1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: This is kJ Live with Chris Johnson, and Chris is 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: having conversations with influencers in the sports world and entertainment 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: and astray. Now here's Chris Johnson. You're now tuned in 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 1: to kJ Live. Today's guest on the show is a 5 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: former ball player, current day coach, and was named Associated 6 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: Press and Detroit Free Press Coach of the Year in 7 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: their very first season at Detroit Country Day High School. 8 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: She was recently brought back home to be head coach 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: at Wynward High School. Let's welcome in Jericho Williams to 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: the show. Jericho. Hello, Hi, thanks for having me. Thanks 11 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: for having us in your world, in your zone. I 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: appreciate it. I know you're a busy lady to make 13 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: time for something like this, I truly appreciate it. Um. 14 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: We're excited to kind of find out your about your 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:08,199 Speaker 1: journey and can obviously talk about your your president, coaching 16 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: job and when we're but I want to get started 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: before we get into all that. I want. I want 18 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: to introduce you to my audience. This is something we 19 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: do here at kJ live. We go back. Um. I 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: think people get um some value out of understanding where 21 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: a person has come from to understand who they are now. Um, 22 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: if you don't mind, where were you born in the city, 23 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: like the area, the neighborhood. Yeah, a lot of people 24 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: don't know this, But I was actually born in Albany, Oregon, 25 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: which is a small town. Uh, right outside of Salem, 26 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: so about the hour south of Portland's but like right 27 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: in the middle of Oregon and Oregon State. Um Civil 28 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: War countries. Yeah, um, super super super small town. Um. 29 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: We lived there for until I was seven or eight, 30 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: and then we moved to San Diego because my mom 31 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: got accepted into a master's program and my dad it 32 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: was like okay, like here we go. So he went 33 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: ahead and got in a car and went and lived 34 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: in a hotel for three months and then found us 35 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: a house and we moved and they're still living in 36 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: the same neighborhood that we moved to San Diego that 37 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: we originally moved to San Diego back in however or 38 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: whatever it was. So, but I so I grew up 39 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: in San Diego. How WoT I tell peop? What? So 40 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: I'm from um Spring Valley, which is like southeast San Diego. Um, 41 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: what I'd like to say, Like I grew up on 42 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: like the hill above the hood. So like like I 43 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: went to all inner city schools, but like my little 44 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: neighborhood was like kind of the hill above, you know, 45 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: where all the stuff happened. Um, but yeah, that's where 46 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 1: I'm from. Okay, sounds similar to um, kind of Viewpark 47 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: where I grew up. And then you have South Central 48 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: and Crunch show, like we're right up on the hill, 49 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 1: but we're like three minutes away from the action. When 50 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: you said Southeast, it reminded me of my boy Jelanie 51 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: McCoy because he used to write that on his shoes. 52 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: He's from San Diego. I think he might be from 53 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: the Southeast area. Is that where like Hoover is And yeah, 54 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: it's the hood San Diego, Like that's where the hood 55 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: is A yeah, exactly, exactly. So yeah. So so okay, 56 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: so Southeast. Now what did your parents do? You said 57 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: your mom got accepted to masters, so she was, uh 58 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: in academics or what was going on her? And what 59 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: was your dad involved in? So they actually good question. 60 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: I actually both got their masters in psychology. Um. So 61 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: my dad was in uh juvenile delinquency. He got masters 62 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: from San Diego State, and then my mom got her 63 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: masters and then went for her PhD UM in Marriage 64 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: and Family THERAPI. So always tell people, you know, part 65 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: of like my coaching expertise and why I'm so good 66 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: with people, or so I've heard, is because I was 67 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: raised by psychologists. So I mean it was connect with 68 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: people on a different level. But um So, now, my 69 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: mom when she was in her PhD program, she actually 70 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: got into insurance to help. She was a young mom. 71 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: She had me a nineteen UM and so she needed 72 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: to you know, survive and UM, so she took off 73 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: in the insurance world. So now she's the VP of 74 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: Alliance Insurance Group. UM. And my dad he's retired now, 75 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: but he was like in UM like Polinski Center, like 76 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: Foster Homes, like he was the director of all that stuff. 77 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: So he worked with at risk youth UM and helped 78 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: and he really was able to connect with them and 79 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: and you know, he became like a second father and 80 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: to a lot of those people who were in the system. UM. 81 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: But he's retired now, so they like to my mom 82 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: still working, but she's a boss boss. So they go 83 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: out and they got their motorcycle license and they just 84 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: ride up and down the coast of California. So they're 85 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: in their third chapter now, the thought the hook, that's 86 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: what That's where I want to be someday, Chill retired. 87 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: Let me let me ask you this about your dad 88 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: and what he was doing with at risk kids. Were 89 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: you ever like around did he take you to like, 90 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: you know, camps or hang out with the kids, and 91 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: if when you did go to those situations, what did 92 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: what did you learn or how did it affect you? Yeah? 93 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: Good question. Uh. He took me to UM the court like. 94 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: He took me to the juvenile center, so I got 95 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: to walk through that. He took me to the court 96 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: when he had to sit UM with his it's UM. 97 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: He took me to UM like where they housed the 98 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: foster kids. And I remember walking through the juvenile center 99 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: and I was like scared, and I remember him telling 100 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: me like, don't be like, don't be afraid. These are 101 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: just people, you know UM. And so I think, and 102 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: my dad is from the hood, you know, like he 103 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: grew up you know, game and all of that and 104 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: found his way. But he really want I feel like 105 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: he really wanted to show me like the two separate 106 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: ways that I could go UM. And so I was 107 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: really able to internalize that, but also see how he 108 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: impacts people and how like let's humanize everybody, you know 109 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: what I mean, Like just because they're in juvenile hall 110 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: or made these decisions doesn't make them less of people. 111 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: And I think that that's what I was able to 112 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 1: take away, um the most, going with him in those situations. Yeah, 113 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: I had the opportunity to work at a foster home 114 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 1: in college that was years old somewhere around there. But 115 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: I have to go every weekend, you know, two days. 116 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 1: I think I worked like four hours a day, UM, 117 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: And it was an amazing experience because once you step 118 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: foot in there, you realize that these kids who look 119 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: like you, your age or you know, and do the 120 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: same things and like the same things you like, or 121 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: a lot less fortunate than you, and you you realize like, dang, 122 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: I got a lot, or I'm blessed or you know 123 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: these things that I consider issues or stuff I'm tripping about. 124 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: Basically I kind of started to change my perspective a 125 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: little bit, and it was it was I would say 126 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: it was a life changing the experience for me. UM. 127 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: That's that's I can see why, Um it shaped you 128 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: and it's affected you, and to come from that stock 129 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: of dealing of dealing with those type of personalities and 130 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: those beings, if you will, that's just that's like special people. 131 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: It's not it's not something that's easy to do. What 132 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: basketball at this time on your radar at all. So 133 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: in a good segue from my dad, So I got 134 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: introduced to basketball. I was always like an athlete. I 135 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: love baseball. Baseball is my first four I was a 136 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: picture on all boys team like so, I was always athletic. 