Um, it's been it's been a while that it's all been a year.

Um, you can hear me, right?

This is my Internet is messed up.

You can hear me, art.

I can hear you good.

Um, yeah.

So it's It's been it's been crazy.

It's been a whole year.

You know, We've done so much in this time.

Um, you know so much has been So what just happened?

Not just in the n b A.

In sports, but it's within the world.

Um, I think you know the biggest thing.

This is just a year, you know, kind of when you sit in quarantine and you sit in your room for how many days did I think it was a lot of time to reflect on a lot of different things.

Um, not just, you know, kind of take a step back and allowed me to do that.

You know, I think that a lot of bunch of us to do that.

And on top of that, I think we saw a lot.

We learned a lot about different things.

I've learned about about people.

And, you know, as far as the sports world girl goes, um, I'm happy we're back.

You know, I'm and and bus to continue to play to put on, obviously want fans, and we've got to do it safely.

But it's been a wild ride, and, you know, obviously we're still in the midst of it, you know?

But, you know, it's continued to be safe, continuing to find ways to stay safe.

And, you know, I think that's been the biggest thing, the biggest message throughout, you know, and I think we're finding ways to continue to do that.

And then on the flip side, you know, with the social injustice, uh, stuff that's been going on.

And I think this has been a things A lot of people speak a lot of voices.

A lot of instances where, you know, we're in the bubble, you know, uh, mhm.

Yeah.

Okay.

In that way, you know, for things to continue to trend in the in the right direction.

Karim Copeland, Washington Post.

Hey, what's up?

Down for a long time, man.

Family is doing well.

I want to ask about the don issues, you know, um, you know, what did it mean for you to get your first line?

And, you know, what's your involvement been like through, you know, through to issues at this point?

Um, the second one was definitely more involved.

Two more hands on, because now I know what I was looking for in an issue and what kinda just from the first one, it's It's definitely a blessing and honor to be able to do that, you know, to see kids, to see people see fans wearing my shoe, um is still surreal to me.

I think it's pretty special.

So even players as well.

Um, but for me, just trying to find ways to just inspire, you know, make them affordable for everybody.

You know, kind of being able to just inspire kids and from any background, any place anywhere.

Um, I'm just trying to give them a sign of hope.

You know, that's where the Don determination determination of the negativity comes from.

Um and I think that's just been my biggest message.

Just trying to find ways to inspire the youth man and inspire people around and understand that there's going to be hurdles.

You gotta kind of get through and, you know, just trying to find ways to continue to be persistent throughout and as far as myself having a shoe.

You know, God is good.

You know, I'm definitely honored and blessed to have it and want to continue to go for as long as I possibly can.

And, you know, it's it's pretty dope.

What's it like being so hands on for the process in the process?

Um, I think it's really what you make it.

I think you know, I've heard stories of guys who are really, really down to the detail, you know, and guys who are completely away from it.

You know, I think I'm a little more towards hands on in the detail, Um, really specific about certain things, and I think it allows allows, allows me to kind of find something that's catered to my foot because at the end of the day, you know, all the running and jumping stuff doesn't mean anything.

If you're out there, you know, finding different kind of turning an ankle or tweaking something, you know, God forbid, but that that's really what this is about.

For me just trying to find ways to have a shoe that's locked in looks nice, but also find ways to keep it and help me on the floor as well.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Uh, Dwayne Rankin, Arizona Republic.

You're Jonathan?

Uh, congrats again on being an All star again this year.

And you guys having the best record in the league, I want to ask because, you know, obviously, you know, you you know, you spoke out about the officiating, and yesterday Adam Silver actually addressed it and saying that, you know, guys on a lot of stress on a lot of sides and that this is a tough year for everyone.

And he understands what you guys are coming from trying to find a balance when you hear the commissioner at least addressing it, knowing that he sees and understands it.

Does that give you some some comfort?

Moving to the second half at the season in regards to the officiating?

Um I mean, yeah, at the end of the day, you know what I said, you know?

But then you know you can't put it on the officials.

There are times times for that.

I think I spoke my piece, but I'm really at a point where I'm like, Look, you know, I said what I said, I'm at, uh, Commissioner Silver said.

What?

He said, Um, and we're at a point now.

We know it's like you said, There's a lot going on in the world and whatever, and, you know, there's a lot of different things, but for me, it's just trying to find ways to better myself.

At that point, that point in time, I feel like that was a problem.

You know, there's definitely whereas you get better in that in that area, that's not no, not a bad way.

But at the end of the day, I'm gonna continue to go out there and try to improve my game, and, you know, it is what it is.

Um, you know, it definitely I wouldn't say.

You know, it kind of gives me comfort going into the second half of the season.

I think at the end of the day, we control we can control.

It's been our theme throughout the entire, um, the year, and, um, it's gonna go ahead and look forward to doing that, you know, and I can.

Whether it changes, not, that's that's beyond my control.

