1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up 2 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: Fire Fame? 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 2: It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight fall Yer for Tuesday, March 4 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: the seventeenth. Oh Boy, great podcast today. Listen. Even if 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 2: you don't like the NCAA Tournament, you're gonna love today's guest. 6 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 2: Mark Gottfried was a great college basketball player at Alabama. 7 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 2: Then he went on to coach at Alabama and c State. 8 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: I did not realize he was in the NBA as well, 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 2: and that's not in his bio online and I had 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 2: to pry that out of him. Wait, listen, it's a 11 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: great chat. You guys gonna love this. I mean, the 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 2: guy was in one shining moment that's probably on my 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: bucket list. Obviously, it cannot happen. It's impossible unless I 14 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 2: somehow get eligibility to play college basketball at any rate. 15 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: You're gonna love Mark Gottfried real quick. I do just 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: wanna it's a long and a you. So we're not 17 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 2: going to go along here on Lakers rockets. But what 18 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,839 Speaker 2: a game from the Lakers last night. They're down double 19 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: digits in the third and they start swarming Kevin Durant. 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: He starts becoming a turnover machine. Folks. It was a 21 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: great game if you missed it. The Lakers win one 22 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 2: hundred ninety two, their ninth win in ten games. They've 23 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 2: won six in a row. I mean, Luca was tremendous, 24 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: DeAndre Ayton was awful and then rebounded in the end. 25 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: JJ Reddick talked in the postgame presser about how much 26 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: confidence he had in him. They were desperate. They needed 27 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 2: the rebounds because Houston was just crushing him on the glass. 28 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,199 Speaker 2: It was a phenomenal basketball game. I think my guess 29 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: is today Kevin Durant's gonna catch a little bit of heat. 30 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: He had two points in the second half, and they 31 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: came on a layup with seconds left in when the 32 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: game was a formality. The Rockets had twenty two freaking 33 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: turnovers and the Lakers were not great. I have here 34 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: in my notes the Lakers went was it seven minutes 35 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 2: without a basket in the fourth quarter. I mean, it's 36 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: just an abomination. They could do nothing and they still 37 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: were able to get the dub. Just an awesome game. 38 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: I know, I know, Jake, you keep talking about the Lakers. Well, 39 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: pay attention, guys, They're good all right. Without further ado 40 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 2: let's get to our guest, Mark Gottfried, former college basketball 41 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: player and college basketball coach. 42 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: You know a guy Jason likes to think he knows 43 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: everything when it comes to sports. I know what sports 44 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: fans want, but for everything he doesn't. He knows a 45 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: guy who does. 46 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 3: Let's just say I know a guy who knows the 47 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 3: guy who knows another guy. 48 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: All right, let's welcome into straight fire a special guest. 49 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, big time former college basketball player coach. 50 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 2: It's funny. I enjoyed playing a men's league out here 51 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: and there was this lefty who was just torching everyone, 52 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 2: and I'm like, who is this guy? I gotta guard him? 53 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 2: And of course he lit me up because I you know, 54 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 2: I'm old and he's young. And then I ask him 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: who he is and he tells me, and I'm like, 56 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 2: oh my gosh, your dad was a freaking basketball coach. 57 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: Mark Gottfried, how are you, Mark? 58 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 3: I'm doing great, And just so we set the records 59 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 3: rate camer and my son still the second best shooter 60 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 3: in this family. He's behind another guy in this family. 61 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 3: Just so we get to set the record straight. 62 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm sure he'll love to hear that. You hit. 63 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 2: It looks like, what is it, seven or eight threes 64 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 2: in a single game against Vanderbilt. 65 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: Quit counting. There were so many. I quick jet. 66 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: Love it, love it. I want to start, obviously with 67 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: your background. You know, obviously you played at Oral Roberts 68 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: and you were a superstar that you transfer to Alabama 69 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 2: and you made some Sweet sixteen runs with Whip Sanderson 70 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 2: as the head coach. I mean, listen, people love these 71 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 2: turnback to clock stories. As we get into March, what 72 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: do you remember from the March days of the Madness? 73 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 3: You know, first of all, I always tell people that 74 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 3: it's the greatest show on Earth, March Madness and the tournament. 75 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 3: And you know, we were able to have really good teams. 76 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 3: I had three straight Sweet sixteen teams. My last year 77 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 3: eighty seven was the first year of the three point line, 78 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 3: so for two years of my college we played without it. 79 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 3: But in that year we're a two seed and we're 80 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 3: really good. We won the SEC regular season and the 81 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 3: SEC Tournament double champion. But we ended up playing against 82 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 3: Rick Patino's Providence Friars with Billy Donovan and del Ray 83 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 3: Brooks played him in the old Freedom Hall in Louisville. 84 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,479 Speaker 3: And they got us pretty good. And that was probably 85 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 3: one of the most disappointing basketball days we've ever had, 86 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 3: or I've ever had, because we thought we had a 87 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 3: good chance to make a run and get to the 88 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 3: Final four and all that kind of stuff. But I 89 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 3: had great, great players, I played with great teams. Wimp 90 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 3: Sanders was a great coach. So I just I was 91 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 3: real lucky. It was really a wonderful time. 92 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm looking at the box score in that game, 93 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: this doesn't feel real. But Billy Donovan's seen hit fourteen 94 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: of twenty from three seventy percent. 95 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 3: It was nuts. It was nuts. And you know what 96 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 3: happened to j Mac. They they were for one year, 97 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 3: and this is where my respect for Rick Patino began 98 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 3: because back then, you got to remember he was kind 99 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 3: of a he was still an unknown guy. You know, 100 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 3: he was young. But they adapted and and made the 101 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 3: three point shot part of their offense, where most people, 102 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 3: you know, it was so new they didn't really understand 103 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 3: really how to utilize that, and he did. And he 104 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 3: had some good shooters. Obviously, he had a big kid 105 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: named Marty Conlin that was really good, del Ray Brooks, 106 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 3: but Billy Donovan was such a good college basketball player. 107 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 3: But they they they took advantage and understood how to 108 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 3: utilize the three point line I think before anybody else did. 109 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, they beat a good Georgetown team that was a 110 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 2: number one seed with Reggie Williams, Reggie and the rotations, 111 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: and then they lost to Syracuse. I guess that was 112 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: the was it the Ronnie Cycling team? I un listened eighties? 