December 13, 2024 • 25 mins
Jalen Suggs joins Dante, George and Jake to discuss how his team has survived major injury issues and fought through to this point of the year, what being the top offensive option means to him while Franz and Paolo recover, what makes playing at home special and what his breathing technique at the free throw line has done for his game.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And welcome everyone to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcatelli, George Galante, Jake Chapman and kind enough to
join us Jalen Suggs in studio. I'm excited about this, Jake,
because every time I talk to Jalen, I learned something.
I learned something. He's very cerebral. He gives me some insight.
I learned nothing talking.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's been that way first light. Likewise, it's a two
way street. So I'm excited about this. Good to see you, Jie.
How's everything going with you, especially around the holidays.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, I appreciate it as well as well. Happy to
be home. Looking at the schedule of seeing nothing but
ad Orlando, ad Orlando, a Orlando to finish out decembery
is beautiful ten of family coming into town, really getting
ready to sebary the holidays, you know, around loved ones,
and yeah, looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Okay, So I gotta ask you this.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
We have We're the ones that have to do all
the shopping. We gotta put the decorations up. What is
your holiday routine? Do you have to put lights up?
Do you buy the presence?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
What's your routine?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Hey, guys, of reidents.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Now I'll tell you that I do buy the presidence now.
Definitely last last Christmas, the first one I was like, okay,
I'm no longer to get for sever I got a
good giver, yes, but no, we just saw all the
ladies be holding down. We all go over to my parents' house,
have big Christmas over there, kids running around, jumping in
the pool, adults chilling in the backyard and whatnot. So
(01:18):
we always have pretty conceeduble with there.
Speaker 6 (01:20):
That's funny you said that because when I when we
were we've been on the road. It seems like since
training came of you and my wife looked at me
and she said, uh, I think we had the twelve
hour window. She's like, we got to go get the
tree like right now. I'm like, we're going to get
it right now. All right, that seems but what what
does it feel like? I mean, we talked about it
on the way into the studio, knowing that the rest
(01:41):
of the month we're going to be at the Kia
Center where we've been pretty good and you don't have
to get on an airplane for about two and a
half weeks.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, it's great, honestly not to discredit at all. But
traveling is so tough. I think it's one of the
hardest parts about the league, honestly. You know, adjusting to
the lifestyle and basketball itself is difficult, but traveling and
having to play a game and then take a flight
you get in you know the wayever, you get into
with a home or another c at two am. Now
(02:09):
your routine is off. You kind of got to find
a way, you know, to find some sleep, find some
hours of rest, yet still be prepared or ready to go,
you know by that next day. This never is never
really is truly you know, a day off. You know
you're all doing something. So just to be here, you know,
have the comfort comfortability of being at home with your
own car and your own bed or around your own
people for the rest of the month is huge, especially
in a time when peing fronds are still out, you know,
(02:32):
getting ready to come back and doing their preparations. To
have this time at home to really lock in and
h and get ready for this strutch around, it's great.
Speaker 7 (02:39):
What's the practice time going to be because obviously a
lot of adjustments right now with the fronds of injury.
What are like a week one game over over eight
days getting the lab a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
How power key is that going to be?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
All right? It's important. Man used to be back in
here and never to clean up some details. So much
of it was just talking through things, watching film and
trying to fix and correct things. There is different and
we can get on the court and you get a
feel for some of this stuff. Uh mess up, you know,
coverage of something that we were going over in real
time and then be able to talk about it, adjust it, uh,
you know, and then apply it, you know, to how
(03:12):
we want to move going forward. But this practice time
is gonna be great, you know. I think we really
take for the advantage of it. Come in, have fun
and enjoy being home, really take the energy that it
brings us and gives us. You know, it's gonna be
a great end to the month and they'll go into
a great Christmas.
Speaker 6 (03:24):
Well.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
It's interesting, guys, the last five games in the NBA,
the leading scorer in the fourth quarter is this guy
more fourth quarter points than anybody in the entire NBA
the last five game. You did a research that pre
dates a real count.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I bereae the later, so I made it up on
the fly.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
So if you have to fact check it. Nothing, it's true.
I re second.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Second, second, No, it's true, it is true. I did
fact check it. I did fact check it.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
It is true.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Obviously, you know the last two games is a big
part of that, and you didn't have fraud, so you
had to step up. But this predates the fraud's injury.
This goes back five games, and if you go back
six games, you're just one point behind whoever's Firstly, that's
why we started out five, but why we stopped at five?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
But I gotta I gotta wonder, as an NBA player,
does every You don't want anybody to be hurt. You
don't never want a teammate to be hurt. But does
every NBA player wonder if I have to be the guy,
could I do it?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
And you've done it?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Does that do you do?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
You have that thought process and you've got to be
oppressed with what you've done with Franz and Pollo both out.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Absolutely, He's in the back of everybody's not sure what
I'm saying, even even guys who are playing. You know,
when when fiend Franz and those guys are in, I
know thoughts in that are going on in their head,
you know, about how to approach and I knowing that
right their work cload is going to be heavy, you know,
things they need to do to not only play a
great game, but to get a win at the end
of the day. So yeah, it's natural. You know, I
definitely had those thoughts. Uh, he used to be in
(04:45):
that position a ton, you know what I'm saying, kind
of before I got here. And then again, I really
loved how the league humbled me, really brought me back
down to earth, allowed me kind of regrow myself as
a basketball player. I'm saying, I got into the pinnacle
and I got to straight my game down, you know,
really bebuible to back up for the per the player
that I wanted to be, you know. And so it's
really cool how it's all come together in perfect timing,
(05:06):
not live timing with perfect time and uh you know,
not to the point where getting in four quarters. I
was just telling one to you earlier today. Uh, how
it feels good, you know, getting that competitiveness backup, coming
down the stretch, knowing that I'm going to have a ball,
you know what I'm saying. It doesn't have to be
the score, but just knowing that the ball is in
my hands. See, not everybody wants that, guys, but you
want that.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
You're you're not afraid of that.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
You know that.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I think it brings the best, the best out of you,
good and bad, you know, just regardless. It brings the
best out of you when you're able to learn from me,
take it and grow. And you know when they lead
to wins, you know, like the Phoenix team. Uh, I
don't think it gets much better than that. But the
competitiveness is an all time high. You're able to close
the game out, get a win, come back in and
then cell the Bartied teammates. Uh. It's a really great
feel that. So it's been. It felt good this bast
(05:45):
couple of weeks.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
I was I was going to ask you what your
favorite memory of the season so far as I think
you just answered it. But go back to when you
said the game has humbled you and and you had
to strip it down. You have to have people that
are there to tell you because the three of us
could tell you that's probably probably happened to ninety eight
percent of the league. That's part of like becoming a pro,
Like how who was there most for you when you
(06:09):
were in that in that timeframe.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
My mom and my dad were huge for me, honestly,
especially when there are struggles going on. You know, I
really was struggling navigating it, trying to find a way
being able to go to them and just kind of
release everything, you know, me my entire life. They knew
exactly what was going on, you know, but it really
took me going and opening up and asking for the
help and then receiving the help, you know, to really
(06:33):
start to take strides and realize the growth, because it
really is hard. Man. Like, you come into the league
and everybody who's gotten here has pretty much been the
guy wherever they've come from, right you know, college maybe
for the most part a lot of them, but definitely
high school. You know, you're coming in and you're playing
the minutes. You're the guy in school, you know what
I'm saying. You're the one getting the looks in the shots.
