November 7, 2024 • 32 mins
Michael Carter-Williams joins Dante, George and Jake to discuss his post-playing career in broadcasting and what else he's been up to, how the current group can adjust to playing without Paolo Banchero, how to respond to being outside of the playing rotation and his relationship with Goga Bitadze.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey, Welcome Magic fans to another edition of Magic Pod Squad.
This time we catch up with former Magic player Michael
Carter Williams, hearn broadcaster on the Orlando Magic Audio Network.
You don't want to miss this episode The four The
Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't let fans
drive drunk. If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel.
Instead by the sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember,
(00:26):
drive sober or get pulled over. Have a great night
and drive see lots to discuss with Michael Carter Williams,
who played with a lot of current members of the
Orlando Magic So we shed some lights and behind the
scenes on what it was like in his experience with
some of these Magic players, how they continued to play
and progress without Apollo, Banciero and terrific insight into this
(00:46):
Orlando Magic team and how they get back on track
and what buys ahead and retirement life, what is next
for MCW. We break it all down on this edition
of Magic Pod Squad. The spawns long Enough to Orlando Magic.
This is Colon Missus Jennen Suggs.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
This is Paula Man Carroll, the Orlando Magic and you're
listening to the Pod Squad, and.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Welcome everyone to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcatelli, Jake Chapman, George Galatee. It's five Pleasure break in.
Michael Carter Williams nine NBA seasons four right here at
City Beautiful from eighteen to twenty three. And Mike, it's
always good to catch up with you and George. You
know what I love about this? Obviously at a terrific career.
(01:27):
We loved what he did here in Central Florida, part
of some fun teams went to the playoffs. But now
he's joined the dark side. Yeah, he's a mever of
the media. Yeah, I love me.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Would have thought that? Who would have thought that, Michael,
when you were getting toward the end of your career.
Is this pop in your head? Or was this just
forced upon you by Jake Chapman.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
No, no, no, this is definitely in my set of plans.
I didn't know if I wanted to coach or be
in the media side of things. A big reason why
I went to Syracuse was because of the broadcasting program.
So early on, I you know, I knew I wanted
to you know, leave that open. You know, if if
that was something that I wanted to, you know, go down.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
But Mike, you do a great job. And for those
that don't know, he's part of the radio broadcast with
Jake Chapman. You can hear the games on ninety six nine.
You can listen on the iHeart app wherever your athlete
audio pass and it's a fun listen. And I just
got to know from your experience, nothing like being at
the games. Those home games are fun. It's challenging on
the road when you're broadcasting remotely calling a game off
(02:29):
a monitor. But what's your experience been the few games
you've done, It's been great. Jason doing a great job,
you know, helping me out, teaching me the ropes. I
kind of just feed off him, to be honest, but yeah,
you could definitely tell that, And that's the nicotine that
you're the h being on the uh.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Being on on the road is a little bit more
tough because you know, obviously you don't have that energy
in the building, and you know when you have that
energy and you have that excitement, you know, you could
just hear it in your voice. So I've been having
to adjust watching the games on the monitor and you know,
trying to keep you know, my energy up and you know,
so it is challenging.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
It's tough, but you know those are things you got
to go through.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
My man, Jake on the road, Man, what's going on?
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Man, it's kind of a bit okay, okay, okay, absolutely,
no question about it, Jake.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
I know it's a blast for you to have Mike
did there with It's been awesome and I'm not sure.
I don't know if anybody can top the first game
that Michael Carter Williams broadcast on the radio, which was
the fifty piece from Paulo Bancare last week. And and Mike, obviously,
you know the beginning of the season where we got
a lot of stuff going.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
On and it was your first broadcast. But you talk about.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Comparing the energy between calling an away game and the
energy into building that night. Did you think back and say, Wow,
I just I just experienced something pretty special and I
got a chance to call it, and it's the first
game I've done on the radio. That's that's pretty unique.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I mean, listen, if if I'm gonna do something for
the first time, I've seen the gets really good. Beginner's luck.
So if any of you guys need that, I have,
you know, my first game in my NBA career, my
first game in college, my first.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Broadcast, part first broadcast, and so hey listen.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
But no, that was unbelievable, right, Like I look back
at that, and I'm like, man, my first game, I
get to call a fifty piece you know from Paulo,
who's you know, going to probably be a Hall of
Famer one day, you know, something to tell my kids,
and you know, just just to have the experience was,
you know, unreal.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Mike, I got I gotta get your thoughts on this
because because you know, you've you've seen this before and
you've either been a part of it or you have
friends that have. You have the fifty piece from powow
you take off on the road, then you lose Pollow.
You lose them the very next game. Right at the end,
I take us through the emotions of one of Powo
right who who was excited He's off to a great
start twenty nine points a game. Uh, and then you know,
(04:51):
how is he feeling what he finds out he's sidelined
for four to six weeks, and then what is that
it's got to do with job mentally on the rest
of the team, just just knowing that you're without that guy.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean for Paulo, obviously, the injury is you know,
it sucks, you know, and knowing you're gonna have to
go down a long world of rehab. He's out for
a good period of time, so I'm sure he's you know,
obviously bummed about that. But he's a focused kid, right,
like his demeanors, He's always been focused. When I was there,
(05:21):
he was you know, he's diligent about his work. So
I'm sure he's not doesn't have that challenge of you know,
going through this long rehab. But you know, he's you know,
he's the leader of this team. He's the you know,
the best player on the team. He knows that he's
probably gutted that he can't be out there and helped
the team. Seeing them struggle probably hurts. And then for
(05:41):
the rest of the guys, yeah, I mean, it's a battle, right,
It's a battle between Okay, then now there's a lot
more opportunity on the floor, so you know, from a
personal standpoint, it's like, Okay, I can really show what
I can do and reach you know, some goals, but
also it's a big adjustment for the whole team. Jake
and I were talking and we were just talking about
how how they're used to playing one way, right, Paulow
(06:02):
attracts so much attention that that other guys are freed
up in these different areas and are able to play
up that and have had and have been playing like that,
you know since Paulo has gotten here, because he's made
an immediate impact. So now that he's gone, it's like,
you know, what what do we do now? Like what
is my role now? Like figuring out what that looks like.
(06:23):
And I think they're you know, trying to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Right. We talk about guys like KCP.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Right, he's a guy that you know, played with the
OKIC for a long time and you know he kind
of fed off his game and then came in to
Orlando and had similar role with Paulo. And now he's like, Okay,
you could see that yesterday he was a little bit
more aggressive, right, And and I think I think he's
going to try to you know, all those guys are
trying to figure out that process of like how can
(06:48):
I be a little more aggressive in the right spots
without forcing the issue and how can we play as
a team better?
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Mike?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
As a player, though, how hard is that on the
fly to do because now you're not you don't get
a training camp again now, right to kind of re
reprocess how you're going to play and who you're going
to play off of. I mean, the games are coming
and they're.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Not going to stop.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So how hard is that as a player and as
a team to kind of just recalibrate to what you're
going to do.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It's really hard because as a competitor, you're like, I
want to do the most to make this team win.
But then also you got to be smart because you
can't go out there and try to win it by
yourself and you try to force the issue. Right, Like
even the first game that Paula was out, Jalen had
a really really good game, right, he kind of put
the you know, put the Superman cape on, was like,
(07:37):
I'm going to try to win this the best way possible, right,
And then the next game it was like, Okay, they're
you know, focusing on me a little bit more now,
and that's another adjustment period, right, So it's really hard
to do on the fly, you know, guys work really
hard to settle in their role. That's something that you
know you have to do at this level. Sometimes guys
(07:58):
have to take a back seat and be like, Okay,
this is my role. I need to thrive in this role.
