On today’s episode, Jason is joined by former University of North Carolina basketball and NBA star John Henson. During the conversation, Henson discusses how he evolved into one of the elite defensive centers in recent college hoops history (13:04), why he ultimately chose to go to UNC over Texas and UCLA (17:46), what it was like playing alongside a young Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks (33:13), his viral run-in with Matt Barnes from back in the day (37:26), which dark horse teams he’s identified as those who could make a deep NCAA Tournament run (47:56) and much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntire. What is up
straight Fire Fame. It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight Fire for Wednesday,
March sixth. Have a great guest. You're gonna love this guy,
John Henson. I know you guys remember him the real ones.
Remember he went to UNC he was a big man.
(00:32):
Then he went to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played alongside Giannis.
He's got an awesome story playing Yiannis one on one
when Janis was a rookie. You're gonna love it. There's
also you know, listen, you guys know I've worked with
Matt Barnes a little bit at Fox and Fox Sports
Radio and now he's got his own podcast. And if
you look on YouTube, there was an incident between John
Henson and Matt Barnes where Matt Barnes like ran to
(00:53):
the locker room after him, and it hasn't really been
talked about. There was like speculations to what happened. Well,
Henson tells us the real stor rewindent scenes. I think
you're gonna like it. It's good stuff. We rarely get
athletes still like I mean, hence it could probably be
in the league now some of the guys in his
draft class, or like Anthony Davis Draymond Green. Pretty wild stuff.
(01:14):
Before we get to him, just a couple quick notes. Listen,
NBA is at the twenty game mark. Essentially every team
has between twenty and twenty two games left at this point,
and every night there's some crazy things happening. Listen, the
Celtics blowing a massive lead. I think they were up
seventeen in the fourth or maybe twenty, and the Calves
(01:34):
just come back. No, I don't think Donovan Mitchell played.
I don't remember seeing him. No, it was the Darius
Garland Show. Dean Wade came off the bench and pumped
in six threes. Wild stuff. Yeah, no, Donovan Mitchell. They
started Okoro and the kid Merrill who real ones know
Sam Merril, Utah State wants some money betting on him
(01:56):
back in the day. It's just a phenomenal comeback by
the Cave. Also in the NBA, it should be noted
the Philadelphia seventy six ers quietly lose again, this time
to Brooklyn. And if you look at the standings, guess
who's in the play in Oh yeah, Philadelphia seventy six ers.
The Heat win are currently ahead of the Sixers on Tibreak,
(02:17):
Philly went from like, oh, maybe this is the year
and BID gets to the conference finals too, and BID
goes down in their head to the play in. If
you're jeweling beat and you watch this team with yourself
out and you're like, wait a minute, well are we
sure we're close? Are you guys sure they are now
a playing team. I don't anticipate them losing and not
(02:38):
getting to the actual first round, But like Obama didn't
do much campaign starting no Tyrese MAXI like it is.
They are walking wounded right now. Ubre had thirty, but
they lose to the Nets. Just not. The vibes are
not great around the Sixers, and I don't know what
(02:58):
to other thid. I'm not gonna bash them. I will though,
bash to Dallas Mavericks. Figure it the f out guys,
Luca a third straight I'm sorry, a fourth straight thirty
point triple double and.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
They lose again.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
They like can't beat the Pacers for some reason. Then
no defense maps can't stop the Pacers. And I mean,
I know we're all talking about Giannis and the potential
for him leaving if they get blown out and him
demanding a trade. I would keep it eye on Luca.
Is he gonna want to put up with this crap
like Kyrie Irving? Like I just I cannot believe Dallas
can't get it together. They were vibing around the All
(03:30):
Star break, they won like seven or eight in a row,
and now they're spluttering again. Just super supremely disappointing. No,
I'm not gonna talk about the Grayson Allen performance against
the Nuggets. I mean, listen, if Grayson Allen's hitting eight
threes in a game, yeah, Phoenix is gonna be fist
to even without Devin Booker. I don't think that's gonna
happen on a regular basis at any rate. Let's get
(03:51):
to our guest, former NBA player, former UNC tar heel
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and responsible gaming resources. You know a guy Jason likes
to think he knows everything when it comes to sports.
I know what sports fans want, but for everything he doesn't.
(05:21):
He knows a guy who does. Let's just say I
know a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy.
All right, let's welcome into straight Fire a guest he's
never been on the pod before. It's so funny. We're
getting to the stage where I'm getting older and athletes
who I you know, bet on and watched the NBA
and college basketball, they're now coming on podcasts. Welcome in
(05:43):
John Henson, former North Carolina big man, former Milwaukee Bucks
lottery pick and played in the league for what about
ten years? McDonald's All America, John, How are you man?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I'm going well, man, Thanks for having me excited to
be on the other side. Now I can talk how
I want to talk. I can bet on sports. You
know what I'm saying, like I can you know, I
hammered Duke last night. That was a good feeling even.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
On Oh that was a good hit. Yeah. So you're
currently so you born in Greensboro, grew up at like
a kind of our Texas and a couple other places,
but now you've settled in Tampa. And I went to
your Instagram and I noticed you're like fishing a lot,
and I was like, oh, NBA retirement looks nice on
boats fishing, and your rec league looks like you're fairly dominant.
(06:28):
Is that safe to say?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yeah? I fish, I golf, you know I do. I
do the sports media that I called a couple of
college games this year to start. I do Serious XM
twice a week, ACC Radio, and you know I do.
I do some other stuff for the Field of sixty
eight network. So I'll be going to the Final four
as a I mean, I guess I'm credential, which is
weird saying I'm credential to go there. So I'll be
(06:50):
in Vegas for the first round. I'll be out there.
We're working with Field sixty eight and bet MGM, so
it's it's kind of taken off. And when I retired,
I don't know what I was going to do. Right
at my sports I had a sports media or media
agent calls me say, look, Mbacy network is in New
York sports betting show to look for talent. And never
really understood or got into sports betting, but all my
(07:12):
boys bets, So I understand that, understood the lingo, I
understood the terms, and I understood all types of stuff.
So when I went up there, they were like, wow,
can you start tomorrow? And here we are today, So
it was it's been fun.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Nice, that's good, good to hear. Glad you're getting in
on the game. But we'll get to college basketball March
badness in a minute. I just like your story. You know. Obviously,
one thing instantly jumped out when I heard, oh yeah,
John Henson, would you be interested? I was like, Oh
my gosh, of course, and I had to look it up.
You were in a I think it was probably your
last college basketball game against Kansas in the Elite eight,
(07:48):
and I remember being loaded up on UNC. That was
at your team with Harrison Barnes, and you guys were stacked, right, yeah, yeah,
you had like three guys drafted in the lottery and
it was like a nip and tuck game with Kansas,
and then Kansas went on like a twelve nothing run,
fourteen whatever it was to end the game, and I
was just shell shocked. I remember, I still remember this
is over a decade ago, sitting there watching like how
did this happen? And it's weird because you you had
(08:08):
such a ballyhooed high school group going to UNC. It
was like you, I wrote down the names here, the
where brothers, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Where, We're twins. We had Dexter Stricklan Lesson. We were
number one class.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, stacked, But you went to UNC after they lost
Hansborough and a million guys. They had just won the title,
and so it was a bit of a tough transition
to the point I was reading that Williams tried to
make you like a six ' ten wing. Is it
was that accurate.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, when it was recruiting me, you know, obviously it's
kind of funny now the game is where it's at now,
but you know, yeah, six six ' ten on the
wing was kind of like not necessarily the you know,
something people wanted. But I was slim out a slim building.
He's like, you know, I don't know if you were
able to hold up at the college level as a
big man early on. So we're gonna play in a perimeter,
(08:56):
and you know that's what we wanted, right, We're thinking
down the righte. You know, at the time, I was
going to like the Vince Carter camp. So I was
like a twiner, right, I was more of a four
than a three, but I wanted to be a three.
And you know, it didn't go the best way. At first.
I wasn't playing a lot. I played a little bit,
(09:17):
and then Ed Davis gets hurt and because we was like,
well we got slides to the four son sorry perimeter
experiment is over and then the rest is history. And
by the end of my NBA career, I was a center.
So so you have the game. The game has changed,
you know over the last decade.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I'm curious. In high school, did you play any wing
or I'm assuming there was that wing.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I was a big man in high school. I played wing.
I shot threes. I mean I shot the ball a
lot in high school, just the way that it developed
in North Carolina. I mean I started shooting the mid
range jumper. I never shot a three, but obviously if
it was now, I would have probably shot some threes
at the four right, that would probably be something I did.
But that's just that was just the nature of the game.
Like you shooting a lot of threes. It wasn't very spaced,
(10:05):
you know. And now I look back, like, whoo, if
I would have stayed at the perimeter, man, who knows
where I could win. That's where the game went, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Side I'm trying to think, like, you know, it's one
of those deals. And I hate this discussion because it
doesn't look My favorite team going up was Patrick ewings Nicks,
and I remember like Anthony Mason was tough. This is
probably before your time. But like Charles Oakley, you know,
the power forward, right, the big burly like bodyguard to
the center. Everybody had one. It was like mandatory Otis
(10:34):
Thorpe for Elijah Wan you go on the other list,
and it's like, I don't know if that power forward
is even in the league these days. Like I'm not
saying Charles Oakley couldn't play in the NBA, but where
does he fit? And it's like PJ. Tucker's a power
forward now and all he does is sit in the
corner and hit threes, and like nobody tried to do
that with you. And we're only talking about like fifteen
years ago, right.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, I mean that that iss crazy, the progression because
when I came to the NBA, if you remember, the
league was getting smaller and faster. Right, So my third year,
I'm six eleven, I can guard fours and fives, I
can move my feet. Now, all of a sudden, I'm
(11:15):
a I'm a valuable center, right, Like, okay, this is
he can he can guard multiple positions, he can rebound, defend,
he can run the court. And then the game changed
again and now everyone shoots the three, and you actually
because of them Beds and the Yokic and the Nirkiches
and those big You need a burly center these days.
(11:36):
So it all just depends on the floor of the player,
like back in the day when you had those Ewings
and Elijah Wan's Like, if you didn't in shock, like
if you didn't have someone down there that could throw
their weight around but also move, this will be a
long day for you. So it just that's the kind
of game. It depends on the players. Like even with
point guards are kind of getting phased out now. I
was actually talking to my boy the other day. I said,
(11:56):
he was like, who would be a good point guard
to play with Luka? And you look down the list,
like there's not really many now what guards anymore? Like
it's just just they're scoring guards.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Now, yeah, John Stockton, Like you know that that was
a pure point guard. Right now, everybody's a combo because
the skill level is insane. But I want to go
quickly back to high school and obviously you were a
big time recruit, six ' ten, totally dominant, and I
see you were down to Texas UCLA and unc obviously
you picked the Tar Hills. I'm just curious, what's it
like when big name coaches come, if it's UCLA, I'm
(12:27):
trying to think who the coach was.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Back then, it wasn't Howland.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Howland, that's right, yeah from pitt Yeah. And then Texas
was not written bars was it okay? So what's it
like when those guys come in the living room and
are recruiting you, Like, I know you were a North
Carolina kid being from Greensboro, but did they have a chance.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You know, I was on Texas at the time. I
was living in Austin, Texas. I was on Texas. I
wanted to go there, but my dad was just always like, hey, look,
take your time. I mean, I was going to Texas
every weekend. I was hanging out with Dexter Pittman, were
going to the football games ten minute from my home.
