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MAHMOUD ABDUL-RAUF On Crossing MICHAEL JORDAN, Battling Tourette syndrome & New Documentary "Stand"
Feb 3, 2023
Before he was known as Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the world knew him as Chris Jackson. Now 53 years old, Abdul-Rauf is re-examining his nuanced legacy in the new Showtime documentary "Stand," which will be debuting on February 3rd. While many are familiar with the controversy surrounding his refusal to stand for the national anthem, there are still many elements of his story that remain unknown. Let's take a closer look at Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and his fascinating story.
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MAHMOUD ABDUL-RAUF On Crossing MICHAEL JORDAN, Battling Tourette syndrome & New Documentary "Stand"
https://youtu.be/mdTl9Ph-IfY
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0:00
wow
0:00
[Applause]
0:01
what an amazing documentary I got a
0:03
chance to preview Heather B because I
0:06
know people
0:08
it's called Stand um premiering tomorrow
0:10
streaming on um on Showtime and it's
0:14
about a person that I've always known
0:17
I've known this man since the 89.90 wow
0:21
I've known who he was when he played
0:24
high school he rang bells in high school
0:28
um he was easily regarded by many of us
0:30
when you play basketball as a youth
0:33
growing up in Oakland you was you would
0:34
call out the name of the person you
0:36
thought you were and we would call out
0:38
his name his former name when we would
0:41
be on the basketball court some people
0:43
called out Jordan some people called out
0:45
you know magic we called out his name
0:48
and as he went into college he went to
0:51
LSU got a chance to play with Shaquille
0:53
O'Neal Who said that he once witnessed
0:56
him played the greatest game in
0:58
basketball he ever seen Shaquille played
1:00
with Penny played with Kobe played with
1:03
Dwyane Wade he even said even played
1:05
against Michael Jordan but he never saw
1:07
anybody play a game as phenomenal as
1:11
this man has this man stood on his
1:14
morals this man stood up for truth and
1:17
he didn't let his truth be smothered by
1:20
uh corporations of other people's
1:22
ideologies and for that he may have
1:25
suffered he could have had a longer
1:27
career in the NBA had he chose to reform
1:30
or not even reform unconform
1:34
um but he chose to stand on his square
1:36
and which makes him even greater that's
1:39
why Muhammad Ali was great it wasn't
1:42
just what he did outside the ring it was
1:44
the person he was I mean what he did
1:45
inside the ring it was the person he was
1:47
outside the ring that's what makes him
1:49
great it's not what he just did on the
1:51
basketball court is what he did off the
1:53
basketball court and I want to welcome
1:54
him to the show The One and Only my mood
1:56
Abdul raulf give him a big round
2:00
welcome welcome thank you for having me
2:04
man bro
2:06
jeez man Shaq said he never saw he
2:09
played against Shaq said you you played
2:12
the greatest basketball game he believes
2:14
in in basketball history that's
2:17
Shaquille O'Neal a goat in his own right
2:21
how does that make you feel look man I'm
2:23
extremely grateful you know especially
2:25
with your colleagues you know saying
2:27
things like that man uh I'm humbled by
2:30
it every time I hear it because he was
2:32
he was a force to be reckoned with like
2:34
you just said he's a Hall of Famer yeah
2:36
and especially coming from a guy like
2:37
that and all the people that he played
2:39
with and again so a huge I'm I'm a huge
2:44
sense of gratitude yeah I didn't know
2:46
y'all didn't get along when he when he
2:48
first came to LSU what happened you know
2:50
you know what we we got along but you
2:52
have your clicks you have people and and
2:55
we work together well but there was an
2:57
incident that he felt that I uh didn't
2:59
pass from the ball intentionally and he
3:03
said something he said something to me
3:05
and look man I'm a quiet guy but you
3:08
push my buttons so I went back at him
3:10
and I'll come down and not pass you the
3:13
ball just to prove a point until you
3:15
humble yourself but we had a meeting
3:17
with Coach uh Brown after that man and
3:19
Coach basically told him he said look
3:20
this is his team if you want to get it
3:23
off the glass
3:24
wow
3:27
wow the thing that I didn't mention is
3:31
uh my mood was diagnosed with Tourette's
3:34
at what age I was diagnosed in in the
3:38
11th grade in 11th grade yes but I I had
3:41
symptoms from elementary on I used to
3:43
have blackouts I would just
3:45
you know they said it looked like I was
3:47
going in a seizure and someone would
