Basketball Art, and a Chat with Ime Udoka

last seven years with the Spurns. I just wanted a different perspective on the coaching side, because that's all I knew as far as the coach. So looking forward to the rest of the season, the story behind seventy Sixers Crossover, and an interview with new assistant coach Email Doka on this edition of the broadcast, what's going on out there? Seventy six Ers pod people, How are you? I'm Brian Seltzer, welcoming you back to another edition of the broadcast. Thank

you for bearing with my voice. Ever since the last episode of the pod, it's been a little bit creaky cold, passed through the system, trying to shake it out, get rid of the congestion. Some of the clogging. These are things that you don't need to know about. But what you do need to know is that to subscribe to our podcast, you can find us just about anywhere you get your pods, whether that's Spotify, Pandora, Apple Pods, Google Pods, whatever.

Just type in seventy six ers Podcasts or sixers podcast Network and that should take you to our feed. And when you are there, please do subscribe all right on the menu. For this episode of the podcast, we are doing it again because it was a smash hit last week, the latest installment of the Rosen Report. We're also going to sit down with assistant coach emay Udoka, who had a good run with the Spurs before he was hired

by Brett Brown this summer. But first, for our opening tip on the podcast, I want you to tell me if you've heard of any of these Stagram handles before. Well, you can't tell me, who are not in the same place together or talk to each other. But for the sake of this podcast exercise, let's bear with the figure of speech for a moment. Okay, here are the handles Park Tyson, Carmeroo, the Right Artist Fresh Royalty partably end

twelve or six and Bam Bam Bam ninety nine. Together, those six Instagram handles have a combined following of over three hundred sixty thousand. What type of content do these people create that has helped them become so popular? They make art? Awesome art, cool art, different art, relatable art,

the other thread that binds their art work together. Scroll through the ig feats of these six artists and you'll see the bulk of their posts are inspired by something similar NBA players, teams, or moments in history present and past. And to get even more specific, almost all their latest

work has been linked to one specific franchise. For four days last week at the new Fittler Club in Center City think one stop wellness shop with a next gen traditional vibe, the seventy Sixers held a free event for fans you might have attended called seventy six Ers Crossover. It was an art exhibition presented by Reebok and it

was phenomenal. There were over two hundred pieces of art produced by artists from all around the world, from Philadelphia to France, and also seventy Sixers employees too, with eleven countries represented in total. The six artists whose IG handles I mentioned at the top. They were all featured prominently in the exhibit, which was set up inside one of

the Fittler Club's cozy event spaces. Paintings and illustrations, everything from oil to acrylics to watercolors, mixed media and photographs too. We're hung on white gallery walls. Throughout the exposed brick room. There were multiple installation exhibits, a series of jerseys hung from the ceiling, display stands with bronze sculptures and action figures, co branded seventy Sixers and Red Bull refrigerators, and a station where classic rebox sneakers were being hand painted with

custom designs. It's great. So this is our photography wall of the exhibition, Elton, where are you? There? You are? Do you remember when they pure? But this is like

a media day. Those are the voices of seventy Sixers team president Chris Heck and Chief marketing Officer Katie O'Reilly, and they're giving General manager Elton brand to toward the exhibit head of a private event for players, local influencer and some of the artists who could make it to Philadelphia on seventy six Ers crossovers closing night for as certain as I am that I should, in no way, shape or form be giving advice or opinions on what

makes something cool. I'm just as confident as saying that cool is precisely what seventy Sixers crossover was. It was authentic, it was forward thinking. It was the kind of event you just don't really expect to see from a professional sports franchise. I mean, the seventy six Ers their basketball team, right, their business is hoops and winning games. Why would they want to dabble in of all things art. I think we're different. I think we're different because of the talent

of the people that work for the organization. And I also think we're different because we have the opportunity to be different. That's Chris Heck, the team president of the Sixers. No good idea goes unnoticed, and we want to do great things on the court and off the court, in the community and with the brand. So this gives us another opportunity to do so. We love to do things

in a very authentic but a very unique way. Again, Katie O'Reilly, we believe that Philadelphia and our fans, we believe this is the best city and that we have the best fan base in the world and that we want to bring it to life in a different way and to celebrate the city and all that it has to offer. And really the fun part also has been to get to know humanize some of the players. That's been amazing. So yes, that this art exhibit was called

seventy six is crossover was no accident. More than any other sport anywhere on the planet, the NBA exists seamlessly in a cross culture space. Entertainment, aren't music, fashion, and food, you name it, the NBA has a place in it all. Not only are the Sixers an extension of the NBA's international brand, the club has produced some of the most important players in the history of the sport period. And we're not simply talking about superstars who dominated the game.

