November 14, 2025 • 23 mins
New Orleans Pelicans forward Karlo Matković joins Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell on the Pelicans Podcast for Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 to discuss his NBA journey, playing above the rim, rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears as well as his recommendations around the city of New Orleans.
Jim also catches us up on the NBA Western Conference as we look at teams that are struggling at the start of the season.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:07):
Hi, everyone, and welcome to theNew Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
I'm Gus Kattengill on with Jim Eichenhofer and you might have
noticed Mr. Carlo Mackevich is joining us here today.
Carlo, how you doing, Bud? Doing.
Good. Thank you.
How are you? Doing very nice to to have you a
part of the show and you know what?
Look, we got a whole bunch of different things we want to get
with you and you know, kind of touch on, but I need to start
with my favorite topic when we call your games playing above
(00:30):
the rim, dunking first and foremost, I love it when you get
up there and stuff. I look, I I've tried to come up
with the nickname on the air. Do you like hammer Carlo?
The hammer Mackovic? No.
That's simple. It's too simple.
I would you have a suggestion? How do you say hammer in your
language? Chekic.
Chekic. Yeah.
I like that you got a, you got aletter.
(00:51):
I don't know. I wouldn't.
I wouldn't rush it. Wouldn't rush it, yeah.
Good time. Do you have a?
Carla Hammer, just like Carla Hammer.
Maybe we can open it up to the fans, maybe.
We can do that, maybe, yeah. Some suggestions and then we can
provide you with a list. You can go through it and say,
oh, I like. A tough name to have a nickname
for, like Carlo doesn't even like.
You can't. Say, see to me it kind of just,
(01:12):
I don't know, it's the whole Carlo.
The hammer sounds good through, but more importantly the.
Corner, Carlo. Hammer Carlo.
You know what you know like. Look, my main thing is more of
the, the mindset though, man, because I, I, I kind of describe
it on the air when I see it. You're, you have the intention
of going above the rim from the get go, whether it's, you know,
(01:33):
playing off the ball, cut back. So when you have it, you're
going. Is that how I view it?
Is that what you're thinking when you get the ball, you're
going and you're attacking to beaggressive?
Is that your mindset? Yeah, always.
I don't know. That's how I grew up with
basketball. That's how I saw basketball,
because that's how I watched basketball.
It was like LeBron in Miami and he was just dunking stuff.
Human D Wade and then Blake Griffin, the Andre Jordan and
(01:55):
stuff that those are the first clips I ever saw.
So I was like, yeah, this is it.That's something what I want to
do. And then it just became like a
thing when I was a kid, I was trying to dunk all the time.
Couldn't get it until I was like3014, I don't know, 14.
And then I just started to be a habit that I wanted to dunk in
game. And then you watch all these
highlights and like you as a kid, you want to be in the
(02:16):
highlight reel one day, and thenit just kind of translated to
the game. Wanted to kind of get into a
little bit of the difference between your rookie year and and
obviously early in your second year.
Do you think, do you feel like you're more aggressive this
season, like having more confidence, having more NBA
games under your belt? You got to play a lot like from
January on last. Yeah, definitely the the
confidence comes from experience, you know, get into
(02:37):
those games well. I played 42 games last year.
I think some of them were in Birmingham Squad too.
I have fun there too. So I think like those experience
kind of gets you the confidence too.
And then people get to know, youknow, how you play.
And then I think I if you look at the G League games, I had
(02:58):
kind of translated to the the league games, you know, about
the ring players and stuff that I had back there with Kwetter.
So I would say like kind of justI just adapted to the league
base and stuff. I'm sure some of it, too, is
your teammates know what you cando as well.
They know I can throw it up 15 feet and he'll come down and
catch. It and dump.
You're gonna find this. Right, right.
(03:19):
Beyond the dunking, which I knowGus obviously loves and we all
love, is there a part of your game that you think that you've
improved the most or that you'rethe most happy with the strides
that you made from like your rookie year?
To your second year 3 point line, because I never shot
before even like like pre draftsand stuff like that.
Season before the draft, I nevershot the ball for three.
(03:40):
I was only in the in the paint. Now I can spread the floor, I
can run to the corner, cut from them.
I think those cuts in three-point kind of helped me
expand my game. Yeah, for sure.
One of The Wanted to ask you about a couple of your
teammates. One of the guys it seems like
you have a good connection with on the court already is Derek
Queen, who obviously is a rookie, has only been in the
(04:00):
league for a few weeks. What's it been like playing with
him? Is that something that you?
It seems like a lot of guys enjoy just his passing.
Yeah, because he's patient. He really like takes time.
He patient, he reads the cuts. Well, here is the pick and roll
game. Well, when he got the ball, he
never like in a hurry. Like he's always like, you know,
calm and then he makes the rightplace basically all the time.
(04:24):
So it's fun to be around. You know, you given the ball and
you can, you know, you can move somewhere, do some and then you
want to read it. You know, maybe you going to go
for set a screen and slip out ofit.
You're probably gonna read it. So it's fun.
From being in basketball, I mean, how rare is it to have
some of those traits that he hasat 20 years old that this the
presence they has on the court and just the feel.
(04:44):
Yeah, he definitely like a unique talent for a young guy,
for sure. Definitely.
That's like a big man, not a point guard.
Like maybe you're gonna have a point guard.
I can read the game like that. But as a big man, definitely
something unique for now. You were asked the other day
about the reaction of your teammates from the bench to some
of your dunks. And I know you, you referenced,
you said, I think the word that you used for Derek was he's,
(05:05):
he's a little goofy. Yeah, he's funny.
Yeah, he's funny. How do you describe like his
personality or like what he's? Like that, just like that goofy
like not like he don't care national, I guess.
I don't know, like he just go crazy.
