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NBA Champion Duece McBride 29-Point Comeback + Leaking Knicks Groupchat Ep. 97 | The Crew Has It

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NBA Champion Duece McBride 29-Point Comeback + Leaking Knicks Groupchat Ep. 97 | The Crew Has It

Duce McBride shares his journey from a young basketball enthusiast in Cincinnati to his NBA debut with the New York Knicks. Growing up with a father who played professionally in Germany and relatives in college basketball, he developed a strong work ethic and belief in his potential. A significant setback—an injury during his final football season—led him to focus on basketball, where he played at West Virginia and helped his team win the state title despite a long recovery. Drafted in the second round, he initially doubted his fit with the Knicks but was inspired by the team’s playoff run and the vibrant fan culture in New York. His first NBA game at Madison Square Garden left a lasting impression, particularly during a record-breaking moment by Stephen Curry, which highlighted the intensity and energy of the league. McBride emphasizes the importance of fundamentals and learning the NBA game over time, noting that adjusting to new coaches and systems is challenging but manageable through resilience and team unity. He recalls the team’s strong locker room culture, where players support one another through adversity, such as during a dramatic playoff comeback against San Antonio. The moment he won the championship is described as the pinnacle of his journey—a culmination of hard work, recovery, and team effort. He reflects on the emotional impact of the victory, acknowledging the sacrifices made from youth to the present, and expresses gratitude for the support of family, coaches, and teammates. Beyond the game, he shares his love for sports media, video games (especially 2K), and films like *Training Day* and *Fire*, highlighting how basketball remains central to his life. With the off-season, he plans to travel to Spain and Portugal to continue his development, showing his commitment to growth. The episode blends personal experience with insights into the NBA culture, resilience, and community.