And mentally you're thinking about that all the time, so
you're stuck in that and then when things change, it's like, okay,
now you want me to come out of my role.
So it's a cat and mouse game that you need
to play, and it's really really difficult to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Jake, that's them good analysis. You're not going to have
him for long.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Somebody boy is enjoyed. This is short stint for you. Jay,
go back to yourself.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I appreciate that that isn't playing through the back of
my head. Consum Mike.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
One of the things we haven't talked about.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
It's almost a cliche, like when Paula comes back, inevitably
he's going to get the question, you know, what was
it like seeing it from a different perspective, were you
able to learn anything on the bench? Is he are
you as an injured player, especially one who's as young
and it's featured in the offense as Paula Benkaro is
you Is there any benefit to seeing it from that angle?
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I mean it's always good to watch, right you can
always learn from sitting there watching, But I personally, I
think his mind is going to be so focused on,
you know, turning the train around, like you know, he's
like he knows that he's probably itching to get back
on the floor. So you got that you know, kind
of anxiety to be like I need to get back
on the floor to help the team.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But I think it's going.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
To be a you know, a weight off Orlando's chest
and they're gonna try, you know, get back to play
and how they used to. But right now, I just
think they're, you know, they're doing a science project right now,
like what pieces can we find that fit you know
real well when Paulo comes back? And sometimes it's like that, right,
like what key pieces can we find that might help
us play well, you know in April.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
You know, So it's.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Tough to you know, watch as a fan a little bit,
just because you know, obviously, you know, losing is is
never easy, and I'm sure it's tough for them as well,
but you know, trying to stay positive. I thought last
night they played real. Well, I think if they can
continue to play like that and tweak a few things,
I think they you know, win some games. So we
got a couple of winnable ones coming up. So I
(09:57):
think that just like Jalen said, you know, know, keep
keep staying focused, keep doing the work, you know, keep
getting the shots up, and you know, hopefully we can
knox some threes now and that will help us out
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Man. You know, I think I think of Michael Williams,
you know, Michael Carter Williams time here in Orlando, and
I think of the playoffs in Toronto, and I think
about the bloody nose and the tissue up there right.
I think about how hard you played. And you mentioned
Jalen Suggs, you must enjoy the heck out of how
hard he plays. I remember asking you, you know, can
you if you don't want to get hurt or take
(10:29):
a shot to the nose, can you be can you
be hesitant or just kind of ease off a little bit?
And you know, and as you would imagine, he told me,
I don't. I don't. I can't dial it back. I
only know one way to play. He seems to be
the same way what he would What do you appreciate
about Jalen Suggs and the way the way he goes
about things?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, you know, I think he has a mentality, right,
he only knows how to play one way. Right, He's
you know, a dual athlete who played football, and you
know you can see, you know, the aggressiveness in his game,
you know, on both ends of the floor.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
And it's great.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know, they needed a guy like him. That's why
they you know, trying to resign him or resigned him
for the big bucks. So yeah, I think even yesterday, right,
he comes in the game steal, deflection, deflection, the first
two three possessions of the game. Right, he sets the
tone on the defensive end, and I think he excels
in that role. You know, even more when you know
Allo comes back and you know, Franz keeps on settling in.
(11:24):
I know he's been injured and sick and you know,
so he's he's asked to take a big step up
offensively too. So a lot of guys are right, and
once he gets back, I think other guys are going
to even excel even more in that role.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
So, Michael, you've only been doing this now for a
few games. What what have you learned for your own
preparation going into a game? Did and did you have
nerves going into that first game with Jake or is
it just sitting with Jake and he's a little creepy
because a lot of people do get that.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I'm I don't know if I was nervous, just because,
like I've been talking about basketball for so long in
my life. I think that if I had to pick what,
you know, I was most concerned about, it was just
about saying a lot in short segments.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I try not to run and have run on sentences
or you know, talk a long time because I know
that the plays are going so trying to say in
very few words and trying to mean a lot was
something that's, you know, been challenging for me and something
that I'm trying to work on.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
See.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
That's the beauty of radio though, is you only have
to worry about the talky part. You don't have to
worry about the camera. Yeah, good part exactly. So you know,
we we keep it nice and loose up there. Mike
looks in the homestand do we talked about trying to
adjust on the fly, getting home, getting some practice time,
but just being in a place where you're comfortable and
(12:52):
a couple of home cooked meals. It's probably gonna make
a big difference, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah, just being in your own space, sleeping in your
own bed, getting good rest, getting the proper treatment that
you can get. You know, sometimes when you're on the road,
you know there's only three or four tables that you
can use in the away games, right like you got
you know, your hot tubs, your cold tubs. You know,
you can you know, really refresh your body. So it does.
It means a lot. You got the six man on
(13:16):
the floor with you in the crowd, and you know
that you bring that passion. You know, you bring that
passion out and they got some games where you know
they can win on on you know, at this home
home stand. So getting the guy's confidence back up, getting
a night where you know, we're shooting the ball pretty
well and everything's going right for you, the ball is
bouncing your way. It's it's a good time for them
(13:37):
to be back home, kind of resettle, hit the drawing
board again, fix some mistakes, and you know, get back
into wind calling.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Hopefully it's a big home stand. Hopefully you can. I mean,
they're all winnable games, as you mentioned, and you can
certainly make some uh, you certainly make up some ground here.
I want to get your thoughts, and I got to
think it's hard for everyone that's ever played the game
when you get to the point and you say, Okay,
I either got to keep going, keep going at this
or is it time to call it a career and
figure out what I'm gonna do next and figure out
(14:05):
next step to kind of take us through your process
as you're you know, you're still wanting to play the
game of basketball and still trying to decide what does
life like, what does life after basketball look like?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, for me, it was more of, you know, I've
always had the mentality of like, listen, you're gonna have
to kick me out the league, Like there's got to
be no spots left for me. And you know, obviously
I had the double acle surgery, which which didn't help.
I felt like I could never really get back to
the player I you know, thought, I you know, I
was on the floor, you know, kind of the mind
(14:36):
telling you to do something, but the body won't let you.
Just going through those trials, and tribulations. I was away
from you know, I got two kids now, six and
three year old, away from the family a lot. I
always pride myself that, you know, I know I can
do more than just play basketball. So it was I
think it was time for me to you know, hang
them up and be like, I still can be involved
(14:57):
in the game. I'm doing a bunch of other stuff
off the floor or as well, and then you know,
I still stayed in it, right. I talked to the
guys last last season in the playoffs a little bit,
talking to a few coaches as well, just talking about
the game and what they can look for. So yeah,
I mean, I mean, it's it's a tough process obviously,
to you know, give up the sport that you've been playing,
(15:18):
you know, your whole life. But I was ready for it.
You know, I enjoy being a dead every day. I
enjoy being a husband, just being home, you know, for
for a long period of time. But now I'm like, man,
I gotta get I gotta get out the house. Now
I gotta get out. I gotta get out.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Okay, So what does that So what does that look like?
Obviously we're thrilled to have you and we want you
to do as many games and be around as much
as possible. But I know you've got a lot of
buyers in the fire. So what are what are some
of your interests? What are some of the things that
might be possibilities for you now that you're retired. Well,
I want to stick.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
To the broadcasting lane. I'm gonna do some ACC games.
