Glen Rice. We had Robert Horry and Horace Grant. It was just like. Like traveling with the Beatles, you know. And like, every city we went to, you know, Shaq had a party, a birthday party. So I'm like, damn, like, when is your birthday? Like, every time we went to a new city, like tonight, Shaquille o' Neal birthday bash, you know, like. And so, you know, when we get there, like, the whole team, that's what was different about now. And then back then, our whole team went out, like, 15 guys, like, like, every single night. So when we got to a city, we go out, have fun, we kick it. But you knew, like, every time we stepped into the arena, like, we was gonna win, right? And so, like, to have that feeling, knowing that when we go into an arena, we're gonna win, like, it was no better feeling. And then, like I said at the time, having the two best players in the world, like, I mean, what could you do about that?
- [35:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Would you say because you were there, you were in it. Would you say guys were closer then, or are teams guys closer now?
- [35:13]
Tyronn Lue
Closer then. I mean, because you didn't have a social media, guys weren't playing all the video games.
- [35:18]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [35:19]
Tyronn Lue
You know, it wasn't a lot to do. So guys, we always stay connected. Play cards. You went out together, you went to dinner together. But now with just so much social media and so many, you know, movie outlets and all the different things you can do now, it's just totally different, you know, but back then, like, we all was together every single day. And like every team I was on back then, it was the same way.
- [35:39]
Shannon Sharpe
You'Re coming out, unfortunately for you, was in the NBA Finals because that's when people everybody knew like, Tyronn Lu was. And you took the assignment of guarding Allen Iverson, who was the MVP that season. And look, he went haywire that first game one. He went crazy.
- [35:56]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, and.
- [35:57]
Shannon Sharpe
But you were undeterred. Like when you. When like you giving it everything you got, it's like, come on, come on, come on, T. Lou, you gotta get like, bro, I'm giving this dude everything I got.
- [36:07]
Tyronn Lue
I mean, ain't nothing working. No, he's a beast. I mean, to be relentless the way he was and how he attacked every single time. And it's crazy. Like, he's like probably two, three years older than me, but I idolized him. Just how he carried himself, Being six foot with the braids and bringing that hip hop culture to the NBA.
- [36:27]
Shannon Sharpe
He had the heavy influence on the NBA.
- [36:29]
Tyronn Lue
And so it was crazy. The two weeks leading up to the finals, I played AI in practice every single day. So I was able to run fast and forget the triangle. I was able run fast, shoot all the.
- [36:39]
Shannon Sharpe
The balls.
- [36:40]
Tyronn Lue
And so I knew everything. Just studying the film, watching him and all of his counters, everything he did. And so in that first half, you know, I didn't play, you know, I was on the side. I didn't play the first half of the game, right? And so with 6 minutes ago in the third quarter, I'm sitting on the floor, me and Devin George. And then, you know, Phil looks down to the end of the bench, is like, Luby. I was like, I jumped up. I jumped up. At this point, AI had 36 points already.
- [37:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Ah, baby, what you want me to do?
- [37:06]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, with six minutes ago in the third quarter, you know what I'm saying? Ended with 48. But like, just having that chance to play and like I said, play against someone you idolized. And respected so much, you know. And so I know a lot of people make like a big deal over the step over and all that. But like, to me, it's just competing. Like, if you play hard, you compete. There's gonna be some things that happen that you don't want to happen. You're gonna get dunked on, you're gonna get crossed over, you know, whatever it may be. But like, they act like he crossed me over, I fell down, he stepped over. Like he made a good move and I contested a shot, walked back, he stepped over me. And I think the biggest thing was Doug Collins. Cause he. Oh, he steps over Luke, he goes crazy. So then I big deal out of it, which, you know, it don't bother me. Like, people see me all the time. Like, you know, that's Tyler. That's the guy that AI stepped over, you know, so that's how I'm known. Not a three time champion or, you know, like nothing. Like, yeah, the guy that AI stepped over. So it's whatever, right?
- [37:55]
Shannon Sharpe
Was AI the toughest matchup you had? Cause you've had to go. I mean, you've had to guard a lot.
- [37:59]
Tyronn Lue
I mean, no, he was the toughest matchup I ever had to guard, hands down.
- [38:03]
Shannon Sharpe
But when you look at. Cause I'm older than they and I remember him, I mean, he's six foot tall, but he thin. Did he weigh 160?
- [38:13]
Tyronn Lue
160. That's what he weighed? No, that's what he weighed 160. But man, just speed, athletic ability, the way he attacked you, like his handle, like he just. He could do everything. He could shoot it mid range to the rack, finish over bigs, dunk on a big, like get you in foul trouble. And then the transition, he was like administrator Lebron. Like, he was unstoppable in transition, you know. And so he definitely was the hardest guy I had to guard, you know, in my career.
- [38:41]
Shannon Sharpe
Kobe. You were close to Kobe and did you. You guys played a lot of. A lot of ones.
- [38:45]
Tyronn Lue
You get him never. Cause this guy right here. So a funny story is so my second year, I think eighth game of the season, I got hurt, so I had to get micro fracture surgery.
- [38:57]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [38:57]
Tyronn Lue
And Kobe had broke his hand. And so when we got better, like, you know, just rehabbing or whatever. So like for three months, me and Kobe worked out. Every single day the team was on the road. It's just me and Kobe. And so me and my cousin Doodle, we would go to the gym and we would play one on one full Court and I could never beat him. Like I could, you know, cause I was a good great one on one player, right? And so we be in the car, we get back and we said, man, why you can't beat him? Like I said, man, I don't know. Like I just can't beat him. And then like two years later he became Kobe. Like, oh, I see why, you know, like I see why I could never beat him, you know, but like people don't get the chance to see like, I mean, Kobe had that man handle like the ball on the string, all that and one stuff and all he had all that never lost a handle. Like when you talk about guys like skill wise, he was one of the baddest guys like ever. And so somebody had to clean up. I wanted to clean up today and I talked to John Salley already. So he told a story on a podcast about Kobe was on the plane and like he was bobbing his head like he was listening to music. And so we was at the card table playing cards and John Sy said, you're not listening to music, are you? He's like, you listen to everything everybody's saying. He was like, yeah, I'm listening to everybody. He's like, why are you doing that? And he was like, to see if somebody's talking about. He said, nobody's talking about. He said, I just want to make sure I know what's going on or whatever. But John Sy told a story that I was talking shit about Kobe. I'm like, kobe was my man. He said, no, I didn't say that. It got cut in the snip how they did. I said, no, you got to clean that up because that's my guy and I would never talk shit about Kobe. So he said he got a podcast with the same people two weeks from now and he's going to clean it up because that's not the way it happened. Go ahead, I'm sorry. You can.
- [40:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Did you know? Cause sometimes people like, man, did you know he would be that I did from working out with him. Cause like you said you working out behind the scenes and. Cause I mean everybody remember. I remember 17 year old and Dale Harris giving him an opportunity at Utah and he air balling the last shot. That's what people like, well damn. I'm like, everybody keeps saying he gonna be good, he gonna be good. I like, well damn. But I did factor in. I was like, dude's supposed to be a senior in high school. Really though, he ain't supposed to be hitting the NBA you could tell that he was gonna be. That he was gonna be cold, B. Yeah.
- [41:06]
Tyronn Lue
But not to factor in the air balls. To factor in he took those shots. The mentality, you know what I'm saying? The mentality to take those shots.
- [41:14]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [41:14]
Tyronn Lue
You know what I mean?
- [41:15]
Shannon Sharpe
Cause a lot of times people shy away from it.
- [41:16]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, they don't want it. Yeah, they don't want it. You know, and I've seen that. And so at 17, 18 years old, to have the mentality to take those shots and shoot the air balls. Like, like the thing about Kobe, which is different, you know, is I've never heard him talk about money, like how much money he made or how much money it was always about. He wanted to be the greatest, like I want to be the best. And to see the work he put in every single day, you can tell that's what he wanted to do.
