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Club Shay Shay
Nightcap - Hour 1: Unc & Bun B talk about Trill Burger, Halliburton calf strain, and LeBron talks retirement!
00:58:52
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- [00:00]
Shannon Sharpe
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
Meta AI
Meta AI is the personal AI that's tailored to you now with its very own app. It's built to get to know you, offering helpful answers and inspiration. Looking for something to add to your bucket list? Meta AI goes beyond traveling the world. It remembers you're a basketball fanatic and suggests you attend one of the playoff games. Just start typing or speaking to get the answers you need wherever and whenever. Because Meta AI is your personal AI. Download the Meta AI app now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- [00:38]
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- [01:07]
Bun B
Your business deploys AI pilots everywhere. But are they going anywhere? Or are they stuck in silos, exhausting resources, unable to scale? Maybe you don't need hundreds of AI.
- [01:18]
Shannon Sharpe
Pilots, you need a holistic strategy.
- [01:21]
Bun B
IBM has 65,000 consultants with Genai expertise who can help you Design, integrate, optimize AI solutions.
- [01:29]
Shannon Sharpe
So you're not just deploying AI, you're scaling it across your business.
- [01:33]
Bun B
Learn more at IBM.com consulting IBM let's.
- [01:37]
Zoe Saldana
Create when it's tip off time at my house, there are a few things that are must haves on my checklist. My fellow friends and fans. Check my favorite jersey. It is good luck. Check an iconic drink that's a fan favorite?
- [01:49]
Bun B
Check.
- [01:50]
Zoe Saldana
Hypnotic can turn any cocktail into an iconic creation. With its game changing color and tropical flavor, Hypnotic should be in everyone's starting five. I consider Hypnotic the point guard of my game day roster because not only is it versatile, like having it on the rocks or as a base for cocktails, it also finishes smooth. So grab a bottle of Hypnotic and make your next basketball watch party iconic. Enjoy the vibrant taste with friends and turn every game into a memorable celebration. Hypnotic where every sip is a slam dunk. Hypnotic Liqueur Bardstown, Kentucky 17% alcohol by volume Hypnotic reminds you to think wisely, drink wisely.
- [02:28]
Bun B
The volume.
- [02:43]
Shannon Sharpe
Hello ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. Y' all know me. I'm your Favorite unc, Shannon Sharpe. And look who's filling in for you. Ocho Cinco. That's right, the triple O G Port Alpha native. But HTX is where he call home now. The one and only Bun B. Bun.
- [03:00]
Bun B
What it do, man? I'm good. I'm good. It's funny because I'm always called Unk. Everybody called me Unk, and then I'm in here with Unk. So it's Unk and Unk tonight.
- [03:12]
Shannon Sharpe
That's what it's Unk and Unk show today. All right? But please make sure you guys hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button. And, guys, do us a favor. Go subscribe to the Night Cow podcast feed. Wherever you get your podcast from. We would like to thank each and every one of you for your eyes, your ears, and your word of mouth, because thanks to you, we've been able to do everything we've been able to do. And because of you, we are who we are. So thank you very much and continue your support. Please make sure you check out Shay by La Portier. Now Shay by Laportier, the premium cognac. Now, if you cannot find it in a city or state near you, best believe we're coming soon. But ordered online, we'll ship it directly to your door. Please drink responsibly and stay safe while you're out there. Go follow my media company page on all of his platforms. Shay, Shay Media, and my clothing company, 84. With 84 being spelled out, the link is pinned in the chat. Supplies are limited. Once they're gone, they're gone. So please grab yours while supplies last.
- [04:09]
Bun B
All right?
- [04:10]
Shannon Sharpe
All right. Make sure you guys. You know what, Bun, we gonna talk about this. The Trill Burger. I haven't yet to try the Trill Burger, but, you know. You know, HTX is one of my favorite cities. It might be my favorite city, you know, and I'm an Atlanta native. But you know what? We're gonna get to that in a minute, but let's talk about the trail.
- [04:29]
Bun B
Yes, sir.
- [04:29]
Shannon Sharpe
How did you come up with this concept?
- [04:32]
Bun B
I'll be honest, Shannon. I didn't come up with the concept of the burger.
- [04:36]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [04:37]
Bun B
I made friends with a gentleman named Andy Nguyen, probably over. Probably 11 years now. He used to be in the clothing industry, so I met him at the Magic Convention. The Magic Convention is a huge clothing convention that happens in Las Vegas twice a year. I met him there. He had a clothing line called I Am King. And most of the people that are there they're showcasing. The convention is from people who have clothing brands, shoe brands, anything in that fashion, and people who sell. So it's a conference where people come, they look at your brand, see if they want to put it in their store, and that kind of a thing.
- [05:14]
Shannon Sharpe
Gotcha.
- [05:14]
Bun B
So a lot of what they showing is just samples of what's to come. Because if you go there in the summer of, let's say, if I go this summer, in 25, what I'm buying for them, I won't get to a winner. Your baby spring. You know what I'm saying?
- [05:27]
Shannon Sharpe
You're right. Yep.
- [05:27]
Bun B
So he had this hat with I am king on it. And I knew it was the only one he had. And so I said, let me get that hat from you. That way I knew I was rocking something nobody else would have at the convention. Oh, that's what's up. And so we were very cool. And then he moved into food in California. He's done extremely well for himself in the food industry. He's a licensed ingenious. So he has a license for hello Kitty. He's got a couple of stories with hello Kitty. He's got the license for this Japanese anime series called One Piece, which is extremely successful. He had a Sonic the Hedgehog cafe before he was partners in the ice cream company called after his ice Cream. They opened over 30 plus doors. So he's been extremely. And this is just a small number of the things that he's got his hands in. So he's been very successful. And he and his partners had developed a burger. And the smash burger trend was starting to take off in California a couple of years ago.
- [06:31]
Shannon Sharpe
And he is.
- [06:32]
Bun B
Yeah. And so he was like, well, I can't do it in California. Cause there's too much competition, too many things. Have too many companies got traction. I need to move a little bit further down in the country. Cause kind of what happens is these trends will take place and start in one part of the country and then started to move across the country. So you notice maybe eight years ago, you started seeing poke. Everywhere you go, you start seeing poke, poke, poke. About four years ago, you started seeing hot chicken everywhere. Everywhere you go. Now you see smash burgers. Everybody's got a smash burger concept. So he was like, if I don't catch it by the time it get to Texas, I'm gonna miss the whole thing. So we had a mutual friend, a guy named Nick Sterfield. Nick used to work for the Texans. I met him when we got whooped terribly by the Patriots. I'm sure you remember the. Oh, that Monday night game, that Barth of the jacket fiasco. Yeah, yeah. That's why I met Nick. That was a rough pill to swallow in that city.
- [07:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, they beat the bricks up, y' all.