Like he'll go crazy and then he he will say what he thinks
basically, and he wouldn't be bothered by it whatever he said,
And then he will ask questions to like he dressed up yesterday
(05:28):
or saw him. He'll come to tribute like how's
my fit? Like my fit, like he pull out.
You like my fit. So he's like really like a big
child kind. So fun guy.
It seems like some of the guys have said that he's kind of
unintentionally funny. Would you?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I'm saying.
Like he just says what he thinksand just becomes funny.
(05:48):
Like he's not that he's like aiming for it to be funny, but
like he just is. And the way he talks the little
like the voice is still kind of in a developing so it sounds
funny. But yeah, he going to get there
for sure. Another rookie that has been
super impressive and was also a lottery pick for the Pelicans
was Jeremiah Fears. I mean, what's been impressive
to you about the way that? He's playing aggressive, Yeah,
(06:11):
really aggressive. Like, no fears, like, like the
nickname it is. It's really like that.
I would just say like aggressivehard worker, always in the gym
and like it really pays out for him.
It's such a contrast with both those two players, right,
Because you're saying the playoff of queen heads up, here
comes a pass or he's going to read something.
So you're kind of looking at a basketball court where when you
(06:33):
see Jeremiah, it's like run because he's so fast and so
quick. And the other thing that I
noticed too is even if you're trailing and he's out running
everybody, he can find you in the lane as the trailer, right?
So it's almost like with both rookies, Pace and.
Pace and patience, yeah. Right, it's.
Kind of pace and patience and then those together kind of if,
(06:54):
if they match up good, it's likereal good.
That could be a nickname. Pace and patience, we call it
with the hammer, which you don'tlike, but pace and Patience as
well with those two, I like it. When when you when you watch
those two guys, I mean, from your own experience of being a
rookie last season in the NBAI mean, what are, are there
certain things that you can kindof point out to them or certain
things that you remember? Man, they got it and they go
online, they got it. They really got it.
(07:16):
Like you don't even have to likegive them none.
You just got to like give them time to develop and like be
there for support and everythingelse they want to figure out.
Like they got it. They really got it.
You can see by the way they play, it feels like they they're
already here for a little while.Yeah.
You don't think one thing that'sinteresting too in the dynamic
of this roster is including you?There's a bunch of guys that
(07:40):
have had really good starts to their career.
You know, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Jose there are in their
fifth year. But of those guys, Herb was the
only one that really got to playright away in his rookie season.
So I mean, everyone, almost all the other guy, pretty much all
the other guys I I mentioned didn't play a lot until like
January. In your case, Jose was the same
way. Trey didn't start playing a ton,
(08:01):
I think until like March of his rookie season.
So I mean, you, you kind of you kind of alluded to it a little
bit like how impressive is it for these guys to come right
from college and they're 1920 years old and to be.
Able they got it totally they got it they got it they just
like you're there go there and like they don't free nobody they
just go and there's hope they want to compete.
(08:22):
Yasawa, he said to to Brooks. Yasawa fears doesn't, you know,
like they don't, you know, care at all.
They just dare to hoop and like be better every day.
You know, they, they want, you can see on them they want to be
better and like they want to lead somewhere.
You see how figures want to liketake over.
You know, you want to bring somestuff for the city and stuff.
DQ said that the right. So like, I mean, it's great to
(08:45):
have like 2 young guys like that, just having like that
mentality. Yeah, to your point, I thought
in that Phoenix game, what they both said was really
interesting. Not only Queen on the court,
kind of letting Dylan Brooks know what's going on, but.
But I think they both trying to.Get him on.
He's like, no, keep me in. He he wanted to stay in and
afterwards saying we're not going to get bullied.
I think when you have two rookies like that, bringing that
(09:06):
mentality to locker room guys like you have to.
Great. You always got to step up.
You got to follow, especially the young guys started, you got
to follow them, you know, like you got to do what you got to do
and all. Right as we go to break, I do
got to bring up the status statsthough, OK?
Do you think you have more dunksthis season than Trey Murphy?
Yes. I thought so too.
No, Well, no. He had few few days that one
(09:32):
game like I had. I had six in one game, right,
Right. I had 6.
Six against Charlotte. And then I had two How like
would you know this 10:00-ish? Gus kind of tricked you a little
bit. Yeah, he, he bring me like he
give me the vibe like yeah, yeah, yeah.
Believe me, I like Carl this, Carl that.
Hammer this Nick man that do youthink?
(09:54):
But actually, no, maybe like yesterday he got like a couple
so. Well, you're going to laugh when
you hear the stat. Maybe you have 13 this season.
Dre has 14, but you have 13 and 82 minutes.
He has 14 and 395. So I think the dunk per minute
ratio, I think you got him beat.I asked him when I get catch up
his minutes right now and then he goes I love.
(10:14):
That hey, dunk, dunk to minutes ratio.
I love that. Look, we're just getting
started. When we come back, Jim's going
to get to know a little bit moreabout Carlos preparation for the
season. We'll do that here as well as
you're listening to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
(10:39):
All right. Welcome back to the New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast here with CarlaMackovic and Jim Eichenhofer.
We're talking a little bit aboutyour dunks in that opening
segment, which, you know, me, I can talk about it for more than
one segment. But Jim, you kind of want to get
into maybe what you did, Carlo to get ready for the season to
have such an impact already. Yeah.
I mean, if I'm correct, you spent a good amount of time in
(11:01):
in the offseason in New Orleans.Can you kind of go through like
what your process for that was? Correction, back home, back
home, Ashley, I was home, had national team there, had my
coach, conditioning coach. I had like 2 years ago,
continued working with him, had a great time.
And then that's where I work themost, a lot of weight room.
(11:22):
I work with Zubats a little bit with his coach.
We were always in the gym together.
We didn't work out too much together because they're getting
different. We had the same coach and then
it was good to have him there. I'll talk to him a lot.
He'll talk to me, he'll bring meout to lunch and stuff because
we live there in the same city back home.
