Podcast P With Paul George: “Being A Clipper In Lakerland, PG’s Injury Comeback, & Top 5 Role Player Teammates”

Wave Sports + Entertainment Presents Podcast P With Paul George [official Podcast Artwork]

Paul George talks creating a Clipper legacy in Lakerland ahead of the pivotal matchup versus the Lakers.

Today, we share highlights from today’s episode of “Podcast P with Paul George”–presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment–which features PG and the guys previewing this Wednesday’s crucial Lakers vs. Clippers matchup and the ongoing desire to build a lasting legacy for the Clippers in LA.

Later in the episode, Paul reflects on the anniversary of his first game back after suffering his devastating leg injury back in 2014, and how he’s dedicated himself to helping other athletes who have experienced their own significant injuries including Dak Prescott, Kevin Ware, and more.

Lastly, Paul lists his top-5 favorite role players that he’s played with in his career and shares why Detroit rookie, Jalen Duren is his favorite young center in the league.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[04:45] PG REFLECTS ON HIS ANNIVERSARY COMING BACK AFTER BREAKING HIS LEG IN 2014

I never thought about it but, like, thinking about it as a date, it does have a special meaning. I mean and we played Miami too. That was like the rivalry the year before I went out, we just lost to them in [the] conference finals. So we came back to Miami [on] April 5th, the welcome back game. Crazy moment… I remember I was nervous as hell. I was super nervous. I was confident enough and trusted all the work I put in going into that game. If you watch me, I was still like hobbling around. I was still unsure…The mental part is the toughest part of it all.”

[10:20] PG ON WATCHING HIMSELF BREAK HIS LEG

I watched it in the hospital… because I had to see what happened. Because I made that play hundreds of times. And why this one time, like what went wrong this one time. I needed to know from my psyche. I’ve chased down a ton of guys throughout my career, I’ve been chased down, gotten blocks. I wanted to see how I landed, what did I do wrong? So yeah, I had to watch it…I’ve seen it like a couple years after. I don’t – I won’t watch it now.”

[11:53] PG ON THE MENTAL TOLL MAJOR INJURIES TAKE ON AN ATHLETE AND THE OUTPOURING SUPPORT HE RECEIVED

After you get hurt as an athlete, it gets dark like it’s dark for you. You know what I mean? Like you think about the worst, you think about all the negatives you think about like what did I do wrong? Like why did this happen to me? What did I do? How could I have avoided this? I just, I want to be that positive reinforcement to the athletes that go through this and want to hear the testimony from it. Like what did I lean on? What did I rely on? Like, when it happened to me, bro, it was an outreach of everyone. Like I’ve heard from people I didn’t even know that knew me. Calling the hospital, sending messages, my phone was blowing up from people I had no idea who like how did you know my number for me?”

[23:51] PG ON PLAYING FOR THE CLIPPERS IN LAKERLAND

It’s funny because you do feel like you’re in Lakerland. I remember when I first got traded to the Clippers, we went to like Disneyland – no we went to Universal [Halloween] Horror Nights, actually. We [were] walking around and all they were saying was ‘Oh PG, congrats, congrats, you’re coming to LA – you should be a Laker.’ What? Like do you not know, there’s another team here right. And to be honest, that was the first time I heard that and since then it’s been like 500 other times. When people see me out in public it’s like ‘Oh what’s up Paul George, you should be a Laker!’ Like why not just say ‘Go Clippers?’ We’re representing LA too. It’s not going to feel like that. It took me to actually be here to actually realize we have a lot of work to do. We got a lot of fucking work to do…We can write our own history and that was why being with the Clippers was so intriguing. It’s never been done. We can go down as like we can start our history. You know what I mean? And that can start with me being a part of that.”

[18:15] PAUL GEORGE LISTS HIS TOP 5 FAVORITE ROLE PLAYERS THAT HE’S TEAMED UP WITH THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER INCLUDING STEVEN ADAMS, GEORGE HILL, LANCE STEPHENSON, NICOLAS BATUM, AND MORE

At point I’m gonna go with G-Hill [George Hill]. That was my guy, learned a lot from G, and he was the first one that kept me going. At the two, I gotta go with Lance [Stephenson]…For all the reasons, when I first got to Indy, he made me understand that we dogs now. I saw what he did and I was gonna match his energy…He did everything, his role was undefined but that was his role. Let him be him and he’s gonna turn the Pacers up!…At 3 I’m gonna go with Nico [Nicolas Batum]. Nico is a helluva glue guy, does it all, don’t complain. You don’t really hear from Nico too much but when it comes to being on the court and playing, he’s reliable. My 4 I’m gonna go with my guy Mook. Marcus Morris! That’s my dog!! Twin his toughness, he brings that edge. He brings a lot for us. My 5 I’m gonna go with the big fella, Steven Adams…One of the best screeners I ever played with. Shout out Steven Adams!!”

[53:06] PAUL SHARES WHY DETROIT ROOKIE, JALEN DUREN IS ONE THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG BIG MEN IN THE LEAGUE

This dude is a sleeper…Jalen Duren in Detroit. I like his game! I see what I think he will be in the leatgle I see him as a baby Dwight Howard. He’s built like a grown-ass man. We played him and when you boxing out big men, you get a feel for how strong they are….It fucked me up because he’s only 19 and bro I could not move him! I’m boxing him out and next thing I know he’s in front of me. He done swim move me out the way and he’s in front of me now. And it happened multiple plays!…I hope they [Detroit] don’t stunt that kid’s growth because he’s going to be a big time player.”