Luka Doncic Opens Up About the Highs and Lows of his NBA Journey So Far

We are so excited to welcome in Luka Doncic for a second time on the Old Man and the Three. Luka was gracious enough to spend about 50 minutes with us to talk all things Dallas Mavericks. We also have JJ giving his initial thoughts on the big trade deadline moves. And finally we do a check in with Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder and (SIREN NOISE) the draft is back! This time we’re doing best postgame meals. So much to get into. Let’s go.

Topics include: JJ talks about which trades he likes and why he loves the Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City Thunder trade and the Bojan Bogdanovic trade to the New York Knicks. Then Luka joins the show to break down his 73 point game against the Atlanta Hawks. He and JJ talk through possible rule changes like defensive 3 seconds in the lane and hand checking. Then Luka talks about what Kyrie Irving has meant to the Mavs when he’s healthy and on the floor. Luka talks about his passionate trash talk about his rivalry with Devin Booker. Luka talks through the highs of the Western Conference Finals run and that epic series against the Phoenix Suns and the lows of missing the NBA playoffs and NBA play-in games. He also talks about the criticisms he’s faced early in his career, the game winner he hit against the New York Knicks and his concerted effort to try on defense. He also gets into fatherhood and what an ideal NBA career looks like for him. Then we are joined by Jalen Williams of The Oklahoma City Thunder to talk about their amazing season and the play of Chet Holmren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander aka SGA. And finally THE DRAFT IS BACK. Jalen Williams joins JJ and Tommy to draft their favorite post-game meals. Hope you enjoy this one!

00:00 – Start of show
01:08 – Trade Deadline reactions
11:00 – Luka interview
51:32 – Jalen Williams check-in
01:04 – Jalen Williams draft

Subscribe to The Old Man and The Three podcast w/ JJ Redick (ESPN / First Take) and Tommy Alter YouTube channel today for more NBA analysis, player interviews and highlights.

#nba #dallasmavericks #lukadoncic

Welcome to the old man of three with JJ reck and Tommy alter brought to you by 342 Productions this is episode 208 Luca donic and jayen Williams a check-in with our new correspondent Jaylen Williams always fun to sit down with Luca also if you follow us on social IG Twitter uh

You probably or hopefully saw last week’s whole of the week uh a golf quick short golf video every week this is not sponsored it’s cuz I’m Theo we’re just going to do a whole of the week last week uh Cypress Point number 15 uh this week will’ll be Pebble Beach number

Seven I put that video out uh Luca was kind enough to participate in the whole in the week sick golf swing sick golf swing say we had to we had to talk him into it we had to talk him into it by the time he swung it it looked pretty

Good uh all right lots to get into we have a great conversation with Luca for you guys uh we have a check-in with Jaylen the return of the draft the old man in the three draft with Jaylen Williams uh Tommy’s favorite thing in the world uh before we get there let’s

Do our draftking sports book segment trade deadline just finished Tommy we’re going to run through a few of these trades real quick huge news there wasn’t I kind of figured this was going to be a disappointing deadline for like the transaction population the the population of people that just loved the

NBA for drama and transactions uh as far as I know no stars moved there all ancillary pieces but to be fair you’d say that the three biggest moves of this season have been Harden seak and OG and they just happened before exactly 3 pm. today so so there were big trades just

Didn’t happen today well think about the the the trades in the offseason right Bradley Beal yep Dame Dame Lillard Drew holiday porzingis Marcus Smart uh all right walk me through these trades I’m just gonna simple response simple response Charlotte Hornets are finalizing a trade to send PJ Washington

To Dallas Mavericks or Grant William Seth Curry and a first round draft pick okay uh I think in some ways it’s like a a high price to pay PJ Washington uh young player uh probably a little more versatile offensively than Grant Williams actually he is you guys take

Sometimes you get so obsessed with like the my words that I’m just like I gotta be very PJ Washington is a better offensive player than Grant Williams there I said it like the deal for Dallas rappers are trading Dennis Schroeder to the nets for Spen dwy uh nothing against Spencer dwy or

Dennis shuder uh neither of those teams are going anywhere this year doesn’t move me yep uh Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a trade to send Trey man and Davis Berton to the charlot horns for Gordon Hayward uh like that trade for Oklahoma City uh I’m actually not

Surprised at all that there wasn’t a a big swing um you know ever since we talked about that them potentially like going for it this year um I’ve talked myself out of that and uh all the uh sort of indicators were that they were

Not going to do that I like this trade a lot for Oklahoma City uh gives them more depth more Wing size Gordon Hayward not in his prime anymore still a very good player I like it a lot for OKC the big trade that everybody was talking about especially we’re in Brooklyn right now

In New York today Nicks are sending quent Grimes EV for two future second round picks of the Pistons for ojan bogdanovich and Alec Burks yep uh I’m sad to see Quenton leave New York uh because of the the personal ties a little a little tug at my heart uh but

I’m still going to be a Quinton Grimes fan for life and uh love this trade for the New York Knicks I have two questions about this trade this is this is to me the most meaningful trade not not that Gordon Haywood to OKC wasn’t the most meaningful this to me is the most

Meaningful your boy Matt Williams our boy Matt Williams had a stat today uh bogie is one of six players in the last two years to average 20 points per game shoot 40% from three other ones are Jaylen Steph KD kawhai and Jeremy Grant um this Nicks team is pretty loaded yes

I have said for a few weeks given uh the uncertainty around embiid um guess a couple weeks given the uncertainty around embiid and his return uh given uh I wouldn’t call it turmoil but given the ups and downs of the buck season the fact they are just now

Entering the hardest part of their schedule uh the the the turnover uh with the coaching staff uh the fact that they you know up to this point haven’t had you know that lock down Wing Defender so in some ways uh and in Cleveland of course it’s playing out of

Their minds uh want to see it in the playoffs for sure but Cleveland I’m still high on in some ways I’ve said the Knicks second best team in the East very good chance to make the Conference Finals they make these trades they add depth they add more shooting Alex Alec

Burks is shooting the [ __ ] out of the ball banovich is a hell of a shooter um they’re deep I think you can look at Brunson as a tier one star right now you can look at Randall as a tier one star the guy’s made two all NBA teams in the

Last three years Mitchell Robinson now potentially coming back before the end of the season if this team is healthy the pieces all fit perfectly yeah and they have to me they have a guy they have Jaylen Brunson they are absolutely loaded and I think unequivocally to me right

Now on paper if healthy I have to clarify all this [ __ ] with you guys on paper healthy I think they are the best team the second best team in the East the second best team in the East to the Boston Celtics would not surprise me if

The New York Knicks make a Deep Run in the playoffs provided they are healthy but I love both these trades for them I love the fit of these guys Alec Burks you know been been in a Nick uniform before bonovich toiling away uh in Detroit great fit for him shout out to

The Nicks front office for also making these trades without giving up a first round pick the question I wanted to ask you about these two in particular as Shooters they’re both shooting um close to or over 40% as above the break Shooters in terms of the way they get

Their shots do you feel like this fit with Jaylen in particular and these guys is made even more impactful for that and that they’re not just uh you know guys who are hitting Corner threes but these are guys who can play into the way this offense already fits yeah both these