So like it, it was a great addition to have that vet.
(11:42):
He's a 20 year old, 28 year old vet and really that's crazy.
But he's been there like for almost 10 years now.
So like it's been great to have him on the side.
Now I'm texting all the time. He gets me back right away and
it's like it's really fun to have him on the on the other
side of the league, but still fine because he's my creation.
But yeah, that's how I spent basically my office and working
(12:04):
out back home, having a good, really thoughtful weight room
workout plan where we hit the weight room and stuff to work on
some stuff. Like you said, you like get
above the room, you got to jump a little bit more, right?
So like he works a lot in the weight room and then just being
on the court hoping and having fun having national team.
That was great. So basically that was my summer.
(12:27):
Like, it went quick though. Yeah, it was real quick.
You've mentioned Zubots a few times in the recent past about
the influence that he's had on you.
I know that you probably you mentioned too, you have a little
bit of different game than him. He's, he's been kind of like
very. Much in the pain, Yeah, he's
like. A right burly.
Guy. Yeah, yeah.
You have, you're probably more athletic, I would say it's safe
(12:49):
to say than he is. Well for sure.
But are are there certain thingsthat you take from his more?
Mentally and like KYP stuff, watching the tape and the field
of the game, you know, know yourplayers, know their players, you
know who you're playing against,have to play, you know, and
stuff like that. It's more like more doe steps
(13:10):
then like do this and that, likedo a hooky or whatever, you
know, it's more like KYP stuff, you know, know your personnel,
watch film, know how you defend stuff and stuff like that.
It's been, obviously this is your second season here, so
you've gotten to know New Orleans a little bit more,
whether it's, you know, in in the summer or during the season.
(13:32):
What's it been like living here as as far as just getting more
adjusted to the city? Probably.
I would imagine that you're knowthe city more now, a lot more
now than you did when you first got.
Here, definitely, definitely. I love when my friends come
over. I definitely love to, when my
friends come over and I can do like my European stuff, go out,
get a coffee, sit down and do none, get outside, a little bit
(13:52):
of walk. That's something I like to do
back home. So I like kind of transfer here.
People out here don't like to walk that much.
So when my friends come over, I definitely go for a walk, grab a
coffee, get some food, you know,food definitely.
But yeah, it's a nice city. It's a small, not that big of a
(14:13):
city. Like I see you the same.
I said that before. I see the same people always at
the same spots, like walking down the street, I will see
somebody else saw somewhere elseand I'm like, Oh yeah, I know
this person, you know, stuff like that.
So it's not a big city, but great people.
The hospitality is awesome, You know, I just, you know, I enjoy
it, definitely. It seems like some of the
(14:33):
players who are especially the guys that have been here for
multiple years, you start to have a like a list of food spots
that you go always go to. And I don't need you to list
your favorite ones or whatever, but I remember CJ had like CJ
McConnell when he was here, he had like, I think he had like a
book, a book different places. Like if you want Italian, here's
the list if you want whatever category.
(14:54):
I have categories about my restaurant, so if I have
Italian, I'll go Sofia, for example.
If I want a steak door, steakhouse, Metropolitan, right?
If I want some, like in between a serial loop or in bed, Pelican
Club is awesome. Or whatever you pronounce it,
some French, like pasteuri or something like that, right?
(15:19):
That's really good though, for breakfast and stuff.
Really good, like pastries and stuff?
Yeah. Bakery kinda.
Why? Whatever.
Smooth. Last thing for me, I've lived in
three different States and I lived in New York, Oklahoma and
Louisiana and every time it was kind of an adjustment, but I
think it's nothing compared to living in a different country.
What's it been like? What's your experience been like
(15:41):
as far as living in in the United States now for?
The biggest thing I had like it was like I had a little bit of a
culture shock a little bit for sure.
And then when I go back home, I need a week and then I just said
it was amazing. But no hate, don't I?
I'm not hate, but I'm saying though, it's different the the
people, how they're like see theworld.
(16:01):
It's not the same how I said it by home, but it kind of just the
way they move, the way they talk, the way they interact with
each other, you know, the way they they make friends or not
make friends. It's just like different,
different, different approach tostuff, I would say.
But yeah, the culture stuff was like a little bit different.
Definitely food's different. Definitely like the food back
(16:24):
home more even even though the food is good, I still like the
food home. But but it is that is, you know,
everybody homesick sometimes. Yeah.
You love your mama's kitchen. Probably right.
Everybody loves you, you know? So like, I definitely love food
back home more. I talked to a lot of Europeans.
A lot of Europeans say the same thing.
So I'm not the only one that I'mlike talking smack right now,
(16:45):
but it is what it is. But yeah, food culture a little
bit. The people where they move, you
know, they know what, like I said, they don't walk outside
that much. Maybe some states didn't do
them, like probably they do, right.
Probably they do. Like I was in San Diego for a
week. They move out there, but the
weather is nice move. You can go outside.
It's not humid and stuff, right?Yeah.
It's not. Hot as what you said, there's
(17:06):
not. Mosquitoes eating your life.
So yeah, probably people move though.
Like I'll be like, probably why I want to say this now people be
like, no, no, we do walk outside.
I don't know. I don't see you that much.
I don't see you as much in Europe.
I don't know. Are you a seafood guy?
Yes and no. I like fish and stuff, but I
don't like oysters and stuff. OK, OK.
Yeah, we'll do. Look, I'll say this, a man of
(17:28):
many talents over here, architectural advice, how to
tour New Orleans as a European, you can do that as well.
You can give some advice on thatand more importantly how to play
above. The I think Europeans don't have
to tour New Orleans better than me, for sure.
That's the problem that they definitely know because they
come in here as a terrorist and they're probably nowhere to go.
Like, my friend was coming here before training camp and he
(17:51):
already knew some spots to go. Oh, yeah, There you go.
Yeah, this. Then we like, went around.
