“My life is about joy, it’s about happiness,” Bill Walton tells me, seconds after I introduce myself.

So began my 45-minute phone conversation with my lifelong hoops hero in advance of his Intergalactic Bike for Humanity event, benefitting victims of coronavirus and frontline healthcare workers. The ride — which was taken solo or even on exercise bikes, rather than in a massive group last weekend — ended up raising $100,000 for various charities. In classic Walton fashion, it also raised a whole ton of good vibes.

Depending on when you were born, you might need a little clarity on who exactly Bill Walton is. Two time NBA champion? Yup. A real-life legend of the hardwood? Absolutely. A seven-foot-tall redheaded icon of the counterculture? That too. He’s also a man who once appeared on ESPN wearing an Uncle Sam costume and saying “Marijuana should not be a schedule one drug.” A true original if ever there was one.

Through it all, Walton has been something of a modern philosopher who teaches by example and leads through action, bringing himself back from health disasters (Back From the Dead, as his autobiography is titled) 20 times throughout his 67-year lifetime. So how is he spending his time during the quarantine? Is he just sitting in his teepee listening to Jerry Garcia? No. I mean yes, he’s still listening to Jerry. For sure. And probably visiting the teepee. But he’s also doing something. He’s helping the people who need help the most. Raising money through his foundation thanks to more than 1,500 riders from all over the world.

His philosophy, though he’s never outright said it, (Walton eschews boxes and labels the way jam bands eschew three-minute song structures) is one of aggressive gratitude.

“I’m the lucky one,” he repeats during the call. “Just think about how lucky I am in my own life to have the parents that I did have, the childhood that I did have, the coaches that I had, the teachers that I had, the teams that I played for, and heroes and role models that I chose.”

Walton laughs when speaking of his college coach — perhaps the most famous coach in any sport ever.

“I thought everybody had a John Wooden,” Walton says. “Then I turned 21, joined the NBA, and everything changed.”

Wooden was also unflaggingly positive and solution-oriented. The coach would surely appreciate how his most eccentric superstar has refused to take the world’s current crisis sitting down. Despite the fact that Walton has also been affected by COVID-19.

“Everything in my life on the public side has all evaporated,” Walton explains. “I had the honor and privilege of working for ESPN, the Pac-12 Network, and I’m out there a lot on the corporate circuit … all that is gone. The deviation, the evaporation, the countless millions of jobs that have been lost. But this is the 21st time that I’ve had to start over and the first and only time that I’ve been healthy. So I’m ready to go.”

Though his first virtual bike ride is over, the Bike for Humanity rides on. And there will be more rides and more opportunities to give in the future. Walton makes it clear that he sees this as a new part of his larger mission.

“I was not the type of basketball player who waited. I was not waiting for the ball, waiting for the game, I was ready to get going,” Walton says. “So I’m not waiting now. I’m ready to go. I’m doing something about it. Bike for Humanity.”

On our call, Feeding America, Father Joe’s Villages, and Champions for Health all get shoutouts from Walton as organizations that would benefit from the funds he raised. He also highlights #GetUsPPE — a nonprofit working to get supplies to the frontline workers who need them most.

“This might be the most serious and daunting opponent and challenge we’ve ever faced,” Walton says. “We have no idea how this is going to play out and so, being a man of action, I say we gotta do something. First, we’re looking to get the health care professionals the equipment they need. Imagine going to a basketball game and there not having a ball. Imagine me broadcasting a game and not having a mic!”

“Dave Pasch might enjoy that,” I say, referencing Walton’s straight-laced, often seemingly-annoyed play-by-play partner. “But the rest of us wouldn’t.”

“He’s welcome to join our team,” Walton responds with a gravely chuckle. “This is a group of volunteers. A grassroots campaign that believes in the power and value of sports. Really, it’s about service. And that element of ‘what we can do to help?’”

