The Jalen Suggs Interview | Ep #9 |

Drew & Noah talk about Drew's monstrous stretch of games before being joined by the 5th pick in the 2021 draft, Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic.
Drew, Noah & Jalen go in depth on Jalen's journey of choosing basketball over football out of high school, his Gonzaga experience and his current state in the NBA.
The crew & Jalen also hit on:
- Why Jalen chose Gonzaga
- Welcome to the NBA moment
- Dealing with injuries early in NBA career
- Orlando Magic potential
- Rookie year hurdles he faced
- Mark Few best & worst moments
- Final 4 Buzzer Beater vs. UCLA
- What went wrong vs. Baylor
....and more!

Hosts: Drew Timme & Noah Buono

Guest: Jalen Suggs

Producer: Noah Buono

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
The following is a presentation of the College Athletes Network.
When you get out there and you get to play
against those guys, then after you know the thing that
they've said and things like that, you know you do
you want to kill them. You know what I'm saying.
You want to you want to go out and you know,
blow them out and you know, kind of show them like, yeah,
eat your words. You know what you said, you thought,
but it's not you know, it's not a fact. You

(00:24):
sound like you've got some some hate in your heart
towards somebody. You want to you wanta, you wanna you
want to address something. Uh, Welcome into the Give Me

(00:50):
Timmy Podcast. I'm Drew Simmy and I'm no a bono.
This is episode nine of the podcast here on I
Heeart Radio and the College Athletes Network. As always, thank
you everybody for your continued support. We really love and
appreciate it, and please make sure you describe to the
show so you don't miss any new episodes and the
new heat we're gonna be bringing in this new year.
Also make sure you follow us on Instagram and Twitter

(01:11):
at Gimme Timmy Pod. That's a fantastic plug. Drew You're
getting really good at this again. Thanks to everyone listening
and supporting, we do have another juicy episode in store
for you listeners today is We're gonna be joined by
another one of Drew's former Gonzaga teammates, the fifth overall
pick in NBA Draft, Jalen Sugs. He's gonna be joining
us here in just a bit. But before we dive

(01:31):
into today's show, first and foremost, we want to wish
everyone a happy New Year. Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season.
And also we just want to send our prayers and
our thoughts to Damar hand Win with the Buffalo Bills.
Show our support for Damar, his family, his friends, his teammates. Uh,
and just pray that he's able to keep fighting and
pull through this scary stuff. And uh, you know the
sports world is with Tamar, is with the Bills, uh

(01:54):
and his family especially so to gimme timmy pot crew
is is praying for him for sure. All right now,
as for today's episod, Drew, I want you know right away,
let's not waste any time. Let's get right down to
knit and GRATTYT ten and five is disgusting, man, So
just just talk to me, talk to me, talk to

(02:15):
the listeners. What the what the funk? Man? I mean,
I ain't gonna lie. I was surprised. Just Pepper down
playing one on one an A nice surprise, A nice surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't experienced that much in
my college career. But I don't think i'd really advised
that to anybody else. But uh, I mean no, I was.

(02:38):
It's nice when your teammates are you getting you the
ball in spots where you like it. And then also
I don't have to worry about other people, like like
coming down when I go for a spin move, or
like right when I get past that initial dig guard
up top, I can just get straight to my move
and not have to worry about it. And then also
just getting straight to it and not having a pump
fake where they don't have big man like you know,
like Alabama or like Perdue's at Eaty, like I can

(03:02):
just get straight to my stuff. So, I mean, it
was just and I was I was feeling it too.
I mean, it was just it's just one of those days. Man.
But ten boards to board, we talked about that, We've
been talking about that and I've been putting extra effort
in just for you. I love it. I appreciate that
you also smacked a three pointer two, which I fucking loved.
One for two in the game from the three line.

(03:24):
You were fifteen of nineteen. You only missed four shots,
shot seventy eight percent from the field, and yeah, what
a game plan, man, don't double team Drew Timmy, Let's
play one on one like okay? Um, Mark Few, the
coach coach, Mark Few had a couple of cool comments
on you on your stretch of past games with your scoring.
You know you're coming off thirty five eighteen thirty two

(03:47):
nine um, and Mark Few said, quote, what it really
takes is incredible mental toughness, man, night in and night out,
to deliver like this, just off the charts mental toughness. Um.
So yeah, to be acknowledged by you know, coach View.
Obviously he's your coach and he's gonna go to bat
for you and stuff, but like even him witnessing what
you're doing out there, man, like shit, special special man.

(04:10):
I know you're humble, but that ship special bro. Yeah. Man,
love getting compliments from the boss man feels good. And
I always love to just you know, please him and
just like make him feel good because it makes the
rest of us a better mood. But yeah, man, um,
it's kind of just what's what's been needed from me
these past couple of games especially, we've had had some

(04:32):
struggles offensively and just kind of some like just stagnant
nous I guess is the right word. I'm not sure
on that one. I think it's stagnation, but well maybe stagnant. Yeah, whatever,
we we know everyone knows what we're talking about. So
you know, like I just kind of had to been like,
screw it, I'm gonna go get mine and just make
sure that like whatever happens, like I'm gonna make I'm

(04:52):
gonna make a players score something. And then like I've
just been feeling good. I guess, like the balls going
in the hoop feels like the ocean. Um. You know, honestly,
I feel like pretty much any bullshit I thought it's
gonna go in at the moment. So hopefully of that
doesn't end anytime soon, because, uh, the comedowns never fun
from experience and something like that. No, you you got
a good thing going. Uh something I want to leave

(05:12):
listeners with before we go to our first break and
bring in Jalen Suggs. And you don't have to comment
on this because I know you know again your humble,
and you're not really paying attention to this. So I'm
gonna speak to the listeners when I point this out,
not you. Uh. Drew moved into fourth on the all
time Gonzaga scoring list. He's at one thousand, eight hundred
sixty one. Frank Burgos is an all time leader at

(05:35):
two thousand, one nine six. So I just want to
throw some numbers out there, um, Drew is three hundred
and thirty six points away from being the all time
leading leading scorer. At minimum, him and the Zags have
eighteen games left, sixteen in conference, one guaranteed conference tournament game,
and one guaranteed n ci A tournament game. That's just
the minimum. So over the next eighteen games, Drew has

(05:56):
to average eighteen and a half points and he'll reach
the all time scoring mark. Now, assuming they play two
WCC Conference tournament games, and let's say, you know, they
play four March Madness games and get to the Elite eight,
that'd be twenty four more games. Jesus, that's a lot
of games, um, in which Drew would only have to
average fourteen points per game through those twenty four games

(06:16):
to break the all time scoring records. So either way,
great stuff. Um Drew's clearly one of the all time
greatest college troopers to ever play. And you know it's
looking like knock on wood, but you know could be
in store for some historic stuff. So I know I said,
I wasn't talking to Drew when I said any of that,
but I'm staring right at him. So Drew shout out
to you, man, that's some dope ship and don't don't

(06:37):
don't drink me. I don't need that bullshit where you're like, oh,
he's gonna get it, and then watch just like something
just weird. Has no no, no, no, no, no, let's
not even go there. We're not. We just go and
play and it happens, it happens. If it doesn't happen,
it doesn't happen. That's how we roll here. That's why
I wanted to specifically pointed out to just the listeners
and act like you weren't staring at me through the screen,

(06:59):
because I just wanted to point out the numbers so
people had an understanding of like, well, it's gonna take
like nothing nothing more like if you don't get it,
you don't get it. Not the end of the world.
You know, I'm gonna be an NBA player, have potential
to you know, win an n c A tournament this year. Like,
it ain't the fucking end of the world. You've had
a pretty good college career thus far. I would say so,
but it would be cool. So let's wrap up right there.

