What was it like when the paperwork was finally done?

You put the pen down and you're like, Okay, I'm the head coach of the L A Clippers.

Um, it was great.

You know, it was a relief.

Um, you know, the whole process was over and just happy to be back.

Rachel, uh, is the biggest thing.

I just wanna continue to keep getting better, keep growing and try to bring this franchise a championship.

Then also, I guess having a your cheat sheet of being here in house understand the players what they need to get better, what we need to do differently.

Um, and so it was just great.

Just feel like the fit was right.

And I was happy I was able to get it done.

The rockets wanted you.

The pelicans were interested in you.

What did it feel like over the past week or two to be?

This wanted to feel great.

You know, I think it just feels great to be once, I think after the Cleveland situation, and I'm just having a chance to take a step back and reflect on things I could have done better.

Um, what I need to get better at what I could do to be better.

I wanna be great.

Um, I wanna win championships.

That's what I wanna do.

So it takes a lot of work to do that.

And, you know, I'm willing to work hard to put the work in, and I just want to continue to keep getting better.

Keep growing as a coach.

Now, I know you don't like to brag on yourself, so I'm going to do it for you.

You lost more than £30 since your last head coaching gig.

I know you also really looked within yourself about how toe sort of decrease stress.

You have to take time off during the season when you were in Cleveland.

How better suited do you think you are for going through What could be I mean, gosh, we just finished the longest season in NBA history.

Who knows what's gonna happen next year?

I feel great, you know, Like I said, I lost £35 and don't cheat me on my £5.

Rachel e.

I didn't know exactly how many more than 30.

Um, but no, I just have a chance to focus on myself working out, eating better, doing some meditation here and there.

But just having a chance to, you know, released and learn how Thio haven't released outside of basketball.

Because, you know, when I dive in the coaching, it just all basketball.

So, um, I'm up for the challenge.

Like I said, I feel great.

Um, no health issues, None of that.

So I'm ready for the long run.

You had the opportunity to be a head coach.

Last year.

The Lakers offered you their head coaching job.

That team went on to win the title.

Did you have any regrets?

As you watch them with the trophy regrets, you know, it's part of the business, you know?

Of course.

You know, happy for lebron.

You know, uh, you know, that's my guy.

And, um but I have no regrets.

You know, I think the decision I made was great.

I was able to get some things that I wanted.

Um, they helped it out, made that made that happen for me.

So I'm very happy with my decision.

Uh, so I don't have no regrets.

Everything I do in life is for a reason.

Um, I pray about it my mom prays about it, and then we just kind of go from there, and this situation is great for me.

One of the things I know you wanted in this next head coaching gig was security right, and you have a five year contract.

How much pressure is there on you?

Still, the with the fact that Cory Leonard and Paul George we're only required to play for the Clippers for one more year and the last guy who had your job got let go because they didn't meet that championship.

You know, when you talk about pressure, Rachel, I think it's more so if you're not, if you don't have pressure, it means you're not in a situation where you could win a championship.

So I'll welcome that pressure.

You know, because I wanna win in any time you have a chance to win a championship is pressure, and I think quiet PG or here to stay for a long time.

It's just, um I think in that situation and what they what they wanna be is here with the Clippers and we just got to make it a great environment and we have to win.

It's an interesting situation for you to be in.

Doc has been a mentor of yours for so long.

So supportive of you.

What were the emotions as you went through him being Leko and then knowing you wanted this job and getting this job, it's a lot all the time.

You know, it was tough, you know, even when people that you compete against that you really don't like when they get fired is tough.

But you never want to see anyone lose your job.

But when it hits home, and if someone is close to you or did you because it was me before, um, you know, it's tough, you know?

And, you know, I could have took taken his job without docks, blessings, you know, when the clippers reached out, you know, I make sure I tell the doc and, you know, see how you felt about it.

He said, You absolutely have to do it.

You know, if you don't take it, somebody else will.

He said, If I want anyone to have a job, it would be you tie.

So once he gave me that blessing, you know, it's kind of went on from there.

That's pretty great.

I mean, we know, Doc, obviously, but that's pretty cool to be able to have that conversation as you look at this team, you were one of the lead assistant coaches, so you have already had a voice and how this team is functioned for the past year.

But what are some of the broader scale changes that you want to make for next season?

I just think playing faster, I think playing with more pace, getting easy baskets, and I think, you know, playing through our through our offensive players.

But with that comes a lot of responsibility because now they have to make other guys better as well.

So moving the ball, passing the ball, playing for one side or forward to the next.

You know, not playing a stagnant.

And, you know, like Lou Will and and trees and PG Quad.

Marcus, you know, we're gonna play through those guys offensively so they gotta make other guys better as well.

We've heard some of the players say over the past couple months that the team chemistry wasn't where it needed to be.

Do you think that some of the relationships on this team do need I'm not saying that guys don't like each other, but there's a difference from Hey, I hate him to versus that's my brother.

I could win a title with him.

Do you think there is room for improvement?

You know anything he's doing like this room for improvement.

And, you know, we got we have to be together more collectively, you know, as a unit.

And not that we don't like each other, but doing more things together.

You know, off the court, you know, going to different things, seeing different things as a team, um, different situations.

I don't want to give them up because I wanna surprise the guys with it, but, um, just doing more things as a team, you know, together to build the camaraderie as well.

How do you feel about the chances that the Clippers winning the title next?

I feel good.

You know, I think you know, we have the talent we have, Mr Bomber, whose will to do anything to win.

We have Lawrence, Frank and Michael Winger and those guys Trent Red, Mark Hughes, who do a great job as well.

So, um, they're gonna give us everything we need.

So now we have to go out and be a to perform and do it ourselves.

Now I know Chauncey Billups is one of your best friends.

Someone you have tremendous basketball respect for.

But he's also one of our analysts on the jump.

So Thai.

Yeah, Here, we're gonna take him away from us.

I don't know how I feel about that.

Well, I'm trying, you know, it's a process.

You know.

E would love to have been over here.

I think he's a great basketball mind.

I'm a perennial all star, a god that, um commands respect when he walks into the room.

And I think, you know, having that voice and guys be able to see that every day.

You know, here's the finals.

M.

V P won a championship, so I mean, it's still the process we have to go through.

It s so I'm not sure, but I do want him and we'll see what happens.

All right.

We may have to work out a time share with Chauncey.

I'm just saying we can talk about that off camera.

That's fair.

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