May 20, 2025 • 58 mins
In this episode of the Huddle Within Podcast, host Daniel Rushi interviews Pistons Jack, a passionate Detroit Pistons fan and content creator. Jack shares his journey from a casual basketball fan to a full-time content creator, detailing the emotional highs and lows of supporting the Pistons.
The conversation highlights the deep connection between sports fandom and personal well-being, as well as the joy of connecting with fellow fans around the world.
Be sure to follow Pistons Jack journey here:
www.instagram.com/pistons_jack/
🎧 Tune in, subscribe, and join the conversation. Connect with me on social media.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
What is going on everybody? And welcome to another episode
of The Huddle Within podcast. We have now hit episode 13,
which is extremely exciting for those tuning in for the first
time. If you do enjoy this episode,
feel free to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
And also it would be great if you could leave a five star
review as well. For this week's episode, as you
(00:22):
can tell from the title, we havebrought on Jack Kelly, also
known as Pistons. Jack, who is a passionate
Detroit Pistons fan from Melbourne, Australia, getting
worldwide kind of coverage on onhis support and passion for the
Pistons. So a perfect guest to have on
this show. We sort of go into a deep dive
(00:44):
of his fandom, his rise to kind of being one of the main Pistons
communities and also main pillars of Pistons coverage and
sort of, yeah, discuss that journey.
Put a bit of kind of our Australian spice in it as well,
given that we're both from Australia there.
And just giving you guys a bit of a limelight as to what you
(01:05):
could possibly be if you were topursue a team or a sport that
you want to support as a major fan.
So it's a very good listen. I really hope you guys enjoy the
content. And Jack was a super down to
earth bloke. Really appreciate him getting on
the pod and discussing all things MBA and all things
Pistons. So let me know what you guys
(01:27):
think, and yeah, please enjoy. Welcome to the Huddle Within
podcast, where we go beyond the surface to uncover the real
impact of sports on our lives. Whether it's lessons of
resilience, the passion that fuels us, or the stories that
connect us all, This is where the game gets personal.
I am Daniel, a regular sports fan just like you, and together
we'll explore what sports truly means beyond the surface.
(01:48):
So step right into the Huddle and let's get into it.
(02:08):
What is going on, everybody? And welcome to this week's
episode of The Huddle Within podcast.
Today, I am proud to present another guest on the show,
Pistons. Jack, how's it going?
Good mate, how are you? Yeah, Good, good, good.
Just honestly really excited to have you on here.
We've had conversations in the past so I know a lot about you,
(02:29):
but would love for my audience to know who exactly you are as
well. Of course.
So yeah, my name's Jack. I'm, I'm in Melbourne,
Australia. I'm a huge Pistons fan and in
the past six to eight months I launched my own brand called
Pistons Jack and essentially I'mjust on most social platforms
(02:49):
and I make content about the team daily.
This is what I do essentially for a full time job, cover the
team. I was recently in Detroit for
the first time in February and then I was back for the playoffs
only a few weeks ago. But yeah, I became a fan of the
Pistons in 2012. My background is mainly
construction. I did that for like 10 years
(03:10):
after I finished school or, sorry, eight years.
And then I worked at the NBL National Basketball League for a
year in the social team. And then I decided to do my own
thing as Pistons Jack. And yeah, I just love the
Pistons and the community that surrounds it.
And I I'm just a fan. I originally wanted to get into
the media, be a journalist, but I realised I don't like that
(03:30):
angle. I like my fandom.
And that's what Pistons Jack's all about, covering the team
from a fan's perspective. Yeah, that's awesome.
Like, I guess here in this podcast, we do dive into sports
fandom and how it kind of impacts and shapes our lives.
And as a fellow Australian getting worldwide coverage, it
seems like you'd be the perfect guest here and just an
inspiration to all people that are big sports fandoms and I
(03:52):
guess diving into, yeah, where you could personally be if you
were to pursue something in sports.
So I guess we can get started ona few questions.
We'll see how this kind of goes throughout the whole episode,
but the first thing I'd love to say is like, yeah, where did the
love for the Pistons begin? So yeah, I followed the, I
reckon I was in like year 4 or five.
So I'm 29 now, but it must have been like mid 2000s.
(04:16):
I'd never watched basketball really or anything.
And my mom was just like, I lovelike growing up.
I was just all for the AFL and then my mom was like, you need a
sport to play in the spring or something.
And I was like, oh, she's like, why don't you try basketball?
I was like, OK, I've never played.
And literally like just fell in love with the sport very
(04:36):
quickly, like got NBA Live and then like just become very
accustomed with the NBA. And I loved like, I was just
like casual, like Lakers, Kobe, LeBron, Cavs.
And I loved like Dwight Howard and that there's a magic team
that made the finals in like 09,I think.
Yeah, I just, yeah, like I'm only, I'm 6 foot tall.
I'm not, I'm not a centre. I don't know why, but I just
(04:58):
like, really like Dwight Howard because he was like Lady
Gazelle. And I remember around 2011, I
saw a mock draught on nba.com and the number one ranked player
for the 2012 class was meant to be Andre Drummond.
And he was meant to be the next Dwight Howard.
So I, I was like, whatever he gets drafted, I'm going to
follow that team. And I kind of watched him a
little bit while I was at UConn,but it's kind of hard in
(05:20):
Australia trying to watch college games, especially back
then. But I saw I ended up watching
that draught. He went to the Pistons and I was
like, all right, I'm a Pistons fan now.
Got lead past his rookie season.And yeah, I honestly, from 2012
to maybe 2021, I was just a hugefan, wasn't on social media
doing anything about the Pistons.
(05:41):
And just like, love watching thegame is my biggest passion.
And yeah, I've just been like a huge fan ever since.
Like, that's that's how I becamea Pistons fan.
I haven't seen like much successprior to this season.
But yeah, I just fall in love with the team That that that's
really all it is. Yeah, that's awesome.
I think that's pretty much similar to what a lot of people
in, in Australia do when it comes to supporting teams,
(06:03):
especially outside of of their country in the NBA and also like
I see in in in football as well in soccer.
So it's just great that we can always pick a team and, and just
kind of run with that and followit where there's no real like
affiliations in terms of like local league and stuff.
I I find that pretty awesome. As I've mentioned in previous
episodes, mine's pretty similar with Father Wizards and, and
(06:24):
falling in love with with John Wall and just kind of taking
that further. And then I guess as you continue
to support the Pistons, obviously there was a lot of
phases with rebuilding and now getting some rewarded success.
How did you kind of feel going through that kind of rebuild
stage and those failures and then getting up to this moment?
Because I've always mentioned inprevious episodes, it's always
(06:45):
the suffering that makes you kind of yeah, be fasted for that
reward. And when you finally got it, you
think that it wouldn't have feltthe same if if you did.
Like it's in at the start, you know?
It's crazy, I feel like. So I was just briefly saying to
you before we jumped on here like from since I think it was
the 2020 season when everything got shut down with COVID, the
(07:05):
Pistons finally started tanking like Blake Gryphon.
He was done. Like his knee was shot.
Andre had that had ran its course and he'd been just traded
to the Cavs. And so since 2020, the Pistons
had been rebuilding and I was all lean on like tanking young
guys, get your best draught odds.
And it was like I was fine with that.
I remember even the 2022-2023 season, Kade second season, he
(07:29):
was pretty much out the whole season.
But we had rookie Ivy and I was like they won 17 games.
It was a slug, but it was like alright, it's the Wemby draught.
I was like cool, we're going. We had the worst record.
Obviously, we fell all the way to 5.
We got a saw who I'm very happy with now, but then it was meant
to be the 2324 seasons like all right, we're finally going to
start winning games and we're going to push for the play in.
(07:51):
And that season was the worst infranchise history.
It was 28 game losing streak. Your man Kyle Koosman was saying
don't be that team. Well, former former guy Kuzma.
But it was just that season really tested me.
I'm not going to lie, I was thatwas the first time a sports
teams ever affected my mental health.
Not much, but I was just like sodown because I love this team so
(08:12):
much and like it was horrible. But this season it was like all
worth it. It was crazy.
I've never had a team won 44 games, which is the most I've
ever seen as a fan. They won two playoff games,
which I'd never seen since I've been a fan.
First playoff wins since 1008. And honestly I was at that first
win in New York. It's just crazy feeling.
(08:34):
Best night of my life, like honestly.
And it was just to finally tastesome success.
It's weird, like this whole season's just been like what?
What Like we do live streams after the game.
It's just connecting with fans and all of us just being so
happy about things. I think a lot of fan bases take
for granted, which is fine. Like I'm not saying they should
(08:56):
be envious of us because it's been a painful Rd, but it was
just been honestly magical. It's like, I'm so glad I went
all in to cover the team full time this season because I like,
it's just everything feels so magic and the future all of a
sudden after feeling so bleak islike, wow, it's just, I'm not,
(09:17):
it's, I'm not used to feeling sohurtful about my favourite team.
Yeah. Well, it's, it's good to know
because I feel like that kind oflike backbone was the backbone
of your success and your rise tofame.
As you were kind of, I guess going through this journey and
this struggle of Detroit as theywere succeeding, you were kind
of on that same trajectory. So it felt like it was like a
connection there that brought you to something that could be
(09:37):
more invested, and it was like areward for all your kind of
loyalty going through those hardtimes as well.
So when did you start seeing that, like, this would be a
thing like being able to cover the team full time?
You've gone on plenty of trips to Detroit.
As mentioned, you went to the playoffs and you went and saw a
few games there in the New York series.
And then before that you also had a week with with the team as
(09:57):
well. They invited you down to kind of
cover the team for three games. And I saw that journey and that
was pretty awesome to to see from outside looking in.
So kind of tell me when that started becoming a reality and
how'd it feel? You know, could never imagine.
Yeah, it's been so to start peace.
OK, I'll go back just a little bit because like it hasn't it's
(10:17):
been like a bit more of a journey in the sense like to get
here and to get to this decision.
But I like in yeah, during COVID, it must have been 2021
while coming out of COVID. But I, my girlfriend who I met
like in 2020 was just like I was, well, I was a tradie.
Like my background, like I worked in telecommunications
(10:39):
doing like, you know, like the NBN fibre.
Like that's yeah, yeah, yeah. Out in the street and like, so I
was working in a family business.
Anyway, Long story short, she was just like, that's not you.
Like you're obsessed with basketball and she's like, you
just like don't even like I wouldn't even like talk to
anyone really about it. Like I'd just be on this
piston's blog kind of talking topeople.
But so I thought I want to be a journalist.
(11:02):
So I started like, I was like, OK, I'll message the guy who
runs this blog. And I was I do I like him so
bad. English like I, but I just like
me. Too Bro, trust me.
Right. But I was like, I just want to
do, I want to do sport full time.
So I just started writing for this blog and then because of
that, I was like, I've always been on Twitter but never
(11:23):
posted. I'd say like people like Zach
Lowe and just other ESPN people and that like post on Twitter,
like clips. So I just started posting on
there and over a over, over probably 2 years, I've built
like a small following and like,I was just like posting a lot of
videos and stuff. And I've kind of found that I
liked, didn't really enjoy the writing as much.
(11:44):
I'm also liked just making contact and interacting with
fans from like in Detroit and like people from outside of
Australia. And then yeah, I basically, I
remember I was talking to some people.
I just reach out to journalists all the time, some in Australia,
some in the US. And then IA guy who worked at
(12:04):
the NBL, who I got coffee was like, you should reach out to
someone from the NBL one, see ifthey would have any work for you
in like the writing space just like casually.
And I did. And they were like, look, we
don't want any of your writing stuff.
But if you want, we have casual work on the weekends for gang
night socials. So OK, I'll do this.
And then I did that for like 2 months and then that led to a
(12:25):
job at the NBL, which I was, what do you call it, a grad.
But then I became social media coordinator and I learned so
much in like 12 to 15 months there about social media.
I didn't even know how to like make a real or anything when I
got there. I just knew how to post like a
video and some stuff on Twitter and I learned so much and I was
like, do I need to? Like though my Pistons fandom
(12:48):
would die when I got my full time job at the NBL because
that's what my goal was like. Yeah, of course.
Like working sport full time. Yeah, sort of get out of being
like an NBN or a trade. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because I was still working in construction, but then at night
I was doing like, posting stuff about the Pistons, a little bit
of riding on the weekends. I was doing NBL One.
Yeah. And.
(13:09):
And then like when I got my job,the NBL, I'm like, oh, and I'm
like, this is what I wanted. But I was like, my Pistons
Phantom didn't die at all. And then I just learned all
these new ways to like, how to maybe just grow an audience, how
to be smarter about posting, Like what how to like figure out
like trends. And and so I was like, I just
want to do this full time. Yeah, I was like, still very
(13:31):
scared to like go all in. But then yeah, I decided to and
like the stuff that happened this season, I actually went to
summer league in 2023. Like I paid for it all, but I
got a media credential from the blog I was writing for and I
learnt 2 things there. Like 1.
(13:52):
I don't want to be a journalist.I didn't, I just didn't like
like this. It's so intense and I don't
really like the just me personally, the players in that
environment. It's just a very intense.
It's not how I would want to build a relationship with a
player all percent. It's not just not the
(14:13):
relationship I want to have withmy favourite team.