113 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: Eighties college basketball was amazing, you. 114 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 3: Know, it was fun in our league at the time, 115 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 3: the SEC. You know, we felt like when you go 116 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: to Florida, it's you're playing against I gotta guard mad 117 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 3: Max Vernon Maxwell and Andrew Moten. Kentucky has got Kenny 118 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 3: sky Walker and Winston Bennett and all these good players. 119 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 3: And LSU was loaded with some dudes. I mean, the 120 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 3: league was really really good. It still is, obviously it's 121 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 3: a great league. But I wantay you for a player, 122 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: it was a lot of fun to play in that 123 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 3: league in that era. Plus we had colorful coaches, you know, 124 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 3: Wimp Sanderson, we had Hugh Durham, you had Sonny Smith, 125 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 3: you had norm Sloan Dale Brown. You had all these colorful, 126 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 3: amazing guys too. So that was. It made it a 127 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 3: lot of fun too. 128 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: So now it looks like you played high school bol 129 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: in Illinois, but then once you went down to Alabama, 130 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: you just I'm assuming you loved it down there. I 131 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 2: enjoyed the South. 132 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, my dad was a coach, a small 133 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 3: college coach, and then he became the athletic director at 134 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 3: the University of South Alabama. So we moved Alabama. I 135 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 3: didn't know a human being, none of us did in 136 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 3: the state of Alabama, and it was actually a lot 137 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 3: of fun. I went to an all boys private school. 138 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 3: We were really good. We had a good basketball team. 139 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: But it ended up being a great experience for me 140 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 3: and my family to you know, kind of be transplanted 141 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 3: Southerners and it worked out really well for us. Yeah. 142 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 2: So you finish your career, were you in one shining moment? 143 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 3: Ever? Do you recall you know what you brought up 144 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 3: a sad memory? Because in eighty seven, if you go 145 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 3: back and find the one shining moment in eighty seven, 146 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 3: there's this clip and it's actually in Freedom Hall. We're 147 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: playing against Providence and I come out of the game 148 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 3: and I hate to admit it, I hate to say 149 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 3: this out loud, but I got the towel in my 150 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 3: head and there's tears in my eyes, and so we're 151 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 3: on the other side of the one shining moment. But 152 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: I did make it in there as a player, dude. 153 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 2: That's I mean, listen, man, that's the kind of thing. 154 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: I would record that every year, and I would like 155 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 2: watch it ocasionally. This is before YouTube, and my wife's 156 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: like a girlfriend at the time, is what's wrong with you? 157 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 2: Why do you like this so much? I'm like, because 158 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: the season's over, Like these guys' careers are over. A 159 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 2: lot of these NCAA tournament guys don't go to play 160 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 2: pros in the NBA, and they have amazing careers. So 161 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 2: do you recall like that, that moment and what happened afterward? 162 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: You know, I recall I could recall them all, Jack, 163 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 3: I'm very lucky. I've been in twenty two NCAA tournaments 164 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 3: and a lot of them as a coach, but even 165 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 3: those as a player, you know, the excitement that you had, 166 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 3: you know. I always tell people too, like the days 167 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 3: leading up, like right now, like today, you know you 168 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 3: did a day's leading up, or if you advance and 169 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: get to the second round in the Sweet sixteen. You 170 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: get to come home for a couple of days. Your 171 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 3: campus is buzzing. Everybody's excited because you're still alive. You 172 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 3: made it through that first weekend. Those are things you 173 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 3: remember too, on top of the games. You know, obviously, 174 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: we had great games. When I was at junior at Alabama. 175 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 3: We played NC State. This would have been or maybe 176 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 3: it was my sophomore year, but we had to play 177 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 3: them in the old mc nichols Arena in Denver, and 178 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 3: all I can remember about that one was it was 179 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 3: about ten seconds ago in the half and we're on 180 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 3: defense and I'm guarding this little munchkin named spud Web. 181 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 3: I just remember turning around and he was there at 182 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 3: the top of the key, and all of a sudden 183 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 3: I realized they were in a one four and I'm 184 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 3: thinking to myself, how am I going to guard this 185 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: little this little speedster and blew right by me. But 186 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: they knocked us out that year. Let's see, Kentucky knocked 187 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 3: us out one year. We had to play him in 188 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 3: the Sweet sixteen. Anyway, three Street three straight Sweet sixteen. 189 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 3: We just couldn't get past it. As a player. 190 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 2: So your career ends, did you think Hey, my dad 191 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 2: was a coach. I kind of want to be a coach. 192 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 2: Did you know that at the time or not really? 193 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 3: You know, I felt like I wanted to coach, but 194 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 3: I still wanted to play a little bit. And you know, 195 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 3: I got drafted obviously Detroit Pistons, and that was in 196 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 3: the bad boy era. I got cut. I played with 197 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 3: Athletes in Action for a year. It's a Christian team 198 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: when all over the world. And then I got invited 199 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 3: back to Detroit. They signed me for the Summer League. 200 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 3: And it's a great story. I was playing back then. 201 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 3: The Summer League was in La at LMU, it wasn't 202 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 3: in Yeah, and I'm playing for Detroit and we got 203 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 3: Dennis Rodman, he's a young guy on the team, and 204 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 3: a guy from Wyoming named Fennis Denbo. Yeah. We had 205 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 3: some good players. And anyway, during that process, the ball 206 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 3: started getting rolling to where I wanted to coach. And 207 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 3: Jim Herrick had just got the job at UCLA and 208 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 3: he called my mom or my house back in Alabama, 209 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 3: and my mom calls me in on the on the 210 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 3: uh on the phone in the hotel at the Lax 211 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 3: Marriott Marquee right there. My my red light is blinking. 212 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 3: No cell phones. Yeah, and she says, yeah, this guy 213 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 3: named Jim Herrick is trying to reach you. So in 214 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 3: the morning, I got up, I got a taxi cab, 215 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 3: I took off, went to U. 216 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 2: C l A. 217 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 3: And we met and and uh, he was like, what 218 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: are you doing? I said, well, I'm playing here at LA. 219 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 3: I'm actually, you know, down by the airport. And the 220 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 3: ball got to roll in there as far as coaching, 221 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: and that's really when I got excited about it. And 222 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 3: you know, you get a chance to start at U 223 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 3: c l A. I mean, come on, that's that was 224 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 3: a break of a lifetime for me. And so it 225 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 3: ended up being really wonderful. 226 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. 