1 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Welcome to a special edition of the No Dunks Podcast. 2 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: I'm Leos. I'm joined by Tas Mellice and the man 3 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: making the magic happen, JD. Today we're going down Under, 4 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: that's right to talk to NBL broadcaster and writer Liam 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,319 Speaker 1: Santa Maria. Why because we want to find out just 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: how good LaMelo ball might be in the NBA, and 7 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: nobody is better qualified to tell us that than Liam. 8 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: Liam spent last season watching and covering LaMelo play for 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: the Illawarra Hawks in Australia's National Basketball League, and he 10 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: joins us on the show today. Liam, Welcome to the 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: No Dunk Podcast. 12 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: Thanks Lee, good to be good to be with you guys, Tas, 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: I tell you I go way back with you fellers, 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 2: back to the TVJ days at the Score, and so 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 2: great to be with you. 16 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 3: Thanks. Thanks a lot for coming on, man, I appreciate it. 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 3: I'm glad Lee had to be the one to see 18 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 3: Illawarra Hawks as well, because I had no idea how 19 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 3: to say that name. 20 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:04,839 Speaker 2: But now I'm good. 21 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: Hey Liam, I'm going to have to really enjoy this 22 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 1: podcast because finally it's going to be two Australian guys 23 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: outnumbering the North American guy. So so we can make 24 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: fun of Tassa's accent as much as we like on 25 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: this show. Okay, I've got like eight or nine years 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: built up here, so anything that says it sounds funny, 27 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: let him hear it about it. 28 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: You've got you've got some pent up frustration. I'll help 29 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 2: you with that. 30 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: No, Okay, Well let's get into it because it's obviously 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: a big story and there's a lot of hype around 32 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: lamellow Ball. So you know, when did you first hear 33 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: that he was coming to Australia and what did you 34 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: know about him? 35 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: The first word I got, I mean, there was some 36 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: sort of suggestion that he might We've obviously got the 37 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: Next Stars program here in the NBL, which is kind 38 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: of pretty well known about recruiting young talented prospects on 39 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: their way to the NBA and trying to find a 40 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 2: good way to make that happen. So there was he 41 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: was a pretty obvious target for that program. So we 42 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 2: discussed it a little bit over here on air about 43 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: what that would like, whether we thought he would be 44 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 2: a good fit. And then the first read I got 45 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: that it was maybe a real deal was when the 46 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: owner of the Illworra Hawks, slid into my DMS and said, 47 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: what's your read on lamellow Ball? What do you think 48 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: of him? Tell me? So, look, I gave him a 49 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: pretty honest appraisal of the of the pros and the cons. 50 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: I immediately knew what was going on right that that 51 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: there was the potential that he might come to that team. 52 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: And you know, I told him the pros and cons 53 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: of what he was like as a player and what 54 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 2: him coming to the Hawks would bring to that club 55 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,359 Speaker 2: and to the NBL, and then obviously left it to 56 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: the club in the league to make that decision and 57 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 2: they dove in. So from there it was obviously big news, 58 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 2: massive profile of a kid and brought a lot of 59 00:02:58,600 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 2: attention to our league. 60 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 3: Are the pros and cons that you sent back? 61 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: Well? Obviously I kind of mapped out his skill set, right, So, 62 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: I mean, you're not going to bring a kid like 63 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: LaMelo Ball over to sit on the bench. So he's 64 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 2: going to come out here and play a whole bunch 65 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 2: of minutes. You're probably going to be have conversations that 66 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: are going to involve a starting role, and what's that 67 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: going to mean for your team? So I mapped out 68 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: that he's you know, as an eleaite playmaker, has incredible vision, 69 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 2: but there's massive question marks over elements of his game. Right, 70 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: what's he going to be like as a defender, what's 71 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: his shot selection going to be like? At the pro level? 72 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: Can he run a team? Is he serious about becoming 73 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: a pro and becoming a great player. I mean, we've 74 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: we knew him as a as a high schooler pulling 75 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 2: up ninety two points and cherry picking and from his 76 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: reality TV show. But this is a legit league and 77 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: this is one of our most historic clubs with a 78 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 2: proud history. If you're going to be bringing him in, 79 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: you need to know the pros and the cons and 80 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: they were the big question marks over him coming in. 81 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: You know, it is a big team of course in 82 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: the NBL, but it's not Sydney and it's not Melbourne. 83 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: You know, it's not Perth, which Perth is probably you know, 84 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: one of the bigger teams as well. Historically they're very 85 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: very successful. You know, once the sort of word got 86 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: out that LaMelo might be coming, did these other teams think, well, 87 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 1: hang on a minute, Illawarra is you know, relatively speaking, 88 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: not a big city compared to Sydney or Melbourne. He 89 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: should be playing for the Kings or Melbourne United or 90 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: something like that. I mean, was there any sort of 91 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: like race to try to get his signature. 92 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 2: I think there was a bit of that feeling leave 93 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: from some of the fans for sure, saying well, why 94 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 2: would we bring him over and waste him in a 95 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: small market team. I think more so from within those organizations. 