Utah St. Guard Steven Ashworth on Passing on Duke, Aggressive NIL Approach, Shooting

Tim Duryer. Dryer gets fired, thought about opening up his recruitment, goes on his more remission, comes back and now last year played a huge role with Craig Smith's Aggies. Craig Smith leaves, goes to Utah. Did you think about transferring? What is Ryan Odom like to play for? And what's it like to be only four months married? Plus he's been on social media ton trying to get a name, image and likeness deals. Let's catch up with the star

point guard for the Aggies of Utah State, Stephen Ashworth. Um, okay, So want to get to the name, image and likeness thing. I want to get to the fact you guys have a new coaching staff. What that's all like, but explain to me the Lone Pine deal. So I remember, probably a decade ago, somebody tell me, like, man, this there's this high school in Utah and they're just they got dudes dudes everywhere, right, Yeah? Is what what what Lone Pine High School? Is that just a regular high school

where lots of players live close? Is it a private school? Like what is for somebody who's not a Bee High State or what is Lone Pine High School? Yeah? So it's it's actually Long Peak. Uh, there's a mountain peak called Loan Peak right up right up above the school.

So it's called Loan Peak High School. Um. And I believe, honestly, just the basketball dominance that it's had over the past twenty years really started with head coach Quincy Lewis when he was there and then many people know him as he went to buy U after and um now he's back in the state of Utah coach in high school basketball once again. Um. But it's a public school, Um,

completely public. Uh. You have to live in school boundaries in order to go to Loan Peak and so, um, you know, we couldn't have some of the top basketball players in the state live in you know, different cities and come to school. They're just to play for Long Peak. And so a lot of people um started to take notice when uh they were on that national stage. And UM, you know, we had great talent all the way back

with Jackson Emory and Tyler Hawes at Loan Peak. And I think that kind of just created the culture that, um, if if you want to play for Long Peak, you gotta be great, and and that developed players like Nick Emery, T. J. Haws, Eric Meeka and they actually in two thousand thirteen were

named national champions. So so to wait, So all of those kids actually grew up right there or did some families move in move into so surprisingly, the Emeries, the Hawses, the Mika's, um, they all lived there and Alpine um grew up there and and me myself, I moved there when I was five, UM and so and my end at the time, my parents weren't really thinking basketball and we should move to Alone Peak because we lived in the boundary, UM where high school is already really good

at basketball. It was just kind of a change of scenery for the family. And UM, I was fortunate enough to grow up going to all those high school games watching those guys, and so I think that kind of helped fuel my passion for basketball. Okay, so immately you say I grew up going to those games. Um. The basketball obviously such a big part of the Mormon community, just huge. Any Mormon church has has basketball gym and guys played basketball. But how big is like, how big

is the gym at Lumpeak. Uh, the gym at Lumpeak can fit people. Um, And so it's a pretty average, you know, high school arena it. Um. There was a time for a while when we would play a rival American Fork High school, we'd either have to have that game UM down at Utah Valley University or at the Marriott Center at by U UM just for crowd attendance and so UM. But yeah, all those games were always packed. Um. It was always sold out and it was a fun environment.

I remember one of the funnest games was UM when we played St. Joseph out of New York. They came in for an ESPN game at Loan Peak and it was crazy, just the atmosphere and the students and just the passion for basketball. Because you're at you know, every church around here in the LDS faith. We have a basketball gym, and and so kids grew up beyond going to that gym and and working out with their dads

or their siblings or their friends. And um, you know, during the summer, we were there every day just playing pick up at the church and it was awesome. So um, Jimmer Okay, Now, obviously Jimmer comes in he's a star by U, but he's not from Utah as a as a kid who grew up in Alting. When I see Jimmer for debt, like, is he one of your guys? Is he not? Like? What? What is? How is he thought of in the state of Utah? Um, Jimmer for that is arguably the greatest college basketball player of all time.

That's just that's what the state of utak um. And you know, it's it's it's sad that he didn't have, um, you know, quite the career in the NBA that everybody was hoping to see. You know that that Steph Curry has been able to have. And but it's interesting. I remember vividly, um going to UH. It was a huge game San Diego State, Quiet Leonard. It was a top ten game down in Provo, and I remember going to

that game just the atmosphere around Jimmer. Um, it was crazy and it was something that that I aspired to be. I wanted to be a player in the state of Utah that other little kids wanted to be when they grew up. And so Um, Jimmer is definitely somebody that that I look up to. It I've met a few times. I've I've done some workouts with him, and the guy trained with Paul Peterson knows him, knows him really well.

And so um always super genuine dude. And and people, you know, whether we're Utah State fans, Utaugh fans, BIU fans, um, there's a pretty wide consensus that everybody respects what Jimmer fordet was able to do and in the game of college basketball. And now it's crazy to see what Damian Millard did out of Weiver State, but in that time period, it was all about Jimmer. And it's crazy right there that everybody pay attention to Jimmer. Here is Damian Lillard,

who's actually Olympian at the NBA. All start, okay, So Um, you know, if you go back to you know, late nineties and two thousands, obviously Utah when the Jaris was there was hot and they've gone up and down. They've had some great runs even since um b y U Jimmer was was their peak in the last twenty years. But again, and this is a guy who grew up. I grew up hoooping at a Morgan church in the city of Orange in California. I seem in with my

