April 21, 2023 • 28 mins
Coming off an interesting season for the Mavs, Jaden Hardy sits down with Harp to discuss why he thinks the Mavs will win a championship within the next 5 years.
A special thanks to our sponsor Herman Marshall Whiskey. Built from the grain up. Just like good whiskey should be.
www.hmwhiskey.com
A special thanks to our sponsor Herman Marshall Whiskey. Built from the grain up. Just like good whiskey should be.
www.hmwhiskey.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
All of us at the DUB Networkwould like to thank the crew at Herman
Marshall Whiskey for sponsoring another episode ofHarp's Court. Herman Marshall small Batch Whiskey
is handcrafted and award winning and whetherit be their Texas Bourbon Texas Rye Texas
Single Malt or They're blended Bourbon whiskey, all are built from the grain up,
(00:22):
just like good whiskey should be.And make sure you check out their
amazing tasting room in Whiley, Texasif you get a chance. I promise
you you won't be disappointed. It'sa great place to pop on in and
enjoy one of their specialty drinks ortwo, or for hosting special occasions like
birthday parties, mixers, weddings orreceptions. Thank you so much, Herman
(00:45):
Marshall. Hey y'all, welcome toHarps Court. I'm your host, Derek
Harper, and I'm honored to havea very special guests in studio YO this
afternoon. He is the one andonly and up and coming star as far
as I'm concerned. Jaden Hardy,Welcome to Harp score Man. How's everything
(01:07):
everything going good? I appreciate youhaving a year. Absolutely. You know.
I want to ask a couple oflittle simple questions to you, right,
all right, are you a studentof the game. Do you know
the history of the NBA? Youknow the guys that paved the way for
you to be in the NBA andwhere you are right now? Do you
know those guys? Yeah, I'ma student of the NBA. Give me
somebody, Give give me some guysthat that people. You're just twenty years
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old. A lot of people wouldn'teven realize that, you know some of
these guys. Give me a guythat that that that's past. Its not
me, that's a has been butraise some raise some some some hay in
the in their day. Isaiah Thomas, Thomas, you have anybody else like
(01:53):
Zaia? Everybody knows Zike you spentsome time. You grew up in Detroit
where I grew up in Detroit.Yeah, I grew up a pitstiness fan,
so yeah, yeah, I knowa lot of the pistness like history,
history from Detroit and their Yeah.You know. The reason I asked
the question, man, is becauseI think it's important for young players like
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yourself, Jaden, to know thehistory, to know the history of the
game. When I was. Thisisn't about me, but when I was
growing up, I knew everything aboutcenters, guards, forwards. That's how
bad I wanted to be in theNBA. I mean, I really did.
So I took my time and didmy due diligence on getting to know
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who these guys were, where theywere from, what they like, what
they eat, all of those things. That's how bad I wanted to be
an NBA basketball player. So Ijust I just wanted to bounce that off
you really quick. But tell thepeople who you are. Who is Jaden
Hardy? On and off the court? Who are you? Because a lot
of people still don't know, arethey. Yeah, yeah, I mean
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I'm a hardy, I would say, like, you know, I'm a
hard worker. I'm out going,I'm fun friendly, you know, but
yeah, you know, just youknow, like off the court, like
I'm usually like if I'm not playingbasketball, like I'm studying study in the
game, or you know, watchingwatching basketball or you know, just chilling
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like watching like I like listening tomusic. I like music a lot,
Like sometimes I play video games,but mainly I'm just studying the game.
You know, I love basketball,so I'm always in the gym or either
studying the game. In your opinion, Jayden, who you think right now
is the best guard? I don'tcare if it's two guard, one guard.
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Who do you feel like is thebest in the league right now?
The best in the league right now? He said, you coming, just
you saying you just you're just sayingit was the best guardst guard period.
Yeah. Who who? Who doyou look at and you marvel at who
do you see on the floor thatit's like, man, this guy is
(04:08):
I say Curry. I gotta sayCurry just by watching him like he's never
he always moving like you see guyswhen they talk about guarding him, like
he always constantly moving, always runningaround, you know. And then with
his ability to shoot the three fromanywhere. You know you got to pick
him up as soon as you walkinto Jim for so you know, just
(04:28):
well, I feel like Curve islike one of those guys that you just
got to respect. Fox. Foxtoo, Fox too, same same kind
of same kind of guy, samekind of guy. You know, those
guys fast you know Fox especially,you know he's quick twitch, his ability
to getting the lane, find histeammates. So those two guys, for
sure, some of the top guardsin the league right now. Yeah.
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So with that being said, doyou have the potential, oh yeah,
to be in that category and thatatmosphere? Yeah, Steph, DeAndre Fox,
Dame Lillard, Kyrie Irving. Doyou think you have the ability one
day for us to be for meto be sitting here saying Jaden Hardy,
(05:12):
Yeah, I feel like I hadwhat you're doing. What makes you think
you have that ability? My workat it and I feel like, I
mean, anytime I matched up againstthose guys, I feel like they respect
my game on state once I once, I you know, going against where
what's what you're seiling? Where doyou think you can be? Do you
think you don't have a seiling?I feel like I could keep getting better,
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keep laying, keep going. Wheredo you see yourself now? Where
where are you trying to get to? You say, keep going going?
Where to the top, to thetop. You gonna time delays just coming
one day You're gonna be one ofthe top guards in the league, is
what you're telling me. I believethat mainly because the work, the work
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at it. You know, mybelief in myself, you know, I
have faith in God, and Ifeel like I mean, whatever I put
in my mind to I can do. I've been doing in my whole life.
So I mean, why I stop. Have you have you surprised yourself
anything surprised you about the season thisyear? About yourself, about your team?
Why didn't you all make the playoffs? About that? What do you
(06:19):
think help you guys from from beingin the playoffs? It was just I
feel like coming down to it wasa lot of close games that we lost
that we wasn't supposed to lose.And I feel like, you know,
it came down to like just beinglocked in, like in those quarters.