- [07:29]
Bun B
Yeah. And we learned a big lesson about showing up is about on the field, not about on the bus in the plane. But, you know, we became good friends. And so he moved into out of working with the Texas into starting a marketing company and promotional company. And so he was one of his company was doing marketing for Andy's company. So he reached out to Andy, said, man, I'm really looking to start this in Texas. He was like, well, I know Bun. And Bun's been wanting to do something in that space for a while because I started a food blog about 10 years ago called you gotta eat this now. In all mines, it was me and my partner, Premium Pete. In our minds, we figured if we start a food blog, at the very least we'll be able to get tables at good restaurants. Yeah, yeah. But. But if we do it right, we might get invited to try, you know, hostess to get some new snacks or. Right. You know, I always see that big Taco Bell presentation. It's almost as big as the Apple. When Tim cooking them come out and do the new Apple presentations every year when they pop them new snacks out, I said, man, it'd be cool to get invited to somewhere for their new stuff and all of that. But it really became a passion project. We never made no real money off of it. It's the passion project. But both of us wanted to move into actually selling food and presenting food. So he started a spaghetti sauce, which has been doing real well. He used his grandmother's recipe, which is doing really well. And I was approached by the guys about being a part of this company. And once I tried this burger, I was like, this burger is a problem. Like, this burger is really, really good. It was like, hold on, we think we almost there. You know what I'm saying? And then when they came back to me about two weeks later, I said, man, this is. This is some of the best food I've ever eaten. Not a burger. I realized this burger was far beyond anything anybody had ever done with a hamburger. But I realized, you know, that this is an opportunity. It's a real opportunity for me to be a part of a company that I believe could potentially change everybody that's involved live. You know what I'm saying? And so far, we've got two doors open here in Houston. One on shepherd and one on Louetta, and we're about to open two more before the end of the year, which is driving us crazy, you know what I'm saying? Most people right now, obviously, what's going on. Everybody's worried about staff.
- [09:50]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [09:50]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? Staff and people. And even before everything that's happening in this country, man, post Covid, people don't really want to work no more.
- [09:59]
Shannon Sharpe
People want to work from home. But if you're in the service industry, it's hard to work from home. When you're in the service industry, you.
- [10:04]
Bun B
Can'T cook them burgers from home and then send them to somebody house. That's not how this company works. You know, But.
- [10:09]
Shannon Sharpe
But we.
- [10:09]
Bun B
We. We're working the king south, you know what I'm saying? We've had our ups and downs, but, you know, everything's been a learning experience, and it's. It's beautiful that I get to connect not only with people that have been supporters and fans, because obviously the first people that come through the door, you know, were Bumby fans.
- [10:25]
Shannon Sharpe
Correct.
- [10:26]
Bun B
You know, but. But we've had amazing opportunities to present this burger to the entire city of Houston for the past four years with the Houston Livestock show on Rodeo. They get over 2 million people through the gates every year, and that's where the city fell in love with the burp. You know what I'm saying? So we've had some great opportunities to present this brand to the city in a big way. They've been receptive. And, you know, obviously, the Bumby fans and the UGK fans, they come through out the gate and show love. But now it's at the point, man, we'll come in and you can tell, these people have no idea who I am. They have no idea what trill means, any of that. They just know this is a good burger, and that works for me. You know what I'm saying? That's how it should be. Yeah. And there's in the day or a moment where you come in this restaurant and you don't really see what Houston really reflects. You see white people, you see black people, you see Latina, Asian, you see couples, you see single people, old people, young people, straight people, any gender, any affiliation with any religion, we've had them all come in, you know what I'm saying? Because we want to represent a version of Houston that's as inclusive as possible, that don't block nobody out. So you ain't got to know who Bumby is. You ain't got to know who Trill is. Got that big pimp seed mural on the wall. They may not even know who that man is in the white meat Coke and.
- [11:44]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, but you know what?
- [11:45]
Bun B
But they know it's good food. They know it's good food, and that's all that matter.
- [11:48]
Shannon Sharpe
The thing is, you know, Bun B. Might have got him in the door, but to get him to come back. Bun B. Can't get him to come back. Bun might have got him initially, man. Hey, man, I heard Bun got a new spot down there, man. You know Bun always giving back to the community. Let's go support him one time. It's just like, you start something, it's like with a new podcast. This is what I tell people. I said, look, if you got a podcast, I said, you could only get somebody once. You got to leave an impression to say they want to come back. Because if you lose them, they're not coming back.
- [12:18]
Bun B
And there's so many content choices right now.
- [12:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Absolutely. Absolutely. And that's the thing, and that's what.
- [12:24]
Bun B
I like about you, because y' all are so consistent. That's the number one thing about podcasting. Not about guests, not about topics, not about location, backdrop, none of that mess. It's about consistency.
- [12:37]
Shannon Sharpe
Yep.
- [12:37]
Bun B
When you tell them people meet me here every Tuesday, you miss a Tuesday, you. Some of the people don't come back.
- [12:43]
Shannon Sharpe
They ain't coming back. You're right.
- [12:44]
Bun B
Some of the people don't come back, man.
- [12:45]
Shannon Sharpe
And that's what I tell them. That's what I try to tell people. Bond. Because here's the thing. People think. Because, man, all you got is a microphone and a camera. I can do that. Because, you know, Bun, the easier it is to make money, the more resentful people will become of you. Because, see, people don't really, really resent an athlete. Because, man, I can't run, I can't jump, I can't throw a football, I can't tackle, I can't hit a baseball. But everybody feel they can talk. So if I got a camera, I got a microphone, I should be able to do it. And they see what some of these influencers and bloggers or whatever the case may be and to see what they're making. But when I say, bro, you just don't turn the camera on and start talking. You have to have a staff. You have to have a topic. You have to have a rundown. You need to know what you want to talk about. You need to have somebody to weave you in and out of Traffic, it's not as easy as it looks. So. But. And people like, well, man, hey, man, but you know, hey, I got to have a life, okay? A life is fine, if that's what you want. Life. If you want life, that's nine to five, fine, you can have that. But Bun, when, you know, when you become successful or you want to become uber successful, there is no off time. There is no 9 to 5. There is no balance. Greatness. There is no balance to greatness. I don't know why people don't understand that.
- [14:00]
Bun B
No, no. And here's the thing, man. Like, when you decide you want something, right? When you decide you really, really want something, then you have to figure out how to restructure your life to benefit that. Correct. And you know, like, I'm a married man, you know, and there's been many times where I've had to sacrifice family time for business.
- [14:22]
Shannon Sharpe
Absolutely.
- [14:23]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? People don't see that. You know what I'm saying? People see you on stage or on the TV or all of these things, you know what I'm saying? And being available and accessible to them. But every time I give my time to the world, it's time I take away from my family. So my family has to understand the sacrifice I'm making for them, you know what I'm saying? For this family, you know what I'm saying? So there's a lot to go into. But here's the first thing. Do people really want to even hear what you got to say? Yes, absolutely. There's a level of self awareness that has to be present in podcasting for it to work, because you jump out there the first week, you. You're going to talk, mumble over your words, you're going to mix up things, you know, the WI fi ain't going to hit, things ain't going to work, you know what I'm saying? And that'll discourage most people. Yes, out the door. Then you try to come back and push through it and push through it and make it work. You got to decide if we, if we, if we're going to be a guest driven podcast, we got to have somebody every time we want to do a show, right? That ain't easy. Everybody ain't always available. Ochoci somewhere with a beret on eating croissants, you know what I'm saying? In France somewhere, Ali, we win all over the place, you know, so. So you got to have potential co hosts, potential guests. People don't understand how hard it is to even book talent, bro, like you.
- [15:47]
Shannon Sharpe
Gotta have a booking service.
- [15:48]
Bun B
There's so many. So many different parts of this that have to be moving succinctly before you even sit down in the chair. I was online for about five, six minutes talking to two different people before you even pop up on the screen. And that's. But that's the level of commitment that it takes, and that's serious.
- [16:07]
Shannon Sharpe
It's mandatory.
