On the Court with Caden Neves: A Rising Star's Journey

Join us, as we journey into the life of one of the brightest rising stars on the basketball court, Caden Neves. Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, this extraordinary young athlete takes us through the challenges, the triumphs, and the unwavering dedication that has defined his career. Listen closely as we dissect the diverse play styles he had to acclimate to, the sacrifices made by his mother, and the pivotal decisions he's had to make on the court that has shaped his future.

In the second part, we navigate the charming tales of his old stomping grounds in Massachusetts. Caden opens up about his evolution into an elite athlete, the crucial role of a good coach, loyal friends, and the ins and outs of Name, Image, and Likeness rules. Are you curious about how these elements have woven into the fabric of his journey to stardom? Well, we've got it all covered. 

In the latter half of the episode, we plunge into the upcoming basketball season, the cultural significance of AAU basketball, and the rising presence of European players in the NBA. We'll hear about Caden's rigorous training, recovery routines, and the crucial mental game he plays. Can you guess who we think is the next big star in the NBA?  So buckle up, basketball fans, because this episode is packed with insightful and incredible revelations about one of the game's promising young talents, Caden Neves!

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:18

Just two Murph's talking hoops. The journey to June continues. We are in September, we got two weeks or so until NBA training camp starts, so we're a little bit of a hiatus. So what I thought I would do this week, I think we're going to change it up a little bit, and today we're going to bring in a special guest. It is not just the coach I'm about to bring in, we also have with us with the coach Caden Neves Welcome to the show, Caden and Coach Murph. Good to see you, man.

Speaker 2 0:55

Nice to see you too.

Speaker 3 0:56

I can't contain myself. I did, I contained myself. You see that I can barely burst in baby Caden in the house. Big cat in the house, let's go. He's sitting right next to me baby.

Speaker 1 1:07

This is a first on Just Murph's Caden. Okay, we started this podcast back 2020, right before the pandemic. It used to be just Just Two Murph's talking sports, but then we realized what we really want to talk about hoops, so it changed up. It's been this journey to June. Obviously we're self-expand you know that we're getting into that but it's been pretty NBA heavy. The whole idea is getting fans on from different parts of the country Get their take. It's been great. But the reason why this is a first we have never had a real hooper An actual hooper on the show for the first time. I don't even know what to do here, man. I don't even know where to start, coach, you know what to do.

Speaker 3 1:50

Just keep. I know a lot about this guy. You just go. This is my guy. I've worked with hundreds, not thousands, of student athletes. He might be just the best I've ever worked with. So this is history in the making. This man, this young man, is going to the NBA and I'm so excited to be part of this journey. It's just Kayden, we had a great day. Paul, go ahead and ask your question.

Speaker 1 2:11

So, Caden, why don't you just jump in man, kind of just introduce yourself, tell us your story a little bit, and then we'll go from there, if that works.

Speaker 2 2:20

So my name is Caden and I am originally from Weymouth, Massachusetts's. So I was born in the South Shore Hospital and so I lived here most of my life until what was it? Almost a year ago, around October, I moved to Indiana. We moved to Indiana because it was going to benefit my mom in a good way, financially and like-.

Speaker 3 2:44

We got some moms. She's an incredible woman, strong, awesome woman, and we're blessed to have our moms, aren't we?

Speaker 2 2:51

Yes, sir, continue. And so we went to Indiana, thinking it was going to be a very good experience, but, I mean, it turned out really differently than we thought. So after that we decided that it would be best to move to Michigan, since they have different rules in Indiana, because I reclassed my freshman year and so Indiana only has a rule where you can play four years of high school, but in Michigan it doesn't matter how many years you play, unless you're 19,. But I graduated at 18.

Speaker 1 3:28

Yeah, you're class of 2025, right, you're 16? Yeah, sweet man. So right now, obviously, you're here in Massachusetts. You started your journey in Massachusetts, but you played for Fishers right In Indiana. Yeah, had a good time over there, but now you're in Michigan, is that right?

Speaker 2 3:46

Yeah, I wouldn't say Fishers was the best time for me, but I mean it definitely taught me a lot of life lessons. It taught me not everybody's going to be on your side and you have to work against people that aren't the same community or office as you. You know what I'm saying. So I basically got there. In Boston we played different. I would say our body language is a little different than Fishers. I mean, I came in with a different play style. I like to pass the ball. I move it, try to they try to pass it like probably eight times for a player it's not like that, but it's like a lot. And in Boston it's like if you have like an open shot, like you're going to take that shot.

Speaker 2 4:31

Yeah, because that's basketball, like it's faster pace.

Speaker 3 4:35

But you dealt with adversity there and you have to have that in life.

Speaker 1 4:39

What brought you over to Fishers Is that? Forgive my ignorance, this is all new to me. Is that a prep school? Like what?

Speaker 2 4:46

brought you over to. It was a public school.

