1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: This is kJ Live with Chris john Silis and Chris 2 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: is having conversations with influencers in the sports world and 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: entertainment industry. Now here's Chris Johnson. You're now tuned in 4 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: to kJ Live. Today's guest on the show earned a 5 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: reputation in the college basketball world as one of the 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: best recruiters of talent in the country. His assistant coaching 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: stops include Oregon State, Vanderbilt, col in U c l A. 8 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: serving twenty years, sixteen of which were as a fuel 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: specialist and accountant in countries like Turkey, Germany, Spain, and 11 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: Saudi Arabia. He is currently the head coach of Centennial 12 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: High School in Peoria, Arizona. Please welcome David Grace to 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: kJ Live. Coach Grace, it's good man, it's great man. 14 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: It's great to be able to talk with you. You're 15 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: doing big things on this podcast. Man, I'm exciting. Well, 16 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: it's gonna get even bigger now that you on because 17 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: hey man, because look, man, you look you're really impressive. 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: When you were at U c l A. Uh during 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: your tenure, I was really as a former player and 20 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: a guy that you know put it down on the 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 1: championship there. I was super impressed with just what you 22 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,320 Speaker 1: that coaching staff, you guys were able to do. Uh, 23 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: we didn't get to where we want to go, but 24 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: that that that one year was just I mean not 25 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: not not the one year your tenure was an exciting 26 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: brand of basketball. You guys had big league, elite level 27 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: talent coming through the building year in year out. What 28 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: you were were responsible for. But coach, I want to 29 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: talk about what it's like though, for you to be 30 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: back in the high school saddle first time since two 31 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: thousand and six when you let a championship. Talking about that, Man, 32 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: I'm having the time of my life. Man, I'm enjoying it. 33 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: I got a great, great group of its great parents 34 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: and a great administration. Was it really important? Man? And 35 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,919 Speaker 1: uh they let me do what I do and we 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 1: we have a lot of fun. We're getting ready go 37 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: to practice after this man, and uh uh, I'm just 38 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: really enjoying life man, and and and having the opportunity 39 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: to to to try to impact young people and uh 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: through the game that we love basketball. Man. Is it 41 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: something about working with that age group, those that fourteen 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: really impressionable coming of age to eighteen or seventeen or eighteen, 43 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: you know, where they're more developed, and now you have 44 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: that contrast. I remember coaching my son for three years 45 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: at Palisades and just kind of, you know, being fascinated 46 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: with seeing the growth and evolution from you know, year one, 47 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: year two, year three. But the more particular question I 48 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: want to ask, coach, where can you can leave this 49 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: team back to a state championship And what is it 50 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: going to take and what are you guys doing to 51 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: prepare for that journey? Well? I think we can. You know, Um, 52 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: you know, we have enough talent to I believe we're 53 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: really going to have to have to maximize that, you know, 54 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: and and and you know, and winning the state titles 55 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: not easy. Um, you gotta have the ball bounce yourway 56 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: a couple of times here and there. But this group 57 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: is a very special group. They really like each other. 58 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: We've been preparing like crazy. We went up to the 59 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: Border League a couple of weekends ago and played against 60 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: great competition up there. We were we did very well 61 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: in the Section seven. Um, we played really well in 62 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: the fall leagues here in Arizona. So um, they're learning 63 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,839 Speaker 1: a new brand of basketball. You know, they were more 64 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: slow down walking up the court, and you know, I'm 65 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: a trapping guy. I like to get after it and 66 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: have fun and swarm on defense and uh play that style. 67 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: So they're learning that, they're learning how to condition. You know, 68 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: they weren't they weren't really ready for that type of 69 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: conditioning program. So so they're they're they're embracing it. They're 70 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: they're excited. Um they have they come to practice and 71 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: they're they have their fun to work with. There. There 72 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: were teaching them NBA terminology and college terminology, you know, 73 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: the forty five and you know, hammer screens and stuff 74 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: like that, stack action and so so it's been you know, 75 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: it's been a lot of fun, and I think we 76 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: have a shot at it. Somebody said that will be 77 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: ranked seventh in the state overall, maybe second in the 78 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: state in five A. So we're we're really excited. God, 79 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: I mean, just that last you know, a minute or 80 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: so of what you just described kind of gave me 81 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: chills just hearing how you got these guys section seven 82 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: for all leagues. I mean, you were putting them through 83 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: the fire coach, you know, how to get some dudes 84 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: ready to compete. That got me excited, like bad coaches 85 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: got could you do? And now you're teaching them also 86 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: teaching them the terminology coach, do you find that this 87 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: generation of high school basketball player, because of all the 88 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: tools and resources that they have privy that they are 89 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: privy too, from Synergy to YouTube or whatever, all the 90 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: video stuff, do you find that they pick up on 91 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: this stuff a lot quicker, a lot easier. There's a 92 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: familiarity already established this group. Does you know, Um, this 93 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,679 Speaker 1: group picks up pretty good. We have a smart group. 94 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: You know, we do great checks every week and uh, 95 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: they're all excelling in the classroom as well. So this 96 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: group picks up. There's sometimes where I got to say, hey, 97 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: this is a high school kid. This is not this 98 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: is not you know Alonzo ball or or Cavan Looney 99 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: uh at a at U c l A. Where you 100 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 1: just tell them one time and it's done, you know, 101 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: And sometimes you gotta tell them too or three times. 102 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: But they're very more there. They're still the same teaching modes, 103 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. They still really want to learn. 104 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: Oh man, that's great, and and that thirst and that 105 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: hunger is gonna really be the difference form. Are they 106 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: gym rats? Coachy love it? Okay, Yeah, that's a big question. Yeah. 107 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: We go four times a week and we don't have to, 108 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: you know, and there's some days where um or one 109 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: day I might just go three and they're wanting to 110 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 1: come in the next day. So these are gym rats. 111 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: These kids right here are gym rats. And uh, they're there. 112 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: They'll be in the gym again to day. As soon 113 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: as soon as we're done here, I'm gonna go and 114 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: and get them and we'll we'll work out for a 115 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 1: couple of hours and they're enjoying that. Awesome. Coach, talk 116 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: to me about your foundation, the beginnings for you in 117 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 1: the game. I know you're from the Aberdeen Marylands, You're 118 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: from that part of town, Ravens Country. Now, Uh, I 119 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: saw you. I saw your post the other day, Like, 120 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: come on, coach, but talk to me about what it 121 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: was like growing up out there, what your parents did then, 122 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: influence they had on you, and just you know, your neighborhood. 123 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: You know, what was it like, coach Man. We we 124 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: had a great neighborhood a sports fanatics. You know. My 125 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: dad was a sportsman still is and my mom she 126 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: was an athlete too. So um, it was competed activeness 127 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,239 Speaker 1: from the get go, even in the even in the house, 128 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: like my mom was was had some some ladies over 129 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: the house. A couple of weeks ago. She said she 130 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: her lasagna was going to be the best, you know 131 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: what I mean, still competing at seventies some years old. Man. Yeah, 132 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: so we had that. My father's blue collar. You know, 133 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: we worked, you know in Maryland area, it's it's mostly 134 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: all blue collar. That's why the Ravens have taken that 135 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: that that kind of blue collar work, you know, work 136 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: ethic to them. And uh, you know, my my mom 137 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: was spent along a lot of hours to being a 138 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: beautician like your mom, you know, and she practiced on 139 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: my head, always great haircuts, as you know. But that's 140 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: why that's why I don't have them here now. My 141 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: mom was practicing on me all the time. Yeah. Yeah, 142 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: so so, but it was lunch pail. You know, you run, 143 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: your run your lunch pail. The guys I grew up 144 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: with we still talk to this day, you know. And 145 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: when it was football season, we played football. When it 146 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: was baseball, we played baseball. You know, I grew up 147 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: with the Ripkens you know Cal, Calm Billy who were 148 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: very good basketball players. You know Cal was older than me, 149 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: but Billy was. You know, he was the first one 150 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: throw me a curveball when I was not what you 151 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: do with the coach, and I ran out of the box. 152 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: Call of us did at the first time we saw 153 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: Curt Yeah, my dad, My dad went got a bucket 154 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: of balls afterwards, and he threw curveballs to me every 155 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: like for hours, for like two hours. You know, he 156 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: was baseball. Your first love was that. You know, I 157 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: was very good at baseball, probably better at baseball than basketball. 