A. Sherrod Blakely, Gary Washburn, and Kwani Lunis discuss the WNBA's Connecticut Sun game at the TD Garden; Jaylen Brown's underwater workouts; the impact of former Celtic first-round pick Guershon Yabusele on the Sixers; Steve Kerr resigning as Team USA coach and the front-runners which includes former Celtics assistant Ty Lue.
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SportsTranscript
00:00The Big 3 NBA podcast is powered by PrizePix and the Game Time app.
00:25Hello everyone.
00:26Welcome to the Big 3 NBA podcast.
00:27I'm Kwanye Lunas, A-Shroud Blakely, Gary Washburn is here as well.
00:32Reunited.
00:33And it feels so good, don't it?
00:34Gary, 24 hours ago.
00:36So this is an interesting reunion.
00:38Exactly.
00:39I just saw Kwanye at the Garden.
00:42We'll get into it, though.
00:43It was cool to be at the TD Garden, but for, of course, a historical night.
00:47The Connecticut Sun and the LA Sparks playing the first professional women's basketball
00:51game at the TD Garden, obviously in a major city like Boston.
00:54Gary, I'll just start with you off the top.
00:56What did you make of the experience as a reporter that was there and what do you think
01:01it means for the league, the WNBA specifically, overall?
01:05I thought it was great.
01:06I thought it was a packed house.
01:10Sold out crowd.
01:11Yeah.
01:12Good crowd.
01:13They were into the game.
01:14And I think it just, I think maybe the Sun probably was, maybe they were where maybe
01:18they weren't of how many fans they have in Boston, in the Massachusetts area, that's
01:22not just in Connecticut.
01:24So maybe, you know, I know they play, I think they're trying to go to a 44-game schedule
01:29next year, so 22 home games.
01:31Maybe you can have two or three games of those 22 games you would have at home, maybe have
01:37three in Boston.
01:38Remember, before our time, the Suns used to play games in Providence and Hartford.
01:43They used to just, you know, they used to play a couple of home games in Hartford just
01:47to bring those types of fans out and give them something to do.
01:52So I think you've got to keep that connection with the city of Boston.
01:56And I just thought, Alyssa Thomas said something like, maybe this is, you know, our fans are
02:00great in Connecticut, but maybe this is something, a shape of things to come playing, because
02:06you know, they played a 10,000-seat arena, it's a beautiful, nice arena right on the
02:10Mohegan Sun.
02:11But I think they feel a little, probably a little isolated out there, you know.
02:15It's kind of hard to get to, you know.
02:19So I think in this situation, bring the game to the people.
02:23The people showed out, the Sun made a rally, because it looked like they were about to
02:27lose the game.
02:28I know, I was like, this is not a good one.
02:29Yeah, y'all can't lose to the worst team in the league, the Sparks are terrible, and we're
02:33kind of tanking for Paige Buckers, I think.
02:36So they weren't really trying to win, but they were up, and then the Sun made a run
02:41at the end, 14-0, and then closed it all out.
02:44So I thought it was a great experience.
02:46D.J.
02:47Nacre, first time seeing her live.
02:49She's a ball, y'all.
02:50Yeah, she's a real energizer.
02:51She's a ball.
02:52I'm trying to give her an NBA equivalent, you know, and I can't, she's kind of like,
02:59she's kind of Pat Bev with more game, I would say, just that she's an instigator defensively,
03:04she runs the floor, you know, she slashes to the rim, she just plays with so much vigor
03:09and energy.
03:10Steve.
03:11Gary.
03:12I'm trying to put a finger on it.
03:13I think she's a little, she's got a little Marcus Smart in her.
03:16Yeah.
03:17No, I feel her, too.
03:18She'll be taking 23s.
03:19I was going to say, yeah.
03:20I was like, but.
03:21Damn.
03:22Why you got to bring that up, though, man?
03:23No, we didn't in a bad way.
03:24I like her.
03:25The first time seeing her live.
03:26I've saw Alyssa playing at the Olympics.
03:27Alyssa is just like a versatile player.
03:28Class act.
03:29You know, the roster, I've always been a big Breonna Jones fan.
03:30You know, so I think she's got a little Marcus Smart in her.
03:31Yeah.
03:32I feel her, too.
03:33I'm trying to put a finger on it.
03:34Steve.
03:35Gary.
03:36I'm trying to put a finger on it.
03:37You know, the roster, I've always been a big Breonna Jones fan.
03:41You know, so obviously, D'Wana Bonner had her moments.
03:45It was good to see them get their love and appreciation.
03:49I think a lot of these players in WNBA feel like they don't get the love, and now they're
03:53looking at Kaitlyn Clark, and now they're looking at Angel Greece getting all this love.
03:56And they're like, you know, someone like Alyssa Thomas, I've been in the league 11, 12 years,
04:0132, 33 years old now, and is probably looking at the league growing up and saying, wow,
04:08now I'm starting to get my flowers.
04:09And I think it's good for them to get the encouragement and get a big fan base, 19,000,
04:14you know.
04:15Now, can the WNBA exist in Boston?
04:19I think definitely.
04:20If you're bringing women's soccer here, which starts in 2026, I think you can definitely
04:25bring basketball here.
04:26Definitely bring basketball.
04:27Maybe not a big arena like TD Garden, but yes, an arena like this.
04:30You could play at Conte Arena, or you could try to figure out venues, you know, wherever,
04:36you know, it fits, 8, 9, 10,000-seat arena, figure that out.