Speaker 1 4:48

Gotcha. So you just kind of moved to Indiana, and that's what brought you there, gotcha.

Speaker 2 4:52

Okay, Because my mom she researched Fishers, so she's like okay.

Speaker 3 4:58

I gave big off some moms. They're a dynamic duo.

Speaker 2 5:01

She was like oh, is it a good program, basketball, the workout a lot, it looks good. And for academics they're like 700 or 700 in the country. So for academics and basketball she's like this is going to be like a way better opportunity for you to academically answer basketball and I was honestly excited to go at first.

Speaker 1 5:23

So yeah, you never know right. You got to test the words. You got to take that chance like you did. Let's go backwards before we go forwards. So when you said they passed a lot and instead of letting you be aggressive, talk to me about your experience in Boston, in Massachusetts, and were you more the go-to guy?

Speaker 2 5:41

And then you felt like you were kind of hampered when you moved on, or I want to say I was really a go-to guy but I feel like I really got kind of my fair share with the ball. You know what I'm saying. Like, if I got a shot, I'm going to take it. I'm not going to pass up a good shot for a great shot. But sometimes that's really what you have to do. But in that case they were passing up too many shots for what they thought was a better shot. But it didn't really turn out to be like that.

Speaker 1 6:07

That sounds like the Celtics. We need to go to a guy like you on the Celtics. It just wasn't a good fit there.

Speaker 3 6:14

Yeah, it's part of his journey. Moving forward, he learned his learning lesson I always done Michigan, and I know he's vibing down there. Let's just move on to Michigan. That's in his past now, sure.

Speaker 1 6:22

Before we do that, I want to know a little bit more about you, who you are. As far as a basketball player, I think, what you're a shooting guard Is that your position? Yeah, and what you think about 6'5".

Speaker 2 6:33

Yeah, 6'5", 6'6" Awesome. I really like shooting the ball. I mean I think that's really one of my biggest strengths because I mean my handle is pretty decent, it's pretty good. It's not crazy. I can put the ball on the floor, I can take it to the hoop. But what I really look forward to doing when I'm playing is just really catching shoot 3s or maybe a may range if I get cut off from a 3. So you got good range, yeah.

Speaker 3 7:00

So that's a silky smooth shot dude.

Speaker 1 7:02

Sweet man, who are some of the guys that you pat in your game after that? I would know.

Speaker 2 7:14

There's a couple guys, my trainer. He put me onto some people, but I think I've watched a lot of Harrison Barnes.

Speaker 1 7:23

Mm Harrison Barnes, Nice.

Speaker 2 7:26

And there was somebody else I watched. I kind of forget his name.

Speaker 1 7:30

He's on the Kings right, sacramento Kings right now.

Speaker 2 7:33

Harrison. Yeah, I watched a lot of Keelan Martin too Cool, because he's like 6'7". He's not a big man, he's like a shooting guard. So I like Keelan's game a lot. He goes to. He's like a floater. From what I've really seen, he's a great midi. He could shoot the three balls as well.

Speaker 1 7:53

That gives me a good idea of your style, man. That's awesome, man. So you just moved to Michigan. What's the name of the high school you're going to be playing for over there?

Speaker 2 8:03

Granville High School.

Speaker 1 8:04

OK.

Speaker 2 8:06

Yeah, it's definitely going to be a good year this year, for sure.

Speaker 1 8:11

And I guess what are we looking at as far as the start of the season in high school, I'm going to guess games start in December. So the actual practice and all that, what like October or even November?

Speaker 2 8:22

right, yeah, I mean we have some open runs now, but I think we start working out, practicing and lifting and stuff and I think maybe about a month.

Speaker 1 8:34

Got it.

Discussing Future Basketball Opportunities

Speaker 2 8:35

So right now we've just had a few workouts a week in some open gyms.

Speaker 1 8:40

So what brought you back to Massachusetts? What are you doing over there now, man?

Speaker 2 8:45

My mom came here for a work event. So I'm really just down here kind of seeing where I grew up, kind of seeing the places again. What did we do today. I mean, today we went back to my old house before our moves and honestly kind of felt relieved because I feel like I had so much like, oh, I miss Boston, I miss Boston. And I kind of got relieved today that I could really go back and just see where it all started here.

Speaker 3 9:11

We went back to his own apartment. We ran in there. This was nice, he's right.

Speaker 2 9:16

Yeah, what else did we do? And then after that we went to the Norah Athletic Club, lifted a little bit, played a little bit of basketball, went into the steam room sauna, and then went and floated in the ocean for a little bit. It was kind of hard Nice.

Speaker 3 9:30

Oh, we went to Ducksburg, yeah, because, lee, we were in post-Horricane waves. It was really awesome man.

