February 2, 2024 • 14 mins
The newly-named 2024 NBA All-Star Paolo Banchero joined Dante Marchitelli, George Galante and Jeff Turner to discuss hearing his name called, what it feels like to fulfill a life-long dream, what he feels this young Magic team is capable of and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Does its fawns long enough? The Orlando Magic. This is
Cole Anthony, This is Jennon Suggs. This is Paulo Man
Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're listening to the Pod
Squad and one.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
From everyone to a special All Star edition of Magic
Pod Squad presented by Starry Dante Marcicelli, Jeff Turner, George
Galate and the latest Orlando Magic All Star follow Ban
Carrol got it up to join us. Yes, sir, congratulation
Speak night, All Star in Orlando Magic history, the twenty
fifth selection. Congrats, man, I know you just found out
(00:34):
a matter of moments ago.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
What are the emotions? How does it feel to be
an All Star?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Man? Uh, it just is a great accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Man.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm happy that it happened, and I'm just glad I
was around the team and everybody here. We all got
to experience it together. It was a lot of emotions
sitting there just waiting it was. It was more successful
than I thought. But I just enjoyed it and I
was glad that we always here to experience it together.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
You mean through that you guys didn't like the fact
that you were the seventh guy of seventh.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
I had a feeling I was going to be the
last guy chosen. But I'm just glad I got my
name called. Man, it feels good.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
We'll take us through it. You were at practice, you
were on a bus, you were racing back to the hotel.
You just got to the room and time. Didn't you
to see the selection?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah? Yeah they had.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Joel had it up on his phone at the gym.
He was watching it, and then we had luckily we
had a short drive from the gym to the hotel
and then we were kind of all scrambling to find
one room to go in and Lu with a TV
and they turned it on so everybody got to watch.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
What was the celebration, like, Pallo, you look like you've
got your shirt's a little damn. It looks like.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Some water going around. Uh, guys gave me a water
water shower man. So it was it was fun. Man.
Everybody just so a lot of love and uh, you know,
shook everybody up, hugged everybody and just told them, you know,
thank you and how much I appreciate them.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Think back to when you were a kid, Paulo.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Right, you start playing basketball, right, I know your mom
is an accomplished basketball player.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But was this the goal?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
I know you said it was a goal to win.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 6 (02:17):
Once you got the number one pick, you checked out,
You check off that box. I got to thank Every
kid that grows up playing basketball dreams of being an
All Star one day, right, Was that part of the goal?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
For sure, I mean I think it was. It didn't
become a goal to maybe like high school or college,
but it was always a dream. You know, you always
watch the All Star Game, you know, every year, and
you just dream. You know, it seems impossible at first,
but you know, as you get older, get better, you know,
you accomplish more goals leading up to it, and then
(02:52):
it starts to become more real. And so you know,
once I got to the NBA, I think is when
I really wanted to just walk in and one, you know,
start off with Rookie of the Year and then you know,
I didn't know if it was gonna be year two
or year three, but definitely, you.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Know, be the All Star.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Was was on the on the uh Mo's over there
cheering me on, but uh as you should Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Hey, fellow, go ahead, I was good. I was gonna
ask you you know, you got you know, you were
fourth into voting by your peers, by the players, that's
a huge honor. But to be selected by the coaches,
who you know, you can't fool coaches, right like they
they see it every day they're preparing for you and things.
What how does that feel? I know you were proud
(03:39):
to be for you know, from your peers, but from
the coaches that's a pretty big honor as well.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I mean you know, like you said, the coaches aren't
gonna lie. You know, they're not gonna have any agendas.
You know, they're just calling how they see it, and uh,
you know it means a lot for them. Being the
opposition most of the time is a speaks to just
you know, how how hard I try and play every night,
and just the effort I try and put forward, you know,
(04:06):
I try and do my best every game. And uh yeah, man,
I'm just glad that I've earned the respect of you know,
not only my peers, but the coaches as well. I
think it's it's huge for me, you know, just as
a confidence booster and just trying to make my name
and earn my respect in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
Well, what was the whole day like for you though, today,
because I can tell you that I had many conversations.
