Do some college basketball, some college football, whatever else comes our way on this Tuesday afternoon with our guys. Spencer Lintin from b YU TV. Hello, Spencer, Happy Tuesday.
How are you, Spence dolow Man. Good to connect with you once again. Busy time of year.
We love it, sir, appreciate the time.
Do you have a basketball rooting interest or are you just simply a fan of the Utah Jazz.
I am a fan of the Jazz and have been so lifelong, really going back to the stock in the Malone days. I mean that's what I grew up with, so, like many of your listeners can share in that regard to the loving the old school Jazz. But yeah, I'd like to see the team turn it around. I'm excited about Will Hardy in his new contract and I feel
like he's demand for the rebuild. But as far as playoffs go, like, I love good basketball games, like yesterday's games were so fantastic in the fourth quarter specifically, like I just flipped to watch high level basketball and clutch play and we saw a ton of that last night. So right now rooting interest because the Jazz are out of it, but I just want to see good games, though, I did find myself randomly pulling for the New York Knicks to win that game, so I guess there is
something there. I feel like it's been a long time since New York's been in it, so maybe maybe I feel like basketball will be a little bit better if if the Knicks could be in it once again and do something good.
My guy, I knew I liked you. No, I appreciate that. Let me ask you this while we're in the space. Like me, I think I'm a little bit older than you are, But like me, when it comes to springtime in sol Lake City, do you find yourself missing the buzz that we have downtown when the Jazz are in the postseason this time of year?
Yeah, naturally, there's just that little bit of drop off and you tell yourself like, oh, I'll be able to fill it with other things. But it's just you're right, It's just it's different when there isn't something to look forward to. It's so fun to watch Jazz basketball in the playoffs and like look forward to that. It's the circle the calendar type of event for me. Whenever the Jazz have a playoff game, like it's almost like I
plan everything around that. Oh well, we got to watch the Jazz game, Like, what are my buddies doing, what's my family doing? A jazzula of playoffs? It's game three of the first round or of the Western Conference second round whatever. I like to have that in my life
when I'm planning things around those playoff games. So yes, I do feel like it's just natural, a little bit of a letdown and almost a quiet atmosphere, and it feels like we're go into the off season too early, and then we're just longing for college football to return in August.
Indeed, and I do want to do some football today. But before we get to that topic that portion of the conversation, let's stick with some basketball. And since you and I last spoke, James Taff for Debt, better known as Jim Er, friend of the show, officially announced that he has retired from the game of basketball. And you know, Spencer,
I've kind of changed my view about Jimmer. I've changed my view about the term bust overall, Like, no part of me believes a six foot nothing, white kid from Glenn's Falls, New York who made millions of dollars playing the game of basketball should be considered a bust, and I never thought that he was going to be a good NBA player. This goes back to a conversation I
had with the BYU legend himself, Danny Ainge. I sat next to Danny during the Mountain West Conference tournament when Fordett dropped whatever on Kawhi and Fordett was dropping whatever on everybody, and I asked him, I said, so, what do you think? What do you think Jimmer NBA? And he said he's got no shot and I went WHOA, Like okay, And as we sat there throughout the game, Danny kind of helped me understand what he was seeing
as far as you know. One of the things he pointed out, and this was intentional with Dave Rose, and Dave probably gave Jimmer a bit of a break on defense because he knew he had had every ounce of his offense to win games. But it wasn't that Jim or didn't guard. It was like he never got into
a stance. And then Danny walked me through kind of the difference between the ability to shoot off the bounce, which Jimmer did at an elite level, and ability to catch and shoot, which Forett actually never was very good at So when Jimmer was going up against lesser competition that couldn't guard him off the bounce, he was going to dominate. But when he was going up against elite athletes that wouldn't allow him the space, he just didn't
have the game to evolve in the NBA. But ultimately it was such a fun run to watch him at Brigham Young and then of course his life in basketball overseason with the Olympics. But from a BYU perspective, as Jimmer walks away, what's kind of the conversation down that way?