Honor. Communal sacrifice. Discipline. Old fashioned ideas that — like making a sourdough starter — seem to be circling back around in these challenging times.

I mention a conversation I had with my cousin who told me that the self-isolating with his family had made him aware that he wasn’t living right pre-COVID. He was working too much, for too many long hours, and not spending enough time with his family. Like he had blinders on. All that’s changed now. Later, I tell Walton I’ve taken the lyric from a song of Lukas Nelson as my mantra — when he said “turn off the news and build a garden.”

“I love Lukas,” Walton says. “I’ve had the pleasure of being with him in a very spiritual and casual setting and what a great job Willie has done with him, what a great guy.”

Later in the conversation — in which I ask exactly four questions total — Walton offers this gem: “What we learn from tragedy, what we learn for adversity is really the true definition of who we are is what happens when the ball bounces the other way. And it really has done that now, so as we try to build a better tomorrow we’re also seeing a lot of goodness out there. A lot of kindness.”

If Walton was looking for someone to be energized by his words about solidarity, community, and sacrifice, he found it in me. As I mentioned, Bill Walton is my inspiration. Literally. He inspired me to take Toni Morrison’s sage advice and write the book I wanted to read. A book genre that did not exist. A mystery thriller based on two college basketball announcers who seem to annoy the sh*t out of each other.

Yes, I’m talking about a book where basketball legend Bill Walton and his play-by-play partner Dave Pasch solve deadly serious mysteries. But in a funny, absurdist way. I called this mystery series, aptly, The Bill Walton Mysteries. Book one, Friend of the Devil, came out last year. Book two, Fire on the Mountain, was released the week that the NBA season was canceled.

At some point in our conversation, I know I have to share this information.

“To be clear Bill, I am the guy who spent the last two years writing two mystery books starring you and Dave Pasch.” I say, as we discuss John Wooden. “I don’t know if you’ve heard about them or not.”

“I have heard and I am flattered and honored,” Walton responds, giving my life its creative highpoint in just a few words.

Emboldened and drawn to connect the threads that we’d been discussing back to the larger pandemic, I ask Walton how he deals with fear.

“I have learned, over the course of the last 50 years, that when you’re afraid, when you’re scared, that is an emotion of what you’re thinking and feeling,” Walton says. “And our bravery, our courage, our confidence comes from work. From activity and action. So when I wake up in the middle of the night and I’m just sitting there waiting and waiting and I’m starting to get scared and I lose my confidence. Get to work. Get up and do something! I always look for a possibility where I can make a positive contribution, where I can help move the world forward to a better place, and then I’m always trying to live a life in service to others. So when COVID-19 decimated the world, I looked back toward the path that I’ve used, in all my times starting over.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“One, what’s the goal?” he says. “Identify the goal, the dream, the vision. Two, pick a teacher, pick a leader. Three, join a team. Four, immerse yourself in the culture of the team. Five, build your personal foundation and then live a life of honor, sacrifice, and discipline because that’s what makes a group’s work successful.”

Honor. Sacrifice. Discipline. Exactly the qualities that I saw in him that I felt would make him a great detective.

As for the virtual playlist on his bike ride, Walton gives an appropriately Bill Walton answer.

“I know the healing power of music,” Walton says. “I listen to music all the time, I have a gigantic collection and it’s on all my devices and wherever I am it’s always on shuffle. It’s amazing how the shuffle … which is just a thing. But the shuffle knows. Shuffle knows what you need.”

“And there’s so much sadness right now, and none of us got to say goodbye or thank you to John Prine, but the shuffle knows and the shuffle goes,” Walton adds, “and when it gets to the one that it wants me to hear sometimes I’ll just push repeat and it kind drives my wife nuts because I’ll leave it on repeat for sometimes three or four days, some times a week, sometimes a couple weeks. And the last one that I had on repeat was Jerry. Singing ‘Like A Road Leading Home.’ I can find it if you‘ve got a minute, unless you have to be somewhere.”

