WEBVTT - Black History Month Inspirations | Serving With Selflessness

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<v Speaker 1>This is Black History Month, Inspirations, a seventy six Ers podcast,

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<v Speaker 1>network miniseries Hard Three, serving with selflessness. When it comes

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<v Speaker 1>to Elton Brand, it's important to remember this. He was

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<v Speaker 1>a really good basketball player. Oh there's a steel by

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<v Speaker 1>Brand racing against the rookie Johnson had a slams for two.

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<v Speaker 1>Helton Brand a key steel and slam, a high volume score,

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<v Speaker 1>A tenacious rebounder and shot blocker, Rose Riding, a no

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<v Speaker 1>nonsense big man who played his hard eye. When you're

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<v Speaker 1>guarding Elton Brand, there's no relaxation. Brand broke into the

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<v Speaker 1>NBA in nineteen ninety nine as the top selection in

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<v Speaker 1>that year's draft and went on to win CO Rookie

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<v Speaker 1>of the Year honors. With the first pick in the

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen ninety nine NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls select Elton

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<v Speaker 1>Brand from He posted four twenty ten seasons in his

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<v Speaker 1>first seven years in the league and was twice named

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<v Speaker 1>an All Star. Brand played for five different teams before

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<v Speaker 1>calling it a career following his second and final stint

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<v Speaker 1>with the seventy six Ers and twenty sixteen. Well after

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<v Speaker 1>seventeen years of playing the game that I love and

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<v Speaker 1>it's been great to me, you know, officially retiring this time.

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<v Speaker 1>It's for real this time. Take some time away from

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<v Speaker 1>the game, for sure. I'll spend time with my family,

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<v Speaker 1>go back to picking up the kids, dropping him off

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<v Speaker 1>his school. You know, we'll see this out there. I

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<v Speaker 1>see if there's anything around here I could do. Eventually,

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<v Speaker 1>eventually ended up lasting only a few months. Later that year,

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<v Speaker 1>Brand took a front office job with the Sixers, then

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<v Speaker 1>was fast tracked to general manager for the Delaware Bluecoats.

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<v Speaker 1>He was promoted to the same position with the Sixers

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<v Speaker 1>in September of twenty eighteen. Thank you, thank you, thank you,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you. Good morning means a lot to see so

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<v Speaker 1>many players and staff up here. I wish it would

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<v Speaker 1>count towards contract negotiations, but it won't. But thanks for

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<v Speaker 1>coming up. I'd like to thank Josh Harris, David Blitzer,

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<v Speaker 1>an attire seventy six Ers organization, for this great opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>to serve as general manager. I believe this team has

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<v Speaker 1>an incredibly bright future. And for a guy who never

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<v Speaker 1>dreamed of hitting it big in sports when he was young,

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<v Speaker 1>it's pretty ironic that the soon to be forty two

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<v Speaker 1>year old Brand has now spent more than half of

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<v Speaker 1>his entire life in the NBA. It wasn't you know

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<v Speaker 1>in our minds that we'd be able to make a

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<v Speaker 1>profession or living out of basketball or football or any

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<v Speaker 1>type of sports. It was just sports was an avenue

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<v Speaker 1>for teamwork, camaraderie, pushing yourself, testing your limits, and just

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<v Speaker 1>growing as an individual. Brand was raised in Peak Skill,

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<v Speaker 1>New York, a town of about twenty five thousand in

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<v Speaker 1>the southern region of the Hudson River Valley. Hard working,

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<v Speaker 1>blue collar, you know where everyone you know got along,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of races, a lot of different people. Forty

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<v Speaker 1>five minutes outside of New York City on the Hudson River.

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<v Speaker 1>You get the New York City vibe, you get the

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<v Speaker 1>New York City energy. Then you can go back to

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<v Speaker 1>Peaks Scale and you can play ball. And got a

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<v Speaker 1>great great friends, blue collar, hard work in town on

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<v Speaker 1>the Hudson. Growing up, it was just Brand, his brother Arthur,

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<v Speaker 1>and their mom Daisy, being around. My mom. She was great,

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<v Speaker 1>She had a great workout that she never made excuses,

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<v Speaker 1>would never allow me to make excuses. You know, always

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<v Speaker 1>pushed me, always pushed education, always pushed trying to make

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<v Speaker 1>yourself better, and also help others around you. That was

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<v Speaker 1>what she preached a lot to me, So very thankful

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<v Speaker 1>to have her in my life. And you know, as

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<v Speaker 1>an inspiration. Brand's humble, hungry, helpful foundation can be traced

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<v Speaker 1>to a specific place and period in time. His mother

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<v Speaker 1>was one of several people who made his upbringing and

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<v Speaker 1>peak skill impactful. One of the most influential black figures

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<v Speaker 1>in my life, I'd say, was the mayor of Peakskille,

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<v Speaker 1>Mayor Jackson, like Brand, Richard E. Jackson was born in

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<v Speaker 1>the Hudson Valley and went to Peakskill High School. He

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<v Speaker 1>served as mayor from nineteen eighty four through nineteen ninety one.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, politics isn't about power, It's not about position.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not about what can I get coming. That's what fringis.