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- Yo, Mitch been walling lately. He's like, yo, somebody, um, like a Celtics fan had wrote something under his picture. And he was like, he was like, yeah, whatever. Just remember I sent them to him last year. To the team that he's about to go play for. He's like, yeah, I said, so that's hilarious. (upbeat music) - Last one's in the air. - We're buying breakfast. - Buy breakfast. (upbeat music) - Day one, day one. (upbeat music) - Listen man, I'm gonna tell ya right now of the rip. Just, we have a bunch of episodes that I'd be saying. Like, it's probably gonna be my favorite. It's probably top. (laughing) But listen man, we got the champ here. This is my favorite episode of the rip. (laughing) - The champ is here. I was McBride, Duce McBride, New York, Nickelettian. Drop 25 in the sixes. There's two shots to hold again. Hit five in a row to start it off. We hit it man. What's the word bro? How's everything? How's the life of a champ cheating right now? - It's been crazy past, past like month now. We almost had a month, but I mean, the love in the city, the energy, insane. - What's the last time you pay for something out here? - You want me to pay for shit right now. - That's where I'm trying to figure it out. (laughing) - I mean, I wish that was true. I pay for a few things, but, you know. - Where you pay for something, you know what, we got to go out there and look at what we are doing bro. - Got the champ paying for something. I bugging out what I was going on. - Did you get your ring yet? - No, we get it open at night. - Oh, open at night of that season? - Yeah, I didn't know that it takes that long to get it. - Yeah, I guess like the designs. - Because they make them like right after. - Yeah, damn, that's about to be tough. That's about to be icy. - I haven't even seen the drawings yet. I know they go cook something up. It's going to be crazy. - All right, so let's take it back. Let's take it back to the beginning. So when do you think that you're like, okay, I could be in the league? Like when's your first moment? - I'm not going live. First time I touched the ball. - I'll take that. That's all you need to hear. - I'll tell you about the champ, you know. - So where was that, do you remember it? - Yeah, I mean, my dad, he played professionally in Germany for 10 years, and then he was a high school coach. And I have an older brother. I got cousins that play college ball. So like I just felt like, you know, nobody ever made it to the league. And I just felt like, you know, with all the knowledge that's, you know, before me, as long as I listen, do what I need to do. You know what I mean? I'm traveling across the country at a young age. And I felt like I was like, you know, up there with the best. I just feel like you stay on track, you stay in the course, you're gonna be good. - Did you play any other sports other than basketball going on? - Yeah, football, tennis, lacrosse, soccer. What was your favorite out of those? Obviously, other than football. - I mean, football was my first love. - What was this in your play? - Quarterback. - Oh, that's fine. - I was smooth, a little smooth. - Okay, I was going to say lacrosse is fun too. - Yeah, dude, I played lacrosse. I played for a year or two, and I loved it. It was fun. - That looked me like you're white, I know you played for a year. - I would play lacrosse in my life, man. - Never? - No. - It's fun. - I've never even been to like a, I've never seen, well, you could crack people, not pause. No, you can't make it out of this. We could make people out, like, bro, it's fun. - It's like a mace or a football basketball. - Like hockey. - Yeah. - Yeah, it's cool. I'm not going wild. Like, my brother had started playing it. And then I, you know, I was like, I'm doing whatever he's doing basically, and then I picked up the sticks, and, you know, I was just out of give it up 'cause football basketball got so crazy. - Where'd you grow up? - Cincinnati. - Okay, so you grew up in Cincinnati, but did you go back and forth to Germany at all when your dad was there? - No, it was like way before I was born. He moved back. - Yeah. - My brother was born there, but yeah. - And where'd you go to college? - What's Virginia? - Oh, fire. What were your options of teams that you could have picked? - Honestly, like Clemson Purdue recruited me hard. I got injured in football like my junior year, which is like the most important recruiting year for you. And like I was getting recruited by bigger schools of football than basketball. You know, I had like 15-ish D1 offers for hoos, but they were all like mid major, which isn't bad, but I mean, I got hurt and my coach had a relationship with my dad 'cause he was a coach in IUC while my dad was around. And, you know, I was hurt. I went up there on the visit and he's like, you know, everything they say about you, if it's true, you're good with us. So for him to have that trust, you know, I'm still hurt. I don't know how I'mma come back. - What was your injury? - Like I tore a ligament, like apparently the most important ligament in your foot. So I was out for like nine months and, you know, rehab, crazy. And we had a crazy hoop team. Like I played with Jackson Hayes. And just signed with Utah and a bunch of like, I played with like six, seven other D1 guys. So we're trying to have one of the, you know, best teams in, you know, Ohio history and to get hurt. But, you know, I still came back for the last two games of the season and we won state. So, it was a still little story. Get off her, commit, win state championship. - What was the farthest you went with West Virginia? Did you guys ever win? - So we were a COVID, my first year, that was crazy. Didn't get to play big 12 tournament or NCAA tournament. And then the next year, we lost in the second round. - And then how many years did you play just two? - Yeah, just two. - And then you, you weren't just coming out. - Yeah, I was out. - I was out. - Yeah, I was out. - I was out. - Yeah, I was out. - What's called, oh, go, go, go, I'm like, I was gonna say like, I feel like you're, you're a play style like in college. It was like, obviously you shoot and, but like, you were like slashing a little bit. - Yeah. - Get into the ring. And all that, like, what do you think? Is like the most important reason is like, like a lot of players play style changes once they get to the league from college. - That's funny. I was just talking about this. I was like, the thing that helps people like get to college, get to the league is like, no one basketball. Like the foundation of basketball, the fundamentals, like how to play with like other really good players. That's like what really gets people and propels them to, you know, I feel like have a good career. And then you gotta learn the NBA game, you know what I mean? Like the no three seconds, all the little like, tidbits of like the NBA, all the rules, all the different stuff. And then like, you know, I'm playing against Lance Stevenson. And you know, I'm trying to get into a help defense and then he grabs my arms so I can't go swipe at the ball. So it's just like little things like that that you just start picking up as you go on and go on. So I feel like you got to know basketball and then you gotta start learning the NBA game. And that's kind of the reason I left is just like, you know, I couldn't learn the NBA anywhere, but the NBA. Like I had to, yeah, I had to get a head start for sure. - What was your draft year? - 21. - And so you did you go first round? - Second. - Second round. - Yeah. - And you went to straight nicks. - Yeah. - And how did you feel like where did you want to go? What was the best place you could have gone? And then how did you feel about where you ended up? - I mean, honestly, I had no preference coming out. You know, I was just like whoever overgives me is going to get a dog. - And I did, I love that. - Yeah. - And you know how to like a crazy draft ring. It's like I had people tell me I could go as high as 16 and as low as 40. So it was like a crazy draft ring. So I wasn't really tripping. I'm like, as long as I get to the league. Like I'm gonna make it work. - Yeah. - And like I always tell people like I came up to New York like when I was like probably 16 for AU, like playing that basketball city. And I didn't like it at all. I'm from like a smaller city. Like it was so much going on. - What about it? - Yeah, I was gonna say what about it? It was dirty, I mean I was in Chinatown. Like I was like, I don't know what was going on, I don't know where I'm at. And then like obviously like most of our lives, like the nicks weren't good. - Right. - So I pay attention to the nicks at all. I'm like, I don't know. And then they had that playoff run when they lost to Atlanta. So I started, okay I started seeing the hype. I started seeing what the fans was really about. So then when I got drafted here, like I was like man, this is gonna be crazy. And then it came off of playoff run, like, you know, I felt like I could make an impact. Like I really felt good coming here. I knew the fans were crazy. Like my first day, I get drafted. I saw what's a fan wearing my jersey up here. Like it was crazy. So I was like man, everything is just about to fall in line. - Yeah, that's fine. - So what was like, did you see a game? Did you like come and see a game before or you have never seen a game in Madison Square Garden before you played? - Never, I'd played St. John's up there, up here, but not never. - Yeah. - So I didn't know what to do. - So your first guard and experience was you being on the court. - Man, that's so deep. - You played the Celtics, like Lisa Keys' course, I'm like, oh, this is, who's the craziest person court side like for you? - For me. - That you've seen. - Like, Lisa Keys was definitely up there. Denzel, I mean, honestly, like, it's not regular, but they're there, like, every game, like Ben Stillert, like, that's crazy. - Yeah. - It's like, tracing all my ass. (laughing) - I'm a riska too. - I mean you too, like, see y'all, like, bro, it's crazy. Like, that's a regular game. - Clip that. - Clip that. (laughing) - So what was the moment that you experienced in the league when you was like, damn, like, I'm really in the league. NBA and that like it was like what was like you're welcome to the league moment man Feel like everybody has a few You can name a few if you want to it. It's got I can lie like The one I think about is when Steph broke the record in the garden. Oh, yeah Like the finals like we've been through the playoffs, but like the finals like the energy for that game Was crazy like I remember warming up and They already had to be at least 10,000 people in the arena by like warm up I'm warm up, but like for a 730 game. I was on the court at like 445 You know what I mean? So like 10,000 people already probably being in there and then like Bro, you hit the shot. I think we stopped the game for like 25 minutes. Really? Yeah, tips was pissed Did you like him as a coach? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm just sometimes it's like yeah I mean, he was just yeah old school, but you know, he was pissed I mean you stopped the game and it was a halftime. It was like middle of the game like oh, yeah When Steph broke the air yeah, I would have been pissed too like come on It was yeah, like at the same time. I do see like it is stuff guys We're gonna take a quick break from the episode this company needs no introduction. We love them so much I mean look we're all price picked up. We love them so much. We've been making picks world cup Oscars NBA UFC you name it. We've done it. We've been having so much fun even at the NBA finals I was putting in picks. It makes watching the game a blast. I mean this is hell of fun I mean we got Gianni over here throwing picks on the hot dog eating contest I mean doing that. I mean I could get 70 glizzies down myself pause I mean Okay, but yeah, the boy he he won almost 30 bands on the app. I went around I Would say 20. 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Make sure you use the code crew make sure you tell them the boys sent you and look you can get a $150 free to do your own lineups everything It's unbelievable. We have so much fun doing it our price picks is available in most states including California, Texas and Florida So make sure you like them no matter where you at you could like it on price picks make sure you use the code crew Tell them the boys sent you support the boys and go get that money, baby You can even go into the description of the episode. We got the link down there for you to click on it easy You can also follow us my pages micro any junior you could tell my picks Listen if you don't if you don't hit don't blame me don't come for me I've been a little cold lately. I'm not gonna lie So maybe follow Michael until you know NBA season comes back because that's really where I've had the most success UFC I've been struggling a little bit, but NBA. I'm locked in if you follow me for the UFC fight for the for the McGregor fight You made some bands. Yeah, you did you crush you crushed her in the McGregor fight Yeah, my damn it dude, I got to tell you and that's beyond that's really Giannis boy Like I know most of you will see because of Jeep, but you know, that's what it is. We we cast out, baby What are some of your favorite places to play not at MSG? All right going down to Philly, Gain wins for sure Like going down to Philly, Gain wins honestly playing and go to state. That's always cool uh Miami Postgame Postgame yeah What about what about Lakers you like playing Lakers or I feel like the or I feel like LA sports cool to cheer Yeah, it's quiet. Yeah, I'm not gonna like it's quiet in there And celebrity road don't matter in LA, but because it's so crazy in New York Like you'll see Leo or Jack Nicholson, but like that's like yeah It's not as crazy for sure. Yeah, no, I can't lie the garden is different playing in Chicago school. Yeah What was your team growing up? I really didn't have a team because since an ad he doesn't have one so I didn't really like claim a team like I Braun everybody was from in Ohio. Yeah, but you know when PG was killing in Indiana. I was though Um, I liked okay see you and Katie Rouse. Mm-hmm. You know those guys. Yeah, I didn't really have a team Did you have a favorite player that you like emulated or someone that Dway Dway. Yeah, I was I was heavy Dway. Yeah, Dway was tough. Yeah, Dway was all D Yeah, so your first season you come in and you didn't you didn't start your first season? No Yeah, and when do you feel like you start getting your footing as like a player where you're like getting confidence? You're hitting like when is that start happening my second year a little bit We had I had a good like stint like we went on like a couple winning streets with me playing And then we made some trades and then I didn't get as much time, but then My third year we made a big trade When we brought OG in yeah, and then that like that cleared a lot of space for me to start playing Yeah, and I never look back. Yeah, I felt like I you know I was ready in my first couple years and you know got always as a plan. So it was just right I stick with it. It was tough though, and I played him, you know, I grew up pretty much being a star Every team I was on and then you got to take a back seat, but that's why I said like you got to get used to playing with other good players and starring your role How does it how does the vibe in the locker room change? You're like morale or whatever when a coach exits or like when When the trade happens. Yeah, yeah, I always wondered that's who I mean Everybody's like mad clothes. I've played with so It's tough, but it's like it's the business. Yeah, like it's kind of It is weird because like you're sad, you know, you wish them all the best, but then like I mean pretty much you got a game Probably that night or in the next day. So it was good. Oh, that's good Yeah, you got to move on like I mean when we traded for like Josh Hart like he was on the bench like that night Or something like he was in that night or in the next day, and it's just like you just roll. Yeah, she happens mad fast In the end it's crazy mad fast. Who are some of you like mentors like in the league or you know Or some of the alumni that really like that rock would you close or anybody from like any other team to like who's from your mentors? I mean like I remember like Jared Jack like when he has started coaching and like a lot of older guys like Chris Paul Traymon five like a lot of those guys because I was getting at the end of the games But I was always like I pick up like two steals get a couple buckets here, and they're like just keep that energy and like it all pays off So it was a lot of like talk like that like tomorrow would talk to me I mean it was just a bunch of like different vets and different things like I had a good conversation like Ray Allen Like just about work ethic and like always just you know taking advantages of every moment things like that so I mean honestly like there's like D Rose Kenba from that was my vets like my rookie year So to walk in and you know D Rose like you know looking forward to see what you do. You know what I mean like Todd Gibson I mean even you know Julius Evan for any like we had a good good group of vets my rookie year. That's fine So you you wake up all right you guys are like Having a great season. What's like a day-to-day for you? I'm always curious about this You have a game with the guard in that night. Mm-hmm. What what what's your your eyes open? What's what's your day before you get to the garden man? It's like 8 a.m. Gotta give thanks to the Lord Get a breakfast and we go in for like a walk through like to go to breakfast. No I'm usually like lighter in the morning. So like be like a bagel some fruit Nothing crazy and then my brunch the brunches. Yeah, not Bruns. I'm like an omelette like a waffle more fruit Probably another bagel like pass browns. Yeah, I'm killing that brunch So walk through for like an hour than you know eat so you get you go to the garden in the morning. No, we've got a facility on Terry town We're there is white planes Westchester. Yeah, crazy. So you and you drive out there. Yeah drive out there Most guys live out there like yeah, cuz you're going there more in the garden. You're gonna go garden for games Yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, we need that facility in the city for sure Yeah, I was like yo, you'd be even more of a savage if you both the facility in the city So you you you go there. Go there. What do you shoot around you? Yeah, we kind of go through the other team talk about what we're gonna do Get some shots up and then it's like an hour. So get out then Got to drive back eat If I'm tired like I'll see for like an hour and a half maybe two hours just depending Get up got to get to a guard early traffic. Yeah, are you driving there too? Yeah Get in with traffic and then Start prep again Get on the court gets your warm up in and then pretty much playing the game What up y'all we're gonna take a quick break from the episode and we're gonna talk to you about our new friends at Nick's pouches So Nick's pouches were started by a guy named Mason who was a long time pouch user But he got tired of not recognizing half of your ingredients when the back of the can so instead of complaining about it He spent over a year in research and development creating his own and what he ended up with was a short list No artificial sweeteners. 