0:02

On this edition of Orlanto Magic Pod Squad, we

0:05

catch up with Magic guard Jalen Suggs,

0:07

who is off to the best start of his NBA

0:09

career. The Magic are red hot, winners

0:12

of seventh straight at the time of this recording.

0:14

And one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

0:16

Magic Podsquad, brought to you by the Florida Department

0:18

of Transportation, reminds you that fans

0:21

don't let fans drive drunk. If you've been

0:23

drinking, don't get behind the wheel. Instead, find

0:25

a sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember,

0:27

drive sober or get pulled over, Have

0:30

a great night, and drive safe. On

0:32

this edition of Pod Squad, we get

0:34

into this resurgence for Jalen

0:36

Suggs. What he got into this summer, his

0:38

mindset on the defensive end of the floor,

0:40

how much he embraces being that dog

0:43

a dog mentality out there on the

0:45

defensive end, and how this team is

0:47

playing right now, his vantage point of Polo

0:49

van Caro, and what this team is capable

0:52

of when things are all said and done, and

0:54

of course, how much he embraces City Beautiful

0:57

and the connection he's made with the Orlando

0:59

Magic fan and of course gotta

1:01

have a little football talk as well. All of that on

1:04

this edition of Magic Pod Squad with Jalen

1:06

Suggs.

1:08

This is Fons of long Enough to Orlando Magic.

1:10

This is Cole Anthony, this is Jen and Suggs. This

1:12

is Paulo Man Carroll the Orlando Magic and

1:14

you're listening to the Pod Squad.

1:18

And welcome everyone to another edition of Magic

1:21

Pod Squad. Dante Marcatelli, Jeorge Galatee,

1:23

Jake Chapman, and Jalen Suggs

1:26

Magic Guard joining us here and Jalen,

1:28

It's always great to catch up with you. It's

1:30

even better when it's during a seven game win

1:32

streak. Right You're you're two two away

1:34

from a franchise record. But we've had two days

1:36

off. And the thing that I'm most excited

1:39

about is you had two days off.

1:41

You had a full day you had you

1:43

had a full day off yesterday, a

1:45

practice today. But how good did that feel

1:47

for you, my friend, to have a little time off for some

1:49

R and R.

1:50

I told Mos when he when

1:53

he said we had two days off or we had a day

1:55

off after that that last win, tears

1:58

came to my eyes and my eyes got a little

2:00

watery. Imagine

2:03

great. It was great, you know, just to enjoy

2:05

family, you know, the last of them kind

2:07

of got out of here, got back, got

2:09

back up home in Minnesota, you know,

2:11

from being down there for the holiday. So it was good, just that

2:14

real last day kick with my family. You

2:16

know, watch all the boys watch the Monday

2:18

night football. Then you know, just get

2:20

some some Jaalen time. He's always a bus as

2:23

well.

2:23

You should do you prefer fifty one degrees

2:26

in November, December or ten.

2:29

You see, I'm just right now, honestly, like

2:31

this is freezing to me. I went out

2:33

of my boxing this morning because it was sunny, so,

2:35

oh it look nice. I'll put some short song. I

2:37

opened my boxing, I said, oh no, I'm going straight back

2:39

to the sweat to hoodie. I'm gonna throw the bedie

2:42

on and I'm gonna be warm. So I think it's safe

2:44

to sound fully adapted to this. Well

2:46

reading, I've become warm blooded.

2:48

Yes, you're you're a Floridian. Now you're you

2:50

can officially claim you that thing.

2:52

That's what that looks, right, I think? So yeah,

2:56

Well.

2:56

We got a lot to get to. We got the wind streak, we got

2:58

the n season tournament. The way you're playing

3:00

is just fantastic. But let's start with the win streak,

3:03

Jayalen. I mean, this is the longest win streak

3:05

since the ten eleven season, right, so you got

3:07

to go back twelve years. You're two away from

3:09

a franchise record at the time of this taping.

3:12

What's gotten into you? Guys? This is fun to watch.

3:15

This is dope. This is my first time winning winning

3:17

in the NBA. Everything

3:19

is, everything is better, practices are better, do

3:21

says better, hang on, that's right.

3:24

Uh, but now it's been dope. I mean just it's

3:26

been a collective effort. You know, it's

3:29

it's cold one night, you know, it's me another,

3:31

it's Frons one, it's he, it's

3:34

Goga coming in and impacting Joe off

3:36

the bench. Jay. I just

3:38

you go down the list and everyone is coming and

3:41

made an impact, you know, towards us winning games.

3:43

And I think that's the best part of body. I

3:45

think that's what makes us special, is our ability

3:47

to do that it and to

3:49

want that. You know what I'm saying, it's not I

3:52

gotta get my shots up tonight. You know I have to.

3:54

I have to hit my quota, hit my mark. You know, it's

3:56

we just want to win. And again,

3:58

like I said, I don't know from experience

4:01

but from here, and you know that's rare here. But

4:05

that's all I've known, you know, in growing up

4:07

and all the teams I've played for, you know, just anything

4:09

to do to get a win. So it's really refreshing

4:12

to have, you know, that same group and staff

4:14

share that and share that mentality here. It's leading

4:16

to good things.

4:18

Well, George, you know, you know that that is very rare.

4:20

George, you know that.

4:21

I was just going to say, it is rare in the

4:23

nb DA. And you can have it for spurts sometimes,

4:25

like you know, you can have it for five games spurts, six

4:27

games spurts. But then after a while, usually

4:30

somebody starts seeing that I gotta get mine

4:32

and I'm and usually what ends up happening

4:34

is is things go a little set at

4:37

point and things derail. But that doesn't

4:39

seem to me when you when you're looking

4:41

at our team and we're all privy

4:44

to what we're doing here, it just with the makeup

4:46

of our guys, Jalen, it doesn't seem like

4:48

we would have the roster to do that

4:50

everybody it seems to be grasping

4:53

on to what their role is. And

4:55

that's to me, that's three quarters

4:57

of the battle in the NBA. Is everybody embracing

4:59

them rule.

