WEBVTT - KJ Live - Olin Simplis 0:00:01.280 --> 0:00:10.320 This is kJ Live with Chris john Salli and Chris 0:00:10.440 --> 0:00:13.680 is having conversations with influencers in the sports world and 0:00:13.920 --> 0:00:20.720 entertainment in its train Now here's Chris Johnson. You're not 0:00:20.880 --> 0:00:25.520 till then. kJ Live. Today's guest on the show. There's 0:00:25.520 --> 0:00:29.800 a world renowned basketball still specialist that works from the 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:35.360 highest levels of the game. He is a former player, 0:00:35.479 --> 0:00:38.839 he's coached the game, and he is regarded as just 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:42.000 absolutely one of the finest trainers there is. Let's welcome 0:00:42.040 --> 0:00:45.880 in Olan Simplest to the show. Big Olan, what's up, man? 0:00:46.080 --> 0:00:48.360 What's going on? Man? Appreciate you having me, Man, I 0:00:48.400 --> 0:00:50.680 appreciate I appreciate you taking the time out of your 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:52.600 busy schedule. Bro, I know this is We've been trying 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:54.520 to get this done for over a year or about 0:00:54.520 --> 0:00:57.200 a year since I jumped into this, man. So finally, 0:00:57.400 --> 0:00:59.320 finally I got the man, the myth, the legend on 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:02.880 right now. I know, I finally got the invite. No, Man, 0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:05.160 that's what I ain't try that. I didn't try that, Brad, 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:07.880 I didn't try that. But hey, hey, whatever it is, 0:01:08.200 --> 0:01:12.160 you're here now and listen for sure. Listen, man, it's 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:14.120 a it's a hot time of the year n C 0:01:14.280 --> 0:01:16.760 double A March madness. Man, I just kind of wanted 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:19.320 to jump into it. Man, Jules Bernard over to u 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:21.080 C l A. As a player that you worked with. 0:01:21.440 --> 0:01:25.840 He has been outstanding, out ending during the tournament and 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.400 sort of sort of the last part, I just wanted 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:32.000 you to talk about Jules development where he you know, 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:34.840 when you first started working with him, to where he 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:38.760 is now. Um, I mean, Jules has always been a 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:41.000 dynamic player, you know, but when you get to college, 0:01:41.040 --> 0:01:44.280 things change and sometimes you gotta play a role, you know, 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:47.080 because in high school he was do it all and 0:01:47.080 --> 0:01:49.640 then after a couple of years, you now have to 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.200 conform and try to be a star in your role. 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:54.520 And basically I told him, man, you know, our goal 0:01:55.320 --> 0:01:57.400 honestly is to be the best player we can in 0:01:57.440 --> 0:01:59.880 the position he's at right now with u C l A. 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:02.320 But also put him in the best position to when 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:06.480 his opportunity come next level, Um, he can maximize it. 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:09.639 So you know, some guys, some guys get drafted to 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.440 in that top ten area to do everything. Some guys 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:15.560 plug and play, Like right now, Jews, you can plug 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:17.600 and play him anyway. You can catch your shoot he 0:02:17.600 --> 0:02:19.320 can run the point guard if you need, can guard 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:23.240 multiple position. So basically we scale back. You know, when 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:27.320 you get guys, guys in that arena where you know 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:29.160 they were caught upon to do a lot when they 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:32.360 were younger, sometimes it's hard to have that conversation and like, 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:35.400 look right now, let's focus on your shooting. Let's focus 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:38.920 on being the best perimeter shooter we can be. And 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:42.080 then one of three dribbles simplified less as more than 0:02:42.160 --> 0:02:45.359 obviously be a terror on defense UM and then just 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:48.200 evolved from there. So in the past couple years, we've 0:02:48.200 --> 0:02:51.200 just spent a lot of time refining his shot, you know, 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:53.200 and shooting a lot of shots that he takes in 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:55.280 the game, but then also the shots that he'll get 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:58.239 eventually at the next level when his time come. You know, 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:01.920 a lot of corner threes, short drifts, you know, just 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:04.400 playing off learning how to play off