WEBVTT - New 76er Jalen McDaniels

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<v Speaker 1>This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network

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<v Speaker 1>search seventy Sixers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome

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<v Speaker 1>back to the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast. I'm Matt Murphy

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<v Speaker 1>and on this episode, Lauren Rosen and I sit down

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<v Speaker 1>with new Sixer Dylan McDaniels, who was acquired from Charlotte

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<v Speaker 1>at the trade deadline, where in Charlotte he was averaging

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<v Speaker 1>over ten points per game career highs across the board.

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<v Speaker 1>We talk about when he found out about the trade,

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<v Speaker 1>where he was that whole process, discuss first impressions of

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<v Speaker 1>his new Sixers teammates, and a whole lot more. So

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<v Speaker 1>here we go, Jaylen McDaniels, Welcome to Philadelphia and welcome

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<v Speaker 1>to the podcast. Thank you all for having me. You

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<v Speaker 1>know it was good to be here. We are happy

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<v Speaker 1>to have you here. This is the first question, but

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<v Speaker 1>I know we already asked in media, but I'm hoping

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<v Speaker 1>maybe you can give us a little more background. Logistically,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm always very curious about how trades work. So we

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<v Speaker 1>know you were on the road, maybe at practice or whatever,

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<v Speaker 1>but can you sort of take us through, like step

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<v Speaker 1>by step, what exactly happens when one gets traded and

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<v Speaker 1>finds out. So pretty much, We're on a two game

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<v Speaker 1>road trips, so like four days. Where did we go first?

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<v Speaker 1>Like maybe we went somewhere first, and then we ended

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<v Speaker 1>up in Boston to play Boston. And the trade deadline

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<v Speaker 1>is like the next day. So the day before I

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<v Speaker 1>wake up and we have shoot around, which is the

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<v Speaker 1>next day, and everything was cool, you know, like in

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<v Speaker 1>the past, like my agent was telling me, like, your

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<v Speaker 1>name is gonna be in trade talks or whatever, and

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<v Speaker 1>I was like okay, so boom, now it's trade deadline day,

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<v Speaker 1>mass shoot around, just chilling, like everything felt normal. I

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<v Speaker 1>guess I was watching film. Yeah, everything was normal. I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't getting know, like weird vibes or like if I'm

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<v Speaker 1>gonna get traded or anything like that. And I didn't

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<v Speaker 1>even think I was because like the Hornets, we just

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<v Speaker 1>never like really made any trade since I've been there.

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<v Speaker 1>So I was like, all right, maybe I'm just gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be here, so I have to shoot around, get on

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<v Speaker 1>the bus. My agents like call me, so I'm like, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe he just wants I honestly didn't think I was

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<v Speaker 1>gonna get traded, so I'm like all right, he's probably

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<v Speaker 1>gonna talk about like we're talking having conversation about what

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<v Speaker 1>the team and future and stuff like that. So I'm

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<v Speaker 1>all right, it's probably about that. So he's like, oh well,

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<v Speaker 1>he's like I call him. I'm like, bro, what's up.

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<v Speaker 1>He's like, uh, like, Bro, you're going to Philly. Like

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<v Speaker 1>I'm like like wait, Like I was like so confused.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't even know how to answer them, like for real,

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<v Speaker 1>like right now. He's like yeah, bro, like you're not

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<v Speaker 1>playing tonight, like you're going to Philly. They want you

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<v Speaker 1>there tonight or end up getting here the next morning.

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<v Speaker 1>I was like okay, Like it was just a lot

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<v Speaker 1>going on, Like my teammates like they seen it on Twitter,

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<v Speaker 1>so they're looking back at me and I'm on the

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<v Speaker 1>phone and I'm like, I'm really going to Philly now

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<v Speaker 1>Because everybody's looking at me, like Jay, you see this,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm like, oh wow, like I'm really traded, like I'm

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<v Speaker 1>on another team. So then after that, yeah, I got

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<v Speaker 1>off the bus, said by yeah, then I had to

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<v Speaker 1>talk to a lot of people. The bus was on

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<v Speaker 1>the move while you're on the bus was on the move,

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<v Speaker 1>Like I'm on the way back to the hotel, so

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<v Speaker 1>my agents like call me, but like I'm on the bus,

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<v Speaker 1>so I'm like I can't really talk, Like I'm over

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<v Speaker 1>here trying to like sinking down in my seat because

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<v Speaker 1>I'm like trying to be low key. And your teammates

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<v Speaker 1>are scrolling Twitter, Yeah, scrolling Twitter, and they're like what.

