#thisleague UNCUT: LIVE with Davion Mitchell

Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty four hour NBA News. This is you, Chris Haynes's telling Mark Stein, it's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.

This should be a good one.

Yes, sir, Yes, sir, this is gonna be a good one.

Look, I feel like Mark Stein because mark Stein usually gets to come off it.

Let's spot out the intro.

But this is me this time, Chris Haynes right here of this league gonna cut my guy Mark Stein. I'm doing the intro and I'm doing it live from my store, me and my wife's store here in Elk Grove, California, Sacramento area. That Charlote's Booty supply got Sacramento kingsguard Davon Mitchell, so he's gonna be a This is gonna be a treat. I hope you guys enjoy. We got mark Stein still in Dallas. He couldn't make it, but look he pulled through. He still came on to do the show, and I

So go ahead and pick that up there and pick that up so you could talk in that mic. So yeah, you can move there.

Yeah, So d this is let's let's just talk about first of all, the way to the season ended. It was a tough you know, a tough series with the Golden State Warriors. When you think about that series now, now that you're a couple of months removed, what comes to mind about I guess what could have been or any second thoughts on how things were handled or whatever.

I mean, I think overall, we end up playing a good series. We end up playing a really good, talented team. Of course, they got a lot of experience, a lot of Hall of Famers on their team, just a lot of good pieces. Man where they've kind of been together for a long time. So we knew it was gonna be tough, and I mean I think we made it the toughest for him, taking them to Game seven, Steph

So I mean, I think we learned from it. But it was a good series all inough.

So you brought up Steph. We're gonna get to him later on.

But you know, for you in particular, you leave that season that was your second year, So you leave that season thinking what do you have to improve upon? How can you get better? What is the aspect of your game that you learned about? Okay, I need to step it up in this area.

I think every year, it's something that's always been talked about, is just developing my jump shot. That's kind of just been the biggest piece every year, and I mean I think it's making progress. Even when I was in college, I kind of had the same problem my first two years.

Okay, let me give a shout to Lance Wood's just popped up in here, man, Sacramento's top.

For media, and hey, y'all better get to know him. Man, he's just going place. Man, I think you'll just sneak up in here.

I want to give a shout out to my wife, Charlotte Haynes is her store, Charlotte's by Supply.

Uh.

Now, you're doing a good job, and you know I'm trying to help and support you the best I can. So with that, Saidee, A lot of people don't know that that NBA ball. The NBA basketball is different from college basketball and high school basketball. It takes a lot of people a while to get used to just the feel of it. Can you explain that transition from college to the NBA basketball.

Yeah, that's funny because I was a couple of weeks ago, a week and a half Agard, I was at Baylor practicing with their team, playing against their guys and playing five and five, and they don't.

Play with the NBA ball.

They play with the Nike ball, and it was just a completely different feeling, Like the ball is just a lot thicker, you got more grip on it. It's just it was hard for me to play with Honestly, I was. I was missing a lot of shots. I couldn't really dribble it, and I'm like, man, I cannot play with

I was like, man, I can't really grip the ball.

Then I got used to it when I started working on more and then you realize when the ball get wet, you can you got more grip, and the more you play with it the better. The better it is because no one, no one likes to play with a new NBA ball. So but it's it's just a it's a different feeling, a huge feeling.

Davion.

Obviously, you just said this is your second year, so you know half of your life is a king. You've you've tasted the playoffs, but when this season started, being just a player on the team, how much did you feel the playoff drought and just how long the community there, which has always been one of the wildest fan bases

Started, Yeah, I think that, Uh.

I think the biggest thing Mike Brown did when coming in being a new coach, he kind of addressed it like the elephant in the room that you know, we got to make the playoffs. But I think what he did a really good job is trying to look look over that trying to make the championship.

He always kind of talked about that. He didn't really just talk.

About the playoffs because it's easy to make mistakes and just and just lose a couple of games or lose a couple of games in a row. You don't make the playoffs by a couple of games. So we knew that if we're trying to get to the championship, the playoffs was kind of got kind of kind of going to be in that way. So he kind of just looked at it like that, and I feel like the team kind of just roll with it. We thought we was good enough to make it to the championship and

You think the Mike Brown you bench, Mike brown first year as head coach kind of turned.

Some things around.

When did you notice At what point during the season did you notice that this team was for real? Like you knew, like, Okay, this is gonna be different from what Kings fans had been used to as of late.

I think when I first noticed the day he started to yell, not really yell, but he kind of got on more of Fox and sabonas our best players. He helped them more accountable than just like I feel like a lot of coaches look at they're the star players.

They can kind of do whatever and they get away with it.

But another player, someone like me that's not really the start player on the team, but if he does something, I'm gonna yell at him.

But I'm not gonna yell at Fox. Not That's not how Mike Brown was.

He was kind of like he was even harder on them just to make them better because they know they're the leaders on our team, so we're gonna follow them. So I think when he did that, I was like, oh, we're going to be a really good team.

So was that different from what you've seen and the previous regime? They probably wasn't quick to Yeah.

I mean I think I didn't really.