Mormon buddies, right and so UM. And then my brother was an assistant at Santego State, So I know a lot about b y U back when obviously those games were taking place. But for you growing up, was b yu the school coming because he end up now being started at Utah State? Like what was who was your what was your school? Or was it more players? Because I always thought that Mormon kids want to go to b y U first and then after that, you know, maybe Utah or then Utah State? Like what is what

was the school going up? Grown up? UM? Personally, for me, it was like obviously, living in Utah County, you're surrounded by UM by U, and then there's divide, the divide between by U and Utah UM and then obviously Utah States a little more north and so down in Utah County there even when I go back home, like I'm like dang, like, we need to get some more love for the Aggies down here, whether it be in the sports stores or stuff like that, because really obviously the

sports you know, stories are there to make their money, and they make a lot off of just the rivalry between by U and Utah and that division between red

and Blue. Um, and so growing up, I personally really admired the players and the individuals and so Um it was always a dream of mine to play Division one basketball, and you know that with the way recruiting goes, I never really had an idea of where I wanted to actually eventually end up, and so I kind of distanced myself from kind of picking a school that I would

deem as my school. But I definitely supported guys like Jimmer and then um Tyler Hawes, just the lone Peat guys were a lot of the guys that I watched and and looked up to. But then Um, right about my ninth grade year and high schools when I started noticing Um Sam and what he was doing a bountiful and um like small world comparison. One of our best family friends was actually his mission companion Um in the mission when when he served in Nicaragua, and so that's

when I kind of started taking even more notice. And and when I came up to the visits here at Yourta State, Sam was always, you know, super welcoming, and it was a big part of why I wanted to come here is I wanted to to keep that legacy that he created going and UM. And so to kind of answer that question in short, I think it was really more about who my guys were rather than was I a big Utah fan or a Utah State fan or um by U fan. And with the proximity, I probably went to the most of the b I U

games than than any other. What what what is the decision like as to whether or not you're gonna go on your mission? UM? A lot of it's just based on personal preference. UM. We've been asked, whether it being the scriptures or whether by the leaders of the church

to share the message of the Gospel UM. And so for me, it was a hard decision, but at the same time an easy decision because I knew how important it was to share the message of hope and just of love with the world that we live in today, and so I knew that it would be an experience that UM that I couldn't pass up. And I had great examples and my dad, my my brother, and and even other guys that played basketball Olympic that that went on missions. You know, I looked up to them a lot,

and and that helped facilitate my decision to serve UH. UM. There's a time where my very last high school basketball game, UM made that decision to go on a mission more difficult than it was just with the the publicity that I received from that. It was the Geico Nationals in team where we played m R. J. Barrett and Mont Bird And so that game kind of changed the course. But eventually I still end up going on my mission

right after that. How you changed the course? UM? So right then, UM the coach of Utah State UM got let go and Coach Smith was just hired, and so that opened up my recruiting once again as UM as

basically a non committed player. And it was right during the Final four where all the coaches are in the ballrooms and meeting with each other, and UM, I scored twenty nine points in the second half on R. J. Barrett and everybody was going crazy on Twitter here and social media and everything and um that night, my head coach, Coach Evans, got a call from the assistant coach John Shire at Duke saying, hey, we want Stephen to come. And it had been something that we were talking about

early on at the beginning of my senior year. We were talking about possibly being a preferred walk on at Duke and they said that if they didn't feel all of their UM thirteen reports in scholarship positions, then UM I would be the first in line to change I preferred walk onto a scholarship spot. And so um I then got He called my coach and said, hey, we want Stephen, but not as a preferred walk on. We

have that open scholarship. And so that was kind of the decision that became really tough to pass down Afreid scholarship to play at Duke to serve my mission, But ultimately came down to that I knew that that God came first and that that he'd provide away and then honestly, I couldn't be happier than than where I'm out here at Eta State. Um, so what is it? What was it like for you? They see you turned down Duke

to go on a mission. Right. He also turned down Duke to stay loyal to Utah State even though um, they got rid of coach dury A and and they hire a guy and Craig Smith, who like you, you don't know? Yeah, so so uh when did you find out, like timeline wise, where you're going? Where you were going? So that game, Um, the game happened in March, and they basically Duke was saying that they want me out there in May, and then I was planned to leave on my mission in July. UM, and I already had

the assignments to go to Indiana in July. And UM, and so that week after the two weeks after that tournament, we're stressful. It was a lot of condom play, sation, a lot of research, a lot of prayer on just what would be in best fit UM and best opportunity for me, and and ultimately through a lot of counsel with my family and a lot of prayer, UM, I then decided UM early April that that I'd stay committed to Utah State and UM that I was going to

go there after my two year mission. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio Dot com and within the I Heart radio app search f s R to listen live. Okay, so, uh, Indiana does not seem like you know, Sam goes to Sam goes to Nicaragua. You go to Indiana. Um, so you do to Indiana? What was your what was your because I know they move you around as well, what was your first spot

like when you get to Indiana. Um? So my first spot in Indiana, I was in Um there's a town called Avon. It's just west of Indianapolis. It it borders or some towns of Brownsburg and um and some stuff just out the Highway of four sixty five out there. And it was great. Um, there's a lot of diversity in Indiana that I that I didn't know there was.

I thought it was mainly gonna be a lot of corn fields and um outdoor basketball hoops, which there were plenty of that, um, but inside the city and and the city's bordering Indianapolis, there's a lot of different diversity which was super cool to learn about and um into experience. And then I was actually in one of the only apartment complexes with an indoor basketball court. So that was Yeah,

it was perfect. That was a perfect kind of adjustment into a into a mission with the opportunity that I could just walk down into the basement of the of the apartment complex and had a nice little half court setup, which was fun. Okay, So, but so that's like the opposite of most guys. So many guys they even touch of basketball. Yeah, yeah, I mean I have I have teammates like Brock Miller who like, we still make a joke. He's like, man, like, did you even go on a mission?

