The Draymond Green Show w/Baron Davis - Thunder-Pacers Game 4 Reaction w/ Metta World Peace

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Episode: The Draymond Green Show w/Baron Davis - Thunder-Pacers Game 4 Reaction w/ Metta World Peace

Release Date: June 12, 2025

---

Introduction to Guests and Respect for Champions (00:00 - 03:24)

Draymond Green kickstarts the episode by welcoming Baron Davis and introducing the special guest, Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest). Draymond expresses profound respect for Metta, highlighting his championship experience and his evolution from a superstar scorer to a dedicated role player.

Draymond Green [00:25]:

"I've never been a superstar from a scoring standpoint, but I know what it means to accept a role. And to be a superstar in the NBA and average 20 plus points a game and then say I'm going to take on this role so that I can be a champion. I got the utmost respect for that."

---

Game 4 Reaction: Thunder vs. Pacers (03:24 - 14:56)

The trio delves into the recent Game 4 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. They analyze Indiana's strategic gameplay, emphasizing their defensive prowess and ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

Baron Davis [14:56]:

"Indiana thrives off of that because they wear you down. So in the clutch, when you're ready to go one on one, everybody's standing around. That's when they swarm."

Draymond Green [11:44]:

"Both of you reactions to Game 3. When the series is tied one to one, the team that wins Game 3 goes on to win 81% of the time."

---

Strategic Insights and Team Comparisons (14:56 - 29:26)

Draymond draws parallels between the current Pacers and the historical Detroit Pistons team, praising Indiana's teamwork and lack of reliance on individual superstars. They discuss how the Pacers' versatility and defensive strategies pose significant challenges to teams like the Thunder.

Draymond Green [18:54]:

"When you have someone like Steph Curry, or Kobe Bryant, coaches are afraid to use them as a decoy. But you have a coach like Steve Curry who is cool with it, showing humility and team-first mentality."

---

Impact of Leadership and Coaching (29:26 - 43:29)

The conversation shifts to the importance of leadership and coaching in playoff success. Draymond emphasizes the critical role of coaches who can adapt and strategize effectively against high-caliber opponents. Metta shares his experiences and insights from his playing days, highlighting the necessity of emotional control and strategic thinking.

Baron Davis [43:29]:

"They send in players like Lindsey Hunter, who was a bona fide harasser. That kind of defensive pressure makes it tough for the offense to execute."

---

Potential Coaching Roles and Future Aspirations (43:29 - 77:53)

Metta World Peace discusses his aspirations to become the head coach of the New York Knicks, detailing his extensive coaching experience post-retirement. Draymond and Baron express strong support for Metta's coaching ambitions, praising his basketball intellect and leadership qualities.

Metta World Peace [65:44]:

"I've been trying to get to the Knicks since 1999. When the opportunity arose, I knew I was ready to take it."

Baron Davis [75:30]:

"You are basketball, right? You are the passion, you are the heart. If you need an assistant coach, I'm there."

---

Personal Reflections and Evolution (77:53 - 98:40)

The discussion takes a personal turn as Metta shares the story behind his name change from Ron Artest to Metta World Peace, elaborating on his personal growth, challenges, and commitment to evolving both on and off the court. Draymond and Baron commend his resilience and dedication to personal development.

Metta World Peace [95:39]:

"I needed to evolve. My career was wild, and I had to focus to get here where I am today. The name change was important to me."

---

Closing Remarks and Mutual Respect (98:40 - 106:04)

Draymond concludes the episode by expressing deep gratitude toward Metta and Baron, highlighting the mutual respect and shared experiences that strengthen their professional and personal relationships.

Draymond Green [105:12]:

"I'm so thankful for you coming on the show. You embody basketball and the passion it requires. I think you should be the Knicks head coach because you're the best candidate."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Respect and Evolution: Draymond emphasizes the importance of respecting championship veterans like Metta, who have transitioned from star players to strategic role players.

• Strategic Gameplay: Analysis of the Pacers' defensive strategies and their impact on the Thunder's gameplay, drawing historical parallels to the Detroit Pistons.

• Leadership in Playoffs: The critical role of adaptive coaching and leadership in securing playoff victories, with a focus on team-first mentality over individual star performances.

• Coaching Aspirations: Metta's ambition to coach the New York Knicks is supported by Draymond and Baron, acknowledging his extensive coaching experience and basketball acumen.

• Personal Growth: Metta shares his journey of personal growth, including overcoming challenges and the significance of his name change as a reflection of his evolving identity.

• Mutual Respect: The episode highlights the strong mutual respect among Draymond, Baron, and Metta, fostering a collaborative and supportive atmosphere.

---

This episode offers a deep dive into playoff strategies, the evolution of players into leadership roles, and the personal growth stories that inspire both on and off the court. Listeners gain valuable insights from three seasoned basketball minds as they dissect the complexities of high-stakes games and share their visions for the future of the sport.

Transcript

[Draymond Green]

This is an iHeart podcast, the volume. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green show with Baron Davis. We are live. We got the legend, bd.

[Baron Davis]

What's happening? What's happening?

[Draymond Green]

And we got. So there's this clip that goes around and I see it all the time. It's this clip that go around. We're playing against the Lakers when I was a young guy in the league, maybe like my first or second year, because this guy's old as dirt now. So, you know, it gotta be my first and second year. And there something happens. We get into and I turn and it's like, it's Ron. It's meta. By the way, just so we're clear, I don't know whether I should. I don't know whether I should call him Ron or meta, but because I think that there's a respect level, I'm gonna call him Ron. And when this thing is happening.

[Baron Davis]

Now.

[Draymond Green]

People go back and they play the clip like he knew better. And it's like I was actually so unhipped in. I didn't know better. Like, I actually would just do anything then. Like the person that people think I am now, I actually was then and I was like, I didn't know any better. Like, I would have did anything then. But in saying that, I'll just be 100% honest with you on this particular intro. Because this guy is an NBA champion. And just because you're. I used to respect NBA champions. I actually don't just respect people because they're NBA champions anymore. But this guy in particular I have the utmost respect for because of how he played the game, how he went about his business. To be like, you all don't know what it is to be a superstar player in the NBA and. And then accept the role. I've never been a superstar in the NBA from a scoring standpoint, but I know what it means to accept a role. And so I know what those two things mean. And to be a superstar in the NBA and average 20 plus points a game and then say like, yo, I can still average 20 plus points a game, but I'm going to actually take on this role so that I can be a champion. I got the utmost respect for that. And so BD and I are honored, lucky to have this next guest on the show. Bd, you can, you can bring it in, but I just want you all to know how honored I am to have this next guest on the Show a guy who's won championships, a guy who go about his business, the way he go about his business and the way we go about our business. I get it. Like, people call us dumb, they call us stupid. They call us loose cannons. They say we don't know what's going on, and yet we know everything that's going on. And so I'm honored to have this next guest. But bd, you bring it in because it just makes more sense for you to bring it in.

[Baron Davis]

Bd, the Swiss army knife of moves. The epitome of a two way player, plus more. The heart of Queens, New York, Queensbridge. Stand up. The essence of New York basketball. The legacy. Laker future hall of Famer, street ball hall of Famer, rapper, investor. Now fund manager. I mean, there's nothing this dude can't do. That's why I say he's a Swiss army knife of culture. He's been a pinnacle in our game on the offensive end, the defensive end. He can get a bucket. He can stop a bucket. There's very, very few people in the history of the game that can move like my guy, Mana. World peace. Yo, what's good, baby?

[Meta World Peace]

Thanks for having me. That intro is incredible. Yo, Draymond, I respect you so much. That clip that they had, once I saw that clip, I. I tweeted right away. I said, yo, Draymond's the illest. I respect him. He's incredible. They try to throw. They try to throw gas on the fire, man. Don't be trying to amp Draymond because Draymond ain't scared of nobody. I ain't trying to get me in a little argument with Draymond.

[Draymond Green]

Hey, listen, you got to amp it up. Drake, you know why I respect that the most is because I got the utmost respect for you. I got the utmost respect for you. The way you went about your game. I got the utmost respect for you. How you handle yourself, how you walk around the NBA. But when I saw the clip, I'm like, yeah, y' all taking this out of context, I wasn't scared. But here's the beautiful about. Here's the beautiful part about this. This situation is I'm not scared. He ain't scared. And in the NBA, as you know, when two people aren't scared, that's when you just move on. I'm not scared of you, you're not scared of me. With the utmost respect, we're going to move on and go do our job. You have the guys that are scared. They say wild because they are Afraid.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah. So it's the wolf mentality. When you award when you're a wolf and you see a wolf, it's like, okay, I see a wolf, I'm a wolf.

[Draymond Green]

You.

[Baron Davis]

Okay, I'm going about my business.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, even when I had the issue with Ben, when Ben pushed me, he was like, why are you in fight, Ben? I said, you know, I didn't feel like fighting them. You know, little dinner.

[Draymond Green]

Listen, by the way, in that situation, Ben's not really going to do anything to disrespect you because there's a respect level there.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, he pushed me hard. He pushed me, but, you know, it's all right. It's not that bad.

[Draymond Green]

He pushed you. There was so much going on in that situation. Like, this guy's on the floor, that guy's on the floor, this guy's fighting that guy, right? But there's a respect level that come amongst the guys that for sure. It's when you get the guy. And so everybody in the world will say, ah, you tried that on that guy? And it's like, no, actually, that guy was the one to say something so wild to me that I do want to crush him, right? Like, because he don't understand the respect level that's had amongst those type of guys. And so he'll say something wild and you like, y' all destroy you.

[Baron Davis]

Like, hey, amen. Amen. 85% of that is true. 15% of that, Draymond been slapped him and slapped him again.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

I'll be seeing Draymond.

[Draymond Green]

I don't know.

[Meta World Peace]

You saw my tweets. I'd be like, yo, I see Draymond Goose and wild. I'll be like, I'll treat like, hey, young fella, you all right? I might have beaten you one time. Honestly, I might have DM Dreamer. I ain't gonna lie. Like, yo, my guy, you need to talk. How you look in your DMs? You probably got a deal from me.

[Baron Davis]

Hey, bro, we came a long way, though. We came a long way, especially being metal.

[Draymond Green]

I know, man.

[Meta World Peace]

BD, we know each other since 16, man.

[Baron Davis]

Because Ron, remember, you remember the bot miss, remember? Remember the Boston Shoehound?

[Meta World Peace]

Oh, yeah.

[Baron Davis]

High school gym.

[Meta World Peace]

Eric Wine.

[Baron Davis]

Hey, hey. He was killing. He averaged like 30 the whole tournament, but New York didn't win no games.

