The Orlando Magic forward sat down with Rich Kleiman of Boardroom to discuss his rise from Duke, his thoughts on current Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg, and his own role in the next group of future NBA stars.
Video Transcript
And then game 7 was like the, the craziest game of my life, you know, we was up 20 in the first half and they just start running it and, you know, when you’re on the road in the playoffs, nobody’s cheering for you.
Every time you score a bucket, it’s dead quiet.
It’s just a totally different vibe and I just remember, you know, Cleveland was talking a lot, you know, it was telling us we were too young.
We, we didn’t belong here.
Game 3 and 4, and we blow them out by 30, both.
Games and it was like we flipped it on them where it was like no we we’re here and we’re gonna compete that game 7 though will come back and be a lesson when you guys go win one on the road.
They come out in the 3rd quarter and Donovan Mitchell, I think scored like 6 straight points.
We just kind of crumbled a little bit where we just felt that pressure.
I know what the regular season is like, but then we get to the playoffs, it’s a whole different beast.
What’s up everybody?
This is Rich Kleinman.
Thank you for listening and tuning in to Boardroom Talks today we are in Orlando, Florida with a very special guest, Seattle’s own, yes sir, Orlando Magic star Paolo Benquero.
Welcome to the show.
Appreciate you, of course.
How you feeling?
Feeling good, feeling good, just trying to finish this back half of the season strong and, uh, you know, try to get ourselves in a good position for the playoffs, yeah.
So it’s been an interesting year for the team, right?
We were just talking about that off air um you start the year with injury.
Have you ever had an injury like that in your career where you were out that type of time frame?
No, no, I, uh, really hadn’t had anything worse than a sprained ankle, you know, my whole career leading up, so it was a huge adjustment, and I missed I think 3034 games out for over two months, and, uh, yeah, it was, it was challenging.
I never had to deal with anything like that, you know, so.
Uh, it was, it was a different year this year for sure.
You’re young, so you obviously know you’ll be back and that this is just part of the, the journey, but in terms of like stepping back from the game and watching your own team play or watching film, was there something you took or something that that time frame in a in some ways was a blessing in terms of when you returned to the court?
Yeah, I think it just allowed me to see the game in a in a different lens, um, you know, I think.
At first, uh, it was kinda, it kinda sucked because I wanted to be out there and it was so early in the season, you know, I felt like I didn’t even get to really start the season, you know, because of how early I got hurt, um, but as I kept going, I just tried to dive into more film, um, tried to help guys that was out there, you know, try to give them advice whether it was in the middle of the game or in the film session.
Um, so I think it just allowed me to kind of sit back, let other, other aspects of my, you know, basketball knowledge grow in terms of just film study, um, game plans, you know, I’m seeing from the bench, you know, how teams are adjusting to us, um, what we’re doing to, to, you know, combat those adjustments, so it definitely helped me in those ways and there was a period that you were out with the team actually, you know, was overachieving a lot of ways had some big wins on the road.
Um, as a for a young team, like, did you start to see the development with you out of the game with some of the guys as well?
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, I think one player for sure was Franz, um, you know, I think Franz, like when I went out, you know, he was kind of forced to, you know, carry an even heavier load, and I mean he took it on and didn’t, you know, lose a stride at all, you know, all his numbers went up.
He’s having a, a career year and he’s been great, you know, this whole year, so.
Just seeing him take that step, you know, because everybody here, myself included, knows how good he is and so being able to see him kinda take that step and really play at a, you know, all star level, um, was really, was really dope to see, uh, and then he ended up going down with the same injury that I had which was, was a little eerie for me.
It just, you know, it just was crazy because I thought my injury was like really, you know, unique and like kind of weird.
And so to see him do the same injury on the same side, uh, it messed, it messed me up a little bit, but, you know, I think, you know, now that we’re both back, we’re just trying to, you know, build back that chemistry.
And then Jalen’s out, um, and it’s interesting because like you guys went 7 games with Cleveland in the first round last year, right?
And you see the way Cleveland came out and.
How this season’s been for them and I think everyone thought that this year would be this next progression but then injuries hit.
How do you guys see yourselves staying together as a team?
Is the morale and the energy around the team still positive understanding that this, this year has just been more complicated?
I think, you know, one thing about the playoffs is like it’s a new season and so, you know, we just want to get there to be able to kind of reset and try to make a run.
Um, and not having Jalen obviously is gonna be, is gonna be really tough because you know that dude, he do, you know, a lot for the team in terms of just his energy and then, you know, the, the way he elevates us on on both sides of the ball, defense and offense, um, not having him is gonna be tough, but you know we want him to get healthy, you know, he’s uh.
You know he’s a guy that is gonna be here for a long time and you know we just want to see him get back to 100% you know because we know every time he’s out there, you know, he’s putting his body on the line uh he’s doing whatever he can to help us win.
