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What was that, wind? Or it's raining?
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00:00:02,253 --> 00:00:04,088
[LeBron] The A/C unit, I think.
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'Cause it was snowing
a little bit today, right?
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I lived in Dallas. It's the same.
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They say in Texas, you don't like
the weather, come back tomorrow.
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-True.
-[Steve] Big difference.
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It's gonna be totally different tomorrow.
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[bluesy theme playing]
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00:00:33,909 --> 00:00:36,036
Welcome back to Mind the Game,
10
00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,372
brought to you by Uninterrupted
and Wondery.
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00:00:38,456 --> 00:00:41,041
This is another conversation
with Luka Dončić,
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centered around the study
he commissioned through his foundation,
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called Inside Youth Basketball.
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Stick around till the end of the episode,
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00:00:49,383 --> 00:00:53,387
where I'll talk a little bit more
about why I'm on Luka's athletes' council,
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00:00:53,471 --> 00:00:54,972
why it's important to me,
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00:00:55,055 --> 00:00:58,434
and how we can all help
improve the landscape of youth basketball.
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00:00:58,517 --> 00:01:00,519
Learn as much as you can, just as I have,
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00:01:00,603 --> 00:01:03,022
and enjoy this episode of Mind the Game.
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00:01:03,105 --> 00:01:05,900
[bluesy theme resumes]
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You know, one of the things nowadays
is that it's an arms race.
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"My kids got to get ahead," you know?
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00:01:14,283 --> 00:01:17,578
It's like we saw Tiger Woods
with a perfect swing on Johnny Carson
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at 2 years old, and we think
that every kid's got to be great,
25
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you know, early.
26
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I started playing at 13.
27
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I didn't get into the league
till I was 22.
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Wasn't really great or a good player
until late 20s.
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Bullshit, but okay. It's okay.
30
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[Steve] But you know what I mean, though?
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I feel like the pressure on the parents
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00:01:36,722 --> 00:01:38,974
is that your kid's got to be
an early adopter.
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00:01:39,058 --> 00:01:42,561
They got to be better early when really,
like, we all develop at our own rate.
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00:01:42,645 --> 00:01:45,022
-You can still be great.
-That's social media too.
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Because you're seeing everything
right now.
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You're seeing everything over there.
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When we were growing up,
our parents didn't know
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if this kid had a trainer
or if this kid was doing…
39
00:01:54,532 --> 00:01:56,909
-You didn't really see that shit.
-Yes.
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00:01:56,992 --> 00:02:00,079
Our parents only knew that, okay,
"You want to play soccer?
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00:02:00,162 --> 00:02:02,331
Okay, cool.
You want to play football? Okay, cool.
42
00:02:02,414 --> 00:02:04,834
You want to do something else,
or you don't want to? Relax."
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00:02:04,917 --> 00:02:06,627
It was not like, we have to…
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00:02:06,710 --> 00:02:11,173
We see this kid, he's being trained
five days a week.
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Well, if my kid's not being trained five
days a week, he's not gonna make it.
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-Right.
-It wasn't… We didn't see that.
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And now it not the kid's journey.
It's the parent's journey.
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Whereas when you were growing up,
you were thinking,
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"Randy keeps pushing me left.
I hate that."
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-Yeah.
-"I'm gonna learn to go left." Right?
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00:02:27,898 --> 00:02:30,192
And now it's just you and him know
that we're in this little battle
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every day all summer
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instead of it's on social media,
parents are talking about a coach.
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It's like this high-performance thing.
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I'd love to know from you
what the transition was.
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So, you played a lot of informal
basketball growing up.
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Other sports. You're on the playground,
outside school.
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What was it like when you went to Madrid?
Thirteen years old?
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-Thirteen, yeah.
-[Steve] Real Madrid.
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It was a difficult decision, honestly.
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First, I didn't know the language yet.
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I know a little bit. Just like,
"Hello, how are you?"
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Uh, but then nobody spoke my language.
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I was learning a little bit of English,
so I knew a little bit.
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Uh, but it was hard.
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00:03:07,021 --> 00:03:12,568
So that's basically then when
almost everything moved to basketball.
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I was playing a little bit of soccer
because I used to go with the players,
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00:03:16,447 --> 00:03:17,781
with their soccer players.
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00:03:17,865 --> 00:03:20,868
We went to the same school,
so we used to play a little bit.
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But they were soccer players,
so I couldn't do nothing.
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00:03:22,995 --> 00:03:25,831
-Sure.
-Uh, but it was a lot, you know?
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I think first two, three months,
I almost didn't spoke to anybody.
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You know, but that's how
I learned Spanish so quickly.
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And after that,
it was an amazing journey, man.
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It was something that changed
my life for better.
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How long was you in Madrid for?
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Seven years.
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That's amazing. That's incredible.
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-Six years.
-[Steve] Thirteen to 19?
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-Yeah.
-That's incredible.
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00:03:48,187 --> 00:03:51,649
Six years. And how…
What was the structure like in Madrid?
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So you go there as 13 years old.
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You're in a dorm? You're with a family?
84
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Yeah, no, it was a dorm
my first three years.
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They were building a new dorm.
We were in the dorm of the school.
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00:04:04,536 --> 00:04:09,583
So, it was three people per room.
It was very small.
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-Don't speak Spanish.
-Don't speak Spanish.
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I had a Brazilian guy, I think.
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Can't remember.
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00:04:16,882 --> 00:04:20,511
I can't remember who I was with
because we always changed.
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00:04:20,594 --> 00:04:22,972
But first, it was cool. So…
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First three years,
but then we went to a nice…
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00:04:26,350 --> 00:04:29,269
Then Real Madrid built its own dorm.
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It was super nice.
It was like living at a hotel, so…
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-[Steve] Nice.
-That was different.
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And how was the day?
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Like, did you go to practice, then school?
Or school, then practice?
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-What was the day like?
-Yeah, we started at 7:30.
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Something like that,
to 8:30 we had practice.
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00:04:46,370 --> 00:04:49,123
And then from 9:15 to 5:30 was school.
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00:04:49,206 --> 00:04:51,250
-9:15 to 5:30?
-[Luka] Yeah.
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No wonder you're so smart.
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[laughs] Thank you. Appreciate that.
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-[all laugh]
-And then from 6:00 to 9:00 was practice.
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-6:00 to 9:00?
-Yes.
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On Wednesday, we didn't have practice,
but every other day.
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And then Saturday, Sunday games.
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00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:07,766
Mm.
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Well, that's a good point
because, you know,
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I feel like here--
and you can attest this, LeBron--
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it's like, we play a lot of games.
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-Yeah, it's different than you.
-Yeah.
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00:05:17,067 --> 00:05:18,277
Explain the difference.
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I think the AAU stuff has gotten where's
it's showcase, showcase, showcase,
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00:05:21,405 --> 00:05:22,573
game, game, game.
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00:05:22,656 --> 00:05:26,160
Whereas it feels like… I mean,
I don't think Real Madrid's
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unique in this way,
that in Europe in general,
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00:05:29,371 --> 00:05:31,123
you're practicing
more than you're playing.
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-Can you talk a little bit about that?
-I would still say Real Madrid is unique.
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00:05:34,626 --> 00:05:37,463
Okay, no offense.
Madrid is Madrid. It's great.
