Keifer Sykes - Hoops Career, Fatherhood, Deep Reflection, & Tight Hugs - Episode #58
Keifer Sykes is a professional basketball player known for a decorated college career at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, a championship win in Poland with Legia Warsaw, and his time in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers. He recently became the General Manager for the UWGB men's basketball team and had his #24 jersey retired by the program. His life and career are the subject of the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town.
In this episode, Brad and Keifer have a deep and reflective discussion about the contrast of growing up in a safe and loving home but being surrounded by poverty and violence, being a teenage parent and division 1 athlete (at the same time!) when he came to Green Bay, giving the tightest hugs, losing his Father, being introduced to yoga and meditation by Tramon Williams, hoops and jumping out of the gym, the importance of reading and personal growth, and much, MUCH, more.
https://www.instagram.com/ksykesyb28/https://www.free10foundation.org/
As always, a huge shoutout to our sponsors at Karouser delivering a non-alcoholic social beverage right to your door. They keep these episodes coming! The holidays are a PERFECT time to switch up your norm and try something new!
Also, thanks to Wondersign in Green Bay for making us some cool new Wisco Roots hats. Send a dm if you want to rep the pod!
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What's up friends, Welcome back
to Rooted Wisconsin.
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Appreciate you for clicking
another episode.
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We're grateful to have you here.
Today's episode is with Kiefer
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Sykes.
I'm so excited to share.
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Kiefer, former star at UWGB,
current pro basketball player,
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spent some time with the Pacers.
He's played overseas and such a
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cool dude.
We had an awesome conversation
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as always.
Some of it's about basketball,
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but not all that much.
It's it's a lot about life.
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He's got a really cool
documentary on Prime called Shy
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Town that he kind of get into
the back story of.
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I was intrigued when I watched
it to figure out like why there
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were cameras around him when he
was 17.
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It's a super cool story that
involves Oprah, so check that
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out too.
But first, check out our
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conversation and understand the
man.
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He he's such a cool guy.
We talked about yoga and
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meditation.
We talked about fatherhood,
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talked about the importance of
embracing the people we love
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with intention and giving big
hard hugs and what that can mean
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in life.
And just so, so much, so much
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deep reflective conversation.
That's exactly what I yearn for
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as a human.
So it was a real breath of fresh
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air chatting with Kiefer.
I'm excited to share.
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Shout out to our sponsors as
always.
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A big shout out to Carouser
bringing a non alcoholic option
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to you for the holidays.
How many holidays have been
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ruined by someone who you know
had too much alcohol?
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Let's take that option off the
plate.
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Carouser NA options straight to
you, delivered right to your
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door.
Also a big shout out to Joel at
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Wonder Sign for hooking us up
with some cool rooted Wisconsin
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hats.
They're going like hotcakes.
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If you want one, make sure you
get in contact with me and shout
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out to you.
Grateful to you as we kind of
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wrap up Thanksgiving and keep it
moving here in the holiday
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season.
So great.
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Again, grateful to have you
here.
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And without further ado, let's
get it moving.
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Keep for Sykes.
I got so many things.
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I'm excited to chat with you,
but I'm like 2/3 of the way
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through the documentary, so
that's perfect.
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Yeah, I didn't get, I didn't get
the end yet.
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So maybe we'll get some of the
ending today.
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But I thought maybe a cool place
to start.
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Like one of the things that drew
me into it actually, before we
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get there.
How did that even come about?
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So it's like as someone who like
makes media like why were why
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were the cameras by you at 1617
making the documentary?
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Yeah, it's an interesting story.
It's cool because you know going
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it's called shot town
documentary, Amazon Prime.
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But yeah, being from Chicago,
Oprah, she had her last season
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of her show, I think like the
10th year of her her show.
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And the production crew was from
New York and they love
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basketball just from being in
New York, you know, another
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inner city that's big with
sports, you know, in general.
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And they, you know, was doing
their own private project.
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So, you know, they started
filming like this is a great
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happening and, you know, being
in the present time.
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But just.
Because you were kind of booming
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at the time.
No, it didn't happen like that.
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So they were recording all the
scenes.
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Well, at first they started just
they want to have a big
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basketball project, you know, so
they were filming everyone that
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has some influence on basketball
to tell just a basketball story.
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Got it.
OK.
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And we had this big non violence
prevention All Star game.
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I was a senior, so it just
happened to be my senior year.
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And they, you know, were filming
seniors that's playing high
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school basketball.
And after they, you know, had so
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many perspectives, they were
like, man, you know, the they
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couldn't tell a good story.
You know, it's like it's, it's,
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it's too broad.
So luckily when I was on the
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camera when they filmed me, you
know, I was like trying to be a
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movie star.
I'm like, all right, I'm have
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some charisma.
I'm just, you know, this is my
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shot like always, you know, so I
have fun with the camera always
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just wanted to, you know, just
had a good character, had a good
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feel, you know, So, you know,
they, they like my family, like
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my story.
I was a teenage parent at the
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time, you know, and luckily I
came to Green Bay and I was one
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of the youngest freshmen in the
country and I played a lot here,
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you know, because I went to a
mid major.
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A lot of the other scenes that
they recorded in film, they
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didn't play a lot.
So, you know, I was emerging as
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a good collegiate player and you
know, halfway through my
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freshman, they was like, Hey, we
just going to, you know, go with
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you and tell a story.
So that's that's how it
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happened.
Just just was just just luck.
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Bless a blessing, honestly.
Great place for a time.
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That's awesome.
So like the for the first, you
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know, 15 minutes of that until I
got entranced in your story,
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that's I just couldn't stop
thinking about that.
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I was like, how did this come to
be?
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I just assumed it was because
like you were making waves in
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Chicago as a Hooper, which
obviously that's part of the
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reason why.
But then I couldn't, you know, I
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couldn't connect the dots.
That's so awesome.
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Man, yeah, yeah.
It's crazy because you think
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about like all the great players
have come from Chicago, like
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Jwari Parker, Derrick Rose,
Lizziah Thomas, Kevin Garnett
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played in Chicago, long list of
players, you know, Corey
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Mcgaddy, all these great
players, but you know, they
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don't have documentaries.
And I'm like, you know, so it
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was kind of ironic because when
they when the movie came out, it
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was like, you know, I'm like,
nobody's going to watch this.
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You know, I'm playing at Green
Bay.
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I'm just and it's, you know, I'm
living my normal life.
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You know, all this stuff is
normal to me, you know, like the
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poverty, the gun violence, the
the gangs, like I'm just
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oblivious to, you know, the
impact that this will have.
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But I'll never forget the first
Film Festival we did South by
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Southwest.
That's when, you know, the first
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Film Festival that picked up the
film, we did our premiere.
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So after, you know, we go up and
do the the Q&A with the
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directors and, you know, people
are crying.
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People are like, you're so
strong and you know, you're
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motivating and inspiring.
You know, I'm just, you know,
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I'm aware, but I'm just a humble
person and I'm just like, always
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focus on the next team.
So, you know, I, I was like, you
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know, didn't understand, but
that put a lot of things in
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perspective for me.
So that was cool.
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Yeah.
And that leads me into some of
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my first questions that I had,
because it's hard not to.
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Like, I see why they went with
the story.
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It's hard not to get drawn into
it and how you handled all of
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it, like with poison and just
like so many things being thrown
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at you.
I wanted to start with the
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teenage parent thing because I
thought that was one of the
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coolest parts of the documentary
of like it would flash forward
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to the next year and he would be
bigger and bigger And I have a
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four year old right now.
So I was like kind of living
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vicariously through that moment.
I was like, I get this like, and
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it's for one, it's awesome you
have that like memorialized, but
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and maybe there's some benefit
to being as young as you were at
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the time because maybe that
leads to some of that ability to
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compartmentalize the bad stuff
that's going on around you.
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But like, how, what was that
like, dude, what was that like
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coming to Green Bay?
You were a teenage father.
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Like, do you remember what you
felt like in those moments, like
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when you drive up to Green Bay?
Because I couldn't tell.
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Did they come with you for the
first year or did they stay?
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No, they stayed.
But but yeah, I mean, to your
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point, first, it is cool to have
that documented, you know, of me
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and him, my son, you know, then
I had a daughter, my senior in
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the movie.
But you know, it's like, man, I
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had to grow up fast, you know,
coming from Chicago where it's
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just, you know, you already have
to grow up fast.
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And then, you know, I make some
choices that, you know, make
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life, you know, more, you know,
harder.
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Then I lose my father, who is
like my guy, who, you know,
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someone who instilled a lot of
leadership and, you know, taught
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me how to handle everything.
But burden burdened a lot for
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me.
But, you know, things changed,
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you know, when he passed away.
So I had to grow up even faster.
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So just the way my life set up,
I had to grow up, you know,
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pretty fast.
But it is cool, you know, to
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have that documented, you know,
being able to see those times
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where he would come, my son
would come up here with me and
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just be walking around the gym
or, you know, helping me
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remember how I will go to class.
And we'll just have to find
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someone to watch him while I
have class.
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And, you know, just someone to
watch him while I'm doing my
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homework.
And, you know, just being a
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college kid, but also being a
young, young parent trying to
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figure it out.
So it's cool that, you know,
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have that documented.
And but, you know, me and my
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son, we pretty much had to, to
grow up together.
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And, you know, making that
transition from Chicago to inner
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city to Green Bay.
I, I tell people the best thing
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for me, which is why I feel like
I'm still here.
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You know, that that time in life
was like where I grew from a, a
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kid to an adult, you know, like
a boy to a man.
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People like to say, but this is
the best place for me.
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You know, it's very much
peaceful, loyal, you know,
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positive people, family, family,
like people, you know, which,
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you know, kind of mimic the life
that I live, you know, 'cause I
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had that, you know, at home with
my mom and dad and my family,
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but outside my doors, I didn't
have that.
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So to finally have that safe
haven here was, you know, life
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changing for me.
It helped me succeed.
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You know, I would like to tell
people.
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Yeah, yeah.
So much about that is awesome.
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And I recognize that that was
very clear in the documentary
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was like, it was awesome.
How like this, a lot of the
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story was about the tumultuous
stuff going on outside, but
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every time he walked in the
doorman, everybody was smiling
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and happy.
And just like that wasn't what
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was on the front of the mind.
And one of my favorite scenes
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you kind of just brought up a
little bit is when your son is,
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it looked like it.
I don't know if there's a dorm
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room or an apartment or
something, but you were there.
