Best of NBA News Part 2: Shannon Sharpe GOES OFF on BROKE Gambler talking CRAZY to Russell Westbrook's WIFE, Cooper Flagg's CEILING as the Mavericks’ FRANCHISE player!

This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iHeart Podcast Award is... See all the nominees now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. Kansas freshman Darren Peterson breaks his silence on missed games for Kansas this season. He said everybody got an opinion on it, but basketball is my life. If I could have been out there every game this year, I would have. If you would have asked me last year what my goals were for this year, I would have never mentioned missing games. So all this stuff kind of just happened, but I've got to deal with it. Bill Self had a different opinion on Peterson not playing, saying he hasn't finished games. The bottom line is there's a way to change the narrative. Play, finish. That's the way you get people to quit talking. Yeah. Now, Peterson has only played 16 of the Jayhawks' 27 games this season. Peterson never mentioned subbing himself out during the Oklahoma State game. Joe, is he too much of a liability to be taking number one overall? Are they going to disregard the red flags because he is so immensely talented? It's alarming, Uncle Ocho. It's alarming if you ask me. it's a lot of basketball left to play but it's going to be tough for him to go number one man considering you know if this continues if he can't finish out the season or he continue to miss games continue to you know only play a first half like yes man teams are not going to bank on that like I said you can't even play 30 games in college how you going to play 82 82 in the NBA like you know what I'm saying so you can't be You can't be surprised. So, and the fact that the draft is so deep, man, it's other guys that's worthy of that number one pick if y'all just want me to be 100. And that's the, here's the thing, Ocho. You want the nice, pretty car or you want the one that's not as pretty but more reliable? Liable. Because the nice, pretty one might put your ass down side the road. It might not even crank to get your ass to work. But you know that reliable one. Ain't nobody gonna beat you in the eye. Ain't nobody gonna be jumping up when you pull up. But guess what? You're going to be where you're supposed to be on time. Hello. Mr. Peterson hurt, though, Joe? I think he's been dealing with, like they say, cramps or things of that sort. I don't really know why he's been coming out of games or why he hasn't been playing. I can't even answer that, Ocho. But, you know, the fact that his coach comes out and says that he don't even know why, then, yeah, at this point, we just kind of got to let it play out. Yeah, that's tough. That's tough. when your coach ain't got your back and he has no reason to understand on why you're doing it, that's going to be tough. But y'all told me he was the best thing coming out. I mean, but here's the thing. I mean, DeBonza is just as good. And guess what? BYU? Yeah. Okay. And he reliable. He going to play. Cameron Boozer. You know the stock that you know is dad. So you know he good stock and he doing it. Double, double, walking double, double. Right. Yeah. Yeah. It's some guys worthy that they're number one pick, man. Yeah, absolutely. He's not no LeBron. He's not no Zion. He's not that head and heels over everybody else that you're like, I don't give a damn what he did. Right. I'm taking it. He's not that. Nah. Nah. And like I say, it's, y'all know Marsha Madness, obviously. Yeah. I hear around the corner, so. Yeah. There's still a lot of ball left to play, and these guys are going to be jockeying for position. They are going to be jockeying for their number one spot. If y'all ask me personally, I like A.J. DeBasca, man. I like Ocho. I've seen him in person. The boy's 6'9". He loves to play the game. And his attributes in making guys around him better, shooting a three, going off the dribble. He has a professional game right now to this day. When you watch him play, you can see him in the pros dominating. Right. Yeah. Almost had a triple-double the other night. Look, I love the talent, but, man, it's just – and I think now, Ochoa, you know this. It's getting harder and harder for teams to ignore red flags because when they pop back up, people say, see, you saw all the signs. Yeah. You saw every last one of the signs, and you ignored it. And all he's doing, what he's always done. What he's done. Yeah. So you shouldn't be surprised that he's doing in the NBA what he's done in college because that's what he knows. Absolutely. Absolutely. So it's going to be interesting. Ben Simmons says he's not sure Darren Peterson would go number one anymore. It's giving him Ben Simmons flashback. He believes A.J. DeBonza is a safer pick. J. Biller said shutting it down would be easy way to go, and the NBA would take him number one trying to play is what's causing these speculative issues about his character. I don't find it fair. But the problem is, if you're hurt, sit down. Because if you go out there and you play 10 minutes, 15 minutes, Ocho, Joe, you know what's going to happen. Now when they deem you to be, you know, the number one pick. Right. It's just not, it's distasteful for a lot of people who love watching the game of basketball. And the people who projected him to be a number one pick, to just see him for 10, 15 minutes. Yeah, you better off not playing versus just going out there playing 10, 15, 20 minutes. Exactly. Yeah, I agree. Hey, I seen what Dick Vitale was saying that he thought Kansas would probably be a little better without him. Okay, Ocho. Because they've been playing good basketball. Yeah, because y'all don't know what I'm going to get. the in and out of the lineup, I think I got, okay, I'm playing. I'm playing, and then guess what? He goes out. Now I don't have him. When I was counting on having him at least 30 to 35 minutes, now I get him for 20 minutes. What am I supposed to do with that? And a lot of the offense is built around him. Yeah, yeah. And it's tough because when he's not playing, they got other guys who fill in, step up, play great. They still win games. And then when he comes back, you know, it's kind of everything about Peterson. So, you know, it kind of rubbed guys the wrong way. You know, y'all can kind of imagine what that's like. Damn. Yeah. But people better get a ride and say, look here, son, if you hurt, shut it down. Hey, Joe, this how I'm going to do you, Joe. Here you go. Hey, hey, Joe, I'm going to bring it here and come on back home, boy. Come on, Unc. Unc, I'm going to have your ass on skates out there, bruh. Unc, what's wrong with him? That's old Joe. Pat Riley says he wishes NBA coaches still wore suits and ties. I think when the fans look over there on the sidelines, they want to see someone that looks like a leader. Joe, what are your take on this? Hey, that's that old school right there, bruh. Pat old school. They buy the book. You know, I understand where he's coming from, but in today's world, man, everybody wants comfort. They let these coaches, they let players get away with just, you know, walking around being comfort. The dress code is not enforced how it used to be on Kaojo. You know what I mean? Now guys have took fashion to a whole entirely another level. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They branding now. Yeah. And you don't see no coaches in suit and tie. Man, we trying to sell merchandise. We ain't trying to sell no damn suits. I wish you would bring your ass. Ocho, we marketed this stuff. You see the gear that they got on? We didn't sell that. We don't sell no suits. We don't work for Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani or Hugo Boss. Yeah. Yeah, I think, you know what? I'm not sure what's wrong with Pat. I continue to hear the stories about how he's still old school. Sometimes I want to believe it. Sometimes I don't. But hearing it from you guys, hearing it from former players, Now hearing it, this, you know, coach is back in suits in 2026 on the sideline. Like, I mean, I'm not sure. Pat is disconnected. He's disconnected from reality. He's disconnected from how much the game has evolved. It's not the 80s. It's not the 90s. But what can I say? Do you know how much gear they sell? They weren't selling merchandise, Ocho, back then. Back then. Because Dan Reeves and Mike Dick, a lot of coaches. Coach Reeves, excuse me, Coach Landry. there are a lot of coaches that used to wear suits on the sidelines. But there's something called, you know, this merchandise. Hey, they sell stuff. Why do you think they have that pink? They have mental health month and they have breast cancer service and they have breast cancer awareness. They sell that stuff. Yeah, that's why the coaches wear it. Oh, kids see that. Like, oh, I want that hoodie. I want that sweat. That coach has on. Yes. Yes. You think the NFL finna let these coaches wear suits on the sidelines? Uh-uh. Uh-uh. They used to, hold on. I remember when they cut out, you had to wear sweats and stuff, and you had to wear team issue stuff on the sidelines. Yeah. Because before you guys come out there with their jeans on, they'd be all night in silk shirts and gold and jewelry flasks. Yeah. Hold on. So NFL coaches used to wear suits? Yeah. Yeah. And who was a coach from the Chiefs? Every time from the Chiefs back in the day, always had on the suit. Hank Stram. Yeah. Yeah. Or they screaming at somebody. No, it would have been in the summer from like September until it got cold. But Coach Reed would have a sweater vest on up on the upper end of his jacket. Coach Reed, yeah. But no, it's a different time now, and they're not going back. And these players are brands now. They're trying to get the most fashionable thing. They're coming in there with a go-yard bag, and they got Burke, and, you know, Hermes and they got this and they got their outfits on. Shea and everybody trying to get the GQ top, the most fashionable NFL player, the most fashionable NBA player. It's a difference. It ain't going back. These guys, I mean, Joe, you remember, you couldn't even buy no tees. I know. All the tall tees, Allen Adams and them ball. Bro, you need to ask the large, what you doing with a 4X, 5X tee, bro? Hey, it's because nowadays, coming to the games, Uncle Ocho, that's a runway. Oh, yeah. Yes. They take a picture. But I'm going to tell y'all something. The guys in the NBA, NFL, they be killing it. I like to see it on Sundays and on game day at basketball. But the women? They be cutting up. The women be shutting it down, boy. Oh, they be shutting it down. They be cutting up. The women be shutting it down, Uncle Ocho. They got Jokic and Luka, who used to wear sweats, Nugget sweats and Maverick sweats, to the game. And now they suited and booted. So you know it's a wrap. Hey, Joe. Hey, Joe. I would have loved to play in today's game, boy. Yeah, you'd been showing out coming to the game, wouldn't you? Man, what? I can see you come in with some alpaca on. I can see you. Hey, Joe. I ain't even, boy, Joe. I wouldn't play with them, boy. Hey, these boys do their thing when it comes to fashion. I'm not going to lie. Hey, they be doing it. They do their thing. But Joe, man, listen, boy. Ocho, you know how many outfits they got to have? 18. 17, that's it. Ocho, they got to have 82. I ain't worried. I ain't talking about basketball. I'm talking about football. I'm talking about football. And if they make the playoffs. I mean, look at Shea. Shea be having a garage sale every year. He let his teammates come. Y'all pick whatever y'all want because this stuff got to go because they ain't going to be seen. I mean, damn. Yeah. I mean, think about it, Ocho. Okay, let's just say for the sake of argument, they don't really see us. They get us going unless we go to and we do something good or somebody talk to us. Now they're starting to get us walking into the stadium. They didn't used to get your black ass walking into the stadium. Right, right, right, right. Hey, listen, I seen Check over there getting some outfits from Shea. I'm like, how the hell is Check going to fit some of this stuff? Yeah. I was like, man. But yeah, these young men, now they doing their thing. And hey, I'm here for it. Yeah. Hey, Joe, you see our girl last, the other night? Chelsea? Louis? You see her 38? Which one you talking about? Chelsea Gray. She hit 10-3 the other night. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. She don't play, huh? Yeah, she don't. She won the one-on-one. Yeah. No, she was hotter than a bad. harder than four foxes in the forest fire. Oh, yeah. Hey, Ocho, you ain't never been to that unrivaled? It's in Miami. Oh, it was here? Oh, man. It was? Yeah, yeah, it is. I'm saying. Nobody told me about it, Joe. Where they been having it at? It's still going on. I don't know. Where is that? Where they having that over there? Not with the heat playoff? No? Nah. Uh-uh. It's like a... You know what I like about it? It's like a little... It's like a fun, intimate setting. It's three on three basketball, but it's full court. Where is that? I don't know. It's somewhere in Miami, Ocho. I don't know exactly where it is at. Yeah, I didn't even know about that. You know, I would have went by there and checked it out. Hey, them girls getting down out there, man. Man. Also, is girls and guys playing or just girls? Nah, it's just girls. Cream of the crop. Yeah, okay. Hey, Chelsea getting put that work in. Oh, yeah. She ain't messing around. Yeah, she ain't messing around. Hey, Joe, did you see a shimmy? Yeah. Bounced the ball. I said, come on, Chep. She got some wiggle with her up. Yeah, man. They asked her to say, when you went in half, you had made eight threes. She said, what were you thinking in half? She's like, shoot that ish. Man, she like that. She like that for real, man. I seen her. She came, she play in the league, the AABL league that they have out here for women's in Atlanta. They have it out here. She be out here playing in it. She be out here getting money out here. That's dope. Yeah. Yeah. So, Coach, Coach, they wear it. The NBA, Roger Goodell ain't going to lie that to happen. And Adam Silver ain't going to lie that to happen. They sell too much merchandise, Ocho. Yeah. They're not going back to that. Right. Hey, you see that sweatsuit that the guys had on All-Star weekend? Yes. You see they sold out once they started selling? They sold out as soon as they put it up for sale. Yeah, yeah. That's what they're about, bro. It was nice. Yes. Oh, yeah. You know who beat clean coaches or managers? Who was that? Soccer. On the sidelines? Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah they do Hey them Italian teams Oh yeah They different Oh my man Hey They different Joe they be suited and booted on that sideline boy The managers? They be clean. Why you think every year, Ocho? What they do? Every team got three, four, five jersey combinations. They do. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they do. So guess what? The kid's like, I want it. Right. Bro, you already got four jerseys. You got four chase jerseys. Oh, I want the color rush. I won the all. Yeah. And then funny, another thing, when it comes to soccer or football, as most will say, every season is a different jersey. Yeah. Yes. It's a different jersey every season and it's either three kits or sometimes even a fourth. Yeah. And the NFL goes on to that too. You look at all the combos. It used to be you have two jerseys. You had a road jersey, you had a home jersey. Home jersey, that's it. And the white jersey, for the most part, the white jersey was on the road, the dark jersey was at home. Yeah. Man, now they got three home jerseys, three white jerseys. They got a couple months for Thursday night. Don't forget the pants too now. Yes. They got all kinds of different colored pants and all. Hey, look, you wish you was playing back in this day, don't you? What? Man, that all white with the Bengals with that all white with the white helmet on? Oh. Man, every time I turn around, I'm like, damn, y'all like Oregon out there. Y'all got a different helmet damn near every week. Because, you know, at first, don't your dad stop you. You wouldn't let you change helmets because they wanted just, you have one helmet. Right. Because they said, they thought it was, but now they're like, hey, baby, we're making too much money. Y'all can wear a different helmet every day if you want to. Damn. Just keep the money flowing. Keep the money flowing. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, of talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iHeart Podcast Award is... See all the nominees now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app, Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. That's it. Cooper Flagg is the first rookie since Magic Johnson to reach these stats in 40 games. 750 plus points, 250 plus rebounds, 150 assists, and 50 steals. Joe, what's Flagg's ceiling? I think he has the potential to be a superstar in this league, Uncle Ocho. I mean, he's shown superstar potential. Obviously, J.K. playing him at the point, him probably learning that position at this point in time in the pros, it's definitely going to help him down the long run. He's a prototypical NBA guy, 6'9", 6'10", who can handle the ball, shoot the three, create off the dribble, post up, make guys around him better. He got the potential to be one of the greats. He got potential. I agree. I think he has a chance to be special. He's, like you said, he got the body size. He can put the ball on the floor. He can shoot the ball. You know what, Joe? When I saw that man against the Redeem team or whatever they called themselves, and they was in Vegas, and that man was jumping. That man was dunking and that man was putting the ball on the floor against AD and all them guys. I said, oh, this man ain't scared of nothing. This man ain't scared of nothing. 18 now, he was 16 then. How old is he? 19 now? So he about 17, 17, 18? Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I think he surprised a lot of people with that too because he was showing me some skills that he had and who he was going up against obviously was the elite talent of the NBA. And he held his own. He held his own. From that point, you know, he's been dubbed as one of the next ones up. 20, 20, 20, 24. He was 17, right? Yeah. 10 straight wins for the first time since 2015-16. They beat Orlando 112-103. They beat OKC 116-106. They beat Dallas 135-123. They beat Dallas again 138-125. They beat the Lakers 136-108. Golden State 126-113. Phoenix 121-94. Sacramento, 139-122. They beat Detroit, 114-103. And tonight, they beat Toronto, 110-107. The Spurs are now within two games of the Thunder, first to the West. The Spurs have won 15 of their last 18. Yeah. Hey, they balling, boy. And look, they had six guys in double figures tonight. and Fox led the way. But the one thing about when I look at this Spurs team, obviously Wimby anchors a lot. He had five blocks, Uncle Ocho. But he don't necessarily have to put on a stellar performance offensively for them to win. They got so many other guys who can chip in and put up numbers. All he got to do is anchor the defense. We got the rest. And that's what's been going on as of late, man. They've been playing great ball. They on the road. smacking teams. And man, look here. The man blocking shots, don't even leave the floor. How you block somebody, don't even jump? You don't know what you're saying. It's almost unfair. It is, bro. It is. It's almost unfair. Because we never seen nothing like it. You know, his size, the way he move, moving like a guard. Like, it's insane to even watch. I'm going to be honest with you. And Wimpy, he didn't, I mean, he didn't have, I mean, they shot 47%. they made some threes. They were 17 to 39 from the three. But you look at Champagny, he had 10. Wimby had 12. Fox had 20. Vassell. Vassell. Is it Vassell or Vassell? Vassell. Is it Vassell? 