- [16:08]
Bun B
Now, the problem is, like me with a recording artist, it's very easy to gather the equipment and resources needed to record a song and release the song to the public. You buy a laptop, you know, Apple laptop, it's going to come with garage fans, you know, the equipment. Every year, recording equipment and accessories get cheaper and cheaper and cheaper. So it's very easy to actually make the music, create the music and put the music out to the public. But that don't mean you finna blow up.
- [16:37]
Shannon Sharpe
Exactly.
- [16:38]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? This stuff all take time. It's trial and error. Everything is trial and error.
- [16:42]
Shannon Sharpe
It is.
- [16:43]
Bun B
The first song I made was terrible. I can tell you the first rhyme I wrote when I say bad. My rap name was terrible back. My rap name used to be Shadowstone. So I just thought I had to have one of these glorious type of names that would tell everybody who I was before I walked in the room. I was way off. It had nothing to do with that. The name don't matter. My rap name ended up being Bun B, which don't mean much to anything in the world of name, you know what I'm saying? So a man. A man is not made by his name, you know what I'm saying? That had nothing to do with it. I had to realize that if I want to be good at this, I got. If you want to be good at something, you got to be prepared to actually be bad at something.
- [17:24]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [17:24]
Bun B
That's the thing. You have to walk in the room and be prepared to tell these people, like you see on American Idol, you just ain't ready. But if you watch American Idol, most people don't watch it consistently. But if you watch American Idol, you'll see somebody that you look familiar. Yeah, I tried out in season two and it didn't work. So here I am, season four, trying it again, and they might. And they come year. And then on year five, they picked the right song, right? Sometimes it's the right song, the right feel, something in the moment they pick, and then those people actually get on American Idol. So just because you get a no doesn't mean it's not meant for you. It might just mean you not ready.
- [18:07]
Shannon Sharpe
Right. Bun, looks like you were given the keys to your hometown of Port Arthur, Texas. I mean, growing up, could you have imagined that growing up in Port Arthur, that one day you would come back and have a key to the city? You know, they gave me a key to the city in my hometown. It was a crowbar, but they said, come back anytime you like. You know what I'm saying? I can come back in. I can come back anytime I want to. But no, in all seriousness, I mean, think about it, Bun. When you growing up and you didn't, I mean, HTX is a hop, skip and a jump from Port Arthur, but for. For the city and its residents to show you love and what you've been able to accomplish once you left and to be able to come back and they fully embrace you. What does that mean to you, bud?
- [18:50]
Bun B
Let me tell you something. Growing up in Port Auspins, if you had business on fourth street, somebody had to pick you up from jail or you went to use that court, unless you worked for the city, you really ain't got no business on that part of 4th street, you know what I'm saying? So being of value as a black man and Porto's on fourth street, you either the mayor or that's it, you know what I'm saying? That's the only people, the mayor and the police chief, those are the only people in that part of town they got any power. If you on that side of town, you did something wrong. So for me to be there tonight for doing something right, I mean, it couldn't have even been something I predicted would happen, you know what I'm saying? Because you really want to try to be built in a certain way to get out of a small town, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's a big part of it, is like, man, I gotta get out of this town, you know what I'm saying?
- [19:46]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [19:46]
Bun B
But you don't forget the town, right? You don't turn your back on the town that's shaped. Show.
- [19:50]
Shannon Sharpe
That's who made. That's city made, Bun. The guy that we see and everybody see the refined product. But it was shaped, it was formed in Port Arthur, Texas.
- [20:00]
Bun B
Absolutely. That's where I got my determination from. Because you have to be determined to escape certain environments in this country, you know what I'm saying? You have to have focus because it's a very small and it's a very. I don't want to Say it's a comfortable town, but it's a crap. A town that allows people too high of a level of comfort. If you hungry and pulled off, you got a cousin, you know, somebody mom, you can get a meal, you can get a couple dollars, you can get a beer, you can get, you know what I'm saying? You get enough to get through. Which would make some people not even want to try to do more. Yes, yes. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, I grew up in a small town, Shannon, you know, like I know where they. Under the tree.
- [20:36]
Shannon Sharpe
Yep.
- [20:36]
Bun B
Right. Like you, you for years, since you was a kid, the same people been right there, sitting there, sitting in them folding chairs in a little four point table.
- [20:45]
Shannon Sharpe
Yep.
- [20:46]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? With that little purple brown bag on the side of them, playing dominoes, talking shit right there all day long. And I just, I just knew that's not the life I wanted. Now it's okay. When I pull in town, I pull up certain places, I sit down, we, I pull up, go Fifth Avenue, I pass by Brad house. Brad them in the garage. I sit down, hang out with him for a minute or whatever. But neither Brad nor I want that to be our life. But I do see people, you know, older people that went to school before me. People who, you know, were, you know, top athletes, you know, they was homecoming kings and all that type of thing. They just, for some reason the transition didn't work for them. You know what I'm saying? Going from the king of high school to the king of college is a whole different atmosphere for people, much less being making it to professional sports and anything like that. So if, and there's not a lot of motivation like most people like. No, we good right here. And no. And I'm not knocking anybody that lives, you know what I'm saying? You have to do what you have to do to make it in this world. But I believe that I had more in me not only to contribute to the world, but to also help put my city on the map. Perverted, you know what I'm saying? So me and Pimp, you know, rest his soul, man, we really put a lot into it and we did it knowing that we came from a place where if you went out there and misrepresented it, you wasn't welcome when you come back.
- [22:08]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [22:08]
Bun B
So if you're going to take, put author around the world, you better take it the right way.
- [22:13]
Meta AI
Meta AI is the personal AI that's tailored to you now with its very own app it's built to get to know you, offering helpful answers and inspiration. Looking for something to add to your bucket list? Meta AI goes beyond traveling the world. It remembers you're a basketball fanatic and suggests you attend one of the playoff games. Just start typing or speaking to get the answers you need wherever and whenever. Because Meta AI is your personal AI. Download the Meta AI app now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- [22:46]
American Express
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- [23:06]
Zoe Saldana
Flight to Mexico now boarding.
- [23:08]
Bun B
Oh, that's me.
- [23:09]
American Express
That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. For more information visit americanexpress.com withamx hi.
- [23:15]
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana, welcome to T Mobile. Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.
- [23:19]
Bun B
Thanks.
- [23:20]
Shannon Sharpe
And here's my old phone to trade in.
- [23:21]
Zoe Saldana
You don't need to trade in. When you switch to T Mobile, we'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro. Plus we'll help you pay off your old Phone up to 800 bucks and.
- [23:29]
Shannon Sharpe
You still get to keep it. There's always a trade in.
- [23:32]
Zoe Saldana
Not right now.
- [23:32]
Shannon Sharpe
At T Mobile. I feel like I have to give you something in return for karma.
- [23:35]
Zoe Saldana
That's okay.
- [23:36]
Shannon Sharpe
I don't really have much in my purse.
- [23:38]
Bun B
Oh, let's see.
- [23:39]
Shannon Sharpe
Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.
- [23:41]
Zoe Saldana
I'm good.
- [23:42]
Shannon Sharpe
Seriously, Let me check this pocket.
- [23:43]
American Express
Oh, mints.
- [23:45]
Zoe Saldana
Really, I'm fine.
- [23:46]
Shannon Sharpe
Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car. It's our best iPhone offer ever.
- [23:52]
Bun B
Switch to T Mobile.