I didn't really notice it as much because, I mean, my first year I was just kind of trying to just fit in for I was just trying to see what the NBA was going to be like, trying to play my best every game, and then the coaching changes in the trade, so it was all.

Kind of new to me. I was kind of like everywhere.

So when I kind of had Mike Brown the official coach, I knew that it was gonna be fine.

So you're regarded as probably the best on ball defender in the league.

Did you know you had that skill set coming in to the league from day one?

Like what did you did you feel like it might have been easy or like, you know, cause some rookies been like, oh damn, you know, it's easier than I thought. Like how was it for you once you started to you know, crush down and guard people defensively.

I think I've always been like a defensive type of guy, Like I love that end of the floor. I'm a competitive guy, so I don't want no one to score on me. I don't want them to be easy. Like I always wanted to make it hard for the best players. I mean, no matter who's driven the ball, no matter who had the ball in their hands. I always kind

Before you got drafted, how much did you know about Sacramento And how much had you had you actually ever been there beyond potential draft workouts, Like how much did you know about where you were headed.

So I got a funny story. A lot of people don't even notice I didn't. I didn't do I don't know if I can say this, but I just know I didn't say it. Say it, but I didn't even do a workout with Sacramento. I didn't talk to Sacramento like I didn't like during the draft process, you got to certain people who you think you're gonna get drafted to. My range was from ten to fourteen, and it was it was teams like the Warriors, was teams like Indiana.

It was teams like.

Washington who I thought I was getting drafted to. The teams I worked out for in New Orleans. I worked out for them, and okay, see, but the teams that I worked out for, I thought I was getting drafted. I mean because I had really good workouts and things like that. And I never worked out with Sacramento. I never knew anybody in Sacramento. I didn't talk to him.

It was never a thought. I never been before.

I only been in California one time before I got drafted, and I was just the LA for vacation.

So it was I've never been a Sacramento.

So when you're when you're when you're at that table in the green room, like how much advanced your agent probably gets a call that says you're going to be a king before we actually hear Adam Silver say it. But how shocked were you when they said, hey, you're about ready to go to Sacramento?

So another story? Uh ok, yeah, yeah, another story, go ahead.

So sitting there at the table, you kind of you kind of don't really know, but you kind of know because basically, when you get drafted, all the cameras come to you, and you know, okay, my name is next, because it's a lot of cameras come to you or whatever.

So after the eighth pick, I forgot who had the eighth pick. A pick was probably, uh.

Who went before man, it might have been Franz Wagner. I think might have been Frans Wagner. He was maybe the eighth pick. The ninth pick came, and I mean, I didn't think nothing of it. I'm thinking of a yeah, let me see. I think the eighth pick was Franz Wagner from if You're right, You're right.

Yeah.

So it was so the fit came and the Sacramento came, so I didn't think nothing of it.

I was like, not even paying attention.

I'm just looking like just talking to my family, and all of a sudden, I just see all these cameras just coming towards me with the knife pick. The knife pick come and all the cameras coming towards me, facing towards me. I'm me and my agent look because my agent didn't even know either, because he didn't even get the call from Sacramento until like after I got drafted. So my agents was like he was surprised too, because

Okay so hold on, take it out because people don't know like how the TV, how it works on TV at the draft, the camera will go up to the player, and that's obviously a sign he already knew. So is there some acting that goes on, like you got to really act like you're shocked to hear you man?

Yeah?

I mean I think for me, I was like really shocked because I I think I was Sacramento, So I was. I was probably more shocked than anyone because a lot of people kind of know they get a phone call, but I guess Sacramento want to surprise me too, and they didn't even call me till after the draft, So.

I was surprised.

What number? Did you really think you were gonna go?

So the surprise of the draft was actually Josh Giddy because I had a really good workout with okay See, and no one knew Josh Giddy was gonna go to okay See. And I think he went maybe six, maybe said yeah, six because the Warriors had seven. So I also had a really good workout with the Warriors, but I knew it wasn't gonna seven because Kaminga And then

Let me see that fifteen.

You got a good memory.

So for those that don't know, like, it's very unus usual to get drafted by a team that you didn't work out for. So that's very unusual. I don't think you ever, I don't think that story is ever told.

It's probably yeah, I shouldn't have told it.

But the number nine, the number nine pick, it was a lottery pick. It all worked out. So you get to you get to Sacramento. Is this your first time ever being out here and set?

So what was you? Give me?

Give me your first thoughts, your thoughts of being here? Probably two weeks.

I mean the first two weeks, Like I think for me, I was just always trying to be at the gym, and then I didn't stay that far away. I stayed in the toment, So I kind of stayed close to the gym and the airport, so it was kind of convenient for me when we left, I will always get to the airport, probably the first because I was the closest. But it was cool, Like I enjoyed the Sacramento. I enjoyed the city, especially the people who are cool. I think they got good food. It's just I enjoy it.

So again, we're talking with Davion Mitchell, the Sacramento Kings here live at Charlene's Beauty Supply.

For those who are checking this out on the audio.