It's just I. Feel it's very critical like
certain right, but I feel as though even for me like starting
this, it's like I wouldn't want to get into journalism because I
feel like a lot of my stuff is on like players and
understanding that they're humans as well and I feel like
journalism just takes that out. There's no positivity when it
comes to that. It's very critical in some
(14:34):
aspects. There is obviously positive
aspects to it, but when you go into a room and say the team
loses, you need to understand and get as to why they lose.
They're obviously frustrated. They're going in their car.
They probably don't even want totalk to you and then you get
asked probably the most like obscure questions that you have
to answer professionally. I I can totally agree with you.
Like I would hate to be a journalist as well.
I did yeah. And it's just like it's a very
(14:56):
like and and I actually the baitwriters that cover the Pistons,
I think they do a great job and I don't think any of them are
like like have it's it's just more so like my relationship
with the team, like I don't I didn't like that.
And I was just like, this isn't for me.
And then, but while I was there,I met some people from the
Pistons marketing and social team.
(15:17):
They reached out to me and we got breakfast.
And this is like, I had no idea what I was doing at the time.
I was pitching some horrible ideas.
But I've got it. I've got that relationship
there. And then I kept that, stayed in
touch. And then when they saw I was
doing this full time, I think westarted chatting in November.
(15:37):
And then I was like, oh, we could collab on some content.
And they collabed and I was so happy with like, I think I did
some All Star videos for Kate and Ivy, like just promoting All
Star voting. And then they surprised me with
the trip to Detroit. So that was the first one in Feb
for World Basketball Day. And that trip was like when it
was crazy. Like that was like, yeah, I'd
(16:00):
like it was just really magical.Like just the fans, like it was
crazy. Like meeting, like doing fan
meet ups and just meet. Like it was insane.
Like the community, like it was just all those wild.
So after that trip, like, caughtup with the Pistons just to
debrief on that trip. And then they were like, do you
(16:23):
want to come back for the playoffs?
I was like, of course it was on my list to ask them, But I was
like, I don't want to be like getting ahead of myself.
Of course. I've just got back from a huge
trip, but then the playoff trip happened.
So I was very, very fortunate. And I think it all just started
with like having that relationship from two years
prior, maintaining that going all in, being dedicated.
And yeah, I'm very grateful and fortunate.
(16:46):
But yeah, that that's how everything kind of eventuated
with those trips. Truly inspiring, honestly, and I
think as you kind of go across that journey, it really is those
connections and communities thatkind of inspire you as well and
make you want to do it. Because I think when it comes to
like our regular jobs, we feel as though we're not really
(17:06):
associating with people that arekind of on the same wavelength.
And then when you find out that there are people that the same
like you that have the same interests, that's where the joy
comes from. So I think talk to more about
like the power of community because I've seen a lot of
coverage. I know you do those videos of
the Korean Pistons fan who's also like a massive Pistons fan,
but just being able to kind of attach your team and connect
(17:28):
with the whole world. I, I personally just find that
amazing. That's kind of what I live by in
community and just getting people together for one common
thing. And I think that's so powerful
there. Well, so that's like why I'm
like, obviously the at the core of this is like I'm a fan and I
just want to cover my favourite team, but one of my main like
pillars is like connecting Pearsons fans around the world,
(17:48):
because for me back in like 2012to 16, like you would know this
like how many Wizards fans have you ever seen in person in
Melbourne? Probably like it's come up
surprisingly, but I only knew one and now it's gone up to like
5, which is very surprising. But yeah, it's true, there's not
many. And get guess what my most
common DM is like from Australian Pistons fans?
(18:12):
I. Wouldn't know, no idea.
I thought I was the only Pistonsfan in Australia.
Yeah. And it's like, yeah, so.
And that's how I felt for so long until I found like this
Detroit Bad Boys blog. And I kind of met people, but I
didn't. So like for me, it was like, I
want to like have a space. Like, you know, when, like if
the Wizards lose a close game orthey have like a big win like
(18:34):
they do against the Nuggets thisseason, you just want to like
celebrate that 100%, especially if you're like you're watching
it live on a Saturday. You don't have your work.
You just want to like have a place to be like let's let's go.
Or like if they have a tough loss, you want a place to go
where you're like, just get it off you and like move on.
Because if you're that passionate, it's like you just
want to like debrief. So like for me, like I want to
(18:58):
have AI always wanted a place tolike share those thoughts for
sure. And like we have podcasts and
like that's awesome. And like there's a lot of
podcasts that go like we'll havesomething straight after the
game, but it's like there's still, I found that there's not
really a place, at least in the Pistons community that like fans
can go and have their voice. So that's why for me, like I
(19:19):
have these, this is not a new concept.
I know people do it with AFL content and like I've seen it
everywhere, but like I have fan reacts after every game.
I go live and I just send fans alink.
They can come up and chat. Well, they can just chat in the
chat, but like come up on stage like you and I and just talk
about the game. And I think it's just been so
good. Like, I've met fans from
(19:40):
obviously Korea, the UK, Russia,like, yeah, everywhere.
Yeah, you wouldn't expect that once when she started crazy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the best like in like
Switzerland and it's so cool hearing everyone's story, how
they became a fan, why they're afan, what time they have to
watch the games. Like it's so just building that
(20:01):
community I think is. That was one of my main goals
and it's been definitely one of my highlights is just meeting
all these fans and just like after bad loss, like getting
everyone up to share their thoughts.
Like I always feel better after like the hour to hour and a half
stream. And most people I think do as
well that come on. So the community's like, yeah,
(20:22):
everything. And like even the fans in
Detroit that meet in person are incredible as well.
It's not just international fans, but obviously being in
Australia, yeah, we definitely get a lot of international fans
on my content, I would say. Yeah, and that's a great way to
bridge the gap between kind of having that connection with the
fans as well. And by that, you're actually
growing the Pistons as well. So that's kind of so awesome
(20:44):
too. And as you said, like no one
wants to support a team on theirown.
Like it doesn't have that feeling like there's no one to
share your emotions with. So I find that sport is really
powerful when people are together, when people have a
common kind of support or a common goal of wanting A-Team to
succeed. And that's all we want to like
kind of breakdown on this podcast is just like having
(21:04):
those discussions about how important US fans are because it
doesn't get overlooked, but it'ssomething that I think can be
talked about a lot more. And like people like yourself
that are really acting and wanting to do that and wanting
to kind of grow communities and also ultimately show your
support to the team you love is just simply awesome.
So I guess when people are, and you probably answered it
(21:26):
already, but when people are listening or watching your
content, what do you actually want them to feel?
What is kind of the goal there when you're putting stuff out?
Obviously for Pistons fans, but maybe for like a fan myself that
isn't a Pistons fan but is probably respecting what we see
and how sport fandom is in your in your scope.
I just, I want them to feel likea part of something connected.
(21:47):
And I would just say like just excited, like like and just like
if you watch some of my content,whether it's like a game recap
reel of like a win that goes for40 seconds, just be like like my
goal is just to make people talkand be excited and like in love
with the Pistons. And I know like, but like it's
(22:07):
just to push their brand becauseI feel like not that brand as
such, but just like the players in the team because I just
would. I remember when I was younger,
like I'll turn on first take, you know, for some stupid reason
would be like sitting there waiting for them to talk about
the Pistons and they never would.
Yeah, because no one can't. Like they don't get the
coverage. So like for me, it's like I'm
(22:29):
I'm pushing them so they get coverage and they're getting
coverage now they win. But like, I just want people to
be excited about the Troy Pistons.
And if you're a Pistons fan, I want you to be excited about the
team. I always try and be positive
even if we lose, so that you don't give up on them.
You keep coming back and you feel a part of something
special. And just because for me, like
(22:50):
the reason I have such a strong attachment to Andre Drummond, he
was a pretty good player. He made 2 All Star teams, but
he's not he's not even John Wall.
He's not a superstar. But I when I was like in year 11
when I first started watching him and that like, but I would
be if I was like anxious or feeling weird about anything
socially. Like you go through some weird
things when you're a teenager for sure.
(23:11):
Like I knew from 11:00 to 1:30 PM watching Andre Drummond, I'd
be happy. So it's like, I know for some
people, like that's what sport is, It's an outlet.
It's a time where you can just like forget about what's going
on and just be so locked into your team.
So it's like, I want to like make you feel excited for that
or make you feel awesome about that.
(23:33):
So sorry for the long answer, but that's like, that's great.
For me, it's just about generating excitement and
positivity and giving people shine, I would say.
For sure. You reminded.
You just reminded me of like when I was at school and getting
the iPad out. I had the Foxtel go and they
didn't have it blocked. So just whipping out the ESPN,
having the league pass or just watching it during class.
That's what I love about NBA too, because like even now when
(23:55):
I'm working, there's always NBA on in the background and I'm
able to kind of just watch it during the day.
But you're so right. I wasn't like, no, not not a
long answer at all. Definitely like true.
And definitely what I want to kind of extract from this
episode and episodes moving forward is like how much of an
impact that sport team can have on you to a point where it
really does like change your emotions and makes you feel
(24:16):
good. I remember back in the playoffs
and we're going to talk about the playoffs for you for sure.
We're not going to forget that. But when John Wall got the
winner in the game six match against the Boston Celtics, I
don't know if you remember, but I.
Do. My my house went like gone
around. There was an earthquake.
I was screaming, yelling, like going crazy, shirts off
celebrate. I'm just like a an 18 year old
(24:37):
kid just kind of getting into basketball for the first time.
But those are moments that like you can't, you can't get better
moments than that. You can't like get that from
anything else because the fact that you're not in control of it
makes your emotions more crazy as well because you're relying
on like 5 blokes on a court to just change your whole mood.
And like, I just find that awesome.
Then you've got the low lights. Like we had the LeBron game
(24:59):
winner in that TNT game, that famous game with the Kevin Love.
What about pass off the bank shot?
And just like how shattered I am, but also how proud I was
because that was the first time the Wizards were actually on the
map on TV. And that's when people started
to take the Wizards serious to the point where the Cavs were
scared of us. They didn't want to actually
match up with us in the playoffs.
But forget about me. Don't worry about the Wizards.
(25:20):
The Wizards are not good at the moment.
Until tomorrow when we get Cooper flag.
But but just talk to me about the playoffs.
So the first time the Pistons have been in the playoffs for a
while now, obviously you're going to cover it.
How was the atmosphere? You've obviously been to regular
season games. I've been to regular season
games as well. But we just want to love to know
the difference and basically that whole experience too,
(25:40):
because that was pretty amazing and a funny story that you had
as well that I'll let you share to an unfortunate one, but also
quite funny. Well, so the when I went to the
first home games for like I had been been into Detroit in Feb,
they were pretty loud because they were on an 8 or 9 game
winning streak. So like the crowd was really
(26:01):
locked in and like I was talkingto people from the Pistons.
I were like, this is the first true sellouts we've had this
season. And it was loud.
But I remember Game 3 was the first game in Detroit and we
were sitting at, well, actually they had us in a suite and I was
like heaps of other people in there.
(26:23):
And I have my back to the court pregame.
I was just talking to someone and I just heard this like and
it was so loud that I was like, they're pumping it out through
the speakers like that's and I just turned around and I'm like,
what? Like and it was just the Knicks
coming out and the Pistons fans like in LCA was just so loud.
(26:43):
Like it was great. Like they were doing like FU
Bronson chants, Like it was so loud.
Like because I was at MSG for Game 2 and the Knicks fans are
crazy. I've been to MSG a few times,
but I've never been to a playoffgame obviously.
And that was an incredible experience in itself, being
(27:04):
amongst being like, I don't know, there's probably only like
50 Pistons fans there. Hostile crowd.
Yeah, amongst a crowd like that was like the opposite.
But the Pistons fans are genuinely and being serious,
like the Pistons fans were louder than MSG for those home
games because I think we we've been starved for like sure
(27:26):
anything for so long. It was just I've always been
told like sports in Detroit are like crazy.
It's on another level. And I really felt that like the
fans were like insane. It was so loud and just like
watching playoff basketball, like I would be absolutely
(27:48):
exhausted. Like and I'm not a fan that like
gets up and like screams a lot like I do a little bit, but I'm
not like full heckling players and stuff like I just support my
team. But like it was just exhausting
like because all the home games were so close.
I think they lost all three homegames by a combined 6 points and
(28:09):
two of them were like I the Pistons should have won like
genuinely, but that's what happens when you're a young
team. The next was more experienced
but like it was just crazy and like even in the losses I'd be
devastated for like 5 minutes but then it was like coming to
the realisation of like how lucky I am to be here.
(28:29):
And just. Watch like such high level
basketball and watch my team just like absolutely going at it
with like a Knicks team who lookpretty good right now.
Yeah, they do. They had a big loss to Boston
yesterday. Just like how like I'm like just
so grateful to be here and like be able to watch so many playoff
games. It was just incredible
(28:51):
experience. Like just the, the atmosphere
was crazy. It's, it's something I've been
to a couple of AFL grand finals and they were crazy as well.
Like I would put it smaller crowd, but the building's
smaller. So it's like very similar.
Yeah. Like it's.
I was gonna ask about the grandfather pants.