121
00:05:37,546 --> 00:05:38,964
Okay, we get it, we get it.
122
00:05:39,048 --> 00:05:42,092
But I think in Slovenia,
you're not playing five games a week.
123
00:05:42,176 --> 00:05:45,054
I think the whole Europe is the same.
124
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We didn't play that much…
Same, on the weekends it's the only game.
125
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Two, maybe even one.
126
00:05:49,975 --> 00:05:51,769
So it was a lot of practice.
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But I love practices, you know.
128
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,688
We had a lot of…
129
00:05:55,481 --> 00:05:58,233
skill set first, but that was like…
130
00:05:58,317 --> 00:06:01,195
That was like half an hour, 45 minutes.
131
00:06:01,278 --> 00:06:03,155
-Fundamentals.
-[LeBron] Skills.
132
00:06:03,238 --> 00:06:05,574
Just to warm up and then…
and then we would play.
133
00:06:05,657 --> 00:06:09,286
We'd play, but that's a lot
of different exercise playing.
134
00:06:09,369 --> 00:06:11,538
It's not just five on five,
three on three.
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00:06:11,622 --> 00:06:13,916
It's an advantage,
four on three, two on three.
136
00:06:13,999 --> 00:06:16,627
-It's just…
-[Steve] Learning to read.
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00:06:16,710 --> 00:06:19,463
Learning to react.
Like, that was an emphasis in Europe.
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That's the biggest difference
between youth basketball
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in Europe and in America,
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is that it's the development skill,
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the fundamentals are not expressed.
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It's like, just play, play, play.
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Just play. Just play, you know,
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and a lot of guys and a lot of kids
are not developing their skill.
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00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:43,904
They're not developing the fundamentals.
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00:06:43,987 --> 00:06:47,157
You know, like he just said,
there was times during practice
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that it was all about, you know,
advantage basketball.
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Four on three, three on two.
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You know, if I can create two on the ball,
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then I know we have a numbers advantage.
151
00:06:58,043 --> 00:07:01,547
You know, instead of reading
the game that way,
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00:07:01,630 --> 00:07:04,258
a lot of kids think, you know,
when we grew up,
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00:07:04,341 --> 00:07:07,219
if I have two on the ball,
then I have to figure out a way
154
00:07:07,302 --> 00:07:09,847
how to get around this guy
or split the double team.
155
00:07:09,930 --> 00:07:12,015
You know,
I still have to be able to score.
156
00:07:12,099 --> 00:07:13,934
-You know, and…
-Really.
157
00:07:14,017 --> 00:07:16,895
…that just… it just stops you
from reading the game.
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00:07:16,979 --> 00:07:18,188
-Yep.
-You know?
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00:07:18,272 --> 00:07:21,150
And you can make it through
grade school playing that way.
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00:07:21,233 --> 00:07:24,653
You can make it through high school.
You can make it through college.
161
00:07:24,736 --> 00:07:27,531
And some guys figure out a way
to even make it through the NBA.
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00:07:27,614 --> 00:07:32,286
But as far as how to be great,
to be great and transcendent,
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00:07:32,369 --> 00:07:36,999
and being able to, um,
inspire your teammates.
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Inspire yourself, inspire your family,
inspire the game.
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You know, being able
to be on that wavelength.
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00:07:43,589 --> 00:07:45,424
And I think that's the kind of different…
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You know, the difference between how they
grew up in Europe teaching the game,
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and how we teach the game here.
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I think it's a lost, um…
It's a lost arc here.
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It goes back, you know,
a little bit to your point
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about this competitive pressurized system.
172
00:08:03,567 --> 00:08:05,903
It's about the kid showing how good he is
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instead of making the right plays,
making the game simple.
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Something you guys have done naturally.
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00:08:11,408 --> 00:08:13,118
And it's probably not all natural.
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You've learned because you had
good coaching to make the right play.
177
00:08:16,163 --> 00:08:18,957
You can make a spectacular play,
but make the right play
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more times than not, you know?
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00:08:20,626 --> 00:08:22,336
They're gonna put two on you guys.
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00:08:22,419 --> 00:08:24,630
And if you go against the two
all the time,
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you're not only gonna have success,
you're gonna make the right decision.
182
00:08:27,633 --> 00:08:30,969
You empower your teammates, make them
feel better, make the game easier.
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00:08:31,053 --> 00:08:33,847
Feels like that's different in Europe
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'cause coaches aren't all about
this kid's gonna raise my profile.
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Our team has got to learn
to play together.
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Did you feel that in Madrid
where it's about,
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00:08:43,482 --> 00:08:45,359
of course we want to develop Luka,
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00:08:45,442 --> 00:08:48,111
but we want to develop a team
that knows how to play the right way?
189
00:08:48,195 --> 00:08:52,074
Yeah, definitely, especially when I was,
say about 15,
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00:08:52,157 --> 00:08:56,036
I had a coach that was hard on me,
191
00:08:56,119 --> 00:08:58,163
but hard on everybody.
192
00:08:58,247 --> 00:09:02,167
Like, from one to 12,
he did the same thing to everybody.
193
00:09:02,251 --> 00:09:03,627
It wasn't, like, just one person.
194
00:09:03,710 --> 00:09:07,923
So that's really when I started
to playing, like…
195
00:09:09,049 --> 00:09:12,427
When I was 15, I started
my first practices with the first team.
196
00:09:12,511 --> 00:09:13,553
You know, I was…
197
00:09:13,637 --> 00:09:15,847
I was scared. I was nervous.
198
00:09:17,015 --> 00:09:18,934
But at some point, you get used to it.
199
00:09:19,017 --> 00:09:20,477
So I debuted when I was 16.
200
00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:22,646
I was shaking.
201
00:09:22,729 --> 00:09:24,231
I still remember the moment.
202
00:09:24,314 --> 00:09:25,983
But, you know,
203
00:09:26,066 --> 00:09:29,027
I think in Europe, like,
watching EuroLeague now,
204
00:09:29,111 --> 00:09:31,446
watching the league before, it just, like…
205
00:09:31,530 --> 00:09:33,448
It's more about the team, you know.
206
00:09:33,532 --> 00:09:35,284
Team-wise, teamwork.
207
00:09:35,367 --> 00:09:37,995
But it's different rules in the NBA.
208
00:09:38,078 --> 00:09:39,204
I always said that.
209
00:09:39,288 --> 00:09:41,540
When I said it's easier
to score in the NBA,
210
00:09:41,623 --> 00:09:43,583
it's because it's just different rules.
211
00:09:43,667 --> 00:09:45,961
You have a lot of more spacing,
you have more minutes.
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00:09:46,044 --> 00:09:48,714
It's eight more minutes.
Anything happens in eight minutes.
213
00:09:48,797 --> 00:09:50,590
It's just because of that.
214
00:09:50,674 --> 00:09:54,136
In Europe, you get a big guy,
like, for example, Edy Tavares.
215
00:09:54,219 --> 00:09:55,637
He plays in Madrid.
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00:09:55,721 --> 00:09:58,974
He just standing in the paint.
He can stay in the paint. He's 220.
217
00:09:59,057 --> 00:10:01,226
It's hard to score. It's impossible.
218
00:10:01,310 --> 00:10:04,062
Here, you can't do that
because it's three-second violation.