Guys to me are absolutely more versatile than just spot-up Shooters but they are good spot-up Shooters so to me you take Brunson out of the game you can run sets for bonovich you can put the ball in Alec Burke’s hands he can help facilitate a halfcourt offense uh they both fit in different

Lineups with OG and Randall and either hartenstein or Mitchell Robinson um there’s a there’s just a lot of optionality that’s what you need in the playoffs you need optionality uh the Nicks offense uh it’s been efficient now for two seasons uh the Knicks offense is not a complicated offense generally

Speaking they run uh some isos for Randall uh they run uh pick and roll for Brunson and most everything they do is out of that now they run some fluff and by fluff I mean uh a zoom action dribble handoff at the top of the key runson

Cuts through he then gets a swing pass and they run a step up pick and roll it’s everything ends up in a Jaylen Brunson pick and roll or Julius Randall ISO like that’s their offense right you need shooting around that offense you need bigger Defenders OG I said this at

The time great fit they go 14-2 in January their defense has been spectacular hartenstein has been spectacular Knicks are for real the Knicks are for real love that trade and by the way this is the draftking Sportsbook odds pre trade deadline so we are recording this at 3:13 p.m. on Thursday

These are the odds as of this morning uh the Nicks basically uh seventh uh best odds to win the NBA Finals at plus 2500 just to go through these real quick uh Celtics nuggets bucks uh all at uh under plus 550 um and then you’ve got the Suns at plus 1400 uh

Clippers in there at plus 550 as well and the Timberwolves at plus 2,000 interesting to see how those odds shift after uh these trades are done uh OKC by the way because we mentioned the Gordon Hayward trade uh in terms of winning the Western Conference uh Denver with the

Best odds as of this morning at plus 200 Clippers at plus 280 Phoenix Suns at plus 650 and both the Timberwolves and the Thunder at plus 900 essentially tied for fourth um fascinating fascinating what is going on at the top of the western conference right now where these

Four teams you know you lose a game you can go from first to Fourth overnight uh that’s a race that we’re going to be talking about a lot particularly as it relates to homecourt Advantage uh you think about Denver’s run last year where they get homec court advantage for the

For the for the playoffs um or at least for the through the Western Conference Finals then of course because Miami won they get it in the in the finals as well that altitude is a real thing that home court advantage they have is a real thing uh I think that’ll be super

Important OKC one of the best crowds that crowd is in the NBA I think that’ll be important we’ve seen Minnesota now in some of these playing games and first round games with an insane crowd and for the Clippers of course like again like I want to call playoff games in La so like

This is come oners just keep it up I need that Rivier action I need that Bel Air action come on all right you got any other trades or that’s it that’s it all right this has been our draft King sports book segment the NBA season is in full swing download the draftking sports

Book app with code JJ new customers can bet us five bucks on the NBA and get 200 instantly in bonus bets only on draftking Sportsbook with code JJ the crown is yours gambling problem call 1800 Gambler or visit www.1 1800 gambler. net in New York call 8778 hopen

Or text heny for success 7369 and Connecticut help is available for problem gambling call 8887895118 hours after issuance see dk.com basketball for eligibility and deposit restriction terms and responsible gaming resources uh let’s get to our conversation with L you’re getting a new face mask

Today I got a f for mine what were you wearing last night Maxxis Maxi’s face mask we got three broken noses in one week I don’t how did you break your nose I ran into Cy’s shoulder yes you you Kyrie shoulder yeah okay speaking of ENC Court looks what’s

Up with your new ENC Court look this season which one with the the little skinny headband ah I need to cut my hair man your hair is immaculate but it’s too expensive to get a haircut these days it’s not too expensive it’s 100 well is like $12 you need to find a

New bar Barber no no Barber is great um Luca thanks for joining us I didn’t realize we had you on two years ago March of 22 Yeah feels like it was just yesterday I feel like a lot has happened since then a lot today digest um most importantly you became a father

Gabriella your daughter just absolutely beautiful um I heard you don’t change diapers oh wait what you put that of course I change you said on TNT you don’t change diapers no no I do you do not as much as other people Anna but I do has being a dad changed your

Perspective on your job has it has it changed how you approach being an NBA player I don’t think so I mean I think it’s way easier to play for me uh the approach is the same but just like playing is way easier you know I said after the game sometimes you have bad

Nights and then you come home and you see that little thing so just all goes away you know and it’s just happiness but the approach is the same you know I just play maybe more freely uh more happier which is the best thing I became

A dad at 30 Knox was born when I was 30 and the best years of my career were after Knox was born I had Kai a couple years later but um or Chelsea had Kai but it it is amazing like my my Approach didn’t change at all I I do think it’s amazing

How the the like inherent internal pressure that you put on yourself it’s still there but it’s definitely less you use the word free and I feel like that’s what it is you just play Freer yeah I mean for sure especially like in NBA you have to go out there uh almost every

Second night uh it’s a lot of games you had to put up uh with a lot a lot of defenses a lot of different scouting uh every time it’s different NBA team so you got to process quickly you know but like you said you know I use the word

Freeze so I think that’s the point it’s a beautiful thing yeah um last time you were on the Pod you said that scoring 30 in the NBA was hold on you said scoring 30 in the NBA was way easier than scoring in Europe and a lot of people

Have co-signed that I’m not here to dispute that take at all the other night you had 73 against the Hawks and I’m goingon to be honest with you I’ve rewatched the 25 made baskets like five times and to some degree it did look easy did that 73 feel easy oh no no no

Definitely not I mean everybody say my game looks easy it’s not easy trust me but when I said that a lot of people didn’t agree me agree with me uh it was like two three years ago yeah but I think now they starting to agree more

And more but I always say it’s because the rules last minutes uh the three point the three seconds in the pain and defense is huge I don’t think people realize how huge that is uh cuz you know when I’m isoing I watch the defender in

The pain so he he got got to go out at some point so when he he’s going out I try to attack so that’s a huge difference but no it wasn’t easy scoring 73 you brought that up last time that low man as he’s trying to cleanse

Himself um the weak side guy right generally speaking he’s not going to be on the balls side but that weak side guys he’s trying to cleanse himself uh watching him and I was watching some film of LeBron the other day he does a really good job with that too um I do

Want to ask more about the 73p point game but since you brought it up and the rules no no no no no you brought up the rules you brought up the rules and I’m curious because one of the things you mentioned last time was the physicality

In Europe it wasn’t just the rules it wasn’t kind of how those in Europe the referees allow a little bit more flopping is generally not given to the offensive player do you think and I don’t know how familiar you are with like the 90s era hand checking do you

Think hand checking would have and like an impediment on offenses like would it matter what do you mean like hand checking the ability to just like I’m not American explain a little bit the rule was you couldn’t like keep your hand on someone but you could sort of

Put your hand on put your hand off put your hand on put your hand off so as somebody’s sort of attacking only in the scoring area not necessarily all over the floor you can still do that I I agree oh yeah 100% I agree my my argument right now my argument right now

Is Bring Back hand checking you know what hand checking is going to do it’s going to lead to more shooting fouls because offensive players are so smart now the second I was I was calling a game the other night with ke Kevin Durant and Mel Bridges was deing up

