hi. i'm rachel nichols and this is the premiere episode of "unguarded" a sports show that brings you the candid, human side of some of the world's most talented human beings and explore the issues that extend off the the field to touch us all. welcome.

thanks for joining us. whether you're hard core fan or just like hearing interesting things about interesting people, this is your show for compelling and unguarded interviews with some of the biggest names in sports. we'll also be talking about some of the biggest issues in sports, from a wide range of perspectives. chatting with those who are both inside and outside the game in an unconventional round table. but first things first. the nba season starts in just a few days. and lebron james is going to be gunning for his third straight title. nearly every move james makes is scrutinized. there was even an uproar when the save the day cards for his wedding leaked online. yet there's a trip that james takes every year halfway around the globe that many of his fans aren't even aware of. and this year he invited cnn along to china. [ cheers ]

>> for one week a year, every year for nearly a decade, this is lebron james' life. >> when i first came here nine years ago, i was like, wow! >> if i told a 10-year-old lebron james that you'd end up going to china more often than a place closer to ohio like nebraska or kansas? what would you have thought? >> he'd have probably told you i'm not leaving akron, ohio. i remember thes first time i was known outside my hometown when i was 14. i was a freshman. we went to columbus for the state tournament. they were like there's lebron the freshman everybody was talk about. 120 miles away from home. i was like, wow, this is pretty cool. 8,000 miles away from home. for people to love me and passionate about seeing me is

very surreal. [ cheers ] >> james is one of the richest and most famous athletes on the planet. but being a global phenomenon doesn't just happen by itself. >> when i became a professional athlete i became a business as well. so i can just worry about the game of basketball 24/7 without understanding the business side of things. >> this is all part of the job for the modern superstar athlete. james has made this trip nine years in a row, to promote nike and his other sponsors and to generally boost his popularity. our television cameras are the first he's ever invited to come along. >> there's people crying when they see you here.

>> yes. a little michael jackson effect. i've seen that a few times. >> today james is in the city of wuhan in central china, home to more than 10 million people, 2 million more than new york city. >> you spent most of your life in the nba on buses. but what's different about the buses here? >> well, i'll tell you, like you absolutely think you're going to get into an accident. the people here will be just driving regular. like our bus driver would never blink. >> we passed people earlier, senior citizens doing tai chi. >> right. ways thinking about going out there. they'd have looked at me pretty crazy. that looked pretty good and pretty relaxing. >> james is on his way to surprise kids at an outdoor basketball court. >> thanks for allowing me to be

here. this is a surprise. i hope you guys are excited about it. [ cheers ] >> what's it like the look on those kids' faces when you're moving around the basketball court? >> one of the kids said it was his dream to be able to meet me and be on the basketball court with me. >> several of james' childhood friends are now his business partners. >> i took a day off. >> they too make this trip with him every year. >> you go through all the struggles with your friends. to reap all the benefits makes it that much sweeter. >> next stop, beijing. yet like any other weary traveler, james is now missing the familiar sights and tastes of home. >> how adventurous are you when you travel? i mean, in terms of trying weird

food or anything like that? >> i'm not adventurous as all. i'm not. i'm not. i've never been. but i do use chop sticks, though. >> some fried rice over there? >> what is something you could tell us that we don't know? >> i use chop sticks. >> thank you. >> when james is feeling the most home sick, he goes to the one place that feels familiar. he took cnn along for a rare inside look at his workout. >> we're literally halfway around the world, and yet here's a basketball court. >> it is my sanctuary. once i get into a place that has

a basket and i got a ball, then i'm back at home. i'm back at peace. >> the dragons are new. we don't do this at home so much. >> no, we don't. we don't. the year of the dragon. so that's what this is about. >> see? there's your new friend. do you think if you took that out in miami? how do you think that would go? >> i don't know. first of all, it all depends what part of the day i go out with this thing when it's extremely hot. it will be all right right here. you see me? i'm out here getting my year of the dragon on. >> thank you. >> you're still a dad over here on a business trip. very far from home. >> yes. >> as your kids get older, how much does that play into things of just sorting missing them and -- >> i miss them every day. >> like i said the business, being able to juggle the business side with the personal life and also work.

so it's tough. >> i'm sure they ask you, what's it like, daddy? what's it like? what do you tell them? >> they absolutely do not ask. they absolutely -- when i run through the door they'll be like, oh, daddy's back. oh! can we go to toys r us? i do show them clips on my phone and stuff. i show them how passionate they are about their father over here. they're like, oh, wow! >> a crazy ride and a successful one for lebron. not long after he returned to the u.s., the nba announced that for the first time, james has reached the top spot in global jersey sales. stay with us. we'll tell you about new developments in the redskins controversy. [ horn honks ]

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congestion, for the smog. but there are a lot of people that do ride the bus. and now that the buses are running on natural gas, they don't throw out as much pollution into the air. so i feel good. i feel like i'm doing my part to help out the environment.