You have the ultimate green light. And playing basketball from
(06:54):
that mindset, in my opinion, is so freeing and I
think it brings the best out of anybody. If you
give anybody in this league the green lights come in
tomorrow night and say here's the ball, make things and
make places happy for us. I think a lot of
the guys can do it. And you look at Alfred
Payton came back in, had a great game, twenty assists,
almost a triple double, you know what I'm saying. But
he had the ball the whole game, and he's able
(07:15):
to feel the flow and playoff of guys and naturally
fall into that stuff. So wow. But I think, you know,
just again letting the game humble me and then being
good enough and humble enough to then take the teaching
that it was giving me, you know, and not try
to fight it, you know, not say no, I am
the guy. I'm not gonna go to the corner and
I'm not going to stand and watch he's last two
minutes to make defensive play as well. These are the
(07:37):
two guys Franz Polo. Wherever's got a cold, Wherever's got
to go in at the end of the night, you know,
to let them take the reins and run off until
the end of the game. So now it's been dope
seeing it come full circle. Now it has really been cool.
Speaker 6 (07:47):
Because that's important right too, Like you have to realize that,
like yeah, okay, like I am quote unquote the man
up until this point. Now there's four hundred and forty
nine other areas man. So it's hard for some guys,
and some guys don't get it, or some guys it
takes you know, six years to get it, and by
that time it may be too late. Like the fact
(08:08):
that you're learned it pretty quickly, like that's a testament
to you and everybody else.
Speaker 7 (08:14):
How much you talk a lot about staying present. How
much is sort of that mindset because it's really refreshing.
It doesn't get any easier as you get older. There's
distractions everywhere, right, especially with young people. These things are
got our market. How much has it been Okay, I
can't change last game, I can't change last play, next
play mentality and just stay locked in in the moment.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
How much set health here has been huge? I think
you're getting basketball to become in the sport again, you know,
not not so much of who I am, you know,
kind of shipping that for my personality has been great,
you know, along those lines, but just coming in and
knowing that each game is its own. It has been
really important for me in the past. You know, it's
really hard for me to kind of separate and disassociate,
(08:54):
you know, from bad games, bad possessions, bad halfs, you know,
whatever the case may beat, you know, those things with link.
You know, over time, I continue to affect you know,
future play, my future interactions with people and things like that.
But I think the more that I've come to really
just be present, you know, take it a moment of play,
half a quarter at a time. We kind of break
(09:15):
the game down in segments. I'm able to move on
from plays quicker than I was before, you know, when
things don't linger, you know, where I can come out.
And a tough night in Philly where I had to
end the game, you know, and I really was disappointed
in how I you know maneuver. Were don handled that
a couple of shots. So we're come back the next night,
you know, we're playing Phoenix at home. And now you're
able to come back a positive things, you know that
you learned from watching the last game and in a
(09:36):
moment and then come back in the game be able
to close the game. I'll get a good win. You know.
That's a sign of growth in itself right there. And
I think being present, being on my feet are there's
been a huge part of that. You know what I'm saying,
not letting past uh for previous things carry over into
what I'm doing.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
Just so go forg Phoenix Experiential, that Phoenix woll And
that was that was that your was awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Adult, This was this?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Yeah, I mean just La was great. The Phoenix La.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Was legendary, is a great man.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
That was a great way.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
And just so you know, don't beat yourself up because
nobody ever leaves the game and says, boy, Jalen sucks,
let us down.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
The way you play it as hard as you play,
that's what everybody takes away from it. You've had huge
performances this year.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
What would your.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Advice be to someone that is struggling to let go
of those moments?
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Right?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
You have conversations with yourself throughout the game, reminders, what
are you telling yourself to make sure you let go
of a pass, play past quarter and come out and
have these unbelievable finishes.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Then you've been having People have been making fun of me, man,
But the free tho line has really up. The Ton's
gonna ask you about that right right.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Free throw line and something at one point five percent.
It's working. Whatever you're doing is not but they're going in.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Not only they're going in, but like just slowing down
a bit every time I stepped in the line, you know,
and telling myself have fun or relaxed. I'm on a heater,
you know, stay hot. You already trying to breathe in
good energy, you know, Tay, calm myself back down so
that I can be president in that next possession. It's
really hard, man, especially when you're high and got it
going like. It doesn't always have to be bad, you know.
(11:03):
Sometimes a couple of three, four, five good possessions can
get you too hot. And I'm saying, now you come
and try to make a hero play a home run shot,
you know what I'm saying, throwing up when you could
have just taken a swing. Let the action come and
find you on the backside. Now you get a good look.
So really, I think breathing has been huged for me, uh,
and finding my breathwork talking to myself, you know, really
(11:25):
just telling myself that it's okay, you know, speaking positivity
U you know, into myself during the game when you know,
for the most part, uh, you know, negative things are
going on and negative things are being said, you know,
it could be really easy to stick with those things.
So I think the breath work to all the young
ones out there and people hooping and struggling to find
their way. You know, if you can breathe, you can regulate,
your mind can regulate. You know, your breath, your heart
(11:46):
and all that stuff will bring you back into SENTI
you got to find that on your own.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
Times.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
We've caught the camera said, because we've caught, I don't
know who it was. Somebody was giving you, oh crap,
Well you're at the free throw and you said, what
I can't breathe? We just said back, I said, whoever's
talks to him better behooting better than ninety one percent
of the free throw, like goes what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
It's working press right.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
So the breath work is obviously a part of Arnie Candor's.