137 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: Um one of my friends when I was in fifth grade, 138 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: she came to me and she was like, hey, I 139 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: don't want to be the only girl in this free 140 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: throw shooting contest? Will you come with me? I was 141 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: horrible at bosby, no interest in basketball at all. I 142 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: was in fifth grade and I made like two out 143 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: of five, which was enough to advance. And so we 144 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: go to like the regional thing and I made like 145 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: one out of twelve and I didn't like to lose. 146 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: And my dad took me out back and he goes, hey, 147 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: do you want to win this thing? And I was 148 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: like yeah, Like so he lined me up. He was like, look, 149 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: put your foot right here, put your elbow right here, 150 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: and just hold your hand like that when you shoot 151 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: the ball. And I went back in and I made 152 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: eleven out of twelve, and then I went back to school. 153 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: I'm like, hey, I want to play this, like play 154 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: with the boys at recess. I'm gonna figure it out. 155 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: And then somebody came to the elementary school and was 156 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: handing out flyers to play for the local rec league. 157 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: And I took it home to my parents and they 158 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: tell me. Now, They're like, look, this league costs like 159 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: fifty dollars and for us back then, that was a 160 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: lot of money. But this is what you wanted to do. 161 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: And uh so I went and I signed. They signed 162 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: me up, and I got a really good coach and 163 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: I won like it was like basically all boys, like 164 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: I was one of the only girls, and uh I 165 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: got a really good coach and he really saw something 166 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: in me and was very fundamental, and I won the 167 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: Most Improved Player my first year, and then my second 168 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: year I won m v P over all the boys. 169 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: So they still give me a hard time with that 170 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: now because some of them are in the NFL and 171 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: like these high level athletes. Um So I was like, man, 172 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: but you won m VP that year, you know. So 173 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: that was that was where it all started. But so 174 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: my dad, Um, I think I had a spark in 175 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: me somewhere, but I think my dad taking me outside, 176 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: like hey, do you want to win? That's that's where 177 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: it all started. So it was over the free throw contest. 178 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 1: And so let me ask you this, if you wouldn't 179 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: have made eleven out of twelve, would would we even 180 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: know you today? Or would you have took it like 181 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: a completely different career pass softball, I don't know, you know, 182 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: some other track or or something like that. That's a 183 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: good question maybe, But my my gut reaction to you 184 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: was like I wouldn't have not made a leven out 185 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: of twelve just because of the way my dad hadn't 186 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: stilled that mentality in me, you know, like there was 187 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: no way I was gonna miss. Like we're very my 188 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: family's very vision like visionaries, um, and if we want something, 189 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: we're gonna go get it. And so whether it would 190 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: have been basketball or something else, but there was always 191 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: something about basketball, it felt natural to me, and I 192 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: think that that was just the spark. Do you have 193 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 1: any favorite players at this time that you looked up 194 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: to or were you just locked in on learning this game. 195 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: Loving this game kind of being local at your spots, 196 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: you're not really tripping on all that. Yeah, I didn't 197 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: even know what basketball like. I saw people play it, 198 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: but I had no knowledge of it at all, so 199 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: I didn't know who was good who wasn't. I think 200 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: I had heard of Michael Jordan at a point um. 201 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: And then when I really got put on was when 202 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: I think I was like eleven maybe, and my brother 203 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: took me to see Loving Basketball whenever that came out, 204 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, Magic Johnson. Like, so then 205 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: I started to like, Pistol Pete is somebody that I 206 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: did research on, like, so I started to seek stuff out. 207 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: But at the very very beginning, it was literally like, 208 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: should to practice because it's exciting to be here, and 209 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: I want to be a contributor to the team, and 210 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I want to learn the sport. And then I think 211 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: as I started to fall in love with the game, 212 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: then I started to pay attention and do some intentional 213 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: research on the types of players that were out there. 214 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: But that didn't come until later. I would say, like 215 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,079 Speaker 1: middle like in the middle school, high school is when 216 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: I really started to find people that inspired me in 217 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: the basketball world. Yeah, and so when you got to 218 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: middle school, you knew and you had goals kind of 219 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: set on, Hey, I want to be a Division one 220 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: college basketball player. Or did you have goals outside of 221 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: basketball that you were you were focused on. That's such 222 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:54,719 Speaker 1: a good question. Uh, I didn't have a desire to. 223 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: I was so focused on the process, which is interesting 224 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: because that's how I coach now. So it's really this 225 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: is really a good conversation that we're having in this 226 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: particular moment um. I was so focused on the process. 227 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: And then when I got to high school, my parents 228 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: would tell me this, that's that's when college became an option. 229 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: So it wasn't like it is now where like the 230 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: w b A was on TV all the time, like 231 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: that's you know, social media, Like we didn't have any 232 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: of that. I have what was in my neighborhood. So 233 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: I would go to the park to the y m 234 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: c A, and I would just play, And that was 235 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: the most exposure that I really had to the game. 236 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: So once I figured out, like, oh, if you're good 237 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: enough you can play basketball, you can continue to play basketball, 238 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: right Like, I didn't learn about getting scholarships and all 239 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: of that until later. Once I figured it out. I 240 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: started to watch college basketball, and I loved Duke like 241 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 1: I loved Elaine and Beard at Duke like she could 242 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: do it all. And then, um, I got really good, 243 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: like like it started high school. I got really good 244 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: and I worked really hard, and I started to get 245 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: like letters from con and Vanderbilt and Duke, and I 246 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: was like, oh, okay, this is this is getting interesting. 247 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 1: And then I remember I went and visited Duke my 248 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: junior year and I didn't like it. Like I was like, 249 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: oh this is you know, I don't want to do 250 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: this anymore. But I didn't want I didn't want to 251 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: go to this school. But and this is important, in 252 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: fifth grade, I gave a speech in my fifth grade graduation. 253 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: This is right when I started to like basketball, and 254 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 1: I had said I'm gonna go to U c l 255 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: A and play basketball. Um, but I forgot that I 256 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: said that. So then what I like, what's going through 257 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: my recruiting process and U c l A ultimately ended 258 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: up being where I landed. My dad reminded me like, hey, 259 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: you you sproke this into fruition back when you first 260 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: started playing the game. Um, so to answer your question 261 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: now that that really didn't I was so focused on 262 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: the process, man, that that all that stuff came as like, oh, 263 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: like okay, this is this is what we're doing next, 264 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: and so that's kind of how it transpired. That's that's 265 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: that's a very cool breakdown of how because I wondered 266 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: because a lot of times when you aren't even in 267 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: tune with the noise surrounding like rankings and basically your competition, 268 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: you don't know who it is, you're not You're just 269 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: locked in on your process and you pushing yourself. I 270 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: used to kind of live that existence a little bit 271 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: with my dad growing up. We were kind of off 272 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: in bell Air, so he kind of had you know, 273 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: he was trying to make an NBA comeback, but he 274 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: so he had workout stuff and we're you know, far away. 275 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: We lived on a private road, so it was hard, 276 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: you know, twenty an hour to get there. So it's 277 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: like I was just on the workout. I was running hills, 278 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: swimming in the pool, riding the bike and not really so. 279 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: But but when I got out and kind of thrown 280 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: to the wolves and kind of got around other people competition, 281 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: it wasn't that fear factor that's associated. It wasn't that 282 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 1: did you experience the same thing I did. I'll never 283 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: forget I was in and uh. Two examples. One, I 284 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: was in eighth grade and they put me in the 285 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: what it was called the Super sixty. It was in 286 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: San Diego, and I was like all these top players 287 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: and my coach at the time was like, we're just 288 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: gonna put you in it. I was like, okay, cool. 289 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: And it was like Kendice Wiggins was in it, Charlie 290 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: Houston was in it, like right, and I'm in eighth grade. 