February 26, 2022 • 26 mins
He's back! Markelle Fultz sits down with Dante and George to discuss his comeback, his rehab, how excited he is to play with the Magic's young core for the first time and how he's learned from Coach Mosley and his staff while sitting out.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Mister Jennon Suggs of Orlando Magic. This is Jonathan Isaac,
this is Mobim, but this is Cole Anthony.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This is Fons of Wargno off the Orlando Magic, and
this is the Pod Squad and.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Welcome to a special edition of Orlando Magic Pods Squad.
We have a big announcement to make and we are
more than excited to share this with you. Dante, Marcateelly,
George Galante and Markel Folds the return. Markel, we are
beyond excited for you. You put in a ton of work.
Just the emotions that you're feeling right now, knowing that
you're back and you're gonna be on the basketball floor again.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm just blessed, you know, just to be able to,
you know, one, just be where I am today after
you know, going through an injury like this and being
able to fight and just being able to be back
on the court with my brothers and friends, you know.
So one, I'm just blessed and I'm thankful for the
process and journ that I've been through, and I'm very excited,
you know this, to get out there with my teammates
and go out there and compete and just get back
(00:54):
in the groove of things, Dante.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I thought you were gonna ask me my emotions. I
thought you're not selling my emotions. Well, I think I know.
I haven't been this happy in like a year. I
can't I can't even smile. It might be a permanent grin.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Since January seventh of last year, fans have been asking
when you're gonna come back? Mark out right? Do you
feel that like fans have been beyond excited to get
on the floor, right? Do you feel that supporting?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Absolutely, I feel the love.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I feel the you know, the energy, the the excitement there,
and that's what kind of been pushing me, helping me
get through, you know, and keeping me grinding every day
and keeping that in the back of my mind, just
knowing that who I'm doing it for, not only myself,
but you know, for the city Orlando and the fans
out there.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And that's support not only myself but our team.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So how hard was it? Because I think I would
think you would want to it looks good for a
while now to not rush this thing, to be patient.
I couldn't do that. I don't have but you got
but you got to be smart, right, just kind of
take us through that balance. I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, man, it's been really tough, especially as soon as
I got on court. Really, you know, just being able
to be on the court. Uh, it kind of you
start to kind of get away from things, You start
to forget, uh that it's a process. But me being
going through injuries before, you know, especially with my shoulder,
just understanding that, you know, not rushing things and understanding
that it's a process even though some days you might
(02:17):
feel great, some days you might not. Just understanding your
body and listening to your body. And I think that's
a big adjustment that I have and then advantage I
had going into this, you know, rehab and coming back
this time is just that, you know, I knew that
there isn't any rush, you know, I have to you know,
be patient and listen to my body. So spent a
long time coming, long time waiting. I'm super excited just
(02:40):
to you know, get on the floor.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
What's that going to be like for you, Markel when
you put the magic uniform back on and you step
out onto that floor. What's I mean there has to
be some emotions when that's going to happen.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, It's just it's gonna be a lot,
you know. Just I love the game so much and
I never took it for granted, but I ship way
differently now, you know. And I just I just want
to go out there and be able to, you know,
give it my all and just show people how much
I appreciate the game and how much I'm thankful for
(03:11):
how much the game is done for me and my family,
and I mean people has helped me touch. So it's
just being able to go out there and just uh
just give it my all and just have fun and
be able to compete.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
You know, it's nothing like it.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So I think that's something that's going to show once
I get back on the floor, you know, just that
passion of you know, how much I have fun, you know,
playing a game, and how much I love it.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, how do you feel? How you got practices under
your belt? If that's good?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Right?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
You gotta feel good?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It's good?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Does anything feel different? Anything anything at all? How you feeling?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Listen?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I just say I feel a lot stronger, you know,
this time around. This injury has helped me work on
a lot of a lot of things. I think this
is probably the best my body has felt, you know,
in a long time. I talk about full body. I
can feel you know, my muscles, you know, I can
feel myself. I'm able to identify certain things with my body,
but just all around cores.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
You know, conditioning.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I think this is you know, probably the best I
felt coming back and you know, being able to play basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
That's fantastic. I've not worked out since you got hurt,
so I've gone.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
On purpose, on purpose until he comes back, and keep eating.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That's the way I'm going.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Exactly right. I'm going to leave those grindste those ways
all for you.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, but I but I think, but now, how about
on the floor. What what have you been working on?
And what are some of the things you you know
that we might expect from you when you get on
the floor.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh man, I've just been working on everything. Just being
able to use my size and advantage, you know in
the posts, being able to get to my spots where
I love to kill, you know, the midd range, working
on you know, just going through contact, getting to the rim,
trying to get free throws and stuff like that, and
just playing the same game, shooting my threes off the dribble,
just a little bit of everything. This is a total game,
but really just focusing on my kill spots and where
(04:55):
I feel like, you know, the coaches and myself can
be effective, you know, not in our offense and for myself,
you know. So it's been real ex signing, like again,
just being able to push myself and and get all
these practices, being able to you know, utilize Lakeland, you know,
their organization. So it's been amazing, you know, just a
great process. You know, it's eye opening for me just
(05:16):
to be able to see what you know, some of
those guys go through. But again, it's all been you know, helpful.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
There's a lot of terms that are new, George, but
I like kill spots.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Well, I was just gonna say that, did you get
a little rush? I got a little rush? Or I
heard kill spots. I can't come soon enough for me, Mark.
I'll talk a little bit more about Lakeland, about going
down there and working with those guys and what you
what you you frankly have never seen before until going
down there to to work out with those guys.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So, I mean I've always been a big fan of
just a Gili because I'm a basketball junkie and I
had a couple of friends that play, you know, in Jilly,
So anytime I had a chance, you know, of course
I would go support. But being able to go down
there and just practice with those guys and being able
to participate with those guys and you know, just.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Grind with him.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You know, it's a different type of grind, you know,
when you're when you're trying to prove yourself and you're
trying to make it somewhere. So being able to do
that and respect those guys and push them hopefully and
then push me, you know, was a great resource, and
I'm thankful for it. And again it built relationships down there,
being able to support them, and I think you're seeing
a lot of it with a lot of guys being
called up for ten days, you know, and they're showing out.