227 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 2: So you get to Murray State and I don't know 228 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: how many people remember Murray State the race, but as 229 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: a fifteen seed, you pushed Duke and you guys lose 230 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 2: by three. I'm assuming after that your phone's ringing off 231 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 2: the hook. 232 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 3: You know. That year was my second year at Murray 233 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 3: State and we were up six by the way at 234 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 3: the half and playing pretty well. And I had a 235 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 3: nice little team and you know, they made a stretch 236 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 3: Trajan Langdon hit a couple of jumpers on US, and 237 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 3: they had a nice team. They were a good team. 238 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 3: It wasn't one of their great teams, but they were good. 239 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 3: And you know, it came right down to the wire 240 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 3: and they scored and go up too with about you know, 241 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 3: seven or eight seconds to go, and we got it. 242 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 3: We have a chance, you know, at least tie to 243 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,959 Speaker 3: go over time. But that year, when the game ends, 244 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 3: I was offered both the Georgia and the Tennessee job. Wow, 245 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 3: and turned them both down at Murray State because I 246 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 3: felt like a year at some point I thought Alabama's 247 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 3: job was going to open up. And you know, had 248 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 3: me played at Alabama, that was my ALLM and baughter, 249 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 3: and that's kind of where I wanted to be. And 250 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 3: it worked out for me. 251 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 2: I'm sure you I don't know if you had family 252 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 2: at the time, but turning down Georgia and Tennessee for 253 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: Murray State, did people think you were crazy? 254 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 3: You know, I'll tell you what happened. And both guys, well, 255 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 3: really the guy at Tennessee really kind of frustrated me. 256 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,839 Speaker 3: The athletic director was an old football guy named Doug Dicky. 257 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 3: And you know, I was very loyal to Jim Herrick, 258 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 3: you know, Jim Herrick had given me an opportunity at UCLA. 259 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 3: He promoted me three times in seven years as an 260 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 3: assistant coach, and then we won the national championship together. 261 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: And then Jim had some NCAA issues there way back when, 262 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: and I can remember Doug Dicky saying, Mark, you know, 263 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 3: if you decide to come to Tennessee, I really want 264 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 3: you to distance yourself from him, and I said, I'm 265 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 3: not doing that. I'm just not going to do that. 266 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 3: And it really kind of got me to a place 267 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 3: where I said, I don't know if I really want 268 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 3: to work for somebody, because I've always felt like you're 269 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 3: loyal to the people who help you. And he helped me. 270 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 3: He gave me a chance, and last thing I was 271 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 3: going to do is turn my back on him. So 272 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 3: anyway it worked out. I ended up at Alabama and 273 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 3: I had a great grade eleven years there and very 274 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 3: thankful for those. 275 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 2: So then you end up a year later going back 276 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: to the tournament, and at that point, I guess the 277 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: tennis the Alabama job came open, right it did. 278 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 3: And that year Jmax, how about this at Murray State 279 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 3: we were twenty nine and three. We had beaten Arkansas 280 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 3: beat Iowa State. Wow, we went on the road and 281 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 3: beat Dayton. Back then, who was your best guy? I 282 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 3: had some guys you would never heard of. I had 283 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 3: two guys from Trinidad. I had a couple of young kids. 284 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 3: I had the mister basketball out of State of Alabama 285 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 3: named Isaac Spencer. And but no pros, no pros, but 286 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 3: just some tough, hard nosed guys. And we had a 287 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 3: great year, like I said, had great wins when I 288 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 3: think sixteen and two in the league that year in 289 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 3: the oversea way back then. But on the selection show Sunday, 290 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 3: which we just kind of witnessed, we watched our name 291 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: pop up on the screen and it's Murray State playing 292 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 3: Rhode Island. And Rhode Island is coached by Jim Herrick. 293 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 3: Oh no, they had a team with Katino Mobley, Tyson 294 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 3: wheel Wheeler. They had some dudes now and Jim probably 295 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 3: knew our team better than you know, as outside of 296 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 3: myself and my coaches, probably better than anybody in the country. 297 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 3: But they were really good too. And people forget that 298 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 3: Rhode Island team beat Kansas in the second round, Yes, 299 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 3: beat Stanford, beat Valparaiso in the third and took Stanford 300 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 3: to the wire and were actually up six with about 301 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 3: a minute to go in the game and got beat. 302 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 3: So they were he almost had Rhode Island in the 303 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 3: final four. So we we got beat by a really 304 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: good Rhode Island basketball team that year. 305 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 2: That was the Mark Madison Stanford team. 306 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 3: I think Arthur Lee and Arthur Lee with the big 307 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 3: steel their lane. 308 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 2: So wait, let me ask, what were you running at 309 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 2: Murray State, Like twenty nine and four. You got a 310 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 2: nine seed. That's ridiculous for the for the that almost 311 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 2: never happens. What kind of well sets and offense were 312 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 2: you running? Was it the gym Errickstos run. 313 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 3: We were up and down. We were playing in the 314 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 3: eighties and nineties, and that was the highest seed I 315 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 3: think it still is in the Ohio Valley Conference, which 316 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 3: in that league you're always a fifteen seed or a 317 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 3: sixteen seed. And but we had had a good team 318 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 3: with good wins, and so, you know, I think we 319 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 3: reviewed just a little bit differently. I think if we 320 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 3: would have played anybody other than Rhode Island, you know, 321 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 3: we had a chance at least to you know, maybe 322 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 3: win some games and get going there in the tournament. 323 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 3: We were a pretty good team, then do you. 324 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,479 Speaker 2: Think they pitted you against Harrik obviously for the storyline 325 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 2: like US teacher versus student or whatever. You know. 326 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 3: You know, I said a couple of times in some 327 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 3: mock drafts with the selection committee when I was on 328 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 3: the NABC or coach basketball coaches and board directors, and 329 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 3: I really think it's pretty pure. I really do. But 330 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 3: I say that, but we see them all the time, 331 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 3: you know, And so on one hand, it's like, Okay, 332 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 3: is that just kind of happenstance? I don't know, but 333 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 3: it does add for another element for television and games 334 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 3: and things for people to talk about. And so sometimes 335 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 3: I think it's easy to move teams. They never want 336 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 3: to move teams up or down, like from a nine 337 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 3: seed to an eight to a seven. But if you 338 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 3: move them across the line where you keep a team 339 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 3: as a nine seed but you give them a different matchup, 340 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 3: I do think that probably happens sometimes here there. Yeah. 341 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 342 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio 343 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to 344 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: listen live. 345 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 2: You go to Alabama with the prodigal sun returns our 346 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 2: superstar from a few years back. And it takes a 347 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 2: little while, but once you get going, man, you guys 348 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 2: are rolling around. Like two thousand and two, maybe. 