And I was like, yes, I went on a mission. I maybe got to play a lot of basketball on that mission, but I did go on a mission. And Brock he touched the ball like three times, and just the culture there he went. Um, he went to South America as well, and you know it's a lot of soccer and um, that's how you kind of connect with

the people there. And luckily in Indiana, basically everybody that wanted to hear the message also wanted to play basketball, and so we'd play a little bit and then then after playing, the questions and start coming of like how are you so good? Because they don't expect a little white kid and a shirt and tie to to be a hooper or anything. So it was funny. So, UM, what's that? What was that existence like for you? Um in Indiana preaching the gospel? Um? You know, yeah, I

know you have a partner with you. What what was you What was your experienced like on your mission in terms of not the basketball element, the element of sharing the gospel. Yeah, I mean, honestly, it was life changing, um for me. And UM, you know, there's a lot of people that I was able to share the message of Jesus Christ and the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ UM to a lot of people who are confused. Um,

they didn't know what to believe. Uh. I think especially with Christianity today and how many different religions there are, and how many different beliefs there are, a lot of people just want some common ground, wants some understanding of

of why that happened. And Um, through my study and knowledge of the Church of Jesus Christ glatiy Saints, I're be able to teach them about, um, the confusion that went on after Christ left and and how so many people have have different views, and how a lot of those views are very similar, but how there's specific things that that God once done, and and it was cool to be able to bring that piece to them, which

brought peace to me. And I was able to see my witness and testimony of Jesus Christ grow as I was teaching it to others, which was I think the biggest blessing of it all. Honestly. Well, okay, so so I died deeper into that for me, if you would. Okay, So it feels like what you're saying is like, look, you always believed, right, you always believe, you always had faith. But again, this is just me who I have no

basis of knowledge. Yeah, it feels like though by sharing it and by by having these discussions all of a sudden now became a lot more real to you. But but but explain what that like? Go a little further on, Yeah, what what became more real? Toy? What specifically did you feel differently about when you were sharing it? Yeah? I think, Um, like one of the biggest things that that I thought of over and over again is like, Um, before my mission, I would say that I believed in Jesus Christ. Like

I believe that that he did come to earth. I believed that he was God's son. Um, I believe that he performed miracles. I believed that um, he was resurrected and that because of that we can all live again together. UM. But after my mission, and even during it, I felt like the term really became I believe Jesus Christ. UM. So it's not necessarily believing in him, but like I believe him, I believe his words. I believe that when he says he can heal me, he can forgive me

him as my sins. UM. It became very more real. And so I think that UM, when you one of the best ways to learn something is by teaching it UM. And I think that even applies to basketball. Right. One of the best things that I learn more about a move or learn more about a shooting technique is when I have young kids that are like, hey, how do you do this right? And it takes me a minutes think and say, well, I've done it forever. I know how to do it, but but how would I help

you do it? And so when I think about Jesus Christ, it's you know, I believe in Jesus Christ, but when somebody asks me, well how do I or how can they? Um, it becomes very more real. And the sense of how I got that testimony, um, and how I've seen it change over the years, and um, and honestly, right when I got back from it, lisn't it It needs to be the same thing. You know, if I'm not reading my scriptures, are praying daily, then I can feel that

that sense of you know, kind of taking a step back. Um. The same thing is true with with anything in our lives, whether it's basketball, work, education. You know, if we're not trying to excel at it, um, I think we're we're de slling in a way. So UM, I've always wondered, you know, like this goes back to when I was at au Player middle school, high school. We play, we play Utah teams and they can all shoot and they don't play. But also it always felt like they were

like physical and tough. And it's honestly like your boy being is like this where if I met you in the hallway of like, man, that's the nicest kid ever, and I play against you, I'm like, I don't like they're so physical and and and and not. And I know some of the b y Utah Stoup they get dirty, right, but it's like just to that limit of physicality, what's that what's that like to carry it's a little bit of a burden right where you're You're a little white

kid from Utah. Dudes are gonna come at you. You know, you spent a couple of years, you know, preaching the gospel. So everybody, so guys think you're soft? Why do you? How do you overcome that? Like? What is the we can we can sit around go in circles and talk about how we're not supposed to have stereotypes. But the truth is when you walk into gym, but it's like shoot up right, but they also think you're soft? How do you overcome a stereotype like that? Where does that?

Where does it come from? And I don't think it's just you. I do think it's uh something about a lot of dudes from Utah. Yeah, I think it's um. I don't know if it's I totally agree with that. I think I'll start with that. I think that, um, you know, we got the chess team joke a lot um where wherever we were going, it's like, oh, like this is gonna be easy. So I think that one of the things that that it stems from is just the fact that when when anybody's underestimated, um, there there's

a sense of I have to prove something. And and I think that, um, when you look at guys that are, you know, skinny shooters, UM, I feel like we often feel like we're we're underestimated in our toughness and so as sometimes we get even more um tough than we we'd ever actually want to be. And so with that

like an over like almost an overcompensation. Yeah, yeah, it becomes a little bit of an over compensation type of thing where I even without you telling me what you're thinking, I know what you're thinking because I've experienced it time and time again, and so when I'm out there on the court, it's it's something especially to me as a