Version, please if you're in the sacrament area, please come out check out my wife's shop.

She's doing unbelievable things out here.

When again, shout out Davion Mitchell for coming out here and doing this, because we all know he can be in the gym right now. I remember I did a You probably don't remember this. I want to say I probably didn't, but I did what I wrote one of

He's a gym rat. I'm like, all right, so let me see if there's a story there.

So I go and Bobby Jackson, who was a summer league coach at the time, and I'm like, Bobby, what is it about Devion? Like I'm trying to write a story. I'm trying to get an interested angle. What is it about? Shout out to Bobby. He just took an assistant job with the Philadelphia seventy six ers, and he's said, dude, he won't.

Leave the gym, Like we got to force him to stay out the gym.

He comes in there early morning, comes back in the afternoon, then comes back in the evening.

And so I'm like, huh, okay, there you go.

What was like, is that just natural or do you feel like you really had to make a great first impression?

Nah?

I think in college I was like that, you know, in colleges you can do that because you don't play that many games.

You only play like twenty something games.

And then it's like a game like maybe one time a week, so it ain't really putting stress in your body.

So I didn't realize that.

I mean, coming to the league, I'm thinking I should be doing the same thing that got me here.

Hold on, hold on. So what'd you What did that change when you realize you got to.

You starting like the game twenty is like I'm exhausted. So but nah, Bobby, I mean Bobby helped me out a lot. He kind of told me, like, man, you play eighty two games now, like you gotta you gotta make sure you're taking care of your body more than just being in the gym, because I mean, you can do all the workouts you you won't, but if you if your body tired for the game, then it ain't

Understand I was making sure.

Yeah, I know, he definitely can't be going doing three days now, no playing an eighty two game season.

So I brought up that. I brought this up.

Usually where a high profile NBA player changes agency, something is up, something's going on.

You changed representation recently, Why is that?

I mean, it was a lot of reasons. I think the main reason was.

I mean I think that the agency I was with was kind of East coast, so I didn't really get to see him as much. They was only in New York and I only can see me in Florida, so I.

Didn't really get to see him as much. I didn't really get to connect.

And I like to talk to people and I like to see what their mindset is because at the time, it was like the playoffs was coming, so sometimes my

Okay, so it's safe to say you're not gearing up to ask for trade.

Nah, hope not hope. It ain't on me though.

So they like when you had the first year, you had your signs, and the second year you kind of had to find your way a little bit, and towards the playoffs it became a bigger part of rotate. I remember when I was doing sidelines for T and T for you guys' playoff games, and I talked to coach Brown before the game and he said, man, I actually have to start like drawing up a few plays for Deve Beyond because he's playing good defensive. I want to

I just think our whole teams just got better. We got different pieces. I think the first year our roster was kind of like unbalanced a little bit. We had a lot of guards and then bigs and not that many wings. So I think this year, we had a balanced roster with Adam Kevin, Adam Aleak than Trey playing like it just made it. It made it like a balanced roster and made our team better and made everything

He was winning this game.

So I mean it's kind of it's kind of hard to as a competitor, it's kind of hard to look at it, like, man, you want to play a lot, but as a teammates, like you want to cheer your teammates on. So I mean, I think it was good for him. I learned a lot from Fox. I mean, seeing his game evolved, being with a better team, being a better leader.

It just helped me out a lot.

Now, that's that's a unique perspective from a young player. Most wouldn't have that perspective. It would be I guess they would probably label with a frustrating year. Where did the frust I know you you know you're frustrated at some certain points during the season, and where did it come from?

Like where did that stem from?

Where did the when life?

And like where was where was the frustration was it with?

I don't know, just a lack of not consistent playing time or minute so what whatever?

Like, I mean, I think that, uh, the frustration came from putting more frustration on myself, is just making their missing shots, kind of just putting more pressure on myself than I didn't have to. I mean, because it's a make or mislead. Either gonna make the shot or miss it. You got to kind of live with the results regardless of I mean, you just got to have confidence shooting the ball. So I think this year, I mean even next year going into I'm just kind of trying to work on just having a uh.

What what's the word?

Uh, what's the word I'm trying to say, Well, honestly, I'm just trying to just forget the shot I take, no matter if I miss or make it, just kind of just forget it. Don't don't have like, no, don't be mad about it if you miss left with your airball, don't don't just take one shot at the time.

So let me say this real quick. Let's start and ask the next question. I was talking with Jonathan Comedia a couple of weeks ago Jannon Miami during the NBA Finals, and he would just tell me about like how most top rookies lottery picks, primarily they get drafted to losing teams and.

They're able to play and make mistakes.

And Johnathan community obviously no plays for the Warriors, and he was talking about how hard it is to go in there, make a mistake, get a turnover, and then get pulled really quick, and they don't have a chance to grow that confidence like their other rookie piers. And that's something that I think that's something similar to you, Like you're you're a defensive specialist, but you know you probably got to hit shots to stay in the game,

That's like the biggest thing.

