On this edition of Orlanto Magic Pod Squad, we catch up with Magic guard Jalen Suggs, who is off to the best start of his NBA career. The Magic are red hot, winners of seventh straight at the time of this recording.
And one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
Magic Podsquad, brought to you by the Florida Department of Transportation, reminds you that fans don't let fans drive drunk. If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel. Instead, find a sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember, drive sober or get pulled over, Have a great night, and drive safe. On this edition of Pod Squad, we get
into this resurgence for Jalen Suggs. What he got into this summer, his mindset on the defensive end of the floor, how much he embraces being that dog a dog mentality out there on the defensive end, and how this team is playing right now, his vantage point of Polo van Caro, and what this team is capable of when things are all said and done, and of course, how much he embraces City Beautiful and the connection he's made with the Orlando Magic fan and of course gotta have a little
football talk as well. All of that on this edition of Magic Pod Squad with Jalen Suggs.
This is Fons of long Enough to Orlando Magic. This is Cole Anthony, this is Jen and Suggs. This is Paulo Man Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're listening to the Pod Squad.
And welcome everyone to another edition of Magic Pod Squad. Dante Marcatelli, Jeorge Galatee, Jake Chapman, and Jalen Suggs Magic Guard joining us here and Jalen, It's always great to catch up with you. It's even better when it's during a seven game win streak. Right You're you're two two away from a franchise record. But we've had two days off. And the thing that I'm most excited about is you had two days off. You had a full day you had you had a full day off yesterday, a practice today.
But how good did that feel for you, my friend, to have a little time off for some R and R.
I told Mos when he when he said we had two days off or we had a day off after that that last win, tears came to my eyes and my eyes got a little watery. Imagine great. It was great, you know, just to enjoy family, you know, the last of them kind of got out of here, got back, got back up home in Minnesota, you know, from being down there for the holiday. So it was good, just that real last day kick with my family. You know, watch all the boys watch the Monday night football. Then
you know, just get some some Jaalen time. He's always a bus as well.
You should do you prefer fifty one degrees in November, December or ten.
You see, I'm just right now, honestly, like this is freezing to me. I went out of my boxing this morning because it was sunny, so, oh it look nice. I'll put some short song. I opened my boxing, I said, oh no, I'm going straight back to the sweat to hoodie. I'm gonna throw the bedie on and I'm gonna be warm. So I think it's safe to sound fully adapted to this. Well reading, I've become warm blooded.
Yes, you're you're a Floridian. Now you're you can officially claim you that thing.
That's what that looks, right, I think? So yeah, Well.
We got a lot to get to. We got the wind streak, we got the n season tournament. The way you're playing is just fantastic. But let's start with the win streak, Jayalen. I mean, this is the longest win streak since the ten eleven season, right, so you got to go back twelve years. You're two away from a franchise record at the time of this taping. What's gotten into you? Guys? This is fun to watch.
This is dope. This is my first time winning winning in the NBA. Everything is, everything is better, practices are better, do says better, hang on, that's right. Uh, but now it's been dope. I mean just it's been a collective effort. You know, it's it's cold one night, you know, it's me another, it's Frons one, it's he, it's Goga coming in and impacting Joe off the bench. Jay. I just you go down the list and everyone is coming and made an impact, you know, towards us winning games. And
I think that's the best part of body. I think that's what makes us special, is our ability to do that it and to want that. You know what I'm saying, it's not I gotta get my shots up tonight. You know I have to. I have to hit my quota, hit my mark. You know, it's we just want to win. And again, like I said, I don't know from experience but from here, and you know that's rare here. But that's all I've known, you know, in growing up and all the teams I've played for, you know, just anything
to do to get a win. So it's really refreshing to have, you know, that same group and staff share that and share that mentality here. It's leading to good things.
Well, George, you know, you know that that is very rare.
George, you know that.
I was just going to say, it is rare in the nb DA. And you can have it for spurts sometimes, like you know, you can have it for five games spurts, six games spurts. But then after a while, usually somebody starts seeing that I gotta get mine and I'm and usually what ends up happening is is things go a
little set at point and things derail. But that doesn't seem to me when you when you're looking at our team and we're all privy to what we're doing here, it just with the makeup of our guys, Jalen, it doesn't seem like we would have the roster to do that everybody it seems to be grasping on to what their role is. And that's to me, that's three quarters of the battle in the NBA. Is everybody embracing them rule.