04:41But I do think you could have the WNBA in Boston.
04:44I think it would survive, and I think it would thrive.
04:47So it was good to see that last night.
04:49I was stunned that it was sold out.
04:51Not to say that I didn't think of it, but I was like, wow, 20, 20,000, almost 20,000,
04:55like, you know.
04:56And they filled the seats.
04:58You know, those stars came out.
05:00Jason Tatum, our friend.
05:02Jim Holliday.
05:03The Holliday family.
05:04Some other Olympians.
05:06Yeah, Scouse.
05:07Scouse was there, I think, with his daughter.
05:09Yeah, he was, yeah.
05:10So it was good to see just the WNBA thriving on this stage, and I think people have wondered.
05:17And it's, you know, Connecticut's been, it's their 21st year, or 22nd year.
05:22Why has this just happened now?
05:24It's kind of the question I have.
05:26This team has been in Connecticut for two decades, so hopefully this forms a good, strong
05:32relationship between the two franchises.
05:34I was just going to say, Gary, I can tell you why they haven't done it before.
05:39Because the powers that be have not trusted the WNBA to deliver fans.
05:45They have, for the longest time, they've been treated like second-class citizens.
05:50Which, if you watch them play, you'll realize they play some pretty damn good basketball.
05:55You know, my following of the WNBA goes all the way back to when Alison Feaster got drafted.
06:00You know, because she led that Harvard team a 16th seed to knock off a number one seed.
06:05And from that point on, I'm just like, damn, she's kind of nice.
06:08And then you start seeing the competition that she's playing against, you're like,
06:12she's nice, but damn, Houston Comets, they got, like, nice, nice, and nicer
06:16when they're rostered with Swoops and Company.
06:18And so, to me, what's happening now is that the WNBA is starting to bring in the casuals.
06:26They've already, I think they already had a pretty solid fan base.
06:30It wasn't a large fan base, but it was a solid, committed one.
06:32But now they're bringing in a host of casuals who are curious about what's the big deal.
06:37Why are people now all of a sudden, you know, checking out not just Kayla Clark
06:42and Aja Reese, but Aja Wilson, who's been the baddest baller in the game
06:46in the WNBA for, like, the last two, three years.
06:48You know, and Brianna Stewart.
06:50And then you've got, you know, Sabrina in New York.
06:53And you start going down, you know, Enrique in Dallas, who is my favorite player.
06:59You start going down a list of ballers that aren't named Candace Parker.
07:03And all of a sudden, you start realizing there's a lot of talent here.
07:06And now it's at a point where there's finally a level of trust
07:11that the casual sports fan has in the WNBA.
07:15And that's why it's taken off now.
07:17It's not that all of a sudden their fan base says they've got this new invigorated, committed group.
07:22No, they're getting the folks who, frankly, are just passing through.
07:27But the thing that's happening is they're passing through and they're stopping.
07:31And then they're passing through and they're stopping.
07:34And all of a sudden, they're no longer casual.
07:36They're actually diehard fans of folks who are going to check in.
07:39Gary, you're right.
07:40They would do well in Boston.
07:42I think not only in terms of attendance and things like that, but media coverage.
07:46You're telling me that in this time of the year where you've got the Red Sox being the Red Sox
07:53and you've got the Patriots looking like the anti-Patriots from what you're used to seeing,
07:58you're telling me they wouldn't mind checking out, you know, some ballers
08:01who are kind of nice in their respective league?
08:04I think they would.
08:06And especially when you're talking about a franchise that, again,
08:09has had a long track record of being in the WNBA,
08:12when a lot of franchises have folded and had to go elsewhere.
08:15I mean, when I came in, the Detroit Shock then moved to, like, Tulsa,
08:18then they moved somewhere else, and now they're in Dallas.
08:21So it absolutely would draw well.
08:26I think the key is this.
08:29That when we grew up, Sherrod, back in the 1800s, right, yo?
08:36Back in the day.
08:37When Jesus was still on the earth.
08:39Yeah, exactly.
08:41Back when Mickey and Tupac were still alive.
08:45When we used to rock those Jesus dunks, right?
08:49Back in the day.
08:51When college players on the men's side stayed in college for three to four years,
08:57they developed personalities.
08:59So by the time they got to the NBA, we knew Christian Laidman.
09:02We knew Derek Coleman.
09:03We knew Shaq.
09:05We knew Grant Keel.
09:06We knew Bobby Hurley.
09:08We knew these players because we got the chance.
09:11We knew the Fab Five, right?
09:13Even Chris Webber, who was two years, but almost jailing.
09:16We knew those guys because they had been in college for two to three to four years,
09:20and they developed brands and personalities.
09:23So by the time they got to the league, we were like,
09:25oh, we know who these people are.
09:27Now that's not the case.
09:28This past draft, you know, you couldn't pick these dudes in the street.
09:34You'd be like, Utah, did you get drafted?
09:36I mean, you could pick.
09:37They were two Celtics rookies, courtside.
09:40They were Charmin.
09:41They didn't get acknowledged, yes.
09:42I think I walked up to them.
09:43Nicktown Watson and Bear Charmin were at the game,
09:45and people were like, you know, I'm sure.
09:47Oh, who's that tall guy?
09:48Did he play at Northeastern?
09:50Nah, nah.
09:51We don't know these players anymore.
09:53Like, we don't know what these guys look like.
09:56We don't know Alex Saar and all that.
09:58But with the women, now with NIL,
10:02now JuJu Watkins is doing commercials.