96 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: They're all kind of teams with big time championship aspirations, 97 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: so the idea of bringing in a teenager to run 98 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: their team probably wasn't really necessarily on the radar of 99 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: those teams. You know, like Melbourne had Mellow Mellow Trimble, 100 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: who you'd know from Maryland, ready to go at the 101 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: point guard position. Sydney had Casperware former Philadelphia seventy six 102 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: is guy, and the Wildcats of course Bryce Cotton and 103 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: Damian Martin Lee who you'd know well six Tinne defensive 104 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 2: player of the year. So I think a lot of 105 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: those teams were probably not really interested in having LaMelo 106 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 2: come in, so a smaller market team like Illawarra sort 107 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 2: of suited. 108 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: What about obviously, the big cloud that hangs over any 109 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: of the ball Boys is LeVar, you know, and LeVar 110 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: doesn't want his like you said earlier, he doesn't want 111 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: LaMelo going out there sitting on the bench, you know, 112 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: in a men's league, just playing garbage time. This was 113 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: about trying to get LaMelo exposure and trying to get 114 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: his profile up to the point where he is a 115 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: high lottery draft pick in the NBA. What sort of 116 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: influence and impact do you think LeVar had on the 117 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: role that LaMelo was expected to play there for the Hawks. 118 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: Not a heap, I would say, Lee. I mean, it 119 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: came out pretty quickly after it was locked in that 120 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 2: he was going to come down, that LaVar really wasn't 121 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 2: going to be involved all that much. The word was 122 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: Jermaine Jackson, former NBA player, LaMelo's mentor who coached him 123 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: at Spire, was going to be that guy, and that 124 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 2: really were Actually the word came out from the beginning 125 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 2: was that LaVar is not going to be here. He's 126 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: not going to be here in any way, shape or form. Now, 127 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: eventually he did come down for a little bit to 128 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 2: shoot some of the show, but the word came out 129 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 2: pretty quick like, actually, yes, there's an element of trying 130 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 2: to get some exposure, people need to see him out 131 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: on the floor, But in actual fact, it became clear 132 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 2: he was coming down here to get better predominantly, and 133 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: that they didn't really want the traveling road show of 134 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: LeVar to come in and create headlines. They wanted a 135 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: situation where he focus work on his game, not create 136 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 2: waves within the team and you know, try to put 137 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 2: his best foot forward. 138 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 3: So he played with his brother Leangelo in Lithuania prior 139 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 3: to coming to Australia. Do you think that helped both 140 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 3: the Hawks make the decision and from Lamello's perspective that 141 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 3: he just kind of grew up having a bit of 142 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 3: an experience internationally before coming over. 143 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so. I think on the ground once 144 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 2: it got here, it certainly seemed like that had helped him. 145 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 2: One of the things, you know, sort of start to 146 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 2: step onto what he was like on the floor. One 147 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 2: of the things that really stood out to me was 148 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: his poise. Now, he's obviously super confident, his confidence just 149 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 2: whoz is out of him, but his poise in a 150 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 2: pro league against men, you know, guys much older, stronger 151 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: than him, was was really obvious. And I think you'd 152 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 2: have to say his experience over in Lithuania, and part 153 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 2: of it was probably learning some of what to do, 154 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 2: but also some of what not to do learning and 155 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: I think one of the things he probably learned from 156 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 2: that experience was I need to assimilate myself into the group, 157 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 2: into my team, get to know my coach, get to 158 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 2: know my teammates. And I think the fact that we 159 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 2: speak English over here probably helped that a lot. And 160 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 2: I think that helped him on the floor as well, 161 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 2: because there were he kind of became pretty friendly with 162 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: a bunch of guys on that team and created a 163 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 2: pretty good feeling within that group. 164 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: You know, when LaVar excuse me, when Lonzo made his 165 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: debut for the Lakers against the Clippers, Patrick Beverley made 166 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: a note of like, I'm getting in this guy's face, 167 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to hit him. I'm going to whack him, 168 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: and he did. He basically as soon as Lonzo stepped 169 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: on the on the court, Patrick Beverley tried to send 170 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: a message to him that he's playing with the men. 171 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: It's a men's league and there's no favors here. Was 172 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: there an element of that with LaMelo when he started playing, 173 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: because it's you know, it's obviously not the NBA, but 174 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: he brings that hype and he brings that attention, and 175 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: he's a bit of a glamor boy as well. Like 176 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: were some of the veterans in the NBL trying to 177 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: send a similar message to him. 178 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, we saw a little bit of that league. In fact, 179 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 2: we saw some of it right off the bat Our 180 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: preseason tournament here in the NBL is called the Blitz. 181 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 2: That thing was held in Tasmania, right at the bottom 182 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 2: of the country last last year, and his first game 183 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: was against the Perth Wildcats, the two time defending champs, 184 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: match up with Damian Martin, a legend of our league. 185 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: As I said, six time defensive player of the Year 186 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 2: at a world class defender, and it was a preseason 187 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 2: game for Damien Martin. It was a big game for 188 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 2: LaMelo because that place was swarming with scouts and NBA scouts. 