291 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: But to your point, because I had that mentality of like, oh, 292 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: I'm just hooping, I think there was kind of that 293 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: moment like right when I walked in and I knew 294 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: who they were, but I didn't compare myself to them necessarily, 295 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: like I wasn't working to be better than them. I 296 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: just wanted to be the best version of myself. Man. 297 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: I went out there and killed and I'll never get 298 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: like an hour and got buckets like it was. It 299 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: was a fun time. And then the I can't remember 300 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: the other example, I was gonna get but no, so 301 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: I never really felt oh. And then the other one 302 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: was I was playing AU it was like I was 303 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: I was a freshman going into my sophomore year, and 304 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: I was playing up. I was playing with a lot 305 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: of juniors and seniors, and like Yukon was watching, like 306 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: you know, was in the building, Pat, someone was in 307 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: the building. We're playing against this high level team, and 308 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: something happened. I win, I got fout, they got a technical. 309 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: So I got to shoot six free throws in a 310 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: row and I made it all. But it was like 311 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: there was no one on the line. The gym was 312 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: quiet at all of six free throws. That's when I 313 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,119 Speaker 1: that's when I got put on everybody's list. Was that 314 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: that moment. So to answer your question, no, never, I'm 315 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: grateful that I didn't grow up in this generation where 316 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: the competition is like placed in front of you all 317 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: the time. You know what I mean. It's hard to 318 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: just compete against you. It's harder to just compete against yourself. UM, 319 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: So I'm grateful that back then, that's that's really what 320 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: I feel like I was I was doing. Yeah, I 321 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: was locked in. I was a lot like you when 322 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: you're just locked in with the competition against yourself, or 323 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: that competition, not even the competition, but that that one 324 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: inside of used to like show your dad, or show 325 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: your mom, or prove to your to your your parents. Me, 326 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: it was it was my dad. I wanted to show 327 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: him that, you know, I was ready. I was out 328 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 1: here doing it because he talked everything up. You know, 329 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: he get me all hype. You know, you got so 330 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: and so tonight. Man, Hey, man, I don't know. Man, 331 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: he's really good. You know, he's just always, you know, 332 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: making it like everybody was better than me. So whenever 333 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: i'd go because he's like, man, they don't know you, man, 334 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: you haven't been on the scene. What you gonna do. 335 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 1: So he would really psych me up. And I get 336 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: out there and I just try to be an animal. 337 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: I try to get thirty rebounds, twenty five points and 338 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,479 Speaker 1: just and just be absolutely nuts to two more points. 339 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 1: And then I wanted to segue off into your U 340 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: c L. A experience that albeit the brief one um 341 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: Elena Beard has been on this show. She currently is 342 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: involved with the group that is trying to bring a 343 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 1: w NBA for franchise to the city of Oakland. And 344 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: so I had her on thirty minutes, and uh, we 345 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: talked about it. So she is a friend of the show. 346 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: It was it was, yeah, I'll send you the link 347 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: to the episode when she was dope, she broke it down. 348 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: It was a quick, quick interview, but she was gracious 349 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 1: enough to appear on the show. Fox Sports Radio has 350 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 1: the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all 351 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and 352 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: within the I Heart Radio app search f s R 353 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: to listen live. The other thing I forgot, but I 354 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: want to talk about u c l A. You wrote 355 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: as a five as in the fifth grade that your 356 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: dream school was u c l A. So when and 357 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: who was recruiting you at the time. Who recruited you 358 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: to go to u c l that First of all, 359 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: Kathy Olivier coach Olivier. So Cathy Olivier, um when she 360 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: you first heard for her from her or when she 361 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: first offered you just described that moment? Was it a 362 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: phone call? Was it in person? When she at your game? 363 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: Described the moment when you first got offered to go 364 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: to u c l A. Yeah, Well, interestingly enough, so 365 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: they didn't come into the picture until late Okay. And 366 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: like I said, I had said I play into the sea, 367 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: that I wanted to go to u c l A. 368 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: And then I forgot, So by the time I was 369 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: being actively recruited by all these people. U c l 370 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 1: A was not my dream school at that time. So 371 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 1: like it took my parents bringing it back to my attention. Um, 372 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: it's crazy how powerful seeds are. And you know. Anyways, 373 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: so my coach at the time was like, Jericho, U 374 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: c l A is looking for a point guard. So 375 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: when you go out here, I don't want you to 376 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 1: look to score. I want you to look to pass. 377 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: I was not a point guard. I was a shooting guard. Like, 378 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 1: passing me the ball, I'm going to score. Um, But 379 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: I thought, but I listened. Um, this was the last 380 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: tournament of my junior year, going into my senior year, 381 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: so this is the last viewing tournament. They saw me, 382 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:47,239 Speaker 1: she liked me. They offered me a visit. So I 383 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: came and visited, and as I was leaving, Um, we 384 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: were driving back to San Diego when she called and 385 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:54,679 Speaker 1: she was like, hey, we want to offer you a 386 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: full scholarship. I'm gonna be honest. When I went to 387 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: the campus, I didn't love it, Like I was what 388 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: was it? What was it? What was it? It wasn't 389 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: the campus, it was I didn't connect with the coaches 390 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: and stuff you know, um, and and I was being 391 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: recruited by uh St John's in New York, and I 392 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: connected with those coaches, like so I had a comparison. 393 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 1: And I wasn't like sold on St. John's or anything, 394 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: but I was like like and people know who go 395 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: through the recruiting process, like when you know, you know 396 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 1: it's true. And so I didn't feel super connected, but 397 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:39,719 Speaker 1: I remember my parents feeling so being so excited, like 398 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: like our daughter just got offered to u c l A. 399 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 1: And like that you know as U c l A, 400 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: Like that's all you gotta say. Um. So I wasn't 401 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: super excited. I'm gonna be honest, But I went through 402 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: the process and we got to the point where I 403 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: was trying to make a decision. And a lot of 404 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 1: people do not know this story, but it's important for 405 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: people who are being recruited to here, Like we got 406 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,959 Speaker 1: to the point where we're gonna make a decision, and 407 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: my parents really didn't support me. I wanted to go 408 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: to St. John's and my parents didn't support that. They 409 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: wanted me to go to u c l A. And 410 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: I met my press conference and Chris, I'm at the 411 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: podium like with the same I'm like, I'm ready to 412 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: put the St. John's hot I'm going to St. John's. 413 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: And then I look at my mom and I see 414 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: her face and I'm like, U c l A. I'm 415 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: just like whatever, um so, but I think that speaks 416 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: to so when I went to U c l A. 417 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: And I might be moving along, um your question. But 418 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 1: when I went to U c l A. I resented 419 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: being there, you know what I mean, and so it 420 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: was harder for me to work hard like So that's 421 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: that's when it really I struggled, and that's why the 422 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: stint was so short, because I didn't go in there 423 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: with the right mentality. Yeah, so you made a decision 424 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: based on not disappointing your parents. That's that's amazing. It's funny. 