Naz Reid | Anthony Edwards is a BEAST, Zion Williamson Came out of Nowhere and the Timberwolves are Building Something Special

00:00:16
Speaker 1: What up? Everybody? Dis your boyt thel pens here with another episode of running Race. Well, my boy a J. Richardson, who is not here today. He's actually I don't know what the hell AJ doing today, but he is getting to fine today. But people, we got a special guest here. We got a special guest and once again he got to the back. Hey listen, he walked in here with security top flight security of the world, Craig, So play the clip. Hey listen, my man is he has taken the league by storm, coming back coming off on injury, right coming off of injury. Uh, still got to the bag. They said, we know you're still good, brother, so we're gonna still give you this paper. Uh before I mean, I know you he was taking the league by storm, still taking the lead by storm, and a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves wearing number eleven. We have nas read. Appreciate you having me, Bro, no problem, no problem. I appreciate you coming on, brother, and once again this is going to be I am very intrigued on this pot, Bro, I am very excited about it. To hear your story and your race. I think it is something that a lot of guys need to hear. A lot of people need to hear because we're I'm skipping ahead a little bit, but you were undrafted and to where you are today, you have grinded all the way through one organization and you have you got to the bag and you're still and you have another contract that you can get to and another level of play that you can get to. But we're gonna get into We're gonna get into all that. But nas, let's talk about this brother. Where did it all start for you? Where did it all start for you? Where you're from? When'd you start playing basketball? And how did how did this all get going for you?
00:02:00
Speaker 2: So it was a little funny. I'm from as Partner, New Jersey. Uh football family.
00:02:05
Speaker 1: Okay, so hey listen, got a football body.
00:02:09
Speaker 2: Football family, So it's a little different for me. I mean, I I think I started playing basketball. I'm about fifth or sixth grade, I would say, Uh, so, I was so one of my closest friends. His dad was a coach for everything basketball, football, baseball, He was in the studio, you name it, so like you knows, he was definitely like around a lot. So one day I'm coming from school, Uh, he just stopped, like you ever played basketball? Like you ever played bitty basketball? And I'm like no, Like I'm just like you. I'm just into football. I'm into like you know, my dad was my coach at the time at that time in football, so I'm football football.
00:02:47
Speaker 1: I'm going in the NFL.
00:02:49
Speaker 2: Like that's what that's that's what's in my mind. So he had you ever played basketball before him? Like, I'm mind you. I'm taller and everybody in the fourth the fifth grade. I bro about like or fifth grade, about like five nine ish, so like everybody's still yay high. So I ever played bitty basketball? I'm like, nah, man, Like I was gonna tell him, like I'm not really interested because, like I said, all NFL, Like I'm going to the NFL. So he's like, you think you should try it or whatever? And I tried it because again his son is my best friend, so I'm all right, I'll try it. So the rims are like eight feet maybe seven feet, so I'm playing bitty basketball a little bit.
00:03:30
Speaker 1: I started to. At first. I didn't like it.
00:03:32
Speaker 2: I wasn't really coordinating things in the nature I'm tall, so I'm trying to done get rim stuff on seven to eight feet rim so like I'm just like, I ain't really So then kind of took me from that point and into the summer where I started kind of playing summer basketball with him around the city a little bit. Uh, football wasn't going, So I'm playing summer basketball. I'm just getting into new activities at that point.
00:03:56
Speaker 1: Yeah, just trying, yeah exactly.
00:03:58
Speaker 2: So on that and then I actually kind of fell in love with it because it was just like, as a kid, I'm just excited to you know, be doing something. Yeah, like I'm having fun with it. And like I said before, I was hollering everybody. So I kind of felt like I had a little bit of power in that in that instance. So I think from there I was playing with short shots. It's a local Asbury. Let me ask you this right quick. So you said until you were sixth you said sixth grade? Yeah, what position did you play up until? Did you play football all the way through? Well, from sixth grade to well from we just started playing football, pa was like second second grade to like eighth grade.
00:04:41
Speaker 1: Okay, second grade to sixth grade. You like, I'm about to be damn like the white friend. Well, I played quarterback, so I can see that. Yeah, quarterback. I've seen a video you're throwing the ball.
00:04:53
Speaker 2: Yeah, probably, But I played quarterback and d N so like my dad was a d n SO. Like I'm like, whether it's a quarterback or DM of this what I'm doing.
00:05:02
Speaker 1: So and then so he took me. I was playing with short shots.
00:05:09
Speaker 2: I was playing with them for a little while, but then like it got to a point where like I kind of got I.
00:05:14
Speaker 1: Want to say, I got better.
00:05:16
Speaker 2: And so he took me from that team and I went to another team that he sent me to called KSK King Street Kings to where it was another league. It was I would say a better league, of course, and I went from that league, I went to another league.
00:05:33
Speaker 1: Uh supports you.
00:05:34
Speaker 2: That's what a lot of people that you know, that people know about Javon and Luther and those guys that we played together since from I think it's maybe like seventh grade to the we almost went to college together. Yeah, but we played our whole au career together. I almost went to the same high school. So from that point I was a sports you were you.
00:05:57
Speaker 1: So I find it interesting every time we do this do this podcast, we talk about different sports that you grew up playing. What It's like where did you find time to work on your Like did you get better just playing or did you work on your game?
00:06:12
Speaker 2: So six through like ninth, I was just playing, like, yeah, I'm playing with you know, Javon Quilly. I'm doing things he doing, like I'm just wanting to be a big guard, like i just want to be like I want to play all five positions, Like I don't really care what it is. So it's no like specific thing that I'm working on, but I'm just working on you just playing back. Yeah, like I'm just you know what I'm saying, I'm just playing basketballm just hooping. I'm doing the things that they're doing. The guards are doing doing things that bigs. You know what I'm saying. I'm just hooping, Like I don't really have an idea what I'm doing. I'm just having fun with it. Like and then I took it started taking serious around the ninth tenth grade, where like I started getting schools and colleges and things that nature like okay, all right, I could really do something with this.
00:06:52
Speaker 1: I was well before then.
00:06:54
Speaker 2: I went to Rosall Catholic Word, Isaiah Briscoe and Chris Silvera, you know all those guys. So I was a freshman and they had the new jersey by by storm.
00:07:03
Speaker 1: So it was just like I'm just here, you know what I'm saying, Like.
00:07:06
Speaker 2: I didn't really like not that I didn't I want to do it, it was just more so like I just it just wasn't my time yet. So I'm a freshman, I'm just I'm just you know, I'm just around. So but I never was like I would try to go play JV but they were like no, like we need you up here with the seniors and stuff like that. But it was just like cause I wanted to play exactly, So I just I was just trying to, you know, just hoop anyway.
00:07:30
Speaker 1: So it's crazy that you say that because the first thing I think of is like you, So you and Javan y'all have been friends.
00:07:39
Speaker 2: For you forever since ever? Yeah, since like seventh grade.
00:07:42
Speaker 1: And no no offense. But like he's a shorter guard. He works on his handles all the time. Think about if you weren't friends with him, would you have done that? Like you see what I'm saying that would you even be nas red that can put the ball on the floor that end of the ball, like a guard, or you got the ball on the stream. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, Like that little stuff like there, we don't even we're we're bigger guys. At that age, it was uncommon for us to get the ball off the rim and be able to dribble up and dribble down the floor.
00:08:14
Speaker 2: I think that's what I like, a lot of my coordination like came from just like your old step in, you know, just just.
00:08:20
Speaker 1: All the things that guards do technically. Uh.
00:08:24
Speaker 2: I think that's just where like I kind of fell in love of playing like that and to where like you know, where I started taking it serious.
00:08:30
Speaker 1: Now I'm working out like that. Yeah, so and then you keep growing, you know what I'm saying. And that's that's that's the bonus, you know what I'm saying. And that's the that's the difference between you and other bigs. You do guard ship so fluid, like you really are a guard. Like I'll look at you like you're just big, you know what I'm saying. So that's the That's the crazy part about it, is like what happened is so organic and it was not forced. Literally, you were just going out there playing basketball every day, like you're doing crosses to a euro.