21. Stephon Castle had 13. Dylan Harper had 15. So... Yeah. But why you talking Vassell has been consistent over the past, I don't know, few weeks when I've been really watching him. He's been getting off. He's been getting off. I mean, you shoot 50% against San Antonio, you've done something. Because you better be making some outside shots because you ain't going to be getting a whole damn layup because Wimby will be racing all that. He's going to make you think about it even when you do come in there. He's going to definitely make you think about it. He nice. But they do it by committee, Uncle Ojo. Yeah. A bunch of different guys, bro. A bunch of different guys. And anybody played a whole bunch of minutes. I mean, the most minutes we played of Vassal and F2, Fox played 30. Wemby played, excuse me, Fox played 31. Wemby played 30, but you had a bunch of 21s, 14s. The starters, only, Castle only went 13 minutes. I'm wondering if he, excuse me, only went 28 minutes. Yeah. I'm wondering if he got nicked. They deep, man. They deep, they deep. I mean, you look at Harrison Barnes coming off the bench. I like Connett, who was with Boston, the big dude. Yeah. So they got some guys who- But that's, he's the, isn't he a spur? When you look at it, Kelly Odenick. Yeah, he is, yeah. When you look at it, Kelly Odenick, when they had Yaka Pearl and they had, what's the guy? Yeah. He's the head coach of Portland now. Yeah, Splinter. Splinter, yeah. They're the perfect guys. When they had Bonner. Yep. Yeah, so. They gonna, hey, if, depending on how long Shea gonna be out, they might catch him. Even if they don't, they don't wanna see, they don't wanna see San Antonio in the postseason. unless they have to face them in the conference final. I want somebody to knock them out so I don't have to deal with them. Because Wimby's a problem. You're right. Wimby's a problem. You're right, but it's going to be tough beating them in the seven-game series. We. So it's on a Matt Ishpa. Wants more NBA stars to participate in the All-Star Weekend, Joe. Ho-Joe. when Phoenix hosts the Miss Seasons Showcase next year. To help, Ishva has offered to pay $1 million prize to the winners of the 2027 Slam Dunk and 3-point contest, with another million going to the charity in each event. The concept, however, will run afoul with the CBA. Officials of the league office said the Players Union told ESPN such prize would not conform with the existing bonus structure. Ishba did not consult the league Offers before making an offer But he's motivated to find a way to get Stars to participate In the event I think the stars Been participating in three point competition Hell you get Stam You get Dane, you get Book I mean you get Donovan Mitchell You had Clay Thompson Those guys have participated It's just the dunk contest Is that the stars don't participate Anymore and that's what everybody want to see Uncle Joe that's what I said last time we talked about it they have to find a way to incentivize these fellas even though they're making 50, 60, 70 million dollars make it worth a while that's the only way to get players that are elite at what they do that are making the most money to get them to do something a nice little chunk of change you know to have some fun with do whatever you want to do with let me go out here and get this extra you know 2-3 million and win this contest, be creative, you know, and then go about my business. They're making too much. You ain't doing it? You wouldn't do it? No, I don't think motivation is the issue. I don't think them guys. Look, if Jordan can do it for $25,000, you think these guys, and Jordan making $2 million. If you think these guys is making $40, $50, $60 million a year, going to be motivated to $2 million, you're mistaken. They are a little spoiled. They're not doing it. But they complaining about playing 82 games, making 70 million. Right. Them guys, they unmoved with money. But, hey listen, but with it being incentivized like this, I think we'll have some guys who probably we didn't expect. I think guys will step up. I mean, obviously three point shootout is already, where is that? That's already interesting. But yeah, I think for a million dollars, Ant-Man making 50 million. So what's a million dollars do to him? Hey, Joe, that's, I mean, listen, it's not insulting. It's a lot of money, so I don't want anybody in the chat to say, you know, is it me? We're talking about in comparison to what NBA players are already making. Now, we're at the all-star break, and listen, I have a chance to make a good chunk of change to do something extra with. You know what? I don't have to touch my salary money. I don't have to touch my endorsement money. This is something just, hey, a little fun. I can give it to my girl. I can give it to my wife. you know, I can put up with my kids, whatever it may be. They make it 20 million, they make it 30 million in endorsement. They're not moving for a million dollars, Ocho. That's what I just said. That's insulting. Yeah, that's almost insulting. You got to come up with a better number than that. They don't... If you unmoved, there is, I don't believe there's a number that could move a guy. I don't. I do, I do. I know, I know where to move a guy. What? Five million for the dunk contest. They moving, they moving for extra five. Whether it be Anthony Edwards. I mean, who else is a pre-no all-star that has that kind of creativity and excitement when it comes to dunking, Joe? Zion, you gonna put Zion in there? Zion. You gonna put John Morant, you gonna get Jada? Extra five? Yeah, they gonna go, I guarantee you. I bet you. Let's bet you. It's different now, Ocho. What motivates guys? If it ain't in you, there ain't no amount of money can get you to do it. It ain't in them. I like that. That's a good one. It ain't in them. I like that. But I know for that five, they're going to get that. They're going to get that. People quick to say, they quick to talk about Jordan and Kobe and all these guys. They were doing it when the winner got 25,000. Yeah. This is a different time, huh? This is a different time. Exactly. That's my point. They make so much money. That's why I said, Think about it. Them guys make more endorsements than probably Jordan made in his career. In two years of endorsements. Yeah. Now I'm not talking about what Jordan, I'm talking about Jordan's salary. I'm not talking about what Jordan did with Nike. That's a whole different issue. Right. We know. And congratulations to Jumpman. But it ain't in them, Ocho. Why you think they stopped doing it? And the risk of being judged and the risk of being losing. They don't want that. The same thing I said, the same thing about it, Ocho. When we did the Pro Bowl, Joe, the loser got 5,000, the winner got 10,000. And then it went to 25, then it went to 30, then it went to 50, it went to 100,000 and the guys still wouldn't do it. when you start making the kind of money that they're making and i think another another thing that plays a major part in this is that it's mid-season this is our only break that we get a lot of guys ain't willing to you know be out there they want they really want to rest they really want to go off and do something I'm going to Jamaica, Cancun, somewhere. Right, right. So look, Ocho, think about this. So you All-Star Weekend, I'm in a dunk contest. It's the only event I'm doing. It's Saturday night. Man, that's going to cut into my plans, partner, for All-Star Weekend. If the money was the issue, don't you think these shoes companies, Adidas, Puma, Skechers, Jumpman, Nike, don't you think they can say, hey, Ant-Man, I got an extra five, 10 million, you win the dunk contest. You don't think they win the money? Of course they would. They not moving, it don't move them. It's got to be in you. You gotta wanna do it. Money can't be the incentive. Man, think about what they get. Joe, how often do y'all get paid? Hey, um, um, money is the incentive. Come on now. Money is the incentive. First and 15th. So you get paid the first and the 15th. So a guy that's making $60 million, $50 million a year. Right. Plus when you tap on what he's doing in endorsements. Okay, let's just say we gonna be generous. Another 20, 30 million. So he making somewhere between 80 and 115 million. And all of a sudden you think, wow, whoa, five million really does it for me. He could do a car signing. God, they doing no money. Hold on Did you hold on I think we got Hold on David Falk Yeah I knew about him He told a story that Jordan had an opportunity somebody offered Jordan to show up for three hours, offered him 100 million. Jordan said, no, I'm good. 100 million, you know, Joe. So you just told me money moved people. 