5:00

Yeah, yeah, no, I agree with you. I mean

5:03

that's a positive of having great people in the building.

5:05

You know what I'm saying. You know, I'd

5:07

be There's a ton of talent, a lot of skill,

5:09

you know that we possessed, you know, in the locker room. And you know a

5:12

lot of people do a lot of different things and

5:14

do many things, you know what I'm saying, but you

5:16

know, to to break it down and simplify,

5:19

you know, and this is what we need

5:21

to do. And we we had conversations about it through camp

5:23

and before the season started. You know, this is you

5:25

know, with the staffs. You're telling us to see what we're looking

5:27

for for each person to do. This is what we feel

5:30

like you can bring to the table. You know, the floor

5:32

was open. You know, it was ours to

5:34

add anything if we wanted to. And uh, you

5:36

know, for the most part, everyone was solid

5:38

on it, you know, and I feel like everyone's

5:41

bought into everything that you

5:43

know, the staff has asked of us. Now, us players

5:45

have asked of each other. And again, like

5:47

I said, it's leading a good thing. I mean, and

5:50

they were having fun while doing it. That's the best part.

5:52

You know, that's where the selfishness comes

5:54

in. You know, it doesn't matter. You know, I'll

5:56

come out of We had no business those first three quarters,

5:58

don't matter how many shots, and I'm getting up you know, volumes

6:01

were getting to win. Then I get to see my guys

6:03

playing like that. That's a perfect night for

6:05

me.

6:05

Now.

6:06

I was telling Bows that this morning. I keep

6:08

handling this business through the first three quarters. I don't

6:10

want to get have to get beat up in the court. We could

6:12

just let the rest of the boys play. I see

6:14

that. I enjoy it. You're fine with that like a fat

6:16

you know, of course, side you.

6:19

Get your work done in twenty one minutes and you

6:21

get to sit out the fourth quarter. Right, gold

6:24

done, Yeah done, Yoe officiate

6:27

jed to that end what you were talking about, you know,

6:29

agenda's the lack thereof how important

6:31

was last season to what's happening this season?

6:34

Not just the five and twenty start and the

6:36

pain and struggle through that, but confidence.

6:39

Why seeing what you guys are capable of over the last fifty

6:41

games or so.

6:43

I think, I think it was really important to play a great

6:45

role. You know, I got

6:47

to experience a bit of both sides for me, you

6:49

know, playing early and struggling

6:52

man and and you know, tough loss after loss,

6:54

and you know, trying to find the rhythm in a way, you know, something

6:56

to break the spell. Compared

6:58

to when when I was out, We got to watch the boys

7:01

play and go on runs and you know, just see

7:03

it from a different perspective, you know, the things that they were

7:05

doing, and then come back to end the season

7:07

and and get a feel, kind of get a rhythm, get a flow,

7:10

you know, before that year ended with with kind of

7:12

our full healthy for the first time, our

7:14

full health, healthy squad. That was really

7:16

important for us, and I think really it just it

7:19

helped us. It really

7:21

helped us harp on that belief, you know, and Bugie

7:23

said it at the beginning of the year. We

7:26

have to believe, you know, we are that team and

7:29

we are those individuals and the collectively,

7:31

you know, we we can get it done every night. You

7:33

know, I think that's half the battle. And we have that now,

7:35

and it's a confidence, it's a swagger but

7:38

it's a humbleness because we've seen that other side.

7:40

You know what I'm doing, right, That's

7:42

what makes this year so enjoyable, man, is we've

7:45

kept the same unit, the same group together. You know. Not

7:47

many pieces have come in and out. Uh,

7:49

you know we we've continued to stay at it together

7:52

and and good things lead to lead

7:54

to great things. And you know that.

7:55

That's what Did Franz say that while

7:57

he was holding his gold medal?

7:59

Did he say that? Well? No,

8:02

but we've had those jobs in there all with they

8:04

like where there's certain to the building or throw

8:06

it dope in here and there. Oh man, it's hilarious.

8:09

I've read of this.

8:11

That's great. All right, So I got a question. It's a

8:13

two part question for you, all right. First, Jalen on

8:15

your play. This is a career high points per game,

8:17

rebounds, field goal percentage, three

8:19

point percentage, steals per game,

8:22

which is fourth in the NBA, by the way, loose

8:24

balls recovered, which is what

8:26

third in the NBA? Right, yeah, loose balls

8:28

recurver? I do I

8:31

track everyone you have. You've recovered twenty one

8:33

loose balls, which is tied for third in the NBA. Right, So,

8:35

you're everywhere, You're all over the place. You were

8:37

up there except for the one

8:39

game that was missed. In deflections, you were top five

8:41

in deflections in the entire NBA and

8:43

your fifth and defensive field goal percentage. So

8:46

first part of it is of all of those

8:48

numbers, what impresses you the most? Okay,

8:50

what are you most proud of that you've.

8:56

I think any any of those defense in stats.