He plays the song over the phone. And recites the lyrics slowly, like a prayer or a benediction.

When the road gets too long
And you run all out of song
The pain gets too much
For you to bear
Turn around, turn around
Turn around and I’ll be there
Like a road, like a road leading home
When the gray clouds start to blow
You need someplace to go
When you want some company
That really cares
Turn around, turn around
Like a road, like a road leading home
Like a road, like a road leading home …

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Walton says as the eight-minute song winds down. And then, a few minutes later, “We will get by, we will survive, we are Bike for Humanity.”

Perhaps it was listening to my hero listen to his hero or Walton’s overall warmth and service-based nature, but I left the call believing in the power of the positivity he passed my way. And felt like it could perhaps help heal us. Like it might help lead us home.

Ramy, the critically acclaimed Muslim-American comedy series from Hulu (produced by A24), is gearing up for what looks to be another incredibly poignant (and hopefully sweet!) second season. And as with the second season of Fleabag, I’m sensing that there might be audience thirst brewing for another holy man (this time, a sheikh, rather than a “hot priest”) who’s doling out a prescription for “discipline” in this trailer.

Academy Award-winning actor Mahershala Ali joins the cast as the new spiritual advisor to the title character (portrayed by Golden Globe-winning, actor Ramy Youssef), who continues on his spiritual journey to, hopefully, find a greater commitment to his faith. Naturally, we should also expect Ramy’s love life to rear its head again, given that the show often embraces horniness, all while Ramy attempts to find a manageable balance between his status as a 28-year-old millennial man and the tenets of his religion. The series, of course, draws a lot of inspiration from Youssef’s own experiences to bring him onto the screen as Egyptian-American character Ramy Hassan, whose politically-divided New Jersey community tends to generate some friction. In turn, the show succeeds at balancing its comedic and dramatic sides to rightfully claim a dramedy status.

Ramy (also featuring Mohammed Amer, Hiam Abbass, Amr Waked, May Calamawy, Dave Merheje, Laith Nakli, and Steve Way) returns to Hulu with a full season on May 29.

Back in February, the experimental producer Arca triggered a new era by releasing an hour-long song titled “@@@@@.” Though the lengthy effort won’t appear on her upcoming album, Kick I, it sets the tone for Arca’s unconventional style of music. Now, the acclaimed producer previews her record’s release with the serrated single, “Nonbinary.”

Accompanied by an unsettling visual that touts a transgressive re-imagining of The Birth Of Venus, “Nonbinary” features blown-out bass while Arca delivers her prose with a metallic cadence. “Who do you think I am? / It’s not who do you think you’re dealing with, no / Cuz you’re not ‘dealing with’ / There’s no deal,” she recites.

Recently speaking to Paper Magazine, Arca detailed her inspiration behind the single: “I’m asking for recognition that we have multiple selves without denying that there’s a singular unit. I want to be seen as an ecosystem of minor self-states without being stripped of the dignity of being a whole. It gives me the feeling of possibility, to not allow for easy categorization. I wouldn’t want to just go pop and I wouldn’t want to go full experimentalist. That’s where a nonbinary mode of thinking feels really fertile. It opens possibilities rather than collapsing things. Allowing for change without resisting it.”

Kick I will arrive following three albums and several mixtapes by the producer. Along with an expansive discography, Arca has produced music for the likes of Björk, Kanye West, and FKA Twigs as well as penned a composition for the MoMA. More recently, Arca was the host of Frank Ocean’s PrEP+ dance party in NYC where he first debuted new music.

Watch Arca’s “Nonbinary” video above.

Last September, Arcade Fire celebrated the 15th anniversary of their debut album, The Funeral. The record catapulted the band into the mainstream with their smash hit “Wake Up,” and the indie rockers have since put out four more albums. After a brief hiatus, the group announced they are gearing up for a new release. On Thursday, Arcade Fire’s lead vocalist shared proof that the band is indeed working on new material.

