Hawks AF - Dominique Wilkins on his favorite dunks, matchups with NBA legends, & today's NBA

Summary

Podcast Summary: Club Shay Shay Episode Title: Hawks AF - Dominique Wilkins on his favorite dunks, matchups with NBA legends, & today's NBA
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts, The Volume, and Shay Shay Media

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Introduction

In this electrifying episode of Club Shay Shay, NFL legend Shannon Sharpe sits down with basketball icon Dominique Wilkins to delve into Wilkins' illustrious career, memorable moments on the court, and his perspectives on the evolution of the NBA. The conversation is rich with personal anecdotes, insightful commentary, and nostalgic reflections that both longtime fans and newcomers will find engaging.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Dominique Wilkins opens up about his challenging upbringing in Baltimore, Maryland, and his move to Atlanta before attending the University of Georgia. He recounts how relocating helped him escape a dangerous environment in North Carolina and set the stage for his basketball career.

Dominique Wilkins [03:06]: "Atlanta basically made me who I am... Georgia kind of got me out of the situation that I was in in North Carolina."

Wilkins highlights the impact of his high school coach in North Carolina, who offered him a stable environment and the opportunity to play for his team, which was pivotal in launching his basketball journey.

High School Dominance

Reflecting on his high school career, Wilkins shares the remarkable success his team achieved, winning four consecutive state championships—a feat that was unprecedented in North Carolina's basketball-rich landscape.

Dominique Wilkins [04:46]: "We were 76 and one in three years in the state of North Carolina high school."

Transition to the NBA

Drafted in the first round of the 1982 NBA Draft as the third overall pick, Wilkins discusses the pressures and expectations that came with being an NBA rookie. He emphasizes the importance of earning respect from veteran teammates and coaches, which was crucial for his development.

Dominique Wilkins [22:02]: "I had Dan Roundfield, Eddie Johnson, and Tree Rollins. They told me, 'Young fellow, just play the game. Don't try to do too much. Ain't your time yet.'"

NBA Career Highlights

Wilkins delves into his NBA career, highlighting his fierce competitiveness and memorable performances against some of the league's greatest players. He passionately recounts his legendary battles with Michael Jordan, noting their unique rivalry where both consistently scored over 30 points per game against each other.

Dominique Wilkins [12:02]: "Michael and I are the only two foes in NBA history over 30 against each other for a whole career."

He also reminisces about his favorite dunks, including a stunning play against Bob Lanier in Milwaukee where he dunked just before the buzzer, showcasing his athletic prowess and game-changing ability.

Dominique Wilkins [15:18]: "I think he crossed his arms when he covered the rim, and I turned in the air. I was still going up... And I dunked it on him right before the buzzer."

Notable Matchups with NBA Legends

Wilkins shares his experiences guarding and competing against NBA legends like Larry Bird, Dr. J, and James Worthy. He reflects on the intensity of those matchups and how they pushed him to elevate his game.

Dominique Wilkins [07:30]: "That's what any great player would tell you. From Michael to Magic to Bird... The pressure builds you and makes us who we are."

Insights on Today's NBA

Analyzing the current state of the NBA, Wilkins comments on the shift towards a three-point-centric game and the decline of the mid-range shot, which he defends as a high-percentage scoring method. He praises modern players like Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard for revitalizing the mid-range game.

Dominique Wilkins [09:29]: "The mid-range shot is the most high percentage shot outside of a dunk. Great shooters like Curry and Durant can make those shots effortlessly."

Wilkins also critiques the reduced physicality in today's game, noting that fouls were handled differently during his era, allowing for a more intense and physical style of play.

Dominique Wilkins [07:45]: "You could get away with a lot more back then. The game has gotten soft."

Fan Interactions and Legacy

A heartfelt discussion ensues about Wilkins' relationship with fans and his enduring legacy in Atlanta, marked by his iconic statue. He shares a touching story about his first encounter with fans and the emotional impact of seeing his statue in the city.

Dominique Wilkins [18:39]: "When I saw it for the first time, I was blown away. I was so emotional, I couldn't even shed a tear."

Wilkins emphasizes the importance of connecting with fans, asserting that his legacy extends beyond championships to the love and respect he garnered from the city.

Dominique Wilkins [20:28]: "It's the love that you showed our city. That's our ring."

Coaching and Mentorship

Wilkins offers valuable coaching tips, drawing from his extensive experience on the court. He discusses strategies for attacking defenses, the importance of maintaining high energy, and the role of leadership in building a successful team.

Dominique Wilkins [37:27]: "You gotta have form. You gotta have form. I'm pigeon toe, so I make sure my shot goes straight up and down."

He also touches on mentoring the next generation, highlighting his commitment to teaching financial literacy and basketball skills to his children and the community.

Dominique Wilkins [38:33]: "We have a social responsibility to give back what we've learned... It's about being a role model."

Personal Reflections and Future Endeavors

In a candid exchange, Wilkins shares personal anecdotes about his home life, hobbies, and his ventures outside basketball, including building his own house and engaging in community projects. He expresses his continued passion for the game and his desire to remain connected with fans.

Dominique Wilkins [35:05]: "I'm really handy. I built a lot... I've always been a handyman."

Conclusion

Dominique Wilkins concludes the episode by reaffirming his love for Atlanta and his gratitude towards the fans who have supported him throughout his career. The conversation wraps up with light-hearted banter, reflecting the deep mutual respect and camaraderie between Wilkins and the host.

Dominique Wilkins [42:24]: "We represent right here in Atlanta... We get it in blood and we represent."

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Notable Quotes

• Dominique Wilkins on High School Success [04:46]: "We were 76 and one in three years in the state of North Carolina high school."
• On Playing Against Michael Jordan [12:02]: "Michael and I are the only two foes in NBA history over 30 against each other for a whole career."
• Favorite Dunk Moment [15:18]: "I dunked it on him right before the buzzer."
• Defending Mid-Range Shot [09:29]: "The mid-range shot is the most high percentage shot outside of a dunk."
• Legacy in Atlanta [18:39]: "When I saw it for the first time, I was blown away."
• Coaching Philosophy [37:27]: "You gotta have form. You gotta have form."
• Role as a Mentor [38:33]: "We have a social responsibility to give back what we've learned."

Final Thoughts

This episode of Club Shay Shay offers an intimate look into Dominique Wilkins' life and career, blending nostalgia with insightful commentary on the evolution of basketball. Wilkins' passion for the game, his commitment to his community, and his enduring legacy in Atlanta make for a compelling and inspiring listen.