Didn't want to go anywhere else. So I told coach Barnes.
I said, hey, look, I would love to come here.
(13:06):
But at the same time, I'm only sophomore. I do
want my teammates to get lost, because I mean there
were I mean there were schools coming in and out,
even my AU team. I mean they were every day, right,
and so funny story, one day out of practice, this
Duke also hopped in recruit too. So I come out
of practice in my coach's office. It's Coach K. It's
(13:28):
Roy Williams, It's Tom Mizzo, Rick Barnes, I think one
more other coach. They're all just sitting in offices.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
This is in your tenth grade, this is this is.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Like eleventh grade, eleventh grade. They're all sitting around, right,
Whose hand do you go to shake first? Who go
to first?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Tell me? At the time, probably coach K.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Right, Yeah, they late for me. They came in late
for me, almost like they kind of came in laate,
like okay, well, Johnny Dunkers was recruiting, and Coach K
came to you know, came to see me that one day.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So maybe I would go for the guy who was
earliest on the recruiting trol with me.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
So I go and check Coach Williams hand first. Those
eagles in there, Boy, man, I heard that there was
a lot of fallout from that decision. What am I
supposed to do? I'm seventeen, sixteen years old.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, who's.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Like coach Williams was at the time he was coach
I don't know, like it was just.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I guess you could do that. You could have just
done that. Hey what's up, gentlemen, how are you fellas?
But you're seventeen, Like, come on, seventeen year old Jason
would have been pooping his pants. Basically, that's intense.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
It's like back to back final four un C on
the version of one, like you know, I was like,
oh my god, coach Williams is sitting here. So that
was just kind of my recruiting went. And then I
went down to the final three Texas, U, s LA
and UNC. And the reason why I didn't go to
Texas is because Rick Marsh calls my dad. He says, hey,
(14:58):
you know what I'm saying. I never told this story
really like publicly. But Barnes calls my dad and he goes, hey, man, like,
you know, well, I don't just let your son commit man, Like,
what's what's the hold up? Like? Because I was telling
my dad wants to wait. Dad gets a little upset,
you know, they getting They get into an argument, and
then I come into the office and my dad goes, yeah,
you're not going to Texas. I said, all right, well
(15:20):
I guess I'm not going to Texas. And so I
visited UCLA official visit a little too Far. That's when
they had k Love and Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, So they ended.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
They were actually playing Texas in Probaly Famlia. I don't
remember that series, and uh, that's that's when they had
a Texas CLA series for a couple of years back
in the day. So they were playing Texas. So I
saw the Texas guys as well. Riddy Terror was my
guy who was recruiting me, and you know, I just
didn't feel the love there, man, Like you know, I
didn't get me the players. I felt like I was
a burden because you know, because you know, I was
(15:58):
a highly ranked recruit. So like a lot of schools
I went to, I almost felt like there was a
little animosity and like you.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Know, like oh, you would be stealing jobs, stealing jobs
and like, oh my god, shut up about this kid,
Like you know, cause I know now that I've been
in the program, like I've been in those conversations, Coach
off say hey, look we've got your bas Muhammed coming
in like we need him.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
He's gonna be great, like what like you know, and
I'm like, okay, I hear your coach. I hear you.
But like the reason why I chose North Carolina is
because I felt at home there. There was no animosity.
The players they hit me up and they want to
hung out with me. They invited me places. It just
the energy was just so much different. It was just
like a no brainer. And also coach coach Ben Howland
(16:42):
kept calling my high schoolch my dad, so that kind
of pissed me off too, So.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Oh yeez, wow, So that's interesting. So it's some of
these egos. I like that. I mean, it's not an
easy choice for a young kid, but it does feel
good to be wanted, I'm assuming, right.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Yeah, it does. And you know, at the time, I
was a number one power forward rate in the class.
Do you remember who two was, Derry Favers.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Oh that's right, the kid out of New Jersey. Yeah,
I covered him a mint For a minute. In high school,
I saw Tristan Thompson was was he also up?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
There?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Was he the following year?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
He was the following year? So Tristan. I played with Tristan,
So me and him always laugh because he was like,
you know, if you would have went to Texas, I
would have went there. And then right when I decided
to stay in North Carolina. He said, when I saw
you were you were going to stay, you were gonna
be ahead of me. Me and Rich Paul, we were like, oh,
we're definitely eaving now, right because now we get slotted
up to be the first power for it taking which
(17:34):
team with the need would take the you know, depending
on where you slide it. So me and him were
kind of laugh about it. We were kind of like
intertwining and we ended up playing with each other. So
that was fun.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
So so you go to UNC and listen, I'm not
gonna call her disappointment. Obviously, you get to two elite eates.
It's not bad, but no final four day. Obviously you
didn't expect that, right.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Definitely don't expected. I laugh all the time. I'm like, man,
if I knew we're gonna lose, if we're gonna lose
I starting point guard and losing Canceler leadd, I probably
would have left.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
But you know, oh waits who was the point?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Was it?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Kendall Marshall.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, that's why the Kansas game we didn't have him.
So so that's why that's why we struggled down the stretch.
Tyshon Taylor like he killed us. We had, oh the.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Little guard for Kansas, that's right, man, tough one. So
you you decided to leave after your junior year. You
were the two time defensive player of the Year obviously,
you know, utterly dominant at the defensive end. And I
love the pre draft process stuff. My favorite one is
the Tyreek Evans Versusteph Curry in a workout and the
Grizzlies saw that and we're like, Tyreek Evans is our guy,
you know, we got we gotta grab me. Just annihilated
(18:32):
Curry one on one, which is stupid when you go
into these workouts. Did you have any like showdowns where
you went up against big guys?
Speaker 1 (18:40):
My class was Me Sollinger, Jared Sollinger, Terrence Jones, Myers,
Leonard Perry, Jones, Aldo.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Terrence Jones, Kentucky, right, but he was more of a stretch.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeah, but we were, you know, we were kick slotted
this power forward. So we all came together, you know,
and we all kind of came in as one.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Did you say Drummond was in that mix.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I never worked out with Drummond. I only worked out
with us. Drumming was projected top five, so he was
on a different workout playing individual. So the really the
workout that I think is the funniest one was Golden State.
M go to State had no interest drafting me. They
(19:22):
wanted Harrison, right, so they brought me being asked about Harrison. No, right,
so they don't they won't, They did not have they
want nothing to do with But you know we had
to do a workout, right.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Could you tell at the time they were not interested
in you?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Oh yeah, I went. So so we go get lunch
or breakfast before the workout, and you know, so they
don't ask anything about me. I'm talking about it and
asked me what my favorite color was. They're like, so,
how's Harrison as a locker room guy? So you think
he can fit in with the NBA locker room you know,
Like I was like, oh, okay, this is why here.
(20:00):
And then furthermore the workout, they threw me and Jared
Sullinger in this workout with these with God it's a
kid from Temple's names Mike. I follow him. He's my friend.
Actually when he played Mike, he was a pretty much
these two like seven foot two, seventy five bruiser pow
just massive human beings. I'm two twenty big Sully's undersized
(20:27):
power forward, and all we did was just do rebounding
box out two on two the whole day, and me
and Jared were is getting thrown around.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Like ragdos what do you think that's about?
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I just want to see, hey, look, we're not drafting him.
Let's have some fun. That's how I felt it was.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So they ended up taking Draymond Green in the second round.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Yeah, and they took Harrison number.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Seven they did, yeah, yeah, yeah, so you could tell
they were going Harrison. Interesting. So I'm sure that's a
crappy feeling you guys brought me. But you couldn't say that,
right you're a young like twenty one.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Oh no, you're excited, but you know once you once
you sit back and looked at you like okay, Well
I literally called Harson like, yeah, go, I did go
to state right of the day. They're gonna pick you.
Because I don't think they even asked me how my
flight was, let alone, how like they didn't ask me
any I don't think I answered one question about myself.
It's all about you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
That's a little that's a bit of a bummer anyway,
So you get drafted by the Bucks, and it's so weird.
I did not even realize this until I really looked
at you. You ended up playing with young Yiannis in Milwaukee,
which is crazy, so you know you had to would
you say a good run there? Like I know you
were a big guy in the community. Obviously I was
out of one incident that you know was racial profiling.
(21:37):
But I don't know some of the stuff I was
reading about Scotti Skyles and Jason Kidd and you getting
in the doghouse. I don't know how much you want
to get into that, but I'm sure the audience care.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Was coach Skiles. So when I got there, we had
like mante Elis and Brandon Jennings and we had Droppris, Billa,
Drew Gooden, Samuel Dallen Bear. These are like the old
school NBA guys, so like it was like a real
it was like a transition. Like for instance, like I
would have to get Popeyes and Pizza Hut every plane trip,
(22:09):
right every trip. If you did that today in the NBA,
like you might get traded, like seriously, like that's how
much exchanged, Like if you're not bringing in Keenwa bowls
and smoothies, Like they gonna be like, what are you doing,
Like you can't eat pizza, which I think is I
guess it's right, but dudes still eat pizza, like just
(22:30):
not on the plane anymore. Right. So Skiles he was
he was, he was tough. But I really I got
lucky because Skiles doesn't take shit if you're not playing hard,
if you're not if you don't want to play, he's
gonna play. Okay, rook get in there. He don't want
to play, rook, get in there. I'll play forty minutes.
(22:51):
So I was blessed to have a coach like that
because nobody really want At the time, nobody wanted to
be in Milwaukee. No one really wanted to Yeah, nobody
really wanted to be there. There's a lot of guys
with contracts that were that were you know, free agents
like Mike Dunleavy, Monte Ellis didn't sign an extension, Brandon
Jennings didn't sign an extension, like, so there was a
lot of things going on with that team. And I
(23:14):
was just a young ope, wide eyed, bushytail rookie, like
just wanted to play basketball. And you know, I mean
I had a game that year where I had like
twenty one points or seventeen points, twenty five rebounds, seven blocks,
like as a rookie, Yeah, me shack and tumbles some
wild stat that I have no business being a part of.
So I got to kind of show what I could do.
