WEBVTT - How Basketball Legend Candace Parker is Shaping the Game 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:08.680 Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News. 0:00:13.000 --> 0:00:16.239 I'm Jason Kelly. I'm Alex Rodriguez, and welcome to the deal. 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:20.240 On this episode, Candace Parker. All right, Alex, we are 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:24.800 catching Candace at an amazing moment in her career. She's 0:00:24.840 --> 0:00:28.960 stopped playing She's moved on to being a business person 0:00:29.520 --> 0:00:33.240 full stop. Reminds me a little bit in her ambition 0:00:33.800 --> 0:00:35.880 of somebody I know who used to play bass. 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:38.839 You know, I really connected with her. I felt like, 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:41.159 very much like I was looking in the mirror a 0:00:41.200 --> 0:00:44.120 little bit. She has such a great vision, a clear, 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:47.240 big vision. But she's also a media star. I believe 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:50.240 she'll be a future owner in the NBA and WNBA. 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:53.279 She has a wonderful relationship with Adidas where they made 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:56.920 her the president of basketball for women's basketball. And if 0:00:56.960 --> 0:00:59.120 she was a stock, Jason, I would buy as much 0:00:59.120 --> 0:00:59.600 as I can. 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:03.240 This is a good one. Folks. Up next, Candas Parker, 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:17.560 all right, please introduce yourself. 0:01:18.240 --> 0:01:21.000 I'm Cannas Parker, so happy to join you all. 0:01:21.319 --> 0:01:23.640 And how would you describe what you're doing these days? 0:01:24.440 --> 0:01:26.720 I'm more outside the lines, I would say. 0:01:26.920 --> 0:01:29.440 I think my whole goal is to continue to grow 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:32.880 the game of women's basketball and women's sports in general, 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:38.120 and so was named to dida's women's basketball president recently 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:41.720 this year, just kind of like the business of sports, 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:45.560 if you will. And then also doing a little broadcasting 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:48.480 with the guys on TNT in the NBA. 0:01:48.960 --> 0:01:51.760 Early in your career, you know, you grew up in Illinois, 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:56.800 you end up at University of Tennessee, which is already 0:01:57.200 --> 0:01:59.480 iconic at that moment when good are you made it? 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:02.320 More so a couple of national championships you played for 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:06.440 Pat Summit. We talk a lot about coaches being influential. 0:02:06.520 --> 0:02:10.560 I mean, Alex talks all the time about how pivotal 0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:14.200 that was for him. When you think about the pantheon 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:18.720 of coaches Pat Summit is there across all sports. Tell 0:02:18.760 --> 0:02:21.640 us about meeting her and what convinced you to go 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:25.440 to Tennessee, because that clearly is when you talk about deals, 0:02:25.520 --> 0:02:29.880 like making that deal really changes the trajectory of your career. 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:33.040 Well, what's crazy was, Yeah, it was in between the lines. 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.080 You know, obviously I wanted to play basketball. I didn't 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:38.920 go to Tennessee to like be a writer, like. I 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:41.760 went there with the mindset that I wanted to play basketball. 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:45.080 As a career. She was landing from speaking to the 0:02:45.120 --> 0:02:48.600 CIA when I flew in for an unofficial visit, Like 0:02:48.680 --> 0:02:51.160 let that set in, and I remember my dad just 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:56.000 kind of like sitting back in his chair. And my 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:59.720 dad is the one that is the visionary and the 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:01.639 like he's the one that was like, you're six or four, 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:03.520 but you're still going to be able to dribble, shoot, pass. 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:06.000 We're not going to stand you by the basket. And 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:08.280 in other ways, I think it was the same. He 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:10.480 wanted someone that would teach me not just basketball and 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:13.400 the x's and o's, but about like after the ball 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:17.760 stops bouncing and those lessons that you learn now are 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.840 going to be applied later. And Coach Summit was the 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:23.280 perfect example for that. Like I wanted to be a 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:27.520 mom and to watch her just balance being a mom 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:29.880 as well as being one of the best, if not 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:34.079 the best coach ever and win national championships, her as 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.800 a human, growing the game of women's basketball when she 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:39.320 was at the forefront of Title nine before it was popular. 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:42.600 So just being able to like see all of that 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:45.040 at a young age and then now be able to 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:48.040 learn those lessons through that, I think that's what got 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:49.880 and sold myself and my parents. 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:52.280 I get really nerdy about this, like Jason said, like 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.440 because my father left at the age of ten, Mentors 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:59.800 and coaches kind of you know, formulated my life really 0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:03.680 and really made such a big impression and inspiration in 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:06.520 my life. But specifics, is there one or two things 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:08.760 you can share because we didn't play for Coach Summit 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:12.360 that really motivated you that to this day that you 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:13.320 still carry with you. 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:18.080 One hundred percent. The biggest thing with Coach Summitt is 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.239 she was the same person when she was hanging banners 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:25.960 as when she was going through rough patches. And you know, 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:29.960 she has a definite dozen principles that she would give 0:04:30.000 --> 0:04:32.479 all of us when we first arrived at Tennessee, and 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:34.279 she would check back in with us every year, and 0:04:34.279 --> 0:04:36.920 every year she would assigned a different definite dozen. Well 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:38.920 I got the same one every year. It was handle 0:04:38.920 --> 0:04:41.480 success as you handle failure. And it was the opposite 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:43.520 of what you think. I think I beat myself up 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.320 when I miss a shot or when I'm not successful 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.200 or when I lose a game. But it was like 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:50.719 you move on real quick when you succeed. And so 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:53.120 it was like these lessons every single year. I would 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:55.839 come back and get different lessons from things that I 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:59.279 observed about her. But Coach Summit just had a presence. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:03.159 I think she'd man did greatness and respect, but she 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:05.240 was one of the best listeners, and I think that's 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:09.240 what set me up a little bit because the expectation 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:11.320 where was all coaches were like that because I played 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:14.239 for my dad, my high school coach, and Pat Summit, 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:17.000 so the expectation was like this is how it was, 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:19.240 but wasn't. She would come to time out and be like, Parker, 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:19.800 what do you think? 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:23.120 Right? This coach is asking me what I think? 0:05:23.640 --> 0:05:25.600 And then sometimes we would do what I would say, 0:05:25.720 --> 0:05:28.159 or sometimes we wouldn't. But the times we would do 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:30.760 it or not do it, I would still feel ownership 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:34.440 and feel heard. That's what separates her is she was 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:37.600 one of the best listeners and would really take what 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:39.520 you said into account. 