0:05

For the first time since he became general manager

0:07

of the Orlando Magic. We get to catch up with

0:09

Anthony Parker, who joins us on

0:11

this edition of Magic Pod Squad.

0:14

Magic Pod Squad, brought to you by the Florida Department

0:16

of Transportation, reminds you that fans don't

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let fans drive druck.

0:20

If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel.

0:22

Instead, find a sober driver or

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catch a ride service.

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Remember, drive sober or get

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pulled over, Have a great night and

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drive safe.

0:31

So happy for Anthony Parker.

0:33

He's had a terrific rise within the Orlando

0:35

Magic organization. Of course, nine years

0:37

as a player, six years Overseas,

0:39

five of those years for Macabi

0:41

Tel Aviv. And of course he

0:44

offers his thoughts on the terrible

0:46

tragedy that's happening in Gaza right

0:48

now, something that hits home for Anthony Parker after

0:50

his time in Israel. It's

0:52

nine years in the NBA, one of those was here

0:54

in Orlando. But since twenty twelve

0:57

he's been working in some capacity for

0:59

the Orlando Magic organization. So he talks

1:01

about his rise up the ranks to eventually

1:03

becoming general manager. Now for this Magic

1:06

organization, his thoughts on this team as

1:08

they come through training camp, some of the bright spots.

1:10

And what we can expect for this Magic

1:12

team.

1:13

The twenty twenty three to twenty four edition

1:15

Lots of good stuff with Magic General Manager

1:18

Anthony Parker on this edition of

1:20

Magic Pod.

1:20

Squad is fonns of long

1:23

Enough to Orlando Magic. This is Cole Anthony,

1:25

This is Jennon Suggs. This is Paulo man Carroll the

1:27

Orlando Magic and you're listening to the Pods

1:29

Squad.

1:31

Welcome ever, we let to another edition of Orlando Magic

1:33

Pod Squad. Dante Marcatelli, David

1:35

Steele, George Galante, Jeff Turner. We

1:37

are pleased to be joined by the newly

1:40

named general manager of the Orlando

1:42

Magic. He is Anthony Parker. This is

1:44

promotion number nine in the last four

1:46

years for Anthony Parker, and

1:48

the four of us guys have been doing the exact

1:50

same thing for thirty years. So that's

1:52

pretty that's pretty impressive, the

1:55

meteoric rise of Anthony Parker.

1:57

I love it.

1:57

Congrabs Ape, I appreciate it.

1:59

Thank you so much. Excited to be here with you

2:01

guys today.

2:02

So you're back at the time of this taping, you're in

2:04

Cleveland, where you spent the last three years of

2:06

your NBA career nine NBA Season

2:08

six overseas, and of course here with

2:10

the Magic during that Heart and Hustle season ninety nine

2:13

two thousand. What do you what's

2:15

your some of your favorite things to do in Cleveland? You're

2:17

back there, what do you get to do now?

2:19

Well, listen, Cleveland is a

2:22

lot of people think it's it's a bad city, but it's

2:24

really really nice. I lived on the East

2:27

Side, my kids went to school

2:29

here for three years, obviously, and found a lot of nice

2:31

restaurants, a lot of nice people. We had some we

2:33

had some good times here, So I'm enjoying

2:36

being back.

2:36

Only you and Tuney feel that way.

2:41

That's because only Tunji and I have spent a lot

2:43

of time here in Cleveland.

2:45

I've only spent like a week there, so I can't.

2:47

I can't. It was probably like All Star in February

2:50

or something, you know, it's just.

2:51

The playoffs in May and May. It was nice,

2:54

was decent, it was.

2:54

Exactly all right, Yeah, all right, but that's David.

2:57

David.

2:57

What would Paul Kennedy Paul Kennedy would say I spent

2:59

a week there one day.

3:03

That's a classic peak line for sure.

3:06

Now Cleveland, you're right, there's you know, there's

3:08

a great men's clothing store downtown,

3:10

and we found several good places

3:12

of Colloberts. We found some some

3:15

great restaurants down there. So not bad

3:17

ap if the weather's if the weather the

3:19

weather, if the weather is nice.

3:21

But I will say that, uh, you know, if that's

3:23

the first men's clothing store is the first thing

3:25

you say about a city, it might not be, but

3:27

well, listen, there are some great restaurants, great

3:30

places. I really was surprised and enjoying

3:33

my time here in Cleveland.

3:34

Well, well, go

3:36

ahead, go ahead, Jay to day. David and I spent

3:38

a day many years ago at the Rock and Roll

3:40

Hall of Fame as well. You know

3:43

that's.

3:44

Something there you go, there you go.

3:48

But first the clothing store. There's a nice

3:50

video if you get a chance, check it out.

3:52

They did it.

3:52

The Cleveland Tourism Department did a nice job.

3:54

Hey, so you start with I want to give you a lot

3:56

of credit. AP congrats again on becoming the

3:58

general manager here for the old No Magic. You started

4:01

as a scout for five years twelve

4:03

to seventeen, and then you go to Lakeland

4:05

and you're running the show in Lakeland now Osceola

4:08

for four years. The team wins a championship

4:10

under your guidance. It kind of worked your

4:12

way up assistant GM and then this year GM.

4:14

So so congrats And how does it feel

4:16

to to kind of have this title and to

4:19

have worked so hard and to have earned the title

4:21

of GM.

4:22

Well, I'm excited about the

4:24

opportunity. And really,

4:27

you know, I when I became a

4:29

scout, it was really just to stay around the

4:31

game. I really wanted to continue to learn learn

4:34

about the game and through a different lens and

4:36

and continue to just be on the road.