Yeah, yeah, no, I agree with you. I mean that's a positive of having great people in the building. You know what I'm saying. You know, I'd be There's a ton of talent, a lot of skill, you know that we possessed, you know, in the locker room. And you know a lot of people do a lot of different things and do many things, you know what I'm saying, but you know, to to break it down and simplify, you know, and this is what we need to do. And we we had conversations about it through camp and
before the season started. You know, this is you know, with the staffs. You're telling us to see what we're looking for for each person to do. This is what we feel like you can bring to the table. You know, the floor was open. You know, it was ours to add anything if we wanted to. And uh, you know, for the most part, everyone was solid on it, you know, and I feel like everyone's bought into everything that you know, the staff has asked of us. Now, us players have
asked of each other. And again, like I said, it's leading a good thing. I mean, and they were having fun while doing it. That's the best part. You know, that's where the selfishness comes in. You know, it doesn't matter. You know, I'll come out of We had no business those first three quarters, don't matter how many shots, and I'm getting up you know, volumes were getting to win. Then I get to see my guys playing like that. That's a perfect night for me.
Now.
I was telling Bows that this morning. I keep handling this business through the first three quarters. I don't want to get have to get beat up in the court. We could just let the rest of the boys play. I see that. I enjoy it. You're fine with that like a fat you know, of course, side you.
Get your work done in twenty one minutes and you get to sit out the fourth quarter. Right, gold done, Yeah done, Yoe officiate jed to that end what you were talking about, you know, agenda's the lack thereof how important was last season to what's happening this season? Not just the five and twenty start and the pain and struggle through that, but confidence. Why seeing what you guys are capable of over the last fifty games or so.
I think, I think it was really important to play a great role. You know, I got to experience a bit of both sides for me, you know, playing early and struggling man and and you know, tough loss after loss, and you know, trying to find the rhythm in a way,
you know, something to break the spell. Compared to when when I was out, We got to watch the boys play and go on runs and you know, just see it from a different perspective, you know, the things that they were doing, and then come back to end the season and and get a feel, kind of get a rhythm, get a flow, you know, before that year ended with with kind of our full healthy for the first time, our full health, healthy squad. That was really important for us,
and I think really it just it helped us. It really helped us harp on that belief, you know, and Bugie said it at the beginning of the year. We have to believe, you know, we are that team and we are those individuals and the collectively, you know, we we can get it done every night. You know, I think that's half the battle. And we have that now, and it's a confidence, it's a swagger but it's a
humbleness because we've seen that other side. You know what I'm doing, right, That's what makes this year so enjoyable, man, is we've kept the same unit, the same group together. You know. Not many pieces have come in and out. Uh, you know we we've continued to stay at it together and and good things lead to lead to great things. And you know that.
That's what Did Franz say that while he was holding his gold medal?
Did he say that? Well? No, but we've had those jobs in there all with they like where there's certain to the building or throw it dope in here and there. Oh man, it's hilarious. I've read of this.
That's great. All right, So I got a question. It's a two part question for you, all right. First, Jalen on your play. This is a career high points per game, rebounds, field goal percentage, three point percentage, steals per game, which is fourth in the NBA, by the way, loose balls recovered, which is what third in the NBA? Right, yeah, loose balls recurver? I do I track everyone you have. You've recovered twenty one loose balls, which is tied for third
in the NBA. Right, So, you're everywhere, You're all over the place. You were up there except for the one game that was missed. In deflections, you were top five in deflections in the entire NBA and your fifth and defensive field goal percentage. So first part of it is of all of those numbers, what impresses you the most? Okay, what are you most proud of that you've.
I think any any of those defense in stats. You know, that was that was that that is always meant a lot to me. But I really you know, over the course of last year and you know, just kind of feeling myself, you know, get healthy and get back to you know, get back to me the all defense, and you know, that was something that was a goal that I set for myself, you know. And it's not something that you know, requires me to have the ball, requires me to take, you know, a certain amount of shots.