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<v Speaker 1>They're like, they're saying my name. They're like jay Like Jayleen,

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<v Speaker 1>You're a getting traded. I'm like what. Then five seconds

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<v Speaker 1>later agent tells me all right, Yeah, it's it's such

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<v Speaker 1>an interesting disruption because for people that don't know, like

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<v Speaker 1>being on the road, it's sort of like groundhog Day,

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<v Speaker 1>Like you wake up in a different city every day,

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<v Speaker 1>Like you just said, you don't even remember what you're in.

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<v Speaker 1>But you do the same routine, right, You wake up breakfast,

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<v Speaker 1>you go to shoot around, and you come back, you

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<v Speaker 1>take your nap, you do whatever. It's like the same

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<v Speaker 1>thing every day, and so I feel like it must

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<v Speaker 1>have been really interesting to wake up thinking you were

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<v Speaker 1>gonna have a normal day and then your life just

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<v Speaker 1>like pans like, yeah, I don't even think I went

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<v Speaker 1>to eat breakfast, Like I didn't even go to the team.

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<v Speaker 1>It was like kind of weird after that, Like it

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't weird, but it's just like, can I still go

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<v Speaker 1>to the get food? You know, then got kicked up

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<v Speaker 1>the chat? Can you go get food? I mean, I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know, I didn't go. I was like maybe I

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<v Speaker 1>got jump in here kicked out of the group chat

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<v Speaker 1>pretty quick, not like I don't want to say it

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<v Speaker 1>sounding bad, but yeah I did. That's how it works though,

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<v Speaker 1>And then you got but then you got added to

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<v Speaker 1>a new group chat, so like, keep keep, give us

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<v Speaker 1>the rest of the thread of what happens next. Um

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<v Speaker 1>pretty oh wow, that's so I get what happens. I'm chilling. Honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>there was some funny stuff going on in the group chat,

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<v Speaker 1>and I responded, I'm responded like laughing. The next thing,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, it just says you left the chat. I'm like,

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<v Speaker 1>oh yeah, it feel like damn, I didn't remove myself.

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<v Speaker 1>I just got removed like I was in mid conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's all good, brutal, So okay, wait, but then

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<v Speaker 1>continue filling in the timeline though. So you're in the hotel,

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<v Speaker 1>You're obviously not gonna get on the bus to go

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<v Speaker 1>to the Hornets game. You're gonna make plans to come

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<v Speaker 1>to Philly, and then at what point do you get

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<v Speaker 1>added to the Sixers group? Chat? Literally, so next morning

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<v Speaker 1>I wake up, I think we got a game. I

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<v Speaker 1>get a text like shoot around this time at the Camden.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm like, what is that? Like the camp. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>even know where that is. I never heard of that.

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<v Speaker 1>So I got here and kJ he met me, and

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<v Speaker 1>then like we did like physicals and yeah, talked to Doc,

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<v Speaker 1>just met everyone, and then yeah, that was pretty much

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<v Speaker 1>the transition. Yes, Jaylen, Welcome to the Sixers. Welcome to

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<v Speaker 1>the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast. From my seat over here,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure we'll talk a little bit more about your

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<v Speaker 1>younger brother, Jaden of the Minnesota Timberwolves. But when it

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<v Speaker 1>comes to the reaction to the trade, what did your

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<v Speaker 1>brother Jaden? What did he think about you joining the Sixers?

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<v Speaker 1>He was just like, Bro, that's crazy. Like you we

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<v Speaker 1>always talked about, like you want to be on a

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<v Speaker 1>winning team like playoffs, like being able to win a

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<v Speaker 1>championship and stuff like that. So he was like, Bro,

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<v Speaker 1>are you really over there like them guys, Like it's

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<v Speaker 1>your time now, like to add your value to the

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<v Speaker 1>game and stuff. Like that. So a lot of people

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<v Speaker 1>are excited for me, just happy like that he finally

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<v Speaker 1>got an opportunity like to be on a better team

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<v Speaker 1>stuff like that. What stands out to you about this roster?