0:05:39.839 --> 0:05:42.200 Talk to us about the game of basketball at that 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:46.000 level at that moment, because that was when if you 0:05:46.000 --> 0:05:47.840 were coming up, that was when you were going to 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:51.240 be the most popular. So what was it like in 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:55.359 that era? What do you remember most distinctly about those days? 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:59.000 It was before all the Instagram and Facebook, so I 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:00.640 look at that as like the good old days a 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.039 little bit. Playing basketball at that time, it was like 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:06.200 the intimate you watch in television or you're at the game, 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:09.080 and that's how you kinda were able to be a 0:06:09.080 --> 0:06:10.200 part of what we were doing. 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:13.360 But I will say I think was Diana. 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:14.880 Tarasi said to me, and this is when we played 0:06:14.920 --> 0:06:17.840 together in Russia. She said, your heyday is when you're 0:06:17.839 --> 0:06:20.520 playing in college and then people slowly but surely forget 0:06:20.520 --> 0:06:23.039 about you as you progress in the WNBA. And I 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:25.440 just thought it was so weird because it's like opposite 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:29.080 for the men. We were winning national championships. We were 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:30.720 rock stars on the road. I mean we sold out 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:34.560 arenas and we had the highest attendance at home games, 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:36.920 and I mean playing in front of twenty four thousand 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:40.919 screaming fans at Thompson Bowling Arena in Knoxville on a 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:46.160 random Sunday against Vanderbilt or against Yukon on national television 0:06:46.160 --> 0:06:48.840 with that rivalry, and I think it set the stage 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:53.520 for solidifying that women's basketball was special. But it also 0:06:53.680 --> 0:06:56.520 was like, this is what we're capable of if it's 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.760 properly invested in. And I think that was the whole separation. 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:01.960 I don't think it was the talent. I think it 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.560 was the proper investment that we needed within the WNBA. 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:07.480 And when you were in college and you're playing in 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:10.360 front of sold out crowds and you guys were rock stars, 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:14.840 did Candice Parker already start thinking about life after WNBA 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:17.320 and being a rock star in the world of business 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:20.240 and where you are today? How far back do you 0:07:20.280 --> 0:07:22.200 go back to visualizing the future? 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:26.160 Well, for I would say a semester and a half 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:29.160 I was a finance major because I really wanted to 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.600 do that, and then coach Summit wouldn't change practice and 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:34.080 I needed a pre wreck and I was like, I'm 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:36.080 not staying here another year and a half for finance. 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:40.160 But yeah, I always wanted to do and be a 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:44.640 part of and learn outside of basketball, And you know, 0:07:44.680 --> 0:07:49.760 that includes asking questions. I think immediately in broadcasting, just learning, 0:07:50.480 --> 0:07:52.920 you know, learning about media, learning how to communicate, learning 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:55.520 how to be behind the camera and what goes on 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:58.760 and what you know, what the expectations are, but also 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:02.440 just asking why you know and when you're walking into 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:05.720 meetings you sign a business manager finance team like learning 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.120 to ask questions. I think was my end to a 0:08:09.160 --> 0:08:11.240 lot of different things. And I learned that early on 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:15.160 in college where people like answering questions. You know, I 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:17.160 think a lot of people are scared to ask them, 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:20.600 but if you ask, usually there's a relationship that's developed. 0:08:20.760 --> 0:08:23.560 Questions are answered, you know, and you learn more. And 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:27.160 so I think that was kind of my Okay, the 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:30.360 more questions I asked, the more lanes are going to open. 0:08:30.800 --> 0:08:32.320 And so that's kind of what I did early on. 0:08:32.559 --> 0:08:34.400 Where does that come from? Do you think? Because there 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:36.840 are a lot of people in your shoes who had 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:40.080 a big content, especially given the level of fame that 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:42.480 you're achieving at the college level, like this is awesome. 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.400 I'm just going to do this as long as I can. 0:08:45.520 --> 0:08:50.320 What gave you that need? It sounds like to look 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:52.600 around the corner and to think about what was next? 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:55.240 Is that from growing up? Like where does that come from? 0:08:55.320 --> 0:08:57.520 I'm like the annoying little sister that I always asked 0:08:57.559 --> 0:08:59.800 why I have two older brothers there eight and eleven 0:08:59.840 --> 0:09:03.120 years older than me, my heroes. I always ask why, 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:05.680 and we always debated, And so I think that was 0:09:05.720 --> 0:09:07.760 also people are like, how do you sit at the 0:09:07.800 --> 0:09:10.680 desk with Chuck and Shack and Kenny and d Wade 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.000 and you know, Jamal and all of those guys, how 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:14.800 do you sit there? And I'm like, that was every 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:17.680 Saturday and Sunday in our house, right, And so I 0:09:17.679 --> 0:09:21.240 think it just comes from wanting to ask. I think, 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:25.599 being okay, being embarrassed at times if people are like, 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:27.640 how does she not know this? But a lot of 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:30.600 times I learned when I'm asking questions people might not 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:32.760 want to ask that they didn't know the answer either, 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:36.280 And so like I don't know that came from being 0:09:36.280 --> 0:09:38.360 on team sports as well, Like I would raise my 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:40.080 hand and be like, I don't understand the scout or 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:42.880 I don't understand the defensive coverage, and so it just 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:45.720 kind of became a habit of just wanting to know 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:46.640 and wanting to know more. 0:09:47.600 --> 0:09:51.480 And given what you said, and Diana Tarossi's observation was 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:53.880 exactly right at that moment, like this this is it, 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:56.400 like or at least this is this is the peak, 0:09:57.080 --> 0:10:00.280 given that what are the decisions or how do you 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:02.680 make the decisions coming out of college as to what's 0:10:02.720 --> 0:10:03.520 going to happen. 