425 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 1: When I had the opportunity to get recruited and choose 426 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: between U c l A. I think it was Washington State, 427 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 1: Arizona State, Cornell, and I could have been like a 428 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: walk on at Duke. I kind of had that thought 429 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: in my head. I knew my grandparents, you know, I 430 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: love my grandmother, love us my dad obviously, you know 431 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 1: he was the U c l A. Guy. There's a 432 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: lot of pressure that was there associated with that. And 433 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: it's u c l A. So on the girl's side 434 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 1: of the boys, that doesn't matter. It's u c l 435 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: A one of the just premier spots for college that 436 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: you could ever get the opportunity to go to. So 437 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 1: I totally get it. I totally understand. But when you're 438 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: not in your heart isn't into something Jericho, it's it's 439 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: not gotten. Typically it does not work out. When you 440 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: bounced from u c l A, did you consider going 441 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: to any other programs or who were the programs that 442 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:55,120 Speaker 1: you're you're considering transferring to. Well, I mean I read 443 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: you back out to St. John's, but you know things 444 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 1: you know like, well, we don't need your position now 445 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: what ever the case? And me so San Diego State, 446 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: um so, Beth Burns was the coach at Sanego State 447 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: at the time and they were rebuilding. She was in 448 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,879 Speaker 1: like her second or third year, and she had been ed. 449 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: I remember she saw me play when I was in 450 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: the eighth grade or ninth grade, and she had made 451 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: it off like known to me like she so I 452 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,640 Speaker 1: remembered her. So when um we didn't have the transfer 453 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: portal back then, when it became known that I was transferring, um, 454 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: she reached out. She came into a home visit, and 455 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 1: I'll never forget like she told me the story when 456 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 1: she saw me play my freshman year, and like she 457 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: could tell me that she knew things about me that 458 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: Cathy Olivier didn't know. So that connection, I was like, Oh, 459 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: this is what I want to play for. This person 460 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: knows me, she knows I'm a shooter, she knows my 461 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: person game, knows your game. You could bring up moves 462 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: you made, remembers you know this, and that that and this. 463 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: I get it all that. So I was like, you 464 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: know what, I don't want to go. I didn't like 465 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: the recruiting process, so I wasn't about to go on 466 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 1: five more visits or anything like that. So I'm like, look, 467 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: this is close to home to like I wanted to 468 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: go to New York with I'm like, I want to 469 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: be where I feel like I can excel in basketball. 470 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: And so people ask you, Oh, if you have to 471 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: make the decision again, would you do it the same 472 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 1: life the profound part of Jericho. Yeah, because life wouldn't 473 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: have transpired the way life that's inspired to. But if 474 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: I'm if I'm and follow your heart and all of 475 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: those things. Absolutely, but I've made a basketball decision. If 476 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: I were to have made a life decision, I would 477 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: have stayed at U c l A. You know, Yeah, 478 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: that's a tough decision. I mean, the people don't understand 479 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: what well not people, the general public doesn't understand what 480 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 1: it's like when you're a student athlete and you have 481 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: a choice, when it's a school that's known for that 482 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: particular sport and it could be known for other things, 483 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: are not known for other things. You could have. Like me, 484 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: Cornell was my life decision. Let me just cut to 485 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: the chase. I was like, I need to make the 486 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: life move. Ivy League this thing and just average like 487 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: a dub a year every year, starting as a freshman. 488 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: You know, I'm coming in, I'm getting all the shots. 489 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: And that's kind of what I was on what I 490 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: was presented with. But ultimately like and then Washington State 491 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: was another scroll seriously considering because of one thing. Coach 492 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 1: Calvin Sampson. Um. Yeah, he's the head coach in Houston. 493 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: But this guy is a master recruiter. I mean, I 494 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,880 Speaker 1: mean he he was on my horn every day at 495 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: the same time. That's back when they used to hit 496 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: you up all the time. You can have them long 497 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: conversations with coaches. I think it might have been like 498 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: that with you a little bit with some of the stitches, 499 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 1: but coaches could just hit you up. You be on 500 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: the phone for an hour. Like my stepmother used to 501 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: come in, Hey, Chris, I need the phone. It was like, 502 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: call you coach, let me call you back. But you 503 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, it was those those are really 504 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: good times. Um, you had to you flourished. Did you 505 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: let me ask you this? How would you describe? Now 506 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 1: you go to San Diego State? How would you describe 507 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 1: the Beth Burns knows you, she's familiar with your game. 508 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,919 Speaker 1: You're back in the San Diego area. How would you 509 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: describe that experience of San Diego State? Man, it was hard. 510 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: It was hard because it was new. Um, and she 511 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,959 Speaker 1: pushed me like at the time, at the time, I 512 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: didn't understand what it meant to be, like really pushed, 513 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: you know, like with all due respects that Cathy oliviad 514 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: like that wasn't her strength. Like she was more of 515 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: a people person. Coach. Beth Burns was a she was 516 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 1: a winner like she was mental toughness, like that's it, 517 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: that's what we're here to do. And I wasn't um 518 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: as mentally tough as I thought. But she saw something 519 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 1: in me that I didn't see him myself yet, and 520 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: so I responded initially, really well, I worked really hard. 521 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: I came back fifteen pounds lighter, um, earned a starting spot, 522 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: like was averaging a double double in the first five games. 523 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: And then then I got bingched And there was really 524 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: no other reason other than like she told me, she 525 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 1: was like, we just think we for the team. We 526 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: just want you to come off the bench. And I 527 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: was so. I was, however, nineteen twenty years old, and 528 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: I didn't know how to process, how to embrace that 529 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: role after working so hard and earning my spot, right, 530 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: so it felt like it was, well, my hard work 531 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: doesn't pay off like so that didn't. I didn't understand it, um, 532 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: and so I built up some resentment to her, I think, 533 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: and I didn't have the pieces around me at the 534 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: time to bring myself out of that, so I never 535 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: fully recovered UM. And then that's uh, so I it 536 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: took the love out of the game for me, you know, 537 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: And that's that's ultimately why like I made the decisions 538 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,360 Speaker 1: to leave San Diego State early. Um, I I had 539 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: like three more months left in the season, and there 540 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:05,239 Speaker 1: was just like this breaking point for me that I 541 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: felt like I was totally losing myself. Um, and I 542 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:10,679 Speaker 1: just didn't love the game. It was hard for me 543 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: to wake up every day knowing that I had to 544 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: go to practice like it was hard. Um. And so 545 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: I made the decision to to not to not do 546 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: it anymore, you know. And that's but then fast forward, 547 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,400 Speaker 1: that's been something I held on too, because I'm like, Damn, 548 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: I was a quitter right like, even though I feel 549 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: like I made the best decision that was right for 550 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: me at the time, I'm like, you quit still, and um, 551 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: I can tell you I've never quit anything again after that. 552 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 1: But what I did do maybe five years down the line, 553 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: I think I had my son and you know, perspective 554 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: change for me and stuff. And I reached out to 555 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: her and I was like, I asked her, what, like, 556 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 1: why was she so hard on me? And then I 557 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: thanked her for being hard on me because it prepared 558 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,719 Speaker 1: me so much for life in a way that I 559 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: didn't see back then. Um. But Her response to me 560 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: was like, look, I gave it to you because I 561 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: knew that you can handle it, right, Like my delivery 562 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: may not have been the best, but I knew that 563 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: you can handle it. And I saw something in you 564 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: that you didn't see in yourself, and I wanted to 565 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: bring that out, Like I knew that you could be great, 566 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: and you didn't see it the way that I saw it. 567 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: So we were able to connect and find the value 568 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: in that experience. You know what I mean? That really 569 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: is gonna last me a lot longer than you know, 570 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: any other lesson honestly that I've had in my life. Yeah, 571 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: you hear you hear about. I had to call them 572 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,479 Speaker 1: horror stories between coaches and former players at times, especially 573 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: when there's a falling out, especially when someone is perceived 574 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: too had quit, either the coach or the player. UM 575 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: be able to reconcile that. But I think the key 576 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: thing here and I wanted to ask you about this 577 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: is something you keep saying and I feel like it's 578 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:59,160 Speaker 1: important in your current role. Um, she you said she 579 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: saw something that you didn't see in yourself. How important 580 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: in coaching is that to identify what which players can 581 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: take it? And which can Yeah, good question. Um, that's 582 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: where I think relationships matter, right, Like, I think that 583 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: that's she didn't She wasn't the best at well, I 584 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: should say, her strength was not connecting on a relational level. Right, 585 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: So she knew how to push you, she knew how 586 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: to trigger you, but there was never a conversation. Go ahead, 587 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: you want to say something. I was gonna say that 588 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: when you have a person that pushes you all time 589 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: but doesn't kind of balance it out with the build 590 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: up before the building, wasn't that describe it? Okay? Correct? Correct? 