Patrick Ewing NBA icon, Knicks, facing MJ, Shaq, Hakeem & reality of never winning a ring| The Pivot

I don't have a ring or Charles don't have a ring or all the other great players who played this game or don't have a ring. I don't see that diminishing what they have accomplished. We were a physical ball club and we weren't going to take any trash from anybody. Detroit Bulls, whoever. Unfortunately, we played in an era where they had that guy 23. >> And I'm a damn Hall of Famer. Hell with MJ. I'm about to bust his ass, too. >> He's going at my guy. I'm going at their guy. I'm tunnel vision. I'm blocking everything out. Especially in New York. I'm blocking everything out and I'm trying to get the job done. Yes, I went one, but also I was number one in in coming out of high school. I try not to let the pressure get to me. I figured my mom and dad [ __ ] that's pressure. Moving from Jamaica to here, coming to a country that we didn't know nothing about. That's pressure. When you're going into war, we don't think about who we're going against. We just go, okay, who is next? That was definitely frustrating. It was definitely heartbreaking. I would have went down the wrong road. I would have been either dead or in jail. I'm going to wear them bad boys. And if I was playing right now, I'll be wearing them. >> I'm going to be weighing him and dropping 50. >> Did the Knicks let you down? To be a Hall of Famer and not HAVE A RING, SOMEBODY had to do something wrong, bro. >> That's the only regret. Of course, not winning it. You know, not being able to bring a title to New York. I witness it feeling way up on the mission. Got me up. Knowing me, I got the key. Only vision I can trust trust limit. I witness it. My people feeling militant. >> Hey Ch, I hit him up. I was like, "Hey man, you know, let me know when you're on your way." He was like, "Shit, I forgot." >> I I had to run home, chain, throw something on. >> You a legend. You could do that. >> N waiting for you, baby. >> I uh pride myself on being on time. If I'mma say I'm gonna be somewhere, I I pride myself on on getting there. >> Yeah. >> Just getting old, boss. >> Hey, that's part of it. Y >> that's part of it, man. The voice you hear and the man you see is Patrick Euan Nay Smith, Hall of Famer. I mean, national champion, three-time all-American with the three finals, 11 allstar, seventime allNBA team. I mean, the list goes on and on what you have accomplished. So, this is really an honor for us. something I've been trying. I hit your son up about it. When I saw you at the hotel that day, I've been texting. So, I'm glad we're able to get it done. This is Channing Crowder. This is Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark, Pivot Fam. Thank you for being with us. I just read all those accolades, Patrick. And man, there's so many of them. And I feel like every time people talk about you, they go, "Man, but if he plays in a different era, he got a championship." How often do you think about how good of an individual player you were, how great some of those Knicks teams were, but how much y'all fell just short? >> Well, first of all, I just want to say thank y'all for having me on. I'm a big fan of all three of you guys. I watch y'all. Uh when he came when he approached me with coming on, I'm like, "Hell yeah." >> Yeah, >> definitely. I I love it. You know, I try not to compare my era to this era or eras in the past. I know whatever era I played in, I'd be dominant. You know, I was a one of the big men who could shoot, but I didn't shoot a lot of threes. Michael and I always joke about, he's like, "Man, but you can't dribble." I said, "I can. All I need is two dribbles. Two. That's it. Just two. Two dribbles I can get from the free throw line to the hole." So, it doesn't make a difference what era I'm in. I think I can still dominate. I watch and I admire the things that that the the guys are doing now. uh they are more skilled in terms of putting the ball on the floor, shooting threes, especially the you know the the bigs, the Yokage, Embiid. >> Yeah. >> But you know I feel that we had a heart u we had uh athleticism just like them. But you know the games changed the game changed in 94 after we played Houston. >> You know it was too physical that series was so physical the NBA was like no we have to change we have to change the rules. Yeah. >> So that's why it changed. That's why they wanted more free flowing, more threes. And it is what it is. >> But you say I I don't like it. I don't like it. Pat, you say too physical. There's no such thing as too physical. >> Hey, look. >> Like that change you're talking about. Does that make the game better or just make people score more points? >> You know, I'm not going to say it's better or or worse. Definitely more points. The the scoring has definitely gone up. You know, it's funny. I was looking at the Iceman. He's he scored 70s something points. >> Mhm. >> Without any threes. >> Mhm. >> If he scored 79 without any three or 70 whatever it was without any threes. Imagine what he would have done >> if he shot the three. >> So it doesn't make a difference, you know, threes or twos. We just got it the hard way. And one. >> Yeah. >> And one. >> Come in there. That's right. >> And earn it. >> That's right. >> But you guys is you talking about physicality though. I mean, I'm sure y'all had to watch film and you would see what Detroit was doing. Bill Lambbeer, Rodman, y'all clotheslining people out there. Like, it looked like a football game. Truthly, it looked like So, the NBA sort of they sort of needed to taper it taper it down a bit. But what were what were some of those discussions and film sessions like? Cuz y'all could see another team kick ass and say, "Look, if we don't match this intensity, >> they going to do us like that and we going to be on their film for the next opponent they're going to face." You know what I'm saying? Pat Riley had a rule. >> Okay. >> Anybody comes in the paint, you put them on their back. >> If you pick them up, that's a fine. >> So, you know, yeah, we was definitely physical. We weren't trying to be the Detroit weren't trying to be the bad boys, but we had our own version of that. You know, we had myself, you had Oak, you had Mace. When X played with us, you had X. So, we were a physical ball club, and we weren't going to take any trash from anybody. Detroit, Bulls, whoever. Unfortunately, we played in an era where they had that guy 23. >> We had that guy 23. And then, you know, when we finally when he took uh took those two years off, then unfortunately, you know, we we didn't get I couldn't get past a >> got I got a Keem in college. He got me in the NBA. >> So, that was definitely >> frustrating. It was definitely heartbreaking. >> You know, we lost to them. Then I I thought for sure we was going to get there the next year. M >> um my knees were bothering me. I drain they drained my knee and my knees swoll up like I mean my leg swoll like a balloon. So that next series if you see uh the next