Jalen Brunson Gets Real About Knicks Stardom, Mavs Exit, Villanova Titles | Ep 220 | ALL THE SMOKE

Knicks fans stand UP! The guys get real with first-time all-star and Knicks star point guard, Jalen Brunson, on this weeks episode of ALL THE SMOKE. Brunson opens up about his exit from the Mavs, his rapid rise to stardom in New York, and winning two-titles at Villanova. Plus, he explains how special Luka is, shares a hilarious MJ Story, and discusses his experience playing for Team USA.

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#nba #allthesmoke #kgcertified #mattbarnes #stephenjackson #jalenbrunson #knicks #mavericks #michaeljordan #lukadoncic #dirknowitzki

(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:02:05) – Being Overlooked. MSG Atmosphere
(00:04:30) – Relationship with Dad, Training
(00:08:40) – Upbringing, Moving 7 Times
(00:10:40) – Meeting MJ Story
(00:13:25) – Jabari Parker & Jahlil Okafor In High School
(00:18:00) – Winning 2 NCAA Titles at Villanova
(00:23:40) – Draft Process, Wild Luka Stories
(00:28:30) – Dirk Stories
(00:31:00) – Knicks Free Agency
(00:34:15) – Playing For Thibs
(00:36:00) – Team USA Experience
(00:38:00) – Roommates Pod & Friendship
(00:40:57) – Quick Hitters
(00:44:51) – End

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[Music] [Music] basketball’s heating up with big plays and even bigger wins and we’ve teamed up with DraftKings to get you in on the action DraftKings just dropped a brand new way to play daily fantasy sports with pick six right now all new customers can make their first pick $50 back and pick six credits after playing Just $5 in your first pick set that’s right you just have to play $5 and you’ll get back $50 in pick six credits getting started is simple download the DraftKings pick six app and sign up using Code smoke track your lineup and compete against others for a shot at huge cash prizes download the DraftKings pick six app now and sign up using promo code smoke that’s code smoke only at DraftKings Pi six the crown is yours welcome back all the smoke Allstar Indiana we back in your back in your old stomping grounds be back here they still got love for you out here they got a lot of love for me Jack before we get started I’m G crack open this core CR light Hey cuz it’s made to chill it’s early but it’s made to chill hey and you know it’s made to chill cuz the mountains on it turn blue when it’s cold Jack you know it’s 8:00 in California but hey it’s never too early to start it’s happy hour somewhere want we got a good one today I got a chance to sit down with this young man right before he came in the league uh galani had plugged it and I was just fascinated off the rip about his IQ and the way he approached the game and obviously father had a nice run in the league but son came through and and crushed the buildings um let’s welcome to the show Jayden Brunson appreciate allar yes right allar yes sir apprciate it yes sir yeah I don’t even like to say Underdog cuz I don’t really feel like you’ve been but I I I think at times overlooked is that safe to say that people kind of overlooked you and and and I really think you’re making your mark now yeah 100% I say um no matter what stage of my my career been like high school college League um always been somewhat overlooked at some point but um I don’t really like use that I mean I guess I use it as fuel a little bit but like it is what it is I know that I got I start at the bottom of the total Pole every every time I get to a new place and I just got to work my way back up so career numbers uh congratulations on your first All-Star appearance you had 27 points and six assists a game what has been kind of the secret to your breakout season um really it’s it’s a lot of the credit goes to obviously my teammates just being a dog you just a dog that too yeah uh my teammates obviously the Knicks Organization for just believing in me and all that uh I mean obviously you can say the work you put in and all that stuff that’s just that’s just what I do but uh I got to give thanks to the people that really believed in me when I sometimes don’t and so uh um my whole thing is I always try to keep my confidence but um it’s always really beneficial when I have people on the side of me who’s like this is what you do believe in yourself and it gives me an extra boost a ton of accolades but most notably two-time NCAA champ at Villanova somehow you still slide to the second round um but now you’re really the darling of the NBA with with all due respect on the biggest stage you know they called mad Garden the mecca what is it like the energy and and and and the atmosphere back in New York now that you guys are playing well no it’s it’s rocking every single night um it’s it’s crazy you know going to the garden you know when you’re when you’re sitting in traffic you know you’re getting ready to go into the um the garden you know you start to you start to feel the energy now before anyone’s even in there you know when you’re shooting on the court before the game and no one’s really in the stands yet you can still feel that energy so um New York man it’s know when the Knicks are good now things are rocking in there the NBA is better when the Knicks are good question um a recent ain’t been often but yeah a recent [ __ ] stupid a recent video surfaced and I loved it because I’m in a similar stage with my twin boys of your pops working you out and and and just how he was on you and and and talk to us about that Dynamic of having a dad that played in the league you obviously wanted to follow in his footsteps