Speaker 3 9:37

It was for real. We had a day today, man, and I haven't seen him in a year, so he means a lot to me. I'm happy because I literally grew. When I first saw him, I was like he literally grew like an inch, but he grew. I was watching him play on the court. His physicality, he's grown and he's only 16. And Kobe would say I stunk at 16. He doesn't stink at 16. But he's in this. We all know about this growth period.

Speaker 3 10:00

Michael Jordan, he didn't what he didn't make his high school year as an athlete in high school he was awesome, and that's what's just going to happen to him.

Speaker 1 10:08

I can see it Awesome man.

Speaker 3 10:10

And he's maturing. It's all mindset. But his game and he's got a better vibe. He's feeling a better vibe down there in Michigan where we're talking about. He's got a good friend, he's got a good coach looking out for him and he's a leader in the making. Right, we're all, that's it right there. I'm stoked for this guy. It's going to be the breakout season Because he deserves a B in that top 10. Talk that top right Doug, yeah for sure. So he's very humble and cool. That's why I make a good team, Because you know me, Crazy Wild. He's the cool, calm cat. We call him the big cat, the cool cat, but he's going to grow. There's no reason why he wouldn't be top 50 after this season.

Speaker 2 10:48

After this season? Yeah, for sure he's going to drop double, doubles on every night it sounds like at the other school.

Speaker 1 10:53

I mean, there's too much passing. If you don't have the ball in your hand, you can't show what you can do, that's not helping right?

Speaker 2 10:59

Yeah, that's not going to get your stock up.

Speaker 2 12:33

I mean I feel like at Fishers it was really more like what the coach wanted instead of really kind of how the players wanted to play, and I mean that's understandable, but it was too much about running the play instead of scoring the basketball, because at the end of the game, at the end of the day, you're going to have to put the ball in the hoop there's no passive 40 times and get a turnover, throw it out of bounds or miss a shot, don't get the rebound. And they were more focused on defense and they're saying defense wins games, which is true, but at the end of the day, like I said, you need to put the ball in the hoop and not many people on that team are doing that besides Jalen, yeah.

Speaker 1 13:12

So with that type of talk that you want to move up the ranks. I'm guessing basketball is your full-time sport 365, like you're just working out all throughout the year. This guy's going on the NBA.

Speaker 3 13:23

This is like a. This is a special human being that people don't know about. This is history in the making.

Speaker 3 13:28

I've seen him I when I was working with Novak Djokovic, nobby said he'd be number one. When I was working with one of the best hand-spreaders in the world and I saw he has the shine. He has the God gift given gifts and talents and he just needs to work on them, like we all do. It just needs to shape them. Yeah, like, like. Who's going to say I just had to deal with adversity in Indiana. He knows he needs to learn from that. He's humble, has humility. When I talk to him, he's like yeah, yeah, yeah, right. He doesn't say get defensive, you know, we got to remain teachable and he's just going to grow. And he's we haven't seen wait. And then senior year, boom, and then he's going to get paid to play some college ball right, of course, bam See that.

Speaker 1 14:04

Of course you know it's funny when you say that that is new. At college they do pay you. What does it call it? What do they call it? The NIL NIL, thank you. Yeah, that's fairly new, but they actually pay you in college. That's great.

Speaker 3 14:17

Right here we're on our show Best kept secret. It's going to be history. I'm going to go back how does that work?

Preparing for the Basketball Season

Speaker 1 14:22

Can you educate me on that with the NIL? Like, what type of player gets that type of money? I mean you don't have to be like top 10. I'm sure you can be what top 100? Or I mean, how many people are getting that money?

Speaker 2 14:34

I think it's more like like your publicity, I would say, or like how well you're known. Mm Politics, yeah, like. Or how much you kind of like bring to the team, because if you're benched on a team you're definitely not going to get a lot, but like if you're like a big factor in the team, I think for that that's something like you can consider like getting a lot of money, but I think it's more just like publicity and how well you're known, regardless of like rank, and then I think from there it just goes out to like how they pay you.

Speaker 2 15:05

Awesome I know, I think I'm not sure, but I think Jaylin is talking about something, and I am not sure, though I don't know if that's correct or not, so don't don't take my word for it. I mean, he's definitely going to get one in college. It's going to be a big paycheck.

Speaker 1 15:22

I was just reading up on him. It looks like he had a. Well, he was the point guard, right. Yeah yeah, good guy, good player.

Speaker 2 15:30

Yeah, he's a very good player. He works very hard there in practice and game. He loves the game a lot. That's it.

Speaker 1 15:36

What about these? I guess the top two right now, or sorry, not top two, but this probably goes. What you said with publicity is because it's Carlos Boozer's sons, right?

Speaker 2 15:48

They go to politics.

Speaker 1 15:49

I know you're with those guys. Yeah, I'm familiar with them yeah, yeah, you can't get much more publicity than that right Obviously NBA dad, you know.

