#thisleague UNCUT: LIVE with Davion Mitchell

In a first in the five-month history of the show, #thisleague UNCUT went live on location with a special guest: Kings guard Davion Mitchell. The show was hosted by Chris Haynes in front of a live audience in Elk Grove, Calif., with Marc Stein joining remotely to join the discussion with Mitchell about various aspects of his first two seasons in the league, Sacramento's unexpected run to the West's No. 3 seed and some previously untold stories about how Mitchell became a King. 

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This is you, Chris Haynes's telling
Mark Stein, it's so time. This League Uncut is underway
and on fire.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
This should be a good one.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir, this is gonna be a good one.

Speaker 4 (00:27):
Look, I feel like Mark Stein because mark Stein usually
gets to come off it.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Let's spot out the intro.

Speaker 4 (00:32):
But this is me this time, Chris Haynes right here
of this league gonna cut my guy Mark Stein. I'm
doing the intro and I'm doing it live from my store,
me and my wife's store here in Elk Grove, California,
Sacramento area. That Charlote's Booty supply got Sacramento kingsguard Davon Mitchell,
so he's gonna be a This is gonna be a treat.
I hope you guys enjoy. We got mark Stein still

(00:54):
in Dallas. He couldn't make it, but look he pulled through.
He still came on to do the show, and I
appreciate my brother mark Stein for that. But without further ado,
let's go this League Uncut with Davion Mitch. Come on,
d let Daveyon get settled in here. So we got

(01:16):
Mark Stein, who couldn't be here, but that's my co host. Uh,
so he'll he'll be jumping in from here and there,
and then we'll open up for the crowd to come,
you know, to ask a few questions as well.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
So go ahead and pick that up there and pick
that up so you could talk in that mic. So yeah,
you can move there.

Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah, So d this is let's let's just talk about
first of all, the way to the season ended. It
was a tough you know, a tough series with the
Golden State Warriors. When you think about that series now,
now that you're a couple of months removed, what comes
to mind about I guess what could have been or

(02:00):
any second thoughts on how things were handled or whatever.

Speaker 5 (02:05):
I mean, I think overall, we end up playing a
good series. We end up playing a really good, talented team.
Of course, they got a lot of experience, a lot
of Hall of Famers on their team, just a lot
of good pieces. Man where they've kind of been together
for a long time. So we knew it was gonna
be tough, and I mean I think we made it
the toughest for him, taking them to Game seven, Steph

(02:25):
had an unbelievable game with fifty points. I mean, a
lot of people that's what great to do, so we
kind of expect that, but they just got the best
of us. I mean, I think we learned a lot
from it, though, Like coming into the next season, we
know what to look for, we know that the game
plan we should have come into the next playoffs we
end up going again.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
So I mean, I think we learned from it. But
it was a good series all inough.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
So you brought up Steph. We're gonna get to him
later on.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
But you know, for you in particular, you leave that
season that was your second year, So you leave that
season thinking what do you have to improve upon? How
can you get better? What is the aspect of your
game that you learned about? Okay, I need to step
it up in this area.

Speaker 5 (03:06):
I think every year, it's something that's always been talked about,
is just developing my jump shot. That's kind of just
been the biggest piece every year, and I mean I
think it's making progress. Even when I was in college,
I kind of had the same problem my first two years.
Then I kept getting better and better each year, and
then the more comfortable I get the more confidence I have,

(03:28):
the more the shots go in, the better percentages, and
the more I play because I can be on the
floor because I can shoot the ball and be good defensively.
So that's just an aspect that I've been working on
even this whole summer. That's kind of like been my
main focus is working on a jump shot. So they
have no reason not to have no reason for me
not to be on the floor. I'm saying it's defensively.
You know, I'm gonna do what I have to do,
and I think offensively, then then I can just kind

(03:50):
of be on the floor the whole time.

Speaker 4 (03:51):
Okay, let me give a shout to Lance Wood's just
popped up in here, man, Sacramento's top.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
For media, and hey, y'all better get to know him. Man,
he's just going place. Man, I think you'll just sneak
up in here.

Speaker 4 (04:02):
I want to give a shout out to my wife,
Charlotte Haynes is her store, Charlotte's by Supply.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (04:08):
Now, you're doing a good job, and you know I'm
trying to help and support you the best I can.
So with that, Saidee, A lot of people don't know
that that NBA ball. The NBA basketball is different from
college basketball and high school basketball. It takes a lot
of people a while to get used to just the
feel of it. Can you explain that transition from college

(04:31):
to the NBA basketball.

Speaker 5 (04:32):
Yeah, that's funny because I was a couple of weeks ago,
a week and a half Agard, I was at Baylor
practicing with their team, playing against their guys and playing
five and five, and they don't.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Play with the NBA ball.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
They play with the Nike ball, and it was just
a completely different feeling, Like the ball is just a
lot thicker, you got more grip on it. It's just
it was hard for me to play with Honestly, I was.
I was missing a lot of shots. I couldn't really
dribble it, and I'm like, man, I cannot play with
this ball no more. But it's a huge transition, especially
because that ball, Like when I was growing up, I
always played with Wilson Evolution, kind of like Hosco Ball's

(05:05):
growing up, and then when the NBA came, it was
it was different to me.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
I was like, man, I can't really grip the ball.

Speaker 5 (05:09):
Then I got used to it when I started working
on more and then you realize when the ball get wet,
you can you got more grip, and the more you
play with it the better. The better it is because
no one, no one likes to play with a new
NBA ball. So but it's it's just a it's a
different feeling, a huge feeling.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
Davion.

Speaker 6 (05:24):
Obviously, you just said this is your second year, so
you know half of your life is a king. You've
you've tasted the playoffs, but when this season started, being
just a player on the team, how much did you
feel the playoff drought and just how long the community there,
which has always been one of the wildest fan bases

(05:45):
in the league, just how impatient they were. I mean,
I still remember the pictures from summer league when you
know they were running and running around outside saying we're
gonna we're gonna go five hundred, and they were, you know,
they were so pumped about some summer league success. As
a player on the team, what did that feel like
when the season.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
Started, Yeah, I think that, Uh.

Speaker 5 (06:04):
I think the biggest thing Mike Brown did when coming
in being a new coach, he kind of addressed it
like the elephant in the room that you know, we
got to make the playoffs. But I think what he
did a really good job is trying to look look
over that trying to make the championship.

Speaker 2 (06:20):
He always kind of talked about that. He didn't really
just talk.

Speaker 5 (06:22):
About the playoffs because it's easy to make mistakes and
just and just lose a couple of games or lose
a couple of games in a row. You don't make
the playoffs by a couple of games. So we knew
that if we're trying to get to the championship, the
playoffs was kind of got kind of kind of going
to be in that way. So he kind of just
looked at it like that, and I feel like the
team kind of just roll with it. We thought we
was good enough to make it to the championship and

(06:43):
the playoffs is gonna come, come and go. And I
think the fans is it's different from the from the
when the fans looking in because they're not really it's
kind of hard to say that they don't. They're not
really there every day with you as far as the team,
So we didn't really try to look at the fans like, man,
we're just gonna make the playoffs. For our fans, We're
gonna make it for the organization, for the community, for
ourselves because we felt like we were good enough.

Speaker 4 (07:04):
You think the Mike Brown you bench, Mike brown first
year as head coach kind of turned.

Speaker 3 (07:09):
Some things around.

Speaker 4 (07:11):
When did you notice At what point during the season
did you notice that this team was for real? Like
you knew, like, Okay, this is gonna be different from
what Kings fans had been used to as of late.

Speaker 5 (07:23):
I think when I first noticed the day he started
to yell, not really yell, but he kind of got
on more of Fox and sabonas our best players. He
helped them more accountable than just like I feel like
a lot of coaches look at they're the star players.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
They can kind of do whatever and they get away
with it.