We're gonna do some for ESPN. I'm starting in January.
I'm gonna do something with them that's like two three
days a week. And I'm gonna try to be back
here to continue to do some work with you guys
and Jake and I actually I have a real estate
company that's based in Connecticut, myself more artless and two
(16:10):
other guys as well, so we're we're grinding on that
every day. And yeah, just you know, I love the
aspect of business in terms of you know, investments, you
know in real estate and some private equity stuff and
you know, just willing and dealing right like just the
name of the Gamian And I enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
I have fun with it. And yeah, I just try
to keep myself as busy as possible. That's great. See,
Georgia has options that are available to him that you
and I walked when we were here.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Yeah, but you notice he said they're gonna have to
kick me out, Like he has the same mentality that
us three have had. This. Hey, look you let me.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
In at your Yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
You're the real fall I'm settled here. You gotta you're
gonna have to kick me out.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Did you ever think, Michael, like going back, I hadn't
realized that Orlando was your main spot.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I mean that was that was.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Where you you ended your career, but that would go
looking back, you know, two years in Philly, two years
in Milwaukee, one in Charlotte, what four in Orlando? Like,
did you ever think that it would be that long?
And then you're still here? You never left?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I love the city. I loved being in Orlando. People
always ask me where is my favorite place to play?
And my answers quickly. Orlando. I built some really good
relationships with the front office and the coaches here, with
Coach Mosley and Coach Cliff and yeah, I always felt
like they, you know, really then the city here too, right.
(17:38):
They always embraced me with a guy that you know,
if he steps on the floor is going to play
as hard as he as hard as he could, and
it was the you know, they everybody, the front office,
the staff, the fans, the city. You know, it made
it easy for me to have that motivation. So I
always wanted to give back in that way. And then
you know, I had kids. They settled in here and
(17:58):
you know, they're they're going to school out here, they're
playing a bunch of sports, just involved with the community,
and you know, I really love it here.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Like like you talk about the community.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
I know you experienced a playoff run, but last year
it felt like and I wasn't here for the playoff run,
it felt like it did back in the Dwight days.
I mean, the town was on fire and and some
of that is having young talent like Paulo and Franz,
but it really feels like the beginning of something that
could be really special. Did you feel that around town
(18:31):
last year as we got into the postseason and obviously
that Cavs series, just just some enthusiasm that you haven't
really felt in.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
A long time. Oh yeah, one hundred percent. Right.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I think Coach Cliff actually used to always say, like
this city will come out and really really show out
in the playoffs if you give it your role, if
you make the playoffs, you know, if you you know,
do the right things on and off the floor. So definitely, right, definitely,
I think I think the city feels the energy from
this young team and concede the potential and they give
(19:02):
full full.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Support behind that.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
And yeah, I really do think this this team can
be you know, special, and you know, they got a
star and they got two stars. You know, I think
Bronz is going to be a star as well. You know,
obviously you know Paulo's that you know, he could be,
you know, a really really special guy.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Michael, I want to get your thoughts on you know
that that obviously four years here in Central Fida, parts
of four different teams, but that eighteen nineteen team, I
go back to that to that time. They needed something
to get him over the hull. This was a team
that was kind of stuck a little bit, right, and
then you go to March of twenty nineteen and you
add Michael Carter Williams to the roster and you think
(19:43):
all it all kind of came together the last month
and a half to make that playoff push to grab
one of my favorite memories I've been here with this
team twenty seven years. But that win in Boston when
they clinched it, when you clinched a playoff spot, and
we knew for the first time since this whole kind
of rebuild started, that we're going back of the playoffs. Right,
take us through kind of when you think back about
(20:03):
that time, and obviously go grab that first win in Toronto,
which was unbelievable, but that stretch run joining this team
and then kind of being a part of that a
part of that team in that run. Yeah, no, it
was unbelievable. Right.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, we only had a you know, we had to
win some games to make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Like right, it was really tight.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
And I just remember coach Cliff calling me when I
was at home and he's like, hey, I need somebody
to come in and play right away. Are you in shape?
Can you if you come down here tomorrow, can you play?
And I was like, listen, I'm ready. I had been
I had been grinding heavy. I was you know, I
was going through some stuff off the floor. So I
used my you know, I used working out kind of
as a as a device for me to you know,
(20:43):
really stay focused. And you know, I was in great shape. Right.
I was so happy that I prepared myself at that
time for you know, a call on the spot. I
was in great shape. I went down there and it
was way able to have an immediate impact on the
defensive end and you know, be a contribut contribution to
putting us over the hump. And you know, it was
a great time. That feeling of clinching the playoffs is,
(21:05):
you know, it is nothing like it so and it
was in my hometown. I'm from Boston, so it was right, Yeah,
it was. It was special for me.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
To describe that relationship you have with coach Clifford, Mike,
because we we all have one. He was here for
for a long time, both as an assistant and a
head coach. Talk about your relationship with coach Clifford.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
He's kind of cliffs, kind of a guy that sugar
coach takes, isn't He not exactly the exact opposite. And
I think that's why I love him so much. Right,
he always tells you, you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I remember my first year in Charlotte, me and him
were just, you know, talk about basketball like I could
tell that you know, we're both He's from you know,
he lives in the Hampshire, Maine area.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
I'm from Boston.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
So we talked about all the mutual people that we
knew growing up. He actually saw my stepfather play in
high school. Like it was like we just you know,
we were building a relationship. And then right after preseason,
for our first game, he comes up to me and
he goes, I just want you to know that you're
not in the rotation, but stay ready, right, And I
(22:10):
was like, you know, normally you feel like, hey, I'm
not in the rotation, I'm not playing, but I was like, man,
it's so refreshing to hear somebody just be brutally honest
with me. And for me, it was like, okay, like
I know where you stand, I know where I stand.
I know it's a long season. I'm going to be
the best teammate I can be on the bench. I'm
going to tell these guys what I see. I'm going
to tell you what I see. And I felt comfortable
(22:31):
communicating that with him, right. He trusted my knowledge of
the game. You know, during that season, I was I
ended up, you know, being able to work my way
into the rotation. But that for me was big, right,
the honesty that he provides to his guys is you know,
it's really special. And I just appreciated that about him
(22:51):
so much, and we were able to build a relationship
over the years. And when I got the call from him,
I felt like he could trust my word and me
being ready and me accepting a role on the team
that not everybody likes to accept.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And you know, I you.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Know, he appreciated that about me, and I appreciated his
honesty and I trusted him. And so you know, I
still talk to him, you know, till this day. He's
you know, doing his thing or you know, still in
Charlotte doing some consulting. And yeah, I'm just you know,
happy to have you know, him in my life. And
he was a great guy for me.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
You know, I think it's interesting. I want to get
your thoughts on this because you know, Jamal Mosley kind
of did the same thing with Cole Anthony, right, So
what Kin and you you have your you know, both
of them, you know Jamal Mosley, you know Cole. I
thought Cole was unbelievable the way he's handled And listen,
I'm not playing well, I'm gonna get my way back in.
We know Cole is going to be fine. He's going
to figure things out. But is that similar. You know,
you kind of have the conversation and they said, okay, listen,
(23:48):
it's it's someone else's time right now, but you've got
to earn it back. And and you know Cole as
well as anyone, and you know, eventually he's got to
get back in there. Yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
And you could see different spurts where Cole he had
one good you know, he had a he had a
good game where I think he had eight or nine points,
and you could see that his confidence was coming back
a little bit. And you saw the shifty dis and
his game. He saw the swagger that he was putting on,
and we're like, okay, you know, you can see him,
you know, starting to get back to his old ways
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
And you know, sometimes it's tough.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Right through your NBA career, you go through some tough times,
you know, And he's had a great attitude about it.