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:08.560 Next when you're young, and especially I had my daughter 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:12.040 after my first season in the WNBA. I think you're 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:16.720 automatically thinking about your brand and getting better at your sport, 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:19.559 but you're also thinking about your finances and making sure 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:21.079 that you can take care of your family the best 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:23.320 way you can. I was fortunate to be able to 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:27.000 have long standing partners Adidas, I've been with sixteen years 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:28.760 of my career, Gatorade. I mean, you go down the line, 0:10:28.800 --> 0:10:35.119 Karmat like, I've been blessed to have the ability to 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:38.880 do other things outside of the lines, but overseas was 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:44.080 forefront because that was the way that you could take 0:10:44.080 --> 0:10:46.840 care of your family at a different level, and that 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:51.080 was the sacrifice, but it was also a foresight of like, Okay, 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:53.000 later on, I'm able to do the things that I 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:55.680 want to do. I just have to, you know, kind 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:58.120 of grind right now. And so that coming out was like, 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:02.040 you play in the WBA, that was a summer job. Yes, 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:04.679 the endorsements came for that, and there was money made 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:07.520 off of endorsements and things like that, but direct WNBA, 0:11:07.600 --> 0:11:09.440 I mean you look at my rookie salary. I think 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:12.320 it was like fifty six fifty seven thousand dollars. And 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:14.360 as a kid, you always dream of going to the WNBA, 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:16.960 and I remember telling kids like, no, you s stream 0:11:17.000 --> 0:11:19.720 to go overseas, Like, right, this is you know, that's 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:21.360 that's actually the dream. That's how you take care of 0:11:21.440 --> 0:11:21.880 your family. 0:11:22.520 --> 0:11:24.400 I don't want to get too far away from this 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:28.880 idea of what coming into the pros was like. And 0:11:29.080 --> 0:11:30.640 I'm going to turn this on you for a second. 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:34.800 I mean, can you imagine if you're you're getting drafted, 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:38.080 so you got this contract with the Mariners, but the 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:40.280 Mariners are like, yeah, we're gonna give you a few bucks, 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:43.760 but you actually need to go to Japan and play there. 0:11:43.880 --> 0:11:46.760 I mean that, I mean that would be wild, that 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:50.120 would be wild. Yeah. Did it feel wild? I mean 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:53.040 or did it just feel like this is this is 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:53.559 what you do. 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:59.480 At the time, all of us were saying that we 0:11:59.600 --> 0:12:01.400 hope at some point in time we don't have to 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:05.480 go overseas, but I think you go where the money is. 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:08.920 And it was just you know, the ability to take 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:12.080 care of my family. And over there, I played for 0:12:12.160 --> 0:12:14.560 one of the best clubs in Russia. We had chefs, 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:20.480 we had drivers, we flew private, amazing apartments, and so 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:22.920 it was like, yes, it was a sacrifice, but you 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:26.000 were also being I was able to capitalize on the 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:28.280 things that I was missing in the league, like the 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:30.880 things we didn't have, and it was just unfortunate that 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:34.280 we had to go thousands of miles away to actually 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:38.400 get you know, equitable pay and to be taken care of, 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:39.840 you know, like we should. 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:43.640 Yeah. And by the way, also pointing out, you're in 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:46.240 the WNBA. You're both the Rookie of the Year and 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:50.400 the MVP. So you're not You're not a scrub player. 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:54.719 You are there. You're literally the best player. And this 0:12:54.800 --> 0:12:59.079 is the economics of the situation. So fast forwarding just 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:03.440 for a minute, do you have some measure of cognitive 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:06.079 dissonance then looking at where the w is now and 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:08.520 thinking about what it was not that long ago. You're 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:10.360 not You're not an old person. 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:11.960 Thank you, thank you so much. 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:14.079 How do you process that? 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:17.400 Well, I'm pissed that they started chartering the year I retired. 0:13:17.520 --> 0:13:18.439 I'm not gonna lie. 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:20.840 Because our back to backs used to be we would 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:23.000 play and then we'd go to sleep, and we'd wake 0:13:23.080 --> 0:13:24.880 up to take the six am flight, and then we 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:28.400 still play the next day. Yeah, so you know, it 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:30.160 makes me a little angry because it would have been 0:13:30.240 --> 0:13:32.480 nice to, you know, for your body to kind of catch. 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:33.080 That charter flight. 0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:35.480 But I mean, I feel like all of us feel 0:13:35.480 --> 0:13:39.000 a responsibility and a part of the growth that's happening 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:42.280 right now. I mean, the league was hard for so 0:13:42.320 --> 0:13:44.640 many years, and that's what I said when I retired, 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:48.520 I hope that it's not so hard for the next 0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:54.160 so difficult. I wanted to get better, but finding a gem. 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:56.079 That's open, that can be open. 0:13:56.480 --> 0:13:58.559 It was so hard out in LA and I lived 0:13:58.600 --> 0:14:01.360 out here because we didn't have a practice. So more 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:05.080 so I'm mad because I'm thinking of how much better 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:06.800 I could have been if I had an off season, 0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:08.719 if I didn't have to go overseas, and I could 0:14:08.760 --> 0:14:10.800 have put weight on, and I could have bulked up 0:14:10.840 --> 0:14:12.480 in the weight room and focused on what I wanted 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.200 to improve on. But I also look at the doors 0:14:15.200 --> 0:14:18.199 that are opening now and where the sport is. And 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:21.040 you know, I play with a lot of angry old heads, 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:23.520 is what we call them. I work with a lot 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:25.040 of angry old heads. I don't want to be the 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:27.000 angry old heads. So I'm not going to be, you know, 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:31.080 shack coming in like we all, you know, man up. 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:31.960 I'm not gonna be back. 0:14:32.360 --> 0:14:34.040 I'm going to be the person that's like, I'm happy 0:14:34.040 --> 0:14:36.520 where it's at. But man, like if I would at 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:39.920 Nil and kind of you know, you got to think 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:43.440 about what if occasionally, and but I'm happy for the 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:45.320 doors that are open right now, and I hope to 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:48.320 be a part of the process of continuing to open 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:48.880 those doors. 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:51.200 What do you make of Nil, I mean, you've lived 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:53.000 a very different existence. 0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:58.120 Is extremely Papa John's for for pregame meals and trying 0:14:58.160 --> 0:14:58.720 to figure it out. 0:14:58.840 --> 0:15:00.840 Yeah, like they couldn't feed us when I was there. 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:01.920 It was illegal. You couldn't. 0:15:02.040 --> 0:15:09.040 You couldn't feed us, Building number three Jerseys, you know, 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:12.000 walking around. But I think that this is an exciting 0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:15.960 landscape because really athletes are brands, and to be able 0:15:16.000 --> 0:15:19.480 to see individuals like Caleb Williams that are actually capitalizing 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:23.120 on opening up private equity firms and you know, fresh 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:27.280 out of college, investing in acquiring equity in something at 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:30.320 a young age, I think that that's where you really 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:34.880 see generational not just wealth, but change. And so for 0:15:34.920 --> 0:15:38.400 so long, I think we've idolized you know, rock stars, 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:43.040 movie stars, all that. Now it's it's athletes, it's athletes 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:46.520 like it's athletes with some of the biggest following on Instagram, 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:49.040 and so it's I think it has a lot to 0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:51.720 do with why the NCAA knew that they had to 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:55.400 allow NIL inside. Now it's a while while West and 0:15:55.440 --> 0:15:56.760 I think there's a lot of things that need to 0:15:56.800 --> 0:16:00.480 be figured out. But I hope in Tennessee can pay 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:02.080 pay a bag so that we can continue. 