You don't find many as talented as the hilarious Deon Cole between acting, directing, and comedy. We got up with the Chicago comedy legend to talk about his role as Don King in the Michael movie and the current state of comedy. Deon had us rolling with stories about getting security called on him at the Roots Picnic, the time Idris Elba pistol whipped him on the set of The Harder They Fall, and watching DeRay Davis's evolution up close. Few guests had us laughing quite like Deon.

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The NBA offseason is officially underway, and Matt Barnes is breaking down everything that comes next.

On the final episode of ALL THE SMOKE: Unplugged before summer break, Matt reacts to the blockbuster Giannis trade to Miami, discusses Jaylen Brown's future in Boston, weighs in on LeBron James' next move, and shares why the Spurs and Thunder are built to dominate the Western Conference.

Then, Fred VanVleet joins the show to talk about recovering from injury, Houston's rollercoaster season, Kevin Durant's leadership, going undrafted, and the NBA's new Players United initiative.

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Coco Crisp joins Matt and Chris Young for a conversation with one of the most versatile and underrated center fielders of his generation. The 2007 World Series champion played 15 seasons across Cleveland, Boston, Oakland, and Kansas City and his journey to get there was anything but straightforward.

Coco opens up about growing up in Inglewood during the 90s and how a near-robbery involving his father and a stray hubcap became the moment that changed his family's life forever. He talks about his career progression, starting as a shortstop, moving to the outfield and becoming one of the premier defenders of his era.

He dives deep into his time in Boston, explaining what it was like to step in and fill Johnny Damon's place. He retells the story of his all out brawl with James Shields and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008. Finally, Coco recalls his time in Oakland and the end of his career in Cleveland where he fell just short of a World Series Championship in his final MLB game.

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We've been working on this one for a while: we got 44 on ALL THE SMOKE. With the Obama Presidential Center freshly opened in Chicago, Matt & Stak got a real sit down with Barack Obama himself. We got into the origin story behind Home Court, the basketball facility he built right into the Center and what hoops meant to him growing up without his father in the house, idolizing Walt Frazier and Dr. J from a TV screen in Hawaii. We also broke down the Knicks' championship run with him, from Brunson's heart to why he's officially crowning him the king of New York, and got his honest take on a divided America. Plus, Obama opened up on what he misses most since leaving the White House and how he's spending his time now mentoring the next generation of leaders.

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Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, the heart of the Grit & Grind Grizzlies, pull up to All The Smoke and go deep with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. The two Memphis legends and Out The Mud hosts get into how they got into the podcast space, the brotherhood that built one of the toughest teams in NBA history, and the stories most fans have never heard.

TA tells how a Kobe Bryant text almost made him a Laker, what he learned about being a pro from James Posey and KG in Boston, and the dead-ball dunk that tore his ACL. Z-Bo and TA relive the Lob City vs Grit & Grind wars, the hard fouls, and beating the Tim Duncan Spurs. We got into Ja Morant, LeBron's Memphis comments, and much more. Be ready for some good laughs and real talk from two of the strongest personalities in the game.

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The Knicks are NBA champions, Jalen Brunson silenced every doubter, and Victor Wembanyama's first Finals run has the entire basketball world talking. 🏆👀

On this episode of ALL THE SMOKE: Unplugged, Matt Barnes breaks down the biggest storylines from the 2026 NBA Finals, including the growing debate around Wemby's public perception, the Spurs' blown leads, Brunson's historic championship run, and why San Antonio's future is still brighter than ever.

Plus, Matt reacts to the latest Giannis trade rumors, weighs in on Jaylen Brown potentially being moved, and discusses one of the biggest NBA Draft storylines involving Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.

Then, Matt sits down with projected lottery pick Kingston Flemings to discuss his rise from Houston to the NBA Draft, playing for Kelvin Sampson, competing against the nation's best prospects, and what NBA teams can expect from his game.

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CJ Miles spent 17 years in the NBA and has stayed around the game in a completely different role. It's hard to put CJ in a box. He writes, he takes photos, and most importantly, he tells stories. Matt and Stak got up with CJ to talk about this new chapter of his life, what it was like being one of the last players to jump straight from high school to the league, and the stories that come with 17 years of NBA experience. We touched on everything from the Utah Jazz to Larry Bird personally recruiting him to the Pacers, to the ongoing debate about which state produces the best basketball players: California or Texas. This one is filled with stories, laughs, and real game on how to transition from being a pro in one world and build something in another.

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Chase Utley sits down with Matt Barnes for an extremely interesting conversation. Six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, World Series champion, 259 career home runs, and possible hall of fame inductee in the near future.

Utley opens up on the grind of the minor leagues, the unbreakable chemistry he built with Jimmy Rollins, what it was like watching Ryan Howard hit moon shots from the on-deck circle, how the Phillies dynasty quietly became one of the greatest teams of the 2000s and much more.

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