349 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 3: We had a great run at five straight tournaments, got 350 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: into the Elite Eight in two thousand and four. We 351 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 3: won the league. In two thousand and two, I had 352 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 3: a great player in Moe Williams, who was, oh yeah, 353 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 3: the national freshman of the year. He was the best 354 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 3: high school guard in the country. 355 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 2: How did you land him? 356 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 3: By the way, what's that? 357 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 2: How did you land Moe Williams? 358 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 3: I recruited most since he was in the ninth grade, 359 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 3: and we developed a great relationship. He could have went 360 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 3: anywhere in the country. And you know, Jackson, Mississippi's only 361 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 3: about two and a half hours at Tuscaloosa, so were 362 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 3: we were right there. But you know, Moe was such 363 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,120 Speaker 3: a good player. And then I had this little little 364 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 3: bitty guard that I started. He came as a walk on. 365 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 3: I gave him a scholarship, Antoine Petway, who just led 366 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 3: Hennesau State into the NCAA Basketball Tournament. And so, you know, 367 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 3: pet was a good little guard. But I had a 368 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 3: nice team and you know that particular year in two 369 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 3: thousand and four, let's go to that yet year, we 370 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 3: go in as the eight and nine seed in the tournament. 371 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,239 Speaker 3: I tell people all the time, j mag the eight 372 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 3: and nine. When you're in the eight nine bracket, that's 373 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 3: like the Booby Prize game. I tell everybody, You're invited 374 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 3: to the party, but you're probably gonna go stay very 375 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 3: long because your next game is usually against a one seed. 376 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 3: And so our next game was against Stanford. They were 377 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,959 Speaker 3: thirty and one, and uh, they were good. They had 378 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 3: a really good team. They were the number one team 379 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 3: in the nation. And we got by them, and then 380 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 3: we had to play Syracuse, who was the defending champs. 381 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 3: Uh they had had everybody back except Carmelo Carmelo, Yeah, 382 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 3: and beat them. And then we ran into a dominant 383 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,159 Speaker 3: Yukon team back at four. And that team, you know, 384 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 3: they had uh Okafoor and Josh Boone and Villa Nueva 385 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 3: and uh oh, the heck of a really good guard. 386 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:37,719 Speaker 3: I can't remember his name. I'm looking right at him. 387 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 3: Ben Leton and Talia Crown, Yes, I mean, uh, you 388 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 3: know they. 389 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 2: Were it was Mali. You're right. Talik Brown was the guard. 390 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 3: Brown and uh Rashard Anderson was a good player for him, 391 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 3: but Ben Gordon was a load as a guard. And 392 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 3: then those big guys they just you know, they just 393 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 3: wore you down. They had so many and uh and 394 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 3: Jim Calhoun, they that wash. They were good. They won 395 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 3: it all that year. But for us to get to 396 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 3: an elite eight at Alabama, that had never happened in 397 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 3: school history. And so that was a lot of fun. 398 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 3: And anyway, we had a great run there at Alabama. 399 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 3: It was a lot of fun. 400 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 2: So I think, what a lot of people are listening here, 401 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 2: My gosh, how did this guy win so much so fast? 402 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 2: Everywhere he goes? And I know you say running gun, 403 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 2: but there's got to be another secret sauce that you're 404 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: not revealing, Like anybody could run and gun. 405 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 3: Well, when I was at UCLA, you know, with Jim 406 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,640 Speaker 3: Herrick and Jim Herrick, those of us that really know him, well, 407 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 3: he's a believer. When I say believer, I mean a 408 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 3: believer in the old UCLA John Wooden high post offense. 409 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 3: Now throughout the years and the games changed a little 410 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 3: bit in a three point line and some of those things, 411 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 3: and so you know, you had to tweak it a 412 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 3: little bit here and there, but a lot of it 413 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 3: was the same stuff. And in that particular offense, I 414 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 3: could take any player. If my best player was a guard, 415 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 3: I could make him shine like crazy he was the 416 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 3: best player was a forward, best player was the b 417 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 3: It didn't really matter. And so I ran that offense 418 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 3: UH my entire career. And you know, as we always say, 419 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 3: you know, it's not the only offense in the world. 420 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 3: It's just the best and UH and John Wooden won 421 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 3: ten national champs with it. So there were a lot 422 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 3: of times when we would all say who am I to? 423 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 3: Who am I to? Questioned it. Now, you had a 424 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 3: few good players too back then, but that's what we did. 425 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 3: And UH and I had good assistance. And then also 426 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 3: you gotta you know, I don't care who you are. 427 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 3: You got to get good players. And we were able 428 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 3: to always find a way to get some really good players. 429 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 2: So, like, what's the profile of the player you look for? 430 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess it depends on where you're where 431 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 2: you're coaching. But for instance, you you identified the Martin 432 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 2: twins at NC State, Caleb and Cody, Now I did 433 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 2: they were they at Nevada before you were after after after. 434 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 3: But they were. They were two years at NC State with. 435 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: Us, and so like, what is it cause they're kind 436 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 2: of just dogged. They are relentless. They just the motors tireless. 437 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 2: Is there like a DNA that you look for in 438 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 2: a player. 439 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 3: I don't know if there's a DNA, But for me, 440 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: you know, obviously want as much size and speed as 441 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 3: you can. You know, the bigger the player, the more 442 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 3: the quicker they are in athleticism. But I was always 443 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 3: I've always had an affinity for guys that can shoot 444 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 3: the ball, guys that can make shots. You know, some 445 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 3: guys like the big, rough and tough defensive guys. Mick 446 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 3: Crones that way Ucla. You know, he puts a high 447 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 3: value in just beating you up defensively and play a 448 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 3: little bit slower. But for me, it's always been a 449 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 3: premium on shooting. If guys can shoot the ball and 450 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 3: make baskets, that to me. And I've always had guys 451 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 3: that could score. TJ. Warren at NC State could score 452 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 3: in his sleep. When I was at UCLA, we had 453 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 3: Don McClain as the leading scorer in the history of UCLA, 454 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 3: more than Jabbar Tracy Murray, those guys and even at Alabama, 455 00:21:58,280 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: you know, I had guys that can really score the 456 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 3: and so for me, that was the premium. Because here's 457 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 3: what I tell people all the time. You know, there's 458 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 3: this old catchy phrase. We've all heard it, defense wins championships. 