So, um, you know, puts more on me in front shoulders and and other guys too to step up, but, uh, you know, like I said we just.
Wanna get there to the postseason hopefully in good standing so that we can reset and and just try our best to make a push and and like you said, finish strong.
Yeah, and I think like you’ve seen the pattern in the league the last few years starting with Denver and Minnesota that continuity is starting to be the key to success in the league so.
I would imagine this is part of the journey and you’ve got to feel positive about the idea that like you are a young team that you’re growing and this year was a challenge that you’ll learn from but do you agree that you know in today’s day when you see these teams that are succeeding now it’s about sticking together and keeping the team together?
Yeah, I think you know if you look at.
The last few champions, I think they’ve all had a core group of guys that have been together.
I think Boston with Jalen and Jayson Tatum, and then Denver having, you know, Mal Murray, Jokic, Michael Porter, those guys staying together and, and going through, you know, playoff losses and, and just building after year after year.
Um, you know, I think that’s kind of how I see it going here where, you know, last year was our first year in the postseason.
Um, you know, we made some noise, came up short, and, uh, this year has been different, you know, we’ve been hurt by injuries, um, but I think that’s just part of the process and something that, you know, you gotta go through and, uh, you know, I think in the future, you know, it only these experiences will only make it better and hopefully be able to make runs in the future.
Yeah, definitely, I mean.
Did you, did you think Cleveland had this type of potential coming off of last year, coming out of that series?
You know, I think when you look at Cleveland, you know, I think the one thing I noticed like playing in a seven game series was like they didn’t have many weaknesses, you know, they got a hell of a backcourt and a hell of a front court.
And so when you got elite guards and elite bigs, it’s, I mean, that’s a recipe for success and so.
You know, now they’ve made a couple of trades, got some more depth, you know, on the wings and you know now they’re, you know, arguably the best team in the NBA.
And so, uh, you know, you kind of see that last year, which is how they play, um, and obviously I think guys got better.
um I think they, you know, switched up some of the stuff they do.
They let Mobley kind of open his game up a little bit, which I think, you know, kinda opened their whole team up, you know.
And so, and you can tell just by playing against them, you know, they all want to see each other do well, you know, they don’t really care.
Um, who’s the leading scorer or who’s the guy going off, I think they just wanna do whatever it takes for them to win.
And so they, they did, you know, they improved a lot.
Um, I mean, there’s obviously, you know, a few great teams at top.
Celtics, Cavs, Oklahoma City, but I think everyone feels like there’s a lot of teams that are in play this year.
Is there like a pattern that you think is happening now where there’s just gonna be a lot more competition across the board?
The teams are getting younger, they’re getting more athletic.
I think it’s an interesting point right now in the league where, you know, you got these kind of legends who’ve been here since the early 2000s and, you know, they’re still playing at a high level, still, still carrying their teams.
And they still wanna win.
They’re still competitive as ever.
I mean, shit, Steph just had 56 on us, you know, and he’s 36 and he’s, you know, still trying to make a run.
So you got those guys, that group, and then you got like a secondary group where it’s the Giannis, the Jokic, you know.
Those type of guys Shay, um, and then there’s like the, the 2023, 2023 and under group where it’s like the me, the aunt um Mobley Cunningham like this is a bunch of us where we’re all hungry to, you know, get to where those guys are at and start, you know, competing with those guys, so.
Um, and we’re all on different teams and so, um, I think it is interesting because the league’s gonna get younger.
There’s a lot of good talent that’s, you know, coming out of college, coming out of high school, and so it’s just gonna be interesting to see like where it all ends up and, um, you know, just how these teams end up being built, you know, in these next few years and who’s able to kinda.
You know, mold together and, and create a, you know, a team that can make runs.
Have you started to like have a, at least in your mind like some somewhat of a rival almost like a young player that you feel yourself getting up for certain games or even some of the old heads like you said.
No, I mean, I’m a guy like I, I get up.
Any time I got a match up, you know, I’m getting up, you know, I wouldn’t say it’s one guy yet, you know, I, I, I do kind of want that though, you know, I do kind of eventually want that one guy that I know I can go at it with, and I know that I’m gonna see him, you know, in the playoffs or when it matters most, but right now it’s really anybody like any, any time I see uh whether it’s a KD or Bron or it’s a, you know, Giannis or Yish or Jason Tatum, you know, I’m getting up for those matchups, um, because, you know, I just wanna be looked at in that same regard.
I wanna, you know, compete with those guys, um.
You know, for, you know, not only championships, but for MVPs as well.
So, uh, yeah, there’s a lot of matchups that I, that I look forward to.
What do you think of what Bron said about Ant’s comment about being the face of the league and how being the face of the league today.
Comes with more than it probably did in the past and also I think one thing that came out of that conversation a little bit was when there was faces of the league historically it was because we knew so few of the players like on the mainstream level where today there’s 50 NBA guys that people know all over the world.