4:39

And I didn't know where it was going to go. And

4:42

Jeff and John and Pete

4:44

and everybody in our group has been amazing

4:47

to me. We have a lot of people that have been GMS

4:49

prior and so they've been

4:51

very helpful. And honestly, you

4:54

know, the role hasn't changed that much

4:56

yet. But I'm sure if we're

4:58

talking a month, I'll have some more some

5:00

more dates for you.

5:03

Well, when did you know?

5:03

AP?

5:04

You said you didn't know when you started this journey

5:07

to where you are now, when when did you have an

5:09

idea? You know, yeah, this is

5:11

something that I can attain and this is something

5:13

I'd like to like try to aspire to.

5:17

Well, Jeff's first year here when

5:20

he announced that I'd be the GM for

5:22

Lakeland at the time, that

5:24

that was probably the time when it started to shift

5:26

for me. And you know, anybody

5:29

in a front office role, if you get to

5:31

be the first the GM of the Jeeling team,

5:33

I think that's the biggest growth

5:35

opportunity for you because it is really

5:38

kind of your baby and honor. Yes, you

5:40

know, Jeff is still you have to

5:42

check in and you have to but but all

5:45

of the small decisions and

5:47

it's such a small staff and you have to wear so many

5:49

hats and you just get to grow so much

5:51

professionally, personally.

5:53

Uh.

5:54

And so that that was the time for me where

5:56

I was like, you know what, I kind

5:58

of get it now. I got the blug, I got

6:00

the itch and and you know, this is a

6:02

track that I think I want to see

6:05

where it goes.

6:07

If when you were you were a player nine

6:09

years in the NBA. I think you played overseas

6:12

in six years, so you had a long professional

6:15

playing career. You know, I'm wondering how

6:17

your future career track

6:19

back then, what did you imagine yourself

6:21

doing? Or or where do you like a lot of players and didn't

6:24

really give it a lot of thought until it, you

6:26

know, became pretty evident that your

6:28

career playing days were about to end.

6:31

Well, one thing the NBA does a really good job

6:33

of trying to do is getting players to think

6:35

about what they want to do after they're done

6:37

playing. And unfortunately,

6:40

as a player, you're you're thinking of your next contract.

6:43

You're not thinking of anything beyond that, like that

6:45

that consumes you, not not necessarily

6:47

thinking of your next contract, but you're just pursuing your

6:49

basketball career. You're trying to become the best

6:51

basketball player you can be, and you

6:53

know you might take some classes and things like that. So

6:56

after the hard and hustle year, which you know,

6:58

uh don't mentioned earlier, I was

7:00

a part of very briefly. I was waved.

7:03

I was waiting when you were there. You were

7:05

there, So I don't

7:07

think I was part of the heart and hustle team. But

7:10

but you know I did wear the jersey.

7:12

You were part of the John Gabriel purge.

7:14

The Yeah,

7:16

yeah, I actually played more games in Quad City

7:18

that year.

7:19

But that's okay exactly, I was a Quad

7:21

City Thunder, but no

7:23

I So when I got waved from that team and

7:25

I and I ended up overseas, you

7:27

know, you kind of realized, hey, you

7:30

don't know how long this thing's gonna last, and you

7:32

are relatively young, and you do need to figure out

7:34

kind of what this means. And and when

7:37

I was fortunate enough to get another shot at

7:39

coming back to the NBA, that was something

7:41

right away that I was like, Okay, let me get to the bottom of this,

7:43

and and there's a coaching track for

7:45

me. It was it was possibly the broadcasting

7:48

track, and then and then front office and

7:52

unfortunately I uh, I

7:55

didn't want to be on the court rebounding and passing

7:57

to the same guy all all all year,

7:59

so that that was my thing. But

8:02

I also had a couple of friends that were scouting

8:04

in the front office, and it just this was something that

8:06

appealed to me a lot more. And

8:09

so that was what I pursued, and fortunately

8:12

it worked out. Because there's no guarantee. It's

8:14

it's a tough business to get a tough space

8:17

to get into a limited amounts of jobs,

8:19

and I was just very fortunate to be at

8:21

the right place at the right time.

8:23

It's interesting, you know, you said something

8:26

earlier about you know, at

8:29

the beginning, you just kind of wanted to stay

8:31

around the game. I think

8:33

for former players, you know, you reach

8:35

a spot and you know, I've told people

8:37

all the time, people say what do you miss? And

8:40

I always tell them I missed the locker room,

8:42

I missed the camaraderie, I missed being around

8:46

around the team. Are you amazed

8:48

you mentioned a couple of Yeah, it's hard to get

8:50

your foot in the door, but there are so many

8:52

more opportunities I feel like for former

8:55

players now, whether the league

8:57

is, you know, really encouraging

9:00

it, whether it be in coaching,

9:02

whether it be a front office work scouty,

9:06

in the broadcast booth. You

9:08

know, for me, I don't remember there be that

9:11

many more opportunities that there are now.

9:14

Yeah, there's there's a ton of opportunities, and there's

9:16

a lot of ways while you're still playing

9:18

to kind of dip your toe in the water and see if it's

9:20

something you'd like to do. I remember

9:22

I did the sports broadcasting you up

9:25

in Syracuse for

9:27

one season and really came out

9:29

of there getting a good feel for

9:32

what it's about and if it's something that

9:34

appeals to you, and and so those opportunities

9:37

players do have, but it is tough.

