1 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: Hey, what, I'm welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlie. This is 2 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: All Ball. Got a great guest on this podcast, so 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: as we would creep closer to college basketball season, we 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: have a lot of interesting stories and if you have one, 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: or if you are one, hit me in the DMS. Dude, 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: I'm on X all the time. When I say X, 7 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: you know it's Twitter. Whatever. Anyway, my guest in this 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: All Ball is Michael O'Connell. Now you're like, who's that? 9 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: How do I know that name? Well, there's lots of 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: people with that name. This one in particular was an 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: absolute superstar, absolute superstar. Michael O'Connor was as a lacrosse player. 12 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: In fact, his brother played lacrosse at Maryland. He committed 13 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: as an eighth grader to playing lacrosse at Maryland. How 14 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: do you become the starting point guard of Stanford? And 15 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: oh yeah, by the way, how do you end up 16 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: up at NC State? It's all part of this week's 17 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: All Ball. Take a listen. Okay, so obviously athletic family, right, 18 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: you grew up in where in New York? Lowland, New York? Okay, 19 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: so Long Island is home to a lot of things, 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: but it is the lacrosse mecca of the of the universe? 21 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: Is that accurate? I? 22 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 2: You know what, I'd be confident in saying that we 23 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: got a lot of great players that have come out 24 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: and went to college and done some great things. 25 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: So I'll take pride in that one. Yeah. Okay, So, 26 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 1: like you're growing up, you're I don't know, twelve years old. 27 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: Twelve year old Michael Connell, what is your sports calendar 28 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: like in terms of what sports you're playing? Twelve years old? 29 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: I mean I was involved in a lot of sports. 30 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 2: I was playing basketball, football, lacrosse, baseball, soccer. 31 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: I even wrestled for a little bit. 32 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: So I mean day to day I was pretty busy 33 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: with either different workouts, practices, and on the weekend just 34 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 2: going back and forth from playing, you know, two lacrosse 35 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 2: games in the morning to two basketball games in the 36 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: afternoon or all just constant sports and constant chaos in 37 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 2: a sense. But that was great, Yeah, and it's helped 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: me developed all my skills to this day. 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: So so when did you kind of when did you 40 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: cut it down? When did you start to kind of specialize? 41 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think high school I kind of 42 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 2: I cut it down to the three sports basketball, football, 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: lacrosse and just kind of focus on those because they 44 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: were all different seasons for like for school at least, 45 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: so I just I'm mainly focused on those two, and 46 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: then after my sophomore year, I focused more on just 47 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: basketball lacrosse to finish out high school. 48 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: What's the lacrosse's club season like? Or what what's what's 49 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: club lacrosse like? Club lacrosse is all year round. 50 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: There is really no like off season in a sense 51 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: because even in even in the winter, your training constantly. 52 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 2: That's when a lot of the practices are and there's 53 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 2: a lot of indoor stuff and there's like more individual training. 54 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: But fall you got a few tournaments. 55 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 2: Spring you have a lot of tournaments, and then even 56 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: the summer you're going to different tournaments and showcases and 57 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: things like that. 58 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: So it's definitely an all around your sport. What position 59 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: in football football is quarterback? Yeah? Your quarterback? Point guard? 60 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: And then what's what position did you play in lacrosse? 61 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: I was in midfielder for lacrosse, Okay, So and is 62 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: that like the most glamorous position like quarterback and point 63 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: guard is? Uh? 64 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 2: It depends what you ask, but I'd probably say, attack 65 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: is a little more of that because you're more of 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: a goalscorer midfield that you're playing more offense and defense, 67 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: and so it depends what you're asking, but probably attack 68 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: is a little more of the glamorous like highlights assist 69 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: than goal scoring. 70 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: Okay, So what were you actually best at? Were you 71 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: better at lacrosse than at basketball or were you better 72 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: at basketball lacrosse? Tough question. I don't I don't really know. 73 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: I mean, it's such a such a different, different pool 74 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: of players, it's hard to really compare and where I 75 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: was at. But maybe basketball I would say I was 76 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: definitely better at There's just a lot more people playing basketball, 77 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: so it's a lot more competitive. 78 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 1: But I'll go with I was a again. And maybe 79 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: this is just you know, having lived in Connecticut and 80 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: known a little bit about lacrosse game, like, it does 81 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,840 Speaker 1: feel like locally it would be you know, it would 82 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: be kind of you know, nationally, obviously more guys play basketball, 83 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: but locally, you know, it feels like that's super super 84 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: high level. Right, Okay, But what's more, what was more 85 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 1: fun to play? 86 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: That's again that's another tough question. I mean, it's they're 87 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: such close to. I mean, they have their differences, but 88 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: they're such close games that they're I mean, I love 89 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 2: playing both. I mean I wish I could play both 90 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 2: in college. That would have been a great thing to do. 91 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: I mean, it was hard to give up lacrosse. But 92 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: I don't know if I can really pinpoint which one 93 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 2: is more fun to play. That's really a tough question. 94 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: Okay, So could you, like you originally committed to Maryland 95 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: to play lacrosse. When was that. 96 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 2: I committed. It was the summer going into freshman year 97 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 2: of high school, so I was committed a little after 98 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: eighth grade. 99 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: Eighth grader and you commit to Maryland lacrosse where your 100 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: brother played, yep, So what was what was that process? Like? 101 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was I mean that was just the like 102 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 2: the kind of the culture of lacrosse at the time 103 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 2: before they changed the rule to now. I think it's 104 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 2: they can't contact you until like the June first to 105 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: junior or something like that. But I mean that was 106 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 2: just that was the reality of it. That you know, 107 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: at all of your tournaments seventh grade, they were watching you. 108 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 2: Eighth grade they were watching a lot more because that 109 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 2: summer going into high school, a lot of people started to, 110 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: you know, get recruited heavy, and then they sort of 111 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,559 Speaker 2: have offers thrown out towards them. So it was definitely 112 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 2: interesting because I mean, I knew where I was going 113 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: to college too as I was figuring out where I 114 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 2: was going to high school, So it was definitely something 115 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:09,559 Speaker 2: that it was great. 116 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: I mean, I can't complain. 