591 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: And so I think that that's where I found the 592 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: balance of Like Kathy Olivier was really good at that, 593 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: she was really good at the relationship. Beth Burns is 594 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: really good at the like physical mental aspect. And so 595 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: I feel like I learned how to be somewhere in 596 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: the middle, you know, like I have to communicate prior 597 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: to enduring with my student athlete why I'm doing this right. 598 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 1: And then I also helped them This is where psychologists 599 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: parents come into play. I also help them like almost 600 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 1: make them feel like they're seeing it for themselves. So 601 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 1: it's not oh, hey I see this, it's like, hey, 602 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 1: let's pull back the layers a little bit. Really, what 603 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: do you see that you just don't know that you 604 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: that you have yet but you but it's in you somewhere. 605 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: And so it's almost like this reverse psychology a little bit. 606 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: But when we can but when players know that you care, 607 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: like when I tap in with my players and about 608 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: you know one of my players right now, she's a 609 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: she paints and like no one knew that she paints, 610 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: and she's legit, and so she sends me her paintings 611 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: all the time now and it's a way that we 612 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: can connect. So now when we're on the court, I'm like, yo, 613 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 1: we're staying here until you make whatever whatever, or hey, 614 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: you're not going hard. She responds better because she knows 615 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: that I care. And so I think that finding that 616 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: and you don't always get it right as a coach, 617 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: but you try, you know what I'm saying. You try. 618 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 1: My my philosophy has has been I want to be 619 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: to these young women the woman that I didn't have 620 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: growing up. I had a mom, I had a grandma, 621 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: but I didn't have like an older sister. I didn't 622 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: have an auntie. I didn't have a female coach. Um 623 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: that could pour into me in a way that was 624 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: so relatable, And that's what I want to be to 625 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 1: these young women, like, hey, I see you, and I'm 626 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: not just gonna like just beat you down to try 627 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: to bring you back up. I'm gonna let you know 628 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: what I see, how how we're gonna and how we're 629 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: gonna do this together so that you can be the 630 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: best version of yourself now in down the line. Yeah. 631 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: Ye shoot, hey, I've been like going rest of suicide 632 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: right now. No. No, but the relationship part, I think 633 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: you described it perfectly. When they know you care. Um 634 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: a mentor of mine. Uh, Ed Waters my dad's best friend. 635 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: He's the love him. Yeah. Yeah, he's currently the head 636 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: coach prunch on High. But he um he had said 637 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: up told me something on Twitter where he mentioned something 638 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 1: about just how love at the core of coaching and 639 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: and and the inner person relationship when you have a mentor, 640 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: if there's love and love presents itself in different shapes, 641 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: forms and fashions. You know, if you have love at 642 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: that core in that relationship with the player, and you 643 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: know it doesn't have to need this intense love, but 644 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 1: they know, like love, caring is part of love. You 645 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. So if they know you care, 646 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: then they're gonna respond even on your bad days, even 647 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: on your worst days, staying on your coaching, I wanted 648 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: to I wanted to segue and discuss some of your 649 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: accolades that you've done. I mean, obviously after San Diego State, 650 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 1: I can go through your your history Amountain, gil Preston, Wood, Harvard, 651 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: west Lake. But then I really wanted to just hone 652 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: in on Detroit Country Day. I felt like I wanted 653 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: to hear the story about how you got that opportunity 654 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 1: and just talk a little bit about that incredible two 655 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: year run that you had out there. Yeah, thank you. 656 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: Uh So I was coaching at CALS Northridge and COVID 657 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:24,280 Speaker 1: HIT and so my son. So I was a single parent, 658 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: UM and when my son he was turning seven, his 659 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 1: dad is from and lives in Detroit, UM, and we 660 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 1: were like, you know, his time for him to go 661 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,799 Speaker 1: live there, Like he just needs to be with his dad. 662 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 1: And uh So he went out there and I couldn't 663 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: get on a plane because COVID HIT and I didn't 664 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 1: see my son for five months. And yeah, with that, 665 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: the longest you guys had ever been a part easy 666 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: so it looks look look if that brought up So 667 00:34:55,280 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: that brought out up? Sorry yeah, so um and but four, 668 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 1: I was like, man, I would never move to Detroit 669 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,319 Speaker 1: until I'm five months five months and I can't see 670 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: my baby. Then I'm you know, So I started to 671 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: look for opportunities because there's nothing in the world more 672 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: important than being near my child for me and for 673 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: him at this point, um and So I looked for opportunities, 674 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: and I knew I was ready to be a head coach. 675 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:21,880 Speaker 1: It's funny because when I was in he Sun, I 676 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: had said talking about them speaking things into fruition. I said. 677 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: I was like, man, I want to be a head coach. 678 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:28,879 Speaker 1: My next thing. I want to be a head coach 679 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: at the top private school. And I wasn't looking for it, 680 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: but I planted that seed. So then when it was 681 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 1: time to when it was time to look for opportunities 682 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: in Detroit, Detroit Country day was open. Um. So I 683 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 1: reached out. I applied. Um, I went through the process. 684 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 1: I got it, and you went through the you went 685 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: through the normal, regular, the regular process. No, I'm just curious. 686 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: I'm just curious because a lot of times for those 687 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: type of situations, it's surprising that you would as an outsider, 688 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 1: so to speak. I mean, you must have really impressed 689 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 1: the heck out of that administration. That's my point for 690 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:05,800 Speaker 1: saying all this to come from. You know you're working. 691 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 1: Talk to me, let me yes, no, you're right. Same 692 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: thing with Windward. I went through the regular process. I 693 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: didn't have an end. I didn't know anybody there. Um 694 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: So a Country Day was that same, and people at 695 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: Country Day say that, Like people at Country Day when 696 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: I was there, they'd be like, how did you get 697 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:29,719 Speaker 1: the job? And I got a point and they're like, okay, yeah, 698 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 1: but how did you get it? Like who do you know? 699 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: And day? Like But and I'll say this, Chris, I 700 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:42,160 Speaker 1: don't apply like a normal person, like when I want 701 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 1: something like the free throw contest. When I want something, 702 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: I leave no stone unturned, like my focus is here, 703 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: I have no distractions. Um And and so my cover letter, 704 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:57,479 Speaker 1: my resume, like it stands out like it's gonna stand 705 00:36:57,480 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 1: out if it's if it's what I want. And I 706 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 1: only go after things that I want at this point 707 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 1: in my life. So I got it. Um So, what 708 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 1: do you want to know about Country day specifically because 709 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,319 Speaker 1: it was it was it was a good journey. The challenge, Well, 710 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,240 Speaker 1: you followed the well I believe you. You were following 711 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:18,279 Speaker 1: a person, Frank Orlando, that had won thirteen state championships. Okay, 712 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:19,839 Speaker 1: they were coming. You were coming off a two win 713 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 1: season when you got the job. So Frank Orlando, he 714 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 1: was there for forty years. He was there, he's the 715 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: most winningest coach in Michigan basketball history. Um and he 716 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: had retired and then his assistant coach took over for 717 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: two years, and they had won a total of four 718 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 1: games in those two years. After that coach had left. 719 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: Um So I was acquiring the team that had won 720 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: a total of four games in two years. And there 721 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:59,879 Speaker 1: were sophomores at this point. So no, so I had 722 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: one sophomore because everyone else who was on the team 723 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: didn't like basketball, like they were just like whatever. So 724 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:12,879 Speaker 1: I acquired all freshmen, one sophomore, and one senior who 725 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 1: had never played. She was just really tall, really long. 726 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:19,280 Speaker 1: She had been on the team, but she never played. 