as a short um white point guard. UM. And you know, as you watched this year me and Ryanan Jones played together, I think that, um, you'll see both of us like our games are very similar because it's the only way

that we can make it to where we are today. Um. If we weren't scrappy, if we weren't tough, if we couldn't shoot the lights out of the gym, then then we wouldn't have the oppert tunity to be or at And I think that that you understand that just as well with with how well you've played in different situations

like that. And so, UM, I think that it also it stems from there is kind of a whispers going on in the state of Utah high school basketball that people don't think we're as good as we are, and so there's there's something to prove whenever we have the

chance to go outside of the state. And um, and I remember in my high school career, whenever anybody would go out of state, we always wanted them to win, even though we wanted to beat them in the state championship, we wanted them to beat whoever they're playing out in California or Florida or Atlanta type of things like that. And so, uh, I think I think that's kind of where it stems from. Um. So you guys have so much success last year and then coach Smith leaves and

goes to Utah. Um, what was your world like when that happened? Um, it was tough at first, just because, Um, you create this culture, you create this family, and then you feel like the father figure just kind of walks out on you and and you understand why, but at the same time, you don't know why because of all the things that were said and all the things that were taught. UM. But at the end of the day, you know, I'm never gonna you know, be upset with

somebody who who needed to improve their situation. UM. And if he felt like if that wasn't improve of his situation, and that's his his decision. UM. But I remember finding out on Twitter UM that he was leaving, and then the team got a text message later from him, and I just remember talking with being okay, like it doesn't matter what what's gonna happen, like who we're gonna get, Like we're aggies, Like this is our place, is where

we're supposed to be UM. And so it turned not being perfect, and with coach Odam coming in it, it's been a great fit and we're all excited for what what we've got to to prove this year and what we've got to do, and so I think it'll be really good once again. Kind of weird that with guys like you know, uh, you know Riley leaves. Obviously, some guys have stayed, some guys left you and you and being him have stuck it out together. Yeah, first, did

you did you ever think of leaving? No? No, not really. I mean when the whole news came out, it was really more of a um a situation of just like let the cards fall where they may, um and like I never made plans to enter the trans reporter and never made plans to talk with any other coaches. Um, it was really just between me and my guys. And I felt confident that, really I felt confident if if we could have been in Rock, uh stay that we can build pieces. Whoever comes in, whoever else stays that

we can build some great pieces around that. And and that's what's happened. And we've had some great pieces come in and some other great players stay with us, and so I'm excited. So how old is brock Brock? What does say he's twenty five? Turn in twenty six? I mean he's I feel like he's almost old enough to be on the Lakers. Not yet. If the Laker isn't need an next you man, Rock might Rock might have to believe us for a few weeks you don't play with them. But yeah, it's it's a running look that

we call him grandpa. Um. You know, he's seen a few a few sunrises, a few sunsets in his days but yeah, I think that, especially in the realm of college basketball, you can never underestimate how important it is to have a guy like brock Um and guys with experience like that, especially tournament times and when times get rested in the season, because there's always up and downs during the season. But to have guys who know how important it is to stay positive, to stay together as

is always vitable to have on the team. They have the suxpression in basketball. In college basketball, get old and stay old another one. No one accomplishes that better than brock Dollar right like he he totally gets it. Okay. So um, social media is fascinating, right, it really is that you know some women, but I feel like they're

thirsty right there. They're looking for attention for you. People have known you since high school game that where you live up Mumford and then in college now you succeeded and Utah State though it's not some gigantic fan base like it is a very vibrant fan base. Okay. So they opened up the name image and likeness Steel and I know you put this posting some stuff for oh

is body armor? Yeah body arm? Right? Yep? So did they did they respond at all, yeah, yeah, So I've actually had some great conversations with some companies, like that UM body armor was a cool one. I was actually um they I messaged them just saying like, hey, I'm sure you're aware of the name, image and likeness rules that have just changed, and this is this is probably

the day of namings and image and likeness. Because I'll be honest, before Namings and Lightness came out, one of the first thing I was thinking is like, how do I get free body armor? How did I get by a body armor? Just because um, you know there's other drinks out there, but one of my things is that body armor. To me, it feels like water, but it has a nice flavor to to where it's not too sugary,

especially like the body Armor of Light. And so I DM them the day name it was like came out and they probably responded UM two weeks later and they said, hey, Steven, thanks so much reaching reaching out, UM fill out this links We're about to post UM something with with name images and lightnessed athletes and so UM they reasot to me and I filled it out and then later that that week I see that they started this UM brand new ambassador thing for body armor. Body armoru is what

they called it. And so they sent me um a few packages already and um, then we'll kind of see what goes on from there. Obviously, it would be cool to have it be more of a frequent thing and maybe one of the the college athletes that gets an opportunity to be in a commercial or advertisement for them or something like that. But so it kind of it kind of feels like like, you know, Oprah does Oprah's favorite things, right, and this is a good philosophy for you.