for just that journey to get there and before you start for us you for like for me and galani like you like our son CU we came up with your dad you know what I’m saying so we know him very well so to see you shining even more you know what I’m saying coming coming out better than him and Shining more than him like it’s extra gratifying to us to see you succeed so you got people like me and jaline and guys that came up with your dad that’s getting so much joy from seeing you shine bro you talking about you old ass [ __ ] all the old [ __ ] like us that came in with your dad to see you shining bro we we super proud of you do no I appreciate that I think um just like going back to when uh he used to train me when we were younger um I think obviously I’m not like 68 I’m not jump over people I’m not super fast he wasn’t he he definitely wasn’t either I yeah he definitely wasn’t he um Young when I was younger it really you can obviously teach so much it was like more mental than anything like my dad at the time when that video surfaced uh who was coaching at University of Virginia so they just had a brand new facility brand new Arena brand new practice gym it’s AC beautiful in there but in the hot summer and um he had me working outside now at the high school gym the high school black tops and so I’m thinking like why are we not just going to the AC going to the AC gym like we can still get the same working whatever the Court’s actually bigger in there lines are probably perfect and everything but uh it was all mental and he was just trying to see where I was mentally and U and he pushed me and pushed me and he was like if you make a shot here you can make a shot anywhere so um I think As I Grew Older obviously more skill-based workouts were implementing to what I was doing but now that mental part of it was huge huge for me because I didn’t really think about it until I got older I was like half the stuff I’m doing now is easy because I’ve been doing it it’s inra have you ever had anybody tell you that your IQ was through the charts your basketball IQ yeah sometimes yeah yeah I think they also say that I feel like to give me a compliment but also say like I there’s nothing else to my game I heard that a lot like like coming up in the draft and stuff people saying like oh he’s good and he’s great smart but but the but yeah so I mean like I know I’m smart I know I’m smart but like I know I also a lot of other [ __ ] to me too there’s so many good players that have dumb you know they can jump and all that but up here they have no clue what’s going on in the court I got a question I want to take it back to to father son because again I’m I’m I’m in that situation now what was that line of because I’m to the to the thought of my boys are 15 now they just finished their freshman in year first season of Varsity of you wanting it but your dad pushing you how was that Dynamic when you were younger was it hey let’s go get this work or you were someone that’s Dad let’s go get this work how did that work a little bit of both okay I would say definitely there would be days where it was like unspoken like we knew that like I got to the point where I was like in fresh my freshman was like all right I gotta get my schoolwork done I got to go to the gym and then I can do what I want like it wasn’t like oh I’m going to go hang on my f friends for a little bit I’m going meet meet you at the gym later it was like no priori you got yeah you got to prioritize my parents said I got there’s school there’s basketball and there’s your social life you got to pick two of the three and then um obviously I picked basketball in school and the social life uh is it’ll always be there like my best friends still my best friends to this date because they helped me they knew I was like yo that’s jaylen’s gonna do that and he was gon to meet up with us later and so um they G they gave me some choices it was never like this is what you got to do mhm I hear the pros and cons do with it as you please we’ll support you wherever yeah they’ll support me but like when I’m when I start complaining about me not playing well or me not doing something B in school your fault it’s your fault I like that own up to it born in Jersey you moved seven times because of your Dad’s job what was that like honestly hell around yeah but it helped I would say hell because obviously you’re moving like I said seven times before school before College like you’re moving to different schools got to meet meet uh new friends um got to find new teams wherever you’re going to it got to the point where I kind of quit every other sport like I played football baseball soccer and um basically I just like you know let me just play basketball year round it’s the easiest thing to do I think it helped me because I had to adapt to every situation I was in and so when I got to school like a high school college like the kid the kids like my older teammate I was younger I was I was a freshman playing varsity so help me adapt to that help me adapt to college and in the league so like moving all those times sucked but it helped well that’s tough too as a young kid because friends are everything like when you’re little like your friends are everything to you so so to be bouncing around at different schools and different states like I said I could see how it can build character and toughness but at the same time as a child you’re like damn like I’m leaving my friends again yeah it was it was it was not fun I’m not going to lie to you but uh it made me tough yeah I mean I had to go through through it