- [41:38]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [41:38]
Tyronn Lue
And just from like being there at 5 o' clock in the morning, being the first guy there working on his body. My 17 year old guy, you know, is working on her body, you know, getting, you know, the soft tissue stuff, eating right.
- [41:50]
Shannon Sharpe
Mature way beyond his years.
- [41:51]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, like nobody's doing that, you know. And so to see all the stuff that he did at that age, it was just phenomenal. He knew he was going to be, I knew he was going to be great. Like had no doubts about that. Just the work he put in and how hard he worked, it was just, it was going to happen.
- [42:06]
Shannon Sharpe
But I think I forget the outlet they had. Kobe ranked the 11th best player in the history of the game. You played with Kobe, you played in this league, you coached in this league for a number of years. The 11th best player.
- [42:23]
Tyronn Lue
I would never say that, but it's my era, I don't know, you know, like back in the day. I can't speak on how great guys was back then because it said like the TV outlets, the games wasn't known to you. You heard about it.
- [42:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Games were tape delayed until.
- [42:35]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, so you never saw it. But in my era, if I had to pick and choose and say, was he better than the guys back in the day? Oh, no question at all. Like no question. I mean, to win five championships, like I said, to win two, you know what I'm saying? Without Shaq, we thought would never happen. And to do all the things he did, like, come on man, like no, definitely not 11. That's crazy.
- [42:57]
Shannon Sharpe
Had Shaq and Colby stayed together, let's just say they would have had a harmonious relationship. I'm trying to think it's hard to say because Stockton and Malone wasn't on that level. Stockton was the best player. There was no question about it. No ifs and or but. It's hard to say. Pippen and Jordan. Jordan was the best player. There's no ifs and a but. But when you got two guys and you got two thoroughbreds and they running and they looking eye to eye. I'm the best. No, I'm the best. I'm the best in the world. Not on the team. The world.
- [43:30]
Tyronn Lue
In the world. Yeah.
- [43:31]
Shannon Sharpe
Had they been able to coincide, let's just say for another three years, how many championships do you think they win?
- [43:39]
Tyronn Lue
They could have won eight. They could have won eight. And if, you know, I know I wasn't there for the Detroit Series or whatever and I'm glad my best friend Chauncey got a championship. Like there was some bickering back and forth then. Like they could have, you know, they could have easy won that. But if they stayed together, they won seven, eight championships. Like, could nobody beat that dude? Like somebody might have slipped up and won. Like Detroit won.
- [44:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [44:04]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and they had a hell of a team and the job they did was phenomenal. But. But okay, if you leave outside that year and come back the next three.
- [44:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [44:12]
Tyronn Lue
Nobody's beating them.
- [44:13]
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- [45:39]
Shannon Sharpe
If it had been a situation, I get. I think the best situation we can use in this situation, T. Lou, is Kareem and Magic. People don't realize this, but Magic's rookie year, Kareem was mvp, right? Magic was finals mvp.
- [45:55]
Tyronn Lue
Right.
- [45:56]
Shannon Sharpe
But as they started to progress, Pat Riley said, I need more from you. He called him Buck. That's what he called young Buck. He says, I need more scoring from you. You. Magic asked Pat Riley to his face, you run that by Cap? Did you kill that with Kareem?
- [46:11]
Tyronn Lue
Right, right.
- [46:13]
Shannon Sharpe
Kareem. He gonna get that thing down on the block. He decided to run it by him. If they could have had that type of relationship, I don't think nobody beat him.
- [46:22]
Tyronn Lue
No.
- [46:23]
Shannon Sharpe
I think they might. They might. Like, the Bulls won three, then took two years off. If they'd have had a Kareem and Magic type of relationship, I don't think nobody can beat him.
- [46:34]
Tyronn Lue
No. And I'm mad they didn't. I'm mad because that was greatness, like.
- [46:38]
Shannon Sharpe
And we might have never seen that again.
- [46:40]
Tyronn Lue
No, never.
- [46:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Because it's a perfect situation, T. Lou, because you got a big and a little right. It's a guard and a center.
- [46:47]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah.
- [46:47]
Shannon Sharpe
And you're never gonna get somebody. Kobe skill with Shaq, dominance.
- [46:53]
Tyronn Lue
You saw it, right?
- [46:55]
Shannon Sharpe
I'm glad I saw it.
- [46:56]
Tyronn Lue
Me, too.
- [46:58]
Shannon Sharpe
I'm glad you was a part of. You got an opportunity to see it up close and personal. How dominant was it on every. You know, every night? Shaq gonna give you 30. Kobe gonna give you 27.
- [47:09]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah.
- [47:10]
Shannon Sharpe
Kobe gonna go score 40. Shaq gonna give you 30 and 20.
- [47:13]
Tyronn Lue
Right?
- [47:14]
Shannon Sharpe
To watch that every night. Cause back then, teams had about four or five Bigs, because two bigs. He fouling them out.
- [47:22]
Tyronn Lue
That's easy.
- [47:24]
Shannon Sharpe
That barbecue chicken.
- [47:25]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Foul trouble the first three minutes. Like, the starting center is out of the game in the first three minutes. And what they don't understand is when you go to Hacker Shack, which is cool. Now you in a bonus with six minutes ago. Now Kobe goes to work. So any hand check, Kobe's going to the free throw line, you know? So, like, man, come on, man. Like, it just was. I mean, he was just so dominant. That's why, like, when you walk into an arena or you go on the road, like, can't nobody beat us.
- [47:48]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [47:49]
Tyronn Lue
Like, you know, like, we Got Kobe and Shaq. No matter how things go, how bad I'm playing or D Fish or Rick, it don't matter be Shaw. We don't gotta make a shot. We know we got at least 70 coming from these two guys. And back then you was only scoring 80. So we gotta get 10 points, you know, between the two.
- [48:03]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, between the other seven of us.
- [48:05]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. So shit, like it don't matter. Like they gonna get 70. All you gotta do is get 10. You know what I'm saying? So it didn't matter, man. And so like that's how great they were. But like a lot of teams have a one, two punch or these are the best two players in the world on the same team.
- [48:20]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [48:21]
Tyronn Lue
When has that ever been done?
- [48:24]
Shannon Sharpe
Do you think we'll ever see another Shaq? Cause people don't realize how Shaq was. Seven foot one was 325. Shaq could run. Shaq was agile. Shaq could be. I'm trying to think of somebody that that size. Maybe Will, but I didn't see Will play. That's the only person I could think of that was that side that could get up and down the court. But people don't realize how athletic Shaq was.
- [48:47]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, man, he was super athletic. Like, you know, take out the glass.
- [48:50]
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- [51:19]
Tyronn Lue
Push it, you know, go full court. No look passes. And just seeing like how he moved. Like he, you know, people give him, you know, stuff about being the pick and roll, like, you know, whatever. But like he was agile. Like he can move, he can side to side laterally, he can up and down, he can do whatever you want. And to be that big and be that dominant, like we'll never see that ever again. No, I mean, I don't, I don't how.
- [51:41]
Shannon Sharpe
Not a guy his size that can move like that. You look, there are guys, okay, Jokic might can make better shots. Can you? That and Joel Embiid, but I'm talking about his size, his ability. Nobody will ever be that dominant again.
- [51:54]
Tyronn Lue
Never.
- [51:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Nope. If you were the coach, let's just say I'm gonna make you Phil Jackson and you're the coach of Shaq and Kobe. How do you keep them together? How do you make peace?
- [52:06]
Tyronn Lue
Whatever it takes. No, seriously, you can't lose that. Like that changes people's lives forever, you know, not just Shaq and Cole. What feels already feel, but the organization, all of us role players. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like that changed our lives forever. Like, you keep those guys together and you get a chance to win six, seven, eight championships. Like in la. Like, come on, man, like no better thing. And so whatever I had to do, whatever I had to say, I was gonna do it, you know. And so I mean, you had to, like, there's no way you can lose Shaq. You know, they had to stay together. And so that was just very disappointing. You Know, especially all the success that we had. It was disappointing to see that happen.