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It looked like with like 4
roommates and you were video
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chatting with his mom and you
said something like he is at
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home.
And your son was like, I'm going
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to stay here.
Yeah, yeah, that moment was
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funny.
Yeah.
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That is one of my favorite
moments in the movie because
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it's like, you know, that's that
shows you like I say in our
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relationship, you know, he grow
with me like he always favoured
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me.
You know, he has my name and you
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know, he just echoing whatever I
tell him to say, you know, such
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at a young fun age.
But but yeah, man, like you say,
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that moment where we, me and my
roommates, we sitting at the
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kitchen table probably don't
have food, trying to make any
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food, burning food, just trying
to figure it out, get through
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college.
They got nil now, which is
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crazy.
But you know, but we were just
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living life and enjoying it.
And especially in Green Bay,
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man, we had a lot of fun, a lot
of good times.
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And you know, obviously of have
left the long lasting impact and
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you know, a lot of success for
us in our adult life.
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Yeah, yeah, I kept putting
myself in those shoes.
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Like I thought about myself
navigating as like a 19 year old
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first time college student.
And I tried, like, imagining
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00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,840
myself throwing my kid in there
too.
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00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,800
And it had to be so hard at
times.
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You're just trying to learn what
to do.
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I was, I mean, at least for me,
I was still trying to learn how
220
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to be an adult.
And you actually joked about
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that.
You said something like, I don't
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00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,040
know if I'm ready to be an adult
yet or something like that.
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But I guess when you have to,
you have to, you know.
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Yeah, yeah.
I mean, luckily I had a lot of
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help, you know, because, you
know, going up from, you know,
226
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grow up in Chicago.
That's why I like, you know,
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even though I didn't have much,
I feel like I had a lot because
228
00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,320
I had support, you know, like
here it was the support, you
229
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know, so it wasn't like I was
doing a lot of things by myself.
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You know, I've seen I've seen
people that don't have support
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or don't have resources, don't
have anyone to call or, you
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00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,560
know, when I did need, you know,
100 bucks to buy him a coat, I
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00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:58,360
could find someone or ask
someone or, you know, be able to
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have like a stipend and have to
make decisions, you know, adult
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decisions where it's like, OK,
maybe everybody's getting a new
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iPhone, but I got to buy a coat
and some shoes for us.
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But I was able, you know, I come
from where people are not even
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able.
So, you know, I just always
239
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appreciate tip grateful.
And that made me, you know, want
240
00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:20,640
to go hard and stay focused and,
you know, have my son, you know,
241
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gave me a sense of maturity
where I was like, OK, I have to,
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00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,120
you know, prevail through these
obstacles.
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00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:33,240
You know, I have to make it and
have self-discipline, be
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resilient and be persistent and
consistent on, you know, just
245
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making the right decision every
day and doing my best.
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00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:44,680
And I just lead to, you know,
just me growing into a man at
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those times.
Yeah, it did a lot of like that.
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00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,720
Like that doesn't come natural.
Often times it's taught.
249
00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,280
Did a lot of that come from your
dad, like the resilience, the
250
00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,640
persistence, all that stuff?
Yeah, a lot of it came from my
251
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dad, you know, with me being the
youngest.
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00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,840
So like he spent a lot of time
with me, you know, he spent a
253
00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,160
lot of time, man.
My friend was just telling me
254
00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,480
this yesterday.
My actually Carrington, my point
255
00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,200
guard shooting guard from
Milwaukee.
256
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:12,480
He was my backcourt mate here.
But he was like, you know, we
257
00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,520
were talking about that and I
was just saying how my dad, I
258
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,760
feel like he will always be
giving me lessons.
259
00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,960
You know, I will always, you
know, the conversation was
260
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,600
always deep at a young age and
I'm like, this is always too,
261
00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:24,280
too strong.
But he's giving me lessons.
262
00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,600
And then, you know, it was like
because he passed away, but it
263
00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,480
was like maybe he was preparing
me.
264
00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,480
We had the conversation like he
always gave me those lessons,
265
00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,640
but he was preparing me because
he must have knew something, you
266
00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,760
know, because with his health or
just him knowing his time or
267
00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,080
just, you know, so it was like,
you know, he really raised me
268
00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:44,640
correctly in the midst of chaos,
which, you know, even at home
269
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with us having so many, me
having so many siblings and us
270
00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:51,560
having so many kids.
But, you know, they definitely,
271
00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,000
you know, gave me a lot of
wisdom and set a lot of good
272
00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,280
examples for me.
Yeah.
273
00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,040
You know, another thing I
noticed the shift gears a little
274
00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,240
bit.
I thought it was in getting to
275
00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,560
know you just a little bit here.
I'm not surprised, but maybe it
276
00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:07,560
stems from some of those deep
conversations that you're
277
00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:09,000
comfortable with.
But I noticed that everybody
278
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,320
embrace in the documentary, like
when you hug somebody like you
279
00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,680
mean it like.
That's one thing I noticed is, I
280
00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:17,200
don't know, jumped off the
screen for me.
281
00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:18,920
Is that how you feel?
Yeah, it's crazy to say that
282
00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,160
because I like to tell people I
like to give the tightest hugs.
283
00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:22,800
So like when I hug somebody, I
squeeze them.
284
00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,000
You know, I just, I don't know
where that came from.
285
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,440
So I was even crazy that you
noticed that.
286
00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,960
But I do, you know, that's, you
know, I just like to embrace
287
00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,080
people, make them feel loved,
make them feel, you know,
288
00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,520
nurtured, like you saw on the
film.
289
00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,240
You know, every fan I spend time
with was intentional.
290
00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,720
You know, I'm big on
intentionality, I'm big on, you
291
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:46,880
know, integrity.
I'm big on, you know, presence.
292
00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,200
A lot of that stems from the
yoga mat too, just being in a
293
00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,800
moment and enjoying that moment
because you know, I've seen a
294
00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,560
lot of people come and go.
You know, unfortunately from
295
00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,560
where I'm from, you see somebody
here today going tomorrow, which
296
00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:03,280
is still happening, you know, in
my life, around my life and
297
00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,000
extension of my life from things
that I see.
298
00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,880
And you know, in the time that
we live in now, social media,
299
00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:11,240
everything is pretty much
superficial.
300
00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,480
So I just like to, you know,
stay genuine, stay real.
301
00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,160
I like, I feel like I have a old
soul, like you say, because of
302
00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:18,760
my father.
I know we reference him a lot,
303
00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:23,280
but he means a lot to me.
And yeah, those are the most
304
00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,600
important things in life to me.
Yeah, I could tell.
305
00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,920
I could tell by watching and
maybe in some ways it's because
306
00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,280
I've I feel the same way a lot.
It's funny talking about this.
307
00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,480
I just did AI just did a fishing
trip with some of my old
308
00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,680
buddies.
And as I was leaving, one of one
309
00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,800
of my friends is a really like
like a gruff guy, you know, like
310
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he's a tough guy, doesn't hug or
whatever.
311
00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,280
So as we were saying goodbyes, I
made fun of him because I was
312
00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,280
like, I know you're not standing
up because I know you're you
313
00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,800
know, I'm going to hug you and
I'm going to hug you as hard as
314
00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,680
I can.
And he didn't and he didn't do
315
00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:56,080
it.
So then my other buddy, I, you
316
00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,000
know, I hugged him.
I hugged everybody on the way
317
00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:59,920
because I'm not going to see you
for a year.
318
00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:02,120
We're going to be different
people when I see you again.
319
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,360
Yeah, And I noticed it right
away.
320
00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,040
Everybody like everybody that
you embrace like you did it with
321
00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:08,080
intention.
It was awesome.
322
00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:09,320
Yeah.
I mean, you never know what
323
00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:10,480
happens.
Look at COVID, right?
324
00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,240
Like COVID time, you never know
someone with health, you know,
325
00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,880
with the randomness, you know,
so next time, man, just jump on
326
00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,640
them.
You know, you know what I'm
327
00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,200
saying?
Strong some love because but you
328
00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,000
know, I've I've been around, you
know, I have enough for profit
329
00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,800
organization that, you know,
help kids that have, you know,
330
00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,720
deal with trauma and crises and
mental health.
331
00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,200
You know, all that stuff is big.
You never know that people may
332
00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,640
need that love.
You know, like, like I say, I
333
00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:41,400
that was the the thing that I
was most grateful for, you know,
334
00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,760
that I had a home that was love.
You know, my, I saw my parents
335
00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,840
married for 25 years, you know,
amongst my friends with single
336
00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,680
parents or even being raised by
that grandparents or, you know,
337
00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,720
people just fighting and, you
know, a lot of killing.
338
00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,200
You know, it's like people just
need love, you know, like, you
339
00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,800
know, so that's why I, like you
said, I like just on the drive
340
00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,960
from Green Bay, I mean, from
Chicago to Green Bay, it was
341
00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,640
like a change in atmosphere and
just mental.
342
00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:14,720
I could just relax and release
and, you know, just a different
343
00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:16,839
environment for me.
And when I learned that like,
344
00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:20,200
OK, it's OK to have love or like
people leave their dope.
345
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,920
People have cars open, like no
one's going to steal nothing.
346
00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:24,119
No one's going to hurt each
other.
347
00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,720
If you drop something, they're
going to, you know, give it to
348
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:28,560
you.
And it may sound so simple, but,
349
00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,600
you know, you know, like, it's
just a randomness of life.
350
00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,080
And like you said, man, people
need love.
351
00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:36,960
And it's what makes the world a
better place.
352
00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:38,560
Yeah.
If we have more of that world
353
00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,280
would be better for sure.
Yeah, there's an awesome social
354
00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,440
media video in the abyss of like
negativity that is social media.
355
00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,120
There's these glimmers of hope
in there.
356
00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,640
And there's this awesome one
that I think of in that concept
357
00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,040
where that like, I can't
remember if it's a dad or but
358
00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,920
it's in it like it's a father
figure.
359
00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,480
And he's like really getting
after a teenager.
360
00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,640
And then after he gets what I
see as his point across, he like
361
00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,840
gives him the biggest hug and
then the teenager just turns
362
00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,160
into a puddle, you know?
And it's that concept of of
363
00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:09,560
people needing love.
It's really interesting you
364
00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:14,040
connect that to yoga that let's
talk about how'd you get started
365
00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:15,000
with yoga anyway?
Like what?
366
00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:16,240
How'd you first get into it?
Yeah.