Every team's got a few of those. We're talking about iconic figures, players whose reach goes well beyond basketball. Look at every era of the seventy Sixers existence and you'll find someone like this, whether it's Will Chamberlain, doctor j Alan Iverson. And there are more than a few players in the Sixers current roster who could be next in line. So to say that there was inspiration to Drawpon for a seventy six Ers them dart show would probably be

underselling it. Here's Elton brand to put on an exhibition like this. It just shows the Sixers are global brand. You know, there's a lot of interests from around the world what we're doing. And it's the tradition the players that pave the way to the current success of players like Joe Well and Ben and Alan to Bias and what we're doing now. So it's an exciting time for us. Katie O'Reilly, I believe the seventy six Ers brand, we all believe that the seventy six Ers brand we have

the most storied history of any franchise. We have these tremendous legends. You know. We always say you only need one name to be known here, and it's true. And so to see young fans millennials walk through our art show and stare at the pieces of art that feature Wilt or that feature Moses that were before their generation, it brings them to life and allows our fans to connect with our history. And that's been that's been a really ten pole initiative of ours and a huge foundational

piece of our brand. And in this art show, it's just been able to come to life all in one place. That's the background on the how and the why the idea for the seventy six Ers Crossover Art exhibit was born. But what about the execution part of it? How is the team able to wrangle together a collection of like I said earlier, over two hundred pieces of six or center guard from one hundred different artists from around the

whole planet. That's where Vincent Chang comes in. It really all started suddenly just wanting to learn the basketball and art, and through a year it's we started off from two artists in art for a show and now six year ladis we have eighty pus so basketball artists definitely on the rise. Chang is the person responsible for curating exhibits like seventy six Ers Crossover and has put on a couple of similar events in the past. He's also an

artist himself. Chang goes by the handle at Conscious b Beyond Instagram, his work earning him nearly fifty five thousand followers of his own. Like so many other things these days, the growth of the basketball art community and its popularity has been facilitated greatly by social media. As Chang put it, everyone's now just to click away, regardless of where they live. He's constantly looking for talent to incorporate into the Conscious

Basketball art exhibits. I definitely do my fair share of digging through social media and mainly on Instagram, where people brand themselves nicely and showcase the best of work they can do. And what I mainly look for through Conscious is art that has a conceptual depth, you know. Hence Conscious, we want to reach into a person's consciousness to their knowledge of basketball and make that mental psychological interaction, if you well, and to make a deeper impact for the audience.

To prepare for seventy Sixers Crossover, Chang started planning in Artist about three months ago. He contacted artists, cage their interest, then finalized the list of contributors. Week by week. We have phone calls, we have you know, different plans to kind of put us in together, and we pulled it off. I would say the undertaking was substantial one that the seventy six ers in Chang made together. As compelling as the work at the exhibit was, so too are the

backstories of artists who made submissions. Take Tyson Park, who's handled at Park Tyson, We talked about at the beginning of the pot less than six years ago. Park's world was more about bagging than it was brushstrokes. I run the convenience store. That's a funny story only because it's true, hard as it might be to believe, that's what Park, a fashion major in college, was doing, running a convenience store in his hometown of Busan, South Korea, where he

still lives to this day. A thirty seven year old now is an Instagram following of nearly fifty five thousand. Start was just like a hobby because I saw I was running my store. Then I saw my store, and after that, what's gonna do now? So I was started this like a hobby. So I posting in the media every day. So one day some media's contact to me, So are you financa? Can you work with me? So why not? It's a big opportunity for me. So yeah, that was beginning and more grow up follows as some

some players reposting my my pacas. Yeah, so yeah, now I'm here. It's amazing. It was. At each site there was Park decked out in all black, including his winter skull cap. On the closing night of seventy six is Crossover, getting the chance to meet and share conversation with some of the players who inspired a few of his pieces for the show. He said he watches the NBA every day when he's back in South Korea. Of course I met a few players before, but it's not close like this.

So yeah, I talking about my pacas with them, and Doctor Jay or Ben Semons shaken with me. It's so amazing. Yeah, I'm you know, I'm a long time NBA fans. It's really amazing speeds and it's exactly these types of interactions that Vince Chang had in mind when he started kicking around the concept of organizing a show like seventy six

Ers Crossover. He wanted to bring people together, get them engaging with each other through art, through basketball art, regardless of whether or not these people were artists, hall of fame basketball player, or maybe a hardcore hoops junkie who had never before even entertained the idea of setting foot

inside in art gallery. Overall, just in this digital age that we live in, art events are, in contrast, just a different experience and where you can see art on your phone, but you see it but you don't feel it because if you've got to feel it. It's gonna be real and tangible, and that's why we're here to do the seventy Sixers cross over the art exhibition. It's the final night of seventy Sixers Crossover and the team is closing things down with a private event for players,

team executives, season ticket members, and local influencers. It was a pretty special intimate setting. On one level, watching the players interact with each other in a casual, laid back environment that didn't involve actually playing basketball was cool. It was also kicked to see them react to being represented in art. It's actually it's an honor. You know, it's cool. Didn't know a simple picture could look so cool than an art exhibit. That's seventy Sixers big man Kyle O'Quinn.

