Drug Dealer to AAU Dream Maker: The Curtis Malone Story

The legendary Kenny Lofton joins Matt Barnes and Chris Young for a long overdue conversation. K-Lo was a six-time All-Star, five-time stolen base champion and four-time Gold Glove winner — but somehow was one-and-done on the Hall of Fame ballot. Lofton breaks down why he believes the home run era buried his legacy and what it was really like playing on the greatest teams never to win a World Series. He also opens up about growing up poor in East Chicago, being raised by his blind grandmother, and the promise he made her before leaving for the University of Arizona — where he played point guard on a Final Four team. Plus, Lofton gets into some amazing untold stories, like almost taking out Cal Ripken during his consecutive games streak, chasing Sammy Sosa through the Cubs dugout during the playoffs, getting held up by the third base coach in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS, and why he believes Shohei Ohtani should never bat leadoff. 00:00 Intro, Hall of Fame Snub, Steroid Era 08:30: Ichiro Stats Comparison  16:55: Slow Death of the Leadoff Hitter, Should Ohtani Bat Leadoff? 22:50: Raised in East Chicago by Blind Grandmother 28:25: Playing Basketball at University of Arizona under Lute Olsen 39:05: Foot Locker Slam Dunk Contest 44:13: Taking only one at-bat at Arizona, Getting Drafted to MLB  55:30: Superpower of the bunt 58:18: First MLB memories with Astros  01:00:46: Traded to Cleveland Indians, Albert Belle, Eddie Murray 01:03:53: 90’s Indians Best Team to Never win it? 01:05:48: Shocking Trade to Braves for David Justice 01:10:58: Golden Era of Outfielders 01:13:13: Journeyman back half of career 01:14:45: Bartman game, almost fighting Sammy Sosa 01:20:00: Signature Shoe with Nike 01:21:00: 3-0 Blown ALCS with Yankees 01:23:45: Held at 3rd Base in Game 7 of ALCS 01:31:28: Quick Hitters 01:35:50: EndSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Barnes opens up ATS Unplugged by calling out Patrick Beverley over recent comments about Dwyane Wade, saying the energy behind the debate feels more like clickbait than basketball analysis. Matt and Vernon “Mad Max” Maxwell also break down why Wade still gets the nod over James Harden for many fans, react to Duke’s late-game collapse in March Madness, debate whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, or Victor Wembanyama deserves MVP, and discuss why Joe Mazzulla belongs in Coach of the Year conversations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the rings, before the goggles, before the championships, Horace Grant was a kid in Sparta, Georgia hunting squirrel and raccoon just to eat. Four titles later, he's finally telling the whole story. On this episode, Horace goes deep on the Bulls three-peat with MJ and Pip, the emotional decision to leave Chicago, what Penny Hardaway could have been, getting that fourth ring in LA with Kobe and Shaq, and why after all of it, he has zero regrets. One of the most complete careers in NBA history. Not enough people know it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time World Series champion Tyler Glasnow sits down with Matt and Chris Young fresh off back-to-back titles with the most dominant team in the sport. The Dodgers right-hander pulls back the curtain on what it's actually like inside that pitching staff — the culture, the aura, and why Japanese players have so much success. Glasnow reflects on the long road from Pittsburgh to Tampa to LA, how the Rays' unconventional R&D system helped shape him into an ace, and what pitching coach Mark Prior has meant to his development. He opens up about his relationships with Shohei Ohtani and his Japanese teammates, the real leadership structure in that clubhouse, and whether the Dodgers are actually bad for baseball. Plus — the mental side of pitching, his game-day routine, thoughts on the pitch clock and robot ump, and what he does away from the field. And with two rings already, one question looms: is a three-peat actually coming?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Howard White has been Michael Jordan's right hand at Nike for over 40 years. As Vice President of Jordan Brand and the man Chris Tucker portrayed in Ben Affleck's Air, Howard has been in the room for every pivotal moment in sneaker history. In this powerful sit-down with Matt Barnes, he tells the full story for the first time. From growing up in poverty in Hampton, Virginia to becoming the person who helped sign MJ to Nike (when Jordan wanted Adidas), Howard reveals the untold stories behind the Jordan 3 design conflict with Tinker Hatfield, the Mercedes-Benz analogy that saved Jordan Brand after retirement, and the moment Phil Knight told him "it's been a good run."  