After announcing an upcoming Arcade Fire release by posting a verbose letter to social media, vocalist Win Butler finally shared a snippet of what the group has been working on. In his Instagram story, Butler captured a few short videos of the band listening to demos in their studio. The first snippet features Butler’s signature vocals over pounding snares. The track cuts out and Butler continues to sing the lyrics: “You speak your mind, don’t care who it offends / With you, I never have to pretend.”

In his final preview, Win captures the band’s mixer board while a snippet previews expansive synths gliding under poignant percussion. “Proof I’m Alive,” Butler wrote. “Still here @arcadefire.”

Ahead of the previews, Butler shared a lengthy statement about the band’s upcoming effort, saying the group has turned an intense focus to creating material during the quarantine: “For my part, I’m pouring my heart, soul and all of my precious time into the music and recording (Not closing the door on doing some online performances, but it feels like many artists have that covered;) But talk to me in August when we are all climbing the walls…consider that a song request Radiohead). When you listen to the music that’s coming (…eventually…not soon…if you don’t have patience by now, you definitely aren’t reading this), you will know what we were working on under quarantine.”

It’s been more than a month since the NBA played its most recent games, as the league had to put its season on hiatus following Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test in March. Since then, there’s been an ongoing debate about when the league can return to play, how that would function, and whether or not it’s feasible to do this at all.

According to a new piece by Jabari Young of CNBC, that third thing is becoming increasingly popular in the eyes of some. Young reports that some team executives and agents are pushing for the league to call off this year, citing a myriad of issues that largely stem from how little we know about the virus — executives would reportedly like to start focusing on “safely resuming play next season,” while one agent is perplexed as to why Adam Silver hasn’t done what he views as an inevitable.

“I’m surprised because [Silver] always errs on the side of caution and doing what’s right,” said one agent, who added he felt Silver would have decided to cancel by now.

Player representatives have also questioned why the league continues to drag on what appears to be an inevitable cancellation of the season. With so many concerns the league must address, including how to deal with trigger dates in coaches and player contracts, few see the upside.

The NBA is making sure calling the season altogether is a last resort, with CNBC receiving a statement that said “it is the responsibility of the league office to explore all options for a return to play this season” and that “while our top priority remains everyone’s health and well-being, we continue to evaluate all options to finish this season.” Of course, there are major financial implications that come with canceling the season.

The report comes one day after separate reporting indicates that the league is considering, among its myriad of options, a bubble league in Orlando that would keep players at Disney resorts and play games on Disney properties.

This week in hip-hop, a plethora of up-and-coming newcomers and well-established vets team up for some under-the-radar releases that are worth checking out. While major label darling Lil Baby is dropping his deluxe version of My Turn, there are still plenty of options, even if the week seems thin on releases.

This week is also a display of tomorrow’s talent, with half of the releases coming from young rappers in bubbling underground scenes like New York drill. If you prefer your hip-hop a little more seasoned, the other half are indie stalwarts who’ve carved out long-standing movements in the increasingly crowded landscape and still manage to distinguish themselves with creativity, drive, and quality.

Here are all the best new hip-hop albums coming out this week.

Baby Plug — Topic

Originally from Missouri but now based in Atlanta, Baby Plug makes his major debut with Topic. Judging from his name and origin, you might be expecting something trap-heavy and gritty in the vein of The Big Peach’s main artists, but a more apt comparison might be Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake — spacey beats, sing-song flows, and a unique outlook.

Dee-1 — Timeless

Uproxx profiled New Orleans teacher and independent rapper Dee-1’s community activism earlier this year. Dee-1, who’s been around for a minute, is a year removed from his latest full-length, God And Girls, and can be expected to fill his upcoming project with witty insight and smart storytelling — his signature styles.

