Some former professional athletes get into different business ventures or tap into something else that they have a passion for when their playing career is over.

Two former NBA players decided to come up with their own podcasts, and it’s been a hit since they’ve started it. Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson host All the Smoke and the two gel well together. They made a great move doing a podcast together.

A look at Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s NBA career

Barnes and Jackson had their success when they played in the league. Both players have won an NBA championship and they played on some successful teams throughout their career. They both were teammates in on the Golden State Warriors during the 2006-07 season. That team had a historic season in which they won 16 of its last 18 games and went into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. The Warriors became the first No. 8 seed to win a best of seven-game series when they defeated the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks.

The two developed a tight bond while they were in Golden State. They both played for multiple teams during their NBA careers. Each of them played 14 years in the league, and the two played for 15 different teams combined. Barnes and Jackson were role players, and they knew how to adjust and become the player that their team needed.

Both players were very competitive, and they were not afraid to back down from anyone. They would get in your face and try to throw their opponents off their game. Some people had this perception that these were bad teammates to have, but they were actually good teammates to have, and they did everything they could to put their team in the best position to win games.

What is the podcast about?

Barnes and Jackson have special guests come on the podcasts and have an in-depth conversation with them. Whether it’s a current or former NBA player or someone in the industry, they converse and have an interesting dialogue.

With Barnes and Jackson being former NBA players and having a lot of experience in the league, they understand where these current NBA players are coming from, and they understand them because they’ve been in their shoes before. That’s why they can have these conversations when they have players join in on the podcast and have them talk about different situations they’ve been in as a player. Barnes and Jackson do not shy away from having those kinds of conversations with their guests on the court or off the court issues. The two also have a lot of respect from people across the sports world in general.

Why the podcast was a good idea

Barnes and Jackson had already had experience being on camera and talking as basketball analysts. When Showtime presented the idea to them, at first, they weren’t too sure about it. But they decided to give it a try, and it has proved to have a lot of success and attract a large audience. From having guests like Kobe Bryant to Shannon Sharpe, the show dives into real-life issues, and it’s a great form of entertainment.

The relationship between Barnes and Jackson makes the show run smoothly. They both feed off each other and come with interesting questions to create in-depth conversations with their guests. They even share their own experiences that people may not know about or completely understand. The two don’t hold anything back on the show just like they didn’t hold anything back on the court.