Speaker 3 15:59

Well, look at staff, look at, look at. We're going to keep ripping off names like like who Mahomes his father was? Oh, there's Yankee.

Speaker 1 16:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 16:08

They had the whole lineup. They've been around that too, and I love we're going to hear the amazing story. Your mom's name is Amber, by the way. Say, not just the moms like, but them too Like. I know it's like written all over them. They're going to, they're on a journey, just like the just two morphs on the journey. And you can, I can see it, man. They both shine. That's exciting, man, grinding and struggling and going through it. This isn't easy, man. When I was his age I was so distracted I was gone so I could not, and I was one of the best athletes around. I could. No way was I were he is. But we all just needed each other to help one another and it's been great. He taught me to stop. Today, personal stuff helped me out, cause I can be too verbal. I was like don't do that, don't do that.

Speaker 1 16:51

Too much.

Speaker 3 16:51

Do that, just do that, just do that little hard, do that thing.

Speaker 1 16:54

Even the coach, he's a little coach.

Speaker 3 16:56

I need to certainly do, but we had fun today and that's why I tell him to. In the song I was like you got to be joyful. It turns into this job, into this business. It's just a game at the highest level. Man and his body language he was. He was compared to JT today, jason Tatum and a go, which is an incredible right. But also, why do I knock it a little bit? I'm not knocking JT, I'm wearing am I wearing his T-shirt right now? Am I?

Speaker 2 17:24

Am I wearing this? Yes, you are.

Speaker 3 17:27

And he said I'm humbly one of the best players in the world, because it's true, but what do I don't like sometimes, and not just him, a whole bunch of guys.

Speaker 2 17:36

Like they don't believe in this stuff.

Speaker 3 17:38

No, but what else? What am I just saying in the car today? The body language and the complaining. We can get stuck into that mindset where it's just this pre-Madonna body language. No, we got to break that habit.

Speaker 1 17:54

You know what's awesome Getting ready for the pod today, because here's the thing, back to what this pod is kind of about more like NBA, right, we're like in this slow time right now because training camp doesn't start for a couple of weeks, so I haven't really been paying attention because there's nothing really going on. But I went on to Twitter today KG and the Truth. They have a podcast and they had Tony Allen on and it's funny about you guys talking about today working out right, getting ready for the year, and you're the coach, you're the player.

Speaker 1 18:25

So there was a video of Paul Pierce, paul Pierce and Tatum working out in the gym, but what they were? Talking about is what Tatum needs with his next development is the mentality. He's missing that mentality Kind of like we're talking about Kayden, where that past past versus take the ball and just shoot it, man Right.

Speaker 3 18:47

Yeah, he's growing into that leadership role, but he's growing in his IQ too. He's already got the foundation, he's just going to grow more. You know what I mean out there. But it's like, of course I am a prima donna, but I have to bite my tongue. With my body language I'm so reactive, I have to not go sulk because it's self-centeredness. During the game, if there's no whistle, there's a whistle blow that I can stop, but no, no whistle blow that you continue to go. Whether you fall down, you get tripped, you get fouled, it doesn't matter, because that means you're stopping the game. The game goes on. You're missing it. You had an opportunity to get back to the court. Down the court, get the board. No, it's selfishness and it's not mature. You're going to grow, you got the jersey on.

Speaker 1 19:29

We all need to mature. No, he's growing to messy.

Speaker 3 19:31

It's incredible. We all have our stuff, but we need to grow into that, build that habit of responding. You're playing all the time with the rest and we don't get our call. Yeah, and that's it. Man, just play through, that's all. I like that gritty toughness and it's hard, so we're going to work it out.

Speaker 1 19:50

So, kaden, when you get back, are you? Is it like tryouts right now? Where are things at as far as the team and getting ready and as far as just the calendar for you?

Speaker 2 20:03

Yeah, for working like tryouts. I think they're in a couple of weeks, so I'm definitely still preparing for that. What are we?

Speaker 3 20:10

talking about for your preparation, like what did I say today.

Speaker 2 20:12

It's like mindset and really kind of just keep going at it Like don't go through the motions, like do the full thing. So what I really need to do is kind of get in the gym more, get my mind right, recover, and from there I think I should be fine. I mean, I'm not really worried about it.

Speaker 3 20:29

He's got a agility, quickness, no worries, Like like. He's strong man, big, and he's learned how to do it. We're lifting. We did that lift in benching, squatting, lunging. But more lightness for him, more quickness in the develop.

Speaker 1 20:44

So, being a three point shooter and being more of a shooter how many is that like a daily thing, Just getting up tons of shots every day? Or how do you get ready for the season as far as getting your rhythm down?

Speaker 2 20:56

Well, I think in the past I will work on my shot like a lot more, because last year, when I was at Fisher's, I go and shoot every single morning, Like there's probably like one to two mornings. I couldn't make it because of whatever happened. I mean I would literally go every single day and use the gym as much as I possibly could, and how many shots are you getting up when you say that every single morning? Probably like 500 to 2000.