He also opens up about his battle with amyloidosis, his heart transplant in December 2020, and how MJ donated $1 million to establish the Howard H. White Center for Amyloidosis. Along the way, you'll hear never-before-told stories about MJ's competitive fire (cycling in Hawaii, ping pong obsession, staring at a blank TV before The Shot), Kobe telling Howard "I want to sit at the table with Mike," and the mother's wisdom that guided Howard through it all: "Even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Oscars just wrapped, so we did what made sense: pulled the 20 craziest Hollywood stories from the All The Smoke archives and put them all in one place. Leonardo DiCaprio getting so deep in character on Django Unchained that it changed everything on set. Vince Vaughn actually slapping Snoop Dogg on Starsky & Hutch. Denzel ignoring RZA while quietly giving T.I. the confidence to become an actor. Charlie Sheen juicing for Major League. Tupac and Eazy-E almost starring in Menace II Society. Ryan Coogler breaking down what inspired Sinners. These are the Hollywood conversations nobody else is havingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most complete players to ever put on a uniform finally pulls up to All The Smoke Dugout, and Eric Davis does not disappoint. From growing up in South Central Los Angeles alongside his childhood best friend Darryl Strawberry, to navigating racism in the minor leagues, to becoming the highest paid player in the state of Ohio — E.D. takes us through a life that was anything but ordinary.Eric gets brutally honest about Marge Schott, the most chaotic owner in baseball history, and how her racism became the fuel that drove him to demand a $3 million contract and deliver a World Series championship. He opens up about the real Pete Rose — not the headlines, but the man who showed up with $5,000 cash in a rubber band, ostrich cowboy boots, and more swag than anyone in that clubhouse expected. He breaks down what the steroid era actually looked like from inside the locker room and why the Hall of Fame has lost all credibility in his eyes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vernon “Mad Max” Maxwell joins All The Smoke Unplugged for a hilarious NBA-heavy episode covering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP run, whether SGA is already better than prime James Harden, Luka Doncic’s revenge stretch with the Lakers, LeBron’s future in LA, Boston’s playoff ceiling, and Houston’s late-season struggles. Mad Max also reacts to Bam’s controversial 83-point game passing Kobe’s mark, breaks down March Madness contenders, top NBA draft prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, and sounds off in classic unfiltered fashion on everything from KD to college hoops chaos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Wexler is one of the most influential figures in 21st century sneaker culture. Matt and Stak linked up with him during NBA All-Star weekend in LA to break down his legendary run at Adidas, how he recruited Kanye away from Nike, and what it was like working with young Kobe and T-Mac. We also got into Steph Curry's sneaker free agency, Anthony Edwards' rise in the shoe game, and where fashion is headed. This one is straight free game from one of the sharpest minds the industry has ever seen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former University of Southern California athlete Owen “O-Dog” Hanson lived a double life. Known as the “Cocaine Quarterback,” Hanson went from popular college athlete to the leader of a massive international criminal operation involving drug trafficking, sports gambling, and money laundering across the U.S., Australia, and Latin America. At one point, Hanson owed a cartel $4 million, a debt that could have cost him his life. In this episode of ATS Unplugged, Hanson tells the unbelievable story of how a USC Trojans football walk-on ended up moving millions for a cartel, running an international gambling network, and eventually facing a 21-year federal prison sentence after a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. From partying with pro athletes and celebrities to running a global trafficking empire, this is the wild true story of how he survived the cartel, the streets, and federal prison.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.