it wasn’t like I had a choice either right around that time you Wen understanding it was your dad’s Journey like what he was where he was trying to go as a kid you don’t understand that you just bouncing around leaving your friends just frustrated but now as being a NBA player that’s been on different team you know what I’m saying you kind of understand that now but as a kid growing up in the NBA any funny stories or good stories you remember from being around different teams I remember obviously with like the don’t really remember but when I was with the Knicks when D was with the Knicks um I used to I forget what game it was I think it was against the Heat when Allen Houston caught the ball top of the key did all those jab STS to the clut shot at the top of the key so I used to always do that jab step like in the locker room and then they all laugh and stuff like that um we used to run around do like the LJ sign yeah yeah um that’s dope something came I did uh I did Fon last week and we talked about the Jordan story yeah what I I saw the headline what what is that story I didn’t hear the story long story short we lived in Jersey for or most my dad’s career Liv in Jersey um so we go to all the East Coast cities wherever is drivable for us and so he came to DC Jordan was with the Wizards and so every away Arena I got like that home team’s Jersey just something that me and my mom did and um I had Jordan’s jersey on so after the game I got to go see my dad in the locker room went to the other locker room with one of their coaches and uh met Michael and um he’s like you want me to sign your jersey I said no you messed it up I was dead serious how old were you I was he was like 02 03 so probably like six or seven he said no you mess up I’m grow like I’m growing up in the NBA like I’m seeing all these players like all the time so I’m like it’s I’m taking it for granted like I’m it is what it is I was like I had no signatures like nothing wow my dad used to collect stuff I was like I don’t really I don’t need signatures I’m good so I was like yeah don’t mess my jersey up MJ sit up that’s crazy you already know I’m locked into the NBA schedule and what games are coming up but sometimes when there’s great concert in town I don’t realize it until it’s almost too late so when it comes to grabbing last minute tickets game time always has my back from Sports to concerts game time is the fastest way to buy your tickets for all the events near you with last minute deals and their best price guaranteed that’s right stack game time is the only ticketed app that gives you total peace of mind when making your purchase and you can even see the view from your seat before you buy so you know exactly where you’re at and with Zone deals you pick the section and Game Time picks the seats for big savings game time guarantee means you’ll always get the best price if you find tickets in the same section and row for Less game time will credit you 110% of the difference take the guest workk out of buying tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code smoke for $20 off your first purchase that’s code smoke for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest prices guaranteed hold on to your kils peacock original series Traders is back for a new season with strategy betrayal and sabotage this time an all celebrity cast that vulture has held us as reality royalty returned to Scottish castle for the ultimate murder mystery competition with the big cash prize on the line there’s no telling how Cutthroat these missions will get or what host Alan [ __ ] will pull out of his brilliant and citric wardrobe the Traders are streaming now with new episodes Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern only on peacock how’s good with Jabari Parker in high school throwback man yo Jabari we played him my sophomore year high school in the state championship so I think our tallest dude my sophomore year was about 6’5 and so we ran off like 19 straight wins all of a sudden we were just we got hot we went down state we playing Jabar They just won three out of it was a senior so they won the last three state championships so I’m like yo we got all the confs in the world now we have a huge high school we had like 4,500 kids so like our student section was packed it was loud Jabari just made it look too easy man killed just killed us it was like the most effortless 20 points like effortless like in every bucket was like man Jabari was different I hate he got hurt bro cuz he was nice oh my goodness he was he was different and he was a good dude now he worked hard um didn’t really say anything on the court never but like I was just man he was different I feel like he has some mellow in him like a strong versatile dog that’ll dunk on you big body with but he was athletic with a little ha fly yeah he can get up to Jabari was nice he was one of those dudes are like is like a nice guy he doesn’t say too much yeah but on the court you’re just like who is this dude like it’s a toly different person he’s he’s just an animal Jal OK another one another one H another one my junior year the next year played Jal in state state semifinals State semi-finals and so I had I think I had 56 of like the 68 points God damn it’s yeah my my friends they always give me [ __ ] for not passing the ball that game whatever I was I was doing whatever could could to win but Jalil just he was like 13 of 15 just like just dunking everything whatever I’m just like I just can’t catch a break that’s two years in a row we playing number one recruits and these dudes