It's like pick out the stuff that you really like, you legit us and then hit him up and go like, hey, do you want to do a name, image and likeness and and and see see where it goes? Right, Yeah, exactly. And um, and I've thought I have some good mentors

um that understand the business aspect and branding. And so it's been good because you know, nobody's gonna want to buy something that that I promote if I don't actually use it, you know, and so um, it wouldn't make sense as a part of my brand either to promote something I don't stand for you. So, um, hair you gotta do hair product right, Altho. I actually Boneyard Barbering is. We've been a few things with them, and so he's excited for you to come get your cut when you

come compensate one of our games this year. I just gotta fresh you here in Orange County, but I'm going to bone Yard. Yeah, I just you know, I wish I had somebody that good when I was in school when I had better hair. You know, I had great hair. I had great hair, but I used to we had a guy who passed away whispering Richard, and he'd like he was like coaches this guy, but he wasn't very good. He was a super nice guy. I cut my own hair. One of your teammates that come cut your hair is

just terrible fades. You know, you're like you look back, You're like, God, it was so I was so cheap. But now you don't have to meet you. Now you'd be like, hey, look, dude, have you cut my hair? I'll give you. I'll promote you, right like that that's

to do, Yeah, exactly. And uh, we've been talking about some other ideas and he actually has some hair um cream that that I use, and so we've been talking about different ways to possibly promote that and and and get that out to people, which is which is a really good product. And and so I've also I've talked to Whoop, who just released their new product and um and they messaged me back with just some feedback that that they haven't quite figured out there logistical um, you know,

stance on um on Whoop and sponsoring college athletes. Social happens there as well. Yeah, so it's gonna end up. I mean, I'm surprised you have. You got to be like a NASCAR guy when I interviewed you, you know, you're like, hey, thanks, you know, like the Whoop hair and the night can in the and the I was drinking body armor and then you start answering the questions, right, you gotta drop in like all the all the all

the all the sponsors. Um. I see, I think, I mean, I'll be honestly, I think the the other than the things that you like the other ones you can do is find companies that are owned or run by Mormons and then somehow integrated into you know, hey, a portion of whatever again is going to the to the church. And like then you you kind of make it like the Mormon Mafia where all the Mormon companies are the ones that supports you guys name, image and likeness. Yeah, Um,

you're also married, right, four months now? Yeah? Four months now? Um, what's that like? What's it like? It's been great. Um got married to petson um In in May of this year, and um, we're high school sweethearts. We went in high school, and um, I went on my mission and she went to to Paraguay on her mission, so she kind of got the same vibe of Sam and Brock. Um not much basketball, right, so you're you're like, you're in You're

in Indiana pooping in some some nice apartment complex Parauay. Yeah, your experience could not be more different. Yeah, literally couldn't be more different. Absolutely, And so anytime you go to you know, I'm guessing they speak Spanish and Petaway, right, so I'm sure anytime somebody somebody speaking Spanish, she goes flips the flips the switch, and all of a sudden, you're like, whoa, whoa, what is going on there? Yeah?

It was perfect. We actually went on our honeymoon to Porta Arta and so she got to basically run the show down there, which is perfect. And so um, it's been great though married last one. It's fun to have somebody, UM to live with up here in Logan, especially because we're doing long distance all last year because she was going down um to school down in Provo, and so it's good to have her up here and to have

somebody up here. Wait, you got her to transfer, so that she she did, she entered the transfer portal and then you got to us you so she didn't quite enter the transfer portal. She did move. But she's just doing online and you know, with with COVID, it was able to you know, kind of work out to where there's a lot more online availability and so she's still doing her degree online and UM this next summer she might have to take some classes down there in person.

But so far it's worked out really well. What what what? What are the challenges like? And I know you guys haven't in full season and you guys are having practice and workouts, but UM, easier or more difficult now that you have a spouse right now, you like, you have you have basketball, you have school, and you have a wife. How How has your how are your days change? Last year? Yeah? I think um, one of the biggest things is just prioritizing, Um,

you know, prioritizing what's important. Um, there's obviously some necessities that will have to take care of every day, her being first, and then obviously basketball practice and weights and and other school work that will have to take place. Um. And so I think rather than after finishing my my school work and after finishing all my workouts just hanging out with the boys, it's been a lot more time with with her doing things that she wants to do.

But she's also been super supportive of all the name, image and likeness stuff. And um, she'll even come to the gym and rebound for me after um, after she gets home from work, and so we have some fun times bonding out there and we go play called. We play golf quite a bit together. Um. She's a golfer, so that's nice. And she better than you, not quite, not quite. I'm playing pretty oh and I don't play great. She's she's better, but I've been playing pretty well recently.

Same teeese, same tea boxes, no different tea boxes. What what is the biggest difference I will notice in you playing for coach on. I think the biggest difference you'll

notice is freedom. Um, I feel like I played pretty freely last year, but I still had more to give and more to offer, I felt like, And I think that the way that our offense is set up this year and just the different tools that we have, will be able to play with a lot more freedom and UM, and I think you'll see a lot more of me creating and then facilitating um off of screen and roll and just off of I've improved quite a bit this off season with just dribble penetration and being able to

make decisions in the lane. And that was a focus just after last year, looking at the percentages from two points and three point line and um and wanting to obviously improve that, and you know, the goal to be like stuff curry with club and and stuff like that. And so that's probably the biggest difference you'll see. You're

an incredible free throw shooter. What's your routine? Um? My, My similar routine when I get to the line is is I'll take a deep breath, I'll focus on the very front of the rim um and then I'll just take one dribble and then get it into that shooting pocket and straight up and always started to line up. I don't necessarily line up my foot with the nail. I try to line up with where I released the ball with the nail, which is just a little bit to the right side of my of my head shows

the nail. So is the nail slightly to the right of your foot? How do you? How do you like? How do you? How do you line up your your feet with the nail? Yeah, so my my right foot would be slightly outside of the nail, So the nail is gonna be um inside well the left right, Yes, to the left. So if I'm shoot, because you shoot, you you have that perfect shot where you shoot off your right shoulder. Yeah, right here? So yeah, okay, so okay, so you take you take a breath first, you line

up your feet, take a breath. Um. You you look at the front, front of the rim. You take one drillable shot. Pockets you Are you saying anything to yourself? Are you? Is there some some way in which you finish every time? Like any anything else? Yeah? So one of the things that I always do, um is actually when I take my dribble, I'll say swish um. And so I'm not thinking. I think I kind of started that in around eighth grade. I stopped thinking like, oh,