117 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 2: I was committed to one of the best, if not 118 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,559 Speaker 2: the best lacrosse schools in the nation at the time, 119 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 2: So it was a great feel for sure. 120 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: Take take me through the process of deciding on a 121 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: high school. What was that like. It was definitely tough. 122 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: But my local local private school is Shamu High School 123 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: and it's five minutes from my house. My brother went 124 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 2: there and they have the great lacrosse. They're known for 125 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 2: great lacrosse. And then the basketball program was pretty good too, 126 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 2: so and then I ended up coaching staff there obviously 127 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 2: through my brother, and it just felt like the right fit. 128 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: Great education, good basketball, great lacrosse. So it just felt 129 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 2: like the right, great situation, right fit, especially being that 130 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: close to my house. 131 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: So when you're when you're like a high school freshman 132 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: and you're committed to Marilyn Lacrosse did you have a 133 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: target on your back when you're playing early in high school? 134 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: I would say I would say little bit. 135 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 2: You know, guys are definitely gunning for you, trying to 136 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 2: prove themselves that if oh, this guy's committed to Maryland, 137 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 2: I should be committed to a school or committed to 138 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 2: Maryland to something like that. But I think also the 139 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 2: kids I was playing in high school with were also 140 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: on my travel team growing up, and they were also 141 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: getting a lot of looks, and some of them were 142 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 2: even they were even going on their visits and getting 143 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 2: committed a little bit after. So it wasn't it wasn't 144 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: too too much of that, but you definitely seen when 145 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 2: you went to like the tournaments and showcases that kids 146 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 2: were had a little bit had a little more of 147 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: an edge towards you when they were playing you. 148 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: So when did you decide, Hey, maybe I don't want 149 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: to play lacrosse in college. 150 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. I don't know if it was ever 151 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: I don't want to play. It was just the opportunity 152 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 2: for basketball, and that kind of that kind of came 153 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 2: late after. I mean probably it was COVID. It was 154 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 2: like the COVID summer when it first hit. I just 155 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: graduated where I was in the midst of graduating, and 156 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: there was everything going on. They had kids from getting 157 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 2: an extra year of eligibility, so the freshman class was 158 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 2: getting an extra year coming back. There's a new class 159 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 2: coming in, especially for lacrosse, so there's gonna be lots 160 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 2: of people. I mean, it was gonna be the team's 161 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 2: gonna be Usually they're like fifty sixty guys. Now they're 162 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: gonna be close to like seventy. 163 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: And up. So it was it was an interesting decision 164 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: at the time. 165 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: There's a lot going on, especially during COVID, but I 166 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 2: got the opportunity to coach, reached out to my high 167 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 2: school coach from Stanford, and I had the opportunity to 168 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: play college basketball, and especially at you know, one of 169 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 2: the top universities in the country and then maybe even 170 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: the world. So it's it's kind of hard to pass 171 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 2: up on that, especially as sad to say, it's sports 172 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 2: do end at one point, but your education and your 173 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: relationships last forever. 174 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: So why I go to Blair because you mentioned Shamanan 175 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: right down the street. 176 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: But then you go to Blair, Why, I mean, just 177 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: the opportunity there for basketball lacrosse. It was just felt 178 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: right at the time. Yeah, at the time, it was 179 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 2: a good opportunity for me. I know, my coaches from 180 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 2: my Shama are pretty they're kind of pushing me to 181 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 2: kind of go way too. Oh they were, Yeah, they 182 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 2: were super supportive. I mean, I'm still close to them 183 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 2: till this day. I talked to them all the time. 184 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 2: I was actually just texting texting both of them yesterday, 185 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: I think or two days ago. So, I mean they've 186 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: been super grated through everything there, and they were, Yeah, 187 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: they were super helpful and positive towards me making the 188 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 2: jump and taking that next step towards Blair and then 189 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 2: I did. I was. I mean, I'm super grateful for 190 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 2: that opportunity for basketball across and then just the relationships 191 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: I've built to this day. 192 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: So you're in so you're so, you're in Jersey, You're 193 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: two weeks in your lacrosseas I just get down with 194 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: hoops and what do you like? What do you remember? 195 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: I'll give you my personal and then you can take 196 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: me through yours. So I was the day before I 197 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: had guest hosted Colin Calvert's show Good and I remember 198 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: walking out today it's on the Fox Lot. It's a 199 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: big like TV set. I remember walking out and one 200 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: of the guys is like, he's not he's kind of 201 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: an executive, but he's really connector between the executives and 202 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: the shows. And I was like, you know, I kind 203 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: of think we need to talk about this coronavirus thing. 204 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 1: He's like, dude, we're a sports show. Like people don't 205 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: want bad news. I was like, yeah, but I don't know, 206 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: like everybody's saying it's going to start to affect sports 207 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: at some point. He's like, well, when that happens, we'll 208 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: talk about it. Right. I literally I walk out there, 209 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: and then that night was the Rudy Gobert thing, right, 210 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: and then they and the gang got canceled. The night 211 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: before was the Rudy Gobert thing whatever with the microphone, 212 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: and then or maybe I don't know, then the game 213 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: gets canceled. And then I'm driving to Lax and this 214 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: is like all time I'm a dumbass type of thing 215 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: where I'm driving and I get a text from my 216 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: boss because I'm going to cover the Big Ten tournament 217 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: and it says turn around, and I thought my boss 218 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: was behind me in the car, behind me. Where are 219 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: you like, no Big ten tournament's been canceled, Like no, 220 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: I was just watching the Big Eastern of it first half, 221 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: you know, because they played one half of a game 222 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: John's game. Right, Yeah, I was. I was at that game. 223 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: I was at that game. Good, right, because you're now 224 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: your dad went to Saint John's. 225 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, my brother, my brother was actually yeah, he 226 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 2: was a part of the team at the time. 227 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: Oh okay, okay, so so yeah, I mean it's the 228 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: craziest shit ever. Yeah, all right, So where were you 229 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: when things started to shut down? 230 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess that's the perfect example. I was 231 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 2: at that Saint John's game. I forgot who they were playing, 232 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 2: but I remember I went up to get like snacks 233 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 2: and like a drink at halftime, and as we're about 234 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: to come down, and they just said games canceled, got 235 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 2: to go home, and I was we were just like 236 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: what And then the whole place, the whole place, everyone 237 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 2: had to leave, and I just went home. And then 238 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: everything began to really shut down from there, from all 239 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,479 Speaker 2: the sports seasons and the tournaments. 