100 million for three hours. Come on, now we cannot compare Jordan. Jordan. Jordan, Ojo, stop it. Let me ask you a question. That's different. We talk about Michael Jordan. Three hours. The greatest. Three hours. A hundred. And he said no. It's Michael Jordan, huh? A hundred million ain't moving him. So you think five million moving the guy that making $130 million? Thank you, Ojo, I appreciate that. I don't like the comparison in Jordan and the players that are playing today. I don't like that comparison. You make my point. Because Jordan was willing to do it for 25. And you think that's what's going to do it for them? Extra money? Jordan was making $3 million in contract. Plus, he's probably making it at that time. He had Hanes. He had Gatorade. He had Nike. Let's just be generous and say he was doing $20 million, $30 million. Right. So he's doing $33 million. These guys, some of these guys are doing three, four times that. Mm. Mm. like I said if it meant something to these guys if it meant something to the shoe companies they do it say Ant-Man you win this thing or Jordan Brand you win this thing because the superstars of all are participating in the three-point competition they got some guys that shouldn't be in the three-point competition but they in it but you get Steph as long as you get Steph you get Dane uh Knipple now he's going to be a regular participant. You get Donovan. Ant-Man, because Ant-Man led the league in three-point competitions. I just think the thing now, Ocho, is that the guys, the money doesn't move the guys. You got to want to do something. Because like you said, money, I don't believe money moves people. Not when you get to a certain level. I mean, you got to really break it worth my while to get me up off my couch, Ocho. Hey. You got to get You got to get it up off Bible. You got to get it. With the way that, hey, I mean, I ain't listening. With the way them boys spend, that extra five ain't gonna hurt, I can tell you that. He ain't gonna go that, he ain't going no extra five though. No. I'll go to Phoenix and get that little M. Joe, hey, let me get the three-boy competition. Yeah, I get that shit. I go out there and do something, participate in something. Hey, hey, Joe. What's up? Hey, matter of fact, hey, Unk, and since you gonna be down, right, like you down and out for a little bit, you gotta go into the night. You could like, like me and Joe could play one on one for a million. Boy, look. What do you think about that, Unk? Hey, Unk, Unk, Unk, Unk, Unk, put an extra million on it. I won't let his ass go. Hey, hey, hey, Joe. Hey, Joe said I be the easiest money I ever made. What? I'm just saying that, that'd be good. Hey, Joe, I'll play hard as hell, Joe. It's okay, you can play hard, that ain't gonna mean nothing, boy. Hey, Joe, I'll play like my life on the line, Joe. It's okay, it's okay. It's okay, you still will have a chance. You will have a chance. Hey, Joe, let me ask you something, though. What's up, bro? With all due respect, I know you one of the better players of all time, you know? You know, you have opportunity to go into the Hall of Fame. But you think if we go to 11, you think I ain't gonna score one point, Joe? If I don't want you to, nah, you won't. You don't think so? Nah. Like Joe, like slightly like with all due respect, I really feel like- But because I like you, because I like you, I think you're a good guy, I'm willing to probably ease up give you about two points. You lucky enough to get you at least a point or two. You know what I mean? But if I ain't want you to score, you wouldn't score, partner. I don't like that, Joe. That's OK. What you saying, Joe? What you saying? All tail, collard greens, cornbread, neck bone, fried chicken, pork chops, Collard green, back of cheese. Hey, hey, hey, I don't mean no disrespect, but he lightweight disrespecting me, telling me I can't score a point. I know you're an NBA player. I know you want to make a play. I'm just keeping it real. I know it sound like disrespect, but it ain't. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Joe, I'm taking it as disrespect. I'm telling you, Joe. Well, take it how you want to take it, Ocho. Shit, take it how you want to take it. We can get to it, boy. I'm telling you. I'm coming to see you, boy. I'm coming to Miami, boy. I'm going to come down there and slay some dragons home, boy. I'm coming to see you, man. Hey, don't get me turned up, cause you know when you get me turned up, you can't turn me down. All the way turned up. Hey, we done created a monster zone. I don't know. Hey, we done created a monster zone. We done, it's the chat fault too. Come on, Joe. Joe, for real, Joe? See? Damn, man, damn, man. He done pissed me out. He done pissed me out, Walker. I try to be cool with y'all, but now I'm sick of it. He done pissed me out. Now, see what I'm telling you, man. We was good. Hey, we had to get that out of the way. We was good for about to eat. Nah, damn all that. Nah, nah, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it. Hey, Ocho. What's up? I promise you, boy, I had a great day at therapy today, too. I was pushing that sled, pushing it down, pulling it back. With that weight on there. Yes, sir. I promise you, boy. Come April. Hey, Joe, I don't like you telling me I'm not going to score. Ain't nobody finna tell me what I'm not going to do against my will, Joe. I'm going to score a point. I'm going to score maybe two, maybe three. At least you can say I told you, partner. At least you can say, man, that nigga, he told me. Yeah. Hey, Joe, hey, Joe, hey, real talk. As a grown ass man, Joe. What's up, bro? Like, you slightly disrespected me. That's OK. That's OK. You can be disrespected. You still going to get this work home, boy. All right. All right. Well, when you come, when you finish with therapy? When you finish with therapy? I'm gonna send you the dates. Soon as we get out here, I'm gonna text you the dates on your phone, partner. Yeah, all