Episode 30: Jonquel Jones - New York Liberty

The acquisition of 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones is part of a dramatic offseason for the New York Liberty. Chris and JJ catch up on her journey from the Bahamas to college hoops and rise to one of the best players in the world.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey, what's going on. It's Chris Carino. This is the
Voice of the Nets. Today. We're gonna talk with John
Quell Jones of the New York Liberty. What a terrific,
terrific young lady this is. You're gonna really enjoy getting
to know her a little bit. And we're gonna talk
more about the Liberty and what's going on with this
offseason in just a bit. But first I thought i'd
just touched on what's transpired with the Nets in recent days.

(00:33):
As the voice of the Nets. I thought he'd give
you a little bit of my perspective here. Um. When
I started in the NBA as the full time radio
voice of the Nets back in the two thousand one
two thousand two season, it was the year that the
Nets went to the NBA Finals for the first time
with Jason Kidd and long time NBA media relations director

(00:57):
guy named Brian McIntyre was chatting with me on an
off day in between press conferences one day, and at
the time, I was thirty one years old. I was
the youngest play by play guy in the NBA and
my first season full time getting to call NBA Finals

(01:19):
games and Brian McIntyre said to me, Chris, don't ever
take this for granted. You've got guys who have been
in this business for thirty forty years never get to
do the kind of games that you're getting to do
this week. So don't ever take that for granted. Obviously

(01:40):
those words had an impact on me because twenty years later,
I'm still recalling them and telling that story. And you know,
the next season, when the Nets went back to the finals,
I saw Brian again and I said, hey, listen, I
just you know, I joked with him. I said, well,
you know, I'm still not taking it for granted because
I didn't. What really he was telling me is be
in the moment that the good times in this league

(02:04):
aren't always going to last, the bad times in this
league aren't always going to last, but enjoy the moment.
So as we see the Kevin Durant era, the Kyrie
Irving era come to an end, we saw that the
short lived James Harden era come to an end, I'm
reminded of what I got to see. You know, we

(02:27):
didn't see an NBA championship, which is what every NBA
fan wants, but it is incredibly elusive. Think about the
last forty years, and most of the people listening here,
I think that would be a range of your basketball
watching life fandom a forty year period. Over the last

(02:51):
forty years, there's only been twelve different NBA franchises that
have won a championship. Far less than half the league
has gotten to experience winning an NBA championship in the
last forty years. It doesn't happen. It's rare. Now, that
doesn't mean that your organization shouldn't be hell bent on

(03:11):
trying to win one. And that's all fans want. They
want the hope. They want to know that their organization
is doing everything they can to try and win a championship.
Sometimes it can be to try and win it this year.
Sometimes it can be trying to set yourself up to
win it in the future, the near future, or or

(03:32):
maybe a little further than that. The time will pass anyway,
but they want an organization that's gonna go for it.
The Nets went for it, and for a period of time,
when everybody was healthy and they were on the floor
and they were focused, the Nets were as good as

(03:53):
any team that had ever taken the floor together. It
just didn't last long enough. And when you when it happens,
you look at yourself in the mirror as an organization,
or you should. Everybody's coupable, from management, coaching staff and
the players. Everybody has to look themselves in the mirror
and say what went wrong here? Why didn't it work?

(04:17):
And if you're honest with yourself, you're then better as
an organization going forward. But there are no certainties. You
have hope, but nothing is guaranteed. I always write down
things that Jock Ballen says in his press conference, and
recently he was talking about something unrelated to this, but
you know he he talked about the need for certainty

(04:42):
is the biggest disease of the mind. Nothing is certain
and that has taught us through this whole thing. But
you never want to take it for granted. And I know,
going back to those days of my first NBA Finals
and Brian McIntyre's words in my ear when I was
watching that group play, when I watched Kyrie Irving, when

(05:02):
I watched Kevin Durant at the time when Harden was
with him, I was always reminding myself, don't take this
for granted. I don't know how this is gonna end up,
but I'm getting to watch some of the greatest players
ever to put on a Nets uniform and play at
a high level. And it was fantastic while it lasted

(05:25):
for moments. Yeah, I know, a lot of the things
that we'd we'd like to have not gone through, certainly,
but watching Kyrie Irving put up sixty points on the
Orlando Magic, Kevin Durant's forty nine point triple double in
Game five against the Bucks maybe the greatest performance I've

(05:47):
ever seen from an athlete in person. Incredible that Game
seven overtime loss, Kevin Durants toe on the line. I mean,
these are things that I will never forget. Some of
the greatest moments in my broadcasting career as a Net fan,
be some of the greatest moments in franchise history. And

(06:09):
now we move on. Nothing is certain. I got to
witness kind of the new era come in the other
night at Barkley Center when mckel bridges and Cam Johnson
made their next debuts a game after Dorrian Phinney Smith
made his Nets debut and Spencer Dinwoody returned to the Nets.

(06:31):
And you know when when the trade was made with Dallas,
I I texted my counterpart with the Dallas Mavericks, and
I said, tell me about Dorrian Phinney Smith that I
don't know from a fall And Chuck Cooperstein, the radio
voice of the Dallas Mavericks, just raved about him as
a player and as a person. He said, everybody just

(06:53):
loved the kid as good a person as he is
a player. And he's a terrific player offense. Really come
and along can shoot, the three can guard four positions.
You're gonna love them. And then we had the press
conference to introduce mckel, Bridges and Cam Johnson. I was wondering, Hey,
what's gonna happen? You know they are they gonna be
bummed out about this deal. They came from a place

(07:14):
they really obviously loved. They had experienced going to the
NBA finals there last year, they were in the conference finals.
They were building as a as an organization, and now
they're part of a trade for Kevin Durant and they're
gone from there. What were they gonna be like? Well,
the word I used to describe him on the air
that night, and I don't I don't really use this
term that often when it comes to athletes, but they

(07:38):
were delightful. Yeah, we know that They're called the twins
because they're together all the time and they're friends, and
it's great that they got to come together. And they
admitted that they had had a chance last summer when
Kevin Durant first uh it looked like he might get
traded to Phoenix possibly, they thought, well, we're definitely going
to be part of that, So let's starting to think
about living in New York and going to brook One.