0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:04.520 You speak about the NC DOUBLEA, I'm going to let 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:06.960 you put the commissioner of the NC double A and 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:09.680 the head of NIL if there's one or two adjustments 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:11.760 that you can make. Because there's so many things that 0:16:11.800 --> 0:16:14.440 are good, and you mentioned there's some challenges. What are 0:16:14.480 --> 0:16:16.120 some of the quick fixes that you would do now 0:16:16.200 --> 0:16:17.720 and maybe some long term? 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:20.440 Well long term, I think we're taking care of the 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:23.840 front and center athletes, but there's very few front and 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:27.800 center forward facing that would have probably made their money anyway. 0:16:28.040 --> 0:16:30.960 And I think over time, as we're looking the WNBA, 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.680 the MLB, you always got to take care of your 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:36.960 median income like you always have to take care of 0:16:37.000 --> 0:16:39.720 the middleman. So where is that within the NC double A. 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:45.120 I think that's something health insurance, whether it's you know 0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:49.360 stipends whether it's are they actually going to be considered 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:52.440 a union at some point. I think those are all 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.920 things that should come up for conversation, just because the 0:16:56.000 --> 0:17:01.280 NCUBA is a business and we're seeing it's necessary to 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:03.520 be able to take care of your athletes, not just 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:05.240 the ones that are going to be able to sign 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:07.560 the endorsement deals and get the national commercials. 0:17:19.720 --> 0:17:22.480 So one of the key decisions you clearly make is 0:17:22.520 --> 0:17:28.640 getting into business with Adidas as an endorser. Initially, they 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:32.480 come in and they want you to endorse their product. 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:35.000 How did that happen? Like, I mean, because that feels 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:37.399 like we talk about signature deals. That feels like a 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:38.439 signature deal for you. 0:17:39.520 --> 0:17:42.080 It's so interesting. They sent me. 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:48.440 A pair of red Tracy mcgrady's when I was fourteen 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:49.000 years old. 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:51.320 People are now googling tracing. 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:56.560 Better better know Teamate, and I thought I was the 0:17:56.600 --> 0:17:59.200 coolest person in the world, and I wore those everywhere. 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:01.280 And then it was the Pro Models that came out 0:18:01.280 --> 0:18:02.920 and I had the green and the red one. 0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:05.720 And then the next year they sponsored my team. 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:09.520 My high school team, no kidding, and so they sent 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:11.040 us a whole box of things. 0:18:11.080 --> 0:18:12.560 I got like exclusive stuff. 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:15.400 And then I went to the University of Tennessee, which 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:18.159 was also Adidas at the time, and so it was 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:21.879 this relationship and I knew everyone there and I felt comfortable. 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:24.640 And I think when I did sign with them, when 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:27.760 I became a pro, like we knew each other very well. 0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:29.280 So we worked through the kinks. 0:18:29.320 --> 0:18:32.919 We worked through me going overseas, we worked through obviously 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:36.200 my pregnancy, my injuries, and I stuck with them through 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:39.080 some things as well. And so I think it became 0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:43.199 when it becomes a partnership and a collaboration where you 0:18:43.240 --> 0:18:46.720 feel heard, you're trying to really genuinely enjoy the brand. 0:18:46.760 --> 0:18:48.720 Like everybody knows in my house, don't come in my 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:49.520 house with Nikes. 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:52.439 I don't come in my house like I leave the 0:18:52.520 --> 0:18:54.800 Nikes at the door, and it's a joke. 0:18:54.920 --> 0:18:56.240 Yeah, it's a joke in my house. 0:18:56.280 --> 0:19:00.720 And it's been amazing to have a partnership with them 0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:03.439 and to grow through all phases of life. And I 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:08.439 think now sitting as Adidas Women's Basketball as president, I 0:19:08.480 --> 0:19:11.840 feel like a responsibility. Likes it's an ownership, it's a 0:19:11.840 --> 0:19:14.399 part of me. I feel part of the brand, and 0:19:14.440 --> 0:19:16.159 I'm just growing it trying to grow it from a 0:19:16.160 --> 0:19:18.119 different vantage point. 0:19:18.400 --> 0:19:21.080 Tell us about that moment where they call and say, 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:24.439 we want you to take this role, like this is 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:26.879 a not just we want you to wear a shoe, 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:30.520 not just a signature shoe. But talk about that moment 0:19:30.560 --> 0:19:32.680 where they say we want you to have a different job. 0:19:33.720 --> 0:19:39.080 It was so interesting because again I'm planning for the 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:41.000 next phase of life, but I really want to know 0:19:41.080 --> 0:19:45.159 what goes into building a brand, building a collection. So 0:19:45.440 --> 0:19:47.680 as we were doing my collections that were coming out, 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:50.639 the eight Collections, and it was, you know, a clothing line, 0:19:51.040 --> 0:19:52.440 I wanted to be in the meetings. I wanted to 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:54.760 be in the planning. I wanted to talk to Dick's 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:57.520 Sporting Goods where it would be carried. I wanted to 0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:01.399 be in the design. I gave feedback, real feedback about shoes. 0:20:01.400 --> 0:20:03.199 I didn't just come in to check a box like 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.440 I came into office. And so I think through those 0:20:05.480 --> 0:20:08.840 conversations again, developed a lot of relationships. Nobody is at 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:11.679 Adidas now that was with me when I first signed, 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.120 so it's all new people. It's just new relationships that 0:20:15.160 --> 0:20:17.600 were developed and the trust and all of that. 0:20:17.720 --> 0:20:20.600 And so this was kind of in the making. 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:22.639 I felt I didn't know it was going to be 0:20:22.760 --> 0:20:27.399 like this, but I'm always super passionate about growing the 0:20:27.440 --> 0:20:30.840 brand and especially growing it for women's basketball. And so 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:33.359 when when they kind of made the pitch to me, 0:20:33.440 --> 0:20:35.800 it was a random meeting, I went down to la 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:38.800 their office here and it was a video and they 0:20:38.800 --> 0:20:42.399 had like this briefcase what's going on and on? You know, 0:20:42.440 --> 0:20:44.119 they pull out the jacket and on it it's like 0:20:44.160 --> 0:20:46.240 Adida's you know, women's basketball president. 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:47.840 And I was like, wait, what you know? And they 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:50.280 were like, we would love for you to be a 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:50.920 part of the brand. 0:20:51.600 --> 0:20:54.520 It made me a jacket, a letterman's jacket, and it 0:20:54.560 --> 0:20:56.439 was really cool because they were like, we want you 0:20:56.520 --> 0:20:58.640 to continue to grow the game, but just differently. 