stars. You know, 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:07.360 because Jusan is the guy and Hokas is a guy 0:03:07.440 --> 0:03:10.880 that you know, the offense is pretty predicated for UM 0:03:10.960 --> 0:03:13.440 and just you know, fit a role because that what 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:17.680 he's doing translate next level. I personally feel UM and 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:20.359 so I saw man simplifies game and less it's more 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:22.160 and and be a star in that role. You know 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:25.080 a lot of guys getting paid um to be stars, 0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:28.639 you know in their role Josh hard types, Norman power 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.600 types that can do a little bit better everything, tough 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:34.520 nos defenders, and then as they get their opportunity, then 0:03:34.520 --> 0:03:37.200 you evolve your role. But that's who I envisioned him 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:40.320 kind of being like um is those type dudes, and 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:43.520 then just evolved from there somebody else you you work 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:47.440 with on the NBA level, Spencer did what did with he? Uh? 0:03:47.640 --> 0:03:50.520 He's been playing well after the trade of Dallas, Um 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:53.200 kind of found I won't say a new life, but 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:55.680 just another pepper this step. Talk a little bit about 0:03:55.680 --> 0:03:59.280 Spencer man and just his evolution and why how did 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:01.560 you get so that the red dude he's knocking down 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:04.680 all that man that that ain't nothing for him, No, man, 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:07.800 it's it's something he's been doing his entire life. And 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:10.000 I think a lot of it starts, you know, at 0:04:10.000 --> 0:04:13.760 an early age, putting guys in adverse situations. You know, 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:16.160 when I got him at eleven. You know his parents, 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:18.800 we do our best to pull kids and and do 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.400 our best for him and and and give them everything 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:24.280 they want. Spencer was a ladera kid you know, like 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:28.800 nice Lida and very skilled. So I I used to 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:30.640 pluck them, pick him up and take him to the 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:33.480 neighborhood and play and get beat up on so because 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:35.360 I think, if you don't have grit and that type 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:37.680 of confidence, it don't matter how skilled you are. So 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:41.080 it started there. Then he was always doubted, even at 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:43.840 taff You know, eventually cracked the taff Is junior year. 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:49.160 But I remember a sophomore year, um, uh, Mark Jacksonson 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:52.200 checked in. I always forget this kid's name, another guard 0:04:52.200 --> 0:04:54.520 from Loyola. You know, there's recruiting over him, but he 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:56.839 had a monster sophomore into the junior you had to 0:04:56.880 --> 0:04:59.680 play him, and he still wasn't highly recruited. I mean, 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:03.200 he got recruited to a certain level. Um, let's let's 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:04.680 go back a little bit. Then he was placed on 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:08.000 the Pump second team. Um, and he took that team, 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:09.960 and that team ended up being the best team for 0:05:09.960 --> 0:05:13.080 the Pumps. They want Super sixty four. So he's always 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:15.640 been a winner, man, and and he's always carried a 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:18.479 certain chip on his shoulder, and even now you know 0:05:18.560 --> 0:05:22.320 it's there, but he that's just something that's that's happened 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:25.160 from early. You know, that was that was instilled in 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:27.560 him from early. You know, I remember when Kevin O'Neill 0:05:27.640 --> 0:05:31.400 first got the job at USC, he invited a lot 0:05:31.400 --> 0:05:33.679 of guys that was in the basketball you know circle 0:05:33.720 --> 0:05:36.520 to his house. You know, had a cool spread. We 0:05:36.720 --> 0:05:39.800 ate watch the USC football game. Then we started talking basketball. 