Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Lexie Brown

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Lexie Brown"

Release Date: March 6, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Podcast Title: New Rory & MAL
Episode Title: Rory & Mal Don't Know Ball | Lexie Brown

---

Introduction

In this engaging episode of "New Rory & MAL," hosts Rory and Mal delve into the world of professional basketball with special guest Lexi Brown, a WNBA world champion. The episode seamlessly blends humor, personal anecdotes, and insightful discussions about life both on and off the court. Skipping all advertisements and non-content sections, the conversation flows naturally, providing listeners with a comprehensive look into Lexi's experiences and perspectives.

---

Being Courtside and Groupie Experiences

[02:09]
Lexi Brown kicks off the conversation by sharing her unique experience attending one of Rory's basketball games. She humorously describes herself as a "basketball groupie," recounting moments spent courtside with friends and interacting with Lexi’s teammates.

Lexi Brown: "I was with the squad drinking off their bottles in the... They had highlight rooms shut down. I was like, I mean it's free groupy."
[02:46]

Rory playfully teases Lexi about her groupie antics, adding levity to the discussion.

Rory: "Lexi the group. Yes, my first groupie is Rory."
[03:00]

Lexi elaborates on her nights out post-games, contrasting the exclusive highlight room parties with less favorable club experiences.

Lexi Brown: "Reason was like, yeah, no, my people throwing a little something at this hookah spot."
[20:25]

---

Playing Pickup Games with Guys

[04:00]
The conversation shifts to Lexi's attempts at playing pickup basketball with regular guys. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced when the skill level didn’t match her professional standards.

Lexi Brown: "Guys were just absolutely terrible. It did get to the point where I would score a few points, and then they would stop giving me the ball."
[04:14]

Rory humorously reflects on the dynamics of a WNBA player entering an open gym.

Rory: "Unless you're one of the five faces of the WNBA, it has to be kind of fun walking into like an open gym, LA Fitness with all the guys."
[05:15]

Lexi acknowledges the humor but emphasizes her preference for structured workouts over informal pickup games.

Lexi Brown: "I don't play pickup with guys often anymore. I do a lot of, like, two on two, three on three, one on one in my workouts."
[04:15]

---

Locker Room Vibes and Pre-Game Preparations

[06:00]
Lexi provides an inside look into the locker room environment within the WNBA, highlighting the diversity in music preferences and pre-game routines.

Lexi Brown: "My teammate Neca Guma, she's Nigerian, so it was like a lot of Afro beats."
[07:07]

She contrasts this with the newer season's vibe, where younger players lean towards pop music, balancing fun and focus.

Lexi Brown: "This season, I kind of feel like I want to just show up. Like, I'm about to go play basketball."
[09:38]

---

Personal Stories: Dancing, Friends, and Childhood

[17:00]
Lexi reminisces about her childhood and early interactions with basketball through her father's influence, sharing heartfelt stories about her journey to becoming a WNBA player.

Lexi Brown: "In 8th, 9th grade, we were like, okay, like, this is something I wanna do. This is my dream, to be a WNBA player."
[31:28]

She humorously recounts her dance class experiences, highlighting the challenges of balancing athletics with personal interests.

Lexi Brown: "I took a dance class when I was in Nashville, a hip hop class, and it was so much fun."
[18:20]

Rory adds his own stories about growing up, creating a relatable and entertaining dialogue between the hosts and guest.

---

Music Preferences of Lexi Brown

[12:33]
A significant portion of the episode focuses on Lexi's eclectic taste in music, ranging from early Drake to R&B and pop classics.

Lexi Brown: "I listen to a lot of Backstreet Boys, NSync. My dad likes older R and B music. My mom loves Luther Vandross."
[14:15]

Lexi discusses her transition from rap to more uplifting genres, reflecting her personal growth and changing preferences.

Lexi Brown: "I've kind of like stopped listening to a lot of rap music lately because it doesn't make me happy."
[15:18]

The conversation also touches on the role of music in athletes' lives, with Lexi advocating for positive and motivational tunes during pre-game preparations.

Lexi Brown: "I need R&B or have something happy. I don't need all that cussing and not trying to drill on the court."
[16:42]

---

Podcasting and Interaction with Gil

[35:00]
Lexi shares her experiences with podcasting and her interactions with Gil, the podcast's host, highlighting the real-time feedback from live chats.

Lexi Brown: "We have the live chat. So I'm getting active feedback on my presence in real time."
[35:52]

She recounts a memorable shooting contest on the show, where her performance impressed both the live audience and chat participants.

Lexi Brown: "I made it the farthest. ... I've been in the WNBA for six years. I beat a bunch of retired NBA players at mid-range jump shots."
[37:12]

This segment underscores the camaraderie and competitive spirit among athletes on the podcast.

---

WNBA Discussions: Marketing, Player Care, CBAs, and Signature Shoes

[63:00]
The latter part of the episode delves into the broader topics surrounding the WNBA, including marketing strategies, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and player welfare.

Lexi Brown: "We're fighting for higher salaries, pensions for retired players, health benefits for retired players."
[63:06]

The discussion highlights the league's efforts to bridge the gap between college fandom and professional play, emphasizing the importance of personal branding and media presence.

Lexi Brown: "Allowing players to be who they are... it's much better than it was when my dad was coaching."
[63:35]

Lexi and the hosts also explore the significance of signature shoes for WNBA players, celebrating players like Asia Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu for their marketable personas and athletic prowess.

Audience Member: "Asia's shoe is a no-brainer. She deserved that."
[70:27]

Additionally, Lexi discusses the challenges female athletes face compared to their male counterparts, particularly concerning player care and support systems post-retirement.

Lexi Brown: "We have to consider pregnancy and how it's going to affect our contracts and roster spots."
[68:30]

---

Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Rory and Mal express their admiration for Lexi Brown's contributions to the WNBA and her candidness during the podcast. They encourage her continued success both on the court and in her potential ventures beyond basketball, such as podcasting.

Rory: "We do not know ball, but we know that Lexi is one of the illest."
[72:25]

Lexi responds with enthusiasm, hinting at future collaborations and expressing her support for the show's dynamic.

Lexi Brown: "We out."
[72:26]

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Lexi Brown: "I was with the squad drinking off their bottles in the... It's free groupy."
  [02:46]

• Rory: "Lexi the group. Yes, my first groupie is Rory."
  [03:00]

• Lexi Brown: "Guys were just absolutely terrible."
  [04:15]

• Lexi Brown: "I don't need all that cussing and not trying to drill on the court."
  [16:42]

• Lexi Brown: "We're fighting for higher salaries, pensions for retired players, health benefits for retired players."
  [63:06]

• Rory: "We do not know ball, but we know that Lexi is one of the illest."
  [72:25]

---

Key Insights and Conclusions

• Balancing Professionalism and Personal Life: Lexi Brown exemplifies how professional athletes navigate the balance between their demanding sports careers and personal interests, such as music and dance.

• Evolving Locker Room Cultures: The diversity in music preferences among WNBA teams reflects broader cultural shifts and the importance of creating a supportive and motivating environment for athletes.

• Player Welfare and League Support: The WNBA is making strides in enhancing player welfare through improved CBAs, focusing on aspects like pensions and health benefits, especially for retired players.

• Marketing and Branding Opportunities: Signature shoes and personal branding are becoming increasingly significant for WNBA players, highlighting the league’s potential to grow its market presence.

• Challenges Unique to Female Athletes: Female athletes face distinct challenges, including considerations around pregnancy and contract security, underscoring the need for tailored support systems within the league.

• Positive Media Engagement: The integration of athletes like Lexi into podcasts and media platforms fosters a deeper connection with fans, enhancing the visibility and relatability of WNBA players.

---

This episode of "New Rory & MAL" offers a multifaceted look into Lexi Brown's life as a WNBA player, enriching listeners' understanding of the professional sports landscape, athlete experiences, and the evolving dynamics within the WNBA.

Transcript

[T-Mobile Announcer]

You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected. From big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Acquired card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Lenovo Announcer]

The battlefield is set. The stakes are high. The only thing standing between you and victory. Nothing. Ascend to the pinnacle of gaming greatness with Lenovo Legion laptops, towers and the new award winning Legion Go, the world's first officially licensed handheld powered by SteamOS. Legion relentlessly pushes gaming technology forward with towers built for raw untamed power. Laptops with best in class AI tuning that sharpen your reflexes and the Legion Go, a handheld for serious gaming on the go. Stay ahead with lightning fast responsiveness on a stunning 16 inch PureSight display. Keep your cool with cold front thermal technology engineered for marathon sessions and with all day battery life. The game never stops until you say so. So check out lenovo.com legion empowering creators everywhere.

[Audience Member]

The volume.

[Rory]

All right, Rory, we are back for another fun episode of don't know ball because we absolutely do not know ball ball whatsoever. And today we are joined by a friend of the show, WNBA world champion and somebody who I think is going to have a great career in podcasting when she decides to hang the shoes up for good. Lexi Brown.

[Audience Member]

Yay.

[Lexi Brown]

Welcome.

[Audience Member]

Thank you.

[Lexi Brown]

Ma, I have to ask you a question. So wait.

[Rory]

Well, how does it start with asking you questions like Lexi is here.

[Lexi Brown]

No, I see you every day. What I'm about to ask you has to do with Lexi. Okay, so I want to say maybe two years ago I went to one of Lexi's games. Yep, I brought reason as my plus one rez.

[Rory]

Okay. Shout out to Rezan.

[Lexi Brown]

We sat courtside. Of course.

[Rory]

Yeah. Got to come on.

[Lexi Brown]

After the game, I went with Lexi to highlight room with her teammates. They had a section shut down the whole club. Am I a basketball groupie if I drank out of their bottles?

[Audience Member]

Yes.

[Rory]

One million. Yes. In a nasty.

[Lexi Brown]

I was with the squad drinking off their bottles in the. They had highlight rooms shut down. I was like, I mean it's, it's free groupy.

[Rory]

Lexi the group.

[Audience Member]

Yes. My first groupie is Rory.

[Lexi Brown]

I stayed after the game.

[Rory]

Oh, you are nasty. You was in the family room like you went to go eat?

[Lexi Brown]

Oh, no, no. Lexi put me in the side chick section.

[Rory]

Oh, man. Treated you like a groupie girl.

[Lexi Brown]

I brought rappers.

[Audience Member]

Y'all made fun of him for coming to the game. I remember that episode.

[Rory]

I have Lexi. Are you kidding me? I have to.

[Audience Member]

No, no.

[Rory]

I had two tickets, but it was more so because, one, he didn't take me and you didn't invite me, so.

[Lexi Brown]

Now I got it.

[Audience Member]

Were you in la?

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah, he was in la.

[Rory]

So I had to hate on the whole situation. I was hating, okay?

[Audience Member]

You was just mad.

[Rory]

And I've never been. Actually, I've been to. I've been to two WNBA games. I've been to two games, but I've never been to a Sparks game. So I was kind of like, well, don't go.

[Audience Member]

Don't start now.

