Richard Jefferson
Appearances
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Six-man teammate.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Thank you, man. I've been very, very blessed, been very, very fortunate. When you say it, that does feel weird, like as a little kid watching basketball and all of a sudden to be like, bro, you're one of the voices of the game of basketball. Like that's trippy. Thank you for bringing that to my top of my brain at 9 a.m. this morning.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You know what? I had gotten to know Draymond. I knew a little bit about from college, but I know Tom Izzo guy. So he gets there and I'm year, I think I'm year 12 or 13. My back is fucked up. So I'm in full, like I'm in full, I'm just going to be a veteran role. I got young Clay. I got Steph who was, hadn't quite graduated. grown and established himself to be that guy yet.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
He was still dealing with the ankle surgeries and stuff, but it's Harrison Barnes, Kent Baysmore. I had this young group of talented guys that I was like, fuck it. If this is how I go out mentoring these guys for a year, cool. So I get to know Draymond a little bit and first shot he hits, he's screaming and yelling, gets a technical and I, he gets technical, whatever.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
But he was like, no, I got to, I'm like, no, Dray, this is who you have to be, bro. I'm like, I know enough about this game. You got to be a mean, like not dirty, but a mean motherfucker. That's who you have to be. If you do that and play with that intensity, now you got to control it. then you're going to be in this league. Because he's a second round pick just trying to make it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
If you out here not like instilling fear or people being like, oh, here comes this guy. Think Pat Bev. Pat Bev is like, I'm trying to prove that I belong here, even though I know I belong. So Draymond, now he's gotten a little outside of the realm at times. And that's where I feel like every once in a while I'll text him or I can put a message out via social like Dray.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You know, I'm the person that's saying this is who you have to be. But with that power, you also have to regulate it. I would say better than he has at some times. But most of the time they've won four championships with them, you know.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I obviously I didn't know. No one knows. Like I had Jokic at the end of my career. Also, I did not see three out of four MVPs and possible five straight MVPs. Like I didn't see that, but I saw something special. Like you're different than the other group. Now, how they build around you, how they maximize you, if they decide that you're the guy that they're going to maximize, right?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Because Steph, that third to fourth year, they were still trying to figure out. He took the same type of deal that Ty Lawson got. Let's put it in perspective. Ty Lawson and Steph signed about the same number. When you look at like, like salary around that space, I think it was four years, whatever that year, Steph breaks the three point record. Now that year, Steph is healthy.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
And now they start to build and being like, okay, we can build around this guy. And then they started to add the pieces to maximize them. And then he just kept blossoming and growing to like what on earth, um, I think with Steph, there's a joy that he plays with. And I'm not I'm not around Steph very often, but we did interview him. I just did the game six.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors just did that game. And Steph, gracious enough, because not a lot of superstars do or ever have. He greets us with me, Mike Doris, our producer, Tim Corrigan. He comes and sits down. Like I'm talking about, we're sitting in the hallway in chairs to be respectful. He walks in, sits and talks with us for five minutes, walks out.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
To break up a superstar is kind of routine in those moments. So for us, it's always, how can we be as accommodating as possible to be gracious and say, thank you. Whatever it works around your schedule, we're cool with that. Whether it's three minutes or eight minutes, we'll take it. Steph walks in. ask a bunch of questions. He is still a funny, funny little shit.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Like the joy in which he just has always had makes it special. I'll tell you a story. So I believe he was up for the community, like the teammate of the year award. Are you familiar with this? Did he win it? I'm not sure, but he was up for it. My brain starts telling the story about it, about do you know the story about the guy, blah, blah. And I'm sitting over here next to Seth
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I'm sitting next to Steph and he's like, yeah, do you know more story? And I have no idea the story about the teammate of the year award. And I have no idea. Steph is such, we'll keep it, such a little smart ass. Brain's here, Steph's here. We're both looking at him and he goes, Richard has no idea about the story. And everyone just starts laughing because I had no idea.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