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Yeah a little bit just from you know, he coached brawn And then he was out and and sack while still in the league so like I had an understanding But not too much not not crazy familiar, but I was excited. I feel like you know tips at a great job He built a great foundation, but you know, we just went in a different direction and Kind of forgot to connect all the dots. Yeah, cuz tip like tips was a great coach. Yeah, I think a lot when we got rid of like damn like And you guys went what second round that year? No, yeah, yeah, yeah Has it ever happened before? I mean in my entire life I've never seen an excuse to the conference. We were together when happened I was like look to each other like what? Yeah, but I mean they won so yeah, it wasn't wasn't you know no one who knows they could have won with him But like no one will ever know and yeah, I guess I'll get paid to make those Didn't put the ball in the wood right yeah, it's stills and all that, you know, but yeah, when they when they when they broke Mike I'm like I don't know bro, but then again like I remember him like you say he coached brawn He and he turned the he turned sacramental into actual like yeah, bro They went to seven with the Warriors. I'm like I never thought I would ever see the Kings going to sound with the Warriors And Mike Brown was behind that so I thought about that. I'm like Miss Tisble Mike Brown about to see we like to see what Mike does and yeah You know, that was the right decision, but yeah like I was always I was always wondering like how how big of a jump is it for like Play to adjust to different coaches when they when they like when they when they make those type of changes, man I feel like It definitely has some growing pains this year, you know Everybody thought the world was ending, you know, we lost like I don't know six or something six out of eight or something crazy It was just like I mean it was a long year like we went to Abu Dhabi You know, so we started a week earlier. We played an extra game. We were in Vegas for like Like a whole week just playing games play the extra game and then you know you go all the way with the final So like you're gonna have growing pains, but you know the the great thing is like we stayed locked in as a team Like we didn't let any of the noise like really get to us. So our credit, you know our leaders like Mike and JB You know OG like all of us just we really stay locked in as a team And I think that's what we learn, you know going through the playoffs That's why like it's like nobody just gets a playoffs and really wins it the first year It's like got to have that step-by-step process for real is it is it frowned upon to go out during the season? Like say for example you get a win in Miami like like I have a lot of friends at play in the NHL and their entrepreneurs If they don't have a game the next day a lot of those guys get Just like how hockey players are like there like and it's not frowned upon is it frowned upon in the NBA? Um or in the like as long as you handle your business. Yeah, you act like a man like you treat it like a man So I feel like you know I'm not saying you go give blacked out. Yeah the same like everybody you got 82 games like you lock in for each game the best you can I'm about the same time you got a social life. You want to enjoy certain things, you know even in your family like Got family that comes in town like you want to go to dinner have like some New York a little bit like Mm-hmm just a long year if you don't if you you can't like be zero. It ain't like that. Yeah Do you guys fly back immediately or like usually stay the night if you're in like a Miami or that do you certain cities? You definitely What do you say the nice is if it works out? You definitely could stay the night. Yeah Miami L.A. Chicago for sure Toronto Oklahoma City Yeah We got stuck in like Sacramento last year for like four days for what why it was just the way the game schedule Yeah, like we just had like two days off and you love me you want to see like oh god. No. Yeah We gotta get out of this. I get stuck in like Utah. So yeah, I mean, we've got stuck plenty of places you tall Memphis Some of those cities like oh my god like we you've been blessed because you get to play for the next But some of those cities. I'm like bro imagine how like even when 50 like not like 50 talks about a street board I'm like I like the city, but but Be living in L.A. New York. It's like how how do you live there for eight nine months out of the year and like you know We're exposed to so much we go out all we're going to movie premieres. It's not there's not much going on But maybe 50 might change that it's it might be tough to like go to a a Utah after playing like have you talked to any guys That I've gotten traded and been like oh man. Yeah, I mean, I miss New York depends where you're at in your career. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like getting traded to like okay see like you got your benefits everywhere You like get a nice little tax break over there, you know what I mean? So it's like you don't get it probably a crazy crib and it's gonna cost you 5k a month seven bedrooms, you know what I mean 5k so it was like all these different type of benefits everywhere But I mean, there's nothing like New York. Yeah, I too. So I think it's the best basketball city like Yeah, is there is there someone that you who's the hardest person to play against? For me is this stuff. Yeah, he don't stop running He don't stop running. The whole goal is like scream But he also plays the game the right way so it's like he always keeps you like on edge because you really never know like are He's shot face passage cuts comes out like you don't know if he's a decoy or really getting the ball because he's just like He wants to win right and you can tell like he that the way in the way he plays, right for him I could in he's like strong like he don't look crazy But like his balance like his strength like you can't really like I'll try to push him one time like he didn't go no That's different. Have you ever gotten into it with anyone on the court and you're like, yeah, man Nah, I feel like guys is like you don't really talk. I mean somebody's always coming at you for sure You know what I mean? Like everybody's always like attacking attacking, but like I feel like We never never really gotten into it with anybody. I mean But he came the right way. Yeah, then Atlanta. You know, I'm saying. I was a yo bro They got a win Mitch on that Yeah, it was Daniel's was that game three or game. No, no, that was game. Oh, yeah, I was game four. I think I think it was game. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what game. Was it the close up? No, it was the close up game It was the close up. It was game six. Oh, it was Okay, okay, so you guys You you're playing against Antonio you win. You're going into that That semi-game series. What's going through your head? You're like we got this in the bag. Are you like we got we're up against a lot like Also, I wanted my phone. No, no, no, no, I also want to do every episode Obviously, I have Y'all played y'all match up with teams during the regular season and then y'all played them in the cup so like Does any of that confidence of playing against them come from like I we we had them in the club We kind of know what their play styles is or it kind of changed the cup for sure because you played the cup Games as close as you can't get to the playoffs I think the cup gave us a good idea of like their young team they can get up on you for sure But like if you stay the course you stay solid like you know all that early energy is going to kind of go out the window Um, well, I feel like other than that like the playoffs are such a different animal like the energy the I mean just it stinks like yeah, like everything exactly so I feel like everything's just through the rules So all that regular season talk kind of goes out the window for for a little bit, you know You get a good up good picture, but like in my head honestly when we came back from Atlanta I was like, I don't think there's anybody that can stop us. Yeah, I mean that's 50 point double Mike. Yeah, this team looked crazy. And another thing is like, like you said, everybody thought the world was ending during the mid season. I mean, during the regular season, I feel like that's the time when like coaches and teams they try certain things to see if certain things work. And that's why playoff basketball is so much different because like regular season, they just like, all right, we'll see if this works. If it doesn't work, we go on a five game, losing streak, whatever, like we'll bounce back, switch it up, change strategies. That's why I like the playoffs is so much different. And that's why like, it's why coach Mike, he really was like, he was really coaching, bro, like he was really doing, like he was really doing his shit, like he was trying, like he was trying to shit whether it worked or not. And then if it didn't work, he had just like the biggest adjustment I see him when when he was playing the hooks, when y'all was playing the hooks. I'm like, I like the weed. I was on the team. But yeah, now, yeah, that was like the biggest adjustment. Yeah, bro, it's this Matt naturally from me. I was on the float. There's got to have you on the float. Sao Dion, Jay, my boy told me pull up to his active, and but yeah, bro, I was just like, yeah, like Mike is coaching, bro. And like I said, the regular season is just like a 82 games, very important 82 games, but it's still like a like a testing, like a especially with a new coach, like we had a everybody got to learn some different, you know, I mean, it's not like you're teaching basketball, but just his philosophies, different than tips. So you just got to build it, you know, I mean, it's crazy that we really built it off one year. But like I said, tips lay such a great foundation. And we returned such a, we had so many impact guys coming back. So I feel like, you know, foundation was there. You just really had to drive the boat. Yeah, so you win both those games in San Antonio. You come back to New York. Are you like, we're winning this in New York? Do you think the fluke avenue? No, we were definitely thinking that. I mean, I can't lie that that game three had a lot going on. I think it might have been the craziest game