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:42.560 And that was before social media was what it is now. 0:05:42.640 --> 0:05:44.960 So guys knew I trained Spencer. They just didn't know 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:47.680 to what extent because you didn't see it to a 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:50.080 man man. And I'm not gonna say coaches name because 0:05:50.080 --> 0:05:51.880 I was respectful a lot of coaches, but let's just 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:54.839 say all the top he you coaches and guys in 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:57.920 the business, like Man Taff has a hundred Spencers walking 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:00.320 on campus when they were talking about players. I'm sitting 0:06:00.320 --> 0:06:02.480 there and that's fueling me, fueling me, fueling me. But 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:04.720 that was the type of stuff that he dealt with. 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:07.279 I mean, he was I think he was a fifth 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:09.880 point guardener's class in California. I mean, you had Alexis 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.520 Mori at Long Beach Party. You had the kids that 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:21.760 went to Campbell Hall on Austin McBroom Caesar, Uh yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:24.880 the one that's uh had a very good following Ball 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:27.279 is life, and I forget there was one more guard. 0:06:27.279 --> 0:06:30.040 All them guys got recruited over him, and you know, 0:06:30.320 --> 0:06:32.080 so it was kind of came down to Colorado on 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.679 Harvard Man we went, We went to Colorado. Rest is history, 0:06:34.839 --> 0:06:39.160 you know. So um, but he's always been doubted. He's 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:42.480 always been not in that chip has always been there, 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:46.080 even even this year. You know, he went to Washington. Um, 0:06:46.800 --> 0:06:49.320 you know, got a good contract and I don't know 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:53.159 what happened internally, but people forget. When they started the season, 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:55.040 Washing was one of the top teams in the East. 0:06:55.200 --> 0:06:57.159 And I was early, like the first twelve games or so, 0:06:57.839 --> 0:07:01.040 and he was doing exceptional and and you know, just 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.400 some internal stuff. I can't speak on it. He had, 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:05.880 you know, he really doesn't you know, let me in. 0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:08.400 But he doesn't one thing he doesn't do well. He 0:07:08.440 --> 0:07:12.000 doesn't perform well in those types of environments. He he's 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:14.920 a structure type dude. He can he can freelancing rock. 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:18.440 But you know what I mean, things happened, and I 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:20.480 think it took some of his zeal away, you know 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.240 from playing. So like you know, he got a fresh 0:07:23.280 --> 0:07:26.120 start now. But people think that he was struggling to watch. 0:07:26.240 --> 0:07:27.960 I don't think he was struggle. There was some games 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:30.840 where he just wasn't happy and then played to his level. 0:07:30.840 --> 0:07:33.600 But when Bradley Bill wasn't. I think he averaged eight 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:37.360 for like thirteen games, and even some games when Bradley 0:07:37.440 --> 0:07:39.320 was there he had he had some game winners as well. 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:42.120 He but you know, just always being doubted man, and 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:44.400 he just carries that chip. And he's one of the 0:07:44.520 --> 0:07:47.560 ultimate confident guys. You know that you will meet as well, 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:52.240 so you know, carring the chip and confidence, you know ship. Yeah, 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:55.240 and you had you know, one thing I say about you, 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:57.960 it's funny, you know you you always had that chip 0:07:58.000 --> 0:08:01.360 as a player, uh, even as a as a as 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:04.680 as a trainer. Man, What when did you get started 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:07.840 as far as working with players and when did you 0:08:07.880 --> 0:08:11.440 decide you wanted to be a skills guy? Man? When 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:13.880 I was sixteen years old? Oh man, I wouldn't say skills. 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:16.280 I want to be a coach, a mentor. I was 0:08:16.400 --> 0:08:19.239 six team bro and and me and my high school 0:08:19.280 --> 0:08:22.520 coach got into a situation my senior year and I 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:25.200 walked off the bench, sat in the stands and needless 0:08:25.240 --> 0:08:28.040 to say, you know, everybody that was recruiting me turn 0:08:28.160 --> 0:08:30.920 their back. It's not like now where you have an 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:34.080 opportunity to redeem itself because social media, like, you know, 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:35.880 they come out to the West Coast. You know, when 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.360 you start to say, you know there's an East Coast bias, 0:08:38.440 --> 0:08:40.240 the scouts and something don't come out here is often. 