727 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 1: Um So, there was no like, let me see who 728 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: I can get in. It was like, look, it was 729 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:28,839 Speaker 1: my first guy coaching job. I'm like, we're gonna roll 730 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 1: with what we got, like I'm you know, I'm a coach, 731 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:35,839 Speaker 1: and uh, they bought I had all freshman, so they 732 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: bought an easy you know what I mean, Like they 733 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: were excited to just be part of something. And um, 734 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:47,800 Speaker 1: I only had two or three people who had played 735 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: basketball before. Everybody else was like softball, soccer. Um. But 736 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:57,880 Speaker 1: I had open tryouts and I was very diligent in 737 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 1: my staff. I was lucky to hire a phenomenal staff. UM, 738 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 1: but I was very diligent in like I'm hiring the people. 739 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 1: I'm not hiring, I'm I'm selecting the players did not 740 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:13,840 Speaker 1: necessarily stand out because of skill, but this showed me 741 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:17,640 Speaker 1: good character, UM and the intangibles. That was it. That 742 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:20,360 Speaker 1: was all I was looking for. UM. I said no 743 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: to a couple of players that just had bad attitude, 744 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: but they could hoop a little bit. I said no 745 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 1: to them. So we rolled with nine UM one senior, 746 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:33,480 Speaker 1: one sophomore, and the rest were freshmen. And we I 747 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 1: don't know who wasn't. I know, people were not anticipating 748 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 1: us to do what we did, but we beat a 749 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:41,480 Speaker 1: lot of people we weren't supposed to be and we 750 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: went further than anybody thought we were gonna go. So 751 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: then that next year, UM, year two, they were all sophomores, 752 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 1: one junior, no seniors, UM, some returners, mostly returners obviously, 753 00:39:56,920 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 1: and then I think I had like one or two 754 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:02,879 Speaker 1: new I had three new freshman UM one of them 755 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:08,799 Speaker 1: that contributed a lot, and we actually lost like we 756 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:11,919 Speaker 1: were fifty. We were we were at five hundred going 757 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 1: into the playoffs, and I remember saying to them, I 758 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,719 Speaker 1: was like, in my mind, I'm like, if we if 759 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 1: we went out, we will have won fifteen total games 760 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,200 Speaker 1: in the year. So I think we had seven. We're 761 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 1: like seven and seven. It's horrible, totally different experience, same team, 762 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:34,120 Speaker 1: totally different experience. So that was my thing, is like, well, 763 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 1: I know it's how we end. I believe what I believe, 764 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:41,919 Speaker 1: but it's harder to motivate a team that like has 765 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: lost like they had one and then they had then 766 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:47,839 Speaker 1: they were losing. So I was like, all right, everybody right, 767 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,799 Speaker 1: fifteen on their wrists and no one knew why. Oh 768 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:52,480 Speaker 1: they were like, coach, what are we doing. I'm like, 769 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,120 Speaker 1: just do it, just do it, just do it, just 770 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 1: do it. Time went on. Chris. I think it was 771 00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:57,880 Speaker 1: like third game man. I'm like, look, this is what 772 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 1: the number fifteen means. So we were at like ten 773 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:05,320 Speaker 1: and seven at that point, and we just kept winning. Um, 774 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: it was we just we just kept winning and we 775 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:13,040 Speaker 1: ended up with fourteen wins, which you know, so two 776 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:19,480 Speaker 1: totally different seasons, um, but similar outcomes. So yeah, it's 777 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:23,319 Speaker 1: I mean two district and regional championships, state semis at 778 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,520 Speaker 1: Michigan State. Uh so you guys played in the Breslin 779 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:28,759 Speaker 1: Center or the place for Michigan State place. That must 780 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,440 Speaker 1: have been a pretty nice experience to take for the 781 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:35,120 Speaker 1: young ladies too. They probably didn't expect that to happen 782 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,440 Speaker 1: in there two year especially after the losing seasons. Fox 783 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 1: Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. 784 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:44,839 Speaker 1: Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot 785 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,920 Speaker 1: com and within the I Heart Radio app search f 786 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:52,279 Speaker 1: s R to listen live. How difficult was it for 787 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:55,960 Speaker 1: you to say goodbye to that team, to those people, 788 00:41:56,040 --> 00:42:01,279 Speaker 1: that community after achieving such like just out of out 789 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 1: of no unexpected success, how did how hard is it 790 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:08,279 Speaker 1: to say goodbye to that Well, it's definitely see you later, 791 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:13,280 Speaker 1: not goodbye. Um, but there was a lot of tears, uh. 792 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 1: I didn't cry too much, not because I wasn't sad, 793 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:19,880 Speaker 1: but it was more like numb to the situation because 794 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:23,360 Speaker 1: it wasn't just them. It wasn't just the Troy Country. 795 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:25,640 Speaker 1: Day was all my son that I was moving away 796 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:28,719 Speaker 1: from because he stayed. He's there full time with his dad, 797 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:31,520 Speaker 1: so I get to see him a lot, but not 798 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: I'm not down the street anymore. Um. So I was 799 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 1: processing a lot of that. But there were a lot 800 00:42:36,719 --> 00:42:41,920 Speaker 1: of tears. You know. It showed me, um the impact, 801 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:43,920 Speaker 1: because I know the impact that they had on me. 802 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:47,279 Speaker 1: But what I didn't realize was the impact I had 803 00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 1: on them, because they were They wrote me letters and 804 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:53,240 Speaker 1: a lot of things came out that they had never said. 805 00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:55,320 Speaker 1: You know, I think that they anticipated that I'd be 806 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:58,480 Speaker 1: there at least through their career. Um. But I think 807 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:01,600 Speaker 1: that the feedback I got from the administrators, a couple 808 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 1: of administrators cried um, and from the parents, man like, 809 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 1: just like you you changed our daughter. Uh. And it 810 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:10,560 Speaker 1: was just like that's what it was about. It had 811 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:14,080 Speaker 1: nothing to do with basketball, you know. And so for me, 812 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:18,400 Speaker 1: my my intention when letting them know that I was 813 00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: leaving was like I'm always here, Like I'm gonna be 814 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:24,719 Speaker 1: your coach forever. So like within the last week, I've 815 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: faced times with four of them that are out there, 816 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:31,279 Speaker 1: because I would be a hypocrite if I say I'm 817 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 1: a relational coach and I don't maintain relationships with the 818 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:39,000 Speaker 1: players that I've coached. I have a former player coming 819 00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:42,080 Speaker 1: to interview with me this week. I gave a letter 820 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:44,279 Speaker 1: of recommendation to one of the players I coached at 821 00:43:44,320 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 1: Preston Wood. Like it it's it's a lifetime thing, um, 822 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:51,520 Speaker 1: And so my job is to continue to pour into them. 823 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,399 Speaker 1: And so I knew there was an opportunity for them 824 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 1: as young women to grow right. Like, I definitely threw 825 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,400 Speaker 1: them some adversity with me leaving, but I know that 826 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:02,400 Speaker 1: they're going to be so much better because of it. 827 00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:05,239 Speaker 1: But it was it was an easy and when weard 828 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:08,440 Speaker 1: made it an easier transition, you know what I'm saying, 829 00:44:08,520 --> 00:44:12,319 Speaker 1: Like to know where I was going, um, definitely made 830 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 1: it made the blow a little easier. But I know 831 00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:17,400 Speaker 1: that then my girl's back in Detroit and my family's 832 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:20,200 Speaker 1: back in Detroit felt it. But I was able to 833 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:23,120 Speaker 1: garner relationships that really, like will last a life time. 834 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 1: So I was just really excited that I got the 835 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:29,960 Speaker 1: opportunity to do that. Absolutely, And what type of roster 836 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: or what state of the program is Whenward in as 837 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:36,520 Speaker 1: you inherit are you are named a head coach? Yeah, 838 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: so when we're so when we went to the Division 839 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:43,400 Speaker 1: one state championship this year, Um, their former coach is 840 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:51,560 Speaker 1: the Phoenix Mercury head coach. That yeah, so something different 841 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:55,200 Speaker 1: than a team with two wins. But you know, I 842 00:44:55,200 --> 00:45:00,360 Speaker 1: think it's one just full transparency. It was valid for 843 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:04,680 Speaker 1: me that like, oh, you're ready for something of this stature, right, 844 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:08,720 Speaker 1: Like you're ready for something of this stature, um, because 845 00:45:08,719 --> 00:45:11,959 Speaker 1: the same things apply, right, Like I'm following a coach. 