- Yo, yo, yo, we live on
location, we live at ATL. We got the blackest one,
you in the building? - You know that though. - Hey, this is special
special hall of fame, half man, half amazing, you
know what I'm talking about? - And a special hundred episode. - You hear me, 100 in the building. You know when we come with the hundred, we had to come with something spectacular. - You know that's right.
- Vinsanity, the man that came in the
league as the greatest dunker and left with longevity,
22 years, oh my Lord. Listen, dunk contest winner, hall of fame, 1600 threes man, weren't supposed to make that mean threes as a dunker, we got Vince in house, Vinsanity,
half man, half amazing. Vinsanity, everything. - You heard. - In the building. - Let's go.
- Episode 100, let's get it. - Knuckleheads, we appreciate you boss. - That's what's up. - ATL shawty. - [Darius] First of all, we like thank you for coming on the show bro. This big for us that man
have you on here and do this. - [Vince] Absolutely
man, y'all doing it big. - [Quentin] Presented by Hennessy. - Who was the first person
that bust your ass when you got to the NBA? - I mean, I played against MJ. - [Darius] Ooh. - [Quentin] Hello. - That was mean, at 38, 39 so no, he 38 or 41 one of them still don't matter. He still put up 40. - [Darius] Yeah. - For me, you get that
chance to play against MJ as a young boy you go at him.
- Yeah. - Had my best half and couldn't score in the second half for real. Like it don't get any better than that. I pick a name and I say it like Sprewell, but somebody defensively tough. He could score, but he didn't get tired. - Yeah.
- Yeah. - He didn't get tired. - He used be crazy tough. So I came in the era where
it was still half court basketball unless you play it out west. So playing against the
Knicks, they bust my ass. - Yeah. - They .
- As a unit. - As a team it's like we playing
in playoffs our first time they swept us. It got to the point I was
playing the point guard, I was getting double team in half court. Jeff Van Gundy was
bringing the double team. Thank God I had a score like Mac. So I got killed for it like, oh man, he didn't play well, Mac played well. I was like, man, I'll getting double team, but it was like the sacrifice
of making the right play and Mac was killing. So it was all good. We just couldn't win, we were young. - Yeah.
- Right. - Y'all didn't know how to win. Y'all had talent too.
- Exactly. We had no clue, but
that was our first time for that franchise making the playoffs. - Right.
- Yeah. - It was a moral victory
which we didn't wanna hear at that point 'cause
we ain't win the game. - You wanted more though,
you know what I'm saying? - Yeah, so we got the chance
to see them the next year, we beat them at five on they floor. - I feel like what you people
don't talk about enough, it's like man, you one of
them guys that came straight to the league and instantly
started averaging 20 like on the highest level positive. This is the highest level
and you know like a lot of guys don't get in there
and get the opportunity to get shots up or they struggle kind of they first year, even if they got shots to average a consistent points. - And I'm gonna add this to
it, the old basketball rules, the old rules were Pippen
still was a good defender. Where they could hold you, hand check you, you get all the bad. - You had to play defense a certain way you know what I'm saying? - And there weren't no them touch foul. They tell you to get up
and play on, stop crying. Referee told you stop crying.
- Stop crying. - And you came straight
in as a big time dunker that wasn't scared to shoot
the ball like no everybody was like, oh can't shoot. Like it wasn't no like he not shooting or he's scared like threes, whatever. Like obviously you had to
grow into a better shooter, but it was never a lack of confidence or a fear to shoot the ball. - It was to take the best available shot 'cause every time like,
yeah, I wanna dunk on people yeah, of course, but after a while when Armen Gilliam start
elbowing you all these fellas and it was okay which is a flagrant now, that mid range looking real nice 'cause after a while
all them say, hey man, yeah, you can go get them
when you can get them. But if you're trying to
sustain four quarters and be a go-to guy, sometimes
the mid range look good. - Straight up. - And for me, if I had a
crack that looked good. So I'm going for it,
I'm attacking the rim. So it was just like you
said on business decisions you talk about, but my
decision was this go, deal with the consequence later. Sometimes it was a bad
idea, sometimes it went 'cause meeting Zoe at the rim. But look, for the times that I caught him, I could tell how many times he took me out there from blocks. I remember my first game
against him he was like, young fella, calm down
that's how you get hurt. I was like nope and I dunked on him, went down to court like this, but he was taking me out after that bro. It's just the way it was. - Let me ask you this
'cause like it was a moment when I was younger where I
dunked on this older guy. I used to play with these older guys and I was like 14, 15 years old. And being a dunking jumper sometimes you will hesitate instead
of just jumping through that brick wall, you know what I'm saying? So I dumped on this old
guy, he busted my nose and after that I wasn't afraid to attack whoever's down there. What was that moment? Well, 'cause you jump high. When you jump high, you
can fall like people take you out the air, but sometimes you got that mode where it turns where
man, I'm gonna jump through that brick wall no matter who's down. - I was just young and dumb. You know what I'm saying
because it's funny. As soon as you said take you
out the air Mutombo did that. So that game that I boom, dunked on him. Well, that same game they threw the lob, he backed up, took me out the air. Saying that he was trying
to get position to block. - Yeah.
- All right, cool. - That's what they do, I hate that. - Second half I was
like, nah, we're going. So it was just maybe I
was stupid enough like that's how basketball was back then. And it was just like, we
need you to be attacked. So I was just like, I had a dunk list, you know what I'm saying? - All dunkers do. - Hey bro all right. - I mean, I seen you dunk, all right? - Thank you. - Disrespect.
- I got you. - You talking about James
Worthy that I dunked on. - My ass, I'm not gonna lose focus. I know you say every time he bring it up, I lose like, fuck you. - That's all good. - It's just like you
can't be afraid especially in that era like if they knew if. - You was just scared to go in there. - If Anthony Mason who played
the three at that time, he's playing a three bro. - Rest in peace. - Rest in peace. If he knew that you were
afraid, man, it is over. - They eating you up. - It's over. - They smelled the blood
on him when they know you afraid of.
- Yeah man. - When the first time you dunked? - Like first time ever? - The first time ever
like how old, what grade? Sixth? - Look, look, look, look, look. - Sixth grade.
- Ridiculous, damn ridiculous. - Was it like a volleyball
or it was like the full ball? - Here's what I did, I'll never forget, it was on the outside court, double rim. And we were on the hardcore
dunking each little ball working our way up, grabbed the
rim first, tennis ball, volleyball, girls ball, basketball. - Yeah. - Like rubber ball like you
ain't pounding no rubber ball, instead you get high unless
you whatever or cuff it. - On a double rim though. - On a double rim, never
forget it, one leg. And then the following
year, seventh grade, I dunked in the game for the first time. Mind you I was the only seventh grade. - How tall were you? - This is how old I was,
this is junior high. So we had junior high at that time and then the next year
I went to middle school, but I was a seventh
grader and everybody else was ninth grade. I was probably 5'6.
- You getting on my nerve with this shit right now.
- 5'6 probably. But at that time I was
one of those visualized. I just like I don't know, it's
just strange like I worked at it or I would sleep on it
and visualize myself what I had to do to dunk a basketball. You gotta get over the rim,
you gotta get high enough so you could throw it, them
little things like that. And that's how it happened. And then seventh grade, I was on the break and I tried it and I dunked it. - And after that it was over. - It was over. - You had no idea how
you get that first done, you lose your whole entire.
- Oh yeah. And I'm gonna show you the
crazy thing about that, that seventh grade year. So picture day like media day, whatever, we had a little thing. They took a picture of me dunk it, but I jumped off the table, right? So you couldn't see it. So like it told my picture
like, oh, this boy dunking. I said, nah, I'm gonna do
it in the game for real. - And you tried it.
- And it happened. It happened in front
of the visiting bench. - 'Cause you ain't dunked in the game, what gave you the confidence to do it and the consequences of your coach? - My team and my coach
didn't play that back then. you know what I'm saying. - Like the consequence of
your coach you finna get out there 'cause you miss the dunk you might not play no more.
- That's a fact. - We had a good team. - That's crazy.
- That's what's true. But we had a good team and we
were up and I was like, okay, if I don't make it and he take me out, game over anyway, it was a second half. So it was in front of they bench, but I always believe I could do it. I was always practicing and getting close, but adrenaline rush.
- 5'6 bro? - That's crazy. You played football, volleyball. I'm sure you did track. - I did. - The jump and all that. - I did high jump and long jump. - At what point did you
like put everything down? - I wasn't missing triple
jump though let me tell y'all. That you think I wasn't coordinated. - Listen bro, I did that my freshman year. - I tried to do that. That was the hardest. - Bro, I quit that my
freshman year and I did okay, but you could be like
one, two, right foot. It was like, bro, like that's what I felt made me really start being able to dunk. When the season ended my freshman year, I did that when I was at
Kevin School, I did that. I ain't do none of the
meets though like we got to the meet I'm sitting
there, I'm like, man, this some bullshit like
I never did anything. I only went to like two of them, but I did the practicing of everything. I feel like I started
booming out after that. I swear next summer I transfer. - Yeah, I'll give you that
'cause I did high jump and I did long jump. It was like, try triple, you
can jump long, I was like, bro. It was just the extra
step that I couldn't get. - When did you throw everything
to the side and say hoop 'cause like I can't even
imagine you up there in God damn volleyball just spiking. - Yeah man, I was in the band
too so it all ran together. So it started with band then volleyball season then basketball. So it was a point where I'd
go half a band practice, leave go to volleyball. And then the end of school,
well, we had seventh period basketball practice at
that time that ran over. So I had basketball, band, volleyball. And then I played in a intermural game 'cause I was playing football. So I was now going back to
play football quarterback, playing the intermural game. The defensive back coach after
I dunked the ball ran through and he used to play for the Jets so I guess he had a flashback. I had already dunked the ball. He running me down, dunked
the ball, ran up under me. I flipped over, boom, broke my wrist. So when I kept playing, I
was like, it was like, man, shoot the ball, I was
like, nah, it was my right. This bone here was sitting
literally in the middle of my hand. I was like, bro, this little. So they like, ah, this some
bruise, you go ahead right, but I was like, I can't go
to the hospital like man, your jump broke broke. At that time he said, you gonna have to make a decision on
what sport you wanna play 'cause you can't play
all these sports anymore. You can't play. - What year was this? - That was my junior
year going into my senior so I couldn't play anymore. And that summer I was playing football. And it happened right in the beginning of the year the intermural. - At what point in high
school did you feel like where you became the man like
when you started getting all of the letters and you
felt like, all right 'cause we all get to that
point where like we arrived, you was a McDonald's American. So what was your point where
you felt like, all right, like I'm on that level
like all of the top players or whoever they talking
about I'm one of them. - Freshman sophomore year. So my sophomore year Antawn Jamison was the number one player
going into that junior. And then he committed to
Carolina after his junior year. - He committed that early? - He had already said I'm
going 'cause he was killing. I was a point guard my first
year believe it or not. And locally I was good and then
I got invited to Five Star. - Legendary Five Star. - Okay, after my sophomore
year I played in pit three, Stephon Marbury, Tim Thomas,
who was number one at the time, some of the people that probably a lot of people wouldn't know
so I ain't even name it, but Steph was top five.
- KG. - Tim Thomas was one,
KG was there as well. Steph was like a MVP, I guess, best scorer and all these things, I got
most promising prospect. And what that did for me, I'm like what? I'm playing with the best of the best. And we all knew KG he was
either gonna go to college or go in pro.
- Right. - And that was like, you ain't
really hear people talking about that at that time. - Right. - The following year all of
these guys play well again. And then going into my senior year, it was my junior year. My junior year after that camp, Five Star coach Smith came up to me and said, "Hey, we are
really interested in you and we're gonna recruit you and
we wanna come see you play." - Dean Smith. - I was another level so I started looking at guys locally like we
considered the better players like bro. I saw a dude that play
your position with 6'8. And he had a handle, he had bounce. Like it was this Florida
guy, you know Florida boys, you see them boys, I
mean, y'all live there. So you see these kids flying all the time, that's what they did, but they
didn't really have complete games like that. So I got to see what it
was really like everywhere. And that's when it took off.