(06:25):
But again I think that it's all like it's a
big family. So I was just, you know, blessed for
the opportunity to do that.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I was going to say that, you know, we talked
to Admiral Scholfield and he was talking about about just
the opportunity just to have this, even if it's a
ten day opportunity, and he's so grateful for it. Like
there's something that you see now firsthand and that that
can energize the rest of the locker room too, right.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
It just once you see somebody that's kind of close
to you that does it, you know, sometimes it makes
it a little bit more believable, It makes it a
little bit and you know, it makes you work a
little bit more harder. So I think that's something that
you know, a lot of guys are living right now
that's getting called up and being able to show and
get that opportunity to show that what they can do.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
You know, Markelle, I had a chance to go down
there and do a couple of games for Lakeland and
I don't know, Georgia, I think you've been down there,
but there's I don't know how to explain it, Markelle,
but there's an energy you get from those guys, and
it's the whole staff, it's the fans, it's everybody that's
trying to make it. And I don't know, it's hard
to explain, right, but that is that what you're talking about.
There's a few that kind of re energizes you.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yeah, absolutely, And I think that's uh, not that you
get comfortable, but you start to get a different perspective
of things, and I think that's just what it is.
You know, those guys are hungry. You know, they're trying
to get their foot in the door. They believe they're
that's good in a lot and they are as good,
you know, so there's just you know, waiting on the
opportunity of being able to show it. So being around
that environment and you know, it kind of keeps you working,
kind of keeps you on your toes.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
And it's good to see Mark.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I can't wait to see you get on the floor
with the Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Man Franz has been unbelievable, just his growth from just
seeing them from being on the wing and then from
guys going down to him playing the one. You know,
you've seen him almost play every position, you know, point
guard to always almost the five man, and it's like,
I think the thing that made me was I think
one time I was actually I was I was here
doing rehab and the guys were on the road and
(08:16):
I was watching the game and they were like the
twenty year old and I was like, he's twenty years old.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That's right, he's twenty years old.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And I just kept thinking like this dude's gonna be
an all star, and I think a lot of people
are sleeping on him.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
But he just continues to get better.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And I'm super excited to play with him and you know,
with the other guys. But I think that, you know,
he has a bright, bright future ahead of him. He's
a great kid, I shouldn't say kid, a great young man.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
And I'm super excited.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But he's he's killing I'm super excited from I think
like he got his own moves almost like he's doing
a year step like, and like he's just something gonna
get better, He's gonna learn how to control his body better.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
I'm just excited.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I'm glad I have a chance to be, you know,
able to play with somebody like this and be able
to try to help them get better and they help me.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
So you realize we talk about you in that aspect
when someone said something about you, you know, yeah, he's
only three years exactly, you're exactly being you're forty eight, man,
like now.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
You're exactly twenty three. No. No, that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think that's so funny because I think we were
I was in a waking room the other day and
I was talking to Wendell and we were talking about
somebody and I was like, yeah, I'm twenty three and
he was like what.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And I'm like, yeah, I'm twenty three and you thought
I was twenty five or so. I'm like, no, I'm
not twenty five, man, I'm twenty three years old. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
And that's what's so. And that's what's so. That's what's
so amazing about it. Like we have a great group
of guys that's so young, and it's like the sky
is the limit, you know, and it's just exciting to
see what we're doing and putting the pieces together.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
And you know, I'm super excited.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Age you Markel like that's why, Like I'm really twenty six.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
I just look like that's all. It's no big deal.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
It's no big right now, talk about talk about some
of your other teammates. Let's talk about Cole Anthony. What
you've seen from him so far. I mean, you you've
gotten to see these guys almost like a coach, and you're.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Getting the game. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah, it's just amazing. Just Covid, his growth of playmaking.
You know, he's an amazing scorer. He's just very passionate
basketball player. And as we see you know, the games
that he's been out there healthy, just he's a competitor.
You know, he's going out there playing his game. He's killing,
you know, rebounding the ball, pushing it. So I think
it's just like really really exciting Windelle killing double doubles, obambas,
(10:30):
you know, playing amazing. I think that it's just like
with what we have done with the guys that we had,
when we have them out there, I think it just
shows a small, simple size of what we can be.
And as soon as we start to continue to believe
in that and continue to put the piece together, and
it's just.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Gonna take off.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And I think that the best thing about it is
everybody on our team is happy to come in every day.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
We love working, we love you know, being around each other.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And I think that's what's going to get us over
the hump of continue to get better.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I think that again, we have a.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Lot of young guys, so like we're gonna get more
and more experience every time we go out there, and
like to just see this this quickly like just a
little spurst that we have, is like it's really motivating,
really pushing and just trying to be you know, get
everybody together.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I think it's dope. I think it's that we have
it like it's fun to going out there to see
everybody play.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Well, that's great to hear. I know when you watch
the broadcast, I know you know that we're all big
fans of yours, David Steel, Jeff Turner, myself, And one
thing Jeff always says is how you coming back is
going to be? We can't understand how good that's going
to be for everybody else, and can you. I'd love
I've heard his reasons why I'd love to hear from you,
(11:38):
how you coming back, How that's going to elevate all
these guys that you just talked about.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I just think with me coming back, I'm just gonna
be a guy that's going to one go out there
and compete as hard as he can, bring that energy
and try to get everybody else to bring that energy.
But one being a point guard, trying to be a
leader out there on the floor, being able to control
the pace of the game, just push the pace of
the game. And then on both ends of the floor,
trying to be defensively, be a great defender and get
(12:05):
a lot of deflections and push that pace. But I
think that with a lot of people underestimating and don't know,
like my passion ability, I think that these guys are
going to be able to get a lot of easy
stuff that they haven't seen before. And like, like I said,
even that I haven't seen before because I see Franz.
He's a great cutter, you know, when Dell being able
to throw somebody alive. You know, it's like so many
(12:28):
different pieces that go well together, and it's like only
time can tell, you know, being able to go out
there and just get those games in with those guys,
get that chemistry together. But being able to see this
from the sideline kind of got an idea of how,
you know, a lot of our guys play. But I
think it's just gonna be a guy that goes out
there and just brings that energy, brings that competitive nature
and just again just controls the pace and have fun.