He was featured in several drawings, but most prominently in a photo series that included Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson, Mike Scott emit Styble. Each player was captured immersed into passion of his away from the game. For Simmons, it was playing video games. Harris was photographed in a lounge on a leather couch reading a book. Richardson was djaying, Scott was reflecting on his tattoos. Thible had his cameras. O'Quinn was post seated legs crossed hands and lap fingertip

to fingertip in a yoga studio. Being a part of that photoshoot was pretty dope and um to see the final pitcher that the photographer picked it, it's kind of like, wow, that's me most definitely. You know, it's two two different worlds, but to see them coming together and um, you know, you see like art really showcasing the expressions of a basketball player in that artist's mind. It's cool to see, you know, just the animation and not only the photography,

but to drain into paintings and things like that. You know, this is how artists see the game. And you know, of course we see it from a different way, but to see it cross's, um, it's pretty cool. It's pretty cool. There was a great turnout by the Sixers on closing night of seventy Sixer's Crossover. In addition to a Quinn, Simmons, Richardson and Thible, James Ennis the third for Concorkmas and

Howell Nato were there too. The evening culminated with speed painter David Garibaldi holding a captive audience as he masterfully brushed and splattered bright paint all over a Florida ceiling black canvas, and in less than ten minutes he had whipped together a portrait of Richardson in the seventy six ers new Liberty Bell inspired twenty nineteen twenty twenty City Edition uniforms. After that, the rapper Philo took the mic for a spoken word ode to Philadelphia the City Comedy

of Skyscrapers and Bodies. Then came the grand finale, which was Richardson taking over a j booth to play a few songs, the guard sharply sporting his new City Edition under a camouflage buttondown jacket. It was quite the finish. Here's Elton Brand. We really want our players to enjoy the city of Philadelphia. So when we can put on an event like this, Josh Fajison has a DJ set to have all the players come out and be together, be in Philly, it just means a lot, and that's

what the organization wants. We want our players to enjoy the city. Katie O'Reilly, seventy six Ers Chief marketing officer. We talk about a lot that our goal at the organization and representing this brand is to make the city and to make our fans around the world fall in love with this team and to love them just as

much as we do. We obviously want them to be the best basketball players they can be, and we all have hopes of winning a championship, and it's our job to humanize them and to bring them to life, and to celebrate the history and to celebrate the brand and sort of see all of those different pieces intersect and connect. Now that the seventy six ers have successfully crossed over

into the art frontier, what's next on the rise? We think that this art exhibit, it's really, you know, the first of hopefully many events in our seventy six Ers crossover platform, our first foray into the art world specifically, but we hope to bring our brand to life in different cultural ways throughout the coming season, throughout the coming year, so keep an eye out for events around cuisine and food, music.

We have a bunch in store that's in the works, and this is really just the first little taste of what we have in store. In the meantime, While seventy six Ers Crossover Art exhibition is over, there's still an opportunity for you to own some of the pieces of art that were on display. You can bid on items that appeared at the exhibit through the seventy six Ers App through November thirtieth. Just download the app if you don't already have it, Go to the futured section and

click on the icon for the auction. You'll get incredible one of a kind of art. Plus you should feel good about your purchases as well as a portion of

the proceeds will benefit the Sixers Youth Foundation. It was kind of nice how seventy Sixers Crossover was like a relaunch of sorts for the Sixers home schedule, because the team has been on the road so much through the first month the season, and it's awesome that now looking ahead over the next couple of weeks, the Sixers are going to be in South Philadelphia way more often than they are. How can you go and see them? Why?

Through seventy Sixers Flex packs. Of course, it's the perfect gift for friends, family, or as a holiday treat to yourself. Every pack guarantee seating to four games of your choice, includes an exclusive seventy Sixers gift twenty nineteen twenty playoff ticket priority, an interest free PA plan option, and two tickets to a Delaware Bluecoats game at seventy Sixers Fieldhouse. For more information or to purchase your flexpack today, visit