And then my junior year, I almost moved to Jersey
to play in Patterson with Tim Thomas. - That would've been ridiculous but like that was definitely that era
where people would like move like when KG moved to Chicago. - Exactly. - That era where they was all going. - I was probably three
days away, I got that and the last second I said, no. - What happened? - I didn't like the living situations as far as I wasn't comfortable with it. Mom's just gonna stay. - Florida is a whole nother
living than living in Jersey. - It wasn't even the city's just like, I was stepping outta my comfort zone and I wasn't sure knowing me
that I'm gonna be committed to two years of this 'cause that was been my junior senior year, but I'd
played the best basketball, more exposure but at the end of the day, I kept doing what I was
doing and I got invited to McDonald's, got invited to
the Magic Johnson round Ball, which was the other big game at the time. Y'all round for that too, Magic Johnson? - Yeah.
- Y'all old too. - We didn't go to Magic, we
was Kentucky Derby though. - Y'all old too, okay,
that's what's up, okay. - What was it like when you got accepted to the McDonald's game and
then like y'all got one of the best classes. - Ever. - And like to see Stephon and
KG, Paul Pierce, Shammond. - Charles. - Charles, all these guys.
- Jelani McCoy. - You see these guys in high
school and you see these guys and you go on your journey. - Ron Mercer. - Ron Mercer, yeah, like all these guys. How was that just being in
that environment with the best of the best and you being one of them. - Getting that phone call and
that official letter was crazy for me because I from Daytona Beach. My city's popping during spring break. - Straight up. - For sure like spring break
used to come through Daytona. That's when we like, oh boy,
the city about to be crazy. - Yeah. - Other than that, like
you going to Orlando, you going to Miami, you
ain't going to Daytona, you heard of it.
- It's 500. - Yeah, there you go. No, that's different. 'Cause that's literally across
the street from high school. - Straight up. - So when the 500 would come around, I was appreciative 'cause we
used to get outta schoolwork. So I was like, come on, let's go on. But get that phone call and it was big 'cause it wasn't just
locally like people started like this broke on the
planet McDonald's game. - Right. - But it was like after
that you got other coaches congratulations and like looking at you and like I say it just,
that's the confidence. Playing Five Star validated that I'm able to play against some of
the best in the world 'cause like you can be fool by
being the best in your city. And I tell the kid all the time. That's cool if you satisfied
with being the best in your area, cool but there's a lot of talent around the world. Go see what you can do out there. - It's different when you
come from a small town in a big city like think when
you come out the big city, you automatically get put
at the top of the list. - Yeah, 'cause they get more exposure. - When you in a small town. - Back that time, basketball
players weren't going pro like that. George McCloud, Vernon Maxwell. I mean, it's a few, but it wasn't, it was football, Deon, Emmitt. Yeah, that's what it was. Florida was known for,
I had a college coach, I ain't gonna say his name, but he one of my AAU
coach, he's like, hey man, got a kid in Florida, come check it out. He was like, that's a football state, they got basketball players here. So he wouldn't even come gimme a shot. - Back then it was like that. - So when we played them, well
in college we had a chance to play and we had to go through Villanova and Tim Thomas first. - Yeah. - And we beat them and
we played Texas Tech. And if we beat them, we play
this team and I'll tell you, it was John Thompson. - Okay. - John Thompson, rest in peace. Because obviously
Georgetown back in the day, everybody wanted at least get a phone call from John Thompson. - Yeah, that's where I was going. - You understand what I'm saying? And it was just like, he was
like, man, they got football. I mean, it is a football stadium, they got basketball players there. And I was like, nah. So they never really recruited me. So we playing Texas Tech
and I remember Iverson. That's how old I am. I played with Iverson in college. So Iverson waiting on the
side, they had just won. So I'm like, boy, we beat these boys, we get to play Georgetown. We lost. So watch this, I'm gonna
tell you exactly when. Remember, Darvin Ham broke the glass. - Oh yeah. - That was against us. - That was against North Carolina. - I was guarding him, right? I'm going to double team. Gerald Wallace he shoots it. I ain't blocking out, I was
like, oh, he missed contest. I'm running the half court
for a fast break, do my thing. When I turn around all you hear it sounded like a symbol crash. That was him breaking the backboard. I'm at half court like I, oh,
glass is flying to half court. It was crazy. - How was that like to see him? - So when we watch film,
coach Smith was like, who guy is this? Antawn had glass in his hair. I meant stuck in, he had a little cut. - Yeah. - So is Wicker. He shaking out glass, I was
like my bad fellas, man. I thought he missed. He did miss, I did my job. - That's crazy. - To see somebody break the
glass in the tournament game. - And what's crazy so AI come out. He's like, oh, he did that on y'all. I'm like, yeah bro. So he coming the second half,
he get the ball in the middle. Me, Shammond Williams standing there. He coming down the lane. Now, he just broke it in the
first half 45 minute delay. I remember just looking like
this like business decision, get out the way. Dean Smith my coach now, I
deal with that consequence. You see what he did in the first half? - Get up outta there.
- Get up outta there, we lost. - At what point did you
like you had to realize at some point like, all right,
the way I jump ain't normal. I jump way higher than everybody
else like I'm doing stuff that can't nobody else do like seriously, everybody else acknowledge it you had to acknowledge it at some point too. - I knew it. We used it as a weapon
like man, my point guard at high school he just was
like, like run, I'm throw it. He used to throw lobs. We used to have places. - He called it like man, listen. - No, he used the same wait. He used to be like, yo, look up. I used to show your mic boy. - You hit the back board like, come on bro like there
ain't nothing normal, but like at what point did
you like, no, like, yeah, like this different. - In high school. Believe or not in high school there were other football players
who could jump like that so it was always competition. But in high school I got to where, so my freshman year I was
touching like the square. And so now trying to
just work your way up, - Just top of square. Earl Manigault, you remember the goat? - Put his hands on the backboard. - It's different level
thinking, but I was like, well, let's try it so I started touching the silver lining top of the backboard. Got to my senior year
I could touch the top of the backboard. I couldn't understand
how this man was able to touch make change. That's different level.
- That's different. - But I was able to touch
the top of the backboard. So my senior year in my freshman year. So I remember having a jumping contest. So the Sixers, Larry Brown used to come and have training camp at Chapel Hill. So that was my chance in
college to see the pros, watching them practice
and fool around with them. So me come down there's like
seeing who can touch this. I was like, your teammates
were like, hey bro go ahead. - Right. - They down there stack and all these guys so I was like, all right, cool. Go up there and touch the top backboard. They'll just walked
away and they were like. - Right, what the hell did they do it? - It was like, hey brother, you okay? Yeah, what's up? That's just what it
was so probably I mean, I said I'm dunking for a long time. And that's just what it was. Dunking was a thing down south, period. But my junior year probably
I knew I had the game to go with this so I
had people at my mercy. I mean just throwing
stuff off the backboard, doing all this stuff. I jumped higher in high school
than I didn't in the league. - Could it been anybody
except for North Carolina? Was it anybody almost that got you? - So I had Duke Carolina,
Carolina Duke, it's my prime. Carolina Duke. That just made all the vicious dunks in just that much worse, but go ahead. Florida Florida State,
Kansas and Kentucky. - So you went to Kentucky? - No. - You didn't visit?
- Watch this. We did a home visit first as before and Mr. Pitino walks into our house. That visit lasted 10 minutes. And he had just signed Ron Mercer. And so Ron was either one or two. He and KG kept going back
and forth, back and forth. So he comes in, he's like,
yo son, you're a good player, you're a good player. I mean, you gonna be
great your second year. Like I said nice to meet you. - Second year? - You may leave now. - That's what they tried to
hit me with a couple times. - Yeah, and I understand
they Kentucky, I mean, they got a lot of talent. They just signed a guard. - Pitino hit me with that too. - Like yeah, you gonna
play behind Tayshaun. I was just like what? - Yeah, so I was like, okay,
I got all these other schools come in to play and you go say this. He was already connected to
the NBA so I can get you there. I was like, that's cool,
but second year, bro. After I'm hearing this
from everybody else, okay, cool, that's your
business, I'll move on. So in Kansas, Roy Williams was the coach and halfway through the
conversation sitting down, had a good meeting with
everything at the house and then halfway it was just different. You can just feel things different. So now he's starting to
recruit against Duke. He's like, he's not coming here. He already knew I wouldn't go to Kansas. So he's like being a Carolina
guy that he was what'd he do? You don't need to go to Duke. Why would you go to Duke? They recruit over you. It just started talking about
what Kansas has to offer. Chris Paul was already there. - Right. - He's like you and Paul, I mean, great. Then all of a sudden, and then was there. He's like, man, you imagine you three. I was like, oh. - Then two was my host
when I went to Kansas. - And then all of a sudden
he was like, but Duke, that's the place to be. It didn't make sense. 15 years later sitting
down Roy, he's telling that same story. He's like, you remember I came in. He said, you remember I started talking. He's like, I knew you weren't coming. So I wanted to recruit against Duke so you didn't go there
cause he's a Tar Heel. - That is some bullshit. - He's a Tar Heel through and through. - Through and through. - And then now of course
he ends up as the coach, but I was like, ah, that's crazy. He's like, yeah, I knew halfway. They know, they do it all the time. I knew you weren't coming. I was like you right. I said, if I go to Kansas,
I could go to, well, I go to way out to Kansas
when I can go to Carolina. Same thing. - Bro, that was the one person literally that like if it was
the, you know how, well, when I did my recruiting visits, like, my folks and my coach, they was like, we gotta make agreement. You don't do no commitments on no visits. If it wasn't for that I'd
have committed at Kansas. - Right there? - What, I was there for the
man for the Midnight Madness, I remember Fall Field , I was done. - It's over. - I was like.
- Where do I sign? - Well, before I left, Roy
asked, he was like, man, he was asking me like a percentage. I was like 90 something like. Got to the crib and came
back to reality, like, man, I ain't leaving the crib. I know I ain't leaving the crib. And then it was just like, but like I was, when I was down there Jack, I was close. - When you got to North
Carolina and you walked in that gym and you see the history. - I was just about to say that. - The vibe, the field, - So I'm build up. So Florida, Florida state
is three hours an hour and a half from Daytona ish. So I was unofficial visit all the time. So what I did, I guess I could say it now. So when Florida, Florida
state biggest football rivalry in college sports in my opinion, outside of Ohio state, Michigan. So when Florida state
had hosted the at home, I took unofficial visit there. No, unofficial, I just drive up there and the same thing in Florida. So I got to see both sides,
what the atmosphere was like, but I was always there so I
already knew what that was like. I took my visit to Duke and
I took my visit to Duke. This is the year coach
K had the back problem so he was out that year. So I met coach K at his
house and it was just. - Different. - To say the least. It was just different like he was hurting. He could barely walk over. I was just like, man, it's weird. So I went to a game and
everything and did that. It didn't fit. Took my visit to Carolina. - You went right down the street 'cause it's right down the street. - Literally right down the
street and took my visit, man, felt like home. Just talking to coach Smith and how like he remembered my first
cousin from months back when he met her. He's like, how's Tiffany doing? How you know her like? He made it his business after
recruiting all these people, he still remembered her. And then the first day when we met for the first time on
campus, he still asked about. It is just little things
like that meant something to not even me, but my family. And my family are all educators
so being a student athlete meant something to them
and he was all about that, but man, like you said,
walking to that arena, all that Carolina blue, first of all, when you walk in everything. - Yeah. - And then you do like
that you see them bands, you like it just fell for it. MJ, McAdoo, Worthy, Daugherty. The list goes on and on,
I was like, I want that. And I got a chance to play, possibly start after being told my second year. Oh man, this is a no brainer
so it just felt right. So I was the same way, I was like, I told my high school
coach, he was there at you. I was like, I could do this today. - Right. - It's nothing else to talk about, it's nothing else to talk about. In Florida, Florida state, I
felt like I could see myself there 'cause I grew up
a Florida state football fan, die hard. So to be at Florida state made sense. - Charlie Woods. - Exactly, he was on my visit. I had him and Bobby Syrup. - Bobby Syrup. - Yeah, so I had them as my host and I was in the band
so FAMU down the street, I had the best of both worlds, but Carolina, man, it was
like when I got in that gym and got into that locker room, it was it. - You done now. Dean Smith is champions of
champions, bosses of all bosses. You get there and you got
the talent of Antawn Jamison and you got Ed Cole which is nice. I used to love Ed Cole,
you know what I'm saying? Shammond Williams and
you got all these guys and like y'all look a
contender and you in one of the top conferences. - Yeah. - How was that for you to like now you see the championship pedigree that they installing on y'all? - It was nothing like it. It was understood. What was understood that
need to be talked about. - Yeah. - And so when you walked
into that see we even when you recruited so I had
Stackhouse as my host. And just watching them
play, pick up with them just understanding how they interact, it was easy, you understood. So my freshman year,
little bumpy I played in and out starting lineup just how it was. So in my sophomore year, I was like, nah, this is enough of that. And all of the stuff
that they talked about, it was one way like we planned for regular season
championship, ACC championship, deep in the tournament. And that's just what it was. So it was bigger than you the individual, what you had to understand. They always talk about
the Carolina system, but you learn how to play the game. That's what kept me around
for 20 something years. Honestly learning how to play
the game where now obviously you learn how to outsmart
just from being a professional veteran in the game, but all
the other nuances of the game, made the game easy for me as a freshman 'cause I knew how to play. There's a lot of guys
coming out now one and done, but they're talented,
but don't no how to play. - Don't know nothing about the game. - Facts. So that was the great thing about it. And that's what he made sure,
he's like, we're gonna win. We're gonna get deep into playoff, but we're gonna learn how
to play the right way. You hear Larry Brown, Roy
William throwing around. That was it. You gonna play the right way
or you ain't playing at all. So you bought into it
and next thing you know, final for my sophomore year,
final for my junior year. - The first time you played
Duke, was it at home or away? - Ooh, my freshman year
was, I don't remember. - Do you remember the first
time you played at Duke? - I do. - What was that like? Especially you being a UNC Tar Heels. - Not only 9,000 fans in that arena. - Right.