(12:49):
And I think that that's gonna, you know, continue to
help our team grow and continue to help us elevate.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
To George, I don't think these guys realize the looks
they're going to get with him. I don't think they
realized they're gonna be and the looks that they're gonna
you want.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Me to tell him, I'll go in there and if
you want, yes, remind them, I'll remind I have no.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Problem doing that.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
It's fine.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Coach Mosley Markel. You haven't had to play for him yet,
but I'm sure you've had a lot of interaction with
him on the sidelines and the rest of the new
coaching staff. How has that been for you? You've learned
anything about Coach mos that you didn't know before that
you can choose every He's.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Everything that that everybody's ever talked to him about a boy,
him being a great person, a great coach, and even more,
you know, just being with Coach mos being around him,
he just really cares about everybody as a person.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
You know. He wants us to be asked us how
we're doing.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
He cares about how we're doing first, you know, and
and the basketball stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It's like the easy stuff, you know, and he pushes
us on the court.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So being able to be around him, his energy as
soon as he walks in the room, it just like
brightens you up.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
You know, you get excited. You know you want to work,
you want to learn, you want to get better.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Than just you know, being able to pick his mind
and just see what he's thinking, you know, just the
development that he's trying to you know, move us on
at a great rate, in keeping us positive and understanding
that you know, it's going to be ups and downs,
but we have to continue to fight when we have
to stand on our principles, you know. So it's just
been amazing to be around. I can't wait to get
on the floor and be able to have him, you know,
(14:20):
coach me and be able to push me in ways
that I you know, I haven't been pushed before.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
So and that's like what our whole coach staff.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's from the top to the bottom, you know, going
down and everybody you see, everybody in there working very hard,
you know, communicating, and it's just a fun atmosphere to
be around. You know, every time you come in, it's
not like you know, they're going in just thinking about like,
oh man, we got another day. I'm actually you know,
and I know a lot of guys are sights to
go in and be able to just vibe and have
fun and be around each other.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
As a game has gone on, have you been able
to put your two like have you seen something and
you go over to the staff and put your two
cents in.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
And I've seen him that we don't know about.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Absolutely, Ma actually gets mad because he thinks that not
only my soul, but a lot of the guys don't
talk to him enough. So he definitely, you know, always
comes by and ask, you know.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
What are you feeling? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And we just throw stuff at him and he and
he takes it and it's good and you know, just
to get feedback. And again it's just like we're learning
as well as he is. So it's like we're picking
each other's mind. We're just trying to do its best
for each other. So I think that's another thing that's
so dope about. You know, the relationship with coach mostly
is like he's willing, you know, he's willing to, you know,
(15:30):
take anybody in, you know, whatever you have to talk about,
whatever you have to say, anything you feel, you know,
he's willing to listen to that and work through it.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
So that's another dope thing.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
This is our chance, George, we can get our plays in.
If I was drawn up twenty something years I'm ready,
there we go.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I'm going to give it to Mark call and get
just thrown in there.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Just put it there, we go. I like it.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Markel. One of the one of the worst takes that
I heard after the draft was the Magic Yet Jalen sucks, Howard,
Jalen sucks Cole Anthony Mark l Folk is gonna play together? Yeah,
I think it's I think it's gonna work just fine.
Will you please explain to everybody how that trio is
going to be just fine and how you compliment each.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Other because we're all amazing basketball players and at the
end of the day, this game is basketball. So just
like you can go to the rec and pick up
five people and play basketball.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
You know, it's like we all fit each other.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Though we all you know, understand the game basketball. We're
all out there trying to play the win. So I
feel like, you know, being able to have two guards
out there that can both push the ball, both rebound
the ball, both defend at a high level, it's just amazing.
And again, I think it's something that a lot of
people are going to see and it's gonna, like I said,
I said in the beginning of the year, but it's
gonna shock a lot of people. And I think that
(16:42):
that's something that's been being done all year round. Although
the wins might not show, but said they're gonna start
adding up very soon. And I think that it's just
all about the work and the process. And I think
that you know, we all put it into work, We all,
you know, believe in the process, and it's going to
start the show.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Is that part of Coach Mosley too? Like losing, losing
is hard, Mark Keil, you got you so some of
these guys, you know, it was the same for you
when you got to the NBA. And how these young
guys coming in they have not lost like this before.
How do you keep everybody motivated and upbeating and continue
to go after the things you.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Just mentioned again, it's I think the biggest thing about it.
We stand on our principles and we understand that it's
a process. You know, we're we're young. We know that
you know, we're gonna make mistakes. But if we go
out there and do what we're supposed to do, I
think that we give ourselves a good chance every night.
And I think that that's the biggest thing now, is
that we're learning from our mistakes. A lot of the
(17:37):
times we're you know, kind of beating ourselves, you know,
with turnovers and other things like that. So it's just
all about getting better each and every day, taking it
one day at a time. I think that's something that
coach most again preaches a lie is just focusing on
this day and making sure that we, you know, believe
in ourselves and understand that the work that we put
in is going to show.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
So I think that's that's really how it goes.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You know, we we learn from our mistakes and the
good things we keep adding on.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Got it? Okay, ahead, I'm gonna say I if I
have a bad day at work, okay, and I and
it happens for me often, I could be bad quite often.
But if I have a bad I come home and
I see my daughters. They're looking at me. You've got
a son and now a daughter. Congratulations, Thank you so much.
If you that's awesome. I think it's great. If you
have a rough rehab day or anything gets frustrating, how
(18:27):
much does that change the second you walk in the
door and see those two. What do those two mean
to Oh?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
They mean so much.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
It's like almost everything goes out doing it once I
see them. You know, It's like I'm just focused on
them and they just put a smile on my face.
And it just is amazing to see how much joy that,
you know, you can bring to a person when they
see you. And just being able to see the smile
that they have on their face when they see me,
and the love they have it is just like it's amazing,
(18:54):
and it's it's a different type of love, you know,
it's it's unexplainable. I'm super I'm blessed to be able
to have, you know, a healthy boy and a healthy,
you know, baby girl right now. So I'm just taking
that all in and I understand who that's who I
do it for as well. So being a great you know,
role model for limits is good.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
Yeah, but the zone zone defense is over. Now you
gotta go and the man now it's hot that listen.