[Rory]

Well, no, you're not there no more. So we're not. You're not. You're not allowed in Seattle or nothing.

[Lexi Brown]

Fuck the Sparks. We don't even have a lighter in here. I don't even want to see a flame anywhere.

[Rory]

It's all Seattle, the Sparks. It's Starbucks. It's, you know, the fish market. That's what we on right now.

[Lexi Brown]

McLemore deserves that.

[Rory]

Exactly.

[Lexi Brown]

As far as I'm concerned, only on that Seattle shoot.

[Rory]

So, Lexi, you came in early, and we were talking about, you know, just women hooping with guys, and you said that you recently played in a little pickup game just to kind of see where your win was at, and you decided, like, not even halfway through, like, okay, I can't do this, because the guys were just absolutely terrible.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

How often does that happen?

[Audience Member]

Well, I don't play pickup with guys often anymore. Unless it's, like, an organized run, which, again, I don't. I don't do those. I do a lot of, like, two on two, three on three, one on one in my workouts. Like, guys that come in and train with me and rebound and stuff just to, like, get game reps in. But, yeah, that game. My trainer, like, I guess these random groups of older guys just come in at nighttime and play, like, just for fun. So I was like. I was nervous going into my Athletes Unlimited season because I hadn't played a real game since June of last year. So I was like. Because we train on a half court. So I was like, let me see what my win looks like. Just in a full court, just for shits and gigs. And it was a lot of just nonsense. So it did get to the point where, like, I would score a few Points. And then like they would stop giving me the ball. Like, okay, like, I'm the pro. This is about me right now. It's not about y'all. I know I jumped into Yalls pickup game. Y'all are probably like, who is this? And then always when I start playing, like they look at me and they're.

[Rory]

Like, oh, like that has to be fun though. Because the wnba, unless like, you know, you're one of the faces of the league. You're one of the five faces of the wnba. It has to be kind of fun walking into like an open gym, LA Fitness with all the guys.

[Audience Member]

Yep. I don't say a word.

[Rory]

As a former, as a. As a real athlete, a real basketball player and walking into the gym and guys don't know. They just say, who's this girl? Just trying to get a workout in kind of sweat. Whatever, whatever. Like does she know what a travel is?

[Audience Member]

Right.

[Rory]

Meanwhile, you're a world champion basketball player and you just go in there and just start toasting everybody.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I definitely like put on my extra girly behavior when I go. If I do happen like this one, like you don't know what you're doing.

[Lexi Brown]

This a whole TikTok series. We need to start hustling.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I know though. I've thought about it. I thought about it. Especially in a shooting contest, like maybe pick up one on one guys probably could beat me because just physicality, obviously I'm not going to argue that.

[Rory]

But it would still have to be a guy that can really play though.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, but like shooting. No.

[Rory]

No chance.

[Audience Member]

Never happening. You're. No. Not many people are going to outshoot me.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

Ever.

[Rory]

That sound like a challenge? Are you staring at me while you saying that? I don't know if that's ma or not.

[Audience Member]

It's for ma.

[Lexi Brown]

It's not a challenge.

[Audience Member]

But see, see how defensive y'all get?

[Lexi Brown]

Who is challenged in this? She's not going to be challenged in this defensive man.

[Audience Member]

Yet I say I'm the best shooter. I don't look out, shoot me. And mom's like, you talking to me.

[Rory]

No, no. Because you was like staring at me.

[Lexi Brown]

Misogynistic.

[Rory]

So absolute. That too. But she was like. Lexi was staring at me like, not happening. I'm like, I didn't say anything, number one. But if you calling me out, let's go out there and make something happen.

[Audience Member]

Let's go find a hoop. Your 11 foot hoop.

[Rory]

N. I don't want no problems with Lexi. I don't want no problems. So in the WNBA in the locker room. I'm sure as far as pre game, you know, it's kind of similar to some of the guys as far as like, you know, the routine, getting ready, mentally preparing for a game. Cause sports is sports. What is the mood like in the locker room with women? Like, what are y'all listening to? Like, what is the vibe in the women's locker room?

[Audience Member]

It really depends on the people on the team. So like my first season with the Sparks, so I'll just say like my most recent experiences, we had like a few more older players, so we like had more like R and B Neca Guma K, she's Nigerian, so it was like a lot of Afro beats, a lot of burns like that. So like, it was good vibes. And then this past year we had a whole bunch of little babies. So we were listening to Sexy Red and Ghana, which I love them. But like, but not before the game. I am like very R and B chill vibes for pre game. So I would just put my headphones on. But you got to get to the arena like three hours early. So like, everybody has like their time slots, do their thing. So everybody kind of is like doing their own thing. I personally hate that. I don't need three hours to get ready for a game.

[Rory]

And no matter who you playing.

[Audience Member]

No, like, even in Athletes Unlimited, like, I was getting to the gym maybe an hour, hour 15 before the game. Like getting, getting my mind right, get some shots up and I'm ready to go. Like, for me, the less I think, the better I play. I'm gonna go over the scout. I'm not. I'm gonna know the scouting report. I know all these players like the back of my hand. Cause I'm like, truly a student.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

But like getting to the arena at like 4:30. I hate it.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

We're on the court for like two hours before the game. Yeah, I'm like. And then you're like in a full sweat whole workout before the game, which is amazing, especially for me earlier in my career when I was not playing.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

When you start playing though, those two hour warmups, you're like.

[Rory]

It kind of like takes the moment.

[Audience Member]

Like we just play already.

[Rory]

Yeah, I feel you. Okay.

[Lexi Brown]

When does the get the fit off photo happen?

[Audience Member]

Is that before. Yes, three hours.

[Lexi Brown]

Always laugh at all athletes that do that. You know, you're wearing a fit to go change immediately.

[Audience Member]

You know, it's funny.

[Lexi Brown]

Like you're going through a tunnel with your fit and then you're putting on.

[Audience Member]

A jersey, parking you're going through a parking garage, the loading dock with your best clothes on, and you're going home after the game. Usually, like, for me, especially in la, like, if I have a really cute outfit on, I'm probably going to go.

[Rory]

Do something, get some dinner or something.

[Audience Member]

But, like, this season, I don't know, because my new teammates in Seattle, they be, like, putting on, like, really nice outfits for games. I'm trying to decide, like, what my energy is going to be this season. Like, I kind of feel like I want to just show up. Like, I'm about to go play basketball. Like, I don't know if I'm going to be in this tunnel fit conversation anymore.

[Lexi Brown]

90% of the time.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. And they'd be like, Skyler Neca Gabby. Like, they have some really nice outfits. I remember seeing them last season. So I don't know. This might be my vibes for.

[Rory]

I was about to say, like, I think that's kind of dope, though, to do, like, just the sweats.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I'm like, I don't really have.

[Rory]

I think Asia had. Did that a few times.

[Audience Member]

Yt.

[Rory]

Yeah, she looked like she was.

[Audience Member]

They started dropping like 40 on people.

[Rory]

I like that, though. Cause I'm the best player in the league. I don't care. Like, I'm coming in here with flip flops, a white T shirt and some shorts, and I'm getting right to the business. I like that type of thing.

[Audience Member]

I feel like maybe certain games, like, if we have, like, a nationally televised game, maybe I'll put a cute outfit on. But I really don't think I'm gonna go to Seattle and be like, super focused on tunnel fits. I really want to.

[Rory]

You know what might be fire Seattle. A lot of rain. You could get a lot of raincoats off.

[Audience Member]

Raincoats in the summer, though.

[Rory]

Yeah, I'm sure it rains in Seattle.

[Audience Member]

It's not. Have you guys been to Seattle?

[Rory]

Yeah. I love Seattle.

[Audience Member]

Oh, so do I. It's like one of my favorite places to play in.

[Rory]

I've heard so much. Like, we. We went a couple years ago to Seattle. And it's funny when we go to different cities, like, we sometimes hang out, but then most of the days that if we're there on the ground, like, we. Maybe two days. We do, like, a lot of different things. And then when we finally meet before the show, me and Rory start talking about what we did. And in Seattle, we was sitting in the group chat like, yo, I love this city. Like, this is a dope city. Like, we heard like, oh, it's depressing. The weather. It's gloomy all year. Da, da, da. I was like, I don't care. This is my vibe. Like, I literally walked around Seattle like a true tourist.

[Audience Member]

And it's gonna be fun, too, because we're the only basketball, professional basketball team there. And then they have the Seahawks, obviously, but they're not in season. But, like, when we're playing, we have the Rams, the Charger, the Clippers, the Lakers, Los Angeles. Now UCLA and usc. Girls are really good. So, like, we're kind of, like, we've been, like, bottom of the totem pole for years. So I was excited to, like, kind of get the sparks back, like, the top of that totem pole. But now I'm in Seattle, and I'm gonna.

[Rory]

Seattle. Have you had a chance to connect with Sue Bird?

[Audience Member]

She actually is the person that got me my podcast.

[Rory]

Really?

[Audience Member]

She's reached out to me. Yeah. So Deep Blue is her.

[Rory]

Okay. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

So she has her podcast with her wife.

[Rory]

Yep.

[Audience Member]

And they do it under the Deep Blue umbrella, which is with iheart. So my teammate Jordan, Canada, old teammate, played in Seattle with Sue. So one day she texted me and was like, sue Bird asked for your number. I don't know why. And I was like, oh, I thought I was about some basketball stuff. Text me. Would you be interested in doing a women's basketball podcast? I think you would be perfect for it. And, like, that's how that started. That was a year ago. A little bit over a year. So, yeah, she's been awesome. And, you know, the fact that someone like Sue Bird recognized my voice and presence in the league, despite the ups and downs of it, like, it, like, meant the world to me. Like, it was amazing. I'm like, I got Sue Bird's number in my phone now.

[Rory]

I mean, yeah, that's Sue Bird. When you talk about just basketball, she's basketball royalty, like, every level. She dominated the game, so that's kind of dope to connect with her, especially being a Seattle. Seattle legend. She is. So you went to high school in Atlanta?

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

What was your musical influence? Like, what were some of your earliest memories of, like, your favorite artist in Atlanta?

[Audience Member]

In Atlanta, I mean, Future. Obviously, the high school I went to was predominantly Caucasian, so I was around a lot of white people.

[Lexi Brown]

We love Future.

[Audience Member]

Right. It's our guy, Roy. I feel like you don't count, though, with these white people that I was with in Atlanta. Like, it was, like. It was like country, suburban, wealthy white people. They were awesome. That's his cousins they were awesome.

[Lexi Brown]

I'm glad you don't think of me as a wealthy white man. I really appreciate that. That the worst backhanded compliment ever. You're not like one of the elites. You're.

[Audience Member]

You're not country, suburban. Are you country or suburban?

[Rory]

No, I'm not.

[Audience Member]

Okay then.

[Lexi Brown]

But nor am I wealthy.

[Audience Member]

Oh my gosh. What was the question? My music. What you listening to in high school in Atlanta Future? I mean, I know Drake's not from Atlanta, but.

[Rory]

Yeah. No, not Atlanta artist.

[Audience Member]

That was like the first.