459 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 3: And I always say bs to that one, because you 460 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 3: watch any game, watch any game, watch them in the tournament, 461 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 3: watching the NBA. If you can't score late in the game, 462 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 3: you can't win. You got to be able to keep 463 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 3: scoring as the clock is winding down those last two 464 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 3: or three minutes. So scoring, to me, not that defense 465 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 3: isn't important, but you got to be able to score 466 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 3: the ball. So for me, that was I always put 467 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 3: a premium on that. 468 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the game obviously has he balled since you 469 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 2: left coaching, and it's it's a little different. You know, 470 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: obviously the nil the transfers, but the three pointer doesn't 471 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 2: seem like it's going anywhere. And then you see a 472 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 2: team like Arizona, who Mark I believe is bottom ten 473 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 2: and three point attempts in the country, and for my money, 474 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 2: they're the best team in the in the land right now. 475 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 2: I don't know if you'd agree, but do you like 476 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 2: what they're doing because they're kind of zigging when everybody 477 00:22:58,359 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: else isagging, you. 478 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 3: Know, little bit. Now, I'm a little different in that 479 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 3: when I look at the bracket right now and the 480 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 3: four number one seeds, they're the one to me that 481 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 3: I'm not convinced they're gonna get there. I think the 482 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 3: other three for the other three one seeds, when you 483 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 3: look at Duke, Michigan, and Florida, you know they all 484 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 3: could get beat. I mean, anything can happen on a 485 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 3: given night. But I think Arizona's bracket is a little 486 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 3: bit loaded with Purdue, and I think with Arkansas a 487 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 3: little bit and maybe Gonzaga in there. I don't know 488 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 3: if Gazaga is good enough this year, but it'll be 489 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 3: interesting because teams that really understand how to utilize the three. Now, 490 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,199 Speaker 3: I will say this, Alabama Nate Oates, you know, a 491 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 3: good friend of mine. He's done a phenomenal job there. 492 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 3: They rely on the three so much. Now He'll tell you, yeah, 493 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 3: against a certain team, we got sixty points in the paint, 494 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 3: blah blah blah. But if you can take away there 495 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 3: their three ball, which Old Miss did in the SEC tournament, 496 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 3: they struggle, they'll struggle to beat you. So maybe with 497 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 3: Arizona the way they're playing a little bit old school, 498 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 3: a little bit old schole basketball, maybe we'll see and 499 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 3: we'll find out if that'll carry him all the way 500 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: through a six game season, because you got to win 501 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 3: six to win it all, and we'll see how that 502 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 3: plays out. 503 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 2: I kind of look for trends in. One of the 504 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 2: numbers that jumps out is this offensive rebounding this year. 505 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: It's it's kind of insane. So all for of the 506 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 2: number one seeds are top twenty five in offensive rebounding 507 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 2: this year, and you just look at it and you're like, well, okay, Arizona, 508 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: even if they miss, they've got like an NBA sized 509 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 2: front line. Florida has three like giants inside Duke. Obviously 510 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 2: they don't have it now with the center out, but 511 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,439 Speaker 2: the four number one size is I mean, Illinois has 512 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 2: a huge frontline for Underwood. Do you think like And 513 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:43,880 Speaker 2: we see the Houston Rockets are trying this in the league. 514 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,360 Speaker 2: Obviously the Adams injury hurts, but it's like, hey, if 515 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 2: we take more shots than you, because we grab more 516 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 2: offensive rebounds, we're gonna beat you. 517 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 3: And you got to remember people really practice that. You know, 518 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 3: they'll practice sending four guys to the glass, you know, 519 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 3: with one safety, and it just becomes part of their 520 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 3: DNA where you know, ball goes up, shot goes up, 521 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 3: it's four guys typically that are just hunting the ball. 522 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 3: They're just going to hunt for the ball every single time. 523 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,199 Speaker 3: And then also remember this, you know, and maybe not 524 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 3: in the case of Arizona, but you know, long shot 525 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 3: produces a long rebound. So a lot of teams that 526 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 3: are shooting a lot of threes, a lot of those 527 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 3: balls are coming off the rim a little bit farther, 528 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 3: so your free throw line area, your short corners, your wings, 529 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 3: there's a lot of balls coming off the rim that 530 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 3: aren't necessarily just right around the rim. And so those 531 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 3: teams have all done a good job with it. But 532 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 3: like anything, like I was talking about, more opportunities that 533 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 3: we get to score the ball, I think the better 534 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 3: chances that you have. 535 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 2: Where are you on this Arkansas kid Darius Acuff, who 536 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 2: is just a blur. The three pointers are insane. He 537 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 2: could do everything. And we saw Kemba walkerly Yukon to 538 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: a title, Carmelo Anthony dating myself, but Danny Manning and 539 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 2: the Miracles. I don't know if he could pull off 540 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 2: something like that, but you know, for a six to 541 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 2: three guard, it might be tough. Just your thoughts on 542 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 2: a cuff who is a shot maker. 543 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 3: So I think probably a month ago it was pretty 544 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 3: determined there was probably three or four guys that that 545 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 3: most guys in the NBA would say, Okay, these guys 546 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 3: are going one, two, three, four. You know, you got 547 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 3: the kid at North Carolina, the Bonsa at BYU, you 548 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 3: got the kid at Kansas. There's another one. I'm forgetting Boozer. 549 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 3: And then maybe the guard at Houston would be right 550 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 3: there plumbing yep, yep. But I would say in the 551 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 3: last two to three weeks here, four weeks, I think 552 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 3: you're watching that little guy at Arkansas just climb the ladder. 