The thing is. You're just so focused on
basketball. That's what it is.
But I'm like, like job, job, home guy.
I mean, yeah, that's that's truethough.
That's true though. That's a little bit.
You got me there. Well.
Look, in all honesty, that's probably why you've made the
jump that you have man, and you've made such an impact. 82
minutes, 13 dunks. That's my my go to when it comes
(18:12):
to playing above the rim. He doesn't like the hammer.
I'll come up with something elsethat will Carlo think.
You said don't like the hammer. No, I understand.
I think he can get more creative.
Do better is it Yeah, you got itwas a very.
Quick thought it was I didn't take a lot.
Of time as the usual you know like this guy hammers this guy
right that's. No, you're right.
You're. Right, this guy chose the
hammer. He wants something unique to
you. Yeah, all right, why not?
(18:34):
Yeah, Big nasty. Now I won't.
I won't work on it, I will. Do whatever I.
Got thank you for your time. Thank you.
I appreciate. It Mr. Carlo Mackovic, when you
come back, we'll put a wrap on this one.
You're watching New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
(18:58):
I welcome back to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast, Gus,
cat and Girl. Jim, I can offer our thanks to
Carla Mackovic for joining us. He's always a great guest.
And of course, look, anytime he plays above the rim, you're
going to be, I'm going to be a big fan of you.
That's awesome. I knew you were going to want to
talk about that guy I knew. That's a great stat that Jim
found there, 13 to 14. Trey leading right now.
But man, the amount of minutes. But just goes to tell you,
(19:20):
though, I didn't, I meant to tell him there was another
nickname that Graff and I came up with on the road.
Instant dividends. It almost sounds like every time
he steps on to the court gym, it's a rebound, it's a dunk,
it's something positive that happens.
And if you're coming off the bench, isn't that what you want
to be as a player? I kind of like that, that, you
know, there aren't that many financial nicknames in, in
(19:40):
basketball. So I I like the creativity
there. From a positive side, yeah,
definitely instant dividend. I love that.
But one of the things Jim loves to do is tie things in with the
rest of the league and what's going on.
So we're going to do a little Western Conference Friday
approach here today as Jim we look at the Western Conference
in is it OK seeing everybody else kill me, man, are they
(20:04):
impressive so far right now? Yeah, they're off to an
incredible start. And by the way, the the the
viewers and the listeners, I know they probably miss Western
Conference Wednesday. Yes, we don't have that anymore,
but we're going to do the best we can with Western Conference
Friday. To me, one of the biggest things
that stands out with the West sofar is that, you know, we don't
like to see other people suffer.You know, we don't like to see
other bad things happen to otherpeople.
(20:24):
But sometimes it's good if otherteams in the West are
struggling. And right now, I mean, there's a
a pretty long list of teams thathad high expectations or
relatively high expectations andare struggling out of the gate.
That's good for the Pelicans because if you want to look at
the playing race as as rough as a start as the Pelicans have
gotten off to, they're not that far out of 10th place right now
(20:45):
as we record this on Thursday afternoon.
The Utah Jazz are actually in 10th place right now at 4:00 and
7:00, which is surprising in itself.
But I mean, you look at teams like Memphis is 4 and 9, the
Clippers are three and eight, Dallas is 3 and 9, Sacramento is
3 and 9. I mean, there's a bunch of teams
that are having similar issues as the Pelicans in terms of
(21:06):
winning games earlier in the season, issues at the defensive
end. I mean, we could go through
through some of them. I mean, obviously The Mavericks
have already fired their GM, so there's that.
The Grizzlies have had issues with John Morant in terms of he
hasn't played well, his body language.
He's had some post game interviews that haven't been
great. Very interesting.
Yeah, the Clippers are we, you know, I I consider ourselves to
(21:29):
be maybe a little bit older gentleman.
You know, we're not ancient, butso I don't want to call people
old, but I feel like the Clippers have not look great
from that category so far. I think people thought that they
would be their experience would benefit them.
But I mean, sometimes in the NBAcan be a little bit too
experienced, if you know what I mean.
And so basically the Pelicans are in a situation right now
where, yeah, it's been a, it's been a really bad start to the
(21:52):
season. But there's so many other teams
in the West that I want to be able to still say, I think the
goal right now, at least short term, should be by Thanksgiving.
Can we by Christmas, can we still be talking about the
playing race? Can we still say that they're
either in the top 10 or they're within striking distance at this
stage right now? They are.
And a lot of it is because some of these other teams have
struggled so much. Yeah, and a lot of the reasons
(22:13):
too when you take a look at it. And again, it's it just is what
it is. What is it 7 different starting
lineups already for the Pelicansand we just got past the 10 game
mark. So look to to wrap up one of the
things that we're going to keep an eye on here as well as as
we'll, you know, get ready for Friday's giving us the Lakers is
the NBA Cup. Obviously, it's one of those
things where if you lose a game,you kind of not into it.
(22:33):
I like it. You, I think I've said you liked
it here as well and you've made these games competitive.
I don't know what's your your look at it as we go into the
second-half, I guess, of the NBACup.
I just love the urgency that it provides.
I think the smaller sample whereyou're just playing four pool
play games, it adds a little bitof incentive and stakes to the
games. So I'm a huge fan of the NBA
Cup. I know there's people out there
(22:54):
that disagree with me on that and that's fine.
But I mean, the way I would summarize it over all too is to
me, I think it's it should be. You should look at it as a
double you don't need. It doesn't need to be a home
run. This is only Year 3 of it, and
to me, it's accomplished a lot of its initial goals of what
they were the NBA was shooting for.
Yeah, no doubt. And look, here's the thing.
When you look at the end of the day, looking at the rest of this
(23:15):
home stand, you're going to be seeing MVPS here and there and
everywhere. So the NBA is where it's at
right now because Jim is a very competitive league and you have
to show up and play every night.Our thanks to Carla Mackovich
and of course to you, my friend.Thank you as always.