Speaker 5 (07:41):
But another player, someone like me that's not really the
start player on the team, but if he does something,
I'm gonna yell at him.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
But I'm not gonna yell at Fox. Not That's not
how Mike Brown was.

Speaker 5 (07:50):
He was kind of like he was even harder on
them just to make them better because they know they're
the leaders on our team, so we're gonna follow them.
So I think when he did that, I was like, oh,
we're going to be a really good team.

Speaker 4 (08:02):
So was that different from what you've seen and the
previous regime? They probably wasn't quick to Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
I mean I think I didn't really.

Speaker 5 (08:11):
I didn't really notice it as much because, I mean,
my first year I was just kind of trying to
just fit in for I was just trying to see
what the NBA was going to be like, trying to
play my best every game, and then the coaching changes
in the trade, so it was all.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
Kind of new to me. I was kind of like everywhere.

Speaker 5 (08:25):
So when I kind of had Mike Brown the official coach,
I knew that it was gonna be fine.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
So you're regarded as probably the best on ball defender
in the league.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
Did you know you had that skill set coming in
to the league from day one?

Speaker 4 (08:42):
Like what did you did you feel like it might
have been easy or like, you know, cause some rookies
been like, oh damn, you know, it's easier than I thought.
Like how was it for you once you started to
you know, crush down and guard people defensively.

Speaker 5 (08:56):
I think I've always been like a defensive type of guy,
Like I love that end of the floor. I'm a
competitive guy, so I don't want no one to score
on me. I don't want them to be easy. Like
I always wanted to make it hard for the best players.
I mean, no matter who's driven the ball, no matter
who had the ball in their hands. I always kind
of been had that competitive nature. So I wouldn't say
it came It didn't come easy, of course, because I

(09:17):
mean regarding the best players in the world, but I
would say it was easier for me because I mean,
I kind of love that end of the floor. I
enjoy a lot of people don't really enjoy a lot
of people just do it because they have to do it,
or just just stay on the floor, but I kind
of I enjoyed that end of the floor, so I
take pride in it, and I study the defensive things
from greats like Marcus Smart that Drew Holliday. So I'm
kind of looking at the people that made a name

(09:39):
for themselves defensively in the league and I can take
from them, and it just helped my game out.

Speaker 6 (09:44):
Before you got drafted, how much did you know about
Sacramento And how much had you had you actually ever
been there beyond potential draft workouts, Like how much did
you know about where you were headed.

Speaker 5 (09:56):
So I got a funny story. A lot of people
don't even notice I didn't. I didn't do I don't
know if I can say this, but I just know
I didn't say it. Say it, but I didn't even
do a workout with Sacramento. I didn't talk to Sacramento
like I didn't like during the draft process, you got
to certain people who you think you're gonna get drafted to.

(10:16):
My range was from ten to fourteen, and it was
it was teams like the Warriors, was teams like Indiana.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
It was teams like.

Speaker 5 (10:23):
Washington who I thought I was getting drafted to. The
teams I worked out for in New Orleans. I worked
out for them, and okay, see, but the teams that
I worked out for, I thought I was getting drafted.
I mean because I had really good workouts and things
like that. And I never worked out with Sacramento. I
never knew anybody in Sacramento. I didn't talk to him.
But he just I think my agency had a really
good connection with with Monty and kind of Manty know

(10:43):
about me, and he kind of wanted to change the
culture and he felt like I could have done that
as far as on the defensive end because Sacramento has
never been really good defensively, so he thought I could
change the culture in that way, and so I never
really thought to him. So I didn't never think I
was gonna come to Sacramento.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
It was never a thought. I never been before.

Speaker 5 (10:58):
I only been in California one time before I got drafted,
and I was just the LA for vacation.

Speaker 2 (11:04):
So it was I've never been a Sacramento.

Speaker 6 (11:06):
So when you're when you're when you're at that table
in the green room, like how much advanced your agent
probably gets a call that says you're going to be
a king before we actually hear Adam Silver say it.
But how shocked were you when they said, hey, you're
about ready to go to Sacramento?

Speaker 2 (11:23):
So another story? Uh ok, yeah, yeah, another story, go ahead.

Speaker 5 (11:28):
So sitting there at the table, you kind of you
kind of don't really know, but you kind of know
because basically, when you get drafted, all the cameras come
to you, and you know, okay, my name is next,
because it's a lot of cameras come to you or whatever.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
So after the eighth pick, I forgot who had the
eighth pick. A pick was probably, uh.

Speaker 5 (11:46):
Who went before man, it might have been Franz Wagner.
I think might have been Frans Wagner. He was maybe
the eighth pick. The ninth pick came, and I mean,
I didn't think nothing of it. I'm thinking of a yeah,
let me see. I think the eighth pick was Franz
Wagner from if You're right, You're right.

Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (12:03):
So it was so the fit came and the Sacramento came,
so I didn't think nothing of it.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
I was like, not even paying attention.

Speaker 5 (12:09):
I'm just looking like just talking to my family, and
all of a sudden, I just see all these cameras
just coming towards me with the knife pick. The knife
pick come and all the cameras coming towards me, facing
towards me. I'm me and my agent look because my
agent didn't even know either, because he didn't even get
the call from Sacramento until like after I got drafted.
So my agents was like he was surprised too, because

(12:30):
no one really came. It came out of shock. And
then then my name got I went on Twitter and
then they said that yes, Sacramento cames are going with
Davion Mitchell, and then that's what my name called.

Speaker 4 (12:39):
Okay so hold on, take it out because people don't
know like how the TV, how it works on TV
at the draft, the camera will go up to the player,
and that's obviously a sign he already knew. So is
there some acting that goes on, like you got to
really act like you're shocked to hear you man?

Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (12:55):
I mean I think for me, I was like really
shocked because I I think I was Sacramento, So I was.
I was probably more shocked than anyone because a lot
of people kind of know they get a phone call,
but I guess Sacramento want to surprise me too, and
they didn't even call me till after the draft, So.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
I was surprised.

Speaker 6 (13:14):
What number? Did you really think you were gonna go?

Speaker 5 (13:18):
So the surprise of the draft was actually Josh Giddy
because I had a really good workout with okay See,
and no one knew Josh Giddy was gonna go to
okay See. And I think he went maybe six, maybe
said yeah, six because the Warriors had seven. So I
also had a really good workout with the Warriors, but
I knew it wasn't gonna seven because Kaminga And then
if I didn't get picked by Sacramento. It was gonna
be by I think Indiana at thirteen, and then Warriors

(13:42):
had fourteen, So it was gonna be Indiana for thirteen
and then the Warriors at fourteen. It was gonna be
one of those two. And if I didn't get picked
by the Warriors, it's gonna be the Wizards. I think
they had fifteen.

Speaker 3 (13:51):
Let me see that fifteen.

Speaker 2 (13:54):
You got a good memory.

Speaker 4 (13:56):
So for those that don't know, like, it's very unus
usual to get drafted by a team that you didn't
work out for. So that's very unusual. I don't think
you ever, I don't think that story is ever told.

Speaker 2 (14:08):
It's probably yeah, I shouldn't have told it.

Speaker 4 (14:09):
But the number nine, the number nine pick, it was
a lottery pick. It all worked out. So you get
to you get to Sacramento. Is this your first time
ever being out here and set?

Speaker 3 (14:21):
So what was you? Give me?

Speaker 4 (14:23):
Give me your first thoughts, your thoughts of being here?
Probably two weeks.