9:39

You know, in the off season, you're worried about

9:42

working on your game, and during the season it's

9:44

tough to focus on much else. And so I

9:46

always encourage players to kind of just start

9:49

thinking of those things and as you're playing,

9:52

you know, letting people know that's what you want

9:54

to do, because after you're done playing, it's

9:56

a lot harder to get people to call you back.

9:59

Then you realize stuck next to Dante,

10:01

that's yeah, well and get

10:04

out of the sports broadcaster track got

10:07

to sit next to you the whole You.

10:08

Already have You already have more training than

10:10

George ap but you're broadcaster. You

10:13

already just pretty Hey,

10:15

Pe, you mentioned we we you know we mentioned overseas,

10:18

right, and I know you're you don't shy away from it. You

10:20

really enjoyed your time overseas.

10:22

And two things, I know your heart breaks

10:24

like the rest of ours. You spent five of or six

10:27

years overseas in Israel, right, playing in Tel

10:29

Aviv, about forty miles from Gaza

10:31

where everything's happening right now. So I know

10:33

you have thoughts on that, and and I'm sure your heart

10:35

breaks there. But and I know you you're very

10:37

appreciative and fond of the time you spent in

10:39

Israel and in that Israeli Premier

10:42

League.

10:43

Yeah. Really, Israel became a

10:45

part of me and a part of my story. You

10:47

know. Uh, both of my kids went

10:49

to school over there, my last one was born there.

10:52

And you know, my heart is just with

10:54

the people in Israel right now at this time. I've

10:57

been over there during a couple of the skirmishes

10:59

and breaks and stuff like this, but nothing like this,

11:02

and so I know, you know,

11:04

I can imagine what they're going through.

11:06

I've been in touch with a couple of former teammates

11:08

and friends, and you know, it's

11:10

just a really sad situation and you just hope,

11:13

hope it gets resolved as quick as

11:15

possible.

11:17

J T.

11:17

You played overseas too, I know for you guys,

11:20

I mean, it's just a there's some great talent.

11:22

There's some great talent that never makes it over

11:24

to the NBA. There's great guys that you played against

11:26

ap that that that never

11:28

made it to the over made it to the NBA, and then

11:30

it's been a it's been a launching pad for a lot of guys

11:33

to go kind of what did you get to hone on

11:35

and then come back and ultimately spend what another

11:37

six years in the NBA.

11:39

Yeah, apologies, I I didn't answer

11:41

your first question, so way way to double back. See that's

11:43

the stills that I didn't have as a sports broadcaster,

11:46

and that's why I had to be on this track.

11:49

But no, I I'm famous

11:51

for asking four questions at once, so I probably

11:54

that's stuff that that's stuff that they teach you not to do.

11:57

No, I I thoroughly and enjoyed

12:00

my time overseas. It gave

12:03

as a basketball player. It provided me the opportunity

12:06

to continue to mature as a player and

12:08

to get better. And really

12:10

the first time around, I wasn't ready, but

12:13

being able to go over there and play at a high level

12:15

the second time around, I felt I was.

12:18

But then more than that, just your perspective on life,

12:21

being able to travel and see

12:23

things, experienced different

12:25

cultures and languages and just really broaden

12:28

you know, how you view life.

12:30

And so I really feel like

12:33

when I travel now or when I meet people. There's

12:35

so many ways to connect with people, and one of them is

12:37

traveling if you're from somewhere else, or

12:40

if you travel somewhere else. You know, it's just it

12:43

was a great experience for me and something

12:45

that it really changed my

12:48

life in a sense. And so also

12:51

in the chair that I sit in now, you know, being

12:53

able to have an understanding of what European

12:55

basketball is like, where those teams

12:57

are, what certain players

13:00

what they experienced either coming over

13:03

here or or where they're from,

13:05

and understanding a little bit more about the culture.

13:08

And so it's just it just helped me in a

13:10

lot of different ways.

13:12

You know.

13:13

Jeff mentioned you guys were talking about

13:15

a moment ago, how many opportunities

13:17

there are now for people to get into

13:19

the NBA and all types of different

13:22

levels of different departments

13:24

of NBA teams in the league office. I

13:27

had a longtime assistant coach I was

13:29

talking to the other day and he said

13:31

that, you know, it's easier to get in, but

13:34

it's harder to move up. I

13:37

thought about that. I think there's a lot of truth to that.

13:40

So what was the key for you? I mean,

13:42

obviously you've made tremendous

13:44

brides up that ladder from twenty

13:47

twelve when you joined the Magic So what

13:49

was the key for you in moving up?

13:52

Yeah? So I will not sit here and say

13:54

that I did anything better than anybody else,

13:56

or that you know anything about me sets

13:58

me apart. I think really, Jeff

14:01

has been unbelievable to me from day one, giving

14:03

me the opportunity to grow our

14:05

group has been unbelievable.

14:08

You know, Jeff and John, They've

14:10

promoted from within, and you know when

14:13

we've we've lost people, or not lost people,

14:15

but people have moved on to bigger and better situations.

14:18

They've promoted from within, and so really

14:20

the credit goes to Jeff and John and the

14:22

way they had to run our group

14:25

since since taking over. And so just

14:27

fortunate again to be in the right place

14:29

at the right time and just try to learn

14:32

around people that have done it for a long time.

14:36

You know, a pee, I think it would do people a lot of good.

14:38

Us included all of us in the travel party NBA

14:41

players to spend a couple of weeks

14:43

traveling like the G League players

14:45

do, right? Would that not could that

14:47

only help but give everybody an appreciation

14:50

for this league. I think about Jeff having to catch

14:52

the first flight out right when you're playing days

14:54

and flying commercial. I just feel

14:57

like all of that could only help, right, I

14:59

think guys and you saw it firsthand,

15:01

right, it's got to give all those guys a true appreciation

15:03

when they do make it.