10:05She ain't begun her sophomore year yet at USC.
10:09She's so good.
10:10Damn, she good.
10:11Paige Butlers has been at Connecticut.
10:13I know she blew out her knee.
10:15She ain't.
10:16I mean, she's doing like.
10:18The New Bounce commercials?
10:19Yeah, she's at the ESPYs and stuff.
10:22She just finished them.
10:23She just got started.
10:24She about to start her senior year at UConn.
10:26And Floja Johnson at LSU is rapping.
10:29And I'm not a rapper anymore.
10:31But she got rhymes.
10:32Like, I was like.
10:33She got bars, y'all.
10:34She got bars.
10:35And she was at the celebrity game at the Big Green.
10:38And she's about to start her junior.
10:40She 20.
10:41I look at her like.
10:42Right, she's not even close to the draft.
10:43No.
10:44She got two years left at LSU.
10:45Like, so we know these gals before they even get to WNBA.
10:50We knew Kaitlyn Clark.
10:51We knew Angel Reese.
10:53We knew Camila Carralzo.
10:55We knew Rekia Jackson.
10:56We knew Cameron Brink.
10:58She went to Stanford.
10:59She's been killing Cal for four years.
11:01So we knew.
11:02We know who they are.
11:04So the great thing that's happening is the NCAA and the WNBA have finally come together.
11:11As opposed to being apart and separate.
11:14The NCAA and the NBA don't like messing with each other.
11:17They do not.
11:18They don't like.
11:19They don't agree on a lot of things.
11:22They don't want anything to do with each other.
11:24For the first time, the WNBA and the NCAA have bonded.
11:28So now, when the draft comes, we know who's going to be in the top two, three, four picks.
11:34We haven't seen them in three, four years.
11:36We know when Juju Watkins is coming out.
11:38We know the team is going to tank for her.
11:40We know the Sparks are tanking for Paige Buckers because they need another player.
11:45They need a point guard.
11:46They need a lot.
11:47In LA, I used to follow the Sparks pretty closely.
11:51The Sparks are terrible.
11:52Terrible.
11:53Terrible.
11:54Just terrible.
11:55Terrible.
11:56Like Charlie Barkley.
11:57They're terrible.
11:58I love the Sparks, but they're terrible.
11:59So, the great thing is now, like you said, Sherrod,
12:04watching Kaitlyn Clark, watching the injuries,
12:07we do get to see now, as I wrote today,
12:09Dawana Bonner, Alyssa Thomas.
12:11We do get to see the stars of the league.
12:13Chelsea Gray.
12:14The people that were largely, five, six, seven years ago,
12:17ignored until the Asia.
12:19Because I think there's like, to me, the WNBA,
12:22there's pre-Asia and Brianna, and then after.
12:26Like, we knew Candace Parker because Candace was in Tennessee for four years.
12:32So, when she got to the league, or like Skylar Diggins or Diana Taurasi.
12:36But then, there became this, like, a lot of the players weren't as good.
12:40I think the WNBA kind of went through a down period
12:44where the entering rookies weren't as good.
12:46And so, you relied on a lot of older players.
12:49But now, it's different.
12:52Rekia Jackson.
12:53These new players are bringing some swag to the league.
12:57Some style to the league.
12:59And we get to see the veterans.
13:01Like, I feel for Alyssa Thomas, who's been 11 years,
13:05and just one of the more versatile players.
13:07People really don't know her.
13:09And they saw her, and hopefully got the chance to see her with the Olympic team.
13:13Or Dawana Bonner, who's like 16th year, 37 years old.
13:17I remember her at Auburn, way back in the day.
13:21So, I think it was a great opportunity for the league.
13:25I wish the game was televised nationally.
13:27It should have been.
13:29The WNBA is kind of saying,
13:31we don't have anything to do with that.
13:33It's our sponsors.
13:35It's our networks that didn't want to show the game.
13:39A lot of excuses from executives, to your point,
13:42didn't want to, I don't think, want to put the money behind
13:45what is clearly still growing and marketable.
13:48And then, where was the commissioner?
13:50The commissioner couldn't go to the game last night.
13:52That's a good point.
13:54Adam Silver was at Team USA.
13:56He was in Paris for a gold medal game.
14:00Kathy Engelbert needs to be at last night's game.
14:03She needs to sell the league.
14:05She should have had a press conference before the game,
14:09talking about how great the league is,
14:11in addition to Stephanie White, Kurt Miller,
14:15talking to two coaches and the players.
14:17You say, isn't this great?
14:19We're at the Garden.
14:21Two months ago, the Celtics won a championship here.
14:23We've got former Celtics.
14:25We've got Celtic players.
14:27This is $19,000.
14:29This is what we want.
14:31Let me tell you more about the league.
14:33Instead, the ball was dropped on that one.
14:35The WNBA, we can talk about that.
14:37It's a great league,
14:39but they've got to step up their game with the PR.
14:42They've got to step up with the game with selling the league more.
14:45Television has got to step up, too.
14:49I don't need to see a three-hour ESPN fantasy draft.
14:53I'd rather watch a WNBA game.
14:56I don't need to see pillow fighting.
14:58I don't need to see the slapping contest.
15:03Shira, you watch that, where they slap each other?
15:06Yeah.
15:08See the slap?
15:10I don't need to see cornhole.
15:13They can put any other sport on.
15:16Show me more WNBA, please.