Then when then when you're out numbered, that's when things
get That's when things don't.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Know anything about that, neither to you.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Yeah, anyway, I think I think I'm okay. I think
I'm okay. I think I got a boy and a girl,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
But there's something about it. There's something about a daughter.
And I bet two weeks old when Christmas rolled around,
I bet you bought her everything she's took. I bet
you had no idea what she was eating.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Man.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You had to fight yourself back from buying her things.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
For Christmas, man, I had.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I had to tell myself that right after I've seen
her come out, you know, not held her, and I
was just smiling the whole time.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I don't even know what I was smiling and staring at.
You know, my cheeks are really hurting from like just
smiling and U.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, I told you know my mom, I told you know,
my lady, I told my son. I just said I'm
sorry already. I just told everybody, I'm sorry. You know,
she got me, she got my heart.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
You know if you see me walk around with nail polishing,
make up, anything like that for my daughter, I don't
care anything she wants.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
We've all we've both done it. So it's exactly right
if you need some princess dresses.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I appreciate that. I appreciate it now, for sure, appreciate
that now. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
I don't know if I've seen as proud of grandma
as Ebony. I don't know if I mean every time.
And it's great to see your mom at the games
and around the facility.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I know she means the world to you.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
But she's pretty proud of She's pretty proud.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
She's kind of she's kind of like, yeah, let me
say one thing.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
She loved them so much. But you know, she's filling
my house up with so many gifts for them. I'm like, man,
you got to put these in your house.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
You know, trying to get them drums.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Man, she taking care of her. I'm like, Yo, this
is totally different than how I you know, how I
got everything coming up, you know. So, but she she's amazing.
She she cares so much. She's, you know, just an
amazing woman. She's raised me and she's helped me become
who I come. And I'm just blessed enough, you know,
to be able to give her grandchildren. So she's she's
loving it. She's loving when you.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Step when you step on the court, Yeah, exactly when
you step on the court. Is that is that like
the vision you're going to see in the back of
your head? Your mom, your kidding, Like, what's gonna go
through your mind when you yeah, that first step on
the court.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah, I got a lot I played for you know,
it's one I play for you know, God, and being
blessed enough for the abilities that I have. But my
family which includes my kids, my mom, you know, my lady, uh,
my sister, you know, and then the jersey, you know,
the name on the front of my jersey, Orlando and
the city and the fans, you know. Last, but not least,
(21:48):
I'm going out there to have fun just because my
love that I have for a game. And that's like
my picture right there. And then it's just trying to
kill my opponent.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
It kills my hashtag kill spots. Get to the kill spots. Well,
I think there's a you know, fans are starting to
rumble and there's some things out there too that fully healthy.
At some point, Jonathan Isaac comes into the mixture. That's
up right, just explain to us what this team is
going to look like and what they're capable of.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I can't tell you what we're gonna look like because
I'm honestly haveing it's gonna be scary.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Uh, It's like it's crazy as to imagine just.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
When everybody's together, how we want, you know, I'll just
say that defensively. You know, we're gonna have a very
long and athletic group out there and offensively is going
to have a group that can do the same thing.
Anybody can score, anybody can bring it up, anybody can push, interchangeable,
and and we're just gonna compete at a high level.
And I think that that's like the most amazing thing
(22:47):
about it is just that the competitor nature that we
all have and being able to go out there and
compete and you know, compliment each other's going to be
like it's fun to watch. I think it's gonna be
good basketball to watch. And just being able to be
young guys doing it. You know, we have desk there too,
shout out to our vests. But it's gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's gonna be amazoking.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
And I can look at number twenty Dante, and I
can look at you and look and say, he's only
twenty three, twenty.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Three, right, fact, you're right, We're gonna be doing this
for a long long time. Right, Hey, we did we
didn't touch on we didn't touch on Wendell, But I
you know you mentioned him a little bit, right, But
I mean again with twenty two, right, I mean almost
twenty three. I mean that what I feel like he's
made big strides to Mark. Hell, he's shooting the three now,
and he's such a rock defensively, what can do? How
(23:34):
would you guys compliment each other?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Man me and Wendell. You know, I'm super excited to Wendell.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
And I think that I've been watching Wendell play for
a long time since he was an AAU, you know,
and I just used to go in the gym and
watch him play on the circuit sometimes in between games.
And uh, he's super talented. I think that, you know,
at times, he doesn't even understand how talented and gifted
he is. And again, like you said, he's he's been
able to show people, you know, what he's been able
(24:02):
to do, you know, being able to shoot the three
ball at a high clip. But I don't even think
he showed people his dominance on the post yet. And
I think that that's one thing that you know, I'll
be able to bring out of him. But also his
pick and roll and like you said, defensively, him being
able to guard multiple positions from guards to biggs. You know,
it's just like it's amazing, you know, I think he
does a lot of things sometimes and it's like you
don't realize how powerful and his size and the way
(24:23):
he's able to move. Super excited just to be able
to go out there and be able to push him
and you know him to be able to you know,
just have the compliments again of my passing ability and
being able to get him.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
The ball that you know, I think that he really
hasn't really experienced yet. You know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Again, it's gonna take time to get get used to
just both of us, but I think that as soon
as that chemistry goes, you know, it's it's gonna be
something that's fun to watch for years and years to come.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Well, I love that, that's the thing, fun to watch
for years to come. Can't wait to get you out there.
You'll be hard pressed to find anybody more excited than
we are, except for maybe my daughter Marko.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Oh yeah, that so much? Okay, I mean come on, yes,
this was.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
He wrote my whole script. Is that awesome?
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Yes you're yes, Yeah, your favorite player.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
She can't wait to get you out there.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I got I actually have something for her. I have
to give to you for her, so for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Well, thank you for allowing us to break this news.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Is there something or something is listen.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Is there something you want to say to the fans
that are coming to the arena or they're gonna watch
you on TV?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Is there something you want to say?
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I would just like to say thank you for you know,
all the long support and love and being anxious and
wanted me to come back soon and fast and it's
just gonna be fun. I appreciate you, guys, and I
just asked her to continue support through the season only
for myself, but my teammates and uh, just be patient
and uh you'll have fun and you'll appreciate us and
thank you until it.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Wait and yeah, all right, welcome back, Markel. Appreciate it's
great to talk to you, and let's have some fun
here down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Thank you, you got it.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
That'll do a magic pod squad, Yes, sir,
Mister Jennon Suggs of Orlando Magic. This is Jonathan Isaac,
this is Mobim, but this is Cole Anthony.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This is Fons of Wargno off the Orlando Magic, and
this is the Pod Squad and.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Welcome to a special edition of Orlando Magic Pods Squad.