00:09:01
Speaker 2: All right, let me try it, right, I'm just like, all right, now it's my turn to go like, yeah, I'm just following suit.
00:09:08
Speaker 1: Like I believe that that you said that, Like, I really don't.
00:09:11
Speaker 2: I really couldn't imagine what I would be doing, like basketball wise, if it was like not having you know, those guys around and doing things that they were doing.
00:09:18
Speaker 1: And then the toughest piece of being in a football family. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, because that having that toughness piece of all right, I get knocked down, all right, I'm gonna I'm gonna keep going. You know what I'm saying, I'm not I'm not worried about what the hell happened on this play or what happened there, because I grew up around people who like they just what we do. This is what we do. Contact is as long as I've seen you play, you don't like playing with that. If you don't have no content, you're going to try to find a way to create some damn content and just just that little piece of up to So did you play in high school? Oh?
00:09:59
Speaker 2: No, football, we didn't have myself, I went too, we didn't have a football I wanted you stopped so my freshman year, Like that's what kind of I was like, I need to make JV. Like it's because it's like I'm not doing anything, you know what I'm saying, that we have no football team. I'm not playing, I'm not playing with the varsity. I'm like, at least I got to go do something. Like how hard was that conversation with your dad? It wasn't that hard, only because he wanted it was best for me, Like he didn't want like for sure me to be like exactly like him, you know what I'm saying. So it was more so just like as long as you're doing something, I'm not mad, you know what I'm saying. Like I just wanted to play football because that's what I knew, my brother, my dad, uncle, because everybody played.
00:10:41
Speaker 1: What made you pick basketball?
00:10:43
Speaker 2: I mean I just got more comfortable with it, Like I just it was something that I was doing more frequently than playing football from in that time for him, So like you know, au it's like winter and summer or like it was like it's Noah.
00:10:57
Speaker 1: Once we go a what's school ball over? Right after that exactly, So you really don't have time for football. Yeah, that's that makes a lot of sense.
00:11:06
Speaker 2: But like in my freshman year, I was just like, dang, like I don't know what I'm gonna do. Like I'm just like all right, well, I'm gonna just stick it through, like see where it takes me for sure.
00:11:18
Speaker 1: So once you get to when do you start? So after your fret freshman year, you start taking a little bit more serious, like Okay, I'm gonna hone in on this basketball and really get to it. What was a wake up call for you in high school that was like, Okay, I really need to get better at this if I want to make it to this level. I mean shit, you you spoke about it a little bit with having Isaiah Brisco and those guys in front of you, Like Okay, if I want to be those guys, I gotta get better, all right. So I would say, like it's a little quick story with like.
00:11:54
Speaker 2: So like like I told you before, I played with the same teammates and the same coach and a you for my whole career from seventh grade when I started taking this a little bit serious in seventh grade to my senior high school. So like the knock on me with college coaches were like I think it was more so like I didn't have a motor and like my attitude I would say, And again I would say attitude just because I was mean, just from that's just how I looked, you know what I'm saying, Like if you.
00:12:22
Speaker 1: Didn't know me, that's just how I looked for sure.
00:12:25
Speaker 2: But like my motor was because I didn't really like I didn't take it serious because I just it was something to do at the time, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, So I had my coach. We were in I forget which story, and we were in Atlanta. We went to a store and like I guess, like I didn't play well one of these A games. And then like he was telling me, like, you know, college coaches are really looking at you like you have some serious interests, Like you really.
00:12:49
Speaker 1: Need to like basically tighten up.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: Like you know what I'm saying, like if I think you can really do something to take it seriously, like you know what I'm saying. Like he's like, schools don't really want to talk to you right now because of you know, your your attitude and your motor and like you you know, this is what I'm in nineteenth grade. So like I'm just like at the time, I'm like, all right, I guess, like you know what I'm saying, Like I'm like not really not being hard headed, but at the same at the same time, it was more just like I mean, I hear you, but it's like are they really yeah, Like I don't really know, Like we're not all talk to call college school, So I don't know if it's just like for me to play.
00:13:23
Speaker 1: Better or is it like for real but like you're giving me a motivational speak or is this really do I really have an opportunity right to take this to the new level.
00:13:32
Speaker 2: So like at that point, I'm like, all right, all right, i'mna just knock and buckle down. So from that point on, it was just more like an adjustment I needed to change, you know, how I went about the basketball every day just just basically I guess kind of kind of find myself within basketball. And that's when, like I think by my tenth grade where like everything started to open up for me because at that time, you know, now I'm going into the high school season, Isaiah is all those guys graduated. Yeah, now I'm kind of becoming the guy the guy, you know what I'm saying, So like at that point, yeah, Like at that point, it's like I had a senior and Matt Bulllock he was ahead of me. But other than that, it was kind of you know, the keys are kind of turned it into in my hands, so it was like, all right, what am I going to do with it? And that's I think that's kind of what really started it for me.
00:14:25
Speaker 1: Gotcha, that's a big time. So was there a was there a moment in your high school career? Maybe that tenth grade year when you got the keys handed to you and sometimes just that can the light bulb can just go off, But like, was there a moment because I gave a story when when I was in high school there was like a situation where it's kind of boogie but not boogie. But I didn't make a USA team. I made the first one, but I didn't make the second one. I just thought I would make it because I made the first one. There was there a certain moment where like, well, you just gave that story. I guess what I'm trying to ask is when did you realize I'm nice? Like I'm really good at this game and I'm I'm going to take this to the league because in high school players, listen, bro we some damn yeah. We got everything we want at that point because everybody wants to be a part of it. Everybody wants to you to come to their college. You're hearing you're the best thing since since it's like the bread like mm hmmm. I think like.
00:15:40
Speaker 2: I think, like when I got to high school, I got my first Yukon off or like, and I think that was like two years after they won the CHIP, So like that was big to me because I maybe I don't remember, but I think I was maybe in tenth grade, like all this kind of happened a tenth grade and I was I was geeked because, like you know, Marvin Backley, he was number one playing in our class, Like he just got the offer. I'm like, all right, that like for me, so I'm lit, Like I'm like, that's that's what's going to be that time.
00:16:11
Speaker 1: I don't remember, I believe, so I don't remember, though, But what year was this? Have you graduated? I was of you went to college in what year? Twenty eighteen, twenty eighteen, so that would have been twenty sixteen.
00:16:27
Speaker 2: Sixteen to fifteen somewhere, like it's maybe like two years after they want, I think, yeah, And I know maybe a year or two that quick. Yeah, it was. It was years a few years after they were number one. They were a number one team in the country at that time. So I remember that for like vividly because like again, like I just told you, me and Marvin used to go at it in high school. Uh and in the grade school we used to go at it. So like when he got it, we were top two players in our class backing wise. So when he got it, I'm like all right, Like that's kind of when like I'm like all right, Like then it became like I need to make McDonald's. Like that was an next thing, like all the All Star brand games and stuff like that. What what was your highest rank? I think too, you got the number two. Yeah, I was right behind Marvel. He was always number one in our class, like never was number to never, like I think he was they had to Yeah, Like that was like that was a game like every time, like you're on YouTube, like there's a game the clips ton of like clips is like this eighth grade, seventh grade, high school. Like we just used to always go at it and like he'll tell you, like we it just brought the best out of it each, each one of us.
00:17:35
Speaker 1: For sure. That's crazy. Never got the upper hand, no, like it would be games where we got like we've got it in. I got the upper hand. He got the upper hands.
00:17:44
Speaker 2: But the ranking wise, like he was always number one, Like he was always number one, Like he was the guy like all right, I gotta like this is what I'm trying to get in front of us.
00:17:52
Speaker 1: So that's a tough one. Yeah he was. He was. He was the good got one of the craziest second jumps every yeah. Like and he's doing that his seventh age. I'm like, bro, like should make no sense. Who was the top ten in your class? You? Marv? Me and Marv?
