VJ Edgecombe on Sixers Expectations, Wild Draft Workouts, Battling Cooper Flagg & more

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 I'm gonna say here, I'm gonna work the A change in my number.

spk_0 Breaking news!

spk_0 Look at the camera and tell them.

spk_0 Or if we win a chip, so say less.

spk_0 Podcast P fan, welcome back to another episode of Podcast P,

spk_0 a wave original, it's your boy P G.

spk_0 Joining me is my guy Dallas Rutherford.

spk_0 Keeping it simple, glad to be here.

spk_0 And Jackie Lowe.

spk_0 Shabbat dabbat, we tweet, tweet, tweet.

spk_0 We got another very special guest with us today.

spk_0 Our guest was a McDonald's,

spk_0 all American, the big 12 freshman player

spk_0 at a year over at Baylor.

spk_0 The third pick in this year's NBA draft,

spk_0 my young fellow, my rook, VJ Edgecom.

spk_0 My God, I appreciate you for the interview.

spk_0 Sorry, you need something to drink me?

spk_0 Huh?

spk_0 Maybe we can go do something.

spk_0 This your fucking mom.

spk_0 No, no, no, no, no, no.

spk_0 You're good, you got to do it, not shit, not shit.

spk_0 You know, he's dumb, he's dumb.

spk_0 You know, he's dumb.

spk_0 VJ, what's up bro, how you living?

spk_0 I'm chillin' man, I'm happy to be here, bro.

spk_0 Yeah, that's it, that's it.

spk_0 Is this song can, is this?

spk_0 Nope, not shit.

spk_0 Still taking the day by day.

spk_0 Probably not pulling up to my first game.

spk_0 Yeah, no, we'll see man.

spk_0 See, someone really get, I mean, 27, ain't nothing.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah, so, you know, I'm just talking.

spk_0 I know, but actually a little 12, 15,000 people at games,

spk_0 you know, ain't, but well, that's a lot of work.

spk_0 Wow, that's a lot of, you know,

spk_0 that's a lot of work watching on you.

spk_0 Shit, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 VJ, do you, I gotta ask you man off the, off the rip man,

spk_0 do you, do you got a thing against coaches,

spk_0 coaching their sons?

spk_0 Mm.

spk_0 Do you, I just gotta ask you, because you have been

spk_0 disrespectful.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 I think you're very disrespectful.

spk_0 How are you, how you just going dunk on a Gonzaga's,

spk_0 or a son like that?

spk_0 And this, and then, I gotta talk about it, man.

spk_0 You gotta tell me, like, how you disrespect

spk_0 somebody, like, did you see, you know,

spk_0 you were, what you were about to do,

spk_0 but the dog was stupid and dumb, and disrespectful.

spk_0 Man, you say how bad those beaters.

spk_0 Listen, listen.

spk_0 Some good, how the come out of the kid.

spk_0 I would say like if the cops were in,

spk_0 you, walk me through that dunk though.

spk_0 Walk me through that dunk, you dunk.

spk_0 Walk me through it.

spk_0 I got you.

spk_0 So my big got to still, I think it's a hard to say,

spk_0 right, an old game.

spk_0 I'm only got, I only got two points right now.

spk_0 I'm like, yeah, it's a bad game.

spk_0 So I seen a little, a little, a little futer.

spk_0 I was like, yeah, bro, I'm sorry.

spk_0 But I got a dunk, bro.

spk_0 I'm like, I need to do something.

spk_0 But I mean, I was like, bro, I know that just ended up bad

spk_0 because he jumped.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I thought he was going to try a run-body.

spk_0 He just jumped, and I'm like,

spk_0 dude, why is a bad body?

spk_0 A whole body.

spk_0 I was between you and dude.

spk_0 Can y'all show him that?

spk_0 They all got it.

spk_0 So, look at this.

spk_0 For the people who ain't seen this, look at this dunk.

spk_0 Look at this dunk.

spk_0 Look at the score.

spk_0 That's what I'm saying.

spk_0 This score was stupid.

spk_0 Y'all got your head.

spk_0 Yeah, we got to kill.

spk_0 You forget about the score.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm like, where did that go?

spk_0 He did not make a business decision.

spk_0 We try to shut up.

spk_0 That's a tough position to be in though.

spk_0 Man, like turn over.

spk_0 Look at this.

spk_0 This was a, this was nasty.

spk_0 Turn over.

spk_0 The center got the ball.

spk_0 So he like, I'm going to try to go with number 15.

spk_0 Yeah, I'm going to try to go rip this.

spk_0 And then he give it up.

spk_0 And it's like, I need to get the whole turn.

spk_0 Oh, you just forget like you in that moment, like, I'm sure he don't know where the hell he's at.

spk_0 He didn't know he was that close to the basket.

spk_0 And before you know it, this one, I thought we were doing a poster like that.

spk_0 You got to know that you got that picture on it up in your house and went.

spk_0 Yeah, I guess I'm a Instagram.

spk_0 I think it's on my Instagram.

spk_0 You need to put it up for show.

spk_0 Yeah, too.

spk_0 Because he got one with a dunk it on our bird.

spk_0 Yeah, man.

spk_0 Yeah, I remember that one.

spk_0 Yeah, see.

spk_0 Yeah, I remember that one.

spk_0 That's a special moment.

spk_0 That's going to be a, that's, that's, that's definitely going to be a part of your overall career.

spk_0 Highlight.

spk_0 I know it.

spk_0 Did that do get drafted the one you don't know the coach is not coach is not going to get drafted.

spk_0 No, he's coach.

spk_0 He's coach.

spk_0 Yeah, he did a video coordinator right now.

spk_0 VJ brought.

spk_0 I know it's only been a few weeks since you been drafted.

spk_0 And I know you said it's still so real.

spk_0 You still soaking all of this shit in.

spk_0 But what was that experience like just coming from humble beginnings as a lot of us has

spk_0 made it into the NBA and made that jump.

spk_0 Kind of talked to us a little bit about that experience.

spk_0 Yeah, for sure.

spk_0 So I think, I think it, like, I think that's why I probably still hasn't hit me yet.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Just because it still feels so real.

spk_0 Like I said, I'm came from back home in the bar.

spk_0 I was just a kid with a dream.

spk_0 Just wanted to make it.

spk_0 You know, I always understood that my past was going to be different though.

spk_0 So, you know, I was like really next up, whatever comes with it.

spk_0 But, man, I wasn't expecting to happen this quick.

spk_0 I'm only 19.

spk_0 I was expecting to happen this quick at least.

spk_0 I was thinking like, oh, probably when I'm 23, 24 probably get like a summer league shot or something.

spk_0 But, man, it's still feels so real.

spk_0 I ain't going to lie to you.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Like really in this moment, I don't know.

spk_0 Yeah, it's still a little.

spk_0 I don't even believe I'm in the NBA right now.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Keep, man, keep just being in that moment, bro.

spk_0 No, it's tough.

spk_0 Even, you know, as you progress, you're going to go higher and higher.

spk_0 You're going to be in certain meetings, certain brand deals, certain conversations.

spk_0 And it's going to be this moment that you're feeling right now where it's like, damn, how did I get here?

spk_0 You know what I mean?

spk_0 Like that's forever going to be your trajectory.

spk_0 How did I get here?

spk_0 How am I in this conversation?

spk_0 How am I having a dinner with this person or meeting with this person?

spk_0 So keep living in that moment right there.

spk_0 I know it was emotional.

spk_0 The moment that we saw after you got drafted with the field.

spk_0 And you know, you know, you're going to be in a family specifically with moms.

spk_0 Talk to us a little because that changes the whole dynamic of your family now.

spk_0 You the bread winner.

spk_0 And you know, you get to go and take care of your people.

spk_0 Like that experience.

spk_0 What does that feel?

spk_0 Now it's crazy because now I remember me asking my mom for money, you know, saying now it was reverse or you know, just me giving it to you.

spk_0 But I remember like before the draft, so I was on the phone with my cousin, literally when I was sitting at the table.

spk_0 And he's like, bro, you know, you got to tell him about how, like how we should live because I promised I had no plans on even talking about it.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 That was like, man, that's behind me.

spk_0 I don't want to talk about that no more.

spk_0 But he called me and he was like, bro, you got to talk about it.

spk_0 And I'm like, bro, I don't know.

spk_0 And that was like, man, my I was letting them know my story.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Because eventually I'm after talk about it.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 So why not now, you know, on the biggest platform, you know, from here, I think in my career.

spk_0 So I was like, man, I'm just, let me just tell the story.

spk_0 Man, now, you know, I got my little siblings in them.

spk_0 Anything they want, they get unfortunately.

spk_0 But yeah, it's, I think they abuse it a little too much.

spk_0 Yeah, definitely abuse it a little too much.

spk_0 But not it's crazy.

spk_0 Especially for my mom, though, because my mom ran, my mom ran track.

spk_0 So like she, she was,

spk_0 she was athleticism compromised.

spk_0 Yeah, she was supposed to go to the Olympics or whatever it was.

spk_0 I think she's supposed to do.

spk_0 But then you know, she got, she got pregnant and stuff like that.

spk_0 So her whole life changed.

spk_0 It was making her an eye.

spk_0 You know, so I mean, I'm glad I'm just helping you know, giving back to her, man.

spk_0 In your summer league debut for the Sixers, you had a great game.

spk_0 You looked comfortable.

spk_0 I think you had 28.

spk_0 But talk a little bit just what the experience was like putting that jersey on and getting your first game out the way.

spk_0 How was it?

spk_0 Now it was great.

spk_0 Um, man, it took me a minute to get a bucket too.

spk_0 I'm like in the flow of it.

spk_0 I'm like, man, I'm just going to just try to play the right way.

spk_0 And I was like, man, it's summer league.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I ain't on the floor PGW yet, man.

spk_0 I'm going to go then go shoot.

spk_0 Do what I got to do.

spk_0 So now I was just trying to win.

spk_0 But man, then when I got my first bucket, I started to get comfortable.

spk_0 Um, just take all the open shots.

spk_0 You know, I'm saying you know the little shots, I mean, I'm mid-range.

spk_0 Yeah, right, right.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know, you know what I'm talking about.

spk_0 Yeah, I'm the biggest game.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So, but I mean, there was open shots and I was shooting them.

spk_0 So I'm like, man, I feel comfortable right now.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Like why not?

spk_0 Why not just super well?

spk_0 At what point, though, because watching it, I could tell like, oh, he's, I'm sure you were

spk_0 nervous.

spk_0 There was a high level of being nervous before the game.

spk_0 But like, it got to a point where I was like, he's like, he's under control.

spk_0 He's in control.

spk_0 Like he's in the game.

spk_0 Like he's locked in.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 What point did that reach?

spk_0 Like, you reached that point where you was just like, all right.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I think I'm comfortable here.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I think after I got that, um, that layup, I made like a, my first bucket was like a high

spk_0 scoop layup.

spk_0

spk_0 He layup.

spk_0 So I'm like, that just went in.

spk_0 I'm like, all right.