- That's it. - I played them my sophomore year. - 9,000, so you know how loud it is. - Yeah, and I know how the locker room is under the fan section, bro. Your locker room so they up there early while you getting dressed. They all doing that shit right then when you getting dressed. - And they know about the
time when coaches meeting about you getting ready. - They get going. - You sitting and listen
to the coach, like what? 'Cause you gotta speak up. 'Cause it's like this literally. - Right on top of you.
- Bro, it's crazy. But it was just a different experience. You can tell somebody
about that experience, but it ain't nothing
like going through it. It's like playing in
Old Sac in the league. Yeah, exactly. Y'all knew who I'm talking about. I compared that when I got to league, I was like, man, small
arena, loud came here. That's what it was, but
it was just different. Basketball is different when
you play in that rivalry, like it's a playoff game
or it's a tournament game every time. - Right away.
- Right away. So the following year we won in two. They were one at their building, we were number two coming
in, but it was so loud. We were practicing a couple
days before hand signals. Nothing was verbal. We wouldn't be able to hear this close. - Right. - Literally could not hear this close 'cause it was a one two and
we beat them at our play. No, it was reverse, we lost there. And then they come to our building. Remember, I missed the
dunk off the backboard. They were one two, but we
ended up winning that game. - That would've brought the house down. - Man, I tried to tear it down. I was trying to break the rim. 'Cause we had just did that that summer in the little summer
league or what program game that they have. - Tell me how much pride goes into that 'cause I hear Rashi is the OG. We ain't losing there
when I was there like how much pride goes into
like your personal record against them during your
time and like the alumni that your peers, like how do y'all go back and forth like, nah, we
ain't losing like how big is that for you? - It's always talked about. So the rivalry is a rivalry
and when the games actually are play is when you see the heated rivals where they hate each other. In the summer, they will come over there to play pickup with us. - Right. - So it was all love. I think it's what we talk
about is the hate is the fans, like they were destroying
going destroy our campus and spraying all like vice versa. - So they used to hate each
other's campuses like throw eggs and toilet paper all in the trees? - Painting some of the
statues in the neighborhood. Bro our well which is
famous, it's like right in the middle of the campus,
that joint was painted, wrapped with toilet paper like destroyed. That thing's probably been repainted. It probably gets repainted almost. I don't know what it looks like now, but back then for the
three years I was there, it was always messed up. And vice versa they do something to them, it is just what it was, but
it was just that rivalry is not like none other and
talking about players like when it comes around to this day, I'll get a text from Grant,
JJ Redick, any Duke guy, when we played together like you go about your business during the season, everybody go whatever
do what you gotta do, but when it was that time,
if we are on the road, we rent outta room like we need TV and you just see me and him. When I played in Phoenix, it
was me and Grant sitting here watching the game, talking junk. Me and EB sitting there
talking jump like in Dallas. like that's just what it was, I mean, it's good fun especially now. But y'all see that last man we had though, since we talk about it. - Yeah. - They were number two. - That was the last game,
it was all for the coach. That was real. - After that they did the same thing to coach Smith his last game. - They smacked him at home.
- We lost. - The celebration.
- Yeah, messed it up. - So you know it ain't nothing. - All Star is well. - Same treatment. - How was that there
to go from coach Smith to then go to Guthridge? - Outside of the name Dean Smith that was the only difference,
he was his right hand. Been with him 40 plus
years when he started. You see Dean, you see Guthridge. You see Dean with whatever,
he did not leave with his man. You know what I'm saying? So we played that last game. He broke the record against
Chauncey in Colorado. And then we played Villanova. So we go through it we lose to Arizona and we go through summer workouts. No, that was sophomore year. No, we lost to Arizona. Go through summer workouts that next year and he's like, we have to
do this 12 minute run, bro. Ridiculous. Come in he's like everybody
meet in the locker room. So it was like, all right, cool, whatever. And then all of a sudden
this vibe was just different from freshman year. Well, he's sitting there,
he's standing up in front of the group, just Dean
Smith like he done had 40, 50 years of teams and
he stayed in front of. This time, bro, he was up
there, nervous, pacing, sweating, like man, what's wrong buddy, you know what I'm saying? And that's how we found out. He's like, we're doing a press
conference tomorrow morning. I'm retiring, I'm done,
he broke the record. And see coach Smith
was a guy like he hated when they said Dean Smith
and North Carolina Tar Heels. He hated that, he wanted to
be North Carolina Tar Heels. I'm like, bro, the
building is named after you and you're alive. - Right. - Get over it. He was all about the team
and the team success. I'm gonna do my job and everything. So when he retired, man, it was like, and they were like coach
Guthridge was gonna take over. So it was like, man, this is
crazy, but all right, cool. 'Cause if you work with Dean,
you work with Guthridge, it's just what it was. So nothing was different
outside of just when you look down there, you ain't
see Dean, you saw Billy G. - What made you decide to go? You think it was like, it was time. So after my sophomore year, I
average 21 in the tournament and you just test the world
to see what's out there. And I was like, I'm all right. This sound crazy now 'cause I
was like, I ain't ready to go. Antawn the same thing. You know what Antawn was doing? He was like, we ain't think we're ready. - Yeah, 'cause I thought you went early. - Right, and that would've been the year 'cause I had a great
tournament and I was like, nah. So my junior year average 21 again and we lose the Utah, Andre Miller. - Andre Miller. - And he gave us triple double by the way. - I was there. - Out, Indiana, oh,
that's not far from you. - No, y'all were in.
- Indianapolis, right? - San Antonio. - There you go, sure. - San Antonio, I was
there for the Hoop Summit. - It was.
- Nike Hoop Summit. - They have us at the final
four so I'll never forget that. Like that was my first time
experiencing something crazy. - That man was just chewing
gum through lunch time, I'm like this dude gave a triple double. - Behind the shoes Andre
Miller to this day too, in the league as my teammate. He used to tie his, like. - His lace was so long. He tie and go around the
thing and tie from the back. - Behind the shoes bro, like
when you was a shortie, no lie. I can't make it up,
that is the honesty God. He did that in the NBA. - Yeah, so that was painful. - I remember seeing like, 'cause I like, do you remember when y'all lost? I remember, we literally a
whole Hoop summit we were in the crowd and we
were talking about, hey, going to the league now look, man, they walking off doing, they goodbye. Y'all doing this to the crowd. You and Antawn and we was
all like, you remember that? - Yeah. - Like literally we were
talking about me Al, with like Rashard Lewis, , everybody. We was all on the team. We up there like, man, Al look, hey Al. Ronald Curry, 'cause he was coming, him and capable was coming.
- That's right. - Boo Williams coast thing
so they like, yeah, they out, we about to kill like,
you know what I'm saying? - That's what it was.
- Straight up. - And so that's what it was for me. It was just like, I played well and then so I was like, right, cool,
just in case appreciate. It's been real. - They did that going on, I remember that. - And Antawn committed first and I went so here's what I was gonna do. I wanted to test the waters
and see what was out there. Talk to people, whoever we could talk to and see, if I wasn't
going in the lottery more so top 10, I was going back
to school for my senior year. Truth be told.
- That's what I was like. - Yeah, so it's like, I
actually, I said top eight, if I wouldn't going top eight, I figured if I didn't go in top eight, I can come back and maybe be number one. - Get a better year, yeah. - And they said, bro, you
can possibly go top five. What? Top what? Okay. Maybe even the highest top three. So it was Clippers, Memphis, Denver. That's the top three. And then so I was like, all
right, cool, Antawn committed. And it was more so hesitation like, am I making the right decision? I enjoyed college. - Right. - I enjoyed college, it
was just different then, you know what I'm saying? But I felt that I was good
enough to play in the league at some point or at least get a trial. - Yeah. - And it sound crazy saying that, but that's just the truth how I thought. I said, you know what, let's go. Antawn who he was so I
knew he was gonna do well, national play of the
year, killing everybody. So I was like, for me I
just wanna make my mark and do my thing. And it just, once I made
that commitment, bro, it's just the lockout hit that year. So I got a chance to go back
to school, work on my game, do what I need to do and be ready. And the cool thing about the league man, the difference and you
guys can speak to it too, It went from crowded paint
to it was just wide open. So the driving lanes
were a little different. I ain't worry about seeing
Tim Duncan in the paint. I mean, you still, but
it was just different. Like he ain't just standing
there the whole time and wait. It was just bro, if I
can just outrun my man. - Seven foot down there all the time. - Yeah, if I can just outrun my man, but beat my man it's on the rest is cool. I can get to the rim
and that's what it was. So I started playing pick up with pros and just seeing the difference. I was like, as long as
I could make a shot? - How was your draft process and the teams you was working out with,
how was your workouts? - So once I figured out
where I could possibly land, I tried to work out for those teams and then if anywhere just to get so. - Top 10, top 18. - Top eight, but the crazy thing is, so I worked out for Dallas,
it was a cool workout. Golden State.
- A cool workout. Like it wasn't no cool workout. - It was cool. I was in there by myself for that one. So it was just like, only a couple of places I worked out with other players. - I hated by myself working out. - I worked out with my
guy Tremaine Fowlkes. - Tremaine Fowlkes, that's
our partner right there. - We worked out together at Golden State and he caught straight bullets bro. No sack, we were sack together. - Okay. - And we work out at the
high school at the time and they cut the workout short. He's like, ah, we're good. If you're available, whatever
pick we're drafting you. - My man Tremaine Fowlkes was cool man. - He wound up playing with us
at the Clippers at some point. - He still homie, he was
busting my hand homie. I was like, and I ain't, like I said, this is my first time meeting Trey, but I was like my bad bro
like, so I worked out there. I worked out at Golden State. So the draft was in Vancouver. I didn't work out the Clippers. The Clippers like no. - The draft was in Vancouver? - In Vancouver.
- Wow, I don't remember that. - Yeah, draft was Vancouver.
- It was in Vancouver. So the Clippers, my agent calling, can we get a workout just in case so you can see it's possibly
to be number one picked. They said, nah, we're
good, we're not interested. We already know we're either
picking Olowokandi or Bibby. That was it so didn't work out there. I worked out with Vancouver when I got to town for the draft. That's when I worked out with
them and they were like, okay, cool, but Brian Hill was a coach. He was there and he's like, that's cool, but they already knew. If Bibby went one, they
were getting Olowokandi, they already knew. But they gave me the chance
to work out just in case you like we miss something happened. - Right. - Other than that, the
draft process was cool. It's just, you go through
it like you just don't know. You hear, but yeah, Olowokandi went one. So we knew that, they told us. Bibby went two, we kind of knew that. Then it was number three Denver. It was like, okay. Toronto could possibly go up
there such and such and such. They draft Raef LaFrentz. - Raef LaFrentz twice. I remember we sitting
around everybody like, okay, like Raef he was that guy in college. I'm not saying that, but
it's just like, alright. And then Antawn got drafted four. The crazy thing about
Antawn getting drafted at the time before we knew it,
he didn't work out for them. He didn't work out for Toronto. - That's how we did.
