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Digital Social Hour
NBA Veteran Exposes Truth About Modern Basketball | Jason Terry DSH #984
00:16:47
🏀 NBA veteran Jason Terry pulls back the curtain on basketball's dramatic evolution, sharing raw insights from his incredible 19-season career. From intense practice battles to championship glory, Terry reveals how the game has transformed from a physi
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- [00:02]
A
Hey, music fans, there are some great concerts headed this way. Don't miss out on all the shows in your favorite venues, like Deftones at Madison Square Garden, Eagles at the Sphere, and Foster, the people at the Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are going fast, so don't wait. Head to livenation.com to get your tickets. Now, that's livenation.com.
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B
Guys that I had looked up and I tried to emulate, I was still able to compete against. For me, it was a dream come true.
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C
Nice.
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B
Practice was harder than the game, easily. I'm supposed to be the starter. First game, somebody's out on suspension. I start. I go for, like, 23 and 9. My mind, I'm like, oh, yeah. I'm starting the rest away. I didn't play for two months after.
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C
What?
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B
Yeah, the guy came back, the team's rolling. I had to wait my turn.
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C
All right, guys, first podcast ever. Jason Terry, let's go. What happened out there, man?
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B
Listen, when you flop a set and lose to a straight flush, I don't know when. I should have went all in, but I did on the turn. The young lady, I love her to death. She had no idea what she had. She was on a flush draw out the gate, and she ended up with a straight flush.
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C
Damn.
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B
So how can you. How can you be mad at that?
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C
That's the thing with poker. You could play perfect for sure. Still lose.
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B
And I'm gonna tell you what. This is a great thing you guys are doing, because I was able to play with guys I competed against. And then one of my greatest backcourt mates of all time won a championship at Arizona, Mike Bibby, in 97. And then I had to play against him, and I won my first NBA championship against him. And. And Mario Chalmers were sitting across the bench, so.
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C
Wow.
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B
It was incredible.
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C
So you got to reminisce about the old times.
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B
It was dope.
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C
You still have any bad blood with anyone you competed against?
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B
Not at all.
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C
You let it all go?
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B
Yeah, I had to. You know, I'm coaching now, so letting that go is a big part of your evolution, and I had to let it go.
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C
Wow.
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B
Still hate the Miami Heat, Honestly. I mean, obviously.
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C
But, yeah, I feel that, though some people don't ever let it go.
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B
Nah.
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C
You know, you played 19 seasons. What was your. Your favorite year where you had the most fun?
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B
Couple years, Right? My first year. 1,000%, because it was your rookie year. And I look across the locker room and I see Isaiah Ryder, Dikembe Mutombo, Jim Jackson, LaFonzo Ellis. Like those Were my veterans. So you always remember the first year. It's like the year you were born.
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C
Like you.
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B
You gotta remember that. So then I would have to say my. The year after I left Dallas, I went to Boston and I played with Kevin Garnett, right. My high school classmate, 9 5. Paul Pierce, my high school classmate, 9 5. And then Rajon Rondo and then hall of Fame coach Doc Rivers. Like that was to me, that team of all the teams I played with was assembled to win a championship. Ray Allen had left, I replaced him. We had a good young nucleus, but playing with guys like Kevin Garnett, ran Rondo and Paul Pierce like it was a dream come true for me. It didn't last long enough for sure. Obviously the Dallas teams, you know, my favorite team, obviously the team I want it with, you know, hall of Famers, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Karam Butler, who was injured. You know, those guys, like, what can I say? Yeah. Mary in The Matrix, like J.J. barea, those guys. Those are hall of Fame guys. Pedestrian Stojakovic, just. That team was epic legends.
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C
Yeah. And you guys were 60 that year, right?
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B
Man, I couldn't tell you what. See, but I could tell you who we went through.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And when you beat Portland, right. LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Miller, who was a draft classmate of mine.
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C
Yeah. They have Dame at the time.