(23:36):
And then that led me to the next year where
I played fairly well, and then we got a new coach,
you know, which was Jay Kidd. And then Jakid comes
in and says, you guys want fifteen games. I don't
care if you average twenty points last year, you guys sucked,
And so I had to rebrand myself to try to
play for his system, which fortunately for me, I was
able and adapted, went up to do that and uh,
(23:57):
you know, sign an extension and the rest of history.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Kid has been kind of a lot of people pin
him as the reason that was holding Gianni's back. So
they then let go ahead and they bring in Budenolzer
and they win the title. I don't know what how
do you characterize Kid as a coach?
Speaker 1 (24:13):
You know, he he had I mean literally, he was
his first He went with the nets, right, and that
was his first experience as a coach period and being
in the NBA level. If your first year is being
a coach, that's Steve Nash. How that was. Yeah, he
even been back. Steve was like, all right, that's not
(24:34):
for me. Right. So he was learning just like just
like just like anybody else, learning on the fly, and
his basketball mind never been around anyone like it. I mean,
he would he you know, some of the stuff he
would do in practice, right, he'd be like, you know what,
give me the ball. Right, he stand out of bounce
and he'd be like, run to play. He'll hit a
(24:56):
due for a lip. You don't see that. We're like, no,
we're not. First Battle Hall of Fame twenty year Championship
point guard. We did not see that coach. And like
one day we were playing in San Antonio. We were
come off a bad loss and we were down, like
a couple guys were injured, and he practices with us
and at that age forty whatever, and he still was
(25:18):
fast and physical. Now, the day after that practice he
was in shambles. But that day, I mean, he still
was able to play with us and not necessarily be
a liability.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So yeah, man, he's yeah, he's I mean, just being
able to be coached by him, and you know, I
think that was something that I'll kind of cherish man,
because you don't get to be around gatness like that
all the time.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
So the first year of Milwaukee and then the second year,
a young kid named Jannis gets drafted. You know, they
took him. I guess lottery a bit of a surprise.
I am again, at the time, I'm sure it was nothing,
But looking back, did you see anything in those early
stays that were like, Holy cow, this guy's gonna take
over the league.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
So the first day he comes in, I used to
just stay in Milwaukee for the summers. That was just
my strategy for the organization and wanted to be there.
Hey look, we got to show you want to be there,
you gotta live there. And no one's there in the summer.
I was there by myself. And so he gets he
comes in and they say, hey, John Man, Hey, shoot up, man,
(26:23):
I want to play Gianni's one on one. I'm like,
all right, but this kid, and he's eighteen years old,
I'm three. I'm I'm a three year college guy plus
a year in the league, right like I'm I'm I'm
I'm I'm a tough cookie, you know what. I'm saying,
and apparently Yannis had not played over Division two or
three in Greece, which you know, apparently is like high
(26:44):
level high schoolers, right, So we played one on one.
He can't even get a shot off. He just had
he just hadn't adjusted. But what I did, I mean
I beat him every spot. And you know, he'll tell
you the same story. But what I did notice about
him was he was very savvy, very for a young kid.
(27:07):
The the handles with defending, how he would grab your hip,
and like he was just very he had a mature
feel for the game that usually kids his age don't have.
And that's the first thing I kind of notice about him.
And then he's just headstrong man as as the way
he plays, right, He's just so headstrong. So I think
(27:30):
I could turn important in his career where even a team,
you know, our team was like kind of looking at them, Okay,
young fellow was One day we split up bigs and
guards and coach kids like, just go down with the bigs.
He's like, I'm not a big man. He's like, what
do you mean. He's like, I'm not a big man.
I'm a guard. Like I'm not going down there. And
Jay k was like, okay, well go hand there with
(27:52):
the guards, right, And then I think everyone in the
gym was like, okay, kids got some some balls, right,
kids from He's he's got something to them. And I
remember the first drill he comes down with the arms handling,
We're like, okay, he's a guard right, Like okay, like
you know, and and and that's kind of my Yannis story.
(28:14):
And I mean he worked so hard. I mean he's
one of the hardest working guys I know. And that's
a credit to one of the coaches, Sean Swainey, who
became close with who's in he's in Dallas right now
with cauch kid. He kind of they had like a
brotherly relationship, but he pushed them. He pushed them hard,
and they argued and they fought, but you know, kind
of still that kind of like nashiness in them that
he has. And obviously you see where he's become now.
(28:39):
I don't think anyone thought that was gonna happen. But
that's that's beautiful thing about sports.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, so you you even said it, not a lot
of people wanted to be in Milwaukee at the time.
I'm curious, what did Yanna simply change that, or have
social media helped change that because you're one of those
weird athletes who when you were in high school, I
don't think social media was like a big thing like
instagrams that none of that. Right, well, the college or
was there something?
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Well when you win, right we started winning, it's a
lot easier. People want to come right when you win.
It's just it's just inherently easier to commit somewhere. Like
you know, even if you look at it. Remember of
Dame Lillard interview and they were talking about what do
you do? He's like, honestly, my life is pretty boring.
I sit in the house and I watch YouTube boxing.
Like that's Milwaukee. You you practice, you go home the
(29:29):
way the city set up, Like if you live downtown,
not a lot of guys do, so the younger guys do.
But like there's thirty minutes out of Brookfield in those
areas to have home, so a lot of the families
live out there. So it's just not that type of city.
A lot of guys that came to Milwaukee that were
married said that marriage just got a lot stronger when
(29:49):
they moved to Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
So wow, I did not did not see that one coming,
so you know you have a good run in Milwaukee.
I do need to add about what one of the
best clips I saw was the Matt Barnes incident. Obviously
I listen. I've worked with Matt a little bit of Fox.
He is a super interesting guy. A little intimidating initially,
but he's just such a dude, soft spoken, easy to
(30:11):
work with. But so you had picked up a technical
earlier in the game or maybe in the fourth quarter,
and then at the end, Barnes is like driving and
you swat the living daylights out of his shot, like
basically a volleyball spike. Crowd's going wild, there's like five
seconds left, you're flexing. I think the refs gave you
a technical for maybe exuberant celebration. So you get ejected.
(30:32):
Barnes argues and on the YouTube clip, all of a sudden,
you know he doesn't get a tech, but I mean
they just tell him that you're subbed out, and he
doesn't sit on the bench. He runs into the tunnel
and I can't really find John if he got to
the locker room, and there's a lot of there's some
tweets at the time that were unclear. Why did you
give us the real story?
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Yeah, so I was having a bad day that day. NBA.
It's gonna keep going. You play every day every other day.
At the time, me and my my lady the time
we got into a big army before the game, I
was coming back off a back injury, where coach Kids
sat me in his office, was like, hey, man, we
need you back. We need you man like we need
(31:09):
we need you. I could have probably waited another week, no,
like like I could have played, but you know I
could have. I could, but I said another week would
have been great. But if coach needs me, I want
to be there for my teammates. I don't play the
whole first half, right, I played the last three minutes.
(31:30):
The first half I played really well when I get
in there. So the second half I ended up playing minutes.
So I'm pissed. I'm so pissed now. At the time,
I think the thing, you know, I found out later
because for me, when the Matt Bars thing happened, he
ran into the locker room, or he ran to the
(31:50):
he came through the door. So there's two interests. You
come through the front door with the coach office and
then you come to our locker room, gets.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
To the door.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
He's yelling, his scream and securities holding him back. I'm
on the other side. I could see I could see him,
so I'm facing he can't see me, but I could
see him at the door, okay, screaming, yelling profanities, and
I'm like, oh, this dude's pissed, like like I ain't
that man, you know what I'm saying, Like this dude
(32:18):
wants to like get in here and get after me,
like you know, like I wasn't that upset, like we
you know, now, I was still upset, but I wasn't
upset to the point where I'm about to fight somebody
Like yeah, this is not that's not even who I
am as a person. So like I'm not about to
fight you, dude, Like this was a heat of the
moment competitive game. We got tossed, like we move on.
(32:40):
So anyways, he goes back into his locker room and
then you know, apparently he's waiting outside. They won't even
let me leave. They took my keys. They took my keys.
They the bucks, the security l a we have valet. Yeah,
(33:00):
so so they took my keys. They wouldn't let me leave.
They said, no, you cannot go there. He's outside. I said,
I said, come on, man, Like, what's he gonna like
attack me? Like like what like this we're NBA players,
Like okay, well if he comes after me, whatever, we're
gonna fight for a little bit and the like. It's
not like we're just gonna be in the streets by ourself, right,
(33:21):
Like I can walk to my car, Like everybody's got
to relax. No, no, no, you can't leave. We're like,
I said, well I'm walking out. They're like, well, we
don't have you don't have your keys, so you can't
go nowhere. So I'm just like all right, I sit
in the locker room. I wait. They end up taking
my car and pulling around to the other entrance and
then I finally get to leave. And I just thought
(33:42):
that was just the dumbest thing ever, because you know,
I'm not saying anything would have happened, but like, I
didn't think it was that deep. And the reason why
it all started was I flavor found Lance Stevenson. Uh So,
Lance goes to the free throw line and then Matt
was just talking to me. I don't remember what he
was saying, but I was just kind of like, bro,
it's got nothing to do with you, Like, relax, Like
(34:04):
it has nothing to do with you. Like I said
something to the tune of that probably a little more
disrespectful obviously, but yeah, and he was like, what did
you say, a young fellow, you better show me some respect.
And then that's when it just took off.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Oh okay, that's an added element. That's not I like that.
I mean again, I don't know how much fans like that.
Have you. You haven't seen Barnes since, have you.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I haven't seen him. I'd imagine we'd probably say what's up.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah, he's a very chill guy. I mean, I'm super
nice and friendly, all right, Yeah, beyond the battles. I
am just curious. Uh, you know, like when it's time
to hang it up. You've been cheered since I'm so
sure you sports au high school, You've been the man
everywhere you went. I made a lot of money in
the NBA. What's it like when you're like, you know what,
(34:49):
I think, I'm just gonna I'm shut powered out.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I'm done. I was. I'll tell you. I was in
Puerto Rico. I had a lot of I had a
lot of play. I could have played, and I don't
know if you know read Star Belgrade, Serbia. Yeah, so
Real Star was calling. China was offered me a lot
of money. There's a couple like European teams that were like, hey, look,
we'll if well, well, we're not gonna pay him a
(35:14):
lot of money now, but if he if he does well,
then out over here. Because you know you're a league.
They're not just going to throw you a bunch of money.
You got to prove you can play in that league,
then you'll pay you. So I said, man, I'm not
trying to go to Europe. I tell my agent, I said,
I want to go somewhere where there's a beach within
ten miles. Find me in that place, I'll be there.
(35:35):
And so Puerto Rico calls. Pretty much every team in
the league was like interested. So it was like my
choice to pick. I picked this team called the Gundable Mets.