are just killing us but uh there’s another one who was just dominant tough yeah dominant how lit were you right here oh man I’m lit were you right here so I’ll say this this is this is um that that game against Jal oh R really game against J game against this down state we’re fighting it’s like a close game it was like a two possession game at the time time or we were down yeah we’re down four with like 30 seconds left so I come down I I like get foul and I shoot at three and I make it so I turn around like I started putting like my hands in the air like saying count it count it and the ref’s like waving it off like no no no no so I turn around and I scream like I was like what the [ __ ] I screamed it like I had my hands in the air and everything like like but the crazy part is like everyone sees that but like I kind of fac the other student section I faced like the other it was Whitney Young fa like their coach their bench or whatever like no one said anything didn’t get a tech nothing I didn’t even realize that that happened I was just like in the moment I was in the moment yeah so after the game that picture like resurfaces or surfaces and I’m like that has to be photoshopped I don’t remember that I didn’t do that that has to be photoshopped so then like our ad from school knocks on my door so yo you’re suspended for the third place game tomorrow oh really so I was like I said I I swear I didn’t do it like I like I had no idea that like that was even a thing I had to be doctored because the dude who took the picture didn’t post it with um people in the background what no no no with the um with his company or his newspaper he posted on his personal oh okay on his personal Twitter so I’m like well why wouldn’t he post it regularly if it was a real picture so there was a whole thing and my team was going to sit out like the whole Third Place game because they thought like the picture was like doctor and everything which I still to this day like I didn’t do that in my mind I was like there’s no way I don’t remember that you can see the ref blowing up blowing like there no shot so they did they didn’t count it so when that pcture so when the people from the Mavs like the training staff found that picture they like they got like little like Fathead stickers of it and put it everywhere in the practice facility for me to see now that I look at it look like the left finger is doctored a little bit a little bit it looked like it a little bit m College freshman you get a chance to start and win a National Championship we were talking about before we got started I mean obviously the league is the ultimate going the prize but I had a blast in college um talked to us about where’d you go to college at uh you uh uh the Dr no uh backyard University the streets are hard not yeah uh as a freshman starting getting a chance to win a National Championship uh at Villanova talk to us about that experience it was that that year was fun and I say it was fun because it was it was up ups and downs like as a freshman uh I was an allamerican and so like I’m thinking like I’m gonna go like I’m G do my thing and like I know obviously when I got to Villanova it was like it was team oriented now those dudes were had a bunch of older dudes but I knew I had a chance to come in there and compete to start and everything so coach right didn’t give me anything I knew I was going to have to compete for everything but um coach right’s another one who like everything was mental like your mental approach was everything and so uh like he would come into practice some days and try and like break you and see where you were that was his goal to see where we were as a team and know with me I just I could not let that happen in my three years I was like this man will never be able to do that do that but um and we we fought man we fought like hell we had like little things going on throughout the season but the one thing I realized that our practices were way harder than our games were way harder so we got the game time we’re thinking all right these these dudes aren’t playing as hard as us like they may be more talented but they’re not going to outd doog us so that’s how I mean we obviously had different terminology and stuff like that but that was basically what we did and so coach wght had that mentality for us and it was it was fun because we just knew the other dudes weren’t going to just do the little things that we were going to do so um if we made shots we were winning but if things weren’t going well for us all right it’s time to time to toughen up and he he implemented implemented that into our minds and obviously we found a way is is it around squ like I know he’s married but he’s a ladies man like the ladies love him like you know who love coach wri Ellena oh does she bro she called me and ask me do I know him really I’m like no I don’t know I’m just looking at a picture of him like but she’s not but she’s not the first one I’ve had other older ladies from when I’m working somewhere talk about him so like he must be a ladies man or something gqj gqj see everyone everyone sees oh you’re not gonna like this everyone sees that like Jay Wright when he walks into practice sometimes and he’s like his hair is a little messed up and he he got that scowl on his face his his first name is Gerald Gerald Gerald right so we all right everyone else sees Jay right but we see Gerald right you you don’t want to see Gerald right yeah Gerald’s on some [ __ ] yeah how did you learn how to play off two feet was that it Villanova that come earlier very skilled off