He's he's been honest with himself. He said, you know,
I've been staking up, i haven't been playing well. But
I think that Coach Mosley, I think the fans, I
think all of all of us media.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
We know Cole.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
We know what he's capable of doing out there. He'll
get another shot, He'll get an opportunity. It's just about
him being ready for that opportunity, right. I think he's
gonna If Orlando wants to be good, they need that
guy who can come off the bench and score the ball.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Right, Oh, Bart, I'm sorry, I'm ahead, Oh go ahead? No, no, No,
that's no.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I was gonna say, how hard how hard is that
to stay ready? I know because you you, you said
you had to do it and you did it, And
how hard is that for for Cole who's probably never
had to do it before. He's probably been playing up
until this year all the time.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Like, how hard is that?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
As a player?
Speaker 1 (25:03):
It's hard, It's tough. It's mentally it's really hard.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I think you go through ebbs and flows, but I
think you get to a point where you got to
just your mentality just has to be different. Right, You're like,
it's not about it's not about playing today, it's not
about playing next game. It's not about playing then. Right,
It's like, okay, I can use this time if I
have bump some bruises, I can use.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
It to get healthy.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I can I can up my listing routine, I can
get in the best shape possible. I can do my
work like, I can up my workouts and be really
really sharp, right like sharpen all the tools you have
in the shed, so when you do get your chance,
you're ready, right Like I think I remember when I
wasn't playing, there was times where I got so much better.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Just being a.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Sharper guy, a sharper. You know, I wasn't playing in
the game, so I knew before the game I was.
You know, I would gain you know I would if
I wasn't playing for a month. You know, I would
try to you know, you all the resources that I can,
right like what's my body camp now? And what's my
body comp in a month term?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Now?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
You know, do all those things to really improve yourself
as a player, and use it as this workout period
to be really really good. So when you do step
on the court, guys are like man like I wasn't
heat playing, you know, and use that as motivation and
keep being in Moses' ear right not as a player,
where like why am I not playing? Why I'm not playing?
(26:25):
But coach mos, what do we need out there? What
do you think that we need out there right and
figure out that answer and then go be that. And
then while you're being that guy, whether if it's defensively,
whether it's scoring, whatever it is, you can do whatever
you want and to do on the court while you're
doing whatever the team needs. So I think he just
got to stay locked and stay with the team and
(26:48):
really use his time to just get better as a player.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
That's fascinating. And I've never thought about it like that.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
And I also have never thought about what my body
comp looks like when I get a month off.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
From the Okidding, you don't want to do that to
the end of it. That's that's not that something anybody
wants to hear about. Guys.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
I found out last night that I've got competition for
the president of the Go Goovitase fan club.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
And was that right, partner? Okay, Mike, tell me what
you like about Goga and and I suspect part of it.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Is is Goga's path is what happened in Indiana and
where he was and the chance he was given here
and the and the fact that he pounced upon it.
He's been great the last two games. And you talked
about a third string center at the beginning of the year.
I think we all knew he was going to have
an opportunity. But he's delivered and he's gonna be counted
upon moving forward, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
I think you guys just like that he has a
robust beard. I think that's that.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Helps and helps that that does help the Beer fans.
You know, me and me and Goga, we we connected
real early, is one. As soon as he got to Orlando.
Him and I have similar interests. Off the floor, we
were able to, you know, talk, build a relationship. We
worked out together at Barns because Beer in the same
position in terms of, you know, being new to the team,
(28:04):
not playing that much. But you know, when I started
watching him play and getting to know him and working
out with him and anybody played one on one like
we we we were, you know, we were real tight.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
And we have the same agent as well.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
And I remember calling my agent and I'm like, man, like,
I don't know what you got to say, but Coga's
got his plays like he's he's he's really good, Like
he makes an impact on the game, Like he is
a shot blocker. He's unselfish, he can pass the ball,
He's always looking to make plays. He we got to like,
he's got to get minutes in here some way, somehow,
(28:38):
And and I think that over time Orlando started to
see that in him. And obviously, you know, his path
of making it where he is is is you know,
is amazing. And I just think he's a really talented guy.
He's passionate, he's physical, he doesn't take ship from anyone,
and you know that those are the guys that you
(28:58):
need on your team. And I think he has a
really really bright future and he can he can come in,
he can play you know, five ten minutes and change
the whole game.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Now, you're a UFC guy and the champ is from
his country of Georgia, right, So I mean so so
so wh who has more of an affinity for him?
You are a Goga?
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Uh that That's That's one thing that me and Goga
connected on a lot was was the UFC and the
guys that you know are coming out of Georgia. He's
been telling me about these guys for a little bit now.
So yeah, yeah, he I don't know. We both we
we uh we we went to a fight together, Oka, Yeah, yeah,
we went to a fight together. And and then I
think I saw him at a fight too, just randomly,
(29:38):
like we saw each other in the crowd, like and so, yeah,
it was fun.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
It was fun. So like is he no?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
I mean he must have met him. He must have
been he must have met met Marab, I think so.
And then there's another guy, he's he I'm pretty sure
he trains out of Georgia. But he's Spanish though, but
I think he trains out out of Georgia. But yeah, no,
those guys are super talented, strong dudes, even even go
(30:04):
they like, he might not look like the strongest dude,
but like bumping him and being in the mix of them,
he's real strong. Well, he competes, he battles out, oh
yeah on hundred percent. Yeah, and I know he would
have loved to grab that victory last sight of Indian.
All right, give us your final thoughts, Mike. I know
it's you know, Magic fans are excited about this team.
They they are through there with them, through thick and thin,
(30:27):
and it's hard right now, it's hard. It's easy to
look at and say, okay, you need.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Pollo, but we got to move on from that, right.
They don't have him, not gonna have him for a
few weeks. So what would your advice be, words of
encouragement for Magic fans that need it as we get
ready for this big homestead.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Yeah, I think at a you know, you always, I
think as an organization piece. I think of fans a
part of a part of the organization, right, And at
certain times it's easy to cheer, it's easy to it's
easy to be loud when guy, when our team's rolling
and doing well. But you know, as a family as
a whole, right, and now's a time where we need
(31:02):
all hands on deck, right, So come out show support,
Be loud in the gym. You know what we're making
our runs. Be that extra motivation because you know in payback,
you know, when we when we are full strength and
we are doing the things that we you know normally,
do you know, we're gonna go out there and give
it our all. So you know in times of distress
(31:24):
we need you because I'm gonna be there.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Like, let's go, so we get some old cooking and
keep up the great work with Jake. It's a great
listen all games ninety six to nine. In the game,
you're splitting games with Terrence Ross, who you're close with
as well, you guys both do. Yeah, let's both make
it fun, which is really cool. Yeah, I do. T
Ross is in the mix yep. Yeah, and the ESPN
thing for a doing with guys got to be fun.
That's got to be an opportunity that's coming.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Yeah, I'm excited for it. I'm excited. So we'll see
how it goes. I haven't I have to tap into
more college than NBA, so it's it's fun.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
It's been good.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Don't get too good now because we need you here.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I'm always I'm always coming back to the home cooking.
Don't worry, all right. Awesome, awesome, Well, we love to
have you. Thanks so much for doing this, and we'll
see you here soon. That'll do it for this edition
of Magic Pod Squad with Michael Carter Williams. We'll see it.