- But they drafted him because they had a deal in place that I didn't know about yet
because Dallas was trying to move up to get him
like, but Golden State gave him a better deal. They say, you drafted him we
swap him, blah, blah, blah. So that's how it happened. And then my Toronto workout,
like I said, it was just, so when I was sitting at the
table I was like, Toronto. I was like, they didn't draft me. I was like, yeah, I knew it. I ain't have a good workout. - Right. - I mean, everything went wrong, it wasn't supposed to happen. - When you got to the
league and Tracy was there, how exciting was that
for you to have somebody that I can go to practice I
can talk to, we can relate to. - Crazy story, the year
he came outta high school, he was in Mount Zion in North Carolina, I was in Chapel Hill. He comes over to Chapel
Hill to play pickup, getting ready to play some
games and he walked in. We played AAU, I played for team Florida and he play for the older
group, he played for younger. I used to stay and watch him,
he used to come watch him. That's it. We didn't know we were cousins. We did not know we cousins
through all of this, I'm telling you. - That's crazy. - Playing pickup that week he
comes into the locker room, everybody say, what's up, yo,
this kid going pro whatever. I knew him so I was like,
yo, you can use my locker man 'cause nobody was let him just yeah. Put your stuff in my locker,
playing pickup, whatever. He goes on Thursday, probably
ain't gonna be on Friday 'cause I'm about to go
to a family reunion. All right, cool, we'll see you next week. Saturday, my phone ringing,
it's my grandmother. What's up cuz where you cuz? I'm like who the hell is this? It's T-Mac cuz, what's up? Like bro, why you on my
grandma phone like what's up? He said she right here
I'm sitting with her. I didn't go to the family
reunion 'cause I stayed home 'cause I was in summer school.
- Your on your dream. - And he happened to sitting
at the table with his house. She's like, hey, you go
on pro, oh congratulations or whatever, you went to
school in North Carolina? She's like, oh my grandson goes
to school in North Carolina. He's like, oh yeah, for real? Who's your grandson? She's like Vince Carter. He was like, what? And that's how we found out. He's so happy to be sitting at the table, having a conversation with her. So he calling me cuz this, so
the old day he get drafted. He go through the first
year up and down, whatever. So he get to the end of the year. Now he calling me all
through my college year, kill this dog, kill it bro
so you come to the league, come play with us. I'm like, cuz that ain't
gonna never happen. Get to the end of the year,
he's like cuz I already told them to draft you. After the draft lottery
got the fourth pick. Cuz I already told them to draft you. Bro you have no pull. Like, come on, what you talking about? So enough, they came down to Chapel Hill to watch me play pick up. And the guy said, hey,
if you're available, we're gonna draft you so you might as well come take a visit. I was like, all right. I ain't never been to Toronto, Canada. Which way, I don't know. Go visit, I had the worst visit ever. They lost my bags, my room got canceled. So because I was at the airport so long, they canceled my room 'cause they thought I wasn't gonna be there.
- You didn't check in time. - So I leave the SkyDome,
I ended up going down the room service two hours late. So now it's like two in the morning. I gotta workout in the morning. Get to the workout, the manager forgot to bring my practice gear. So he had to go back and go get there. I was like, bro, this ain't
meant to be, sorry cuz. They said I had a good workout,
it didn't feel like it. You go to workouts, you
wanna make everything, do everything right, it
just didn't feel like it. Next thing I know, I got drafted. As soon as I got drafted, but
I got drafted by Golden State. And then he called me like
cuz like I got a missed call, but now I'm still on
the stage they talking about there's about to be a trade. I was like, dang, somebody
getting traded already. That's crazy. This is what the NBA like? 'Cause I shook David Stern's hand. He said, hey, stand right
here, wait a second. I'm right here, David Stern, I'm like bro, Antawn standing on the step right here. - Tell me what you thinking,
why this is going on? He's like wait a minute, don't go nowhere. - So I gotta Golden State stay hat on. I got it all nice and whatever and I walk up the steps and
Antawn here he's like we about to get traded is what he's saying. But I ain't know, I was like, what? He was saying we about to
get traded for each other, but it's like, I'm hype,
I just got drafted, I'm in the league now. Didn't know I was like, man, all right, I'll talk to you later. Get up there, shake his
hand, we take the picture. He's like stand right
here, about to be traded. I'm like, what, somebody about
to get traded, it's crazy. - Why you want me to sit here
while somebody get traded? - I can leave and get out
your way, sir, no problem. It's been a trade the Toronto Raptors, I said, oh, has made a trade
for the Golden State Warriors, Vince Carter for Antawn Jamison. He walk up he's like, that's
what I was telling you. I said, I couldn't hear you. You remember like Chris Tucker? - You understand the words
coming out of my mouth? - I don't know what you saying. Like I didn't know what you was saying. My heart beating, in my
ear I couldn't hear nothing like I was hyped.
- Yeah. - He's like I was telling
you it was getting traded. So in the table, my family sitting here my family's sitting get a hat.
- Trade hats. - Oh, here you go, crazy man.
- Trade hats. - So it was just a crazy moment. I got introduced to business
of basketball immediately. - How did you convince
T-Mac to get into dunk contest with you? - So he was down for it. See, he telling half the story. He was down for it for a long time. - Yeah. - And I remember San Antonio
at the practice facility, we up there, we throwing the ball all over the gym bouncing just working
on dunks and whatever. But it got to close to time he's like, cuz I don't wanna do it. What you mean you don't wanna do it? I was all for it 'cause see
for me he said like I knew I was dunking for second. I look at it more so the competition 'cause I knew what he could do and I knew that was gonna
push me to go next level. - Yeah. - I knew what Ricky Davis can do. You see regular season, you see it, but I knew as far as they had bounce, I didn't know the creativity. I knew what T-Mac had. I knew he had creativity,
I knew his ability, he was capable winning. - Yeah. - And if I ain't bring my A plus game. - He definitely would've won. - He'd have won.
- Yeah. - Well come to find Steve
Francis would've won too. I tell people there's a
lot of guys in the league, you watch you be like, man, he got bounce, but do they have creativity? - Got creativity which not. - We got to San Francisco 'cause we stayed in San Fran had to go over. We get out the day of the dunk contest. We're looking for our car. All these cars, everybody
sign a car, blah, blah, blah. So we going down time, can't
find a car, no car there. No we've got such and such got such, such. Where our car? So we ended up convincing, now it's me Mac and we had two other my
homeboys who were probably 280 or better wide bodies. And I say that because we
supposed to have an SUV, okay? So we were walking down
and we ended up talking to this guy whoever's
picking up somebody later on. He takes us in a sedan. - Stuffed in that big knees. - San Francisco to Oakland and traffic. - About 45 minutes.
- What you said. And it's All Star weekend. So it's probably an hour
45 so we finally get there. We miss our practice time dunk contest. We missed our practice time. So now I'm like, this is
what all I wanted to do. Yeah, make it to the league, get it, but we talking about this to
show the world like this is, I've had these on tape. I used to practice holding the trophy up, shaking David Stern hand,
all this stuff, man, 'cause it's a dunk contest, this is it. All Star weekend people
come to see Saturday night dunk contest, you
know what I'm saying? So Sunday was cool, I
was leading all good. Cool, I'm appreciative, but
this is my stage, right. And I knew I had Mac
there, but now what Earl walking down here. This is when Mac was like,
bro, nah, I ain't doing it. The whole time he flew
there, he was like, nah, cuz like, man, for what? All he said is true, he's like for what? I ain't gonna win. I said, but that's a
negative attitude to have. Tracy McGrady that he is a
negative attitude to have. You supposed to believe in yourself. You have a chance like
everybody else sort of. So we got there now he's done. When we got there we had like two minutes. He's like, cuz it's the
writing on the wall. It's not worked out. We don't get to practice. So now when we get there,
people walking out, all the dunk was walking out, sweat. We just gotta go cold Turkey, get ready, stretch in the three
point contest is all over. So now I'm sick. I'm like, oh my gosh, like now
I done going into convincing him 'cause he could quit,
but he can't drop out now. Like we stretch and get ready to go. Now it's it's time, man. He literally in the lay like cuz, man, I don't wanna do this, bro. He did not wanna do it. So me personally I'm locking in. I was like, all right, whatever. I gotta do my thing here. I had to make my practice
time in the layup in warmups. - Yeah. - Without showing what happened,
like I wanna practice like you practice if you have
only what four dunks, but if you practice, you
trying to practice all at once in the practice gym, see what's one you
feeling good about today. Then get to, so I'm just
starting, just jumping up, just get my spring
right, just get my mind. I remember the one that they never show. I just jump up high as I can. I try to put the ball over the backboard and then throw it through. - Yeah. - And so I was like,
right, well they here. - I'm getting up here.
- But what I gonna do? So the dump routine that
I had, I scrapped it. - What was you gonna do? - I don't even remember. It wasn't good enough. I got there and I looked around, I'm seeing everybody sit in court. So I was like, bro, like, ain't gonna win. Little windmill feeling
like that ain't going win. - That ain't gonna win.
- No. The reverse like I did in
high school as a first dunk, I seen that before. - Yeah. - I used to tape all the
dunk contests, all of them. And I used to be like, why he do that? What was he trying to accomplish? I was think of a little
different than everybody. What was he trying to
show like Harold Miner? What was he trying to show? He trying to show like, bro,
I can hang with the ball as low as possible. Still got bombs, got hang time. I can soar through the
air backwards, whatever. So that was kind of my thing. So I was like, bro, when I get my chance. - I ain't never seen the 360 windmill. Like never seen nobody attempted,
never seen nobody do it. Why was that? - Everybody was doing
the 360, the regular way. Everybody can, most people. There is a question of, is that a 180 or is that a real 360, but anyway. - A lot of guys turn before that. - Yeah, you already turning
like that's cheating. - Yeah. - It's a 360 when you start from here 360, but if you already
turning before you jump, is that 360?
- Before you jump. - That's being technical, cool. So I was like, right, I'm
gonna try to go the other way. And so it took me a long time. With the 360, I couldn't
turn around and find the rim, whip your head around, find
the rim going that way. - Quicker.
- But easy, yeah. I just felt like my body turned, but my eyes couldn't catch up. - Couldn't catch the rim. - Then all of a sudden
it just started happening to where it was just like,
boom, turning another way, boom. All right, so I just practiced it so much to where I can get it, I can't
go to the regular way now. The way I struggled going the
reverse, I can't do it now. So that's just what it became. So as I got older, I'm about
to tell my business for y'all. As I got older, people were in all that. The fact that I was in
my forties dunking, well, that was second nature to me now. So if you tell me to
dunk it, that was easy. I mean, obviously you could
just do this with one leg, little stupid dunk, I
don't believe in that. - Yeah. - I ain't believe in that, my bad. I still can do it, I'm
gonna utilize it until I can't use it. - I'm half man half amazing,
I don't believe in that. Hell no. Why would I believe in that? - I ain't. If you say show me
something, I could do that and it was easy. That was like a walk
in a park dunk for me, but if somebody said
dunk the other way, bro, I would get hung every time. - Let's just be real. You went from like not being
able to turn your head around to like jumping high to where
you just jump all the way in there turn around, then
you just looking at it and throwing it.