spk_0 Now I'm about to.

spk_0 Like spider, man.

spk_0 I'm like, man, I'm in the flow now.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So then I just started.

spk_0 I was like, man, whenever shots they give me, because I think they had like, like someone like,

spk_0 I think I don't know how to codey, codey rooms.

spk_0 I don't know how tall he is, but he's, you know, long legs, man.

spk_0 They had him guarding me.

spk_0 I'm thinking like one of the guards going to be on me.

spk_0 They had him guard me.

spk_0 I'm like, I don't know what they trying to do, but I'm going to do whatever it takes to

spk_0 get him away from me, make it easier.

spk_0 And that's what that's how it was.

spk_0 I just, let's try to find my spots on the floor.

spk_0 That's something I've been working on.

spk_0 Just knowing my spots, um, you know, being comfortable in certain areas.

spk_0 So I was like, man, I find them my spots.

spk_0 I'm an elevate and then going block it.

spk_0 I know for a fact, then going block, then going block my job.

spk_0 I'm like, I'm just shooting the bull.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I don't see the match for that.

spk_0 What about like, because I was telling them the difference that, you know,

spk_0 guys, when you make that jump from college to NBA, the space in you get the flow that's

spk_0 better.

spk_0 The, the pace is faster.

spk_0 Like, how was that the difference that you picked up on from the college game to the

spk_0 end game?

spk_0

spk_0 So remember, I played with the Bahamas team.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So I was already like some spin in that.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know, playing some professional kind of league.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So college, college, I hate college basketball.

spk_0 Personally, yeah.

spk_0 Some people love it.

spk_0 I don't.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 I was also there were two centers, two big sitting in the paint.

spk_0 I got to get to the cup.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 It's, yeah.

spk_0 In a way.

spk_0 It was bad because I'm trying, I'm like, bro, I got no space to operate.

spk_0 And then you can sit in the paint.

spk_0 You know what I'm saying?

spk_0 Three seconds.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 No three seconds.

spk_0 Nothing.

spk_0 And then in college, you know, my coach, coach, you're a big analytics guy.

spk_0 No measuring.

spk_0 Also, he don't like it.

spk_0 Lay up in three.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So it was hard for me.

spk_0 It's probably why my percentage is low too.

spk_0 I ain't going to lie.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Everyone like, oh, he can't finish.

spk_0 He can't.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 You know, I've got his hard to exactly.

spk_0 It's hard to, especially when teams know you're not a mid range shooting team.

spk_0 So like, we're going to get that up.

spk_0 We know you're not shooting.

spk_0 We meet you at the rim.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So, um, yeah, it was, it was bad.

spk_0 But now the space in like an NBA is so much better.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Plus you're playing with elite players.

spk_0 Like, you know, um, like I was playing with tonight.

spk_0 Tonight can shoot the ball.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 So like, there's a play like his man helped.

spk_0 He's wide open at the top of the key.

spk_0 Like, he was knocking it down.

spk_0 So I'm like, bro, like, it's easier now.

spk_0 Like for me, it's the easier game.

spk_0 And you know, it's like, you say the pace just a little faster.

spk_0 So I just got a little controller pace in my head.

spk_0 You know, slow the game now.

spk_0 Have the game go a little slow.

spk_0 You know, that comes to watching film and all that.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So I'm just dialed in on that.

spk_0 Just trying to find the right pace.

spk_0 Know how to play with, you know, elite players like you, Maxi, Joe.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 So you know, I'm, but yeah, I'm ready, man.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Load up.

spk_0 Your, your pace of play was very impressive.

spk_0 But what I liked the most, I think it was towards the end of the game.

spk_0 And I want to know, you know, you were, I'm the number three pick.

spk_0 You worried about the wrong thing.

spk_0 I want to know, are you like, you know, the humble beginnings,

spk_0 but were you out there instigating or, or are you the type of player like,

spk_0 you're going to wait till someone says something to you?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Now I'm going to wait till you talk to me.

spk_0 I usually don't go, I usually don't go barking, you know, saying all that.

spk_0 Cause yeah, you never know, man.

spk_0 But dude was like, yeah, what are you saying?

spk_0 First of all, nah, you keep hacking.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And I'm like, bro, stop.

spk_0

spk_0 I'm like, stop filing.

spk_0 It's like, oh, you saw, if you saw, if you saw, like you saying all that,

spk_0 I'm like, bro, look, I'm like, yo, I'm number three.

spk_0 You worry about me.

spk_0 Like you feel me?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I didn't want to be too cocky in a way, but I'm like,

spk_0 then my mama said it to me after the game.

spk_0 Now I was like, oh boy.

spk_0 I think really liked it.

spk_0 I think I think I think for sure, my mom said it was a cock game.

spk_0 For sure.

spk_0

spk_0 I think the fans appreciated that.

spk_0 Yeah, I just, you just keep talking like, wasn't doing nothing.

spk_0 I'm like, bro, if I like, I think I had like maybe like,

spk_0 23 or something at the time, and I'm like, you know, like you're stopping me.

spk_0 You feel me, you're just hacking me at this point.

spk_0

spk_0 If somebody did let them use them 10 files, I hate that.

spk_0 So like they just said they're hacking and it was bad.

spk_0 It was bad.

spk_0 So I had to let them know, let them know who he's, who he, who he trying to mess with me.

spk_0 I like it.

spk_0 Number three, you feel me?

spk_0 Number three, pick you, Philby.

spk_0 We're playing.

spk_0 DJ, everybody has a pre-draft experience in our guy over here.

spk_0 Had 18 workouts during his pre-draft.

spk_0 18.

spk_0 Everyone's reaction.

spk_0 You know what?

spk_0 I got 18 guys.

spk_0 18, man.

spk_0 18 and in things.

spk_0 You know, I don't know if to me, people know this, but you only worked out for a one team.

spk_0 And that was filling.

spk_0 So with that said, man, did you already expect that you was going to go to number three, pick?

spk_0 Because I like I worked out so good with Philly.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Um, so originally, there was trying to set up a little more, but, but at the time, you know,

spk_0 what, you know, what Ace had going on, it was not ready, wasn't working out for anybody.

spk_0 I'm like, man, I might as well go and do a workout because why not, you know, gain some momentum,

spk_0 hopefully get that third pick.

spk_0 You know, and I felt like, and I felt like I fit into the team in the culture and all that.

spk_0 So I'm like, why not?

spk_0 And I'm, and I'm going for any pick.

spk_0 I mean, I, if it's up to me, I want, I'll do work out for Dallas.

spk_0 If it was up to me, because I want to go as high as possible.

spk_0 And man, he, man, I said, man, I see nobody worked out.

spk_0 I'm like, why not?

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 And I just went there, you know, did my thing, you know, and then I started seeing like the rubas

spk_0 come around, but I was nervous.

spk_0 I'm like, well, I thought I had a good workout.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know, it'd be the people on the side, like the ones that, not the front office, but people.

spk_0 How do you, you would say, you would say, you would say, because I think I had just took off.

spk_0 My kids just got out of school.

spk_0 So we had just took off when you came in, because they, you know, they reached out to us,

spk_0 like, you know, we got VJ coming in and workout.

spk_0 I think it was on a Monday, right?

spk_0 Yeah, I think it was here.

spk_0 And we took off.

spk_0 And I was like, damn, like we just left.

spk_0 Like I just, let me know, and we just took off.

spk_0 And by the end of the workout or by the end of that day, they was like, we know who we taking.

spk_0 And that was before, you know, the ace, you know, Ace Bailey and stuff was going around.

spk_0 And, you know, the him being linked to us.

spk_0 And they felt strong at that point.

spk_0 They were like, we know who we taking.

spk_0 Like VJ is our guy.

spk_0 Great, great kid, works hard.

spk_0 You got the resume, the footage backs up everything.

spk_0 So I knew we knew early who we was going to.

spk_0 See, I didn't know, man.

spk_0 I didn't know until like 15 seconds for the call my name.

spk_0 Yeah, I swear.

spk_0 Like, which you wanted that way?

spk_0 Like you want to see what it's like.

spk_0 You want to see what it's like.

spk_0 When they told me they just looked at me not as head.

spk_0 I was like, oh, I was like, damn, I'm going to fill it now.

spk_0 I'm like, I'm lit.

spk_0 How did you feel, okay?

spk_0 When they said VJ?

spk_0 I felt good about it.

spk_0 I felt good about it because I knew like, and that's, I think that's what we need.

spk_0 You bring what we need.

spk_0 We need more defenders.

spk_0 We need that athleticism.

spk_0 We need flyers.

spk_0 You know, we want to play that fast uptempo style of basketball.

spk_0 So we need that youth, you know what I mean?

spk_0 And I think you're ready.

spk_0 Like you're, you're playing now, ready now basketball.

spk_0 So you're going to fit right in with what we're doing.

spk_0 We got, you know, a bunch of talent.

spk_0 We got youth with you.

spk_0 Tyree's, Jared, Justin, Kelly's still young.

spk_0 You know, so we still got, you know, fresh young legs.

spk_0 It's only a couple.

spk_0 Oh, my fuck is on the team.

spk_0 So you bring an element that we need.

spk_0 And as a rookie, don't come in on some, I just want to fit in like, bring, bring what you do.

spk_0 Be you, be you.

spk_0 We going, we going to adapt to you.

spk_0 I know we've been in this ship.

spk_0 This would be 16 years for me.

spk_0 We've been in this ship for a long time.

spk_0 But we love when my fuckers come in and, and aid themselves because now we can, we can coach you on, on you being trying to help you be a better you.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Now trying to coach you to be something that you ain't, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Yeah, yeah.

spk_0 So just, you know, just come in and just like I said, be you.

spk_0 Not most of.

spk_0 VJ, what you being known as a high prospect before the draft, I got to ask you man, when did you sit back and realize like your stock has risen, man.

spk_0 You arrived to the top.

spk_0 Like I'm the shit now.

spk_0 Talk to me.

spk_0 I'm beyond this.

spk_0 It probably, so I want to say after my freshman year, like after because I had a rough start.

spk_0 I had a really, like a really bad start to the year.

spk_0 To my freshman year and I'm like, bro, like what's going to happen?

spk_0 But then I was like, I done this basketball.

spk_0 You know, I ain't going to overthink it.

spk_0 That's when things are getting worse.

spk_0 So, you know what's time going on and then I had like a stretch into 12, you know, the big tub of hard conference of playing.

spk_0 Like so I had a stretch into 12.

spk_0 I was averaging about like 25 or something like that.

spk_0 You know, I'm shooting at like 40 something percent.

spk_0 I'm like, bro, like, you know, it's, it's basketball.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 So from then I'm like, I wasn't more, I wasn't focused on saying the league, but you know,

spk_0 I always wanted to make it to March because we were losing that year too.

spk_0 We was losing.

spk_0 I wanted to make it to March and then like after the due game, very lost.

spk_0 I sat back, I talked to my people and I'm like, yeah, I'm out of here.

