For nearly half a decade, Matt Barnes has been co-hosting All The Smoke, but not many would know that the name itself is in debt. Kind of debt, at least. This came to light during Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s conversation with Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast with Shaq. The 4x NBA champ asked the two former NBA stars how the podcast came into existence and who came up with the now popular name.

Barnes revealed that for the name of the podcast, he had put out an ad on Instagram that whoever comes with the name can have $2500 from him. “And then my sister’s like, ‘All the Smoke.’ I’m like, ‘That’s dope. But I’ve done enough for you. So you’re not gonna get this $2500. But when I tell the story, I’m gonna, I’m gonna credit you,'” he hilariously revealed.

The story of All The Smoke, however, goes deeper than just a name, though. As revealed by Matt Barnes on Shaq’s podcast, it started when Barnes and Jackson, tired of the limits of traditional sports media, decided they wanted to create a space where they could speak freely. Picture it—two ex-players lounging at Barnes’ house, watching games, and talking sports in a way they couldn’t on networks they were associated with—ESPN and FOX.

“What’s a podcast?” Jackson had asked back then. Barnes didn’t have all the answers. But he had a vision—one where they could drink, smoke, and keep it real in a way they couldn’t on TV. This same desire for freedom led Barnes to take a bold stand for Rachel Nichols after ESPN’s controversial decision to part ways with her in 2020.

Nichols had been instrumental in helping Matt transition to the media world. And he wasn’t about to forget that. “If Rachel telling her truth on my show was going to cost me my job, I would have taken that,” he once said. However, the worst he imagined did not happen but the ex-NBA star anyway later parted ways with ESPN. And to this day, it’s that same loyalty that defines the core of his and Jackson’s podcast. Standing by those who’ve had their back, no matter the risk. And boy, they have been quite successful as well doing that.

A quick recap of Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s All The Smoke from scratch to what it is

Have you ever wondered how All The Smoke became such a hit? Well, it all came together quicker than you might think. Once Barnes set his mind on starting a podcast, he met with Brian Dailey, a key figure at Showtime Sports.

The meeting was set up by Eric Newman, the producer behind The Resurgence: DeMarcus Cousins. And just like that, All The Smoke was born. Barnes was just as surprised as anyone at how smoothly things fell into place. “They took a big chance on us, and we were able to create something special,” he shared in one episode.

And their first season even won Sports Podcast of the Year. No wonder Barnes considers All The Smoke one of the OGs in the podcast game. Existing back when it was just them and Knuckleheads. Fast forward to now, and they’ve got nearly 2 million followers on YouTube and Instagram. And since Barnes’ sister is not getting that $2500, let’s credit her once again for such a catchy name.