I go over there to practice in April. I tweaked
my calf for a little bit, but I ended up
practicing and the power goes out for five days. The
(35:55):
power playing catches on fire and I have no power
for five days. Now, I went to a hotel, but
I had to like I went to a hotel eventually,
but like I mean for the first day or two,
you know, I was like, I'm gonna grind this out.
This is overseas life, Like I'm not about to be
boozy NBA player, Like We're gonna figure it out. So
(36:17):
I'm charging my phone in the car and watching TV
in the car to my phone's charged, and I mean
sandwiches and stuff like you know what I'm saying, and
roughing it. And you know, in Puerto Rico, the power
goes out apparently a lot, so people kind of people
are kind of just going up after normal days, which
I thought was pretty cool, right, Like if the power
(36:37):
goes out here for five days, we'd have to like
lock our doors and shut her in, Like yeah, get sketchy.
So the coach there, I don't know, I don't I
don't well, I don't know what his issue was with me.
I don't want to say issue, but like you know,
(36:58):
when we had a discussion, he would be like like
why are you here? He made enough money. I'd be
like what. I was like, what what'd you say? I'm
just asking, man, like you know, what, why are you here?
I said, well, why are you here? Because he was
an older guy American and a lot of coaching in
that league are like younger Puerto Rican guy coaches that
(37:19):
like maybe trying to increase their profile. He was Seth
Greenberg's brother.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
For context, I know Seth Greenberg a little bit. We've
had some issues because I joked about him screwing up
on Steph Curry and he didn't like that.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
I don't know his brother, right, sounds about right, his
brother like for some you know. And I had heard
that he wanted certain players and then I called and
they were like, well, John Hinson called no, right, I'd
heard there's some rumblings that I it wasn't necessary the
guy that he wanted. But obviously for an eight year,
nine year NBA guys calling you to come play for you, Dwight,
(37:58):
how is it right now? Same team? Actually? Oh?
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Is he really?
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Yeah? He just signed with him, so I know why
they pay good. But yeah, So I'm sitting in a
dark I'm sitting there like, man, I think I'm gonna
go home.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Yeah, I don't need this.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
I think I think I hang it up, you know
what I mean? Because I would live just Hey, I
hope people listening because this is a funny story. I
like a practice at six o'clock every day, right six o'clock.
So I'm in Puerto Rico. I'm like semi retired. I'm
not necessarily thinking like this is a resurgent career type situation.
(38:39):
It's just I'm a hoop and enjoy being in Puerto Rico,
which was awesome weather it was beautiful. So yeah, I
would like sometimes I would go get like a margarita
before a practice because it's like six o'clock, Like you
know what I'm saying, Like we just go like you know,
like it's practically six, like I need to go get
IU would get dinner and like get a little margarita
before practice, and like that was kind of how I
(38:59):
was doing it, you know what I mean. And uh,
it was fun. We practiced late, got home at eight
or nine, went to sleep, and you know, didn't really
have many days off either. So I think the the
whole day was yours to do whatever you want whole day.
But you can't really do whatever you want right proccess six.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, but I mean if you want to go to
the beach for five hours, actually that wears you down.
Sitting in the sun.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Yeah, you can't. You can't go to you know, you
gotta chill. So did you have like.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
A crew or a group of friends on the team
or anything were cool?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Yeah, we had some guys that, you know, we would
have like every once in a while, we'd have like
an off day, we'd all go put a ten up
at the beach and just chill. And that was the
one that was the more fun thing, man, just being
able to chill at the beach and.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Oh yeah, vibe.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
But we didn't get a lot off days, like it
wasn't like, you know, I thought we would get one
or two days a week, you know, NBA, you know
spoiled like nah, like practice to day, practice today. And
you know, it was just a situation where I was like,
you know what this is. This is a good experience.
It was humbling as well. It was very humbling, very humbling.
(40:00):
And so came home and started the gauntlet of the
sports media thing.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
And here I am, all right, so we could wrap
up with sports media. You're doing a lot of college
basketball stuff. It's a weird year. A last year, none
of the number one seeds got to the final four.
I think none of them got to the e lead
eight and this year, everybody, oh, Connecticut's going to repeat.
I love Houston, and I'm like, I don't know, guys,
maybe I'm all messed up from last year's wackiness, but
(40:26):
I don't give me. Give me a sleeper or two.
Who you got at top twenty teen that could make
a run. It feels kind of sort of wide open.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
I think tonight will be the coming out party. So
I would hop on this line at Florida UF plus
sixteen hundred on to the final four. It's it will
go down tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Wait, why Florida.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I like what they have. They're trending in the right direction.
They've got a good young coach, They've got the size, athleticism,
and the dynamic guards. I mean, they're built like these
teams that are really really good, and as of late
they've been rolling. So I think tonight they take care
of Alabama. They were up by fifteen or fourteen at
their place in Alabama, storing backers, which is what Alabama does. Alabama,
(41:08):
they low you into this. Oh, we can just shoot
it out with them. Alabama's gonna play the defense. Well,
you can't shoot out with Alabama. When I was at
Carolina when teams were trying to run with us, we'd
be like, we got them, we got them, just keep running.
And then all of a sudden, you look up, We're
up thirty, you know, and it's one hundred and two
to eighty, and you know that's you know, so that
(41:29):
that's kind of what Alabama does. So I think Florida's
not going to get into that tonight per se. But
I like them at plus sixteen hundred and then Houston.
I like to make the final four. Two. I think
they break through. They made us think a couple of
years ago. They're just a tough team to beat without
the right personnel, and not many people have the right
personnel for them. So defensively, I think they're going to
suffocate their opponents until they come against someone that can
(41:53):
go toe to toe with them. But there's not a
lot of teams obviously, and they went into Big twelve
from the American and didn't miss a beat.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
That's a good point on Florida. I'm looking at their stats.
This is what I hate to bet on in March Madness.
Bad free throw shooting teams. Yeah, two hundred and eighty
fourth in the country in free throws because you know
these March Badness games are gonna be close, and I
it's so frustrating to bet on a team and they're
clanging free throws. They do crush it on the offensive glass.
How much do you put in stock do you put
in this that some of these guys? For instance, I
(42:21):
click on one of the names, Terrese Samuel, you know,
big guy crushes it on the glass. John he turns
twenty four in a couple of days.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
I always laugh, Like Devin Booker was signing for two
hundred million at twenty four. I was signed. I signed
my extension at twenty five, like I was three years
into the NBA. So like, it's so interesting to see
these like when I was twenty Like when I was
twenty four, if I was in college, Oh my.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
God, you'd be dominating.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
Oh my god. Right, Like it's like I think quarterback
Ryan on you and see's like twenty five twenty six.
Memphis is average age. University of Memphis average age is
like twenty five point three twenty four at that point eight,
like something like that, Like these are pros.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Yeah, Memphis. One of the older teams, Saint Bonaventure, looks
like they're the most experienced team in the country. So
the transfer portal has really it's it's kind of helped.
But I don't know, John, If I if I'm in
an NCAA tournament game where I'm twenty four years old
and I'm being guarded by a nineteen year old, like
gets game over.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Isn't it.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
It is like.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Did you I don't care if you're a McDonald's All American.
If you're nineteen, your body and nothing's nearly developed.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I remember, do you remember Bernard James, who's out Bernard
James f for Florida State the military.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Oh, the big guy, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah, he was twenty six man. He was throwing us
around like rag dolls out there, Like I remember playing
against him, like I couldn't do anything with him. I
felt like I was playing against a grown man out there.
And I think that's what happens with the older guys.
And it also is another reason why these freshman teams
like Kentucky. I think in a normal year, Kentucky would
be a lot better. But oh yeah, you have these
(43:59):
these fifth years, six year grad pandemic guys Like, yeah, Kentucky,
you're playing against twenty four year old. Now you're playing
this guys six years older than you. Won't go. It's
not gonna go as well as you think. I don't
care how talented you are as a freshman.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Yeah, it's weird. This Houston team. I like them. They
got some real good players.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I just they're banged up though right now too. It's
gonna be interesting to see if they can get help you.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
I'm worried to take an offensively challenged team. And I
know the numbers are good, their top fifteen offense, but
they're a defensive team. And you just I just remember
that NCAA tournament game. Was it like the Elite eight
or Sweet sixteen where they fall behind by ten? It's like,
we can't come back. We just we don't have the offense,
we don't have the firepower. Who is it against last year?
Me looked at it, Well, it was against Miami. Yeah,
they got blasted by Miami in the Sweet sixteen, lost
(44:45):
by fourteen.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
And I am they play such a like like. The
only team that has that has that profile of how
they played defensively in their style of play was their
UVA team that won. And so that's one that's one
team out of years and years and years and years
of data and analytics. So I don't think they necessarily
(45:08):
have the best shot to win it. But I do
love them to make it to the final four. I
just think that that's their floor. But once they come
against a high power, like you know, when you get
to the final four, right, I mean you're going to
be playing, yeah, someone that's probably as good offensively and
defensive top you know, top twenties. You say the last
twenty champions have been top twenty five defense, top ten
(45:31):
defense efficiency.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
Yep, yep, yep. So let me give you two of
those real quick. Creighton any interest at all? Or are
they too soft? They don't. They don't pressure the ball defensively.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
I like Craig could get hot and make a run
in the tournament. I just don't know if they have
the defensive I don't know if they I don't know
if they can win other ways. I look for teams
that can win other ways. That's why I like Houston
because you got to think, too, Houston has an offensive explosion.
Now you're they're beating anybody. Houston can play defense. Hey,
we can slow the game down offensively. If you want
(45:59):
to go with if you want to go toe to
toe with Houston, they can. They can go toe to
toe with you. Now that's not their style of playing.
But I like Iowa State too.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
Yeah, No, they're very good. I was gonna throw the
last one I throw at you. Tennessee with the kid
Dalton connect who is I mean, he's such a baller.
I like these stories. By the way, I know you
were like a McDonald's All American pread All American. This
is a kid who was at like Northern Colorado. Oh,
we don't know if he can cut it. We don't
know if he can cut it, goes to Tennessee and
is like, you know, potential All American candidate, And now
they're like, is he a first round pick? I don't know.
(46:29):
I don't know how much you watch of him, but
any interest in Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
I love Tennessee because if you saw the game against
was an Auburn. I mean he put he took that
game over. And that's a scary team because they defend
at a high level. But also if they get going,
they'll blow you out of the water.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
Right Oh he had thirty nine damn yeah right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
They'll blow you out of the water. So that's a
team that's scary, and they're kind of knocking on the
door to the last couple of years they've been, you know,
kind of there at the end spe sixteen of l
eate not going getting over the hump, but they have
the pieces. Man. I like Tennessee all right.