Transcript

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[Dominique Wilkins]

No.

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[Dominique Wilkins]

For details Every morning brings a fresh new energy. And no matter what the day holds, we come to the Today show for all of it. We get the best start to the day because we started together. Watch the Today show weekdays at 7am on NBC. Get your mother lovin ears on because your big time radio DJs got news. PayPal lets you choose how you want to pay for all the stuff. With PayPal, I can pay in store, pay online, or pay over time. What's that? You want this translated into song? I hope you're sitting down. You can pay your own way. You keep those ears on, you hear? Don't just pay, baby. PayPal. Learn [e-mail] yeah, you got this. You got the. Oh, you got it down.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I'm trying to get it right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You got the silhouette down.

[Podcast Host]

We ain't playing. Hey listen man, America, we're here again on another beautiful day on the Hawks and Friends podcast, man. And I'm just trying to keep my composure because we don't get a chance to be shoulder to shoulders with legends, shoulder to shoulders with icons, man. And listen, man, today's guest needs no introduction, okay? A Hall of Famer, a icon, a legend. Everybody make some noise for Dominique Wilker.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Appreciate it, appreciate it, appreciate it.

[Podcast Host]

What's happening?

[Dominique Wilkins]

What's happening, man? It's good to see you outside of the Hawks arena, man, I'm telling you, man, you're not as amped up today as you are at the arena.

[Podcast Host]

No, man. Cuz, you know, I really be into it. I really be into it. You know what I'm saying? Like that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

But you amped up, but you ain't amped up.

[Podcast Host]

Like, I'm amped up because I'm a fan when I'm at that arena. I paid for them to hear my frustration.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I feel you.

[Podcast Host]

You feel what I'm saying? No, Cap, because they represent us. I am really from Atlanta. But you have been representing Atlanta for quite some times, man. And we want to say thank you.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, you're welcome, man. I appreciate it. You know, Atlanta basically made me who I am, right? You know, when I came out of high school, right? Actually, I moved to Atlanta first, before I went to the University of Georgia. And Georgia kind of got me out of the situation that I was in in North Carolina, which was a pretty intense, dangerous situation, right? And this was the first city that I came to, man, and.

[Podcast Host]

And take it back to the 80s, man, the NBA draft. 82, first round, third overall pick. Like, how did that feel? Cause, you know, I had a dream to be in the NBA, but it's people that actually lived our dreams, you know what I'm saying? So we be living through people. So when we say that and when people say that, to me, I really understand that when we see y'all on the court, everybody had a dream of being an NBA star.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, you know what? That was our dream growing up. Cause I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, right? And at the time, Baltimore had the highest crime rate in America. And at that time. And I left home when I was 16 and got discovered on the playground the next day in North Carolina, where my high school career started, right? And guy asked me, he said, hey, son, you live here? I'm like, I'm not sure yet, right? He said, where you going when you go leave from here? I'm like, I'm not sure. And he looked at me, he said, come go with me. I don't know why I followed. And he showed me his house, showed me a kitchen, showed me the bedroom. He said, you can have all this. The only trade off is you have to play for my high school team. He was the high school coach. I looked on, I like, okay. And that's how my career started. We were 76 and one in three years in the state of North Carolina high school.

[Podcast Host]

How many championship?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Back to back, back to back, back to back championship See, I, I don't.

[Podcast Host]

I don't know how they feel. I don't know how they feel.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And you know, in north, in North Carolina, that type of record was unheard because I came at the same time with James Worthy. We, we had so many, we had Mitchell Wiggins, we had a lot of, we had a lot of guys come out of North Carolina. Of course you had Mike, Mike come out of North Carolina and yeah, Jim and Black. It was so many guys that played in basketball in the state of North Carolina, back, especially in North Carolina, Duke, you know, Wake Forest, my high school teammate went to Wake Forest. So we had a lot of guys, man. And so to have that type of record in high school in that state, right, that's basketball mecca and praying for.

[Podcast Host]

Somebody to pull over to say, for somebody to stop they car, get out and say, man, I want you to play for me. You got talent. Cuz my parents didn't even stop to even watch me.

[Dominique Wilkins]

But you know, the funny thing is his players was playing on the playground that day and I just went out and started playing with them, you know, after I got off the bus and he walked up, right, and you know, and all was. The rest was history after that meeting. I'm telling you what, he might be the greatest coach that I ever have, outside of Mike Fratello, that I've had in my career. He was, he refused to let us lose.

[Podcast Host]

I was just going to say that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, so we had a different. We, that team had a heart of a life.

[Podcast Host]

So speak on like having like coaches because people don't understand roles are important.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Let me explain something about coaching. Coaches are put there to help you develop, teach you how to play the game. And you know, sometimes coaches use the best players as an example to push all the other players correct. Both. All the coaches I ever had always jumped on me harder than anybody else because first of all, they know I could take it. Two is that if they could say stuff like that to me and get on my case and sometimes even belittle you, sometimes nobody else can say anything. And so. And that's the way all the coaches taught and developed me. And that's how I learned how to play the game from a fundamental standpoint, from a toughness standpoint. One thing I hate when guys, when, you know, if a coach get on you too hard, right, you shut down.

[Podcast Host]

You clamor, gotta build aggression.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I mean, this is what we signed up for, right? You know, so it's a lot come with being the king when you're the leader team. Now you got to speak on that because you got to be able to take the heroics as well as you are the target criticism.

[Podcast Host]

You are the target.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. And you know what? That's what I love.

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's what any great player would tell you. From Michael to Magic to Bird and I played against them, these guys was monsters. The pressure builds you and they, the pressure makes us who we are. And the only way you can measure your greatness is you got to play against the greatest.

[Podcast Host]

And I'm glad you said that because I feel like it ain't no pressure in today if you look at it, because OG listen, man, when y'all was playing from the 80s and the 90s, even the early 2000s, you still seen it like it's. They call fouls. It's like the game has gotten soft.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, you know, you could get away with a lot more.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, and they shooting from, from full court.

[Dominique Wilkins]

The fouls are, you know, it is what it is, right? But this is the thing, big guys, right? If you stayed on the perimeter, I'm gonna use a guy like Miles Turner. If you stayed on that perimeter as a big guy, like he does, and a lot of the big guys, and if you miss four or five of those threes, you coming, coming out, you're coming out again, you know, even that small forward, right? If I wasn't making those shots, coach said, hey, step in, get to the free throw line, get to the post, right? Take somebody off the dribble. So we was able to mix up our offense, Right. You know, because when you see highlights, I mean, what do you see, right? Slam dunk, slam dunk, slam dunks. Well, it's very difficult to get over 26,000 points on Dongs. I was creative, square everything you see, talk, your talk. Now you, I mean, because you know, the mid range game, post game, getting to the free throw line, jumps, I had all that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Back then. So it's like a lot of time people think that this is a new invention, right? Not.