spk_0 You know, I'm like, I feel like I had a good enough year.

spk_0 I'm too where I can, you know, go lottery.

spk_0 I didn't know where in a lot of people.

spk_0 I was like, but no, you know, the rumors, you know, they have their bills.

spk_0 They boards.

spk_0 You see people go from two to like, Tanner or something like that, you know, when projected

spk_0 or what's not.

spk_0 You can do a sherdore and go six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

spk_0 You did, but you didn't do that.

spk_0 But you didn't do that.

spk_0 I remember I was refreshing.

spk_0 I'm off all day every day.

spk_0 I remember.

spk_0 I was trying to see where I was going.

spk_0 I was doing that two-angle.

spk_0

spk_0 I remember eight rounds.

spk_0 I read the, um, the wars game around, you know, the freshman of the year was, like early,

spk_0 you know, when I came out like December, man, they had me an honorable mentions for freshman

spk_0 of the year.

spk_0 Man, I'm like, bro, I think none of them better than me.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 But I'm like, I'm an honorable mentions.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Like, bro, you know, I'm like, even my point guard Rob was above me and I'm like, bro,

spk_0 like, I got some work to do with it.

spk_0 In the time, you know, they had me, they brought me up to like two and all that.

spk_0 But it was, it was crazy, bro.

spk_0 I'm like, I kept myself refreshing.

spk_0 That's a lot, bro.

spk_0 There you go.

spk_0 I was caring too much about whoever was making.

spk_0 I'm like, bro, down day, they all have their opinions.

spk_0 GMs, down day, they didn't want to make the decision owners and all that.

spk_0 So I don't care about these, the people that's making big boards or whatever you call them.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 You ended up from high school going to Baylor.

spk_0 What stood out to Baylor?

spk_0 That was such an attractive destination.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 The culture, because you have, man.

spk_0 It's culture.

spk_0 It's culture is elite, you know, for a lot of, and most of them is like, you know, he

spk_0 believe in God a lot.

spk_0 You know, I mean, I want to continue growing my faith in God too.

spk_0 So, okay.

spk_0 You know, that helped me a lot.

spk_0 You know, he produced NBA players.

spk_0 He's producing like back to back to back.

spk_0 There's lottery picks.

spk_0 You know, I was a big fan of Kianne.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 And I see him.

spk_0 He went there and I'm like, bro, you know, he, you know, he was hooping out there.

spk_0 And I was like, bro, why not?

spk_0 And then other, my other schools were at Duke, Kentucky, Florida, and Johns.

spk_0 And I'm like, bro, I don't know.

spk_0 And I, and then Drew was like, could Drew like, texting me almost every day, hitting me up

spk_0 every day, bro, they just showing genuine love all the time.

spk_0 They ain't, they ain't promised me nothing.

spk_0 Like, we got to come in and work.

spk_0 And that's what I like, you know, I want to go on and work for it.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 You want to own nothing given to me.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 I want to go on and work.

spk_0 So, that's what it was.

spk_0 I think that's what it was for sure.

spk_0

spk_0 And then, you know, speaking of, you know, going to Baylor and you being from Bahamas, you

spk_0 guys get to go play a tournament.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 The Bahama tournament.

spk_0 Back at the crib.

spk_0 Kind of what was that like, you know, to get the play in front of your family, your friends.

spk_0 Back at the crib.

spk_0 Like, what was that experience like?

spk_0 Man, I never felt so much pressure to do my life, bro.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 But I finished, she came with like 10 points.

spk_0 Bro, it was so bad.

spk_0 Like, the first game, you went to triple overtime with St. John's.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 St. John's was good.

spk_0 I damn it.

spk_0 You went to triple overtime.

spk_0 I don't mind having me out there hurting.

spk_0 Like, I can't move.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Well, I was cooking.

spk_0 Boy, you know, you can't go eat.

spk_0 I was cooking before a game.

spk_0 I know that food was heavy.

spk_0 Man, what?

spk_0 I think I ate good before the game too.

spk_0 Bro, and I'm like, you know, I'm out there the first game and I'm like, bro, nothing's falling.

spk_0 Like, nothing was falling.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I was just the early party and like I said, when I was having that bad stretch, I'm like,

spk_0 bro, nothing's falling.

spk_0 But I mean, coach, it would look better.

spk_0 Coach put me on the bench.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Then I was able to impact the game on the defensive end, rebound, do all the other stuff.

spk_0 Just make plays because they were so focused on me.

spk_0 So I was able to make plays and stuff with men.

spk_0 So I was like, man, I'm gonna just go down over there diving on the floor.

spk_0 You know, they're the floor.

spk_0 They just put down.

spk_0 They ain't no good floor.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 They just put them floor down.

spk_0 All that.

spk_0 Man.

spk_0 So, and then the second game, we got we got cooked.

spk_0 Tennessee was number one in the country.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I finished your 20, but man, that was, that was bad.

spk_0 We got cooked, bro.

spk_0 They was.

spk_0 I think chas came on mate.

spk_0 He had more points than my, than the whole team had like the first four minutes.

spk_0 Oh, he was cooking.

spk_0 Yeah, he was, you know, he even like six for six and four minutes, bro.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm like, yeah, this is going to be a long night.

spk_0 It's going to be a long night, but getting to play front of my people's was great, though.

spk_0 Because I felt the pressure too, probably because most of them never seen me playing

spk_0 person.

spk_0 I don't even know my mom and all of them, but I had people from all of them, like all my family

spk_0 from different islands, everyone from now, people from them, like people that I don't

spk_0 even know, coming out supporting, bro.

spk_0 And I think that's where I felt the pressure.

spk_0 I'm like, I gotta put on for my people's.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 But they, yeah, I let they get to me too much.

spk_0 I ain't going to lie to you.

spk_0 Finish your 10 points, bro.

spk_0 That was the ugliest 10.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm sure.

spk_0 I mean, it's a moment everybody get to remember though, like, you know, we get to see one of our

spk_0 own here playing on the big stage, you know what I mean?

spk_0 So like that just had to feel good for, for the country.

spk_0 This is, you know, this is our very own here.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 We have like different like people, remember, parliament, parliament, stuff like that.

spk_0 Like, you know, the head of the country.

spk_0 And so like, they all coming out watching.

spk_0 I'm like, she all this for me, bro.

spk_0 And you know, like, hell, though, I was not ready at that moment.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Not over.

spk_0 I glad, I glad to happen the way you did though.

spk_0 Now they really see that what I can do now.

spk_0 So that's what he mentioned the Bahamas in last summer while playing with the Bahamian

spk_0 national team in the Olympic qualifier.

spk_0 You got the opportunity to play with and against some other NBA talent.

spk_0 Talk just a little bit about that experience for us.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Um, like, first day I went into practice, like you said, trying to fit in or, and I was like,

spk_0 man, hell, no, I'm coming at the play, bro.

spk_0 So I'm, I'm guarding, I'm talking trash to everybody.

spk_0 Like, I'm telling buddy, he suck, like, all that, buddy, he don't suck, but I'm letting

spk_0 him suck.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Like, and it was like a whole video thing.

spk_0 Me going around just talking crazy to all of them in my accent, though.

spk_0 So like, y'all wouldn't really understand.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 But yeah, it was, it was great.

spk_0 And then EG had EG, EG was on the squad.

spk_0 EG was on the squad, man, on.

spk_0 Um, but I just went there and found my role.

spk_0 I figured out my role early, defend, make open shots, straight line drives, you know,

spk_0 but I never realized it would have been so like, it was kind of easy for me because there

spk_0 was so much space.

spk_0 Like we talked about earlier, like so much space.

spk_0 And I feel like I thrive in space, but like I can't, when the, when the floor is small,

spk_0 I can't do that.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So I thrive in space and I was just, I was just hooping for real.

spk_0 Like first game, I think I had like 20, 20 so I shot like 11 shots.

spk_0 So it was like kind of like an efficient game.

spk_0 It's good.

spk_0 So yeah, that was, that was lit.

spk_0 I know.

spk_0 Yeah, not you was killing the first person actually put me on you was EG.

spk_0 He was like, yo, we got this young fellow over in in the Bahamas.

spk_0 He, he co I'm like, really?

spk_0 Like who?

spk_0 He like, yo, remember the name VJ Esco.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm like, okay.

spk_0 And then fast forward.

spk_0 Like I, I think I watched the college game and I was like, that's what he's talking about.

spk_0 So it was, it was a, like to finally put it all together, you know what I mean?

spk_0 For me, understanding like, okay, this is who he was talking about.

spk_0 He played well that night.

spk_0 And I just seen all the flashes.

spk_0 You got a lot of like Jimmy Butler to me.

spk_0 It was cool.

spk_0 Like who did you, you know, you don't like it?

spk_0 No, no, no, I loved it.

spk_0 I love Sean.

spk_0 Not the first one to say.

spk_0 No, no, you're not.

spk_0 I guess I get the, I play like Jimmy.

spk_0 I look like Jimmy.

spk_0 Man, it's, I like it.

spk_0 They just are talking about look like him.

spk_0 I'm like, well, come on.

spk_0 You got, you get it.

spk_0 You're talking about me?

spk_0 No, I don't think I'm talking about it.

spk_0 One day, one day.

spk_0 But you, you got like the like being around Jimmy, he's a huge personality.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And he's super competitive.

spk_0 And you like, I, I sense that same like kind of vibrant personality, high, you know,

spk_0 energy and competitive.

spk_0 Like, so to me, you, you, you, you got a lot of similarities just from, you know, me,

spk_0 knowing Jimmy and, um, like, but who's one of the players that like you kind of, you

spk_0 see your game modeled after?

spk_0 Um, all the deeper when he was in various with the Pacers.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 I like that one.

spk_0 That's going D way.

spk_0 I like that one.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I see that.

spk_0 Um, I said, I watch, I watch right currently in the league.

spk_0 I watch a lot of ant.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 Um, you know, I, I watch a lot of ant, but I watch everybody for real.

spk_0 Like, even like on the, like I watch defensive clips.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Like I'm watching Drew Holiday, Derek White, like, like, I'm watching them.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Just trying to learn both ends of the floor.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 So, so yeah, they, they, they're the main ones.

spk_0 They're the main people I watch because I used to watch Jimmy, but then I, I never know

spk_0 how tall he was.

spk_0 I think he's like, I don't know.

spk_0 Jimmy's like six, seven.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So like, you gonna get an edit out of that.

spk_0 You know that?

spk_0 Ah.

spk_0 You gonna get it added.

spk_0 I'm gonna get it.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Take it.

spk_0 You don't be on Tick Talk, bro.

spk_0 No, I'm being told.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm 35, bro.

spk_0 I'm.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 He said, he said, I'm ticked toe.

spk_0 I'm ticked toe.

spk_0 He said, he said, he said, he said, he said, you said.

spk_0 Come on.

spk_0 I know, I know.

spk_0 What's the, what's the, what's the tick talk?

spk_0 I know, I know, I know.

spk_0 I'm going to have to page back.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Go like, maybe let it.