Sixers dot com slash Flexpack. You can also email tickets at seventy six ers dot com. We're called two on five three three nine seven six seven six. From basketball off the court to basketball on the court. The seventy Sixers in the midst of a three game homestand the middle game of that homestand against the San Antonio Spurs, where Email Audoca coached the last seven years. This past summer, he was brought on board by Brett Brown to oversee

the seventy Sixers defense. Now Udoka and Brown go back aways. Brown was an assistant coach with San Antonio when Udoka was still a player, and also with the Spurs. Was Brett when Audoca broke into his coaching career in two thousand and twelve. Two thousand team I coached, and then I coached with Emay and now we're in a different part of the country doing the same thing together. And

he's just first good people. He's somebody that you know, I've seen for a long time, known for a long time, and I think he's an up and coming head coach. And he has brought friendship and a history that he and I both shit with san Antonio, and sort of just a new voice that that I'm grateful to have. Now. Udoka and Brown are reunited in Philadelphia and they're looking

to replicate san Antonio's championship ways with the Sixers. I sat down with emay ahead of the sixers first game of the season against his old squad, San Antonio coach. We are talking the day after the seventy Sixers delivered their second straight win over the New York Knicks, and one of the lasting impressions of that victory defense clamping down, getting you guys back in the game. How are you feeling about a month in to the season, about where

this squad is at right now? We're feeling okay. I mean, we're still figuring things out with our group offensively, end defensively. Last night, obviously it was the tail of two halves.

We didn't bring any physicality, much aggressiveness in the first half, and you know, give them credit, they made tough shots, especially in the first quarter, but the second quarter and even to the start of the third when they built their lead, it felt like we were behind the eight ball a little bit with what we wanted to do. But end of the third quarter throughout the fourth, I think Ben set the tone and kind of upped our aggressiveness and that carried over to the second half to

the end of the game. When you're coaching, what do you look at? First? You look at how's the team executing in terms of x ando schematics, in terms of how we want to play in that way, or is it holistic stuff like you said, energy, physicality, tenacity, that sort of thing. It's a little bit of both. Obviously, you want to follow the game plan execute that well. I mean, you can give them the best game plan, and if they don't bring the effort behind it, like

you mentioned, it's not gonna work. So it's it's it's probably fifty fifty. You know, we try to really get a specific on personnel, you know, knowing our opponent and following you know, what we want to take them out of. But also you have to bring the effort in the execution behind it. So it's a little bit of both.

When there is a new player on a team's roster, whether it's a guy like a Al Horford or Josh Richardson or Kyle O'Quinn, who will Nato In terms of the context the seventy six ers, I feel like we as members of the media are always monitoring the storyline. Well, how's that new player fitting in and getting acclimated. What's it like for an assistant coach to enter into a new situation and get settled and acclimated. Well, it is different.

You know, I'd be lying if I if I said other other than that, But um, you know, you've been somewhere for seven years, done things a specific way, and then you know you have to kind of flip your mindset. But that's part of the reason I was excited to come was, you know, be around different players, different philosophies, and learn learn a different view of basketball. And you know, we know the player as well. I've been in the league long enough playing and coaching, so we know the

player as well. And for me, it was just more so getting to know the coaching staff and know the group. I played for Brett in San Antonio for two and a half years, and then his last year coaching was my first year, so we coached together for one year. So we have a good relationship obviously coming here, but it's it's different when he's in the head spot, so you know, just getting to know his tendencies and what he's looking for, as well as the rest of the

coaching staff. But I think we had time in the in the preseason and before the season and summertime to kind of get to know each other, put our game plan together, and now it's just kind of once you knock out the first you know, the first road trip, the first preseason game, the first whatever happens to be, you kind of get a feel for everything that Brett is looking for. It's fun to hear you say that because my first year covering the team was I think

Brett's second season. I feel like generally between the ten wins season or back to back fifty win seasons, the ethos other guy has essentially been the same. But for you who encountered him first in a player coach relationship and then in a coaching perspective, even if from afar, what have you noticed some of the evolutions of bradder changes in Brettter what's different about him now that he's a head coach, Well, his energy level off top. You know.

You know, as an assistant, you're there to assist a head coach. So in San Antonio, Pop does what he does and has done it for a long time, so we're kind of there to just pick up the pieces around him, and, like I said, assists for the most part. But once you're in the head head coaching role, your personality, your true personality comes out, and I think that's what's been great with Brett. His energy he brought here. Whether

it was winning seasons or losing, he's been upbeat. You know, he's kept the team going and that's a credit to him, you know, playing through those tough years and now he's getting to see it to this point. So really, overall from Afar, you know, watching him the last few years before I came here, you can see his energy. You can see the enthusiasm that is who he is, and I think he's carried that over great while they were

losing and up until now with the success. I feel like Pop says every season when the seventy sixers and the Spurs play and reporters ask him, well, did you ever think that Brett would have seen this whole thing through. He says something the effect of I would have been done. This is pop talking like I would have been done after maybe two weeks. I'm not sure if I could have had patience to tough it out. Did you ever talk to Brett over those years? Did you guys stay

in touch at all? What was your relationship like that? More so when we played each other, Yeah, you know, I we would have dinners here when we came to town, he would pop in for dinners, and then obviously the same thing in San Antonio. We'd see him and catch up before and after the game. But you know, it was, like I said, we didn't have to say much. His

spirit enthusiasm was great with the tough times. And we all say that, like if the team feeds off your energy, you know, when it's not going well, obviously they see what's happening now with a great team. His energy hasn't changed at all. You know, the winning is expected now. But while the losing was happening, he was basically growing guys, developing guys, and that's a credit to him, Like you said, but it is tough, it's it's something that beat you down.