[Podcast Host]

It's been there.

[Dominique Wilkins]

We took a lot more high percentage shots. It's just a fact. Because I hear a lot of times people said, well, the mid range shot is obsolete. It's just a dumb comment because it's the most high percentage shot outside of a dunk. Now if you're great shooters like Curry and a lot of these guys and Luke and all these guys, you're great shooters like them, them guys can make those shots. But you got a lot of guys taking that shot that shouldn't be taking.

[Podcast Host]

You could develop a good mid range shot.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. You know, you dangerous. Kawhi Leonard, Right. Even, you know, you. Even Steph, you look at Durant, DeRozan, right?

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

He rarely ever takes a three.

[Podcast Host]

What about Luca?

[Dominique Wilkins]

I like Luka. All them guys who can score, right. All shoot mid range shots would hurt. Well, again, guys like that kind of, you know, revolutionize the mid range shot, right? Because, you know, it went away for.

[Podcast Host]

A long time, everybody trying to shoot three.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. And then it came back. But them guys really showed the analytical guys that y'all are dead wrong.

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Because this mid range shot, I can still get 30 right now. I mean, I've had games where I had 52, 54, and had 1 3. And people say, oh, it's possible. It's impossible for you to get 57 points and three quarters. You didn't shoot threes.

[Podcast Host]

Buckets on them all day.

[Dominique Wilkins]

What that says, though, is I shot a lot of free throws, right? That's where my threes came and ones. And so my whole objective was to get to the line, get to the line, and you have to attack people. And that's what we did.

[Podcast Host]

So looking at these matchups, because Michael stopped a lot of greats, great teams that could have possibly been champions. If you looking at the matchups right now, like, what was your toughest matchup?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, man, you know, Chicago was always tough, right? Chicago was always tough. New York, Philadelphia, Indiana had Milwaukee. I mean, Philadelphia, they had a super team back then.

[Podcast Host]

Tokyo.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Tokyo. So everybody was tough. But, you know, I never feared anybody I ever played against. There's one guy made me nervous.

[Podcast Host]

Who?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Out of New York. His name was Bernard King.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Dominique Wilkins]

If you don't know who he is.

[Podcast Host]

You gotta look up Bernard King. What happened now? What happened?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Because he's getting 40, ain't nothing you can do about it. Nothing. I mean, I couldn't sleep the night before I played against this.

[Podcast Host]

And he getting 40 off top.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. I said, look, I know he gonna get 40. So you know what? I'm gonna get 40. We just call him Washington.

[Podcast Host]

We just gonna call it even. Cause everybody got that Michael Jordan effect. Like they skittle.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Michael and I are the only two foes in NBA history over 30 against each other for a whole career.

[Podcast Host]

Every time y'all played each other.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh. And I didn't think about it. Somebody brought it to my attention. I look back on those games, like, Whoa, he had 47. I might have 42, I might have 45. He might have 40. He had 61 I had, you know, 40 and all those games was like that man. Cuz he brought out the best in me and I know I brought out the best in him. You know, we love competing against one another and that's one of the things.

[Podcast Host]

It ain't no competing no more.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I had to guard Larry Bird, I had to guard Dr. J, I had to guard worthy English Dantley or Guy every night. We didn't, we couldn't duck each other because I was not going to go over there and play the power four position. They had a license to kick your butt not dealing with them guys. So at six, eight and a half, you know, I'm going against some guys who are 6 11, 610 small forwards. But that's, that's the way it was. We didn't think twice about it.

[Podcast Host]

Like hey now they picking, they nitpicking.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. I'm like, hey man, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like bring it on, you know, you know, because you know most of the time that I played against Boston, you know, Kevin McHale is 7 foot was guarding me.

[Podcast Host]

You had to go out there and matter.

[Dominique Wilkins]

It didn't matter, you know, with the size, right. We never, because this is the thing, you know, most great scores will tell you and you know, Bird and Jordan the prime example of this. We never worried about the guy who was guarding us. We worry about the guy who was double teaming because we knew we can beat this guy. But if they only got only guy and see people ask me sometimes, you know, how do you beat a double team? Okay, you go before it gets to you, right. You know it's coming, right. But if you can get by this guy first the double team comes too late, right?

[Podcast Host]

And there's now somebody open.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. And that's how I used to get a lot of my points, because I knew the double team come now if the double team comes quick, you know, you give the ball up because you're always going to come back.

[Podcast Host]

So nowadays you don't really too much see the, it's just a lot of the elements of the game is just change. You don't really see a double team.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You don't see double team. The double teams is like you play an area, right? So if he comes to the area, you got help. It was a lot of one on one defense back then. And of course you need to help with certain guys because certain guys they just monsters. And because like I said my first eight games I felt like I played against eight hall of Famers as a rook. And I finally had to get over it because I said, I know I had to play against these guys, right. But I'm gonna let them know I'm a God, too. And that was my mentality, because you had to have that mentality. Them guys you're going to, you, the Dr. J's and choirs and Worthy and all them. Because the Worthy and I, we all came out in 79 out of high school. We actually, our high school senior class across the nation got voted as the greatest senior class ever.

[Podcast Host]

Tokyo Talk.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Because of the level of professional athletes that they created. Yeah, we had a lot of guys in that class go to pros.

[Podcast Host]

And to speak of that class, the aggression and knowing the highlight factor was real back then. So even knowing that, you know, nowadays it's like the highlight countdown. It's cool. You done saw it before, but it was like it was demanded. Like, you had to go out there and make the highlight. Like, speaking of your iconic dunks, what's an iconic dunk that you remember and remember who you did it on?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, man, there's a lot of them, man. I think one of the ones that. And it's been a lot. Well, I think the one that they show a lot of is the one against Bob Lanier in Milwaukee where the clock was running down and I'm on the poll post. They throw it to me, I go to the middle. They cut me off, I went back baseline, I jumped, and Bob lanier, who was 6 11, covered the rim. I think he crossed his arms when he covered the rim, and I turned in air, he was coming down. I was still going up, still going up. And I dunked it on him right before the buzzer. And that was one of the. My favorite dunks, because most of my dunks in traffic. Those are my favorite. You know, the dunks I had against Boston where I shot and it hit the rim and I caught it over, like, three or four guys. I mean, those type of plays kind of changes the momentum.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Dominique Wilkins]

In the game. So, I mean, a lot of my favorite dunks, believe it or not, was in high school. In high school, I was looking in the rim. In high school, I was. I was really not even the one where you.