right. Yeah. How much you putting on the game? Anything make you nervous. Come on, talk to me. Well, hey, don't nothing make me nervous, right? I'm good, Joe. What you want to do? Make it light on yourself. Oh, Lord. Call it, man. Unc, what you want me to get from it? How much you want me to get from it? I'll be healing up. You want me to get? Hey, hey, hey. Hey, while I'm at it, I'm gonna get your 5,900, too. Oh, yeah, give my 5,900 while you at it, Joe. Yeah, I'm gonna get your 5,900 plus tax. Hey, we do. And make sure, so it ain't no excuses, make sure we bring cash to the court. Oh, say less. Yeah, make sure we bring cash to the court. Yeah. Say less. Okay. Hey, I don't know. Hey, I don't know somebody that told you wrong. I thought you had a crowd a little while long, you get my 5,900, Joe. Oh, say less. I got you, huh? I got you. Yeah, I'm glad. So y'all teaming up against me? Okay, bet. Bet. Hey, I've been alone with you all my life. That's not you and Joe. You the one that challenged that man. I ain't got nothing to do with this. I'm injured, I'm on injury. I'm on arm. Hey, but I did heard you chipped in. I did heard you chipped in by letting him be the king a little bit longer. Okay, okay, bet. Yeah. Hey, hey, hey, Ocho, Ocho. I earned my respect homeboy. I took what I wanted. You know what I'm talking about? Right, I hear you. Yeah. Wait, listen, I'm gonna tell you what. I'm gonna take what I want too and I'm gonna earn my respect. Okay, all right. Joe, we got to get you a nightcap sign. You got a wall back there, Joe? Yeah, I got one. I can put it up right there. You go, you go, hey, you got to put it on, because you know, Ocho, Ocho. Oh, you don't even know he got one. Nah, my side work though. Oh, here he go. We can't see that. That thing's so far to focus. Hey, don't worry, don't worry. Remember, remember they do him, they do him a room. They do him a room at the end of this month. Boy, they been doing that. No, they been doing that room. No, I said they coming to do it. They got other, they do other jobs. My dates aren't scheduled to the end of February. You do realize that's like in two days? Yeah, the end of February. They'll be here. I'm having to do my- So you said they're going to be there on Friday or Saturday? Yeah, it take two weeks. OK. But yeah, boy, this dude got me bent. What? Who? You. I mean, yeah, yeah, that's what it's gonna feel like on that goddamn court playing with me. That's what it's gonna feel like. I need that, with all due respect. Now you ain't finna tear me, I ain't finna score no one, two points. Like I'm not an elite athlete. What are you, what you talking about, man? It's me. Just keepin' it 100, mo'boy. Nah, you ain't keepin' it 100. It's gon', yeah, all right. Well, hey, Joe, you got me, man. We're almost cursed, boy, and I don't even curse no more. I don't even curse no more, we're almost cursed, boy. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iHeart Podcast Award is... See all the nominees now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. Speaking of the Hawks, it took Jonathan Kaminga 175 regular season games with the Warrior to record his first performance in which he scored at least 27 points. In his Atlanta Hawks debut, Kaminga did that in his first game. On Tuesday night, Kaminga dropped 27 points in 24 minutes, and tonight he dropped 17. If Kaminga continues to play like this, what do you think, Ocho? Does that look bad on Steve Kerr? because for whatever reason, he wouldn't let the young man play a whole bunch. I don't know why he wouldn't let him play, huh? I mean, everyone said it. Those that I know that watched the game of basketball said how good Kaminga was. But obviously, it's a pecking order. There's always a pecking order. That's why I always ask you and Joe, is there a certain individuals that are allowed to have the green light? We talked about Cade Cunningham and the amount of shots he put up. And obviously, offensively, everything runs through Steph Curry. So I said, I asked you and Joe before, well, how come as good as Kaminga is and as much as he wants the ball and wants to assert himself offensively, why are they not allowed to allow the offense to run through him? Not with Steph Curry on the court. See? That's what I'm saying. Knowing that he's an offensive juggernaut just as well. Why not? You have two people that can score. You have two people that can get you points. I don't see what the problem is. But he goes where he goes now, and he's putting up points like this. 27-1 nights, 17-1 next. And this is probably now that he has the green light to be able to play as freely as he wants to, this is what you're going to get. The warrior system is predicated on ball movement. Kaminga is predicated on having the ball in his hand moving. So he needs to take it. He needs to take the ball. he needs to have the ball and take you off the bounce. Where Golden State is a hot potato type of team. Right. I mean, okay. You're right. And he's like, look, this style has won four championships. It's gone to six NBA finals. Right. Okay, now I got you. I got you. I got you. Kevin Durant fit perfectly in this system. Right. I'd be damned if I didn't change my system for Kevin Durant. I'd be damned if I'm going to change it for somebody that's not the equivalent of Kevin Durant. I got you. I got you. All right, it makes sense. It makes sense. So right player, just wrong system. Yes. I got you. Yes. Ocho, the Hawks are hosting Magic City Monday, honoring the iconic Atlanta Strip Club at their March 16th game against the Magic. T.I. will perform at half. The Hawks will serve Magic City world famous wings at the game. and there will be limited edition merch available. Okay. I need to get something. Hey, Lou, if you get any money from them lemon pepper, shoot your boy something. Go ahead, Ocho. Hey, I'm glad you said that. Now, me and Joe, we talked about it. I've been asking Joe, I want to come to a game. I want to be able to sit courtside. So obviously, why don't I take the opportunity to use that game March 16th as the one to get tickets to to sit courtside with Joe? Just so I could taste the wings. Not only taste the wings, but obviously get a chance to see what Magic City is all about. Because I hear about it all the time. You tell me about it. Well, you ain't going to be able to see what Magic City is about at the game. You're going to have to go to the... I'm talking about after the game. Okay. I'm going to ask Joe. I'm going to tell Joe to go with me. I don't know if Joe can get permission to go out after the game, but if he's allowed to go, I mean, I would love to see what Magic City is all about because I keep hearing about it. And the fact that Atlanta Hawks partnered with Magic City, that says a lot. Yeah. That says a lot. Magic City is iconic. It's probably the most recognizable strip club, okay, adult entertainment, gentleman's club in America. Ooh. There might be some