0:20:59.240 --> 0:21:02.000 So Candice, I've been in those meetings too, but with 0:21:02.040 --> 0:21:06.120 the rival company up in the same way up there 0:21:06.119 --> 0:21:10.480 in the Pacific Northwest in Portland. So you go through 0:21:10.480 --> 0:21:13.520 the presentation, walk us through how do you go from 0:21:13.520 --> 0:21:16.480 that presentation to actually putting some type of term sheet 0:21:16.480 --> 0:21:18.600 in front of you and your agent and does it 0:21:18.680 --> 0:21:20.159 go back and forth a couple of times? Do you 0:21:20.200 --> 0:21:21.679 redline it? Walk us through that? 0:21:22.359 --> 0:21:25.560 Yeah, I think there are questions all the time about 0:21:25.640 --> 0:21:29.320 you know, filling in defining a role, and I think 0:21:29.320 --> 0:21:31.880 that's the biggest thing. But at the end of the day, yes, 0:21:31.960 --> 0:21:35.399 we did go back and forth, but I think having 0:21:35.480 --> 0:21:39.959 trust in somebody to fulfill promises and having a reputation 0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:43.920 and having experience with them, you trust that even if 0:21:43.960 --> 0:21:47.359 everything isn't you know, boldline or whatever, that they're going 0:21:47.400 --> 0:21:48.920 to deliver on what they're going to say. 0:21:49.440 --> 0:21:50.920 And so I think that was the thing. 0:21:50.960 --> 0:21:54.120 I mean, you know, we agreed in principle pretty quickly, 0:21:54.240 --> 0:21:56.720 but it was just the underlying things of what you know, 0:21:56.760 --> 0:21:59.200 I wanted to do with this role and what was 0:21:59.240 --> 0:22:01.520 expected of me and you know what I would need 0:22:01.560 --> 0:22:04.199 to be able to succeed and to really continue to 0:22:04.240 --> 0:22:07.640 grow it from that perspective, and honestly, I can say 0:22:07.680 --> 0:22:11.440 from day one, the first meeting we've had, it's been amazing. 0:22:12.040 --> 0:22:14.359 My imprint won't be on it until twenty twenty five, 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:16.840 because you know how the brand works, it's a year ahead. 0:22:17.640 --> 0:22:19.520 But already, like just. 0:22:19.880 --> 0:22:23.120 The conversations that we've had and you know our focus 0:22:23.200 --> 0:22:25.320 and you know what our intentions are. 0:22:25.600 --> 0:22:26.600 I think grassroots. 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:29.600 You see a kid like me at fourteen years old 0:22:29.640 --> 0:22:30.720 put on some Tmax. 0:22:30.960 --> 0:22:32.280 It had a lasting impact. 0:22:32.440 --> 0:22:35.320 Yeah, and so I think we're realizing not to give 0:22:35.320 --> 0:22:38.359 away secrets to the you know, to the other brand. 0:22:39.200 --> 0:22:42.399 We're realizing, like it's super important to find that fourteen 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:42.960 year old kid. 0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:46.000 Yeah, and so I don't want to get too far 0:22:46.040 --> 0:22:49.199 away from this signature shoe conversation. Swap some notes here. 0:22:49.280 --> 0:22:51.760 What was it like when that happened, you know, when 0:22:52.600 --> 0:22:55.080 when you put on your own shoe, It. 0:22:55.119 --> 0:22:55.919 Was nothing like it. 0:22:55.960 --> 0:22:58.960 I think I love the design process because I was 0:22:59.000 --> 0:23:00.880 a sneakerhead back in the day. 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:03.080 You know, I wore the kg's when. 0:23:02.920 --> 0:23:06.679 He was there, wore the you know this, you know, 0:23:06.760 --> 0:23:09.040 the pro models, the Tmax, the. 0:23:08.800 --> 0:23:10.320 AIS, I mean all that. 0:23:10.400 --> 0:23:13.160 So I was always into like, okay, so you're able 0:23:13.160 --> 0:23:16.520 to start from the ground up. There's no design and 0:23:16.600 --> 0:23:19.000 you can design whatever you want. And at the time, 0:23:19.040 --> 0:23:20.840 it's so funny. The first thing I said, I was like, 0:23:21.280 --> 0:23:23.880 I like skittles. I want to have like smash skittles 0:23:23.880 --> 0:23:24.720 on the bottom of the shoe. 0:23:25.520 --> 0:23:26.240 And they came in. 0:23:26.359 --> 0:23:29.359 Like fifteen designs of like smash skittles, Like what would 0:23:29.359 --> 0:23:31.879 that look like? And spark colors and all this stuff. 0:23:31.920 --> 0:23:35.520 So I just I had the coolest experience creating the shoe, 0:23:35.960 --> 0:23:37.879 and then when it finally came to life and I 0:23:37.960 --> 0:23:40.800 actually put it on, I think I was more excited 0:23:40.840 --> 0:23:43.879 because I had replica shoes for all my nieces and 0:23:43.920 --> 0:23:46.359 nephews and my daughter, and so it was really cool 0:23:46.400 --> 0:23:49.680 to see like my shoe and what came about from 0:23:49.680 --> 0:23:51.000 that on other people's feet. 0:23:51.560 --> 0:23:52.399 What was it like for you. 0:23:52.760 --> 0:23:55.840 I remember one of the kind of meetings of creative 0:23:55.840 --> 0:23:57.640 where they were asking me, what's your favorite car, what's 0:23:57.640 --> 0:23:59.680 your favorite watch, what do you order a Starbucks? And 0:23:59.720 --> 0:24:02.639 like all these questions, but they asked me like fifty 0:24:02.720 --> 0:24:05.280 questions and then they came up with this awesome killer shoe. 0:24:05.760 --> 0:24:07.600 And then that led to my first commercial with Nike, 0:24:07.680 --> 0:24:09.159 where I took the shoe and put it in a 0:24:09.200 --> 0:24:12.440 blender and then I drank the drink and it was 0:24:12.440 --> 0:24:14.320 a dream come trure. I mean, I'm a kid from Miami. 0:24:14.800 --> 0:24:17.399 I collected my mom collected food stamps, and here I 0:24:17.440 --> 0:24:20.639 am wearing my own Nike sneakers with my teammate Griffy, 0:24:20.920 --> 0:24:22.920 And in many ways I felt like, you know, Jordan 0:24:23.000 --> 0:24:25.840 and Pippin, because they both had their sneakers and he 0:24:25.920 --> 0:24:27.320 and I had our own sneakers, so I thought it 0:24:27.359 --> 0:24:27.840 was awesome. 0:24:28.640 --> 0:24:30.720 Let me ask you this, what was that feeling like 0:24:30.960 --> 0:24:33.280 the first time you saw somebody else wear it like 0:24:33.320 --> 0:24:35.280 when you just were driving to your car and you 0:24:35.440 --> 0:24:38.879 just looked and you saw somebody or whatever, Like, what 0:24:38.960 --> 0:24:39.400 was that feeling? 0:24:39.440 --> 0:24:40.760 I wish I had an iPhone so I could take 0:24:40.800 --> 0:24:43.440 a picture, but I told a bunch of people. I 0:24:43.440 --> 0:24:45.959 don't think they believed me, but the first time was like, 0:24:46.320 --> 0:24:48.880 it's a surreal moment. You like, how are they wearing 0:24:48.920 --> 0:24:51.439 my sneakers? That's pretty cool? And it just gives your 0:24:51.480 --> 0:24:55.320 sense of pride for sure, and a real connection to 0:24:55.359 --> 0:24:57.520 the company that they believe so much in you. I mean, 0:24:57.600 --> 0:25:00.200 think about it. They just can pick anybody in the world, 0:25:00.640 --> 0:25:02.600 and they picked Candice Parkering to be the president of 0:25:02.600 --> 0:25:06.320 women's basketball. You have a fiduciary duty to that company. 0:25:06.520 --> 0:25:08.359 And the fact you've been with them for sixteen years, 0:25:08.840 --> 0:25:11.400 it's amazing. I've been with nik for twenty five years, right, 0:25:11.440 --> 0:25:14.040 that's all I've worn and Lawyersy's a big thing to me. 0:25:14.160 --> 0:25:16.320 So it's been a great relationship for me as well. 0:25:16.440 --> 0:25:16.880 Amazing. 0:25:17.480 --> 0:25:22.720 So when you think about kind of this next chapter. 0:25:23.400 --> 0:25:24.919 It's something you've been working on for a while. But 0:25:25.040 --> 0:25:27.879 I want to read a paragraph that jumped out at 0:25:27.920 --> 0:25:29.800 me and I read it to Alex earlier. I'm going 0:25:29.840 --> 0:25:31.480 to read it back to you. So this is a 0:25:31.520 --> 0:25:36.040 paragraph from your retirement announcement on Instagram. I'm quoting here. 0:25:36.080 --> 0:25:39.840 In the meantime, know all caps, I'm a businessman, not 0:25:39.920 --> 0:25:43.639 a businessman. This is the beginning. I'm attacking business, private 0:25:43.640 --> 0:25:47.560 equity ownership. I will own both an NBA and WNBA team, 0:25:47.600 --> 0:25:52.919 broadcasting production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, Domino's. This is apparently in 0:25:52.960 --> 0:25:54.640 the side. I think to your wife, Sorry, baby, it's 0:25:54.640 --> 0:25:57.800 going to get more real with the same intensity and 0:25:57.840 --> 0:26:03.479 focus I did basketball. Wow, break that down for us. 0:26:03.720 --> 0:26:06.520 That's like a mission statement, I think unpacking. 0:26:07.520 --> 0:26:10.840 I always believe in speaking things into existence, and that 0:26:11.040 --> 0:26:12.760 is a goal of mine and I'm not going to 0:26:12.800 --> 0:26:16.000 shy away from it. I think everybody assumes, you know 0:26:16.160 --> 0:26:20.040 WBA players own a WBA team, but I'm a huge 0:26:20.040 --> 0:26:23.480 fan of the NBA as well, and I think that 0:26:23.480 --> 0:26:29.280 that's a possibility as well. And I think just taking 0:26:29.280 --> 0:26:32.560 that mindset of being an athlete on the court, you 0:26:32.600 --> 0:26:36.720 set all of those microscopic and telescopic goals, but really 0:26:36.800 --> 0:26:39.119 the work comes behind figuring out how I'm going to 0:26:39.200 --> 0:26:41.720 do that, and every single day putting yourself in a 0:26:41.720 --> 0:26:43.720 position to be better than you were the day before. 0:26:43.840 --> 0:26:46.400 I really, I really think it's just recreating the blueprint 0:26:46.400 --> 0:26:48.719 of what you had as an athlete. I mean, you 0:26:48.720 --> 0:26:50.760 look at seasons, you figure out what your goals are. 0:26:51.400 --> 0:26:54.879 Obviously the championship would be owning a team. And we 0:26:54.960 --> 0:26:57.520 know some people, we know a couple, we know a 0:26:57.560 --> 0:27:00.560 couple of people, people that have and people that will hopefully. 0:27:01.440 --> 0:27:04.560 But I think it's it's the relationships, it's learning. It's 0:27:04.560 --> 0:27:07.320 so crazy because you know, I'm a huge Malcolm Glawell, 0:27:07.640 --> 0:27:08.840 like I read all his books. 0:27:08.880 --> 0:27:10.800 Yeah, and you. 0:27:10.680 --> 0:27:12.879 Talk about outlier and it talks about ten thousand hours. 