(07:20):
We're gonna go to a quick break though, but when
we come back, we have fifth overall draft pick from
the draft, former five star recruit, former four star football
player and Gonzaga Bulldog, Orlando Magic point guard Jalen Sucks
joining us right when we come back. All right, and
we're back here on episode nine, and they give me
timmy Podcast. Make sure you are subscribed to the podcast

(07:42):
and following us on Twitter and Instagram at gimme Timmy
pod for video highlights of every episode. Now, let's welcome
in the man himself, Orlando Magic Star point guard Jalen Sucks. Jalen,
what's good, bro? Thanks for hopping on the pod man.
We appreciate it was five you know, man, just on
that mid season grind the few we special conference play

(08:02):
starting up, I'm already know what was going on. Yeah, man,
so you know, kind of just breaking it the inn,
you know, boosting your ego a little bit. I got
some impressive stats here on my computer. Three straight state
titles could have had four two thousand points. That's that's
that's that's not too bad. You know, four star quarterback

(08:24):
probably should have been a five star. But I mean,
you can't be a five star in both. I guess
I didn't. No one wanted to see that happen. I'm
not so they ain't really wanted to me to five star.
I would have given you a fifth star because I'm
from you know, I got that high school Texas recruiting down.
You know. But you man, you've done pretty much everything

(08:44):
you came to gnzag in toward up. I mean, I
feel like everything that you've done is just kind of
just worked out, and obviously like it's a credit to
you and your family for just like knowing what's best
for you and how to like advocate for yourself. But
at what point did you did you realize that Gnzaga
was the best place and it was worth giving up

(09:04):
football for um. Part of the reason why it was
so High because it wasn't a football team. I knew
there would be no distractions if I went somewhere else,
like literally anywhere else that was on my offers. Uh,
I would have been in the fall practices. Uh, and
I would have been playing, and then I wouldn't even
came to the court realistically. So definitely definitely a big

(09:24):
reason why I up there. But then when I took
my first visit, like it really security from me, Like
I didn't take any other visits. I came out junior year, Uh,
when you played b y u UM, and I was
so like the crowd environment, the way they were playing, um,
you know, just even the area like it reminded me

(09:46):
a lot of home, and I couldn't. I had no
like negatives coming back from that visit, UM. And then
I think from that point on, I was really ready
to just kind of get down there. I came again
my senior year to see y'all on craziness and yeah,
I think you know, from that point and it was
I was locking, Wait, you purposely picked the school that

(10:06):
didn't have a football team because you you think he
wouldn't have been able to stay away. Absolutely, it was
large part of it. And we went and played football
in the uh right outside of McCarthy super one baby
cooking Drew was cooking kill all night. But wrong football
for him her right, but uh no, but definitely, like

(10:28):
there's there's no no doubt in my mind if I
don'tywhere else like I would have been there. I would
have tried it out. And you know, I believe how
hardly I would have been. You know, I would have
fit in perfect and been good and h then there's
no way you could drag me from the football. But
out of curiosity, like what why do not just go
play football? Then, like if you like thinking like that much,
basketball was into the real like real, rare opportunity. Um,

(10:51):
you know, before the main my decision, like me and
my dad talked about sat down and talked about it
for a while, just like the pros and content you
know what the timeline would look like. I still love basketball,
so I was okay with it. But like I had
opportunity too in two years go from being high school
senior to the first millionaire in the family or when
the first famillionas in the family, especially my media family,

(11:13):
and take care of put my mom and retirement, put
my Grandmars in retirement and uh, I really just live
a life you know that all of us have kind
of dreamed of and you know you see on TV
movies and you know, through friends and things like that.
But you know, I had a chance to provide that.
So you know, what a great man. That's not surprising
to me, but just I want the viewers that what

(11:34):
a great guy. You did mention something though about like
playing in front of the fans at the McCarthy Center,
and you won three straight state championships um in high
school and then COVID shut down your senior year and
then you you were just in the middle of that
recruiting class where your senior year ship got shut down,
and then you're a freshman year of college, like you
played a whole season in a pandemic with no fans.

(11:54):
You never, you never you don't even know what it's
like to sit on a college bench like next to
your teammate, like you were fucking six ft away from him,
you know, all that weird ship played in the final
four word championship with minimal fans. But like, what was
all of that like for you? Like, like what are
your thoughts during those times? And then like what are
your thoughts now? Like being two years out of it, Um,
it was definitely tough, I think, especially like senior year. UM,

(12:18):
you know I wanted you always wanted your senior out
the right way, you know, with whether it's with prom,
with ending the basketball season like state championship, you know,
finishing off the four pet all the way throughout high school. UM,
you know, just having family and friends around, you know,
enjoying uh the last year year, last year high school
with you, you know, because I think that's that's really
the last time, you know, plus college that you just

(12:41):
don't have many responsibilities. You know, you get to just
be a kid, kick back, half fun, you know, player sport, um,
you know, and kind of do whatever you want to. UM.
And that we missed out on all that, you know
what I'm saying. Like the last last few months of school,
we're all on my computer at home, you know, it
wasn't moving around and started gaming my clock backwards. I'm
waking up at like five pm him and I'm up

(13:04):
until like nine am. So like everything was just flipped
up side then. UM, and then having to transition into
college like that, I think definitely really do it off
you know, I had my family had COVID UM and
then I had COVID So I got to campus later
than everybody. So you know, I'm trying to come in
like a month and a half later kind of kind
of feeling time, feeling space, and everybody's already gotten comfortable

(13:25):
or just playing with each other in the warehouse. Uh,
you know, have their own you know, everybody has stories
and everything that they already made, you know, and I'm
coming in late. So I think just trying to find
my way with everybody with it's the hardest part. But
I mean Kobe with Kobe, with these COVID season with
these guys are blessed. We were just together all the time.
Uh you know, they're near all day. Um, you know

(13:45):
from the practically chilling in the dorm and somebody's house
like uh, so I definite made a lot easier, you know,
being a group that we have. Yeah, man, just talking
about obviously your Gonzaga experience, I mean that was probably
one of the best teams that like I've ever played on.
I mean Corey and I talked about last week. I
know we've talked aked about that before, but just kind
of just how was that Gonzaga experience, even though you

(14:08):
were only there for one season, just the family that, Like,
how was that for you? It was exactly what I
thought it gonna be. Like, um, I said, coming in
like it's funny. I joked with Corey about it, but
like I didn't. I didn't like Korey at first because
Corey was he wasn't mad mean, and he wasn't talking
to me very much. He was trying to like feel
out how it was coming in, and I was like

(14:28):
cool with the red with everybody else. Me and Corey
hadn't really had many interactions before that. So for like
the first three four weeks pretty much we were trying
to feel each other route and you know, kind of
see how we fit in with each other. And then
I kind of wants to see you started and like
we knew we were roommates and everything like and we
were blessed, and I think everything from that point on
it was it was perfect. You know, we were hooping.