00:18:12
Speaker 2: I think like R. J. Beard Lewis came man, you were quickly. There is Garland, there is Baisley. Okay, uh, there's a few guys who jumped in and out. But like Zion, Cam, oh yeah, ship Zion and Cam Reddish.
00:18:29
Speaker 1: Zion would have changed some ship. Yeah he came in. He changed the big time. He came. Ion would have changed some ship. He came. We had some bigs we had, we'd have been. We had a we had a good class too, But y'all ship y'all in class.
00:18:43
Speaker 2: Yeah damn like a lot of yeah. And I say, like even to this day, I say the zion come from like like senior year, junior year, he came out of nowhere, like out of nowhere.
00:18:56
Speaker 1: Like that's nuts.
00:18:58
Speaker 2: But like to this day, like I think, like the best player in that class was Cam Redish, Like hands down.
00:19:04
Speaker 1: YO, talk about that for a second, bro. That is been a talk well known thing around the league and around social media that people in your class have said that, like what was so different? Just the way he scored the ball?
00:19:20
Speaker 2: Like he was just too fure, Like it was just like a bucket, Like that's just what it was.
00:19:24
Speaker 1: Like, So why was he Why would they not give him the I don't know, Like you know, I don't know, like they probably they said something about his motor too.
00:19:36
Speaker 2: I don't really like I don't really know too much, but like I just know, like like if you ask anybody in that class, like even class under, because they watching us obviously, like they would tell you, like Cam was it was him. There's a video and talking about it. Yeah, like camp reriddis is that dude, like he's a bucket, Like I don't know, don't.
00:19:53
Speaker 1: Know, that's nuts. So how did you handle how did you hand knew the recruitment? How was that for you as far as like when you first started getting recruited, we was just dream school to start off with.
00:20:09
Speaker 2: So like for some reason, it's because of color. I think just because of the baby blue. But I always wanted to go to North Carolina.
00:20:16
Speaker 3: It was like like again, I'm like, come on, man, I'm like sixth grade, I'm going to North Carolina.
00:20:29
Speaker 1: Hey, dud, I'm telling you, bro, I'm not telling nobody to say this ship. Everybody wanted to be a tar, He'll be come on, I was.
00:20:38
Speaker 2: That's for some reason. I think it's because of like just the baby blue color.
00:20:43
Speaker 1: The wind. You wanted to win. You wanted a chip understandably, so.
00:20:47
Speaker 2: Of course I want that. But like, yeah, like since I started, I'm going to North Carolina.
00:20:53
Speaker 1: That's just what it was. Like I don't know, but wait a minute, I wasn't caught sixteen. You would have got a chip if you joined us. You throw he didn't want to champ.
00:21:08
Speaker 2: I know, like and I would say in high school though, like no, not high school, grade school, like middle school, all I used to watch was Steel Fens and Harry jiws Uh YouTube. I want to talk about YouTube like del Fens and Harry Jobs every day.
00:21:22
Speaker 1: I swear, I kid you not like you now that you think about it. First of all, you had the physical I was skinny and ship yeah in high school, but you and Harry very I wanted to be like Harry bad very similar, Like y'all have very similar games, and like y'all both have that dog meantime. And that's what people don't really understand about Harry either. He had that dog in them. He had that and y'all y'all very similar as far as handling the ball, making plays.
00:21:51
Speaker 2: That's exactly I'm like, bro, he do like it makes a lot of sense. I'm like, bro, I like I got to like, that's just who it was. And then every went from him to the Marcus Cousins than Joel m b and it goes on. But it's like it's a big guy who do a normal things, you know what I'm saying. Like, so that's just what it was.
00:22:08
Speaker 1: That's the thing, bro, Like we came into the league at a perfect time. Yeah, that ship separate, Yeah, separates yourself. You know what I'm saying, Like your value goes up, yeah, big time? And now ships value what Yeah, your value is going up drastically now with you being able to shoot the ball, put the ball on the floor, make plays. Yeah. You with Minnesota, y'all can running picking rolls with you and Rudy.
00:22:36
Speaker 2: Like and it's like crazy thing is It's like it's not we don't have a play like you know, yeah, and.
00:22:45
Speaker 1: You you're comfortable in it because you've done it before time. So it's like we're gonna get into that ship. That ship don't make no damn sense. This don't make no damn sense.
00:22:53
Speaker 2: It's like not even by design, like literally, like I can do it as well. I mean like I remember playing the Spurs. I came off a pin down and Cats said the pin down for me? Like you know what I'm saying.
00:23:04
Speaker 1: It's just like, Bro, I'm on the bus and we're watching a clip. You're going off away. They ran away for you. I said, what type of shit is going on right now? They're running away for a six eleven? Big? This is some bullshit. But that listen, y'all, we're gonna get into y'all Minnesota team a little bit later. But once we get into this, getting into the recruitment, did you play you abl.
00:23:29
Speaker 2: No, I didn't. I played it on the under armed circuit. Yeah, I ain't gonna lie. Like I was to the point where for me, like loyalty was big at that time, and I like I wasn't with my parents every day, you know what I'm saying. So like when I was with Javon, like those were mine, like with them every day, like I was with their parents.
00:23:49
Speaker 1: I was. I was up there with them.
00:23:50
Speaker 2: So like we are the team that we had stayed together for from seventh grade to senior year, Like we stayed together, we were together, like we were together forever, like the same team that seems coach, Like I knew him, My my parents knew that I was comfortable with his parents and him, like I was sleeping over his house every day.
00:24:07
Speaker 1: That's that's that's the most important thing. Yeah, especially at that age, Broy, Like you know, I got a little girl. I ain't let my little girl anybody exact. You know what I'm saying, Who you trust? Loyalty is a big thing, So like I was a lot of years though, Yeah, like I did.
00:24:23
Speaker 2: I did, and then like a lot of stuff was just like there was it was wars where like he was wanting us to come Nike, Me and Jamon at the same time. It was kind of like trying to package us on the same team Nike.
00:24:37
Speaker 1: It was just like, but that's what I was wondering, because there was a time where if y'all together, if y'all were together, Nike did things were like Okay, let's take this team and bring him to Nike. I was wondering, like we were just.
00:24:52
Speaker 2: Like my coach also like my coach, like he was like he was like.
00:24:58
Speaker 1: We got low t from him.
00:24:59
Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying that he's with this is who he's with, and you know what I'm saying, and that's who we were.
00:25:03
Speaker 1: He's still with him.
00:25:04
Speaker 2: No, he after Arthur Ye our team he retired, but like again, like that just goes to show the loyalty on him that he was. Literally he brought us from seventh grade to the year, so like that, it was just a loyalty thing at that point. Like I've done like I've played in FAB forty eight with players Nike team, I've done some Nike things, but like my roots were.
00:25:27
Speaker 1: Ever got you got you? What was the tenth grade recruitment took off? What was the biggest thing for you in getting recruited? I think a lot. I don't ask that enough. What was something you were looking for as far as recruiting when you were in high school?
00:25:46
Speaker 2: Obviously obviously everybody looks for this, but honestly, and then, like I wanted the situation that I was going in to be.
00:25:55
Speaker 1: I wouldn't say around me, but like where I knew, like.
00:26:02
Speaker 2: The the coach wasn't bigger than the university for one, to where like he has to say so yeah, because then a lot of guys where it's like.
00:26:12
Speaker 1: He'll the coach, I tell you this, but.
00:26:15
Speaker 2: The school's going to agree with whatever the coach has to say because the coach, like I'm calla paridy for instance, he's bigger than Kentucky. So I just wanted to go to a situation where I knew, like I was going to be broadcast or whatever they call it, uh, you know, not promoted, but yeah, Like basically, so I went into a situation where at LSU, I wasn't the guy, but I was cool with being one of the guys. You know Tremont was there, he had I will give that to him. He was there first, so he had that, you know. Yeah, So I went into a situation where like if it wasn't him, it was me, and then so forth and so on. So I wanted to kind of be in that situation. I think that kind of helped me. It's going to help me grow. Uh is your final five? My final five was l s U, Kentucky, Arizona, C Hall, and Louisville. You didn't give a cruit about Carolina. I think I did. But it was like it was like I already had my You already had your Yeah, Like I was already kind of situated on what.