8:59

You know, that was that was that

9:01

that is always meant a lot to me. But

9:04

I really you know, over the course of

9:06

last year and you know, just kind of feeling myself,

9:08

you know, get healthy and get back to you know, get

9:11

back to me the all defense, and

9:13

you know, that was something that was a goal

9:15

that I set for myself, you know. And it's

9:18

not something that you know, requires me to have

9:20

the ball, requires me to take, you know, a certain amount

9:22

of shots. It's you know, defensive

9:24

end. You know, I can always have a presence there and no

9:26

matter how the offense is going on a certain night,

9:29

you know, that's something that I'm able to bring. So that

9:32

was a very big, very big

9:34

one for me. And you know something that you know, I worked

9:36

a lot of my conditioning on in the off season and

9:39

my strength in the off season to put myself

9:41

in the bestness as possible to do everything

9:43

I won't want to do on the defensive end. So to see

9:45

that come to fruition, you know, as the

9:47

offense continues to progress slowly, you

9:50

know it is he's a great thing something.

9:52

Well, it's certainly coming. The second part of that jail

9:54

and is you are quickly becoming, if you're not already

9:57

the fan favorite, right there is. I think

9:59

as great as the stats are, right, guys, there

10:01

is a connection with you and the fans.

10:03

Right.

10:04

First of all, your teammates feed

10:06

off of you, and you have a way of getting

10:08

your teammates going when they need it. But

10:10

there are you can point to one point during

10:12

the game multiple times where you are embracing

10:15

the crowd reaction and you're revving them up.

10:17

Right, I think that tells almost

10:19

as much of the story as these statistics.

10:22

Oh absolutely, I think it's

10:24

some noow, I've always just enjoyed doing. You know,

10:26

you kind of go back in you know, when

10:28

I was in high school, middle school, what everyone, I

10:31

always just kind of love talking to the crowd away

10:33

games. Okay, you know, you

10:35

know what I'm saying, I love interacting with them. I

10:38

think it keeps it keeps the game fun, loose,

10:40

you know, not too serious. And at home. I

10:42

just I love to turn the city up, man, honestly, And

10:45

I've seen I've seen Anima at its. I don't

10:47

know if it's at its, it feels at it's low, but

10:49

I've seen that way, you know, when we're struggling, we're

10:52

going through losses, you know, and still

10:54

continue to feel that love. And he encourage me

10:57

to now be able to celebrate all the growth

11:00

with the city, with the fasts, because they deserve

11:02

it. Man, honestly, just from

11:04

a personal standpoint, you know all that I've received,

11:07

you know from this city, you know, basketball

11:10

wise, life wise, you know what, I'm going

11:12

to the store, driving down the

11:14

street, whatever, I had experienced nothing

11:16

but love. And so for

11:18

for for me, I just I love interacting

11:20

with him. I love seeing them. I love putting smiles on faces.

11:23

You know, I think that's what it's about. You

11:25

know, we come and we're able to play this game, and

11:28

at the end of the day, you know it's competitive. You know we're playing

11:30

for playing for something, but you know we're playing

11:32

to put smiles on kids' faces. You know, there are certain

11:35

kids who don't get to come up out of that game. You

11:37

know, families who have saved up for a

11:39

game. So you know, especially when we're at home, you know,

11:41

I want to make that experience as

11:43

joy well as possible for all of them. So you know,

11:45

this is something that I kind of became

11:47

conscious of. And it's dope seeing them embrace me. You

11:50

know, whenever I have them all and why,

11:52

you know, go crazy to try to turn them up. You know,

11:54

they're always You're always right there with me in the

11:56

roller, and so you know.

11:57

You've got them, You've got them in the palm of your head.

11:59

Man. It's fun to it certainly is.

12:01

And can you feel the difference, Jalen in the in

12:03

the crowd already We've only had a handful of home

12:06

games so far, but can you feel the difference

12:08

already through you know,

12:10

seventeen eighteen games here, the difference

12:13

in the home crowd. I mean we've had even even

12:15

in the lowest of lows, you know,

12:17

we still managed to get fifteen sixteen

12:20

thousand people in the building as opposed to we go to some

12:22

of these other cities that are struggling and you've

12:24

seen it. It's right, but there's a difference

12:27

now right in this fifteen

12:29

sixteen that or sellout crowds that are coming

12:31

that they're they're behind you guys.

12:34

Now, Yeah, No, definitely Philly,

12:36

Definitely Peelly, Like I mean, I think

12:38

it was the Denver game they're chanting. We went with a run

12:40

second quarter and they're in a second quarter

12:43

chancing defense, like wow, And

12:45

it felt like a playoff game. The Boston

12:47

game, just back and forth through their

12:50

runs, through our runs like they were with us.

12:52

You know, were go on a run going in it's the time out,

12:54

and it's like it's definite in there the fourth quarter.

12:57

Star Wars' music gets a little bit later mad

12:59

like it's all just enhanced

13:01

a little bit. And I've been waiting, man, since since

13:04

I got here, since COVID, you know, and not a

13:06

lot of fans, you know, I've been

13:08

waiting to kind of bring that energy back.

13:10

You know. I didn't feel really comfortable

13:12

doing it, you know, just you know, with our record,

13:14

I didn't know how they would react with

13:17

my play, you know, I didn't know how they would react

13:19

to that, you know, But now

13:21

things are kind of coming together and you know

13:23

I can fully just you know, kind of be

13:26

me in that standpoint, you know, in terms

13:28

of turning the crowd up, you know, being

13:30

energetic with him, interacting with him

13:32

more to see them embrace me

13:34

and embrace us. You know, all of us, you

13:36

know is super dope and and I love

13:39

you.

13:39

We've been trying, We've been trying to tell you guys that you know,

13:42

you first year, second year guys that you know, for us

13:44

that have been here when we're good, things

13:47

are good.

13:49

C down the street.

13:51

I got stopped in the street, Yo, sons, keep

13:53

back for the biggest mole. I'm

13:55

off it. I want to go to the gym, workout,

13:57

you get a second work out of it. Love

14:00

it. But the love in the city has

14:02

definitely been felt recent Well.