I missed you a little bit being on the road and though Aaron did
a good job. We'll see you next time on the
New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
Hi, everyone, and welcome to theNew Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
I'm Gus Kattengill on with Jim Eichenhofer and you might have
noticed Mr. Carlo Mackevich is joining us here today.
Carlo, how you doing, Bud? Doing.
Good. Thank you.
How are you? Doing very nice to to have you a
part of the show and you know what?
Look, we got a whole bunch of different things we want to get
with you and you know, kind of touch on, but I need to start
with my favorite topic when we call your games playing above
(00:30):
the rim, dunking first and foremost, I love it when you get
up there and stuff. I look, I I've tried to come up
with the nickname on the air. Do you like hammer Carlo?
The hammer Mackovic? No.
That's simple. It's too simple.
I would you have a suggestion? How do you say hammer in your
language? Chekic.
Chekic. Yeah.
I like that you got a, you got aletter.
(00:51):
I don't know. I wouldn't.
I wouldn't rush it. Wouldn't rush it, yeah.
Good time. Do you have a?
Carla Hammer, just like Carla Hammer.
Maybe we can open it up to the fans, maybe.
We can do that, maybe, yeah. Some suggestions and then we can
provide you with a list. You can go through it and say,
oh, I like. A tough name to have a nickname
for, like Carlo doesn't even like.
You can't. Say, see to me it kind of just,
(01:12):
I don't know, it's the whole Carlo.
The hammer sounds good through, but more importantly the.
Corner, Carlo. Hammer Carlo.
You know what you know like. Look, my main thing is more of
the, the mindset though, man, because I, I, I kind of describe
it on the air when I see it. You're, you have the intention
of going above the rim from the get go, whether it's, you know,
(01:33):
playing off the ball, cut back. So when you have it, you're
going. Is that how I view it?
Is that what you're thinking when you get the ball, you're
going and you're attacking to beaggressive?
Is that your mindset? Yeah, always.
I don't know. That's how I grew up with
basketball. That's how I saw basketball,
because that's how I watched basketball.
It was like LeBron in Miami and he was just dunking stuff.
Human D Wade and then Blake Griffin, the Andre Jordan and
(01:55):
stuff that those are the first clips I ever saw.
So I was like, yeah, this is it.That's something what I want to
do. And then it just became like a
thing when I was a kid, I was trying to dunk all the time.
Couldn't get it until I was like3014, I don't know, 14.
And then I just started to be a habit that I wanted to dunk in
game. And then you watch all these
highlights and like you as a kid, you want to be in the
(02:16):
highlight reel one day, and thenit just kind of translated to
the game. Wanted to kind of get into a
little bit of the difference between your rookie year and and
obviously early in your second year.
Do you think, do you feel like you're more aggressive this
season, like having more confidence, having more NBA
games under your belt? You got to play a lot like from
January on last. Yeah, definitely the the
confidence comes from experience, you know, get into
(02:37):
those games well. I played 42 games last year.
I think some of them were in Birmingham Squad too.
I have fun there too. So I think like those experience
kind of gets you the confidence too.
And then people get to know, youknow, how you play.
And then I think I if you look at the G League games, I had
(02:58):
kind of translated to the the league games, you know, about
the ring players and stuff that I had back there with Kwetter.
So I would say like kind of justI just adapted to the league
base and stuff. I'm sure some of it, too, is
your teammates know what you cando as well.
They know I can throw it up 15 feet and he'll come down and
catch. It and dump.
You're gonna find this. Right, right.
(03:19):
Beyond the dunking, which I knowGus obviously loves and we all
love, is there a part of your game that you think that you've
improved the most or that you'rethe most happy with the strides
that you made from like your rookie year?
To your second year 3 point line, because I never shot
before even like like pre draftsand stuff like that.
Season before the draft, I nevershot the ball for three.
(03:40):
I was only in the in the paint. Now I can spread the floor, I
can run to the corner, cut from them.
I think those cuts in three-point kind of helped me
expand my game. Yeah, for sure.
One of The Wanted to ask you about a couple of your
teammates. One of the guys it seems like
you have a good connection with on the court already is Derek
Queen, who obviously is a rookie, has only been in the
(04:00):
league for a few weeks. What's it been like playing with
him? Is that something that you?
It seems like a lot of guys enjoy just his passing.
Yeah, because he's patient. He really like takes time.
He patient, he reads the cuts. Well, here is the pick and roll
game. Well, when he got the ball, he
never like in a hurry. Like he's always like, you know,
calm and then he makes the rightplace basically all the time.
(04:24):
So it's fun to be around. You know, you given the ball and
you can, you know, you can move somewhere, do some and then you
want to read it. You know, maybe you going to go
for set a screen and slip out ofit.
You're probably gonna read it. So it's fun.
From being in basketball, I mean, how rare is it to have
some of those traits that he hasat 20 years old that this the
presence they has on the court and just the feel.
(04:44):
Yeah, he definitely like a unique talent for a young guy,
for sure. Definitely.
That's like a big man, not a point guard.
Like maybe you're gonna have a point guard.
I can read the game like that. But as a big man, definitely
something unique for now. You were asked the other day
about the reaction of your teammates from the bench to some
of your dunks. And I know you, you referenced,
you said, I think the word that you used for Derek was he's,
(05:05):
he's a little goofy. Yeah, he's funny.
Yeah, he's funny. How do you describe like his
personality or like what he's? Like that, just like that goofy
like not like he don't care national, I guess.
I don't know, like he just go crazy.
Like he'll go crazy and then he he will say what he thinks
basically, and he wouldn't be bothered by it whatever he said,
And then he will ask questions to like he dressed up yesterday
(05:28):
or saw him. He'll come to tribute like how's
my fit? Like my fit, like he pull out.