in basketball. No, game four was game four game four game three. Well, game three was, I don't know, it was a weird day for the city too, bro, because I was in the city because I think we had, we had done a podcast episode that day of game three. And I was like, yo, I'm out to just drive around the city real quick. I probably like just go around the garden real quick to see what the energy was like, and bro, they was, they shut down like five different streets to get even closer to the garden. I couldn't, like his trump was there. Yeah, bro, and I took it, bro, it just took, it's like, bro, I don't know, it was just, bro, the studio was literally like an hour and 15 minutes away, bro. And because every, like, damn, every road to get there, like regularly was blocked, it was just like, I don't know, like, it was a lot going on. It was a lot going on. It was a different day. Selfishly, we had tickets to the game five. And I'm a nix fan. I was rooting against the nix because we wanted to see it. Yo, bro, he called me during, he called me during game three. He's like, he's like, he's like, yo, bro, I know you want them to sweep. I'm like, bro, they're gunna sweep. I don't know what you talk about. They're gunna sweep. He's like, he's like, no, he's like, listen, listen, we have, I have a philosophy. I'm like, look, if they just lose one, we'll be able to go see them win it and say, Antonio, I'm like, yeah, that would be cool. Like, I, I, I love the idea going to San Antonio, seeing it all happen. But I need this shit to be over as fast as I need my, I need my guys to bring the trophy to the crib. Ace, I was like, my goal, they're going to lose game three. And then game four happened. And it was at the half. And I put money on you guys to win. What were you guys down? He wants, huh? You guys were down. How much? 29, 29. I knew you were winning the game. And did we talk that game? You did. We did. I was like, Michael, they're winning. And he was like, bro, by halftime, I'm like, I'm talking to him. I'm talking to everybody. I'm watching the game at the spot. I'm like, I'm like, yo, I'm like, yo, that people stressed. I'm like, yo, yo, ex neat, yo, bro, I was, we were in the spot. I'm like, this on the table like this. I'm like, no, but I didn't want to talk to nobody. I knew they were winning. Oh, I had it, bro. I didn't take a sip of my drink. Nothing. But my drink was full for the whole game, bro. I didn't take, I'm like, yo, bro, you go in the locker room. You're down to 29. What's going your head? I don't think we were even overstressed. And that's why you won. I think we were just like, we're giving them so many points. Like in my head, I'm like, all right, they're playing well for sure, giving them their credit. But I'm like, we also play terrible. So I'm like, in reality, they're up 15. So I'm like, all right, if we can close 15 points quick, going into like the end of the third, fourth quarter, it's really then we go, just walk them down slow, like just walk them down slow. So in my head, like, and I really didn't see any panic, like, right, then come in the locker room, cussing, yelling, like, he was like, all right, we know where we're at. Let's just try to get it to boom, give it to like 12, going into the four, the song plays right there. Like, JB, you know, we were obviously like, amped, like, we were like, yo, we got to lock in. But like, it wasn't a panic. It was just like urgency, like, let's move. And who's vocal in the locker room? Like, like, what's JB saying in the locker room at that time? What's, you know, what are these guys saying? Are they like, what the fuck are they like? Are they like, are they talking individually? Like, like, everything all that, I mean, 15 minutes, half time. So like, we come in for like five, we talk as players, like, what everybody's seeing. I think great thing with our team is like, we all want to win so bad. Yeah. And like, nobody gets in their feelings, like, like, we were talking after we won. Like, Landry said, we got it. We had like a revolving door of X factors. Yeah. Like, it could have been Landry one night, JC one night, me, Jose, like, it was just like, everybody can contribute. So I think as a team, we were all just talking like, all right, what are you seeing? Like, how are you feeling? Like, you know what I mean? Like, I think that's what really made us like, but like, we built that over years. Yeah. Like, we built that, you know, losing to Miami, losing to India, you know, two years, you know, like, it was just like, you build that. You build that and then just get to these moments and you don't panic. Yeah, I think that's what OG does some special. Yeah, too. Well, I want to get to that. But I think that's what makes the team so special is like, yes, that's actually the perfect way to put it. Like, there's an X factor every night was a new person. Like, obviously, JB's JB and he's doing what he's doing. But like, you have shame showing up one night. You have Alvarado showing up one night. Like, that's what made everyone, I think root for you guys. Yeah, I mean, just such a special team. Everyone showed up. Yeah, everyone was eating, bro. Everyone had a piece of the product. Yeah. Like, it was never just a one man or two man show. Like, yeah, that's just crazy, bro. And then during that halftime, bro, I'm like, I'm literally sick to my stomach, bro, like depressed, bro. And then my cousin looks at me. He's like, he's a yo, did not shoot in the ball like that. This next half. I said, bro, I said, bro, we're down 30, bro. Like, I don't think anything matters right now, bro. He's like, he said this person's not going to be able to continue to shoot the ball like that. I'm like, that's a very good point. That's a very good point. But I'm like, are we going to be able to start knocking down? Besides, we need to start knocking down and then yo, oh my god, it got to like, it got to like, I think I think it was like 14, 15. I say, yo, bro, if this gets down to like 15 or 14 or whatever, whatever I said, I'm like, yo, what if this gets down to like 15 or like 12 points, I'm like, we're winning the game. Yeah, I'm like, we're winning the game. And then it was it got down to what's like 12. How many how many minutes left in the game, I think? I don't even remember, but yo, bro, once I've seen, once I've seen it less than 10, I say, yeah, it's over. Once I seem to get down to less than 10 is over. And then like to what you were saying, like everyone was just poised and like, like you said in the locker room and then there was a clip of a whole day, he was like, yo, just chip away. Get it down to 10 and get it down to five and get it down to four. And I'm just like, yo, the resilience you, bro, they just like, they just didn't shake, but they weren't rattled though. Still the craziest crazy. I mean, I thought I was coming back in the fourth, I guess Cleveland was insane. Like, that's a fourth. That's a 22, 25 point come back in the fourth quarter. You know, eight minutes, bro. That happened in eight minutes, bro. That happened in eight minutes. And mind you, I'm sitting next to somebody, right? I'm sitting next to somebody at the spot. He's a six years fan. So we just got them on the down for the whole game, the whole game. We got them out the way. And I'm like, I'm like, I had 20 points. Like I didn't, I was like, all right, whatever, but he was talking massive to me. I ain't going to lie. He was rage-baiting me successfully. And I'm like, yo, bro, I say, we knocked the six years, bro. We got to bounce back. Just trust him to you. And then just JB just starts going at James Harden. Like, yo, bro, yo, the first, the first lay. I'm like, I secondly, I'm like, oh, shit. Third lay. And then Landry starts knocking down. I'm like, I'm like, yeah, it's lit. And then I think it was, I think, Mikel, I think he hit like two, three in a row. I think, no, no, he didn't hit two, three in a row. He hit a, he hit a three at the bottom of the shot clock. I live at the bottom of the shot clock. I say, yeah, we wouldn't it's quiet, bro. It's quiet. I don't know, bro. The team is just, the team is just too good, bro. OG, OG comes in. And he does the corner of the craziest plays of all time. What's the best? Did you? Did you think what once, once JB shot the three in it and it didn't drop? Did you think like, did you think it was like, yeah, he was like, I bet it's whatever next game. Or did you, did you, did you see OG like flying? Did you see, OG fly? I saw him at like, not the last second by saw him in the middle of the paint. And I knew when he was already out on the, on the thing, like, because they just left OG, which was crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, you know, yeah, like, I'm still shocked. I'm not gonna lie. You can't even put that in a row. It was like so perfect. Like, it really just like, I'm looking. I'm like, oh, man, we about to win this game. I passed out, bro. I swear, everything I love, I passed out. I swear, bro, I was screaming so hard, bro. I literally passed, I ran out of air. My brain was like, it was hurt, bro, I passed out, bro, because look, JB. Maybe shot the rock, and I'm like, he just came back 29 just to lose by whatever. And then I just, I know I just see, I'm like, yo bro, that was the craziest, bro, it was the craziest. I'm like, even, you take out the 29 point deficit, like even the fourth quarter loan, like shot making, the dominant defensive stops, like, it's still a crazy finals game. And then, and like that, like, that was just a champion on time. Really saying the locker-matter, did he say, like, I can't believe I did that. No, yeah, like, I don't even, I think that game might have been crazier than us winning in the finals. In a way. Like, I mean, we were so hyped, we were like, well, at the same time, we're like, yo, we can't get overly, like, lit, because we know we got to go back. Yeah. So you go to, you go to game five for San Antonio, are you thinking you're wrapping up in an abode that night? You