When our team got better, I knew that and I start to see the minutes cut. I kind of knew that, Okay, we're becoming a really good team. I mean because like even my first year it was kind of different where I can make a mistake because we wasn't really as good the first year. So I can make a mistake and I still be in the game where I can miss a couple of shots or things like that.

And I mean, but also I think you learned from that.

I mean, a lot of people would say, like guys, like a prime example, I think Jalen Green is a top guard in that league, and it's easy to play for the Rockets because they're kind of never really playing for anything.

They but that dude's a really good player.

Like if he played on a good team, I think he would kind of be doing as much as the same thing, but it just wouldn't show as effective. He probably wouldn't scored thirty every night, he'd probably score nineteen twenty. But he'll be better games, Like he'll win games. So I feel like teams like that it's easier to play for. Like prime example, my rookie year, when Fiz got out, when we wasn't playing for the playoffs, we knew we

So, you guys had such an amazing season. Nobody on Earth thought the Kings were going to finish third in the West. You're playing the defending champs in the first round. You had your chances in that series, and then when it suddenly ends. How hard is it to watch the rest of the playoffs. Were you able to watch it and dial in or did you just I'm sure the ending came is kind of a sudden shock to you guys.

I would say, I mean, after the game, it was hard, but the next day it's like you kind of gotta get over. I mean, you can't really do anything about it.

For me, it wasn't hard. I went to plenty of playoff games.

I travel to New York to watch them play Miami, I went to LA to watch them play Like it was because I love the game of basketball, like no matter what, like, I'm still gonna watch the game, I'm gonna be around it. So of course, after that first night when you think you could have won in Game seven, where if you could have done things differently or something could have happened, we could have won the game, we still be playing. But we know like the next year

But yeah, it wasn't really hard for me to I still watch basketball.

To go to a playoff game, you're an NBA player, But to go to a playoff game as a fan, what are you looking for and what is what do you digest? Because I'm sure that too, it's gotta be a little weird to be sitting in a very small chair trying to watch.

Uh, I think when I went to the next game, I would kind of just kind of paying attention to Jalen Brunson a lot, because I mean, he's a really he kind of up his game after after he left Dallas. He like he went to another level. I mean, he's a really good friend of mine. So we TechEd after after the series. We used to talk all the time, and after we play each other, we talked. So he's just a guy that I look at as far as like the pace of the offense, he's he's running a team, that type of stuff.

Just learn those things.

But I kind of I'm also a look at as a fan too, like man, like how you missed that shot? Like and I get it, how fans how how fans look at the game, like, man, how you miss that shot? When I realized it. When I'm sitting there as a as a fan but also as a basketball player, I'm just looking at the different the different things a point guard can do to run a team or to be successful to win a game.

I don't know if Chris told you, but I'm actually based in Dallas, So you just brought up one of my favorite subjects in Jalen Hrunts and since you know his game so well, can you explain to he gets better every year he's I mean he's done it now, five years in a row. He's exceeded all expectations. As someone who knows him well, how does he pull that off? How does he find another year to go to? Year after year after year?

I didn't know you and Jalen Brust good for us?

Yea, I didn't know that.

Okay, good nugget star.

I think that, uh.

I think Jayalen Brunston always had He was always a really good player to me. I mean even in Dallas. It's just he wasn't you. It's kind of hard when

He's gonna start picking people.

Apart as far as the knowledge you have of the game, I mean, because all the reps he gets and and things like that. I mean, and I think the best thing about Jayalen Brunson, I think he's the hardest player to guard to me, because he us his body a lot and he changes speeds a lot. So it's kind of hard to just kind of hard to just guard him just straight up because he changes speed so much and you gotta kind of always stay in front of him.

In the lead for me.

Okay, all right, you said that.

Yeah, but you're also on record of saying the toughest guard you had to defend in the league is Stephan Kurr.

That still holds true.

I mean it's a couple of I mean, we're playing a really good lead, so it's yeah, he's up there, give me the couple go uh say Shay from Okay, see Alexander, he's definitely the toughest.

He's the toughest.

Yeah, he's the toughest. Yeah, he's definitely.

A break down his game, definitely the toughest.

Yeah, I think. I mean, he got the ball in the hands a lot. I mean he can handle the ball. You know, I'm an on ball de Finlis. You got the ball in his hands a lot. He got a really good mid range game. He has a really good change of pace, and he's maybe six five sixty six, so my I can't really do as much when he gets to.

His spots and just hope he missed.

I mean, because he got so many inches over me, so I kind of got to stay connected to him the whole time. But he changed his speed so well it's kind of hard to do that. And he uses a body a lot, and he gets to the free throw line, so it makes it tough. And he's starting to hit three, so he's kind of trying to put

You can't really leave no space for him, and if you do it, it's going there.

Yeah, I know what you're saying there, So that's g a Bron said, Steph top top three right there, We're gonna We're gonna open it up for fans to ask ask question. I got a few neighbors over there as big Kings fans as well. They want to ask a question. But let me let's let's stay on. Similar to Steph the Warriors, you guys win the first two games of that series. Now that you're removed from it, what happened? So if somebody asked you, like, how did you lose

Oh?

