One-on-one with Tobias Harris

And this conversation on media Day was no exception. It was really awesome to catch up with Tobias and appreciate, of course, his candor and everything he shared. So, without further ado, here's my conversation with Tobias Harris. Tobias Harris, wonderful to see you as well. Bring us up to speed. Yeah, Game seven happens, we're now three months later. Yeah, what did you do over the last three months? I assume it involved a lot of self care. Take me through

what that looked like. Yeah, so I would say in the Game seven, obviously, uh, streaming disappointing, but they just got to figure out what's the next steps to get better to make growth and in my personal game help how to help the team out as well. So you know, from there, I went out and just go into my two two and a half months of training and just preparation how I pretty much always do before a season,

just with a different intent. Um, you know, actually same intent, but different approach to it, right, So, um, working on different skills in my game, to develop my body overall, to stay as healthy and be as healthy as I can be. So, you know, it was a It was a great summer. It was flew by, but there was a lot of hard work that went into it that was important. You talk about developing your body, and I feel very lucky to have spent your entire sixer's career

here with you. Something that I've really noticed is how well you take care of yourself, the attention to detail you have in developing your game. You've gotten better every year. But something I learned more about you last year was the way you develop your mental game. Yeah, how important is that going to continue to be as you continue to try to maybe build on what was your best season ever? Where does the mental game come into that?

It's a huge element of it. And then I think it's just the ability to be able to adapt through a season. There's a lot of things that come at your way, wins and losses, but just to be able to keep your mental space and you know you yourself in in a good space or your law. And I think for me that was something that was pivotal for last year, you know, doing a lot of things that allow me to number one with cover but also to be better on the floor and off the floor in

my own life. So that's always a huge element to success. I think it's your mental um, you know. That's ah, That's something I always will harp on and that I you know, relate to a lot of other teammates as well. Do you have any mantras right now or mottos that are sticking out for you as you head into this year. I feel like you share a lot of quotes and stuff. Do you have a lot of wisdom? Is there anything

that sticks out right now? I always share a lot of quotes that directly impact me, right so you know, more times than now, Like if I tweet out a quote or put it on a photo, it's something that I reflected on for a period of time or something that hit me that morning that I felt is influential in my life. A model, I would just say, like I just say, stay present and in every moment, right, I think even like today, it's like this is year

eleven for me and it's media day. I'm not the biggest fan of media, but like you know, I was over there taking photos and I just said, like, you know, you should always cherish every moment, stay present in the moment because, like you know, I look at the Rooks here and how exciting this is to them, and it's exciting to me as well. So like you never lose any joy in anything, right, I think that support So

that's that's all. That's always like my life model is stay present in the moment, right, enjoy every moment that you're in, good or bad, because you can grow from it in any different way. So that would be my Tobias Harris overall model. Well, I'll take it. You're my first of the day. But now I feel like I'm going to do a better job of staying present and enjoying something that I know is difficult for everybody. Um. Something else that that really stuck out to me is

the way that last season ended. It didn't end the way you wanted it too. And you were really open, at least on social media with the fans about how you feel that you owe them something, yeah, and that you want to do them proud. And I remember your first season here, you and I had a conversation about how you related to your fans and like trying to figure out how you were going to continue to do that.

I'm curious, since we had that conversation now probably two and a half years ago, up until now, how has that relationship changed. Why do you feel the responsibility to do right by them the way that you felt when

the season ended. Well, I think first is always just to do right by myself, us first and foremost, and then you know, the team, guys, guys in the locker room, the organization, and our fans are part of our organization, right, so when we're when we're successful, they're successful vice versa. Right that energy Um plays plays his part. So Um for me, it's just really sitting back and saying, like, you know, we have some of the most exciting fans in the NBA. As the reason you know they talk

about home court. Um that excitement, that that joy that they have kids coming in and reading and seeing us play. And I believe the city is thirsty for a championship and we want to bring that to the city. I know I especially want to bring that championship to the city. Um. And that's a that's a huge goal of mine. It's a goal of mine to win a championship in the NBA, UM and be a dream mine to do it in Philadelphia.

And I do believe like last year, we had a golden opportunity that just didn't go didn't end up not going our way, right, But um, you know who's to say we can't get that opportunity again. And I believe we will get that opportunity. It's just a matter of the work we put in for it. Um. But yeah, our fans are pivotal for that, Like we want to have a parade, like we want those things, and we're gonna strive for those things. And you know, I play

the game for many reasons, excitement and fans. That is one of the reasons why I do play the game. It's a it's a amazing experience, competitive nature, crowd scream and yelling, cheering, um. So it's part of it for me. So the goal if I was gonna ask you for what your goal is with the team, I think you just answered it. Yea, you had to pick a goal for the season, what would you say that it is? I think any season you're going to is to win.