It's you know, defensive end. You know, I can always have a presence there and no matter how the offense is going on a certain night, you know, that's something that I'm able to bring. So that was a very big, very big one for me. And you know something that you know, I worked a lot of my conditioning on in the off season and my strength in the off season to put myself in the bestness as possible to do everything I won't want to do on the defensive end.
So to see that come to fruition, you know, as the offense continues to progress slowly, you know it is he's a great thing something.
Well, it's certainly coming. The second part of that jail and is you are quickly becoming, if you're not already the fan favorite, right there is. I think as great as the stats are, right, guys, there is a connection with you and the fans.
Right.
First of all, your teammates feed off of you, and you have a way of getting your teammates going when they need it. But there are you can point to one point during the game multiple times where you are embracing the crowd reaction and you're revving them up. Right, I think that tells almost as much of the story as these statistics.
Oh absolutely, I think it's some noow, I've always just enjoyed doing. You know, you kind of go back in you know, when I was in high school, middle school, what everyone, I always just kind of love talking to the crowd away games. Okay, you know, you know what I'm saying, I love interacting with them. I think it keeps it keeps the game fun, loose, you know, not too serious. And at home. I just I love to turn the city up, man, honestly, And I've seen I've
seen Anima at its. I don't know if it's at its, it feels at it's low, but I've seen that way, you know, when we're struggling, we're going through losses, you know, and still continue to feel that love. And he encourage me to now be able to celebrate all the growth
with the city, with the fasts, because they deserve it. Man, honestly, just from a personal standpoint, you know all that I've received, you know from this city, you know, basketball wise, life wise, you know what, I'm going to the store, driving down the street, whatever, I had experienced nothing but love. And so for for for me, I just I love interacting with him. I love seeing them. I love putting smiles on faces. You know, I think that's what it's about.
You know, we come and we're able to play this game, and at the end of the day, you know it's competitive. You know we're playing for playing for something, but you know we're playing to put smiles on kids' faces. You know, there are certain kids who don't get to come up out of that game. You know, families who have saved up for a game. So you know, especially when we're at home, you know, I want to make that experience
as joy well as possible for all of them. So you know, this is something that I kind of became conscious of. And it's dope seeing them embrace me. You know, whenever I have them all and why, you know, go crazy to try to turn them up. You know, they're always You're always right there with me in the roller, and so you know.
You've got them, You've got them in the palm of your head.
Man. It's fun to it certainly is.
And can you feel the difference, Jalen in the in the crowd already We've only had a handful of home games so far, but can you feel the difference already through you know, seventeen eighteen games here, the difference in the home crowd. I mean we've had even even in the lowest of lows, you know, we still managed to get fifteen sixteen thousand people in the building as opposed to we go to some of these other cities that
are struggling and you've seen it. It's right, but there's a difference now right in this fifteen sixteen that or sellout crowds that are coming that they're they're behind you guys.
Now, Yeah, No, definitely Philly, Definitely Peelly, Like I mean, I think it was the Denver game they're chanting. We went with a run second quarter and they're in a second quarter chancing defense, like wow, And it felt like a playoff game. The Boston game, just back and forth through their runs, through our runs like they were with us. You know, were go on a run going in it's the time out, and it's like it's definite in there
the fourth quarter. Star Wars' music gets a little bit later mad like it's all just enhanced a little bit. And I've been waiting, man, since since I got here, since COVID, you know, and not a lot of fans, you know, I've been waiting to kind of bring that
energy back. You know. I didn't feel really comfortable doing it, you know, just you know, with our record, I didn't know how they would react with my play, you know, I didn't know how they would react to that, you know, But now things are kind of coming together and you know I can fully just you know, kind of be me in that standpoint, you know, in terms of turning the crowd up, you know, being energetic with him, interacting with him more to see them embrace me and embrace us.
You know, all of us, you know is super dope and and I love you.
We've been trying, We've been trying to tell you guys that you know, you first year, second year guys that you know, for us that have been here when we're good, things are good.
C down the street. I got stopped in the street, Yo, sons, keep back for the biggest mole. I'm off it. I want to go to the gym, workout, you get a second work out of it. Love it. But the love in the city has definitely been felt recent Well.