Legally had his hands on him and once he put his like hand out and Kevin could get into a shooting motion he just went into a shooting motion I mean the amount of offensive Talent there is in the league right now is just insane I don’t think people really realize it how much

Talent offensively there is and then again you have some really great great defensive players that you know uh like yesterday I had I really have to give credit to Claxton he was he was a five and he was even picking me full court he was really guarding me good so you know

You have a lot of great great defensive player too it’s interesting from my vantage point because I’m I get to call games I’m calling a game later tonight actually it’s why I’m dressed like this uh but from from my vantage point when I watch games on TV there’s a feeling of uh not

Necessarily non physicality but you don’t quite capture it when you’re sitting up close when I call a game game looks more physical it just does and and so the other the other thing I there’s a there’s a clip in the second half uh you’re driving and there’s two Defenders

One guy’s like kind of at the nail one guy’s kind of helping in off the wing and you do the low pull through and they didn’t call it a good basket you you make the shot they eventually reversed it and you got the N1 but that move is

Another move where like James Harden was the first kind of to do it I just I I I think with spacing and with talent I don’t think hand checking is going to have that big of a difference to your point about the defensive three seconds

I think that would oh that was 100% but the hand checking like you said I don’t think so because that one they started stop calling that a lot now I mean for me the low the low pull throw yeah I think they they stop more and more stopping that calling that well the

Other thing is I was going to say is when I when I watch you you play a lot out of out of like a split stance do you know what I mean by that like when you’re up top and ISO you play out of a

Split stance and a lot of times you use that left to right dribble between the legs to attack the top leg and get to your right hand I would say what do you think it is half the time more than half the time somebody puts their hands on

You immediately as soon as you go to that move and it’s R it’s rarely called you get it sometimes but it’s rarely called yeah but yeah I do that a lot it’s just you know my setback to the left uh but I mean I just take what

Defense give me they send me left I’ll go left they send me right I’ll go right like you know I have I think I have a couple moves in me uh I’m trying to do the Sham God in in one you’re trying to bring out the Sham God not as good

Probably steal it right after I do this um going going back to that 73p point game you use this a lot and when we called opening night in San Antonio you had one of the best decelerations that I’ve seen bunch of guys are doing this now it’s become it’s become so important

On drives right to be able to desell let the defense fly by or draw a foul you had two against Atlanta off the right leg Bank Shot um how did you sort of develop that part of your game because I’m I’m curious I watched you workout when I was

Your teammate you you go at a certain speed in your workouts but the full speed to the Dell how much are you practicing that when did you develop that I didn’t practice that they just I mean [ __ ] I I just call it the slow step you

Know I remember one day I tried to teach Doo you tried to teach dorny Smith yeah I say you just got to do the slow step you know you gotta go into Defender a little bit and then just slow step wait till he he’s going to jump and if you

Don’t jump you just go up so just I don’t know maybe it’s the IQ I don’t know but I never really practiced that one you don’t practice that all right not that one it’s just a natural thing which is why I’m so jealous of you I think just your ability to just do

Things on the Fly you and Joelle are like the two guys that I played with why you jealous I’m cuz I could never do that I don’t have the I don’t have the gift I remember one time I was working out and my trainer tried to like it was

A very specific gather to a Euro and I did it like 12 times is there a video no there’s no video because I don’t have I’ve never had cameras in in the gym I either I know you don’t but at some point I was just like [ __ ] it dude we’re

Not doing this I’m I’m gonna use this twice in yeah I mean you do the things are good at yeah uh by the way you went into that Atlanta game I think you still are but you’re the most bled player in the NBA Atlanta uh blitzes the most in the NBA

They only blitzed you uh eight times the entire game three of which came in the last five minutes and only twice in the first half when you had 41 when teams aren’t blitzing you because it’s a night toight occurrence that you get multiple blitzes teams aren’t blitzing you what

Is your sort of mindset around scoring versus playmaking uh I think when they don’t Blitz the depends if they play like we call it channel one if the big is just in the drop uh there’s a lot of playmaking there the clap and the old Gort screen it’s it’s

Efficient uh but then if they switch you know I just trying to go downhill I know there’s there’s going to be always a low man uh sometimes I just stagger a little bit on the threes on the stabbs uh but I I got to be more downhill downhill

Because you know I can get downhill uh a lot and when we touch the pain when I touch the pain I think our team is best is scoring you brought up the Gortat screen um let me I I want to explain this Gortat screen so the the big is in

A drop yep all right you turn the corner on the pick yes your Defender behind you yeah the roller yeah you put them in jail the roller then instead of rolling to the basket rolls into the defender and drop coverage and essentially sets the Little Brush screen and sometimes

They they will they will fully set the screen first basket of the Atlanta game Derek Lively did that on capella we still got D Lively on that one you still got to work with him on that one yeah who’s who who’s have you played pick and

Roll with in Dallas that has done that well uh Dwight pawi Maxi uh yeah those two I think those two Holmes did it a couple times but before who I play with you got get you got to get D you got to get Derek Chris Chris really wasn’t doing it

Cuz he he wasn’t he was before he was popping yeah you got to get Derrick doing that more yeah especially against he’s 19 he got a lot he’s got a lot of way to learn when I called your first game he had a monster game he didn’t

Start that game and he came off the bench I think he had like 16 and eight or something he was he was phenomenal um but for you and sort of unlocking you how important is that vertical Lop threat big and just the way he plays you

Know he plays with a lot of energy uh blocking shots helping us on defensive end a lot you know uh but just you know I don’t think nobody expect him uh at this time that I mean at the beginning that he was going to be this

Good but man he’s he’s really good he’s 19 first season in R doing this stuff he can be a big big problem in this league do you feel like your your uh leadership is different now than it was two or three years ago like are you more vocal

Yeah for sure way better than two years ago why why is that is that just your own maturity is that Jay kid getting on you is that yeah I think it’s a little bit of everything you know maturity uh then more experience uh you know and JK

Helps me a lot so I think it’s a little bit of everything looking for a super offer for Super Bowl 58 DraftKings sports book has you covered new customers can bet on the big game and turn five bucks into 20000 instantly in bonus bets I’ve got my eyes on the money

Line right now as of this recording Chiefs at plus 100 and the 49ers at minus 20 huh interesting you’re a Chiefs fan that looks good download the draftking Sportsbook app now and use code JJ new customers can bet five bucks to get 200 instantly in bonus bets only on draftking Sportsbook an official

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Must keep Robin Hood Ira for 5 years the 3% matching un transfers is subject to specific terms and conditions Robin Hood Ira available to us customers in good standing Robin Hood Financial LLC member sipc is a registered broker dealer last night against Brooklyn speaking of blitzes last night

Against Brooklyn uh you threw the ball to Josh Green against the Blitz and he threw it unexpected pass I would call it to Kye B pass it was a bad pass it was a bad pass saw it was like I was like oh that’s a that’s a fine pass but then you

See it at the other angle it was a bad pass but then K you know that got k your reaction did you what did you think when when that happened I almost didn’t believe it that was actually insane for Kyrie to do that I didn’t realize he