[Podcast Host]

You gliding all across the court.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, in high school, man, you know, our point guard was a wonderful point guard. And it was every game on the jump ball, we were trying to get alley. Every game, if we got the tip, we had a design where we run wide and he'd throw up there either corner of the backboard, and we would go get it.

[Podcast Host]

Is there a moment in your career that you wish you could have done differently?

[Dominique Wilkins]

No. Only thing that I regret that I didn't do is bring a championship here in Atlanta. I think that's the only. I think that's the only thing I regret. But as far as if I would do anything differently. No, because what I did and the way I did it, it helped build character.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Did personality, respect. And so, you know, winning a ring, a lot of times, people don't understand. It ain't always about winning the ring. It's about competing to the highest level. Because I look at this, my ring was giving me the ability to play something that I love. That's my ring. And so, you know, it's only one team that wins every year. A lot of great players have never felt that, you know, so, you know, that's. That's the nature of the beast. That's. That's the way it is. But would I change anything? No. Maybe one thing. The money they make now.

[Podcast Host]

But it's different. It's different. 256 back then, a good nine piece to be straight.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, I changed that. Oh, man, I can't even fathom that. Yeah, it's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy. Now me and you enter the same part of the building of the arena, you know, and. And you got a statue. You gotta. You got something that's out there that's. That's very, you know what I'm saying, inspiring to the city. Like you said, like, even though we ain't got no ring is. It's you. The energy, the compassion, the aggression that. The fight that you wanted to go out there and represent us. We feel that, and we. We're thankful for that. You should. That is our ring. It's the love that you showed our city. That's our ring. Do you ever go into the front to even see the statue and just take it all in?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Let me tell you a funny story. First of all, let me just say this. What he captured in that statue is everything about who I am. And so when I saw it for the first time, man, I. I was blown away. I was so emotional, I couldn't even shed a tear. That's how emotional. I was that choked up about it. Because it's not just about basketball. When you receive something, it's what you've done in that city, how you connected with people, relationships or everything. So, you know, when it went up, I remember a couple of times I went down. I Drove by. So one day I stopped by there. I put a lawn chair there. I had a beer. I looked up. That's a big fella. We come along. We come a long way, you know, and that. That really felt good, man, because it was a moment in my life that I never dreamed of, you know? And even to this day, man, it's still surreal. So, you know, I was talking to Steve Cornyn, gm, and. I'm sorry, our president, CEO. I said, I rolled by the statue the other day, and it looks a little ashy there, Steve. I knew y'all got some lotion on that thing. Y'all gotta put some lotion on it.

[Podcast Host]

It's still LeBron stashing.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Now, listen, I went back a couple weeks later. It was shiny, shiny. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's just fun, you know, for people to see me go down and interact, because sometimes I walk by there and I see people stop by and they look at me and it's like, is that you? I said, yeah, most people think it is. Yeah. Yeah, it look like me. But that. It's just. It's just a pleasure to see people admire it, you know?

[Podcast Host]

No, man, it's just. It's just amazing, man, just to see you. You know what I'm saying? Just get to smell your flowers while you still here. Because like you say, it's not about the ring, it's about the love.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know how many times I say that? You know, I said, don't wait till someone's gone before you give them their roses, give them their flowers while they're here, and appreciate what they've done. You know, I remember when I first came to league and I said to Dr. J, the first time I played, I said, you know, I grew up emulating everything you ever done. I just wanted to be that next, next doctor. And I just wanted to let you know how much you meant to my life indirectly. You really helped me elevate my game to a different level. And he said to me, he said, I know they calling you the next doctor, but it's only one Dominique with on Dr. J. But today you can start learning. And I remember he had a great game against me, and I wasn't upset. I said, that's the Doctor. That's my idol. You know, but once I got over that, you know, it was nothing but competing with us.

[Podcast Host]

When did you realize, I am Dominique Wilkins? When did you realize, like, you know what? I have to start making my own mark in the game because I'm here now.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I knew Before I came in the league, to be honest with you, because before I came to the NBA, I used to work out. A lot of people didn't know this because you couldn't do it at the time, but I did it. I worked out with Pete Mavericks and Maurice Lucas. So I got one of the most skilled guys in history who was for his time and Pete marriage. And I got the toughest guy and one of the toughest guys that would play the game in Maurice Lucas, the enforcer. So when I came to the NBA, I mean, I wasn't worried about nothing. I'm ready to go. But the thing about coming to NBA in those days is a top three picks in the draft, you still gotta pay your dues.

[Podcast Host]

Yes, you do.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yes, you do. I could have averaged 20, 25 plus my first year. But the old heads, as y'all say, still busting. I had Dan Roundfield, Eddie Johnson and Tree Rollins. Young fellow, just play the game. Don't try to do too much. Ain't your time yet. But once I got their blessing because that very next year, I remember Dan Roundfield said, now it's time for you to be the captain. You earned it. So you had to earn their respect. You know, they didn't, they didn't hand you the keys that early.

[Podcast Host]

Right? That. Right. Okay. So. So speaking of, of, of, of, of being in the game, like, was there any time where you, you got knowledge from an individual that you was inspired by, you know, especially like once you come in, you actually meet somebody that you've seen on TV, you know, Dr. J. That was just, that was authentic. That was just so happened to be there. Was it somebody like you were truly like, I want to meet this guy.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, he was the one. He was the one. The guys I really learned from when I first came, it was Dr. J, it was Maurice Lucas, Magic. I started playing summer ball with them before I came in and made George Iceman Girvin, Them the guys, Moses Malone, them, the guys that I learned a lot from when I came late, not just superstars, these was legendary guys, right? They were playing the game. And so I learned a lot from them. And I said, I want to be as good or better than those guys. And the only way you. Again, the only way you do that, you got to play against the greatest if you want to be the greatest.