158 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: But my first love was always basketball. You know, for 159 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: whatever reason, who was it, who wasn't They made you 160 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: fall in love with the game. Dr Jay, you know 161 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: what I mean, the doctor you know in Philly, which 162 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: wasn't far from us. You know, the first game I 163 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: ever went to. I was very young when when jabbar 164 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: Lew Center was with the Bucks, you know um and 165 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: Oscar Robinson was on that team and in the early seventies, Yeah, 166 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 1: they played I was like very young. They played against 167 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: the Baltimore Bullets with with unselling those guys, so it 168 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: was uh, he could have been on the team. He 169 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: could he might have been on that team. You know. 170 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: So the arena man arena smell, yeah, sneaker squeaking, you know, 171 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: the converse back then, you know what I mean. And uh, 172 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: but I fell in love with basketball, man, and and uh, 173 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: you know, just going outside. And that's another thing too. 174 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: We became great drivers back then because the wind was blowing. 175 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: The ball didn't bounce very high school. We had to 176 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: get to the rack. Man, if you're shooting it, that 177 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,439 Speaker 1: thing might sway a little bit on the on the court, 178 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: and the court was the biggest thing happening. Man, it was. 179 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: It was the place to be, you know. And all 180 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: the old heads that we're really good, they came later. 181 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: We had to come early. And the better we got, 182 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: the later we could go show up because we get picked, 183 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: you know. And I remember Tommy Davis was the was 184 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: the thing. He went on to play the NBA. He 185 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: picked me. He was the first one to pick me, man. Uh, 186 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: And he said, you know what, you gotta pass me 187 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: the ball. I said, that's all I did. I got 188 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 1: even the ball the whole bime. That's smart. At home, 189 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 1: told my dad, hey man, Tommy Davis picked me, man, 190 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: And he was he was the sensation back then. Man, 191 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: he went on to play in Minnesota, had a great 192 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: career there, Tucker and those guys. Man, so it was good. 193 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: That's dope. And then through high school so you played 194 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: both went. At what point did it become the focus 195 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: for you go towards and listing in the Air Force 196 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: instead of maybe going to college athlete route. Well, I 197 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: thought I was about good as maybe a big sky good, 198 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, maybe Shack State I could 199 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: have probably played or somewhere like that. But I went 200 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: to three different high schools in three different states due 201 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: to my stepfather being in the Army and how he coach. 202 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: Talk to talk about that, because that's a that's something 203 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people that kids our age where we 204 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: were at that age, because I traveled a lot and 205 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: I changed schools a lot, and it's always a weird 206 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: thing kind of being a new kid in a new 207 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: city in a new town. Talk a little bit about 208 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: that and how you figured it out at the end 209 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: of the day. I think that really helped me with 210 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: my people skills and along with you too, because you know, 211 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: being a new kid ain't always the best thing, you 212 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: know what I mean, So you always had had to 213 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: work and slide your way in there, you know what 214 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: I mean, and uh take your lumps here and there, 215 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: or you know, getting a fight here there and just 216 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: to let you let them know that you wasn't messing around. 217 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: So but it was. It really helped me with my 218 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: people skills. It helped me with my recruiting later in life. 219 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: You know, um, my senior year, I moved down to Leesville, Louisiana, 220 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: Maryland kid going to Louisiana and and Nikita Niketa Wilson, 221 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: who went on to play at l S. You was 222 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: on the team and uh me and him became very 223 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: good friends man, very very good friends. And um at 224 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: right at the beginning of the year, they didn't allow 225 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: me to play. So for whatever reason, I didn't get it. 226 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: I didn't get allowed to play, and uh so I 227 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: didn't play my senior year, so that really hurt me. 228 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: A guy saw me play against the base team um 229 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: in and on the base at for Polk Louisiana and U. 230 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: He was connected to Northwestern State University and he contacted 231 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: the coach and the coach started talking to me said, hey, 232 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,439 Speaker 1: because you know film, wouldn't you know we didn't have 233 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: the Internet back then, or the or the phones and stuff, 234 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: so it was all word of mouth. So so the 235 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: guy said, hey, we got a spot that you could 236 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 1: walk on. Well, I went and told my mom because 237 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: she wanted me to join the army. And it wasn't 238 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: no way in the world I was doing the army 239 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: because I saw what my stepfather did. They went out 240 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: in the field play g I Joe. I wasn't. I 241 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: wasn't about that life, you know. But so I told 242 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: her I was gonna walk on and she said, well, 243 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: who's gonna pay for that? I didn't know about granted, 244 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: and you know, we didn't get taught that back then, 245 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: and it had no goodn't Google wasn't wasn't a Google. 246 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: And uh so I just told her, you know, I 247 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: probably joined the Air Force, and she said she used 248 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 1: reverse psychology on me. She said, oh, you're not smart enough. 249 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 1: You know, you know that I would go prove it wrong, right, 250 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: So I did. I went proved the wrong obviously, and 251 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: then me and my my best friend at the time, 252 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,199 Speaker 1: we joined together and we went in the Air Force. 253 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: What was the most shelf shocking thing characteristic of the 254 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: military that you may or may not have been prepared 255 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: for before you enlisted, Like like, what was that moment 256 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: where you're like, I didn't know it was about to 257 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: be like this, you know what I'm saying, Stay and 258 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 1: basic training. The first day the bell went off, Man, 259 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: it's like four in the morning. We jump up, running 260 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: around not knowing where to go. And they told us 261 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: to get back into bed and then get back out 262 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: of bed and clean the urinals, and man, it was 263 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: it was on and popping. Man, I wasn't ready for 264 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: all that. You know, you hear about stuff like that, 265 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: but until you go through it. But again, another another 266 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: great I think choice I made because I think the 267 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: military has has really helped me throughout the years. And 268 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: nothing like being in the military, and and and the 269 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: people were incredible, you know, from all walks of life, 270 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: you know, all different races, all different colors, and we 271 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: all have to work together, you know. And then the 272 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: fight of war in Saudi Arabia and everybody come back home. 273 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: You know, that was that's you know, so many things 274 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: have influenced me and and joining the military. I wouldn't 275 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: change it for the world. You know. In the beginning, 276 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: I said, Man, I wanted to play, I wanted to 277 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: be like you, Chris. I wanted to play D one 278 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: college basketball and get that experience. So when I joined 279 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: the military, I said, I'm only gonna go four years, 280 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna go to play bass basketball. That's that's 281 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: what I was thinking. And uh, man, I got in there. 282 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: They were paying me. I was playing on the bas 283 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: team and and and they were paying me to play ballot. 284 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: But I was a pro basically, you know, and UH 285 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: have fun and and they said, you know, I did 286 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: twenty years. What there's a fuel specialist due coach man. 287 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: We put fuel on airplanes, you know, the store of 288 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: the fuel. We we moved the fuel uh logistically, and 289 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: we work with liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. You know, 290 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: when you breathe that air in the in the plane, 291 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: that's the liquid oxygen, you know, and uh having the 292 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: story and sample it and a whole lot of things 293 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: goes on to it. Man and and jet fuel back 294 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: then was very explosive, so you had to be very 295 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: careful you blow things up. So um another discipline. It 296 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: taught me. You know, when you went to work, you 297 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: couldn't make a mistake because you might die, you know 298 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: what I mean. So use you know, if you don't 299 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: ground it to the to the ground and to the 300 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: plane static that happens. Next thing you know, things are 301 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: popping man. So so that's another discipline. So I did 302 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: that for most of my career. Fox Sports Radio has 303 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all 304 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and 305 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: within the I Heart Radio app search f s R 306 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: to listen live. And you're in. You're in Turkey, Germany, Spain, 307 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: Saudi Arabia. Of all those countries, where did you feel 308 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: or have like the best experience. I can't imagine if 309 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: that's a you know, it's a relative term as far 310 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: as experience, because depending on what was happening. Did you 311 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: play in Turkey, Yeah, I did. I played in Turkey. 