219
00:10:04,146 --> 00:10:07,941
Yeah. Again, I mean, the NBA's trying
to make it as entertaining as possible,
220
00:10:08,025 --> 00:10:10,402
so the game's slightly different
than in Europe
221
00:10:10,485 --> 00:10:13,613
where maybe the roots
of the game are still there.
222
00:10:13,697 --> 00:10:16,450
Um, but it is an interesting point
223
00:10:16,533 --> 00:10:19,369
to think about the way our kids
grow up learning the game.
224
00:10:19,453 --> 00:10:22,456
The culture around the game.
And that difference is really important.
225
00:10:22,539 --> 00:10:26,585
I think you see it so often,
you know, just the thought process.
226
00:10:26,668 --> 00:10:30,547
And, unfortunately, I think there's
something to be said for that
227
00:10:30,630 --> 00:10:34,885
creeping into the system
and the parents too.
228
00:10:34,968 --> 00:10:39,681
Right? They're worried
about their kids' position here.
229
00:10:39,765 --> 00:10:43,727
Let me make a comment
that I have to take some part of this too.
230
00:10:43,810 --> 00:10:46,730
But my generation of parents,
being 51 now,
231
00:10:46,813 --> 00:10:49,941
you know, the last kind of 20,
25 years of parenting,
232
00:10:50,025 --> 00:10:53,904
we've been all over our kids,
trying to protect them.
233
00:10:53,987 --> 00:10:56,990
You just mentioned you had a coach
that was all over you.
234
00:10:57,074 --> 00:10:59,618
You know, my high school coach,
college coach,
235
00:10:59,701 --> 00:11:01,787
all my coaches were all over me.
236
00:11:01,870 --> 00:11:06,708
Your high school coach was on you.
Like, he's not putting up with, you know,
237
00:11:06,792 --> 00:11:08,794
poor decisions, not playing the right way.
238
00:11:08,877 --> 00:11:11,755
That has become so hard nowadays
239
00:11:11,838 --> 00:11:13,548
because the commercialization.
240
00:11:13,632 --> 00:11:16,885
So, whether it's a skills trainer,
an AAU coach,
241
00:11:16,968 --> 00:11:23,141
you can't… you don't feel, one, that
your business can suffer losing the kid.
242
00:11:23,225 --> 00:11:25,018
So, you know, there's not…
243
00:11:25,102 --> 00:11:28,188
It's not as frequent we're gonna tell
the kid the truth and be tough on them.
244
00:11:28,271 --> 00:11:30,148
Because you're afraid they're gonna leave.
245
00:11:30,232 --> 00:11:32,818
-And in college too.
-Yeah, for sure.
246
00:11:32,901 --> 00:11:34,236
-And now for money.
-Right.
247
00:11:34,319 --> 00:11:36,154
You've been on the street
for a few more bucks.
248
00:11:36,238 --> 00:11:38,949
-But at some point, I think you need that.
-You got to have it.
249
00:11:39,032 --> 00:11:41,660
Or I'll say it's a disservice to our kids
250
00:11:41,743 --> 00:11:47,124
because we have to let them suffer
and struggle and feel that pressure.
251
00:11:47,207 --> 00:11:48,500
That's gonna make you better,
252
00:11:48,583 --> 00:11:51,253
not the pressure that's gonna make you
not love the sport.
253
00:11:51,336 --> 00:11:53,797
I've never got involved
with my kids' coaches.
254
00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,175
-[Steve] That's for them.
-You know, from Bronny growing up
255
00:11:57,259 --> 00:12:00,387
to where he is now,
and Bryce on his way to Tucson.
256
00:12:00,470 --> 00:12:01,847
To Arizona.
257
00:12:01,930 --> 00:12:03,640
I've never got involved.
258
00:12:03,723 --> 00:12:07,561
I've never went to a practice
and sat through practice the whole time
259
00:12:07,644 --> 00:12:09,855
and see how my son was being utilized.
260
00:12:09,938 --> 00:12:13,150
I've never got on the phone
with the coaches.
261
00:12:13,233 --> 00:12:16,945
Listen, he's there to coach my son.
Coach him however you want to.
262
00:12:17,028 --> 00:12:19,322
And I think you need
to hold him accountable.
263
00:12:19,406 --> 00:12:22,451
I hope you hold him more accountable
than any other kid here
264
00:12:22,534 --> 00:12:25,036
and say what the fuck
you need to say, no matter…
265
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,581
no matter how it's being said,
because it's not…
266
00:12:27,664 --> 00:12:31,001
If you could just take the message,
not about how he said it.
267
00:12:31,084 --> 00:12:32,836
Just take the message out of it.
268
00:12:32,919 --> 00:12:35,297
You know, I think
that builds character as well.
269
00:12:35,380 --> 00:12:39,009
You know, I think it's
part of the reason why they are
270
00:12:39,092 --> 00:12:41,887
where they are
at their stages in their lives.
271
00:12:41,970 --> 00:12:46,349
Um, you know, babying your kid
and always, you know, thinking
272
00:12:46,433 --> 00:12:49,311
that your kid is this
and thinking your kid is that,
273
00:12:49,394 --> 00:12:51,480
and not allowing coaches to coach them,
274
00:12:51,563 --> 00:12:53,940
or not allowing people to be hard on them,
275
00:12:54,024 --> 00:12:57,569
and as soon as a coach or someone
says something to them, you pull them
276
00:12:57,652 --> 00:12:59,196
and go somewhere else,
277
00:12:59,279 --> 00:13:02,032
or as soon as someone says
something bad about your kid,
278
00:13:02,115 --> 00:13:04,701
you're the first person
to go talk in his face.
279
00:13:04,784 --> 00:13:08,622
It's like, you fucking go coach 'em, then.
Like, you know?
280
00:13:08,705 --> 00:13:13,543
It's like… really, life is way more noes
than yes.
281
00:13:13,627 --> 00:13:16,546
-[laughs]
-If our kids aren't used to hearing no,
282
00:13:16,630 --> 00:13:19,007
like, how are they gonna survive
when they're adults?
283
00:13:19,090 --> 00:13:22,552
I think that's… As parents,
my generation of parents,
284
00:13:22,636 --> 00:13:25,764
putting myself in this picture,
we're so scared to let our kids fail.
285
00:13:25,847 --> 00:13:27,974
Let 'em struggle,
let 'em learn from that failure.
286
00:13:28,058 --> 00:13:31,728
Now how do they face
moments of adversity, resilience?
287
00:13:31,811 --> 00:13:33,313
How do they build those scars?
288
00:13:33,396 --> 00:13:35,774
So I think all three of us were fortunate.
289
00:13:35,857 --> 00:13:39,110
Like, it changed…
Like, it was pivotal in my journey
290
00:13:39,194 --> 00:13:42,197
that my college coach was on my ass
every day.
291
00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:43,907
-I was gonna say the same.
-Yeah?
292
00:13:43,990 --> 00:13:46,451
And, in particular, that coach,
when you were 15,
293
00:13:46,535 --> 00:13:48,745
was one of the main ones that was…
294
00:13:48,828 --> 00:13:50,205
Like, give me examples.
295
00:13:50,288 --> 00:13:52,123
'Cause I don't think
kids today understand.
296
00:13:52,207 --> 00:13:55,794
They're gonna say, "I'm sure
Luka's coach never yelled at him."
