S2 Episode 10: Is This Really Happening?

the NBA Draft. He silenced any criticism and doubt about his abilities, his supposed poor performance of the Clutch Pro Day, and even the last minute questions about his passion for the game. At the end of the day, none of that affected his standing so much for the bass showing at the pro day. Why don't we do that? That's Clutched Sports founder and CEO Rich Paul. He's watching the draft in Los Angeles with the Clutch team while continuing to work the phones as the next few draft picks

get announced. Oh is up, bro, Thank you, thank you. We're still in it. We're still in it. Yeah, listen, I got one more down the board, Tyrese MAXI. We should be now stage. At this point, the first sixteen picks have come and gone and Tyrese Maxie is still on the board. Riches intel from around the league is that Tyrese could be selected anywhere from pick twelve to twenty four, so he should be drafted at any moment, and right now, the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the clock

again with pick seventeen. They reportedly want another guard, meaning Tyrese and Anthony could end up as teammates in the NBA. This unlikely outcome suddenly seems very possible until the timber Wolves trade the pick to Oklahoma City, who select a forward from Greece. Pick eighteen and nineteen also go by without Commissioner Adam Silver calling Tyrese's name. This puts the Miami Heat on the clock with a pick twenty. ESPN pundits and analysts say the Heat could be a perfect

home for Tyrese. Here's j Billis on the ESPN draft broadcast. They've had a lot of success with Tyler Hero out of Kentucky, Bam out of Biota, Kentucky. Don't you just take Tyrese Maxie egoistic when this Kentucky thing is working its Rich Paul watches on as Adam Silver arrives with the pick. In two thousand twenty NBA draft, Miami Heat select presses Chewa from Port Churt Nigeria and the University

of Memphis. The year of the American at Loving Conference the White Plus and you mention blocks I didn't watch enough progrowns. Now, the Philadelphia seventy Sixers are on the clock with pick one, another team that has been rumored to need a guard. If Tyrese is feeling nervous, he's

not showing it or saying much about it. Commissioner Silver returns with the seventies sixers selection with the pick in the two thousand twenty NBA Draft in Philadelphia, seventy Sixers select Tyrese Maxi from the University of Kentucky for Julian and Ride flu and Silver. Tyrese Maxi out of Pinsucky from traps going in June and texcellent situation with Philadelphia. After the cheering stops, Tyrese and his parents do their

interview with the ESPN. Tyrese, your mom says that your parents knew that you would be an NBA player when you were five years old. What do you want to show your family that you can do in this league. I just want to show them that I compete and do it. I know that I can do. I trust myself. I put the work in and I'm just so excited. I'm I'm so thankful. What have you learned from the time you've spent playing with raw Gen Rondo and the like about learn to mine? I'm sorry, it's a big moment.

I learned so much to Rondo. I really appreciate with me. Took the time out the end day every single monted and teach me to trick to the trade. And uh, I just I want to say thanking so much and I thank feel. But if opportunity I from me, it won't be real great. Nobody in the draft was more prepared for this moment than Tyrese, and it still overwhelms him. All the days and years of hard work come rushing

back in the moment. They're specifically talking about those grueling daily workouts with All Star guard Rajon Rondo in Los Angeles, the ones we heard about in episode six, and even that was just one summer out of a lifetime. He's committed to get to the NBA. While Tyrese goes off to briefly celebrate with his parents and do more media appearances, Rich gets on the phone with Tyrese's uncle Brandon. Wow. Wow, Wow, I'm telling you, Bro, listen and don't get no better

think about it. That's what I've been telling you. I've been telling you all the whole time. It's fit over picked. When you look at Philadelphia exactly and you get and think about this, How did River just play Lou Williams. This was I'm trying to tell you. So now you got you got Ben Danny Green to Bias Joel and then they second unit it's gonna feature Tyrese. They're talking about Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, who has a reputation for

developing young players and especially guards. In fact, he even helped Rajon Rondo win a championship in Boston. This elite seventy six years coaching staff and the fact that they are contending playoff team who need another guard off the bench make Rich and Uncle Brandon thrilled about Tyrese's new home. Now Brandon gives the phone to Tyrese, raise you good. I'm good man, I'm good. Now. I just say you're crying on the thing. I was like, I'm so, I'm

so happy for you. And I was just telling them, telling your uncle man, it's just a great Philly about the car. You's just a great I'm so happy you went there, man, I'm so happy you there. Appreciate appreciate it. So listen and don't worry about anybody that went before you. That ain't about nothing, bro, Trust me, trust me, Okay, okay.