Caught it like the wrong way and then had to pull it back towards the rim that was insan it was sick I can’t do that how’s it how’s it how’s it been with Kyrie you guys obviously in and out last year to finish the season great man he’s

A really great guy U you know obviously basketball player uh the way he is but it’s just been amazing you know he helps me he helps everybody in the team and everybody loves him on the team so he’s just a great guy you said last night

It’s it’s easier to play a lot of minutes when Kyrie’s playing with me and the data I we just got to drop these real quick we go when Kyrie plays with you on the on the court uh per 100 possessions fewer Touches for you fewer dribbles for you fewer uh time of

Possession for you when he’s not on the court you bring up the ball 56% of the time when he’s on the court you bring up the ball 44% of the time do you do I know you do but the burden that you feel night tonight of having to score having to

Playmake essentially everything runs through you rebound rebound last night no I okay just making sure I know I know you’re a good rebounder what are you averaging eight eight this year nine I think seven seven okay but the just having Kyrie there as not not he’s not a sa safety blanket

Obviously but having Kyrie there to help facilitate some of that offense um you you haven’t really had that because Jaylen was not jayen when Jaylen to a degree at times was but he wasn’t the jayen that we see in New York right now um how much easier is it for you with

Him oh it’s way easier like I told you know I I guess they played 43 minutes and I it was back to back and I fell fine you know me and back to backs is it’s tough especially with a mask on yeah that it wasn’t to my face uh but

It’s way easier man just you know uh like Brooklyn blitzed me yesterday and the next guy was Kyrie so sometimes he was even open so that’s that’s like easiest way to play it’s so much easier going back to just like that that burden of of having to score having to playmake

Now you have Kyrie um do you have like an optimal way that you want to play because I think I think to some degree there’s like I don’t want to call it criticism but it’s it’s there’s a way that you have to build around you right

I think the comparison has been at times James Harden right how how they built around him with Houston do you do you have an optimal way that you want to play in terms of your usage the Personnel around you I mean obviously I mean everybody does but just you know I just

Play I mean I just want to win and like I said with kry in here you know last season was kind of tough because he just came in we couldn’t have practice or nothing together uh it was a long season uh but this season you know honestly we

Just got to get healthy we’ve been having injuries a lot me Kyrie Derek Lively Maxi so we just we just got to get healthy honestly and then see what our potential really is do you feel good about your potential I mean you you were on a Western Conference playoff team two

Years ago obviously the West right now different it’s a different animal it’s a different animal but where are you sort of with your team and and sort of your your postseason hopes yeah I think we’ll be fine like I said we just need to get healthy uh and we need to see our

Potential we still don’t know I think me diive and Curry play with 15 games together I think out of 40 or I don’t know how many we played but just need to get healthy man what did you what did you learn what did you what were your takeaways from advancing past the first

Round getting deep into the playoffs getting all the way to the Western Conference Finals losing to the NBA champion yeah it was fun man it was really fun playoffs are fun just different vibe man but that playoff fr we had if we win the second game we’re up

15 we don’t blow that one you know we could probably have a chance but you know golden state was obviously on another level so it was it was really tough to play against them but it’s fun man uh I remember that player run everybody was was locked in everybody

Was having fun you have a unique ability I think to find this perfect balance between having fun which you do you’re loose you’re free maybe Freer than ever as you said but also just being an absolute psycho you know it’s like the the an one towards the end of the game

To get you to 60 your 69th Point against Atlanta you know the the yeah almost I was too dizzy turning to the crowd screaming right then being able to oscillate all the time between that Joy I think that we talked about last time and then just the competitive

Nature how is that so easy to do for you cuz I I find it fascinating why everybody thinks it’s easy is it not easy no what are you telling yourself like how do you how do you mentally sort of lock into both you the balance we used

The we talked about last time it was like you are at play when you when you’re playing basketball but then there’s also just an absolute killer so would be like going on a playd date and like having a great time but then by the end of it you punched

Everyone or you’ve made all the other kids cry yeah that’s a great question but honestly I don’t know the answer to it I don’t know what I tell myself you just I have no idea honestly I just play basketball you do more than that I know

But now that I think of it I don’t know what what I tell myself do you feel do you do you feel slighted do you look for motivation are you looking for people to trash talk no not really no but it when they do it gets me going that’s for sure what’s the

Relationship like right now with Deon Booker it’s good yeah see last time we played we didn’t have fight it wasn’t me and him I know you had a nice conversation on the court yeah I told him for one time it’s not us it’s not us that that game seven from

2022 have you ever been a part of a game that was like that where you guys just get up and it’s it’s a 40 50 point game no I mean I did at half timee basically I did but not that important game not not a game seven yeah not even close

Yeah that was that was unbelievable man I was at halftime I was like please everybody lock in let’s not blow this leag let’s not I was I was nervous at halftime I’m not going to lie I was nervous a little bit at halftime but then we went out and then

We make like three three straight I was like okay we’re good and then you turn around and you guys don’t make the playoffs last year oh yeah talk to me about that it was a tough season man uh I think we started good I don’t remember last SE you don’t

Remember last season no it was tough man it just you know missing the Playoffs even the playing it was tough especially you know Kyrie was brought here uh it was a tough season but you know we got the life out of it uh I think we started great this

Season and then we got a couple injuries so like I said you know we need to see our potential still but last season was tough do you feel like in the last year maybe from missing the Playoffs to um I don’t want to I don’t I don’t want to accuse you of

Anything but there are you’re accusing me no I’m I’m pointing something out there’s Clips on the internet of you not running back on defense you know complaining the refs do you feel like there’s like this natural cycle of how people view NBA players when they first

Start and they’re as good as you were made first team all NBA your second year right you had an iconic sort of performance against the Clippers in the bubble you get to the Conference Finals and then you don’t make the playoffs and all of a sudden there’s

There’s like a backlash almost to you did you feel that yeah I mean of course I think a player like me you know uh I think needs to make playoffs every year especially the last season was stuff but yeah I mean there’s always gonna be talks always some people gonna say

Something about you me about my defense obviously uh but I think I really took a step this year I saw some stats somebody one of my friends texted me some defensive stats yeah yeah I don’t remember really what it was but in isolations against me I was in good

Percentage I don’t remember how much but I saw it is that because you’re taking more pride in trying more or is that like is it a concert concerted effort for you this year yeah yeah I think it’s way more effort you know uh than last

Years but it’s just um I think it’s way more effort so like like so so when last so when last season ended and you guys don’t make the playoffs you’re disappointed I I say this all the time Luka like and I live through it with you actually getting traded midseason roster

Turnover all that stuff it’s hard you guys lose Jaylen um don’t get anything back for him to uh and then the Kyrie trade happens we’ll get to that the Kyrie trade happens and uh and it’s like it’s tough to build chemistry and and both you guys

At times were in and out you didn’t play a ton together at the end of last season so last season ends you’re aware it sounds like of like some level of negativity and perception of you should be what was what was your sort of mindset and approach then for the off

Season even coming into this season like what did you want to prove what did you want to get better at um I mean after the season I was looking forward to the national team honestly like every summer uh but coming into this year you know I

Knew we need to make a point and like I said we started great but then some injuries happened we need to make a playoffs I mean with that roster we need to make a playoffs uh obviously the West is stacked super stacked you have everybody playing good