189 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:52,719 Speaker 2: A lot of had made their way over to watch 190 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 2: LaMelo and also watch J. J. Hampton, and he really 191 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 2: stood up in that game. Daimo got all up in him, 192 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 2: tried to speed him up, tried to get physical with him, 193 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 2: and that was the game that I mean he had 194 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 2: nineteen thirteen and seven in an overtime win in that game. 195 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,319 Speaker 2: That was pre season, of course, but it showed that 196 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: that wasn't actually that approach wasn't necessarily going to work. 197 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 2: He didn't buy in to any of the physicality. It 198 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 2: didn't really speed him up and force him into, you know, 199 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: a whole bunch of turnovers or anything like that. And 200 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 2: as a result, I think over the course of the 201 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 2: season we didn't see a lot of that with Lamela. 202 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: We saw a bit of it with RJ Hampton, who's 203 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 2: obviously the other guy on the on the board who 204 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: was here with the Breakers. There was a there was 205 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: a game midway through the season against Melbourne Unit in 206 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,319 Speaker 2: Southeast melven Phoenix where some guys got into him Ben 207 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 2: imagine a season veteran here got into RJ. He responded, 208 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 2: went a little over the top and got ejected, and 209 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 2: it was a bit of a window into the difference 210 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 2: between the personality of those two guys. I J was 211 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: a little bit more like I need to make a 212 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 2: statement that you can't do that to me, whereas the 213 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 2: Mallow it was more like water off a duck's back. 214 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: He just ignored it and let his game do the talking. 215 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 3: Liam two questions for you, Lee mentioned you you should 216 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 3: be making fun of my accent. My question is do 217 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 3: all Australians say the word debut instead of debut? Is 218 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 3: that how it works? 219 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 2: Is that what I said? 220 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 3: No, no, no, that's what Lee said. Lee always says debut 221 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 3: when he was talking about about Lonzo Ball, is it 222 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 3: is it debut? 223 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 2: I think Lee's got a little bit of a hybrid 224 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 2: thing going on a little bit. So some of those 225 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 2: some of those names, I think full, some of those 226 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 2: words full, kind of halfway between what we'd say and 227 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 2: what you've influenced him. 228 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 3: So you said stay debut, okay, because we've heard it forever. 229 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: Maybe I've just as from the Richie Bno here, I'm 230 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: just still you know, he's on debut, you know so. 231 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: But you know so you said, you said, there Liam, 232 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,839 Speaker 1: you know, LaMelo let his game do the talking. So 233 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: tell us about his game, tell us about what you 234 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: saw up close. He played twelve games, I think is 235 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: that right for the Hawks there so not a huge 236 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: sample size, but enough to sort of gain some idea 237 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: of what talents he has and what he can work on. 238 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: Of course, I mean all young guys coming into the league. 239 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: A nerve of the finished product. But what did you 240 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: like about his game? What did you see about his game? 241 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: What's his strength? You know, what's the sort of thing 242 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: that people can expect that he will bring to the NBA, 243 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: certainly in his first season or two. 244 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 2: His playmaking lee is is his number one primary elite skill. 245 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,079 Speaker 2: I mean, his playmaking, his vision is passing it. Believe 246 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 2: those things are elite, not just for his age, but 247 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 2: for anyone period. So that's that's the thing that you 248 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 2: off as soon as you watch him, And that's that's 249 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: the thing that NBA scouts have fallen in love with 250 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 2: because there's you know, there's shades of you. Obviously we 251 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 2: throw these names out cautiously, but then you know, there's 252 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: shades of Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd when you watch 253 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 2: him in the in the open floor, because he has 254 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,839 Speaker 2: that kind of size at the point guard position. He 255 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: has that kind of feel, vision, love setting up his 256 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 2: teammates and in the open floor, terrific at finding players 257 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 2: getting to the rim. But then in the half court, 258 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 2: can look over the defense, find guys guys rolling to 259 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 2: the rim, can get into the lane and can twist 260 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:45,079 Speaker 2: and can tart his body to finish. But also on kickouts, 261 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 2: you know, to find guys at awkward angles. His his 262 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: vision is elite. So that's the thing that the people 263 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: have fallen in love with. And we saw in a 264 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 2: big way here he averaged seven assists a game. Pretty 265 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 2: impressive assistant turnover ratio here for a young kid handling 266 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 2: the rock so much. And then there's the question marks though, 267 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 2: of course, which is still big question marks. His shooting 268 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 2: has shown the you know, he showed the ability to 269 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: get hot. Had some games we hit four of six 270 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:17,439 Speaker 2: or you know, five of seven threes, but he had 271 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 2: a lot of those games we hit one of eleven 272 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 2: and he but he just kept firing away. That that 273 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 2: confidence I spoke of shot twenty four percent from three here, 274 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 2: which is yeah, I mean that's the expression we all 275 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: that that gives you. So, I mean that's a big question. 276 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 2: And then defensively he improved, but that's still a massive 277 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: weakness for I mean, when he came over here, it 278 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 2: looked like he'd never been taught how to play defense 279 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: or had no concept of how to you know, the 280 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 2: importance of doing the little things defensively, staying in front 281 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 2: of your man, helping your teammates, being on a string. 282 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 2: Those kind of defensive concepts are pretty foreign to him. 283 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 2: They talked about him not being a finished product. I 284 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 2: think it's in that sense that is probably the biggest way. 285 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 2: Just really has a long way to go defensively. 