spk_0 You guys go this and be like six, seven.

spk_0 Six, seven.

spk_0 What the, even though it was on.

spk_0 It was on, it was a high school.

spk_0 It was a high school.

spk_0 His name is like Taylor, Taylor Kinney.

spk_0 Yeah, he's like, he started, like he started spaming the six.

spk_0 I'm gonna do this, right after this to my daughter

spk_0 and she's like, yeah, yeah.

spk_0 She's on Tick Talk.

spk_0 I'm gonna know.

spk_0 I'm sure.

spk_0 I was saying, but yeah, I, I, I, Jimmy, I used to watch him.

spk_0 But you know, I just try to keep the game as simple as possible.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Like I know, I know I just like, just get to my spot, elevate.

spk_0 That's the stuff I've been working on too.

spk_0 So I'm like, now I was never the big crafty guy, you know,

spk_0 usually beat people my speed or one quick move and go.

spk_0 Or just something like that.

spk_0 So, so yeah.

spk_0 You ain't watch his ugly ass.

spk_0 I watch Pete.

spk_0 I was like, man, I don't got that.

spk_0 I got to work on it.

spk_0 But like, it ain't, like, you know, it's his handles,

spk_0 but that is full work too.

spk_0 Like, you know, he have a lot of feet every time he's dribbling the ball.

spk_0 I did not something I'm trying to get better at for sure.

spk_0 VJ back to that national team.

spk_0 You were playing great.

spk_0 You average 17, but yet that team was on the cusp of making history.

spk_0 And I think you guys just missed the first Olympic

spk_0 birth in Bahamas history after losing to Spain in the first game.

spk_0 So how much does that one sting?

spk_0 Because I know that probably would have not want to you.

spk_0 That hurt so bad.

spk_0 You're sorry because you play a lot too.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know, like, don't want to say, you really don't play.

spk_0 You don't really care.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 I'm just here.

spk_0 You man.

spk_0 All right.

spk_0 It's time to go home.

spk_0 But I played a lot.

spk_0 And I always wanted to go to the Olympics.

spk_0 Like to watch Olympics as a kid, even just track and feel.

spk_0 You know, just watching track and feel or something like that.

spk_0 Bro, and I was like, bro, we're, we're, I'm like, we're one game away from the Olympics.

spk_0 I remember just talking about it.

spk_0 I'm like, we're one game away from the Olympics.

spk_0 But like, we can't really make the Olympics get to go to Paris for the first time.

spk_0 That's crazy.

spk_0 You know, all my family gonna come out like the Bahamas starting to, you know, you know,

spk_0 on the world stage.

spk_0 But when I'm like, you know, I'm like, we're just so close.

spk_0 Then I got in foul trouble early against Spain.

spk_0 I'm like, yeah, it's a being out going.

spk_0 It was like, yeah, we're not going, man.

spk_0 They just started making shots.

spk_0 You know, you got the crowd behind them because you know, overseas fans are, they're passionate.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Man, they had the crowd going and couldn't hear yourself thinking there.

spk_0 I'm like, yeah, I enjoyed the atmosphere though.

spk_0 It was a great atmosphere.

spk_0 You know, I was able to learn too.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I feel like if I'd made the Olympics, nobody could have told you me though.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 It's a lucky play.

spk_0 But that's, I mean, that's because Spain is, you know, you think of the Olympics.

spk_0 Spain is one of the heavyweights.

spk_0 Oh, it's always so.

spk_0 That's your way.

spk_0 So kind of, you know, test yourself to see our, we, we, we want to come up.

spk_0 Like we close.

spk_0 Yeah, mostly.

spk_0 You know, is it, is there somebody under you that like, oh, yeah, I need to watch out

spk_0 for him or.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Um, as is one kid, he's like 16 or something.

spk_0 They call him like, claddy.

spk_0 Claddy.

spk_0 He got a nickname, or he got a.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Now he's jump, he jump higher than me.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And shoot all that.

spk_0 He's so young too.

spk_0 Um, but we got, we got some people, you got some of my age, you know, Donnie Freeman

spk_0 at Syracuse.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 He from the Bahamas.

spk_0 Um, he was going to be in the league this year, but broke his foot.

spk_0 Mm.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 He had a good start to, y'all a good start to conference with all that.

spk_0 But yeah, I think, you know, they, you're random.

spk_0 We randomly pop up.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 It's him though.

spk_0 I'm beyond it's just randomly pop up.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And like, three, three, four years.

spk_0 Uh-huh.

spk_0 I feel like we got a chance to make it again.

spk_0 Make it again.

spk_0 I probably be a little, I'll be, I'll be better for sure.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Um, it's going to be my team and my buddies team, no more.

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spk_0 You play in one of our homeies.

spk_0 Clay was on that team.

spk_0 That's, you know, we played, you basketball together with Clayson.

spk_0 We got a long history with Clay, but I know you all recently was playing some pick-ups,

spk_0 some open runs.

spk_0 Clay in open runs, like it's, you know, he's a shooter, like, sure.

spk_0 So it's him in an open run, Sadie gets boring.

spk_0 And boring?

spk_0 Yeah, that's like, yeah, I'm too young to be a fisher.

spk_0 You don't get muckiest ways, but you know what?

spk_0 You play the same way.

spk_0 It's just like that overhead that just came in.

spk_0 It's like fuck.

spk_0 Bro, when I say he couldn't miss, bro.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 It was bad.

spk_0 No, I'm telling you.

spk_0 I'm guarding him.

spk_0 So first I'm like guarding him.

spk_0 He tried posting me up.

spk_0 He's like, oh, I got a young fellow on me.

spk_0 Pass right.

spk_0 I'm like, bro, I want more.

spk_0 So he trying to post me up, and I'm just pushing him.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Like, bro, you're not posting me up.

spk_0 I'm not going to sit in this ledgy post me up.

spk_0 But then like the grown man's trying to kick in.

spk_0 And I'm like, yeah, ain't like it.

spk_0 So I'm like, he's just shooting over the top.

spk_0 It's Clay, though.

spk_0 I can't live with Clay scoring on it.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Especially if he's shooting the ball.

spk_0 If he's going to the cup, then no.

spk_0 I can't live with him.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 But if he's shooting the ball, I'm like, it's cool.

spk_0 I guess.

spk_0 I was still hot, though.

spk_0 Man, I was hot, because he scored like three times in the row.

spk_0 And I realized I'm like, yeah, it's a little different.

spk_0 Yeah, it's a little different.

spk_0 It's a little different for sure.

spk_0 You know, obviously he was on that Bahamas team, you know, competing

spk_0 with y'all.

spk_0 You got to play with him in the open run.

spk_0 And he's also been a champion multiple times.

spk_0 Have you ever got a chance to kind of pick his brain?

spk_0 Yeah, a little bit, a little bit.

spk_0 You know, I went to his crib one time.

spk_0 He dipped, though.

spk_0 He'd be in his own.

spk_0 How you going?

spk_0 Yeah, he dipped.

spk_0 So I was just telling his brother and the what's not.

spk_0 But at the gym, I just asked him, just asked him different questions.

spk_0 But the main thing he told me just enjoyed the journey, bro.

spk_0 He's like, you're going to win championships and all that.

spk_0 But he said, the draft night and draft night and all that.

spk_0 It's going to be the best time, you know, because you only do that once.

spk_0 You know, he won the ring with four times.

spk_0 So, but man, he's like, man, just enjoy the journey, bro.

spk_0 You know, staying in the gym and enjoy the journey, because he goes by fast.

spk_0 It does.

spk_0 That's one thing.

spk_0 The draft is almost already a month ago.

spk_0 I can stand that.

spk_0 Yeah, that's amazing.

spk_0 He told me though.

spk_0 I know, buddy is I was also a part of that group and, you know, the history.

spk_0 Y'all got you talking shit to him.

spk_0 But you I heard went to some of his camps when you're young.

spk_0 Yeah, I did.

spk_0 So my first camp was I was 13.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And it was only for 16 year olds, 16 through 18.

spk_0 So I didn't even supposed to be there.

spk_0 Oh, okay.

spk_0 Yeah, but, um, and my boss.

spk_0 And buddy, let the little kids come in.

spk_0 He is.

spk_0 That's what I was saying.

spk_0 It was just like, bro, how he get here?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Like he ain't supposed to be there.

spk_0 I'm like, damn.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 Really love that, bro.

spk_0 But he, um, he looked out for me.

spk_0 You know, my people's, my dad had like, connection with his brother.

spk_0 So, you know, they looked at you like, man, I'm saying the camp.

spk_0 And I remember like a few years after that, I went to another camp.

spk_0 Um, he was like, so I guess he got mad at us.

spk_0 He was like, you know, he talked fast.

spk_0 Right, right, right.

spk_0 He's like, so nobody got no offer.

spk_0 Nobody got no offer.

spk_0 And everyone looking at me because I was already living in America at the time.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 He's like, Fiji, you don't got no offers.

spk_0 You don't got no offers.

spk_0 Oh my, damn.

spk_0 I really don't got no offers.

spk_0 And then from now, I was like, yeah, now I'm about to show buddy that.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm, let me go get some offers.

spk_0 I've come back a couple of years.

spk_0 I'm going to be better than you, too.

spk_0 Right.

spk_0 That's my dog, though.

spk_0 I love buddy, that's good.

spk_0

spk_0 Buddy, a great dude, man.

spk_0 He, he, he buddy's crazy, bro.

spk_0 He worked hard, though, man.

spk_0 Yeah, he do.

spk_0 I think people, it's an underrated thing.

spk_0 I don't think people understand about buddy.

spk_0

spk_0 He is a worker.

spk_0 He worked hard.

spk_0 I've seen him.

spk_0 I've seen him work hard.

spk_0 He gets it in.

spk_0 Man, I'm telling you every morning he's on the beach running the beach.

spk_0 But I'm like, he's leaving us behind.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 I'm like, bro, like this NBA condition in a lot different than high school college,

spk_0 whatever, bro.

spk_0 So when I realize how hard he worked.

spk_0 I'm like, yeah, but like time for me to start working hard.

spk_0 You know, rap, I'm still up in all that.

spk_0 So yeah, it was, he held me a lot.

spk_0 He, he, he know he held me a lot.

spk_0 So yeah, that's my dog.

spk_0 I'm changing up for you.

spk_0 VGZ, I got to ask you, man.

spk_0 We all grew up.

spk_0 We always admire somebody that we look up to.

spk_0 And I always read that you looked up to Damien Liller.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 So I got to ask you, man.

spk_0 How was it?

spk_0 Actually, when you first got to connect with this man and he ended up being your mentor

spk_0 and giving you some good-ass advice after all, after your first college game.

spk_0 So walk me through, you know, just the experience you're having Damien Liller in your phone

spk_0 content.

spk_0 That's crazy.

spk_0 It's crazy.

spk_0 It's crazy because, rip back home, back home in the Bahamas when I went to school.

spk_0 It was like seventh grade.

spk_0 Like at that time, no, I don't want, I don't want you to remember this, but you know, that

spk_0 shot.