(08:00):
So they had it in their minds. But they tell
the story, and they talked about it with a smile
on their face, and they were laughing. They had humor.
They dealt with the media just perfectly. Not only they
say all the right things, but you can tell that
they meant them. And everyone and even the most cynical
of the New York media that we're walking out of

(08:21):
that press conference room that day, looked at each other
and said, Wow, these guys are almost too good to
be true. The feeling inside Barkley Center when the Nets
took on the Sixers the other night and Bridges and
Cam Johnson were making their debut, Finney Smith playing his
second game, just the vibe. There was an excitement, There

(08:48):
was a joy, and joy is so important right, Why
do we Why do we watch sports again? I just
pointed out only twelve teams in the last four years
have ever won a championship in the NBA. It's the journey.
Most of us never get to the destination as a fan.
It's the journey, and you have to find joy in

(09:10):
the journey. The poet Mary Oliver, on allowing yourself to
be happy and full, said, if you suddenly and unexpectedly
feel joy, don't hesitate, give into it, whatever it is,
don't be afraid of it's plenty. Joy is not made

(09:32):
to be a crumb, Mary Oliver, I love that joy
is not made to be a crumb. Embrace it, Ned fans,
we had what we had, we went for it, it
didn't work out. But now there's some joy in these
new guys. I could feel it. Embrace it. It's not

(09:54):
a crumb. And Liberty fans, what an offseason right? Sim
bolically right? When Kevin Durank gets traded, the Liberty introduced
the signing of one of the most dominant players in
the game in Brianna Stewart, a legendary player, a four
time All Star, one of the top assist players ever
in the w N b a Courtney Vander Salute coming

(10:18):
alongside the players that already hear John Quell Jones, our
guest today, an m v P in this league who
is now part of the Liberty. We want to talk
to her, joining Sabrina and Nescue. It's gonna be exciting
with the Liberty, but there's no guarantees. There's no guarantees,

(10:38):
so enjoy it. Enjoy coming out this summer and watching
these great athletes play. And if you suddenly unexpectedly feel joy,
don't hesitate, give into it. John Quell Jones. A lot
of you may know her from the UH the commercial
to State. From commercial where she's helping Trey Young get
something off a high shelf, and then Boban Marianovitch comes

(11:02):
over and gets her of the mustard. You've got your mustard.
I had a great time talking to John Quell Jones.
I hope you enjoy listening to it. Let's get to it.
We had this conversation before any of this went on,
before Brianna Stewart and Courtney Vander Salute signed with the Liberty,
before Kevin Rank got traded. So we don't we don't

(11:23):
touch on any of that, but we do get to
a lot and John Quell Jones is very interesting and yes,
just like Cam Johnson and mcel Bridges in their press conference,
John Quill Jones is delightful. So here's a delightful conversation
with John Quell Jones here on the Voice of the Nets.

(11:44):
John Quell Jones coming to you outside the Liberty locker room.
We're in the uh the foyer. You're listening to this.
It's a beautiful facility here. I know that's one of
the things you noted when you first came in your
press conference, right. I think you said, this is what
a professional locker room looks like. Most definitely, most definitely U.
When I came in here, I was definitely, um taking

(12:05):
it back a little bit, I wasn't. I mean, I
definitely expected to be at a high level, but I
just wasn't. I wasn't expecting it to be at this level. UM,
and so UM to see it and you know, see
what they have provided for us here as players, UM
just instantaneously feel like a professional and um, you feel
like you can be bad at your craft. When you
walk in, they gave you a little, uh a little
welcome box. Right when you first came into the locker room.

(12:27):
What did you have? What was given to you? Um?
I think they had just had my my locker rooms,
my locker set up, so I had some kadis in there. Um,
I had a jersey that was hanging up, definitely some
workout gear and stuff like that. So just making it
feel already HOMEI you know the k D are you now?
Do you do you? Uh? Do you shy away from

(12:48):
the nickname the female KD? Or is that something you embrace?
It's something that I definitely embrace. You know. Obviously he's
a great player. Um, he's done amazing things in the NBA. UM.
So for money and to be synonymous it is it
just it means a lot to me obviously, But um,
at the same time, I'm still my own player, and
um I've done some pretty great things in our league

(13:08):
as well. Um and so um, you know, I definitely
want to be able to be my own person and
have my name be its own brand. But at the
same time, I respect being able to be called a female.
I mean that's right. Um and and pat Riley used
to talk about his team's making an innocent climb. You know,

(13:28):
where you start out, you've got to go through the
wars in the playoffs early on before you become a
championship Can you make that climb? And you said, you know,
developing your game, I mean think about I think of you.
I think of that innocent climb. You know where you
you were, You're a most improved Player, You're a sixth
Woman of the Year, then you're an m v P.

(13:48):
What's the next step? Is it? Is it winning a championship?
Would that be the next step in the journey? You think, yeah,
that's always been the main goal is just you know,
me better in my craft and I could be able
to help my team win a championship. UM. So you know,
all the other things that happened happened along the way
because I was focused on that. So it's never been

(14:08):
me thinking like, oh, I'm coming in, I'm winning the
MTB this here, or I'm gonna get most improved. It's
just what can I do to help the team win
and then all the other athletes they follow. So championship
has always been the biggest thing on my list. UM
and I think that here in New York we have
a strong chance of doing that. UM and I definitely
know that the support staff and everything that they have
available to us is going to push us forward and

(14:30):
powers towards that is that part of why you wanted
to come here? And and and is that? And my
am I on base to say that you wanted that
you requested to be traded here. Yes, you are correct.
I don't want to make sure that that. Yeah, and
you know, I definitely met with a lot of other teams. Um,
once I knew that I wanted to move from from Connecticut,

(14:50):
UM spoke with the Liberty and the staff and everybody here,
and UM I knew that this was the place that
I wanted to be. So um yeah, everything here is
just is perfect what we want to do. And that's
when Where did that come from? Was a matter of
you want to come to New York City? Was it
who you're playing with? You have any are you familiar
with some of the coaching staff, What were the what
were the things specifically you think that led you to

(15:13):
want to be here? A little bit of everything that
you just said. Obviously New York City is New York City. Um,
who doesn't want to live here? Right? Um? You know
Sabrina and Bonija two really good players and who have
been playing at a high level, especially Beniga Laney, like
she's been putting up crazy numbers. And when you talk
about innocent climb, I think about Banija as well, because
when she was playing on our team in Connecticut, our

(15:34):
coaches to always say one thing about Benija. She every
time she steps on the court, and she thinks she's
the best player on the court, you know, and she's
carried out with her UM. And so to be able
to play with her and Sabrina would be amazing. UM
is going to be amazing. UM. And then obviously, UM,
I wanted to come to New York City and I
wanted to be able to help, you know, do something
here that's never been done. Do you think you're the