[Draymond Green]

That's New York basketball. That is New York basketball.

[Meta World Peace]

That's where I'm trying to bring it back to the Knicks, man.

[Baron Davis]

Back then, Ron Artest was fucking murdering, bro.

[Meta World Peace]

30.

[Baron Davis]

He was getting he had 30 on us. Maybe he had, like, 37 on us. Me, Shay, man, he had 30 on Atlanta, but they lost every game. Hey, brother. The all tournament team was announced, and he was chilling. Cedric Ceballos in the house, ladies and gentlemen. Ced just walked in. So look, they was like, yo, son. Yo, son, you didn't. You didn't make all tournaments. He was like, what? I didn't do what?

[Draymond Green]

Well, he didn't fake the alternative.

[Baron Davis]

No, bro.

[Draymond Green]

That's like NBA voting.

[Baron Davis]

Well, he went down the line and he said, how did I make all tournament? I bust his ass. I gave him 30. I bust his ass.

[Meta World Peace]

I gave him 30.

[Baron Davis]

Hey, bro, this is during the. This is during this award ceremony. Hey, Roshi was like that and kicked the table over. I was crying. That is. I remember that. Y' all got a lot of common, dude. I'm proud of both y. I gotta say sorry.

[Meta World Peace]

Boston Shootout. I respect y' all.

[Draymond Green]

I don't know.

[Baron Davis]

It was awards.

[Meta World Peace]

A lot of Brooklyn awards.

[Baron Davis]

You was killing.

[Draymond Green]

That is crazy, man. That's insane. That's funny.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah. Real life, Draymond. We kind of similar, J.

[Draymond Green]

No, I. I've. I've. You know, you. Like I said before, one of the guys that I have the utmost respect for, I think my. So my mama raised me, and my mama raised me, like, you don't. You don't bow down to men. Like, you don't. I don't care what they've done, how great it's been. You don't bow down to men. And so for me, personally, when I came into the NB Day, everybody, to me, was just on, like, an equal playing field. Like, oh, man. Like, I respect you. You're great. Like, damn. I respect the way you go about this. I respect. But that don't mean anything to me when it comes down to me doing what I got to do, you know? And when. When I take a step back, though, I think there are some guys that just earn the respect because I do know this business. I. I do know how this thing works. And I watched how they went about their business, and you're one of those guys for me. So I just want to say thank you for coming on the show. We appreciate you. And I want to get right into game three. Both of y' all reactions to game three. They say when the series is tied one to one, the team that win game three goes on to win 81% of the time. And I think when I look at this team, no one expected Indiana to win Game 3. They haven't won a Game 3 all playoffs long, and yet they come in here and win game three. Just what's your reaction to them tying it or them taking the lead two one. And you know, obviously what that history is if 81% of the time they go on to win the series.

[Baron Davis]

You played in Indiana, they won that night. You know, give us your assessment on it.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, I was at the game, you know, and I was just like, for me, I want to see them win bad because I feel like when we. I was here, we probably should have won if I'd have kept my head on straight. That's why I was.

[Draymond Green]

Oh, don't talk about that matter. Come on now. You killing me.

[Meta World Peace]

Let me bring it in. And it's perfect because it's actually perfect because you on this podcast and when I think about how you play the game dream, if my head was on straight, I probably would have as much rings as you had, right? Like, I look how you play today, but no matter what people say about you, you never got ejected. You never got ejected in crucial case. So you actually did have focus. You know what I'm saying? No matter what people say. But your, your, your, your. Your passion is just next level, right? So, you know, when I look at Indiana and what we could have done, and I'm looking at it now, if they win this title, it takes a whole burden off my back. It had been. Have been 20 years, but the fans were so pissed at me for so long. We got over it. They deserve it. They felt like we should have won. They had our back. They supported me through the brawl and all this stuff, through my immaturities and all this stuff. So now I'm sitting here at the game, you know, a half of the burden to be off, you know, be off the. Off my back for sure if they win. This is why I'm pulling for them so much. And they remind me of the Detroit Pistons team. This Pacers team reminds me of that Detroit Pistons team. A little bit different body types, but, like, in terms of playing together, not making mistakes, you know, no real superstar. Detroit became superstar. Even Dre, y' all became superstars at Golden State, you know what I'm saying? And y' all earned it. And now you see this team, like, if they win it, they should be bonafide superstars. They want a title with no. With no real superstars, honestly.

[Baron Davis]

Right? That make a lot of sense. I mean, you. You gotta earn your way. And I'm watching the game. And Indiana, they just don't stop right Even when they was up 8 and Halliburton got the deflection with 2.6 seconds on the, on the clock. It just says something to their mentality of, we're going to finish, we're going to finish, we're going to finish, we're going to finish. And the dynamic of their team, everybody plays defense. Even if you are not a good defender. They give every, every effort that they can possibly give. They give it on the defensive end. They scrappy, they fly around. And I think OKC is running into the same problem that the New York Knicks ran into. You cannot play this Indiana team. You can't play one on one basketball. Yeah, don't worry, it's going to wear on. OKC did not move the ball. Every time somebody had the ball, the ball stuck, you know, And I think Indiana thrives off of that because they wear you down. So in the clutch, when you ready to go one on one, everybody's standing around. That's when they swarm.

[Draymond Green]

I agree with that 100%. I think for us personally, when we, when we were going through that transition, we didn't necessarily understand it, but I've been fortunate enough to win four championships and I think the one thing that I come away with it is our offensive brand and the way we play is as great as Steph Curry is during those times. At times we'd use Steph as a decoy and we had Steve Curry as a coach who's one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in the NBA. He's comfortable enough in his own skin to use Steph as a decoy. Because when you have a Steph Curry, when you have a Kobe Bryant, when you have these type of guys, oftentimes coaches are afraid to use them as a decoy, to use them to put everybody else in the best position to win the game. And I think one of the best attributes that I've witnessed with Steve is like, he's cool with him. He's cool with using Steph as a decoy. And what says so much about Steph Curry as who Steph Curry is, is he's cool with being used as a decoy. He don't have the ego. When you look at us winning the championship in 2022 and that being his first NBA Finals MVP, the guy just want to win. He don't care if it equals out, if the points equal out to this, if the assists equal out to this so that I can win Finals mvp. He don't move that way. He just want to win the championship and so when I look at these teams and you speak about one on one basketball, I know for certain that doesn't work. We played against the spurs in my rookie year. We played the spurs in the second round after we beat Denver. And when we played against them, I remember a game where Steph had like 20 points straight or 21 points straight. And I'm like, yeah, we doing it. We was. It was game four. We were up two to one. Possibility to go up three to one against the Spurs. We had never had any success. That's a big deal. And Steph had like 20 points straight and not kept the coverage the exact same. And his point was, let's see him beat us. Can he beat us over the course of 48? Not can he beat us over the course of 28? Not can he beat us over THE course of 38? Can he beat us over THE course of 48? And sure enough, Steph went for 18 straight. 20 straight. The moment he missed the shot, San Antonio was wrong. And so now, because we've gotten so hell bent on watching him do what he do, letting him score the points, no one else was in rhythm. They came back, they won game four. They won game five. They won game six. They won the series in six. And so I've watched that. And to your point with Shay, the one on one, and it's not Shay's fault, it's their offensive system. But the one on one sometimes can catch up to you. And I would ask the question to Ron, as someone who has to guard those guys, what are. And you going in, you play with Phil Jackson. Who's the guy? One of the guys who talks to you. What are y' all going into in a playoff situation like that where you got a guy like that? Because I know for us, James Harden was that guy, right? And we played James Harden like, yo, he gonna get 30 points in the first half, but we need to let him wear down and then we'll come back. What was it like for y' all in situations like that?

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, I mean, we just try to stick to the coverage. We played against KD the first year and we had to switch because, you know, KD's coming off these screens. Then we had. We had to switch by Nam on. It was. No, it was. That was the best coverage and we just had to stick with it. And, you know, sometimes he had the organs by him, Sometimes Byron were gone. Well, but if it was Powell, we tried to keep Pal off. Binance was moving, you know, big binding was, but he was moving A little bit better on the perimeter, you know, and then when Bynum, maybe, maybe he was hurt or fatigued, will switch the coverage. But, you know, Phil was like really just sticking to it. And to your point, on one on one, you know, one of the reasons why it's so hard to guard LeBron because he's not only going one on one, even though he's a great one on one player. When I first started playing against LeBron, what really was killing me was that he was a team player. So when he would move the ball, he would move it in the way where you had to shift, you know, he was moving it to a good target where the defense was going to be all out of whack. So not only was he doing that, he was also really good, you know, as a one on one player. So you can't help off him too much. Then when you're closing out to him, that's a huge problem. And like you said, you know, in, in terms of this game, yeah, if you're going Rick, Carl, this is. Oh, this is Rick Carlisle's comfort zone because now the game is more physical. So if you want to play one on one, well, now you just asking Rick to coach how he coached in 2004 and that's what he do. The game is physical. You can touch. So it ain't like you can get a clean shot off because your arm is going to be moving right now you see how the game is like real physical right now, right. I mean, so they gonna have to change something.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, I think also, man, once again, and I'll say it again, you gotta stick with your guns, you gotta stick with your lineup. Your best lineup is your big lineup. Right. What I saw tonight was Shad Holgren at the 5 is not an effective thing for OKC because he don't protect the paint, he don't rebound and he doesn't roll. And in order for Shay to get to his sweet spots, you need that pick and roll with the big dude rolling to the hole so he can get to 15, 7 foot, 17ft in his sweet spot with Chet, you picking and popping. And once again, if you don't have nobody filling the ghost or, or filling the lane, then you really don't have no space and everybody can be guarded. And so I'm looking at this OKC lineup by avoiding the big guy and boarding your big lineup and saying you never giving yourself the chance for them to adjust to you. And so I favor Indiana in this series if they're going to keep trying to figure out, hey, we're going to go to this small lineup and think it's going to be effective. Like we said with the Knicks, the same thing. You cannot beat the Indiana Pacers with a small lineup because they're big. They have big versatile fours. 3, 4, 4 stretch four fives. They have that versatility and they play at a certain pace where they, where you really can't match it. So you get cross match, you know, on your defense. And that's what I'm saying with OKC Chet, you know Chet, he's switching out on picks. He can't stand in front of somebody, right? They shooting the three. He at the top of the perimeter. He's not, he's not inclined to go crash the boards. And so Obi toppin Pascal Siakam at the four, at the five, they're gonna always outplay Chahan Foreign.