You know, it's hard to win the NBA and to go through a lot of losing like that. For him to keep his spirit up and keep the team up was a credit to him. What are certain areas that coaches look too evolving? And maybe you just are speaking for yourself, Like you said, you were in San Antonio

for seven seasons as an assistant coach. Brett's even said, I feel like at times that's a place where most people, you know, when you get your foot in the door there, you just stay because Pop has the operation down so much. So maybe getting into that a little bit more. What are you looking to get out of an opportunity with the seventy six ers right now at this stage in

your career. Just personal growth as a coach, Like I mentioned, different philosophies, different being around different players, different system you know, I think that will only benefit me and other coaches going forward, to kind of make yourself uncomfortable at times and you know, take yourself out of a safe situation. And that's what I was looking forward with this challenge. Obviously we have high expectations, but for me, it was like a lot of people said that this summer they

were asked me, why why would you leave? You know, they're asking breath that and pop that the same thing, why would he leave? And uh, you know that was my personal reason. You know, growth overall, I kind of we all kind of say San Antonio's not the real NBA. It's a you know, fantasy land over there where the system runs itself. We got a bunch of great guys, blah blah blah, and you know, I wanted to get

back around. You know, I played for five different teams, and I was with some good some bad organizations, and I just wanted a different perspective on the coaching side, because that's all I knew as far as a coach. So looking forward to it. The group hasn't been great, getting to know the coaches has been great. So I'm

looking forward to the rest of the season. What have you learned over the course of your career, And I guess it's probably even some stuff that you could dwell upon as a player as well, and then transitioning into a coaching role about relationship building and especially in the type of role you're in at this point as a coach, just the significance of relationships, getting guys to understand you articulate a message and how to deliver that. I honestly

think it's the biggest piece of coaching, you know. I learned that from Pop with his relationship with Tim Tony Manu. I mean it was like a father figure there. And you see what the players will do for you when when they know you love them, care for them, believe in them. And so in my own way, I've developed a relationship piece. And I think it was always natural for me as a as a player, I was a role player, journeyman, and I always connected well with other players,

so that kind of carried over to coaching. But I think it's the number one piece. Anybody can do exit and those anybody can drop a game plan, a scheme, but can you get the guys executed to believe in what you're saying. And I think that's the biggest thing. I've had a few head coaching interviews over the last few years and and that's the thing I stressed in there as a relatability piece and the relationship piece, and

I learned that from Pop. I think he was a master at that, you know, getting to show guys that he cares about him and you see the results on the court, and I think that's the truth. So that relationship pieces is number one to me. Is it reading the room, reading each individual person. Are there certain general rules of thumb that you've acquired over time that you feel like, hey, for for every guy, like this is a certain way you treat an NBA athlete or does

it vary case by case, year by year? Even Yeah, I think it is. I think it is case by case. Everybody's not the same. Everybody's not going to respond to the same coaching, teaching, scolding or whatever. So you know, guys, just like I said as when I was a player, you know, guys, you can yell at you know you guys. You have to nurture a little bit more. But it

is a case by case basis. And some things you can say to some guys you can't say to others, and sometimes they don't want to be embarrassed in front of others, So you have to do it, you know, pull them aside individually, different ways to teach people, whether it's them through on the court, watching film with them, or drawing stuff up with them. So you learn all those tactics and what guys respond to. And so it

is case by case. When you get the group out there together, you have to give them one message, But while you're in there individually with those guys build those relationships. I think it is a case by case basis. What's been like working with the dynamic of the seventy six ers roster? You have obviously players like Joe Allen Ben who many would say, I think rightfully so have not fully scratched the surface of what they could ultimately become.

Then at the other end of the spectrum, you have someone like an Al Horford who's been through so much and is so respected around the league, and you know, you're throwing guys like Tobias and Josh in between, and then a steady group reserves who have collectively, in different areas of their career, gained decent experience. So what's it been like with some of these guys? Have any favorite stories early on of getting to know some of these guys? Well,

it's been great. First of all, I think we perfect mix of you know, young guys that are still growing, going to be in their prime, and then a good mix of veterans as well. They've been around the league seeing a lot of different things, So the mix is perfect. He's sprinkling some young guys and some new guys to the team. I think that's what makes us whole. But overall, I've had relationships with a few guys you know coming up, So coming in, I would say Ben as the one

guy didn't know as well. I coached Joel in high school at Adida's Nations out in California before he went to Kansas, so had him for three days he was on my team out there, and then I got to know him well and then saw him four months later Kansas like a totally different player in the NBA, totally different players. So I've seen his growth over the years, and that relationship coming in was already good and it's