297
00:13:55,877 --> 00:13:57,796
Yeah, no, he did.
298
00:13:57,879 --> 00:14:01,174
Uh, I think one example is, we were up…
299
00:14:01,258 --> 00:14:06,221
It was quarterfinals around 16.
300
00:14:06,304 --> 00:14:09,808
We were up by 30 at halftime,
and I was bullshitting a little bit.
301
00:14:09,891 --> 00:14:11,518
No.
302
00:14:11,601 --> 00:14:14,187
He yelled at me. He made me cry.
303
00:14:14,271 --> 00:14:16,606
-At halftime?
-Yeah.
304
00:14:16,690 --> 00:14:18,817
And… But, like…
305
00:14:19,943 --> 00:14:23,446
This coach, like, changed a little bit
of how I view basketball.
306
00:14:23,530 --> 00:14:25,240
Like, during the time.
307
00:14:25,323 --> 00:14:28,368
Like, that year, I think,
we didn't lose a game.
308
00:14:29,327 --> 00:14:31,997
And we won in the finals by 30 points.
309
00:14:33,498 --> 00:14:37,586
Just, I mean, I think everybody
needs to be, like,
310
00:14:37,669 --> 00:14:41,256
a really good player, you need the guy
that'll tell you everything.
311
00:14:41,339 --> 00:14:43,049
Especially a coach, you know.
312
00:14:43,133 --> 00:14:45,802
I love him for that,
that he did that for me.
313
00:14:45,885 --> 00:14:49,514
I mean, especially you two guys
come into the NBA straight.
314
00:14:49,598 --> 00:14:53,018
I mean, you're coming from a professional
team, but as a teenager.
315
00:14:53,101 --> 00:14:54,978
You're not going to college.
316
00:14:55,061 --> 00:14:58,231
Like, that experience was pivotal for me.
317
00:14:58,315 --> 00:15:00,900
So, you're lucky, right?
You had a high school coach what was like…
318
00:15:00,984 --> 00:15:03,153
-…this is how you're gonna play.
-Absolutely.
319
00:15:03,236 --> 00:15:05,447
He was on my ass from day one.
And I had a…
320
00:15:05,530 --> 00:15:09,909
My high school coach was a college coach
at Eastern Michigan at one point.
321
00:15:09,993 --> 00:15:11,911
And, um, so…
322
00:15:11,995 --> 00:15:13,872
-He know what you were gonna see.
-Yeah.
323
00:15:13,955 --> 00:15:18,084
So he knew what I was gonna see.
He actually coached a couple pros
324
00:15:18,168 --> 00:15:21,963
that made it to the NBA
while he was in college.
325
00:15:22,047 --> 00:15:26,217
But, you know, from day one
when I stepped foot, you know,
326
00:15:26,301 --> 00:15:31,181
as a freshman, he was literally,
like, on me crazy.
327
00:15:31,264 --> 00:15:33,308
You know, and, like, one story…
328
00:15:33,391 --> 00:15:36,936
You know, Coach D was out of his mind.
He was a lunatic.
329
00:15:37,020 --> 00:15:40,649
He just finally retired
from coaching last year at Duquesne.
330
00:15:40,732 --> 00:15:42,692
Finally retired.
331
00:15:42,776 --> 00:15:48,281
But, you know, my freshman year,
I made all county, all city, all state.
332
00:15:48,365 --> 00:15:51,534
Um, we didn't lose a game
my freshman year.
333
00:15:51,618 --> 00:15:55,330
Um, we won the state championship.
I was, um…
334
00:15:56,247 --> 00:15:58,875
state championship MVP for the tournament.
335
00:15:58,958 --> 00:16:00,001
And, um…
336
00:16:00,710 --> 00:16:03,505
You know, so I come in,
first practice my sophomore year,
337
00:16:03,588 --> 00:16:05,715
I'm kind of feeling myself a little bit.
338
00:16:05,799 --> 00:16:08,593
We won it all,
I'm getting a little crazy, whatever.
339
00:16:08,677 --> 00:16:12,347
First day of practice my sophomore year,
he kicked me out of practice.
340
00:16:13,056 --> 00:16:15,558
-Just to put the marker down.
-Yeah.
341
00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:18,895
He looked at me and said,
"Best sophomore in the country, my ass.
342
00:16:18,978 --> 00:16:20,355
Get the fuck out of here."
343
00:16:20,438 --> 00:16:23,024
And kicked me out of practice
my sophomore year.
344
00:16:23,108 --> 00:16:26,403
You know, and I was obviously pissed off.
Like, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
345
00:16:26,486 --> 00:16:27,821
"Why is he picking on me?"
346
00:16:27,904 --> 00:16:30,573
But he set the tone for that season.
347
00:16:30,657 --> 00:16:33,076
It's like, I'm not gonna even allow you
348
00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:35,912
to even think about getting
overly confident
349
00:16:35,995 --> 00:16:37,664
or having a big head coming in here.
350
00:16:37,747 --> 00:16:39,541
'Cause this shit is not about you.
351
00:16:39,624 --> 00:16:41,543
It's about what we're trying to build.
352
00:16:41,626 --> 00:16:44,379
And he knew, like, "You are the guy,
353
00:16:44,462 --> 00:16:48,466
but I'm not about to give you
no indication that you are."
354
00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:50,885
You know, and still, a lot of the things
that I learned from him,
355
00:16:50,969 --> 00:16:52,971
I still just use to this day.
356
00:16:53,054 --> 00:16:56,391
Just, like, being held accountable
and being a player's coach,
357
00:16:56,474 --> 00:16:58,143
being able to be coachable.
358
00:16:58,226 --> 00:17:00,437
You know, and so absolutely.
359
00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,566
-Just having that tough love.
-He gave you a gift that day.
360
00:17:04,649 --> 00:17:07,193
-Absolutely.
-You don't realize it at the moment.
361
00:17:07,277 --> 00:17:10,029
Yeah, I mean, you know how many
practices we've been in?
362
00:17:10,113 --> 00:17:14,284
And for us to be able to remember
two moments in our careers,
363
00:17:14,367 --> 00:17:17,871
you know, that let you know
that shit is instilled in our brain,
364
00:17:17,954 --> 00:17:20,957
and it played a part of who we are today.
365
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,919
And unfortunately, you know,
going back to this again,
366
00:17:25,003 --> 00:17:27,630
like, how many parents
are allowing that these days?
367
00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:29,048
-Yeah.
-That's the tough part.
368
00:17:29,132 --> 00:17:32,177
How was your dad with you?
Being a great player in EuroLeague.
369
00:17:32,260 --> 00:17:35,388
Like, what was his part
of your basketball journey?
370
00:17:35,472 --> 00:17:40,351
I don't think… he didn't get involved
like he say…
371
00:17:40,435 --> 00:17:41,644
There's a great lesson.
372
00:17:41,728 --> 00:17:46,357
…like he said, with his kids,
he didn't talk to the coach, nothing.
373
00:17:46,441 --> 00:17:49,402
He was just, you know,
being there to support.
374
00:17:49,486 --> 00:17:53,072
But didn't do much,
like what I'm saying, being involved.
375
00:17:53,156 --> 00:17:55,867
That's your journey, right?