15:05

Well, A lot of guys talk about how much they

15:07

want it, right, people talk about how much they want

15:09

it, both both as coaches, as

15:11

management, as players. And you

15:13

come out of the G League knowing, Okay, if

15:15

this is what's required, do you still want it? You

15:17

know you still want it, And

15:20

and to me, I loved it. I loved it. It

15:22

reminded me a little bit of overseas. You have to grind

15:25

and and you know,

15:28

you eat together, you travel in a different

15:30

way. Like it just really creates

15:32

a bond uh in the

15:34

group. And and so that was one

15:36

of the best things about Lakeland is just forming those

15:39

bonds with with staff members and players

15:41

and watching them go on and playing different

15:43

leagues and get married and have children and

15:45

have those discussions in

15:48

the process. And so it was special. You

15:50

got to wear a lot of different hats. You've got

15:52

to get over yourself and and

15:55

and grow professionally and personally,

15:58

and so I enjoyed it. But yes,

16:00

if everyone had to do that, I'm sure

16:03

there might be a little less competition for somebody.

16:06

We say it all the time, though Dante and I said it, We've

16:09

actually said it multiple times, like if anybody's ever

16:11

complaining around the the staff

16:14

or that they should be, they should have

16:16

to go down to the G League

16:18

for for a few days, for a couple of days,

16:21

and then they'll have a greater and

16:24

coming back and we.

16:26

Get to like determine what trips they go on. Okay,

16:28

so every trip, every trip isn't the

16:30

same. Yeah, we get to hang. You've got to go to this

16:32

place and that place is part of your part

16:34

of your.

16:35

G you don't want to say which places,

16:36

don't want to say place

16:39

you don't want to see?

16:40

Yeah, right, does it rhyme with Mary Miry,

16:45

that's with beer. I

16:47

can imagine.

16:48

Well how about this team now, ap fast forward,

16:50

You've come through training camp. You had your first preseason

16:52

game last night, you know, we watched from Afar

16:55

and sitting up on the perch, very

16:57

competitive training camp, I think you look

17:00

and say, wow, Jalen Suggs was phenomenal.

17:02

How good is it?

17:03

To see Jalen Jonathan Isaac running

17:05

around out there again. Right, it looks like you got

17:07

depth, you got health. As we knock on wood, just what

17:09

are some of your takeaways from training camp.

17:12

Well, started in the off season and you

17:14

guys have been around. Our gym was pretty

17:16

full, you know all summer. These guys

17:18

from the very beginning wanted to put in the work. They

17:21

saw what they could become as a group. Towards

17:24

the end of last year as we got healthy and started

17:26

to make our run, and you know, Coach

17:28

Moseley and his staff have been preaching all right, you know this

17:30

is what we say we want to be about. We got to do

17:33

the work. You know, you hear Coach Moley talk about

17:35

that. A lot of time we got, we got to put in the work. We got

17:37

to do the work detail, your work level

17:39

up, all of those things. And so the guys that really

17:42

bought into it and really

17:44

put the time in, and we're just hoping

17:46

that we can stay healthy and that

17:48

we can kind of see what we have.

17:50

But you know, even last night, you saw our

17:53

depths. You saw some of the growth

17:55

in some of our guys, games and confidence,

17:58

all of those things, and they competed from from

18:00

the beginning to the end. And I think that's that's

18:02

really the thing that you're trying to instill

18:04

into a young group. Winning is so hard in

18:06

this league. It's so hard, and so

18:09

this is what's required this there's a level

18:11

of consistency. Uh, there's

18:13

a level of effort and and all of those things

18:15

that go into giving your chance and giving yourself

18:17

a chance to win against good teams

18:20

in this league.

18:21

Hey, Pete, talk about You mentioned coach

18:24

Mosley a little bit, and you know, I think it

18:26

gets lost sometimes. You know, we've

18:28

got a young coach. You

18:30

know, that's that's young in his head coaching

18:32

career. Talk about Just

18:35

tell us a little bit of your observations

18:37

of him, the growth, you

18:39

know, Uh, we're very big

18:41

fans of coach Moseley. He gives us

18:43

great access. He's he's very transparent

18:46

with us. But

18:49

watching from the side, it's just

18:51

his leadership and the way he conducts

18:53

himself on the floor with the players, those

18:55

relationships. He really is a

18:58

special human being. Is he

19:00

is.

19:01

And you can't talk about coach Mosley until

19:03

you talk about his ability to connect with

19:05

our players and with our staff. If

19:07

you sit in a practice. You see it as

19:09

soon as he comes into the gym, as soon as players

19:11

are around him. And when I say coach Mosley,

19:14

he represents his entire staff as well. You

19:17

see guys go up to coaches and put their arms around

19:19

him and just talk. And our group

19:22

is just so bought in. And I've just heard from

19:24

a number of people that are

19:26

seeing our group for the first time. We've had visitors

19:28

come in and watch practice, and they just talk

19:30

about how connected everyone is

19:33

and how rare it is to

19:35

see that at this level, especially with the young

19:37

group. And so number

19:39

one, it's Coach Moseley's ability to get

19:41

players to connect with him and

19:43

to buy into the message. And you

19:46

guys have seen this year that you know, Coach

19:48

Mosley has stopped practice repeatedly

19:50

and let guys know that this is a new year and

19:53

this is how we're gonna we say we want to get

19:55

to a certain place, this is how we're going to do it.