Do you in some ways feel the same way?
You think that’s just shifted now that there is not one face of this league?
Yeah, I mean, I think there is some truth to it.
I think, you know.
I mean, I feel like I’m a basketball historian.
I’ve always studied the game and so like you said, you know, in the 80s and 90s, there wasn’t that many NBA players that were known around the world.
And so when Michael Jordan came, you know, after Bird and Magic, like he kind of took it over and became just a face like that one guy who everyone knew.
And then I think when LeBron and Kobe came, um, they kind of carried it and then Bron obviously kind of ran with it in terms of being the face, but I think Bron, you know, throughout his career he’s he’s dealt with a lot of, of, of criticism and scrutiny, um, and he’s been nothing but but tremendous his career, so I mean.
And they always compared him to Michael Jordan.
And so now, you know, Bron’s 40 on his back end, you know, now whoever that next person is who they try to make that next person is only gonna be compared to LeBron, you know, Michael Jordan and, you know, as good as the talent is in the league like.
Trying to measure a guy up to LeBron and Michael Jordan is like ridiculous almost, you know, because those two are, you know, top two greatest and so I think, you know, it is multiple faces.
I think there’s so much talent now from around the world playing in the league that, um, you know, you can point to different guys and you know kids can point to different guys as well and be like I wanna be like this guy.
No, I wanna be like this guy and so it creates more of a, I think more of a group of our guys but uh yeah I mean I think it just has to naturally.
Play itself out and whoever whoever is looked at in that regard is gonna have to deal with the goods and the bads but certain guys want it certain guys don’t, but at the end of the day I think it’s always up to the fans or the kids or whoever to kind of who’s looked at as the face of the NBA because it feels like, especially with young people, it’s like a player driven league, right?
The NBA culture is so big and I think even when you hear things about the ratings.
That doesn’t represent just the culture of the league and how that continues to grow and the influence that it has.
I agree with you.
I mean, do you feel that the market you’re in here has shielded you a little bit ever?
Is that a good thing?
Is that a bad thing from some of the kind of social media chatter that is so divisive at times?
Yeah, I definitely think it’s shielded me, and I think there’s goods and bads of it, you know, I think.
One thing for me, I always say I learned in college kind of what comes with being in the spotlight.
I think playing for Duke and Coach K’s last season, you know, we was under a microscope that whole year and so I dealt with a lot, you know, on both sides.
I dealt with a lot of praise, you know, I’m playing early.
I had a great game, my first ever game against Kentucky in the Garden.
I came out, played well, remember played against Gonzaga against Chet, played well, so I dealt with a lot of praise.
But then you know as the season goes on, you have a couple of a couple of tough losses.
We lost to UNC in the Final Four, so I dealt with a lot of scrutiny as well from, you know, all over.
And so I think being here in Orlando, like my first year in the NBA, you know, I didn’t play one game on national television my first year and so like no one from back home on the West Coast could even turn on the TV and watch me when when the year before when I was at Duke, it was every game, you know, so it kind of like.
Made me be more under the radar but it almost helped me a little bit because it kind of just let me be able to to develop without having to always hear like you know what I’m doing wrong or what I’m doing right and people always having an opinion on on what I’m doing so I think I look at it in both lenses, but I definitely think being in a smaller market shields you, you know, just because.
Um, for the masses, for the ESPNs and whatnot, I don’t think it’s the most fun or interesting thing for them to talk about, um, but you know, I think eventually you can get a small market, you know, to the, to the main front and, uh, you know, get them on that stage.
I think if you just win games and they’re able to advance, eventually you’ll get on that stage.
Without question, I mean that is the beauty of the league now and the access that everybody has to it I think it’s somebody.
Who knows you, who’s a fan of yours.
Sometimes I’m like, man, you’re not talking about this man enough.
Like you’re not talking about what he’s doing.
Is that frustrating at all when you see some of your peers maybe at times get.
Talked about a bit more when you’re having this incredible first few years of your career for me it’s just motivating like I’m a I’m a competitor when I’m not getting talked about, I don’t look at it as like oh this guy’s getting more love to me.
I look at it as right like I ain’t done enough, you know, I, I gotta do more.
I gotta go I gotta go harder.
I gotta, you know, play better and then sometimes you do play better and you still don’t get it.
It ain’t, it ain’t just gonna happen, you know.
I gotta force the hand.
I gotta make these people talk about me, you know, so I think.
Just even my rookie year, like, I felt like I had a great rookie season, you know, and.
I felt like I was the rookie of the year unanimously and uh you know when I didn’t get that I was a little upset you know because I was like there’s nobody even like what did you see like what what like what are we talking about um so I think that’s where it kind of started and then my second year I think becoming an all-star was huge for me um because after my rookie season, my winning rookie of the year, I like remember talking to Mike and I was like, you know, he asked me like, you know, you think you could be an all star this year and.