It's the same, like…
376
00:17:55,950 --> 00:17:58,745
You know, if I went home and told my dad,
you know,
377
00:17:58,828 --> 00:18:01,206
"Coach motherfucked me today…"
378
00:18:01,289 --> 00:18:03,541
Oh, he would be, "Good for him."
379
00:18:03,625 --> 00:18:07,253
Yeah, my dad would have said to me,
"What'd you do, you little shit?"
380
00:18:07,337 --> 00:18:10,215
-[all laugh]
-You must have done something, right?
381
00:18:10,298 --> 00:18:12,842
Let's you go and figure those things out.
382
00:18:12,926 --> 00:18:14,719
Yeah, I think it's, um…
383
00:18:15,345 --> 00:18:18,431
Look, it's not like we're gonna
put it all back in the bottle.
384
00:18:18,515 --> 00:18:22,894
Right? But things like your program
can help just make headway.
385
00:18:22,977 --> 00:18:26,147
I think it's awesome.
Step-by-step. Baby steps.
386
00:18:26,231 --> 00:18:29,692
Continue to just make a little influence
on the way we think about it.
387
00:18:29,776 --> 00:18:32,153
And I do think…
I keep bringing up the parents,
388
00:18:32,237 --> 00:18:34,239
but I do think we have to help
educate parents
389
00:18:34,322 --> 00:18:36,241
'cause a lot of 'em don't know.
390
00:18:36,324 --> 00:18:37,492
How would they know?
391
00:18:37,575 --> 00:18:40,286
They're told, "You got to sign them up
for this, that.
392
00:18:40,370 --> 00:18:42,288
They got to be with me all year round."
393
00:18:42,372 --> 00:18:46,709
You know, they don't understand,
let the kid run his own, her own race.
394
00:18:46,793 --> 00:18:49,420
Let them figure it out,
find the joy and passion on their own,
395
00:18:49,504 --> 00:18:50,964
all those things that are so important.
396
00:18:51,047 --> 00:18:53,967
I think that your program
is giving us the chance to…
397
00:18:54,050 --> 00:18:58,179
One, you committed money
and resources through your foundation
398
00:18:58,263 --> 00:18:59,889
to commission a study.
399
00:18:59,973 --> 00:19:02,141
Like, it's not just us three talking.
400
00:19:02,225 --> 00:19:04,978
Hopefully, we know a few things
through our experiences,
401
00:19:05,061 --> 00:19:06,729
but you commissioned a study.
402
00:19:06,813 --> 00:19:10,108
That's an amazing, amazing commitment
to the landscape, right?
403
00:19:10,191 --> 00:19:11,860
-Congrats.
-Yeah. Really congrats.
404
00:19:11,943 --> 00:19:14,445
-You're involved as well, right?
-I'm here to help.
405
00:19:14,529 --> 00:19:16,823
-That's pretty cool.
-We'll be calling you too.
406
00:19:16,906 --> 00:19:20,118
You know, I got a couple ideas.
407
00:19:20,201 --> 00:19:22,078
I bet you do. I bet you do.
408
00:19:22,161 --> 00:19:24,706
-I mean, we've seen it firsthand already.
-For sure.
409
00:19:24,789 --> 00:19:26,165
Let's do it.
410
00:19:26,249 --> 00:19:27,750
[bluesy theme playing]
411
00:19:37,677 --> 00:19:40,388
But going back to, like,
in Europe and Madrid,
412
00:19:40,471 --> 00:19:43,850
they're teaching you to play
and think through the prism of team game.
413
00:19:43,933 --> 00:19:45,101
Making the right decisions.
414
00:19:45,184 --> 00:19:48,271
You know, our kids
are a little bit corrupted,
415
00:19:48,354 --> 00:19:49,981
partly by social media…
416
00:19:51,232 --> 00:19:53,526
that it's about his bag.
417
00:19:53,610 --> 00:19:56,362
-His bag.
-He's got this. What can he do here?
418
00:19:56,446 --> 00:19:59,157
-What does it even mean, having a bag?
-[Steve] Bag of tricks.
419
00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,117
But think about it.
420
00:20:01,868 --> 00:20:04,203
Like, you guys both made some…
421
00:20:04,287 --> 00:20:06,873
You made a couple, tonight, crazy shots.
422
00:20:06,956 --> 00:20:09,751
You made a couple tough fadeaways tonight.
423
00:20:09,834 --> 00:20:12,337
But the reason you guys are great players
424
00:20:12,420 --> 00:20:15,048
is 'cause most of the time,
you can do the easy shit.
425
00:20:15,590 --> 00:20:18,384
Get to the rim, finish,
make your free throws,
426
00:20:18,468 --> 00:20:19,761
make your open threes.
427
00:20:19,844 --> 00:20:22,013
Okay, then you get to the step back, boom.
428
00:20:22,096 --> 00:20:26,434
The game is won on making
fundamental plays, not your bag, right?
429
00:20:26,517 --> 00:20:29,646
I know they don't talk about that
in Europe when you were growing up.
430
00:20:29,729 --> 00:20:33,691
No, I never heard the thing, "bag,"
till I came to the NBA.
431
00:20:33,775 --> 00:20:36,194
And when I was growing up,
it wasn't talked about.
432
00:20:36,277 --> 00:20:40,365
My… The least amount of dribbles
to get where you need to get to…
433
00:20:40,448 --> 00:20:42,700
Angles. Efficiency.
434
00:20:42,784 --> 00:20:46,913
Michael Jordan wasn't out there dribbling
a thousand times to get to the spot.
435
00:20:46,996 --> 00:20:49,123
He'd get to a spot and raise.
436
00:20:49,207 --> 00:20:53,336
You know, Isaiah Thomas,
as great of a handle Isaiah Thomas had,
437
00:20:53,419 --> 00:20:55,380
Isaiah'd get to a spot and raise.
438
00:20:55,463 --> 00:20:59,717
You know, all these guys that I grew up…
Grant Hill, get to a spot.
439
00:20:59,801 --> 00:21:02,887
I'm bigger than you.
"Big Dog" Robinson, you know?
440
00:21:02,971 --> 00:21:05,098
I'm bigger than you. Allan Houston.
441
00:21:05,181 --> 00:21:08,851
You know, all these great players
that I grew up watching and admiring.
442
00:21:08,935 --> 00:21:11,646
Penny Hardaway, yes,
they could dribble the basketball,
443
00:21:11,729 --> 00:21:13,398
but there's no… Tracy McGrady.
444
00:21:13,481 --> 00:21:15,775
Even as great as Tracy's handle was,
445
00:21:15,858 --> 00:21:17,777
it was, "I'm bigger than you,
446
00:21:17,860 --> 00:21:20,238
I'm gonna get to the spot
in the least amount of dribbles."
447
00:21:20,321 --> 00:21:22,448
Kevin Garnett, you know?
448
00:21:22,532 --> 00:21:25,284
-Good footwork, get it up over the top.
-Just good footwork, get over the top.
449
00:21:25,368 --> 00:21:28,204
If I'm bigger than you
and get you on my shoulder,
450
00:21:28,287 --> 00:21:31,165
I get you on my hip,
I'm gonna use my size, you know?
451
00:21:31,249 --> 00:21:32,542
I see it all the time.
452
00:21:32,625 --> 00:21:35,628
I'll be on social media, like,
"LeBron has no bag."
