On the latest episode of "From the Point by Trae Young," NBA underground legend Lou Williams joins his former teammate Trae and FTP's co-host Winston for some incredible storytelling.
Lou, who retired over the summer after 17 years in the NBA, shares some memorable moments from his life and career. He tells Trae what it was like to move from Memphis to Atlanta as a kid, and recalls an epic battle with Monta Ellis in high school. He goes into what it was like to be drafted to join his idol, Allen Iverson, on the Philadelphia 76ers, and what Kobe Bryant said to him before dropping 60 points in his final game.
Williams also talks about a memorable interaction with Jay-Z, talks his biggest NBA regret, gives Atlanta Hawks star Trae his flowers, and opens up about why he finally decided to call it a career, retire, and become a full-time dad and music label exec.
Thanks for listening to "From The Point" by Trae Young.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, you can find it with video on From The Point's YouTube channel: @TraeYoung
You can find clips and outtakes from the podcast on all major social platforms, too:
We appreciate you.
On the latest episode of "From the Point by Trae Young," NBA underground legend Lou Williams joins his former teammate Trae and FTP's co-host Winston for some incredible storytelling.
Lou, who retired over the summer after 17 years in the NBA, shares some memorable moments from his life and career. He tells Trae what it was like to move from Memphis to Atlanta as a kid, and recalls an epic battle with Monta Ellis in high school. He goes into what it was like to be drafted to join his idol, Allen Iverson, on the Philadelphia 76ers, and what Kobe Bryant said to him before dropping 60 points in his final game.
Williams also talks about a memorable interaction with Jay-Z, talks his biggest NBA regret, gives Atlanta Hawks star Trae his flowers, and opens up about why he finally decided to call it a career, retire, and become a full-time dad and music label exec.
Thanks for listening to "From The Point" by Trae Young.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, you can find it with video on From The Point's YouTube channel: @TraeYoung
You can find clips and outtakes from the podcast on all major social platforms, too:
We appreciate you.
I was watching with you my last two seasons and playing like 9 minutes a game wasn’t going to work for me, you know what I'm saying? Especially when you're walking off the court and, you know, they telling you, you know, like you feel like you still got so much left in the tank, You know what I'm saying? We're here for another episode From the Point by your favorite point. I’m here with Winston again, and I got my O.G. underground goat. Yeah. That’s what they call him. The legend. My, one of my favorite vets. Six man They should name the sixth man after this man. I agree. Lou Will. Listen. What’s up family? What up bro? Great to meet you, fam. Yes, sir. So we got some questions. I'm going to go back to when you first moved to Atlanta, you moved here, what age? ten? 11 from Memphis. I grew up I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. And what was that like? What was? okay. I was I was I was in trouble. But it was just, you know, just being a knucklehead then a product of your environment, being around things. And, you know, my mom just saw fit for me to I needed a new I needed a new start. I needed a fresh environment. She moved me to Atlanta when I was nine. She moved me here during the 1996 Olympics. big time. She moved here at a time when the Olympics was in Atlanta, and she asked me that I want to go see the Olympic team play. And I was like, Nah, I'm cool, because I didn't really understand. I didn't really understand what it was. Two things in my childhood that I skipped out on that I miss, my brother asked me to go see a Chicago Bulls 1995 preseason game versus there was like they were playing to Portland trailblazers in Memphis for a preseason game. And I was such a penny Hardaway fan that I didn't want to see Michael Jordan. So I told my brother, no, I didn't want to go to that. And I told my mom I didn't want to go to the Olympics. I looked back like stupid as hell. Yeah, that's a that's a crazy one. You have any, like, role models? Who is a role model That's like a kid? Like growing up for me and my sister, my brother, my mom. You know, those. Those are the only people in my vicinity that I saw that I looked up to, you know, from from a sports aspect was it was Penny. Penny was a penny was a big deal in a city. You know, he was making noise in high school. Somebody who can do it all had to shoot it, rebound it. His family stayed in Memphis and Memphis State. It was Memphis State at that time. You see Hardaway, get involved back here, right on cue. He was one of the people that I seen like make it out of Memphis, Tennessee, and become, you know, like a star. but I didn't know it was just my family, mom, sister, brother. And when you kind of start falling in love with hoop, you would say? probably around probably around right before I moved to Atlanta, like eight or nine years ago, I tried everything. I tried to play baseball wasn't for me. Football wasn't for me, but basketball stuck. It was one of those things that I was just naturally good at, you know, off the rip. And I just stuck with it. And anything about that move in particular, like jump started that, like, you