312 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: I lived in Istanbul. Yeah, I played it next door 313 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: to Saudi Arabia in Qatar. So I was over there 314 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: in Opera when um during two thousand one. So I 315 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: went over there right after nine eleven. I went over 316 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: there in December of nine eleven, of the nine eleven years. Yeah, 317 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: I was over there in the heart of it. It 318 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 1: was interesting, it was an interesting experience. Yeah, I bet, 319 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: I bet that was. It's similar to some of the 320 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 1: experiences that I that I um did as well. Um. 321 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: I love Turkey. I was in South Park. I was 322 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: in a Donna a little not as more third world, 323 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean than then it's Tanble. It's Tremble. 324 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: It's a major city. But I love the culture. I 325 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: love the food. The food was great, the chicken tie 326 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:40,399 Speaker 1: of the e mag Yeah, yeah, yeah, you real with it. 327 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: So I love Turkey, you know, you know, I love Spain. 328 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: I went over to Spain. I didn't I didn't live 329 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: in Spain, but I played fast pitched softball on the 330 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: base team and we went over there for two weeks 331 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: and uh loves loves Spain, you know, man, Spain is 332 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: my favorite country, to tell you truth that in Australia 333 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: side of the United States. Yeah, I had a very 334 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: amazing experience in Australia when I was around twelve or 335 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: thirteen years old. My dad was on a tour team 336 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 1: uh called Kareem Abdula Jabar in the Traveling Day Dal's. 337 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 1: So it was my dad, Marcus Johnson, artist, Gilmore how 338 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: how Macy, Dwayne McClean, Johnny Moore, George Gervin oh Man 339 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: by backing Dude O man, Hey, come on man, it 340 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: was the Hall of Famers, right, And so that's on 341 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: that trip. So we went to China, Australia in China 342 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: and so we you know, we flew and we have 343 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: long bus rides. But I would I was hanging out 344 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: with gerv George gervin a lot. He taught me how 345 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: to play jin roomy, he taught, He taught me how, 346 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: They taught me how to play bear with, they talked, 347 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: They taught me how to play space, they taught me 348 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: how to play tonk. So it was two weeks and 349 00:18:58,119 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: we just I just picked I picked up all this 350 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: knowledge and skills and stories, and so, I mean it 351 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: was I think I think people don't understand how when 352 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: we as Americans go overseas or we're together with you know, 353 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: other people overseas, there's just such a heightened level and 354 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: sense of camaraderie that exists. And so and I'm not 355 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: sure I would have had the same experience if I 356 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: was hanging out with George out here in l A. 357 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 1: But I know for a fact that I was putting 358 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: that place for a special reason, and it was it 359 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: was a wonderful, wonderful, uh time. Coach stand on that 360 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: military topic. I really find it fascinating that some of 361 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 1: the best coaches that have ever coached the game of basketball, 362 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: you know, Coach K, Bobby Night, Greg Popovich are coach 363 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 1: to have military experience. I think there's a correlation between 364 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: the core values of the military and the athletic arena. 365 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: When you can create that like perfect storm or perfect 366 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: synergy of of the two, that's when you achieved you know, 367 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: the heights of like Coach K, and that's when you 368 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: can really it's the perfection part. What described or talk 369 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: to me about the core values of the air Force 370 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: and military and how you implement them in your day 371 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: to day when you're dealing with coaching basketball. I did 372 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: it ever since day one I was. I was eighteen 373 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: years old and I and I went into military instill 374 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: those core values to me. The integrity part, you know, 375 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: doing it the right way when no one's looking, being 376 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: disciplined enough to you know, get to bed on time, 377 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, and stuff like that, and 378 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: just do it over and over when it becomes a habit. 379 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: You know, the excellence and all we do, you know 380 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: what I mean, You're striving for excellence in every part 381 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: of the of of of your day. You know, my 382 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: my podcast is called Do More with Your twenty four. 383 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: So I'm teaching kids. I'm teaching kids the whole. Like 384 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: today I had to. I saw three classes today and 385 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: I was asking them, did y'all make your bed? You know, well, 386 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 1: I know how you make you know? Why not? Why 387 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: do you have that discipline you do was seventeen days 388 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: in a row becomes a habit at eighteen that you're 389 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: gonna wake up and make it, you know. So those 390 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: things go with coaching in my opinion, you know what 391 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: I mean, And in the discipline, and uh, the the 392 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: integrity part of it, and the strike for striving for 393 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: excellence in every part of your day. You know what 394 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: I mean, and and and to be able to sell it, 395 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: you know what I mean in a way and capture 396 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: it in a way like the Popovich is the coach 397 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 1: ks and and and the other military people that's had 398 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: great sins as the Bobby Knights, you know, uh, you know, 399 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: even though Bobby did some other stuff, but what he 400 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 1: was at an excellent coach absolutely cannot cannot deny his 401 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: his basketball actum right, very true. Yeah, So you started 402 00:21:54,760 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 1: your college coaching career at Cow State Sacramento with coach 403 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: Jesse Evans who recruited me him and Luke recruited me. 404 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: I love Jesse. I love Jesse. Uh. He was one 405 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: of my favorite people to talk to, you know, coach 406 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: back in the day, in the nineties, you know, you 407 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: couldn't wait to get home and get that phone call. 408 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 1: So and I talked to a lot of coaches from 409 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: you know that that ended up being head coaches down 410 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: the road, from Kelvin Sampson to Mark Turgin too, Ray 411 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: Ti and COLLETTI. I mean, all these names are just 412 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: you know, in blazon. But but Jesse is one of 413 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 1: the guys that I really enjoyed talking to. Talk to 414 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: me about that first year, uh, and how you got 415 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: your start? Well, actually a coach with Jesse at USF UM, 416 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: I was with Jerome Jenkins at Sacramento Sticks. Oh forgive me, yeah, 417 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: but that's what Jesse was. You're right, man, Jesse. You know, 418 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: I learned from every coach, and Jesse was a great 419 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: recruiter obviously did a lot of great things for lud 420 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: Olsen and Luke. Luke and I became really good friends, 421 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: um and he became a mentor of mine due to 422 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: the fact that he was recruiting Jared Bayless and he 423 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: was on my AU team, so so um and obviously 424 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 1: they got him. And Jared had a great year at 425 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: at Arizona. You know he he he went on in 426 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: eleven year in the NBA. So he was the eighth pick. 427 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,360 Speaker 1: Was he the eighth pick of the trap? I think 428 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: he was the eleventh? I think him the rest Westbrook 429 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: got up in there. I think was the difference. I'm 430 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: not I could be wrong. Um, but uh, he's back here. 431 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: I was with his brother last night at the Gold 432 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: State Warriors game and I coached his brother to uh 433 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: with with the son. So I had a great time 434 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: last night. But but how I got the job, you know, 435 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: I was obviously I coached the year with the Compton Magic. 