Speaker 5 (14:28):
I mean the first two weeks, Like I think for me,
I was just always trying to be at the gym,
and then I didn't stay that far away. I stayed
in the toment, So I kind of stayed close to
the gym and the airport, so it was kind of
convenient for me when we left, I will always get
to the airport, probably the first because I was the closest.
But it was cool, Like I enjoyed the Sacramento. I
enjoyed the city, especially the people who are cool. I

(14:51):
think they got good food. It's just I enjoy it.
I mean, I don't really do much anyways, but go
to the gym, work, have my hose, playing the game,
so it was cool to me.

Speaker 4 (14:59):
So again, we're talking with Davion Mitchell, the Sacramento Kings
here live at Charlene's Beauty Supply.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
For those who are checking this out on the audio.

Speaker 4 (15:08):
Version, please if you're in the sacrament area, please come
out check out my wife's shop.

Speaker 3 (15:11):
She's doing unbelievable things out here.

Speaker 4 (15:13):
When again, shout out Davion Mitchell for coming out here
and doing this, because we all know he can be
in the gym right now. I remember I did a
You probably don't remember this. I want to say I
probably didn't, but I did what I wrote one of
your first NBA stories when you got draft. You probably
don't remember this, but I did a story and Bobby
Jackson was working with you, was right when you got drafted,

(15:35):
and I said, uh, your agent at the time told
me like, man, you need to look at him like
he's a gym rat.

Speaker 3 (15:42):
He's a gym rat. I'm like, all right, so let
me see if there's a story there.

Speaker 4 (15:45):
So I go and Bobby Jackson, who was a summer
league coach at the time, and I'm like, Bobby, what
is it about Devion? Like I'm trying to write a story.
I'm trying to get an interested angle. What is it about?
Shout out to Bobby. He just took an assistant job
with the Philadelphia seventy six ers, and he's said, dude,
he won't.

Speaker 3 (16:01):
Leave the gym, Like we got to force him to
stay out the gym.

Speaker 4 (16:04):
He comes in there early morning, comes back in the afternoon,
then comes back in the evening.

Speaker 3 (16:09):
And so I'm like, huh, okay, there you go.

Speaker 4 (16:12):
What was like, is that just natural or do you
feel like you really had to make a great first impression?

Speaker 7 (16:19):
Nah?

Speaker 5 (16:19):
I think in college I was like that, you know,
in colleges you can do that because you don't play
that many games.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
You only play like twenty something games.

Speaker 5 (16:28):
And then it's like a game like maybe one time
a week, so it ain't really putting stress in your body.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
So I didn't realize that.

Speaker 5 (16:34):
I mean, coming to the league, I'm thinking I should
be doing the same thing that got me here.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
Hold on, hold on. So what'd you What did that
change when you realize you got to.

Speaker 5 (16:42):
You starting like the game twenty is like I'm exhausted.
So but nah, Bobby, I mean Bobby helped me out
a lot. He kind of told me, like, man, you
play eighty two games now, like you gotta you gotta
make sure you're taking care of your body more than
just being in the gym, because I mean, you can
do all the workouts you you won't, but if you
if your body tired for the game, then it ain't
gonna mean nothing. So I kind of took his advice

(17:04):
and I kind of got a better schedule now, like
I don't really go too crazy, Like I know that
I got a season to play. I know I'm playing
heavy minute some night, so I know I got to
have my legs, but I also got to be be ready,
so I try to try to work between.

Speaker 3 (17:17):
Understand I was making sure.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yeah, I know, he definitely can't be going doing three
days now, no playing an eighty two game season.

Speaker 3 (17:24):
So I brought up that. I brought this up.

Speaker 4 (17:26):
Usually where a high profile NBA player changes agency, something
is up, something's going on.

Speaker 3 (17:34):
You changed representation recently, Why is that?

Speaker 2 (17:37):
I mean, it was a lot of reasons. I think
the main reason was.

Speaker 5 (17:41):
I mean I think that the agency I was with
was kind of East coast, so I didn't really get
to see him as much. They was only in New
York and I only can see me in Florida, so I.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
Didn't really get to see him as much. I didn't
really get to connect.

Speaker 5 (17:52):
And I like to talk to people and I like
to see what their mindset is because at the time,
it was like the playoffs was coming, so sometimes my
minute will be here. It would kind of be just everywhere,
And I wanted you to know that the reason but
they wasn't there because there was East Coast sometimes and
they got their players and they got their family, so
I respect that, but it was just like I needed
someone to be closer to the West coast side so
I can see them, he can come talk to me,

(18:14):
and it's like a short flight an hour flight from
LA and not like a four hour flight from New
York or things like that. So that was like the
biggest reason.

Speaker 3 (18:21):
Okay, so it's safe to say you're not gearing up
to ask for trade.

Speaker 2 (18:24):
Nah, hope not hope. It ain't on me though.

Speaker 4 (18:28):
So they like when you had the first year, you
had your signs, and the second year you kind of
had to find your way a little bit, and towards
the playoffs it became a bigger part of rotate. I
remember when I was doing sidelines for T and T
for you guys' playoff games, and I talked to coach

(18:48):
Brown before the game and he said, man, I actually
have to start like drawing up a few plays for
Deve Beyond because he's playing good defensive. I want to
keep them engaged. Tell me about this second year, would
you would you can some people say a sophomore slump
or something like that. How would you consider just the
second year and how you're able to evolve or progress.

Speaker 5 (19:07):
I just think our whole teams just got better. We
got different pieces. I think the first year our roster
was kind of like unbalanced a little bit. We had
a lot of guards and then bigs and not that
many wings. So I think this year, we had a
balanced roster with Adam Kevin, Adam Aleak than Trey playing
like it just made it. It made it like a

(19:29):
balanced roster and made our team better and made everything
much better. So I knew I had to sacrifice sometimes
the minutes because I mean Fox was playing at a
high level, and you know, the first year, Fox end
up getting hurt. So I played a lot of minutes
towards the end of the year. So, I mean, he
was playing at a high level, playing great basketball for us.

Speaker 2 (19:44):
He was winning this game.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
So I mean it's kind of it's kind of hard
to as a competitor, it's kind of hard to look
at it, like, man, you want to play a lot,
but as a teammates, like you want to cheer your
teammates on. So I mean, I think it was good
for him. I learned a lot from Fox. I mean,
seeing his game evolved, being with a better team, being
a better leader.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
It just helped me out a lot.

Speaker 4 (20:01):
Now, that's that's a unique perspective from a young player.
Most wouldn't have that perspective. It would be I guess
they would probably label with a frustrating year. Where did
the frust I know you you know you're frustrated at
some certain points during the season, and where did it
come from?

Speaker 3 (20:18):
Like where did that stem from?

Speaker 2 (20:20):
Where did the when life?

Speaker 3 (20:21):
And like where was where was the frustration was it with?

Speaker 4 (20:25):
I don't know, just a lack of not consistent playing
time or minute so what whatever?

Speaker 5 (20:30):
Like, I mean, I think that, uh, the frustration came
from putting more frustration on myself, is just making their
missing shots, kind of just putting more pressure on myself
than I didn't have to. I mean, because it's a
make or mislead. Either gonna make the shot or miss it.
You got to kind of live with the results regardless
of I mean, you just got to have confidence shooting
the ball. So I think this year, I mean even

(20:52):
next year going into I'm just kind of trying to
work on just having a uh.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
What what's the word?

Speaker 5 (20:57):
Uh, what's the word I'm trying to say, Well, honestly,
I'm just trying to just forget the shot I take,
no matter if I miss or make it, just kind
of just forget it. Don't don't have like, no, don't
be mad about it if you miss left with your airball,
don't don't just take one shot at the time.

Speaker 4 (21:11):
So let me say this real quick. Let's start and
ask the next question. I was talking with Jonathan Comedia
a couple of weeks ago Jannon Miami during the NBA Finals,
and he would just tell me about like how most
top rookies lottery picks, primarily they get drafted to losing
teams and.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
They're able to play and make mistakes.