know, you enjoyed it, you enjoyed being around in Memphis, but when you moved to Atlanta, you were like, okay, for me, it slowed it down because, you know, I found my basketball community in Memphis. You know, I started playing with my first AAU teams. That’s a big basketball community. Yeah, yeah, huge basketball community. Man to meet. They're young. I don't know if y'all. Yall might be too young to know who Shawn Williams is. We all were. You teammates Is is this key? Is is babies know what I'm saying? And so it kind of started me over because I got to a new environment. It took me a little while to find my footing again in basketball. But, you know, working at okay, so for me I'm going to out different for your hoop and career, but we're going to talk about retirement like why what made now better than earlier. Why not later when they now I didn't want to be one of those guys that limped out Fair. Overstay. You're welcome. You know what I'm saying? You know, I've been I've been a hot player on the team before. And and I look at the O'Jays, I'm like, man, take your own ass. Home. You know what I'm saying? And so I never wanted to be that that type of vet. I wanted my presence to mean something. I wanted my words to mean something. I think you still had. I think you still had it. Yeah, I think it was. I think it was just mentality, bro. You know? I just. I just seem built to watch basketball like that, so. You know what I'm saying? I was watching my last two seasons and playing like, 9 minutes a game wasn’t gonna work for me. you know what I'm saying? Especially when you walk in off the court and, you know, they telling you, you know, like you feel like you still got so much left in the tank, you know what I'm saying? And so that was bothering me. And then also my kids may, you know, congratulations. Are you new father? You know what I'm saying? Back again. Doing your thing! But my daughter started getting older. She started getting into athletics. She started hooping. Stop playing some volleyball. And my second to last year I saw her play, won a you game and it was the very last game of the season. And then it ate me, it ate me apart from just I couldn't I couldn't deal with Yeah missing so many so many moments that was special to them no more. And especially when I felt like I wasn't producing anything for teams, you know? So I figured out my exit plan, got out of it. Yeah. How do you feel like, you know, your transition to whenever you did decide that you were going to retire and all that, how do you feel like that has improved your role? Obviously the time and all that, but how you feel like that's improved your relationship with your kids, get to watch their sporting events or just being more active and what they got going on is helped a lot because I now have the opportunity to really understand and know my kids and build a relationship with them. You know, when you when you work in a you own three or four planes a week, it's just hard to it's hard to build relationships like that, especially when you, you know, you're trying to raise somebody. And it was just it was difficult. But now we're in a space man, I love, I see my kids every day. One of my daughters is in cheerleading. My other daughter plays volleyball, slash basketball, my son running around. You know, it's a good vibes, a good feeling, man. But that time is their time is precious, bro. And you don't you don't realize how much you miss when you when you're so busy on the ground worried about, you know, your own career. Now, people don't understand how long the road trips be, how much time you really sacrifice. And I got away from your family. So it's the ultimate sacrifice, man, especially if you're Trey Young and guys this perennial all stars and expect to lead whole organizations. Man, I can't imagine the pressure that is, you know, and unfortunately, it put us in a position where our families, they get what's left of us. You know, at the end of a lot of those days, you know what I'm saying? Should leave a strain, bro. Yeah, that's heavy. That's heavy. How do you how do you think that, Coach Lue, you know, now that you get to experiences with their daughter now is different They who blew the player? Lou I think I'm the same. I'm going to say that I probably yelled at my team once but that yeah so I'm super laid back but I'm still finding my voice and my footing in in a coaching world. And I'm learning ways to communicate, learn a ways to teach. You know, what I'm saying is, is this It ain't as easy as we thought it was. Yeah. Especially when you dealing with kids and not to teach kids. I can only imagine. Yeah, you got to be so patient. But it's so fun though. So rewarding when you see the things that you putting in place form that it starts to pick up on the court man, it’s so rewarding. So that goes into my next question to you. So is there a coach that you've had that you see yourself as or that you've taken things from? And who is your favorite coach? You know, I've taken pieces from from a few coaches that I respect. I really respect Doc a lot. Doc Rivers is one of those coaches in my career that I always give him credit for putting me back on my feet. I was when I when I got with Doc, I was at a place where I thought I was going retired in I think I was in my 12 to 13 season at that time, and I just felt like I was I was dwindling down, couldn’t really find my rhythm and stick