spk_0 So, yeah, it's you.

spk_0 You can slide down with it.

spk_0 Like that, bro.

spk_0 It was just rubbish.

spk_0 You know, you know, we wrap the shot.

spk_0 I just love when people talk about that shit.

spk_0 I go here.

spk_0 Best of, bro.

spk_0 But yeah, he was my favorite player at that time.

spk_0 Like at that time, like I just always thought he was just the best point guard in the league,

spk_0 you know, but then Curry just kept beating him and beating him.

spk_0 I'm like, to you, he actually, he might not be, might be second best right now.

spk_0 But like if you ask all my friends of it, it's like it were like me and him.

spk_0 Like at that time, I was like, bro, I'm the biggest damn fan ever.

spk_0 Nobody can say nothing to me about Damien.

spk_0 I'm a defend Damien with all my heart.

spk_0 And then let it out in the line.

spk_0 Like, rent his camp.

spk_0 I got invited to his camp.

spk_0 And I want to MVP.

spk_0 And like, you know, I was like, you know, he be low key messing me because like,

spk_0 you know, in camps, you got different chords.

spk_0 You gonna go to the play.

spk_0 And he's at every court that I'm playing at.

spk_0 I'm like, yo, that's love.

spk_0 I'm like, you need watching me or you watching someone else, bro.

spk_0 But that's love.

spk_0 And then he just came to me after the game.

spk_0 And he's like, telling me what to do on this play or how can I be better?

spk_0 Bro, like he gave me his number and he's saying contact with me.

spk_0 And I was, I was like, I'm still a kid.

spk_0 Like, Curry's be, I'm still a kid right now.

spk_0 Like this PG said, you feel me?

spk_0 Like I'm still a kid.

spk_0 So I'm like, man, I have damn, damn in my phone.

spk_0 Like, damn is, so if someone asked me who's in most famous contact,

spk_0 I can say, damn you and Lillip, bro.

spk_0 But now it was, it was crazy because he talked to me after my first game.

spk_0 I can say bad game, bad first game.

spk_0 Um, he was like, bro, you know what you can do.

spk_0 Like, you know, you can't let one game, you know, carry on, you know,

spk_0 for the next couple of games, because in college, you only got so much.

spk_0 So, and I was like, bro, I just took that advice and ran with it.

spk_0 I forgot about the first game and man, and never since me and him just been

spk_0 you've been locked in.

spk_0 No, it's my dog.

spk_0 Have you talked to him since you been drafted?

spk_0 No, no, he congratulated me, you know, but have it, yeah, I ever smoked him

spk_0 yet, probably retouched, I should definitely retouch.

spk_0 Yeah, reach out to him.

spk_0 So, is it a good shot or a bad shot?

spk_0 Yeah, yeah.

spk_0 You're a damn fan.

spk_0 Of course you are.

spk_0 I'm just asking you, me answer, you want my younger self to answer.

spk_0 I want you to, your answer now.

spk_0 My answer right now.

spk_0 That's a good shot.

spk_0 Because he's real.

spk_0 Yeah, because it's so crazy.

spk_0 I know the back story, man.

spk_0 So, I guess he was working on a shot the night before.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 He was working on that exact shot.

spk_0 Why not shoot it?

spk_0 I mean, he do shoot from there.

spk_0 Yeah, after the guard comes in.

spk_0 Yeah, he ain't like, ain't like he don't shoot from there.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Hold on, I got you though, my back.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 It was a bad shot.

spk_0 No, why?

spk_0 Because it's an elite defender.

spk_0 You know, that's a bad shot.

spk_0 It wasn't even, it wasn't even that.

spk_0 It wasn't even that.

spk_0 It wasn't even that because obviously I know how elite he is, his range.

spk_0 Obviously he could shoot that shit effortlessly.

spk_0 And I wasn't coming off or trying to be a hater on that, on that specifically.

spk_0 It was just like it was a bad shot in terms of like, you know, I felt clock running down.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And he, I'm at his mercy, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Like he got the last shot six, seven seconds left on the clock.

spk_0 Try to get something closer.

spk_0 It worked.

spk_0 Like he could have drove me back and took a three pointer closer in.

spk_0 So that, that was the only thing that I was like, it was a bad shot because.

spk_0 No, you know what I said?

spk_0 It's time possession.

spk_0 Like, if he did shot everyone, everyone said that's a bad shot like that.

spk_0 That's why I said that.

spk_0 It's a legacy shot though.

spk_0 It's a legacy shot.

spk_0 If you shoot that shot, you got to make it.

spk_0 You got to make it.

spk_0 It is, it's the reason he is who he is.

spk_0 Like it's a legacy shot for sure.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 Sure.

spk_0 Listen to my teammate, though.

spk_0 So it's the best shot.

spk_0 There you go.

spk_0 Come on, man.

spk_0 You just don't want to get no donuts and shit.

spk_0 You ain't slick.

spk_0 I think you need some donuts for sure.

spk_0 It's time, though.

spk_0 You're supposed to come in with some donuts.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know we've been in this mess with you, man.

spk_0 I know for a better place.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 We got to put them in a room.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 Be pleased when you do start though.

spk_0 Make him do some crazy.

spk_0 It's him.

spk_0 No, I'm still.

spk_0 I'm still.

spk_0 You want me messing with the rookies?

spk_0 I don't make them do it.

spk_0 That's real.

spk_0 I'll make them do it.

spk_0 That's real.

spk_0 Not me.

spk_0 Did they mess with you when you when you was a rookie?

spk_0 For sure.

spk_0 Why you don't want to get no rookies back?

spk_0 Because it's a different time.

spk_0 It is different times.

spk_0 It's gonna keep a good spirit and into the season.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 It's different now though.

spk_0 You know, we know you and Cooper got some some history.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Y'all went viral in the moment in high school of talking shit to one another.

spk_0 Definitely.

spk_0 But, you know, we know we understand y'all got it.

spk_0 Is that rivalry more of a friendly rivalry or kind of what is that experience or what is

spk_0 that relationship like when y'all step on the floor?

spk_0 It's a friendly rivalry.

spk_0 After court were close.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 Like we're close but we know on the court we're competing.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And we both competed.

spk_0 So the reason why he said that people said he's the people thought he said it because

spk_0 oh, he think I'm bad or something.

spk_0 Now I stepped over him.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 Walking till he was on the floor.

spk_0 He got like the last shot of like the third quarter.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And walking to my bench.

spk_0 I seen one of the floor and I just walked over him.

spk_0 You know.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 That's why I wanted to know what the reference was.

spk_0 I'm saying that's why.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Because I had like 20 something like me.

spk_0 Can't say I'm not like.

spk_0

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 You know, we talk about it all the time.

spk_0 I literally stepped up like he was on the floor.

spk_0 He shot the flop.

spk_0 Try to get a foul.

spk_0 Fuck.

spk_0 And I was like, but I ain't no foul.

spk_0 And I just walked over.

spk_0

spk_0 And I just walked to my bench.

spk_0 And then then he came.

spk_0 And then he came.

spk_0 So they dragged it.

spk_0 Whoever the cameraman was dragged is so crazy.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm like, I understand.

spk_0 It's for clicks.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Got like a million views on it.

spk_0 So we saw the backside of you.

spk_0 Was you smiling like when he's saying that?

spk_0 Like, you know, like that?

spk_0 No, no, I was not smiling.

spk_0 I walked up to him and I was like, who's not like that?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I walked up to him and I'm like, who's not like that?

spk_0 I'm like, what's up, bro?

spk_0 Like, yeah.

spk_0 Like, what it is?

spk_0 Like, we're just trying to get into.

spk_0 Who's not like that, bro?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 But we know, I then there's all love between me and Cooper.

spk_0 Oh, it's, it was funny though, because we talked about it all the time.

spk_0 Because people thought it was like something.

spk_0 Yeah, you would thought it was like real, real smoke between you.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Nah, it's, it's, it's, it's love.

spk_0 It, it makes for a great storyline.

spk_0 You all being in the end.

spk_0 So they tried it again at March.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 We played them.

spk_0 We played them at March Madness, bro.

spk_0 And we had to free the line.

spk_0 And they tried to make it a thing.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 But nobody was, we both was smiling.

spk_0 Nobody was saying anything.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I told myself, I was like, don't flop.

spk_0 I'm like, I know you're gonna get the call, but don't flop.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And like, it looks bad.

spk_0 I mean, that's a smiling button.

spk_0 And it was like, so was after the game, it's like, Cooper talking to Vijay again.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Oh, my gosh, bro.

spk_0 But it's for clicks, you know.

spk_0 All right, everybody.

spk_0 I see Kayan was a high school teammate of yours.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 And he said, you're one of his closest friends.

spk_0 What, how did that relationship form?

spk_0 We were roommates.

spk_0 Oh, okay.

spk_0 Yeah, he, when he first came to Luhay, we were roommates.

spk_0 So they wanted, it was like, oh, it's Vijay last year.

spk_0 He's new to the program.

spk_0 You're just showing the ropes, Connor.

spk_0 So I was like, his vet, like his vet, you know what I mean?

spk_0 So, yeah.

spk_0 So we got super close.

spk_0 Because we were roommates.

spk_0 We always on the road.

spk_0 He's just a great kid, bro.

spk_0 Like, people think he's probably like cocky because of who he is.

spk_0 Who's that is, who's mom is.

spk_0 Like not, bro.

spk_0 Super good kid.

spk_0 Super humble kid too.

spk_0 Like he always, like he works hard.

spk_0 Like he works hard.

spk_0 Always want to learn.

spk_0 I think he's a really good kid.

spk_0 Like we still stay in contact, you know.

spk_0 We both have our lives going on.

spk_0 No, he, I just talked to him like, well, I think like a week ago.

spk_0 But yeah, bro, he's a really good kid.

spk_0 People, you know, people want to think he cocky.

spk_0 Right. Right. Right. Right.

spk_0 But no, that's not who he is.

spk_0 Right. He's forever good in my books.

spk_0 My nephew and then my almost the same age.

spk_0 And after a game, he came out to Oklahoma with me.

spk_0 My nephew while I was out there playing.

spk_0 And they were, you know, after the game,

spk_0 kids going to court, they shoot stuff like that.

spk_0 And Kayan, you know, him being, you know, he's in a spotlight.

spk_0 Like he's, you know, welcome my nephew in.

spk_0 Now you want to hoop?

spk_0 Like you want to shoot some shots?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Play with him. Like he was one of the homies.

spk_0 And I was like, man, that is a great kid.

spk_0 Like, you know, real humble kid.

spk_0 So he's forever.

spk_0 How you is very player too.

spk_0 Yeah, that's my younger.

spk_0 PG's my goal.

spk_0 I'm like, all right.

spk_0 God.

spk_0 I was like, I love PG.

spk_0 I'm like, I'm like, PG Cole, but he's like, oh, that's the goat.

spk_0 I don't care.

spk_0 But nobody say, like I'm pretty sure y'all seeing him saying, like he's standing on that dog.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I respect it.