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<v Speaker 1>It's just vets, like real vets, Like dudes like I

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<v Speaker 1>played two K with when I was a younger, Like

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<v Speaker 1>literally like looked up to them like I'm with them

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<v Speaker 1>like in the locker room. Like it's kind of crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>So who did you play us? Like James? Okay, see

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<v Speaker 1>when I left hand like dunks Joe like Tobias Pje. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>it's interesting that you say that because Shake grew up

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<v Speaker 1>in Oklahoma and played as James and t K. Like

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<v Speaker 1>what what is that like to to sort of have

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<v Speaker 1>those first interactions? And I imagine from a confidence perspective,

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<v Speaker 1>like at a certain point you have to like pull

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<v Speaker 1>your own seat up at the table right and like

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<v Speaker 1>be right there with him. What are those internal conversations

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<v Speaker 1>like to figure out how to turn someone that you

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<v Speaker 1>idolized into a peer. It's just like, honestly, for me,

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<v Speaker 1>it's more like just gaining my respect like on the court,

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<v Speaker 1>like uh, like I'm really I really I talk, but

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<v Speaker 1>I don't really talk a lot. So it's just like

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not gonna like go up to get like I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not trying to sound we were like trying to like

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<v Speaker 1>create a lot of conversation. Like that's just like not me,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess, but like on the back on the court, lit,

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like that would give me, get me comfortable

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<v Speaker 1>to get to that so like just I guess, gaining

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<v Speaker 1>my respect on the court then talking to guys like

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<v Speaker 1>they see how I can play, and just getting comfortable

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<v Speaker 1>with each other that way instead of like it's like, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>just I don't know how it goes. Guys don't want

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<v Speaker 1>to be talking like all the time. I know how

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<v Speaker 1>it goes, you know. So it's also this part of

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<v Speaker 1>the season too, like people are trying to get to

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<v Speaker 1>the break and like I get it, and it's cool

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<v Speaker 1>to want to earn your respect to sort of build

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<v Speaker 1>a relationship that way, Like I haven't thought about it

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<v Speaker 1>like that before. A good point about the All Star

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<v Speaker 1>break though, that'll allow you to maybe ease the transition

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<v Speaker 1>a bit more with some time off yeah coming up,

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<v Speaker 1>hopefully you can get some logistical things. Yeah, I don't know,

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<v Speaker 1>So that's what I'm Yeah, not really a break, but

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<v Speaker 1>kind of gotta take care of a lot of stuff

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<v Speaker 1>coming into Philly. Now for context for people that are listening,

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<v Speaker 1>we're recording this the morning after the first time you

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<v Speaker 1>played in Philadelphia. What was it like to play in

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<v Speaker 1>front of those fans, not for the first time, but

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<v Speaker 1>for the first time as your fans? Um When I

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<v Speaker 1>was subbing in there like home debut, Like I never

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<v Speaker 1>like never heard people cheer that loud for me, like ever,

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<v Speaker 1>So it was kind of like crazy, I'm like okay,

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<v Speaker 1>like or I'm one eight okay. So and it was

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<v Speaker 1>sold out, like it's a big arena. Everyone's there every night.

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<v Speaker 1>You never know what stars you're gonna see. Like it's

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<v Speaker 1>just like a vibe here, like you're in Philly, like

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<v Speaker 1>you're on a big stage, I would say. And then

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<v Speaker 1>on the court, it was cool to see your first

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<v Speaker 1>bucket as a sixer came from Tyrese and he talks

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<v Speaker 1>a lot. He's one of the fastest guys, not just

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<v Speaker 1>on this team but in the league. He was talking

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<v Speaker 1>about your speed and developing quicker chemistry with you. What's

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<v Speaker 1>it been like to play with him? You know, I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like me I can just play all guys you

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<v Speaker 1>know Tyrese, he gets buckets like he does everything, plays

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<v Speaker 1>d you know he's gonna play hard and a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of energy. So me just feeding off him, and I say,

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<v Speaker 1>me and him being in actions together, you know we

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<v Speaker 1>can compliment each other with our speed and just quickness.

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<v Speaker 1>I guess you could say yeah. With the Hornets this season,

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<v Speaker 1>you were averaging career highs in nearly all statistical categories.