on the team. I got traded three times in three months when I was on three different teams and three months not in a guy with Doc. And if you if you ever go back and look at the press conference when I got traded to the Clippers, I stood there with my jersey, took the picture and walked as fast as I could. And he called me right after that and he was like, Yo, come come back to the office. And, you know, he was like, What's the problem? Like, you look like you want to be here. So I don't I said, I'm getting bounced around like I think I'm undone. He's like, Well, I don't know what they thinking, but I need you, You know, I need the best version of Lou Williams I could get. He was like, you know, I'm the six man whisperer, a make guys a six man around here. So I need you to clean your attitude up, get your mind right and come back ready to work. And I want two more six man out of years after that, you know, with Doc. So I take a lot from I take a lot from him. I'd take a lot from T Lou. I thought T Lou was a dope coach. I think, you know, as a coach, my temperament is more to lose than anybody because he was just like, I'm going give you our of instruments and I'm allecha I'll go make the music, ya’ll mess up the music? I'ma step in and tell yo, yo, listen to my music, you know. And that's why I take a lot of tips from him, from both those two coaches. And I had Quinn as well. Quinn was, was one of my guys. He was, I had Quinn twice, I want to say. I think I had Quinn in Philly in my first stop in Atlanta from my mistake. But I assume you taught me a lot. A Really, really rocky. Q And I had Kenny Kenny Atkinson There was Coach Rocky would say he's cool Brooklyn for a while, but his style was more like, you know, skill and development. I think that's who he naturally is, you know, opposed to being a head coach. But those are all guys that I take pieces from. Like we get down to scale work. I'm in my Kenny bag. Yeah, yeah. When I'm trying to teach, I'm more of a Doc and I'm more of a more of a T. Lou Yeah. What do you think? You know, speaking, speaking for him a little bit. But what do you think Quinn brings to their group now? Accountability. Yeah. He can hold everybody accountable any no issue You know he's he's an accomplished coach. You've been able to see that he's he's going to hold everybody accountable. And, you know, when he starts slicking his hair back to watch out, I'll give you the that he stopped playing in his hair. Watch out He better start truly so that that so for me I'm only been in year six so and there's already seasons that I want to go back and redo not necessary redo the whole season just reduce the moments that I feel like a change the season like a year long career. Is there any time or any team, any moment that you feel like if things would have been different, they could have could have went further that season? Absolutely. My my seventh season. So up about where you are in your career, I was at a I was at a turning point. I was at a place where, you know, it was kind of like make or break. You know, I was one of the young guys on a team that they were investing a lot in. You know, I was on a Sixers. It was me, their young Spencer Haas, Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday. Most states all had a no. You know, I'm sorry because you know they they really traded all of them Yeah and they were they kept them just for a couple more years you don't know what exactly what and I was like what so all those dudes we had that group and as an eighth seed we beat Chicago in the first round. Derrick rose towards the top, unfortunately, but we went on to win their series four two and we took Boston to seven and they beat us because Paul Pierce fouled out and Raisa Rondo hit two threes, so beat us at the end of the game. So if you tell me Rondo is going to make two threes at end of a game, we'll take our chances you know because he was a no he was a known to be a shooter and he and he knocked them down. But you know, that's how that's how thin of a line it was from us getting to the Eastern Conference finals. And that summer they told me I can go ended up traded Iguodala broke the whole team down and you know and we never had an opportunity to kind of see what what would what would have been with that group where did you leave that you did you left I left that summer I left there sometimes I signed with the Hawks. They told me I can go and they replace me with Nick. You then. Yes. So score. They say we could have. And we all we are. We are. We are. We are, I think out. I think Iggy was in his eighth year and I was in my seventh and we were the oldest. We were the older guys that were playing. We had vets on the team, you know, Tony, but was on that team. I think Elton Brand was on it to him, us, you know, but our core we were young broke that same Any other group that you feel like they you've been a part of that maybe not to that extent but kind of had a similar kind of were around it were like missed one the bubble group the Clippers bubble group Yeah we just the personality that group we just one built for the bubble So what you mean like that's what I'm saying there's some good teams or there's and see that just like Denver they stood out but then like they went like the Lakers. I think there's a lot of people and they never win at the regular season with then and I think I think we win a championship if I thought there were