He's like, Richard's going to need some follow up questions. Just we're sitting here before a big game and he can just laugh and joke and like mess with people. That's where he's a special, special person and definitely a next level superstar because not every superstar has that type of charisma and just gravity.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Do you know the story? Do you know the story? I don't believe that I do. There you go. And you are a basketball savant. And you don't know the story. Who is it named after? Well, I have it in front of me now. So it's Twyman Stokes. Okay. Do you know the Twyman Stokes story?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Well, it is a really good story. I'll let you, I'll let your readers, I'll let you read it up. But when you read the story, the award actually carries more weight. And I think they should do a better job of describing what that story is and the origin of it. I think that would actually make the story a little bit bigger. Cause I don't think, I don't think it's so, I didn't know it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Yeah, I didn't know it. I have it in front of me now. And now Steph is like, he knows, he can feel the energy from me, right? He can feel the energy come from me. I'm like, I'm leaning in. Like, is he going to tell the story or is it basically the same thing I'm doing to your audience at home?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Yeah, and I think that was one of the things that happened. And social media is always so funny, right? Everyone's like, LeBron's legacy, the Lakers suck, Luka's trash. And it's like, or Minnesota's really good. Or Minnesota's really good. And I think it's always a combination of things. You talk about those box outs that Draymond had to do against Shingun and against Steven Adams.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
That two big lineup was affecting Golden State because it's just like, well, guess who else has a two big lineup? who guess who else has a very large lineup? Guess who else has big depth? Rudy Gobert, uh, Nas Reed.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Uh, when you look at Julius Randall, when you look at the size and the physicality that all three of them play with, um, when you look at that, you're like, damn, but then you have those defenders. So you have the Jalen Jaden McDaniels. That's very similar to, um, a Thompson. You have, um, you have Nikhil Alexander Walker. You have a guy like it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Everything they hope and wish Jalen Green can possibly be, and we'll get to that conversation, everything they hope and wish he can be, that's Anthony Edwards. Just dominant, confident, understand the game, IQ level. They have a much better version of the Houston Rockets. That's what they're about to go face, a more mature roster. version, a deeper version with Dante DiVincenzo and Conley.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
They have, that's a very good roster. It is understandable why the Lakers lost. We just believe in Luca's greatness and bronze greatness that, Oh, they'll figure it out. And this year that wasn't the case, but looking forward to that series. You never count out Jimmy. You never count out Steph the same way you don't count out Luca, the same way you don't count out Bron until you just see it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
But yeah, Minnesota is a different opponent and they're playing their best basketball of the season.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Well, you were just talking about, I just saw, yeah, I watch his stuff. I come on here and I myself to make ready. So what kind of bullshit Ryan been saying? I think that Jalen green, when you talk about Thompson and kind of the, um, like is, would he be in Thompson's way? Right. Oh, okay. Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I think basketball is such a unique sport where we can evaluate a guy from 19 to 22 and be like, well, there he is. That's who he is. And it's like, well, let's also look at, he does have growth to be had, Jalen Green. He does have experience. He was a deer in headlights in this series. He was a deer in headlights.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
And it happens the same way a guy like Chet Holmgren, who is a confident, arrogant dude, can miss two free throws in a playoff game in a clutch moment, right? These young players, and I've been a part of it. I missed two free throws in a game five against Indiana, and I thought my life was going to be over.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You can be 21 and 22 and be in deer and headlights and have a 38 point game, 36 point game and show and show glimpses, but then be six, eight and nine. I'm not comparing Kobe Bryant, but Kobe Bryant also famously airballed three laps. You know what I'm saying? So there can be a growth that happens. I watched Thompson, and I think of him as a jack of all trades.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
He's got a long way to go before he can prove that he is an offensive threat. Not like he's... shooting, the percentages, the technical look on his shot that needs to be improved. There's a big gap there. So he's got the intangibles of all the basketball greatness. Jalen Green's got the skill.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So I think as long as Jalen Green continues to progress, which he's made big jumps year over year, as long as he continues to progress, I think they actually work together because Jalen Green can do things that Thompson can and Thompson can do things that Jalen Green can't.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So I don't quite think that they're in each other's way because both of them got this experience to be against this team and having the number two seed because over the course of the season, they could complement each other and build off of that and be kind of like, quote unquote, a combo good player.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