year I had a a white sleeve on my leg. That's cuz my legs it was it blew up like a balloon. I'm not sure what happened but you know we don't have the technology that they do now back then. But I fought through and that's the year I missed the layup and we weren't able to get back to play against we would have played Orlando and then hopefully uh back to play uh Houston again. >> You you mentioned that two years that Mike took off. What was the the the overall vibe of the of the league? Like did everybody feel like okay now it's our time or was it kind of sumber? Did you guys really think he wouldn't come back? >> Who? We didn't know. He and I friends we had the same agent and no one was saying anything. David Fog wasn't saying anything. Michael wasn't saying anything. So, you know, when you are when you're going into war, you know, all of us, we compare sports to war. When you're going into war, we don't think about who we're going against. We just go, okay, who was next? >> Yeah. >> So, if it was Chicago, cuz we had to get past Chicago still to to get back to get to the finals. So, it didn't make a difference who it was. We just had to get out there and and and go to war. You know, I've heard you talk millions of times. It feels like, now listen, I was a Bulls fan. I'm just going to be honest with you. >> There's a lot of people. >> See, you know, you from New Orleans, so that's why, you know, you know what I'm saying? >> We didn't have a squad back then. You know, >> and I don't feel like I've ever heard you have an accent until sitting here with you now. Sitting here with you now, I'm like, wait, yeah, he does have a little hint. >> It comes out >> of of an accent. comes out >> when your parents move, you and your siblings here, what is it, seven of y'all total? >> Yeah, seven. Seven. >> Seven. When you guys move from, you know, Jamaica to Massachusetts, what was that transition like for y'all as an entire family? It obviously ends up working out in a great way, but that had to be difficult as a kid. >> Oh, yeah. It was definitely it was definitely difficult. First, my mom moved here first. Okay. >> So, she moved here first. She was a a nanny/maid. So, you know, back then you could, you know, move up, you know, work for a certain amount of time and then you were able to move on. So, she worked for 10 years or whatever it was. Got her freedom. Got her freedom. So, she then she started both her and my dad, he was in Jamaica saving his money. My mom was up here saving money. Then my dad and my sister that was above me, she came. Then myself and my younger sister came. So, we came up two by two, you know, one by one. So that's how it happened. We fortunat the only reason why we wound up in Massachusetts was um that's where the job was. So she got a job and uh it was in that area and then there's a large West Indian population in that area. So on her days off she would go hang out with her friends that you know they were also from the islands. That's where they lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So naturally once she was able to move on and to her next opportunity, that's where she decided to live and that's where we all we all lived. And >> what's that like though when your family is basically being separated? >> Oh, it's rough. >> In in order to give all of you a better chance and opportunity at life. That's an amazing sacrifice. >> Oh yeah, it's it's rough. she was up here and my dad and my sister, my siblings, my grandmother was alive at that time. So, you know, of course, we, you know, we as kids, we missed our mom, you know, and sometimes she'll surprise us and come back and, you know, we we weren't we weren't rich, so we were all poor. Um, so, you know, it it was a struggle. And then you know hearing that we're moving to America and you know back then you're like man we're moving to America you know the streets are pave but gold is all this you know you're THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU GET HERE THINK ABOUT HOW GREAT IT'S GOING TO be >> I moved I'm like I got off the plane I'm like this you know it's it was a shock >> it was a shock and then you know all the the negatives being in Boston uh Americans didn't want you the black Americans didn't want you there because you know you they're like you're coming here to take our jobs. >> The whites didn't want you there because you're black. So, you know, you had to go through both both of those um obstacles. And then, you know, I was also tall. I was I was 12, I was 5'11. So, people thought I was older than I was, even though my fa I had a younger face. But, um you know, I would get teased a lot about my accent, about my height. you know, I hadn't grown into my body yet, being unc, you know, uncoordinated, but, you know, learned this game of basketball and that that has changed definitely changed my life. >> Yeah. You the biggest Jamaican I ever met. >> When I go back, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. >> THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. ME, >> BOY, you stupid family go to Jamaica every Christmas. >> Never seen one that juke pot chicken. Hey, >> the side of the road chicken. It be delicious. But yeah, the jerk chicken and all that. >> But do you ever think think about that that that transition of what your parents were doing? Did they know that? Correct me if I'm wrong. You wouldn't be the Patrick Euan that we know if they didn't do that if you didn't come to America. >> Oh yeah. I mean every my mom and father, you know, they're p they've passed away. And my mom was not able to see the fruits of her labor. She died when I was going into my junior year of college. >> Wow. >> And my dad, so he was able to see it. He was able to see what I was able to become. >> And every time I go back home to Boston, I I go to when I go to their grave site, I always I always say, "Thank you." You know, thank you. Because I knew that if I had stayed in Jamaica, the opportunities that I would have had wouldn't have been the same. I would have went I would have I would have went down the wrong road. I'd be I I would have been either dead or in jail. >> So, moving here and, you know, fell falling in love with with a game of basketball, that changed that changed my my life and and my family's life. >> I'm going tell you what, you would have been dead in jail for sure cuz ain't no criminal 72. THEY DON'T HAVE HEY, >> HE AIN'T STEALING NOTHING AND SNEAKING NOWHERE. >> IT'S HIM. HEY, >> the big guy like the long one. THE LONG ONE. >> DESCRIPTION: 7 foot. That was Patrick. Hey over there. >> That's Patrick. >> He right over there. >> No, but it it was, you know, moving here >> was a great opportunity. >> Yeah. >> And it was a risk, but it was a great opportunity. >> Can you imagine? Cuz in Jamaica, what is it? Cricket and soccer. Can y'all imagine? In track, right? In track. Patrick playing goalie. >> He got everything co. >> That was my first love. >> Soccer was my first. We call it football. That was my first love. You