y'all were my pick yeah. So what was different? What was the difference in there? It was a struggle to get us to the bubble to begin with. We didn't even want to go, you know. So I think just mentally we came into it without just the right mindset to finish the job. We didn't we didn't even want to be there. And I think once we got there and we was in it, you know, I think I was in a bubble 97 days was was how long I was there. And I think about day 67, I was like, let's get the fuck yeah, right. Yeah. You know, so I think mentally we wasn't in it for the long game. We didn't really see we didn't really see, you know, the pot of gold at the end of it. We were starting to hear rumblings like, nobody's going to respect this chip in all of that. And so I think we kind of just took our foot off the gas. And so a lot of people talked about you leaving the bubble, too. And I tell people all the time, like, you first put me on a mountain city wing so the other people just don't get it. Can you explain that? Like what the situation is? Because I know you have before, but like people said, you left and I see a picture of you and Jack and Magic and you had Magic City wins. You wouldn't understand is a lot of it. It was a lot of nothing. I think everybody here, Magic City and everybody imaginations ran a while and the stories went where they want to go, however. But I left the bubble to go to a funeral. I got cleared to go to a funeral, had a doctor travel with me. There was COVID testing me. They lead a part out story like I was just out trip. They lead it out, went to Windsor. We had to wait the day before the funeral. Mind you, I've been in a bubble. I've been in hotel food and this is my first time getting fresh air, getting out of Orlando. I'm home like, yeah, I want some food. I want some something that I really like and enjoy. I was wings. I won't, I won't would, I won't. You know what I'm saying? And so we leave the week. It's like five in the afternoon. So we're going to start by magic grab some food right quick and then go to the crib and get back to Orlando. So get the magic Magic eight people there. All it is is public record at this point now because they did like a whole Yeah. Invested those eight people in there four of them were with me. You know what I've said it had my mask on during the whole thing. I thought I was doing something responsible. So I'll give you some backstory on Jack Harlow. I met Jack in 2017. My business partner is part of Jack's team, so Jack would come around us and I got familiar with him. We were cool, spent some time with him. So fast forward to 2020. 2021 was poppin, blows up. Jack is one of the biggest stars in the world. He walks in Magic City with my business partner, so I'm like, shit, Jack, Congrats on everything. Much love my brother, man. We got to take a shot, bro. Be like, cool. We take a shot. So Jack asked me, you know, is it cool? We take a picture? I'm like, Yeah, I don't see why not. We both got our mask on, so take the picture with the shots made this. The pictures that circulate got out. Yeah, we take the picture. That's it. My food comes out. I leave. He leave next morning. You all know my GM. Call me first question. He says, Hey, man, who fuck is Jack Harlow? I said, I say, he's a rapper. Why? Well, sir, nothing. I call you back, hangs up on me. My agent calls me. He said, stay by your phone. We might have a problem. So what's going on? He says, Go to Twitter, check my Twitter. Jack has went viral because he posted the picture. The problem was he said, Y'all chill. This was an old picture. But I had the mask on from the bubble. You see what I'm saying? So it kind of just made it a little worse. And because he tried to cover for me once he realized what was going on, he tried to cover for me. And it took it took a life of his own, bro. He became. Well, yeah. Look, these people don't understand. You guys got it on the logo. Like you go in there, you go in there at the games. Now he's like, I let him know, like, I need the then the the wings. As soon as I pull out, he put me on. You pull out. I don't even go in no more is bring out the wings. First time I met Lou, I've already had Lou wings in there. I've only been once and got him there. Fire. What's a If you live in Atlanta, you understand? Like magic City is literally somewhere we eat. Yeah. As a culture, this is where we. Yeah, you know, it's one of our restaurants. It ain't about strippers and about dancers. It ain't about none of that. Like, to a lot of people it is, don't get me wrong. But now why do you. Magic City in wings are synonymous with each other. You have a point. You know what I'm saying? And so the whole scenario took it took a life of his own. People said I was in there partying. There even was a stripper. They came out and said that I was tipping her, throwing money. And get this, she did an interview for the New York Post about this. Like, not just any newspaper, like a major outlet. She did an interview in lied her ass off. It made it worse. So it just I dealt with it for four months. Even people, they blame me for us not winning the championship in above bubble. I was like, The reality is I missed two games before the playoffs. I was back for the playoffs. I didn't miss one playoff game, but they said I right but never got fined, never got suspended, never anything. But it blew up into this whole to this whole thing. So it is what it