You like my fit. So he's like really like a big
child kind. So fun guy.
It seems like some of the guys have said that he's kind of
unintentionally funny. Would you?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I'm saying.
Like he just says what he thinksand just becomes funny.
(05:48):
Like he's not that he's like aiming for it to be funny, but
like he just is. And the way he talks the little
like the voice is still kind of in a developing so it sounds
funny. But yeah, he going to get there
for sure. Another rookie that has been
super impressive and was also a lottery pick for the Pelicans
was Jeremiah Fears. I mean, what's been impressive
to you about the way that? He's playing aggressive, Yeah,
(06:11):
really aggressive. Like, no fears, like, like the
nickname it is. It's really like that.
I would just say like aggressivehard worker, always in the gym
and like it really pays out for him.
It's such a contrast with both those two players, right,
Because you're saying the playoff of queen heads up, here
comes a pass or he's going to read something.
So you're kind of looking at a basketball court where when you
(06:33):
see Jeremiah, it's like run because he's so fast and so
quick. And the other thing that I
noticed too is even if you're trailing and he's out running
everybody, he can find you in the lane as the trailer, right?
So it's almost like with both rookies, Pace and.
Pace and patience, yeah. Right, it's.
Kind of pace and patience and then those together kind of if,
(06:54):
if they match up good, it's likereal good.
That could be a nickname. Pace and patience, we call it
with the hammer, which you don'tlike, but pace and Patience as
well with those two, I like it. When when you when you watch
those two guys, I mean, from your own experience of being a
rookie last season in the NBAI mean, what are, are there
certain things that you can kindof point out to them or certain
things that you remember? Man, they got it and they go
online, they got it. They really got it.
(07:16):
Like you don't even have to likegive them none.
You just got to like give them time to develop and like be
there for support and everythingelse they want to figure out.
Like they got it. They really got it.
You can see by the way they play, it feels like they they're
already here for a little while.Yeah.
You don't think one thing that'sinteresting too in the dynamic
of this roster is including you?There's a bunch of guys that
(07:40):
have had really good starts to their career.
You know, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Jose there are in their
fifth year. But of those guys, Herb was the
only one that really got to playright away in his rookie season.
So I mean, everyone, almost all the other guy, pretty much all
the other guys I I mentioned didn't play a lot until like
January. In your case, Jose was the same
way. Trey didn't start playing a ton,
(08:01):
I think until like March of his rookie season.
So I mean, you, you kind of you kind of alluded to it a little
bit like how impressive is it for these guys to come right
from college and they're 1920 years old and to be.
Able they got it totally they got it they got it they just
like you're there go there and like they don't free nobody they
just go and there's hope they want to compete.
(08:22):
Yasawa, he said to to Brooks. Yasawa fears doesn't, you know,
like they don't, you know, care at all.
They just dare to hoop and like be better every day.
You know, they, they want, you can see on them they want to be
better and like they want to lead somewhere.
You see how figures want to liketake over.
You know, you want to bring somestuff for the city and stuff.
DQ said that the right. So like, I mean, it's great to
(08:45):
have like 2 young guys like that, just having like that
mentality. Yeah, to your point, I thought
in that Phoenix game, what they both said was really
interesting. Not only Queen on the court,
kind of letting Dylan Brooks know what's going on, but.
But I think they both trying to.Get him on.
He's like, no, keep me in. He he wanted to stay in and
afterwards saying we're not going to get bullied.
I think when you have two rookies like that, bringing that
(09:06):
mentality to locker room guys like you have to.
Great. You always got to step up.
You got to follow, especially the young guys started, you got
to follow them, you know, like you got to do what you got to do
and all. Right as we go to break, I do
got to bring up the status statsthough, OK?
Do you think you have more dunksthis season than Trey Murphy?
Yes. I thought so too.
No, Well, no. He had few few days that one
(09:32):
game like I had. I had six in one game, right,
Right. I had 6.
Six against Charlotte. And then I had two How like
would you know this 10:00-ish? Gus kind of tricked you a little
bit. Yeah, he, he bring me like he
give me the vibe like yeah, yeah, yeah.
Believe me, I like Carl this, Carl that.
Hammer this Nick man that do youthink?
(09:54):
But actually, no, maybe like yesterday he got like a couple
so. Well, you're going to laugh when
you hear the stat. Maybe you have 13 this season.
Dre has 14, but you have 13 and 82 minutes.
He has 14 and 395. So I think the dunk per minute
ratio, I think you got him beat.I asked him when I get catch up
his minutes right now and then he goes I love.
(10:14):
That hey, dunk, dunk to minutes ratio.
I love that. Look, we're just getting
started. When we come back, Jim's going
to get to know a little bit moreabout Carlos preparation for the
season. We'll do that here as well as
you're listening to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
(10:39):
All right. Welcome back to the New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast here with CarlaMackovic and Jim Eichenhofer.
We're talking a little bit aboutyour dunks in that opening
segment, which, you know, me, I can talk about it for more than
one segment. But Jim, you kind of want to get
into maybe what you did, Carlo to get ready for the season to
have such an impact already. Yeah.
I mean, if I'm correct, you spent a good amount of time in
(11:01):
in the offseason in New Orleans.Can you kind of go through like
what your process for that was? Correction, back home, back
home, Ashley, I was home, had national team there, had my
coach, conditioning coach. I had like 2 years ago,
continued working with him, had a great time.
And then that's where I work themost, a lot of weight room.
(11:22):
I work with Zubats a little bit with his coach.
We were always in the gym together.
We didn't work out too much together because they're getting
different. We had the same coach and then
it was good to have him there. I'll talk to him a lot.
He'll talk to me, he'll bring meout to lunch and stuff because
we live there in the same city back home.
So like it, it was a great addition to have that vet.
(11:42):
He's a 20 year old, 28 year old vet and really that's crazy.
But he's been there like for almost 10 years now.