- Funny thing about that, those dunks in San Antonio
we were practicing, I could barely make them or get hung. That first dunk, I was not making. So I had already scrapped that. I was like, bro, no, I can't do it. I can't do it, I can't make it. - Yeah. - For some reason, bro, I got down there and I said I'm on 10,000. - Right. - Did it happen when you
set on the little stump, tell me about that one
'cause I know that's when for the three point contest,
that's when it hit you. - Everything lit, I was so geeked. - Like okay, that's like
when I feel like, oh shit. - Facts. When I dunked up there and
was like, all right, I'm good. Now, I'm like, oh shit, you
can just feel the energy and then the introduce
you now it's your turn like the you next. And I'm sitting there I'm like, man. I still did not know what
I was gonna do sitting on that stump. Not sure, so I walked it off
and I was like, looked around. I see Antawn, that's my guy. Couple years being roommates
and traded for each other. - Right. - And he's like, come
on man, put on a show. Obviously KG knew me, we came
outta high school together. He's like, yeah. He's like, just go, let's go right here. Exactly. So it's just like looking around J will. I knew J will cause we live
in the same neighborhood and everything, but we knew
each other from back then and it's like 360 let's go. So in my mind, it's I'm winging. I'm taking a shot 'cause I
didn't think I could make it, but I was so hype bro. I literally felt like I could
touch the top of the backboard and do something like that. - After you dunked it, you jumped so high. - I could dunk it again. That's how geeked I
was because I was like, I remember take this, I
was like, come on, bro. Just get up as high as you can. I remember I'm saying all this one, two, and I remember the why
and I slapped the ball and when I turned around and
I jumped and I'm spinning. And like I said, looking for the rim was the number one thing. So as I get up there and look for the rim, I was already around, I'm like, oh. - I'm looking in your head. - Oh, here he is. So lemme go ahead and so I
was just like, I was so hype. Exactly, so when I dunked it
and just all this emotion, like, ah, and I didn't
realize my second jump, I was already up there
until I saw it up there. I was like, I could dunk it again. But I was like, oh shoot,
they in trouble, bro. Like this dunk I couldn't make, but I was squeeze dunking
getting hung to this. - No, you said it's over. - The second dunk which I
probably should have done the first, but I wanted to
show that I could take one step from out bounds, glide,
windmill and get to the front of the rim and dunk it which
like that ain't easy to do. - Right. - You either can glide
or you got hang time, but I mean have both
while doing the windmill. - Exactly. - And that's one thing I wish
that back in the day they used to say, okay, what you gonna do? And you used to explain it. So at least you knew what
you thought you were seeing. So now you can be like,
okay bro, that is tough 'cause I don't think that
dunk got the credit it would, but if I did it first. - You touched the rim though like that went over people head like. - I made it up that night.
- Like, oh I'm losing my mind. Everybody in there like
what did he just do? - Hanging in the rim like this. - Y'all don't see people doing fingertips. I said, man, just let
you know the he go way into the rim. - So here's the crazy thing, I didn't know what I was gonna do so I played in Gary Payton's game in Seattle. - In Seattle.
- We played in Seattle. - Okay, so I played in that
game and I had Cat Mobley. So Cat was laying down on the floor. I said, hey man, you remember
layup line in Seattle. Remember I was literally,
like you said, jumped up here and I was just dropping the ball in. I said, I'm gonna do
that, but I'm gonna try to hang up there. He said, what? I said, I'm gonna try to hang up there. I've never done it in my life. Who does that, that's stupid. Like if you fall off, you break your arm. - And it hurts too. - Right. - That was my thing. - If you don't jump high enough, you tearing all this stuff. - You gotta catch it right here. - Even if you jump high
enough like the little thing right here, what you talking about? - You catch it on the net. - Kinda do it light
'cause you don't wanna. - Yeah, and then jump out it. - So lazy gentlemen of the world, this is when you got way too many hops. Don't nobody even know what
the hell he talking about in the real world. It's a whole lot of
athletes is gonna listen to this and they can't relate. They can relate to what
the hell he talking about. - You gotta catch it in that pocket. - Don't act like you
really know like that, you was a skyscraper, you wasn't this. - I could do that. - No, this is half men,
half amazing, Vinsanity. You was D Miles, you the blackest one, you dunked that thing, you was fun. You was bringing that fun,
you wasn't doing this. - I didn't say I was doing that. - You just said that. - But he said he could do it though. - I said, I can do that. I know I relate to what
he's talking about. - You don't know what that is. Because when you come
in there, like it hurt. It's a metal bar that you
holding onto with your arm and your whole body. - And the little neck.
- Can't go in there and just jump hard and
trying to jump past it. Were you hanging and you swinging on. - So listen to all this you saying. I'm having this conversation
with myself during, so now they call my name. If people go back and look I walk it off 'cause I didn't know which
way to go high enough. I wanted to show how high I can get 'cause I felt like I
have to get high enough. You can't be rim height and then try to do that and slam man. No, like if you don't get, like you said, I'm tearing up all that, the
rim gonna scrape all that. So I wanted to get high enough and then like you said,
make sure I get my arm in and hold on and I just had to hold on. But then, so I walked back
and I remember rubbing my arm. And as I stood over the rim I said, Lord, please let this work. And I rub my arms like here we go. The last thing my coach
said before we left, he said, all right. He said, but say y'all have fun. Y'all bring trophy home,
don't break a leg now. - Right. - Don't come here, get hurt
and break your leg down now. I'm gonna be out in the world, I don't wanna get a phone call. I remember that so as I'm walking back, he's like, this man said,
don't break your legs. Right now, I might break my
arm, but so I walk it off. So when I got there and
I turned around was like, what do I wanna accomplish? I be thinking like all over the place, what do I wanna accomplish? I want the crowd to be silent
'cause this gonna throw you for a loop like this ain't
going be what it was. So I remember jump and I
remember jumped up there and when I got up there, I
was holding on for dear life. I remember getting up there,
holding on for dear life. And if you there's a one angle where you to see me like my eyes closed holding on. And then when I let go,
you see my head down. - Your head down. - So my head is down 'cause I'm listening to see the reaction. And then all of a sudden
you see me like smirking me. Like that's what I was
like, bro, it's over. Like I'm making these dunks up on the spot and I'm pulling them off like sorry guys, this ain't night. And as I'm walking, I walk my head down that's when Isaiah said, . - When he said to me I was like, and then they showed it.
- Replay. - Then that's when everybody went crazy and I was like, mission accomplished. - I wanna talk about
the game we play y'all. When we first got to league
the game we played y'all in LA. They used to show these highlights of you play them the year before us and you like called a loud. - The one hand? - Like from out here and just threw it and just kept running. So before the game we like, man, I said, know this man gonna get
a dunk and so forth on. So we come down on the break. I don't even see you trailing. - Mark Jackson was our
point guard, wasn't he? - Yeah. - So he's a wizard. He's this rundown, he get
one look, okay I see him. And he did this just to get everybody to jump and say jump. - I was still in the play, thank goodness. - You'll never get back on D. - I do.
- Yeah, not that play. - Nah, I was just in transition. I wasn't like we had a shoot transition. - J Mac used to always tell me about you. I should always ask about
you and all this stuff. - My guy. - They like, yeah, that's my guy, man. - He wiped his whole
ass with that windmill. - He definitely did. - And you was standing there like like. I was like you remember what I told you, you took that ball I said,
yeah, you better have to deal what you did or else. - I had a lot of dunks
that game too though. - I don't care. If you would've got
dunked on the windmill, it would've took all your
dunks away immediately. - T-Mac was fouling. - That's what he does. It was amazing, I was so happy
that he was on my team bro 'cause I just watched, he
made the game easier for me. So when I walked on to court as a rookie, it was just like, I prepared. I feel like I played
against some of the players. He taught me how to be a pro, he taught me how to watch
film, how to play the game. And he was security. - How did it feel to
win rookie of the year? That's like something that I
don't care who you are when you get drafted you like I
wanna be rookie of the year. - Which everybody in the lottery feel like they got a chance.
- Everybody, period. I wasn't in the lottery
and I was like, yeah, I wanna be rookie of the year. - But when you think about it like the number one pick
was Michael Olowokandi. And then number two was Bibby, three was Raef LaFrentz,
four Antawn, five me. And obviously Bibby was the hot guy, the top two pick and then Olowokandi, it's just he could dunk,
but what else can he do? - He was Olowokandi. - I was like he came outta nowhere though. - Yeah, he did, but though
as far as me this athlete. And then it became,
then Paul dropped a 10. - That was crazy.
- Crazy. - That's crazy. - I still don't know why that happened, but nevertheless he did. And it was meant to be, he
was meant to play in Boston, but for him to really
take that and motivate, it became me, Paul and
Jay Will in the running for the rookie of the year. And the second part of the
season, 'cause Paul was killing. Second part of the season I
kind of figured it out a little bit and it took off and I wanted it. So it was a great feeling because it like, I wasn't talked about it. Initially it is what
you hear initially what you say here's the people
that has the potential and Paul was in there because
he should have been top five. And I cut creep in there and
play like brother game seemed so easy 'cause it's wide open. He was like a different game,
like running jump, like just, it felt like playing pick
up and Florida again, like that's all people did running jump. Like it was easy and then
add a jump shot to it and make shots and now I'm
a go-to guy, make plays. - I always wanted to ask
you this just from a fan of, for seeing the success
T-Mac had in Orlando of how just seeing his success
and I know you was in Toronto and y'all had a championship team, , if it was you and another caliber player, like T-Mac the way he was playing, like that's that's championship bound. - Yeah. - To see the success y'all
had him see the success that he had in Orlando
like how was that for you? - I was happy for him because
that's what he wanted. - Yeah, of course. - When he was leaving and
at the time the media tried to put us against each other. So they go to him like,
well, Vince Carter said this, this, this, and they come back to me with T-Mac said this, this, this. We called and talked
on the phone like bro, we going back and forth over this when we could just talk this through. So we had conversation about
this and was like, bro, I didn't even say that so it was cool. So now media going back and forth, but we had already
talked like bro ain't it. Yeah, like bro, like
this is yeah, exactly. So I didn't want him to leave. I was like, cuz like so
cause the year before, like to say we got swept in the playoff, but he was balling and see
the thing about me is like, I wanted to do my thing, but I
knew I had a dog on the side. So if he's going to 30 and
hitting the game with it, like it's all good. Like coach will draw it up
for me, but if he open bro, I'm gonna give you the
rock, that's my cuz. I'm getting to play with
my cousin in the league. - That's crazy. - I play with my oldest boy. - That's what I'm saying. - My oldest boy, I got to
play with him while I'm in the league. - It's crazy.
- Yeah. So it was one of those things, but y'all hang at later on. I keep on going on that one. So especially if you ain't comment, so you wanna say something? Nope, leave it alone? All right, but it just that's what it was. So I was like, bro, so cuz
like cuz man, I want that. He wanted to be the number one option whether he got the shot or not. I understood that. So it was no hard feelings
and then he was like cuz I get a chance to
go home and play like that's a dream come true. - Yeah. - As a young guy and now kind of the break 'cause see, you can think
back before from Mac, they told him that he might not last in the league three years. He might not be a pro. Now he get a chance to be
the man and he went ape shit. - Yeah. - Bananas. - You know what I'm saying? So I couldn't be mad, but
the battles were great. 'Cause I knew he wanted to
beat us because of whatever. So it made our times
playing each other great, but it was no hard feelings, man. But later on when we got older
and kind of years removed, he was like, man, cuz I still think about it, whatever me too. - Like with the team I
had with the Dave boy, y'all had enforcers, y'all had
shooters, a nice point guard. - And he played point guard too. - Yeah, just to have how
he was playing a cop. 'cause like I told him when we talked to him, like I knew who you was, but when I got to the league that was your first year in Orlando. You done pass everybody up. When I was going back
home, I was like, man, that Kobe and Tracy is kind
of different like they coming. - We talk about moves
that start movements. Do you acknowledge and realize
the impact that you had on Toronto slash Canada
basketball with how you came and you was like 27 all NBA done contest, like you splashed and made. - You talking about now or back then? - Like, well, both. - Right back then you didn't
like, now you see the fruits. You see all of these
guys, the Jamal Murray, the shape and all of these guys. - Tristan Thompson was
in my basketball camp. - That's crazy. - Kelly Olynyk was in my basketball camp in Toronto back then. He came to me like, yo, I used to be in your basketball camp. - So that's what I'm saying. You realize like how much of an influence you were on like, 'cause it's
a huge pop right now like them boys is doing it and
it's like we've had some of them on and they I've
seen some of them talk about impact that you had.
- Cory Joseph. - You coming to Toronto
and winning dunk contest and putting on like you
did being an all NBA player All Star, you had a big
impact on the influence of that growth. - Q, I had no idea
obviously leading up to it 'cause I was just trying to make my mark and I loved the game. It was question, I ain't love the game, but I love playing. I said, I just love playing
and it shined through on the court and did whatever I had to do. I moved my foundation down there so we make sure we were in the community. I build basketball courts where we used to walk around Toronto, all
you saw was hockey jerseys. You didn't see nobody walking
around with a basketball. They didn't even have basketball courts. And if they were, it was
broke down or half court. So I started building a
few courts around the city and we started winning. We made the playoffs, we got swept, but it's like, oh, we got
something to cheer for it 'cause Maple East that's what it was. And then it became
basketball Toronto Raptors. Oh, that's the basketball team. Oh I'm gonna go check him out. Next thing you know it's rocking. I mean, it's rocking now. - Nah, that's what I'm saying.