think it's over? Yeah. I mean, they were such a talented team and like, but it's tough to come back from like losing a game like that. Exactly. Like, everybody always talked about like, like, I'm not going to lie, when, when, how he hit the shot and it like dropped in, like, that, that knocked his back. Yeah. Like, we didn't want to believe it, but, you know, they win that one, win game two, and like, we were just thinking about like, damn, we, we really let one get away. So like, I already knew how it felt and I knew that's probably how they're feeling. Right? I just had that. Especially being up like 29. Yeah. And that, hearing that, that, that, that shot, just, I have the, I had the same feeling in my chest once in that board, dropping like that. Was that the game, was that the game when he's meant to, like, seven and a whole, was that game two? No, no, no. It was game one. Yeah. Yeah. Crazy. Oh my God. Well, when did you know you guys were winning at game five? When did you know you guys were winning? I'm pretty sure we was down the old game, too. Yeah. Yeah. I just, I just never counted this out. Like, I knew we had so many weapons and I mean, I honestly, like, the whole finals, like, we never played great, like, we never just had a great game, you know, like, a lot of guys were dealing with stuff, you know, JB just had his, his hand, you know, I had surgeries. So I'm coming back and I'm probably 50% healthy, you know, playing through the playoffs. And like, but I just, we just had someone's grit in us, like, and we didn't care who got the credit. Yeah. Like, we hit for tomorrow. Right. So I just felt like it was long as we keep it close, we got the guys we need to win a game at the end of the game at the end of the day. Yeah. So did you know, like, obviously, I knew JB, his, his, his hand was fractured though. Was it, it was the whole playoffs? Or did it happen? I knew it. I mean, we never, I never knew the, you know, extent of it, but I knew it was definitely bothering a little bit. That's really too old. Yeah. And then, um, I think it was game one, what was the game to, he, I think he, like, a bump knees with somebody, like, man, they're on his knee. And I'm like, oh, we went to the locker zone, go to the locker room, bro, what is happening in the back? Like, it was just, bro, like, the team was just unbreakable, bro, like, no matter what, like, everyone was showing up, JB playing through, you know, rich injury, dominant hand, by the way. So it was just like, that was really on that, bro. Legendary one, three losses in the playoffs. That's crazy. That's really, yeah, that's, yeah, that's crazy. You're in San Antonio, you win, you touch the trophy, what's going through your mind? Is it the best moment of your life? My daughter being born for sure, but it's up there. You're like, you know, everybody always asks me like, if, you know, you had a somebody giving birth or you're going to play a game, like, I got to be there, but when that finals, like, that buzzer goes off, I'm thinking about all the work I put in, like, you know, from drilling in my backyard to the late nights at West Virginia, you know, to not playing when I first get in the league, going back to the gym after games, you know, early mornings, getting up, getting extra shots, like, everything, all the people that helped me get to that moment, like, you know, like all that, like, it really just hits you at one time, and you celebrate. That's it. Celebration. Yeah. You know, I always want to access to, when you get the ball in your hands in the garden and you just hear the entire crowd scream, dude, what is that feeling like before you throw the ball? Like, what is that feeling? Like, because I'll be shaking like, man, like, that's, yeah, what does that feel? It feels crazy. I really, like, I don't really hear it because I'm like, I'm so locked in. But definitely, like, after it goes in, you hear the echo, like, oh my God, it's, it's such a crazy feeling. I don't know who started it, but shout out to you on the flow, at the parade, bro, like, the entire time that the flow is cruising through all here and it's dude, dude, dude, dude, y'all like, yo, that got to be one of the best friends as far as I can. Do you guys have a team group chat? Yeah. Yeah. I'm a local on the team group chat. And who's the funniest? That's a good question. I feel like it's going to be either Michaela Josh. Josh. Josh, Josh, Josh. All right. I mean, Josh is saying something pretty much all the time, you know, when he's, when he's a ways sending in funny stuff with him drinking wine, you know, wherever he's at or, you know, whatever, you know, Nick's Twitter, but I say something crazy about somebody and he's like, he'll throw it in there. Yeah. I was about to also say, like, how much of the media do you guys see? Like, like, during the playoffs, do you kind of like shut it out or do y'all or do y'all like to or do you? Truthfully, like, I feel like everybody's so different, like, Josh don't care. Right. That's just who he is. Mitch really didn't care. Right. So for, but for me, like, I'm not a social media person in general, so I'm not really paying attention, but everybody got friends, family, like, there's something really funny. You might, they might swing it to you, but other than that, like, I don't think we're like too involved on Nick's Twitter, you know, who are you the closest with on the team? I think you're like a stalemate that you're like close to or, I mean, for real, everybody was like just like close, like, you could go to dinner with JB and, you know, Jeremy one night and next night could be OG and Jose, so it was just like, I probably talked to OG Michael the most, but honestly, like everybody's mad close. Yeah. If you had to take one person to go out with, you're in Miami, you only get one depends what you're trying to do. You're trying to have the best money you're like, who are you taking? Ooh, who picking up that bill? Yes. Got to be anybody making about 20 m's of you. I seen a video, I seen a video saying, um, everything on OG, every day on the thing is they're good for it. You got the biggest contract, OG cat, they're good for it though, all of them, they don't have anything. I've been all good for it. Have you gotten a good gift from someone? McHale got his rollies. Oh, I aspire. Savage. First rollie. Oh yeah. Great gift. Great gift. That's fine. Was that, yo, was game four, and Philly, you're the best game you've ever played and was that like, was like, did you finish that game and be like, yo, that was my, that was the game. Uh, it's crazy because I was like, like going through the playoffs, like obviously I'm just people don't know it. Like, I'm not really going to complain, but it was really tough. Like, I had, you know, surgery and it's like, I'm really out there hurting, like I'm playing through pain and like, I was feeling terrible going into that game. I'm like, man, I knew I was starting, like, I'm just going to, like every, my mindset, every game is just giving what I got, like pretty much go out there, do what I can. Or like, I'm hurting before the game. I'm like, man, I feel like I was just like, I'm going to give it what I got, just went out there and they left me open and spy shots is, you know, easy. Yeah. So I was, I was, I was just not going down, but I was, I was in the car on the way to go watch the game. I was going crazy in the car. Like the first time you dropped, I'm like, I bet those, let's get it. Then you knocked down like three more, like in a row, right after that. I'm like, yo, what the hell is happening? And you just kept on knocking them down, knocking them then everyone just started just hitting. And I'm like, yo, we can't miss. They got the game trial. There's something like, what's going on? That was, yeah, that was so deep. So that, that got to be one of your, you know, it's definitely one of the time. Because you career highest 30, you know? And then like 29. And you had 25, 25 that keep on what, nine shots, wasn't it? I don't even remember. Yeah, it was like, yeah, like literally like eight or nine shots of some people. And that's what I mean. It was like, it feels like everybody just had a game. It has something that they just, you know, they can have they mark on this play. I was running. Yeah. So, obviously we're a TV and film podcast. We've had, I think he's maybe only our second athlete we've had on. We had Paulo on Paulo Bencero. Okay. We're obviously going to, you know, we love doing this, but we do mostly TV and film. But we love having on like, switch it up, have on athletes. But I do want to talk to you about some movies and stuff. Like when you're on the road or when you're at home, like, what do you bins for like TV shows? What do you like for movies? I see like, I'm not going to lie during the season, like, I'm like, I know I don't want you. You can't lock in crazy, but like, it's so much so like, I'm watching films so much, like, I can't really just sit down and like half watch a show or movie. You're watching game film, you mean? Yeah. So, you don't, you're not watching any like and then other games are gone. So, like, I'm watching that. Like, I have, if I have like young people in college, I might try to watch their games. So, like, I'm not going to lie, like, I'm not really and then my boy got me back on playing the game a little bit. What can I do? - Yeah, just honestly football games, college football, Madden, it was pretty much the only ones I played. - I've been playing FIFA lately. - FIFA. - I got to tap it. I feel like 2K, like certain things. Like if you're, like, if you have, like, I didn't play video games in high school in college at all in my first couple of years at least. I feel like I was just so far behind people in 2K. - 2K, like that, they're so nice and they're like, - 2K is different. - That's what I'm saying, like, I can't get back in. If I'm you, bro, anybody coming to my crib, they're gonna be playing. If I'm douchebag blind, everybody comes to