Right like you you're in the wrong game and wrong business as well if you're coming in and not with approach to win basketball games. Um. But if I had to really lock in on, what would be our number one goal is? Um, to stay focused? All yeah? As a number one goal is to stay focused, stay in the moment. All yeah. Only people who really matters everybody, you know, everybody matters. The only people like truly cold

Weight and this organizations. People in this building are fans and people who come support, like that's what it's about. So tight you nick, close knit Philadelphia, city of brother you love a show, love. Let's go out there do what we gotta do. If you're going to accomplish those goals, someone that I think is going to be pretty important

to them is Joel Embiid for sure. And last season maybe the most memorable quote you've ever given to me because the fact that you felt that when you tell your kids the best player you ever played with, you're gonna say, Joel Embiid, and I think the fact that

you have that admiration is really beautiful. But what I'm curious about is how your relationship with Joel has involved over time, because it seems like you guys have more of a partnership now, and I'm curious what you're expecting out of that partnership this year and how you have seen it change. Yeah. I think you know, for a time I got here, everything was kind of like moving parts,

so nobody truly knew what was going on. And then when I signed and was here for you know, signed a five year deal, it was like, okay, now this is the group, right, Um. So we've been able to grow on that, and I think that growth has just come from you know, us communicate. He understands like how much I care about basketball, but like how important winning is for me and as vice versa as well. I understand like I see how hard he works. I see, um,

what a lot of people don't see. I think, you know, I've been around to see, like I've heard things before I got here, and then you know, I got here. And you know, Joel loves basketball. He loves playing, he loves competing, you know, all day, so I've been able to get to know him as well, and then UM also know him to the point where like when we're out there playing, we can talk to each other, we know how to communicate. So for this year, it's really

um you know for what it is. And we're the two top scorers on the team, so the balls going to come to us. So but there's gonna be a growth in our games to help one another out. And that's what I relate to him, is like, I'm gonna need you to help the game be easier for myself as well as I'm going to try to make the game is easier I can't for you. And I think that type of partnership is is a brutal in the NBA, especially when you look at a guy that plays a

five and myself that plays three to four. That tandem is is key for going against other teams. So it's something really we can really exploit and grow on throughout the year. Another teammate I want to ask you about is Danny Green. You guys are sort of, at least from where I'm sitting, like the biggest leaders on this team in terms of veteran status, but wisdom and experience. Danny told me when he came back to read Well, when he signed his new contract. He came back, he said,

you were the first person that called him. He said that you were in a really relaxed mode. He said you had a cigar. He said, you were really excited. So take me through that. How excited are you to work with Danny again as leaders? I was excited. I think, you know, he is that peace for us in the playoffs that we truly miss, but all year long he

was super solid for us. I think when we went on that stretch when we played New York at the Garden, when played La Golden State, like he was like the MVP of that trip, right, And I think, you know, all throughout the whole year, just stable. He's a winner. He's been there, He's got three rings. But somebody I grew up with, you know, grew up in Long Island. We live ten mins fifteen minutes away from each other. We'll see each other in different circles like workout wise.

I mean he's older than me, but he's somebody I look up to as a young as a young kid coming up. So to be able to play with my brother, be around him every day too. It's just honor and I think, like, you know, it's like, what are the odds? You know what I'm saying. So it's awesome speaking And this is how we'll wrap it up. Speaking of that kid in Long Island, this is something I want to ask all of you guys, if you could give him

some advice if he's going through a hard time. I don't know what age in your teenage years was the hardest. If you could give that kids some advice from where you're sitting right now, what would it be? Uh, keep going, like just just keep keep keep pushing through, right. I think it's I think in uh, in any moment, it's like our highs and our loves, our best days, our worst days. There's always growth. And I think, uh, when you hit your like when you hit your rock bottom,

that's actually where you grow the most. And I think when you at that point you can realize it and come out of it, it's a special moment. I think when you at your high, you said your peak, you can you can learn so much as well. You know you can get stuck there and you know, think everything is sure and fine and not be able to handle a setback, so you know, stay even ground, but at the same time, keep going because there's growth in every situation high low in the middle. So keep going, go on.

That's it because if you don't go, life gonna continue to pass by as well, and you're gonna get You're gonna get washing, washing the water. So Tobias, as is always the case, I learned something from sitting down here. So thank you. I'm excited about this season with you. Thank you. Thanks so much for listening to this one on one interview on the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast. I am Lauren Rosen. That was Tobias Harris. Thanks to Tobias for the time and for sharing some stories about himself,

about his teammates, about his career. Looking forward to seeing how he's able to level up on his best NBA season last season. If you're not already subscribed to the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast, please please do so. If you're not subscribed to the seventy Sixers Scoop, please check out that podcast. Matt Murphy is doing an amazing job getting those out during training camp and the Scoop will continue on into the preseason, into the regular season and beyond.

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