You know, sometimes we have greatthree quarters, come down to a fourth
quarter. Now we giving up officeand rebounds, you know, loose balls.
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We're not getting fifty fifty balls.You know, shots not going in.
We're getting open lists, but shotsjust not going in. So I
feel like, you know, itcame down to, you know, us
being locked in and people being heldaccountable. Are you a leader? Yeah?
I feel like I'm a leader.What's a leader to you? A
leader? I feel like it's onethat's gonna hold everybody accountable. You're gonna
keep it real with you. Youthink you have to be a certain age
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league, you can league right now? Yeah? Are you? Are you
in a place mentally psychologically where youfeel like you can step up now after
a full season? Right? Thiswas your first full season in the NBA
around the clock. Right, youfeel like you you're you're you're mentally prepared
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to say, hey, that's notright, we need to do it this
way. Oh yeah, for sure. I feel like, uh, you
know, with the year I had, you know a lot of ups and
downs, you know, you know, you just like mentally, you know,
it's just a lot like when younot playing and then you're playing,
you know, I know, reallyknowing like what's going on when you're gonna
play. So just battling with thatand you know it just staying ready,
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you know, just waiting for myopportunity, you know, talking to my
teammates, you know, asking themlike about their their cuple first couple of
years in the league, like whatthey did, you know, and you
know, just just learning from that. And I feel like, I mean
that experience just just helped me alot. How has what have you learned
from Luca Kyrie? I think Iasked you this before during the year,
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but how much do those guys helpyou. Yeah, they helped me a
lot. They're superstar all NBA typeguys. Yeah. How how have you
learned from them? Yeah, bothof them, Luca and Kyrie. They're
both always helping me. You know. With Luca, like when I first
got here, like he told melike he liked my game. Like then
now he was just like, youknow, just keep working like I always
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like like usually like when he's working, I try to watch his workouts,
like what he's doing, you know, and like just the way like it's
just comes so natural to him,you know, when he's out there,
you know, just being able tofind his teammates, being able to score
the ball, being able to liketo run a team. I feel like
just like learning that from him,like seeing how he interacts with with with
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the teammates, you know, withother guys, and you know, just
I feel like just seeing up closeand then him like wanting to help me,
like when we are on the court, like like say for instance,
like we on the court, likehe telling me like you know where to
go, or like just like thepace of the game like slowdown or stuff
like that. Just helping me whenI'm out there, you know, giving
me confidence and then you know,with Kyrie, Like ever since he got
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here, he's been helpful for meto me, you know, always in
my ear, helping me, youknow, I mean I watched Kyrie.
I've been watching Kyrie since I wasreal helping done. So, you know,
just to be able to like beyou know, close with him,
you know, being able to goup to him and ask him anything.
You know. I like to askhim a lot of questions about his career.
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I had a conversation with him,asking him about like his rookie year,
like how his first couple of yearsin the league was. You know,
I think he got drafted by Cleveland, and he ain't told me about
his experience in Cleveland, you know, his experience in Boston, Brooklyn,
And so just being able to liketo hear that from him, you know,
and take that in. I feellike that helped me a lot.
What are you watching the playoffs?Surely everybody does, just side this is
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the most exciting time of the yearin the NBA. Yeah, what do
you see when you're watching the playoffs? How do you how do you study
the game this time of the year. You've never played in the playoffs,
so what are you trying to getout of watching what's going on in the
first round of the playoffs. Yeah, you know, watching the playoffs,
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like I just want to It justmade me want to be there, you
know, just seeing like the intensity, you know, how hard those guys
playing out there, like I mean, like like they say, last play,
So just like being able to liketo watch that, you know,
seeing how hard these guys are playingon both ends of the or the floor,
you know, seeing the pace ofthe game, you know, and
just just really just like you know, you just gotta like study it fore
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study Are you a one or twoor three? I mean, what what
what would you say your position is? I know you're a guard, A
pretty good A damn good guard.I might add, what do you see
Jayden being in the league? Aone? A combo? There's a lot
of theory on on guys and theirpotential, their growth. I feel like,
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I mean, but the type ofplayer that I am, I had
it. I feel like I'm capableof playing either one order two. I
feel like my playmaking, you know, I'm still improving, but you know,
I feel like I'm one of thebest play young playmakers in the league
right now. And you know,just with my ability to getting to paint,
you know, find my teammates mythree level scoring for me to be
(11:31):
able to score for I feel likeanywhere on the floor, and you know,
just I feel like, yeah,do you understand the theory of when
to go, when to be aggressive, and when to slow? Because I
feel like that that was the biggestchallenge for me as a rookie in the
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NBA. I didn't get a lotof minutes. You probably played more minutes
this year than I got to playmy rookie year. But do you understand
that theory of when to go,when to slow? You? You you
gotta you gotta know how to involveeverybody, right, A lot of times
I watched the Mavericks play. Youmight get hot and might not get another
(12:13):
shot the whole quarter. That's aguarde responsibility, right, That's that's leadership.
But that's that's more a guarde responsibilityis to know that Timmy hadn't had
a shot in about eight possessions.Do you understand that theory and how can
you implement that to your game andget better? Yeah? You know that's
(12:37):
something like that. My teammates andlike the coach of staff like preaching me
you know, like that's something likeLuca. You know, Luca was helping
me with you know, just likeknowing like when to be aggressive, when
slow down, you know, gettingeverybody involved, you know, taking the
right shots. So you know,just like I feel like it comes with
uh, you know, it comesover time, you know, just with
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reps, studying the game. Ifeel like and yeah, you feel ready
made for the NBA. Yeah,will you be an All Star one day
in the NBA? Will? Withouta question? Question soon? Soon?
Where do you get your confidence from? Man? Why? Why? Why
do you seem so confident when youwhen you're on the floor, you just
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you just go. I mean asa starter, I think this says and
boats very well for you because asa starter, you play better. You
feel like you're a starter, apermanent starter in this league. Yeah,
I feel like I'm a starting inthis league, on this Maverick roster.
There are a lot of guys likethis ros you feel like you are.