[Lexi Brown]

When he needs a checklist.

[Audience Member]

10Th grade. I remember listening to Find you'd love. Is that the song? It was on the radio like all the time. And I remember that was the first song of Drake I ever heard.

[Rory]

God damn, you making me feel old. And I love Find you'd Love by Drake was the first Drake song you heard?

[Audience Member]

Yes. And I've been a super fan ever since.

[Rory]

You know how crazy I am.

[Audience Member]

I was 15. I get it.

[Lexi Brown]

You know, with the age difference. Yeah, I can see that being the first one.

[Rory]

Man, I'm old.

[Lexi Brown]

No. Best I ever had or anything. That was. Damn. Find you'd love was the first album, right?

[Audience Member]

That was. Yeah, that was like his first like mainstream song, I want to say. And then I went on my little Drake deep dive and I've been like a super fan ever since.

[Lexi Brown]

What were your parents listening to it though?

[Audience Member]

A lot of Christian music. My mom. It's funny, she likes like the. The white people Christian music. She doesn't really like gossip.

[Lexi Brown]

You went to that high school.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, so my mom is mixed. So she's half white. So my 25% comes out from time to time. I listen to a lot of Backstreet Boys, NSync. My dad likes, you know, older R and B music. My mom loves Luther Van Jaw. So we have like a very different type of like it's a well rounded.

[Rory]

Music in the house.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, for sure.

[Rory]

Who are some of your teammates that you absolutely love their musical taste? Like you would absolutely let them control the music in a lot to you.

[Audience Member]

For me personally, because my taste in music is so all over the place. Nobody like you don't want none of your team. Like, like I said, I like I'll have a Drake song, then Future will come on, then Justin Timberlake will come on, then like Britney Spears will come on. Okay, so it's like all over the place. Yeah. And I've kind of like stopped listening to a lot of rap music lately because it doesn't like make me happy. Like the energy of rap music, for me, just in the time of my life that I'm in right now, it's like it doesn't align.

[Rory]

Is you more R and B right now?

[Audience Member]

Yeah. And pop.

[Rory]

That's funny because I was watching. I was watching the Jordan documentary Last Dance. I watched that probably, like, every other month just to. Just to watch it get finished.

[Audience Member]

That was so much fun.

[Rory]

Incredible documentary. And it's always funny to me when I think they were in Utah in the finals, and Jordan is getting on the bus, and he's walking through the tunnel, and he had his headphones on, and he's, like, jamming, right? So I'm laughing. Cause we already know what he's listening to. But the first time watching it, I remember when somebody asked him, like, yo, Mike, what you listening to? He's like, kenny Lattimore, Mike. Ain't nobody ever bopped their head that hard to Kenny Lattimore. This is straight R. I don't know.

[Lexi Brown]

What song from Kenny makes you feel.

[Rory]

No, he was, like, doing this and playing the air drums, and I'm like, kenny Lattimore doesn't have any music like that. But it's just funny that the most dominant player in the world is listening to smooth R and B on his way to the finals.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, you need to chill out. You need to calm down. Getting too hype. I'm just not a super hype person anyway, so that music, it's fun to listen to. It's fun to, like, dance the locker room before the game because you do need to get, like, a little bit of energy.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

But as far as, like, locking in and getting my mind right for a game, I need R B or have something happy. Like, I don't need all that cussing and not trying to drill on the court. Nah, sexy drill. Cool.

[Rory]

Sexy drill. Cash Cobain. Okay.

[Audience Member]

Love me some Cash Cobain. But even his lyrics are a little, like. Okay, it's a little.

[Rory]

It gets a little aggressive, but it's like the. The music is.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I can tune out the lyrics sometimes.

[Rory]

Just listen to the music.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

When your dad was in the league, did you, like, hang in the locker room at all, or was family completely.

[Audience Member]

Separate at that time? I mean, I was so little. Yeah. I don't think I didn't spend much time with him, like, in the locker room and behind. Like, we had the family room, but I was with my. My mom and my siblings.

[Rory]

I'm so fucking old, dog. I had a poster of your dad on my wall.

[Audience Member]

Love that.

[Rory]

Like, I Think I got the poster.

[Lexi Brown]

You're a basketball groupie, too? Well, yeah, you and I for the Browns.

[Rory]

But I think that. I think the poster was the. You know, the dunk contest when he won the Reebok punk moment. Yeah. But it didn't. The poster didn't come. Come with Reeboks. I think I got that poster with, like, some Jordans. They gave me that poster.

[Audience Member]

Oh, that doesn't make sense.

[Rory]

Didn't make sense. But I was happy to have it. But just you saying that, I'm like. Like I'm old. Like.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Like, I was dad on my wall.

[Audience Member]

I was like a baby when he was in Boston. So I don't even remember him playing in Boston. The only time I remember him playing was in Orlando at the very end of his career. Yeah, I was a little bit older, so, yeah, I got to, like, go to their practices. They had, like, little dance camps with the magic. I wanted to be a magic dancer. I swore I was going to be a magic dancer.

[Rory]

Really?

[Audience Member]

I still want to be a dancer, like, deep down. Like, I took a dance class when I was in Nashville, a hip hop class, and it was so much fun.

[Rory]

Hip hop dance class in Nashville?

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

That sounds like suburban shit.

[Audience Member]

Yep. With my white friend named Joy. Yes. We went to hip hop class together, and it was.

[Lexi Brown]

Did he use terms like urban during it?

[Audience Member]

No, the instructor was black, so he was a black guy. And he was like. He was really cool. But the way it was so funny being in the dance class, because the way he was, like, talking to everybody was like a coach. He was like, lock in. Like, don't do this. He was, like, yelling at us.

[Rory]

I was like, on this two step.

[Audience Member]

Okay. Yeah. Like, he was, like, barking at us, and then he was like, just feel the music. Don't dance. And then people were moving. He's like, what'd I say? I said, don't dance. And I was like, okay. Y'all serious? This is the beginner class.

[Rory]

Yeah, this is the beginner class.

[Audience Member]

It wasn't a beginner class. I'll be of it on TikTok if anybody wants to go look at it.

[Rory]

Oh, videos of you dancing and the class.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Oh, my God. I have to get a TikTok.

[Audience Member]

It was to Travis Porter, the song Naturally. Bring it back. Bring it back.

[Rory]

Naturally. It would be Travis Porter.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Have you ever dabbled podcasting?

[Lexi Brown]

Or is it going to be dancing for the retirement plan?

[Audience Member]

I don't know. I'm like, side quest queen right now. I love it, actually.

[Rory]

You might Be. You should maybe teach a dance class.

[Audience Member]

I. No, I can't do that. I can't dance that. I can dance.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

I can't.

[Rory]

Can you at the club with them? Like, were they. What's the vibe with the WNBA players?

[Lexi Brown]

They were standing on the chairs.

[Audience Member]

Hey, man.

[Lexi Brown]

But like it was like inappropriate twerk. Like. Like a friendly, fun twerk.

[Audience Member]

It wasn't like that in la. They don't get rowdy like that in la. Not a highlight room.

[Rory]

Well, no girls in the highlight room. I've seen some girls dance in highlight room. Well, that's cause Chris wasn't on.

[Audience Member]

Chris was standing on R and B Wednesdays. I know it wasn't then.

[Rory]

Yeah, I think it was.

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah.

[Rory]

That's the only time I've ever been to Holli Room.

[Audience Member]

I love. I'm gonna miss that in the summer.

[Rory]

They're moving it though. They're moving it to. I think Sean said they're moving it to Zuke. It's another club opening up.

[Audience Member]

Really?

[Rory]

Yeah. So they're moving in. The last highlight room party was I think last week. And then they'll be doing a highlight room in Zuk.

[Audience Member]

I didn't know that.

[Rory]

Yeah. So it's still. The party is still gonna be around.

[Audience Member]

But it's not that. Okay, that's fine. I'm not gonna feel as bad.

[Rory]

Yeah, yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Listen.

[Audience Member]

End of an era.

[Lexi Brown]

I left out a part of that story. After the game, I took her to some ratchet hookah spot.

[Audience Member]

You sure did that.

[Lexi Brown]

That reason.

[Rory]

Hollywood hookah.

[Lexi Brown]

No, no, that would. That would have been like Michelin star compared to what the fuck we went to. Reason was like, yeah, no, my people throwing a little something at this hookah spot. And he was talking about his people from Carson like it was a hole in the wall.

[Audience Member]

Like it was the hood in there.

[Lexi Brown]

And here I am with two women. Like, you know, we could leave. Don't worry.

[Audience Member]

I was like, can we go to highlight room, please? Rory didn't even want to go. Like it's a highlight room question.

[Rory]

Rory has been a highlight room a thousand times.

[Lexi Brown]

And it wasn't. Cause it wasn't Wednesday, right?

[Audience Member]

I don't remember.

[Lexi Brown]

I think it was like regular night highlight room.

[Audience Member]

So I was.

[Lexi Brown]

I lasted maybe 30 minutes. Yeah, Rory was out of there and no, she stayed. You stayed till like 4am I stayed. You was in the mix.

[Audience Member]

Well, I tell you when we. Because it was so funny. My teammate or not my teammate. My friend came out with us on Sunday. It was like our rap party for Athletes Unlimited So, like, the season's over. Right. Everyone's been, like, playing for five straight weeks, stressed out, everyone's tired, blah, blah, blah, blah. So this was, like, kind of everyone's, like, let loose moment. So, like, we was going crazy. And she was like, it's literally Sunday. Are you guys insane? I'm like, we don't pay attention to the days of the week. Do we have an off day the next day we're going out or we're doing something? Like, we don't care what day of the week it is. We gotta figure it out.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Is it less strict in the league than it probably was was at Duke?

[Audience Member]

Oh, for sure.

[Lexi Brown]

I feel like Duke would be way more strict than the league.

[Audience Member]

We had a time. I had a great time at Duke in Durham. Like, we had so much fun, my teammates and I. We were always out doing something. They weren't super strict at Duke, but, like, obviously, like, everyone is watching. But Duke is such a small school.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

So there was only one bar that everybody went to. It was 18 and up. It's called shooters.

[Rory]

Naturally. That's weird.

[Audience Member]

It was, like, in this big barn.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

So, like, that's where everybody was at Wednesdays and Saturdays. And if you weren't at shooters, you were at home.

[Rory]

This coach, Coach K lives on. I heard he lives on, like, in, like, the woods near campus. Like, he has this crazy house in the woods.

[Audience Member]

I've never been to Coach K's house, but I could believe that. Yeah, like some mansion in the Durham Forest.

[Rory]

Yeah. Like, he has, like a. It's, like, in the forest, has this crazy. I think Dante Jones was telling me that a few years ago. Like, I believe that in this crazy house in the forest.

[Audience Member]

Like, I believe it.

[Rory]

You in trees and then you just see Coach K's house.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. There's, like, this big trail, like, in the back of Duke. The boys team used to have to, like, run some of their conditioning tests back there. They had, like, this big.

[Lexi Brown]

Zion needs to go back.

[Audience Member]

Don't be.