Guapdad4000 — Platinum Falcon Tape Vol. 1

Over the past several weeks, the Bay Area’s Guapdad 4000 has been rolling out a new single every week as part of his Falcon Fridays campaign. Platinum Falcon Tape Vol. 1 is a collection of those singles, allowing fans to catch up on the scam rapper’s latest shenanigans and prepare for whatever he’s got next.

HDBeenDope — Broken Dreams

The first thing that came to my mind when I hit play on HD’s latest is a young, hungry J. Cole. While that comparison is likely not as accurate as some of us would like, it’s a good starting point for getting a handle on HD’s aggressive flow and autobiographical lyrics. He’s a contender for XXL‘s upcoming Freshman Cover and while he may be a bit under the radar, giving him a spin or two before he inevitably catches on might earn you some cool points (as long as you’re cool about it).

Jay Worthy & Harry Fraud — Eat When You’re Hungry Sleep When You’re Dead

Compton rapper Jay Worthy links up with prolific producer Harry Fraud (Action Bronson, French Montana, Smoke DZA) for a project that may fly in the face of coastal expectations.

Mozzy — Beyond Bulletproof

Sacramento’s answer to Nipsey Hussle — an independent, street-certified businessman, community leader, and powerfully sincere, gem-dropping rapper — calls Beyond Bulletproof his best project yet. In a recent interview with Uproxx, Mozzy explained how going to therapy brought out his best and why he wants fans to feel “possessive” of this album: “I want them to feel like that motherf*cker was painted direct specifically for them.”

Smoove’L — Boy From Brooklyn

The attention of the world is focused on the New York drill scene and while the majority of that attention may be going (rightfully) to Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign, another name that shouldn’t be ignored is Smoove’L — even if he rejects the category himself. While he’s a versatile artist who can rap to pretty much anything, he knows which way the wind is blowing and shows it on Boy From Brooklyn, giving the burgeoning London-influenced style a twist of his own originality.

Some artists mentioned above are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

TMZ reports that Eminem was forced to confront a home invader after his security slept through the alarm. Em wasn’t harmed and the suspect, 26-year-old Matthew David Hughes, was arrested and charged with two felonies: First-degree home invasion and malicious destruction of a building.

Hughes reportedly broke into Eminem’s Detroit-area home at around 4am, using a paving stone to smash a window in the kitchen and climbing inside the house. An alarm went off but security remained asleep. Em was woken up though and found Hughes in his living room, prompting him to call for his security. That got his guards up and out of bed. They grabbed Hughes and called the police, who arrested him and took him to Macomb County Jail, where he is being held on a $50,000 bond.

Apparently, Hughes didn’t even want to steal anything. It turns out he got his real goal: A meeting with Eminem. While we’ve all joked about Stans getting out of hand online, it seems the person who invented the term may still have the most outrageous fans of all.

Em isn’t the only rapper to face down a home intruder; around a year ago, Bun B shot an intruder who broke into his house and tried to steal his car, while back in 2012, LL Cool J actually knocked out a burglar at his home in LA. Considering how another recent home invasion played out, we can all be thankful Em’s intruder was just another Stan and not something way worse.

Jerry Seinfeld has a good life. He created Seinfeld, one of the most popular shows of all-time, and he’s also the creative genius behind Bee Movie, one of the greatest films of all-time (some people might think so!). He has enough money to last many lifetimes, and in his new Netflix special 23 Hours to Kill, he knows that you know that he’s reportedly a near-billionaire.

“You and I know each other, on a certain level, for many, many years. You know for a fact, I could be anywhere in the world right now,” he tells the audience in the trailer above. “Now, you be honest, if you were me, would you be up here hacking out another one of these?” Later, Seinfeld discusses all the things we do to convince ourselves our lives don’t suck. “And I know that, because I know that everyone’s life suck. Your life sucks. My life sucks, too,” he cracks, adding, “Perhaps not quite as much.” It’s funny, because it’s true. He drives around in fancy cars and drinks coffee with Eddie Murphy, while I’m home thinking about how Donkey was in an episode of Father of the Pride.

