WEBVTT - Coat Check: A Chat With Michael Bryson 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.840 A new podcast from the seventy six ers podcast network 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.520 is coming your way in a matter of moments. Before 0:00:05.519 --> 0:00:07.000 we get started, wanted to talk to you for a 0:00:07.040 --> 0:00:10.399 moment about a great way to start your day. You 0:00:10.440 --> 0:00:15.280 know that right now everyone is simply trying to get by. However, 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:20.360 possible schedules are different totally in flux life habits as 0:00:20.360 --> 0:00:24.079 we knew them have been completely turned upside down. But 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:26.159 if you do happen to be out and about in 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:29.320 the morning, Wendy's is here to serve. They've got new 0:00:29.360 --> 0:00:33.279 breakfasts that pretty much eat all the breakfasts for breakfast. 0:00:33.800 --> 0:00:36.600 Here's what you gotta do. Download the app, then get 0:00:36.640 --> 0:00:40.560 deals on your favorite breakfast menu items. There's of course 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:44.199 classics like the Bacon Eater, but also right now Wendy's 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:47.200 is trying to do you best during really hard times. 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:50.400 They're still open for drive through and delivery. Delivery is 0:00:50.400 --> 0:00:52.960 actually free if you order ten dollars or more on 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:56.760 Grubhub or Postmates. Plus, if you order your breakfast in 0:00:56.840 --> 0:01:00.560 the Wendy's app, you get a free honey butter chicken biscuit. 0:01:01.240 --> 0:01:04.480 That's tough to beat. Wendy's breakfasts. You up for this 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:10.760 available at participating us Wendy's locations. Now about that new 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:18.720 pod you up for that, well, here it is. Enjoy it. Hey, 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:22.320 it's Brian Seltzer. Welcome back to the pod. Certainly appreciate 0:01:22.360 --> 0:01:25.240 you checking it out and coming here amidst such a 0:01:25.319 --> 0:01:29.720 crazy time in the world. Hope you, your family, your friends, 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:32.280 anyone in your network is doing as well as they 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:35.720 possibly can right now to get by the first episode 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:37.640 for us in about a week. And what we're gonna 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:42.640 do moving forward is to just get content as often 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:46.080 as we can, whenever we can, from wherever we can, 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:49.640 and then just roll it out as consistently as we 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.800 can to keep this thing updated and moving as we 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:54.880 wait to find out what is in store for the 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:59.720 rest of this suspended NBA season. In that vein up 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:02.720 for we are pumped to bring to you and add 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:07.240 to our podcast feed, the Coach Check Podcast. Matt Murphy 0:02:07.280 --> 0:02:12.480 does an outstanding job literally doing everything, it seems for 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:14.880 the Delaware Blue Coats, the seventy six ers G League 0:02:14.880 --> 0:02:19.160 affiliate when it comes to media and content. He calls games, 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:23.800 he writes, conducts interviews, all that great stuff, and he 0:02:23.880 --> 0:02:25.960 recently caught up with Michael Bryson, one of the players 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:29.360 in the Bluecoats roster. So here's that conversation in the 0:02:29.440 --> 0:02:33.160 latest edition of the coach Check podcast, available wherever you 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:53.440 get your pods by searching Delaware Bluecoats Enjoy Welcome in 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:56.920 to cote Check, the official podcast of the Delaware Bluecoats, 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.440 the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia seventies Sixers. 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:03.640 Matt Murphy back with another episode. But we've got a 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:06.360 good guest today, and he is Michael Bryson of the 0:03:06.400 --> 0:03:08.600 Delaware Blue Coats. Can I call you a wing in 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:10.880 modern basketball? You still want to be called a guard? 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:13.000 Or is it a wing these days now? Either one 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:15.399 where ex definitely I run along the wings, but obviously 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:16.799 if you want to call me a card, I need 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:21.160 that as well. Bluecoats guard slash wing Michael Bryson joining 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:25.040 us today. We're recording this on Tuesday, just past the 0:03:25.040 --> 0:03:27.320 first week of March, so March tenth. Just for a 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:30.920 little background there, we'll get into some of Mike's background, 0:03:30.960 --> 0:03:34.400 his upbringing, high school, college. He's a callie guy, so 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:36.520 looking forward to having a lot of fun. We'll also 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:40.200 have our healthy Lifestyle segment presented by Christiana Care and 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:43.520 talk about the Bluecoats season a little bit as well. 0:03:43.560 --> 0:03:45.880 A second year in Delaware from Mike. So plenty to 0:03:45.880 --> 0:03:49.440 get into here. Let's start, Mike with your hometown. I 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:54.240 mentioned a California guy. It's listed as Sacramento. So how 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:57.720 would you describe growing up out there? Oh? Yeah, I 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:01.360 mean I loved it. I was born in said moved 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:04.000 out a couple hours of Sacramento, a little outside of Sacramento, 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:08.320 but you know, grew up there. Love the love the environment, 0:04:08.440 --> 0:04:11.960 love the people. You know, it's really grown. You know, 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:14.400 the downtown life out there has really grown the last 0:04:14.400 --> 0:04:16.000 few years. You know, there's a lot more to do. 