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Yeah, I feel like, well, what's the limit? What this is?
What? How good can you be? What you're what you're selling?
Man? I keep asking, Ifeel like this guy is a limit for
me. As long as I pushedmyself, you know, I feel like
I could be one of the oneof the greatest, greatest young guards in
the league. When when did yourealize that you had this kind of potential,
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the kind of potential that you cango five, six, seven games
with twenty plus points. Have youalways felt that, always felt that way,
always slept that way? You knowwhen I was in high school,
I was going against all stars.When I was in high school, playing
against those guys, and they're tellingme like, like this kid, your
next level, Like Dan't like,I'm gonna see you soon. Keep going,
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tell you guys like who. I'mcurious guys like who Jack James Harden,
Dane. Yes, those those guys, those those two, those those
are my guys right there. Whatdo you want to accomplish? Man?
Away from basketball? I think you'reon your way basketball wise, but what
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do you want to accomplish long term? As a twenty year old? You
probably one of the youngest kids inthe league at twenty years old. What
is it that when it's all saidand done, and I know it's a
long ways away, you probably don'teven look that far. Yeah, but
when when, when it's all settingdone? For Jayden Hardy, what do
you hope people say I felt Ihope people say that that dude as a
(15:15):
monster. That's what That's what Iwanted to say. Like he he was
about his business. What do youhave to work on to to to get
to the level that you want toget to? What do I have to
work on? Yeah? What doyou have to what? What do you
think? What two flaws that youhave that you you want to get better
at? Two flaws? I wouldsay, you know, for me,
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I want to become I want tobecome a two way player in this league.
You No, not just just knownfor my offensive ability. No,
I want to be done it's knownas somebody that's no, that's gonna play
both sides of the boy. Youknow, push myself to those limits.
And I feel like, you know, defensively, I could I could give,
I can improve. How how doyou get there? How how do
you improve defensively? Is it amindset? Yeah, it's a mindset.
(16:00):
And then you you know, justyou gotta work on your body more.
You know, you gotta work ona lot of requests. Stronger, stronger.
You know you're taking you playing againststrong I'm playing against stronger guys,
and I'm playing against like real grownman. So you gotta get stronger,
faster, you know, take careof your body. And it's a it's
a it's a it's a mentality.You gotta have it in you. What
has it been like playing for aHall of Fame coach like Jason Kidd?
(16:25):
It's been I mean so far,it's been great. You know. It's
just with him helping me, youknow, help him improve my game,
always giving me confidence. Even thougheven when I wasn't playing, he was
still helping me, you know,just always coming down making sure I was
good, even when I was playingin the G League, still talking to
me, you know, making sureI was good, you know, even
when it was hard for me,just telling me, like giving me like
(16:45):
different examples or different teammates, differentguys on the team, like I could
go talk to like who was inmy situation, you know, and how
to get through that. You know. I feel like he did that to
to help me, to to Ifeel like it was it was to help
me. Should Draymond Green been suspendedlast night? Should he do? You?
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Did you view that? That's whateverybody's That's what the news is is
He's not going to play in gamethree. Do do do you view that
as the right the right call?I don't think you don't agree with it?
Um as far as intensity, man, do you do you see and
(17:30):
realize the difference in the regular seasonAnd it's hard to just look at it
and figure it out, But doyou see the difference? Everybody always said
that the playoffs is different. That'swhat we all talked about. You know,
you you have the start of theseason, the All Star and then
there's you're getting ready for the playoffs. Can you see yourself being out there
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right now planning for the annie isup, trying to win sixteen games to
be I'm the champion? Yeah,I seen myself. I see myself playing
in it. M hm. Soyou you you you you really feel like
you are the ship, the guy, the dude. You feel like you
(18:15):
Yeah, you can get it.I like it, man, I like
it. I. Um, youknow who Tiny arching Ball is? No?
I don't. You don't know Tiny'syou know? Oscar Robinson of course?
Yeah? Yeah? Um, JohnHavevlicha Nah? No. See that's
that's my challenge to you is tooand I think it'll make you better,
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you know what I mean? Awayfrom the game, just learn who paved
the way. Learn about do youknow what Kevin Johnson is? Yeah,
you know, kJ Um. Justlearn the league inside it out and it
will help you to continue to wantto be great. Does that make sense?
(19:00):
That makes sense? Yeah? Ifyou learn what the league has been
about. Craig Hodges you for mewith Craig Hodges see one of the greatest
shooters of all time. And Ithink that's that's where I want to challenge
you, as my buddy is tois to to to grow keep growing.
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And you I mean you're going you'reyou're going to do it physically and all
of that. But what takes youto the next level, man, is
just really absorbing all of the greatnessthat paved the way for for you to
to be where you are. Whowins in the one on one against you
and your brother? We didn't havea lot of those better but no,
(19:45):
I mean Ramderson right here. Sowho is is it? Is? It
kind of kind of even or what? What? What do you guys?
I like to see that. Ifeel like we just you know, anything
wash we just we always push andeach other. We want to get better,
right, you know, just whateverit does to make it. He
gonna he gonna push me to getbetter. You know, he's gonna talk
(20:07):
smack, he's gonna try to getin my head. He's gonna try to
get it under my skin, youknow. And I'm gonna talk back to
him. But but a lot.Yeah, I feel like, uh he
if I if it wasn't for him, I'm not here today, Where will
he be here one day? Yeah? Because he deserved to be deer enough
to be an NBA player. He'sgood enough right now. I believe he
should be an NBA right now.Why do you think some guys make it
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and some guys miss mmmmm? Ifeel like a lot. I feel like
a lot. You gotta you gottahave some luck on your side. I
feel like and answer, and Ifeel like, you know a lot of
guys, you know, I feellike it comes down sometimes you gotta have
some luck on your side. Yougotta know, you gotta have good connections.
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And I feel like some guys,you know, it's either you're not
dedicated. You gotta be really dedicated. You know. Some guys they you
know, they come in, youknow they ain't they don't come in.