- [23:54]
Shannon Sharpe
Get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on us. No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your Phone up to 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line 100 plus a month on experience beyond Finance Agreement 999.99 and qualifying boarded for well qualified plus tax and 10 connection charge. Pay off via virtual prepaid for 15 days. Credits end in balance due if you pay off earlier.
- [24:13]
Zoe Saldana
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- [25:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Let's get into some topics. Bun Sean reported a concern that Tyrese Halliburton has a cap strain. Right? Cap strain. Despite the industry, Halliburton will continue to push to play in a team's upcoming game on Thursday, per the Atlantic, should the Pacers shut him down. Now, we saw a guy about four or five years ago, five, six years ago, excuse me, have a calf injury and he pushed to play one Kevin Durant, and it didn't end up well for him. We saw JT Jason Tatum, he went down earlier in the postseason with an Achilles injury and that's a debilitating injury. It's going to take you out for the entirety of a complete season. Now, watching the game last night, I thought, and I said this last night, Rick Carlisle, Tyrese Halliburton is like, I understand he wants to play and he doesn't want to let his teammate down, but you aren't giving him anything. T.J. mcConnell was out playing you and you went back to Tyrese Halliburton. And the amount of minutes that T.J. mcConnell played, he outplayed Tyrese. I mean, if I'm out there and I understand guys want to be out there. I was ex professional athlete and I wanted to be out there, but it's hard if I'm not giving you. If just me being out there, that's not enough. Not in that type of situation. What are your thoughts on that? Bun?
- [26:45]
Bun B
Well, for one, you know, your coach is supposed to. The coach is supposed to protect the players from himself, right? You know what I'm saying? Now, Tyler, you know Tyler's post season has been built on how the league portrayed him, right? Yes. The players got out There and said he was the most underrated. That'll put a fire under your feet for sure.
- [27:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [27:05]
Bun B
Right. That pushed him all the way up to the finals, to the conference finals. And then I feel this could just be me, but I feel like, see, I could get an mvp, put another fire on his feet.
- [27:14]
Shannon Sharpe
I agree.
- [27:15]
Bun B
So there's so much in his mind that Tyrese really has to prove right now, and I don't think it's just to himself. I really think he really wants to show this league that he's the best. I think he wants to prove it. The beauty of your team is not necessarily that you're the best. It's that your team is deep so that when you aren't productive, you know what I'm saying? McCollum can come in, Siakam can come in. People can come in and pick up that slack, you know what I'm saying? We had that issue here when we had Chris Paul in the playoffs with the Rockets, you know what I'm saying?
- [27:48]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [27:48]
Bun B
Chris pushed too hard. Chris was, you know, Chris at that time was, you know, a little bit dealing with injuries, you know what I'm saying? Off and on. It's still to this day, you know, as he played, and he probably shouldn't have pushed himself that far. If they had held him back a little bit, we would have won one of those two games had he not gone out, you know what I'm saying? We might not have won the first one, but we would have been competitive in both of those games. So you really got to think of the long term when these things happen. But, I mean, you know, like, I know Shannon, this is it ain't no basketball after this. No, this is it. Anyway, so you play football. You know what guys were willing to live on the field during the playoffs. Yeah, they. They. They. They're going to leave it all out on the field. I remember with the Astros, you know, our pitcher went out, and we had the guy, he's sitting in there, man, and he's ready to go in. He's ready to go in. But he. And he had just pissed a while back, and he was a little tender, but it's. It's game seven. Like, I'm ready to go in. Put me in. And they like, no, because I just didn't want to keep you under contract and make sure you're still good. And Astros ended up losing you for one game.
- [28:57]
Shannon Sharpe
And then now we. Now we got you on the hook for $150 million for the next six years. And you can't pitch.
- [29:03]
Bun B
I mean, you know, with. You know, luckily McCullough's. McCulloughs was just getting ready to come back, you know what I'm saying? From two years of injury. So I understand it. You know what I'm saying? It's hard to stop a player, especially one is the money, right? Obviously the money's a driver. I don't think that's a factor in this. It's a competitive nature. It's the want to prove that I am who I've said I am and I'm not who y' all try to say I am. You know what I'm saying? I think they got him. I think they've got a rotation that they can work through him. But again, if they don't put him in, right, or give him restricted time, he's gonna blame himself if they don't pull through in game six. Right.
- [29:42]
Shannon Sharpe
But I think the thing is, look, he has to understand he could. I mean, and I don't think. I don't think he's overrated, but he has to be on an era. With Steph Curry, with Luka Doncic, with Shay Gilgis, with James Harden. If you. John Morant, if you look at the guys he's up against, there were some good two guards, but ain't nobody getting mentioned with Jordan. I'm sorry. It's just the way it is. There's some. There are some really, really good quarterbacks with Tom Brady. I mean, think about it. There was a really good quarterback. So you trying to say that Peyton Manning and Ben Rothenberger and Philip Rivers and Drew Brees weren't good quarterbacks, but when you got that guy, you just have to get what people give you. And I think that's the thing with Tyrese Halliburton. He could go out there and he could average 30 people are not going to put him in front of Steph. They're not going to put him in front of Luka. They're not going to put him in front of Shade. They're just not. Bun. You don't.
- [30:33]
Bun B
Look, there's racing. Go ahead. Go ahead, Shannon, you in the rap game, bud. Yeah.
- [30:38]
Shannon Sharpe
And you know this. I mean, when Tupac and Biggie. Let's just say Tupac, Biggie, Hov, KRS1, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane. You got to take the 10 best rappers, okay? Everybody gonna be talking about the 10 best rappers. It's gonna be one or two. And that's how it's always been. And it's always gonna be there've been some great R and B singers, a bunch of them back in the 80s, you know, the 80s and 90s, the R& B was king, but only Marvin Gaye. If you weren't Marvin Gaye, if you weren't Teddy P. Bruh, Barry White. Oh, well, maybe you threw Freddie. Freddie came along in there and snuck in there.
- [31:19]
Bun B
He.
- [31:21]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, he got a little tired, but it was basically Marvin Gaye and Teddy.
- [31:24]
Bun B
P. Look, that doesn't mean you aren't a great player. Just because you are considered the greatest player and that shouldn't affect you mentally. You know what I'm saying? My favorite player was always Crawford, Jamal Crawford.
- [31:39]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay?
- [31:39]
Bun B
Yep. Right. I'm talking about one of the best to ever play the game. Right. But he was, and he was always considered the best sixth man.
- [31:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Right?
- [31:49]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? If somebody go down, I got us from here. You know what I'm saying? And I feel like Tyrese is a player like that. I feel like the Pacers as a.
- [31:57]
Shannon Sharpe
Team, they ain't got no superstars on.
- [31:59]
Bun B
The team, but they got. But their mentality. Everybody's ready to step up.
- [32:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes. You never know. It's really hard to game plan for them because you never know who's going to get that 25 and then who's going to have the 19 to 18, to 17 to 16. They don't have that one guy. And maybe in some situations that hurt them because most teams that win championships, they do have that one guy. They can give him the ball and he can go get you a bucket.