Uh but yeah I remember that like I said the 2022 playoff run that was fun man you want to get back to that yeah that was really fun it was so competitive and so much fun that I want to go back I mean Super Fun playoffs man I said this

The other day and I meant it and I think I’ve told him this to his face so it’s not a big deal did you have any idea Jaylen Bruns would be this good yeah you did yeah why I would say one game that really was impressive on that playoff run we lose

The first game against Utah I don’t play the first two three games I think it was the first two but first two yeah we can fact check that maybe three I don’t think I play the first one oh right because you got the win yeah you stole

The win and you got to sit out again so that second game I mean if we lost that second game it would be tough to come back we 02 and then we have two in Utah so at second game I think he had like 45

Something like that like it was it was a tough game and we needed a win no matter what and that game was really impressive I was just on a patch watching like w this guy’s amazing but just starting the first we got together like the way he

Worked out every day coming back in the afternoon you know it was just amazing to play with that guy I watched him as a competitor and I was his teammate I think that was one of the the things that stuck out with me was how serious

He takes his Craft um by the way this is totally random so I went to the uh Nicks game last night and I had left early because uh basically yeah it was they were playing the Grizzlies and uh Jaylen is phenomenal phenomenal Jaylen Brunson since Villanova really but certainly

Since he got in the NBA if he dribbles up the right sideline if he dribbles up the right sideline and goes to a dho with a guard he’s going to keep it yeah he’s going to keep it right every time every single time so the Grizzlies last night they’re

Playing some some 10day guys some two-way guys a lot of injuries the kid Vin Vince Williams by the way is really good but yeah um lot of injuries young guys too right I think Luke Canard uh Rose playing Sama Derrick Rose played some yeah that was that was

Pretty much it I think for like not young guys I’m sitting across from their bench and they take the ball out and tibs yells seven keep he yells the word keep yeah if I can hear it all the Grizzlies players can hear it and Jaylen dribbles up the

Right side and gets it keeps it and gets a wide open l i mean he always keeps it he always keeps it I I do do you watch the NBA do you watch like every night or do you take time to get away from the game so so so I watch football yeah

Yearly but you just have that just an innate understanding like for for a young guy when you came into the league did you get scouting reports did you get people’s Tendencies yeah yeah I had my first year I had to watch almost the whole film before practice like movie

One hour at least really yeah my first year is it was it more Personnel or was it more just like Clips it was both both yeah it was personal how other people played like how other people play on defense everything basically everything um but then after my first year not so

Much figed out you downloaded everything everybody always talks about how like great players I say this all the time on a broadcast I’ll be in coaches meetings before a broadcast and coaches will be like oh you know we’ got we got yic tonight and we’re going to give him multiple looks or

Whatever and sometimes they don’t give him multiple looks and he shoots 22 times and he scores right but I I do believe great players you have to mix up coverages what always amazes me is how quickly you guys can process that and make reads on the fly yeah I mean is it

Is it is it the first possession if a team’s in a drop for 10 11 pick and rolls and then they come to a blitz yeah you know exactly what to do yeah 100% I mean it’s not that hard oh I know but like last night did you I assume you

Knew going into the game Brooklyn switches almost as much as anyone in the NBA against pick and rolls I think they actually might switch the most yeah against pick and rolls I think the report was first so did you watch film beforehand being like all right when claxon’s on

Me no I didn’t you didn’t I love you so much that was my first year we watched the the Tim film is there anything that surprises you now what do you mean in terms of coverage uh I think I’ve seen it all you’ve seen it all yeah boxing one Blitz half court trap

Who ran a Bo who ran a boxing one against you Toronto I think Toronto yeah that would with nurse no this year oh this year yeah Scots yeah it was twice this year I don’t remember which should but yeah with Nick neres for sure I just I I

I I I do find it fascinating the processing speed I mean it’s easy you know you just play four on four basketball it’s sometime I just stay on at half court and the guys to my face the guys so the other play just play four on four there even more more space

Do you decide beforehand like if you know A team’s going to Blitz like let’s the Hawks game they Blitz the most in the NBA right do you have a different mindset about the game if you know if you know like last night the switches or last or Hawks

Game they’re blitzing you go into a game thinking anything differently yeah I think uh when they Blitz you know it’s easier for our team to win because when I blits I take it out more of the pick and roll so the other guy has a long way to go so it’s

Basically four and three basketball so it gets other people going and which is better yeah I think think every time they Blitz I mean the more times they Blitz we won more games that’s interesting I’m going to look at that I’m going to look that set up well

You’re a big Advanced tack guy I can tell no definitely not you’re in the analytics now I’m why you don’t think I was as a player you don’t think I was studying the [ __ ] as a player you were shooting I was correct correct that’s about it that’s about it

I would have like never I’m kidding um I want to ask about one one specific play from last season and that was uh the Knicks game tying shot off the Miss free throw oh yeah so there’s two things that are really fascinating to me about that play number one was your celebration

Yeah which I want to hear about yeah you’ll be surprised when you watch that celebration yeah yes you were surprised what I thought okay and then the second part is the fact that I was only with you for two months but the amount of dumb [ __ ] that you

Practice no I’m being serious the amount of dumb [ __ ] you practice and then it just comes out in a game like I I bet you I whether you’re willing to admit it or not I bet it some point in your life you’ve practiced intentionally missing free throws yeah I did it against San

Antonio too yeah that’s last year there was a shot you made it against Atlanta in that 73o game from the right corner behind the backboard it was over the backboard I know that’s what I said yeah and going right I don’t know going right you you can’t shoot

Going right crazy just show it no you just gather dribble and and snatch it back no it was going right I know but you never shoot going right you shoot going right yeah of course but tell me about that that celebration oh yeah I actually yeah I actually thought we

Won it was two points so maybe you weren’t that smart yeah maybe not yeah I actually thought it was you thought it was a onepoint game I don’t know what I thought but I thought it was a onepoint game and I would miss that’s what I’m saying so I don’t know what’s happening

I actually thought we won cuz then I went there to celebrate it and then I think see what tells me you know it’s a tie game oh [ __ ] that’s fascinating yeah but then I wouldn’t miss the free throw right I don’t know what’s going on but that a lot of

Emotions but but that was a that was a great example of uh the joy should have practice oh that it was a a great example of both it was a great example of the joy and it was a great example of you doing dumb [ __ ] at practice Yeah

Coming out in in a game I do practice a lot of dumb going back to the criticism is it still as fun do you still find as much joy does it wear on you at all you’re older now getting old but no I mean I found joy yeah I

Mean there’s always been going to be CR criticism you know but then I always remember when I was young I just want to be an NBA player that’s it and now to be where I am it’s just unbelievable so that that all goes away at the moment but it’s

Wearing down a lot sometimes honestly what was your stat line last night 35 18 and N yes how many turnovers one one at the end of the game yeah apparently that was the only game in basketball references database with that with that stat line it’s pretty good you forgot to

Steal SW block should be three Stills but like I said your defense has just been phenomenal this year did I say that or did you say that you said it I said it you should say it on TV I should yeah push the agenda for NBA’s second