to make more money, but I'm talking about just on name recognition? Right. Ain't nothing touching it. Nothing. Nothing. Area 21, whatever they got, the cabaret in Dallas, whatever they got in Miami, ain't nothing. As far as name recognition, when you hear Magic City, you already know where it is. I can't wait. I'm excited. I'm excited. Hey, speaking of adult ballet, you know, I leave for Houston tomorrow. I'm going to watch my baby run at College Station, obviously. It's the SEC Championship. That's what it was. I couldn't think of what it was. SEC championship. It's outdoor right now at College Station. It's indoor season. Oh, it is indoor season right now, right? Yeah, so I'm going to go there. And if I'm not mistaken, we have nightcap Saturday night, right? We got nightcap Saturday? Yeah. Yeah, no? We're debating. Okay, well, let me know. Because if we do have it, I'm going to do nightcap from Area 29. Okay. Yeah. Charlotte Conknepple reached another milestone in his great rookie season for the number four pick out of the Duke. Out of Duke, he broke Keegan Murray's NBA rookie record for three-pointers made. He's making this 207th on Thursday night. Knepple connected on five threes in the first half and then broke the record in the third quarter. It took Murray 80 games to do it in 22-23 to establish the record. Knepple just broke it in 59. Steph Curry holds the single season record with 402 the way they shoot the threes now mm-hmm I mean it not only the way they shoot it but how efficient he shooting it at Well I mean I think the thing is I mean think about it Ocho I mean Phoenix got up 53s The Lakers got up 29. I mean, the two teams on average getting up somewhere between 60 and 73s a game. Man, that's crazy. Yes. I mean, think about it. It took the dude, he broke this record in 21 fewer games. this is unprecedented. Steph didn't really start shooting volume threes until the problem like it's fifth, sixth, seventh year in the league. Right. These guys are coming into the league now shooting volume threes. This is the way the game has evolved. This is what the game is now, though. It's a three-point, yeah. Guys are just running. I mean, guys don't even, they run to the three-point line. Mm-hmm. Everybody's stepping back. Everybody, I mean, they sitting the pick so high. And we're still in the Lakers, aren't you? They going up and – bro, they shooting the lights out of the building. And you still going up under the screen? Laravia, you going up under the screen? Luca, you going up under the screen? Jackson Hayes, you got to get picked at the top. You not going to show? So you going to let the guy, then you come running out there with your hand up. Bro, it's too late. Mark Jackson said, hey, hand down, man down. It's too late. When that guy picked, you got to show right now. Yeah. You can't be late. Guys are too good now. I mean, guys for the other team, you ain't got to do that with the Lakers. You ain't got to do that. They can't knock down threes. And LeBron's three has abandoned him tonight. AR struggled the last couple of games. His three ball has abandoned him. Luka was sensational tonight. He was 12 or 21. coming off of, what was he, 8 or 24 last night, if he was that. He was like 2 or 10 from the 3. He played much better tonight. But they're going to have to do a better job at defensively. I just don't understand what they think can happen playing defense the way they play. Nina Westbrook, the wife of Russell Westbrook, shared an email she received from a batter who called her a dumb bee and wish death on her and her husband. What? Man, listen. Stop gambling if you can't afford to lose the money. Right. The email reads, Your effing-ish husband sucks too effing bad. Can't even get 10 points is pathetic. I hope you both die in a car crash, dumb B sent from my iPhone. really hey hey that that's that's an addiction people people that gamble to that point where they're upset at the person's family and just being mad at the player in general you know don't gamble if you can't stand to lose yes that's what it comes down to i i don't i don't gamble so it's hard for me to understand or really wrap my head around someone getting that mad when i don't want to gamble on anything where I'm not in control of the outcome. Yes. That makes no sense to me at all. But they need to find the FBI, FBI, whoever else. Y'all find this. Oh, they can find that quick. Of course they can. Especially when you're using technology. Oh, they find you quick. Come on. You get somebody emailing you saying this. And you thought you did something too. I showed them. This person lost their email. Is that him, Joel Molina? Oh, they found out who it was already? He put in his name. He's in it. His name was up there. Damn, he bold. Dumb, dumb. Whoa. If you trying to pay a mortgage or you trying to pay a car note and you betting on games, the unpredictability of it Mm-mm. I'm good. I told you I just learned how to play blackjack, Unc, and I played the $25 tables. I get $100 out the ATM. When $100 is gone, I'm gone. It's a wrap. That's the extent of that. League. Is there anything the league can do, Ocho? It's too big. Look, the thing that caused sports to be as big as they are was two things, fantasy and sports betting. That genie is out of the bottle. Yes. Billions and billions is just like alcohol. It was bootleg and only a handful. But now they made alcohol legal, the same thing they did with marijuana. And you see the gambling. So they still do illegal betting. So I don't want people to say they get away with it. But when they made sports betting legal, and now you got it in New York, and I think you got it in Jersey. It's just not in Las Vegas. And you see, they were trying to get this thing in Dallas. They were trying to get this thing over the finish line. Right. It ain't no turning back now, Ocho. Ain't nothing you can do. Yeah. Ain't nothing you can do, Ocho. It is what it is. that's the thing that that's why Ocho you love betting on NFL you love betting the parlays I'm gonna bet the coin flip I bet it be heads I bet what color gatorade they gonna jump on the winning coach red who scored the first touchdown how long is the national anthem is it 90 seconds is it two minutes is it a minute it's just too much It's too much to bet on. I just, man, you call somebody that you don't even know. And you call, you email this person, this man's family, and disturb their peace all because you lost. She didn't tell you to bet on her husband. She didn't tell you to bet at all. But if you're married and somebody were to say that to your wife or your mother, your sister, you'd be upset. Be upset, be mad. But y'all feel y'all can say anything. And see, the problem that I have, and there are people out there, oh, if I made $20 million, if I made $200 million, you could say whatever you wanted to to my wife. You could say whatever you, no you couldn't. Stop. Because y'all put