I talked to Mike a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I talked to.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
Joel, I talked to these guys here. I what and
just I was and I was nervous for you all day.
And Mike actually said to me, I'll share with you.
He may have said it to you. He goes, it
feels like Draft night all over again, because I don't
know what's going to happen, and I don't like it,
because what was it like for you, just all bit,
not just watching it, just all day long for you?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, yeah, Mike. Mike actually woke me up with a
and he said exactly that word for word. You know.
I was just getting up.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
You know, we played last night, so we had we
left San Antonio this morning, so I was just getting
up and he called me and said the same thing, like, man,
it feels like Draft day. I'm nervous, and I was
just I started laughing.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I thought that was funny.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
But honestly, it was a regular day, man, just a
regular travel day. And I knew that it was coming
obviously tonight. And you know, but I really, I really
wasn't trying to think about it. Obviously, I was confident that,
you know, my chances were good, but you never know,
so I was just looking forward to to it being announced.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Paul, What does this mean to We saw your ball
last night in San Antonio. Obviously she's super proud of you.
And we've seen your dad Mario a number of times.
You haven't even had a chance to go through all
the messages you're getting. You know, your phone, your phone
is blowing up. But what do you what does this
mean to your folks, your family, your friends, things like that.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
It means a lot to them, for sure, just because
they've been there with me the whole journey. They've been
there with the good and the bad, ups and the downs,
and you know, they just put in. You know, there's
been a lot of people that's helped me.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Along the way that you know, deserve a lot.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Of credit for helping me just become to the man
I am today and the player I am today. So
you know, I'm sure all those people are proud, and
I you know, be sure to tell them thank you
and how much I appreciate them.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
You know, guys, I'm looking at this and and you know, Paula.
You know this, but for Magic history, you're joining Shack Penny,
Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, Grant Hill. I think these are
some of the best to ever play the game, and
now yet Paula, Ben Carroll into that mix. I mean,
it's it's it's just the sense of pride. I'm sure
it got to be pretty pretty overwhelming at times too.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, coming in, I remember
when I got drafted. You know, I remember seeing something
when I right when I got picked, just of all
the previous.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Magic number one scene, I remember looking at it like,
you know, I got a lot to I got a
lot of work to do. You know, all those guys
were legends, like you said, and so just to you know,
be be in the same you know sentence and as
those guys are the huge honor and you know, those
guys put on for Orlando and gave it the raw,
and I plan on doing the same thing.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So it's it's.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Definitely an honor though, man, I don't take it for granted.
You know, those are all the legends that's came before me,
and they put.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It in a lot of work.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
It doesn't happen without your play ballot. Right, So okay,
that's great, you get nominated, but you have to play
well and you have to earn everybody's respect. And you've
done that and especially these if you've done it all season,
but the last twenty five twenty six games, especially with
people in and out of the lineup, kind of take
us through your mindset and how you've kind of carried
every carried this team.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It kept everything afloat.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Here are the last twenty five.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Twenty six games.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, I think it's been a mindset of you know,
trying to bring my best forward every single day, you know,
practice or game.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You know, that's just been my biggest thing. You know.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Obviously we we have injuries and you know, deal with
different stuff throughout the season, but you know, as as
a team, you know, we want to stick together. And
then for myself, just trying to be as consistent as
I can and with my play, with my attitude, with
my focus, and uh, you know, hoping that it rubs
off on everyone else. And then you know, when I
do slip up, you know those guys are there to
(08:25):
you know, pick me up and help me accountable. So
it's a it's a team environment and it's a you know,
just an overall team thing where we all got to
hold each other to a standard. And I think just
players and coaches, you know, no matter who's in the lineup,
who's out the lineup, we hold each other to that standard.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And that's that's helped us.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Oh, I get asked like all the time, you know
what has impressed me about you? You know, especially over
the month of January when we you know, we've had
so many you know, the injuries and so many close games,
games didn't go our way. And my number one thing
is that the thing I've been pressed with it for
someone second year in the league, as young as you are,
(09:07):
just the way you handle adversity, you never seem to
get that frustrated. Now I'm guessing maybe inside you get
a little frustrated sometimes, but you don't show it. Is
that something you consciously think about or you're just being
a leader and trying to put on the best space
for your team.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
No, it's something I think about all the time, you know,
you know, I think just it's really came from the
feedback from my teammates and coaches, you know, just how
much my energy and my attitude rubs off on you know,
everyone else, and how how important it is, you know,
So when they come and tell me that, then me,
(09:49):
I want to be the best team that I can be,
and I want the best for the team. So I
got to make sure that my attitude is always up
to part that I'm staying poised, you know, when there's
a a tough game or you know, a late game situation.