You know, I didn't think that I would feel, I guess as sad in a way as I did when Jimer announced his official retirement, because he has brought so much happiness and joy to his basketball fans, but not just basketball fans, but just because he's a good person to the core. Like I don't feel like there's a
fake bone in Jimmer Fredett's body. He is as genuine a YU star as there is, And so just the finalization of it was almost a little bit like h you know, like it's I can't believe we're never going to watch Jim orfo deet play competitive basketball in any facet again, and I think a lot of BA fens shared that similar feeling with me that it just wow, Well, I mean, what a journey that he has encountered and taken us on through basketball, Through obviously his BYU days
that you were just pointing out, and then a very very tough, hut throat NBA portion of his career. But to watch him go to China and dominate and be the Chinese League MVP, and then go to Pennathonikos in Greece and play for Rick Patino and try and fill a role position there, and then back to China again and into the NBA G League and now he's a G League All Star and works his way back into the NBA through a couple of ten day contracts. I
just remarkable stuff, so easy to root for. I would be hard pressed to believe that he won't have his number retired in the Marriott Center sometime in the next year. It's typically fifteen years from the time that you're done playing at the university, and you have to be an All American and officially retired as all those things have come to fruition, so I expect his number to be retired. But yeah, there was a little piece of the man.
It kind of thinks that we're never going to watch gym or play in any sort of competitive facet again, which was what made the Olympics three x three things so fun because he took on this brand new avenue of basketball, ascended to become the number one ranked three x three player in the world, only to have his
Olympic dream crushed. But then you watch him and his attitude handle it with class and dignity like he's always done just which makes it even more heartbreaking that he didn't get a chance to really push for that gold medal. But all in all, you step back and with you you can't call his career a bust. You can call him an absolute inspiration and an incredible example of taking on several adversities, facing several hurdles, being shut down and
just continuing to work and find your place. And I mean a pros pro in every sense of the word. He worked so hard every day of his basketball career. So sad to see it shut down, no competition anymore, but excited that he's leading to three x three front and that he'll be the GM essentially of United States three x three basketball as they try and get back
to the Olympics and then compete for a goal. So I'm excited to watch him in a managerial role and wouldn't be surprised to see him do some TV, some broadcasting, and certainly he'll be around basketball in some capacity.
You know, if you would have asked me last year, I would have said maybe at some point Richie Saunders makes some money in Europe playing basketball. And then after the season he had year one under Kevin, I became pretty convinced that he had a chance to make his way in the NBA. And at the age of twenty three, you want to get the thing started because if you actually stick in the NBA, you get to your second contract, that's when generational wealth comes your way.
So I was a little surprised that Richie decided to come back.
Now this is nothing but good news for BYU. I wonder what sort of insight you could give us as to the reasoning that Richie leaned upon in order to come back and play for Kevin once again.
Yeah. I talked to him at length, speaking of Richie in the Bya TV facilities on the air and off the air a little over a week ago, and he straight up just said it was just such a difficult decision because the NBA opportunity was very much on the table. And Richie's a guy that doesn't hyperbolze anything. He doesn't add any sort of fluff to it. He'll just tell you exactly what it is. I love the real nature
of him. And so when we asked him, you know, what were your NBA opportunities, and he said, the consensus was early to mid second round. After my workouts, there was a lot of beliefs that I would go and impress people, and people have been comparing me to Alex Caruso and a few other NBA comps and being all
big twelve. Like I was told that there's a great chance that I would be drafted early second round to mid second round at the latest, and that I was going to have a place on an NBA roster somewhere. So he said that like hearing that from a lot of people and realizing, oh my gosh, this is my dream, Like I can go to the NBA right now and do this. That's what made the decision to come back so difficult. And he's like, I just felt so blessed that as hard as this decision was, I'm looking at
two different scenarios. One, I can go back and play for Coach Young again and he can help me develop my NBA game even more. But I'll have an opportunity to play with AJ Debonta and Robert Right the Third and we could do something historic at BYU and go maybe next level. Or I can go and fulfill a lifelong dream and get to the NBA and I can just start that pass. So he's like, both options were incredible, and I mean, he waited. There is a reason he
waited till the very last minute. And he said that it took conversations with his wife Sierra, a lot of them, and consideration of can I can I still improve my game while staying at BYU and at least maintain the NBA status that I have right now for next year.