They're just you know, trying tochill or whatever. I feel like that's
that's that's why some guys don't makeit and some guys that make it.
(21:12):
Give me an idea of of ofwhat you're doing right now, like workout
wise, I know you've been workingout every day over that some you Yeah
what what what? What kind ofthings are you working on? What?
M uh you know, just myplaymaking, my ball handling, finishing you
know. Uh, I'm been workingon my back to the basket game.
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Um. And I feel like,yeah, that's that's just what I've just
been, you know, working.They're just trying to stay sharp, sharper
than my tools. Will you playoff summer? What? What will the
summer look like for you? Um? Right now, I'm looking at playing
in Summer League right now. Butother than that, you know, just
Vegas. Yeah, Vegas, you'regonna go back to the summer you played
(21:56):
their last year, right Yeah?Yeah, so you're gonna continue to play
in the summer league. Yeah,that's just something you feel like will help
you to get to where you haveyou been asked to go out there?
No, you just want to play. Ye, man, I wish I
was in my prime. And I'mjoking with you when I say that,
(22:18):
But I see something special in you. I really do. I see something
that that's hard to go by thegrocery store and get you. You really
have a humble confidence about you,like you laugh. Were on the floor
and you're laughing and joking with mefor a second, and then you go
(22:38):
right back into I gotta go aheadand bust these casts button. And I
just like that in you, man, and and continue to be that way.
You gotta, you gotta. Youhave an opportunity, man, to
really have a special career, andnot many guys are put in that position
to have that opportunity. We weretalking about your brother, and I'm I'm
(23:00):
with you. I think he'll getthere as well. But the way to
do it, man, you can'tbe out work, come early and stay
late. That's the key to successis to come early, stay late,
be the first one there, lastone to leave. And that's why,
and that's when the game becomes easy. People think that, and you tell
(23:26):
me what you think people think.Steph Curry hits shot after shot by chance.
It's not that it's because he's hadso many reps that it's become automatic
for him. Are you at thatpoint yet in your in your career where
you feel like you're gonna make everyshot. Yeah, that you throw up
there mainly because you've direct my confidence, like believing in my work. You
(23:51):
know a lot of those always inthe gym. No, I feel like
it's repetition, Like, no,you you enjoy any any other sorts?
Yeah? Like I like watching football, you know, I like football.
I played football when I was growingup a position. I started off as
quarterback. Then you know when Igot quarterback. Yeah, I started off
quarter Uh. I started off asquarterback. Then once I got to um
(24:17):
like middle school, I was growingso I switched to right receiver. But
yeah, I like football. Soto your top five players to watch in
the NBA, Top five players torotch in the NBA, U Curry,
Brian, I like Dane. Thisis not including like who on our team
(24:41):
right now. I'm just you canlike whoever you want to like. I'm
just I'm just not a Luca.No. Yeah, well if it was,
if I'm including them, then wannabe my first two? And then
Curry Lebron and oh you you're goingKai Luca and then the other three.
Yeah, what makes Lucas so special? I feel like, you know,
(25:03):
his ability. I feel like hecan't he really he can't be stopped for
real. Just when he when he'sin that mode and he's going, it's
hard to stop him. And thenhis ability to get his teammates involved.
I feel like he can't be sparedup at all. He's gonna get to
the spots. You're gonna get tothe same thing every time. Can you
slow him down? He said,But he's at his own pace, becaues
(25:26):
Jaden Hardy play at his own pace? Yeah, I play at my own
pace. What what's your pace?My face? I'm gonna get this guy
out of here. Man? Isuh that that's special? Man? Like
I said, you just have aspecial A special gift is what I'm gonna
call it. And I knew youhave to get out of here and and
(25:48):
do some other things. But Ireally appreciate you taking a few minutes to
come over here and hollow at me. On Harp's court. We do a
sec a second fact or fiction,and I'm gonna do that with you real
quick right here. Fact or fiction. The Mavericks will win a championship within
(26:11):
the next five years. Fact andyou you say that? Why I say
that? Why? Because I believewe're gonna win with what what? What
has to take place for you?You missed the playoffs this year, so
we has to take place for youguys to come back bigger, stronger,
faster and better. I feel like, you know, just us all being
(26:33):
united. I feel like together,you know, when things are not going
right or things going right. Ifeel like we just gotta stay stick together
through the tough times and through thethrough the good times. And I feel
like if we do that, youknow, we stay with each other.
I feel like we got a greatchance, a great shot that winning the
championship. Who you see? Whodo you see being crown champion this year?
(26:56):
Right now, the way the playoffslooking, I feel like anybody can
get it an out everybody if yougot Honestly, do you have a favorite,
Jaden? Do I have a favorite? A favorite team that you you're
pulling for. Guys might be onDenver's team that you're tight with, or
Milwaukee, whatever the case might be. There's not nobody that I'm really pulling
for. Okay, I got becausewe were not in there. Nobody pulling
(27:18):
for you. Yeah, I'm pullingfor me, pulling for the Mavery.
But who do you, who doyou think comes out of the Who's crown
this champion? H If I hadto choose, I'm gonna choose probably,
I'm probably gonna go. I thinkI'm probably gonna go into Celtics a lot
of depth, so does Denver.Well, good luck. I appreciate you,
(27:44):
looking forward to U two more fromyou. Appreciate that right. That's
all from Harper's Courts. All ofus at the Dumb Network would like to
thank the crew at Herman March Whiskeyfor sponsoring another episode of Harp's Court.