3:49
have to you know touch me or something
3:51
to wake me up for years my mother
3:53
thought that I wasn't listening to her I
3:55
would slap across the face but didn't I
3:57
tell you I said Mom I wasn't asleep and
3:59
she would send me to the doctor and then
4:01
when she found out it broke her heart
4:02
you know because she got punishing him
4:05
for things yeah that I didn't even know
4:06
but then it turned into the the intense
4:10
ticks and vocal ticks and and that that
4:13
started also in elementary that started
4:15
the way he described what it feels like
4:17
you described Us in this documentary
4:19
I've I felt the pain like the way you
4:22
described it many people thought even in
4:24
the draft that because you had
4:25
Tourette's it would hinder your ability
4:27
to play in the NBA
4:29
and you responded by saying look if
4:33
anything it enhances it you know I
4:34
remember you uh before the NBA I mean I
4:37
just came out of college man 30.2 28 a
4:40
game and I'm talking to these NBA guys
4:44
and they say does it affect your play
4:47
like are you serious have you not been
4:50
watching yeah I felt offended when I
4:53
when I heard that but yeah man without
4:55
without Tourette syndrome
4:57
I mean I always grew up to be respectful
5:00
of people and stuff like that but when
5:01
you have something like this it's in
5:02
your face
5:03
it it helps you to be more sensitive and
5:06
sympathetic and empathetic to people
5:07
because you can't hide it but also
5:10
Tourette's pushed me why myself wouldn't
5:12
have gone without it yeah I wanted to
5:14
stop after an hour and a half two hours
5:15
but it was like and all you got to do
5:18
this you got to make 10 more why are you
5:19
tired the move you make prior to making
5:23
those 10 can have no glitches and they
5:25
have to all be net and if one hit if I
5:29
mean if one hit the rim I can have nine
5:31
in a row
5:32
I'm breathing hard I'm about to die
5:35
every day
5:36
and if it the 10th one skims the rim and
5:38
goes in I can't retake the tent shot and
5:40
say 10 I have to start back at zero so
5:43
that may take an hour if I'm walking off
5:44
the court dribbling if I mess up I have
5:47
to come back 10 steps I'm on the goal
5:48
again
5:50
My Mind Is Telling Me to shoot him I'm
5:52
like man I want to shoot it because I
5:53
know what's going to happen so I would
5:54
have to do that drill sometimes twice in
5:57
a row after the first hour and a half
5:59
two hours so that's another
6:01
four hours because it's gonna take about
6:03
an hour and a half to finish 10 in a row
6:05
going full speed and so every day was a
6:09
day like I said man I got to find a way
6:11
because if I don't I'm gonna die so I I
6:14
started after that first after that hour
6:16
and a half then I do that 10 in a row
6:18
when I get the ball I would throw it
6:20
towards my house so now when I finally
6:22
got it and I'm dribbling it don't feel
6:24
right and I back up 10 steps I'm not
6:26
under the goal to shoot I can get home
6:28
oh and that was every day wow that that
6:31
made you practice over and over and over
6:35
and over again which contributed to your
6:38
skill set you tell a story in a
6:40
documentary I don't know if it was a
6:42
high school basketball camp or college
6:44
basketball camp that Michael Jordan
6:46
showed up to yeah
6:48
now you know my mood you my dude bro I
6:51
go you know you my man 20 grand
6:54
but you said you shook Michael Jordan at
6:57
were you in high school or I was in high
6:59
school now you can't in Princeton at
7:01
Nike Camp that's my guy man you know
7:03
Mike's my guy Heather tell you we took
7:05
pictures together not we you okay all
7:08
right well he vouched for this story oh
7:11
yeah you know look there was a there was
7:14
a guy I can't remember his name he they
7:16
said he was the toughest Scout ever in
7:17
in the Nike Camp he'd never given one of
7:19
a five that was his high school
7:22
and two years in a row he gave me five
7:24
and Jordan came and that's when Jordan
7:26
went the way I tell a story and it's
7:27
true Jordan was like I've never seen
7:29
somebody as cut as him yeah and he's so
7:31
close I could reach out I'm at the
7:33
bottom bleach I can touch him so I'm
7:35
just admiring his body I'm like sizing
7:37
him up not in an arrogant way but this
7:39
is how he's supposed to look and then he
7:41
was black with lotion on so you can see
7:43
the fibers in his legs
7:48
I mean if you could just see it and out
7:51
of all the people there he calls me and
7:52
I get on the top of the key left hand
7:54
side and he gives me the ball he said
7:55
look I want you to come to me with
7:57
everything you have I'm gonna try to
7:58
stop you I said okay