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<v Speaker 1>Won't relationship. I'll tell you the human condition is not

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<v Speaker 1>I'm better than you. I'm will power than Gill and

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<v Speaker 1>I connected you so how. And I had to say that.

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<v Speaker 1>Brand was five when Jackson started his first term. While

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<v Speaker 1>the two never met, Jackson's trailblazing left a lasting impression.

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<v Speaker 1>He was the first black mayor in any city in

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<v Speaker 1>New York State, but growing up I saw him I

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<v Speaker 1>saw that a person of color could be the mayor

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<v Speaker 1>and it wasn't a big deal. You know. The way

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<v Speaker 1>he carried himself and the way he ran the city,

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<v Speaker 1>the way he supported the community, it was just commonplace

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<v Speaker 1>and it was it was great to see. As Brand

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<v Speaker 1>got older and more involved in playing sports, another important

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<v Speaker 1>person emerged, a JV basketball coach by the name of

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<v Speaker 1>Walter Corney. He really instilled in me, you want to

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<v Speaker 1>conduct the way you conduct yourself as as a professional.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, you don't want to be a professional basketball player,

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<v Speaker 1>you just want to be a professional person overall from you,

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<v Speaker 1>your habits, your work ethic. And he did that for

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<v Speaker 1>the entire community. Is what he instilled in us about

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<v Speaker 1>just being your best self that you can be. At first,

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<v Speaker 1>Brand might not have believed he was NBA material, but

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<v Speaker 1>over time, as he evolved into a dominant two way

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<v Speaker 1>powerhouse that propelled peak Skill to two state titles, his

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<v Speaker 1>talents became too obvious to overlooks around. Fiser got part

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<v Speaker 1>in the brand is coming into high school, I wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>highly talented or highly recruited or projected to be a

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<v Speaker 1>McDonald's All American or anything like that. So you know,

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<v Speaker 1>my mind and my focus was an education. If I

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<v Speaker 1>can get a scholarship, I could still get a great

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<v Speaker 1>degree and it still afford to get my mom, my

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<v Speaker 1>single mom at home one day, like that was my goal.

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<v Speaker 1>After he turned bro Elton Brand didn't waste any time

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<v Speaker 1>getting his mom that house. She always spoke to me

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<v Speaker 1>about you know, renting versus owning and generational wealth and

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<v Speaker 1>things like that. So for me to be able to

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<v Speaker 1>buy her a new home a rookie year contract signed

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<v Speaker 1>it just you know, it made my day and made

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<v Speaker 1>made all the work that I put in to get

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<v Speaker 1>drafted in to be able to do that for her

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<v Speaker 1>was a special term as in the peakscale area. She

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<v Speaker 1>always wanted to be close to family, you know, that

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<v Speaker 1>was her things. She wanted to be close to the

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<v Speaker 1>family that I was all the way in you know, Chicago,

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<v Speaker 1>then La then back to Philly. So she always wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to be somewhere that she can be close to, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>her sisters and grandkids and nieces and just all of

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<v Speaker 1>her family. That's what she was about. She was about

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<v Speaker 1>the community. Like she didn't to go far from the community.

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<v Speaker 1>It was up to her and she might of state

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<v Speaker 1>in public Housen where we grew up. So she didn't

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<v Speaker 1>want much at all. You know, she wasn't into a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of materialistic things, but you know I wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>do that for her and she ended up happy though.

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<v Speaker 1>On July first, twenty fourteen, Daisy Brand passed away from cancer.