Speaker 4 (21:31):
And Johnathan community obviously no plays for the Warriors, and
he was talking about how hard it is to go
in there, make a mistake, get a turnover, and then
get pulled really quick, and they don't have a chance
to grow that confidence like their other rookie piers. And
that's something that I think that's something similar to you,
Like you're you're a defensive specialist, but you know you

(21:56):
probably got to hit shots to stay in the game,
to get extended minutes. If you're missing that shot, and
it's like damn, like that is that something for sure?

Speaker 2 (22:05):
That's like the biggest thing.

Speaker 5 (22:06):
When our team got better, I knew that and I
start to see the minutes cut. I kind of knew that, Okay,
we're becoming a really good team. I mean because like
even my first year it was kind of different where
I can make a mistake because we wasn't really as
good the first year. So I can make a mistake
and I still be in the game where I can
miss a couple of shots or things like that.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
And I mean, but also I think you learned from that.

Speaker 5 (22:25):
I mean, a lot of people would say, like guys,
like a prime example, I think Jalen Green is a
top guard in that league, and it's easy to play
for the Rockets because they're kind of never really playing
for anything.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
They but that dude's a really good player.

Speaker 5 (22:37):
Like if he played on a good team, I think
he would kind of be doing as much as the
same thing, but it just wouldn't show as effective. He
probably wouldn't scored thirty every night, he'd probably score nineteen twenty.
But he'll be better games, Like he'll win games. So
I feel like teams like that it's easier to play for.
Like prime example, my rookie year, when Fiz got out,
when we wasn't playing for the playoffs, we knew we
wasn't going to make the playoffs. I was I was

(23:00):
putting them crazy numbers because it was like, I can
make a mistake and still be in I got the
confidence to take this shot right here, and I still
be in the game. I'm not really worried about somebody
coming behind me or taking me out because we're not
really playing for nothing, Like we know we're not making
the playoffs. So it made it made it a lot
easier after my rookie year. But I learned a lot.
I mean, I learned how to kind of run the team. Still,

(23:21):
I try to play the right way every time I play.
I don't try to just because I can be on
the four for thirty minutes, I'm about to not take
crazy shots. I'm still going to play the right way,
And I think that it could just be different for
different people.

Speaker 6 (23:32):
So, you guys had such an amazing season. Nobody on
Earth thought the Kings were going to finish third in
the West. You're playing the defending champs in the first round.
You had your chances in that series, and then when
it suddenly ends. How hard is it to watch the
rest of the playoffs. Were you able to watch it

(23:54):
and dial in or did you just I'm sure the
ending came is kind of a sudden shock to you guys.

Speaker 5 (24:01):
I would say, I mean, after the game, it was hard,
but the next day it's like you kind of gotta
get over. I mean, you can't really do anything about it.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
For me, it wasn't hard. I went to plenty of
playoff games.

Speaker 5 (24:13):
I travel to New York to watch them play Miami,
I went to LA to watch them play Like it
was because I love the game of basketball, like no
matter what, like, I'm still gonna watch the game, I'm
gonna be around it. So of course, after that first
night when you think you could have won in Game seven,
where if you could have done things differently or something
could have happened, we could have won the game, we
still be playing. But we know like the next year
we're gonna be even better. It's just the next year coming.

(24:36):
So I wasn't really as mad. I don't think really
no one as mad as after that first night.

Speaker 2 (24:40):
But yeah, it wasn't really hard for me to I
still watch basketball.

Speaker 6 (24:45):
To go to a playoff game, you're an NBA player,
But to go to a playoff game as a fan,
what are you looking for and what is what do
you digest? Because I'm sure that too, it's gotta be
a little weird to be sitting in a very small
chair trying to watch.

Speaker 5 (25:01):
Uh, I think when I went to the next game,
I would kind of just kind of paying attention to
Jalen Brunson a lot, because I mean, he's a really
he kind of up his game after after he left Dallas.
He like he went to another level. I mean, he's
a really good friend of mine. So we TechEd after
after the series. We used to talk all the time,

(25:21):
and after we play each other, we talked. So he's
just a guy that I look at as far as
like the pace of the offense, he's he's running a team,
that type of stuff.

Speaker 2 (25:30):
Just learn those things.

Speaker 5 (25:31):
But I kind of I'm also a look at as
a fan too, like man, like how you missed that shot?
Like and I get it, how fans how how fans
look at the game, like, man, how you miss that shot?
When I realized it. When I'm sitting there as a
as a fan but also as a basketball player, I'm
just looking at the different the different things a point
guard can do to run a team or to be
successful to win a game.

Speaker 6 (25:52):
I don't know if Chris told you, but I'm actually
based in Dallas, So you just brought up one of
my favorite subjects in Jalen Hrunts and since you know
his game so well, can you explain to he gets
better every year he's I mean he's done it now,
five years in a row. He's exceeded all expectations. As
someone who knows him well, how does he pull that off?
How does he find another year to go to? Year

(26:15):
after year after year?

Speaker 3 (26:17):
I didn't know you and Jalen Brust good for us?

Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yea, I didn't know that.

Speaker 3 (26:20):
Okay, good nugget star.

Speaker 2 (26:23):
I think that, uh.

Speaker 5 (26:24):
I think Jayalen Brunston always had He was always a
really good player to me. I mean even in Dallas.
It's just he wasn't you. It's kind of hard when
you don't get the opportunity. I mean he had an opportunity,
but you also got a guy like who Luca has
the ball in his hands a lot, and Jaylaen Brunt
had always been a guy with the ball in the
hands a lot, making plays for others, making plays for himself,
posting up, just getting in the paint, like even at

(26:47):
Villanova the four years the year he was a he
was a league guard, he had the ball in his
hands a lot. So I think the more comfortable he got,
the more you see the real Jayalen Brunston when he
was at Villanova, because he's always was good. I don't
think he did anything better. I think he's just got
more comfortable. He just in a situation where now he
got the ball, he's running a team like he used
to be, So now he's getting more and more comfortable.
I think the more more uncomfortable he gets, he's gonna

(27:09):
keep getting even better. I mean, because he's gonna play,
he's gonna start manipulating the game.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
He's gonna start picking people.

Speaker 5 (27:14):
Apart as far as the knowledge you have of the game,
I mean, because all the reps he gets and and
things like that. I mean, and I think the best
thing about Jayalen Brunson, I think he's the hardest player
to guard to me, because he us his body a
lot and he changes speeds a lot. So it's kind
of hard to just kind of hard to just guard
him just straight up because he changes speed so much
and you gotta kind of always stay in front of him.
Because he got a good mid range game, he got

(27:36):
a good post game, he got he got it all.
So I think that he's one of the toughest guys.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
In the lead for me.

Speaker 3 (27:42):
Okay, all right, you said that.

Speaker 4 (27:44):
Yeah, but you're also on record of saying the toughest
guard you had to defend in the league is Stephan Kurr.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
That still holds true.

Speaker 5 (27:52):
I mean it's a couple of I mean, we're playing
a really good lead, so it's yeah, he's up there,
give me the couple go uh say Shay from Okay,
see Alexander, he's definitely the toughest.

Speaker 3 (28:05):
He's the toughest.

Speaker 2 (28:06):
Yeah, he's the toughest. Yeah, he's definitely.

Speaker 3 (28:09):
A break down his game, definitely the toughest.

Speaker 5 (28:12):
Yeah, I think. I mean, he got the ball in
the hands a lot. I mean he can handle the ball.
You know, I'm an on ball de Finlis. You got
the ball in his hands a lot. He got a
really good mid range game. He has a really good
change of pace, and he's maybe six five sixty six,
so my I can't really do as much when he
gets to.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
His spots and just hope he missed.