two feet I learned a little I learned it with obviously working with my dad but I think at villain NOA it was like polished it polished polished it because everyone did it it was something we did every single day like kid you not that’s how we started practice that’s how we ended practice like we started just doing our footwork stuff and so uh coach right was like you I want you guys to have this in your repertoire knowing that you guys can play the other way but you will always have this style of basketball and then it works hell yeah it works and then when when we won that my freshman year coach said this line with us he’s like now that I know this [ __ ] works and y’all it’s going to be hell for you guys next year yeah all right so we really gota lock in but he he he really implemented that to us because we knew that sometimes people are going to be athletic more athletic than we are but like talk about how smart we are how in our footwork and all that stuff so he yeah he hammered that home every day how many Pros was on that team four 2016 yeah me muel yeah Ryan Archie diako Josh Hart uh our big man Daniel cheffy played in the league for a little bit um who Red Shed that year is Dante D chenzo chenzo yeah Eric Pasco Red Shed that year because he transferred so six7 yeah that’s DT you guys get a chance to win another one uh 2018 so two-time champ also National Player of the Year you knew it was time to go after that ching ching yeah I had no choice also best part about it my mom went like this I graduated that year too so I fin I finished in three three years finished in three damn finished in three but yeah it was that was the plan like I we thought about it my Soph year but that’s that’s Mom that’s work man I love that I can’t give D dad said dad wanted me to do it but Mom was like n on you make sure you did it yeah yeah I wonder how hard is that to graduate in three years yeah it took me four and I still didn’t 4 and I even thought about it that didn’t cross your mind what was your I mean obviously graduation National play of the Year two-time NCAA champ what was your draft process like did you have to do a bunch of workouts did you do a few I did nine okay I did nine workouts um draft process was it wasn’t too bad obviously like nine workouts is a lot like with the travel and everything but a lot of people did more so I couldn’t really complain like some people were doing like 20 25 so I think I did a decent amount any memorable ones like guys you went up against in the draft that were supposed to be higher or whatever it may be sometimes you hear those draft stories pre-draft I think the one draft story that always comes to mind is when I did Utah and it Grayson Allen was there Grayson Allen got drafted off that workout really yes got drafted to Utah off that workout he dominated really I couldn’t be mad at it because I wasn’t playing terrible I think I was I think I was on team too the three on three uh Team man he was cooking like he got drafted off that workout a long like they knew it right away he’s their type of player too kind of Matt harping type Matt harping was a problem oh because I thought he was about talk about Utah I was about to say I’m out of this conversation you get drafted with Luca gotta be the uh I wouldn’t say the best draft ever but close to it what what you think about the draft class my draft because I’m I’m this Dylan but this guy Dylan back here he go he’s a big- Time basketball head so he goes overboard with some of the things he says Sometimes the best draft ever but I won’t say I won’t say ever I would say if it’s the best draft class ever because that dude’s a Hall of Famer I’ll say that that dude it was it’s funny because I remember first meeting him that language barrier was hilarious hilarious he can he can speak way better English now but um he he came in right away like he just like it looks so effortless like when my saw I gotta come in every day I gotta do this I gotta do that I gotta do this just to make sure that like they just see this man come in the gym they do his work and when they play pickup it just look like he’s doing at slow motion but he’s doing whatever he wants and I’m thinking I play like my own pace like I control the game whatever whatever I do it a little differently but his his just on another level so from day one I was like this dude is good dude is good but like also I’m thinking like like damn this dude’s good do I belong that’s that’s all like the type of doubt that it put in my mind like this dude he was that good he’s I can’t even you can ask any vet on that team it was like DeAndre Jordan West Matthews Harrison Barnes um JJ Bera Devin Harris they all say the same thing the dude was just came in and everyone was just like wow and just we see started we saw we see it didn’t uh who got drafted in bronze class him andelo right oh I just wanted to throw that out there I’m saying the Mavs personally getting him and Luca in the same draft okay had a better you know I’m you didn’t say that on explain your [ __ ] he didn’t write it on there though uh who was Luca op the court a kid big old kid like all of us yeah big kid he he’s a cool dude um he really likes to just relax and kind of be out of the spotlight which I like about him he’s not like he doesn’t like the attention um down to earth chill just wants to hang out and all that stuff he’s really lowkey he’s like what’s one of your favorite stories that you could tell about you and him or something that happened or practice games travel any any funny stories with you two um no one V ones I