Herman Marshall small Batch Whiskey is handcraftedand award winning and whether it be their
(28:10):
Texas Bourbon Texas Rye Texas Single Markor they're blended Bourbon whiskey, all are
built from the grain up, justlike good whiskey should be. And make
sure you check out their amazing tastingroom in Wiley, Texas if you get
a chance. I promise you youwon't be disappointed. It's a great place
to pop on in, enjoy oneof their specialty drinks or two, or
(28:33):
for hosting special occasions like birthday parties, mixers, weddings or receptions. Thank
you so much, Herman Marshall
All of us at the DUB Networkwould like to thank the crew at Herman
Marshall Whiskey for sponsoring another episode ofHarp's Court. Herman Marshall small Batch Whiskey
is handcrafted and award winning and whetherit be their Texas Bourbon Texas Rye Texas
Single Malt or They're blended Bourbon whiskey, all are built from the grain up,
(00:22):
just like good whiskey should be.And make sure you check out their
amazing tasting room in Whiley, Texasif you get a chance. I promise
you you won't be disappointed. It'sa great place to pop on in and
enjoy one of their specialty drinks ortwo, or for hosting special occasions like
birthday parties, mixers, weddings orreceptions. Thank you so much, Herman
(00:45):
Marshall. Hey y'all, welcome toHarps Court. I'm your host, Derek
Harper, and I'm honored to havea very special guests in studio YO this
afternoon. He is the one andonly and up and coming star as far
as I'm concerned. Jaden Hardy,Welcome to Harp score Man. How's everything
(01:07):
everything going good? I appreciate youhaving a year. Absolutely. You know.
I want to ask a couple oflittle simple questions to you, right,
all right, are you a studentof the game. Do you know
the history of the NBA? Youknow the guys that paved the way for
you to be in the NBA andwhere you are right now? Do you
know those guys? Yeah, I'ma student of the NBA. Give me
somebody, Give give me some guysthat that people. You're just twenty years
(01:32):
old. A lot of people wouldn'teven realize that, you know some of
these guys. Give me a guythat that that that's past. Its not
me, that's a has been butraise some raise some some some hay in
the in their day. Isaiah Thomas, Thomas, you have anybody else like
(01:53):
Zaia? Everybody knows Zike you spentsome time. You grew up in Detroit
where I grew up in Detroit.Yeah, I grew up a pitstiness fan,
so yeah, yeah, I knowa lot of the pistness like history,
history from Detroit and their Yeah.You know. The reason I asked
the question, man, is becauseI think it's important for young players like
(02:14):
yourself, Jaden, to know thehistory, to know the history of the
game. When I was. Thisisn't about me, but when I was
growing up, I knew everything aboutcenters, guards, forwards. That's how
bad I wanted to be in theNBA. I mean, I really did.
So I took my time and didmy due diligence on getting to know
(02:36):
who these guys were, where theywere from, what they like, what
they eat, all of those things. That's how bad I wanted to be
an NBA basketball player. So Ijust I just wanted to bounce that off
you really quick. But tell thepeople who you are. Who is Jaden
Hardy? On and off the court? Who are you? Because a lot
of people still don't know, arethey. Yeah, yeah, I mean
(02:58):
I'm a hardy, I would say, like, you know, I'm a
hard worker. I'm out going,I'm fun friendly, you know, but
yeah, you know, just youknow, like off the court, like
I'm usually like if I'm not playingbasketball, like I'm studying study in the
game, or you know, watchingwatching basketball or you know, just chilling
(03:22):
like watching like I like listening tomusic. I like music a lot,
Like sometimes I play video games,but mainly I'm just studying the game.
You know, I love basketball,so I'm always in the gym or either
studying the game. In your opinion, Jayden, who you think right now
is the best guard? I don'tcare if it's two guard, one guard.
(03:45):
Who do you feel like is thebest in the league right now?
The best in the league right now? He said, you coming, just
you saying you just you're just sayingit was the best guardst guard period.
Yeah. Who who? Who doyou look at and you marvel at who
do you see on the floor thatit's like, man, this guy is
(04:08):
I say Curry. I gotta sayCurry just by watching him like he's never
he always moving like you see guyswhen they talk about guarding him, like
he always constantly moving, always runningaround, you know. And then with
his ability to shoot the three fromanywhere. You know you got to pick
him up as soon as you walkinto Jim for so you know, just
(04:28):
well, I feel like Curve islike one of those guys that you just
got to respect. Fox. Foxtoo, Fox too, same same kind
of same kind of guy, samekind of guy. You know, those
guys fast you know Fox especially,you know he's quick twitch, his ability
to getting the lane, find histeammates. So those two guys, for
sure, some of the top guardsin the league right now. Yeah.
(04:49):
So with that being said, doyou have the potential, oh yeah,
to be in that category and thatatmosphere? Yeah, Steph, DeAndre Fox,
Dame Lillard, Kyrie Irving. Doyou think you have the ability one
day for us to be for meto be sitting here saying Jaden Hardy,
(05:12):
Yeah, I feel like I hadwhat you're doing. What makes you think
you have that ability? My workat it and I feel like, I
mean, anytime I matched up againstthose guys, I feel like they respect
my game on state once I once, I you know, going against where
what's what you're seiling? Where doyou think you can be? Do you
think you don't have a seiling?I feel like I could keep getting better,
(05:35):
keep laying, keep going. Wheredo you see yourself now? Where
where are you trying to get to? You say, keep going going?
Where to the top, to thetop. You gonna time delays just coming
one day You're gonna be one ofthe top guards in the league, is
what you're telling me. I believethat mainly because the work, the work
(05:58):
at it. You know, mybelief in myself, you know, I
have faith in God, and Ifeel like I mean, whatever I put
in my mind to I can do. I've been doing in my whole life.
So I mean, why I stop. Have you have you surprised yourself
anything surprised you about the season thisyear? About yourself, about your team?
Why didn't you all make the playoffs? About that? What do you
(06:19):
think help you guys from from beingin the playoffs? It was just I
feel like coming down to it wasa lot of close games that we lost
that we wasn't supposed to lose.And I feel like, you know,
it came down to like just beinglocked in, like in those quarters.
You know, sometimes we have greatthree quarters, come down to a fourth
quarter. Now we giving up officeand rebounds, you know, loose balls.
(06:42):
We're not getting fifty fifty balls.You know, shots not going in.
We're getting open lists, but shotsjust not going in. So I
feel like, you know, itcame down to, you know, us
being locked in and people being heldaccountable. Are you a leader? Yeah?