Speaker 5 (28:31):
I mean, because he got so many inches over me,
so I kind of got to stay connected to him
the whole time. But he changed his speed so well
it's kind of hard to do that. And he uses
a body a lot, and he gets to the free
throw line, so it makes it tough. And he's starting
to hit three, so he's kind of trying to put
everything together. So now it's gonna be even tougher. And
I think next is uh I would say for me,

(28:52):
I would say next is I would say Jalen Brunson
because I'm an on ball defender, like y'all said, so
it's like on all he's he's definitely one of the
top guards. Like I said, he changed speeds well and
things like that. But I think where I'm really not
as good as off ball, and I think that Stephen
Curry comes into play and the way the team plays,
it's like he always playing off the ball. Of course

(29:12):
he's got the ball in his hands sometimes, but they
use a lot of throwing the ball. I mean throwing
it him come, comeing and get it. They're always looking
for him and they and I think they don't really
set the greatest screens and they don't get called for it.
But you know say that, but I mean he gets
opened a lot and then I mean he knocks it down.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
You can't really leave no space for him, and if
you do it, it's going there.

Speaker 4 (29:32):
Yeah, I know what you're saying there, So that's g
a Bron said, Steph top top three right there, We're
gonna We're gonna open it up for fans to ask
ask question. I got a few neighbors over there as
big Kings fans as well. They want to ask a question.
But let me let's let's stay on. Similar to Steph

(29:52):
the Warriors, you guys win the first two games of
that series. Now that you're removed from it, what happened?
So if somebody asked you, like, how did you lose
that series? What do you say? What do you say
happened after game two that resulted in you guys not
being able to advance?

Speaker 2 (30:11):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (30:11):
I would say nothing, really, I mean something happened obviously,
I think. I mean, Steve Kerr is a really good coach,
and he made adjustments. He made it where he kind
of messed up our rotations a little bit.

Speaker 2 (30:21):
I think we kind of.

Speaker 5 (30:22):
Like even even like during Game three, he kind of
like he missed their rotations a little bit, kind of
didn't really want me on stuff a little bit, and
you can see it, and it kind of took kind
of took me out of game, kind of took my
rhythm out the game because I go in a certain
time and they kind of wanted me to mess up
with stuff a little bit. So when Steve Kerr took
him out and then put him right back in when

(30:43):
it's not my time to get in. So he's like
a really good coach man. He kind of played a
lot of mind games, and it kind of messed my
rhythm up. And I think Game three I didn't really
have a good game because my rhythm was a little
bit off because I wasn't in the same amount of minutes.
I wasn't in and around the same burst I always play.
So they just made adjustments. I mean, also, that's just
a really good team and he'd been through it like
he'd been through he won a championship the year before,

(31:05):
so he had to make adjustments on the fly and
game and series and this series from one, it was
just like he's used to it. So I think, yeah,
that's a good point.

Speaker 4 (31:14):
I didn't think about that. So they changed the lineup.
What was it Game three or Game four?

Speaker 5 (31:19):
Maybe maybe game three because it was going to Theay
Place and it was game three.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yeah, they needed to win.

Speaker 4 (31:24):
Yeah, and so you would like, as a competitor, you
would like for on your end, you would like to
you're playing time to mirror.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
A little staff. Yeah, I mean I knew it was
going to be able to.

Speaker 3 (31:36):
Yeah, but it kept you. I get that, and so
I say, that's that's I didn't think about that.

Speaker 2 (31:42):
That's a good point.

Speaker 5 (31:42):
I think people don't realize that this game is like
a rhythm. Like you got to have rhythm to play
this game. To really be really good at it, you
got to have a rhythm. And when fans, the way
fans look at it is like, yeah, you gotta make
this shot.

Speaker 2 (31:53):
You got to make this shot.

Speaker 5 (31:55):
Like but just like if there's no rhythm, it's kind
of hard to play like that for anyone. I would
think that someone that comes off the bench and sometimes
like we're in game three when we only get to
play like a minute and a half because of Steph
curries out and then he comes back in and it's like, oh,
I don't have no rhythm. Now I'm back on the
bench where I started because I don't start, so I'm
on the bench again. Now I got warm. Now I

(32:16):
gotta come back on the bench. And it's like people
don't realize it. Man, it's a lot of a lot
of insight to it.

Speaker 4 (32:22):
So the next question that pertains to that series, was
it really necessary for he Fort to get kicked off
the game?

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Honestly, I don't know anything about that.

Speaker 5 (32:36):
I don't think no one on our team was really
like paying its it after the game when they said something,
but like, I didn't really.

Speaker 2 (32:42):
That was.

Speaker 4 (32:44):
That's a legend, man, he reped Sacramento Toosary.

Speaker 6 (32:49):
What would you say is if you could only pick
one thing next season, what do you want to do
better than you did this season?

Speaker 2 (32:56):
Are you talking about as far as the team wise
you you individually?

Speaker 5 (33:01):
Oh, I think just shooting the ball better, getting more
comfortable with shooting the ball. I think that's just the
main thing.

Speaker 2 (33:08):
I think. If if I can shoot the ball with confidence.

Speaker 5 (33:11):
And and and hit most of them, then I mean
I'll be on the floor more and everything just work out.

Speaker 6 (33:16):
And then I guess I'm probably gonna ask the question
that everybody in Charlene's Beauty supply wants to know. What
are the Kings going to do for an encore? How
do you guys prove that it wasn't a one hit
wonder situation?

Speaker 5 (33:29):
I mean, I think that if everyone gets better individually,
they're gonna make their team better.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
That's that's always kind of been my thought process.

Speaker 5 (33:36):
If if everyone's getting better individually, then and they bring
it to the team and as far as the real aspect,
then we're going to be a better team. But I
don't think the one hit wonder would be a thing
because I mean, everyone.

Speaker 2 (33:48):
Our team works hard.

Speaker 5 (33:49):
I think the Arran's working extremely hard this offseason so
he can kind of have the same team or even
a better season. And he's our leader on our team,
so that's gonna make us a lot better as a team.
Don't mind is working hard as ever, so he's gonna
get better and he's gonna make our team better. Me
the league, all the guys that play man like, all
the guys is on the team that is going to contribute,
and everyone on the team is getting better. So I

(34:11):
think that if we all come together and with our
individual summers, then I think that we're gonna be better
as a team.

Speaker 4 (34:20):
So let's we're gonna everybody get your questions ready. If
you want a question you want to ask, Deveon, raise
your hand. I'll get to you. Okay, you'll be first
after this one, Devion, So you've been in the league
for a few years now, You've seen that this is
a business.

Speaker 3 (34:37):
You see trades, You see.

Speaker 4 (34:38):
How guys are traded and how they oftentimes find out
on social media. You see Chris Paul going over there
to the Golden State Warris and things like that. So
have you been in the league long enough to wonder
if your name will be next, like if you'll see
your name on the ticker for being traded or being moved, Like,
has there been a scare yet from you?

Speaker 5 (34:59):
Yeah, my rookie year guy. I used to work out
with Rico Hines. He was yes's my guy, Yeah, Philly,
And he would say he would always say, man, like
if Shaquille Shaquille o'nil can get traded, you can get traded.
So that's always been like my thought process, Like, I mean,
any day I can get traded. One of the best
players that, one of the best big man's ever played

(35:19):
the game could get traded.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Sure, I can get traded, I mean, just like anyone else.
So I always had that good perspective.

Speaker 3 (35:30):
So I'm had you come over and take the Michael
as of course, say your.

Speaker 2 (35:33):
Name and the other thing.

Speaker 3 (35:34):
Man, welcome.

Speaker 2 (35:36):
My name is Ramsey.

Speaker 8 (35:37):
One of the questions I have for you is actually
outside of basketball, are you fan of any other sports
outside of basketball?