14:04

That was Jake Chapman, Jake Jake Love. Jake

14:06

Love's tracking you guys.

14:08

Jalen Wit. But other thing that the other

14:11

thing that we're big on now and this is Arnie

14:13

Candor And yeah, we're

14:15

doing a lot of breathing right and palms down

14:17

and calm down. So how do you find

14:19

I mean, you're a high energy, get

14:22

amped up. Where where do you find the

14:24

line of of getting everybody

14:26

ramped up, including yourself, and at the same time,

14:29

like let's take that deep breath and and get

14:31

done what we need to get done out there.

14:34

It's funny how much like that

14:36

has shifted what my like game there routines

14:39

are and things like that. I

14:41

can't really listen to like crazy height music

14:43

before games anymore. Like used to

14:45

listen to old like throwback bangers,

14:47

you know, like telling them, I go to like gr

14:50

bo love folk, just like really like haanging music,

14:52

you know what I'm saying it Uh, you know,

14:54

now it's a lot of reggae I listened to, you know,

14:56

maybe somebody R and B before a

14:59

game, you know what I'm saying, or just some really

15:01

like calm music. But it's kind of like that

15:03

call before the storm type, like I don't want

15:05

to waste my energy, you know, pregame.

15:08

I want so that whenever I step in between

15:10

those lines, you know, all my energy

15:12

and focus is all towards us and

15:14

what we're doing as a unit, you know, and going to

15:16

win a basketball game. And the breeding is

15:19

a huge part of that. I mean, there's a lot of times I go almost

15:21

once a game where I go back to the to

15:24

the tunnel with already and go breathe or I go give

15:26

him a hug, and you know, just as

15:28

he's talking, you know, just words of encouragement

15:30

and continuing to tell me to stay centered in to

15:33

bring my breath back to you know, to my to my middle

15:35

point, you know all those things.

15:37

I definitely pay a part in it. But yeah,

15:40

it's dope. We get to breathe, we get to meditate,

15:42

come to our center, and then go turn the city

15:44

up. And it's a dope.

15:47

It's a dope.

15:47

Balance Jayla, real quick. There there was a game. I don't

15:49

know if it was Indiana or where it was. There was a game where

15:51

you gave Arnie a big hug at the end of

15:54

the game. I don't was it the game you were maybe you were

15:56

questionable game? Is

15:59

it every get so?

16:00

Is that with that ape?

16:01

Is that?

16:02

What that is?

16:02

Just part of that? What's he telling you? Why was he helping

16:05

you? Aside from the breathing and everything?

16:08

I think he just he does a great job and

16:10

continue to help me stay present. I

16:13

have a mind that you know, that can shift

16:15

and go a lot of places, you know, because

16:17

I play, you know, awful lot of emotion, you know, and

16:19

I and I wear my emotions and

16:21

my heart of my seven though it's not something that you

16:23

know, I'm you know, scared to show a shame

16:26

of show. So you know, he just does a great job and continue

16:28

the hardest me back in, always gives

16:30

me, you know, gems, words and encouragement. We

16:33

talked about. Yeah, I think one game he's

16:35

talking about, you know, with twenty four minutes you

16:37

know what I'm saying, twenty four minutes in the first alp, twenty

16:39

four minutes in the second half, twenty four second

16:41

shot clot you know, you're seeing the correlations.

16:44

How can you continue to be present and

16:46

bring your energy, you know, to

16:48

each play, to each twenty four second possession, you

16:50

know, each twenty four second half, you know, whether

16:52

it's a bad half, you know, you let it go. You have a new I'm

16:55

saying the same way that the shot clock we SATs after

16:57

this, you know, just think

17:00

different things to keep me present, you know, keep me locked in

17:02

in the moment. He gets a

17:04

lot of credit for, you know, the growth spiritually

17:07

and in the maturity, you know what I mean. He's

17:09

done a great deal with that. And you know, I'm

17:12

very appreciative of my boy Arnie. Awesome.

17:15

I have a two part question as well. First one,

17:17

I spent about forty minutes this morning watching Sam Fasine

17:20

He's video breaking down you.

17:22

It was an hour. I didn't make it through the whole thing. The

17:24

first one is it's kind of a dumb one.

17:25

Dude, do you ever stop and watch stuff like

17:27

that for five ten minutes just see kind

17:29

of what the conversations are around

17:32

you.

17:32

I saw it. I saw the first three minutes of that video.

17:35

Shout out, shout out to Sad for that. I appreciate

17:37

you. Love. Yeah,

17:39

it's awesome. Aaron Winson A while,

17:41

you know, I think it's a you have to have a balance

17:43

of it, you know. I think, what's

17:46

something that I used to do all the time, you know, go right

17:48

after games and looking up my name, looking to see what

17:50

people are saying, good, bad and different.

17:53

You know. Now it's just one of those things,

17:55

you know, you kind of roll with the bad. It's dope to get

17:58

acknowledged and see he

18:00

acknowledged me, you know for a lot of the work

18:02

not only did I put in, but us

18:05

as a team put in, you know, and to see people

18:07

recognize nap and showing love for it is

18:09

always dope. You know, it's always encouraging. So

18:12

I do stop here and there to check them out, I'll

18:14

be honest.

18:15

Yeah, no, right, Poully.

18:16

So absolutely.

18:17

There were a lot of mentions and there always is about

18:20

your football playing days, obviously, And so

18:22

here's my question. I'm gonna give you three examples

18:24

of a football type play that you've made, probably

18:26

this year, and I want you to tell me which one is the most

18:28

gratifying.

18:29

Is it?