286 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 3: But you said he bought in right and he was 287 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 3: part of the program and part of the team. Do 288 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 3: you have a sense that his team enjoyed having him 289 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 3: around and being a part of the squad. 290 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 2: I did for sure, especially the young guys, that the 291 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 2: Hawks were an interesting team last year. They their whole roster. 292 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 2: They probably only had one guy, Todd Blanchfield, who was 293 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 2: in his prime. The rest of them were sort of 294 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 2: very very early in their career as pros or guys 295 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 2: at the very end. Dave Anderson, Josh Boone, these types 296 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: of guys. 297 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: Na yeah, well Dave Anderson was too brief, that. 298 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 3: Little rocket yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah. 299 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 2: So those you know, those types of guys. Aj Ogilvy 300 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 2: you might remember him from Vanderbilt. So a bunch of 301 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: guys at the end of their career, a bunch of 302 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: guys at the start. I think the younger guys really 303 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 2: got on with him well, spent a lot of time 304 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: with him off the floor, and you know, we're excited 305 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 2: to be a part of you know, a guy that 306 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: was on his way to being a top NBA draft 307 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 2: pick in many ways. And I think the older guys, 308 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 2: you know, a lot of those guys who are at 309 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 2: a point in their career where they're looking to wrap 310 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 2: their arms around younger players and kind of give back 311 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 2: and and be a bit of a mentor. So in 312 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: that respect, I think that it worked out pretty well 313 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 2: for him to be on a team like that. It 314 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 2: wasn't a bunch of guys in their prime saying this 315 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: is the time for me to be putting up massive numbers. 316 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 2: I need the rock. It was. It was. It was 317 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: a kind of a more favorable situation for him and 318 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: and I think that was one of the big things 319 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 2: that came out of that team. He did buy in. 320 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 2: The coaches loved having him there. He worked hard, he 321 00:16:54,920 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: was very coachable, and you know, for a teenager dominating 322 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 2: the ball and at times, to be honest, stat chasing it, 323 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 2: it was pretty impressive that there were, you know, no 324 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 2: major kind of issues within that team. Yeah. 325 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: Well, he had two triple doubles, I believe, but from 326 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: the what you're describing, there it sounds like, you know, 327 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: he was down there to work hard and to try 328 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: to be more than just a guy to be like 329 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: I don't care. I mean, the team didn't do well. 330 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: They didn't win a lot of games. In fact, I 331 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 1: think they finished last and he only won a couple 332 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: of games himself. But it sounds from what you're saying 333 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: here though, that you know, his work ethic is pretty strong, 334 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: you know, and he understands what he has his strengths are, 335 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: but he also understands he's got to work on those weaknesses. 336 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: So I mean, you know, from what you've known of 337 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: the NBA, I mean, how quickly do you think he 338 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: can have an impact? And if you were to draft him, 339 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: I mean, are you expecting this guy to come out 340 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: and be a starter in his first season and to 341 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: be you know, maybe even a point guard for a 342 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: for a I mean, he's expected to go high in 343 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,199 Speaker 1: the draft. Do you think he's ready for something like 344 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: that or is he still you know, he's still a 345 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: year or so away from from taking on a role 346 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: that big for an NBA team. 347 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 2: I think there's probably kind of two parts to that answer. 348 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 2: There's there's what he could do, what what he'd be 349 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 2: ready to come out and do on a on a 350 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 2: particular team, and then what would be best for him? Right? 351 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 2: I mean, if you know, if if a if a 352 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 2: smaller you know, if a team like Charlotte or or Minnesota, 353 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 2: one of those teams picks him up, could he come 354 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 2: out and be their starting point guard and they could 355 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 2: start that process. Sure. I mean, he and I spoke 356 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 2: about his confidence before. I mean, he's his confidence is unshakable. 357 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 2: And you know, ours is Ours is a good league here. 358 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 2: I mean, it's one of the it's one of the 359 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 2: top pro leagues in the world, and we've got elead 360 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 2: talent here and and he kind of didn't shake him 361 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 2: at all. I mean, you could pick him up, I think, 362 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 2: and put him in one of these playoff games happening 363 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 2: today and he would feel like, this is exactly where 364 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 2: I'm supposed to be. It wouldn't shake his confidence one 365 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 2: little bit. He go out and do his thing, spread, 366 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 2: pick and roll, have some fun. He's going to give 367 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 2: up points down the other end. He's going to take 368 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 2: some shots that are ill advised, but he's going to 369 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 2: also make a whole bunch of players. Having said that, 370 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 2: if a team like Golden Stay, for example, keeps that 371 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 2: pick and takes him. I mean, I think that would 372 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 2: be for him and his development. That would be the 373 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 2: perfect landing spot because you know, you can imagine a 374 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 2: guy like Draymond Green, there's going to be accountability for 375 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 2: him at the defensive end. They're going to teach him 376 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 2: how to play defense. Draymond Green says, Andrew Boger taught 377 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 2: me how to play defense. I think that, you know, 378 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: you could have the potential years down the track of 379 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,880 Speaker 2: saying LaMelo Ball saying the same kind of thing about 380 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 2: Draymon Green. They're not going to stand for him just 381 00:19:55,480 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 2: reaching and getting burnt or watching off the ball, and 382 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 2: you could bring him off the bench. He could play 383 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 2: a kind of a Sean Livingston's type of role for 384 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 2: that team. I think long term that would be the 385 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: best thing for his development. 