(15:54):
best player on the court. I think I'm the best
playing the court. To know to know where you are,
I think we need to know where you came from. Right,
So let's now, let's now jump all the way back. Right.
You're a kid in the Bahamas. Um. A lot of
people know the Bahamas. They think you know resorts Atlantis,

(16:15):
that kind of thing. UM. I don't think you were
growing up on the Lazy River at the at the
Atlantis Hotel right now, not the legal. What was childhood?
What was childhood like for JJ and the Bahamas. Yeah, honestly,
I always tell my parents and I thanked them a
lot because I feel like I had the best childhood,
Like I was, I was able to be a kid. Um.
The area that I lived in the Bahamas, it was

(16:36):
a lot of my family and stuff that we were
kind of like insulated, like we had to freedom to
just go and play and ride our bikes and just
be kids. Um. But it was family members everywhere, so
it was always somebody holding you accountable, always somebody just
making sure that you were doing the right thing as
as a person. Um. But definitely a lot of basketball,
a lot of sports. I played every sport growing up,
from softball to volleyball to soccer. Um. You know, I

(16:59):
was the kid who is always getting out of class
early because she had to go to the next sporting event. Um.
And you know sports has always been like my first love.
So um it's been that. UM my family, all of
my family plays basketball. None of them play on the
level that I do. Um exactly my cousin who plays overseas,
but um, we all played basketball. Going to basketball was
kind of like our thing that brought everybody together. Um.

(17:20):
My grandmother had a court in the back of her
yard that my uncle UM and my dad built and
we grew up playing on the same court. So oh wow. Yeah,
and you always had cousins and people around to play with.
Oh yeah, it was a lot of us at the time.
I think I had like my grandmother's als. On the weekends,
it was like you know, slumber party Central, Like everybody
would go down there. That was in our family, UM,

(17:40):
and we had beat there all all evening. And as
long as you were respecting adults, UM, and you know,
being a respectful or respectful child, you're able to do
anything that you want to do at grand myself, So
it was definitely a great place for us. So Grandma
had the rules of you. You you you grow up
the kind of person that she wants you to grow up,
and then you can do whatever. You can play that schooboy,
you can do your things. So you established your maybe

(18:02):
you're worth that work ethic and in that part of
your life. It's definitely most definitely just being outside all
the time, just sports. Never felt it never felt like
work to me, you know, So it's just me just
being out there having fun, and then as I got
to the next level, I realized that it kind of
separated me from other people because I loved it. It It
wasn't just like, oh, I gotta go to basketball again
to it was like I get to do basketball again today.

(18:24):
Did it was? It was it into your mindset, like
this is my way to America or to the United States,
or where this is my way to a successful career.
Was at what point did that, uh short of enter
your mind as an athlete. Yeah, I think it's just
always what I wanted to do. You know. I feel

(18:46):
like I tell this story a lot of times. You
might have heard it before. But when I was a
little kid, I used to be in love with soccer,
and soccer was like my first level. And I turned
to my dad and I'm like, I'm gonna be the
best soccer player in the world. And if you don't
stay with me, I'm not gonna give you anything. I'm
not gonna buy you a house, I'm not gonna how
you re carying out of that stuff. And I was
like maybe five, and so a lot of people always
asked me, like, how long have I been playing? And
it's always been that like I've known basketball as long

(19:08):
as I've known myself. I've known sports as long as
I've known myself, and so for me, it's always been
I want to be a professional athlete. It wasn't like
this is a way for me to like better my life.
It was just like, this is what I like to do,
and this is what I want to do, you know.
And so um, I think the time, the moment that
I had the realization that I could be able to
play at the next level, I think I was. It

(19:30):
was probably my sophomore year in college and one of
my old high school teammates, her uncle I came to
the game and he came to me and he was like,
have any w NBA teams, like really, you know, been
looking at you. And I was like, no, not really
and he was like, well, keep playing the way you
playing and you're gonna be playing in the w n
B A. And that's what the first time I really
like crossed my mind like that, like I was really

(19:52):
that close, you know, to get into this level. But um,
before then, not really and then obviously the seasons after,
coaches started coming and stuff like that come into the game.
So um, but he was the first person that really
made me think of it like like dying, I'm really
one step away from the w n B. A. Well,
what about though, to come to the United States? Where

(20:15):
where did that seed? Where was that planted for you
to come? And then I think you you came to
go to Press school and then and then ended up
in college. So but how did how did the impetus
for going to the United States? How did that develop? Um? So,
my my coach that I grew up with, kind of
like my AU coach. I used to work out with
him every Saturday and then sometimes during the weeks two
before during the week before school, and he did a

(20:38):
thing during the summertime where he would take all of
the kids that was in this program, just like AU,
but instead of staying in the Bahamas, we would go
over to like Florida or something. I mean, you would
play against teams in Florida. And I remember the first
time he ever took us to Florida, we played against
these girls that were down there and they just they
marked the floor with us, you know, and they were
my age. And I was just like, for a long time,

(21:00):
I just couldn't like wrap my brain around it because
I'm like the best on the island. So I'm thinking,
like I'm pretty good, you know, and then I go
to the States and it's like whoa, Like how are
these girls so much better than me? Like I literally
played basketball every day, so it has to be something
that they have over there that I don't have over there,
you know. And then you know, as you get older,
you start to realize stuff, and so like in the Bahamas,

(21:21):
we were playing like maybe five, not five, maybe ten
games and it would be our season in school, you know.
And so for me it was just it wasn't enough.
You're playing against the same teams every every so often.
You only had like ten games, and you really didn't
have the chance to really develop your game to the
level of the girls in the States. And so for me,
I just made the connection myself, like these girls have more,

(21:43):
more and more um resources available to them. Um. When
we went over there, we played in the gym's and
we started like all the schools had gyms, Like in
the Bombs we had maybe three gyms when I was
growing up, and then it went down to two gyms
because the y M c. A. Cloes. So to be
able to say that I would be able to go
to school that had a gym that would be available
to me all the time. I was just like now.
And then of course the coaching as well, So yeah,

(22:05):
I kind of made that connection. And you're maybe a
fourteen year old kid at this time. Yeah, when I
left home, I left. I left in the ninth grade.
I left in the middle of the ninth grade, so
I started in the Obama's Then I got the opportunity
and I left. But I was asking. I was asking
my parents from probably probably the sixth grade. I was
asking them like, let me go to the Stags, let
me go to the States. I want to go over
there and play basketball. And my mommy was like, no,

(22:27):
that's not happening, Like you're not mature enough, like you're
always losing yoursues, you know, like simple stuff like that,
and she was just like, you're not ready. And then eventually,
in the ninth grade, the opportunity came. She felt comfortable
with it after meeting everybody, and she let me do it.
That's pretty intuitive for a kid that age to know that,
all right, they have something here and that's what I want.