7:59
and I remember getting it and I gave him
8:01
a quick jab to the right took off left
8:03
and I took off and if I would have went
8:06
straight up he would have had it but I
8:07
ran through I took something off of it
8:09
scored people went crazy my insides were
8:13
going crazy yeah you know when you do
8:15
things in front of people
8:16
you don't want them to know you were
8:18
surprised I kind of walked off like I do
8:19
this all the time but then he gave me
8:21
the ball back he and this time he
8:23
dropped it in front of me but I didn't
8:25
establish a pivot I had my right in
8:27
front of my left and I grabbed it I went
8:28
through my legs I leaned he bit I
8:31
crossed the move and I laid him up it
8:33
came out the hoop he said uh he asked me
8:35
for the ball back and he told me to go
8:36
sit down and when I sat down man I'm
8:38
sitting there I'm like
8:39
with myself I'm like man I just scored
8:41
on Michael Jordan twice and it was easy
8:45
I couldn't wait to get home to tell my
8:47
boys but that that motive I said man I'm
8:49
on to something yeah the way I'm
8:51
training yeah yeah but now I didn't
8:53
guard him no of course and I would have
8:55
dunked all over you it would have been
8:56
easy for him
9:00
wow that's amazing it is amazing I I
9:04
look at you big fan by the way thank you
9:06
so much for being here today and I think
9:09
about sports in general we were speaking
9:10
about shout out to Rod Strickland
9:12
because we were talking about him
9:13
earlier love Rod Gary Payton family
9:15
Jason Kidd um Antonio Davis I grew up
9:19
with Antonio dad I have to shout out
9:21
Antonio that's my brother I'm sorry Mama
9:22
I'm just you know the point I'm making
9:24
Rod Strickland these are people who I
9:27
met I'm saying Damien Lillard
9:30
um as well I want to shout him out
9:31
because
9:32
you guys have such humble personalities
9:36
like just great at what you do and but
9:40
so humble and it's almost like somebody
9:42
would walk right past you and you know
9:45
and not in a disrespectful way but it's
9:47
the way you carry yourself but it seems
9:49
like the league itself the NBA is made
9:52
for like big stars you know people with
9:54
the over-the-top personalities the
9:56
yappers the loud mouths did it ever feel
9:59
out of place for you like with all your
10:02
greatness but your personality seems
10:04
almost to be the opposite that's a great
10:07
question you know
10:09
when I wasn't practicing when I wasn't
10:11
playing
10:12
I was just in the streets I was at the
10:14
bookstore I was hanging around what we
10:16
would call regular people I didn't I
10:18
didn't go out I don't drink I don't
10:20
smoke
10:21
I was and it's nothing personal it's
10:23
just not my lifestyle so mostly
10:25
everybody I hung with would just like
10:27
had regular jobs at the airport you know
10:30
just regular people and I just felt more
10:32
comfortable around in those environments
10:34
I just because sometimes with wealth
10:37
sometimes not all the time people change
10:39
you know they start carrying themselves
10:41
differently and so I find oftentimes
10:43
when you you you're with people in the
10:46
margins and the peripheries in the
10:47
bottom
10:48
they tend to keep it a little bit more
10:50
real in their conversations and the way
10:53
they do things and I've always been
10:54
attracted to that and I've always been
10:56
attracted to players that's why Dr J for
10:58
me was my not just how exciting he was
11:01
but he always carried himself with
11:02
humility and I'm always attracted to
11:04
people like that yeah wow um
11:10
you know my mood hearing you speak it
11:13
brings to mind Chadwick Boseman who was
11:16
incredible in his gifts and you know the
11:19
entire cast and director for black
11:21
panther they said they had no idea that
11:23
he was sick but they feel like it
11:26
possibly propelled him to perform to
11:29
give us his greatest performance and so
11:32
for you from Basketball Camp to the many
11:35
different leagues did you have to say
11:37
that you had Tourette's Syndrome was it
11:39
something that you wanted to keep to
11:41
yourself and were the doctors also like
11:43
clearing you did were there any
11:45
conflicts between you and the doctors in
11:48
terms of perform you know practicing all
11:51
the time constantly more so in the NBA
11:53
or just period period uh no you know
11:56
what I was always taught you know my
11:58
mother never made
12:00
made my Tourette Syndrome an issue you
12:04
know it's kind of like in the movie Rey
12:06
said you know she said you're not a
12:07
right and so I never because of
12:11
the way I grew up and attention really
12:13
never we never talked about it and and
12:16