I would say nothing, really, I mean something happened obviously, I think. I mean, Steve Kerr is a really good coach, and he made adjustments. He made it where he kind of messed up our rotations a little bit.

I think we kind of.

Like even even like during Game three, he kind of like he missed their rotations a little bit, kind of didn't really want me on stuff a little bit, and you can see it, and it kind of took kind of took me out of game, kind of took my rhythm out the game because I go in a certain time and they kind of wanted me to mess up with stuff a little bit. So when Steve Kerr took him out and then put him right back in when it's not my time to get in. So he's like

I didn't think about that. So they changed the lineup. What was it Game three or Game four?

Maybe maybe game three because it was going to Theay Place and it was game three.

Yeah, they needed to win.

Yeah, and so you would like, as a competitor, you would like for on your end, you would like to you're playing time to mirror.

A little staff. Yeah, I mean I knew it was going to be able to.

Yeah, but it kept you. I get that, and so I say, that's that's I didn't think about that.

That's a good point.

I think people don't realize that this game is like a rhythm. Like you got to have rhythm to play this game. To really be really good at it, you got to have a rhythm. And when fans, the way fans look at it is like, yeah, you gotta make this shot.

You got to make this shot.

Like but just like if there's no rhythm, it's kind of hard to play like that for anyone. I would think that someone that comes off the bench and sometimes like we're in game three when we only get to play like a minute and a half because of Steph curries out and then he comes back in and it's like, oh, I don't have no rhythm. Now I'm back on the bench where I started because I don't start, so I'm on the bench again. Now I got warm. Now I gotta come back on the bench. And it's like people

So the next question that pertains to that series, was it really necessary for he Fort to get kicked off the game?

Honestly, I don't know anything about that.

I don't think no one on our team was really like paying its it after the game when they said something, but like, I didn't really.

That was.

That's a legend, man, he reped Sacramento Toosary.

What would you say is if you could only pick one thing next season, what do you want to do better than you did this season?

Are you talking about as far as the team wise you you individually?

Oh, I think just shooting the ball better, getting more comfortable with shooting the ball. I think that's just the main thing.

I think. If if I can shoot the ball with confidence.

And and and hit most of them, then I mean I'll be on the floor more and everything just work out.

And then I guess I'm probably gonna ask the question that everybody in Charlene's Beauty supply wants to know. What are the Kings going to do for an encore? How do you guys prove that it wasn't a one hit wonder situation?

I mean, I think that if everyone gets better individually, they're gonna make their team better.

That's that's always kind of been my thought process.

If if everyone's getting better individually, then and they bring it to the team and as far as the real aspect, then we're going to be a better team. But I don't think the one hit wonder would be a thing because I mean, everyone.

Our team works hard.

I think the Arran's working extremely hard this offseason so he can kind of have the same team or even a better season. And he's our leader on our team, so that's gonna make us a lot better as a team. Don't mind is working hard as ever, so he's gonna get better and he's gonna make our team better. Me the league, all the guys that play man like, all the guys is on the team that is going to contribute,

So let's we're gonna everybody get your questions ready. If you want a question you want to ask, Deveon, raise your hand. I'll get to you. Okay, you'll be first after this one, Devion, So you've been in the league for a few years now, You've seen that this is a business.

You see trades, You see.

How guys are traded and how they oftentimes find out on social media. You see Chris Paul going over there to the Golden State Warris and things like that. So have you been in the league long enough to wonder if your name will be next, like if you'll see your name on the ticker for being traded or being moved, Like, has there been a scare yet from you?

Yeah, my rookie year guy. I used to work out with Rico Hines. He was yes's my guy, Yeah, Philly, And he would say he would always say, man, like if Shaquille Shaquille o'nil can get traded, you can get traded. So that's always been like my thought process, Like, I mean, any day I can get traded. One of the best players that, one of the best big man's ever played the game could get traded.

Sure, I can get traded, I mean, just like anyone else. So I always had that good perspective.

So I'm had you come over and take the Michael as of course, say your.

Name and the other thing.

Man, welcome.

My name is Ramsey.

One of the questions I have for you is actually outside of basketball, are you fan of any other sports outside of basketball?

And do you have any other favorite teams?

I mean, I've been to a couple of baseball games.

I'm not really a big ball football fan, Like, I don't really watch football. But I would say, like, I don't have any favorite teams to say, but I mean I've been.

To a couple of games. Okay, yeah, cause I mean I saw you a couple of times. I know you're from Georgia.

That's how you like wearing a brave shirt and everything, if you were a Falcons fan or not. Myself, I don't really I don't really watch football like that.

Most people think your first sport was football.

Yeah, I get get that. A lie get that.

I never played football, though I played in middle school. Then I stopped after middle school. I was like, it's not me.

What's what?

What's what about football? Is not?

To to be honest, to be a little bit cocky. I think it was a little too easy. No, I think that football man.

I just I really don't like being outside as much, and you've got to be outside no matter if it's hot or cold.

I'd rather just be in the building playing a sport.

