Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston

Ep. 4: Blake Griffin on Cooper Flagg, Slam Dunk Contest, NBA Retirement & Finals + MVP Picks

Release Date: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode welcomes six-time NBA All-Star and 2011 Rookie of the Year, Blake Griffin, as the show's first-ever guest. Hosts Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston dive into a wide-ranging conversation spanning Blake’s NBA retirement life, locker room stories, upcoming NBA media ventures, rookie advice for phenom Cooper Flagg, predictions for the NBA season, and slam dunk contest tales. Plenty of candid talk, humor, and generational ribbing make this a must-listen for basketball fans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

WNBA Fever Comeback & Locker Room Culture

[02:47 – 11:22]

• Aliyah Boston recounts Indiana Fever’s record-breaking comeback win vs. Connecticut Sun, highlighting team resilience and Coach Steph’s halftime challenge.
  • “Coach Steph… she called us soft a little bit here and there, and she was like, get it together. She's like, you guys aren't quitters.” – Aliyah Boston [04:16]
• The Fever’s “next-up” mindset through adversity and injuries: "It’s about everyone that's in our locker room, like, their heads stay up." – Boston [09:01]

Officiating, Consistency, & the Physicality Debate

[11:22 – 19:03]

• Candace and Aliyah respond to calls for improved referee consistency, referencing a soundbite from coach Stephanie White.
  • “I think Kelsey Mitchell, number one, is held or chucked on every freaking possession and never gets a call... Aaliyah Boston is the worst officiated post player in the league.” – Stephanie White (as quoted by Parker) [11:54]
• Candace: “Creating and initiating contact is a skill and it is an art... it should be officiated the same way.” [15:02]
• Both agree: Officiating physical stars like Shaq or LeBron is inherently tough—“You cannot call a foul on every single play” [15:28]

Generational Banter & Player Ratings in NBA2K26

[24:18 – 27:36]

• The hosts highlight WNBA’s deeper integration within NBA2K, with players like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers appearing.
• Candace’s pride in being the first WNBA player featured on an NBA2K cover: “It was like, oh, women can be in a video game. Like, it was still that era of thinking. And now...people actively want [us].” [25:06]
• Banter about player ratings, game cross-play, and playful trash talk: “I'm on that scouting report, AB. Just FYI. And it's young CP... not like need-to-retire CP.” – Candace [27:36]

Featured Interview: Blake Griffin

Entering Retirement

[28:20 – 30:25]

• Blake confirms official NBA retirement, noting family time as a major factor:
  “Just being able to be around and, you know, be there day to day... that was a big reason.” [29:43]
• Discusses shift from constant travel to enjoying home, with Italy and Hawaii as favorite vacation spots.

Amazon Prime NBA Media Venture

[31:16 – 35:34]

• Candace and Blake share their excitement about joining Amazon Prime’s NBA broadcast team, touching on the star-studded roster and collaborative culture.
• Blake’s philosophy on hot takes:
  “Just spend some time in the positivity... I just don't think we spend enough time lifting up the things that we like... There should be just more diversity in who we talk about and the stories that we tell.” [34:30]

On Cooper Flagg and Advice to Rookies

[35:34 – 37:31]

• Blake lauds No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg’s versatility:
  “I think he's the most complete player that we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory...He passes, shoots, defends, rebounds.” [35:53]
• Offers his time-tested advice:
  “Take your craft very seriously, but try not to take yourself too seriously. At the end of the day, we're playing a sport invented for children.” [37:13]

NBA Finals & MVP Predictions

[37:31 – 40:36]

• Hot Take: Predicts Denver vs. New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Sees Cleveland as close rivals.
• Calls Giannis Antetokounmpo his way-too-early MVP pick:
  “I think he's going to like, maybe accept that challenge and...whatever ungodly numbers he puts up.” [38:59]
  • Candace’s caveat: “It's never Giannis that is determining MVP...It is literally his team.” [39:29]

Life as a Retired Player

[40:47 – 42:32]

• On post-retirement basketball viewership: Needed a break initially but, “over the last, like, six months or so, I’ve really...deep dived...now I'm a little bit more informed.” – Blake [41:10]

Slam Dunk Contest & In-Game Dunks

[44:49 – 51:26]

• Blake shares the origin of his iconic “jumping over the Kia” dunk and public’s never-satisfied reaction:
  “After the dunk contest, everybody was like, he didn't even jump over the whole car...It was just the hood. I'm like, guys, it's never enough.” [46:58]
• The discussion covers dunking mechanics, inspirations (Dwight Howard, in-game vs. contest dunks) and a humorous back-and-forth about “dunking over an AirPod case now.”