[DraftKings Ad]

The NBA finals are here and every play could be the one that changes everything. This is the NBA playoffs where heroes rise, legacies are built, and the action never lets up. And with DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, you don't just watch the match madness. You live it back. Your favorite team ride with your clutch time killer bet on the buzzer beaters, the breakout performances, the game winning threes. From player props to same game parlays, this is how you take your fandom to the next level. If you're new to the game, no Sweat. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app. Bet just $5 and if your bet wins, you'll score $300 in bonus bets.

[Baron Davis]

It's that easy.

[DraftKings Ad]

Download the DraftKings Sportsbook App and use the code Baron. That's code Baron for new customers to get $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours.

Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler in New York. Call 877-8-Hopeny or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org please. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Agent eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng co audio.

[Zoe Saldana]

Hi, Zoe Saldana. Welcome to T Mobile. Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.

[T Mobile Ad]

Thanks. And here's my old phone to Trade in.

[Zoe Saldana]

You don't need to trade in. When you switch to T mobile will give you a new iPhone 16 Pro plus we'll help you pay off your old phone. Up to 800 bucks and you still get to keep it.

[T Mobile Ad]

There's always a trade end.

[Zoe Saldana]

Not right now. At T Mobile.

[T Mobile Ad]

I feel like I have to give you something in return for karma.

[Zoe Saldana]

That's okay.

[T Mobile Ad]

I don't really have much in my purse. Oh, let's see. Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm good. Seriously.

[T Mobile Ad]

Let me check this pocket. Oh, mints.

[Zoe Saldana]

Really, I'm fine.

[T Mobile Ad]

Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cut cupcakes in the car.

[DraftKings Ad]

It's our best iPhone offer ever. Switch to T Mobile, get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple intelligence on us. No trade and needed. We'll even pay off your phone up.

[T Mobile Ad]

To 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line, 100 plus a month on experience beyond Finance Agreement 999.99 and qualifying ported for well qualified plus tax and 10 connection charge. Pay off via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days credits and imbalance due if you pay off early or cancel see t mobile.com.

[Draymond Green]

So I have a question for both of y' all then. If that's the case and I'mma bring a different viewpoint from it for from what y' all may have because of what the rules were. So I'm going to ask this question specifically, if that's the case and what you're saying, bd, which I agree with everything you're saying in the world of second aprons, what the taxes are, all these things, can you then pay that guy 180 to $200 million? Because when you do that, when you look at this OKC team, when you do that, right, like, you got Shay, who going to make $70 million a year, you got J Dub, who gonna make $50 million a year, and you got Chet, who's also going to make that type of money a year. But when you do that and under these new rules, Alex Caruso gotta go. Hardenstein gotta go. Lou Dort gotta go. Can you still be successful at that level if you can't depend on him to be able to protect the rim at the five? Because that's what it creates.

[Meta World Peace]

Well, I think you get a window of opportunity. You get a window of opportunity to put these teams together and you right, because it will look different. I was talking to somebody today, I said, I don't think Michael Jordan ever had a team like Shai. If Michael Jordan was on this team. Wow. And this is no shot at shake. Because I actually thought sga. I said at times he's better than Michael Jordan, actually, because at times his game is just incredible. But it's true. You lose a couple key pieces, you know, that's. That's going to be an issue. Whereas Rick Carlisle, if you notice a lot of people, they don't know how to coach bigs, which is why they don't play bigs, which is why I can't wait coach. Because I love the coach bigs and tandems. And then you guys at Golden State, you guys took advantage of a slip. You guys never passed up on a slip. There's a lot of teams that slipped there. Big got mismatched. They won't pass it because they don't trust.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

They don't trust. And Indiana trust. Oh. If you slip, we. Ricardo's like, throw that ball to Thomas Bryant, right? Facts.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah, facts. Which makes a big difference, I think, because you look at it, a lot of times, most coaches ain't going to tell you to throw the ball to Thomas Bryant, right? They're going to leave Thomas Bryant open, which then, as you know, allows then Mark Dagno to say they ain't throwing the ball to him, so we don't even have to guard him. And it takes on a whole different life.

[Meta World Peace]

Whole different life.

[Baron Davis]

It's the science of basketball. You always want to get the ball in the middle of the floor, right? And if you can train your big guys to understand how to stop, catch, look, everything is wide open. And that's what Miles Turner can do. Not only can he stop and catch, but he can. He can shoot. Thomas Bryant can shoot. Pascal Siakam. He can create and make players. So can I ob Top it so okc. They. They not. They not when they hit the road, man, it works. Indiana is science, right? It's science that is going to break the second wall of the. Of the defense where you automatically got a three on two. And if you got any playmaker, that's why the warriors was so great, Dre. That's what made you so great. And is Steph gets double team. He automatically hit me. And it was almost like a science, right? It was almost like a science. Like, damn, I get to play three on two, three on one with people recovering. That just. That just breaks the defense back.

[Draymond Green]

I agree with you. Listen, here's how it went. WBD for me. Steph Curry grabs two guys, which leaves us three on two on the backside. And then one guy's not helping off Klay Thompson. They ain't leaving Klay Thompson's body, right? So guess what? I got a three on one on the backside.

[Baron Davis]

That's what I said.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah, absolutely. So for me, personally, I agree with you. I agree with you wholeheartedly. When you could. That's been. And I'm sorry, Meta, that's. That's been my thing. I was actually just sitting with PG watching this game, and PG got the Pacers winning, and I believe the Pacers can win this series. But my only thing with that is, if the Pacers don't get Pascal Siakam the ball enough, he is the one guy on their team that every possession he has the ball, he can get to the shot he's trying to get to. And secondly, not only every possession that he had the ball he can get the shot to get to, but every possession he has the ball, he's the one guy on Indiana's team that can create a double team, which makes the next domino fall. You know, and so when I take a step back and I look at this series, I really like Indiana. I think Indiana can win this series. I just don't know if they will. Because, for instance, you watch this game tonight, they had 17 turnovers at one point, OKC had 11, and they were down two points. So ultimately, when you get down to it, and OKC play their best game, and Indiana played their best game, who's winning that game?

[Baron Davis]

Okay, see, I mean, you know, and.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, the thing that. The one thing Indiana has. Last year, when Giannis got hurt, right? I think a couple people got hurt, which Indiana advanced, right? They took advantage of that.

[Draymond Green]

They advanced as you have to. As you. We all know, you have to take advantage of those things.

[Meta World Peace]

Got to take advantage of that. But what happened is they gained the experience, right?

[T Mobile Ad]

So.

[Meta World Peace]

So then they. In the semifinals or whatever, they gain that experience, and now they took that into this year, even though they're the same type of team, right. They even finished in fourth place. But in the playoffs, right, as you know, they got an experience that OKC they don't got. So any chink in armor in the end is like, oh, we've seen this before. Yeah, we gonna take advantage of this.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, it's knowing who you are versus still discovering who you are. Right? There is no doubt when, When. When the ball needs a. When they. When Indiana needs a player, needs a shot, they know who to put the. Who, who, who to get a ball to. Halliburton Pascal Nemart, Everybody else is getting in position, waiting for them to make plays, right? OKC is really two people. Jalen Williams.

[Meta World Peace]

And.

[Baron Davis]

And Shay. But with okc, because they play such a one on one type of style, that ball is sticking to their hands, right? And so thinking about, you know, Indiana and, and what they did was Shane, he was nine for 20 tonight. I want us, I want y' all to talk about just his play. Like, what does he need to do more of, right, to get OKC over the hump.

[Meta World Peace]

Man. I mean, I actually don't want them to win, so I actually don't. I love okc. I think Shay is dope. Like I said, at times he's better than mj. But I don't want to give anything. I want to actually get the wrong information. Like, hey, slipping your legs and go behind your back.

[Baron Davis]

All right, let's talk about, let's talk about.

[Draymond Green]

No, I got, I got something. I got.

[Baron Davis]

So you got a gym? Give me a gym.

[Draymond Green]

Because my thing is this, as someone who comes from a system of like, you, you got Steph Curry. At times, Steph Curry gonna be the guy and do everything that Steph Curry does. But at times you have to, you have to know when to use Steph Curry against everyone else. And we're not really trying to use Seth Kerr. So as someone who's lived through that and I see what's going on in the series, I think, honestly, and I think Shay gotta be more aggressive. I don't. When I watch that game tonight, I'm like, when's Shay gonna come? When he gonna pause? When he gonna. When is Shay going to do what we know Shay to do? And as someone who's been in these situations, don't get it twisted. You can hear somebody say, shay shooting too much is going to hurt them and try to lessen it a little bit. This is human nature. And when I watched that game tonight, I never felt like Shay said, I'm taking over this game, I'm going to win this game and do that. And so I said all of that to say as much as I think I come from a system of you move the ball, you hit the open man, and that's that. That's not their system. And so what. What I would say is to Shay, don't fall into the trap of the world, because the media around the NBA finals is bigger than any NBA game media in the history. Don't fall into the trap of what the world is saying of like, yo, he's shooting Too much. He foul B that.

[Meta World Peace]

But you gotta have to flow the game.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah, shoot it 30.

[Baron Davis]

You gotta go for it.

[Meta World Peace]

It's true. It's like my rhythm. When I played with Kobe, I only got one title. But when I. And during that time, you know, I had to be. I had to be the best role player I could be. So sometimes I had to shoot the shot that was in rhythm. Even though I wasn't in rhythm, I didn't feel comfortable. Cause I don't have. I'm not taking 20 shots like I'm used to. And on top of that, sometimes I would miss and I would have to go two or nine. And then the media is like, why are you shooting? Oh, don't shoot. Then you got the arena listening to the media and arena is like, no, don't shoot. What you open about? I gotta shoot it right? Because in flow and po is going towards the offensive boards right now. So as if his biggest come out. If I shoot it now, he got a chance to rebound it, which he's done before, right? So it's like, it's true. Now in SH&SGA's role, same thing. You can't listen to us. What other people say, you gotta do what's best for your team.

[Draymond Green]

So in saying that, because what you must understand is I watch these, these things as a 16 year old and I remember. But I've always been interested in the game, right? Like what they're saying about the game. And so I remember watching you play in those finals and watching you play in those playoffs and when you shot the 3 on the right wing, everybody like, why would he shoot that three? Bang.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah. Real time.

[Draymond Green]

Is that. And I've heard the stories. You can correct me if I'm wrong. I've heard the stories of like you left the arena right after that in your jersey, in your uniform and went to the spot. Is that the thing that led to the feeling of like, yeah, I'm out of here, I don't need to shower, I don't need to do anything. I'm going to this club in la, which probably was Greystone at the time. I'm going and do this right now in my uniform because I know what that feels like. Is that the thing that led you to like all of those?