240 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: And stuff like that. 241 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 2: Then it was it was just wild because it's just 242 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 2: like everything just stopped and everything just ended. 243 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: Like that, did you go to Blair to get your stuff? 244 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: Did you just stay home? Like? What'd you do? 245 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 2: So I was and I was home for a little bit. 246 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 2: They wouldn't let anyone on campus. I was able to go. 247 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 2: I think like a month and a half later. I 248 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: had to make sure obviously I was wearing a mask. 249 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: I was away from everyone and kind of just went in, 250 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 2: cleared out my stuff, and then. 251 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: Just left there was That was it? So what did 252 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: you do? Like, what were you what were you doing 253 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: during your days when things were shut down? 254 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 2: I was mostly just in my driveway just I had 255 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 2: a hoop in my drive so I would just be 256 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 2: like outside shooting. I'd go in my backyard and like 257 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 2: work out with my brother. That was That was kind 258 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: of the things we had to do, you know, I 259 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 2: mean playing games aside, like card games or video games 260 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: with each other. 261 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: Like there was not a lot to do. 262 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 2: But at the same time, I was also trying to 263 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 2: figure out my next move for college. And that's that's 264 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 2: when obviously I commit to Stanford. 265 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: And then so who, so who is who reached out? 266 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: Who called you first? 267 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 2: I reached out to me. He was Adam Cohen. He's 268 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 2: currently coaching at the Xavier right now. He reached out 269 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 2: and he was like, hey, man, we're super interested. I'd 270 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 2: love to like build a connection and start talking more. 271 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 2: And then that was like the first call initially, and 272 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 2: then we began to call, I think every two days 273 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 2: something like that. He was just checking in talking about 274 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 2: I want to get on a whole zoom call with 275 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 2: the whole coaching staff, get you on a call with 276 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 2: the coach house. And then because I couldn't go on 277 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 2: a visit, that was a tough thing because obviously, yeah, 278 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 2: you were allowed to really travel like that. I had 279 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 2: to do like a zoom visit FaceTime showing me around campus. 280 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,559 Speaker 2: And then I committed, and then it was going out 281 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 2: there I think early August. 282 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: So you you get out there early August, but things 283 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: are still and it's northern California, still kind of shut down. 284 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: What was that was that first year experience? Like on 285 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: the farm? 286 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was interesting. I first I first got out there. 287 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:46,839 Speaker 2: I went a little early too, just to kind of 288 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: get a better feel for everything, even though it was 289 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: shut down. 290 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:50,439 Speaker 1: And two of my. 291 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,719 Speaker 2: Other freshman classmates at the time, one was already out there, 292 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 2: one was coming out there with me, But we were 293 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,199 Speaker 2: in a hotel right next to campus where not see 294 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 2: each other. Weren't really like we weren't really hard to 295 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 2: hang out. We could grab food, but it had to 296 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 2: be outside if we're eating together, and we were doing 297 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: we were doing workouts, and we were doing weights because 298 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,479 Speaker 2: you were allowed with the time if it was outdoors. 299 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 2: So we were on like random outdoor courts on campus 300 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:17,959 Speaker 2: that were like some of them were slanted, some of 301 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 2: the rims were tilted, like getting shots up. 302 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: And then the team finally came a full team and then. 303 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 2: We did the same thing, but we were actually practicing 304 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 2: on tennis courts outdoors. They brought the hoops out on 305 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: the tennis courts, so it would be in the early 306 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: mornings before it got really hot, and then later at 307 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 2: night we'd do like workouts and that was pretty much 308 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 2: a whole like preseason and like fullball. 309 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: What was so? What was that? What was the school 310 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: experience like at Stanford during that first year. 311 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's not what you expect obviously it 312 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: would be in a freshman college because everything was online. 313 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 2: No one was on campus really besides the athletes that 314 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 2: were there. People that like worked at the university, so 315 00:14:57,520 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: it almost seemed like a ghost town a lot of 316 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 2: the year until the springtime when people were allowed to 317 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 2: back on campus, so then it started to fill up 318 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 2: a little bit, but not too much, but it was 319 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 2: I mean, it's just like a ghost town, is the 320 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: best way to explain it, because no one's there. It's 321 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 2: a huge campus and just like no one walking around 322 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 2: or no one driving around. 323 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: Right, and it's just it's a beautiful campus and super cool, 324 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: especially when everybody's there. Yeah, right, Okay, So then fast 325 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: forward to your second year and then what's that like 326 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: when all of a sudden you're at the same place, 327 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: but now it's actually popular. Yeah, I mean it was incredible. 328 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 2: I mean it's a beautiful campus, beautiful area, and now 329 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 2: you get to see more and have that more of 330 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 2: a feel of like college life where you're walking around 331 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 2: seeing people, meeting people and classes, shitting next to people, 332 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: introducing yourself, kind of building those relationships, which is like 333 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: one of the good things about college. You know, it's 334 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: great in all to play obviously play basketball and get an. 335 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: Education, but you love to meet people. 336 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: You love to build those relationships and have that like 337 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: human interaction, which was nice after a year of just 338 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 2: being quarantined in your room day. 339 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: Was there ever a point where you're like, man, you 340 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: can play lacrosse? No, No, I mean, listen, I was 341 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: super grateful I'm doing. 342 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 2: I'm playing a college sport at a university where I'm 343 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: getting a great education. So it's kind of hard to 344 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 2: be like down to myself during while during COVID, I mean, 345 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: I was looking at the upside of it is, you know, 346 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 2: I had this opportunity that not a lot of people 347 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 2: are going to have, So I'm just going to make 348 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 2: the most of it, even if that's a little bit. 349 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 3: Right now, Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk 350 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 3: lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at 351 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 3: Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search 352 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 3: FSR to listen live. 353 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: You mentioned the education piece, and it's interesting because it's 354 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: always something that's that drove me and I do think 355 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: it's a huge but in this era of college athletics, 356 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: it's not. It's never been focused on by some people. 