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:43.040 So you know, guys come out here. And I happen 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:45.800 to walk off the bench in a big game and 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:48.160 everyone was pretty much there and that was it. I 0:08:48.240 --> 0:08:50.000 just said, man, I want to do someone. My time 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.000 is done. I don't know it to be cut so short. 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:56.200 Um to take the young old and under his wing 0:08:56.320 --> 0:09:00.320 and teach him, you know, single mother, teach him, you know, 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:03.000 the dudes and don'ts and how to deal with certain things, 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:05.000 because man, no one can tell me anything. When I 0:09:05.000 --> 0:09:07.319 was younger, I was a hothhead um. But a lot 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:10.200 of that stem from everything I got I earned. You know, 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:12.199 I didn't do AU. I didn't know what AU was. 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:14.520 You know. I'm a kid from Belize and my mother, 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:17.040 you know, moved, We moved from different parts of the 0:09:17.080 --> 0:09:19.400 cities as her job got better, and I was just 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:21.240 a park kid. I just happened to play in some 0:09:21.320 --> 0:09:24.400 of the most competitive parts. And you know, some of 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:27.400 my men, like basketball guys. I played against league dudes, 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:31.160 you know, Sean Higgins, Chris Mills, dudes like that, um, 0:09:31.200 --> 0:09:33.040 you know. And then we the park I grew at 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:35.680 the year that I finally played high school, my junior year, 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:38.959 like the fifteen All City Guys twelve over was from 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:42.240 the park that I was at. So just what park 0:09:42.400 --> 0:09:47.960 was Robertson Park? Yeah for sure, for sure? Yeah, yeah, 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:50.280 I mean, you know Tina Thompsons and robbers Park, Nick 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.880 Young from Robertson Park, Kevin Ollie that played the Crunchhaw 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:56.200 for years, Robinson Park, Bert Harris, I mean you know we, 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:58.560 I mean we Marlon Gardnett, we can go down, you know, 0:09:58.720 --> 0:10:02.080 like like that small, little little park man and we 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:05.200 just used to hoop, you know. But that's that's where 0:10:05.240 --> 0:10:07.400 that that that that toughness and that ship come from. 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:09.800 And then when we played there was no When I 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:11.679 did play some club here and there with like some 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:14.480 local teams that I don't remember, twel of you thirteen 0:10:14.480 --> 0:10:17.680 youth fortune if you're in elementary and that starts second grade, 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:19.760 you're playing against sixth grades when you're in middle school, 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:22.280 seventh you play it because what's the ninth? Back then? Ninth? 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:25.120 So you know, ship we played against men when we 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:29.200 were younger. And like I said, man, seeing you know, 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:32.480 not having a dad, I think subconsciously because you know, 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:35.040 I saw you and you with your pops. Like a 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:37.160 lot of people give Ball a lot of love, which 0:10:37.200 --> 0:10:39.840 is great, but he wasn't the first dad to be 0:10:39.920 --> 0:10:42.640 involved with his kids. Now, like when I Charles abandoned, 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.720 dad was around, Toby barely, dad was around. Your dad 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:48.920 was around. You know, I didn't grow up with the holidays. 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:51.280 But I'm seeing this, you know what I'm saying, And 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:53.480 I'm like, I'm here. I gotta do my own ship. 