But I shouldn’t feel bad that my life sucks, Seinfeld says:

“The greatest lesson you can learn in life: Sucks and great are pretty close. You go to a baseball game, you have a hot dog. The hot dog is cold. The bun is not toasted. The vendor is an ex-con in a work release program. You love that hot dog every time. Does it suck? Yes. Is it great? Yes. That’s how close they are.”

Spoken like a true Mets fan. 23 Hours to Kill premieres on Netflix on May 5.

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The Phoenix Suns dug themselves out of the Western Conference cellar this season and, for much of the year, were a factor in the playoff picture out West before tailing off late.

The Suns made some major changes in the offseason, bringing in a new coach in Monty Williams and some veteran talent like Ricky Rubio and Aron Baynes, but the team’s engine remained Devin Booker. The 23-year-old took the next step in his journey to superstardom, picking up his first All-Star nod of his career as he was averaging near-career best production while significantly boosting his efficiency across the board.

With the NBA on hiatus, Booker has been able to show his talents extend far beyond being one of the league’s preeminent shooting guards, as he won the NBA 2K tournament televised on ESPN and regularly streams on Call of Duty on Twitch. He’s also picked up some wins in Slam’s COD tournament with Ben Simmons.

Booker spoke with Dime over the phone on Wednesday to discuss how he’s trying to use the time to kickstart some off-court personal goals he has, prove he’s the NBA’s best gamer (and why he thinks no one really challenges him for that title), his thoughts on his season and the Suns as a whole, and why he’s been geeking out watching all the Michael Jordan footage from The Last Dance.

First off, how are you doing and what have you been up to pass the time at home?

Yeah, man, I’m doing good. Just kinda making the most of the situation, spending time with family and friends and keeping it tight knit. It’s been a good time, a lot of free thinking time — sometimes too much thinking time — but praying for everybody and hoping everyone stays safe through it. I know a lot of families were touched by this tragedy, but trying to see the silver lining in it.

I talked to Victor Oladipo the other day and he said he’s picked up ping pong and says he’s gotten good at it. Are there any hobbies you’ve picked up and started doing now that you’re at home and have a little extra free time on your hands?

Yeah, I did a couple piano lessons so far, via Zoom. I’ve done piano lessons in the past, so I want to rekindle that fire and get going. I actually have Spanish lessons today. [Learning] Spanish is one of my five-year goals that I want to get in touch with. So hopefully I can pick up on those things and get a little kickstart with them during this time.

There you go. I know you’re also playing plenty of video games, got the Twitch streams going. Gaming online and streaming on Twitch is the rare opportunity right now for a lot of folks to get real interaction while we’re all at home. How important is that connectivity for you right now to get to talk with your friends and fans and guys from around the league?

I think people have seen a lot of athletes pick up and start [streaming] in this time that we have. I think it gives them a different aspect of us outside of the court and how we are when we’re just chillin at the house, kickin’ it and playing video games. My household has been big into gaming for a long time now, so I never really watched any streamers, but my brother did and all my friends do. So I kind of grasped the concept of what was going down and made some relationships with some really good streamers. You know, Nadeshot from 100 Thieves and Cloakzy, we’ve played a lot together during this time. Overall it’s been a pretty good time, cause I’ve always been a fan of video games, just could never be consistent with it with time. So this definitely gave me more than enough time that I needed.

You won the 2K tournament and you’ve won some Call of Duty stuff. Are you the best gamer in the NBA?

Yes, I am [laughs]. I honestly don’t think it’s close, but there are some good guys in the NBA that play Call of Duty. We did a Slam-type tournament back-to-back weekends and it was a good time. It was a really good time, but you know you can see the skill levels and you actually plays and put the sweat equity into the Call of Duty for sure.