I'm gonna go out there and do what we can as a team as as as later the team, and go out there and just find just a speaker as far as the team.

How rewarding is that?

You guys style of players share the ball.

Uh, you know, obviously, guys can knock down shots.

You and Mike being what you guys do, having Rudy Derek is that big.

And then having a coach like queen and let's all that work together.

How refreshing every warden has that been to have all that messing to have the kind of season you guys are having right now.

Um, it's definitely rewarding, you know?

But at the end of the day, we're not here to celebrate and, you know, and and actually we've done something and it's only February or March.

Excuse me?

Um, I think, you know, we got to find ways to continue to get better.

You know, they're definitely games that we've kind of let go.

There have been games that have been to close that we feel like we should have, should not have put ourselves in certain situations.

So we're always trying to find ways to continue to improve.

Um, I think the way we play is definitely beneficial for us because you don't know where the threat is coming from, you know?

And I think that's what makes us unpredictable.

Um, and I think that special.

But we have to continue to do and continue to build upon it because, you know, we can have this record now and then do nothing in the playoffs.

And then it was all for nothing.

So now we got we have that in our minds.

We're gonna go out there and do what we have to do and focus one game at a time and go from there.

Thanks.

Donovan.

Nicole.

Tab Deportees.

Hi, Donovan.

How you feel to be part of the All Star with your teammates?

And but how?

Feel the team.

The team.

We might only finally make the All Star.

Sorry.

It cut off.

Sorry, I didn't hear the last part.

Sorry.

Your list.

Okay, Prove it.

Don't worry.

And how you feel to have two teammates from the jazz in the game and was mean for you and your team that might currently finally make the will start.

Um, I started for your second question first, you know I have Mike make it.

You know, I think he's a guy that doesn't really show emotion, negative or positive.

He's kind of just, you know, smooth sailing throughout, you know?

And when he didn't make it, he was calm, cool, collected.

You know, it's one of those things that we wished it for him.

And then when he got the call and we found out, you know, you can see it And that's probably one of the few times you saw, like, the like, You know, it's kind of like relieved, you know, I'm happy, you know about that.

And, you know, you could tell it was kind of on his mind.

And, you know, I'm definitely we're all happy and excited, Uh, from to be here, us to make it, you know, he's definitely deserved.

He deserved it many years before.

But for it to happen from this year, the way we're playing, the way he's playing, uh, I think it's It's something that we're all elated about ecstatic about, and you know, he'll be the first to be really, really humble about it.

But, you know, this is definitely well deserving in the, uh, in my opinion.

So I'll do all the bragging and talking for him.

Uh, but, you know, and I forgot your first questions are I'm sorry.

Don't worry.

And how you're going to have to teammates here in the in the World Star game.

Um, you know, we're excited.

You know, Rudy and I were in it last year to have Mike, you know, it's kind of interesting to me and my going against Quinn and, uh, and routing the coaching staff.

Um, it's definitely gonna be a little weird, but, you know, it's just definitely makes the competition and kind of gets to the trash talking throughout the entire threat things.

And, uh, so it kind of be fun.

And I think we're just excited to get out there and and just hoping and put on the show.

Thank you.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Jeff's ill get USA Today.

No doubt of it.

I hope you're doing well.

And congratulations on the All Star.

I know you get a little bit.

Beginning of this March 11th, you guys were such a centerpiece at focal point of the league Shutting down.

How are you?

Get over any obstacles that you face to get to where you are today.

As the top team in the Western Conference.

Um, I think the biggest thing one was are the bubble experience.

You know, when you're when not even just the fact that we were around each other 24 7.

But you know, the fact that we just kind of just like, Look, this is what it is, and quite frankly, a lot of it was blown out of proportion.

Um, to be honest with some, most of these things are, and, you know, it is what it is.

You know, if we if we lived our lives through social media, then you know, then we wouldn't be, you know, even killing.

And we had a lot of vets on this team who kind of just just like, Look, thank you.

I forgot to who on beyond weird And I were unsalvageable or, you know, or whether we were for real and obviously we lost in the first round wherever and blew through and leave.

But it really fueled us to kind of come into the season with this type of chip on our shoulder, and I think that's what you're seeing, you know, a bunch of guys who just feel like, you know, we're going to go out there and do it.

You know, at the end of the day, we're gonna go out there and ways to to win.

And like I said, the threat.

You don't know where it's coming from each game, and I think that's what makes it special.

And as a group, you know, the chemistry is unbelievable.

Um, and there's definitely things on the floor we can continue to get better at.

But you know that that moment, you know, and then you get to the well and then we kind of saw things within ourselves as a team that we were like, Okay, we can really do something special.

We add volume back, we get J C.

Get favor.

Uh, faith back.

Um, I think that was that's really what?

For us, it was like, Okay, we can really do something as long as we focus on the little details and not get lax, you know, we've got to continue to go out there and be the be the best team.

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