[Lexi Brown]

What?

[Rory]

He looks a lot healthier.

[Audience Member]

He does look. He looks better now.

[Rory]

Yeah, he does.

[Audience Member]

Weird.

[Lexi Brown]

Were you there at the same time as that team?

[Audience Member]

I left when they got there. Zion got there.

[Lexi Brown]

Did you have much interaction with Coach K at all?

[Audience Member]

Oh, yeah. He was always in the weight room, so I always used to see him around the gym. Very nice. He was really cool. We shared it. He scared me at first, but, like. So we have the big facility, the practice facility. So we shared the weight room with the men's team. We shared the courts and then we shared the training room but like obviously we had different practice times but we would like our locker rooms are like right next to each other so like we would see them and all the coaches like all the time.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Rory]

Have you ever thought about any doing anything music related after you're done playing sports?

[Audience Member]

I want to learn how to dj.

[Rory]

Really?

[Audience Member]

Yes. I just love music. I love the process of making a song. It's been so interesting to me. I watch those videos on YouTube with the producers when they break down how they like created a beat. I love those videos but I have no idea what any. I don't know what any of them are talking about.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean with AI now you could just. Just tell it what you want.

[Audience Member]

I would love to learn how to be a producer and I want to rap on a song but someone would have to write a rap for me.

[Rory]

Chatgpt.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

Elaine Jello just did it. Like you couldn't do the same thing.

[Audience Member]

Were you a fan of that song?

[Rory]

I hate that.

[Audience Member]

I heard you.

[Lexi Brown]

Here we go.

[Audience Member]

I just wanted you to say it again.

[Rory]

Were you a fan of the song?

[Audience Member]

Yes. I loved it.

[Rory]

No, you did. Lex, don't do that.

[Lexi Brown]

You need to just accept that we like that song.

[Audience Member]

I root everything Ball family.

[Rory]

Okay, see now that's totally different because I do too.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I support you clearly do not because you hate to.

[Lexi Brown]

We got a direct email from the ball family. Not coming on the show.

[Rory]

I'm just saying when it comes to really. I just feel like it's certain things. I just feel like it's certain things we just should stay out of. Just stay out of it. I support. I think Lavar ball is. He should have a statue in California. I think the ball family, I think they're what they represent. Hard work and all of that. Getting their family to a certain level. Yeah, I think that's great. I salute that. When they were doing the sneakers, I thought that was a bold move. I respected the move. I think they just weren't ready for that. You know, that monster of the sneaker industry. But that's okay. I love the fact that they tried it. But now when you start talking about rapping and making music, why do you feel like it just feels a little.

[Audience Member]

Bit of like, song went crazy like that? Like what?

[Rory]

Because anything.

[Audience Member]

Because you're more tapped into music than I am. For me, like, when things go viral, I try to, like, deep, deep dive into, like, what's going on. Like, that's a sociologist in me. That's what I went to school for. What is going on in the world that makes this particular moment, like, go crazy?

[Rory]

See, I think people don't understand what's going on. I think people don't understand of just having a, like, a viral moment. If we understood exactly how many people just are not engaged in our world and our algorithm on social media, like, you would realize that in the grand scheme of the world, that record is not what you think it is just because of what you follow on your social media. It's not that. So I'm just listening to it, like, just the music of it. And I'm like, first of all, he's rapping like he's from the South. He's from Chino Hills, California. This sounds like early cash money hot boys. Like, so that's why I say chatgpt, because to me, it feels like somebody just went in the studio and said, let's try to get as close to hot boys cash money era as we possibly can. And I heard it and I'm just like, it just doesn't feel. It doesn't feel like an authentic, real song to me at all.

[Audience Member]

No, it definitely felt like a viral moment type situation, and it worked. But now he's been on. He performed that, right?

[Rory]

Terrible.

[Audience Member]

Isn't he going to like Coachella or something now too? Or some festival?

[Rory]

See?

[Lexi Brown]

All right, let me. Let me.

[Audience Member]

Rolling Loud. There it is.

[Lexi Brown]

He'll fit in at Rolling Loud for sure with shitty performers.

[Rory]

Like, that's.

[Lexi Brown]

That's.

[Audience Member]

I've never been to the Rolling Loud or Coachella.

[Lexi Brown]

I. I respect what Rolling Loud has done. And like, I would go if we were interviewing people, but it's just too overwhelming of young people on drugs, too many. And I would. My social anxiety, I would have a panic attack.

[Rory]

It's too much.

[Audience Member]

At some point, I would just be mad all the time. I can't believe people stand that close to other people in the heat, outdoors.

[Lexi Brown]

Everybody'S on drugs, get there at 10am you go to the bathroom on yourself.

[Rory]

You just let it. Let it happen.

[Audience Member]

Disgusting. Nothing. There's nothing about a music festival that is appealing to me.

[Rory]

It's probably one of the most overrated experiences ever.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, that's what I've heard.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean some festivals aren't. But that one in particular I think is just too overwhelmed. It's. I think it's the only excuse that like 16 year old white kids can take Molly without their parents knowing and use the N word all in one event.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Cover all the like everything that they've wanted to do. They can scream with impunity along and no one will say no.

[Audience Member]

That seems insane.

[Lexi Brown]

But tweaker this was as of an hour ago via Billboard has made over 600 grand in just streaming.

[Audience Member]

What?

[Lexi Brown]

It's only been a few weeks.

[Audience Member]

See, that's amazing.

[Lexi Brown]

He's gonna recoup that deal.

[Audience Member]

That's amazing. That's crazy.

[Lexi Brown]

And that's without the performances.

[Audience Member]

So now you are, you're jello. What direction are you now going with your music? Are you leaning into this or you're like gonna try and make like normal music?

[Lexi Brown]

I think that's nippity.

[Rory]

What is normal music?

[Audience Member]

I don't know.

[Lexi Brown]

Factory voice, Duh.

[Audience Member]

Like, is he gonna try and embody this?

[Rory]

Of course.

[Audience Member]

The early 2000s era. Like he's just gonna. He's just gonna lean into that.

[Rory]

With a red bandana top.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. Now with baggies. Yeah, you gotta lean all the way in, right?

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

So he just gotta.

[Rory]

Malibu's Most Wanted. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

He feels like it.

[Lexi Brown]

It feels like it had like some parts.

[Audience Member]

Man, I gotta sneak and watch that movie. My mom wouldn't let me watch that movie.

[Rory]

Malibu's Most Wanted.

[Lexi Brown]

It. What? In the movies?

[Rory]

Why you couldn't watch that?

[Audience Member]

There was a lot of things I could have watched growing up.

[Lexi Brown]

You act like it was Casino or something.

[Audience Member]

I could have watched that. I couldn't watch none of the shows on mtv. Like Next Room Raiders, classic show.

[Rory]

Classic. Just name some classics.

[Audience Member]

Just now I just snuck and watched all the shows on mtv.

[Lexi Brown]

And so you were in a really strict household.

[Audience Member]

It was like, yes, it was like, yeah, it was pretty strict. But it was like I never like needed anything and then everything that I got like had like an achievement attached to it. So like, oh, you want to go hang out with your friends? You have to have these grades. Oh, you want a car? You need to do this. So like I respect to get my car. I got my first car my sophomore year of college. But the only way I got the car was if I finished my senior year with straight A's. And I committed to a top 25 program.

[Lexi Brown]

I respect it.

[Rory]

That's good. That's great.

[Lexi Brown]

And I mean, it clearly worked. You went to NOW or the wnba, so their strategy.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. So, like, they programmed my mind. Like just. My life is just a never ending checklist. And if I do something, then I'm gonna go reward myself.

[Rory]

So do you do that now as an adult? Do you like.

[Audience Member]

That's what I did this morning. So I finished Athletes Unlimited. I finished top 10, and I went and bought a Van Cleef necklace for myself this morning.

[Rory]

I like this.

[Lexi Brown]

This is why I made her pay for the bottle.

[Audience Member]

I like that. I like that you get a little treat.

[Rory]

Yeah, it's like a little Van Cleef. Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Did. Did you feel like you were pressured into basketball or.

[Audience Member]

No.

[Lexi Brown]

Was that something?

[Audience Member]

Honestly, my dad did not. Was. He was not very impressed by me when I was a kid. He was like, are you sure you want to do this?

[Lexi Brown]

That was more like, are you sure?

[Rory]

You are terrible.

[Audience Member]

I was like, yes, Dad, I want to just hang out with you and be in the gym with you. And then I got a little older and the work ethic was there and the athleticism wasn't quite there yet. So that's why he created me to be a really good shooter. Cause he was like, if you grow a little bit, if you don't grow, if you get faster, you don't get faster, you're gonna be able to shoot or you're gonna be fine. But then I ended up leaning out a little bit. I got taller. I have long arms and the work ethic was already there. So once I got 8th, 9th grade, we were like, okay, like, this is something I wanna do. He coached in the WNBA for a few years. And then that's the first time I was up close and personal with the W. I was like, oh, no, I want to. This is what I want to do. Like, this is my dream, to be a WNBA player.

[Lexi Brown]

Who was your favorite player growing up?

[Audience Member]

So he coached the Orlando Miracle, which no longer exists. They had a point guard. Her name was Shannon Johnson, but her nickname was Pee Wee. And she was my favorite player growing up. And then Christie Toliver was my next favorite player. She went to Maryland. She's the reason why I went to Maryland. We were teammates for a year in la, which was ridiculous. And I was like, yeah, yeah. Like leave on my podcast. But yeah, no, A lot of shooters, a lot of point guards are people that I enjoy watching and model my game after.

[Rory]

Are you A better shooter than your dad now?

[Audience Member]

Yes, I am.

[Rory]

You said that with con like you didn't even think about it.

[Audience Member]

Well, I told you, there's not very many people that.

[Rory]

I'm just saying. But your dad is a pro ballplayer too, so it's kind of like, you know, it's like.

[Audience Member]

All right, he got a bad hypnotic now. He got a. Oh, see, now cuz he's. He's a little 100%.

[Rory]

Oh, okay. All right. You catch him on the tail end. All.

[Audience Member]

Exactly.

[Lexi Brown]

Okay. When was the first time you beat him in 101?

[Audience Member]

Never.

[Rory]

Yeah, see, get to that. I just.

[Audience Member]

We played full court one on one once when I was a little younger and I could have beat him and I missed my layup and I freaked out because I was a kid, like. And then he went and scored and we never played again after that.

[Rory]

Had he ever dunk on you?

[Audience Member]

Probably. But probably like fun. Not like to demoralize style.

[Lexi Brown]

I do that to Amara now with my Nerf hoop. You have to now that she can stand and walk.

[Rory]

It builds character. Definitely.

[Audience Member]

Jumping over waiting for your child to stand so you can dunk on them is crazy.

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah, that's hilarious.

[Rory]

So you had your career high against Phoenix a few years ago. What were you listening to before that game?