people around me who saw me every day it
12:19
became so normal right and they just
12:23
wouldn't even notice it I could see on
12:24
if they just see right through it so I
12:27
it was just always in me not to even
12:29
make it an issue because I didn't want
12:31
people to feel pity for me right you
12:33
know but also it made me work hard I
12:35
knew I had to
12:37
you know work harder to to in some ways
12:40
have people to look at me a little
12:42
differently right and uh that that
12:44
pushed me but
12:46
uh no I mean I was on Haldol they did
12:50
put me on Haldol and Haldol I found I
12:52
mean it made you want to drink and eat
12:54
and sleep when you weren't on the move I
12:56
started my high school out my senior
12:58
year 155. at the end of that year and we
13:01
played like 41 games I'm playing most of
13:02
the games I mean most of the minutes so
13:04
I ended up being like 172 I get to LSU
13:07
on 185. Wow and I'm like 20 some pounds
13:09
overweight averaging 30 30 a game I'm
13:12
literally out of shape and I found out
13:15
later that that drug was a psychotic
13:17
drug it was they give it to prisoners
13:19
and people to put them to sleep wow and
13:22
I was like darn I'm we're always taught
13:25
to carry ourselves with humility but I'm
13:26
almost about to reach and Pat myself on
13:28
the back I said I did all that taking
13:29
Hal dogs and then they put me on Prozac
13:32
and prolixin at LSU
13:34
and it didn't have the gain weight
13:36
Factor so I decided I said you know what
13:38
man trick this I'm not I'm not taking
13:41
because all these side effects I said
13:43
I'm just gonna pray I'm gonna try to eat
13:45
right I'm Gonna Keep training I'm gonna
13:47
stay away from negative stress as much
13:49
as possible watch my surroundings and
13:52
ever since then LSU I haven't been on
13:53
anything I've been managing wow man I
13:57
moved
13:58
um I would imagine that what kind of
14:01
response like around the country around
14:03
the world have you got with other other
14:05
folks in The Tourette's community
14:09
um I used to be a part of the Tourette
14:11
Syndrome Association and I did a
14:13
commercial when I was at LSU uh you know
14:16
in support of it and then I used to
14:18
travel when I was with the league in
14:19
Sacramento they have a chapter in DC
14:21
they have a chapter so I did a lot of
14:23
work with them I haven't done
14:25
unfortunately a lot of work lately with
14:27
them I mean I'm still open to it but I'm
14:29
always trying to be a voice for things
14:32
not just that yeah just as so much I
14:35
think this is never in the history of
14:37
this country in the world have we
14:39
experienced the increase that we see
14:41
with youth with mental challenges and
14:44
disabilities and wanting to commit
14:45
suicide yeah you know so it's just not I
14:48
mean everybody's dealing with something
14:49
how much you think that has to do with
14:51
the medication
14:52
you know what I think a whole bunch of
14:54
it not just medication though just
14:56
there's a reason they call it the Food
14:58
and Drug Administration yeah what's in
15:00
the foods
15:01
leads you to the pills and the pills
15:04
have so many side effects my brother's a
15:07
homeopath so I'm looking in the
15:10
pharmaceutical book everything they got
15:11
in there the side effects are like a
15:13
paragraph the benefits is like a line I
15:15
said why would I want to take that
15:16
and when I was going through the ulcer
15:18
in Denver and it didn't dawn I said I
15:21
got a brother man because I I got an
15:23
ulcer because I was so angry and I went
15:25
to the hospital they gave me a IV they
15:28
inject you know gave me some stuff I
15:30
came back and said hey David man this is
15:31
what I'm going through he said read to
15:33
me what they gave you
15:35
I mean tell me what they gave you he
15:36
looked on his computer he said you see
15:38
this this and this that helps your
15:40
problem he said you see this this this
15:42
that recalls of the problem in the same
15:44
medicine
15:45
um I said are you serious that's when I
15:47
that's when I started looking in the
15:48
industry and even talking about that I
15:50
said y'all killing folks y'all got folks
15:52
in a cycle uh yeah
15:55
uh my mood is here Abdul rauf
15:58
um I want to go to song and come back
16:00
and open the phone lines Heather B I
16:01
know you headed out to Urban view you
16:04
guys hit me up I'm at the happy hour whb
16:06
on the ground all right uh we're coming
16:08
right back we're taking uh phone calls
16:11
888-742-3345 yes and he's here with us
16:14
today
16:17
um that was common who came by the Show
16:19
recently
16:21
um Jocelyn Rose Lions uh Stephen
16:24
