Speaker 1: I'm Matt Murphy and this is a seventy Sixers Insiders
Speaker 1: interview from the seventy Sixers podcast network. It's actually a
Speaker 1: two for one episode featuring preseason conversations with both Sixers
Speaker 1: two way contract players Aaron Henry and Grant Riller. Aaron's
Speaker 1: up first, followed by Grant. What's it been like preparing
Speaker 1: for your first professional season? It's been good, you know, um,
Speaker 1: just consistently standing in the gym. You know, it's I'll
Speaker 1: keep hearing you know how long the NBA season gets
Speaker 1: in everything, but just understanding myself and where I come from,
Speaker 1: Like I can't take any time off, you know, and
Speaker 1: just eighty two game season is long, but I understanding that,
Speaker 1: you know, the days leading up to it in the
Speaker 1: summer and at work you put it in out like
Speaker 1: that that'll carry over. So just I haven't really taking
Speaker 1: much time off, and hopefully my approach was right so
Speaker 1: I'll be able to tell about by the time the
Speaker 1: season comes. What was your summer league experience? Like it
Speaker 1: was good man, just from from going as a growing
Speaker 1: up as a kid watching it every summer, you know,
Speaker 1: just to be able to plan it and have some fun.
Speaker 1: You know, my mom came out there, so I got
Speaker 1: to SMIs some time with her, my aunt as well,
Speaker 1: and it was good for everybody. You know, I enjoyed myself.
Speaker 1: We want some games, but it was a good experience.
Speaker 1: How about the off court transition, what's it been like
Speaker 1: to start to settle down a little bit here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1: It's kind of cool, you know, just I like the Phillies,
Speaker 1: Like it gives you that any inner city vibe, Like
Speaker 1: that's like I grew up in that, so it's like,
Speaker 1: you know, I can kind of relate like the people
Speaker 1: and everything. It's just like I love the vibe here,
Speaker 1: the energy school, like all the all the people speak
Speaker 1: to each other. So it's and it's everything I dreamed, literally,
Speaker 1: and I'm just happy. I'm in a good spot. Diving
Speaker 1: a little bit deeper into your background. Born in Louisville,
Speaker 1: but raised in Indianapolis, and you want a state championship
Speaker 1: in high school and with it being in Indiana, what
Speaker 1: was your high school basketball experience like in such a
Speaker 1: basketball centric place like that's probably my most favorite basketball memory, honestly.
Speaker 1: You know, the coach I had, you know who he was,
Speaker 1: the people he's put to his program, not only at
Speaker 1: my school, but other schools as well. The teammates I had,
Speaker 1: you know, my friends for life, Like I still talk
Speaker 1: to everybody on that team to this day. Like just
Speaker 1: to be able to win, if you know, Indiana basketball,
Speaker 1: Like how important that championship was from my coach, Coach James,
Speaker 1: Like I just that in itself was enough, you know,
Speaker 1: for all the players. So I mean it means a
Speaker 1: lot if you know, you know, it's like Indiana is
Speaker 1: where it's at for basketball. Well for those who don't know,
Speaker 1: give us more. Who is coach James and who are
Speaker 1: some of the players that have played for him? Um,
Speaker 1: coach Jawan Johnson. He played for the Celtics and had
Speaker 1: a nice career and overseas, not many prosum just the
Speaker 1: type of players that he's put out just college period,
Speaker 1: not Division one, Division two, Division three, just always solid
Speaker 1: players to get the fundamentals, a good foundation on how
Speaker 1: to play the game the right way. And he just
Speaker 1: has love for everybody. It's a genuine thing with him.
Speaker 1: And he's gonna be the first one in the gym,
Speaker 1: in the last one to leave every day and it
Speaker 1: just rubs off on you, you you know, not only does
Speaker 1: a yell a tube, but he leads by example too.
Speaker 1: So he's the type of guy that I always wanted
Speaker 1: just to have around and then always be my coach
Speaker 1: or always just have some type of input, you know,
Speaker 1: on what I'm doing. Your game individually, A lot of
Speaker 1: people talk about your versatility. You've talked about being able
Speaker 1: to score it all three levels, defend at all three levels.