367
00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,480
So Tremont Williams, cornerback
for the Packers, he is a good
368
00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,080
friend of me when I met him when
I was here.
369
00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:25,600
So, you know, when I'm playing
football and, you know, me
370
00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,120
coming here, those are the first
professional athletes I met.
371
00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:31,320
So, you know, people wonder why,
like, oh, he's from Chicago.
372
00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,320
Well, he's a Packer fan, you
know, But it's like I never met
373
00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,480
any professional athletes before
I came to college.
374
00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,720
And these were the first people
who same thing, show me love,
375
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,400
show me support.
They would come to my games.
376
00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:44,280
They would give me tickets to
their games.
377
00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,000
I came with them outside of, you
know, football.
378
00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,760
They will let me, you know, come
over, have a meal, you know?
379
00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,360
So, yeah, he introduced me to
yoga.
380
00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,640
And you know how I play
basketball is very fast twitch,
381
00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:02,320
athletic, strong, quick.
Rash jumping out the gym, yeah.
382
00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,920
Jumping out the gym just
aggressive, you know, so it's
383
00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:12,360
like so to see, you know, to see
these guys who tackle players,
384
00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,160
you know, Sid Hut boom smash
into guys.
385
00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:18,880
It's like a car crash, every
place seeing injuries to see
386
00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,880
them do yoga and the common
place that it put them in how
387
00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,160
how it keeps them durable and
flexible.
388
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,560
Because I had a few injuries in
college which kept us away from
389
00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:29,840
the tournament.
I would say, you know, ankle
390
00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:31,520
injuries.
And they introduced me to that.
391
00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,600
And I'll never forget, you know,
at the end, it's called
392
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,800
Shavasana, where you lay down
and you just empty your mind,
393
00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:42,400
you know, empty your body, you
don't move and you just breathe.
394
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:47,800
I'll never forget that serenity
that I felt in that moment.
395
00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,480
And I was like, I have, I just
from there, I was chasing yoga,
396
00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,880
chasing that, chasing that
serenity again and again and,
397
00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,600
and that peace and, you know, so
that's how I got in and, you
398
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,680
know, being then I learned to be
more conscious and I know how to
399
00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,320
connect my breath.
And you know, the breath is the
400
00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:05,720
difference between life and
death.
401
00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,440
You know, once you don't have
the breath, no more you're
402
00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,240
going.
So, you know, yoga is magic.
403
00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:14,600
Once you were able to connect
that amount of presence and
404
00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:20,560
focus into the inner.
It makes everything outside, you
405
00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,480
know in the universe that much
more better for you.
406
00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,080
So you know, yoga is great as I
don't know if I don't meant to
407
00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,880
get that deep, but yoga is my
probably my favorite thing in
408
00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,560
the world is is magic.
I tell people that's all I can
409
00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,440
tell them to explain it. 100%
yeah, that's what we do.
410
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,120
We get, I try to get deep as
fast as we can because that's
411
00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:41,280
where real life is, man.
But I can't agree more.
412
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,160
I started I started yoga during
COVID.
413
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,840
I had, I didn't do, I didn't do
yoga until then.
414
00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,680
So I was probably in my early
30s at that time, 3334,
415
00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,880
something like that.
And I just did it.
416
00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,040
So I hurt my ankle playing
basketball.
417
00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,080
And that happened a little after
I started yoga, actually.
418
00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:03,080
So I'll leave that for later.
But I just did it as like
419
00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:06,240
something to keep my body active
during COVID when I was like in
420
00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,440
the house sitting on my computer
all day working.
421
00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:13,000
And I had that same thing where
I didn't really expect the
422
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,360
mental benefits.
And when they came, I was like,
423
00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:17,720
OK, this is staying in my life
forever.
424
00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:22,120
And I I love meditation too.
I don't have that in as
425
00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:24,240
ingrained in my practice as I do
yoga.
426
00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,920
Like I do yoga a few times a
week, but I love meditating too.
427
00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:30,000
But for some reason I don't find
the same amount of time for
428
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,240
that.
Do you meditate at all?
429
00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,720
Yeah, yeah, I meditate a lot.
So a meditation is, is one of
430
00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,600
the most powerful things I got
out of yoga too.
431
00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,200
So, you know, I try to meditate
every day.
432
00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,560
But like you say, I think that's
something we all have to be more
433
00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,120
intentional about.
For sure.
434
00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,960
Me, I, I, I, I meditate pretty
much every day.
435
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,760
I love the Mindspot app.
It helps me pretty much sleep.
436
00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:57,280
So I usually meditate and zone
out, go to sleep.
437
00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,520
But yeah, meditation is
something that I always go to,
438
00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,800
especially when I, you know,
need the answers, you know, like
439
00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,400
need to figure something out.
I'm like, all right, I need to
440
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,200
just, you know, meditate and it
helps me a lot, helps clear the
441
00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,920
brain cutter.
And I promise it just gives me
442
00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,840
whatever I need.
It's probably wounded up because
443
00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,520
I thinking about so many things,
you know, social media we
444
00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,480
flashing through it makes us,
you know, just hyperactive is
445
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,840
able to help me get the the
silence I need, the stillness I
446
00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,320
need to figure, you know, out
what I really need.
447
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,800
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
That's when when I was doing it
448
00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,120
the most, that's when I actually
implemented in my life.
449
00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:38,680
The best is right before I would
fall asleep, I would wake up so
450
00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,360
many times.
So I use Headspace and there's
451
00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:42,720
some other apps that ended up
being better.
452
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,360
But at that time I was using
Headspace so many times I woke
453
00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:47,960
up with my phone on my chest
just.
454
00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,760
Yeah, knocks you out too.
Yeah, yeah, Life changing, man,
455
00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:58,520
Life changing.
It's, I don't know that even
456
00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:04,600
just altering your mindset
towards things that you want is
457
00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,440
powerful.
And maybe I, I, maybe I always
458
00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,200
did that, but I never realized
the power of it till I started
459
00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,720
like being intentional about,
OK, I'm going to, I'm going to
460
00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,440
focus my energy in this place.
And then I started a
461
00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,880
manifestation journal that was
crazy when I would manifest
462
00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,720
stuff in like 2 months later,
would like come to life and I'd
463
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,360
be like, OK, there's, there's
something to this stuff.
464
00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,280
And I don't know, it's just I've
never, I've never finished a
465
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,760
yoga session and wished I had
been doing something else that
466
00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,920
means something.
Yeah, it's the best.
467
00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,600
It's, you know, cheating your
mind, your body, your spirit,
468
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,240
you know, like, like they said
before you even start class,
469
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,560
like, you know, the, the
instructors usually like, all
470
00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,320
right, put your phone away, you
know, give this time to
471
00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,720
yourself.
Everything is going to still be
472
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,000
there when you come back, You
know, because we like say we so
473
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,720
attached to a lot of things and
you know, output, you know, our
474
00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:01,240
energy is always exerted and we
never give that time to
475
00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,760
ourselves, which is we should
give more time to ourselves.
476
00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,560
You know, it's, it's what yoga
makes you realize, like you
477
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,480
said, once you give that one
hour, you're like, man, maybe I
478
00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,600
should have, you know, yet
another yoga Class A couple more
479
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,120
this week, you know, so that's,
that's that's how I usually
480
00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:17,040
feel.
It's crazy because we were
481
00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,560
talking about the yoga before
today.
482
00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:23,320
So even I was like, man, I got a
set at 6:30, but how does it
483
00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,400
mean at 5:30?
So Dang it, you know, I can't
484
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:27,480
make it.
So, you know, it always, you
485
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:28,600
know, leave you with that
feeling.
486
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:33,320
But but yeah, to your other
point about just manifestation,
487
00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:39,640
you know, journaling, you know,
like yoga, you know, guided me
488
00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,720
to those things, you know,
reading books, you know,
489
00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:49,120
learning how to invest and, you
know, be healthier and learn
490
00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:52,280
about mental health and how I
could be better.
491
00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,840
And healing journey, you know,
is it awakens you to so many
492
00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,120
things.
So, you know, that's a big part
493
00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:03,240
of my life too, you know, law of
attraction, you know, being
494
00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,320
positive, you know, like the
power of your subconscious mind,
495
00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,520
you know, rewiring that.
And, you know, those are the
496
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:17,160
things that helped me have a lot
of success in my career and
497
00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,720
just, you know, continuing to
figure out my journey on, you
498
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,640
know, my greatness and, you
know, figuring out, you know,
499
00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,240
more and more success.
But those things are are are
500
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:29,160
vital.
You know, I think those things,
501
00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,320
you know, still put a pen to
paper these days rather than
502
00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,840
just texting or, you know, the
notes app, which I love.
503
00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,040
I use notes my I've will the
notes app, but just still
504
00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:42,840
putting that pen to paper, you
know, affirmation.
505
00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:48,280
Those things are are very, very,
you know, powerful and
506
00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,320
attracting things.
Like you say, once that happens,
507
00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,920
you you see the serendipity of
like, oh, wow, this happened and
508
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,160
what a coincidence or how In
Sync things get.
509
00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,280
Are you like, oh, now I'm
starting to see this more like
510
00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,400
you say, in two months.
Oh, it is happening.
511
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,680
I'm getting closer and closer.
So those things are things that
512
00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,920
I really believe in, you know,
just the power of, like you say,
513
00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,680
putting out energy into the
universe, you know, even
514
00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:18,000
everything you speak and you
know, it will revolve right back
515
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,440
into you.
I think that's that's definitely
516
00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,000
how the world works.
Yeah.
517
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:22,400
Yeah, I believe that.
Same.
518
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:23,960
Absolutely.
Yeah.
519
00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:25,000
Yeah, I saw you.
You.
520
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:27,440
You had some books on your
Instagram story this morning.
521
00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:28,720
Oh yeah.
You loaded up.
522
00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,120
Yeah.
So that's what it was like last
523
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:31,760
night.
Same thing.
524
00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:33,000
I was meditating before I went
to sleep.
525
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,680
I could barely sleep and I'm
like, all right, let me download
526
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,760
some books, Let me just do this,
do this, do this, you know, so
527
00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,560
my, my brain is just always
racing, especially like, yeah,
528
00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,280
when I get into that meditative
state.
529
00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,320
So yeah, download it some new
books.
530
00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:50,560
I'm excited because, you know,
it's also, yeah, like what you
531
00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:52,680
feed your mind.
So I'm like always big on.
532
00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:54,640
I spend a lot of time
travelling.