386 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: But on a. 387 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 2: You know, less of a championship aspiring team, he could 388 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 2: definitely come out and have an impact in your one. Yeah. 389 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, I don't know obviously as certainly as 390 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: much as you. I've seen highlights and he looks like 391 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: he's got the talent. But I think for a young guy, 392 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: for sure, it would be better for him to be 393 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 1: basically just a bench guy for his first season and 394 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: you know, playing behind Steph and you know in that 395 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: Golden State system, you know, it would be tough. He 396 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't like it for the first year or two, But 397 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: in three or four years time, when he's had that 398 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: experience and his body's filled out a bit and he's 399 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: seen how those guys work, I think he'd be a 400 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: better player in the long run rather than being thrown 401 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: into the fire and a team that's kind of like, yeah, 402 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: let's say it goes to Minnesota. I mean, they've got 403 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell anyway, but the expectations are like, we haven't won, 404 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: we need to win, you know, whereas the Warriors have 405 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: got a little bit more time there. The one thing 406 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,199 Speaker 1: I want to ask you about as well as you know, 407 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: you mentioned there was a ton of scouts out in 408 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: Australia when he first went there. How long did they stay, 409 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: you know what, Like, were they there for the entire 410 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 1: run or they just sort of coming in and out 411 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: every now and again. And have any of them or 412 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: any teams reached out to you and sort of said, hey, 413 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: you know, tell us what you think about LaMelo and 414 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: what you saw in him. 415 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 2: Well, they mainly come and went. There was, you know, 416 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 2: a couple of teams that had a presence here for 417 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 2: the entire season, but most of them picked their spots. 418 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: So I mentioned them coming to Tasmania at the Blitz. 419 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 2: They did that because in a short space of time 420 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 2: they'd see a couple of games of both LaMelo and 421 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,920 Speaker 2: RJ Hampton. So they're like, okay, that's the right spot 422 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 2: to come and see they you know, they've picked some 423 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 2: other spots in the schedule where they'd be able to 424 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: see both LaMelo and RJ. And then some just came 425 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 2: and went and really just wanted to see LaMelo. He 426 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 2: spoke about one of his triple doubles. Lee He had 427 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 2: a thirty point triple double in an overtime win in 428 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 2: his second last game with Mitch Kupchak sitting right there 429 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 2: in front row courtside. Wow, and you know that that 430 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 2: kind of jumped off the page to me as well, 431 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 2: as that was a big moment that Charlotte were obviously 432 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 2: going to have a pretty high pick in the draft. 433 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: And you know, Mitch Cupjack, you can't miss him. You 434 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 2: know who he is. Jermaine Jackson would have let Lamela 435 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,160 Speaker 2: know he's sitting right there courtside, and he came out 436 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,160 Speaker 2: and really that was his best game. He bawled out, 437 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 2: had an influence on winning and played really well. So 438 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 2: that was kind of the way the scouts approached it. 439 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 2: And to be honest, I've had a couple of calls, 440 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 2: but not as many as I would have thought. I mean, 441 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 2: I actually had more last year for Brian Bowen, who 442 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,439 Speaker 2: was in the Next DOS program with the Pacers and 443 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 2: was coming into the draft, and a couple of years 444 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 2: before that with Terrence Ferguson who's now with OKC and 445 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 2: spent a year here on the way. So I think 446 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 2: maybe the fact that they had a bigger presence here, 447 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 2: they saw things with their own eyes, and they watched 448 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 2: a lot of a lot of games live from from 449 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 2: back home, probably means they don't need to get that 450 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 2: extra opinion. 451 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I find that interesting. You mentioned Jeremaine Jackson 452 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 3: was his manager for lack of a better tournament, former 453 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 3: NBA player, he got around a little bit in the NBA. 454 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 3: It's interesting that he was. He traveled with him. Obviously, 455 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 3: LeVar didn't make his way down there until he had 456 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 3: to film his his show as as you said, uh 457 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 3: you said, the preseason tournament in Tasmania was was enormous. 458 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 3: Was was had a bunch of people at it. Have 459 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 3: you ever seen it that busy as it has the 460 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 3: preseason tournament ever been that much of a spectacle. 461 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 2: No, I mean it took it to another level with 462 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 2: all those guys in attendance, So, I mean it was interesting. 463 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 2: They I want the big names, they weren't. You know, 464 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 2: it went a lot of the gms or the assistant gms. 465 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 2: It was more of the kind of the scouts that 466 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,199 Speaker 2: had been sent down at that point. But that was 467 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 2: it was that game really where he took his big 468 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 2: leap on draft boards. Jonathan Gavoni from ESPN and Draft 469 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: Express was in the building, watched that game against the 470 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 2: Perth wildcast that I spoke about, and it was it 471 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,919 Speaker 2: was after that one where he went from I'm going 472 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 2: to say maybe thirty thirty two on the ESPN mock 473 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 2: draft to two. 474 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 3: That thirty point triple double back game. 475 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 2: No no no is almost triple double in the preseason 476 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 2: nineteen thirteen and seven. His thirty point triple double was 477 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 2: his second last game and so that was the that 478 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 2: was when he took a big leap, and that was 479 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 2: when a lot of those scouts went back clearly and 480 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 2: said he's legit. We need to we need to invest 481 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: some more time in him. And from there we started 482 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 2: to see more and more of the kind of bigger 483 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: names come down and check him out. I mentioned Mitch 484 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 2: cup Jack. There was a game earlier in the season 485 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 2: where it was R. J. Hampton and LaMelo balls first 486 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 2: time against each other at the pro level in New Zealand, 487 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: and a bunch of people made sure that they were there. 