is. That's that's still crazy to me. I still can't believe that happened. It's so weird to there is Phil was Tommy was so long ago so he's on my end of the day it's like people forgot about it Like you forgot about COVID. So long ago. It had all of us out of our minds. that you got to play with Bean. You got to play with Kobe like I know y'all, you have so many stories that this being around him, what was like what was the difference between him and like every of everybody else that you played with or like all the guys that you've been around all the different is the the major thing that separated the from a lot of other superstars that I've played with is like he had unwavering confidence in his self and not in like an arrogant way, but he really felt like I'm the best basketball player on earth. I'm not adjusting to nobody. Everybody got to adjust to me. I think that was the big difference from him and everybody else like he was just he was clear on his goals. He was clear on his missions. He was clear on how you want to attack games. If he played your he if he played the Hawks, he was going on this game. I'm in the pulse. You know, they they got they got small guards. I'm going to post this game next game. I'm in the pick and roll this is what like he made his adjustments team by team how he was going to go about how he was going to go about games. But that was the one thing that separates them. He was just like, Y'all got to deal with me every night. Yeah, You know, And I was with him at the end of his career, so I can't imagine how he was in the thick of things when he was in championship runs. You know what I'm saying? That was. That was one of my biggest hang ups, man. I always look at him. I was like, Damn, I wish I was. Which you win like you was in the hunt using that. You know what I'm saying? Because he had that. He had the personality, Like either y'all come in or stay else at home. But we don't do this. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? And I wish that would. That would. It did so much for my career, man. If I was with him, then yeah. What? Even even the opportunity that you get to did get to experience with him. What do you feel like he instilled in you in you most? Because like you said like that was kind of you were starting to transition at that point into a different part of your career than what you started with? Like, what do you think kind of Kobe inspired you to to now you just got to have blinders on. Yeah. If you trying to get if you're trying to get to a certain place you just got to have blinders on and trying to get to your destination. May I have I just look at it when unlike many young, we never took known series on it seem like Nick dragged me into a lot of bullshit with him on that scene. And this alligator. Let me hear what he just said and he'd be dead serious and it would be some off the wall shit. I'll be honest, it would be so off the wall because we couldn't understand it. We didn't understand the mentality. But he would be dead serious and we were like, Well, let's see, you have like, I've watched him. Will Barnett had 25 the half time and he came in a half. He said ya’ll aint trying to guard him. I'm a guard. He just not going to exist. The me and Nick look, they said like, you know, his welfare and and Wilbon had two points. Second half. So it was just like that mentality. Yeah, It was like you saying you catch him later in his career, you know, this is like a hand, bro. But it was also. Wow. Just to see what he went through to prepare for games at that time, like dog ice on his shoulders, ice on his knees, ice, bath ice on his legs. Like he he gave everything he had to finish the job. He gave everything he had live, even even his last game was 60-point game. He told us he's going to take 60 shots. And I believe you see who he's like, Yeah, I think I'ma shoot the ball 60 times. And then his next sentence was, Come on, man, you are playing well. I No, because at that point, I hope they shut us down. We got, we got kicked out. We got kicked out of playoff contention. So they shut me down. They said Metta World Peace now. And I want to say they said Brandon Bass down. We were we were the three that they shut down. He was like, It's my last game. Y'all got to play his last game, right, bro? We want to watch you just like everybody. Everybody in this arena watch just like everybody else. But he said he was going to take 60 shots and did it the believe as clean as clean. Okay, I got it. I got only a few more. But I'm like in high school since we land. We got to talk about you in high school. You want Mr. Georgia? I mean, Mickey D's, who was the top three, four dudes in your class? Not just by the rank. And who would you really respect in your class? In my class that was here. Not just in general. In general. man, it was. You know, you ran Georgia. I'm so close to. But not for my father. Yeah, I think it was. Monta Ellis was a guy that I really respected at that time, that he was like he was on, like, sayings that I was on. Like, I thought I did some amazing that I read that he did something exactly amazing. You know what I'm saying? Like, Monta Ellis was really putting on a high school. Gerald Green was really putting on a high school. Andrew Bynum was putting on. Martelle Webster. Amir Johnson. All of us was all of us got drafted. C.J Miles, You know, we were all all of us. We were the last group of high school