533
00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,520
I spend a lot of time in season,
you know, by myself.
534
00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,440
I spend a lot of time on the
road Rd. games when I'm not with
535
00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,760
my family, I spend a lot of time
in the car.
536
00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,000
So I'm like, you know, I used
to, well, I still love music,
537
00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,640
you know, and it's different
types of music, classical music,
538
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,440
things that could, you know, tap
into your the powers of the
539
00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,160
brain.
However, I realize like, OK, we
540
00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:20,480
hear our favorite song, right?
That three minute song, we
541
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,280
listen to it 1000 times in our
life.
542
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,080
That's 3000 minutes that we
heard the same words, the same
543
00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:32,480
lyrics.
I could have read maybe 25
544
00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,840
books, you know, So audio books
is something that's big for me.
545
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,640
Obviously hear podcasts ain't
listening to podcasts now.
546
00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,600
So when I'm driving, you know, I
just pop on the audio books now.
547
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,480
Listen, you know, learn, get
smarter, get smarter.
548
00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,520
I'm just, I'm really a nerd at
heart.
549
00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,480
I'm really a nerd at heart.
Just trying to see how I could
550
00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,040
just get better and better each
and every day.
551
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,360
But, you know, yeah, grab some
audio books.
552
00:27:54,360 --> 00:27:57,680
I like to read a lot and just
get smarter and just learn as
553
00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,480
much as I can and pass the
information down.
554
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,680
Yeah.
The definition of nerd is
555
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,280
relative, man.
I think it's cool as hell.
556
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,480
But yeah, my wife will watch the
same movie, man.
557
00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,360
My wife will watch the same
movie.
558
00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:11,280
Like there's a couple of the go
to.
559
00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,600
Is that like it played on like
daytime cable that if she gets
560
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,280
some time, especially before we
had a kid, she worked like super
561
00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:18,960
early hours.
So I would come home from work
562
00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,720
and she'd be watching like what
are some of the go to?
563
00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,840
The one with Drew Barrymore and
Adam Sandler that were they?
564
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,440
She can't remember.
She wakes up a I can't remember
565
00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:31,000
that one.
The help.
566
00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,360
She watch the help all the time.
And I'm like, darling, don't you
567
00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:35,480
at least want to watch a new
movie?
568
00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,800
But it's weird.
People find comfort in different
569
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:39,280
places.
And that's her comfort, that
570
00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,520
revolving door when really she's
not watching the movie.
571
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,000
She that's her style of
meditation, you know.
572
00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,040
Yeah.
You mentioned some nonprofits
573
00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,240
before and we talked about gun
violence a little bit.
574
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,360
Isn't that a nonprofit you are
involved with now?
575
00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,520
Run.
Yeah, it's when I found it.
576
00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,600
So I thought so, you know, so
when I had the movie, it comes
577
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,760
out and like I said, I got the
reaction from people that was
578
00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,560
like, oh man, how can I help?
And I'm like, you know,
579
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:08,560
honestly, I'm blessed with the
talent.
580
00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,720
You know, helping others is my
passion.
581
00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:14,200
It's my true passion, honestly,
more than basketball.
582
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:20,480
But basketball is my talent that
God gave me and my way of
583
00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,760
expressing that and reaching a
lot of people.
584
00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,000
But just like I said, helping
make the world a better place
585
00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,360
coming from my circumstances and
being able to get out of that
586
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,680
and travel the world, I want
that same thing for people that
587
00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,040
don't have a talent OR don't
have the education.
588
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,640
I don't have the support or
they're stuck, you know, just
589
00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:40,760
stuck in life trying to figure
it out.
590
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:46,560
So I was like, I want to create
a not-for-profit to, you know,
591
00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:51,320
if people want to help, then we
could help, you know, find a way
592
00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,880
to do that.
So yeah, I create the Free 10
593
00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:57,240
Foundation, helping people
that's been affected by gun
594
00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:02,680
violence, drugs, incarceration
and poverty, you know, just
595
00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,600
other, other crises, just being
underprivileged, you know,
596
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,280
because that was my environment,
that was my mental, that was my
597
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:17,920
mindset, that was my mind frame
survival, you know, you know, I
598
00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,720
only want to go down that
because we talk about, you know,
599
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,480
just staying positive.
But yeah, that was that was the
600
00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,440
atmosphere.
So, you know, just finding ways
601
00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:28,520
to, you know, change a couple
lives.
602
00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:30,720
Hopefully, you know, I've been
able to change a lot.
603
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:36,120
So yeah, I founded that in 2018
and we've been doing great.
604
00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,000
So it's been, it's been amazing.
It's been amazing.
605
00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:42,400
That's awesome.
When did you, when did you
606
00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,320
identify that?
When did you identify that
607
00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:48,000
supporting people was the core
value that you wanted to do?
608
00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,040
Do you remember?
Yeah, I mean, I always see my
609
00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:54,000
dad.
So my dad, he was the vice
610
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,720
president of a gym growing up
and you know, our family was
611
00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,640
like the family people was like,
man, I wish you know, I had a
612
00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:04,080
mom and dad.
I wish, you know, my dad was
613
00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:05,720
just such has such a good
character.
614
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,600
You know, take took in
everybody, like taking care of
615
00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,480
everybody, just being a father
figures to everybody who wants
616
00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,520
to talk, who needs support.
You know, for single moms, they
617
00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,480
need a dad to step in and go to
teach a parent conference, to go
618
00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,760
to the school and check on the
kids, discipline kids, you know,
619
00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:24,960
just, you know, keep us on a
straight path.
620
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,720
My dad was there for, you know,
everybody.
621
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:31,200
So just really watching him
navigate life in the midst of,
622
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,440
you know, taking care of all of
us, taking care of home.
623
00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:38,080
And, you know, really, it was
honestly a sacrifice.
624
00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:42,480
You know, it was, I know it was
his passion, his purpose, you
625
00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,440
know, so it became my passion
and purpose.
626
00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,680
But you know, it's also was a
sacrifice.
627
00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,400
You know, I fly.
He sacrificed to lie from
628
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,600
himself, you know, sacrifice
from the family and just
629
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,600
sacrifice his life, you know,
to, to help so many others.
630
00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:02,240
So which makes me think this is
the first time I had this, this
631
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:03,440
thought.
Like, I feel like I'm the same
632
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,680
way, you know, I feel like I,
you know, could have probably
633
00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,280
given more time to my son and my
kids and given so much more to
634
00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:12,360
my career.
But I'm always trying to
635
00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,720
champion everyone, you know,
And, you know, I think it's, you
636
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,560
know, my purpose, my passion,
the right thing to do.
637
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:27,360
And, you know, I feel like it's
going to be more relative down
638
00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,640
the line.
Or maybe I just, you know, on
639
00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:31,280
the outside looking in, I can't
tell.
640
00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,240
But, you know, it's going to be
the the legacy and impact going
641
00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,040
forward as I continue to build
that out.
642
00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,400
But but yeah, man, my dad
sacrificed to help so many
643
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,080
people live my life bigger than
his own.
644
00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:48,200
So that was just always he was
like hero, you know, a role
645
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,320
model and like, you know,
Superman, like it's always
646
00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,560
someone that we want to be like,
I want to put on a costume and
647
00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,160
save the world like him.
So, you know, that's, you know,
648
00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:01,680
that's kind of what I, you know,
created and, you know, been
649
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,360
trying to live out with just
different projects.
650
00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:08,160
And like I said, the
not-for-profit and just sports
651
00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,840
business, you know, me having
camps and things like that and
652
00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,800
just, you know, just everyday
really just educate myself to
653
00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:18,600
educate others.
Yeah, I think it's such an
654
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:20,560
important identification.
That's why I asked.
655
00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:24,440
Like I've like, I've thought
about this a lot because I went
656
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:28,920
through a similar awareness
thing.
657
00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,720
I guess we're like, I identified
I was at a point in my career,
658
00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:33,760
like I'm a marketer.
I worked in radio.
659
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,400
That was what I was doing.
But then like seemingly
660
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,360
overnight, like one night, I
realized like, yeah, it's cool.
661
00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,160
Like I'm helping people sell a
bunch of fish fries and cars and
662
00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:46,920
stuff, but I don't really care
that much.
663
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,520
I like, I wanted to support
people.
664
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,280
And I was in my mid 20s at that
time probably.
665
00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:56,120
And I hadn't really thought
about life that way.
666
00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:00,480
And I wonder, I wonder if it's
more widespread than people are
667
00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:05,760
able to make it come to life.
Because once I, once I like
668
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,239
identified that I couldn't keep
working, doing what I was doing.
669
00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,199
Like I closed my marketing
agency, I left my job.
670
00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,760
I was like, OK, I need to
fulfill my, I need to fill my
671
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:17,480
bucket.
I need to fulfill my mission in
672
00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:18,719
life.
And what that is is helping
673
00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,239
people.
And since that has happened,
674
00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:23,560
I've had a bunch of cool stuff
happen in life.
675
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:25,960
And I feel like that's one of my
missions of the podcast is I
676
00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:28,679
want to like shine a positive
light on humanity.
677
00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:33,080
And just like the more one hour
conversations that people will
678
00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:37,239
take the time to listen to with
all kinds of different people, I
679
00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:38,920
think the better off society
will be.
680
00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,520
But like, I wonder if there's a
bunch of people that don't know
681
00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:45,800
that that's their outlet, don't
know that if they supported
682
00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:50,679
people more, they'd be more
content when everybody's rushing
683
00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:54,159
around and posting the the
prettiest pic on Instagram and
684
00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:56,120
all that stuff.
I don't know, Not really a
685
00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:58,400
question in there, but it's just
something I've thought of a lot.
686
00:34:58,600 --> 00:34:59,680
Yeah, yeah, that's a great
thought.
687
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,080
And that and that goes back to
me speaking on sacrifice.
688
00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,640
You know, people just want to,
you know, make as much money as
689
00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,960
they can or, you know, work as
hard as they can.
690
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:10,160
And you know, that's what I'm
saying.
691
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:14,480
So to see my dad like sacrifice
that or like you say, you
692
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:20,960
sacrifice your job or your
career, whatever it was to
693
00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:28,720
inspire be a storyteller in a
sense, you know, have an impact
694
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:35,680
is filling yourself up, but
creating a legacy or, you know,
695
00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:37,520
making the world a better place.