That was Jake Chapman, Jake Jake Love. Jake Love's tracking you guys.
Jalen Wit. But other thing that the other thing that we're big on now and this is Arnie Candor And yeah, we're doing a lot of breathing right and palms down and calm down. So how do you find I mean, you're a high energy, get amped up. Where where do you find the line of of getting everybody ramped up, including yourself, and at the same time, like let's take that deep breath and and get done what we need to get done out there.
It's funny how much like that has shifted what my like game there routines are and things like that. I can't really listen to like crazy height music before games anymore. Like used to listen to old like throwback bangers, you know, like telling them, I go to like gr bo love folk, just like really like haanging music, you know what I'm saying it Uh, you know, now it's a lot of reggae I listened to, you know, maybe somebody R and B before a game, you know what I'm saying, or
just some really like calm music. But it's kind of like that call before the storm type, like I don't want to waste my energy, you know, pregame. I want so that whenever I step in between those lines, you know, all my energy and focus is all towards us and what we're doing as a unit, you know, and going to win a basketball game. And the breeding is a
huge part of that. I mean, there's a lot of times I go almost once a game where I go back to the to the tunnel with already and go breathe or I go give him a hug, and you know, just as he's talking, you know, just words of encouragement and continuing to tell me to stay centered in to bring my breath back to you know, to my to my middle point, you know all those things. I definitely pay a part in it. But yeah, it's dope. We get to breathe, we get to meditate, come to our center,
and then go turn the city up. And it's a dope. It's a dope.
Balance Jayla, real quick. There there was a game. I don't know if it was Indiana or where it was. There was a game where you gave Arnie a big hug at the end of the game. I don't was it the game you were maybe you were questionable game? Is it every get so?
Is that with that ape?
Is that?
What that is?
Just part of that? What's he telling you? Why was he helping you? Aside from the breathing and everything?
I think he just he does a great job and continue to help me stay present. I have a mind that you know, that can shift and go a lot of places, you know, because I play, you know, awful lot of emotion, you know, and I and I wear my emotions and my heart of my seven though it's not something that you know, I'm you know, scared to show a shame of show. So you know, he just does a great job and continue the hardest me back in, always gives me, you know, gems, words and encouragement. We
talked about. Yeah, I think one game he's talking about, you know, with twenty four minutes you know what I'm saying, twenty four minutes in the first alp, twenty four minutes in the second half, twenty four second shot clot you know, you're seeing the correlations. How can you continue to be present and bring your energy, you know, to each play, to each twenty four second possession, you know, each twenty four second half, you know, whether it's a bad half,
you know, you let it go. You have a new I'm saying the same way that the shot clock we SATs after this, you know, just think different things to keep me present, you know, keep me locked in in the moment. He gets a lot of credit for, you know, the growth spiritually and in the maturity, you know what I mean. He's done a great deal with that. And you know, I'm very appreciative of my boy Arnie. Awesome.
I have a two part question as well. First one, I spent about forty minutes this morning watching Sam Fasine He's video breaking down you.
It was an hour. I didn't make it through the whole thing. The first one is it's kind of a dumb one.
Dude, do you ever stop and watch stuff like that for five ten minutes just see kind of what the conversations are around you.
I saw it. I saw the first three minutes of that video. Shout out, shout out to Sad for that. I appreciate you. Love. Yeah, it's awesome. Aaron Winson A while, you know, I think it's a you have to have a balance of it, you know. I think, what's something that I used to do all the time, you know, go right after games and looking up my name, looking to see what people are saying, good, bad and different. You know. Now it's just one of those things, you know,
you kind of roll with the bad. It's dope to get acknowledged and see he acknowledged me, you know for a lot of the work not only did I put in, but us as a team put in, you know, and to see people recognize nap and showing love for it is always dope. You know, it's always encouraging. So I do stop here and there to check them out, I'll be honest.
Yeah, no, right, Poully.
So absolutely.
There were a lot of mentions and there always is about your football playing days, obviously, And so here's my question. I'm gonna give you three examples of a football type play that you've made, probably this year, and I want you to tell me which one is the most gratifying.
Is it?
Is it playing cornerback, jumping a slat route and getting the pick sicks going back the other way for an easy bucket?