[Audience Member]

What was I listening to? You know what's crazy? That was right when I was really sick. So I don't know if I was even listening to anything. I was like, struggling to be prepared for that game, like physically. So the fact that I had the game that I had that at that time, the way I was feeling was insane. So I don't even think I was listening to music. I think I was just trying to really get through the day.

[Lexi Brown]

So the flu game, AKA Hungover Gabe, and.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, and probably two weeks after that was when I was out for the season. So battling through, pushing through, how to go out on a high note, at least. I was like, I don't know what's going on.

[Rory]

Let it go.

[Audience Member]

I was like, I don't know what's going on. I don't know if I'll be able to play again. So let me at least like, play until I physically can't. And that's actually what happened. But in hindsight, that was not a very smart thing to do for me.

[Rory]

So which. Which one of your teammates can you remember? I know you said you wear your headphones a lot when you're around your teammates, but from what you can remember, who has the worst taste in music?

[Audience Member]

They would probably say me, really? As amazing as I love. Like, as amazing as my playlist is to me, if I were to play in the locker room, they would be like, turn this shit off.

[Rory]

Okay, so you have the worst taste in me.

[Audience Member]

I'm gonna say that.

[Lexi Brown]

I'm listening to Backstreet Boys over Sexyy Red any day. So am I, and it's not even close.

[Rory]

Yeah, I think I'm with you on that.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. But I mean, shout out to Sexy.

[Rory]

Red over Sexyy Red.

[Audience Member]

Definitely in sync.

[Rory]

NSYNC or Backstreet Boy?

[Audience Member]

I just went to a Justin Timberlake concert a few weeks ago.

[Rory]

So you're more of an NSYNC girl, then?

[Audience Member]

Oh, yeah. But I'm also gon go watch the Backstreet Boys in Vegas in their residency. Okay, I'm in there.

[Lexi Brown]

Something tells me your. Your favorite JT album is the man in the woods one.

[Audience Member]

Was that his most recent one?

[Lexi Brown]

That. Whatever.

[Audience Member]

That.

[Lexi Brown]

Whatever. The worst one was for suburban, white, wealthy people. That.

[Audience Member]

I was like, I'm gonna stop working with Timberland. Go back. Yeah, go back to Timberland days. And that's really what he leaned in to in his. His tour. I was very happy with his set list. Cause I was a little concerned with his recent releases. And I was like, what kind of music are we gonna hear?

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah, he.

[Audience Member]

He. He was with the Old Reliables. He was smart.

[Lexi Brown]

When you were in Vegas, did you ever go to any residencies?

[Audience Member]

No, but I went to Usher when he went on tour, so he came to la, so I got to see Usher.

[Rory]

Incredible show.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, it was good, but it was like, compared to the residency, it kind of was like, here. Damn, y'all. I want to see this here. Cool.

[Rory]

Yeah, I come to Vegas. I'll come to your right.

[Audience Member]

So I do wish I went to Vegas, but, yeah, I'm going to that Backstreet Boys one. And it's in the Sphere, I think, which I've never been in, so.

[Lexi Brown]

Oh, wait, they have a residency now.

[Audience Member]

They just announced it. It.

[Lexi Brown]

Oh, I'm. Yeah, I need to.

[Rory]

They have. The Backstreet Boys have a residency in the Sphere?

[Audience Member]

I think so. Yeah. I think it's in the sphere.

[Rory]

Crazy.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, they just announced it.

[Rory]

Yeah, I would. I gotta go see that.

[Audience Member]

I'm in there.

[Rory]

I would have to go see that. That just. That. That's a moment. Like, you have to see that. Being on Gill's Arena. How has it prepared you for your.

[Lexi Brown]

For.

[Rory]

Well, yeah, for. For podcasting. Like, how is it with the guys sitting down?

[Audience Member]

Yeah, every week I Mean, my journey within Gil's has been so funny because we have the live chat. So I'm getting active feedback on my presence in real time. So Gil looks at the chat during the show. So I don't know if people realize that he says things on purpose because he's reading the chat. So it's like he.

[Rory]

He gets ideas and questions.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, exactly.

[Rory]

I like that though.

[Audience Member]

He reads a chat. Josiah. They're all reading the chat in real time. I stopped reading the chat. I stopped reading the comments because men are mean. But when I first got on the show, they hated me. Like hated my.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean, who is this girl men to be?

[Audience Member]

What is she like? Who is she? Like? She's a player. Like we didn't know da da da. Then we had a shootout and I would beat everybody.

[Lexi Brown]

With Gil, you have to be specific.

[Rory]

Yeah. What type?

[Audience Member]

We had a basketball shootout.

[Rory]

There you go. Yeah, he dabbles in. He dabbles in a little bit of both. Like Gil is.

[Lexi Brown]

We just have to be clear.

[Audience Member]

That's funny as hell. Yeah, we had a basketball shootout and I beat all the guys. I made it the farthest. And then after that the chat was weak. We love Lexi. She's actually good at basketball. We don't care that she's been in the WNBA for six years. She beat a bunch of retired NBA players at mid range jump shots.

[Lexi Brown]

I'm not here to defend the incel chat, but beating Gilbert at a shootout is a. That's a stat. Cause Gil could shoot.

[Audience Member]

And I'm like, they had higher lowers on the game. I'm like, y'all think that. Y'all really think Gil is gonna go 10 for 25?

[Rory]

Like, I mean Gilbert Arenas is a. I mean if you.

[Audience Member]

My over under was low. It was so disrespectful. They were like. Mine was like less than 50%.

[Rory]

Really?

[Audience Member]

Yeah. I was like, y'all are rude.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

I made it to like the almost the final round and then two of other people like went for the last round. But it was fun. But yeah, I literally won the chat over in the shooting game.

[Rory]

Just want to do it. They just wanna see that you know what you're doing there.

[Audience Member]

I was like, all these videos of me, all these means nothing. They were like that you outshot a bunch of 40 year old retired NBA guys. You're her. Yeah, you're her. You're her now. Like, we respect you, but it's been fun. And being around those guys has just been amazing.

[Rory]

Like, who has the worst music take.

[Audience Member]

On the show, we don't even talk about music that much or taste. I don't know. I don't really know the music that they all listen to, honestly. But I remember when the Kendrick Drake stuff was going on, they all had like, a lot of opinions about that. And ultimately we were like, we play sports. We don't care about rap beef.

[Rory]

Just like, you don't know ball. Y'all don't know music. Yeah, it's one thing to say, right?

[Lexi Brown]

But you ever get worried sitting next to Gil? He's one of my favorite personalities. Like, even before he started podcasting, anything he would do on the Internet was the first. Anytime there was an interview, anytime he just spoke, I'm stopping what I'm doing to see what Gil is about to do, especially if it has to do with Nicki Young.

[Audience Member]

Those two together have been hilarious. When they brought Nick on, I was like, is he just gonna be on sometimes? But he sat on that couch the first time I was there. When he was there, I was like, I want to hear every day their back and forth, their banter, their stories. Like, it has like changed like the. The cadence of the show. I think having them two on, I.

[Lexi Brown]

I thought when I became a father, I'd. I'd be a little more gentle with certain things. I still watch the clips of guilt abusing Nick Young's kids, and I still think it's the last thing on.

[Audience Member]

The way they talk about playing the kids Madden video games, I'm like, do y'all ever grow up?

[Rory]

No.

[Audience Member]

No.

[Rory]

Why?

[Audience Member]

They don't. Never.

[Rory]

Don't grow up.

[Audience Member]

Like, I'm just with a bunch of grown ass kids all the time. I would say Kenyon is probably the only one that is not.

[Rory]

Kenya seems to be the most.

[Audience Member]

Me and Kenyan are here.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

That's why we always sit next to each other. Like, here they go.

[Rory]

Yeah, yeah. Kenyan ain't for the. He ain't for a lot of games. Nah, he ain't got a lot of play. Play in him. Kenya him from playing?

[Audience Member]

No, no, never did.

[Rory]

Yeah, never did.

[Audience Member]

They've been great. It's been really fun.

[Lexi Brown]

What's. What's been the wildest off mic take in pre production or when you guys rap, it's okay to snitch.

[Audience Member]

I'm trying to think, to be honest, I don't. I'm not really in any of like, those conversations in pre production. I'm like their little like angel baby. So, like, they keep me out of like, all the nonsense. Like, they have a group chat. I'm not in it. I don't want to be in it. I just show up, I'm myself, and I leave. And I think that's what makes our chemistry so good. It's like I literally just, like, drop in. I drop out. And, like, when they go to games, when they go to All Star, like, I don't go.

[Lexi Brown]

When they talk about Drea. Yeah, Stay out of it.

[Audience Member]

I stay out of it. When they have the strip club conversations on the couch, I'm just, like, fly on the wall. They gave me a bullhorn. That's my contribution to those conversations. All right. Too much. Not too much.

[Lexi Brown]

I do think it would be great content for you to go to the strip club with Gil.

[Audience Member]

Oh, my God.

[Lexi Brown]

I would tune in.

[Audience Member]

Did you guys see the conversation that they had about competing with other men for bottles?

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

What do y'all think about that? So basically, he was saying, like, that's what Kenya said.

[Lexi Brown]

It's a pretty gay thing.

[Audience Member]

That's what Kenya said. But Gil was on that. He was dying on that hill. Like, I go to the club to make everybody else in the club look broke, and I don't care what else is going on. So if he buys 10 bottles, I'm buying 20 bottles. If you buy 30 bottles, I'm buying 40 bottles.

[Lexi Brown]

The only one that wins is the club owner.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, right.

[Lexi Brown]

Like, he's the only one rooting for the club.

[Audience Member]

And he was like, y'all are losers. He was like, you guys are all losers. And I was like, I don't buy bottles in the club, so I don't have anything to contribute.

[Rory]

I do. I mean, for athletes, especially somebody. But it's hilarious. Cause I remember a story Gil was saying about he go to the strip club, spend all this money, and then the next day report his card stolen, and then it ends up getting all the money back.

[Lexi Brown]

Definitely done that before.

[Rory]

I thought that was incredible for him to say that. But, I mean, you know, as athletes, it is a. It's a lot of ego with athletes, especially if, you know, we're playing in the city and, let's say LeBron and the Lakers come to town, and then they're in the club, and it's like, okay, they're visiting, but we're in the city every week. Like, if the Lakers are in the club and, you know, we're in the club as well, I could see how it's like, yo, y'all not gonna come to our city and just go crazy, turn it upside down, and fly out tomorrow? Like, nah, we're like, we got. We gotta make sure we. So I understand it from an athlete competitor.

[Lexi Brown]

That's still really gay to me.

[Rory]

No, I get it. But it's like, it's 1 million percent attached to a man's ego.

[Audience Member]

The first time I personally experienced that is the year UNC boys basketball won the championship. And they came to Shooters to celebrate.

[Rory]

Oh, man.

[Audience Member]

So obviously our men's team were like, what the hell are y'all doing here? We were like, woo. We going Unc. We was partying. We just wanted to party.

[Rory]

Y'all can't do that. Nah, y'all can't do that.

[Audience Member]

We don't care.

[Lexi Brown]

That might be the headline right here. It was while you was at Duke. You were saying, go, unc.