436 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: You know what me and a told are very great, 437 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: great friends. And uh really I coached more. I coached 438 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: years one year with the Compton Magic, but I coached 439 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:52,479 Speaker 1: four years as the Arizona Magic. And uh so you 440 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: know eight told me to call to and so did 441 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: Jeff Tyler who was part of the part of the 442 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 1: Compton Magic program, and Jerome Jenkins. And but Jerome said 443 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: he man when lud Olsen calls, man, I gotta, I gotta, 444 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: I gotta go ahead and hire this guy. So that's 445 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:09,920 Speaker 1: how I got hired. I did a twenty took a 446 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,479 Speaker 1: twenty dollar pay cut, remarried two days that full custody 447 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: of my children, and remarried two days before I left 448 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: and slept on the floor in the locker room. People 449 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: don't A lot of people only see all great viewers 450 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,959 Speaker 1: at U c l A and associate head coach at Vanderbilt, 451 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: but they didn't see that the beginnings, you know what 452 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: I mean, and and uh and to be a sack 453 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: statement with one of the worst high school gyms in 454 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: the in the country, you know, and you had to 455 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: recruit to it. So what's the toughest part about that 456 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: level of division? One? You know, I was spoiled at 457 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: U c l A and almost oblivious until I got 458 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: older about mid major life, low low major life, high 459 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 1: major life. What was the biggest challenge for you as 460 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: an assistant coach on that level? Well? Resources, you know 461 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: what I mean, And you know it's the playing field 462 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: for college athletics is and isn't equal. You know what 463 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,959 Speaker 1: I mean, C l A is you get a lot 464 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: more stuff. You got a lot more resource. Obviously we 465 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 1: know that. So so what just an example. My first year, 466 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 1: I'm the recruiting coordinator. I get these books. Man, it 467 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: was map Quest back then. We didn't have So I'm 468 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: printing all these out right and put them in the books. 469 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: And it's April geting coming. We're getting ready to go recruiting. 470 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: So I take them in there to Jerome and I 471 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: I said, look, coach, this is what I got. And 472 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: he said, hey, grades, this is really nice. But we 473 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: ain't got no money to go recruiting, so we ain't gone. 474 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: Plus we're not going to get any kids in April anyway. 475 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: We gotta wait for the other schools to pick and 476 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: we get the leftovers, the scraps. Yeah, the scraps. Yeah. 477 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: So I was heartbroken. Man. I worked long hours on 478 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: those books. Man. So I told him, I said, they 479 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: don't worry about it. There's a there's a tournament in Vegas. 480 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna drive. So I drove down there myself and 481 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: went went to the went to the games and we 482 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: got Vinnie McGee uh for mcclimates High School Freshman Player 483 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: of the Year, and uh, I was really excited. To 484 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 1: get him and uh uh played for the Open Soldiers 485 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 1: and yeah, tough, tough Vinnie McGhee. Jack checked this out. 486 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: So we bring him on an official visit. We don't 487 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: even show him the gym, so that at the end 488 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 1: of at the end of the visit, he said, hey, coach, 489 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: where's the gym? Mat I said, don't worry about it. 490 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: He's got ten foot goals like everything else. We'll get 491 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: you on the next one. You know what I mean, 492 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 1: because I think he might not have came here. That 493 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: might have been a deal breaker. Yeah, man, So when 494 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 1: he came without even seeing the gym, man, and then 495 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: you went to USF and work with Jesse. Yeah, did 496 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: you live in the city, Yeah, I lived in South 497 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 1: San Francisco, barely made it man, Penny's bro. Yeah, I know, 498 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: I know that was hit hard out there. And after 499 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 1: San Francisco you got with Oregon State. Yeah, I was. 500 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: That was always interesting to me because that's sort of 501 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:06,119 Speaker 1: when you started to get I would say, you're notoriety. 502 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,479 Speaker 1: Well I started hearing your name more and I don't know, 503 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 1: I don't know it was it was the Pac ten 504 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 1: or if it was. You know, some of the guys 505 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: you were bringing in probably a combination of both. But 506 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,719 Speaker 1: I was always curious about how that behind the scenes 507 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: and whatever. You can talk about working with the first 508 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 1: Lady's brother, you know, was it special like security stuff 509 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 1: detail you guys tell you a little bit about that 510 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: behind the scene. Yeah, it was really special. Man. We 511 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: had Uh, Craig Robinson my boss. Great dude, man, really 512 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 1: a great dude. Uh. He had security and he got 513 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: briefings like every day, you know, from the Secret Service 514 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: that was in Oregon. Uh to see because I remember 515 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,479 Speaker 1: one time we were walking through a volleyball camp on 516 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: campus and we're all three of us are walking together 517 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,959 Speaker 1: and we're gonna go see a uh we're recruiting a kid. 518 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: It and his sisters playing volleyball. So we're gonna go 519 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: watch the volleyball game because the dad and the mom 520 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: are there watching. So as we're walking, you know, this 521 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: was the excitement of Obama and the height of it, 522 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 1: and somebody just grabs Craig's arm. It's a lady that 523 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 1: grabbed his arm to get his attention. Man. I had 524 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 1: a military flashback. Almost hit the ground. I thought he 525 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: was getting I thought he was getting to get kidnapped. 526 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: It got crazy, got crazy because he got startled, you 527 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: know what I mean. And uh and uh, I'm like, whoa, 528 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: this is the power of where we're at right now. 529 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: And then to go to the White House every year, 530 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: you know, we always would play George Washington or Howard. 531 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: You know, Barrock would come. We played Towson and Rock 532 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: would come, so they would sweep the thing. But this 533 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: is what impressed me most about Barack. We're in the 534 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 1: warehouse and we're doing food. We're at a food bank, 535 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: like you know, we're putting food in boxes like a 536 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: conveyor like a conveyor belt. Michelle, she's like two people down. 537 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: So here comes Barocking and there's like forty people in 538 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: the warehouse that's it, and some of his family, some 539 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: of us the workers, and our our basketball team and 540 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: and any supports staff. So he goes and starts saying 541 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: hello to everybody, and it's like forty and he gets 542 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: to me and I'm like third to last before Craig 543 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: and Craig. And he walks up to me and never 544 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 1: met him before, and he says, hey, David, how you 545 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: doing take good care of Craig for me? And I'm like, 546 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: how does this dude, no my name, you know what 547 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: I mean? Does he do that? The most powerful man 548 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: in the world. And he came up, gave me some 549 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: dap and just like we were boys, you know what 550 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: I mean. And that made the biggest impression to this day. 551 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: Eight about Barack Obama, you know what I mean? And uh, 552 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: he would mess with Craig during the games. You know, 553 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: Craig with we we couldn't shoot free throws our first year, right, 554 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: So Craig would turn around every time we would go. 555 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: He wouldn't look at when you look at he wouldn't 556 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 1: even look at it. And I remember Barack said, like 557 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,680 Speaker 1: four rows up and we were in Uh, I forget what. 558 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: I forget what arena we were in. But he would 559 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: yell out Craig turn around and watch the kid free throw, 560 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So you're like, damn, that's 561 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: the president talking, you know what during the game. So 562 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: it was a whole lot of stories. You know. It's 563 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: really cool. Yeah, man, working out in the morning with 564 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: Michelle Obama and Craig's wife. We're the only ones in 565 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 1: the way room. Wow, you know what I mean. And 566 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: I should have the pictures. I didn't take pictures man, Now, 567 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: you're just in the moment, coach. That's not your style. 568 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: That's probably not your style. Coach. You live through moments 569 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: because you know what I'm saying, you just live through it, like, yeah, 570 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: the same way. I'm kind of the same way too. Yeah, 571 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: I mean this to sit there and talk there, we're 572 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: talking about normal stuff, you know what I mean? What 573 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: was on TV? Because we were watching the TV monitors 574 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: on Elliptical, you know, and she was on the trademill 575 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: I think so, so we're just talking everyday stuff and 576 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: she's that's the first lady man. So it was. It 577 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 1: was amazing. Last thing on Oregon State, Roberto Nelson, your 578 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: first major recruit, led the conference and scoring enjoyed a 579 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: long professional career. He's bawling, I believe in Italy. Now, 580 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 1: talk to me a little bit about Roberto's game and 581 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: what he meant to that team and that program at 582 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: that time. Well, you know, you see all it was 583 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: all over him at the time. I remember his Yeah, 584 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: his dad was very you know, he grew up his dad, 585 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: he grew up in Santa Barbara, So m Roberto was 586 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: an incredible kid man and me and him are he's 587 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: like a son to me. Um. He calls me almost 588 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: every other day or to this day. You know, he's 589 00:31:53,240 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: up important now. Incredible kid, um, very bright, very very bright. Um. 590 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: Mom is tremendous. Uh. The dad is doing great now here. 591 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: He did a little time and came out I think, 592 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, his dad was kind of pushing him the 593 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: U c l A at the time. But that's before 594 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: that's you know, when we hit with the Barack Obama thing. 