19:57

And so we're actually leveling up this year,

20:00

and what we used to do last year

20:02

and the year before is no longer going to be tolerated.

20:04

And so you see that, you see that in

20:07

Coach Moseley and his staff, and I think the

20:09

good thing and where those relationships and those

20:11

connections come out is players respond to

20:13

it in a positive way because they're like, yes,

20:16

this is what we talk about, So all right,

20:18

we'll get on the line and run, because that's not that's

20:20

not how we're going to get to where we're gonna get where we want

20:22

to go.

20:24

Did you just jumping in there?

20:26

Did you? I was thinking back through my history

20:28

as a player. I didn't have many coaches like

20:30

Jamal mostly how many did you have?

20:33

Right?

20:34

I was fortunate to have a

20:37

couple and it and it really

20:39

makes all the difference in the world. It

20:42

really does. When you want to run through a wall for your

20:44

coach. You can take instruction,

20:46

you can take criticism all

20:49

in a different way. And as a team,

20:51

you know you have to be able to do that. You

20:53

have to be able to it's got to be something bigger than you.

20:56

And so coach Mosey and his staff have done

20:58

an unbelievable job and continue to do unbelievable

21:00

job of getting our team to buy in

21:02

to getting them to go in the same direction and

21:05

holding them accountable and then responding to it.

21:08

We have a lot of players that have been

21:10

around now for a couple of years, so

21:12

they've been together with the coaching staff, and

21:15

we've talked about this coach Mosley

21:17

spent a couple of years really developing

21:20

and nurturing, fostering those relationships

21:23

and connecting with the players. And

21:25

now when it's time, you know, really get serious

21:28

and where we're in a point where we have

21:30

a chance to win some basketball games

21:32

in a major way that this year, I feel

21:34

like those connections that he's made the last

21:36

couple of years have really helped him step

21:38

on it, step on that gas pedal for this

21:40

season. How do you see that? How important

21:43

is it for a coach to establish

21:45

those relationships early with players.

21:48

I think it's one of the most important things. And it's

21:51

something that I

21:53

really saw close when I was in Lakeland. And

21:55

you know, to be able to hold a team accountable,

21:58

they have to believe that you have their best

22:00

interests at heart right and that you're

22:02

trying to get them as a team, in them individually

22:04

where they say they want to go. And not

22:07

only do they have to hear you talk about it and

22:09

react to but they have to see the authenticity in you

22:11

and how you walk and how you move and Coach

22:13

mose and his staff are are genuine people

22:15

that walk the walk, and the players

22:18

see that, and so you know, they can talk to talk

22:20

and the players have to respond to

22:22

that. And so no matter how good

22:24

you are, you're gonna get hit in the mouth a couple

22:26

times during the season, no matter

22:28

how good you are. And so those relationships

22:31

and the things that they've been through this summer

22:33

and up to this point, that's where that comes

22:36

in, and the ability to kind of look

22:38

back and say, hey, listen, this is what we talked about. We knew

22:40

this was coming, this is what we prepared for.

22:42

Here's how we're going to respond.

22:45

How do you feel that the team has responded

22:48

to the slightly raised expectations

22:50

going into the year. Have

22:52

you seen any difference in their demeanor the way they

22:54

go about their business. Is there anything different?

22:57

I think they're more determined and more focused because

23:00

of the message that they're hearing from coach Moseley. You

23:02

know, it's it's not hey, this is what they're

23:04

saying we're supposed to be or whatever. This is what you're

23:06

saying you want to be about. So it's gonna happen. No, no,

23:08

no, this is what's on the other side of that.

23:10

If if we say we want to do those things, this is the

23:12

work that's required to get there. This is

23:14

the level of consistency and detail

23:17

that it's that's required to get there and win in

23:19

this league. And so there's just a raised expectations

23:22

in practice, you know, not necessarily externally

23:25

in terms of wins and losses, but like what's

23:27

required for us to get there. And we're no longer tolerating

23:30

certain things that maybe have kind of been

23:33

allowed for a younger group in the past.

23:35

Do you hear that Dante's top anymore?

23:38

And I know I gotta get all that's

23:41

specifically, I'll be ready. Oh I got

23:43

a level up too. Hey a ap.

23:45

The GM survey just came out, you know,

23:47

the one that you have tune G or RBS fill out.

23:51

I don't. I don't have John Hammond's

23:54

status yet. I gotta I

23:56

got way to get there.

23:58

So you both that one A lot

24:00

to work on that survey.

24:01

I just okay, I like it well, I

24:03

and I kid.

24:03

I'm curious very now now I

24:05

will say I will say that is not all

24:08

me. I I leaned on our group and like group,

24:10

you know, this is not me, just you know, making

24:12

these decisions. So I needed the entire

24:14

group to help you with that. But I took here.

24:16

But Dante, you took it seriously

24:18

though, because I filled out that survey in the past.

24:21

Just see, just

24:23

to be just to be clear forever.

24:24

Well, well, I can tell you. I can tell you, George,

24:26

this year is probably our Our survey was

24:28

probably a lot less accurate for that reason,

24:31

so we should go back to you filling

24:33

it out.

24:33

That is true next year.

24:34

It does have a George does have an eye for talent. I'll give him

24:37

that.

24:37

Uh So, if you look at the GM serve you, the

24:39

Magic are well represented ap and I know

24:41

it must it must make you proud. But you

24:44

know, some of the categories breakout Season,

24:46

Franz Bagner was third, Paulo Bankaro

24:48

was fourth, Best Young Corps,

24:50

This Magic team was third. People

24:52

are are kind of excited or at least maybe

24:55

are expecting a step

24:57

forward from this young court. Tell us about the

24:59

young Core and they might be able to do in your eyes

25:01

this year.

