I was curious.

If I could start with asking about the San Antonio Spurs.

You've been in this league a long time.

Some history was made tonight.

Becky Hammon became the first acting head coach of MBA team during a regular season game.

I wanted to know your thoughts on her, stepping into that role and then just the evolution of the league.

For something like that to happen, we should be putting in the work.

And any time you put in the work, then you're rewarded with opportunities.

And obviously she's, you know, been paying her dues over the last few years.

And Coach Pop is given an opportunity to, uh, you know, first of all, you know, be the coach of summer league team, you know, when she got going with that and then, you know, being an enemy head coach.

If you know anything that ever happened to pop.

Tonight was a case where, um, where she got to step in and and show her work and show her talents or her love for the game and obviously, what she did as a player.

First of all, we all know that, And so in her mind.

I was able to transform transferred Thio over to our league, and she's been great ever since she got in is a You know, it's a beautiful thing just to hear barking out calls, barking out sets, you know, she's very passionate about the game, so, you know, Congrats, Thio.

Congrats for lead.

Uh, LeBron Happy birthday.

Glad you went casual tonight.

Uh, I'm gonna leave this intentionally open ended for you.

Um how will you remember the year?

2020?

Um, I don't know.

You know, I think it's something that I will be able to sit down and talk to my grandkids about on and say that the year 2020 was one hell of a year.

Three.

Good.

The bad, the ugly and everything in between.

Um, it's something that us as Americans and people all over the world had I hadn't seen before ever.

Um you know, and just with the pandemic and shutdown of our leagues, not only the MBA, but so many other professional leagues and then collegiate, um, sports and things of that nature and businesses and everything.

Um, a lot of people lost a lot of ah lot.

They lost a lot e Their family members are businesses that they've put so much hard work in over the course of so many years.

And, you know, so that that's something that, you know, it was heartbreaking for ah, lot of people on.

Um, you know, So my prayers goes out to that and, you know, be able to sit back and just talk to my grandkids about everything from, you know, the police brutality.

Thio black lives matters, Thio, you know, to the assistant racism.

You know, Thio more than a vote initiative, always able to dio, you know, just so many things that happened transpired throughout this year, Um, so many storylines and that you could sit down on the fireplace and, you know, have your grandkids in your lap and whatever issue they want to talk about, you could talk about it for quite a while, So I'm looking forward to that moment.

I'll very stirring image.

They're very Norman Rockwell of you and grandkids.

Um, happy birthday.

Um, first of all, I mean, you have this streak of double digit games.

Has now reached 1000 games, wondering sort of what's what.

On a nights where maybe you're not feeling it or or maybe you just have to give your ex yourself yourself an extra kick.

What is motivated you through that stretch?

And secondly, what are your plans after the game?

Toe e?

I have no idea.

You know, to your question one, I just I just go out and try to prepare and be the best every night when I sleep on the floor.

And if I may Uniforms, I gotta do things to help our team win.

Um, you know, And after scoring, rebounding, defending, assisting, doing the little things, um, you know, just be available for my teammates, you know, throughout the course of the game, when I'm on the floor and also on the bench.

And I've been fortunate enough to it to do that in my career for the majority of it, um so e give a lot of credit to my teammates and my coaches staff that I've had over the course of my career that was allowed Meteo to be who I am allowed me to use my influence, you know, for the better.

The team as well.

Um, to just head back to the hotel right now.

We got some wine.

Well, you know me.

Probably teammates to stop by or, you know, there's a middle room here that we have that we have our meetings that we might get stopped down there watching TV drinks and go on.

May even have some tequila tonight.

Shot on lobos way.

Have a seat at the table for all you guys.

Whenever you guys wanna.

Whenever you guys want to join, make sure we keep our 6 ft apart so we don't get in trouble.

But other than that, we can all talk to each other, so eso wise in tequila will be a part of the festivities tonight.

All right, Mark Medina Veron.

Happy birthday.

Um, when you're looking at age 36 versus age 35 how much do you expect your deemed evolve or stay the same when you look at this?

Uh, I'm asking a question.

You know, I'm never trying to put a cap or ceiling on trying to involve my game this year with the addition of Dennis, in addition of Mark being able to play off the ball, getting back toe, moving without the ball, cutting a zoo, saying I had a good cut tonight when Dennis drove based, I was able to cut into his vision to get a dunk.

Some easy points haven't been able to do that in a few years.

Um, you know, so I could get back to that using my, uh, my wide receiver skills as I always like to allude to, but just involving whatever you know, for a team, if it's me, him, the ball, like I did a lot last year or if it's me playing off the ball and using my cutting are just spacing on the floor.

But you know, there's no there's no selling for my game on.

I feel just as good as I did at 35.

Or as I did it 32.

Or as I did at 29.

I just wanna keep on, you know, pushing envelope.

Let's see how far I could take this thing.

Last question Bt Every birthday for the Capricorn wine Thio, right.

While myself just be oh over.

You're 36 years of being on this earth.

How did you wrap your head around?

What you just accomplished, considering what you came from and all you've been through in your life I can't.

I would be lying if I could sit here and tell you that I could wrap my head around.

It doesn't make sense.

Um, but I just try to take full advantage of the opportunity I've been given.

Um, you know, I believe I was one of the chosen ones that you know not only in my community, but to make a difference, both playing a sport that I play, but just making a difference off the floor.

And I just try to take full advantage of it.

And don't disrespect the gift or the hand that was given to me both from the man above and also from my support system when I was growing up on telling me to be great.

And that's not just talking about the game of basketball is just, you know, be great and whatever that you do and not saying you're gonna be perfect because nobody is perfect.

But you can try to be as great as you can every single day.

So, um, I've been doing this for half of my life, you know, in this league.

36 today.

I got in at 18 on Bond.

Hopefully, I've made you know my hometown problem.

My mother proud of my family, my wife, my kids, my, my boys back home, my friends.

And you know, everybody I haven't been associated with around hope.

I continue to evolve and Andi inspire them and empower them to be great as well.

Um, you know, But I've been very blessed and and like I said, I just don't ever try toe Take it for granted.

I try to live as much as I can Both on the floor, both off the floor.

Give my, you know, things I've learned over the years toe people, Um that asked for even times when people don't ask for being, you know, always good energy, good vibes, and just be a lot of people that gives energy and not energy seekers.

Um, you know, I like being wrong energy givers.

And, um, you know, that's what it's all about.

So very blessed.

Bt I can't sit here and very blessed.

And that's why I try to give it back to everybody that's around me.

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