everything on money. Money don't make it. At the end of the day, he's still human. I don't give a damn how much money he made. He gonna leave here just cause you got Elon Musk gonna have a trillion dollars but guess what he gonna have an appointment one day that he can't reschedule oh yeah so stop this notion because somebody they should be immune because they're because they make an exorbitant amount of money you wouldn't want nobody to talk to your wife you wouldn't want nobody to talk to your sister your mom like their grandma like that but y'all feel totally fine to go through something to find somebody's email and to send some bull job like this right but if you saw russ on the street you like hey russ can i take a picture you wouldn't call that man wife what you called in his email if you saw them walking down the street i bet you wouldn't absolutely not and you wouldn't say that to russ absolutely not ain't all these I don't get it I don't I mean I get it I get it because we see this situation occur and happen so many times not in just basketball but in other sports as well you see people do it online screaming at players sending DMs oh my fantasy what you doing you need to touch that I give down about your fantasy it's ridiculous and it's gotten ridiculous to the point where it's out of control and there's no way to control it now. No way to control it. I call them keyboard warriors. Everybody's a keyboard warrior. And they hide behind profiles because there's no consequence for what they say, for their actions. So, they're going to keep doing it. Yeah, they got them thumb muscles Ocho. But they, I mean, they like all this and you know, I get freedom of speech but that don't mean you've read freedom of consequences. that's the problem y'all just need to stop this man y'all need to stop talking to people crazy stop talking to people's wives crazy, people's girlfriend or their moms crazy y'all being reckless out here don't gamble, don't bet this is the way to remedy this problem stop betting you're betting money that you don't have trying to double up that's your problem You're betting money you don't have Sit y'all ass down Get If you got a good Playing job you're working 9 to 5 You're trying to You're trying to hit the little come up Too much at risk man It's too much at risk Y'all need to stop this man Y'all really need to Y'all be doing too much And I couldn't I mean I'm trying to think I'm trying to think what could someone do to me to make me call their wife their girlfriend and go through first of all I ain't got no email so I ain't got to worry about that but what would make what would make me I'm trying to think Booker T Washington once said No bank will make me degrade my soul By making me 80 Okay that's old school there Hey Booker T That's throwback I like that I don't get it I don't You gotta come up with a better You gotta come up with a You gotta come up with a better Side hustle Ocho Yeah Gambling ain't it Yeah, it ain't too many out there where you can make fast money like that. No. No, there's not. And to go on somebody because the man ain't score point, he ain't tell you to bet on him. But to call that man, that man wife that, man, come on now. Y'all doing, that's way too much. Way, way, way too much. Way too much. That man don't bother nobody. His wife don't bother anybody. All I know is from what I've seen, she's a supportive wife. Occasionally you see her at the game, but for the most part, you don't really see her too much. And that's okay too. And that's probably by design because Russ don't want to have to whip somebody for going crazy because he strikes him as that type of guy. He's not going to let you disrespect his family. Oh, yeah. He's quick when somebody, hey, bro, he's like, hey, I'm a man. I got wire. I got kids. I'm a husband. Don't talk. Don't disrespect me like that. And people, man, they got to stop this, man. They be doing too much. They be doing way too much. And this notion, oh, you can say whatever to me. You give me this amount of money. No, they won't. No, you can't. Mm-mm. No. And they need to just stop doing it. Ocho, Kevin Durant was asking about the best player he's ever played with. KD says it's a tie between Steph and Russ. With Russ, I never feared that he was going to lose a matchup. That's the one thing I never worried about. Having that comfort from a park guard just made my life easier. He's in an unattainable situation. Because if he says Steph, it don't mention Russ. Right. People are like, oh, man, you only played with Steph for three years. You played with Russ for this many years. Mm-hmm. Then somebody going to probably take it. So you can't win. And I mean, it's tough. It's tough because, you know, that's what we do, Ocho. Sometimes, well, who going to win the game, Ocho? Man, I got the Bengals. Okay, I take the Browns. We're in that society now. That's what we do. You got to pick one or the other. I mean, he answered it honestly. You talk about the best you ever played with. And it's two different factors on why he chose two different people. Because at that time, when it was OKC, it was Russ. Hell. But I also played with probably the greatest, arguably the greatest shooter of all time when I was with goddamn Steph. I wasn't there that long. But when I was there, the proof is in the pudding. He's one of the greatest, the greatest shooter of all time. Best quarterback you ever played with? See how? I like how you did that. You see how? Now you see. When you ask me that question I would take the person who's responsible for the majority of my success so I would have to go with Carson even though statistically Tom Brady is the greatest of all time It ain't no statistically, he is Even if you take away all the passing yards and just look at the Super Bowl Right, right, right But see, that's the thing Right Is that it's a no-win situation. Because like you said, if you take somebody other than Carson, people are going to say, Carson, man, Ocho played with you all them years. And he said, Tom Brady better than you. Even though Carson would understand, he's like, man, I thought Ocho and I was cool. I told Joe, I had with Joe the legs, like, hey, Joe, I love you, but I'm taking seven. Ain't win no Super Bowl with you. Right. Ain't going no Pro Bowl, ain't win no All Pro. And that guy, was the main reason of any player that I got to can. Remember what you want me to say? You want me to lie? Right. No. So I get it. I get it. And I hate that because you know if he just said one or the other, they're going to clip that thing up and it's going to be trendy. He answered it the right way. Yeah. This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards. Live from South by Southwest, March 16th, we'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iHeart Podcast Award is... See all the nominees now at iHeart.com slash podcast awards. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com.