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:18.800 The Kings obviously moved their facility downtown and they have 0:04:18.800 --> 0:04:21.720 an amazing facility out there. And growing up a King's 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:23.920 fan all of my life, I've always obviously, you know, 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:27.520 imagine and you know, dreamed about playing in the NBA 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:28.960 and being able to put on the you know, an 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:32.720 NBA jersey. So being able to obviously get close to 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:35.159 this dream so far as you know, definitely a blessing. 0:04:36.080 --> 0:04:38.600 Foothill High School. I think there's a few different Foothill 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:42.200 High schools, but Foothill in Sacramento. Technically, I guess in 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:45.640 terms of the address I saw recently you were named 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:47.840 one of the best dunkers in the history of high 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:50.960 school basketball in that area. But just in general, it 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:55.440 seems like Foothill pretty strong basketball program. What's the reputation 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.520 of your high school in terms of basketball? Yeah, you know, honestly, 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:00.599 a lot of the reputation falls under my head coach 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:04.120 I was there, Drew Hibbs. He came to the school, 0:05:04.120 --> 0:05:07.680 I believe in ninety three, won them a Section championship 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:10.360 the first year ninety four, won them a state championship, 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:14.960 stayed with them, you know, twelve years later. Um, you know, 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:17.160 being able to do what he did. And obviously he 0:05:17.400 --> 0:05:19.360 he was a coach there until I think a couple 0:05:19.360 --> 0:05:21.839 of years after I left. But he was able to 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:24.239 win a state championship in two thousand and three, multiple 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:28.280 section championships, you know, a bunch of league championships, back 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:30.880 to backs, you know, triple you know, repeats all that. 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:36.880 So Drew Hibbs definitely instilled the culture out there at Foothill, 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:40.440 and obviously I was able to h you know, enjoy that, 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:44.039 and you know, obviously learned from that. My year of 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:46.040 two thousand and twelve we were able to win sections. 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:49.440 But um, you know that was definitely a blessing and 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.839 it taught me a brand of basketball that you know, 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:54.000 I really haven't seen since, which is, you know, just 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:57.040 nitty and gritty, you know, blue collar, you know, really 0:05:57.080 --> 0:05:59.520 just you know, head to the ground and just working 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:01.719 as hard as could every single day. You know, that 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:03.839 was one of the Obviously as a high school student, 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:05.640 you really learned, you know, if you really want to 0:06:05.640 --> 0:06:08.520 play this game. And that was a huge test to 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:10.280 the fact that I knew how much I really loved 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:11.840 basketball and how much I wanted to be a part 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:14.839 of my career. About that list that I mentioned, any 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:17.279 other notable guys that you that are from that area 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:20.279 or that maybe were good dunkers as well or not really, Yeah, 0:06:20.320 --> 0:06:22.479 they have my boy, Dacari Alan. He plays for the 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:25.000 Grand Rapid. Um. You know, he's on there as well, 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.640 out of Sheldon. But you know, there's a few on there. 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:30.280 I need to look over the list again, but there 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.280 was a few on there that you know, it wasn't 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:34.719 so sure. Phil Ritchie I think was on there. He's 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:38.000 a coach from Galt. He works or her a coach 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:40.920 for the Stockton Kings and he went to Galt High School. Um, 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:42.719 they have him on there. I don't know. I had 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:44.280 to see the film because I don't believe that man 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:46.920 used to get up, but uh, you know, that's that's 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:49.279 my guy as well. Phil Ritchie Huge he was during 0:06:49.279 --> 0:06:51.840 the summertime, obviously comes in and works with us. So 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:54.679 h there's some good names out there. It's great because 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:57.440 that community, everybody kind of out there either knows each 0:06:57.480 --> 0:06:59.359 other or no of no of you know a person 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:01.880 that knows somebody. So it's really nice to be able 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:03.360 to kind of see some people that you know up 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:05.600 on in the Sacrament of Beef and a few G 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:09.080 League connections