We have a big announcement to make and we are
more than excited to share this with you. Dante, Marcateelly,
George Galante and Markel Folds the return. Markel, we are
beyond excited for you. You put in a ton of work.
Just the emotions that you're feeling right now, knowing that
you're back and you're gonna be on the basketball floor again.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I'm just blessed, you know, just to be able to,
you know, one, just be where I am today after
you know, going through an injury like this and being
able to fight and just being able to be back
on the court with my brothers and friends, you know.
So one, I'm just blessed and I'm thankful for the
process and journ that I've been through, and I'm very excited,
you know this, to get out there with my teammates
and go out there and compete and just get back
(00:54):
in the groove of things, Dante.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I thought you were gonna ask me my emotions. I
thought you're not selling my emotions. Well, I think I know.
I haven't been this happy in like a year. I
can't I can't even smile. It might be a permanent grin.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Since January seventh of last year, fans have been asking
when you're gonna come back? Mark out right? Do you
feel that like fans have been beyond excited to get
on the floor, right? Do you feel that supporting?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Absolutely, I feel the love.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I feel the you know, the energy, the the excitement there,
and that's what kind of been pushing me, helping me
get through, you know, and keeping me grinding every day
and keeping that in the back of my mind, just
knowing that who I'm doing it for, not only myself,
but you know, for the city Orlando and the fans
out there.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And that's support not only myself but our team.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So how hard was it? Because I think I would
think you would want to it looks good for a
while now to not rush this thing, to be patient.
I couldn't do that. I don't have but you got
but you got to be smart, right, just kind of
take us through that balance. I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, man, it's been really tough, especially as soon as
I got on court. Really, you know, just being able
to be on the court. Uh, it kind of you
start to kind of get away from things, You start
to forget, uh that it's a process. But me being
going through injuries before, you know, especially with my shoulder,
just understanding that, you know, not rushing things and understanding
that it's a process even though some days you might
(02:17):
feel great, some days you might not. Just understanding your
body and listening to your body. And I think that's
a big adjustment that I have and then advantage I
had going into this, you know, rehab and coming back
this time is just that, you know, I knew that
there isn't any rush, you know, I have to you know,
be patient and listen to my body. So spent a
long time coming, long time waiting. I'm super excited just
(02:40):
to you know, get on the floor.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
What's that going to be like for you, Markel when
you put the magic uniform back on and you step
out onto that floor. What's I mean there has to
be some emotions when that's going to happen.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, It's just it's gonna be a lot,
you know. Just I love the game so much and
I never took it for granted, but I ship way
differently now, you know. And I just I just want
to go out there and be able to, you know,
give it my all and just show people how much
I appreciate the game and how much I'm thankful for
(03:11):
how much the game is done for me and my family,
and I mean people has helped me touch. So it's
just being able to go out there and just uh
just give it my all and just have fun and
be able to compete.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
You know, it's nothing like it.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So I think that's something that's going to show once
I get back on the floor, you know, just that
passion of you know, how much I have fun, you know,
playing a game, and how much I love it.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, how do you feel? How you got practices under
your belt? If that's good?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Right?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
You gotta feel good?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It's good?
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Does anything feel different? Anything anything at all? How you feeling?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Listen?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I just say I feel a lot stronger, you know,
this time around. This injury has helped me work on
a lot of a lot of things. I think this
is probably the best my body has felt, you know,
in a long time. I talk about full body. I
can feel you know, my muscles, you know, I can
feel myself. I'm able to identify certain things with my body,
but just all around cores.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
You know, conditioning.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I think this is you know, probably the best I
felt coming back and you know, being able to play basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
That's fantastic. I've not worked out since you got hurt,
so I've gone.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
On purpose, on purpose until he comes back, and keep eating.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That's the way I'm going.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Exactly right. I'm going to leave those grindste those ways
all for you.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, but I but I think, but now, how about
on the floor. What what have you been working on?
And what are some of the things you you know
that we might expect from you when you get on
the floor.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh man, I've just been working on everything. Just being
able to use my size and advantage, you know in
the posts, being able to get to my spots where
I love to kill, you know, the midd range, working
on you know, just going through contact, getting to the rim,
trying to get free throws and stuff like that, and
just playing the same game, shooting my threes off the dribble,
just a little bit of everything. This is a total game,
but really just focusing on my kill spots and where
(04:55):
I feel like, you know, the coaches and myself can
be effective, you know, not in our offense and for myself,
you know. So it's been real ex signing, like again,
just being able to push myself and and get all
these practices, being able to you know, utilize Lakeland, you know,
their organization. So it's been amazing, you know, just a
great process. You know, it's eye opening for me just
(05:16):
to be able to see what you know, some of
those guys go through. But again, it's all been you know, helpful.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
There's a lot of terms that are new, George, but
I like kill spots.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Well, I was just gonna say that, did you get
a little rush? I got a little rush? Or I
heard kill spots. I can't come soon enough for me, Mark.
I'll talk a little bit more about Lakeland, about going
down there and working with those guys and what you
what you you frankly have never seen before until going
down there to to work out with those guys.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So, I mean I've always been a big fan of
just a Gili because I'm a basketball junkie and I
had a couple of friends that play, you know, in Jilly,
So anytime I had a chance, you know, of course
I would go support. But being able to go down
there and just practice with those guys and being able
to participate with those guys and you know, just.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Grind with him.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You know, it's a different type of grind, you know,
when you're when you're trying to prove yourself and you're
trying to make it somewhere. So being able to do
that and respect those guys and push them hopefully and
then push me, you know, was a great resource, and
I'm thankful for it. And again it built relationships down there,
being able to support them, and I think you're seeing
a lot of it with a lot of guys being
called up for ten days, you know, and they're showing out.