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<v Speaker 1>She had been diagnosed just six weeks earlier. If my

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<v Speaker 1>mom was here today, I think she'd say, uh, you know, honey,

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<v Speaker 1>you gotta win a championship. Let's get it going. Avid

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<v Speaker 1>basketball fan. When I was a player, she rarely missed

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<v Speaker 1>a game home, man away. She flied commercial and make

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<v Speaker 1>it to games on the road. Love basketball, so you

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<v Speaker 1>know she's written for the Sixers and first to get

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<v Speaker 1>a championship. More of Black History Month inspirations coming up. Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>it's Brian Seltzer and here at the seventy six Ers

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<v Speaker 1>podcast Network. We strive to bring you sound content as

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<v Speaker 1>much as we possibly can. Mondays Leave a voicemail and

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<v Speaker 1>listen to your calls two on five zero three seven

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<v Speaker 1>six three seven On mail Bag Mondays with myself and

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<v Speaker 1>Lauren Rosen. Every other Tuesday, it's co Check focusing on

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<v Speaker 1>the Delaware Bluecoats, and every other Thursday, listen to Tom's

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<v Speaker 1>Talks with Tom McGinnis on Fridays. It's the weekly Deep

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<v Speaker 1>Dive with Divine Givens. And we're also really excited to

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<v Speaker 1>five minute update just about every day. All you gotta

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<v Speaker 1>your pods to subscribe or follow. Thanks for listening and

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<v Speaker 1>we'll talk to you soon. Now back to Black History

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<v Speaker 1>Month inspirations. If anything, the story of Elton Brand buying

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<v Speaker 1>his mama house is a helpful anecdote that provides a

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<v Speaker 1>glimpse into Brand's DNA. If he says he's going to

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<v Speaker 1>do something, he's probably going to do it. The same

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<v Speaker 1>thing could be said this past summer, albeit under far

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<v Speaker 1>more public tens and somewhat dramatic circumstances. We'll begin to

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<v Speaker 1>search for a new head coach immediately. I'll also be

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<v Speaker 1>conducting an evaluation of the front office and that infrastructure

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<v Speaker 1>and ways to strength, and that I'll do the same

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<v Speaker 1>thing with the roster. Just because Brand knew what needed

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<v Speaker 1>to be done didn't make it easy change ken and

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<v Speaker 1>will be uncomfortable, but it's necessary. We owe it. I

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<v Speaker 1>owe it to these fans. I went to this city

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<v Speaker 1>to deliver on our goals. If there were any doubts

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<v Speaker 1>about Brand's sincerity about his commitment to keeping his word,

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<v Speaker 1>they should have been put to rest. By the end

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<v Speaker 1>of the seventy six ers off season. Not only did

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<v Speaker 1>he landdock Rivers, the biggest name available on the head

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<v Speaker 1>coach market, he advocated for and helped usher in the

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<v Speaker 1>hiring of Darryl Morey, who Brand would subsequently start reporting

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<v Speaker 1>to How rare is that you know he's told you

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<v Speaker 1>he only cares about winning a title. This proves it right,

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<v Speaker 1>because you know, he's just like, we're gonna do whatever

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<v Speaker 1>it takes. And I just I love that about him.

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<v Speaker 1>And he has such a great feel that you don't

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<v Speaker 1>really get as quickly in the job as he already has. Honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>but in my third year or whatever he's in and

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<v Speaker 1>the job, I was sort of stumbling around like an idiot.

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<v Speaker 1>So so I'm so impressed by him, and the fact

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<v Speaker 1>that he has wanted me here and welcome me has

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<v Speaker 1>been mean so much. Elton's what you hope every player

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<v Speaker 1>is like. Really, you know, we always talk about it

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<v Speaker 1>on the player side. We want players to accept their

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<v Speaker 1>role to make room for the star player to move

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<v Speaker 1>over for winning. But usually in the front office, nobody

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<v Speaker 1>wants to do that. Everyone talks about that, well that's

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<v Speaker 1>what they should do. And you know I've always yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>well you go first, and Elton win first. Elton said,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, to make us better, I have to

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<v Speaker 1>let Darrol come in here and be the president. Eldon

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<v Speaker 1>is what you would want every player to be a

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<v Speaker 1>team player. And it's been a world win. You know, talented,

0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:22.320
<v Speaker 1>you know, exacts and leaders and coaches don't come around

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<v Speaker 1>that often. So you know, and you get an opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>to speak to a doc Rivers and you know, sell

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<v Speaker 1>him on the roster, sell him on the city of Philadelphia.

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<v Speaker 1>When you get a chance to speak to Darl Murray,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, when the top executives over the last fourteen

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen years, to tell them about our city, to sell

0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:44.160
<v Speaker 1>them on our roster and what can happen, and then

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<v Speaker 1>talk about you know, ownership and the focus is on championships.

