Coat Check | Marial Shayok (7/6 Day Pod Party)

We've got big guests across all of the pods on the network, including Alan Iverson more details at the very end of this episode here of Coach Check. But without further ado, let's introduce our special guest on Coach Check, and it is Mariel Shayak, seventy six ers two way contract player, recently named third Team All NBA G League as well as being named to the NBA G League All Rookie Team. Recording this to kick off the month

of July, coming off those G League awards. So, Mario, what did it mean to you to have your success, the success of your rookie season, rookie professional season, recognized with multiple honors. I mean it was great. I mean definitely an honor um to see that the from around all see that as one of the better players in this league. So definitely just a little bit more feel to just keep working hard and um and just keep

getting better. And the rundown to this episode will be pretty much exactly what we did with Chris Kumaji on our most recent episode, So if you haven't heard that one, go back and check it out. Some really good stuff with christ Mariel's teammate in Delaware this year as well, but today we'll talk about this past season, your rookie year. We will also then go into, of course, our healthy

lifestyle segment, presented by our friends at Christiana Care. Of course, as doctors, nurses, and caregivers, and as neighbors and friends. Christianna Care is a partner in everyone's journey to greater health and well being. Why do they do it for the love of health? Visit Christiana Care dot org. From there, we'll talk a little bit about Mariel's background and then hit our at the buzzer questions at the end, our standard questions recently pertaining to travel uniform numbers, and a

little bit more. But let's start with this past season. You average twenty three points a game. In fact, you led all rookies in total points and total field goals made in the G League. What factors helped you transition from the college game to the pro game this year? Really just the work I put in since UM season and the last last March. I'll be able to get in the gym and just start working and really trying

to get my game and translate to the NBA level. Obviously, the line does the main the main focus being further out from the college line, so I just want to get comfortable on that in and then just keeping working a last my game, and I think I was able

to translate quite well. How are you able to grow your game on the court, maybe a little more specifically UM in Delaware, but the opportunity to play a lot of minutes and have the offense run to me, I was able to really just play play free and just UM just really showing my work that I put in, and I think the coaching staff and UM pretty much passed down from the sixty really put me in position to really just show what I could do. And I

think I'll be able to do that. You hit a lot of big shots this year with the Blue Coat, perhaps none bigger than the game winner early March in DC. How many how many times have you done something like that at any level in your career? Hit hit a game winning buzzer beater, b be There has been a while since high school, UM, but UM hit a few big shots in college, none of rads of buzzers, So that was pretty cool to have one. No time remaining. That was definitely the first and first time in a while.

What were you thinking with the ball in your hands. I know you had it in your hands in a lot of big moments this year in the G League, but in that game, time ticking down and knowing off the inbounds that you're going to have a look right, I mean, the game slow was weird. I think we had control of the game of the whole game, and I was playing well until like the last like six minutes.

I had a few mistakes, two cushion mistakes, and he used as a minimum it got back in the game, and with that last possession, I remember just telling myself, like I really just want to go out there and be confident, forget about whatever happened in the last whatever four or five minutes and just really just try to get a shot off and a good love stop. And I was pretty confident I was going to go in

and did. It's cool you and I talked about how you got some advice from seventy six ers veterans, one of whom is Tobias Harris, but really all the guys, what were some of the things that some of the vets told you that helped you the most this season? I mean, just to really be myself and go out there and just play confidence, continue to win the day and be patient, um, and then my time will come.

And uh, i's actually try to do you try to take it day at the time and try to win each day and get better and and I think, I mean, I think I resulted in a pretty good season, and uh, those of lords kind of kind of really just show show the work I played in and our trusted the process first kind of continued to do that, um throughout end of the season and my career. You said, win the day, and I think that's something you kind of identify with. How how long have you thought of it

that way? And where does that come from? Um? Really since I mean since the guy on the college and my first year sitting out and I would stay um so much time and so many days before I get to play again. That's really I really just try to attack it a day at a time and take every day off. I was like a child like almost it's game day. Really, just trying to max out east day and get better that way. What can you take away

from Shake Milton's current season with the Sixers? You guys were the same exact draft pick, dominant in the G League as a rookie, and now Shake recently some really bright spots with increased NBA opportunity. What can you take away from his season? Um? That is, I mean what

I'm like, I'm on the right path. I feel like he um had a really good season the year when he was a rookie and just someone someone I really like look up to as far as um his journey, Um, obviously we have similar journey, So I just really want to look at his journey, see what he did right and he learned from him from him and hope I could have the same success he's having right now. And it's definitely great to see him do what he's doing because I know I are you where saying I mean,

definitely a good guys. He definitely deserves it. So it's really exciting to see what he's doing and hopefully I can get the same opportunity. February sixth at Milwaukee, your first NBA bucket. What was going through your head before that game? And then when you made the three before the game? It's really it was just like me, And it was by this time the seasons were going back and forth with both teams, so it's almost like it's

been a long time. Comes I really wanted to go out there and just be myself and an opportunity to get open shots, shoot him like they usually do, and they just play just like another game. Just play as hard as possible. Time now for our healthy lifestyle segment, presented by Chris Gianna Care. A couple of quick hitters here to break things up, and this segment is all about doing things for the love of health. So with that in mind, how has yoga been treating you and

how often do you do it? Do it every morning? I really try to shut mind, David da No, there is ten or twenty dirty minutes or really try to get a good stretch becially, even when I wasn't able to get in the gym, I was doing that every single morning when I wake up. So it was something that I've always wanted to get into and that I had the time. It's quarantine, and I'm definitely glad I got into it. And let's talk about what's in your fridge.