I should make this shot. Um, and it's and it's kind of changed my mindset, which I think has really helped. Like I don't make shots. I want to switch shots because I'm already expecting it to go in and so, um, if I swish it, then I then I'm really pleased. If I make it, that's great. Um. And then also just in the in the practice of it, I never leave a gym without making ten free doze in a row. Um. And so that's kind of and obviously I shoot a

lot of free throws throughout the workout. Um. And I try to integrate it to where you know, I'm getting a high heart rate and so it's a game like to where I've got to slow it down just a little bit, but PHIL still feel it to where I'm making in pressure situations and then I'm feeling good. Um. You mentioned your workouts, Um how many? How many? Is there a number of shots you try and get up

every day? Yeah, So um, I'm actually starting uh. Um, I've created a few workout plans and I'm actually gonna gonna promote it um here in the next week or so. I'm gonna try try to create a training brand in

a way. UM, and I'm gonna call it the Breakfast Club after one of the famous stories of Kobe Bryant and the USA Olympic team back in two thousand and eight and how they called themselves the Breakfast Club because they were getting up early, They're getting their work done early before practice and then, um, it just kind of unified the team. And so, UM, the goal is to make to make five shots today, um, And so it would be considered the five hundred club. And a lot

of that is is off the dribble. A lot of that is form shots, trying to make sure that um, you know, sometimes inside the five round, sometimes outside. So maybe it'll be a little more than I'm making at least a fifty two hundred form shots today, just to make sure that it's all dial in one workout or or do you do you have a plan to where you go in the morning and you go in the evening, Like,

how how does it in your mind? What's what's the best way to do so my Um, ideally I would say it's five one workout, um, and then it just depends based on my day. UM. If I know that I don't have enough time to make the five dred in between class and before practice or other things, and I'll get in as many as I can, and then I'll save some of it for after practice, and then

I'll get in the rest of it. UM. And so ideally it would be just to be able to set a time apart to where you know you can get in that five but if it needs to be split into you know, an hour in the morning and an hour at night. UM. It typically takes me probably uh seventy five minutes to finish five dred on the move off, you know, and I obviously try to shoot some just standing standing still shooting because you do get some of those in the game, but a lot of those are

sprinting to a corner, sprinting in transition. Just to make it as game like as possible. You you never you don't use your thumb. It's a it's a it's a perfect shot. Yeah, how did you developed it? Like? When did you have the strength to to shoot with one hand and no no left thumb. I that started actually in um in eighth grade. So in eighth grade was when um quincy Lewis actually he pulled me aside after one of the open gyms that we were having and he said, hey, uh, it's gonna be hard with it.

Something that you're gonna need to do to play at the next level. Um. And he actually walked through with me the changing because you know, I kind of used my thumb and out and I'll push it from hereath my chin a little bit just was it was still a good form, but obviously it wasn't perfect and and he just worked on elevating it more to upright above my forehead so where I could get it and um. And he worked and honestly, um, and something I still did.

They were worked on a lot where I would just cut it like this, the ball then one hand turn and over and turning over and then UM. I remember George talking to George Hill a few years ago and he was telling me that was like the first year he got to the Spurs, Um, he shot it all right, and he thought he had a great shot, and then that next summer that k, we need to change your shot.

And he was saying that he would make five form shots today and they wouldn't let him shoot outside of outside of ten ft for a month and he just had to shoot it over and over and he's like just because of you know, and I think anybody that wants to change their shot, they just have to be basment enough to to give it the time to develop, because it's not gonna be perfect after a day or

even a few days or even a few weeks. It takes that time, but being confident enough that that it will pay off in the end, which which it has for me. Um when you now you told me you say switch when you shoot a free throw? Is are there? What are the thoughts or do you have any when you're in a game as far as shooting the basketball? Do you have any thoughts? Things you save yourself, things that you always do, like as part of kind of your catch and shoot or go off the dribble routine. Yeah.

So one thing that I always try to do is that before I get into the into the form of it,

because that's becomes second nature. I always started to focus on the front three prongs of the rim, so where the net connects with the rim, I'll try to find three of those, and sometimes you can only find two based on the angle you're at, and you just kind of I always try to aim right for that middle prong um and then I focus on the rim all the way until I release it, and then typically about the last you know, seven too to nine ft of it coming down, I'll actually look at the ball and

I'll see if if it was going in between those three and then after that I know if it was a little right but still went in, then I know that I either turned my hand a little too much or it was just maybe because of the way I was balanced. Um. And so that's actually something that I learned from Steph Curry watching a few of his of his documentaries and different things of of how he likes to shoot in it something that that I tried and I really liked. So he looks at ball flight. Yeah,

so he's Um, he's a ball flight shooter. UM. And I know that some guys are heavily never look at the ball. Some guys look right after they release it. UM. But my thing is always that I've nactually kind of always looked at the rim and then seen the ball come over. But I've I've started more so looking at it, and then it's given me a better idea too of what the trajectory was like um on its way to the rim, of if it was too flat or even if it had too much arc, which which is hard

to do. But um, those type of things that I can look at and analyze the best in your mind, from shooter to shooter to step the best shooter, Yes, seven Gray is the greatest shooter of all time in my mind. I think that that you can pick a few things of maybe Clay Thompson has a prettier shot, or a better form, or maybe a better stand still shooter. But I think when you're talking about a shooter, you have to be able to attribute every single shot in

every single aspect. That he can go right, he can go left, and obviously he gets an unbelievably quick release and unlimited range. Like but the idea that you can go right and left and stand still, it's crazy. It's just it's it's you know, because most everybody else everybody has like I really like. Like I remember when I was Notre Dame. We we ran a play called three side.