(29:11):
Yeah. And you know what it's like
watching like you, obviously I can say go for the pies.
Like, yeah, you've watched your fair share of finals.
I'm sure you've been in person. Like, it's just every
possession. You're just like you can't
relax. Like it's yeah, yeah, it's
crazy. It's.
Painful but in the best way possible is incredible.
Yeah, I really had to sink a fewbeers at the grand final against
(29:33):
Brisbane just to really numb my emotions.
But it definitely was extremely loud.
But as you say, it might be a smaller crowd, but I think
because the building is so small, the noise would be
amplified. So I could imagine how crazy it
be and especially the fact that it's your first playoff run as
well. I find that New York have been
there before and because they'reprobably tickets are very
expensive as well. I do find that maybe the fans
(29:56):
are not as authentic as Pistons.Maybe New York fans are coming
out to get me. I know that they're crazy fans,
but I just feel like it was different.
It does make sense that the the Pistons fans would go off for
that. And it's just pretty awesome
that you actually had that experience.
And I was going back on my funnystory.
I wish I could have told you, the game one, not to get a
ticket off around the person on the street because that's
(30:16):
happened. I've been offered that before.
But yeah, talk to me about that as that was.
Just, yeah, I, so we got to New York on the, on the day of Game
1 and I didn't have tickets sorted and like, but we were
like, we're still going to go toMSG and try interview some fans,
find some Pistons fans because we were staying real close.
So we walked up and like I was like fully happy to not like,
(30:39):
not happy to not go. But I realised like, OK, I tried
to put out some feelings for tickets.
It just wasn't going to happen. But when we were there and
because you can fully get through security and everything
without a ticket. Like we were in like inside MSG
interviewing fans. And I was like, man, I just want
to go now. Like I'm literally, yeah, but
they're on the other side of this wall, like warming up.
(31:00):
Like. So we were like, we're walking
back to our hotel and then theseguys came up and they're like,
we've got tickets. And then I was like, deep down I
was like, I feel like this is not legit, but I just, I'd
always when people come out to me like that, just say no, but
because it's for the Pistons. And I just like was kind of
desperate. Me and my girlfriend were like,
(31:22):
why not? They were like 100 USDH.
They wanted to pass to pay 200 USDH, which starts in itself,
playoff tickets aren't that cheap, but whatever.
We were just like, and then theywere like, oh, you need to get
cash out. So we went across the road to an
ATM. Then my girlfriend's like, oh, I
don't have my bank cards at the hotel room.
And this should have been outside from the university.
Like don't. Because we were so desperate
(31:44):
though, we ran back to the hotel, got her card, got money
out. And then they were like to us,
oh, we've already sold the tickets.
And I was like, oh, deep down I'm like, I feel like this is
just fully a scam. But we're like, then they're
like, oh, actually, no, we've got them.
And then we stupidly bought them.
And then as soon as we got through security and went to
scam, they're like, guys, it's afake.
And I was like, shit. So it was like, I didn't.
(32:07):
And then my girlfriend was like on the way back, like I was so
gutted. I was so like, and why like 1
like why did we even do this? Like I feel bad now.
Like but then I was just like, Iwant to be at the game.
Then my girlfriend was like, we need to like capture this.
She's like, we've just lost like400 Australian.
Like let's make content out of it.
So then that's where the contentcame from.
(32:27):
And a lot of people are like saying, oh, I did that just for
content, but I genuinely didn't.We were just like desperate and
like, you know, we've just, we've just travelled.
It took, we got stuck in Dallas for a night.
We just travelled so far. It was like, let's just give it
a crack, eat. And it's like it didn't work
out, but whatever. Sort of blessing in disguise.
(32:48):
I think you went to a bar anyway.
I think you with a few Pistons fans, Did you just win that
game? I can't remember.
Yeah, no. So we.
Lost that, So there you go, you won.
Yeah, then we got tickets to Game 2 and it all worked out,
so. It's meant to be so you just
look at the positives about it. But definitely a lesson for for
next time for sure. Yeah, it's happened to me too on
an occasion as well. Not for sport purposes.
(33:11):
More stupidly, I was in Spain. I was there for six months.
Some guy was desperate for money.
I say like, I don't have a ticket to my boss, can you give
me some money, please? All in like broken Spanish.
And I was trying to get the words out.
And in my mind, I just really wanted to help someone.
I was in that, like, kind of mood, but I didn't think that I
could have just went to the bus ticket and say, what's your
ticket? Buy it panic took like €150 out
(33:35):
and just paid it to him and thenhe's like, I'll pay you back and
I'm like, yeah, here's my number.
Just messaged me the next day. Obviously didn't message me the
next day. So you're definitely not the the
only one. But yeah, a good, a good lesson.
But yeah, pretty, pretty awesomethat even you still were able to
be there and then the second game as well and and had that
whole experience like honestly really happy for you.
(33:55):
And it just again, I said to youbefore this, it's just great to
see someone of of an Aussie descent to come into like the
world of basketball and really have a presence there.
And I wanted to talk about, I guess meeting players as well.
So I know she did meet a lot of players and kind of how that
went about where they are kind of digging in your Aussie accent
of beer, having an understandingof like, because like I go
(34:17):
overseas all the time and everything they ask the all the
typical questions is like, is there a lot of spiders there?
Is it dangerous? Oh, it's too far.
I don't want to go. So yeah, I guess, yeah.
Have tell me about your experience being an Aussie and
and kind of, I guess being a proud Aussie going there as well
and how that identity kind of impacts you as well and makes
you feel like extra special? Well, I think the stuff with the
(34:39):
players, so that was all from the first trip I went to in late
February. So I the Cade thing was crazy.
So we were sitting like, so obviously being on Instagram,
like the players, like if you like tag them in a story, pretty
much every Pistons player will look at it except for Kate and
(35:02):
Ivy. But so I know that some of them
know who I am. I never would go up to them,
like never, especially at games and stuff.
But the Kate thing after that, that was also my first Pistons
game in LCA. And I was like literally saying
to someone that day, I was like,Kate is the last, like literally
(35:23):
out of this entire organisation.I think there's like 500 people
at work for the Pistons. Like he's the one guy I would
not expect to know who I am or what I do.
So after that game, he pointed into the crowd and I was sitting
like kind of baseline near the Pistons bench.
And he pointed in my direction. And I like, we were sitting in
(35:44):
like this bar sort of VIP area. The Pistons just sat us down
there for that game. So I was like, oh, there'll be
some rapper celebrity behind me who I don't know who they are.
I turn around, there's no one there.
And I like, OK. And then he saw me turn around.
So he like nodded at me and pointed again.
And I have it. My girlfriend was filming all
this. And I was like, I was like, I
(36:06):
normally don't lose it, but I like, it's like, holy shit.
Kate just pointed at me and I still didn't believe he was
pointing at me because I'm like,he doesn't know who I am.
And then I got up and I walked over and like some fans rushed
over to him. And then I still was like, Nah,
he wasn't pointing me, but I'm going over and if I get to say
hi, say hi. And he's like, he's like, what's
(36:26):
up, bro? And then he was like, I'm going
to go out the back, sign this jersey and get it brought back
out for you. And I was just like.
And then all the Pistons stuff after that were like, what the
hell? They're like, that was like, we
did not have anything to do withthat.
That's insane. I was like, what the I was
losing it. I can imagine.
(36:46):
I was just like, because like for him to do that is like that
because there's no one apart from the owner.
There's no one who has more power in that.
So for him to just say hi to me and like acknowledge me, it's
like that's a moment. I know I will.
(37:08):
I already do look back on, but Iknow I'll look back on wherever
I am and whatever I'm doing. Like that really changed my
life. Like to get validation from him
is just like that's everything. It's like what?
I don't know, like that's crazy.So for him to just say hi, I was
like and he's just so like cool,like casual and like I wasn't
(37:28):
even really I was like losing a bit, but I was kind of just like
chill with him because he was chill and it was so genuine like
moves both smile and like that was crazy.
I don't think I slept after thatnight.
Me and my girlfriend were just like it's crazy.
Got that signed jersey up in my cupboard there.
I got to get framed. But then the stuff with Stu, I'd
(37:49):
actually like Stu's my favouriteplayer as I was sure you can see
the bubble head find me. So since the Pistons drafted
him, like I was just love the way he plays.
So I DM D him a few times beforeI got to the tricks.
I'd made videos about him and hewas like appreciate that bro,
but not So I knew he might like say hi to me.
And then like we said hi, we hadsome time together like just
(38:12):
briefly all the time, but he wasreally cool.
He'd always come over and say hiand like, yeah, I didn't really,
he really asked me much about Australia.
But I met, I met as well Bobby Clinton at a cruise game who
funnily enough, I was saying to him, I was like, when you at
paying for cans, Thai pants. That's the season I worked at
the NBI was like I was literallymaking all the well, I was
(38:35):
helping making all the content about you and he's like, bro,
that's insane. And like he was so nice.
So the stuff the players are really they're all really nice.
And like, I don't know, I don't like, I try to like keep my
distance because like especiallywhen I was back for the
playoffs, I was like, they've got, I'm not, they can, they've
got to be locked in. But it's been crazy.
(38:55):
It's crazy. I'm just like, I've like watched
these guys on TV and just for them to say hi or because I
tried to get a heap of access with the players, like
requesting then like it's just very hard to get any time with
them because of their schedules,especially during the season.
So like for them to come over tome was just like crazy because
(39:19):
it's yeah. So it was really, really
special. I think just because like you
said, the Australian accent, I think we're just a bit of a
different vibe. Like they appreciate the fact,
like the one thing people can't believe is that especially it's
Detroiters and like people that play with him, like you're so
far away. Like why?
How is their fans this far? I'm like, guys, I don't think I
(39:41):
understand how many international fans there are of
every team. Like they are just it's
something that I'm not sure Americans really grasp.
Like they know it's a global game like the NBA, but I don't
think they grasp that how big their fan bases actually are.
So I think having. That's what I'm kind of proud of
(40:01):
going back to that community thing is like I'm only a very,
very small part, but being able to shine a light on fans in
Australia, fans all over the world is like really cool
because they don't actually really know.
They they really don't unless they like for the Wizards.
Like when you had Rui, I'm sure there was a heap of he's from
Japan. I'm pretty sure like they
would've been, they would've been aware of that fan base, but
(40:23):
unless there's a player from that country, I don't think they
fully understand how big their fan bases really are and how
dead like international fans aresome of the most dedicated fans
because like we said, we don't often have an allegiance to the
city or the place. So I think it's been really cool
for the players based on the Pistons to just see how much
(40:46):
there's fans outside of just Detroit and the US that love
what they do. And I just watch every game and
support them a crazy amount. Yeah, it's awesome.
And I think as you mentioned, I think them meeting it was like
the ultimate validation to show that what you're doing is really
impacting the world as well as you're bringing.
You're bridging that gap betweenAmerica and Australia as well as
(41:07):
as the whole world too. And they really don't know the
global impact they have onto theworld because there are so many
fans across the whole world thatare watching these guys play
like I, I'm probably not a big, I'm not a Detroit fan, obviously
I'm a Wizards fan, but I can tell you the whole team of the
Detroit Pistons, like the main rotation players.
I can tell you which players areunbelievable.
I could have told you that Cade Cunningham was going to be
(41:28):
unbelievable before coming out of the draught.
So they really do have a massiveimpact not only on Detroit fans,
but also fans around the world too.
So it's really awesome that Cadewas downturf and able to give
you that moment too, because I could imagine that being
extremely incredible as well. So thanks for sharing and yeah,
thanks for continuing to to do your work and and bringing sport
(41:49):
fans together across the whole globe.
So it's really awesome to see. We're going to go into a quick
rapid fire segment. I'll always say this, every time
I do this, it's a rapid fire, but it ends up taking longer
than expected. So excuse just for the sake of
the sentence, but basically I'm going to give you a few
questions. You're going to answer them, and
then for a laugh, we're going totry and do our best wizard slash
(42:10):
piston starting 5. So we might get into a bit of a
debate, but let's see how this goes.
I'm not going to take into account this season because you
guys would have the whole starting five, but we'll try to
do it like all time and I think you still have more players than
us, but we'll give it a go. But first, I want to start with
your favourite Pistons jersey ever.
(42:31):
Pistons jersey That's a great 1.So I would, I would have
normally said the TO jerseys, but the season they wore them,
they were so bad. We won like 15 games that I'm
like a little bit turned off by them.
So I think my favourite Pistons jerseys, they had these red
(42:51):
Detroit City jerseys in Kade's rookie season.
I actually don't own one, but ifyou look them up from that
2021-2022 season, it's like red and then it has like blue
Thunderbolts on the other side and I think it says Detroit
across the chest. I just really like the red.
I think it pops well. So that's probably my favourite
jersey and then I would probablyput the teal 2nd and then I had
(43:13):
to put a third one. I honestly just love that
classic white home jersey. I think that's really clean as
well. I think I got the answer to this
question, but just for the sake of the audience.
The most underrated Pistons player.