[Podcast Host]

And it's crazy that you said that you played against the greatest, but not only did you play against the greatest, your career is longevity. And you can attest to this in the NBA nine years Is. That's cool. That's good. That's all right. You play long enough where you can establish, make you some money. Once you get into double digits, 10 or better, 12, 13, 14, like, you. Good, good. Like, they trying to get every little juice about you.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. You know, I could have played two or three more years if I wanted to. I could have got to 19, 20 years.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

But at that time, it was. It was changing. It was about really kind of nurturing the young guys, you know, investing that. Because I remember Chuck Daly said to me when I was in Orlando at the end of my career, and I had. I was starting average in like 19, 20 points and, like, eight, nine rebounds. But I was. But I was only playing like 18 minutes a night.

[Podcast Host]

That's still, though.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And I remember he came to me, he said, we're gonna start Matt Harper because we need more scoring. Right? And I said, chuck, let me say this to you. You don't have to blow smoke. I said, don't insult my intelligence.

[Podcast Host]

Right, right, right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I was leading the league in points per minute, right. I said, if you want to start the young guys, hey, I'm not no problem with that. I understand change. Things are changing.

[Podcast Host]

That cool.

[Dominique Wilkins]

But don't, don't, don't come with me with that. Come on. Really?

[Podcast Host]

It's going 20 point in 20 minutes.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You gonna score every minute.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. Like, guys, this is. This is what I've done, you know, so if. If it's about development, I'm cool with that. But let me know up front, this is what it is, Right?

[Podcast Host]

It's about the business, too.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Instead of, you know, insulting your intelligence, you know, come at me. Correct? Yeah. So I. I saw the change and I said, you know what? Maybe I'm gonna retire and go into the front office. And that's what I did.

[Podcast Host]

Say no more. Now, you've been in the game for quite some time. Like, what is the most craziest fan interaction that you had? Because today's fans ain't fans.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, no, back in the day was fans, hey, listen, they had a guy in Detroit called Leon the Barber. I can't even tell you the stuff he said. Some of the stuff he said to us behind the bench, and he sat right behind our bench and two big bodyguards sitting there. And some of the stuff is that you can't say on air. It's not. It's not clean enough for television.

[Podcast Host]

But see, people don't know that, like, fans back then was trash talkers.

[Dominique Wilkins]

They didn't get thrown out because it wasn't for us. It was entertainment. You know, we didn't, we didn't get upset, get fans thrown out. We just didn't do it. Not unless a fan came out of stands and did something right. But talking right, all they did to motivate us, right?

[Podcast Host]

Because it's supposed to make you bring.

[Dominique Wilkins]

The dog out because that shows you your toughness, too.

[Podcast Host]

Kind of like, shut up.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, I'm gonna get that fan thrown out. He obviously is a fan of mine because he's, he came to see me play, he's talking crazy, and. Because this is what motivates him. But you know what is something that same fan, Leona Barber, after the game, would ask me for my shoes all the time. So it was never personal. He was supporting his team, you know, so it was a lot of fans around the league like that. I mean, we loved it. We embraced it.

[Podcast Host]

Who was the best trash talk as a player?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, man. Hello. My brother was one of them. Cheryl. Yeah, I remember he told me, he said, big bro, you ain't scoring no more tonight. I said, little bro, I got 40. I don't want to score no more. I'm done. A matter of fact, coach take me out. I don't even want to play no more.

[Podcast Host]

When you add to be taking out. Cause you too good versus you asking the coach, why you taking me out?

[Dominique Wilkins]

The reason I said that, because he was talking trash, but it was a lot. Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers. Oh, my God. It's almost like we fought every game. We had a fist fight or Shovey met something. Every game.

[Podcast Host]

Every game.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah. And then you got Larry Bird. Larry Bird. If you wasn't ready, he took your heart. You know, Larry was great. It was a lot. It was quite a few guys that talk like that. But Larry and Chuck was some of the best. Larry was number one because everything he said, he did it.

[Podcast Host]

He backed it up.

[Dominique Wilkins]

He backed it up.

[Podcast Host]

That's a bad.

[Dominique Wilkins]

He's a bad. And that's why, again, I don't, I hate when people ask. I had a guy ask me, did I think I could score 15 points a game in today's game?

[Podcast Host]

Could you?

[Dominique Wilkins]

I said, is that a trick question? I said, which quarter? I like, are you serious?

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

And I said, I, I, I averaged 30 in the hand check era, right? Said, what you think I'd do if you can't touch me? I'm like, come on, man.

[Podcast Host]

Really can't touch me.

[Dominique Wilkins]

We all like physical contact. Facts, man. I wanted to bump and grind down around the basket. Because the thing about when you can feel a guy, you know how to play them.

[Podcast Host]

I already know how you play.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I already know how you can play. Because if I can feel you, I got you. If I can. Because if I can make you commit one way, I'm going opposite. And people said, well, what do you mean by that? I said, a lot of times when you guys catch the ball, the first thing you do is dribble. Well, what you do when you can feel a guy, you commit one way or the other. If you feel a move to your right, you know, you drop and go left. And those are all the things we learned at high school, college to prepare us for the pros. So all that stuff up and under, drop step, you know, power. We learned that at very early age. The thing is, is how can you put pressure consistently on a team, right? If you don't attack, right?

[Podcast Host]

You have to attack.

[Dominique Wilkins]

See, my whole thing was, this is my strategy. If I'm playing against another great player on the other side of the. If I can get two fouls on him early now, I create an advantage for myself because now he's not going to play me as hard.

[T-Mobile Representative]

He's going to back up.

[Podcast Host]

He's going to back up.

[Dominique Wilkins]

He's trying to get that third foul, right? And so you create that advantage early now you get going. Now the ball is going in the basket. You know, your level of confidence is elevated and, you know, you trying to get that third foul on before you get to halftime.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like we're getting our coaching on. And since we in our coaching and this is Hawks and friends, what you think them Hawks got to do by.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Man, well, first of all, we got to stay healthy, man. I mean, yeah, injury had been hit with that injury bug. And, you know, we got guys out right now, but, you know, I got to give it to these guys, man. They still fighting, right?

[Podcast Host]

We got to fighting.

[Dominique Wilkins]

They playing hard, got to fight, you know, and each night it's a different guy to step up, you know, Right. Last game was Trey hitting a big shot, need that big fourth quarter that he had. But, you know, you look at Reece Duchet, he played well that night. Dyson Daniels played well. And that's what you got to have when you are decimated. You know, with injuries, you got to do it collectively. It's hard to do it with one guy.

[Podcast Host]

Yes, sir. And that's crazy because as a collective, as the city, we all want to say thank you again for bringing that energy and that love. And that's why you Got a statue. Ain't nobody got no statue.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know what? There's only one jersey I felt good in throughout my career. And I'm not just saying this. It's a Hawk jersey. When I was with Boston and LA Clippers and Sam, I didn't feel right. I didn't look right in those jerseys.