(14:49):
What was this beef with you? What was like it
wasn't It wasn't It wasn't even a beef. But I
could tell that like he was trying to see how
it was gonna come in like if I was gonna
be that that five star that just didn't care, I
was gonna be on my own time, shoot whatever I
want and all that. But I wanted to come in
and learn from everybody else. You know, I was you know,
I was a little signed to him me coming in.
So you know, I think we kind of we ended

(15:11):
up bonding over because that's it's the same thing that
we talked about last week. How like when I was
good being me goofing off and that'sing around but playing
like he just had his like a vision of how
things are supposed to be done. And I think I
think me like coming in before Jalen, like it's just
like was the taste that things can be done in
a different way because I would say, like like Jalen

(15:31):
has a switch, like this competitive fire in the switch.
It's like perfect example the Iowa game, It's like, oh, Ship,
get Junior the ball and everyone get the out of
his way, like but he's really like goofy and chilling
like then nessing around like I am too. He's like,
so I think just like Corey's just not used like
people like you know at first like they can do

(15:52):
that because he doesn't operate like that, so he just
has to get used to it. Yeah, and he was
event on that team, so you know kind of way
he said when it But now we definitely made it
a good time. We definitely good, way too good of
a time outside. But now that that who team knowing itself,
like definitely some of the best basketball that even to

(16:13):
this day that I played, like the way that we
were clicking and just like no felt untouchable, like nobody
could could be on the card with it, Like Drew
could be having an off night, Corey hits ten threes,
I'm him through, Joel goes for twenty seven one night,
like Drew scores thirty, Like it was just every night
somebody else was just doing something crazy and uh, at

(16:35):
the same time, we're just having fun with it, like
we're talking smack, we're laughing, joking. The other team is
dead serious. You know, we're ching around and still about dirty.
But like, yeah, it was it was great basketball, like
great times, great memories all that. Like I wish I
could do it again in a regular like a regular environment,
so bad just to like field, because we would I

(16:55):
think we would have had the candle crazy because like
the way we're playing and thinks we're doing it than us.
There was like a two It's like a video game,
bron Mean, you were playing football in the food and
warm ups. They were running like one on one like
routes and stuff. But I was I was very happy,
Like when you got to come back, what was that

(17:17):
last year and like being the Kendel and experience that,
Like I thought that was super cool for you to
kind of just like get that feeling and the love
because you never really got to experience that. Corey and
Drew we're talking about last week, like what made you
guys click and be thirty two? And oh and just
like obviously you just said to like about how much
time you guys spent together, But like on the court though,
what was it? Was it just like you guys were

(17:38):
so superior talent wise or was there anything else that
you think and the off court stuff like with you
guys just bonding so well that it bled onto the
court that nicely, But what else was there and from
your lens um that made you guys just click that well,
you know for thirty two straight games. I think it
did like definitely the time that was there, you know, absolutely,
you know when you look at you know, myself, Andrew, Corey, Joelo,

(18:02):
like Drew and on, Like I think everybody just messed together.
You know, we were all selfless. Nobody cared who scored,
nobody's cared who had the big night, because you know,
one of our big nights was coming regardless. So I
think from that's that we we got a real sense
of that early. And then we were all super competitive,
like none of us wanted to loose. You know, there
will be times when like the Pacific game, when you

(18:24):
know we travel to day the game, we try to
do something a little different. We start off maslow and
fused in our asks at half time and like we
come out and then we're just blown out and like
we we who you know, and we have our own
conversations like we don't. We didn't really need the coaching
staff that year to kind of get us going or
to get us motivated. Like it was all internal, like
you know, if the b y U games we got

(18:45):
we got personal be from b YU like we want
to be there by forty because they think they're good.
And I think that's that's how we all field off
each other and we held each other accountable and once
we got on the court, like it was it was
over there and we could have a good time doing this,
so everybody felt comfortable, you know, kind of giving it there.
That's what I do. Yeah, I think like we were
all alpha's Like if I wasn't if I wasn't doing

(19:06):
my ship right, like you would come over and be
like what the funk are you doing? And then like
vice first, I could come to you and be like broos,
Like we just had that nice flow and like all
of us had that like edge or we could all
just take over and a give a moment and push
each other because like if I wasn't doing what I
was supposed to do, I knew you were, and I
was like we show I can't let him outdo me.
We always just had that internal competition going with everyone,

(19:28):
which was which was fun. Yeah, special, I feel bad
for you man that you didn't get to experience like
any sort of like real college basketball environments, like all
the places that you traveled, and then you know, obviously
making the final four in the national championship game and
you had like ten percent of the arena field and
you hit one of the best shots ever and like
anybody was there to see that ship. Dude. Uh the

(19:51):
picture of that with the with the cardboard because it
was fads there. They're like it was a decent and
it got pretty loud when you went on right, but
like the picture of it with just a card or
fads there, and I was kind of hearts I looked
so it looks So what do you remember about that
shot in that game? And specific like you pull up
from thirty five ft and you just I mean then

(20:13):
you get on the table, you have your d Wade moment,
like just I mean, how do you look back on that?
But what do you remember, Like take us through a
little bit of that feeling, like if you can that
like outside of my senior year session Champion to Football game,
like that was the greatest sports game I've aerican and
part of like it was back and forth. Everybody was
locked in, like we were making great plays. They were

(20:33):
making great plays, like nobody could separate from each other.
Um and it brought out the best in everybody and
like it was just something was gonna have some crazy
was gonna have to happen to in that game because
we were playing too like that I whole hard to
believe that game dinner could have went to like before
over times because neither one of us are really making
mistakes or like gonna lose the game. You know it's

(20:54):
gonna have to be taken. And uh, I just remember
I remember getting getting the block, throwing into Juney dunk
and like I just screamed. I scre like I thought,
no cat, no cat. Like the momentum though, it felt
like the momentum just swung crazy. And then Hyman comes
down knock mount the corner three not or back down one,

(21:15):
and you know it gets close again and then yeah,
he shoots the floater just the board makes it and
uh and I was like on the wing area, I
was behind, I was behind the play. So as soon
as I saw it go through the net, you know
Corey winning got it quick. I just wanted to get
out before three car a few cars time out like
the city, like scoring in that situation, like when the
defense is set and everything is so much happen. So

