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00:00 [inaudible]
00:11 Yeah.
00:12 [inaudible]
00:16 Yeah, last year was definitely frustrating.
00:19 It was like one of the first times I've ever had to sit out
00:22 for that extended period of time.
00:25 But I feel like I'm in a way better spot
00:27 in terms of just like my mental and even physical.
00:29 I think, you know, right now it's just continue
00:32 to do what I've been doing this summer
00:34 and just building off that.
00:36 And I'm just looking forward to this season.
00:40 [inaudible]
00:53 Yeah.
00:54 Yeah, that's tough to-- I mean, I think that's the biggest part
00:57 of it is managing right now in terms of just understanding
01:01 where I'm at and kind of not necessarily putting in dates
01:05 on where I'm supposed to be coming back
01:07 and things like that.
01:08 I think it's all about, you know,
01:10 when I know that I'm ready to go
01:11 and just basically working together
01:15 to figure out when that is.
01:16 But, you know, right now, the most important thing
01:19 is to get 100 percent.
01:21 And I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing
01:23 in terms of my work and continue to be consistent
01:25 to make sure when I get to that point, I'm ready to go.
01:29 [inaudible]
01:32 Yeah.
01:33 [inaudible]
01:46 I mean, it was awesome to be there
01:48 and just especially to be able to see it firsthand
01:50 and kind of see just, you know, their run
01:54 and just their preparation and their games
01:56 and their environment, things like that.
01:58 I think it was really cool for me to see
02:00 because I was able to take, you know,
02:02 go in there and learn and take notes
02:04 and kind of see how things were done.
02:06 And like I said before, the preparation
02:07 and kind of what it takes to get there.
02:09 And I only seen the backing of it.
02:11 You know, a lot of that stuff starts right now
02:14 and well before at this point right now,
02:15 before the season starts in terms of preparation
02:18 and approach and consistency and work
02:21 and all those things to lead up to even get there.
02:23 So, you know, it was awesome to see
02:26 that he's worked his butt off to get to that point even more.
02:31 And, you know, I'm ready to see him continue to grow his game.
02:34 And as for me, you know,
02:37 I might have had the year off in terms of playing,
02:40 but I think it was a big mental year for me
02:42 and learning how to continue to grow my game
02:46 and my approach and my mental just to be a pro,
02:49 the best pro I can be.
02:50 So I think it was a big step for me.
02:53 And that aspect, even though I couldn't be on the court
02:55 physically, I think I took leaps in other areas of my game.
02:58 So...
02:59 Okay.
03:00 You got here last year,
03:02 you're going to be playing with somebody
03:04 that benefits the most with your identifier
03:06 as being a defense first guy.
03:08 Yeah.
03:09 How rewarding will it be to finally be able to step on the floor
03:14 to get to 100% and be able to feast?
03:18 Yeah.
03:19 I think that I'm excited and looking forward to that.
03:22 And I think that, you know,
03:25 just for what I provide for this team in general
03:29 and just my game overall,
03:31 I just look forward to be able to kind of implement myself
03:34 and my style of play into the system.
03:37 And, you know, now we have some experience and time together
03:42 now that I think that we have grown overall as a team.
03:44 And obviously with Cliff and the way his approach is
03:47 and his own system,
03:49 it gives us the best chance and opportunity
03:51 to get the most out of us as players.
03:53 And I'm just looking forward to that.
03:55 And obviously looking forward to just being healthy
03:58 to do those things.
03:59 So I'm excited.
04:00 I'm excited to get on the floor.
04:02 And like I said, I learned a lot sitting out
04:04 and being around coach and having a lot of conversations with him
04:07 and just kind of picking each other's brain.
04:10 And like I said, I'm just excited for this year.
04:13 [inaudible]
04:18 Yeah.
04:19 [inaudible]
04:25 Yeah.
04:26 [inaudible]
04:28 I think just like with anything, with any injury,
04:31 I think a lot of it sometimes is more than the injury itself.
04:34 Sometimes it's getting back in the rhythm of things.
04:36 Sometimes it's whatever that is.
04:38 And some of that stuff varies.
04:40 I think for me specifically, I just have to make sure
04:43 because I think last year I had a few times where, you know,
04:46 I tried to go and I might not have been 100%.
04:49 And, you know, that's trial and error.
04:52 And just learning from that, just the best thing I can do is make sure
04:55 that I go in next time, whenever that is,
04:57 and making sure that I'm ready that there is no setbacks
05:01 or I have the best possibility of going out there
05:04 and being 100%, and that's what's important.
05:06 [inaudible]
05:13 You have a brotherly competition with him.
05:16 Did you like trying to try it out?
05:17 Oh, yeah.