(06:25):
But again I think that it's all like it's a
big family. So I was just, you know, blessed for
the opportunity to do that.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I was going to say that, you know, we talked
to Admiral Scholfield and he was talking about about just
the opportunity just to have this, even if it's a
ten day opportunity, and he's so grateful for it. Like
there's something that you see now firsthand and that that
can energize the rest of the locker room too, right.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
It just once you see somebody that's kind of close
to you that does it, you know, sometimes it makes
it a little bit more believable, It makes it a
little bit and you know, it makes you work a
little bit more harder. So I think that's something that
you know, a lot of guys are living right now
that's getting called up and being able to show and
get that opportunity to show that what they can do.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
You know, Markelle, I had a chance to go down
there and do a couple of games for Lakeland and
I don't know, Georgia, I think you've been down there,
but there's I don't know how to explain it, Markelle,
but there's an energy you get from those guys, and
it's the whole staff, it's the fans, it's everybody that's
trying to make it. And I don't know, it's hard
to explain, right, but that is that what you're talking about.
There's a few that kind of re energizes you.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yeah, absolutely, And I think that's uh, not that you
get comfortable, but you start to get a different perspective
of things, and I think that's just what it is.
You know, those guys are hungry. You know, they're trying
to get their foot in the door. They believe they're
that's good in a lot and they are as good,
you know, so there's just you know, waiting on the
opportunity of being able to show it. So being around
that environment and you know, it kind of keeps you working,
kind of keeps you on your toes.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
And it's good to see Mark.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I can't wait to see you get on the floor
with the Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Man Franz has been unbelievable, just his growth from just
seeing them from being on the wing and then from
guys going down to him playing the one. You know,
you've seen him almost play every position, you know, point
guard to always almost the five man, and it's like,
I think the thing that made me was I think
one time I was actually I was I was here
doing rehab and the guys were on the road and
(08:16):
I was watching the game and they were like the
twenty year old and I was like, he's twenty years old.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That's right, he's twenty years old.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And I just kept thinking like this dude's gonna be
an all star, and I think a lot of people
are sleeping on him.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
But he just continues to get better.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And I'm super excited to play with him and you know,
with the other guys. But I think that, you know,
he has a bright, bright future ahead of him. He's
a great kid, I shouldn't say kid, a great young man.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
And I'm super excited.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But he's he's killing I'm super excited from I think
like he got his own moves almost like he's doing
a year step like, and like he's just something gonna
get better, He's gonna learn how to control his body better.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
I'm just excited.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I'm glad I have a chance to be, you know,
able to play with somebody like this and be able
to try to help them get better and they help me.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
So you realize we talk about you in that aspect
when someone said something about you, you know, yeah, he's
only three years exactly, you're exactly being you're forty eight, man,
like now.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
You're exactly twenty three. No. No, that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I think that's so funny because I think we were
I was in a waking room the other day and
I was talking to Wendell and we were talking about
somebody and I was like, yeah, I'm twenty three and
he was like what.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And I'm like, yeah, I'm twenty three and you thought
I was twenty five or so. I'm like, no, I'm
not twenty five, man, I'm twenty three years old. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
And that's what's so. And that's what's so. That's what's
so amazing about it. Like we have a great group
of guys that's so young, and it's like the sky
is the limit, you know, and it's just exciting to
see what we're doing and putting the pieces together.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
And you know, I'm super excited.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Age you Markel like that's why, Like I'm really twenty six.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
I just look like that's all. It's no big deal.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
It's no big right now, talk about talk about some
of your other teammates. Let's talk about Cole Anthony. What
you've seen from him so far. I mean, you you've
gotten to see these guys almost like a coach, and you're.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Getting the game. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah, it's just amazing. Just Covid, his growth of playmaking.
You know, he's an amazing scorer. He's just very passionate
basketball player. And as we see you know, the games
that he's been out there healthy, just he's a competitor.
You know, he's going out there playing his game. He's killing,
you know, rebounding the ball, pushing it. So I think
it's just like really really exciting Windelle killing double doubles, obambas,
(10:30):
you know, playing amazing. I think that it's just like
with what we have done with the guys that we had,
when we have them out there, I think it just
shows a small, simple size of what we can be.
And as soon as we start to continue to believe
in that and continue to put the piece together, and
it's just.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Gonna take off.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And I think that the best thing about it is
everybody on our team is happy to come in every day.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
We love working, we love you know, being around each other.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And I think that's what's going to get us over
the hump of continue to get better.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I think that again, we have a.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Lot of young guys, so like we're gonna get more
and more experience every time we go out there, and
like to just see this this quickly like just a
little spurst that we have, is like it's really motivating,
really pushing and just trying to be you know, get
everybody together.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
I think it's dope. I think it's that we have
it like it's fun to going out there to see
everybody play.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Well, that's great to hear. I know when you watch
the broadcast, I know you know that we're all big
fans of yours, David Steel, Jeff Turner, myself, And one
thing Jeff always says is how you coming back is
going to be? We can't understand how good that's going
to be for everybody else, and can you. I'd love
I've heard his reasons why I'd love to hear from you,
(11:38):
how you coming back, How that's going to elevate all
these guys that you just talked about.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I just think with me coming back, I'm just gonna
be a guy that's going to one go out there
and compete as hard as he can, bring that energy
and try to get everybody else to bring that energy.
But one being a point guard, trying to be a
leader out there on the floor, being able to control
the pace of the game, just push the pace of
the game. And then on both ends of the floor,
trying to be defensively, be a great defender and get
(12:05):
a lot of deflections and push that pace. But I
think that with a lot of people underestimating and don't know,
like my passion ability, I think that these guys are
going to be able to get a lot of easy
stuff that they haven't seen before. And like, like I said,
even that I haven't seen before because I see Franz.
He's a great cutter, you know, when Dell being able
to throw somebody alive. You know, it's like so many
(12:28):
different pieces that go well together, and it's like only
time can tell, you know, being able to go out
there and just get those games in with those guys,
get that chemistry together. But being able to see this
from the sideline kind of got an idea of how,
you know, a lot of our guys play. But I
think it's just gonna be a guy that goes out
there and just brings that energy, brings that competitive nature
and just again just controls the pace and have fun.