only gotten stronger. Tobias is another guy. I had an AU team when I played in Portland, and we traveled and played against Tobias three times and he would come hang with our team, take him out to dinner and all that. So I've known him since high school and watched him over the years and stayed in touch with him while he was throughout the NBA. So I already had bonds with certain guys. Um you know, funny stories about taking Tobias out to eat and shooting fire works

and then everything all those summers together. So I do, I do go quite a ways back with those guys, But overall, I think, um, you know, just getting to know the newer guys. You've been around the league long enough. You know Ben or you know Al, you know Josh, you know, played against Miami all those series, and so you get to know those guys from a personnel standpoint, but it's really getting to know their personalities. And so that's been good so far. How happy are you for

Tobias to see where he's at in his career? I mean, listen, the guy was a first round draft pick. But the way that he's evolved and fine tuned his game over the last eight years, I mean, it's been a steady trajectory upward. And he finally this past summer land in a situation where he's now got some real stability. Yeah, it's been great. Um, like I said, I've seen him since high school. You know, he's a top one hundred player,

but not a top twenty player. And even if you take it back further than that, if you know his backstory a little bit, like the amount of work he's had to put in to get where he's at. I'll let him tell it, but I think he was a chubby kid that you know, would get up in five or six in the morning, swim run, changed his body and changed his mentality, and I think he's carried that

over throughout. He's had a few different stops in the NBA, but it's really the end goal of where he's gotten to like you, Like you said, so he's in a great place, like you said, stability, with a great organization, and it's just a testament to his hard work and what he started as a high schooler to all the

way up to this point. You've referenced your playing career and I could run through the list of all the different stops you had on your Wikipedia bio, but it is likely, but it's it's featured in Europe, it's featured in the NBA. How would you describe your career as a player for people and maybe didn't see you play? And your journey grind? You know, I was a late bloomer coming out of high school and college and all that, and just steady, steady, grinding, progressing and trying to get

to my end goal. You know, I never got discouraged with the path I was on. It is always the next step, next, next, you know, I on the prize. I only had one goal growing up was to get to the NBA and do something there, and so you know, I didn't really have a plan B, and so I just put my eyes on that and and figured out a way to get there. And I carry a lot

of what I learned as a player into coaching. Like I said, I've been with a lot of organizations, learn good and bad, what you would do and would not do, and so I've carried a lot of that into coaching. Beside the fact of being around a lot of different people, different organizations, whether it was some league, mini camps, playing with the team, I got to cross pass with a lot of players and coaches in front office people. So I've built relationships that way, and you know, it's just

steady progression. And that's what I was trying to do as a player, and the same thing I'm trying to do as a coach is learn different things, different people and ways to connect with them. And you really have been around the game your whole life, right, I mean basically father played and all that, So I was there ever a point in time when you're like this basketball thing, that's it's it's not for me, or was it always as far back as you can remember something that was

so essential to your life. Yeah, it was really, like I said, plan a since I was a kid. I made goals when I was young and sacrifice things to try to get to the NBA, and that was my you know, singular focus um um pretty much. You know. Being from Portland, Oregon growing up, I watched Clyde drexeler and once I saw him, I was hooked. You know, probably eight years old or whatever it was. And we'll listen to games on the radio with my with my father.

Uh funny story. They year they won the championship in seventy seven, I was in my mother's stomach at the parade, being more than a month later, so I really technically say I was there, but you know, it was just what I wanted to do and what I that was my goal and really don't have a lot of hobbies outside of it. So work ethic and focus I took as a player. I've carried that over in the coaching and no, my goal is to be a better coach than I was a player, and that's, you know, what

I'm striving for. Not that my opinion matters anything, but I think that is totally a righteous claim that you were at the parade. Because I was born in Philadelphia. Up until two thousand and eight, I hadn't been alive for championship. And if I had been in my mom's stomach in nineteen eighty three when the Sixers won, I would have one percent. Told Evonia I was at the parade, and I was, yeah, born in August. The prey was in July, so she was there tremendous. Why do you

think you stuck? Of all places? You know? So if we look through your NBA career, correct me if I'm wrong. Nick's first Blazer's Spurs and your longest stretch was with the Spurs. That's probably where you got your most reption, most opportunity. You were started there for a season. Why

do you think it was with the Spurs that you stuck? Um, well, take it back, I started year in Portland before San Antonio, So I started that full year in Portland and then that's what kind of opened the doors and got the opportunities in San Antonio. Um, I'd say the same reason. Pope hired me as a coach. There was similar philosophies, similar ways I thought about the game. First thing is I was a defender. You know they love defenders there,

three and d guys. I'd sit in the corner and shooting threes and then have to guard the best guy. And so I got there. The year after they came off a championship, was really the only only edition coming in in like twenty nine years old. They had an older team, so I just fit in well with what they already had there. It was Bruce Bowen and then my turn to come in behind him and trying to double team a guy and so just keeping defenders out there.