- Its different. I had no idea, bro. - And you see the, what is it? Whatever they call the
outside all of them fans at. - Jurassic Park. - Jurassic Park, like you
literally were like the beginning of that movement and see where it is now like what do you
feel and think about that? - The cool thing about, I got to witness them win a championship. T-Mac and I, we both were
sitting in the building when they won it.
- That's dope. - And he sat there I remember
it was like a minute left in the game, he turned
he's like, cuz they about to win a championship in Canada, Toronto. We played here and look
at where they are now. And that's when that conversation
about man, just imagine if, cause if we stayed we could have for sure at least one, maybe two. - Yeah. - So we had that conversation
as the time running down. So we go down in the
court and we're leaving. So it was a moment like
it was crazy to witness. Like I said, I'm in the building with all that's going on through over
the years and see it shift to appreciation both ways and stuff and now to be here to see that. People like, I wanna how he's reacted, how he feels about it, is he bitter? Bitter? - Right. - Bro, this is a part
of history where I play. Like I'm never bitter. Of course you bitter because
you felt like there was beef between nah, bro. I love playing ball man
hence I stayed so long. I love playing basketball
and to be there and see that. So we walked on the court
and see everybody celebrated and Kyle Lowry my boy
said, okay, Lo I was like, he was interviewing I was
like, man, congratulations. Well, first of all, Nav was the first one that caught us off the court. You know Nav with the turban. - Yeah. - So he was the first one.
- Super fan. - Everybody know no with a turban. So he came and gave us a hug. He was like, this is because of you, you two did it, blah, blah. And its just like, it's crazy. I acknowledged it, but it was like at that moment it was their time. I was happy to be a part of it. And like I said, lay the
groundwork because I was one of the first to actually
sign a second deal. Mighty Mouse left, Camby left, Mac left. And then I was the next pick
the next year and I stayed. So its appreciate 'cause I
just like I didn't understand what that meant. It's just I was happy where
I was and I wanted to win. I enjoyed playing ball. Everything was good. I could have a country
'cause Vancouver left. Now it's just Toronto. - Yeah. - I'm like that's my city now. So that's what it was
and obviously things went how it went. - That's definitely your country. - To go back and see that
bro and I remember walking on the court and Nav was up
there with all the fans, they cheering and KLO was like, y'all come do the interviews
was like, nah bro, it's your moment. I'm just living in it from the moment like we walked through like bro. - Crazy. - They about to say
the Toronto Raptors are the NBA champions like this
is crazy, it's just crazy. - After your era, just like
seeing how this league is now. Like seeing how many kids from Canada that's not only just in this
league and just on the team, they some of the best
players on their team, you know what I'm saying? And they come from their age group, they coming from an era
of seeing they showing your basketball games. Every last one of your
games getting showed all over the country.
- Right. - Like if they ain't
watching anybody games, they watching yours so,
they take that from you. - And especially at that
time when they didn't have something like that. - Yeah, move on to the next level. - Right. - I mean it is a crazy thing and like to hear those guys say, bro,
like Tristan Thompson came up there. He's like, yo, you
are my Michael Jordan. Like that was one of the most
uncomfortable conversations I've had or compliments
I've ever had like when you talking about Michael Jordan, how people put Michael Jordan in. - How we put.
- Yeah, exactly. Like now here's a guy who says
that who is in the league, who is not a guard, he's a big man. He's like, no, you are my Michael Jordan. What you did for the
game, how you loved it, you played it because you
just wanted to be the best and it shined through. And that's when it hit me and
I was like damn that's crazy. And then more players start coming in, Kelly Olynyk was like, I was in your camp. Look at what he doing,
he's still in the league. He's making it.
- He's a starting player. - It just different players. - You know you're getting
old when that's happened. - And then you start seeing
younger guys who still like, 'cause there's still
Kobe, they're still LeBron and is like, you were from Canada? They'd be like, nah, you
were my favorite player growing up, bro.
- Yeah. - You were my favorite player
like that's crazy, man. I'm definitely appreciative. - One of my favorite
versions of Vince Carter is nappy head Vince Carter, USA team. Tell us about that like just
getting on the team late and having something to
prove, like I think I heard you previous say you had
something to prove that summer. You definitely proved it, but nappy head Vince aggressive Vince. - Don't nobody wanna talk about
number when he done angry. - It was a lot of anger. It was a lot going on in that summer prior and then not making it
was down the Ray night. We played Ray and them the
night that they were choosing the winner and right before the game is when they chose Ray. Ended up having 46 that night. And it was more so I wanted to show them they were making a mistake
more so than it being Ray. - Nothing against Ray. - That's the one I threw
it off the backboard and missed it caught on the
side dunked it was that game. And I was just in, but
so we got to the summer and I was a late head and I was just like, I got to prove and let
them know that I'm worthy and they didn't make the wrong decisions. And got there and I just grew my hair out and Gary Payton also
was like, let's do it. All right, cool. He had afro too so we don't need no cut. - Yeah. - I was 23, I was already
thinning up here, 23. So I had afro, but that was
about as far as I could go. But it was cool it was kind
of just a stepping outside the box and it was a lot of anger. It was like, I mean, it was just a lot of frustration outside
stuff and that I got it out. I was like, bro, everybody gonna get it. Everybody gonna get it in the way. - To get it with your brothers
like you got KG out there, just this hype and just
gonna keep you hype. - That's what it was. - You got Kidd, you got GP,
Smith, you got these guys that's like your brothers and y'all out in another country and it's it's us. So it was like a stress reliever. - It was and they made
the game easy because you look around you like,
okay, we got shooters with Allen Houston, Ray Allen. We got enforcers with Zoe
and Vin and all this stuff. So we got everything in dice
and then we got this athlete. So GP was like, hey, every
time you somewhat open, I'm throwing it, go get it. - I'm throwing it.
- Go get it. I was like all right, you
know me, I'm like cool. J Kidd was like, yeah, I
wanna see what you can do. Cool, right, throw it. So we planned the US select team. I was 10 for 10, 10 dunks. 'Cause I mean the head
shooters you had to honor that. So me I'm just running
woo to doing whatever. And it was it was easy and then
we started playing the games and now they start getting to me, my teammate when they need,
they running plays for me, the guy who was late. - Right. - But I was never afraid
to take the big shot. I was never afraid to fail
like it ain't no fear. - Yeah, let me ask. Did you realize that you
had jumped over buddy when you did it like
- After the game. - Didn't see him no more. - After the game. - So tell me like going through it. - After the game. Oh yeah, you're right. - Like when KG pushed you
and like the reaction, you knew you did something
'cause it was like the. - We weren't celebrating the same thing. I swear to God. - They weren't celebrating the same. - No, 'cause I ain't know. - That you jumped over him.
- Everybody else knew. So the play heavy so he did the steal and you playing with all
these good players like this transition one, two, I
already got the mentality. I just remember hitting them like that. - Right. - And then now I'm focused on the rim. The rim felt for me to that camera. - Right.
- Yeah. - I jumped too far. - That's what I'm saying, I was like, bro, I'm about to man, make
this Sprite commercial. They gonna be killing me when
I get back to the States. I mean before me, but like. - Right. - They gonna put this dunk
on the Sprite commercial 'cause I used to be the
get hung and fall down. But all of a sudden, I mean,
I guess I jumped high enough and I'm focused on the rim. I thought he moved outta
way, fell down, whatever. And when I dunked it,
I was like, hell yeah, I made that dunk 'cause I jumped too far and I made it, you know what I'm saying? So when you look at it, I'm
thinking I fingertip dunking it. I dunked it with so I'm like, yeah boy. He's like, yeah, boy, nobody said a word. From that moment to the rest of the game, nobody said nothing and it was a timeout. I just remember Steve Smith looking at me like bro what the. So I never had the chance
to ask these guys, bro, why didn't y'all say anything. And he was the first person I asked. He said, we ain't never seen
nobody jump over seven foot two in the game so I didn't know. After the game GPs boy had
the little new cameras, the little that's when they
went from the big joint to the small joint. He showed me, I was like, wait. I watched it seven times in the row. I was like, I jumped over
- Cleared the boy a footer. - And so they like, bro, that's
what you was celebrating. I said, I had no idea. So KG celebrating that I'm just
like, yes, I made the dunk. - KG seen that. - And I almost knocked him out. - Breaking loose where he ain't know. - I had no idea.
- He had no idea they were celebrating
two different things. That's crazy. - You leave Toronto and now
you going over there with one of my favorite point
guards ever, Jason Kidd, like another team that I feel
like it was one more piece away from being a championship contender. Like how was that playing
with a point guard like that 'cause now you playing with arguably the best point guard ever?
- Ever. Best passer, so I'm
fortunate to say I play with Mark Jackson, Steve Nash and J Kidd. - Hitters. - Top assist ever. - Say that again. - Mark Jackson, Steve Nash, J Kidd. - Yeah, I play with two of them. - Top four all time in assist outside of CP who's now up there.
- Yeah. - I got the chance to play with these guys who were wizards with the
ball so they gave me new life. It was just a different
way for me to score. Like I had the ball in
my hand, had to create like you say, when T-Mac left, it was just a little different. You ain't had that other star
to kind of make things easier. I had to go get it, that's fine. And I learned how to be
a ghost through scoring to get my own shot which I had in me, but everybody like you said earlier wanted to see just you dunk and not
realize this man actually could play, shoot the
ball and do whatever. So now people go back and like, dang, he used to knock mid range down, man, he used to shoot the three. Oh, you top six all time,
yeah man, but I was patient. I was like, at some point
they'll they'll realize it. We move on, but get to
Jersey and I remember the first thing Jay Kid said is like, hey, when you kind of open I'm gonna throw you the lob, go get it. I'm sorry I said J Kidd. RJ, he said, all you gotta do is run. If you kind of open, he gonna hit you. First game we played, I'm
running the right wing, Richard Jefferson the left wing. He throw the ball up. This ball literally sails
above the square kind of over the backboard. I tried to get it anyway, I tip
it and it goes outta bounds. J Kidd came and said, oh, don't worry, I wouldn't expect you. I just wanna see what you willing to do, how high you can go. He said, I just wanted to throw
it near the chalk clock just to what you gonna do,
how high you can jump so I know whatever. I was like, yeah, I'll try it. And from then on, it was on, I mean, it used to be foot race. That's what RJ was such
a dog his first year. Like just run and he throw it
ahead, you just be athletic. Once I caught onto that,
bro, it was just like, so sometimes like RJ
was a year ahead of me of just understanding it. So sometimes I knew I couldn't catch up so I just be like, right,
cool, I'm gonna slow down and trail and J Kidd the
flip backs and all these. - Yeah. - If you look back, but off the backboard, I used to get so many threes off of just trail threes
from him just he looking at throwing back and it
was just a different way of playing basketball. So I remember, so when I got traded there, the Toronto fans was like, man, how come you even play like that
with us near the end? Cause you know but I love Alvin Williams. Alvin Williams is not Jason Kidd. - Right. - Jason Kidd make the
game easier for everyone wherever he's played
and he did that for me. So I'm able to score on my own, but now I just catch and score
it like the work is done. So now this is the easy part, not just my game.
- None of that. I wanted to ask you about a player, I wanted to ask you about Antawn Jamison. And he was like one of the
worst dudes I had to guard because he was so unorthodox.