So when you look at free agency, I think ways to get better. You hear all types of names that's being floated on what the Kings are going to do. Obviously they're gonna gets done with an extension. You're hearing Kyle Kuzman name float floating around. Do you listen to rumors? Do you listen to things? Are you at the point where you probably are even recruiting guys? Does it? Has it got there yet? You just laid back and see what happens.

Yeah, I mean I think right now my point that the point of my career. I think I'll just try to look at it like I'm gonna get better. Regardless, I try not to look at the aspect. I feel like, whoever's get on the team, I mean, they're gonna they're gonna be good for us. We got a really good coaching staff, We've got a really good system around it. Someone's not gonna come onto our team and just be like a completely different person. They're gonna gel in with

Questions, come on, come on up, you got a question, Get on the mic. I got I got this. This is my neighbor right here. This is my neighbor right here.

Give it.

If you give your name.

And everything, my name. My name is Victor humanis uh question? You got hammered in the head a lot. And I know the NBA doesn't about helmets. So is this the reason why you're out.

Your hair number one?

Definitely, definitely not the reason.

I kind of just during the summertime, I try to if I ain't going nowhere, I just use it.

Don't get it done, I just let it breathe real know, you did you get hit a lot. I mean not as much as the bonus, but you did get hit a lot. And you're tough, right Yeah. So my big question for you is, like somebody's had put that in you, right? How to play that defense? Who's that person? That's a great question.

I have three uncles that, uh that kind of put the ball in my hands, that played the game. Didn't make it the NBA, but they played in college and things like that, and they were all competitive, and I think that's.

That's the way what you mean. Right.

Yeah, Like I said, I got three uncles and they play college ball, and I'm close with them and I think they all they all been competitive, and I think that's where I got it from seeing them playing his people at the gym, playing hard things like that. I think that's where I just kind of got it from. Really that's a fan. I appreciate it. Yeah, thank you.

Give I shout out to Seaun Cunningham out here at ABC ten out here covering this event.

Real quick shout out to the same person, Steph. I see my man in the shop getting the wig down all the time, man, so we know where to go. H. My question is, actually I got lucky. I was on the AMP app with Roz and Coach Brown asking the same question triple threat, basketball, draw, pass shoot, but just in general, man, because I've been watching since Baylor I love.

I'm a Kings fan, right or die?

What are your three things that you can hand your hat on though you personally though, how people want to know you by, how you move, how you knew because.

I laid back, quiet dog, and but give me three things.

Give me your trouble threat right now to everybody who's the sacrament to really know who Daveyon is.

I think I.

Think the main two is I'm more laid back for sure, anybody will tell you, I'm like probably the most laid back person you ever meet, and other than Keik is definitely laid back, but laid back and I think hardworking and uh it'sanolla.

One more word I would say.

I would just say, like, my biggest thing is I would like to inspire people, especially from where I'm from. I'm from a small city or only a couple of people really made it out. I mean, only two people made it to the NBA in my city. A couple

Oh oh Lance was uh oh, come come on, come on up here, come get get the mic.

You know how it is, as you said, you want to inspire people, and that stuck out with me. Earlier you was talking about how you never worked out for the Kings, but they drafted you, and that inspired me because I haven't worked out for any temps, so I still got a shot.

People.

This is a question, though, what is what is? Or is there inspiration behind you wearing a number fifteen?

After we won the national championship at Baylor in my city where I'm from, they kind of honored me and giving me a day, Davion Mitchell Day until April fifteen.

So I kind of just kind of picked that up there.

And fifteen was my high school number my first year, my freshman year in high school, so I just kind of just wanted to go with it.

I kind of had to get away from forty five.

It's dope, that was actually my number. Fifteen is my number? Why was fifteen my number?

Here?

Who is my favorite player?

Spree? Well?

Spree Well yeah, okay, you got a joke, sir, We got a joke. Come on up here, man, you get hurt?

Here you going, man? I'm here a nice bro.

So my question to you are is I know you say you want to work on your jump shot. I'm a big basketball fan, playball, I'm a latest fan, but I just like basketball in general. So I know you say you want to work on your jump shot. You guys had a lot of success. I've been in Sacramento for a while. What is two things you want to achieve as a player, INVIDLEI I know, team success, No, just you as an individual.

I would say individually. I mean I've never been like a big accolades guy. I mean, of course it if it if it happens, it happens through the work that I put in. But I would say accomplishing just uh, just being the best player I can be.

That's definitely one of the things.

And don't don't really take anything for granted, don't cheat the process, no matter how hard times could be. Just kind of just kind of my motto. What I live for is trust your work. That's that's my brand, That's who I am. So kind of just having that just if I if I leave my career knowing that I worked as worked is hard every single day and never achieved the process, that I can live with that.

Come on.

Come on, brother, Let the alder through, Let the alder through.

Come on.

Mike Bradley, old school basketball fan from Tacoma. I've been here for a while. So what do you do right now? Nothing retired?

What do you do?

I give him buckets every day? Give Chris buckets every day coach.