595 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: And Craig is a great salesman as well, and we 596 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: and we got him, you know what I mean, along 597 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: with Joe Burton out in him and Roberto could flat 598 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: out score that basketball man. He could a wore it 599 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: and has the confidence a scratch golfer, you know. Really Yeah, 600 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: he hit a golf ball. He keeps telling me we 601 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: haven't played yet, so he keeps telling he's gonna come 602 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: and teach me how to play. So but but you 603 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: know what he did, he did. They were they grew 604 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: up kind of poor in Santa Barbara. Not kind, they 605 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: were poor. This is the type of kid he is. 606 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: I always call him like an intellectual gangster. You know. 607 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: He would go to all the top golf courses in 608 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: Santa Barbara and within minutes, he'd be on the golf course. 609 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: He didn't talked his way on there to all these 610 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: rich dudes coming in there, and he finds somebody that 611 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: come on, come with us, competitor. Next thing you know, 612 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: he's playing on some of the top golf courses in 613 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: the country. Wow. I mean that's the type of kid 614 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: he is. This amazing this amazing kid. Uh. But you 615 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: know he played for Compton Magic as well, and and 616 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: he uh had a great career. He had a really 617 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 1: good career there. Um at Oregon State. That's where I 618 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: met your dad. Yeah, I remember, I remember. Yeah. I 619 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: was always a big fan of him from a distance. 620 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: You know, I liked the Bucks, you know, I like 621 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: how he played. And then for him he was a 622 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: commentator in the Pac ten back then. Then he would 623 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,280 Speaker 1: come up to Oregon State and he would always come 624 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 1: over and talk to me, and I thought the world 625 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: of that man. Appreciate Yeah, he's definitely a dope, dude. 626 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 1: How many years you spent at Oregon State? Was it five? Five? Yeah? 627 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 628 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports 629 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 1: radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app. 630 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: Search f s R to listen live. How did the 631 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: u c l A opportunity come about? Crazy story Man, 632 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: Crazy story you know. Um, the year before Steve Orford 633 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: gets the u c l A job, Craig Neil was 634 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 1: on his staff, um, and he called me when I 635 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: was up in Oregon State and he said, hey, Grace, 636 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna get Colorado State. You want to 637 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,760 Speaker 1: come be my associate head coach. And at that time, 638 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: you know, I was, you know, you don't really want 639 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,880 Speaker 1: to stay more than five or six years on the staff. 640 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,359 Speaker 1: You know, you can, but it gets stagnated and things 641 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: change and all that. So so I was kind of 642 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: looking like, you know, I might need to change, you know, Um, 643 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: I still love Craig and all of that. So I said, 644 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: if you get it, I'll go, you know. And then 645 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: so it didn't happen, and I was recruiting Craig Neil's son, 646 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: who was good. He's good for he ended up going 647 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: into Mexico. Yeah, So anyway, so I would go recruiting 648 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: in the summer and sit with Craig because he was 649 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,320 Speaker 1: a coach too. So I was recruiting his son knowing 650 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: that really he wasn't gonna let him go play in 651 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: the Princeton offense with Craig Robinson. But I was networking, 652 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: you know, so so but Steve would go sit on 653 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: the other side, never say a word to me. And 654 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, that's big time Steve Offord, and 655 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna go and say, Steve, how you doing? 656 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:34,360 Speaker 1: You know what I mean, because he never said a 657 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 1: word to me. So so, so fast forward, he gets 658 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: the job at U c l A. I'm flying into 659 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta for the Final four, and Dan Marley had just 660 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 1: got the Grand Canyon job. He was interested in hiring me. 661 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 1: He wanted to interview me at the Final four. And 662 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 1: Andy Enfield played. He was from Pennsylvania. He played at 663 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: Johns Hopkins and my old high school coach was assistant 664 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: coach at Johns Hopkins when he was there. So so 665 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: Andy was gonna interview me at the final four. Two 666 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: so I didn't when thinking about U c l A. 667 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 1: So I landed, I land and man, I got like, 668 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 1: you know, calls and texts on my phone. U c 669 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:17,840 Speaker 1: l A is interested in you. U c l A 670 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 1: called about you. Steve, Steve was going to hire you 671 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, and I'm like, is this jokes 672 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:28,799 Speaker 1: you know? Uh? Uh? This is you know dude from Aberdeen, Maryland. Man, 673 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: there was a military. Dude's gonna get the get the 674 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:35,959 Speaker 1: interview at U c l A. Come on, man. So 675 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: so I get two or three phone calls. Uh told 676 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:43,880 Speaker 1: called me um, A couple other people called me that 677 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: that that Steve reached out to. And then an hour 678 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: later it was eight o'clock and Steve called me and said, hey, 679 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 1: I understand you're in my same hotel. What the sides 680 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:55,960 Speaker 1: of that? Can you? Can you come up to the 681 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: suite and I want to interview you in an hour? 682 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: So I said, oh yes, O wait, so did you 683 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:03,800 Speaker 1: have to get ready for that or coach where you 684 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: already ready? I had my suit already because I was 685 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: going to interview already the next day with with with 686 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 1: UH with Grand Canyon, right, so, and I knew I 687 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 1: was going to interview with USC. So about five minutes later, 688 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: I get a text from Neil because Neil and offered 689 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,319 Speaker 1: their best friends. So Neil text me, are you going 690 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:26,239 Speaker 1: to interview at U c l A. Yeah, I'm gonna 691 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: interview with U c l A. He says, if you 692 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: end it, then he calls me right, says, if you 693 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 1: interview at U c l A, you can't interview with 694 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:37,240 Speaker 1: New Mexico. So I said, alright, alright, Noodles, you know what, Noodles, 695 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 1: you want to play that game. I'm still interviewing, and therefore, 696 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 1: letters a powerful man, I'm not coming into Mexican y. Yeah. 697 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 1: And then he said, uh, well, I could pay you 698 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: a lot more, which was true because you know U 699 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 1: c l A didn't pay man, so that with that 700 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: part was true. He said, I could pay you a 701 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:00,080 Speaker 1: lot more. We can do a lot more stuff, you 702 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,840 Speaker 1: know what I mean. And I said, man, I'm interviewing 703 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,080 Speaker 1: the U c l A. It ain't about the money, man, 704 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 1: It's about having the opportunity to coach it. And you 705 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:12,800 Speaker 1: know how special that place is. Man, So um, I 706 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: go up. I'm an interviewing and this is this is 707 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:17,800 Speaker 1: what I tell a lot a lot of kids. Halfway 708 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 1: through the interview, his daughter walks in and because it's 709 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: in a suite and they were staying in the same place, 710 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:26,759 Speaker 1: so I stand up and I go shake her hand 711 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 1: and I said hello, she's a sophomore in high school 712 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,040 Speaker 1: at the time. Then she leaves. I go back down. 713 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 1: We finished the interview and then Steve said, hey, you 714 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: got anything else? So, I mean, you got you got 715 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 1: anything you want to say? So I said, yeah, man, 716 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,520 Speaker 1: um when we when you know, when you're gonna make 717 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 1: your decision? And he said you got anything left? And uh, 718 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,680 Speaker 1: you said you got anything else going on? I said, yeah, 719 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 1: I got Grand Canyon. He said, what's that detail? You 720 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 1: know he's going out joke U c l a man. 721 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: He had his polo on, you know, he is, Yeah, 722 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,360 Speaker 1: He's like, is that D two? He went one of 723 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,560 Speaker 1: them numbers, right, and I said no, it's D one. 724 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:10,640 Speaker 1: And then he said what do you got? And I 725 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:14,359 Speaker 1: said I got New Mexico And he started laughing, like yeah, 726 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: who cares about that? He just came from there, right. 727 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 1: And then I said, he said you got anything else? 728 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 1: I said usc? He he got he got serious, you 729 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 1: know what I mean, that's across town. He got USC. 730 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,480 Speaker 1: I said, yeah, I got USC coming up on the interview, 731 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:33,440 Speaker 1: probably having Sunday and Monday, you know. And then he 732 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 1: got real serious. He said okay. He said, uh, if 733 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: you don't hear from me tomorrow at twelve before your 734 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 1: grand chain, you just go to that. He said. But 735 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'll make the I'm gonna make a call 736 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:47,560 Speaker 1: to tomorrow. I'm gonna make it a higher tomorrow. So 737 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: it gets to be the next day, it gets to 738 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 1: be like eleven forty, you know, and I'm walking over 739 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:58,600 Speaker 1: to the to the interview with Marley, and I'm saying, 740 00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:00,359 Speaker 1: I must didn't get it, you know what I mean. 741 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,239 Speaker 1: So I got to really concentrate on this Grand Canyon deal, 742 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:05,400 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. But I still was at 743 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:07,880 Speaker 1: Oregon State, so I was still fine, you know. So 744 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:12,440 Speaker 1: so I go and he calls me right before and 745 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 1: he said, hey, man, I'm sorry. Bryce, his son had 746 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:17,920 Speaker 1: a three point shooting contest. He was a senior at 747 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:20,320 Speaker 1: the time at the final four. He said, I was 748 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: late with that, and I had a couple of other things. 