I would say it's Stu, but withinthe Pistons that that's like on
a NBA level because everyone just knows him for like the
(43:34):
technicals fights and all that. I don't think they understand
how actually like good of a player he is, obviously
defensively. But amongst the Pistons fan
base, who I would say, I still think Jaden Ivy's are very like,
I think he's underrated, but he's a player that fans are
either very in on or very out on.
(43:55):
And I don't really fully understand.
My fans are out on him completely.
But that, yeah. I'm a big role player guy, so
when I look at the Pistons, I don't think they're underrated
across you guys, but I think their impact doesn't get talked
enough about and that's the acquisitions of Malik Beasley,
Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway. I think if you don't have those
(44:17):
players, I'm not saying you won't make the playoffs because
it's really hard. You got your young stars, but I
feel like the impact of veteran role players has definitely
pushed this team forward. And you can see it with with
those three being in there. And I'm hoping for the Wizards
to do the same with Middleton and Smart being there already.
I think if you don't have key veteran role players, it's
(44:38):
really hard to succeed in NBA. So I would say those 3 evenly.
Couldn't agree more, like that was be my biggest learning.
So I'd never been a fan through a full blown rebuild.
Like the Pistons teams before were always just mid middling
like Hornets vibes never too badbut never good.
So going through a full rebuild all's I wanted was them to play
all the young guys. Like I would want to start in
(44:59):
five for the first round picks, but that's what happened.
When you don't have vet guys like you mentioned, you have the
worst seasons of all time and like don't get when they made
that Milton trade. Is that when you guys started
just having some more confidence?
You brought in Marcus Smart, thetrade deadline, that's when you
guys started winning some more games.
Yeah, we more consistent a little bit.
(45:19):
Yeah, we also got in AJ Johnson,who was a rookie out of
Milwaukee as well, so he fits into our core of young players
and he kind of took a massive leap as well.
But definitely having their presence there has been a big
impact. I'm not sure whether they play
because I think they're getting shut down.
They weren't expected for them to play, but I think we have to
look out for them next season ifthey are to stay and how like
(45:41):
their impact is especially Middleton, because I think
people forget about how Middleton is.
He was literally the second guy in a championship winning team
for Milwaukee and he's just beenstruggling with injuries.
We definitely flunked that trade.
We won that by a mile, in my opinion, sending Kuzma.
Kuzma played 12 minutes in the playoffs, so we definitely won
that trade. But that's, yeah, trades like,
yeah, trades like that got us onthe up.
(46:02):
So Middleton, definitely a big impact.
We also have a guy who did a podcast with the Wizards edit up
before Anthony Gill, who doesn'tplay, but he's got a very big
veteran presence. I'm not sure if the Pistons have
anyone like that at the moment that just doesn't play, but he's
in in the in the in the roster we have.
Like Rodney Mcgruder for like 3 seasons who was like yeah
Anthony Gill never really played.
(46:25):
And I hated when like, honestly,like I like Draymond Green, but
I remember the stuff he said about Rodney Magruder was pretty
like out of pocket. And so was Klay Thompson.
I still, I feel like he still made a big impact.
But yeah, that's that's kind of the the Whizzer spill at the
moment. And then another question.
We obviously know about Kate Cunningham, but who's going to
be the next biggest star for thePistons?
And then give me like an NBA oneas well, just to make it a bit
(46:46):
spicier. I would say for the Pistons,
it's that's the thing we're still searching for is that #2
guy, I don't know if they have that on the roster right now.
And that's where a lot of fans are being like, we need to trade
for that guy. But I'm still like, and if we
don't have that, just run this call back.
They're still so young. But if I had to pick one, I
(47:08):
think it's a Thompson has the highest potential and he he was
out with blood clots, missed hiswhole he hasn't had a full NBA
offseason because the only one he had, he had blood clots and
he didn't come back till like end of December.
So he's not as good as a man because he's like doesn't have
the handle, but he could be likehis potential's crazy.
(47:31):
Jade. No, he's probably the one with
the most realistic outcome of being that number 2.
And then in terms of the NBA, myNBA knowledge is, it's funny,
doing this full time, I watch a lot less NBA.
I only watch my team and everything I do, so I probably
(47:52):
don't have a great answer for you.
I'm not going to lie, there's that's really bad of me, but my
general NBA knowledge is not good anymore doing this full
time. Now we can say a star.
That's fine. Yeah, I'll be the non, the non
the actually like, it's crazy. Like my biggest hot take, and
I'm probably extremely wrong about this, but I'm probably one
(48:15):
of the only few non Detroit fansthat is backing a * Thompson to
be better than a man and it hasn't happened yet.
Yeah, I don't know. For some reason I kind of, I
like the idea of him going fifthin the draught, but other than
4th. And I think they're both
incredible. I think they are both
incredible. I think a lot of people are
skewing towards Amen, especiallywith how he's been doing with
the Rockets and his ball handling as you mentioned.
(48:36):
But I still think Assas got so much potential and let him have
a full season and I think he will do some crazy things.
Those Thompson Twins, they're bloody athletic.
Let me tell you though, they they're doing some crazy things.
They're changing the game. And if they could shoot at least
35% from three, like watch out if I saw Thompson, I don't know
what he was shooting this year, but I know last year he had a
really bad shooting percentage from three point.
(48:58):
But if he can get to like 35, I feel like he can definitely be
the second guy for you. So I don't think that's a bad
answer at all. Yeah, no, as far as CRI, like
there's just some numbers as well.
Like when he's on the floor, it's like this team just is
they're just, they're advanced numbers sometimes are a little
bit misleading, but they're just, they're just different.
They're way better, even if evenwith all these offensive
(49:19):
deficiencies like the shooting and stuff, they're just better
with him on the floor, which I think is a sign of a really good
winning player. Yeah.
Well, I guess we can go straightinto now our starting 5 for the
losers. I'm going to give you the first
pick as you're the guest. So we'll just do a blind
starting five. Any positions?
So I can pick from like all the way back like all time.
(49:40):
Yeah, yeah. So I'm gonna so I'm going to
take this is crazy all time. I'm not.
I'm not. Gonna so I'm just gonna pick
since like I'm gonna this is bad.
I'm gonna take Kade first. That's fine.
That's my point guard. OK, so you've.
(50:01):
Taken, I'm going to surprise youwith my second pick.
OK, Yeah. You're going to take that away
from me? I'm surprised you didn't go
aside Thomas. Well.
It's just because I was going totake I just the bad boys teams.
I literally, I know they are so talented, but I just have
nothing to do with them going towork teams.
I kind of watched them. So I'm just like, I could take
(50:22):
Isaiah, but I just feel like I didn't watch any of that and I'm
just doing it based off that's watching a couple of Dockers.
That's fair, That's fair, that'sfair.
We can go more modern, let's saywhat we'll do, we'll we'll make
it from when we started supporting them.
So like we, we, we spoke before we were very similar in like
2010 plus some of that. We'll take that as OK.
(50:42):
Because the guy I want from yourteam is, I think, still there.
OK, so Kate, are we going you'regoing to do point guards as
shooting guides? So can I put John Wall as a
shooting guide? Yep, he can.
Can I do it? I can do it.
Yeah. Oh.
Oh. So that can be hybrids.
K can let let John Moore run theshowcase.
You can sit in the clap. Yeah.
(51:03):
But I'll definitely go John Moore next.
So I'm gonna take with my secondpick to sit.
He's a combo guard. I'm gonna take Gilbert Arenas.
Yeah, I like that. That's that's before 2010, I'd
say. But he was there, I think.
He came. Through.
Yeah, he was. He was.
Well, I'm taking him, but we're getting prime Wizards.
Gilbert Arenas. I like it, I like it.
(51:26):
I would have taken this is actually good because I would
have actually taken Michael Jordan #1 because he had the two
seasons, two seasons at the Wizards, the set, the 3rd pick
or my second pick? Or should we just fill out the
team? So that's yours.
My second, my second pick. So I've got John Moore at point
guard, you've got Cade, you've got Gil.
So I can't take either of those.I would have to go at shooting
(51:53):
guard. He's also a combo guard and he's
also leading the NBA in most triple doubles, and that is
Westbrook. Love it.
I forgot about Ross. Yeah, Ross had a a, yeah, a lot
of all the hate of Russell Westbrook that season he had at
the Wizards. I loved him.
He was one of my favourite from John Wall.
He was probably the next favourite player to watch for
me. I loved him, so I've got I've
(52:15):
got him in. That's terrible shooting, but a
lot of athleticism in in my lineup at the moment.
I love it all right, I'm going to take this is tough so both.
Teams are not. I can't take Bill because he's a
God. Oh man, this is really, really
(52:40):
tough because I'm, I'm struggling here.
Maybe I'll take I'm just going. I don't know why I was
struggling. I'm going to take bike Gryphon
for my 4 four. We might only get one season
before he's injured or something, but I'm taking that.
2019 bike season was insane. He had a good, he had a good
year, so I kind of like that. All right, I'm going to take
(53:01):
your boy. I'm going to take on Joe
Drummond at the centre as a third pick.
I probably missed someone for sure, but fuck it I'm just going
to take him. I'm trying.
Who are some Wizards forwards across the years I know you had,
like Trevor Razor, I know you had.
(53:22):
Someone just came up in my mind when you said that.
Oh no, I. Just I'm going to take the
centre. I'm just going to get, I'm going
to take Jalen Duran at the centre, I think.
Lucky for me even. Andres very similar players.
Yeah, so my 4th pick, I'm going to take Christoph Pozingus, that
(53:44):
powerful. He would have been perfect for
my. I thought you were going to get
him. I was like, as soon as I picked
German, I was like, shit, I needPozingus.
I need shooting. Yeah, and I need tight.
So yeah, Pozingus. At OK, so we got one left age.
I've got K Arenas, Blake Durin. All right, here's my 30.
(54:07):
This is tough because the Pistons forever have never had
any wings. Like never.
We've had some OK point guards like Rosie Jackson, had some
bigs like Blake Drummond, but we've just apart from racing and
never had wings. And I'm trying to think of
Wizards wings. I could only think of Trevor
Reece since like 2010. And I'm like, oh, you know what
(54:30):
I'm going to take? I do want to take a SAR, but for
the fun of it, I'm going to takeOtto Porter.
He's the yeah, He's third or fourth season.
Before he signed that huge extension, he was OK.
Don't he literally once he signed that extension, the
(54:51):
wizard, honestly, like we were so good that season when we had
him shooting threes like 49% andthen he just took the money and
went away and ran away. He took his three point shot
with him. I'm going to take him.
I want to take the car, but for the for the sake of the
exercise, I'm going to take OttoPorter Junior, I think, yeah,
(55:12):
because he can shoot. I was thinking prime Chris
Middleton but I'm looking at my team, I'm looking at how
athletic the boys are and I feellike we're just going to run the
court. We're going to be up and down
frantic basketball and who else would be better than that than
adding Asar Thompson to my team and just having a full running
(55:33):
team. Just straight defence, straight
offence, but No 3 pointers. Porzingis can can stay in the
corner and shoot as much as you can and we'll just try get as
many rebounds as we can. Oh.
Lovely. But yeah, so just to recap, I
think your team has Kate Cunningham, Gilbert Arenas, my
friend Otto Porter, junior powerforward.
(55:55):
Remind me who you've got Blake Gryphon and Andrew Duran.
And I've got John Fall. Frankly, Bill doesn't get on
here. How funny is that?
John Wall, Russell Westbrook, Nassar Thompson, Christmas
Porzingis and Andre Drummond. So I think both teams stay how
they are where they went before.But I think you get the edge
(56:16):
here. I think balancely, I think you
got a bit more balance, a bit more shooting.
My team's very frantic as well. Bradley Bill doesn't get on
there, which probably be surprising for some, but
personally, when Bradley Bill was scoring 30A game, I feel
like his game was better when hewas a secondary with John Wall.
And I've always said that when we'll make in the playoffs days.
But yeah, quick starting 5 mixture.
(56:38):
I loved that. That was pretty fun.
That was good. But I guess just closing out for
this wonderful interview and call, just wanted to see what's
next for you and I guess where people can find you online if
they haven't already. Totally.
So for anyone looking for Pistons content, it's just
Pistons Jack on. I think I'm pretty much on every
social media platform, like mostpeople, daily Pistons content.
(57:03):
We've got heaps of stuff for theoffseason, we'll be doing all
the coverage of free agency, thedraught.
We do have a second round pick so there'll be some deep cut
content for that. But yeah, all summer league will
be covering that. So honestly full steam ahead
until probably August. But I'm going to try to do some
(57:24):
general basketball stuff in and around Melbourne, visiting some
places. So yeah, there's going to be
plenty of stuff all year round. This is all I do so there'll be
content for for days. Awesome, awesome.
Now certainly looking out on your journey as well.
It's been a fantastic interview.Thank you so much for jumping in
and sharing your journey and wishing you all the best moving
(57:45):
forward. And hopefully the Pistons can
take another leap for your sake and get to a first playoff
victory since a long time. So yeah, really looking out for
that. Appreciate that man.
Ben, it's been a pleasure to chat to you.
Thanks for having me on. Cheers.
So that's a wrap for this week'sepisode of The Huddle Within
podcast. I appreciate you for tuning in
and being part of this communitywhere we go beyond the game and
(58:06):
into what really matters. If this episode resonated with
you, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it
with someone who sees sports just the way that we do.