there as well. Fast forwarding to your college 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:12.360 days that you see Santa Barbara. We've talked before. You 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:15.280 were a teammate of current Miami Heat two way contract 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:17.400 player gab Vinton, so I'm sure you've been following his 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:21.480 success this year. But you individually at Santa Barbara program 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:23.920 record for threes, I know the record was like two 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.760 hundred and twenty. You finished with over two forty. Have 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:28.600 you always had the high arc on your three point 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:31.160 shot even in the college days, Yeah, you know, I've 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:33.440 always I was always taught that, you know, the higher 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:35.080 the ball is a better chance that has to go 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:37.800 in into the rim. So that's just something that's kind 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:39.880 of become comfortable for me. I've always believed having a 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:42.640 high arc and you know, when my when it goes in, 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:45.720 and obviously the proofs in the pudding. But speaking to 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:48.120 that three point record, I actually was able to break it, 0:07:48.160 --> 0:07:49.800 like you said, my senior year, I was able to 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:52.960 kind of extend it. And it was one of those 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:55.240 records that as I'm breaking in and as I'm you know, 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:58.160 extending it more and more, you know, I'm looking down 0:07:58.240 --> 0:08:00.280 at my you know, my younger guy, Gay, and I 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:02.800 just know, like, you are going to break this before 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:06.600 you graduate here, and sure enough obviously had to have been. 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:09.320 Maybe obviously during his senior year he broke it and 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:13.520 then completely extended, you know, his own record. So, you know, 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:16.080 attesting to to Gabe and how good of a shooter 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:17.760 that boy is he. You know, I'm so happy to 0:08:17.800 --> 0:08:19.360 see what he's doing over there in Miami and the 0:08:19.400 --> 0:08:21.360 fact that he was able to get an ample opportunity 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.600 out there and he's obviously making the most of it. 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:24.800 I knew coming in he was going to be a 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:26.600 Freshman of the Year, and sure enough he was. And 0:08:26.680 --> 0:08:29.000 from this point, you know, he's just kind of take off. 0:08:29.040 --> 0:08:31.000 So I'm really excited to see what's gonna happen with him. 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:34.480 About to jump into our healthy lifestyle segment, but before that, 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:36.240 how do you balance? I mean, it's not always the 0:08:36.280 --> 0:08:38.000 case that a good dunker is a good shooter. So 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:40.280 especially in your college days, I mean, you're setting three 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:42.800 point records, but you're also known as a great dunker. 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:46.319 How do you balance shooting versus your athleticism as well, because, 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:47.960 like I said, it's not always the case that guys 0:08:48.000 --> 0:08:50.800 can can do bold. Yeah, you know, I've always been 0:08:50.840 --> 0:08:54.079 a shooter, you know, self proclaimed at this point, but 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:56.600 you know, I always love shooting. You know, I'd be 0:08:56.600 --> 0:09:01.000 outside all day, all night shooting. You know. Thankfully I 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:03.199 was able to get some athleticism as I got older, 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:06.000 as I filled into my body. You know, the first 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:08.839 day I dunked was actually the day Michael Jackson died. 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:11.800 I remember coming out of practice, going and get a dunk, 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:13.640 and then you know, going over you know, going to 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.440 social media to Russian tell everybuddy and finding out okay, well, 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:18.840 this isn't your day. You know, Michael Jackson had you know, 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:21.360 has passed. So that was the first day at Dunked. 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:24.320 From that point, obviously, you know, being able to shoot, 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:25.880 you know, guys are going to come out and close 0:09:25.960 --> 0:09:28.080 close out hard. So that just makes it easy if 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:30.200 you can, you know, have a good shot one dribble, 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:32.520 rip to the rim or two dribbles, get to the 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:34.880 rim and go dunk on somebody. That's obviously something that's 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:37.760 going to be you know, attractive within scout's eye. So 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:40.960 you know, as I, you know, got more athletic, I 0:09:40.960 --> 0:09:42.880 was able to kind of encompass the two and you know, 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:44.880 string together a little bit of defense in there, and 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:46.840 so it's obviously just trying to make it all come 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:50.000 together at this point. Absolutely, let's jump in with our 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:53.240 healthy lifestyle segment. Just a couple of questions. Healthy lifestyle 0:09:53.320 --> 0:09:55.840 segment