Appreciate it. Appreciate it, guys,
Hey, Welcome Magic fans to another edition of Magic Pod Squad.
This time we catch up with former Magic player Michael
Carter Williams, hearn broadcaster on the Orlando Magic Audio Network.
You don't want to miss this episode The four The
Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't let fans
drive drunk. If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel.
Instead by the sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember,
(00:26):
drive sober or get pulled over. Have a great night
and drive see lots to discuss with Michael Carter Williams,
who played with a lot of current members of the
Orlando Magic So we shed some lights and behind the
scenes on what it was like in his experience with
some of these Magic players, how they continued to play
and progress without Apollo, Banciero and terrific insight into this
(00:46):
Orlando Magic team and how they get back on track
and what buys ahead and retirement life, what is next
for MCW. We break it all down on this edition
of Magic Pod Squad. The spawns long Enough to Orlando Magic.
This is Colon Missus Jennen Suggs.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
This is Paula Man Carroll, the Orlando Magic and you're
listening to the Pod Squad, and.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Welcome everyone to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad.
Dante Marcatelli, Jake Chapman, George Galatee. It's five Pleasure break in.
Michael Carter Williams nine NBA seasons four right here at
City Beautiful from eighteen to twenty three. And Mike, it's
always good to catch up with you and George. You
know what I love about this? Obviously at a terrific career.
(01:27):
We loved what he did here in Central Florida, part
of some fun teams went to the playoffs. But now
he's joined the dark side. Yeah, he's a mever of
the media. Yeah, I love me.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Would have thought that? Who would have thought that, Michael,
when you were getting toward the end of your career.
Is this pop in your head? Or was this just
forced upon you by Jake Chapman.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
No, no, no, this is definitely in my set of plans.
I didn't know if I wanted to coach or be
in the media side of things. A big reason why
I went to Syracuse was because of the broadcasting program.
So early on, I you know, I knew I wanted
to you know, leave that open. You know, if if
that was something that I wanted to, you know, go down.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
But Mike, you do a great job. And for those
that don't know, he's part of the radio broadcast with
Jake Chapman. You can hear the games on ninety six nine.
You can listen on the iHeart app wherever your athlete
audio pass and it's a fun listen. And I just
got to know from your experience, nothing like being at
the games. Those home games are fun. It's challenging on
the road when you're broadcasting remotely calling a game off
(02:29):
a monitor. But what's your experience been the few games
you've done, It's been great. Jason doing a great job,
you know, helping me out, teaching me the ropes. I
kind of just feed off him, to be honest, but yeah,
you could definitely tell that, And that's the nicotine that
you're the h being on the uh.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Being on on the road is a little bit more
tough because you know, obviously you don't have that energy
in the building, and you know when you have that
energy and you have that excitement, you know, you could
just hear it in your voice. So I've been having
to adjust watching the games on the monitor and you know,
trying to keep you know, my energy up and you know,
so it is challenging.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
It's tough, but you know those are things you got
to go through.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
My man, Jake on the road, Man, what's going on?
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Man, it's kind of a bit okay, okay, okay, absolutely,
no question about it, Jake.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
I know it's a blast for you to have Mike
did there with It's been awesome and I'm not sure.
I don't know if anybody can top the first game
that Michael Carter Williams broadcast on the radio, which was
the fifty piece from Paulo Bancare last week. And and Mike, obviously,
you know the beginning of the season where we got
a lot of stuff going.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
On and it was your first broadcast. But you talk about.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Comparing the energy between calling an away game and the
energy into building that night. Did you think back and say, Wow,
I just I just experienced something pretty special and I
got a chance to call it, and it's the first
game I've done on the radio. That's that's pretty unique.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I mean, listen, if if I'm gonna do something for
the first time, I've seen the gets really good. Beginner's luck.
So if any of you guys need that, I have,
you know, my first game in my NBA career, my
first game in college, my first.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Broadcast, part first broadcast, and so hey listen.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
But no, that was unbelievable, right, Like I look back
at that, and I'm like, man, my first game, I
get to call a fifty piece you know from Paulo,
who's you know, going to probably be a Hall of
Famer one day, you know, something to tell my kids,
and you know, just just to have the experience was,
you know, unreal.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Mike, I got I gotta get your thoughts on this
because because you know, you've you've seen this before and
you've either been a part of it or you have
friends that have. You have the fifty piece from powow
you take off on the road, then you lose Pollow.
You lose them the very next game. Right at the end,
I take us through the emotions of one of Powo
right who who was excited He's off to a great
start twenty nine points a game. Uh, and then you know,
(04:51):
how is he feeling what he finds out he's sidelined
for four to six weeks, and then what is that
it's got to do with job mentally on the rest
of the team, just just knowing that you're without that guy.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean for Paulo, obviously, the injury is you know,
it sucks, you know, and knowing you're gonna have to
go down a long world of rehab. He's out for
a good period of time, so I'm sure he's you know,
obviously bummed about that. But he's a focused kid, right,
like his demeanors, He's always been focused. When I was there,
(05:21):
he was you know, he's diligent about his work. So
I'm sure he's not doesn't have that challenge of you know,
going through this long rehab. But you know, he's you know,
he's the leader of this team. He's the you know,
the best player on the team. He knows that he's
probably gutted that he can't be out there and helped
the team. Seeing them struggle probably hurts. And then for
(05:41):
the rest of the guys, yeah, I mean, it's a battle, right,
It's a battle between Okay, then now there's a lot
more opportunity on the floor, so you know, from a
personal standpoint, it's like, Okay, I can really show what
I can do and reach you know, some goals, but
also it's a big adjustment for the whole team. Jake
and I were talking and we were just talking about
how how they're used to playing one way, right, Paulow
(06:02):
attracts so much attention that that other guys are freed
up in these different areas and are able to play
up that and have had and have been playing like that,
you know since Paulo has gotten here, because he's made
an immediate impact. So now that he's gone, it's like,
you know, what what do we do now? Like what
is my role now? Like figuring out what that looks like.
(06:23):
And I think they're you know, trying to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Right. We talk about guys like KCP.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Right, he's a guy that you know, played with the
OKIC for a long time and you know he kind
of fed off his game and then came in to
Orlando and had similar role with Paulo. And now he's like, Okay,
you could see that yesterday he was a little bit
more aggressive, right, And and I think I think he's
going to try to you know, all those guys are
trying to figure out that process of like how can
(06:48):
I be a little more aggressive in the right spots
without forcing the issue and how can we play as
a team better?
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Mike?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
As a player, though, how hard is that on the
fly to do because now you're not you don't get
a training camp again now, right to kind of re
reprocess how you're going to play and who you're going
to play off of. I mean, the games are coming
and they're.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Not going to stop.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So how hard is that as a player and as
a team to kind of just recalibrate to what you're
going to do.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It's really hard because as a competitor, you're like, I
want to do the most to make this team win.
But then also you got to be smart because you
can't go out there and try to win it by
yourself and you try to force the issue. Right, Like
even the first game that Paula was out, Jalen had
a really really good game, right, he kind of put
the you know, put the Superman cape on, was like,
(07:37):
I'm going to try to win this the best way possible, right,
And then the next game it was like, Okay, they're
you know, focusing on me a little bit more now,
and that's another adjustment period, right, So it's really hard
to do on the fly, you know, guys work really
hard to settle in their role. That's something that you
know you have to do at this level. Sometimes guys
(07:58):
have to take a back seat and be like, Okay,
this is my role. I need to thrive in this role.