Speaker 1: What are some of the aspects of your game that
Speaker 1: came quicker than others, Like what came most naturally for
Speaker 1: you on the court, just being an athletic. I just
Speaker 1: feel like being able to guard multiple positions and do
Speaker 1: multiple things because I feel like growing up one year,
Speaker 1: you know, just how I was growing One year, I'd
Speaker 1: be a point guard. Next year, I'd be a center,
Speaker 1: next year I'd be a shooting guard or something like that,
Speaker 1: and then between and it just I just had random
Speaker 1: ghostberts and I just pieced it all together, developed into
Speaker 1: this player I am today. So I felt like it
Speaker 1: worked out for the best, and you know, just having
Speaker 1: a little bit experience at each position and hopefully the
Speaker 1: game some more, somebody go help me grow some more.
Speaker 1: So I mean I'm excited for I think this one
Speaker 1: was a little bit earlier for you than some others.
Speaker 1: At what point did you think making it to the
Speaker 1: league was a real possibility. Um, well, I knew just
Speaker 1: my situation. You know how I grew up like it was,
Speaker 1: you know, school, military or this, and you know, just
Speaker 1: understanding that, like they paid people to go to the
Speaker 1: gym and play basketball, like that was the most simple
Speaker 1: thing to me. I can force myself to get up
Speaker 1: every morning and go to the gym. But it fell
Speaker 1: I fell in love with it. So it was it
Speaker 1: was just like probably my freshman year in college when
Speaker 1: I realized like okay, like two years maybe three, when
Speaker 1: I was like, okay, I can really do this, Like
Speaker 1: let me lock and put my head down and go
Speaker 1: at Michigan State. Your sophomore year, you played with guys
Speaker 1: like Cassius Winston, Zabere Tillman, and obviously there's a lot
Speaker 1: of other alums that have played in the NBA. What
Speaker 1: have some of those Michigan State guys told you about
Speaker 1: I mean, they know me personally, like I'm like friendship,
Speaker 1: that's that spartan relationship up there is like we're brothers.
Speaker 1: Like honestly, they just tell me to be myself, you know,
Speaker 1: continue to work card like you know how you know,
Speaker 1: just let the game come to you, don't force anything.
Speaker 1: You'll be fine. Like that's just something that we used
Speaker 1: to always tell each other, Like people doubt at Cash
Speaker 1: coming out, X coming out, ME coming out. It's cool,
Speaker 1: Like the work doesn't deny itself and we'll you'll look
Speaker 1: back in a couple of years. It's like, man like,
Speaker 1: we missed out. So that's that's something that they always
Speaker 1: tell me. So and the slogan is spartan dog. Explain
Speaker 1: spartan dog. People just dogs man Like it's the underdog.
Speaker 1: We just it's how we are. Like nothing was handed
Speaker 1: to us, never never had a hand out. Ever, we
Speaker 1: had to take everything. And that's been going on way
Speaker 1: before my time, before I was born. So hopefully it
Speaker 1: carries on for forever. Cashus Winston was actually part of
Speaker 1: the Growing G League last season and the Sixers have
Speaker 1: the Delaware Bluecoats. So which areas of your game are
Speaker 1: you looking to develop with any additional opportunities and extended
Speaker 1: runs this season? Just man, I'm looking to win first.
Speaker 1: I mean, I don't do anything, I don't time I
Speaker 1: shoes that without looking to win so, I mean, I
Speaker 1: don't care if I had zero points and thirty rebounds
Speaker 1: or something like something weird. As long as we win,
Speaker 1: I'm cool. But just understanding that it's as the individual piece,
Speaker 1: you know, just to continue to show that I'm versatile
Speaker 1: on offense and defense, get guys involved, make shots, you know,
Speaker 1: get my own shot whenever. Just make the game easy
Speaker 1: for myself and others. Man, it's on the defensive end too.
Speaker 1: Whoever the best player is just lock up, like I
Speaker 1: feel like that that comes easy. So one of your
Speaker 1: Sixers teammates who was with you in Summer League was
Speaker 1: Paul Reid, who won G League MVP while on a
Speaker 1: two way contract last year with the Blue Coats. Did
Speaker 1: he talk to you at all about year one? Yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean absolutely, I'm I'm a guy that's instantly don't
Speaker 1: ask questions. I'm out at the level you know you
Speaker 1: guys are or everybody's good. Now. I'll keep hearing that,
Speaker 1: and just understanding that I spending some time in the
Speaker 1: G League and him being at the highest level down there,
Speaker 1: it's just like, man, like, I don't want to ask
Speaker 1: you how you did it, but just watching him and
Speaker 1: in the Summer League just what is his approach, what
Speaker 1: he was doing, how hard he plays, He just does
Speaker 1: all the right things. It seems like it fucking fall
Speaker 1: anywhere in closing those footsteps, I might be all right.