453
00:21:35,712 --> 00:21:38,548
-It's like, I'm sitting over here…
-What is that?
454
00:21:38,631 --> 00:21:40,008
"LeBron has no bag."
455
00:21:40,091 --> 00:21:42,760
And I'm sitting here, like,
at 50 billion points.
456
00:21:42,844 --> 00:21:45,555
Leading scorer of all time in the NBA,
no bag.
457
00:21:46,305 --> 00:21:48,307
Just… that proves the point.
458
00:21:48,391 --> 00:21:50,893
Yes, just play the game the right way.
459
00:21:50,977 --> 00:21:54,647
And I hope that our generation,
you know, our younger generation,
460
00:21:54,731 --> 00:21:57,984
don't get, you know, swamped by saying,
461
00:21:58,067 --> 00:22:01,320
"Okay, I need a bag, I need a bag."
462
00:22:01,404 --> 00:22:03,281
You know, work on your game.
463
00:22:03,364 --> 00:22:06,367
Know what you're gonna be good at
in order to help the team,
464
00:22:06,451 --> 00:22:08,953
improve the next year
to be a better player.
465
00:22:09,037 --> 00:22:12,290
If you come in as a guy that's,
"My offensive game is not developed,"
466
00:22:12,373 --> 00:22:14,709
you come in, you defend,
you get extra possessions.
467
00:22:14,792 --> 00:22:16,419
You get extra rebounders for the guys.
468
00:22:16,502 --> 00:22:20,048
Okay, and then next year
you work on your game in the off-season.
469
00:22:20,131 --> 00:22:22,091
It's only one or two…
470
00:22:22,175 --> 00:22:25,344
If you want to… Three guys maximum
471
00:22:25,428 --> 00:22:28,056
that's gonna be handling
the fucking ball anyways.
472
00:22:28,139 --> 00:22:30,558
-Right.
-We don't need you to have a bag.
473
00:22:30,641 --> 00:22:33,811
There's only gonna be…
We have the luxury of having three guys--
474
00:22:33,895 --> 00:22:36,522
you know, us two and A.R.--
but not many teams have three guys
475
00:22:36,606 --> 00:22:39,025
that's gonna be handling
the ball like that anyways.
476
00:22:39,108 --> 00:22:42,320
You know, you can make $200 million
in the NBA
477
00:22:42,403 --> 00:22:45,114
if you defend and shoot
a corner three-pointer.
478
00:22:45,198 --> 00:22:46,949
That's it, you're gonna play.
479
00:22:47,033 --> 00:22:50,453
But that's the biggest point, and I'd love
to hear your perspective on this.
480
00:22:50,536 --> 00:22:52,914
But, like, all the time you're doing this
481
00:22:52,997 --> 00:22:55,374
that you're never gonna use
as the levels go up,
482
00:22:55,458 --> 00:22:58,836
if you can just make open shots,
space the floor,
483
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,422
play smart, you can go up a level.
484
00:23:01,506 --> 00:23:03,591
Yeah, I mean, 100%.
485
00:23:03,674 --> 00:23:06,677
I mean, like he said.
I don't have nothing more to add.
486
00:23:06,761 --> 00:23:09,597
-Yeah, well, but that's the thing.
-But it's true, yeah.
487
00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,725
But the thing is, like, you know,
you guys are creators.
488
00:23:12,809 --> 00:23:15,686
You know, in the way the game
is played today,
489
00:23:15,770 --> 00:23:19,565
we put shooters on the floor
to create space for the creator.
490
00:23:19,649 --> 00:23:21,609
They make you better by creating space,
491
00:23:21,692 --> 00:23:23,653
you make them better by being a creator.
492
00:23:24,403 --> 00:23:27,490
The minute of them starts doing this,
they're going out of the game.
493
00:23:27,573 --> 00:23:30,326
Right? So, that's interesting
the way we perceive,
494
00:23:30,409 --> 00:23:32,370
or we allow our kids to perceive that.
495
00:23:32,453 --> 00:23:34,080
I don't know where that…
496
00:23:34,163 --> 00:23:37,291
Why that has been able
to have a louder voice than coaching,
497
00:23:37,375 --> 00:23:38,960
than fundamentals, than team play.
498
00:23:39,043 --> 00:23:40,795
-Right.
-You know.
499
00:23:40,878 --> 00:23:44,924
One more important thing is, like,
for guys, know your role.
500
00:23:45,842 --> 00:23:47,593
Know what you do good and do that.
501
00:23:47,677 --> 00:23:49,804
Don't do something
that you're not good at.
502
00:23:49,887 --> 00:23:52,515
-It's not gonna help.
-It's gonna expose you.
503
00:23:52,598 --> 00:23:55,977
Such an important part of winning teams
is knowing your role, right?
504
00:23:56,060 --> 00:23:59,105
Starting at your role,
being able to be good at your role, right?
505
00:23:59,188 --> 00:24:02,608
When guys start to have
the wrong perspective on their role,
506
00:24:02,692 --> 00:24:05,736
play outside themselves,
the team is going down the other way.
507
00:24:05,820 --> 00:24:08,948
How do we get kids to appreciate
the fundamentals
508
00:24:09,031 --> 00:24:11,659
rather than the highlight reels,
the mix tapes?
509
00:24:11,742 --> 00:24:13,911
-You have to teach them.
-Talk.
510
00:24:13,995 --> 00:24:15,413
It has to be teach.
511
00:24:15,496 --> 00:24:17,248
I think that's a great word.
512
00:24:17,331 --> 00:24:21,002
You know, I think, unfortunately,
there's not enough teaching.
513
00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:22,879
-There's not enough teachers.
-Right.
514
00:24:22,962 --> 00:24:24,630
Not enough teachers. Great point.
515
00:24:24,714 --> 00:24:28,426
It's hard to teach if the teachers
don't know what the hell they're teaching.
516
00:24:28,509 --> 00:24:32,054
It's now more about scheduling tournaments
and games.
517
00:24:32,138 --> 00:24:33,139
To learn.
518
00:24:33,222 --> 00:24:35,683
I mean, you want to learn,
there's a lot of games here.
519
00:24:35,766 --> 00:24:38,019
-[Steve] A lot of games.
-Play a lot of games, less practice.
520
00:24:38,102 --> 00:24:39,270
[Steve] Yeah.
521
00:24:39,353 --> 00:24:42,481
But in the end, like,
the greatest players come from America,
522
00:24:42,565 --> 00:24:44,609
so they're doing something good.
523
00:24:44,692 --> 00:24:47,028
Well, let's talk about that for a second
524
00:24:47,111 --> 00:24:51,115
because you can make a case that,
of the top players in the league,
525
00:24:51,199 --> 00:24:54,118
there's got to be five of
the top five to ten are from Europe.
526
00:24:54,202 --> 00:24:56,329
-Correct.
-Now.
527
00:24:56,412 --> 00:24:57,872
-[Steve] Now, right.
-Yeah.
528
00:24:57,955 --> 00:25:02,084
But why? I think what we're talking about
plays a role in this.
529
00:25:02,168 --> 00:25:05,171
You know, I'll make a statement
that'll probably be aggregated,
530
00:25:05,254 --> 00:25:08,049
and I'll be a meme for this.
531
00:25:08,132 --> 00:25:10,384
But America's not great
at player development.