my crib to play 2K with me. They're gonna be playing against a 99 overall dude. Like if I'm in the NBA, bro, I'm editing the roster. I'm making myself a 99 overall. It's not a real thing. - So they give you, like, every NBA player, you get a 99 player, but, like, I don't play 2K, so I just give it to my boy. He's probably on the park going crazy, talking to him. - That's fine. - Do you have a favorite movie of all time in favorite TV show of all time? Besides power. (laughing) Besides movie amateur and besides power. - Yeah, hydrate, we need you for next season. (laughing) - Training day. - Fire. - Definitely probably favorite movie all time. I was having a game of thrones too. - Yeah, I just got into it. - Piggy blinders. - Yeah, oh yeah. - Yeah, nah. - Dinosaur boy, fire. - So going off season now, you wanna run it back, obviously. What's everyone saying is the group chat fire right now are people like ready to go for next season? Are you guys still partying? Are you guys still, like, taking a breather? Like, what's the morale right now? - Yeah, and I feel like we're so connected. You do something like that. Like, that's, I sell a crazy legacy, especially doing it here after, you know, 53 years. And it's not like 53 years. Like, oh, they're good, they're close, it was 53 years, like, hard. Like, y'all didn't, not winning nothing, not getting close other than 99, but I was even alive. You know what I mean, bro? - Yeah, I mean either, bro. - So it's like, to do some of them like that, I mean, it just changes your life so fast. And like, we're all just so connected, we're talking. Like, guys are going here doing their thing for sure, but at the same time, I feel like we all have like, a sense of like, all right, can we enjoy it? It's a shorter off season, but we're going to get right back to it. - How much time until y'all go back to like, training camp and all that stuff? - Training camp is like, usually end of September. - He's like, I'm talking about that. - He's like, I'm trying to take a rest right now. - Yeah, I want to say like, how much time you got to, you know, live life, spend family time, celebrate, still, trips, well, like, good stuff. Like, what, you got anything planned that you didn't do yet? - I'm like, I'm going to go to year for a little bit. - What were you going to go? - Santor Pei. - Hell, yes, yeah. Slide over to Portugal and spain a little bit. - I think I'm going to go to Spain, work out over there. - Hell yeah. I'm going to talk to him about things, like I'm going to go get some shots at. See, this is why he's in the NBA, and he's a champion. I'm thinking, a b-side is like, no, I'm going to go get some work in. - Yeah, man. - All right, Mike, let's rip some rapid fire. We got like, five minutes left. Rip some rapid fire questions, and we'll get you out of here. We appreciate you pulling up. - What a treat this was. - Yeah, that would be cool. - Let me see, let me see. - All right, we asked this really, uh. - Yeah, we probably did. - All right, so look, we kind of knocked all these out. Hardest person play was Steph, pre-game meal was, but that was like breakfast. So what is like a pre-game meal? Like, do I keep it like, hell of light? 'Cause I don't mean a lot, like, I'll be in math. Like, when I used to play basketball, I used to eat math. - Yeah, like you got it, yeah. But some guys like won't eat, like I don't get it. Some guys won't really eat, but, like, I'm pasta, salmon, chicken. Like, yeah, now I gotta get a good pre-game. - All right, so if you had to listen to one post-game, and we're not post-game, pre-game song for, like, one month, if you had to choose one song, where would it be? Like, I got a new, I got a, like, future dirt, Drake, but then I was so, like, two-pie, Jay. - Yeah. - That's a tough one. - Yeah. - I put a, put, like, three or five songs that you, that you have to listen to before a game. 'Cause, like, I feel like me, the certain songs that I have to listen to before I do certain things. - Yeah. - I was listening to, like, I get money, 50, for sure. - Five in it. - Yeah. - For sure. I was rocking. I was running New York now, too, so. (laughing) - Hell-Merry, two-part. - Yeah. - Future, demon, little demon. - Yeah. - Oh, I definitely got to add some young boy. I can't rock him. I know New Yorker's really on rock with young boy, like that for real. But yeah, I'm definitely adding some young boy. - 50s come to a couple of games, right? This is the last season. Did you see him and, like, say what I'm talking about? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - He's the man. - He's the guy, for sure. - That's some good one of songs. - Who's the, you probably wanna, no, who's the funniest teammate? Who's your funniest teammate? - Hm. - Oh, man, Mitch is, he was definitely up there. I'ma miss my guy. - Oh, Mitch! - I don't miss my guy. - I gotta go get that money, though. I'm happy for you, man. - Not for sure, but Mitch, he's hilarious. I can't lie, Josh is funny, Jose. - Bro, the whole day video, he's like, "I'ma tell my kid I dropped 40!" I'm gonna find out his video's ever. - Jose is definitely funny, like, is this little stuff, especially 'cause he's like a New Yorker. - Yeah. - You know what I mean? So, like, you see it, like, you see all the things. - Boy, I really said every day, big one. (laughing) I said everything big, he said every day, big one. - I don't know. - Hey, what? And Mitch, you know, Mitch been walling lately. He's like, yo, somebody, um, like a Celtics player had wrote something under his picture. And he was like, he's a year, whatever. Just remember, I sent that ass home. (laughing) To the team that he's about to go play for. He's like, yeah, I sent that ass home. - That's hilarious. - He's different, man. - We went through favorite TV show, "Picky Blinders." Favorite movie was "Training Day." And what's still, like, some of the best advice we've ever gotten, and like, who was it from? Like, while you're any legal, before you went to the legal. - Right. - Or just, like, your whole life period. - I mean, always keeping gone first, I feel like. It's, it's important. Like putting that into your daily routine, for sure. But it's simple and, it might be cliche, but like, keeping the main thing, the main thing. Like, I feel like that's the, like, you hear that. As a rookie, like, you hear that, like, all the time. And you almost get tired of it. But then, like, you start playing, and you really start seeing how much goes on. Like, you got to deal with your social life, you know. Media, events, and playing. Like, you got to keep the main thing, the main thing, which is basketball. - Right. - Like, hoop it. You're healthy being in the right mindset. - Oh yeah. - What else was I about to say? Did you have, like, any rookie haze of moments? Like, did they, like, you know how to be, like, filling the, like, people call up, we would pop. - Yeah, yeah. - I feel like our vests were, like, a little bit too, and, like, New York is so different. Like, everybody lives kind of, like, so scattered. Like, some guys are city guys, some guys are out in Westchester. - Also, you guys have stuff to do. - Yeah. - Like, basically, if you're probably in, like, I don't know, Charlotte or Utah, you're probably hazing guys a little more. - Yeah, you're bored, you're chilling, but, like, guys are so far and worried about so much other stuff, like, every now and then, D-Rose or Kim, I'm carrying their bags, but, like, I mean, - Yeah. - That's like shit. - Did you have a rookie dinner where you had to pay? - No. - No. - Heck no. - Yeah. - Like, love for that. - Yeah, I got it. - What's the most expensive dinner you guys had as a team that someone paid for it? - I've seen some bills. (laughing) I've seen some bills definitely get up there. 50K plus, like, yeah, that'd be some good wine for your share. (laughing) - And what was the bill the night of when you guys won? Didn't someone pay for it? Some, like, big, I thought I saw that, some big person paid for the bill when you guys celebrated the night you won. - I mean, Charlotte, you know, all the places that hosted us fly fish, shame or go, but they helped us out. They looked out. They definitely looked out, and a lot of people have been looking out. So, we really appreciate it. - Yeah, bye. - Just keep on looking out. (laughing) - They could repeat it. - Look at that look out. - They repeat it next to you. - We're bringing it back. - Oh my God, what a treat this was. Shout out, we got Doos McBride in the building, Michael. - Yo, the crew has it, you have it. Doos McBride, the champ in the building. And when I said we as a team, he co-signed it. Like, he was, so, so anybody be like, "Oh, you talk about them, you talk about the team." - Oh, it's us. - I'm a Nick. - I'm a Nick. - I'm a Nick. I'm a Nick's fan. I've been a Nick's fan for about five, six years now. I gotta earn my stripes a little bit. I'm not quite, I'm not float yet. - Yeah. - I'm a Nick's float next season. - Right. - I'm not float yet. - At least you know, at least you know. See, at least you're honest. - Listen, I was going through this shit since I was 12 years old, bro. I was going through this shit since I was 12. Not even 12. Nah, I was like, I was like nine when I went to my friends in the next game. And then like, out of all my friends, like, we had like a group of like 12 of us when we was growing up through like, grade school and everything. And two of us was Nick's fans. And we always used to get cook for being Nick's fans. Everybody was barbed fans. And everybody, we used to get cook for being Nick's fans. So now, fuck yeah. - Who's laughing now? Shout out Captain Fuego, who made this hat. He's been, he's been blessing the boys with some hat. We gotta get you some hat. - That's fire. - Crazy. Champions has all good at what's your Instagram? Do some CB 11 follow do some CB 11 at my Guarani Junior at Gianni Vpello But my god what a treat this was we got the champ is here Last ones of the airport by breakfast Day one day one