He's like you said, one person
696
00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:41,600
hated story or a story or a
podcast, one of the hour
697
00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:46,560
segments and they follow that,
you know, that that would make
698
00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:49,320
the next person, next person,
next person a better place by
699
00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:52,120
the lives they affecting the
lives you affect by telling
700
00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,160
someone's story, telling your
story and just being an outlet
701
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,760
that sacrifice because we can
always keep it in and just like
702
00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:00,840
the world we live in today, like
say we want to hoard everything,
703
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,840
keep everything for ourselves.
Don't even want to give other
704
00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:06,600
people information and you know,
don't want to have nobody else
705
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:07,800
make money.
I want it all.
706
00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,240
You know, you know that
sometimes the world we live in.
707
00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:14,160
So someone like Kobe, you know
who his biggest quote was, like,
708
00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,920
you know, it's about how the
Mama mentality and like it's
709
00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,320
about how many people I can
inspire, how many lives I
710
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:21,920
inspire.
You know, even with him with
711
00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:26,280
winning Oscar, becoming a book
writer and a storyteller and all
712
00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:29,400
the things that he plan to do,
rest in peace to him.
713
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:31,560
He was one of my.
He's always one of my favourite
714
00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,120
and he's for sure one of my
favourites, probably top five in
715
00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,240
life.
But yeah, he's someone that, you
716
00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:40,520
know, that I look up to because
when he was done, he was just,
717
00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,200
you know, inspiring.
And it was a great transition to
718
00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:46,360
see from when he was just so
obsessed with just being great
719
00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:50,960
in basketball and then started
being obsessive with his family,
720
00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:56,000
his kids and telling the story,
you know, So that's why I like
721
00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:00,760
love storytelling in this aspect
of, you know, a media, how he
722
00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,720
was getting into media and, you
know, like having a movie and
723
00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,000
one day want to write a book and
things like that.
724
00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:11,880
So the more we share and taking
that sacrifice to share is, you
725
00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,920
know, something that means that
means a lot to me.
726
00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:17,200
And I'll finish by saying, like,
even now, you know, it's
727
00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:19,800
October, the NBA started, you
know, everybody's playing
728
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,280
basketball right now.
But I sacrifice sometimes, you
729
00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,360
know, to be with my kids or to,
you know, be able to tell these
730
00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,960
stories and, you know, be the
general manager to spend time
731
00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:31,680
and help these young athletes
and help those college athletes.
732
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:35,320
And I could just be going to
make money like every other
733
00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:39,040
athlete or, you know, be so
locked in on my greatness.
734
00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:43,120
That's why I say I feel like
sometimes I've sacrificed, but I
735
00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:47,360
believe, you know, legacy is
where I'm at in life and having
736
00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:51,960
an impact of, you know, even
like I say, if it just changed
737
00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:54,360
one life, somebody that was
going down the wrong road and
738
00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,280
they go down the right Rd., it's
going to be a blessing in the
739
00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:58,720
end.
Absolutely.
740
00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:01,040
Even if someone person starts
doing yoga because he was
741
00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:02,880
talking about it like that could
change their life.
742
00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,080
Yeah.
Yeah, man, Absolutely.
743
00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,760
You just got your jersey retired
and you wore 24 at GB, right?
744
00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:09,960
Yeah.
OK, I did.
745
00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:11,600
That's what I said.
Kobe.
746
00:38:12,720 --> 00:38:15,600
Kobe, when he was talking about
that last week, he was a big
747
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:17,680
influence on me.
Sure.
748
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:23,560
Yeah, Kobe's my favorite NBA
player too, Like, but I think
749
00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:25,080
we're we're pretty close to the
same age.
750
00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:27,120
I think you might be a little
bit younger than me, but like
751
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:32,520
Kobe was, he transcended a lot
of things.
752
00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:36,240
Like he was bigger than life in
a in a lot of ways.
753
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:39,640
And it was cool seeing that like
the development you were just
754
00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:43,680
talking about of like, I think
some of that's especially from a
755
00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:48,000
high like the top echelon
professional athletes like to
756
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,200
get there.
They live 8 and break breathe
757
00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,600
that every single day.
And then once you get towards
758
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,040
the end, it is you got to start
shifting your mindset about
759
00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:57,120
what's different.
But it's been interesting to see
760
00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,720
like some another one of my
favorites is Aaron Rodgers.
761
00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:01,840
I love Aaron Rodgers.
It's been interesting to see him
762
00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:04,600
do that even before he retired,
like the past five years.
763
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:09,400
Aaron Rodgers is way different
than 10 years ago Aaron Rodgers.
764
00:39:09,720 --> 00:39:13,280
And I feel like, I mean, and you
can run down the list of the
765
00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:15,120
greats, you know, like Tiger the
same way.
766
00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:19,960
And part of it is maturation,
but part of it is also shifting
767
00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:24,280
the mindset because of like to
get to that level, you have to
768
00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:28,880
be so hyper focused.
But then it's realizing the
769
00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:29,880
stuff we were just talking
about.
770
00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:34,240
It's realizing what actually
matters to you and finding
771
00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:37,640
fulfilment in things other than
that, right?
772
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:41,680
Is that what you're getting at?
Yeah, yeah, definitely another
773
00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:45,400
person who's my favorite, you
know, and I'm not saying this in
774
00:39:46,240 --> 00:39:49,040
in a negative light, but
because, you know, who knows
775
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:54,360
anyone personal situation or
what goes on with life, but, you
776
00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:58,080
know, I could say there's all
these people you have certain
777
00:39:58,080 --> 00:39:59,480
perspectives and opinions on,
right.
778
00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:03,440
So Aaron Rodgers, it's cool to
see him, like you said, get
779
00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:06,040
married, go through his healing
journey, whatever it looks like,
780
00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:12,160
you know, tell people, hey, I'm.
I don't care how you judge me or
781
00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:14,760
your opinions.
I'm just focused on doing what
782
00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,280
I'm doing.
So I'm excited, you know, that
783
00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:20,840
he's having success this year.
I'm excited that he's healthy on
784
00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:24,240
the field and off the field.
You know, he has a wife now and
785
00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:28,600
things like that.
I'm excited that he play Green
786
00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,720
Bay this weekend.
Just relatively, you know, right
787
00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:33,400
now, however, there's someone
else who's, you know, all the
788
00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:37,440
people, Tiger, all these people
are my favorite and Tom Brady.
789
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,480
But those two, like you say,
they sacrificed so much that
790
00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:43,040
they lost their families to
being obsessive, you know, which
791
00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:47,320
is, you know, no, no judgement
of character to them, no
792
00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,720
responsibility to them because
maybe the people that they had
793
00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:53,400
around them couldn't handle it.
You know, the lifestyle, the,
794
00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:58,960
the, you know, the sacrifices we
talked about that it would take
795
00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:03,040
to be with someone like that,
you know, and we don't know what
796
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:06,000
they deal with personally.
But however, you know, like we
797
00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,840
talk about fulfilment, you know,
someone like LeBron that look
798
00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:12,320
like, look at he's a great
example because like he still
799
00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:16,360
has his family, you know, his
kid in the NBA, like, you know,
800
00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:18,520
he kind of seems like the
perfect, you know what he does
801
00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:21,360
like perfect person, which is
hard to come by.
802
00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:23,920
You know, nobody's perfect.
But it's hard to see examples
803
00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:27,160
like that because you know, with
this game, you do have to be
804
00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:29,880
extreme, like you said, if you
want to be at the highest levels
805
00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:33,200
and want to succeed.
So it's like you use it's no
806
00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:36,240
balance on that tightrope, you
know, so and everyone can handle
807
00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:39,320
it.
So you know, but true
808
00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:43,280
fulfillment takes sacrifice.
You know, those are things that
809
00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:46,480
we know, we know we, you know,
allude to.
810
00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,640
So you know, everybody's journey
different.
811
00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:51,880
Everything is, you know,
nothing, No, nothing's perfect.
812
00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,520
Nobody's perfect, however, but
you want to try to get it is
813
00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:56,320
right as much as much as you
can.
814
00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,760
I don't know why sacrifice has
been such a big word today, but
815
00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,880
sacrifice is a big part of it.
You know, it's, it's hard
816
00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,400
though.
It's, it's very hard to, you
817
00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,720
know, sacrifice you want to do
or, you know, some people make
818
00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:13,160
sacrifice for the team or, you
know, make sacrifice for
819
00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:16,360
yourself or for your kids.
It's no right answers to this,
820
00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:17,840
to this game of life, you know,
but.
821
00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:20,840
That's the hard thing.
Yeah, it's, it's, it's a great
822
00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:22,360
journey.
So I like to learn from everyone
823
00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,240
though.
Yeah, that's a great call out
824
00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:31,240
about Brown and that's that's a
good like, what would you call
825
00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:34,480
it That's a good like dichotomy
or disparity in life about like
826
00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,600
it seems like everyone is just
waiting for someone like that to
827
00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:40,400
mess up.
It's like, why don't you just
828
00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,840
root for the dude, you know,
like, like champion that guy for
829
00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:47,640
doing that, Like, because you're
right that it's hard.
830
00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:50,120
It's hard for every single
person.
831
00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:52,520
It's hard to like you mentioned
your, your parents staying
832
00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:54,520
married earlier.
It's hard to stay married to
833
00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:57,200
somebody for 40 years.
Like it takes a lot of work and
834
00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:01,160
courage and openness and
dialogue and all that stuff.
835
00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:05,200
And that's not even taking the
rest of life stuff, dude.
836
00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:08,560
Like, I don't know, I just like
when people get championed, you
837
00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:13,440
know, and it's it's awesome and
always being a Kobe guy.
838
00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:15,800
That's kind of a funny thing.
Like there was always like, you
839
00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:18,720
know, you were Kobe person or
you're a LeBron person kind of
840
00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:22,600
for a while.
But still, even though I was
841
00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:24,320
always like Kobe was the top of
my mountain.
842
00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:26,440
Like you see that kind of how do
you tear that down?
843
00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:31,680
How do you, how would like what
kind of there's no like there's
844
00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,160
no missing spot in that armor.
And so that's a great call out,
845
00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:37,320
man.
Yeah, yeah, it's one of my
846
00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:38,480
favorite.
Yeah.
847
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,440
So what is like, what is hooping
look like for you today?
848
00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:43,600
You're still playing.
Right.
849
00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,080
Yeah, but still looks good.
I mean, I would just.
850
00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:52,840
So I played six years abroad and
I played three years in America.