And they felt confident that they could do that, not only that, but get even a little bit better and maybe improve his draft stock along with the additional exposure that's going to be so naturally there for BYU because of AJ Debonca and Rob Right the Third and some others. And so he, I mean, it was he waffled. He
went back and forth a lot. He truly believe that at worst he was going to be a mid second round pick, but he believes he can be better than that, and he feels like he can maximize the opportunity at BYU, And with all of the additional exposure and and everybody watching very close to this year, it just to Richie felt like that was kind of the edge. And when he goes, when he makes a decision, he's all in. I love that about him too, is no like no, like,
oh man, maybe I should have done this. Like when he goes, he goes. He is committed to the process, So respect that about him. Like you said, it's great news for BYU because now we're talking about a team that we believe, at worst should be in a Sweet sixteen and have a real shot to get back to BYU second ever Elite eight, if not further.
Yeah, it's always tough to be like, well, they should make the final four. It's just it's a one and done tournament. Great teams are eliminated every single year on paper, you know, when you look at some of the projections and the you know, with the combination of the incoming freshman recruits led by A and A couple of others, you know, the Xavion Stanton kid.
Now this transfer portal class.
I mean, most everybody spencer that I've seen has this team as a top five team coming into next season. It's an embarrassment of riches. Have you guys done an exercise where you trying to figure out like who's starting and who's playing. There are a lot of good players on this roster.
Oh yeah, we have run the gamut in that regard of like wondering how Kevin Young is going to stack this rotation and who's going to start. My best guess is that certainly Kabakata will start at the five. I believe that b Yu will. It could be Dominic Diamande at the four, and A. J. Gabonsa at the three, and Richie at the two and Rob Right at the one. Obviously the guy that BA just pulled into the transport recently,
the four star from Suttlen, Illinois another good score. He's a guy that could start at the three and kind of cycle things around. Really, I think it's just the big question mark is only one player. I know that Rob right the third is going to start, Richie's going to start, AG's going to start in CAB He's going to start, But what does BUA do with that last spot in the starting five? But now BYU is in a position like they were last year where they can go at least nine deep on the bench, which is
just you called it an embarrassment of riches. I don't think that's sensationalized at all. It's everybody feels like they deserve to play a lot of minutes. It's going to be a highly competitive room again. And they were back in the gym last week for the first time, and after the first couple of practices, all I heard was one it's just so competitive, like stuck an edge for all of them. And so that is a difficult scenario for Kevin Young to handle. Again, is how do I
keep all these guys happy? Well, you don't. You just got to let the guys go earn it, get into what we feel is going to be a nine or ten man rotation again and go. But what a luxury to be able to go to the bench, even for a guy like Dawson Baker or Mihailo Boskovich, who's a tough matchup in some situational basketball. That proved huge for BYU last, like those guys coming off the bench and being able to impact this team again to spell some
of these superstars, is it's big time. I mean, these guys are experienced dudes who are not going to shy away from big time moments because they've been in it and they've been it for a while, so expectations are sky high. But I'm with you. I would caution basketball fans in the state of Utah or anybody that's watching BYU to me, it would be remarkable if BOI got
back to went back to back Sweet sixteens. I mean, they've been to three in forty five years, so if they could go back to back, are you kidding me? And then hey, let's see get to an other Sweet sixteen. If BA is a two or three seed, then they got a great chance to get to an elitiate and we'll go from there. But I kind of feel like once they get to a second consent to sweet sixteen, if they do, then you start to enter slowly into
the house money territory. It's like, Okay, let's see what else we can do and let's strike while the irons hot with AJ and company in town.
And really, if You're honest.
The headliner and a chance to be a historic once in a generation opportunity for not just BYU fans, but basketball fans in the state is to watch AJ debonsa play for Kevin and BYU. And when that signing became official, I remember thinking like, this will mean a tremendous amount of opportunity and exposure for BYU basketball in a way that I don't think they've seen before.