So like it's been great to have him on the side.
Now I'm texting all the time. He gets me back right away and
it's like it's really fun to have him on the on the other
side of the league, but still fine because he's my creation.
But yeah, that's how I spent basically my office and working
(12:04):
out back home, having a good, really thoughtful weight room
workout plan where we hit the weight room and stuff to work on
some stuff. Like you said, you like get
above the room, you got to jump a little bit more, right?
So like he works a lot in the weight room and then just being
on the court hoping and having fun having national team.
That was great. So basically that was my summer.
(12:27):
Like, it went quick though. Yeah, it was real quick.
You've mentioned Zubots a few times in the recent past about
the influence that he's had on you.
I know that you probably you mentioned too, you have a little
bit of different game than him. He's, he's been kind of like
very. Much in the pain, Yeah, he's
like. A right burly.
Guy. Yeah, yeah.
You have, you're probably more athletic, I would say it's safe
(12:49):
to say than he is. Well for sure.
But are are there certain thingsthat you take from his more?
Mentally and like KYP stuff, watching the tape and the field
of the game, you know, know yourplayers, know their players, you
know who you're playing against,have to play, you know, and
stuff like that. It's more like more doe steps
(13:10):
then like do this and that, likedo a hooky or whatever, you
know, it's more like KYP stuff, you know, know your personnel,
watch film, know how you defend stuff and stuff like that.
It's been, obviously this is your second season here, so
you've gotten to know New Orleans a little bit more,
whether it's, you know, in in the summer or during the season.
(13:32):
What's it been like living here as as far as just getting more
adjusted to the city? Probably.
I would imagine that you're knowthe city more now, a lot more
now than you did when you first got.
Here, definitely, definitely. I love when my friends come
over. I definitely love to, when my
friends come over and I can do like my European stuff, go out,
get a coffee, sit down and do none, get outside, a little bit
(13:52):
of walk. That's something I like to do
back home. So I like kind of transfer here.
People out here don't like to walk that much.
So when my friends come over, I definitely go for a walk, grab a
coffee, get some food, you know,food definitely.
But yeah, it's a nice city. It's a small, not that big of a
(14:13):
city. Like I see you the same.
I said that before. I see the same people always at
the same spots, like walking down the street, I will see
somebody else saw somewhere elseand I'm like, Oh yeah, I know
this person, you know, stuff like that.
So it's not a big city, but great people.
The hospitality is awesome, You know, I just, you know, I enjoy
it, definitely. It seems like some of the
(14:33):
players who are especially the guys that have been here for
multiple years, you start to have a like a list of food spots
that you go always go to. And I don't need you to list
your favorite ones or whatever, but I remember CJ had like CJ
McConnell when he was here, he had like, I think he had like a
book, a book different places. Like if you want Italian, here's
the list if you want whatever category.
(14:54):
I have categories about my restaurant, so if I have
Italian, I'll go Sofia, for example.
If I want a steak door, steakhouse, Metropolitan, right?
If I want some, like in between a serial loop or in bed, Pelican
Club is awesome. Or whatever you pronounce it,
some French, like pasteuri or something like that, right?
(15:19):
That's really good though, for breakfast and stuff.
Really good, like pastries and stuff?
Yeah. Bakery kinda.
Why? Whatever.
Smooth. Last thing for me, I've lived in
three different States and I lived in New York, Oklahoma and
Louisiana and every time it was kind of an adjustment, but I
think it's nothing compared to living in a different country.
What's it been like? What's your experience been like
(15:41):
as far as living in in the United States now for?
The biggest thing I had like it was like I had a little bit of a
culture shock a little bit for sure.
And then when I go back home, I need a week and then I just said
it was amazing. But no hate, don't I?
I'm not hate, but I'm saying though, it's different the the
people, how they're like see theworld.
(16:01):
It's not the same how I said it by home, but it kind of just the
way they move, the way they talk, the way they interact with
each other, you know, the way they they make friends or not
make friends. It's just like different,
different, different approach tostuff, I would say.
But yeah, the culture stuff was like a little bit different.
Definitely food's different. Definitely like the food back
(16:24):
home more even even though the food is good, I still like the
food home. But but it is that is, you know,
everybody homesick sometimes. Yeah.
You love your mama's kitchen. Probably right.
Everybody loves you, you know? So like, I definitely love food
back home more. I talked to a lot of Europeans.
A lot of Europeans say the same thing.
So I'm not the only one that I'mlike talking smack right now,
(16:45):
but it is what it is. But yeah, food culture a little
bit. The people where they move, you
know, they know what, like I said, they don't walk outside
that much. Maybe some states didn't do
them, like probably they do, right.
Probably they do. Like I was in San Diego for a
week. They move out there, but the
weather is nice move. You can go outside.
It's not humid and stuff, right?Yeah.
It's not. Hot as what you said, there's
(17:06):
not. Mosquitoes eating your life.
So yeah, probably people move though.
Like I'll be like, probably why I want to say this now people be
like, no, no, we do walk outside.
I don't know. I don't see you that much.
I don't see you as much in Europe.
I don't know. Are you a seafood guy?
Yes and no. I like fish and stuff, but I
don't like oysters and stuff. OK, OK.
Yeah, we'll do. Look, I'll say this, a man of
(17:28):
many talents over here, architectural advice, how to
tour New Orleans as a European, you can do that as well.
You can give some advice on thatand more importantly how to play
above. The I think Europeans don't have
to tour New Orleans better than me, for sure.
That's the problem that they definitely know because they
come in here as a terrorist and they're probably nowhere to go.
Like, my friend was coming here before training camp and he
(17:51):
already knew some spots to go. Oh, yeah, There you go.
Yeah, this. Then we like, went around.
The thing is. You're just so focused on
basketball. That's what it is.
But I'm like, like job, job, home guy.
I mean, yeah, that's that's truethough.
That's true though. That's a little bit.