I don't want to call it mistike because he has
some already, but it's like a mistek, right, I mean,
this is the type of things Arnie does. You've really
gravitated towards everything, Arnie says. It seems like you're just like,
I'm all in, what has Arnie meant to you? Since
he's come and the things he's done to work with
(12:27):
you specifically.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Ah, it's meant to turn. Honestly, me and Arnie's relationship
is so special. It's dope. Waking up, especially on the road,
waking up in the mornings in a hotel room, you
kind of get a bit lethargic, especially the last year
we were on you know, kind of some gray skies,
cold weather. To go downstairs and have a good meal,
get ready for practicing. You know, you get to fall
into a deep conversation with Arnie. You know what I'm
(12:49):
saying about life. Rarely do we talk about basketball, and
it's always about life and what's going on. And it's
great how we're feeling, you know, other than that, and
I think I love I love that about him.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Have you have you seen what's inside Arnie's bag?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
That? Yeah, it's a sting.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
It's a very Sometimes I'll say Joel's Joel Glass are
chief communications officer. His shoulder was bothered on the other day.
He just opens up, he had the bag on him
because he always has the bat always allways opens it
up and just goes here, just take this, and Joel's like,
well what is that? He goes, no, no, no, don't worry
about it, just tape it where he's like, well, baseball's right,
(13:30):
So this is the Oh yeah, I'm waiting for mcclap
his hands and then just put his hand on it
him there heels your heels.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Well, it works. You have a better relationship. He just
tells me at breakfast to lay off the bacon. A
little less bacon for you would be good. That's good.
But it seems to be a great group and it's
a fun group.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
And I want to get your thoughts on this because
you've made so many big plays. You've made, You've hit
so many big shots this year. But I want to
ask you about some of your teammates because you're always
the first one to deflect. So as you think about
these three, right, if this was other podcasts that off
rankings and cards and all that, but ours doesn't get
that cut. So I'm just gonna ask you the card
right out right off the top, right off the top
right top of your head, your past to goga batase
(14:08):
the goga bataz donk on yours? Okay, So with that one,
you have the Franz three in l A. Kole Anthony's
chase down block on Devin Booker on Devin Booker in
feet got a range would you have?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
You have a ton of those chase down blocks.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
But if you had to rank those three, how would
you rank those three?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I think I'd put I'd put Fonz's three to one. Uh.
That daggering to bron and a D on the Lakers
logo in crypto is one of the most legendary breeze
I ever seen. That was pretty great. With all the
thirty five fees that was that was so nasty. So
he gotta go on for sure, Goga two. I wanted
to react so bad in the game. That's kind of
(14:47):
a long stretch, weird man. So I didn't have a yell.
I just had a oh my goodness, that's Goga number two.
And then close chase type chase down block. Not to
discredit or anything, because that was an amazing play, but
I'll put that in there. That's awesome.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
That's that's I think that's the same. I think it
ended up in a bucket.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
It did ended up in the end.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Three we lost the point whole.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
You know, someone told us in Brooklyn we were playing.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
We talked to the broadcasting They described Goga as a
guy that looks like he's playing with it while he's
wearing a disguise.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Is that master with the hair and the beard. It
looks like it looks like you've played with the disguise.
How great has he bet? Oh, he's been amazing. He's
actually been so amazing. Uh. And he's coming to every game.
It really sets a tone defensively that that really we
all feed off of. That I feed off of honestly,
because he comes in, he's crashing the glass. He's going
(15:41):
to get everything. Then you come down and even if
you get a loan by you know, mistake, good move,
whatever the case may be, you know you got go
go behind you, you know his hands that it really
gives you the freedom, you know, to get up there
and guard and really be aggressive in some of these
actions knowing that he's behind us and you know, and
then we can fly around and rotate out of their
but uh, and he's been so selfless man because our
first when we first he first started getting into rotation,
(16:01):
it wasn't really scoring that much, you know what I'm saying,
It wouldn't getting many looks like that. You know, he's
found a way to go to the offensive glass, you know,
to find his buckets, you know, and then he's fell
into a couple of rows, a couple of pockets. I'm
trying to get him to start suiting the three. That
would be the last thing done right. It's for both
and then we get go, go go fully at least form.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Go watch watch that movie. So Georgia reeves. Georgia the.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Coach Mosy always talks about challenges being opportunities. Whendell's got
the foot, Govia slides into the starting lineup. Windell comes back.
Now they're starting together. Paula goes down, Frond sizing to
the primary.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Now he's down. Now you're sliding into the primary spot.
Long term, when everybody's back, you guys are gonna be
better for this.
Speaker 7 (16:43):
It's difficult probably to focus on that right now when
you got a game coming up on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
But get in the back of your head, right like,
come March.
Speaker 7 (16:49):
If we have everybody together, this thing could look pretty special.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
No, absolutely, absolutely, it's really fair weird. I don't even
remember playing these games. Go by so quicking your place
on me. I don't remember playing with some of the guys,
to be honest, with such a rhythm.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Right now, he's very present that's a realt part.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
But nay, they've been so engaged. Uh you know when
they were all out and when that was out, he
was still very much engaged in conversation, you know, with
all of us talking to the bigs, really interested in learning,
so that when he got back he could find a
way not to get his not to get back to
his form, but his thing was to fit the team.
I want to come back. I want to be able
to flow with y'all. And naturally I'm saying he's come in,
(17:29):
he put the work in. Now he's playing, and we're
to play with two bigs, you know, which we couldn't
do last year. We were playing with him both in
the lineup fluently and get to actions, play fast and
kind of get some good offense going, which I think
is a testament you know now too with the coaches
that put together uh you know, offensively for us, but
on us in the players for executing, you know, for
being open and willing you know, different lineups, different matchups,
(17:52):
you know, to come out and just play basketball, play
the right brand of right brand of hoo. So a
lot of credit goes to him, but I think when
we get everybody back, man, it's going to bed because
we've all really gotten the opportunity to gain confidence in
game momentum. You know, these last couple of weeks. You know,
with those guys going out, your hearts are with them.
But and it's not even selfishly, but your mindset has
to be here's an opportunity not only for me, but
(18:14):
for us, you know, to grow, get better, step into
new roles and different things so that guys come back.
You know, say we get to the playoff game and
you know they're doublin fronts every Dublin and Polo Eavy.
You know, I'm comfortable coming off picking Roy ab is
comfortable and being the lead ball handler, you know, letting
other guys come up with pinn downs and screens and
get into their spots and whatnow. So I think in
the short term it is tough. We're going to continue
(18:35):
to finding ways to fight you win games. But when
you look in long term, you know where you want
to play for April May in playoff series. This is
going to set us up, I think for really good things.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
What what has been inside you guys when you get
to the Kiya Center. There's something different about this team,
not that we don't play hard on the road, because
we do. We're we're a bunch of dogs on the road.
But when we set foot inside Kia Center, what what
is it like? What is there something that you can
feel that's different or is it just being comfortable? Like
there's got to be something that is triggering this.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
It's always been dope playing here, but I feel like
last year really set like set like a new tone
for what we're gonna do here, you know what I'm saying.