[Meta World Peace]

Not really. Well, after game six, I got a little lifting. I want to throw that in there. I want to write the equal next equinox and got a little lifted because I wanted to get. I wanted enough time to recover. So I got. I left the staples Got to equinox at about 10:15, got a quick lift in, and then that carried over to game seven, you know what I mean? Got the lift in. And then when we won, I mean, for me, it was like, I felt like I would never win a title because I was so immature. I put my team at risk of losing. I had no emotional control for a long time. So when I won it, I was like, damn, I actually wanted. Like, I didn't even realize we won until I looked at the clock. And when the clock says 00, I'm like, oh, we really won. You know what I mean? So my mind was just all over the place, and I just was. You know, I always wanted one. I never really wanted. I did want more, but I always said, I want one. And then, like, I was gonna be happy on it. Maybe if I said, I want two or three, maybe I got two or three, but I was really happy. And, like, that's something. I partied. I dreamed. The next year, we came, we got swept. We got swept.

[Baron Davis]

My Dallas.

[Draymond Green]

Hey, that's. That's funny. That's funny. But, you know, I think when I take a step back and I look at those series, I'll be honest with you, this. This year, and I've already said this on this podcast, this year, Julius Randle completely bust my ass. Like, nothing I could do about it. I made him take shots I wanted him to take. I did the things I wanted to do. He completely bust my ass. But I'll be honest, when Steph went out of the lineup, Steve asked me to. Draymond, we need you to push the ball down the floor every time we get the ball, as if we're on a fast break and somebody missed a shot. Because we need to create advantage, and we need to create mismatches. And if you just push it the way you push it, we'll create the mismatch, and then we can get the ball to someone who can take advantage of the mismatch. And so that was my whole focus in the series, is like, I'm going to just get it soon. If it go in or if we miss, I'm coming back to the ball and get it. I'm a push. We'll figure it out after. And I will say to you, I haven't said this to anyone in the world, but they don't know it now. When Steph went out, it was like, oh, I need to push the ball like that, and I need to score. And in my career, I haven't really been in that Situation much where, like, I need to push the ball, I need to anchor the defense, and I need to score. And so when we got into that situation, I could push the ball, I could anchor the defense, or I could push the ball, I could score. Anchoring the defense was a little tougher, right? Like, those things played a part into who I was. How did you go about being Ron artest, who scored 20 points a game, 22 points a game in the NBA to mettle world peace, who may score eight points or may score four points? But I'm gonna lock you, lock your guy up. I'm gonna bring that physicality because to me, it's the first time in my career, actually, where I had to, like, do all of those things. And it was.

[Meta World Peace]

It was difficult.

[Draymond Green]

Look at what happened to us. It was impossible.

[Meta World Peace]

It was difficult, like, to go imagine in your prom contract year, you know, you're in your prime. And that's what was really difficult is, like, you know, I'm like, damn, I can't really show nothing. There's no room. Like. So I said, you know what? I'm a role player for the rest of my career. I gotta hear people say, how am I getting old? From year prior, I was averaging 25 in the playoffs, and then I got worse in six months. How hard? I. I didn't get worse than six months. People like, he old now. I'm like, damn, I can't even back myself up. But I can't. And then you got Kobe. Kobe, like, I don't care what they saying. Bring that ball to me in that corner. Are you skating? But it was tough. But you know what? I was like, you know, that was the toughest experience I had. And I said, you know, I'm just gonna be the best role player. And I was. Actually, I learned more from that than, you know, when I had the opportunities to score.

[Draymond Green]

No, most definitely, man.

[Baron Davis]

Talk about. I always wonder, you know, you played for Houston, y' all lost to the Lakers, they beat you, and you wind up joining the Lakers. Did Kobe reach out to you? Like, how did. What made you want to go to the Lakers? How did. How did that transpire?

[Meta World Peace]

Well, initially, I didn't want to go to the Lakers. I never wanted to go to the Lakers. Like, I had opportunity that people called me and, you know, whatever. I don't want to keep talking about it, but I always wanted to play against people. So I tried to go back to Indiana. I was always trying to go back. Well, first I was trying to go back to Houston, you know, I don't want to get into house. I was supposed to go back to Houston, and then things happen, which is just incredibly annoying. Then I said, okay, what's next? I'm always trying to think about the Knicks, but then Donnie Walsh was at the Knicks at that time. So I threw a quick signal out there. That didn't work. You know, Donnie was there. We had the issues in the history in Indiana. So then I tried to go to back to Indiana, but, you know, those conversations quickly went. It was still fresh on people's mind and heart. Then I tried to go to Detroit. That's what I was trying to. And then. And then they was like, nah, we can't. You know, too much history. I said, listen, this is going to be epic. Met Ron Artest with an art test on the back of a Detroit jersey. I said, y' all missing the whole point. This is legendary. They were scared. I'm like, I'm not worried about. I got people in Detroit. I love Detroit. When I go to Detroit, you know, I got people. They love me in Detroit. At the fans. They go crazy in Detroit. Like, I literally got fans in Detroit. So then that didn't happen. And then. But. But the first team to call me was the Lakers. The lakers called that 1201. That was. I was like. They called me. My agent was like, David Bauman, hey, the Lakers want to speak to you. And the first thing I said, I was like, for what? That's the first thing I said. These niggas just beat us.

[Baron Davis]

Holy.

[Meta World Peace]

He was like, they what? They want to sign you. I'm like, what? The Lakers. I said, I gotta call you back. I'm like, damn. Like, Dr. Bus. Phil Jackson. I'm like, this is crazy. Met with Dr. Buss that morning. We chatted. He was like, yo, I can't pay you, but what you deserve. We only got the mid. And I was like, don't even worry about it. Like, this is incredible. That's how I got to the Lakers.

[Baron Davis]

Spoiler.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

As I got to the league.

[Draymond Green]

And that's fire. That's insane. So when I look at this game, Game three.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

I want to ask you two guys a question or something, because. And I'll ask you to this, both of both of y' all, this question, because I think, for me, personally, the one thing I never want to become is I don't want to become one of these grumpy older guys that played the game. And I feel like I'm hating on the younger guys. I never want to become that. So in saying that when I watch this game, when I watch these NBA Finals, I'm like, yo, I don't feel like this is the level of preparation. This is the level of like, like dialed in is that like when I played in the Finals, I don't feel. Feel like they do that. And the reason I feel like, like when you look at a specific thing, I'll point to a very specific thing of why I say that. I feel like when I was coming through the NBA Finals and I had to win the NBA Finals, and this could be my coach. Like, again, I think my coach is the greatest ever. Maybe he not. That's for everybody else to debate, but I think my coach is the greatest coach coach ever. And TJ McConnell getting a sneak back still would never happen. Like, we're, we're. We're so dialed in on that one thing in this game plan that there's no way TJ McConnell going to hop off the guy. He's going to. To get the steal. And I watched him get two of those tonight, and I couldn't believe it.

[Baron Davis]

Because I'm like, yo, this is the game.

[Draymond Green]

This is NBA Finals play. You can get this steal in the NBA Finals. And you can't be on that rush. No. And you got that still on Tuesday, November 10, 2024. And now we're in the finals in 2025, and you get that steal. So I asked you guys the question. As two guys who's played this game, I'm still in it. But as two guys who played this game, like, do y' all feel the same way about this NBA Finals as you have about previous points?

[Baron Davis]

I would actually say I have been extremely impressed watching these whole entire playoffs. Like, I am fucking loving the playoffs. I'm loving the finals. The games are good. It's good basketball. It may be, it may not be. You know, per like two teams playing at the ultimate perfection. But, like, it is good basketball. And that T.J. mcConnell still the second one that changes the momentum. And so Drake, you and I talked about this in the beginning of the year that okc, they will take a couple plays off mentally just because they're young, just because they have more talent and shit like that comes back to haunt you. You up four, right? You don't get the offensive rebound, they score two, then you in a rush to throw the ball nowhere. This kid steals the ball, lays the ball up, ties score, Halliburton come back, hit a three. The whole momentum, you never come, you never recover. You never recover. So carelessness right is hopefully something that. And as you watch championships, you see teams that may lose on the fluke, going all the way back to Detroit Pistons when Larry Bird stole the ball. Shit like that happens, right? The teams that win make those moments happen, and that's what Indiana is doing, different than okc. OKC may take a playoff, may make a lackadaisical pass, because they have that. They have kind of like a real nonchalant charisma.

[Draymond Green]

Yes, they do.

[Baron Davis]

And like that nonchalant charisma also, that can play against you where it's like, oh, don't affect me, but I don't care. But it's like you can't shake your out. You can't shake yourself. You can't shake yourself out of it. You know, that's. That's where. That's where my hiccup is. And T.J. mcConnell, he is. He is the essence of what Indiana basketball is. Has playing hard, has taken advantage of every mistake, right? And. And being first to the action.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, I mean, to T.J. mcConnell's point, and I'm going to answer Draymond's question also, but I was at game five in Indiana, one of those games, they came out, they were shooting a bunch of threes. TJ Came into the game, started driving the ball into the teeth of the defense and changed the whole game, by the way, right? Which they then came back and won. If TJ didn't do that, they would have lost that game. You know, you always need that player that see, like, oh, we're shooting too many threes. I gotta come in here and do something different, start penetrating, you know, and then you look at last year, Indiana, you know, without those injuries, maybe they lose, but they was making the same mistakes that OKC is making this year. The difference is they kept going, they kept advancing, and then they gained that experience. So now you got an OKC team who. Yeah, they do a lot of things well. They got a lot of great individual talent, a lot of great role players, but, you know, they're not prepped in every single. The little areas. They're not prepped in it, like you said. Dre, how are you getting those two? Two stills? Well, Phil Jackson, you know, press breakers are part of the. The press break is a part of the offense, right? You look at what happened even at Milwaukee, and I don't even want to give away too much. I'm trying to be a head coach. I don't like trying to. But I try to keep a little bit for myself, but it's True. How are you not prepped?

[Baron Davis]

You know what a press break bro. That is like basketball.

[Draymond Green]

One on one.

[Meta World Peace]

It is one on one. It is the most. You know it's. It's important sometimes you don't go through it. You get into these playoffs especially with the game being be more physical. BD to, to your point, like I'm enjoying this year. This is I I'm enjoying the playoffs like it was. It was incredible this year. But as physical as it is, you got to be ready to break the press because guys is touching you now. You know what I mean? And they're not, they're not prepared. You got to sprint to get open. Like you got to work to get open. You can't be like you said lackadais. It ain't working. That's not working in the finals. And Rick car. This is right in Rick Carlisle sweet spot. He with fall. He played in a soft era, sort of a soft era. He went through all those errors and you telling me now they saying you can touch. Oh this is Ricardo sweet spot right here.