- [52:47]
Shannon Sharpe
I think the thing for me is that Shaq replaying in his mind saying he wish he had done things different. Because he knows, he knows he left. At bare minimum, he left two championships with the Lakers on the court. He knows that. He knows it.
- [53:03]
Tyronn Lue
I think more than that.
- [53:04]
Shannon Sharpe
But at minimum. At minimum. And so now he sees all these guys winning MVPs and winning titles. And he's like. And people start talking about where he's up there. It's like, hold on, wait a minute. Y' all forgot about me.
- [53:17]
Tyronn Lue
I don't know how. Like I said, it's never gonna be a player like Shaq ever again.
- [53:22]
Shannon Sharpe
No. Not that size, not that athleticism, not that dominant. No.
- [53:26]
Tyronn Lue
Never.
- [53:27]
Shannon Sharpe
No.
- [53:27]
Tyronn Lue
And so like I said, I just sad that it happened, you know, the way it did. Because they were supposed to be together, you know, in my eyes.
- [53:35]
Shannon Sharpe
What was Kobe like in practice? Because everybody say, like, look, I mean, Lou will tell the story that he made them take off his shoes. Cause they were bull jiving in the game. They didn't play hard. What was he like in practice? Because we heard the last dance Jordan, you know how he swung on Steve Kerr, that he was not afraid to approach guys, get in guys face to make sure everybody was giving their best effort. Not in the game, but practice. What was Kobe?
- [54:01]
Tyronn Lue
What you saw in the game, that was Kobe. Every single day, every single day, he wanted to be the best player. Every single day in practice, in the game. And that's just how I competed, you know. And so every time we got a new player, like, you know, Glen Rice.
- [54:17]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [54:17]
Tyronn Lue
And Glen Rice was a bad dude.
- [54:18]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [54:19]
Tyronn Lue
You know, Cole wanted to play one on one to show him like, this is my team. We got JR Ryder. Same thing like JR Ryder got there, he wanted to play him one on one. Show him this is my team. Like you said, you know, you used.
- [54:32]
Shannon Sharpe
To be mad over there, but not here.
- [54:34]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. And so that's just who he was. Like competed every single possession, every sprint, every drill. Like he wanted to be the best. And that's no bullshit. Like it's every single day he was the same person. What you see in the game, you saw him practice every single day, you.
- [54:49]
Shannon Sharpe
End up leaving and you go to Washington, you end up at Washington with 40 year old Jordan. Obviously he's not the same. He's not the first three peat, he's not the end three peat. He's taking time off and he comes back. But could you see why? He was Michael Jordan.
- [55:06]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, no doubt. I mean, you see a guy that's 40, 40 years old, and he averaged 21 points a game on one leg. See, people don't take. Take into consideration, like, he played on one leg, one knee, right. You know, for. For two years, and he averaged 20 points a game, you know, and so I could just see. Just coming in to the gym, like, Kobe, like I said, was a super worker. And you see a guy like Jordan, you know, you come to practice, you know, two hours early, think you coming in, about to work out. Jordan's already done lathered up, done lifted sweat on the court, did all his footwork stuff, all his basketball stuff. Like, damn. Like, I came two hours earlier. He's already done at 40. So what was he like at 23, 24, 25, you know, and so you knew. That's why he was who he was. And so when I first walked in, I was in awe. Like, to be able to play with somebody you look up to and idolize your whole life, and to be he.
- [55:58]
Shannon Sharpe
You know, you don't even see real, does he?
- [55:59]
Tyronn Lue
No, no.
- [56:00]
Shannon Sharpe
See, people think I'm lying when I say that the first time I saw him. Yeah, he, like, he levitating. And I'm looking at this man. He probably think I'm a. He, like, man, Sterling, sharp, little brother look crazy. Because I'm. I'm look. I'm looking at him like, he not. Cause he not real. T. Lou. He not real.
- [56:16]
Tyronn Lue
And when people see him, like, you know, he never had a lot of security.
- [56:20]
Shannon Sharpe
No.
- [56:20]
Tyronn Lue
Like, but when people see him, they stop, like, because they're, like, in awe. Like, oh, sh. That's my. And before you can really say something, he's already gone. Like, it wasn't a lot of crowd control, because you see him and you just freeze. Like, all the other celebrities and stars, like, people gonna run to him and go crazy, right? Nobody ever really ran to Jordan because.
- [56:38]
Shannon Sharpe
You can't believe it's him.
- [56:39]
Tyronn Lue
You can't believe it. It's just like, he's walking. Like, you tap somebody, you look. You froze. And then you look up, he's gone. You know what I'm saying? That's how it was. It never was like a. Oh. And they rush and go crazy because. Because you just couldn't believe it, you know? And that's just.
- [56:53]
Shannon Sharpe
And he played at 40. He played all 82.
- [56:55]
Tyronn Lue
82 games, second year. Yeah.
- [56:59]
Shannon Sharpe
It seemed to me back then. I mean, he came in that era. Well, it was important to play 82.
- [57:05]
Tyronn Lue
Games, a badge of honor.
- [57:07]
Shannon Sharpe
I don't think it's important now. No, it's not important now.
- [57:09]
Tyronn Lue
It's a badge of honor, especially back then. But if you look at a lot of the medical, the science, it makes sense, you know, it's like to play 82 games. But see, back then we played 82 games. And then you had a two hour practice the next day.
- [57:24]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [57:24]
Tyronn Lue
You know what I'm saying? Like now guys play and a lot.
- [57:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Of guys, they were taking commercial flights before this thing got high tech and they took Pride charter. Them guys were flying commercial.
- [57:33]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Going to the airport.
- [57:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah. Getting in line with them.
- [57:35]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Sleeping in the airport. Leaving at six o' clock in the morning to catch flights to go to another city. So it was a badge of Honor to play 82 games back then. Like that's what you wanted to do.
- [57:45]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [57:45]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so, but with the medical and the science, how it is today, like it makes sense why a lot of us can't walk now.
- [57:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [57:51]
Tyronn Lue
Because you know, like how hard we went, all the practices, all the games.
- [57:55]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [57:55]
Tyronn Lue
So it is a little science to it. But like back then you wanted to play every game. That was your mindset.
- [58:04]
Shannon Sharpe
I've heard a lot of people say in today's game and the game, the way it's being played and the way it's being officiated today, Jordan at his apex. How many points would he average today? Yeah.
- [58:19]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, man, 45.
- [58:24]
Shannon Sharpe
You bull jobbing, T. Lou.
- [58:26]
Tyronn Lue
What you mean you can't test nobody. It's a foul. I mean, you got the best player in the world, you know what I'm saying? You got the best player in the world.
- [58:33]
Shannon Sharpe
45. T. Lou.
- [58:35]
Tyronn Lue
What? He averaged 36 one year.
- [58:36]
Shannon Sharpe
He averaged 37. 37, yeah, yeah.
- [58:38]
Tyronn Lue
So, yeah. Add eight to that. Every time you get touched, it's two free throws, right. You know, so I mean like the zone stuff could be a difference and you know, like back in with a legal defense. But yeah, I mean, I don't see like it wouldn't be a year he wouldn't average 45.
- [58:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Wow.
- [58:52]
Tyronn Lue
You couldn't touch nobody. I mean, I mean, you can't touch nobody now. Like the physicality is, you know, pretty much gone. Anything you go into the free throw line and just how smart he was.
- [59:02]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [59:03]
Tyronn Lue
You know, especially nowadays, like take advantage of these guys, you know, just far as just IQ alone.
- [59:07]
Shannon Sharpe
Right. What's the bite? What's some of the best advice Jordan gave you?