guys to get drafted. And I tell you, I tell you a funny story was that was a USA out in Colorado and we was watching the draft. I was watching the draft on a TV and I never forget Sebastian Telfair got drafted and you know, at that time everybody that's getting drafted is like, I mean, basically, you know, six, eight, six, nine, seven footers out of high school. Nobody ever was like a real traditional high school kid like, you know, Bassy’s six feet, probably 160. He got draftees a lot of pick third team And I just remember me and to me and once I was sitting next to each other and we were like, Yo, we can do it, bro. Like that. He has, he's opened the door. He's trailblazers. This door for us. Like we can, we can follow in his steps. And so our high school kids, we was in the room and we was like, so you know, we all pretty popular like some we are bigger than us though. So you know who got declared for the drama? And Monta was the first one to say, Shit, I know. And in that room, I think like eight or nine of us, we all decided he was going to declare for the draft. So how many? How many? So it was a nine year old. All of us got drafted, man. All of us. All of us got drafted, I think. I want to say Martell Webster got drafted the highest, I think. I think Martell went six. I think Andrew Bynum went ten. Out of high school. Out of high school, Yeah. And then the rest of us was kind of sprinkled around late first round of second rounders. But we all, we all got drafted. All of us had great careers, by the way. Yeah. yeah. Speaking of high school, didn't didn't you and Marty have, like, a crazy battle of high school? Like where you guys were? Yeah. Yeah, they weren't. They won a game, but we didn't see. We went, we played them in Mississippi. And just to tell you how big Monta Ellis was in high school, dog. We drove into town, and I never seen a high school kid with a with a billboard. My it was sign in like this king chair with a crown on. And it said, say it was best show in Mississippi. Get to the game. We played them at a coliseum so like 11,000 seats would get there. He got he got a merch booth. They sell a replica, Manziel, his jerseys, t shirts, towels. I never seen that for a high school kid before. And I had on head phones. And I never forget we walked into the Coliseum and I just remember seeing people's faces and their expressions, like booing us, talking shit to us. But I couldn't hear anything. I just I'm looking in every single person. That arena was against us In all it's Jerry West. Was there, I think Jerry, I think Jerry might have been still with the Lakers at that time and not the Clippers. But I remember seeing Jerry West walk out after the first quarter and I was kind of offended like, damn, he left, you know? But after the game he said, I saw all I need to see. They're both pros, you know what I'm saying? He said that. But the game we had two game one, we was up three time running out and literally months they got they got him the ball. We trap them. He's fallen on the ground and this do flip the ball with one hand It makes it takes it into overtime. There's a lot of loud idle words in the game, in the overtime, and we start getting control of them in overtime. And then the referees took over and these took over. I think the referees, they probably call five or six texts in a row. Like what The first blame thing to happen was they score. We took the ball off our point guard dribbling, not the floor. They travel. So we like what? So they start blatantly cheating. So I have to date everybody a triple my coaches going crazy to play, players going crazy. I think t t t t because of what the referee walked up to us and say, Hey, man, y'all going back to Georgia tonight? I got to live here. So we wasn't we wouldn't leave a mississippi with that game. That's not to discredit what they did because Monta was a beast man. Monta, he was a dog in the way that they team playing was so crazy because they didn't shoot the ball until he got it throw like it was like it was like Steph Curry before Steph Curry like they have flip the ball to him. He run it around until he got open. He should never every single time it was there was a battle though. But you know, at least we could say that we went head to head and gave the people what they wanted to see. It was a good game. I was gonna say in high school, too. You didn't. You didn't. You mean Jay Z in high school, too? I did, yeah. How was that? Did that whole set up? That whole center was cool for me as a high school kid because I met Jay Z through LeBron. I have to say it. Yeah, I met I met Jay Z through LeBron. Bron was in his rookie year. They had a game on Tuesday in Atlanta. Jay-Z had a concert Thursday in Atlanta. And Bron told Mav, you know, shout out to Mav who's doing incredible things on his own, in his own right in his career right now. Bron told Mav to stay in Atlanta and take me to the show and got there early. Excuse me, got there early. And I spent like two and a half, 3 hours chillin with Jay-Z. He walked out to the stage with him and so he went up his security came and got me when he was about to get off stage, I met him in the back, shook his hand, told me good luck with everything. He jumped in a sprinter. He was the first person out of the arena. That was the first time I ever seen it. So, you know, you know, stay form how you can drive, how the busses drive it back. Jay got off the