(12:49):
And I think that that's gonna, you know, continue to
help our team grow and continue to help us elevate.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
To George, I don't think these guys realize the looks
they're going to get with him. I don't think they
realized they're gonna be and the looks that they're gonna
you want.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Me to tell him, I'll go in there and if
you want, yes, remind them, I'll remind I have no.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Problem doing that.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
It's fine.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Coach Mosley Markel. You haven't had to play for him yet,
but I'm sure you've had a lot of interaction with
him on the sidelines and the rest of the new
coaching staff. How has that been for you? You've learned
anything about Coach mos that you didn't know before that
you can choose every He's.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Everything that that everybody's ever talked to him about a boy,
him being a great person, a great coach, and even more,
you know, just being with Coach mos being around him,
he just really cares about everybody as a person.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
You know. He wants us to be asked us how
we're doing.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
He cares about how we're doing first, you know, and
and the basketball stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It's like the easy stuff, you know, and he pushes
us on the court.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So being able to be around him, his energy as
soon as he walks in the room, it just like
brightens you up.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
You know, you get excited. You know you want to work,
you want to learn, you want to get better.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Than just you know, being able to pick his mind
and just see what he's thinking, you know, just the
development that he's trying to you know, move us on
at a great rate, in keeping us positive and understanding
that you know, it's going to be ups and downs,
but we have to continue to fight when we have
to stand on our principles, you know. So it's just
been amazing to be around. I can't wait to get
on the floor and be able to have him, you know,
(14:20):
coach me and be able to push me in ways
that I you know, I haven't been pushed before.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
So and that's like what our whole coach staff.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's from the top to the bottom, you know, going
down and everybody you see, everybody in there working very hard,
you know, communicating, and it's just a fun atmosphere to
be around. You know, every time you come in, it's
not like you know, they're going in just thinking about like,
oh man, we got another day. I'm actually you know,
and I know a lot of guys are sights to
go in and be able to just vibe and have
fun and be around each other.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
As a game has gone on, have you been able
to put your two like have you seen something and
you go over to the staff and put your two
cents in.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
And I've seen him that we don't know about.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Absolutely, Ma actually gets mad because he thinks that not
only my soul, but a lot of the guys don't
talk to him enough. So he definitely, you know, always
comes by and ask, you know.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
What are you feeling? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And we just throw stuff at him and he and
he takes it and it's good and you know, just
to get feedback. And again it's just like we're learning
as well as he is. So it's like we're picking
each other's mind. We're just trying to do its best
for each other. So I think that's another thing that's
so dope about. You know, the relationship with coach mostly
is like he's willing, you know, he's willing to, you know,
(15:30):
take anybody in, you know, whatever you have to talk about,
whatever you have to say, anything you feel, you know,
he's willing to listen to that and work through it.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
So that's another dope thing.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
This is our chance, George, we can get our plays in.
If I was drawn up twenty something years I'm ready,
there we go.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I'm going to give it to Mark call and get
just thrown in there.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Just put it there, we go. I like it.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Markel. One of the one of the worst takes that
I heard after the draft was the Magic Yet Jalen sucks, Howard,
Jalen sucks Cole Anthony Mark l Folk is gonna play together? Yeah,
I think it's I think it's gonna work just fine.
Will you please explain to everybody how that trio is
going to be just fine and how you compliment each.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Other because we're all amazing basketball players and at the
end of the day, this game is basketball. So just
like you can go to the rec and pick up
five people and play basketball.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
You know, it's like we all fit each other.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Though we all you know, understand the game basketball. We're
all out there trying to play the win. So I
feel like, you know, being able to have two guards
out there that can both push the ball, both rebound
the ball, both defend at a high level, it's just amazing.
And again, I think it's something that a lot of
people are going to see and it's gonna, like I said,
I said in the beginning of the year, but it's
gonna shock a lot of people. And I think that
(16:42):
that's something that's been being done all year round. Although
the wins might not show, but said they're gonna start
adding up very soon. And I think that it's just
all about the work and the process. And I think
that you know, we all put it into work, We all,
you know, believe in the process, and it's going to
start the show.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Is that part of Coach Mosley too? Like losing, losing
is hard, Mark Keil, you got you so some of
these guys, you know, it was the same for you
when you got to the NBA. And how these young
guys coming in they have not lost like this before.
How do you keep everybody motivated and upbeating and continue
to go after the things you.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Just mentioned again, it's I think the biggest thing about it.
We stand on our principles and we understand that it's
a process. You know, we're we're young. We know that
you know, we're gonna make mistakes. But if we go
out there and do what we're supposed to do, I
think that we give ourselves a good chance every night.
And I think that that's the biggest thing now, is
that we're learning from our mistakes. A lot of the
(17:37):
times we're you know, kind of beating ourselves, you know,
with turnovers and other things like that. So it's just
all about getting better each and every day, taking it
one day at a time. I think that's something that
coach most again preaches a lie is just focusing on
this day and making sure that we, you know, believe
in ourselves and understand that the work that we put
in is going to show.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
So I think that's that's really how it goes.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
You know, we we learn from our mistakes and the
good things we keep adding on.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Got it? Okay, ahead, I'm gonna say I if I
have a bad day at work, okay, and I and
it happens for me often, I could be bad quite often.
But if I have a bad I come home and
I see my daughters. They're looking at me. You've got
a son and now a daughter. Congratulations, Thank you so much.
If you that's awesome. I think it's great. If you
have a rough rehab day or anything gets frustrating, how
(18:27):
much does that change the second you walk in the
door and see those two. What do those two mean
to Oh?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
They mean so much.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
It's like almost everything goes out doing it once I
see them. You know, It's like I'm just focused on
them and they just put a smile on my face.
And it just is amazing to see how much joy that,
you know, you can bring to a person when they
see you. And just being able to see the smile
that they have on their face when they see me,
and the love they have it is just like it's amazing,
(18:54):
and it's it's a different type of love, you know,
it's it's unexplainable. I'm super I'm blessed to be able
to have, you know, a healthy boy and a healthy,
you know, baby girl right now. So I'm just taking
that all in and I understand who that's who I
do it for as well. So being a great you know,
role model for limits is good.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
Yeah, but the zone zone defense is over. Now you
gotta go and the man now it's hot that listen.
Then when then when you're out numbered, that's when things
get That's when things don't.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Know anything about that, neither to you.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Yeah, anyway, I think I think I'm okay. I think
I'm okay. I think I got a boy and a girl,
you know.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
But there's something about it. There's something about a daughter.