- [59:12]
Tyronn Lue
So when I, when I first came to Washington, you Know, so I was in the triangle for, you know, two years on the field. So I came to Washington, I was like, man, I guess I got turned loose. Now I can just play my game. And, you know, so when I got there, like, I was just playing with pace, pushing it, you know, just. Just not understanding really how to play the game, but just playing the game, if that makes sense. And so he just taught me, like, you know, different reads, how to run the pick and roll. If a guy's playing you like this, you know, do this, it should be your counter. And he gave me a lot of confidence, you know, I think shooting the basketball because, you know, I could shoot, but you know, when he kick it out to you, like Jordan passed you the ball, you're like, oh, like, you.
- [59:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Know what I'm saying?
- [59:54]
Tyronn Lue
He's like, man, I don't care if you miss five in a row, if you open, you gotta shoot it. And gave me that confidence, which, the second year when I was there, I was like second in league in three point shooting. But it all came from that first year, right? And I don't think I had the confidence that I needed, like I said, to play with Jordan, right? And he gave me that confidence. So going to that second year, I was like, man, I was pissed off because I didn't play the way I wanted to play. I thought I was going to be the starter. Chris Whitney came in, did a hell of a job. He was a starter, he played well. And then Larry Hughes came in. And then I think that second year I came in with a chip on my shoulder. We got a training camp, like, I'm coming in to be the starter. And that happened for me. But it all came from that first year. Jordan gave me confidence to be the player I wanted to be.
- [60:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Was he hard on players?
- [60:35]
Tyronn Lue
Yes.
- [60:36]
Shannon Sharpe
Too hard?
- [60:37]
Tyronn Lue
No. I mean, if you do your job, you ain't gotta be hard on player. Just do your job. So, like, if you come in every day and do your job, I can't.
- [60:45]
Shannon Sharpe
Be hard on you, right?
- [60:46]
Tyronn Lue
You know, but if you slacking, if you bullshitting, like, yeah, he wasn't taking that. He wasn't gonna tolerate that, you know, and so.
- [60:51]
Shannon Sharpe
So he was almost like he was a player coach.
- [60:54]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. On the floor, right? Like if you slack and you're not doing what you're supposed to do, right, he's gonna call you out, he's gonna challenge you, you know, if you can't handle the challenge, then you just can't play, right?
- [61:02]
Shannon Sharpe
Because a lot. Look, he took a 17 year old kid from Glenn Academy in Kwame Brown. And kwame is a 6 11. He was, you know, and everybody said, well, you took this guy. But I mean, by most draft boards, Kwame was the best player coming out that year.
- [61:15]
Tyronn Lue
A phenom. Yes.
- [61:17]
Shannon Sharpe
Kwame was six' eleven, could run up and down the court. I mean he had it all.
- [61:22]
Tyronn Lue
First step, can drive, can pass, you know, like I said, run on the floor, he's athletic, can do everything, you know, can do everything. But you know, when you put a young kid in that situation, I was old, I was four or five years older than Kwame.
- [61:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [61:34]
Tyronn Lue
You put me in that situation. I was already scared to play with Michael Jordan.
- [61:37]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, exactly. Yes.
- [61:38]
Tyronn Lue
If you put a 17, 18 year old kid with Michael Jordan and then your number one pick. So the expectations.
- [61:42]
Shannon Sharpe
Expectations are through the roof.
- [61:43]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. And so that's hard. That's hard for anybody. I've seen guys that are, you know, great players and guys that, you know.
- [61:50]
Shannon Sharpe
10 All Stars and all the NBA.
- [61:52]
Tyronn Lue
Play with LeBron, you know, get to Cleveland, couldn't make a shot, you know what I'm saying? Like scared to death. So you can imagine like a 18 year old Kwame, like and Kwame was talented, he was skilled and he had great year. He played what, 12 years, 13 years.
- [62:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [62:05]
Tyronn Lue
And he was, and he was a really good player, you know, and so people look at, you know, what he should have done from the expectations of being number one pick playing with Jordan. But Jordan put a lot of, you know, a lot of.
- [62:16]
Shannon Sharpe
If he had, let's just say for the sake of argument, he's still the number one pick and he goes somewhere else. Does his career turn out different, you think?
- [62:22]
Tyronn Lue
I think so. I think so, you know, because now he's being featured. The mistakes he's made, the mistakes he made are not being magnified. You know, you're not on TV because Jordan is there, so you probably going to a worse team. You know, Jordan, when he came to wizard, we was bad, but we had a TV time.
- [62:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [62:41]
Tyronn Lue
You know what I'm saying?
- [62:41]
Shannon Sharpe
You still had Jordan and then with Jordan there's expectations.
- [62:44]
Tyronn Lue
Exactly. And so if he went to another team, you know, he'd have been, you know, it had been a lot different. You know, he would have been able to make those mistakes as an 18 year old kid and he'd been able to grow and learn, you know, instead.
- [62:53]
Shannon Sharpe
Of at his pace. Because everything, when you play with a historically transcendent great player, everything gets sped up. Ain't no learning, none you got. Hey, go. I never driven before. Drive, right?
- [63:07]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. And that's how it was, you know. And so he gets. But Kwame, he was. Man, that was the right pick. He was a bad. He was a bad dude.
- [63:16]
Shannon Sharpe
Also on that team was Charles Oakley. Now Oakley. Now he's. Hey, Oak is no nonsense. He ain't gonna take no mess. Do what you're supposed to. He old school. What was it like playing with Oak?
- [63:29]
Tyronn Lue
I loved it.
- [63:30]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, I loved it.
- [63:31]
Tyronn Lue
First of all, I walked around, I thought I had security everywhere I went. So I wasn't really tripping off, you know, really tripping off nothing. But what Oak was really good at. He was a chef.
- [63:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [63:40]
Tyronn Lue
And so we would go to. You know, he loved to cook. Yeah. He would cook for us like two times a week. He's, man, throw down like the best of them. But, you know, Oak taught me a lot too. Like I said, just, you know, being on time, being a pro, putting in the work, how he saw the game. Cause he could really pass. Like, you know, just seeing the game different reads, you know. And so he really was a mentor, like you said to Kwame and our younger guys. We had a young team. Heidi White, Eton Thomas. Like those bigs, like Brendan Haywood. Like, those guys looked up to Oak and he really showed them a lot as well. And just, you know, bringing that professionalism as being, you know, older vet. He was really good for us.
- [64:19]
Shannon Sharpe
NBC got the NBA pack, got a part of the NBA package back. One of their contributors, analysts is gonna be Michael Jordan. What type of analyst? I can just imagine the first time he criticized somebody. They are. I wonder if they gonna say, he don't know what he talking about. What did he do? Cause they say that about everybody else. They say that, but everybody else, well, he wasn't that good. He wasn't that good. So I wonder if Jordan ever says he didn't play well, somebody didn't play well. What will that guy say?
- [64:48]
Tyronn Lue
I think they'll take it, but I don't think it's more so to be critical or critique. I think it's more so to be around the game.
- [64:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [64:55]
Tyronn Lue
Like we need them.
- [64:55]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [64:56]
Tyronn Lue
Like we miss him.
- [64:56]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [64:57]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so, you know, we bought the team. You know, you go play there once a year or twice. You see him sometimes, right. But, like, I think we need him around the game.
- [65:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [65:05]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so for our younger guys to be able to see him and see who he is and, you know, what he's done for this league and, you know, Be around the greatest.