[Podcast Host]

He ain't look right in them colors, man, but only this red and yellow matter, man.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's right. That's right.

[Podcast Host]

Mark Spade, he in the head. Og, it's an honor, man. Don't let this be your last.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, no, we can do it anytime, man.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, they got a Picasso, got a pool, and he got. And he got a gazebo. Don't nobody be over here.

[Dominique Wilkins]

The gazebo's right here, right? Yeah. That tiny house. When I want to get away from my grandkids, I go over there.

[Podcast Host]

He got a tighter house to get away from his house. He got a house to get away from his original house. He tired of that house. Hey, man, it's a blessing and an honor, man. And, you know, like you said, we just want to continue to give you your flowers while you're here. And we appreciate you and we're thankful for everything that you've done for the city, and we're glad that you came and did it for our city. That's why I wore this jersey. Let you know, man, it's still hit. That's crazy that you could do something so long ago and it's still.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know what's funny?

[Podcast Host]

I'm 33.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, you can get my jersey. I can't get it.

[Podcast Host]

Why?

[Dominique Wilkins]

And so they had to order, which is a good problem.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I'm about to say you created it.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, but. No, they. Then the Hawks will always make sure that I have jersey for the families and grandkids. And I have two great grandkids.

[Podcast Host]

I'm a great uncle.

[Dominique Wilkins]

All right, man. You're too young for a great uncle.

[Podcast Host]

That would you say? My mama had me when she was 45. My dad was 61. Oh, gee.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Okay.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, okay.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Makes sense.

[Podcast Host]

My dad graduated high school. Before you.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Show you right now.

[Podcast Host]

Hey, OG Atlanta, man. You know. What's up, man? Hey, man, it's a great episode on Hawks and Friends.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Get it? Yeah. This is my. This is my area.

[Podcast Host]

You got to have a pad.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No. You know, only time I really come in the house, I'm gonna eat right or go to sleep.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

These two rooms.

[Podcast Host]

This the getaway, man. This is.

[Dominique Wilkins]

This is my. This is my humidor.

[Podcast Host]

Right. That's why I can't wait till my house is done so I can get my pad.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So I got my pads down on here. You know why these are here, right? Cuz when you smoke in here, you can't burn my chest fat. Oh, okay, this is. This is.

[Podcast Host]

I need some of these then, to cover my chest. I thought. I thought it was just like, you know how old folk keep the plastic on their furniture?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, it's something like that.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. Booty stank right here. Booty rug.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Hey, look, I don't want nobody, you know, burning holes in my chest, but, you know, both these areas, like, man, like my. You drink cigar bar?

[Podcast Host]

You drink?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, you know, I got a little.

[Podcast Host]

See this one, this one, like, more family oriented when. Even when the family want to get out. But this one, I had my bending meeting.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah? Yeah, just, you know, I have a lot of meetings out here. Yeah, you know, we do a lot of podcasts from time to time out here, but I wanted this to look more like a log cabin.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, ain't nothing wrong with that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And then, you know, I have my own. My own.

[Podcast Host]

That's. Own cognac.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I got my own bourbon.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, bourbon.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I'm gonna give you a bottle.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, give me a bottle whiskey too.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That was yours.

[Podcast Host]

Walking around the crib.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I built the floor myself. I did the floor myself. You.

[Podcast Host]

So you telling me you got down here and you.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And you leveled it sand until you.

[Podcast Host]

Realized you needed somebody professional to finish it?

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, no, I finished it. For real? Yeah. I did this whole floor. I did this. I did this backsplash here, that whole wall there.

[Podcast Host]

That's fine.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And only thing I had, because we had shingles at the top.

[Podcast Host]

Got. Gotta get rid of the shingles.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So I had somebody could do the roof. But the floor stuff, I did.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Then I came in, put heating in the air, and then I put, you know, cigar.

[Podcast Host]

So you do. You do. So you. You be reconstructing houses too?

[Dominique Wilkins]

I ain't gonna say all that, but.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, anybody that can do a flow, you.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's.

[Podcast Host]

That's the starter. So you need a flow before you get a building.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I'm really handy.

[Podcast Host]

I like that. See, I'm a country by myself.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I built a lot. Even the little boards on my tiny house, I. I built those. I put those boards on.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, that's all right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And actually, we took my old fence down, but my uncle and I built the fence.

[Podcast Host]

Y'all built the fence too?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You. You dug it up?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Stuck.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Stuck the wood down, you know, I got my nail gun and my whole.

[Podcast Host]

The whole thing, you know, that's engineering.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's engineering, right. That's engineering.

[Podcast Host]

See, people don't know that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's engineering. I've always been a handyman. I come from a family that. The men of the family. Right. Always work. You got to work inside and out.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Got to get dirty.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, Yeah. I think I like when my kids, they come here, they take basketball, and they throw them all over the yard, and I got to come pick it up.

[Podcast Host]

About a second. I thought it was a boat, I would say. You don't do no fish.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, no, no, no.

[Podcast Host]

You don't fish.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, well, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I bass fish. Okay. Been bass fishing. My. My dad. Father from North Carolina. That's all they did fishing. Hunt. I used to hunt, too. I used to steal. My grandfather, he had a gun to shoot 16 times. It was silent. I used to go out and shoot at the barn.

[Podcast Host]

Boy. See, I thought I was good. I ain't good. I'm gonna keep this bourbon right here. This my championship trophy.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what. Hey, that is excellent bourbon.

[Podcast Host]

And, you know, I don't drink, but I'm gonna drink that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, I'm not much of a drinker. You the. It's for other people, right? I. I kind of experiment a little bit, but not. I'm not a big time. Well, you know, I'm getting ready to replace this whole floor because I've had it here for a minute, and it's starting to fade. So. CBA Sports, which I'm partnered with, this is what we do. We do outdoor courts.

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

We do indoor courts. And. Yeah, you got this. You got the. Oh, it's. You got it down.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying to get it right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You got the silhouette.

[Podcast Host]

That's. We ain't playing. What?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Hey, wow.

[Podcast Host]

That's the boss fade I would talk about, man.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Hey, that's funny. That's funny. So, yeah, so we. We have a court building company. Actually, I have my own signature floor coming out.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, how would they.

[Podcast Host]

Because I. I refer them to me.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So I got you. This is what. If you want to court this, call me, and I'll make sure they get over and look at your property.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I need one. Matter of fact, I want this same silhouette. Matter of fact, I want this same cut.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know what?