I feel like I'm a leader.What's a leader to you? A
leader? I feel like it's onethat's gonna hold everybody accountable. You're gonna
keep it real with you. Youthink you have to be a certain age
(07:04):
league, you can league right now? Yeah? Are you? Are you
in a place mentally psychologically where youfeel like you can step up now after
a full season? Right? Thiswas your first full season in the NBA
around the clock. Right, youfeel like you you're you're you're mentally prepared
(07:26):
to say, hey, that's notright, we need to do it this
way. Oh yeah, for sure. I feel like, uh, you
know, with the year I had, you know a lot of ups and
downs, you know, you know, you just like mentally, you know,
it's just a lot like when younot playing and then you're playing,
you know, I know, reallyknowing like what's going on when you're gonna
play. So just battling with thatand you know it just staying ready,
(07:48):
you know, just waiting for myopportunity, you know, talking to my
teammates, you know, asking themlike about their their cuple first couple of
years in the league, like whatthey did, you know, and you
know, just just learning from that. And I feel like, I mean
that experience just just helped me alot. How has what have you learned
from Luca Kyrie? I think Iasked you this before during the year,
(08:11):
but how much do those guys helpyou. Yeah, they helped me a
lot. They're superstar all NBA typeguys. Yeah. How how have you
learned from them? Yeah, bothof them, Luca and Kyrie. They're
both always helping me. You know. With Luca, like when I first
got here, like he told melike he liked my game. Like then
now he was just like, youknow, just keep working like I always
(08:33):
like like usually like when he's working, I try to watch his workouts,
like what he's doing, you know, and like just the way like it's
just comes so natural to him,you know, when he's out there,
you know, just being able tofind his teammates, being able to score
the ball, being able to liketo run a team. I feel like
just like learning that from him,like seeing how he interacts with with with
(08:54):
the teammates, you know, withother guys, and you know, just
I feel like just seeing up closeand then him like wanting to help me,
like when we are on the court, like like say for instance,
like we on the court, likehe telling me like you know where to
go, or like just like thepace of the game like slowdown or stuff
like that. Just helping me whenI'm out there, you know, giving
me confidence and then you know,with Kyrie, Like ever since he got
(09:16):
here, he's been helpful for meto me, you know, always in
my ear, helping me, youknow, I mean I watched Kyrie.
I've been watching Kyrie since I wasreal helping done. So, you know,
just to be able to like beyou know, close with him,
you know, being able to goup to him and ask him anything.
You know. I like to askhim a lot of questions about his career.
(09:37):
I had a conversation with him,asking him about like his rookie year,
like how his first couple of yearsin the league was. You know,
I think he got drafted by Cleveland, and he ain't told me about
his experience in Cleveland, you know, his experience in Boston, Brooklyn,
And so just being able to liketo hear that from him, you know,
and take that in. I feellike that helped me a lot.
What are you watching the playoffs?Surely everybody does, just side this is
(10:00):
the most exciting time of the yearin the NBA. Yeah, what do
you see when you're watching the playoffs? How do you how do you study
the game this time of the year. You've never played in the playoffs,
so what are you trying to getout of watching what's going on in the
first round of the playoffs. Yeah, you know, watching the playoffs,
(10:20):
like I just want to It justmade me want to be there, you
know, just seeing like the intensity, you know, how hard those guys
playing out there, like I mean, like like they say, last play,
So just like being able to liketo watch that, you know,
seeing how hard these guys are playingon both ends of the or the floor,
you know, seeing the pace ofthe game, you know, and
just just really just like you know, you just gotta like study it fore
(10:46):
study Are you a one or twoor three? I mean, what what
what would you say your position is? I know you're a guard, A
pretty good A damn good guard.I might add, what do you see
Jayden being in the league? Aone? A combo? There's a lot
of theory on on guys and theirpotential, their growth. I feel like,
(11:11):
I mean, but the type ofplayer that I am, I had
it. I feel like I'm capableof playing either one order two. I
feel like my playmaking, you know, I'm still improving, but you know,
I feel like I'm one of thebest play young playmakers in the league
right now. And you know,just with my ability to getting to paint,
you know, find my teammates mythree level scoring for me to be
(11:31):
able to score for I feel likeanywhere on the floor, and you know,
just I feel like, yeah,do you understand the theory of when
to go, when to be aggressive, and when to slow? Because I
feel like that that was the biggestchallenge for me as a rookie in the
(11:52):
NBA. I didn't get a lotof minutes. You probably played more minutes
this year than I got to playmy rookie year. But do you understand
that theory of when to go,when to slow? You? You you
gotta you gotta know how to involveeverybody, right, A lot of times
I watched the Mavericks play. Youmight get hot and might not get another
(12:13):
shot the whole quarter. That's aguarde responsibility, right, That's that's leadership.
But that's that's more a guarde responsibilityis to know that Timmy hadn't had
a shot in about eight possessions.Do you understand that theory and how can
you implement that to your game andget better? Yeah? You know that's
(12:37):
something like that. My teammates andlike the coach of staff like preaching me
you know, like that's something likeLuca. You know, Luca was helping
me with you know, just likeknowing like when to be aggressive, when
slow down, you know, gettingeverybody involved, you know, taking the
right shots. So you know,just like I feel like it comes with
uh, you know, it comesover time, you know, just with
(12:58):
reps, studying the game. Ifeel like and yeah, you feel ready
made for the NBA. Yeah,will you be an All Star one day
in the NBA? Will? Withouta question? Question soon? Soon?
Where do you get your confidence from? Man? Why? Why? Why
do you seem so confident when youwhen you're on the floor, you just
(13:22):
you just go. I mean asa starter, I think this says and
boats very well for you because asa starter, you play better. You
feel like you're a starter, apermanent starter in this league. Yeah,
I feel like I'm a starting inthis league, on this Maverick roster.
There are a lot of guys likethis ros you feel like you are.
(13:43):
Yeah, I feel like, well, what's the limit? What this is?
What? How good can you be? What you're what you're selling?