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B
Rivalry. No, Dame wasn't there. But then you beat them and then second round you play against, they're going for a three peat. The two time defending champion Lakers with, you know, Lamar Odom, Paul Gasol, but my idol, one of my rivals, like Kobe being Bryant.
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C
Yeah.
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B
Of the greatest players of all time. And then Phil Jackson, the greatest coach of all time, like playing against them in that series. But it wasn't a series. Like we swept them.
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C
Damn.
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B
Yeah, we swept them. And that doesn't happen, you know what I mean?
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C
Not to Kobe.
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B
No, not. Not a Kobe led team. Never happens. And you know, for us to do that in the fashion we did it in, and then for me to play one of the greatest games I've ever played in my life, like all the years of basketball I ever played in. Game four at the house solidified a sweep record. Number threes. Like the basket was so big, every time I just threw it up, it was going in like it. It's just one of those moments. And it was on Mother's Day, like I took my mother to breakfast that morning. Like I just knew something special was in the air.
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C
Wow.
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B
But we beat them and then to go play the Oklahoma City Thunder who obviously, if that team stays together, who knows? You talk about 4, 5, 6 like they were built to win championships. They had 1, 2, 3 Hall of Famers Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Hard right.
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C
This episode of Digital Social Hour is brought to you by BetterHelp, making it easy and affordable to access online therapy. Give it a try@betterhelp.com DSH and get on your way to being your best self. The holidays are a tricky time of the year for a lot of people, and I like to stay cozy and warm at home with my favorite movies and a warm blanket and also some BetterHelp. With a lot of time to reflect during the winter months, therapy is a great way to embrace what's on our mind and find comfort that doesn't leave us even as the holidays fade away. Even if you've never tried therapy or always wondered about its effects, BetterHelp's online therapy option can be a helpful tool to learn about positive coping mechanisms and set boundaries that will aid you in years and events to come. It doesn't just take trauma to make therapy worthwhile, as we want to empower everyone to be the best version of themselves. If you're thinking about therapy, give BetterHelp a try with its online platform designed to be convenient and suited to your schedule. All you have to do is fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist with the freedom to switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Find peace and comfort this December with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.comDSH today to get 10 off your first month. That's BetterHelp H-E-L-P.comDSH when they were just.
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B
Really realizing their greatness. They were young but they were ready. But we just had a little more experience than them, right? And we, and we dusted them off and then we play against the heels like, you know, everybody picked LeBron and.
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C
You guys were not favored.
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B
Chris Bosh, yeah, they win it and we came in there on a mission and we took care of business. But that was an epic team.
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C
Yeah. How was your confidence throughout that playoff run? Like, going into it? Did you guys have any idea that you could do that all time high?
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B
It was the most confidence I've ever had as a professional athlete, really only because my preparation gave me that confidence. I knew like I knew what spots I can get to versus their defense, where I can go to get my shot off. Playing with a point guard like Jason Kidd, he was a coach on the floor and to me he's like Tom Brady. Like, he can tell you what's about to happen. And if you trust it and just get to your spot and run your route, the ball's gonna be there. And then you just do what you're supposed to, right? And. And playing with a guy like that was unbelievable. And then you had a. A Hall of Famer like Dirk Nowitzki. Like, how do you not play your best for a guy that brought it every single night? Ultimate professional. And you knew, like, if he was on his A game, you could play B plus, and, you know, you had a chance to win, Right?
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C
Unguardable.
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B
Unguardable. Like, could not stop him. One on one.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And he was on one of the best runs I've ever seen. I've played with probably 15 hall of Famers throughout my career. And Dirk Nowitzki, the run he had in that year was unbelievable. And for me to be on the court with him while he was doing it, I don't know. I don't know if there was any other kind of run, but he literally carried us.
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C
Wow. Offensively, was he a pretty vocal leader?