[Podcast Host]

That's what I'm doing with the Hawks logo.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Make sure he get my information, and I'll send the guy to Help. Cause they'll come out. Look at your property, same court, see where you want it. And I got ups now. And see, this is also a tennis court too, right? Because I have rebounders here. These are rebounders, right? And then you have the hookup.

[Podcast Host]

These right here. Rebounders.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, the rebounders.

[Podcast Host]

For, for not. Oh, for the 10.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I mean, actually like if you want here shooting by yourself, right, you can just, you know, this is, this is, this is your rebound.

[Podcast Host]

So what's, what's, what's, what's your technique of a perfect jump shot?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, I don't know what it is now, but back then it's just keeping, it's going straight up and down, giving balance, you know what I mean?

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I'm pigeon toe, so, you know, I'm like this go straight up and down, it goes crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Let me see.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, you gotta have form, baby. You gotta have form. I'm old man now. I can't shoot it like I used to.

[Podcast Host]

Don't worry about it.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's a good looking shot.

[Podcast Host]

That's a good looking shot. Now coach told me that I wasn't.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Gonna be there, but I'm gonna tell you though, I'm gonna tell you though, the first thing I would tell you though, right? Start right here.

[Podcast Host]

See, most kids, you just said that's.

[Dominique Wilkins]

The first shot they take the three. A three you2 know what? See the ball go down, take a easy shot. See what I mean? Take like two of them. And then you step out, knock down like two of those. There you go. Now you can step out or go to the corner, whatever you comfortable with. Now you done seen that ball go down, right? You know, I've coached both my sons.

[Podcast Host]

Both of them, see, but look, and my daughter, isn't that like a blessing for you to give off some game to your loved one, especially that you know, that they can use?

[Dominique Wilkins]

I think we have a social responsibility, give back what we've learned, right? And when I hear people say, oh, well, I'm not a role model, I don't like being a. But you are. When you put in that position, right? You have an obligation, right, to give it back.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, that's why if you ever see me with bodyguards, all that stuff, how can you connect to people if people can't, can't even touch you, interact with you, touch you. I mean, so that's why I get respect from places I go, especially in the city of Atlanta, because I'm one of you guys.

[Podcast Host]

That's how I like when I'm moving In the city, like, I understand when I'm out. That's cool.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Certain times you may need that.

[Podcast Host]

But when I'm in the city, man, I don't need no security. I know how to move around.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I go to the grocery store, I'm outside. Yeah. I'm telling you, I go to grocery, all that stuff, and people are like, hey, Nick, how you doing? Because they see me so much.

[Podcast Host]

How you doing?

[Dominique Wilkins]

So, you know, I don't have to have all that around. Right? So.

[Podcast Host]

Right. And that's how you stay connected with the earth, with. With life. You already know what's going on. Because I'm a. I'm a. Just because I do this, I'm still a human being.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You know what I'm saying?

[Dominique Wilkins]

And that's why people. That's why people love you. Because when you do that, man, you got. Oh, you got a little jump shot there, man.

[Podcast Host]

I tried to do a little something something once. He. Once he told me I wasn't gonna be nothing. I put the jump. I put it down. I put everything down.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And so my. My son is my youngest son. 6:11, right, right. He used to come out here, him and his friends, all the time, and they kept the goal. All they wanted to do is dunk. I said, man, put the goal up. What are you doing?

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

I said, if you want to learn how to play the game, put it up 10ft.

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Well, dad, it's just me and the fellas. I, like, put the goal up. I mean, I'm screaming at him all the time right now. He finally realized why, because he done tried on this. He done anything with the sound footer.

[Podcast Host]

You ain't did nothing.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I see him, and actually, it was a little bit lower than this. I'm like, come on, son. You know? So the funniest thing. So as he got taller, you know, I think he was 6, 8 at the time. He had a couple of his friends come over, and he asked me to come out and play with him. I said, I don't know. I'll be out there in a minute, son. So I saw him on the court from the window, and he kept looking back and see if I was.

[Podcast Host]

See if you were coming.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I said, you know what?

[Podcast Host]

I gotta call. I gotta go, I gotta call.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So it was me and him against two of his guys. And these kids were like, six, eight, both of them, six, eight. And, you know, and one of the guys said, don't worry about his pops. That's guard Jacob. I like, what, What? What?

[Podcast Host]

You tried me?

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, Man, I started wearing this little kid out, right? And so he tried to go by me. He hit me in the chest. My son said, oh, he hit a brick wall.

[Podcast Host]

You gonna learn today, son.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Hey, I heard for two weeks that was the last time.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that was it.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, that. That wasn't in my. That wasn't in my forte.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

As playing as an OG every day. Yeah. When it wasn't in my wheelhouse.

[Podcast Host]

So I'm just gonna do some game.

[Dominique Wilkins]

It was fun while it lasted because I knew he wanted. He wanted me.

[Podcast Host]

He just wanted that experience.

[Dominique Wilkins]

He wanted me to come out.

[Podcast Host]

He wanted that experience.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Tell his, you know, say, this friend, his dad out there playing.

[Podcast Host]

I remember me and daddy bust y'all.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah, yeah, you gotta pull that goal up. But, you know, first of all, it's a God given talent, a gift of being able to elevate, you know, but somebody dunk for the first time, make sure the goal is at a height that you can reach it, you know? You know, I believe my first dunk was 13 years old.

[Podcast Host]

I had to dunk the 10 footer before. I don't think I can do it again. I mean, I don't say can't in my vocabulary. I can see, practice makes perfect, you know, I just. I don't practice the dunk, you know.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I just noticed that shirt, man.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, we don't play.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's a nice shirt.

[Podcast Host]

We don't play, man. You represent, right here in Atlanta, man. We get it in blood and we represent.

[Dominique Wilkins]

All right. They want to see. See what you got. See what you got.

[Podcast Host]

It's all about which dunk you want me to do. What? Well, off the backboard, I'm gonna go crazy. I'm gonna go crazy. Okay. They want off the back boy. I was the back boy. Off the back boy. I'm throwing it up too high for.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Myself, you know, Definitely. That was one of my slam dunk contest winning dunks there.

[Podcast Host]

See? But this now, now I gotta.

[Dominique Wilkins]

It's all timing, baby. It's all time.

[Podcast Host]

It's all about time.

[Dominique Wilkins]

It's all about time.

[Podcast Host]

It's all about how you bounce.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I know that backboard not too hard.