My coach was, uh, the late John McLeod is, an old NBA coach, and for until the very last game of the year, every pick and roll we ran was to the right. He's like, well, you're right handed, Like, yeah, right hand is most guys actually shoot the ball better going left. I couldn't really confidently shoot, and I would work on it every day in the college. But I, like my whole life, I was off the dripple going left. But the idea that he can shoot going either way

is just that's the most remarkable. Yeah, And I think that, like I've looked at that and even just the way that, like, like I was even talking about this with Ray than the other day, like a crossover pull up has never felt natural to me, Like, well, not just that, but listen here, here's the it's not just it's not natural. That was always deemed to be a bad shot. Yeah, never shoot. I was always never shoot off across him.

And then he like he violates that right. I mean, but he makes such a high percentage and he must it must be from working on it and his balance and how cleanly he picks it up. Do you see you've seen the ball when you pick it up. Yeah. So I'm a big seam shooter. Um, anywhere I catch it, I always it will be usually a left hand kind of turn to get teams. Have you did you have you practiced as do you have any tricks for that? Um?

I think part of it is that. Um, I have actually had UM workouts where I'd sell them never pass it to me with the seams, And so with that is, I'll always catch it off the seam, and I always have to quickly turn it or there's even part of me that UM like I was, I'm have a little level of O C D. And so whenever I passed the ball, I always pass it to him where it's in the part of scene on the seams, in the pocket. And so UM, I can actually when the ball is

coming to me. I actually I don't know if I've practiced it or if it's just become a second nature. I can actually see where the seams are, um. And so I actually tend to change my hand position of how I catch it to where it catches it on the seams, so I don't necessarily have to turn it as much. Okay, I never hadn't heard of that trick. That's a that's a really good one. Last thing, shoes, Um, what what is your what is your? Not? Was your shoe game? Like? Do you wear the same shoes all season?

Do you change them after a loss? Do you wait until they're just like flat tires and they're dead? Um? Is there a certain style of shoe you know that like I will only wear these shoes you mentioned O C D. Guys that have a little O C D to have they do the same thing. What give me your your your shoe, your shoe, not your shoe game in terms of what do you wear around town or your shoe game in terms of playing. Yeah, first off, I'll only playing Nikes, um and and that's the only

shoe I'll wear on the court. Um. And then secondly, I'm a Kobe guy. I grew up a Lakers fan. Um. My dad taught me young that that we're Lakers fans, and I always like sacrilegion. Utah, it is a little bit. But my dad's from Vegas and so we're Dodgers fans. Were Lakers fans, you know. That was the closest sports seamen. And his grandpa was big Lakers and Dodges fans. So he grew up going to the games, which were about two hours away from Vegas and so um, so I

grew up wearing Kobe's and um. And then when I was on my mission, he passed. UM and I still remember that day, just sitting in church and I got a message like, hey, Kobe just died, and I was like, wait what um but wait, olga, let's let's let's go to that day. Okay, I'll tell you where I was show. I had gotten back from calling a game. My daughter isn't equestrian writer, and we're sitting there and she's warming up and all of a sudden, I get a text.

It's like, there's no way this is real. And then a couple of dudes like, no way, no way, and all my friends they think, because you know you when you work in sports, like like I somehow know what's a real story, and I do, but like not when it breaks. And then they're like, did you check Twitter? Kobe died And I looked at was like and like and and no one knew his real faith but it was TMZ and generally they don't miss. Right. Um, So my daughter actually, then she's riding in the ring in

a show. She is great, she wins, and she gets the other rings. She's walking her horseback to her to the grooms and she bawling. Now she didn't she had gone to school with Gianna who died in the crash, but she wasn't like she knew Kobe and at the time. It said that nobody in her family was was with her,

and she starts crying. I go up to her and turns out actually her best friend was on the on the helicopter um um me Lissa Alta Belly, and she knew Johanna and she knew basically almost everybody on that on that plane. She knew the Choppers she knew. So that was that was my That was my day. What was what church? Were you in? What? What town in Indiana? Yeah?

So I was actually on campus um I E Pui, so right downtown in Indianapolis, And the building was just right off the river, um the White River down there, And I remember I was in UM. I was in like the second hour of church, so Sunday school, and I was actually reading the scripture UM, and the everybody in the class kind of just like stopped because like we all got notifications and UM. And so you you have so your do you have your phone on you?