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:56.080 Bert Harris's dad was around, said every dude that was 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:59.760 killing when I played, dad was around. So you know, 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:04.160 may not have been as vocal and outspoken as the 0:11:04.200 --> 0:11:07.320 ball dad, but y'all dad's was around, and and that's huge, 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:10.000 you know. So and I carried that chip man. I 0:11:10.040 --> 0:11:12.840 found out late. I didn't found out a self assessed 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:15.760 you know, because even well into my thirties, even after 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.520 I was done playing, man, it's I just had this 0:11:18.520 --> 0:11:21.360 this anger, bro and and not and I'm not knocking 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:23.800 my mother. She did a great fucking job. She raised 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:26.120 a kid that I had a son at twenty. That's why, 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:27.960 that's why I really stopped playing. You know. I just 0:11:27.960 --> 0:11:29.760 went to school at that point to get a degree, 0:11:29.800 --> 0:11:31.920 and I played, but I didn't work out in the 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:34.160 summers because at to work. You know, I'm a fucking 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:38.480 college kid playing ball with with a son. Um. But 0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:40.520 my mother did a great job. She got my my 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.840 younger brother, Ship Stanford graduate doing well, you know, an 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:47.800 investment investmentary, and I I called myself a success, you know, 0:11:47.880 --> 0:11:51.240 and I making millions. No, but Ship, I coach kids. 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.120 Ment I'm helping other motherckers make millions. Um, you know. 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:56.920 So my mother did great. But I think it was 0:11:56.960 --> 0:12:00.240 just because I grew up in that basketball environment and 0:12:00.280 --> 0:12:02.120 I just used to see like, damn, I don't have it. 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:03.839 I don't have that uncle. You know. I had eight 0:12:03.840 --> 0:12:07.800 outs on, no uncles, you know. So the basketball actually 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:10.400 was what taught me life, how to be on time, 0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:12.160 how to be a man, how to be accountable, how 0:12:12.200 --> 0:12:15.280 to work hard, how to so basketball that roundball was 0:12:15.360 --> 0:12:17.720 my dad. So I was real passionate about that motherfucker. 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:20.319 So anybody to try to take it away from me 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:24.600 or say something slick. You know it got it, got it, 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:27.880 got weird. So so I knew it. You know. Back 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:30.160 to your original question, man, I knew as six team 0:12:30.200 --> 0:12:33.600 man when that happened, fume, and then ship happened. I 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:36.200 came back, finished my senior year, but it wasn't you 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:38.960 know what it is? What it is, and had my 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.720 son after my freshman year of juko and basketball at 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:45.800 that point was a tool. But I'm passionate about this 0:12:45.800 --> 0:12:48.880 ship bro still you know, no, no, no doubt. Man. 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:52.200 But was there somebody whole back then, like in your 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:55.080 in your old head, or maybe somebody that you respected 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:57.560 when you were sixteen that kind of tried to talk 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:00.640 sense into you and tried to be divorceing? Is who 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:05.000 was that? Who was that? Jeff Perry Um, he ran 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:08.400 this program called West Side Blazers, Him and Bennie him 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:10.360 and Benny Devin coord That's when I started playing. Hey, 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:13.120 That's how I got to Palisades because Jeff Perry and 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.360 Coach Polino were high school teammates in Hamilton's. So Jeff 0:13:16.440 --> 0:13:18.800 saw me at Robertson Park was like, man, can play 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:22.400 with you know can play with my squad. I show up, Man, 0:13:22.440 --> 0:13:25.600 it's me this dude day Ryn, you know, big day Ryn, 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:31.680 and went to Washington. Yeah. And then another car was 0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:35.920 a small little a youth team man going through going 0:13:35.960 --> 0:13:38.320 through cats, you know. So like I played a youth 0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:40.679 for a little bit, but it wasn't a national let 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:43.199 me tell you how ignorant I was. But I got 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:45.679 invited at abc D camp. I didn't go. I was like, man, 0:13:45.760 --> 0:13:47.480 I want to work out. I'm gonna stay. Like I 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.839 didn't know really understood what that was, you know what 0:13:50.920 --> 0:13:53.560 I'm saying. So it's like I went to Michigan's. Um. 