851
00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:58,400
So last year, my 10th year was
my first year back abroad.
852
00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:00,920
I played in Europe, but we won a
title actually.
853
00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:05,360
So Speaking of champions, I won
a championship my first year
854
00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:07,640
back abroad and and.
Where was that at?
855
00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:11,720
It was in Poland, Poland, OK, in
Warsaw, it's like the fifth
856
00:44:11,720 --> 00:44:13,440
biggest city in all of Europe
actually.
857
00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:18,880
So it was really nice, you know.
So this year I'm going to China
858
00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:21,320
to play in December.
So I got bought myself a little
859
00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:23,400
more time, you know, like I
said, sacrifice to spend time
860
00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:27,000
with my son, my daughter, get to
do cool things like, you know,
861
00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:28,520
see him off to homecoming this
year.
862
00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:30,240
Are we excited for Halloween
this year?
863
00:44:30,240 --> 00:44:33,560
I usually miss all of those
holidays because I have to
864
00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:36,320
sacrifice for the season.
I have to go play in, you know,
865
00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:39,120
leave my kids sometimes because,
you know, now my son's in high
866
00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:40,640
school so he don't want to
travel with me.
867
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:45,200
He's travelled with me 4 out of
my first eight years and live
868
00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:46,640
with me, you know, as a single
dad.
869
00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:49,920
My daughter, she was young so we
just held her back in school
870
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,400
until she was 6 so she could,
you know, come with me for
871
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:56,200
months at a time, come with us.
But now she's in school.
872
00:44:56,200 --> 00:45:00,560
So, you know, I don't want to
have them, you know, bounce
873
00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:04,320
around different schools.
So even that aspect, they're
874
00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:05,560
getting older.
So my career is looking
875
00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:10,280
different as far as, you know,
them not wanting to go with me
876
00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:13,000
all the time.
But yeah, I get to spend some
877
00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:15,000
time with them, get to have
Thanksgiving this year.
878
00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,400
Which is probably kind of tough
to swallow at times, right when
879
00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:18,960
they say I don't know if I want
to come down.
880
00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:21,320
Yeah, last year was probably my
hardest year, I would say, back
881
00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:25,200
abroad and when they was like,
Dad, I'm not going, they don't
882
00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:27,360
want to go on that journey.
And you don't sacrifice for me,
883
00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:29,680
you know.
But you know, they have friends
884
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:34,640
now and, you know, they love
being around family and, you
885
00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:36,800
know, I'm like, all right, I'll
go make this couple months
886
00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:41,280
sacrifice for us.
But but yeah, it it still looks
887
00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,240
good.
I mean it now it's like, all
888
00:45:44,240 --> 00:45:48,960
right, I want to play two to
five years more, but who knows?
889
00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:52,960
I mean, you know, my son is
about to graduate next year.
890
00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:55,560
So I mean, if he graduates and
I'm just ready to play, I could
891
00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:58,840
maybe rock until my daughter
gets ready for college.
892
00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:00,560
So I mean, I still got a lot
left.
893
00:46:00,560 --> 00:46:03,760
It's just, you know, this year
is going to be a big tale of,
894
00:46:03,800 --> 00:46:09,000
you know, if I go over and enjoy
and have a lot of success, you
895
00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:14,880
know, I probably could play for
a long time, you know, 31, you
896
00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:16,880
know, body is always feeling
good.
897
00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:19,200
I'm always focused.
So yeah.
898
00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:21,560
But I'm, I am interested in a
lot of other things and
899
00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:24,920
interested in, you know,
prioritizing other things like
900
00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:26,920
being a father.
That was always my number one
901
00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:29,760
priority.
And, you know, being a good
902
00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:36,160
family person, a good brother, a
good uncle, a friend, Yeah,
903
00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:39,920
just, you know, just figuring
life out, you know, after
904
00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,680
basketball.
Yeah, do your son or daughter
905
00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:43,800
play?
They don't.
906
00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,320
My son plays for fun, my
daughter, they play sports for
907
00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:48,560
fun.
But you know, I tell people
908
00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:51,120
because I'm not married yet.
So I'm like, when I get married,
909
00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:54,680
my next son, I'm going to push
basketball on, especially with
910
00:46:54,720 --> 00:46:57,680
NIL and stuff like, all right,
yeah, help me retire early.
911
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:01,600
But my son, you know, his name
was Kiefer Junior.
912
00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:03,120
I didn't want to put that
pressure on him.
913
00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:08,040
You know, they good kids.
They just, you know, my son is
914
00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:12,120
actually going to graduate at 16
because he lived in China with
915
00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,520
me and was homeschooled.
It was a little bit advanced.
916
00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:18,640
He lived in Milan with me and
went to a great International
917
00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:20,160
School and was a little bit
advanced.
918
00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:23,960
So I came back to America and
put him up a grade.
919
00:47:24,160 --> 00:47:25,600
He was already young for his
grade.
920
00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:29,920
So he kind of basically moved up
of two grades.
921
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:36,240
So yeah, he's pretty much too
young to play, you know, at the
922
00:47:36,240 --> 00:47:38,400
varsity level.
Little bit too skinny, but he's
923
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,080
getting tall.
But yeah, I didn't, I didn't put
924
00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:44,360
sports on them.
I felt like I did enough sports
925
00:47:44,360 --> 00:47:47,920
for us, for all of us.
And, you know, I, I want them
926
00:47:47,920 --> 00:47:51,560
to, you know, do what they want
to do and do something else.
927
00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,240
You know, they don't have to
play basketball, do sports that
928
00:47:54,240 --> 00:47:55,560
I do.
So they love it.
929
00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:58,160
Cool.
But if not, I don't push it on
930
00:47:58,160 --> 00:48:00,920
the on the youth at all.
Yeah, young first grade.
931
00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:02,520
Like Pops, you were young for
your grade too.
932
00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:06,720
Yeah.
So he's, yeah, a year even
933
00:48:06,720 --> 00:48:11,040
younger than me, which is crazy.
Crazy, Yeah.
934
00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:13,320
Yeah, it's, that was what my
wife noticed.
935
00:48:13,320 --> 00:48:15,680
Like she was watching the
documentary kind of up and down
936
00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:17,400
as she was reading.
She's a big reader too.
937
00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:21,840
And she noticed like she saw
when when you transition to GB,
938
00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:23,360
she's like, he looks like a
baby.
939
00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:25,160
I was like, he's only 17 years
old.
940
00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:28,880
He is a baby.
Yeah, I've taken that same path.
941
00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:33,360
I've I never achieved any sports
accolades like you have, but
942
00:48:33,680 --> 00:48:35,920
sports was always a central
piece of my life.
943
00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:37,960
Like I was a three sport
athlete, something I really
944
00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:42,400
cared about and what like when I
found out we were having a boy,
945
00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:47,080
I remember like thinking about
that, I thought about that
946
00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:49,560
scenario.
Like I had friends who like
947
00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:53,080
whose parents did really like
push sports on them and my my
948
00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:55,400
parents like they don't know
anything about sports.
949
00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:57,120
They're not sports people.
It was just something I
950
00:48:57,120 --> 00:49:01,080
gravitated towards like
naturally, I guess.
951
00:49:01,760 --> 00:49:05,000
And I thought that was a pretty
easy conclusion to come to that.
952
00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:07,800
I'm just like nurturing.
My son's name is River.
953
00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:12,160
I'm just nurturing whatever like
he gravitates towards and right
954
00:49:12,160 --> 00:49:14,600
now, like I'll ask him to play
catch with the football or shoot
955
00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:16,200
some hoops.
He's got the the classic little
956
00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:19,080
tights hoop that everybody has.
And he'll do it for like 30
957
00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:20,440
seconds.
But then he's like, let's go
958
00:49:20,440 --> 00:49:22,520
play guitar, Dada.
I'm like, all right, buddy,
959
00:49:24,120 --> 00:49:26,720
yeah, I was like, let's do it,
you know?
960
00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:30,760
And I think, I don't know, I
don't want to say there's a
961
00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:35,520
right or wrong way, but if there
is a right way, that's probably
962
00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:38,160
it, man.
Let him mould their path.
963
00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:40,800
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, most definitely, because
964
00:49:41,280 --> 00:49:44,160
it helps my interest too, you
know, like my son, like, hey, I
965
00:49:44,160 --> 00:49:45,680
want to do this.
OK, let's do this.
966
00:49:45,680 --> 00:49:48,200
Because I'm always consumed with
basketball, you know, like
967
00:49:48,200 --> 00:49:52,400
around it, watching it, love it,
you know, So I'm always around
968
00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:56,440
the youth athletes or, you know,
so when he's like Dad, I like
969
00:49:56,720 --> 00:50:00,440
creating stuff, music or clothes
or let's go do this.
970
00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:03,400
You know, like you said, we got
the the hoop in the house.
971
00:50:04,400 --> 00:50:07,840
You know, he, he likes to play,
you know, play football, you
972
00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:10,880
know, we throw the football
around, go to the beach.
973
00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:13,400
You know, he he likes soccer,
watching soccer too.
974
00:50:13,400 --> 00:50:16,920
You know, I make the fans
everything, but it's it's cool,
975
00:50:16,920 --> 00:50:19,560
you know, to see their interest,
you know, and being able to
976
00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:23,880
indulge in that, that helps me,
that helps my mind, that expands
977
00:50:23,880 --> 00:50:26,200
my mindset too, in my mind
frame.
978
00:50:26,200 --> 00:50:29,320
So in my interest, you know,
that expands my interest too,
979
00:50:29,320 --> 00:50:33,000
Like I am interested in this.
So, you know, it's it's
980
00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:35,040
actually, you know, we talked
about being fulfilling.
981
00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,080
It's been fulfilling to know
that like they don't have to
982
00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:40,720
play basketball.
I have to be stressed with, you
983
00:50:40,720 --> 00:50:44,160
know, pushing basketball on them
and teaching them the game and
984
00:50:44,160 --> 00:50:47,240
making sure they're performing
well or the pressures of that
985
00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:50,680
navigating the pressures of, you
know, and being keep for Sykes
986
00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:55,400
son or being as good as dad and
basketball, you know, so it's
987
00:50:56,440 --> 00:50:58,200
it's actually fulfilling that
I'll have to do that.
988
00:50:58,760 --> 00:51:00,720
Yeah.
It takes some of the pressure
989
00:51:00,720 --> 00:51:02,600
off, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
990
00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:06,600
When did that thing?
When did you realize that?