And John Rothstein reports that BYU will play in the.
Jimmy V Classic with you know, Yukon and Florida and they're gonna play Clemson round one at Madison Square Garden. My question, though, is what sort of tangible buzz is there down there about AJ? And do you think BYU basketball fans Spencer, I don't know if you've seen this kid play, there's nothing. There's nothing he doesn't do well. Like when everybody asks, like people ask me, what does he.
Have to improve on? Well, really nothing.
He just has to keep incrementally getting better at everything that he's already awesome at. He's built you hear the Paul George Lebron James. He is that type of modern day wing. He will be an excellent NBA player, generationally special, potentially. Do you think BYU basketball fans really understand what they're about to watch in this kid.
No, I don't, because they've never seen anybody like him in provo, and because I've seen him play granted at competition level in the high school ranks. But still like you see it and you're like, holy cow, that dude is so refined and polished his footwork, his basketball acumen, just his awareness of where everybody is on the floor, his ability to play above the rint. And I don't think people understand how good of a defender he can be when he commits to that specifically. Like I agree
with Kevin Young. I watched him play defense. I'm like, dude, that I could be all Big twelve defensive team. I'm not kidding. We talked about all about his scoring and everything he does on the offense side. For I'm telling his fense he has a chance to be a special defender if he wants to commit to that part of his game, and so BYU specifically is gonna work with him there. He could be great both ways, and you
just don't know until you see it in person. But BA fans, I don't believe we'll understand what they actually have until they get to witness AJ on the floor playing against Villanova in Las Vegas on November three. I think that's the date for the season tip off neutral side game. But wow, when they see that and then get him back in the Marriot Center, that then I think reality will begin to set in a little bit. But right now, it's just like highlights on social media
and things like that. Watching him play in person is such a different experience. And his dad aceh we need to give him credit BYU fans and frankly basketball fans that that for why he's even in this state. Because AJ told me last week b Yu was not on my list. Like when I put my list together, like b Yu, that wasn't even a thought. And he said, my dad looked at me and said, just do me a favor. Just add Ba to the list. Trust me, And he said, b Yu, He's like this, just trust me,
add By to the list. Let's go check it out. And so he said. I listened to my dad. I took his advice. I put By in the list, and then I made my first visit and I was like, oh, my dad, I didn't know Dad, but now I know like Dad is a special place, Kevin's a special coach. This could actually develop into something, and that's kind of how it all started. So I know that we hear a lot of tough instances where you know their parents
were too involved and things like that. In this case, if it weren't for the great relationship that Ace and AJ have, he wouldn't he wouldn't have even put b YU on his list. So keep that in mind when you're watching him play in person and think you can thank his dad for helping him at least consider BYU and then ultimately end up in provo.
I think at most P four major institutions like at Utah or BYU, even if the football team is expected to win zero games, there's more excitement for football than basketball. And I think BYU has a chance to have a good football and a basketball team. But is there more buzz on campus for this upcoming football or basketball.
Season right now? I think in the moment, because Boa just went to the Sweet sixteen, and because fans in large part have been waiting to see if Richie Saunders came back and who else BOI is going to get through the portal and it feels like the news cycle is just producing something big time more regularly for basketball
right now than football. And let's saying something because football is getting guys through the portal too, right but it's on the heels of an incredibly entertaining and unexpected basketball season. I feel like right now, prisoners of the moment, most would say, oh, man, I just I love football, but I'm I'm so excited about basketball because when has BYU
been a preseason top five team ever? They haven't. I can tell you that the highest preseason ranking BYU has ever had in history, no joke, was back when Kreshner Chosich was playing in the early seventies and BYU had a preseason ranking of twelve. That's the best it's ever been. Spence number twelve and it was thirteen coming into Danny Ages Junior year. By has never been more highly thought of in a preseason capacity than they are right now.