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i'm rachel nichols. welcome back to "unguarded" the debate over whether the washington redskins should change their name has heated up once again. now two d.c. radio stations are refusing to run ads from the oneida nation that make the case the nfl's team name is offensive. we've asked a wide range of voices to give us their perspectives. tonight i'm joined by former major league pitcher and world series champion ron darling. financial guru pete najarian, a former nfl linebacker and kevin gover of the director of the museum of native americans and a pawnee indian. do you think people even understand what the redskins' name means? >> i think more and more people are beginning to understand. it's always been a frustration of mine that we don't seem to be a part of the public discourse and get people to listen and

focus. because i think what you do listen and focus, the answers become very clear that is in is not a word that should be used >> yes. you talked a little bit, ron, about your own family history and how that plays into the way you see this issue. >> you think about it. my mom's chinese. if there were yellow skins we wouldn't allow it. when people talk about the branding of the washington football team and certain things that would be difficult to do. well, change is difficult sometimes. and that's all right. and i think it's an opportunity for the washington team, an opportunity to be on the righteous side and do something. i think it would be better for their brand in the long run. >> certainly we don't do things now the way we have always done them. so there is maybe an opportunity for change. but redskins owner daniel snyder certainly does not think so. i want to read you something that he said quote we will never change the name. it's that simple. never, you can use caps. and pete, i want to get your

take as both a form player from the nfl side and with your financial background. do you think snyder's refusals here are about history and tradition and you've played in the nfl and what it means, or do you think there's a financial aspect to this, too. and maybe, hey, it costs a lot of money to change all this thing. it could affect your merchandising sales. >> but it could affect them in a positive way quite honestly. it will be all new. everybody will want to have the new product out there. i think he's wanting to hold onto this tradition. i think change does have to happen at times. this is one of those times. this is derogatory. there's no other way to look at the situation. and as you mentioned, if it were any other type of color related to the skin i'm sure it would not exist today. >> is that what you're feeling, kevin, that this native group has sort of been ignored in the way that we wouldn't look at this if it was african-americans or fit was as ron says his group? >> absolutely. you know, the society has really changed a lot in some very

positive ways. so you see the response to certain things, for example, the player for the philadelphia eagles who used the n word. we saw last year on espn, they used casually what i thought of as a derogatory reference to chinese people. and in both cases, the response was immediate and appropriate, and those people were chastised and their careers were affected. so as a native american person, we watch all of this happen and say, well, what is it that makes it okay to use that word that is a reference to us? >> and some teams do fall back on that hey, this is our tradition. and you have an interesting situation in baseball. you have teams like the braves and the indians. where is the line? is it okay to say braves, not okay to do the tomahawk chop? >> i never liked the chop anyway. but this name is different than the braves and indians name. it's so derogatory. there's a lot of things we said in the 60s and 70s we would never say today. people talk about tradition? it's a bad tradition so let's change it.

and i know that -- i can understand folks that have been fans of the football team forever want it to remain the same. but things change. and it's time to change. i think what you said is so apropos. it will be different. the people that want to wear that name on their chest will do it. but others will wear the new name. >> i have to say, i grew up in washington, d.c. i was one of those kids that dan snyder talks about. six years old, little washington redskins jersey. we have the pictures somewhere. you live in washington. do you feel like the city of washington, the people who live there are ready for this change or that there's opposition? >> you know, i do. the oneida nation recently did polling through survey usa in the washington region. and the results were pretty surprising. majority understood yet is that native americans might find this

name offensive. a strong majority said even if the name changed, we will support the football team. and i would like to say that as a native american person who lives in washington, i would like to support the football team. i would like to be part of that. because it's fun. but i can't be as long as that word is everywhere. and it really is kind of an oppressive environment, especially if a native american person has children or grandchildren who live in this region and is trying to explain to them how to honor our traditions and be respectful and then they hear that word and seat kind of conduct you see at the stadium. >> that's a great point, kevin. thank you. and thank you so much for joining us. ron, pete, you guys are going to be sticking with me for awhile. we are going to be talking a little world series. so i hope that you stick with us, too. i have low testosterone. there, i said it.