991
00:51:06,600 --> 00:51:12,600
When did you actually was
probably here, if come to think
992
00:51:12,600 --> 00:51:19,200
of it, But like, when there.
Well, here I'll frame it through
993
00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:21,440
the lens of this because it was
another one of my favorite
994
00:51:21,440 --> 00:51:26,520
scenes in the documentary where
there's a dude, it was in a gym.
995
00:51:26,520 --> 00:51:28,240
You just got done playing.
I can't remember if it was
996
00:51:28,240 --> 00:51:30,840
practice or what it was.
It wasn't like a formal game,
997
00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:33,840
but there was a dude talking
with you and he's like, you
998
00:51:33,840 --> 00:51:36,680
should go to the NBA.
And he was like telling you
999
00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:40,320
this.
And at the time, like your
1000
00:51:40,320 --> 00:51:42,680
response seemed like everybody
was telling you that at the
1001
00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:45,280
time, like you didn't you
weren't like taking a back bite
1002
00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:46,400
or anything.
You were just kind of like, I
1003
00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:50,880
know, like when did, when did
you realize?
1004
00:51:50,880 --> 00:51:53,120
Because you started the
documentary by saying you're
1005
00:51:53,120 --> 00:51:54,760
just going to go as far as
basketball could take you.
1006
00:51:55,640 --> 00:51:58,400
When did you realize that it was
going to take you pretty far is
1007
00:51:58,400 --> 00:51:59,880
what I'm guess I'm getting at.
Yeah.
1008
00:51:59,880 --> 00:52:04,480
And you know what, what was was
what's crazy about that?
1009
00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:07,240
When people would say that to
me, I would.
1010
00:52:07,240 --> 00:52:10,080
I didn't at the time, I I still
didn't believe it, you know, I,
1011
00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:14,400
I didn't think, you know, I
still was kind of oblivious.
1012
00:52:14,400 --> 00:52:16,920
I'm like, Oh, wow.
So I wasn't taking it back, you
1013
00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:18,680
know, in the back of my mind,
you know, I'm like, oh, I do
1014
00:52:18,680 --> 00:52:20,160
want to be in the NBA.
You know, it's a dream.
1015
00:52:20,160 --> 00:52:23,320
But it's like, like I said, I'm
like, I know the realities of
1016
00:52:23,320 --> 00:52:25,240
making the NBA, you know, going
that far.
1017
00:52:25,240 --> 00:52:27,320
I said that at 16, you know,
when the movie comes on.
1018
00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:31,880
So I always was striving, but I
never like believed it.
1019
00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:33,720
So, you know, kind of like
taking it with a grain of salt
1020
00:52:33,720 --> 00:52:36,240
type of thing is how I felt.
You know, I'm like, oh, wow,
1021
00:52:36,240 --> 00:52:38,160
they talking about this.
That's that's crazy.
1022
00:52:38,160 --> 00:52:41,480
But the chance that it happened
is, you know, so I'm just like,
1023
00:52:42,240 --> 00:52:43,720
you know, not focused on it, you
know?
1024
00:52:43,720 --> 00:52:48,640
So that was my thing.
I would say, yeah.
1025
00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:53,280
I think like my junior year
when, you know, and it's it's
1026
00:52:53,280 --> 00:52:54,640
crazy because people ask my
favorite game.
1027
00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:58,000
So I think that Wisconsin game.
And I finally, I'm having a
1028
00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:02,160
moment of I'm realizing that,
yeah, I think that's the game
1029
00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:04,880
where I realized like, Dang, you
know, I am, you know, really
1030
00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:06,640
good.
Like all of these players, Frank
1031
00:53:06,640 --> 00:53:10,720
Kaminsky, Andrew Hayes, who just
signed with the Sons and Sam
1032
00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:15,480
Decker, Ben Brush, Trey Jackson,
dad playing NB.
1033
00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:17,680
I'm like, wow, this you know,
this team is amazing.
1034
00:53:17,680 --> 00:53:21,040
Like but I'm able to hold my own
and compete with these guys.
1035
00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:25,800
Like and really felt felt like
it was natural, like it was it
1036
00:53:25,800 --> 00:53:29,280
was coming to me, you know, so
it wasn't like I was forcing or
1037
00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:31,960
like playing out of my mind or
like it's a one off.
1038
00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:33,600
I'm like, man, I can handle
this, you know.
1039
00:53:33,600 --> 00:53:37,040
So I would say that's probably
when I probably first realized
1040
00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:42,440
like, you know, maybe I can't,
you know, go far with this game.
1041
00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:46,600
But two things.
It's funny because I don't know
1042
00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:48,160
when you was thinking, I was
thinking something else.
1043
00:53:49,600 --> 00:53:53,760
We've go go back to my son.
So when I realized that he
1044
00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:57,000
didn't want to play basketball
was around that time too, like
1045
00:53:57,120 --> 00:53:59,800
in college when I was here, you
know, when I was like, all
1046
00:53:59,800 --> 00:54:03,560
right, I got a 5:00 AM practice,
6:00 AM And like, I'm single dad
1047
00:54:03,560 --> 00:54:05,240
basically.
So I'm dragging him to the gym.
1048
00:54:05,240 --> 00:54:07,760
He's still asleep, throwing him
in the car.
1049
00:54:08,120 --> 00:54:10,240
When I start to realize he's
like, I, I don't want to do
1050
00:54:10,240 --> 00:54:11,600
that.
You know, I, maybe I pushed it
1051
00:54:11,600 --> 00:54:15,440
on him too, too early.
Like at 4 years old, five years
1052
00:54:15,440 --> 00:54:17,720
old was I left college and
turned pro as a rookie.
1053
00:54:17,720 --> 00:54:19,960
Like I'm like, all right now
I'm, I'm back at home, I'm
1054
00:54:19,960 --> 00:54:22,080
training, you know, same thing,
like, all right, 5:00 AM.
1055
00:54:22,080 --> 00:54:25,320
We got to go to the gym. 6:00 AM
or we got to go back to the gym
1056
00:54:25,320 --> 00:54:27,400
at 12.
We got to go back at 4.
1057
00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:29,240
He's like, Dad, I'm not about to
keep doing this.
1058
00:54:29,760 --> 00:54:31,760
I just want to be a kid.
That's when I realized he didn't
1059
00:54:31,760 --> 00:54:33,080
want to play.
So I don't know.
1060
00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:36,400
I just had that thought of.
I realized when I knew my son
1061
00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:38,880
probably didn't want to play.
But.
1062
00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:43,680
But yeah, I mean, yeah, I think
that's when I, you know, my
1063
00:54:43,680 --> 00:54:45,680
junior years when I start to
realize, like, all right, if I
1064
00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:47,320
take this serious, I could have
a chance.
1065
00:54:47,320 --> 00:54:49,520
Yeah.
That's funny, man.
1066
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:53,280
That's the thing that I mean,
that thing a lot of people don't
1067
00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:56,320
think about.
A lot of people aspire to do
1068
00:54:56,320 --> 00:54:59,960
those things, but they don't
aspire to do the stuff you were
1069
00:54:59,960 --> 00:55:02,360
just talking about.
The people that truly get great
1070
00:55:02,360 --> 00:55:06,080
at stuff are the ones that like
aspire to wake up at 5:00 in the
1071
00:55:06,080 --> 00:55:09,480
morning to get better.
It's not like, it's not like
1072
00:55:09,480 --> 00:55:11,760
wanting to be at the top of the
mountain is enough.
1073
00:55:12,200 --> 00:55:15,920
Wanting to do the grind that
gets you to the top of the
1074
00:55:15,920 --> 00:55:18,560
mountain is enough.
And that's such a like, it's
1075
00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:21,040
great that your son came to that
conclusion because he's going to
1076
00:55:21,040 --> 00:55:25,160
find something someday that he
wants to do the grind for, to
1077
00:55:25,160 --> 00:55:27,120
get great at.
And that's why I think the
1078
00:55:27,120 --> 00:55:30,160
other, the other way doesn't
work, man, because like external
1079
00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:32,240
pressure doesn't make that
happen.
1080
00:55:32,240 --> 00:55:35,040
External pressure doesn't make
somebody want to wake up at 5:00
1081
00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:39,480
in the morning and go shoot 1000
jumpers or do plyometrics or
1082
00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:43,600
whatever.
Love of something makes you want
1083
00:55:43,600 --> 00:55:46,440
to do it.
So the earlier the better.
1084
00:55:46,680 --> 00:55:48,080
I kind of lived in a jaded
thing.
1085
00:55:48,080 --> 00:55:50,200
Like my main goal was to play
college football.
1086
00:55:50,440 --> 00:55:53,600
And I'm so glad now it didn't
happen for so many reasons.
1087
00:55:53,600 --> 00:55:56,120
I'm so glad it didn't happen at
the time.
1088
00:55:56,680 --> 00:55:59,800
You know, as you transition and
kind of start to come to the
1089
00:55:59,800 --> 00:56:02,960
realization that like, I didn't
get the offers that I wanted, so
1090
00:56:02,960 --> 00:56:06,600
I was going to go a different
direction at the time.
1091
00:56:06,600 --> 00:56:08,880
It's like, is that a bummer?
You know, like, do I feel weird
1092
00:56:08,880 --> 00:56:13,280
about it?
But now some of that serendipity
1093
00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:17,760
of life, man, they in some ways
you're kind of you're pushed in
1094
00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:19,240
the direction that you should
go.
1095
00:56:19,640 --> 00:56:21,680
And I didn't have that love at
that time.
1096
00:56:21,760 --> 00:56:24,880
I didn't love waking up at 5:00
in the morning to do all that
1097
00:56:24,880 --> 00:56:25,880
stuff.
Yeah.
1098
00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:27,920
It's like you said, that is that
internal drive.
1099
00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:30,520
If you don't, you don't have
that.
1100
00:56:30,680 --> 00:56:34,800
No, it could be tough because
you know, like not even just
1101
00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:38,840
sports, you know, like all of
these things, it's about, you
1102
00:56:38,840 --> 00:56:43,920
know, it could take a mental
toll on you to you know, it
1103
00:56:43,920 --> 00:56:46,560
could take a toll on you if you
striving for something that
1104
00:56:46,560 --> 00:56:50,080
doesn't happen or you like you
saying it doesn't work out.
1105
00:56:50,320 --> 00:56:53,240
Those things are tough.