You got me there. Well.
Look, in all honesty, that's probably why you've made the
jump that you have man, and you've made such an impact. 82
minutes, 13 dunks. That's my my go to when it comes
(18:12):
to playing above the rim. He doesn't like the hammer.
I'll come up with something elsethat will Carlo think.
You said don't like the hammer. No, I understand.
I think he can get more creative.
Do better is it Yeah, you got itwas a very.
Quick thought it was I didn't take a lot.
Of time as the usual you know like this guy hammers this guy
right that's. No, you're right.
You're. Right, this guy chose the
hammer. He wants something unique to
you. Yeah, all right, why not?
(18:34):
Yeah, Big nasty. Now I won't.
I won't work on it, I will. Do whatever I.
Got thank you for your time. Thank you.
I appreciate. It Mr. Carlo Mackovic, when you
come back, we'll put a wrap on this one.
You're watching New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
(18:58):
I welcome back to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast, Gus,
cat and Girl. Jim, I can offer our thanks to
Carla Mackovic for joining us. He's always a great guest.
And of course, look, anytime he plays above the rim, you're
going to be, I'm going to be a big fan of you.
That's awesome. I knew you were going to want to
talk about that guy I knew. That's a great stat that Jim
found there, 13 to 14. Trey leading right now.
But man, the amount of minutes. But just goes to tell you,
(19:20):
though, I didn't, I meant to tell him there was another
nickname that Graff and I came up with on the road.
Instant dividends. It almost sounds like every time
he steps on to the court gym, it's a rebound, it's a dunk,
it's something positive that happens.
And if you're coming off the bench, isn't that what you want
to be as a player? I kind of like that, that, you
know, there aren't that many financial nicknames in, in
(19:40):
basketball. So I I like the creativity
there. From a positive side, yeah,
definitely instant dividend. I love that.
But one of the things Jim loves to do is tie things in with the
rest of the league and what's going on.
So we're going to do a little Western Conference Friday
approach here today as Jim we look at the Western Conference
in is it OK seeing everybody else kill me, man, are they
(20:04):
impressive so far right now? Yeah, they're off to an
incredible start. And by the way, the the the
viewers and the listeners, I know they probably miss Western
Conference Wednesday. Yes, we don't have that anymore,
but we're going to do the best we can with Western Conference
Friday. To me, one of the biggest things
that stands out with the West sofar is that, you know, we don't
like to see other people suffer.You know, we don't like to see
other bad things happen to otherpeople.
(20:24):
But sometimes it's good if otherteams in the West are
struggling. And right now, I mean, there's a
a pretty long list of teams thathad high expectations or
relatively high expectations andare struggling out of the gate.
That's good for the Pelicans because if you want to look at
the playing race as as rough as a start as the Pelicans have
gotten off to, they're not that far out of 10th place right now
(20:45):
as we record this on Thursday afternoon.
The Utah Jazz are actually in 10th place right now at 4:00 and
7:00, which is surprising in itself.
But I mean, you look at teams like Memphis is 4 and 9, the
Clippers are three and eight, Dallas is 3 and 9, Sacramento is
3 and 9. I mean, there's a bunch of teams
that are having similar issues as the Pelicans in terms of
(21:06):
winning games earlier in the season, issues at the defensive
end. I mean, we could go through
through some of them. I mean, obviously The Mavericks
have already fired their GM, so there's that.
The Grizzlies have had issues with John Morant in terms of he
hasn't played well, his body language.
He's had some post game interviews that haven't been
great. Very interesting.
Yeah, the Clippers are we, you know, I I consider ourselves to
(21:29):
be maybe a little bit older gentleman.
You know, we're not ancient, butso I don't want to call people
old, but I feel like the Clippers have not look great
from that category so far. I think people thought that they
would be their experience would benefit them.
But I mean, sometimes in the NBAcan be a little bit too
experienced, if you know what I mean.
And so basically the Pelicans are in a situation right now
where, yeah, it's been a, it's been a really bad start to the
(21:52):
season. But there's so many other teams
in the West that I want to be able to still say, I think the
goal right now, at least short term, should be by Thanksgiving.
Can we by Christmas, can we still be talking about the
playing race? Can we still say that they're
either in the top 10 or they're within striking distance at this
stage right now? They are.
And a lot of it is because some of these other teams have
struggled so much. Yeah, and a lot of the reasons
(22:13):
too when you take a look at it. And again, it's it just is what
it is. What is it 7 different starting
lineups already for the Pelicansand we just got past the 10 game
mark. So look to to wrap up one of the
things that we're going to keep an eye on here as well as as
we'll, you know, get ready for Friday's giving us the Lakers is
the NBA Cup. Obviously, it's one of those
things where if you lose a game,you kind of not into it.
(22:33):
I like it. You, I think I've said you liked
it here as well and you've made these games competitive.
I don't know what's your your look at it as we go into the
second-half, I guess, of the NBACup.
I just love the urgency that it provides.
I think the smaller sample whereyou're just playing four pool
play games, it adds a little bitof incentive and stakes to the
games. So I'm a huge fan of the NBA
Cup. I know there's people out there
(22:54):
that disagree with me on that and that's fine.
But I mean, the way I would summarize it over all too is to
me, I think it's it should be. You should look at it as a
double you don't need. It doesn't need to be a home
run. This is only Year 3 of it, and
to me, it's accomplished a lot of its initial goals of what
they were the NBA was shooting for.
Yeah, no doubt. And look, here's the thing.
When you look at the end of the day, looking at the rest of this
(23:15):
home stand, you're going to be seeing MVPS here and there and
everywhere. So the NBA is where it's at
right now because Jim is a very competitive league and you have
to show up and play every night.Our thanks to Carla Mackovich
and of course to you, my friend.Thank you as always.
I missed you a little bit being on the road and though Aaron did
a good job. We'll see you next time on the
New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.