15:23I'll add this because I know there are definitely some people,
15:26and I don't mean this in a judgmental way,
15:28but they're probably tuning into this podcast every week
15:31and specifically want to listen to Celtics talk
15:33and NBA talk specifically.
15:35I just would encourage people to open their minds to the fact
15:39that these are professional athletes
15:41that are good at what they do.
15:43Dijonai said it perfectly last night,
15:45and she was specifically talking about the Connecticut Sun
15:47and the Connecticut franchise being,
15:49she quite frankly said,
15:51disrespected because of one,
15:53that lack of access to Uncasville.
15:55But also, I think people just not understanding NBC10,
15:58and NBC Sports, all the NBC stations,
16:00we had a pop-up station at the block party that happened
16:04right before the game.
16:06It was free to the public.
16:08You didn't have to be going to the game.
16:10It was beautiful because it just built community
16:12in the city overall.
16:14All the people that I talked to,
16:16there were a lot of people from Boston.
16:18I talked to a family from Quebec
16:20that came down for the game.
16:22I talked to a guy from Kittery, Maine
16:24that drove up for the game.
16:26Of course, there were a lot of people
16:28that came from the Connecticut area
16:30to support a team that they generally
16:32go to games on a regular basis for.
16:34But to see the amount of people that were there,
16:36but specifically the little girls
16:38that either played sports or just wanted
16:40to be in the community of other young women
16:42and girls that were there,
16:44I just would encourage anyone
16:46that's like, well, I don't care about women's sports
16:48to understand, okay, maybe you really don't care
16:50for whatever that unpacked reason is,
16:52but this does mean something
16:54to a lot of people.
16:56And to your point, Gary and Shiraz,
16:58the TD Garden being sold out proved that.
17:00And I think if everyone would just be
17:02a little more supportive, that doesn't mean
17:04you have to tune into every W game.
17:06Before the game last night,
17:08I'd only been to two WNBA games
17:10before, and they were in Connecticut,
17:12because, of course, we don't have one in this market.
17:14And, of course, I've watched on TV.
17:16But I can't pretend like I could list
17:18everyone on every roster, but I think
17:20sometimes something as simple as just saying
17:22I support women in sports,
17:24I'm sure y'all have mothers, sisters,
17:26cousins, women in your lives
17:28that I would hope you care about.
17:30And I think that is what support and advocacy
17:32and true...
17:34Like, as a man, leadership
17:36when it comes to telling other men,
17:38like, all right, you don't have to go to every W game,
17:40but just support women in sports.
17:42And I think that's how we get to a place where it feels equitable.
17:44The W players are not asking
17:46to get male salaries, at least just yet.
17:48They just want support, and that's what
17:50D'Janae's rant was about, which is,
17:52again, why I commend her being outspoken
17:54about it, because it was like, why did she have
17:56to tweet before the game the fact that
17:58it wasn't publicized the way that she thought
18:00it should be, the fact that the game wasn't
18:02on national television, and
18:04got backlash for some people.
18:06But, of course, the people that support the W
18:08were like, yeah, you're right.
18:10Why wasn't this on a national stage?
18:12So, again, we're not trying to preach you have to
18:14watch women's sports, but we're just saying
18:16be empathetic, understand why this
18:18is important to women, and again, young girls.
18:20And that's all we're asking for.
18:22I think last night was a prime
18:24example of why we need to continue
18:26to talk about women's sports
18:28as well, especially on platforms where
18:30men that may not expose themselves
18:32to it will listen to it.
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19:26Should you go more or less on Patrick
19:28Mahomes throwing for 4,300 yards?
19:30And what about Aaron Rodgers
19:32and 3,750 yards passing?
19:34How about Tarik Hill having more
19:36or less than 1,376
19:38yards receiving? Or Saquon Barkley
19:40rushing for more than
19:42or less than 1,050 yards?
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20:02With that being said,
20:04we will talk about the Celtics now.
20:06Tatum, as you mentioned, was at the game. Drew Holliday
20:08as well and his wife Lauren Holliday.
20:10But let's talk about Tatum and Brown,
20:12their offseason. We'll start with Jalen
20:14because last season
20:16he was underwater
20:18doing God knows
20:20what kind of workouts
20:22with even more.
20:24We definitely talked about them
20:26last year, but the fact that we're getting
20:28a part two, what do y'all think?
20:30I'm here for it. I think it's hilarious.
20:32All I know is
20:34that brother is making
20:36$300 million in some
20:38change. Underwater,
20:40through the mud,
20:42in the creek,
20:44wherever you gotta go to get
20:46your body right to ball out, you do that.
20:48And Jalen, he is a
20:50guy that we all agree is an
20:52unconventional person.
20:54He does not think the way
20:56your cookie cutter, template, blueprint
20:5826, 25 year old
21:00thinks, which is great.
21:02He definitely likes to be an outside the box
21:04type of individual and those workouts
21:06are a clear example of that.
21:08But to me it always goes back to
21:10the finished product.
21:12Is this just
21:14for show or is there some substance to this?
21:16And when you look at these workouts
21:18that we see on the basketball court, clearly
21:20he's figured something out. Clearly
21:22he's doing something that enhances
21:24his ability to play at a high level.
21:26So yeah, I'm all for the underwater workouts
21:28because they
21:30work for him. Now if we were to see
21:32Jason Tatum doing an underwater workout
21:34I would think this feels very
21:36performative because this is not
21:38JT's thing.
21:40This is something that Jalen would do.
21:42It's also mental too, I think.
21:44The underwater aspect has to be
21:46mentally.