00:27:20
Speaker 1: I was gonna do it nice, hell cold, I was gonna so I was.
00:27:27
Speaker 2: I was thinking about Kentucky, but like they already had Nick Richards, p J.
00:27:30
Speaker 1: Washington. It was just like, yeah, it was just gonna be.
00:27:33
Speaker 2: And then I had javan and I was in Arizona because Javon we already talked about going there together to Villanova.
00:27:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, but he had that situation.
00:27:43
Speaker 2: But like I just wanted to, you know what I'm saying, like be with people that I I knew. Excuse me, but at the same time, it was like time for me to grow as as an individual myself.
00:27:57
Speaker 1: And that that that's that's just your honesty right there. Like with me, could I have went somewhere been the guy, but I looked at it as like if we win, it's gonna take care of himself, right, you know what I'm saying. But dude, is there Sometimes I wish I went somewhere or I could just go get get off. Yes, you know what I'm saying. But everybody has their different ways of looking at it. But what made LSU you basically just the coach said, listen, if you're not the guy you're gonna be, you would a point out anyway, it's not somebody in your position. Yeah.
00:28:34
Speaker 2: But then like like when I went to one of my visits, like I just felt like I was home, like away from home, Like yeah, the hospitality and nostasia is already what it is, like.
00:28:47
Speaker 1: You ain't good. Yeah, then it's like you ain't good. I'll tell you that. I felt like when I was there like.
00:28:55
Speaker 2: I had no I didn't have any words, Like I was just I could be me and it is what it is like for sure.
00:29:03
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00:30:03
Speaker 1: So once you get to uh before we get to l s U, talk about that moment when you found out you were a McDonald's All American. You've been working your whole high school career you can said, damn it with the football, I want to be a McDonald's All American and you make it. Talk about that moment for you and your family.
00:30:23
Speaker 2: That was huge because it was like that was like the main thing for me, Like like Jordan brand All, that was cool, but like I wanted to be like, yes, I wanted to be McDonald's All American.
00:30:34
Speaker 1: Like so like when I got.
00:30:36
Speaker 2: Like that that call whatever from my AU coach, especially coming from him, like you know what I'm saying.
00:30:43
Speaker 1: Like we talk about that stuff, like all right, this is what the goal is.
00:30:46
Speaker 2: You want to say, this is what you know, milestones, whatever the case may be.
00:30:51
Speaker 1: Like I'm like telling him like this is what I want to do.
00:30:53
Speaker 2: I'm like telling him this like tenth grade, like we had that conversation, so like he's telling me like, make is how you feel.
00:31:01
Speaker 1: I mean like actually it was crazy.
00:31:03
Speaker 2: Is I was coming from I think it was coming from like Spanish going into I'm coming from Spanish going to I remember this, Yeah, I'm going to like I think maybe like math or like religion or something like that. Like I'm going in to bathroom. As to the phone call, you know what I'm saying, So tell me that. I'm like, I'm in school, I'm about to go to class, but I'm just like I'm geeked right now, Like for sure. Then they said it on the intercom at the school, and you know it was it was just lit because it was just like I have my friends there and things of that nature. So it was definitely definitely and I got to text for my mom and all that stuff, so it was definitely cool for sure.
00:31:43
Speaker 1: That's tough, bro. I just know, like I remember did they do that? Did they do the show? Yeah? End up doing the show later at night. Yeah, just sitting in the living room with your folks, and it was just like seeing it happening, Like dang, bro, like you really, all those camps, tournaments, all of it came was just worth it for that moment right there, and you see it every year and then it happens. It's an amazing feeling ship. Then the real life ship comes. Yeah, LSU, what was your welcome to college moment?
00:32:22
Speaker 2: I don't really know if I like, I only think if I really had a welcome college moment.
00:32:32
Speaker 1: Like you never throw up or nothing during conditioning and some ship, like I always thought like I was built for it. Like that's just how I thought, Like I guess going into that situation.
00:32:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what I'm saying, like I'm built for like whatever. It was a mindset thing to where like I actually be able to tell myself, like, all right, if you can do whatever you just did that, you just gotta do the same thing. I just it's another obstacle. I actually tell myself, like it's really just another obstacle, like you'll be all right, it is what it is. Like, so it's like for me, it was just like I think the most challenging thing was just like not winning the NCAA tournament when I think we had a team and an opportunity to do it. I think that was the most challenging thing. I think, like lost to Michigan State. I think maybe ELI eight, I think, but like we didn't have we didn't have Javonte was the key Pies.
00:33:25
Speaker 1: We didn't have our head coach.
00:33:27
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, so like you know what I'm saying, I just think like not being able to I think we could have did something special with that team, Like that was a good a great team. A great team like elis huge history, so I think we get something special.
00:33:40
Speaker 1: What was the was their game that uh gave you the confidence and gave you the spark like oh yeah, like clearly you had the mentality, but what was the game like, oh yeah, I think really do.
00:33:53
Speaker 2: This Against Florida the SEC tournament. We lost that game, but that game might have been like put a clip. That game might have been like clips, you're like, that game might have been like the craziest game I play, like I'm hitting all tax of threes, put back, dunk to my own put back, Like I think that's when I really like, yeah, you know, it's crazy because it's towards the end of the year. But it's like I'm like, all right.
00:34:20
Speaker 1: But you know, you know, the thing is bro like and not saying Dante Devenceinzo didn't have a good year before, but you remember, yeah he went crazy at the tournament and then next thing, you know, draft exactly know what I'm saying, So that could be I see where you're coming from, and that like you was like, oh yeah, I did this, I'm gone, Yeah, did you know? You was going right out there like I was like I.
00:34:42
Speaker 2: Think it's like I think I had like twenty six and like fifteen or something like that.
00:34:46
Speaker 1: Fourteen.
00:34:47
Speaker 2: I'm just out there hooping like yeah, I'm like I'm going. I'm like, I'm like, I'm going like that. So that's just what it is. Like I'm stamping there like I'm going to coach. Right after the game we los. Guess what you lost me too, I'm out this morning. That's when we lost to Michigan State. That's what happened. I ain't even go back to school. Was already packed, like I'm like this, what I'm doing.
00:35:14
Speaker 1: Was packed, Coach. I was here for the lead. My back was packed. After the Florida game that I.
00:35:19
Speaker 2: Had a teammate various days like he'll tell you he helped me pack my room, like before we even get to the uh marching this like I swear to God, like he helped me pack my room.
00:35:29
Speaker 1: Like he.
00:35:32
Speaker 2: Hilarious, that's like one of my best friends. Like he'll tell you, like he helped me pack the room.
00:35:39
Speaker 1: He already know you listen, you have no reason to to this day of school. Yeah, that was crazy. That's tough. That so that means you were the sixteen seventeen year.
00:35:53
Speaker 2: Right, seventeen eighteen years No, eighteen nineteen, eighteen nineteen.
00:35:58
Speaker 1: Years off? Right now, it was eighteen nineteen. So y'all made it to the lead. The lost to Michigan State.
00:36:04
Speaker 2: That's a tough What you called frying us, Cash, Well, No, he was killing us as a team, but him and Tremont was going. Trump had thirty I think too. I think they were going to add it as a team though he was killing us.
00:36:19
Speaker 1: But do your part, did you not? I think I had like ten? Ten? Your ship was packed?
00:36:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, game probably, Yeah I was.
00:36:30
Speaker 1: I think I had like tens. That's it. He was checked out. He was checked out. If you just left the ship unpacked, the y'all might have got over. It's all good. Look your coach gonna look at this ship.
00:36:44
Speaker 2: Now.
00:36:44
Speaker 1: He already knew it. Talking was like he knew, like like there was no sugar coating like it was.