Like just having that confidence in myself and also in
my teammates and coaches, and that confiden's running through everyone else.
(10:10):
I think it's been huge, and I think that's been
a bigger area of growth from last year to this
year for me and the team is just the confidence
we have in each other and the confidence I have
in myself, I think just as a leader and the
player has really grown a lot.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
So yeah, hello, how much does the team's success. I
mean we've always preached that, you know, when the team wins,
everybody gets to eat.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It isn't this proof?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I mean if the magic were if we were twenty
and twenty seven, you know, I don't know necessarily if
we're if we're sitting here, even if your numbers are great,
But because the team is having success, I mean that
helps everybody along.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
It's always been like that, and that's something that you know,
we preach. You know, coach preaches it, everyone preaches it
throughout the locker room.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
It's just you know, put the team first.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And you know, as long as we're having success, you know,
everyone's gonna give what they deserve. And uh, you know,
this is just the tip of the iceberg. I think
with our team and where we're where we're going to
be able to go in the future. And uh, you know,
we got a lot of guys who got a lot
you know that they want to accomplish and that they're
going to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So you know, it's not just me. You know, we
got a lot of guys that.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Are already and are going to keep you know, elevating
as we elevate as a team.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
All right, last thing follow and then we want you
to celebrate. We want you to get there and get
back to all these messages. Right, but every we we
try to bring it up as much as we can.
There's every statistic and metric you can look at, but
fourth quarter scoring clutch points, I mean, you're you're you're
one of the top in the NBA in all those categories,
but it but it accelerates even more your top four
(11:50):
and fourth quarter points on the road. What what is
it about you on the road that atmosphere here in
the fourth quarter?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
You're a dog man? You want the basketball?
Speaker 6 (12:00):
Do you want to you want to send everybody home upset?
I love that mentality, kind of take us through how
much you enjoy and thrive off of that.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Yeah, I think just you know, being on the road
in the NBA, Uh, you know, it's hard, and uh
you know, it's really just you and the guys and
everyone that you know, came to this city with you.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Guys are all you got. And so I think kind
of taking that mentality is important.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And then just for me, I think in the fourth quarter,
in the late game situations, you know, I kind of
treat that almost as like another game, almost a separate game.
You know, when the fourth quarter starts. My checking in
the fourth quarter, you know, I'm not worried about my
stats or or what I've done in the first three quarters.
I'm clear headed, whether it's been a good or bad game,
I'm clear headed and focused on what I got to
(12:47):
do this last whatever it is, seven eight minutes to
help us win this game. And so I think just
having that mentality of you know, really coming back to
the center when the fourth quarter starts and you know,
catching your and you know, refocusing is has been my
biggest uh factor, which I would contribute to how I've
been playing. But yeah, I think and I think you
(13:10):
just lift for those moments too. I think it's just
it's something about you when you're a competitor that you know,
you just like you said, you want the ball. You
want to carry that responsibility, you want to you know,
you want to be able to help your team over
the edge. And so I just kind of had that
mentality all year. And I think, you know, as a team,
we've been you know, adopting that mentality as well. I
(13:33):
think guys been stepping up in big moments time after time,
and I think we're just going to keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Well, that's great.