18:29

Is it playing cornerback, jumping a slat route

18:32

and getting the pick sicks going back the other

18:34

way for an easy bucket?

18:35

Is it that fullback through traffic

18:37

where you protect the ball and you're going up for an one?

18:40

Or my favorite is.

18:41

The QB pass, Yes, the

18:44

seventy five eighty footer. There was

18:46

one last year to Franz where he

18:48

it was the deep out right. He was going right,

18:50

caught on the sideline turn. I think it was against Utah and

18:52

he ended up in their betch. Which

18:55

one's the most fun?

18:56

And uh?

18:57

And I know we've asked you a lot about you your football player

19:00

and days and how it kind of manifests

19:02

itself, but it is we we see an example every

19:04

night.

19:04

Jale. That

19:07

is a hard question. I'm gonna be honest, because

19:09

he's pretty like a separate level of enjoyment.

19:12

But I think I think my favorite one is being a

19:14

safety and just and reading passes

19:17

and like the Atlanta game was

19:19

super fun, man. And especially

19:21

when it gets Trey Young, you know, he's dribbling

19:23

up the sideline, you know, I see him look up at the jante,

19:26

you know, so I kind of take a

19:28

deep breath and I'm kind of dropping. But my eyes

19:30

there were up the whole time. As soon as he went

19:32

into his motion, man, like just popping off the

19:34

back foot, trusted instincts, you know, and going going

19:37

to jump a in and and try to get another possession

19:39

for us. I think that that one that brings

19:41

me to mobles joy because I love playing safety. I love

19:44

playing defense, uh you know when I was

19:46

playing football. So I think that down one the

19:48

most. But just the overall

19:50

bringing the dog mentality of

19:53

being like a defensive or a football

19:55

player, you know, like that mindset into into

19:58

the basketball game. It's something and that I've

20:00

kind of been searching for, you know, how to how

20:03

can I continue to bring what I learned in

20:05

football, but become

20:07

the best basketball player that that I can be,

20:09

you know, and that's playing under control

20:11

at a good pace, you know, and continue

20:13

to do those things and pick my spots. But the

20:16

mentality is something that never changes,

20:18

you know. And I think that's one of the biggest difference differences,

20:22

you know, in the past two years to this year,

20:24

is you know, I've kind of found that just being

20:26

a dog on the court, doing the little things, bumping

20:29

relentlessly, you know, until we get

20:31

the win, you know, not taking possessions

20:33

or plays off. You know, it's something

20:35

that I can carry over. You know. I have great examples

20:37

from my cousin. It's a Nate

20:40

new new autumn boys up in Pittsburgh ball right

20:42

now. You know, all my boys playing in college,

20:45

you know, parrying over that mentality onto the court

20:47

and it it's dope to see them all kind of see it

20:49

and you know, kind of relate to me. So but

20:53

jumping past the leans, I love. That's

20:55

awesome, you know.

20:56

I think about that. We all tell the story and I get a kick

20:58

out of it. There was a I think it wasn't if it was

21:00

the first day of training camp, but the first day or two.

21:03

You jumped up and made a block. You're playing

21:05

a scrimmage and the referee,

21:07

the referee blew a whistle for a file. I didn't think

21:10

it was about I know, you

21:12

know what I'm talking about, right, And you screamed

21:14

at the top of your lungs. Nice block chailing, But

21:16

good call, Reugh, but ice block jailing. Remember

21:21

that you know exactly what I'm talking

21:23

about, right with your dog?

21:25

Is that part of that?

21:26

Is that part of that football emotion or

21:28

is that just in you always and now we're

21:30

seeing more of it. I thought that was great. I got

21:32

a kick out of that.

21:33

Oh yeah, I think it's just

21:35

continued.

21:36

To be me.

21:36

Uh, he's a bad call, by the way. I was

21:39

a I I ain't gonna be a

21:41

one to say I'm glad. I'm glad you said it. That's

21:43

right. No, I think it's

21:45

dope. It's just I'm be and me a gate.

21:47

You know what I'm saying. I'm not I'm not trying to conform,

21:50

you know, or be anything you

21:52

know anybody else is telling me to be. You know, I'm not trying

21:54

to be too perfect to be you know, too

21:56

much of a professional. You know what I'm saying, I'm just

21:59

I'm seeing me and enjoying where I'm at,

22:01

you know, and I think a lot of that has to do with just

22:04

the confidence that I have in life, you know

22:06

what I'm saying in my relationship. You know, how

22:09

my relationship with christ is growing.

22:11

You know, I'm able to lean back on that and understand

22:14

that, you know, regardless great game, bad game,

22:16

you know, he loves me. You know, He's always

22:18

there for me, someone that I can lean on and talk

22:20

to. And you know, I always have my ink or setting,

22:22

you know, so I can I can be myself. I can

22:25

come out onto the basketball court and express

22:27

my emotions and you know, but it's tempered

22:29

now because I've been doing so much work on

22:31

my discipline and you know, on the mental side

22:34

of things. So just I think a culmination

22:36

of everything of bringing in that

22:38

side, bringing in my spiritual piece, you

22:40

know, I think who kind of I've always been and then

22:43

just that dog just finally

22:45

being just coming out of me, being comfortable, you

22:47

know, expressing that and you

22:50

know, kind of just hoping the city and the boys

22:52

embraced me, which is exactly what they've done. And

22:54

so yeah, it just brings me a lot

22:56

of joy, you know, knowing that I'm out here for and being

22:58

myself, being me, and everyone's

23:00

embracing it.

23:01

And you know, Jake, you're a Cleveland Browns

23:03

fan. And with the dog pound, I mean, are we seeing

23:05

something? Are we missing a marketing opportunity

23:07

here? Should we have? I mean, should yeah?