749 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: He said, give me Craig Robinson's number. So I gave 750 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,319 Speaker 1: him Craig Robinson's number. Um, and then he said, going 751 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: to that what's that Grand Canyon going to that interview, 752 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:35,040 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So I go to the 753 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:38,279 Speaker 1: interview with Grand Canyon. I walked out and we're in 754 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 1: the main lobby. So I got a suit on him. 755 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: So Buzz Williams comes over and says, Gracie, where your 756 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 1: interview at. I'm like, man, I et interviewed, don't wear man, 757 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:53,520 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Yeah. Then he said, ah, 758 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,520 Speaker 1: you interviewed. I know you interviewed. I just know you did. 759 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,640 Speaker 1: So then Craig Robinson walks around on and I didn't 760 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,480 Speaker 1: tell Craig. I didn't tell because I didn't you know, 761 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:07,719 Speaker 1: getting these jobs right. Greg sees me in the suit, 762 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,800 Speaker 1: oh man, and he said, David, you got something going on? 763 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 1: And I said yeah, And I told him all that, 764 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:18,080 Speaker 1: all the options right, and I said you could get 765 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:21,319 Speaker 1: a phone call from you know. And then Steve Steve 766 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 1: Offord and he said, oh, okay, cool. And then you know, 767 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:26,520 Speaker 1: he was in the lobby and they were swarming him 768 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:30,320 Speaker 1: because everybody's trying to get the Barack. So at that 769 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:32,800 Speaker 1: point I just said, the heck with it. I'm staying 770 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,360 Speaker 1: in the lobby because I didn't know. I didn't know 771 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:37,840 Speaker 1: Craig was gonna take the call or not, you know 772 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 1: what I mean, all kinds of stuff running through my head, 773 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:44,400 Speaker 1: you know, yeah, man, So I just stayed. And um 774 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:49,480 Speaker 1: and then Damon Archibald and his brother um Bo came 775 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:51,400 Speaker 1: up to me and said, hey, man, I heard you 776 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:53,880 Speaker 1: interview that U c l A. So I didn't tell nobody, 777 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:56,319 Speaker 1: you know, And I don't know how they got out. 778 00:41:56,840 --> 00:42:00,640 Speaker 1: Maybe the people that Steve called. Maybe, So I said, no, man, 779 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:02,680 Speaker 1: you know, I'm trying to keep things quiet because you 780 00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 1: know how that stuff is, man, people hating. So so 781 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:08,279 Speaker 1: I stayed different about an hour, but I never let 782 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 1: Craig out of my sight, you know what I mean. 783 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:15,279 Speaker 1: And then Craig walks around after an hour and he 784 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,120 Speaker 1: and he shows me his phone. He says, is this 785 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:20,600 Speaker 1: Steve's number? I said, yeah it is, so he did 786 00:42:20,719 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 1: call right, So so then um, he said, I'll give 787 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:28,400 Speaker 1: him a call about five minutes. So I waited for that. 788 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:30,600 Speaker 1: He was on the phone. Then I went back to 789 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:34,160 Speaker 1: my room. Man, I was exhausted, man, and took my 790 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:37,640 Speaker 1: suit off, and I'm like, it's either I'm gonna get 791 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:39,239 Speaker 1: it or I'm not, you know what I mean. And 792 00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:43,160 Speaker 1: then about two hours later, Steve calls and says, hey, 793 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: you want to go to dinner. So we go to dinner. 794 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,719 Speaker 1: He's sitting right across from me, not saying one word 795 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:53,560 Speaker 1: to me. Uh Eddie Shillen, who's on our staff. He 796 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:58,800 Speaker 1: was eating dinner his agent Um was there and his 797 00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,920 Speaker 1: whole family and then me and im and I'm eating, like, 798 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 1: not talking to anybody. I don't know anybody, right, So 799 00:43:05,239 --> 00:43:07,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, why you bring me here? Man? You know 800 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:09,399 Speaker 1: what I mean? Tell me I finished second or third, 801 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:11,760 Speaker 1: you know. And then he then all of a sudden, 802 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: you know, he's laughing and joking. Then all of a 803 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,400 Speaker 1: sudden he said, you know what, in my twenty three years, 804 00:43:16,520 --> 00:43:20,399 Speaker 1: I've never hired anybody I didn't know. And I said, yeah, 805 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:22,840 Speaker 1: you said that three or four times in the interview. 806 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:27,280 Speaker 1: I said, I really appreciate the opportunity to even interview, 807 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:30,400 Speaker 1: you know. But she said that three I said, Uh, 808 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:33,840 Speaker 1: Jerome Jenkins didn't know me either, you know, and and 809 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 1: and neither did uh Craig Robinson, He said, yeah, Craig. 810 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:41,680 Speaker 1: Craig gave me a uh, one of the best recommendations. 811 00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: He said nothing but great things about you. And I 812 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:46,920 Speaker 1: didn't know if he would, you know what I mean. 813 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,279 Speaker 1: I think the world of that to this day for 814 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 1: Craig because he didn't have to do that. And he says, 815 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:54,520 Speaker 1: he says, I'm gonna hire you. He said, but before, 816 00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:56,839 Speaker 1: really why I'm gonna hire you? See that young lady 817 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:00,040 Speaker 1: down at the end of the table. She said, I 818 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:01,960 Speaker 1: better hire you if things are gonna be bad at 819 00:44:02,239 --> 00:44:05,520 Speaker 1: at his daughter, for you shook when you shook her hand, 820 00:44:05,560 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 1: when I shook her hand, and she said, no one 821 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:11,480 Speaker 1: has ever done that because she's in a household of boys. 822 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:15,040 Speaker 1: She has two brothers her dad, so legend, you know 823 00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 1: what I mean. And it was all basketball. So she 824 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:21,760 Speaker 1: she was so impressed that some one of Steve's people 825 00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 1: would say hied to her and make it, make it 826 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:27,359 Speaker 1: a point. She said, that's he said, that's the real 827 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:29,680 Speaker 1: reason why I'm gonna hurt you. So that's how I 828 00:44:29,719 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 1: got hired. That you see all that character, coach, that 829 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:35,960 Speaker 1: was an amazing story. Ain't that crazy? That's an amazing 830 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,399 Speaker 1: that you know that that scene in the lobby, hold 831 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 1: On Williams and you know, Craig Robinson seeing you in 832 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:47,600 Speaker 1: the suit, I know you're sweating bull, Coach. You had 833 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 1: to be sweating, bully. I was trying to get out 834 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,320 Speaker 1: of there, quick man. But that's the That's how live 835 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,240 Speaker 1: it is. Thank you for sharing that, giving the audience 836 00:44:57,360 --> 00:45:01,479 Speaker 1: just you know, some insight into this stuff actually really 837 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:05,279 Speaker 1: goes down. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk 838 00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:08,040 Speaker 1: lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at 839 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:11,439 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart 840 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:14,880 Speaker 1: Radio app. Search f s R to listen live. Because 841 00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 1: maybe actually this about U. C l A. Um your tenure. 842 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:23,680 Speaker 1: You're there five years, I believe how many three sweet sixteens. 843 00:45:24,560 --> 00:45:27,640 Speaker 1: You know, you guys did a magnificent job. Do you 844 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:32,759 Speaker 1: view your time there as a success or do you 845 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:36,919 Speaker 1: wish you could have done a little bit more? Well, 846 00:45:37,239 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 1: I always think it's a success. It's the greatest place 847 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:43,360 Speaker 1: I've ever worked. Um, I had five great years. It 848 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:45,840 Speaker 1: was a lot of stress, obviously, you know, I was 849 00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 1: a recruiting coordinator and if we missed on a kid, 850 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:49,919 Speaker 1: it was my fault, you know what I mean. That's 851 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:51,920 Speaker 1: just the way it is. And I wouldn't want it 852 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:54,279 Speaker 1: any different. Um, But a lot of stress, a lot 853 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:58,160 Speaker 1: of long hours, um, no holidays, you know what I mean. 854 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,480 Speaker 1: It was. It was it was only for us. I 855 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:02,800 Speaker 1: was going up against them cats across you know the 856 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,120 Speaker 1: way you are seeing levin Harden and in Bland, you 857 00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:11,560 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Yeah, they were l a cats, 858 00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:14,040 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. That was tough. That was 859 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: a tough era. That was a tough era. Yeah, and 860 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 1: then me and all great friends of course, and I 861 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:24,640 Speaker 1: love I love Jason, I love Tony and since she 862 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:29,640 Speaker 1: was competition, man, so it was like, man, where they at, 863 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:31,919 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, where I can combat them, 864 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:35,640 Speaker 1: you know. And uh so it was a great, great 865 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:39,040 Speaker 1: five years. You know we were there. Best team obviously 866 00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:42,560 Speaker 1: was the Alonzo ball team, um and which I thought 867 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:45,000 Speaker 1: we had enough to win the national titles. Ranked second 868 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:47,080 Speaker 1: in the country. You know, we're the only team to 869 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:49,920 Speaker 1: go to Kentucky and beat beat them at Kentucky and 870 00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 1: then go to Arizona in the same year and beat 871 00:46:52,719 --> 00:46:55,600 Speaker 1: beat the Arizona which had great teams too. You know, 872 00:46:55,840 --> 00:47:00,440 Speaker 1: so that that team, you know, we we didn't get 873 00:47:00,520 --> 00:47:03,360 Speaker 1: we we we got a tough drawl in my opinion. 874 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:05,880 Speaker 1: We we go up to Sacramento, win two hard games. 