357 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: It really feels like it gets minimized. But you live 358 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: the reality to it. Right in reality, what what percentage like? 359 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: Stanford feels like a place where most of those guys 360 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: are in it for they want to hoop, maybe maybe 361 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: make some money playing hoop, but also the education and 362 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: connections piece is important. What's the reality to it when 363 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: you're at Stanford in terms of valuing that education piece. Yeah, 364 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: I mean I think I think you hit it right 365 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: the head. 366 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 2: That's people are there because they love basketball, but at 367 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 2: the same time they realize best is not gonna last 368 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 2: forever and they want to be as best prepared as 369 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 2: they can be for the future. And I mean there's 370 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 2: so many different like Avenue because you can go in 371 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 2: terms of like majors and stuff like that, if it's 372 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 2: finance or economics or computer science, stuff like that. So 373 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 2: the guys coming in, we're interested in those things, and 374 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 2: this is a great school that had had that to 375 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 2: offer while also playing powerfy basketball at the highest level. 376 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: So you were just you're surrounded by people that love 377 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 2: that and want to be a part of that, even 378 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 2: if it's really tough at times to balance those lifestyles, 379 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 2: but you're surrounded by people that want to do that, 380 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: So it makes it a little easier when you're in it. 381 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: Once you guys went back on campus, what percentage of 382 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: your classes were in person? What percentage were online. 383 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 2: When you're at Stanford, I think once they established we 384 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 2: were back on campus, obviously ninety percent of the classes 385 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: were in person. We just had to make sure we 386 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 2: were a lot of people had a six more spaced out, 387 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 2: or you were like wearing masks in classic the typical 388 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,719 Speaker 2: things you got to do. But they tried to They 389 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,400 Speaker 2: tried to make sure like you were getting that real 390 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 2: experience and everything you were paying for in the sense 391 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 2: that you're going to be in class. You there's a 392 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 2: professor in front of you in e lecture hall taking 393 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: notes kind of thing like that. 394 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: So so you in terms of prioritizing time and academics, 395 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: what's it like because I bring it up because there's 396 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: a lot of college basketball players and I'm sure now 397 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: at NC State where those dudes that ever step on 398 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 1: aug right, it's all online. So you can you know, 399 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: you can go to the academic center, or you can 400 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 1: do it from your from your dorm or from your apartment, 401 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: and you can fit in your day and you can 402 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: have your workouts and your practice and all that other stuff. 403 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: But at Stanford, and this is I think the big 404 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:20,400 Speaker 1: challenge to Stanford, Northwestern, Duke, Notre dame like, hey man, 405 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: we're doing real classes, we got real homework. You got 406 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: to really how did you prioritize your time? What was it? 407 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: What was the day? 408 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 2: Like, Yeah, I mean a lot of your a lot 409 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 2: of your obviously your school working class work was going 410 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 2: to be based around basketball and your schedule. So once 411 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 2: you once the coaches establish what you're gonna be doing 412 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 2: for the weight room, conditioningwise, and then obviously on the 413 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 2: court stuff or you're in film, then you were able 414 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 2: to enroll in classes, figure out around that schedule what 415 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 2: you can take, what you couldn't. But your days were 416 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: pretty much basketball in school. Social life was minimized in 417 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 2: a sense, like you definitely still had some, but it 418 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 2: wasn't It wasn't easy to really have a big social life. 419 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 2: If you wanted to excel on the court and in 420 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 2: the classroom, you know, you had to you got to 421 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 2: give up something a little bit, and that was kind 422 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 2: of what a lot of us had to do for 423 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 2: like right now, it might not be what you want 424 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: to do, but in the long run, it's the best option. 425 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 2: So like you're waking up, going to practice early in 426 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 2: the morning, then you're going to class, then you're getting 427 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 2: food and then in between your next lift or work out, 428 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 2: you're doing homework or you're you know, studying for your exam. 429 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: Go in your lift or work out, leave it doing 430 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: more work. 431 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 2: I mean, that's just it was just a constant back 432 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 2: and forth between you know, basketball and education. 433 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: Had you ever been on a team that lost before? No, 434 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: not that I can say. So what's that like? I mean, 435 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: obviously it's it's not it's not ideal. It's not what 436 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: you want. 437 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 2: I mean, you winning. Everyone wants to win, and that's 438 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 2: what you're there to do, is just you know, win 439 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 2: games and play your best game. But at the same time, 440 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 2: you got to realize it's not like you're playing at 441 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 2: a local you know, in a local gym. 442 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: You're playing them, dude, I understand. But like I had 443 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: never lost before I went to Note. I went to 444 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: Notre Dame my freshman year, and you know, we end 445 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: up tied for last in the New Big East that 446 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 1: first year in the Big East. You know, we're well 447 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: below five hundred. I think we're like ninety eighteen or something. 448 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: I mean, it was, it was it was rough and again, 449 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: like you come from I mean, like all of us 450 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: come from high school programs where you're losing two or 451 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: three for you know, max seven or eight games in 452 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: the year. Emotionally, what what what was that? What was 453 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,640 Speaker 1: that like for you as the team's point guard espec. 454 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I take it. You definitely take a 455 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 2: lot of ownership for it. I mean as as like 456 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 2: the team point guard and leader out there. You you know, 457 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: you take a lot of You carry a lot of 458 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 2: that weight on your shoulders when you're trying to get 459 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 2: your team to win and over that hump of you know, 460 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 2: you might lose. 461 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: Two games in a row. But the thing is you can't. 462 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 2: You can't really you can't really let it affect your 463 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: next play in your next game. If I if I 464 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 2: sit there and just soul ca and be like, who 465 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 2: was me? You know, life's hard to be lost two games, 466 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 2: then we're never getting it. We're never winning another game, 467 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 2: especially if I'm the point guard and the leader on 468 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 2: the team. So especially being in that position, I got 469 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: to be the one who's you know, more confident. I 470 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: got to be uplifting guys when they're down, Like I 471 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 2: gotta I gotta not worry about myself that much. I 472 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 2: got to worry about the rest of the team and 473 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 2: everyone else in the sense of if I just sit 474 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 2: there and focus on myself, other guys are gonna do 475 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 2: the same thing and we're all just gonna we're just 476 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 2: going to collapse. But I had to make sure even 477 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 2: when tough times, I'm looking out towards the other guys 478 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 2: that hey, man, you're good. Let's get the next one. 479 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 2: Hey we lost this game was bounce back and kind 480 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 2: of being a leader in that sense and just helping 481 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 2: lead guys through the darkness. 