Speaker 3 (35:42):
And do you have any other favorite teams?

Speaker 2 (35:45):
I mean, I've been to a couple of baseball games.

Speaker 5 (35:47):
I'm not really a big ball football fan, Like, I
don't really watch football. But I would say, like, I
don't have any favorite teams to say, but I mean
I've been.

Speaker 2 (35:55):
To a couple of games. Okay, yeah, cause I mean
I saw you a couple of times. I know you're
from Georgia.

Speaker 5 (35:59):
That's how you like wearing a brave shirt and everything,
if you were a Falcons fan or not. Myself, I
don't really I don't really watch football like that.

Speaker 3 (36:08):
Most people think your first sport was football.

Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah, I get get that. A lie get that.

Speaker 5 (36:13):
I never played football, though I played in middle school.
Then I stopped after middle school. I was like, it's
not me.

Speaker 2 (36:18):
What's what?

Speaker 3 (36:19):
What's what about football? Is not?

Speaker 2 (36:20):
To to be honest, to be a little bit cocky.
I think it was a little too easy. No, I
think that football man.

Speaker 5 (36:30):
I just I really don't like being outside as much,
and you've got to be outside no matter if it's
hot or cold.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
I'd rather just be in the building playing a sport.

Speaker 4 (36:37):
So when you look at free agency, I think ways
to get better. You hear all types of names that's
being floated on what the Kings are going to do.
Obviously they're gonna gets done with an extension. You're hearing
Kyle Kuzman name float floating around. Do you listen to rumors?

(36:58):
Do you listen to things? Are you at the point
where you probably are even recruiting guys? Does it? Has
it got there yet? You just laid back and see
what happens.

Speaker 5 (37:07):
Yeah, I mean I think right now my point that
the point of my career. I think I'll just try
to look at it like I'm gonna get better. Regardless,
I try not to look at the aspect. I feel like,
whoever's get on the team, I mean, they're gonna they're
gonna be good for us. We got a really good
coaching staff, We've got a really good system around it.
Someone's not gonna come onto our team and just be

(37:29):
like a completely different person. They're gonna gel in with
the team. So I think we're gonna be fine.

Speaker 3 (37:35):
Questions, come on, come on up, you got a question,
Get on the mic. I got I got this. This
is my neighbor right here. This is my neighbor right here.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
Give it.

Speaker 9 (37:48):
If you give your name.

Speaker 7 (37:49):
And everything, my name. My name is Victor humanis uh question?
You got hammered in the head a lot. And I
know the NBA doesn't about helmets. So is this the
reason why you're out.

Speaker 3 (38:00):
Your hair number one?

Speaker 2 (38:02):
Definitely, definitely not the reason.

Speaker 5 (38:04):
I kind of just during the summertime, I try to
if I ain't going nowhere, I just use it.

Speaker 10 (38:08):
Don't get it done, I just let it breathe real know,
you did you get hit a lot. I mean not
as much as the bonus, but you did get hit
a lot. And you're tough, right Yeah. So my big
question for you is, like somebody's had put that in you, right?
How to play that defense? Who's that person? That's a
great question.

Speaker 5 (38:27):
I have three uncles that, uh that kind of put
the ball in my hands, that played the game. Didn't
make it the NBA, but they played in college and
things like that, and they were all competitive, and I
think that's.

Speaker 2 (38:38):
That's the way what you mean. Right.

Speaker 5 (38:42):
Yeah, Like I said, I got three uncles and they
play college ball, and I'm close with them and I
think they all they all been competitive, and I think
that's where I got it from seeing them playing his
people at the gym, playing hard things like that. I
think that's where I just kind of got it from.
Really that's a fan. I appreciate it. Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 4 (39:00):
Give I shout out to Seaun Cunningham out here at
ABC ten out here covering this event.

Speaker 11 (39:05):
Real quick shout out to the same person, Steph. I
see my man in the shop getting the wig down
all the time, man, so we know where to go. H.
My question is, actually I got lucky. I was on
the AMP app with Roz and Coach Brown asking the
same question triple threat, basketball, draw, pass shoot, but just
in general, man, because I've been watching since Baylor I love.

Speaker 2 (39:21):
I'm a Kings fan, right or die?

Speaker 11 (39:22):
What are your three things that you can hand your
hat on though you personally though, how people want to
know you by, how you move, how you knew because.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
I laid back, quiet dog, and but give me three things.

Speaker 11 (39:31):
Give me your trouble threat right now to everybody who's
the sacrament to really know who Daveyon is.

Speaker 2 (39:36):
I think I.

Speaker 5 (39:37):
Think the main two is I'm more laid back for sure,
anybody will tell you, I'm like probably the most laid
back person you ever meet, and other than Keik is
definitely laid back, but laid back and I think hardworking
and uh it'sanolla.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
One more word I would say.

Speaker 5 (39:53):
I would just say, like, my biggest thing is I
would like to inspire people, especially from where I'm from.
I'm from a small city or only a couple of
people really made it out. I mean, only two people
made it to the NBA in my city. A couple
people want to receive so it's tough. So just to
just to inspire the people, especially I mean little kids
of course across the world, but just mainly people from
from smaller cities, just to let them know, man like,

(40:15):
no matter how small the city is, no matter how
big the city is, if you work hard, then you
can you can make anything possible. Appreciate men, Yeah, no problem.

Speaker 4 (40:23):
Oh oh Lance was uh oh, come come on, come
on up here, come get get the mic.

Speaker 12 (40:29):
You know how it is, as you said, you want
to inspire people, and that stuck out with me. Earlier
you was talking about how you never worked out for
the Kings, but they drafted you, and that inspired me
because I haven't worked out for any temps, so I
still got a shot.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
People.

Speaker 12 (40:48):
This is a question, though, what is what is? Or
is there inspiration behind you wearing a number fifteen?

Speaker 5 (40:56):
After we won the national championship at Baylor in my
city where I'm from, they kind of honored me and
giving me a day, Davion Mitchell Day until April fifteen.

Speaker 2 (41:07):
So I kind of just kind of picked that up there.

Speaker 5 (41:10):
And fifteen was my high school number my first year,
my freshman year in high school, so I just kind
of just wanted to go with it.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
I kind of had to get away from forty five.

Speaker 3 (41:18):
It's dope, that was actually my number. Fifteen is my number?
Why was fifteen my number?

Speaker 13 (41:24):
Here?

Speaker 3 (41:26):
Who is my favorite player?

Speaker 2 (41:28):
Spree? Well?

Speaker 3 (41:29):
Spree Well yeah, okay, you got a joke, sir, We
got a joke. Come on up here, man, you get hurt?

Speaker 2 (41:37):
Here you going, man? I'm here a nice bro.

Speaker 14 (41:41):
So my question to you are is I know you
say you want to work on your jump shot. I'm
a big basketball fan, playball, I'm a latest fan, but
I just like basketball in general. So I know you
say you want to work on your jump shot. You
guys had a lot of success. I've been in Sacramento
for a while. What is two things you want to
achieve as a player, INVIDLEI I know, team success, No,

(42:01):
just you as an individual.

Speaker 5 (42:04):
I would say individually. I mean I've never been like
a big accolades guy. I mean, of course it if
it if it happens, it happens through the work that
I put in. But I would say accomplishing just uh,
just being the best player I can be.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
That's definitely one of the things.

Speaker 5 (42:19):
And don't don't really take anything for granted, don't cheat
the process, no matter how hard times could be. Just
kind of just kind of my motto. What I live
for is trust your work. That's that's my brand, That's
who I am. So kind of just having that just
if I if I leave my career knowing that I
worked as worked is hard every single day and never
achieved the process, that I can live with that.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
Come on.