00:36:49
Speaker 2: That's what it was like, listen, respect like whether we won or we like, I was like, that's what it was.
00:36:55
Speaker 1: He knew like what he knew what it was when we were going into it. So like for sure, I was the goal for sure, So you have a good, good year, LSU. You go into the draft process, talk about that, how many workouts you do?
00:37:10
Speaker 2: Like I think I had like like sixteen schedules, but I only did like maybe like ten or eleven because I got hurt in the process too, So like they only did like ten maybe eleven?
00:37:24
Speaker 1: Would you hurt?
00:37:25
Speaker 2: Had my my ankle, it was pretty bad, but like I s folling in. It was just like I couldn't continue for me, so like it was just one of those like all right, like whatever happens happens kind of thing. Like well for me, like obviously I still had that. I'm like all right, I'm still confident about it, but like you know, I couldn't finish what I started.
00:37:48
Speaker 1: So that was like the toughest thing for me for sure. What was that was? What was your thought process when when I know at the time you're probably pissed.
00:37:57
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so I remember stuff pretty vividly, like us in the seven six ers workout, and like for I think a block maybe rolled it. Man Like at first I'm like it's over, like but then I'm like I didn't put too much work in like you know what I'm saying, I'm like, I put too much work in.
00:38:17
Speaker 1: There's no way, like I'm gonna just.
00:38:19
Speaker 2: Roll over, like not even I'm not even thinking about undrafted at this point.
00:38:23
Speaker 1: I'm just like I probably dropped, like you know a little bit because I'm hurting.
00:38:27
Speaker 2: Like teams are like, we need we want to reschedule work out with him, so over and soon. It's just like I couldn't do anything, you know what I'm saying, Like, so I wouldn't be my best, Yeah, Like I couldn't even walk. So I'm like, oh, yeah, I can't, I can't do anything like so like so you think that hurts you a little a little bit, but not to the point where because these are teams that are trying to reschedule workouts with me, like by myself and stuff. So I would say a little bit, but I don't know. I mean it's kind of really hard to harder.
00:38:59
Speaker 1: To for sure, especially now you never know what the money. Yeah, So I mean talk about draft night for you, talk about Draft night for me, like go to where you wanted to, but talk about it the experience.
00:39:13
Speaker 2: I didn't really have like a draft party at this time, Like I wasn't really like like or no, I just kind of really like studied, relax not relaxing.
00:39:23
Speaker 1: But like I wasn't. I wasn't. I was.
00:39:27
Speaker 2: I was up type back then, Like I wasn't really like trying to watch the draft. I was just like if it happens, it happens it. Like I didn't really have a draft party or anything like that. It was just like one of those like I don't want to. I don't want to jinx it like I don't want to.
00:39:39
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:39:40
Speaker 2: So like I was just very supstitious and things of that nature. So it's just like I didn't even watch it like it was on but I had my family, like my immediate family, but it wasn't like nothing.
00:39:49
Speaker 1: Crazy like a huge party. Yeah.
00:39:51
Speaker 2: So like I'm like get to Like, so I was told I was maybe could get picked at twenty six maybe or something like that. It didn't happen. Then it was like thirty three. Then that didn't happen. I just kind of turned the draft off. I'm like I don't even like I don't, I don't. I'm not saying that it's not going to happen, but I now it's just like at this point I'm like, all right, I'm trying to get my mental ready to yeah, because I'm gonna have to take another step, like another route. So like if it wasn't gonna be first round and I have taken another route regardless, So like I'm just like getting my mental ready for that at that point. So then, uh, I get the draft is over, whatever the case. Maybe as soon as the draft is over, I get a call from Minnesota. I was Minnesota, Brooklyn maybe Okay, see I think it was Dallas. Maybe I don't one of those two or maybe both actually, but I went to Minnesota because it was the first call I got, and then it was just like I think I think all the deals were the same.
00:40:50
Speaker 1: I think it was just the first call I got.
00:40:51
Speaker 2: So I'm like, yeah, I guess it's the most the most interested team in me because it was the first call I got, Like as soon as the draft was over, I was the first call I got, right, yeah, So.
00:41:00
Speaker 1: I mean it was the same thing because before the draft even ended, BK.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: Like, yeah, I want you here, right exactly. So it was just like, all right, bet, that's what I'm gonna do.
00:41:09
Speaker 1: Got you, got you? That's tough, bro. I mean just to go from you haven't okay, you might be here, you might be here, and understanding and it's a blessing also, like understanding is you can flip that switch of like Okay, I know, I just got to grind a little bit harder. Now I'm just gonna I know, all right, Now, I'm not gonna go and drafted, right who gives them? All right, I'm gonna just I'm gonna get to where I want to get to because I have that mentality and I know I can play at this level. So once you get to Minnesota, what what's next for you? Like, what what is your approach when you get there?
00:41:46
Speaker 2: I'm showing out, like I'm I'm showing out, like yeah, that's just what it is. Like, go on in Summer League, killing, killing, like some of these it is not even over offering me another deal for your six million, And I'm like, all right, bet it's a step in the right direction. But obviously it's not where I want to be. But it's a step. So summer league I got through that. Now going into this the beginning of the season or whatever, we're not we don't have a good, good beginning to see.
00:42:16
Speaker 1: Oh no, I'm lying.
00:42:17
Speaker 2: My rookie year, so I didn't play in the G as much as people think. For for some reason. It was only like maybe ten games most but I was mostly up up with the with the Wolves or whatever.
00:42:30
Speaker 1: And so we started off hot.
00:42:33
Speaker 2: It was won ten games, and you know, it was like ten and three maybe after that. It's just I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened. Bro, Like we had a good team too, Like I don't know what happened.
00:42:46
Speaker 1: It's just what team was that.
00:42:49
Speaker 2: So it was catft like we had a pretty decent team. It was not I was a year right after right after. Yeah, so it was the same. It's just without Jimmy, without you know what I'm saying. So like I'm just like I'm just there and I'm working out every day.
00:43:05
Speaker 1: Da da da.
00:43:06
Speaker 2: So, like I said, we had a good beginning of the year, and the next thing, you know, it was just when left. Next thing, you know, I'm playing like out of nowhere. Oh no no, no, can't get hurt. Guy gets hurt. Now I'm in the rotation, come off the bench, and now I'm like I ain't got nothing to lose.
00:43:25
Speaker 1: Like like you feel me.
00:43:28
Speaker 2: I'm going out there doing me Like I wasn't like automatically all handed with just at the third, but I played my part pick and roll rolling. I was five at that point, so I'm doing, you know, things of that nature. I'm doing five work rebound, but I'm still spacing the floor a little bit, shooting a little bit. So we get to like Game forty, Now I'm starting, Like it's just like from Summer League to Game forty, like it was just like all over the place, bro Like I'm ten games.
00:43:58
Speaker 1: G uh, I'm now I'm putting back up.
00:44:02
Speaker 2: Now I'm starting, and I'm still a rookie, like I'm still like trying to process everything at the same time. So like I had my vest for Gorgy and Cove rob covers. Yeah, and they just like they teaching me through the rolls, trying to get me through it. Like as I'm as I'm going through the season, they're teaching yeah, like they like, all right, so you got to keep maintaining this one game not enough, you need to keep doing this, that and the third. So like and then they teaching me off the court real life stuff as well. So like I'm really learning all around game from these two and then like they trade them or whatever. But now it's really just like you're back to squirrel one. Then we get James Johnson. I think like he was really like he was probably like I wouldn't say, like gorgey and Cove wasn't the best for me, but like he I kind of really really like grasp towards him, Like he's like just like the way he went about everyday life, just the way like and the one thing he told me was just like whatever it is, the situation is be you, Like whatever consequences, you gotta deal with, whatever appraisals, you got to deal with, so forth and so and just be you. Like at the end of the day, like you know what I'm saying, Like you don't want to change and be this guy and this guy now everybody got too many different opins and thoughts of like yeah, and it's not exactly so it's like just be you, like always be you. Like he's a person that I remember one time, like we had Houston in Houston whatever, and he takes me and Jail and Noel shopping or we go with him shop. We're not we're not thinking that, you know what I'm saying I'm about to go spend a little thousand dollars. That's though, like you feel me at most, like I'm get some d or shoot or whatever. So I pick We had the webster figure out a pay d yours. I want to pay for him? He like, ever take out your wallet when I'm around you, I'm like what you mean? Like like I'm like perfect, I'm like what you mean, Like I ain't want to overstep you know what I'm saying?