Tyrese seems unfazed about being picked near the end of his projected range anywhere from pick twelve to twenty four, but University of Kentucky head coach John Kellapari has some strong feelings about when his former star guard was selected. I thought he should have gone earlier. Let me just tell you, there's a lot of people we're gonna regret that they passed. There's about eight positions that they're gonna look back a few years from now and say, look

where he went and where he could have gone. But he goes to Philly. Do you know who the last player Doc had for us and how he did with him? It was Shane. That's guards shade guilt. Just Alexander, the eleventh pick and the draft who played for coach Doc Rivers in Los Angeles that season under coach Rivers say steadily improved and has continued to do so after being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder He's now averaging over twenty three points, five rebounds, and six assists per game.

His trajectory over his first three seasons is the ideal roadmap for Tyrese. Here again is coach cal I'm gonna go deeper. You may not understand this. Sam Kissel was helping tutor John wallwin Washington Shay, and now he has Tyrese so as an assistant in Philly. You got a guy that was a point guard played for me, by the way, led us to the playoffs, by the way one a few championships, by the way docs won championships. He's gonna turn around Philly and Tyrese is gonna be

a part of it. Tyrese, They're gonna have a great run. Proud of them. We'll be right back. The first round of the draft ends, and then the second sixty new players have been given a chance to join the NBA. After the entire race will have the night to celebrate their life changing accomplishments. Then tomorrow morning their new lives begin. Here's justin Holland and just how fast NBA life comes at you when you're the number one pick. So after his name was called, what they don't tell you is

behind the scenes. He has to do like two and a half hours worth the interviews, so you know, we celebrate any everybody hugged and embraced each other, and he disappeared for two and a half hours while everybody else just kind of watched the remainder of the draft. And so I guess he spoke with the team front office and they wanted us in Minnesota the next day, so they were sending us a jet at at four pm.

The Timber Whoops planned to fly them to Minnesota less than twenty four hours after making Anthony the top selection. It's agent Omar calls us about twelve. He said, we're gonna send an uber at at three forty for four o'clock fights. So so I thought that was like the weirdest thing in the world because I was my bags were packed and ready around noon, you know, busy Atlanta airport, and uh, you know, they said we're going to the

Signature Airport. So that was that was pretty cool. And the uber let us off and we walked right to the plane and you know, and being its normal composed something like and you've been on a private j He's like, yeah, we rolled on these at Georgia, and I was like, all right, cool, Well, I'm tired of acting like I've been here before. I'm taking pictures this time because I hadn't taken any pictures this whole process. I'm taking pictures.

So first we take a picture with the pilot. Then we walked on the plane and says, what is this I did? He's like, is this what it's like to be rich? I don't ever want to go broke again. So I was like, well, I guess you ain't really been on the jet. He was like, no, the Georgia Jett nothing like this. So you know, they had it laid out for him, and you know, they had, uh, the Minnesota newspaper. He was on the cover of the cover up the paper and they had those newspapers sitting

out on the seat. So for us, like that was just like the coolest thing in the world. They arrived in Minneapolis, and it still feels like they're living a dream or perhaps inhabiting someone else's life. Once we landed in Minnesota, it just didn't seem really because you know, I've been knowing him for so long. You know, it goes from like when I when I met him nobody

really cared who he was. Two years after after that, you know, you have people asking for his autograph, And for me, I was like, nobody cared who he was two years ago. Now you push it back, you know, five six years later and he's the number one draft pick. So but to me, he still the kid nobody cared about. You know what I mean, everyone in the league for stunded how fast things moved because of the pandemic, throwing off the entire calendar this year. Here's Molly McQuaid, manager

of basketball at Clutched Sports. The flight was at four o'clock, so you know, as that night I texted West saying, okay, we need some we need some clothes for a press conference. And then we literally went to the mall and went to get anti jacket, myself a jacket and Omar jacket. And then you flew out at four o'clock that night