But overall, the more I got to work with Coach Popovich, it was a similar philosophies and I think that translated on the court as well. The way I played, the way I thought the game. Never the most athletic, biggest, strongest, fastest, any of that, but I thought the game one way and I was really competitive, and that's what they liked, and I think that's why he hired me as a coach as well player coach. In your time with the Spurs, favorite memory is there one singular man may that you

have from that time. Obviously winning the championship my second year. I got spoiled early my first two years. Brett's last year we lost with the Ray Allen shot basically in Miami, So that was obviously a hard time, hard offseason, and the motivation that our team had throughout the season, it was like we didn't really even have to remind them or it was just a fuel burning throughout the year. And to get back to the same situation against the same team the next year and win it in pretty

dominant fashion in five games. That's got to be the biggest biggest moment so far of my career in San Antonio or in the NBA in general. Just getting that ring and seeing what we went through the year before, the way we lost it, and then to bounce back the following year to get a ring. It's crazy because the seventy six years in somewhere are trying to write a similar story, right, you know, a heartbreaking loss in

a playoff series and now trying to move on past it. Yeah, I was, you know, I was sympathizing with them from AFAR last year, obviously knowing Breton and um the way the way it happened. You know, it's very similar last

second shot. Obviously Miami we lost in game six and had to come back and play a game seven, so it wasn't the last shot of the last game, but very similar situation, you know, where you have a championship, if they miss a shot, you possibly go to the next round if they miss a shot with Kawhi making that shot, so um, you know, it's a similar thing. The fuel, the fuels, you know, should be there behind

the fire and just burn all year. And you got to remind guys at times, remember that that feeling you had and remember what you went through and losing that way it should obviously push you to your ultimate goal this year. Is it like a pre eve before game dinner with Pop this time around or just seem tomorrow when do you guys play. I'm gonna I'm gonna reach them out, reach out to them now. Like I said, when we would come here, Brett would come join us,

So we're always welcome to Pop in there. They're they're on a seven game losing streaks, so it could be you know, picking up my phone call and turning now, but he's he's really to get a separating basketball from the real world, I guess, and his things dinners and wine and food and all that. So I'll reach out to him later tonight and probably go and meet him.

He has the thing called the JV game where he goes to another restaurant to try some things out before he meets the coaches, So I might just meet him at the JV game. I'm sure that's not that's if there are worst case scenarios. I'm sure the JV Game's not bad, not at all cool, he may. Thanks so much, Thank you good having the chance to sit down with

first year seventy Sixers assistant coach Ema Utoka. Great to be bringing back for the second time in as many episodes, The Rosen Report, featuring our one and only seventy six Ers digital reporter Lauren Rosen. It's a miracle that this thing got renewed. Listen. The only thing that we're missing is a little ditty to bring you on, a theme song, something like that. I don't think I have nearly enough clout for a theme song at this point, but we'll work on it. We've got to establish in dem arcade

our various benchmark segments here on the podcast. A happy belated birthday too, Thank you Salt. How does it feel? It feels good. I feel old, I am old. I guess now entering my I don't know, third phase of life now. I'm just kidding. I feel good. I feel young still and happy to be here and excited to spend this next year in Philly. There's always people older than you more often than not. That's true. So there is there is that. I'm just kidding. I'm not tripping

over it. It's all good. So you spent your birthday lots of fun activities, internal brainstorming, media availability over at the training complex, and that media availability came the afternoon following a nice seventy Sixers come back when at the Center in which the defense seemed to really lock in down the stretch and our guy Ben Simmons a very big part of the Sixers come back that helped them or seventeen point deficit. Absolutely, he had a spring in his step on both ends of the floor, and I

think everyone was really happy to see him excelling. Obviously, everyone's going to harp on the shot he took at the beginning of the game. There's a shot by been the crowd loves in a three by Ben Simons on the catch, the crowd rising. He had that three of the preseason, but that is his first NBA career three and the crowd loves it. That was wonderful to see, There's no denying that. But I love how he carried

on with his game and had an incredible stretch. I think he played forty two minutes, which is a long time, stayed sharp the whole time. I know Brett gave him a lot of credit for powering through such a heavy load like that, And yeah, I think it's awesome to see him rounding into mid season form so early in the season. Also, a lot of talk about his leadership. There continues to be a lot to talk about that,

and I think there's something to it. I think we have seen a different front type of demeanor from Ben Simmons in year number three. He got to ring the bell. That's always exciting. Absolutely, And you know, I feel like Brett is and I don't know this for fact, but I'm just gonna speculate here. I feel like he is particularly selective and judicious when it comes to choosing guys

