1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone. This is view from the Raptors. This is 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: good news. I would like to be a part of that. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: I could make it up and you'd be like, oh, yeah, 4 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: that sounds right right, just keep going. I believe Green 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: she'd probably have somebody look at that. All right. Our 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: latest episode, we've got Austin Age, assistant general manager of 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics. And Austin, we appreciate you coming on 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: first and foremost, but secondly, I want to find out 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: how the heck you wound up in this role with 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: the Boston Celtics, because your career it looks to me 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: like it could have gone a million different directions. You 12 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: were an assistant coach in college, then you were a 13 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: head coach and at that time the D League, Then 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: you become a scout and whatnot. So how did you 15 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: get to where you are today being the assistant general 16 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: manager of this team? Yeah? I mean, obviously I've played 17 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: growing up, and and I love the game and considered 18 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: a few things in college, and then I started exploring 19 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: some coaching stuff and actually my senior year of college, 20 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: we were on our way to play in the first 21 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: round of the n c A Tournament. Never forget. I 22 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: was on the bus and a good friend of mine 23 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: got the head coaching job at a small college in 24 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: in Utah, and he called and said, I want you 25 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 1: to come be my assistant. And I said, well, let's 26 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: let me go try to win a game first year 27 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: in the Insate tournament and then and then we'll talk 28 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: and uh and I ended up we ended up losing 29 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: unfortunately in that first round game against Savior, and UH. 30 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: About a week later, I called him and said, yeah, man, 31 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: I'm in. I want to get into coaching. And I 32 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: thought I'd have to do a video coordinator and manager 33 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: the camut of going up the up to yeah, and 34 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: to skip a few steps and be an assistant coach. 35 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: Um was great, So I jumped at it and um. 36 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: Funny story back then there was an April recruiting period 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: in for AU and I was in Las Vegas watching 38 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: AU games and I hadn't taken my finals yet, so 39 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: I was already head started. Yeah anyway, was it was 40 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: fun to jump right in and uh And then yeah, 41 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: I did some scouting, I did the up in Maine, 42 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: and I was going down this the coaching path. I 43 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: really wanted to coach. That what you wanted to do out. Yeah, 44 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: that was the first That was the first plan. Yeah, 45 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: do uh do some coaching? Um, it just seemed the 46 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: easiest way to stay involved in the game. Um. And 47 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: then the Celtics sets, some front office people leave, and 48 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: d A asked me to do some scouting for him 49 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: for a little while and just kind of stuck. So 50 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: you call him d A not d A D Yeah, 51 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: I was going to ask that, How long? Is that? 52 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: How it has to be? I mean, I'm actually interested 53 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: to hear this because obviously your father is Danny Age. 54 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: He's the president of basketball operations for the team. Um, 55 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: you work for him. Do you have to call him 56 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,399 Speaker 1: d A to kind of keep that that parent son 57 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: relationship out of the work environment? How do What are 58 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: the dynamics there? You know, I don't really know how 59 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: it started. Wasn't a conscious thing like KG and Tony Allen. 60 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: I always called him d A, and everyone around the 61 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: office call him d A. I started calling him d A. 62 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: I think my mom calls him d A about half 63 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: the time. You know, it's just it's way easier just 64 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: d A. So you started scouting. I mean, obviously part 65 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: of coaching in college is recruiting. But when did you 66 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: realize that you had a knack for discovering talent and 67 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: being able to see something that maybe others don't. When 68 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: I was coaching in Maine, I was young, still twenty seven, 69 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: I think when I first got that job, just being 70 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: around those players, and you know, in the G League 71 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: you have players coming in and out constantly, right, you 72 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: have just a rotating door and and uh, and so 73 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: you really get kind of an idea of how players 74 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: fit and what things work and what don't you know 75 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: in that environment. In it it's almost like speed dating, right, 76 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: you get you coach like fifty teams in two years 77 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: because it just changes so often. Um. At the same time, 78 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: during the summer, when I was coaching in Maine, I 79 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: would come back to Boston this summer and I would 80 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:12,119 Speaker 1: help with summer league draft workouts and just around all 81 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: of those players constantly. UM. You know that those kind 82 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: of gave me a lot of reps at the team 83 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: building side. Let's talk about how your path to where 84 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: you are. I guess having your dad be an NBA 85 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 1: basketball player, and from the moment you were born, you 86 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: were basically in the NBA. How did that affect the 87 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: way that you got to where you are today, Like, like, 88 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: is that what led you to b y U? Is 89 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: that what led you to the Celtics? Is that what 90 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: led you to want to be a coach? Because your 91 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: dad was a coach at a time, How did he 92 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: affect your path? Yeah, it's hard to know, Mark how 93 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: much all that affects you as a kid. I just 94 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: I knew I love to play, and I played all 95 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: the sports growing up. Um, I was a little bit 96 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: of a late bloomer. I was always a good player 97 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: kind of through elementary school and middle school. Hit and 98 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: everyone grew and I didn't, and h and football I 99 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: got I got beat up and quit football and baseball. 100 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: Those you know when the diamond extends. It felt really 101 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: long to me before I kind of hit my growth spurt. 102 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: But I could still shoot, So I stuck with basketball 103 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: a little more and then um, and then finally hit 104 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: my gross s Burton ends up being a pretty good 105 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: player in high school. Um, and that, you know, that 106 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: really helped. I just loved sports and competition. But yeah, 107 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: I was a ball boy all growing up. I grew 108 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: up in the locker room. I've got stories of you know, 109 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: Charles Barkley throwing me in the hotel. Here the stories 110 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: right now, what's your best story? Oh man? I mean 111 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: I I remember Charles Barkley handed me slips of paper 112 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: to run up to his his buddy to to make 113 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: NFL bets before the games. You know, giants plus three 114 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: legal to use use a young child to run your bets. 115 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure, I'm sure not. But this is Charles right, 116 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: He's above the rules. M I. You know, when I 117 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: was in high school, I couldn't be a ball boy 118 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: and the law because I was just playing so often. 119 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: But my dad was coaching the sons, and I would 120 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: play one on one with guys like Steve Nash when 121 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: he was a rookie after practice and and uh, you know, 122 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: I was around all the time and the dinner table, 123 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: and you know a lot of a lot of discussions. Um, 124 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: you know, finals, parades and heartbreak losses. You just grow 125 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: up around it. And and uh, you see these guys 126 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: all the time. How much did you beat Steve nashby? 