Speaker 1: So wrapping up more generally, what excites you than most
Speaker 1: about joining the seventy sixers organization? Just good people. You know,
Speaker 1: it's basketball. My love for the game will never diminish
Speaker 1: at all. I'll never go away. But just you know
Speaker 1: the type of people that I'm around every day, the
Speaker 1: character everybody has in the building and the offices on
Speaker 1: the court, you know, that'll keep me afloat. That'll keep
Speaker 1: me excited to come every day. And you know that's
Speaker 1: that's really important to me. Last one, A big hobby
Speaker 1: of yours off the court, war Zone is gaming in
Speaker 1: war Zone in particular, I can't wait. I can't wait
Speaker 1: to get my game, like, yeah, so I'll leave here,
Speaker 1: like if I had my game, like I probably wouldn't
Speaker 1: getting off until the sun went down. Probably, Yeah, it's
Speaker 1: about one o'clock, yep, like probably, like it be on
Speaker 1: her a long time. Have you gotten the chance to
Speaker 1: play with her against any of your Sixers teammates? Yeah,
Speaker 1: we're gonna see though we're gonna see I gotta add me,
Speaker 1: I gotta ask me for sure. I love it. Thank you,
Speaker 1: Aaron yea man Grant. What excites you about joining the
Speaker 1: seventy sixers organization? Probably the history behind the organization, UM,
Speaker 1: and even the history of the city and the passionate
Speaker 1: fans that comes with UM. Growing up, I watched Sixers
Speaker 1: on TV all the time, naturally, just because of the
Speaker 1: players they had and stuff like that. So I know
Speaker 1: how much of a historic organization it is, and I'm
Speaker 1: just happy to be a part of it. Based on
Speaker 1: your own playing style and what you know about the team,
Speaker 1: what are some things that you bring to this team? Um,
Speaker 1: I think I fit really well UM as far as
Speaker 1: playstyle goals. Just a guard that likes to play in transition, UM,
Speaker 1: get into the paint, um and make plays for others. UM.
Speaker 1: I know we have a lot of shooters and a
Speaker 1: lot of athletes that like to run and stuff, So
Speaker 1: I think I fit in well. From what I've gathered.
Speaker 1: You're a proud Orlando native, So take us through your
Speaker 1: your upbringing in the Orlando area. Yeah, for sure. While
Speaker 1: I was born and raised there, kind of grew up
Speaker 1: like a normal kid. I had a great support system
Speaker 1: back home with my family and siblings. Wasn't highly recruited
Speaker 1: out of high school, but it was lucky enough to
Speaker 1: get an offer from the College of Charleston, which I
Speaker 1: did five years there, had a great career there, and
Speaker 1: then was lucky enough to get a chance in the NBA.
Speaker 1: And now I'm here in my second year, just ready
Speaker 1: to build on that. When you think about high school
Speaker 1: and then College Charleston, when did you think that making
Speaker 1: it to the league was a possibility for you? Probably
Speaker 1: my second year in college, my first year toward my
Speaker 1: ACL so I had a little bit of doubt there.
Speaker 1: But once I see how Once I've seen how I
Speaker 1: recovered from that, it started to play a little bit
Speaker 1: of a game games against some of the higher competition,
Speaker 1: it was doing well. I started to get noticed a
Speaker 1: little bit. I had other players on my team that
Speaker 1: were ahead of meet at had NBA scouts at the game,
Speaker 1: so I know I would always have opportunity to play
Speaker 1: in front of some scouts and the rest was kind
Speaker 1: of just up to me. Your number eleven is retired
Speaker 1: at Ocoee High School in Florida. How special was that
Speaker 1: for you? Really special? It was such an honor, especially
Speaker 1: being the first jersey they did there. That actually wasn't
Speaker 1: even my high school coach who did that, but he
Speaker 1: was the coach there at the time, and we built
Speaker 1: a good relationship. Every time I would come home, I
Speaker 1: would come see the team, come play with the team,
Speaker 1: workout and stuff like that. So for him to give
Speaker 1: me that opportunity, I was so thankful. It's such an
Speaker 1: honor that I'll carry with me forever. You averaged just
Speaker 1: under twenty two points per game in both your final
Speaker 1: two seasons at College of Charleston. What are some of
Speaker 1: your best memories from your college career, whether it's a
Speaker 1: specific game or two or something else. Yeah, my favorite
Speaker 1: memory there is probably went into twenty eighteen CIA Championship.