And hey, I'd love to hear from you.
Connect with me on my social medias, which will be linked
below, send in your thoughts andeven be part of a future
episode. Until next time, keep that
passion alive, stay in the huddle, and remember it's always
(58:27):
deeper than the game. Cheers.
What is going on everybody? And welcome to another episode
of The Huddle Within podcast. We have now hit episode 13,
which is extremely exciting for those tuning in for the first
time. If you do enjoy this episode,
feel free to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
And also it would be great if you could leave a five star
review as well. For this week's episode, as you
(00:22):
can tell from the title, we havebrought on Jack Kelly, also
known as Pistons. Jack, who is a passionate
Detroit Pistons fan from Melbourne, Australia, getting
worldwide kind of coverage on onhis support and passion for the
Pistons. So a perfect guest to have on
this show. We sort of go into a deep dive
(00:44):
of his fandom, his rise to kind of being one of the main Pistons
communities and also main pillars of Pistons coverage and
sort of, yeah, discuss that journey.
Put a bit of kind of our Australian spice in it as well,
given that we're both from Australia there.
And just giving you guys a bit of a limelight as to what you
(01:05):
could possibly be if you were topursue a team or a sport that
you want to support as a major fan.
So it's a very good listen. I really hope you guys enjoy the
content. And Jack was a super down to
earth bloke. Really appreciate him getting on
the pod and discussing all things MBA and all things
Pistons. So let me know what you guys
(01:27):
think, and yeah, please enjoy. Welcome to the Huddle Within
podcast, where we go beyond the surface to uncover the real
impact of sports on our lives. Whether it's lessons of
resilience, the passion that fuels us, or the stories that
connect us all, This is where the game gets personal.
I am Daniel, a regular sports fan just like you, and together
we'll explore what sports truly means beyond the surface.
(01:48):
So step right into the Huddle and let's get into it.
(02:08):
What is going on, everybody? And welcome to this week's
episode of The Huddle Within podcast.
Today, I am proud to present another guest on the show,
Pistons. Jack, how's it going?
Good mate, how are you? Yeah, Good, good, good.
Just honestly really excited to have you on here.
We've had conversations in the past so I know a lot about you,
(02:29):
but would love for my audience to know who exactly you are as
well. Of course.
So yeah, my name's Jack. I'm, I'm in Melbourne,
Australia. I'm a huge Pistons fan and in
the past six to eight months I launched my own brand called
Pistons Jack and essentially I'mjust on most social platforms
(02:49):
and I make content about the team daily.
This is what I do essentially for a full time job, cover the
team. I was recently in Detroit for
the first time in February and then I was back for the playoffs
only a few weeks ago. But yeah, I became a fan of the
Pistons in 2012. My background is mainly
construction. I did that for like 10 years
(03:10):
after I finished school or, sorry, eight years.
And then I worked at the NBL National Basketball League for a
year in the social team. And then I decided to do my own
thing as Pistons Jack. And yeah, I just love the
Pistons and the community that surrounds it.
And I I'm just a fan. I originally wanted to get into
the media, be a journalist, but I realised I don't like that
(03:30):
angle. I like my fandom.
And that's what Pistons Jack's all about, covering the team
from a fan's perspective. Yeah, that's awesome.
Like, I guess here in this podcast, we do dive into sports
fandom and how it kind of impacts and shapes our lives.
And as a fellow Australian getting worldwide coverage, it
seems like you'd be the perfect guest here and just an
inspiration to all people that are big sports fandoms and I
(03:52):
guess diving into, yeah, where you could personally be if you
were to pursue something in sports.
So I guess we can get started ona few questions.
We'll see how this kind of goes throughout the whole episode,
but the first thing I'd love to say is like, yeah, where did the
love for the Pistons begin? So yeah, I followed the, I
reckon I was in like year 4 or five.
So I'm 29 now, but it must have been like mid 2000s.
(04:16):
I'd never watched basketball really or anything.
And my mom was just like, I lovelike growing up.
I was just all for the AFL and then my mom was like, you need a
sport to play in the spring or something.
And I was like, oh, she's like, why don't you try basketball?
I was like, OK, I've never played.
And literally like just fell in love with the sport very
(04:36):
quickly, like got NBA Live and then like just become very
accustomed with the NBA. And I loved like, I was just
like casual, like Lakers, Kobe, LeBron, Cavs.
And I loved like Dwight Howard and that there's a magic team
that made the finals in like 09,I think.
Yeah, I just, yeah, like I'm only, I'm 6 foot tall.
I'm not, I'm not a centre. I don't know why, but I just
(04:58):
like, really like Dwight Howard because he was like Lady
Gazelle. And I remember around 2011, I
saw a mock draught on nba.com and the number one ranked player
for the 2012 class was meant to be Andre Drummond.
And he was meant to be the next Dwight Howard.
So I, I was like, whatever he gets drafted, I'm going to
follow that team. And I kind of watched him a
little bit while I was at UConn,but it's kind of hard in
(05:20):
Australia trying to watch college games, especially back
then. But I saw I ended up watching
that draught. He went to the Pistons and I was
like, all right, I'm a Pistons fan now.
Got lead past his rookie season.And yeah, I honestly, from 2012
to maybe 2021, I was just a hugefan, wasn't on social media
doing anything about the Pistons.
(05:41):
And just like, love watching thegame is my biggest passion.
And yeah, I've just been like a huge fan ever since.
Like, that's that's how I becamea Pistons fan.
I haven't seen like much successprior to this season.
But yeah, I just fall in love with the team That that that's
really all it is. Yeah, that's awesome.
I think that's pretty much similar to what a lot of people
in, in Australia do when it comes to supporting teams,
(06:03):
especially outside of of their country in the NBA and also like
I see in in in football as well in soccer.
So it's just great that we can always pick a team and, and just
kind of run with that and followit where there's no real like
affiliations in terms of like local league and stuff.
I I find that pretty awesome. As I've mentioned in previous
episodes, mine's pretty similar with Father Wizards and, and
(06:24):
falling in love with with John Wall and just kind of taking
that further. And then I guess as you continue
to support the Pistons, obviously there was a lot of
phases with rebuilding and now getting some rewarded success.
How did you kind of feel going through that kind of rebuild
stage and those failures and then getting up to this moment?
Because I've always mentioned inprevious episodes, it's always
(06:45):
the suffering that makes you kind of yeah, be fasted for that
reward. And when you finally got it, you
think that it wouldn't have feltthe same if if you did.
Like it's in at the start, you know?
It's crazy, I feel like. So I was just briefly saying to
you before we jumped on here like from since I think it was
the 2020 season when everything got shut down with COVID, the
(07:05):
Pistons finally started tanking like Blake Gryphon.
He was done. Like his knee was shot.
Andre had that had ran its course and he'd been just traded
to the Cavs. And so since 2020, the Pistons
had been rebuilding and I was all lean on like tanking young
guys, get your best draught odds.
And it was like I was fine with that.
I remember even the 2022-2023 season, Kade second season, he
(07:29):
was pretty much out the whole season.
But we had rookie Ivy and I was like they won 17 games.
It was a slug, but it was like alright, it's the Wemby draught.
I was like cool, we're going. We had the worst record.
Obviously, we fell all the way to 5.
We got a saw who I'm very happy with now, but then it was meant
to be the 2324 seasons like all right, we're finally going to
start winning games and we're going to push for the play in.
(07:51):
And that season was the worst infranchise history.
It was 28 game losing streak. Your man Kyle Koosman was saying
don't be that team. Well, former former guy Kuzma.
But it was just that season really tested me.
I'm not going to lie, I was thatwas the first time a sports
teams ever affected my mental health.
Not much, but I was just like sodown because I love this team so
(08:12):
much and like it was horrible. But this season it was like all
worth it. It was crazy.
I've never had a team won 44 games, which is the most I've
ever seen as a fan. They won two playoff games,
which I'd never seen since I've been a fan.
First playoff wins since 1008. And honestly I was at that first
win in New York. It's just crazy feeling.
(08:34):
Best night of my life, like honestly.
And it was just to finally tastesome success.
It's weird, like this whole season's just been like what?
What Like we do live streams after the game.
It's just connecting with fans and all of us just being so
happy about things. I think a lot of fan bases take
for granted, which is fine. Like I'm not saying they should
(08:56):
be envious of us because it's been a painful Rd, but it was
just been honestly magical. It's like, I'm so glad I went
all in to cover the team full time this season because I like,
it's just everything feels so magic and the future all of a
sudden after feeling so bleak islike, wow, it's just, I'm not,
(09:17):
it's, I'm not used to feeling sohurtful about my favourite team.
Yeah. Well, it's, it's good to know
because I feel like that kind oflike backbone was the backbone
of your success and your rise tofame.
As you were kind of, I guess going through this journey and
this struggle of Detroit as theywere succeeding, you were kind
of on that same trajectory. So it felt like it was like a
connection there that brought you to something that could be
(09:37):
more invested, and it was like areward for all your kind of
loyalty going through those hardtimes as well.
So when did you start seeing that, like, this would be a
thing like being able to cover the team full time?
You've gone on plenty of trips to Detroit.
As mentioned, you went to the playoffs and you went and saw a
few games there in the New York series.
And then before that you also had a week with with the team as
(09:57):
well. They invited you down to kind of
cover the team for three games. And I saw that journey and that
was pretty awesome to to see from outside looking in.
So kind of tell me when that started becoming a reality and
how'd it feel? You know, could never imagine.
Yeah, it's been so to start peace.
OK, I'll go back just a little bit because like it hasn't it's
(10:17):
been like a bit more of a journey in the sense like to get
here and to get to this decision.
But I like in yeah, during COVID, it must have been 2021
while coming out of COVID. But I, my girlfriend who I met
like in 2020 was just like I was, well, I was a tradie.
Like my background, like I worked in telecommunications
(10:39):
doing like, you know, like the NBN fibre.
Like that's yeah, yeah, yeah. Out in the street and like, so I
was working in a family business.
Anyway, Long story short, she was just like, that's not you.
Like you're obsessed with basketball and she's like, you
just like don't even like I wouldn't even like talk to
anyone really about it. Like I'd just be on this
piston's blog kind of talking topeople.
But so I thought I want to be a journalist.
(11:02):
So I started like, I was like, OK, I'll message the guy who
runs this blog. And I was I do I like him so
bad. English like I, but I just like
me. Too Bro, trust me.
Right. But I was like, I just want to
do, I want to do sport full time.
So I just started writing for this blog and then because of
that, I was like, I've always been on Twitter but never
(11:23):
posted. I'd say like people like Zach
Lowe and just other ESPN people and that like post on Twitter,
like clips. So I just started posting on
there and over a over, over probably 2 years, I've built
like a small following and like,I was just like posting a lot of
videos and stuff. And I've kind of found that I
liked, didn't really enjoy the writing as much.
(11:44):
I'm also liked just making contact and interacting with
fans from like in Detroit and like people from outside of
Australia. And then yeah, I basically, I
remember I was talking to some people.
I just reach out to journalists all the time, some in Australia,
some in the US. And then IA guy who worked at
(12:04):
the NBL, who I got coffee was like, you should reach out to
someone from the NBL one, see ifthey would have any work for you
in like the writing space just like casually.
And I did. And they were like, look, we
don't want any of your writing stuff.
But if you want, we have casual work on the weekends for gang
night socials. So OK, I'll do this.
And then I did that for like 2 months and then that led to a
(12:25):
job at the NBL, which I was, what do you call it, a grad.
But then I became social media coordinator and I learned so
much in like 12 to 15 months there about social media.
I didn't even know how to like make a real or anything when I
got there. I just knew how to post like a
video and some stuff on Twitter and I learned so much and I was
like, do I need to? Like though my Pistons fandom
(12:48):
would die when I got my full time job at the NBL because
that's what my goal was like. Yeah, of course.
Like working sport full time. Yeah, sort of get out of being
like an NBN or a trade. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Because I was still working in construction, but then at night
I was doing like, posting stuff about the Pistons, a little bit
of riding on the weekends. I was doing NBL One.
Yeah. And.
(13:09):
And then like when I got my job,the NBL, I'm like, oh, and I'm
like, this is what I wanted. But I was like, my Pistons
Phantom didn't die at all. And then I just learned all
these new ways to like, how to maybe just grow an audience, how
to be smarter about posting, Like what how to like figure out
like trends. And and so I was like, I just
want to do this full time. Yeah, I was like, still very
(13:31):
scared to like go all in. But then yeah, I decided to and
like the stuff that happened this season, I actually went to
summer league in 2023. Like I paid for it all, but I
got a media credential from the blog I was writing for and I
learnt 2 things there. Like 1.
(13:52):
I don't want to be a journalist.I didn't, I just didn't like
like this. It's so intense and I don't
really like the just me personally, the players in that
environment. It's just a very intense.
It's not how I would want to build a relationship with a
player all percent. It's not just not the
(14:13):
relationship I want to have withmy favourite team.
It's just I. Feel it's very critical like
certain right, but I feel as though even for me like starting
this, it's like I wouldn't want to get into journalism because I
feel like a lot of my stuff is on like players and
understanding that they're humans as well and I feel like
journalism just takes that out. There's no positivity when it
comes to that. It's very critical in some
(14:34):
aspects. There is obviously positive
aspects to it, but when you go into a room and say the team
loses, you need to understand and get as to why they lose.