127 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: Steve was really good? Steve was really good. I I got, 128 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: I got a couple of guys every now and again, 129 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: you know, But no, those those guys are in the 130 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: NBA for a reason, I do want to outline before 131 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: Evy asked her question, you did shoot forty seven plus 132 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: from three point range your senior year, so that this 133 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: is no joke, like you were a legit shooter, one 134 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: of the top shooters in the entire country. Yeah, I 135 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: could shoot. It was the defense side mark that that 136 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: limited my career. Okay, we can take the three. It 137 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: doesn't always have to be three in d That is 138 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: part of my question though. I mean, growing up the 139 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: stories about your father, Danny, and just how good he 140 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: is at sports, getting drafted in the NBA and baseball 141 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: and then football as well. He was a star back 142 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: in Oregon. What was it like in your household? And um, 143 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: how did Danny kind of instill is that competitive nature 144 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: that's just innate, I assume in all of you and 145 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: all of his kids, And what was it like growing 146 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: up in that house? Yeah, I mean, you know, there's 147 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: six of us. I'm second of six, and um, and 148 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: everyone came out a little different. Not everyone's you know, 149 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: the same level. But you know, we joke at my house. 150 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: Everyone asked me in my whole life because my dad 151 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: was known as kind of a fighter and a whiner 152 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: and a competitor, right, just hey, instigator, instigator, all those things, 153 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: and you know, hey, what's it like growing up with that? 154 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: He must be crazy at home? And he was the 155 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: chill one. My mom was the intense one. My mom 156 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: is the scrapper. Yeah. I think she still gets in 157 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: fights with ladies at tennis league, you know now. So 158 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: so yeah, it was, it was. It was a competitive household. 159 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, my my dad had no idea how to parent. 160 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: He his parenting was go outside with a stop watching 161 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: alright kids, you know, five dollars who can run the 162 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: mile the fastest? And he just sit in the chair, 163 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: and you know, that was how he did it, and 164 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: so we grew up doing that stuff. We're gonna take 165 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: a quick commercial break and come back right after this 166 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: to talk to Austin about what he does on a 167 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: daily basis for the Celtics and maybe a little bit 168 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: about player evaluation with the team as they go into 169 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: draft and trade deadline. We'll be back in the moment. 170 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: I know I've been waiting forever to get back into 171 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: TV Garden for a live Celtics game, and I know 172 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: you've been feeling the same way. So why not make 173 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: up for some lost time. Get in on all of 174 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: the action for next season by signing up for the 175 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: Celtics Season ticket member waitlist presented by American Express. Listen. 176 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: When you sign up, you'll get priority access to purchase 177 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: season ticket memberships for the two season once tickets become available. 178 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: So after you're done listening here, head on over to 179 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: Celtics dot com slash waitlist to sign up today and 180 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: you'll be back inside the garden in no time, helping 181 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: you boys grab a win. All right, we were just 182 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: in a commercial break and we had some breaking news 183 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: come out of Austin. Age here Austin. I tried to 184 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: lump you in with the b i A, which is 185 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: the basketball intelligence agency within the Celtics, And what what 186 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: did you say to us? Yeah, those that's the analytics nerds. 187 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: That's not me. I refused to be associated with them. 188 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: Now that's our little nickname for them, because they didn't 189 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: like our more derogatory nicknames. The nerds nicknames. Well, for 190 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: the people who haven't been able to get into the 191 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: Celtics facility, there's actually you know, when you look at 192 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: at the CIA insignia there there is actually a sign 193 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: that was created that is b I A. Inside the 194 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: Celtics office. It's actually pretty cool. So Basketball Intelligence Agency 195 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: is is made up by what Austin just said. I'm 196 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: not saying this, but what Austin just said is there 197 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: the basketball nerds. But we'll deviate from that. We're not 198 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: letting you off the hook. Mark you said it. No, 199 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: I'm just repeating your words. I'm just repeating your words, 200 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: all right. So then let's talk about what you do. 201 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: Apparently it's not the numbers, it's just the eye test. Yeah, 202 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: but take us through the day to day responsibilities of 203 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: what you're doing, because I know that. Um, if anyone 204 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: within the Celtics organization has a whole heck of a 205 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: lot of miles on their on their card from flying 206 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: around the world, it's you. Yeah, no, so we I 207 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: we watch a lot of basketball on film. That's really 208 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: the first thing we do. Especially in the last year. Obviously, Yeah, 209 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: trouble reduced you do that even more. But but we 210 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: were kind of a a video first and then go 211 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: see in person because we don't have a huge staff. Um, 212 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: but yeah, I'm I'm I do probably you know, in 213 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: in a non COVID year, probably a seventy percent of 214 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: my time in US doing college, NBA G League, and 215 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: then about internationally, you know, mostly Western Europe. Occasionally there's 216 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: some China or South America trips mixed in, but it's 217 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: mostly the European leagues. UM. And we have about seven 218 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: full time scouts watching people around the world, and my 219 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: job is making sure we're seeing all the right people 220 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: and gathering all the right information. Um. It's it's not 221 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 1: only watching on the court, right, it's talking to their coaches, trainers, 222 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: academic staff on what kind of kid they are. Um. 223 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: You're not allowed to talk to the actual player until 224 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: pretty late in the draft process, and so we collect 225 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: as much information as we can surrounding them leading up 226 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: to that. What are the challenges of scouting players around 227 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: the world, Because I would assume that you know that 228 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: that's kind of your area of expertise, right, Like, mostly 229 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: if you're going overseas to people out, you are going 230 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: to be the one the first one who goes to 231 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: take a look. Um. But talk about the challenges of 232 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: scouting players overseas because they're not playing in the same 233 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: structure of the n c A tournament or even playing 234 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: in the G League. It's different over there, and every 235 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: league probably has different rules depending on what country you're in, Yeah, 236 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: and different cotition. Yeah, the competition levels are are are 237 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: very different, right, and you need to understand the context 238 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: um that you're watching in there's you know, there's a 239 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: league in France that's the pro A, that's their number 240 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,839 Speaker 1: one league, right, and then there's pro B and then 241 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: there's something they call the espoa league which is for 242 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: younger players. Right, that's just France, and that you know, 243 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: in France the pro A and pro B isn't too different. 