Speaker 4 (42:41):
Come on, brother, Let the alder through, Let the alder through.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Come on.

Speaker 8 (42:48):
Mike Bradley, old school basketball fan from Tacoma. I've been
here for a while. So what do you do right now?
Nothing retired?

Speaker 3 (42:56):
What do you do?

Speaker 2 (42:58):
I give him buckets every day? Give Chris buckets every
day coach.

Speaker 8 (43:02):
I'm a Sheldon High School here at Sacamelo, so we're
one of the top teams you know the area. So anyway,
is there a team that you look at when you
go around the league and say, damn, if I was
on that team, we'd be we'd be giving giving buckets.
I know, we want you don't have to give out
a team, but this like teams that She's like, man,
you know, if I was with that group of guys,
you know, we'd be giving some buckets to the league.

(43:24):
And the second thing is what advice should you give
to these young players coming up, you know through the
AA the tennis shoe circuits.

Speaker 2 (43:31):
You know, what do they what?

Speaker 8 (43:32):
What should they be looking out for and not doing
or should they be doing to be further seen?

Speaker 5 (43:41):
The first question is hard to hard to answer that,
but I would just say that, I mean, any team
where I know I can play forty eight minutes, that's
all I can say.

Speaker 2 (43:52):
That's all I can say.

Speaker 5 (43:53):
Anything I can play forty eight minutes, I think that
I get a couple of buckets.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
And as far as like.

Speaker 5 (43:58):
The kids just a U circuit, I mean, it was
it was hard for me because what wasn't really hard
because I started off playing with my local team to
South Georgia Kings.

Speaker 2 (44:08):
It was in Hinesville, Georgia.

Speaker 5 (44:10):
A lot of people don't really know, but it was
just a small local team and I really wasn't getting
seen like that. It was kind of I was playing
good games, having really good tournaments, big tournaments, but I
wasn't really getting seen because it wasn't in the bigger tournaments.

Speaker 2 (44:22):
So I just found the team, the Georgia Stars. They
kind of believed in me.

Speaker 5 (44:26):
Atlanta team, they kind of just believed in me, and
they came even b they drove all the way from
Atlanta just to pick me up just to play games,
just because they wanted me to play with them.

Speaker 2 (44:34):
And that's when I really started getting seen.

Speaker 5 (44:37):
After those tournaments, a couple of tournaments, I started getting
my name out there. So I would say the biggest
thing is, don't don't really worry about what circuit it is.
No matter if it's under armoured Nike adida is they're
always going to be as scouts or it's always going
to be scouts at these tournaments because they're going to
see other players. Like I feel like when I was
when I was younger and with South Gegia Kings, and
we played like an under armoured team, a big team,

(44:59):
and they were scouts to see the under armoured people,
not for us.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
But I would have a good game and it's like, oh,
who is this guy? You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (45:05):
So it was just like I never really looked at
it like, man, I gotta play on the best Nike
circuit or I gotta play on the best under armoured
circuit just to get seen. I just kind of was
looking like I gotta be on the team where I
know I'm gonna play. I know, I get to show
my talent. I know someone that can believe me. Then
after that, it's kind of like it's up in the air.
You know, whoever whoever see me, whoever they don't. I mean,
I know if I work hard, people are going to see.

Speaker 4 (45:26):
Give me to give me accurate because heights can be
deflated when when they putting the heights on, Like so
let me see, they said, I Everson with what six
feet six one six, He's not He's not six for
one six. Uh dame, they got dame listened six threes,
not six three. So what is your what they list

(45:47):
you as first.

Speaker 5 (45:48):
So the NBA triggy they they list people when they
do the heights, is they do with your shoes off? Yeah,
And I think it's triggy because you don't ever play
with your shoes off. So it's like, why are you
measuring so my shoes off? I'm six v my shoes
on six to.

Speaker 3 (46:03):
One and yeah that's so what do you tell people?
Mostly six two six two? Okay? You doing?

Speaker 9 (46:14):
Daniel Golden, longtime tecond will fan kings fan, got a
question for you. So when I watch you play, you've
seen very very quick set, very very of course quickly.
Same with the Fox in practice? How does it go
between you and him? How does how do you?

Speaker 15 (46:31):
I mean, i'd excuse that would be like the greatest
watch of all just see both you go at each
other because you're both so quick. I honestly, I'm not
sure that he's quicker than you. If anything, you guys
about the same. That's my personal feeling. So I just
want to know how you how those practices go with
because I don't even got to be batter.

Speaker 5 (46:48):
Yeah, of course I think the Yeah, it's it's definitely
a tough battle. I mean, especially because the competitive van.
I'm defensively, I'm I think I'm okay, and Fox are
offensively is one of the top guys in our lead,
so it's all always a battle. I mean, he will
even tell you and I would say, as far as
the quickness, I mean, I would say, people would say
I'm quicker because I'm a lot it looks like I'm shorter.

(47:08):
But Foxes he have longer arms, longer legs, so he's
more skinnier, so.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
He's he's like faster. I would say he's faster.

Speaker 5 (47:15):
Here, I would say I can probably get to a
spot quicker than him, but he's definitely faster.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
But it's definitely fun battles.

Speaker 5 (47:21):
Man, He's made me a lot better defender because no
one is as fast as him in the league. So
when I'm guarding to other people, I can use that
to my advantage. Like, man, I guard Darren Fox every day,
is no way you're gonna get by me, you know
what I'm saying. Like, I can use my body, I
can use my speed, so it makes it easier. So
going against him has just been a blessing for me
because it's making me better.

Speaker 2 (47:42):
All right, need more questions?

Speaker 3 (47:44):
This another one of my neighbors right here, Robert.

Speaker 13 (47:47):
Ryan, born and raised in Texas, represented all of the teams.
But I have a question from you. Most college players
go from one good conference to another. You left Auburn,
which is SEC, and you went to Baylor, which is
Big twelve, which is kind of not the same. What
made you make that decision to jump from the SEC
to Big twelve.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
Yeah, I got a story for that one. Yeah. So
when I went to Auburn, we.

Speaker 5 (48:15):
Had really good guards Jared Harper and Bryce Brown all SEC.
When I left, they end up taking their team to
the Final four, and I knew I was gonna really
have the opportunity toil like my junior year. And I
was like, I don't think I should wait that long
because I feel like I wasn't really getting better as
far as that I was learning, but I wasn't really
getting the reps, you know what I'm saying. And I
feel like that's the best way to learn when you

(48:35):
get the reps. And I knew I wouldn't get that many,
so I transferred in. I mean, I averaged maybe like
two points in Auburn, so it wasn't a lot of
schools that after I transferred that kind of contacted me.
It was like it was either Georgia State in Atlanta
when I took a visit, or Saint John's in New York,
and then Baylor ended up coming last because of a
close friend I knew in high school I used to

(48:57):
work out with. He knew one of the coaches from Baylor,
coach Brooks, and they kind of connected and saying like, yeah,
I think we got a good guard for you and
davey on and they just fell in love with the
film and they kind of just went from there because
I didn't have that many options because they was either
I went to Georgia State before I went to Baylor,
and I was supposed to take a visit to Saint
John's and I knew it was gonna be tough because
I don't really like being in New York anyways.

Speaker 2 (49:18):
Because it's just so many people.

Speaker 5 (49:20):
So it's just after I took that Baylor visit before
I went the same time as I committed the same
visit because I'm like, it's no need for me to
go to New York.

Speaker 2 (49:27):
I know where I want to be, So that's why
I went to Big twelve.

Speaker 5 (49:30):
It wasn't really I didn't even look at the conferences
as a thing, like it was just Baylor was a
really good school for me. They had a grad transfer.
I knew I was gonna play the next year. I
know they wanted the ball in my hands. They their
culture is just completely different then the after the book
before actually before me, they had all their guards went
to all Big twelve.