And mentally you're thinking about that all the time, so
you're stuck in that and then when things change, it's like, okay,
now you want me to come out of my role.
So it's a cat and mouse game that you need
to play, and it's really really difficult to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Jake, that's them good analysis. You're not going to have
him for long.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Somebody boy is enjoyed. This is short stint for you. Jay,
go back to yourself.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I appreciate that that isn't playing through the back of
my head. Consum Mike.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
One of the things we haven't talked about.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
It's almost a cliche, like when Paula comes back, inevitably
he's going to get the question, you know, what was
it like seeing it from a different perspective, were you
able to learn anything on the bench? Is he are
you as an injured player, especially one who's as young
and it's featured in the offense as Paula Benkaro is
you Is there any benefit to seeing it from that angle?
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I mean it's always good to watch, right you can
always learn from sitting there watching, But I personally, I
think his mind is going to be so focused on,
you know, turning the train around, like you know, he's
like he knows that he's probably itching to get back
on the floor. So you got that you know, kind
of anxiety to be like I need to get back
on the floor to help the team.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But I think it's going.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
To be a you know, a weight off Orlando's chest
and they're gonna try, you know, get back to play
and how they used to. But right now, I just
think they're, you know, they're doing a science project right now,
like what pieces can we find that fit you know
real well when Paulo comes back? And sometimes it's like that, right,
like what key pieces can we find that might help
us play well, you know in April.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
You know, So it's.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Tough to you know, watch as a fan a little bit,
just because you know, obviously, you know, losing is is
never easy, and I'm sure it's tough for them as well,
but you know, trying to stay positive. I thought last
night they played real. Well, I think if they can
continue to play like that and tweak a few things,
I think they you know, win some games. So we
got a couple of winnable ones coming up. So I
(09:57):
think that just like Jalen said, you know, know, keep
keep staying focused, keep doing the work, you know, keep
getting the shots up, and you know, hopefully we can
knox some threes now and that will help us out
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Man. You know, I think I think of Michael Williams,
you know, Michael Carter Williams time here in Orlando, and
I think of the playoffs in Toronto, and I think
about the bloody nose and the tissue up there right.
I think about how hard you played. And you mentioned
Jalen Suggs, you must enjoy the heck out of how
hard he plays. I remember asking you, you know, can
you if you don't want to get hurt or take
(10:29):
a shot to the nose, can you be can you
be hesitant or just kind of ease off a little bit?
And you know, and as you would imagine, he told me,
I don't. I don't. I can't dial it back. I
only know one way to play. He seems to be
the same way what he would What do you appreciate
about Jalen Suggs and the way the way he goes
about things?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, you know, I think he has a mentality, right,
he only knows how to play one way. Right, He's
you know, a dual athlete who played football, and you
know you can see, you know, the aggressiveness in his game,
you know, on both ends of the floor.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
And it's great.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know, they needed a guy like him. That's why
they you know, trying to resign him or resigned him
for the big bucks. So yeah, I think even yesterday, right,
he comes in the game steal, deflection, deflection, the first
two three possessions of the game. Right, he sets the
tone on the defensive end, and I think he excels
in that role. You know, even more when you know
Allo comes back and you know, Franz keeps on settling in.
(11:24):
I know he's been injured and sick and you know,
so he's he's asked to take a big step up
offensively too. So a lot of guys are right, and
once he gets back, I think other guys are going
to even excel even more in that role.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
So, Michael, you've only been doing this now for a
few games. What what have you learned for your own
preparation going into a game? Did and did you have
nerves going into that first game with Jake or is
it just sitting with Jake and he's a little creepy
because a lot of people do get that.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I'm I don't know if I was nervous, just because,
like I've been talking about basketball for so long in
my life. I think that if I had to pick what,
you know, I was most concerned about, it was just
about saying a lot in short segments.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I try not to run and have run on sentences
or you know, talk a long time because I know
that the plays are going so trying to say in
very few words and trying to mean a lot was
something that's, you know, been challenging for me and something
that I'm trying to work on.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
See.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
That's the beauty of radio though, is you only have
to worry about the talky part. You don't have to
worry about the camera. Yeah, good part exactly. So you know,
we we keep it nice and loose up there. Mike
looks in the homestand do we talked about trying to
adjust on the fly, getting home, getting some practice time,
but just being in a place where you're comfortable and
(12:52):
a couple of home cooked meals. It's probably gonna make
a big difference, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah, just being in your own space, sleeping in your
own bed, getting good rest, getting the proper treatment that
you can get. You know, sometimes when you're on the road,
you know there's only three or four tables that you
can use in the away games, right like you got
you know, your hot tubs, your cold tubs. You know,
you can you know, really refresh your body. So it does.
It means a lot. You got the six man on
(13:16):
the floor with you in the crowd, and you know
that you bring that passion. You know, you bring that
passion out and they got some games where you know
they can win on on you know, at this home
home stand. So getting the guy's confidence back up, getting
a night where you know, we're shooting the ball pretty
well and everything's going right for you, the ball is
bouncing your way. It's it's a good time for them
(13:37):
to be back home, kind of resettle, hit the drawing
board again, fix some mistakes, and you know, get back
into wind calling.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Hopefully it's a big home stand. Hopefully you can. I mean,
they're all winnable games, as you mentioned, and you can
certainly make some uh, you certainly make up some ground here.
I want to get your thoughts, and I got to
think it's hard for everyone that's ever played the game
when you get to the point and you say, Okay,
I either got to keep going, keep going at this
or is it time to call it a career and
figure out what I'm gonna do next and figure out
(14:05):
next step to kind of take us through your process
as you're you know, you're still wanting to play the
game of basketball and still trying to decide what does
life like, what does life after basketball look like?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, for me, it was more of, you know, I've
always had the mentality of like, listen, you're gonna have
to kick me out the league, Like there's got to
be no spots left for me. And you know, obviously
I had the double acle surgery, which which didn't help.
I felt like I could never really get back to
the player I you know, thought, I you know, I
was on the floor, you know, kind of the mind
(14:36):
telling you to do something, but the body won't let you.
Just going through those trials, and tribulations. I was away
from you know, I got two kids now, six and
three year old, away from the family a lot. I
always pride myself that, you know, I know I can
do more than just play basketball. So it was I
think it was time for me to you know, hang
them up and be like, I still can be involved
(14:57):
in the game. I'm doing a bunch of other stuff
off the floor or as well, and then you know,
I still stayed in it, right. I talked to the
guys last last season in the playoffs a little bit,
talking to a few coaches as well, just talking about
the game and what they can look for. So yeah,
I mean, I mean, it's it's a tough process obviously,
to you know, give up the sport that you've been playing,
(15:18):
you know, your whole life. But I was ready for it.
You know, I enjoy being a dead every day. I
enjoy being a husband, just being home, you know, for
for a long period of time. But now I'm like, man,
I gotta get I gotta get out the house. Now
I gotta get out. I gotta get out.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Okay, So what does that So what does that look like?
Obviously we're thrilled to have you and we want you
to do as many games and be around as much
as possible. But I know you've got a lot of
buyers in the fire. So what are what are some
of your interests? What are some of the things that
might be possibilities for you now that you're retired. Well,
I want to stick.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
To the broadcasting lane. I'm gonna do some ACC games.
We're gonna do some for ESPN. I'm starting in January.