- [32:24]
Bun B
That's why we didn't get further than we, that's why we didn't get further than we have. Because right now we have a very young team with a first time coach and we just don't have anybody that we can say, hey, I need, I need this tool right now. And you have, every team has to have somebody that can give you that too, when you need it consistently. Now, if you have a rotation where, you know, if I, if I get these guys where I want them in this particular scheme, we can make this work. But all of that's wishful thinking. I'm talking about. And, and he's a two. He's a two, bro. That's a, that's a tall ladder to climb, bro. Yeah, that's a lot of rungs to climb to try to, you know, to say that you are considered amongst the best, bro, the best person that ever played this game, played your position. The best ever to play the game, played your position. Some of the best, the best shooter ever to shoot the basketball played in your position. It's going to be a while. You got to have chips, you got to have a couple of things.
- [33:19]
Shannon Sharpe
You got to put some time in.
- [33:20]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? There's a couple of things that have to, that's going to have to come together in order for everyone to consider Tyrese to be that player. That doesn't mean he won't be that player. Right now, I don't even think he has to be that player. You know what I'm saying? I think they, I, I don't think he has to be that player. But if it ain't his time, bro, you left 30 plus teams behind, bro. Right, Take some pride in that. And y' all only going to get better. This team's only going to get better. But right now, yeah, he's got to be very, very careful because he could do some real damage.
- [33:52]
Shannon Sharpe
More harm than good.
- [33:52]
Bun B
Yeah, yeah, he could do some real damage. And you know, like, I know it goes far beyond the physical side of it in this point in the game when you are not at your top. You know what I'm saying? Health and performance, ability and capabilities. In the moments like right here, this is the biggest moment. This is the stage that 8 year old and 7 year old guys, that's who they want to be, that's where they want to go. And when you're not in optimum prime position to take advantage of it, man, that becomes far beyond physical. That's a mental thing that can cripple you mentally or it can supercharge you.
- [34:25]
Shannon Sharpe
I'm going to say this. When we gonna move on? Go back and look at Grant Hill. Grant Hill had an injury, an ankle injury, and he played in the playoffs. And Grant Hill was never the same. He was on his way to being a historically great player. He could do it all. Go back and look at Grant Hill and once he got that ankle injury, he was never the same player. Guys, be careful. LeBron James is pushing back on the idea that championship rings are the only measure of greatness in basketball. On his new episode of Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, LeBron said, I don't know why it's discussed so much in our sport and why it's the end all, be all of everything. It's like you weren't a great player if you never won a championship or if you won one. You can't be the same conversation as this person. You sit here and tell me, Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Steve Nash wasn't unbelievable. Oh, they can't be talked about or discussed with these guys because they won. It's weird to me, it's like saying Peyton Manning can't be in the same room with Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes because he only has one ring. Well, Peyton has two rings. But I get what LeBron is trying to say. But that's what society, that's what social media, that's what we've done now. We've turned everything into a ring. If you don't have a championship, it's almost. And at one point in time, it was like that with the Grammys, Bud, man, you ain't got no gram. Man, you ain't got no Grammys.
- [35:51]
Bun B
But sometimes it takes. That's what it takes to fuel you though, right? If you would ask LeBron that prior to having a chip, he would have told you that's his motivation.
- [36:03]
Shannon Sharpe
Of course it was.
- [36:04]
Bun B
That's his drive. That's what I want to be. I want to be. I want to be placed on the mantle next to those other greats. Well, you have to look at what those other great people have achieved. You got to look at what their success is gauged by, you know what I'm saying, and who they played against, the level of competition. All of these things come into that. So. And, and you got chips. I'm really don't. I don't know who he's arguing for.
- [36:28]
Shannon Sharpe
I think the thing is, bud, if you look at LeBron, look at the guys that he idolized, what do they have? Jordan rings, Magic rings, Bird rings. So those are three guys that we know he looked up to. What does all those guys have in common? Championships. There's a reason why he left because he wanted a championship. He felt that the organization didn't have the wherewithal or he didn't trust him to get the requisite pieces in Cleveland. So he went to Miami. You see, it's a big relief once you have something because it's easy for the person that says, man, I'm going to take me some time. Well, yeah, Elon Musk can take a six month vacation. Jeff Bezos can take a six month vacation. But ask him, when they were building their business, then they take a six month vacation. Okay, now, LeBron, did you feel this way before you had championships or after you got them? And I agree with everything he's saying. I just believe this, Bud, when we're having a conversation and I got to put est on it, you got to have championships now. I'm not saying you can't be great because Charles Barkley. I'm old enough. You and I are old enough because we remember a lot of these cats. I remember Charles Barkley, I remember Carl Malone, I remember Patrick Ewan. I remember some of these great players. But when I need to add est, I just don't know how I can. I don't know how I can.
- [37:55]
Bun B
You come from football. So Marino, that was always the argument about Marino on every other level, up against every other standard. He was always the limit sets for the position. The only thing was. And look, I'm a Rockets fan, so we got those asterisks next to us with Jordan, we're playing baseball, you know what I'm saying? But no, I mean, it's a very, very real thing to have the want to get a championship, which is what inspires and drives a lot of people.
- [38:27]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [38:28]
Bun B
But when you're as grand a talent as LeBron, you know, quite frankly, if you want to be in that conversation, there's a couple of things missing. We know you have the talent. We know you have the skill. That's never been a question with LeBron James, you know what I'm saying? But if you want to be in that Mount Rushmore, you still have some work to do, and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. He's actually still physically capable enough to do the work. But I think, one, I don't think this should be something that should be bothering LeBron James, because he's going to succeed at a level that very few people in any. Any sport or any business will be able to succeed. But then also, I don't know if that's something that still potentially could drive him, because if that's who he's looking to compete with, how many more years would it realistically take him to get those extra two rings that he's probably looking at right now?
- [39:23]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, no, like I said.
- [39:26]
Bun B
So is this to negate that argument preemptively? Is that what we doing?
- [39:31]
Shannon Sharpe
I think the thing is what people hold, they say when you jump, you went to Miami, you went to Cleveland, you went to la. And so I think, you know, he's like the rings I. And when we talk about NFL players, they say the greatest. The greatest player. I mean, Damarino is always on the list. The name that you miss it mentioned, and I know Daniel, worked with him for a decade, know him very well. We show we shared the same agent when I. When we played, is that he was always on the List greatest player to never win a championship. That was Dan Marino, because he could throw the ball like no one else. That quick Release, I mean, 5,000 passing yards, 48 touchdown. In an era when everybody ran the football. And you could hold, you could punish the quarterback, you could hit him everywhere, the top of his head, even the bottom of his feet. When he laid down, you could hit him there too. So. But I just think the thing is, what happened is that we knew used to never have these argument because we didn't have social media. You see now, bud, everybody's a coach, everybody's a gm, everybody's a former player. And no matter how much you say, I don't pay attention to it. We're trained, we do. We see the negative. No matter how much money Elon Musk has, he's worth 400 billion. He took a drug test to say, you know what? I ain't on drugs. You see, why would somebody say, you on drug, you worth 400 billion, what do you care?
- [40:55]
Bun B
And that's what happens when you know, a good friend of mine, Dizzy Rascal, he's a recording artist in London, and on one of his songs, he said, you don't care about my rich man problems, I don't care about your bitch ass problem. You know what I'm saying? And that's the reality. It's not that LeBron doesn't necessarily have a valid argument. I think there's validity into his argument, of course, you know what I'm saying? But at the same time, you're LeBron James, you know what I'm saying? You have a. To me, these type of arguments almost belittle what you've done, right? It's almost to the point of, well, yeah, I mean, I won a couple of chips, right, which is something to celebrate, but I didn't win as many chips as someone else, which other people would look down on.