0:27:13.240 --> 0:27:15.000 You talk about the time, and I think you know 0:27:15.280 --> 0:27:17.800 you've experienced this with with your kids as well, where 0:27:17.800 --> 0:27:19.439 you're trying to teach them that if you put the 0:27:19.480 --> 0:27:22.560 time in, you can have these God given abilities. But 0:27:22.600 --> 0:27:25.560 if you put the time in, then you're going to 0:27:25.600 --> 0:27:28.600 be better. Right, you can turn into greatness just from 0:27:28.640 --> 0:27:31.639 putting the time. And I think athletes when they endo career, 0:27:31.640 --> 0:27:33.439 you forget how much time you put in to be 0:27:33.560 --> 0:27:37.120 really good at your sport. And I have to remind 0:27:37.160 --> 0:27:38.879 myself that I need to put the time and the 0:27:39.000 --> 0:27:42.800 energy and the effort. And sometimes that's goal setting, and 0:27:42.880 --> 0:27:45.560 sometimes that's like like now my Google calendar, it's it's 0:27:45.600 --> 0:27:48.760 for real, like I have to stay you know, I 0:27:48.800 --> 0:27:50.959 have to stay on top of that because that's what 0:27:51.040 --> 0:27:51.560 I want to do. 0:27:51.640 --> 0:27:53.080 And so that's going to give me there So can 0:27:53.080 --> 0:27:54.800 does this talk about that? You talk about the reps 0:27:54.800 --> 0:27:56.680 and I'm a big believer of that. I've always said, 0:27:57.040 --> 0:27:58.600 I'm not going to be the smartest. I'm not going 0:27:58.680 --> 0:28:00.200 to be like obviously, I didn't go to any ivy 0:28:00.280 --> 0:28:00.760 leave college. 0:28:00.760 --> 0:28:01.840 I didn't go to college. 0:28:02.040 --> 0:28:04.000 So I'm going to be the hardest work and first 0:28:04.040 --> 0:28:06.560 one there, last one to leave, and I'm going to 0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:09.959 grind and I'm going to study. But talk about studying 0:28:09.960 --> 0:28:11.960 for you, how do you make up the time because 0:28:11.960 --> 0:28:15.119 you were playing basketball to compete in the world of 0:28:15.520 --> 0:28:19.000 the Mark lazwis that David Blitzers, what kind of studying 0:28:19.080 --> 0:28:21.600 do you do? And walk me through your mindset of 0:28:21.640 --> 0:28:23.000 how do you fill that gap? 0:28:24.080 --> 0:28:28.520 I love asking people for twenty minutes of your time 0:28:29.160 --> 0:28:31.960 bi monthly. I just need twenty minutes of your time, 0:28:32.520 --> 0:28:36.160 and can we go over this deck and you teach 0:28:36.200 --> 0:28:38.800 me what you saw or past decks that have been 0:28:38.840 --> 0:28:42.720 successful or companies that you've passed on. What did you 0:28:42.760 --> 0:28:45.520 look at? What did you see? What did the margins 0:28:45.560 --> 0:28:49.240 look like? What made you lean towards this? What are 0:28:49.240 --> 0:28:53.000 the qualities? Because here's the thing you can probably I 0:28:53.040 --> 0:28:56.680 always say this when I'm scouting somebody in basketball, there's 0:28:56.760 --> 0:29:00.320 that like intangible that your brain's putting together, but it's 0:29:00.360 --> 0:29:02.160 all things that you've learned over time. 0:29:02.360 --> 0:29:03.080 How do they move? 0:29:03.960 --> 0:29:06.840 Like, how are they handling? Are they looking up? Are 0:29:06.880 --> 0:29:08.520 they seeing the floor? Are they making their teammates better? 0:29:08.560 --> 0:29:09.040 All those things? 0:29:09.080 --> 0:29:12.040 And I think in business it's like that as well, 0:29:12.480 --> 0:29:15.840 especially when you're picking between you know, apples to apples 0:29:15.840 --> 0:29:18.640 and you're picking between people because honestly, that's what it is. 0:29:18.680 --> 0:29:19.800 It's all relationships. 0:29:20.480 --> 0:29:20.640 Right. 0:29:20.680 --> 0:29:22.840 You can have an amazing idea in the wrong person 0:29:22.920 --> 0:29:25.840 running it, and you can have an uh okay idea 0:29:25.920 --> 0:29:29.080 and the right person's running it. And I think that's 0:29:29.120 --> 0:29:32.480 what I'm learning the most from mentors like Mark Lazari 0:29:33.240 --> 0:29:36.520 and from you know, I've involved with other individuals. You 0:29:36.560 --> 0:29:39.080 talk about Andy Spellman, you talk about Mark Roberts, I 0:29:39.120 --> 0:29:41.240 mean down the line. But the thing that I'm noticing 0:29:41.280 --> 0:29:44.000 the most is how important it is for me to 0:29:44.200 --> 0:29:48.120 also get in rooms with women and learn and listen 0:29:48.520 --> 0:29:51.080 and be a part of that network and growth as well. 0:29:51.240 --> 0:29:56.280 So I think just picking their brain, asking questions and 0:29:56.360 --> 0:29:58.000 not being afraid to ask for time. 0:29:58.440 --> 0:30:01.160 Yeah. Love that. Let's talk about Mark Lazarie for a second, 0:30:01.200 --> 0:30:06.360 because off camera I got a little intel which your 0:30:06.400 --> 0:30:09.760 business relationship with him began, I believe with you giving 0:30:09.840 --> 0:30:10.560 him a black eye. 0:30:11.040 --> 0:30:13.240 I crossed him first, then I gave him a black guy. 0:30:13.240 --> 0:30:14.080 And now I'm just kidding. 0:30:14.200 --> 0:30:14.280 Uh. 0:30:14.360 --> 0:30:16.960 We were playing in a celebrity game at NBA All 0:30:16.960 --> 0:30:21.080 Star and Mark was playing and I did a fake. 0:30:21.360 --> 0:30:23.680 I did my like patent over the head fake, and 0:30:23.960 --> 0:30:26.520 he turned and looked, and by the time he reacted, 0:30:26.520 --> 0:30:28.880 I had already gone, and so we bumped heads. 0:30:28.920 --> 0:30:30.760 And his daughter's thought. 0:30:30.920 --> 0:30:34.040 That you were a professional basketball player, the only professional 0:30:34.040 --> 0:30:35.240 basketball team owner. 0:30:35.400 --> 0:30:36.360 Yeah, he was an owner. 0:30:36.400 --> 0:30:39.640 He was an owner on that team, and it was hilarious, 0:30:39.640 --> 0:30:41.400 and so his daughters thought it was the funniest thing. 0:30:41.480 --> 0:30:44.040 And so ever since then, every NBA All Star We'd 0:30:44.080 --> 0:30:46.240 always seek each other out. We would always find each other. 0:30:46.240 --> 0:30:48.320 I'd see his daughters, we'd talk, we'd hang out, go 0:30:48.320 --> 0:30:50.280 to dinner, all those things. 0:30:50.720 --> 0:30:53.000 And then about. 0:30:52.960 --> 0:30:56.640 What was it twenty twenty two, twenty one when the 0:30:56.640 --> 0:30:59.440 Bucks were, you know about on the CUSPA winning a championship. 0:30:59.440 --> 0:31:01.160 He's like, we got to you your bulls fan. 0:31:01.640 --> 0:31:04.160 I'm a Bulls fan. It was great in the nineties, 0:31:04.200 --> 0:31:07.080 Now not so much. We got to get you out 0:31:07.080 --> 0:31:09.400 here to a game, and I'm like, there's I'm never coming. 0:31:09.240 --> 0:31:09.920 To a Bucks name. 0:31:09.960 --> 0:31:12.240 I can't do it. Well, he convinced me. 0:31:12.280 --> 0:31:16.520 I drove from Chicago to the Bucks and just seeing 0:31:16.520 --> 0:31:19.400 the environment, being able to see dear district, all the 0:31:19.440 --> 0:31:24.800 things that he's done, it was unbelievable. And just to 0:31:24.840 --> 0:31:26.640 continue to talk to him and catch up with him 0:31:26.640 --> 0:31:29.480 and do all that it was amazing. And then you know, 0:31:29.720 --> 0:31:33.760 he started, you know, Avenue Capital Sports, and then he 0:31:33.800 --> 0:31:35.160 called me one day and was like, I would love 0:31:35.200 --> 0:31:37.840 for you to be involved in it. And Mark is 0:31:37.840 --> 0:31:39.920 one of those people that it's super special. I think 0:31:39.960 --> 0:31:43.400 we have an amazing friendship. But also everything he says 0:31:43.520 --> 0:31:45.400 he does, and I think that's the thing that I 0:31:45.440 --> 0:31:47.320 respect most about Mark Lazarie. 0:31:47.760 --> 0:31:49.440 He's a great mentor. I got to get share one 0:31:49.440 --> 0:31:51.320 Mark Glazery store just to tell you what an incredible 0:31:51.360 --> 0:31:54.840 guy he is. Back like in eleven, a couple of 0:31:54.920 --> 0:31:57.479 years after we won the title with the Yankees, we 0:31:57.560 --> 0:31:59.360 had a date where he was going to mentor me 0:31:59.400 --> 0:32:02.080 and we're gonna go over my real estate deck, right 0:32:02.640 --> 0:32:04.720 And I said, I'll probably be there on eleven I said, 0:32:04.960 --> 0:32:07.360 Yankee rest Sox games usually go a little longer, or 0:32:07.400 --> 0:32:10.360 maybe eleven thirty. Well, of course we're going to extra endings. 0:32:10.720 --> 0:32:13.400 It's like one am. I'm texting him. I said, hey, 0:32:13.920 --> 0:32:16.680 rain check, I'm sure you're sleeping. He goes, no, come over. 0:32:16.880 --> 0:32:19.320 I'm like, well, first of all, you're up, So I 0:32:19.400 --> 0:32:22.200 get I knock in his house. He's got his pajamas on, 0:32:22.640 --> 0:32:25.040 and we spend the next hour and a half on 0:32:25.080 --> 0:32:28.120 his couch, one in one and he's going red marking 0:32:28.200 --> 0:32:30.360 my deck. And then he's been a long time investor 0:32:30.360 --> 0:32:32.240 of mine. We've been partners with several other things, and 0:32:32.240 --> 0:32:34.760 I'm sure we'll do other things. But when you have 0:32:34.840 --> 0:32:37.640 mentors like that that are really special, that's just an example. 0:32:37.680 --> 0:32:40.320 Nobody knows that story. But you know stories like that, 0:32:40.400 --> 0:32:42.680 and I've experienced stories like that, it's pretty cool. 0:32:42.800 --> 0:32:45.640 That's what separates it if you think about it, Like 0:32:46.000 --> 0:32:48.680 everybody wonders why Steph can shoot like he shoots. Yes, 0:32:48.720 --> 0:32:50.760 it's god given talent some of it. But like, who's 0:32:50.800 --> 0:32:52.680 the one that's in the gym getting the most shots 0:32:52.680 --> 0:32:55.880 of mm hm, And it's it's guys like Mark that 0:32:56.000 --> 0:32:58.280 put the time in, put the energy in, do the 0:32:58.400 --> 0:33:01.200 extra I think that I'm learning that are successful. 0:33:01.200 --> 0:33:02.960 But he's a nice guy. 0:33:03.560 --> 0:33:06.840 I think that's what separates him is he actually genuinely 0:33:06.880 --> 0:33:10.080 cares about you as a human and what you do 0:33:10.160 --> 0:33:11.360 and the decisions that you make. 0:33:23.400 --> 0:33:25.800 Talk to us about women's sports, you know, it's something 0:33:25.960 --> 0:33:29.200 you started this conversation talking about being committed to women's 0:33:29.200 --> 0:33:32.320 basketball and women's sports. What needs to happen next for 0:33:32.400 --> 0:33:35.239 women's sports. From a business perspective. 0:33:35.520 --> 0:33:39.400 We've always talked about properly investing in a product. I mean, 0:33:39.400 --> 0:33:42.520 we've been screaming from the rooftop that scared money doesn't 0:33:42.560 --> 0:33:45.720 make money, that you actually have to properly invest in 0:33:46.040 --> 0:33:49.040 not only the sport and the business plan, but also 0:33:49.080 --> 0:33:51.760 the athletes. The thing I respect most about the NBA 0:33:51.920 --> 0:33:55.520 is Adam Silver. He calls me, I'm just like, I 0:33:55.520 --> 0:33:58.160 don't even I mean, he asks questions to me, and 0:33:58.240 --> 0:34:01.880 I'm not part of the NBA. The stars of the 0:34:02.000 --> 0:34:06.920 NBA questions, Yeah, yeah, hopefully Lebron is on speed dial. 0:34:06.960 --> 0:34:08.879 He talks to me as a relationship with them. 0:34:09.600 --> 0:34:12.319 And I think that within women's sports for so long, 0:34:12.360 --> 0:34:16.279 it's been a separation of investment and product for a 0:34:16.360 --> 0:34:18.880 very long time. And I think the first conversation I 0:34:18.920 --> 0:34:21.960 had with Mark was what are you dedicating? What percentage 0:34:21.960 --> 0:34:24.080 of the fund are you dedicating to women's sports? Because 0:34:24.120 --> 0:34:28.399 this isn't something that I want to come into and 0:34:28.600 --> 0:34:32.680 just not make an impact on something that I'm passionate about. 