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<v Speaker 1>After a few seasons there where do you think that

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<v Speaker 1>you improved the most as a player. I always say

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<v Speaker 1>it's just like all around, just my all around game,

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<v Speaker 1>like being more comfortable out there offensively coming off screens,

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<v Speaker 1>get into my spots, and like taking the shots that

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<v Speaker 1>I know I can make that I worked on. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's just like having that confidence from from work is

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<v Speaker 1>so hard on these things. So not only were you

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<v Speaker 1>averaging career has, you had a career high twenty six

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<v Speaker 1>against the Celtics, which is pretty recent at this point.

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<v Speaker 1>Shot nine of fifteen, five for seven from three, made

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<v Speaker 1>all three of your free throws. How did that game feel?

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<v Speaker 1>It was? It was a great game. It's like I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't even have no plays call for me or nothing

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<v Speaker 1>like that. I was just out there playing and like, honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>I was getting a lot of shots and I was

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<v Speaker 1>just I was hitting my shots, honestly, and I'm capable

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<v Speaker 1>of I'm capable of doing that a lot. So the

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<v Speaker 1>boss swings a lot here, so you know it's gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be a lot of that, a lot of a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of open shots for me, a lot of cuts, and

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<v Speaker 1>there's a lot of ways from you to score. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>you mentioned being able to score without having plays drawn

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<v Speaker 1>up for you, and that's actually something that Doc shared

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<v Speaker 1>with the general media after you guys met that that's

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<v Speaker 1>something that you're comfortable with. And obviously, when you play

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<v Speaker 1>on a team that has two MVP caliber players, multiple

0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.760
<v Speaker 1>All Stars, the veterans that you just mentioned, Doc sort

0:10:48.760 --> 0:10:50.280
<v Speaker 1>of said like, yeah, you're not going to really have

0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:52.040
<v Speaker 1>plays drawn up for you, but the fact that you're

0:10:52.080 --> 0:10:54.679
<v Speaker 1>comfortable playing in that environment is something that really impressed him.

0:10:54.679 --> 0:10:58.440
<v Speaker 1>And then after you played for the first time in Brooklyn,

0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:01.200
<v Speaker 1>his takeaway don't know if you heard this yet, but

0:11:01.240 --> 0:11:04.160
<v Speaker 1>his takeaway was immediately he said, oh, Jalen's gonna be

0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:06.320
<v Speaker 1>so helpful for him. What does it feel like to

0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:08.800
<v Speaker 1>know that your new head coach only needed to see

0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:10.760
<v Speaker 1>you play for a few minutes to understand that that

0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:13.480
<v Speaker 1>you're going to be a helpful piece here. Um, you know,

0:11:13.480 --> 0:11:17.319
<v Speaker 1>it feels good just see like Doc rivers like a goat,

0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:20.960
<v Speaker 1>like he really knows a game. So like just to

0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:24.000
<v Speaker 1>get that praise, like yeah, it honestly, it just makes

0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:27.559
<v Speaker 1>you want to just go harder. Like coach believes in me.

0:11:27.679 --> 0:11:29.920
<v Speaker 1>I just got here, like he just he's seen a

0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:33.080
<v Speaker 1>small sample size. So it's like with that confidence that

0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:34.640
<v Speaker 1>he gives me, I just gotta I feel like that's

0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:37.480
<v Speaker 1>only right that I'm bringing the energy every night, like

0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.400
<v Speaker 1>and on the defensive side, just bring that energy. A

0:11:41.400 --> 0:11:43.920
<v Speaker 1>lot of people have asked how you've adjusted offensively or

0:11:43.960 --> 0:11:46.520
<v Speaker 1>how you've adjusted to defense and like play calls and

0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:49.160
<v Speaker 1>stuff like that, but I think like it's not necessarily

0:11:49.200 --> 0:11:52.080
<v Speaker 1>going up to your teammates and directly asking them things.

0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:53.880
<v Speaker 1>It's kind of just like once the ball goes up,

0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:55.480
<v Speaker 1>you're just in it, right, And there's a lot of

0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:57.960
<v Speaker 1>stuff that's similar between a lot of the teams in

0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:00.920
<v Speaker 1>the league. Also, yeah, a lot of stuff is similar.