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welcome back to "unguarded" it's been an exciting few nights boston as the world series is tied up at one apiece. seeing "boston strong" etched in the outfield and all those affected by the marathon bombings. i'm here with pete najarian and ron darling. can you tell us what kind of burden that puts on the athletes on the field where the whole community is saying you heal us from this tragic event. >> i'm thinking about 9/11 and 2001 and the yankees used to play the diamondbacks and that kind of pressure. i don't think the players can feel that. in fact it can lift you up like a tenth man for the baseball team. i think just seeing the people on the field last night, you couldn't help but kind of shed a tear.

so i think the thing is as a ballplayer you try not to get caught up in that emotion. >> that's a good point. i was at yankee stadium in 2001 after the september 11th attacks. people in new york needed a reason to yell. everyone was so emotional, so quiet around the city, to get out there and scream, there's no question it meant something to the city. but what about the ballplayers? you're saying hey it can help you emotionally and lift you up. do you think when you playeded in the nfl once that whistle went, were outside forces coming into play? >> i think the adrenaline is running. you feel a little bit of pressure from the city itself. but when the game starts it becomes the game once again. it's all about the preparation, the players, the coaches. obviously you feel the fans and you understand what the city feels about this whole situation. but now it becomes you're playing the game and everybody has to participate. you lose some of that adrenaline. now you're just focused on playing, executing and doing all the right things. >> on the one hand we have this inspiring story especially in boston. on the other hand the biggest story in baseball this year, largest drug suspension in u.s.

history. can the good play on the field affect the mlb and sort of rise them up especially financially and the way people feel about the game? or no matter how good these world series games are people are going to be thinking about that and having their kids shy away from the game? >> i don't know necessarily people are shying away because of the drugs, p.e.d.s, steroids and everything else. from my perspective it's technology. i look at it from the financial end of things. folks right now, they want the immediate. their iphone, ipads, all of that and they want immediacy. and ron, it's a little bit of a slower game. i think the nfl, it's fast-paced. i think that's one of the reasons college and nfl football has such great ratings right now. maybe in baseball because it's a little bit slower moving it's not getting the same kind of reaction from the modern fan. >> i will tell you, though, i think for most fans, they don't care about it. they're sick of hearing about it. i think there's a vitriol for alex rodriguez and they want

that to happen as soon as possible. but as far as the fan, i think they're just so sick of hearing about it. is it going to be a way? no, it's always going to be a part of the game. if you have a chance to make $8 million a year or play aaa baseball, what are you going to do? there's always that decision. >> steroids obviously going to be an issue in both baseball and the nfl for a long time to come. but that will have to be our last word for now. thank you guys both so much for joining me. and thank you after the break you better stay put because we will be joined by bleacher report's reese waters for a look at what's got everyone talking in the world of sports this week. "stubborn love" by the lumineers did you i did. email? so what did you think of the house? did you see the school ratings? oh, you're right. hey babe, i got to go. bye daddy! have a good day at school, ok?

...but what about when my parents visit? ok. i just love this one... and it's next to a park. i love it. i love it too. here's our new house... daddy! you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen.

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the challenge always accepted. and the calling forever answered. ♪ introducing the all-new 2014 s-class. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. welcome back to "unguarded" and to receipt waters from bleacher report. it's great to have you. >> just when i thought i was going to go dateless on friday night i get a call from rachel nichols. i need to have a word with nba great tracy mcgrady who after seeing a lakers preseason game tweeted he feels sorry for kobe bryant. >> pity for kobe bryant. >> how dare you, t mack. to be fair his tweet was retweeted almost 1,000 times, most of which was from kobe's family.

i guess i see where he's coming from. not everybody's built for the bright lights. i feel sorry for jay-z having to walk around with beyonce' who everybody's taking a run at. i prefer to date girls that nobody wants. wide receiver darnell tate who makes this unbelievable catch on the sidelines for hubbard. in between his legs. able to hold it. the ball doesn't hit the ground. unbelievable catch. my favorite thing about this video, it reminds me of me. if you look in the corner that water boy right there a young reese waters. >> come on. >> very excited, very into the action. i'm touched. personally i'm touched. now another thing that touched me, minnesota timberwolves forward kevin love won the nba gms award for doing the most with the least athletic ability. when he won he called it the white guy award which i took offense to personally. he hasn't seen any video of me. i have limited natural ability. brian cardinal, love, nash, brad

miller, louis scola, mehmet okur. i have never been so proud so see bruce bowen and so ashamed at the same time. >> that is limited national athletic ability right there if i have ever seen it. >> shot down by a pretty lady. must be friday night. thank you for coming. thank you for getting all of that out of one tweet. i do want to see all of you guys on twitter as well. give as you follow on twitter. you can like us on facebook, visit us on the web at cnn/unguarded and come be a part of our conversation. that is going to do it for us tonight. but you can join us again next week on "unguarded" where the end of the game is just the start of the story. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

♪ they don't look friendly. who are those -- anyway. some ugly dutch guys it looks like with guns. i'm guessing particularly friendly to the current power. they look like they're going to or coming from oppressing a black man. first order of business, man. when i take my country back, first order of business is to take that -- down.