know, I wanted to be the next Pelle. >> Okay. >> You know, Pelle was my idol. Muhammad Ali and Pelle. And then, you know, come here and fall in love with the ne, you know, fall in love with basketball, that changed everything. M >> but you know I was blessed to yes moving here but then the people that I was able to meet you know my friends the coaches all of those guys that taught me about basketball taught me about you know Bill Russell taught me about all the sex Celtics great cuz that's you know in Boston that's that's that's where where I live >> but they they put in the work to to um help me to be to develop and to become the player that I became. And then Big John, he took it over and and sir, >> the names you bring up, you talking about Bill Russell and you talk, you said Hakee and you talk two, three, we know you talking about Mike, you got a shirt on right now and all of that, but you keep saying when I fell in love with basketball, >> you was just a big dude and you said you was goofy, >> right? >> Like what what was the falling in love with basketball portion of your life >> from the first day where I lived in Cambridge? I was right the the park was right right in my backyard. It was like, you know, there was a fence, but that that was the park. And every day I would be over I'd be on the park on the swing set just doing normally kids stuff. And these kids was in there playing ball. And they're like, they needed another another body. So they like, you know, will you want to play? I'm like, I don't I don't know how to play. From that day, me playing, I didn't know anything about it, but I fell in love with it. >> I fell in love with it. soccer. I didn't even remember anything about soccer. That's basketball was was was what I fell in love with. And you know, like I said, I was I wasn't any good. I was, you know, clumsy. I was awkward. I was 5'11. And I remember I I was trying out for this team and one of the coach uh we were running a layup line and I ran into the other line and knocked one of the kids over. He got so mad at me, kicked me out of practice. He told me, "You will you will never be [ __ ] You are never going to be [ __ ] Never going to be shit." So, a lot of times I think back and I'm like, if I had listened to him and stopped cuz, you know, I wanted to stop. I'm like, man, you know, freaking forget him, >> you know? But I'm like, you know what? My goal was not to be an NBA player. My goal was I'm doing something that I enjoy doing. I love doing so. So, I just kept on doing it. And then like I said before, the community that I had around me, you know, they all pushed and prod and and you know, help you know, you know, helped me stood me up and I was able to become what I became. >> You mentioned John John Thompson, >> right? >> Absolute legend. >> I'm going to tell you something that I'm sure some other people have told you. Uh, I thought Georgetown was uh H.B.CU because of the basketball team. >> Hey, I remember when my dad told me that it wasn't H.B.CU. VCU. I WAS LIKE, "NO." I WAS LIKE, "ABSOLUTELY." >> He was bringing in them >> dollars. Yeah. I was like, "George is an HBCU." >> Hey, look, a lot even when I when I chose to go to Georgetown, you know, a lot of kids from my high school like, "Why are you going to all black school?" I'm like, "It's not all black." >> But if you look at the team, the team is predominantly black, right? >> So, we had a black coach, a predominantly black team. So, especially everybody in our community, they all thought that we were we were black. it was, you know, HB.CU, but >> definitely wasn't the other way. >> When you 16 years old, you know, and you fallen in love with this game and obviously John Thompson became John Thomp John Thompson during the time you were there, >> right? That's when the world got to see how great of a coach he was, how great of a leader he was. Three straight national championships, you guys win one. But when a John Thompson meets a 16-year-old Patrick Yun, what was that like for you? >> You know, it's funny because he was who he was before I got there. They had good teams before I got there. They had Baby Duran, uh, Sleepy Floyd, Craig Shelton. So, they had talent. >> Um, I, you know, when I talk about it, I just said, you know, my class came and kicked the door down. >> Yeah. I remember him coming to my high school to recruit me and just sitting there in awe, you know, my mouth wide open just, you know, just listening to him, just the way that he spoke. He was like a poet. He was eloquent, you know, he he carried himself with dignity. He would he made any person of color want to that's somebody to to look up to. And that's that's how I saw him when I went to all the other schools that I visited to to potentially go to. That was the place I wanted to go to to play for him. >> You know, he was 610. He was my height. Um and just, you know, he could be another father. Mhm. >> A lot of times players um like whatever colleges you attend, you go back if you made it this far, got a little money, you donate back to the university, they tend to, let's say, put your name on a wait room or uh a meeting room. You know, rarely do players donate and then they have other people name put. You chose to donate back to Georgetown. 3.3 million which represents your jersey number obviously >> but instead of having your name on the building you chose to for John Thompson >> and they also added a statue to that >> right >> why when I think about George and I think about Big John I think about him yes we're the ones that was physically out there you know um playing but all the the blood sweat and tears all the years all the abuse used all the things that he had to endure to get to that to that point to get to where we won uh got to three uh championships. >> I mean, I think that all of that that's what that's what it's all about. And he got a lot of abuse especially because of me because yeah, he had a rule freshman couldn't talk. But once we able to start talking, you know, I'm like if I did all the interviews that everybody wanted me cuz I was the number one player coming out of high school that year. I mean, I wouldn't have time to do anything else. Everybody everybody wanted a piece. Peace here, peace there. >> So, he took the hit. >> And I just thought that it was it was it was an honor to to be able to bless bless him with that. >> I think that's amazing. >> Do you look back now as a grown man and see that coach JT was like what he was doing, what he was pushing forward? >> Oh, yeah. >> Like with Don Staley and all, you know what I'm saying? The different pieces. Do you look back now and see that he was decades maybe before his time? >> I mean, we look look back at it back then. I mean, he would have, you know, he always he had he has a deflated ball in his office. And when I was there, we we still kept it because, you know, he he told all of us that at some point some of us will will go and play in the NBA, some of us won't. That's at some point the ball