Speaker 3 21:22

Wow.

Speaker 2 21:22

Yep Around that number yeah.

Speaker 3 21:23

We worked it, man. We worked it today. Sweet, but we were tired before the-.

Speaker 1 21:27

But you felt doing it every morning that might have been a little too much. So now, what does that look like for you?

Speaker 2 21:34

Well, it wasn't a little too much, but I think, as of right now, I think there's some some things in my game where I need to get better, Like I can. I can handle the ball decently. It's just kind of when decision making, like when I should put it on the floor or if I should pass it or not. But I mean, that's something I'll have to learn and I'm learning pretty fast right now.

Speaker 3 21:54

No, he's a quick learn, bro, like I showed him an exercise that takes a while to pre-bill to learn. This is going to go up high but it's going to lock it and it exercises in an exercise.

AAU Basketball and Its Cultural Impact

Speaker 1 22:03

It's well, this is what's exciting for just two nerves. Oh, now we have another thing to talk about on the pod as the season goes, this journey to June. For us, it's all about the NBA. It's definitely about our Celtics. Right, that's how it started. But now we got another journey to watch. Oh, you're going to see your journey, kayden, and if you don't mind, as things are going, we'd love to get you back on the pod, maybe mid -season definitely the end of the season to check in and see how things are going for you, have you also Love that idea.

Speaker 2 22:34

And I'd love to be back on this too. I mean, I just kind of want to get my name out there and I feel like this season is really like a statement season, where people should really like know what type of player I am and like just know my name. So they will right, of course. Yeah, Awesome man.

Speaker 3 22:51

Some triple doubles. Being the leader, I don't always want to ask him, but I want to know if you know a little bit more about AAU. Want to tell Paul a little bit about AAU basketball, high school basketball a little bit maybe.

Speaker 2 23:05

Yeah, I mean AAU and high school is really different. I mean, and it's kind of different in the East Coast. East Coast and Midwest. I mean for AAU and the Midwest they don't do fall, and out here I'm like mass and like surrounding towns or whatever, or cities, cities, this is fall AAU. But I mean there's really you don't really get exposure during fall AAU, so I don't think most people do it. But in the Midwest there's no like fall AAU, it's just spring and summer, and so I mean it's different. It's kind of different everywhere.

Speaker 2 23:45

I mean here in Boston mass, whatever AAU team I play for, we've always had AAU practices. We've always had workouts to get better, just to kind of get to know your team more and actually like win games. But I think in the Midwest it's really just like you show up and you play and you get exposure, because I don't think I've ever been so far to practice for a team. I mean we've had some mini camps, but like that's really about it, like we would just go all week without playing each other and then just play a game and hopefully we win.

Speaker 3 24:17

I mean look at this face. Look at this face. It's more handsome than us. This guy's got the whole thing, man, he's the whole package. Two other shows, not on TV. We're going to get that level. That's another level. Once we get that million dollar contract, who's going to get it first, us or you?

Speaker 2 24:29

Let's go, baby, probably both of us, I don't know yeah.

Speaker 3 24:33

That's right. So before we had a day in Paul like we worked hard, right, I went all the way to Boston to get them. We went around, we're doing this and that we worked out, and what do we do to get? I came back to the park when we ate some food. We took a hot shower after the water.

Speaker 1 24:51

After the cold dunk in the ocean.

Speaker 3 24:52

Yeah yeah, we chilled, watched a little ballers. I don't know if we can say that. We can say whatever you want.

Speaker 1 24:58

Do whatever you want. Whatever you want, dude the rock ballers, it's your pond.

Speaker 3 25:02

Yeah, what am I thinking? Come on, coach Murph. See, coach Murph gets a little insecure sometimes too, it's okay. So, anyway, we had our food and we're in a food cone like oh no the pod, I'm tired. So what I do? I got some almonds, some Brazilian nuts, some walnuts and I sprinkled it with some chocolate syrup. Yes, boom.

Speaker 2 25:23

Probably the best thing I've ever eaten.

Speaker 3 25:26

But you have nutritional application. Those are organic, really good. Nuts man, Brazilian nuts, walnuts, almonds.

Speaker 1 25:34

I love it.

Speaker 3 25:35

We had the chocolate sauce. They ain't gonna kill you, it's good for you too. Now we got a little more juice, don't we? Yeah?

Speaker 2 25:40

There you go, sitting in the seat for two hours.

Speaker 3 25:44

There was ultimate part in those waves too. That was hard. Oh my goodness, the riptide was crazy.

Speaker 2 25:49

Like eight feet, eight to ten feet oh damn.

Speaker 3 25:52

But he does what I tell him to do for the float therapy and his recovery in the water and he's doing it, man. But I hope you guys don't mind, but it's time, it's time.