(22:48):
I see the kids playing, that's the that's the level
I want to get to this is the next step
I have to take. So I understand. So you went
to uh they brought you over? Who was it that
that brought you in Maryland? Right? Yes? So, Um Diane Richardson.
She's the head coach at Temple University now, but at
the time she was the head coach at our Riverdale
Baptist and up on Marlboro, Maryland. Um. And so I

(23:11):
had a conversation with her over the phone, and you know,
we talked, and you know, she she she went her way,
I went my way, and like this. To this day
she tells the story. She's like something like a little
voice in the back of her hand. To this day
she says God and she's like, God just told him,
like you have to do something with this little girl.
Like she's so respectful and she's yes, ma'am, no, ma'am.
She was talking about me. Um. Um. She she talked,

(23:34):
I call him Uncle Ll. Now her husband, his name
is Larry Richardson. I called him Uncle Ell. So she
talked to Uncle Ell and he's like, well, if you
feel that way, let's do it. Like we can be
her guardians, we can sponsor her while she's here. Um.
And so I went over to the States with basically
most of my stuff packed up that I needed. My
parents went along with me. Um and like maybe like
five days we you know, just stayed at their house

(23:57):
and just talk with them. My mother and I had
like a really remember them going into the room and
having like a heart hard conversation and really talking about it.
And when my mommy came out of the room and
she told me, she was like, this is the place
where're supposed to be. She's like, I really feel like
like I raised you to this point to now give
you the coach rich in that sense. That's how comfortable
she was, you know, and so um, yeah, that's how

(24:19):
what happened. The rest was history. She was it true though,
that coach she hadn't she hadn't seen you, right, So
but she thought you wouldna be like six to yeah,
and you're and you show up and you're like five eight. Yeah.
I was like I was probably just a little bit
taller than her. So yeah, I definitely wasn't. I wasn't
six ft um. And I remember like when she first

(24:40):
saw me, she came up to me and she's like
nudging me a little bit. She's like, you you saw
you could bang in the post. They said you could
bang in the post. I was like, yeah, you coach,
I could bang in the postum. But I definitely wasn't
nowhere there as tall as I am now or even
they weren't calling you k D yet at that point
and really and then they were calling me j V
and yeah, you had to make the j right and

(25:01):
then and then from there you're going to play one
year at UH Clemson and then what I mean, Clenson
is pretty high level. Yes, what was that year like
and why you end up going to g W Yeah,
that year, I mean it was pretty It wasn't bad
for me, Like in terms of acclimating to the college basketball.

(25:21):
I felt like playing at riverde of Baptist and you
had a Grosberg. Yet I was growing. I was growing fast.
Like how tall were you like when you're at Clemson.
When I was at Clemson, I would say probably six
four six. Still you're you're getting there, yep, getting there. Um,
But sometime in in in that prep school time, you

(25:42):
must have shot off. I was going. I remember even
when I got to college and in high school to
it like my I was growing so fast, Like my
knees were like just killing me. I thought, yeah, the
growing pains were so bad, we have to go to
the doctor and they'd be like, no, you're just growing.
That's that's the only problem. And to be like your
coordination at like when you went through that. It's kind
of like an Nick Claxton and he talked about how
you know going and we started high schools maybe six

(26:03):
two whatever, and then he has this he shoots up,
you know, but he physically it hurt him. But he
had developed the guards schools when he was smaller, and
they kind of stayed with him. When that's taller. Yes,
the guard skills the footwork. And I think I lucked
out in that sense because if I was taller and
the Bahama was like tall as six foot maybe six three,
and I see a lot of young guys they kind

(26:25):
of get pushed towards the post because they're tall for
Bahamian standards, but they're not tall when they come to
the US, so they develop a post game. They get
to the US and now they can't play at the
guard level, and then they can't stay there. So I'm
happy that I was actually shorter. I was developed as
a point guard and a garden. Then obviously I was
able to use that as a as I continue to grow.
So what was the jump from Cleinston to g W.

(26:47):
What made you make that change? Yeah? When I was
at Clemson, I just felt like the players that I
was but at the time just didn't have the same
drive as me. Um. I just felt like our mindsets
were just different. Um. And I really feel like playing
at the program that I did with Coach Rich, like
we were one top five every year, so we were
kind of like a college team almost at a high
school level. Um. Everybody in my class went Division one.

(27:10):
It was like seven of us, So we definitely learned
how to play at a very high standard and high level.
And I just felt like it wasn't there at the time. UM.
And Yeah, GW is where I decided to go. I
talked to Utah Watanabe. Was he there? Was he? Is
he older than you? I'm trying to think where he
might be a little younger? Right? Was he there at
the same time? Did you know Utah? Yeah? Uh, he
had told me that he went to w because I

(27:32):
had found out it was between Fordham and g W,
and I went to Fordham. I'm always said, I'm disappointed
you didn't go to Ford UM, but he said that
g W there were a lot of international players. He
felt like it was a little more of a school
where that was he felt at home. There was that
a similar situation for you with GW. No, I'll be honest.
For me UM, I knew that if I was going

(27:54):
to transfer, that I wanted to go to a place
where I was going to be taken care of. I
would good coaching and I feel comfortable UM. And I
knew that I did not want to be in the
trans reportal again, like it was this is the next move,
this is the only move. And because I decided to
move or transfer mid season, I didn't have an opportunity
to go to UM some of the other schools that

(28:15):
were interested in me because I was leaving mid season
UM at the time, coach Rich became the assistant coach there,
and I'm like, well, I know our coach wich is
gonna treat me. I live with her for three years,
you know, I know she's gonna look after me. I
know she's gonna develop me. I'm into the player that
I want to be. And then it was kind of
like a no Brander with me living in Maryland too.
Then living in d C, all of my high school
friends would be there. I felt comfortable with that transition

(28:37):
from Clemson to g W because it kind of ticked
off all of those boxes. And you said it was
around your shop more year that you started to think
about the W n B. A Um. And then once
you had that thought, did that now drive you? Um? No,
not really. I always felt like I always had to drive,
you know, like I just always I've always feel like