is going to stop bouncing, >> you know. So, you got to have to set yourself up for the next opportunity. I was fortunate enough to play 17 years. Alonzo Dembe was AI. We were all for fortunate enough to play a lot of years, but there's also a lot of guys who didn't. >> So, he would bring in guys who look like us who were in the other sectors of life. You know, McDonald's CEOs or, you know, VPs, CocaCola, all these different James Brown who's uh huge on TV. Bring all these different people in to talk to us. talk to us about, you know, the next chapter in our lives. And I think that all of those things was educational but also blessing us. The only thing I would say that I want my NIL money. >> Hey, you got paid boy. Hey, you might not have loved ever. I want my NIL money. I stay four years. I want my four years. >> You know, uh, in uh, I came as a shadow, John Thompson wrote that you were the greatest player to ever play for Georgetown. And he also wrote that if he saw one better than you, he'd still lie and say that you, you know, and and I thought that just said a lot about what you meant to him. But I just listen to like some of these names that you ran off about Georgetown, the AIS, the Kimbe, the Alonzo, the Sleepy Floyd. My pops love sleepy Floyd. >> People don't realize how great he was. >> Like me and my when we would hoop, he'd be like, "Sleepy Floyd." I'm like, "Who the hell is that?" >> You yell co, you don't yell sleepy. Steven Floyd when who who do you think stacks up as some of the best to ever play for Georgetown? >> You name some right there. You have, you know, Roy Hibbert had a great uh NBA career. Uh Jeff Green, >> there others, you know, you got me you got me um thinking now. >> Here's my question though. When you saw how AI was playing at Georgetown, was you like, man, I ain't no coach. >> Oh yeah. He ain't give me that freedom. >> HE DIDN'T GIVE ME THAT FREEDOM. >> YEAH. I WANT TO SAY to you guys how you I'm going to tell you a story. So we're playing against Virginia against Ralph Samson >> legend >> and Ralph came down and took I guess it would have been a college three. I took a shot from the free throw line. He calls timeout. Get your [ __ ] ass in the paint. That's where he belong. I'm like all right coach. But you know, uh, he was a he was he always says that he has a PhD in profanity, >> but he was he was a great man. I I consider him a a father figure, a role model. Um, he's just I was blessed to be able to play for him. >> Patrick, you mentioned you the number one player in the country, right? >> Right. >> But when you were in the All-American games, there was also this guy uh I believe they call him Michael Jeffrey Jordan. >> Who's that? Yeah, you might have heard of him and you know you guys saw each other again in college very early. >> Could you see like was it like, "Hey man, this dude's going to be the greatest basketball player to ever live like when you first started to compete against him." >> No, you mean you know he was good. You know he was athletic. You know he was talented. So we we played in the McDonald's uh games together. We I also visited North Carolina when he was at North Carolina. He was also on the he had already committed but I think they brought him back just to talk me into trying to talk me into coming to North Carolina. >> Yes. Yes. There were other guys that you know I thought might have been better than him at that time but you know the thing that that separated him from a lot of people is that belief. He had a belief in himself. He had a drive and I think that and also the athleticism. I think all that separated him from everybody else. >> And and speaking about Mike though, there got to be like even Charles Barkley, y'all was all playing together >> and you even said it when Mike took them time off, you were like, "Okay, [ __ ] I got to go get it." >> Like that is there is like that feeling that this dude is that much better cuz you was a monster. He read off your damn stats, bro. I can't get that championship cuz that [ __ ] in that red is about to walk out on this court. >> But you know, it's funny because when when you playing, you don't think about that. You know, when I when I'm competing, I'm like I'm trying to bust his ass. >> Yeah. >> You know, and just like he trying to go at me, I'm trying to go with him. And >> you know, he always talk about his centers. I'm like, I bust all of them. >> Yeah. >> Um real. Yeah. But you know, um, when you're playing, it's like if you you guys are playing against whoever is the best team in y'all's era, y'all playing against him. I'm not thinking about, okay, that's Brad. I'm going to try to get Brady. I'm trying to get his ass. >> I'm playing against Michael. I'm trying to get him. I'm not thinking about that. You know, oh wow, you know, this is Michael and, you know, I'm homage to him and all. No, I'm trying to bust your ass just like you trying to bust my ass. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It looked like HIM OUTSIDE. IT LOOK LIKE THAT. BUT THE conf like the confidence in you cuz you're very humble. Like RC was asking you a bring up your name when he asked about Georgetown. >> Yeah. >> You was a monster and you you did my best. I did my best. >> You talking about other people that thought like that when when did it hit that I'm a Hall of Fame basketball player? I'mma bust everybody's ass. Like what what did it take for your mind to switch over to that? Because you said you was 5'11 in damn third grade. >> I was 5'1. 51. I was 12. I at 5'11. I was 12. >> When you But when you figured it out that I'm a damn Hall of Famer, hell with MJ, I'm about to bust his ass, too. >> You know, the thing is I never I never thought of myself as that. I just thought of myself as one, I'm doing something that I love. >> Yes, I got to be good, you know. And I think that, okay, from from 12 to like 13, 14, I've been this height since I've been 16, 15. So, I've been this high since I was that young. And, you know, my body I started, you know, getting into my own. And I think that from my high school, my first my first game in high school, I scored one point. One point. One point. And I fouled out I fouled out in like five minutes. We played against Boston College High. We played against Boston College High. And then again, you know, fast forward four years later, we playing against them for the championship. So I tell all my friends, I'm like, "Look, okay, I'mma get 40 plus that one point that I got as a freshman." >> Now you average 24.5. >> So I draw 41. >> I go we won the championship. But, >> you know, I never I just I just, you know, I had a p I had a passion, you know, I had a passion for for it for basketball. And I didn't care who I was going to play against. I I was trying to compete to the best of my ability to go against them. It could be Michael. We didn't play the same position, but um I'm trying to kill his team. Whoever whoever, you know, whoever he's going at my guy, I'm going at their guy. It could be a