Off-court Ventures, Comedy, and Acting

[55:00 – 63:51]

• Blake discusses his acting/commercial career, favorite projects, and how comedy/standup scratches the competitive, adrenaline-driven itch left by hoops.
  “It’s the closest thing to...hitting a game winner...” [61:25]
• On comedy: “You have to do it through your own voice...the best advice I got was: don't try to go out and write political jokes or pop culture jokes. Just write about what you know.” [62:46]

Legacy & Locker Room Stories

[65:43 – 70:53]

• Blake shares his “Welcome to the NBA” moment against Tim Duncan:
  “He kind of made this joke...looks over, and he goes: not you again. And I was like, that was awesome.” [66:35]
• Locker room dinner hypotheticals: Who picks up the 2013–14 Clippers’ reunion check?
  “CP's picking up a check. He's still playing...maybe JJ [Redick], he's got that Laker money now.” [68:27]
• Tributes Jamal Crawford’s love for basketball:
  “He talks in, like, old, like, uncle things: ‘fam, joy wouldn't be so good if it wasn't for pain.’” [69:37]

Movie Biopic Pick

[71:49 – 72:47]

• Who plays Blake in a movie?
  “If we had a time machine, I'd love for Will Ferrell to go back and play me...he already did Semi-Pro.” – Blake [72:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cooper Flagg:
  “What's the red flag—which is like, really exciting for basketball to have these young guys.” – Blake Griffin [36:22]
• On NBA Media Culture:
  “I hope to never make it personal. It should always be about the game of basketball because that's why we're all here.” – Blake Griffin [35:18]
• On Retirement Joys:
  “If that's all I had to do the rest of my life, I'd be happy.” – Blake Griffin [30:05]
• On Stand-Up Comedy:
  “You have to do it through your own voice... just write about what you know.” – Blake Griffin [62:46]
• On WNBA Representation in NBA2K:
  “No, it's an exciting time because... now we are seeing people actively want players. People actively call for, you know, players to be better within the game.” – Candace Parker [25:06]
• On Slam Dunk Criticism:
  “After the dunk contest, everybody was like, he didn't even jump over the whole car. It was just the hood. I'm like, guys, it's never enough. That's what I mean, 94%.” – Blake Griffin [46:58]

Segment Timestamps

• Fever Comeback Story: [02:48 – 11:22]
• Officiating & Referee Consistency: [11:22 – 19:03]
• NBA 2K26/WNBA in Gaming: [24:18 – 27:36]
• Blake Griffin Interview Begins: [28:20]
• Blake on Retirement & Family: [29:38 – 31:16]
• Amazon Prime NBA Media: [31:16 – 35:34]
• Cooper Flagg & Rookie Advice: [35:34 – 37:31]
• Finals/MVP Picks: [37:31 – 40:36]
• Dunk Contest Discussion: [44:49 – 51:26]
• Comedy, Acting, Commercial Work: [55:00 – 63:51]
• Locker Room/Life Stories: [65:43 – 70:53]
• Wrap & Fan Questions: [79:00 – End]

Bonus: Fan Questions & “You Got This” Moments

[75:08 – 86:19]

• Alyssa Thomas (A.T.) highlighted for her record-tying fifth triple-double and pivotal performance with Phoenix.
• Fan Q&A covers parenting advice for young hoopers, reactions to WNBA expansion (Toronto Valkyries excitement, Nashville dreams), game film correction technology, and more.

Tone and Vibe

Playful, real, and insightful; the hosts balance elite-level basketball analysis with friendly roasting and relatable stories. The episode is packed with practical advice, on-court wisdom, and a strong focus on basketball community—on all sides of the ball.

Summary Takeaway

A can’t-miss, laughter-filled episode capturing basketball’s evolving culture on and off the court through the voices of legends and rising icons. Blake Griffin’s reflections as a pioneer of the modern NBA (and media), combined with Candace and Aliyah’s unfiltered perspective, make for a dynamic, generationally rich listen. Whether talking shop or riffing on old dunk contest tales, the group’s chemistry and honesty will hook fans new and old.