Tough Love From Pops
Since I was small my dad and I have always been friends. He was never really hard on me. He never really pushed me to basketball. It was like, “Dad, can I play?” And he straight told me, “You suck. You’re not good enough for this team! You can sit over there and be my assistant coach.” So I used to get teased all the day, and when he leave I used to go practice by myself. And then one day I had the opportunity to prove him wrong and I did. From there, it’s always competition, no matter what; video games, dominoes …
I just ordered a car for him because he’s getting married. I ordered a Maybach, you know, the 57. It’s a one-of-one. They made it for the movie “Memoirs of a Geisha.” They made it for that movie. And now, we’re arguing about the car because it’s a one-of-one, and I want it. He wants it because, “the wood looks nice.” No what the? Come on … but I’m gonna end up giving it to him.
We just end up arguing about the dumbest things in the world. Like, after a game, and he thought I played bad, oh, I have to hear it. I’m gonna hear it. The first name he brings up every time: Dwyane Wade. “Well, did you see what Dwyane Wade did tonight? Dwyane Wade has four dunks, three reverse lay-ups, if you was talented like him …” and I’m like “Man!” And I’ll be like, “Dad, are you going to come to any of the games?” He’s like, “No. You guys are playing the Bobcats and the Grizzlies. I’m gonna come when Dwyane Wade comes to town or Kobe.” He just wants to see those players. He’ll look at the schedule and be like, “Oh yeah, we got four good games. I got Dwyane Wade, I got Kobe, LeBron, A.I. coming to town … I’m coming.” Any other week, he never wants to come.