- [41:41]
Shannon Sharpe
That's okay.
- [41:42]
Bun B
And what does that really, just like you said, like everybody's watching everything. We answer to the experts, then we answer to the amateurs, and then we answer to the observers, you know what I'm saying? It's one thing to not watch espn, right? But it's another. And it's another thing to put the phone down, but even the people around you will see what's being said. You're going to get that information back, you know what I'm saying? You just gotta, you just gotta be able to eat. I feel like at this point you just gotta eat all of that stuff, you know what I'm saying? But is this. Is he. Is he saying that I don't need that to be considered great? So is he saying, but he's one of the greats, and that's my thing. Is he trying to say, am I one of the greats and that my lack of chips don't matter? No, because to the people coming up behind you like, you look like you holding a hot hand right now. Right in the scope of things. Right in the full scope of everything.
- [42:41]
Shannon Sharpe
I think the thing is, Bun, is that, bro, you got more regular season points, more playoff points. You're the only guy. I mean, you're the only guy that's topping in points, rebounds, and assists. I mean, no guy that has as many assists points as you got is even in the top 10. You're in the top five. And assists, I mean, you got 40, 11 and 11. 40,000 points, 11,000 rebounds, 11,000 assists. I think the only guy that maybe even can approach that is Luka. And I don't think Luka's body's gonna allow him to play that long. I just think the thing. And this is what he said. LeBron compared the way greatness is measured in other sports, noting athletes like Dan Marino, Barry Bonds are still celebrated regardless of their championship total. Yes, we still celebrate Barry. And some people might. And even though some people might say Barry is the greatest running back they ever saw, but it's hard when you got Tim Duncan with all these rings. He got these MVPs, he got finals MVPs. And to put somebody that doesn't have any in front of him.
- [43:46]
Bun B
This is true.
- [43:47]
Shannon Sharpe
And he's right. He said, added that a championship is a team accomplishment and shouldn't overshadow personal impact or skill while asking for people to appreciate what these athletes have done. But, like, trying to nitpick an individual because he was not able to win a team game or a team match or whatever the case may be. I don't know where it started. It's just. As long as it's a conversation, especially when it comes like, you know me individually, it's just weird.
- [44:12]
Bun B
You just gotta be careful when you. When you're somebody like LeBron and you make statements like that. You know what I'm saying? People can construe that. Like, it's almost like you're talking to yourself. Right, Right. That's how some people could take that statement. Like, you talking to yourself, like, look, man, I don't have to be considered. You don't have to have what everybody else had to be considered. One of the greats. Because I would imagine what he alluding to is the fact that I don't have what they all have. And I'm considered one of the greats. I'm always in the goat conversation, which.
- [44:40]
Shannon Sharpe
Is that's a single most Finals MVPs. He's been more first team, all NBA selections. He's gotten more NBA, all, all NBA selections. He's been to more All Star games. He's one MVP behind Kobe for the most MVP All Star Games. When you look at his total body of work, there are very, very few people. Now when he talks about Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds got the most home runs, he's got the most walks, he's got the most intentional walks. He's got 500 home runs. Nobody, nobody's even close. I mean, if you just, just take away, if you take away Barry Bonds, when he went to San Francisco, he's still a Hall of Famer because he had three MVPs and he had almost 500 home runs before he even stepped.
- [45:22]
Bun B
Foot, before he even Francisco and put on that uniform.
- [45:25]
Shannon Sharpe
He was already Golden Gloves because he was legit a five tool player. He could hit for average, he could hit for power, he could run the base pads. He was a tremendous defensive player. And his eye, because what people don't realize, unless you're old enough to remember, Barry came up as a leadoff hitter. So you know the type of eye that you got. Because the most important thing for a leadoff hitter is to get his ass on base. It doesn't matter. He can hit for single, he can hit for double. Hit it over the fence. But I need you on base because now I got my guys to push you. The second hitter, he gets you the second, you still third. Now my guy, get a sac fly or get a ribby drive you in, whatever the case may be. So Barry always had that eye. Now he could hit for true power. I get what he's saying, I get what he's saying. Like Barry Bonds, but those guys, like he's looking at Barkley, Barkley didn't have the most points. Marino, when Marino retired, Marino had the most touchdowns, he had the most yardage. So it was, it was easy for you to make that comparison. Now I don't think we would talk about Kareem because big men don't get credit anyway. Because Kareem got six MVPs and people forget that Kareem got six. He got more than anybody. He's an all time leading scorer. And people I remember in 1984, Thomas and Matt because bun, I don't know if people used to. They used to, because nobody really followed the NBA like that. They would go different places. Like Boston would play in Hartford trying to get fan support. The Hawks would play in New Orleans trying to drum up fan support. The Lakers traveled to Las Vegas to get fan support. That's where he broke it at in 1984. Thomas the Matt Meta AI is the.
- [47:04]
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- [48:07]
Shannon Sharpe
Welcome to T Mobile.
- [48:08]
Zoe Saldana
Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.
- [48:10]
Bun B
Thanks.
- [48:11]
Shannon Sharpe
And here's my old phone to trade in.
- [48:12]
Zoe Saldana
You don't need to trade in when you switch to T Mobile. We'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro. Plus we'll help you pay off your old Phone up to 800 bucks and you still get to keep it.
- [48:21]
Shannon Sharpe
There's always a trade in.
- [48:22]
Zoe Saldana
Not right now. @ T Mobile.
- [48:24]
Shannon Sharpe
I feel like I have to give you something in return for karma.
- [48:26]
Zoe Saldana
That's okay.
- [48:27]
Shannon Sharpe
I don't really have much in my purse.
- [48:29]
Bun B
Oh, let's see.
- [48:30]
Shannon Sharpe
Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.
- [48:32]
Zoe Saldana
I'm good.
- [48:32]
Shannon Sharpe
Seriously?
- [48:33]
Bun B
Hmm.
- [48:33]
Shannon Sharpe
Let me check this pocket.
- [48:34]
American Express
Oh, mints?
- [48:36]
Zoe Saldana
Really, I'm fine.
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Shannon Sharpe
Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car. It's our best iPhone offer ever.
- [48:43]
Bun B
Switch to T Mobile.
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Shannon Sharpe
Get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on us. No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your phone up to 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits new line 100 plus a month on experience beyond finance agreement 999.99 and qualifying forwarded for well qualified plus tax and $10 connection charge payout via virtual prepaid card allow 15 days credits and inbounds due if you pay off earlier.
- [49:04]
Zoe Saldana
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- [50:18]
Bun B
My thing is when. When, like who? Whose validation? That's not a general statement to me. When someone like LeBron James, who is probably one of the most covered athletes on the planet. Right. Has dealt with more people in the media space than anyone else, possibly in sports from his teen years all the way up to now. His children are older than he was. Some of his children are older than he was when he entered this media world. Right?
- [50:49]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [50:51]
Bun B
Whose validation does that statement hearken to, I wonder? When you say. Some would say, some would say. I feel like, you know, it's almost like there's someone who keeps invalidating his contributions that he's trying to prove wrong. And that's why I say I don't know if he's talking to them or himself. You know, is that something that, that he keeps in his mind, right. To remind himself you're great. You know, it's almost like tough motivational speaking type of thing. You know what I'm saying? Because I don't want it to look like he's trying to downplay people's opinions of what he does. I don't even.
- [51:36]
Shannon Sharpe
You're not going to believe everybody, though, Bun.