532
00:25:10,468 --> 00:25:13,971
I'm not saying there's not
great coaches here.
533
00:25:14,055 --> 00:25:16,432
But not enough.
534
00:25:17,099 --> 00:25:20,478
I think one of the problems with America,
in all sports,
535
00:25:20,561 --> 00:25:23,356
to defend America, is it's too big.
536
00:25:24,982 --> 00:25:27,652
There's no one way, there's no one system.
537
00:25:27,735 --> 00:25:29,779
There's no one idea, we're all competing.
538
00:25:29,862 --> 00:25:32,281
And I think that's allowed
the commercialization
539
00:25:32,365 --> 00:25:33,866
to kind of influence the game.
540
00:25:33,950 --> 00:25:35,368
That's a good point.
541
00:25:35,451 --> 00:25:38,412
-Like, think about…
-Ain't getting no smaller.
542
00:25:38,496 --> 00:25:39,789
It's not getting smaller.
543
00:25:39,872 --> 00:25:43,542
Well, it might right now,
but that's another topic.
544
00:25:43,626 --> 00:25:45,044
[laughs]
545
00:25:45,127 --> 00:25:48,172
But, like, Slovenia, too many people
win the EuroCup.
546
00:25:48,256 --> 00:25:51,467
Like, that's crazy to think about, right?
547
00:25:51,550 --> 00:25:54,345
But that's because it was fundamentals,
it was team play.
548
00:25:54,428 --> 00:25:57,223
Like, you guys could say…
You were what, 18, 17?
549
00:25:57,306 --> 00:25:58,557
-Eighteen.
-Eighteen?
550
00:25:58,641 --> 00:26:02,478
You could say, okay, well, we didn't know
that Luka was Luka completely yet.
551
00:26:02,561 --> 00:26:05,648
Maybe going to that tournament,
we knew you were gonna be an NBA player.
552
00:26:05,731 --> 00:26:08,234
We didn't know you were gonna be
what you are.
553
00:26:08,317 --> 00:26:09,443
You kind of announced…
554
00:26:09,527 --> 00:26:11,195
-I didn't know either.
-[Steve] Yeah.
555
00:26:11,279 --> 00:26:14,198
But you announced yourself there
and at Madrid and the EuroLeague.
556
00:26:14,282 --> 00:26:18,327
But the teamwork, two million people.
You see it all over the world.
557
00:26:18,411 --> 00:26:21,580
I think sometimes we forget, like,
America's so big.
558
00:26:21,664 --> 00:26:23,541
So many opinions, so many regions.
559
00:26:23,624 --> 00:26:26,752
-It's also a pride thing too.
-Great point.
560
00:26:26,836 --> 00:26:29,839
When you live in Slovenia,
you're livin' in some of these countries
561
00:26:29,922 --> 00:26:32,174
that's not as big as American cities.
562
00:26:32,258 --> 00:26:36,512
It's a sense of pride to be able to go
out there and represent your country.
563
00:26:36,595 --> 00:26:38,597
You know, everything is city-based here.
564
00:26:38,681 --> 00:26:42,143
You know, and it took a while for us
as far as the Olympics
565
00:26:42,226 --> 00:26:46,522
to get that sense of pride back, you know?
566
00:26:46,605 --> 00:26:50,067
You know, we got our ass kicked in 2004,
567
00:26:50,151 --> 00:26:52,945
and then we lost in the World Championship
in 2006.
568
00:26:53,029 --> 00:26:57,491
It took us time to be, like,
"Oh, this is real."
569
00:26:57,575 --> 00:27:01,412
The rest of these countries not only
are getting better with basketball,
570
00:27:01,495 --> 00:27:03,539
but it's a sense of pride too,
571
00:27:03,622 --> 00:27:06,709
you know, and when you have
that sense of pride,
572
00:27:06,792 --> 00:27:09,462
you have a sense of work ethic
that goes a lot longer,
573
00:27:09,545 --> 00:27:11,964
you have a sense of accountability
that's a little bit longer,
574
00:27:12,048 --> 00:27:14,550
you have a sense of just wanting
to be there
575
00:27:14,633 --> 00:27:17,136
because you know what you're representing.
576
00:27:17,219 --> 00:27:20,973
And I think a lot of that has to do
with it too because they're just cities.
577
00:27:21,057 --> 00:27:24,560
It's like America, but everybody's
talking about, "Where you from?"
578
00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:27,021
-"I'm from Chicago, Houston, LA."
-Nobody says "America."
579
00:27:27,104 --> 00:27:29,440
Yeah, everyone says the city they're from.
580
00:27:29,523 --> 00:27:32,693
You know, and it's country-based
all over the world,
581
00:27:32,777 --> 00:27:34,236
and it's a sense of pride.
582
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:35,654
And you see that.
583
00:27:35,738 --> 00:27:39,408
I've obviously been a part
of four USA teams.
584
00:27:39,492 --> 00:27:42,370
And then you see that, you feel that.
585
00:27:42,453 --> 00:27:44,497
You know, you actually really feel it.
586
00:27:44,580 --> 00:27:47,124
You feel it from not only
the competition on the floor,
587
00:27:47,208 --> 00:27:50,628
but you feel it from the fucking chants
of the fans in the crowd.
588
00:27:50,711 --> 00:27:53,714
-Passion of the crowd.
-How passionate it is, you know?
589
00:27:53,798 --> 00:27:56,467
That's why I play every year.
590
00:27:56,550 --> 00:27:59,804
But that's an interesting point
about the cities,
591
00:27:59,887 --> 00:28:02,056
is that you see, like, if it's not…
592
00:28:02,765 --> 00:28:04,100
If there's a way out,
593
00:28:04,975 --> 00:28:07,520
that's a way out
for a lot of American players.
594
00:28:07,603 --> 00:28:12,733
"Oh, someone else can play."
You can't not play for Slovenia, right?
595
00:28:12,817 --> 00:28:16,195
Like, you all feel like we got to play
because we're all we have.
596
00:28:16,278 --> 00:28:17,279
True.
597
00:28:17,363 --> 00:28:19,990
Tell me about that feeling, though,
and the connection with the fans.
598
00:28:20,074 --> 00:28:22,785
Because I went back
for Goran Dragić's retirement game.
599
00:28:22,868 --> 00:28:25,121
Sold out in, like, five minutes,
two minutes.
600
00:28:25,204 --> 00:28:27,331
I mean, we had some
great names coming, so…
601
00:28:27,415 --> 00:28:30,251
-[Steve] That's true.
-Like Steve Nash.
602
00:28:30,334 --> 00:28:31,419
[laughs]
603
00:28:32,420 --> 00:28:34,088
But still, like, for…
604
00:28:34,171 --> 00:28:37,675
You know, a country that size,
it's got to be a…
605
00:28:37,758 --> 00:28:39,093
There's a connection.
606
00:28:39,176 --> 00:28:41,387
There's a way of,
we have to play this way.
607
00:28:41,470 --> 00:28:43,055
-We need all our guys.
-Yeah.
608
00:28:43,139 --> 00:28:45,391
I mean, that's why I was playing,
609
00:28:45,474 --> 00:28:48,727
because of pride
and I like to represent my country.
610
00:28:48,811 --> 00:28:51,188
But you see, you know, there's…
611
00:28:51,272 --> 00:28:54,066
My country lives for sports.