Speaker 2 (49:50):
So I was like, it's perfect for me. So it
was a perfect situation.

Speaker 3 (49:53):
And do you.

Speaker 13 (49:54):
Believe and do you believe that that change actually helped
you get into.

Speaker 2 (49:59):
The that was I would think that.

Speaker 5 (50:03):
I mean Auburn definitely, Auburn definitely helped me transfer because
they if I wouldn't win and went to Auburn, then
I would and went to Baylor, and I wouldn't have
won a national championship.

Speaker 2 (50:11):
I probably wouldn't have been a nine pick.

Speaker 5 (50:13):
So everything just happened for a reason, Like me going
to Auburn just showed me that, Okay, it's just a
new spot I can go to. And I think that
Baylor did a phenomenal job with me as far as
I mean teaching me how to play the game the
right way, teaching me just to be a better person,
just to just other things that Baylor taught me that
a lot of people are not gonna get from these
these huge schools like I think Kentucky's and the things

(50:33):
like that for the names.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
I think Baylor was just a really good school all
and all.

Speaker 3 (50:38):
I think I think I'm back here now, Okay.

Speaker 4 (50:42):
So indeed, there is a majority of people aren't going
to reach six ' five six six six seven, so
most people are going to be six foot or under.

Speaker 3 (50:54):
What would what would you say? What's your lesson to.

Speaker 4 (50:59):
The smaller guy that want to make the lead, and
what do you think helped you ultimately as a smaller guy,
helped you to be able to dominate at the levels
you have to get to ultimately this level.

Speaker 5 (51:12):
So I think a lot of people look at as
as like even as little guards or even as taller
people like to get to the lead. They always look
at like, I got to be able to shoot, I
gotta be able to pass, I got to be able
to play defense. They try to they try to add
all these things in their game and try to be
great at but people don't realize if you're really great
at one thing, and for me, as defensively, you can
get in the leader if you have a little bit

(51:33):
of offense or if you show that you can win,
Like you don't have to be great at everything. And
I think that's where a lot of people work at
when they try to work out and try to go
to the school, like, man, I got to be really
good at this, this, this and that, and it's hard
to do that when you don't have that much time,
you know what I'm saying. So you have to just
be I think for someone smaller like under six feet
and under or even six foot six two, I think

(51:54):
if you're great at one thing, that the lead is
gonna love, you know what I'm saying, Because if you're
great at one thing, a lot of people, a lot
of people that's good at basketball are just okay at everything,
you know what I'm saying. But if you're great at
one thing, the league can use, you know what I'm saying,
If someone they can use someone that can just play defense.
Maybe you ain't gonna play as minus minutes, but you'll
get better. You'll get you'll become a better shooter to
get more minutes, you become a better decision maker, you

(52:16):
becod of just a better teammate all in all, So
I would just say, look at that.

Speaker 3 (52:21):
You don't never I did this in college. I'm six
two with shoes on.

Speaker 4 (52:26):
But I would look at guys who are six six,
and I'd be like, if I have five more issues.

Speaker 3 (52:32):
Like they ain't better to be.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
They just got always they's got the inchest. It's always
like that.

Speaker 4 (52:37):
You always look you look at some of these guys,
he'd be like, man, your skill set, Like my skill
set is way better than yours, but you just got
six inches on me.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
But that's a problem.

Speaker 3 (52:47):
Like this over here, yo, like this dude over here
and my preacher to the choir let my bad.

Speaker 2 (52:58):
I would say that it's tough, but I always think
of it like that too.

Speaker 5 (53:02):
But it's like maybe if I was six eight with
the same skill set, I wouldn't be as fast, you
know what I'm saying, Like.

Speaker 2 (53:07):
Like it's just different things.

Speaker 5 (53:09):
You can look at it, like if someone was six
six and saying, mane, if I was shorter, maybe I
can move it's faster than Maybe you wouldn't have the
left that I want, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (53:16):
It's just different things to look at it.

Speaker 5 (53:18):
Like Isaiah Thomas, like one of the greats, a close
friend of mine too, Like he had all the skill
in the world. Maybe if he was six seven, of course,
he maybe be the best player, but he wouldn't be
as skilled, he wouldn't be as fast because he used
that to his advantage to other people, because he's lower
than everyone. Because I just look at it a different way, Like,
but I feel what you're saying though, Like maybe if
I was seven foot and I had the same skill set,

(53:40):
I'll be a Kevin Durant.

Speaker 2 (53:41):
But it's like, no, I wouldn't you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (53:45):
I just I just see a lot of six seven
people like the guy.

Speaker 3 (53:49):
It's waste wasted? Was all right?

Speaker 4 (53:56):
Were about to about the Uh trying to cut the minute?
Is there any I will make sure I don't miss it,
but I'll make sure I give everybody up. God, come on, man,
you got the Kings Georgy Sir? I like that?

Speaker 3 (54:10):
Okay, great to meet today.

Speaker 16 (54:14):
The answer just curious, what's your nice, big Kings fan?
Curious with the draft that just happened with the Kings
you pay attention at all and seeing who got drafted
and what you think about them?

Speaker 5 (54:29):
Uh, to be honest, to be honest with you, uh. Oh,
to be honest with you, I didn't know anything about
like Husually when I'm in the NBA, I don't really
watch much college basketball unless it's Baylor, Like I only
watch Baylor. So I don't really know anything about the guys.
I mean, but I'm sure they're going to be really
good because if the Kings picked them, there's a reason

(54:51):
why they picked them. There's the reason why they're in
the league. So I mean much respect to them, but
I don't really know much about them. I can't tell
you anything about them.

Speaker 3 (54:58):
Actually, that's dope. Mark Smith Soccer appreciate it.

Speaker 17 (55:07):
So a couple questions. You mentioned you're a gym rat,
you're hard worker. I want to know what's your daily
schedule this off season. You know, what's an every day
kind of like for you.

Speaker 5 (55:17):
I mean, I can just tell you about today. I
feel like today it was pretty long. So I usually
wake up. I'm not really a big sleeper. I don't
really sleep as much. I kind of go to sleep
around like ten o'clock and I wake up usually like six.
It's probably because I don't have black curtains though. It's
like every time the sun comes up, I go up,
so I wake up at six, uh win today, to
the gym at seven o'clock, lifted at seven point thirty.

(55:40):
Then I'm on the court right after that, and then
we end up playing together like three on three and.

Speaker 2 (55:44):
Stuff like that with a couple of players is there.

Speaker 5 (55:47):
And then after that at around eight o'clock, I'm going
back to the gym and I'm finished for tonight.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
Yes, yesterday, Yeah, definitely that.

Speaker 17 (55:56):
So my second question, you know, you mentioned that you're
kind of patting your defensi game after the Drew Holidays
and Market Smarts p your top five defensive guards or
defensive players of all.

Speaker 2 (56:06):
Time all time.

Speaker 5 (56:10):
I honestly would just say, I mean, you gotta put
Draymond up there, of course, Drew Holliday, Marcus Smart. I'm saying,
like people that are to perim and I feel like
black Shots is completely differences, completely different, uh aspect. I
think Michael Bridges is up there. And I would say

(56:31):
the last one, I mean, can I put myself definitely myself?

Speaker 2 (56:35):
Yeah there you go.

Speaker 4 (56:36):
Yeah really man, For the bottom of my heart, man,
I appreciate you for coming out man, supporting my wife
out here at Charlotte's b Supply here and.

Speaker 3 (56:45):
They'll grove everybody. You're a robber Fossett, Bayon and wife.

Speaker 2 (56:52):
And that'll do it for us. See you next time.

Speaker 1 (56:56):
This league and Cutters and iHeart Radio Production.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
Don't sad a look up Christine's de marks time