Is it that fullback through traffic where you protect the ball and you're going up for an one? Or my favorite is.
The QB pass, Yes, the seventy five eighty footer. There was one last year to Franz where he it was the deep out right. He was going right, caught on the sideline turn. I think it was against Utah and he ended up in their betch. Which one's the most fun?
And uh?
And I know we've asked you a lot about you your football player and days and how it kind of manifests itself, but it is we we see an example every night.
Jale. That is a hard question. I'm gonna be honest, because he's pretty like a separate level of enjoyment. But I think I think my favorite one is being a safety and just and reading passes and like the Atlanta game was super fun, man. And especially when it gets Trey Young, you know, he's dribbling up the sideline, you know, I see him look up at the jante, you know, so I kind of take a deep breath and I'm kind of dropping. But my eyes there were up the
whole time. As soon as he went into his motion, man, like just popping off the back foot, trusted instincts, you know, and going going to jump a in and and try to get another possession for us. I think that that one that brings me to mobles joy because I love playing safety. I love playing defense, uh you know when I was playing football. So I think that down one the most. But just the overall bringing the dog mentality of being like a defensive or a football player, you know,
like that mindset into into the basketball game. It's something and that I've kind of been searching for, you know, how to how can I continue to bring what I learned in football, but become the best basketball player that that I can be, you know, and that's playing under control at a good pace, you know, and continue to do those things and pick my spots. But the mentality
is something that never changes, you know. And I think that's one of the biggest difference differences, you know, in the past two years to this year, is you know, I've kind of found that just being a dog on the court, doing the little things, bumping relentlessly, you know, until we get the win, you know, not taking possessions or plays off. You know, it's something that I can carry over. You know. I have great examples from my cousin. It's a Nate new new autumn boys up in Pittsburgh
ball right now. You know, all my boys playing in college, you know, parrying over that mentality onto the court and it it's dope to see them all kind of see it and you know, kind of relate to me. So but jumping past the leans, I love. That's awesome, you know.
I think about that. We all tell the story and I get a kick out of it. There was a I think it wasn't if it was the first day of training camp, but the first day or two. You jumped up and made a block. You're playing a scrimmage and the referee, the referee blew a whistle for a file. I didn't think it was about I know, you know what I'm talking about, right, And you screamed at the top of your lungs. Nice block chailing, But good call, Reugh,
but ice block jailing. Remember that you know exactly what I'm talking about, right with your dog?
Is that part of that?
Is that part of that football emotion or is that just in you always and now we're seeing more of it. I thought that was great. I got a kick out of that.
Oh yeah, I think it's just continued.
To be me.
Uh, he's a bad call, by the way. I was a I I ain't gonna be a one to say I'm glad. I'm glad you said it. That's right. No, I think it's dope. It's just I'm be and me a gate. You know what I'm saying. I'm not I'm not trying to conform, you know, or be anything you know anybody else is telling me to be. You know, I'm not trying to be too perfect to be you know,
too much of a professional. You know what I'm saying, I'm just I'm seeing me and enjoying where I'm at, you know, and I think a lot of that has to do with just the confidence that I have in life, you know what I'm saying in my relationship. You know, how my relationship with christ is growing. You know, I'm able to lean back on that and understand that, you know, regardless great game, bad game, you know, he loves me. You know, He's always there for me, someone that I
can lean on and talk to. And you know, I always have my ink or setting, you know, so I can I can be myself. I can come out onto the basketball court and express my emotions and you know, but it's tempered now because I've been doing so much work on my discipline and you know, on the mental
side of things. So just I think a culmination of everything of bringing in that side, bringing in my spiritual piece, you know, I think who kind of I've always been and then just that dog just finally being just coming out of me, being comfortable, you know, expressing that and you know, kind of just hoping the city and the
boys embraced me, which is exactly what they've done. And so yeah, it just brings me a lot of joy, you know, knowing that I'm out here for and being myself, being me, and everyone's embracing it.
And you know, Jake, you're a Cleveland Browns fan. And with the dog pound, I mean, are we seeing something? Are we missing a marketing opportunity here? Should we have? I mean, should yeah? Should we be embracing this dog mentality? And when when Jalen makes some of these.