So you, you, you really want to
1106
00:56:53,920 --> 00:56:58,840
go with the guys guides of life
where life is guiding you to or
1107
00:56:58,840 --> 00:57:01,320
the universe is guiding you to.
I like to say, God, I don't know
1108
00:57:01,320 --> 00:57:04,160
why, you know, people feel about
that all the time on the on the
1109
00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:06,960
show, but just where where
you're you're guided to.
1110
00:57:06,960 --> 00:57:11,120
So it's like, you know, because
I've seen situation where, you
1111
00:57:11,120 --> 00:57:13,840
know, people have in a drive or
like make themselves out as in a
1112
00:57:13,840 --> 00:57:16,200
drive or like you said, people
have external pressure from
1113
00:57:16,200 --> 00:57:20,400
their parents and this and that.
And then it it doesn't work out
1114
00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:24,520
or, you know, that's, you know,
has a takes a mental toll on
1115
00:57:24,520 --> 00:57:28,480
them because, you know, they
were forcing it rather than
1116
00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:31,400
being guided, you know, So it's
like, and that's what anything,
1117
00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:33,840
you know, not even just sports,
like you said, you was guided to
1118
00:57:33,840 --> 00:57:35,000
this.
But what if somebody like, Oh, I
1119
00:57:35,000 --> 00:57:38,480
want to be a podcaster just to
get famous or for whatever
1120
00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:41,320
reasons that they think they
were they're in it for
1121
00:57:45,040 --> 00:57:49,040
superficially or, you know, or
the benefits they're trying to
1122
00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:52,080
get out of it, but they don't
have the true inner drive, you
1123
00:57:52,080 --> 00:57:54,320
know, and the true passion or
purpose, you know, what we
1124
00:57:54,320 --> 00:57:58,320
talking about for it.
And, you know, it could take a,
1125
00:57:58,520 --> 00:58:01,760
you know, beat them down
mentally and have them stuck or,
1126
00:58:01,760 --> 00:58:03,880
you know, it's hard to have be
resilient from that.
1127
00:58:03,880 --> 00:58:08,960
So, yeah, like I think, you
know, whatever happened for you
1128
00:58:08,960 --> 00:58:13,280
is for you is what I believe.
So I always try to never force
1129
00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:15,760
this flow.
Bruce Lee, one of my favorite
1130
00:58:15,760 --> 00:58:18,200
man, like water, just flow, you
know, flow of life.
1131
00:58:18,200 --> 00:58:22,920
Like that's something that keeps
me, you know, honestly focused
1132
00:58:22,920 --> 00:58:26,040
because I'm like, all right, if
it's, if it's aligned with what
1133
00:58:26,040 --> 00:58:27,560
I'm doing, then it's supposed to
work.
1134
00:58:27,560 --> 00:58:32,520
If not, then it doesn't, you
know, So, you know, that's big,
1135
00:58:33,480 --> 00:58:37,040
especially in these times
nowadays where, you know, it's
1136
00:58:37,040 --> 00:58:40,080
so much to focus on that the we
feel like we could do.
1137
00:58:40,400 --> 00:58:46,080
We're just finding those, you
know, just those signs, you
1138
00:58:46,080 --> 00:58:47,880
know, like, all right, this
supposed to be for me, you know,
1139
00:58:47,920 --> 00:58:50,560
I think that's what's best.
Yeah, isn't awesome when you
1140
00:58:50,560 --> 00:58:52,880
find them too?
Yeah, like when they show up,
1141
00:58:53,680 --> 00:58:56,560
it's, it just feels.
And this is getting pretty
1142
00:58:56,560 --> 00:59:00,720
whimsical, but when they show
up, it feels right.
1143
00:59:01,440 --> 00:59:05,640
And a lot of times we're good at
tricking ourselves into things
1144
00:59:05,640 --> 00:59:08,560
that feel right, but maybe we
are forcing it a little bit.
1145
00:59:09,080 --> 00:59:12,560
But when something truly shows
up that was like, seems guided,
1146
00:59:12,840 --> 00:59:17,120
you know, it's, it's almost like
the world stops spinning in a
1147
00:59:17,120 --> 00:59:21,200
way.
It's almost like you realize, I,
1148
00:59:21,240 --> 00:59:23,480
I love the feeling.
It's weird to say I love the
1149
00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:27,240
feeling of feeling powerless.
And sometimes when those things
1150
00:59:27,240 --> 00:59:29,960
show up, you feel completely
powerless.
1151
00:59:30,000 --> 00:59:32,480
And I don't know, that helps me
sleep at night because then it,
1152
00:59:32,800 --> 00:59:35,440
it takes the pressure out of me
sometimes because it's like, OK,
1153
00:59:35,440 --> 00:59:37,080
I'm going to wake up and I'm
going to put in effort.
1154
00:59:37,400 --> 00:59:40,240
I'm going to, you know, address
whatever I do with passion.
1155
00:59:40,240 --> 00:59:41,840
I'm going to try to do
everything the best of my
1156
00:59:41,840 --> 00:59:45,720
ability.
But at the same time, it's OK to
1157
00:59:46,360 --> 00:59:48,800
wait for something to show up in
the mailbox too, you know what I
1158
00:59:48,800 --> 00:59:49,960
mean?
Yeah, yeah, most definitely.
1159
00:59:49,960 --> 00:59:53,080
Because like you said, those,
those moments and, you know,
1160
00:59:53,080 --> 00:59:57,160
I've been feeling powerless and
in a sense feeling in power
1161
00:59:57,160 --> 01:00:01,800
because you like, this happened
without force, effort or this
1162
01:00:01,800 --> 01:00:04,680
wasn't me, you know, this, this
wasn't me, you know, it was like
1163
01:00:05,120 --> 01:00:07,000
what happened for me, you know
what I'm saying?
1164
01:00:07,000 --> 01:00:10,480
What happened to me, you know?
So it was like, yeah, I do love
1165
01:00:10,480 --> 01:00:12,560
those moments.
And like, say, in the same
1166
01:00:12,560 --> 01:00:15,240
sense, you feel powerless.
But then when you same thing,
1167
01:00:15,240 --> 01:00:17,800
like Dang, this is empowerment
like because you like you said,
1168
01:00:17,800 --> 01:00:21,360
in those moments when you, you
know, breathe and be present,
1169
01:00:21,360 --> 01:00:24,160
it's like it empowers you.
Like wow, like you say this is
1170
01:00:24,160 --> 01:00:26,840
real, life is real.
You know, these things can't
1171
01:00:26,840 --> 01:00:29,000
happen for me and to me, you
know, definitely.
1172
01:00:29,440 --> 01:00:32,040
Yeah, the universe has a strange
power, man.
1173
01:00:33,240 --> 01:00:35,640
This is an awesome conversation.
I appreciate you coming out and
1174
01:00:35,640 --> 01:00:37,640
taking some time, Keeper.
It was great to get to know you,
1175
01:00:37,640 --> 01:00:38,680
man.
Yeah, I appreciate you too.
1176
01:00:38,680 --> 01:00:43,080
It was definitely great.
You know, great questions, great
1177
01:00:43,080 --> 01:00:50,160
concepts, great ideas that this
was one of my gets deeper, more
1178
01:00:50,160 --> 01:00:55,000
intuitive, expensive
conversations that I've had.
1179
01:00:55,440 --> 01:00:56,960
That's the best compliment
media.
1180
01:00:56,960 --> 01:00:58,800
That's the best compliment I can
get.
1181
01:00:58,800 --> 01:01:01,080
That's what I that's what I aim
for with everything I do.
1182
01:01:01,080 --> 01:01:04,080
That's the I'm glad.
I'm glad you recognize and I
1183
01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:05,520
appreciate you.
Like, oh, basketball in your
1184
01:01:05,520 --> 01:01:08,760
career, this is this, you know,
we just chilling, talking and
1185
01:01:08,760 --> 01:01:11,480
just, you know, learning each
other and learning perspective,
1186
01:01:12,520 --> 01:01:13,840
which is which is which is
powerful.
1187
01:01:14,040 --> 01:01:16,120
Yeah, that's what I tell a lot
of people when they come on.
1188
01:01:16,560 --> 01:01:19,520
Like I get a bunch of people
that won't reach out and like
1189
01:01:20,440 --> 01:01:24,040
it's always through a cool lens.
Like I want to come talk about
1190
01:01:24,040 --> 01:01:25,760
my nonprofit.
I want to come talk about my
1191
01:01:25,760 --> 01:01:27,480
business.
I want to come talk about this.
1192
01:01:28,120 --> 01:01:31,440
Like, you can come out and talk,
but we'll spend maybe 5 minutes
1193
01:01:31,440 --> 01:01:32,800
talking about what you actually
do.
1194
01:01:32,920 --> 01:01:35,240
And we're going to spend the
rest of the time talking about
1195
01:01:35,240 --> 01:01:38,760
being a human and life and why
you do what you do and all the
1196
01:01:38,760 --> 01:01:43,000
drivers behind it.
Because that's to me, that's
1197
01:01:43,000 --> 01:01:47,880
what matters, man.
To me, it's, it crosses all of
1198
01:01:47,880 --> 01:01:51,200
these invisible boundaries that
people like to put between each
1199
01:01:51,200 --> 01:01:53,480
other.
They don't exist.
1200
01:01:53,480 --> 01:01:55,600
When you talk through that lens,
when you talk through what
1201
01:01:55,600 --> 01:01:58,920
drives you, motivates you, makes
you passionate, makes you happy,
1202
01:01:58,920 --> 01:02:04,160
makes you sad, all of that
stuff, doing yoga, all of it,
1203
01:02:04,160 --> 01:02:07,720
dude, it's, it's awesome.
So I appreciate that compliment
1204
01:02:07,720 --> 01:02:08,720
more than you know, that's.
Good.
1205
01:02:08,720 --> 01:02:12,960
It makes all relatable because
we're all humans and like you
1206
01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:16,120
say, it's all makeshift, like we
all could make wake up and
1207
01:02:16,120 --> 01:02:18,640
realise all right, I want to
make my mind up or, you know,
1208
01:02:19,280 --> 01:02:23,320
make myself be successful in
whatever way that is, you know,
1209
01:02:23,320 --> 01:02:27,880
So it's it's encouraging.
This is encouraging for sure for
1210
01:02:27,880 --> 01:02:29,560
hopefully more people too.
So.
1211
01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:31,480
Yeah, Appreciate it.
Appreciate you key friend.
1212
01:02:31,480 --> 01:02:31,760
Thanks.