got off stage like thank goodness night got on stage, shook my hand. I see you later. Jumped in a sprint. He was out before anybody else. my job I knew that he was out. No, anybody else. And I went to school the next day and I'm looking around class like, Yeah, this is an escort back to that is killing me on this course. I was going to ask him why Pros of the college life College. I just never I never could wrap my head around being broke, hungry and working out at six in the morning I just never I just never could - I never could wrap my mind around it. I didn't want to party. I didn’t want to be on campus. And like I said, I started experiencing pro stuff, you know what I'm saying? And for me to even have an ounce of an opportunity to go, there was enough for me to be like, I'm good. You know, I rather look at I looked at it like an internship. Like if I get drafted somewhere and I won't play for a year or two, that's better than sitting in college and killing it. Yeah, I'd rather be in the pros already. And so it worked out because, you know, I got drafted to a team that my idol was that somebody that was that I model my game after I got to see it up close and personal and learn from him. So what was the biggest thing you learned from AI? Man. He's just he was as tough as hell, bro. He was just tough to say. Like he never made excuses for size. And I think that was one of the things that I took with me. You know, he played to injuries. He played big like, you know, if you go back and watch Allen Iverson, he played big. He attacked the rim, stayed in the paint, didn't shy away from contact. That's why I was hurt all the time. He didn't he didn't shy away from any contact or any of that type of stuff. He just play like he was six, eight, six, nine. And I took that with me throughout my career and being so up close and personal to witness that. What do you think in your opinion, how did AI change the game for the better? Because he he did like he transcended. Yeah. He was transcendent on and off the court. You know, I think he's a major reason. A lot of these guys feel so comfortable in a skin, you know, showing more personality and showing how they dress, tattoos and all of that. I think I think AI changed that for sports, you know, before before I you know, only person I can really pinpoint that was that was doing the things that he was doing, you know, with like lifestyle and culture. I would say primetime. Yeah. You know, but on a basketball standpoint, you know, the baggy clothes to do rags, the cornrows, you know, you and the minorities, you don't have race now in the league. You know you in a minority. If you don't have that, who's in the league now. And I think all of that is because yeah and was that someone because he was your idol was that someone where, you know, you kind of just came in to Philly and it was kind of like, you know, lose lose the arm and take him under my wing? Or was there a period where you had to earn, earn as respect pre heavy? Nah, I got to be honest, Matt, the very first time I met him, he made a funny joke and took me under his immediately after the jump. The very first time I met him and he walked up to me, he says and I quote, you the little motherfucker they drafted to take my job, And said that and gave me a bear hug. And we've been tight ever since. That's so cool. We've been. We've been tight ever since. You know, it's a one phone call to me to get him on the phone right now, bro. Like, that's the type of relationship that we have. So was love in his he could took that you know, as anything and just say forget this kid you know but I'm sure the word got around how I felt about him and and everything like that and he did everything he could to make sure I was comfortable and I was welcome. I think that's a good transition point as we so we kind of start to wrap up here. But talk about yall’s relationship. I mean, I have I really have only got to witness y'all on the court and all that, but it seems like you, at least from what we've talked about and all that and just seeing y'all here is I mean, it seems like y'all are not only super tight, but just that mutual respect for each other so high and yeah, talk about your relationship. Yeah, I got, I got so much love and admiration for Trae and, you know, just the way he carries himself, man. So family oriented, You know what I'm saying? I always see his little brother with him, bro, and always seeing his family around. And how much you care about, you know, not only how I was going for him, just making sure all of his people is part of the experience. Because trust me, man, this is going to come to an end. You know, you feel like it's forever year six and it feel like it's forever, but it comes to an end. And they they stop cheering, you know, they stop cheering. So I think the important part, man, is bringing your people along for the ride, allowing them how those experiences allowed them to meet the people that I look up to and, you know, jumping on a jets and then able to do these things and being able to, you know, do nice things for your family, you know what I'm saying? And I've always admired that about him being so young and having so much pressure on him to do great things. You know, I'm from I'm from Atlanta and I see it in my community. I see the kids with the with the 11s. All through the schools. And, you know, I move around this my city, you know, And so for him