- [65:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Like how they pull that off. NBC, I'm trying to figure out how to. How they pull that off. Because he's a guy like, you know, he likes to be. He's ultra competitive, right? He got a fishing team. He used to have a motorcycle team. He has a NASCAR team. So he likes to compete, but he likes to compete, compete, compete. Like him, right? He like to be on the boat fishing. He liked to be around the cards. He like golfing. Oh, man. Yeah. Playing cards. I don't know. I know you got them card stores. Cause he was a card Boo Ray was his. Boo Ray. Gus, that's. Oh my goodness. He loves being competitive. I'm just anxious to hear, to see how he, how he sees the game and what he's going to say about the game. Does he like the way the game is being played? Does he like all these three point shots? Does he like all these guys? I mean, there are some guys ain't got no business taking a three point shot, but the analytics say they need to get up 30, this team needs to get up 30 a game so anybody can shoot him. I'm just anxious to hear what he has to say about that.
- [66:17]
Tyronn Lue
Luke. Yeah, no, I think that would be interesting, you know, but I think, to me, I think he's gonna be more there to help. I think, you know, help the young guys just help the game grow. You know, he wasn't a big three point shooter. So I think they said the mid range game is a lost arm.
- [66:35]
Shannon Sharpe
It is.
- [66:35]
Tyronn Lue
And if teams are gonna play in deep drops and let you come off and take that shot, then why would you master that shot?
- [66:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [66:40]
Tyronn Lue
Why would you master the shot the teams are giving up? And if you see, see all the game winners or all the clutch shots or big shots in NBA history throughout the playoffs, they're all mid range. Like they're never like, you know, 20, you know, 30 foot, three, like Steph can make some. But other than that, it's always a mid range shot that wins that game.
- [66:57]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [66:57]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so why not master and be great at something that teams are giving up, you know, so I think he'd be just be here just to help and enhance the game like you said, as best he can.
- [67:06]
Shannon Sharpe
You played with TMac at two stops. You was at TMAC in Orlando and in Houston, right?
- [67:10]
Tyronn Lue
You. Yeah, yeah.
- [67:11]
Shannon Sharpe
So there's been a lot being said and I think T. Mac said at first that had he been on that Lakers team that he believed they'd have won as many championships as Shaq and Kobe. Shaq co signed what he said and a lot of people like come on bro, everybody just got revisionist history now. And not to say T. Mac wasn't a good but do you believe they would have won as many championship? Cuz I hate when people do this. T. Yeah. A great player. Well, if you to put him on that team, they. It doesn't necessarily mean it's true.
- [67:48]
Tyronn Lue
It doesn't work like that. But I think they definitely would have won. Like I don't know what to what degree but TMac was. He had no, he had no weaknesses defensively he can guard 1, 2, 3, 4. He's 69. Right. Offensively run, pick and roll, make the right pass, make the right play, post up either shoulder, turnaround, jump shot, mid range pull ups can finish athletic. And like I said, I think with coaching and I think being in the triangle like I said which field. Oh, he would have flourished. Like he would definitely would have flourished. And then you got Shaq, who's the best player in the world, you know. But like I don't know if like it's just hard to compare.
- [68:29]
Shannon Sharpe
It is.
- [68:30]
Tyronn Lue
But like, like what Cole brought every single day, the mentality that he had every single day. Like you got to bring that and you had to have that and bring it to Shaq every day. Now I don't know T. Mac could have done that.
- [68:41]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [68:42]
Tyronn Lue
Like.
- [68:42]
Shannon Sharpe
Cause you got to push Shaq.
- [68:43]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, Shaq. So Cole pushed Shaq every day. You know. So like, you know, if TMac could he have done that? I mean, I don't know that as far as talent wise. I mean he was like I said, one of the most talented guys we've seen in this game, you know. So I think he would definitely would have won. But it's not the talent and the court stuff. It's the challenging Shaq every day calling Shaq out when he's, you know, when.
- [69:04]
Shannon Sharpe
He'S not doing what he's supposed to do.
- [69:05]
Tyronn Lue
When Shaq calls you out, can you handle it? All that stuff plays a part, you know, and then having Phil Jackson as well.
- [69:10]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [69:11]
Tyronn Lue
So I think, you know, like I said, it could have happened, you know, for sure.
- [69:14]
Shannon Sharpe
I think Phil. Look, Phil. Not to say Phil doesn't know, but I think Phil does a great job of managing egos. Yes, I think that's his. I think that's his greatest thing is that when you got Jordan. But I don't think Jordan had a rival. Jordan didn't have an equal in Chicago. So it was Easy. I mean, Pippen might say that I was just as good as Jordan. I could have been this and that. That's fine to say now. But Kobe really felt that he was on Shaq's level. Shaq really felt that he was that Kobe. So you got these two horses like that, and Phil had to somehow juggle that tee loop.
- [69:46]
Tyronn Lue
Let me tell you how he did it. How he did it. Day one, he came in and he went at Colb and Shaq about everything they had to do to be better for this team to win. And he coached them harder than he coached us. Like, we never really. Like, we had film sessions. It was all Cob and Shaq. Shaq. It wasn't never Rick Fox. It was never Harper. It wasn't never Horace Grant.
- [70:03]
Shannon Sharpe
Really.
- [70:03]
Tyronn Lue
No, it wasn't. It was always Cole and Shaq, which I need to do what you need to do, what you didn't do, how you didn't do it. And so he was hard on those guys that first year, like, every single day, like, on Kobe and Shaq own Kobe and Shaq. And so if you get your first. If you get your top two players and your best players to buy in.
- [70:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [70:21]
Tyronn Lue
What are we gonna do?
- [70:22]
Shannon Sharpe
Right? You got.
- [70:23]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Got no choice. And that's how he did, and that's how he led. And so it just made it easy. Like D Fish and those guys, they ain't worried about nothing. It was Cob and Shaq.
- [70:31]
Shannon Sharpe
It's funny that you say that. Cause I want to transition. I want to ask you how. Because in football, coaches yelling, scream at the best player. So that's some horse. You know what? Bull jive. But it seems like in basketball, man, y' all be tiptoed around if the superstars. Y' all don't be saying, like, in football. But you said Phil, challenge Kobe, challenge Shaq. How delicate of a line must you walk when you dealing with that level of player?
- [71:04]
Tyronn Lue
Back then, you didn't have to worry about it as much. But then that was Phil Jackson, right? So he comes in with instant credibility.
- [71:11]
Shannon Sharpe
You know, he got six championships.
- [71:12]
Tyronn Lue
He already won six championships. We just got swept in the first round by Utah the year before, right? Like, so we had no choice but to let. Listen, you know? But nowadays, it's a fine line because back then, the coach had all the power, right? You know, and so you couldn't go to coach. I want him fired. I want him out. They wasn't doing that. You know what I'm saying? Like, back then, like, the coach had all the power. And so now it's changed. So if the star player don't like what a coach is saying and you get on the bad side with a.
- [71:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Star player, oh, he can get you up out of there.
- [71:41]
Tyronn Lue
He can get you out of there, you know, so that's why it's a fine line. Because the coach doesn't have the same authority that they had back in those days.
- [71:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [71:49]
Tyronn Lue
And so now you gotta walk that fine line because, you know, you could do it. You know, you could do it, right? And take the chance to take the risk. But I'd rather take the risk than rather, you know, have a guy walk all over me. Yeah, I'd rather just take that chance, you know. So it is what it is.
- [72:02]
Shannon Sharpe
You like, hey, nah, bro.
- [72:04]
Tyronn Lue
I mean, you can let them get away with. They get away with at times, but like, some stuff you just can't let, right? You just can't let.
- [72:09]
Shannon Sharpe
Because the thing is, you lose the locker room. There you go. And that's what I tell people all the time. I say, they see it, I say. And then they gonna like, well, if he doing it, even though they're not the caliber of player that said player is, if you let him skate too much, then all of a sudden they gonna start coming late, they gonna start missing this, they're gonna start doing certain things. And then after a while.
- [72:32]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, but I mean, it's like any company, like, if you bringing me in $50 million a year and. And I'm bringing in 50,000, you're gonna get away with more than I get. I mean, you should. Yeah, exactly. Don't worry about. Don't keep a score.
- [72:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Production intolerance.