- [51:38]
Bun B
But, you know, but that's always been the thing about LeBron. Like, he really wants to be seen a certain way by people. You know what I'm saying?
- [51:46]
Shannon Sharpe
Where Kobe. Kobe and Mike would like, kiss my butt, LeBron. I think LeBron is. Bun. Me. And the little bit that I've been around him, he's genuinely a nice guy. He really wants to be. Like, he's. I mean, like I said, I don't know him. I mean, you know, some people might say, whatever, whatever. But I just know in the little bit that I've been around him, he's. He's a. He's a likable guy. And some guys like to be liked. Some guys don't care if you like. Mike does not care if you liked him or. I shouldn't say E D like L I K E or L I K, E, D. Liked or liked. Kobe, rest his soul, was the exact same way.
- [52:30]
Bun B
So I think LeBron, and I think what you're speaking to is the fact that LeBron, because of all this media training that he's had all of these years, LeBron feels like he's always done the right thing, said the right thing, played the right way. So I don't understand why everybody is not on the same accord when it comes to what I've done. You know what I'm saying? But it's because we've had people who have had. LeBron James was born to play basketball.
- [52:58]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [52:59]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? Like, physically, he was born to play the game. Everybody wasn't like that. Mike had to work to get there. Kobe had to work to get there. They weren't inherently born with these physical traits that LeBron was given.
- [53:12]
Shannon Sharpe
That body, that height, that speed, that size. And the thing is, you know what? Sometimes familiarity breeds resentment because LeBron is cool, cool with everybody else. They feel like they can take shots.
- [53:24]
Bun B
At him and they know he's not going to shoot back in that way. You know what I'm saying? That's the thing. I've been the nice guy. Right. I've been together, you know, I. Cause my brother was a little rough, so I had to try to come in and smooth everything out. But every situation, sooner or later, it can't get smoothed out. So we, you know, all that trying to keep everybody cool and calm. At some point, you could be all of that and still get punched in the mouth.
- [53:51]
Shannon Sharpe
Exactly. Because, you know, you. The Bible. The Bible teaches, and metaphorically, like, hey, Turn the other cheek.
- [53:57]
Bun B
But you.
- [53:58]
Shannon Sharpe
You people, sometimes you gotta. You get tired of people just, you know, keep saying and doing and doing and doing and saying and saying, hey, I ain't gonna turn the cheer. I'm putting something on you.
- [54:08]
Bun B
Well, people play with you because they know you. You will turn the other cheek.
- [54:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Yes.
- [54:12]
Bun B
So they anticipate you really not wanting to go there. Right. Every now and then you gotta pull, slide to the side and be like, hey, man, I will dog walk you, bro. Don't play with me like that. Just because I don't don't mean I won't. That's always been my motto. Just because I don't don't mean I won't.
- [54:29]
Shannon Sharpe
Especially you're in someone, like, in your position or my position, because the more public you are, the less likely you're going to retaliate. And they take kindness for weakness. Oh, he's on television. Oh, X, Y and Z. He's in. He got a business. He's this and that. So why would you. Why would you even try to get me out of character? First of all, you know that. So why not just. Just keep it moving? I understand I'm not everybody's cup of tea. Everybody. As a matter of fact, I don't really care for tea.
- [54:57]
Bun B
So.
- [54:57]
Shannon Sharpe
I understand everybody's not gonna care for Shannon Sharpe. Everybody gonna care for Bun or whomever the case may be. But I just think sometimes that's a losing battle.
- [55:04]
Bun B
Well, we live in a time.
- [55:06]
Shannon Sharpe
Sometimes you just gotta say, you know what it is, what it is. You don't like me. But I know there's enough people out there that do.
- [55:12]
Bun B
There's a term that's used now for people that I don't wanna run across, and that's crash out. I don't wanna be in a position to deal with nobody that ain't got nothing to lose. I got too much to lose. I can't play with people like that. I got to just go on about my business, right?
- [55:27]
Shannon Sharpe
So.
- [55:28]
Bun B
And I keep looking at my dough because I'm waiting for somebody to knock on it with a shave by laportier package.
- [55:34]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay?
- [55:34]
Bun B
Because you done had a burger and I ain't had no liquor. I'm supposed to be sipping on something right now.
- [55:40]
Shannon Sharpe
You supposed to be sipping on something right now, bud. But you know what? We gonna get your address. I'm gonna get you taken care of.
- [55:46]
Bun B
I appreciate it. I appreciate it. That'd be a nice little way to make the evening go by.
- [55:50]
Shannon Sharpe
Right now, Doc Rivers is pushing back against the trade speculation involving Giannis, it's so ridiculous. And I've heard all these reports. You hear all the stuff, but you don't like when you hear it. You're like, you know it's not true, but still your players hear it and everybody else hears it. I don't know how many times Giannis had said he wants to be a Buck and he wants to win a title with the Bucks, and it's so cool to me, because it's not the way. It's not the way it's done anymore. But with certain guys, I don't think Steph Curry would ever leave Golden State, ever. I'm always hoping. Obviously, Giannis feels the same way. That's the way it's been so far, and it's been great. It's been awesome. Yeah. But the one thing that Steph knew is that he knew Bob Myers and now Mike Dunn, Levy and ownership of the warriors would do everything humanly possible, even if it means being in the luxury tax and even being in that separate apron, second apron, year after year after year. Does Giannis feel that same way that the Bucks can put a team around him, given the assets that. The limited assets that they have that can put them in contention to win or to compete year after year? Bun, there's a totally different situation, because every organization isn't like the warriors, and Doc knows that.
- [57:12]
Bun B
I think the reason we're still in limbo with this whole thing is because Giannis is not the one to show that. You know what I'm saying? His nature is not to buck the system. You can see that he really wants this to work. I believe he wants to win on that team in that city. I believe that he doesn't look like the kind of person that's like, oh, well, let's go to la or let's go here. He doesn't. I feel like that's the perfect city for a person like him and his nature. You know what I'm saying?
- [57:42]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [57:43]
Bun B
That being said, something's got to give. I don't believe this organization will leave him behind. I believe they'll give him. If there was somebody, he said, we need this guy, they'd give him that guy if humanly possible. I don't see him wanting to leave that city and that team, but. And I don't think he feels like he's in a position where he has to right now. I do believe there's going to be some pieces that are going to be available in this off season that if they can go and get one or two pieces that make him a little more comfortable. I don't think he wants to leave. I don't think he wants to start over in a new city with a new team with new ownership. That doesn't seem like John is just ready to. I just want to go where I can win. He doesn't have that. You see that in other players that are willing to go and leave a team and leave an organization. I just want to go where I feel I can win. That's primarily the reason why most guys say they want to leave is either money or the competitive nature of the organization. You know what I'm saying? I don't think he really wants to leave. I'm a Rockets fan, so I'm all for it. Bring his ass on down here, you know what I'm saying? I would love for him to leave because y' all might get kd, though. Well, those are two different types of players for two different reasons. KD's a win. Now, like, if you bring KD into your organization, you think you one piece away. Yeah.
- [59:04]
Shannon Sharpe
Hell, you bring Giannis in, you think you one piece away.
- [59:07]
Bun B
Yeah. But if you bring Giannis in, you one piece away, that can work for you for another five, potentially seven for sure.
- [59:13]
Shannon Sharpe
For sure.