Speaker 2 (47:09):
I've kept him too long. John Henson, former North Carolina star,
former NBA player, former teammate of Giannis. Great stories, John,
Thanks a lot, and uh, you know, good luck in
the media game. I don't think you'll need it, but
good luck anyway.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Thank you, man, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntire. What is up
straight Fire Fame. It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight Fire for Wednesday,
March sixth. Have a great guest. You're gonna love this guy,
John Henson. I know you guys remember him the real ones.
Remember he went to UNC he was a big man.
(00:32):
Then he went to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played alongside Giannis.
He's got an awesome story playing Yiannis one on one
when Janis was a rookie. You're gonna love it. There's
also you know, listen, you guys know I've worked with
Matt Barnes a little bit at Fox and Fox Sports
Radio and now he's got his own podcast. And if
you look on YouTube, there was an incident between John
Henson and Matt Barnes where Matt Barnes like ran to
(00:53):
the locker room after him, and it hasn't really been
talked about. There was like speculations to what happened. Well,
Henson tells us the real stor rewindent scenes. I think
you're gonna like it. It's good stuff. We rarely get
athletes still like I mean, hence it could probably be
in the league now some of the guys in his
draft class, or like Anthony Davis Draymond Green. Pretty wild stuff.
(01:14):
Before we get to him, just a couple quick notes. Listen,
NBA is at the twenty game mark. Essentially every team
has between twenty and twenty two games left at this point,
and every night there's some crazy things happening. Listen, the
Celtics blowing a massive lead. I think they were up
seventeen in the fourth or maybe twenty, and the Calves
(01:34):
just come back. No, I don't think Donovan Mitchell played.
I don't remember seeing him. No, it was the Darius
Garland Show. Dean Wade came off the bench and pumped
in six threes. Wild stuff. Yeah, no, Donovan Mitchell. They
started Okoro and the kid Merrill who real ones know
Sam Merril, Utah State wants some money betting on him
(01:56):
back in the day. It's just a phenomenal comeback by
the Cave. Also in the NBA, it should be noted
the Philadelphia seventy six ers quietly lose again, this time
to Brooklyn. And if you look at the standings, guess
who's in the play in Oh yeah, Philadelphia seventy six ers.
The Heat win are currently ahead of the Sixers on Tibreak,
(02:17):
Philly went from like, oh, maybe this is the year
and BID gets to the conference finals too, and BID
goes down in their head to the play in. If
you're jeweling beat and you watch this team with yourself
out and you're like, wait a minute, well are we
sure we're close? Are you guys sure they are now
a playing team. I don't anticipate them losing and not
(02:38):
getting to the actual first round, But like Obama didn't
do much campaign starting no Tyrese MAXI like it is.
They are walking wounded right now. Ubre had thirty, but
they lose to the Nets. Just not. The vibes are
not great around the Sixers, and I don't know what
(02:58):
to other thid. I'm not gonna bash them. I will though,
bash to Dallas Mavericks. Figure it the f out guys,
Luca a third straight I'm sorry, a fourth straight thirty
point triple double and.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
They lose again.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
They like can't beat the Pacers for some reason. Then
no defense maps can't stop the Pacers. And I mean,
I know we're all talking about Giannis and the potential
for him leaving if they get blown out and him
demanding a trade. I would keep it eye on Luca.
Is he gonna want to put up with this crap
like Kyrie Irving? Like I just I cannot believe Dallas
can't get it together. They were vibing around the All
(03:30):
Star break, they won like seven or eight in a row,
and now they're spluttering again. Just super supremely disappointing. No,
I'm not gonna talk about the Grayson Allen performance against
the Nuggets. I mean, listen, if Grayson Allen's hitting eight
threes in a game, yeah, Phoenix is gonna be fist
to even without Devin Booker. I don't think that's gonna
happen on a regular basis at any rate. Let's get
(03:51):
to our guest, former NBA player, former UNC tar heel
John Henson get in on the action with DraftKings Sportsbook
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one hundred six sixty eight hours after issuance. See dkang
dot com slash football for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms
and responsible gaming resources. You know a guy Jason likes
to think he knows everything when it comes to sports.
I know what sports fans want, but for everything he doesn't.
(05:21):
He knows a guy who does. Let's just say I
know a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy.
All right, let's welcome into straight Fire a guest he's
never been on the pod before. It's so funny. We're
getting to the stage where I'm getting older and athletes
who I you know, bet on and watched the NBA
and college basketball, they're now coming on podcasts. Welcome in
(05:43):
John Henson, former North Carolina big man, former Milwaukee Bucks
lottery pick and played in the league for what about
ten years? McDonald's All America, John, How are you man?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I'm going well, man, Thanks for having me excited to
be on the other side. Now I can talk how
I want to talk. I can bet on sports. You
know what I'm saying, like I can you know, I
hammered Duke last night. That was a good feeling even.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
On Oh that was a good hit. Yeah. So you're
currently so you born in Greensboro, grew up at like
a kind of our Texas and a couple other places,
but now you've settled in Tampa. And I went to
your Instagram and I noticed you're like fishing a lot,
and I was like, oh, NBA retirement looks nice on
boats fishing, and your rec league looks like you're fairly dominant.
(06:28):
Is that safe to say?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yeah? I fish, I golf, you know I do. I
do the sports media that I called a couple of
college games this year to start. I do Serious XM
twice a week, ACC Radio, and you know I do.
I do some other stuff for the Field of sixty
eight network. So I'll be going to the Final four
as a I mean, I guess I'm credential, which is
weird saying I'm credential to go there. So I'll be
(06:50):
in Vegas for the first round. I'll be out there.
We're working with Field sixty eight and bet MGM, so
it's it's kind of taken off. And when I retired,
I don't know what I was going to do. Right
at my sports I had a sports media or media
agent calls me say, look, Mbacy network is in New
York sports betting show to look for talent. And never
really understood or got into sports betting, but all my
(07:12):
boys bets, So I understand that, understood the lingo, I
understood the terms, and I understood all types of stuff.
So when I went up there, they were like, wow,
can you start tomorrow? And here we are today, So
it was it's been fun.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Nice, that's good, good to hear. Glad you're getting in
on the game. But we'll get to college basketball March
badness in a minute. I just like your story. You know. Obviously,
one thing instantly jumped out when I heard, oh yeah,
John Henson, would you be interested? I was like, Oh
my gosh, of course, and I had to look it up.
You were in a I think it was probably your
last college basketball game against Kansas in the Elite eight,
(07:48):
and I remember being loaded up on UNC. That was
at your team with Harrison Barnes, and you guys were stacked, right, yeah, yeah,
you had like three guys drafted in the lottery and
it was like a nip and tuck game with Kansas,
and then Kansas went on like a twelve nothing run,
fourteen whatever it was to end the game, and I
was just shell shocked. I remember, I still remember this
is over a decade ago, sitting there watching like how
did this happen? And it's weird because you you had
(08:08):
such a ballyhooed high school group going to UNC. It
was like you, I wrote down the names here, the
where brothers, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Where, We're twins. We had Dexter Stricklan Lesson. We were
number one class.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, stacked, But you went to UNC after they lost
Hansborough and a million guys. They had just won the title,
and so it was a bit of a tough transition
to the point I was reading that Williams tried to
make you like a six ' ten wing. Is it
was that accurate.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, when it was recruiting me, you know, obviously it's
kind of funny now the game is where it's at now,
but you know, yeah, six six ' ten on the
wing was kind of like not necessarily the you know,
something people wanted. But I was slim out a slim building.
He's like, you know, I don't know if you were
able to hold up at the college level as a
big man early on. So we're gonna play in a perimeter,
(08:56):
and you know that's what we wanted, right, We're thinking
down the righte. You know, at the time, I was
going to like the Vince Carter camp. So I was
like a twiner, right, I was more of a four
than a three, but I wanted to be a three.
And you know, it didn't go the best way. At first.
I wasn't playing a lot. I played a little bit,
(09:17):
and then Ed Davis gets hurt and because we was like,
well we got slides to the four son sorry perimeter
experiment is over and then the rest is history. And
by the end of my NBA career, I was a center.
So so you have the game. The game has changed,
you know over the last decade.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I'm curious. In high school, did you play any wing
or I'm assuming there was that wing.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I was a big man in high school. I played wing.
I shot threes. I mean I shot the ball a
lot in high school, just the way that it developed
in North Carolina. I mean I started shooting the mid
range jumper. I never shot a three, but obviously if
it was now, I would have probably shot some threes
at the four right, that would probably be something I did.
But that's just that was just the nature of the game.
Like you shooting a lot of threes. It wasn't very spaced,
(10:05):
you know. And now I look back, like, whoo, if
I would have stayed at the perimeter, man, who knows
where I could win. That's where the game went, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Side I'm trying to think, like, you know, it's one
of those deals. And I hate this discussion because it
doesn't look My favorite team going up was Patrick ewings Nicks,
and I remember like Anthony Mason was tough. This is
probably before your time. But like Charles Oakley, you know,
the power forward, right, the big burly like bodyguard to
the center. Everybody had one. It was like mandatory Otis
(10:34):
Thorpe for Elijah Wan you go on the other list,
and it's like, I don't know if that power forward
is even in the league these days. Like I'm not
saying Charles Oakley couldn't play in the NBA, but where
does he fit? And it's like PJ. Tucker's a power
forward now and all he does is sit in the
corner and hit threes, and like nobody tried to do
that with you. And we're only talking about like fifteen
years ago, right.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, I mean that that iss crazy, the progression because
when I came to the NBA, if you remember, the
league was getting smaller and faster. Right, So my third year,
I'm six eleven, I can guard fours and fives, I
can move my feet. Now, all of a sudden, I'm
(11:15):
a I'm a valuable center, right, Like, okay, this is
he can he can guard multiple positions, he can rebound, defend,
he can run the court. And then the game changed
again and now everyone shoots the three, and you actually
because of them Beds and the Yokic and the Nirkiches
and those big You need a burly center these days.
(11:36):
So it all just depends on the floor of the player,
like back in the day when you had those Ewings
and Elijah Wan's Like, if you didn't in shock, like
if you didn't have someone down there that could throw
their weight around but also move, this will be a
long day for you. So it just that's the kind
of game. It depends on the players. Like even with
point guards are kind of getting phased out now. I
was actually talking to my boy the other day. I said,
(11:56):
he was like, who would be a good point guard
to play with Luka? And you look down the list,
like there's not really many now what guards anymore? Like
it's just just they're scoring guards.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Now, yeah, John Stockton, Like you know that that was
a pure point guard. Right now, everybody's a combo because
the skill level is insane. But I want to go
quickly back to high school and obviously you were a
big time recruit, six ' ten, totally dominant, and I
see you were down to Texas UCLA and unc obviously
you picked the Tar Hills. I'm just curious, what's it
like when big name coaches come, if it's UCLA, I'm
(12:27):
trying to think who the coach was.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Back then, it wasn't Howland.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Howland, that's right, yeah from pitt Yeah. And then Texas
was not written bars was it okay? So what's it
like when those guys come in the living room and
are recruiting you, Like, I know you were a North
Carolina kid being from Greensboro, but did they have a chance.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You know, I was on Texas at the time. I
was living in Austin, Texas. I was on Texas. I
wanted to go there, but my dad was just always like, hey, look,
take your time. I mean, I was going to Texas
every weekend. I was hanging out with Dexter Pittman, were
going to the football games ten minute from my home.