- Yes sir. - Like he didn't do the particular
jump hook, his floaters. - He's all, everything is quick. - So then you look up, he
got 30 with 10 rebound. Like he's a unique player that a lot of people don't really talk
about, but he was unique to me. He made me respect his game. I used to shit on his game, but
he made me respect his game. - 'Cause he had a motive,
he played hard, bro. And then once that jump shot came with it, he was just tough. And he was like that in high school, he played the same way in high school. - That's what I've heard. And I've done every,
but like, think about it is like he want them dudes,
if you just watching, you might be like, that shit shit weird. - I'm on that. I can guard that until you got to guard. - Boy oh boy you be like. - Bro, typically you step through. - He just his body this way,
but he could still turn. - He's so crazy. - You foul him by mistake. - Like I wasn't ready. - Unexplainable thing dog,
you can't even explain it. Coach be looking at you and
you like you mad at him. That thing was bro. - You can't do that about him. - Yeah, he's one of them
guys that are always y'all guys, I know y'all real close and lot of guys don't never
really mention his name and what he done. He got 50 point games and
back and shit like that He your money man too. They gave him them big
contracts because he was putting in that work. - And just think he went
from just a powerful, strictly post up to expanding his game, which that's where that 50
point came back to back. I said, that's how you
feeling, okay, cool. - Now, you in Orlando. You had your battles with New
Jersey now you in Orlando, how was Orlando to see
like young Dwight Howard? - Well, I'm gonna go back real quick. So I'm from Florida so
getting the opportunity to play in Orlando was,
so now we're 11 years in. - Yeah. - I played six Toronto, five in Jersey and now I'm here and so
it was perfect timing. I don't think young Vince
could handle all the pressures of everything that come with it. I got traded there. Rod Thorn traded me there that summer. So I'm already in Orlando
during the basketball camp. And I was doing the camp they
called my brothers called me, was like, yo bro, you hear what happened? I'm like, nah, I'm doing the camp. Like you got traded to the magic. I was like, what? I done left the keys in the gym. I'm running out oh, calling
my home boys like bro, we in Florida, now we here, whatever. It's the craziest thing
ever so watch this. That same day we go, two of my boys go to dinner to celebrate. We're celebrating like yeah boy, this boy, the magic's the lady
was like, turn and look and she said something. He's like, yeah, you
heard the good news too. She's like, no. Michael Jackson just died. - Oh shit. - So that day. - Same day MJ died, damn.
- Got trade over. - That same day so it was
crazy, it was like, oh, 'cause like we, we celebrating
like we ain't know, like whatever, MJ, man, it was crazy. But it was just a crazy just moment, but man, get to Orlando
and all the talent, they had just gone to the
finals the year prior. Great opportunity and I
was like we have everything we need everything. I was like, it's Dwight, it's your show. Let me compliment you,
ain't trying to come here. Nah, it was none of that. Lost in six at Celtics. - Let me ask this, you
the only person that kind of can answer this question, You played in four different
decades and you played. - He just made you sound old as shit. - Yeah, facts. - Nah.
- I'm with it. - Played in four different decades, but you didn't seen how
this game done change, how the rules done changed. How you had these shack rules. - The zone come in.
- The defense has changed. - 10 Seconds to eight seconds. - Yeah, you've seen the
rules change probably about five, six times like
what era is the best era? - It depends what you want,
what you're looking for. Because if you want more
scoring this is the era, but if you want defense and like, if you talk about guys
being able to score, think about how tough it was
to score your first couple years in league. - Hard. - You understand what I'm saying? - While Luka came in like
it's easy to score here. - Yeah, because I just gotta just ah, and I get a foul or it's just
- There you go. - They used to guide you around the court. - Yeah.
- Hand check. - Yeah, on your hip like,
nah, you used to like, so it was just hard and my only argument to the young generation
like, oh look, just this. I said, okay, cool. But think about if you go
back and just watch film of the way Jordan, Cole, all
these guys were scoring back then with the foul that
they're calling today that was not a foul. - They put 50 on y'all boys easy. - And these are people
that was averaging 28 to 30 plus with that type of
defense, not what it is today. And that's why I say it
was tougher to score, it was tougher to play
and some guys can adjust to it in today's game,
a lot of them won't. - There you go. - The top 75. Did you feel like you
posed to been on that list? 'Cause I feel like you
were one of the guys. - I felt I did enough. - I feel like you one of the guys. I be going up my all
time shooting guard list and this not many guys
that I put in front of you, a lot of guys don't
really realize like, man, what you accomplished and
what you had done in this. And I feel like you
definitely was a big candidate for that 75. Did you feel like you
supposed to make that list? - I was a little disappointed. It hit me like, oh man, but I'm a realist. You look at the body of work and some people I didn't understand at this point of the
career, but I just said what I did throughout my
career was good enough. - That's how I look at it. I never wanna be 'cause I feel like if I'm talking about
other people I'm a hater so I never wanna say like, oh,
that person doesn't deserve. I just deal with what
is I look at it like, I feel like you should have been on there. I feel like T-Mac should have been on. I feel like the Dwight
should have been on there. I feel like it was a lot of
guys that like, come on, bro. Who did the vote like what was
the parameters of everything? - Who did the votes? I don't even know.
- You came in as a dunker. You know what I'm saying? You came in as a dunker then
you had a 21 year career, 22 seasons, like, come
on bro, nobody don't do that at the guard. - A dunker averaging . - But that stuff it was
reserved like Robert Parish or somebody who was like
a big man that was like could play, like guards didn't. And then for you to come in
totally as like this one entity and you completely became
a, you know what I'm saying? You accomplished everything
from top to bottom, like come on dog. - So I'm gonna tell y'all this and this is the truth how I feel about a lot of this when people talk about my career and I hear people say, man,
if he would've left the game at 15 years, he would
shoot his hands down. But I'm like, okay, but I played the game because I could still play
seven more years to that. And they look at the
numbers on the back end, but I'm telling the truth when I say this, it ain't about the numbers. Early in my career I wanted
to prove that I can score and I can be with the best. Yeah, and I did what I needed to do. At the end of the day now I'm
proving I can play this game with younger guys half my age in my 40s and still contribute
and coach can put you in and feel like, oh no, he good. So yeah, I knew playing longer
and not getting the minutes and the shots and all that. My score, I didn't care, I don't care, but I know if you go back and look, you can break it down, whatever you want. Look at some of the
people who got the top, look at the top players in
the world with who leading in game winners ever, I'll wait. - Yeah.
- Yeah. - I wasn't afraid like all
these people he put in there, I was able to do that. - That's how I feel about you. 'Cause like I said, I
can't put too many people at your position over you. - So I feel like it was like a shot, but that's just, I'm like. - Tell me this, like what you saying was, 'cause I feel like the 22 years that's a different type of bar. Like you said, like still
being able to be impact 'cause I look at like, I only got 13, but I feel like 13 years
in, I still was able to start NBA games. So I'm looking at it like
what you talking about? Like I'm still like right
now, like just what you said, even though no, I'm not
the killer that I was like, where I'm about to go
get you 20 or whatever, 20 plus and kill something,
but like I've been like. - I can still get a bucket and be solid. - And make my game and
changed my game to where, I'm not my coach still
believes that I can start and be impactful in this
league in year 13 like, show me what you gonna do. - You can be the six, seven man. - But he can look down
the bench and be like. - I know we could go. - My point is like the fact that like, you know what I'm saying? You could go year 16, 17,19, 20, like. - And the coach still feels like that. - My coach looks at me and he
feels that I can rely on him and depend on him to come
through and be impactful. - And that meant everything.
- And that alone is a bar - That meant everything.
- To come in as this superstar and the throughout most of
your career be this guy, but then you show the capacity to say, okay, I'm gonna change this, I'm gonna change that and
then I'm gonna be this. - I gotta make sure I'm a shooter. - After being this like
that's way, like can do it. It was easier for me 'cause
I was never way up here. For you, you was in the stratosphere, then you came here, you came, it didn't like you said it was hooping, none of that didn't matter
to you, I was hooping. So like that shows up and
that to me that meant more. 'Cause like when I go talk
to the teams and the players and do team runs to talk to
the transition, I'm like, look, y'all might not even
know who the hell I am, you know what I'm saying? But it's the reason they got me in here 'cause it's more of me than the superstars that y'all think y'all gonna be. Y'all more like me than
y'all think like it's more of me sitting in this room.
- They hate hearing it. - Everybody can't be AI,
everybody can't be Kobe. It's more of me and you sitting
in that room than anything. - Nah more of you, not me. - But no, you speaking facts. - You was straight outta
high school number three. - I'm just speaking facts. - I'm just talking about
longevity of careers and you was trying to take a shot. Fuck you again. - But no, you speaking
facts because it's like, kids gotta understand set the goal, set the gap but understand. The best of the best is
walking to these doors now to these team and can you adjust. A lot of these kids can't adjust. - Every time I say, listen,
I don't mean this by no disrespect, I don't mean no disrespect I say, but I'm looking. I done seen most of y'all play. I'm not hating, I'm not doing. I don't see's no AI,
I don't see no Antawn. - It's the reality. - So y'all need to be listening. I'm saying to be
listening like, cause like AI and Antawn was them dudes but like. - They need good guys
stick around a long time. Guys that play they roles
stick around a long time. - Long than Superstore, most definitely. We get in the league
and we want a nickname. We want somebody to call us something. You got Vinsanity, you got Air Canada, you got half man, half amazing, which one was your favorite? Which one was that one
when you heard it was like, man, that's me. - All of those names.
- Right. - The air Canada thing was
Toronto 'cause of there. Half man came from the dunk contest and Vinsanity came from that too. So it was just, you walk around, it was one of those three
and I was like, what's up? Like you talking to me. It was just like 'cause so
many people said it to me and for so long so I
acknowledged them all. Was I comfortable with it all the time? Not so much so like Air Canada, I was named after the building. - That was the airline actually. - Yeah, exactly. And that was the Air
Canada Center as well. So it's just like, but after
the airline, what you said. - Like what you mean?
- It made sense. So I didn't really, it just
was like one of those things, like I just man . I accepted it, it was
cool like it was just I enjoyed hooping and
I understood what came with all of that. And he was like, bro, like
you say, what's up half man. I was like, what's happening? What's up air Canada, what's happening? It just what's up Vinsanity. Now people just call me
sanity so it's all good, man. - I used to wonder like you
signed a deal when you first got in the league with Puma for
50 million and then you cut. - Was it? Bro I didn't even know that.
- Puma? - I used to always wonder like why Nike or whoever didn't have
the Vince exclusive, I thought the shocks was yours. - It was, but the lockout year. The lockout year happened and so a lot of these companies weren't
paying us coming out. - Yeah. - So it was like, Nike was
like, cool, we'll sign you but we didn't really have nothing. Adidas we'll sign you,
Rebook we'll sign you, but we don't have nothing. Puma was just getting back to basketball. They're like, nah, you'll have
some say so in your shoe, no, but you just wear this first shoe first and then the year two, you
can make the shoe you want. So they offered me clearly
50 million as opposed to couple million or whatever
these other companies. So it was a no-brainer. - Yeah. - I just left Carolina with
brand Jordan getting Jordans every year different color. So I always wanted to be
Nike, but at the same time, it is about business now. - Yeah. - Like you're professional,
well, now it's time to be a business man
and understand the ins and out of business and
it was a business decision and it wasn't a bad decision. Going throughout my career
you think about shoe, my even high school. I played in the band that wasn't popular as a basketball player. - Yeah. - That's not what you know running track, doing all this sport, playing that's, you know what I'm saying? But down south the band is big. - The drum line. - Yeah, down south bitting
the drum it was just a thing, but I was never afraid
to walk into the gym, play volleyball, like
black dude play volleyball. - I know you used to spike the shit outta them motherfuckers. - I won player of the year one year. - You won player the year at volleyball? - Yes. My junior year.
- That's crazy. - My junior year.
- Half man, half amazing. - And how it started
I walked into the gym, you know how it is. Basketball you hit something
going on in the gym, I'm gonna see what's going on. They're having volleyball trials. I'm joking with them
like man, I'm going ahead and try to see whatever. I made the team. I play, I start, I make all like. - All the setups for you. - Yeah, I play outside left. I made first team volleyball
and then I won player the year my junior year. - You spike in the face though. - My last year I broke
a kid glasses sitting in the back row and I
only played that one game 'cause I like, when you
asked me about focusing, I focus on basketball, I played one game. I had a white tee that
they put my number on 'cause they didn't have a jersey. Hit the ball at the
back row and hit the kid in the back row. He was still sitting there like
this, waiting for the ball. And he hit him, split his glasses down. I said my bad bro, all right we done. - It's not all right. - It's not all right. - What are like three of your
favorite dunks in your career? 'Cause I know I got a few like the one you got on Tim Duncan. - I go by most talked about. Obviously the Olympic dunk, the one on Zo and Indiana Pacers.