Speaker 1: That wasn't something that was something the school hasn't done
Speaker 1: and probably about eighteen years. So to be able to
Speaker 1: do that with such a tight group of guys, I
Speaker 1: think was probably something I take with me forever. Just
Speaker 1: the bond we had, it was just something special. It's
Speaker 1: really hard to put into words. Charlotte picked you number
Speaker 1: fifty six overall in the twenty twenty NBA Draft. What
Speaker 1: was draft night like for you? It was special just
Speaker 1: because I kind of kept it in house with all
Speaker 1: my family and close friends. So to have all those
Speaker 1: people that that's been in my corner since day one
Speaker 1: was something I'll never forget. And then Charlotte just giving
Speaker 1: me an opportunity and drafting me down and I think
Speaker 1: was special and I'll forever be grateful for them too.
Speaker 1: Let's talk about the G League Bubble. How were you
Speaker 1: able to grow in the G League last season as
Speaker 1: a rookie. I think it was big for me just
Speaker 1: because through all the pandemic and stuff, we didn't know
Speaker 1: if we were going to get a G League season,
Speaker 1: and me especially I knew I would spend some time
Speaker 1: there to try to develop. So once we found out
Speaker 1: we were getting the bubble, it was big news for me.
Speaker 1: And then we got there, I just wanted to take
Speaker 1: it as serious as I could, work on my game,
Speaker 1: work on what the coaches wanted me to work on.
Speaker 1: But overall, I think I got better as time went on.
Speaker 1: So I'm just looking to build on that this season
Speaker 1: and keep going. The Sixers have the Delaware Bluecoats. What
Speaker 1: can you say about the importance of the G League
Speaker 1: as a step Yeah, I think it's really important, not
Speaker 1: only for development, but just to show you belong in
Speaker 1: a In an NBA setting, there's so much talent down
Speaker 1: there that maybe the average eye doesn't know about. But
Speaker 1: just being down there, it gives you a chance to
Speaker 1: work on your game, work on what the organization wants
Speaker 1: you to work on, and and show that you belong.
Speaker 1: And I think that's the biggest thing for me is
Speaker 1: I kind of just want to earn my stripes and
Speaker 1: show that I belong in the NBA level. Off the court,
Speaker 1: video editing has become a hobby of yours. So describe
Speaker 1: your experience with that. Yeah, well, I'm not the best. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I don't want to portray myself as like this great
Speaker 1: editor because I kind of just got into the game.
Speaker 1: But it's something that I'm passionate about. Me and my
Speaker 1: brother liked the game a lot, so there's tons of
Speaker 1: content that can be made through that. My sister, she's
Speaker 1: trying to start her own hair business, so getting her
Speaker 1: some content, I think it's huge. And just having a
Speaker 1: hobby outside of basketball, I think it's big to ease
Speaker 1: your mind and decompress a little bit. So that's what
Speaker 1: I like to do. Finishing up with this. Is there
Speaker 1: a game that you're best at or do you mix
Speaker 1: it up? I mix it up a lot um. I
Speaker 1: play Matten a ton I kind of taken a break
Speaker 1: just because I'm not that happy with the game these days.
Speaker 1: But um, I played that a lot. I play FIFA
Speaker 1: a ton um, and I play Mortal Kombat a ton too.
Speaker 1: Thanks again to Grant Riller and prior to that, Aaron Henry.
Speaker 1: Be on the lookout for more seventy six ers insiders interviews,
Speaker 1: and if you haven't already, go listen to Lauren Rosen's
Speaker 1: recent chats with Danny Green and furkon Cork Mins. The
Speaker 1: twenty twenty one twenty two season is just around the corner.
Speaker 1: I'm Matt Murphy. Thanks as always for listening.