spk_0 It's love.

spk_0 You said you talked to him a little bit, a little bit ago, like a week ago.

spk_0 You give him any advice.

spk_0 I know he's now on campus at Syracuse.

spk_0 We ain't really talk about that, but it was more like a, I tell him beforehand.

spk_0 I tell him while I was in college.

spk_0 I was like, bro, when you get here, enjoy it, bro.

spk_0 I was like, bro, I see that.

spk_0 I thought they were lying when they say that one year, I'm gonna go by fast.

spk_0 I remember when you get in the conference plate, you're gonna go to class.

spk_0 If he'd been realistic, I'm like, bro, come on.

spk_0 Yeah, you really, you really ask school for like, basketball five months.

spk_0 Yes.

spk_0 Yeah, you got it here.

spk_0 Exactly.

spk_0 So I thought I told him like, bro, you're good.

spk_0 You have a chance to go one and done like, bro, you can, you can do it too.

spk_0 But he's running his own race, which I respect.

spk_0 He understands like, bro, if you don't work out this here, maybe next year.

spk_0 He can go force himself in on the people or into the draft or what's not.

spk_0 But now he's, I tell him, I was like, bro, just enjoy the process.

spk_0 Yeah, it's staying in the gym and enjoy the process, bro.

spk_0 Like obviously because of who you is, you know, you're not gonna go out much.

spk_0 That's because of the person he is.

spk_0 He ain't gonna go out much or he ain't gonna say, let me go party or not.

spk_0 Not that not the kind.

spk_0 I know.

spk_0 So I'm like, yeah, he, but he's, I think he's gonna be good.

spk_0 I think he's gonna be real good, man.

spk_0 ACC, nice, nice slow game.

spk_0 That's what he's striving.

spk_0 I realize that.

spk_0 Yeah, he's a, he's a possession.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Because at Luhar, we played like, they said, try and make us play fast.

spk_0 Like that was never in the favor of him.

spk_0 And I realized like, when he should bring the ball up, like he slowed down.

spk_0 Like, slow the game, we'd complete it down.

spk_0 And I understood him.

spk_0 And I was like, yeah, but he's good.

spk_0 So he went to the right school too.

spk_0 Syracuse was a bit fast.

spk_0 But he's chillin.

spk_0 So VJ, you're gonna be a rookie entering the best league in the world.

spk_0 It's the best of the best.

spk_0 And I'm sure, you know, once you, you know, the season starts, you know, the team is gonna have some goals.

spk_0 But I want to know from, you know, you being an individual, what kind of goals do you have for yourself this season?

spk_0 Or maybe even, you know, what's your expectations for yourself entering your first year?

spk_0 Man, training camp.

spk_0 I'm gonna start with training camp.

spk_0 I'm just going and just play hard and learn from learning from everybody around.

spk_0 I'm surrounded by, I'm blessed to be in this situation, you know, as a be on the team to have a chance actually win the championship.

spk_0 You know, I'm saying, you know, healthy, I feel like the healthy sixes were going to the chip.

spk_0 You feel me?

spk_0 I did. That's the I feel and.

spk_0 Thanks.

spk_0 But for training camp, I'm just going into play hard.

spk_0 But for the year, rookie, the year, I'm definitely wondering, rookie, the year, man.

spk_0 You know, that, that would be amazing.

spk_0 I'm in rookie, the year, I'm gonna say here, I'm in rookie, the year, I ain't changing my number.

spk_0 Hey, you said it's your last.

spk_0 Look at the camera.

spk_0 Shit.

spk_0 He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, you know, I changed this number from 77.

spk_0 Number.

spk_0 Is that the end all be all?

spk_0 Like, I mean, you say that's end all be all.

spk_0 I ain't going back to seven.

spk_0 Yeah, going back.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 We win the chip.

spk_0 So say less.

spk_0 Say less.

spk_0 But yeah, definitely that, I also want to be all defensive team.

spk_0 They're going to say, you know, they're going to think it's hard for a rookie, but I don't think it's going to be hard for me.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 For my play defense.

spk_0 So, now, and I'm be card in the best players in practice.

spk_0 She's going to prepare me, you know, different makes you know, Thai Reese who's super fast, she's beautiful.

spk_0 Then I have to switch on PG, you know, maybe if he's switching five, I got to go to card and do it.

spk_0

spk_0 So, you know, I feel like, but I feel like I'm be ready.

spk_0 So, I definitely want to be on all defensive team, all rookie team, rookie year.

spk_0 And my goals are down the chip and the chip.

spk_0 That's my goal.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 Well, like, that was just said, you play with the best of the best of the best in the world, man.

spk_0 So, I got to ask this, you young, you've been watching sports for a while, especially basketball.

spk_0 It's a lot of vets in there.

spk_0 It's a lot of superstars.

spk_0 So, I got to ask, man, who are you excited to first match up against?

spk_0 Who you wanted, stare, they shoes and just be like, damn, that's him.

spk_0 I can't believe I'm on a court with him.

spk_0 I just got to know, man, what, who do you got on your list that you was across over?

spk_0 Who you got on your list, you wanted to give a poster gel?

spk_0 Yeah, okay.

spk_0 I was talking about that.

spk_0 Give me everything, man.

spk_0 I just want to know what you got, man.

spk_0 Who you think is a man, personal.

spk_0 Thank you for all that.

spk_0 Obviously, man.

spk_0 No, no, no, but like, we've been realistic, right?

spk_0 Like, for every kid in the world, who do you think they want to play against?

spk_0 That's currently NBA.

spk_0 Of course, LeBron.

spk_0 Yeah, that's how it's like.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 So, Brian, you know, Brian, no, you won't end.

spk_0 Of course, yeah.

spk_0 JD.

spk_0 And JD.

spk_0 I got a whole list.

spk_0 I'm going on a day.

spk_0 JD, Shay.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 Bronson.

spk_0 Jaylen Brown.

spk_0 Jason Tatum.

spk_0 I ain't going on a drill hall.

spk_0 Anybody told you something that's been in the league that you learned.

spk_0 Like, when I get there, I'm going to get your ass.

spk_0 They ain't going to say it, though.

spk_0 They ain't ain't.

spk_0 They ain't going to talk about the game.

spk_0 I'm going to tell you.

spk_0 Yeah, tell me.

spk_0 I'm going to tell you after.

spk_0 Oh, come on.

spk_0 No, no, no, no.

spk_0 I got you.

spk_0 So, I was at, I was at Eurocamp in Italy.

spk_0 I'm playing in Italy.

spk_0 I want to MVP, I was not after all that Benedict Matthew going to be talking about.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 I'm like, when you get to the league, I'm like, I'm like, yeah, he'd be talking.

spk_0 Like, all right, bro.

spk_0 It's all I got.

spk_0 He talked to all the youngsters.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 He talked to Elijah.

spk_0 Remember, he played against him.

spk_0 Elijah, aren't you?

spk_0 Oh, right.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Get him.

spk_0 Man, I'm like, I ain't doing a young catch.

spk_0 Man, he, yeah.

spk_0 I'm telling you, he ain't even say what's up.

spk_0 He's like, yeah, I'm going bust you.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I went straight to you.

spk_0 I'm like, damn.

spk_0 I'm like, we're the love and the love.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm not about to watch them game.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I've got to play.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0

spk_0 VJ, you said that you wanted to be all defense.

spk_0 And Pee has always talked about it just when he got into the league, the importance of

spk_0 being a two-way player.

spk_0 And that's how kind of Pee worked his way up and became the player that he is.

spk_0 So Pee, I'd like for you to just share some words of wisdom to VJ just about the importance

spk_0 of being a two-way player.

spk_0 The importance of it is obviously that's where the league is going, right?

spk_0 You look at teams like Boston, Oklahoma, who won Indiana, like teams that have, you know,

spk_0 multiple two-way guys, like those are the ones that's going to be on the floor.

spk_0 You got it.

spk_0 Like, they got to play.

spk_0 Two-way guys got to play.

spk_0 You can produce on offense and be a lead on defense.

spk_0 Like, you got to be on the floor.

spk_0 So that's like, I understood that early in my career.

spk_0 And that was really the only way I was going to see the floor is playing defense first.

spk_0 And then over time, the leash got longer and longer.

spk_0 Would they allow me to kind of play and make mistakes on offense?

spk_0 But, you know, my advice is just watch film.

spk_0 Like, you'll realize it's a Tennessee league.

spk_0 A lot of guys operate off.

spk_0 Tennises that you can pick up on, which makes it a lot easier on you.

spk_0 Like, some dudes is, you're going to play against a Kai.

spk_0 You're going to play against a Shay, like Anthony Ervers, like those dudes, they're so

spk_0 good with a body and they're so elusive that it's hard to kind of predict what they're

spk_0 going to do.

spk_0 And, you know, they're just so good.

spk_0 They're seeing every defense, all defenders.

spk_0 But for the most part, a lot of guys go off Tennessee.

spk_0 So if you understand what the Tennises are and you put that into what the team defense

spk_0 is, it's an easy job, you know what I mean?

spk_0 But just take the challenge.

spk_0 Take the challenge.

spk_0 It's going to be fun.

spk_0 It's going to be nice.

spk_0 And they can just cook you.

spk_0 And you got to live with it.

spk_0 It's going to fuel you the next time you strap up against them, that it's going to be

spk_0 a different showdown.

spk_0 But it's the league is so good.

spk_0 It's going to be a night where somebody go for 40, somebody go for 50.

spk_0 And you're just like, damn, I didn't do everything.

spk_0 And he just making shots.

spk_0 That's right.

spk_0 And it might be from somebody that you ain't expected.

spk_0 It's like, it's always like that one or two player that's not the league.

spk_0 Oh, yeah.

spk_0 That just has your number.

spk_0 And it's like, damn, it's my fucker.

spk_0 Just cook it.

spk_0 He's slow, but I can't control him.

spk_0 Like, so it's, you know, the league is fun.

spk_0 Just be an observant whether you're on the floor, whether you're on the sideline,

spk_0 just observe, kind of pick up on guys 10 to season and just take the challenge every night.

spk_0 For sure.

spk_0 No, I appreciate it.

spk_0 Well, VJ, man, first of all, it was a pleasure, man.

spk_0 I'm proud of you.

spk_0 Congratulations, man.

spk_0 We do things different before we wrap it up.

spk_0 You know, we got you, you're a new NBA player.

spk_0 You're rookie.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And we do some different where we give you the last question over the show.

spk_0 We just try and see what you put you in a podcast world.

spk_0 You know, you might want to come up with a song.

spk_0 You know, saying you might want to be honest with some, but you know, while you have this

spk_0 opportunity, even though you're going to have a whole season for a while to ask this

spk_0 man a thousand questions.

spk_0 But while we on the show, man, I want you to ask this man two questions that you really

spk_0 want to know.

spk_0 It can be anything by natural advice, uh, uh, car advice, house advice.

spk_0 If anything, you want to ask him, but give us two questions that you want to ask, Paul

spk_0 George, man, and the floor is all yours.

spk_0 And we all test you.

spk_0 See if we assign you the way sports after this.

spk_0 So it's all on you, man.

spk_0 Let's see how you do this.

spk_0 All right.

spk_0 For sure.

spk_0 My rookie, do these going to be bad?

spk_0 No, I'm playing up there.

spk_0 Not in my question.

spk_0 No, I don't think that's a good question.

spk_0 No, so I know you play with USA.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Um, how was that like, how was that experience playing with lead, no lead players?