23:10

Should we be embracing this dog mentality?

23:12

And when when Jalen makes some of these.

23:14

Plays potentially, but based on the

23:16

last twenty years of Cleveland Browns football, I'd

23:18

like I say him a little bit higher to be hot this.

23:21

Well, that's true, that's true.

23:22

You are wire. That's a good point, Jalen.

23:25

Now, Okay, now that the team has seen some early

23:27

success, how does that earth?

23:29

How do we how do we move that into the next twenty

23:31

games? Yeah, and then in the next twenty games. Because

23:34

it's very easy to have short spurts of success.

23:36

It's very difficult in the NBA to extend it

23:39

all the way to eighty two games. What is what is

23:41

Coach Moseley in the staff and you guys

23:43

all together been saying to just keep this

23:45

train moving forward, to.

23:48

Stick to the standard I think is the biggest

23:51

thing, and keep the main thing, the main thing, uh,

23:53

you know, expectations and

23:55

all of that external things. You know,

23:57

those have the power to you know, to throw us all

24:00

off track and off too. But I think that's

24:02

all we've been doing, you know, the start of this season. It

24:04

is sticking to our standards, you know, personally

24:06

and team wise, and

24:08

it's dope we get new challenges like deal

24:11

with it. We came from being that team always

24:13

played from behind young you know a

24:16

lot of hunger, uh, you know, to

24:18

a team now who you know, we're playing with leads

24:20

and we're up on teams, you know, and it's

24:22

dope. We get to figure out in the moment, you know,

24:24

how to you know, how to do those things.

24:26

How to slow it down still get great shots.

24:28

You know what I'm saying, how to how to play

24:30

with the lead making sure we're getting great shots, but don't get

24:32

too h you know, too slow, to complacent,

24:34

you know what I'm saying, to where we start tricking off

24:37

the leads. And I think that's what we're doing earlier. But

24:39

it's cool that we get to do it in a moment now. And I

24:41

feel we're just adapting to every environment.

24:44

Be put it. You know, we we we played from

24:46

behind before, we're now learning how to play with leads

24:48

and uh the words. The point

24:50

where I don't feel uncomfortable in any

24:52

situation. You know, the Boston game, we're down.

24:55

I even realized we're down flow. They came

24:57

out like that on a happen. Didn't realize we're down like

24:59

that. But knowing that moment to stay calm and

25:01

we're doing the right things. Shots are following and making

25:03

tough ones, continue to stay at you know,

25:05

chop wood carry water, and

25:08

the results are shown for themselves and we're coming

25:10

back in teams and we're holding leads now and

25:13

the offensive sidey is coming along with the defense.

25:16

So just to see everything come together and us

25:18

grow as a unit, I think he's dope, and that's what

25:20

we have to continue to stand out.

25:22

Jalen, you mentioned the daft ability, and I

25:25

was thinking about Anthony Black and his rookie experience,

25:27

which is pretty different from yours. Like you kind of knew

25:30

when you came out that you're going to have an opportunity. The roster

25:32

was very young and there's a lot of guys competing

25:34

for spots. AB comes in and it doesn't

25:37

look like an off rep. He's going to have a

25:39

big opportunity, and then booth injuries happen,

25:42

as they always do. He and Go go both

25:44

thrown into that starting lineup. What

25:46

can you say about how adaptable and productive

25:49

both those guys have been in the starting item next year?

25:52

Yeah, I think I think that they've both done a great job,

25:54

you know, and they're taking on that that green Goblin mentality,

25:56

you know that that they brought an insured cap the

25:59

greed.

26:00

Tell us what the green goblins are?

26:01

I like that the green goblins,

26:03

you know, they had the green jerseys. That was the third unit

26:06

you know in any camp, and uh they

26:08

already called themselves, but they like fully embraced

26:11

it man and just just being dogs ready

26:13

for their opportunity. You know what I'm saying. Goga coming over

26:15

from from Indiana, uh,

26:17

you know where he didn't get the opportunity to play much, you know

26:19

what I'm saying, and you know, to come

26:22

here and you know, just he's been working for

26:24

whether I think he's been in here with three four years now

26:26

and you know for his time to finally

26:28

cover saying where he gets to play you

26:30

know big, and he's you know, having the impact and paint.

26:33

You know what I'm saying. Ab is a hound on the

26:35

defensive man, such a smart basketball

26:37

player, you know what I'm saying. And he's continuing.

26:41

It's continuity. But we're

26:43

going, you know, and they're going as players, and just

26:45

for them to get the opportunity they'll play

26:47

and be out there with us, not bad. Is that messing that

26:50

up? No, no problem, no problem.

26:50

Just to see if you get if there's a way to you're good, yeah,

26:57

no problem.

26:57

In line, you're good over

27:00

yeah. Just they've really embraced, uh,

27:02

you know, embrace what they've been thrown into, you know, and

27:04

it's not easy, but they're continuing to grow,

27:07

contending to learn, they ask questions

27:09

and again they're they're both great people. So

27:12

it makes that that whole transition, that process

27:14

easier. So I love moving with him,

27:16

you know. I love being out there and go set the

27:18

tone and just the dogs and they're waving me on

27:20

that one and yeah, it's fun real

27:22

quick.

27:23

Cost you a dog and that and that that Georgian

27:25

accent for dog is pretty good too.

27:28

A dog.

27:30

He was like, I

27:32

wanted to talk about the group chat.

27:34

Is it more active this year that it's been in years

27:36

past. Is it uh, it sounds like it's buzzing.

27:39

Oh yeah, it's dope, It's yeah, it's funny.