488 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: Trajan Langdon from the Pelicans, guys like that sitting front 489 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: road to watch them go to work. So it was 490 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 2: the preseason tournament in twenty sixteen when Terrence Ferguson came 491 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 2: across was when it went up another level in terms 492 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 2: of the presence of scouts. But last year was on 493 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 2: a whole other echelon. 494 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you see this happening more and more and more, 495 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 3: you said, Ferguson, RJ. Hampton obviously a ball. Well, guys 496 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 3: continue to come down to Australia with the program that 497 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 3: you talked about off the top there. 498 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,719 Speaker 2: I think. So it's a bit of a moving beast 499 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 2: at the moment because the NBA and the G League 500 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 2: have adjusted, you know, they've put in that that new program, 501 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 2: and as a result, I think a lot of the 502 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 2: guys that have signed on to that that team, the 503 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 2: NBL had their sights on bringing them down and kind 504 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 2: of continuing their momentum. But but you know, Jalen Green 505 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: and Kaminga, these types of guys that they were hoping 506 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 2: to get them in the mix. But so there's been 507 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 2: a bit of a shift in the landscape with that 508 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 2: G League program and and now the NBL is kind 509 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 2: of looking at different ways to make sure that they 510 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 2: can continue to bring in talent. The program opened itself 511 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 2: up last year to also bring in draft and stash 512 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 2: guys as part of the mix. So we saw Diddie 513 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 2: Lizarda from the Pelicans here, and you know, I think 514 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 2: there's a chance that, you know, we might see more 515 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 2: and more of those guys. And also I think we're 516 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 2: going to see some guys that are have already started 517 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 2: playing college but are going to jump ship and come 518 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 2: down here for a year before they go into the draft. 519 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 2: And you know, with the uncertain of what the NC 520 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: Double A is going to look like this year and 521 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 2: what they've seen with LaMelo, Boll and RJ. Hampton. I 522 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 2: think we're going to see some more of those guys, 523 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 2: but I think right now the G League has has 524 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 2: made that power player to pull those top guys off 525 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: the board. 526 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,880 Speaker 1: So how well do you know the other guys who 527 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: were expected to be the high lottery picks, Anthony Edwards, 528 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: James Wiseman, Killian Hayes. I don't know if you know 529 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: those guys too well of their game. But if you 530 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 1: were to say, right now, where do you think LaMelo 531 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 1: is going to get picked? I mean you said Golden 532 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: State and there at they've got the number two picks, 533 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: so that would be a good spot for him. But 534 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 1: if you were to say, right now, based on what 535 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 1: you saw and what you know about those other guys, 536 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 1: where is LaMelo being drafted? 537 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 2: I think it's going to go top three, probably as 538 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 2: far as I'll go in terms of the locking in that. 539 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: That seems to be the consensus, you know, with with 540 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 2: Edwards and with Wiseman, I mean, I think he's definitely 541 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 2: for me, he's in that mix, and then it's about, 542 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 2: you know, whether who wants to take that plunge. I mean, 543 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:22,919 Speaker 2: he's a he's a high risk pick, but with that 544 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 2: risk comes potentially great reward, you know, And we've seen 545 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 2: these types of guys over previous years, you know, I 546 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 2: mean you think I mean Yannis is a perfect example 547 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 2: of that, right, I mean everyone saw him as a 548 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: as a high risk pick, and a whole bunch of 549 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 2: teams didn't want to take that risk. The Bucks did, 550 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 2: and they've they've reaped the rewards. And then we've got 551 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 2: you know, there's a whole bunch of other examples of 552 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,719 Speaker 2: teams taking those high risk guys that didn't worry potentially 553 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: really high ceiling but potentially a really low floor and 554 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 2: it not working out so well. So I would be 555 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 2: if I had to kind of look in my crystal ball, 556 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 2: I could see him going number two, but not to 557 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 2: Golden State, Right, that's trade down? Yeah, right, that would 558 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 2: shock me. And honestly, if I was I mean, I 559 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 2: love all the strengths and in his game, but if 560 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 2: I was them, I would That's what I would do. 561 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 2: I mean, there's you're probably gonna have, you know, there's 562 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 2: gonna be team maybe the Knicks are this team who 563 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 2: love him more than you do and won him more 564 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 2: than you do, and are willing to put something on 565 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 2: the table that makes that worthwhile. 566 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's easy even I just watched highlights as Lee 567 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,959 Speaker 3: did it. I don't know why I didn't think he 568 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 3: was six seven, because he seems like he's a legit. 569 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 3: Six seven just didn't seem that tall. But as you said, 570 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 3: you know, you threw out the names, the big names, 571 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 3: the magics and the g kids, because he has that. 572 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 3: He really has that physical attribute, right, did you? Was 573 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 3: there anything else about him physically that was either, you know, 574 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 3: positive or negative? 