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B
He wasn't vocal. He did it, you know, by. By action. Like, he showed you what he could do. He wasn't gonna talk. Yeah. Like Duncan. Him and Duncan epitomized, like, the guy that was just a workman journey. Just work, work, work. Their work speak volumes. They didn't have to talk. They came out and did it and performed. And then you looked at the stat sheet and you're like, oh, yeah, he bust our ass tonight.
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C
I feel that, man. And you've always been one of the better shooters. Right? But when you started out in the league, that wasn't like a hot thing to just chuck up threes.
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B
Never. Never was a hot thing. You chuck up too many threes, you gonna be sitting on the bench next to the coach. But it's the evolution of the game.
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C
You.
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B
When I played across three generations of the NBA and I talk about the evolution of the game, I was able to cross those generations and understand, like, okay, the first generation I came into the physicality defensively, the strategic defensive mindset that you had to have to execute and be able to function. Like, that was an era. Okay. Then we crossed into the next generation, the small guard, Allen Iverson's era. You know, the. The guards that were. Should be point guards, but they really shooting guards. I crossed into that generation, and it was the. At the same time, it was the power forward generation, where you had Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Dirk Nisky, they kind of ran it. But you also still had Kobe, who was right there ready to take over and assume the role. Yeah, right. Assume the position. Then you cross into the last generation, which is just. I mean, it's the wild, wild west. It's okay, Corral. It's a shootout every night. It's going to be high scoring. There's no physicality, and it's just put on a show, entertain. Right. But still compete at a high level.
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C
Yeah, right.
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B
And. And so to be able to cross over those three generations, like, it's just a blessing. Like, it's a blessing. And I can appreciate each generation for what it was. So I'm not going to say, like, oh, this generation was better than that. No, they were all great in itself.
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C
I love that. Which was your favorite one to play in?
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B
Oh, it's hard to say, but I mean, the first one, really, the physical one, because MJ was still there. He wasn't MJ, so to speak.
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C
He was 45.
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B
Right, right. But it was Michael Jordan, and it was like, that's the guy you looked up to. Gary Payton was my role model. I was able to play against him. Sam Cassell was still playing. I was able to play against him. So guys that I had looked up and I tried to emulate, I was still able to compete against. So my first 99 to 2003 ish was like, for me, it was a dream come true.
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C
Nice. How tough was it getting minutes those first few years?
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B
Oh, it was tough. It was tough because practice was harder than the game.
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C
Really.
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B
I had a veteran by the name of Bimbo Coles. Obviously, when I come in, I'm the 10th pick easily. I'm supposed to be the starter. Lenny Wilkins, hall of Fame coach, it's like, nah, young fella, you gotta wait your turn. First game, somebody's out on suspension. I start, I go for like, 23 and 9.
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C
Damn.
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B
So in my mind, I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm starting the rest away. I didn't play for two months after what? Yeah, the guy came back, the team's rolling. I had to wait my turn. And that's just what it was. And I respected it. But every day I worked hard, Those guys pushed me. But I tell you what, practice was harder than the game.
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C
Damn. Yeah. I feel like these days, kids are starting, like, right away.
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B
We not practicing as much. They starting right away. And rightfully so, this generation of basketball players. And I can tell you, because not only do I coach this era, and I've coached AAU But I got a young nephew, my young nephew's fifth grade. He's doing moves that I wouldn't even dream about doing in the fifth grade. Wow. You know what I mean? So there's so much more talented and gifted. But it's not because they were just born with it. It's because what they've seen how the game has transformed and they've been able to watch it. It comes to them. Like they don't have to go to the gym. They can look at their phone and see, oh, this is how you do a step back the other day. I'm looking on my iPhone. I look at YouTube. This is how you tie a Windsor knot. And I've been trying to tie a tie for 25 years now. I can go to my phone, look at it, Boom. So understand how to play the game, but you still have to go and play the game. And I think that's the part of it where they'll have their struggles, but eventually their talent will supersede it. And that's your give back. That's how the game should be.