like Ben or Joel as the bell ringer. So you had to think that, and I clearly Brett Brown was he was pleased with how Ben sparked and rallied the troops in that win. Then he said last night that there were a lot of candidates for bell Ringer. You could have gone a few places and thought there was some candidates the should warrant consideration. But I thought Ben's intensity defensive intensity was as good as it's been. I

think that. But Ben's performance and his stability and intensity that he was able to maintain for all of those minutes and all that time was what really pushed it over the edge for those bell ringing honors. So time to put you on the spot. Who would have been candidate number two on your list? That's tricky. I mean, for me, candidate number two last night specifically had to

be Mike Scott. I think if you want to look at most important stretch as opposed to most important overall game, I think the way that Mike was able to heat up late just showed like what a veteran presence he is, someone that's that just can't be undervalued. His spot on this team can't be forgotten about in any way because he can come in and shoot four of six from deep at a very important time, and you just love to see it. The fans love it, the people love it,

can't get enough Mike Scott. He's a first team, all giffable guy, absolutely all content and just the the banter that he brings to the Internet. For listeners that haven't checked out Mike Scott's social presence, it is something special to behold and the way he interacts with his teammates, his more even his more mild mannaged teammates sort of get in on the fun with him. So I don't know,

nice to see. I think a lot of people recognize the intangible value of Mike Scott, but it's also nice to see a guy like that step up in a moment and really contribute on the court as well. And that's not to say that Mike Scott hasn't been doing that, but that was a really big spot. The Sixers needed him, and he did what veterans do. He answered the call. Called him silent assassin after the game, which I think

is apt. He said, Mike doesn't say a lot, he keeps most of his feelings to himself, but then he can come in in a moment like that and really excel and really shine where the team needs him in a big way. Feels good. He definitely want to help to the team win and be successful, so feels good to help the team there. I'm not Chopliver so so good. I think everybody was happy to see that sort of

performance from our guy, Mike. Seventy sixers have a lot of games at home up intriguing matchups as well, both home and away. San Antonio struggling coming in. Jimmy Butler returns with the Miami Heat on the road to Toronto, which is still playing well despite Kauai No Lowry Utah coming in. It's a good stretch. It's a good stretch. It's going to be fun, and playing in Toronto. They're one of the other undefeated teams at home, so if we could get in there and knock them off that streak,

I think that would be extra special. Yeah, it's a great stretch. I love that they're getting so many reps in at home. I think from a continuity perspective, we keep hearing about wanting to get all the starters out there together, Ben and Joel, Joel and al out there together. Being able to play at home so frequently, I think is going to be really special, at least for the next few weeks. Also, Indiana coming in at home. I forgot about that Denvert home. Within the next two and

a half weeks. You get to go to Man Square Garden. Is that an exciting opportunity for you, I do, I am excited. Yeah, I went in college once. Tell people about your background a little bit. Sure, So I did my undergrad at Duke. My first entry into the athletic department was I was a cheerleader for the basketball team, not something that I had ever planned on. I was a gymnast growing up, and when I got to Duke, it turned out they needed some people with the skill

set that I had from gymnastics. One thing led to another, and all of a sudden, I was a pretty I don't want to say high profile but like as college cheerleading teams go, like. We went to some cool things, one of them being Madison nationally televised games every now they tend to every once in a while, and I don't know, so that that really piqued my interest, and eventually I started working for the athletic department, which was

something that I took more seriously on a professional level. Obviously, and that something leads to something, leads to something, and here we are returning to Madison Square Garden in a very different setting. But yeah, really excited to go back, Really excited to spend my Thanksgiving in New York with my sixer family. It'll be great. I wonder if they light the I wonder when they light the tree at thirty Rock. It's gotta be around Black Friday. You'll be

there on Black Friday. Nothing better, you know. For those few that know me know that I hate shopping. So Black Friday in New York City not where I would choose to be necessarily, but in this context, could give it a more fun spin. Okay, all right, I think I mean, does Black Friday? Black Friday in New York City is scary? Right? That's not really something that would you embrace that Selts. I'll be honest. I wonder if it's scary. I wonder, I mean, New York's just big.

Could it just tend to be kind of like a normal shopping day in New York perhaps a little bit more foot traffic. You probably go to place like Bloomies, and you know, you get you get well coming in. I don't know, but it just starts earlier. I'll tell you the only deal I want to score on Black Friday, the Sixers win. There's no possible way we continue. We could continue with segment number two of the Rosen Report. That's it. That's how we're ending it, okay, with a

bad punt. Thanks for having of course, Thanks Laren Rosen. Thanks to email DOCA, new assistant on the seventy Sixers staff, and again bid on the items from seventy six Ers Crossover. Download the app, go to the featured section, click on the icon. Perfect time of year to get a fine piece of exceptional seventy six ers centric artwork for yourself or someone close to you. All right, we'll talk you next time here on the podcast. See it m