Plays potentially, but based on the last twenty years of Cleveland Browns football, I'd like I say him a little bit higher to be hot this.
Well, that's true, that's true.
You are wire. That's a good point, Jalen.
Now, Okay, now that the team has seen some early success, how does that earth? How do we how do we move that into the next twenty games? Yeah, and then in the next twenty games. Because it's very easy to have short spurts of success. It's very difficult in the NBA to extend it all the way to eighty two games. What is what is Coach Moseley in the staff and you guys all together been saying to just keep this train moving forward, to.
Stick to the standard I think is the biggest thing, and keep the main thing, the main thing, uh, you know, expectations and all of that external things. You know, those have the power to you know, to throw us all off track and off too. But I think that's all we've been doing, you know, the start of this season. It is sticking to our standards, you know, personally and team wise, and it's dope we get new challenges like
deal with it. We came from being that team always played from behind young you know a lot of hunger, uh, you know, to a team now who you know, we're playing with leads and we're up on teams, you know, and it's dope. We get to figure out in the moment, you know, how to you know, how to do those things.
How to slow it down still get great shots. You know what I'm saying, how to how to play with the lead making sure we're getting great shots, but don't get too h you know, too slow, to complacent, you know what I'm saying, to where we start tricking off the leads. And I think that's what we're doing earlier. But it's cool that we get to do it in a moment now. And I feel we're just adapting to
every environment. Be put it. You know, we we we played from behind before, we're now learning how to play with leads and uh the words. The point where I don't feel uncomfortable in any situation. You know, the Boston game, we're down. I even realized we're down flow. They came out like that on a happen. Didn't realize we're down like that. But knowing that moment to stay calm and
we're doing the right things. Shots are following and making tough ones, continue to stay at you know, chop wood carry water, and the results are shown for themselves and we're coming back in teams and we're holding leads now and the offensive sidey is coming along with the defense. So just to see everything come together and us grow as a unit, I think he's dope, and that's what we have to continue to stand out.
Jalen, you mentioned the daft ability, and I was thinking about Anthony Black and his rookie experience, which is pretty different from yours. Like you kind of knew when you came out that you're going to have an opportunity. The roster was very young and there's a lot of guys competing for spots. AB comes in and it doesn't look like an off rep. He's going to have a big opportunity, and then booth injuries happen, as they always do. He
and Go go both thrown into that starting lineup. What can you say about how adaptable and productive both those guys have been in the starting item next year?
Yeah, I think I think that they've both done a great job, you know, and they're taking on that that green Goblin mentality, you know that that they brought an insured cap the greed.
Tell us what the green goblins are?
I like that the green goblins, you know, they had the green jerseys. That was the third unit you know in any camp, and uh they already called themselves, but they like fully embraced it man and just just being dogs ready for their opportunity. You know what I'm saying.
Goga coming over from from Indiana, uh, you know where he didn't get the opportunity to play much, you know what I'm saying, and you know, to come here and you know, just he's been working for whether I think he's been in here with three four years now and you know for his time to finally cover saying where he gets to play you know big, and he's you know, having the impact and paint. You know what I'm saying. Ab is a hound on the defensive man, such a
smart basketball player, you know what I'm saying. And he's continuing. It's continuity. But we're going, you know, and they're going as players, and just for them to get the opportunity they'll play and be out there with us, not bad. Is that messing that up? No, no problem, no problem.
Just to see if you get if there's a way to you're good, yeah, no problem.
In line, you're good over yeah. Just they've really embraced, uh, you know, embrace what they've been thrown into, you know, and it's not easy, but they're continuing to grow, contending to learn, they ask questions and again they're they're both great people. So it makes that that whole transition, that process easier. So I love moving with him, you know. I love being out there and go set the tone and just the dogs and they're waving me on that one and yeah, it's fun real quick.
Cost you a dog and that and that that Georgian accent for dog is pretty good too.
A dog.
He was like, I wanted to talk about the group chat.
Is it more active this year that it's been in years past. Is it uh, it sounds like it's buzzing.