Defensive team yeah the other stat I got this morning which I love this one last night broke a tie for the most career 35o games before turning 25 you now have 89 oh really you’ve moved into third place all time Wilt has 92 LeBron has 103 close LeBron when do you turn 25

February 28th [ __ ] I don’t think you’re get there you might be you you could beat Wilt you could be welt so Wilt is second yeah Wilt second you can get that you could be Wilt do you do you think about LeBron’s record I know you get

Asked about it yeah is it is is stuff like that important to you no is there any chance you would ever no you’re not I say I’m not playing that long no chance I’m going to have my own Farm I’m going to be in Slovenia what is a

Perfect career look like for you from here on out you’ve had a pretty damn good career so far but from here on out I mean I still nothing I mean in NBA I won in Europe but you know championships that’s it do MVPs matter to you I mean

Obviously I would like one you like one yeah of course yeah who wouldn’t like MVP I’m just saying one MVP a championship and then you’re in Sven on your farm hopefully I can get more championships but yeah I still got to build a farm so it’s so I still got some

Years to go all right uh luuka appreciate it buddy course you’re the best thank you all right Luc is awesome now let’s get to our check-in with new old man in the three correspondent Jaylen Williams Jaylen what’s good my man how are you I’m good I’m good um

Thank you for coming on thank you for agreeing to be an old man in the three correspondent it’s uh exciting for us he was really he was really he was jumping around the office well it’s it’s just for me you know someone who uh was a huge fan last year and got the

Opportunity to sit down with you in Oklahoma City you know it’s I’m I’m not afraid to admit my fandom for certain players I think anybody who follows this podcast or that knows me to any degree knows that I’m a fan of yours so for you to agree to do this hey we’re really

Excited um we when we had you on in in October one of the things we talked about was expectations uh and sort of how you guys were managing those expectations has this season so far in terms of the team success has it to some degree exceeded any of your expectations

Or is it just on par with what you thought you guys would play like um I don’t know it’s like it’s like a little bit of both of those it’s like we I think our goal going into the season like I don’t know if other teams

Because this is year two so I have no idea but like like I feel like other teams I don’t know if they like are like okay we need to win this amount of games and need to get to the playoffs like we really didn’t do none of that it was

Just more like we wanted to play how we ended the year last year uh you know start the year and I think we’ve done like kind of a good job of just kind of holding up to that and that’s kind of produced where we are now

So I wouldn’t say that like you know we’re hitting like expectations on like wins and stuff like that but I think it’s just more like the way we’re playing and you know kind of like the bond that we have I think is what the goal of the

Season was and then wherever that takes us you know we can kind of build off that and that’s kind of led us to to this point before we started recording we were Tommy asked a great question about team dinners which we’ll get to in

A second but you know I I I think what’s interesting in uh listening to you talk back in October and sort of watching the team right now you guys are top five offense top top five defense you have been those things for most of the Season generally speaking if you have a top

Five offense and a top five defense you’re going to win a lot of games but there’s a level of camaraderie with your team that as a viewer of your games is like striking and Tommy was talking about the just the element of camaraderie within a group whether or not it leads to success

I wanted to get your thoughts on that in terms of that impact on your team and I’ll sort of follow up with my own personal thoughts on it but I thought it was a really interesting question Tommy yeah I think it correlates for sure I think there the more you’re around you

Know your teammates and I feel like the more you can kind of create that bond with them you know no matter what it is you’re doing I think it’s just like one of those things that without us even having to put a lot of effort in or notice that you just become

Closer to the guys you know that ends up kind of being reciprocated on the court so yeah I I personally think it holds a lot of weight you know I think there’s some things too where you can’t really like force a relationship on people too so I think that goes hand inand but

Usually when you have like a good genuine bond with the team I feel like that that automatically will correlate to the court with the success you guys are having do you feel like you’re becoming sort of like you were the sort of hunters and now you’re becoming the

Hunted in real time like we’re just talking about where you are in the standings and having to deal with the fact that you know teams are now they they Circle you on the schedule was like oh we want to take the Thunder out versus you know that wasn’t necessarily the case last

Year yeah we feel that for sure um you know especially the beginning of the year last year I think teams were kind of like around like that January point teams were kind of like resting their players against us and now it’s a completely different completely different Dynamic

It just uh this whole season feels way way different I feel like you know we’re getting everybody’s best shot every night I think that’s honestly kind of helped us throughout the year just because you know we’re a little more battle tested throughout the throughout the regular season so but

Yeah our season feels completely different like the way teams are playing us um I feel like just how we’re scouted how we’re played every night is way different than last year what what does that look like uh in real time just in terms of the difference like are people

Trying to take away some element of your game in terms of the coverages on Shays uh isos and pick and rolls how teams are switching or not switching with Chad like what is what are some of those adjustments that you’ve seen over the course of this season uh yeah I think teams are

Throwing a lot more looks at us you know you mentioned Chad like obviously we didn’t have him last year so teams had an adjustment period with him too on what they want to do with you know having Shay and him in a pick and roll

Um you know shaying a ton of doubles you know you look at the Toronto game for example just kind of like a box in one trap them all over the floor um I mean I’ve even seen like blitzes and and Tra s off ball screen some this year so

Everybody’s kind of getting like a different look I think that’s kind of the the biggest change to the year you know I get guarded differently almost every game I think I’m seeing like a different change in Defenders too uh like when Shay goes out I’m usually getting the the A1 yeah you’re getting

The A1 yeah yeah which is help too I love it so yeah is there is there anything in terms of your own game where the coverage uh or adjust happened and maybe it caught you off guard was there was there a moment where you’re like oh I haven’t been guarded

That like this this this was a go-to play or this was a go-to move for me and like now it’s in The Scouting Report uh yeah uh I mean coaches like on the sideline will like yell at our plays now and they’ll like usually if it’s for

Me like coming out of a timeout and like it’s something that we’ve ran like I can hear like the coaches on the other side especially if it’s on their bench like oh it’s coming to eight or you know kind of whatever that is so I’ve been denied

A couple plays uh our first time playing Utah at Utah we ran a play that I usually like will be able to get the ball and I got double teamed off of it so that that threw me for a loop I I’m actually pretty sure I turned it over

Too yeah we had a meeting about that right after because I had like a turnover I didn’t even expect the double to come so um that’s been a fun learning curve when you came on in October I think we all knew how good chat was but

He hadn’t played yet um now that we’re in you know we’re in February and we’ve seen enough of this what sort of surprised you the most about just his his level of success as a rookie because it’s not e i mean you knew from last year it’s not easy and what he’s doing

Is pretty incredible yeah I think just to sit out a whole year and then you know not really know what you know like what’s going to happen to start this year I think he’s done a really good job of just kind of understanding a role and

Then Bloss in in like kind of into that role and then expanding from there um and he’s done a good job of like understand like what we kind of need as a team and not like playing outside of that realm because he’s super talented so you know I feel like it’s really easy

For him to maybe get caught up and you know trying to force stuff but he’s done a really good job of just kind of playing within us and I think that’s why he’s having success now and then I think that’s why we’re winning as well you’ve

You’ve been with Shay uh two years now and to some degree I said this most of last season I was like like Shay to me was already a star and he had had an improvement obviously last year um crazy numbers in some ways he’s better and