- [72:45]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Don't keep a scorecard on what everybody else is doing. You just handle your own business. So in any sport or any business, like, the top dogs wouldn't get away with more, but like, if it's something that's destroying the team or messing the team, then you gotta address it. But you can't, like, come late every day. You can't. Like, that's just disrespectful to everybody, you know?
- [73:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Know, with the Rockets, Thibod was on. That was on that stab assisting coach.
- [73:09]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, yeah.
- [73:12]
Shannon Sharpe
He got let go.
- [73:13]
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- [75:42]
Shannon Sharpe
By the Knicks and me from the outside looking at, I'd like to hear what you think. I thought that once they beat the Celtics because I don't think anybody thought the Knicks was going to go to the NBA Finals.
- [75:54]
Tyronn Lue
Exactly.
- [75:54]
Shannon Sharpe
But when they beat the Celtics now the expectations go way to here.
- [75:59]
Tyronn Lue
Right?
- [75:59]
Shannon Sharpe
And then you lose to Indiana.
- [76:02]
Tyronn Lue
Right.
- [76:03]
Shannon Sharpe
And then he gets fired. Is that how you see it? How do you see it?
- [76:08]
Tyronn Lue
Should he have been fired? Yeah, hell no. I mean it's the first time you've been to the conference finals in 25 years.
- [76:15]
Shannon Sharpe
Wow.
- [76:15]
Tyronn Lue
25 years.
- [76:16]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [76:16]
Tyronn Lue
And so the city was on fire. Yes, the fans were on fire. The players did a Hell of a job. And Tibbs did a hell of a job. And so to take a team the first they've been in 25 years and then get fired, like, it's just. It just don't make sense.
- [76:31]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [76:31]
Tyronn Lue
You know, and so for me, like I said, I thought Tibbs did a great job, but you never know the inside of what's going on with the organization. But I mean, everywhere he's been, he wins everywhere. Chicago, Minnesota Knicks, every team he's been on, they've gotten better, you know, and so to do that, I thought it was. I mean, I thought it was crazy.
- [76:53]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah. Because the expectations now, because when you beat the Celtics, what's the expectations now? What expect the championship. I don't think when they went into, okay, the playoffs start and you see the seeding, I don't think anybody thought the Knicks was going to be in the Eastern Conference final because you see the matchup, they not beating Boston.
- [77:10]
Tyronn Lue
Right. So if they lose to Boston, he keeps his job.
- [77:12]
Shannon Sharpe
I believe so.
- [77:13]
Tyronn Lue
Right.
- [77:14]
Shannon Sharpe
I believe so. But because they beat Boston and so they beat Boston, Cleveland's out of the way. Well, we smooth sailing. And then Indiana gets you. And they said, no, we can't.
- [77:25]
Tyronn Lue
But Indiana was playing great ball, great team, and Rick Carlisle did a hell of a job. Yes. And who knows what happens in game seven if Tyrese don't get hurt.
- [77:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [77:35]
Tyronn Lue
So, like, you know what I mean? So everybody Indiana beat, you want to fire that coach. Like, it don't make sense, you know, I agree.
- [77:41]
Shannon Sharpe
I agree. I was surprised that happened.
- [77:43]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. And I think, like I said, Tibbs did a extraordinary job and then to get that team there. But like now when you come in, looking at it, okay, we go to the conference finals and now what's the next coach supposed to do? Like, Mike Brown was a hell of a coach.
- [77:56]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [77:57]
Tyronn Lue
So now if you don't make these conference finals.
- [77:59]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [78:00]
Tyronn Lue
You know, it's like, it's just tough. It's kind of like the situation I was put in in Cleveland.
- [78:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [78:04]
Tyronn Lue
Like, we made the finals, you know, with Coach Black, and now you bring me in midway through the season. If we don't make the finals and go to game six, I'mma fail you. You know, that's a tough spot to be in.
- [78:13]
Shannon Sharpe
It is, you know, it absolutely is.
- [78:15]
Tyronn Lue
It's just. It's crazy.
- [78:16]
Shannon Sharpe
But it's. But you. The knock is always on tail is that he grinds his players. He got them playing 40 plus minutes in the regular season, and when you play that many minutes at Some point in time, you grind them down. I mean, I'm looking at Mikael Bridges playing 45 minutes. I'm looking at Brunson playing 43 minutes. I'm looking at OG playing all those minutes. And then whatever it takes, not in.
- [78:39]
Tyronn Lue
The regular season, T. Lo whatever it takes to win, you gotta get there. Like, no, I'm saying, like, I mean, what you want, I mean, you don't want guys to practice, right? And now you don't want guys to play. Like they already get games off, but you don't want them to play minutes either. Like, I mean, I mean, I don't know.
- [78:55]
Shannon Sharpe
I mean, so what's a practice? So give me a practice. Okay, when you got to the league, your practice compared to the practice that you run now.
- [79:02]
Tyronn Lue
Okay, so we had. When I first got to the league, you play a game, yeah. The next day you got an hour and a half, two hour practice, taped, you're live contact, body on body, getting better every single day, day. Now practice, I mean, game practice, the next day is going to be a walk through. You ain't going to have no contact. Guys are not going to go full speed. You probably got 30, 30 to 40 minutes because, oh, we just had a game last night. What's that?
- [79:28]
Shannon Sharpe
What does that mean?
- [79:30]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, so they don't no practicing. So I mean, it's just a, it's a big difference. It's a huge difference, you know, but.
- [79:36]
Shannon Sharpe
But the thing is, but think about it, T. Louis, the way you guys did it and you played, the many games you played and the way you practiced, you guys had less injuries back then than you do now.
- [79:46]
Tyronn Lue
You had to train your body, I think you had to train your body for that. But the thing now, now all the guys my age, we can't walk. I mean, we're paying for it now in our older age, but back then I think you gotta train your body like you said, to get, to take.
- [80:00]
Shannon Sharpe
That, to withstand that.
- [80:00]
Tyronn Lue
And if you go into the finals, like an extra two months of the season, like, you gotta train your body. And I think there's no better way than playing games, playing minutes and getting in game shape, you know, like, and when I was coming up, guys wanted to play more minutes. Like, you always cried about playing more minutes, you know, so now guys are crying by playing too many minutes, you know, So, I mean, it's a fine line. You can't run guys into the ground, but if you're not practicing and all we got is getting these games from you, right? Like, we need 45 tonight. We need 45 tonight. Like, you know what I'm saying?
- [80:29]
Shannon Sharpe
We need whatever it takes to win. Right? You know Dirk, you played with Dirk. What was Dirk like?
- [80:38]
Tyronn Lue
A quiet assassin, a quiet leader. He did a great job of just, you know, giving everybody confidence and bringing everybody along. Like he was happy for other guys success, you know, like Jason Terry and you know, when guys played like he was happy for that, like he wasn't a guy that demanded the ball. Like, man, get me the ball, I gotta have shots, none of that. And you look up and like, damn, he's six or seventh all time in scoring in NBA history. Like I would have never thought that, that you know, coming out of the draft together and then having a chance to play those two, two and a half months with Dirk, like just like all great players, worker, first one in the gym, last one to leave. Working on his body, working on his game and what he's able to do. Man, like I would never saw that coming.
- [81:23]
Shannon Sharpe
Really.
- [81:24]
Tyronn Lue
No, never. I would never saw that coming. But then having a chance to play with him and just seeing how he worked and the work he put in, like he was a, I mean an ultra talent.
- [81:32]
Shannon Sharpe
That one legged step back.
- [81:33]
Tyronn Lue
Oh, unstoppable. Unstoppable. Comparable to Kareem's hood.
- [81:37]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes, yes.
- [81:38]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah.
- [81:38]
Shannon Sharpe
And now you see how many guys you see shoot that one leg step.
- [81:41]
Tyronn Lue
Back and all can't stop it.