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<v Speaker 1>So it meant a lot to have the opportunity to

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<v Speaker 1>speak with them and then for them to come it

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<v Speaker 1>means the world. You know, it's it's about winning here,

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<v Speaker 1>and I think the organization is showing that. On the surface,

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<v Speaker 1>the notion of yielding power might seem counterintuitive to personal

0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:06.120
<v Speaker 1>game or advancement Brands. Fabric is cut from the support

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<v Speaker 1>system that surrounded him in his youth. Brand is keenly

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<v Speaker 1>aware that learning is a part of his journey. He's

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<v Speaker 1>always embraced mentorship, regardless of whether he's on the giving

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<v Speaker 1>or receiving end. During his playing career, he established a

0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:23.439
<v Speaker 1>training center back in peak skill that prepared kids for adulthood.

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<v Speaker 1>I still get back, you know, at least every summer

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<v Speaker 1>or every time I get time off and just spend

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<v Speaker 1>time with the youth in the community and try to

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<v Speaker 1>pay it for it and give back. Brand has continued

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<v Speaker 1>to give back since making the leap to the front

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<v Speaker 1>office world by advising local youth throughout the Delaware Valley.

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<v Speaker 1>I think, as you know, an exact, mentoring is very important.

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<v Speaker 1>It's helping to connect the dots, you know, whether it's

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<v Speaker 1>your staff or people in college that want an opportunity.

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<v Speaker 1>They just don't know where to look. So you've been

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<v Speaker 1>through it. You have the relationships, and that's all someone needs.

0:12:56.480 --> 0:12:59.280
<v Speaker 1>Sometime it's just a nudge in the right direction or

0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:01.920
<v Speaker 1>a few words of advice to help them in their career,

0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.440
<v Speaker 1>in their life. Some mentoring is very important, you know,

0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:08.200
<v Speaker 1>to me and the Sixers as an organization. Take for instance,

0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:12.160
<v Speaker 1>this gesture brand made to Matisse Thible last January. Thible

0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:14.559
<v Speaker 1>was a rookie at the time. When I got hurt

0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:16.920
<v Speaker 1>last year and I was out for two weeks. We

0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:20.440
<v Speaker 1>went to I want to say, Houston. Elton was on

0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:22.280
<v Speaker 1>the trip with us, and he hit me up and

0:13:22.320 --> 0:13:23.800
<v Speaker 1>he's like, hey, do you want to do you want

0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:25.240
<v Speaker 1>to get together? And one of these days in the trip,

0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:26.520
<v Speaker 1>I was like, yeah, of course it'd be great. So

0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:29.920
<v Speaker 1>we go and he's takes me to art museum in

0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:33.160
<v Speaker 1>Houston because he knows that, like I'm interested in photography,

0:13:33.240 --> 0:13:36.440
<v Speaker 1>I'm named after a painter. We went to a museum,

0:13:36.679 --> 0:13:38.840
<v Speaker 1>we looked at a lot of artists, and of course

0:13:38.920 --> 0:13:42.440
<v Speaker 1>we looked at some paintings by Matisse. We spent like

0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:45.720
<v Speaker 1>a couple hours just talking hoops, talking art. We talked

0:13:45.760 --> 0:13:49.240
<v Speaker 1>everywhere from Malcolm Gladwell to m Knights Shamalan to his

0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:51.720
<v Speaker 1>time at Wharton. You know, a lot of players have

0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:55.800
<v Speaker 1>different inches. Matis, he's a very bright, you know, young man,

0:13:55.880 --> 0:13:58.760
<v Speaker 1>and he likes art, and I just said, hey, let's

0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:01.240
<v Speaker 1>go to the museum. Let's chef. You know. We walked

0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:04.319
<v Speaker 1>in musem, caught up, talked about his family, looked at

0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:06.480
<v Speaker 1>some art, you know, And ever since we drafted him,

0:14:06.480 --> 0:14:09.000
<v Speaker 1>he's going to enjoy to watch play and enjoy off

0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:10.760
<v Speaker 1>the court. It's a really cool experience just to have,

0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:13.480
<v Speaker 1>I mean, as a rookie, to have the DM kind

0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:15.080
<v Speaker 1>of pouring to me like that, and then also just

0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:17.840
<v Speaker 1>being hurt and the things that come with that mentally,

0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:19.560
<v Speaker 1>and just feel like I'm still a part of everything.

0:14:19.880 --> 0:14:21.840
<v Speaker 1>So just to give him that little boost, you know,

0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:23.920
<v Speaker 1>I know what it was to be a rookie and

0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:26.840
<v Speaker 1>not play or you know, not have things going your way.