244 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: It's a little it's different, but it's not hugely different. 245 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: And then you'll go to the next country and their 246 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 1: top league to second league is you know, in Israel 247 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: the first division to the second division is a gulf. 248 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: There is a grand canyon between them, right, And so 249 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 1: those are just things that you learn over time, and 250 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: you once you watch a lot um, you know there 251 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: there are teams that play in Spain in one league. 252 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: For instance, you'll see Real Madrid and Barcelona who have big, 253 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 1: you know, soccer team budgets that they can do. They 254 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: will sign twelve players that all make a million dollars 255 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: and they'll play them all twenty minutes and no one 256 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: averages more than seven points. Right, and then you'll you'll 257 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: have a you'll have another team in that same Spanish 258 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: league with the way smaller budget that will sign you know, 259 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: one big scorer and he'll get to play thirty minutes 260 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: and he'll score twenty points a game, but he probably 261 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: isn't better than the guy scoring seven on Real Madrid. Right, 262 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: you have to just through like the minutia kind of 263 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: and figure out what means what exactly, and so there's 264 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: a lot of that um And then of course I've 265 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: had lots of experience of playing you know, across the 266 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: world and then driving three hours in the middle of 267 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,719 Speaker 1: Serbia and then the coach doesn't play the eighteen year 268 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: old you know that sit in the in the cafe 269 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 1: and have a drink. You do what you can. I mean, 270 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: you just you try to see him at practice the 271 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: next day, or you know. I used to call it 272 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: ahead and talk to everyone before, and I've since kind 273 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: of realized sometimes it's better just to surprise them. They 274 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: sometimes they want to keep the kid, they don't want 275 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: you to draft them, and they won't play him if 276 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: you show up. So sometimes I'll just buy a ticket 277 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: outside for twenty euros and sneak in the side and 278 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: not tell anyone, Right, So you just kind of got 279 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: to learn. That's what we call that that comes from experience. 280 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: Do you, as a scout in your process, have to 281 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: lay eyes on a guy before you will put a 282 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: report together or before you will vouch for him. I 283 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: really really prefer it. I really feel uncomfortable investing millions 284 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: of dollars in kids without seeing them in person. There's 285 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: just something that, you know, just makes you feel more 286 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: confident when you get to really, you know, see their 287 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: their game and their athleticism and size. You know. But 288 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: but video is really good now. Um, it's so much 289 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: better than even when I started thirteen years ago. We 290 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: have high definition video for every league in the world. 291 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: I mean, they're streaming high school games now, right. It's 292 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: not hard to to get lots of good video on guys. 293 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: I mean it used to be you know, DVDs of terrible, 294 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: grainy footage from Croatian junior leagues, right, and it was impossible. 295 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: So I do feel better now, abby, But um, but 296 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: I still would much rather see them in person a 297 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: few times for the for the top kids, if not, 298 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: you know, five or ten. Can you kind of take 299 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: us inside the process and you guys have a relatively 300 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: small run office with yourself Mike Zarin along with d 301 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: A and and what kind of information you're gathering pieces 302 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: of data to create the whole picture? Right? How do 303 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: you where do you place weights, how do you balance 304 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: all of the different information? How much how do you 305 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: gather the off the court stuff as well? And and 306 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: what are those discussions like when it does come down 307 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: to the time to make decisions, you start with the 308 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: easy stuff, which is the physical tools. Right, That's a 309 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: that's a good starting place. Can this person physically compete 310 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: with NBA players? Right? Size, length, athleticism, strength, wingspan, lest 311 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: you know these types of basics which you know I 312 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: I tell our scouts like, you should have that done 313 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: in the layoup line. Right, You've got that part done, 314 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: and then the game starts and you you know you've 315 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: got skill, right, drible pass shoot shooting form is obviously huge, 316 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: you know in the today's NBA and every in every 317 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: era of NBA shooting huge skills. We spend a lot 318 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: of time analyzing that and then um, you know, you 319 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: go to the next stuff like feel for the game 320 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: and you see the game, anticipate, see passes, see switches, 321 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: react correctly in transition. But you know, loose ball, rebounding, 322 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 1: all that stuff. And then and then you go deeper 323 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: to the character, to the um competitiveness, the off court habits. 324 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: Do they get their sleep at night, do they treat 325 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: their teammates well, listen to their coaches, you know, go 326 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: to class on time, these types of things that you know, 327 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: we just we just talked to people around them to 328 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: find out. And then how much weight do you put 329 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 1: on all of that? Is it when it comes down 330 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: to draft time and you guys are putting together your board, Um, 331 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: how is that organized? And is it? Is it basically 332 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: just you, Danny and Mike in there along with Wick 333 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: and I know Brad has input as well. No, I 334 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: mean Dave Lewins our director of scouting, He's a huge 335 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: part of what we do. We have Mimi Coo Field, 336 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: Jake Eastman are our scouts with us, and then our 337 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 1: b i A that I was teasing before, are a 338 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: huge part of it there in every meeting with us. 339 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: And they have models and things looking at players in 340 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: their production and you know they'll take you know, the 341 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: last twenty years of college data plus some other fancy 342 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: stuff that we have, UM, and they will use that 343 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: to try to project, you know, who the best players are, 344 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: what types of players or statistical profiles end up doing 345 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: well in the in the NBA, right, Um. And there's 346 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: all sorts of things we do along those lines, and 347 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: we try to just marry it all and and abby 348 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: it's not you know, we try to make it as 349 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: scientific as possible, but in the end it's it's art 350 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: um because it's you know, how do you Three assistant 351 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: coaches said, the kids a great kid and competitive, and 352 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: one coach said, yeah, he's a little lazy. And you know, 353 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: we just missed three weight periods. You you know, you're yeah, 354 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: I'm sharing trivial details, but sometimes there are more substantial, 355 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: you know, disagreements between people around them in their life. 356 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: And how we judge all of that is certainly not 357 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: easy to do. Yeah, is that one of the hardest 358 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: things to judge is heart character, I mean competitiveness. I 359 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: would say, Um, competitiveness is pretty easy. I think off 360 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: court life and off court habits are a little bit harder. 