I really had to think about it cause I was like, damn like.
Like that, that would be amazing.
Like I would have to really work for that.
And so when I was able to get that my second year in the NBA like that almost like brought me to tears because I feel like I worked so hard and I wanted it so bad, um.
And then get into the playoffs and playing well, I think you know I did get some recognition but not but the one thing about the NBA I feel like is that you know you’re only as good as you know your last game you’re only good as your last season so every year you know restarts and you have to prove yourself again, um, especially, you know, in my position.
Um, being here in Orlando, you know, you’re always gonna have to prove yourself.
You’re always gonna have to show people that, you know, you are legit, you are worth the talk, you are worth the, the praise.
So, um, I think I’m still chasing that.
I’m still going after it.
You know the soul in a lot of ways, right?
Like it feels like you could have played in any era.
In the league and and how you dominated that series I think it’s just a sign of of what’s to come when when you were at Duke was that year as special as it looked from the outside and obviously playing Coach K’s final season, but was that memory something that is just was incredible for you?
Yeah, 100%, like, you know, being from Seattle, you know, I kind of already have a chip on my shoulder, you know, because of what you’re talking about.
I feel like I’ve been dealing with my whole life, you know, ever since they took your team away, yeah, you know, we’ve always, we always feel like we’re sliding in some way coming from the Pacific Northwest.
So, um, I always carried that and so like part of my decision of going to Duke was like I was never an internet sensation in high school.
I wasn’t like this big, you know, I was a 5 star recruit but I wasn’t like the guy.
And so I wanted to go to Duke to be on the biggest stage to play for the best coach, you know, to, to have a chance to be in the best conference and, and just be on the biggest stage I possibly could because I felt like I never got to experience it.
And so going to Duke like it lived up to to everything like it was more than I expected, you know, I still remember.
You know, Coach K, you know, telling me just like in the recruiting process, like, you know, wherever you go to college, you’ll be a top 5, top 10 pick, but you know if you want to be the number one pick in the draft, you have to come play for me.
And, and that was at 17 years old like that was all I needed to hear, you know, and he, he lived up to every single, you know, thing that he, that he told me in the recruiting process that he told my parents everything that he said would happen if I listened to him happened and so, you know, for that I’m forever grateful and I still talk to coach, you know, to this day and he, he, he watches, you know, he doesn’t, you know.
For me or anything, but he’s always watching, so that’s powerful to have him tell you that.
Yeah, no, I mean, I, I, I remember exactly where I was when I heard him say it on the phone.
Like it was like a, I got chills when he said it and I was like, wow, like Coach K just told me I’m gonna be the number one pick.
Exactly.
I tell people to just Durham in general like it’s such a great environment, you know, for a person like me coming from, you know, the West Coast far from home, like it’s such a welcoming place, you know, you’re kind of like protected in like this bubble where like.
You know, everyone’s always looking out for you, you know, whether it’s assistant coaches, you know, the, the support staff being around or being inside the facility, they’re always gonna make sure you’re good and, uh, like I don’t have one single bad memory from my time at Duke, you know, everything was just positive.
I learned so much in my, my time there and and Coach K, he really taught me like I think some important qualities for like.
Advancing from college to the NBA and just how to, you know, off the court to, how to handle yourself as a, as a man and a person.
I had this conversation over all-star break.
Um, there was like an article that came out about Cooper flag, um.
Maybe coming back a 2nd year, right?
And, and he won’t, and it’s unrealistic, clearly.
But I think that the thing that’s not talked about, especially with NIL, is what you just said.
There’s gotta be a player that is going to decide, you know what, let me go back, get this NIL money, and I don’t want to play any more than 40 games next year.
Um, and keep playing on national TV.
I do, I do not think Cooper will do this, but do you see like why someone would stay and like did you even think for a second about like.
There was no thought in your head, right?
I mean, uh, coach, he wouldn’t have let you, you know, coach wouldn’t let me come back, you know, he told me before I even got to campus.
He was like, this is gonna be my last year and this will be your only year.
So let’s, let’s make the best of it, you know, um, but for sure, like I mean, Cooper is gonna go number one, so no reason he should go back to school.
I love Coach Shire, but I’m sure Coach Shire won’t let that happen either.
But if it’s a guy who, you know, is a borderline top 15.
You know, type of guy, and they have a great experience in college and they’re making, you know, tons of money.
Like I wouldn’t be mad at anyone for going back to school, especially in Durham, um, you know, because like I said, there’s so much support around you it’s damn near like you are in the NBA just how, how they operate, you know, the development there and everything, so, uh, I really do think that the NIL can change that, and I think some guys, you know, can stay multiple years, um, but I think Cooper is ridiculous, uh.