05:18 Oh, yeah.
05:19 I mean, it definitely gave me a lot of motivation.
05:22 And just like I said, just to see him do that, especially in person
05:27 and just their team and the way that they did things,
05:30 more than just being there to watch my brother,
05:32 I learned a lot from their team and the players on there,
05:35 and like I said, the preparation.
05:37 And, you know, I seen more than just going there to watch him play.
05:42 On the floor, I seen the preparation it took to get up to those points.
05:45 And, yeah, like we always have that competition just in life and in general,
05:52 but it's a good competition so that we push each other.
05:56 And like I said, I was blessed to be able to be there
06:00 and learn a lot of stuff while I was there.
06:01 So now, you know, I'm wanting to take those things that I learned
06:04 from being there from that experience and apply it here.
06:08 [Inaudible]
06:21 Yeah.
06:22 [Inaudible]
06:26 Yeah.
06:27 I mean, I think I'm optimistic in general with just like my approach
06:32 and I believe that I'm going to be there at 100%.
06:35 And I just think we just have to be smart about when that is
06:39 and when to take those steps and just --
06:41 and a lot of that is a just collaboration between us to where we have to make sure
06:46 that we both feel like we're both in a good spot to make sure we introduce
06:51 different things and when it's time to get on the floor,
06:55 making sure that I'm in a good spot to where we all feel comfortable
06:58 and that, you know, when I'm out there, I can be myself, you know.
07:02 So I think that that's the most important thing right now.
07:04 And I'm going to continue, like I said, to do what I've been doing
07:07 and that's just show up, work, be consistent with my treatment, lift,
07:11 and do everything I can to put myself in a position to go out there
07:14 and be myself.
07:15 [Inaudible]
07:21 Yeah.
07:22 Most of it has just been individual.
07:23 Most of it has been just making sure because, you know, I miss a lot of time.
07:28 I want to make sure that I get a lot of reps and things like that.
07:33 And I think as for right now, especially where I was at,
07:37 I don't think there was a lot of need to play 5-on-5 in terms of just risk
07:42 reward, especially at that point.
07:44 Especially at that point when we're not even in training camp
07:46 and anything like that.
07:47 So I just think it's just about being smart with my approach this time around,
07:53 being smarter, learning from what maybe we had did in the past
07:56 and what works and what didn't work.
07:57 So I think it's just, like I said, trial and error,
07:59 just continue to move forward the best way that we can.
08:03 [Inaudible]
08:19 Yeah.
08:20 [Inaudible]
08:22 Yeah.
08:23 [Inaudible]
08:29 I think, you know, I think all that stuff with Cliff, I think, you know,
08:34 he's going to have his system set in place.
08:36 But I think a lot of that is just when everybody's back
08:39 and we have our full team back and obviously implement Myles and just,
08:43 you know, Brandon, just everybody's here now.
08:46 So I think that a lot of that, number one,
08:49 is just going to be based on the chemistry and how things work,
08:54 who's on the floor.
08:55 I think a lot of that depends on that.
08:57 But I think that's what, you know, my versatility makes that good for our team,
09:03 that I can play those different kinds of roles and I can do what he asked me to do
09:07 and I can do those things at a high level.
09:09 So, you know, obviously I was out last year with an injury.
09:13 So when I get back, it's just about finding ways to implement myself
09:17 and that versatility to our team.
09:19 And I feel like I've always been a player that's whatever the coach needs,
09:23 I can do that.
09:24 So I'm just looking forward to, like I said, playing in the system
09:27 and, you know, just for us all to kind of gel
09:31 and get back on the floor together since we've had that time missing
09:34 for a little while.
09:36 [Inaudible]
09:46 Yeah.
09:47 Yeah, I mean, that's my dude, man.
09:50 He's a good dude.
09:52 He's been like that since I met him.
09:53 I've known him since I was in college when I was at North Carolina State.
09:57 And, you know, he just – he was around and he's a hooper himself.
10:02 He loves hoops.
10:04 And, you know, he's just a good dude, man.
10:06 And, you know, nothing about him, he doesn't change.
10:10 He's the same dude, consistent with whatever he does.
10:15 And I just think that, you know, obviously that whole story is a great story
10:20 and how it came to be and how those opportunities came up.
10:24 So I just think that it shows that even with his success
10:27 and his own path and his own career, it's just a character thing for him at heart.
10:33 That's just who he is.
10:34 So it means a lot to have somebody like that and know somebody like that.
10:38 And, you know, obviously we've been blessed and fortunate enough
10:41 to kind of cross paths and be able to impact each other's life.
10:47 Thanks, guys.
10:48 Appreciate it.
10:49 Thanks, y'all.