575 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 2: I thought he was going to get pushed around a 576 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 2: little bit more than he than he did. You know, 577 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 2: he's obviously got a lot of room to grow in 578 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 2: terms of his physique and his strength, but he has 579 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 2: an ability offensively to kind of use your physicality against you. 580 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 2: And you know, like if you he a lot of 581 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 2: the times he looked like he kind of he wanted 582 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 2: guys to crawl in. He he wanted Damien Martin to 583 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 2: get into his stuff. He would have invited that Pat 584 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: Beverly type of approach that you were talking about earlierly 585 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 2: because he thinks I'm just that makes it easier for 586 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 2: me to get by you, you know, because his first 587 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 2: couple of steps is so quick. So and and you know, 588 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 2: he was pretty comfortable with contact at the room. Didn't 589 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 2: have a massive free rate, but was not certainly not 590 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 2: afraid to go in there and attack the rim and 591 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 2: get downhill. Defensively though, was a bit more of an issue. 592 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 2: I mean, he did get moved around a little bit. 593 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 2: At six seven, with that length, he has the physical 594 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 2: tools to be a really good defender. And you know, 595 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 2: you think about that Golden State system, how much they switch. 596 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 2: I mean, you have a six to seven point guard 597 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 2: who's to slide into that system that would that would 598 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 2: work pretty well. It has great switch ability in that regard, 599 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 2: but needs to get a lot stronger to be able 600 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 2: to make that work, to be able to switch on 601 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 2: the threes and fours and fives. And you know, he 602 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 2: wouldn't be able to hold those guys out of the 603 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 2: paint right now. So his height and his length were 604 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 2: you know, really really helpful for him at the offensive end, 605 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 2: but he hasn't learned how to use them defensively just yet. 606 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 3: And just to be clear, he played twelve games, as 607 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 3: you said, the preseason tournament ended it with that second 608 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,959 Speaker 3: last game that monster thirty point triple double. And to 609 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 3: be clear, he got injured at the end of it, right, 610 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 3: and that's why his season finished because there also was 611 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 3: this really weird story about a horse about him owning 612 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 3: a horse named Lamello, but I don't know it was 613 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 3: also tied into him being injured. So he finished because 614 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 3: he got banged up. Is that right? 615 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 2: Well, that horse is about to have its maiden run. 616 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: Excuse me this weekend. You did put some hard end on. Yes, 617 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 2: we're okay to see how that thing goes. He had 618 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 2: in his eleventh and twelfth games tast he had triple doubles, 619 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 2: the thirty point triple double against Cans, and then he 620 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 2: went over to New Zealand and had another triple double 621 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 2: in a losing game. Paul Field goal percentage one from 622 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 2: eleven from three. They lost, but another triple double. First 623 00:32:56,120 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 2: guy in NBL history in our forty minute area out here. 624 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 2: Our league used to be forty eight minutes and it's 625 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 2: had some stretches where it's forty minutes. He's the only 626 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 2: guy in our league's history to have back to back 627 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 2: triple doubles in forty minute games. And that was it. 628 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 2: At that point, he was done, right, so my understanding is, 629 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 2: you know, there was a he had a bit of 630 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 2: a bone bruise in the foot, and you know, you 631 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 2: can kind of fill in the rest. I mean, he'd 632 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 2: put enough on on display for people to recognize what 633 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 2: he could do at the pro level. Is a combination 634 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 2: of the fact of, well, it's time to shut it 635 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 2: down in that regard, and also my understanding is that 636 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 2: the foot issue was legit, and so from there, why 637 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 2: risk it, you know, why come out and you know, 638 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 2: potentially re injure that and have a bit get any worse. 639 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 2: So at that point he shut it down, stayed around 640 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 2: for a while, and then you know, later in the season, 641 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 2: made his way back to the state. 642 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 3: Okay, and unfortunately I got to follow up on the horse. 643 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 3: We've been doing too much talking about horses on No Dunks. 644 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 3: But yeah, he named a horse Lamello, And you're telling 645 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:10,959 Speaker 3: me he's he's racing, so about to run? Okay, wow, 646 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:15,760 Speaker 3: that's run. Depending when we dropped this, he's LaMelo the horse. 647 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,800 Speaker 3: LaMelo all caps as either just run a race or 648 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 3: recently run a race. So yeah, tell us about LaMelo 649 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 3: the horse, not the basketball player. 650 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 2: Well, we don't have any form to go on. I 651 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 2: did tap and I did tap into my my colleague 652 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 2: Cam Luke, who's on MBL overtime with me, who is 653 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 2: a horse racing fiend and very good with the with 654 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 2: the form, great tips. Anyone wants to tap tap into 655 00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 2: camp Luke and I said, well, what's the go I mean, 656 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,799 Speaker 2: you know, should we put it? It says not a 657 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 2: strong field, so that there's a chance. He said, there's 658 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,840 Speaker 2: a chance. I actually might. I wouldn't finish last in 659 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 2: this race with the with the talent that's going to 660 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 2: be on this spy on the track. So but we'll say, 661 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 2: you see how it goes. Might beware of faver. 662 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: Better go each way is probably the best they leave. 663 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 3: Well, this was this was great to break down LaMelo Ball, 664 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,800 Speaker 3: not the horse, the actual the basketball player. And a 665 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 3: big thanks to one of our fans, Aaron Treble, who 666 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 3: suggested that we reach out to you to have this conversation. 