27:41

We have the eye message group chat and now

27:43

that's everybody. Then we have the snapchat. You

27:45

know, not doubt everybody has big on the snap

27:48

you know grand Grandpa, I don't even

27:50

think he has a snapchat. So yeah,

27:52

that that that's a way for us. You know, we texted

27:54

the group chat and then the snapchat one. You just kind

27:57

of, you know, saying send what what you got

27:59

going on? He was sending a video here

28:01

and there. You know what I'm saying, the way

28:03

for us to continue to keep talking, you know, and stay

28:05

close.

28:06

Well, he caught some Joe Ingles, caught some strays from

28:09

Cole the other night. Cole called him a sloppy build,

28:11

called him a called him a substitute teacher.

28:14

Right.

28:14

I was sure, like Grandpa is one

28:16

thing you know, that's not one thing you can escape.

28:19

That's age. But I would never say so

28:21

loppy build. You know what I'm saying, it's back. It's

28:24

grown man.

28:25

Yes, that's right, grown man straight. But what has

28:27

he added? You guys have always been a tight

28:29

group, but let's be honest. I mean, Joe

28:31

adds a different dynamic. That guy is always

28:33

talking and it's always constructive. He seems

28:36

to have something. He seems to have the right

28:38

thing to say to each one of you guys at the right time.

28:40

What is it meant having him?

28:42

It's been dope, you know what I'm saying. It's it's

28:44

cool to have you know, all of us together, you

28:46

know, kind of been here and we

28:49

build our relationships. But to have Joe

28:51

come in, you know, another another guy who loves

28:53

to crack jokes, you know, loves to have

28:55

a good time. You know, he's a great person, but

28:58

also has seen so much in this league. You saying.

29:00

It's been around really good players who are

29:02

playing right now. He's been around winning team

29:04

teams that have gone to the conference

29:06

finals, to the finals, you know what I'm saying, and Ben in

29:08

playoff series. Uh. So

29:12

he's brought just that level of experience.

29:14

You know.

29:14

Plus he's a great dude. So you

29:16

know you're gonna listen to it, and you know what he's saying comes

29:19

comes from a great spot, you know what I'm saying. And

29:22

like the Chicago game was dope. Uh you

29:24

know they're they're coming back, you know,

29:26

and he just kept it real. You know, like, how many

29:28

times are we gonna keep doing You know, we're gonna say

29:30

we're gonna be special, We'll say we're gonna

29:32

do this and do that, but we keep tricking leads

29:34

and doing it all, doing off games out learning from

29:36

what we're doing. That can't keep happening.

29:38

And I think like from that point on a shift was

29:41

made, and we've been playing great basketball, but the

29:43

ability to come in and have a

29:45

great vibe and a great spirit, you know, but also

29:48

say what needs to be said and kind of be that voice

29:50

of kind of like a wizard,

29:52

you know what I'm saying. We got so much knowledge

29:55

and all that. I like it. Yes, I

29:58

think it's helpful for us.

30:00

I'm not going to be able to get that image out of my head

30:02

now. I'm just gonna see.

30:04

The fantastic

30:06

if how's Joe pr and I'll have some

30:08

great Halloween.

30:11

There's no question there's a lot of material

30:13

there that's ridiculous. Eastern Conference

30:15

Player of the Week Polo ban Caro, He's got a couple

30:17

of game winners for you. I mean, this guy is

30:20

just taking it to another level right now. I

30:22

think five straight games of twenty

30:24

plus points eight and one when he gets

30:26

twenty in a game, what are you seeing from pollow?

30:31

I tell him every game I try

30:33

to remind him there, yeah, hell better

30:35

kill He's he's so smart

30:38

and he has such great instincts. Plus

30:41

he's a force, you know what I'm saying. And when

30:43

you combine all those things, just he helps his

30:45

role, you know what I'm saying. And uh you

30:47

know where it's tough times, you know, we

30:49

we can throw it into Pete, you know, go get

30:51

us one, Go get us to the line. You know what I'm saying. And

30:53

uh So, I think he's great. He's continuing

30:55

to grow. He's shooting that, he's shooting, Oh

30:59

was gonna cut there, He's shooting the ball. Grip right

31:01

now, let itm fly. It's continuing

31:03

to grow. I think it's the story with all of us,

31:06

is continuing to grow, continuing the building, and

31:09

it's leaving the great days. But just yeah, he's he's

31:11

taking the leap, you know, another step, and he feels more

31:13

confident and mature and everything he's doing. So I

31:16

love it from be. I love playing with him, I love learning from

31:18

him, you know, I love talking to him and our relationship

31:20

has grown too, which has been dope.

31:23

Jay.

31:23

When the d season tournament is over

31:25

for us, we're going to know here in about twenty four hours

31:27

after we take this whether we're we're moving

31:29

on to the knockout round. How What

31:32

was your take on the nd season tournament, the pool

31:34

play and the prospects

31:36

of us getting to the knockout round and maybe

31:38

going to Vegas.

31:40

I thought it was dope. Honestly, I'm a huge

31:42

I don't I don't know too much of a consensus

31:45

around it. I know it's you know, people talking about

31:47

the point diff yent cho and is going at the end and

31:49

all that. I think the only complain that I had was the

31:51

new court of ship. But we's got to break him out in the summertime

31:54

where they slippering, had some high school

31:56

teams come play on. You know, maybe we'll go out

31:58

a little bit, you know what I'm saying, to break them

32:00

in. But other than that, like it was dope,

32:02

I think they've been very competitive. You know guys,

32:05

you know, guys are buying into you know, really playing

32:07

for it. I am for something, you

32:09

know, and exact the beginning of the season where you

32:12

know, it's sometimes it's hard to get you know, juice

32:14

to for some of those games. You know what I'm saying. Knowing that, you

32:17

know, on a random Wednesday, you know, when

32:19

you have sixty five more to go, you

32:21

know what I'm saying, how do you decide a way to give you all? I

32:23

think it's just it's free motivation, you know what I'm

32:25

saying. So I think it's been dope. Everyone's buying into it.