553 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 3: He just keeps climbing the ladder up. I don't know 554 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 3: if he's he would end up being number one, but 555 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 3: I think he's gonna surprise the people and be up 556 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 3: there maybe number two, three or four in the draft. Yeah, 557 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 3: and a lot of determined too in this tournament, because 558 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 3: you know, at the end of the day, can he 559 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,679 Speaker 3: carry a team? Now? Their talent is that actually pretty good. 560 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 3: At Arkansas. He gets a lot of attention, but the 561 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 3: guy's around him pretty good by the way. But for 562 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 3: them to go through and win the SEC tournament and 563 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 3: him to do what he's been doing, he's a load now. 564 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 3: He is a load. And I don't know if he's 565 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 3: Derek Rose Derek Rose. I think it was maybe a 566 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 3: little more athletic, maybe got up off the ground a 567 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 3: little bit more than him. But again, his ability to 568 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 3: put the ball in the basket on a number of 569 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 3: different ways, I mean a number of different ways. And 570 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 3: he is not afraid period. He ain't afraid to take 571 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 3: the last shot, biggest shot. If he misses one, he's 572 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 3: got no problem taking another one. So boy, he's rising 573 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 3: the charts pretty high for me. 574 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 575 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio 576 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to 577 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: listen live. 578 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 2: Quick question on Darren Peterson. Don't know, like if you're 579 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 2: plugged in at Kansas with Bill self. We had friend 580 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: for Shila on and I was asking him it sounds like, 581 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 2: you know this Darren Peterson thing people were getting in 582 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,360 Speaker 2: his ear. Maybe in his camp thinking NBA and hey, 583 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 2: let's slow it down. Have you ever witnessed anything like 584 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,760 Speaker 2: that someone who's so ridiculously talented? But I don't know 585 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 2: if the word is dogging him, but it just didn't 586 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 2: seem like for much of the season he was willing 587 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 2: to go full tilt. 588 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. You know, I spent a year with the Mavericks 589 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 3: and you know we had all these discussions. That was 590 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 3: the year we drafted Luca and Jalen Bruntson and so 591 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 3: lot of times when we discuss players, you know, you 592 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 3: got analytic guys in there talking about all this analytic stuff. 593 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 3: And for me as a coach, it's Kenny helped me win. 594 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 3: That's all I care about. Is this guy gonna help 595 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 3: us win the game? For me, there's some question marks 596 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 3: about him. 597 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: Now. 598 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 3: I will say this Bill self, who's a good friend 599 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 3: of mine. Bill is the master now master of publicly, 600 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 3: He's probably not going to be as honest as we 601 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 3: would all want him to be with his star player. 602 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 3: Maybe how frustrating that has been for their team this year, 603 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 3: because I can promise you when they signed him and 604 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 3: got him there and got him on campus with some 605 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 3: other guys, they have this year on that team. I 606 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 3: don't think they're thinking about being a four seed. They 607 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 3: were talking about being a one to two seed and 608 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 3: you know, really having a chance to make a run 609 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 3: at it. And they still might. They might because Bill 610 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 3: is really really good, but I think there's some questions 611 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 3: around him. He may still go really high. He's very, 612 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 3: very talented, but boy, to invest a lot of money 613 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 3: into him, I'd be nervous right now. 614 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 2: Wait a minute, So I was looking into your bio. 615 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 2: This is the first time I've heard of this Dallas 616 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 2: Maverick stuff, so I don't see it on There were 617 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 2: you there when Dennis Smith was there? 618 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 3: So they brought me on right before the draft, and 619 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 3: then we signed Dennis that year. And then because Dennis 620 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 3: played for me at NC State for a year. Oh, 621 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 3: and then the following year, it was the year of 622 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 3: Marvin Bagley, Mobamba, diondre Ayton, Luka, Doncic, Trey Young, and 623 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 3: Donnie Nelson pulled off the coup of all coups. In 624 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 3: my view, I did like Trey Young a lot, but 625 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 3: to orchestrate a trade with Atlanta and get Luca, give 626 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 3: up Trey and get a draft pick from Atlanta, that 627 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 3: was a pretty genius move on my part from. 628 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 2: My perspective, Yeah, certainly. The reason I ask about Dennis Smith, 629 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 2: how do I say this delicate? Obviously he's ridiculously talented, 630 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: but the stories I heard about him in Dallas when 631 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 2: Luca showed up, it was pretty clear, Hey, this is 632 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 2: Luca's team, and you know, maybe Dennis Smith didn't take 633 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 2: it great. The guy was a dunky machine, super athletic, 634 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 2: but like I mean, Luka Doncic is like a transcendent player. 635 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 2: Was that awkward being there or if you don't want 636 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 2: to talk about it, you don't have to. 637 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 3: No, I'm fine. Here's the thing. I love Dennis. I 638 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 3: love him to this day. And I always say this, 639 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 3: some guys that are pros, and I've had some guys 640 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 3: stay in the league a long time that I coached, 641 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 3: you also have to learn how to be a pro, 642 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 3: and you have to learn how to stay in the league. 643 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 3: And because everything changes sometimes every year, whether you draft 644 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 3: a Luca and by the way, also Jalen Brunson and 645 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 3: that draft, both those guys, and you know it was 646 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 3: for a year it was kind of okay, but then 647 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 3: you know they kind of made their decision and so 648 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 3: I feel for Dennis. I want him. I'm hoping for 649 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 3: him to get back in the league. I root for 650 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 3: him all the time. He's in the G League right now. 651 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 3: But you know, we all loved Jalen Brunson too. I 652 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 3: loved Jalen in college. I didn't think he was going 653 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 3: to be this good. Now, I know, I don't think 654 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 3: anyone did. And Jay and I've had Jay Wright on 655 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 3: my podcast. Jay and I talk all the time, and 656 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 3: Jay will admit publicly he didn't see it coming either. 657 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 3: Now he was really good. But in that draft to 658 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 3: get Jalen as a second rounder and then Luca obviously 659 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 3: in a trade that was a predetermined trade that ended 660 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 3: up being quite a feather in the cap. My view 661 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 3: for Donnie Nelson before all that happened, and he left. 662 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 2: The Mavericks not to go two down the MAVs rabbit hole. 663 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 2: But you were around Luka Doncic. I'm in awe of 664 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 2: the talent, and I also am in awe that the 665 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 2: media continues to beat this guy up. I mean, I 666 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 2: don't know if it's because he was so good so 667 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 2: soon those series against the MAVs where it was one 668 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 2: against like five, But what do you make of all 669 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 2: they bash him? Oh, he doesn't dunk anymore, he's out 670 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 2: of shape, he doesn't play defense, he's overweight. Are you surprised? 