Actually in a lot of ways he’s better again this year where he’s taken another jump another leap someone who’s been around him for two years and sort of seen I call it processing speed right in terms of reading coverages getting to his spots doing all of those things

What’s been sort of the most impressive thing about his game that you’ve seen grow over the last two years I would say his decision making uh has been kind of like a a big jump for him and not even in the sense of like it was bad to start

Off I think he’s just kind of trusting us a lot more to make the you know kind of like the right play with somebody else like even if it doesn’t involve him which I think is a big step for people that have the ball a lot um kind of

Being able to play two and three passes ahead of what you know people may be thinking so I think he’s starting to really kind of understand that like for example like if people watching that don’t know like if I make this CL this will kind of lead to something else but

I won’t get the assist for it I think he’s kind of made that that big jump you know in regards to that probably his most recent game was Toronto I think just being able to get off of it and kind of letting other guys play I think

That was one of the biggest reasons we won that game so um I’ll would just say his kind of willingness to playmake and kind of get off The Rock has he had a a takeover moment that’s been your favorite so far I know he’s had a lot of them it’s like a nightly

[Laughter] nightly last two week like yeah last night yeah last night was a good one I don’t um he’s had some he’s had some good games I don’t I don’t even know if there’s a favorite usually like I think we get numb to it I’m not trying like

Boost him crazy but like I think around like that six minute Mark when he comes in in the fourth quarter of the game is usually pretty close so usually if you end up pulling pulling out with the w he has a big part in that so um he’s had some some tough

Like he’s had some tough Clips man I I I’m gonna kind of cosign what jaylen’s talking about uh because I’m not comparing players here but the best players that I played with like Joel CP Blake Dwight you do become a little numb to it where there are even certain games where I’m

Sure you’ve had this with Shay where you’re like oh man [ __ ] Dwight’s not playing very well tonight and then it’s like six minutes to go in the fourth and you’re like oh he’s got 24 15 and six blocks like I I don’t even feel it because they’re just so [ __ ] good

They’re just so [ __ ] good and like I was at the Knicks game on uh Tuesday against the Grizzlies and in retrospect jayen Brunson whatever he ended up with 27 and you know nine assists or whatever it ended up being like it was it was quiet whereas if

Because he does it every night and it’s it’s a weird thing that I think happens to the best players where we’re not going to really talk about you unless you go for 73 unless you go for 60 and as a teammate it’s the same thing like you just become numb to their greatness

Which is one of the reasons I always say like when I’m on a broadcast I’m like don’t don’t take it for granted like don’t take it for granted what we’re witnessing with Shay what we’re witnessing with joic or kawhai right now don’t take it for granted because it’s [ __ ] Elite level

Basketball yeah no I’m right there because there’s been some games where I’m like uh like I don’t know he’s quiet today and then we look up we win the game and I’m like dang he had our last 12 points yeah so there there’s been there’s been a lot of games like that

Where it’s kind of just like or he’ll be like sneaky quiet and you know have like 35 and it’s just kind of like something that our team needs and expects him to have so it’s like when you have that over a consistent basis it’s like you don’t really notice

It uh I love it I love it we’ll have more of these check-ins uh throughout the season uh Jaylen we appreciate it all right guys it is the return of the old man in the three draft and we are happy to announce that new era is the official sponsor of

The old man in the three draft got a lot of fun collaborations coming up with new era can’t wait to show you guys that stuff let’s get to the old man of the three draft presented by New Era all right old man of the three draft

Presented by New Era can’t wait for this this is Jaylen Williams first draft uh Jaylen I explained to you on text how this works but just to review uh you get the first pick Tommy gets the second pick I get the third and fourth pick it

Goes back to Tommy then you get two picks and we just subsequently snake that thing all the way through until we’ve all chosen five in this topic yep Tommy the topic is topic is favorite postgame meals favorite postgame meals so again this obviously is exclusive to NBA cities uh Tommy travels enough I

Don’t know if you as the listener you as the viewer knew this and Jaylen I don’t know if you knew this either Tommy did not play in the NBA but some people may think I did but I did not I didn’t make it he didn’t make it but he’s been in

Enough of these NBA cities where he can partici participate in this draft very easily actually Tommy’s going to crush this all right uh Jaylen you get the first pick best postgame meals NBA cities let’s go I’m gonna say uh mahogany answer you had to take an OKC spot I did

For sure I’ll get grilled if I didn’t bring that up so what makes it what makes it so good um well first off they stay open late enough for us to eat after so that’s usually nice that’s Point number one that that’s a big Point

Um I don’t know they just take care of us good food um it’s it’s really right by the arena so um lot of convenience good food uh good service so you have a go-to order oh um I usually get a wagu strip steak um medium

Rare I’ll get a lobster mac and cheese a lobster tail and shoelace string fries sounds amazing sounds incredible Tommy all right I’m taking New York off off the board just cuz I know JJ has a bunch of options take wait hold on you can’t take a whole city off taking New

York off the board just City because I know I can’t take it off but he’s gonna get in his own head if I take if I don’t pick New York so I’m taking teresi okay in Manhattan which is the guys who did Carbone it’s their new restaurant uh Carbone’s great not a

Carbone hater but this is better than Carbone um there’s a Cavatelli there which is a Jamaican themed Cavatelli with like shredded beef that’s unbelievable so I’m taking it’s also open till about 1:30 in the morning so I’m going to take teresi Manhattan Soho New York City as

My first pick I like it so here’s the advantage that I have in this draft especially over Jaylen I played in six different cities so I know all the late night spots in six different cities I also live in New York and have for seven years so I know New

York and now as a broadcaster I get to go call games and then if I’m not taking a red eyee from the West Coast I go get so I just I know a lot of this [ __ ] has more options I don’t know where to go with this so I’m going to start I’m

Going to start in my favorite city that I played in and I was Philadelphia I’m going to go with uh mohin and Suns which is an Italian place in Fishtown every single time I’m in Philly uh I go there uh incredible incredible pizza pasta great main dishes and the bartenders are awesome

They’re awesome last time I was there they made a a riff on a corpse Survivor put some tequila and mcow in there for me oh so good so I’m going with my her and and Sons and then you can’t take New York City off the board Tommy I’m gonna

Go with one of my favorite spots when I would drive back after games in Philly New York we had a ton of open spots late uh but one of the best restaurants in all of New York City for Charles uh was lucky enough to get a reservation and

Eat there a couple times after games best burger in the city the prime rib sandwich is even better all the apps are great great wine list uh those are my two Jaylen did you did you know JJ commuted I feel like everyone didn’t know so J when he played in Philly he

Lived to New York and he would drive every day and how long of a drive is that like an hour and a half hour it’s a it was like an hour 50 down to practice and then a lot of times I’d leave practice at 3 so that would become two

And a half to three hours because I’d hit like very Aro Bridge during rush hour and then the BQE is a parking lot so that was frustrating but after games it was like an hour 28 in fact Jaylen this is 28 this is how sick I am this is

How sick I am yesterday we recorded with Luca for this episode okay uh Luca was scheduled a long time ago and he was at 1:30 and I had a game last night in Philly at 7:30 so I’m like you know what I’m going to do Luca I’ll go straight to