482 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: What is the best thing about playing for Stanford. 483 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 2: I mean, there's a lot of great things, but I 484 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 2: would say I would say just the chemistry we had. 485 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: I think I don't know if I played on a 486 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 2: lot of teams that had chemistry close to it or 487 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 2: like it. We were. We just knew exactly what each other, 488 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 2: I like to do, where we want to get shots. 489 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 2: We played well together, We communicated extremely well. No one 490 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:07,959 Speaker 2: ever took anything personal. No one was like if I 491 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 2: was yelling at him to you know, next time, cut 492 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 2: back the door or something like. 493 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: No one took up personal. 494 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 2: We knew where we were coming from, and it was 495 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 2: coming from a place that we all want to win 496 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 2: and we need to work together to achieve that. So 497 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,679 Speaker 2: I think our chemistry and the way we communicated was 498 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 2: one of the best things we had on the court. 499 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: So you graduated in the spring, yes, okay. So you 500 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: graduate and you got a world of possibilities. Right, I'm 501 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: sure you can go and get a job. You could 502 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 1: probably go and continue playing somewhere overseas and start making 503 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,479 Speaker 1: some cash. You go to do La Cross, okay, or 504 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,160 Speaker 1: you can go play basketball. Take me through the process 505 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: of how you decided to keep playing basketball. 506 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess, just like I said before, one day 507 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 2: it ends, and it's hard. It's hard to know that 508 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: when I still got guess in the tank, that i'd 509 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 2: just be walking away from it. 510 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: Wait, whould you lose you last year in the in 511 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: the pack Feld Tournament Arizona? Okay? So you lose to 512 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: Arizona games over right? Like in your mind at that point, 513 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: what what what's your thought process on other than I 514 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: got to get back home right whatever? Like you what 515 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 1: were you actually thinking? I don't know if there was 516 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 1: one specific memory. 517 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 2: I guess it was just the fact that you know, 518 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:24,959 Speaker 2: you got to keep working and just get better. I mean, 519 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 2: there's no there's nothing really. 520 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,880 Speaker 1: I know, but you could. You could have gone back, right, Yeah, 521 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: could have gone back. Okay, you could you could again 522 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 1: lacrosse whatever, Like, are you thinking like, did I gotta 523 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: get out of here, I can get I gotta try 524 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 1: something different. Were you thinking I got it, maybe I'll 525 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 1: do lacrosse. Are you thinking maybe I'll take some time off? 526 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: Like what were you really? 527 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,120 Speaker 2: Oh no, No, At the moment, it was more just like 528 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 2: we were we were so close, like towards this end, 529 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 2: like we got to get better. That was it. I 530 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 2: mean there was no there was no thought like outside 531 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 2: of Stanford or basketball. I mean it was you know, 532 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 2: we we struggled throughout the year and no one ever 533 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 2: wants to do that. You know. We we beat we 534 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 2: won the first game where like close game with Arizona. 535 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 2: We obviously beat them during the year, and I was 536 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,640 Speaker 2: just took on and said, like I need to get 537 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,400 Speaker 2: better personally for us not to have this feeling again 538 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: this early in the season. 539 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: So okay, So then what was what? What what made 540 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: you make the decision to put yourself in the portal? 541 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think one of the biggest things was like 542 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 2: I had the chance to graduate and then just you know, 543 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 2: taking that next step coming a little closer to home 544 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 2: I've been. I've been on the other coast for three years, 545 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 2: haven't really seen my family much. I haven't seen friends 546 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 2: really at all. I think that was just, you know, 547 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 2: the opportunity for that. It's tough to have, you know, 548 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 2: it's great to have one of my last year or 549 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 2: two that if I can have people I now care 550 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 2: about closer to me and at my games, something great 551 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 2: and then just a new opportunity. 552 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: So did you do an actual visit this time or 553 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: you do another zoom? 554 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 2: No, I did an actual visit. I came out. I 555 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 2: don't remember the exact date, but I came to campus 556 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 2: on like a Friday morning, stayed through the weekend, and 557 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 2: I just it was I just it felt it felt right, 558 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 2: you know that everything from the play style, the coaching, 559 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 2: the facilities, the campus, it just it felt like the 560 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 2: right fit for me. 561 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, but there's no like you're talking polar opposites, right, 562 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: I mean, you go from the farm, which is beautiful, isolated, 563 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: private northern California, to stage school, middle of a big city, 564 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: right down the road from down the road from Duke, 565 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 1: which is a lot more like a Stanford, right and 566 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: everything is everything is different. What's that adjustment like considering 567 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: it's so different even though it's in the same sport 568 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: at the same level. 569 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 2: I mean, you just got to like just embracing where 570 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 2: you are. You know, it's not not comparing, like really 571 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 2: comparing the campuses. I feel like if I get caught 572 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 2: up and comparing, oh the Stanford, this campus is better 573 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 2: than this and this or this program is better than this, 574 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 2: like you fall into that like cycle of just negative thoughts, 575 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,679 Speaker 2: but just being like grateful for where I am in 576 00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 2: the sense of like, well, I'm at a new opportunity 577 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 2: state school, like more kids on campus, you know, bigger 578 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 2: camaraderie around sports and things like that. So it was 579 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 2: just being grateful for I am at the moment. 580 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: Okay, what what's what's it like team wise, what's what's 581 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: that group like? Because also different from Stanford is now 582 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: you have a lot of guys that are, you know, 583 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: moving in moving out Stanford. Obviously there's not as much 584 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: movement with the portal. What's that been like being a 585 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: new guy but also having other new guys around. 