361 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: It's just most of the time we're dealing with nineteen 362 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: and twenty year olds and they're not fully formed, they're 363 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: just figuring themselves out. And um, you know, we remember 364 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: joking with Doc Rivers, Um, you know, his son Austin 365 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: was obviously an elite player in high school and college 366 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: and in the draft, And we're sitting there going, if 367 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 1: there's anyone we know better than anyone, it's going to 368 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: be Austin Rivers, right, Like you know, Docs known him 369 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: his whole lot, you know, and we know what type 370 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: of person is, and projecting him is still really hard, right, Like, 371 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: you know so much about him, and it's still really difficult. 372 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: So you know, it's obviously that much harder with with 373 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: kids you barely know or have watched for just a 374 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: couple of years. So it's it's not easy to know 375 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 1: how nineteen year olds will handle millions of dollars and 376 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: lots of fame and lots of pressure. Do you have 377 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: a go to question when you're interviewing guys? Not really. 378 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: We've we've gone through so many iterations of the draft 379 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: interview in my time here, and we didn't find any 380 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: special tricks or anything that we felt really worked. So 381 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: we just try to get to know him and have 382 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 1: a conversation just like you would with anyone at a 383 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: business lunch that you're meeting for the first time. We 384 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: let them ask us some questions, and you know, we 385 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: we probably have one or two or three things for 386 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: each kid that we have. You know, one of tar 387 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 1: Get in that interview writes with through our background information, 388 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 1: we want to hear their version of things. Um. I 389 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: remember Peyton Pritchard. Um, we had heard from someone that 390 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: he maybe not is not the most vocal leader for 391 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 1: a point guard, right, And we asked him, you know, hey, 392 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 1: we heard your little quieter and and Peyton got mad, 393 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: who said that that was not me. I'm I you know, 394 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: I'm a leader all that, you know, And I love that. 395 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 1: I love that about Peyton. It was, it was, It 396 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: was great. We love that he got a little hot 397 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: and he was talking behind my back. I like it, 398 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: see a little fire in him. Yeah, we we love that. 399 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: Is that the d A d A takes him to 400 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: Chipotle or Chick fil A, which is you know, high class, 401 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: high class. We know how to recruit. Our finance group 402 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: will appreciate that. I know that for sure. But in 403 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: talking about that entire scouting process, the one thing that 404 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: always stands out to me is that, like, you guys 405 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 1: basically are kind of doing investing aid of journalism on 406 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: these guys. I mean you I remember I think it 407 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: was Grant Williams told me that he found out that 408 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: you talked to one of his like elementary or high 409 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: school teachers or something that you found out through the 410 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: back channels, like they talked to her or him, And 411 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: he's like, well, what, it's crazy. How how deep you 412 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:22,959 Speaker 1: guys dig? But yeah, yeah, everyone said that right of teachers. 413 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: Probably what is the process of even acquiring those people's 414 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: contact information because it can't be easy to like drill 415 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 1: down that deep. And then my follow up on that is, 416 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: how do you then put that into your final report? 417 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: Um that that you're gonna a low because I know 418 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 1: those reports need to be brief. Yeah, I mean most 419 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: most of the time we don't dig quite that deep. Um, 420 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: we just haven't found it super useful, right, Like most 421 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: of the time, if you're if you're going back to 422 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: middle school or something, it's like they've changed so much 423 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: since then, you know, I mean think of all of us, 424 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: Think of all of us from sixteen to nineteen, right 425 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: the nineteen year old information is a little more perfect. Um, 426 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: so we we we usually stick to the last couple 427 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: of years before the draft. Um. The rest we haven't 428 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: found as useful. But you know, Google is a powerful thing. Mark, 429 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: what do you not hacking database? We're just you know, 430 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 1: it's not that hard. Most of these kids have articles 431 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: written about them. You know, they were all stars in 432 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: their in their towns and high schools and and it's 433 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: not that hard. You know, with the Celtic temail address, 434 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: people get back to you pretty quick. So, Austin, is 435 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 1: there one guy who sticks out to you? Um? I 436 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: was listening to Ryan McDonald speak with my colleague Chris 437 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: Warsburg recently and he tells the story about Rajon Rondo 438 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: as a guy who he really fought for inside the 439 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: war room. Is there someone a player that sticks out 440 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: for you that you were very high on that maybe 441 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: you had to work hard to convince others and it 442 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: worked out. Don't say it if that person didn't pan out. No, 443 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: I mean, look, I that's that's yeah, that's the scouting. Uh. 444 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 1: That's the joke amongst all NBA front offices is that 445 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 1: you know, all the successes were my idea and all 446 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: the you know, all the failures were either the coach 447 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: didn't use him right or were the owner right, that's 448 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: who you blame. But no, I I don't love to 449 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 1: share those stories, to be honest, guys, just because it's 450 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: it's such a huge team effort and and I don't 451 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: want to. I'm not trying to escape it necessarily, but 452 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: it really is messy. I mean, this is how it goes. 453 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: I mean, imagine I I go see a kid um 454 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: in November, you know, first first game of the year, 455 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: and I went to see him. I happen to be there, 456 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 1: and I come back and I text the group and 457 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: our you know, in our slack or group text and say, hey, 458 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: this kid is pretty good. We should watch him, right. 459 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: And then a month later he's got enough data where 460 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: our BIA comes back and says, hey, he's showing up 461 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: pretty good. This kid is pretty good, you know. And 462 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: then another one of my scouts goes and says, yeah, 463 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: he's good. And then I go and I go, he 464 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: had a terrible game, and I go, oh, maybe he's not. 465 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: Maybe he's struggling, you know, And he has a couple 466 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 1: of bad games, and we change our minds and then 467 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: we go back to him, and we have probably five 468 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: thousand hours of discussions on these kids, and everyone's changed 469 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: their mind two or three times. And then at the 470 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 1: end you come and I had him tenth, and another 471 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,680 Speaker 1: guy had him fourth, and another guy had him fourteen, 472 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 1: and it's like, how do you how do you separate 473 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: all of that? It's just it really is a group 474 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: effort and it's all very messy, um and uh and 475 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: really it's we got a lot of smart people and 476 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: they all they all help us to make the best 477 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: decisions we can. And the crazy part about that is 478 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: that all of that kind of lands on Danny Ainge, 479 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: Like he has to pass through you guys have to 480 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: pass through all of the information about the players, and 481 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 1: then he has to pass through all of the information 482 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: that you guys give him about those players. It's got 483 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: to be such a tough job to be able to, 484 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: like you said, as someone's fourth, tenth or fourteenth on 485 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: three different boards within the same group of you guys 486 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: in the basketball group. He has to figure out where 487 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: that person lands as a whole. Um but interesting to 488 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: basically argue all year, Mark, that's pretty much what we do. 489 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: We just argue. But it's fun It's like it's basketball arguments, right. 