Man? I keep asking, Ifeel like this guy is a limit for
me. As long as I pushedmyself, you know, I feel like
I could be one of the oneof the greatest, greatest young guards in
the league. When when did yourealize that you had this kind of potential,
(14:03):
the kind of potential that you cango five, six, seven games
with twenty plus points. Have youalways felt that, always felt that way,
always slept that way? You knowwhen I was in high school,
I was going against all stars.When I was in high school, playing
against those guys, and they're tellingme like, like this kid, your
next level, Like Dan't like,I'm gonna see you soon. Keep going,
(14:28):
tell you guys like who. I'mcurious guys like who Jack James Harden,
Dane. Yes, those those guys, those those two, those those
are my guys right there. Whatdo you want to accomplish? Man?
Away from basketball? I think you'reon your way basketball wise, but what
(14:50):
do you want to accomplish long term? As a twenty year old? You
probably one of the youngest kids inthe league at twenty years old. What
is it that when it's all saidand done, and I know it's a
long ways away, you probably don'teven look that far. Yeah, but
when when, when it's all settingdone? For Jayden Hardy, what do
you hope people say I felt Ihope people say that that dude as a
(15:15):
monster. That's what That's what Iwanted to say. Like he he was
about his business. What do youhave to work on to to to get
to the level that you want toget to? What do I have to
work on? Yeah? What doyou have to what? What do you
think? What two flaws that youhave that you you want to get better
at? Two flaws? I wouldsay, you know, for me,
(15:37):
I want to become I want tobecome a two way player in this league.
You No, not just just knownfor my offensive ability. No,
I want to be done it's knownas somebody that's no, that's gonna play
both sides of the boy. Youknow, push myself to those limits.
And I feel like, you know, defensively, I could I could give,
I can improve. How how doyou get there? How how do
you improve defensively? Is it amindset? Yeah, it's a mindset.
(16:00):
And then you you know, justyou gotta work on your body more.
You know, you gotta work ona lot of requests. Stronger, stronger.
You know you're taking you playing againststrong I'm playing against stronger guys,
and I'm playing against like real grownman. So you gotta get stronger,
faster, you know, take careof your body. And it's a it's
a it's a it's a mentality.You gotta have it in you. What
has it been like playing for aHall of Fame coach like Jason Kidd?
(16:25):
It's been I mean so far,it's been great. You know. It's
just with him helping me, youknow, help him improve my game,
always giving me confidence. Even thougheven when I wasn't playing, he was
still helping me, you know,just always coming down making sure I was
good, even when I was playingin the G League, still talking to
me, you know, making sureI was good, you know, even
when it was hard for me,just telling me, like giving me like
(16:45):
different examples or different teammates, differentguys on the team, like I could
go talk to like who was inmy situation, you know, and how
to get through that. You know. I feel like he did that to
to help me, to to Ifeel like it was it was to help
me. Should Draymond Green been suspendedlast night? Should he do? You?
(17:07):
Did you view that? That's whateverybody's That's what the news is is
He's not going to play in gamethree. Do do do you view that
as the right the right call?I don't think you don't agree with it?
Um as far as intensity, man, do you do you see and
(17:30):
realize the difference in the regular seasonAnd it's hard to just look at it
and figure it out, But doyou see the difference? Everybody always said
that the playoffs is different. That'swhat we all talked about. You know,
you you have the start of theseason, the All Star and then
there's you're getting ready for the playoffs. Can you see yourself being out there
(17:53):
right now planning for the annie isup, trying to win sixteen games to
be I'm the champion? Yeah,I seen myself. I see myself playing
in it. M hm. Soyou you you you you really feel like
you are the ship, the guy, the dude. You feel like you
(18:15):
Yeah, you can get it.I like it, man, I like
it. I. Um, youknow who Tiny arching Ball is? No?
I don't. You don't know Tiny'syou know? Oscar Robinson of course?
Yeah? Yeah? Um, JohnHavevlicha Nah? No. See that's
that's my challenge to you is tooand I think it'll make you better,
(18:38):
you know what I mean? Awayfrom the game, just learn who paved
the way. Learn about do youknow what Kevin Johnson is? Yeah,
you know, kJ Um. Justlearn the league inside it out and it
will help you to continue to wantto be great. Does that make sense?
(19:00):
That makes sense? Yeah? Ifyou learn what the league has been
about. Craig Hodges you for mewith Craig Hodges see one of the greatest
shooters of all time. And Ithink that's that's where I want to challenge
you, as my buddy is tois to to to grow keep growing.
(19:21):
And you I mean you're going you'reyou're going to do it physically and all
of that. But what takes youto the next level, man, is
just really absorbing all of the greatnessthat paved the way for for you to
to be where you are. Whowins in the one on one against you
and your brother? We didn't havea lot of those better but no,
(19:45):
I mean Ramderson right here. Sowho is is it? Is? It
kind of kind of even or what? What? What do you guys?
I like to see that. Ifeel like we just you know, anything
wash we just we always push andeach other. We want to get better,
right, you know, just whateverit does to make it. He
gonna he gonna push me to getbetter. You know, he's gonna talk
(20:07):
smack, he's gonna try to getin my head. He's gonna try to
get it under my skin, youknow. And I'm gonna talk back to
him. But but a lot.Yeah, I feel like, uh he
if I if it wasn't for him, I'm not here today, Where will
he be here one day? Yeah? Because he deserved to be deer enough
to be an NBA player. He'sgood enough right now. I believe he
should be an NBA right now.Why do you think some guys make it
(20:29):
and some guys miss mmmmm? Ifeel like a lot. I feel like
a lot. You gotta you gottahave some luck on your side. I
feel like and answer, and Ifeel like, you know a lot of
guys, you know, I feellike it comes down sometimes you gotta have
some luck on your side. Yougotta know, you gotta have good connections.
(20:51):
And I feel like some guys,you know, it's either you're not
dedicated. You gotta be really dedicated. You know. Some guys they you
know, they come in, youknow they ain't they don't come in.