So hard not to get lost in that when they're coming in somewhere between five and eight and people are starting to throw out the words DULP final four and it's like, Paul, yeah, just okay, slow down a little bit. But and these are just like Homer's I mean these are this is John Rosstein a CBS Sports and all these high level dudes, Jeff Goodman, and it's it's co'm in theme now like by is going to be a top ten team in the preseason, so it's already pacing
to be history. So yeah, I think most are prisoners of the basketball moment. I could say the same thing about last year because football had a bad season in twenty twenty three or five and seven, and then in comes Kevin Young and the NBA buzz and Jegor Dennen and all these things started to happen for basketball. People
were excited about it in the off season. Then football started and BYU destroyed Kansas State, and just like that Spence, it was like, Okay, forget basketball, I'm all in on football. BYU's three. You know, they're just embarrassed Kansas State, and then they're off and running. If BYU football starts the season again undefeated and non conference, and let's say they go and beat Colorado and they're big twelve opener and they're four and oh and they're ranking the top fifteen.
Because I think they're going to be a preseason top twenty five team. Then it will shift to get back to the football, but it's probably gonna take a three and OHO or four and oh start for the full on slot of football fans and be like, hey, I'm backing on now, let's push paws on basketball.
So with a remaining few minutes we have, let's do a little football and you know the cycle since nil and transfer portal became a reality for really every team. It's not just Utah, it's not just BYU, it's most teams across the country. When you finished springball, you have your exit interviews with the coaches, you understand where you're at, and then you get calls from other schools and the transfer portal opens.
You're going to lose talent Utah did. By you did?
Keeland Marion, Harrison, Taggart Spencer are the two names that stand out to me. Your thoughts on those two losses and any other losses you think really hurt.
Yeah, the Keelan Marion one is at the top of the list that hurts because he was so dynamic, specifically in the special teams game. I mean, it had been probably since James die in the mid to late nineties that BYU had a guy return multiple kicks for touch downs in a single season, and Keelan Marion brought back that dynamic. I know there's a lot that goes into it, and Kelly Paping is doing a great job coaching the special teams for BYU and Parker Kingston did his thing
with multiple punt return touchdowns. But Keelan just has an ability to hit a scene and go in his mental toughness, his preparation in that regard that's tough to replace. And I had him as my number two overall receiver coming out of spring football, behind only Chase Roberts, and I thought that he was poised to take a significant role. Now what I've learned is he was not told that he was the number two receiver and that may have factored in a little bit to why he wanted to
seek another opportunity. But for me, it hurts the most unspecial teams. With that explosive playmaking ability and the toughness that he brings to the field, he backs down from nobody. He is a true competitor and I know that getting
a guy like Tiger Bachmeyer will help. And BYU ads another guy, Frishnek through the portal and they already have Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston, and they retained Jojo Phillips, and they got guys that were good in high school football in Saint Cody Hagen, who's now got his he's back from his true mission legs and he's healthy. B Y, you will be fine there. But that that that one hurts. Tiger Bachmeyer helps a little bit because he produced some
nice numbers as a freshman at Stanford. But we'll see, you know, And and Tiger is a guy that were turned to punt for a touchdown as well. And will it be Parker Kingston and Tiger together in that capacity? Will We'll find out what Kevin Pepinki decides to do. But that's the number one toughest loss for me. Harrison Taggart consistent, just just a hard nosed, good kid, good football player. But I believe that Sarah actually has a
higher ceiling than Harrison. Not saying that is as good as Harrison right now, but I believe that Cla can be better than Harrison's ceiling, so that one doesn't hit as much because I believe that that is going to extend himself and put himself into a greater role and and he will shine. We saw moments of brilliance, especially with his increased role in the Alamo Bowl. He was given Shador Sanders in Colorado. All sorts of trouble. So
don't feel as panicked if you will about that one. Well, but we'll see what what the by A Special teams are after the loss of Keel and Mary and I know that by Us has worked hard to add some good pieces through the portal. Uh, specifically the defensive line. Uh. That one, to me, Spence is just like can the names are there? I know they got Kirkland from Ohio State or sorry, from Oklahoma State. And obviously can Oftner
Vaso has maybe maybe you've heard about that one. I don't know him his addition from Utah to buy Can those two guys, with the coaching of some other guys that have been in the program for a little bit Logan Latuli and others, can can that defensive line finally create the habit that we stopped that Kalani Satake would bring to by immediately once he was the head coach.