I'm gonna do something with them that's like two three
days a week. And I'm gonna try to be back
here to continue to do some work with you guys
and Jake and I actually I have a real estate
company that's based in Connecticut, myself more artless and two
(16:10):
other guys as well, so we're we're grinding on that
every day. And yeah, just you know, I love the
aspect of business in terms of you know, investments, you
know in real estate and some private equity stuff and
you know, just willing and dealing right like just the
name of the Gamian And I enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
I have fun with it. And yeah, I just try
to keep myself as busy as possible. That's great. See,
Georgia has options that are available to him that you
and I walked when we were here.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Yeah, but you notice he said they're gonna have to
kick me out, Like he has the same mentality that
us three have had. This. Hey, look you let me.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
In at your Yeah, exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
You're the real fall I'm settled here. You gotta you're
gonna have to kick me out.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Did you ever think, Michael, like going back, I hadn't
realized that Orlando was your main spot.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I mean that was that was.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Where you you ended your career, but that would go
looking back, you know, two years in Philly, two years
in Milwaukee, one in Charlotte, what four in Orlando? Like,
did you ever think that it would be that long?
And then you're still here? You never left?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I love the city. I loved being in Orlando. People
always ask me where is my favorite place to play?
And my answers quickly. Orlando. I built some really good
relationships with the front office and the coaches here, with
Coach Mosley and Coach Cliff and yeah, I always felt
like they, you know, really then the city here too, right.
(17:38):
They always embraced me with a guy that you know,
if he steps on the floor is going to play
as hard as he as hard as he could, and
it was the you know, they everybody, the front office,
the staff, the fans, the city. You know, it made
it easy for me to have that motivation. So I
always wanted to give back in that way. And then
you know, I had kids. They settled in here and
(17:58):
you know, they're they're going to school out here, they're
playing a bunch of sports, just involved with the community,
and you know, I really love it here.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Like like you talk about the community.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
I know you experienced a playoff run, but last year
it felt like and I wasn't here for the playoff run,
it felt like it did back in the Dwight days.
I mean, the town was on fire and and some
of that is having young talent like Paulo and Franz,
but it really feels like the beginning of something that
could be really special. Did you feel that around town
(18:31):
last year as we got into the postseason and obviously
that Cavs series, just just some enthusiasm that you haven't
really felt in.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
A long time. Oh yeah, one hundred percent. Right.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I think Coach Cliff actually used to always say, like
this city will come out and really really show out
in the playoffs if you give it your role, if
you make the playoffs, you know, if you you know,
do the right things on and off the floor. So definitely, right, definitely,
I think I think the city feels the energy from
this young team and concede the potential and they give
(19:02):
full full.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Support behind that.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
And yeah, I really do think this this team can
be you know, special, and you know, they got a
star and they got two stars. You know, I think
Bronz is going to be a star as well. You know,
obviously you know Paulo's that you know, he could be,
you know, a really really special guy.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Michael, I want to get your thoughts on you know
that that obviously four years here in Central Fida, parts
of four different teams, but that eighteen nineteen team, I
go back to that to that time. They needed something
to get him over the hull. This was a team
that was kind of stuck a little bit, right, and
then you go to March of twenty nineteen and you
add Michael Carter Williams to the roster and you think
(19:43):
all it all kind of came together the last month
and a half to make that playoff push to grab
one of my favorite memories I've been here with this
team twenty seven years. But that win in Boston when
they clinched it, when you clinched a playoff spot, and
we knew for the first time since this whole kind
of rebuild started, that we're going back of the playoffs. Right,
take us through kind of when you think back about
(20:03):
that time, and obviously go grab that first win in Toronto,
which was unbelievable, but that stretch run joining this team
and then kind of being a part of that a
part of that team in that run. Yeah, no, it
was unbelievable. Right.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, we only had a you know, we had to
win some games to make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Like right, it was really tight.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
And I just remember coach Cliff calling me when I
was at home and he's like, hey, I need somebody
to come in and play right away. Are you in shape?
Can you if you come down here tomorrow, can you play?
And I was like, listen, I'm ready. I had been
I had been grinding heavy. I was you know, I
was going through some stuff off the floor. So I
used my you know, I used working out kind of
as a as a device for me to you know,
(20:43):
really stay focused. And you know, I was in great shape. Right.
I was so happy that I prepared myself at that
time for you know, a call on the spot. I
was in great shape. I went down there and it
was way able to have an immediate impact on the
defensive end and you know, be a contribut contribution to
putting us over the hump. And you know, it was
a great time. That feeling of clinching the playoffs is,
(21:05):
you know, it is nothing like it so and it
was in my hometown. I'm from Boston, so it was right, Yeah,
it was. It was special for me.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
To describe that relationship you have with coach Clifford, Mike,
because we we all have one. He was here for
for a long time, both as an assistant and a
head coach. Talk about your relationship with coach Clifford.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
He's kind of cliffs, kind of a guy that sugar
coach takes, isn't He not exactly the exact opposite. And
I think that's why I love him so much. Right,
he always tells you, you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I remember my first year in Charlotte, me and him
were just, you know, talk about basketball like I could
tell that you know, we're both He's from you know,
he lives in the Hampshire, Maine area.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
I'm from Boston.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
So we talked about all the mutual people that we
knew growing up. He actually saw my stepfather play in
high school. Like it was like we just you know,
we were building a relationship. And then right after preseason,
for our first game, he comes up to me and
he goes, I just want you to know that you're
not in the rotation, but stay ready, right, And I
(22:10):
was like, you know, normally you feel like, hey, I'm
not in the rotation, I'm not playing, but I was like, man,
it's so refreshing to hear somebody just be brutally honest
with me. And for me, it was like, okay, like
I know where you stand, I know where I stand.
I know it's a long season. I'm going to be
the best teammate I can be on the bench. I'm
going to tell these guys what I see. I'm going
to tell you what I see. And I felt comfortable
(22:31):
communicating that with him, right. He trusted my knowledge of
the game. You know, during that season, I was I
ended up, you know, being able to work my way
into the rotation. But that for me was big, right,
the honesty that he provides to his guys is you know,
it's really special. And I just appreciated that about him
(22:51):
so much, and we were able to build a relationship
over the years. And when I got the call from him,
I felt like he could trust my word and me
being ready and me accepting a role on the team
that not everybody likes to accept.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And you know, I you.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Know, he appreciated that about me, and I appreciated his
honesty and I trusted him. And so you know, I
still talk to him, you know, till this day. He's
you know, doing his thing or you know, still in
Charlotte doing some consulting. And yeah, I'm just you know,
happy to have you know, him in my life. And
he was a great guy for me.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
You know, I think it's interesting. I want to get
your thoughts on this because you know, Jamal Mosley kind
of did the same thing with Cole Anthony, right, So
what Kin and you you have your you know, both
of them, you know Jamal Mosley, you know Cole. I
thought Cole was unbelievable the way he's handled And listen,
I'm not playing well, I'm gonna get my way back in.
We know Cole is going to be fine. He's going
to figure things out. But is that similar. You know,
you kind of have the conversation and they said, okay, listen,
(23:48):
it's it's someone else's time right now, but you've got
to earn it back. And and you know Cole as
well as anyone, and you know, eventually he's got to
get back in there. Yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
And you could see different spurts where Cole he had
one good you know, he had a he had a
good game where I think he had eight or nine points,
and you could see that his confidence was coming back
a little bit. And you saw the shifty dis and
his game. He saw the swagger that he was putting on,
and we're like, okay, you know, you can see him,
you know, starting to get back to his old ways
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
And you know, sometimes it's tough.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Right through your NBA career, you go through some tough times,
you know, And he's had a great attitude about it.