We spoke about winning at home early and that's something
that we really wanted to hold our hats on, and
we did it early. You know, it was dope, and
we get to the playoffs and that for me took
it to another level. I've never seen that building like that.
We've had some lit knights in there, yeah, but last
(19:28):
year in the playoffs, like the momentum and the energy,
seriously that that the crowd was giving off, it was insane.
It was insane because you're going on the runs, you
could they could be on an eight or run and
you get one bucket. It feels like you're up. You're
up in the game, honestly, So I think we just
really carried that into this year and now I think
the kid got some of a swagger about it. Like
every fan that steps into Kia like has a belief
(19:50):
in to understand that we're gonna win this game. Even
when we've been down a couple of times. At home,
the Phoenix, we make two buckets, you know, the crowd
is lit really back into the game, helping us beat
into another run. So I think it's really cool that
not only we are getting the swag at home, like
we're not losing in this building, but the fans who
also you know what I'm saying, we're able to bounce
off of each other and make things happen to where we're,
you know, only undefeated team and they're still right.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
What's that been like for you? You like, like for
like guys like you and Franz. I wouldn't say Powell
only because Powell only had but one year, so you
know the guys that were here three years ago, four
years ago, five years ago or where maybe that wasn't
the case here and you know we it would be
guys like me would tell you, like, hey, listen, like
when we're good, this place can get wild. And everybody
(20:33):
kind of looks at me like yeah, okay, like right,
but now everybody's is it different for you guys that
have seen the other side of the building and now
to see what it's like now.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
No, absolutely, And you did say a lot of people
that was saying, you know, is waiting for waiting for
the squad to kind of you know, bring some life
back to the city, you know. And that was my
my favorite part about it was now waiting for you
guys to get good, you know, so we can come
watch games and you know, cheer and support, but waiting
to bring life back to the city that the people
were waiting on it. You know, the energy is being
(21:02):
built up over time. And I mean a guy here
you know that again going back to it, just because
the most recent but the game, the Phoenix game, there'd
have been more Kadie and both jerseys in there. You
know what I'm saying, right, he had right, I've done.
So the air runs shruggy. You're hearing cheers, and you
know who's and odes on their buckets. Now they don't
get know who's in ods. We could get a wide
open layup. You know, you're getting full cheers. You know
(21:23):
these guys are getting tough buckets. You don't gotta get
back on defense, you know, and that's that's a part
of the game. Like all of that plays a factor,
you know, even though it's small, it seems minute. It's
not even anything physical that I know nobody on the
court is doing. But that plays the factor, you know,
in the games when you're getting tough buckets and you're
getting no reaction out of it other than your own
internal you know, confidence and motivation going up like that's
(21:44):
tough and that makes a tough environment to play. And
so now it's been dope, man, seeing seeing how it's shifted,
you know, and the energy and the culture, uh, the
belief and the love. It's been so cool. You've got
everyone in Central Florida praying for your Obliques.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
By the way, everything hit, it's such to Florida because
making sure nothing happens to your grief.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
By the way, can we protect this man?
Speaker 6 (22:05):
Even what an O bleak was a month ago, I
tell a month ago thirty reps on that.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I just make sure make sure that thing is okay.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
It's something out of that bag for the Obliques.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Take all Obliques at all times, at all costs.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Yes, it's not a spell, and it's oblik Ago got
you in there.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
But I think and this is though, this is what
will end on Jaalen, because I think this is this
is what's I think very important to you, and I
think it's important everyone at such there's been a hand
everybody Magic fans love everyone that comes through these doors.
But there have been a few that have really connected
with fans. And there is no fan that you talk
to that doesn't have a giant smile on their face
when they talk about this man or leaving a game man,
(22:42):
Jalen Suggs Jalen's the connection that you have with fans
is unbelievable. But the fact that everybody has a smile
when they think of your name has got to mean
a lot to No.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It means a ton. It means a ton. Honestly, I've
always loved interacting with crowds, money, interacting my people, you know,
especially I mean, I super dope, uh you know, because
I understood and I knew everybody you know that I
was seeing at the game, sure you know, And that's
a that's a big part right now during the national anthem,
you know, I do the same thing. I always look
up and down the crowd. I love to see the
faces that come into the building. You know. I love
(23:13):
to see the faces of the people who are cheering
us on or giving us support and helping us wing games. Honestly,
you know, I see the guys every day. We spend
enough time on each other. I want to get to
know some of the people who are you know, really
supporting us. You know, and you could do a lot
of great things, as you could have the best team ever,
you know, but if you have an arena full of
people who have no interest you know, and cheering for you,
have no reason to cheer for you and love you,
(23:33):
you know, and you really can't expect that out of them.
So really just trying to reciprocate, man and give you know,
to the people in this city, because they've done so
much for me.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
They didn't have to stand by me, you know. They
could have said a lot of negative things, they could
have done me to the side, you know, because of
play and performance and all that understandable, Uh, you know,
but everybody stood by me. Everybody is stood by us,
you know throughout this whole process rebuild whatever you want
to call it. Uh, you know, everybody has been there
and now you're a seat to love being shown and
we can enjoy it together and all of us can
(24:03):
enjoy Magic Wings because it's something that we've all played
a part in. So uh no, it's really cool, man.
I really connected with this city, you know, not only
through through the magic and the play, but through the
AU program and Jay Sissons and everything that we're doing
in the city of the baseball team. It's really helping
me connect and really grow with this city. As the
city continues to grow, you know, a building across the
street which is gonna get amazing, right. Uh So, really
(24:26):
is just excited about the future, you know, not only
with the squad and for me and for the team,
but everybody in the city and for the city. And
I think it's really gonna be cool.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Has to keep growing this thing. Uh you know, I
told you from the gate go, I want to see
a parade come down. We want that too, for it.
Every everybody wants that, so the dice and I can
see it. So really just working for that and continuing
to grow and and be a part of the people.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
You know who was accepted me here and for so
well said man, I think I'm at a crotic that's
that's why.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
That's why fans loved this guy. That's why fans loved this.
Love for clamp though.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Over here, I love what the timeout happens, and they're
looking for Jalen and these high five court side fans still.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Over to the other end.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
We're all at the time out right, brother, Hell's Jalen
always on the other base loss and high five and
the guy in the fourth throw you know what.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
They're fine, We'll wait, We'll wait. That's absolutely fine. This
is great. This has been an awesome year.
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Keep it going, and I can't wait to see what
happens what everyone's fully healthy. But I'm enjoying the heck
out of what you're doing right now. I think this
is really cool to fall in your hands and uh
go beat the knicks. That's always fun in this building.
And have a great rest. All right, we do Oh yes,
we do it. We said it after practice.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
I'll do it for this edition to Magic Pot Squad.