846 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:16,120 Speaker 1: That's amazing, I've done that before. Um. And I understand 847 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:20,080 Speaker 1: how to honor the people who came before and the program, 848 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:23,000 Speaker 1: the legacy that is Winward or the legacy that is 849 00:45:23,040 --> 00:45:26,359 Speaker 1: Detroit Country Day and still understand that it's a new era, 850 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:29,359 Speaker 1: you know, and be able to contribute to that new era. 851 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:33,120 Speaker 1: So um, yeah, no, it's it's it's the roster is 852 00:45:33,600 --> 00:45:36,520 Speaker 1: we lost three seniors. Um. But like I tell our 853 00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:38,800 Speaker 1: players now, like, man, it's a clean slate to be honest, 854 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:41,520 Speaker 1: I haven't seen them play in person once I saw 855 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:45,560 Speaker 1: him play on you know, on the computer, but I 856 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:47,759 Speaker 1: haven't seen him in the gym, um, and so it's 857 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:50,240 Speaker 1: a clean slate for me. So I'm excited to see, 858 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:55,879 Speaker 1: um what they could do. When you go in your 859 00:45:56,000 --> 00:46:00,640 Speaker 1: one and set the foundation for your program, established the 860 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:06,480 Speaker 1: culture all that is it something that is there a 861 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 1: manual you have that you kind of blueprint you take. 862 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:12,120 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter what your situation is, You're gonna coach 863 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 1: in that situation the same or do you go by 864 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: sort of you you look at your roster you kind 865 00:46:17,719 --> 00:46:19,440 Speaker 1: of say, okay, well I can rock, I can get out, 866 00:46:19,480 --> 00:46:21,600 Speaker 1: I can get down like this with this crew, but 867 00:46:21,719 --> 00:46:24,359 Speaker 1: this crew may not and I might not be able 868 00:46:24,360 --> 00:46:26,600 Speaker 1: to get down with Or is it just that blueprint? Hey, 869 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:28,959 Speaker 1: no matter what crew it is, this is what time 870 00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:30,920 Speaker 1: it is, and this is what we how we're doing it. 871 00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 1: Good question. I think it's a little bit of both. 872 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:37,200 Speaker 1: I think you have to know, you know, one of 873 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:39,719 Speaker 1: the the first thing that I did when I got 874 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:44,680 Speaker 1: on campus was conducted with everybody individually, you know, um, 875 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:48,600 Speaker 1: because while they're you know, and John Wooden is obviously 876 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:54,120 Speaker 1: someone who I aspire. While there's foundational things that never change. Um, 877 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:59,239 Speaker 1: I think there is. You have to understand who you're 878 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:02,759 Speaker 1: in a relationship with to know how to communicate them 879 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:05,240 Speaker 1: and to with them, and to know how they received 880 00:47:05,280 --> 00:47:08,279 Speaker 1: and process information and stuff like that. Uh. So I 881 00:47:08,320 --> 00:47:13,480 Speaker 1: think that that's a key element, but it doesn't necessarily 882 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:16,040 Speaker 1: change my approach. I think, if anything else, what I 883 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:19,920 Speaker 1: saw with Country Day, what I've seen as a player 884 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: and being in different things. Um, I went and visited 885 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:28,160 Speaker 1: Vanessa and I guard at Phoenix, and it's like basketball 886 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:31,920 Speaker 1: is basketball, like culture is culture. Like the fundamental stuff 887 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:35,000 Speaker 1: does not change. And so I have to be true 888 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:37,720 Speaker 1: to to who I am in my beliefs, like I can't. 889 00:47:38,560 --> 00:47:41,800 Speaker 1: You know, I have to be the leader of of it. Um. 890 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:47,759 Speaker 1: And they're they're going to buy in to how I lead, 891 00:47:47,960 --> 00:47:50,560 Speaker 1: but understand too like I'm learning from them just as 892 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:52,799 Speaker 1: much as they're learning from me. So in that way, 893 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:56,040 Speaker 1: we're gonna be able to build it together. Um. But 894 00:47:56,120 --> 00:47:59,120 Speaker 1: I definitely do not take my responsibility of leading the ship, 895 00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:03,320 Speaker 1: you know, I take that very seriously. So, uh, everyone 896 00:48:03,640 --> 00:48:09,839 Speaker 1: will adapt, but we'll all learn and grow together. What 897 00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:13,839 Speaker 1: do you think is the single most important thing for 898 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:16,560 Speaker 1: you as a coach, as a leader of young women 899 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:22,359 Speaker 1: for them to leave your program with as far as character, uh, 900 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:24,480 Speaker 1: is it something on the court? Is it something I could? 901 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:27,600 Speaker 1: I mean, what like what are your like you know, 902 00:48:28,160 --> 00:48:32,160 Speaker 1: pennants of you that Jerick Williams experienced as a coach. 903 00:48:34,160 --> 00:48:38,399 Speaker 1: I did this practice uh with them the other day. 904 00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:43,040 Speaker 1: I told we talked about liabilities and assets and you know, 905 00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:45,440 Speaker 1: most of the kids that age don't know, so it's 906 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:48,360 Speaker 1: a good opportunity teach them about actual liabilities and assets 907 00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:52,680 Speaker 1: in terms of you know, finances. Um. But I asked him, 908 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:54,799 Speaker 1: I'm like, how are you a liability to you to 909 00:48:54,960 --> 00:48:58,680 Speaker 1: your team? Right? Um? And so many of them gave 910 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:03,880 Speaker 1: answers that were intent double communication, um, not believing in 911 00:49:03,920 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 1: each other, things like that. And it was such a 912 00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:08,520 Speaker 1: good question because I had to answer the question for 913 00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:12,680 Speaker 1: myself too. Um. So what I want people to leave 914 00:49:12,760 --> 00:49:16,080 Speaker 1: with is like being a high character, but being an 915 00:49:16,120 --> 00:49:22,480 Speaker 1: asset minded right, Like being a contributor in your life 916 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:26,319 Speaker 1: to society, to your family, to your team. And so 917 00:49:26,360 --> 00:49:28,239 Speaker 1: I think that there's so many things that fall under 918 00:49:28,280 --> 00:49:31,040 Speaker 1: the umbrella of being an asset because it requires that 919 00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:34,280 Speaker 1: you give and that you add, you continue to add 920 00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:37,520 Speaker 1: value to whatever it is that you're doing. And because 921 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:40,440 Speaker 1: that can take so many different forms, is you evolve 922 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:43,360 Speaker 1: in life. I think that if you maintain or have 923 00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:47,720 Speaker 1: the tools to be asset minded and take that into 924 00:49:47,719 --> 00:49:51,200 Speaker 1: whatever situation or circumstance that you're in, you're going to 925 00:49:51,320 --> 00:49:54,920 Speaker 1: be successful in whatever form that may take. You know, 926 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:58,239 Speaker 1: And so I pray that my kids are all high 927 00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:02,320 Speaker 1: character individuals that leave with high levels of confidence no 928 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:08,400 Speaker 1: one that they're gonna be high level contributors to the world. Amazing. Um, 929 00:50:09,520 --> 00:50:13,560 Speaker 1: I listening to you at a real coach successful in 930 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:16,880 Speaker 1: all levels. I I kinda have been doing some self 931 00:50:17,280 --> 00:50:20,000 Speaker 1: introspection and understand and I kind of started to figure 932 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:21,920 Speaker 1: out where I went wrong as a coach. I used 933 00:50:21,920 --> 00:50:23,840 Speaker 1: to coach a lot on the E Y d N. 934 00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:28,520 Speaker 1: I've coached high school, but everything you've talked about today 935 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:33,080 Speaker 1: has kind of opened my eyes to like, how to 936 00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:36,520 Speaker 1: deal with the relationship part of basketball is so important. 937 00:50:36,520 --> 00:50:38,879 Speaker 1: I think we when you come from a certain era, 938 00:50:39,640 --> 00:50:42,200 Speaker 1: the only thing that mattered was the result part of it. 939 00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:46,400 Speaker 1: And however you get to that result, Uh, it didn't 940 00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,680 Speaker 1: matter how many stories you told, you stepped on, or 941 00:50:48,719 --> 00:50:51,160 Speaker 1: if that person liked you or not. And and it 942 00:50:51,239 --> 00:50:53,560 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if it's not about like and it's about 943 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:56,640 Speaker 1: I realized, like, you know, people have coached me it's 944 00:50:56,680 --> 00:50:59,840 Speaker 1: sort of rough kind of fashions, and so you know what, 945 00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:03,760 Speaker 1: you get coached a rough fashion, you in turn coach 946 00:51:03,840 --> 00:51:06,200 Speaker 1: others in a rough fashion, and you don't keep in 947 00:51:06,239 --> 00:51:10,040 Speaker 1: mind like this generation isn't that same generation. So I'm 948 00:51:10,040 --> 00:51:14,120 Speaker 1: sorry for that little little sidebar there, but it's just 949 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:17,040 Speaker 1: it's just so, it's just it's just such a revelation 950 00:51:17,120 --> 00:51:22,479 Speaker 1: listening to you. Uh. I have to discuss something else 951 00:51:22,640 --> 00:51:25,839 Speaker 1: because in doing my research for this interview, I saw 952 00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:28,239 Speaker 1: that you were named the San Diego Businesswoman of the 953 00:51:28,280 --> 00:51:31,080 Speaker 1: Year in two thousand and seventeen, and this is something 954 00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:33,840 Speaker 1: that is extremely impressive that I looked a little deeper 955 00:51:33,880 --> 00:51:35,680 Speaker 1: and you have a consulting firm that you've had some 956 00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:39,240 Speaker 1: two thousand thirteen that specializes in biz dev marketing, branding, 957 00:51:39,560 --> 00:51:43,319 Speaker 1: and public relations. And then my first real interaction with you, 958 00:51:43,360 --> 00:51:46,680 Speaker 1: and I hope you don't mind me sharing this, Um, 959 00:51:46,719 --> 00:51:49,120 Speaker 1: my first real interaction with Jericho was not on the 960 00:51:49,160 --> 00:51:52,720 Speaker 1: basketball floor. I don't think it was for my father. 961 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:57,720 Speaker 1: Marcus is Jersey retirement the Milwaukee Bucks retired as Jersey. 962 00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:02,120 Speaker 1: Jericho was the point person, the lead of everything, so 963 00:52:02,200 --> 00:52:03,759 Speaker 1: we had anything that was going down, We had the 964 00:52:03,800 --> 00:52:06,799 Speaker 1: hollywand Jericho, so we you know, we're getting flown to Milwaukee. 