Espinosa from Showtime these are all
16:26
close friends of mine uh Sarah Allen
16:29
she's from the bay as well from Oakland
16:30
who's an EP on the project
16:33
um you guys put together a remarkable
16:35
project we've been having this
16:37
conversation
16:39
um and and we're talking about uh your
16:41
career but your life as well you know
16:44
and you've been very I don't want to say
16:46
everything because it's a lot that's
16:47
said in a documentary and I want folks
16:49
to to hear this but at one point in your
16:51
life uh you reached a crossroad uh where
16:55
you you start questioning your faith you
16:57
grew up in Chris you grew up a Christian
16:58
right
17:00
um what made you question your faith
17:02
what was it you know there were just
17:04
some things man that you you keep
17:06
hearing things that
17:09
just or contradictory yeah you know you
17:12
you hear oh for example even in terms of
17:15
profits these are men of God but then
17:17
one minute
17:18
they're committing incest and then
17:22
you know how can you be a man of God
17:24
and so and then just the concept of the
17:27
Trinity just didn't resonate with me
17:30
um and then other stories you know you
17:33
you come across uh biblically
17:36
um even with you know Jesus being
17:39
crucified and then when you read about
17:41
the upper room and he comes to the upper
17:43
room and he says you know touch me feel
17:46
me because they they suppose they saw a
17:47
ghost he's gonna touch me feel me see to
17:49
desire myself for a spirit as I said
17:51
well why was he if he was dead because
17:54
he said Spirit has no Flesh and Bones
17:55
how could you see him and was this after
17:58
the supposed crucifix so but when I make
18:01
a long story short when I'm asking
18:03
questions I'm always getting two
18:06
responses and I'm not saying this is
18:08
everybody's experience but it was your
18:10
personal experience yeah and they said
18:11
you know what you just got to believe
18:13
and you can't question God I said but
18:14
hold on man God gives us a mind what I'm
18:17
questioning because I want to know I
18:19
want to follow the right way and so to
18:21
me that was unsatisfactory until I was
18:24
given the autobiography of Malcolm that
18:27
just caused me to start thinking
18:29
differently and then pursuing
18:30
information and not just reading for the
18:33
sake of read engaging it asking
18:35
questions and which led me to meeting a
18:37
person that's from New York Mark James
18:39
and uh Islam came up in conversation
18:44
I picked up the Quran to go buy a lot
18:46
you know through bypass a lot of the
18:48
details two three pages later I can't
18:51
remember exactly what it was but I can
18:53
remember to this day I made me feel I
18:54
look across the table at it I said man I
18:56
don't know about you my search is over
18:58
um and I said this is it and I started
19:00
going to the Masjid and every day up
19:02
until now I'm 53
19:04
someone asked me say what is it I said
19:06
I'll tell you from the moment I started
19:08
to now every time I engage it it's never
19:12
cease to satisfy my curiosity and answer
19:14
my questions so why wouldn't I wow to
19:16
this day so but however I won't even say
19:21
but however that decision you made
19:24
affected the dream you had to be a NBA
19:28
player right yes
19:31
um talk about that as that was happening
19:34
your relationship with God through Islam
19:37
and then the relationship you had with
19:39
the NBA because of it yeah you know man
19:42
reading has a look there's a saying that
19:45
you know your thoughts influence your
19:48
behavior your behavior forms your
19:50
character and your character determines
19:51
your fate and so the more you learn is
19:54
just it's it's just a natural course of
19:57
action that is going to change you and
19:59
so I began to my the most of my
20:01
education came from on the road not at
20:04
College not in high school
20:06
people would meet me at hotels and I'm a
20:09
people's person so I felt if I feel
20:10
comfortable I'm inviting to the room a
20:12
modern room service people there were
20:14
some people that were great in history
20:15
some great religion some had a specialty
20:18
in political science and they would
20:20
introduce me books gnome Chomsky go over
20:22
there how was Zen Amos and Wilson
20:24
Columbus I'm reading everything now
20:26
because I feel I'm being exposed and
20:28
it's fascinating then I feel cheated
20:30
education so I'm like man and so as a
20:34
result of that
20:36
I come across books talking about
20:38
foreign policy talking about the crimes
20:41
and then I'm comparing where we are
20:43
today and I'm listening to the language
20:45
of what was happening then it's like