671 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 2: Or is this simply Hey, you get to the mountaintop 672 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 2: and all it is is people just firing at you. 673 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 3: You know, I think some of it is valid. I do. 674 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 3: I think he's a phenomenal player. Now I would tell 675 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 3: you right now, he would be in my discussion. I 676 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 3: don't think he wins the MVP this year, but he's 677 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 3: in the discussion. Okay, So you're talking about an elite 678 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 3: level of guy right there. You know, obviously Wemby and 679 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 3: san Antonio and he still got the Joker, and you 680 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 3: got Shay and you know, maybe Kate Cunningham. His emergence 681 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 3: has been unreal. But Luca's in the conversation. He's now 682 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 3: Here's also what I would say. And you know, obviously 683 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 3: I'm just a guy sitting in my living room right now. 684 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 3: But if Luca ever truly fell in love with getting 685 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 3: his body completely, I'm talking about completely. In other words, 686 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 3: when you go back and look at some of the 687 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 3: great ones, you go back and look at Jordan and 688 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 3: Kobe and even Lebron. Lebron was twenty five ish. You know, 689 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 3: you're talking about physically maxing out what your body should 690 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 3: be like. You're talking about speed, your weight, your quickness, 691 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: your latter quickness, you're jumping, you're conditioning your stamina. And 692 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: for me, Luca took a massive jump from last year 693 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 3: to this year, massive jump in that just in that category. 694 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 3: And if he just can take it one more step, 695 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 3: just one more and get his body truly truly there, 696 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 3: I think then he is. You know, arguably he's there. 697 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,200 Speaker 3: He's there, He's he's there now. Obviously we got Wimby 698 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 3: sitting over here in San Antonio that that's a whole 699 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 3: nother ball game. But Luca, for him to max out, 700 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,120 Speaker 3: in my view, that's the next step for him. But 701 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 3: he's so good, he's so talented. And the shot he 702 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 3: made against the Nuggets, you know, the game winner, and 703 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 3: more of those are to come with him. But he is, 704 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 3: he's quite a player. 705 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 2: Let me ask you real quick about to go back 706 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: to college, and Duke Boozer is not the athlete Cooper 707 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,800 Speaker 2: Flag was or Zion Williamson. But some of the analytics 708 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 2: say he has had a better freshman year than both 709 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 2: those guys, it's tough, and then you watch him and 710 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 2: next thing you know, he's got twenty three, ten and five. 711 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 2: I know people don't like when I mentioned jokicch but 712 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,800 Speaker 2: like you'll catch you at like twenty years old, Boozer 713 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:46,839 Speaker 2: is going to be better. He's eighteen and a half mark. 714 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: I just he There isn't anything he cannot do. The vision, 715 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,280 Speaker 2: the IQ, the passing. What do you think the ceiling 716 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 2: is for a guy like this? 717 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,359 Speaker 3: Did you just say he's going to be better than yo? 718 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 2: Well, at twenty you'll catch you, twenty you'll catch you, 719 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 2: twenty you'll get a twenty seven is a different story. 720 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,360 Speaker 3: Well, hold on you'll kitchen at eight looked like the 721 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 3: Pillsbury dough boy was a little munchkin, so. 722 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 2: He's still a little doughe. 723 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 3: I like Boozer a lot, I really do. I have 724 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:19,800 Speaker 3: some questions about his athleticism. I do like his numbers. 725 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 3: I love the way that they play and they use him. 726 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 3: I think John Shire has done a just off the 727 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,919 Speaker 3: charts job at Duke. But to me, I think those 728 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 3: other guys are a little bit more ahead of him, 729 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,800 Speaker 3: especially the kid at BYU. And I'm not so sure 730 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:37,879 Speaker 3: that the kid at North Carolina doesn't end up being 731 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 3: a big, big time pro, maybe a better pro. But 732 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 3: I do like Boozer. I mean, somebody's this is a 733 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,720 Speaker 3: great draft class, by the way. I mean your first 734 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 3: probably six picks in that draft. You know you could 735 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 3: put them all in a hopper and close your eyes 736 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,439 Speaker 3: and pull guys. You know, it's that close, I think. 737 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 3: And the only person who ended up having pressure is 738 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 3: whoever ends up with the number one pick, because when 739 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 3: you got the number one pick, you better get it right. 740 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 3: If you're two through six, you're gonna end up with 741 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:10,799 Speaker 3: a great player, no better player. 742 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 2: Now, you're right, that's very spot on. I wonder the 743 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 2: shot creation thing is why a lot of people like 744 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 2: debansa and and A Cuff and even Darren Peterson. But 745 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,920 Speaker 2: so you think there's a chance Boozer Foles below Caleb Wilson, 746 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,919 Speaker 2: the kid with the broken handle unc Well. 747 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:27,880 Speaker 3: I was on the phone the other day with a 748 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:29,799 Speaker 3: couple of guys that are scouts still in the NBA, 749 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 3: and they asked me that question, who would you take 750 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,319 Speaker 3: between the two? And you know I answered it this way. 751 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 3: Did you watch the game in the Dean Dome when 752 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 3: they played against each other and they played in the 753 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:45,040 Speaker 3: same game, and I thought Caleb was just I just 754 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 3: you know, he's a guy for me that I think, Well, 755 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 3: I think they're all of them have great upside. I 756 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 3: like his upside maybe the most out of out of 757 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 3: all of them, and where he might be becoming three 758 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 3: or four five years. But like we mentioned earlier, I 759 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,920 Speaker 3: think a Cuff at Arkansas is climbing. He is climbing 760 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:05,919 Speaker 3: rapidly into charts right now. 761 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 2: I just wonder some of this, like identifying franchise players, 762 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 2: like you know, you were part of that Luca Trey 763 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,239 Speaker 2: Young deal. Everybody thought for a few years Trey Young 764 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 2: would be the guy. Remember that series against the Knicks 765 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:19,399 Speaker 2: where he took a bow at mid court like Trey 766 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,480 Speaker 2: Young was just traded for like a bag of basketballs. 767 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 2: You know it was. 768 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 3: And I can remember this too, g I went to 769 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 3: a game at Oklahoma his freshman year and they played Baylor, 770 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 3: and he gets forty four and fifteen with a bad 771 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 3: He was on a bad team at Oklahoma, and you know, 772 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 3: if his other guys on his team could have made 773 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:42,239 Speaker 3: a layup, he probably has fifty and twenty assists. And 774 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:46,240 Speaker 3: I remember you know, calling some guys back in Dallas 775 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,319 Speaker 3: and Michael Finley, and you know, I'm saying, I've been 776 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 3: on college basketball, and I've watched a lot of college 777 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,240 Speaker 3: basketball in my lifetime. I don't know how many times 778 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 3: I've watched a freshman in a Big twelve game. Now 779 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 3: get forty four and fifteen. I mean, he was that good, 780 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 3: and so I would always tell people I'm not sure 781 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 3: he might and I didn't never I never put my 782 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 3: eyes on Luke in person, only by Tate. But if 783 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 3: you take Luca out of that draft, I was kind 784 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:19,359 Speaker 3: of saying, let's consider Trey one, two three. I thought 785 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:23,160 Speaker 3: he was right there, right there, and so hopefully he 786 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 3: can do well and then Washington and maybe you know, 787 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 3: get going, and if Ad can get healthy and stay healthy, 788 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:30,960 Speaker 3: maybe they can start winning a little bit there. But 789 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 3: I always liked him, But Luca's generational guy. 790 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:37,839 Speaker 2: So like that's the thing. Trey Young put up monster stats, 791 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 2: couldn't get out of the first round like Steph Curry 792 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 2: monster stats at Davidson makes a run to the Elite eight. 