I'm a Sheldon High School here at Sacamelo, so we're one of the top teams you know the area. So anyway, is there a team that you look at when you go around the league and say, damn, if I was on that team, we'd be we'd be giving giving buckets. I know, we want you don't have to give out a team, but this like teams that She's like, man, you know, if I was with that group of guys, you know, we'd be giving some buckets to the league.

You know, what do they what?

What should they be looking out for and not doing or should they be doing to be further seen?

The first question is hard to hard to answer that, but I would just say that, I mean, any team where I know I can play forty eight minutes, that's all I can say.

That's all I can say.

Anything I can play forty eight minutes, I think that I get a couple of buckets.

And as far as like.

The kids just a U circuit, I mean, it was it was hard for me because what wasn't really hard because I started off playing with my local team to South Georgia Kings.

It was in Hinesville, Georgia.

A lot of people don't really know, but it was just a small local team and I really wasn't getting seen like that. It was kind of I was playing good games, having really good tournaments, big tournaments, but I wasn't really getting seen because it wasn't in the bigger tournaments.

So I just found the team, the Georgia Stars. They kind of believed in me.

Atlanta team, they kind of just believed in me, and they came even b they drove all the way from Atlanta just to pick me up just to play games, just because they wanted me to play with them.

And that's when I really started getting seen.

After those tournaments, a couple of tournaments, I started getting my name out there. So I would say the biggest thing is, don't don't really worry about what circuit it is. No matter if it's under armoured Nike adida is they're always going to be as scouts or it's always going to be scouts at these tournaments because they're going to

But I would have a good game and it's like, oh, who is this guy? You know what I'm saying.

So it was just like I never really looked at it like, man, I gotta play on the best Nike circuit or I gotta play on the best under armoured circuit just to get seen. I just kind of was looking like I gotta be on the team where I know I'm gonna play. I know, I get to show my talent. I know someone that can believe me. Then after that, it's kind of like it's up in the air. You know, whoever whoever see me, whoever they don't. I mean, I know if I work hard, people are going to see.

Give me to give me accurate because heights can be deflated when when they putting the heights on, Like so let me see, they said, I Everson with what six feet six one six, He's not He's not six for one six. Uh dame, they got dame listened six threes, not six three. So what is your what they list you as first.

So the NBA triggy they they list people when they do the heights, is they do with your shoes off? Yeah, And I think it's triggy because you don't ever play with your shoes off. So it's like, why are you measuring so my shoes off? I'm six v my shoes on six to.

One and yeah that's so what do you tell people? Mostly six two six two? Okay? You doing?

Daniel Golden, longtime tecond will fan kings fan, got a question for you. So when I watch you play, you've seen very very quick set, very very of course quickly. Same with the Fox in practice? How does it go between you and him? How does how do you?

I mean, i'd excuse that would be like the greatest watch of all just see both you go at each other because you're both so quick. I honestly, I'm not sure that he's quicker than you. If anything, you guys about the same. That's my personal feeling. So I just want to know how you how those practices go with because I don't even got to be batter.

Yeah, of course I think the Yeah, it's it's definitely a tough battle. I mean, especially because the competitive van. I'm defensively, I'm I think I'm okay, and Fox are offensively is one of the top guys in our lead, so it's all always a battle. I mean, he will even tell you and I would say, as far as the quickness, I mean, I would say, people would say I'm quicker because I'm a lot it looks like I'm shorter. But Foxes he have longer arms, longer legs, so he's more skinnier, so.

He's he's like faster. I would say he's faster.

Here, I would say I can probably get to a spot quicker than him, but he's definitely faster.

But it's definitely fun battles.

Man, He's made me a lot better defender because no one is as fast as him in the league. So when I'm guarding to other people, I can use that to my advantage. Like, man, I guard Darren Fox every day, is no way you're gonna get by me, you know what I'm saying. Like, I can use my body, I can use my speed, so it makes it easier. So going against him has just been a blessing for me because it's making me better.

All right, need more questions?

This another one of my neighbors right here, Robert.

Ryan, born and raised in Texas, represented all of the teams. But I have a question from you. Most college players go from one good conference to another. You left Auburn, which is SEC, and you went to Baylor, which is Big twelve, which is kind of not the same. What made you make that decision to jump from the SEC to Big twelve.

Yeah, I got a story for that one. Yeah. So when I went to Auburn, we.

Had really good guards Jared Harper and Bryce Brown all SEC. When I left, they end up taking their team to the Final four, and I knew I was gonna really have the opportunity toil like my junior year. And I was like, I don't think I should wait that long because I feel like I wasn't really getting better as far as that I was learning, but I wasn't really getting the reps, you know what I'm saying. And I feel like that's the best way to learn when you

Because it's just so many people.

So it's just after I took that Baylor visit before I went the same time as I committed the same visit because I'm like, it's no need for me to go to New York.

I know where I want to be, So that's why I went to Big twelve.

It wasn't really I didn't even look at the conferences as a thing, like it was just Baylor was a really good school for me. They had a grad transfer. I knew I was gonna play the next year. I know they wanted the ball in my hands. They their culture is just completely different then the after the book before actually before me, they had all their guards went to all Big twelve.