Speaker 1 26:02

What's the time? Are we doing a quiz?

Speaker 3 26:04

It's time, man. The AAU quiz. The AAU quiz.

Speaker 1 26:08

Oh man, I didn't know we were gonna throw in a coach's quiz with our special guest. Here we go, there we go, there we go Frisbees chocolate covered cocoa beans.

Speaker 3 26:20

What was that? Was that eating the caffeine? Remember I was having those coffee beans chocolate covered coffee beans.

Speaker 3 26:25

Here we go, yeah, yeah yeah, that was a little bit and too much with those ones. All right, here we go. Baby, are you guys ready for this? Of course I'm ready, of course these right. So you can answer whenever you want and it doesn't matter, and if you're wrong you shush up. That's it, if I'm wrong and the other guy can try to answer. Okay, what does the AAU, the association, the AAU? I shouldn't even say that I'm being an idiot. What is the stamp for AAU? What is the stamp for?

Speaker 2 26:56

Amateur Athletic Club. Oh wait, no, no, no, AAU.

Speaker 1 27:01

I didn't hear you say that that was fudge.

Speaker 3 27:03

You didn't say, that was something.

Speaker 1 27:05

Amateur, american Amateur Undergrads AAU, I should know that.

Speaker 3 27:12

It's three words guys.

Speaker 1 27:13

Can't look at that.

Speaker 3 27:13

Yeah, you almost had it. Say it again back to Kaden, you had it. What was it? It's AAU.

Speaker 2 27:20

Amateur Amateur Athletic U.

Speaker 3 27:26

What do we need to do to be the AAU Divide? Oh yeah, fuck-ass. Bald is his show, I just am the sidekick. Look the U. What happens if we were divided as a nation? What do we need to be together If we're going to make this happen? You're going to make it happen. What do we need to have? Unification, union, the union.

Speaker 1 27:46

There we go. Damn it, we're not starting out good here. Don't even know that, all right.

Speaker 3 27:51

People didn't know that anyway, I bet it started when 1885. Holy moly, did you look this up? No, come on, that's incredible, that's incredible.

Speaker 2 28:03

I don't even have guesses.

Speaker 3 28:04

No, but he didn't guess. Come on, paw gaspaw, was that off the dome or did you look something up?

Speaker 1 28:15

No, that's when I was born.

Speaker 3 28:18

Okay, it wasn't it, but it's close. 1885 or 1985?.

Speaker 2 28:21

He said 1885. He was close, he wasn't right, but go ahead.

Speaker 3 28:24

He was close, come on 1885. But darn close 1889. I'm sorry, the prime time Coach, prime says darn, not darn.

Speaker 1 28:34

Darn, darn Close 1888. What did you say Paw Gaspaw 1889.

Speaker 3 28:42

Oh Paw Gaspaw 1897.

Speaker 1 28:46

It started the continued tournament.

Speaker 3 28:48

This is the AAU basketball tournament. It started in 1897 and has continued until present. How?

Speaker 3 28:55

cool Most finals have been played in a single final format, apart from some occasions in the winners tournament have been decided by a round robin format. Major professors, players like Duncan David Robinson might have heard that he was a big time player center in San Antonio Spurs back in the day. This was way before big C's time, but he's become a student of the game recently, more learning the older game. Larry Brown, greg Popovich were crowned champions of the AAU. Popovich and Robinson represented the US armed forces. Remember that? All stars? Yeah, remember all that. What about years were some of the strongest basketball teams in the United States? That was between AAU teams? Yeah, between 19. It's the 1900s, they say we were the strongest.

Speaker 1 29:45

He's getting deep.

Speaker 2 29:46

He's getting deep, I'm gone deep I'm not even gonna lie, I don't even know it. It's okay.

Speaker 3 29:50

They say 1920 to 1950, but I was like, uh, I don't know, but that's when all the sponsorships started to come into the 20th Century Fox, all that good stuff. But this is the way it goes all the way back to the 30s guys. Aau covers all the sports, man, and it's pretty cool, you know, and it's just, that's a little quiz, a little something. You guys, ah, lost it all, but it's okay because it was so different from Usually. Podcasts ball, you all stop.

Speaker 1 30:20

I think more. The point for me with AAU is it's a culture.

Speaker 2 30:22

Now, Right Back to what you were just saying promoting your brand and all that Like what you hear.

Speaker 1 30:27

Anyway, with all the NBA players I follow now these guys are all but like for me and Coach, we're like old school, we go back to like the 80s right now Like old school.

Speaker 3 30:37

We are old school baby.

Speaker 1 30:39

Well, right now, the show I'm watching, that I'm all into and I wasn't into season one, but I'm definitely into season two is winning time.