0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:04.440
<v Speaker 1>It's just like different terminology, honestly, like the words. So

0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:09.320
<v Speaker 1>me getting that down defensively was easy. Honestly, but offensively,

0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:12.440
<v Speaker 1>it's whole other stories. It's a lot of plays, a

0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:16.640
<v Speaker 1>lot of yeah, a lot of variations, but it's like

0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:19.040
<v Speaker 1>all the same stuff, just different words, like I'm gonna

0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:20.920
<v Speaker 1>get it, so I'm gonna be good. But like it's

0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:23.480
<v Speaker 1>like learning to speak a new language. Literally, like now,

0:12:23.520 --> 0:12:27.520
<v Speaker 1>it's like learning to speak a new language, but like

0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:30.520
<v Speaker 1>you know it, but you don't because you don't You're

0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:32.240
<v Speaker 1>familiar with the concept, but you don't know how to

0:12:32.320 --> 0:12:37.240
<v Speaker 1>articulates like words. It would be like words meaning something else. Well,

0:12:37.240 --> 0:12:40.360
<v Speaker 1>it's interesting even watching, like as I sort of piece

0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:43.120
<v Speaker 1>things together as someone that never played, I'll under I'll

0:12:43.120 --> 0:12:45.160
<v Speaker 1>watch the action and then I'll hear what it's called,

0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:46.480
<v Speaker 1>and then in my head I'll be like, Okay, that

0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:48.960
<v Speaker 1>was called something else last year, and I can imagine

0:12:49.000 --> 0:12:51.280
<v Speaker 1>that that's the same thing for you. It's like they're

0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:54.760
<v Speaker 1>using a certain piece of jargon to describe something that

0:12:54.800 --> 0:12:56.199
<v Speaker 1>you know how to do, but you don't know that

0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:59.520
<v Speaker 1>they correlate to each other. Yeah, but eventually, like you

0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:01.240
<v Speaker 1>have to imagine that the more times you hear it

0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:03.160
<v Speaker 1>this way and then do it this way, you'll be

0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:05.360
<v Speaker 1>able to figure it out. We talked about the break

0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:08.840
<v Speaker 1>coming up, you talked about being really excited to participate

0:13:08.880 --> 0:13:12.000
<v Speaker 1>on a playoff team. What do you anticipate about the

0:13:12.040 --> 0:13:15.520
<v Speaker 1>stretch run and competing to try to be the last

0:13:15.559 --> 0:13:19.760
<v Speaker 1>team standing. Um, I've never been to the playoffs, so honestly,

0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:23.680
<v Speaker 1>I'm just anticipating what I hear. Like, the atmosphere is crazy.

0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:27.360
<v Speaker 1>Every play matters like it's real out there, Like it's

0:13:27.679 --> 0:13:31.800
<v Speaker 1>real physical, like it's like do or die. So I'm

0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:34.360
<v Speaker 1>ready for this, seems everybody says it's so fun, like

0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:36.960
<v Speaker 1>get the wings, like it means a lot more So

0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:39.800
<v Speaker 1>if you love the energy last night, you're gonna love

0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.240
<v Speaker 1>the energy. Yeah, I know it's gonna be even like wow,

0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:45.560
<v Speaker 1>so even more defense because this year there's been all

0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:48.679
<v Speaker 1>these record scoring games and twenty point games and thirty

0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:52.320
<v Speaker 1>point games. Everybody locks down, come come playoff time, right, So,

0:13:52.480 --> 0:13:57.079
<v Speaker 1>three plus seasons into your NBA career, looking back when

0:13:57.120 --> 0:14:00.280
<v Speaker 1>you got picked in twenty nineteen, number fifty two of all,

0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:06.320
<v Speaker 1>what was Draft night like? Man? Draft Night? Honestly, draft

0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:08.839
<v Speaker 1>night like if I had the NBA work as a

0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:11.439
<v Speaker 1>few teams said they're gonna take me at certain numbers

0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:16.760
<v Speaker 1>stuff like that or whatever. So Draft night yeah, draft

0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:18.640
<v Speaker 1>night was kind of weak. It wasn't weak, but it

0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:20.720
<v Speaker 1>was just like I didn't know nothing, like I don't

0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:23.840
<v Speaker 1>know what. Like I'm just like here just waiting watching

0:14:23.840 --> 0:14:25.800
<v Speaker 1>everybody get picked. I don't even know when I'm gonna

0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:29.000
<v Speaker 1>get picked. So teams said they were gonna pick me

0:14:29.040 --> 0:14:31.440
<v Speaker 1>to like kind of like pick somebody else. So I'm like, oh, damn,

0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:34.560
<v Speaker 1>definitely not getting drafted now, like I don't have no idea.