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:57.080 Michigan invited me down to do their like elite camp 0:13:57.160 --> 0:14:01.360 was me, Charlie Miller, Trajan Langdon, a young Robert Trailer 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:03.679 and then they had this juno all American. So is 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:06.319 that they camp and then they would keep us us 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:08.679 five to stay to stay at night and play against 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:11.280 Sea Webb and them. But that was that was the 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:13.160 only thing I actually did as far as camp, I 0:14:13.160 --> 0:14:16.080 did Superstar did I did um the one in Santa 0:14:16.080 --> 0:14:19.440 Barbara Superstar camp. I think it's Superstar toward that, But 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.880 the only thing I did was Michigan, you know, because 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:25.400 I was a big like Sean Higgins was the neighborhood kids. 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:27.400 So that's where I wanted to go, and that's where 0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:29.480 I said I was going, and you know, things happened 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:33.000 and it is what it is. So yeah, man, not 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:35.320 Jeff Perry. Man. Jeff Perry was a good dude. But Jeff, 0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:37.960 you know, I had his life, you know, um ship. 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:39.840 When I moved out the neighborhood, you know, I moved 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:42.200 to the West Side. We wasn't as in touch, but 0:14:42.520 --> 0:14:44.440 he would come to games and stuff a little bit. 0:14:44.480 --> 0:14:48.160 But my eighth grade, ninth grade, because ninth grade was 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.800 still middle school. Then for me, you know, he he 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:53.400 was that guy, was that guy, and you went on 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:57.920 and then you ended up playing for Jeff's high school teammate, 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:02.240 James Polino at Palisades. You all city, right, yeah? You 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:06.520 all all city there? Then then did you have scholarship 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:09.080 offers coming out or who was recruiting you? Right? Did 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:11.600 that night? And I was now after my so only 0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:14.480 played a year and a half of high schoolball. Junior year. 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:16.880 My junior year was my first year plan high schoolball, 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:18.520 and every time I stepped on the court, my first 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:21.760 game was against the morning side five, you know, thirty plus. 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:24.400 Then I turned around. You know, I'm playing State with 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:28.680 State's garden, with States Guarden. You stay stay split my lip. 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.120 He went through my lip. But back then we still play, 0:15:33.480 --> 0:15:35.720 you know, like he, I didn't know who these dudes. 0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:37.160 I didn't know none of the names. But I didn't 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:40.440 know none of that. I stepped on the court, coach 0:15:40.480 --> 0:15:43.840 that this is such a such played Charles O'Bannon multiple times. 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:48.480 You know. In the city, Uh, y'all always loaded three 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:51.400 four or five Division one guys, even the low level 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.320 city teams. Not low level it was four A three 0:15:54.480 --> 0:15:58.400 Back then, Hamilton's had three three four Division one, University 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:01.360 three four Division one venice high like ven as. I 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:04.040 had hid that played the wing that played football for 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:08.120 you guys, Um Larry McGowan. I'm I'm hoping I'm remember 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:12.240 some of these names. But Fairfax, wester Fairfax, west Chester, 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:15.400 Manuel was our league. You don't average twenty twelve and 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:18.120 six and no one's looking at you now. I was 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:20.280 getting I was getting heavily recruited. You know, I wasn't 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:23.640 a national name. I didn't have and I think, if 0:16:23.640 --> 0:16:25.040 I want to a B c D. It would have 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:27.920 changed the name when it became national. I was under 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:29.880 the radar recruit getting recruited by a lot of guys. 0:16:30.040 --> 0:16:31.880 And that's what I'm saying. When I walked off the bench, 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.760 it was it was putting the papers olden like when 0:16:35.760 --> 0:16:38.200 I came back for that tournament. Then I quit and 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:40.280 I came back like a month later when the league started, 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:44.160 but Olan benched for disciplinary actions. You know, I ain't 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:47.480 no one recruiting a six to guard man that perceived 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:50.280 to have a crazy attitude, you know, and they don't 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:52.480 get eyes on you as consistently as they do now. 