Speaker 1 30:47

And it's all about the 80s Lakers and the 80s Celtics. Those guys they just like I don't know. It was like real competition. They all kind of seemed like they hated each other. Where the talk about the players today is Because they're all nicey, nicey. They all know each other because they've been playing together since they were like eight or nine years old in AAU. So that was more. I think. My questions around AAU is how much it's like part of the culture of basketball. Now, right, I think you kind of nailed it.

Speaker 3 31:21

This league was a union, was established before the NBA.

Speaker 1 31:25

It's cool, very cool. But you just kind of nailed it, kayden, when you played in Massachusetts you were doing it right Outside of just the regular high school stuff. You're doing AAU and you're doing it now, so you're just going to naturally get to know guys that you don't play high school with or compete against, that are there in AAU and other kind of areas and you become friends right.

Speaker 3 31:47

Exactly, you have to build relationships. I love how you said culture. I love that man. Yeah, I was. Just you could ask them some stuff about winning time. If you want, I had something for you. What do you know about Go ahead? Paul Caswell. What does he know about burb? What does he know about magic?

Speaker 1 32:03

Yeah, we don't need to get any time.

Speaker 2 32:05

I'd much rather he knows who matters, I'd rather get into the current events.

Speaker 1 32:08

Man, yeah, exactly Like, do you? I mean, I'm guessing, if you're a Hooper and you want to go to college and then, eventually, the NBA, you got to watch the NBA game, right, yeah yeah, are you being from Boston, you a Celtics guy?

Speaker 2 32:21

Of course I'm a all Boston. He's from the South Shore, oh right, I just want to make sure. Oh, our man, I knew he moved to the Mid-West.

Speaker 1 32:29

He's from the South.

Speaker 3 32:29

Shore. When he was home, he was like I feel at peace, I'm like this is where you're from, this is your home, baby.

Speaker 1 32:36

I didn't know, now that you live in Michigan, that you're like a Chris Weber guy Learning about the Fab Five at Michigan or something like that. I don't know, man. No, you're all Boston Of course, yeah. Okay.

Speaker 2 32:47

I still watch the Celtics Pats Bruins Red Sox whatever. The team they have here. I watch it.

Speaker 1 32:53

All right. What are you thinking about this year's squad Now that they changed it up, got rid of Marcus Smart and got poor Zingas? How you feeling about it, man? I?

Speaker 2 33:01

don't know, I don't know why they didn't keep him. I mean he was like he was a native, like he's been here for a minute, like ever since. I was like what. I don't even know how young I was. I was like young, young, he's been there since the start. So I mean I feel like kind of trading him was a wasn't a good, good move for them, Because he's kind of like a leader on defense, like he takes pride in his defense and they already have scores. So I think he played a huge role on the like the defensive part for that team and I mean Chris House for Zingas is pretty good, but I mean I think at the end of the day, you just needed to keep Marcus Smart.

Speaker 1 33:38

Man man you feel that?

Speaker 3 33:39

way. All right, you're not a.

Speaker 1 33:42

Derrick White guy huh, whoa, whoa, whoa Whoa. This interview is getting a little weird all of a sudden.

Speaker 3 33:50

I know, I told you.

Speaker 1 33:52

Derrick White's, our guy man, I told you.

Speaker 3 33:54

He has controversial feelings, which is good, that's okay, he's not the only one that feels that way. He doesn't not the only one.

Speaker 2 34:01

I know, We'll see, you know.

Speaker 3 34:02

I have my issues with this team. I'm not even going to get into the green right now. I was more focused on the big cat, on big seed.

Speaker 1 34:07

So are you a? Are you a Kings fan at all? Because the Harrison Barnes and watching his games a little bit, or just more how he plays as a player.

European Basketball Players in the NBA

Speaker 2 34:14

Yeah, it's more. I kind of only watch him because I can kind of relate my game to him or I kind of try to pick up things that he does to put in my game.

Speaker 1 34:22

Yeah, so who would you say is the number one? I know this is kind of a loaded question because everybody's got a different skill set out there on the NBA, although it seems like everybody jacks threes now, so it's good that you have that in your game. But who would you say, overall, is the number one? Best player in the NBA right now?

Speaker 2 34:39

Right now I probably have to say honest. I mean honest.

Speaker 1 34:44

Going Greek.

Speaker 2 34:45

Yeah, I love the Greek. I mean he's got it all. I mean he can dribble now. His charge is getting better. He's running. He runs at dunk set, oh man.

Speaker 1 34:52

All right.

Speaker 2 34:53

Can't really stop that. I mean, he's a-.

Speaker 3 34:55

I love his style of games. He's everywhere. He's long and lean strong. I love his game yeah.

Speaker 2 34:59

I mean I got to see him play in person too Nice, Because I went to a Pacers versus a Milwaukee game, so it was cool to watch him play and kind of see what he does. I mean he's booming on everybody, oh yeah, and they couldn't really stop him on defense or offense.

Speaker 3 35:15

So oh, boston doesn't have a problem stopping him, but that's another thing.