Speaker 6 (13:40):
I know Jeff will tell you not everybody.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Wants the ball.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
At the end of the game, was going to say.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
And thinking, well, that's an all star mentality.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
All right, good stuff, Well, good luck the rest of
the way. Thirty four games left. We're excited about this
playoff portion here down the stretch. And let's let's have
a great finish to the rest of the season and
let's get into the playoffs. Congratulations and will be cheering
like hell for you in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Congratulations, follow Thank you guys, Appreciate you. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I got about a thousand of these I need to
get to sign when you get home.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
All right, that'll do it for the special All Star
edition of Magic Pod Squad, presented by starring
Does its fawns long enough? The Orlando Magic. This is
Cole Anthony, This is Jennon Suggs. This is Paulo Man
Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're listening to the Pod
Squad and one.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
From everyone to a special All Star edition of Magic
Pod Squad presented by Starry Dante Marcicelli, Jeff Turner, George
Galate and the latest Orlando Magic All Star follow Ban
Carrol got it up to join us. Yes, sir, congratulation
Speak night, All Star in Orlando Magic history, the twenty
fifth selection. Congrats, man, I know you just found out
(00:34):
a matter of moments ago.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
What are the emotions? How does it feel to be
an All Star?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Man? Uh, it just is a great accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Man.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I'm happy that it happened, and I'm just glad I
was around the team and everybody here. We all got
to experience it together. It was a lot of emotions
sitting there just waiting it was. It was more successful
than I thought. But I just enjoyed it and I
was glad that we always here to experience it together.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
You mean through that you guys didn't like the fact
that you were the seventh guy of seventh.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
I had a feeling I was going to be the
last guy chosen. But I'm just glad I got my
name called. Man, it feels good.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
We'll take us through it. You were at practice, you
were on a bus, you were racing back to the hotel.
You just got to the room and time. Didn't you
to see the selection?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah? Yeah they had.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Joel had it up on his phone at the gym.
He was watching it, and then we had luckily we
had a short drive from the gym to the hotel
and then we were kind of all scrambling to find
one room to go in and Lu with a TV
and they turned it on so everybody got to watch.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
What was the celebration, like, Pallo, you look like you've
got your shirt's a little damn. It looks like.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Some water going around. Uh, guys gave me a water
water shower man. So it was it was fun. Man.
Everybody just so a lot of love and uh, you know,
shook everybody up, hugged everybody and just told them, you know,
thank you and how much I appreciate them.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Think back to when you were a kid, Paulo.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Right, you start playing basketball, right, I know your mom
is an accomplished basketball player.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But was this the goal?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
I know you said it was a goal to win.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 6 (02:17):
Once you got the number one pick, you checked out,
You check off that box. I got to thank Every
kid that grows up playing basketball dreams of being an
All Star one day, right, Was that part of the goal?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
For sure, I mean I think it was. It didn't
become a goal to maybe like high school or college,
but it was always a dream. You know, you always
watch the All Star Game, you know, every year, and
you just dream. You know, it seems impossible at first,
but you know, as you get older, get better, you know,
you accomplish more goals leading up to it, and then
(02:52):
it starts to become more real. And so you know,
once I got to the NBA, I think is when
I really wanted to just walk in and one, you know,
start off with Rookie of the Year and then you know,
I didn't know if it was gonna be year two
or year three, but definitely, you.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Know, be the All Star.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Was was on the on the uh Mo's over there
cheering me on, but uh as you should Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Hey, fellow, go ahead, I was good. I was gonna
ask you you know, you got you know, you were
fourth into voting by your peers, by the players, that's
a huge honor. But to be selected by the coaches,
who you know, you can't fool coaches, right like they
they see it every day they're preparing for you and things.
What how does that feel? I know you were proud
(03:39):
to be for you know, from your peers, but from
the coaches that's a pretty big honor as well.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I mean you know, like you said, the coaches aren't
gonna lie. You know, they're not gonna have any agendas.
You know, they're just calling how they see it, and uh,
you know it means a lot for them. Being the
opposition most of the time is a speaks to just
you know, how how hard I try and play every night,
and just the effort I try and put forward, you know,
(04:06):
I try and do my best every game. And uh yeah, man,
I'm just glad that I've earned the respect of you know,
not only my peers, but the coaches as well. I
think it's it's huge for me, you know, just as
a confidence booster and just trying to make my name
and earn my respect in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
Well, what was the whole day like for you though, today,
because I can tell you that I had many conversations.
I talked to Mike a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I talked to.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
Joel, I talked to these guys here. I what and
just I was and I was nervous for you all day.
And Mike actually said to me, I'll share with you.