(28:58):
to come your focus my not really Okay, Yeah, I'm
I'm a very like step by step goal type of person,
like when an eight times championship and you know, like
stuff like that, take your head of yourself. I never
get too far ahead on myself. And sometimes, uh, sometimes
it's a bad thing, but most times it's a good
thing because then I feel like when I look up,

(29:18):
it's like, oh shoot, like I'm at the draft, you know,
like when I really started taking in I'm like, damn,
like this really happened. You know. That's how I am.
You're at it now, you're at the draft and you're
gonna be the sixth pick in the draft. Um, what
were you going through personally at that time? Um? I'll
just give you a background because I know one of
the first guests we had on our on our show

(29:39):
here is a friend of mine from when he played
with the Extras, Jason Collins. And in hindsight, not knowing,
you know, knowing Jason, we was a player, not knowing
what he was going through, hiding his sexuality and everything.
And then talking to him later on, and you know,
recently he told me, he said, you know, I purposely
went downplay my role and I was quiet and I
didn't want interested in my life because I felt like

(30:02):
I was hiding this thing. And now when you see Jason,
he's so comfortable in his own skin, has become a leader.
And I know we live in different times now, Um,
what were you going through personally at that time? Yourself
going through a similar situation. But did you feel like
you were being your true self at that time when
you were becoming a professional. Um, I think I think

(30:24):
basketball was the place where I could be my himself.
Like it it didn't matter like what I was wearing
or what I was doing off the court. Um, in college,
it was definitely back and forth with like the clones
that I was wearing or you know, like the people
that I was dating or that was you know, people
that I was messing with or whatever. But um, I
think at the draft, I felt comfortable at the time

(30:45):
and like I were addressed in the draft or whatever. Right,
But now when I look back at those pictures, like
like it just yeah, it's kind of like gut ransing
because it's like, I'm happy when I look at those
pictures because I remember the moment and I remember a
dream being achieved. But it's also like that and like
that's really not me, you know, Like or sometimes when
I go on Google, I take my name and then
I see old pictures and I'm like, oh my gosh,

(31:06):
like who is that person? Kind of like that. But
I'm happy because I needed those those experiences to be
the person that I am now. Now when I put
on clothes, I know I look good. You know I
feel good. I feel like myself and so um, once
you have those experiences and you really start to really
feel who you are, is no going back. Right. We're
uh in Nick Claxton were he was talking about how
he's a big fashion guy and I said, well, you know,

(31:27):
how would how would you dress me? And He's like,
just whatever, you're comfortable and that's all right. So whatever
you're comfortable in. UM, And do you think we live
do you think times you're getting to a point now
where you know people are able to be there themselves
a little bit more and more accepting as opposed to
maybe ten fifteen years ago. Almost definitely wait night and

(31:49):
day you compare it to ten fifteen years ago. But
I do think that there is still a lot of
room for growth. UM. And I think it happens when
we when we have these conversations with our family members,
and if you allow the people that are closest to
you to get away with you know, homophobia or our
racism or anything like that, then you allow it to
be prevalent in the world. And so it starts off

(32:09):
with those those micro conversations or UM, with the people
that are closest to you, and we all deal with it.
You know, I'm still dealing dealing with it to this date.
But UM, it is what it is. You have to
live your truth and UM, you know you have to
just tell people that this is who you are and
it it's not going to change. I love that message.
Let's let's go now, you've become a professional athlete UM,

(32:30):
and you also have to play. I know a lot
of people in the women's game UM to make money
have to go play overseas. It seems like it's more
lucrative overseas, So you start playing in in in uh,
in Korea, in China. Why is it? Why is it
more lucrative? Why is there more attention for the women's

(32:53):
game overseas? Do you think, well, they really seem to
embrace it there right. Yeah. I think that's the biggest thing.
I think they embrace it UM and they allow they
allow women athletes to just be women athletes in in
their own space. I feel like it's a constant comparison
in the United States, where it's like, oh, the w
NBA players are laying up and the NBA players are dunking,
or oh, this guy is doing this, and you know

(33:14):
you're all are doing that, and it's like, if you
watch sports, you can truly appreciate what we do, if
you if you really know the game, and if you
come to one of our games, I guarantee you come
to another one. But I think that's the difference. I
think they really respect the game UM, they respect the
way that women play it UM I think there's there's
definitely a difference, like in the NBA or in in
the men's game, there's way more iootball and when you

(33:36):
want to see that team basketball, you come to a
women's game to see, you know, the I feel like
the way that the game is really intended to be played,
which is as a whole as a team. Um. But
I think it's a respect level. It's the appreciation, um
and and they just let us be well, sure, it's
probably true that they're able to get the best athletes
in the world in the sport to come play there,
as opposed to the men's game, they're not getting the

(33:57):
best athletes in the world to come play there, so
try you don't have to have that comparison. And I'm curious.
So you you you go and play in Korea and
you said it was the toughest challenge you've ever been through. Right,
they really put you through, uh through a grind there
playing in Korea. But it it may be the thing
that turned your game around in the w n B A, right,

(34:18):
I agree, I think so. Um yeah, our coach was
head coach was crazy man, crazy in a good way.
Like I think when I got there, he was probably
like the winning is coaching like Korean basketball history. At
the time, I think they were like Korea basically basically. Um.
I think at the time they were like on their
like fifth consecutive championship. Which was the reason why they

(34:39):
they got me in the draft is because obviously Korea
it's a draft every year for the foreign players. So, UM,
if you want to go to Korea, you will put
your name on the draft as a foreign player. They
would have a whole list of players and based on
where the teams finished, they would get to pick first, second, whatever,
the same way the draft is over here. UM. And
so nobody really knew where I was, Like, I come

(35:01):
from a small school. My first year in the league,
I'm like riding the bend. So there's really no like
professional film on me, and so a lot of the
other teams they kind of passed me up because they
don't really know about me. UM. Luckily for me, my team,
my teammate at the time, Shachna Strickling I played there
the previous season, UM, and they had to pick and
they called her and we're like, oh, what do you
think about John Well Jones And you know, strick kind

(35:21):
of like plugged me in, was like, it's definitely a
good pick. She would be good for the team. UM,
and they chose me. UM. And so that's kind of
how I got to Korea. UM, And that's how it happened.
And and the work you put in there the following year,
I think is that the year you win most improved
in the w n B A And after that I
think it was, Oh yeah, I think it was most improved. Actually, yes,