beat him a couple times oh for sure oh for sure and there’s there’s evidence too there’s video evidence too so uh I I just had to throw that out there yeah come on man uh some stories on me and Luca I would say like the longer I was like able to be on the court on the court with him we gained much more respect so our friendship grew like that of course like obviously I wasn’t playing as much until I obviously I got better and better each year and so um man we used to we used to G on the plane man used to gamble on the plane play Tonk I didn’t play Bo I didn’t play Bo that’s a whole different that’s a whole different ball game I’m cool so crying used to play used to play Tonk a little bit so I’m obviously the lowest uh paid player at the table and so uh but uh the only thing about Luca never Pays His bets right away he prob ow some people he still ow some people was DJ the dealer cuz DJ cheats DJ oh DJ was a [ __ ] I didn’t play I didn’t play fresh I play like freshman I didn’t play on rookie year I play like closer to like my third and fourth year okay see we didn’t do that you got to pay up or you get off the plane we they was writing checks on the plane also like it’s for the Mavs I remember you know how you we get like um PRM yeah we got it on a debit card oh really so we never got cash Cub [ __ ] right there that’s G that’s dope how was Dirk being around Dirk amazing unbelievable huh it was crazy because he’s another dude is just a big kid like all he’s big kid but I remember seeing him like just like fighting to like get back on the court because he had I think he had the ankle procedure right before my Rook year so he was just fineing to get back I’m seeing how hard this dude is working at year 21 knowing that it’s probably his last year so made me think about like maybe just like five or six years ago like what he was doing to like get his s ready to go and so that that dude’s work I think in his mind at year 21 just was off the charts so obviously like he couldn’t do the things he used to do but mine’s still sharp as ever yeah but uh for me he’s probably the smartest coach and probably the first coach to well besides pop but the first coach to actually believing me to be um a a star on the team what did Rick Carlile do for you and and what type of coach was he to you Rick is different I love Rick yes he’s different different when I say different man he’s just he’s hilarious like the way from from the way he calls timeouts to everything he does he’s just a quirky dude but when it comes to basketball man he’s just like genius genius genius he was he was a great great dude when I played he let me go when I go he let me go and so when I used to talk to him about like things I had to do whatever like what I was like coach like what do I gotta do y y y he just basically just go play man just go play be yourself uh he told me he told me to limit my mid-ranges but I was thinking if I make him be good make him be good but uh he’s it’s a method behind everything he say though he everything’s calculated yeah it’s calculated everything calculated everything’s calculated he was a great he was a great dude to play for I he’s the only coach Matt that I played for 14 years that the begin of the Season he bring each player the starting five he bring each player in before the season and tell them what he want them to do so you know your role so it’s not you’re not going out there stepping on nobody Toes or you doing what’s best for the team and when the coach does that it simplifi he simplifies it for players where they can understand what he need him to do he’s the only coach to do ever done that and I think all coaches should do that with players he’s he’s definitely straightforward which I love whether it was whether you liked it or not yep there it is ain’t no guess what Nicks free agency uh was there a chance in Dallas the the bright lights in New York were calling your name talk to us about your free agency there’s a chance okay there’s a chance I I really did want to stay in Dallas I think before the season um before my fourth season in Dallas my last season in Dallas uh we try to extend um our contract whatever we can get the most we can get was like four years and 55 million and so obviously wanted to do that I wanted to stay there I thought I thought I would be there for a long time and I like my role there um it’s funny because my agent was like I mean you can do so much you can do you can get more you can get more I’m saying like well like I just I want to be safe I’m not trying to gamble right now this is not something you really gamble with if it’s out there right and so but they they were like we want to see where we’re at and know like 20 25 games into the season but we were like all right well if we’re not going didn’t do it I kind of don’t want to do it until after the season I’m not trying to think about this during the season right yeah so there’s a period where Luca went out and I started to start and um I was playing really well I think I was averaging like 20 and like six maybe whatever and so it was about that 20 25 Mark and so we went back we’re like hey like if the deal’s there we’re thinking about it like I’ll do it like right now still it was no like it was wasn’t a hard not it was just like we want to see we want to see so I’m this was Dallas this is Dallas still in Dallas cuz I I originally I wanted to stay there and so um trade deadline comes I’m like thinking well if I’m not getting extended I’m probably gonna get traded probably I think the way I’ve been playing like there’s just like