Didn't want to go anywhere else. So I told coach Barnes.
I said, hey, look, I would love to come here.
(13:06):
But at the same time, I'm only sophomore. I do
want my teammates to get lost, because I mean there
were I mean there were schools coming in and out,
even my AU team. I mean they were every day, right,
and so funny story, one day out of practice, this
Duke also hopped in recruit too. So I come out
of practice in my coach's office. It's Coach K. It's
(13:28):
Roy Williams, It's Tom Mizzo, Rick Barnes, I think one
more other coach. They're all just sitting in offices.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
This is in your tenth grade, this is this is.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Like eleventh grade, eleventh grade. They're all sitting around, right,
Whose hand do you go to shake first? Who go
to first?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Tell me? At the time, probably coach K.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Right, Yeah, they late for me. They came in late
for me, almost like they kind of came in laate,
like okay, well, Johnny Dunkers was recruiting, and Coach K
came to you know, came to see me that one day.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So maybe I would go for the guy who was
earliest on the recruiting trol with me.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
So I go and check Coach Williams hand first. Those
eagles in there, Boy, man, I heard that there was
a lot of fallout from that decision. What am I
supposed to do? I'm seventeen, sixteen years old.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, who's.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Like coach Williams was at the time he was coach
I don't know, like it was just.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I guess you could do that. You could have just
done that. Hey what's up, gentlemen, how are you fellas?
But you're seventeen, Like, come on, seventeen year old Jason
would have been pooping his pants. Basically, that's intense.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
It's like back to back final four un C on
the version of one, like you know, I was like,
oh my god, coach Williams is sitting here. So that
was just kind of my recruiting went. And then I
went down to the final three Texas, U, s LA
and UNC. And the reason why I didn't go to
Texas is because Rick Marsh calls my dad. He says, hey,
(14:58):
you know what I'm saying. I never told this story
really like publicly. But Barnes calls my dad and he goes, hey, man, like,
you know, well, I don't just let your son commit man, Like,
what's what's the hold up? Like? Because I was telling
my dad wants to wait. Dad gets a little upset,
you know, they getting They get into an argument, and
then I come into the office and my dad goes, yeah,
you're not going to Texas. I said, all right, well
(15:20):
I guess I'm not going to Texas. And so I
visited UCLA official visit a little too Far. That's when
they had k Love and Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, So they ended.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
They were actually playing Texas in Probaly Famlia. I don't
remember that series, and uh, that's that's when they had
a Texas CLA series for a couple of years back
in the day. So they were playing Texas. So I
saw the Texas guys as well. Riddy Terror was my
guy who was recruiting me, and you know, I just
didn't feel the love there, man, Like you know, I
didn't get me the players. I felt like I was
a burden because you know, because you know, I was
(15:58):
a highly ranked recruit. So like a lot of schools
I went to, I almost felt like there was a
little animosity and like you.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Know, like oh, you would be stealing jobs, stealing jobs
and like, oh my god, shut up about this kid,
Like you know, cause I know now that I've been
in the program, like I've been in those conversations, Coach
off say hey, look we've got your bas Muhammed coming
in like we need him.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
He's gonna be great, like what like you know, and
I'm like, okay, I hear your coach. I hear you.
But like the reason why I chose North Carolina is
because I felt at home there. There was no animosity.
The players they hit me up and they want to
hung out with me. They invited me places. It just
the energy was just so much different. It was just
like a no brainer. And also coach coach Ben Howland
(16:42):
kept calling my high schoolch my dad, so that kind
of pissed me off too, So.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Oh yeez, wow, So that's interesting. So it's some of
these egos. I like that. I mean, it's not an
easy choice for a young kid, but it does feel
good to be wanted, I'm assuming, right.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Yeah, it does. And you know, at the time, I
was a number one power forward rate in the class.
Do you remember who two was, Derry Favers.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Oh that's right, the kid out of New Jersey. Yeah,
I covered him a mint For a minute. In high school,
I saw Tristan Thompson was was he also up?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
There?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Was he the following year?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
He was the following year? So Tristan. I played with Tristan,
So me and him always laugh because he was like,
you know, if you would have went to Texas, I
would have went there. And then right when I decided
to stay in North Carolina. He said, when I saw
you were you were going to stay, you were gonna
be ahead of me. Me and Rich Paul, we were like, oh,
we're definitely eaving now, right because now we get slotted
up to be the first power for it taking which
(17:34):
team with the need would take the you know, depending
on where you slide it. So me and him were
kind of laugh about it. We were kind of like
intertwining and we ended up playing with each other. So
that was fun.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
So so you go to UNC and listen, I'm not
gonna call her disappointment. Obviously, you get to two elite eates.
It's not bad, but no final four day. Obviously you
didn't expect that, right.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Definitely don't expected. I laugh all the time. I'm like, man,
if I knew we're gonna lose, if we're gonna lose
I starting point guard and losing Canceler leadd, I probably
would have left.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
But you know, oh waits who was the point?
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Was it?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Kendall Marshall.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, that's why the Kansas game we didn't have him.
So so that's why that's why we struggled down the stretch.
Tyshon Taylor like he killed us. We had, oh the.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Little guard for Kansas, that's right, man, tough one. So
you you decided to leave after your junior year. You
were the two time defensive player of the Year obviously,
you know, utterly dominant at the defensive end. And I
love the pre draft process stuff. My favorite one is
the Tyreek Evans Versusteph Curry in a workout and the
Grizzlies saw that and we're like, Tyreek Evans is our guy,
you know, we got we gotta grab me. Just annihilated
(18:32):
Curry one on one, which is stupid when you go
into these workouts. Did you have any like showdowns where
you went up against big guys?
Speaker 1 (18:40):
My class was Me Sollinger, Jared Sollinger, Terrence Jones, Myers,
Leonard Perry, Jones, Aldo.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Terrence Jones, Kentucky, right, but he was more of a stretch.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeah, but we were, you know, we were kick slotted
this power forward. So we all came together, you know,
and we all kind of came in as one.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Did you say Drummond was in that mix.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I never worked out with Drummond. I only worked out
with us. Drumming was projected top five, so he was
on a different workout playing individual. So the really the
workout that I think is the funniest one was Golden State.
M go to State had no interest drafting me. They
(19:22):
wanted Harrison, right, so they brought me being asked about Harrison. No, right,
so they don't they won't, They did not have they
want nothing to do with But you know we had
to do a workout, right.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Could you tell at the time they were not interested
in you?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Oh yeah, I went. So so we go get lunch
or breakfast before the workout, and you know, so they
don't ask anything about me. I'm talking about it and
asked me what my favorite color was. They're like, so,
how's Harrison as a locker room guy? So you think
he can fit in with the NBA locker room you know,
Like I was like, oh, okay, this is why here.
(20:00):
And then furthermore the workout, they threw me and Jared
Sullinger in this workout with these with God it's a
kid from Temple's names Mike. I follow him. He's my friend.
Actually when he played Mike, he was a pretty much
these two like seven foot two, seventy five bruiser pow
just massive human beings. I'm two twenty big Sully's undersized
(20:27):
power forward, and all we did was just do rebounding
box out two on two the whole day, and me
and Jared were is getting thrown around.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Like ragdos what do you think that's about?
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I just want to see, hey, look, we're not drafting him.
Let's have some fun. That's how I felt it was.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
So they ended up taking Draymond Green in the second round.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Yeah, and they took Harrison number.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Seven they did, yeah, yeah, yeah, so you could tell
they were going Harrison. Interesting. So I'm sure that's a
crappy feeling you guys brought me. But you couldn't say that,
right you're a young like twenty one.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Oh no, you're excited, but you know once you once
you sit back and looked at you like okay, Well
I literally called Harson like, yeah, go, I did go
to state right of the day. They're gonna pick you.
Because I don't think they even asked me how my
flight was, let alone, how like they didn't ask me
any I don't think I answered one question about myself.
It's all about you.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
That's a little that's a bit of a bummer anyway,
So you get drafted by the Bucks, and it's so weird.
I did not even realize this until I really looked
at you. You ended up playing with young Yiannis in Milwaukee,
which is crazy, so you know you had to would
you say a good run there? Like I know you
were a big guy in the community. Obviously I was
out of one incident that you know was racial profiling.
(21:37):
But I don't know some of the stuff I was
reading about Scotti Skyles and Jason Kidd and you getting
in the doghouse. I don't know how much you want
to get into that, but I'm sure the audience care.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Was coach Skiles. So when I got there, we had
like mante Elis and Brandon Jennings and we had Droppris, Billa,
Drew Gooden, Samuel Dallen Bear. These are like the old
school NBA guys, so like it was like a real
it was like a transition. Like for instance, like I
would have to get Popeyes and Pizza Hut every plane trip,
(22:09):
right every trip. If you did that today in the NBA,
like you might get traded, like seriously, like that's how
much exchanged, Like if you're not bringing in Keenwa bowls
and smoothies, Like they gonna be like, what are you doing,
Like you can't eat pizza, which I think is I
guess it's right, but dudes still eat pizza, like just
(22:30):
not on the plane anymore. Right. So Skiles he was
he was, he was tough. But I really I got
lucky because Skiles doesn't take shit if you're not playing hard,
if you're not if you don't want to play, he's
gonna play. Okay, rook get in there. He don't want
to play, rook, get in there. I'll play forty minutes.
(22:51):
So I was blessed to have a coach like that
because nobody really want At the time, nobody wanted to
be in Milwaukee. No one really wanted to Yeah, nobody
really wanted to be there. There's a lot of guys
with contracts that were that were you know, free agents
like Mike Dunleavy, Monte Ellis didn't sign an extension, Brandon
Jennings didn't sign an extension, like, so there was a
lot of things going on with that team. And I
(23:14):
was just a young ope, wide eyed, bushytail rookie, like
just wanted to play basketball. And you know, I mean
I had a game that year where I had like
twenty one points or seventeen points, twenty five rebounds, seven blocks,
like as a rookie, Yeah, me shack and tumbles some
wild stat that I have no business being a part of.
So I got to kind of show what I could do.