20:47
nothing has changed nothing's changed
20:49
you know nothing I said if you take
20:50
these images in 2023
20:53
and you take the images then and you put
20:55
them in black and white you wouldn't
20:57
notice the time difference we still so
21:00
these are interesting yeah these are the
21:02
things that influence me I just couldn't
21:05
see myself and so the NBA obviously
21:08
you know it was less about me it was
21:11
more about sending a message to other
21:13
people you know that if this is if you
21:16
choose to take this course this is gonna
21:18
this is what's going to happen to you
21:19
and they they said I was supposed to
21:21
meet David Stern uh that I never talked
21:24
to David Stern uh throughout that whole
21:27
process the media was saying he's going
21:29
to New York never met him uh and then I
21:32
come to find out that you suspending me
21:34
for not standing for the flag now I
21:37
don't even think this I don't know if
21:38
this is a documentary but yet I'm
21:41
reading this paper but it used to be
21:43
called a spotlight now it's called
21:44
American free press and they had a
21:46
private meeting in Davos Switzer you
21:48
know the heads of state presidents and
21:50
this is prior to the Iraq War right
21:52
before they even mention it to the
21:54
public that okay we're going to what
21:56
they already knew and the meeting was
21:58
such that if you had been invited before
22:00
you had to pay 10 000 to attend if you
22:03
have it fifteen thousand just to attend
22:04
the gist of the meeting was to see which
22:07
major corporations was going to steal
22:09
the natural resources
22:11
they gave a list of the people invited
22:12
David Stern the NBA commissioner was one
22:14
of them I said wow this is going this
22:16
that's generational effect yeah I'm
22:18
getting ready that's going to be murder
22:19
yeah there's gonna be theft
22:22
and there's generational effects of what
22:25
you're involved with and you're gonna
22:27
no politics in basketball you suspended
22:30
me and and putting me out there like
22:32
that
22:32
and so yeah it was it was it was
22:35
ridiculous and but this is the hypocrisy
22:36
yeah that exists and even today with the
22:39
NBA they but look at Kyrie Irving right
22:42
did you and Kyrie ever have a did he
22:44
reach out to you man I talked to Kyrie
22:48
uh during the big three yeah uh I forget
22:51
who put us in contact man we talked for
22:53
about an hour
22:54
very intelligent articulate guy and he
22:58
said Mama the takeaways that I have from
23:00
the conference they said my movement
23:01
basketball my legacy is already
23:02
established he said but in in so many
23:06
words he said man but that's not
23:07
important to me he said what's what I'm
23:09
trying to leave now man I'm trying to
23:11
help as many people as I can I'm trying
23:13
to elevate myself
23:14
and which is why I think he's on a he's
23:17
on a tear like that wasn't mentioned
23:19
about all how philanthropic you know
23:22
because you know it's easy now to label
23:24
you when you don't see all of that as a
23:26
troubled person right but but he's he's
23:29
definitely on the course I think and on
23:31
the on the course of trying to educate
23:33
yourself look man you're going to have
23:34
missteps yeah that's just natural yeah
23:36
but I admire the fact that he's willing
23:39
to throw things out there to see how
23:41
it's going to bounce back that's how you
23:42
grow and that's what he's doing I think
23:45
and I was very impressed with our
23:46
conversation but the NBA you know I was
23:49
asked well if it was a different time
23:51
now do you think I said no because look
23:54
at how they did it's a different type of
23:56
politics you know when when James Harden
23:59
and and Westbrook win China what's
24:03
happening with the Ooey girls and then
24:05
you have if you have a facility in in
24:07
China
24:09
and they were about to answer a question
24:10
hey don't answer that I thought y'all
24:13
allowed your players to deal with these
24:15
issues you know so it's not as I think
24:17
they're just more savvy with how they
24:19
deal with it but because they never
24:21
reach back to uh Craig Hodges you've
24:23
been having all of these social if
24:24
you're no longer like David Stern's
24:26
period no longer like that why haven't
24:29
you and you've changed why haven't you
24:31
reached back I talked to Craig the
24:34
position that Craig took by giving the
24:36
staff recommendations for the black
24:37
community every citizen should be able
24:38
to do it what happened with Craig Hodges
24:40
he after the Championship he went to the
24:42
White House wearing African dashiki I
24:44
remember this right and he passed to a