playing well right I’m playing somewhat decent and so that didn’t happen and then um yeah so like the the deal came on the table after the trade deadline I was like I I no I think I think I’ve outgrown that now right personally that’s what I thought I was like I think I’ve outgrown that obviously going the playoffs luk gets hurt like second to last game or last game of the season and so we’re he’s out for the first three games and I obviously did what I did ain’t no looking back ain’t no looking back and so that all happens I’m trying I’m trying to think my timeline so I don’t mess up so we l in the wrestling Conference Finals and I remember seeing something on Twitter after the game and it was like Mark saying hey like we can paying the most money so he says that on twt he says that like in the in an interview like whatever whatever like literally right after the game and so I’m thinking like all right I’m okay I just I just after that was like crickets from my point of view I can’t speak to anyone else from my point of view it was crickets and so and obviously I saw like New York making moves and saw all that stuff I was like home close to home two hours away away from where I was or an hour away from where I was born yeah um parents over on the east coast whole familyes on the East Coast so I started thinking like I could this this could be a real thing and so um then here we are best move you made that’s move that’s moo what’s the experience been like with tibs old school tough nose tibs I’ll say me and tibs is relationship is different because here’s the backstory my dad went to Salem High School in Salem Massachusetts tibs went to Salem State so that’s how they met when my dad was in high school so that relationship started there and so they had played pickup and all that stuff they knew each other from just being in the area so that relationship started there and my dad that’s crazy was with the Knicks when tibs was assistant coach when they went to the finals and so obviously the relationships continued to grow andever and then my dad also coached with tibs in the Bulls so that’s why I moved to Chicago mhm and then he was with the timber bulls with tibs so I’ve known tibs pretty much since I can yeah my whole life so when I got to here this dude pushes me the same way I saw him push any other player um doesn’t really give me special treatment he’ll still he’ll yell at me he’ll yell at me like I could have a wide open shot in the corner he’s going to yell at me for something so like it a it ain’t like it’s no like preferable or special treatment at all all he just he pushes me every single day he wants me the best part I can be every single day and I’m like people say that he does it lives it this man was in the gym is in the facility yesterday after our last game now giv me a call at 10: a.m. like just like talking about basketball what I thought about the game last night like coach I haven’t watched it I’m I’m get I’m packing I’m going to Allstar he’s all right this is what I think y he’s always pushing me that way so I mean our relationship is different just because I’ve known him for so long but I mean I love that man what was your Team USA experience like and losing at the same time I’ll say this My Team USA experience was great for me and all the team my the guys going to all these special places uh Spain Abu Dhabi the Philippines as soon as we lost right and we were done I forgot about everything that just happened so it went like it was that whole trip just didn’t happen that’s what it felt in my mind I was like you didn’t winiss we didn’t win so everyone’s like oh my how’s your trip how when I got back I’m like sucked right like we lost like he said oh but you went to like Spain you did all this stuff like that doesn’t matter like I wasn’t like on vacation wasn’t on vacation or nothing like I was just like whole trip was ruined for me as soon as we lost old school that’s just that’s feel it’s just real I think he gonna get NBA title cuz he been one I think he’s just one of those guys like me that just wins everywhere he’s going to get it I think he’s one of those people I hope yeah I get it are you hoping to be on the next Olympic team 2024 I mean Paris I I couldn’t say no unless obviously it was something was to happen or whatever special circumstance um I’m always open to it I’m always open to it that’s just opportunity that’s doesn’t come too often Right congratulations on the Pod me and Mt waiting for an invite roommate the roommate show with you and Josh Hart talk about the Pod how did that come about the pod’s fun the pod’s fun the best part about the Pod right now not the best part the worst part about the P right now uh so we the first two shows have aired we we did before our last L our losion streak so everyone’s like oh 0 And1 since the Pod started 0 and2 since the started the I said y we haven’t recorded since minute but um I love it because obviously everyone sees the players um on the court and obviously in the interviews when they’re asking like basketball questions or whatever like yeah me and Josh are going to talk about basketball but like we’re talking about our our relationship how we met and stuff all the old stuff to get us where we are [ __ ] yeah just the conversation yeah like we just want to talk like people don’t see uh NBA players talk about what’s going on when they’re playing the NBA in real time in real time time and so I mean obviously it’s like it’s a second fiddle to what we’re doing like we’re hoop we’re hooping right now but um man it’s fun I’m excited and for