25:02

Yeah, well, I think people see what what

25:05

what we saw and the fans saw towards

25:07

end of last year as we got healthy and you know,

25:09

but what I what I what

25:12

I've learned and I'm sure you guys have learned as

25:14

well, is every game has a life of its

25:16

own, and every season has a life of its own.

25:18

And so what you've done previously, there's no guarantee

25:20

that that means future success. And

25:23

again, I hate to sound like a broken record, but

25:25

our group coach Mosley Jeff

25:28

has continually preached that, like you know, we

25:30

need our individual uh games

25:33

to improve and we need collectively to

25:35

to get better. And but but it is

25:37

exciting to have a buzz around the team and have a

25:39

belief and have a you

25:41

know, a direction of hey, this is where we want to

25:43

go and and and we have the talent to get

25:45

there. And you saw a little bit of it

25:47

last night. It was it was fun to finally

25:49

get out of camp and beat each other up

25:51

and get on the court and play against somebody else.

25:56

Hey, pee, I'm gonna ask, I'm gonna do it. I'm

25:58

gonna go there, I'm gonna as the kandas

26:01

question, I'm ready, I'm ready.

26:03

All right.

26:04

So, your sister, just for fans who

26:06

may not know, and I'm sure everybody listening knows,

26:08

your sister is Candace Parker, who

26:11

is one of the great women's players of all time

26:13

broadcast is still w NBA

26:15

player. But I'm gonna go at

26:17

it from a little different direction. Your

26:20

dad played in the Big Ten, right, jess

26:23

Mary grew up in a basketball family. You

26:25

got you got to you're the oldest, there's a middle

26:27

brother, and then Candace is the baby in the

26:29

family. But what was it like growing up

26:31

in this environment with a dad who

26:34

played in the Big Ten and your brother

26:36

played basketball as well. I understand he's

26:38

had a great, great career outside of basketball,

26:41

but what was your family like, Like, how

26:43

does that family produce Anthony

26:46

Parker, your your brother who's successful

26:48

in medical field, and then Candace one

26:50

of the great all time women players.

26:52

Well some people might not know this, but

26:55

I'm I'm most proud of my

26:57

brother, honestly, you know, can

27:00

This has done great and everybody kind of knows who

27:02

she is and what she represents, and you

27:04

know, I'm so proud of of who she is. But but my

27:06

brother took a different path and he went to

27:08

medical school at Johns Hopkins

27:10

Residency at Johns Hopkins, and he's a radiologist,

27:13

and you know, he

27:15

somehow he slides under the radar. He's

27:17

s out the doctor the family nobody talks

27:19

about, but uh go one of the best

27:22

medical schools in the world. And so

27:24

he just he just represents kind of what our house

27:26

was about, my mom and dad.

27:28

You know, hey, look, whatever you want to do, whatever your goals

27:31

are, we believe that you can get

27:33

there. You know. We we believe that whatever you

27:35

put your mind to do, you can do. But here's the

27:37

work, here's what's required to do

27:39

it. And there was an extremely

27:41

competitive household in anything,

27:43

whether it was uno, ping pong, whatever it was, it

27:45

was. It was competitive, but it was

27:48

fun too. And and my dad having played

27:50

my mom was played. She didn't play

27:53

in college, but she played in a little you know, as much

27:55

as she could, and so

27:57

she knows the game. She's been a coach for

27:59

myself and my brother and my sister, and

28:02

so it was just it was funny. It

28:04

was comedy, but it

28:06

was competitive, and we all supported each other, very

28:09

close knit family and and just

28:11

you know, yeah, like it was.

28:14

It was. It was a lot of fun. A lot of people ask my

28:16

dad, you know, mom, what what they did? You

28:18

know, how what do they do as parents? And I

28:20

just think they got lucky. There was nothing that they

28:22

did. I'm just kidding. No,

28:25

they they they were they were unbelievable. My dad

28:28

has been my hero since I've been you

28:30

know, since I can remember, and and so just

28:32

it's fun to kind of see how things have gone so

28:35

far.

28:37

David, I was surprised. I got into a conversation

28:39

with ap the other day and we were talking about the

28:41

game of golf and Ap

28:43

is not a golfer. It's not

28:46

not play stick with it, and I got that feeling.

28:48

Ah comment. The reason is

28:51

is because he's not he hasn't

28:53

played it, so his friends

28:55

would be so competitive, and he would

28:57

be so competitive. Doesn't play. He

29:00

doesn't want to get into that environment because

29:03

they'd be talking so much trash and everything.

29:05

It's ap am I summing that up about about

29:07

right.

29:08

Yeah, So this is a conversation I've had with a lot of

29:10

people because they're like, they can't believe that

29:12

I don't play golf. And it was all

29:15

she just played golf, and I don't know enough to

29:17

know that I would get I

29:19

would I would love to play. I would love it. It's

29:22

it's when you hit the ball just right that

29:24

one time like this is such

29:26

a great feeling. It's such a great feeling. But I

29:28

don't play for that reason, right there, JT

29:31

Like my friends are super

29:33

competitive. You guys know, golf

29:36

is a game that you have to continue to do to stay at

29:38

the level or to get better, and it requires

29:40

time and and so I know if I went

29:42

out with my friends, i'd be you know, you're

29:44

not gonna beat me. You're not just gonna beat me. It's tar bad

29:47

to me and take my money and stuff.