21:48As someone that can't swim
21:50that's why I think that for the most part.
21:52You had to let that
21:54seep out, huh Kawani?
21:56Being underwater
21:58that's not a natural environment for humans
22:00obviously, so
22:02sustaining underwater and if he's working out
22:04as long as we think he is
22:06underwater, that's crazy to me.
22:08Well, not to get all too
22:10messy with you, but at some point
22:12we are in a
22:14place that's filled with fluid
22:16and so
22:18the idea that we are not
22:20comfortable in water is not
22:22really true. We literally, that's
22:24kind of how we got this popping.
22:26Oh my goodness.
22:28Gary, I'm going to transition to
22:30Gary.
22:32Let's move on.
22:34Let's move on here.
22:36Don't make me go on AP Bio
22:38on you Kawani. Boys and girls
22:40that is how babies are born
22:42or are made I guess.
22:44Get it popping Kawani.
22:46Let's call it get it popping.
22:48Gary, share your opinions about the underwater workouts.
22:50It was good to see
22:52before Sigmund
22:54Freud started talking
22:58yeah, before Sigmund Freud started talking
23:00I just felt
23:02like it's a good thing for him to
23:04explore new workouts
23:06I know he went to Spain
23:08to do the
23:10workouts with the
23:12Player Association
23:14and he was in Oakland
23:16doing the stuff for the community, the city of Oakland
23:18obviously a guy who went to
23:20school out there for a year and has bonds
23:22and ties out there
23:24so it was good to see Jalen
23:26live his best life and enjoy his off season
23:28and understand that the
23:30teams are coming at the Celtics. I think he said that
23:32in an interview with our friend
23:34Monty Poole that he knows
23:36the teams are coming
23:38for them and bring it on
23:40he's going to be ready, Jason's going to be ready
23:42so I'm all for Jalen
23:44doing all types of whatever he wants to do
23:46it's August
23:48I'm sure they'll be back in Boston in about a month
23:50starting to work out, get everything together
23:52and get ready for this
23:54upcoming 24-25 season
23:56so kudos to
23:58Jalen for just doing him
24:00and living his best life.
24:02Yeah, as he should. It's summer, he doesn't have
24:04any Olympic obligations so why not?
24:06We also talked
24:08I think we kind of touched upon this last week
24:10with Jalen Brown and his exchange
24:12that initially was announced to be in Boston but also
24:14him and Jason Kidd are collaborating to do it
24:16in the Bay Area as well
24:18but Kidd's comments about
24:20during the finals JB was better than
24:22Jason Tatum
24:24Look at you. I know, look
24:26I gotta say, the reason why I just
24:28hesitated because we were just talking about nicknames
24:30and I was like, alright, maybe I should just call him Jalen Brown
24:32and Jason Tatum
24:35but I mean, this was kind of evident
24:37and I think everyone agrees
24:39but did you two
24:41what did you two think about Kidd's
24:43comments and why did he even feel the need
24:45to address
24:47that? Well, because I think
24:49for Kidd, that
24:51particular setting was one of those I told
24:53y'all so moments because when he said
24:55that JB was better
24:57that was before
24:59that Celtics had won an NBA title
25:01and before, Jalen Brown was
25:03NBA Finals MVP
25:05and so this was really, you know, Kidd's
25:07one of the first opportunities, if not the first opportunity
25:09where he kind of addressed that
25:11that he caught some flack for because
25:13it really did come across as though
25:15he was trying to like
25:17play some Jedi mind trick games
25:19with Jalen and Jason to get them to try
25:21to be a little more selfish and get away
25:23from the things that have worked
25:25and if we're being honest and we're keeping it 100
25:27it's not like that's outside
25:29of Jason Kidd's realm to do
25:31something that doesn't necessarily
25:33violate the law, but it definitely
25:35is against the spirit of
25:37the law. I mean, telling a player
25:39to bump into you so you could knock a cup over
25:41and get you a free timeout? Yeah!
25:43Yeah, Gary, your boy,
25:45your cow cubby, Jason Kidd did
25:47that, you know it!
25:49He owned it after the fact, so
25:51let's not pretend as if Jason
25:53Kidd, oh, you know, I told y'all so
25:55I wasn't trying to be divisive, I would never do
25:57something like that. Come on, bro!
25:59Come on!
26:01Come on, man! As Chris Tucker
26:03would say, come on!
26:05So, I like the
26:07fact that he addressed it because it was
26:09really kind of different to hear him
26:11go in like that earlier, but at the
26:13end of the day, Jason Kidd, you're trying to win games
26:15you're trying to win not only games on the court
26:17but also in the court of public opinion
26:19and it helps you to have
26:21this addendum
26:23to that statement, you know, because it comes
26:25after he, again, won NBA
26:27World's MVP. I tried to tell y'all he was
26:29balling, so
26:31anyway. Of course, I will add he did
26:33say the thing, but as we know, media can
26:35sometimes take it as I'm trying to start something
26:37between Jason and Jaylen. Of course, I'm being
26:39media because I didn't read his whole quote
26:41you can find it online, but
26:43to your point, yes, he was trying
26:45to justify it, but I think it kind of adds a
26:47little more feel
26:49to the fire because now you're revisiting a
26:51conversation that, again, you
26:53didn't want to create division, but now we're
26:55I feel like every year we somehow get into
26:57this conversation of who's
26:59better than who, and yes, of course
27:01Jaylen Brown getting the Finals MVP
27:03didn't help, but okay, we can move on. Let's
27:05move on from that and kind of reset
27:07for the new season instead of
27:09replanting this conversation in people's heads.