0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:39.440
<v Speaker 1>So and you started on a two way right, Nah,

0:14:39.680 --> 0:14:41.800
<v Speaker 1>I don't even know like that, And honestly, I'm about

0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:47.360
<v Speaker 1>to explain right now. So when I got drafted, like okay,

0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:49.560
<v Speaker 1>so boom, I didn't really have a good summer league.

0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.800
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, that was ruling ruined everyone. I didn't have

0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:55.920
<v Speaker 1>a good summer league. So it's like they were kind

0:14:55.920 --> 0:14:58.800
<v Speaker 1>of like, oh, we're offering him like straight G league

0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:02.720
<v Speaker 1>contract type of stuff like that. So like my agent,

0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:04.880
<v Speaker 1>we wasn't really going for that. I know I could

0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:06.720
<v Speaker 1>play in the NBA. We knew like my skill set.

0:15:06.760 --> 0:15:09.120
<v Speaker 1>I just had like bad not really bad before us.

0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:11.520
<v Speaker 1>I didn't really get the showcase like you know, so

0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:15.080
<v Speaker 1>pretty much like I guess we made like a deal,

0:15:15.120 --> 0:15:18.400
<v Speaker 1>Like I go to Charlotte work out, they see how

0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:23.280
<v Speaker 1>I play against with the players stuff like that. During

0:15:23.360 --> 0:15:27.000
<v Speaker 1>training camp, like they started to see that, like okay,

0:15:27.040 --> 0:15:28.800
<v Speaker 1>he could he actually could play the game, Like he

0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:30.360
<v Speaker 1>actually is good. He got a game, you know, it's

0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:34.080
<v Speaker 1>how to play. So from the summer to a training camp,

0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:37.960
<v Speaker 1>I was just in Charlotte from like July to like

0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:42.360
<v Speaker 1>from July to the season ending for real. So from

0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:44.440
<v Speaker 1>July I was playing with them, just trying to make

0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:49.440
<v Speaker 1>a name for myself out there. And then Mitch, Yeah,

0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:51.760
<v Speaker 1>he put me through everything and then like he rewarded me,

0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:55.440
<v Speaker 1>like he's uh by giving me a contractor sign, you know,

0:15:55.600 --> 0:15:59.000
<v Speaker 1>by being on the team fully. So yeah, that was

0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:02.160
<v Speaker 1>interesting that you talked about not really having obviously had

0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:03.920
<v Speaker 1>much of an opportunity to get to know your teammates.

0:16:03.960 --> 0:16:06.240
<v Speaker 1>Yet with the story you just told mirrors a lot

0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:08.720
<v Speaker 1>of your new teammates and the pick number two, so

0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:11.520
<v Speaker 1>you look around here, Shake Milton was picked in the fifties,

0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:15.160
<v Speaker 1>Haul Reid was picked in the fifties. Apologies have I

0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:17.360
<v Speaker 1>left anyone out, but it's a similar I mean, even

0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:19.920
<v Speaker 1>though that's though like PJ had to work his way

0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:23.200
<v Speaker 1>in Tyrese obviously didn't wasn't picked in the fifties, but

0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:25.480
<v Speaker 1>he slipped. So like there's, um, there are a lot

0:16:25.480 --> 0:16:27.400
<v Speaker 1>of guys on this team that know what it was

0:16:27.440 --> 0:16:29.680
<v Speaker 1>like to have to really like claw their way into

0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.480
<v Speaker 1>these lineups and into these opportunities. So hopefully you'll find

0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:34.560
<v Speaker 1>ways to connect with them. Yeah, in the weeks and

0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:38.280
<v Speaker 1>months and we talk about growing up in Federal Way, Washington.

0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:46.560
<v Speaker 1>What was that like? Federal Way, you know south of Seattle.

0:16:47.560 --> 0:16:52.280
<v Speaker 1>There's like twenty twenty five minutes away. Uh, yes, Federaway was.