and about to Minnesota. And I think that he I think, I can't speak Franthony, but you know a real moment for him was, you know, when we got to the hotel, the whole front office executive team was was there and they had their photographer and it was just kind of a surreal moment that everyone kind of showed up to welcome him to Minnesota. Justin Holland again when we landed, you know, it was a photographer capturing photos when he

was getting off off the plane. And then we got into like a really really nice uh like sprinter van that drove us through a minute after St. Paul and we arrived at the hotel. Uh the entire Minnesota Timberwolves organization is outside clapping and waiting on us to get off the bus. And it's like, y'all, everybody's clapping for this this knuncle head, like you know your fella. So

for me, it's like, you know, I don't. I don't really realize, you know, because to me Anthony and Anthony, until I see things like that, I was like, well, technically, I guess he is used the number one draft pick. He is what he is. And and even after that, we're on the elevator. Then we're going up the elevator and I get off like the thirte floor and we're all looking at our keys and he's like, well, I'm on the floor one, but the last number said twenty.

I was like, you're in the penthouse, you know, what I mean, so like even him, I think, like it's surprised, it's even surprised him. But then I thought about it again. I was like, you know, they make penhouses for guys like the number one draft pick. That's why, that's why penthouses exists. Makes sense. But yeah, when when I when I see things like that, it's like, wow, do you really have you transformed yourself to be, you know, to

be a somebody. This transition from college kid to being, as Justin put it, as somebody would normally occur over months. In twenty nine, the last pre pandemic season, the NBA draft was in June, and the first game didn't tip off until late October. Rookies and young players participated in training camps and played in an entire summer league plus a preseason, all before ever playing their first NBA minute.

This year, those surreal moments like Anthony's first time on a private jet or in a penthouse happened as they're already rolling into the new season. After eight months of waiting for the draft. Tyres and Anthony now have three weeks until the first preseason games starts on December eleven. Here's Justin again. The turnaround time is so quick, so he didn't even have a chance ends to really sitting and celebrate or anything. It's it's it's time to go

to work. Like we we got more goals. We want to win Rookie of the Year and we can't win Rookie and you're celebrating, and you know, celebrating about something that happened two weeks ago. We're living in and now we pushed forward, we'll be right back. It isn't just Ampthony and his crew who need to find new winter coats after the draft. Tyrese flies to Philadelphia almost immediately after being selected, and his parents joined him as they all try to quickly establish a new life on the

Chilei East coast. You can't sell him this mask is the best right now because of when if even gowing in your face up in the Philly you're getting you a good taste of Philly today. Oh man, that's snow. That snow it's gonna get you late November, and Philly shows Tyreese just how different life will be compared to his time in Garland, Texas. And it's not only the

weather that takes him by surprise. How much time you spend in the gym or with your teammate or with any The organization period is literally you have you have like like I said, from so tomorrow, we have practical Twitter two. That's the only time that it's not optional to be THEO. And then and then Mark just said, oh, you have optional breakfast on the road from I got you from A to uh eight to whatever time. You know what I'm saying. It was an optional architect at

the University of Kentucky. Tyrese had mandatory meals, meetings, practices, weight sessions, study hours, and all kinds of other required team events and the pros. You're responsible for most of your own time and training. In addition, Tyrese will have a long and grueling regular season scheduled with constant travel along with the off the court commitments like endorsements and

media appearances. Having friends or family nearby is invaluable at this point in his life, especially for someone who just turned twenty years old. That's why the Maxis are looking for an apartment for Tyrese and Brandon and another one for his parents, Denise and Tyrone. Yeah, this is a true downtown doctors Now town, but this is New York and Chicago. That's why people it's it's a bit different when you know, oh my god, it is open clear, you see us right out. It is people on top

of each other like this. That's also true. They don't really gather like this in one Yeah, there's so many different places to go around. I mean, I'm not still not saying they should be open, but not saying it's not saying it either, But I'm just saying it's a lot more spread out in Dallas and like too tight, too tight. Yeah, I agree with that. What I'm saying the same James, you were looking at two bedrooms you saw would I don't have it with me. That's fine,