I, I remember the first time I saw him in person at Tatum’s camp, like 2 years ago.
And like the one thing that just stood out was like his, his motor and like all the things he’s able to do out there on the court, you know, without the ball in his hands like he’s running the floor, he’s boxing out every time he’s on the glass, he’s playing defense.
He’s in the lanes and then on top of that you add to his offensive game now he’s a complete player.
I saw someone joking around about how Oklahoma City could probably flip 10 of their picks.
That’d be ridiculous.
He could fit in.
Yeah, he could fit in anywhere.
I could fit.
He’s a player that I think fits anywhere, honestly, like.
Seeing him play kind of getting to know him like has mentality.
I think he fits anywhere.
I think the one thing about the NBA that I learned is that it’s a lot more games, it’s a lot more travel, it’s a lot more in your body, um, and so.
It’s hard to do everything on the court every single game, right?
Like, you know, you see guys who are offensive superstars.
Defensive stars and there’s like the two-way stars, but like how many elite elite two-way guys are out there, you know what I’m saying?
So I think for him it’s just wherever he goes, you know, finding, you know, what is, what is, what is it gonna be that I’m gonna be good at every single night, you know.
I know I’m a defend.
I know I’m gonna be able to, you know, guard the best player, but if you’re the best player on offense, your coaches are not gonna want you to guard the best player.
And so that’s just the NBA.
And so I think him just coming in learning, um, but I think with him coming in, he’s gonna be a walking, you know, 16, 5 and 5 out the gate, you know, just off of his instincts.
The way he plays.
So you build on that, you develop that, that turns into 25, 77, you know, if he just develops the right way.
So I think he’ll be as good as he wants to be.
Shire, you know, Shire’s a great coach and I think Shire has done a really good job of, one, you know, playing to his strengths out there, you know, whenever I watch him.
Shire’s putting them in great actions.
He’s putting the ball in his hands, letting them operate all over the floor.
And then also they have a great team around them, you know, they have a bunch of other talented players.
I went up there after the playoffs last year and that was when they all first got to campus.
And so I spent some time with them and like I would say the, the previous two seasons after I left, it didn’t really feel.
When I watched Duke, like that, that they were all the way connected as a group, you know, they had talented players but didn’t feel like all the way jailed.
And I think just my experience of being around them, you know, that was their first time really being together as a group, you know, I was only there for like 4 days and I was able to see just like how, you know, a bunch of great guys, they brought in some transfers that were all great dudes and then the freshmen obviously are all talented and they all wanna win.
That’s, that’s the one thing that they all, you know, put before everything else is, is trying to win so.
I think it showed without her playing this season and you know, I think, I think they should be able to make a run for it all honestly.
Obviously I hope you guys make a run, um, but when you’ll go into this summer, you know, what is your process in the offseason like?
Like do you identify things in your game that you know?
You want to go into the lab and work on for the next year.
My my first two offseasons have been completely different.
Like my first offseason coming off rookie of the year, I was doing a lot of moving around.
I was going city city.
I was out the country.
I was at Fashion Week, you know, did everything, and then last year after the playoffs, like I did the opposite.
I just went to Seattle, spent the whole summer in Seattle, um, so.
I think you know this year definitely would be, you know, focusing on my body, focusing on on getting in shape.
I think coming into the season this year I was in elite lead shape, which is part of the reason I was so upset when I got hurt because I was feeling so great.
But uh yeah, I think identifying my weaknesses is always something, you know, where I look at kind of my season as a whole and where I was, you know, good, where I was great, where I was, you know, rough and could get better.
Um, but I also think going to the playoffs and playing in the playoffs and seeing that environment, feeling that, um, kind of changed my way of thinking of like, OK, how should I approach my work in the offseason, like simplifying your game, you know, because in the playoffs you’re dealing with different coverages you’re playing a team for a whole series and so you gotta be able to operate in tight spaces and so I think that was something I worked on this summer or this past summer was uh.
You know, kind of cutting the fat and just working on, you know, phone booth basically uh how can I score in that, in that small space, um, but every summer I try to, you know, add a little something but also just sharpen all the stuff that I know I’m good at, you know, kind of figuring out now where my spots are.
I think in my 3rd year I’ve kind of been able to identify and so I’m gonna just keep building on that.
And um also just continuing to work on my body.
But what is it early in the year that is so different than the rest of the year?
Every team is trying to figure out what they have, who’s who’s who, who’s gonna fill this role.
And so it’s a lot more up and down.
Um, you might have certain guys in the rotation, whether it’s a rookie, uh, a two-way guy, whoever that’s, that’s getting a lot of minutes, and, and, and they might be playing well, um.
And I think as the season goes and you get to that post All-Star break, that’s kind of where the rotation starts to tighten up.
Teams are either, you know, tanking or they’re fighting or getting in the playoffs.