Speaker 1 35:20

Sorry, Greek. One last question for you on the NBA. What are your thoughts on the Miami Heat? Like that team at all. Not really no, Sorry, Ted.

Speaker 3 35:31

Ted.

Speaker 1 35:32

That was for my friend. We have like a die hard, die hard he's a big Heat fan and he's just waiting for them to get Dame Lillard, Because that's been the big talk in the off season and we just got news today that they're not going to trade him, so he's a little upset about that If you could pronounce the guy's name on Boston right now, I would be so impressed.

Speaker 3 35:52

Go ahead, paul Gaspar. I can't do it. I was on YouTube but again I forgot, isn't it?

Speaker 1 35:56

Oh, I forgot about that. C C S V I Z Z.

Speaker 3 35:59

Oh, you got the first name, the last name's like it's last names, like M Y H Z T U V. Oh, I got to pronounce that.

Speaker 1 36:07

I think ever since Denver won the championship, the Celtics said okay, we got to get as many European players as we can because of Yokecitch.

Speaker 3 36:17

Well, I'd like to say one thing about basketball and the Europeans, the Joker and Luca. Why are they so good? Let me tell you why Because they slow down. They slow down when everything's going fast and everything's high speed and everything's got to be down the court Quick. We're going to shoot the three. They just slow the game down, play a little old school Joker's more inside sometimes, but they just slow it down and they look unathletic, but they're not old. I think Luca's a good athlete. I think they're both good athletes. They look like they're not, but that's just the way you got to do. You got to control the pace of a game and slow it down and just throw people off. They do that well and I just want to make that point.

Speaker 1 36:58

I'm a big believer that at the end of this season we're all going to see that the best player in the NBA is Jason Tatum.

Speaker 3 37:05

Wee, let's go. What about Jaylen Brown? How?

Speaker 1 37:09

about that nice sidekick. He's gonna do great this year.

Positive Fun-Filled Day With Coach

Speaker 1 37:12

This is it, man, this is the year season two, just two murders, talking hoops, this journey to June. I already called it the end of season one. This is the year they get over the hump, and I get what you're saying about Marcus. We all love Marcus. I love Marcus, but I Feel like he might have been a little bit of a cancer in the in the locker room, and I think it was time that his voice they didn't weren't listening to his voice anymore and Fertigin to grow. They need to get him out. I know it's tough for me to say that, but I think getting poor zingas. There's a big if, though. Poor zingas has got to stay healthy. Obviously, if poor zingas stays healthy, sir, year man.

Speaker 2 37:52

For us here.

Speaker 1 37:54

We'll see.

Speaker 2 37:56

It was a pretty good pickup in my opinion. I mean they probably could have picked something a little better, but I mean he'll get the job done picking pop guy right, he can go down low and he can shoot the three.

Speaker 1 38:08

He Marcus. I mean, we couldn't really rely on Marcus for the three. He could shoot it, but it just seems like whenever the game was on the line, the ball found his hands and he was shooting it, right, yes, anyway this is awesome, we're gonna wrap.

Speaker 3 38:22

This has been a first I Real Hooper.

Speaker 1 38:26

Now we're gonna be following your journey, man, this is awesome.

Speaker 3 38:30

It's gonna really set off season two and a different for all of this journey where we are the two murders. I'm part of this guy.

Speaker 1 38:37

It's been great and this is awesome because it's gonna set see, this is our season two right, and it's gonna set it off a little different, where we're gonna be able to check in on your journey as we go along. So really excited for you, man. Good luck out there in Michigan this year. Man, just two mercy behind you.

Speaker 3 38:55

Yeah, baby, let's go.

Speaker 1 38:56

Well, obviously the way it's done here, as we get to our little outro out of the pod, the coach always takes us out. So, coach, take us out, man, in style, of course.

Speaker 3 39:07

Man, I woke up this morning, thank God I get some good sleep and I just I do my prayer meditation in the morning. I'm very open about my, my faith and my life and and I had the most amazing day today and I just kept it in the day. I started my day the right way. I went actually into the son before I saw him and did some stuff and drove down. It's had the best day ever, one of the best athletes I've ever worked with, you know, and we had and I was there. We just kept it in day, had fun. We're like big kids today and and that's it, man. It's helping one another, you know. You know, I'm proven. Each other improve and grow, you know, and even at 45 years old how old you know, 17, 17, he's helping me grow. Iron sharpens iron, as one brother sharpens another.

Speaker 2 39:56

One more thing. One more thing shout out coach does and Grandville High School. We go to up this here.

Speaker 1 40:01

Let's go. Oh man, well, we check it out.

Speaker 3 40:05

Oh, double, double this going down peace, love and the green machine with the big See, the big cap.

Speaker 1 40:15

Yes, two mers talking hoops. We'll see you in two weeks, beginning of the season, we out.