00:45:56
Speaker 1: Like what you mean? He's like, go pick up whatever you want, blah blah.
00:45:58
Speaker 2: So I'm like, all right, I come back and I got back another thoubt Like that's it.
00:46:04
Speaker 1: I'm like, well, what do you want me to do? Like bro?
00:46:10
Speaker 2: So like we ended up leaving like bro, I swear it's like thirty bands, forty bands like just between all three of us. Like it's just crazy because it's like I know you, but I don't even know you like that.
00:46:23
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. You know me. I come from loyalty. So I'm like, man, James Johnson, you are really yeah, Like so like ever since every time I see him, it's like really all love like like bro, like he has no reason to do that.
00:46:36
Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying exactly, you don't even know me like that, Like I'm just some young to him. I'm young at that time, just young rookie. I'm coming in, you know what I'm saying. So like, yeah, that was that was definitely like someone to that.
00:46:49
Speaker 1: He can he probably saw the hunger and what you were possibly you know what I'm saying, Like when you, especially now as you're on your five year six, when you see somebody that young that like wants to be great once that you want to just help them, right, you see what I'm saying. You got my young Buck wind Moore.
00:47:08
Speaker 2: That's how I am with him, Josh, Like I'm like consistently telling them like yeah, so.
00:47:14
Speaker 1: The part and the crazy part is, bro, they just we were right there with you don't even see it? Yeah, like bro, why are they? Yeah exactly, Like it's a part of the everybody.
00:47:27
Speaker 2: It's crazy because it's like the world really like uh, it's like a evolving like a circle. It's just it's just it's the same different people.
00:47:37
Speaker 1: It's the same. Like it's just crazy.
00:47:40
Speaker 2: And I think about stuff like that, like it's just like damn, that's usually crazy, Like it's.
00:47:44
Speaker 1: Tough, Bro, It's tough. I mean I'm just sitting here, like, and you have a situation where you didn't want it to happen that way, but cat got hurt. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
00:47:55
Speaker 2: I kind of just I made sure that, I mean, the best situation I was potentially And you're not looking back at all, Like and.
00:48:02
Speaker 1: That's why it's supposed to be, Like you're not supposed to you get that opportunity. I'm not looking back. Yeah, like like I'm not going back to not playing. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. That's huge on your part. No, so it was the first person to bust your ass.
00:48:16
Speaker 2: Zingis forty and this this is all rookie year, Like I'm getting it from oh perzingis bonus, Like I remember one time, like the bonus uh.
00:48:28
Speaker 1: Is a cheak cold Yeah rookie bro. Yeah he's he's with the pacer at the time.
00:48:32
Speaker 2: And like I didn't think picking on players are real, Like teams run the same play real, Like they run the same play, put them in the post like forty times. I don't even remember. Maybe it was I don't remember. I don't at that time, I'm rookie. So I don't really know the plays, but like from that time, but the same play, right block, right block, get him to his left shoulder, you go based on left shoulder. I'm in right shoulder, look shot, whatever the case may be. I'm like like, bro, like like this is the same play. Like they like telling me it's the same player. I'm like, I hear you. I know what to say.
00:49:06
Speaker 1: I can't do nothing about that. Like so that was that moment.
00:49:10
Speaker 2: And then Persingers is just like shooting from the logo, like we want me to do Like this was when he was with Dallas.
00:49:16
Speaker 1: Dallas shooting from the logo.
00:49:17
Speaker 2: I'm like, yeah, I'm like, bro, like coach looking at me like.
00:49:24
Speaker 1: Like I'm like, you shouldn't be throwing your hands up, Like what do you want me to be?
00:49:28
Speaker 2: Like he basically saying like that's Porzingis like you like, because I'm looking at him, like what how am I supposed to adjust? Like you want me to go out there and guarden. He's like, I don't want you go out to the garden because you're gonna blow by you Like it's like it's Forzingis like.
00:49:43
Speaker 1: Listen, and he having one hell of a year right now he people.
00:49:47
Speaker 2: Sleeping, Like, hey, if you're small and you're gonna shoot over you like you you got slow fees and go around. You're kind of similar to me in some fastest but like that's kind of how I think.
00:49:59
Speaker 1: Like, but like, yeah, he'sa what was your breakout game? Your games? Like, oh yeah, I'm I'm here, probably against Brooklyn, our rookie year.
00:50:15
Speaker 2: I hit like I shot fifteen threes, made like eight of them.
00:50:20
Speaker 1: Wait a minute, I think was all that. I think you were Kyrie and James was hurt. Oh no, hell no, I wasn't on that team. I could. I never played with James, right, so I know James was hurt, Kyrie was hurt. Actually, honestly don't know if James was there.
00:50:36
Speaker 2: James, Kyrie was hurt. Harry didn't play. So you went to the league. What year I was eighteen eighteen nineteen, I was still with BK bro Yes, I hit, I had like I shot fifteen three I hit eight of him.
00:50:49
Speaker 1: That's when, Like, why do I think I remember that? I think if we played a clip, I'm in the.
00:50:55
Speaker 2: Probably like I no, I don't know, I don't know if you're in the clips.
00:50:59
Speaker 1: But no, no, I definitely wasn't playing. I was not playing, but I was definitely on the sideline, like what the is going on? Yeah, I just remember that in Minnesota. Yeah, it was in Minnesota. Deangeron Jordans on the team yep, yeah yeah yeah, d wasn't playing it. I think Kyrie was hurt. Yeah, I was on that team winning. Maybe we'll get the info later, we'll get I think I remember that ship, bro. I think damn, I was a part of the breakout game. You was going crazy. Bro, It's like, oh yeah, this is a problem that I think that was. That was that was the one for sure. And you start dunking ship. Yeah okay, and.
00:51:45
Speaker 2: Then like I'm getting like Cove telling me keep shooting, Like everybody told me to keep shooting, So I'm I'm gonna keep shooting.
00:51:53
Speaker 1: And Bro, the part is, and I know people tell you this ship all the time. You have a set shot, like nobody never ever said like you don't jump, so it looks like you're about to shoot that mother every time. And then if you do jump, you on that rim. Yeah. Yeah, so pretty much it's it's crazy, bro, It's it's a crazy dynamic. At that point, so once you get to you're into your rookie year, what what what is your thought process? Now? What? What? What is? What are the wolves asking for you at this point?
00:52:29
Speaker 2: Just to be consistent, you know, stay stay, you know, They're just at this point.
00:52:34
Speaker 1: Like I'm just listening to.
00:52:39
Speaker 2: Like listen to my agent, excuse me, listening to the team. Basically, like the message from both sides, will just stay consistent and just keep growing from you know, whatever the season that I had. You never want to regress, you always want to progress. So they were just saying, like you just, you know, you stay in Minnesota.
00:52:59
Speaker 1: I did. So it's crazy. Is I think COVID happened? Yeah, COVID happened. Yeah. So that so they were telling me, was.
00:53:10
Speaker 2: Nobody's leaving, Okay, nobody, everybody's here still I'm still a rookie deal. So I'm like, i ain't about to just be pgaing out. So I'm like, I'm here.
00:53:20
Speaker 1: And then I think the George Floyd thing happened.
00:53:25
Speaker 2: So now I'm really like, I'm they they're telling me not to leave because it's like it's dangerous, we don't want you to. So now I'm just in Minnesota literally from like from the end of it, from when the season ended to maybe like my first time leaving was like to be August first, and I left August first because that was like my birthday was coming up. So I was like, I'm just not staying here for my birthday of Minnesota by myself, like and like I'm here the whole old time by.