No, I think the series, I think Cleveland coming off a series in which they blew out their opponent. There was no competition, zero resistance, elevation of intensity, but no resistance. So for them to get, excuse me, the Pacers, which are coming off a physical series where they ran, they did similar things, long athletic opponents, Giannis and Brooke.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So for them to come in the series with a punch and a force, not surprised. Boston, I would say Orlando had some physicality to them. Um, but ultimately the Knicks were in a grind out series. They were even, um, um, what's his name? Detroit. No, no, no. Uh, for Knicks. Josh Hart said, we've been hit with bats for six games and we brought our bats to this game. They had to.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
That was the only way for them truly to beat the Knicks is to come with the physical and then to persevere for 48 minutes. That's the only way for them to do it. And they did. Right. Then you get you get Brunson and you give me Brunson with 90 seconds in a tie game. I'm feeling confident. I'm feeling very, very confident. You give me Brunson.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So when you look at these series for Boston to, you know, have an easier series, but now to really be tested versus a Nick team. And then on the other side, OK, see younger team cruise through their series. Denver's coming off a game seven where they're fighting for their lives for 48 minutes. And they continue to do that here in this in this situation.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So when you look at the series and where each team came from, that's where it's like, OK, I can see how this would go down this way. Still shocking, but I'm still not changing kind of the idea that the Boston Celtics, if healthy, are the best team in the league. I'm not changing that. But yes, I can see where they've all kind of gotten to these one game situations.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
No, but that's what I'm saying. Not with Jake Kidd, not with Pop, not with when I had Steph, not with, you know, when I played with Vince. When you look at this team, that's what makes them unique. They have two more threes, all the things like they are a unique team in NBA history. The Celtics, the way they play at the rate that played the amount of two way players that they have.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
There's there's they're a unique team. That's why we always say kind of like the Warriors are the ultimate like fuck around and find out team where it's just like one game. They're just going to throw the ball everywhere and it's going to be you're going to be they're going to have that one game. Well, I think the Celtics oftentimes have a game where they just lay a dud.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
They shoot too many threes. They do all this stuff. And you're like, wait, that shouldn't be. But over a course of time, it starts to work.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
because they have too many weapons they no one's going to be off for six out of seven games no one's going to be off there collectively because they have eight two-way players that can hit threes that can play defense that can play one-on-one that create shots and then it's just believing in the system so i haven't seen a team like that but
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
It feels like there's always we always get one or two of these games where now we're questioning the entire system that's worked for them for the last two years. They won 61 games. They have a very, very bad shooting night. But ultimately, they are a team very similar to the old Golden State Warriors, where in 90 seconds, a game can feel like it's over.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
No, but I think as the series goes on, you start to, if I'm a player and my teammate is getting doubled, right? Game one, I'm looking and kind of reading. Okay, well, where are the gaps? Where are the lanes? Where's my shot? Where's the help coming from, right? By game two, game three, I'm no longer thinking. It's like boom coming. I know he's not going to leave chat.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So now I'm going to go downhill. Now my outlets are floater kick out to the corner or the big diving. So then it'd be by game three, four, you're really just moving. You're cruising. So it is. And that's where Denver, they have to do it. I think in spots, but if you give any team a steady diet of anything, boy, those boys will figure it out and they will carve you apart. That's what same thing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You can't just get the ball out of Donovan Mitchell's hands. Cause if it's in there, then they start to see it and they get good at it very quickly. That's the level of a great team. How quickly can we adjust, but also hurt you with it. And so same with Celtics, you can't just double team. You can't double team Jason Tatum and get the ball out of his hands. I got too many shooters.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You got presenting this, you got this. So that's great. I think that's a great system. And it is a good idea to get it out of the MVP, out of the guy that's averaging 30 points a game in every game. Get it out of his hands. But you can't do it for every single game. I'm going to say you can't. It's hard to do it every single game because teams start to pick up on it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Same with like just face guarding Steph. It works. It worked for, you know, three quarters, two and a half quarters in that game, five without Jimmy. But once they break free, now it's like you're playing four on four. That's a lot of space. If you're playing a whole half-court game four on four, whoo, If you can get past your opponent, the options are easier to hit because there's less crowded.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