490 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: You can't say no to that. This is what you 491 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 1: grew up with and continue staff. That's that's what everyone 492 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: loves about our staff is that the interns all the 493 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: way up to d A, we all can voice our 494 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 1: opinions strongly and it is fun and he listens. That's 495 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: that's what I have heard. He he is more willing 496 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: to listen to everyone else's opinions and not just stick 497 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 1: to his own guns. Um then maybe the majority of 498 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: the gms around the league. But all right, cool. So 499 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: we're talking about player evaluation, and in our next segment, 500 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: we're going to talk specifically about Aaron E. Smith the 501 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: Payne Pritchard and how the Celthics did a couple of 502 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: home runs with these two picks in the draft. Will 503 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 1: be right back. We're all in the same boat when 504 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: it comes to trying to come up with great gift 505 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: ideas for birth as, anniversaries, graduations and every other occasion. 506 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: We're all looking for something unique, and now the Celtics 507 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: have you covered. The team's official digital gift cards provide 508 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,680 Speaker 1: flexibility and allow you to treat your favorite sees fans 509 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: two tickets without even having to worry about which games 510 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: will fit their schedule. Just choose your gift card value 511 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: and your recipient can choose their preferred game and their 512 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: preferred seat location. It's that simple. So head on over 513 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: to Celtics dot com slash gift cards and grab one today, 514 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:30,440 Speaker 1: and don't forget to tell your recipient to thank me 515 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 1: for sending you over there. We've been talking about player evaluation, 516 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: and now it's talked, it's time to talk about specific 517 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: player evaluation with who the Celtics wound up with last 518 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 1: season in the draft. So Aaron Ni Smith comes in 519 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 1: at number fourteen, Peyton Pritchard comes in at number twenty six. Austin, 520 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 1: I just want you to take me inside the war 521 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: room and kind of give us, um your remembrance and 522 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: how you remember that entire night unfolding leading up to 523 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: that for teenth pick when you wound up putting in 524 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: that selection for Aaron Nee Smith. What was going on 525 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: in those moments before? Oh man? Um, I mean, we 526 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: we do most of our draft deliberations, you know, earlier 527 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: in the day, right, we kind of have our board set. 528 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: Draft night is mostly about trade calls you're getting constantly, 529 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: and Um, I mean you the phone's just ringing, You're 530 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:30,199 Speaker 1: getting texts, and it's it's madness. It's wild. But but 531 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: that want in that room so badly. Yeah, I want 532 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 1: to be in that room so badly. I know I 533 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to write a thing about it or 534 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 1: talk about it, but I just want to be in there. 535 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: Some some years it's five million decisions. Some years it's 536 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: like five. It just it just depends on what's going on. 537 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: But this, this particular draft was very very wild. Lots 538 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: going on. Um. But you know, unfortunately I can't share 539 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: all all those trade offers coming in. But but but no, 540 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: we we had, we had settled on Aaron um as 541 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: pretty high on our board U coming in into that, 542 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: which was hard. It was hard to come to that 543 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: Aaron was a little bit you know, less known to 544 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: us compared to Peyton for instance. Um, Aaron had kind 545 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: of a you know it just an okay freshman year. 546 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: We could see his length and athleticism and you know, 547 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: he shot okay his freshman year, but nothing spectacular. And 548 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: then his sophomore year he comes out and has an 549 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: amazing first fourteen games, but against a pretty weak schedule, 550 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: and then he gets hurt and has done for the year. 551 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: And uh, and so that made it that made it hard. 552 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: It was it was really yeah, it was a little 553 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: less you know, information than we have on a lot 554 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: of guys. Um. So we you know, we made a 555 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: bunch of calls on him and and just got sparkling 556 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: reviews for his character and work ethic and got nothing 557 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: but great things about him, which is huge for us, right. 558 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: We we believe in that stuff that kids that work 559 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: hard and have the dedication will continue to improve. And 560 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: uh and and then I you know, I got a 561 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 1: chance to fly down and see him work out at 562 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: his high school gym in Charleston, Um, kind of late 563 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: in the process. Um. And then you know, the other 564 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: part with Aaron was he had foot surgery after he 565 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: got injured. And that's uh, you know, you bring in 566 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: your whole medical staff to review all the records and 567 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: you get all the scans, and um, we weren't able 568 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: to evaluate him in person medically, so you've got to 569 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: rely on all other doctors and tests, and so you know, 570 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: there's there's always you've got a bit of a lump 571 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: in your throat worried about that stuff. Because every doctor 572 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 1: could have a different opinion as we all know, as 573 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: we've all gone through, oh for sure, and and you 574 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: know it's it's you do the best you can. But 575 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,479 Speaker 1: the medical stuff is an educated guest, just like the 576 00:30:54,520 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 1: talent evaluation. I'll never forget um O our r Tony Schenna. 