[Draymond Green]

Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range of progress program and beyond the game. From gripping behind the scenes documentaries to hard hitting investigative pieces and in depth profiles of athletes, coaches and teams, Vice Sports captures the raw energy, drama and passion that makes sports unforgettable.

[DraftKings Ad]

Recent Vice Sports premieres includes Brady versus Belichick, the Verdict with host Chris Maddog.

[Baron Davis]

Russo and a sixth season of the.

[DraftKings Ad]

Hit show Dark side of the Ray. And that's not all. Vice TV also televised exciting live sports action with Arena Football 1 and BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing.

[Draymond Green]

Feel the adrenaline of Arena Football 1 where fast paced action and high scoring take center stage in a thrilling kinetic environment. Then brace yourself for the raw, unfiltered intensity of bare knuckle boxing where literally every punch counts.

[DraftKings Ad]

These events bring the audience the excitement, excitement and unpredictability of live sports. No holds barred. Whether you're a die hard fan or a casual viewer, Vice Sports offers a fresh, bold, unfiltered approach to sports you won't find anywhere else. Catch these action packed live events and other exclusive sports programs only on Vice TV. Go to vice tv.com to find your cable channel.

[Zoe Saldana]

Hi Zoe Saldana, welcome to T Mobile. Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.

[T Mobile Ad]

Thanks. And here's my old phone to trade in.

[Zoe Saldana]

You don't need to trade in when you switch to T Mobile. We'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro plus we'll help you pay off your old Phone up to 800 bucks and you still get to keep it.

[T Mobile Ad]

There's always a trade in.

[Zoe Saldana]

Not right now. @ T Mobile.

[T Mobile Ad]

I feel like I have to give you something in return for karma.

[Zoe Saldana]

That's okay.

[T Mobile Ad]

I don't really have much in my purse. Oh, let's see. Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm good. Seriously.

[T Mobile Ad]

Let me check this pocket. Oh, mints.

[Zoe Saldana]

Really, I'm fine.

[T Mobile Ad]

Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car.

[DraftKings Ad]

It's our best iPhone offer ever. Switch to T Mobile. Get a new iPhone. 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on us. No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your phone up.

[T Mobile Ad]

To 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line 100 plus a month on experience beyond Finance Agreement 9.99 and qualifying boarded for well qualified plus tax and $10 connection charge. Pay off via virtual prepaid for 15 days. Credits end in balance due if you pay off early or cancel CT mobile.com.

[Meta World Peace]

And.

[Baron Davis]

And the thing that that Indiana is doing, they're making you start your offense at half court.

[Meta World Peace]

They doing what the P does.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

Indiana doing what? Lindsay Hunter, who's one of the greatest point guard defenders in history.

[Baron Davis]

Like this guy was, man, he was. He was a harasser. He was a bona fide harasser.

[Meta World Peace]

You're not getting. You're not getting into your office until all day.

[Baron Davis]

All day he harassed.

[Meta World Peace]

This is what Carlisle's doing. I forget the Pistons didn't have Lindsey Hunter. Man, we win that series.

[Draymond Green]

So you think someone at the. Because again we live in a world where people have their own opinions, where the media. I think the media control the NBA. By the way, just so we're clear players. There's this common misconception of players have the power in the NBA. I personally think the media has the power in the NBA. I think that's who controls the NBA. But are you saying that you think. Because I. I actually got a couple days ago I spoke about how I think is Alex Caruso is the most important player on third most important player. Obviously Shay obviously J Dub. But I think Alex Caruso.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

Is the third most important player OkC's team. And Ron, I'm hearing you say Lindsey Hunter. Do you think a guy like Lindsey Hunter is that important to winning the championship?

[Meta World Peace]

I wish. Lindsey Hunter. You can't have Lindsey Hunter and Mike James on the same team. It was really difficult. These guys was harassing us. I mean, we couldn't get the ball. It was really difficult because, yeah, Jamal Tinsley is incredible. But you talking about when you play against these guys, they send them Mike James, then they send to Lindsey, then they send them Mike James, then they send in Lindsay. You're not getting into your offense, you know, until 13, 13 seconds. Yeah, I didn't have package at that point.

[Baron Davis]

At half court.

[Meta World Peace]

At half court.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah. Please take Lindsey Hunter off the court. Like, please don't put him in the game and we're going to be okay. Mike just won. Mike James, you can't have. And Lindsey was a little bit better than Mike, even though Mike was more athletic. But Lindsey was a scientist when it comes to, you know, putting pressure in the backcourt. And that's what the pace is.

[Baron Davis]

That. Yeah, it's, it's, it's J is the disruptor. Right. And you are one of those disruptors. Like when you think about somebody who just completely disrupts your offense and that can be picking somebody up full court, making them, Making your point guard pass the ball close to the half court ring is disgusting for a point guard. And if you can, and if you watch Indiana OKC get across half court, they run and pick and rolls at the half court line just to try and get some space. New York did it the same way with Brunson. Brunson is damn near using the half court line as another pick. And so if your defense can extend that far all game, then when it comes down to the clutch, and now you got to play in a tight space, ain't nothing open. You can strength the floor and you can still cover ground because they don't see space. They can only see spacing from half court, which is terrible. You don't never want to start your.

[DraftKings Ad]

Offense at half court.

[Draymond Green]

No, that's a fact. I think when we look at those type of guys, like TJ McConnell, for instance, to your point, he's doing the same thing. When you look at those type of guys, you just. When it comes to the NBA, yes, everyone is talented. Yes, everyone is skilled. All these things. You. Bill Belichick has this saying to make. I don't. This is not Bill Belichick saying, but Bill Belichick. The way Bill Belichick goes about his offense is. Bill Belichick goes about his offense. He say, I'm going to. I'm going to double team the best wide receiver. The best wide receiver you have. Excuse me, Bill Belichick will double team the second best wide receiver. He would Double team your second best wide receiver and tell you go ahead and beat us with your first best wide receiver. I'm going to double team your second best receiver so he can't get anything and I'm going to make your best wide receiver beat us. Can you beat us over the course? You look at an NFL game, it's 15 minutes record. Can you beat us over the course of that 60 minutes?

[Baron Davis]

Why are you jockeying Bill Belichick? First Steeler fan, man. What? What? See got him. Caught him red handed.

[Draymond Green]

Hey, when we all, when we, when we, when we all got championships and.

[Baron Davis]

I don't give a.

[Draymond Green]

When you a fan of football, you don't. You don't quote.

[Baron Davis]

You don't quote the rival coach. If you're a Pittsburgh Steeler, you don't quote Bellich.

[Draymond Green]

Well, we all got championships. It don't even matter because we all got the championships. So you your way. I'mma win it my way. But Bill Belichick, he said I'm, I'm a, I'm a double team, second best receiver.

[Baron Davis]

You got to make people make decisions.

[Draymond Green]

Go just with your first best receiver.

[Baron Davis]

That's what Rick Carlisle's doing.

[Draymond Green]

And, and that is exactly what Rick Carlisle is doing. Shay Gill is say Shay Gilge is Alexander. They're loaded up, they're boxes and elbows.

[Meta World Peace]

They're.

[Draymond Green]

The whole defense is overreacting. And then J Dub go get a drive to the hole and he bumped one guy. He get a dunk and one. He. They telling him, we're willing to let you go beat us. Yeah, we're not letting Shay go beat us.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

And I want to ask the question to both of you guys is, is that ultimately a sustainable game plan to win four games in this series?

[Meta World Peace]

Well, I think you said it earlier, I think Shay got a Shay problem, right? He gotta, he gotta bring, he, he didn't bring his game yet, so he gotta answer that first question first. Right? Then he can get to that. You know what you just asked just now, you know. Cause even if they was doing that, imagine that's Kobe. Even if they were sending a double doing a tilt, you know, Kobe splitting it, figuring out how to attack that, you know, he might go five for 30, you know, popularity, but he gonna try to, he gonna try to break you. And he's done that a lot. And I think that's, that's the first problem that Shade gotta hands.

[Draymond Green]

So when you're speaking about Kobe, I love that. So when Shade. So, so you, you agree that Shay just need to be More. He, he, he, he need to go, fuck it. I don't give a care if we win, lose. This is what I'm doing and let's win off that.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, I can't actually. Shay should just go behind his back five times. That's gonna work.

[Draymond Green]

So listen, you know what's crazy is one of the biggest things Steve taught me, and I've never said this on camera, he taught me how to deal with the media. When you're. When you're in a playoff series and you act in the way you're acting right now. Tells me how much he learned from Phil. Because you act the way you're. You won't say anything, so let's just get right into it. Then you won't say anything. You recently announced that you want to be the head coach of the Knicks. Tell me why New York, New York.

[Meta World Peace]

Let's just start there, right?

[Draymond Green]

Queensbridge finest. I, I don't know. I don't know if you. Queensbridge finest, though.

[Meta World Peace]

Come on.

[Baron Davis]

I gotta get that to you, dog. I gotta get that to you over Nas. You loved it. Way more love in more states and more cities. You know, you got a loyal cult like you. You've taken Queens everywhere.

[Meta World Peace]

That is true. Let me tell you how it is. So look, we look up to Nas. We look up to Jordan, right? Like, Nas is like, imagine growing up and Nas is. He grew up right here. You know what I mean? It's insane, right?

[Baron Davis]

So.

[Meta World Peace]

But Nas told me one time, he's like, yo, you the man. Like, Nas did say, yeah, you know, you the. You. I say, I say, what up, King? He said, nah, you the king. I said, hell no, I ain't no can. You the king. Now get out of here with that. You the king. You the king. And I call myself the Prince of Queensbridge.

[Draymond Green]

There is. That's fine.

[Meta World Peace]

No, but you know, yeah, I want to be the head coach because one, since 1999, I've been trying to get to the Knicks. Baron, we was at the draft together. I had to.

[Baron Davis]

Yes, I remember that. Oh, man, I thought that was gonna happen, bro.

[Meta World Peace]

It was supposed to happen. I was. Baron came into my room. I was ironing my, my single dollar bills. I was like, I was like, I'm gonna have more money this time. I wanted to go to the Draft Krispies. So I ironed all my, my singles. I had. I had about 35 singles. Then we get to the draft. You came in my room. BD Facts.

[Baron Davis]

Oh, my God.

[Meta World Peace]

So I get, So I get to the draft. I Was projected to go top 10. You know, even if you look at the draft, you'll see I was projected to go top 10. But I was telling my agent, just let it get to 15, please. So I get the 15. I got the Nick warmup under the practice jersey.