The finishes are easier to get to because it's less crowded. So doing that defense works, but you're going to have to continue to mix it up because if you give them a steady diet, they'll break you apart quickly.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Oh, Brunson. Brunson. Brunson. I think that, and I'm not, I'm saying, I feel very confident in SGA. I'm not excited. I'm not excited. SGA. I'm not excited. Kobe, Luca, Brown. I'm not excited if any of them have the game, but there has been somebody over the past two and a half seasons that have been in so many clutch crunch games have performed, like have been explosive.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You look at Detroit, how he plays, you look at the lake, you look at some of the big shots against Bob, like this is what he does. Little guy, you know, just figures it out. Team is built around him. He's got the space. He knows his shots. And it's not just big three. It's drive to the basket. I couldn't believe he missed that little left-hand floater from Carl Anthony Towns late.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Like even he was laughing. He's like, of all the shots I missed, that's the easiest shot I had all night. And that's to win the game. So I'm just saying currently right now, Brunson is playing. I think he is the guy that I would look at from an NBA standpoint, still like not expected it, but you're just not like this dude really did it again. Like it's, it's been fun to watch.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Tim Duncan said it to me, Tim, like he said, you know what people, we were just having a bullshit conversation. He was like, people get better at shooting at defense at so many things. The one thing that people don't significantly get better at is like dribbling or ball handling. They don't like a point guard who knows how to handle the ball can get better in pick and roll.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
His handle can get sharper because that's kind of the area of, of, of specifications are like specifically what he does, but you don't see a wing player be have an okay handle turn into Paul George that no, no, no, no. That doesn't happen. Like Paul George has a handle as a wing player. He didn't develop that over time, but I will say this.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Playing with Jason Kidd and then playing with Vince Carter. So J Kidd was first where it's like, he would handle both ball most of the time and pick and roll. He was, and I would just see it. He got the rebound. I got the rebound and it was as fast as I can run. Even though my game improved and my ball handling improved, I became a better one-on-one player. Then Vince Carter came.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So now you got to choose between J-Kid, Vince Carter, and Richard. It's like, I'm further down on the depth chart. Shoot, J-Kid went down on the depth chart. We would put the ball in Vince's hands in the last minute or two. Then sometimes we would have J-Kid with both of us scoring options on the wing, whatever.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So it is one of those things where I did not develop that part of my game the way I should. So then when it was like, hey, Richard, there's a new thing in the NBA called three and D. You stand there and you play defense. And it's like- Sounds very similar to what I've been doing my whole fucking life, right? I just got to be accurate from three and play defense.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Yeah, I did that with J-Kid in the Nets back in the day, right? So you're right. Ball handling is not something that you improve over. Like very rarely do like wing players learn how to handle. That's not the way it goes.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
It's hard to do that. And that's where I like, I tell people, I'm like, this is why the game becomes even more beautiful in these moments. Cause you're like, you have the best, biggest, most athletic in shape men trying to stop you from putting a ball in a hoop that, that could be anywhere from 25 to 30 feet away. That's where you're starting.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
And it becomes like the skill level is so minute, right? Of like, how does Brunson do it? He doesn't even have the size and he just figures out how to use his body to get space, to pick the gaps. He's crafty, he's left-handed. I think-
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
When you look at, especially now, the game has changed where skill level players like Luka, Luka can go slow and kind of get, but even Luka struggles against Jalen Browns, Luka struggles against McDaniels. When there's a bunch of defenders, when there's three or four, a wall up top and I can get used to one defender. Right. Like there's like Dylan Brooks. You look at Thompson.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