612
00:28:54,150 --> 00:28:55,734
There's a lot of…
613
00:28:55,818 --> 00:28:59,780
For how small we are,
I think we have great sports people.
614
00:28:59,864 --> 00:29:02,158
-[Steve] Unreal.
-Bicyclists.
615
00:29:02,241 --> 00:29:04,118
-We have ski jumpers.
-[Steve] Pogačar.
616
00:29:04,201 --> 00:29:05,703
-How?
-How do you say Pogačar?
617
00:29:05,786 --> 00:29:07,163
Pogačar. You were close.
618
00:29:07,246 --> 00:29:09,331
How many Tours de France has he won?
619
00:29:09,415 --> 00:29:11,584
Oh, I don't know. A lot, probably.
620
00:29:11,667 --> 00:29:13,586
He's won a few.
621
00:29:13,669 --> 00:29:17,506
You got NBA, you got soccer,
you got ski jumpers, everything.
622
00:29:17,590 --> 00:29:19,258
For two million people, it's incredible.
623
00:29:19,341 --> 00:29:23,345
It's a lot, but that's when, like,
the crowd is into it, you know?
624
00:29:23,429 --> 00:29:26,390
I think we give back a lot to our country,
625
00:29:26,474 --> 00:29:30,144
so that's why the crowd
and the people are really into sports.
626
00:29:30,227 --> 00:29:31,520
[LeBron] That's awesome.
627
00:29:31,604 --> 00:29:36,442
Well, I want to salute you on this
incredible Inside Youth Basketball study.
628
00:29:36,525 --> 00:29:39,111
-Thank you.
-I'm happy to be along for the journey.
629
00:29:39,195 --> 00:29:41,113
-Let's cheers to that.
-Impact.
630
00:29:41,197 --> 00:29:43,407
-Cheers to that. Congratulations.
-Thank you.
631
00:29:43,491 --> 00:29:46,452
-Cheers to our youth, to our kids.
-Thank you for having me.
632
00:29:46,535 --> 00:29:48,662
[bluesy theme playing]
633
00:29:53,459 --> 00:29:56,545
I hope you enjoyed that conversation
with Luka Dončić.
634
00:29:56,629 --> 00:30:01,425
Being a part of his athletes' council
for his Inside Youth Basketball study
635
00:30:01,509 --> 00:30:02,676
has been a pleasure for me.
636
00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,512
It's something near and dear to my heart.
637
00:30:04,595 --> 00:30:07,431
As someone that fought his way all the way
638
00:30:07,515 --> 00:30:10,059
through a long career of basketball,
639
00:30:10,142 --> 00:30:12,478
it always fascinates me
640
00:30:12,561 --> 00:30:14,688
the landscape that kids have to navigate.
641
00:30:14,772 --> 00:30:17,316
How can we help them
reach for their dreams?
642
00:30:17,399 --> 00:30:19,693
Of course, not all kids
are gonna make the NBA,
643
00:30:19,777 --> 00:30:23,197
but in all sports, kids should have joy,
644
00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,824
passion, support, belief,
645
00:30:25,908 --> 00:30:30,371
systems that allow them to learn
the characteristics of teamwork,
646
00:30:30,454 --> 00:30:33,958
collaboration,
learning how to succeed, fail,
647
00:30:34,041 --> 00:30:36,460
growing up at the appropriate times,
648
00:30:36,544 --> 00:30:38,003
resilience.
649
00:30:38,087 --> 00:30:40,506
There's so many things
that sport affords us.
650
00:30:40,589 --> 00:30:44,051
And when his study came out
and other studies similar
651
00:30:44,134 --> 00:30:46,720
that have said that 70% of kids
652
00:30:46,804 --> 00:30:48,931
have quit sports by the time of 13
653
00:30:49,014 --> 00:30:51,892
because there's too much pressure
in the system.
654
00:30:51,976 --> 00:30:53,602
There's not enough joy or fun,
655
00:30:53,686 --> 00:30:57,064
not enough childhood
involved in youth sports.
656
00:30:57,147 --> 00:31:00,568
It's alarming, and it's something
that I feel very passionate about,
657
00:31:00,651 --> 00:31:02,653
not just from the athlete development
component,
658
00:31:02,736 --> 00:31:07,116
but from developing the health and
wellness of our kids in our communities.
659
00:31:07,199 --> 00:31:12,329
Sports is such an incredible tool
that offers us a place to learn,
660
00:31:12,413 --> 00:31:14,415
to grow, to find out who we are,
661
00:31:14,498 --> 00:31:17,042
to make friends, teammates,
to collaborate--
662
00:31:17,126 --> 00:31:20,087
so many gifts that allow us
to succeed in life,
663
00:31:20,170 --> 00:31:24,091
whether it's with our families,
with our careers, jobs,
664
00:31:24,174 --> 00:31:29,305
dealing and navigating with the adversity
that we all find in life.
665
00:31:29,388 --> 00:31:32,600
These are all things that can really
be developed through sport.
666
00:31:32,683 --> 00:31:36,604
So when I hear kids are quitting sport,
you know, I think it's important for us
667
00:31:36,687 --> 00:31:38,981
to really dig deep and find out
why kids are quitting,
668
00:31:39,064 --> 00:31:41,400
and why sport for life
is not the goal here,
669
00:31:41,483 --> 00:31:44,987
where joy and passion
and being able to enjoy
670
00:31:45,070 --> 00:31:49,325
the fruits of a childhood being active,
being healthy,
671
00:31:49,408 --> 00:31:52,995
being a teammate,
having core memories around sport
672
00:31:53,078 --> 00:31:57,291
is so important to our communities,
to our families, to our kids.
673
00:31:57,374 --> 00:32:01,045
So, I feel honored, one,
to have spoken to Luka deeply
674
00:32:01,128 --> 00:32:03,422
about why he commissioned this study,
675
00:32:03,505 --> 00:32:06,842
why he wants to affect
youth basketball the way he does,
676
00:32:06,925 --> 00:32:10,054
and how we can all come together
and learn,
677
00:32:10,137 --> 00:32:11,722
share best practices,
678
00:32:11,805 --> 00:32:14,058
and find a way to be more efficient
and effective
679
00:32:14,141 --> 00:32:16,185
at helping our youth enjoy sports,
680
00:32:16,268 --> 00:32:19,104
whether you're a high performer
or whether you're just participating
681
00:32:19,188 --> 00:32:21,523
and want to be a part of a team
or learn a skill.
682
00:32:21,607 --> 00:32:26,403
So important for our communities
to give our kids a place to learn,
683
00:32:26,487 --> 00:32:29,531
to grow, to fail, to bounce back,
684
00:32:29,615 --> 00:32:31,617
and to ultimately succeed in life.
685
00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:34,703
So thank you for watching Mind the Game.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
686
00:32:34,787 --> 00:32:38,123
Please subscribe if you haven't.
Look forward to seeing you next time.
687
00:32:38,207 --> 00:32:40,417
Absolutely. Get him on up out of here.
688
00:32:40,501 --> 00:32:42,670
-What you doing next week?
-Get him up out of here.
689
00:32:42,753 --> 00:32:44,171
-Get him-- get him up out of here.
-I'm playing.
690
00:32:44,254 --> 00:32:47,216
Um, sound guy, get his mic.
Let him get him up out of here.
56047
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