793 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 1: Like I. 794 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,720 Speaker 2: Always was like, no way can Tray Young be Steph Curry? 795 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 1: No way? 796 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 2: And people thought like, oh, he's the next Curry And 797 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:52,839 Speaker 2: I don't know, man, he's not even thirty years old. 798 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:56,360 Speaker 3: And it feels like I agree Jane. I used to 799 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 3: say that even in our meetings in Dallas, like, are 800 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 3: we watching another Steph Curry? Com? Are we watching that? 801 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:05,319 Speaker 3: A little bit for a guy that can do what 802 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:08,280 Speaker 3: he does? And you know, sometimes you have to remember 803 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 3: too in the tournament. You know, sometimes it's matchups, sometimes 804 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:17,439 Speaker 3: it's coaches. Sometimes a team, a high seed gets beat 805 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 3: and all of a sudden you can advance through the 806 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 3: tournament playing against lower seeds because other high seeds have 807 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:28,080 Speaker 3: gotten upset. You know, the tournament is such a it's 808 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 3: kind of a fickle deal. You know, Gonzaga has had 809 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 3: a couple runs where all of a sudden, all the 810 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:36,040 Speaker 3: high seeds are out of the way and they're playing 811 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:41,040 Speaker 3: lower seeds to advance, and so so many things happen. 812 00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:43,520 Speaker 3: So I don't put that much stock in the tournament. 813 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 3: I mean I do, and who can carry their team 814 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:49,760 Speaker 3: to get there. But also you got to remember players 815 00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:51,799 Speaker 3: are playing in different systems that aren't They're not going 816 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:53,879 Speaker 3: to be playing those same systems in the NBA. It's 817 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 3: gonna be much different and the game is much different, 818 00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:02,440 Speaker 3: and so it's not an easy science to pick sometimes 819 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:04,799 Speaker 3: the difference in it you're cutting your your you know, 820 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 3: splicing hairs between two and three and one, and you know, 821 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,279 Speaker 3: we can all act like we knew, but really we 822 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 3: all don't know. It's it's it's tough to do sometimes. 823 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,719 Speaker 2: No, yeah, nobody knows. I mean, heck, Devin Booker was 824 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:21,520 Speaker 2: slowed by Calipari. Tyrese Maxie was slowed by Calibari. I mean, 825 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:24,200 Speaker 2: you know, nobody knew those guys were gonna pop and 826 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 2: be all NBA and uh MVP's SGA turned. Who thought 827 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:29,319 Speaker 2: SGA was gonna be an MVP? 828 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 3: Like nobody? 829 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. So anyways, so your your your picks sounds like 830 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:37,640 Speaker 2: you're a little lower on Arizona. You got Duke Michigan 831 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 2: and Florida. Who do you have winning at all? 832 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,080 Speaker 3: You know, I've been telling everybody I like Michigan. I do. 833 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,319 Speaker 3: I like the kid. I always can't ever pronounce his 834 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 3: name right, but anyway, he's the MVP of the league. 835 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 3: He's phenomenal. The forward didn't and I think the big 836 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,400 Speaker 3: kid Mara helps him a lot. I mean, he's not 837 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 3: a great player, but in college basketball. He's he's different, 838 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 3: you know, he's just diff and you get into the 839 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 3: tournament and you haven't seen a guy like him. We've 840 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:06,520 Speaker 3: got played against a guy that you know, is that 841 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:08,920 Speaker 3: tall and on picking rolls when he's diving and they're 842 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:11,799 Speaker 3: throwing the ball up to the rim. So I think 843 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:14,080 Speaker 3: Michigan to me is the team if I had to 844 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:17,040 Speaker 3: just circle one on my bracket, it probably at this 845 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 3: point would be the Wolverines. 846 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:20,720 Speaker 2: So I know you hear a lot of stories, obviously, 847 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:23,719 Speaker 2: I'm sure like many, you can't repeat. The most fun 848 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 2: story I heard about Mara. So he was he was 849 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 2: at UCLA, and the story I heard was he told Mick, 850 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 2: I'm good, I'm going back to Spain for the summer. 851 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:35,399 Speaker 2: I'll see you when i'm back. And apparently he comes 852 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:37,280 Speaker 2: back and he's like, I'm out, I'm going to Michigan 853 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:41,200 Speaker 2: now listen. I'm sure crazy stuff happens. Obviously, they could 854 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:43,880 Speaker 2: use him UCLA with the big loss of Billiboo. I 855 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:46,840 Speaker 2: don't know when he's coming back, the big guy. But 856 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,520 Speaker 2: have you heard any crazy tales about Nil and transfer? 857 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 2: Because it does seem a little dirty out there. 858 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 3: You know, Nil stands for now it's legal. That's the 859 00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:02,239 Speaker 3: cost thing. But you know there's always crazy. You know, 860 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:05,319 Speaker 3: we us coaches, we we joke all the time. We 861 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:08,239 Speaker 3: could all write a book on just recruiting, and I 862 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,319 Speaker 3: think people would say, ah, that didn't happen. Come on, man, 863 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:14,400 Speaker 3: that's not really true. Like nobody would believe the stories. 864 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 3: It's so competitive, it never ends. You know, if you 865 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 3: can get to somebody that can get to somebody who 866 00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:24,239 Speaker 3: knows somebody that can get to the player or the 867 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,799 Speaker 3: family or whoever may be, you never know how it's 868 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:30,480 Speaker 3: going to turn out. I was really disappointed. You know, 869 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:32,520 Speaker 3: I'm still a brewing at heart too, you know, having 870 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 3: won a national championship there ninety four, I was so yeah, 871 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:39,640 Speaker 3: I just hated it when he left. I loved him 872 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,800 Speaker 3: for two years. I thought he was gonna be really, 873 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,480 Speaker 3: really good this year for UCLA. And but you know, 874 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,480 Speaker 3: now in the day with the portal, guys can transfer 875 00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 3: left and right. It'd be like pro sports, and every 876 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:56,480 Speaker 3: single player is a free agent every year. It's just 877 00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:59,000 Speaker 3: it's hard to tell, and it's crazy as far as 878 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:01,879 Speaker 3: who's going to stay, who's gonna leave. Well, you gotta 879 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 3: pay a guy. This guy's telling them some schools telling 880 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 3: me they give me a million. Okay, I'm giving him 881 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 3: six hundred. I mean, it's a it's a wild wild 882 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:12,680 Speaker 3: West right now. And hopefully they can the n S A. 883 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:14,319 Speaker 3: I don't know that they can, but hopefully they can 884 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:16,279 Speaker 3: find a way to put some parameters around all this. 885 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:20,319 Speaker 2: It seems unlikely, all right. Mark Gottfried, legendary player at 886 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 2: Alabama College basketball coach a ton of success, thanks a lot, man, 887 00:43:23,719 --> 00:43:25,040 Speaker 2: and enjoyed the tournament. 888 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:26,920 Speaker 3: You got it. Thank you for having me on. It 889 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:27,560 Speaker 3: was a lot of fun.