[Podcast Host]

I know that backboard had a little semen.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, yeah, that's it. There you go. There you go.

[Podcast Host]

Dunk contest now done got soft.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Hey. Oh, man, they doing.

[Podcast Host]

They be doing stuff. Looking at, I be like, you ain't do nothing.

[Dominique Wilkins]

And you know what if they. Now, McLone is doing it again this year, right? For a three peat, right? It's amazing. Because you got a guy coming out.

[Podcast Host]

Of G League, the little shot one. Yeah. He's been doing the thing.

[Dominique Wilkins]

If I'm an NBA player, man, I'm embarrassed. Embarrassed G League got beat.

[Podcast Host]

Me embarrassed.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, sir.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, so think about it like this, right? How you, how you looking at it? How do you see that right now? You don't have to make it to the NBA. They got so many.

[Dominique Wilkins]

That's what it's saying.

[Podcast Host]

They got so many avenues. You right, coach. I probably won the NBA player, but I'm an nil Europe League player.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You never taught me that. I only thought NBA was the only way.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know what? If you're an NBA player, you work all your life to get to this level, right? There ain't nobody at this level, right? In this. That's. I'll pay you, I'm sure Michael Jordan, Madge Maltech, right, Ain't come and beat me, right? No, not happening. Because it's pride, right? You know, pride. It's all about pride, man. You know, Hell, we were going at the toughest guy, right, to do the contest, right? You know, and we had to bring it. You know, my first dunk contest was Dr. J, Larry Nance, Daryl Griffith. I mean, these are legendary, right? And again, I didn't do very well in that dunk contest because I'm stargazing because of Dr. J. That was my guy, you know. And so once I got over that, that next year, I said, I'm not going to just be in a dunk contest.

[Podcast Host]

I gotta improve. I got. I gotta show myself.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I said, I'm gonna win it, right? And I won it that next year. So, you know, that was my mentality again. I. I played the game at one speed that was all out, right? That's the only way I knew how to play, right? No, I wasn't gonna come at you. And I get out on the break, ain't nobody beating me down for it. And you look at guys like myself, James Worthy, Pippa, how fast we ran the lanes.

[Podcast Host]

I think suicides, all that came about. Ain't nobody suicide.

[Dominique Wilkins]

No, we ran the fast break. We wasn't gonna stop at the three point line. We get into that rack especially early in the game. I see, okay, Getting to the rack because now you talking easy too, right? And you got a chance to get a hand.

[Podcast Host]

I see too many people right here.

[Dominique Wilkins]

So when you want a fast break and there's nobody between you and the basket, especially early in the game. Now, late in the game, the game close, you need to Be, of course, but early in the game, punch it. You get that too easy too. Now you're seeing the ball go into.

[Podcast Host]

Basket, but this what we see.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You don't start pressing.

[Podcast Host]

We seeing three, four people in the three point line. One person at the post and you like. And you got one person on the side like he waiting on him to come over here with the. You like. Ain't no move. Y'all ain't making no. Y'all ain't set up no plays.

[Dominique Wilkins]

It's a classic way of running a fast break is when you get it, you get it to that point guard, right? And you feel the lanes, you go wide and then you cut in. So you got a choice, either side. Now if they don't get it, you go through and you cross, right? Now the big guy come down and you have a. What they call a secondary break. So the ball never stops.

[Podcast Host]

So check this out, right? Just like he said. If you would have missed four, five shots back then you getting out the game.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, I.

[Podcast Host]

They got centers coming up the court with the ball. How when we start doing that.

[Dominique Wilkins]

But see, the thing is the object of the game to get the ball up the floor as quickly as possible by any means necessary. So yeah, I brought the ball up the floor a lot, but I was pushing it right? But most time I wanted to be the one to finish the plate and I started. So I get that ball to Doc Rivers Webb and I just feel those lanes right? Because I know it's coming back to me.

[Podcast Host]

But how. How you gonna get a rebound if your center bringing the ball up?

[Dominique Wilkins]

So many layups and dunks and one plays at the rim. Because we was willing to run, we ran the ball reform makes and misses.

[Podcast Host]

So we'll never get secondary chances. Secondary chances. If our center is bringing the ball up, who gonna make. Who gonna get the rebound?

[Dominique Wilkins]

The guard?

[Podcast Host]

How when the power. When he can't. He ain't taller than the power four.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Oh, yeah. But you know, again, it was just a different way of playing back then. We. I was trying to be very efficient, right? And how you do that?

[Podcast Host]

Gotta attack, gotta attack.

[Dominique Wilkins]

See the ball going about, get to the free throw line and like, were you seeing the mid range? I was doing all that mid range stuff way back then.

[Podcast Host]

How you, how you feel about people doing this? Because I see this a lot. I see this a lot. Guard or powerful, whichever one on beat they man, you can tell it ain't in their contract to shoot too many shots. Hey, they got a free shot, they.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Already know what you're saying.

[Podcast Host]

And here they go, you know what? I'm going get to you. Hey, God, man, that gets on my nerves.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Drives me crazy with big guys to see him get right here and they pass the ball. Pass the ball. If you did that back on, a big guy would have passed that ball back out. When you right here again, especially early in the game, right, you might not see a lot of playing time because you're giving up an easy. You giving up or maybe for, you.

[Podcast Host]

Know, he ain't going. Who. He ain't gonna make it because this.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Is a high percentage shot. But I see so many guys. Rim is right there and he do this, throw it out. That's the. That's bizarre to me because even as a smaller guy, I'm not a son. I was small forward, right? If I got the ball in here, it ain't coming out. I'm trying to get this guy in foul trouble and get it easy, too. You know the thing you don't see, I had a jump hook, right? You know, I get the ball here, for example, I get a step right dribble using this.

[Podcast Host]

I'm using my bow to give me. Give me one.

[Dominique Wilkins]

I don't have to throw it out, but just hold the guy at bay. Got a jump hook. Or if I get it right, right? And that's like I said, come here for a second. Let me show you something.

[Podcast Host]

Right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

If I go this way and you go with me, right?

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Then go with me now. So if I move, go with me.

[Podcast Host]

I'm this, you gone, you gone, right?

[Dominique Wilkins]

You're done, you gone. You know? Or if you guard me, right? I take step up, I rip through, then I come through, right? Or I go the opposite way.

[Podcast Host]

You got options.

[Dominique Wilkins]

Then I go this way, right? Then I throw it off the glass and then.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Dominique Wilkins]

You know, that's. That's the things we were taught, you know?

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