LaMarcus Aldridge Appears on the "Dan Patrick Show"

A couple days ago LaMarcus Aldridge sat down with Dan Patrick, host of the Dan Patrick Show, to discuss basketball, sports, and life. For those who missed (or couldn't hear) the radio interview,, here is the transcript.

LaMarcus Aldridge, of my Portland Trail Blazers, back on the show. He joins us now. Do you watch football, LaMarcus?

Yes I do.

Favorite team?

Dallas Cowboys.

Yeah, I figured that. If they lose, how does that affect you?

I could be a little grumpy because that's my team and I've been riding with them through all the tough years. When they lose, it's just a little tough for me at times.

But you're 29, so how old were you during those glory days, back in the early 90s?

I was young. I remember my grandma being a hardcore Cowboys fan so it made me be a Cowboys fan. Every Sunday would be at our house and she would cook for the game. I just remember how crazy she was but then I just followed the line.

Favorite Cowboy?

Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders. How can you not like those guys?

Could you see yourself having the personality of Deion Sanders playing basketball? Or Michael Irvin?

In what way? I don't dance after I score.

Just being that kind of guy, like "notice me." Because you're pretty much "I show up; I do my job." Deion and Mike, they wanted to let you know: "I'm doing my job. Notice me."

I'm definitely not that type of player. They were good enough -- they won games and they won championships, so why not? I'm definitely different than them, of course.

You're 29?

Yeah.

Where did it go, LaMarcus?

I don't know. I just woke up one day and I was 29. I just wish I could get my mojo back.

Are you a young 29 or an old 29?

I'm a young 29. I actually shaved my beard off, so I'm a real young 29 right now.

Now you look 28.

No, now I look 22.

I think last time you were on, I said "have you ever been on Paul Allen's yacht?" Have you ever been on the team owner's yacht? Have you gotten the chance to yet?

Yeah, a few years back he was getting it serviced in San Francisco, so we got a chance to walk on it and take a look at it and [see] kind of how he lives. It was amazing; it was like having a Ritz Carlton on the water.

What was the most impressive thing on that yacht?

I hope I don't get in trouble, but the bottom floor had a little round room and the floor was made out of glass so you could see the water. I bet if he's in the Caribbean or somewhere, he could see the fish literally going by his feet as he walks on that glass.

Was there a disco down there?

No, it wasn't 90s down there.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers forward, joining us on the Dan Patrick Show. Anthony Davis: what's different about Anthony Davis? You faced him, what, a couple of weeks ago?

Just his mindset. I think the USA Basketball changed his mindset and made him feel more dominant and made him take on the challenge of leading a team, and I thought that was a good experience for him. I think he's kept that same mindset going into the season. He has a coach that's great and that's always believed in him and that's tries to instill that confidence and that mindset into players, as he tried to do with me when he was in Portland. I think between playing USA Basketball and having Monty Williams on his team, I think that's what's different.

Give me the guy that you can't wait to play against, whether it's because you know you're going to school him or it's going to be that great match-up. Bird and Magic always had it. Everyone seemed to have their rivalries. When LaMarcus Aldridge gets ready for a big match-up, who is that guy?

As you get older, those match-ups kind of fade a little bit because those guys you wanted to play against get a little bit older. Things changed, but that's tough. I'd say, maybe Dirk, because he plays for my hometown and he's definitely going to be a Hall of Famer. He's won a championship and he's made big buckets. He's a big-time player, so I think every time I play against Dallas, it's always fun because guarding him is such a challenge because he takes tough shots and he makes the game, for his teammates, much easier. So maybe Dirk.

Do you wish you were playing for the hometown team?

You did not; you did not just say that.

What did I just say?

Whoa, whoa, whoa buddy. No, I'm in Portland.

Wait, did I just tamper?

Yes, you did.

Oh, I did. My bad, my bad. I was thinking maybe that you privately, one day would maybe want to go back home and play or something. I don't know. I just thought that.

I'm in a Blazers uniform. That's all I'm worried about.

My bad. I was thinking out loud and I should've just kept my thoughts to myself.

That's okay. When I see you, I'm going to get you.

Golden State: best team in the league right now?

They're playing like it. If they're winning games and they play like it, then there's no right for me to say they're not. They've been playing great. They have the Splash Brothers playing at a really high level. [Draymond] Green had a big game the other night. I think great teams are good teams that have players play up every night, and I think they've rotated guys that've been hot. High scoring between the Splash Brothers and Green is big, so I think they've been great this year.

But is [Stephen] Curry the best player right now? Is he MVP?

I haven't really watched them play. We have a crazy schedule, so normally when I weigh in, I've seen that guy really play. I've seen he made the game winner. Of course he's playing on a high level, but I can't really say if I feel like that because I haven't really watched them play as much this year.

Does it bother guys that you don't get -- you don't show a whole lot of emotion, so if I'm playing against you -- you don't change too much, do you?

I think people on the court might think differently. I definitely talk more on the court, whether it's to my teammates, to myself, or to my opponent if they're talking trash to me.

But who's talking trash to you?

Nobody anymore.

Who did talk trash to you before?

I don't remember.

Oh come on. Give me one name.

In my younger days, it was [Kevin Garnett].

Oh he does that to everybody.

Exactly, but you'll find guys that might be feeling good because they had a good game and they come into your arena feeling like they're better than what they are, and they talk trash. I can't really say anything -- I can't think of any right now. Then I might talk trash back, but I do show emotion. I think my teammates see it. When we're losing and things need to be better, I yell or I talk. But I think to the outside public, like the fan watching, I think they don't see me show any emotion.

How's my guy Damian Lillard doing?

He's doing good. He carried us last night [loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves], but it wasn't enough. Pretty much everybody else had an off-night, but he didn't. He's growing. I think he's definitely grown at that position of making everybody better. I think it's tough when you can score as much as he can or as easy as he can, so I think he's grown a lot in that position of knowing when to make guys better and when to take his shot. I think I've seen that more this year than last year. He's really grown in being that point guard that can do both things.

It's great to talk to you again. Keep stirring it up and thanks for joining us. And good luck to your Cowboys if they make it to the playoffs.

I have a question real quick: I heard around my locker room that you have the Splash Brothers, so what do you think about Damian and [Wesley Matthews] being the Rain Brothers?

The Rain Brothers...

Live in Portland. It rains. It's not too hot, but just think about it for me.

See, when you make it rain, though, it's just a different thing.

You're making more of them. When you make it rain, you're really making the three, right?

Yeah.

So? Just think about it.

How about the Rain Bros?

That sounds better, more cool. I didn't think you'd be more cool than me, but I guess I just figured that out: you are more cool than me.

Why don't you just work that in and say "these are the Rain Bros."

Like a rainbow? Oh you just meant "Rain Bros." I know that. Okay.

How about we put a "z" on the end of Bros? How about that [Broz]?

You're just trying to get too swaggy now. Bring it back down a level.

I keep it real by keeping it real. Remember that, LaMarcus.

Okay. I see, I see. Thank you for having me.