to tackle that and put all of that on his back and deal with it with with the grace that he did with it, I've always admired him and then becoming his teammate, getting to know him and pick him up places where I can kind of I feel like I can help him and at the same time allow him the space to be his own man. And just like y'all this way, work for me. It might not work for you, but I'm a guy this little piece. And you go, Yeah, because it's been a couple of times he won a trip and our locker was across the room from each other. And I look at myself over the last, you know, like I. You know what I'm saying? And every once in a while, I'm like, they may flip tape. I just go flip the table, bro, you know, because sometimes you got to you in order for you to be the man, be the captain, be the person that everybody look to, your voice in your presence got to be heard. But not only that, they got to be respected and they got to come from a place where, you know, people feel like it's not you versus them, but it is is a collaborative effort. You know what I'm saying? I felt like I was trying to help him with that, just trying to find his voice and, you know, not just being the best player on the team were being the leader of the team, you know, because it's two completely different things. You can be the best player. Somebody else can be the leader of the scene, Right. You know what I'm saying? And so our relationship grew grew in that fashion, man. Just just him being open to listening to him. And I mean and we haven't talked since the the one incident with the Miami trip and me taking the jet back and got brought up and I don't know if you remember, but I remember calling you the next day. We had an off day. You remember our call. I called little. This time. Our relationship. I this is why I look up to lose so much. Like I remember calling him out of the jet incident, flying back to my family. And I didn't let my teammates know. So I get back and I'm here that I mean, some of the teammates on the team is mad or whatever, or they're just wondering where I'm at. But I had told the GM or whatever and I had the first person I call it after I got the phone with with our GM was Lou. And I remember hitting him. I if I can cry like I was just I felt like I let my team down because it just that's just the type of person I am. I don't want to let anybody down, especially my my brothers or my my team people I'm working with every day. And when he was telling me how it could look bad and things like like I listen to him and I, like, understood him and that type of mistake won't happen again. But that's the of relationship we have is I can come to him with whatever I need or what I'm feeling and know I'm get the best answer. And I just know he's going, you're going to help me. And that's all he's in it for is, is to help others. And he's here to obviously help his himself and his family. The he's at the point he's doing his thing. He's the sixth man. He's he's the he's a legend, he's going to get a gold jacket, a hall of fame. He's going to be in that someday. So he's just at the point where when we were together, he was helping me so much. And that's why I'm always respect Lou and I appreciate him for everything. And so for me, the last question is, what's next? Like what's next for you? Like working on a music got the label Winner’s United talented artist signed to me by the name of Akeem Ali go check him out. he'll be jamming on the Blu ray table with you. This is the end. Do this thing. And his moving is moving and grooving. And all that aside, some other artists by design a major label JV deal. Keep that tight. Until it’s official, big news coming soon doing that and other than that man I'm just I'm just a full time dad. I'm a full time dad. You know what I'm saying? I actually I was supposed to be a volleyball today, but my daughter told me, she said, don't bother me. We go, we all work that thing. You know, I've been in the studio all day dealing with meetings and all of that. She knew I had to. She knew I had to come see you. And I told I was doing the podcast with Trey. O face lit up. You know, she love ice, but if she knew I was she knew I was super busy today and was like, you know, today. Cool. Like, we handled it today, you know, So that was good for time passed for mean that's what’s up and I appreciate your daughter letting us have you for a couple hours and I'm gonna get you on record at some point I want you to come run a practice with me, with the girls. that's easy. That'll be that'd be a no big smiles, then. That'll be me. Then I will see. Like see, I got a really cool people. I sent you some 2s for em! Definitely! Shout out to shout out to Ice. I send my girls two pair of sneakers. Yeah. Similar girls to pair sneakers and they learn it. And I'm a call you again. And i’m gonna pull up! and we gonna support! But definitely! but it'll make it all full circle if you actually pull up and see what I got going. That's. Yeah, you know, check it out. Pull up on Coach Lou, the six man, the underground goat. Okay. Okay. You're you know that's a that's a bit I appreciate that I have man Of course man this was such a pleasure good luck with the Cast man, I hope you find your lane. Find a niche and they work out. Said it was. This is awesome, bro. Thank you so much for pulling up. Well, that's another episode From the Point, by your favorite point. See ya’ll next time.