0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:29.600
<v Speaker 1>Any effort that I can give, I wanted to do

0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:32.960
<v Speaker 1>it so and I really enjoyed myself. It's pretty cool, special,

0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.920
<v Speaker 1>there's a special moment for me. For some parts, better,

0:14:37.440 --> 0:14:41.480
<v Speaker 1>other parts worse. Brand belongs to a small fraternity. He's

0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:44.880
<v Speaker 1>one of six black general managers in the NBA. There

0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.920
<v Speaker 1>are five general managers of color in the NFL and

0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:52.240
<v Speaker 1>none in Major League Baseball or the NHL. Brand remembers

0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:54.520
<v Speaker 1>how empowering it was to see a black mayor in

0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:58.640
<v Speaker 1>his hometown. He realizes that in his leadership role in basketball,

0:14:59.080 --> 0:15:02.040
<v Speaker 1>he too could help someone believe. I think when you

0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:05.320
<v Speaker 1>see a black person or you know someone that a

0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:08.640
<v Speaker 1>person of color, someone that looks like you or can represent,

0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.320
<v Speaker 1>when you represent in all walks of life, it just

0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:13.720
<v Speaker 1>shows you that you can break barriers that can be

0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.360
<v Speaker 1>you too. There's been a lot of research on that,

0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:19.600
<v Speaker 1>from education to medical to whatever field. When you see

0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:23.040
<v Speaker 1>someone that's doing something that you aspire to be or

0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:26.000
<v Speaker 1>aspired to do, that looks like you, you feel you

0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:29.520
<v Speaker 1>can do it too. With the first half of the

0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:32.520
<v Speaker 1>NBA season drawing to a close, the seventy six ers

0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:35.480
<v Speaker 1>are in a promising place. They hold the top spot

0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:40.200
<v Speaker 1>in the Eastern Conference and their stars are thriving. For brand,

0:15:40.560 --> 0:15:43.720
<v Speaker 1>the focus remains singular, just like it was over the

0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.360
<v Speaker 1>off season when he did his part to usher in

0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.960
<v Speaker 1>significant change that has catalyzed the six or strong start.

0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:52.720
<v Speaker 1>It's amazing start. It's been going well, you know, learning

0:15:52.760 --> 0:15:55.280
<v Speaker 1>a lot, pushing a lot, you know, even through through

0:15:55.280 --> 0:15:57.480
<v Speaker 1>the pandemic and you know a lot of things that

0:15:57.520 --> 0:16:02.600
<v Speaker 1>we're facing. You know, very happy where we are. I

0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:07.840
<v Speaker 1>think my selflessness comes from this experience. You know there's

0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:09.840
<v Speaker 1>times where I was young and I wasn't you know,

0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:11.600
<v Speaker 1>was it more about me? Or where can I get

0:16:11.600 --> 0:16:14.600
<v Speaker 1>out of this situation? So we're learning and being able

0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:17.760
<v Speaker 1>to be with the sixers in this organization. It's the

0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:20.520
<v Speaker 1>mission first, and we want to win championships. You want

0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:24.080
<v Speaker 1>to be a great organization. And then it's the team,

0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:26.240
<v Speaker 1>it's each other, and then it's yourself. So when you

0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:29.080
<v Speaker 1>kind of order it like that, you know, you see

0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:31.600
<v Speaker 1>a lot of success for a lot of different teams,

0:16:31.640 --> 0:16:34.240
<v Speaker 1>a lot of companies. That's the way they win, and

0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:35.800
<v Speaker 1>I want to be a part of that. I just

0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:38.000
<v Speaker 1>want to do give every effort that we can have

0:16:38.120 --> 0:16:44.800
<v Speaker 1>the best organization possible. Black History Month. Inspirations is a

0:16:44.800 --> 0:16:48.840
<v Speaker 1>production of the seventy Sixers podcast Network. Our voiceover artist

0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:53.480
<v Speaker 1>is Nick McCain. Production support from the La Clippers. Music

0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:57.080
<v Speaker 1>courtesy of APM Music. Select information for this story was

0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:00.800
<v Speaker 1>sourced from Sports Illustrated and Peak Skills, African American History,

0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:08.280
<v Speaker 1>Hudson Valley Community's Untold Story. Be sure to go back

0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:11.119
<v Speaker 1>and listen to previous installments in this mini series profiling

0:17:11.200 --> 0:17:13.760
<v Speaker 1>doc Rivers and Danny Green, and be on the lookout

0:17:13.800 --> 0:17:16.280
<v Speaker 1>for our final installment in the Day's Ahead on Mike

0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:16.679
<v Speaker 1>Scott