- The one on Zo. - And DL model the reverse. - That's the one that's most talked about. I don't know, I have a faith. - Zo would know like I
hate to say this 'cause that's my big dog that's my OG, but like it's because he is who he is and he's done what he's done. - I was so happy you dunked on him. - 'Cause he blocked you
for his thousand block. - Can I say it? - Go ahead, you soft. - I was mad at his dunk
'cause he blocked my lay up and then he sent me a picture
of him blocking my lay up like thanks for a thousand block. - Yeah, it was a moment for him. - Oh, OG and kill me
man, he sent it to me. This how he did me. - Putting this stuff in you.
- So when you dunked on him, I felt like I dunked on him. So I was very happy about that. - Hold up man, that man just
first he stole the ball, went behind back then he caught that bit and he paused over here
while he went back there, he was like, yeah, I'm gonna
wait for you and then, oh. And I said, oh my God. - Here's a backstory to that. All right, so the backstory
is the first quarter, I go a soft dunk on Zo. And I mean, it wasn't
like earth shattering, but this is a typical
just like quick dunk. He tried to block it, boom up. RJ two or three plays
later, boom, dunks on him. So we get the halftime. We are sitting here talking
literally like this close. I said, bro, we are not gonna be able to dunk dunk on Zo
again without taking hit because Zo now gonna attack us and try to knock us out the air. I said, the only way you'll
be able to actually dunk on is take the hit 'cause he's gonna hit you and possibly throw it. Literally that's no
bullshit, that's what I said. I said, you have to
take the hit, whatever. And that happened. It happened, that is the like
exact conversation we had in the locker room at half time. You gonna have to take the hit, turn your body so you
can take the hit here, he bigger than us so take the blow and hopefully we can still dunk it. And that happened. - He definitely absorbed all
the hit and waited for him. - 'Cause when he hit me,
luckily I got up before he did. So when he actually attacked
and hit me, he hit me this way. So I got up there again,
like the dunk contest, the rim is right there. I was like, bro, don't miss
this and threw it through it. I remember running down D Wade was like that ain't right bro. 'Cause he's teammate, he
can't show no celebration. He's like that ain't right bro. - Start, bench, cut. You gotta start one, you got bench one, you gotta cut one. - Start, bench, cut, all right. - D Wade, AI. - Oh my gosh. - Ray Allen. Who you start, who you bench, who you cut? - What we looking for here? - Whatever you looking for. We looking for whatever you looking for. - Ooh. - And you in prime you in prime
when you play against prime. - Did I? And prime AI and prime Ray Allen. - Yeah. - Start. - He trying to get you a trade. - I know it. - Well, trade. You ain't gotta cut them
you just gotta trade them. You can't use them, you already got two. - Which two would I
keep, which one I trade? - Yeah.
- Oh, I can do handle that. Maybe not. I probably keep AI and Wade. What up Ray, you good? My man bro. And probably have to trade Ray. - Probably have to trade Ray.
- Yeah. - Hey, tell me this.
- That hurt. That really hurt
- Coming in as a you probably even still
you probably viewed as a dunker for your career like you one of the greatest NBA dunkers,
if not the greatest. How much of accomplishment is it for you to be the 11th NBA player
to reach 1600 three pointers being that you weren't
labeled that at all. - Everything.
- You were up on the list. Because when people look at
the list now they be like, oh, 'cause James Harden moved
up and obviously with Steph and all of those and
they go look at the list. These guys like bro, that was some of the best exposure ever
because like you said, they always think of he could score, but they think mid range or whatever, or just dunking really. - Right, really. - They start popping up you
see like Steph, Ray, Miller, now harden, all of a sudden
you see Vince Carter, they'll be like, wait what? I was like, yeah, I was shooting them, but y'all weren't looking for them. - I was shooting that thing. - Yeah, y'all weren't looking to see. - J Kidd name on that list too. - That's why I'm playing with J Kidd, I played with him like bro, how? He didn't played 25 years and he had a lot of attempts, how? - Yeah. - But he was up there so
when I passed J Kidd man, I was like, bro, like I passed
the all time assist leader who didn't shoot like that. It's just crazy so it meant
everything because like I said, I just had to be patient. Like I knew I had other parts of my game. I knew I could shoot the
ball, I knew I was a score. That's not what they wanted to see. They wanted to see me dunk. Every time I go for
warmups that's why I used to start going warmups
before fans got there. Believe or not, that's how it started. Yeah, it's like getting there
early, get my working, yes. But a lot of it 'cause
it's like Vince dunk it, do the windmill, between
like I just like I'm working. I'm getting prepared for the game. But I worked on my game all the time. I wanted to be Scottie
Pippen at that time. Smitty, Penny, those are
guys like that, Dr. J. Those are guys that had the
all around game that I admired. Yeah, I was a Dr. J fan. He's my hero, but it was MJ, but I looked at how Penny could do a
little bit of everything. Pippen could do a little
bit of everything. Those are some of the
guys I also looked at. I was like, I wanna be able to do that. Yeah, dunking was the
thing and that's what got me here, fine. I got in the door. Now let's fine tune these to stay here. - Yeah. - So when I became a bench player, they put me on the bench in
Phoenix, I did play there. - You ever played in Phoenix? - Yeah and then got to Dallas, I told him, I said, I'm comfortable with my game, bro. It's just can I still be a
dominant player in my new role? So I started watching
Vinnie Johnson tapes. Then I started watching
Ginobili and Jason Terry. Guys like that who are great sixth men and how do they prepare
it, but still be me. So I was able to put being a starter, a go-to guy all these years. Now this is my moment. My game starts now.
- You shooting big shots. - When I check in the
game, that's my time now. So I just was able to
adjust, but I also knew now the next step to that is you wanna be on the floor when it counts. - Right. - And that's what I tell young kids. It's like, okay, if you
don't start so what? There's a lot of players
in this league who start that don't finish games. That's what DJ told us when we got to NBA. - Yes, sir. - They don't finish game. - Came out at the game of the game. - That's it, you start the game. And sometimes you sit in two minutes. If you starting sitting
down in two, three minutes, you cool with that or will
you rather be in the game in the last two, three minutes and that's how you get paid. Closures get paid, finishers get paid. - I'd rather play the
second and the fourth. - Any day. - Speaking of getting paid, right? One of my favorite questions on the show. You made a lot of bread. You got 50 from Puma
coming straight out like. I know, we know you
took care of mom, dude. You bought her a house, you did this. I don't know what Vinsanity did for him. Like what did you do for you
that you look back on as a, we all got them purses where we look back as a grown man I'm like,
boy, you was tripping, but that shit felt good as a motherfucker. - I still have a few of those
boy you was tripping sitting in the house too, but I
started my foundation was the first one. I know, it's like, oh, okay, cool, great. But I bought a navigator, I
still have it to this day. It's still sitting at the house. - Is it tricked out and
inside and all that? - Is it? Like you got 412 sitting
there like it's crazy. This was in the seat and all that. - All that, ostrich with the satellite. - Ostrich with the satellite on top. - Come on now, like stop playing with me. - That cable. - Literally 412, I got four
pipes that stick it all. We broke them and put them literally in the back like literally in the center. - 412 beating down the block. - Beating down, tearing up
stuff, beating down the block. So I still had that. So I came from the era when we had the big chains, the ice. - You call it ice. - Yeah, man, like I'm talking
about, but I, we had like, I'm talking about bro. - Everything, but our
social security number blowing our chain. - And I'm talking about long chain where it was hitting . - Right to the belt buckle. - So I look at up chain now a couple of them like God what was I thinking? - I wasn't putting nothing
like that, I don't know. - Nah, exactly, but I said
at some point I was gonna go to something like, this
is how we used to do it. - Yeah. - I break all this ice
down you get about 20, 30 different watches
outta this so you, I did. - There you go. My biggest piece I broke down into like three different things,
a smaller necklace, it was ear rings and a bracelet. - Yeah.
- Straight up. - What is your favorite three
jerseys outta all the teams. What's your favorite three
Vince Carter jerseys outta all the teams you played for? The Toronto Raptor. - Yeah, the Raptors one for sure. - The pale stripe Orlando. - Ooh yes sir.
- Them joints was hard. - Now, we talking college,
can I say the Olympic? Bro, it was nothing like
wearing that Olympic Jersey. That's I see it. And the crazy thing about
it, I'm a Dr. J fan, but I still have a high
level appreciation for MJ. - I got to wear nine. - Right. - I was a late when they
gave me number nine. - I was nine too when I was on
the USA team, I felt myself. - I'm like, bro, so, and that Carolina that the powder boot that had the diamond going down the side. - That was hard, that was cool. - Yes, sir. - That was fire, I ain't gonna lie. We copied our senior jerseys out of that. It was our colors, but it
was North Carolina design, you remember that? We represented, it was our colors, but it was in North Carolina design. That's exactly North Carolina
jersey just with our colors. - That's crazy. - How was Navy blue on? - How was it playing for that
Memphis squad having Z-Bo and Conley and Marc Gasol?
- Gasol and TA. - Yeah, TA? To play with that squad
and just see how they grit and grind just a different version. - It was like playing back
in my first part of my career 'cause it was half court basketball. The era in the game was
changing to be faster, but they still stuck to the
script and it worked for a while and then obviously when they fired. - Hollins. - After that? - I wasn't a big Hollins fan. - Who was that? - Dave Joerger, they traded
and then Fizdale came in. - Yeah. He changed grit and grind. The mentality still
defensively was the same, but offensively we weren't
gonna be half court anymore. We're gonna be pushing
and shooting the three. So now we're shooting
the three with Marc Gasol who ended up being top five
that year with like Klay, Steph and Ray and all these, like, it was crazy. It was just a different. But Z-Bo started shooting
it, but we played faster. And Marc didn't wanna play that way. But he was like, this is
the only way we can compete. So it was just crazy like
seeing the game change to where it's faster and
it wasn't just west coast, it east coast too. But grit and grind was fun especially that rivalry with the Clippers. Z-Bo and Blake and all
that but like coming in, like I remember that
first year I was there 'cause I played three years there and we playing the Clippers
and all of a sudden, whoop that trick I was like,
man, what is going on in here? It was like, no, it's real
in here like it crazy, whoop that trick. And watching like the
white folks who were there, who probably didn't I was like. - They ain't understand
what was happening? - No, they knew. They were like, yeah, well,
no, this is what we do here. I was like, yes, sir,
let's do it like I'm in it, like walking into a
rivalry like that was crazy because like you talking
about whoop that trick, like I'm like, that's the movie like? - Right. - But they knew it and
it was just crazy crazy. It was crazy, them guys were great. And to see the fear in
some of the guys faces with Z-Bo like it was
like playing with again. It really was, but Z-Bo so respected. And just to see how easy
the game was to him. - And the thing about
they see, they see that, but Z-Bo ain't a bully. He don't get into nothing. He's just out there playing. He actually be talking to me. - All the time.
- He pushed me though. - He just don't play the bully. - TA the same way, you
know that, TA the same way. - TA got a little more little chipping got that Chicago outgoing again. - But my thing it's like, he start off, he like, I ain't on that, I'm
just trying to lock you up. You ain't scoring and then you get into anything else, it's on. - Yeah. - And it turned like that. - Like that. - Let me ask you this, outta
all the teams you play for, you could pick four players from the teams that you played for.
- I played 22 years bro. - I mean, outside the USA
team like just the NBA team. If you could pick four other
players from any of them teams to play with you who would
done be them four players? - Bro, 22 years. - I know, you had a lot of teammates. - That's a lot. - And I hold a record for that. - I don't think we have had
nobody with this much time that we asked. - Dirk? - Dirk. - Orlando, Dwight. - Dwight is in the five and a four. - Give me T-Mac. - T-Mac. - And the point guard tough bro. Either J Kidd or Steve Nash. I'll go with J Kidd
'cause I played with him. So I'll say J Kidd. - Hell of a five. - J Kidd, you, T-Mac, Dirk, Dwight. - That's a hell of a five,
that's some chips right there. - Crazy. - That's definitely chips
right there, that five is hard. - All right, man, that's a wrap man. Before we get you up outta here, man, we got our very very
gracious sponsors, Hennessy. We got this VSOP with the
guys on the back, man, we wanna get at as a
token of our appreciation. You definitely gonna be
getting do that there. That Knuckleheads black box in the mail so you know what I'm saying? Appreciate you, we got
Vinsanity in the building, half man half amazing for episode 100. It's been real, this is monumental. HOF in the building. - Yeah, I'm with it.