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 I'm stepping in that world.

spk_0 Obviously, I'm on a team of the lead players.

spk_0 So, you know, just trying to figure it out, like how you did that.

spk_0 Yeah, it was fun.

spk_0 It was fun because in my experience, I was a lead.

spk_0 I was top of my game.

spk_0 Like I was top 10, you know, in the league.

spk_0 Like so I was leading my group, leading my team in Indiana.

spk_0 So I was coming into a situation where I was the man.

spk_0 Now I'm paired with 12 other dudes or 11 other dudes that are the men.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 The man on 18 and so everybody can't be Superman or you don't have to be Superman.

spk_0 So you pick up ways to contribute, ways to add to the game,

spk_0 ways to help your team when you pick up all of these different things.

spk_0 Because now I don't got the ball in my hand the whole time.

spk_0 Like now, how do I be efficient?

spk_0 How do I be effective?

spk_0 How do I produce from the wing from, you know, running the floor?

spk_0 Like how do I make him better?

spk_0 How do I make his job easier?

spk_0 So you kind of just pick up a different style, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Because you know, you're going to be able to score.

spk_0 You're going to be able to defend.

spk_0 You're going to be able to do everything on the floor.

spk_0 But when you're playing with other greats, like it's like, all right,

spk_0 well, like they can do all of the shit that I could do.

spk_0 Like how can I stand out or how can I separate myself?

spk_0 And so there's that aspect.

spk_0 But then there's the aspect of, you know how you train, you know how you prepare.

spk_0 Somebody might do it completely different way.

spk_0 And it might be something that you can pick up and,

spk_0 oh, let me add that to my, my game or let me add that to my preparation.

spk_0 Or it'd be something like, hmm, I don't really, you know,

spk_0 I ain't really how I get down.

spk_0 So it's cool to kind of collectively see how everybody prepares for a game.

spk_0 And, you know, how can you add that into the mix of what you're doing?

spk_0 So it was, it was a fun environment.

spk_0 Everybody was different from how Katie got ready or how Kai got ready or Melo got ready.

spk_0 You know, everybody had a different process.

spk_0 And so yeah, I think just collectively being around that much talent.

spk_0 Like you don't got a choice but to get better.

spk_0 It's just a natural.

spk_0 You put so many good dudes together.

spk_0 Like, you know, iron sharpens, iron.

spk_0 And you understand that when you're around the USA team.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah.

spk_0 Cause I'm a big observer.

spk_0 So like, even if you're just working out and you see me on the sideline, ignore me.

spk_0 Like I'm just, you know, just trying to pick up on different games.

spk_0 Like you say this, even like how you approach your workout, how you approach your game.

spk_0 Just something I've always been trying to just learn.

spk_0 I'm a visual learner too.

spk_0 So yeah, that's where I'm astride most to this.

spk_0 Like visually just watching everybody work out to be honest.

spk_0 I could just sit in the gym and just watch people work out.

spk_0 So that's what I should do like in my pre-japh.

spk_0 Like, cause I had other people in the gym working out too.

spk_0 Like after I workout, I live and do whatever I have to do.

spk_0 I was just staying in the gym and just watch everybody else work out.

spk_0 Like I still be the last one there leaving it like one, two, cause my morning start from like seven o'clock.

spk_0 I'm leaving it like two o'clock, just watching, you know, I'm just trying to pick up.

spk_0 Because you say everyone do things differently.

spk_0 Oh man.

spk_0 Yeah, that's what I feel like that's what's helping me a lot too.

spk_0 Like I feel like I feel like that's what, you know, even help elevate my game.

spk_0 Like, you know, like this learning, like the spots and just stuff, just different stuff like that.

spk_0 So yeah, last question.

spk_0 I know you play Westbrook.

spk_0 Yeah, I'll beat though.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Beat though.

spk_0 That's beat though.

spk_0 He beat though.

spk_0 But yeah, you know, obviously he was run up for MVP that year.

spk_0 I wasn't playing with him because that's someone I also like try to try to

spk_0 draw my game after especially like when he was in, you know, before the injury,

spk_0 yeah, before the injury.

spk_0 When he was like in his in his plaques, MVP, Russ and stuff like that.

spk_0 That's someone I just look up to.

spk_0 When it comes to like the game in basketball, I feel like we have so many similarities.

spk_0 Mm-hmm.

spk_0 I'm in certain ways.

spk_0 Oh man.

spk_0 Like, what, like, how was that?

spk_0 How was that experience with him?

spk_0 It was fun.

spk_0 Like it was fun.

spk_0 And I always vouch for Russ.

spk_0 Always vouch for, for, you know, any time, any chance,

spk_0 you know, that I can team up with Russ after that experience playing with him in Oklahoma.

spk_0 I'm going to be the first to voice.

spk_0 Like he's, because it goes like people don't understand it goes.

spk_0 It goes deeper than the on the court shit.

spk_0 What he bring off the court to a locker room to organization.

spk_0 It's shit that you like, it's one of one, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Like he's, he's, he's passion.

spk_0 He's, you know, talk about some might as just all in and all about the team.

spk_0 And so when I got there right away,

spk_0 similar to what I'm telling you coming in be you.

spk_0 Don't try to fit in.

spk_0 That was the first conversation he had with me, you know, and again,

spk_0 I'm, I'm filling myself like I'm top of my game.

spk_0 Obviously I'm going into a different situation where somebody else is the leader of the group.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 And for him to kind of open that door, be like, yo, come in.

spk_0 Be you like we're going, I'm going to adjust around you.

spk_0 We're going to adjust around you.

spk_0 So that helped instantly coming in to make me comfortable that I can play my style.

spk_0 But then just being on the floor with somebody that you know,

spk_0 it's going to give it they all, they're going to play hard.

spk_0 He don't care about, you know, if people think he stats is the last thing he cares about.

spk_0 He just plays as hard as possible.

spk_0 And because of that, he racks up the triple doubles.

spk_0 But it was fun, you know, he going set screens, he going, you know, get out and run.

spk_0 He going rebound.

spk_0 He going to put his body on the line.

spk_0 You know, he going to stand up for you.

spk_0 He going to be the enforcer.

spk_0 You know, he just wears so many hats that for me, it was just all I got to do is just score the ball.

spk_0 Play defense, get stops.

spk_0 And I think that's why we worked so well.

spk_0 It's because how good he is with the ball in his hands.

spk_0 I'm going to get you possessions.

spk_0 And with that, I'm going to get you some easy looks.

spk_0 Like that was kind of the tandem and the chemistry that we had and why it works so well.

spk_0 It's because we kind of had to understand and have one another.

spk_0 And we just complimented each other so well.

spk_0 So, you know, that was why it worked so well.

spk_0 You know, and just that whole group, I think, you know, as much credit I got to give Russ,

spk_0 it was really that whole group that kind of paid paid it for it.

spk_0 A while was so successful there because we just we just had a good chemistry.

spk_0 And the coaching, coaching staff allowed me to just play and be myself.

spk_0 So it just worked out, but Russ is one of one.

spk_0 100% he won a one.

spk_0 That's why.

spk_0 Good question.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0

spk_0 Cause like, like you said, he played with multiple superstars.

spk_0 You know, people of like that have different games.

spk_0 I'm so I've like focused on that.

spk_0 Like how and he's still the same player around him.

spk_0 You know, still almost average a triple double.

spk_0 Like, you know, how and while the superstar,

spk_0 you know, the next lead player is, you know, having probably one of their best career.

spk_0 I mean, one of their best seasons or something like so.

spk_0 Yeah, that's why that's why I was always like, I always wondered like how he does that.

spk_0 Yeah, that's also so.

spk_0 Yeah, it's just like, you know, when guys know it like,

spk_0 if I know it, I'm gonna get out of certain individual every night.

spk_0 Regardless, you make shots, you make shots.

spk_0 That's part of the game.

spk_0

spk_0 nobody gonna make every shot, right?

spk_0 But if I know what I'm gonna get in terms of like energy, effort,

spk_0 that was easy.

spk_0 Like I can, I can, you know, I can rock with that.

spk_0 Like I don't, it's a make miss league.

spk_0 Like fuck all of that.

spk_0 If I know you're gonna go hard and I can count on you, I can depend on you.

spk_0 Now, now it's a level that you set the standard.

spk_0 You set the bar for how everybody else got to play.

spk_0 Most of it.

spk_0 And when the leader, your star player, your best player,

spk_0 sets that standard, he gonna do all the dirty work.

spk_0 He gonna, you know, like, and you don't get that a lot from the star.

spk_0 That he gonna bark.

spk_0 He gonna, you know, he gonna go to the center,

spk_0 cuss him out, you know what I mean?

spk_0 Like he gonna do all the dirty shit.

spk_0 But he gonna stand up for his team.

spk_0 And so when the star does that,

spk_0 everybody else is easy to fall in line and be like,

spk_0 Art, that's who we behind him, you know what I mean?

spk_0 And so that's kind of the environment and the attitude that he brought to the team.

spk_0 For sure.

spk_0 I got one more question.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Did I, I said you get to, I said you get actually.

spk_0 Come on, hey, don't let them, don't let them get to our kids.

spk_0 Look, I don't even want to get a job.

spk_0 I mean, I ain't going to hire you after this now.

spk_0 Don't, don't be mad when they start saying you got the VJ park ass coming out.

spk_0 All right, go with that for your next question.

spk_0 That is off.

spk_0 It's not, you listen to your own boy.

spk_0 Nah, you don't.

spk_0 We got to change that for sure.

spk_0 He's changing that.

spk_0 That's it.

spk_0 He got to be, he got to be, he got to be, he got to hear it all because Tyree's,

spk_0 Tyree's listening to all the young.

spk_0 But we don't want no job, Marat moments.

spk_0 Nah, nah, just me NBA, you, you know, you know, I love NBA.

spk_0 I got, I got events around me.

spk_0 They gonna make sure I'm shit.

spk_0 I'm a very non-negotiable.

spk_0 Yeah, you're gonna be, you know, I just say you're gonna be well seasoned with music.

spk_0 I just have some old hair shit.

spk_0 You could throw your little, you know, NBA young boy in there every night.

spk_0 You're gonna be turned, I'm telling you.

spk_0 We got a different, you know, I said, we're gonna go open.

spk_0 Listen to that young boy before the game, we're gonna come up, who?

spk_0 Yeah, we're gonna hear some island shit from, you know, Big Shell.

spk_0 Yeah, that's a real shit.

spk_0 You know, Afro beast.