- [81:43]
Shannon Sharpe
When you can make a case that the most, most impressive championship ever won is Dirk's, you look at who he beat. Yeah, they swept Kobe and they had just come out back to back back. Yep, they went through, they went through a young Thunder team and then what they did to the big three Heat. Yeah, with that's did sitting back. You're watching that. Did you think that Dallas could beat the Heat?
- [82:18]
Tyronn Lue
I didn't think they had a chance. I didn't think they had a chance. But like I said, that zone that they had was, you know, it was really hard to figure out defensively were really good. And then just they all clicked. They all clicked. And the way they played, the style they played was like Jason Terry, you know what he did then Dirk, then J. Kidd, you know, I think it was Sean Marion. Right, Sean Marion, you know, so the roles those guys played and you know, they bought into their roles. They were starring their roles. Like they just had a complete team that knew how to remind me a lot of. Of Detroit Pistons. Yeah, yeah.
- [82:52]
Shannon Sharpe
That team to beat the Lakers.
- [82:53]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, same, same thing, you know, except they didn't have a A star like Dirk, but like, they all just fit together. They all play their role and they had really good pieces.
- [83:01]
Shannon Sharpe
You were that, that 09 team, the Magic team that. And you guys lost.
- [83:06]
Tyronn Lue
Did you.
- [83:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Did you talk to Kobe before or after the.
- [83:08]
Tyronn Lue
After the. Yeah, Yeah, I talked to him. Yeah, I talked to him. And you know, we talking stuff back and forth, like all the time. Like, he just, you know, so he's a competitor, you know, he always talking shit. But he was. He was locked in. You know, he was locked in. He really wanted that one back. Yeah, you know, he really wanted that one back.
- [83:26]
Shannon Sharpe
Cause that was the one that was. Yeah, that was the one that was gonna tie him with Shaq at 4.
- [83:31]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, and he wanted that one bad. And you could just see when he got that one man, he was a different person, you know. But that Orlando team, you had Dwight.
- [83:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Dwight Howard was on that team.
- [83:41]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah.
- [83:42]
Shannon Sharpe
How good. Talk to us about Dwight, because I think Dwight gets fairly uncriticized, gets unfairly critic because he laughing and joking. Everybody doesn't have to have a scowl on their face to get the job done. There's many a myriad of ways to do a lot of different things, but end up at the end of the day getting the job done.
- [84:00]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, I mean, people want to criticize for anything, you know, so I wouldn't even, you know, look and read into any of that. But he was dominant. Like, he was dominant. And you know what I give Dwight credit for is, you know, Stan Van Gundy, who was the coach, you know, he did a hell of a job. And you remember Jameer Nelson, who went down, he went down and he still was an all star of the year, but Jameer was playing out of this world and he went down. So they brought me over there halfway through the season, but I was done. That was my last year. And then they brought Rafer Austin in, who had a hell of a year and really saved their season. But Dwight's dominance, like, on the defensive end, like it was like no other.
- [84:43]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [84:43]
Tyronn Lue
Like, I've never seen a guy to be able to impact and dominate the game defensively, you know, like Dwight was able to do rebounding, shot blocking, pick and roll defense. And then what Stan did to take a lot of pressure off him, which was smart, is he didn't feature Dwight in the post, like coming down, just throwing posts and putting that pressure on him to score that way. It was more out of pick and rolls. He's rolling throwback. Rashad Lewis down the gut deep. Seals finish or pick and Roll Turkaloo lobs and able to finish and get dunks and, you know, seal and be right on. Like, it wasn't. He didn't have to use skill. I thought it was very smart for a young player. Like, if that was Kwame coming in, we're not going to throw you the ball on the post. We're going to, you know, feature you this kind of way. And he had time to grow. It would have helped him out a lot. And that's what Stan did. And like I said, Dwight really, you know, bought into that. Bought into being defensive player of the year. Bought into, you know, like I said, rolling ceiling lobs, duck ends, running the floor and like to take that team to the finals. Like I said, Stan Van Gundy, like I said, he did a hell of a job. But Dwight, like I said, what is he able to do defensively and dominate the game defensively? It was great to see.
- [85:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Do you believe Dwight Howard should have been a top 75 player?
- [85:55]
Tyronn Lue
Yes.
- [85:56]
Shannon Sharpe
Battle too. Yeah, they did him wrong, man.
- [86:00]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, no, he should have been. He should have been.
- [86:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Your coaching the Celtics, you got kg, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rondo, I mean, you look at that squad how. Because now this is really your first foray into, like, being with. I'm talking about great, great players. Kg, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, all of those guys are hall of Famer. I believe eventually Rondo probably was gonna get into the hall of Fame. Lou, how do you. How do you. Because everybody say, man, Lou is a player's coach. A lot of times the guys go talk to you when they didn't talk to the head coach, they could talk that could relate. Even though Doc played the game, you played the game. And a lot of players say, I like talking to the coach that actually plays the game because he. I can see. He sees it through my lens. I see it through his lens. So how. How have you been able to relate, be so relatable to players while still holding them accountable?
- [86:57]
Tyronn Lue
I think a thing I learned, learned from Baw, like from my rookie year. I mean, my second year in the league, he taught me tell the truth. Truth. Like just seeing him be a. Tell Kobe and Shaq the truth, like, when they mess up. Like, man, no, it was your fault. Like, like, don't go blaming Devin George or like, it was your fault. Like, and B, did that every single time. And I'm like, just looking at him and he's like, man, you just got to be able to tell the truth. And so, you know, that took me a long way because when you tell the great players and the star players, like, you know, when KG come out of game, he might be going crazy, man. I didn't, I didn't foul him. And you know, scalabre, like, man, you didn't foul him. He like, Lou, you found him. Then he like, cuss me out or whatever. And then like, you know, three. You right, Lou, give me a dab, you know what I'm saying? But like, you just gotta tell the truth, you know what I'm saying? I think stars and guys that, you know, even, you know, whatever, like people respect the truth whether they like it at that point or not. Like, if you real with yourself, you know, two days later you come back like, you know what, Shannon? You was right, I was wrong. Like, you were right, you know, and they can respect that. But like, you know when I'm lying to you?
- [87:57]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes, yes you do.
- [87:58]
Tyronn Lue
Like if you drop a pass, it was a great pass, but you drop it. And I said, man, that's a bad pass. Like, you know, like, nah, he threw that. That shit was right up. You know what I'm saying?
- [88:05]
Shannon Sharpe
Like, that's what I'm saying.
- [88:07]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. Like, you know, if I'm lying to you, like, you respect honesty and that's kind of like, you know, how I was able to deal with these guys is just telling the truth.
- [88:14]
Shannon Sharpe
Right? So how was it going from playing with Shaq to coaching Shaq the last year in Boston? Yeah, it was.
- [88:21]
Tyronn Lue
I really didn't have no responsibility, you know, so you know who was. So we had Tibbs my first year doing the defense, then Lawrence Frank, was Longo Barty doing defense, then maybe I think Mike Long. So I really didn't have no response. I was still behind the bench. So it was just more so just, you know, him talking stuff all the time, you know. But like I didn't really have a lot of responsibility. I just really dealt with Doc more one on one than my projects was. I had Rondo and I had kg. Two of the craziest guys on the team.
- [88:52]
Shannon Sharpe
You know what I'm saying? But I mean, both are fiery, both are, you know, in your face. Hey, get it done. So how do you navigate that?
- [89:02]
Tyronn Lue
Like I said, tell the truth. I think. Cause me, KG and Chauncey, we're all three best friends. So me going to Boston, that was easy. So he was there before me. And so a lot of stuff he was doing, guys would be like, okay, well KG's gonna do this, he's gonna do that. And so when I first got there, like they would serve food after the game. And so it's kinda like, really how it opened up for me. So they. After the game and so they would put the food in the locker room and the coaches would never eat. So one day I'm hungry as hell. Like, so. So I walk in the locker room and I start fixing me a plate. And so Paul Pierce and Rondo. Oh, kg, T Lou's getting food. And I was like, what? So I'm getting my.
