I'm Sorry's Meg Si and you're listening to the seventy six Ers Insiders podcast.
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in Vegas at Summer League. Since then, what has life been like for you? I know that includes the the Rico Hines runs with the Sixers team as well.
Yeah, no, it's been cool. I mean I seen y'all at Summer League. I came out here, I did physicals and stuff like that, obviously, just signed, and then I went back home to La so well, a bunch of the guys were out there, so it was just easy for me to go and work out with a team like I was home, so I was just working out and chilling, being with my family and stuff like that. And then no, I'm back here getting started for the season. Yeah.
The day that we spoke to you at summer League was literally the day that the news came out about your contract, and you said your dad was saying, you're going to be paying for dinners.
Yeah, for sure going forward, for sure. Yeah. No, he was like, oh, you got some money now, So every time, all the times I've paid for dinner for you, it's time for you to pay now. So I'll still go make him pay though.
Don't worry before we talk Temple football with these practices and runs have been like here at the Penn Medicine Philadelphia, seventy six years training complex coach Rico Hines, because you're you're out on LA and dating back to your teenage years, your relationship with him, what was year one together? Like with an NBA organization.
It was the same between me and Rico, Like it was just he knowed me since I was like fourteen maybe fifteen, so like I was always working out with him since then every summer. So when I came in, we already had a relationship. So it was just like, you know what I'm saying, it's the same thing. And that's how he is with everybody, Like, oh, he yes, he helps us, he's our coach, but he doesn't make
it seem like that. You feel me like it's kind of like he like an uncle to us, like, oh, he's gonna help us and this whatever we need, he got us, and he's gonna let us know the truth. And whether you like to hear it or not, it's just he knows for the better of us as people and basketball players. So just having him around hopes a lot.
How high stakes are the free throws that you the free throw you have to make at the end of the game.
Sure, yeah, no, that's that's the biggest thing. He was he's like, no one's guarding you. You always have to make it.
So he has said that at the end of those reco runs, he's seen eighty ninety NBA free throw shooters. To win the game, is it to seven? Yeah, you have to attack on the free throw. So it's cool to hear for sure, those types of stories. But then on the court down below us, when the team is getting ready for the season, whether it's September and leading into early October, obviously training camp, after media day and all that, there's this sort of football theme that we
talked to head coach Nick Nurse about. There's like football tackling dummies and yardage markers and then the helmet. So for anyone out there who hasn't seen the photos on the six or social media, you were in the Temple University football helmet. Yeah, what did you have to do to earn that?
The core is marked and we have to get like a certain amount of throw aheads, so it's like you throw ahead like a football player or whatever. So I had the helmmet it on and I think Tyrese got the glove, so I took the helvet. I put the helvet on, and they posted it and Temple's like, oh, we need our helmet back. We got a game. I'm like, oh, I could start at tight end. So I mean I always think, like if I play basketball, I think I'll
be a damn good football player. At tight end, I always have to put a little bit of weight on. But besides that, I think I could be pretty good.
Did you ever play football?
Yeah, for like one two years. I just didn't like practicing outside like that.
What position?
Okay, yeah, so I think my hands are good enough. But obviously I'm athletic enough and I'm tall enough. So the one thing is just gaining that weight and getting used to getting a hit like that. But besides that, I'll be good.
You mentioned Tyrese MAXI thinking back to AAU days in Texas. Yeah, what have you seen from him and his development just as a basketball player and as a person.
I mean, yeah, me tyres were in the same grade. So we always like against each other on the UIBL certain kid, like literally year after year after year, so I mean we knew each other. He's from Dallas, my dad's from Dallas, and most of my dad's side of the family still live there, so we kind of have that connection. But no, you could just see just like year by year, both of us just getting bendured, getting better constantly is getting better. Obviously he went to college.
I did it, went my own route, and then then we met obviously at the NBA were in the same draft class, so you know, it's just cool to see and just be around that. Like all we played against each other listence is sixteen years old, and then now we're at the highest level.
So it's dope, you got your contract. How do you feel to see him?
Yeah? Great, great, I mean he works his tail off, so this is always great to see. You know, guys, especially my like we get the same age, same draft class, so that we know each other for a while, so I'm super happy for him.
A lot of new players on the team, including some that you've crossed paths with in your NBA career, which we're going to quizy towards the end on the early, very earliest stages of your NBA playing career, which isn't that many years ago, so you have an advantage over some of the vets. But some of those vets are guys you played with, so I know it was a brief overlap in LA with Paul George, but then also
in Houston with Eric Gordon. Yeah, so if you would talk about each of those guys, what stands out about Paul George and Eric Gordon PG.