586 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think having a lot of new guys honestly 587 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 2: has made it a little easier because if you're if 588 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 2: you're coming into a team that already has twelve dudes 589 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:39,639 Speaker 2: a all know each other, have been hanging out for 590 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 2: two or three years, you feel like the auto man 591 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 2: out a little bit. But coming into a team where 592 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 2: everyone's new, then from day one you're you're you're almost 593 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 2: forced into building relationships because you're going to be asking 594 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 2: questions about where it guys are from, what their programmers like, 595 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 2: you know, what they're like kind of thing. And since 596 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 2: everyone's constantly doing that because we have I think eight 597 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 2: new guys, it makes it a little easier I think, 598 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 2: honestly than coming to a team that's already been established 599 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 2: for a few years. 600 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: What's the most enjoyable part of NC State so far 601 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: to you? 602 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 2: I think campus life has honestly been super nice in 603 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 2: the sense of the support around sports is it feels 604 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 2: a little bigger and from like the fan base and 605 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 2: actual students. 606 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 1: I think that's been really nice. 607 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 2: Where Stanford, they had to we had pretty good support, 608 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 2: but kids were a little more focused on They were 609 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 2: focused on like their school and their startups and stuff 610 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 2: like that. 611 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 1: Where the Stanford, I know, the Stanford thing is weird 612 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: because if you go back to when I was playing, 613 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: that was the best basketball environment in the Pac twelve. 614 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: It really was. 615 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 2: It was great. 616 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: And overall, as you know, the Olympic sports are still 617 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: an incredibly high level, but it just feels like everybody 618 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: kind of does their own thing now, right whereas now 619 00:28:57,720 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: you're at a state school where it's all about state, 620 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: all about the sports and people. Is that is that fair? 621 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: You lived it, I'm just kind of an observe No. No, 622 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: you know, you're definitely right. 623 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 2: I think like one of my one of my roommates 624 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 2: this past year at Stanford, he was working on the startup. 625 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 2: So he came to I think maybe one game throughout 626 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 2: the whole year, and he like would keep up to 627 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 2: date with the box scores, but he's like he's worrying 628 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 2: about doing his startup that He's like, I'm not going 629 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: to go to a sports game, which is. 630 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: I mean super What was the start What was the startup? 631 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 2: I don't even I don't remember. Something like private equity firms. 632 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 2: He was trying to build like spreadsheets for them to 633 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 2: make it much easier to organize everything. I think it's 634 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 2: still in the works right now, but but yeah, that's 635 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 2: that's what a lot of kids are doing. So they're 636 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 2: putting all their time and focus and empstace on that. 637 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 2: They're not going to come to games sometimes where kids 638 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 2: could be doing that here, but there's a lot more 639 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 2: focus on like going to the games, you know, and 640 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 2: stuff like that. 641 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: Uh okay, So a successful season for you looks like. 642 00:29:53,360 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 2: What successful season for me is helping lead the team 643 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 2: March Madness. I haven't been there yet. It's been a 644 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 2: dream mind since I was a little kid. I don't 645 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 2: care how I have to do it, but getting it 646 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 2: there is going to be That's a successful season for me. 647 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: Okay, have you thought of what it's gonna be like 648 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: to play at Cameron? You thought of what it would 649 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: be like to play in Chapel Hill or here's another 650 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: one lacrosse guy you thought it was. I don't know 651 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: if you guys play at Syracuse this year, but in 652 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: the Dome as well. I'm excited, like you got you 653 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: got some some big check marks in terms of places 654 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: people would most want to play. 655 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, no, I mean I'm super excited. These 656 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 2: are the school especially being for the East Coast. He 657 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 2: grew up watching, you know, I mean everyone watches these 658 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 2: big schools. But I'm saying, especially being for these coasts, 659 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 2: these games are on times you can watch them, so 660 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 2: I'm excited for him. I can't wait to, you know, 661 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 2: get in those environments and just get lost in the 662 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: game and the place going nuts and all these different things. 663 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 2: But I'm definitely excited for all these just to be 664 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 2: at all these different, you know, places and programs and 665 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 2: experience their environments. 666 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: NC State was a surprise team last year. What do 667 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: you feel like your crew this year? So far, we 668 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: have I think we can be really good. We have 669 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: a lot of talent. 670 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 2: A lot of the guys on the team can really 671 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 2: score the ball, really make plays. We just got to 672 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 2: make sure we consistently put it together. I think that's 673 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: going to be our biggest thing. But we have a 674 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 2: lot of talent. So obviously you said, I don't know 675 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 2: the other schools, but I think we could be really good. 676 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: It does feel like for you that's a better This 677 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 1: is a really good fit, right because it's not that 678 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 1: you can't score, but what you do best is lead, defend. 679 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: You know, you can make shots, but you can set 680 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: everybody up and let and kind of be the guy 681 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,719 Speaker 1: that has no ego right about how you do it, 682 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: and you have guys that have scores egos which you 683 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: have to have. Your still have to score points to win. 684 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: But it feels like fit wise again, and I'm just 685 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: looking at this roster from thirty thousand feet. It feels 686 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: like that role really fits what you can automatically bring 687 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: and you've already done it. Is that how it feels 688 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: to you? 689 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 2: One hundred percent? I think that was, you know. One 690 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 2: of the reasons I made the decision is we play 691 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: a fast filming offense, high pick and roll ball screens 692 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 2: and go make a play. And I think that's one 693 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 2: thing I've always been at least proud of myself and 694 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 2: is being able to make a play off that ball 695 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 2: screen and make the right read, whether it's getting my 696 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 2: little shot or you know, help side slides over your 697 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 2: skipping the ball the opposite corner, all these different things. 698 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 2: So yeah, I think I think it does. It is 699 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 2: a good fit for me, I think, and I hope. 700 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 2: So now you can play two years right, yep, two 701 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 2: years left? Okay, can you move again? Like, what's the 702 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: would you. 703 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: Have to get in a graduate degree? What would it? 704 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: I'm not chasing at it. At NC State. But what 705 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: would the process be like so you wouldn't have to 706 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: have a found appeal for next year? 707 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 2: Honestly, honestly, I don't know how work because I mean 708 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 2: I'm not I'm not looking to leave and I don't 709 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 2: have any plans to leave. I don't even know like 710 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 2: how that process goes for transferring like two times? 