The arena be there in plenty of time which I was however a little wrinkle I had to go down for breakfast yesterday morning uh to meet uh with like production stuff and drove down at 6:30 in the morning had my breakfast drove back up to Brooklyn did the Luca thing

Put my suit on and then went back to Philly called the game came back to New York spent about eight and a half hours on the Turnpike yesterday not a and you did the the commute thing for how long to practice two years two years

Bro he used to take the train to go to practice he would plan out Amtrak I don’t actually don’t I actually like don’t think he got enough credit for it like it’s really psycho that’s impressive you’re sio though yeah it was like psycho I it it was for my family I

That’s what people don’t understand a great it’s not like I was like I like New York better in Philly no it literally was because we had just moved here I signed a one-year deal my kids got into to a school and I wasn’t sure like how long I would play in Philly I

Wasn’t going to we just moved from La like I like it did it for my family it worked out family man that’s good that’s all right I’m going second pick I’m going with an LA spot open I think 24 hours if not 24 hours close to

24 hours I’m going with Leo’s Taco Truck on laa uh I think it’s laa and Venice Boulevard it’s I would say it’s the best taco truck in La um you can get an amazing meal there for under $6 any kind of Taco you want great place uh post

Game post party post whatever it’s a uh it’s an incredible late night meal I would put it for any up there with any late night meal in the country all right well Jaylen and I have not had that yet well I haven’t had a lot of these you’re going to this is an

Education all right Jaylen you have two picks right here all right um I’m gonna go my friend’s dad uh owns this one uh it’s called back beastro in Sacramento I had it for the first time very good had a lamburger very fire it’s called back

Beastro so I like that I like that we get sack on the map on this draft that’s it’s great it’s great um and it’s in like one of those like new I don’t know where exactly in sack but it was in one of those like newer districts so it’s

Like yeah it’s really built up it was nice all right and then I’m Waffle House hell yeah yeah in Atlanta anywhere anywhere there’s a Waffle House the trashier the better that’s actually a really good call and I’m also envious of you uh because you’re young and you

Can have like I just every once in a while think though that’s not like no I know but like when you’re an NBA athlete like you can pretty much you want it doesn’t matter have wa Atlanta does Charlotte have it Charlotte for sure Charlotte Oklahoma has it Oklahoma

Oklahoma Texas Arizona has them this does Texas have them I don’t know I’ve never been to one in Texas all right pick a city because we’re going to put pick a city like where would you go to like should we just say Atlanta uh yeah sure that yeah okay that’s the home

That’s the home of Waffle House all right my third one I’m going one of the great food cities in the world New Orleans going to a place I have been with JJ before Bywater beastro okay great Jaylen next time you’re there great restaurant I think it’s open till

About midnight you can definitely go post game we went uh last year when we were down there there’s a lot of options in New Orleans but I think it’s up there yeah New Orleans has good food um shout out to Nina Compton um I like that New

Orleans is also on my list but I gotta get a couple out of the way here I got to get a couple out of the way so this one will not get drafted but Soo SoDo in Toronto so this is not a pick this no this is a pick I’m just

Saying no one else is going to pick this I’m going to take this in the third round just cuz I like the story Soto Soo uh in Toronto did a number of Team meals there lovely place um kind of like old school Italian type Vibes right uh game one uh against Toronto in

2019 we get our asses kicked and TJ McConnell and I uh decide to go to Soto sto afterwards and who is there but the number one Toronto Raptors fan Drake so after we finished our meal we went back to Drake’s private room and we just talked about the Raptors and the Sixers

For 30 minutes and it was just a great memory and it was also great food I love it was he talking [ __ ] no he he was very reasonable uh second spot this is in Houston taking you there ny’s hustle phenomenal Place Jaylen the next time

You play the Rockets you need to go to ny’s hustle this place is Elite phenomenal phenomenal it’s it’s literally everything it’s like um like random [ __ ] like they’ll have like a steak right but then there’ll be an appetizer with like uh caviar uh on a piece of sourdough

That’s been you know fermenting for 22 days I don’t know how the [ __ ] works it’s it’s fancy food but it’s like delicious fancy food that’s not expensive that makes sense like it all right my fourth maybe my favorite burger in the country Al chal in Chicago okay same family as Fort

Charles uh open till about 1:00 a.m. just a great there’s a Chicago’s another one that’s kind of like New Orleans there’s a lot of options but I needed a burger on here so I think that’ll be my fourth pick all right all right Jaylen you got two I got two okay

Um have we taken any of yours are so boring I don’t know if anybody’s ever been to Harolds in Chicago oh the on the south side yeah yeah place is amazing was uh o pre-draft that’s a good call I guess like the draft I guess that whole thing

The draft combine and stuff I was eating that like right before I was playing so that’s like that’s like that’s waffle house I mean it’s not VI same Vibe but like the food there is incredible yeah Harolds is good um wait do you guys still have picks left We Got Each got

One so you’re closing it out this is your last pick your my last pick yeah that’s fine yeah that’s fine we’ll go out of order it’s fine don’t worry about it we’ll UNS snake it all right my last one I don’t know I was going back and forth on this but I

Think I have to pick it I’m going to go with the uh lemon PE U lemon pepper wings at Magic City in Atlanta okay nothing wrong with that Tommy have you had those Jaylen nothing wrong with that for the record I haven’t I would that’s a recommendation a lot of stories about

There and a lot of like you know good and bad I’ve stayed away from those are the wings those are the wings that got uh L will and trouble yeah yeah that’s right they’re legit though food there is very good never been to Magic City when

We’re all in Atlanta I’m going to get takeout wings and you guys can try this for yourself all right uh I’m going to close my five out I got a number of options here I want to just give a shout out to a few bini Tavern in New Orleans

Fantastic uh the Jones assembly which I have eaten that uh many times but after games in Oklahoma City um Pizza matah in La which nothing’s open late in LA and that place is uh Canard in Portland uh is another great spot had an insane wine

There um but I’m going to close this out with one of my favorite restaurants period to visit on the road I just ate there Saturday night when I was in Miami and that’s IL gabano in brickl love that spot Miami is great because everything’s open everything’s open

Late I was going to put a little uh Jamaican spot that we went to in Miami but I don’t remember remember the name like I said but um I’m just going to say the STK and La I think it’s in Beverly Hills it’s a very good SDK because they’re

Usually you can’t go you can’t by the way I you can’t go wrong with STK yeah they’re usually fine like it’s just late after a game I’ve done the Denver one like four times after calling a game it’s great what’s your F jayen do you

Have a favorite road City to play in yet from Like A vibe standpoint M uh I mean there’s like like cool like cultural like hoop aspects of a lot of stuff like you know you go to New York and Boston like those are like like the hoop

Mecca La obviously is fun to play in so I mean like like the like they’re really like kind of common ones yeah New York will be New York as you guys keep getting better is going to be fun because the crowd is going to be crazy I

Know yeah I feel like this year like playing in New York would be really cool just cuz like way better than what we were last year all right this has been the old man in the three draft presented by New Era Jaylen can’t thank you enough

For the time my man yeah appreciate you guys having me