OK, you get one of those guys out the game. It's fine. We're Minnesota's different. We're Boston's different. They've got so they got five of those guys. At some point in time, you got Drew Holiday. You got Derek White. You know, you got Jason Taylor, Jalen Brown. You got so many guys that even for a guy like Luka, it's hard to kind of get your rhythm defensively. And it's like pick your spots.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You know, you got the bounce pass against Luka. You know, you got the bounce pass against Jalen Brown's arms aren't as long as Jaden McDaniels. You know, you got the over the top pass over Drew Holiday. You know, you might have that over Derek White, but you can't do it over Jaden McDaniels.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
But when you're constantly throwing multiple defenders at a person, it's hard to be like, OK, this is where I can make this this read in this look. So it gets very, very hard. And it also shows how special and gifted these dudes are that over a five, six, seven game period, they start to figure it out. And it's not the easiest thing in the world.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Well, I think there's a want to from all of those guys that you mentioned. There's a want to, but they all have different physical traits that dictate what the defender is looking for and going for. Like I said, I mentioned Jaden McDaniel's length. It's very hard to pass around him. Not only is he quick, he's not the strongest, but it's very hard to pass.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Your angles are different with him because his length and he's six foot 10 and he's got like a seven foot four wingspan. So the angles are different. With OG, he's so physically strong that you can't get him off his defensive path to create space. You hit his wall and he can veer you off of your pass with his strength, right? You can't turn the corner, right?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You can't turn the corner or bump him off. Jay McDaniels, you can. Mikael Bridges, you can. For them, it's less about how they... They're not as good at the physical content. They're great at lengths, at passes, at deflections. So you saw the steal, the throwout. Those are things that a Mikael Bridges can do, a Jaden McDaniels can do. What makes OG special? The want to, the 6'9", the strength.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So for a player like Tatum, he can't get through his body. Bron can, Bron can get through those bodies, bigger, stronger players. And Ant Edwards can get through his body. But even then people forget Ant Edwards is significantly shorter than those guys. He's six, four and a half, six, five. He doesn't have the six, nine Bron.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
He doesn't have that, that big athleticism, but he does have the strength. He does have the strength. So when we look at OG, the thing that makes him unique is as you're trying to drive by him, he can veer you off his, off your path. into a lesser percentage shot, right? That's what makes it, that's what makes, you can still shoot up over him, but the crossover in front, he stays there.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Think Ron Artest. Ron Artest, big, strong perimeter. And when he starts to move his body, if you're here, you're not going through him and pushing him. You can go through McDaniels. You can go through Bridges. You can't go through Ron Artest the same way you couldn't go through OG.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I don't think overlooked. I think they're looked at properly. They're a very good team. They're locking down defensively. They have depth. They have shooting. They're another team that depends on their shots and their pace. They depend on that. They're not a team that you would say, if this game goes in the 90s, They have like the Knicks. They got the game if it goes in the 90s.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I would think the Boston Celtics, they are a team that needs to play with more pace and more shots. They need to wear you down over time. But I think the Pacers have been a very good team. They've been building success. They have a superstar. They have depth. They're well coached. They've got a great home court advantage. But you're still looking at where they're slotted.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
No one is going to say, I won't say no one. It's hard to say they're better than Cleveland, that they're better than Boston, that with the Knicks. I don't care about what your record in the regular season, because it's different when there's no back-to-backs, there's no travel, there's no four games and five nights. We have the same amount of rest, the same amount of prep.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
It's talent versus talent. And so do I think they could? Yes. Would it be surprising? A little shocking, but it wouldn't be like this, oh my God, who is this team? We know who they are. If they do it damn well, they played well. If they do it, they played very, very well. They played to the maximum of their capability where we think Boston and Cleveland can play good and still make it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