0:34:33.120 --> 0:34:35.560 And he's like, we're going to invest in women's sports 0:34:35.560 --> 0:34:37.320 and we're going to do it. And this was before 0:34:37.440 --> 0:34:40.880 this last year year and a half, which was unique timing. 0:34:41.120 --> 0:34:43.960 And I said, okay, but I need more than an 0:34:44.000 --> 0:34:47.080 investment of money. I need time as well, because you 0:34:47.120 --> 0:34:49.120 can't just invest in a product that you've never seen. 0:34:49.280 --> 0:34:51.480 So I was like, come to the final four. I 0:34:51.480 --> 0:34:53.920 have a suite, Come sit with me at the women's 0:34:53.960 --> 0:34:57.040 Final four and let's watch Iowa and South Carolina go 0:34:57.120 --> 0:35:01.440 at it, and he came, you know, and he was 0:35:01.520 --> 0:35:05.960 there and you know, met everybody saw the environment. And 0:35:06.000 --> 0:35:08.799 I think that within women's sports, what we need is 0:35:09.040 --> 0:35:10.600 people that are knowledgeable. 0:35:10.160 --> 0:35:11.080 About the growth of it. 0:35:11.640 --> 0:35:15.600 But also we need the billionaire owners that are going 0:35:15.680 --> 0:35:19.000 to come in and actually make an impact and grow 0:35:19.040 --> 0:35:20.160 the game again. 0:35:21.080 --> 0:35:22.600 And so what's your role in that. 0:35:23.719 --> 0:35:29.920 I think my role in that is understanding through past growth. 0:35:30.400 --> 0:35:33.319 And that's why everybody was yelling from the rooftop. Wheah dah, 0:35:33.480 --> 0:35:36.520 it's twenty eight years young. There were a lot of 0:35:36.600 --> 0:35:39.520 leagues that it took took year thirty to really make 0:35:39.680 --> 0:35:42.640 a growth. So it's coming, whether it comes at twenty eight, 0:35:42.719 --> 0:35:45.520 twenty nine, thirty one, and we've seen it. The crazy 0:35:45.600 --> 0:35:49.000 thing that I think it's little fixes And this is 0:35:49.000 --> 0:35:51.279 where my role is is to question and to push 0:35:51.400 --> 0:35:52.400 and to encourage. 0:35:53.760 --> 0:35:58.640 ABC. It was the first time they put the women's 0:35:58.719 --> 0:36:01.000 NCAA game on on ABC. 0:36:01.480 --> 0:36:04.920 Was the first year that Kaylen Clark made the championship game. 0:36:05.200 --> 0:36:07.440 Are you surprised that the viewership was up? Are you 0:36:07.520 --> 0:36:09.320 surprised that people actually saw the product? 0:36:09.719 --> 0:36:11.800 It was buried for so long on ESPN. 0:36:12.239 --> 0:36:14.399 There's so many times during the INCA game and even 0:36:14.600 --> 0:36:17.239 WNBA playoffs, I turn on the NBA doesn't want to 0:36:17.239 --> 0:36:21.040 clash with NFL playoffs or NFL Opening Week, So why 0:36:21.080 --> 0:36:24.200 would we then put the WNBA. I don't care if 0:36:24.239 --> 0:36:26.799 that's the time slot that they're giving you. Let's fight 0:36:26.960 --> 0:36:29.520 for another one or let's find something else. And I 0:36:29.560 --> 0:36:33.279 think with streaming, with social media, now it's more front 0:36:33.280 --> 0:36:36.520 and center. You're seeing the leaders of and I'm sorry, 0:36:36.520 --> 0:36:40.640 I'm passionate about this. So now within you look at 0:36:40.680 --> 0:36:46.720 statistics within social media and following and it's page Becker's. 0:36:47.239 --> 0:36:50.560 She had more followings than Suggs, who was a top 0:36:50.600 --> 0:36:53.960 four pick. She had more following than Anthony Edwards when 0:36:54.000 --> 0:36:56.319 he was coming into the league. So now you're able 0:36:56.400 --> 0:36:59.040 to look at social media and see what the following is, 0:36:59.120 --> 0:37:02.680 the clicks, the like, the what they're selling. You know 0:37:03.360 --> 0:37:05.680 what people are looking for, and you're now able to 0:37:05.719 --> 0:37:10.680 see that, Okay, we women can sell things, and I 0:37:10.760 --> 0:37:13.600 think that that is my role is to continue to 0:37:14.520 --> 0:37:17.799 push the envelope of what that looks like, of visibility, 0:37:18.520 --> 0:37:21.720 but also like having relationships to be able to build 0:37:22.120 --> 0:37:23.080 what you're trying to build. 0:37:23.960 --> 0:37:26.400 So one of the relationships that we have watched you 0:37:26.520 --> 0:37:29.000 develop because you've done it on television, is with some 0:37:29.120 --> 0:37:33.440 of the biggest personalities in NBA history. So I want 0:37:33.480 --> 0:37:36.600 to talk a little bit about broadcasting. You've had some experience. 0:37:36.640 --> 0:37:39.239 I want you guys to talk about this a little bit. 0:37:40.120 --> 0:37:43.160 A lot of people maybe who didn't know you when 0:37:43.200 --> 0:37:47.319 you were playing, now know you from giving it to check. 0:37:48.880 --> 0:37:50.640 We know you guys are good friends. We've seen the 0:37:50.719 --> 0:37:53.839 video of you hugging him after the championship game. Tell 0:37:53.920 --> 0:37:59.320 us how all that came about. Because it's not traditionally 0:38:00.040 --> 0:38:03.560 natural progression to be like a star women's basketball player 0:38:03.719 --> 0:38:06.400 and then be chopping it up on the best watched 0:38:07.320 --> 0:38:09.080 studio television show in sports. 0:38:10.000 --> 0:38:12.839 I have to pinch myself sometimes because those guys were 0:38:12.920 --> 0:38:16.800 on my wall and coming into a situation like that. 0:38:17.120 --> 0:38:19.040 I'm a basketball hoop head. 0:38:19.480 --> 0:38:21.680 Like I watch the game, and then I watch all 0:38:21.719 --> 0:38:24.520 the highlights and the analysis after. Then the next morning 0:38:24.560 --> 0:38:26.400 I wake up and I watch the analysis of the 0:38:26.480 --> 0:38:30.040 analysis of the game previous. Like I drive my family 0:38:30.120 --> 0:38:34.120 crazy with sports just being on television every type of sort, 0:38:35.960 --> 0:38:38.440 and to be able to sit at that desk and 0:38:39.600 --> 0:38:43.680 talk basketball and talk basketball with people that were on 0:38:43.760 --> 0:38:46.719 your wall, but also basketball with people that played it 0:38:46.840 --> 0:38:49.719 differently than you. And I don't mean just NBAWNBA. The 0:38:49.800 --> 0:38:51.520 battle I have with Shack all the time is He's like, 0:38:51.760 --> 0:38:53.719 just get the ball and score, and I'm like, check, 0:38:53.960 --> 0:38:57.759 not everybody is seven footless three hundred pounds. Like, it's 0:38:57.760 --> 0:38:59.360 not barbecue chicken for me. I got to do a 0:38:59.400 --> 0:39:02.080 couple moves, you know, And so to be able to 0:39:02.440 --> 0:39:04.920 sit at a desk like that and to chop it 0:39:05.040 --> 0:39:07.560 up with them on a nightly basis, it's super special. 0:39:07.560 --> 0:39:11.239 And I think early on I was a little like starstruck, 0:39:11.880 --> 0:39:13.560 but as time went on, I realized, like, I'm not 0:39:13.640 --> 0:39:14.600 trying to be one of the guys. 0:39:14.600 --> 0:39:15.760 I'm trying to be one of the players. 0:39:16.040 --> 0:39:19.040 And once we kind of like understood that and their perspective, 0:39:19.320 --> 0:39:21.480 they don't take anything I say to heart. We go 0:39:21.600 --> 0:39:23.840 back and forth and again, my brothers prepared me for 0:39:23.920 --> 0:39:25.279 it because I can take a lot of jokes and 0:39:25.320 --> 0:39:28.320 they're making fun of my outfits or making fun of 0:39:28.360 --> 0:39:30.279 how I walk. They say I walk like Kenny Smith 0:39:30.280 --> 0:39:32.160 because my knees are you know, I'm bow legged. 0:39:32.320 --> 0:39:33.799 So I can take all of. 0:39:33.840 --> 0:39:36.480 That talk to me a little bit about your preparation. 0:39:37.080 --> 0:39:38.799 Are you watching games, are you taking notes? 0:39:38.840 --> 0:39:39.680 Do you have a coach? 0:39:40.560 --> 0:39:41.680 Walk us through that a little bit. 0:39:41.920 --> 0:39:44.399 It's so interesting because I think it's changed over time. 0:39:44.680 --> 0:39:47.160 There's a lot of broadcasters that go by feel, and 0:39:47.239 --> 0:39:49.960 I think that that's a skill that's a skill set. 0:39:50.080 --> 0:39:52.000 Like you think about Reggie Miller, He's able to paint 0:39:52.040 --> 0:39:54.480 a picture of what the game is, of what this 0:39:54.600 --> 0:39:56.480 person is thinking or whatever. And you think about stan 0:39:56.560 --> 0:39:59.920 Van Gundy, who's more of like stats and like all 0:40:00.000 --> 0:40:02.879 all of these things. And you know, I'll be honest, 0:40:02.920 --> 0:40:04.360 I think Shaq would come out and tell you he 0:40:04.400 --> 0:40:05.719 doesn't prepare when he comes to show. 0:40:05.760 --> 0:40:08.360 Half the time he doesn't know who's playing, you. 0:40:08.400 --> 0:40:08.799 Know what I mean. 0:40:08.880 --> 0:40:10.240 And that's a skill set in itself. 0:40:10.640 --> 0:40:12.360 So I think for me, I just had to develop 0:40:12.440 --> 0:40:14.759 over time my way of preparation and I always have 0:40:14.840 --> 0:40:18.560 basketball on. I like knowing backstories. Scouting report is huge 0:40:18.600 --> 0:40:20.879 for me, so I know what your go to move 0:40:21.040 --> 0:40:22.560 is and so I'm going to bring it up. 0:40:22.840 --> 0:40:24.560 Kenny Smith told me something really cool. 0:40:24.680 --> 0:40:27.800 He said, when you're preparing, make sure that you're preparing 0:40:28.000 --> 0:40:31.399 to speak to the grandma, that you're prepared to speak 0:40:31.440 --> 0:40:33.279 to the person that is a basketball head, and you're 0:40:33.520 --> 0:40:35.840 prepared to speak to the novice. And so if you 0:40:35.920 --> 0:40:38.279 can say one thing and be able to speak in 0:40:38.360 --> 0:40:39.920 touch to all of those people, then you've done a 0:40:39.960 --> 0:40:43.080 good job. And so I've tried to continue to prepare 0:40:43.480 --> 0:40:45.120 so that I'm ready for that on television. 