0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:56.720
<v Speaker 1>I mean it was cool growing up. It really wasn't

0:16:57.200 --> 0:17:00.320
<v Speaker 1>too much going on. I don't get the basketball teams. Yeah,

0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:05.200
<v Speaker 1>highest brother, undefeated, state tramps, undefeated. Yeah. Well, first I

0:17:05.240 --> 0:17:07.360
<v Speaker 1>went to the school called Todd Beamer. It was also

0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:09.040
<v Speaker 1>a Federway. It was like down the street. Them in

0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:12.560
<v Speaker 1>Federway was like rivals. But I wasn't really playing at

0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:14.680
<v Speaker 1>Todd Beamer, like it was some weird. So I transferred

0:17:14.720 --> 0:17:18.560
<v Speaker 1>to Federway and then I started playing. Um my brother

0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:22.120
<v Speaker 1>came along. We played for like a year together and

0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:24.680
<v Speaker 1>then yeah twenty nine and oh one year, one state

0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:27.600
<v Speaker 1>back to back, and then yeah, it was all my

0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:29.920
<v Speaker 1>way to Sando stayed up. So I've sort of liked

0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:32.040
<v Speaker 1>this threat of like you not really knowing your teammates

0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:34.760
<v Speaker 1>yet getting you know, who else George. George also like

0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:38.440
<v Speaker 1>clawed his way through the G League as crazy as

0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:41.560
<v Speaker 1>I've seen George in like twenty nineteen at P three,

0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:44.720
<v Speaker 1>like working out and I'm like, who, Like I didn't

0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:46.479
<v Speaker 1>know he who? Like, I'm not no, I don't even

0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:48.680
<v Speaker 1>want to say that mean no, No No, It's okay. He'll

0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.720
<v Speaker 1>think it's funny. I'm like, so we're doing yoga, like

0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:53.719
<v Speaker 1>I didn't even know, like it was just all hoopers there,

0:17:53.760 --> 0:17:55.639
<v Speaker 1>but I didn't know like he hooped or nothing. Like

0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:57.600
<v Speaker 1>just for people who don't know, P three is P

0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:02.080
<v Speaker 1>three is like a performance like I guess supposed to

0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:04.480
<v Speaker 1>be Like in Santa Barbara, we're in the off season,

0:18:04.560 --> 0:18:07.920
<v Speaker 1>like guys from different teams. You remember seeing your now

0:18:07.920 --> 0:18:11.560
<v Speaker 1>teammate George Niang, Yes, yes, twenty nineteen. I'm like like,

0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:14.240
<v Speaker 1>I'm like, who, I didn't know who he bro was.

0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:16.800
<v Speaker 1>I'm not gonna lie, I'm just like, yeah, So I'm

0:18:16.840 --> 0:18:20.320
<v Speaker 1>like twenty nineteen. After twenty nineteen, I get drafted, have

0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:23.359
<v Speaker 1>a game in Utah one day, and I like he

0:18:23.800 --> 0:18:26.879
<v Speaker 1>was George is like hitting like three, he had like

0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:30.000
<v Speaker 1>three threes. I'm like, wait, that's dude from P three,

0:18:30.119 --> 0:18:32.359
<v Speaker 1>Like no way, I had no idea he was like

0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.679
<v Speaker 1>in the league like and he's playing like so, I'm like, damn,

0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:38.639
<v Speaker 1>like this is crazy, Like I just didn't expect it.

0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:41.160
<v Speaker 1>Like I'm just saying I didn't know that this happened. Yeah.

0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:43.080
<v Speaker 1>I told him like a couple of days ago. I'm like, bro,

0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:44.720
<v Speaker 1>I'm like, you probably don't even remember, but I was

0:18:44.760 --> 0:18:47.159
<v Speaker 1>at P three with you, and like he was like word,

0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:49.600
<v Speaker 1>I was like yes, bro, Like we wasn't doing yoga together,

0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:52.439
<v Speaker 1>like really, like I remember like vividly, like so it

0:18:52.520 --> 0:18:55.440
<v Speaker 1>was crazy amazing from summer workouts to teammates. I hope

0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:57.000
<v Speaker 1>you get to have more of those connections with your

0:18:57.040 --> 0:18:58.919
<v Speaker 1>teammates to be go along. It's been so nice to

0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:01.199
<v Speaker 1>watch you these first couple of games. Thank you for

0:19:01.280 --> 0:19:04.000
<v Speaker 1>sharing your story with us today, and we're excited for

0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:06.520
<v Speaker 1>the future with ye too. Thank you all. Fed Shalen,

0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:08.439
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Philadelphia. It's great to have you. Thanks so

0:19:08.480 --> 0:19:10.560
<v Speaker 1>much for joining us. Appreciate it though to be here