Kana what was that last name?
Can you spell the I'm not familiar with this player you're referring to Kano if you could text me later the spelling of that name, so I could do a Google.
Search spencer and I appreciate it.
He in that vein will end on this, Okay. So I am of the opinion that social media interactions between sports fans is akin to people with mental health issues throwing their feces at each other. Okay, and I don't program my show based off of that. But here's my question for somebody who works at BYU, who I find to be a measured thinker.
The name of the game these days is.
Having your nil in a position to pay talent to play for your teams.
B YU was doing that.
Why can't we just say it out loud and why can't y'all lean into it and take a victory lap.
I'm with you, brother, I don't know why it is considered such a bad thing to have that tight support. Now, I'll add this caveat Some of the numbers that are being thrown out are wildly exaggerated, and I'm like, okay, well, hey, you know, so it's just like wow, By's clearly just they're just going to be the highest bidder and they've
sold their souls and blah. Blah blah. It's like all right, like we got to give some credit to the coaches and especially the basketball side, because people are like, well, the only reason the BA is good in basketball is because they have more money. It's like, no, no, Kevin Young is the real deal. Guys want to play for Kevin Young. They want to play for his staff. Can we please be fair to a good coaching staff and situation here and an NBA boot camp if you will. Yes.
Nil is a significant part of this. But even AJ has said on record last week I talked to him, if you want to go back to Washington, go back and gop, go back and watch it. He says, b YU did not offer me the most, but that was not all. That's not what it is. I chose the city that I felt with best help get me ready for the NBA. Those are his words. So and I feel like that applies for a lot sometimes BYU might
be the highest bidder, I'm all for it. Let's go if they If they are the highest bidder, amazing resource that they have to be able to compete that way. So I agree with you lean into it, but I don't. I struggle a little bit with the fact that BYU just continues to pay more money than everybody else for every athlete. Ever, like that one is tough because that
is not the case. And look, I know that it's an important part of the deal, but I do want to be fair to the staffs and that they are creating a culture that is a place where players feel like they can get better. That is an element to this. And it's not just all about financial figures. Oh, he's just chasing the bag. He's just chasing the bag. You know what. Sometimes maybe players are good for them and if you or any of the school is offering it
and that's that's their love language. Great, But it is not just the straight always it's always money. No, that is not the case. And I'd say the same thing about some players that go to Utah. Listen to Utah in some cases might be the highest bidder for some guys, but they're not the highest bidder for every guy. Guys that want to play for the youths Jose Kyle Whittingham and Mortgan Scaley and some incredible coaches because they related to them, and that's part of it. It's all a
combination of things. But in general, like I don't know why. It's so like no, no, no, no, no, we're not paying us no, like sometimes BYU will be the highest bidder. But it's a it's it's within the rules, okay. And I do believe that campering. Who how the definition of tampering I feel like changes by the day, Like I don't know. I don't know what is considered tampering and what is not and what's fair game. That's for the
NCAA to figure out. But I do believe in my heart of hearts that Klini Sataki and his staff and Kevin Young and his staff and BY administrators want to play by the rules. It just so happens that n I L is now within the rules and BA has got a very wealthy support booster group and collective are that want them to play ball, and so they're trying
trying to do it within the rules. But hey, if it comes down to it and money is the signifying factor for a certain player to go to b YU over another place, then whatever it is, what it is, and that's fine, but it is not the end all be all in all cases.
All right, my God, thanks for the time, Be good and we'll do it again soon.
Okay, Hey, appreciate you, brother, and I'll make sure I send you the spelling for tanu Vasa as soon as I get up as buff love it.
I love it.
There you Spencer Litton b YU TV stops by today courtesy of our friends at if A Country Stores