24:48
staffer to give to the president
24:49
recommendations to improve the
24:52
conditions in the African-American
24:53
community
24:54
they felt he shouldn't have did that no
24:56
if you're a qualified leader you should
24:58
accept those offers yeah you know you
25:01
you come to us to promote you for votes
25:03
and all this other every citizen should
25:05
have the right to do that even if you're
25:07
not a citizen God gives you that right
25:09
if you see something and so they went
25:11
around and his his career was affected
25:13
as a result of that yeah and so they
25:16
they blackballed him yeah the problem
25:18
shouldn't have been with him it should
25:20
have been with people who saw it as a
25:21
problem
25:22
and like he's broke three
25:24
All-Star records yeah nobody has done
25:27
that yet Three-Point Contest I said they
25:29
should have him at every event with a
25:32
throne at half according to somebody get
25:34
those until somebody get it paying him
25:36
handsomely for it they should invite him
25:38
and I'll petition for me but they should
25:41
invite all of those people who stood up
25:43
for something at these at these
25:45
conventions talking about social acting
25:46
if you've really changed but you haven't
25:48
because it ain't the same type of
25:50
politics and you haven't changed I love
25:53
it man my mood is here uh
25:55
888-742-3345 Lord Sears coming up next
25:58
uh we're gonna go to Louisiana too we
26:00
got to do quick questions you got one
26:02
what up Joe
26:04
I just want to give praise to uh my mood
26:07
uh sway as you know uh my mood when he
26:10
when he first got to LSU
26:12
um you know he he's everybody's favorite
26:14
player before they were you know before
26:16
he was anybody's favorite place so
26:19
um a guy who scored 48 and 53 in his
26:23
first month he put up 55 against his
26:25
home State team Ole Miss hit 9-3 as as
26:30
um
26:31
uh the splash brother would say what's
26:34
his name uh
26:36
Stephen Curry what's his name
26:42
okay two you know I'm a Warriors fan
26:45
don't do that okay
26:48
I couldn't think but my movie man you
26:51
were my favorite player uh when you got
26:53
the LSU as a kid from Opelousas
26:55
Louisiana
26:57
um you know man I couldn't couldn't wait
27:00
until the tigers came on so I can see
27:02
you do your thing man uh much love and
27:04
and keep doing what you do man thank you
27:07
much love to you more love to you so we
27:09
appreciate you man we gotta talk Devonte
27:10
Davis Ryan Garcia soon all right
27:20
he's in Texas
27:22
yes sir yo hey everybody how you doing
27:24
feeling good yeah
27:27
a long time listen to first time caller
27:30
but uh my food I just wanted to say this
27:32
man I was um uh stationed in the keys
27:34
for Air Force Base back when you were
27:36
Junior Senior High School watch you will
27:39
Imperial green go at it all the time now
27:42
um I also I have a son that has
27:43
disability and I'm all I'm very
27:45
sympathetic and protective of people who
27:47
have I just feelings but I want to tell
27:49
you that I'm real proud of the way that
27:51
you're handling this and I'm just
27:53
hearing you talk you know just being the
27:55
spokesman that you are so to speak but I
27:57
just had a quick question as far as um I
28:00
know when you
28:01
um you convert it you have trouble they
28:03
burn it down your house how how did you
28:06
handle that and um did you get any
28:09
support from the MBA on that and a much
28:10
love and much respect too thank you
28:13
um you know what man my faith even
28:16
though none of us are perfect my faith
28:18
governs everything I do so
28:20
you know I I follow the methodology of
28:23
the Quran everywhere where God said he's
28:25
going to challenge us
28:26
he says I'm gonna challenge you with
28:28
loss of lives worldly Goods Labor's
28:30
fruits but give good news to those who
28:31
are patient in adversity when they're
28:33
confronted with a Calamity they say from
28:34
God we come to God should we belong he's
28:36
not going to give you a burden you came
28:37
back you know for every difficulty he's
28:40
going to give you ease so I'm always
28:41
trying to follow up whatever I go
28:43
through
28:44
with some positive reinforcement because
28:45
what you focus on grows and so that's
28:48
just how I do it when I'm hit with
28:49
something I said you know what you're
28:50
not going to give me this
28:51
to dehumanize me you know you're giving
28:54
him this because you're trying to
28:55
elevate me to something I don't might
28:56
not understand and so that's what got me
28:58
through it his house got burned down wow
29:01
and Mississippi is home state by some
29:04
racist folks who they loved him when he
29:06