And so you kind of start seeing that difference where you play a team that’s trying to get there to the playoffs.
You know, they’re playing 89 guys, you know, rookies might not be playing anymore, whatever it is.
And then you see you play a tanking team and all their stars are out, you know, you got two ways out there and whatever.
So while the style of basketball changes, I think um teams get better as the season like those teams that are in the playoffs, I think get better as the year goes on.
I think like Milwaukee is a great example.
I think they started off this year like 2 and 11 or something, 2 and 9, and now they’re, you know, the, the 4 seed.
And so those teams that kind of have to find their identity, it takes them a while, but then, you know, by the back half of the season, you know, they’re playing good basketball and then the playoffs is a totally different season, um, a totally different game.
And so that’s like a whole another layer of it.
That was the most fun you ever had playing in a game series, MBA playoffs.
My God, it was the best, best, best thing ever.
I mean, I remember being on a, uh, the World Cup team and I was, you know, just chilling with Ant.
And uh we was just chopping up about about hoop and he was like man wait till you get in the playoffs like he like once I got in the playoffs like that’s all I thought about like I don’t even think about the regular season.
All I’m worried about is the playoffs and so like once I got there, like that’s how I feel now it’s like just the atmosphere, the way the game is called by the officials, you know, the pace of the game, it just slows down, it’s way more, you know, possession by possession just kinda.
You know, adjustments on the fly, adjustments game by game, and you really have to be sharp, you know, mentally to, to be out there.
And, and it’s also just like.
The, the momentum is just feels so much more, uh, uh, you know, heavy.
Like whether it’s, I remember, you know, we lost game 1 and 2 in Cleveland.
And I remember, you know, they, we lost both games, I think by 10+.
And I just remember, you know, Cleveland was talking a lot of, you know, it was telling us we were too young.
We, we didn’t belong here.
And then we come back here, game 3 and 4 and we blow them out by 30 both games.
And it was like we flipped it on them where it was like, nah, we, we’re here and we’re gonna compete.
And then I just remember that game 5 back in Cleveland and being so ready for that game, being like, you know, this is the game that could turn a series and, and we played our off like we can’t, we played our off and uh.
We got it down to the last possession and, and we, we didn’t win the game.
And then we come back game 6, beat them again, and then game 7 was like the, the craziest game of my life where it was just like.
Everything riding on this one game, you know, the energy is crazy, um, and just the, the ups and downs of that game, you know, we was up 20 in the first half and then they come out in the third quarter, and Donovan Mitchell, I think, scored like 6 straight points, and they just start running it and us being a young team without that experience, that game 7 experience, we just kind of crumbled a little bit where we just felt that pressure.
You know, when you’re on the road in the playoffs, nobody’s cheering for you.
Every time you score a bucket it’s dead dead quiet, you know, so it’s just a totally different vibe and, uh, honestly, like, like, like you said, like it’s all you think about after that it’s all you think about.
And that, that game 7 though will come back and be a lesson when you guys go win one on the road.
Yeah those game 5s are crazy.
Game 5 was nuts.
Yeah, I was like, it for me it’s game 7, game 5, then game 6.
Game 5 for me was like.
That was a fun game.
That was a fun game.
You seem to have a great understanding of off the court, the moves you’ve made, you know, the team you put around you, you know, how you operate in a business space.
You’re like curiosity around it.
I noticed right away.
Was that something like having parents that were athletes?
Was that helpful being a Duke because you do seem to have a great kind of knack, um, for what it is that you want to do in terms of building your brand and building your off the court life.
That was something that I learned.
Kind of towards my teenage years, I think my dad really was a big part of that him owning a family our family business, his family business, and seeing how he built that up and how he took it from kind of the ground up to where it is now, where they’re, you know, doing really well and just seeing all the stuff he had to go through, um, it kind of showed me, you know, what it takes to run a successful business and, and the commitment you have to have.
And then.
You know, using, you know, his is, you know, food distribution, you know, mine’s the sports.
So I think going to Duke, you know, being in that environment, you know, meeting all those great, all these great people, people I still meet to this day who come up to me and tell me they’re Duke alumni and instantly have a connection.
Um, it’s, it’s been awesome, man.
I think, you know, I’m still early and so I’m still finding my way, but I think having those early, those early keys to success, you know, through my parents obviously and then being able to go to college, be around it, you know, be at K Academy and I’m sitting with the owner of the Atlanta Hawks and the owner of Apple and all these guys.
They’re like, while we all went to the same school and I can reach out to these guys at any point in time and have a conversation, um, it just kind of opened my eyes to how small the world is.