27:11Facts.
27:13Gary, you agree? Agreed.
27:15Yeah. Any other thoughts on Kidd,
27:17your Cal?
27:19I don't know why
27:21I need to explain it. It's kind of
27:23two months ago, but whatever.
27:25He's going to dance around it all.
27:27I wasn't trying to start nothing. I was just, you know.
27:29Good choice of words.
27:31Dance.
27:33Thank you so much for reading my mind, Sharad,
27:35because the dancing bear,
27:37Gershon Yabusele. Wow, beautiful.
27:39Well done. Gary with the assist.
27:41Yo, the transitions
27:43on this podcast are so corny.
27:45I'm sorry to the listeners, but
27:47Don't be sorry.
27:49Finish the damn play, Corny. Finish the damn play.
27:51Gershon Yabusele,
27:53a sixer. He showed
27:55out strong for France, the
27:57Frenchman. What are your expectations
27:59for him in Philly, and why
28:01don't you two think it? We kind of know,
28:03but what do you think he needs to do
28:05in Philly that will alleviate
28:07the reasons why it didn't work out for him
28:09in Boston? Talk about your boy, Gary.
28:11I know that's your boy. No, that's his boy.
28:13Well, I'm
28:15happy for him. I think he wanted to come back to the
28:17NBA. I think he felt like he deserved
28:19another opportunity, and he did.
28:21It's been five years.
28:23He's 28 years old now, and I think
28:25he was probably a little bit too young when he came here
28:27with the Celtics, and didn't have a
28:29true position, and
28:31wasn't in the greatest
28:33condition, and he was still young,
28:35and now he's found his
28:37niche.
28:39He's played some years overseas in the
28:41EuroLeague for Real Madrid,
28:43and now he gets a shot with a team that does
28:45need a power forward. They need some beef
28:47in the paint, and Gershon
28:49plays fearlessly. He plays
28:51hard. He's not a great
28:53three-point shooter, but he can hit some threes. He can get
28:55to the rim and get to the free-throw line.
28:57I think he can make this work,
28:59and he's got a one-year deal,
29:012.1 million,
29:03so we'll see what happens. I'm happy
29:05for him because I think
29:07this has been a stage for him.
29:09Team USA,
29:11not Team USA, the Olympics, playing against Team USA,
29:13playing in the Olympics three
29:15years ago, but he's been waiting for it,
29:17and it's great to play in the EuroLeague.
29:19It's great to play in Real Madrid,
29:21Munich,
29:23Germany,
29:25and all these great cities,
29:27Paris, and Rome, and all these great
29:29international teams, but
29:31it ain't the NBA.
29:33You're not watching Real Madrid
29:35against CSK
29:37Moscow on TV much.
29:39You don't have to find that game
29:41where the NBA is worldwide,
29:43so Gershon won the chance
29:45to show worldwide skills.
29:47He had that dunk on LeBron
29:49in the gold medal game.
29:51He was one of the best players on the floor
29:53for France. Let's face it, he was better
29:55than Baton. He was better than Ruby Gobert.
29:57He was better than Evan Fortier.
29:59Three guys were proven NBA players,
30:01and one guy's a four-time defensive player of the year,
30:03so he deserved
30:05another opportunity.
30:07Do I think the Celtics should have signed him?
30:09I think they could have taken a flyer on him. I don't think
30:11it would have been a bad thing to bring him in at 2.1 million
30:13as opposed to him
30:15going to now a rival,
30:17and I'm sure
30:19we'll see what happens
30:21there and how it works out.
30:23I know the Celtics have been really cautious
30:25with that last roster spot.
30:27They had 14 players signed,
30:29and they just signed
30:31Anton Watson to the
30:33two-way contract along with
30:35Drew Peterson and JD Davidson,
30:37and they could
30:39make another move, but I don't know if it would have been
30:41cool to see him get one more shot in Boston
30:43and see how that worked out, but
30:45we'll see him on Christmas Day in Philly
30:47with Philly.
30:49Nah, Dance and Barry had to boogie-woogie
30:51with someone else, man.
30:53There is no reason in the world
30:55they should have brought that brother back.
30:57Boogie-woogie? Yeah, boogie-woogie.
30:59Oh, Gary, don't act like that's before your time.
31:01Hell, that was your time. Come on now.
31:05Listen here. Listen here.
31:07This is a
31:09big, fat, meh
31:11burger. He's going to play,
31:13but he's not going to make them appreciably
31:15better. He had a great run
31:17in the Olympics. A great run.
31:19I think most people would agree.
31:21He was the best player on France
31:23if not every game, certainly
31:25more games than not, but
31:27he,
31:29I don't think his play is going to
31:31translate well to the NBA.
31:33Again, I think he's better now.
31:35I think he's more equipped
31:37to aid you in some capacity,
31:39but this is a guy that, to me,
31:41he's a borderline rotation guy.
31:43He'll play for Philly because, as you pointed
31:45out, Gary, they got a big-ass hole
31:47to fill, and he's a big
31:49boy. He's going to do his part to help fill
31:51that void, but I don't see him
31:53as a game-changer. I don't see him as someone
31:55who takes them from being maybe
31:57a top-four team to maybe a two
31:59or three. I think they're going to be pretty much
32:01where they are, and again,
32:03it's no knock on him. It's just
32:05that he's not that
32:07difference-making type of player,
32:09and so I think the Celtics had every
32:11reason in the world to be like,
32:13yay, you're playing well. Thanks for coming
32:15out. We'll see you on another NBA
32:17roster when we see you.