was you know scoring points for him but
29:08
they they didn't love him when he
29:10
decided his faith right and they burned
29:12
down his house at one point he became
29:14
destitute in the sense that you lost
29:16
every penny
29:18
you know I'm sure that affected impacted
29:20
your family life you know at some point
29:24
um and you'll find out all of these so I
29:26
don't want to tell everything but it's
29:28
all in the documentary
29:30
um I want to say congratulations to you
29:32
yeah I don't know why now but why but
29:35
what today what made it happen What made
29:38
this doc happen at this time you know
29:40
what man that's a great question there's
29:42
a saying that man plans and God plans
29:44
and verily God is the best of planets
29:46
yeah I would like to think because
29:48
just the timing uh I'm older now I've
29:52
I've read more I've experienced more had
29:54
more conversations I think I'm in a
29:56
better position now than I was then to
29:58
articulate you know my life but also
30:01
just there's always something happening
30:03
in the world
30:04
and with Kaepernick doing what he's
30:06
doing look at Kyrie's situation more
30:08
athletes are speaking out
30:10
you know the advancement of social media
30:12
you know the media not being able to
30:14
control the narrative as much as it used
30:15
to I just felt
30:18
this was more better time than any and
30:22
like an old dude told me he said man
30:23
none of us are going to make it out here
30:24
live I don't know when I'm going and so
30:27
if we can leave a legacy
30:28
uh you know George Washington Carver
30:30
said no one has a right to come into
30:31
this world and go out of it without
30:33
leaving behind distinct and legitimate
30:34
reasons for having passed through it so
30:37
sometimes whether it's building a road
30:38
or a hospital or a book I can be in my
30:41
my my
30:42
on my deathbed I can be in the grave for
30:45
50 years 100 years we got a concept in
30:47
Islam called South Dakota
30:49
so if somebody's reading your book and
30:51
they're benefiting from it even when
30:53
you're dead and gone you're getting
30:54
blessings so this is one of the reasons
30:56
among many that I decided to do it man
30:58
congratulations man that was beautiful
31:00
congratulations to uh Jocelyn Rose Lions
31:04
phenomenal you did an excellent job oh
31:07
my gosh your direction was um incredible
31:10
impeccable mahershala Ali another
31:13
Oakland Brethren that spoke high praises
31:16
of you Jalen Rose who put things in in
31:19
just such a perspective to make you see
31:21
it so clearly Shaquille O'Neal for all
31:25
of his commentary and just telling
31:28
people look this dude was the greatest
31:30
uh Stephen Kerr Steve Kerr who came in
31:34
and said he had no chance against you
31:37
all of these legendary people who speak
31:40
your name and imma add myself to the
31:42
list man congratulations thank you let
31:44
me say thank you man it was an absolute
31:46
Joy watching you play in college it was
31:49
an absolute Joy watching you play you're
31:52
the type of player that even though you
31:53
didn't play for my team The Warriors you
31:55
actually played against them
31:58
um I still enjoyed you playing and
32:01
hearing Stephen Curry Stephen Curry say
32:03
uh how you influenced his game and in
32:06
the dock you'll see clips of YouTube
32:08
moving the same what is the greatest
32:11
game you felt you ever played what game
32:13
was it
32:16
in terms of stats even though it was an
32:19
overtime game I would say Phoenix
32:21
because there was a it was 30 20.
32:24
uh I-20 assists oh finally people damn
32:28
yeah you know sometimes you don't get
32:30
the assist it ain't because you're
32:31
passing it's because they ain't making
32:32
it yeah you know they took a dribble
32:34
okay and they went a certain way two
32:36
more drills you know so but that was uh
32:39
one of the best games but in terms of
32:42
just numbers
32:44
and I've I've been blessed yeah to have
32:47
a few so yeah
32:49
when y'all beat the Bulls that was a
32:50
good one yeah but but you know Bay Area
32:52
man for me is one of my favorite places
32:54
yeah yeah I just have a history of art
32:56
yeah I have a history of activism and
32:58
and that's also a place that just I used
33:01
to go in the summer when I was in the
33:02
league and sit into these meetings and
33:04
listening to talk and that helped to to
33:07
groom me as well okay he said locksmith
33:09
is one of his favorite rappers I'm not
33:11
mad at that okay hey hey my mood thank
33:14
you for coming by brother thank you the
33:16
documentary is stand it's streaming
33:18
tomorrow on Showtime yo everybody watch
33:20
it okay
#Arts & Entertainment