- [59:14]
Bun B
You know what I'm saying? You've got it. That's why I say Kevin Durant is. If we bring him in, we got a two year window.
- [59:20]
Shannon Sharpe
You think that's it?
- [59:21]
Bun B
No, I think that's what teams think.
- [59:23]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay. Okay.
- [59:24]
Bun B
That's my thing. I think the age and the salary is going to put people in a position where we just can't do it. And you. But you see where he's looking. He's looking for teams with Tax Break. Yep. Right. But I think what John is. I think John is a very wholesome, very family kind of guy. I haven't heard anything about them being wild or whatever, because if. If he wanted a lifestyle, he wouldn't stay where he's at. I think that's that city, that community is just enough for him. Right?
- [59:52]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah.
- [59:52]
Bun B
Because going to LA would be. If he leaves it to go to LA or major, major market, they're going to demand a lot more of him. You know, I feel like Jarvis could go to the bakery, Josh could go to the dry cleaners, and that lends itself to his lifestyle, you know what I'm saying? But certain other cities would demand more out of him because they're a lot more media driven, they're a lot more sponsor driven, you know, What I'm saying. And I think that would. I think that's a reason that keeps him with the bucks. Cause he's the biggest fish in that pond by far. Yeah, but. And I mean, not on the team, even in the city. You know what I'm saying? And he's one of the biggest deals there. Let me ask you this comfortable place to be if they can give him those pieces.
- [60:36]
Shannon Sharpe
Let me ask you this.
- [60:37]
Bun B
He's a guy that'll not. The country was. He's a guy that'll let some bread go to.
- [60:41]
Shannon Sharpe
Yeah, I believe that. But let me ask you this. Giannis has had success. He's won a championship. Once you start having success, you crave it. It's like success is a drug. I don't care what anybody tell you. You know this, bun. I know this. Success is a drug, and you crave it. And the more you have it, the more you want it. And the last thing that you want is that you have a taste of it. And it's almost like they let you sample it. You sample. You like, you buy. Okay, he sampled that success. A championship. Now that's all that matters. He's got MVPs. He's got defensive play of the years. The only thing that matters to Giannis now. How many more will he stack?
- [61:24]
Bun B
I don't think Giannis leaves for the end of the next season. I don't think he leaves that quickly.
- [61:31]
Shannon Sharpe
Okay.
- [61:31]
Bun B
And, you know, but I do think this may be the last shot. I believe he's trying to be as patient as possible, but like you said, he's tasted it. And I think he's got enough basketball wisdom and IQ to see if I was here, this would be over. If I played for this team, this wouldn't have even been a question, because this guy plays that position much better than my guy. This guy coaches these situations better than my guy. You know what I'm saying? But Giannis is not. He's not a rock the boat kind of guy. Just don't seem like that to me. I feel like that's the kind of dude you got to really mess over him or for him to really feel unappreciated. And I don't think he hit that wall yet in Milwaukee. But I do think they got. They might have one more season.
- [62:21]
Shannon Sharpe
They on the clock, though.
- [62:22]
Bun B
Yeah, Absolutely. They got one more season. We gonna see what you do in the offseason. We gonna see what you do in All Star break. And if this tide ain't shifted, something gotta get something's Gotta get.
- [62:34]
Shannon Sharpe
South Carolina quarterback Lenore Sellers turned down an $8 million nil to transfer to a different school. Lenore's father told his son, you're 19. You don't need $8 million. You're in a great spot. Let me ask you this, Bun. Do you think NIL is ruining college players because some are prioritizing the bag over a great situation?
- [62:59]
Bun B
I think it's a blessing and a curse. Right? You know, like, I know a lot of these young, young, young players, predominantly from communities of color. This has always been a pathway to success, to. To change the scope of how your family dynamic exists, to change things from check to check to generational wealth. And the draw to golden play in the NFL was what drove people, for the most part, through high school, through college, to try to get to that big payoff. Well, with Nil being inserted now, it's a blessing because kids don't have to wait that long. And, you know, like, I know that's a very. It's a very small number that gets into the NFL and even smaller, they get that big deal out the door and gets that money. And so the opportunity to take care of your family and to set those things straight earlier is obviously a great thing for people to have. But, you know, like, I know when some people get that check, they. They stop giving a damn. They. It really. It really can stop the drive for people because be like, oh, man, I just signed this big check five years and, you know, $180 million and all that. Yeah, but now you're the face of the organization now. You're the biggest cultural export from the city that you play for. The whole. The dynamic for all this shit starts changing when that money comes, you know what I'm saying? For college players that potentially might not make it into the NFL, and there's a substantial number of those people, even if they get nil. Shannon, we know it's only going to be four or five people that get real money.
- [64:35]
Shannon Sharpe
Exactly.
- [64:36]
Bun B
There's only. And I think that's something that we don't talk about enough when it comes to NIL and college athlete gameplay is that. Yeah, there's a lot of money that gets inflicted into these universities, and there's a lot of money that's available, but that's going to go to skill player.
- [64:50]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [64:51]
Bun B
You know, that's going to go to.
- [64:53]
Shannon Sharpe
Skill player, quarterback, running back, wide receiver.
- [64:56]
Bun B
Absolutely. People that put numbers on the board. That's who. Or the sackmaster. Right. Something like that. You know, a pass rusher guy like that. So if you can get that money, that's fine. Everybody gets money. Doesn't stop being driven. But if money's the deciding factor, determining factor, then, yeah, that could be something that would stop somebody from wanting to go further. And, yeah, if you can get the money and you don't have to go to the NFL and risk your body and risk that pain, and you got a plan to do something with that money, I think it can work for you. I think it works to your benefit. But if you think hopping through the portal from school to school is going to increase your value, you got another thing coming that's not going to work for everybody. Like, if you got a situation where, you know, you, you know there's money waiting for you, that's fine, but. And if you think you're taking that money now and it doesn't help you, that's the other side. Let me be clear about that. If you think the organization wants a university, wants to pay you to come and play for that school, but you don't think they're contenders, and you don't think it's going to, you know, look good on you, on your record to play for a school that doesn't really have a good chance at winning anything, then I don't see how you get to the next check, if that's all you're worried about is that check.
- [66:15]
Shannon Sharpe
Right.
- [66:16]
Bun B
You know, so it's a lot for families to navigate. I've seen players whose parents are, you know, they. Right now, like, their high school parents are like, oh, my boy's finna go to this. It don't matter what college you go to, they gonna cut him a check. They're like, parents are actually saying that. They are. They are saying that right now. So, you know, I wish the brother the best, but I don't. I think the portal. I think the portal works for probably 10%, a handful of people. I think 10% of people. The portal actually puts you in. It's like you have a skill set that can work almost anywhere. But this, this school will nurture your talent. They will put the right type of talent next to you, and you will learn and play and look like you want you to go to that next level. But I just think that's a very small group of people. And I think a lot of people are being told that there's a lot of money. And let's be real, they can't. A lot of universities can't even pay you what they said they're gonna pay.
- [67:12]
Shannon Sharpe
Exactly.
- [67:13]
Bun B
We're not even talking about that. I mean how many college students are sitting on campus with no money because the coach went over there and told you your mom and your grandmother then what they was gonna give you and then you get there and and boosters or somebody else like. No, that money's advocated for the boy we got coming from over here. The Volume.
- [67:34]
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Bun B
Check.
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Zoe Saldana
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Bun B
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Shannon Sharpe
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This is an iHeart podcast.