Yeah, but that Duke network is Duke network is ridiculous of like Eddie Q and Adam Silver and it’s wild, everybody, everybody, everybody, it’s all every, every couple months, you know, I, I run into somebody that’s You know, doing really well and they’re like, hey man, you know, I went to do class of ’93 or class of ‘1 and I’m like, damn, and I’m like, man, this is, this is like, and, and the fact that they know I went there, I only went there for one year, you know, they graduated, went to school, and just the fact that I was able to go there for one year and, and, and put on for, for the university, you know, you, you have that forever, forever, and it’s like Kevin went to Texas for one year.
They, they didn’t even get to the Sweet 16.
But when he’s back there, it’s like a folk here love network.
He’s got opportunities.
It’s, it’s, it’s a real home, yeah, no, and also like just the from the basketball side like you meet all the basketball guys obviously, but then some of the older guys, they’re like best friends with these guys.
So then they know that they’re introducing you, you know, we do the, they got this brotherhood dinner in summer league in Vegas.
you know, you all go and as players, as coaches, as GMs, it’s, and you’re just like, wow, I didn’t even know this guy right here went to Duke.
So it’s a, it’s, it’s a cool thing to be a part of.
Your jumpman crew has that like feeling like seeing that trip you guys all took.
What does that affiliation mean?
Like what does being part of that Juman family and being a part of Jordan?
Kind of mean as you’ve started your journey.
Yeah, I say it means everything to me, you know, um, because I think the Jordan brand, it just represents, you know, greatness, you know, in all, in all ways, um, you know, my grandfather, he was a huge Michael Jordan fan.
He used to have these Michael Jordan figurines um in his room.
And so from an early age, you know, and he loved Jordans as well, you know, so I always was very familiar with Michael Jordan, um, and, and I still remember getting the call from Jamal Crawford telling me that Michael Jordan reached out to him to ask him about me.
um, and like once I heard that, you know, that was all I needed to hear to make my decision, um, because he is the greatest and, uh, that’s what he wants to be a part of the brand and so.
You know, I wanna be one of the greatest and so to be affiliated with Jordan and be able to, you know, be a part of that close fraternity in that family, uh, it means everything to me and so I’m, I’ve had, you know, great memories made already, but I feel like I’m still early and I could still, you know, help build, build myself up with the brand.
I didn’t meet him one time and we talked for for a couple couple minutes where he just was.
You know, shooting the shit with me a little bit, uh, but he’s, he’s, he’s a, he’s a funny guy, man.
He has that had that that presence about him, you know, where you walk in his presence and, and you kind of feel that energy and, uh, I was, we were actually at a football game, um, college national championship.
It was Michigan Jordan School versus versus Washington, so I was there obviously on Washington’s behalf, um, with my parents and so we were in the suite where he was.
And uh he was like, man, who, who you pulling for?
And I was like, I’m pulling for Washington, man, his hometown, he said, Oh, he say he like looked at my re hey make sure this dude don’t get paid next week.
And so that’s just the type of guy you could tell, man.
He’s just a lighthearted dude.
Yeah, that’s dope, man.
And the, you mentioned your mom and your family and then Jordan, you just had this P that you put out into the market.
Yeah, I know you’re the ambassador on the airline.
Um, and all this will ultimately I’m sure lead to, you know, like what all players want.
Um, tell me about the new PE and just what you guys have been working on.
Yeah, the, the Air Series PE, um, you know, the reason why my mom is so much involved is because it’s a unit, it’s meant to be a unisex shoe, girls and boys being able to wear and hoop in it, and, uh, my PE is the Seattle Rotary PE which uh the AU club I played for my whole life.
And uh also was the boys and girls club I grew up going to and so I hold that close to home and uh that’s the reason I wanted to make the PE, you know, for them and be able to sell it in stores um for them to be able to actually go to the store and buy it, um, but the shoe, I think air, you know, obviously represents kind of the greatness of the Jordan brand and, and just, you know, me trying to be that, you know, lead the next generation.
I think that’s kind of what I wanna do, how I see myself as.
Trying to kind of lead the next generation of hoopers and show them how to go about it the right way and, and I think the Air Series is a great, you know, starting point for that and um it’s, it’s been, you know, amazing just the whole process with the team, you know, coming up with the color ways and, you know, showing the, the ideas, you know, dating all the way back to, you know, almost 2 years ago.
Um, it’s just awesome to see the process and how it came out.
So, uh, I’m really excited, you know, for, for people to be able to go out and get it and.
Did you have a um a lot of input in the design of your signature logo too?
Yeah, yeah, that, that too, man, that was one of the things that like I didn’t realize it was such a, you know, tricky process like before coming into the NBA it was like, you know, I know my rookie year I was like, man, I want a logo, right?
I told my manager like I want a logo and so thought thinking it was gonna be like done in a month.
It actually took like damn near 2 years and so that was just a long drawn out process but you know you want it to be perfect you want the logo to represent you you wanted to you know have certain you know details that are specific to you and so I think for me it really showed me just kind of what all goes in terms of creative and uh just, you know.