presented by our friends at Christiana Care. And you 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:58.520 probably remember from Bluecoats Media day they asked you what 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:00.640 you do for the love of health. I know some 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:03.040 guys like Zayre Smith said he does a thousand push 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:05.679 ups a day. I don't know if that's true or not, 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:08.560 but what do you do for the love of health 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:12.240 for anyone who missed maybe that video or if it's 0:10:12.320 --> 0:10:15.760 changed since earlier this season, no, yeah, and this year 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:17.240 it was a big I had a big focus on, 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:19.400 you know, trying to change my diet a little bit, 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.840 eating more regularly, eating at the right times, and at 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:25.920 least more consistent if I'm not eating at the right time, 0:10:25.960 --> 0:10:27.880 because with traveling it's you know, it's really tough to 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:30.360 try and schedule everything out, especially when you're on the road. 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:33.160 But being able to kind of eat a little cleaner, 0:10:33.160 --> 0:10:35.360 being a little more conscious of that. And I think 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:37.480 a big thing for me was just with mental health, 0:10:37.880 --> 0:10:40.040 making sure that I'm positive, making sure that i'm you know, 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:43.120 bringing a good energy to the gym, making sure everybody 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:44.920 around me is you know, it was good and happy, 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:47.560 and I think that, you know, a happy, happy locker 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:50.320 room makes for a lot of you know, prosperity within 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:54.120 the year. All right, shifting gears to the Bluecoats and 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:57.720 the season. Speaking of positivity, you're known for a guy 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:00.720 that has great bench celebrations. We've recently talked about this 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:04.040 on the Bluecoats beat as well. What makes your celebrations 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:08.120 for your teammates the best in the G League. I'm 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.960 consistent regardless if you know, if we're up twenty, down twenty, 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:13.840 if you're doing well, if you're doing bad, if you 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:15.880 do a highlight, you give me something to celebrate, I 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:19.000 will celebrate. I don't care, you know, if there's nobody 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:20.360 else in the gym, or if there's a you know, 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:22.120 a thousand people in the gym, I'm gonna be doing 0:11:22.160 --> 0:11:26.160 the same thing every single time. You know, I enjoy it, 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:29.400 and it's less less for the fans. Obviously, I'm glad 0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:31.199 that they're happy to see it, but it's definitely for 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:34.760 my guys. I think that a player knowing that, you know, 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:37.079 you're not always gonna get rewarded for what you do. 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:39.840 Sometimes what you do isn't seeing Sometimes it's not, you know, 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:41.800 rewarded in any way. So at least if you have 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:43.720 one guy you know is going to celebrate for you know, 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.200 one guy is going to be there for you to 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.400 you know, to you know, back you up and make 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:49.959 you feel good about what you did, then, you know, 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:51.920 I think that's my only goal is just obviously to help, 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.720 you know, keep a positive morale amongst the team, especially 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:57.240 on the bench. Is tough. I know for me personally, 0:11:57.440 --> 0:11:59.040 you see it with the Sixers even this year and 0:11:59.120 --> 0:12:01.840 you with the raise the roof celebration that that has 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:04.080 been a good one I think for the twenty nineteen 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:08.319 twenty season. You mentioned fans recently as we record this, 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:10.000 As I said, on March tenth, you guys were up 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:12.520 in Canada and there was a tweet. You got some 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:14.880 feedback from a fan, I think a visiting fan, a 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:16.839 local person. And I'm going to read the tweet via 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:19.640 Kimberly on Twitter. She said to you, thank you, thank 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:22.200 you for making this young young man's day today. He 0:12:22.280 --> 0:12:25.400 rushed home to research you. You are his hero, thank 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:27.600 you for taking the time. And it was a photo 0:12:27.640 --> 0:12:32.280 of a little boy fist pumping you on the sidelines. 