32:19No. I don't even think it
32:21was, even as he was playing well,
32:23I would be surprised if it even became
32:25a passing thought to bring it back.
32:27I don't even think it got to that point,
32:29and again, it's no shade on him. It's just
32:31this team, the issue that this team
32:33has now is the same issue
32:35that led to them getting rid of him,
32:37and that is they are built to
32:39win a championship. He needs to be
32:41in a situation where he's going to play
32:43and get better and grow, and to me,
32:45that was a problem in Boston. I didn't think
32:47he got a chance to grow. I didn't think that
32:49they were built in a way that would allow a young
32:51player who needs to be out there, get minutes,
32:53show what he can do, make mistakes,
32:55learn from the mistakes, and get better.
32:57I don't believe he got a legitimate shot
32:59to do those things, but the reason why
33:01was because that team was built
33:03to do more than what he was capable
33:05of giving them in terms of wins and losses.
33:07Now, you put him on a team like
33:09the Charlotte Hornets, you put him on a team
33:11that, you know, like the Atlanta Hawks,
33:13he gets you 14, 15 points,
33:15looks like he might be a borderline
33:17all-star even, but that team sucks,
33:19and there's a reason why he's balling out.
33:21Philadelphia, I don't think they suck,
33:23but they have such
33:25a hole at the position that he's
33:27going to fill that his numbers will probably
33:29look better than his actual play,
33:31and that's okay, because I hope he does enough
33:33to where Philly gives him a multi-year deal
33:35after, or he convinces someone else
33:37to give him a multi-year deal, because when you're talking
33:39about the top 400, 450 players
33:41in the world, do I think he is
33:43among them? Absolutely. Absolutely.
33:45And he should be
33:47in the NBA, but
33:49if I'm trying to win a championship and I got
33:51one roster spot left, am I
33:53going to bring him in? Hell no.
33:55Hell no. And again,
33:57it's not because he's a bad player,
33:59it's just that he's a bad fit for what our ultimate
34:01goal is, which is to win a championship.
34:03Okay.
34:05So go ahead and be Joel L&B's
34:07caddie. We got that. That's a number
34:09off that. No shame in that.
34:11Not go ahead and be Joel L&B's caddie.
34:13That wasn't very shady, whether you
34:15intended it. With the hat,
34:17nice little jacket,
34:19get to wear gloves.
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35:47You kind of answered the next question
35:49about his impact on the Sixers. So let's move on
35:51to the final topic on our rundown today.
35:53Steve Kerr resigning as Team USA's
35:55head coach. As of now,
35:57the two rumored possible
35:59replacements, Eric Spoelstra,
36:01Ty Lue, who do you two
36:03think would be the best fit
36:05for that role? But also, do y'all
36:07think Steve Kerr stepped down because of the Tatum thing?
36:09I'll answer
36:11that question, no. Gary,
36:13who you got? Ty
36:16or Spoelstra?
36:18I probably would go with Eric Spoelstra.
36:20I'm fascinated
36:22to see what he would do with
36:24Team USA's roster. He's a great
36:26coach. But Ty, you couldn't go
36:28wrong with Ty Lue either.
36:30I'm not sure why
36:32Kerr is going to step down.
36:34You know, he just had the job,
36:36just took the job, and we coached him
36:38in the World Championships last year. Now
36:40the Olympics, is it kind of
36:42a one-term situation?
36:44Is
36:46Kerr... I think Kerr also
36:48probably
36:50has got a few years left with the Warriors
36:52and probably is like, listen, I don't want to commit to Team USA
36:54for another four years
36:56and I might not be the coach of the Warriors
36:58then. Because I think
37:00probably when Steph goes
37:02out, he probably goes out, right?
37:04So
37:06I'm sure that's probably for his
37:08future planning. But I
37:10would like to see Eric Spoelstra
37:12and what they can do under him.
37:14I think he's a great coach
37:16and I think he can do great things
37:18with Team USA.
37:20To me, there's
37:22no question, when you look at the body of work
37:24that Eric Spoelstra has put together, it makes
37:26a lot of sense if he's the
37:28next one. But I'm going
37:30to go with Ty and here's why.
37:32Ty, first of all,
37:34is a hell of a coach. Ty
37:36has done something that no human being
37:38could possibly do, or at least I didn't
37:40could do. He won a title in
37:42Cleveland. I mean,
37:44I'm sorry, but
37:46he won a title in
37:48Cleveland and you go back and look at
37:50the squad that he won a title with?
37:52That ain't no championship squad.
37:54It ain't. I'm sorry.
37:56You look at what Spoelstra has won with?
37:58That team absolutely was built
38:00to win a championship. And even the teams that Spoelstra
38:02had that weren't that good, he still
38:04got, I thought, maximum value out of
38:06those teams. But that's where
38:08I go with Ty because Ty
38:10has been able to do the unprecedented.
38:12Ty has a different level of respect
38:14with the top players in this league that's
38:16different than Spoelstra. I think Spoelstra,
38:18now don't get me wrong, Spoelstra is
38:20a well-liked, well-respected coach, but
38:22with Ty it's different because
38:24Ty is a former player
38:26who
38:28has completed against some of the best players
38:30in the game, has been able to
38:32basically talk
38:34players who you
38:36would think coaches are scared to death
38:38of, i.e. Kevin Garnett, can tell
38:40him some things that Kevin Garnett
38:42would actually listen to him
38:44and not trip and flip over.