Make it something that you know represents you and people can look at that logo and know it’s yours and so um it was dope and now to see it, you know, on the shoe, um, it’s pretty, it’s pretty surreal yeah and and I guess the goal is that this logo, um, stands test of time, right?
So the longer it takes, it’s meant to be around for decades, um, having a signature shoe always been a dream.
Yeah, yeah, I would say for sure, ever since, ever since a kid, I grew, I was growing so fast as a kid that my parents didn’t give me a lot of shoes at once because I was always growing out of them, but I remember my first pair of LeBrons I got.
I remember the KD 5s came out.
Yeah, I got those.
I got like two pairs of those, and then I always had like 11 or 2 pairs of Jordans.
Kobe came out with this, the snakeskins, this Kobe 6s, like I remember just all those being a kid.
I wasn’t like a sneakerhead because I could never have all these sneakers at one time, but I always, you know, always had some retros.
Uh, I was a huge fan of the 3s, white cement 3s.
I was like.
My, my, my favorite shoe growing up, um, so yeah, is Seattle Hoops underrated still.
Seattle Hoops underrated still?
I feel like people still there there’s a, there’s chatter around.
Yeah, there’s chatter around it, but I think it’s always gonna be underrated until someone just comes and does like a Netflix documentary or something.
Yeah, I, I, I, I would, I would be, you know, definitely be the catalyst to that, you know, when the time is right, but I think it will, like I said, it’ll always be underrated until someone is able to just put it all in the, in the one.
Documentary and just tell the whole story because I think there’s so many layers to it and there’s so many, you know, like you got boroughs in New York, you know, everyone thinks it’s just Seattle when really is there’s Seattle, there’s Federal Way, there’s South Seattle, there’s the Central District, there’s Tacoma and so we all are, you know, in these different sections, but we all represent, you know, the 206 or the 253.
And so I think, you know, no one really understands that unless you’re from there.
Just going back there every summer.
That’s part of the reason I always go back is because You know, I know that I’ll be able to go chop it up with Jamal at any time, you know, this past summer I spend a lot of time with um IT Isaiah Thomas, and we were in the gym a lot, you know, every morning, um, and just being around him, you know, I, I look at him as a guy, you know, where he has a.
Uh, and same work ethic and so we never even worked out together, but we would just work out at opposite ends of the of the court, and I would be working out doing my stuff.
He’d be working out doing his stuff, and I’d hear him down there, you know, yelling at himself, you know, and that would just make me, you know, I gotta stay locked in because I know he’s over there, you know, going hard as he can.
And so, um, Zach Levine, another guy who I’m around all the time, uh, Spencer Hawes, he, he helped me a lot in high school, um.
Shout out to my trainer Mike Knight, but, uh, Spencer Hawes, he spent probably 6 months, maybe longer, maybe a year during COVID, you know, and he wasn’t even in the league anymore, but he was still, you know, hooping, staying in shape, and he spent, you know, 10 months with me just during COVID in the gym every day playing ones, you know, going over post moves, teaching me that, you know, it’s not about how fast you’re going, it’s about, you know, how you sell your moves and just stuff like that where You know he doesn’t have to do that, you know, but he all these guys just love the game.
They love the city.
They all wanna bring up the next guy to where, you know, he’s going out of his way to look out for me.
And so it’s a special, it’s a special fraternity, man, and I’m just, I’m proud to be a part of it because growing up, like that was those were the guys I looked up to like outside of, you know, the LeBron’s Carmelo’s and Kevin Durant’s like I was fans of all the guys from the city so.
Just being able to be a part of that now and be like the next one, it just motivates me to do the same thing that they did for me.
And what would happen if the Sonics came back?
Oh, the city would explode, the city would go crazy.
I mean, that’s the only thing that the city’s missing, honestly.
I mean, we already have ridiculous sports fans.
Seahawks fans are great.
The, the new hockey team fans are raking or is great.
Um, and I mean Jamal has his, has his league every summer and it’s sold out, you know, every weekend, any time, I mean that was just 2 years ago, 3 years ago when LeBron came and it was literally a line a mile long just to see LeBron and so the city has a genuine love for basketball and uh I think like I said, that’s the only thing they’re missing.
I think, you know, if they’re able to get that, that’ll kinda.
I think that’ll like, it’ll be like a boom in Seattle where like it’ll just boost everything.
That’ll be crazy.
Um good luck the rest of the way, bro.
Appreciate you rooting for you guys.
Um, appreciate the time.
Yes, sir.
I do think you should make this, doc.
Oh, and now we’re gonna, we’re gonna get that done.
It might.
It might take some time, you know, 10 years plus, but when it’s done, it’ll be done right.
Alright, perfect, sir.
Tune in, subscribe.
Paolo, appreciate you.
Go cop his new shoe, and we’ll see you all soon.
This is boardroom boardroom.tv.
Peace.
Thank you.
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