Now I’m not asking who are necessarily the best, but who are your top-5 favorite guys in the league to play Call of Duty with?

I’d say I like playing with Mikal Bridges, my teammate. Karl Towns is one of ’em. Paul George, we’ve ran some Warzone together. Probably Meyers Leonard and Ben Simmons, those two are probably next in line when it comes to the talent level of the Call of Duty.

I’m good at sports games, but I’m pretty terrible at Call of Duty and other first person shooters. Do you have any tips, just some basics, on how to get better? Anything?

Honestly, just like anything bro, you just gotta put the time in. Like, honestly, I’ve spent many, many, many all-nighters playing Call of Duty through the night and that’s where I picked up my hand-eye for video games is Call of Duty. I told people during the 2K tournament that I’ve never really played 2K that much, but a lot of it’s just hand-eye, timing, and just knowing the basic movements. It’s all really tactical. Video games, I always have a fun time with this. It’s my way to be competitive off the court a bit.

I asked you at training camp up here in Flagstaff this summer about your responsibility as the longest tenured guy on the Suns, and you said you wanted to really start changing the perception of the franchise. How do you feel you guys did this season in terms of starting to gain more respect around the league and laying a foundation to keep building off of?

Yeah that was Monty’s biggest thing coming into the season. When we made the hire and the addition of coach Monty, we had many conversations and his first step he said is we need to change the perception of this team and how people view us. And if that’s having to get a little nasty, play tougher, more physical, but people are going to know when they play against up some talented, hard working guys. I think we showed a lot of spots of that, especially towards the beginning of the season, but we dealt with some injuries. I think we were at our best when we had our full roster, and recovering when two or three guys would go down was tough for us this year. But we definitely showed we’re not going to be a walkover team, and I think that’s the first step in recreating a franchise or a culture is gaining respect from around the league.

And for you personally, getting that first All-Star nod, where do you think your game grew the most this season?

I’d say just efficiency. You know, playing within the system. Trying to find the fine balance between being aggressive and at the same time playmaking for my teammates. It’s a lot. My goal is for my reputation to be a winner, so it’s been a process for me to do for five years now. But I’m enjoying it and having fun with it and getting better every day. So, I felt like that All-Star is obviously a dream of any hooper growing up. It’s first to make the NBA, and then once you’re in the NBA, it’s to be an NBA All-Star. I mean, growing up and watching nearly every NBA All-Star game and then being in it is a crazy feeling.

You mention the efficiency, and you’ve always been known as a capable scorer. What have you learned over the last few years about being a more efficient and better playmaker, both for yourself and your teammates?

Yeah, I always wanted to pride myself on playing the game the right way. Not having any type of label — not say role — but just do a little of everything. I think the game has transformed to positionless basketball, you see a lot of smaller lineups, so I think everyone is trying to learn how to play the game in every aspect and not get caught being known as one thing. So I took pride in that a lot of my life, and just put extreme work in. And then with Monty coming in and implementing this system with the players we have has also helped my game develop tremendously. Playing with Ricky Rubio, this year being my first full year with Kelly Oubre, Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, guys who have playoff experience. You can definitely feel it this year, and I definitely felt my game elevate because of the people around me.

Have you been watching The Last Dance?

Yeah I have. I have.

I know you’ve said you model a lot of your game off Kobe, and he modeled so much of what he did off of Michael. Seeing all this Jordan footage, are there things you’re looking at and going “oh man, I want to work on that” and picking stuff up as you’re watching this?

Yeah, man. This footage is unreal. I’ve probably seen every video of Kob’ in this aspect, but I’ve never seen this footage right here of Jordan. This is behind the scenes, I’ve only ever seen YouTube highlights. Like you said, I never got to watch the man play live. Just to be inspired by somebody that much that you never watched live play basketball, just shows the effect that he had. And I think my respect and love for Kobe and how much he was inspired by MJ, I think it’s just such a respect level for guys that inspire the next generation that much.