29:49

So so I'm gonna get better time away from the

29:51

family. I probably probably create

29:53

some family problems. So I just chose, you know what, I'm

29:55

gonna just choose a family. I'm will you

29:57

know, golf, sacrifice that and

30:00

stay happy. Stay

30:02

That's a.

30:03

Good decision, ap good decision.

30:06

If you change your mind.

30:07

George and I are good golfers, so we can help you.

30:12

The higher the score of the better, right

30:15

exactly, don't.

30:17

You, George?

30:18

To get my swings out there. And I paid

30:20

a lot of money to be on that course.

30:22

David mentioned Candas and it's az you know,

30:24

it's unfortunate she got hurt this year because

30:27

she was on She's on Las Vegas and they're

30:29

in the w NBA Finals Game two

30:31

tonight, best of five. They're up one game

30:33

to none. Uh, how is

30:35

she thirty seven already?

30:37

Ap?

30:37

I remember when you'd bring her at RDV and she'd

30:40

get she'd play down there and and

30:42

just dominate all of us back then as a

30:44

kid. Now she's thirty seven right, probably

30:46

at the end close to it of her w NBA

30:49

career. But what an accomplished career. Two

30:51

time champion, two time MVP. I

30:53

mean you must be proud of that, what she's been able

30:55

to do.

30:56

Oh yeah, I mean we all know what Candas

30:58

has been even though she's not a doctor. Yeah,

31:00

I mean she's she's done all right. No,

31:02

she's no doctor. She hasn't gone to Dice Hopkins, but

31:04

she's done all right. No, we

31:06

all know who she is as a player and what she's

31:09

accomplished. And I think the good thing about

31:11

is is the things that she's been able to do

31:13

on the court, winning championships

31:15

and dunking and all those things like

31:17

that has just allowed her to

31:20

do some things that a lot of people

31:22

didn't see women doing a lot of before.

31:25

And so that's the thing that I'm most proud of with Cannas

31:27

is she used the

31:30

platform that she's been given to have

31:32

a positive impact on people and

31:34

especially girls growing

31:36

up around the country and around the world, and that

31:39

hey, listen, you can sit at this table,

31:41

you can be in these rooms, you can accomplish these

31:43

things, and here I'm going to

31:45

do it so that you can see it and and really,

31:48

you know, allow allow people to

31:50

come behind her and accomplish

31:53

more. And that's that's really what she wants.

31:55

But she's she's incredible. Like

31:57

I, you know, I can't believe she's thirty seven because I still

31:59

see her as my little baby sister and

32:01

always will for some reason. Then,

32:04

and you know you talked about David.

32:07

People might not know she's my sister. I'm

32:10

introduced usually as canas Parker's brother, So

32:13

I think most people might not know

32:15

my name, but but when they see me, they know she's

32:17

my sister. That's that's how I'm recognized

32:19

mostly, So I appreciate that. Well.

32:23

I think it's a great I think it's a great story. You

32:25

know what's interesting. Anybody that spent any time with

32:28

ap, especially if you have dinner,

32:30

he comes up with these questions. They get to

32:32

think it right, So is that where

32:34

does what's the what's the impetus for that? Was

32:36

that when you're trying to get a feel for a guide

32:38

during your scouting days, or you come up

32:40

with these brain teasers and that I

32:42

feel like you're documenting the

32:45

answers because you're able to quickly tell

32:47

what kind of person we are.

32:50

With something.

32:53

Bad.

32:54

I do have a list of questions. I do have a list of questions

32:57

I am not I am that's great. I think it's great.

32:59

I'm not keeping up on who answered what

33:01

and what kind of person they are, but I do think

33:03

I don't know where it started. I just I've

33:05

always had an interest in some of these questions.

33:08

Uh, you hear a story on a radio

33:10

show, or you see a movie and it gets you to thinking.

33:13

And and people just gravitate. A

33:15

lot of people, not all gravitate

33:17

towards the questions and and and it's a way

33:19

to kind of be an icebreaker at a dinner

33:22

or any kind of conversation you're in. And

33:24

it's fun. And I tell people, you know, there's no right or wrong

33:26

answer, but I do judge people based on what the answer.

33:28

To They you

33:30

gotta be careful they do it.

33:32

I knew it.

33:35

How hard is training camp?

33:36

Ap?

33:37

I know as a veteran, you got some veteran guys. You got

33:39

a guy like Joe Ingles, who I think is a great addition.

33:41

By the way, it was pretty interesting in training camp.

33:43

Coach Moseley said, you can pick one guy. If

33:46

he makes a three, you don't have to run. And everybody

33:48

unanimously looked at Joe and he stepped

33:51

out into the corner and nailed a three and they didn't have to run.

33:53

So you ad here. But you've got veterans that are

33:56

there, you've got young guys. I think everybody

33:58

wants to play games. How tough is it to

34:00

to kind of get through training camp and really the preseason

34:02

ultimately getting towards opening night.