Is it? Like? What is I? Again? Every church is different. You have your phone? I even start fuzzing or did somebody else start looking at their phone? And then you look at yours? How How did you? How did you go down? Yes? So I actually there's a there's a church app with all of our scriptures on it, and so I had the church app open and then I got you know, different text messages or messenger, Facebook Messenger, different stuff like that. And so Facebook is actually the

approved social media for missionaries. So I didn't have Twitter. Um, I didn't have Instagram. I just had Facebook. And I get this message like check this out. Like I get another message I can't believe he died, like you know what's happening like all of this stuff and um, and I was like there's no way, like this isn't real. Um. But then like the leader of the congregation after Sunday school came up to me. He's like, hey, like I

know you're basketball player. I know my scenarios don't have a lot of access to stuff like did you hear that Kobe Bryant died? And like that's when it like hit. I was like no way, like this can't be real. And then every every Sunday night we called the different missionaries to see like how their week was, see if they need anything, and one of the elder missionaries was from California like answered the phone. He was just like

bawling and he was just like so sad. He grew up a Lakers fan, just like me, and and like I still remember that pain, like we felt together, like we didn't know him, like personally or anything. Right, But when something like that happens to people who just you know, love somebody, it's painful to see. And you know, I couldn't imagine for your family, especially a daughter who who knew them personally, what it would be like. But but but I think that also sparks why I love wearing

them even today. You know, it's it's kind of like living on his legacy. And um, I love the Kobe fours, fives, and sixes, and those are probably my go to pairs that I wear for games. I've gotten a few more this offseason that hopefully I'll be able to showcase. And are you like superstitious, like you play well in one you keep wearing those? Actually in high school. In high school,

I was very superstitious. So there's a pair of shoes that, um, I didn't have a great game in and then they were out of the rotation even though I loved them, Like, I'd still practice in them because there's some of my favorites. But like Um, they're actually the Kobe elevens. Um, they're this nice pair of Kobe elevens that I got for Christmas one year. Um, And then I had to go to the Kobe A d s, which actually were my

personal favorite. But like they're okay, But I played really well on them for a while, so I was like, I gotta keep rocking with it. And we actually won the state championship, so I guess it worked. Where do you wear against Montberg? I wore some Lebrons, so we got invited to Geico, right, and my buddy's dad bought these the same black and gold because our colors were black and golden maroon. You bought these black and gold Kobe's or Lebron's. I'm like, I never wear Lebron. It's

like they're so heavy. There's like you know, so I mean people like they're made He's like six ft eight, two hundred sixty pound dude, shoes made for him. Yeah, you weren't space boots dropping, Yeah exactly. And so like then my buddy's like, bo, you gotta wear those every game every game in college. I'm like, dude, I can't wear those, like their bricks. But like they were really

comfy actually, like they did have a lot of cushion. Um. But yeah, so that game against mort Bury and I was like one of the only games I've never wear Kobe's. I worked some Kyries Sometimes I do like Kyrie's mainly because they were might be of early Kobe's and the

way that they feel and and stuff. But um, in college, yeah, I've I've I think mentally i've I don't know if it's gotten over, but the superstition of shoes, But I think I'm kind of past that, which I think is good in a way, just because I think I need to be able to be confident enough that no matter what shoe, I play and I'll be able to play good. So let's just say Utah State place in the final four next year. As you mentioned, you said, I like fours, fives,

and sixes, but you only get to pick one. And the Nakee guys come in your You're in logan, your fat practic facility, right, and they're like, hey, what shoes do you want to wear in the final four? What's your official answer? Um, I gotta go with I'm asking for something exclusive here that they they haven't made to the public. But I'm going with the purple Devin Book

or Kobe Force. So those purple ones that he wore basically the whole playoffs, those would be the shoe that I would wear, um, just because I feel like they'd stand out a little bit, but also that the Code four is a super comfy Yeah, just a little bit. Just the the shoes. It's like we wore the grinches right, just enough, just enough, but not so over the top, right.

You want to be the guy that's got the arms sleeve, you know, and and a headband and the shoes and the sweat bands or whatever, like the branch you know, green or some purple shoes. I like it. It's a it's an understated deal. Yeah, all right, do listen. I know you gotta go. You get a heart out. I do as well. It's great to catch up with you, and congratulations on your nuptules. Um, and let's catch up again in logan and let's get you some more and I l deals, right, we got we gotta make you

a Nike athlete. You gotta um, you know, obviously the bone Yard I'm coming. We've gotta get their hair products going. And then continue to all of the all of the Steven Ashworth things, right, that's what you gotta. I can't believe you have into Ashworth now it's golf gear, but I haven't hit up Ashworth through that would be that

would be a go to. I mean, I think I could get something with Ashworth golf gear, um, kind of like the Curry brand you know in golf, and so I don't even know how I haven't even thought of that one. I'm gonna text them right now. Yeah, if you know anybody at Nike, tug me up. I'd love to to wear some some out there type of shoes that are kind of just underlying. Nothing too crazy, but you know I'm a Nike guy, and you know that'd be a dream come true to to be able to

have some Nike gear like that. Thanks so much for all the shooting advice and all those thoughts. I appreciate you joining me and being my guest for sure. Take care of that. Great to see you. Likewise, I'm not a fun combo. I thought it was great. Um. By the way, if you like what you here, make sure you write us a positive review. I think it benefits

the pod somehow. A reminder of the Doug Gotlib shows daily three to six Eastern, twelve to three Pacific on the I Heart Radio app, Fox Sports Trade dot Com series x M two seventeen or two oh three my thanks to Stephen Ashworth and UH. Any of those companies that want to link up with him, you can do so. Find him on social media. Find him on Twitter. Make sure my boy gets paid. In the meantime, listen to Doug Gotlib Show twelve to three Eastern. I'm Doug Gottlieb in This is All w