(23:36):
And then that led me to the next year where
I played fairly well, and then we got a new coach,
you know, which was Jay Kidd. And then Jakid comes
in and says, you guys want fifteen games. I don't
care if you average twenty points last year, you guys sucked,
And so I had to rebrand myself to try to
play for his system, which fortunately for me, I was
able and adapted, went up to do that and uh,
(23:57):
you know, sign an extension and the rest of history.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Kid has been kind of a lot of people pin
him as the reason that was holding Gianni's back. So
they then let go ahead and they bring in Budenolzer
and they win the title. I don't know what how
do you characterize Kid as a coach?
Speaker 1 (24:13):
You know, he he had I mean literally, he was
his first He went with the nets, right, and that
was his first experience as a coach period and being
in the NBA level. If your first year is being
a coach, that's Steve Nash. How that was. Yeah, he
even been back. Steve was like, all right, that's not
(24:34):
for me. Right. So he was learning just like just
like just like anybody else, learning on the fly, and
his basketball mind never been around anyone like it. I mean,
he would he you know, some of the stuff he
would do in practice, right, he'd be like, you know what,
give me the ball. Right, he stand out of bounce
and he'd be like, run to play. He'll hit a
(24:56):
due for a lip. You don't see that. We're like, no,
we're not. First Battle Hall of Fame twenty year Championship
point guard. We did not see that coach. And like
one day we were playing in San Antonio. We were
come off a bad loss and we were down, like
a couple guys were injured, and he practices with us
and at that age forty whatever, and he still was
(25:18):
fast and physical. Now, the day after that practice he
was in shambles. But that day, I mean, he still
was able to play with us and not necessarily be
a liability.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So yeah, man, he's yeah, he's I mean, just being
able to be coached by him, and you know, I
think that was something that I'll kind of cherish man,
because you don't get to be around gatness like that
all the time.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
So the first year of Milwaukee and then the second year,
a young kid named Jannis gets drafted. You know, they
took him. I guess lottery a bit of a surprise.
I am again, at the time, I'm sure it was nothing,
But looking back, did you see anything in those early
stays that were like, Holy cow, this guy's gonna take
over the league.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
So the first day he comes in, I used to
just stay in Milwaukee for the summers. That was just
my strategy for the organization and wanted to be there.
Hey look, we got to show you want to be there,
you gotta live there. And no one's there in the summer.
I was there by myself. And so he gets he
comes in and they say, hey, John Man, Hey, shoot up, man,
(26:23):
I want to play Gianni's one on one. I'm like,
all right, but this kid, and he's eighteen years old,
I'm three. I'm I'm a three year college guy plus
a year in the league, right like I'm I'm I'm
I'm I'm a tough cookie, you know what. I'm saying,
and apparently Yannis had not played over Division two or
three in Greece, which you know, apparently is like high
(26:44):
level high schoolers, right, So we played one on one.
He can't even get a shot off. He just had
he just hadn't adjusted. But what I did, I mean
I beat him every spot. And you know, he'll tell
you the same story. But what I did notice about
him was he was very savvy, very for a young kid.
(27:07):
The the handles with defending, how he would grab your hip,
and like he was just very he had a mature
feel for the game that usually kids his age don't have.
And that's the first thing I kind of notice about him.
And then he's just headstrong man as as the way
he plays, right, He's just so headstrong. So I think
(27:30):
I could turn important in his career where even a team,
you know, our team was like kind of looking at them, Okay,
young fellow was One day we split up bigs and
guards and coach kids like, just go down with the bigs.
He's like, I'm not a big man. He's like, what
do you mean. He's like, I'm not a big man.
I'm a guard. Like I'm not going down there. And
Jay k was like, okay, well go hand there with
(27:52):
the guards, right, And then I think everyone in the
gym was like, okay, kids got some some balls, right,
kids from He's he's got something to them. And I
remember the first drill he comes down with the arms handling,
We're like, okay, he's a guard right, Like okay, like
you know, and and and that's kind of my Yannis story.
(28:14):
And I mean he worked so hard. I mean he's
one of the hardest working guys I know. And that's
a credit to one of the coaches, Sean Swainey, who
became close with who's in he's in Dallas right now
with cauch kid. He kind of they had like a
brotherly relationship, but he pushed them. He pushed them hard,
and they argued and they fought, but you know, kind
of still that kind of like nashiness in them that
he has. And obviously you see where he's become now.
(28:39):
I don't think anyone thought that was gonna happen. But
that's that's beautiful thing about sports.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, so you you even said it, not a lot
of people wanted to be in Milwaukee at the time.
I'm curious, what did Yanna simply change that, or have
social media helped change that because you're one of those
weird athletes who when you were in high school, I
don't think social media was like a big thing like
instagrams that none of that. Right, well, the college or
was there something?
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Well when you win, right we started winning, it's a
lot easier. People want to come right when you win.
It's just it's just inherently easier to commit somewhere. Like
you know, even if you look at it. Remember of
Dame Lillard interview and they were talking about what do
you do? He's like, honestly, my life is pretty boring.
I sit in the house and I watch YouTube boxing.
Like that's Milwaukee. You you practice, you go home the
(29:29):
way the city set up, Like if you live downtown,
not a lot of guys do, so the younger guys do.
But like there's thirty minutes out of Brookfield in those
areas to have home, so a lot of the families
live out there. So it's just not that type of city.
A lot of guys that came to Milwaukee that were
married said that marriage just got a lot stronger when
(29:49):
they moved to Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
So wow, I did not did not see that one coming,
so you know you have a good run in Milwaukee.
I do need to add about what one of the
best clips I saw was the Matt Barnes incident. Obviously
I listen. I've worked with Matt a little bit of Fox.
He is a super interesting guy. A little intimidating initially,
but he's just such a dude, soft spoken, easy to
(30:11):
work with. But so you had picked up a technical
earlier in the game or maybe in the fourth quarter,
and then at the end, Barnes is like driving and
you swat the living daylights out of his shot, like
basically a volleyball spike. Crowd's going wild, there's like five
seconds left, you're flexing. I think the refs gave you
a technical for maybe exuberant celebration. So you get ejected.
(30:32):
Barnes argues and on the YouTube clip, all of a sudden,
you know he doesn't get a tech, but I mean
they just tell him that you're subbed out, and he
doesn't sit on the bench. He runs into the tunnel
and I can't really find John if he got to
the locker room, and there's a lot of there's some
tweets at the time that were unclear. Why did you
give us the real story?
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Yeah, so I was having a bad day that day. NBA.
It's gonna keep going. You play every day every other day.
At the time, me and my my lady the time
we got into a big army before the game, I
was coming back off a back injury, where coach Kids
sat me in his office, was like, hey, man, we
need you back. We need you man like we need
(31:09):
we need you. I could have probably waited another week, no,
like like I could have played, but you know I
could have. I could, but I said another week would
have been great. But if coach needs me, I want
to be there for my teammates. I don't play the
whole first half, right, I played the last three minutes.
(31:30):
The first half I played really well when I get
in there. So the second half I ended up playing minutes.
So I'm pissed. I'm so pissed now. At the time,
I think the thing, you know, I found out later
because for me, when the Matt Bars thing happened, he
ran into the locker room, or he ran to the
(31:50):
he came through the door. So there's two interests. You
come through the front door with the coach office and
then you come to our locker room, gets.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
To the door.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
He's yelling, his scream and securities holding him back. I'm
on the other side. I could see I could see him,
so I'm facing he can't see me, but I could
see him at the door, okay, screaming, yelling profanities, and
I'm like, oh, this dude's pissed, like like I ain't
that man, you know what I'm saying, Like this dude
(32:18):
wants to like get in here and get after me,
like you know, like I wasn't that upset, like we
you know, now, I was still upset, but I wasn't
upset to the point where I'm about to fight somebody
Like yeah, this is not that's not even who I
am as a person. So like I'm not about to
fight you, dude, Like this was a heat of the
moment competitive game. We got tossed, like we move on.
(32:40):
So anyways, he goes back into his locker room and
then you know, apparently he's waiting outside. They won't even
let me leave. They took my keys. They took my keys.
They the bucks, the security l a we have valet. Yeah,
(33:00):
so so they took my keys. They wouldn't let me leave.
They said, no, you cannot go there. He's outside. I said,
I said, come on, man, Like, what's he gonna like
attack me? Like like what like this we're NBA players,
Like okay, well if he comes after me, whatever, we're
gonna fight for a little bit and the like. It's
not like we're just gonna be in the streets by ourself, right,
(33:21):
Like I can walk to my car, Like everybody's got
to relax. No, no, no, you can't leave. We're like,
I said, well I'm walking out. They're like, well, we
don't have you don't have your keys, so you can't
go nowhere. So I'm just like all right, I sit
in the locker room. I wait. They end up taking
my car and pulling around to the other entrance and
then I finally get to leave. And I just thought
(33:42):
that was just the dumbest thing ever, because you know,
I'm not saying anything would have happened, but like, I
didn't think it was that deep. And the reason why
it all started was I flavor found Lance Stevenson. Uh So,
Lance goes to the free throw line and then Matt
was just talking to me. I don't remember what he
was saying, but I was just kind of like, bro,
it's got nothing to do with you, Like, relax, Like
(34:04):
it has nothing to do with you. Like I said
something to the tune of that probably a little more
disrespectful obviously, but yeah, and he was like, what did
you say, a young fellow, you better show me some respect.
And then that's when it just took off.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Oh okay, that's an added element. That's not I like that.
I mean again, I don't know how much fans like that.
Have you. You haven't seen Barnes since, have you.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I haven't seen him. I'd imagine we'd probably say what's up.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah, he's a very chill guy. I mean, I'm super
nice and friendly, all right, Yeah, beyond the battles. I
am just curious. Uh, you know, like when it's time
to hang it up. You've been cheered since I'm so
sure you sports au high school, You've been the man
everywhere you went. I made a lot of money in
the NBA. What's it like when you're like, you know what,
(34:49):
I think, I'm just gonna I'm shut powered out.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I'm done. I was. I'll tell you. I was in
Puerto Rico. I had a lot of I had a
lot of play. I could have played, and I don't
know if you know read Star Belgrade, Serbia. Yeah, so
Real Star was calling. China was offered me a lot
of money. There's a couple like European teams that were like, hey, look,
we'll if well, well, we're not gonna pay him a
(35:14):
lot of money now, but if he if he does well,
then out over here. Because you know you're a league.
They're not just going to throw you a bunch of money.
You got to prove you can play in that league,
then you'll pay you. So I said, man, I'm not
trying to go to Europe. I tell my agent, I said,
I want to go somewhere where there's a beach within
ten miles. Find me in that place, I'll be there.
(35:35):
And so Puerto Rico calls. Pretty much every team in
the league was like interested. So it was like my
choice to pick. I picked this team called the Gundable Mets.
I go over there to practice in April. I tweaked
my calf for a little bit, but I ended up
practicing and the power goes out for five days. The
(35:55):
power playing catches on fire and I have no power
for five days. Now, I went to a hotel, but
I had to like I went to a hotel eventually,
but like I mean for the first day or two,
you know, I was like, I'm gonna grind this out.