They're obviously frustrated. They're going in their car.
They probably don't even want totalk to you and then you get
asked probably the most like obscure questions that you have
to answer professionally. I I can totally agree with you.
Like I would hate to be a journalist as well.
I did yeah. And it's just like it's a very
(14:56):
like and and I actually the baitwriters that cover the Pistons,
I think they do a great job and I don't think any of them are
like like have it's it's just more so like my relationship
with the team, like I don't I didn't like that.
And I was just like, this isn't for me.
And then, but while I was there,I met some people from the
Pistons marketing and social team.
(15:17):
They reached out to me and we got breakfast.
And this is like, I had no idea what I was doing at the time.
I was pitching some horrible ideas.
But I've got it. I've got that relationship
there. And then I kept that, stayed in
touch. And then when they saw I was
doing this full time, I think westarted chatting in November.
(15:37):
And then I was like, oh, we could collab on some content.
And they collabed and I was so happy with like, I think I did
some All Star videos for Kate and Ivy, like just promoting All
Star voting. And then they surprised me with
the trip to Detroit. So that was the first one in Feb
for World Basketball Day. And that trip was like when it
was crazy. Like that was like, yeah, I'd
(16:00):
like it was just really magical.Like just the fans, like it was
crazy. Like meeting, like doing fan
meet ups and just meet. Like it was insane.
Like the community, like it was just all those wild.
So after that trip, like, caughtup with the Pistons just to
debrief on that trip. And then they were like, do you
(16:23):
want to come back for the playoffs?
I was like, of course it was on my list to ask them, But I was
like, I don't want to be like getting ahead of myself.
Of course. I've just got back from a huge
trip, but then the playoff trip happened.
So I was very, very fortunate. And I think it all just started
with like having that relationship from two years
prior, maintaining that going all in, being dedicated.
And yeah, I'm very grateful and fortunate.
(16:46):
But yeah, that that's how everything kind of eventuated
with those trips. Truly inspiring, honestly, and I
think as you kind of go across that journey, it really is those
connections and communities thatkind of inspire you as well and
make you want to do it. Because I think when it comes to
like our regular jobs, we feel as though we're not really
(17:06):
associating with people that arekind of on the same wavelength.
And then when you find out that there are people that the same
like you that have the same interests, that's where the joy
comes from. So I think talk to more about
like the power of community because I've seen a lot of
coverage. I know you do those videos of
the Korean Pistons fan who's also like a massive Pistons fan,
but just being able to kind of attach your team and connect
(17:28):
with the whole world. I, I personally just find that
amazing. That's kind of what I live by in
community and just getting people together for one common
thing. And I think that's so powerful
there. Well, so that's like why I'm
like, obviously the at the core of this is like I'm a fan and I
just want to cover my favourite team, but one of my main like
pillars is like connecting Pearsons fans around the world,
(17:48):
because for me back in like 2012to 16, like you would know this
like how many Wizards fans have you ever seen in person in
Melbourne? Probably like it's come up
surprisingly, but I only knew one and now it's gone up to like
5, which is very surprising. But yeah, it's true, there's not
many. And get guess what my most
common DM is like from Australian Pistons fans?
(18:12):
I. Wouldn't know, no idea.
I thought I was the only Pistonsfan in Australia.
Yeah. And it's like, yeah, so.
And that's how I felt for so long until I found like this
Detroit Bad Boys blog. And I kind of met people, but I
didn't. So like for me, it was like, I
want to like have a space. Like, you know, when, like if
the Wizards lose a close game orthey have like a big win like
(18:34):
they do against the Nuggets thisseason, you just want to like
celebrate that 100%, especially if you're like you're watching
it live on a Saturday. You don't have your work.
You just want to like have a place to be like let's let's go.
Or like if they have a tough loss, you want a place to go
where you're like, just get it off you and like move on.
Because if you're that passionate, it's like you just
want to like debrief. So like for me, like I want to
(18:58):
have AI always wanted a place tolike share those thoughts for
sure. And like we have podcasts and
like that's awesome. And like there's a lot of
podcasts that go like we'll havesomething straight after the
game, but it's like there's still, I found that there's not
really a place, at least in the Pistons community that like fans
can go and have their voice. So that's why for me, like I
(19:19):
have these, this is not a new concept.
I know people do it with AFL content and like I've seen it
everywhere, but like I have fan reacts after every game.
I go live and I just send fans alink.
They can come up and chat. Well, they can just chat in the
chat, but like come up on stage like you and I and just talk
about the game. And I think it's just been so
good. Like, I've met fans from
(19:40):
obviously Korea, the UK, Russia,like, yeah, everywhere.
Yeah, you wouldn't expect that once when she started crazy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the best like in like
Switzerland and it's so cool hearing everyone's story, how
they became a fan, why they're afan, what time they have to
watch the games. Like it's so just building that
(20:01):
community I think is. That was one of my main goals
and it's been definitely one of my highlights is just meeting
all these fans and just like after bad loss, like getting
everyone up to share their thoughts.
Like I always feel better after like the hour to hour and a half
stream. And most people I think do as
well that come on. So the community's like, yeah,
(20:22):
everything. And like even the fans in
Detroit that meet in person are incredible as well.
It's not just international fans, but obviously being in
Australia, yeah, we definitely get a lot of international fans
on my content, I would say. Yeah, and that's a great way to
bridge the gap between kind of having that connection with the
fans as well. And by that, you're actually
growing the Pistons as well. So that's kind of so awesome
(20:44):
too. And as you said, like no one
wants to support a team on theirown.
Like it doesn't have that feeling like there's no one to
share your emotions with. So I find that sport is really
powerful when people are together, when people have a
common kind of support or a common goal of wanting A-Team to
succeed. And that's all we want to like
kind of breakdown on this podcast is just like having
(21:04):
those discussions about how important US fans are because it
doesn't get overlooked, but it'ssomething that I think can be
talked about a lot more. And like people like yourself
that are really acting and wanting to do that and wanting
to kind of grow communities and also ultimately show your
support to the team you love is just simply awesome.
So I guess when people are, and you probably answered it
(21:26):
already, but when people are listening or watching your
content, what do you actually want them to feel?
What is kind of the goal there when you're putting stuff out?
Obviously for Pistons fans, but maybe for like a fan myself that
isn't a Pistons fan but is probably respecting what we see
and how sport fandom is in your in your scope.
I just, I want them to feel likea part of something connected.
(21:47):
And I would just say like just excited, like like and just like
if you watch some of my content,whether it's like a game recap
reel of like a win that goes for40 seconds, just be like like my
goal is just to make people talkand be excited and like in love
with the Pistons. And I know like, but like it's
(22:07):
just to push their brand becauseI feel like not that brand as
such, but just like the players in the team because I just
would. I remember when I was younger,
like I'll turn on first take, you know, for some stupid reason
would be like sitting there waiting for them to talk about
the Pistons and they never would.
Yeah, because no one can't. Like they don't get the
coverage. So like for me, it's like I'm
(22:29):
I'm pushing them so they get coverage and they're getting
coverage now they win. But like, I just want people to
be excited about the Troy Pistons.
And if you're a Pistons fan, I want you to be excited about the
team. I always try and be positive
even if we lose, so that you don't give up on them.
You keep coming back and you feel a part of something
special. And just because for me, like
(22:50):
the reason I have such a strong attachment to Andre Drummond, he
was a pretty good player. He made 2 All Star teams, but
he's not he's not even John Wall.
He's not a superstar. But I when I was like in year 11
when I first started watching him and that like, but I would
be if I was like anxious or feeling weird about anything
socially. Like you go through some weird
things when you're a teenager for sure.
(23:11):
Like I knew from 11:00 to 1:30 PM watching Andre Drummond, I'd
be happy. So it's like, I know for some
people, like that's what sport is, It's an outlet.
It's a time where you can just like forget about what's going
on and just be so locked into your team.
So it's like, I want to like make you feel excited for that
or make you feel awesome about that.
(23:33):
So sorry for the long answer, but that's like, that's great.
For me, it's just about generating excitement and
positivity and giving people shine, I would say.
For sure. You reminded.
You just reminded me of like when I was at school and getting
the iPad out. I had the Foxtel go and they
didn't have it blocked. So just whipping out the ESPN,
having the league pass or just watching it during class.
That's what I love about NBA too, because like even now when
(23:55):
I'm working, there's always NBA on in the background and I'm
able to kind of just watch it during the day.
But you're so right. I wasn't like, no, not not a
long answer at all. Definitely like true.
And definitely what I want to kind of extract from this
episode and episodes moving forward is like how much of an
impact that sport team can have on you to a point where it
really does like change your emotions and makes you feel
(24:16):
good. I remember back in the playoffs
and we're going to talk about the playoffs for you for sure.
We're not going to forget that. But when John Wall got the
winner in the game six match against the Boston Celtics, I
don't know if you remember, but I.
Do. My my house went like gone
around. There was an earthquake.
I was screaming, yelling, like going crazy, shirts off
celebrate. I'm just like a an 18 year old
(24:37):
kid just kind of getting into basketball for the first time.
But those are moments that like you can't, you can't get better
moments than that. You can't like get that from
anything else because the fact that you're not in control of it
makes your emotions more crazy as well because you're relying
on like 5 blokes on a court to just change your whole mood.
And like, I just find that awesome.
Then you've got the low lights. Like we had the LeBron game
(24:59):
winner in that TNT game, that famous game with the Kevin Love.
What about pass off the bank shot?
And just like how shattered I am, but also how proud I was
because that was the first time the Wizards were actually on the
map on TV. And that's when people started
to take the Wizards serious to the point where the Cavs were
scared of us. They didn't want to actually
match up with us in the playoffs.
But forget about me. Don't worry about the Wizards.
(25:20):
The Wizards are not good at the moment.
Until tomorrow when we get Cooper flag.
But but just talk to me about the playoffs.
So the first time the Pistons have been in the playoffs for a
while now, obviously you're going to cover it.
How was the atmosphere? You've obviously been to regular
season games. I've been to regular season
games as well. But we just want to love to know
the difference and basically that whole experience too,
(25:40):
because that was pretty amazing and a funny story that you had
as well that I'll let you share to an unfortunate one, but also
quite funny. Well, so the when I went to the
first home games for like I had been been into Detroit in Feb,
they were pretty loud because they were on an 8 or 9 game
winning streak. So like the crowd was really
(26:01):
locked in and like I was talkingto people from the Pistons.
I were like, this is the first true sellouts we've had this
season. And it was loud.
But I remember Game 3 was the first game in Detroit and we
were sitting at, well, actually they had us in a suite and I was
like heaps of other people in there.
(26:23):
And I have my back to the court pregame.
I was just talking to someone and I just heard this like and
it was so loud that I was like, they're pumping it out through
the speakers like that's and I just turned around and I'm like,
what? Like and it was just the Knicks
coming out and the Pistons fans like in LCA was just so loud.
(26:43):
Like it was great. Like they were doing like FU
Bronson chants, Like it was so loud.
Like because I was at MSG for Game 2 and the Knicks fans are
crazy. I've been to MSG a few times,
but I've never been to a playoffgame obviously.
And that was an incredible experience in itself, being
(27:04):
amongst being like, I don't know, there's probably only like
50 Pistons fans there. Hostile crowd.
Yeah, amongst a crowd like that was like the opposite.
But the Pistons fans are genuinely and being serious,
like the Pistons fans were louder than MSG for those home
games because I think we we've been starved for like sure
(27:26):
anything for so long. It was just I've always been
told like sports in Detroit are like crazy.
It's on another level. And I really felt that like the
fans were like insane. It was so loud and just like
watching playoff basketball, like I would be absolutely
(27:48):
exhausted. Like and I'm not a fan that like
gets up and like screams a lot like I do a little bit, but I'm
not like full heckling players and stuff like I just support my
team. But like it was just exhausting
like because all the home games were so close.
I think they lost all three homegames by a combined 6 points and
(28:09):
two of them were like I the Pistons should have won like
genuinely, but that's what happens when you're a young
team. The next was more experienced
but like it was just crazy and like even in the losses I'd be
devastated for like 5 minutes but then it was like coming to
the realisation of like how lucky I am to be here.
(28:29):
And just. Watch like such high level
basketball and watch my team just like absolutely going at it
with like a Knicks team who lookpretty good right now.
Yeah, they do. They had a big loss to Boston
yesterday. Just like how like I'm like just
so grateful to be here and like be able to watch so many playoff
games. It was just incredible
(28:51):
experience. Like just the, the atmosphere
was crazy. It's, it's something I've been
to a couple of AFL grand finals and they were crazy as well.
Like I would put it smaller crowd, but the building's
smaller. So it's like very similar.
Yeah. Like it's.
I was gonna ask about the grandfather pants.
(29:11):
Yeah. And you know what it's like
watching like you, obviously I can say go for the pies.
Like, yeah, you've watched your fair share of finals.
I'm sure you've been in person. Like, it's just every
possession. You're just like you can't
relax. Like it's yeah, yeah, it's
crazy. It's.