(35:42):
it was that year. So what was it about the
regimen there that helped you? Just a lot of running,
a lot of running, a lot of a lot of conditioning. Um.
I feel like I was already like one of the
most athletic players on the court anytime I step on
the court, but to have that con and I was
just like it was crazy because it was just constant,

(36:02):
like like if you boxed me out, I'm working around
you because I'm not tired, Like i can run the
floor full speed now, like I'm I'm literally resting as
I'm running because I'm so in shape, Like I'm resting
and recovery at the same time. And it's just like
it was crazy and so UM. I hated being in
the moment like those first those first I would say,
first month and a half was like brutal. Um, I

(36:22):
wanted to come home so badly. But um, after after
I got over that hurdle, it was just like it
was just smooth sailing. We literally used to like look
forward to game days because our practices it was so hard.
People like, oh, we have a game day today. Oh
my gosh, we get the rest to day. That's how
we felt. Literally, Yeah, it was so tough. Well you
got something out of it though. Moving forward, eventually you're

(36:44):
an m v P in the w n B. A Um,
you go back and forth, right, you would play that
had led you to Russia. You're playing in Russia And
it was interesting because I know you were there when
the invasion of the Ukraine started, right, And I mean
obviously that's got to be a scary time show. What like,

(37:04):
at what point do you to shine? I've got to
get out and go. I think you went over the
Turkey to play, right, Yeah, so, um, we were still playing.
At the time we were still playing, everything was still
going on. Family members. You wake up to like crazy
messages like please come home and all this stuff. Everybody's
worried about everybody's worried. Everybody's terrified now, right, and of
course they can't see like how we're living because we're

(37:24):
in Russia now. Like at the time, Ukraine really didn't
have the capabilities to be able to attack Russian soil.
So everything in Russia, if it wasn't for the news,
everything in Russia looked exactly the same way. And I
looked before, right, and so, um, I remember all of
us as players, especially the foreign players, we came together
and you're like, look, we can't have with our families,
students anymore, you know, like waking up and knowing that

(37:46):
they're they're so nervous and they're so scared for our lives.
And obviously the tension of us flying to different places
and being um in different parts of Russia any given day. Um.
So we came together as a collective and we kind
of brought it to to our GM at the time,
and thankfully he understood from our our standpoint because at
the time of week when he gave us permission to
kind of leave, um we were still gonna go him anyway,

(38:08):
but he gave us permission to leave. The Russian League
was still going on. So the team kind of took
a big hit, but for them to be understanding from
our standpoint and at that level of empathy, uh, it
meant a lot to us. So I remember we had
to fly. We flew from um the Captain Amberga, which
is the city where I lived and where our team
is based, to Moscow, and we went had Moscow to

(38:28):
Turkey and then um, I think I'm in Turkey in
New York. But it's crazy. I think the flight from
Moscow to Turkey was probably only supposed to be like,
I don't know, like maybe four hours, and it ended
being like seven because like no Russian aircrafts were like
permitted in certain air spaces, so instead of just like
a strange shop, we were like zig zagging like borders
and stuff just to try to get the Turkey. So uh.

(38:50):
And it was literally the last, um, the last really
poor to entry other than Dubai's. So it was just
Dubai and Turkey that we're really allowing flights from Russia.
So if any of those had closed their borders off
to Russia, we would have been stuck in Russia. Did
you play with Britney Grinder over there? Is that where
you kind of became tight with her most definitely. She

(39:12):
she messaged me when she found out that I was
coming to Russia, and ever since then the rest is history.
She'd be getting really close friends. And when did that happen?
When she was detained? Yeah, so it actually it happened.
It happened. I want to say maybe two weeks or no,
it was probably like a month before we actually got
out of Russia. She was actually coming back in the Russia.

(39:34):
And everybody thinks that she was going home. She was
coming back from I think it was a national team break, um,
and that's when everything happened that. It was terrifying. It
was terrifying, and um, me and one of my other teammates,
we were in a group message with her, so we
like we knew when she was in the airport, and
she kind of sent us a message and you know,

(39:54):
she sent us a message like she was so scared.
And then all of a sudden, we didn't hear from
her because they took her phone. So we were like
texting her like we are you okay, Like what's going on? Um,
And we didn't hear anything until finally we we heard
from I think I heard from her wife or from
somebody else. I'm not sure. I don't you don't have
to talk about what she's going through now. But is
she in a is she in a pretty good place

(40:15):
right now or is it still a traumatic experience that's
still weighing on her. Yeah, I'll be honest, I haven't
really talked to her that much since she's been back.
Mostly there was we exchange messages when she got her
phone back, and she gave me her number and everything.
But I just kind of let her have her own space,
you know, and let her be. But from the conversation
that I did have with her, she seemed like she

(40:35):
was in a really good place. And um, I feel
like the fact that she can say that she's playing
in this upcoming season means that she's in a good
place because that means that she she can focus on basketball.
So I was happy to hear that as well. Yeah,
that's amazing that she's gonna be able to come back
and play this year. What you got you bounded over
your dogs together? Is that what it was? So? Actually
I got my dog, I got my first dog because

(40:56):
of her. So her dog, her dog Marcel, was there
in Russia and he was a little like, uh, seven
pounds teacup golden or whatever. And he was just the
cutest little dog. And I'm like, where did you get
this dog from? Because I think I want a dog too.
And she was the one that gave me the breeders
that she got her dogs from. And then I got
my first dog, Riolo um. And then a yearlier I
got my second dog, Kiba, from from the same breeder

(41:18):
that she did. Have two dogs. They can be running
around little New York City apartment. Yeah, yeah, they're good.
That's the good thing about having small dogs, like they
don't need my space. Yeah, the little dogs. That's good.
How How the experience in New York City so far
for you? I mean, obviously that was a a reason
why you wanted to come to the Liberty. Has it
lived up to everything you thought it was so far?