[Baron Davis]

He was already. He was.

[Meta World Peace]

I was ready to get drafted. Rip it open like we New York in the building. We. We coming. We want to win this title. That was the whole plan, right? So they pass on me. The Bulls kicking next. I'm walking on stage, looking at. I got the Bull Jesus right there. I'm looking. I'm not even. I'm looking at top Scott. Like, yo, what the. David Stern right there.

[Baron Davis]

So you won't remember Boston Cop. Remember the Boston Suit Up. That's what he was on. He was. Hey, Don. I cannot believe that I was crying. I could not believe that I could.

[Draymond Green]

Everybody.

[Baron Davis]

It was like. Everybody knew. Everybody knew that was going.

[Meta World Peace]

You were supposed to go to the city. We were supposed to go to the city and was supposed to happen. I'm a New York ledger. So many championships. So when it didn't happen, you know, I love the Bulls. I would go to the Bulls, go to Indiana. I was always thinking about going back to the Knicks, but now I'm building, you know, a family in Indiana, which is like my second home now.

[Draymond Green]

Right.

[Meta World Peace]

So then almost in 2010, I almost went to the Knicks again. But Mellow's available all these other players. LeBron's here now, so it's like is priority now. Right. Even though I was still a pretty good player, I thought they should have picked me up. I'm a New York City player. But it proved my point that if they were to pick me, imagine that. Defensive player of the year in New York. Imagine being the. I was on the best team in the east, you know.

[Draymond Green]

Yes.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, he was on the best. So that could have been in New York. So then I go to New York. At the end of my career, I'm like, this is great. I'm in New York. Like, it was a blessing. Shout out to the Knicks, though. I love the Knicks organization.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, Knicks is. They were. Shout out to the Knicks.

[Meta World Peace]

Shout out to all of them. So then at the end of my career, I knew I was going to get into coaching because when I was at my last two years with the Lakers, I was. I would leave practice and go to my Palisades girls practice. That's when I started coaching. I always wanted to coach. So I did two years at Palisades with coach Chino Johnson. We won two championships there. I was like an assistant coach. I drew the G League. When I retired, half a season part time, because I was. I wasn't really into it fully when I. I want. I needed a break from basketball.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

And I wanted to spend time with my family, too. I had a long career. So then what I did was I became an assistant coach, associate head coach at Cal State, la, for seven years. The last seven years up until now at a. Now, yeah, it's Division 2. But I did try to get some opportunities, which is nobody's fault, but I just could not get on it and be a team. Now, I could have got on the Lakers, but the timing was on. Lakers, G League, but the timing was bad because I needed a break from basketball, so the timing was bad to go to the Lakers. So that window left, and. But I just kept coaching. I had some coaches that said they might call me, they might call me. I had no call back. You know, I was trying to get G leagues, I was trying to get here, get there, but no calls back. So, you know, in the old school, if I need to go into the gym and the gym is closed, I'll just go outside the park and work on my game. That's what I've been doing over the last seven years. I've been working on my craft. I'm on my Shiznik right now when it comes to culture, because I've been through the emotion. We took a team from the last 20 to 30 years before I got there, no NCAA appearances, to having a rough first year, second year got better to make it an NCAA two years in a row and being ranked in Division 2, you know, in the top 10 in the preseason. Now, granted, we had an injury last year, right? But that's coaching and now. So I didn't expect this Nick job to be available, by the way. I was actually. I was in. I was on the island, like, literally at a coffee shop. I get the tweet. I'm like, ooh, I gotta get on it. But. But I. But I'm ready for that moment. It's like, Dre, if you pick. If you set a double screen, you know, call it the left corner double screen, and they show too much. You're gonna slip. You're not thinking about that. You're slipping. Boom. That's. That's. I saw the opportunity. I slipped. You know, I saw a shot, I took it. I got to send that tweet out now because that's how ready I am. That's how ready? I'm ready for the press. You mentioned that earlier, like, oh, these guys is not ready. I'm ready for the press. I wanted this opportunity. This is in the back of my head forever. So when you saw it, then I said, I got to create the momentum because I don't have an agent. This is a one man band.

[Draymond Green]

You think, you think, you think you can coach Jalen, Brunson and Cameron? All right, so listen, say absolutely. The Knicks don't make a trade, right? The Knicks don't do anything. They come back with the same team next year, right? You think you can coach those guys to a champion?

[Meta World Peace]

On my aame right now, man, I'm on my aame for sure. Like. And so let's just speak to you from that perspective. This is not like saying, I'm not in the talks. Nobody has called me, so I'm not. This is no pressure on the Knicks. I love the Knicks organization because I also do a lot of community service with the Knicks. But this is not to put any pressure on the Knicks. This is just talking. As you know, I'm honored to be on the show for sure. Like, when I look at. I'm a Pacer fan, I'm at the pacer game today, 100% I'm gonna be honest and transparent. But when I look at that game, it was little things. We talked about the little things. I don't want to give it all away because I want to save it for when I coach. But we talk about not being ready, you know, or things they could have done different. You look at the end of the fourth quarters, what happened, Even the bounce alone with Halliburton, that soft touch, even that one bounce goes the right way, we're talking. It could be. It could have been a different series, you know, in the car. So just from that alone and that experience alone, they're going to get better because they learn they got their butt kicked this year, you know, at home. So they're going to get better. And now and then you get a chance to coach a Brunson. Brunson is different. Brunson is not the same mentality as.

[Draymond Green]

A lot of people.

[Meta World Peace]

He went to the Garden. That's what Carmelo did. Carmelo went to the Garden when everybody else did not want to go to the Garden. Nobody wanted to follow because of that pressure. Baron, you though, you played in New York bd, so for that I think I got. I would have the team. We would be expected to him. Obviously you're gonna have a staff. It's not gonna just be meta rope. He's on the bench by itself, like getting people's water. We'll have a dope staff, right? And then, yeah, we'll.

[Draymond Green]

We'll.

[Baron Davis]

We'll.

[Meta World Peace]

We'll compete and win the title. He's like, we don't have no other bills. I only got one. I'm not speaking, like, from a Draymond perspective. Like, Draymond got full. Drake could come over here and say, we gonna win. For sure. We gonna win. I'm coming on here and saying, we gonna win. I got one. I'm coming on here saying, yeah, we coming to win the title in New York City.

[Draymond Green]

And for you, that means more to you than just an NBA title because you're from New York.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, I've been trying to get to. I've been trying to get to New York for quite some time. The whole stories differ. It's one, I have the experience, right. Because I play in the league.

[Draymond Green]

You're a champion.

[Meta World Peace]

Champion. Winnie Rose did what I had to do. Then part two, everywhere, you know, New York City, from UDC to Milbank to Minnesy to 145th to 119th a second to Kingdom to Rucker. These are championships the whole time. These are the MVPs and championship. So I got all. I got this history in New York City. When you combine that together, it's Is a perfect timing to win a title. Now I'm going to. I'm going to apologize to a few people. I'm going to be legendary after this. Sorry.

[Draymond Green]

So. So. So I asked you this question as someone who's been in the NBA, following your footsteps, where we don't take bullshit. We not going for that. We're willing to go to whatever lengths to show you we're not going for that.

[Baron Davis]

Right?

[Draymond Green]

Right.

[Baron Davis]

You.

[Draymond Green]

What do you say to the guy who's like, yeah, but you can't keep your head because you're gonna lose it.

[Meta World Peace]

You.

[Draymond Green]

You not like when you. Even when I watch you play, you lose it. Because that's what they say to me. What do you say to that guy.

[Meta World Peace]

Which I might call you Dre, and say, hey, what do you think? But when you coaching a knucklehead or immature person like Meta or whatever the case may be, I think it's. It's connecting. You know, it's like, I was in a different situation. That's why I love how you play, Dre, because you never put your. You never was detrimental to your team. You was detrimental to yourself at times, which is why you go to your DMs, you're gonna see some DMs from me. Dre, you gonna see them. But you was never detrimental to your team. I didn't have that. You know, And. And I learned a lot from you, by the way. I learned a lot from Stephen Curry. Not even talk. I don't even talk to Stephan. But I watch her analyze and learn at the end of my career. So, you know, from that perspective, you know, you coaching emotional, right? We all emotional. We got big egos. We got big egos. Right. I understand that. And for me, you know, certain things just don't stress me out.

[Draymond Green]

So a guy like me playing against your team. You with the Knicks, you the head coach. And I'm out there trying to bully Carl Towns like you not coming.

[Baron Davis]

I'm gonna say I'm gonna take. I'm gonna take the 13th man off the bench, and I'm gonna put him in the game. And I'm gonna say, you go with Draymond out of Draymond his chest and say something to him. Then I'm gonna give him an ISO against you. And I don't care if you stop him. If they give the charge, I'm like, make an offensive foul against Draymond. Then the third time down, I'mma let him foul your ass again. And after that, you gonna lose your. I'm gonna sit him down now. I'm sitting down on the bench, and you go talk to him all night.

[Draymond Green]

Guess what? Hey, listen. Guess what. Guess what. Guess what. Bd. Now Ron Artest gotta go be the head coach of the New York Knicks.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah. That's all cool. That's all fine and dandy you got at me, but now you gotta go be the head coach of the New York Knicks.

[Meta World Peace]

100%, I think, without putting too much pressure, I'm gonna support the Knicks regardless. Let's say they didn't pick me, which I don't want that to happen. I'm not saying that. People.

[Baron Davis]

Even assistant coach. So. Even assistant coach, man, starting off somewhere be.

[Meta World Peace]

Hold on. Don't mention that type of stuff. Don't what?

[Baron Davis]

My f. My fault. Head coach. Head coach. Head coach.

[Meta World Peace]

The sage on BD for some sage. Be ready, baby. Hey, be ready. And you want to know something? I know what New York City is like. Say we don't win. I'm gonna be the biggest fool in New York City. You understand? I don't do. I want that. I'm ready for it, but they gonna.

[Baron Davis]

Throw tomatoes at your ass if you lose. You gonna walk down the street. What are you gonna do when y'.

[Draymond Green]

All lose it and you walk down.

[Baron Davis]

The street and somebody hits you with a tomato?

[Meta World Peace]

I'mma turn the cheek.

[Draymond Green]

I'mma turn down the cheek. You got to. Hey.

[Baron Davis]

Got to.

[Zoe Saldana]

Hi, Zoe Saldana. Welcome to T Mobile. Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.

[T Mobile Ad]

Thanks. And here's my old phone to trade in.