sure yo we’ll set that up therapeutic too it’s therapeutic we’re definitely down to come through um how did your partnership with Bose come about they came to me man they came to me I’m not gonna lie I I think Bose surprised me cuz I was a I was an apple kid my entire life everyone’s like apple apple and um Bose came to me I put him on that noise cancellation [ __ ] is real Ser it’s real no no no I like it is real like you put the earbud the earbuds in and on the plane I don’t hear nothing yeah nothing man I love it that’s dope shout out to Bose because they laced us with some stuff for our gift bag so yes they did appreciate hear about those but we appreciate that um I want to real quick before I we’re heading in the uh the quick hitters to finish out the show but I just want to know real quick what has it been like playing with your college teammates in New York of all places obviously Dante’s been playing really well you’re doing your thing Josh got paid like what is that like to kind of obviously have the college experience but then have it like this on the biggest stage in New York man it’s it’s fun man it’s fun New York is the garden is a special place so we used to play there I probably play in the garden in college about 16 times damn yeah had the Big East tournament whenever you played St John’s we played him at the Garden we had a couple um like neutral side games at the Garden so I was like 15 in one at the Garden I was like 15- one or something like that we lost one game it was a to seat in Hall I freshman in the Big E Championship I remember that we’ll never forget that um but playing with those three like especially in the place that we used to play in a lot and it’s awesome you don’t like people talk about like H you get these opport unities like this it’s something you used to really like cherish like man like playing with your boys you used to like go at it with every single day and practice like I said practices were hard in the games in college so we used to like battle it for me and Josh got into a couple altercations jont and Dosh got to way more stuff because they used to guard each other and like go at it but uh to see where we are now like how we’ve all like matured like not just with basketball with life man it’s it’s crazy man it’s unbelievable it’s a blessing man enjoy it enjoy it all right uh uh quick hitters first to come to mind give us your thoughts uh top five point guards in NBA history magic I’m not going to order Magic Steph um Steve Nash he’d kill me if I didn’t say it Jason kid she better uh I’m gon go with my guy too CP oh CP shout out CP that’s my dog did you have a childhood Crush who’s your childhood Crush Beyonce it’s easy word word Beyonce word easy call Beyonce third W Texas uh most underrated Food Spot in New York underrated I always do the overrated places underrated or maybe maybe one of your favorite low-key spots it’s a little it’s a little Italian spot underground it’s called scall andella Scallon Ellen scall andella SC SC did I say it right close enough real Italian I’m talking about authentic Italian authentic Italians I love it okay dope um what’s your guilty pleasure it’s crazy whenever I can’t keep him in the house Oreos double stuff regular oh Double Stuffed are crap get your game right get your can keep him in the house one time my wife brought him into the house and she tried to hide them from me I was looking for something else and I saw them I closed the door back I was like damn man I I know where these are now I could have sleep in the middle of the night I’m like I need a snack like a wait with or without milk um either way doesn’t matter to me have you experienced the Delta biscoffs on Delta never heard of them the bis my goodness you got to fly Del just for the cookies that’s the reason yep uh one thing you wish you were better at golf oh I like that Golf and video games what video game you play play Call of Duty play fortnite yeah I would say NCA 2024 is going to come out college football I can’t can’t wait for that can’t wait for that I I’ll say that because I’ll say video games because um my my boys be clowning me man I’m always on the one first one dying whatever whatever every day is like I’ll be playing well too and I die but here we go again I’m like bro I I’m playing well today you’re the weakest link weakest link yeah I’m I’m always the weakest link I Ain you tripping I do it in real life um one one guess you would like to see on all the smoke but but you have to help us get your answer on the show so somebody you’re close with yeah somebody you’re cool that’s in that Rolodex of yours Josh would be the easy answer so I’m not going to say that I want to I got I just want to talk to him though because he seem funny as hell he has no filter I know he’s I I can tell like sometimes on our show he starts talking I’m like this dude just just Josh just tone it down a little bit he’s no no no I got I gotta do it I’m like all right but uh cool dude actually it gotta be him man he’s he’s unhinged yeah you don’t care yeah you don’t care this will be a great place for a little bit of me and him exactly well uh jayen man we appreciate you stopping by best of luck in the Three-Point Contest appreciate it enjoy yourself in the allstar game and then continue to push it man I mean like I said I feel like you guys have something special out there continue to build on that and uh best of luck on your run to the playoffs man thank you man appreciate it thanks for being there bro that’s a rra man jayen Brunson Allstar 2024 Indiana we’ll see y’all next week