Keem. You know, me and a Keem, we you know, we're we were cool, >> but we're you know, we're just a light. You know, he trying to bust me and I'm trying to bust him. >> He going to hit me with a bow, I'm going to hit him with a bow. You know, it's just that's just how it is. you know, you're competing against each other. So, I never I you know, if I think that if you are on when when you're in it, if you if you're you know, smelling the roses, that means you going to you lose all >> track of what you what you Yeah. So, I'm just I'm I'm tunnel vision. I'm blocking everything out. Especially in New York. >> I'm blocking everything out and I'm trying to get the job done. >> Unfortunately, it it it didn't happen for me. But, >> you're a legend. You're you're absolute legend. But I since we're talking about competing, I do want to ask you uh best of seven series. Dream Team one versus versus the redeemed team in seven. >> Come on, man. >> I just got to ask the OG. He was at >> talking about modern era and the OG. >> I ain't even got to ask. I ain't going to I ain't even going to answer THAT QUESTION. [ __ ] DREAM TEAM WON. >> SO SO ALL RIGHT. I figured you would say that. But in seven, do they win one? >> They they going to win one? They might win one. Like they they're talented. They're they were great team, >> right? But we were the best team ever. >> I agree. >> Ever. >> Yeah. >> See, people don't want to, you know, they don't want to admit that. Even those guys don't want to admit that. But we we were the best team ever. >> That's the reason I just tossed it out. That wasn't even my question. But we were talking about competing. My My question is this cuz you went number one overall, but it's not just like a regularly going number one. You went number one in New York City, the Knicks, right? Uh after they won the lottery. talk about the pressure of going number one, but not only that, you compound it with being in the city, which is it's bigger than basketball. Like this is New York City basketball. >> Like when I said being tunnel vision, that's just how I looked at it. So, you know, yes, I went one, but also I was number one in in coming out of high school. >> Yeah. >> Uh me and Michael came out together, but I was number one. You know, I I don't care what where I went, there was still going to be pressure. And I just try to block out the pressure. We were terrible my first two years. So, I remember we were I don't even remember who we were playing. We were playing together. They had a Patrick Post night. I remember them ripping up the post, ripping ripping my head out of the poster. The guy put his head in, you know, he got his head in there. I was playing terrible that game, too. He putting his head in there, throwing the post on the floor. >> Wow. >> I just didn't let the I tried not to let the pressure, >> you know, get to me. I figured my mom and dad [ __ ] that's pressure, >> man. >> Moving moving from Jamaica to here, coming to a country that we didn't know nothing about. That's pressure. And to me, I'm doing something that I love, something that I enjoy, something that God has blessed me with the talent to to be good at. So, I try to block out all of the noise and just focus on trying to be the best version of me that I could be. So, I didn't I didn't think of it. I live in Miami now. How was it with Pat Riley? What he did when you were in New York, >> right? >> And now y'all got to play every year. And just your relationship now you grown y'all grown men now, but how how was you and Pat's relationship back then to now? And how did you feel what he did to the Knicks back then? Because some New York people think it was he's disrespectful. We happy that he's in Miami because now we win the championship. But you and Pat Riley, where where did y'all sit then and where do y'all sit down? >> We had a great relationship. You know, of course, I'm I'm the best player on the team. So, you know, uh we definitely had, you know, he and I had to be on the same page, >> you know, in the game plan, practice, and all that stuff. So he was all about, you know, I I I look at back at my era. So the biggest difference between my era and this era, we were we were we were practicing three hours a day. We ain't had the chefs. We ain't had the private planes. We had >> we a no we you know we had shoot around. We still had a tape for shoot around, >> right? >> But I thought that everything that he brought to us helped us to be uh to be better. you know, before he came, I had I had gone through five five new co five different coaches in in the five years that I've been there. >> Four different GMs, two different owners. So, I thought that he brought a stability to the team. Now, I was disappointed when when he left and went to Miami. >> You know, he and I talk about that. You know, I was in I was in Miami. I was co uh I was an assistant coach with the USA basketball and uh he came out and he and I talked for about an hour and that's one of the things we talked about was why he left. I'm not going to bring it up but um >> you know I was definitely when I heard that he was leaving I was disappointed and then you know they brought in uh Don Nelson >> and that wasn't a good fit but I was very happy when uh Jeff Van Gundy got the job. So, he was a lot, you know, a lot of the things that we did uh under Raz, we did with Jeff. The the funniest thing is that when we when Raz first went to Miami and we played them, we they're they're running we're both running the same play. They're calling the you know, it's like we're in practice. We're calling he they're running post up for Patrick for post up for Lonzo. It's the same play, same call. >> So, we're we're like, "Come on, man. At least you could have changed. You could have changed. >> We're running this the SAME THING BUT THE SAME CAR, >> BUT THEY DID IT the next year. >> And and and you you say you and Zo going at Zo going at your man. Y'all used to have some battles, but >> Yes, we did. >> But you said you and a Keem, it's all love. Go out to eat before the game, after the game, but bust they ass for four quarter. >> Keem and I Yeah, we we we were close. We good friends. But me and Alonzo, that's my guy. >> Yeah. Milonzo de Cambe, we, you know, we we're Georgetown. You know, we in the summers I'll be back in DC back here. You know, I would try to teach them all the things that I had learned from being in the NBA uh to try to get them ready for for their whatever what whatever was coming for them. So, I thought that, you know, I was the big brother uh to them. I taught them all the things that I could teach them to get them to where they needed to be. But when we played against each other, >> is it just a switch? Does >> No, that switch never never never come never turns off. >> But but you you're you're you're teaching them everything. Then that horn blows. >> Oh yeah. No. >> Go to hell after this. Like it got to be a time where you got to flip that switch. >> The horn is always horn on. It could be in