They're just you know, trying tochill or whatever. I feel like that's
that's that's why some guys don't makeit and some guys that make it.
(21:12):
Give me an idea of of ofwhat you're doing right now, like workout
wise, I know you've been workingout every day over that some you Yeah
what what what? What kind ofthings are you working on? What?
M uh you know, just myplaymaking, my ball handling, finishing you
know. Uh, I'm been workingon my back to the basket game.
(21:34):
Um. And I feel like,yeah, that's that's just what I've just
been, you know, working.They're just trying to stay sharp, sharper
than my tools. Will you playoff summer? What? What will the
summer look like for you? Um? Right now, I'm looking at playing
in Summer League right now. Butother than that, you know, just
Vegas. Yeah, Vegas, you'regonna go back to the summer you played
(21:56):
their last year, right Yeah?Yeah, so you're gonna continue to play
in the summer league. Yeah,that's just something you feel like will help
you to get to where you haveyou been asked to go out there?
No, you just want to play. Ye, man, I wish I
was in my prime. And I'mjoking with you when I say that,
(22:18):
But I see something special in you. I really do. I see something
that that's hard to go by thegrocery store and get you. You really
have a humble confidence about you,like you laugh. Were on the floor
and you're laughing and joking with mefor a second, and then you go
(22:38):
right back into I gotta go aheadand bust these casts button. And I
just like that in you, man, and and continue to be that way.
You gotta, you gotta. Youhave an opportunity, man, to
really have a special career, andnot many guys are put in that position
to have that opportunity. We weretalking about your brother, and I'm I'm
(23:00):
with you. I think he'll getthere as well. But the way to
do it, man, you can'tbe out work, come early and stay
late. That's the key to successis to come early, stay late,
be the first one there, lastone to leave. And that's why,
and that's when the game becomes easy. People think that, and you tell
(23:26):
me what you think people think.Steph Curry hits shot after shot by chance.
It's not that it's because he's hadso many reps that it's become automatic
for him. Are you at thatpoint yet in your in your career where
you feel like you're gonna make everyshot. Yeah, that you throw up
there mainly because you've direct my confidence, like believing in my work. You
(23:51):
know a lot of those always inthe gym. No, I feel like
it's repetition, Like, no,you you enjoy any any other sorts?
Yeah? Like I like watching football, you know, I like football.
I played football when I was growingup a position. I started off as
quarterback. Then you know when Igot quarterback. Yeah, I started off
quarter Uh. I started off asquarterback. Then once I got to um
(24:17):
like middle school, I was growingso I switched to right receiver. But
yeah, I like football. Soto your top five players to watch in
the NBA, Top five players torotch in the NBA, U Curry,
Brian, I like Dane. Thisis not including like who on our team
(24:41):
right now. I'm just you canlike whoever you want to like. I'm
just I'm just not a Luca.No. Yeah, well if it was,
if I'm including them, then wannabe my first two? And then
Curry Lebron and oh you you're goingKai Luca and then the other three.
Yeah, what makes Lucas so special? I feel like, you know,
(25:03):
his ability. I feel like hecan't he really he can't be stopped for
real. Just when he when he'sin that mode and he's going, it's
hard to stop him. And thenhis ability to get his teammates involved.
I feel like he can't be sparedup at all. He's gonna get to
the spots. You're gonna get tothe same thing every time. Can you
slow him down? He said,But he's at his own pace, becaues
(25:26):
Jaden Hardy play at his own pace? Yeah, I play at my own
pace. What what's your pace?My face? I'm gonna get this guy
out of here. Man? Isuh that that's special? Man? Like
I said, you just have aspecial A special gift is what I'm gonna
call it. And I knew youhave to get out of here and and
(25:48):
do some other things. But Ireally appreciate you taking a few minutes to
come over here and hollow at me. On Harp's court. We do a
sec a second fact or fiction,and I'm gonna do that with you real
quick right here. Fact or fiction. The Mavericks will win a championship within
(26:11):
the next five years. Fact andyou you say that? Why I say
that? Why? Because I believewe're gonna win with what what? What
has to take place for you?You missed the playoffs this year, so
we has to take place for youguys to come back bigger, stronger,
faster and better. I feel like, you know, just us all being
(26:33):
united. I feel like together,you know, when things are not going
right or things going right. Ifeel like we just gotta stay stick together
through the tough times and through thethrough the good times. And I feel
like if we do that, youknow, we stay with each other.
I feel like we got a greatchance, a great shot that winning the
championship. Who you see? Whodo you see being crown champion this year?
(26:56):
Right now, the way the playoffslooking, I feel like anybody can
get it an out everybody if yougot Honestly, do you have a favorite,
Jaden? Do I have a favorite? A favorite team that you you're
pulling for. Guys might be onDenver's team that you're tight with, or
Milwaukee, whatever the case might be. There's not nobody that I'm really pulling
for. Okay, I got becausewe were not in there. Nobody pulling
(27:18):
for you. Yeah, I'm pullingfor me, pulling for the Mavery.
But who do you, who doyou think comes out of the Who's crown
this champion? H If I hadto choose, I'm gonna choose probably,
I'm probably gonna go. I thinkI'm probably gonna go into Celtics a lot
of depth, so does Denver.Well, good luck. I appreciate you,
(27:44):
looking forward to U two more fromyou. Appreciate that right. That's
all from Harper's Courts. All ofus at the Dumb Network would like to
thank the crew at Herman March Whiskeyfor sponsoring another episode of Harp's Court.
Herman Marshall small Batch Whiskey is handcraftedand award winning and whether it be their
(28:10):
Texas Bourbon Texas Rye Texas Single Markor they're blended Bourbon whiskey, all are
built from the grain up, justlike good whiskey should be. And make
sure you check out their amazing tastingroom in Wiley, Texas if you get
a chance. I promise you youwon't be disappointed. It's a great place
to pop on in, enjoy oneof their specialty drinks or two, or
(28:33):
for hosting special occasions like birthday parties, mixers, weddings or receptions. Thank
you so much, Herman Marshall
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