See you next time. Kill it.
And welcome everyone to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcatelli, George Galante, Jake Chapman and kind enough to
join us Jalen Suggs in studio. I'm excited about this, Jake,
because every time I talk to Jalen, I learned something.
I learned something. He's very cerebral. He gives me some insight.
I learned nothing talking.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's been that way first light. Likewise, it's a two
way street. So I'm excited about this. Good to see you, Jie.
How's everything going with you, especially around the holidays.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, I appreciate it as well as well. Happy to
be home. Looking at the schedule of seeing nothing but
ad Orlando, ad Orlando, a Orlando to finish out decembery
is beautiful ten of family coming into town, really getting
ready to sebary the holidays, you know, around loved ones,
and yeah, looking forward to.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Okay, So I gotta ask you this.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
We have We're the ones that have to do all
the shopping. We gotta put the decorations up. What is
your holiday routine? Do you have to put lights up?
Do you buy the presence?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
What's your routine?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Hey, guys, of reidents.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Now I'll tell you that I do buy the presidence now.
Definitely last last Christmas, the first one I was like, okay,
I'm no longer to get for sever I got a
good giver, yes, but no, we just saw all the
ladies be holding down. We all go over to my parents' house,
have big Christmas over there, kids running around, jumping in
the pool, adults chilling in the backyard and whatnot. So
(01:18):
we always have pretty conceeduble with there.
Speaker 6 (01:20):
That's funny you said that because when I when we
were we've been on the road. It seems like since
training came of you and my wife looked at me
and she said, uh, I think we had the twelve
hour window. She's like, we got to go get the
tree like right now. I'm like, we're going to get
it right now. All right, that seems but what what
does it feel like? I mean, we talked about it
on the way into the studio, knowing that the rest
(01:41):
of the month we're going to be at the Kia
Center where we've been pretty good and you don't have
to get on an airplane for about two and a
half weeks.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
No, it's great, honestly not to discredit at all. But
traveling is so tough. I think it's one of the
hardest parts about the league, honestly. You know, adjusting to
the lifestyle and basketball itself is difficult, but traveling and
having to play a game and then take a flight
you get in you know the wayever, you get into
with a home or another c at two am. Now
(02:09):
your routine is off. You kind of got to find
a way, you know, to find some sleep, find some
hours of rest, yet still be prepared or ready to go,
you know by that next day. This never is never
really is truly you know, a day off. You know
you're all doing something. So just to be here, you know,
have the comfort comfortability of being at home with your
own car and your own bed or around your own
people for the rest of the month is huge, especially
in a time when peing fronds are still out, you know,
(02:32):
getting ready to come back and doing their preparations. To
have this time at home to really lock in and
h and get ready for this strutch around, it's great.
Speaker 7 (02:39):
What's the practice time going to be because obviously a
lot of adjustments right now with the fronds of injury.
What are like a week one game over over eight
days getting the lab a little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
How power key is that going to be?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
All right? It's important. Man used to be back in
here and never to clean up some details. So much
of it was just talking through things, watching film and
trying to fix and correct things. There is different and
we can get on the court and you get a
feel for some of this stuff. Uh mess up, you know,
coverage of something that we were going over in real
time and then be able to talk about it, adjust it, uh,
you know, and then apply it, you know, to how
(03:12):
we want to move going forward. But this practice time
is gonna be great, you know. I think we really
take for the advantage of it. Come in, have fun
and enjoy being home, really take the energy that it
brings us and gives us. You know, it's gonna be
a great end to the month and they'll go into
a great Christmas.
Speaker 6 (03:24):
Well.
Speaker 5 (03:24):
It's interesting, guys, the last five games in the NBA,
the leading scorer in the fourth quarter is this guy
more fourth quarter points than anybody in the entire NBA
the last five game. You did a research that pre
dates a real count.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I bereae the later, so I made it up on
the fly.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
So if you have to fact check it. Nothing, it's true.
I re second.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Second, second, No, it's true, it is true. I did
fact check it. I did fact check it.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
It is true.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Obviously, you know the last two games is a big
part of that, and you didn't have fraud, so you
had to step up. But this predates the fraud's injury.
This goes back five games, and if you go back
six games, you're just one point behind whoever's Firstly, that's
why we started out five, but why we stopped at five?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
But I gotta I gotta wonder, as an NBA player,
does every You don't want anybody to be hurt. You
don't never want a teammate to be hurt. But does
every NBA player wonder if I have to be the guy,
could I do it?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
And you've done it?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Does that do you do?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
You have that thought process and you've got to be
oppressed with what you've done with Franz and Pollo both out.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Absolutely, He's in the back of everybody's not sure what
I'm saying, even even guys who are playing. You know,
when when fiend Franz and those guys are in, I
know thoughts in that are going on in their head,
you know, about how to approach and I knowing that
right their work cload is going to be heavy, you know,
things they need to do to not only play a
great game, but to get a win at the end
of the day. So yeah, it's natural. You know, I
definitely had those thoughts. Uh, he used to be in
(04:45):
that position a ton, you know what I'm saying, kind
of before I got here. And then again, I really
loved how the league humbled me, really brought me back
down to earth, allowed me kind of regrow myself as
a basketball player. I'm saying, I got into the pinnacle
and I got to straight my game down, you know,
really bebuible to back up for the per the player
that I wanted to be, you know. And so it's
really cool how it's all come together in perfect timing,
(05:06):
not live timing with perfect time and uh you know,
not to the point where getting in four quarters. I
was just telling one to you earlier today. Uh, how
it feels good, you know, getting that competitiveness backup, coming
down the stretch, knowing that I'm going to have a ball,
you know what I'm saying. It doesn't have to be
the score, but just knowing that the ball is in
my hands. See, not everybody wants that, guys, but you
want that.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
You're you're not afraid of that.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
You know that.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I think it brings the best, the best out of you,
good and bad, you know, just regardless. It brings the
best out of you when you're able to learn from me,
take it and grow. And you know when they lead
to wins, you know, like the Phoenix team. Uh, I
don't think it gets much better than that. But the
competitiveness is an all time high. You're able to close
the game out, get a win, come back in and
then cell the Bartied teammates. Uh. It's a really great
feel that. So it's been. It felt good this bast
(05:45):
couple of weeks.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
I was I was going to ask you what your
favorite memory of the season so far as I think
you just answered it. But go back to when you
said the game has humbled you and and you had
to strip it down. You have to have people that
are there to tell you because the three of us
could tell you that's probably probably happened to ninety eight
percent of the league. That's part of like becoming a pro,
Like how who was there most for you when you
(06:09):
were in that in that timeframe.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
My mom and my dad were huge for me, honestly,
especially when there are struggles going on. You know, I
really was struggling navigating it, trying to find a way
being able to go to them and just kind of
release everything, you know, me my entire life. They knew
exactly what was going on, you know, but it really
took me going and opening up and asking for the
help and then receiving the help, you know, to really
(06:33):
start to take strides and realize the growth, because it
really is hard. Man. Like, you come into the league
and everybody who's gotten here has pretty much been the
guy wherever they've come from, right you know, college maybe
for the most part a lot of them, but definitely
high school. You know, you're coming in and you're playing
the minutes. You're the guy in school, you know what
I'm saying. You're the one getting the looks in the shots.