Oh yeah, it's dope, It's yeah, it's funny. We have the eye message group chat and now that's everybody. Then we have the snapchat. You know, not doubt everybody has big on the snap you know grand Grandpa, I don't even think he has a snapchat. So yeah, that that that's a way for us. You know, we texted the group chat and then the snapchat one. You just kind of, you know, saying send what what you got going on?
He was sending a video here and there. You know what I'm saying, the way for us to continue to keep talking, you know, and stay close.
Well, he caught some Joe Ingles, caught some strays from Cole the other night. Cole called him a sloppy build, called him a called him a substitute teacher. Right.
I was sure, like Grandpa is one thing you know, that's not one thing you can escape. That's age. But I would never say so loppy build. You know what I'm saying, it's back. It's grown man.
Yes, that's right, grown man straight. But what has he added? You guys have always been a tight group, but let's be honest. I mean, Joe adds a different dynamic. That guy is always talking and it's always constructive. He seems to have something. He seems to have the right thing to say to each one of you guys at the right time. What is it meant having him?
It's been dope, you know what I'm saying. It's it's cool to have you know, all of us together, you know, kind of been here and we build our relationships. But to have Joe come in, you know, another another guy who loves to crack jokes, you know, loves to have a good time. You know, he's a great person, but also has seen so much in this league. You saying. It's been around really good players who are playing right now.
He's been around winning team teams that have gone to the conference finals, to the finals, you know what I'm saying, and Ben in playoff series. Uh. So he's brought just that level of experience.
You know.
Plus he's a great dude. So you know you're gonna listen to it, and you know what he's saying comes comes from a great spot, you know what I'm saying. And like the Chicago game was dope. Uh you know they're they're coming back, you know, and he just kept it real. You know, like, how many times are we gonna keep doing You know, we're gonna say we're gonna be special, We'll say we're gonna do this and do that, but we keep tricking leads and doing it all, doing
off games out learning from what we're doing. That can't keep happening. And I think like from that point on a shift was made, and we've been playing great basketball, but the ability to come in and have a great vibe and a great spirit, you know, but also say what needs to be said and kind of be that voice of kind of like a wizard, you know what I'm saying. We got so much knowledge and all that. I like it. Yes, I think it's helpful for us.
I'm not going to be able to get that image out of my head now. I'm just gonna see.
The fantastic if how's Joe pr and I'll have some great Halloween.
There's no question there's a lot of material there that's ridiculous. Eastern Conference Player of the Week Polo ban Caro, He's got a couple of game winners for you. I mean, this guy is just taking it to another level right now. I think five straight games of twenty plus points eight and one when he gets twenty in a game, what are you seeing from pollow?
I tell him every game I try to remind him there, yeah, hell better kill He's he's so smart and he has such great instincts. Plus he's a force, you know what I'm saying. And when you combine all those things, just he helps his role, you know what I'm saying. And uh you know where it's tough times, you know, we we can throw it into Pete, you know, go get us one, Go get us to the line. You know what I'm saying. And uh So, I think he's great.
He's continuing to grow. He's shooting that, he's shooting, Oh was gonna cut there, He's shooting the ball. Grip right now, let itm fly. It's continuing to grow. I think it's the story with all of us, is continuing to grow, continuing the building, and it's leaving the great days. But just yeah, he's he's taking the leap, you know, another step, and he feels more confident and mature and everything he's doing.
So I love it from be. I love playing with him, I love learning from him, you know, I love talking to him and our relationship has grown too, which has been dope.
Jay.
When the d season tournament is over for us, we're going to know here in about twenty four hours after we take this whether we're we're moving on to the knockout round. How What was your take on the nd season tournament, the pool play and the prospects of us getting to the knockout round and maybe going to Vegas.
I thought it was dope. Honestly, I'm a huge I don't I don't know too much of a consensus around it. I know it's you know, people talking about the point diff yent cho and is going at the end and all that. I think the only complain that I had was the new court of ship. But we's got to break him out in the summertime where they slippering, had some high school teams come play on. You know, maybe we'll go out a little bit, you know what I'm saying, to break them in. But other than that, like it
was dope, I think they've been very competitive. You know guys, you know, guys are buying into you know, really playing for it. I am for something, you know, and exact the beginning of the season where you know, it's sometimes it's hard to get you know, juice to for some of those games. You know what I'm saying. Knowing that, you know, on a random Wednesday, you know, when you have sixty five more to go, you know what I'm saying, how do you decide a way to give you all?