arably both. So that's clutch agent Mark Murray, who came along to help the Maxis navigate the New City and their apartment hunting trip. You ain't look at the brown songs, Well, mhm, it's kind of cool. I ain't gonna. I kind of did a little bit of both. I thought maybe if I found a one bedroom that's big enough, I like it. Maybe, you know what I'm saying. I didn't really to uh

totally shut off the idea of a one bedroom. I don't need anything separate, like ter reason trying to do for him to Brandon, Tyrese's uncle, Brandon plans to stay with him in Philly like he did in Los Angeles all summer. The pressure, busy schedules, and lack of structure in the NBA often leads to friends or family moving in with the young players to help support them like this, especially as they get settled in a completely new part

of the country. Here's Mark again and how this seemingly ordinary task of moving felt very different from Tyrese's point of view. Tyrese is coming from Texas, so he's not used to the city life, and he's not used to the high rise skyscraper life buildings. And he was so excited to get a nice apartment, you know, a high rise apartment, and it's a big deal. It's his first place, you know, on his own as a twenty year old kid. Um obviously, see most people can't even get their own

place at twenty like that, you know. So it was a big deal for him personally, not just professionally, and I think he really enjoyed it. They look all over the city at all kinds of price ranges and for all sorts of communities for Tyreson Brandon and his parents, it's alot with some old the old people live over here, mom, yeah, fit right in. Yeah, yeah right, that's what I want to stay with the old poke aft your home? Can we go? Can we go to? Can we did the

least job over? I gotta see it? What was it called on your mom? Yeah? Job over? They see that, ain't I ain't got any notes to do it. I'm oh the one. Oh yeah, there's one apartment on their list that rents for fifteen thousand dollars a month, staggering sum of money for almost everyone on earth, but especially for a guy who's living in a dorm room eight months earlier. So that's where they're headed next. Man actually going, I like it's part of that. You take that. Yeah,

you're gonna like that with all this silver one. No, that's not extravaging it up. They can't be it. Oh man, they can't be. It's not they think. Can't worthy man, they can't be. Did they say startup and thinking start knockable? Bro? She made this say she made me? Yeah? She yes, true? Look at that. No, I remember that text that was fifteen zero zero zero right here. It's right, what Yeah, okay, yeah, they pull up to the building. Yeah, ship ship right,

m Mike. They shouldn't be even allow us in the building that fifteen k. They should not have no access to it. So yeah, it's good. You can't even get in this move ten k. You can't hear right, I can afford it a hunt technic flick technic click, that's the building and better me. I was about to say, is this is this really happening? I'm I'm just is

this really happening? He's still having a hard time even imagining this life where a hundred and eighty thousand dollars a year could go to an apartment, just like Anthony flying on a private jet, or realizing the penthouse is reserved for him. Tyrese still hasn't come to terms with his dreams actually having come true, and because of the pandemic, there was almost no bridge from his old life to this new one. There's no time to stop and dwell

on the changes. Tyrese and his family have to move on to the next building, and then the next, and after they finished looking at apartments for the day, the Maxi's returned to their hotel. Oh yeah, I'm gonna my

bible a bit oh Man one. He lies down, exhausted and turns off his mic, perhaps taking a moment to let it all sink in his lifetime of ambition, to get here, his new team, his new city, learning a new system, finding a new apartment, and transforming from a teenager to a multi millionaire professional athlete, all in three weeks. For Anthony and Tyrese, the draft ended one chapter of their lives and instantly began a new one. All those

months of waiting and uncertainty are finally over. Their first NBA season tips off in only a few days, and before long, the next draft with sixty new players will be looming on the horizon. Now it's time to get to work. Drafted as a production of tree Fort Media, Clutch Sports Group, and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Garner, Lisa Ammerman, Eric s a lot, Sean to Tone l Ki and me Keegan Michael Key. The series is produced and written by Eric Winer. Jared brom

is our coordinating producer. Trey McCain is our associate producer. Tom Monahan is our senior audio engineer. Mixed and edited by Steven Johnson. Additional production help from Tim Shower, June Rosen, and Hayley Mandelberg. For transcripts of the show and more information on Drafted, go to tree Fort dot fm for more podcasts. For my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.