This is overseas life, Like I'm not about to be
boozy NBA player, Like We're gonna figure it out. So
(36:17):
I'm charging my phone in the car and watching TV
in the car to my phone's charged, and I mean
sandwiches and stuff like you know what I'm saying, and
roughing it. And you know, in Puerto Rico, the power
goes out apparently a lot, so people kind of people
are kind of just going up after normal days, which
I thought was pretty cool, right, Like if the power
(36:37):
goes out here for five days, we'd have to like
lock our doors and shut her in, Like yeah, get sketchy.
So the coach there, I don't know, I don't I
don't well, I don't know what his issue was with me.
I don't want to say issue, but like you know,
(36:58):
when we had a discussion, he would be like like
why are you here? He made enough money. I'd be
like what. I was like, what what'd you say? I'm
just asking, man, like you know, what, why are you here?
I said, well, why are you here? Because he was
an older guy American and a lot of coaching in
that league are like younger Puerto Rican guy coaches that
(37:19):
like maybe trying to increase their profile. He was Seth
Greenberg's brother.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
For context, I know Seth Greenberg a little bit. We've
had some issues because I joked about him screwing up
on Steph Curry and he didn't like that.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
I don't know his brother, right, sounds about right, his
brother like for some you know. And I had heard
that he wanted certain players and then I called and
they were like, well, John Hinson called no, right, I'd
heard there's some rumblings that I it wasn't necessary the
guy that he wanted. But obviously for an eight year,
nine year NBA guys calling you to come play for you, Dwight,
(37:58):
how is it right now? Same team? Actually? Oh?
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Is he really?
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Yeah? He just signed with him, so I know why
they pay good. But yeah, So I'm sitting in a
dark I'm sitting there like, man, I think I'm gonna
go home.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Yeah, I don't need this.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
I think I think I hang it up, you know
what I mean? Because I would live just Hey, I
hope people listening because this is a funny story. I
like a practice at six o'clock every day, right six o'clock.
So I'm in Puerto Rico. I'm like semi retired. I'm
not necessarily thinking like this is a resurgent career type situation.
(38:39):
It's just I'm a hoop and enjoy being in Puerto Rico,
which was awesome weather it was beautiful. So yeah, I
would like sometimes I would go get like a margarita
before a practice because it's like six o'clock, Like you
know what I'm saying, Like we just go like you know,
like it's practically six, like I need to go get
IU would get dinner and like get a little margarita
before practice, and like that was kind of how I
(38:59):
was doing it, you know what I mean. And uh,
it was fun. We practiced late, got home at eight
or nine, went to sleep, and you know, didn't really
have many days off either. So I think the the
whole day was yours to do whatever you want whole day.
But you can't really do whatever you want right proccess six.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, but I mean if you want to go to
the beach for five hours, actually that wears you down.
Sitting in the sun.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Yeah, you can't. You can't go to you know, you
gotta chill. So did you have like.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
A crew or a group of friends on the team
or anything were cool?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Yeah, we had some guys that, you know, we would
have like every once in a while, we'd have like
an off day, we'd all go put a ten up
at the beach and just chill. And that was the
one that was the more fun thing, man, just being
able to chill at the beach and.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Oh yeah, vibe.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
But we didn't get a lot off days, like it
wasn't like, you know, I thought we would get one
or two days a week, you know, NBA, you know
spoiled like nah, like practice to day, practice today. And
you know, it was just a situation where I was like,
you know what this is. This is a good experience.
It was humbling as well. It was very humbling, very humbling.
(40:00):
And so came home and started the gauntlet of the
sports media thing.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
And here I am, all right, so we could wrap
up with sports media. You're doing a lot of college
basketball stuff. It's a weird year. A last year, none
of the number one seeds got to the final four.
I think none of them got to the e lead
eight and this year, everybody, oh, Connecticut's going to repeat.
I love Houston, and I'm like, I don't know, guys,
maybe I'm all messed up from last year's wackiness, but
(40:26):
I don't give me. Give me a sleeper or two.
Who you got at top twenty teen that could make
a run. It feels kind of sort of wide open.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
I think tonight will be the coming out party. So
I would hop on this line at Florida UF plus
sixteen hundred on to the final four. It's it will
go down tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Wait, why Florida.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I like what they have. They're trending in the right direction.
They've got a good young coach, They've got the size, athleticism,
and the dynamic guards. I mean, they're built like these
teams that are really really good, and as of late
they've been rolling. So I think tonight they take care
of Alabama. They were up by fifteen or fourteen at
their place in Alabama, storing backers, which is what Alabama does. Alabama,
(41:08):
they low you into this. Oh, we can just shoot
it out with them. Alabama's gonna play the defense. Well,
you can't shoot out with Alabama. When I was at
Carolina when teams were trying to run with us, we'd
be like, we got them, we got them, just keep running.
And then all of a sudden, you look up, We're
up thirty, you know, and it's one hundred and two
to eighty, and you know that's you know, so that
(41:29):
that's kind of what Alabama does. So I think Florida's
not going to get into that tonight per se. But
I like them at plus sixteen hundred and then Houston.
I like to make the final four. Two. I think
they break through. They made us think a couple of
years ago. They're just a tough team to beat without
the right personnel, and not many people have the right
personnel for them. So defensively, I think they're going to
suffocate their opponents until they come against someone that can
(41:53):
go toe to toe with them. But there's not a
lot of teams obviously, and they went into Big twelve
from the American and didn't miss a beat.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
That's a good point on Florida. I'm looking at their stats.
This is what I hate to bet on in March Madness.
Bad free throw shooting teams. Yeah, two hundred and eighty
fourth in the country in free throws because you know
these March Badness games are gonna be close, and I
it's so frustrating to bet on a team and they're
clanging free throws. They do crush it on the offensive glass.
How much do you put in stock do you put
in this that some of these guys? For instance, I
(42:21):
click on one of the names, Terrese Samuel, you know,
big guy crushes it on the glass. John he turns
twenty four in a couple of days.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
I always laugh, Like Devin Booker was signing for two
hundred million at twenty four. I was signed. I signed
my extension at twenty five, like I was three years
into the NBA. So like, it's so interesting to see
these like when I was twenty Like when I was
twenty four, if I was in college, Oh my.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
God, you'd be dominating.
Speaker 1 (42:47):
Oh my god. Right, Like it's like I think quarterback
Ryan on you and see's like twenty five twenty six.
Memphis is average age. University of Memphis average age is
like twenty five point three twenty four at that point eight,
like something like that, Like these are pros.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Yeah, Memphis. One of the older teams, Saint Bonaventure, looks
like they're the most experienced team in the country. So
the transfer portal has really it's it's kind of helped.
But I don't know, John, If I if I'm in
an NCAA tournament game where I'm twenty four years old
and I'm being guarded by a nineteen year old, like
gets game over.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Isn't it.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
It is like.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Did you I don't care if you're a McDonald's All American.
If you're nineteen, your body and nothing's nearly developed.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I remember, do you remember Bernard James, who's out Bernard
James f for Florida State the military.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Oh, the big guy, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah, he was twenty six man. He was throwing us
around like rag dolls out there, Like I remember playing
against him, like I couldn't do anything with him. I
felt like I was playing against a grown man out there.
And I think that's what happens with the older guys.
And it also is another reason why these freshman teams
like Kentucky. I think in a normal year, Kentucky would
be a lot better. But oh yeah, you have these
(43:59):
these fifth years, six year grad pandemic guys Like, yeah, Kentucky,
you're playing against twenty four year old. Now you're playing
this guys six years older than you. Won't go. It's
not gonna go as well as you think. I don't
care how talented you are as a freshman.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Yeah, it's weird. This Houston team. I like them. They
got some real good players.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I just they're banged up though right now too. It's
gonna be interesting to see if they can get help you.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
I'm worried to take an offensively challenged team. And I
know the numbers are good, their top fifteen offense, but
they're a defensive team. And you just I just remember
that NCAA tournament game. Was it like the Elite eight
or Sweet sixteen where they fall behind by ten? It's like,
we can't come back. We just we don't have the offense,
we don't have the firepower. Who is it against last year?
Me looked at it, Well, it was against Miami. Yeah,
they got blasted by Miami in the Sweet sixteen, lost
(44:45):
by fourteen.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
And I am they play such a like like. The
only team that has that has that profile of how
they played defensively in their style of play was their
UVA team that won. And so that's one that's one
team out of years and years and years and years
of data and analytics. So I don't think they necessarily
(45:08):
have the best shot to win it. But I do
love them to make it to the final four. I
just think that that's their floor. But once they come
against a high power, like you know, when you get
to the final four, right, I mean you're going to
be playing, yeah, someone that's probably as good offensively and
defensive top you know, top twenties. You say the last
twenty champions have been top twenty five defense, top ten
(45:31):
defense efficiency.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
Yep, yep, yep. So let me give you two of
those real quick. Creighton any interest at all? Or are
they too soft? They don't. They don't pressure the ball defensively.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
I like Craig could get hot and make a run
in the tournament. I just don't know if they have
the defensive I don't know if they I don't know
if they can win other ways. I look for teams
that can win other ways. That's why I like Houston
because you got to think, too, Houston has an offensive explosion.
Now you're they're beating anybody. Houston can play defense. Hey,
we can slow the game down offensively. If you want
(45:59):
to go with if you want to go toe to
toe with Houston, they can. They can go toe to
toe with you. Now that's not their style of playing.
But I like Iowa State too.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
Yeah, No, they're very good. I was gonna throw the
last one I throw at you. Tennessee with the kid
Dalton connect who is I mean, he's such a baller.
I like these stories. By the way, I know you
were like a McDonald's All American pread All American. This
is a kid who was at like Northern Colorado. Oh,
we don't know if he can cut it. We don't
know if he can cut it, goes to Tennessee and
is like, you know, potential All American candidate, And now
they're like, is he a first round pick? I don't know.
(46:29):
I don't know how much you watch of him, but
any interest in Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
I love Tennessee because if you saw the game against
was an Auburn. I mean he put he took that
game over. And that's a scary team because they defend
at a high level. But also if they get going,
they'll blow you out of the water.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
Right Oh he had thirty nine damn yeah right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
They'll blow you out of the water. So that's a
team that's scary, and they're kind of knocking on the
door to the last couple of years they've been, you know,
kind of there at the end spe sixteen of l
eate not going getting over the hump, but they have
the pieces. Man. I like Tennessee all right.
Speaker 2 (47:09):
I've kept him too long. John Henson, former North Carolina star,
former NBA player, former teammate of Giannis. Great stories, John,
Thanks a lot, and uh, you know, good luck in
the media game. I don't think you'll need it, but
good luck anyway.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Thank you, man, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Host
Jason McIntyre
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