(21:37):
uh she has So when I looked, I was like, man,
let me get as far as I can and and
put it up. But like I shot it for real,
like it felt good and like so I'm looking at
it like damn, damn, and it was dead. It was
dead silent, like somebody could have dropped something from the
top of the arena on the ground and you would
have heard it, Like I swear it was silent and

(22:00):
you could hear it go off the back over to
too uh and then I don't know, not far you see,
it would just go jump on the table because I didn't.
I didn't. I didn't want everybody jump on me. And
then I fought, and now I'm at the bottom of
the pot. It's only on the table. Do I remember
the first thing I said to you, Like after we
calmed down, I was like, thank god you made that

(22:21):
shot because I could not have played another fucking over time.
We're tired in the locker room after like that a
drilling war off. We're all there just like some fucking
like tired dogs in the tongues are like, crap, there's
no way that was just like what a comparison. It

(22:42):
was crazy not to make it somber because of I
think how the next game went. But I am curious,
and I know zag fans listening are probably curious about
your perspective on like looking back, like what maybe went
wrong in that game, Like you played very well, you
fifteen from the field, but like what do you think
like kind of went wrong? What do you remember about
that game? Like such a high against U C l A.

(23:03):
And you just need one more game to get it done,
um and you fall short. But like what you know,
how does that kind of sit with you? Now? What
do you feel about it during the moment? Take us?
Take us kind of through that. I mean, looking back
on it, like I wish we would have spent some
more time kind of going over there stuff because I
remember I think it was before I think it was
before the Final four A game, and we we were

(23:25):
kind of going over like some Baylor scout. We did
a little bit of Baylor and then we did a
little bit of Houston and um, we're going over the
Baby scoff like fifteen minutes and like it just it
just didn't feel right, like we weren't executing it well
in practice, and like it just fell off and then
you know we're kind of switching. You know, we locked
in on U C. L A. Um, you know, but
then you just have the one day after that, you

(23:46):
know to kind of lock in get right and before
you got to go back into the game, you know,
we were just on such a high. Um. You know,
things were just feeling so up and we were so
emotional the day before. UM. And I know I didn't
go to see till like three that night because we
didn't get back until like one. UM. So it's just crazy,
and I think I think a lot of people our
minds were just kind of all over the place. UM.

(24:08):
I wish we could have locked in on the scout more,
executed some things a bit better, uh, you know, getting
ready for it. But I think when we're out there,
like you could tell early, you know, when they when
they got the all the boards in the paint, I
think like five boards in the possession. You know, we're
just kind of chasing after that. You know, we were
never dictating how the game was going. And uh yeah,
I still do. I still ain't watched the game yet.

(24:30):
I don't think I will be able to watch that game,
not for a long That was that was a tough one, um,
just because we were definitely we were talented enough to
win it. We're good enough to you to win it.
And you know, I think they just came out, they
were hot, they didn't miss early, and you know then
we played well in the second half and the end

(24:51):
of the first quarter, but we couldn't we could We
can never could make up from you know that early
run that they went so yeah, tough times that I was.
I ain't gonna lie well, changing the changing the movement,
because that's not fun to talk about. I'm sorry. I
do apologize. I mean, do you and coach have a
great relationship. Obviously, I think that's pretty well documented. Why

(25:12):
don't you give us your best and worst moments with him?
Off you, Uh, this is gonna be good. Uh Um.
I think one of the one of the best moments
was it was money let me come stay at his
house and I had COVID early and uh and like

(25:33):
I was, he set off the whole basement for me.
You know, he made sure I had had all the
food I needed. Uh. I still got to work out,
I got to ride a bike and you know kind
of run outside and things like that. But like, I
think we got really close to him, Like me and
me and few were already really cool. But like when
we were there for a week, so you know, we
he kind of comes we talked at the steps, so
he'd come downstairs check on me. Uh, but like I

(25:55):
think that's really what made our relationships so close. You know,
after he did that, like you know, he treated me
like his family running into his home. And I had
COVID you know, and had everything I needed, so I
had to go into the to the bogies COVID dorms
like there was no way. So now I was a
little bit at really living Marcy's cooking. Uh and uh say,

(26:15):
you know I was chilling. Uh my worries. Where is
couse for you? Mary? Um? Oh man, I got a
good one while you think, what do you remember? At home?
We were playing Santa Clara and it was a pretty
close game and me and you were just like going

(26:39):
off at the ref and you know, everything is just
not going well. And in few you know, he started
when he gets really mad, his face gets really ready,
he starts foaming a little bit, and like and it's
something happened. And we're both on the bench and you know,
we're sitting like we sat next to each other, and
we were right by coach and he's holding like his

(27:03):
clipboard and we yelled the reft together and he throws
it on the ground and he's like, how about YouTube
just shut the and we just look at each other
like that, really just do this, Like I we we
were always on some bs on. We were always cracking joke.

(27:25):
Oh no, I think I think my worst one was
the what's called game? Uh north was it? Northwestern State?
Who is the who is the team? When the dude
did the stats? Oh yeah, yeah yeah and in the
front in the first game, he was just mad tight.
He was pissed and like I didn't I didn't really
do much in the first half, Like I think I

(27:45):
had two fouls, and he was just barking and locking
and uh you know, really just he was just on
my ass and I was pissed at him, like I
was not messy with you, like even the rest of
the game, Oh my god, Like the rest of the
game I was. I was completely on the like we're
we're in time. I was. He could tell I was
this at him. Uh you know that after the game

(28:08):
we ended up making up whatever, but he was just
he was so tight. And that was really the first
time that we kind of got into it like that
because now I was not vibing a few we that day.
Everyone everyone's not vibing with him every day. I've I've
had more than my fair share of days. All right, man,
last question for this segment, outside of the Final four

(28:29):
buzzer beater, what was your favorite moment from that tournament
run that we had. Um? I think, um, because there
was a lot. Uh, I'm gonna say too. I think
one of them was that U was the Oklahoma game,
you know, just like really the whole game and especially
at the end, like when I got the fast break

(28:51):
and uh, you know, the dude came from a high
can slide down type trip chack with me whatever. Uh,
And I think this all y'all was there to have
my back talking that. Yeah, I was really the first
time that we had that that something like that kind
of happened. And I don't know, like it's just a
perfect somebody for our team, man, Like just the way
everybody was right there ready to go, like, uh, you know,

(29:13):
it didn't matter what happened, Like, um, you know, I
think that that was a good That was a good moment.
And then I think just like the way the way
we played in the USC game and then just chilling
after the UNC game, like uh, we we were chopping
and we all get together and just kind of hang
out and uh, you know, spend that night together. Like
it just felt it felt normal, felt fun. Like we're

(29:35):
in a bubble. We're in a week bubble in Indiana
in the hotel on one floor and uh we're bowling
in the were bowling in the uh the hallway and
ship we're bowling in the hallway watching games in the
other room. And it was just a good time. So
I think that those are my two favors. I like
both of those. Those are good. Um, we're gonna take