spk_0 We got a real shit.

spk_0 Yeah, we go here all that, you know, Drake.

spk_0 You know, definitely gonna be bummed.

spk_0 You know, Jerry gonna play the Drake.

spk_0 So if I have on my headphones, I hit it before the game, I'm listening to young boy.

spk_0 You from me. That's one thing I listen to.

spk_0 That's what gets you right, young boy.

spk_0 Yeah, that's why I play so hard.

spk_0 I wouldn't even ask you what's your favorite album because he got so many.

spk_0 Yeah, and I got some weak English too.

spk_0 I got so many favorites, though.

spk_0 My bad, yeah.

spk_0 I'm gonna put you in the middle.

spk_0 You can tell us about them.

spk_0 Because we know if you're gonna be gonna be rapping them back home.

spk_0 And even when we see them, yeah, I would go VJ.

spk_0 There you go.

spk_0 It'd be a young boy.

spk_0 Young fella VJ, man, we appreciate you on the pie, bro.

spk_0 Yeah, sure.

spk_0 Can't wait to get this shit ready and get this shit started with you.

spk_0 We're gonna make some noise, but, uh, man, congrats again.

spk_0 Thank you, bit of.

spk_0 Yes, sir.

spk_0 Fellas is a rap for season three.

spk_0 I know there's been some highs.

spk_0 There's been some lows.

spk_0 Started in Philly.

spk_0 Move that lay.

spk_0 And here we are in Vegas now.

spk_0 Before we get further along,

spk_0 I know everybody's been fans of the show.

spk_0 You hear YT's name a lot throughout episode.

spk_0 Do you do you do you do?

spk_0 Welcome YT.

spk_0 Welcome, man.

spk_0 That sounds good.

spk_0 Happy here.

spk_0 Yeah, man.

spk_0 It feels good, man.

spk_0 It's been a long time.

spk_0 You've been behind the cameras for majority of the episodes.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah.

spk_0 In front of the camera behind the scenes, man.

spk_0 You gotta say to the people, man, I just want to say, man,

spk_0 I appreciate you.

spk_0 But anyway, do your favorite intro.

spk_0 Like, uh, go my name.

spk_0 Uh, uh,

spk_0 my name is,

spk_0 my name is, uh, YT.

spk_0 Um,

spk_0 but nah, real talk, man.

spk_0 It's been, it's been a great, uh, season, man.

spk_0 I think you guys have been doing amazing job, man.

spk_0 You know, me being behind the scenes,

spk_0 just watching you guys, man,

spk_0 the growth from season one to season three, man.

spk_0 We've been booming, man.

spk_0 So, uh, you know, y'all, how do we all think, man?

spk_0 Hey, hey, hey, hey.

spk_0 Yeah, it's a lot of work behind scenes, man.

spk_0 We have a good team, man.

spk_0 You know, we got, you know, me, T.D. Pears,

spk_0 um, E.J. Man, Justin's been, been, been, you know, doing the stage.

spk_0 So we, we got a good team around, you know, so, you know, doing your thing, man.

spk_0 Shout out the whole game.

spk_0 Yeah.

spk_0 Shout out to all of you guys.

spk_0 You gotta have some special, you know, guests that we've had in season three,

spk_0 some fun moments from, you know, A.J., the band, uh,

spk_0 young fella going to BYU to some OGs and positive.

spk_0 That was great.

spk_0 Yep.

spk_0 Uh, Dwight Howard,

spk_0 Cotino Motley.

spk_0 So we've got,

spk_0 Jay's Richardson,

spk_0 P.D.

spk_0 Lee,

spk_0

spk_0 Come on,

spk_0 Baron Davis,

spk_0 boom,

spk_0 Paul Pierce,

spk_0 Paul years,

spk_0 not Paul Pierce,

spk_0 Paul years,

spk_0 Paul years.

spk_0 When I know years, huh?

spk_0 Oh, yeah,

spk_0 there we go.

spk_0 I like,

spk_0 come on.

spk_0 All

spk_0 years.

spk_0 What's that out?

spk_0 What was,

spk_0 give me a top three?

spk_0 For me,

spk_0 uh, my favorite episode was the Paul Pierce episode.

spk_0 Just growing up,

spk_0 watching him battle with Kobe.

spk_0 I didn't really know to expect,

spk_0 but he was super cool down on Earth and chill.

spk_0

spk_0 he was just a cool dude.

spk_0 So it was fun

spk_0 interviewing Paul Pierce for me.

spk_0 That was probably my highlight of the season.

spk_0 I'm going to say, too.

spk_0 The White Howard,

spk_0 because I didn't know he was coaching

spk_0 or doing anything,

spk_0 and then to go

spk_0 like him

spk_0 planning the big three now

spk_0 and doing all his stuff he's doing

spk_0 and his whole,

spk_0 just the podcast,

spk_0 his personality,

spk_0 everything was great,

spk_0 you know,

spk_0 I'm saying,

spk_0 and one of my favorite,

spk_0 I would say I haven't even seen the episode yet,

spk_0 but it will be out.

spk_0 But I'm going with, uh,

spk_0 with Baron Davis, man.

spk_0 He just,

spk_0 he just came on the show

spk_0 in good spirit.

spk_0 He was feeling good.

spk_0 I don't know what he's doing for a part-off.

spk_0 But uh,

spk_0 part-off,

spk_0 he came with a lot of mouth still.

spk_0 A lot of mouth still.

spk_0 Yeah, yeah.

spk_0 Still,

spk_0 oh,

spk_0 two,

spk_0 four,

spk_0 you can still have two.

spk_0 You know,

spk_0 so here's what's great.

spk_0 I think he was just fun.

spk_0 Any game,

spk_0 like the whole thing about podcasts to me,

spk_0 what I love is some,

spk_0 the people that give the most knowledge,

spk_0 because I think podcasts are for

spk_0 the youth to learn something from.

spk_0 And, you know,

spk_0 you get the greats and legends to come on the show

spk_0 and give out knowledge that they don't even,

spk_0 you know,

spk_0 some of them don't even play basketball no more,

spk_0 but they still give out good knowledge.

spk_0 And I just think

spk_0 them episodes that,

spk_0 that our name is good for kids to watch,

spk_0 you know,

spk_0 this season,

spk_0 just to learn something.

spk_0 Because podcast to me is all about learning.

spk_0 I learned stuff even from our own episode

spk_0 as we shoot it, you know what I'm saying?

spk_0 Just being real.

spk_0 So I just want to say,

spk_0 y'all, season three,

spk_0 it's been a ride with y'all.

spk_0 You know, I hate it not seeing y'all

spk_0 for a while when we was doing remote,

spk_0 even though it was fun.

spk_0 You know,

spk_0 that's a different experience

spk_0 that we had to go through.

spk_0 And it's good.

spk_0 You know, we,

spk_0 we didn't,

spk_0 we know how it is,

spk_0 but it's nothing,

spk_0 of course,

spk_0 better than being in person,

spk_0 you know,

spk_0 seeing you guys

spk_0 and just being around you guys.

spk_0 You guys are fun.

spk_0 And I love you guys,

spk_0 like brothers,

spk_0 you know what I'm saying?

spk_0 And I'm glad that we created something

spk_0 that that defends

spk_0 enjoying love and that they can always sit back

spk_0 from years from now,

spk_0 no matter how many years,

spk_0 you can always click,

spk_0 click it and watch us

spk_0 and get some knowledge.

spk_0 So thank you, PG,

spk_0 for being Paul George

spk_0 and becoming who you are,

spk_0 to be who you are.

spk_0 And, you know,

spk_0 making great things with your life decisions

spk_0 and doing the right things with it,

spk_0 but you could have been a knucklehead

spk_0 and not being able to play ball

spk_0 could have been a drug addict.

spk_0 Could have been anything.

spk_0 God damn it.

spk_0 You know,

spk_0 I speak to real.

spk_0 Is it?

spk_0 I speak to real,

spk_0 but thank you, man,

spk_0 for just being,

spk_0 you know, all the other shit is jokes,

spk_0 but thank you for being you.

spk_0 Thank you for letting me be your friend,

spk_0 you know, coming into your life,

spk_0 into your world.

spk_0 And Dallas, thank you for being another friend, man,

spk_0 to, you know, be your co-host

spk_0 aside of you every week.

spk_0 You know, you call me all the time

spk_0 and you know, you talk to me

spk_0 to help me get through some of these lights,

spk_0 like, man,

spk_0 should we do this,

spk_0 act as,

spk_0 I appreciate that.

spk_0 I'm on the watcher episode,

spk_0 but I appreciate that.

spk_0 There we go.

spk_0 I'm on the watcher episode tonight.

spk_0 It took the finale.

spk_0 I appreciate you guys.

spk_0 For down, I'll be like,

spk_0 you know what?

spk_0 Hey, you know that.

spk_0 I'm a watcher shot.

spk_0 Pee, what was your highlight to the season?

spk_0 I would say, you know,

spk_0 obviously we had the homie,

spk_0 Reggie Jackson on the, on the pod,

spk_0 which was fun,

spk_0 shout out the homie,

spk_0 Reggie.

spk_0 That's you, sir.

spk_0 Um, but I think, you know,

spk_0 for me, is always the range

spk_0 that we can, you know,

spk_0 get to as I mentioned,

spk_0 we had someone that's an incoming

spk_0 into the college space in AJ

spk_0 all the way into OG.

spk_0 So like,

spk_0 I think it's just fun

spk_0 having the range that we've had

spk_0 to always, you know,

spk_0 we can give knowledge

spk_0 and we can receive knowledge, you know what I mean?

spk_0 So I think the viewers, you know,

spk_0 they follow along and they enjoy the ride

spk_0 and story modes and the different elements

spk_0 that we can bring, you know, to the table.

spk_0 You know, also OG's Jamal Crawford,

spk_0 we didn't have Drew Holiday, we didn't have.

spk_0 Oh, that's probably the most.

spk_0 That's probably the most.

spk_0 That was his favorite episode.

spk_0 That's his, that's Drew Holiday.

spk_0 So yeah, I got confused Drew, my bad bro.

spk_0 Oh, shit, Joe.

spk_0 I'm done a lot of episodes.

spk_0 You might like Jamal too.

spk_0 Jamal was good.

spk_0 But everybody was good.

spk_0 I thought we got a lot of info

spk_0 and some good shit from every story mode that we've done.

spk_0 So, Katina Moby was a good one, I think.

spk_0 Yeah, we learned.

spk_0 Yeah, we did.

spk_0 Regardless of, you know, how the year turned out,

spk_0 it was an amazing season three.

spk_0 We had fun.

spk_0 Shout out to all the guests that have been a part of podcast.

spk_0 Pete, shout out y'all for being here day and day out

spk_0 and putting on some great performances.

spk_0 So, appreciate y'all.

spk_0 Hope y'all love season three.

spk_0 Lama!

spk_0 Bucket!

VJ Edgecombe on Sixers Expectations, Wild Draft Workouts, Battling Cooper Flagg & more

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