So I was like, it's perfect for me. So it was a perfect situation.

And do you.

Believe and do you believe that that change actually helped you get into.

The that was I would think that.

I mean Auburn definitely, Auburn definitely helped me transfer because they if I wouldn't win and went to Auburn, then I would and went to Baylor, and I wouldn't have won a national championship.

I probably wouldn't have been a nine pick.

So everything just happened for a reason, Like me going to Auburn just showed me that, Okay, it's just a new spot I can go to. And I think that Baylor did a phenomenal job with me as far as I mean teaching me how to play the game the right way, teaching me just to be a better person, just to just other things that Baylor taught me that a lot of people are not gonna get from these these huge schools like I think Kentucky's and the things like that for the names.

I think Baylor was just a really good school all and all.

I think I think I'm back here now, Okay.

So indeed, there is a majority of people aren't going to reach six ' five six six six seven, so most people are going to be six foot or under.

What would what would you say? What's your lesson to.

The smaller guy that want to make the lead, and what do you think helped you ultimately as a smaller guy, helped you to be able to dominate at the levels you have to get to ultimately this level.

So I think a lot of people look at as as like even as little guards or even as taller people like to get to the lead. They always look at like, I got to be able to shoot, I gotta be able to pass, I got to be able to play defense. They try to they try to add all these things in their game and try to be great at but people don't realize if you're really great at one thing, and for me, as defensively, you can get in the leader if you have a little bit of offense or if you show that you can win,

You don't never I did this in college. I'm six two with shoes on.

But I would look at guys who are six six, and I'd be like, if I have five more issues.

Like they ain't better to be.

They just got always they's got the inchest. It's always like that.

You always look you look at some of these guys, he'd be like, man, your skill set, Like my skill set is way better than yours, but you just got six inches on me.

But that's a problem.

Like this over here, yo, like this dude over here and my preacher to the choir let my bad.

I would say that it's tough, but I always think of it like that too.

But it's like maybe if I was six eight with the same skill set, I wouldn't be as fast, you know what I'm saying, Like.

Like it's just different things.

You can look at it, like if someone was six six and saying, mane, if I was shorter, maybe I can move it's faster than Maybe you wouldn't have the left that I want, you know what I'm saying.

It's just different things to look at it.

Like Isaiah Thomas, like one of the greats, a close friend of mine too, Like he had all the skill in the world. Maybe if he was six seven, of course, he maybe be the best player, but he wouldn't be as skilled, he wouldn't be as fast because he used that to his advantage to other people, because he's lower than everyone. Because I just look at it a different way, Like, but I feel what you're saying though, Like maybe if I was seven foot and I had the same skill set, I'll be a Kevin Durant.

But it's like, no, I wouldn't you know what I'm saying.

I just I just see a lot of six seven people like the guy.

It's waste wasted? Was all right?

Were about to about the Uh trying to cut the minute? Is there any I will make sure I don't miss it, but I'll make sure I give everybody up. God, come on, man, you got the Kings Georgy Sir? I like that?

Okay, great to meet today.

The answer just curious, what's your nice, big Kings fan? Curious with the draft that just happened with the Kings you pay attention at all and seeing who got drafted and what you think about them?

Uh, to be honest, to be honest with you, uh. Oh, to be honest with you, I didn't know anything about like Husually when I'm in the NBA, I don't really watch much college basketball unless it's Baylor, Like I only watch Baylor. So I don't really know anything about the guys. I mean, but I'm sure they're going to be really good because if the Kings picked them, there's a reason why they picked them. There's the reason why they're in the league. So I mean much respect to them, but

Actually, that's dope. Mark Smith Soccer appreciate it.

So a couple questions. You mentioned you're a gym rat, you're hard worker. I want to know what's your daily schedule this off season. You know, what's an every day kind of like for you.

I mean, I can just tell you about today. I feel like today it was pretty long. So I usually wake up. I'm not really a big sleeper. I don't really sleep as much. I kind of go to sleep around like ten o'clock and I wake up usually like six. It's probably because I don't have black curtains though. It's like every time the sun comes up, I go up, so I wake up at six, uh win today, to the gym at seven o'clock, lifted at seven point thirty.

Stuff like that with a couple of players is there.

And then after that at around eight o'clock, I'm going back to the gym and I'm finished for tonight.

Yes, yesterday, Yeah, definitely that.

So my second question, you know, you mentioned that you're kind of patting your defensi game after the Drew Holidays and Market Smarts p your top five defensive guards or defensive players of all.

Time all time.

I honestly would just say, I mean, you gotta put Draymond up there, of course, Drew Holliday, Marcus Smart. I'm saying, like people that are to perim and I feel like black Shots is completely differences, completely different, uh aspect. I think Michael Bridges is up there. And I would say the last one, I mean, can I put myself definitely myself?

Yeah there you go.

Yeah really man, For the bottom of my heart, man, I appreciate you for coming out man, supporting my wife out here at Charlotte's b Supply here and.

They'll grove everybody. You're a robber Fossett, Bayon and wife.

And that'll do it for us. See you next time.

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