[Audience Member]

We was partying. Congratulations, guys. Where the party at, y'all? Y'all in Durham? They pulled up to Durham. We didn't invite them. They showed up.

[Lexi Brown]

That's not even male ego.

[Audience Member]

I'm actually surprised that they let them inside.

[Rory]

Yeah. I was asking how did they even let that happen?

[Audience Member]

I don't know.

[Rory]

Because they won and nothing and nothing popped off. There was no. Because that's a. Unc. Duke is a real, like, Right?

[Audience Member]

No, literally, they wouldn't even let the Duke guys go to Chapel Hill.

[Lexi Brown]

That makes sense, like, a rule.

[Audience Member]

But the UNC guys was always in Durham at shooters. So Shooters was like.

[Rory]

When it was like, we don't give a shit.

[Audience Member]

Shooters was a free for all. Like, I told you, 18 and up. So, like, everybody was in there.

[Lexi Brown]

To me, what it sounds like Duke is pussy.

[Rory]

Yeah, that's just what it sounds like. I don't know if we wouldn't have.

[Audience Member]

I remember that. Cause we were like, what are y'all doing here? Like, go back to Chapel Hill. But, like, Chapel Hill was, like, definitely more. I wouldn't say upscale, but they were, like, more strict because they had, like, like actual bars and clubs and restaurants in Chapel Hill. And then we just had our.

[Rory]

The barn.

[Audience Member]

A dirty ass place.

[Lexi Brown]

Oh, but to leave Chapel Hill and, like, Durham is not hood per se, but there's some nasty stuff.

[Audience Member]

Oh, yeah. Duke is, like, parked in the middle of the hood. I had no idea. Just dropped. Yeah, right in the middle.

[Rory]

Who are your. Give me your top five players whose dad had played in the NBA.

[Audience Member]

Ooh, can I think of five?

[Rory]

Well, you gotta. You know who the number one is. Obviously.

[Lexi Brown]

You, of course.

[Audience Member]

Oh, is it men and women?

[Rory]

Yeah, it can be.

[Audience Member]

Okay. Yeah. But me? No Steph Curry. I think one.

[Lexi Brown]

Nah. Over Kobe.

[Audience Member]

Kobe's dad played in the NBA?

[Rory]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Oh, yeah. Then Kobe, Stephen. I would put Clay. Does Clay Thompson's dad play in the NBA? I'll put Clay up there.

[Lexi Brown]

I didn't even know that.

[Audience Member]

Who else had a dad in the league?

[Rory]

I'll help you out. Duke alumni Austin.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. Said he's now podcasting.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

I wish he played. I wish he's able to play a little. I remember him in high school. Cause he went to Austin Park.

[Rory]

Austin was the number one player in the nation, I think. High school. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

He might have the best mixtape. High school mixtape ever.

[Rory]

He's one of. One of your coat. Brandon Jennings. He's his high school mixtape is. Is one of the legendary high school mix.

[Audience Member]

Remember those? Like, everybody got them, but everybody got one now, so it's not the same. You got to be like, one of them ones to get a mixtape now. Everybody got a Damn.

[Lexi Brown]

There's a camera right here.

[Audience Member]

Video. So everyone. Everyone got one.

[Lexi Brown]

That was like a.

[Rory]

But Austin. Austin Rivers, his. His high school mixtape, I remember watching it crazy. And I was like, damn. Like, he's. He's a problem. For real.

[Lexi Brown]

Brandon's is probably the first one. I remember when I was in his.

[Rory]

His probably is. He's probably the first one that kind of like, everybody was like. That was like, as far as I can remember, first high school mixtape where everybody saw it and was like, yo, that's crazy. That tape is incredible.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, that was nuts. The fifth one, I'm gonna say Bronnie.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

I love Bronnie. I don't know why everyone got smoke with Bronnie.

[Lexi Brown]

But you love Bronnie for what? Because, like, as a human, I just.

[Audience Member]

Love that he's been able to just be successful.

[Lexi Brown]

You think he was deserving of the 55th pick?

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I was the 55th pick.

[Rory]

And that's where I stand. So we, we, we, we. Who else? Who would have you had? Who did you.

[Audience Member]

What other 55th pick? History of NBA has made a team money.

[Lexi Brown]

I am all the way with Nepo babies. I think it's amazing the owners are doing it. Why can't Braun? But he is not the 55th pick. That was a Nepo pick. It was.

[Rory]

Yes.

[Lexi Brown]

I'm fine with it.

[Rory]

Yes, it was. He was a Nepo pick. We know that. But now if the Lakers would have had this third pick and they picked Bronnie, then I would be like, all right, fam.

[Audience Member]

That's a little different.

[Rory]

Like, what we doing? Like, we had a chance to go get. You know what I'm saying? Like, Maybe somebody who's going to be a franchise player.

[Audience Member]

Literally, almost not drafted.

[Rory]

Exactly.

[Audience Member]

So.

[Rory]

So why not?

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

No, he shouldn't have been drafted.

[Rory]

No. And.

[Audience Member]

And.

[Rory]

And here's the. Here's the other reason why, to me, that pick doesn't really matter. They ended up getting Luka in the same year. Right?

[Lexi Brown]

Great.

[Audience Member]

Good karma.

[Rory]

Like, it doesn't even. It don't matter who.

[Lexi Brown]

First of all.

[Audience Member]

Time, they knew Luca was coming.

[Rory]

Yeah, like, it doesn't matter who you pick at 50. We know we got Luca coming in January.

[Lexi Brown]

Wait, Bronnie was the chess piece for Lucas?

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Rory]

I don't know.

[Audience Member]

Needle mover.

[Rory]

All I'm saying is.

[Lexi Brown]

No, you do know.

[Rory]

I don't know. What I'm saying is it doesn't matter who they did not draft at 55.

[Audience Member]

They have Luca now.

[Rory]

They have Luca. Doesn't matter who the 55th pick is.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean, according to y'all, they didn't need them, though, because they got Brownie.

[Audience Member]

No, no, no, no.

[Rory]

I didn't say that. No, no. I think the Luca pick was legendary. We needed that. But, yeah, now the 55th pick really doesn't matter. When you get Luka in the same year, doesn't fucking matter.

[Audience Member]

Like, but why? Yeah, again, why not let Bronnie and Bron play together? They were making history. They were making money. They dragged it. Not Bronnie and Bron. I think that they have handled it well, but I think the media dragged it. I think they all dragged it.

[Rory]

Yeah. Nike had to make sure they got that moment on tape. They had to. That's the document. Documentary.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. For sure.

[Rory]

Yeah, Absolutely.

[Audience Member]

Definitely going to documentary.

[Rory]

Having the Griffey's Court side and that whole thing. It was a Nike documentary.

[Lexi Brown]

And listen, I don't want to sound like a hater, because I think what Bronnie is doing is way better than what Michael Jordan's son is doing. So I just recently. When it comes to.

[Audience Member]

How old is Michael Jordan's son right now. Acting. Acting.

[Rory]

A damn fool who gives dirty something.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, right.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

And y'all mad at Bronnie because he.

[Rory]

I mean, I love the trophy room collector. I think the trophy room collection is incredible.

[Lexi Brown]

Like, he had such promise in Space Jam. I thought he was going places. Like, he found the shorts. He did everything right. He didn't even snitch on the Looney Tunes. Didn't tell his mom nothing.

[Audience Member]

Sure. Did it.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected. From big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off. Up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid car. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Rory]

So, Lex, what's some of your music predictions for 2025?

[Audience Member]

Music prediction?

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Oh, gosh.

[Rory]

Like who are some of the artists you're looking forward to hearing there albums?

[Audience Member]

Drake. I think Drake has started his recovery.

[Rory]

How do you feel about the album? Some sexy songs for you?

[Audience Member]

I love it.

[Rory]

Yeah. Okay.

[Audience Member]

Anything Drake puts out, I. I love. Everybody knows that about me.

[Lexi Brown]

Did you feel disrespected as a woman when you were listening to the songs?

[Audience Member]

Drake is like. He's just different. I just enjoy his music. I didn't initially like the album that much first listen, but after I listened to it a few more times, it grew on me. Which Drake albums? That's typically how people consume Drake. They want to hate it and then they're like, it's not that bad. And then now everybody's singing.

[Rory]

Especially coming out of last year. Like I think people were listening to this with more of a critical ear.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, it was like odd. Let's see. I'm gonna go. I'm gonna shift to my pop side, you know, NSync, Backstreet Boys, all them Christian Aguilera. I feel like maybe a Britney Spears reemergence might happen somewhere.

[Rory]

Imagine they would have gone.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean she. A resurgence will happen. I'm not saying.

[Audience Member]

I don't know in what way. Yeah, I don't know.

[Rory]

Brittany pops out every now and then.

[Audience Member]

She says hello to us because Christian Aguilera looks amazing, is performing again and.

[Lexi Brown]

One of the best voices of all time.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. Justin Timberlake, NSync, Backstreet Boys are all coming out the woodworks. I feel like this little. That whatever era you would call that, they're like all kind of like creeping back, which I love.

[Lexi Brown]

I hope, I hope Brittany gets to a good mental space where she's able to do that.

[Audience Member]

That I read her book. It was really sad. I hope that she's able to like.

[Rory]

Yeah. The stuff that she went through with her, you know, finances, business and her dad and everything, controlling everything, that was.

[Audience Member]

That was really sad.

[Lexi Brown]

I agree with y'all. But is it finally okay to say maybe her dad had a point?

[Rory]

I mean, I see why you say that. Because obviously the videos Britney's been posting, people kind of question her mental health and things like that. But I'm also on the side of. I think somewhere in there, maybe Brittany's playing into that.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I don't. I mean, listening to the book.

[Rory]

Cause we don't hear nothing about Britney, like, in real life. Like, if right now, if something breaks, like Britney Spears was here and did that, we don't hear.

[Audience Member]

I mean, the last thing we heard about Britney was when Wemby's people smacked her in Vegas.

[Lexi Brown]

Oh, yeah.

[Audience Member]

That was ridiculous.

[Rory]

The security guard. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. That was insane. I was like, this is. This is how we're doing Britney Spears right now. But listening to the book, it was like. It broke my heart. It was sad because she was thrown into this lifestyle so young and so early, and people just were constantly taking advantage of her over and over and over. But it got to a point, like, me and my best friend, we listened to it on audiobook together. Like, we were on a road trip, kind of going to Palm Springs one day. We were like, let's just listen to the Britney Spears. So at some point, we had to stop sometimes and be like, girl, you're like, grown now. Like, you're gonna keep letting people mistreat you and use and abuse you. But again, like, she didn't know anything. El really had no friends. Her family was trash. So I'm just like, was. I don't really know how. I didn't really have an opinion after. Cause I was, like, a little bit more confused after listening to the book. I didn't, like, really understand her at all because she's still. Obviously not okay. The situation is still really messed up. So I'm like, they let this book come out. It made everybody on her opposing side look crazy. But she's still in the same situation she's in, kind of. So I'm like, yeah, where. Where do you want us to go from here to, like, support Britney Spears or, like, help her? Because I'm like, okay. She released the book and everyone was like, okay, yeah, yeah, cool.