38:46Spoelstra, you remember those early
38:48days, Spoelstra had to work up to that. Ty came
38:50to the game as a head coach, already had
38:52that pedigree down pat.
38:54You remember those early days with LeBron
38:56where there'd be a timeout and LeBron would
38:58walk past him, give him a little shoulder nudge
39:00and you're like, whoa, what was that?
39:02You never see that stuff happen with Ty.
39:04Ty has a level
39:06of command and respect of these men
39:08in the NBA that would allow
39:10him to make a seamless transition
39:12regardless of what coaching
39:14decisions he made. You would never hear
39:16anyone really grumble about
39:18that and I think with Spoelstra
39:20I would hope that that
39:22wouldn't happen, but how
39:24I'm not sure if a guy
39:26like Anthony Edwards, for example, what if
39:28Anthony Edwards winds up getting
39:30the
39:32Jason Tatum treatment in
39:3428 where you went from being an amazing
39:36player four years ago, balling out,
39:38showed your game to a new coach
39:40or a different coach who's like, well, you know
39:42what, I think I'm going to go
39:44a little bit more with Halliburton because
39:46I just think he gives us a little more
39:48versatility than you do. He plays better
39:50defense or whatever the rationale may be.
39:52How
39:54will that go if it's coming
39:56from Spoelstra versus coming from Ty Lue?
39:58And those are the kind of things that
40:00when I think about this Olympic team, you really
40:02do need a very special
40:04unique niche type coach. They can't
40:06just be a really good coach, which Spoelstra
40:08is. There has to be something different
40:10and unique about them that these
40:12men are going to respect and not
40:14question regardless of whether they play
40:16or not. And it's not going to become
40:18an issue. And the thing
40:20about Ty, I think Ty's smart enough to know
40:22how to not create an issue.
40:24Like, you're not going
40:26to see Ty Lue as a coach not
40:28playing Jason Tatum or not playing
40:30Anthony Edwards. It's not going to happen.
40:32If anything, what Ty
40:34would do, he'd have one of those guys play
40:36in a couple games.
40:38Another guy maybe play some minutes in the other
40:40where if the other one sat, there would be a
40:42clear indication that he's
40:44not going to have one guy
40:46whose first team all NBA
40:48picking up DNPCDs.
40:50That literally makes no sense
40:52in the world. So that's why
40:54I think I'd go with Ty just because I think
40:56he'd do a little bit better job than Spolster
40:58in managing those massive
41:00egos.
41:02Okay, well
41:04we still don't know who exactly will
41:06take that position.
41:08It won't be Joe Mizzoula.
41:10It won't be Joe Mizzoula.
41:12You have my vote.
41:14Nah, I don't think Joe want those.
41:16Nah, I think Joe's a
41:18smart dude, y'all.
41:20In four years, he'll be fine.
41:22Joe Mizzoula's a smart dude. He don't want that.
41:24He don't want that.
41:26Nah, he's good crazy enough to do it.
41:28Gary,
41:30since that is your boy, what you think?
41:32Oh my God.
41:34Don't ask me that question.
41:36I'm a calm man, alright?
41:38I think he
41:40would do his best as he could and I think he'd be
41:42a good coach for the team.
41:44Maybe he'll be a carry to be
41:46on the staff.
41:48I can go with that.
41:50I would like to see him as a 2032 coach.
41:52I would like that.
41:54I would go for that.
41:562028? Nah.
41:58Give him some time.
42:00Let him marinate on that sideline a little bit.
42:02Let's let him just
42:04get to this upcoming season first.
42:06Get another chip in your belt.
42:08Right, right.
42:10Did y'all have any final words before we wrap this episode up?
42:12Nah, superstar.
42:14You got any more of those autographed
42:16pictures? Yeah, I do actually.
42:18I have one right here.
42:20For the record,
42:22I did not print these.
42:24These were handed out
42:26at the block
42:28party
42:30for my job. I actually was signing
42:32autographs, which feels obnoxious, but
42:34I still have a few more if y'all want to
42:36let me know. Gary got like five of them.
42:38I don't know why he tripping.
42:40I don't know why he tripping. Gary act like he
42:42ain't got none. Gary got like five.
42:44I should have signed one for Gary yesterday.
42:46Trying to sell the bad boys on eBay.
42:48How they going so far?
42:50You getting bids yet, Gary?
42:52I ain't got none.
42:54He put on eBay already. He got a thousand
42:56dollar bid, so we'll see.
43:00Now, when you say that now,
43:02are we talking American currency
43:04or are we talking like the
43:06Somali shilling?
43:08Are we talking Somali shillings maybe?
43:10Yeah, so what's the conversion
43:12with the Somali shilling? Because you mentioned it twice
43:14already. Well, not on the podcast. It's a buck seventy-five.
43:16A buck seventy-five.
43:18If you got a thousand Somali shillings,
43:20that's a dollar seventy-five in American dollars.
43:22It's giving scammer, because why does he know that?
43:26That's just a...
43:28Yeah.
43:30It is what it is.
43:32You can't even get a honey bun with that.
43:36For H-Ball Blakely,
43:38I'm wrapping this up before it goes
43:40chaotic. Gary Washburn,
43:42I'm Kwani Lewis. Yes, again, that's fraud.
43:44Thank you all for listening or watching
43:46the Big 3 MBA podcast
43:48slash WNBA podcast for today.
43:50We'll be back next week.