What are some of the go to maybe on the healthy side, snacks or drink options that you kind of gravitate towards. Lots of water, lots of Gatorade. I like my orange and apple juices. And then as far as the health, I mean really just getting eating a lot of rice, chicken, lean shaking, a lot of veggies, love property, green beans, stuff like that, and I need a lot of truth. So it really just basically transitioning to a

little bit about your background. And your story is fairly well known, especially by six er spans at this point. I mean, they all do the research as soon as you're drafted, and now the season in the rearview your rookie year at least in the G League, not the NBA season of course, as we record this to kick off the month at July. But let's run through some of this here before we get to our at the

buzzer questions. You became the first Ottawa Native ever selected in the NBA draft and we are recording this on Canada Day, So Happy Canada Day, by the way, appreciate that everybody back home. But when did it kind of all start coming together that making history in that way might be possible? In other words, living out your MBA dream, right, I mean, it's always We've always a dreaming. We've always been focused on being a professional athlete and playing the

NBA since I was the kids. So it started a blade back when and Exchange just kept working and kept chipping away at it to all my thoughts, whether it was high school in Jersey or Virginia and Iowa stage really trying to chip away at it and eventually are able to make it. We hear stories of players in all sports, especially basketball, watching other players on YouTube growing up. Who were some of those players for you? I mean I watched YouTube in the live games A big basketball

fans as far as watching the game and studying the game. So, um, I mean that's favorite players always, um Kobe m k D. I really watched a lot of Chasing Grady team, Vince Carter watch a bunch of scoring guards, especially in early two thousands, the really exciting time and going into the mentwo thousands, guys like the Brown and d Wade Um. I mean, I watched a lot of a lot of basketball, so a lot of players. You've talked recently about your

journey and your path not being a straight line. Who are some of the people in your life you think of when it comes to those who have helped you on this journey. Oh, my family, my family, and my high school coaches. I really have a tightning circle, so I must have for other siblings who are all older, and so I'll study on me and making sure I'm okay. And then a high school coach in Canada who I work out with when I'm back home, and a high school coach New Jersey keep in contact with and he's

now a little bit coose spies. So those those people are people are really lean on for advice or just to check up on me and take it of me. So yeah, then for sure more with Mariel Shayak coming up, But first, Nomore's Sports Medicine believes that highly personalized one on one physical therapy for young athletes is paramount to a speedy and complete recovery. Learn more at Namore's dot org slash pt. All right, Mario, let's go at the

buzzer before we get you out of here. And I've kind of shifted this around to be somewhat consistent over the last few episodes, even with Chris last week. There's a little bit of a rule for this first one for you because it has to do with travel, and the question is what was your favorite road city that you played in this season? But the rule for you is that you can't say Mississauga, Ontario because we know that would be an obvious choice. So what was your

favorite road city that you played in this year? And why I would say west Chester? I just liked the arena. They had a similar as far as like the dim lights from the in the stands like the Garden does, and play the same type of music with Garden does. So I felt like I'll started playing in the Garden and I had a pretty good game there and really got me going, So it was it was definitely some place to play. It's a good game, but yeah, definitely

miss Chester. How many games did you play at the Garden? Previously? I played in college, UM, and I got called up for one. I didn't play, though, but I got called up one this year with the Sixers, UM, and then just watched a few in high school. So I always been a big fan of the Garden. In terms of your jersey number, what's the story behind either your current jersey number thirty five or your all time favorite jersey number, because I know you were a single digit guy in college, right, UM?

Always one of three? UM, Ever since I was a kid, three has been my favorite favorite number, of favorite jersey number. UM usually I mean maybe because of Ai and d Way where one of my favorite players growing up and um, and then once I got to Virginia to retire, so I kind of went before. Didn't really like it, to be honest, but um, one of the stay single digits, and most numbers are taken and I have the stay.

I was able to get back three, and being myself against like three easily my number, and obviously getting drafted the Sixers, that's most definitely even gone. So UM, I just wanted to keep three in it. I just really just kept three in there and just went thirty five. That's funny because Chris said on our previous episode that he had liked twenty one growing up, and he ends up in Philly and obviously Joe LMB wearing twenty one, so he had to switch his as well. Last one

is the fun fact question. And I'm not gonna make you sing, but you did list your hidden talent as singing during the Bluecoats preseason, so you don't have to sing if you don't want to. But what do you like? What do you like to sing? And how long have you been singing for? I like to sing a lot of old school R and b M, big time ulscal, rmb gout nineties rmb um and then I mean that's thing I'm singing the showers and when I'm messing around. But other than that, not a public singer like that.

Good stuff. We did get a whistle alive whistling display from Michael Bryson on coach Check earlier this year because he's that he he whistles a lot. But I appreciate the time. It's really good to catch up with you as always. Oh do appreciated you having me, so thanks again to Mariel Shayok, and thanks as always to our listeners. Be sure to check out the other podcasts we released today on the seventy six ers podcast Network as part

of our seven six day pod party. Tom McGinnis chats with Alan Iverson on a special edition of Tom's Talks, and Brian Seltzer, Lauren Rosen, and Devon Gibbons preview the restart of the NBA season on the broadcast. Once again, He's Mariel Shayak and I'm Matt Murphy. Until next time. Take it or leave it at the coach check