(29:57):
a quick break here when we come back. We're in
divingto Jalen's early NBA career and just kind of how
things have been going for him. Uh, so don't go
anywhere when we come back. That's all coming up. All right,
welcome back into episode nine and they give Me to
Me podcast, which you're Timmy and No Bono and our
guest Jalen sugs En. Let's let's get right into just
some of your NBA stuff. Um, there's not a lot

(30:18):
of Gonzaga guys that have been one and done type
of dudes other than chat Home Grinn and Zach Collins.
But before chat Um, it was just Zack Collins and
and then obviously you did it after Zack then Chet
did it last year? Did you know you're gonna be
a one and done kind of guy during your one
year Gonzaga? Like, was it solidified when you got there? Like, yes, uh, yeah,

(30:40):
it was. It was. It was definitely, uh, you know,
definitely so that I was pretty already confident. Um. You
know again that that's part of the reason why I
chose this past because I knew that I had that opportunity,
you know, to go to school for eight months, you know,
and then go onto the NBA you know, kind of
do what I'm doing, you know, see your life goes
from there. But I think coming into it, though, I

(31:03):
still like it was a bit nervous on it, you know,
still knowing that I had to who you know, and
I had to top all year long. Like it wasn't
a it wasn't a early it be fine. It wasn't
a wait until later and you know, I'll be good. Like,
you know, I wanted to. I wanted to solidify myself
on top of that, on top of that draft list,
you know, because again that that's just that's not something
you can do twice, you know, you get draft to

(31:24):
get drafted in this done so uh, you know, definitely
something that I was I was aiming for the start
to yet and then soon as soon as the right
after the Kansas game, I was like, oh yeah, like yeah,
we're about to do this. I got a couple of
months left. That was good. That was a good just
kind of like, oh, all right, he's here, he's him

(31:44):
much more said that ship was fun. Um, you obviously
got drafted fifth overall to the Magic, But like before
you got drafted, did you think you were maybe gonna
end up somewhere else? Um? Like, were there other things
being said to you prior to those first first five picks,
maybe days before like moments before you know, those first

(32:06):
five picks get called out, like you thought you would
end up somewhere else? Um, I just knew it was
it was either Toronto, you know, or kind of Orlando
really wasn't even in the vote. And then it was okay,
see at six, like those those were the two that uh,
you know that I was kind of talking about my
asy uh you know, probably the likely landed destinations. And
then uh, like I remember me drafted was pretty crazy

(32:27):
because I woke up and uh, you know, my aising card.
He said, you know people are trying to move around
and shade for picks and whatnot. So I did do
like you got to do like four like four interviews
to Zoom on drive day in the morning. Um, and
so yeah, that was that was pretty hectic. But um,
like going like heading in when the draft started, you know,
I knew that, Uh, I knew that it was either

(32:47):
four or uh you know or six seven eight. You know,
one of those teams I think it was. I think
it was okay see Golden State and somebody else that
I came here was at eight. But like though, those
are the spots that he was saying. And then uh,
you know, he told me that Toronto was taking Scottie. Uh.
You know, we're happy for him, you know, blessed he's
done great over there. Uh you know obviously when they

(33:08):
lookie the year and things like that. So but once
he told me that, you know, I was just kind
of sitting and waited and about threating this stuff from
the clock. He told me that Atlanta is going to
take him, uh and to get ready, So you know,
it was nice. I kind of had a moment to
myself to be able to process it and you know,
kind of take it all in before you know, before
the campus came in, before they called me and everything.
So but yeah, that's a night on there for being

(33:30):
there with my family, you know, kind of finally getting
that you know, that side relief, you know that I'm here,
you know everything that we sacrifice, you know, paid off
to get here. Uh, you know it. It was really
it was really a great night. Yeah. Man, I just
like I could just see it, like how much pressure
and what you had on your shoulders. Just what that
just the pressure of being Jalen Suggs. I mean, that's

(33:52):
a tough job and not an easy position. I think
it's underrated about just you and your character. But anything
that has surprised you early on about the NBA during
your first year, like you know, maybe like a welcome
to the NBA moment or like oh shoot, I'm really here,
Like we need to hear about that. I'll give you both.
I think like I have one of the funnier welcome
to the NBA moments. But like I think this the

(34:13):
most surprising part earlier like last year, was just to travel.
How like how quick things came Like a couple of
weeks after the drive going to Summer League, a couple
of weeks after Summer League, you know, starting up because
things were kind of still accelerated for the covid Um.
So yeah, that that everything came really quick, and you know,
days and you know, weeks, months were really chilling together.
The only reason I knew what day was because it's

(34:34):
during football season, so I was chilling. But then I
welcome to the NBA movement. We're playing the nets at home.
I think it's around like our tenth came in and
you know, Katie's playing. Kyrie wasn't playing at the time.
Katie and James are playing. James to that and uh
so Katie gets he's cooking, uh and he gets a

(34:55):
foul and so they're getting ready to take the ball
out of the side, and I walked past him and
I'm like, I'm like, dan Ka, do you get you
get ship like that? Like that the superstar calls they're
talking about. He looked at me alive. He said, I'm God,
and he just started around and got ready for the
ball to come in, and I like looked at him
and I was just started cracking up on the courts.

(35:15):
I'd never heard it like that. We talked at the
beginning of the game at the three throw line and
like so like we were chelling, but he said that
I was damn. He proceeded to go have thirty on
ten of a level from the field. I did see
him sweat all games. So yeah, that was that was
a hell of a That was a hell of start

(35:37):
to kind of my first game. One of those one
of those guys he's not wrong. I mean, he basically
is basketball Jesus. But he said that it was being dead.
Asked like he he no, he didn't crack a smile.
He had the straightest face on it. Oh my, it
was nice. It was so crazy. Um, as for your
you know, your own kind of NBA career right now,

(35:59):
like you've been dealing with a lot of injuries. You know,
your rookie year, you only played forty eight games. You
had that fractured right thumb this year, and you had
the ankle surgery last this past summer, right and then, um,
you know you've missed more games right now. I think
you had the nice brain. I'm not. I guess right
now it's your ankle. Though. There's just been a lot
of things kind of going on for you, like these

(36:20):
first two years to kind of just get over that hurdle,
stay healthy and you know, really find a rhythm for
yourself within the magic and then um, you know, move
on from there. But how are you feeling mentally? How
have you been kind of just rehabbing, Like what's what's
kind of like your current status? When can people expect
to see you back out on the floor. Yeah, it's
been it's been frustrated, especially because you know, I've never

(36:42):
really I've never really missed long periods of time like that,
Like now I've had little Nixon bruises and you know,
things like growing up, you know, but like elementary school,
middle school, high school, college, Like I didn't miss buns
of time. And so it was weird getting here, and
you know it was hard to find foot and like,
you know, you play fitteen games and you get hurt. Uh.