(41:40):
I know it's pretty early. Yeah, it's pretty early. Um.
I feel like I've had some really good experiences so far,
nothing negative, so it's definitely living up to it. But um,
did you go see the Lion King? I have not.
I've about to do that. Yeah you wanted to go
see that? Yeah? No, I'm definitely going um um soon.
But I've just been working out, you know, just working out, um,

(42:00):
you know, just feeling good about my game and some
of the stuff that I want to work on. So
I feel like by the time I get out the
gym most days, it's like eating and I'm just like chilling.
Are you Are you here now until the start of
the w NBA season? Are you going again? I don't.
I'm not sure. Actually I'm still trying to wait to
figure it out. But um, this is the home base
until I've been figuring out. I was gonna bring a

(42:22):
prop with me today, maybe like a big jar of
mustard and see if you can get it down for me.
If anyone knows, don't know what I'm talking about. The
State Farm commercial where you are there with Trey Young
and boban Um, and what I love about that is
that you know you're you're you're tall, but boban makes

(42:44):
everybody looks small. It's crazy. He is a huge man.
It's it's ridiculous. And it's like obviously, like when you
when with somebody that that's so huge, like that, like
you don't really think about everything, Like even his air
is a big like his hands and huge his feet
are you I'm just like you are just really big guy.
He's a gentle giant. He really is. It's so funny,
Like the exact same way he is on social media

(43:07):
and everything is the same way he as in person,
always joking, like really kind hearted and definitely I love though,
the way you were able to all of you were
able to pull off in the commercial, the monotony of
just being in like a costco and like, you know,
I gotta reach up and get this dark pickles, like
and you're like, no, you know, yeah, you got some

(43:27):
acting chops. Yeah, I mean that's what That's what they
told me when I did it. I'm not gonna lie. Um.
I did take like a little a little acting um
fun class in college, and the professor at the time
was like, you could probably really have a chance it is,
but I'm like, Manama basketball player, you know, so you
don't play basketball forever. That's true, right, It's true. So
it was good too. It was good to um to

(43:48):
do the commercial and the director kind of saying, you know,
we like you a lot time. I'm like, yeah, well,
if you have another commerson, I'm there right right. Uh.
And it's a national spot, which is a big deal,
and we lord knows. Anybody who was watching the NBA
game or or w NBA game over the last couple
of years you see that commercial concept. Um, but I
know you have to jump at those opportunities now because

(44:10):
that was even I read the story about you doing it,
like you have to fly back and forth across the
country like on a day off in between games. Yes, yes,
it was crazy. Yeah, yeah, I actually drove up here
from Connecticut. Um, we played a game. I packed the
same night. I drove up at like twelve, got on
a flight at like I want to say four or
five to flying straight to l A. The shoot wasn't

(44:33):
really the commercial shoot wasn't really in l A. It
was like some part like kind of out of l
As at the end and I'm gonna drive like an
hour way traffic there was there in the trailer and
did everything I'm gonna make up and everything done, shot
everything that day. Left that same evening at like maybe
six to drive to the airport, got back to Connecticut
at like I don't even know sometime in the morning,

(44:54):
and thankfully my coach at the time was cool enough
to say, yeah, we have practice today, but we'll we'll
give you today off because we know I'll had to
get on for you. So I'm glad he was understanding, Yeah,
how did you play the next game? I played great? Great.
It's the same thing like, um, the NBA and the
NBA Finals. So the Golden State Warriors had the opportunity

(45:14):
to be able to clinch and finish Clinton championship and
finish it off in Boston, and I'm like, shoot, I
don't only hour and some change away. So I textically like,
is there any way to give me a ticket? And
he's like, okay, I got you. I'm like, shoot, we
have a game tomorrow, but I'm not missing the opportunity
to watch a team with an NBA championship, And like,
to this day, I'm so happy I went. Me and
Uncle Ell again, me and Uncle Ll. We drove up

(45:36):
as day when they're visiting. We went to the game,
UM watched them win the championship, and then we had
a game the next day and I balled out, So
I'm like I needed it. There was no problem at
trip from what he gets shown up to it, and
at the time our apartments were even closer. So yeah,
do you get uh, do you get to go to game?
Just fans? And other sports and things like that. Yet
you get a chance to do that more thing you're like, well,

(45:58):
I mean, now that I'm here, I would say, yeah, us,
But most times you're in the season, so you have
to be very you know, very careful what you do
in limits your time because you don't want to you know,
tire yourself out and not be able to produce some
um identity. This is still large job, and as much
as we would like to do other things, this comes first.
What are other things you'd like to do? What are
some of the hobbies you might have or thanks you enjoy.
I want to go to the Lion King. I'm just playing.

(46:18):
I'm going. I'm going. But um yeah, I mean I
like Megan music. I've never really put anything out there officially,
but just as a hobby, I love doing it on wrapping.
I could sing a little bit. I'd like to do that.
Um yeah, I like of course, like playing all my dogs.
I'm I'm a gamer, so I'm playing my PlayStation and
Xbox all the time. Some stuff like that. You're in

(46:40):
You're in a melting pot here in New York, so
so many things you can do if you want to
go she a show or you see how many talented
people there are working in this city. Um. I know
you have a West Indian background as well, so I'm
sure you can find uh West Indian restaurants or a population.
Have you have you done that? Has anybody reached out
to you and that guard Um, definitely West Indian community

(47:02):
has reached out. I've been. I've been to a restaurant
that was not too far from where I live. It
was really good. But other than that, I haven't done
anything else yet. UM, hopefully more acting maybe down the
road if we can get just of those things, doing
the other things and the endorsements. I know that's kind
of been a controversial thing because of you know w

(47:23):
NBA players the ones that get the opportunity or maybe not, um,
people like yourself, right, UM, do you have any thoughts
on that and how maybe that can get turned around? Yeah,
just like I said before, like we have such a
diverse group and a very educated group to when you
think about the w n B A like I want
to say, maybe at least w NBA players, um, you

(47:46):
know have their college degrees. Um, I don't know what
league in the world can really you know both something
like that. So you have a lot of really educated women,
a lot of strong, powerful women. Um. Like I said before,
the more seats you put at the table, the more
people that you should of their stories, the better it
is for our league. And so UM, I think we
just have to get away from the stereotypical or the
norm and just a lot of people to share their

(48:08):
stories because there's many other stories out there are are
just as good as mine, um, and and people need
the opportunities to be able to do that. I talked
to a lot of athletes and it's not that it's rare,
but Um, your personality and your smile and your charisma,
thank you up there with anybody that I've ever talked to.
So if I had a product, I would gladly have

(48:29):
you into our sit. We gotta get you a product.
Let's work on that before I let you go. And
we're here on a night I know you're gonna get
to see the Nets and I'm sure you'll have a
good seat tonight. Uh there, this is the before they
play the Lakers. Unfortunately, not gonna get to see Lebron
and Anthony Davis. But Net fans probably aren't that disappointed
that you have to go up against him. Um, but

(48:50):
before I let you go, I always like to end
these things. Uh, it tells me a little bit about
the person. Um. There was a basketball coach and had
states that you probably familiar with, Jim Jim Balbano, And
he had this great speech at the SPS never give up.
And I've always looked at that for inspiration for myself
over the years. So one of the things he said