00:53:50
Speaker 1: Myself, Me and my friend are me.
00:53:52
Speaker 2: Actually he came into town and then my other friend he had left, he had to go handle whatever he had. My other friend Dion came and I just bought a dog, like I was just really just doing stuff, like I'm just doing stuff because it's like I was to the point where I was just.
00:54:05
Speaker 1: Bored, like I was in the crib.
00:54:07
Speaker 2: I was either in the crib or at the gym just that whole summer so in Minnesota. Yeah, point, and then when he had my friend Diane had to leave, it was just me and over like.
00:54:16
Speaker 1: I'm just I'm just yeah. So that's tough. That's tough. Let's go ahead, get this is going ahead. Skipped to the part where y'all have a great season. Hmm. Y'all have a great season. You win the playing tournament. HM. You would have thought you won those championship, right, let's just address that. I get it. I think it was just a big moment for Pat. Yeah, I was about to say, like it was a huge moment for him, rightfully, So I think that's what people don't understand. Yeah, exactly because of what happened there. He thought you should have still been there.
00:54:53
Speaker 2: I'm saying, like he I think, yeah, like if you know, you know, like outside work looking at they don't understand, like you says, but like again, it's a playing game. He's he's the most competitive person.
00:55:05
Speaker 1: I did.
00:55:05
Speaker 2: Like you know what I'm saying, like he competitive, you want to compete, like he gonna let you know that he's there, Like then it's.
00:55:11
Speaker 1: Against the Clippers.
00:55:12
Speaker 2: Then it's like, okay, I'm with a team that's really like it's kind of building in a way anybody.
00:55:16
Speaker 1: And he told y'all, y'all going to what.
00:55:17
Speaker 2: I'm saying, like he trying to prove he has something to prove basically, Like so I think that was huge for him. And then like you know, and I'm taking the stuff that he's taking and and it was just like a gross thing for us, but like for Pat, like you said, it was really like it was admitt something for him. Sure, I think from what I took from there, it was just like I think I took another level of toughness to and not shine away from grind basically or not the grind, but I can't really find the word for.
00:55:47
Speaker 1: It, but like not shining away from the moment.
00:55:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that was a huge game, Like that was that was your personal playoff?
00:55:53
Speaker 1: Like that was my first playoffs?
00:55:54
Speaker 2: I was my first Like at that point, I was actually like in the rotation like I'm all right, this.
00:56:01
Speaker 1: Is like you gotta lock the all.
00:56:03
Speaker 2: You gotta lock it, like you have to lock and you get you have to look at you have to playbook.
00:56:07
Speaker 1: That's like this stick like you.
00:56:08
Speaker 2: Gotta like you gotta know every everything, like literally like everything and there should be no surprises at all. So it was just like for me, it was just like gross, like all right, I think I unlocked another level of you know, staying in the mental toughness and staying with the grind and grit.
00:56:28
Speaker 1: For sure, I think it was what would you say that year as far as because I would go ahead and say it, y'all were better than that, y'all should have won that serious y'all smoked that ship? What what? What did that year teach your team as a unit? I think.
00:56:49
Speaker 2: I think at that point we kind of realized like always like I do we really want to do we want to really want to win?
00:56:57
Speaker 1: Like did everybody really want to win? It was more just like.
00:57:02
Speaker 2: We just hooping or we wanted to win for like again now, it's still my first experience of playoffs as well, so I don't really know what's going on, but I know what's going on. I mean like it was just like I think it was more so just like do we really want to win?
00:57:16
Speaker 1: I think.
00:57:18
Speaker 2: Having that moment, whatever the case may be, I think going into the next year, we went to another minute, to another level, whereas though we were like we showed that like we do want to win and we're not shining away from what they call the smoke. Yeah, I think that was just like I think it was just a questionable playoffs for us, do we really want to win?
00:57:43
Speaker 1: And I think it's just going back to think about the team y'all had you got it first playoffs? You first playoffs? Cat He's been there. But you know what I'm saying, Like he's still somewhat new to it. He's not there consistently. You got d Low, He's been there one other time. Jaden's never been there. Jaden never been there. It's like really the only person that you know what I'm saying. Like, So y'all all learned at the same time. And I think it was more of like gave y'all the intensity that y'all knew y'all had to play it. But I guess y'all were learning like, yeah, you can have a lead, but you got to go still win the game, Like you see what I'm saying.
00:58:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, And that's kind of something that like I used I tell my teammates now like kind of jokingly about it, like it's kind of something that I learned from that moment. But like you know, me coming off the bench, so like boom, I'm going into the game. We got the league, got to maintain the lead. We don't have the league, go get the lead, you know what I'm saying. So either way, I gotta play it this this level. So like I kind of like learned that from learn that from that experience.
00:58:57
Speaker 1: And the thing is, bro It's like I think the I think Minnesota has done a very good job of keeping a good core together that has been through that experience. You know what I'm saying, because like being you talked about before we started the pause, like, yeah, maybe y'all haven't played the highest caliber of teams, but y'all not losing in them damn team, you know what I'm saying, Like those are easily some games you could just drop off because you like, we're supposed to beat them. Let's just let's just go out there and see what happens. Now, Bro, we're gonna really smack smack these mothers and just get them out of here. And that's the different that's the maturity piece, you know what I'm saying, That that you can you could tell it's a different Minnesota team than y'all have been in the past just from y'all mentality and like looking at the Boss Scors, y'all not even y'all, y'all beating team and it's not close. And I think that's the difference between y'all. What is just talking about some of your teammates talk about the step and now that you added Rudy especially, let's talk about that for a second. Y'all make a trade for Rudy Gobert, You're already there. You're like, I know you. At first you're like, what the Yeah, you know what I'm saying. And now that he's there, understanding like that's an anchor. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, Like, Okay, you can drive past me, but you can go deal with it.
01:00:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, like I think, which was crazy because it's like that's my contract summer or now my contract was my extension summer.
01:00:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, And it was just.
01:00:34
Speaker 2: Like and then so the draft is going on, I'm like, Okay, if we drafted big, he's gonna be a rookie, you know what I'm saying. So it's like not that big of a deal, you know what I'm saying. But then like, so we drave Kester Walker, so I'm all right, cool, but then they trade him. But I ain't know too where I'm looking at ESPN what I'm saying, like, so I ain't know to where, and I just don't like I'm not really like I've watched the draft, but after the draft, it wasn't really like to engage with it just because it was like, all right, sing, we got this worked, you know what I'm saying. So like after the draft whatever in my agent's like, you guys got Rudy Gobert, but you're not in the trade.
01:01:11
Speaker 1: I'm like all right.
01:01:16
Speaker 2: I'm like all right, So like I'm all right, I'm gonna have to fight my way into rotation. Like I'm kind of thinking about this already before this is summertime, Like I'm kind of thinking about this before the season starts.
01:01:27
Speaker 1: So I'm like, all right, back to square one. I'm gonna have to fight. Huh.
01:01:32
Speaker 2: So the season goes on or we start the season or whatever, like I'm not in rotation for like the first seven games.
01:01:38
Speaker 1: I'm like, dang, Like.
01:01:40
Speaker 2: It's like are you gonna are you gonna fold or you're gonna like do something about it? Like that's just like that, that's there's no gray area with me. Like it's just like, all right, we're gonna be gonna lock in or we're gonna.
01:01:52
Speaker 1: This is this is where I talk about. I love this part because what we talked about the very beginning. Bro, Yeah, you were built yeah for this. The Lord ain't gonna put you in that if you can't handle it. He know, he like, nahs, this is only gonna make you better. It's gonna bring out a bigger thing exactly. You know what I'm saying. That's all it did. It kept you, It kept a chip on your shoulder because your first initial thought, Oh, it's a rookie. Yeah, he's gonna have his time. Now Oh nah, it's Rudy Gobert. You gotta still stay with it, you know what I'm saying. And it's ticking ass, Like come on.