(37:03):
You know, for a couple of games, you're back and
then you're out for a month and a half. You know,
you think you come back, you're ready, you know, and
then the ankle is bothering, you know, bothering you for
a month. Uh. And then you know, finally, uh, you know,
in the season, physical comes, you know, after you've been
sat the last couple because it's been hurting, you know,
and then now just a fracturing. It Like it's just
like things just kept piling up on top of each other,

(37:25):
you know what I'm saying. And then I have surgery
and I missed a lot of the offseason, you know,
but rehabbing that was good, and you know, come back,
I'm ready to go. And then roll my ankle early
and then hyper set my knee early and it's just
like having caught a break yet you know, I like
I haven't really just got to sit and string games
together and really really get my rhythment. Um. So yeah,
that's very frustrating. But you know, I think last year

(37:48):
was really hard. You know, I'm my mental on it. Uh,
you know a lot of dark days. Um, you know,
I really had to lean on my family, uh, you know,
because I was you know, it's not in a good spot,
you know, because you never want to enter, you know,
the first year in the league and you know, you know,
I know kind of how time to Diam and you
know what I can bring him, you know, not being
able to show that, you know, not playing as well
as I want to, things like that for the first

(38:11):
time really, you know, it was just all foreign to me. So,
um yeah, definitely what definitely a difficult year last year,
but you know this year I felt great. I felt confident,
Like even though I've gotten hurt, I think like the
rehab process have been great and you know, I've gotten better. Um,
you know the time as I've been on the court,
I played well this year. So ready ready to get back,
you know soon, I've been practicing. I've been playing once.

(38:32):
Uh you know, hopefully Thursday, Thursdays the day I'm back
out there. You know, gonna watch the team tomorrow and
hopefully that the second second day of the back to
back against Hell yeah, you've been playing good. You hit
the most Jalen shot I've ever seen. What was that
against the Warriors? You hit that game winner where you
just totally dive bomb into his chest and step back

(38:52):
and just hit the three. And I was like, I'm
not even surprised. To him, I'm like, I'm not even
surprised you made that, just because I've seen you do
just I call it bullshit, but I guess you do
it so much. Said it's a part of your bag,
Like you just make like a crazy winning place. So
like I know I'm super excited to see you just
back and just being you again, just because you are

(39:13):
such a tough s ob man. And then like you know,
just your magic team in general, Like, you guys are
all young. You guys are all real talented. You have
a literally so many guys on that team were lottery
picks at one point. You guys are the fourth youngest
team in the NBA. You had that nice little six
game winning streak in December. Obviously you were you were
out for it. But just like talk about this group
in particular, the potential moving forward, like what people don't

(39:36):
see on an everyday basis because they're not in the
locker room. You know that you get to see, Yeah, um,
like this just an amazing group, you know. And like
I think when I was getting ready to like pre
draft and everything, like just people were saying, just NBA,
NBA teams and locker rooms are different. Like you know,
these are grown man now with families to feed, you know,
their own lives going on, Like you don't have a

(39:58):
guy like me, you're coming in at twenty. You know
a couple of guys at thirty six, there's all the
different says in their life. You know what I'm saying,
we're's different college where everybody's kind of coming in together,
you know, either two or three years different. You know,
everybody's just going through and just going through the same thing. So, um,
so that's what makes you know, college locker rooms closer
and uh you know things like that. But this seem

(40:21):
like we're so young, and I think like from day
one and we all clicked and we we have a
great time. Like I don't think anything well every touch
you know Oregan Zagger team, but like I think this
is pretty much as close as possibly you know, we
all laughed, Joe had a great time. I want to
see each other whin, don't matter who goes off on
what night. Um. You know, so there's a lot of
potential there and you know, the talent is there. We've

(40:43):
shown it, we've won. You know, we're three games out
of the playing game. Like the standards have been set
and we met him and we've showed them. So now
it's just how do we get that to consistent level?
You know what I'm saying that, Um, you know, I
think that's just become more professional, locking in our details more, um,
things like holding each other kindible more but I think,
you know, Scott's the before us. I think we have

(41:04):
we have everything we need on our team. We just
have to stay healthy, you know, and keep everybody on
the court. You know. That's kind of been the team
that's that's deprailatives. Yeah, you know I mentioned those lottery picks, um,
and just all the young pieces that you guys have,
what like as you get start to get healthy and
find your rhythm, find your group, like what type of
player for the Magic you know, do you think you
personally need to be moving forward and then ultimately continue

(41:27):
growing into you know, for this Magic team to hopefully
in the coming year has become a championship contending team. Um,
as you and the rest of the young guys continue
to develop together, I think just you know, continue being
the person and the player I've been, you know my
whole life. Uh, you know, confident, Uh, you know, competitive,
Uh you know, fiery leader, like you know, all things

(41:48):
that you know kind of faded just because I missed
time and so it kind of it not noted the
confidence a little bit. Um. You know, it was just
a different setting. I never really got adjusted to it,
uh you know that first year. But you know, now
I think on my feet other than um, you know,
I'm really just ready to you know, I'm ready to
take it all the way. Like there's really no more,
no more hesitation, there's no more nervousness or nothing like. Now.

(42:12):
I just want to hoop. I want the top and
I want to win, uh you know. And I think
that's the same thing I came into school with. It's
a college with um you know, and just adapted to
each and every game. Some nice jews going off. I
just said the high level to jew all night. Yeah,
get my sister, get my assistant brother. But yeah, they're
playing defense like you know, really really whatever needed. You know,

(42:34):
there's games ride scored and uh you know, and that's
what we needed. But I think I think that's just
what makes me meet, you know, is that whatever situation
you know, calls for that night, you know, and it
changes on a nightly basis. You know, I can adapt
to it and do it at a high level. So UM,
I think it's getting back to that is the biggest thing.
And you know, I felt really confident in that, you know,
this season so far, so um and I think yeah, again,

(42:55):
just for all of us, just locking in on the
details like we we we've got all the big picture
things covered and now I was doing the small things,
you know, on the consistent level, and you know, we'll
we'll be able to complish all the things that you know,
we talked about every day that we set out for
at the beginning to see it. Yeah. And then also
you know, uh, I just want to kind of know
about the adjustment you've had to go through, just you know,
because in high school you want everything. We want a

(43:17):
lot again, Zaga, and then you kind of go into
a team that's obviously rebuilding and y'all on the up
and up. I mean, you've had these winning streaks and
just you're you're getting things going. But how how much
of an adjustment was that to you? Just because I
know how much of a competitor you are. Just kind
of dealing with that because I mean that has to
affect your mental a little bit as well, very different.
So it's so ter and uh like, it's hard because

(43:42):
you want to be upset about it, and I wanted
to be upset about it so bad, Like the games
will eat at me. I'd be pissed after the game,
on the flight to this to the next day at
the hotel, damn near until I'm waking up, and now
I'm still pissed waking up, you know, and now just
forcing them aggressive. I want to go get get back
for the last name. I want to get things going