(49:12):
was to have a to lead a full life. Everyone
should do these three things every day. Laugh, cry, and think.
So I ask you, j J what makes you laugh?
What makes me laugh? Or or maybe something you watch
or where it may be that that you know you're
guaranteed that that's always gonna make new laugh. Well, something

(49:34):
that's always gonna make me laugh is watching an episode
of Martin. As long as if I need to laugh,
I turn on the episode of Martin. I'm laughing. That's
for sure. That's great, that's great. That's probably going back
to your days as a kid, right, the nostalgia. Right,
you see an episode, it takes you back to where
you used to watch it as a kid. Right. Um, Now,
not necessarily what makes you cry in a sad way,

(49:57):
but I think his His point was what what moves
your wouldn't was your emotions. What is it that moves
your emotions? Yeah, to be honest, for me, it's just
a lot of times when I think about how far
I've come. I know it sounds super cliche, but I've
just taken it all in, especially since coming here to
New York. UM, looking out my window and and seeing
the things that I see, and I'm like, I can't believe,

(50:18):
like I really live in this life. And UM, a
lot of the things that I wanted to accomplish as
a kid, I've been able to accomplish. I think I
was just talking to UM, maybe my dad or it
was somebody in my family. I'm like, there's very rarely
been anything that I put my mind to that I
wanted to accomplish that I haven't accomplished. And I think
that's such a blessing. UM. And it's also um direct

(50:39):
correlation to the people that I've had in my life.
So UM, I always say, moving from the Bahamas and
being in a situation that I was in, UM, there
could have been so many people that could have taken
advantage of a little kid from the Bahamas and in
any type of way just been mean or abusive anything.
You just never know what it could have been. UM.
And God has placed people in my life that I've
genuinely cared about me, cared about my growth, my majority,

(51:02):
and have allowed me to be able to achieve the
things that I've been able to achieve. And so UM,
I thank God every day for that. I thank my
parents for their prayers. I think my grandmother for her prayers,
because you never know how many people's prayers are protecting
you out here. UM. And I'm just very thankful for that.
So the thing that moves me is me being able
to achieve the things that I've achieved. UM, and the
people that that are my foundation. You know that's moved

(51:26):
me right now like that what you just said has
moved me. So I can check that off my list today.
I've been moved. I've been I felt my emotions. That is.
I love that message. UM. The oculus outside Barkley Center here,
that digital that video scoreboard goes around. Everybody sees it
when you come out of the subway and walk around
the neighborhood, if you're going into the building. There's the

(51:49):
think part of it. Now, if you could put a
message up there. Whatever it may be, a slogan, a thought,
a picture that you want to get across to all
those people who see it. What would that do you think?
That's a tough one. That's a tough one. Um, there
will probably be something along the lines of like just

(52:11):
always believe that you're good enough to accomplish the things
that you want to accomplish. You know, like, don't let
the self doubt stop you from at least trying, because
I think a lot of times we have we have
so many good things and great things that could be
beneficial in the world, but we let the self doubt
to overthinking. Um and I think I feel like all
that kind of least the procrastination, we kind of let

(52:32):
all that kind of come together and and stop us
from doing things that that could be amazing. And then,
you know, embrace the failure if you feel so. What
that means you you know, something that either you're not
good at, or something that you need to change, or
something that you probably might not be interested in anymore.
But um, just don't let the self doubts stop you
from from actually trying. You are good enough, Yeah, day,

(52:53):
you are more than good enough. I really appreciate you
doing this. Good luck the rest of the way, and
uh it really enjoy your success and thank you so
much for being I really enjoyed talking to you, think man,
thank you so much for having me. This is amazing.
All right, My thanks to the great John Quell Jones.

(53:14):
I really really enjoyed my conversation with John Quell. Catch
her and and the great Liberty Squad going out there
this summer at Barkley Center. It's gonna be exciting. I
can't wait for that. Um. I talked in the beginning
about embracing joy right reminds me of the Stevie Wonder

(53:35):
song Overjoyed. What a great song and what a great singer.
Every time I see Stevie Wonder, I go God. He
might be the most underrated vocalist and musician of our time.
I mean, I say, he's wildly famous. I know he's
not an unknown, but I don't know if there's a

(53:58):
it's there are very few people at his level in
terms of a vocalist. And he's also one of the
great musicians, drummers, harmonica players. He plays harmonica and Eddie
Vetter's last solo album, it's incredible, and he plays harmonica.
Where you go, that's Stevie Wonder playing harmonica. It's got
a signature to it. But I always think, wow, he's

(54:21):
just one of the greatest vocalists of our time. And
I saw him recently at the Grammys. If anybody watched
the Grammys, I just wanted to point this out that,
you know, he did a he did a a couple
of songs, a little montage, and um, he had Smokey
Robinson came out and he had all these musicians and
he had these these young kids, these singers that were

(54:41):
and dancers who were next to him. My wife and
I were watching it, and you know, we put out.
He said, Wow, those kids are great. Talk about joy
The way they sang and danced. It was joyful. It
was terrific. And then soon after that, I get a
text from my friend with the Nets, Paul Cameras of

(55:02):
many years, the VP of game operations. He's in charge
of all the game operations in Brooklyn. He said, are
you watching the Grammys. Do you see these kids that
are up there with Stevie Wonder. They said yeah. Me
and my wife were just saying how great they are.
He said, yeah, Well, I'm kind of doing the anthem
on Tuesday at Barkley Center, and you know he booked

(55:24):
them already and here they are. One more W A
N M O R one More is the group and
they gave a terrific rendition of the national anthem. It
was fantastic. So I'm really I'm really curious to see
where they go as a group. One W A N

(55:47):
and then Capital M O R one More. They were
awesome and speki the Grammys. By the way, I have
to admit I'm not up on everything at the Grammys. Um,
there's a lot of stuff that winds or is nominated
that I I then, uh say, I've never heard. I
have to look up, which is great because I like
to to try and find new stuff. And the Song

(56:11):
of the Year went to Bonnie Rate a song called
just Like That And you talk about make you cry,
I mean your your emotions stirred to tears and make
you think. I had never heard the song and when
it won, I had to go listen to it, and uh,
it's powerful. So I would recommend checking that out. I

(56:34):
want to thank Junquell Jones for joining us. Thanks to
my producer Tom Dowd and our engineer Isaac Lee again.
Please subscribe, give us a good rating, and uh, we'll
talk to you next time. I'm Chris Corino and this
has been the voice of the Nets. Thanks