the summer while we're working out. We're playing. The the horn is that switch is on. We're trying to kill each other. There' be times Big John had to come out of his office and y'all uh y'all got to stop. You know, y'all got to stop. And then this season, you know, I'm playing and I'm playing in the Kembbe, you know, I'm trying to guard him. He elbows me in my jaw. After the game, I said, "Yo, why why you hit me? Why you put your face in my elbow?" So, you know, it's, you know, we're we're we're all competitive. So, you know, to me, the friendship starts, okay, we go out to dinner, we're friends with boys. After the game is over, we're friends with boy, but once once the game start, that friendship ain't Uh-uh. >> Speaking of that, that friendship though, Patrick, and I know it's been fun when you're so close to someone in the way you're close to Dimbe and you lose him. You know, as we get older, you know, we talk about it all the time. You you experience those things. How difficult was that time for you and your Georgetown family? >> It was very difficult. You know, it was difficult seeing him the way that you know, he had lost his motor all the motor skills. He had lost the motor skills um while he was b battling the tumor. And you know, Alonza and I once a month we'll we'll get together and we'll all we'll fly fly to Atlanta to go, you know, make sure we you know, visit with him, talk to him, spend the day, just with him and his wife and just just just sit down and, you know, reminisce, talking smack. And when when he died, um I Alonzo was supposed to fly to Atlanta that day to go see him. I couldn't go for I don't even remember why why I couldn't go but Lonzo was going and that's when we got the call that he had passed. He was a brother. He was a friend. Um he brought me to Africa. You know he's definitely missed. It's funny. I was I had a a dream about him the other day. I had to text his wife. I'm like happy Easter. But man, I had a dream about Big Fellow last night. She's like, "Well, he came to visit you and I hope that you know he he he blessed you with some some good words, you know, so but uh he's missed." >> Yeah, man. You know, I I we we deal with it and you know, Chance talked about losing teammates. Fred has. I have as well. You know, those bonds that you build through this game like truly change you for the rest of your life. you know, you became not only the best player for the Knicks, but the leader, >> right, >> of the team. When John Starks, who became the heart of what the Knicks were, how hard he played, how tough he plays, I think he goes two for 18 in game seven. Like what are those conversations as a friend, as a teammate, as a leader when you're hurting too cuz you don't get it done, but you also know what he's dealing with cuz you've had nights like that, but not in the biggest moment. >> People always talk about that. They bring it up to me. And as a player, as a scorer, everybody who plays, you know, you always think the next one going in. You can ask Steph. He's one of the greatest shooters to to ever play. And every time he shoots the ball, I don't care if he was over for 10, he think the next one going in. So that's how I equated for John. He was rolling that series. And yes, he was he wasn't making making his shots, but he thought that the next one good. Like every scorer, like everybody who played, they think that the next one is going to go in. So, I can't sit there and fault him. I can't sit there and judge him. I know I want the ball anyway. I'm like, "Throw me the ball." But I don't I do not fault him in in one bit because I know if this the situation was reversed, I'm going to shoot it. I'm going to shoot it. You know, that's that's just how it you know how the game is. >> And to me, if you don't believe in yourself that the next one is going to go and I won't play with you, Mhm. >> Because you can't have doubt, you know, when when the when it when uh the time come, you got to step up and try to get it done. It may not it may not work out in your favor, which it didn't, but you still got to step up there and try to get it done, >> right? I remember the night we filmed Shaq in Atlanta. I remember seeing the Kimbe and Zoe at dinner at STK just in a corner by themselves chopping it up. Man, it just kind of came to my head. You talking about legacy because you're an amazing player, man. One of the best ever to do it. But then you have this conversation just lazy people I guess when they talk about ring ring culture and ring culture doesn't necessarily validate someone who is elite as elite as you. Uh do you think people have become more lazy in that conversation when it time when it comes time to judging people's careers? >> Well I'm not going to say people have become lazy. I think that you know all of us who I don't care which sport you play everybody when you at the beginning of the year that have a goal. My goal is to you know win a championship. >> And growing up in Boston where all you they talk about is Bill Russell is 11 rings. >> So I'm like [ __ ] I'm I'm going to get me I'mma get me 11 rings like Bill you know and then you realize and then in college I got I get to the finals three years. So, I'm like, you know, in the NBA, yeah, I'm I'm gonna get me a ring. >> But then you get there and you realize how difficult, >> right, >> it is to to get a ring or to even get there. I was fortunate to get there twice. The second time we got there, I I was hurt. I couldn't I tore my Achilles and I couldn't play. But I don't see the fact that I don't have a ring or Charles don't have a ring or all the other great players who play this game don't have a ring. I don't see that diminishing what they have accomplished. >> I think that all of us have done something special to to be able to get to where we've gotten, >> but it just wasn't in the card for us to get that that elusive champion. >> I agree with you because I was in the trenches, right? You know, we we sort of tease RC has this thing sometimes when certain guests come on where he cut the room, but I know Channing know RC knows that it's just light-hearted fun. It's it's it's it's cool because it doesn't minimize the work that we put in, you know, time in time out from practice, the sweat, the, you know, all that different stuff. And I like you, I believe that what you've done in the trenches should validate your career more so than, you know, somebody who hasn't been in those same in that same position, just having a casual conversation. So, I get it. So, that's what I mean when I say lady because they don't dig deep. >> I think Patrick's a little different than y'all, too. >> I see. I see what you're doing. >> 100%. Trust me. You know what I mean? Hey, look. I will definitely know >> he was better. He was better than you. >> DON'T he was trying to see the approach. I get it. >> This is what I deal with and I respect it cuz he's my guy. >> Uh but no, look to you with him. I had to say no cuz not me getting the ring because people talk