He may have said it to you. He goes, it
feels like Draft night all over again, because I don't
know what's going to happen, and I don't like it,
because what was it like for you, just all bit,
not just watching it, just all day long for you?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, yeah, Mike. Mike actually woke me up with a
and he said exactly that word for word. You know.
I was just getting up.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
You know, we played last night, so we had we
left San Antonio this morning, so I was just getting
up and he called me and said the same thing, like, man,
it feels like Draft day. I'm nervous, and I was
just I started laughing.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I thought that was funny.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
But honestly, it was a regular day, man, just a
regular travel day. And I knew that it was coming
obviously tonight. And you know, but I really, I really
wasn't trying to think about it. Obviously, I was confident that,
you know, my chances were good, but you never know,
so I was just looking forward to to it being announced.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Paul, What does this mean to We saw your ball
last night in San Antonio. Obviously she's super proud of you.
And we've seen your dad Mario a number of times.
You haven't even had a chance to go through all
the messages you're getting. You know, your phone, your phone
is blowing up. But what do you what does this
mean to your folks, your family, your friends, things like that.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
It means a lot to them, for sure, just because
they've been there with me the whole journey. They've been
there with the good and the bad, ups and the downs,
and you know, they just put in. You know, there's
been a lot of people that's helped me.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Along the way that you know, deserve a lot.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Of credit for helping me just become to the man
I am today and the player I am today. So
you know, I'm sure all those people are proud, and
I you know, be sure to tell them thank you
and how much I appreciate them.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
You know, guys, I'm looking at this and and you know, Paula.
You know this, but for Magic history, you're joining Shack Penny,
Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, Grant Hill. I think these are
some of the best to ever play the game, and
now yet Paula, Ben Carroll into that mix. I mean,
it's it's it's just the sense of pride. I'm sure
it got to be pretty pretty overwhelming at times too.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, coming in, I remember
when I got drafted. You know, I remember seeing something
when I right when I got picked, just of all
the previous.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Magic number one scene, I remember looking at it like,
you know, I got a lot to I got a
lot of work to do. You know, all those guys
were legends, like you said, and so just to you know,
be be in the same you know sentence and as
those guys are the huge honor and you know, those
guys put on for Orlando and gave it the raw,
and I plan on doing the same thing.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So it's it's.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Definitely an honor though, man, I don't take it for granted.
You know, those are all the legends that's came before me,
and they put.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It in a lot of work.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
It doesn't happen without your play ballot. Right, So okay,
that's great, you get nominated, but you have to play
well and you have to earn everybody's respect. And you've
done that and especially these if you've done it all season,
but the last twenty five twenty six games, especially with
people in and out of the lineup, kind of take
us through your mindset and how you've kind of carried
every carried this team.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It kept everything afloat.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Here are the last twenty five.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Twenty six games.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah, I think it's been a mindset of you know,
trying to bring my best forward every single day, you know,
practice or game.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You know, that's just been my biggest thing. You know.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Obviously we we have injuries and you know, deal with
different stuff throughout the season, but you know, as as
a team, you know, we want to stick together. And
then for myself, just trying to be as consistent as
I can and with my play, with my attitude, with
my focus, and uh, you know, hoping that it rubs
off on everyone else. And then you know, when I
do slip up, you know those guys are there to
(08:25):
you know, pick me up and help me accountable. So
it's a it's a team environment and it's a you know,
just an overall team thing where we all got to
hold each other to a standard. And I think just
players and coaches, you know, no matter who's in the lineup,
who's out the lineup, we hold each other to that standard.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And that's that's helped us.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Oh, I get asked like all the time, you know
what has impressed me about you? You know, especially over
the month of January when we you know, we've had
so many you know, the injuries and so many close games,
games didn't go our way. And my number one thing
is that the thing I've been pressed with it for
someone second year in the league, as young as you are,
(09:07):
just the way you handle adversity, you never seem to
get that frustrated. Now I'm guessing maybe inside you get
a little frustrated sometimes, but you don't show it. Is
that something you consciously think about or you're just being
a leader and trying to put on the best space
for your team.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
No, it's something I think about all the time, you know,
you know, I think just it's really came from the
feedback from my teammates and coaches, you know, just how
much my energy and my attitude rubs off on you know,
everyone else, and how how important it is, you know,
So when they come and tell me that, then me,
(09:49):
I want to be the best team that I can be,
and I want the best for the team. So I
got to make sure that my attitude is always up
to part that I'm staying poised, you know, when there's
a a tough game or you know, a late game situation.