711 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: Right, so you got to you got two years left? 712 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 1: What's with? What's what was your undergraduate degree in economics? Okay? 713 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 4: So then what's your master's going to be in? I'm 714 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 4: trying to get into the NBA program here. You haven't 715 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 4: gotten in, no, because I was late to the transfer portal, 716 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 4: So I've just been taking classes like towards so when 717 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 4: I get in, I can already have classes. 718 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: Then, Okay, Like how hard you have a Stanford degree? 719 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 1: Shouldn't be terribly hard? Did you have to take the 720 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: l SAT to get a lot of a lot of 721 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: NBA programs? You need like work experience heres? 722 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 2: So obviously I haven't. 723 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: Want to come back. Yeah, So what is NIL like 724 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: when you come into a market that hasn't seen you 725 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: known you? 726 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 2: I don't really know, like what other guys at other schools, 727 00:33:58,000 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: like how it works like what the NIL is at 728 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 2: their schools. But I mean, I think are I think 729 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 2: our program here does a pretty good job of trying 730 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 2: to help dudes out and make sure people are able 731 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 2: to capitalize on their their NIL and stuff like that. 732 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 2: So I mean it's been pretty good. Can't really complain. 733 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 1: Why do you think? Again, and you lived it, why 734 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: do you think so many of those elite academic institutions 735 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:25,080 Speaker 1: struggle with getting their own alums to give to the collectives. 736 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess every every every school is their 737 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 2: own reasoning. I mean, I know some schools have where 738 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 2: if you donate, it doesn't just go to like say, 739 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 2: one sport's collective, it goes to a general collective. So 740 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:39,799 Speaker 2: some people are like, if I'm donating money, I wanted 741 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 2: to go to baseball, but I don't want it to 742 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 2: go to that school or soccer or different things like that. 743 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 2: So I think that kind of deters people from donating 744 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 2: sometimes to the collective. 745 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:51,200 Speaker 1: But but like but like, but like, look Stanford has 746 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,439 Speaker 1: if you just put a pot, if you just put 747 00:34:54,480 --> 00:35:03,439 Speaker 1: like income of alums, right, Stanford would kill, Northwestern would kill, 748 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt would kill, Notre Dame would kill. But what you 749 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: get when you talk to all those coaches are like 750 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: our lums, just they don't give to the level that 751 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,440 Speaker 1: a lot of the state schools, the NC States, the 752 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,720 Speaker 1: Kansas State, they they don't. I'm just wondering, having lived 753 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 1: in that, why do you think that mentality is as 754 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 1: it is? 755 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess also kind of how I was saying. 756 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,320 Speaker 2: For I'll give example, like my roommate right has a 757 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,160 Speaker 2: startup going, didn't go to any games, so now he 758 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 2: leaves and makes all this money. If he never was 759 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 2: really a fan of basketball, he might feel like, why 760 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 2: am I going to get my money to basketball when 761 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 2: I can give it to maybe a collective for people 762 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 2: to do startups and fun startups and stuff like that. 763 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 2: So I feel like, if you're not at a school 764 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 2: where everyone loves those sports and supports those sports constantly, 765 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 2: especially when they grow up, and now they're away from 766 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 2: it and not even watching or surrounded by it, then 767 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 2: they're gonna be less incentivized to donate lots of money 768 00:35:58,160 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 2: towards that. 769 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 1: Is your cross career over. 770 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I don't know, I don't even know 771 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 2: what I'm gonna be Doing's. 772 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 1: Let's say two and a half years from now, like 773 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,399 Speaker 1: there's Major League across right, like it's a legit thing. 774 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: They're like, hey man, how hard is it to pick 775 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: up a stick and get back after it? 776 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 2: Would be playing with the pros, It would be very difficult, 777 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 2: But I think I mean I still right now play 778 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 2: lcross every once in a while, like go out there 779 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 2: and shoot her when I go home, train a little bit, 780 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 2: like and I'm definitely rusty, but after a while I 781 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:37,880 Speaker 2: can get it back. But going down and playing against 782 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,399 Speaker 2: the professionals and stuff like that definitely isn't easy. I mean, 783 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 2: these dude's been playing since they're five years old. Then 784 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 2: they're the best in college a lot of them, and 785 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 2: out there the best in like in the world in 786 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 2: the sense playing. So I don't know, I don't know 787 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 2: how easy it'd be just to you know, take a 788 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 2: summer to train and then hop back out there. I mean, 789 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 2: I'd like to have confidence in myself that I could 790 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,879 Speaker 2: do it, but I would have to really really see 791 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 2: go train for that one. 792 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: Okay, have you adjusted your diet to a southern lifestyle? 793 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:10,680 Speaker 2: Uh? Not really. I Mean I'm already pretty restricted with it, 794 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 2: i e. Because I'm gluten free, so it's kind of 795 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 2: hard to embrace, like a little more of the southern 796 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 2: southern meeting, the different things bo when you show up. 797 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: And you say your guting for you, like, they're like, oh, 798 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 1: here we go, dude. From that was in northern California, right, 799 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: some of the people for sure like looking at it. 800 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 1: Come on, okay, last thing you mentioned. At some point 801 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 1: basketball starts stops bouncing, Your basketball stops bouncing. 802 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 2: What are you doing? I would love to get in 803 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,920 Speaker 2: the finance field. Finance world, that's kind of something I've 804 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:47,799 Speaker 2: always been interested and looked into when I was growing up, 805 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 2: and then also being surrounded by it growing up socially 806 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 2: going to Sham, I had a lot of people's like 807 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:55,400 Speaker 2: families and parents stuff like that. We're in like the 808 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:58,480 Speaker 2: Wall Street lifestyle and work those businesses like investment banking 809 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:02,640 Speaker 2: or private equity. So that's something I've always kind of 810 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 2: known about and been pretty interested into. I don't know 811 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 2: exactly what I want to get into yet, but I 812 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 2: haven't put too much focus on it, but finance always 813 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:11,400 Speaker 2: kind of been something I've been really interested. 814 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: You've never done an You've never done an internship on 815 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:14,280 Speaker 1: Wall Street? 816 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 2: No, Because I mean it was kind of either do 817 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:19,360 Speaker 2: an internship and be gone for the summer for basketball 818 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 2: or hoop or hoop. And I wasn't, like I said, 819 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 2: I'm not giving up on the hoop and opportunity when 820 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 2: I have it so. 821 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 1: So so again, So I'm saying, like five seven years 822 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,799 Speaker 1: from now, you're you're like, I'm done with the playing thing. 