667 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 3: And I just wanted to get one last question for you, 668 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 3: because you know, we're all sort of living in this 669 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 3: LaMelo Ball mystery world. We're all sort of we all 670 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 3: have our own opinions of him. How did fans, in 671 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 3: your opinion take to LaMelo ball in Australia. Did they 672 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:41,439 Speaker 3: enjoy his stay there? 673 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 2: Loved him, loved him. I mean obviously the you know, 674 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 2: the hard core fans when we're picking on the weaknesses 675 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,360 Speaker 2: in these game right and everyone, everyone wants to analyze 676 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:56,600 Speaker 2: what is his strengths and weaknesses. But the the real fan, 677 00:35:56,719 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 2: the genuine fans that fill the arenas. I mean, he 678 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 2: he builled the stands everywhere he went. Strangely enough, not 679 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 2: at home, not not in Illawara. They wasn't there. They 680 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 2: didn't come out game in game out, but he Sydney 681 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 2: and Perth and Brisbane and Melbourne. I mean they were 682 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 2: all sold out games when whenever he got there, everyone 683 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 2: he's you know, he's obviously a high profile kid with 684 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 2: a massive social media following and a lovely kid to 685 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 2: be honest, and when you talk to him, he's he's 686 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 2: not you know, a prima donna. You know, he's I 687 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,400 Speaker 2: was I was talking to someone there the other day 688 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 2: about and he was saying one of the things he 689 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:44,799 Speaker 2: thinks is a positive about LaMelo as a prospect is 690 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 2: you know, there's always that question mark about teenagers coming 691 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 2: into the NBA, NBA again, you know, an instant celebrity 692 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 2: status massive. You know, they're about to become a millionaire. 693 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:58,720 Speaker 2: How are they going to handle that thing? And he said, 694 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 2: this kid's been famous so long, he's already sick of it. Right. 695 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:05,879 Speaker 2: That's that sort of thing is not an issue with him. 696 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 2: Is very kind of down to earth in your interactions 697 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 2: with him the fans. The fans loved him and they 698 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 2: filled the stands everywhere he went, and you know, I 699 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 2: have great memories of his time here in the league. 700 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: So it sounds like that you sort of established a 701 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: bit of a relationship there with him too, you know, 702 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,439 Speaker 1: just being around him and covering him. And so did 703 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: you become you know, like did you get to know 704 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:29,520 Speaker 1: him a little bit more than just the basketball player? 705 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:34,399 Speaker 2: He took my money. He took my money. He came 706 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:40,280 Speaker 2: on our show before those Australia US games at Marvel 707 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 2: Stadium that you and I sat together and watched in 708 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:48,279 Speaker 2: the building, and I was confident that we were going 709 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 2: to give them a run for their money, and so 710 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 2: I kind of was out there so I think, you know, 711 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:54,759 Speaker 2: I think we're going to be competitive, and he and I, 712 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 2: J and everyone else on the panel were laughing at me, 713 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 2: and I think We had a bet about maybe seven 714 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 2: points or ten points, a bit of a line that 715 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,520 Speaker 2: we'd get in. We missed it by one point in 716 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:08,560 Speaker 2: the first game. We obviously won the second game, but 717 00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 2: the bet was for the first game. I put twenty 718 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,880 Speaker 2: bucks on the line. Next time I saw him a 719 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 2: few weeks later, he chased me down and wanted his 720 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 2: you're about to become a multim you're already a multi millionaires, 721 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 2: so give him my money. Yeah, he had a bit 722 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 2: of a laugh, and you know, like those kind of 723 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 2: interactions you speak to his teammates, Dan Greeter, I interviewed 724 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 2: him recently, one of his younger teammates. He said, Mate, 725 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,240 Speaker 2: it's just a great kid. I mean, we hung out. 726 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:42,880 Speaker 2: I was I obviously knew about the celebrity and the 727 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:47,759 Speaker 2: reality TV show and all those kind of elements of him, 728 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 2: But when he arrived, he said, I got I saw 729 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:54,960 Speaker 2: him on the floor at the training session and I 730 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 2: knew he was the real deal. And then hanging out 731 00:38:57,239 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 2: playing video games, you know, I knew that he was 732 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 2: a kind of a down to earth guard that we 733 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,120 Speaker 2: could get along with, so that they were all positive thing. 734 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: Hopefully, then when he does get drafted just before you 735 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 1: can scoop Adrian Wadronowski and you can maybe get the 736 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 1: inside lane as to where he's going. I don't know. 737 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: I mean I think there's a chance there for you 738 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:16,480 Speaker 1: to get a get a big story out there, isn't 739 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,360 Speaker 1: it Like at the watch Bum'll get the Santa Bob. 740 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:24,120 Speaker 2: I actually think my man Corey Homicide Williams has that. 741 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:27,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, he's got the line in the germains. 742 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 2: So keep you might want to put in my notification. 743 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:32,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, well I'll send I'll send him a message 744 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,799 Speaker 1: and see if we can do something up. But hey, listen, Liam, 745 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:38,280 Speaker 1: it's been a lot of fun talking to hearing about Lamello. 746 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: So thanks very much for your time and look forward 747 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,359 Speaker 1: to seeing how it all turns out for him. I mean, 748 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: you said Jason Kidd Magic Johnson, so that's where his 749 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: career is going to be. 750 00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:51,600 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on. 751 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:53,839 Speaker 1: Thanks very much to Liam for joining us, and thank 752 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 1: you to everyone out there listening. 753 00:39:55,760 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 4: See you next time, every day, and be happy every minute. 754 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 2: It's been so long that you're no one a way for. 755 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:15,320 Speaker 4: It's happened already. 756 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 3: It's gonna be good. 757 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:18,040 Speaker 2: Me