You have the ultimate green light. And playing basketball from
(06:54):
that mindset, in my opinion, is so freeing and I
think it brings the best out of anybody. If you
give anybody in this league the green lights come in
tomorrow night and say here's the ball, make things and
make places happy for us. I think a lot of
the guys can do it. And you look at Alfred
Payton came back in, had a great game, twenty assists,
almost a triple double, you know what I'm saying. But
he had the ball the whole game, and he's able
(07:15):
to feel the flow and playoff of guys and naturally
fall into that stuff. So wow. But I think, you know,
just again letting the game humble me and then being
good enough and humble enough to then take the teaching
that it was giving me, you know, and not try
to fight it, you know, not say no, I am
the guy. I'm not gonna go to the corner and
I'm not going to stand and watch he's last two
minutes to make defensive play as well. These are the
(07:37):
two guys Franz Polo. Wherever's got a cold, Wherever's got
to go in at the end of the night, you know,
to let them take the reins and run off until
the end of the game. So now it's been dope
seeing it come full circle. Now it has really been cool.
Speaker 6 (07:47):
Because that's important right too, Like you have to realize that,
like yeah, okay, like I am quote unquote the man
up until this point. Now there's four hundred and forty
nine other areas man. So it's hard for some guys,
and some guys don't get it, or some guys it
takes you know, six years to get it, and by
that time it may be too late. Like the fact
(08:08):
that you're learned it pretty quickly, like that's a testament
to you and everybody else.
Speaker 7 (08:14):
How much you talk a lot about staying present. How
much is sort of that mindset because it's really refreshing.
It doesn't get any easier as you get older. There's
distractions everywhere, right, especially with young people. These things are
got our market. How much has it been Okay, I
can't change last game, I can't change last play, next
play mentality and just stay locked in in the moment.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
How much set health here has been huge? I think
you're getting basketball to become in the sport again, you know,
not not so much of who I am, you know,
kind of shipping that for my personality has been great,
you know, along those lines, but just coming in and
knowing that each game is its own. It has been
really important for me in the past. You know, it's
really hard for me to kind of separate and disassociate,
(08:54):
you know, from bad games, bad possessions, bad halfs, you know,
whatever the case may beat, you know, those things with link.
You know, over time, I continue to affect you know,
future play, my future interactions with people and things like that.
But I think the more that I've come to really
just be present, you know, take it a moment of play,
half a quarter at a time. We kind of break
(09:15):
the game down in segments. I'm able to move on
from plays quicker than I was before, you know, when
things don't linger, you know, where I can come out.
And a tough night in Philly where I had to
end the game, you know, and I really was disappointed
in how I you know maneuver. Were don handled that
a couple of shots. So we're come back the next night,
you know, we're playing Phoenix at home. And now you're
able to come back a positive things, you know that
you learned from watching the last game and in a
(09:36):
moment and then come back in the game be able
to close the game. I'll get a good win. You know.
That's a sign of growth in itself right there. And
I think being present, being on my feet are there's
been a huge part of that. You know what I'm saying,
not letting past uh for previous things carry over into
what I'm doing.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
Just so go forg Phoenix Experiential, that Phoenix woll And
that was that was that your was awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Adult, This was this?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Yeah, I mean just La was great. The Phoenix La.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Was legendary, is a great man.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
That was a great way.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
And just so you know, don't beat yourself up because
nobody ever leaves the game and says, boy, Jalen sucks,
let us down.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
The way you play it as hard as you play,
that's what everybody takes away from it. You've had huge
performances this year.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
What would your.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Advice be to someone that is struggling to let go
of those moments?
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Right?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
You have conversations with yourself throughout the game, reminders, what
are you telling yourself to make sure you let go
of a pass, play past quarter and come out and
have these unbelievable finishes.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Then you've been having People have been making fun of me, man,
But the free tho line has really up. The Ton's
gonna ask you about that right right.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Free throw line and something at one point five percent.
It's working. Whatever you're doing is not but they're going in.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Not only they're going in, but like just slowing down
a bit every time I stepped in the line, you know,
and telling myself have fun or relaxed. I'm on a heater,
you know, stay hot. You already trying to breathe in
good energy, you know, Tay, calm myself back down so
that I can be president in that next possession. It's
really hard, man, especially when you're high and got it
going like. It doesn't always have to be bad, you know.
(11:03):
Sometimes a couple of three, four, five good possessions can
get you too hot. And I'm saying, now you come
and try to make a hero play a home run shot,
you know what I'm saying, throwing up when you could
have just taken a swing. Let the action come and
find you on the backside. Now you get a good look.
So really, I think breathing has been huged for me, uh,
and finding my breathwork talking to myself, you know, really
(11:25):
just telling myself that it's okay, you know, speaking positivity
U you know, into myself during the game when you know,
for the most part, uh, you know, negative things are
going on and negative things are being said, you know,
it could be really easy to stick with those things.
So I think the breath work to all the young
ones out there and people hooping and struggling to find
their way. You know, if you can breathe, you can regulate,
your mind can regulate. You know, your breath, your heart
(11:46):
and all that stuff will bring you back into SENTI
you got to find that on your own.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
Times.
Speaker 7 (11:50):
We've caught the camera said, because we've caught, I don't
know who it was. Somebody was giving you, oh crap,
Well you're at the free throw and you said, what
I can't breathe? We just said back, I said, whoever's
talks to him better behooting better than ninety one percent
of the free throw, like goes what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
It's working press right.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
So the breath work is obviously a part of Arnie Candor's.
I don't want to call it mistike because he has
some already, but it's like a mistek, right, I mean,
this is the type of things Arnie does. You've really
gravitated towards everything, Arnie says. It seems like you're just like,
I'm all in, what has Arnie meant to you? Since
he's come and the things he's done to work with
(12:27):
you specifically.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Ah, it's meant to turn. Honestly, me and Arnie's relationship
is so special. It's dope. Waking up, especially on the road,
waking up in the mornings in a hotel room, you
kind of get a bit lethargic, especially the last year
we were on you know, kind of some gray skies,
cold weather. To go downstairs and have a good meal,
get ready for practicing. You know, you get to fall
into a deep conversation with Arnie. You know what I'm
(12:49):
saying about life. Rarely do we talk about basketball, and
it's always about life and what's going on. And it's
great how we're feeling, you know, other than that, and
I think I love I love that about him.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Have you have you seen what's inside Arnie's bag?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
That? Yeah, it's a sting.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
It's a very Sometimes I'll say Joel's Joel Glass are
chief communications officer. His shoulder was bothered on the other day.