I mean, obviously he's one of the best to do it. Six ' nine, he can great defensively, great hands, and offensively. I mean he's amazing. You really can't do anything to stop him. So just my time in LA just being in a training camp and practicing with like him every day and just having you know, to compete against a guy like that and guard him every day. That helped me a lot. And then now that he signed here, I mean, we already have that relationship, so it's dope
to have you know, him back on my team. And then me and EG we were in Houston for a while so well, I think it was like three years, I believe. So my first three years he was like basically one of my vets. He was always helping me, you know what I'm saying, whatever I needed, I always knew I could pick up the phone and call him. After we went our own separate ways for the year, I still like kept in contact with him and stuff like that. So just having him back on the team
is dope. Also, just having somebody with that experience and we have that relationship off the court, it's gonna help us a lot.
How was it having PG also at UCLA for the pickup game?
And it was cool? It was dope. It's dope to get out there and him just you know, get a feel for everybody and the guys he hasn't played with, kind of understand like where they're going to be at and stuff like that.
So it was And I mean some college guys like third, younger players there that are sharing the court with with Paul George that are less used to it than someone like yourself. You shared a locker space next near Rickey Council the Fourth and I wanted to ask you about your dunk contest experience. But there's starting to be some rumors about maybe Rickey Council the Fourth getting onto that stage some day. Yeah, him as a dunker, how do you think, how do you think he would do?
He would do good. I mean I told a lot of people when I did the dunk contest, like, yeah, like winning is you alviously want to win. But my my whole thing about it was just having fun, Like that's the experience that you only you know what I'm saying once twice maybe, so I was Wally go out and have fun and this experience being a part of
All Star Weekend. So I mean, I think he could win if if he does it, for sure, But at the same time, I would just go have fun and just taking everything of All Star Weekend because obviously you get the All Star Game, the best players in the NBA and the three point contests and all this stuff, and then off the court there is a bunch of events going on and stuff like that. So my biggest thing is just have fun with it.
So you're experiencing the dunk contest. If Ricky Counsel the fourth was to do it, would you want to go against him? Would you ever want to get another crack at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
I don't think I'll go against him. I think I would just let him go and if it was just and other players, for sure just want him to try and go win. But at another time I would do it for sure. But I mean I think he should do it. I mean, you'll have a great shot to win, and just to go out and just have fun and experience this the All Star weekend in general, it's really fun.
So reflecting further back, January twenty twenty one was your NBA debut, What do you remember about your first regular season NBA game.
I wasn't nervous until I actually got on the court. Like at first, I'm just like, oh, it's chill, and then once I get up. Once I got on the court, I was like, damn, I mean you grew up going yeah, Like it was just so different because it was just like everything up to like going on the court felt pretty normal because I always just watched my dad do it, so it wasn't anything that was like a surprise to me.
But like then once I actually got on the court, then I actually was like, Okay, this is different because that was why really my first time the NBA corner, the NBA game, So that was probably the only thing. But everything up to that point, though, it was like normal, like since I was a kid. Up to that point, I'd literally seen it damn near every day.
So it was for the Rockets. Do you what other details do you recall.
I think my first point was at aliub Actually it was it was Alube Dunk. I forgot who passed it to me, but I remember it was Alube dunk and I think we were playing who he played? Was it the Magic? Maybe it was the Magic? It was a magic so big win. Yeah. So yeah, my first points was a dunk, So that was that was that was dope.
You had seven points, didn't miss a shot, made a three, three for three overall. The final score was one thirty two ninety Oh yeah over the magic?
Yeah.
Can you name the starting lineup of that team of Houston Rockets starting lineup? January eighth, twenty twenty one.
John Wall yep, Christian Would yep, Jayshawn Tate not that game, thinking, Christian Wood, DeMarcus Didymus start?
No?
Uh, I don't think James played that game. He might have James did James? So John James, Christian Wood, Startling Brown, No, We'll start PJ. Tucker And uh, well.
You just named like the whole roster and I was like yes or no? So yeah, I'm.
Trying to think a little bit. Who else was? So John James, PJ. C.
Wood, La native high school and college ball in La.
David Da Dave, Okay, I want to.
Take a crack at any of the Magic starters.
Oh, my gosh, twenty twenty one. Who I can't even tell you who was starting on them. Let me think, Let me think, let me think. Was Voshvich on there?
Yeah?
Vousovich? Dj Augustine wasn't on that team because he was. Was Terrence Ross, No, I don't even know. I just know was on the team.
You did well, you did well with your own team. Butrevic Cole, Anthony, Dwayne Bacon, James Ennis the third and Gary Clark so not their typical.
Yes, that's starting line. Yeah, I think he is the only one that's still there.
Nice job, though, kJ Martin, thank you so much.