- [89:48]
Shannon Sharpe
He's snitching.
- [89:48]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. So I'm getting my food or whatever. So KG come. What said, man? T Loo getting food. He's like, shit, I can't do nothing about that. So he's like, what? So, you know, so they going crazy. Like, oh, man, you like. So then after that, now all the coaches able to come in and get. So before, the coaches couldn't eat until all the players ate first. Really? I'm like, man, we've been up doing scouts and working at 7 in the morning, man, you crazy. I'm hungry. Like, we doing the same thing.
- [90:10]
Shannon Sharpe
Like.
- [90:11]
Tyronn Lue
And so like, they couldn't touch the food until the players ate first. So I'm like, man, hell no, you tripping. So when I did that, like, it kind of opened up everything. So guys like, oh, man, can't you let T. Lou do whatever you want to do? And so then after that, I just had all that respect, you know what I'm saying?
- [90:27]
Shannon Sharpe
You kg. Everybody talks about KG trash talking. He. I mean, you see, I mean, you, you know, you see him on his pod now and then, you know, see him. I mean, you hear some of the clips. He really talk that much?
- [90:41]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah, he does. I mean, it's more so to get himself going, right? Like, you know, he wants you to talk back so he can, you know, so he can, you know. You ever heard, like, don't poke the bear, right? Like, he tried to get himself going by talking trash and talking stuff to get himself fired up. But yeah, yeah, he was good at it. That's what he wanted to do.
- [90:59]
Shannon Sharpe
Rondo, can you tell, like, for me, and I have former teammates that became head coaches. When you're playing with a guy, can you tell he has the qualities, the attributes to be a head coach?
- [91:13]
Tyronn Lue
Yes. And it's funny because I didn't know I was gonna be a head coach really. When I played for Doc in 2003, he told me, when you get done playing, you can come coach. Like, yeah, right. I ain't. I ain't coaching these crazy. Like, I ain't doing that. But, like, when it's over, that's all we know, right? Like, you know, that's all I know is basketball. And so Rondo's one of those guys. I mean, he's definitely a head coach. Like, just seeing, like, he's probably the best person I've seen as far as controlling the game, understanding the game, understanding how to call plays, right? When guys haven't had a shot, when KG needs a shot, when Ray needs a shot, what to call, what to run. Like, he had to look over a dot. Like, you would be surprised at all the guys that are great players that can't control the game and call plays and, you know, throughout the course of a game. But Rondo was the best guy I've seen do that as far as just controlling the whole game, you know, just calling. Don't even have to look at Doc, you know what I'm saying? Just controlling the game, calling the game. And he was the best I ever seen doing that. And so, like, when you're able to do it on the floor, you could.
- [92:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Do it on the sideline, right?
- [92:13]
Tyronn Lue
You know what I mean? And I think Rondo would be a hell of a coach.
- [92:16]
Shannon Sharpe
But how difficult was that? Because you got a young Rondo and you got a veteran in kg, you got a veteran in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. And to see this young guy come in and do that and let Doc have him have that kind of control.
- [92:29]
Tyronn Lue
I mean, it was good because he wasn't looking for shots. Now if I'm calling my own player, I'm shooting 20. No, I'm saying I'm shooting 20 shots a game. But he was just doing it. He wanted to get KG going, get Paul going, get Ray going. They had no problem with it. I don't want to come in shooting all the balls, you know what I'm saying? So it was. I mean, they loved it.
- [92:46]
Shannon Sharpe
Was it because I hear, you know, like, he and I mean, the reunion, he and Ray didn't get along, him and Paul Pierce and KG for the longest time. And I think for the most part, I think they've kind of made some amends about Ray going to it. So what was Rondo's personality like?
- [93:09]
Tyronn Lue
He had a tough personality. Like, you know, Rondo fight the drop of a dime. He ain't taking nothing from me. Nobody, like. And he had that mentality. And so me, my job was more just talk to him about how to control it.
- [93:23]
Shannon Sharpe
You gotta control it, bro.
- [93:24]
Tyronn Lue
How to control it. There's gonna be times for it, like I'm all for it. Like somebody got a line, you gotta scrap, you just gotta scrap. I believe in that, you know, but it can't be controversy all the time.
- [93:33]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [93:34]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so you gotta be able to control it and be able to manage. And you know, at times it's going to be called for, but sometimes it's not going to be called for.
- [93:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [93:41]
Tyronn Lue
And so you just got to be able to be able to manage that. And so. But he's a feisty guy, hates to lose, wants to win. And if he don't win, like I said, he's ready to scrap.
- [93:50]
Shannon Sharpe
Are you surprised that he's not in the league? Because I thought he played extremely well. The Lakers in the bubble, I thought, I mean the years he played with the Lakers, I thought he was phenomenal.
- [94:02]
Tyronn Lue
Yeah. How old is he now though?
- [94:04]
Shannon Sharpe
It might be a little long. It might be, yeah. He gotta be 39. 39.
- [94:09]
Tyronn Lue
Oh yeah, he's. Yeah. I mean, like, I mean if guys could do it, he could be one.
- [94:14]
Shannon Sharpe
Of the guys because he seemed like he take care of himself, take care.
- [94:16]
Tyronn Lue
Of his body, you know, control the game without having to get shots.
- [94:18]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [94:19]
Tyronn Lue
You know, from that aspect, we remind you a lot of cp, right? Like being able to just control the game and get guys quality shots every single possession. He's that guy.
- [94:27]
Shannon Sharpe
But you look at, I mean, you wouldn't think. But he has a game where he dropped four. He dropped. He's had 24, 25, 27 assists in a game. I mean, it's not like he was like, people think, oh, he just, you know, he just an assist guy.
- [94:41]
Tyronn Lue
No, he could score.
- [94:43]
Shannon Sharpe
He could score.
- [94:43]
Tyronn Lue
No, he could score the ball. And so, but like you said, just being able to read the game and understand how you're gonna get on the floor.
- [94:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [94:49]
Tyronn Lue
Like, does he really need to score when you got Ray Paul and KG out there?
- [94:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [94:53]
Tyronn Lue
You know, so he picked, you know, picking shoulder spot. Yeah. You know, when he wanted to score and be aggressive. But I remember like playoff game against Miami having 40.
- [95:00]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes. You know what I'm saying?
- [95:01]
Tyronn Lue
Like he could, yeah, he could score the basketball. So I mean Rondo was a great player, man. Like he don't get enough credit for, you know, who he really was.
- [95:08]
Shannon Sharpe
I agree. This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shay Shay profile and I'll see you there.
- [95:21]
Colin Coward
This is Colin Coward from the Colin Coward podcast on Fox one Now you can stream your favorite live sport so you can be there live for the biggest moments. That means NFL Sundays and college Football games, games, NASCAR, Major League Baseball, postseason and more. With FOX 1 you get it all. Live, edgier seat plays, high octane moments, and that feeling like you're right there in the action. Fox 1 We live for live streaming now.
- [95:50]
Tyronn Lue
This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on Dudes.
- [95:53]
Colin Coward
Applebee's just cooked up the ultimate option.
- [95:56]
Tyronn Lue
Play with their new Ultimate Trio deal. You can choose from three of their delicious appetizers and pair them up with three sauces for just $14.99. Craft your perfect trio from over 80,000 different combinations in this flavor packed plate. Built for one or to share if you're generous. You can stick with the classic pairings like boneless wings and Buffalo sauce. Or you can spice things up and.
- [96:23]
Colin Coward
Try some unexpected pairings like dipping chicken.
- [96:26]
Tyronn Lue
Won tacos in our Honey Dijon Must Mustard. It's time to head to your neighborhood Applebee's or order online today. Now that's eating good in the neighborhood.
- [96:37]
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