577 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: After the draft, we flew eron him the next day 578 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 1: and Tony got a chance to sit down and evaluate him, 579 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: get hands on him and review things once again. And 580 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: he came up to me and goes, looks good. He 581 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: looks good. I feel I feel even better now. But 582 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: he was he was feeling the heat on that one 583 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: himself because he gave us the green light um to 584 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: go for it, which we were excited about it. But 585 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: it sounds like there was a little yellow in that 586 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: green light though he wasn't quite sure until he saw 587 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: him in Yeah, I know. He felt much better after 588 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: in person than he did before. And so anyway, it 589 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 1: was it was kind of a funny moment, as is 590 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: that because of the pandemic that he couldn't go see 591 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: him or typically like, well, Tony, see everyone who you 592 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: have high on your list. Yeah. So most of the 593 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: time the team doctors all go to the NBA combine 594 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: and there's this giant room where the doctors rotate around 595 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: and can evaluate these players and all take notes together, 596 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: and it's this big kind of crazy there's two days 597 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: of medical stuff, right and they'll you know, hey, we 598 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: could you know, we need some scans on this, I'm 599 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: worried about this, we want an m r I on this, 600 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: and you know, they'll order those things and so you 601 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: can get a lot done in the combine in a 602 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: normal year. And then um, and then we will fly 603 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: guys in for draft workouts and the doctor will be 604 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: able to do you know, some movement tests, you know, 605 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: talk to the player about what they're experiencing with their 606 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: medical history and and also look at images. Um. And 607 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 1: then there there are sometimes where you know, agents and 608 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: players will go, sorry, you have the tenth pick, he's 609 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: going in the top three. We don't want you to 610 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 1: have his medical information. Or you have a starting point 611 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: guard and we don't want this point guard to be 612 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: drafted by you guys, so we're not sharing the medical information. 613 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: And so there's there's there's some negotiating sometimes with that, which, 614 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: by the way, some of some of these angles that 615 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: have been taken on things like that oh, we don't 616 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: want him to be drafted by your team. Look at 617 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Right, Originally people thought, oh, 618 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: these players shouldn't want to go into a team that's 619 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: competing and that's kind of stacked with talent that can 620 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: go to the conference finals. Well look what it did 621 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: for those two guys, right, they have been established in 622 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: the league. It feels like they've been in the league 623 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: for ten years already playing at a high level because 624 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: they came into a competitive team. But I digress. Um, 625 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: let's talk about Aaronni Smith a little bit more. And 626 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: I do want to point out four pick a couple 627 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: of years in a row. I thought those fourteenth overall 628 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 1: picks were gonna wind up in the top five. So 629 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 1: no help from Sacramento in Memphis trying to get those 630 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: high lottery picks. But we we wind up at number fourteen. 631 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 1: And I know you said that you as a group 632 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: were high on aaron Nie Smith. But you see Haliburton 633 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: go at number twelve, You see Kyra Lewis go at 634 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: number thirteen, Like, what's the process of you guys kind 635 00:33:57,760 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: of reading the tea leaves as that stuff goes, and 636 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: you like God, I hope he doesn't go thirteen. I 637 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 1: hope you know, what is it like in the war 638 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 1: room as that pick is coming up? Yeah, I mean 639 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,440 Speaker 1: all of us every year have kind of different tiers 640 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: of guys. Right, You've got all right, these first five 641 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: I would love to have, and then the next four 642 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: six to ten I can't really distinguish between. I'd be 643 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 1: happy with any of them. And then there's a big 644 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: drop off, right or or or maybe the drop off 645 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: for you happens between after sixteen players and you have 646 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: and you hope one of those sixteen just slides to you, right. Um, 647 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,360 Speaker 1: you know you're you're always playing those games, trying to guess, 648 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: and you know, we call around the league and talk 649 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: to agents, try to see where guys are going to 650 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: go beforehand, but you never really know. Um, there's always surprises, 651 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: especially you know after the first couple of picks, there's 652 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: always it's always a surprise, um. And so you you 653 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,239 Speaker 1: just just try to stay ready, um and listen, listen 654 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 1: to the trade calls as they come and trying to 655 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 1: make a decision on the spot or draft the guy 656 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 1: you want. And um, no, we were we were thrilled 657 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: to get Aaron UM is age and length and athleticism 658 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: and character combination, UM we think are special. And I 659 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 1: talked to Brad yesterday about Aaron E. Smith and he said, 660 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: one of the spots is his basically in this playoff rotation, 661 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: He's like it is his. He has taken it. UM. 662 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,320 Speaker 1: Some of the other positions are still open for debate. 663 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: I'm going into going into the playoffs. But how enjoyable 664 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 1: has it been for you to see where he has 665 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 1: come to at this point in his rookie season as 666 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: compared to where he was at first. Brad was also 667 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: saying that during training camp it was like Aaronnie Smith 668 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,560 Speaker 1: was playing just as hard, but he was so much 669 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: slower and didn't understand the game at that point that 670 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: he was worried he was going to cause injuries for 671 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 1: the other players on the team. Yeah. I mean, you know, 672 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 1: you guys can imagine, UM, you expect your rookies, especially 673 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 1: a guy like Aaron Like I said, who who had 674 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: foot surgery after fourteen games only and hadn't played in 675 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,720 Speaker 1: eleven months. Yeah, I didn't get to do summer league, 676 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: very abbreviated training camp and and preseason stuff right, Normally, 677 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,239 Speaker 1: they those guys get so much more time, and he 678 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 1: was already a little more on the raw side, right, 679 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 1: So you know all that logical, and we have these 680 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: meetings and we talked like, hey, we got to be 681 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 1: patient with these rookies because it was a tough year. 682 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,239 Speaker 1: And then training camp starts and Aaron's just running around 683 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: and was not good. He was not good and uh, 684 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: and you're just going even though you logically no, it's 685 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 1: it's hard not to go, what did we do? You know, 686 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:42,880 Speaker 1: you don't really you don't. You don't vocalize that, and 687 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: of course you don't act rashly, but but you know, 688 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 1: you can't help to have those feelings and emotions pop 689 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: up a little bit. It's it's way more fun when they, 690 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: you know, dominate summer league in the great name in 691 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 1: the training camp. Right. Um, but Aaron's credit, the kids 692 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 1: just works and works and works, I mean every day. 693 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 1: And he kept his confidence even though he wasn't making 694 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:09,320 Speaker 1: shots and was playing too fast and was getting lost 695 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 1: a little bit out there. A game was just moving 696 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: too fast for him. And uh, and he you know, 697 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:17,360 Speaker 1: keeping your confidence is hard. It's hard. It's it's you. 698 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: You you're the fourteenth pick. You have been great at 699 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 1: every level, and you expect success and it doesn't happen 700 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:25,920 Speaker 1: right away, and it's you can get down on yourself. 