32:27

I love how how the fans have embraced it.

32:30

I love everything they're doing around, you know, how they're

32:32

showing it all, marketing it. The

32:35

courts they look cool. I'm gonna be honest, they

32:37

look really do. I'm a fan of the colored

32:39

courts and all.

32:40

That, even the Chicago one, even all

32:42

that red, even if all

32:44

okay, and see football.

32:45

I love playing at Boys these days field no matter who

32:47

I was playing, So you know, I'm kind of used to

32:49

the to the color field. Of course, tight like it.

32:51

Okay, but yeah, I think it's dope. I think

32:53

it's dope. I'm excited to see, you know, hopefully we get in

32:55

there and you know, I have a chance to go playing Vegas and see

32:58

what that looks like, but yeah,

33:00

it's been excited so far.

33:02

And there was there is a little bit of an added

33:04

incentive, or at least you're aware of the

33:06

factor when the first one was playing in Brooklyn and

33:08

that today this is an in seasant tournament game. Obviously

33:10

the court out there is going to remind you of

33:12

it. But you're saying, there was a little

33:14

talk in the locker room like this, this is a little bit different

33:16

than a random.

33:17

Oh yeah, oh yeah, especially after we lost

33:19

that Brooklyn one. Man, is you know in the

33:21

way that we lost it. You know, it was okay, fellas,

33:24

either where we're gonna take this serious,

33:26

you know what I'm saying, and we're gonna you know, we got to make

33:28

up this this gap, you know, this margin that we just

33:30

put ourselves back, you know, or or

33:32

we're just gonna let it go and you know, act

33:35

like it doesn't matter. And I think everyone bought into the

33:37

fact that, you know what I'm saying, let's let's try

33:39

and go win this one. You know what I'm saying, Let's make a statement early.

33:41

And you know it helps that you know, the regular

33:44

season games as well, you know that that record

33:46

counts. You know, those games count towards our

33:48

record, so you know, add those two together and

33:50

I think, you know, we all just kind of bought into the fact that

33:52

we want to make a run at it, you know, why not. And

33:55

it's led a good things, playing great basketball in

33:57

those games. Again, hopefully we may

34:00

well.

34:01

Wen Dell Carter Junior isn't even playing, and he's told

34:03

us he's put pressure on you to get that five hundred K.

34:05

He still wants his cut.

34:07

And I can't remember who he said if we brought

34:09

it in the other day. It was before one

34:11

of the games. Uh, and so saying five hundred

34:13

three.

34:16

Perfect, that's

34:19

perfect. Hey, one last thing, Jalen, and then we'll let

34:21

you get out of here. But we'd be remiss if we didn't ask

34:23

you about Chet. I mean, we're the world

34:26

is kind of finally getting to see I know, we saw a glimpse

34:28

of him in at Gonzaga. We're finally getting to see

34:30

what he's about. We still know we got the best player

34:32

in that draft with Polo, but Chet seems

34:35

special. And I first of all, I can't

34:37

imagine Minie Haha Academy

34:39

ever losing a game I did, did you guys ever

34:41

lose a game together in high school? And if you did, how

34:43

could that be?

34:44

Uh? Badly? Sadly

34:47

we did. I can't wait tend it

34:49

at wish I could say no, but.

34:51

Not many though you didn't lose many on way to

34:53

three championships, that's for sure.

34:55

Not we want to. We won the ones that count.

34:58

We always but special

35:00

I was specialist, chef jail.

35:02

I love. I love seeing him thrive. Man and he's

35:04

a great person. Uh. Me, Me and Chet have

35:06

grown closer and closer each

35:09

year, uh, each year of our lives, you know, since

35:11

we met in third and fourth grade, and you

35:13

know, just seeing him win, I think it's dope, you know what I'm

35:15

saying. Shared a lot of memories together. And I know, I

35:18

know he is not only as a person who as a basketball

35:20

player. Know, and he's someone who has you know, that

35:22

relentless dogg. You know, he's been

35:24

around he's been around us all his life

35:26

and you know, just continue to grow into that as

35:29

you know, grew into his body, grew into his game,

35:31

and continue to evolve his game. You know what I'm

35:33

saying, he got more confidence in it, and uh, you

35:35

know, and I was flourishing, like to see

35:37

him go back and forth against and beat

35:40

you know what I'm saying to put up almost identical stats.

35:42

You know, it's crazy, you know, just because we're two

35:44

kids coming from you know, Saint Paul in Minneapolis,

35:47

Minnesota, you know, just playing playing the game

35:49

of basketball together. You know, memories

35:51

of riding a bands to trips and

35:54

grinding classic clients together, just like well

35:56

things you know. So see, senior people work has always

35:58

great. But his mentality of these skill

36:00

said man, the way he approaches

36:02

his work in the game, I think they are special.

36:05

And you know, just for him to be succeeded in

36:07

gribbing you as someone.

36:09

Well that's great. Well said listen. We're all behind

36:11

you. We're so proud of your jail and you're

36:13

playing fit. We're gonna work on this dog thing, this

36:15

marketing thing because you got something there, right

36:18

and you're and you're the leader of it. But keep it up. This

36:20

has been a lot of fun and we can't wait to

36:22

see where this goes.

36:23

All right, I appreciate to thank you.

36:25

All right, five hundred three, here we go. I'll

36:31

do it for this addition of magic cause squad