[Zoe Saldana]

You don't need to trade in. When you switch to T Mobile, we'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro. Plus we'll help you pay off your old phone. Up to 800 bucks and you still get to keep it.

[T Mobile Ad]

There's always a trade in.

[Zoe Saldana]

Not right now. @ T Mobile.

[T Mobile Ad]

I feel like I have to give you something in return for karma.

[Zoe Saldana]

That's okay.

[T Mobile Ad]

I don't really have much in my purse. Oh, let's see. Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm good. Seriously.

[T Mobile Ad]

Let me check this pocket. Oh, mints.

[Zoe Saldana]

Really, I'm fine.

[T Mobile Ad]

Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car.

[DraftKings Ad]

It's our best iPhone offer ever. Switch to T Mobile. Get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple intelligence on us. No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your Phone up.

[T Mobile Ad]

To 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line 100 plus a monthly experience beyond finance. Revisit $999.99 and qualify. Imported for well qualified plus tax and 10 connection charge. Payout via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days credits and imbalance due if you pay off early or cancel CT mobile dot com.

[Draymond Green]

Listen, before we move on, I must say this. When I look at the New York Knicks team, I'm just going to be 100 honest with the both of you because I got the utmost respect for the both of y' all. And y' all are connected to the Knicks, the Knicks organization. And so I'm going to be 100 honest with the both of y' all. I think when I look at that organization. Does Tom Thibodeau help you win an NBA championship or not? I don't know. I. I'm not certain that he does. I'm not certain that he doesn't. But what I am certain of is that the culture of that organization is going to be proper. It's going to be the right way. They're going to go about things the right way. So I've watched this team, now, this organization, as someone who knows what it means to win championships and know what it means to look like championships and to know what it should look like in order to win the NBA championship. Excuse me.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

I've watched this team, now, this organization, fire a guy who I think is. He goes about his business the right way, will he win a championship for you? I don't know. But what I've watched is this team now go after four or five head coaches and be denied the opportunity to speak to them. And when I see that, I say, hmm. What I do know this team needs is someone who's going to be respected when. Cause, see, here's what you got to understand for me, as someone who's won four championships in this league, who would turn to your bench and say, all y' all fucking weak and your coach suck. And I don't believe in y' all, because I'll say that to your bench and annihilate your bench and crush your bench. Because all of that matters when you're talking about winning a championship. As someone who would say that, I would actually say that now. Whereas I think it's different is. And this is just me being. Keeping it 100 with both of y' all, because that's how I'm going to keep it. When I. When I take a step back, I look at you and I say, there's no chance I'd ever come to your and say, all you weak. I'll beat all y' all. There's no chance y' all can win. There's no chance y' all can beat us. Because when people have never won a championship, they don't understand the value of that thing, which is how important it is that the people that walk past your bench have respect for your bench. People don't understand that thing. And so when I look at the Knicks situation, I say, me personally, they need someone that commands this respect of a Tom Thibodeau. They need someone that commands the respect of the NBA. But they're going to think that with that team, that they were really a conference finals team. And I actually think they need someone like you to say, maybe we weren't. Maybe we were. But the respect that's going to be had towards our bench is the respect that needs to be had towards the championship. And so my thing would be, what is one of us to do when you're viewed as Metta World Peace, Ron Artest, the basketball player, and not Mettle World peace, run or test the guy who's gonna command the respect on a bench that a bench must have in order to compete at a championship? Level, how do we beat that thing?

[Meta World Peace]

You mean, how do we accomplish that? Like, how do we. Yeah, I mean, for me.

[Draymond Green]

And see, here's what I. I say, how do we beat that thing? Because I said that. And this ain't you talking. This is me talking. Yeah, I said that because I feel like when I say beat that thing, that's also something we're up against in order to reach success. So that's why I said it that way. That's not you speaking, that's me speaking. But how do we get past that thing? To where me personally, as someone who's gone through this league and won championships, if I see you on the sideline, there's a different respect that I'm going to have for someone else. How do we. That thing of, like, you're a current player. Because in our world, they use that against us. Like, you don't know what you're talking about.

[Baron Davis]

Right.

[Draymond Green]

But in every other world, if you did that, you're the guy for the job. So how do we beat that thing now?

[Meta World Peace]

100%. And it's true. You know, I feel like. And then a lot of the stuff that people worry about, too, I don't necessarily worry about. I'm focused on your strategy, what I'm doing when I get my opportunity. I know BD alluded to, like, assistant coaching role. I never. I'm actually open to a lot.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, I'd be an assistant coach, bro. You mean that? Coach. I'll be the assistant coach.

[Meta World Peace]

I might have to call you.

[Baron Davis]

Come on, come on, come on, man. I'll be an assistant coach.

[Meta World Peace]

You know how much pressure it is being in New York? And this is not, like, to scare anybody. I'm gonna support anybody who gets a job. But for me to come out like this and talk about it and the fans, you know, some fans already, like, hell, no. I'm going back. I'm, like, really taking that head on. Like, I'm not afraid of this moment.

[Baron Davis]

You built for it. You built for it. Yeah, you. You born to do this. You know it.

[Draymond Green]

You.

[Baron Davis]

You're a great person. You're great with people. You know, you embody. You embody New York basketball, and you embody basketball, too. For somebody you know as a superstar, All Star, seeing your trajectory from kids to seeing you now like you, you've mastered all levels of a player, and you've won. You know, you've won at the highest level as an integral part of a team where you had to be a thinker, where you had to be an adjuster. Where you had to think strategy, where you had to be a disruptor to complement superstars. So you know what a superstar needs. You know what a rising star needs, right? You know what a young and upcoming dude who's looking for that motivation or that opportunity. Like, you can relate on so many levels because you've played all those different roles in your journey. And I think a lot of that was by choice, right? Being a superstar and then deciding, all right, well, I'm going to go over here and be the ultimate role player and then the work your system like that. So I commend you, bro. If you need an assistant coach, I'm there. Let's go. We gonna campaign Meta for. But Knicks coach, you got my vote.

[Meta World Peace]

He.

[Draymond Green]

Here's the thing, though. Here's the thing. I'll say I don't even think it's a campaign situation. I'll just tell you from what I see in watching, the thing is, they had a head coach that requires. That requires and demands respect. And he's brilliant in what he knows. He is a defensive guru. So much so that I'mma just keep a G with y' all. I'm sorry if this is the team you're going to be coaching in two months, but to go to the conference finals with Jalen Brunson and Carl Towns on the defensive end. I ain't talking about what. What Jalen Brunson and Carl Towns do and who they are as players. I'm just talking about over the course of an NBA season. Jalen Brunson and Karl Towns are two people over the course of that season that you say we can pick on them to go to the conference finals with two guys that you can pick on. I think that's brilliant because it's so hard to align all the schedules to do this thing, to do that thing, blah, blah, blah. I actually like that talent. It actually has to align with this time period. Like, you can like a talent, but if it don't align with that time period, it actually doesn't work. And so when I take a step back, I look at it and it actually aligns. And so for me, when I take a step back and I look at it, I'm like, yo, the Knicks requested Jason Kidd, The Knicks requested Eme Udoka, the Knicks requested Chris Finch. And I don't give a fuck about the Knicks. How y' all do. So there's one more person.

[Baron Davis]

Oh.

[Draymond Green]

That they just recommended and it didn't matter.

[Baron Davis]

Quinn Snyder.

[Draymond Green]

Yeah, Quinn Snyder. Right. So. So they. It didn't matter. So when I look at the Knicks and I take a step back, I'm like, yo, they have to have someone as the coach that is respected amongst the players that they play, but that's also respected amongst the players that they have on their team or they're going to make a big mistake. And so when I look at it, and I'll be honest with you, when you threw your name in the hat, I'm like, I never knew Matta was going to coach, but when I look at their situation, they need someone like you.

[Meta World Peace]

And a lot of people didn't know I was coaching, but some people do. And just to go on the record, I was trying to coach many times. It's just bad timing. And I can't force someone to put me on their staff, and I can't force someone to make me the coach at a G league or even wnba. I was trying everything but what I.

[Baron Davis]

Had to get interview, you know?

[Meta World Peace]

Huh?

[Baron Davis]

They gotta give you the interview, bro.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, Yeah. I couldn't even get an interview from Alma mater. But what I did do was I was coaching. I wasn't just sitting home waiting. I was coaching. And you're talking about 6am practices. So what time am I up every day at 5am that's way harder. This is not to, you know, put anybody down, but that's way harder to not get paid as a volunteer coach. Taking the job serious. And we don't have a budget at Division 2 basketball. We got to go on Southwest. I'm on Southwest. We driving vans, and we get it out. This is for six years. This is what people don't realize. I saw Charles the other day, and I was like, charles, I need you to advocate for me. Charles said, you don't even coach. I said, charles, that's not true, man. That's not true. I coach. I coach all the time, man. I'm coaching every day. I'm on.

[Baron Davis]

You can.

[Meta World Peace]

You can catch me on Division 2 TV. You can. And actually, we played Stanford this year, and the Stanford coach, you know, Division one powerhouse, right? So we played them in the preseason. She was like, this team is very well prepared. And that's a video. Now, she didn't say our names, but that's our team. And yeah, it's girls and not guys, but it don't matter because you're coaching. You're trying to get a team to beat another team.

[Baron Davis]

Coaching basketball.

[Meta World Peace]

Coaching basketball.

[Draymond Green]

Exactly. Nah, listen, I think in order for. Again, this is just me talking to y' all, and I guess it goes out to the world. But I don't think that's a championship team. But I think in order for that team to compete at that level, they have to have someone like you. Or it just doesn't work like, it'll never work like you have to. In order to compete at the level of conference championships in the NBA, you have to have generational talents. And I think when it comes to that, if you don't have a generational talent, for instance, the Indiana Pacers, I don't think they have generational talents. However, when it comes to that, you must have people that are respected at that level. And if you don't have people that are respected at that level and you just have generational talents, they become talents that in 10 years, 20 years, we look back from now, we're like, man, that person was supposed to be that good. That person was supposed to be that good.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

And I think if you don't, these people aren't in search of the generational talents. But I will say I think that Knicks team needs someone like you. Because if they think they're going to get someone who's like, I'm X's and O, I'm an X and O guy, we're going to make this team do that. It's wrong. It don't work. They're not going to win, going to lose in the first round. And that's just that. So I pray to God that you can be viewed as what you should be viewed at as far as this job goes, because we're the only industry in the world that you can have extreme experience at, something even more experienced than the person that's up against you, and the experience is used against you. So I think the Knicks need someone like you. I think when I look at it, someone that I played against that think the game. I don't think players think the game anymore. I just. That's just my opinion. But as someone who think the game had to think the game, and what shows you had to think the game is you were great at scoring. That's great. That didn't make you become who you became. What made you become who you actually became was taking that backseat and winning the championship. And to see someone do that and know that someone's willing to sacrifice all that they've been in their entire life to do that thing. That's the person that I want as my coach.