875 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:09,680 Speaker 1: Now we gotta go play Kentucky basically at home in Memphis, 876 00:47:10,040 --> 00:47:11,719 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. That was a joke. The 877 00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:14,840 Speaker 1: committee always does you like that historically, just so you know, 878 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:17,200 Speaker 1: one year, coach, we wanted to pack twelve, we wanted 879 00:47:17,239 --> 00:47:19,319 Speaker 1: to pack ten out right, and they shipped us off 880 00:47:19,360 --> 00:47:22,400 Speaker 1: to Indianapolis and we got a five seat. Yeah, we 881 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:25,040 Speaker 1: wanted to pack. We won sixteen games in conference coach, 882 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:30,240 Speaker 1: and they gave it were Princeton Princeton backdoors US for games. 883 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:33,759 Speaker 1: Yeah I remember that. Yeah, but yeah, but so notoriously 884 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:36,680 Speaker 1: they did that. But yeah, I mean, god that that 885 00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:41,520 Speaker 1: that brand of basketball. And then on the offensive side, 886 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:44,400 Speaker 1: was really excited because we had just came the Brewing 887 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:48,040 Speaker 1: contingent Nation, if you will, had came out of the 888 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:51,680 Speaker 1: Howling era where it was a little bit of a 889 00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:55,440 Speaker 1: contrast as far as you know, micromanaging and possession by 890 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:59,040 Speaker 1: possession less, grind out some w's and then we're doing 891 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:03,120 Speaker 1: you guys this ten you're The excitement was definitely back 892 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:06,000 Speaker 1: in the building and the and I like the players 893 00:48:06,080 --> 00:48:08,280 Speaker 1: holling broad but you guys are bringing in some real dogs. 894 00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:10,160 Speaker 1: I mean, one of my favorites was t J. Leaf. 895 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:13,239 Speaker 1: I always liked his game. I like the other big 896 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:16,360 Speaker 1: the big kid Eka. I thought he was man. I was. 897 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:18,359 Speaker 1: There was a point where I was gonna take him 898 00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:20,640 Speaker 1: over Bam. I mean, obviously that didn't turn out the 899 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:22,879 Speaker 1: same way, but I remember when both it was both. 900 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,560 Speaker 1: I was looking I was looking like, wait a minute, 901 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:27,080 Speaker 1: could play man He's because remember he was only like 902 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:31,319 Speaker 1: seventeen and a half. Remember all that. I was like, man, 903 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:33,880 Speaker 1: what's the one on with this dude? Yeah, he should 904 00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:36,960 Speaker 1: have stayed another year. You know. Now he's got injuries 905 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:40,680 Speaker 1: on both knees. So great kid, great family. Uh. I 906 00:48:40,760 --> 00:48:44,759 Speaker 1: think Thomas Welsh thing. You know, Thomas was going four years. 907 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:48,320 Speaker 1: Thomas was more skilled offensively, and we were gonna start Thomas, 908 00:48:48,680 --> 00:48:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, so e K was gonna come back. You know, 909 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:53,960 Speaker 1: when you when you're dealing with the NBA as you know, 910 00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:56,160 Speaker 1: you got to hit it when you're hot, and he 911 00:48:56,320 --> 00:48:59,840 Speaker 1: was hot at the time. Big time shot blocker. Probably 912 00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:02,759 Speaker 1: be a shop blocker we had in our five years, 913 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:04,560 Speaker 1: you know, and you cel A don't have a lot 914 00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:06,759 Speaker 1: of those, do you know what I mean over the years, 915 00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:09,480 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, a rim protector like that. 916 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:12,279 Speaker 1: And Thomas wasn't. He wasn't. I mean it was I 917 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:14,319 Speaker 1: can't say that because Thomas is the all time leading 918 00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:17,759 Speaker 1: shop blocker. Thomas he gave that wall a little too 919 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:20,239 Speaker 1: hit on you. I mean he's smart and he get 920 00:49:20,320 --> 00:49:23,360 Speaker 1: them and he just give me that. Let's go the 921 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:26,839 Speaker 1: other way. I was like, Thomas came along ways man, 922 00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:30,200 Speaker 1: Yeah he did. Here Pressley, Yeah, the thing was after 923 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:33,120 Speaker 1: every practice he goes shake every coach's hand, say thank you. 924 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:36,719 Speaker 1: Really yeah, just one of those kids cut. One of 925 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:39,480 Speaker 1: those kids cut from that call. Yep. In fact, one 926 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:41,840 Speaker 1: time Steve said watch this and Steve started running to 927 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:45,879 Speaker 1: the locker room. Right, he ran down. We got out 928 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:52,880 Speaker 1: of there. That's funny. Yeah, that's funny. Then Alonzo uh 929 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:57,560 Speaker 1: Ball just talk to talk about you're were you You're 930 00:49:57,600 --> 00:50:00,040 Speaker 1: pretty heavily involved in that situation, right. I recruit to 931 00:50:00,120 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 1: him at Oregon State. So I was mainly how how 932 00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:07,120 Speaker 1: how was it recruited Alonzo Ball? Real easy? You know, 933 00:50:07,160 --> 00:50:09,600 Speaker 1: I knew, I knew we all. You know, I knew 934 00:50:09,680 --> 00:50:13,280 Speaker 1: LaVar before LaVar, you know really because before the before 935 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:16,560 Speaker 1: the notoriety, because when we were at Oregon State, Um, 936 00:50:17,239 --> 00:50:20,400 Speaker 1: you know, did nobody really know LaVar. He didn't know 937 00:50:20,600 --> 00:50:22,960 Speaker 1: him until we played at the Wooden Classic and we 938 00:50:23,080 --> 00:50:25,640 Speaker 1: won that tournament and then Jeff Goodman was it with 939 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:28,400 Speaker 1: ESPN and put the mic and in LaVar's face and 940 00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:31,920 Speaker 1: LaVar said, hey, we're gonna win the national type that 941 00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:36,399 Speaker 1: started it off, you know what I mean? And uh, 942 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:40,560 Speaker 1: but that that family very close with and they treat 943 00:50:40,640 --> 00:50:43,720 Speaker 1: me like one of their own and they're incredible people. 944 00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:46,000 Speaker 1: You know. I tell people all the time. The year 945 00:50:46,040 --> 00:50:49,160 Speaker 1: before Alonzo gets there, we struggled. We were sixteen seventeen, 946 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:53,160 Speaker 1: Aaron Holliday, who I loved the death. He came out 947 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:56,960 Speaker 1: of high school environment where he was the only cat, 948 00:50:57,120 --> 00:50:59,359 Speaker 1: so he had to score. Now, he would win games 949 00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:02,440 Speaker 1: by himself, almost beat Sara Kenyon by himself. You know, 950 00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:07,200 Speaker 1: he was a monster. He was right, yeah, you know. 951 00:51:07,840 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: But with that, when Aaron got there, he always had 952 00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:13,160 Speaker 1: that chip on the shoulder. I'm the last holiday that's 953 00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:15,040 Speaker 1: got to get to the league. So he he had 954 00:51:15,120 --> 00:51:17,400 Speaker 1: that chip on his shoulder. And you know, when your 955 00:51:17,480 --> 00:51:19,560 Speaker 1: dad age, you think you gotta score it every time. 956 00:51:19,719 --> 00:51:22,759 Speaker 1: So that's that's that year we had Aaron, and Aaron 957 00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:27,120 Speaker 1: was more more scoring minded. Point guard Alonso comes in. 958 00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:31,080 Speaker 1: They still they're like great friends, and then we play 959 00:51:31,160 --> 00:51:35,560 Speaker 1: them both. Alonso dominated. Alonzo dominated the point guards by 960 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:39,440 Speaker 1: changed the whole locker room with the past. He did 961 00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:41,600 Speaker 1: it with the past. He's had to tell him to 962 00:51:41,640 --> 00:51:45,920 Speaker 1: score the whole locker room changes. DJ helped ek help 963 00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:49,560 Speaker 1: because they came, you know, but but Alonzo changed the 964 00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:53,040 Speaker 1: whole culture in the whole locker room. Just by the 965 00:51:53,160 --> 00:51:58,399 Speaker 1: pass even had Aaron passed. It was a beautiful brand. Yeah, 966 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:02,120 Speaker 1: just beautiful to watch. Yeah, most assisted team I think 967 00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:05,080 Speaker 1: in the country. Yeah, yeah, y'all was off the hood, coach. 968 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:07,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it was like, man, I just knew we 969 00:52:07,120 --> 00:52:09,640 Speaker 1: was about to win the title. But it is what 970 00:52:09,760 --> 00:52:11,719 Speaker 1: it is like just like my junior year, I thought 971 00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:13,480 Speaker 1: we was gonna win a title. Made till lead eight, 972 00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:18,120 Speaker 1: but then we ran into Bobby Jackson, Sam Jacobson, John Thomas, 973 00:52:18,200 --> 00:52:22,680 Speaker 1: and Courtney James in Minnesota coach Clem Haskins and yeah, 974 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:26,600 Speaker 1: coach Clem, but but no, we you guys represented, and 975 00:52:26,680 --> 00:52:28,680 Speaker 1: that's all we could have ever asked. Let me ask 976 00:52:28,719 --> 00:52:31,520 Speaker 1: you this about the exit out of u C l A. 977 00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:33,960 Speaker 1: How do you feel about the way you left? You know, 978 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:37,600 Speaker 1: I'm not, I don't. I never wanted to leave, you 979 00:52:37,640 --> 00:52:39,880 Speaker 1: know what I mean. It's it was that special place. 980 00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:43,520 Speaker 1: So when you leave there, I went to cal Cow, 981 00:52:44,080 --> 00:52:48,400 Speaker 1: paid me way more. They showed great interests when I left. Uh, 982 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:53,319 Speaker 1: I stayed in the in the retirement system. You know, yes, sir, yes, sir, 983 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:56,200 Speaker 1: but it just wasn't the same. You know what I mean. 984 00:52:57,480 --> 00:52:59,759 Speaker 1: It's it's once you get to u C. L A. 985 00:53:00,200 --> 00:53:02,480 Speaker 1: It was kind of the rest you go downhill a 986 00:53:02,520 --> 00:53:05,920 Speaker 1: little bit. Not saying anything about Cow, It's just different. 987 00:53:06,840 --> 00:53:09,279 Speaker 1: We didn't have the men's gym in the summer, you 988 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:11,680 Speaker 1: know what I mean. We didn't have guys like yourself. 989 00:53:11,760 --> 00:53:14,640 Speaker 1: The alumni base wasn't like that at Cow. You know, 990 00:53:15,239 --> 00:53:17,959 Speaker 1: it's kind of splinter. You got you know, Jason Kidd 991 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:21,160 Speaker 1: and Kevin Johnson. But other than that, you know, it's 992 00:53:21,200 --> 00:53:23,440 Speaker 1: not like the family that U. C. L A Is. 993 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:26,320 Speaker 1: You know, you guys are going threads, you know, Tius 994 00:53:26,440 --> 00:53:30,319 Speaker 1: and you and and Martin and you know all all 995 00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:32,640 Speaker 1: you guys. Man. I talked about you guys a lot, 996 00:53:32,960 --> 00:53:37,360 Speaker 1: you know, to the kids and how your alumni is 997 00:53:37,600 --> 00:53:42,680 Speaker 1: definitely a family. Yes, and you know Earl watching me 998 00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:46,800 Speaker 1: and Earl very close. Um, you know, so it's you know, 999 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:50,160 Speaker 1: it's it's just I didn't I didn't want to leave. 1000 00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:52,080 Speaker 1: I thought I was gonna be there ten fifteen years. 1001 00:53:52,239 --> 00:53:55,239 Speaker 1: You know, I wasn't gonna be in no lobby trying 1002 00:53:55,280 --> 00:53:56,960 Speaker 1: to trying to get to get you know what I mean, 1003 00:53:58,200 --> 00:54:01,319 Speaker 1: We didn't. We know, no one could understan then what happened, Well, 1004 00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:06,120 Speaker 1: you know I could. I'll tell what happened. It's just Steve. 1005 00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:09,320 Speaker 1: We we we went to the first four remember remember 1006 00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:12,920 Speaker 1: that year and we got beat by Yeah, and so 1007 00:54:13,120 --> 00:54:15,400 Speaker 1: things weren't going for well for Steve. You know, we 1008 00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:19,640 Speaker 1: had the stuff the banners flying over. Yeah, me and 1009 00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:22,160 Speaker 1: me and Dan Guerrero were great friends. Dan. It's like 1010 00:54:22,200 --> 00:54:24,800 Speaker 1: a mentor. We stay in touch to this day, you know. 1011 00:54:25,400 --> 00:54:29,680 Speaker 1: So Steve comes into in and he was gonna say 1012 00:54:29,760 --> 00:54:32,000 Speaker 1: we had a staff meeting, but it really wasn't a 1013 00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:35,759 Speaker 1: staff meeting. He came in to say, hey, David, you 1014 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:39,080 Speaker 1: you need to go find another job. Right So we're 1015 00:54:39,120 --> 00:54:42,880 Speaker 1: on one year contracts. So, um, I was in shocked. 