701 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,520 Speaker 1: And he just kept working and staying positive and it's 702 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 1: just been it's been so fun to watch him have 703 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 1: some success. Uh, the last couple of weeks, he's just 704 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: been playing awesome. Tommy Hindson needs to say that all 705 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 1: the time. The first step and the hardest step is 706 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,399 Speaker 1: to believe that you belong and then once you have that, 707 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,319 Speaker 1: you can build off of it. But when it comes 708 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 1: to Nie Smith, just specifically and especially I mean in 709 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 1: his rookie season he played I think you know for 710 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 1: ten games and then sat for kind a bunch of 711 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,240 Speaker 1: d n P s after that, and then now obviously 712 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 1: has really kind of, Um, come on, and like you 713 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 1: guys are talking about figured out the speed of the game. Um, 714 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 1: what conversations do you guys have? And I know Danny 715 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:13,320 Speaker 1: is always very hands off, but with Brad and talking 716 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 1: about development and um, not necessarily how do you use guys, 717 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: But hey, you want to get air in a few 718 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 1: more minutes in there, I think you could really use 719 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 1: that experience. Yeah, I mean we talked about these things 720 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:26,800 Speaker 1: all the time, right, Um, And you know there's times 721 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 1: in the season where, um, you know there's there's not 722 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 1: clear cut answers. Guys have not jumped up and just 723 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,840 Speaker 1: earned minutes. Right. There's always five or six guys that 724 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 1: are playing great, and then you know the next three 725 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,319 Speaker 1: or four in your rotation. You know, some years it's like, hey, 726 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,720 Speaker 1: these guys have earned it and it's set and it's easy. 727 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: In other years it's it's tough. It's tough. You've got separation. 728 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,359 Speaker 1: I don't have a lot of separation all the time, 729 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 1: and this year you don't have G league to to 730 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,280 Speaker 1: send young guys to go get a couple of games 731 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: so they could stay fresh, right. Um, So it was 732 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: it was hard, and we we had those discussions all 733 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 1: the time. But we're also trying to win and and 734 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:10,839 Speaker 1: so you can't just give charity minutes when you're when 735 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: you're trying to win, and we've had an up and 736 00:39:12,719 --> 00:39:15,839 Speaker 1: down season and every game matters, and it's hard to 737 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:18,880 Speaker 1: just give rookies minutes if they haven't earned him. And Aaron, 738 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:23,280 Speaker 1: like we talked about, he earned chances with his work 739 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 1: ethic and his energy, but he wasn't you know, making 740 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 1: enough shots and he was making too many mistakes early on, 741 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 1: and that's just part of it. And you watch film 742 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:36,040 Speaker 1: and you do more work, and you know, and then 743 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 1: you wait a little while and give him another chance, 744 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 1: and uh, until he was ready and and he's proven 745 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 1: he's ready now and and uh we're thrilled. And the 746 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:47,839 Speaker 1: crazy part of it is that at the exact opposite 747 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 1: end of the spectrum you've got Peyton Pritchard, who you 748 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: wind up with the number twenty six. This guy, he 749 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:56,600 Speaker 1: he doesn't play since what was it March I think 750 00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:58,399 Speaker 1: was the last time he had played in a game. 751 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 1: He gets drafted a week to two weeks later, he's 752 00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: in training camp, He's playing in NBA games by December. 753 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 1: And the kid just walks right in and plays at 754 00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 1: a high level. How how has he done this? Yeah? 755 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 1: Peyton is first of all, he's he's an incredible worker also, Um, 756 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 1: but he just is such an experienced player. I mean, 757 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,640 Speaker 1: four state championships in high school, you know, high level 758 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:27,080 Speaker 1: AU program, and then four year starter in college, packed 759 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 1: twelve player of the year. Right, the guy has been 760 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:32,320 Speaker 1: through a lot of minutes with the ball in his hands. 761 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: He knows what to do and um, and Yeah, he 762 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:40,359 Speaker 1: walked in with NBA range. I I have to I 763 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 1: think it was his agent. He has. His agent told 764 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:45,799 Speaker 1: me on draft night he's already packed, like he's ready. 765 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: I said, hey, we need you know, we need to 766 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,919 Speaker 1: fly him in early because we got a COVID test 767 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: for get on. Oh no, he's packed. He's been packed 768 00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:54,640 Speaker 1: for a week. Like the guy's ready. You know, he's 769 00:40:54,680 --> 00:41:00,440 Speaker 1: been been making ball handling videos and his girl and 770 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,040 Speaker 1: all sorts of stuff that the kid, the kid was 771 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 1: ready to go. And Peyton's the type that he wears 772 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 1: our poor coaches out rebounding for him. He wants to 773 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 1: shoot before and after and early mornings and late at nights. 774 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: They need to get home to their families, and Peyton 775 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 1: still wants to shoot. So it's it's great, we love that, 776 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: But again, going into that war room, like guards were 777 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:24,799 Speaker 1: chosen in the two positions before him at twenty four, 778 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:28,120 Speaker 1: and you very likely could have not wind up with 779 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:30,359 Speaker 1: this kid who really looks like a keeper long term 780 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:32,760 Speaker 1: and looks like he was a professional from the moment 781 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: he walked in the door. So again I'm gonna ask 782 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 1: you take us inside those moments leading up to that pick, 783 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 1: Like how did you wind up with this guy at 784 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 1: who can just walk into an NBA game with barely 785 00:41:45,719 --> 00:41:49,360 Speaker 1: any preparation and look like he belongs. Peyton was a 786 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 1: guy that we had circled that we thought was going 787 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 1: to be there. The mock drafts had him later Um, 788 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:00,240 Speaker 1: we actually you know, heard from a couple other teams 789 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:03,560 Speaker 1: later on after the draft they said, oh, we were 790 00:42:04,239 --> 00:42:06,720 Speaker 1: taking him, you know, the next couple of picks or whatever. 791 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:08,960 Speaker 1: And so we were, you know, we we thought we 792 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,120 Speaker 1: were higher on him than other teams, but I'm not 793 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:13,759 Speaker 1: sure that that was true um in the end, but 794 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 1: we we had him circled, and UM, I remember last 795 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,560 Speaker 1: year d A went out to the Pack twelve tournament 796 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 1: and came back just raven about the about Peyton and 797 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 1: m and was really high on him. It's just his 798 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:30,759 Speaker 1: toughness and and uh, all that he brings to the game. 799 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:34,080 Speaker 1: And so he's been a guy we've followed um for 800 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:36,759 Speaker 1: a long time and uh, and we're fans of But no, 801 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: we were thrilled that he felt to us and and 802 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: uh we we had a feeling he'd be you know, 803 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: pretty ready from day one. He was a polished guy. 804 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:47,880 Speaker 1: Picture d A with the fifth bump after r J 805 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:54,320 Speaker 1: throwing Oregon on there, he's just he's extra excited. We 806 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: we pretty much know that he's gonna skew towards guys 807 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:01,040 Speaker 1: who played in Oregon that just college, but high school, 808 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,840 Speaker 1: and so we we we try to temper those things. 809 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:09,200 Speaker 1: But with Peyton, it's great, it's warranted, that's right. How 810 00:43:09,239 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: do you balance Austin um And you talked about it. 811 00:43:12,239 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: Peyton has played so much basketball and have the ball 812 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:17,480 Speaker 1: in his hands for so long, but um, it's a 813 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,359 Speaker 1: constant debate. It feels like between guys with experience and 814 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 1: who came played four years of college versus a Jason 815 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:27,480 Speaker 1: Tatum who played you know, eleven games, I mean Carrier 816 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,000 Speaker 1: having played eleven games, but Jason was just the one season. 