about that conversation and you mentioned Bill Russell 11 right >> but if you're going to say what's the gold standard is it championship is it wins is it points what is it like have the full conversation and let that be that so yeah I'm not >> to that point though cuz you was a monster >> did the Knicks let you down >> cuz they could have put more around you to go out and whoop MJ and them [ __ ] like >> did they let you down to be a Hall OF FAMER AND NOT HAVE A RING. SOMEBODY had to do something wrong, bro. We in it. See, a lot of these guys now, they got that business sense. They're like, "Look, I ain't I I got at one point I was going to leave New York to go team up with uh with Chris Mullen, run the uh Tim Hardway and Mitch at one at one point I was going to leave and go team up with them, but it didn't happen." >> Yeah. And you know, maybe they could have brought more more pieces, but you know, when you're in it, >> you know, I wasn't thinking of it. >> I'm thinking about whoever I got with me, we going we we going to war. You know, I got Mace, I got Oak, I got John, you know, Allan came later, Spree came later, >> but you know, Derek Harper, we we >> you know that we were thinking that we we had an opportunity to get it done. We just didn't it just didn't happen. Also too though, like you took the Bulls to seven, >> you took Hakee to seven. We're talking about a teams that were all-time great teams with alltime great players. Like you guys were there and we're good enough. Like you said, sometimes it just doesn't work out. And we're talking about people without rings. Reggie Miller also doesn't have a ring. >> And you know, it's funny because, you know, uh we talk about it, myself and Jeff Van Gunny talk about it, you know, all the time. Having homecourt advantage in the playoffs. So if we had homec court advantage, it it could have swung it differently. So we went, we go out to Houston, we win, we lose the first, won the second, come back home. Sam Cassell hit a huge three >> to help them win the third. We won the fourth, we won the I think we won the next two when we got went back out to Houston. Yeah. >> To play them. And you know, big fella went to work and we just did. We just >> It was IT WAS ALL LIST. >> IT WAS GET THAT DREAM SHAKE. >> THAT DREAM SHAKE WAS GOING. That dream shake was going. >> Was y'all pissed off at Spike when Reggie scored 13 points in like what Reggie scored? 8 seconds. >> But Spike ain't had nothing to do with it. Spike ain't on the floor. >> Reggie hit y'all with the >> Spike ain't on the floor. Now look. So even that. Okay, Reggie had a big series. You know, we had a 30 for 30. Reggie Millan, whatever the hell they call it, they only beat us once. >> Once one series they beat us. >> Yeah. >> He was balling at the end of that game and we still had an opportunity to win. I missed I got a free throw rebound and missed it. Not the layup, but I got a free throw rebound and missed it. Spike ain't had nothing. Spike is a I mean, he's a diehard fan. We want fans like that. You know, I remember when I first got to New York, Spike was all the way up top in in the in Madison Square Garden. That's where his seats were. All the way up top >> and he did the he did do the right thing. NEXT THING I KNOW, HE'S ON THE FLOOR. I SPIKE, you sure came a long way. You sure came a long way. But no, you we want to have I'm What's one thing about New York? >> We got some dieh hard fans. And you know, I'm back now with the Knicks and I look uh last last year I'm at the playoff game, myself, Larry Johnson, John, we all sitting there at courtside and I'm looking around the the the arena and the atmosphere. I'm like, Larry was like, man, remind us when remind you of when we were playing, right? I'm say yes. >> Yes. The energy, the atmosphere, everything is back and you know, they've been waiting for it and and we got it. How do you feel about this team being an ambassador for the team when you look at I mean it's basically like Villanova plus cat you know I mean >> yeah you know I don't like the villain nova part but no I don't like the villain I tell I tell Jaylen I said look man I mean I tell all them I said man I don't you know the villain no part but no I love them I love Jaylen I've been knowing him from he was a little kid coming in the locker room um you know I tell his dad I don't know what you did but you did an outstanding job of of you you know, getting this kid to be great, cuz he is great. And then Cat and the rest of the team, you know, as a a former player, as you know, a consultant, ambassador, whatever the role you want to call it, you know, I enjoy going back and I enjoy sitting there and watching them compete. You know, I tell Jaylen's dad, I said, "Look, I wished I could have played with him because I watched the things that he could do and, you know, I think both of us would have made each other great." >> Yeah. I love that. >> How you feel about the big men now? You bring up Cat, Wimi, Joic, them do, you got the sevenfooters out there playing around on the perimeter and all. Well, I grew up watching you, watching Hakee, watching Shaq, watching the big boys go down there and work that paint. Damn. I don't even think they know how to throw their back into nobody no more. >> But, you know, the funny thing is that we wanted to do that. We wanted to do that and they wouldn't let us. I remember when I first got to the league and I was shooting a lot of turnaround jump shots and they were they were so mad. You need to get in there and dunk it. I'm like, you see who I'm playing with? If I can't if I can't shoot, I ain't going to be able to score. >> Yeah. >> But I think that everybody I it would change or come back. But those guys, they're they're skilled. Everybody wants every big wants. It's just like every rapper or every musician want to be an athlete, every athlete want to be a musician. That's >> all us bigs, we all want to be able to dance like the like the gods. So, I think that, you know, a lot of them like Wimpby, he is he is special. >> He is special. Yage, he's special. >> They all can do all the things that we're talking about. And they can do it at a high level. So, all you can do is sit back and watch and admire. >> If they let you win, because you a wimpy, >> I would have tried. Jeff Gunny would have been him and Pat looking at me like, "Nah, big fella. You got five turnovers now. You got five turns. Get it rocked up. Hey, like Big John told me, get your ass in the block. >> How How do you defend a Wimby though? >> Hey, look, you know, I coach Yao Ming. Ya Ming was his size. >> 74, 75. >> But y'all didn't have the skills and all the things that that that Wambi has. Different game. >> So, you know, you just try to be as physical as you can with him legally. >> Legally, >> right? >> Just try to body him up and try to push him out. now he wants to be out there. So he he's not going to mind being out there. But you just got to be physical with him. >> You know, you look at Boston, Detroit, you got