1016 00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:44,560 Speaker 1: And then he said, pray about it. You know that 1017 00:54:44,600 --> 00:54:46,440 Speaker 1: I was really in shocked, you know what I mean. 1018 00:54:46,560 --> 00:54:48,360 Speaker 1: He hit you with the pray about it. So we 1019 00:54:48,440 --> 00:54:53,600 Speaker 1: prayed about it. So, but you know, I'm so thankful 1020 00:54:53,680 --> 00:54:56,960 Speaker 1: for Steve. I'm so so thankful that he hired me. 1021 00:54:57,040 --> 00:54:59,839 Speaker 1: He didn't have to, and he gave me the opportunities. 1022 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:05,200 Speaker 1: And I'm I'm to the misture at Peace State right 1023 00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:10,280 Speaker 1: now in my life where I don't blame Steve. Steve 1024 00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:13,560 Speaker 1: that was an avenue for for my path to go 1025 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:16,080 Speaker 1: up to Cow. You know what I mean. So so 1026 00:55:16,280 --> 00:55:18,640 Speaker 1: I even, you know, I hit Steve up and tell him, 1027 00:55:18,680 --> 00:55:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, wishing my happy birthday here and there, because 1028 00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:23,920 Speaker 1: it's it's Steve. It's just part of life, you know 1029 00:55:23,920 --> 00:55:29,680 Speaker 1: what I mean. And and uh, so Steve, he had 1030 00:55:29,719 --> 00:55:32,040 Speaker 1: the meeting, and Dan Garrel basically told him he's gonna 1031 00:55:32,040 --> 00:55:34,000 Speaker 1: get fired being going to file for next year. So 1032 00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:37,200 Speaker 1: that's and then after that he said, you know, Steve said, 1033 00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:39,719 Speaker 1: I'm sure. He said, well, I'm just gonna go get 1034 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:41,799 Speaker 1: one of my best friends to come in. We'll play 1035 00:55:41,840 --> 00:55:43,839 Speaker 1: golf and you know, because we're not winning and we're 1036 00:55:43,880 --> 00:55:46,120 Speaker 1: not going to final forward that team that he had. 1037 00:55:46,239 --> 00:55:48,480 Speaker 1: And and then and then I went over and talked 1038 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:50,959 Speaker 1: to Dan the next day because he said Dan said 1039 00:55:51,360 --> 00:55:54,200 Speaker 1: didn't want to you know, Steve said Dan wanted to change, 1040 00:55:54,280 --> 00:55:58,040 Speaker 1: which I knew that was the case. So because me 1041 00:55:58,120 --> 00:55:59,680 Speaker 1: and Dan, so I go to Dan the next day 1042 00:55:59,719 --> 00:56:01,319 Speaker 1: and then said, no, no, no, that's not the case. 1043 00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:03,560 Speaker 1: He said, David, more than likely he's going to get 1044 00:56:03,719 --> 00:56:05,919 Speaker 1: let go next year. It's probably better that you move. 1045 00:56:06,480 --> 00:56:08,560 Speaker 1: And uh and then you won't be a part of it. 1046 00:56:08,640 --> 00:56:10,839 Speaker 1: And that's what happened. Halfway through the season, he left, 1047 00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:14,560 Speaker 1: and that's that's exactly what happened. Um, and allowed me 1048 00:56:14,680 --> 00:56:17,680 Speaker 1: to get over to cow and and and and build 1049 00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:21,319 Speaker 1: to keep building, uh and trying to help why King out? 1050 00:56:21,480 --> 00:56:23,560 Speaker 1: You know what I mean, absolutely thing for why King 1051 00:56:23,719 --> 00:56:25,799 Speaker 1: offered me the job. And I didn't know why King 1052 00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:28,640 Speaker 1: was gonna get let go after two years. So um 1053 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:30,600 Speaker 1: and we have we have players getting ready to come 1054 00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:32,960 Speaker 1: in there, you know, Danny, Jerry and all that might 1055 00:56:33,000 --> 00:56:35,360 Speaker 1: have came to our place. Yeah. I feel like the 1056 00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:38,160 Speaker 1: way you approach this and the way you look at 1057 00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:41,480 Speaker 1: you know, maybe setbacks or things that don't go your way, 1058 00:56:41,640 --> 00:56:44,480 Speaker 1: is the approach. It's why you're such a great mentor 1059 00:56:44,560 --> 00:56:47,800 Speaker 1: as why people, these young people need to listen to 1060 00:56:47,920 --> 00:56:50,839 Speaker 1: folks like you, because that is a big thing. It's 1061 00:56:50,920 --> 00:56:53,799 Speaker 1: how you deal with getting knocked down or it's how 1062 00:56:54,040 --> 00:56:57,000 Speaker 1: you you dust yourself off and get back up. You know, 1063 00:56:57,080 --> 00:56:59,480 Speaker 1: you could be piste off at Steve, you could be 1064 00:56:59,600 --> 00:57:02,359 Speaker 1: pissed off surly and you can get into a whole 1065 00:57:02,520 --> 00:57:04,680 Speaker 1: depressive thing. But you're like, you know what, man, I'm 1066 00:57:04,719 --> 00:57:07,840 Speaker 1: not even thank you for the opportunity, sir man that 1067 00:57:08,000 --> 00:57:10,480 Speaker 1: that that it hits me right here, uh home, Coach 1068 00:57:10,520 --> 00:57:12,840 Speaker 1: I appreciate you being that way. Let me ask you 1069 00:57:12,920 --> 00:57:16,760 Speaker 1: this about your next stop at Vanderbilt. You recruited Scottie 1070 00:57:16,760 --> 00:57:22,360 Speaker 1: Pippen Jr. Kenyan Martin Jr. Very heavily to former NBA 1071 00:57:22,920 --> 00:57:28,120 Speaker 1: kids sons. Yeah, great players, high quality kids as well. 1072 00:57:28,760 --> 00:57:33,800 Speaker 1: Is there uh something different or something in a twinkle 1073 00:57:33,840 --> 00:57:35,640 Speaker 1: in the eye if you will, of an NBA player 1074 00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:38,120 Speaker 1: son when you recruited him versus a non NBA player 1075 00:57:38,200 --> 00:57:41,800 Speaker 1: son that may be talented as well. Yeah, I'm a 1076 00:57:41,840 --> 00:57:44,760 Speaker 1: firm believer in the pedigree, you know. You know, it's 1077 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:46,960 Speaker 1: just like with you. You know, your your dad was 1078 00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:49,840 Speaker 1: a great NBA player, you had a great career. Um, 1079 00:57:50,680 --> 00:57:53,760 Speaker 1: it is different. It's different. It's just just the way 1080 00:57:53,800 --> 00:57:56,320 Speaker 1: it is, you know. You know Scottie Pippen was a 1081 00:57:56,400 --> 00:57:59,000 Speaker 1: three star recruit out of high school, I know, and 1082 00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:01,520 Speaker 1: that amazing coach. You could see the way he played 1083 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:02,960 Speaker 1: the game because I wouldn't I did. I did a 1084 00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:04,440 Speaker 1: bunch of their games and I went to games. You 1085 00:58:04,600 --> 00:58:07,000 Speaker 1: could see that he was like his i Q was 1086 00:58:07,120 --> 00:58:11,320 Speaker 1: just off the rocker. It was that you could you 1087 00:58:11,360 --> 00:58:13,480 Speaker 1: can't speed him up. No, you know what I mean. 1088 00:58:13,560 --> 00:58:18,160 Speaker 1: He's yeah, pois just doing what he want on You 1089 00:58:18,360 --> 00:58:21,560 Speaker 1: has to be like day. Yeah, he's gonna get to 1090 00:58:21,640 --> 00:58:24,680 Speaker 1: where he wants to get to. Man. Just a great 1091 00:58:24,800 --> 00:58:28,000 Speaker 1: kid to coach. Yeah, you know, he had committed to 1092 00:58:28,080 --> 00:58:31,720 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt before I got there, and he hadn't signed. Okay, 1093 00:58:32,360 --> 00:58:35,000 Speaker 1: So that was the first thing I said. I told 1094 00:58:35,400 --> 00:58:37,440 Speaker 1: Jerry Stackhous said, when we got to go to l 1095 00:58:37,520 --> 00:58:39,560 Speaker 1: a man, you gotta get him signed because we we 1096 00:58:39,640 --> 00:58:41,600 Speaker 1: don't have him. We're gonna be really in bad ship, 1097 00:58:41,840 --> 00:58:43,640 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And then I said, while 1098 00:58:43,640 --> 00:58:45,880 Speaker 1: you're there, we're gonna get kJ, you know, because kJ 1099 00:58:46,000 --> 00:58:48,439 Speaker 1: hadn't committed. Yeah, what I mean, I said, that's another 1100 00:58:48,480 --> 00:58:50,120 Speaker 1: that's the other one I want, you know what I mean. 1101 00:58:51,240 --> 00:58:55,240 Speaker 1: kJ committed and then you know, he his father calls 1102 00:58:55,320 --> 00:58:59,480 Speaker 1: me right before summer school and say, hey, coach, he's 1103 00:58:59,560 --> 00:59:06,000 Speaker 1: just like man, he ain't feeling there. He called, He's 1104 00:59:06,040 --> 00:59:08,720 Speaker 1: gonna go to i MG and be a post grad. Yeah, 1105 00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:13,560 Speaker 1: he probably wonna do school work there. Yeah. Facts. Yeah, 1106 00:59:13,680 --> 00:59:15,680 Speaker 1: So he told me the truth, and that's what happened 1107 00:59:15,680 --> 00:59:18,440 Speaker 1: with kJ. And I actually was going to i MG 1108 00:59:18,520 --> 00:59:20,200 Speaker 1: because I was recruiting the kid over there, so I 1109 00:59:20,240 --> 00:59:22,720 Speaker 1: would see kJ a lot man and we would sit 1110 00:59:22,800 --> 00:59:26,200 Speaker 1: in the gym and just have great talks. Man, He's 1111 00:59:26,240 --> 00:59:31,960 Speaker 1: just a great kid, absolutely absolutely coach. One more question 1112 00:59:32,040 --> 00:59:33,320 Speaker 1: for you, now, I let you go. I wanted to. 1113 00:59:33,560 --> 00:59:37,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to find out now that you have made 1114 00:59:37,560 --> 00:59:39,480 Speaker 1: you spent. You know, you lead Shadow Mountain to the 1115 00:59:39,520 --> 00:59:41,880 Speaker 1: state title in oh six So now it's been sixteen 1116 00:59:42,000 --> 00:59:44,280 Speaker 1: years and you've been all through the college ranks and 1117 00:59:44,400 --> 00:59:48,240 Speaker 1: you know, kind of incredible journey with some incredible places 1118 00:59:48,320 --> 00:59:53,600 Speaker 1: that you've coached. What made you decide to go back 1119 00:59:53,680 --> 00:59:59,160 Speaker 1: to the high school level and not uh stay in college. Well, 1120 00:59:59,240 --> 01:00:04,160 Speaker 1: you know, I interview um this past uh cycle with 1121 01:00:04,280 --> 01:00:08,400 Speaker 1: South Carolina State and for the head coaching job, and 1122 01:00:08,600 --> 01:00:11,120 Speaker 1: they actually called me and said everyone's gonna bring me in. 1123 01:00:11,920 --> 01:00:14,920 Speaker 1: And then at the last minute, Um, they went hit 1124 01:00:14,960 --> 01:00:17,840 Speaker 1: and hired Eric Martin out of l L A dude 1125 01:00:17,880 --> 01:00:20,840 Speaker 1: from West Virginia. How do he was that at West Virginia? 1126 01:00:20,880 --> 01:00:24,480 Speaker 1: Great dude and and and deserves it. Um uh he's 1127 01:00:24,480 --> 01:00:29,080 Speaker 1: earned his keep and uh um. So I interviewed there. 1128 01:00:29,080 --> 01:00:32,840 Speaker 1: I interviewed at Bellmont Abbey D two school in North Carolina, 1129 01:00:33,040 --> 01:00:35,880 Speaker 1: very good D two school and the A D. At 1130 01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:38,600 Speaker 1: the last minute, you're not the last minute during the process, 1131 01:00:38,640 --> 01:00:41,800 Speaker 1: said coach, I don't think you'll stay with your pedigree, 1132 01:00:42,000 --> 01:00:43,480 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. He says, as soon as 1133 01:00:43,520 --> 01:00:46,400 Speaker 1: you get an opportunity to go to D one, you'll leave, 1134 01:00:46,640 --> 01:00:48,560 Speaker 1: you know, And he was probably right, you know what 1135 01:00:48,640 --> 01:00:53,439 Speaker 1: I mean. So, um so then I'm sitting I'm sitting 1136 01:00:53,480 --> 01:00:57,280 Speaker 1: here in Phoenish, you know, um happy, excited, you know. 1137 01:00:57,520 --> 01:01:00,400 Speaker 1: And and then they they they got into rested in 1138 01:01:00,480 --> 01:01:03,200 Speaker 1: me in Centennial Man, and I did my homework on 1139 01:01:03,320 --> 01:01:05,560 Speaker 1: the A D. I did my homework on the principal. 1140 01:01:06,240 --> 01:01:08,320 Speaker 1: I did my homework on the school. They won seven 1141 01:01:08,400 --> 01:01:10,880 Speaker 1: state football titles, you know. So it's a it's a 1142 01:01:10,920 --> 01:01:14,680 Speaker 1: sports minded school. You just want to stay titled in basketball. 1143 01:01:15,240 --> 01:01:17,440 Speaker 1: And I just like to coach. I tell people I 1144 01:01:17,640 --> 01:01:19,760 Speaker 1: coached five year olds. You know, if I could make 1145 01:01:19,800 --> 01:01:22,440 Speaker 1: a living doing it, and you know, I'd be happy 1146 01:01:22,480 --> 01:01:24,240 Speaker 1: as I'll get out, you know what I mean. It's 1147 01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:28,280 Speaker 1: something about practice. It's something about seeing a kid take 1148 01:01:28,360 --> 01:01:31,120 Speaker 1: him from this A all the way to zee, you 1149 01:01:31,160 --> 01:01:33,240 Speaker 1: know what I mean, not just on the court, but 1150 01:01:33,400 --> 01:01:35,520 Speaker 1: off the court. I love that and do it through 1151 01:01:35,560 --> 01:01:37,320 Speaker 1: a game that I love, you know what I mean. 1152 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:41,480 Speaker 1: So that's that's why I took it, and I'm happy everybody. 1153 01:01:41,600 --> 01:01:45,080 Speaker 1: You know, last night, Um, I met the Warriors game 1154 01:01:45,160 --> 01:01:47,480 Speaker 1: and people said, grace you you you you're getting back 1155 01:01:47,520 --> 01:01:49,440 Speaker 1: into D one. Are you gonna go try to go 1156 01:01:49,560 --> 01:01:51,880 Speaker 1: get in the league? And I said, Man, I stopped 1157 01:01:51,920 --> 01:01:54,240 Speaker 1: predicting where the heck I'm going because I adn't figured 1158 01:01:54,240 --> 01:01:57,479 Speaker 1: it out right yet. I mean, I never my wildest dreams, 1159 01:01:57,520 --> 01:01:59,320 Speaker 1: I thought i'd be at U c l A, you know, 1160 01:01:59,560 --> 01:02:02,440 Speaker 1: after when I was putting gas on airplanes, not that, 1161 01:02:02,720 --> 01:02:07,760 Speaker 1: not that long ago. Yeah, sir, You've had an incredible journey. 1162 01:02:08,240 --> 01:02:11,080 Speaker 1: Thank you for your service to this country. Thank you. 1163 01:02:11,280 --> 01:02:14,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for for that, Coach. That's fascinating. 1164 01:02:14,280 --> 01:02:17,480 Speaker 1: You're an honorable man with integrity, and I love the 1165 01:02:17,520 --> 01:02:20,680 Speaker 1: way that you go about your business. But the best 1166 01:02:20,720 --> 01:02:22,640 Speaker 1: of it. We wish you the best of luck this 1167 01:02:22,840 --> 01:02:26,080 Speaker 1: year at Puria Cintenna in Cintennio in Arizona, and I 1168 01:02:26,160 --> 01:02:27,800 Speaker 1: look forward to the next time I get to chop 1169 01:02:27,840 --> 01:02:29,880 Speaker 1: it up with you, coach Man. I appreciate it. Man. 1170 01:02:29,880 --> 01:02:33,520 Speaker 1: When you said you invited me, man, I was like, wow, Man, 1171 01:02:33,560 --> 01:02:37,280 Speaker 1: I get to be on kJ Live Chris Man. Sir, 1172 01:02:37,800 --> 01:02:40,640 Speaker 1: I appreciate I appreciate you. Coach ladies and gentlemen. Coach 1173 01:02:40,760 --> 01:02:41,360 Speaker 1: David Grace