[Lexi Brown]

Was it a Netflix doc or Hulu? It was maybe during the pandemic.

[Audience Member]

I think it was Hulu.

[Lexi Brown]

That was very, very sad.

[Audience Member]

But it's like they've been, like, putting all these things out there for, like, people to, like, help her. And everyone's just kind of like, we're going to just stay away from that. And I would. I don't know why.

[Rory]

We should go to the. We should go to the. The Sphere, the Backstreet Boys concert together.

[Audience Member]

Oh, my God. So fun.

[Lexi Brown]

Heartbeat.

[Rory]

I just want to see Lexi, like, go crazy, like, over, like, her. Her childhood.

[Lexi Brown]

But you have to sing along with us. Like, you can't.

[Rory]

100%.

[Lexi Brown]

We'll be hitting every note. You can't just be sitting.

[Audience Member]

Wait. So I met AJ At a Rams game. I actually have a picture with him, so I'm gonna hit him up. Be like, can we come backstage? Can we meet y'all? Let's do it. Like, he was so. He was so cool, but I, like, I fre. Freaked the fuck out when I saw him at the game. I was like, oh, my God, it's a Backstreet Boy. And he was like, yeah, it's me. Yeah, you deserve to act like that. Act just like that. This is how you deserve to act.

[Rory]

Yeah. If you're a Backstreet Boy, that's how.

[Audience Member]

You got to it. He was so cool. He was so nice. So, yeah, I told him I already hit him up. I said, I'm pulling up to the.

[Rory]

Yeah, we gotta see that.

[Lexi Brown]

For sure. I randomly saw Joey Fatone in Brooklyn, like, two years ago. They're just walking. I was like, is that Joey Fatone?

[Rory]

Yeah, Joey in Brooklyn. Where else would Joey Fatone be? He has to be in Brooklyn.

[Lexi Brown]

Well, he's from Brooklyn.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

If you get in the background of Joey Fatone. How the did he end up, though? He's from, like, Benson Hurst, Brooklyn. It's like, pop in the mob or some.

[Audience Member]

There's a documentary on Netflix called Dirty Pop, I think, and it's about, like, their manager, and they kind of, like, touch on.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

How he, like, he was like, a boy band, like, Factory. Yeah, Just this one dude.

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah, the fat guy.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

I watched that doc. But didn't he end up being, like, a creepy pedophile or some shit, too?

[Audience Member]

No, he just, like. He was, like, running like, a boy band. Ponzi scheme.

[Lexi Brown]

That's what it was.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, it was crazy.

[Rory]

He was taking a lot of money.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. And, like, just moving it around.

[Rory]

I see how you thought that that ended him.

[Audience Member]

Framed it. And then at the end, it was like he just was. Yeah, his just whatever.

[Rory]

Grimy dude. Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. But they said he was, like, one of the nicest guys ever, but he just, like, couldn't get out of his own way when it came to, like, stealing money from people.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

And, like, look at the groups. Like, you didn't need to steal money.

[Rory]

No.

[Lexi Brown]

They were generating hundreds of millions of dollars.

[Rory]

Money was coming in. You did not have to play that.

[Audience Member]

Did not have to do that.

[Rory]

Ridiculous.

[Lexi Brown]

Why do we think boy bands just died?

[Audience Member]

Because pop is still that all the time. I've always wondered why everyone thinks everything is gay now. That's why.

[Lexi Brown]

No, because I feel like these young kids are way gayer than we were. Like, even the goons are. It's like, gay goons.

[Audience Member]

I saw a video yesterday on Twitter of a group of boys walk up to two girls with balloons and pop them. Walk up to the girls, pop them.

[Rory]

And told the girls playing the balloon challenge.

[Audience Member]

But, like, walked up on the girls and played the game, and the girls were like.

[Rory]

The girls weren't even playing.

[Audience Member]

The girls were like, what are you doing? And they just basically were like, I don't like your shoes. Your hair is ugly. Da, da, da. And it was on the camera, like, that's loser behavior.

[Lexi Brown]

But, I mean, that's so mean. I mean, look at what people are doing for content.

[Audience Member]

They just walked up and just started popping their balloons. And the girls were like, like, what the hell are y'all doing?

[Rory]

I mean, to be fair, as kids, we. We. We did some mean things. We said some mean things to girls growing up. Like, we didn't have balloons because we.

[Lexi Brown]

Didn'T have, like, any type of game. Like, yeah, that was your way of flirting when you were.

[Rory]

Yeah, we didn't know how to be mean to the girl. Like, say something, you know, hurtful and then walk away.

[Audience Member]

Like, yeah, then y'all didn't record it and post Internet.

[Rory]

We didn't. That's. That's the. We didn't make content of it.

[Lexi Brown]

Yo. My friends pointed out, like, when I was, I don't know, maybe, like, 13 or 14. My friends pointed out something that I'll never get over. Anytime I was, like, trying to talk to a girl, I would start, like, stretching. Like, I didn't know what to do. So I, like, like a random. Like, I just be sitting there stretching, put my leg up, and they let it happen and didn't say only to amongst themselves. And then by, like, the fourth time, they were like, yo, how was your calisthenics, bro? I, like, I was mortified and in my head for the rest of high school, just anytime I was such a.

[Rory]

Nervous thing to do, like, just.

[Lexi Brown]

I didn't know what to do.

[Rory]

Like, absolutely. That's just nerves, like, rocking back and forth. Yeah. You start feeling, like, stretching.

[Lexi Brown]

That was, like, the scariest thing in the world when you were going through puberty to talk to a girl.

[Audience Member]

I will say, when I do get approached in person by Men. I'm always so nice to them because it's not easy to.

[Rory]

How do guys approach you? Like, what do they say when they, like, approach you?

[Audience Member]

It depends, cuz it has to be a little intimidating. It depends on the setting. Like, even like, I'll say. My most recent encounter with a very. He was very sweet, but it was after one of our games and we do autograph sessions. Like, there's like a line of people and you do autographs and we walk down and everybody gets an autograph.

[Rory]

The way he. All right, I'm not gonna cut you.

[Lexi Brown]

Well, this is actually a story about me.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, yeah. We were like, she's just being nice. We had like a separate area for like season ticket holders to do pictures or whatever.

[Rory]

Okay.

[Audience Member]

I was. It was me and another player and we were standing there and this guy, like, walks up. It's like a gate. He's not a season ticket holder, so he's just walking up. Astro, autograph, whatever. Da da da. And then he like says. He's like, oh, I got an event coming up. I want you to like, come. I thought he was like talking like a party or something to bring all the girls to whatever. It was like a speaking engagement. And I was like, oh, that's cool. When is it? It was like, like weeks from that day. I'm not going to be in Nashville anymore. Okay, I'll fly you.

[Lexi Brown]

Hip hop class.

[Rory]

Yeah, you got a class.

[Audience Member]

Let's have hip hop class to get to. Oh, I'll fly you to the event. I was like, to your speaking engagement. I was like, was he trying to.

[Rory]

Book you, like, pay you for this?

[Audience Member]

No, but then it's a fair shot. I was like, no, I said, I'm going to be busy at that time. But like, good luck. I hope it goes really good. And then he was like, oh, yeah, like, well, can I get your number? And I was like, like, no, sorry.

[Rory]

And I was like, that's, that's, that's, that's terrible. He shot his shot. You supposed to give him the burner at least.

[Audience Member]

I don't even have a burner. I have one phone. One phone, one phone number.

[Lexi Brown]

Like, yo, what's your Facebook, cuz?

[Audience Member]

Even now, cuz I haven't thought about this. Cuz like, sometimes giving your number is the better choice because if you give them your Instagram. Not now. They can just like keep up with you. Like with the phone number, I can just like block you.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Or just not reply.

[Audience Member]

Or not reply.

[Lexi Brown]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

But obviously they will know who I am at some point, and they can follow me on their own. But me, like, being like, oh, here's my gram now. They're gonna, like, you're gonna start keeping tabs and see what I'm doing. And I'm like, yeah, maybe I should just give. So I just started giving my phone number out more.

[Rory]

Do y'all have, like, as. As a. As. As a WNBA player?

[Lexi Brown]

Like, I think you're about to ask a question.

[Rory]

I was gonna ask, do y'all have, like, groupies? Is it, like a. Like, is it a thing for y'all? Like, y'all be laughing in the locker room, like, like, girl, this dude, he keep coming to the game, trying to, like, get my attention.

[Audience Member]

No, honestly, I don't. Nah. Because the thing. That's the thing about the wnba, like, obviously, we have, like, all different, like, sexualities and preferences and dba, too. It's, like, very.

[Rory]

I don't want you to just make that. I don't want you to make that WNBA exclusive. The NBA.

[Audience Member]

But you know how, like, when everyone's, like, in the industry, like, oh, it's the same girls? Like, yeah, we don't have. We don't have that. Yeah, you're not gonna see the same dudes hanging out with us.

[Rory]

I think so, man. I think y'all just didn't peep them yet. I think they out there.

[Audience Member]

No, it's just, like, like you said, it's an ego thing. Like, women, like, we can put ourselves out there and, like, just go hang out.

[Rory]

Okay. Do you do. Is it a conversation amongst WNBA players that y'all kind of wish that y'all had, like, guys that would, like, coming to the games, trying to, like, talk to y'all, like, ew.

[Audience Member]

Ew.

[Rory]

So how does that work? Like, y'all don't want guys to, like, come to the games?

[Audience Member]

Yeah, we do. And be fans.

[Rory]

Flirt and be fans and be like.

[Audience Member]

Oh, yeah, have fun. But, like, stay over there. I mean, some girls might like it. I personally would enjoy it, like, like, in the confines of a basketball game. And. Yeah, I feel like it was, like, some just fine dudes on the baseline. Like, oh, I would love that. But, like, that's it.

[Rory]

Yeah, just stay there on the baseline. Don't say nothing.

[Audience Member]

Like, I will say, like, there in a game in Nashville, the Titans are there. I think, like, you went crazy that game.

[Rory]

How many jumpers you.

[Audience Member]

I don't remember, but I, like. I peeped, like, there was, like, four of them on a baseline. I peeped them. I was like, who Are these four.

[Lexi Brown]

A girl going crazy on the court, cuz there's dudes.

[Rory]

Yeah, Lexi front.

[Lexi Brown]

She kept.

[Rory]

She kept calling for the screen on the left side of the floor. Like, yo, set the screen over here.

[Audience Member]

But then that was it. Like, I was like, oh, that's nice that they're here. Nice to look at during the game.

[Lexi Brown]

And she was lights out when I was there. That's all I'm saying.

[Rory]

Yeah, okay.

[Audience Member]

Cuz we got our asses. Beat that. Y'all got smoke?

[Lexi Brown]

Y'all got smoke?

[Rory]

I can't go to no more games. You can't go to no more games?

[Lexi Brown]

I was not the issue.

[Rory]

No. Who did y'all play?