0:12:33.000 --> 0:12:36.120 So just thinking about that that recent event and you 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:39.320 said it was my pleasure, loudest in the gym, without 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:41.440 a doubt. How did it feel to hear back about 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.600 the impact that you had. You know, it's it's special. Um. 0:12:44.960 --> 0:12:46.880 You know a lot of people say they you know, 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:49.200 it's it's for the money. You know, people are always 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:50.880 you know, telling you that you know you need to 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:52.560 do this for you the basketball. You know, it's only 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:53.760 gonna be a for a sure amount of time. You 0:12:53.800 --> 0:12:55.840 got to get what you can from it. But you know, 0:12:55.880 --> 0:12:58.120 it's the people that you come across, you know, in 0:12:58.160 --> 0:13:00.960 these situations, and obviously more the kids. You know, you 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.200 have a lot of adults and you have a lot 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:04.720 of older fans that you know, truly love the game, 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:06.760 and they truly may love the Sixers and they may 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:09.080 love the Blue Coats, but you know, there's a there's 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:11.400 a reason that they're there. You know, kids are there 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:13.920 simply for the love. They love the game, or they 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:16.480 you know, they love the camaraderie or whatever it is. 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:18.800 So when you have a kid that you know, it's 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.360 just you know, asking for love, asking for a fist bump, 0:13:21.720 --> 0:13:23.920 it's simple. That's a simple pleasure to be able to 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:25.400 go over there and you know, give him a fist bump, 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:27.240 to have a conversation with him, see how he's doing, 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:30.400 see if he's enjoying his day. And all of a sudden, 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:32.640 that turned from one fist bump, it turned into him 0:13:32.720 --> 0:13:35.000 cheering for me the entire game. And you know, when 0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:37.199 you see a kid doing that, you have to reciprocate 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:39.200 in some way. So my biggest thing was just to 0:13:39.200 --> 0:13:41.160 come over there every time I saw him, you know, 0:13:41.200 --> 0:13:43.520 give him, give him a DAP or whatever it was. 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:45.959 And you know, obviously little things go a long way 0:13:45.960 --> 0:13:47.959 within this industry because you know, they look up to 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.440 you and they're watching you the whole game. And you know, 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:52.040 it was a great pleasure of mine and it was 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:53.880 a simple pleasure. It wasn't anything that I had to 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:55.640 do out of my way. It was a simple fist bump, 0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:58.720 a simple conversation and U to be able to you know, 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:01.720 hear that that obviously affect to the possibly is something 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:04.000 I truly you know, I tried to everywhere I go. 0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:05.640 But you know, it makes it worth it for sure. 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:08.680 That's why we do it right. And you obviously created 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:10.600 a fan for life. I'm sure he'll be following you 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.920 wherever you go and where you were last year was 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:17.560 also Delaware with the Bluecoats. But this is a it 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:19.400 was an interesting season for you that I want to 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:22.160 get into because if people follow you on social media, 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:24.320 they likely know about it. But I want to talk 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.320 about your injury from a season ago. You were limited 0:14:27.320 --> 0:14:30.560 to just four games last season due to injury. You 0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:34.400 get hurt early in the year, an ankle injury. Then 0:14:34.440 --> 0:14:39.200 what happened? Yeah, sprained my ankle November third against Toronto 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:42.360 nine five, sorry the nine oh five team up in Canada, 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:45.680 and third quarter went to go in the lane, went 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:49.520 to jump off the ground instead jump off someone's foot. Simple, 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:53.640 really a simple ankle sprain. Sat on that for a 0:14:53.680 --> 0:14:57.080 few days, and you know, eventually, about five days later, 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.840 after the injury was here back in Delaware, it started 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.480 feeling really inflamed and you know, there was obviously something 0:15:03.520 --> 0:15:06.320 wrong with it when the doctor took them another three 0:15:06.360 --> 0:15:08.360 to four days to diagnose it, but they said I 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:12.960 had strepping staff in my ankle. I'm not really sure 0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:14.480 as to you know that we didn't have surgery or 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:16.520 anything before. It was just a simple ankle sprain, but 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:20.280 it manifested into a you know, a strep and staff infection. 