this might cause, because making him a passer doesn't work. Making him a score doesn't really work because even when you're making him a score, you're naturally going to have to gravitate him to slow. You can't just, it's not like you're going to go one, let them go one-on-one. It's more, you have to show a wall and he's so great late at passes that even doing that's great. What I would say is,
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
With Jokic, and he's in amazing condition, I would always have pressure on him at all times. If he inbounds the ball, I would kind of remember how they would guard Shaq, where it's like, you're not meeting Shaq at the free throw line. You're not waiting for Shaq. You have to start touching his body around half court to slow up his momentum, or else he's going to get too deep.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You don't get to meet Shaq. Like, I'm not saying that meet him at half court, but if you're running with Shaq, you have to meet him with force earlier, right? So he doesn't get deep in the paint. I think with Jokic, if you are constantly picking at him, you know, I don't want to say full court press, but if he's bringing the ball up, make him work. Chet, get up there. This is a lot for you.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
We know. But Chet, if he's inbounding the ball, we want you to be up at full court pressure. That takes a second and a half off of Jokic moving the ball. Now, you're still going to have to switch up the defenses. You're going to have to still switch up the defenses. But still, let me give you an example with J. Kidd. J kid legend. We played them Dallas versus Spurs.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I think it was two versus seven. And I told pop, I'm like, Hey, normally Jason kid takes offense. If a guard tries the full court, press him. He's like, excuse me. And then he will embarrass the guy. Like, don't do this. If you want to do this, we can do this. The Jason quick kid will full court, press you and you won't take the ball.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So if you're going to disrespect me in full court pressure, I'll do it on the other side. Well, when we played against him, Jason Kidd was a little bit older. And I'm like, hey, Jason Kidd, because guards have always been afraid to like press up on him. Understandably, I'm not disrespecting Jay. Jay, this is a compliment.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
But when he got a little bit older, I'm like, when you make him turn his back
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
and throw passes like like if you're in the half court if you pressure him and make him throw passes like this he can still do it but it's very different than when he's looking at you like this making passes and this so we got up in a maybe just made him turn his back we made him turn his back and have to handle it you know magic johnson from the mark jackson but Make him handle it like that.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
And so Tony would get up into his body, and Manu would get up into his body. So we cut off half the court of his passing, right? We cut off a portion. So he's still effective. He's still effective downhill, but we cut off a portion of the court instead of letting him do that. With Jokic, it's similar. You just have to get up and pressure him a little bit more before he even gets to half court.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Make him make passes. You know how he sets a three-point line, he's got the pump fake, and he's got all of these whips? Make him, instead of doing that at the three-point line, make him do it a foot and a half. Now that shot's harder. Now that pass is longer. That's harder to do.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
But if you make Jokic extend out a little bit more, maybe now his downhill dribble takes more effort, takes one more dribble. But if he's catching it at the three-point line and then picking you apart, shots, pump fakes, drives, make him extend a foot and a half behind the three-point line.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
The same way you have to make you deny the ball out and make them have to start their offense further out, make Jokic have to start his offense and his system a little bit further out. And a foot and a half is a big, big, big difference. That's my long-winded answer.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
It takes, okay. What we believe to be a hundred percent on purpose is, It has to be 120% obvious for us to say that we can't tell someone's intent. This is not me. Like when you're on a broadcast and there's a different cadence, there's a different skill when you're doing a broadcast. And it's very difficult.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Like people don't understand how hard it is to call a game, to like, to articulate your thoughts and opinions in real time and be graded on that. I say that to say is that in that space, you do give the benefit of the doubt.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Now, sometimes our boys like, I might believe that he's doing this on purpose, but we have, I won't say on purpose, but you have to say something along the lines of he has a history of this to give context. It's like, I'm not saying he should be thrown out of the game. That's terrible. Because you can't do that right out of that. That's just not how you should call a game.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