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:55.400 So you know, it is what it is. It is, 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:57.840 It is it Life takes us. You know, we gotta 0:16:57.880 --> 0:17:00.960 take different paths, you know what I'm saying. So and 0:17:01.040 --> 0:17:04.280 so after high school and you get to around twenty 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:08.879 and you have Khalil right, talk about just your thought 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:11.959 process and just kind of growing up kind of fast 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:14.639 being a man. I mean, I had a kid when 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:17.639 I was with twenty one, so I get how that is. 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:20.320 When you have this idea of how your life wants 0:17:20.359 --> 0:17:22.040 to you want your life to play out, and then 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:23.959 all of a sudden you have something to deal with 0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:30.120 how did you rebound? Uh respond to that? Hey, man, Look, 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:33.440 you know a lot of people have excuses. Brother, You know, Man, 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:35.000 I didn't have a dad, so there's a lot of 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:37.320 guys I didn't take care of the kids. You know 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:41.879 that Man Khalil changed my life. You know, the moment 0:17:42.600 --> 0:17:45.960 my lady at the time was pregnant, it was full 0:17:45.960 --> 0:17:48.919 speed ahead, you know, three sixty instantly, you know, because 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:52.000 I had I had a gap, a gap here. You know, 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:55.800 I didn't go to school because like off basketball, I 0:17:55.840 --> 0:17:57.960 wasn't running the streets, but I was kind of running 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:00.080 the streets a little bit, you know, just doing stupid it. 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:04.200 You know we do growing up. Um Man Khalil save 0:18:04.320 --> 0:18:08.159 my life. You know. Uh so from day one, you know, ship, 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:12.679 I got back in school part time. Um raising was 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:15.119 working a couple of jobs. And when he got about 0:18:15.240 --> 0:18:18.919 one twish. I'm trying to remember the time. You know, 0:18:19.040 --> 0:18:20.879 a good friend of mine, Will that used to be 0:18:20.920 --> 0:18:24.680 the coach, the girls coach at Dorsey for years. He 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.199 went over the trade teking was assistant said, man, come on, 0:18:27.600 --> 0:18:30.000 we got a spot for you. You know, they worked 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:32.280 with me. I couldn't make every practices because that job, 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:36.159 you know, I've gotten shape. It was all state j 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:39.080 C U C Riverside and some other schools recruited me. 0:18:39.760 --> 0:18:42.359 Um so I chose U C Riverside because that add 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:44.359 to live in More Valley could help me with my kids. 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:46.320 So you know, that was it. You know, I got 0:18:46.359 --> 0:18:48.280 back in school. Man, just really a good a degree, 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:51.000 you know. And and after that, I played for my 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:54.240 national team. I did that a couple of summers, um 0:18:55.119 --> 0:18:57.359 I got. I got a South America deal out of 0:18:57.440 --> 0:18:59.840 that because we played in Venezuelan. But then it was 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:01.560 I don't want to be away from my son, so 0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:03.840 I stopped really hooping. Man, Like twenty three, it was 0:19:03.960 --> 0:19:08.560 like like yeah, I mean even two months was too 0:19:08.640 --> 0:19:11.080 long to three months short if it was short stints. 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:14.239 And I didn't even playing the Drew League that much. Man, 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:19.359 I probably played ten games. I'd make a see. But 0:19:19.840 --> 0:19:22.720 you know, because on the weekends I started coaching. I 0:19:22.880 --> 0:19:26.760 was working coaching, developed camps, clinics, and you know the 0:19:26.880 --> 0:19:28.800 rest is history. My weekends was gone and during the 0:19:28.840 --> 0:19:33.040 week I'm with my kids. So being a dad twenty 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:36.800 fully committed, and you know, and you know, obviously my 0:19:36.880 --> 0:19:39.480 mother helped me out, and what have you but you know, 0:19:39.680 --> 0:19:41.359 she didn't bail me out. She helped me out, and 0:19:41.800 --> 0:19:43.800 I just you know, it just rolled from there and 0:19:44.400 --> 0:19:45.920 it's been the best thing that ever happened to me, 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:49.720