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C
Right.
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B
Guys should get better. The game should grow and be better as it evolves. If it doesn't, what are we doing? You know what I'm saying? Absolutely. So like when Michael Jordan played. Yeah. Kobe Bryant should come do what Mike did and do it to another level. Right. Because he had a roadmap to look at and to be guided by.
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C
Absolutely. Who is the toughest player you had to defend?
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B
Oh, two. First I'm going to give love to somebody. And you probably don't know his name, but Earl Boykins, I don't know, I.
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C
Never heard of him.
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B
He's small. He went to Eastern Michigan. He was a spark plug, but he probably was like 5, 5, 5, 6 and he was a bucket. And it was always my matchup because me and him came in the game at the same time. As soon as I check in, he check in and it was just like I just couldn't guard him. He was so little. He can weave in out of traffic and he can get his shot off. He had a quick pull up, he had good mid range and he was just tough to guard, you know what I'm saying? But all time, is Allen the answer? Iverson, when you talk about guys that set the bar, transcended the game. Right. Cultural icons. I look at Magic, I look at Jordan, I look at Bird, I look at Allen Iverson, and then I look at Steph Curry, you know, obviously LeBron James for sure. Nobody looks like Him. Nobody's built like him. Like physical freak. Yeah, for sure. IQ off the charts. But I'm saying the cultural impact that those four guys I named that had on the game. White guys to shoot, Boom bird, Name, close. Magic 69, handle, dribble, pass, shoot, do it all, revolutionize the game. Big point guard, Michael Jordan. Are you kidding me? Fly through the air, come off screens, can shoot, could pass, could do it all fundamentally, Allen Iverson, be you. Be who you are. Cornrows, braids, throwbacks coming in, right, Whatever. Hang out all night, do what he do. Drop 40 on you like no sleep, it don't matter, Right? Acceptable. He did it. He transcended the game. Stephen Curry. Are you kidding me? He made every Hooper real. I don't have to be 6, 9, 7ft 6, 6.
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C
Yeah.
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B
I. I could be 6ft 6, 1, 6, 2. And shoot from half court. Like he gave every kid hope. And he's still giving them hope.
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C
Facts.
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B
But the ability to shoot the way he does, with the efficiency, he does it at like, transcended the game.
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C
It's unreal. We'll end off on this. It's a good segue. Who do you have as the greatest shooter of all time?
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B
The greatest shooting form of all time is Klay Thompson. It ain't even close. Pure beauty. Starts at your feet, goes up through the top. Finish with perfect form. Lock it, stick it. Perfect perfection. Klay Thompson. The greatest shooter is Steph Curry. There's no question. He can shoot it from all kind of different ways. Off the dribble, off the catch, off the move. And he shoots it efficiently.
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C
So you got him over Ray Allen.
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B
Ray was a bad boy. And I think Ray gets slighted because they put him in the category as shooter. Ray can shoot, but if you really watch Ray, Jesus Shuttlesworth, he had it all. He could play pick and roll, he come off the bounce, he can attack the rim. Go up up top on you. Ray had it all. Just later in his career and for the longevity of his career, he was known as a shooter.
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C
Yeah. Been fun, dude. Where can people find you? What do you got? Coming up next, man.
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B
I'm assistant coach with the Utah Jazz right now, Utah Jazz assistant coach. Also am grassroots director, the Lady Jets. I've been doing it 15 years, one on the Adidas circuit. Shout out, Three Stripes. That's it.
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C
Boom. We'll link it below. Thanks for coming on, man. That was.
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B
Appreciate you.
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C
Yeah.
- [17:11]
B
Sir.
- [17:18]
A
Hey, music fans. There are some great concerts headed this way. Don't miss out on all the shows in your favorite venues like Deftones at Madison Square Garden, Eagles at the Sphere, and Foster the People at the Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are going fast, so don't wait. Head to livenation.com to get your tickets. Now that's livenation.com.