OKC, obviously San Antonio, the Knicks are right there. When you go think about heading into these playoffs, what are the teams you think have the inside track to hoist in that trophy at the end of the season? whoever goes on that run at the right time. You, you know, everybody looks at Boston, you know, with Tatum being back. You look at OKC, they've been playing great at San Antonio, but one injury or one team playing getting hot at the right time, anything, anything is possible. But >> you know, this is co the NBA is different than than college where college, you know, was just one game, >> right? So you got to be able to you have to be able to sustain your run, >> you know, for seven games hopefully. >> Yes, sir. >> Or unless you that good that you going to go you're going to sweep them. >> Ain't going to sweep everybody, >> right? >> So this is my last question. This is really important question to me, right? You always talk about what you did to other centers, right? Because you was like, I ain't had to play Mike, right? I ain't had to guard Mike, but you did have to play a very good Shaq, a very good David Robinson, >> right? David was in there, too. >> Very good Akean. Oh yeah. >> Who was the most difficult to play against of those three? >> I'm going to say a king. You know, Shaq was great. I mean, Shaq was wilt in our era. People don't realize how athletic Shaq was. >> Orlando. >> Yes. >> He was He was a 71 300 lb. Athletic as hell. >> Yeah. >> Can run, can handle. He can handle like Wimi and them could handle. Then you know you got David. David, you know, his athleticism was just was up and down. >> And, you know, Ake was just he had the dream shake. He had the footwork. He was my size. He could shoot. So, I I you know, I'mma put him above above them. But when you play them, >> make sure you get your make sure you get your wrist. Either one of them. Make sure you get your wrist the night before because, >> you know, and I think that's how we look. Whoever you play, whichever one you playing against, you got you going to have they're going to bring their aame. You got to bring your agame. I >> always felt like you could have did better if you didn't ain't wear them them big old knee pads. >> Oh no, I love my knee for sure. Man, look man, that kept MY KNEES RIGHT, BABY. KEPT MY KNEES RIGHT. >> I USED TO BE SO AT THE HOUSE. I USED LIKE MAN, WHY YOU GOT THESE BIG VOLLEYBALL KNEE PADS ON? YOU KNEW IT ugly though. >> No, man. That was style. >> THAT WASN'T SWEET. THAT WAS NOT SWEET. LOOK, >> THAT WAS SWEET. THEM KNEE PAD. I'VE I'VE BEEN WEARING KNEE BLAH. It was white. IT WAS WHITE. >> IT WAS WHITE. >> YEAH. >> I've been wearing knee pads since since high school. >> They told me it was going to protect my knees when I bump knees and all that stuff. And you going to bump knees? >> Yeah. >> So, it protected me a lot of times. So, you know, I'm going to wear them bad boys. And if I was playing right now, >> I'll be wearing them. >> I'm going I'm going to be wearing them and dropping 50. >> You telling me Jayen Jayen Russ is not letting you wear them knee pads. He wouldn't HAVE HAD A CHOICE. HEY, what did the first thing he said? One thing, everybody know me. I may be humble and all that, but I'm stubborn as hell. >> Yeah, >> you know, I'm stubborn. I, you know, I'm I'm opinionated. Whatever I feel and if I believe it, I'mma fight your ass till the till the end. Jeff Van Gun, we, you know, he coaching me, you know, he's like, "No, Patrick, you need to be on this." I said, "Jail, >> time or touches. Give me time. Give me touches. I don't care which block you put me on, >> it's gonna get done." So I'm I'm I'm I'm a Leo. I'm a Jamaican. >> Yeah. Quickly, you don't you don't regret the knee pads. Is there any regrets? Because I asked you about state of New York and you said they brought people in. Y'all were trying. Y'all just had some dogs out there. You have any regrets about your career and your decisions? >> My only regret is leaving leaving when I didn't. You know, I played 15 years in New York and you know, you hear the the team is better off without him or little rumbles from maybe some of your teammates. Ah, you know, he's you know, he getting too much touches in too much time. So, you know, I just got tired. You know, you just got you got, you know, I got worn down with it. I'm like, man, it's 15 years I'm still hearing the same [ __ ] >> I just got tired and I'm like, you know what, man? It's time to go. you know, Seattle came, they gave them a great offer, but that's the only regret that I have. I see Carl stayed and finished his career there at Utah Stock, you know, I see guys who finished their career u with the with the same team and that's the only regret. And, you know, of course, not winning not winning it, you know, not being able to to bring a title to New York. Patrick, you talking about pivoting right there in that moment. What what's been your biggest pivot in life? Uh that's that one moment you can look back on and say because this happened to me or for me, I am who I am today. >> I think that coach telling me I ain't going to be [ __ ] >> You know that coach telling me I ain't going to be [ __ ] So, you know, um you know, I I realize and when I talk to kids, that's one of the things I talk to them about is that no matter what you choose to do, be it an athlete, a lawyer, doctor, whatever, if you have the passion to do it and the skill set to do it. Don't listen to what other people say. >> Just go out and enjoy doing what you're doing and hopefully um you can achieve what you know I was able to achieve. >> Man, this was Man, this was so much fun. Yeah. >> No, I I mean, like I said, you know, I've been I've been watching y'all >> and I have been admiring I love the the connection. >> I love the connection that you guys have and >> it makes me feel good to see people like us doing our thing, >> man. Thank you. That mean >> I know I know. Hey, look, when I'm with my boys, THAT'S WE DO THEY DO THE same thing. >> That's the locker room, >> right? This is the locker room. Now, from like honestly from all three of us though, you know, the the coolest part about this job is having opportunities to sit with people you've always admired >> and who inspired you at times to continue to work and continue to reach for your dreams. And honestly, for me, man, to be able to walk up to you, shake your hand, and be like, "Hey, would you come on our show and be a guest?" And for you to be like, "Absolutely." Meant the world to me, man. And for you to show up the way you did, albe it late. >> Yeah, I was late. Don't I was late. I was late. And your memor is great. Hey, I am very great. >> Your memory is good. >> HIS MEMORY IS GREAT. >> YOUR MEMOR IS SOLID. >> My dog said he was working on social security, man. Hey, look. My man had to get I'm 63. I'm >> pleasing on a mission. Got me up knowing me. I got the key on the vision. I can trust trust. Limitless think pinning it. I here to witness it. Got my people feeling militant.