He just opens up, he had the bag on him
because he always has the bat always allways opens it
up and just goes here, just take this, and Joel's like,
well what is that? He goes, no, no, no, don't worry
about it, just tape it where he's like, well, baseball's right,
(13:30):
So this is the Oh yeah, I'm waiting for mcclap
his hands and then just put his hand on it
him there heels your heels.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Well, it works. You have a better relationship. He just
tells me at breakfast to lay off the bacon. A
little less bacon for you would be good. That's good.
But it seems to be a great group and it's
a fun group.
Speaker 5 (13:48):
And I want to get your thoughts on this because
you've made so many big plays. You've made, You've hit
so many big shots this year. But I want to
ask you about some of your teammates because you're always
the first one to deflect. So as you think about
these three, right, if this was other podcasts that off
rankings and cards and all that, but ours doesn't get
that cut. So I'm just gonna ask you the card
right out right off the top, right off the top
right top of your head, your past to goga batase
(14:08):
the goga bataz donk on yours? Okay, So with that one,
you have the Franz three in l A. Kole Anthony's
chase down block on Devin Booker on Devin Booker in
feet got a range would you have?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
You have a ton of those chase down blocks.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
But if you had to rank those three, how would
you rank those three?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I think I'd put I'd put Fonz's three to one. Uh.
That daggering to bron and a D on the Lakers
logo in crypto is one of the most legendary breeze
I ever seen. That was pretty great. With all the
thirty five fees that was that was so nasty. So
he gotta go on for sure, Goga two. I wanted
to react so bad in the game. That's kind of
(14:47):
a long stretch, weird man. So I didn't have a yell.
I just had a oh my goodness, that's Goga number two.
And then close chase type chase down block. Not to
discredit or anything, because that was an amazing play, but
I'll put that in there. That's awesome.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
That's that's I think that's the same. I think it
ended up in a bucket.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
It did ended up in the end.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Three we lost the point whole.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
You know, someone told us in Brooklyn we were playing.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
We talked to the broadcasting They described Goga as a
guy that looks like he's playing with it while he's
wearing a disguise.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Is that master with the hair and the beard. It
looks like it looks like you've played with the disguise.
How great has he bet? Oh, he's been amazing. He's
actually been so amazing. Uh. And he's coming to every game.
It really sets a tone defensively that that really we
all feed off of. That I feed off of honestly,
because he comes in, he's crashing the glass. He's going
(15:41):
to get everything. Then you come down and even if
you get a loan by you know, mistake, good move,
whatever the case may be, you know you got go
go behind you, you know his hands that it really
gives you the freedom, you know, to get up there
and guard and really be aggressive in some of these
actions knowing that he's behind us and you know, and
then we can fly around and rotate out of their
but uh, and he's been so selfless man because our
first when we first he first started getting into rotation,
(16:01):
it wasn't really scoring that much, you know what I'm saying,
It wouldn't getting many looks like that. You know, he's
found a way to go to the offensive glass, you know,
to find his buckets, you know, and then he's fell
into a couple of rows, a couple of pockets. I'm
trying to get him to start suiting the three. That
would be the last thing done right. It's for both
and then we get go, go go fully at least form.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Go watch watch that movie. So Georgia reeves. Georgia the.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Coach Mosy always talks about challenges being opportunities. Whendell's got
the foot, Govia slides into the starting lineup. Windell comes back.
Now they're starting together. Paula goes down, Frond sizing to
the primary.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Now he's down. Now you're sliding into the primary spot.
Long term, when everybody's back, you guys are gonna be
better for this.
Speaker 7 (16:43):
It's difficult probably to focus on that right now when
you got a game coming up on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
But get in the back of your head, right like,
come March.
Speaker 7 (16:49):
If we have everybody together, this thing could look pretty special.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
No, absolutely, absolutely, it's really fair weird. I don't even
remember playing these games. Go by so quicking your place
on me. I don't remember playing with some of the guys,
to be honest, with such a rhythm.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Right now, he's very present that's a realt part.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
But nay, they've been so engaged. Uh you know when
they were all out and when that was out, he
was still very much engaged in conversation, you know, with
all of us talking to the bigs, really interested in learning,
so that when he got back he could find a
way not to get his not to get back to
his form, but his thing was to fit the team.
I want to come back. I want to be able
to flow with y'all. And naturally I'm saying he's come in,
(17:29):
he put the work in. Now he's playing, and we're
to play with two bigs, you know, which we couldn't
do last year. We were playing with him both in
the lineup fluently and get to actions, play fast and
kind of get some good offense going, which I think
is a testament you know now too with the coaches
that put together uh you know, offensively for us, but
on us in the players for executing, you know, for
being open and willing you know, different lineups, different matchups,
(17:52):
you know, to come out and just play basketball, play
the right brand of right brand of hoo. So a
lot of credit goes to him, but I think when
we get everybody back, man, it's going to bed because
we've all really gotten the opportunity to gain confidence in
game momentum. You know, these last couple of weeks. You know,
with those guys going out, your hearts are with them.
But and it's not even selfishly, but your mindset has
to be here's an opportunity not only for me, but
(18:14):
for us, you know, to grow, get better, step into
new roles and different things so that guys come back.
You know, say we get to the playoff game and
you know they're doublin fronts every Dublin and Polo Eavy.
You know, I'm comfortable coming off picking Roy ab is
comfortable and being the lead ball handler, you know, letting
other guys come up with pinn downs and screens and
get into their spots and whatnow. So I think in
the short term it is tough. We're going to continue
(18:35):
to finding ways to fight you win games. But when
you look in long term, you know where you want
to play for April May in playoff series. This is
going to set us up, I think for really good things.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
What what has been inside you guys when you get
to the Kiya Center. There's something different about this team,
not that we don't play hard on the road, because
we do. We're we're a bunch of dogs on the road.
But when we set foot inside Kia Center, what what
is it like? What is there something that you can
feel that's different or is it just being comfortable? Like
there's got to be something that is triggering this.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
It's always been dope playing here, but I feel like
last year really set like set like a new tone
for what we're gonna do here, you know what I'm saying.
We spoke about winning at home early and that's something
that we really wanted to hold our hats on, and
we did it early. You know, it was dope, and
we get to the playoffs and that for me took
it to another level. I've never seen that building like that.