[Audience Member]

I don't remember.

[Lexi Brown]

I don't remember either.

[Rory]

You.

[Lexi Brown]

You had like three or four threes though. You was cooking just the rest of the team, was it?

[Audience Member]

Yeah, we, We.

[Rory]

That is so funny, man. I thought that. I kind of figured that women would like, kind of want like guys.

[Lexi Brown]

I feel like the young mas of the league definitely run through them. Like, I think they got them.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, that probably. Yeah, that is.

[Rory]

It's more of a.

[Lexi Brown]

They have their, like, I think they wear the strap under the shorts.

[Rory]

Yeah, they go to the game with the strap on.

[Audience Member]

Nothing about that again.

[Rory]

Yeah, I get it. I mean, it checks out. Well, it kind of makes sense. I get it. The All Star weekend last year for the three point Shootout, they had Steph and Sabrina shooting. Do you think that that's something that they should implement moving forward into All Star week and having a WNBA player versus an NBA player?

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I think it was fun. It was fun. It was fun to watch.

[Rory]

Steph is just the wrong guy to.

[Audience Member]

Go against, but she was close. Like that was like the best outcome we could have had with her being close.

[Rory]

Do we think Steph went full throttle, though?

[Audience Member]

Well, I mean, like I said, that was like the best outcome that we could have had.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Steph not go crazy, Sabrina holding her own, but Steph ultimately winning.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Cause if Sabrina ended up winning, just the discourse would have been insufferable. The fact that she like almost won but was still very impressive. Like that was like best case scenario. So I don't know if like that's just like a one time moment and we just gotta like remember that as being a good moment. If they do move forward with it, I think they should alternate. So like one year they'll do it NBA All Star and then not do a WNBA all Star. And then the next year they'll do a WNB all Star, not an NBA All Star.

[Lexi Brown]

Okay, that'd be cool.

[Audience Member]

Just alternate it. If they really give a fuck about, you know, increasing viewership and partnership between the wnba, like, they need to be, like, very intentional with how they do it.

[Lexi Brown]

What do you think the WNBA is missing as far as. I don't want to say marketing per se, but getting more eyes on the league.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, I think. And I think they've did a better job this past year, especially with this rookie class.

[Rory]

Oh, absolutely.

[Audience Member]

They're like, showing more of us and more of our personalities are able to. To shine through on the court, off the court with our marketing stuff, our brand deals. It's not really frowned upon anymore. Cause I remember when I first got into the league, I've always loved social media. I've always loved taking pictures, and it was like a problem when I got into the league. She's not focused. She doesn't care about basketball. She cares about is social media and taking pictures by the pool and all this weird stuff.

[Lexi Brown]

It takes one second to take a.

[Audience Member]

Photo, Literally one second to post a.

[Rory]

Photo and one second to post it.

[Audience Member]

Like, it was ridiculous. I had a YouTube channel that they made fun of when I came in. It was just a lot. So kind of just letting players be who they are, I think has been the biggest change. And then, yeah, allowing these rookies that come in with all this college energy and hype, they have to be on the. They have to be on the floor. So this is obviously, that was like the most hype of rookie class has ever had. But we've had very talented rookie classes in the past. But, like, you get to your team and you ride on the bench, and now your college fans are now tapped back into the college because they don't know where you are, where you're playing, and you jet off overseas. Now it's like all momentum you had is gone. So I think now we're bridging that gap between college fandom to the pros. And I think that's been the missing link. I think so. I think this year was a really.

[Rory]

Good example of, I think, Caitlyn and Angel Reese coming in together. Everything that happened, obviously, between them on the collegiate level and then coming into the WNBA together, I think a lot of that parlayed over into the league. I thought it was great for the league, for sure. How did you feel about the criticism? If you felt like it was criticism that Kaitlin Clark was receiving throughout the season, a lot of people were saying that teams were kind of targeting her and kind of being more Physical with her? Yeah, I thought it was a sign of respect. I think that they only do that when they respect you as a player and know that you're a threat on the floor.

[Audience Member]

Absolutely.

[Rory]

But how did you feel like just playing and then looking at it?

[Audience Member]

Yeah. I mean, when. I know when I. When we played her, she was like number one on the scouting report. Like, you're not gonna deny how talented she is. And I think people did underrate, like, her overall playmaking ability and they just hyper focused on her scoring, which she's a very elite scorer. But the way she makes everybody around her better is like the best part of her game. So, like, she's literally the head of the snake. So I think that everybody received a lot of weird criticism this year. I only played 14 games, so like, I kind of. And I was. Wasn't really doing much because I was still kind of sick. So I was like, kind of. I kind of avoided all of that weird discourse going on because I wasn't playing. So I really just was watching it and looking at it from a very, like, objective point of view because I was kind of out of it. I think now that we just have more eyes, it just comes with more criticisms from people that don't know what they're talking about. We see it on other. In other leagues with other athletes. So I think us as WNBA players just have to, like, we have to ignore it. We have to rise above it. And that's easier said than done. But that's what happens when you have more eyes, you have more viewers, you have more opinions. People are betting on our games and like, that's a whole different conversation of how that has shifted sports culture and stuff. So I think everybody handled it well though, because I think everybody elevated their level of play and we retained, you know, a lot of those new fans. And, you know, I know a lot of players now are getting their flowers and they have, you know, new fan bases that they didn't have prior to this rookie class. Cause they came ready to play. Yeah.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

I think after going to your game, I think we had a conversation on the next episode after that. Where the experience is great. Where I think it does lack a bit is in some brand partnership with a female rapper. Like, I think because female rap is where it is and dominates men right now. Why a Meg or Glorillo or somebody isn't like the brand ambassador or creative director of the WNBA is beyond me. Like, no pun, that's a layup to get people, like, sort of what HOV does with the halftime show. But somebody, when it comes to nationally televised games, they can focus on halftime show entertainment, bringing certain rappers to the game. Like, I think just with where hip hop is with women. And I don't get why the WNBA.

[Audience Member]

Is not just, like, as even consulting or anything. Yeah, like, using that again, that's probably expensive. So I think that's probably part of it. But I think the W is heading in the right direction. We're in the middle of our negotiations with our new collective bargaining agreement, and we just had a meeting in Nashville with all the W players that were playing in Athletes Unlimited. And the things that we're fighting for, like. Like higher salaries, pensions for retired players, health benefits for retired players. Like, just things that we weren't able to get to in the last CBA because the one before that was so messed up. So I think, you know, the wnba, obviously, it's going to be a battle. Hopefully we can, like, find a happy medium. But I think it's, like, headed in the right direction for sure.

[Lexi Brown]

I mean, I promise I'm not trying to get you to shit on the wnba. I'm really just asking this. As a professional athlete, do you feel like the league takes care of its players? Because, like, I feel like the NFL does a horrible job. I think of players, active and retired players.

[Audience Member]

We have work to do with retired players. And I think that's why it's been one of our focus in these new CBA negotiations, is how can we take care of players. That laid the foundation for us moving forward, because there's actually nothing in place at all for retired players right now. But I think my dad was part of. Of the lockout in his season. That was like, for that kind of stuff, like retired players, pension, all that kind of stuff. So that's definitely important to us. You know, we have. I don't know if all teams have, like, mental health specialists on staff, but I know we had some in la. We had two in la. Did we have one in Chicago? Like, I think LA might have been my first team that had mental health specialists for us, just for our team. So that wasn't a thing. The way they take care of mothers definitely has room for improvement, but it's much better than it was like when my dad was coaching. So, again, being a woman in this field, there's just so many things that we have to think about that men simply don't have to worry about getting pregnant and having kids and how are you gonna manage that and how's it gonna affect your contract? It's gonna affect the roster spot because now you get pregnant, you gotta be out. You're out, but your salary's protected now, so, like, that's a spot. So it's like, you gotta consider that when you're trying to have a kid and it's like, men, that's just something men just don't have to think about.

[Rory]

It's definitely a lot of different things when you talk about just what players have to worry about in the NBA versus the wnba who are. Cause I just saw that Asia Wilson got a signature shoe, and I think. I think the last person that had one was Cheryl Swoops.

[Audience Member]

I think Sabrina has one.

[Rory]

She has one now.

[Audience Member]

It's like the highest selling basketball shoe right now behind Kobe's.

[Rory]

Sabrina's shoe.

[Audience Member]

It's fire. Really great shoe.

[Rory]

I might have to look into it. I might go get a pair of those.

[Audience Member]

You should.

[Rory]

Asia's shoe is dope.

[Audience Member]

Asia's shoe's fire, too.

[Rory]

Who are some of the players that you think deserve a signature shoe in the league?

[Audience Member]

Ooh. I mean, Asia was the biggest one for me.

[Rory]

Oh, I mean, absolutely.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Stewie has one. Sabrina has one. I don't know. To me, Asia was like the one for me. Yeah, I think that deserved that.

[Rory]

That was a no brainer.

[Audience Member]

So I think that's. It's really amazing that she got one. I think Caitlin Clark is gonna have one and I think juju might be the next one that.

[Rory]

Oh, absolutely.

[Audience Member]

She might get one while she's still at you.

[Rory]

Yeah, yeah, she might have one now.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, she might have one already in the works.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

Well deserved.

[Rory]

But yeah, I think ar. Ara.

[Audience Member]

Oh, ar.

[Rory]

I love her game.

[Audience Member]

I think she would sell some sneakers.

[Rory]

I love her game. Like, I love watching her play. She. She's like. I would play. I would pay to. To. To watch her.

[Audience Member]

Oh, for sure.

[Rory]

Yeah. I would go to one of her and I think.

[Audience Member]

Yeah. And I think again, back to the marketing thing. Like, I think ar now she is able to, like, show more of her personality on and off the court. And I hope Dallas like, pours into that, like, markets that she is, like, outside of being, like, just a dope person, like, the way she plays basketball is, like, super entertaining.

[Rory]

Yeah.

[Audience Member]

She's fun.

[Rory]

Incredible.

[Audience Member]

Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

All right, Lex, one quick sneaker question before we leave. You and Iverson are the only people I've ever seen ball in. Questions. How did you possibly do that? One of my favorite shoes of all time. I would never play full court basketball in those.

[Audience Member]

Well, I get paid to, so I figured it out.

[Lexi Brown]

There's the answer.

[Rory]

All right, my bad. I figured it out. In other words, you ain't got game. Lexi, we appreciate you for coming by. We obviously don't know ball, but we do know that you are one of the dopest and one of the illest in the league. So we are supporting you, and we hope to catch up with you soon. Yeah.

[Lexi Brown]

Let's make this at the sphere, Vegas.

[Rory]

We in the building. In there. We in the building.

[Lexi Brown]

We out.

[Rory]

Yeah, we got to come to game of Seattle.

[Audience Member]

Yeah, for sure.

[Rory]

I definitely want to come to Seattle. Storm game. Definitely got to come. All right, that's Rory and Ma with Lexi Brown. We do not know ball, Rory, but we know that Lexi is one of the illest.

[Audience Member]

No warrior.

[Lexi Brown]

Now.