817 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:33,400 Speaker 1: How do you balance that? And and in your evaluation, 818 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's you know, it's educated guess as 819 00:43:37,239 --> 00:43:39,800 Speaker 1: we try to get as much information as we possibly 820 00:43:39,880 --> 00:43:43,520 Speaker 1: can and uh and and make the best decision with 821 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:46,600 Speaker 1: guys who played very little college. You just have to 822 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:49,080 Speaker 1: go back to more high school films, you know, and 823 00:43:49,600 --> 00:43:52,160 Speaker 1: go back to most of these guys you see play 824 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:56,839 Speaker 1: in high schools, all star stuff. Peyton Pritchard played two 825 00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 1: times in the Nike Hoops something for instance, right, Jayson 826 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:02,720 Speaker 1: Tatum and all of those the whole All Star Circuit 827 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:05,879 Speaker 1: Team USA, all those things, right, so we we watch 828 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:09,399 Speaker 1: all of those things, um, because we're scared of that 829 00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:13,200 Speaker 1: top kid who comes in and gets hurt or um. 830 00:44:13,239 --> 00:44:15,960 Speaker 1: You know, if you remember Darius Basilely didn't chose not 831 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:20,319 Speaker 1: to go to college, or Dante Exum from Australia just 832 00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:22,880 Speaker 1: played a couple of games that there's been all sorts 833 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:26,440 Speaker 1: of these. Emmanuel Moodier went to China and then played 834 00:44:26,440 --> 00:44:28,279 Speaker 1: some games that got hurt and didn't put You know, 835 00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:31,520 Speaker 1: you just have to try to get the information early 836 00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:36,400 Speaker 1: in case one of these things happened. And so you 837 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:39,480 Speaker 1: wind up with Peyton Pritchard. He walks in and plays 838 00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:41,520 Speaker 1: at a high level from the very start. And at 839 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:44,040 Speaker 1: this point, you know, we're I'm gonna date us here. 840 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:46,400 Speaker 1: Someone's listening to this months and months down the line. 841 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,120 Speaker 1: But Peyton Pritchard has a chance to set the all 842 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:53,839 Speaker 1: time three pointers made for a rookie season in Celtics history. 843 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 1: The person who holds that that record is Jayson Tatum. 844 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:00,040 Speaker 1: But Tatum played double the minutes during that season, so 845 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:02,800 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say I think. I think as a rookie, 846 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:06,399 Speaker 1: Peyton Pritchard is the three point king in Celtics history. Um. 847 00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:08,719 Speaker 1: But and you spoke about his work ethic. I know 848 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:11,239 Speaker 1: that has a lot to do with the success that 849 00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:13,040 Speaker 1: he's seeing on the court right now. And the same 850 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:15,520 Speaker 1: thing for Aaron Eema. Take us into the hour back 851 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:18,000 Speaker 1: center and what you see out of these guys as 852 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:20,359 Speaker 1: young rookies who are are looking to make their name 853 00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:24,040 Speaker 1: in the NBA. Yeah, I mean they put in tons 854 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:26,319 Speaker 1: and tons of tons they do, they really do. And 855 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 1: neither Aaron nor Peyton have played you know, big big minutes. 856 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 1: You know, they're not in the thirty minutes of game 857 00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:37,919 Speaker 1: every night mode right now, And so we allow them 858 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:39,959 Speaker 1: to get a little extra work. You know, the guys 859 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:42,600 Speaker 1: who play a lot need to rest more and uh, 860 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:46,319 Speaker 1: and so they just they're here first and you see 861 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: them with their individual coaches just shooting thousands of shots 862 00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:54,760 Speaker 1: and going over defensive coverages and reads and individual film work. 863 00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:57,480 Speaker 1: It's it's, uh, it's awesome. But yeah, I mean Peyton 864 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:01,800 Speaker 1: from I mean they one or day two of training camp, 865 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:05,479 Speaker 1: you know, Brad. I remember we share our office here 866 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:10,160 Speaker 1: next next to each other. Anything. He doesn't want you 867 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:11,920 Speaker 1: to want to know. He just remember he just opened 868 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:14,239 Speaker 1: my door and said, Peyton might be ready to go, 869 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:18,040 Speaker 1: you know, from from the get go, and uh and 870 00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:20,439 Speaker 1: he sure looked like it from from first day camp. 871 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:25,160 Speaker 1: The action do you take in that moment being having 872 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:27,839 Speaker 1: made those decisions and then um, seeing that you know, 873 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 1: when they do get into your facility and seeing what 874 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 1: you thought you saw out there on the floor. Yeah, 875 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:36,800 Speaker 1: I mean it's great. You you hope that's the case. 876 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:38,960 Speaker 1: Like I said, you try to stay patient most of 877 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:41,120 Speaker 1: the time. You don't really want to evaluate rookies too 878 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,720 Speaker 1: much until a couple of years in because it everyone 879 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:48,600 Speaker 1: develops on a different path. Um. But yeah, I mean 880 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:53,840 Speaker 1: to the opposite, Abby, When you know you spend hours 881 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,760 Speaker 1: of your life, months total, away from your family watching 882 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:02,160 Speaker 1: these players steady kate your life to making the right 883 00:47:02,200 --> 00:47:07,400 Speaker 1: pick and it doesn't work out. It's painful. It's really painful. 884 00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:11,400 Speaker 1: You know, these these people on on the internet or 885 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,040 Speaker 1: the media, you know they go, oh they messed up, 886 00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:17,520 Speaker 1: and yeah, like, trust me, we know when we mess up, 887 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:20,439 Speaker 1: we feel it and it it's it's not fun. Um. 888 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:22,600 Speaker 1: So you you work really hard to try to get 889 00:47:22,600 --> 00:47:25,200 Speaker 1: the right players and the right people in and we're 890 00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:28,440 Speaker 1: we're thrilled with Peyton and Eric. Yeah, and you just 891 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:30,759 Speaker 1: to throw this out there and I will die on 892 00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:34,839 Speaker 1: this hill and I've done it on Twitter recently. You 893 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:37,920 Speaker 1: guys are far more successful than you are unsuccessful in 894 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,160 Speaker 1: your draft picks, and it's a testament to all the 895 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:43,319 Speaker 1: work that you guys put in. And anyone who's given 896 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:45,560 Speaker 1: you guys flak for for having a couple of swings 897 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:47,480 Speaker 1: and misses, I don't think they look at the other 898 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:49,440 Speaker 1: twenty nine teams in the league that do the exact 899 00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:52,680 Speaker 1: same thing. Not everyone bats a thousand percent, not everyone 900 00:47:52,719 --> 00:47:55,359 Speaker 1: gets every single pick right, but you guys have gotten 901 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:57,480 Speaker 1: the important ones right and you've gotten a lot of 902 00:47:57,480 --> 00:47:59,200 Speaker 1: the other ones right too. So it's a testament to 903 00:47:59,239 --> 00:48:02,560 Speaker 1: your group and how you guys work together. Well, thank you. 904 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:06,239 Speaker 1: It's it's one of those things where, um, it's kind 905 00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:09,600 Speaker 1: of like batting percentage is right if you're if you're 906 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:11,720 Speaker 1: if you've got two fifty year out of the league, 907 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:14,000 Speaker 1: you've got three fifty year the best in the world, right, 908 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:16,880 Speaker 1: And that's that's that's kind of the margin we're dealing 909 00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:21,040 Speaker 1: with with with draft picks. Um. You know, we we've 910 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:23,160 Speaker 1: just tried to get a million draft picks marks so 911 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:26,200 Speaker 1: we don't have to hit so on so many of them. 912 00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:28,680 Speaker 1: And dilond back just to put a put a bow 913 00:48:28,719 --> 00:48:33,239 Speaker 1: on this conversation of the Celtics healthy starting lineup this year, 914 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:36,799 Speaker 1: homegrown Rob Williams, Marcus Smart, Jalen Brown, Jayson Tatum. Then 915 00:48:36,840 --> 00:48:39,400 Speaker 1: you go into the bench. You've got to really promising 916 00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:41,560 Speaker 1: young guys that you drafted this year and Aaron E. 917 00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,439 Speaker 1: Smith and Payton Pritchard. It's been really impressive to see 918 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:47,680 Speaker 1: the guys that you, you and the team have brought 919 00:48:47,719 --> 00:48:51,040 Speaker 1: in over the last five, six, seven years, um, and 920 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:53,120 Speaker 1: we're looking forward to seeing who you guys get in 921 00:48:53,160 --> 00:48:55,640 Speaker 1: the future and making this team, putting this team together 922 00:48:55,640 --> 00:48:57,839 Speaker 1: to make a run to another championship so you can 923 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:01,200 Speaker 1: relive those two thousand eight moments again in future. Thanks 924 00:49:01,239 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 1: for having me, guys, It was fun, all right, Thanks Austin. 925 00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:08,000 Speaker 1: I appreciate everyone. Make sure you like subscribe, download stream, 926 00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:09,560 Speaker 1: and make sure you come back next week for our 927 00:49:09,560 --> 00:49:24,760 Speaker 1: next episode. Thanks everyone,