He's he's been honest with himself. He said, you know,
I've been staking up, i haven't been playing well. But
I think that Coach Mosley, I think the fans, I
think all of all of us media.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
We know Cole.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
We know what he's capable of doing out there. He'll
get another shot, He'll get an opportunity. It's just about
him being ready for that opportunity, right. I think he's
gonna If Orlando wants to be good, they need that
guy who can come off the bench and score the ball.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Right, Oh, Bart, I'm sorry, I'm ahead, Oh go ahead? No, no, No,
that's no.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I was gonna say, how hard how hard is that
to stay ready? I know because you you, you said
you had to do it and you did it, And
how hard is that for for Cole who's probably never
had to do it before. He's probably been playing up
until this year all the time.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Like, how hard is that?
Speaker 3 (25:02):
As a player?
Speaker 1 (25:03):
It's hard, It's tough. It's mentally it's really hard.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I think you go through ebbs and flows, but I
think you get to a point where you got to
just your mentality just has to be different. Right, You're like,
it's not about it's not about playing today, it's not
about playing next game. It's not about playing then. Right,
It's like, okay, I can use this time if I
have bump some bruises, I can use.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
It to get healthy.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I can I can up my listing routine, I can
get in the best shape possible. I can do my
work like, I can up my workouts and be really
really sharp, right like sharpen all the tools you have
in the shed, so when you do get your chance,
you're ready, right Like I think I remember when I
wasn't playing, there was times where I got so much better.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Just being a.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Sharper guy, a sharper. You know, I wasn't playing in
the game, so I knew before the game I was.
You know, I would gain you know I would if
I wasn't playing for a month. You know, I would
try to you know, you all the resources that I can,
right like what's my body camp now? And what's my
body comp in a month term?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Now?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
You know, do all those things to really improve yourself
as a player, and use it as this workout period
to be really really good. So when you do step
on the court, guys are like man like I wasn't
heat playing, you know, and use that as motivation and
keep being in Moses' ear right not as a player,
where like why am I not playing? Why I'm not playing?
(26:25):
But coach mos, what do we need out there? What
do you think that we need out there right and
figure out that answer and then go be that. And
then while you're being that guy, whether if it's defensively,
whether it's scoring, whatever it is, you can do whatever
you want and to do on the court while you're
doing whatever the team needs. So I think he just
got to stay locked and stay with the team and
(26:48):
really use his time to just get better as a player.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
That's fascinating. And I've never thought about it like that.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
And I also have never thought about what my body
comp looks like when I get a month off.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
From the Okidding, you don't want to do that to
the end of it. That's that's not that something anybody
wants to hear about. Guys.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
I found out last night that I've got competition for
the president of the Go Goovitase fan club.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
And was that right, partner? Okay, Mike, tell me what
you like about Goga and and I suspect part of it.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Is is Goga's path is what happened in Indiana and
where he was and the chance he was given here
and the and the fact that he pounced upon it.
He's been great the last two games. And you talked
about a third string center at the beginning of the year.
I think we all knew he was going to have
an opportunity. But he's delivered and he's gonna be counted
upon moving forward, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
I think you guys just like that he has a
robust beard. I think that's that.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Helps and helps that that does help the Beer fans.
You know, me and me and Goga, we we connected
real early, is one. As soon as he got to Orlando.
Him and I have similar interests. Off the floor, we
were able to, you know, talk, build a relationship. We
worked out together at Barns because Beer in the same
position in terms of, you know, being new to the team,
(28:04):
not playing that much. But you know, when I started
watching him play and getting to know him and working
out with him and anybody played one on one like
we we we were, you know, we were real tight.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
And we have the same agent as well.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
And I remember calling my agent and I'm like, man, like,
I don't know what you got to say, but Coga's
got his plays like he's he's he's really good, Like
he makes an impact on the game, Like he is
a shot blocker. He's unselfish, he can pass the ball,
He's always looking to make plays. He we got to like,
he's got to get minutes in here some way, somehow,
(28:38):
And and I think that over time Orlando started to
see that in him. And obviously, you know, his path
of making it where he is is is you know,
is amazing. And I just think he's a really talented guy.
He's passionate, he's physical, he doesn't take ship from anyone,
and you know that those are the guys that you
(28:58):
need on your team. And I think he has a
really really bright future and he can he can come in,
he can play you know, five ten minutes and change
the whole game.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Now, you're a UFC guy and the champ is from
his country of Georgia, right, So I mean so so
so wh who has more of an affinity for him?
You are a Goga?
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Uh that That's That's one thing that me and Goga
connected on a lot was was the UFC and the
guys that you know are coming out of Georgia. He's
been telling me about these guys for a little bit now.
So yeah, yeah, he I don't know. We both we
we uh we we went to a fight together, Oka, Yeah, yeah,
we went to a fight together. And and then I
think I saw him at a fight too, just randomly,
(29:38):
like we saw each other in the crowd, like and so, yeah,
it was fun.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
It was fun. So like is he no?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
I mean he must have met him. He must have
been he must have met met Marab, I think so.
And then there's another guy, he's he I'm pretty sure
he trains out of Georgia. But he's Spanish though, but
I think he trains out out of Georgia. But yeah, no,
those guys are super talented, strong dudes, even even go
(30:04):
they like, he might not look like the strongest dude,
but like bumping him and being in the mix of them,
he's real strong. Well, he competes, he battles out, oh
yeah on hundred percent. Yeah, and I know he would
have loved to grab that victory last sight of Indian.
All right, give us your final thoughts, Mike. I know
it's you know, Magic fans are excited about this team.
They they are through there with them, through thick and thin,
(30:27):
and it's hard right now, it's hard. It's easy to
look at and say, okay, you need.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Pollo, but we got to move on from that, right.
They don't have him, not gonna have him for a
few weeks. So what would your advice be, words of
encouragement for Magic fans that need it as we get
ready for this big homestead.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Yeah, I think at a you know, you always, I
think as an organization piece. I think of fans a
part of a part of the organization, right, And at
certain times it's easy to cheer, it's easy to it's
easy to be loud when guy, when our team's rolling
and doing well. But you know, as a family as
a whole, right, and now's a time where we need
(31:02):
all hands on deck, right, So come out show support,
Be loud in the gym. You know what we're making
our runs. Be that extra motivation because you know in payback,
you know, when we when we are full strength and
we are doing the things that we you know normally,
do you know, we're gonna go out there and give
it our all. So you know in times of distress
(31:24):
we need you because I'm gonna be there.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Like, let's go, so we get some old cooking and
keep up the great work with Jake. It's a great
listen all games ninety six to nine. In the game,
you're splitting games with Terrence Ross, who you're close with
as well, you guys both do. Yeah, let's both make
it fun, which is really cool. Yeah, I do. T
Ross is in the mix yep. Yeah, and the ESPN
thing for a doing with guys got to be fun.
That's got to be an opportunity that's coming.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Yeah, I'm excited for it. I'm excited. So we'll see
how it goes. I haven't I have to tap into
more college than NBA, so it's it's fun.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
It's been good.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Don't get too good now because we need you here.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I'm always I'm always coming back to the home cooking.
Don't worry, all right. Awesome, awesome, Well, we love to
have you. Thanks so much for doing this, and we'll
see you here soon. That'll do it for this edition
of Magic Pod Squad with Michael Carter Williams. We'll see it.
Appreciate it. Appreciate it, guys,
Host
Dante Marchitelli
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