(44:03):
because I mean, last year we were on crazy. I
think it was like it was a thirteen fourteen in
a row and uh yeah, like I said, I hadn't
lost that many games my senior year and freshman year
of college combined, like so it was hard. And I
think the biggest adjustment was just like people were saying, like,
you know, you can't be mad at you gotta let
it go, uh and things like that, and you know,

(44:25):
I didn't listen. I didn't hear it. Like I'm not
I'm not ever going to accept losing. But I think
you just have to look at it in a different light,
like how how how are we improving as a team
in it? How am I improving in it? And um,
I think when you start to look at those things
slowly but sure that you see the you see the
ties start to change, you know, and the wind you
start to roll in, and you know, you feel things
being better. You know. I think you can lose and

(44:47):
you can lose in a good way because you're improken
in Um. I think we were doing that a spece
to at the end of the season last year. And
you know, even though ones this year that we've lost
a lot of tough ones and close ones with guys out,
you know, different lineups and things like that. So you know,
sometimes you just gotta take it with a grain of salt,
you know, and kind of except to see you guys
for what it is. But you know, definitely, you know
some would turn it around and off the company that

(45:09):
is going to turn around quick and that we're all
ready to change. I know, I'm ready to get back. Yeah. Yeah,
you guys just feel like a young okay, see squad,
like when they had hard in Westbrook, k D. I
don't know if that's where it will get to, but
like there's just so many you know, you got you
Polo Bull Bull, Franz Wagner or Wagner. I think I

(45:31):
said it wrong, um Cole Anthony, Like there's just so
many young dudes on the team, Like it could be
any one of you any night. But like, I don't know,
it's just it'll be like fun for like people on
the outside to watch, but then for you to kind
of be a part of and then be at the
forefront of it because obviously as a top five pick,
like you're brought into you know, turn the franchise around.
Paulo is number one, like probably gonna lean on you

(45:54):
to the most, and then Marquelle and you have some
vets like you know, Marquelle and Terence Ross, like it
could be like the league is just so competitive now,
you know, like every night you guys are going and
playing some some team that's got three guys that could
be legitimate All Stars, like you know what I mean,
Like it's it's gotta be tough from that from that angle, yeah, definitely, Um,

(46:14):
there's there's not many nights you can take off, you know.
And even when you play those you know, those superstar teams,
like you know, you think like even like the Lakers
coming in like you they're not they're han't in the
best record this year, like they're not playing very well,
you know, but all the guys on that team, you know,
Lebron Russ, you know, they've all won at a high level,
uh and played at a high level, and you got

(46:34):
the role players and you know they're fighting for a
job fight for money, uh, you know and things like that.
So you know they want to go off, you know,
they come into the lando. You know, again we haven't.
We didn't the best year last year. We kind of
still looked at the team as, uh, you know, all
this is a win for us. You know, we're marketitioning
as a w on the schedule. Um, you know, so
we gotta come and bring it every night, you know, improved,
you know, to ourselves, to you know, the NBA fan base,

(46:58):
you know, into every team in the league. Like we
were not an easy win. You know, you gotta you're
gonna come in and you're gonna earn this one. You know,
it's going to be a battling. You're gonna leave bruised
up bank. Uh, you know saying that magic team that
your magic team is tough. So really like trying to
establish that you know, culture and that feeling you know
around the league. Uh, you know it's not easy, you
know because how talented it is. But you know something

(47:19):
that you kind of got to take head on. If
you don't, you know, kind of gonna get washed up
real quick. Yeah. Is that kind of the thing, like
the main thing that keeps y'all just motivated and hungry.
Is like y'all have so much to prove because you
hear around around the league a lot of the time,
it's hard to just like keep that edgement with how
many games are and how many just variables that go
on all the time. So like, is that the main
thing is just like you're trying to prove a point

(47:41):
in like just gather more respect from not only like
your own fan base, but just like nationwide and worldwide. Yeah. Absolutely, Um,
I think like you know, we talk a lot in
our in our group chat and uh, you know, we
we've sent a lot of sense, a lot of like
tweets and you know, other players interviews and things like
that in there, and just like especially last year, you know,
just a disrespect that we were taking, you know, like

(48:03):
you know, we aren't all grown men who you know
play this game at professional level and they been you know,
good all our lives. Like you know, like we we
all take that person, you know, especially with how it
goes with a team. We are like we're not gonna
let anybody talk about ourselves or brothers like that. So, um,
you know, definitely something that that has feeling to fire
a lot, and uh, you know, when you get out

(48:23):
there and you get to play against those guys, then
after you know the thing that they've said and things
like that, you know that you want to kill them.
You know what I'm saying. You want to you want
to go out and you know, blow them out and
you know, kind of show them like yeah, eat your words,
like you know what you said, you thought, but it's
not you know, it's not a fact. You sound like
you've got some some hate in your heart towards somebody.
You want to you wanta you wanna you want to

(48:47):
address something. Uh Uh, I don't know. I don't really
have much beef around around the Beleague really yet, but
I know that I think just like my favorite just
like fiery game, Uh definitely was going to State, you know,
and like I respect everybody on the team, you know Staff.
You know, I you know, been good, good with staff

(49:09):
since I've been doing high school and I went to
his camps junior senior year or sophomore junior year. Um,
you know, I got to spend time with him, be
around him and things like that. You know, Draymond, I
respect everything he does and the way that you know
he approaches the game. Things like that. Uh you know,
he just talks a lot of smack, And I like
to talk a lot of smack too, if you're gonna

(49:29):
bring it my way. And so yeah, it was. It
was a great competitive game, like uh, you know that
Warriors game. I can't wait. We're going back out there
here in a couple of days. So, um you know, glad,
I'm you know, be ready for that one. But uh yeah,
just like those are those are games I love to play.
You know, when we're talking, we're going back and forth.
Um you know, and you know you want to kill me,

(49:51):
I want to kill you, But there there's mutual respect,
you know, uh lovel love competitive competitive nature there. So
um yeah, I think that that's just one that I
get a little amped up for it. I feel like
you the Memphis Grizzly guys, like a lot of young
guys around the league just like have a little bit
of a thing. I mean, they're the champs. I guess
you gotta you know, everybody's coming for him. But I

(50:12):
think it's funny that like you you're saying it to
kind of how I mean, you're whatever you're what you're
saying is nowhere near what those those guys in Memphis
are doing with like all that ship with Clay. Yeah. Facts, right,
So I got a weird one for you. Put you
on the spot. You gotta start one bench, one cut one.

