James Harden had another historic season with a 32 game, 30 point streak in 8 50 point games, but finished second to the freak for league M v P.

However hard and Company had another early exit in the postseason, thanks to the Golden State Warriors.

Houston eliminated in six games, and the Dubs finished them off without Kevin Durant.

So this offseason Rockets made a big splash.

Intrigued Chris Paul in a bunch of picks.

Toe.

Okay, see for superstar Russell Westbrook joining us now to talk about these Rockets and much more.

Accused and owner Tilman Fertitta, who has a new book, Let me show this toe Everybody shut up and listen.

Available now.

Thank you so much for being with us, sir.

Great to be here in New York, talking of a little bit about this book from HarperCollins.

But we know we're gonna talk some rockets.

Oh, yes, we are.

You want to push the book because you might get rich?

Yeah.

You know what I need, Teoh.

I mean, Westbrook and hard into $40 million player about books.

Tell us about the trade what Russell brings to the Rockets that CP three didn't well, 1st 1st off, James and Russell go back to the early days in L.

A.

And so they know each other.

There's a chemistry there.

They can talk to each other.

They can be bringing back the ball up the court and the other one to go to the bench and say, Why in the hell did you bring it up like that?

Why did you give it to me and no hurt feelings?

I think that his tempo Russell's on a different level on the fastbreak.

I mean, my basketball locked showed me all these statistics of transition and everything and how he will truly change our team the way he brings the ball up so fast at times, you know, it's interesting.

I'm looking at this book here and the title of Shut up and listen.

And I've had the pleasure of getting to know you and talking to you on several occasions and trust you millio.

This title fits him because at times he has, it is it has been clear that you want people to shut up and listen.

You definitely want to teach you to the title of your own.

I want to know.

First of all, the inspiration for writing this book, particularly with it coming out now.

And more importantly, how do you feel?

It translates to these Houston Rockets under your stewardship at this particular moment in time?

But, you know, that's a great question 1st 1st off, I have ah, show won't CNBC $1,000,000,000 buyer that I've done for a few years, and I've been doing business shows and everything for years and lots of media out there.

HarperCollins came to me about 18 months ago and said, We watch all these one liners of you and these Tillman ISMs.

We want you to write a business book, not an autobiography, but just tell us how you you do it every day.

What are your tips?

How do you do things?

The 95 5 rule?

There are no spare customers.

Take no out of your damn vocabulary and just more of a self improvement and business management.

But how does it relate to the Houston Rockets?

I sit there, but I do listen to my basketball ops people, these guys.

Intelligence is at an unbelievable level and all the analytics like you, Max, that you really appreciate and how why?

This guy's gonna work better than this guy.

But its mortars are Guys are they can't hit a shot at the end of a game.

You know, it takes certain things do operate the same in all my businesses at absolutely Stephen A.

And I sit there and I question my guys and throw questions at him and Darryl even say to you, You know, Tilmant, you're asking a logical question that nobody would ever asked before.

Is that why we should do this or why we shouldn't do this?

And so it does relate, and the guys that have read it love it.

But But, uh, we can't make the shots you've started businesses acquired businesses at this point, all these things, And I imagine that one of the things you have to do is honor certain commitments that are there before your that are in place before you're there, I imagine.

And Stephen A.

Has talked about on the air that as the new owner of the team, there were certain ways in which your behavior maybe constrained by previous understandings and maybe that has an impact on the Chris Paul situation When you first walk in the door.

At what point do you feel like?

Okay, now the handcuffs air off, and I can I no longer have to satisfy anything in the past.

And I can run this business that exactly as I want going forward.

Well, first off operate by a rule, uh, that I talked about in this book.

I know what I know.

And I know what I don't know.

OK, so sure, the handcuffs are off and the owner of any team makes the final decision.

Okay, But any smart owner's gonna listen to their very intelligent basketball people, our football people, or whatever the handcuffs were off.

Okay, The 1st 2 years, the handcuffs were on.

Okay, this this is my teen, but I have great people.

And Daryl Morey and his team and Tad Brown in history, Starting round the hand caught this like going forward, starting now 100%.

I will it just the way it iss You bought this tea for $2.2 billion.

You're very cognizant of who you pay and what you expect from them because of what you paid them.

That had a lot to do with Russell Westbrook being here.

Chris Paul being gone, all of this other stuff.

We've watched the Houston Rockets, and I was there in attendance when the world Golden State Warriors Steph Curry, dropped 33 in the second half and I had not spoken to you after the game.

We actually had spoken before the game, but after the game, I came back and I told Max and Mollie I said, He reminds me a little bit of George Steinbrenner, God rest his soul old owner for the New York New York Inc.

Everybody knows George, and the reason why I said that is because you won't unapologetic about the standards that you expect this franchise toe have.

And you said, Damn it, it ain't good enough to lose on our home court Game six without Kevin Durant.

Thanks for watching ESPN on YouTube.