[Meta World Peace]

Man. I appreciate it. Man, I had to throw my name in the hat. I ain't mean to, you know, ruffle any feathers, but you know, you don't get a lot of opportunities in life. And you know what's so crazy about it? I threw my name in the hat and look where we at today.

[Baron Davis]

Yep, it's.

[Meta World Peace]

It's, you know, so hopeful. Hopefully this thing happens and I'm gonna be so ready, you know, to. To perform and confide.

[Draymond Green]

No doubt. Can I ask you a question?

[Meta World Peace]

Yes, sir. Please do.

[Draymond Green]

What the hell made you change your name from Ron Artesta, Metta World Peace, you know. Oh, wait, before you answer. Cause I, as a fan who watching the game in Saginaw, Michigan, I'm like, what the hell?

[Meta World Peace]

Oh, yeah.

[Draymond Green]

What the hell made you change your name?

[Meta World Peace]

Yo, I needed to evolve. You know, my career was wild. It was just like, couldn't, you know, when I was playing, my two of my siblings was in a cycle. Right. So you can't. There's nothing you could do. I could control everything else, right. In life. I could help people, but I can't get my siblings off medication. Right. So that's one. Then you. When you pile on, like, not being able, you know, I didn't necessarily have the skill set to raise a family now. I had my first child at 16. Right.

[Draymond Green]

So.

[Meta World Peace]

So then. Now you enter in the league as a father. You know, I was. I was a father, you know, literally at 19 years old. And so I didn't know how to navigate that. And then another thing was the alcohol. Like, when I was drinking, I didn't realize how much of a depressant it was. So when you got all that stress and things going on, if you don't understand alcohol is a depressant and you got a motor, it just works against you, man. So then at some point, you know, as I. When I had. When I stopped drinking, I did for a long time in my career, had a touch, not a sip of alcohol. And when I stopped and I reflected, I'm like, damn. Kind of embarrassing, you know, I was like, yeah, that's kind of real thing.

[Draymond Green]

You know what I mean?

[Meta World Peace]

Like, a lot of stuff that was happening. So I was trying to evolve and move forward because everything's already out there. But I know I knew where I wanted to go in my life. So I said, you know, I'm changed my name. I'm going to do my thing because I got to block out everybody. Because, you know, from my perspective, like, people were. Things was coming from everywhere. Media, fans, all the time, all the time, online, everything. But I needed to really focus to get here where I'm at today. So I think the name change was important to me.

[Draymond Green]

So now today you go as Ron Artest Santa.

[Meta World Peace]

No, no. So I kept Meta, my wife. Her name is sand for. So when I got married, I changed my last name to her last name. So I was Meta World Peace, but it's Meta sand before. And she took our test. So it's Meta sand before in our test. So that's the only reason why that exists, because, you know, she demanded that I changed my name to her last.

[Baron Davis]

Give her Defensive Player of the Year.

[Draymond Green]

You gotta tell me more about it.

[Baron Davis]

She get Defensive Player of the Year. Lock them up.

[Draymond Green]

You got a lot.

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, that's some lockdown defense practice.

[Draymond Green]

But time out, though. You again, having the mental that we know, which is like, I'm a dog. I'll destroy you.

[Baron Davis]

How would you decide?

[Draymond Green]

How'd you decide that that was going to be the thing? Because it's total opposite of the way we know, right? Like, the woman take the man last name.

[Meta World Peace]

All right.

[Draymond Green]

Like, that's total opposite of what we know.

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah.

[Draymond Green]

Come on. You got.

[Meta World Peace]

You know what's crazy? Like, we was in a courtroom, and I. And I was like, ain't no way. I'm a man. I never my name to your last name. I said, I ain't doing it. We was in the courtroom, and, you know, she's like, nah, you're gonna do it. I like, no, I ain't. I'm. I'm Metal World Peace. You tripping. I said, all right, I'll change it. I'm signing the paper like, this is some bs. But it was worth it, man. It was worth it.

[Baron Davis]

That's too funny.

[Meta World Peace]

Like, my stage name is Meta World Peace. I be telling people, yo, please call me Meta World Peace.

[Draymond Green]

Yo, you know, the.

[Meta World Peace]

The other name is, like, you know, it's. It's good. But Metal World Peace is my name. My stage name.

[Draymond Green]

So what is your actual name today?

[Meta World Peace]

Yeah, as we. We shared last name. Her last name is sand before my life and our test. So we brought back our test. Meta sand before our test. That's. That's my. Yeah, that's. That's what I changed it to when I got married.

[Draymond Green]

That's Fire. That's Fire. By the way, just so we're clear, only you could do that and get away with it. No one can get away with that.

[Meta World Peace]

When you put medicine before that test, I text my people, I say, yo, can you have Draymond to change it back to Metal World Peace? Maybe my setting my stage name out there. Yeah, but it was, you know, it was worth it, man. Actually, my daughter did the same thing when she got married. She kept our test and she tried to get her husband. Her husband was like, nah, I'm keeping my last name. You can keep yours. A little bit more of a man than me.

[Draymond Green]

That's fire, man. Listen, I'm so.

[Baron Davis]

Learn something new.

[Draymond Green]

I'm so thankful. And I know bd I speak for the both of us, but I'm going to speak for myself. I'm so thankful for you coming on this show because I personally. And BD is going to speak on his behalf, but I personally, I don't respect people because you played in the NBA. Like, that just don't work for me. And I know people judge me for that. People are like, oh, that's a legend. You should do this. That just don't work for me. My mom taught me people earn respect. And the people that have earned respect from me, they earn my respect. And that's just that. Whether. Whether the rest of the world respects you or think about you in the same way I think about you has absolutely nothing to do with me. I can only speak for myself. And when I tell you, you coming on this show and speaking the way you spoke and being who you're being and not being afraid to say what you wanted to say is so uplifting to me because I feel like that's how I've gone about my whole career. And to know that I could still be in the position to be the Knicks head coach and just being Draymond Green by watching you, Ron Artest, just be Ron Artest and be in position and the best candidate to be the head coach of the Knicks because you've done it, you've studied it, you've lived it. You're not afraid to tell a guy you did this wrong because we see that all the time in the NBA where someone don't want to lose their job, they protect their job and won't tell that guy you did something wrong. When I take a step back and I look at that and to have this conversation with you, I'm so extremely thankful for you coming on the show, for you having this time with us. And I just want these people to know, by the way, we can talk so much more basketball, but BD and I was just so much more interested in the person. So we can do that any day. But I'm so thankful for you coming on the show. I appreciate you. I think you should be the Knicks head coach because they're going to hire someone that they think is a coach and they gonna lose. So I'm just throwing it out there. Appreciate you coming on the show.

[Baron Davis]

Appreciate you big dog. My brother for life, man. We got. Me and this dude got. We got drafted together. We was in the McDonald's All American together. We was in Nike camp together. Boston Shootout, first all Star game together, man. Come on, USA team together, man. You know. You know how I feel about you, bro. I just. What I look up to you. I love your journey. I'm glad I've been a part of your journey. I'm glad I get to be an up close fan of your journey. And more importantly, I'm just a fan of what you've done after your career. Right? To see you continue to evolve and to the businessman you are now, the coach. The basketball mind has always been there. Now you claiming and going after coaching. I just fully support you, man, because everything you do, you put your heart and soul into it and it turns out great. And you are basketball, right? You are the passion, you are the heart, you are the Internet intellect. And I'm just thankful for you to be on the show. I'll probably see you next week anyway, dog. You've been dodging me. You've been dodging me lately, bro. And now he told me he live in Indiana, so I'm like, usually my dog come around the finals. We have our little finals party.

[Meta World Peace]

Are you at the crib? You at the finals house?

[Baron Davis]

Yeah, I'm at the finals house.

[Meta World Peace]

Draymond. Did he visit that already?

[Baron Davis]

I have, yeah. Jay did Dre at the studio.

[Draymond Green]

I've been in the studio for the show, yeah.

[Meta World Peace]

That's incredible, man. I love that spot, man. Bd, you just innovative, man. You've been inspiring us also on the business side, the entrepreneurship side, you know, I mean, and to see, like, what y' all doing and enjoyment. I've been watching you. I actually reached out to you plenty of times. You'll see your deals. But just watching how you, you know, because I need to learn too. You know, we. We retire, we be some players, be like, lost. We've seen this happen to players many.

[Baron Davis]

Times, all the time.

[Meta World Peace]

You know, Glenn, look at our boy, our big baby. Like, it's not a good look. And we got to be supportive. And I was not afraid to look up to you guys. I was. I wasn't afraid to watch LeBron somebody I competed against to watch you. How you. How you. How you're a winner. It taught me how to be a winner. You understand the timeline. We retire, we don't Have a skill set. How did I gain a skill set? Well, I look at people like you or Stephen Curry and LeBron and then talking to BD, going to Beedy's office and. And asking questions. I don't care if I sound dumb, but you guys taught me so much, especially that warrior team. Just watching how y' all connect, you know, and watching how y' all play together, because I didn't have that concept even when I was in Indiana. It was a more of a selfish thing, and I just didn't have the concept that y' all had. But I was able to get it at the end, even though it was a little too late for that Indiana team, but it wasn't too late for this new team in life. You know what I mean? So I appreciate you. Like, you know, and. And I don't speak to stuff at all, but, you know, I learned. I watched the game because that's the only reference point we have. We don't have a business background. All we can do is watch the game. And I can go from what I've learned, but when I watch people perfect the game, I can watch that and add that to my life and add it to my business and how I want to move forward. So. And then to see that evolve to the restaurant and all this stuff, I'm like, I was so happy to see that. And, you know, thanks for the compliment and thanks for having me on your show, brother.

[Draymond Green]

We appreciate you more than you know, man. I tell you again and again, I just don't respect people because they played in the NBA. Like, some people just have talent and they get to the NBA, but that's a real one. So thankful. The real is, by the way, to the rest of y' all out there, we appreciate y' all. I'm honored to be with two legends. That's a wrap from this episode of the Draymond Green show with the legend Baron Davis and the legend Meta World Peace. Until next time. That's a wrap.

[Baron Davis]

We out. Peace.

[Draymond Green]

Peace.

[Baron Davis]

The volume.

[Draymond Green]

This is an iHeart podcast.