And I bet two weeks old when Christmas rolled around,
I bet you bought her everything she's took. I bet
you had no idea what she was eating.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Man.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You had to fight yourself back from buying her things.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
For Christmas, man, I had.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I had to tell myself that right after I've seen
her come out, you know, not held her, and I
was just smiling the whole time.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I don't even know what I was smiling and staring at.
You know, my cheeks are really hurting from like just
smiling and U.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, I told you know my mom, I told you know,
my lady, I told my son. I just said I'm
sorry already. I just told everybody, I'm sorry. You know,
she got me, she got my heart.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
You know if you see me walk around with nail polishing,
make up, anything like that for my daughter, I don't
care anything she wants.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
We've all we've both done it. So it's exactly right
if you need some princess dresses.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I appreciate that. I appreciate it now, for sure, appreciate
that now. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
I don't know if I've seen as proud of grandma
as Ebony. I don't know if I mean every time.
And it's great to see your mom at the games
and around the facility.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I know she means the world to you.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
But she's pretty proud of She's pretty proud.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
She's kind of she's kind of like, yeah, let me
say one thing.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
She loved them so much. But you know, she's filling
my house up with so many gifts for them. I'm like, man,
you got to put these in your house.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
You know, trying to get them drums.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Man, she taking care of her. I'm like, Yo, this
is totally different than how I you know, how I
got everything coming up, you know. So, but she she's amazing.
She she cares so much. She's, you know, just an
amazing woman. She's raised me and she's helped me become
who I come. And I'm just blessed enough, you know,
to be able to give her grandchildren. So she's she's
loving it. She's loving when you.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Step when you step on the court, Yeah, exactly when
you step on the court. Is that is that like
the vision you're going to see in the back of
your head? Your mom, your kidding, Like, what's gonna go
through your mind when you yeah, that first step on
the court.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah, I got a lot I played for you know,
it's one I play for you know, God, and being
blessed enough for the abilities that I have. But my
family which includes my kids, my mom, you know, my lady, uh,
my sister, you know, and then the jersey, you know,
the name on the front of my jersey, Orlando and
the city and the fans, you know. Last, but not least,
(21:48):
I'm going out there to have fun just because my
love that I have for a game. And that's like
my picture right there. And then it's just trying to
kill my opponent.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
It kills my hashtag kill spots. Get to the kill spots. Well,
I think there's a you know, fans are starting to
rumble and there's some things out there too that fully healthy.
At some point, Jonathan Isaac comes into the mixture. That's
up right, just explain to us what this team is
going to look like and what they're capable of.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I can't tell you what we're gonna look like because
I'm honestly haveing it's gonna be scary.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Uh, It's like it's crazy as to imagine just.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
When everybody's together, how we want, you know, I'll just
say that defensively. You know, we're gonna have a very
long and athletic group out there and offensively is going
to have a group that can do the same thing.
Anybody can score, anybody can bring it up, anybody can push, interchangeable,
and and we're just gonna compete at a high level.
And I think that that's like the most amazing thing
(22:47):
about it is just that the competitor nature that we
all have and being able to go out there and
compete and you know, compliment each other's going to be
like it's fun to watch. I think it's gonna be
good basketball to watch. And just being able to be
young guys doing it. You know, we have desk there too,
shout out to our vests. But it's gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's gonna be amazoking.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
And I can look at number twenty Dante, and I
can look at you and look and say, he's only
twenty three, twenty.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Three, right, fact, you're right, We're gonna be doing this
for a long long time. Right, Hey, we did we
didn't touch on we didn't touch on Wendell, But I
you know you mentioned him a little bit, right, But
I mean again with twenty two, right, I mean almost
twenty three. I mean that what I feel like he's
made big strides to Mark. Hell, he's shooting the three now,
and he's such a rock defensively, what can do? How
(23:34):
would you guys compliment each other?
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Man me and Wendell. You know, I'm super excited to Wendell.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
And I think that I've been watching Wendell play for
a long time since he was an AAU, you know,
and I just used to go in the gym and
watch him play on the circuit sometimes in between games.
And uh, he's super talented. I think that, you know,
at times, he doesn't even understand how talented and gifted
he is. And again, like you said, he's he's been
able to show people, you know, what he's been able
(24:02):
to do, you know, being able to shoot the three
ball at a high clip. But I don't even think
he showed people his dominance on the post yet. And
I think that that's one thing that you know, I'll
be able to bring out of him. But also his
pick and roll and like you said, defensively, him being
able to guard multiple positions from guards to biggs. You know,
it's just like it's amazing, you know, I think he
does a lot of things sometimes and it's like you
don't realize how powerful and his size and the way
(24:23):
he's able to move. Super excited just to be able
to go out there and be able to push him
and you know him to be able to you know,
just have the compliments again of my passing ability and
being able to get him.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
The ball that you know, I think that he really
hasn't really experienced yet. You know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Again, it's gonna take time to get get used to
just both of us, but I think that as soon
as that chemistry goes, you know, it's it's gonna be
something that's fun to watch for years and years to come.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Well, I love that, that's the thing, fun to watch
for years to come. Can't wait to get you out there.
You'll be hard pressed to find anybody more excited than
we are, except for maybe my daughter Marko.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Oh yeah, that so much? Okay, I mean come on, yes,
this was.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
He wrote my whole script. Is that awesome?
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Yes you're yes, Yeah, your favorite player.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
She can't wait to get you out there.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I got I actually have something for her. I have
to give to you for her, so for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Well, thank you for allowing us to break this news.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Is there something or something is listen.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Is there something you want to say to the fans
that are coming to the arena or they're gonna watch
you on TV?
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Is there something you want to say?
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I would just like to say thank you for you know,
all the long support and love and being anxious and
wanted me to come back soon and fast and it's
just gonna be fun. I appreciate you, guys, and I
just asked her to continue support through the season only
for myself, but my teammates and uh, just be patient
and uh you'll have fun and you'll appreciate us and
thank you until it.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Wait and yeah, all right, welcome back, Markel. Appreciate it's
great to talk to you, and let's have some fun
here down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Thank you, you got it.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
That'll do a magic pod squad, Yes, sir,
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