Like just having that confidence in myself and also in
my teammates and coaches, and that confiden's running through everyone else.
(10:10):
I think it's been huge, and I think that's been
a bigger area of growth from last year to this
year for me and the team is just the confidence
we have in each other and the confidence I have
in myself, I think just as a leader and the
player has really grown a lot.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
So yeah, hello, how much does the team's success. I
mean we've always preached that, you know, when the team wins,
everybody gets to eat.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It isn't this proof?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I mean if the magic were if we were twenty
and twenty seven, you know, I don't know necessarily if
we're if we're sitting here, even if your numbers are great,
But because the team is having success, I mean that
helps everybody along.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
It's always been like that, and that's something that you know,
we preach. You know, coach preaches it, everyone preaches it
throughout the locker room.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
It's just you know, put the team first.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And you know, as long as we're having success, you know,
everyone's gonna give what they deserve. And uh, you know,
this is just the tip of the iceberg. I think
with our team and where we're where we're going to
be able to go in the future. And uh, you know,
we got a lot of guys who got a lot
you know that they want to accomplish and that they're
going to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So you know, it's not just me. You know, we
got a lot of guys that.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Are already and are going to keep you know, elevating
as we elevate as a team.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
All right, last thing follow and then we want you
to celebrate. We want you to get there and get
back to all these messages. Right, but every we we
try to bring it up as much as we can.
There's every statistic and metric you can look at, but
fourth quarter scoring clutch points, I mean, you're you're you're
one of the top in the NBA in all those categories,
but it but it accelerates even more your top four
(11:50):
and fourth quarter points on the road. What what is
it about you on the road that atmosphere here in
the fourth quarter?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
You're a dog man? You want the basketball?
Speaker 6 (12:00):
Do you want to you want to send everybody home upset?
I love that mentality, kind of take us through how
much you enjoy and thrive off of that.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Yeah, I think just you know, being on the road
in the NBA, Uh, you know, it's hard, and uh
you know, it's really just you and the guys and
everyone that you know, came to this city with you.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Guys are all you got. And so I think kind
of taking that mentality is important.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
And then just for me, I think in the fourth quarter,
in the late game situations, you know, I kind of
treat that almost as like another game, almost a separate game.
You know, when the fourth quarter starts. My checking in
the fourth quarter, you know, I'm not worried about my
stats or or what I've done in the first three quarters.
I'm clear headed, whether it's been a good or bad game,
I'm clear headed and focused on what I got to
(12:47):
do this last whatever it is, seven eight minutes to
help us win this game. And so I think just
having that mentality of you know, really coming back to
the center when the fourth quarter starts and you know,
catching your and you know, refocusing is has been my
biggest uh factor, which I would contribute to how I've
been playing. But yeah, I think and I think you
(13:10):
just lift for those moments too. I think it's just
it's something about you when you're a competitor that you know,
you just like you said, you want the ball. You
want to carry that responsibility, you want to you know,
you want to be able to help your team over
the edge. And so I just kind of had that
mentality all year. And I think, you know, as a team,
we've been you know, adopting that mentality as well. I
(13:33):
think guys been stepping up in big moments time after time,
and I think we're just going to keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Well, that's great.
Speaker 6 (13:40):
I know Jeff will tell you not everybody.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Wants the ball.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
At the end of the game, was going to say.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
And thinking, well, that's an all star mentality.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
All right, good stuff, Well, good luck the rest of
the way. Thirty four games left. We're excited about this
playoff portion here down the stretch. And let's let's have
a great finish to the rest of the season and
let's get into the playoffs. Congratulations and will be cheering
like hell for you in Indianapolis.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Congratulations, follow Thank you guys, Appreciate you. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I got about a thousand of these I need to
get to sign when you get home.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
All right, that'll do it for the special All Star
edition of Magic Pod Squad, presented by starring
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