965 00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:09,359 Speaker 1: We're here, We're there at dinners, were at the Jersey time. 966 00:52:09,560 --> 00:52:12,640 Speaker 1: It was. It was one of the most amazing moments 967 00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:16,200 Speaker 1: of my life. Thank you for all your hard work 968 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:17,840 Speaker 1: on that. I don't think I don't think you know 969 00:52:17,960 --> 00:52:20,319 Speaker 1: your job and what you do. Obviously not that you 970 00:52:20,360 --> 00:52:22,880 Speaker 1: describe it, but it's a thankless job at times, and 971 00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:25,840 Speaker 1: so you know, but thank you for that. But but 972 00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:29,200 Speaker 1: I'd love for you just to talk about Um Jace 973 00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:33,839 Speaker 1: consulting and you know what the impetus for it was, 974 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:36,120 Speaker 1: and it just kind of how it's gone for you 975 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,480 Speaker 1: and how you use that if you have it all 976 00:52:39,560 --> 00:52:45,880 Speaker 1: in the coaching room. Yeah, great question. I appreciate the research. Um, 977 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:51,560 Speaker 1: it was an honor helping coordinate your dad's Jersey retirement. Sure, 978 00:52:51,680 --> 00:52:54,680 Speaker 1: it was a pure honor. I was amazing. UM got 979 00:52:54,719 --> 00:52:58,920 Speaker 1: really good feedback. But UM, the fact that he just 980 00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:05,560 Speaker 1: enjoyed that night, enjoyed my weekend, like and it seems smooth, 981 00:53:05,719 --> 00:53:12,279 Speaker 1: like it seems like it went well smooth. Um. No, 982 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:19,800 Speaker 1: So Jayson is my nickname, it's my family nickname. Um. 983 00:53:19,960 --> 00:53:21,960 Speaker 1: Public relations is something that I didn't even know was 984 00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:26,160 Speaker 1: a thing. I found a passion back however, long ago 985 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:28,640 Speaker 1: when my son was born. So I was a single 986 00:53:28,680 --> 00:53:33,600 Speaker 1: mom and UM like like single mom, you know, like 987 00:53:35,000 --> 00:53:40,879 Speaker 1: single mom, and I needed uh flexibility uh for my son. 988 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:45,960 Speaker 1: But while that was happening, UM, I had fell into 989 00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:51,000 Speaker 1: a couple of opportunities, like to organize events and things 990 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:53,680 Speaker 1: of that nature. And I realized that I really had 991 00:53:53,719 --> 00:53:58,560 Speaker 1: a knack for connecting people. That turned into connecting like 992 00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:01,440 Speaker 1: businesses and brands and stuff like that. And then because 993 00:54:01,480 --> 00:54:04,760 Speaker 1: I spoke the athlete language, it just kind of turned 994 00:54:04,760 --> 00:54:11,520 Speaker 1: into this like branding, marketing, strategic partnership or deal. Uh. 995 00:54:11,680 --> 00:54:14,840 Speaker 1: And I already had so many existing relationships that made 996 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:19,040 Speaker 1: that situation kind of happened organically. So like when I 997 00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:21,839 Speaker 1: was coaching at Preston Wood that's where Julius random Win 998 00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:27,680 Speaker 1: um they had her. I was working at like Northwestern Mutual. 999 00:54:27,920 --> 00:54:30,480 Speaker 1: But I'm not a nine to five person. I'm gonna 1000 00:54:30,600 --> 00:54:34,880 Speaker 1: be honest, like not a nine person. And uh, I 1001 00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:37,240 Speaker 1: was like, hey, I came up with all these ideas 1002 00:54:37,280 --> 00:54:39,879 Speaker 1: to help this organization do things. And I'm like, man, 1003 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:41,880 Speaker 1: I could do this on my I could do this 1004 00:54:42,000 --> 00:54:44,000 Speaker 1: on my own. I could make a lot more money 1005 00:54:44,040 --> 00:54:46,279 Speaker 1: doing this if I put my attention into this. And 1006 00:54:46,320 --> 00:54:48,960 Speaker 1: so I walked into my boss's office and I quit like. 1007 00:54:49,360 --> 00:54:53,880 Speaker 1: I was like, hey, Chris, because I was in there, 1008 00:54:53,920 --> 00:54:56,360 Speaker 1: I was probably making I was young. I was like, 1009 00:54:57,040 --> 00:55:00,400 Speaker 1: I was probably making fifteen dollars an hour. I was 1010 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:02,680 Speaker 1: there for eight hours a day, not counting when I 1011 00:55:02,880 --> 00:55:05,480 Speaker 1: take my son to daycare, pick him up, lunch, whatever. 1012 00:55:06,080 --> 00:55:09,120 Speaker 1: I'm like, for fifteen dollars an hour, I could find 1013 00:55:09,239 --> 00:55:13,319 Speaker 1: that in the couch. That's how I felt. And I 1014 00:55:13,360 --> 00:55:15,440 Speaker 1: wasn't doing something that I loved. And you know this, 1015 00:55:15,600 --> 00:55:17,520 Speaker 1: you're not gonna you're not gonna work hard if you 1016 00:55:17,560 --> 00:55:19,359 Speaker 1: don't love what you know. It's tough. It's hard. It's 1017 00:55:19,400 --> 00:55:21,560 Speaker 1: hard to do that. It's hard. So I was like, 1018 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:23,160 Speaker 1: you know what, I could do it. So I went 1019 00:55:23,200 --> 00:55:26,480 Speaker 1: in there. I'm like, I'm out, and I want to 1020 00:55:26,480 --> 00:55:31,240 Speaker 1: say that. Next week, Julius Randall's um like point person 1021 00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:34,560 Speaker 1: was like, hey, he needs a publicist. And I heard that, 1022 00:55:34,800 --> 00:55:37,239 Speaker 1: you know, you're kind of good at this whatever, and 1023 00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:38,920 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, and they're like, do you want 1024 00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:41,319 Speaker 1: to be as publicists? And I was like for show. 1025 00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:43,279 Speaker 1: So he was a senior in Kentucky at the time 1026 00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:45,799 Speaker 1: and it hadn't been announced yet that he was going 1027 00:55:45,880 --> 00:55:49,440 Speaker 1: to enter the draft. So long story short, I had 1028 00:55:49,480 --> 00:55:52,480 Speaker 1: Julius Randall as the seventh pick of the Los Angeles 1029 00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:58,000 Speaker 1: Lakers as my first like theme yeah, um, and so 1030 00:55:58,040 --> 00:55:59,759 Speaker 1: I kind of just got thrown into the fire, but 1031 00:55:59,800 --> 00:56:02,480 Speaker 1: I'm made a business out of it. Uh. And so 1032 00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:06,080 Speaker 1: fast forward, my son was getting a little bit older, 1033 00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:12,759 Speaker 1: and I was like Jay's had I was going Nina. 1034 00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:15,319 Speaker 1: I was like going to all these places, but I 1035 00:56:15,360 --> 00:56:18,840 Speaker 1: wasn't home enough and I was ready to kind of 1036 00:56:18,840 --> 00:56:21,719 Speaker 1: settle down. And so that was like in the midst 1037 00:56:21,719 --> 00:56:23,040 Speaker 1: of all that is when I got business Woman of 1038 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:25,000 Speaker 1: the Year because I was everywhere like I was getting 1039 00:56:25,040 --> 00:56:29,400 Speaker 1: there was behind the scenes, like to your point, no 1040 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:31,640 Speaker 1: one would know that I was. Then I helped coordinate 1041 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:35,120 Speaker 1: that Jersey retirement, like nobody would know that, but I was. 1042 00:56:35,200 --> 00:56:37,040 Speaker 1: I found myself in a lot of different places, but 1043 00:56:37,040 --> 00:56:38,600 Speaker 1: I was away from my kids, so I was like, 1044 00:56:38,680 --> 00:56:41,120 Speaker 1: let me find something. What can I see myself doing 1045 00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:43,520 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. That also allows me 1046 00:56:43,560 --> 00:56:46,160 Speaker 1: to be, you know, just more present with my son. 1047 00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:50,959 Speaker 1: And um, I'm like, let's do basketball, like, let's jump 1048 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:53,040 Speaker 1: into it full flesh. Because even in Preston Wood, I 1049 00:56:53,160 --> 00:56:55,799 Speaker 1: was it was part time right like, it wasn't a 1050 00:56:55,840 --> 00:56:58,640 Speaker 1: full time thing. And so I put some fillers out there, 1051 00:56:59,320 --> 00:57:03,399 Speaker 1: um and and it landed. And so but I knew 1052 00:57:03,440 --> 00:57:05,560 Speaker 1: that like to be the coach that I wanted to be, 1053 00:57:05,840 --> 00:57:09,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't equally give a hundred percent to my you know, 1054 00:57:09,600 --> 00:57:14,440 Speaker 1: consulting business, pr business and coach in the way that 1055 00:57:14,520 --> 00:57:17,080 Speaker 1: I that I wanted to do it. Um. So now 1056 00:57:17,120 --> 00:57:19,760 Speaker 1: that that's why I've moved into more of a consultancy 1057 00:57:20,520 --> 00:57:24,080 Speaker 1: where I still know how to connect people very efficiently. 1058 00:57:24,560 --> 00:57:27,120 Speaker 1: Like I still know what used to take me a 1059 00:57:27,120 --> 00:57:28,919 Speaker 1: long time to do, I can do it really quick. 1060 00:57:29,600 --> 00:57:33,160 Speaker 1: So it's not something that um, I really even market 1061 00:57:33,160 --> 00:57:35,640 Speaker 1: now like it's it's more so just word of mouth 1062 00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:40,720 Speaker 1: because I really give a lot, if not everything in 1063 00:57:40,840 --> 00:57:45,600 Speaker 1: my day to coaching to coaching my team. So I 1064 00:57:45,680 --> 00:57:48,000 Speaker 1: hope that answers your question. Yeah, that does. I just 1065 00:57:48,040 --> 00:57:52,080 Speaker 1: wanted to get some background. I mean, to be recognized 1066 00:57:52,120 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: as you have and received some of the accoletes. It's 1067 00:57:54,560 --> 00:58:00,000 Speaker 1: always nice to hear about the grind and how people started. Um, 1068 00:58:00,080 --> 00:58:03,160 Speaker 1: I didn't have any idea that Julish Randall was your client. 1069 00:58:03,240 --> 00:58:06,240 Speaker 1: That's something that was revelation right here on this show 1070 00:58:06,320 --> 00:58:09,840 Speaker 1: kJ Live. You heard it first. Uh No, but no, 1071 00:58:09,920 --> 00:58:14,960 Speaker 1: it's awesome, Jericho, No listen. I wanted to just wish 1072 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:18,760 Speaker 1: you the best at Winward and your next journey. UM. 1073 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:23,280 Speaker 1: I have no doubt given your experiences that it's gonna 1074 00:58:23,280 --> 00:58:26,560 Speaker 1: be an amazing one and a highly successful one. You 1075 00:58:26,880 --> 00:58:29,800 Speaker 1: possess a lot of the skills and qualities that we've 1076 00:58:29,800 --> 00:58:31,400 Speaker 1: seen in a lot of the great coaches, and I 1077 00:58:31,440 --> 00:58:33,840 Speaker 1: think that thank you you with your personal twist on 1078 00:58:33,920 --> 00:58:36,120 Speaker 1: it too. As far as who you are coming up 1079 00:58:36,120 --> 00:58:38,560 Speaker 1: in this, you know your generation and who you just 1080 00:58:38,720 --> 00:58:41,920 Speaker 1: turned out to be as experiences typically make us, it's 1081 00:58:41,960 --> 00:58:44,439 Speaker 1: it's it's it's right that sounds. I think it's gonna 1082 00:58:44,440 --> 00:58:47,560 Speaker 1: be a really good opportunity. Thank you so much for 1083 00:58:47,640 --> 00:58:49,600 Speaker 1: coming on kJ Live. Do you want to give any 1084 00:58:49,640 --> 00:58:53,000 Speaker 1: shout outs before you go? Um? Well, first of all, 1085 00:58:53,760 --> 00:58:58,120 Speaker 1: kJ thank you. UM you guys have been like family 1086 00:58:58,560 --> 00:59:01,360 Speaker 1: to me, even if it's from a disc And UM, 1087 00:59:01,400 --> 00:59:04,200 Speaker 1: I rock with Johnson's at a high level. So I 1088 00:59:04,240 --> 00:59:07,480 Speaker 1: appreciate you reaching out and just honored to be on 1089 00:59:07,480 --> 00:59:10,160 Speaker 1: the show and congratulations on the show and and all 1090 00:59:10,200 --> 00:59:13,920 Speaker 1: that you continue to do and continue to inspire. UM 1091 00:59:14,080 --> 00:59:18,320 Speaker 1: shout outs. Uh, you know, not really like I really 1092 00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:20,560 Speaker 1: don't have. I finally got a Twitter, So I was 1093 00:59:20,640 --> 00:59:26,240 Speaker 1: off social media for years and I finally got a Twitter. 1094 00:59:26,720 --> 00:59:30,280 Speaker 1: So I guess that, Um, but you know, come out 1095 00:59:30,320 --> 00:59:32,440 Speaker 1: and support the when we're girls basketball team when the 1096 00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:36,680 Speaker 1: season is is here. Uh and uh, I think the 1097 00:59:36,720 --> 00:59:39,520 Speaker 1: other thing is, you know, my kid, my son Dariah. 1098 00:59:40,320 --> 00:59:42,280 Speaker 1: I was talking to somebody like I'm just so proud 1099 00:59:42,320 --> 00:59:45,440 Speaker 1: of the young man and he's becoming you know, like 1100 00:59:45,560 --> 00:59:49,160 Speaker 1: someone asked me what motivates me? And m obviously our 1101 00:59:49,240 --> 00:59:53,120 Speaker 1: kids like naturally motivate, but you know, dry and I 1102 00:59:53,160 --> 00:59:55,320 Speaker 1: bounced around a lot, like to all those jobs that 1103 00:59:55,400 --> 00:59:57,880 Speaker 1: you see all my resume, Like he came with me, 1104 00:59:58,000 --> 01:00:00,920 Speaker 1: He was with me, and as a parent, you know, 1105 01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:02,760 Speaker 1: you you just hope that you're doing a good job. 1106 01:00:03,720 --> 01:00:06,600 Speaker 1: And so to see him now, I was just with 1107 01:00:06,760 --> 01:00:10,120 Speaker 1: him and we went to New York for Mother's Day 1108 01:00:10,440 --> 01:00:13,720 Speaker 1: and he's just like so like this independent young man, 1109 01:00:14,080 --> 01:00:21,200 Speaker 1: that young boy that uh, he's him, but he's he's sharp, man, 1110 01:00:21,320 --> 01:00:24,840 Speaker 1: He's sharp. He's on top of his stuff, and you know, 1111 01:00:26,200 --> 01:00:28,760 Speaker 1: I just I feel like all the stuff that we 1112 01:00:28,800 --> 01:00:34,560 Speaker 1: went through so far, he's taking that and really embraced it. 1113 01:00:34,640 --> 01:00:38,280 Speaker 1: And it's I can see how it's making him, you know, him, 1114 01:00:38,280 --> 01:00:41,120 Speaker 1: like he just walks in like this confidence about himself. 1115 01:00:41,640 --> 01:00:43,960 Speaker 1: And I'm just really honored to be his mom. But 1116 01:00:44,040 --> 01:00:47,080 Speaker 1: it's it's I just wanna. I know that there's so 1117 01:00:47,080 --> 01:00:52,120 Speaker 1: many working mothers out there and father's right, um, but female, 1118 01:00:52,320 --> 01:00:54,720 Speaker 1: being a female coach and a mom is a really 1119 01:00:54,720 --> 01:00:57,919 Speaker 1: hard thing to do. Um, But I have to just 1120 01:00:59,600 --> 01:01:01,760 Speaker 1: wreck Ny is my son and the role that he 1121 01:01:01,800 --> 01:01:04,680 Speaker 1: continues to play in my life. You know. So I 1122 01:01:04,720 --> 01:01:07,880 Speaker 1: appreciate you giving me the platform to do that. Absolutely. 1123 01:01:08,120 --> 01:01:14,000 Speaker 1: Shout out to Geriah. I love that, all right, Yeah, no, 1124 01:01:14,120 --> 01:01:18,480 Speaker 1: that's it. I appreciate it, alright, Ladies and gentlemen, Jericho Williams, 1125 01:01:18,560 --> 01:01:19,040 Speaker 1: thank you