823 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:35,560 Speaker 1: You're on Wall Street, you know, living living in Manhattan, right, 824 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 1: black suit, white shirt, black pigh That that's the and 825 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:43,239 Speaker 1: then eventually move back to the island. Private equity, a 826 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: lot of cars, a lot of houses, you know, all 827 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: the things that maybe buy an NBA keey, Like all 828 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: these private equity guys are freaking killing it. Used to 829 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 1: be doctors and lawyers. Now it's all private equity money. 830 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 1: That's is that that's the plan, that's the dream. That 831 00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:58,319 Speaker 1: sounds like a pretty good and pretty good plan. 832 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 2: I mean, maybe it'd be a along that path or 833 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,000 Speaker 2: maybe you know, if you're off a little bit, But 834 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,239 Speaker 2: if that was what I was told I was gonna do, 835 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:06,359 Speaker 2: I can't really complain. 836 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 1: All right, So, like ax Capital, you know in the 837 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 1: in the shows that you streamed, Okay, give me the 838 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:15,960 Speaker 1: the five favorite shows that you've streamed. 839 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:22,640 Speaker 2: My number one would definitely be the show called Piky Blinders. Sure, yeah, 840 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 2: it's definitely my number one. Love that show. Watch it 841 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 2: any day of the week. I haven't had many. I'm 842 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:31,480 Speaker 2: working on suits right now. I'm working on that. It's 843 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:35,719 Speaker 2: been pretty good so far. I'm not a big I'm 844 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:39,560 Speaker 2: not a big like series guy. If that, what, are 845 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 2: you a movie guy or what if you're not a 846 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:44,799 Speaker 2: series I'd rather watch a movie than than that. So 847 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 2: I'm more into like, I love a good like Marvel 848 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 2: or DC movie. I just finished like the Batman trilogy again, 849 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 2: I've watched that so many times. 850 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: But the Chris fran Nolan ones, right, not the other ones. Yeah, 851 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 1: Christopher Nolan, for sure. The other ones are junk. The 852 00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:59,439 Speaker 1: Chrisopher Nolan onanes are big time. Christopher Nolan's, I would 853 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 1: just say a big time yeah, like, yeah, you're not 854 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:07,359 Speaker 1: watching Batman and Robin like oh and the series for 855 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: like ten years. You know what's interesting is I go 856 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 1: to I can watch Guardians of the Galaxy anytime and 857 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 1: enjoy it. That's Guardian's the Galaxy, one, two's good, threes, 858 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,799 Speaker 1: It's okay. I don't know. I feel like I feel 859 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 1: like one is a great go to. 860 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:27,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, a lot of those movies you can just rewatch 861 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:28,959 Speaker 2: and they never get old. 862 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:31,600 Speaker 1: Yes. And the other part to it, though, is I 863 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: feel like, are there really people that read all these 864 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:36,399 Speaker 1: comic books that I missed on, because like, I don't 865 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:38,680 Speaker 1: know anything about any of these characters, but apparently there's 866 00:40:38,719 --> 00:40:42,359 Speaker 1: this whole subculture that had the comic book thing. They're like, oh, yeah, 867 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,520 Speaker 1: it does this is I have? Do you know anybody 868 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 1: who's actually read the comic books? 869 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I had. I had one friend in high school. 870 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,319 Speaker 2: I can remember where he would after the movie would 871 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 2: first come out. He'd go watch it that night at midnight, 872 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:55,879 Speaker 2: show up to school the next day off of like 873 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 2: three hours of sleep, and he would just vent about 874 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:01,680 Speaker 2: the movie didn't line up with this guy, and then 875 00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:03,759 Speaker 2: it was weird how they went this path instead of this, 876 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 2: And I'm like, I haven't even seen the movie, so 877 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 2: you're ruining for me right now. But uh, but yeah, 878 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:10,839 Speaker 2: I've only known one guy who's really stuck to the tea, 879 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,839 Speaker 2: read all the comic books, knew every character what they 880 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:15,920 Speaker 2: were supposed to do, and like compared it to the movies. 881 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:19,200 Speaker 1: By the way, dead cool. I believe is the best 882 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: of any of that genre. Like it's that's one of 883 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 1: my favorite movies of all time. Those are you If 884 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:32,399 Speaker 1: you are going to embody one superhero character, Yeah, only one? Yep? 885 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 1: Who would it be? Spider Man? Hands down? 886 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,680 Speaker 2: That's my that's my guy. I love Spider Man. 887 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 1: I don't know. 888 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:42,040 Speaker 2: I mean, he's just always been like, wasn't big on 889 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:44,480 Speaker 2: you know, we'vealing who he was. He isn't He never 890 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:46,440 Speaker 2: at the beginning he wanted the attention, but then he 891 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:49,080 Speaker 2: kind of gave up on that, and then he's always 892 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:50,719 Speaker 2: just willing to help other people and give up on 893 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 2: you know, his in school he was you know, he 894 00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 2: wasn't doing well in school, and he was one of 895 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:55,840 Speaker 2: the smartest guys. 896 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:57,040 Speaker 1: His sleep and stuff like that. 897 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 2: He was just super, super selfless and he just he's 898 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 2: just a guy, Like I love that guy. 899 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 1: This is I believe, you know, this is not a 900 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:09,560 Speaker 1: you're checking him out, but who's your favorite Spider Man? 901 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 1: This is a big thing. Toby Maguire, the original Okay, 902 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:20,520 Speaker 1: gotta go, Okay, I like that, by the way. The 903 00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:24,120 Speaker 1: last one, the newest end of the Spider Verse, was awesome. 904 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:26,759 Speaker 1: Took me a while to figure it out. I was like, 905 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 1: what am I even watching? Like, it's like a twenty 906 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:33,399 Speaker 1: minute and I'm older, Like, I'm twenty five years older 907 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:35,760 Speaker 1: than you, so so a lot of this the Spider 908 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:37,879 Speaker 1: verse thing. I was like, wait, well, and then once 909 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: I figured out, I was like, oh, yeah, yeah, I 910 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:45,239 Speaker 1: really liked it. And and there's also the soundtrack is outstanding. 911 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:46,399 Speaker 2: That's yeah, very good. 912 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, well listen, I can't wait to see it in 913 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:52,960 Speaker 1: an OLF Pack uniform. I love your story. I appreciate 914 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:55,399 Speaker 1: you joining me and let's catch up as the as 915 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:56,439 Speaker 1: the season wars on. Cool. 916 00:42:56,800 --> 00:43:00,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, I appreciate you having me on today. 917 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:03,080 Speaker 1: Man, does that make you a fan of NZ State? 918 00:43:03,160 --> 00:43:07,400 Speaker 1: Make you a fan of Michael O'Connell just really at 919 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:09,400 Speaker 1: peace with who he is and what he's decided to 920 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,879 Speaker 1: do and how he's decided to do it. Consider Maly 921 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:14,799 Speaker 1: somebody who's gonna watch the Wolf back and root for 922 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:17,560 Speaker 1: him and playing and trying to get the Pack back 923 00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:19,880 Speaker 1: to the NCAA tournament. My thanks to Michael O'Connor for 924 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: his time. Remember remember you can listen to the Doug 925 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:24,000 Speaker 1: Gotlib Show, its radio show daily three to five Eastern 926 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:27,439 Speaker 1: twelve too Pacific. Also, we have a daily podcast called 927 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:29,839 Speaker 1: in the Bonus Mare. You download this podcast, you can 928 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: find it and in regards to this podcast, review it, subscribe, download, 929 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: rate it. All those things I think help me make 930 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:43,759 Speaker 1: more money if nothing else, will help your voice be heard. 931 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:45,960 Speaker 1: I'm Doug Godlie, Thanks for listening. This is all ball