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. The player, Duce McBride, reflects on his journey from growing up in Cincinnati to playing college basketball at West Virginia, where he overcame a major foot injury to help his team win the state championship.
  2. After being drafted in the second round by the New York Knicks, he was initially skeptical of the team and city but found motivation through the energy of the fans, especially during the Knicks’ playoff run.
  3. His first experience in the NBA came during a game at Madison Square Garden, where he was deeply impacted by the crowd’s intensity and the moment when Steph Curry broke a record, creating a moment of awe and connection to the league.

Summary:

Duce McBride shares his journey from a young basketball enthusiast in Cincinnati to his NBA debut with the New York Knicks. Growing up with a father who played professionally in Germany and relatives in college basketball, he developed a strong work ethic and belief in his potential. A significant setback—an injury during his final football season—led him to focus on basketball, where he played at West Virginia and helped his team win the state title despite a long recovery.

Drafted in the second round, he initially doubted his fit with the Knicks but was inspired by the team’s playoff run and the vibrant fan culture in New York. His first NBA game at Madison Square Garden left a lasting impression, particularly during a record-breaking moment by Stephen Curry, which highlighted the intensity and energy of the league. McBride emphasizes the importance of fundamentals and learning the NBA game over time, noting that adjusting to new coaches and systems is challenging but manageable through resilience and team unity.

He recalls the team’s strong locker room culture, where players support one another through adversity, such as during a dramatic playoff comeback against San Antonio. The moment he won the championship is described as the pinnacle of his journey—a culmination of hard work, recovery, and team effort. He reflects on the emotional impact of the victory, acknowledging the sacrifices made from youth to the present, and expresses gratitude for the support of family, coaches, and teammates.

Beyond the game, he shares his love for sports media, video games (especially 2K), and films like *Training Day* and *Fire*, highlighting how basketball remains central to his life. With the off-season, he plans to travel to Spain and Portugal to continue his development, showing his commitment to growth. The episode blends personal experience with insights into the NBA culture, resilience, and community.

FAQs

I felt like I could be in the league the first time I touched the ball, as I always stayed focused and believed in my path.

I tore a key ligament in my foot, which kept me out for nine months of intense rehab and recovery.

I was drafted in 2021, in the second round, and selected by the New York Knicks.

I felt truly in the league when I witnessed a game at Madison Square Garden where a record-breaking shot stopped the game for 25 minutes.

It was a tough transition, but I learned that the NBA game requires mastering new rules and team dynamics, which I had to absorb through experience and daily practice.

Football was my first love, where I played as a quarterback, and I also enjoyed lacrosse, which I played for a year or two.

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