We've had some lit knights in there, yeah, but last
(19:28):
year in the playoffs, like the momentum and the energy,
seriously that that the crowd was giving off, it was insane.
It was insane because you're going on the runs, you
could they could be on an eight or run and
you get one bucket. It feels like you're up. You're
up in the game, honestly, So I think we just
really carried that into this year and now I think
the kid got some of a swagger about it. Like
every fan that steps into Kia like has a belief
(19:50):
in to understand that we're gonna win this game. Even
when we've been down a couple of times. At home,
the Phoenix, we make two buckets, you know, the crowd
is lit really back into the game, helping us beat
into another run. So I think it's really cool that
not only we are getting the swag at home, like
we're not losing in this building, but the fans who
also you know what I'm saying, we're able to bounce
off of each other and make things happen to where we're,
you know, only undefeated team and they're still right.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
What's that been like for you? You like, like for
like guys like you and Franz. I wouldn't say Powell
only because Powell only had but one year, so you
know the guys that were here three years ago, four
years ago, five years ago or where maybe that wasn't
the case here and you know we it would be
guys like me would tell you, like, hey, listen, like
when we're good, this place can get wild. And everybody
(20:33):
kind of looks at me like yeah, okay, like right,
but now everybody's is it different for you guys that
have seen the other side of the building and now
to see what it's like now.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
No, absolutely, And you did say a lot of people
that was saying, you know, is waiting for waiting for
the squad to kind of you know, bring some life
back to the city, you know. And that was my
my favorite part about it was now waiting for you
guys to get good, you know, so we can come
watch games and you know, cheer and support, but waiting
to bring life back to the city that the people
were waiting on it. You know, the energy is being
(21:02):
built up over time. And I mean a guy here
you know that again going back to it, just because
the most recent but the game, the Phoenix game, there'd
have been more Kadie and both jerseys in there. You
know what I'm saying, right, he had right, I've done.
So the air runs shruggy. You're hearing cheers, and you
know who's and odes on their buckets. Now they don't
get know who's in ods. We could get a wide
open layup. You know, you're getting full cheers. You know
(21:23):
these guys are getting tough buckets. You don't gotta get
back on defense, you know, and that's that's a part
of the game. Like all of that plays a factor,
you know, even though it's small, it seems minute. It's
not even anything physical that I know nobody on the
court is doing. But that plays the factor, you know,
in the games when you're getting tough buckets and you're
getting no reaction out of it other than your own
internal you know, confidence and motivation going up like that's
(21:44):
tough and that makes a tough environment to play. And
so now it's been dope, man, seeing seeing how it's shifted,
you know, and the energy and the culture, uh, the
belief and the love. It's been so cool. You've got
everyone in Central Florida praying for your Obliques.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
By the way, everything hit, it's such to Florida because
making sure nothing happens to your grief.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
By the way, can we protect this man?
Speaker 6 (22:05):
Even what an O bleak was a month ago, I
tell a month ago thirty reps on that.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I just make sure make sure that thing is okay.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
It's something out of that bag for the Obliques.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Take all Obliques at all times, at all costs.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Yes, it's not a spell, and it's oblik Ago got
you in there.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
But I think and this is though, this is what
will end on Jaalen, because I think this is this
is what's I think very important to you, and I
think it's important everyone at such there's been a hand
everybody Magic fans love everyone that comes through these doors.
But there have been a few that have really connected
with fans. And there is no fan that you talk
to that doesn't have a giant smile on their face
when they talk about this man or leaving a game man,
(22:42):
Jalen Suggs Jalen's the connection that you have with fans
is unbelievable. But the fact that everybody has a smile
when they think of your name has got to mean
a lot to No.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It means a ton. It means a ton. Honestly, I've
always loved interacting with crowds, money, interacting my people, you know,
especially I mean, I super dope, uh you know, because
I understood and I knew everybody you know that I
was seeing at the game, sure you know, And that's
a that's a big part right now during the national anthem,
you know, I do the same thing. I always look
up and down the crowd. I love to see the
faces that come into the building. You know. I love
(23:13):
to see the faces of the people who are cheering
us on or giving us support and helping us wing games. Honestly,
you know, I see the guys every day. We spend
enough time on each other. I want to get to
know some of the people who are you know, really
supporting us. You know, and you could do a lot
of great things, as you could have the best team ever,
you know, but if you have an arena full of
people who have no interest you know, and cheering for you,
have no reason to cheer for you and love you,
(23:33):
you know, and you really can't expect that out of them.
So really just trying to reciprocate, man and give you know,
to the people in this city, because they've done so
much for me.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
They didn't have to stand by me, you know. They
could have said a lot of negative things, they could
have done me to the side, you know, because of
play and performance and all that understandable, Uh, you know,
but everybody stood by me. Everybody is stood by us,
you know throughout this whole process rebuild whatever you want
to call it. Uh, you know, everybody has been there
and now you're a seat to love being shown and
we can enjoy it together and all of us can
(24:03):
enjoy Magic Wings because it's something that we've all played
a part in. So uh no, it's really cool, man.
I really connected with this city, you know, not only
through through the magic and the play, but through the
AU program and Jay Sissons and everything that we're doing
in the city of the baseball team. It's really helping
me connect and really grow with this city. As the
city continues to grow, you know, a building across the
street which is gonna get amazing, right. Uh So, really
(24:26):
is just excited about the future, you know, not only
with the squad and for me and for the team,
but everybody in the city and for the city. And
I think it's really gonna be cool.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Has to keep growing this thing. Uh you know, I
told you from the gate go, I want to see
a parade come down. We want that too, for it.
Every everybody wants that, so the dice and I can
see it. So really just working for that and continuing
to grow and and be a part of the people.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
You know who was accepted me here and for so
well said man, I think I'm at a crotic that's
that's why.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
That's why fans loved this guy. That's why fans loved this.
Love for clamp though.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Over here, I love what the timeout happens, and they're
looking for Jalen and these high five court side fans still.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Over to the other end.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
We're all at the time out right, brother, Hell's Jalen
always on the other base loss and high five and
the guy in the fourth throw you know what.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
They're fine, We'll wait, We'll wait. That's absolutely fine. This
is great. This has been an awesome year.
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Keep it going, and I can't wait to see what
happens what everyone's fully healthy. But I'm enjoying the heck
out of what you're doing right now. I think this
is really cool to fall in your hands and uh
go beat the knicks. That's always fun in this building.
And have a great rest. All right, we do Oh yes,
we do it. We said it after practice.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
I'll do it for this edition to Magic Pot Squad.
See you next time. Kill it.
Host
Dante Marchitelli
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