0:40:45.760 --> 0:40:48.080 So what do you do next in broadcast? I mean, 0:40:48.120 --> 0:40:51.520 do you have as your goal setting, as your Google calendaring? Like, 0:40:51.760 --> 0:40:53.880 what do you think about when it comes to the 0:40:53.960 --> 0:40:54.480 media world. 0:40:55.280 --> 0:40:59.040 Baby Hair Productions is a production company I started. First 0:40:59.080 --> 0:41:02.799 passion project was Title nine documentary that we were able 0:41:02.840 --> 0:41:06.520 to complete and do with Turner. I think it's growing 0:41:06.560 --> 0:41:08.400 that and kind of being behind the camera and being 0:41:08.440 --> 0:41:11.759 able to develop stories and storytelling, because I think that's 0:41:12.880 --> 0:41:16.239 that's where you really impact people and change, is being 0:41:16.239 --> 0:41:19.640 able to tell stories of what's come before, and whether 0:41:19.680 --> 0:41:22.720 it's in women in sports, whether it's women in business, 0:41:22.800 --> 0:41:25.040 whether it's whatever it is. You know, I would love 0:41:25.080 --> 0:41:27.520 to continue to tell those stories and to be able 0:41:27.560 --> 0:41:31.440 to you know, produce and to do things like that well. 0:41:31.440 --> 0:41:33.600 And it's interesting too when you think about and we 0:41:33.719 --> 0:41:36.440 talk about this all the time, that it feels like 0:41:36.520 --> 0:41:39.360 One of the next big steps forward for women's sports 0:41:39.520 --> 0:41:42.120 is the so called shoulder programming, right, you know, the 0:41:42.200 --> 0:41:44.280 stuff that goes you know, you guys are talking about 0:41:44.600 --> 0:41:47.600 for baseball, for the NBA, there is all the pregame 0:41:47.680 --> 0:41:50.600 and post game and the storytelling that goes around it. 0:41:50.680 --> 0:41:53.880 Some of that has been I would argue missing with 0:41:54.600 --> 0:41:57.600 women's sports. So it feels like a big business opportunity. 0:41:57.760 --> 0:41:59.800 If I dare say something, I just think it's so 0:42:00.160 --> 0:42:05.719 funny because you talk about, you know, like the pre 0:42:05.840 --> 0:42:09.240 and postgame shows. I tuned in the week that Russell 0:42:09.280 --> 0:42:12.480 Westbrook and Kevin Durant we're gonna play each other, because 0:42:12.760 --> 0:42:14.640 all week all I heard was they didn't like each other. 0:42:15.160 --> 0:42:16.160 It was all these stories. 0:42:16.200 --> 0:42:18.399 And it's so funny because we turn women's sports into 0:42:18.480 --> 0:42:21.320 these like the Caddy Da Da da and all this stuff, 0:42:21.320 --> 0:42:24.080 and it's like, no, men's sports is just called something different. 0:42:24.120 --> 0:42:26.160 It's the same. It's a synonym of whatever it. 0:42:26.239 --> 0:42:26.440 Is, and. 0:42:28.880 --> 0:42:31.840 I'm like, it's a synonym of what you're calling women's sports. 0:42:32.600 --> 0:42:35.120 It's all the storylines behind the story. And so now 0:42:35.239 --> 0:42:37.040 for women's sports to be able to get pre and 0:42:37.080 --> 0:42:40.160 postgame shows, I think we're still kind of figuring out 0:42:40.160 --> 0:42:40.800 what that looks like. 0:42:40.920 --> 0:42:42.640 And I think we're still a little sensitive of. 0:42:43.040 --> 0:42:45.320 Actually saying what needs to be said because we're so 0:42:45.520 --> 0:42:49.120 protective of women's sports. Were sometimes it is hard to 0:42:49.200 --> 0:42:52.279 watch because that wasn't a good pass, It wasn't a 0:42:52.400 --> 0:42:55.400 nice move, you know. So I think we're still figuring 0:42:55.440 --> 0:42:58.279 out our lane to grow the sport but also be 0:42:58.440 --> 0:43:00.959 honest and critique in a way that the viewers would 0:43:00.960 --> 0:43:01.680 love to watch. 0:43:01.600 --> 0:43:06.160 Which is a corollary to the whole argument around women's sports, 0:43:06.280 --> 0:43:08.279 right that you know, you had a lot of I mean, 0:43:08.360 --> 0:43:10.840 you see this in your work. We've seen it in 0:43:11.000 --> 0:43:13.560 the w We've seen it INWSL where a lot of 0:43:13.600 --> 0:43:16.000 people are like, oh, we're just really rooting for these girls, 0:43:16.080 --> 0:43:17.400 and like we're going to put some money in from 0:43:17.440 --> 0:43:21.360 the foundation and hope for the best versus private equity 0:43:21.480 --> 0:43:24.120 coming in a Mark Lasry, A Joe and Clara Si, 0:43:24.320 --> 0:43:25.680 you know, coming in and being like no, no, no, no, 0:43:26.719 --> 0:43:28.480 we're going to make some money here. We're going to 0:43:28.520 --> 0:43:31.200 get butts in the seats, We're going to sell the 0:43:31.320 --> 0:43:33.520 media rights for a bunch of money, and this is 0:43:33.640 --> 0:43:36.160 going to be a real business going for I mean 0:43:36.239 --> 0:43:37.040 that's your interest. 0:43:37.120 --> 0:43:39.160 It sounds like the thing that irks me the most 0:43:39.440 --> 0:43:43.000 is if you go to an NWSL game, it'll say, look, 0:43:43.080 --> 0:43:46.120 he's supporting the NWSL, But if you go to a 0:43:46.239 --> 0:43:50.560 Chicago Fire MLS game, it's look, he's front and center 0:43:50.800 --> 0:43:53.480 watching these guys work, you know. So it's all in 0:43:53.600 --> 0:43:56.480 the conversation and how we are able to. 0:43:58.520 --> 0:43:59.719 Figure out what our. 0:43:59.680 --> 0:44:01.920 Fans want and need. They want to see superstars, you 0:44:01.960 --> 0:44:04.320 want to see people courtside. But it's also like the 0:44:04.480 --> 0:44:07.680 verbiage that we're using in social media posts and how 0:44:07.760 --> 0:44:09.760 we look at women's sports as a business. 0:44:10.040 --> 0:44:10.720 It's not support. 0:44:10.800 --> 0:44:14.120 This isn't a charity. I loved when Claire Lusai said, 0:44:14.760 --> 0:44:17.600 I'm trying to make money. Yeah, this isn't something that 0:44:17.640 --> 0:44:19.239 I'm coming in and I'm in a blow. I'm just 0:44:19.360 --> 0:44:23.320 gonna use my money to further the cause. No, this 0:44:23.440 --> 0:44:26.560 isn't a cause. This is a business opportunity. And now 0:44:26.719 --> 0:44:29.400 that mindset, I think is shifting. It's shifting in volleyball 0:44:29.840 --> 0:44:32.000 with the amount of people, I mean, ninety seven thousand 0:44:32.080 --> 0:44:35.960 people went and watched a volleyball game. Put that in perspective, 0:44:36.680 --> 0:44:39.320 and I'm just watching, like my daughter played front and 0:44:39.360 --> 0:44:42.560 center at homecoming. Their volleyball team was out under the 0:44:42.640 --> 0:44:44.640 lights playing and it was young boys. I mean I 0:44:44.680 --> 0:44:47.839 could almost cry looking at young boys scream for the team. 0:44:47.960 --> 0:44:50.560 So it's like, now we're having a generation of men 0:44:50.640 --> 0:44:53.239 that have grown up with women as role models and 0:44:53.400 --> 0:44:56.680 in leadership positions, and now from a business mindset, we 0:44:56.760 --> 0:44:59.960 have to take all of that information the blueprints say 0:45:00.520 --> 0:45:01.560 and just not be stupid. 0:45:02.360 --> 0:45:04.880 Honestly, like, let's just not let's just not be stupid. 0:45:04.920 --> 0:45:06.120 And I think we we could get this. 0:45:06.719 --> 0:45:08.239 All right, Let's not be stupid. That's the. 0:45:09.800 --> 0:45:10.120 Stupid. 0:45:10.360 --> 0:45:20.200 Let's wrap all right. Now we're gonna move to rapid fire, 0:45:20.400 --> 0:45:24.520 which hopefully won't be stupid. But we'll see. All right, 0:45:24.680 --> 0:45:26.359 I'll start and the will bounce it back and forth 0:45:26.440 --> 0:45:29.640 and just you know, we'll keep it tight. What's one 0:45:29.760 --> 0:45:31.640 word to describe your deal making style? 0:45:32.680 --> 0:45:36.879 Intuitive? Inquisitive? There you go, inquisitive in a deal. What's 0:45:36.920 --> 0:45:41.440 more important your instincts or data instincts? Who's your dream 0:45:41.520 --> 0:45:43.880 deal making partner with them? 0:45:43.920 --> 0:45:48.160 Mark Lazari, who's your dream co host on the NBA broadcast? 0:45:49.280 --> 0:45:50.040 Allen Iverson. 0:45:51.080 --> 0:45:53.240 That's a good one. What's the best piece of advice 0:45:53.320 --> 0:45:55.000 you've received on deal making or business. 0:45:55.880 --> 0:45:59.160 Listen to all the facts, but then ultimately you make 0:45:59.239 --> 0:45:59.840 your decision. 0:46:00.360 --> 0:46:03.200 What's the worst business advice you've ever received? 0:46:03.600 --> 0:46:06.719 Listen to everyone else and do what they want and 0:46:06.840 --> 0:46:07.759 do what they want you to do. 0:46:08.560 --> 0:46:10.520 What's your hype song before you go into a big 0:46:10.600 --> 0:46:11.600 meeting or negotiation? 0:46:12.200 --> 0:46:15.040 I spray some angel perfume an honor at coach summit 0:46:15.200 --> 0:46:17.400 and I play What more can I say? By Jay 0:46:17.480 --> 0:46:18.320 z Okay? 0:46:19.160 --> 0:46:21.080 You can only watch one sport for the rest of 0:46:21.120 --> 0:46:22.239 your life. Which one is it? 0:46:22.680 --> 0:46:23.239 Basketball? 0:46:23.960 --> 0:46:25.880 What team do you want to see win a championship 0:46:25.920 --> 0:46:26.479 more than any? 0:46:27.080 --> 0:46:27.920 Chicago Bulls? 0:46:29.040 --> 0:46:31.600 What's a fun fact about yourself that your teammates would 0:46:31.640 --> 0:46:34.400 be surprised to hear? Teammates, business associates, whoever? 0:46:35.040 --> 0:46:35.640 I can juggle? 0:46:36.360 --> 0:46:39.800 Oh that's a good one. All right, Cannice, this was 0:46:39.880 --> 0:46:40.200 so fun. 0:46:41.960 --> 0:46:44.600 I appreciate you all, I really do, and I hope 0:46:44.640 --> 0:46:48.239 that we can sit down at some point chat and 0:46:48.760 --> 0:46:49.040 do this. 0:46:49.320 --> 0:46:49.799 Chop it up. 0:46:49.960 --> 0:46:50.319 Be great? 0:46:52.920 --> 0:46:55.120 Thanks so much for listening to the deal. If you 0:46:55.239 --> 0:46:57.440 never want to miss the story, become a Bloomberg dot 0:46:57.520 --> 0:47:01.400 Com subscriber today. Check out our special intro offer right 0:47:01.480 --> 0:47:05.120 now at Bloomberg dot Com Slash podcast offer or click 0:47:05.200 --> 0:47:08.280 the link in the show notes. You'll also unlike Deep reporting, 0:47:08.400 --> 0:47:11.600 data and analysis from Bloomberg reporters all around the world. 0:47:17.160 --> 0:47:20.920 The Deal is a production from Bloomberg Podcasts and Bloomberg Originals. 0:47:21.400 --> 0:47:24.400 The Deal is hosted by Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. 0:47:25.320 --> 0:47:30.240 Our producers are Anamazarakis, Stacey Wong, and Lizzie Phillip. Original 0:47:30.320 --> 0:47:33.920 music and engineering by Blake Maples. 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