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:23.200 Had to get rushed into surgery for that, and that 0:15:23.520 --> 0:15:25.480 unfortunately took me out for the rest of the year 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:28.040 until the last I think six games is what I 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:31.040 was available, and it played in them four of them. Um, 0:15:31.560 --> 0:15:33.960 you know, it was a tough you know, mentally obviously, 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:35.720 like I said, my mental health was a big thing 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:37.520 I had to focus on this year. It was, you know, 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:39.520 because you know last year I really went through, it 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:41.840 went through you know, the depression of you know, not 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:44.800 being able to play, you know, not being active, having 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.480 to really you know, take a setback and you know, 0:15:47.600 --> 0:15:49.680 learn from it and learn about myself and learn about 0:15:49.720 --> 0:15:51.600 my you know how much I truly want this game 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:54.440 because you know, when things like that happened, you have 0:15:54.520 --> 0:15:56.840 every reason or every excuse to try and say as 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:58.400 to why you can't come back, as to why you 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:00.680 can't make it. But you know, took a lot of 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:02.800 support from my team, took a lot of support from 0:16:02.800 --> 0:16:05.000 the Sixers and the Blue Coats you know staff, and 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:08.840 you know, Dan Ericsson was a huge, huge, huge, huge, 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:10.920 huge culprit for a while I was able to come back. 0:16:11.840 --> 0:16:14.400 You know, he was with me daily, you know, obviously 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.080 doing you know, therapy and you know anything extra that 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:20.080 I needed from him as far as you know, you know, rehabilitation. 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:21.880 He was obviously there for me in any way that 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:25.080 he could um. But again, like I said, I truly, 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:27.440 you know I appreciate the you know, the staff here 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.200 and you know, the team and the everybody here truly 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:32.200 made it an experience for me that I was able 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:34.880 to grow from. Um. You know, in every situation in which, 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:36.800 like I said, I could have been hurt and you know, 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:39.880 been negative and been down. Um, they gave me a 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:41.880 reason to you know, keep fighting. They gave me a 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:43.840 reason to come to the gym every day and to 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:46.720 be happy and to be positive. And you know that's tough. 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:49.080 Um It. Like I said, I really learned a lot 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:51.160 from last year and being able to obviously come back 0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:53.000 this year and play and you know, get some my 0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:56.000 athleticism back has truly been a blessing and you know, 0:16:56.160 --> 0:16:58.920 I just I'm thankful for it. Shout out to my 0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:02.040 fellow South Jersey native Dan Ericson And if anyone was 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:04.680 following you on social media, I'm sure they saw Dan 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:08.120 a lot because you chronicled your comeback process in an 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:11.840 Instagram series Instagram story series called the Comeback. It was 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:15.200 over thirty days worth of videos of you and Dan 0:17:15.640 --> 0:17:18.280 and everything working out. You mentioned learning about yourself. What 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.919 did you learn about yourself during that return to play process? Yeah? 0:17:21.960 --> 0:17:24.399 You just I think I learned how much I you know, 0:17:24.440 --> 0:17:28.359 appreciate the little things. You know, that first month I 0:17:28.440 --> 0:17:30.919 was you know, in a boot, couldn't apply any pressure 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:32.240 to my foot, so I was in the you know, 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:35.960 in crutches. I think just getting up just to you know, obviously, 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:38.080 to go to the bathroom is something that you know, 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:42.920 you don't understand how much you take for granted. Obviously 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:44.679 any day you wake up as a blessing. But to 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:46.400 be able to get out of bed but two feel 0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:48.320 on the ground and walk to the bathroom is something 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:51.199 that I had to truly learn to appreciate again. But 0:17:51.240 --> 0:17:54.080 also I just learned about how how strong will it 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:56.119 I can be if it's something that I truly want 0:17:56.720 --> 0:17:59.040 And obviously basketball is something that I've won since I 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:02.160 was a child. So being able to you know, put 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:04.600 my mind to something and every day get up, you know, 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:06.840 have a mental challenge of you know, today could be 0:18:06.880 --> 0:18:08.600 the day that I give up and don't go or 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:10.560 today could be the day that adds to the story. 0:18:11.440 --> 0:18:14.200 And ultimately that's what it became. I think posting those 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:17.239 videos not only made it so that people around me 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:19.640 were aware of what I was going through and if 0:18:19.680 --> 0:18:21.600 they were going through anything similar than that, they can 0:18:21.640 --> 0:18:23.919 connect and you know look at us for you know, inspiration. 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:26.840 But ultimately it became an accountability for me because if 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:28.640 I show up one day and don't have a video, 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:30.440 I'm going to get asked, you know, where's your video today? 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:32.840 Why weren't you working? And I think that's something that 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:35.000 obviously I did have people do, but it's something that 0:18:35.040 --> 0:18:38.760 I needed for myself, you know, because every day, you know, 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:40.719