Painful but in the best way possible is incredible.
Yeah, I really had to sink a fewbeers at the grand final against
(29:33):
Brisbane just to really numb my emotions.
But it definitely was extremely loud.
But as you say, it might be a smaller crowd, but I think
because the building is so small, the noise would be
amplified. So I could imagine how crazy it
be and especially the fact that it's your first playoff run as
well. I find that New York have been
there before and because they'reprobably tickets are very
expensive as well. I do find that maybe the fans
(29:56):
are not as authentic as Pistons.Maybe New York fans are coming
out to get me. I know that they're crazy fans,
but I just feel like it was different.
It does make sense that the the Pistons fans would go off for
that. And it's just pretty awesome
that you actually had that experience.
And I was going back on my funnystory.
I wish I could have told you, the game one, not to get a
ticket off around the person on the street because that's
(30:16):
happened. I've been offered that before.
But yeah, talk to me about that as that was.
Just, yeah, I, so we got to New York on the, on the day of Game
1 and I didn't have tickets sorted and like, but we were
like, we're still going to go toMSG and try interview some fans,
find some Pistons fans because we were staying real close.
So we walked up and like I was like fully happy to not like,
(30:39):
not happy to not go. But I realised like, OK, I tried
to put out some feelings for tickets.
It just wasn't going to happen. But when we were there and
because you can fully get through security and everything
without a ticket. Like we were in like inside MSG
interviewing fans. And I was like, man, I just want
to go now. Like I'm literally, yeah, but
they're on the other side of this wall, like warming up.
(31:00):
Like. So we were like, we're walking
back to our hotel and then theseguys came up and they're like,
we've got tickets. And then I was like, deep down I
was like, I feel like this is not legit, but I just, I'd
always when people come out to me like that, just say no, but
because it's for the Pistons. And I just like was kind of
desperate. Me and my girlfriend were like,
(31:22):
why not? They were like 100 USDH.
They wanted to pass to pay 200 USDH, which starts in itself,
playoff tickets aren't that cheap, but whatever.
We were just like, and then theywere like, oh, you need to get
cash out. So we went across the road to an
ATM. Then my girlfriend's like, oh, I
don't have my bank cards at the hotel room.
And this should have been outside from the university.
Like don't. Because we were so desperate
(31:44):
though, we ran back to the hotel, got her card, got money
out. And then they were like to us,
oh, we've already sold the tickets.
And I was like, oh, deep down I'm like, I feel like this is
just fully a scam. But we're like, then they're
like, oh, actually, no, we've got them.
And then we stupidly bought them.
And then as soon as we got through security and went to
scam, they're like, guys, it's afake.
And I was like, shit. So it was like, I didn't.
(32:07):
And then my girlfriend was like on the way back, like I was so
gutted. I was so like, and why like 1
like why did we even do this? Like I feel bad now.
Like but then I was just like, Iwant to be at the game.
Then my girlfriend was like, we need to like capture this.
She's like, we've just lost like400 Australian.
Like let's make content out of it.
So then that's where the contentcame from.
(32:27):
And a lot of people are like saying, oh, I did that just for
content, but I genuinely didn't.We were just like desperate and
like, you know, we've just, we've just travelled.
It took, we got stuck in Dallas for a night.
We just travelled so far. It was like, let's just give it
a crack, eat. And it's like it didn't work
out, but whatever. Sort of blessing in disguise.
(32:48):
I think you went to a bar anyway.
I think you with a few Pistons fans, Did you just win that
game? I can't remember.
Yeah, no. So we.
Lost that, So there you go, you won.
Yeah, then we got tickets to Game 2 and it all worked out,
so. It's meant to be so you just
look at the positives about it. But definitely a lesson for for
next time for sure. Yeah, it's happened to me too on
an occasion as well. Not for sport purposes.
(33:11):
More stupidly, I was in Spain. I was there for six months.
Some guy was desperate for money.
I say like, I don't have a ticket to my boss, can you give
me some money, please? All in like broken Spanish.
And I was trying to get the words out.
And in my mind, I just really wanted to help someone.
I was in that, like, kind of mood, but I didn't think that I
could have just went to the bus ticket and say, what's your
ticket? Buy it panic took like €150 out
(33:35):
and just paid it to him and thenhe's like, I'll pay you back and
I'm like, yeah, here's my number.
Just messaged me the next day. Obviously didn't message me the
next day. So you're definitely not the the
only one. But yeah, a good, a good lesson.
But yeah, pretty, pretty awesomethat even you still were able to
be there and then the second game as well and and had that
whole experience like honestly really happy for you.
(33:55):
And it just again, I said to youbefore this, it's just great to
see someone of of an Aussie descent to come into like the
world of basketball and really have a presence there.
And I wanted to talk about, I guess meeting players as well.
So I know she did meet a lot of players and kind of how that
went about where they are kind of digging in your Aussie accent
of beer, having an understandingof like, because like I go
(34:17):
overseas all the time and everything they ask the all the
typical questions is like, is there a lot of spiders there?
Is it dangerous? Oh, it's too far.
I don't want to go. So yeah, I guess, yeah.
Have tell me about your experience being an Aussie and
and kind of, I guess being a proud Aussie going there as well
and how that identity kind of impacts you as well and makes
you feel like extra special? Well, I think the stuff with the
(34:39):
players, so that was all from the first trip I went to in late
February. So I the Cade thing was crazy.
So we were sitting like, so obviously being on Instagram,
like the players, like if you like tag them in a story, pretty
much every Pistons player will look at it except for Kate and
(35:02):
Ivy. But so I know that some of them
know who I am. I never would go up to them,
like never, especially at games and stuff.
But the Kate thing after that, that was also my first Pistons
game in LCA. And I was like literally saying
to someone that day, I was like,Kate is the last, like literally
(35:23):
out of this entire organisation.I think there's like 500 people
at work for the Pistons. Like he's the one guy I would
not expect to know who I am or what I do.
So after that game, he pointed into the crowd and I was sitting
like kind of baseline near the Pistons bench.
And he pointed in my direction. And I like, we were sitting in
(35:44):
like this bar sort of VIP area. The Pistons just sat us down
there for that game. So I was like, oh, there'll be
some rapper celebrity behind me who I don't know who they are.
I turn around, there's no one there.
And I like, OK. And then he saw me turn around.
So he like nodded at me and pointed again.
And I have it. My girlfriend was filming all
this. And I was like, I was like, I
(36:06):
normally don't lose it, but I like, it's like, holy shit.
Kate just pointed at me and I still didn't believe he was
pointing at me because I'm like,he doesn't know who I am.
And then I got up and I walked over and like some fans rushed
over to him. And then I still was like, Nah,
he wasn't pointing me, but I'm going over and if I get to say
hi, say hi. And he's like, he's like, what's
(36:26):
up, bro? And then he was like, I'm going
to go out the back, sign this jersey and get it brought back
out for you. And I was just like.
And then all the Pistons stuff after that were like, what the
hell? They're like, that was like, we
did not have anything to do withthat.
That's insane. I was like, what the I was
losing it. I can imagine.
(36:46):
I was just like, because like for him to do that is like that
because there's no one apart from the owner.
There's no one who has more power in that.
So for him to just say hi to me and like acknowledge me, it's
like that's a moment. I know I will.
(37:08):
I already do look back on, but Iknow I'll look back on wherever
I am and whatever I'm doing. Like that really changed my
life. Like to get validation from him
is just like that's everything. It's like what?
I don't know, like that's crazy.So for him to just say hi, I was
like and he's just so like cool,like casual and like I wasn't
(37:28):
even really I was like losing a bit, but I was kind of just like
chill with him because he was chill and it was so genuine like
moves both smile and like that was crazy.
I don't think I slept after thatnight.
Me and my girlfriend were just like it's crazy.
Got that signed jersey up in my cupboard there.
I got to get framed. But then the stuff with Stu, I'd
(37:49):
actually like Stu's my favouriteplayer as I was sure you can see
the bubble head find me. So since the Pistons drafted
him, like I was just love the way he plays.
So I DM D him a few times beforeI got to the tricks.
I'd made videos about him and hewas like appreciate that bro,
but not So I knew he might like say hi to me.
And then like we said hi, we hadsome time together like just
(38:12):
briefly all the time, but he wasreally cool.
He'd always come over and say hiand like, yeah, I didn't really,
he really asked me much about Australia.
But I met, I met as well Bobby Clinton at a cruise game who
funnily enough, I was saying to him, I was like, when you at
paying for cans, Thai pants. That's the season I worked at
the NBI was like I was literallymaking all the well, I was
(38:35):
helping making all the content about you and he's like, bro,
that's insane. And like he was so nice.
So the stuff the players are really they're all really nice.
And like, I don't know, I don't like, I try to like keep my
distance because like especiallywhen I was back for the
playoffs, I was like, they've got, I'm not, they can, they've
got to be locked in. But it's been crazy.
(38:55):
It's crazy. I'm just like, I've like watched
these guys on TV and just for them to say hi or because I
tried to get a heap of access with the players, like
requesting then like it's just very hard to get any time with
them because of their schedules,especially during the season.
So like for them to come over tome was just like crazy because
(39:19):
it's yeah. So it was really, really
special. I think just because like you
said, the Australian accent, I think we're just a bit of a
different vibe. Like they appreciate the fact,
like the one thing people can't believe is that especially it's
Detroiters and like people that play with him, like you're so
far away. Like why?
How is their fans this far? I'm like, guys, I don't think I
(39:41):
understand how many international fans there are of
every team. Like they are just it's
something that I'm not sure Americans really grasp.
Like they know it's a global game like the NBA, but I don't
think they grasp that how big their fan bases actually are.
So I think having. That's what I'm kind of proud of
(40:01):
going back to that community thing is like I'm only a very,
very small part, but being able to shine a light on fans in
Australia, fans all over the world is like really cool
because they don't actually really know.
They they really don't unless they like for the Wizards.
Like when you had Rui, I'm sure there was a heap of he's from
Japan. I'm pretty sure like they
would've been, they would've been aware of that fan base, but
(40:23):
unless there's a player from that country, I don't think they
fully understand how big their fan bases really are and how
dead like international fans aresome of the most dedicated fans
because like we said, we don't often have an allegiance to the
city or the place. So I think it's been really cool
for the players based on the Pistons to just see how much
(40:46):
there's fans outside of just Detroit and the US that love
what they do. And I just watch every game and
support them a crazy amount. Yeah, it's awesome.
And I think as you mentioned, I think them meeting it was like
the ultimate validation to show that what you're doing is really
impacting the world as well as you're bringing.
You're bridging that gap betweenAmerica and Australia as well as
(41:07):
as the whole world too. And they really don't know the
global impact they have onto theworld because there are so many
fans across the whole world thatare watching these guys play
like I, I'm probably not a big, I'm not a Detroit fan, obviously
I'm a Wizards fan, but I can tell you the whole team of the
Detroit Pistons, like the main rotation players.
I can tell you which players areunbelievable.
I could have told you that Cade Cunningham was going to be
(41:28):
unbelievable before coming out of the draught.
So they really do have a massiveimpact not only on Detroit fans,
but also fans around the world too.
So it's really awesome that Cadewas downturf and able to give
you that moment too, because I could imagine that being
extremely incredible as well. So thanks for sharing and yeah,
thanks for continuing to to do your work and and bringing sport
(41:49):
fans together across the whole globe.
So it's really awesome to see. We're going to go into a quick
rapid fire segment. I'll always say this, every time
I do this, it's a rapid fire, but it ends up taking longer
than expected. So excuse just for the sake of
the sentence, but basically I'm going to give you a few
questions. You're going to answer them, and
then for a laugh, we're going totry and do our best wizard slash
(42:10):
piston starting 5. So we might get into a bit of a
debate, but let's see how this goes.
I'm not going to take into account this season because you
guys would have the whole starting five, but we'll try to
do it like all time and I think you still have more players than
us, but we'll give it a go. But first, I want to start with
your favourite Pistons jersey ever.
(42:31):
Pistons jersey That's a great 1.So I would, I would have
normally said the TO jerseys, but the season they wore them,
they were so bad. We won like 15 games that I'm
like a little bit turned off by them.
So I think my favourite Pistons jerseys, they had these red
(42:51):
Detroit City jerseys in Kade's rookie season.
I actually don't own one, but ifyou look them up from that
2021-2022 season, it's like red and then it has like blue
Thunderbolts on the other side and I think it says Detroit
across the chest. I just really like the red.
I think it pops well. So that's probably my favourite
jersey and then I would probablyput the teal 2nd and then I had
(43:13):
to put a third one. I honestly just love that
classic white home jersey. I think that's really clean as
well. I think I got the answer to this
question, but just for the sake of the audience.
The most underrated Pistons player.
I would say it's Stu, but withinthe Pistons that that's like on
a NBA level because everyone just knows him for like the
(43:34):
technicals fights and all that. I don't think they understand
how actually like good of a player he is, obviously
defensively. But amongst the Pistons fan
base, who I would say, I still think Jaden Ivy's are very like,
I think he's underrated, but he's a player that fans are
either very in on or very out on.
(43:55):
And I don't really fully understand.
My fans are out on him completely.