I think it's just it's free motivation, you know what I'm saying. So I think it's been dope. Everyone's buying into it. I love how how the fans have embraced it. I love everything they're doing around, you know, how they're showing it all, marketing it. The courts they look cool. I'm gonna be honest, they look really do. I'm a fan of the colored courts and all.
That, even the Chicago one, even all that red, even if all okay, and see football.
I love playing at Boys these days field no matter who I was playing, So you know, I'm kind of used to the to the color field. Of course, tight like it. Okay, but yeah, I think it's dope. I think it's dope. I'm excited to see, you know, hopefully we get in there and you know, I have a chance to go playing Vegas and see what that looks like, but yeah, it's been excited so far.
And there was there is a little bit of an added incentive, or at least you're aware of the factor when the first one was playing in Brooklyn and that today this is an in seasant tournament game. Obviously the court out there is going to remind you of it. But you're saying, there was a little talk in the locker room like this, this is a little bit different than a random.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, especially after we lost that Brooklyn one. Man, is you know in the way that we lost it. You know, it was okay, fellas, either where we're gonna take this serious, you know what I'm saying, and we're gonna you know, we got to make up this this gap, you know, this margin that we just put ourselves back, you know, or or we're just gonna let it go
and you know, act like it doesn't matter. And I think everyone bought into the fact that, you know what I'm saying, let's let's try and go win this one. You know what I'm saying, Let's make a statement early. And you know it helps that you know, the regular season games as well, you know that that record counts.
You know, those games count towards our record, so you know, add those two together and I think, you know, we all just kind of bought into the fact that we want to make a run at it, you know, why not. And it's led a good things, playing great basketball in those games. Again, hopefully we may well.
Wen Dell Carter Junior isn't even playing, and he's told us he's put pressure on you to get that five hundred K. He still wants his cut.
And I can't remember who he said if we brought it in the other day. It was before one of the games. Uh, and so saying five hundred three.
Perfect, that's perfect. Hey, one last thing, Jalen, and then we'll let you get out of here. But we'd be remiss if we didn't ask you about Chet. I mean, we're the world is kind of finally getting to see I know, we saw a glimpse of him in at Gonzaga. We're finally getting to see what he's about. We still know we got the best player in that draft with Polo,
but Chet seems special. And I first of all, I can't imagine Minie Haha Academy ever losing a game I did, did you guys ever lose a game together in high school? And if you did, how could that be?
Uh? Badly? Sadly we did. I can't wait tend it at wish I could say no, but.
Not many though you didn't lose many on way to three championships, that's for sure.
Not we want to. We won the ones that count.
We always but special I was specialist, chef jail.
I love. I love seeing him thrive. Man and he's a great person. Uh. Me, Me and Chet have grown closer and closer each year, uh, each year of our lives, you know, since we met in third and fourth grade, and you know, just seeing him win, I think it's dope, you know what I'm saying. Shared a lot of memories together. And I know, I know he is not only as a person who as a basketball player. Know, and he's
someone who has you know, that relentless dogg. You know, he's been around he's been around us all his life and you know, just continue to grow into that as you know, grew into his body, grew into his game, and continue to evolve his game. You know what I'm saying, he got more confidence in it, and uh, you know, and I was flourishing, like to see him go back and forth against and beat you know what I'm saying
to put up almost identical stats. You know, it's crazy, you know, just because we're two kids coming from you know, Saint Paul in Minneapolis, Minnesota, you know, just playing playing the game of basketball together. You know, memories of riding a bands to trips and grinding classic clients together, just like well things you know. So see, senior people work has always great. But his mentality of these skill said man, the way he approaches his work in the game, I
think they are special. And you know, just for him to be succeeded in gribbing you as someone.
Well that's great. Well said listen. We're all behind you. We're so proud of your jail and you're playing fit. We're gonna work on this dog thing, this marketing thing because you got something there, right and you're and you're the leader of it. But keep it up. This has been a lot of fun and we can't wait to see where this goes.
All right, I appreciate to thank you.
All right, five hundred three, here we go. I'll do it for this addition of magic cause squad