You can say that's not a part of basketball that he has a history. I love that behavior. There's like, there's things that you can say that can give context and that's, and I'm being respectful to all parties involved, right? It's not just Draymond. It's not just, you know, Jokic. It's not just, it's, it's all the people that have had something go on. Like I remember the Jason Tatum,
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
flagrant foul where he hurt his wrist. Right. I thought there was nothing there. I thought there was not like there was absolutely nothing there to a point of, I know that there was a foul, but I look at some of the other flagrants that have been called and I'm like, that seems like more of a basketball play, nothing intentional.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I think Jason Tatum just fell, got hurt flagrant one, but there's other things. If that's a flagrant one, there's a lot more flagrant twos going on.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
right i don't and so when i look at it you have to communicate it in a space with grace probably more so than i would as like a fan more so than i would if i was in studio in studio i would be more hey we can slow it down we can give this like we can listen to different perspectives i can be a little bit more aggressive in studio with my breakdown of the play in the game in the real time you have to more just be like hey
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I saw what all of you saw. I'm discussing what my thoughts are, but I'm not giving my full aggressive opinion on it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Cause like it'd be simple to say, I got you.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I got you. I got you. Jason kid. Number one, right? When I say Mount Rushmore is no particular order. I just put Jason kid. Number one, he meant too much to me from watching his work, seeing his impact on the game of basketball without scoring, like to have that be your veteran, like I'm going to help you score, but also when you're not scoring, I'm showing you all the other shit you can be doing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Go rebound, go make a right play, go play some defense. Right. jkid number one i put lebron number two i put tim duncan number three um and then oh it's tough because now we're talking we get into the dirt we get into the the staff we get into the yokage um uh you know for me i i would probably it's tough i i wouldn't I'm going to say Steph because Steph broke the three-point record.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I'm looking at the years in which I played you. I think Dirk obviously is legendary, but the year in which I played with Steph, he broke the three-point record and started to establish that That was the first year that the league took notice and he just kept growing and building and putting in work. So I would put Steph up there.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So yeah, it would be J kid, LeBron, Tim, and then step in a close one with Yoko. We didn't make the post season with Yoko. We lost in that 82nd game against Jimmy and the Timberwolves. That's when Denver, whoever won that game was going to move on to the playoffs. like has only happened like three times, but we lost that game with Steph that one year, year and a half I played with them.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
He led the team to the second round. So that's the context I'll give.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
No, I was not afraid of Kenyon. There was a big brother respect I had for Kenyon, which is why we got into fights and stuff. But... No, no, no. I've been blessed, man. And again, when you're in the middle of your career, you don't realize it. You're like, Oh, I'm, I'm playing. I played with Rudy Gobert when he was on a two-way contract and he had just got drafted.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
I played with Kawhi Leonard when I was with San Antonio and they drafted him. So, you know, even clay, like I've played with a lot of these guys and you don't look back on it too. You're like, Hey, I'm going to talk about basketball. Then you're like, Holy fuck. I've played with a lot of great players. I've been very, very blessed in my career. So
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Yeah, because again, I play with Clay, I play with Kawhi, but Kawhi wasn't Kawhi yet. You could see the work ethic. You could see the ability that probably more people didn't. So you're not as surprised of the ascension. Same with Clay. But it's still they weren't quite the best versions of themselves yet. And we didn't even get to Joe Alexander. Honestly, again, that was Joe.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
Shout out my guy, Joe. West Virginia legend. Tournament legend. Tournament legend. Spoke fluent Chinese. Who would have thought? What's up? He'd probably be great at volleyball. He would.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
And Joe, Joe and I still like, we'll DM each other every now and then he played basketball for a very, I don't, I'm not sure if he's still playing, but he went up in Europe and China and played for a very, very long time. Shout out my guy, Joe.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Knicks or Nuggets — More Concerning Comeback? Plus, Game 1 Breakdowns, Steph’s Run, and Stopping Jokic with Richard Jefferson
So thanks. I appreciate that. I would love to have you. I'm building a studio downstairs in my house. Would love to have you sometime during the postseason, sit down and have a beer and talk with Channing, Perk and Allie on road tripping. Done. Absolutely done. Whenever you want it.