01:02:28
Speaker 2: Bro, And it's crazy because we talk about the world being full circle, just like now I get a chance to be who I've been my whole life. I played for it was never really a true big you know what I'm saying. So like now I'm like they're telling me, like, you gotta be able to guard and to be able to space the floor. You gotta be able to do things that you know, a traditional five doesn't do. I'm like, all right, bet, Like I just had to get comfortable with it at this level. Yes, so in the beginning playing five, yeah, up until until that point. I'm back up five at that point, so like, all right, that's easy. Like I'm thinking about it now from a grand scheme of things, I'm like, all right, that's easy. Like that's just me being me. Now I'm just getting adjusted to it. At this level, I'm having the guard guards switching scenario instead of being in.
01:03:13
Speaker 1: The highest Now, Bro, now you're that kid back in New.
01:03:15
Speaker 2: Jersey exactly literally, Like that's like it's all full circle.
01:03:19
Speaker 1: You you that kid back in New Jersey and got bread, You got paid to be that that that's a blessing. That's crazy. That's a blessing to just even think about us and beyond happy for you because now like you're playing with you could just tell you're playing with just pure joy. You You're out there free, You're you feel you look comfortable, bro, like you look mad comfortable. You don't have to deal with damn Joel and Tobias. Not saying Tobia is not a problem, but exactly Joel is a issue. Let's go ahead and say that right now. But that's crazy, bro, I mean having that, having Rudy is definitely a luxury and just putting you back in your natural position and just make a bunch of matchup problems. Yeah, and it makes your value.
01:04:07
Speaker 2: Like if it is like I was saying before, like if it's a small guard than me, I'm going to the post. And I again, like with me going to the post, like Cat can space the floor. Rudy, he knows how to read spacing. If I'm in the post, he knows how to read the spacing where if I got a big on me, not a big but like you said to Bias, or someone kind of got space to floor and make reads off you know, other scenarios. And again Rudy, he he knows how to make reads. And Cat knows how to space the floor as well.
01:04:34
Speaker 1: You and Cat. You know what I'm saying. Four cats, five, Yeah exactly, it just makes perfect sense. That's tough. That is a tough match up. Jesus. Talk about that other guy number five, Yeah, yeah, he is. I've been with him for all his whole career. I've seen when.
01:04:54
Speaker 2: He was eating pops after interviews too, how he talks about his diet and things of that nature. Now like he can tell you could just see like for me, you always like I've I've been there firsthand. So like I see, I've seen the basketball already, like I've seen that already, but like this is maturity and how he walks and talks and how he you know what I'm saying, Like it's just all right now he coming into.
01:05:14
Speaker 1: What you think it was, there was a switch that flip. I think I think he just wanted to he wanted to be good, like yeah, he know, he know he wanted them want.
01:05:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like he walks and talk with most comments I've ever seen anybody in my life like and bro and backs it literally like and he's not worried about none of that. He gonna go out there and do what he got to do, Like he don't care who it is at all. Like it's like to see, like I said before that I've seen the hoops already. You already knew he was gonna be what he is. But it's like it's the maturity and the the other stuff, Like like I always say, the small things are the big things, like how you eat, you know, how you you know, you go about your night or so for so it's just like just you just see the whole girl, uh from him. It's just like for me, it's just like I've been like I said, I've been here, so I've It's like it's not something that you wouldn't say that was gonna happen, but it's just so big of a jump.
01:06:13
Speaker 1: It's like dang, like you that there's probably there's probably no shock in y'all start yeah right now because he he has he has set the tone and you're gonna fallow suit in your star, you know what I'm saying. Like even from the summer, the way he was playing with USA, I was he's he took over. He he he. I don't know what the hell it was. I don't know what he's doing. I don't know if it's like he just stopped being I've seen him off. He took another day on the interview, but that was in the summer. But dog, he's a monster. Yeah. Like he's the leader now.
01:06:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, like he literally example where he's the vocal now he literally like literally takes over like not I'm gonna do it like he literally takes over like you need it, you need an extra Oh, Mike need to go out real quick because Mike in year seventeen, Mike need to go all right, bet I'm stepping up. I'm gonna do it like he like he literally takes over. And you can see like from year one, the year four or five now before this is like damn, like I watched this from m hmm what he used toweak from?
01:07:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, like so it's just like it's crazy and to think about y'all really still got a young core.
01:07:40
Speaker 4: Bro.
01:07:41
Speaker 2: Technically, we like that he's in year four. Jada is in year four, I mean the year five. Yeah, Rudy's only like thirty cats what twenty twenty eight?
01:07:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, like like y'all still got yeah and talking Hey that mother. Jaden McDaniel's yeah, sleeper. Yeah, he's an issue. Hey listen, I'll never forget this and we can play the cliff. Last year we were, we played y'all and y'all was smacking us by like twenty. We came back and had K Jade and h Luca. It was playing two on two at the front. Literally it was two and two literally, and they were sitting down and I was sitting there in the corner like, oh ship, we might not even get a shot. Then Cod passed me the damn ball. We down three. I'm cutting to the basketat trying to rebound. He passed me the ball. People cussing me out on Twitter. I'm like, it ain't even my fault. He should have shot. But nah, bro, those two those are those some good good pieces to have as far as like you got your your star and cats always already was a star and him getting into form and continue to dominate. That's just gonna be. Yeah, it's gonna be. Y'all got a special squad.
01:09:09
Speaker 2: Bro, And like people like Jaden Quiet, like he don't really like he don't speak unless he knows you like you like like he speaks then like he comfortable. But like I'm around him like a lot, because that's like the person I'm gonna go to the store where we in the new city that we're going to one of these stories or whatever because Quiet. Yeah, like so like like so if you don't know him, you don't know like what he brings to the table. You don't know how he is, you don't know how like like it's just like you got to know him for you to understand him. Like now that I think about it, y'all really got a team full of that. Yeah, just a quiet y'all just got a bunch of dogs. Yeah, Like like you got Kyle he O g for real like og like Kyle, like like he Kyle bringing like old school like hey listen, Kyle, like he gets it done, no bro, yeah kind of like he gets the scenarios where like why y'lays on your phone Like that's just like that's how kind of like you realize, like O G, Like everybody put the phone do all right?
01:10:12
Speaker 1: Man?
01:10:12
Speaker 2: That's like and that's kind of like you need that type of stuff. Sure, you need like because you understand the next person so much better by like just you know, kind of having a conversation.
01:10:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm saying so like I think that's I think that's tough because I can I can see it in the team that y'all have. Y'all been together for a while. I think team camaraderie is a big thing. Like people talk about the Warriors all the time, but the reason they are who they were because they were so connected. They were so connected as a team. Lebron was has just always been the best of connecting his team the best and the quickest than anybody else. And he shows that he believes in France Cam. You know this stuff with Cam and that's what I see a bro. Yeah, he instills confidence and read single one of y'all to make y'all think y'all just like him. It got just as much to telling him, you know, he the dog or the goat, the one that's gonna finish the game. But he instills that in y'all. That's big time. Bro.
01:11:13
Speaker 2: You get the best out of everybody. And all right, you guys, sweat I got. That's with him. It's just like it's just happen to be with him. But it's like the swag he walked away, like, yeah, all right, bet that's what we is like for sure.
01:11:27
Speaker 1: For sure, that's tough. That's tough. I mean, listen, I give y'all kudos, y'all, keep doing y'all thing. I think y'all, y'all gonna have a special year. For sure, y'all gonna have a real special year. But nah, man, he look, Bro, I appreciate it. It's been an unbelievable part. I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the season. Uh maybe we might be teammates soon. Talk to the gym or some ship. Appreciate that, Bro, Appreciate you having me though. It's been dope, bro. Like I said, healthy rest of the year. Keep doing your thing, bro, and definitely gonna keep watching. But you already know what to do. Scribe on YouTube, follow us on Apple podcasts, and Spotify, And like I said, we were doing big and better things. We got nice read on here today, Bro, I appreciate you all right enough to do these