(50:34):
Here you're three players, Polo, Bank, Harro, Chet, Home Grin,
Victor weimbon Yama. Uh. This is pretty easy to me,
I think, Uh and this this, I hope this don't
go viral on Twitter for me saying this. The dude
is great when of these players gotta get cut. Chet,
you're staying with me, like you know, Check, you're rocking

(50:58):
with me, Polly's staying with me, and I'm cutting. I'm
cutting there. You know, I'm a I'm a my boippy
just because we rock it. We rocked together. That that's
my that's my brother. Uh. And then Check coming off
the bench and we Check can't start. He's hurt, you know, Zack,
you can't start great business, great business, but you're cutting, Vic,

(51:18):
you're cutting, You're cutting. Okay. I like that. He's crazy.
I'm not gonna lie. He's crazy. Yeah, like half the time.
I mean he's a seven four point guard. He'd just
be out there trying. I'm gonna do this today. I
saw it I'm like, I just saw it some kids
at the park. I'm gonna try it in the game. Fact,

(51:41):
but he's been happening though. He's gonna topping. Um, Jen,
what would you say, like right now coming back, you know,
next couple of years, biggest thing you want to work on,
improve upon? Um and just like you know, sharpen it
up completely. That maybe is like a loose bolt right
now in your game. Um, you know, I think I
think it would be the you know, the two point shooting.

(52:02):
Uh you know, I have the mid range at the
high level this year. Um, you know, and even my
three has been my three has been a lot better
this year. But I think just getting that, you know,
just completely consistent, you know, because I sided well side
of well a you shide of well growing up side
of will in high school. Um, you know I saw
it decent in college, you know, not as good as

(52:22):
I wanted to, but you know, definitely stted pretty well.
I was in the thirties and uh, you know, just
want to give my numbers back up there, you know,
being thirties being able to because it's just opened so
much up for your game. And uh, you know, I
think that was a part last year that um, you
know that kind of was you know, up and down,
and you know, it's kind of messing with me again
because it was fo it like I went through a

(52:42):
lot of things last year that was just new to me.
And uh so that's definitely the I think the main thing,
you know, and it's feeling great that I want to
I don't want to lock in on it, you know,
so people gotta respect that at ultimate level. Yeah, all right,
last question for you. Wait, hey, Drew, before you ask
him this, what give us a give listeners a couple
of things that like you're saying, you know, we're so

(53:04):
new for you last year that we're like maybe sucking
you up a little bit. Like was it on court stuff?
It was everything? It was it was off the court.
It was moving into the house, you know, making sure
my family's house they got all moved in. Uh you
know they were all situated. Uh you know, family and
friends all trying to come down to Orlando. You know,
get out of Minnesota, comewn to Orlando. I got people

(53:27):
coming in and out, um, dealing with injuries. Uh, you know,
thinking thinking about football, thinking about you know that I
make the right decision, you know, just really I think,
just second guessing a lot of stuff, you know, not
not being confident in anything. Um, you know, and it
took you know, it took me being out the missing
and um, you know, the kind of realized like you know,

(53:49):
this is rare, Like there's a reason this is a
professional when everybody's gunning for these spots, like you know,
people want to get played to play basketball. You know,
I think it's one of the best jobs in the world. Um,
so you know I want to to and uh know,
I kind of got I felt like I got there
to the top and now, like I said, I could
breathe a side relief like I'm here, you know, finally,

(54:12):
like you know, everything worked itself out and I got
here and it paid off. But like you know, that's
really when it starts. That's really when things kicking. And
you know, now you do it for a job, get paid.
You know, if you don't do the job, well, you
don't get paid, you know. And you know, I like
this is lifestyle like living, you know, I like being
fired from my family, from my friends and things like that.

(54:32):
So it kind of took you know, me feeling like damn,
I could really lose this you know, it's kind of
snap out of it and really, you know, kind of
get back to who I am, who I've always been,
and you're back. I would say you're back right absolutely,
I'm tantos. I love I love it. So, uh, let's say, uh,

(54:53):
when basketball is over, are you stepping into the CDL world.
I've been I've been seeing the numbers you've been putting
up lately. You know, I've been keeping up, but just
your stats every now and then on the of COD world.
So I'm just curious as to what what we're doing
with that. Drew. You gotta tell people what CDL is.
I'm gonna let jail that one because he's optic right

(55:14):
now or something. I'm not oventially, but like, yeah, that's
something I want to I want to definitely get it.
I'm so fucking lost right now. We're talking about gamers.
You guys are absolutely, absolutely, absolutely Uh yeah. Game game
is something I've done for my whole life, Like play
with my pops when I'm four or five years old.

(55:34):
They had like they're they're one of there's a game
called so common PS two and they're like one of
the best claims in the world. I think they're like
top five. Uh, and I've just always been invested to
get it video games, like playing Mad and being in
madded tournaments. Um, you know at the mall of them.
I don't yeah, oh yeah, it's just like that. That's
my that's my relaxation. That that's me being able to

(55:56):
get away from who like you know, I come, I'm
sitting here, you know, play the game that's around job
of France. It's a good way to take connected with
your boys. You know. It's just something I've always done
my entire life. So you know, after I'm done, definitely,
I don't want to get get involved with e sports organization, uh,
you know, something something like that, something to be involved
in it, just because I'm streaming all that. So that

(56:19):
definitely something that I'm not to slide into. I don't
know how Madden's relaxing for you. I don't play Madden
because this dude likes to audible every player. I don't
even know how to really audible amount. I'm like, you
want to play game? He's like, yeah, what you want
to put on it? I'm like, what do you think
Thouand I'm like, dude, no, no, I don't have that

(56:41):
kind of money because I used to be in the
dorms that I've come back from practice all my class
everday morning. So I'm done go to practice and I'm
done for the bait. I used to come sit in
my dorm and just play mad and all day from money,
play Kyle of Duty all day, like just climb up sea.

(57:02):
Dude in the bubble, I was like, we can on
the UFC. Like I'm okay at UFC and I think
I'm all right, and this dude is just like, bro,
I'm like I like that. But yeah, no, video games
is like it's my what's it called? It's like my
cover space. Uh, you know, it's something I've always done,

(57:23):
Like I don't I don't like always being on, you know,
I need something to get away. This is my escape.
So yeah that I'm definitely on. I'm gonna on an
sports Jeleen. I want no smoking video games, but I
want smoking at three point shoot out? Is that fair?

(57:43):
I want to smoke with you in the three point
shoot out, Corey. I don't even need smoke with Drew
in there. But I mean, you know why Drew does
that too? I got too many haters out here, Bro,
be your own people. Be your own people. I can't
even want Twitter anymore. Right, when we got on the pot,
I said, you hit the three, you were one for

(58:05):
two fifty, let's go. I shouted you out right away,
was the first thing I did. You did. But it's
such a bat can compliment al right, Like the compliment
came by and weep and you came right back with
just back. Yeah, slapped you in the face with it.
I'm sorry, man, Jalen. We appreciate you coming on. This
was awesome. You gave us a true banger episode. Just

(58:27):
want to thank you for coming on it. And when
you start playing and get rolling, man, let's get you
back on here and kicking some more. Man. This was
this was fun. Thank you. I know that we're gonna
run it back up. Appreciate so thanks. I appreciate it.
Joe Ki. This has been a presentation of the College

(58:48):
Athletes Network.