But that, yeah. I'm a big role player guy, so
when I look at the Pistons, I don't think they're underrated
across you guys, but I think their impact doesn't get talked
enough about and that's the acquisitions of Malik Beasley,
Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway. I think if you don't have those
(44:17):
players, I'm not saying you won't make the playoffs because
it's really hard. You got your young stars, but I
feel like the impact of veteran role players has definitely
pushed this team forward. And you can see it with with
those three being in there. And I'm hoping for the Wizards
to do the same with Middleton and Smart being there already.
I think if you don't have key veteran role players, it's
(44:38):
really hard to succeed in NBA. So I would say those 3 evenly.
Couldn't agree more, like that was be my biggest learning.
So I'd never been a fan through a full blown rebuild.
Like the Pistons teams before were always just mid middling
like Hornets vibes never too badbut never good.
So going through a full rebuild all's I wanted was them to play
all the young guys. Like I would want to start in
(44:59):
five for the first round picks, but that's what happened.
When you don't have vet guys like you mentioned, you have the
worst seasons of all time and like don't get when they made
that Milton trade. Is that when you guys started
just having some more confidence?
You brought in Marcus Smart, thetrade deadline, that's when you
guys started winning some more games.
Yeah, we more consistent a little bit.
(45:19):
Yeah, we also got in AJ Johnson,who was a rookie out of
Milwaukee as well, so he fits into our core of young players
and he kind of took a massive leap as well.
But definitely having their presence there has been a big
impact. I'm not sure whether they play
because I think they're getting shut down.
They weren't expected for them to play, but I think we have to
look out for them next season ifthey are to stay and how like
(45:41):
their impact is especially Middleton, because I think
people forget about how Middleton is.
He was literally the second guy in a championship winning team
for Milwaukee and he's just beenstruggling with injuries.
We definitely flunked that trade.
We won that by a mile, in my opinion, sending Kuzma.
Kuzma played 12 minutes in the playoffs, so we definitely won
that trade. But that's, yeah, trades like,
yeah, trades like that got us onthe up.
(46:02):
So Middleton, definitely a big impact.
We also have a guy who did a podcast with the Wizards edit up
before Anthony Gill, who doesn'tplay, but he's got a very big
veteran presence. I'm not sure if the Pistons have
anyone like that at the moment that just doesn't play, but he's
in in the in the in the roster we have.
Like Rodney Mcgruder for like 3 seasons who was like yeah
Anthony Gill never really played.
(46:25):
And I hated when like, honestly,like I like Draymond Green, but
I remember the stuff he said about Rodney Magruder was pretty
like out of pocket. And so was Klay Thompson.
I still, I feel like he still made a big impact.
But yeah, that's that's kind of the the Whizzer spill at the
moment. And then another question.
We obviously know about Kate Cunningham, but who's going to
be the next biggest star for thePistons?
And then give me like an NBA oneas well, just to make it a bit
(46:46):
spicier. I would say for the Pistons,
it's that's the thing we're still searching for is that #2
guy, I don't know if they have that on the roster right now.
And that's where a lot of fans are being like, we need to trade
for that guy. But I'm still like, and if we
don't have that, just run this call back.
They're still so young. But if I had to pick one, I
(47:08):
think it's a Thompson has the highest potential and he he was
out with blood clots, missed hiswhole he hasn't had a full NBA
offseason because the only one he had, he had blood clots and
he didn't come back till like end of December.
So he's not as good as a man because he's like doesn't have
the handle, but he could be likehis potential's crazy.
(47:31):
Jade. No, he's probably the one with
the most realistic outcome of being that number 2.
And then in terms of the NBA, myNBA knowledge is, it's funny,
doing this full time, I watch a lot less NBA.
I only watch my team and everything I do, so I probably
(47:52):
don't have a great answer for you.
I'm not going to lie, there's that's really bad of me, but my
general NBA knowledge is not good anymore doing this full
time. Now we can say a star.
That's fine. Yeah, I'll be the non, the non
the actually like, it's crazy. Like my biggest hot take, and
I'm probably extremely wrong about this, but I'm probably one
(48:15):
of the only few non Detroit fansthat is backing a * Thompson to
be better than a man and it hasn't happened yet.
Yeah, I don't know. For some reason I kind of, I
like the idea of him going fifthin the draught, but other than
4th. And I think they're both
incredible. I think they are both
incredible. I think a lot of people are
skewing towards Amen, especiallywith how he's been doing with
the Rockets and his ball handling as you mentioned.
(48:36):
But I still think Assas got so much potential and let him have
a full season and I think he will do some crazy things.
Those Thompson Twins, they're bloody athletic.
Let me tell you though, they they're doing some crazy things.
They're changing the game. And if they could shoot at least
35% from three, like watch out if I saw Thompson, I don't know
what he was shooting this year, but I know last year he had a
really bad shooting percentage from three point.
(48:58):
But if he can get to like 35, I feel like he can definitely be
the second guy for you. So I don't think that's a bad
answer at all. Yeah, no, as far as CRI, like
there's just some numbers as well.
Like when he's on the floor, it's like this team just is
they're just, they're advanced numbers sometimes are a little
bit misleading, but they're just, they're just different.
They're way better, even if evenwith all these offensive
(49:19):
deficiencies like the shooting and stuff, they're just better
with him on the floor, which I think is a sign of a really good
winning player. Yeah.
Well, I guess we can go straightinto now our starting 5 for the
losers. I'm going to give you the first
pick as you're the guest. So we'll just do a blind
starting five. Any positions?
So I can pick from like all the way back like all time.
(49:40):
Yeah, yeah. So I'm gonna so I'm going to
take this is crazy all time. I'm not.
I'm not. Gonna so I'm just gonna pick
since like I'm gonna this is bad.
I'm gonna take Kade first. That's fine.
That's my point guard. OK, so you've.
(50:01):
Taken, I'm going to surprise youwith my second pick.
OK, Yeah. You're going to take that away
from me? I'm surprised you didn't go
aside Thomas. Well.
It's just because I was going totake I just the bad boys teams.
I literally, I know they are so talented, but I just have
nothing to do with them going towork teams.
I kind of watched them. So I'm just like, I could take
(50:22):
Isaiah, but I just feel like I didn't watch any of that and I'm
just doing it based off that's watching a couple of Dockers.
That's fair, That's fair, that'sfair.
We can go more modern, let's saywhat we'll do, we'll we'll make
it from when we started supporting them.
So like we, we, we spoke before we were very similar in like
2010 plus some of that. We'll take that as OK.
(50:42):
Because the guy I want from yourteam is, I think, still there.
OK, so Kate, are we going you'regoing to do point guards as
shooting guides? So can I put John Wall as a
shooting guide? Yep, he can.
Can I do it? I can do it.
Yeah. Oh.
Oh. So that can be hybrids.
K can let let John Moore run theshowcase.
You can sit in the clap. Yeah.
(51:03):
But I'll definitely go John Moore next.
So I'm gonna take with my secondpick to sit.
He's a combo guard. I'm gonna take Gilbert Arenas.
Yeah, I like that. That's that's before 2010, I'd
say. But he was there, I think.
He came. Through.
Yeah, he was. He was.
Well, I'm taking him, but we're getting prime Wizards.
Gilbert Arenas. I like it, I like it.
(51:26):
I would have taken this is actually good because I would
have actually taken Michael Jordan #1 because he had the two
seasons, two seasons at the Wizards, the set, the 3rd pick
or my second pick? Or should we just fill out the
team? So that's yours.
My second, my second pick. So I've got John Moore at point
guard, you've got Cade, you've got Gil.
So I can't take either of those.I would have to go at shooting
(51:53):
guard. He's also a combo guard and he's
also leading the NBA in most triple doubles, and that is
Westbrook. Love it.
I forgot about Ross. Yeah, Ross had a a, yeah, a lot
of all the hate of Russell Westbrook that season he had at
the Wizards. I loved him.
He was one of my favourite from John Wall.
He was probably the next favourite player to watch for
me. I loved him, so I've got I've
(52:15):
got him in. That's terrible shooting, but a
lot of athleticism in in my lineup at the moment.
I love it all right, I'm going to take this is tough so both.
Teams are not. I can't take Bill because he's a
God. Oh man, this is really, really
(52:40):
tough because I'm, I'm struggling here.
Maybe I'll take I'm just going. I don't know why I was
struggling. I'm going to take bike Gryphon
for my 4 four. We might only get one season
before he's injured or something, but I'm taking that.
2019 bike season was insane. He had a good, he had a good
year, so I kind of like that. All right, I'm going to take
(53:01):
your boy. I'm going to take on Joe
Drummond at the centre as a third pick.
I probably missed someone for sure, but fuck it I'm just going
to take him. I'm trying.
Who are some Wizards forwards across the years I know you had,
like Trevor Razor, I know you had.
(53:22):
Someone just came up in my mind when you said that.
Oh no, I. Just I'm going to take the
centre. I'm just going to get, I'm going
to take Jalen Duran at the centre, I think.
Lucky for me even. Andres very similar players.
Yeah, so my 4th pick, I'm going to take Christoph Pozingus, that
(53:44):
powerful. He would have been perfect for
my. I thought you were going to get
him. I was like, as soon as I picked
German, I was like, shit, I needPozingus.
I need shooting. Yeah, and I need tight.
So yeah, Pozingus. At OK, so we got one left age.
I've got K Arenas, Blake Durin. All right, here's my 30.
(54:07):
This is tough because the Pistons forever have never had
any wings. Like never.
We've had some OK point guards like Rosie Jackson, had some
bigs like Blake Drummond, but we've just apart from racing and
never had wings. And I'm trying to think of
Wizards wings. I could only think of Trevor
Reece since like 2010. And I'm like, oh, you know what
(54:30):
I'm going to take? I do want to take a SAR, but for
the fun of it, I'm going to takeOtto Porter.
He's the yeah, He's third or fourth season.
Before he signed that huge extension, he was OK.
Don't he literally once he signed that extension, the
(54:51):
wizard, honestly, like we were so good that season when we had
him shooting threes like 49% andthen he just took the money and
went away and ran away. He took his three point shot
with him. I'm going to take him.
I want to take the car, but for the for the sake of the
exercise, I'm going to take OttoPorter Junior, I think, yeah,
(55:12):
because he can shoot. I was thinking prime Chris
Middleton but I'm looking at my team, I'm looking at how
athletic the boys are and I feellike we're just going to run the
court. We're going to be up and down
frantic basketball and who else would be better than that than
adding Asar Thompson to my team and just having a full running
(55:33):
team. Just straight defence, straight
offence, but No 3 pointers. Porzingis can can stay in the
corner and shoot as much as you can and we'll just try get as
many rebounds as we can. Oh.
Lovely. But yeah, so just to recap, I
think your team has Kate Cunningham, Gilbert Arenas, my
friend Otto Porter, junior powerforward.
(55:55):
Remind me who you've got Blake Gryphon and Andrew Duran.
And I've got John Fall. Frankly, Bill doesn't get on
here. How funny is that?
John Wall, Russell Westbrook, Nassar Thompson, Christmas
Porzingis and Andre Drummond. So I think both teams stay how
they are where they went before.But I think you get the edge
(56:16):
here. I think balancely, I think you
got a bit more balance, a bit more shooting.
My team's very frantic as well. Bradley Bill doesn't get on
there, which probably be surprising for some, but
personally, when Bradley Bill was scoring 30A game, I feel
like his game was better when hewas a secondary with John Wall.
And I've always said that when we'll make in the playoffs days.
But yeah, quick starting 5 mixture.
(56:38):
I loved that. That was pretty fun.
That was good. But I guess just closing out for
this wonderful interview and call, just wanted to see what's
next for you and I guess where people can find you online if
they haven't already. Totally.
So for anyone looking for Pistons content, it's just
Pistons Jack on. I think I'm pretty much on every
social media platform, like mostpeople, daily Pistons content.
(57:03):
We've got heaps of stuff for theoffseason, we'll be doing all
the coverage of free agency, thedraught.
We do have a second round pick so there'll be some deep cut
content for that. But yeah, all summer league will
be covering that. So honestly full steam ahead
until probably August. But I'm going to try to do some
(57:24):
general basketball stuff in and around Melbourne, visiting some
places. So yeah, there's going to be
plenty of stuff all year round. This is all I do so there'll be
content for for days. Awesome, awesome.
Now certainly looking out on your journey as well.
It's been a fantastic interview.Thank you so much for jumping in
and sharing your journey and wishing you all the best moving
(57:45):
forward. And hopefully the Pistons can
take another leap for your sake and get to a first playoff
victory since a long time. So yeah, really looking out for
that. Appreciate that man.
Ben, it's been a pleasure to chat to you.
Thanks for having me on. Cheers.
So that's a wrap for this week'sepisode of The Huddle Within
podcast. I appreciate you for tuning in
and being part of this communitywhere we go beyond the game and
(58:06):
into what really matters. If this episode resonated with
you, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it
with someone who sees sports just the way that we do.
And hey, I'd love to hear from you.
Connect with me on my social medias, which will be linked
below, send in your thoughts andeven be part of a future
episode. Until next time, keep that
passion alive, stay in the huddle, and remember it's always
(58:27):
deeper than the game. Cheers.
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