34:04

Yeah, training camp is tough, man. You're

34:07

especially as a young player. You know, you kind of

34:10

don't know what to expect or there's a lot

34:12

of things coming at you and you're trying to find your way,

34:14

and things are moving so fast. It's

34:16

almost a little bit like Summer League. Right

34:18

has played at a higher speed than a regular

34:20

season game, and so it is

34:22

difficult. You

34:25

know a lot of the practices and you got to take care

34:27

of your body, all of those things. And having

34:30

a veteran like Joe is

34:32

great because you know, I've

34:34

been here long enough to know how hard it is

34:36

to find that profile of a player,

34:39

the player that commands the respect

34:41

of the team. When he talks that he can pull people aside

34:43

and they're going to listen, but also can still step

34:45

on the court and do it at a high level. And

34:47

you talk about the stories of everybody, you

34:50

know, choosing Joe to step out there and hit that shot

34:52

so they don't have to keep running. And

34:54

I remember one of the shots he shot, like midway

34:56

to the basket, he yells out, layup, you know, and the

34:58

ball goes into the basket. So it's just

35:01

that confidence, that swagger that he's always played

35:03

with, the joy for the game, the joy

35:05

to just kind of be around the

35:07

team, and and and the young players see that and

35:09

and gravitate towards that, and

35:11

and you know, he certainly adds

35:14

a ton to this team. But we had

35:16

a great training camp. I think we

35:18

learned a lot. It was a lot more defense, and I

35:20

think Coach Moseley and the staff have said, hey, listen,

35:23

really way ahead defensively, uh before

35:26

our offense comes, but you know, you start

35:28

to see guys settle in, even last night against

35:30

the Pelicans, settle in offensively, get

35:32

the spacing down, start to generate some

35:34

quality shots and and down

35:37

the line. Not just the first five, but but

35:39

but everybody in the touch the floor had

35:41

a positive impact.

35:43

I was talking to a fan just last night

35:45

who's really excited. Fans are really pumped

35:48

up about this season around here. I think there's

35:50

a real energy around Central

35:52

pariter for this this basketball team this year.

35:54

But she said, ad and they

35:56

go to all the games. She said that what I love

35:58

about this man team with

36:01

Mosley and his staff is that the players seem

36:03

to really like each other. They seem

36:05

to really be pulling for each other. That there's a

36:07

genuine camaraderie. It's not phony.

36:09

Uh, what is that?

36:10

What you see is that that's

36:12

that's the sense that I think we all get.

36:15

Yeah, I mean, and it starts It starts with coach

36:17

Moseley, It starts

36:19

with, uh, with with our staff. And

36:21

and you know, when you walk in the door,

36:24

no matter who you were or kind

36:26

of some of the places you've been, you feel

36:28

the difference when you come in. You feel that

36:30

this young group and and you know, we've

36:32

we've started to do some things as

36:34

far as like uh, meditation and things

36:37

like that. And it's not always easy to get

36:39

young guys or even older guys to buy into

36:42

some of those things. But you know, I think you

36:44

see the trust and you see the relationships

36:46

come through in those moments when you're asking someone

36:48

to do something that might be a little different than what they're used

36:50

to, uh, and they not and they don't

36:52

know or you know, are you taking it seriously? Is everybody taking

36:55

it seriously? They're looking around and yeah, everybody's taking

36:57

it seriously. And so you kind of fall

36:59

in line because that's what everybody's doing.

37:01

And I think that's that's what's special

37:03

about our young group. And

37:06

you know, it's just it's just fun to see guys

37:09

mature and grow on

37:11

the court, but as a person as well.

37:15

All Right, last thing, API, I know there's a business

37:17

side of the job, right. You'd love to keep

37:19

all seventeen of these guys forever, right,

37:21

but it's hard. I know, you're evaluating

37:23

constantly. You have decisions to make throughout

37:26

the year, and and so what will you be watching

37:28

on? You know, some of the things that you're kind of going to

37:30

have your eye on. I know Jeff Welman always says, the

37:32

team will dictate what we add right,

37:34

who we add and the pieces that we're gonna add. So free

37:37

agency is a whole other animal. But what are

37:39

some of the things you're going to watch this year that

37:42

that kind of excites you. And as

37:44

this team continues its journey and hopefully it

37:46

takes a big step, yeah, I.

37:48

Think you know, I can't say it any better than Jeff.

37:50

You know, I think the team is going to dictate a

37:53

lot of those decisions, and I will say that those

37:55

are those are first world problems. You know, to

37:58

have to make some of those decisions mean that guys

38:00

have gotten better, Guys have

38:02

a lot of value and they make it

38:05

difficult to make

38:07

those decisions. But I think as we go along,

38:09

you know, like Jeff said, those things, we'll

38:11

start to become a parent and you

38:14

know it's just what the league requires, especially

38:16

a lot earlier than you'd

38:19

like. You know, you need more time

38:21

with guys a lot of times, but this is this is how

38:23

the league is set up, and you

38:26

know, those decisions will come. But we can

38:28

just stay healthy and continue to grow

38:30

as a group. You know, I'm really excited for what

38:32

the season could look like. All

38:34

right, Well, I know I speak for everybody.

38:36

We're excited, the town is excited, fans

38:38

are ready to go, and we got opening night coming

38:40

up here in a couple of weeks. Enjoy the rest of your time

38:42

in Cleveland. Probably means about

38:44

an eight to fifteen bedtime tonight. But I

38:47

have a great time. Good

38:49

luck tomorrow, come back healthy. Let's have

38:51

a great season. AP thank you guys

38:53

for this time.

38:53

I really enjoyed it. And you know, let's do

38:55

it again.

38:56

You know what's good The next time we do do it again, we'll

38:59

just have you asked the questions like we're at dinner,

39:02

and.

39:02

And I and I and I will and I will

39:04

judge. I will judge each of you for your.

39:08

That would be a great you're ready.

39:10

That's great, you're ready.

39:11

They're thirty boy, they're good questions.

39:13

I leave feeling bad about my discist.

39:19

Good stuff, man, appreciate it.

39:20

We'll talk to you. That'll do it for this edition of Magic Pod

39:23

Squad. We'll see you next time.